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PAST  AND  PRESENT 


OF  THE 


CITY  OF  ROCKFORD 


AND  /-.  -^  , 


WINNEBAGO  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


BY 


CHARLES   A.    CHURCH 

ASSISTED  BY  H.  H.  WALDO 


TOGETHER   WITH 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES 


OF   MANY  OF   ITS   LEADING   AND    PROMINENT   CITIZENS   AND    ILLUSTRIOUS   DEAD 


ILLUSTRATED 


CHICAGO: 

THE  S.  J.  CLARKE  PUBLISHING  CO. 

1905 


1Dc^lcatc^  to  the 

lPionccr5 

ot  ^1111101^00  Countv? 


r 


PRKFACB. 


THE  publishers  take  great  pleasure  in  presenting  this  volume  to  the  public.  In  addition 
to  the  general  history,  which  is  a  model  of  its  kind,  our  corps  of  writers  have  gone  to 
the  people,  the  men  and  women  who  have,  b\'  their  enterprise  and  industry,  brought 
this  county  to  a  rank  second  to  none  among  those  comprising  this  great  and  noble 
State,  and  from  their  lips  have  the  story  of  their  life  struggles.  No  more  interest- 
ing or  instructive  matter  could  be  presented  to  an  intelligent  public.  In  this  volume 
will  be  found  a  record  of  many  whose  lives  are  worthy  the  imitation  of  coming 
generations.  It  tells  how  some,  commencing  life  in  poverty,  by  industry  and 
economy  have  accumulated  wealth.  It  tells  how  others,  with  limited  advantages  for  securing 
an  education,  have  become  learned  men  and  women,  with  an  influence  extending  throughout 
the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land.  It  tells  of  men  who  have  risen  from  the  lower  walks  of 
life  to  eminence  as  statesmen,  and  whose  names  have  become  famous.  It  tells  of  those  in 
every  walk  in  life  who  have  striven  to  succeed,  and  records  how  success  has  usually 
crowned  their  efforts.  It  tells  also  of  many,  very  many,  who,  not  seeking  the  applause  of  the 
world,  have  pursued  the  "even  tenor  of  their  way,"  content  to  have  it  said  of  them,  as  Christ 
said  of  the  woman  performing  a  deed  of  mercy  —  "They  have  done  what  they  could."  It 
tells  how  many,  in  the  pride  and  strength  of  young  manhood,  left  the  plow  and  the  anvil,  the 
lawyer's  office  and  the  counting-room,  left  every  trade  and  profession,  and  at  their  country's 
call  went  forth  valiantly  "to  do  or  die,"  and  how  through  their  efforts  the  Union  was 
restored  and  peace  once  more  reigned  in  the  land.  In  the  life  of  every  man  and  of  every 
woman   is   a   lesson  that  should  not   be  lost  upon  those  who   follow  after. 

Coming  generations  will  appreciate  this  volume  and  preserve  it  as  a  sacred  treasure,  from 
the  fact  that  it  contains  so  much  that  would  never  find  its  way  into  public  records,  and  which 
would  otherwise  be  inaccessible.  Great  care  has  been  taken  in  the  compilation  of  the  work 
and  every  opportunity  possible  given  to  those  represented  to  insure  correctness  in  what  has 
been  written;  and  the  publishers  flatter  themselves  that  they  give  to  their  readers  a  work  with 
few  errors  of  consequence.  In  addition  to  biographical  sketches,  portraits  of  a  number  of 
representative  citizens  are  given. 

The  faces  of  some,  and  biographical  sketches  of  many,  will  be  missed  in  this  volume. 
For  this  the  publishers  are  not  to  blame.  Not  having  a  proper  conception  of  the  work,  some 
refused  to  give  the  information  necessary  to  compile  a  sketch,  while  others  were  indifferent. 
Occasionally  some  member  of  the  family  would  oppose  the  enterprise,  and  on  account  of  such 
opposition  the  support  of  the  interested  one  would  be  withheld.  In  a  few  instances  men  never 
could  be  found,  though  repeated  calls  were  made  at  their  residence  or  place  of  business. 

November,  1905.  The  S.  J.  Clarke  Publishing  Co. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT 

OF 

WINNEBAGO  COUNTY 


HISTORICAL 


GEOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW. 

The  territory  now  comprised  within  the  state 
of  lUinois  first  nominally  formed  a  part  of  Vir- 
ginia. The  English  crown,  by  virtue  of  dis- 
coveries made  by  the  Cabots  and  the  colonies 
planted  by  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  took  formal  pos- 
session of  that  portion  of  the  new  world  later 
known  as  Virginia.  The  English  colonists  in 
Mrginia,  however,  did  not  penetrate  far  into  the 
interior.  Thus  the  royal  claim  to  the  "land 
throughout  from  sea  to  sea  west  and  northwest" 
did  not  secure  the  title  of  the  English  crown  to 
this  vast  domain.  The  French  were  the  first 
actual  settlers  in  the  great  Mississippi  valley. 
During  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  century 
Father  Marquette,  Joliet,  La  Salle,  Tonti  and 
others  had  explored  the  shores  of  the  Father  of 
Waters  and  his  tributaries.  La  Salle  descended 
the  ]\Iississippi  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  He 
named  the  country  Louisiana,  in  honor  of  his 
king,  Louis  XIV.  By  virtue  of  these  explorations 
France  made  formal  claim  to  the  territory  lying 
on  either  side  of  the  Mississippi.  Thus,  with 
English  colonies  on  the  coast,  and  French  occu- 
pation in  the  valley  of  the  Alississippi,  it  was  only 
a  question  of  time  when  there  would  come  a  final 
struggle  for  the  possession  of  this  vast  territory. 

This  crisis  came  with  the  French  and  Indian 
war,  the  issue  of  which  committed  the  destiny  of 
the  west  to  the  Anglo-Saxon  civilization.  By 
the  treaty  of  Paris,  in  1763,  Great  Britain  ob- 
tained all  the  French  territory  east  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, with  the  exception  of  the  island  of  New 
Orleans. 


The  special  claim  made  by  Virginia  to  the 
Illinois  territory  was  based  upon  the  bold  con- 
quest of  this  region  bv  Colonel  George  Rogers 
Clark. 

In  1778  Colonel  Clark  conducted  a  series  of 
brilliant  campaigns  against  the  military  posts  at 
Kaskaskia,  Cahokia  and  X'incennes.  The  French 
villages,  the  only  settlements  in  the  region,  were 
seats  of  British  power.  If  these  posts  could  be 
taken,  and  the  capture  of  the  British  effected,  the 
entire  region  would  be  won  for  the  Old  Do- 
minion. The  scheme  appealed  to  the  bold  spirit 
of  Colonel  Clark,  and  the  outcome  justified  his 
most  sanguine  expectations. 

Virginia  assured  the  title  to  this  extensive  ter- 
ritory, first  by  right  of  her  charter,  and  sec- 
ondly by  the  conquest  of  her  own  arms.  The 
territory  was  at  once  organized  into  a  country 
called  Illinois.  By  the  treaty  of  Paris  in  1783, 
which  terminated  the  Revolutionary  war,  the 
Illinois  territory  passed  forever  from  the  control 
of  Great  Britain.  In  1784  the  delegates  in  con- 
gress from  the  commonwealth  of  Virginia  pre- 
sented to  the  Laiited  States  a  deed  of  cession  of 
the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  river.  By 
the  ordinance  of  1787  congress  provided  that  not 
less  than  three  nor  more  than  five  states  should 
be  formed  from  this  territory. 

By  an  act  of  congress  in  1800  the  Northwest 
Territory  was  divided  into  two  parts,  called  the 
Ohio  and  the  Indiana  Territory  respectively.  The 
latter  comprised  the  present  states  of  Indiana, 
Illinois.  Michigan  and  Wisconsin.  In  1809  was 
organized  the  territory  of  Illinois,  which  also 
included    Wisconsin    and    peninsular    Michigan. 


PAST     AXn     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


The  scat  of  frovcmmeiit  was  fixed  at  Kaskaskia. 
In  1812  Illinois  was  advanced  to  the  second  grade 
of  territorial  government;  and  in  1818  it  was  ad- 
mitted with  its  present  boundaries  into  the  l''nion 
as  a  state. 

WINNKRAGOF.S    .\ND    IMF.    Itl.AC  K    HAW  K    WAR. 

Winnebago  county  does  not  figure  prominently 
in  Indian  history.  The  Winnebagoes,  from  whom 
the  county  derives  its  name,  occupied  it  as  a  por- 
tion of  their  reservation  at  one  time.  This  tribe 
was  first  met  by  the  Jesuit  fathers  at  the  head 
of  Green  bay.  The  Winnebagoes  belonged  to  the 
Dacota  or  Sioux  nation.  They  wandered  to 
southern  Wisconsin  and  northern  Illinois  and 
Iowa.  r>y  a  treaty  negotiated  at  Prairie  du  Chien, 
.\ugust  I.  1829.  the  Winnebagoes  ceded  to  the 
I'nited  States  certain  lands  in  Illinois,  of  which 
W'iimebago  county  west  of  Rock  river  was  a  part. 
Article  \'  of  the  treaty  granted  sections  of  land 
to  certain  Indian  descendants  of  mixed  blood, 
who  did  not  wish  to  migrate  with  their  tribe. 
Tliirty-six  of  these  descendants  were  given  one 
section  of  land  each,  two  received  two  sections, 
anil  three  two  sections  jointly.  These  grants 
were  unlocated  or  "floating"'  lands.  From  this 
fact  came  the  word  "float,"  by  which  these  sec- 
tions were  popularly  known.  These  grantees 
were  allowed  to  select  a  section,  and  their  choice 
was  to  be  ai)i)roved  by  the  Indian  commissioner, 
and  by  the  (iresident  of  the  United  States.  There 
were  several  of  these  "floats"  in  Rockford  town- 
ship, .some  of  which  now  comprise  the  most  popu- 
lous and  wealthy  portions  of  West  Rockford. 

The  r.lack  Hawk  war  directed  the  attention 
of  eastern  .settlers  to  the  Rock  River  valley.  The 
Sacs  and  Foxes  emigrated  into  Illinois  from  tlu' 
north.  Neither  tribe  was  snfticieiUly  strong  tc. 
successfully  meet  its  enemies.  Hence  they  be- 
came one  nation.  This  allied  tribe  belonged  to 
the  .\lgon<|uin  nation.  RIack  Hawk  was  born 
in  the  Sac  village  on  the  site  of  Rock  Island  in 
1767. 

In  1804  a  treaty  was  negotiated  between  Wil- 
liam Henry  Harrison,  then  governor  of  Indiana 
Territory,  and  the  five  chiefs  of  the  Sac  and  Fox 
nations.  P.y  this  treaty  these  allied  tribes  ceded 
their  land  on  Rock  river  to  the  United  States. 
It  was  provided,  however,  that  the  Indians  should 
retain  these  lands  until  they  were  wanted  for 
settlement.  During  the  war  of  1812  with  Eng- 
lanrl,  r.Iack  Hawk  led  a  faction  in  an  alliance 
with  the  Hritish.  .Amicable  relations  existed  be- 
tween the  Sac  and  Fox  nations  and  the  United 
States  from  the  close  of  the  war  with  England 
until  i8,v>.  In  luly  of  that  year  Keokuk,  another 
.'^ac  chief,  made  a  final  cession  to  the  United 
States  of  the  lands  heUl  by  his  tribe  east  of  the 
Missi.sssippi  river.     .According;  to  this  treaty,  his 


people  were  to  remove  from  Illinois  to  the  coun- 
try west  of  the  Mississippi,  and  they  (|uietly  re- 
moved across  the  river.  This  treaty  was  ne- 
gotiated without  the  consent  of  Black  Hawk, 
and  he  determined  to  resist  the  order  of  the  gov- 
ernment for  the  removal  of  his  tribe.  This  re- 
sistance brought  affairs  to  a  crisis.  Black  Hawk 
always  asserted  that  his  intentions  in  recrossing 
the  river  were  not  hostile.  The  authorities  at 
Washington  and  at  S])ringfield,  however,  con- 
strued his  action  as  a  violation  of  the  treaty  and 
a  declaration  of  war. 

The  cam])aign  lasted  only  seventy-nine  days. 
The  most  notable  incident  was  the  massacre  at 
•Stillman's  Run,  in  Ogle  county,  the  site  of  which 
is  now  marked  by  a  monument.  Black  Hawk, 
in  his  retreat,  followed  the  general  course  of 
Rock  river,  passing  through  what  is  now  East 
Rockford.  The  battle  of  the  Bad  .Vxe  in  Wis- 
consin practically  ended  the  struggle. 

.■\fter  the  cessation  of  hostilities  emigrants  from 
New  England  and  the  middle  states  settled  more 
rapidly  in  northern  Illinois,  which  in  a  few  years 
became  the  most  i)rosperous  portion  of  this  great 
commonwealth. 


.sti:piii;.\   .m.m  k. 


IKST    .SKTTI.KR    1  .V    tOfXTV. 


Stephen  Mack  was  the  first  white  man  who 
made  a  permanent  settlement  in  \\'innebago 
county.  The  exact  time  is  unknown.  It  was 
])robably  about  i8ji).  although  earlier  dales  have 
lieen  given.  He  was  born  in  Poultnoy,  \'crmont, 
and  in  early  life  his  love  of  adventure  drove  him 
into  the  western  wilderness.  .About  1835  he 
l)latted  a  village  at  the  mouth  of  Pecatonica  river, 
near  Rockton.  which  he  calletl  Macktown.  Mack 
married  Ho-no-ne-gah.  a  daughter  of  a  Potta- 
watomie chief.  She  was  the  mother  of  eleven 
children,  and  died  in  1847. 

Stejihen  .Mack  died  in  1850,  and  was  buried  on 
his  farm  beside  his  Indian  wife.  Thirty  vears 
later.  May  iq,  1880,  their  remains  were  removed 
and  buried  in  the  Phillips  cemetery,  near  Har- 
rison. 

In  the  summer  of  1833  John  Phelps,  in  com- 
])any  with  a  Frenchman,  came  down  Rock  river, 
and  made  a  brief  sto|)  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek 
where  Germanicus  Kent  and  Thatcher  Pdake  lo- 
cated claims  a  year  later.  They  continued  their 
journey  down  the  river,  and  selected  a  site  now 
occupied  by  the  town  of  Oregon,  in  Ogle  countv. 

Jo.seph  Kemp  was  in  this  section  from  1830  to 
1840.  and  again  from  1842  to  1844.  In  1890  he 
was  living  at  Michigan  City. 

FIRST   SETTr.llMKN  r    IN    RorKFORP. 

Germanicus  Kent  ancl  Th.itcher  Blake  were  the 
first  permanent  settlers  in  what  is  now  the  citv 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


of  Rockford.  Mr.  Kent  was  born  in  Suffield, 
Connecticut,  in  1790.  In  early  life  he  removed 
to  Huntsville,  Alabama,  and  from  there  he  went 
to  Galena,  Illinois,  where  his  brother.  Rev.  Aratus 
Kent,  was  stationed  as  a  home  missionary. 

Mr.  Blake  was  born  in  Turner,  Oxford  county, 
Maine,  March  16,  iSoc).  In  1834  he  went  to  St. 
Louis,  where  he  heard  reports  of  the  Rock  river 
country  from  soldiers  returning  from  the  Black 
Hawk  war.  Mr.  Blake  visited  Galena,  and  there 
made  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Kent. 

In  June.  1834,  Mr.  Kent  and  Mr.  Blake  started 
on  a  tour  of  exploration.  They  went  north  into 
Wisconsin  territory  to  the  Pecatonica  river ; 
thence  in  a  canoe  along-  that  stream  to  its  mouth 
and  then  down  Rock  river  until  they  arrived  at 
the  mouth  of  a  small  tributary,  to  which  the  name 
of  Kent's  creek  was  subsequently  given.  They 
continued  their  journey  down  Rock  river  to 
Dixon's  ferry,  and  from  there  returned  overland 
to  Galena. 

Soon  after  their  arrival  in  Galena  they  pre- 
pared for  a  second  journey.  On  the  evening  of 
August  24  these  pioneers  arrived  at  their  destina- 
tion, and  the  founding  of  Rockford  became  an 
established  fact.  The  party  consisted  of  Ger- 
manicus  Kent,  Thatcher  Blake,  a  Mr.  Evans,  and 
another  man  whose  name  is  unknown. 

Kent  and  Blake  located  claims.  Mr.  Kent's 
claim  comprised  a  tract  of  land  which  included 
the  Tinker  estate,  the  water-power  and  the  estate 
now  owned  by  the  family  of  the  late  Judge 
Church.  ^Ir.  Blake's  claim  included  parts  of 
sections  twenty  and  twenty-nine.  Mr.  Kent  con- 
structed a  dam  and  a  sawmill  on  Kent's  creek,  and 
was  active  in  other  enterprises.  He  was  not  suc- 
cessful in  business,  however,  and  he  could  not 
weather  the  financial  storm  of  1837. 

Mr.  Kent  removed  from  Rockfor<l  in  1844. 
His  last  years  were  spent  in  Blacksburg,  \"ir- 
ginia,  where  he  died  RIarch  i,  1862.  Fortune 
was  more  kind  to  Mr.  Blake.  He  died  October 
8,  1880,  and  left  a  large  estate. 

FIR.ST    .SETTLER    IN    EAST    ROCKFORD. 

The  first  settler  of  what  is  now  East  Rock- 
ford, was  Daniel  Shaw  Haight,  who  arrived 
April  9,  1835.  He  was  a  native  of  New  York, 
and  before  coming  to  Rockford  he  had  selected 
a  claim  near  Geneva,  in  Kane  countv.  Mr.  Haight 
subsequently  came  to  Rockford,  and  selected  a 
tract  of  land  which  comprised  a  considerable  por- 
tion of  what  is  now  the  business  and  most  thickly 
settled  residence  district.  Mr.  Haight  was  a 
rugged,  roistering  pioneer,  and  a  shrewd  man  of 
affairs.  Mr.  Haight's  cabin,  erected  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1835,  was  the  first  structure  on  the  East 
side.  It  was  built  near  the  northeast  corner  of 
State  and  Madison  streets. 

The  first  public  religious  service  in  Rockford 


was  held  the  second  Sunday  in  June,  1835,  at  the 
home  of  Germanicus  Kent,  and  was  conducted 
by  his  brother,  the  Rev.  Aratus  Kent,  of  Galena. 
It  has  been  said  that  on  that  day  every  soul  in 
Rockford  attended  divine  worship. 

PIONEERS  OF  1835-37. 

Among  other  notable  settlers  of  1835  in  the 
township  may  be  mentioned  James  B.  Martyn, 
James  Boswell.  James  Wood,  Eliphalet  Gregory, 
Samuel  Gregory,  Ephraim  Wyman,  Richard 
Montague,  William  E.  Dunbar.  P.  P.  Churchill, 
Milton  Kilburn,  Israel  Morrill,  Ezra  Barnum, 
Anson  Barnum,  and  Dr.  Levi  Moulthrop,  the  first 
resident  physician  of  Winnebago  county,  as  now 
organized.  Dr.  Moulthrop  died  September  12, 
1840. 

The  tide  of  emigration,  which  may  be  said 
to  have  begun  in  1835.  continued  for  several 
vears.  When  the  Rockford  Societry  of  Early  Set- 
tlers was  organized,  January  10,  1870,  its  con- 
stitution provided  that  male  residents  of  the 
county  who  settled  therein  previous  to  1840  were 
eligible  to  membership.  According  to  this  stand- 
ard, such  names  belong  to  the  historic  roll  of 
honor. 

Included  in  the  settlers  in  the  county  in  1836 
were  Thomas  Lake,  a  native  of  the  parish  of  Sel- 
worthy,  in  England ;  Herman  B.  Potter,  Selden 
M.  Church,  Abiram  and  Mary  Morgan,  Samp- 
son George,  an  English  gentleman ;  Dr.  Charles 
Henrv  Richings.  the  second  resident  physician, 
who  came  from  England ;  Bethuel  Houghton, 
Isaac  N.  Cunningham,  Hiram  R.  Enoch,  Jacob 
and  Mary  Posson,  Nathaniel  Loomis  and  son 
Henrv  W. ;  Alonzo  Corey.  Spooner  Ruggles,  A. 
G.  Spaulding.  Homer  Denton.  Charles  P.  Brady, 
Henry  P.  Redington.  Jonathan  Wilson.  Edmund 
Whittlesey. 

The  emigration  of  1837  was  equal  to  that  of 
the  preceding  year.  John  C.  Kemble  was  the 
first  lawver  who  practiced  in  this  county.  He 
became  insane  and  in  1840  he  was  taken  to  an 
eastern  asylum,  where  he  died  a  short  time  after- 
ward. A  few  of  the  settlers  of  1837  may  be 
mentioned :  John  Lake,  who  came  from  England ; 
Henrv  Thurston  and  his  son  John  H. ;  William 
P.  Dennis.  Samuel  D.  Preston.  Eleazer  H.  Potter, 
Nathaniel  Wilder,  George  W.  Brinckerhoflf.Good- 
vcar  A.  Sanford,  Rev.  John  Morrill.  David  D. 
Ailing.  John  Beattie,  John  Piatt,  Benjamin  Kil- 
burn," John  Miller  and  sons.  Jacob  B.,  Thomas 
and  George ;  Isaac  Toms,  Wm.  Twogood,  Wil- 
liam Peters.  Simeon  Harmon.  Lewis  Keith. 
Joseph  Hayes.  Seth  Palmer. 

PECATONICA. 

Contemporaneous  settlements  were  made  in  the 
several    townships    of    Winnebago    county.     The 


8 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


township  of  Pecatonica  was  settled  in  1835.  The 
first  settlers  were  Ephraini  Sumner,  William 
.Sumner.  Mrs.  Dolly  Guilford.  Isaac  Hance,  and 
Elijah  B.  Guilford,  who  is  still  living.  The  tracts 
now  covered  by  the  village  of  Pecatonica  were 
first  owned  by  Daniel  Reed,  and  William  and 
Ephraim  Sumner.  In  1852  Thomas  D.  Robert- 
son and  John  A.  Holland,  both  of  Rockford,  pur- 
chased an  indivitlual  interest  in  the  town  ]jlat. 
and  with  Mr.  Reed  laid  out  the  village.  The  ])lat 
was  filed  for  record  in  December.  1852.  During 
the  spring  of  1853,  arrangements  were  perfected 
by  which  Mr.  Robertson  was  to  make  and  con- 
vey all  titles  to  .said  property. 

N.  F.  Maynard  erected  the  first  building  and 
opened  the  first  grocery  store  in  July.  1832.  .Sul- 
livan Daniels  opened  the  first  ])ublic  hotel,  called 
the  Seward  House.  In  September.  1853.  the 
(ialeiia  &  Chicago  L'nion  railroad  began  the  re- 
cei|)t  and  delivery  of  freight  at  Pecatonica  station, 
under  the  superintendence  of  Josiah  Stevens.  The 
first  great  improvement  for  Pecatonica  was  the 
construction  of  the  turnpike  across  the  bottoms, 
a  distance  of  about  one  and  a  quarter  miles.  It 
was  built  by  subscriptions  at  a  great  expense  for 
that  time,  under  the  direction  of  Daniel  Reed, 
Sr.,  in  tile  autumn  of  1853. 

The  postoffice  was  established  in  the  autumn 
of  1833,  and  Tracy  Smith  was  appointed  post- 
master. 

The  Methodist  lipiscopal  church  was  organized 
in  1833.  by  the  Rev.  I'arton  H.  Cartwright  and 
Rev.  Horatio  X.  Irish.  The  society  met  in  a 
grain  warehouse,  where  all  the  religious  assem- 
blies convened.  In  1834  a  small  house  of  wor- 
ship was  erected,  which  served  the  purpose  of  the 
society  until  i8<)8.  when  a  stone  church  was 
erected.  The  membership  of  the  church  in  Octo- 
lx;r,  igo4.  was  166.  Rev.  Charles  Virden  has 
served  two  years  as  pastor. 

'Hie  I'irst  Congregational  church  was  organ- 
ized February  18,  1834.  under  the  direction  of 
Rev.  Johnson,  with  a  membershii)  of  six.  .\ 
house  of  wor.ship  was  dedicated  in  the  autumn 
of   1855. 

The  Swedish  Evangelical  Lutheran  church 
was  organized  in  the  year  1858.  by  Rev.  .Xndreen. 

The  First  liaptist  society  was  organized  in 
Rock  Run.  May  7,  1843,  under  the  direction  of 
William  .Still well,  and  in  1833  was  removed  to 
Pecatonica.  It  maintained  an  uncertain  existence 
for  .some  years,  and  finally  ilisbandcd.  It  be- 
longed to  the  Rock  River  .Association. 

'Hie  First  L'nivcrsalist  church  was  organized 
August  5.  1835,  with  seven  members.  A  cliapel 
was  built  in   1863,  .and  remodeled  in   1873. 

Tlie  German  i-lvangelical  Lutheran  church  was 
organized  about  1874,  with  a  small  membershii). 

.\  Roman  Catholic  society  was  organized  in 
1871-2  with  fifty  members. 


.\  high  school  building  was  erected  during  the 
summer  of  1862,  and  the  first  school  was  opened 
.\ovember  24  of  the  same  year,  under  the  su- 
pervision of  J.  S.  Mabie,  who  served  as  principal 
until  August  14,  1863.  Mr.  Mabie  afterwards 
became  pastor  of  the  First  P.aptist  church  of 
Rockford. 

The  village  of  Pecatonica  was  incorporated  by 
an  act  of  the  legislature  of  1868-9.  The  bill  for 
the  incor])oration  of  the  village  was  introduced 
by  Hon.  l^phraim  Sumner,  who  was  then  a  mem- 
ber of  the  house.  It  now  has  a  population  of 
about  1,400.  An  opera  house  was  built  in  1897. 
It  is  owned  by  a  stock  company,  and  has  a  seat- 
ing capacity  of  about  Cxio.  Irvin  S.  Sumner  is 
the  postmaster. 

\VINNEB.\GO. 

The  first  settler  in  what  is  now  Winnebago 
township  was  David  Adams  Holt,  who  made  a 
claim  in  1833  to  section  34.  William  Holt  came 
in  1836,  and  another  brother,  Elijah  Holt,  in 
1837.  Other  pioneers  of  1838-39  were  Alby 
Briggs.  and  Duty,  Richard  L..  and  Horace  Hud- 
son, three  brothers.  Duty  Hudson  opened  the 
first  ])ublic  house  in  the  township,  which  was 
known  as  the  Buck  Horn  Tavern,  at  Westfield 
Corners.  The  first  postoffice  in  the  township  was 
established  there,  and  Duty  Hudson  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster.  The  i)lace  is  designated  on 
later  maps  as  Elida. 

The  village  of  Winnebago  was  laid  out  in 
1834  by  [Duncan  Ferguson,  under  the  direction 
of  Thomas  D.  Robertson.  John  .\.  Holland.  John 
VanXortwich.  and  J.  D.  \\'anier.  .\  depot  was 
erected  in  1854.  J.  D.  Warner  was  the  first  sta- 
tion agent,  and  he  held  that  ])osition  twelve  years. 
N.  G.  Warner  built  and  opened  the  first  store  in 
1833.  The  Methodist  Fpiscojial  church  was  or- 
ganized as  a  class,  with  nine  members,  in  1839, 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Worthington.  The  Methodist 
Episcopal  society  was  organized  in  March,  1855, 
with  Rev.  Barton  H.  Cartwright  as  pastor.  A 
chapel  was  erected  the  following  year.  It  was 
during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Cartwright,  in  1855, 
that  the  church  at  Westfield  Corners  was 
erected.  This  field  is  now  abandoned.  Rev.  T. 
.•\.  Brewster  has  served  three  years  as  pastor  at 
\\'innebago.  The  church  has  a  membership  of 
one  hundred. 

The  Congregational  society  was  organized 
July  II,  1846,  with  eight  nieml>ers.  at  a  meeting 
called  for  the  purpose  at  Westfield.  In  July  of 
the  following  year  Rev.  James  Hodges  was 
chosen  pastor,  and  remained  ten  years.  He  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  S.  P.  Sloan,  who  remained 
until  November.  1870.  The  third  pastor  was 
Rev.  Henry  .M.  Daniels.  .\  house  of  worship  was 
completed   and   dedicated  in    1854.     The  cliurch 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


now  has  no  regular  pastor.  The  membership  is 
eighty-four. 

The  Presbyterian  church  was  organized 
August  23,  1868,  with  twenty-four  members.  A 
house  of  worship  was  erected  in  1869,  at  a  cost 
of  $4,300.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  M.  S. 
Axtell.  The  membership  is  two  liundred  and 
ten. 

The  Free  Methodist  church  was  organized  with 
ten  members  May  29,  1865.  The  present  mem- 
bership is  sixteen.  The  pastor  is  Rev.  James  H. 
Harvev,  whose  circuit  also  includes  Rockford  and 
Ridott. 

The  Adventists  effected  an  organization  in 
1872,  with  forty-three  members. 

The  first  hotel  in  \\'innebago  was  opened  in  the 
fall  of  1859,  and  was  called  the  Winnebago 
House. 

The  village  of  Winnebago  has  a  population  of 
about  500.  W.  F.  Tritle  is  postmaster.  Al worth, 
a  station  on  the  Illinois  Central,  receives  its  mail 
by  rural  free  delivery  from  Winnebago.  A  post- 
office  was  once  established  at  that  point,  but  it 
has  been  discontinued. 

CHERRY    V.VLLEY. 

The  township  was  first  known  on  the  records 
of  Winnebago  county  as  Butler  precinct.  The 
name  was  changed  to  Cherry  \"alley  upon  the 
adoption  of  township  organization.  The  land 
now  comprising  the  site  of  the  village  was  first 
settled  by  Joseph  P.  Griggs  in  1835.  He  built  a 
small  cabin  on  the  west  side  of  Kishwaukee  river. 
Mr.  Griggs  sold  the  tract  to  James  Works,  and 
he  in  turn  sold  it  to  Edwin  Fitch,  who  laid  out 
the  village  and  filed  the  plat  for  record  Novem- 
ber 17,  1849.  Among  the  early  settlers  follow- 
ing Air.  Griggs  were  A.  C.  Gleason,  and  two 
brothers,  W.  and  S.  W.  Gleason.  Densley  Kiser 
came  in  1836  or  1837.  The  first  store  was  opened 
by  John  Waterman  :  the  first  hotel  was  conducted 
by  Mr.  Ingram,  and  called  the  Ingram  Tavern. 
The  first  postmaster  was  Joseph  Riddelle.  The 
first  grain  warehouse  was  erected  by  Mr.  Cal- 
kins, in  the  autumn  of  1 85 1.  The  Galena  &  Chi- 
cago Union  railroad  was  completed  to  Cherry 
Valley  in  February,   1852. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  was  organized 
by  Rev.  H.  L.  Martin  in  1854.  An  edifice  was 
erected  the  same  year.  The  membership  reported 
to  the  conference  of  1904  was  86.  Rev.  A.  W. 
Gillian  was  assigned  to  the  field  at  the  conference 
last  year. 

The  Universalist  church  edifice  was  erected  in 
1854,  under  the  supervision  of  Rev.  Simon  Park. 
After  a  few  years  the  church  was  abandoned 
and  the  building  was  occupied  by  a  Swedish  re- 
ligious society. 

The   Freewill   Baptist   church    was   erected   in 


1874,  at  a  cost  of  $3,500.  The  village  has  a  pop- 
ulation of  about  500.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Kittle  is 
postmistress. 

DURAND. 

The  village  of  Durand  is  a  business  center  for 
a  considerable  portion  of  Winnebago  county  lying 
north  of  Pecatonica  river.  The  village  derives 
its  name  from  H.  S.  Durand,  the  first  president 
of  the  Racine  &  Mississippi  railroad.  This  line 
later  became  the  property  of  the  Western  Union, 
and  is  now  owned  by  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  & 
St.  Paul  Railway  company,  and  the  line  extends 
to  Freeport. 

Among  the  pioneers  may  be  mentioned  L.  \'. 
Cleveland,  John  A.  Johnson,  and  Frederic  Sid- 
orus,  all  of"  whom  came  about  1837.  The  loca- 
tion of  the  village  at  this  point  was  the  result 
of  a  compromise  between  various  interested  par- 
ties who  jointlv  purchased  the  site  of  John  Pet- 
tingill.  Price  B.  Webster,  and  Edward  Peppers. 
The  proprietors  were  John  F.  Pettingill,  Bruce 
B.  Webster,  Edward  Pepper,  L.  V.  Cleveland, 
Solomon  Webster,  Duncan  J.  Stewart,  M.  C. 
Churchill,  G.  H.  Sackett.  John  R.  Herring,  Wil- 
liam Randall  and  D.  H.  Smith.  These  gentlemen 
on  the  i8th  day  of  November.  1856,  conveyed 
their  interest  in  trust  to  J.  R.  Herring,  by  whom 
the  town  was  immediately  laid  out.  Durand  was 
for  about  two  years  the  terminus  of  the  Western 
Union  railroad.  The  growth  was  quite  rapid 
during  that  time.  John  F.  Pettingill  erected  a 
hotel,  the  Durand  House,  at  a  cost  of  $13,000. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  was  organized 
in  1837.  Rev.  Mr.  Whitford  preached  the  first 
sermon  at  the  residence  ot  Scott  Robb.  He  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  McCane,  who  was  on  the 
circuit  one  year  or  more.  A  chapel  was  erected 
in  1857.  the  pastor  in  September,  1905,  was 
Rev.  E.  O.  Stover.  The  membership  reported  to 
the  conference  of  1904  was  58. 

A  Congregational  church  was  organized  June 
II,  1848, "at  Hill's  schoolhouse.  with  seven  mem- 
bers. 

The  Roman  Catholic  church  began  the  erection 
of  a  house  of  worship  in  1865-66,  which  house 
of  worship  remained  in  an  unfinished  condition 
for  several  years.  Father  Cotter,  of  Pecatonica, 
is  the  officiating  priest,  and  holds  services  every 
third  Sunday. 

A  Lutheran  church,  affiliated  with  the  Nor- 
wegian svnod,  is  now  in  process  of  construc- 
tion. 

The  village  has  a  population  estimated  at  700. 
Miss  Lillian  J.  Harris  is  postmistress.  There  is 
a  town  hall,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  about 
300.  There  are  two  banks :  The  Durand  State 
Bank,  with  a  capital  of  $25,000:  and  the  Citizens' 
Bank,  a  private  banking  house. 


lO 


PAST    A\D     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


m:\v  mi  I.  ford. 

Prominent  among  the  pioneers  of  New  Mil- 
ford  townsliip  were  D.  S.  Slnimway.  Horace 
Miller,  and  Samuel  Pirown.  A  town  was  started 
by  the  river  at  what  is  known  as  the  Old  Slnnn- 
way  ])lace.  At  one  time  there  were  from  thirty- 
five  to  forty  frames  erected  there ;  but  only  a  few 
of  them  were  enclosed.  This  fact  gave  the  place 
the  ai>i)ropriatc  name  of  "Rib-Town." 

In  iS?8  Dr.  .\.  M.  Catlin  came  from  the  West- 
ern Reserve  in  Ohio,  in  comjjany  with  the  Rev. 
Hiram  Foote  and  Silas  Tvlcr.  They  were  of 
New  luijjland  stock,  and  were  part  of  a  move- 
ment to  found  an  institution  of  learning  similar 
to  the  one  then  flourishing  at  Oberlin.  Ohio. 
These  missionary  educational  managers  selected 
a  site  for  their  institution  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Kishwaukee  river.  .\  large  building  was  begun, 
but  never  completed.  It  remained  for  years  as  a 
reminder  of  the  first  attem])t  to  found  a  seminary 
in  W'iiuK'bago  county. 

In  i83(>-40  (ieorge  W.  Lee  i)latte(l  a  town  on 
the  up|H'r  side  of  Kishwaukee  river,  at  its  junction 
with  Rock  river.  Quite  a  town  was  actually  built, 
with  two  stores  and  a  blacksmith  shop.  P)Oth 
"Rib- Town"  and  Mr.  Lee's  plat  were  named 
Kishwaukee.  but  the  former  was  abandoned  be- 
fore Cieorge  W.  Lee  jilattod  the  second.  The  lat- 
ter was  sometimes  called  Lcetown.  in  honor  of  its 
founder. 

The  present  hamlet  of  Kishwaukee  is  a  short 
distance  below  the  mouth  of  the  Kishwaukee 
river.  There  is  a  postoffice  and  a  \\'eslcvan 
Methodist  church,  which  was  organized  May  i", 
1844.  with  seven  meml)ers.  The  church  was  re- 
organized in  1863.  A  liouse  of  worship  was 
erected  in  1868  and  a  parsonage  in  1870. 

The  hamlet  of  New  Milford  is  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  township.  The  Chicago,  Burlington 
&  Quincy  railroad  passes  by  it  about  half  a  mile 
to  the  west. 

There  have  been  several  atteni])ts  to  organize 
churches  in  the  village.  The  Methodist  l".|)isco- 
pal  church  began  as  a  class  about  1838.  The 
church  no\v  has  its  own  property,  and  maintains 
regular  ^rvices.  The  membership  in  October. 
KJ04,  wiis  122,  Rev.  S.  W,  Lauck  has  served 
two  years  as  pastor.  The  church  at  Davis  Ju'ic- 
tion  also  belongs  to  this  circuit. 

The  Congregationalist  society  built  a  church 
in  1877.  This  field  has  been  abandoned,  and  the 
church  builcling  is  now  used  as  a  schoolhou.se. 

KOCKTON. 

The  fact  has  already  been  noted  in  this  liis- 
torical  sketch  that  .Stephen  .Mack  was  the  first 
white  settler  in  what  is  now  Rockton  township. 
Those  who  next  succeeded  him  were  William  Tal- 


cott  and  his  son,  Thomas  B.  Talcott,  who  made 
claims  July  4,  1835.  These  gentlemen  may  be 
regardeil  as  the  first  settlers  of  the  village.  Two 
other  sons  of  William  Talcott,  Sylvester  and 
Walter  Henry,  also  settled  there  in  1835,  and  a 
fourth  son,  \Vait  Talcott,  came  in  1838. 

The  first  store  was  opened  by  J.  .\mbrose  and 
Timothy  Wigiit  in  1837.  There  is  at  Rockton 
more  head  and  fall  than  at  any  other  point  on 
Rock  river.  A  sawmill  was  erecteil  in  1838,  and 
a  tlouring  mill  in  1839,  by  Messrs,  Talcott  and 
.\dams.  The  village  was  laid  out  by  William 
Talcott  in  1840,  but  the  ]ilat  was  not  filed  for 
record  until  May  30,  1844.  The  i)ro])rietors  were 
.Messrs.  Talcott  and  .\dams.  The  first  bridge 
across  Rock  river  above  the  month  of  Pecatonica 
river  was  built  about  1845.  Two  bridges  below 
the  mouth  of  this  stream  were  built  a  few  years 
later.  The  first  hotel  was  built  l)y  Jacob  Hyatt, 
in  1839.  It  was  a  frame  structure  on  the  south 
side  of  .Main  street.  The  next  hotel  was  the  New 
jjigland  house,  completed  in  1S46.  The  third 
public  house,  a  brick  building,  erected  by  Porter 
X'inton,  was  kept  by  Samuel  .\dams,  and  was 
called  the  Mansion  House. 

The  early  history  of  llu-  Rm-ktun  Baptist 
church  is  clo.sely  identified  with  that  of  the  Ros- 
coc  Baptist  church.  The  Roscoe  and  Rockton 
I 'nit  0(1  Baptist  church  was  organized  in  June, 
1 85 1.  In  1854  the  services  at  Roscoe  were  dis- 
continued for  lack  of  suitable  accommodations. 
June  28,  1856,  the  church  voted  to  build  a  house 
of  worshi]}  at  Rockton,  and  January  13,  1858, 
the  building  was  dedicated.  Rev.  James  \'eness 
sujjplied  the  church  until  1857,  when  Rev.  D.  B. 
Purinton  liecame  pastor.  The  church  enjoyed  a 
rapid  growth  during  this  time,  when  ninety- 
three  united  in  seven  years.  The  following  have 
been  iiastors  since  Rev.  Purinton's  resignation : 
Rev.  C.  T.  Roe.  Rev.  A.  L.  Wilkinson.  Rev.  W. 
Whitney.  Rev.  James  I'.uchanan.  Rev.  W.  M. 
Robinson.  Rev.  .\.  Whitman,  Rev.  ^^'.  G.  Evans, 
Rev.  T.  F.  Hamilton.  Rev.  1.  I.  Phelps,  Rev.  H. 
L.  St'eele,  Rev.  J.  C.  Hart.  Rev.  H.  Topping. 
Rev.  Stephen  Crickett.  Rev.  W.  L.  Tones.  Rev. 
C.  W.  Woodruff.  Rev.  T.  C.  Pedersmi.  Rev.  C. 
J.  Eddy. 

The  First  Congregational  church  was  or- 
ganized in  1830  by  Rev.  William  .Xdams.  Tlie 
first  meetings  for  public  worship  were  held  at 
different  residences,  imtil  about  1840,  when  a 
small  temporary  structure  was  erected.  .-\  sub- 
stantial stone  building  was  built  in  1848,  at  a 
cost  of  about  five  thousand  dollars.  The  society 
has  a  bell  which  was  the  gift  of  William  Tal- 
cott. 

Tn  1855  Rev.  Holland  Richardson  was  sent  to 
Rockton  as  a  missionary,  and  organized  a  small 
band  of  Christian  workers.  In  1856  they  were 
organized  as  a  Methodist  station  under  the  pastor- 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


ate  of  Rev.  C.  F.  Wright.  A  church  was  erected 
in  1859.  The  pastor  in  September,  1905,  was 
Rev.   O.  J.   Simmons.     The  membership  is   148. 

The  Racine  &  Mississippi  Railroad  reached 
Rockton  October  29,  1856.  E.  L.  Stiles  was  ap- 
pointed agent  and  he  held  that  position  for 
many  years.  September  10,  1872.  Rockton  be- 
came an  incorporated  town.  There  have  been 
three  paper  mill  plants  in  Rockton.  One  of 
these,  which  was  burned  down,  was  never  re- 
built. The  two  now  in  operation  are  owned  by 
Bradner  Smith  &  Co.  and  J.  M.  Coons.  Three 
flour  mills  have  also  been  destroyed  by  fire,  and 
never  rebuilt. 

The  occasion  of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the 
founding  of  the  public  school  in  Rockton  was 
commemorated  under  the  direction  of  the  prin- 
cipal, W.  W.  Austin.  At  that  time  W.  A.  Tal- 
cott  announced  that  he  and  his  father  would  give 
a  lot,  building  and  furniture  for  a  pul)lic  library, 
as  a  memorial  of  the  Talcott  family,  upon  condi- 
tion that  the  township  would  support  it  by  a  tax. 
This  generous  offer  was  accepted.  Thomas  B. 
Talcott  gave  the  nucleus  of  books  and  there  have 
been  subsequent  gifts.  The  library  now  contains 
about  foiu"  thousand  volumes. 

ROSCOE. 

August  3.  1835,  Robert  J.  Cross,  of  Coldwater, 
Mich.,  and  Col.  Von  Hovenburg,  with  a  Potta- 
watomie Indian  for  a  guide,  came  from  Mil- 
waukee into  what  is  now  the  township  of  Ros- 
coc.  Mr.  Ross  bought  a  claim  of  Lavec,  an  em- 
ploye of  Stephen  T\Iack,  upon  which  he  subse- 
quently settled.  In  September  of  the  same  year, 
Elijah  H.  Brown,  James  B.  Lee,  and  William 
Alead  came  from  La  Porte  county.  Indiana. 
Lentil  a  postofiice  was  established  at  Beloit.  the 
first  settlers  obtained  their  mail  at  Chicago.  In 
the  spring  of  1837  a  postoffice  was  established  at 
the  village  of  Roscoe,  and  M.  P.  Abell  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster.  The  village  was  laid  out 
under  the  direction  of  Messrs.  Lelands,  Jenks  and 
Tuttle,  and  the  plat  was  filed  for  record  August 
3,  1841.  The  townsliip  and  village  derived  their 
names  from  William  Roscoe.  a  celebrated  English 
biographer. 

There  are  two  churches,  ^Methodist  Episcopal 
and  Congregational.  The  membership  of  the 
former  was  reported  to  the  Rock  River  confer- 
ence of  1904  as  128.  The  pastor  the  last  confer- 
ence year  was  Rev.  T.  E.  Fluck,  who  also  sup- 
plied the  church  at  Harlem. 

The  Congregational  church  was  organized  No- 
vember 28,  1843,  with  eighteen  members.  June 
3,  1858,  the  wife  and  seven  children  of  Rev.  Ills- 
ley,  the  pastor,  were  killed  or  drowned.  In 
building  the  Madison  branch  of  the  Chicago  & 
Galena    railroad,   a   liigh    embankment    liad   been 


thrown  up  at  the  crossing  of  the  creek  about  half 
a  mile  above  the  village.  The  culvert  was  too 
small  for  the  volume  of  water,  and  up  to  the 
afternoon  of  the  day  of  the  awful  catastrophe,  a 
pond  two  miles  long,  half  a  mile  in  width  and 
from  twenty-five  to  thirty  feet  in  depth  had 
formed  above  the  embankment.  About  midnight 
the  culvert  caved  in,  the  embankment  gave  way, 
and  the  water  rushed  down  in  one  mighty  torrent, 
carrying  away  several  houses  in  its  maddened 
rush,  among  which  was  the  brick  house  occu- 
pied by  Mr.  Illsley  and  family,  which  toppled 
over  and  buried  beneath  its  ruins  the  mother  and 
seven  children.  Mr.  Illsley,  who  had  lost  a  leg, 
was  comparatively  helpless  and  was  carried  away 
by  the  flood  nearly  down  to  the  Rock  river,  where 
he  caught  in  a  tree  and  held  on  until  he  was 
found  by  L.  W.  Richardson,  who  waded  in  and 
carried  him  out.  In  the  Roscoe  Cemetery,  near 
the  northeast  corner,  the  eight  bodies  of  one  fam- 
ily, who  had  not  all  been  united  for  some  time 
till  the  day  of  their  death,  were  buried  in  one  day. 

Rev.  Eaton,  the  venerable  father  of  President 
Eaton,  of  Beloit  college,  was  pastor  of  this  church 
for  many  years. 

The  Beloit  and  Madison  division  of  the  Chi- 
cago &  N'orthwestern  railway  passes  near  the  vil- 
lage of  Roscoe.  The  Rockford.  Beloit  &  Janes- 
ville  electric  line  passes  directly  through  the  vil- 
lage. 

Gni.FoRn. 

In  August,  1835,  William  E.  Enoch,  the  eldest 
son  of  Henry  Enoch,  accompanied  by  two  or 
three  men  from  Will  county,  came  to  what  is 
now  Guilford  township  on  a  land  prospecting 
tour.  \\'hile  out  on  this  trip,  young  Enoch  was 
taken  sick  and  returned  liome.  In  September 
following,  his  father,  Henry  Enoch,  and  brothers, 
Richard  H.  and  A.  I.  Enoch,  started  out,  and, 
following  the  direction  of  William,  struck  Rock 
river  at  Rockford.  Leaving  his  sons  in  camp, 
he  started  out,  and,  going  northeast  from  there 
two  or  three  miles,  he  struck  the  spring  brook 
known  as  Bucklen  creek.  Believing  this  stream 
came  from  springs,  he  followed  it  to  its  source, 
which  he  found  in  the  northeast  corner  of  sec- 
tion II,  town  44,  range  2,  now  in  the  town  of 
Guilford.  Here  in  the  centre  of  a  great  prairie 
he  found  a  spring  of  water  25  feet  in  diameter, 
the  water  about  24  inches  deep  and  coming  up 
from  numerous  places  in  the  bottom  through 
snow-white  sand.  The  water  was  cold,  and  clear 
as  crystal :  the  bank  of  the  spring  fringed  with 
tall  grass  and  bright  prairie  flowers.  He  was  so 
charmed  with  the  location,  the  great  spring,  the 
apparent  fertility  of  the  soil,  and  the  general 
beauty  of  the  surroundings,  that  he  at  once  made 
up  his  mmd  to  make  it  the  tuture  home  of  him- 
self and  family.     Going  to  a  thicket  of  hazel  and 


12 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


younp  ])oplar  trees  a  few  rods  distant,  he  cut  a 
small  stake,  and  plantiiiji^  it  on  tlie  bank  of  the 
springy,  declared  it  his  "claim."  This  springs  be- 
came dry  in  the  early  'seventies.  This  location 
was  known  for  many  years  as  the  h\i^  sprinfj  of 
"L'ncle  luioch"  in  the  jirairie.  .Mr.  ImiocIi  made 
tnis  claim  his  permanent  home  until  the  autumn 
of  1856.  ( )ther  early  settlers  of  (hiilfurd  were 
Elisha  -V.  Kirk.  Thaddeus  Davis,  Sr..  and  his 
sons,  David  .\..  Thaddeus,  Jr.,  and  Daniel; 
Harry  Doolittle,  J.  H.  Kirk, "Elisha  A.  Kirk, 
Giles  C.  Hard.  G.  L.  Horton.  and  Dr.  Charles 
Cnurcli. 

A  town  hall  was  erected  about  ten  years  ago. 
tile  fnnils  for  which  were  raiseil  by  ta.x  levy.  Its 
cost  was  alxnit  Si.^cx).  It  is  on  the  Guilford 
Center  road,  five  miles  northeast  of  Rockford. 

HARRISON. 

Harrison  is  one  of  tlie  four  extreme  northern 
townships  of  \\'innebag;o  countv.  The  first  set- 
tlement in  this  townshi])  was  made  in  the  fall  of 
•^35  '•>■  «i  ^Ir.  Hrayton,  who  made  a  claim  on 
section  35.  In  the  sprins:  of  1836,  Mr.  Drayton 
moved  on  his  claim  and  commenced  makinpf  a 
farm. 

In  1840  the  settlers  desired  to  form  a  new  pre- 
cinct, and  it  was  necessary  to  present  a  petition  to 
the  county  commissioners  to  have  a  new  precinct 
formed.  .\t  that  time  a  majority  of  the  settlers 
were  democrats,  and  several  of  the  citizens  being 
together  one  day.  they  pitched  upon  Isaac  Parker 
to  circulate  a  petition.  He  consented  to  do  so 
on  condition  that  some  of  his  neighbors  (who 
were  Democrats)  would  work  for  him  hoeing 
corn  while  he  was  absent,  to  which  thev  readilv 
agreed.  Parker  then  drew  up  his  jietition.  went 
to  Rockford.  where  the  countv  commissioners 
were  in  session,  and  had  no  difficultv  in  getting 
a  new  precinct  formed,  but  was  asked  what  name 
thev  should  give  it.  Parker,  being  a  whig,  im- 
mediately answered.  Harrison,  which  name  was 
adopted.  When  Parker  returned  and  told  how 
well  he  succeeded,  his  democratic  friends  were 
greatly  rlisgusteil  with  the  name.  When  the 
countv  was  organized  imder  townsliij)  organiza- 
tion the  name  was  continued. 

Its  war  record  is  notable.  The  whole  number 
of  enlistments  was  122:  whole  number  killed 
or  died  in  the  service,  24.  It  is  believed  that  this 
town  furnished  a  larger  numlier  of  enlistments  in 
projHirtion  to  the  iiopulation  to  the  number  of 
voters  than  any  other  town  in  the  county.  Of 
the  foregoing  enlistments.  12  were  in  Wisconsin 
regiments,  and  a  numl>er  are  credited  to  other 
townships. 

The  village  of  Harrison  is  in  the  northeastern 
part  of  the  township,  at  the  junction  of  Sugar  and 
Pecatonica  river-;.     It  is  a  small  settlement  ab.iut 


one  mile  almost  directly  south  of  Shirland.  It 
has  no  railroad  facilities,  and  therefore  has  made 
comparatively  little  progress  since  the  early  days. 
There  is  a  Congregational  church,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  forty-four,  and  the  ])uli)it  is  su])plied 
by  the  jjastor  of  .Shirland.  The  Modern  Wood- 
men have  erected  a  hall,  which  is  used  for  public 
meetings  and  lodge  purposes. 

SHIKI..\.\IX 

The  townshi]!  of  Shirland  borders  on  the  state 
line.  The  village  of  the  same  name  is  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  township.  It  was  originally 
called  Kaoota.  an  Indian  name.  The  village  has 
never  been  incor])orated.  It  has  a  ])opu]ation  of 
about  125,  and  is  on  the  Chicago.  Milwaukee  & 
St.  Paul  road.  Thomas  B.  Boswell  was  appointed 
postmaster  October  29.  1869,  and  served  until 
about  ten  years  ago,  when  he  was  succeeded  by 
his  son,  George  E.  P>oswell,  who  still  retains  the 
office.  .A  town  hall  was  erected  about  three  years 
ago.  in  which  all  township  elections  and  political 
meetings  are  held. 

The  religious  needs  of  the  community  are  sup- 
])lied  bv  two  churches.  The  Methodist  Episcopal 
belongs  to  the  Freeport  district  and  had  a  mem- 
bershi|3  in  October.  1904.  of  208.  The  i)astor  is 
Rev.  J.  C.  Jones,  who  has  served  seven  years. 
The  Congregational  church  is  one  mile  and  a 
f|uarter  north  of  the  village.  It  has  thirty-three 
members.     The  ])astiir  is  Rev.  Selby. 

SKWAUn. 

Seward  forms  the  southwest  corner  of  Win- 
nebago comity.  It  is  in  this  township  that  the 
highest  i)rice  has  been  jiaid  for  farm  land  in  this 
count}-.  The  village  of  Seward  is  on  the  Illinois 
Central.  .\  Roman  Catholic  church  stands  some 
distance  north  of  the  railroad  track. 

Perhaps  few  persons  now  living  ever  heard 
of  the  N'ancelxirough  ])ostoffice.  X'anceborough 
was  another  name  for  Twelve-Mile  Grove,  on  the 
State  road,  about  half  way  from  Rockford  to 
I'reeport.  Ejihraini  Sumner  settled  near  there 
when  he  came  to  Winnebago  county,  in  1835.  He 
engaged  in  milling  and  farming  near  Twelve-Mile 
( irove,  and  Ix'came  an  extensive  landowner, 

February  11,  1845.  ^^^-  Sumner  was  commis- 
sioned postmaster  of  N'anceborough.  He  was  to 
retain  the  office  during  the  i)leasure  of  the  post- 
master-general. The  commission  is  signed  by  C. 
Wickliffe.  who  was  postmaster-general  during 
the  administration  of  John  Tyler.  The  seal  is  the 
figure  of  a  man  on  horseback,  with  a  small  mail- 
bag  upon  his  back.  Both  man  and  horse  are 
apparently  in  great  haste  to  reach  the  next  sta- 
tion. This  commission,  now  in  possession  of 
Hon.   P..   p..  Sumner,  is  well  preserved,  although 


PAST  AXD  PRESEXT  OE  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


it  was  issued  sixty  years  ago.  The  elder  Sum- 
ner built  a  stone  house  at  Vanceborough,  which 
is  still  in  a  good  state  of  preservation,  and  has 
well-nigh  outlived  the  memory  of  the  town. 
These  primitive  villages  along  the  old  stage  lines 
were  superseded  by  the  railway  station,  and  thev 
now  scarcely  live  in  memory. 

.Among  the  early  settlers  of  the  township  were. 
A.  Bridgeland,  Mrs.  Sylvia  Conover,  Samuel 
Eaulkner,  William  Fitzgerald,  Jacom  M.  Hamil- 
ton, Rev.  Chester  Hoisington,  Marcus  L.  Lowrev, 
and  Hon.  Laurence  McDonald. 

H.\RLEM. 

The  first  settlement  in  Harlem  township  was 
on  the  east  side  of  Rock  river,  on  what  was  called 
Big  Bottom,  nearly  opposite  the  stone  quarry. 
A  man  named  \\'attles  staked  out  his  farm  into 
lots  and  streets,  and  called  it  Scipio :  but  even  its 
classic  name  did  not  give  it  prestige.  The  pro- 
prietor built  the  only  house  ever  completed.  The 
stakes  remained  for  several  years,  until  they  were 
plowed  under  by  the  owner,  who  could  not  give 
away  his  lots. 

Other  early  settlers  were  P.  S.  Doolittle.  G.  C. 
Hutchins,  W.  T.  Magoon,  Peter  Mabie,  Robert 
Smith,  and  L}inan  Taylor. 

The  village  of  Harlem  is  a  small  station  on 
the  Kenosha  division  of  the  Chicago  &  North- 
western railway.  There  is  a  Alethodist  church 
some  distance  from  the  station. 

Argyle  is  another  hamlet  on  the  Kenosha 
division,  near  the  Boone  county  line.  That  por- 
tion of  the  county  was  settled  in  an  early  day  by 
Scotchmen  from  Argyleshire.  Their  descend- 
ants support  one  of  the  most  prosperous  country 
churches  in  Blinois.  The  present  house  of  wor- 
ship was  dedicated  Eebruary  14.  1878.  The  ser- 
mon was  preached  by  the  Rev.  Francis  L.  Patton, 
of  Chicago,  but  later  president  of  Princeton  uni- 
versity. The  church  will  seat  six  hundred  and 
cost,  with  furniture,  $12,796.  Rev.  B.  E.  S.  Ely, 
Sr.,  was  pastor  at  the  time  the  church  was  dedi- 
cated.    The  manse  adjoins  the  church. 

BURRITT. 

Burritt  is  one  of  the  few  townships  in  Win- 
nebago county,  which  has  no  railroad.  There  are 
no  towns  or  villages  with  the  single  exception  of 
W^enpletown,  in  the  eastern  part.  A  postofifice 
was  formerly  located  there,  but  it  has  been  su- 
perseded by  the  rural  free  delivery.  There  is  a 
church  in  the  township  on  section  14. 

Settlements  were  made  in  this  township  at  an 
early  date.  James  Atkinson  came  from  England 
in  1837.  Other  pioneers  were  Thomas  J.  Atwood, 
Albert  J.  Atwood,  George  A.  Atkinson.  Edward 
H.  Boomer,  Jacob  B.  Conklin,  William  Dickin- 
son, Jesse  Herrington,  Joseph  Jennings,  William 
Ludley,  and  Jefferson  Southard. 


OWEN. 

Owen  is  a  township  lying  directly  north  of 
Rockford.  The  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul 
railroad  passes  through  nearly  its  entire  length 
north  and  south.  There  is  a  station  at  Latham 
Park.  There  was  once  a  postoffice  there,  but  it 
has  been  superseded  by  the  rural  route. 

Among  the  early  settlers  may  be  mentioned 
Patten  Atwood,  who  went  there  in  1839 ;  Mowry 
Brown,  who  first  came  to  Rockwood  in  1838; 
Wadleigh  Favor,  William  Halley,  Frederick  M. 
Knapp,  James  B.  Lee,  Stephen'  O.  Thompson, 
Isaac  W.  Seaverns. 

L.VONA. 

Laona  is  the  northwestern  township  of  Win- 
nebago county.  There  are  no  towns  or  villages 
in  the  township.  No  railroad  passes  through"  it, 
and  there  is  only  one  church  within  its  borders. 
Among  the  early  settlers  of  the  township  were 
Peter  Johnson.  Niles  Patterson,  William  Phipps, 
and  Rienza  Webster. 

The  late  Judge  Church  is  authority  for  the 
statement  that  the  population  of  the  county  in 
June,  1837,  was  1,086.  In  1840  it  was  4,609;  1850, 
11,773  :  i860,  24,491  ;  1870,  29,301  ;  1880,  30,505  ; 
1890,  39,938;  1900,  47,845. 

ORG.VXIZ.VnON    OF  THE   COUNTY. 

In  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1835  the  settlers 
in  this  section  began  to  agitate  the  question  of 
local  government.  This  matter  was  promptly 
brought  to  the  attention  of  the  state  legislature. 

The  counties  organized  in  northern  Illinois 
prior  to  1835  were  much  larger  than  thev  are  at 
present.  At  that  time  Cook,  La  Salle  and  Jo 
Daviess  counties  extended  from  Lake  ^Michigan 
to  the  Mississippi  river.  Jo  Daviess  was  or- 
ganized in  1827.  It  then  extended  east  of  Rock 
river,  and  included  the  territory  now  comprised 
in  nine  counties. 

Cook  and  La  Salle  counties  were  organized  in 
1 83 1.  It  was  the  evident  intention  at  that  time 
to  subdivide  these  counties  at  a  later  day,  to 
meet  the  demands  of  an  increased  population.  A 
map  of  Illinois,  printed  in  1835,  represents  Cook 
countv  with  territory  attached  on  the  north  for 
judicial  purposes.  La  Salle  has  northern  ter- 
ritory annexed  for  the  same  purposes,  corre- 
sponding to  portions  of  McHenry,  Kane,  Winne- 
bago and  Ogle  counties,  and  all  of  Boone  and 
De  Kalb,  as  at  present  organized.  Jo  Daviess  is 
shown  with  annexed  territory  on  the  east  and 
south.  The  distinction  between  Cook  and  La 
Salle  counties  proper,  and  their  annexed  portions, 
appears  to  have  been  in  the  fact  that  the  former 
were  surveyed,  while  the  latter  were  not.  Al- 
though Jo  Daviess  county  was  organized  eight 


14 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


years  before  the  ma])  was  ])riiiteil,  the  map  does 
nut  even  represent  the  cmnity  as  surveyed.  The 
ci>nilitions,  however,  in  [i->  Daviess  were  pecuHar. 
The  country  near  dalena  inchiding  a  mining 
camp,  witli  (piitc  a  considerable  po|)iilation.  and 
thus  re(|uired  a  local  jjovennnent.  Hence  the  or- 
gfanization  of  the  county  preceded  by  several 
years  the  government  survey  of  the  land. 

The  state  legislature  at  that  time  held  its  ses- 
sions at  \andalia.  .\n  act  of  January  i6,  1836, 
provided  for  the  organization  of  Mcllenry,  Win- 
nel)ago,  Kane.  Ogle  and  Wiiiteside  counties,  and 
the  reorganization  of  Jo  Daviess.  Section  two 
of  the  law  created  Winnebago  county,  with 
boundaries  as  follows :  "Commencing  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  township  number  forty-three, 
range  lunnber  four,  east  of  the  third  ])rincipal 
meridian,  and  running  thence  west  to  the  said 
meridian,  thence  north  along  the  line  of  said 
meridian,  to  the  southeast  corner  of  townshii) 
number  twenty-six.  in  range  number  eleven,  east 
of  tiie  fourth  principal  meridian;  thence  west  to 
the  dividing  line  between  ranges  number  seven 
and  eight :  thence  north  along  said  line  to  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  state :  thence  east  along 
said  boundary  line  to  the  northeast  corner  of 
range  munber  four,  east  of  the  third  ])rincipal 
meridian  :  thence  south  to  tlie  place  of  beginning." 

Wimiebago  was  thus  formed  from  the  attached 
portions  of  Jo  Daviess  and  La  Salle  counties. 
That  part  of  the  county  east  of  the  third  prin- 
ci(>al  meridian  was  taken  from  La  Salle ;  the 
portion  west  of  this  meriiliau  was  detached  from 
Jo  Daviess.  .\s  at  first  organized,  Winnebago 
count V  was  almost  exactly  double  its  jiresent  size, 
and  included  all  of  I'loone  county,  and  the  eastern 
two  townshij)  ranges  of  what  is  now  Stephenson 
county.  Wimiebago  has  never  been  enlarged  or 
reduced  from  its  original  form  on  its  northern 
or  southern  boundary. 

TIIK    riRST    EI.IXTIO.N. 

The  law  to  establish  the  county  ordered  an 
election  to  be  held  at  the  house  of  Ciermanicus 
Kent,  on  the  first  Monday  in  ^^ay.  for  sheriff, 
coroner,  recorder,  surveyor,  and  three  county 
commissioners,  who  should  hold  their  offices 
until  the  next  succeeding  general  election,  and 
until  tlieir  successors  were  <|iialified.  The  elec- 
tion, liowever,  was  not  held  until  the  next  .Vug^ist. 

No  county  created  by  this  act  was  to  be  or- 
ganized, and  an  election  held,  until  a  majority  of 
the  voters  of  the  prospective  county  had  ad- 
dressed a  petition  for  the  same  to  the  judge  of 
the  sixth  judicial  circuit,  or.  in  his  absence,  to 
another  circuit  judge.  The  voters  were  also  re- 
quired to  give  sufficient  proof  that  the  jiroposed 
county  ountained  not  less  than  three  hundred  and 
fifty  white  inhabitants.  This  task  was  under- 
taken b\  Dr.  Daniel  II.  Whitney,  who  had  settled 
at   I'.elvidere. 


These  facts  were  communicated  to  Judge 
Thomas  II.  Ford.  He  thereupon  issued  an  order, 
dated  July  15,  1836,  for  an  election  to  be  held  at 
the  house  of  Daniel  S.  Haight,  on  the  first  Mon- 
day in  .\ugust.  The  statute  had  designated  an 
earlier  date  and  another  place  for  this  election ; 
but  inasmuch  as  the  organization  of  the  county 
dcix'nded  upon  a  prescribed  population,  a  subse- 
(|uent  section  of  the  law  necessarily  referred  the 
time  and  place  of  such  election  to  the  presiding 
judg-e  of  the  circuit.  I'nder  the  first  constitution 
of  Illinois,  all  elections  for  state  and  coimty  of- 
ficers were  held  the  first  Monday  in  .Vugust. 

Gcrmanicus  Kent,  Joseph  P.  Griggs  and  Rob- 
ert J.  Cross  were  chosen  judges  of  election. 
Judge  Ford's  order  has  been  framed,  and  is  pre- 
served in  the  office  of  Captain  Lewis  I*".  Lake, 
the  circuit  clerk,  as  an  interesting  relic  of  those 
early  days. 

The  election  was  held  on  Monday,  .\ugnst  ist, 
in  a  decidedly  primitive  maimer.  Written  or 
I)rinted  ballots  had  not  then  been  introduced  into 
Illinois.  Under  the  old  constitution,  all  votes 
were  to  be  given  vive  voce  until  otherwise  pro- 
vided by  the  general  assembly :  and  up  to  this 
time  no  change  had  been  made, 

.Simon  P.  Doty,  Thomas  I!.  Talcott  ami  Wil- 
liam E.  Dunbar  were  elected  county  commission- 
ers :  Daniel  S.  Haight,  sheriff:  Daniel  H.  Whit- 
ney, recorder ;  Eliphalet  Gregory,  coroner ;  and 
D.  A.  Spaulding,  surveyor.  The  results  of  the 
election  for  member  of  congress  and  represent- 
atives in  the  general  assembly  are  given  later  in 
this  sketch. 

One  hundred  and  twenty  votes  were  cast  at 
this  election.  The  names  of  the  voters  were  as 
follows:  David  Caswell.  George  Caswell,  David 
I'.arnes,  P.  P.  Burnham,  Thomas  Crane,  Thatcher 
lllake,  Seth  Scott.  Joshua  Fawcett,  John  Bar- 
rett, Jeremiah  Frame,  John  F.  Thayer,  William 
Randall,  John  \\'elch,  Joshua  Cromer.  John 
Slavins.  David  Blake.  William  P.arlow,  Joseph  B. 
liaker,  Daniel  Fairchild.  Livingston  Robins, 
.\lfred  Shattuck.  .Mva  Trask,  William  Smith,  Ira 
Haskins,  John  Bunts.  .Simon  P.  Dotv.  Milton  S. 
Mason.  Timothy  Caswell.  Charles  H.  Pane.  Royal 
Briggs,  Solomon  Watson,  .Xbram  Watson, 
Ralzimond  Gardner,  Mason  Sherburne,  John  K, 
Towner,  John  G.  Lockridgc,  John  .\Ilen.  John 
Lovesse,  .\.  E.  Courtright,  Henry  Enoch.  Ephr- 
aim  Sumner.  S.  P.rown,  .\.  R.  Dimmick,  Sanniel 
Hicks,  H.  M.  Wattles,  T.  R.  J.  English.  Oliver 
Robins,  J.  P.  Griggs,  .Aaron  V.  Taylor,  Luke 
Joslin,  William  Sumner.  David  D.  Elliott,  John 
Handy,  Jacob  Pettyjohn.  Daniel  .S.  Haight,  Jacob 
Keyt,  John  Lefonton,  John  Kelsoe,  William  R. 
Wheeler.  M.  Ewing,  Charles  Works,  Sidney 
Twogood,  Phineas  Churchill.  Thomas  P>.  Talcott, 
.Austin  .Andrews,  Thonias  Lake,  Benjamin  Mc- 
Connell,  Benjamin  DePue,  Lewis  Haskins,  .Aaron 
!'..  Davis.  Joel  Pike.  R.  M.  Waller,  Julius  Trask. 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


IS 


William  Carey,  Ephraim  W'vman,  P.  D.  Tavlor, 
William  Brayton.  Israel  Morrill,  Harlvn  Shat- 
tuck,  David  DeWitt,  James  B.  Young,  Abel 
Thurston,  John  Kaudler,  John  Adams,  Alilton 
Kilburn,  Richard  H.  Enoch,  Joseph  Chadwick, 
Daniel  Piper,  John  Hance,  Henry  Enoch,  Jr., 
Peter  Moore,  Sylvester  Sutton,  \'.  B,  Rexford, 
William  G.  Blair,  Daniel  H.  Whitney,  James  Jack- 
son, Isaac  Adams.  Isaac  Harrell,  E.  A.  Nixon, 
John  Wood.  William  Mead,  Joseph  Rogers,  A. 
C.  Gleason,  Henry  Hicks.  John  Brink,  E. 
Gregory,  L.  C.  Waller,  James  Thomas.  G.  Kent, 
Chauncey  Mead,  George  Randall,  W.  H.  Talcott. 
William  E.  Dunbar,  S.  A.  Lee.  Charles  Reed, 
Charles  Sayres,  Robert  J.  Cross.  D.  A.  Spaulding. 
Benjamin  White,  Jacob  Enoch.  The  votes  of  two 
men.  John  Langdon  and  Thomas  Williams,  were 
rejected.  Not  a  single  voter  of  this  list  is  now 
living.  The  last  survivor  was  Harlyn  .Shattuck. 
who  died  in  1899.  near  Belvidere. 

On  Wednesday.  August  3d.  the  county  com- 
missioners-elect met  in  special  session  at  the 
house  of  Daniel  S.  Haight.  for  the  transaction  of 
business  necessary  to  complete  the  local  govern- 
ment. D.  A.  Spaulding  was  elected  clerk  of  the 
county  commissioners"  court ;  and  Robert  J. 
Cross  was  chosen  trc^urer.  William  E.  Dun- 
bar was  sent  to  A'and-'.ia.  the  capital  of  the  state, 
with  the  election  '.turns.  The  term  "court" 
might  seem  to  imply  that  this  body  possessed  ju- 
dicial powers,  but  such  was  not  the  fact.  Under 
the  constitution  of  1818,  three  commissioners 
were  elected  in  each  county  for  the  transaction 
of  all  its  business.  This  court  performed  the  du- 
ties corresponding  in  a  general  way  to  those  en- 
trusted under  the  present  law  to  the  board  of 
supervisors. 

At  this  first  session  of  the  court  the  commis- 
sioners divided  the  county  into  seven  precincts. 
as  follows :  Yellow  River,  which  included  the 
towns  of  Silver  Creek,  Ridot.  Freeport,  Lancas- 
ter, and  the  south  half  of  Rock  River,  in  Stephen- 
son county :  Rock  Grove,  which  included  the 
north  half  of  Rock  River,  all  of  Buck  Eye.  Rock 
Grove,  and  the  east  half  of  Oneco,  in  Stephen- 
son county,  and  Laona  and  Howard  f^now  Dur- 
and)  in  Winnebago:  Peeketolika.  corresponding 
to  the  towns  of  Seward.  Lvsander  (now  Peca- 
tonica)  and  Burritt :  Kiskwaukee.  now  the  town- 
ships of  Cherry  Valley.  New  Milford,  and  part 
of  Rockford  township ;  Rockford,  which  in- 
cluded the  present  townships  of  Winnebago, 
Guilford,  the  larger  part  of  Rockford,  and  the 
south  half  of  Owen  and  Harlem  ;  Rock  River,  in- 
cluding the  townships  of  Shirland.  Harrison, 
Rockton,  Roscoe,  north  half  of  Owen  and  Har- 
lem, and  ^lanchester  in  Boone  county ;  Belvi- 
dere, which  included  all  of  Boone  county  except 
IManchester  township.  This  precinct  contained 
two  hundred  and  fifty-two  square  miles ;  yet  at 


the  first  presidential  election,  in  1836,  it  could  poll 
only  twenty-three  votes.  Rock  River  precinct 
was  twenty-four  miles  in  length,  and  from  six  to 
twelve  in  width,  and  included  six  townships.  At 
the  presidential  election  previously  mentioned  this 
immense  territory  could  poll  but  twenty  votes. 
The  number  of  precincts  was  subsequentlv  in- 
creased to  ten. 

At  this  session  of  the  court  an  order  was 
issued,  which  fixed  the  time  and  place  of  hold- 
ing an  election  in  each  precinct,  for  justices  of 
the  peace  and  constables.  Upon  the  election  of 
these  officers  the  county  organization  was  com- 
pleted. There  was  as  yet  no  countv  seat.  The  act 
to  establish  the  county,  however,  had  provided 
that  until  public  buildings  should  be  erected  for 
the  purpose,  the  courts  should  be  held,  as  the 
county  commissioners  should  direct. 

COUXTV    SE.\T    LOCATED    AT    WINNEB.XGO. 

The  law  establishing  \\'innebago  countv  desig- 
nated Robert  Stephens  and  Rezin  Zarley,  of  Cook 
county,  and  John  Phelps,  of  Jo  Daviess,  as  com- 
missioners, to  locate  the  permanent  seat  of  justice. 
These  commissioners  were  authorized  to  meet 
on  the  first  Monday  in  May.  1836.  or  as  soon 
thereafter  as  may  be,  at  the  house  of  Daniel  S. 
Haight.  for  the  discharge  of  their  duty.  John 
Phelps  never  made  his  appearance.  The  other 
two  commissioners  met  Juh'  14th,  at  the  place 
specified  by  law,  for  the  selection  of  a  site  for 
the  county  buildings. 

At  the  county  commissioners'  court  on  Thurs- 
day. .\ugust  4.  1836.  the  report  of  the  special 
commissioners  was  presented.  The  reader  will 
avoid  confusion  bv  noting  the  distinction  between 
the  three  county  commissioners  elected  bv  popu- 
lar vote,  and  the  special  commissioners  designated 
by  the  statute  to  locate  the  county  seat.  The  lat- 
ter reported  that  on  the  14th  day  of  July  they 
had  met  at  the  house  of  Daniel  S.  Haight,  and 
that  two  days  later  they  had  selected  a  site  on 
lands  owned  bv  Nicholas  Boilvin  &  Co..  on  con- 
dition that  the  proprietors  should  execute  a  war- 
ranty deed  to  the  county  of  thirty  acres  of  land, 
so  long  as  it  should  remain  the  seat  of  justice. 
On  the  same  day  Charles  Reed  presented  to  the 
countv  commissioners  a  aeed  of  twelve  blocks, 
containing  two  and  one-half  acres  each,  situated 
about  two  miles  up  the  river  trom  the  ferry  cross- 
ing. 

The  law  was  very  specific  concerning  the  lo- 
cation of  a  site.  It  provided  that  if  the  site 
chosen  should  be  the  property  of  individuals,  in- 
stead of  government  land,  the  owners  thereof 
should  make  a  deed  in  fee  simple  of  not  less  than 
twenty  acres  of  said  tract  to  the  county ;  or  in 
lieu  thereof  they  should  pay  the  county  three 
thousand  dollars,  to  be  used  in  the  erection  of 


i6 


PAST     AM)     I'RKSKXT     OF     WIXXEHACO     COrXTV 


county  buildings.  Mr.  Reed  may  have  presented 
his  deed  in  good  faith,  but  it  was  not  accepted 
because  it  contained  an  objectionable  clause  to 
the  effect  that  the  county  shoukl  hold  the  prop- 
erty "so  long  as  it  should  remain  the  seat  of 
justice."  This  reservation  defeated  his  scheme. 
This  tract  of  land  came  into  possession  of 
Nicholas  I'oilviii  about  one  year  ])revious.  Mr. 
r.oilvin  was  at  one  time  a  government  agent  for 
the  Winnebago  Indians.  It  lias  been  noted  that 
by  the  treaty  negotiated  at  Prairie  du  Chien, 
.\ugust  I.  i82(>.  iK'tween  the  United  States  and 
the  w'innebagoes.  grants  of  land  were  made  to 
certain  descendants  of  this  tribe.  Catherine 
Mvntt,  a  half-breed  Indian  woman,  was  one  of 
the  two  who  had  received  two  sections  each. 
I^revious  to  this  contest  over  the  county  seat,  one 
of  these  two  unlocated  sections  had  been  sold  to 
Henry  Gratiot.  15y  deed  executed  .\ugust  25, 
18^5.  Catherine  Mvott  conveyed  the  other  un- 
located section  to  Xidiolas  llnilvin  for  eight  hun- 
dred dollars.  This  was  the  first  individual  con- 
veyance of  land  in  Winnebago  county.  This  deed 
was  filed  for  record  in  Cook  county,  September 
3,  1835,  and  recorded  by  Daniel  H.  Whitney, 
recorder  of  Winnebago  county,  September  8, 
1836.  This  instrument  was  the  first  filed  for 
record  in  this  county.  The  tract  located  for  Mr. 
i'oilvin,  by  virtue  of  the  treaty  of  1829,  is  the 
east  half  of  section  fourteen  and  all  that  part 
of  section  thirteen  west  of  Rock  river,  in  Rock- 
ford  townshi]),  and  contains  six  hundred  and 
thirty-.scvcn  acres.  At  the  time  Mr.  Reed  made 
the  offer  of  his  deed  to  the  county  commission- 
ers, the  property  belonged  to  Nicholas  Boilvin, 
of  Cliicago.  Charles  Reed,  of  Joliet.  and  Major 
Campliell. 

.\s  soon  as  the  organization  of  the  county 
iK-gan  to  be  agitated.  Boilvin  and  his  associates 
determined  to  secure  the  location  of  the  county 
seat  on  their  site.  The  entire  tract  was  platted 
September  14,  1836.  It  was  known  as  Nicholas 
I'.nilvin's  plat  of  the  town  of  Winnebago,  and  the 
plat  was  filed  for  record  September  17,  1836. 
Reed  appeared  as  the  principal  manager.  There 
were  two  hundred  and  fifty-one  blocks,  and  these 
were  subdivided  into  two  thousand  four  hundred 
and  thirty-six  lots.  The  town  was  christened 
Winnebago.  Reed  built  a  two-story  house,  to 
be  used  as  a  hotel  and  store,  which  is  still  stand- 
ing a  few  rods  alx)ve  John  H.  Sherratt's  resi- 
rleiice.  .\  free  ferry  was  established :  a  lime- 
kiln and  a  blacksmith  shop  were  built :  and  a  road 
opeiu-il  through  the  timber  east  from  Winne- 
bago, to  meet  the  state  road  from  Chicago  to 
(ialena.  at  a  point  on  Beaver  creek.  Nothing  was 
left  undone  to  secure  the  countv  seat :  but  the 
decision  of  the  commissioners,  like  the  law  of 
the  Mcdes  and  Persians,  coulrl  not  be  changed. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  special  com- 
missioners were  given  full  jwwer  by  the  statute 


to  locate  the  county  seat,  their  selection  was 
arbitrarily  set  aside  by  the  commissioners'  court. 
This  rejection,  however,  was  based  upon  a  reason 
which  would  have  been  considered  valid  by  any 
court.  The  cpiestion  difl  not  again  come  before 
the  ])eople  until  1839.  Pending  the  location  of 
the  county  seat  the  commissioners  ordered  that 
the  circuit  and  county  commissioners'  courts 
should  be  held  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Haight. 

i:.\Rl,Y    FERRIKS   OX    ROCK   RIN'KR. 

The  ferry  was  the  first  mode  of  transit  across 
the  river.  Ferries  were  estalilished  by  special 
acts  of  the  legislature,  with  regular  charters,  in 
territory  not  under  county  organization.  The 
issue  of  licenses  for  conducting  ferries  came 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  commissioners' 
courts  in  organized  counties.  In  1836.  at  the 
.September  session  of  this  court  for  Winnebago 
county.  Cermanicus  Kent  was  authorized  to  es- 
tablish a  ferrv  at  Rockford,  at  what  is  now  State 
street.  He  was  required  to  pay  a  license  of  ten 
dollars  for  one  year,  and  rates  of  ferriage  were 
established. 

At  the  same  session  of  the  court  \'ance  & 
Andrews  were  authorized  to  establish  a  ferry  at 
^^'innebago,  on  the  same  terms  for  license  and 
ferriage  as  given  ?^lr.  Kent.  C.  Doolittlo.  by  his 
agent.  H.  M.  Wattles,  was  granted  the  j^rivilege 
of  establishing  a  ferry  where  the  line  between 
Rockford  and  C)wcn  townships  crosses  Rcick 
river,  on  the  same  terms.  In  the  spring  of  1836 
Harvey  Lowe  and  Nel.son  H.  Salisbury,  who  had 
made  claims  in  Howard  in  the  preceding  autumn, 
returned  with  their  families.  May  i8th  they 
crossed  the  river  at  the  point  now  spanned  by 
Trask's  bridge.  They  were  the  first  to  cross  in 
the  boat  which  had  been  launched  that  da  v.  They 
had  been  detained  there  about  a  week,  and  during 
tint  time  they  had  assisted  in  building  the  boat. 
This  ferrv,  which  was  established  through  the 
agency  of  Love  and  Salisbury,  to  enable  them 
to  cross  their  claims,  subsequently  became  the 
thoroughfare  in  the  direction  of  Mineral  Point 
and  formed  a  convenient  crossing  for  all  emi- 
grants to  the  country  north  of  the  Pecatonica. 

In  1837  the  ferry  licenses  of  Kent  and  ^^ance 
were  extended  another  year,  at  the  same  rates. 
Mr.  Kent  conducted  the  ferry  at  Rockford  from 
1836  to  1838.  In  the  latter  year  a  license  was 
issued  to  Kent  &  Brinckerhoff.  The  rates  of 
ferriage  were  changed  and  the  license  fee  raised 
to  twenty  dollars.  These  gentlemen  were  suc- 
ceeded by  .Selden  M.  Church,  who  continued  the 
business  until   the   first  bridge  was  built. 

SURVEY  OF  THE  ST.\TE  RO.\D. 

When  Germanicus  Kent  and  Thatcher  Blake 
made  their  settlements,  there  were  no  state  roads 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


17 


in  this  vicinity.  Indian  trails  wended  their  way 
through  prairie  and  forest,  but  these  did  not 
greatly  facihtate  the  trayel  of  the  white  man. 
At  that  time  Chicago  and  Galena  were  the  only 
well  known  points  in  northern  Illinois.  The  first 
settlements  in  the  state  were  made  in  the  south- 
ern portion  ;  and  as  the  tide  of  emigration  poured 
from  the  east  into  the  Rock  riyer  valley,  after 
the  Black  Hawk  war,  each  session  of  the  legis- 
lature laid  out  a  number  of  state  roads. 

By  an  act  approved  January  15,  1836,  James 
Gifford,  Daniel  S.  Haight  and  Josiah  C.  Good- 
hue were  appointed  special  commissioners  to  view, 
survey  and  locate  a  road  from  Meacham"s  Grove, 
in  Cook  county,  to  Galena,  in  Jo  Daviess  county. 
The  bill  directed  that  the  commissioners  should 
make  "Elgin  on  Fox  river,  in  Cook  county,  Bel- 
videre  on  Squaw  Prairie,  in  the  county  of  La 
Salle,  and  Midway  at  the  ford  on  Rock  river,  in 
the  county  of  Jo  Daviess,  points  on  the  said  road, 
and  shall  fix  the  said  road  on  the  most  advantage- 
ous ground,  for  a  permanent  road,  having  refer- 
ence to  said  points."  This  road  was  opened  with- 
out delay,  and  State  street  in  Belvidere  and  in 
Rockford  is  a  portion  of  this  highway,  which 
extends  nearly  across  the  state  in  a  general  north- 
westerly direction  from  Chicago. 

THE    \-ILL.\GE    CHRISTENED. 

Mr.  Kent  was  in  a  sense  the  first  proprietor  of 
the  colony.  He  gave  it  the  name  of  Midway. 
This  name  was  suggested  by  the  fact  that  the 
settlement  was  about  half  way  from  Giicago  to 
Galena.  "Midway,  Rock  River,  Jo  Daviess 
county,  Illinois,  June  17,  183s."  is  the  name  and 
date  Mr.  Kent  gives  in  a  letter  to  a  friend.  The 
law  of  1836  which  established  the  State  road, 
noted  in  the  last  paragraph,  referred  to  "Mid- 
way at  the  ford  on  Rock  river." 

Under  date  of  October  17,  1837,  ^Ir.  Kent 
writes  a  letter  from  Rockford.  The  settlement 
was  therefore  known  as  ]Midway  from  one  to 
three  years. 

Authorities  differ  as  to  the  origin  of  the  name 
Rockford.  One  writer  says  the  place  was  known 
as  Rockford  by  the  Indians ;  and  that  this  name 
was  suggested  to  them  by  nature.  Upon  the  site 
of  the  present  dam  was  a  solid  rock  bottom, 
where  the  water  was  usually  so  shallow  as  to 
afford  easy  crossing  with  their  ponies.  Hence 
it  was  called  b^'  them  the  rock-ford. 

John  H.  Thurston  gives  a  somewhat  different, 
though  not  necessarily  a  conflicting,  version.  He 
says  Daniel  S.  Haight.  Germanicus  Kent,  Wil- 
liam H.  Gilman,  of  Belvidere,  John  P.  Chapin  and 
Ebenezer  Peck,  of  Chicago,  and  Stephen  Edgel, 
later  of  St.  Louis,  met  at  Dr.  Goodhue's  office,  on 
Lake  street,  in  Chicago,  to  name  the  claim,  or 
mill  privilege,  which  they  hoped  at  some  time 
2 


would  become  a  town.  "Midway,"  though  an 
appropriate  name,  was  not  in  favor.  Various 
names  were  suggested  and  rejected,  until  Dr. 
Goodhue  said :  "Why  not  call  it  Rockford,  from 
the  splendid  rock-bottom  ford  on  the  river  there  ?" 
The  suggestion  seemed  an  inspiration,  and  was 
at  once  unanimously  adopted ;  and  from  that  day 
to  this.  Dr.  Goodhue  has  been  given  the  credit 
of  the  present  name.  The  date  of  this  christen- 
ing is  uncertain.  Mr.  Thurston  says  it  occurred 
in  the  summer  of  1835; -but  the  statute  of  Janu- 
ary, 1836.  still  designated  it  Midway.  News 
traveled  slowh',  however,  in  those  days ;  and  pos- 
sibly the  solons  at  Vandalia  had  not  learned  of 
the  change. 

THE  FIR.ST  SURVEYS. 

The  first  surveys  in  Winnebago  county  were 
made  early  in  1836.  Don  Alonzo  Spaulding,  a 
pioneer  of  1835,  was  the  government  surveyor. 
One  of  his  associates  was  Hon.  Charles  B.  Far- 
well,  of  Chicago,  who  in  1887  succeeded  the  late 
General  John  A.  Logan  as  a  United  States  sen- 
ator from  Illinois.  In  October,  1835,  Mr. 
Spaulding  began  the  extension  of  the  third  prin- 
cipal meridian,  at  a  timber  corner  about  two  miles 
north  of  the  point  where  this  meridian  crosses 
the  Illinois  riyer,  on  the  western  boundary  line 
of  La  Salle  county.  Mr.  Spaulding  extended  the 
third  principal  meridian  north  to  its  intersection 
with  the  Wisconsin  boundary  line.  Mr.  Spauld- 
ing surveyed  the  range  and  township  lines  in  all 
of  Winnebago  county,  and  the  western  range  of 
Boone :  and  subdivided  all  of  Winnebago  except 
New  Milford  and  Cherry  \'alley  townships. 

THE  BEGIXXIXG  OF  METPIODISM. 

jNIethodism  was  established  in  Winnebago 
county  in  1836.  It  was  therefore  the  vanguard  of 
the  church  militant  to  enter  and  possess  the  land. 
The  official  record  of  the  first  society  has  not 
been  preserved. 

Galena  was  the  first  appointment  within  the 
bounds  of  the  present  Rock  River  conference. 
It  was  at  that  time,  in  1829,  in  the  Illinois  con- 
ference, which  comprised  the  states  of  Indiana 
and  Illinois.  The  Indiana  conference  was  formed 
in  1834.  After  this  separation  of  Indiana  from 
the  Illinois  conference,  the  latter  still  covered  a 
vast  region.  In  the  autumn  of  1835  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Royal  was  appointed  to  the  Fox  River  mis- 
sion. Rev.  Samuel  Pillsbury  was  associated  with 
him.  This  mission  circuit  extended  northward 
from  Ottawa.  In  June,  1836,  Rev.  Pillsbury 
preached  a  sermon  at  the  home  of  Henry  Enoch, 
in  Guilford  township,  seven  and  one-half  miles 
east  of  Rockford.  This  was  the  first  service  in 
the  county  conducted  by  a  Methodist  clergyman. 


i8 


PAST     AND     l'RESi:.\T     (U      W  l.\.\lil!AGU     CUL'XTY. 


On  that  occasion  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Daniel  Beers  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  Gre<;ory  traveled  six  miles 
in  a  heavy  lumber  wagon  drawn  hy  a  yoke  of 
oxen. 

This  service  was  followed  during:  tlie  sum- 
mer by  occasional  sermons  by  Rev.  Royal  at  Mr. 
Enoch's  house :  and  Mrs.  Enoch  often  prepared 
Sunday  dinners  for  the  cont^recfation.  On  his 
wav  to  conference  at  S])rin};field.  in  the  autumn 
of  iS,^^>,  Rev.  Royal  passed  tlirouijh  Rockford. 
Monday  afternoon,  September  2d,  he  jireached 
in  .sanniel  Ure^'ory's  lofj  liousc,  which  stood  on 
what  is  now  block  fourteen  in  Gilbert  Woodruff's 
second  addition  to  Rockford.  At  the  close  of  the 
sermon  Rev.  Royal  orjjanized  the  first  Methodist 
class,  which  consisted  of  five  persons :  Samuel 
Greg'ory,  Joanna  (irejjory,  ^fary  Enoch.  Daniel 
I'.eers  and  Mary  Ileers.  These  pioneer  Metho- 
<lists  have  been  honored  by  five  memorial  front 
windows  in  Centennial  church. 

At  the  conference  of  1836  Bishop  Roberts  ap- 
pointed Dr.  Arnold  to  the  Sycamore  circuit,  of 
which  Rockford  was  a  part.  The  few  Methodists 
gathered  for  worship  as  often  as  possible  at  Mr. 
Gregory's  house.  In  1837  the  conference  met 
at  Rushvillc,  when  llisho])  Roberts  sent  William 
( laddis,  with  Robert  Lane,  as  assistant,  to  the 
Rockford  circuit.  Tiiis  circuit  belonged  to  the 
Chicago  di.strict.  over  which  John  Clark  was  pre- 
siding elder.  Mr.  Lane  soon  retired  from  the 
field,  and  he  was  succeeded  by  Leander  S. 
Walker.  At  the  conference  of  1838,  at  Alton, 
Bishop  Soule  returned  Mr.  Walker  to  Rockford 
as  ])reacher  in  charge,  with  Nathan  Jewett  as 
assistant.  During  the  earlv  i)art  of  Mr.  Walker's 
pastorate  he  ])reached  in  the  house  of  James  Bos- 
well,  north  of  the  brewery.  The  Methodists  sub- 
scf|uently  worshi]>ed  in  a  building  erected  by  Mr. 
Ilaight  on  the  site  of  the  .American  House.  This 
building  was  used  for  various  i>uri)oses.  In  the 
summer  of  1838  the  Methodists  built  a  parson- 
age on  First  .street,  between  Prairie  street  and 
Lafayette  avenue,  facing  west.  This  was  the 
first  Methodist  parsonage  built  within  what  is 
now  the  Rock  River  conference. 

Tlie  Rock  River  conference  was  organized 
.'Vngust  26,  1840,  at  Mt.  Morris.  Bishop  Waugh 
]>rcsiiled  over  this  conference,  which  was  held  in 
a  grove.  Rockford  was  retained  in  the  Chicago 
district,  with  John  T.  Mitchell  as  presiding  elder, 
and  Semphronious  H.  Stocking  as  circuit 
preacher.  .August  25.  1841.  the  conference  was 
held  at  Platteville,  W'isconsin,  when  Bishop  Mor- 
ris sent  John  Crummer  to  Rockford. 

.August  3.  1842.  the  conference  met  in  Chi- 
cago, and  Bishop  Roberts  assigned  Rockford  to 
the  care  of  Silas  BoUes.  .At  this  time  the  Metho- 
dist church  was  worshiping  in  what  was  after- 
ward knf)wn  as  the  "old  seminary  l)uilding."  This 
structure  had  been  begun  as  a  Congregational 


church,  but  was  abandoned  for  the  church  built 
on  the  West  side  1)\-  Kent  and  Brinckcrhoff.  In 
1842  the  Methodists  bought  this  "seminary" 
property  of  the  county  commissioners,  and  held 
it  for  .some  years.  September  20,  1842,  the  First 
Methodist  church  became  an  incorporate  body, 
with  five  trustees,  as  follows:  Horace  Miller, 
James  B.  .Martyn,  Samuel  Gregory,  Daniel  Beers 
and  Willard  Wheeler.  At  the  conference  in  Du- 
bufjue,  Iowa,  .August  30,  1843,  Rockford  was 
made  a  "station,"  and  Bishop  Andrews  sent  Rich- 
ard Blanchard.  November  10th  of  that  year  the 
trustees  of  the  society  purchased  of  Daniel  S. 
Haiglit  the  lot  on  which  the  parsonage  had  been 
built  five  years  previous.  The  consideration  was 
two  hundred  dollars. 

I'"e1)ruary  25,  1846.  the  trustees  purchased  of 
William  II.  (iilman,  lots  one,  two,  three,  four  and 
five,  in  the  east  half  of  block  thirty-one,  front- 
iTig  on  South  Second  street,  between  Oak  and 
Walnut.  The  consideration  was  tliree  hundred 
and  twenty-five  dollars.  These  lots,  except  lot 
one.  are  the  same  upon  which  the  Centennial 
church  and  parsonage  now  stand,  and  which  were 
occupied  by  the  I'irst  church  and  parsonage.  The 
contract  for  building  the  l-'irst  church  was  made 
with  M.  II.  Regan,  in  1846,  but  it  was  not  com- 
pleted until  1848. 

l-'rom  1 84 1  to  1853  Rockford  had  been  a  part 
of  the  Mt.  Morris  <listrict.  In  the  latter  year, 
the  conference,  which  met  at  Chicago.  September 
14th,  redistricted  the  work,  and  the  Rockford 
district  was  formetl.  ISi.shon  Scott  sent  Luke 
I  litchcock  to  the  district  as  presiding  elder.  Wil- 
liam Taskcr  was  assigned  to  the  First  church, 
and  "West  Rockford"  was  left  to  be  supplied  bv 
Mr.  Chatfield. 

Of  the  sixty  sessions  of  the  Rock  River  con- 
ference eight  have  been  held  in  Rockford.  The 
first  convened  with  the  First  church.  July  18, 
1849.  Edmund  S.  James  was  presiding  bishop. 
.August  26.  1857.  tlie  conference  convened  in 
Court  Street  church,  with  Lewis  Scott  as  presid- 
ing bishop.  .At  the  conference  held  with  the  First 
church,  September  23.  1863.  Bishop  Scott  again 
jiresided.  October  0,  1S72,  the  conference  met 
in  the  Third  Street  church,  with  I'ishop  Isaac  W, 
Wiley  iiresiding.  The  next  conference  in  Rock- 
ford met  (\-tober  13.  1880.  in  Court  Street 
church.  Bishop  Hurst  presided.  The  charge 
of  heresy  preferred  against  Dr.  H.  W.  Thomas 
was  considered  and  referred  to  the  presiding 
elder  of  his  district.  September  21.  1884,  the 
conference  convened  with  Centennial  church. 
Bishop  Henry  W.  Warren  presided.  Bishop 
Mallalieu  presided  at  the  conference  held  with 
Court  Street  church,  September  27,  1887.  The 
eighth  conference  convened  with  Centennial 
church,  October  3,  1800,  with  Bishop  Hurst  in 
the  chair. 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


19 


FIRST    MARRIAGES    AXD    BIRTHS. 

The  first  marriage  was  that  of  Dr.  Daniel  H. 
Whitney  and  Sarah  Caswell,  and  was  solemnized 
bv  Rev.  Seth  S.  Whitman,  of  Belvidere,  Decem- 
ber ID,  1836.  The  first  marriage  ceremony 
within  the  present  limits  of  the  coimty  was  that 
of  Jeremiah  Roberts  and  Harriet  Clausen,  and 
was  performed  December  11,  1836,  by  Sylvester 
Talcott,  a  justice  of  the  peace.  The  first  mar- 
riage, however,  reported  in  the  registery  in  the 
county  clerk's  office  is  that  of  William  P.  Randall 
and  I\Iiss  Delia  Driscoll,  solemnized  February  13. 
1837,  by  William  R.  Wheeler,  a  justice  of  the 
peace. 

Melissa  J.  Long,  daughter  of  John  B.  Long, 
born  in  February,  1836,  is  entitled  to  the  distinc- 
tion of  being  the  first  white  child  born  in  the 
county.  The  first  male  child,  Ogden  Hance,  was 
born  in  what  is  now  Pecatonica  township. 
George  E.  Dunbar,  son  of  William  E.  Dunbar, 
was  born  in  1836,  in  a  little  log  house  situated 
about  one  block  south  of  Kent  street,  on  ?ilain. 
Mrs.  T.  W.  Carrico.  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  Kil- 
burn.  was  also  among  the  earliest  accessions  by 
birth  to  the  population  of  the  village. 

COUNTY     DIVIDED. "mILE-STRIP     CONTEST." 

An  act  of  the  legislature,  approved  March  4, 
1837,  provided  for  the  reorganization  of  Winne- 
bago countv,  and  the  creation  of  Stephenson  and 
Boone.  The  latter  was  named  in  honor  of  Col- 
onel Daniel  Boone,  the  first  white  settler  of  Ken- 
tuck}-.  By  this  act  Winnebago  county  was  re- 
duced to  one-iialf  its  original  size.  The  reader 
will  find  it  necessary,  in  tracing  the  boundary 
lines,  to  have  before  him  maps  of  Winnebago 
and  Boone  counties ;  also  some  acquaintance  with 
the  township  survey  system.  Confusion  will 
arise  if  it  is  not  remembered  that  the  townships 
in  ^^'innebago  county,  west  of  the  third  prin- 
cipal meridian,  are  numbered  from  a  different 
base-line  from  those  east  of  this  meridian.  It 
must  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  ranges  west 
of  the  third  principal  meridian  are  numbered,  not 
as  ranges  west  of  the  third  principal  meridian, 
but  as  east  of  the  fourth  principal  meridian. 

The  first  section  of  this  law  creates  Stephen- 
son county  from  the  eastern  portion  of  Jo  Daviess 
and  the  western  two  ranges  of  Winnebago,  as  the 
latter  had  been  organized  the  preceding  year. 
The  next  section  defines  the  new  boundary  of 
Winnebago.  The  line  begins  at  the  northeast 
corner  of  Stephenson,  as  formed  by  the  preced- 
ing section ;  thence  running  east  on  the  state  line 
to  the  section  line  between  sections  five  and  six, 
in  township  forty-six  north,  range  three  east  of 
the  third  principal  meridian :  thence  south  on 
said  section  line  to  the  south  boundary  of  town- 


ship forty-three  north,  range  three  east ;  thence 
west  on  said  township  line  to  the  third  principal 
meridian ;  thence  north  on  said  meridian  to  the 
southeast  corner  of  township  twenty-six  north, 
range  eleven  east  of  the  fourth  principal 
meridian  ;  thence  west  on  said  line  to  the  range 
line  between  ranges  nine  and  ten  east  of  the 
fourth  principal  meridian ;  thence  north  to  the 
place  of  beginning. 

The  third  section  of  this  law  contemplated  the 
boundaries  of  Boone  as  they  now  exist,  except 
the  mile-strip  on  the  west.  This  law  was 
seriously  defective  in  defining  the  boundary  lines. 
The  intention  of  the  legislature,  however,  was 
obvious  and  was  accepted  until  two  years  later, 
when  the  act  of  March  2,  1839,  corrected  the 
errors,  which  may  have  been  either  verbal  or 
typographical. 

Bv  comparing  the  boundary  lines  of  Winne- 
bago and  Boone,  as  defined  by  the  act  of  1837, 
with  an  atlas  of  the  counties,  it  will  be  observed 
tnat  the  eastern  boundary  of  Winnebago  was 
exactly  one  mile  east  of  the  present  line.  Thus 
established,  Boone  was  only  eleven  miles  wide. 
The  western  tier  of  sections,  which  clearly  be- 
long to  Boone  under  the  p-overnment  survey,  was 
denied  her  and  given  to  \A'innebago. 

This  manifest  injustice  to  Boone  county  was 
a  thorn  in  the  flesh  of  her  citizens  and  finally  pre- 
cipitated what  is  known  as  the  "mile-strip  con- 
test," the  most  bitter  controversy  of  those  early 
days.  The  statement  is  twice  made  in  Kett's 
History  of  Boone  county  that  the  assignment  of 
this  mile-strip  to  Winnebago  in  1837  was  a  com- 
promise to  conciliate  conflicting  interests  in  this 
county.  These  "conflicting  interests"  were  prob- 
ably the  ambitions  of  East  and  West  Rockford 
for  the  county  buildings.  The  extra  mile-strip 
may  have  been  given  to  Winnebago,  at  the  in- 
stance of  clever  manipulators,  to  increase  the  vot- 
ing strength  of  that  part  of  the  county  east  of 
Rock  river. 

In  1843  the  question  of  annexing  this  mile- 
strip  to  Boone  county  came  before  the  legislature. 
An  enabling  act,  approved  February  28th,  pro- 
vided that  sections  six,  seven,  eighteen,  nineteen, 
thirty  and  thirty-one,  in  townships  forty-three, 
fortv-four,  forty-five  and  forty-six,  range  three 
east,  should  be  annexed  to  Boone,  if  the  voters  on 
the  mile-strip  should  so  elect.  The  strip  com- 
prised what  is  now  the  western  tier  of  sections 
in  the  townships  of  Manchester,  Caledonia,  Belvi- 
dere and  Flora,  in  Boone  county.  An  election 
was  ordered  to  be  held  at  the  house  of  Samuel 
Keith,  in  the  village  of  Newburg.  W'innebago 
countv.  May  4,  1843.  The  citizens  of  Rockford 
were  deeply  interested  in  the  result,  although  the 
county  seat  had  recently  been  relocated  on  the 
West'side,  and  the  voters  the  preceding  year  had 
expressed  a  preference  for  that  side.    They  were 


20 


I'Asr    AND    i'Ri:si-.\  r   oi-    w  ixxi-.i'.aco   torxiv. 


not  III  cuursc.  allowi-il  to  vole.  Only  those  on 
the  mile-strip  liad  a  voice  in  the  matter.  The  elec- 
tion called  ont  ninety-five  votes.  Fifty-one  were 
lor  annexation  to  l!o<ine,  and  forty-four  against 
it ;  a  majority  of  seven  in  favor  of  lioonc.  This 
election  added  twenty-fonr  sections  of  valuable 
land  to  our  eastern  neighbor,  and  thus  greatly 
increased  luT  taxable  property. 

I  111-:    FIRST    TW     I.KVY. 

I  he  first  tax  levy  was  oruercd  1)\  the  county 
commissioners'  court,  at  its  .March  term,  1837. 
One-half  per  cent,  tax  was  levied  on  town  lots, 
horses  and  mares,  meat  cattle  above  three  years 
old,  watches,  carriages,  and  wagons,  and  a  tax 
of  one- fourth  ])er  cent,  on  stock  in  trade. 
Through  some  technicality,  this  levy  was  de- 
clared illegal,  and  a  second  levy  was  made.  At 
that  time  farm  lands  were  not  taxable.  They 
were  not  |)laced  u])nii  the  market  at  the  land  of- 
fices until  two  years  later,  and  for  three  years 
thereafter  they  were  exem])t  from  taxation.  It 
was  not  until  1842-43  that  any  county  revenue 
was  obtained  from  this  source.  The  revenue  re- 
quired to  meet  the  expenses  of  the  county  until 
the  lands  became  taxable  was  derived  from  as- 
sessments against  ])ersonal  property.  Under  this 
order  the  total  amount  levied  was  five  hundred 
and  sixty-two  dollars  and  fifty-nine  and  one-half 
cents. 

THE    n.W    OF    SMALL    THINGS. 

The  first  frame  building  in  Rockford  was 
erected  in  1836.  by  Sidney  Twogood  and  Thomas 
Lake.  It  was  a  story-and-a-half  structure,  and 
stood  on  the  southwest  corner  of  State  and  Madi- 
son streets,  and  faced  east.  It  was  first  occupied 
as  a  general  store  by  Harry  W.  Bund}-  and 
George  Goodhue.  The  latter  was  a  nephew  of  Dr. 
Goodhue.  This  firm  continued  in  business  there 
only  about  two  years,  and  then  removed  to  Beloit 
in  the  spring  of  1838. 

The  second  frame  structure  was  built  for 
naniel  .S.  Ilaight.  on  the  northeast  corner  of 
State  and  Madison  streets,  and  to  which  reference 
has  already  been  made. 

James  B.  Martyii,  who  came  from  Alabama 
upon  Mr.  Kent's  .solicitation,  claimed  to  have 
built  the  first  frame  house  in  the  county,  outside 
of  Rockford.  in  1836.  on  his  claim  on  the  State 
road,  one  mile  east  of  the  intersection  of  State  and 
Third  streets.  Mr.  Martvn  died  at  Belvidere  in 
i88t. 

The  first  theatrical  performance  was  given  Oc- 
tober j«).  1838,  in  the  old  Rockford  House.  The 
manager  of  the  company  was  the  elder  Jefferson, 
father  of  the  world-renowned  Joseph  Jcflferson. 
"Joe"  was  but  a  youth,  and  acted  in  "Lord 
I»vell."   then   a   new  play.     The   company   was 


weather-bound  in  Rockford  while  en  route  from 
Chicago  to  (ialena.  The  river  was  not  passable 
by  reason  of  heavy  moving  ice. 

The  first  tailor  in  Rockford  was  William  11. 
Tinker,  who  came  from  Massachusetts.  He  was 
in  the  village  in  1836,  but  he  did  not  consider  the 
outlook  very  ])romising,  and  he  left  the  field.  In 
June,  1837,  Parson  King  Johnson,  from  I'.ran- 
don,  Vermont,  came  to  Rockford,  and  found  Mr. 
Tinker's  cutting  board  in  the  rear  room  of  Bundy 
iS:  ("roodhue's  store.  Mr.  Tinker  returned  to 
Rockford.  and  the  firm  of  Tinker  &  Johnson  be- 
came the  first  ill  that  line  in  the  village.  The  firm 
occupied  the  u|)per  room  in  a  building  on  the  site 
of  Ti  I  South  .\Iadison  street. 

The  first  shoemaker  was  ICzra  r>arinim.  He 
was  father  of  .\nson  Barinim  and  Mrs.  James 
M.  \\'ight.  and  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Sherratt. 
Mr.  r>arnum  came  from  Danbury,  Connecticut, 
in  the  summer  of  1837.  .\  history  of  Danbury 
shows  the  Barnums  to  have  been  an  old  family 
of  that  city. 

The  first  brick  was  made  in  the  autumn  of 
1837  by  Cyrus  C.  Jenks,  in  Guilford,  about  three 
and  a  half  miles  northeast  of  the  town. 

The  first  carpenter  cannot  be  determined  with 
accurac\' :  but  it  is  probable  that  Thomas  Lake 
and  .Sidney  Twogood  were  the  first  skilled  work- 
men. The  first  saloon  was  o])ened  in  1837.  by 
Samuel  Little,  an  luiglishman.  He  ])ut  up  a 
small  one-story  building  near  316  Last  State 
street.  The  first  blacksniilh  was  probably  one  of 
the  men  em])loyed  by  Mr.  Kent.  The  second  was 
William  Penfield.  His  frame  building  was  on 
the  northeast  corner  of  Madison  and  Market 
streets.  William  V.  Dennis  was  the  first  house- 
painter,  and  in  1837  he  disi)layed  his  skill  on  Mr. 
Haight's  first  frame  house.  The  first  drug  store 
was  opened  early  in  the  summer  of  1838  by  "Dr." 
Marshal,  a  Scotchman.  It  was  on  the  north  side 
of  State  street,  about  eighty  feet  from  the  river. 
The  first  bakers  were  Ephraim  Wyman  and 
Bethuel  Houghton,  who  did  business  in  1838  as 
I)artiiers  on  South  Main  street.  The  first  store 
was  kept  by  John  \'ance,  in  a  log  cabin  on  South 
First  street,  opposite  the  city  hall  now  in  process 
of  construction. 

CO.NGRIiG.XTIO.N.M.ISM — THK    FIRST  CHURCH. 

Xew  England  Congregationalism  came  with 
the  early  settlers.  This  institution  was  firmly  es- 
tablished within  three  years  after  the  arrival  of 
Mr.  Kent  and  .Mr.  I'.lakc,  and  it  has  maintained 
a  strong  and  intluential  position  in  Rockford  until 
the  present  time.  The  First  Congregational 
church  was  organized  May  5,  1837,  with  nine 
members:  Rev.  [ohn  Morrill,  Herman  B.  Potter, 
Israel    Morrill.  "  Richard    .Morrill.    Elizabeth    P. 


PAST     AXD    TRESEXT     OF     WIXXEBAGO     COUXTY. 


21 


]\[on-ill,  AFarv  J.  Morrill,  Sophia  X.  IMorrill, 
Minerva  Potter,  and  Eunice  Brown. 

The  church  was  founded  by  Rev.  John  Mor- 
rill, at  the  home  of  his  brother.  Israel  Morrill,  on 
the  west  side  of  the  river.  It  is  therefore  the 
oldest  church  in  Rockford,  inasmuch  as  the  First 
Methodist  church,  formed  the  previous  year, 
ceased  to  exist.  The  three  ^lorrill  brothers  and 
their  wives  constituted  just  two-thirds  of  the 
original  membership.  During  its  first  year  the 
church  had  attained  a  membership  of  twenty 
souls.  Israel  Morrill  and  H.  B.  Potter  were  the 
first  deacons. 

The  first  confession  of  faith  and  form  of  cove- 
nant, adopted  temporarily  at  its  organization, 
was  that  recommended  by  the  Watertown  pres- 
bytery. One  year  later.  May  4,  1838,  this  was 
displaced  by  the  articles  of  faith  and  covenant  of 
the  Rock  River  Congregational  Association. 

Rev.  John  Morrill  was  the  first  pastor.  Very 
little  is  known  of  him  previous  to  his  removal  to 
the  west.  He  had  come  in  a  farm  wagon  from 
Xew  York  as  a  home  missionary  to  this  cotmty, 
where  his  brother  had  previously  settled.  Mr. 
Morrill  served  as  pastor  one  year  from  May, 
1837.  The  late  Mrs.  Eunice  Brown  Lyon  is  au- 
thority for  the  statement  that  Mr.  Morrill  received 
no  formal  call  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church.  He  was  the  leading  spirit  in  its 
organization,  and  he  may  have  assumed  the  work 
with  the  understanding,  explicit  or  implied,  that 
he  should  serve  as  its  pastor  for  a  time.  This 
pioneer  minister  died  at  Pecatonica  February  16, 

1874- 

Soon   after    its    organization    the    church    held 

services  in  the  "stage  barn,"'  built  by  Daniel  S. 
Haight,  near  the  intersection  of  State  and  Third 
streets.  Only  a  few  years  ago  this  structure  was 
standing  on  the  farm  of  Isaac  Rowley,  near  the 
city.  In  the  summer  of  1838  the  trustees  began 
the  erection  of  a  frame  structure  on  the  west  side 
of  X'^orth  First  street,  on  a  site  near  the  residence 
of  Irvin  French.  When  the  building  had  been 
enclosed  and  shingled  it  was  learned  that  !\Iessrs. 
Kent  and  Brinckerhoff  had  obtained  about  eight 
hundred  dollars  from  friends  in  New  York  for 
a  church.  Instead  of  turning  over  this  money  to 
the  society  to  complete  the  church,  these  gentle- 
men built  an  edifice  on  their  own  side  of  the 
river.  This  building  was  raised  in  the  summer 
of  1838,  and  enclosed  the  same  season.  \\'hen  it 
was  completed  they  turned  it  over  to  the  society 
for  worship,  but  retained  their  nominal  title.  .\t 
that  time  they  possessed  no  legal  title  to  the  land 
from  the  government.  The  unfinished  building 
on  North  First  street  was  abandoned,  and  was 
never  afterwards  used  bv  this  church  as  a  house 
of  worship.  It  was.  however,  devoted  to  other 
purposes,  which  will  be  noted  in  subsequent 
pages. 


The  building  erected  by  Kent  and  Brinckerhofif 
was  the  first  church  edifice  in  Rockford,  and  stood 
on  the  southwest  corner  of  Qiurch  and  Green 
streets.  It  was  a  frame  structure,  clap-boarded, 
in  Doric  style,  forty-five  feet  square  inside,  and 
stood  on  a  foundation  of  blocks  of  trees,  cut  in 
the  adjoining  grove,  with  sills  resting  upon  them 
about  three  feet  above  the  ground.  In  fact,  the 
greater  portion  of  the  buikling  material  was  ob- 
tained from  adjacent  lots.  The  building  fronted 
to  the  east,  and  had  three  windows  on  each  side. 
A  porch  about  ten  feet  wide  extended  across  the 
front,  covered  by  an  extension  of  the  roof,  which 
was  supported  b>'  four  fluted  wooden  columns. 
This  sylvan  sanctuary  was  occupied  by  the  First 
church  about  six  years. 

The  Ladies"  Foreign  iMissionary  Societv  was 
organized  in  18^8,  just  one  year  after  the  found- 
ing of  the  church.  The  originators  of  this  move- 
ment, like  the  founders  of  the  church,  were 
largely  from  New  England,  who  had  been  in- 
terested in  foreign  missions  and  education  in  their 
eastern  homes,  and  who  had  not  left  their  zeal 
behind  them,  although  they  might  properly  have 
considered  themselves  on  home  missionary 
ground. 

The  second  pastor  was  Rev.  Cyrus  L.  Watson. 
who  served  the  church  from  Xovember.  1838,  to 
May,  1841.  He  was  a  genial,  social  elderly  gen- 
tleman, a  good  pastor,  and  he  was  highly  es- 
teemed. His  death  occurred  at  Battle  Creek, 
Michigan.  Rev.  William  S.  Curtis,  D.  D.,  sup- 
plied the  pulpit  from  X'ovember.  1841.  to  August, 
1842.  Dr.  Curtis  subsequently  became  pastor  of 
the  Westminister  Presbyterian  church.  His  death 
occurred  in  1885,  and  his  funeral  was  held  June 
1st,  from  the  Westminister  church.  Dr.  Curtis 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Oliver  W.  Norton,  who 
was  the  pastor  from  September.  1842.  until  some 
time  in  the  following  year.  Rev.  Lansing  Porter 
served  a  brief  pastorate  from  February,  1844,  to 
April,   1846. 

In  the  spring  of  1846  the  churcli  dedicated  a 
new  house  of  worship  on  tne  East  side.  It  was  a 
brick  structure,  and  stood  on  the  northeast  corner 
of  South  First  and  Walnut  streets,  on  the  site  of 
the  new  citv  hall.  Its  dimensions  were  forty  by 
sixty  feet :  the  walls  were  twenty  feet  high.  A 
])rojection  at  the  rear  lormed  a  recess  for  the 
pulpit.  The  roof  was  one-quarter  pitch,  with  a 
square  tower  on  the  center  of  the  front,  rising 
about  twentv  feet.  From  this  tower  a  bell  called 
the  people  to  their  public  devotions.  The  bell 
belonged  to  Rev.  Norton,  and  he  took  it  with  him 
when  he  went  away.  W.  A.  Dickerman,  as  agent 
for  the  church,  subsequently  purchased  a  Aleneely 
bell,  in  Xew  York,  weighing  six  hundred  and 
forty  pounds.  This  church  continued  to  be  the 
house  of  worship  for  this  congregation  until 
1870. 


22 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUXTY. 


The  construction  of  a  new  house  of  worship 
is  frequently,  and  perhaps  generally,  followed  by 
a  change  in  the  pastorate.  Such  was  the  ex- 
perience of  this  society  soon  after  the  dedication 
of  its  new  church.  The  resignation  of  Rev.  Lan- 
sing I'orter  was  followed  by  a  call  to  the  Rev. 
Lewis  H.  Loss,  whose  pastorate  began  in  August, 
1846. 

The  pipe  organ  used  in  this  church  was  built 
by  PL  IL  Silsby  and  his  brother.  The  organist 
at  one  time  was  Rufus  ILttch,  who  subsequently 
removed  to  Xew  York,  and  became  one  of  the 
most  famous  operators  on  Wall  street.  During 
his  residence  in  Rockforil  he  was  engaged  in  the 
dry  goods  business  on  East  State  street,  near  the 
site  of  the  Coyncr  urug  store.  His  home  was  on 
South  Madison  street,  where  Miss  Kate  O'Con- 
nor's residence  now  stands.  Mr.  Hatch  removed 
from  Roc'Kt'ord  alxiut  1856.  When  .Mr.  Hatch 
becaiue  wealthy,  he  presented  the  pipe  organ 
which  is  in  use  in  the  ])resent  house  of  worship, 
to  Dr.  and  .Mrs.  (kiodwin.  The  doctor  was  pastor 
when  this  church  was  dedicated.  This  splendid 
gift,  whicii  cost  four  thousand  dollars,  was  Mr. 
Platch's  personal  token  of  esteem  for  Dr.  Good- 
win. Some  time  later  Dr.  (ioodwin  ])reached  a 
sermon  on  music,  in  which  he  referred  to  its 
high  place  in  Christian  worshi]).  .\t  the  close  of 
this  discourse  Dr.  (ioodwin  said  that  he  and  Mrs. 
Goodwin  rclin(|uished  all  claim  to  the  organ.  "It 
is  henceforth  neither  mine  nor  yours,  but  the 
Lord's,  to  whom  I  now  dedicate  it." 

Dr.  Loss"  pastorate  continued  until  Xovember, 
1849.  He  was  a  man  of  ability  and  thorough  edu- 
cation. He  went  from  Rockford  to  Jolict.  where 
he  had  charge  of  a  church  until  1856.  His  last 
pastorate  was  at  Marshalltown,  Iowa,  where  he 
died.  In  his  last  illness  lie  longed  to  see  his  old 
friend  and  physician.  Dr.  Lucius  Clark,  of  this 
city :  and  his  church  sent  for  the  doctor  and  paid 
his  traveling  expenses. 

Dr.  Loss  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Henry  M. 
Goodwin.  D.  D.,  who  perha])s  gave  to  the  church 
its  most  distinctive  i)astorate.  It  extended  from 
.August.  1850.  to  January.  187J.  This  period  of 
more  than  twenty-one  years  constitutes  nearlv 
one-third  of  its  entire  history.  The  interim  be- 
tween the  departure  of  Dr.  Loss  and  Dr.  Good- 
win's acceptance  was  supi)lied  by  Prof.  Joseph 
Emerson,  of  Pieloit  college.  Dr.  Goodwin  was 
graduated  frnni  ^'ale,  and  the  Rockford  church 
was  his  first  (k'lrish. 

.Soon  after  leaving  Rnckford.  Dr.  (ioodwin 
wrote  a  Itook  entitled  Christ  and  Humauitv.  which 
was  publislied  l)v  the  Harpers.  It  was  dedicated 
to  his  friend  in  these  nol)le  words:  "To  Horace 
liushnell.  my  reverend  friend  and  teacher,  whose 
profiiimil  and  sanctified  genius  has  made  the 
world  his  debtor,  and  whose  eminent  services  to 
C1iristianit\  in  the  reconciliation  of  faitli  and  rea- 


son await  the  verdict  of  the  future  ages,  these 
later  studies  of  Christian  doctrine  are  filially  and 
affectionately  inscribed  by  the  author."  This 
work  was  written  while  the  author  was  enjoying 
an  extended  sojourn  in  (iermaiiy.  In  1875  Dr. 
(ioodwin  was  called  to  the  chair  of  English  liter- 
ature by  the  college  at  Olivet,  Michigan,  which  he 
filled  for  several  years.  His  death  occurred  at 
the  home  of  his  daughter.  Mrs.  Weld,  in  Wil- 
liamstown.  Massachusetts,  March  i.  189^.  Dr. 
Goodwin  was  seventy-one  years  of  age.  His  re- 
mains were  brought  to  Rockford  for  burial. 

The  following  named  ministers  have  been  Dr. 
Goodwin's  successors  to  date :  Revs.  Wilder 
Smith.  Theodore  Clifton,  William  White  Leete. 
F'rederick  H.  Bodnian.  and  Frank  M.  Sheldon, 
who  began  his  pastorate  Sunday,  September  3. 
1895.    The  present  membership  is  about  385. 

FIRST   I'.VTRioTic  ci-:i.i:i!K.\ rn ).v. 

The  iiatriotism  nf  the  little  village  did  not  dif- 
fer essentially  from  the  jirevailing  tyi)e.  It  neces- 
sarily found  its  expression  in  more  primitive  ways 
than  it  does  at  the  present  time.  There  was 
such  a  display  of  elo(|uence  and  gunpowder  as 
the  times  afforded  :  and  the  amusements  differed 
somewhat  from  those  of  to-day. 

The  morning  of  July  4,  1837.  was  welcomed 
with  the  boom  of  all  available  artillery.  William 
Penfield's  blacksmith's  anvil  did  heroic  service. 
.A.  hickory  liberty-pole  was  raised  near  what  is 
now  310  East  State  street.  Patriotic  exercises 
were  held  in  Mr.  Haight's  barn,  which  stood  in 
the  grove  near  the  intersection  o(  State  and  Tl-ird 
streets.  The  bay  was  floored  for  the  speakers, 
and  the  ihreshing-fioor  was  occu])ied  by  the  ladies. 
Charles  1.  Ibirsman  read  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence, and  Hon.  John  C.  Kemble  was  the 
orator  of  the  day.  Dinner  was  served  in  the  old 
Rockford  House  by  the  ]jro])rietor.  Henry  Thurs- 
ton. The  main  part  of  the  building  had  been 
covered  with  a  roof,  and  was  sided  to  the  first- 
stovy  windows.  Loose  boards  were  laid  for  a 
floor,  tables  were  arranged,  and.  in  the  absence  of 
crockery,  the  cold  meat  was  served  on  shingles. 
The  tickets  for  this  dinner  were  sold  at  one  dollar 
each,  and  this  feature  of  the  celebration  was  a 
financial  success.  The  celebration  was  concluded 
with  a  public  ball,  the  first  in  the  county,  given 
in  Mr.  Haight's  barn. 

FIRST  TKR.MS  OF  CIKl  L'lT  COURT. 

The  act  establishing  the  county  had  provided 
that  until  public  buildings  should  be  erected,  the 
circuit  courts  should  be  held  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Kent  or  Mr.  ilaight,  as  the  county  commissioners 
sliould  direct.  At  the  first  session  of  this  court 
it  was  ordere<l  that,  pending  the  location  of  the 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WIXXEBAGO  COUNTY. 


23 


count}-  seat,  the  circuit  courts  should  be  held  at 
the  house  of  J\Ir.  Haight.  An  examination  at  the 
circuit  clerk's  office  reveals  the  almost  incredible 
fact  that  no  records  of  this  court  previous  to  1854, 
except  the  simple  dockets  of  the  judge,  have  been 
preserved.  The  conclusion  must  be  drawn  that 
this  docket  was  the  only  record  made  at  the  time. 
Memoranda  kept  by  individuals  have  given  facts 
upon  which  the  official  records  are  silent. 

The  first  circuit  court  convened  at  the  house  of 
Daniel  S.  Haight,  October  6,  1837.  This  is  the 
frame  building  which  stood  on  the  northeast 
corner  of  Madison  and  State  streets,  and  a  part 
of  which  is  now  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Sec- 
ond and  Walnut  streets.  At  that  time  there  was 
no  elective  judiciary.  Under  the  old  constitution 
the  justices  of  the  supreme  court  and  the  judges 
of  the  inferior  courts  were  appointed  by  joint 
ballot  of  both  branches  of  the  general  assembly. 
Under  this  same  fundamental  law,  these  courts 
appointed  their  own  clerks.  The  state's  attorney 
was  also  ajipointed.  The  statute  of  1835  P''0" 
vided  that  the  general  assembly,  on  joint  ballot. 
at  that  session,  and  every  two  years  thereafter, 
should  choose  one  state's  attorney  for  each  ju- 
dicial circuit. 

At  this  first  court  Hon.  Dan.  Stone,  of  Galena, 
was  the  presiding  judge.  Seth  B.  Farwell  was 
appointed  state's  attorney  pro  tem ;  and  James 
^Mitchell,  then  of  Jo  Daviess  county,  clerk.  Mr. 
Mitchell  held  this  position  until  1846,  when  he 
was  chosen  superintendent  of  the  lead  mines.  He 
was  succeeded  as  clerk  by  Jason  Marsh,  who  was 
appointed  by  Judge  Thomas  C.  Brown.  The 
offices  of  circuit  clerk  and  recorder  w-ere  separate 
until  the  second  constitution  went  into  effect, 
when  they  were  united,  and  this  officer  was  made 
elective. 

The  petit  jurors  on  duty  at  the  first  term  were: 
Edward  Gating,  James  B.  Martyn,  Joel  Pike,  Wil- 
liam Pepper,  Richard  Montague,  Isaac  N.  Cun- 
ningham, Thatcher  Blake,  Henry  Thurston, 
Charles  I.  Horsman,  David  Goodrich,  James  Jack- 
son, and  Cyrus  C.  Jenks.  There  were  but  two 
trials  by  jury,  and  these  were  of  very  little  im- 
portance. 

The  sessions  of  May.  1838.  and  April  18.  1839, 
were  also  held  at  Mr.  Haight's  house ;  although, 
for  convenience,  a  room  in  the  Rockford  Hotise, 
on  the  corner  west,  was  actually  used  when  more 
room  was  required.  The  first  grand  jury  was  im- 
paneled at  the  May  term.  1838.  The  names  of 
this  jury  were :  Anson  Barnum.  Lyman  Amsden. 
Isaac  Johnson,  James  Sayre,  H.  AI.  Wattles,  Asa 
Daggett,  H.  W.  Gleason.  Samuel  Gregory,  Asa 
Crosby,  Daniel  Beers,  Walter  Earle,  Isaac  Hance, 
Benjamin  T.  Lee,  E.  H.  Potter,  Paul  D.  Taylor, 
Lyman  B.  Carrier,  Aaron  Felts,  Cyrus  C.  Jenks, 
James  B.  Alartyn.  Livingston  Robbins.  Henry 
Enoch,   and   Luman   Pettibone.      Anson    Barnum 


was  appointed  foreman.  At  this  term  the  usual 
order  was  reversed,  in  that  the  judge  occupied  one 
of  the  few  chairs  in  the  house,  while  the  jury 
"sat  on  the  bench.'' 

The  first  building  erected  for  the  use  of  courts 
and  religious  meetings  was  built  by  Mr.  Haight, 
in  the  summer  of  1838,  on  the  southeast  corner 
of  Madison  and  Market  streets,  on  the  site  of 
the  American  House.  It  was  a  frame  structure, 
about  sixteen  by  thirty-two  feet,  with  one  story. 
This  house,  with  additions,  is  now  the  residence 
of  William  G.  Conick.  In  this  building  were 
I)robably  held  the  sessions  of  November,  1839, 
and  April,  1840.  Several  of  the  lawyers  who  at- 
tended the  courts  in  those  days  attained  distinc- 
tion in  their  profession.  Among  these  may  be 
mentioned  Judge  Drummond,  then  of  Galena, 
who  removed  to  Chicago  and  became  a  judge  of 
a  federal  court :  Thompson  Campbell,  of  Galena  ; 
Joel  Wells,  who  canvassed  the  district  for  con- 
gress ;  Norman  B.  Judd,  of  Chicago ;  and  Seth 
B.  Farwell  and  Martin  P.  Sweet,  of  Freeport. 
The  famous  John  Wentworth,  "Long  John," 
made  his  maiden  speech  in  Rockford,  as  attorney 
in  a  case  that  promised  to  bring  him  prominently 
before  the  public.  Mr.  Wentworth  made  fre- 
quent visits  to  Rockford  in  later  years  ;  and  for 
several  terms  he  represented  the  Belvidere  dis- 
trict in  congress. 

September  12.  1840,  the  county  purchased  the 
abandoned  building  on  North  First  street,  which 
had  been  commenced  by  the  First  Congregational 
church  two  years  before.  The  consideration  was 
six  hundred  dollars.  The  deed  was  executed  bv 
H.  B.  Potter,  E.  H.  Potter,  and  S.  D.  Preston. 
Since  the  building  had  been  abandoned  by  the 
Congregationalist  people  it  had  been  used  as  a  car- 
penter's shop.  When  the  county  obtained  pos- 
session the  building  was  partially  finished  so  that 
the  courts  could  be  held  there.  The  session  of 
September  10,  1840,  and  subsequent  sessions  were 
held  at  this  place  until  the  transfer  of  the  court 
house  to  the  West  side. 

THE  ST.\GE  CO.VCH. 

The  state  roads  naturally  prepared  the  way  for 
the  stage  coach.  The  railroad  had  not  then 
reached  this  western  region,  and  the  only  com- 
mon carrier  was  "the  coach  and  four."  Stage 
lines  were  then  running  from  Chicago  in  several 
directions.  They  carried  mails,  passengers  and 
light  parcels.  Frink,  Walker  &  Co.  became  fa- 
mous throughout  this  region  as  the  proprietors  of 
the  one  stage  line  which  connected  Chicago  with 
Rockford.  It  is  impossible  to  determine  the  pre- 
cise date  when  the  stage  coach  began  to  make 
regular  trips  on  this  line  as  far  west  as  Rockford. 
It  is  certain  that  it  had  thus  become  an  established 
institution  not  later  than  January   i,    1838.     On 


PAST     AXI)     PRESFA'T    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUXTY 


tliat  (l;iy  ilu-  arrival  of  the  siai,'f  coach  in  Rock- 
foffl  attracted  the  attention  of  the  peoijle  of  the 
villafje.  and  hir^e  numbers  came  from  tlie  sur- 
roim(Hii}jf  country  to  witness  the  siK'Ctacle.  The 
stafje  office  in  Chicago  was  for  a  lonj;  time  at  123 
Lake  street,  and  later  at  tlie  southwest  corner  of 
Lake  and  Dearborn. 

Frink.  Walker  &  Co.  first  ran  their  sta.tje  lines 
only  from  Chicago  to  Rockford.  The  coaclics 
were  alwavs  drawn  by  four  horses.  In  1840  the 
schedule  time  from  Chicago  to  Rockford  was 
advertiseil  to  be  twenty-four  hours.  Horses 
were  changed  at  intervals  of  fifteen  miles,  at 
stations  built  for  this  purpose.  Frink,  Walker 
&  Co.'s  stage  barn  in  Rockford  was  the  well 
known  barn  near  the  intersection  of  State  and 
Third  .streets,  and  faced  nttrth  and  south.  It 
was  built  in  1836  for  Mr.  Maight  by  Sidney  Two- 
good  and  Thomas  Lake,  l-'ew  buildings  in  the 
county  have  served  more  diverse  uses.  It  was 
there  the  first  patriotic  exercises  were  held ; 
tiiere  the  First  Congregational  people  first  held 
public  services  on  the  East  side.  When  Frink, 
Walker  &  Co.  |)urchased  the  building,  it  was 
luoved  a  few  rods  west,  and  turned  to  face  east 
and  west.  There  the  first  (|uarterly  meeting  of 
the  I'irst  Methodist  church  was  held  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1838. 

Coaches  left  tlie  main  office  in  Chicago  every 
Sunday.  Tuesdav  and  Thursday,  and  returned  on 
alternate  days.  The  fare  from  Chicago  to  Rock- 
ford was  five  dollars. 

From  Rockfi>rd  to  Galena  the  stage  lino  was 
conducted  for  a  time  by  John  D.  Winters,  of 
l-llizabeth.  a  little  town  south  of  Clalena.  The 
route  first  i)assc<l  through  Elizabeth,  but  subse- 
(|uently  the  luore  direct  route  was  by  wav  of 
I'reeport.  The  first  stopping-place  west  of 
Rockford  was  Twelve-Mile  drove.  Mr,  Winters 
retired  from  the  business  after  a  time,  and  then 
Frink.  Walker  &  Co.  had  the  entire  line  from 
tliicago  to  ( ;alena.  The  late  William  Cunning- 
ham was  in  the  employ  of  this  firm  at  one  time 
as  a  driver  between  Twelve-Mile  Grove  and 
I'reeiwrt. 

K.\UI.V    IIOIKI.S. 

The  first  hotel  in  Rockford  was  the  Rockford 
House.  The  early  ])ublic  houses  were  more 
generally  called  t;uerns.  lleforc  the  Rockford 
Hnu.se  was  built,  .Mr.  Kent  and  a  number  of  the 
other  settlers  had  entertained  strangers,  but  not 
as  regular  hotel-keei)ers.  The  Rockford  House 
was  Iniilt  by  Daniel  S.  Haight  and  Charles  S. 
Oliver.  It  stood  on  the  site  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  .Association  building.  The  wing  was 
finished  in  the  aiUimin  of  1S37,  when  the  house 
was  o|)ened  by  Henry  Thurston.  The  third  story, 
which  was  divided  into  two  rooms,  was  reached 


b\  a  ladder,  which  was  made  by  slats  nailed  to 
two  pieces  of  the  studiling,  in  the  first  story  of 
tlie  main  building.  The  pro()rietor's  son  John 
was  an  important  functionary.  He  made  the 
beds  and  escorted  the  guests  u))  the  ladder  when 
they  retired.  He  was  admonished  bv  his  sire 
not  to  drop  the  melted  tallow  from  the  di])  ujMin 
nis  guests.  .Mr.  Thurston's  successors  as  land- 
lord were  Lathro]}  Johnson,  Daniel  Howell,  .An- 
drew lirown,  J.  SchaefYer,  .\bel  Cami)bell,  E. 
Radcliflf.  .Major  John  William.son,  Elam  Zim- 
merman. This  hotel  was  burned  March  7,  i86g. 
The  second  hotel,  the  Washington  House,  was 
built  in  1838  by  two  brothers.  Jacob  B.  and 
Thomas  Miller,  and  opened  to  the  |)ublic  the  fol- 
lowing year.  Jt  stood  sixty  feet  front  on  .State 
street,  with  large  additions  in  the  rear,  with  base- 
ment kitchen,  dining-room,  and  sleejiing  apart- 
ments above  the  dining-room.  The  name  of  this 
hotel  was  changed  to  the  Rock  River  house.  A 
part  of  the  building  stands  on  307  East  State 
street,  and  is  occu])ied  as  a  fruit  store.  Another 
part  is  the  saloon  building  on  the  southeast  cor- 
ner of  State  and  .Madison  streets.  The  suc- 
cessive proprietors  nf  the  house  w-ere :  Jacob 
Miller.  David  Paul,  McKenney  &  Tyler,  E.  S. 
r.lackstonc,  W.  Fulton.  H.  D.  Searles,  L.  Cald- 
well. 

The  log  tavern,  known  as  the  Stage  House, 
was  opened  in  1838.  It  was  built  on  the  old  Sec- 
ond Xational  Hank  corner.  Brown's  Cottage  was 
opened  in  1850  by  .\ndrcw  Brown.  The  name 
was  changed  to  the  .American  House  in  1852  bv 
G.  S.  \Ioore.  The  Waverly  and  the  Union 
House,  near  the  Xorthwestern  depot,  on  the  West 
side,  were  opened  in  1852.  The  Inn,  which  was 
located  where  the  Chick  House  now  stan<ls.  was 
opened  in  1840  by  Spencer  &  Fuller.  The  I^agle 
Hotel  was  ODcned  in  1841.  It  was  located  on 
>ontli  Main  street,  in  the  third  block  below  State. 
In  the  autumn  of  1838  was  erected  by  Dr. 
Haskell  the  brick  building  wiiich  was  known 
later  as  the  Winnebago  House,  on  Andrew  .\sh- 
ton's  corner.  When  laying  out  the  ground  for 
the  cellar  Mr.  Silsby  persuaded  Dr.  Haskell  to 
set  his  building  six  feet  from  the  line  of  the 
street.  The  Winnebago  House  was  the  first  brick 
store  built  above  Rock  Island  on  Rock  river. 
Into  this  store  Dr.  Haskell  moved  the  slock  of 
goods  from  the  building  on  the  river  bank  which 
hafl  been  occu|)ied  by  Piatt  &•  Sanford  :  and  he 
and  Isaiah  Lvon  continued  the  business.  In  1843 
-Mr.  Lyon  closed  <iut  the  stock  and  converted  the 
building  into  a  hotel,  luider  the  name  of  the 
Winnebago  House.  Mr.  Lvon's  successors  as 
proprietor  were  X.  Crawford.  C.  C.  Cobern.  P. 
C.  \\'atson,  James  P..  Pierce.  Isaac  X.  Ciuuiing- 
ham.  and  D.  Sholts.  The  building  passed  into 
Mr.  Seaton's  hands  in  1854  and  was  afterwanl 
rearranged  into  stores. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


25 


THREE    PIONEER    PHYSICIAN'S    OF    1838. 

As  noted  in  a  previous  paragraph.  Dr.  A.  M. 
Catlin  emigrated  to  Illinois  from  the  Western 
Reserve,  in  Ohio,  in  February,  1838.  He  moved 
to  a  log  cabin  on  the  bluff  overlooking  Big  Bot- 
tom, four  miles  north  of  Kockford.  A  Hoosier 
by  the  name  of  Shores  had  worn  a  slight  track 
between  his  home  back  on  the  hills  and  a  iilowed 
field  on  the  Bottom,  and  this  was  the  onlv  road 
near  the  doctor's  new  home.  A  small,  inconstant, 
near-by  stream,  like  the  road,  lost  itself  in  the 
dry  prairie.  At  that  time  Dr.  Catlin  intended  to 
abandon  the  practice  of  medicine.  To  feed  his 
little  family,  he  nired  a  broken  prairie  of  Her- 
man B.  Potter,  who  lived  two  miles  south  of 
Rockford.  This  land,  six  miles  from  home,  the 
doctor  cultivated  under  difficulties,  for  it  soon 
became  known  to  the  scattered  people  that  he  was 
a  physician,  and,  like  Cincinnatus,  he  was  called 
from  the  plow.  He  was  not  a  man  to  deny  the 
necessities  of  others ;  and  against  his  wishes  at 
the  time,  he  was  drawn  into  the  practice  of  his 
profession,  which  he  continued  tmtil  near  the  day 
of  his  death,  nearly  sixty  years  later.  He  had 
practiced  in  early  life  in  New  York  and  Ohio, 
and  his  entire  professional  service  lasted  seventy 
years.     He  died  in  t8q2.  at  the  age  of  ninety-one. 

Dr.  Josiah  C.  Goodhue  settled  in  Rockford  in 
the  autumn  of  1838.  He  had  attained  some  dis- 
tinction before  he  became  a  citizen  of  this  county. 
He  was  born  in  1803,  at  Putney,  Vermont.  The 
doctor  was  graduated  from  the  school  of  medi- 
cine at  Yale,  and  began  practice  at  St.  Thomas, 
Upper  Canada,  in  1824.  While  there  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Catherine  Dunn.  The  doctor 
emigrated  from  Canada  to  Chicago  in  1835.  He 
was  the  first  resident  physician  in  that  city  out- 
side the  garrison  of  Fort  Dearborn.  When  Chi- 
cago was  incorporated  as  a  city  in  1837,  Dr. 
Goodliue  was  elected  the  first  alderman  from  the 
First  ward.  There  were  six  wards  in  the  city  at 
that  time.  William  B.  Ogden  was  chosen  mayor 
in  that  year.  Dr.  Goodhue  designed  the  first 
city  seal  of  Chicago,  and  it  became  known  as  his 
little  baby.  He  was  quite  proud  of  his  offspring. 
The  doctor  was  the  real  founder  of  the  first  free 
school  system  of  Chicago.  He  was  one  of  a  com- 
mittee appointed  to  solicit  subscriptions  for  the 
first  railroad  chartered  to  run  from  the  city,  the 
Galena  &  Chicago  Union.  In  his  practice  in  Chi- 
cago Dr.  (ioodhue  was  associated  with  Dr. 
Daniel  Brainard.  Their  office  was  on  Lake 
street,  near  the  old  Tremont  House.  John  \\'ent- 
worth  and  Ebenezer  Peck  were  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  law  in  the  same  building.  Dr.  Good- 
hue was  one  of  the  men  who  drew  the  act  of  in- 
corporation for  Rush  Medical  college,  and  was 
a  member  of  the  first  board  of  trustees.  Dr. 
Goodhue's  first  house  in  Rockford  was  what  was 
then  known  as  the  "ball  alley,"  on  the  northwest 


corner  of  ]Madison  and  \\'alnut  streets,  where  the 
Golden  Censer  brick  building  was  subsequently 
erected.  He  afterward  purchased  a  home  on  the 
site  of  the  watch  factory :  and  the  house  was 
moved  away  when  the  factory  was  built.  The 
lot  had  at  one  time  a  pleasant  grove,  with  no 
fence.  Reference  was  made  in  a  preceding  para- 
graph to  the  fact  that  Dr.  Goodhue  gave  to  the 
city  of  Rockford  its  name.  Dr.  Goodhue  had 
thirteen  children,  five  of  whom  died  under  five 
years  of  age.  Four  sons  and  four  daughters  at- 
tained adult  life.  One  son,  George  Washington 
Goodhue,  died  of  yellow  fever,  in  Mexico,  dur- 
ing the  war  with  that  country.  Another  son, 
William  Sewcll,  died  from  illness  contracted  dur- 
ing the  Civil  war.  He  had  read  law  with  James 
L.  Loop.  Dr.  Goodhue's  oldest  daughter,  jMrs. 
C.  F.  Holland,  widow  of  Jolm  A.  Holland,  and 
step-mother  of  H.  P.  Holland,  now  resides  in 
Chicago.  Mrs.  Hoyt  Barnum,  another  daugh- 
ter, is  a  resident  of  Rockford.  Dr.  Goodhue's 
death  was  the  result  of  an  accident  on  the  night 
of  December  31.  1847.  He  was  called  to  make  a 
professional  visit  to  the  family  of  Richard  Stiles, 
four  miles  west  on  the  State  road.  After  caring 
for  his  patient,  he  accompanied  Mrs.  Stoughton, 
a  neighbor,  to  her  home.  The  night  was  dark, 
and  he  fell  into  a  well,  which  was  then  being 
excavated,  and  had  not  been  covered  or  inclosed. 
Mrs.  Stoughton  had  asked  him  to  wait  until  she 
returned  with  a  light :  but  Isefore  she  came  back 
the  doctor  had  made  the  fatal  fall.  He  survived 
only  a  short  time  after  he  was  taken  from  the 
well.  His  death  was  deplored  by  the  entire  com- 
munity. He  was  a  positive  character :  nature  had 
liberally  endowed  him  in  qualities  of  mind  and 
heart.  Dr.  Goodhue  was  an  attendant  at  the 
Unitarian  church.  Mrs.  Goocinue  was  an  Epis- 
copalian. She  died  October  14,  1873.  A  son  of 
Dr.  Goodhue  died  November  14,  1880. 

Dr.  Alden  Thomas  was  born  at  Woodstock, 
\'ermont,  November  11,  1797,  and  was  a  lineal 
descendant  from  John  Alden.  He  was  married 
to  Elizabeth  Marsh,  June  15,  1824.  In  the 
autumn  of  1839  the  family  came  to  Rockford. 
He  practiced  medicine  about  five  or  six  years,  and 
then  removed  to  a  farm  two  miles  south  on  the 
Kishwaukee  road,  where  he  lived  about  two  years. 
The  family  then  returned  to  the  village,  and 
lived  for  a  time  in  a  house  still  standing  on  South 
Second  street,  and  later  in  the  Grout  house  near 
the  corner  west  of  the  First  Congregational 
church,  which  Dr.  Thomas  built.  He  opened  a 
drug  store  soon  after  his  return  from  the  farm, 
and  continued  in  this  business  until  a  short  time 
before  his  death,  which  occurred  iMarch  21,  1856. 

PR.   HASKELL  AND  THE  FIRST   STEAMER. 

On  the  morning  of  April  16.  1838.  Dr.  Haskell 
and    family,    IMowry    Brown    and    wife,    Samuel 


26 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Haskell.  11.  11.  Sil.shy,  Isaiah  Lyoii,  Caleb  P.lood 
aiul  William  Hull  boanleil  the  steamboat  Gipsy 
at  Alt! III.  Illinois.  The  destinatinn  of  this  party 
was  RtK-kford.  Tlie  river  was  hijjh,  the  bottom 
lands  were  overflowed,  and  the  boat  sometimes 
left  the  ehannel  of  the  .Mississii)))i  and  ran  across 
points  of  land,  and  once  went  tbronsht  a  jjrove 
of  timber.  When  the  Gipsy  arriveil  at  Rock 
Island  and  ran  alonjjside  the  wharf-boat,  a  strong 
wind  from  the  east  turned  the  bow  out  into  the 
stream.  .\s  the  Ixxit  turned,  the  rudder  struck 
the  wharf-boat  and  broke  the  tiller  rojies.  This 
accident  rendered  the  boat  unmanageable,  and 
it  was  blown  across  the  river  to  Davenport, 
Iowa.  While  at  Rock  Island  Dr.  Haskell  con- 
tracted with  the  ca|)tain  that  upon  his  return  from 
( ialena  he  would  steam  up  Rock  river  to  Rock- 
ford.  .\t  Savamia,  Samuel  Haskell.  William 
Hull  and  H.  H.  Silsby  left  the  Gipsy.  They  had 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  boat  would  never 
reach  Kockfonl:  and  in  company  with  Moses 
Wallen.  of  Winiiebas'o  village,  where  the  county 
seat  had  been  located  by  the  special  commission- 
ers, they  started  afoot  for  Rockford.  They 
stop])ed  over  night  at  Cherry  Grove,  and  the  next 
morning  they  traveled  to  Crane's  Grove,  on  the 
stage  route  from  Dixon  to  Galena.  There  they 
hired  a  c<iach  and  team  which  brought  them  that 
evening  to  Liximis'  Hotel. 

Mr.  Silsby  writes  that  a  few  days  after  his 
arrival  he  arose  one  morning  as  soon  as  it  was 
light  to  see  if  he  could  discover  any  sign  of  the 
(jipsy.  He  was  rewarded  by  the  sight  of  dense, 
black  smoke,  near  Corey's  bluff,  which  seemed  to 
be  moving  uj)  the  river.  Soon  the  Gipsy  came 
in  sight,  and  the  ])eople  gathered  on  the  banks  of 
the  river  and  cheered  the  lx)at  as  it  ascended  in 
fine  style  until  nearly  over  the  rapids,  when  it 
suddenlv  turned,  swung  around,  and  went  down 
stream  much  faster  than  it  ascended.  It  rounded 
to  and  tried  it  again,  and  soon  turned  down 
stream  a  second  time.  After  several  attempts, 
with  the  ai<l  of  a  fjuantity  of  lard  thrown  into  the 
furnaces,  the  boat  ran  up  the  swift  current,  and 
soon  tied  up  to  the  bank  in  front  of  Piatt  & 
Sanford's  store,  which  stood  near  the  water's 
edge,  in  the  rear  of  the  .Masonic  Temple  site. 
The  ( iipsy  was  the  first  steamer  that  visited 
Rockford.  It  was  a  stern-wheeler,  not  less  than 
one  hundred  feet  in  length,  and  perhaps  thirty  in 
width.  It  had  a  cabin  above  the  hold,  and  an 
upper  deck,  ripen  and  uncovered,  lliere  were 
several  state-rooms. 

Dr.  Haskell  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts.  He 
was  born  at  Harvard.  March  23,  1709.  His 
father.  Samuel  Haskell,  removed  to  Waterford. 
Maine,  in  180V  I"  1821  the  son  went  to  Phil- 
lips I'xeter  academy,  and  entered  Dartmouth 
college  in  1823.  He  left  his  college  class  in  his 
sophomore  year,  and  studied  medicine  until  1827. 


when  he  received  the  degree  of  M.  D.  from  the 
college.  While  in  college  he  taught  one  term  of 
district  school  in  East  Haverhill.  One  of  his 
pu|)ils  was  lohn  (i.  Whittier :  and  the  school- 
master in  Whittier's  "Snow- Bound"  was  his  for- 
mer teacher.  On  page  thirty-four  of  Samuel  T. 
rickard's  Life  and  Letters  of  Whittier,  is  found 
this  allusion  to  the  hero  of  this  jioem:  "Lntil 
near  the  end  01  Mr.  Whittier's  life  he  could  not 
recall  the  name  of  this  teacher  whose  portrait  is 
so  carefully  sketched,  but  he  was  sure  he  came 
from  Maine.  .\t  length,  he  remembered  that  the 
name  was  Haskell,  and  from  this  clew  it  has  been 
ascertaine<l  that  he  was  ( ieorge  Haskell,  and  that 
he  came  from  Waterfnrd.  .\laine."  Dr.  Haskell 
never  api:)eared  to  have  been  aware  of  the  fact 
that  his  gifted  Haverhill  nupil  had  immortalized 
him  in  "Snow-Bound."  Dr.  Haskell  also  received 
this  tribute  as  a  teacher  from  his  illustrious 
j)ui>il.  as  given  in  a  later  chapter  of  Mr.  Pick- 
ard's  biographv:  "He  [Whittier]  was  accus- 
tomed to  say  that  only  two  of  the  teachers  who 
were  emplovcd  in  that  district  during  his  school 
days  were  fit  for  the  not  very  exacting  |iosition 
they  occupied.  P.oth  of  these  were  Dartmouth 
students :  one  of  them  George  Haskell,  to  whom 
reference  has  already  Ix^en  made."  Dr.  Haskell 
began  the  practice  of  medicine  at  East  Cambridge, 
.Massachusetts,  in  1S27.  and  removed  to  .\shby,  in 
tlic  same  state,  in  the  following  year. 

Dr.  Haskell  came  to  Illinois  in  1831.  and  set- 
tled at  Etlwardsville.  and  two  years  later  he  re- 
moved to  L'pper  Alton.  While  there  he  became 
one  of  the  founders  of  Shurtleflf  college,  of 
which  he  was  trustee  and  treasurer.  The  doctor 
built  u])  a  large  jiractice,  which  he  soon  aban- 
doned. November  7.  1837,  the  cause  of  the 
slave  received  its  first  bai)tism  of  blood.  On  that 
day  Rev.  Elijah  P.  Lovejov  was  murdered  at 
Alton,  for  his  bold  utterances  in  behalf  of  an 
oppressed  race.  Dr.  Haskell  entertained  radical 
anti-slavery  views,  and  he  determined  to  leave 
that  ])ortion  of  the  state  in  which  the  pro-slavery 
sentiment  was  largely  prednminaiit. 

From  the  time  of  his  arrival  in  Rockford  until 
his  removal  from  the  city  about  twenty-eight 
vears  later.  Dr.  Haskell  was  a  broad-minded, 
re])reseiitative  man  of  affairs.  He  conducted  for 
a  short  time  a  mercantile  business  on  the  river 
bank,  as  the  successor  to  Piatt  &  Sanford.  But 
his  ruling  passion  was  horticulture.  He  entered 
from  the  government  c|uite  a  tract  of  land  lying 
north  of  Xorth  street,  and  built  the  house  on 
North  .Main  street  now  occupied  by  (ieorge  R. 
h'orbes.  He  ])I:nited  a  nursery  and  became  an 
expert  in  raising  fruit.  It  is  said  that  one  year 
he  raised  sixty  luishels  of  peaches.  The  severe 
winter  of  iS!;^-^^)  killed  his  trees,  and  from  that 
time  he  devoted  his  attention  to  more  hardy 
fruits.     His  later  Rockford  home  was  on  Nortii 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


27 


Court  street,  near  the  residence  of  Hon.  Andrew 
Asliton. 

Dr.  Haskell  was  generous  and  public-spirited. 
He  and  his  brother-in-law,  John  Edwards,  pre- 
sented to  the  city  the  West  Side  public  square, 
which  -was  named  Plaskell  Park,  in  honor  of  the 
former.  A  street,  called  Edwards  Place,  forms 
the  southern  boundary  of  the  park.  A  ward 
schoolhouse  in  \\'est  Rockford  also  bears  Dr. 
Haskell's  name.  In  1853  Dr.  Haskell  became  a 
convert  to  Spiritualism,  and  April  15,  1854,  he 
began  the  publication  of  the  Spirit  Advocate,  an 
eight-page  monthly.  The  paper  was  an  able 
propagandist  of  the  new  faith.  A  complete  file 
of  this  paper  has  been  preserved  in  the  Rockford 
public  lilirary.  Twenty-three  numbers  were 
published. 

In  1866  Dr.  Haskell  removed  to  New  Jersey. 
There  he  was  engaged  in  founding  an  industrial 
school,  and  purchased  with  others  a  tract  of  four 
thousand  acres  «hich  was  laid  out  for  a  model 
communit}'.  In  1857  Dartmouth  college  gave  the 
doctor  the  degree  of  A.  B.,  as  of  the  year  1827. 
Dr.  Haskell  died  at  Yineland,  New  Jersey, 
August  23,  1876. 

PIONEERS  OF  1838-1839. 

James  ]\Iadison  ^^'ig■ht  was  born  in  Norwich, 
^Massachusetts,  in  1810.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  of  Queens  county.  New  York,  in  1837,  and 
immediately  afterwards  came  west.  He  first 
joined  his  brother.  J.  Ambrose  Wight,  in  Rock- 
ton.  But  he  found  no  field  in  that  village  for  the 
practice  of  his  profession  :  and  he  came  in  1838 
to  Rockford,  where  for  a  time  he  taught  school. 
In  his  earlv  life  he  served  a  few  terms  as  city 
attorney  of  Rockford.  He  was  one  of  the 
pioneer  lawyers  of  northern  Illinois,  and  built 
'.ip  a  large  practice.  He  was  for  many  years  local 
attorney  for  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  rail- 
road and  for  other  corporations.  He  was  also 
for  a  time  a  member  of  the  state  legislature,  and 
served  on  the  judiciary  committee.  Air.  Wight 
was  a  member  of  the  constitutional  convention 
of  1870.  called  to  draft  a  new  constitution  for 
submission  to  the  voters  of  the  state.  He  died 
in  Rockford  in  1877. 

Jason  Alarsh  was  born  in  \\'oodstock,  Windsor 
county,  Vermont,  in  1807.  He  came  to  Rock- 
ford in  183Q.  He  was  accompanied  by  his  wife 
and  children,  a  brother  and  wife,  and  his  three 
brothers-in-law.  Soon  after  his  arrival  he  and 
the  three  Spafford  brothers  built  the  brick  house 
three  miles  south  of  State  street,  on  the  Kish- 
waukee  road,  later  owned  by  F.  J.  Morey.  A 
large  farm  was  attached.  ]Mr.  Marsh  drove  daily 
to  the  village,  where  he  practiced  his  profession. 
His  later  home  was  the  residence  subsequently 
owned  bv  the  late  W.  W.  Fairfield,  on  East  State 


street.  In  1862  Mr.  Marsh  entered  military 
service  as  colonel  of  the  Seventy-fourth  Illinois 
Infantry.  He  was  severely  wounded  at  the  battle 
of  Missionary  Ridge  in  the  autumn  of  1863,  and 
returned  home.  Two  months  later  he  again  went 
to  the  front.  In  the  campaign  from  Chattanooga 
to  Atlanta  his  old  wound  troubled  him,  and  he 
resigned.  His  last  years  were  spent  on  his  farm 
near  Durand.  His  death  occurred  at  the  home  of 
his  daughter  in  Chicago.  March  13,  i88r.  He 
was  buried  in  Rockford  with  military  honors. 

Francis  Burnap  was  born  at  Merrimac,  New 
Hampshire,  January  4,  1796.  Mr.  Burnap  set- 
tled in  Rockford  in  August,  1839,  and  began  the 
practice  of  law  in  Winnebago  and  neighboring 
counties,  in  the  state  supreme  court,  and  in  the 
federal  courts.  He  practiced  his  profession  until 
1864,  when  ill  health  compelled  him  to  retire. 
Mr.  r.urnap  died  in  Rockford,  December  2,  1866. 

Duncan  Ferguson  was  a  native  of  Scotland. 
He  was  born  in  Glasgow,  in  November,  1810.  In 
1837  he  left  his  native  land  and  came  to  the 
United  States.  He  first  settled  in  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  remained  two  years,  ilr.  Ferguson 
removed  with  his  family  to  Rockford  in  1839.  In 
1840  he  was  elected  surveyor  and  justice  of  the 
peace.  He  held  the  office  of  surveyor  until  1856. 
In  1862  he  was  appointed  assessor  of  internal 
revenue.  He  held  this  position  eight  years,  and 
then  resigned.  For  ten  years  Mr.  Ferguson  was 
supervisor  from  the  Seventh  ward  of  the  city. 
March  3,  1873,  he  was  elected  chairman  of  the 
county  board  to  succeed  Hon.  Robert  J.  Cross, 
who  had  died  February  15th.  ]\Ir.  Ferguson  re- 
tained this  position  until  1881.  In  1877  he  was 
elected  mayor  of  Rockford,  and  served  one  year. 
He  held  the  offices  of  city  engineer,  assessor, 
county  treasurer,  and  commissioner  of  the  county 
under  an  act  of  the  legislature  for  the  improve- 
ment of  Rock  river.  His  death  occurred  May 
14,   1882. 

Thomas  D.  Robertson  was  born  in  Edinburg, 
Scotland,  March  4,  1818.  He  came  to  the  United 
States  in  1838.  He  stopped  for  a  time  in  Chi- 
cago, and  arrived  in  Rockford  in  December  of 
the  same  year.  Mr.  Robertson  studied  law  in 
Rockford  and  at  Madison,  Wisconsin.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar,  and  was  a  prominent  prac- 
titioner for  some  years.  In  1848  Mr.  Robertson 
and  Tohn  A.  Holland  opened  the  first  banking 
house  in  Rockford  in  a  building  adjoining  the 
European  Hotel  site  on  West  State  street.  From 
that  time  he  gradually  abandoned  the  practice  of 
law,  and  devoted  his  attention  to  banking  and 
real  estate.  'Sir.  Robertson  was  a  leader  in  the 
movement  to  secure  the  extension  of  the  Galena 
&  Chicago  Union  railroad  to  Rockford.  He  had 
charge  of  the  collection  of  the  subscriptions  to 
the  capital  stock  in  Boone,  Winnebago  and  Ogle 
counties.     Mr.  Robertson  continuously  resided  in 


28 


PAST     AXI")     I'RKSEXT     OF     WIWEBAGO     COUXTV. 


Rockford  for  .■.ixiv-niu-  \i;ii>.  His  death  oc- 
curred l'\'hruary  4,  Iip2. 

Ira  W.  I'.akiT  arrived  at  Rock  river  ( )ctolKr 
(>.  1S3S.  on  Saturday,  at  siiiulown,  with  Iiis  fam- 
ily of  eii^ht.  from  a  ijraiidmotlier  of  seventy  to 
a  Ijabe  of  four. 

Hon.  I-M\vard  II.  I'.aker.  son  of  Deacon  Ira 
I  taker,  was  l)orn  in  I'errishurs.  X'ermont,  April 
3,  i8j8.  and  when  ten  years  of  age  he  came 
with  his  father  to  W'imiebajjo  county.  Mr. 
I'akcr  received  his  education  at  Knox  coUejje  and 
Illinois  colleije  at  Jacksonville.  He  stinlied  law 
and  was  adnntled  to  the  bar.  .\t  one  time  he 
was  in  partnership  with  his  father-in-law,  Jason 
Marsh.  L'jion  the  orijaniz-ition  of  the  Rockford 
&  Kenosha  railroad,  Mr.  I'.aker  was  chosen  sec- 
retary of  the  comiiany.  He  was  elected  mayor  of 
Rockford  in  1866,  and  served  one  year.  His 
death  occurred  January  2C1,  i8t>7. 

Henry  .\.  I'.aker.  another  son  of  Deacon  Baker, 
was  also  a  native  of  I'errishurtr.  N'ermont.  For 
many  years  he  was  ensra.ired  in  the  real  estate  and 
loan  business  in  Fast  Roi-kford.  Mr.  i'.aker  was 
for  some  time  |)resident  of  the  boird  of  education. 
He  died  in  the  west  a  few  months  asjo. 

Daviil  S.  Penfield  was  the  first  of  three  broth- 
ers to  settle  in  Rockford.  He  was  a  native  of 
I'ittsfield.  X'ermont.  and  was  born  in  1812.  Mr. 
I'entield  and  the  late  SlieiVherd  Leach  came  to 
Rockford  in  i8_^8  by  way  of  Dixon.  There  was 
then  no  stable  currency.  Larsje  numbers  of 
private  banks  furnished  a  currency  of  more  or 
less  value,  and  each  state  had  its  own  issues.  The 
exchanjie  of  money  in  travclintr  from  state  to 
state  was  therefore  attendeil  with  not  a  little  dif- 
ficidty,  and  c<insideral)le  risk.  The  unsettled 
coimtry  was  infested  with  bandits,  and  travelers 
were  never  sure,  when  seekintj  entertainment  for 
the  niyht,  whether  they  would  escape  the  snare 
of  the  fowler.  I'pon  their  arrival  in  Rockford. 
Mr.  Penfield  and  Mr.  lA-acli  ])nrchased  a  large 
tract  of  land  on  the  West  side.  They  were  also 
in  mercantile  business  on  tlic  site  of  322  Fast 
State  street,  and  there  employed  the  first  tinner  in 
Rockford.  Mr.  Penfield  formed  a  partnership 
with  his  brother  John  G.  in  the  real  estate  and 
loan  luisiness  :  and  sul)se(|Uently  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  bankiu};^  firm  of  l'.ri}jp;s,  SpafFord  &■ 
i'enfield,  which  was  luerjjed  into  the  Third  Xa- 
tional  I'.ank.  Mr.  Penfield  died  May  20,  1873, 
at  the  ape  of  sixty-one  years.  Some  years  ajjo 
Mrs.  Penfieltl  !,'ave  the  site  to  the  Younjj  Men's 
Ciiristian  .Association  on  which  its  sjilendid  build- 
ini:  now  stands. 

Sheiihenl  Leach,  to  whom  reference  was  made 
in  the  prccediiifj  paraj^rajih,  was  an  extensive 
landowner,  and  amassed  a  larpe  estate.  Mr. 
Leach  was  g-ifted  with  keen  business  sagacitv, 
and  was  successfid  in  nearly  every  enterprise.  He 
had   an   extensive   ac<|uaintance   among   business 


men:  was  straightforward  in  his  dealings;  and 
withal,  was  a  man  who  jiossessed  many  (pialities 
worthv  of  emidation.  Mr.  Leach  died  Inlv  9. 
1SS5.  ' 

\Villard  Wheeler  came  from  St.  Thomas, 
L'|)per  Canada,  in  .'September.  1839.  He  was  the 
second  tinner  in  the  town.  .Mr.  Wheeler  was  a 
brother  of  the  late  Solomon  Wheeler.  He  built 
the  house  on  South  First  street  where  Mrs.  Julia 
.\.  Littlefield  resides.  To  Mr.  Wheeler  belonged 
the  honor  of  being  the  first  mayor  of  Rockford. 
He  died  .\i)ril  24,  1S76. 

The  Cunningham  brothers  were  among  the 
last  survivors  of  that  early  period.  Samuel  Cim- 
ningham  was  born  .\ugust  15,  1815.  in  Petcrboro. 
Hillsboro  county,  .Xcw  Hamjishire.  He  came  to 
this  county  in  the  .s])ring  of  1839.  His  active  life 
was  devoted  to  agricidture.  He  served  one  term 
as  county  commissioner.  He  died  September  2S:. 
1902.  His  brother.  William  Cunningham,  came 
to  Rockford  in  the  sjiring  of  1838.  He  spent 
nuich  of  the  intervening  time  on  the  Pacific  coast, 
but  later  lived  a  retired  life  in  Rockford.  He 
died  January  7.  1903.  The  writer  was  imlebted 
to  these  brothers  for  valuable  historical  infor- 
mation. Another  brother,  I'.enjamin  l-'ranklin 
Cunningham,  preceded  Samuel  to  Rockford  in 
the  spring  of  1831).  He  ownecl  a  beautiful  home 
below  the  city,  on  a  rise  of  ground  which  com- 
mands an  extended  northern  an<l  southern  view 
of  the  river.  He  died  June  20,  i()oo.  A  fourth 
brother,  Lsaac  Xewton  Cimningham,  previously 
noted,  came  to  Rockford  at  an  earlier  date. 

Joel  P>.  Potter  was  born  in  I'airfield  county, 
Connecticut,  in  1810.  I'rom  there  the  family  re- 
moved to  ( )rleans  county,  Xew  York.  He  re- 
ceived a  collegiate  education  and  iirejiared  him- 
self for  the  Presbyterian  luinistrv.  His  health 
failed,  and  he  never  resumed  this  calling.  In 
1839  he  came  to  this  county,  where  his  brothers 
Hemian  P..  and  Flcazer  had  jireceded  him.  In 
the  same  year  Mr.  Potter  built  the  house  now 
owned  by  Judge  Morrison.  He  carried  on  a 
farm  for  some  years,  and  was  subse<|uently  en- 
gaged in  the  <lrug  business  on  Fast  .State  street. 
He  conducted  the  store  alone  for  a  time,  and  later 
with  his  son-in-law,  J.  1'.  Harding,  as  a  partner. 
untU  the  death  of  Mr.  Harding,  in  18^17.  when 
Mr.  Potter  retired  from  business.  He  died  Xo- 
vember  30,   1880. 

Tlie  llerrick  family  came  from  eastern  Mas- 
sachusetts in  1838-31).  I^lijah  L.  llerrick.  Sr., 
and  three  .sons,  h'phraim.  I^'lijah  I...  Jr..  and 
William,  arrived  in  Rockford  in  1838:  and  the 
following  year  there  came  three  sons.  George, 
Fdward,  and  Samuel,  and  four  daughters, 
Phoebe,  Sarah,  Martha,  ami  Hannah.  .About 
1841)  the  father  of  the  family  built  a  cobble-stone 
house  on  what  is  now  F.ighteenth  avenue. 

v..    L.    llerrick   was  born   :it    .\ndover.    Massa- 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


29 


chusetts,  September  30.  1820.  Mrs.  Herrick, 
previous  to  lier  marriage,  wasr  a  teacher  in  Rock- 
ford  seminary.  She  came  in  September,  1852, 
and  taught  three  years. 

The  three  Spafford  brothers  came  to  Rockford 
in  1839,  in  company  with  their  brother-in-law, 
Jason  Marsh.  Their  father  was  Dr.  John  Spaf- 
ford. The  eldest  son,  Charles  H.  Spafford,  was 
born  in  Jefferson  county.  New  York,  January  6, 
1819.  He  was  educated  at  Castleton,  \'ermont. 
He  had  chosen  the  profession  of  the  law,  but  his 
decision  to  come  west  changed  his  plans  in  life. 
Mr.  Spafford  performed  a  conspicuous  part  in 
the  development  of  the  city.  He  held  the  offices 
of  postmaster,  circuit  clerk,  and  recorder.  He 
was  president  of  the  Kenosha  &  Rockford  Rail- 
road Company.  Mr.  Spafford,  in  company  with 
his  brother  John,  and  John  Hall,  built  Aletro- 
politan  Hall  block.  The  stores  and  offices  were 
owned  separately  and  the  hall  was  held  in  com- 
mon. Mr.  Spafford  also,  with  others,  built  the 
block  now  known  as  the  Chick  House.  Mr.  Spaf- 
ford died  in  September,  1892,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-three  years.  Mrs.  Spaft'ord  died  July  19, 
1901. 

Amos  Catlin  Spafford  was  born  September  14, 
1824,  in  Adams,  Jefferson  county.  New  York. 
After  he  came  west  he  followed  farming  in  this 
county  until  1848.  About  1854  he  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  banking  firm  of  Briggs,  Spafford  & 
Penfield.  Upon  the  organization  of  the  Third 
National  Bank  in  1865,  Mr.  Spafford  became  its 
president,  and  held  this  position  for  thirty-three 
years,  until  his  death.  In  1876  he  was  one  of  the 
state  commissioners  at  the  centennial  exposition. 
Mr.  Spafford  died  suddenly  at  Adams,  New 
York,  while  on  a  vacation,  August  22,  1897. 
Mrs.  Spafford  died  May  22,  1898. 

John  Spafford  was  born  November  26,  1821. 
During  his  long  life  in  Rockford  he  was  engaged 
successively  in  farming,  grocery,  and  grain  and 
limiber  trade.  In  1856  he  became  the  general 
agent  of  the  Rockford  &  Kenosha  Railroad  Com- 
pany. Until  within  two  years  of  his  death,  Mr. 
Spaft'ord  was  president  of  the  Rockford  Wire 
Works  Company  and  the  Rockford  Suspender 
Company ;  he  was  also  interested  in  manufactur- 
ing a  lubricating  oil,  and  in  a  planing-mill.  Mr. 
Spafford  died  September  5,  1897. 

Phineas  Howes  was  a  native  of  Putnam  county. 
New  York,  and  was  born  September  25,  181 7. 
He  came  to  Rockford  in  1839.  He  was  a  car- 
penter and  joiner,  and  followed  this  trade  for 
many  years.  He  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in 
Cherry  Valley  township.  For  about  fifteen  years 
he  was  a  partner  with  John  Lake  in  the  lumber 
trade.  By  strict  attention  to  business,  Mr.  Howes 
accumulated  quite  a  large  estate.  His  death  oc- 
curred October  11,  1894. 

William    Worthington    was    born    at    Enfield, 


Connecticut,  July  5,  1813.  He  came  to  Rockford 
in  the  spring  of  1838.  About  1840  he  built  a 
brick  blacksmith's  shop  on  the  southwest  corner 
of  State  and  First  streets,  where  the  Crotty  block 
now  stands.  This  shop  was  eight  or  ten  feet  be- 
low the  present  grade.  Later  Mr.  Worthington 
built  a  wa.gon  shop  on  the  same  lot,  about  the 
same  size,  of  wood,  one  story.  This  was  the  first 
wagon  shop  on  the  East  side.  There  were  then 
no  other  buildings  on  those  corners.  Mr.  Worth- 
ington was  the  next  blacksmith  on  the  East  side, 
after  \\^illiam  Penfield.  and  was  probably  the 
fourth  in  the  village.  About  1842  Air.  Worth- 
ington formed  a  partnership  with  Hosea  D. 
Searles,  and  opened  a  drug  store.  This  was  the 
founding  of  the  business  now  carried  on  by 
Worthington  &  Slade. 

Laomi  Peake,  Sr.,  a  native  of  Herkimer  county, 
New  York,  emigrated  from  St.  Thomas,  Upper 
Canada,  to  Rockford,  in  September,  1839.  He 
was  one  of  the  few  pioneers  who  brought  ready 
capital.  He  came  with  about  five  thousand  dol- 
lars in  money,  which  was  a  princely  sum  for  that 
time.  Mr.  Peake  was  the  first  person  who  made 
a  harness  in  Rockford,  although  a  man  preceded 
him  who  did  repairing.  Mr.  Peake  purchased  the 
northeast  corner  lot  on  First  and  State  streets, 
and  erected  a  brick  building,  twenty-two  by  thirty- 
five  feet,  with  two  sto-ries  and  a  basement,  at  a 
cost  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars.  The  corner  of 
this  lot  is  now  occupied  by  J.  H.  Keeling's  drug 
store.  In  1852  he  completed  a  second  brick  block 
on  the  same  site,  and  finished  a  hall  on  the  third 
floor,  at  a  total  expense  of  about  eight  thousand 
dollars.  Peake"s  hall  was  the  first  public  hall  in 
Rockford.  This  block  was  destroyed  by  fire  in 
November,  1857,  and  the  side  and  rear  walls  were 
left  standing.  The  corner  store  was  occupied  at 
the  time  by  C.  A.  Huntington  and  Robert  Barnes, 
as  a  book  store,  at  a  rental  of  four  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  per  year.  Elisha  A.  Kirk  and  An- 
thony Haines  purchased  the  property  in  the 
autumn  of  1858,  and  rebuilt  the  block  the  fol- 
lowing year.  In  1856  Mr.  Peake  built  the  sub- 
stantial stone  house  on  East  State  street  owned 
by  the  late  Anthony  Haines.  Mr.  Peake  died 
November  8,  1 89 1,  at  the  age  of  eighty- four  years. 

W'illiam  Hulin  was  a  native  of  Salem,  Mas- 
sachusetts. He  settled  in  Rockton  township  in 
1837  or  '38.  August  5,  1839,  he  was  chosen  a 
justice  of  the  peace,  and  from  that  time  he  was 
continually  in  the  public  service.  He  resigned 
from  the  office  of  clerk  of  the  county  court  a  few 
davs  before  his  death,  which  occurred  December 
10.  1869. 

Daniel  Barnum  was  a  native  of  New  York, 
born  in  1778.  In  1838  Mr.  Barnum,  with  his 
wife  and  six  children,  came  to  Winnebago  county, 
and  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  in  Cherry  Valley  township.     Mr.   Barnum 


30 


PAST     AXD    PRESENT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


removed  to  Rock  ford  and  spent  his  last  days  in 
retirement.  He  died  November  8,  1870,  at  the 
ape  of  ninety-two  years. 

Harris  P>arnnm.  son  of  Daniel  Barnum.  was 
born  in  Danbury,  Connecticut,  September  8,  1819. 
He  came  with  his  father  to  Rockford  in  1838. 
His  early  manhood  was  spent  on  his  father's  farm. 
In  1 866  he  eiifjaged  in  the  shoe  business  in  Rock- 
ford  with  the  late  Daniel  Miller,  but  soon  sold 
his  interest.  In  1874  Mr.  P>arnum  was  one  of 
tne  organizers  of  the  I'orest  City  Insurance  Com- 
pany, of  which  he  served  as  treasurer  until  in- 
capacitated by  illness.  Mr.  P.anunn  held  the 
offices  of  alderman  and  suiiervisor.  He  died 
February  26,   i8(/),  in  his  eii,dnieth  year. 

Hon.  Horace  Miller  was  a  native  of  P>erkshire 
county,  Massachusetts,  and  was  born  in  1798.  lie 
came  to  this  county  m  1839,  and  settled  on  a  large 
tract  of  land  near  the  mouth  of  the  Kishwaukce 
river,  which  in  an  early  day  was  known  as  the 
Terrace  farm.  At  one  time  he  owned  twelve 
hundred  and  fifty  acres.  I'-rom  1850  to  1852  Mr. 
Miller  rei)resented  this  county  in  the  state  legis- 
lature. He  resided  on  his  farm  until  about  1861. 
when  lie  came  to  Rockford  and  lived  a  retired 
life  until  his  death,  .August  5,  1864. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jolm  Benjamin  came  from 
Canada  in  1839,  and  settled  in  Guilford  town- 
ship. Mr.  Benjamin's  steii-daughtcr,  Mrs.  Sarah 
.\.  Cook,  who  still  resides  in  East  Rockford,  has 
the  ilistinction  of  being  the  first  matron  of  Rock- 
ford seminary.  She  served  in  this  capacity  from 
1849  to  1852.  The  students  were  served  with 
meals  in  a  frame  structure  directly  opjjosite  the 
first  seminary  building,  on  the  east  side  of  North 
F'irst  street. 

.\31inng  the  other  ])ioneers  of  1838  were  :  Alfred 
P.  Mather.  William  Hamilton.  Levi  Monroe,  and 
Richard  .Marsh.  In  1839  there  came  Courtland 
Mandeville,  Frederick  Charlie,  Thaddeus  Davis, 
Sr.,  Stephen  Crilley,  D.  Bierer.  Chester  Hitch- 
cock, John  I5ull.  M.  Hudson.  Others  who  came 
previous  to  1840  were:  Sylvester  Scott,  James 
Gilbert,  .\rtcmas  Hitchcock,  John  \V.  Dyer, 
Samuel  C.  Fuller,  Newton  Crawford,  Jonathan 
Hitchcock,  Dr.  D.  Cioodrich.  Ilotlis  II.  Holmes. 
Stephen  Gilbert,  and  Bela  .Shaw.  Judge  Shaw 
died  suddenly  May  31,  1865.  Five  brothers. 
Thomas,  William,  John,  Robert  and  Benjamin 
(iarrett,  with  their  parents,  settled  in  Guilford 
township.  Thomas  died  January  20,  1900.  He 
was  a  Manxman,  born  on  the  Isle  of  ^Ian,  Feb- 
ruary II,  1827. 

TRI.M^    OF    THE    PIONEERS. 

One  of  the  greatest  privations  of  the  early 
settlers  was  the  scarcity  of  provisions,  which  at 
that  time  were  obtained  from  the  older  settle- 
ments in  the  southern  portion  of  the  state.     Tlie 


l)ioncers  possessed  limitetl  means,  and  few  were 
individually  able  to  bear  the  expense  of  a  journey 
of  such  distance.  Several  neighbors  would  unite 
their  small  sums,  and  send  one  of  their  number 
for  supplies.  The  difficulties  of  travel  were 
great ;  there  were  rivers  to  cross,  either  forded  or 
swam ;  streams  and  sloughs  to  be  waded  ;  muddy 
roads  and  ponderous  wagons.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, the  time  of  the  messenger's  return 
was  uncertain.  Later,  when  a  trade  in  provisions 
had  been  established,  the  .same  obstacles  kept  them 
at  almost  fabulous  prices,  and  the  settlers  w"ere 
sometimes  reduced  to  the  verge  of  absolute  desti- 
tution. I'lour  sold  from  sixteen  to  twenty  dol- 
lars per  barrel,  and  on  one  occasion  Thomas  Lake 
purchased  three  barrels  at  twenty-two  dollars 
each.  Pork  was  thirty  dollars  per  barrel ;  wdieat 
sold  from  three  to  four  dollars  per  bushel ;  New 
Orleans  sugar  twenty-five  cents  per  pound :  and 
other  provisions  in  pro])ortion.  This  condition 
rendered  it  ini|iossible  for  the  great  majority  of 
the  settlers,  with  their  scanty  means,  to  scarcely 
procure  the  necessities  for  their  support.  For  six 
weeks  in  the  winter  of  1837-38  there  was  a  to- 
bacco famine,  wliich  was  a  terrible  privation  to 
the  slaves  of  the  filthy  weed.  "Judge"  E.  S. 
Blackstone  said  the  people  in  the  early  forties 
were  too  poor  to  cast  a  shadow.  Mr.  Thurston 
ventures  the  assertion  that  in  1841-42  there  were 
not  twenty  fanners  in  the  county  who  possessed 
a  suit  of  clothes  suita1)le  to  wear  at  church  or  at 
court,  which  they  had  purchased  with  the  fruits 
of  their  labor  on  their  farms.  Some  who  had 
passed  the  prime  of  life  became  discouraged  and 
returned  to  their  homes  in  the  east  to  die.  Barter 
was  practiced  even  in  i)ayment  for  performing 
the  marriage  ceremony.  Abraham  I.  Enoch,  a 
justice  of  the  peace,  once  took  a  bushel  of  beans 
as  his  fee.  Joel  B.  Potter,  a  clergyman,  was  com- 
pensated for  two  ceremonies  in  wheat,  and  one 
day's  breaking.  Ephraim  Stunner  swam  Peca- 
tonica  river  twice  one  cold  night  to  perform  the 
rite  and  received  fifty  cents. 

Had  it  not  been  for  a  beneficent  Providence, 
who  stocked  the  woods  and  prairies  with  game 
and  the  rivers  with  fish,  many  would  have  suf- 
fered for  the  necessities  of  the  barest  subsistence. 
As  late  as  1841  the  scarcity  of  fruit  was  a  great 
trial.  There  was  little,  and  often  none,  not  even 
canned  fruit.  There  were  dried  apples,  and  the 
housewives  made  "mince-pies"  of  them.  Some- 
times, in  case  of  sickness,  the  ways  and  means 
looked  rather  dark,  and  the  mother  and  her  whole 
familv  might  be  involved.  In  such  cases  none 
filled  a  more  important  place  than  Miss  Betsy 
Weldon.  whom  a  few  will  remember.  Strong  and 
well  herself,  she  could  fill  a  place  of  nurse,  house- 
keeper, dressmaker,  milliner,  and  general  repairer 
of  clothing.  She  was  ever  ready  to  respond  to 
cases  of  need. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WTXXEBAGO     COUNTY. 


31 


ROCKFORD    HOUSES    IN    1838 LATER    BUILDINGS 

H.    H.    SILSBY. 

In  April,  1838,  there  were  only  fonr  houses 
north  of  State  street,  in  West  Rockford ;  the 
ferry  house  on  the  site  of  the  Register-Gazette 
building ;  Abriam  Morgan's  log  house,  on  or  very 
near  the  site  of  the  Horsman  residence,  which 
was  recently  torn  down :  a  log  cabin  on  the  bank 
of  the  river,  about  one  hundred  and  thirty  rods 
above  State,  occupied  by  Rev.  John  ]\Iorrill.  and 
D.  A.  Spaulding,  the  government  surveyor ;  a 
board  and  plank  house  near  the  site  of  Mrs.  A. 
D.  Forbes'  residence,  occupied  by  John  and 
Calvin  Haskell,  nephews  of  Dr.  George  Haskell. 
South  of  State  street  there  were  quite  a  number 
of  cabins.  Nathaniel  Loomis  and  his  son,  Henry 
W.  Loomis.  lived  in  a  log  house  near  the  south- 
east corner  of  State  and  Main  streets  :  and  much 
of  the  valuable  property  in  this  block  still  belongs 
to  the  Loomis  estate.  On  the  west  side  of  Main, 
D.  D.  Ailing  had  an  unfinished  house.  Directly 
north  was  a  two-story  frame  house  which  re- 
mained unfinished  for  several  years.  On  the  same 
side,  opposite  the  government  building,  still 
stands  the  residence  of  George  W.  Brinckerhoflf. 
On  the  corner  north  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwest- 
ern depot.  Nathaniel  Wilder  had  a  house  of  one 
and  a  half  story.  On  the  east  side  of  Main,  op- 
posite the  depot,  Wyman  &  Houghton  had  a  story- 
and-a-half  building  used  as  a  bakery  and  boarding- 
house.  South  of  the  C,  B.  &  O.  depot,  on  the 
west  side  of  Main,  James  Mitchell  had  a  small 
house.  On  the  same  side  of  the  street,  near  the 
bank  of  the  creek,  stood  Mr.  Kent's  house  and 
sawmill.  There  was  a  log  hut  eight  or  ten  rods 
below  the  mill  that  had  been  used  as  a  black- 
smith's shop,  and  a  store  near  the  river.  \\'il- 
liam  E.  Dunbar  had  lived  in  a  log  cabin  about 
one  hundred  yards  south  of  the  creek,  and  twelve 
to  fifteen  rods  east  of  Main  street.  Sanford  & 
Piatt's  store  was  on  the  river  bank,  south  of 
State.  Benjamin  Kilburn  had  a  frame  house  on 
the  site  of  the  Hotel  Nelson.  There  was  a  total 
of  eighteen  buildings  in  the  village  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river,  beside  the  cabin  built  by  I\Ir. 
Blake  in  the  grove  to  the  west. 

The  East  side  was  somewhat  larger.  The 
Rockford  House  was  for  some  time  the  only 
hotel  between  Belvidere  and  Freeport.  On  the 
southwest  corner  of  State  and  Madison  streets 
stood  Bundy  &  Goodhue's  store.  Directly  south 
was  a  building  erected  by  Mr.  Haight.  The  first 
floor  was  the  postoffice.  and  the  second  was  oc- 
cupied by  Tinker  &  Johnson  as  a  tailor  shop.  On 
the  northwest  corner  of  ]\Iadison  and  Walnut  was 
a  ball  alley  owned  by  Charles  Oliver.  On  the 
southeast  corner  of  State  and  Madison  was  Pot- 
ter &  Preston's  store.  They  succeeded  Bundy  & 
Goodhue  on  the  opposite  corner,  where  they  re- 


mained until  the  death  of  ]\Ir.  Preston,  when  Mr. 
Potter  continued  the  business  alone  for  a  time. 
East  of  Potter  &  Preston's  first  store  was  the 
foundation  of  the  Washington  House.  On  the 
northeast  corner  of  State  and  Main  was  Daniel 
S.  Haight's  unfinished  frame  house.  On  East 
State  street  Mr.  Haight  was  putting  up  a  one- 
story  building  for  a  postoffice.  which  a  few  A-ears 
later  was  occupied  by  Worthington  &  Searles  as 
the  second  drug  store  in  the  village.  East  of 
the  postoffice  site,  on  the  alley,  was  'Sir.  Haight's 
first  log  house,  occupied  by  John  !\Iiller  as  a 
boarding  house.  East  of  the  alley,  on  State,  was 
.Samuel  Little's  saloon.  C)n  North  First  street 
was  a  story-and-a-half  house  occupied  by 
Samuel  Corey,  a  brother-in-law  of  Mr.  Haight. 
North  of  Mr.  Haight's  frame  house  was  a  story- 
and-a-half  house  owned  by  William  Hamilton ; 
and  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Madison  and 
Alarket  was  William  Penfield's  blacksmith's  shop. 
Between  the  "swell-front''  and  the  brick  house 
south  of  South  Second  street  owned  by  Samuel 
I.  Church,  stood  a  house  with  a  story  and  a  half 
owned  by  Dr.  David  Goodrich.  In  the  rear  of 
this,  on  the  alley,  was  a  log  structure  occupied  as 
a  schoolhouse  about  1837-38.  On  the  site  of  the 
street  car  barns  on  Kishwaukee  street,  was  Anson 
Barnum's  double  log  house.  At  the  southeast 
corner  of  Second  and  Walnut  was  John  Phelps' 
house,  afterward  owned  by  William  P.  Dennis. 
C)n  the  west  side  of  First  street,  opposite  the  city 
hall,  was  John  C.  Kemble's  house ;  and  on  the 
river  bank,  north  of  Walnut,  James  Clark  was 
building  a  store  in  which  he  kept  a  general  stock. 
The  "stage  barn"  built  for  Mr.  Haight  in  1836 
by  Thomas  Lake  and  Sidney  Twogood,  stood 
near  the  intersection  of  State  and  Third  streets. 
John  X'ance's  log  structure,  built  for  a  store, 
was  on  South  First  street  nearly  opposite  the 
city  hall.  There  was  a  log  house  about  ten  rods 
southeast  of  the  "stage  bam,"  occupied  b)'  a  Mr. 
Kingsle}-,  who  came  from  Belvidere  to  work  for 
Mr.  Haight  on  the  Rockford  House.  James  Bos- 
well's  cabin  was  near  the  Peacock  estate.  Jacob 
Posson's  cabin  was  in  the  vicinity  of  block 
twenty-one.  Gregory  &  Penfield's  addition. 
These,  with  the  East  side  ferry  house,  and  a  small 
log  hut  used  for  a  stable,  were  all  the  buildings 
within  half  a  mile  of  the  intersection  of  State  and 
Madison  streets,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  in 
April,  1838.  Mr.  Haight  erected  at  least  seven 
buildings  on  the  East  side,  beside  three  barns, 
and  one-half  of  the  Rockford  House.  In  1839-40 
he  built  the  large  two-story  brick  house,  east  of 
Longwood  street,  which  is  still  standing.  Mr. 
Haight  claimed  that  one  hundred  thousand  brick 
were  used  in  its  construction. 

In  the  spring  and  summer  of  1838  Harvey  H. 
Silsby,  Mowry  Brown,  William  Hull  and  Wil- 
liam Harvev  built  the  house  now  standing  north 


I'AST     AXD     l'Ri:SF.XT     OF     WIXXEBAGO     COL■X•l•^■. 


of  Mrs.  W.  A.  Uickcrman's  rcsitlcncc.  for  Dr. 
Haskell,  who  afterward  sold  it  to  John  F.dwards. 

After  finishins  Dr.  Haskell's  hrick  block.  Mr. 
Silshy  and  .\h>wr_v  llrown  built  a  house  for  G. 
A.  Sanford  near  tlie  center  of  the  block,  south 
of  Porter's  druji  store,  on  Main  street.  This 
house  later  stood  for  many  years  near  the  Chest- 
nut street  bridjjc.  lienjaniin  Kilburn  built  his 
house  near  the  Trask  brid<je  road  that  season. 
The  rear  r>f  the  I'.eattie  house  was  built  the  same 
summer. 

Mr.  Silsby  rendered  ,i;reat  service  to  the  writer 
in  locating^  these  buildin,i,'s  of  the  early  days.  His 
trade,  that  of  contractor  and  builder,  doubtless 
fi.xed  the  dates  of  their  erection  in  his  mind.  X'o 
other  individual  furnished  a  more  valuable  fund 
of  information  in  the  preparation  of  this  work. 
He  knew  the  villasje  from  the  besinnin.s:.  and  he 
retained  his  excellent  memory  unim]iaired  to 
the  last.  Mr.  Silsby  died  suddenly  April  7.  1899, 
in  Kansas,  after  havin.i^  sjjent  the  winter  with  his 
dauf^hter  in  Rock  ford.  Me  was  ei,!;hty-one  years 
of  afjc.  Mr.  Silsby  was  bom  in  .\cworth,  Sul- 
livan county,  Xew  Hampshire,  Xovember  i,  181 7. 
He  went  in  1837  to  Upper  Alton,  where  he  re- 
mained until  he  came  to  Rockford  the  following 
year.  .Vfter  working  at  his  trade  for  some  years, 
he  embarked   in  mercantile  business. 

Kir<ST  B.\PTIST  CHURCH. 

The  First  Baptist  church  is  the  second  or- 
ganization of  that  faith  planted  in  northern 
Illinois  outside  of  Chicago.  It  was  organized 
December  22.  1838,  at  the  home  of  Dr.  George 
Haskell,  and  was  the  third  religious  organiza- 
tion founded  in  Rockford.  There  were  sixteen 
charter  niemlx-rs.  as  follows :  James  and  Martha 
Jackson,  .\biram  Morgan,  Fierce  and  Evelina 
Wood,  John  and  Susan  Emerson.  Win.  B.  Brain- 
ard.  Ransom  and  Lucy  Knajip,  George  and 
Eunice  Haskell,  Mowry  and  Lucy  Brown,  Isaiah 
Lvon.  an<l  Caleb  Blood.  Services  were  held  in 
a  hall  on  the  second  floor  of  Dr.  Haskell's  brick 
block,  which  stood  rm  the  site  of  the  .-\shton  block. 
The  congregation  de()eniled  u])on  supplies  until 
May,  1 84 1,  when  Rev.  Solomon  Knapp  became 
the  first  resident  pastor.  The  first  house  of 
worship  was  built  in  1841,  on  the  corner  now 
occupied  by  the  .American  Insurance  building, 
on  Xorth  Main  street. 

The  second  pastor  was  Rev.  Warren  F.  Par- 
rish,  a  convert  from  Mormonism  to  the  Baptist 
faith.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  O.  H.  Head 
and  Rev.  Luther  Stone,  and  by  Prof.  Whitman, 
of  IV'lvidere,  as  a  stated  supply. 

In  the  autumn  of  1848  Elder  Jacob  Knapp 
removed  from  the  east,  and  November  i8th  he 
united  with  the  Fir.st  church  by  letter.  The 
church  was  then  without  a  pastor,  and  arrange- 


ments were  soon  made  with  Elder  Knapi)  lor 
holding  revival  meetings.  The  little  frame  build- 
ing was  too  small,  and  the  church  secured  the 
use  of  the  court  house,  where  it  continued  to 
hold  services  until  the  new  structure  was  com- 
pleted. Elder  Knajip  continued  his  labors  until 
June,  1849.  .Vt  the  amnial  session  of  the  Rock 
River  Association,  held  that  mouth,  the  church 
reported  sixty-two  additions  by  baptism  and 
seventeen  by  letter.  These  accessions  increased 
the  membership  to  one  hundred  and  sixty. 

Elder  Knap])  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
men  of  his  time.  He  was  born  in  ( )tsego  county, 
Xew  York.  December  7,  I7<;9.  He  was  gradu- 
ated at  Hamilton  Theological  seminary  in  June, 
1825.  and  ordained  in  the  following  August  at 
.Springfield,  Xew  York.  After  serving  the 
church  at  Springfield  for  five  years,  and  the 
church  at  Watertown  for  three  years,  he  began 
his  career  as  an  evangelist.  For  fifteen  years  his 
home  was  at  Hamilton.  Xew  York,  and  for 
twenty-five  years  at   Rockford. 

Elder  Kna])p  claimed  to  have  ])rcache(l  about 
sixteen  thousand  sermons,  baptized  four  thou- 
sand candidates,  and  was  the  means  of  making 
one  hundred  thousand  converts  by  his  revival 
ministry,  of  whom  two  hundred  became  ministers 
of  the  gospel.  Elder  Knapp's  mind  was  char- 
acterized by  strong  logical  tendencies,  and  his 
sermons  abounded  in  homely  illustrations,  apt 
quotations  from  the  Bible,  and  a  good  knowledge 
of  human  nature.  In  stature  l-"lder  Knapp  was 
short,  squarely  and  stoutly  built,  his  voice  was 
deeply  sepulchral,  and  his  manner  self-possessed. 
He  was  fertile  in  expedients  and  possessed  an  in- 
domitable will.  He  was  quick  at  repartee,  in 
which  he  was  a  consummate  master. 

To  this  day  the  widest  differences  of  opinion 
])revailed  as  to  the  sincerity  and  true  Christian 
character  of  Elder  Knapp.  Many  of  his  fellow 
citizens  believed  his  daily  life  was  quite  incon- 
sistent with  the  nigher  ideals  which  he  taught 
from  the  jjulpil :  while  others  considered  him  the 
very  incarnation  of  godly  zeal ;  as  a  veritable  John 
the  Baptist,  warning  the  i)eo])le  in  terms  of  awful 
grandeiu-  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  Presi- 
dent Knott,  of  I'nion  college,  testified:  "Elder 
Knapp  is  uncqualed  among  iminspired  men."  Dr. 
Thomas  Armitage,  in  his  History  of  the  P>aptists, 
says :  "The  writer  heard  him  preach  many  times, 
and  judged  him,  as  he  is  apt  to  judge  men,  more 
bv  his  prayers  than  his  sermons,  for  he  was  a 
man  of  much  prayer.  His  ai)i)earance  in  the 
pulpit  was  very  striking,  his  face  pale,  his  skin 
dark,  his  mouth  wide,  with  a  singular  cast  in 
one  eve  bordering  on  a  squint :  he  was  full  of 
native  wit,  almost  gestureless,  and  vehement  in 
denunciation,  yet  so  cool  in  his  deliberation  that 
with  the  greatest  ease  he  gave  every  trying  cir- 
cumstance its  appropriate  but  unexpected  turn," 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


33 


Elder  Knapp  died  March  3,  1874,  on  his  farm 
north  of  Rockford,  and  was  buried  in  the  West 
Side  cemetery,  with  his  feet  toward  the  west,  in 
accordance  with  his  strange  request.  Elder 
Knapp's   autobiography  was   published   in    1868. 

Rev.  Ichabod  Clark  succeeded  Elder  Knapp. 
During  his  pastorate,  in  1850,  the  congregation 
built  the  present  stone  church  on  North  Church 
street,  which  is  now  the  oldest  house  of  worship 
in  Rockford. 

Dr.  Clark  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Thomas  Kerr, 
who  began  his  labors  June  i,  i860.  His  first 
pastorate  closed  November  i,  1866,  when  he  was 
called  to  Hannibal,  Mo.  After  a  brief  pastorate 
by  Rev.  James  Lick,  Dr.  Kerr  was  recalled  to 
his  old  charge,  and  in  1869  he  began  his  second 
pastorate.  In  1870  Dr.  Kerr  began  to  preach  a 
more  liberal  faith.  An  ecclesiastical  council  de- 
posed him  from  the  Baptist  ministry,  and  the 
church  excluded  him.  with  forty-eight  sym- 
pathizers, from  its  membership.  Dr.  Kerr  was 
succeeded  in  the  pastorate  by  Revs.  John  S. 
Mabie,  L.  Anderson,  W.  A.  Stanton.  C.  H.  Mos- 
crip,  Theo.  G.  Soares,  C.  W.  Barber,  and  W. 
C.  Keirstead.  The  membership  reported  to  the 
association  in  June.  1905,  was  287.  The  value  of 
the  church  property  is  $18,000. 

THE    VILLAGE   INCORPOR.VTED. 

Early  in  1839  the  little  village  aspired  to  the 
dignity  of  an  incorporated  town.  The  general 
law  of  1831  provided  that  "whenever  the  white 
males  over  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  being 
residents  of  any  town  in  this  state,  containing  not 
less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  inhabitants,  shall 
wish  to  become  incorporated  for  the  better  regu- 
lation of  their  internal  police,"  it  should  be  law- 
ful for  them  to  do  so.  The  ambition  of  the  vil- 
lage was  sustained  by  the  required  population. 

A  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Rockford  was 
held,  pursuant  to  public  notice,  at  the  Rockford 
House.  April  i.  1839.  It  was  resolved  that  the 
two  villages  of  Rockford,  east  and  west  sides  of 
Rock  river,  be  incorporated  into  one  town.  Com- 
mittees were  appointed  to  ascertain  the  number 
of  inhabitants  within  the  prescribed  boundaries  of 
Rockford ;  to  draft  an  act  of  incorporation  for 
the  town ;  and  to  confer  with  Mr.  Brinckerhoff 
concerning  free  ferriage  for  the  citizens  of  the 
county. 

An  adjourned  meeting  was  held  April  3d,  but 
no  business  was  transacted.  A  second  adjourned 
meeting  was  held  on  the  following  evening.  The 
committee  on  census  reported  that  the  number 
of  inhabitants  was  two  hundred  and  thirty-five. 
The  committee  appointed  to  confer  with  Mr. 
Brinckerhoff  made  a  report  to  the  effect  that  he 
would  furnish  free  ferriage  to  the  citizens  of  the 
county  on  condition  that  the  trustees  of  the  town 


would  remunerate  him,  at  the  close  of  each  year, 
with  such  sum  as  a  committee  of  three  should 
determine,  after  ascertaining  the  receipts  and  ex- 
penses of  the  ferriage.  One  member  of  the  com- 
mittee was  to  be  chosen  by  the  trustees,  another 
by  Mr.  Brinckerhoff  and  these  two  were  to  ap- 
point a  third.  At  this  meeting,  by  a  two-thirds 
vote,  as  required  by  law,  the  town  was  incorpor- 
ated. An  election  for  five  trustees  was  lield 
April  loth.  There  were  chosen  Dr.  Goodhue, 
Daniel  S.  Haight,  Samuel  Little.  Ephraim  Wy- 
man  and  Isaiah  Lyon. 

The  statute  provided  that  the  boundaries  of  a 
town  incorporated  under  its  provisions  should 
not  exceed  one  mile  square.  The  trustees  re- 
stricted the  limits  as  thus  prescribed  bv  the  law. 
They  organized  by  the  election  of  Daniel  S. 
Haight.  president:  Anson  Barnum,  clerk;  John 
C.  Kemble,  attorney.  Isaiah  Lyon  was  elected 
collector  and  treasurer ;  Henry  Thurston,  asses- 
sor for  the  first  district :  John  Haskell  for  the 
second ;  Nathaniel  Wilder  for  the  third ;  S.  D. 
Preston  for  the  fourth. 

Rockford  continued  its  simple  municipal  life 
under  this  system  until  January,  1852.  These 
vears  were  quite  uneventful,  so  far  as  municipal 
affairs  were  concerned.  The  complete  records  of 
the  proceedings  of  the  board  of  trustees  for  those 
twelve  years  are  contained  in  a  single  small 
volume.  This  book  is  well  preserved  and  is  in 
the  office  of  the  city  clerk.  Routine  business  oc- 
cupied the  most  exclusive  attention  of  the  board ; 
and  frequently  less  than  a  page  is  required  to 
record  its  proceedings. 

E.\RLY  L.\ND  S.^LES. 

The  lands  in  Winnebago  county  did  not  come 
into  market  until  the  autumn  of  1839.  The  lands 
in  Rockford  and  Rockton  townships  were  not 
offered  for  sale  until  1843.  by  reason  of  the 
famous  "Polish  claims."  which  will  be  considered 
in  detail  in  subsequent  paragraphs.  The  land 
office  for  this  district  in  1839  was  at  Galena.  The 
opening  of  the  lands  to  sale  and  entry  in  that  year 
was  an  interesting  event  to  the  settlers  of  Win- 
nebago county.  Some  of  them  had  their  farms 
well  under  cultivation,  and  had  raised  a  sufficient 
surplus,  so  that  they  were  able  to  secure  their 
farms  when  the  sale  began.  The  uniform  gov- 
ernment price  for  land  was  ten  shillings  per  acre. 
Speculators  were  always  around  the  land  office 
on  days  of  sale,  waiting  for  the  first  chance  to 
make  a  claim.  A  common  interest  bound  the  set- 
tlers together,  and  they  usually  maintained  their 
rights  in  equity  against  the  sharp  practices  of  the 
land  sharks. 

Many  settlers,  however,  did  not  possess  ready 
money.  Stock  and  grain  had  become  plenty  by 
this  time,  but  thev  could  not  be  sold   for  cash. 


34 


PAST     ANT)     PRESENT    OF     WIXXEBACO    COUNTY. 


Money  at  one  time  cummaiuk'il  thirty  per  cent. 
Some  of  the  farmers  liatl  their  claims  bid  in  on 
sliares.  I^inds  wore  al.so  hid  in  hy  men  who  had 
money,  on  condition  that  tlieir  advances  sliould 
donl)le  in  three  years — tliirty-tliree  and  one- 
tliird  |)er  cent,  interest :  the  money  loaner  fur- 
nisheti  the  money,  and  gavv  a  bond  to  the  claim- 
ant to  redeem  at  the  expiration  of  three  years  if 
the  money  sliould  be  paid  on  or  before  that  dav. 
The  moncy-loaner  supposed  his  title  was  cjood,  as 
it  was  entered  in  his  own  name,  and  paid  for  in 
full  with  his  money.  It  was  decided  otherwise. 
however,  by  the  supreme  court,  which  treated  it 
as  a  mortgage.  There  was  nnich  litigation  on 
this  point. 

K(  >c  K  l-(  IUI>  CK.\I  KTERI  i;S. 

Four  sites  have  been  used  in  West  Rockford 
for  the  pur|)ose  of  a  cemetery,  besides  that  used 
by  the  Roman  Catholics.  The  first  Inirial  in  the 
village  of  Rock-ford  was  that  of  Henry  Harmon, 
who  was  drowned  at  the  ferry  in  Rock  river 
.\])ril  7,  iS.^7.  on  block  thirty-five  of  J.  \V. 
I.eavitt's  plat  of  the  original  town  of  West 
Rockford.  The  Commercial  Hotel,  South 
Church  street,  is  on  the  southeast  corner  of  this 
block.  The  second  interment  was  of  the  body  of 
Sarah  Kent,  a  daughter  of  (iernianicus  Kent, 
n]>iin  the  same  block,  in  1837.  These  were  fol- 
lowed by  the  l)urials  of  .\ddison  Phillips,  who 
accidentally  shot  himself  in  March.  1839,  and 
John  Ha.skell,  a  brother  of  Dr.  (ieorge  Haskell, 
also  in  that  year.  Mrs.  James  Mitchell  and  some 
others  were  buried  upon  block  thirty-five,  which 
was  the  only  place  ot  interment  on  the  west  side 
of  the  river  until  about  1840.  The  proprietors  of 
that  j)ortion  of  the  town  west  of  the  section  line 
<iividing  sections  twenty-two  and  twenty-three 
then  gave  to  the  citizens  of  West  Rockford  a  plat 
of  ground  for  cemetery  purposes,  corre.«])onding 
to  block  fifty-three  in  .Morgan  and  Horsman's 
addition  to  the  city  of  Rockford.  on  the  south 
side  of  Slate  street.  This  block  now  includes  the 
land  owned  by  the  late  Dr.  C.  H.  Richings.  .Mrs. 
.Montague,  wife  of  Richard  Montague,  was  the 
first  ])erson  buried  in  this  ground.  She  died 
February  17.  184J. 

I-'rom  that  time  this  ]ilat  of  ground  continued 
to  be  the  i)lace  of  burial  until  1844.  The  original 
proprietors  of  the  town,  by  an  agreement  with 
the  citizens,  exchanged  this  place  of  burial  for 
a  site  corres|)onding  to  what  would  have  been 
blocks  thirty-seven  and  forty-eight  of  the  original 
plat,  on  the  north  bank  of  Kent's  creek.  This 
tract  corresponds  witli  the  switch  yards,  round- 
house and  stock  yards  of  the  Chicago  &  North- 
western railroad.  The  bodies  were  removed  from 
the  cemetery  near  State  street  and  reburied  in  the 
new  grounds.  In  the  year  1844  the  citizens  after 
several   meetings,   organized   an   association   and 


in  I'"ebruary,  1845.  they  obtained  a  charter  in- 
cori)orating  the  Rockford  Cenieter\  .\ssociation. 
I'nder  this  charter  they  electeil  their  trusfecs  and 
other  otiicers.  and  kept  u))  the  organization  in 
accordance  with  all  the  ])rovisions  of  the  act.  The 
first  trustees  named  in  tliis  charter  were  John  W. 
Taylor.  Fphraim  Wyman,  Cyrus  F.  .Miller.  Rich- 
artl  .Montague  ami  IJenjamin  Kilburn. 

From  1844  to  1852  this  site  remained  the  place 
of  burial  for  the  Rockford  Cemetery  .Association. 
1  )uring  this  time  the  number  of  graves  had  in- 
creased to  about  one  lumdreil  and  seventy-five. 
The  bodies  that  had  been  buried  on  block  thirty- 
five  remained  there  until   1852. 

The  extension  of  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union 
railroad  to  West  Rockford  again  made  it  neces- 
sary for  the  association  to  remove  its  cemetery, 
as  the  grounds  had  been  selected  by  the  railroad 
comjiany  as  the  site  of  its  de])ot.  .\  ])ortion  of 
this  tract  was  condemned  by  the  comjianv  for 
this  i)urpose.  The  association  thereupon  made 
arrangements  with  the  railroatl  company  for 
the  sale  of  the  entire  property,  except  seventy 
feet  fronting  on  Cedar  street.  The  company  paid 
the  association  one  thousand  and  nine  hundred 
dollars.  The  frontage  of  seventy  feet  on  Cedar 
street  was  sub-divided  into  twelve  lots,  and  sold 
to  different  jier.sons  for  three  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  twelve  dollars  and  twelve  cents. 

In  .\]iril,  1852,  the  trustees  took  measures  to 
l^rocure  a  new  charter  for  their  more  extended 
needs.  In  the  following  May  the  association 
purchased  of  Charles  Reed,  George  Ha'sTKcll  and 
.\athaniel  \\'ilder.  a  part  of  the  present  cemetery 
grounds.  This  tract  contained  thirty-three  acres, 
for  which  the  .Association  ])aid  twelve  hundred 
dollars.  On  the  29th  of  .May,  1852.  the  associ- 
ation made  a  contract  with  David  D.  .Vlling.  to 
remove  all  the  bodies  in  the  original  place  of 
burial  on  block  thirty-five  and  those  in  the  later 
cemetery. 

At  the  s|)ecial  session  of  the  legislature  in  June, 
1852.  the  association  obtained  a  new  act  of  in- 
cori)oration.  'i'he  sum  realized  from  the  sale  of 
its  former  iirojierty  left  a  good  margin  after  the 
later  ])urchase.  (Juite  extensive  improvements 
were  made  with  a  i)ortion  of  this  reserve.  This 
cemetery  is  a  beautiful  spot  in  summer,  well  kept, 
and  contains  many  splendid  monuments. 

In  February.  1880.  the  association  purchased 
seventeen  acres  of  D.  C.  Littlefield.  The  cemetery 
now  covers  fifty  acres,  the  purchase  price  of 
which  was  oidy  $2.()oo.  There  have  been  more 
than  five  th<iusanil  interments.  The  association 
has  an  invested  fund,  the  interest  of  which  is  ex- 
pended in  Ix^autifying  this  city  of  the  dead. 

The  Roman  Catholic  cemetery  is  also  located 
on  the  West  side. 

:\t  an  early  date  Daniel  .S.  Haight  appropri- 
ated an   acre  of  ground   for  a  cemetery  on  the 


PAST     -VXD     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


35 


East  side.  It  was  situated  on  the  east  side  of 
Longworth  street,  about  ten  rods  north  of  State. 
The  ground  was  open  prairie.  There  was  no 
shade  from  the  summer  sun,  and  the  wintr}- 
winds  intensified  its  desolation. 

An  act  approved  February  i8.  1847,  provided 
for  the  incorporation  of  the  Cedar  Bhtff  Ceme- 
tery Association.  E.  H.  Potter.  \\'inard  Wheeler, 
Bela  Show,  Selden  AI.  Church,  HoUis  H.  Holmes, 
and  Lucius  Clark  and  their  successors  were  made 
a  body  politic  and  corporate  for  the  purpose.  The 
association  was  not  fully  organized,  however, 
until  November  28,  185 1.  Twelve  acres  in  sec- 
tion twenty-three  were  purchased  from  Bela 
Shaw  for  four  hundred  dollars,  subject  to  the 
dower  of  Rebecca  Shaw.  The  tract  was  sur- 
veyed by  Duncan  Ferguson.  April  3,  1853.  It 
remained  the  only  burying  ground  on  the  East 
side  until  the  organization  of  the  Scandinavian 
Cemetery  Association,  which  is  near  Cedar  BluflF. 

THE    .SEVEN"    years'    WAR    ON'ER    THE    .SITE    OF    THE 
COUNTY   SEAT. 

The  attempt  in  1836  to  locate  the  county  seat 
had  proven  a  failure.  The  county  business  had 
been  transacted  in  the  meantime  in  various  places 
in  the  village.  The  proprietors  of  Winnebago 
did  not  consider  the  refusal  of  their  deed  of  ces- 
sion to  the  county,  noted  in  a  previous  paragraph, 
as  a  finality.  On  that  very  day  began  the  famous 
controversy  over  the  location  of  the  county  seat, 
which  was  continued  for  seven  years  with  great 
soirit  and  not  a  little  bitterness  on  all  sides.  The 
proprietors  of  Winnebago  had  expended  con- 
siderable money  in  their  town  plat,  and  they  were 
anxious  to  have  the  county  buildings  commenced 
at  once,  and  thus  settle  the  question.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  county  commissioners  opposed 
the  site  of  Winnebago,  and  placed  every  obstacle 
in  the  way  of  such  location.  A^arious  proposi- 
tions were  made  by  the  proprietors  during  this 
and  the  succeeding  year  to  induce  the  commis- 
sioners to  take  some  action  that  would  secure 
them  in  the  location  which  had  been  previously 
made.  All  these  overtures  were  either  refused 
or  evaded.  The  persistent  refusal  of  the  county 
commissioners  led  to  state  legislation. 

By  an  act  of  the  general  assembly,  approved 
Alarch  2,  1839.  the  question  was  submitted  to  a 
popular  vote.  It  was  made  the  duty  of  the  clerk 
of  the  county  commissioners'  court  to  give  notice 
of  an  election  to  be  held  on  the  first  Monday  in 
May,  1839.  The  law  provided  that  if  it  should 
appear  that  within  one  hundred  of  a  majority  of 
all  the  votes  cast  were  in  favor  of  the  town  of 
\Mnnebago.  that  town  should  remain  the  per- 
manent county  seat.  But  if  any  other  place,  after 
the  first  election,  should  receive  a  majority  there 
should  be  an  election  held  on  the  first  Mondav 


of  each  succeeding  month,  dropping  off  at  each 
election,  the  place  receiving  the  smallest  number 
of  votes,  until  some  one  place  should  receive  a 
majority  of  all  the  votes  polled. 

These  provisions  gave  \\'innebago  a  decided 
advantage,  but  even  then  the  town  was  unable 
to  win  the  prize.  At  the  election  six  aspirants 
received  votes,  as  follows:  Rockford,  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  ;  Winnebago,  seventy-five  ;  Ros- 
coe,  two :  Willow  Creek,  five :  Pecatonica,  one : 
Scipio.  one.  Total  vote  cast,  four  hundred  and 
four,  of  which  Rockford  had  a  majority  over  all 
of  two  hundred  and  thirty-six. 

The  ])rospective  village  of  \\'innebago  reached 
the  highest  point  of  all  its  greatness  on  the  day 
when  its  ambitious  claims  were  rejected  by  the 
county  commissioners'  court.  In  April,  1844, 
many  of  the  lots  were  sold  by  the  sheriff'  to 
satisfy  delinquent  taxes ;  and  in  1847  the  plat  was 
vacated  by  a  special  act  of  the  legislature. 

In  pursuance  of  the  popular  vote  in  favor  of 
Rockford.  the  county  commissioners,  on  June 
8,  1839,  selected  the  public  square  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river  as  the  site  for  the  courthouse. 
.\nson  Barnum  and  Daniel  S.  Haight  were  au- 
thorized to  accept  stone  and  other  building  ma- 
terial. A  large  quantity  of  brick  and  lumber  was 
contributed  by  the  citizens.  This  material  re- 
mained on  the  public  square  for  a  long  time,  be- 
cause the  county  had  no  money  to  continue  the 
work.  At  a  special  session  held  June  17,  the 
court  selected  the  southeast  corner  of  block  nine 
as  a  site  for  a  jail.  This  is  the  site  now  occu- 
pied by  the  Rockford  Gas  Light  and  Coke  Com- 
pany. No  jail,  however,  was  built  upon  that 
location. 

At  the  session  of  September  28.  1841.  a  propo- 
sition was  submitted  to  the  commissioners'  court 
to  furnish  a  suitable  jail  and  quarters  for  the 
county  offices  in  West  Rockford  until  permanent 
buildings  could  be  constructed.  This  proposal 
was  signed  by  Messrs.  George  Haskell.  Charles 
I.  Horsman,  Abriam  Alorgan.  John  W.  Taylor, 
David  .\lling.  Nathaniel  Loomis.  Ephraim 
Wyman,  Horatio  Nelson.  Derastus  Harper 
and  Isaiah  Lyon.  L^pon  executing  a  bond  in  the 
penal  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars  this  proposi- 
tion was  accepted.  December  nth  these  gentle- 
men reported  to  the  commissioners'  court  that  the 
building  for  the  county  offices  was  ready  for  use 
and  the  same  was  accepted  by  the  court.  This 
was  a  frame  structure  on  the  southwest  corner 
of  Main  and  Chestnut  streets,  opposite  the  Hotel 
Nelson.  This  building  was  occupied  by  the  court 
until  the  courthouse  was  built,  and  only  a  few 
\ears  ago  was  torn  down  to  make  room  for  the 
block  now  occupied  by  Mead,  Hallock  &  Ben- 
nett. The  donors  at  this  December  session  were 
given  an  extension  of  five  months  to  complete  the 
jail.     This  was  a  log  structure  about  twelve  feet 


36 


PAST     AXI)     PRESEXT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


square,  with  plank  door,  ami  wiiulow  barntl  with 
iron  set  into  the  logs  above  and  below.  It  stood 
east  of  the  ])resent  courthouse,  in  the  .same  block. 
Whenever  a  desperate  character  was  confined 
therein  it  was  necessary  to  station  a  j^uard.  Pre- 
vious to  the  erection  of  this  primitive  prison  the 
nearest  jail  was  at  (ialcna.  When  I.  N.  Cun- 
ninj^diam  was  sheriff  he  owned  a  substantially 
built  house  a  short  distance  from  town,  and  his 
brother  William  once  prevented  a  prisoner  from 
escai)ing  at  ni^fht  by  fastening  one  end  of  a 
chain  to  his  ankle  and  the  other  to  the  ankle 
of  the  prisoner,  and  both  were  secured  to  the 
stronj^f  puncheon  tloor.  The  old  lotj  jail  did  its 
duty  after  a  fashion  until  the  brick  jail  was 
completed. 

.•\  controversy  aro.se  concerning  the  precise 
meaniufi  of  the  statute  under  which  the  election 
of  May,  1839.  had  been  held.  That  portion  of 
the  tliird  section  of  the  law  enclosed  in  paren- 
thesis was  ambiguous.  The  point  at  issue  was 
whether  the  law  actually  authorized  an  election 
to  select  a  seat  of  justice,  or  merely  to  decide  the 
general  fiuestion  of  removal.  The  question  was 
before  the  connnissioners'  court  at  its  September 
session  in  1841.  Each  commissioner  held  a  dif- 
ferent opinion.  May  10,  1842.  the  commission- 
ers" court  requested  the  bar  of  the  city  to  submit 
opinions  in  writing  concerning  the  legal  effect  of 
the  popular  vote.  Opinions  were  prepared  by 
Anson  S.  Miller,  Francis  Burnap,  Thomas  D. 
Robertson,  James  M.  Wight,  and  Jason  Marsh. 
Mr.  Miller's  ojiinions  were  f|uite  elaborate.  The 
attv)rneys  were  unanimous  in  the  o|)inion  that  the 
county  seat  had  been  changed  from  Winnebago 
to  Rockford,  in  accordance  with  the  evident  in- 
tent of  the  law.  At  the  session  of  July,  1842, 
the  commissioners'  court  authorized  the  judges 
of  election  in  the  several  precincts  to  take  the 
sense  of  the  voters  at  the  .Vugust  election  on  the 
question  whether  the  county  buildings  should  be 
l)ermaneiUly  located  in  East  or  West  Rockford. 
Several  ])rccincts  did  not  vote  on  the  question  ; 
but  the  general  result  was  favorable  to  the  West 
side,  inasmuch  as  the  temporary  location  of  the 
county  offices  on  that  side  had  already  given  it 
a  degree  of  prestige.  The  vote  had  no  legal 
effect,  however,  because  the  law  had  given  the 
commissioners'  court  full  power  in  the  premises. 
Piut  it  clid  have  a  certain  persuasive  influence. 

In  April,  1843,  Daniel  S.  Ilaight,  E.  H.  Potter, 
HoUis  II.  Mohnes,  Laomi  Peak.  Daniel  Howell 
and  John  A.  Brown,  of  the  East  side  submitted 
a  proposition  to  the  county  commissioners  to 
huild  a  courthouse  and  jail,  to  cost  four  thou- 
.sanrl  dollars.  This  proposal  was  considered,  but 
complications  prevented  its  acceptance.  In  a 
few  <lays.  .\pril  22d,  citizens  of  West  Rockford 
made  a  similar  proposition.  On  condition  that 
the   commissioners   select   the   site   on   the   West 


side,  the  citizens  agreed  to  erect  such  buildings 
as  the  county  commissioners  should  direct,  and 
according  to  such  ])lan  and  finish  as  the  com- 
missioners should  furnish  for  a  courthouse, 
county  offices  and  jail,  the  said  buildings  to  be 
commenced  before  the  first  day  of  June  next,  and 
the  jail  to  be  finished  before  the  first  day  of 
January,  1844,  The  remainder  of  the  said  build- 
ings was  to  be  finished  by  the  first  day  of  No- 
vember, 1844.  The  donors  were  to  perfect  and 
convey  to  the  county  a  good  title  to  the  land  on 
which  the  said  building  should  stand,  to  the 
amount  of  two  and  one-half  acres.  This  propo- 
sition was  signed  by  Messrs.  George  Haskell, 
Charles  I.  Horsman,  H.  W.  Loomis,  M.  Burner, 
Charles  Hall.  Thomas  D.  Robertson,  George  W. 
Dewey,  David  D.  Ailing,  H.  R.  Maynard,  Alden 
Thomas,  S.  Skinner,  George  1 '.arrows,  John 
F'isher,  Derastus  Harper,  Daniel  Dow. 

Nothing  had  been  done  on  the  I'-ast  side  toward 
erecting  county  huiklings  with  the  material 
furnished,  and  the  proposition  from  the  west  side 
citizens  was  accepted,  with  five  conditions :  These 
were:  First,  security  must  be  given  to  the  ac- 
ceptance of  the  commissioners  or  any  two  of 
them  in  term,  time  or  vacation  within  twenty 
days ;  second,  that  the  security  be  a  bond  for 
twenty  thousand  dollars,  and  the  buildings  be 
worth  not  less  than  six  thousand  dollars ;  third, 
that  said  bond  \jc  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  clerk 
of  the  court  within  three  days  from  its  accept- 
ance ;  fourth,  that  the  subscribers  to  the  proposi- 
tion, or  a  majority  of  them,  enter  into  a  contract 
in  writing  within  twenty  days  to  erect  the  build- 
ings as  offered  in  their  proposition ;  fifth,  that 
the  contract  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  clerk 
ot  the  court  within  three  days  from  its  approval. 
The  commissioners  ordered  that  block  twenty- 
five  in  west  Rockford  be  the  site  of  the  buildings. 
Thus  closed  a  contest  which  had  continued  for 
seven  years. 

The  brick  jail  was  completed  and  occupied 
Januarv  i.  1844.  The  court  house  was  finished 
in  July  of  the  same  year  and  was  accepted  by  the 
county  commissioners.  Derastus  Harper  and 
John  Beattie  were  the  architects.  It  was  one 
story,  about  fifty-six  feet  long,  thirty-five  feet  in 
width  and  seventeen  feet  high.  The  court  room 
was  fifty-four  by  thirty-three  feet ;  nine  feet  in 
the  rear  of  the  bench  was  partitioned  off  into 
jurv  rooms.  Two  rows  of  sli]is  made  in  the  style 
of  those  erected  in  the  churches,  filled  the  room 
outside  the  bar,  and  accommodated  three  hundred 
persons.  The  entire  edifice,  including  the  pedi- 
ment, and  four  fluted  columns  in  front,  was  built 
in  the  Grecian  Doric  order  of  architecture.  The 
])ublic  square,  jail  and  courthouse  were  furnished 
i)v  the  citizens  of  West  Rockford  without  the  out- 
lav  of  a  dollar  by  the  county.  The  stone  building 
in  which  the  county  records  were  kept  was  built  in 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


i7 


1851.      All    these   buililin^s    have   lieeii    removed 
from  the  square. 

The  first  term  of  court  held  in  the  new  build- 
ing; was  in  August,  1844.  The  presiding  judge 
was  Thomas  C.  Brown;  James  Mitchell,  clerk; 
G.  A.  Sanford,  sheriflf.  Many  bright  stars  in 
the  legal  firmament  of  that  day  practiced  in  Win- 
nebago county.  Belvidere,  Freeport,  Galena,  and 
Chicago  sent  their  best  talent.  The  famous  "Mat" 
Carpenter  of  Wisconsin  came  to  Rockford  on 
professional  business  half  a  century  ago. 

NOTABLE   .SECES.SION    MOVEiMENT. 

Sixty  years  ago  Winnebago  county  figured 
prominently  in  a  movement  of  secession  from 
Illinois  for  the  purpose  of  annexation  to  Wis- 
consin. This  agitation  covered  the  entire  period 
between  the  admission  of  Illinois  in  1 818,  and  the 
admission  of  Wisconsin  thirty  years  later.  The 
storv  forms  one  of  the  most  interesting  chapters 
in  the  history  of  the  commonwealth.  The  move- 
ment was  widespread,  and  the  feeling  at  times 
was  intense  and  even  bitter.  The  village  of 
Rockford  played  quite  a  part  in  this  struggle. 
There  was  brought  to  light  in  this  city  in  1899 
a  copy  of  the  official  proceedmgs  of  a  mass  meet- 
ing held  in  Rockford,  July  6,  1840.  This  con- 
vention was  composed  of  delegates  from  the 
northern  fourteen  counties  of  the  state.  Its  pur- 
pose was  secession  from  Illinois,  and  annexation 
to  the  proposed  new  state  of  Wisconsin. 

History  has  never  fulh^  explained  the  causes  of 
this  movement.  Tradition  alone  has  interpreted 
its  true  animus.  The  apparent  motive  was  a 
restoration  of  the  boundary  line  as  originally  es- 
tablished between  the  two  states  that  might  be 
formed  of  the  territory  north  of  an  east-and-west 
line  running  through  the  southerly  bend  of  Lake 
Michigan.  This  line,  it  was  claimed,  had  been 
arbitrarily  and  unfairly  extended  fifty  miles 
north  when  Illinois  became  a  state. 

The  real  reasons  for  this  movement  were  two : 
First,  the  settlers  in  the  northern  and  southern 
portions  of  the  state  had  little  or  no  interest  in 
common.  The  northern  portion  was  settled  prin- 
cipally by  people  who  had  come  from  New  Eng- 
land and  New  York.  Thev  were  industrious, 
thrifty  and  progressive.  They  built  towns  and 
cities  as  by  magic.  The  southern  part  of  Illinois 
was  settled  by  emigrants  from  the  slave-holding 
states.  They  were  generally  poor,  as  the  well- 
to-do  people  did  not  emigrate.  In  those  days  the 
poor  man  in  the  south  was  scarcely  above  the 
negro  in  the  social  scale.  This  class  came  into 
southern  Illinois  from  slave-holding  states  to  es- 
cape the  limitations  of  their  former  poverty.  Be- 
tween the  people  of  the  southern  and  the  north- 
ern portions  of  the  state  was  a  great  gulf  fixed. 
Each  misunderstood  the  other.     The  Illinois  and 


Michigan  canal  was  opposed  by  the  people  of 
southern  Illinois  for  fear  it  would  flood  the  state 
with  Yankees.  This  conflict  of  interest  and 
opinion  was  a  continuation  of  the  struggle  be- 
tween the  civilizations  of  Plymouth  and  James- 
town. The  Puritan  and  the  class  distinctions  of 
the  cavalier  had  entered  the  western  arena,  where 
a  few  years  later  Lincoln  and  Douglas  fought 
the  historic  battle  of  the  century. 

The  second  reason  for  this  sectional  divorce- 
ment was  the  desire  of  the  northern  people  to 
escape  the  burden  of  the  enormous  state  debt, 
which  had  been  created  by  the  gigantic  scheme 
of  internal  improvements.  In  1840,  during 
Governor  Carlin's  administration,  the  total  debt 
of  the  state,  principal  and  interest,  was  fourteen 
million  si.x  hundred  and  sixty-six  thousand  five 
hundred  and  si.xty-two  dollars  and  forty-two 
cents.  The  treasury  was  bankrupt ;  the  revenue 
was  insufficient :  the  people  were  not  able  to  pay 
high  taxes,  and  the  state  had  borrowed  itself  out 
of  credit.  The  state  never  repudiated  its  debt, 
but  it  simply  could  not  pay  it  at  that  time.  More- 
over, the  state  had  little  to  show  for  this  vast  ex- 
penditure. Southern  Illinois  dominated  the  state, 
and  the  people  in  the  sparselv  settled  northern 
counties  were  not  responsible  for  the  creation  of 
the   state   debt. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  affairs  when  the 
mass  convention  was  held  in  Rockford  in  the 
summer  of  1840.  In  order  to  more  fully  under- 
stand the  historic  situation  at  that  time,  it  will 
be  necessary  to  briefly  refer  to  the  document 
which  gave  a  plausible  pretext  to  the  separatist 
movement.  This  was  the  ordinance  for  the 
government  of  the  Northwest  Territory,  adopted 
in  1787.  This  ordinance  provided  for  the 
division  of  this  vast  area  for  territorial  purposes, 
which  of  course  had  no  bearing  upon  the  present 
matter.  It  further  provided  that  not  more  than 
two  states  should  be  formed  from  the  territory 
north  of  an  east-and-west  line  running  through 
the  southerly  bend  of  Lake  Michigan. 

In  18 1 8  Illinois  territory  ])etitioned  congress 
for  admission  into  the  union  on  an  equality  with 
the  original  states.  The  petition  defined  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  state  in  accordance  with 
the  provisions  of  the  ordinance  of  1787.  When 
the  petition  came  before  congress,  Nathaniel 
Pope  was  instructed  by  the  committee  to  report 
a  bill  in  pursuance  of  the  petition.  Before  the 
bill  became  a  law  it  was  amended  by  the  extension 
of  the  boundary  line  from  the  southerly  bend  of 
Lake  ^Michigan  to  fortv-two  degrees  thirty 
minutes.  Thus  was  added  to  Illinois  a  territory 
fifty  miles  from  north  to  south,  which  now  in- 
cludes the  northern  fourteen  counties  of  the  state. 
These  important  and  radical  changes  were  pro- 
posed and  carried  through  both  houses  of  con- 
gress by  Mr.  Pope,  entirely  on  his  own  personal 


38 


PAST     AXD    TRESEXT    OE     WIXXEriAGO    COl'XTV. 


respoiisil)ility.  Tlie  territorial  k'g:islatiire  had  not 
petitioned  for  tlicin.  l)iit  tlic  jjrcat  and  lasting  ad- 
vantage was  so  ap])arent  that  the  action  of  Mr. 
Pope  received  the  lUKiualified  endorsement  of  the 
people. 

When  Wisconsin  hegan  to  as])ire  to  stateliood, 
it  was  ui)on  the  language  of  the  or<linance  of 
1787.  above  t|iioted.  which  was  «leclareil  a  com- 
pact to  remain  forever  unalterable,  that  our  north- 
ern neighbor  based  her  claim  to  the  territory 
north  of  the  original  line. 

This  <|uestion  of  boundary  became  an  issue  in 
local  politics,  and  it  was  not  until  184S.  when 
Wisconsin  became  a  state,  that  all  hopu  of  the 
restoration  of  the  original  line  was  abandoned. 

In  accordance  with  this  wiilcspread  movement, 
which  is  said  to  have  Ix-gun  at  Galena,  a  mass 
meeting  was  held  at  the  Rockford  House,  in 
Rockford,  July  6,  1840.  One  hundred  and  twenty 
delegates,  who  re])resented  the  entire  territory 
in  dispute,  were  in  attendance. 

.\  committee  was  instructed  to  report  resolu- 
tions ileclaratory  of  the  right  of  Wisconsin  to 
the  territory  in  dispute.  The  preamble  declared 
that  it  was  the  general,  if  not  the  universal,  belief 
of  the  residents  of  the  tract  of  territory  in  dis- 
pute, that  the  same  by  right  and  by  law  is  a  part 
of  the  Territory  of  Wisconsin ;  and  that  their 
interests  would  be  advanced  by  the  restoration  of 
the  original  line,  as  defined  b\-  the  ordinance  of 
1787. 

The  resolution  declared  first,  that  it  was  the 
opinion  of  the  meeting  that  the  intention  of  the 
framers  of  the  ordinance  of  1787  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Xorthvvest  Territory,  was  that  if 
congress  formed  one  or  two  states  north  of  the 
cast-an<l-west  line  aliove  mentioned,  that  the 
states  south  of  the  line  .shoidd  not  extend  north 
and  beyond  it :  second,  that  congress,  in  thus 
extending  the  northern  boundary  of  Illinois, 
transcended  its  power  and  violated  the  provisions 
of  the  ordinance. 

It  was  also  resolved  that  if  the  governor  of 
Wisconsin  Territory  should  issue  a  ])roclamation 
for  an  election  of  delegates  to  a  convention  for 
the  formation  of  a  state  government,  under  the 
resolutions  relating  to  the  southern  boundary,  ap- 
])roved  January  i.^  1840,  the  citizens  of  the  ter- 
ritory in  dispute  should  elect  delegates  to  the  con- 
vention, according  to  the  ratio  fixed  by  the  rcso- 
hition. 

The  sixtli  resolution  |)rovided  that  a  central 
Cfunmittee  of  five  be  a])pointe<l  to  carrv  iiUo  ef- 
fect the  resolutions  of  the  convention,  and  to  in- 
form the  executive  of  Wisconsin  of  tlie  status  of 
public  opinion.  It  was  finally  resolved  that  a 
copy  of  the  proceedings  of  the  convention  should 
be  signed  by  the  president  and  secretary  and  for- 
warded to  the  governor  of  the  Territory  of  Wis- 
consin. 


Other  boundary  conventions  were  held  in 
various  parts  of  the  district.  A  convention  at 
Oregon  City,  January  22,  1842.  adopted  resolu- 
tions similar  to  those  approved  at  Rockford 
eighteen  months  earlier.  The  delegates  even 
went  to  the  point  of  declaring  that  the  ordinance 
of  1787  should  not  be  changed  without  the  con- 
sent of  the  ])eo|)le  of  the  original  states,  and  of 
the  X'orthwest  Territory. 

.\  meeting  was  held  in  (lalena.  March  18,  1842, 
of  whicli  Charles  S.  Hemi^stead  was  i)resi(lcnt. 
Strong  resolutions  were  adopted.  One  declared 
that  the  annexation  of  the  district  to  Illinois  was 
an  unlawful,  arbitrary  ])rocecding,  and  a  danger- 
ous precedent. 

In  June.  1842,  the  commissioners'  court  of 
W'innebago  county  submitted  this  question  to  a 
popular  vote  of  the  county  at  the  .August  election. 
The  returns  were  as  follows :  Eor  annexation  to 
Wisconsin,  nine  hundred  and  seventy-one ;  op- 
posed to  annexation,  six. 

.\  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  P.elvidere  was 
held  September  7,  1842,  when  it  was  decicled  to 
call  a  special  election  for  the  fourth  Monday  in 
September,  in  pursuance  of  the  recommendation 
contained  in  the  proclamation  of  Governor  Doty, 
of  the  Territory  of  Wisconsin.  Such  an  elec- 
tion was  held,  with  a  result  similar  to  that  in 
\Mnnebago  county. 

This  prolonged  agitation  accomplished  no  re- 
sult. The  movement  suddenly  lost  its  momentum 
and  became  a  spent  force.  The  essential  jjrinciplc 
involved  in  the  resolutions  that  were  adopted  at 
Oregon  City  was  whether  the  congress  of  the 
United  States  under  tlie  constitution,  had  no 
))ower  to  amend  a  jirior  act  of  confederated  states. 
In  view  of  the  subse(|uent  evolution  of  the  federal 
idea,  under  the  S])lendi<l  leadershiji  of  Webster 
and  Marsliall.  it  seems  sunirising  that  such  a 
preposterous  claim  should  have  been  seriously 
considered. 

KOCKIDKD    ol'l'OSi:s    RI-ITDIA  I  ION, 

The  history  of  the  l)onde<I  indebtedness  of  the 
states  begins  with  the  ))eriod  from  i8_^o  to  1840. 
.\t  the  beginning  of  that  decade  the  aggregate 
debt  of  the  several  states  amounted  to  only  thir- 
teen million  dollars.  Then  began  an  era  of  ex- 
travagance in  which  certain  states  made  enormous 
cxjienditures  for  ititernal  improvements,  and  for 
funiling  their  delits.  negotiated  large  loans  on 
long  time.  Within  the  twelve  years  succeeding 
1830  the  aggregate  debt  of  the  states  had  arisen 
to  more  than  two  liun<lred  millions,  an  increase 
of  more  tlian  sixteen  hundred  |ier  cent. 

Illinois  narrowlv  escajied  tlie  odium  of  rc|)udi- 
ation.  .\t  this  critical  period  Thomas  Eord  be- 
came governor,  t  >n  this  jjfiint  he  says  in  his 
History  of  Illinois:  "It  is  my  solemn  Ix^lief  that 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WIXXEBAGO     COUNTY. 


39 


when  I  came  into  office  I  had  the  power  to  make 
Illinois  a  repudiating  state."  After  July,  1841, 
no  effort  was  made  to  pay  even  the  interest  on  the 
debt:  and  her  bonds  declined  to  fourteen  cents 
on  the  dollar.  Ford  was  elected  governor  in 
1842  :  and  his  title  to  fame  securely  rests  upon 
the  fact  that  he  stemmed  the  tide,  so  that  the 
larger  proportion  of  the  debt  was  actually  paid 
during  his  administration. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  citizens  of 
\\'innebago  county  desired  annexation  to  Wis- 
consin, in  part  by  reason  of  this  debt,  there  was 
no  attempt  made  to  repudiate  the  debt  so  long  as 
they  remained  in  the  state.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  citizens  took  an  unequivocal  position  against 
such  a  ruinous  policy.  A  call  was  issued  for  a 
meeting  February  5.  1842,  to  consider  the  con- 
dition of  the  public  credit.  This  call  was  signed 
by  S.  Al.  Church,  S.  D.  Preston,  George  S.  Has- 
kell :  Germanicus  Kent,  D.  S.  Haight,  G.  A. 
Sanford,  Francis  Burnap  and  others.  It  had 
been  surmised  that  Illinois  would  refuse  to  pay 
its  debt.  This  call  was  endorsed  by  a  vigorous 
editorial  in  the  Rockford  Pilot,  which  closed 
with  these  words :  "As  this  is  a  question  of  vital 
consideration  to  every  citizen,  we  trust  tliat  a  full 
attendance  will  be  had  on  that  occasion — that  by 
your  presence  and  your  voices  you  may  show  to 
the  world  your  opinion  in  regard  to  these  sur- 
mises. Think  not  that  your  individual  credit  is 
independent  of  that  of  your  state  and  nation.  All 
power  and  all  public  acts  emanate  directly  from 
the  people,  who  are  the  sovereigns  of  the  re- 
public ;  and  whatever  honor  or  shame  falls  to 
your  state,  must  be  shared  among  you."  The 
citizens"  meeting  was  in  sympathy  with  this  edi- 
torial comment ;  and  the  moral  influence  of  Win- 
nebago county  was  thus  placed  on  record  against 
a  repudiating  policy  that  would  have  brought 
the  state  into  everlasting  disgrace. 

SETTLERS    OF    THE    EARLY    FORTIES. 

Orrin  Miller  came  to  Rockford  in  1843  ''nd 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  law.  He  was  a  bril- 
liant and  able  attorney.  Mr.  Miller  married  a 
daughter  of  AMllard  \\Tieeler.  About  1871  he 
removed  to  the  Pacific  coast.  His  death  oc- 
curred at  Pomona,  near  Los  Angeles,  in  Febru- 
ary, i8gi.  He  was  about  seventy  years  of  age. 
His  remains  were  brought  to  Rockford  for  inter- 
ment. 

Another  early  lawyer  of  the  village  was  Grant 
B.  Udell.  His  name  is  occasionally  found  on  old 
legal  documents  :  but  he  seems  not  to  have  been 
generally  remembered. 

Anson  S.  Miller  was  a  prominent  lawyer  and 
politician  half  a  century  ago.  He  was  elected 
state  senator  in  1846,  was  postmaster  of  Rock- 
ford   under    appointment    of    President    Lincoln, 


and  probate  judge  from  1857  to  1865.  Judge 
Aliller  was  one  of  the  presidential  electors  in 
1864,  and  was  chosen  by  the  electoral  college  to 
carry  the  vote  of  Illinois  to  Washington.  Judge 
Aliller  died  January  7,  1891,  at  Santa  Cruz,  Cali- 
fornia. For  twenty  years  preceding  his  death  he 
had  resided  in  California.  Judge  Miller  was 
eighty-two  years  of  age. 

Cyrus  F.  Miller,  a  brother 'of  Judge  Miller,  was 
born  near  Rome.  New  York.  He  came  to  Win- 
nebago county  in  1839  or  '40  and  was  for  many 
years  a  well  known  member  of  the  local  bar,  and 
justice  of  the  peace.  Mr.  Miller  removed  to  Chi- 
cago in  1871,  directly  after  the  great  fire.  He 
practiced  law  in  that  city  until  1876.  when  he  re- 
turned to  Rockford.  His  death  occurred  June  4. 
i8qo,  at  Beatrice,  Nebraska,  and  his  remains 
were  brought  to  Rockford  for  burial. 

Daniel  Dow  came  to  Rockford  in  1841,  and 
opened  a  boot  and  shoe  store,  and  later  he  car- 
ried a  general  stock  of  merchandise.  He  pur- 
chased goods  at  St.  Louis,  and  his  first  trip  to 
that  city  was  made  by  team  to  Galena ;  thence  by 
the  Mississippi  to  his  destination.  Mr.  Dow  con- 
tinued in  business  until  i85().  when  he  retired 
and  traveled  extensively.  Upon  his  return  to 
Rockford  he  began  dealing  in  grain.  Mr.  Dow 
served  the  Third  ward  as  alderman  for  six  years. 
He  died  November  8,  1903. 

Lewis  B.  Gregory  is  a  native  of  Seneca  county, 
New  York.  He  was  born  in  1820,  of  New  Eng- 
land ancestry.  His  father  was  Rev.  Harry 
Gregory,  a  Methodist  minister.  Mr.  Gregorv  ac- 
quired a  seminary  education.  He  came  to  Rock- 
ford in  1843,  '1"'^'  began  teaching  the  same  year. 
Mr.  Gregory  is  probably  the  oldest  living  teacher 
in  the  county.  After  teaching  several  terms,  he 
became  interested  in  business  on  the  old  water- 
power  on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  He  was  a 
nephew  of  Samuel  and  Eliphalet  Gregory,  set- 
tlers of  1835. 

George  Tullock  was  a  well  known  citizen  of 
Scottish  birth.  He  was  born  in  181 5.  and  came 
to  Rockford  in  1841.  At  Chicago  Mr.  Tullock 
hired  his  passage  with  a  teamster :  but  the  roads 
were  so  bad  that  he  started  ahead  on  foot,  and 
arrived  in  Rockford  three  days  ahead  of  the 
team.  Mr.  Tullock  was  employed  by  Daniel  Dow 
nearly  four  years  as  a  shoemaker.  He  then 
became  a  farmer. 

THE  FIRST   COUXTV    F.MRS. 

As  early  as  August,  1840.  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  draft  a  constitution  and  by-laws  for 
the  Winnebago  County  Agricultural  Society. 
This  connnittee  deferred  its  report  until  the  next 
Alarch  term  of  the  county  commissioners'  court, 
in  order  to  avail  itself  of  the  privilege  of  organiz- 
ing the  society  under  the  statute  "to  incorporate 


40 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     W  IXXEBAGO     COUX'IV, 


agricultural  societies,"  which  was  passed  March 
28,  1830-  The  act  re(|uirecl  the  county  commis- 
sioners to  jjive  due  notice  of  the  intention  to  form 
such  society  at  that  s])ecial  term  only,  and  pre- 
cluded a  lej^ai  or^^fanization  in  this  county  at  an 
earlier  tlate,  under  the  provisions  of  the  statute. 

The  Ajiricidtural  .Society  was  orfjanized 
A])ril  13,  1 84 1.  Dr.  Haskell  was  elected  presi- 
dent ;  Robert  J.  Cross,  vice-president ;  George  W. 
Lee,  secretary;  Cliarles  I.  Ilorsman,  treasurer; 
Horace  Miller,  Richard  Montajjue.  I'.  M.  John- 
son, James  S.  Xorton,  Xewton  Crawford.  I.  X'. 
Cunningham.  Jonathan  W'eldon.  directors.  An 
adjourned  meeting  was  held  July  stli.  .Septem- 
ber 8th  a  meeting  of  the  officers  was  held  to  com- 
plete arrangements  for  the  first  cattle  show.  Tt 
was  <Iecided  that  the  fair  should  he  held  annually 
in  Rockforil.  alternating  on  the  east  and  west 
sides  of  the  river :  that  all  the  available  funds  of 
the  society  be  distributed  in  premiums,  and  that 
the  premiums  be  i)aiil  in  agricultural  ])ublications. 

The  e.xhibition  was  held  on  the  13th  of  October. 
The  stock  was  exhibited  in  the  grove  near  the 
northeast  corner  of  I'irst  and  Oak  streets  which 
was  known  as  the  Oak  Openings,  where  the 
ground  was  covered  with  a  beautiful  tuft.  A 
few  splendid  specimens  of  the  jiriniitive  oak  trees 
remain  in  the  vicinity.  Cattle  and  horses  were 
tied  to  the  trees ;  the  shee])  and  hogs  were  con- 
fined in  rail  |)ens.  The  dis])lay  of  domestic  ar- 
ticles and  garden  proiluce  was  made  in  the  hall 
of  the  Rockford  House.  Charles  I.  Horsman  cx- 
hil)ited  a  squash  weighing  one  hundred  and 
twenty-eight  pounds.  There  were  several  loads 
of  grain  standing  in  the  street  in  front  of  the 
Rockford  House. 

-At  two  o'clock  the  society  and  visitors  formed 
a  procession,  under  direction  of  Jason  Marsh. 
the  marshal  of  the  day.  and  marched  to  the  court- 
house, on  the  East  side.  Rev.  Joel  B.  Potter 
offered  prayer,  and  Dr.  Goodhue  delivered  an  ad- 
dress. He  was  eloquent  in  his  pro])]iecy  of  the 
future  whicli  awaited  the  farmers  of  this  fertile 
valley,  .\fter  these  exercises  dinner  was  served 
at  the  Rockford  House.  .\t  half  past  five  the 
committee  on  awards  made  its  report.  The  pre- 
mium list  was  brief.  There  were  seven  premiums 
offered  for  horses,  six  for  cattle,  four  for  hogs, 
and  two  for  sheep ;  one  for  the  Ix^st  cultivated 
ten  acres  of  land,  one  for  the  best  twenty-five 
])ounds  of  butter,  one  for  the  best  cheese  weighing 
over  fifteen  i)r)unds,  one  for  the  best  ten  yards  of 
dannel  manufactured  in  the  comity,  f)ne  for  the 
best  fifty  skeins  of  sewing  silk  manufactured  in 
the  county,  and  one  for  the  best  ten  )ioimds  of 
sugar  manufactured  in  the  county.  Thus  was 
held,  in  a  single  day.  the  first  cattle  show  in  north- 
trn  Illinois. 

This  society  kept  up  its  organization  and  an- 
nual exhibits   for  some  vears,  when  it  ceased  to 


exist.  In  185J  another  society  was  formed,  out 
of  which  a  larger  organization  was  developed. 
The  latter  was  organized  under  a  general  law, 
apjjroved  in  1855.  Until  1858  the  society  held 
its  exhibitions  on  leased  ground.  In  that  year, 
twelve  acres  of  land  were  purchased  of  C.  I. 
Ilorsman,  for  six  himdred  dollars  per  acre.  Later 
inirchases  were  made,  which  increased  the 
grounds  to  twenty-two  acres. 


llll-;    liANIMI" 


Ol"     rilK    I-KO.NTIICR. 


The  frontier  is  always  the  prey  of  the  banditti. 
I-rom  1837  t<i  1845  the  Rock  river  valley  was  in- 
fested with  a  notorious  gang  of  outlaws,  .\mong 
the  leaders  of  this  band  were:  John  Driscoll, 
William  and  David  Driscoll,  his  sons ;  John 
llrodie,  and  his  three  sons,  John.  Stephen  and 
Hugh  ;  Sanniel  .\ikens,  and  his  three  .sons,  Rich- 
ard. Charles  and  Thomas ;  William  K.  I'ridge, 
Xorton  U.  Royce.  Charles  Oliver,  and  Charles 
West.  liesides  these  chiefs  of  the  robber  con- 
federacy, there  were  a  large  number  of  subordi- 
nates scattered  throughout  the  country. 

The  leaders  of  this  gang  were  among  the  first 
settlers,  and  thus  had  the  choice  of  locations. 
John  Driscoll  came  from  ( )hio,  and  settled  near 
Killbuck  creek.  Monroe  townshij).  Ogle  county. 
William  Driscoll  settled  at  South  Grove,  in  De- 
Kalb  count V.  David  Driscoll  resided  a  short 
distance  east  of  the  old  village  site  of  Lynnville, 
in  (^gle  county.  John  Pirodie  lived  in  a  grove  of 
timber  in  Dement  township.  Samuel  .\ikens  and 
his  son  Charles  and  William  K.  Bridge  settled  in 
Washington  Grove,  and  Thomas  and  Richard 
Aikens  and  Xorton  P..  Royce  at  Lafayette  Grove, 
scarcely  half  a  mile  distant.  Charles  Oliver  set- 
tled at  Rockford,  and  made  his  home  at  the 
Rockford  House.  He  had  a  good  address,  and 
was  given  four  thousand  dollars  by  his  father 
when  he  left  the  parental  home.  About  1837, 
while  he  was  an  miknown  member  of  this  band 
of  oulaws,  he  came  within  a  few  votes  of  being 
elected  a  justice  of  the  peace,  over  James  B. 
Martyn.  Charles  West  made  his  home  at  Inlet 
Grove,  in  Lee  county. 

The  operations  of  this  hand  extended  through 
the  western  and  northwestern  states.  Along  the 
entire  line  there  were  convenient  stations  in 
charge  of  men  who,  to  all  ajipearance,  were 
honest,  hard-working  settlers.  Such  was  Wil- 
liam McDole.  a  quiet,  industrious  resident  of 
Rockford.  I'nder  this  arrangement,  a  horse 
stolen  at  either  end  of  the  line  or  elsewhere 
could  be  passed  from  one  station  to  another,  and 
no  agent  be  absent  from  his  home  or  business  for 
more  than  a  few  hours  at  a  time ;  and  thus  for 
vears  thev  remained  unsus]>ected.  .\t  that  time 
few  counties  were  sufficientlv  organized  to  en- 
force  efficient    jiolice    regulations.      This   section 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


41 


was  sparsely  settled ;  the  pioneers  were  poor, 
and  money  was  scarce.  There  were  few  jails, 
and  these  were  scarcely  worthy  of  the  name.  For 
several  vears  after  the  settlement  of  Winnebago 
county,  the  nearest  jail  was  at  Galena.  There  is 
a  story  to  the  effect  that  the  sheriff  of  this 
county  once  took  a  culprit  to  Galena,  and  upon 
his  return  to  Rockford  his  late  prisoner  was 
among-  the  first  to  greet  him. 

This  primitive  condition  of  society  was  the  op- 
portunity of  the  border  outlaw.  Counterfeiting, 
horse-stealing,  robbery  and  even  murder  were  of 
such  frequent  occurrence  that  the  settlers  were 
driven  to  desperation.  They  resolved  to  adopt 
radical  measures  for  relief ;  for  if  these  outrages 
were  continued  property  was  insecure,  and  hfe 
itself  was  in  constant  jeopardy.  In  the  spring  of 
1841.  a  delegation  of  reputable  citizens  of  White 
Rock  and  Paine's  Point,  Ogle  county,  called  upon 
Judge  Ford,  who  was  then  holding  circuit  court 
at  Oregon  for  consultation.  Judge  Ford  was  a 
fearless  man,  and  naturally  well  equipped  to  meet 
the  peculiar  conditions  of  pioneer  life.  Judge 
Ford  knew  that  the  settlers  were  at  the  mercy  of 
the  banditti,  and  that  it  was  useless  to  invoke  the 
civil  authorities.  He  therefore  advised  them  to 
organize  a  company,  which  should  call  upon  the 
men  whom  they  knew  to  be  lawless,  take  them 
bv  force  from  their  homes,  strip  them  to  the  waist, 
and  lash  them  with  a  blacksnakc.  He  recom- 
mended thirty-six  lashes  as  the  first  chastise- 
ment, and  sixty  for  a  second  ofifense  ;  and  that 
the  leaders  should  be  given  ten  days  in  which  to 
leave  the  country. 

Judge  Ford's  advice  was  followed  to  the  let- 
ter. A  decree  from  the  bench  could  not  have 
been  more  faithfully  executed.  In  April  about 
fifteen  citizens  met  at  a  log  schoolhouse  at  White 
Rock  and  organized  a  company  known  as  the 
Ogle  County  Regulators.  P>y-laws  and  rules 
were'  adopted  and  the  membership  increased  to 
hundreds  in  Ogle  an<l  Winnebago  counties.  The 
late  Ralph  Chancy  was  an  active  member  of  this 
organization  :  and  to  him  the  writer  is  indebted 
for  information  of  those  stirring  experiences. 

John  Earle  was  the  first  victim  of  this  savage 
justice.  It  was  proved  that  he  had  forced  or  in- 
duced a  young  man  under  twenty  years  of  age  to 
steal  his  neighbor's  horse.  Earle's  coat  and  vest 
were  removed,  and  his  arms  pinioned.  Six  or 
seven  luen  were  chosen  from  the  company  to  ad- 
minister five  lashes  apiece.  Mr,  Chancey  relates 
that  a  deacon  of  the  church  inflicted  the  most 
vigorous  strokes.  The  result  was  quite  unex- 
pected. At  the  next  meeting  of  the  Regulators, 
Earle  applied  for  membership,  was  admitted,  and 
became  a  good  worker. 

The  second  instance  occurred  in  the  afternoon 
of  the  same  day.  The  culprit's  name  was  Dag- 
gett.    Before  coming  to  the  w'cst  he  had  been  a 


Baptist  minister.  He  was  not  a  shining  example 
of  the  perseverance  of  the  saints,  a  distinctive 
doctrine  of  that  church  ;  for  he  had  fallen  from 
grace  with  a  dull,  sickening  thud.  The  Regu- 
lators were  not  agreed  concerning  his  punish- 
ment :  although  his  guilt  was  generally  believed. 
A  bare  majority  of  one  or  two  voted  to  release 
him.  That  night,  however,  the  minority  tied 
Daggett  to  a  tree  and  gave  him  ninety-six  lashes. 
Dr."  Hobart  examined  him  occasionally  to  prevent 
fatal  injurv.  This  chastisement  was  denounced 
by  the  more  conservative  Regulators. 

'  Soon  after  their  organization  John  Campbell 
was  chosen  captain  of  the  Regulators.  A  short 
time  after  they  had  begun  their  work  of  ex- 
termination, Mr.  Campl)ell  received  an  epistle 
from  William  DriscoU,  in  which  he  offered  bat- 
tle. The  Regulators  were  challenged  to  meet 
him  Tuesday,  June  22d,  at  his  home  in  South 
Grove.  Mr.  Campbell  was  generally  recognized 
as  the  right  man  to  lead  such  an  organization. 
He  was  a  devout  Scotch  Presbyterian,  who  had 
come  from  Canada. 

At  the  appointed  time  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
six  men,  armed  with  rifles  and  muskets,  re- 
sponded to  the  challenge.  They  were  mounted 
on  good  horses ;  with  the  stars  and  stripes  un- 
furled to  the  breeze,  and  a  bugle,  they  formed  in 
line,  two  abreast,  and  began  the  march  to  the 
field  of  battle.  When  they  arrived  at  South 
Grove  they  found  seventeen  members  of  the  gang 
in  a  log  house,  barricaded  for  defense,  armed 
with  fifty-four  guns  of  different  kinds.  The 
Regulators  halted  just  outside  of  gunsliot  and 
held  a  council  of  war.  Before  making  an  attack 
it  was  resolved  to  send  a  messenger  to  the  house 
to  ascertain  the  plans  of  the  inmates,  Osborn 
Chaney  volunteered  to  beard  the  lions  in  their 
den.  When  within  forty  rods  of  the  house  the 
men  broke  through  the  door  and  ran  away;  and 
Mr.  Qianey  did  not  get  an  opportunity  to  speak 
with  any  one  of  them.  Soon  after  Mr.  Chaney 
returned  to  the  company  he  was  followed  by  a 
man  named  Bowman,  who  said  he  had  a  message 
from  John  Driscoll  to  the  effect  that  if  the  Regu- 
lators wished  to  confer  with  him  he  would  re- 
ceive the  message  from  Bowman  and  from  no 
one  else.  William  Driscoll  also  sent  word  by  the 
same  messenger  that  he  had  three  hundred  allies 
at  Svcamore,  and  that  they  would  meet  the  Regu- 
lators on  the  prairie  two  hours  later.  The  latter 
repaired  to  a  level  piece  of  ground,  examined 
their  guns,  and  waited  developments.  In  due 
time  Driscoll  arrived,  with  the  sheriff  of  De- 
Kalb  county  and  two  other  officials,  who  wished 
to  know  the  meaning  of  the  demonstration.  Cap- 
tain Campbell  stood  in  a  wagon,  and  in  a  vigor- 
ous speech  gave  them  the  desired  information. 
Meanwhile  Driscoll  sat  on  his  horse  about  four 
feet  distant.    He  was  silent,  buKin  a  terrible  rage. 


42 


PAST     AM)     I'RKSKXT     OF     WIXXELSAGO     COUXTY. 


Mr.  Chancy  says  he  heard  the  tiratiiisj  of  his 
teeth,  and  l)eheves  that  then  and  there  Cami)bell 
received  his  death  sentence  from  Driscoll.  Tlie 
officials  from  DeKalb  county  expressed  their 
sympathy  with  the  Ret^ulators.  and  the  DriscoUs 
promised  to  leave  the  state  within  twenty  days. 
The  Re;julatf>rs  disl)ande<l  for  the  day  and  went 
home.  Tile  Driscolls  did  not  keep  their  word. 
On  the  contrary,  a  meetinp  of  the  des])cradoes 
was  held  on  the  followinjj  Saturday  ni,e:ht  at 
the  house  of  William  I'.ridfjc.  at  Washington 
Grove,  where  the  nuirder  of  Campbell  was 
])lanned. 

On  Sunday.  June  27th,  David  an<l  Ta\lor  Dris- 
coll. who  had  been  chosen  to  murder  Campbell, 
accomplished  their  purjiose.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cami)l)ell  ha<l  just  returned  from  church  at  the 
log  schoolhouse  at  White  Rock.  While  .going 
trom  the  house  to  the  barn  about  twilight,  he  was 
shot  through  the  heart  by  David  Driscoll.  Ralph 
Qianey  was  luaking  his  home  with  his  brother 
I'hineas  about  three-(|uarters  of  a  mile  distant. 
He  heard  the  rejiort  of  the  gun  and  the  cries  of 
the  family.  He  and  FMiineas  immediately  went 
to  the  assistance  of  the  Cami)i)ell  family.  Mr. 
Campbell  walked  about  forty  feet  and  fell  dead. 

Xews  of  the  tragedy  s])rea<l  f|uickly  to  Rock- 
ford  and  other  towns.  Mrs.  Campbell  was  a  wit- 
ness of  the  murder,  and  there  was  no  doubt  about 
the  identity  of  the  assassins.  On  Monday  the 
sheriff  of  (  )gle  county  and  a  ])osse  arrested  John 
Driscoll  at  the  home  of  his  son.  David,  near 
Lynnville.  Mr.  Chaney  gives  this  incident  of  the 
arrest:  "When  he  was  arrested  he  said:  "I  al- 
ways calculate  to  hold  myself  in  subjection  to 
the  laws  of  my  country."  .-\  daughter  who  was 
sto|>])ing  there,  a  woman  grown,  large  and  strong, 
when  the  sheriff  announced  that  he  was  a  pris- 
oner, turned  and  faced  her  father,  and  their  eyes 
met,  and  there  was  that  kind  of  a  look  I  can 
hardlv  descriln?,  passed  between  them,  and  as  she 
held  hi?  eye  she  nodded  her  head  to  him.  Xoth- 
ing  said,  but  such  a  look  I  never  saw  in  the 
world." 

The  sheriff  and  his  ])osse  then  went  to  South 
( Irove  in  search  of  William  Driscoll.  The  elder 
Driscoll  was  seated  in  a  wagon  between  two 
guards.  .\  company  from  Winnebago .  county 
had  preceded  them,  and  had  arrested  \\"illiam  and 
his  younger  brother  Pierce.  The  sheriff  took  his 
prisoner  to  TJregon  and  lodged  him  in  jail. 

.-\bout  nine  o'cl<ick  Tuesday  morning  a  parly 
went  to  the  jail,  and  with  heavy  timbers  battered 
down  tlie  door.  They  to<ik  John  Driscoll  from 
his  cell,  put  a  ro])e  arfiund  his  neck  and  dragged 
him  to  the  river  as  ra])idly  as  ])ossible.  The 
sheriff  |)ursued.  Init  l)efore  he  could  overtake 
them  they  had  entered  a  Imal  with  their  jirisoner 
and  were  soon  on  the  otiier  side  of  the  river. 
There  they  met  a  man  from  Washington  Grove, 


who  told  them  there  was  a  ])arty  at  that  place  who 
had  taken  the  two  sons,  William  and  Pierce.  They 
then  proceeded  with  John  Driscoll  to  Washington 
Grove,  where  they  met  the  Rockford  division, 
liy  this  time,  aboiu  ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon, 
the  crowd  had  increased  to  about  five  hundred. 
Xearly  every  class  of  people  was  rejiresented. 
The  horsemen  dismounted,  secured  their  horses, 
and  stacked  their  arms  around  a  tree.  They 
formed  a  hollow  stjuare  around  the  tree,  and 
brought  the  three  Driscolls  into  the  centre. 
.Among  the  lawyers  jiresent  was  E.  S.  Leland, 
who  acted  as  the  leader,  and  conducted  an  ex- 
amination of  the  prisoners.  A  mob  court  was 
instituted.  The  senior  Driscoll  was  asked  how 
man\'  horses  he  had  stolen  in  his  tiiue  :  to  which 
he  replied  thai  he  supposed  he  had  taken  as  many 
as  fifty.  "Could  you  not  say  a  hundred?'  asked 
an  inc|uisitor :  and  the  old  man,  with  a  faint 
smile,  said:  "It  luight  be."  He  confessed  that  he 
had  ])aid  young  men  fifteen  to  twenty-five  dollars 
to  steal  a  horse  from  a  neighbor,  simply  to  satisfy 
a  grudge,  when  he  received  no  pecuniary  reward 
from  the  theft.  William  Driscoll  was  similarly 
interviewed.  Pierce  Driscoll  was  examined,  but 
no  evidence  was  found  against  him.  and  he  was 
given  his  liberty. 

John  and  William  Driscoll  were  then  told  that 
David  and  Taylor  had  been  identified  as  the  mur- 
derers of  Campbell :  also  that  evidence  had 
])roved  them  to  be  accessories  in  the  i)lot  at 
1 'ridge's  house  on  the  preceding  .Saturday  even- 
ing. .\fter  further  deliberation.  Mr.  Iceland 
called  for  an  e.\i)ression  of  oi)inion  u])on  the  guilt 
of  the  i)risoners  by  the  uplifted  right  hand.  The 
decision  was  almost  unaniiuous  against  them. 
The  vote  upon  their  jiunishment  was  equally  de- 
cisive that  they  should  be  hung,  then  and  tlicre ; 
and  they  were  given  one  hour  in  which  to  pre- 
pare for  death.  The  condemned  men  implored 
their  executioners  to  change  the  method  of  death 
from  hanging  to  shooting.  This  request  was 
granted  by  a  unanimous  vote.  The  senior  Dris- 
coll had  stood  in  the  meantime  with  the  rope 
around  his  neck,  and  he  asked  Mr.  Chaney  to 
remove  it. 

The  arrangements  for  the  execution  occupied 
about  an  hour  and  a  half.  Jason  Mar.sh,  of 
Rockford,  was  ])resent,  and  pro|)osed  to  Charles 
Latimer,  as  an  additional  formality,  to  defend  the 
])risoners.  and  |)re.sent  their  case  before  the  mob 
court.  .Mr.  Marsh  then  made  the  opening  pica 
for  the  prisoners.  "And  I  nuist  say."  said  Mr. 
Chaney.  "he  did  himself  credit,  and  full  justice 
to  the  i)risoners  in  his  sjieech.  Latimer  followed 
in  Ix'half  of  the  peoi)le.  and  made  a  very  able 
speech."  There  were  several  ministers  of  the 
gospel  on  the  scene,  who  spent  the  time  allowed 
the  prisoners  in  praying  and  conversation  with 
them.      It    was  an   occasion   of  great   solemnity. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


43 


Righteous  wrath  was  expressed  in  the  resohite 
and  orderly  execution  of  mob  justice. 

When  the  hour  of  execution  arrived,  about 
one  hundred  and  twenty  men  were  drawn  up  in 
line,  in  single  file.  This  line  was  divided  in  the 
center.  John  Driscoll  was  led  out  by  Captain 
Pitcher,  in  full  view  of  his  executioners.  He 
was  made  to  kneel  ten  paces  in  front  of  the  west 
half  of  the  line.  His  eyes  were  blindfolded,  and 
his  arms  pinioned  behind  him.  At  the  signal 
all  the  guns,  save  one,  were  fired  in  a  single  volley. 
John  Driscoll  fell  forward  on  his  face  without  a 
struggle  or  groan,  or  the  apparent  movement  of 
a  muscle. 

William  Driscoll  was  then  brought  out  and 
placed  at  the  same  distance  before  the  center  of 
the  other  half  of  the  line.  He  was  blindfolded, 
pinioned,  and  made  to  kneel  upon  the  ground. 
As  Judge  Leland  counted  three,  the  volley  of 
more  than  fifty  guns  was  as  the  sound  of  one. 
William  Driscoll  was  dead.  The  father  and  son 
fell  about  forty  feet  apart.  A  grave  was  dug  be- 
tween them,  about  two  and  one-half  feet  deep, 
and  four  feet  wide.  The  old  man  was  first  taken 
and  placed  in  the  grave,  without  coffin  or  shroud ; 
and  then  the  son  was  laid  by  his  side.  Their 
caps  were  drawn  over  their  faces,  and  thus  they 
were  buried,  without  the  presence  of  a  mourn- 
ing friend.  Mr.  Chaney  assisted  in  carrying  the 
elder  Driscoll  to  the  grave,  and  discovered  that 
the  bones  of  his  head  were  literally  broken  to 
pieces,  and  the  region  of  the  heart  perforated 
with  bullets.  In  William  Driscoll's  vest  front 
were  found  forty  bullet-holes.  After  their  execu- 
tion one  of  their  guards  stated  that  \Mlliam  Dris- 
coll, in  his  prayer,  confessed  he  had  committed 
five  murders  and  jjrayed  to  be  forgiven.  It  is 
said  that  just  before  he  was  led  out  to  die,  Wil- 
liam called  his  brother  Pierce  and  said :  "They 
are  going  to  kill  me,  and  I  want  you  to  take  that 
money  of  mine  that  is  hid  and  give  my  children 
a  liberal  education,  and  spend  it  for  their  sup- 
port until  they  become  men  and  women  grown. 
There  is  plenty  of  it."  Pierce  expressed  his  wil- 
lingness to  do  so,  but  said:  "I  don't  know  where 
your  money  is  ;  you  have  never  told  me."  Wil- 
liam tried  to  tell  him,  but  exclaimed:  "O  my  God! 
I  can't  do  it."' 

A  strange  sequel  occurred  many  vears  later. 
The  farm  that  had  been  owned  by  William  Dris- 
coll became  the  property  of  a  man  named  Byers. 
One  day  in  autumn,  while  he  was  threshing, 
three  men  came  on  horseback  and  entered  the 
grove  west  of  the  house.  After  surve}'ing  the 
premises  they  located  a  spot  and  began  digging. 
Byers  ordered  them  to  stop,  but  he  was  con- 
fronted by  a  revolver  and  an  order  to  return 
and  mind  his  own  business.  After  their  de- 
parture Byers  went  to  the  spot  and  found  a  hole 
which  they  had  dug  in  the  ground,  and  beside  it 


a  small  empty  box,  and  at  the  bottom  of  the  hole 
the  mark  and  place  from  which  the  box  had 
been  dug.  No  explanation  -was  ever  found.  A 
reward  of  five  hundred  dollars  was  ofifered  in 
August,  1841,  for  the  capture  of  David  and 
Taylor  Driscoll,  by  a  committee  of  citizens  of 
Ogle  county.  David  Driscoll  never  returned. 
Taylor  Driscoll  was  indicted  for  the  murder  of 
Campbell  and  kept  in  different  jails  nearly  two 
}ears  ;  and  by  changes  of  venue  and  confusion 
of  witnesses  he  was  at  length  given  his  liberty. 

Throughout  these  strange  proceedings  the 
Regulators  were  sustained  by  the  ablest  lawyers 
and  best  citizens  throughout  the  country.  "Doc- 
tors and  scholars,  ministers  and  deacons"  re- 
garded this  terrible  example  of  lynch  law  as  a 
public  necessity. 

Some  months  after  the  execution  of  the  Dris- 
colls  the  matter  was  brought  before  the  attention 
of  the  grand  jurv  in  Ogle  county.  Judge  Ford 
then  resided  at  Oregon,  and  it  is  said  this  action 
was  taken  at  his  suggestion.  At  the  September 
term  of  the  circuit  court,  indictments  were  foimd 
against  one  hundred  and  twelve  citizens.  Among 
these  were  four  Chancy  brothers,  Richard, 
I'hineas,  Osborn  and  Ralph,  three  of  whom  be- 
came residents  of  Rockford :  and  Horace  ]\Iiller, 
Jason  Marsh  and  Charles  Latimer,  of  Winne- 
bago county.  The  case  was  called  for  trial  at 
the  same  term  of  court.  Judge  Ford  presided, 
and  Seth  B.  Farwell  appeared  for  the  people. 
Some  of  the  jurors  were  under  indictment  for 
complicity  in  the  affair.  Several  witnesses  were 
called,  and  pleas  made ;  and  without  leaving  their 
seats  the  jurv  returned  a  verdict  of  "not  guilty." 
No  one  expected  a  conviction,  but  it  was  con- 
sidered desirable  to  have  the  matter  settled  ac- 
cording to  the  regular  form  of  law.  Thus  closed 
the  trial  of  the  largest  number  of  defendants 
ever  indicted  under  one  charge  at  one  session 
of  a  grand  jury  known  to  the  judicial  history  of 
this  section. 

ROHBERY    OF    IICKENNEY    AND    MULFORD. 

The  execution  of  the  Driscolls  was  only  the 
beginning  of  the  work  of  extermination ;  al- 
though it  was  the  sole  instance  where  such  des- 
perate measures  were  considered  necessary  to  ac- 
complish their  purpose.  Robberies  and  murders 
continued,  and  the  people  lived,  for  years  under 
a  literal  reign  of  terror. 

September  19,  1843,  the  store  of  William  i\Ic- 
Kenney,  near  the  site  of  318  East  State  street,  in 
Rockford,  was  robbed  of  a  trunk  containing 
nearly  twelve  hundred  dollars.  Bradford  Mc- 
Kenney,  his  brother,  who  slept  in  the  store  at  the 
time,  gives  a  vivid  account  of  the  robbery  in  Mr. 
Thurston's  reminiscences. 

The  narrative,  in  its  use  of  adjectives  and  in- 


44 


PAST     AXn     I'RF.SF.XT     OF     WTXXFP.ACO     roCXTV. 


torjcctions,  requires  some  revision  in  order  to 
make  it  conform  to  the  canons  of  good  literary 
style.  The  rol)l)er.  in  liis  hasty  flight,  left  eight 
dollars  in  silver  in  the  trunk.  The  next  day 
several  dollars  were  found  at  another  place :  and 
the  ne.xt  spring  James  (iilbert  found  sixty-two 
dollars  only  a  few  roils  from  where  the  trunk 
was  rifled  of  its  contents.  .\  reward  of  two 
hundred  dollars  was  otTered  for  tlie  apprehension 
of  the  thief  and  the  recovery  of  the  money:  but 
he  was  an  ex]>ert.  and  eluded  capture. 

The  community  was  startled  two  weeks  lati,'r 
by  another  bold  depredatinn.  Monday  evening. 
( )ctober  2.  one  of  the  four-horse  coaches  belong- 
ing to  I'riiik.  Walker  &  Co.  was  robbed  four 
miles  from  Rockford,  while  en  route  to  Chicago. 
It  is  said  the  baggage  of  the  ])assengers  was 
stolen  from  the  rear  of  the  coach  while  in  mo- 
tion, and  that  the  fact  was  not  discovered  until 
its  arrival  in  Xewburg.  The  next  morning  the 
trunks  were  found  a  few  rods  from  tlic  road, 
rhey  had  been  broken  open  and  all  propertv  of 
any  value  had  been  taken.  .\  |)lan  had  been  laid 
to  secure  a  large  amount  of  money  which  had 
been  rieposited  in  the  land  office  at  Dixon,  and 
this  was  the  object  which  it  was  intended  to  ac- 
complish by  the  robbery  of  the  stage  coach  at 
this  time.  It  was  known  that  a  considerable  sum 
of  money,  which  had  been  received  from  the  sales 
of  ])ul)lic  lands  was  on  dep«xsit  at  Dixon  and  was 
about  to  be  removed.  .\  leader  of  the  banditti 
liad  asked  the  receiver  when  he  intended  to  go 
to  Chicago,  where  the  dci^osit  was  to  be  made. 
The  receiver  was  a  prudent  man,  and  his  sus- 
picions were  arou.sed.  He  therefore  replied  that 
he  would  leave  Dixon  one  week  later  than  he 
really  intended  to  start :  he  thus  baffled  the  plot 
of  the  robbers.  The  Rockford  l'\)rum.  in  com- 
menting on  this  affair,  said:  "What  renders  these 
transactions  still  more  exciting  is  that  they  arc 
performed  by  those  who  are  ix-rfect  scholars  in 
the  business  movements  of  the  town."  Xo  im- 
mediate clew  to  this  robberv  was  obtained. 

In  Xovember,  1844,  William  Mulford,  resid- 
ing on  his  farm  in  Guilford,  four  and  a  half  miles 
east  of  Rockff>rd,  on  the  Cherry  \'alley  road, 
was  robbed  of  five  hundred  dollars  in  money. 
It  had  been  fal.sely  rei)orted  that  .Mr.  .Mulford 
hail  received  alKiut  fourteen  thousand  dollars  a 
short  time  before :  and  this  rumor  had  reached 
the  robbers.  (X-tober  28th  a  man  who  gave  the 
name  of  Haines  called  on  Mr.  Mulford  and  pro- 
fes.sed  to  be  in  search  of  employment.  His  real 
purjjose  was  to  obtain  money  by  other  means 
than  honest  toil :  and  he  had  come  to  look  over 
the  premises.  (  )n  .'Saturday,  Xovember  <)tb. 
about  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  three  masked 
men,  armed  with  pistols,  knives  and  clubs, 
forced  an  entrance  into  the  house.  The  leader 
ordered  Mr.  Mulford  to  sit  down.     He  then  took 


the  candle  from  the  table,  cut  it  into  three  pieces, 
lighted  them,  placed  one  in  each  of  the  two  win- 
dows, and  with  the  third  he  began  his  search  of 
the  house.  With  the  most  direful  threats  the 
family  were  forced  to  sul)mission.  The  keys  to 
the  bureau  drawers  were  ilemanded.  They  were 
told  that  they  were  in  the  stable  behind  the 
horses.  This  was  a  ruse  to  give  .Mr.  .Midford 
an  o]i])ortunity  to  reach  his  rifle  in  another  i)art 
of  the  room.  When  the  men  went  tt)  the  barn  he 
attempted  to  reach  the  gun,  but  another  man, 
who  had  been  stationed  at  the  door,  held  a  ])istol 
close  to  his  head  and  ordered  him  to  desist,  '("lie 
robbers  could  not  find  the  keys  in  the  barn,  and 
returned  in  a  rage  to  the  house.  They  swore 
they  would  "chain  the  old  devil,"  and  set  the 
house  on  fire,  and  by  that  time  they  would  tell 
where  the  keys  were.  Mrs.  Mulford  imagined 
she  heard  the  clanking  of  chains,  and  told  the 
robbers  where  the  key  could  be  found.  They 
unlocked  the  drawer  and  found  the  money  in 
an  envelojje,  just  as  it  had  been  taken  from  the 
bank.  One  of  the  gang  was  identified  as  Haines, 
who  had  called  in  search  of  emiiloyment.  It 
was  subsequently  learned  that  two  men,  armed 
with  rifles,  stood  outside,  and  for  their  benefit 
the  candles  were  placed  at  the  windows. 

.Xemesis  was  on  the  trail  of  the  outlaws,  and 
in  due  time  she  will  summon  a  cloud  of  witnesses 
to  bring  them  to  justice.  In  the  spring  of  1845 
Charles  West,  of  Lee  county,  was  arrested  for  the 
robbery  of  a  peddler  named  Miller,  and  a  ])ortion 
of  the  goods  was  found  in  his  ])ossession.  West 
was  committed  to  jail  at  Dixon,  and  during  his 
confinement  he  jiroposed  to  turn  state's  evidence, 
and  disclose  all  he  knew  concerning  his  con- 
federates. It  was  an  instance  where  "the  devil 
sick,  the  devil  a  monk  would  be."  His 
proposition  was  acce])ted.  and  West  made  what 
he  professed  to  be  a  full  confession,  and  de- 
clared that  Charles  Oliver  and  William  McDole. 
of  Rockford,  were  members  of  the  band.  He 
al,so  gave  the  names  of  the  outlaws  who  com- 
mitted the  robberies  at  McKenney's  store  and 
Mulford's  farm-house. 

This  startling  intelligence  soon  reached  Rock- 
ford and  created  great  excitement.  L'|)on  the 
strength  of  West's  statements  Oliver  and  Mc- 
Dole were  immediately  arrested  and  an  officer 
was  dis])atched  to  bring  West  to  Rockford  to 
give  his  testimony  at  their  examination.  Oliver 
and  McDole  were  given  a  hearing  alxnit  the  7th 
of  June.  West  testified  that  he  was  at  Oliver's 
house  about  a  year  before,  when  the  plans  of  the 
gang  were  discussed  in  detail.  .McDole  and  Sut- 
ton were  also  nresent  at  the  same  time.  McDole 
and  Oliver  talked  about  a  jial  named  Burch  in 
connection  with  the  McKenney  robbery.  McDole 
discovered  where  the  money  was  kept,  and  P.urch 
entered  at  the  window  and  obtained  the  bootv. 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


45 


In  the  proposed  raid  upon  Mr.  ]\Iulford,  Oliver 
and  AIcDoIe  were  to  ascertain  the  situation  of 
the  house  and  Burch  and  one  or  two  others  were 
to  get  the  money. 

Such,  in  brief,  was  the  testimony  given  by 
West.  His  story  was  generally  believed.  Oliver 
and  McDole  were  required  to  give  bail  in  the 
sum  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars  each,  for  their 
appearance  at  the  next  term  of  court :  in  default 
of  which  they  were  committed  to  prison.  A  few 
days  later  Bridge,  one  of  the  leaders  of  the 
banditti  residing  in  Ogle  county,  was  arrested 
and  placed  in  jail  at  Rockford.  A  guard  was 
necessary  for  some  time  for  their  protection. 

The  trial  of  Oliver  began  in  the  circuit  court 
August  26,  1845.  His  indictment  was  for  re- 
ceiving money  stolen  from  William  Mulford,  in 
November,  1844.  Hon.  Thomas  C.  Brown  was 
the  presiding  judge.  The  jurors  were:  Giles 
Mabie,  Calvin  Haskell,  J.  Heath,  Jr.,  George 
Dixon,  Phineas  Howes,  Ezra  C.  Tracy,  Asa 
Farnsworth,  Asa  Crosbv,  Andrus  Corbin,  Harvey 
Higby. 

There  was  an  unusual  display  of  legal  talent. 
The  district  attorney  was  James  L.  Loop.  He 
was  assisted  bv  Thomas  D.  Robertson,  Jason 
JMarsh,  James  'SI.  ^^'ight,  and  Miller  &  Miller. 
Martin  P.  Sweet,  of  Freeport,  and  M.  Y.  John- 
son, of  Galena,  were  the  counsel  for  the  defend- 
ant. Among  the  witnesses  on  the  stand  were : 
William  Mulford,  Charles  H.  Spafford.  G.  A. 
Sanford,  D.  Howell,  E.  S.  Blackstone,  William 
J.  Mix,  of  Oregon,  Charles  West,  of  Lee,  and 
S.  C.  Fuller,  the  jailer.  The  last  named  wit- 
ness testified  that  the  prisoners  tried  to  bribe 
him  to  furnish  them  with  brace  and  bits  so  that 
they  might  effect  their  escape.  Each  offered  Air. 
Fuller  fifty  dollars  at  first,  and  then  increased  the 
Sinn  to  five  hundred.  During  the  trial  Oliver 
was  defiant  and  confident  of  acquittal.  But  since 
his  arrest  retributive  justice  had  been  forging 
another  chain  of  convicting  evidence. 

During  the  summer  Jason  Alarsh  had  received 
a  letter  from  the  warden  of  the  penitentiary  at 
Jackson,  Michigan,  to  the  eft'ect  that  a  prisoner 
in  his  charge  knew  about  the  robbery  and  was 
willing  to  testify.  Mr.  Marsh  went  to  Michi- 
gan and  foimd  the  prisoner  to  be  Irving  A. 
Stearns,  who  had  fonnerlv  resided  in  this  county, 
and  who  had  left  the  state  soon  after  the  rob- 
bery. He  had  been  convicted  of  some  crime  in 
Michigan  and  sent  to  the  penitentiary.  Mr. 
Alarsh  pretended  not  to  recognize  Stearns ;  but 
told  him  that  he  wanted  to  know  what  he  had 
to  say  upon  the  subject,  and  that  he  would  know 
if  he  told  the  truth.  Mr.  Marsh  found  the 
testimony  of  the  prisoner  very  important,  and 
communicated  the  facts  to  the  governor,  who 
gave  to  Mr.  Marsh  a  conditional  pardon  for 
Stearns.     The  prisoner's  communications  to  Mr. 


Marsh,  however,  were  made  without  any  promise 
of  consideration  whatever.  Mr.  jMarsh  returned 
to  Rockford,  and  at  the  time  for  the  court  to 
convene,  he  sent  for  Stearns,  and  upon  his  ar- 
rival he  was  placed  in  close  confinement  until 
he  was  wanted  in  court.  Oliver  knew  nothing 
of  these  facts.  When  the  name  of  "Irving  A. 
Stearns"  was  called  as  a  witness  for  the  people, 
Oliver  was  startled,  and  sat  crestfallen  by  the 
side  of  his  counsel.  Courage  and  hope  fled  to- 
gether. Stearns  testified  that  the  secrets  of  the 
Mulford  robbery  had  been  given  by  Oliver,  and 
that  Oliver  had  offered  him  some  of  the  stolen 
money  in  exchange  for  a  horse.  His  evidence 
was  straightforward,  and  a  rigid  examination 
failed  to  weaken  it  at  any  point. 

The  case  was  given  to  the  jury  Saturday  after- 
noon. The  jury  was  out  an  hour  and  a  half, 
when  it  returned  with  a  verdict  of  guilty  and  a 
sentence  of  eight  years'  confinement  in  the  peni- 
tentiary. Thus  terminated  the  most  exciting 
criminal  case  ever  tried  in  Winnebago  county. 
The  case  was  managed  with  great  abilitv  on  both 
sides.  The  argument  of  James  Loop  and  the  ex- 
ploit of  Jason  Alarsh  have  become  familiar  tra- 
ditions of  the  local  bar  of  the  olden  time. 

Bridge  took  a  change  of  venue  on  all  his  in- 
dictments to  Ogle  county.  When  his  case  was 
called  he  plead  guilty,  and  was  sentenced  to  the 
penitentiary  for  seven  years.  McDole's  trial  be- 
gan November  26,  1845,  ^"d  the  case  was  given 
to  the  jury  December  ist.  After  an  all-night's 
session  the  jury  brought  in  a  verdict  of  guilty, 
with  a  sentence  of  seven  years  in  the  penitentiary. 
The  attornevs  for  the  state  were  Marsh  & 
Wright,  :\Iifler  &  [Miller,  and  T.  D.  Robertson. 
McDole  was  defended  bv  John  A.  Holland,  Grant 
B.  Udell,  of  Rockford,  and  Martin  P.  Sweet,  of 
Freeport.  The  court  ordered  that  one  month  of 
the  term  of  imprisonment  be  spent  in  solitary  con- 
finement. 

John  Long,  Aaron  Long,  and  Granville  Young 
were  executed  at  Rock  Island  in  October,  1845, 
for  the  murder  of  Colonel  Davenport,  which  oc- 
curred July  4,  1845.  This  execution  practically 
completed  the  work  of  extermination  which  had 
been  begun  by  the  Ogle  County  Regulators  on 
Tuesday,  June  2q,  1841. 

Burch  was  indicted  for  the  murder  of  Colonel 
Davenport.  He  took  a  change  of  venue  to  an- 
other county,  and  made  his  escape  from  jail.  The 
three  Aikens  brothers  died  as  they  had  lived, 
although  they  escaped  the  penitentiary.  Bliss, 
Dewey,  and  Sawyer,  confederates  in  Lee  county, 
were  sent  to  the  penitentiary.  Bliss  died  in 
prison.    The  way  of  the  transgressor  is  hard. 

The  Prairie  Bandits,  written  by  Edward  Bon- 
ney,  is  a  stirring  tale  of  those  early  days.  Bon- 
ney  was  a  newspaper  man,  who  did  some  detective 
work.     His   book   was   first  printed  about  fifty 


46 


PAST     A  NO    PRESENT    OF    WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


years  ago.  and   there   have  heen   several   subse- 
quent editions. 

m:\v   k.nclani)   L-Nrr.\Ri.\xisM. — kiust  church. 

A  number  of  early  settlers  from  New  Eng- 
land were  I'nitarians  of  the  old  school.  An 
effort  to  organize  this  sentiment  was  made  as 
earlv  as  1841.  The  first  meeting  for  this  pur- 
pose was  held  Fel)ruary  ,vl.  .\  subscription  list 
of  this  date  was  found  among  the  papers  of  the 
late  Francis  llurnai).  It  contained  pledges 
amounting  to  one  hundred  and  sixty  dollars  for 
the  sui)])ort  of  a  Unitarian  clergyman.  At  the 
same  time  a  committee  was  appointed  to  promote 
their  interest.  An  adjourned  meeting  was  held 
on  the  13th,  at  the  West  side  schoolhouse,  and 
an  organization  completed. 

There  is  no  record  of  any  progress  during  the 
ne.xt  two  years,  and  it  may  be  concluded  that 
there  was  only  an  occasional  preaching  service. 
Early  in  March,  1843.  Rev.  Joseph  Harrington, 
of  Chicago,  came  to  Rock  ford  and  preached  every 
evening  of  one  week  on  the  distinctive  doctrines 
of  L'nitarianism.  The  meetings  were  well  at- 
tended, and  a  new  interest  awakened.  On  the 
following  Sundav.  March  gth.  a  church  was  or- 
ganized. The  constituent  members  of  the  church 
were:  Joseph  Harringti>n.  Sarah  F.  Dennis, 
Isaac  X.  Cunningham,  Xancy  G.  Cunningham. 
James  Cunningham,  Sarah  M.  Cuiuiinghain. 
Samuel  Cunningham,  h'milv  C.  Cunningham, 
lohn  Paul,  R.  P.  Paul,  W.  D.  Bradford.  Callier- 
ine  F.  Goodhue.  I'^ihraim  W'ynian.  James  M. 
Wight.  John  K.  Kendall.  Susan  Goodrich. 

In  December.  1844.  steps  were  taken  to  se- 
cure a  place  of  worship.  It  was  jiroposed  to  pur- 
chase the  unfinishef!  Universalist  church,  which 
had  been  abandoned.  Several  hundred  dollars 
in  subscri|)tions.  conditional  and  otherwise,  were 
raised,  besides  a  sum  for  an  organ.  These  sub- 
scription lists  are  still  in  existence.  But  the 
|)roject  was  not  successful.  .Another  unsuccess- 
ful eflfort  was  made  to  build  in  i84fi. 

December  i.v  1845.  the  I'nitarian  society  was 
organized  at  the  liome  of  Ephraim  Wyman.  The 
trustees  chosen  were  Ephraim  Wxman,  Thatcher 
l»lake,  and  Richard  Montague. 

I'"or  a  niuuber  of  years  little  was  done.  The 
church  had  services  whenever  a  traveling  clergy- 
man was  available.  This  condition  continued 
imtil  1840.  when  Rev.  H.  .Snow  volunteered  to 
strengthen  the  waste  places  in  this  branch  of 
Zion. 

The  church  hail  hitherto  held  services  in  tlie 
courthouse :  luit  now  they  felt  the  need  of  an- 
other place.  The  frame  building  which  had  been 
u.setl  by  the  First  Piai)tist  church  was  for  sale. 
Tliis  old  e<lifice  may  well  be  called  a  church 
cradle.       It     successively     rocked    the     Baptists, 


Episcopalians,  Unitarians  and  Presb\-terians.  It 
was  an  illustration  of  the  coiumon  origin  of  all 
believers  who  belonged  to  the  true  household  of 
faith.  At  this  time  the  I'nitarians  owned  a  lot 
on  the  ncjrtheast  corner  of  Church  and  Elm 
streets.  They  had  received  two  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  from  the  American  Unitarian  As- 
sociation, and  with  this  tliey  purchased  the  old 
Baptist  building,  which  they  removed  upon  their 
lot.  For  alxiut  a  year  Mr.  Snow  jireached  two 
Sundays  in  the  month,  and  the  other  Sundays 
at  Pielvidere.  ]\lr.  Snow  invited  Rev.  A.  A. 
Livermore,  who  was  then  at  Keene,.  Xew  Hamp- 
shire, to  act  the  generous  Christian  part  by 
presenting  a  communion  service  to  the  church. 
The  ladies  of  Mr.  Livermore's  church  comjilied 
with  the  request. 

Mr.  Snow's  health  failed  in  the  spring  of  1830. 
and  he  was  obliged  to  resign  from  his  pastorate. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  John  M.  \\'indsor. 

The  church  enjoyed  a  fair  degree  of  jirosperity 
for  several  years.  In  1853  it  was  proposed  to 
build  a  more  comfortable  place  of  worship.  A 
lot  was  purchased  on  the  corner  of  Chestnut  and 
Church  streets,  and  generous  subscriptions  were 
secured.  Mr.  Windsor  was  sent  east  to  solicit 
contributions  from  the  Unitarians  of  Xew  York 
and  Massachusetts.  He  went  to  Xew  York  early 
in  the  spring  of  1854  to  collect  the  i)romised 
money,  and  never  returned.  Mr.  Windsor  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  John  Murray,  whose  pastor- 
ate continued  until  March.  1857. 

The  church  was  dedicated  .\pril  18.  1855. 
I'riends  came  from  Chicago.  Geneva,  and  P>elvi- 
dere.  Rev.  Rush  R.  ShijiiJen,  of  Chicago, 
lireachecl  the  dedicatory  sermon.  On  Sunday. 
Mav  Otii.  a  Sunday-school  was  organized,  with 
twenty-five  scholars,  with  Rev.  H.  Snow  as 
superintendent. 

June  8,  1857,  a  call  to  the  pastorate  was  sent 
to  Rev.  .Augustus  H.  Conant,  of  Geneva,  Illinois. 
He  accepted  the  call,  at  a  salary  of  one  thousand 
dollars,  with  certain  ])rivileges  of  vacation  for 
missionary  work  .""Sunday  afternoons  during  a 
|)art  of  the  year.  Rev.  Conant  began  his  jiastoral 
work  July  12,  1857.  The  congre,gation  then  num- 
bered about  seventy.  He  inirchased  a  home  of 
Mr.  Cosper.  on  the  corner  of  ( Ireen  and  West 
streets. 

Mr.  Conant  enjoyed  an  extcndeci  ])ersonal  ac- 
(|uaintancc  among  distinguished  rejiresentativcs 
of  the  Unitarian  faith.  an<l  other  cnntemporaries. 
.\mong  these  were  William  I-lllery  (."banning, 
'nieodore  Parker.  James  Freeman  Clarke.  Horace 
Greelev,  O.  B.  Frothingham,  Margaret  Fuller, 
l-Ved  Douglas,  and  Rolx-rt  Collyer.  Among  Rev. 
Conant's  guests  at  his  Rockford  home  were  Ral]>h 
Waldo  Emerson.  Prof.  Youmans,  Bayard  Taylor, 
Tom  Corwin,  John  Pierpont,  and  T.  Starr  King. 
Tames    Freeman    Clarke,    in    his    .Vutobiograjihy. 


PAST     AXD    PRESENT     OF     \^TXNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


47 


refers  to  Rev.  Conant  as  a  "saint  and  an  apostle." 
The  church  prospered  under  Mr.  Conant's  min- 
istry for  a  time.  He  was  a  man  of  high  ideals 
and  noble  enthusiasm,  and  was  filled  with  the 
missionary  spirit.  But  there  came  a  serious  de- 
clension in  the  financial  and  numerical  strength 
of  the  church.  In  July,  1861,  the  reliable  income 
of  the  society  had  fallen  to  four  hundred  dollars 
a  year,  and  six  months'  salary  was  due  the  pastor. 
Some  of  the  former  members  had  removed  from 
the  city,  and  others  had  been  overtaken  with 
financial  reverses.  Under  these  circumstances, 
]Mr.  Conant  tendered  his  resignation  to  take  effect 
the  first  Sunday  in  July,  1861. 

The  Civil  war  had  now  begun  and  Mr.  Conant 
enlisted  in  his  country's  service  immediately  after 
his  resignation.  He  went  to  the  front  as  a  chap- 
lain in  the  Nineteenth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry. 
At  Nashville.  February  8,  1863,  Mr.  Conant 
passed  from  earth  to  "bathe  his  weary  soul  in 
seas  of  heavenly  rest."  His  death  was  due  to  ex- 
posure and  over-exertion  at  the  battle  of  Mur- 
freesboro.  His  death  was  universally  la- 
mented. He  was  one  of  those  rare  souls  whom 
every  one  loved,  and  who  had  never  incurred  an 
unkind  feeling  from  any  one.  His  remains  were 
buried  at  Geneva,  and  Rev.  Robert  Collyer,  then 
of  Chicago,  preached  the  funeral  discourse.  Dr. 
Collyer  subsequently  wrote  a  biography  of  Mr. 
Conant,  with  the  title,  "A  Alan  in  Earnest."  Mrs. 
Conant  died  March  20,  i8q8,  in  her  eightieth 
year. 

After  Mr.  Conant's  resignation,  services  were 
maintained  with  some  regularity  ;  but  the  church 
gradually  declined.  Fred  May  Holland  began 
pastoral  labors  January  4.  1863.  Differences 
arose.  The  conservative  element  became  dissatis- 
fied with  the  pastor  on  account  of  his  radical  or 
"Parkerite"'  tendencies.  Mr.  Holland  was  suc- 
ceeded by  William  G.  Nowell.  who  was  ordained 
April  14,  1864.  Mr.  Nowell  left  the  church  in 
June,  1865.  The  last  pastor  was  Rev.  D.  M. 
Reed,  a  very  scholarly  gentleman.  Mr.  Reed 
wished  some  recognition  of  his  denomination  in 
the  name  of  the  church.  In  accordance  with  his 
request,  the  name  was  changed  to  the  United 
Unitarian  and  Universalist  church.  The  name, 
however,  in  legal  matters  was  simply  Unitarian. 
The  church  was  subsequently  sold,  and  in  1890 
the  proceeds  were  divided  pro  rata  among  the 
original  subscribers.  Many  of  the  members  of 
the  church  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Chris- 
tian Union,  and  others  became  identified  with  the 
Second  Congregational  church. 


EARLY      ELECTIONS  ■ 


■POLITICAL      REMINISCENCES. 


I'nder  the  first  constitution  of  Illinois,  the  com- 
missioners, sheriff'  and  coroner  were  the  only  con- 
stitutional countv  officers.   The  latter  was  elected 


every  two  years.  The  other  county  officers  were 
created  by  statute.  They  were  filled  by  appoint- 
ment made  either  by  the  county  commissioners' 
court  or  by  the  governor.  Previous  to  1835  a 
recorder  for  each  county  was  appointed  bv  the 
governor ;  and  a  surveyor  was  chosen  by  the  com- 
missioners' court.  The  statute  of  1835  made 
these  offices  elective  on  the  first  Monday  in 
August  of  that  year,  and  every  fourth  year  there- 
after. Previous  to  1837  county  treasurers  and 
clerks  of  the  commissioners"  court  were  ap- 
pointed by  said  courts.  An  act  approved  Febru- 
ar\-  7th  of  that  year  made  these  offices  elective  on 
the  first  Monday  in  the  following  August,  on  a 
corresponding  day  in  1839,  and  in  every  fourth 
year  thereafter.  Up  to  1837  a  judge  of  probate 
was  appointed  for  each  county  by  the  legislature. 
An  act  of  March  4th  made  this  office  elective, 
with  the  title  of  probate  justice  of  the  peace,  on 
the  first  Monday  in  August  of  that  year,  on  a 
corresponding  date  in  1839,  and  in  every  fourth 
year  thereafter.  Under  an  act  approved  Febru- 
arv  27,  184:;,  the  tenure  of  office  of  probate 
justice  of  the  peace,  recorder,  clerk  of  the  county 
commissioners'  court,  surveyor  and  treasurer  was 
reduced  to  two  years.  This  law  took  eft'ect  on  the 
first  }\Ionday  in  August,  1847.  Under  the  con- 
stitution of  1848  the  term  of  office  of  the  county 
and  circuit  clerks  was  extended  to  four  years. 

August  I,  1836,  occurred  the  first  general  elec- 
tion in  Winnebago  county.  The  choice  of  the 
county  officers  was  given  in  a  preceding  para- 
graph. 

L'nder  an  early  statute,  presidential  elections  in 
Illinois  were  held  on  the  first  Monday  in  Novem- 
ber. At  the  presidential  election  in  1836,  only 
one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  votes  were  polled. 
This  was  an  increase  over  the  August  election 
of  thirty-eight  votes.  The  Harrison  electors  re- 
ceived seventy  votes,  and  the  \"an  Buren  electors, 
eighty-eight :  a  democratic  majority  of  eighteen. 

In  1837  Harvey  W.  Bundy  was  elected  re- 
corder, to  succeed  Daniel  H.  \M:itney.  of  Belvi- 
dere,  who  had  become  a  resident  of  the  new 
countv  of  Boone.  Herman  B.  Potter  was  elected 
county  commissioner  to  succeed  Simon  P.  Doty, 
of  Belvidere.  Charles  I.  Horsman  was  elected 
probate  justice  of  the  peace,  ililton  Kilburn  had 
served  as  judge  of  probate  the  preceding  year, 
under  appointment.  Nathaniel  Loomis  was 
chosen  clerk  of  the  commissioners'  court ;  Robert 
J.  Cross  was  elected  county  treasurer. 

Winnebago  count}-  forged  so  rapidly  to  the 
front  that  in  1838  it  was  conceded  one  of  the 
representatives  in  the  general  assembly,  and 
Germanicus  Kent  was  elected.  Hon.  James  Craig 
was  re-elected.  Isaac  N.  Cunningham  was 
elected  sheriff  of  the  county ;  Cyrus  C.  Jenks, 
coroner  :  Don  Alonzo  Spaulding,  surveyor  :  Elijah 
H.   Brown,  commissioner.     In   1839  William  E. 


4S 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Dunl)ar  was  elected  recorder,  ami  John  Emerson, 
surveyor. 

The  presidential  cani])aiijn  of  1840  was  one  of 
tlie  most  exciting  in  .American  ])olitical  history. 
The  hero  of  Tippecanoe  was  the  idol  of  his  party, 
and  no  leader  ever  received  a  more  enthusiastic 
support.  Winnehajjo  county  had  now  become  a 
wliij:^  stronjjhold,  and  the  party  waged  an  ag- 
gressive campaign  against  tlie  locofocos.  as  the 
democrats  were  then  called,  .\pril  nth  the 
whigs  held  a  convention  at  Rockford,  and  nomi- 
nated a  full  county  ticket,  .\mong  the  local 
leaders  of  this  party  were  Seldcn  AT.  Church. 
Jacob  Miller,  H.  P..  Potter.  G.  A.  Sanford,  Isaac 
N.  Cimningham.  Democratic  principles  were 
championed  by  Jason  Marsh.  Daniel  S.  Haight. 
Henry  Thurston.  P.  Kna|)i)en.  J.  C.  Goodhue. 
H.  W.  Loomis,  C.  I.  Horsman.  P.oone  county 
had  been  organized  from  the  eastern  portion  of 
Winnebago,  and  the  western  two  ranges  had  been 
transferred  to  Ste]i]ien.son.  In  the  .August  elec- 
tions the  wliigs  polled  six  hundred  and  thirty- 
seven  votes,  and  the  democrats,  two  hundred  and 
eighty-five.  The  total  vote  was  nine  hundred  and 
fiftv-two.  Thomas  Drunimond,  of  Jo  Daviess, 
and  Hiram  Thornton,  of  Mercer,  both  whigs. 
carried  the  county  by  good  majorities  for  repre- 
sentative, and  were  elected.  I.  N.  Cunningham 
was  elected  sheriff :  .Alonzo  Piatt,  coroner ;  and 
Ezra  S.  Cable,  commissioner. 

The  presidential  election  occurred  in  Novem- 
ber. The  whigs  cast  seven  lnin<lred  and  sixtv- 
eight  votes  in  the  county,  and  the  democrats, 
three  hundred  and  twenty-one :  total,  one  thou- 
sand and  eighty-nine ;  whig  majority,  four  hun- 
dred and  forty-seven,  .\brahani  Lincoln  was  one 
of  the  five  candidates  for  the  presidential  elector 
in  Illinois.  The  facilities  for  communication  were 
so  meagre  that  the  official  vote  of  the  state  was 
not  known  in  Rockford  until  late  in  December. 
A  messenger  from  the  capital,  with  the  official 
vote  of  tlie  state,  passed  through  Rockford  ten 
days  in  advance  of  its  publication  in  the  Chicago 
papers,  and  comnnmicated,  it  is  said,  the  news  to 
the  prominent  men  of  the  democratic  party  in 
each  village  for  betting  purposes.  Illinois  was 
one  of  the  seven  states  that  elected  Van  Puren 
electors.  This  vote  may  have  been  intentionally 
kept  back  by  the  democratic  officials  at  Sjiring- 
field.  Through  a  technicality  in  an  alleged  non- 
compliance with  the  law.  the  legality  of  \Ir.  Cun- 
ningham's election  to  the  office  of  sheriff  in 
.\ugust  was  questioned :  and  he  again  appealed  to 
the  voters  at  the  November  election,  and  received 
an  emphatic  cndorserTicnt. 

In  1842  Tndge  Thomas  Ford  was  elected 
governor  by  the  democrats.  That  party  in  Win- 
nebago countv  nominated  the  following  ticket : 
Senator  for  \\'innebago  and  Ogle  counties.  Tames 
Mitchell :    for    representative.    John    A.    Brown. 


editor  of  the  Rockford  Pilot:  sheriff".  John  Paul: 
commissioner.  .Spencer  Post:  coroner,  Nathaniel 
Poomis.  The  whigs  nominated  S|)()oner  Ruggles 
for  senator :  George  \V.  Lee.  representative ;  G. 
.\.  Sanford,  sheriff:  Isaac  M.  Johnson,  commis- 
sioner: Harvey  (jregory,  coroner.  Mr.  Lee  with- 
drew, and  Darius  .\dams,  of  Pecatonica.  was  sub- 
stituted. The  official  vote  of  the  county  for  sen- 
ator, representative  and  sheriff  was  as  follows : 
Ruggles.  four  hundred  and  sixty-nine:  Mitchell, 
four  hundred  and  ninety  :  .Adams,  five  hundred 
and  forty  :  Prown,  three  himdred  and  seventy-six  ; 
Sanford,  five  hundred  and  fifty-nine:  Paul,  one 
hundred  and  twelve.  Spooner  Ruggles,  Darius 
.\dams,  .Spencer  Post.  G.  A.  Sanford  and  Na- 
thaniel Loomis  were  elected  to  the  respective 
oftices. 

r.EWIS    KE.XT  :    TIIK   (INI.V    St..\\l-:    IN-    Tlir.   COU.VTY. 

Only  one  man  ever  lived  in  Winnebago  county 
as  a  slave.  His  name  w-as  Lewis  Kent,  although 
he  was  more  familiarly  known  as  Lewis  Lemon. 
In  1829,  wdien  Germanicus  Kent  was  a  citizen  of 
.\labama,  he  purchased  of  Orrin  Lemon  a  colored 
boy  named  Lewis.  He  was  born  in  North  Caro- 
lina, and  had  been  taken  by  his  master  to  Ala- 
bama. He  was  about  seventeen  years  old  at  the 
time  lie  was  sold  to  Mr.  Kent  for  four  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  in  cash.  When  Mr.  Kent  de- 
cided to  remove  north,  he  jiroposed  to  sell  Lewis ; 
but  the  colored  man  preferred  his  old  master. 
.Mr.  Kent  made  an  agreement  with  I^ewis  when 
they  arrived  at  St.  Louis.  It  was  in  substance 
that  Lewis  should  pay  him  for  his  freedom  at 
the  expiration  of  six  years  and  seven  months, 
the  sum  of  eight  hundred  dollars,  with  ten  per 
cent,  interest.  Lewis  obtained  his  freedom,  how- 
ever, in  four  years  and  four  months.  On  the  6th 
day  of  .September.  1839,  Mr.  Kent  executed  and 
placed  in  the  hands  of  Lewis  a  deed  of  manu- 
mission. .At  a  session  of  the  county  commission- 
ers' court  held  in  March.  1842,  Mr.  Kent  filed  for 
record  the  instrument  which  officially  proclaimed 
Lewis  Kent  a  free  man.  The  transcript  of  this 
document,  which  is  on  file  in  the  county  clerk's 
oflfice.  is  the  only  evidence  in  Rockford  of  the 
existence  of  slavery,  and  that  one  of  its  victims 
Uere  found  freedom  and  a  home. 

.After  his  manumission  Lewis  obtained  some 
land,  and  earned  his  livelihood  by  the  cultivation 
of  garden  produce.  He  died  in  September,  1877. 
His  funeral  was  attended  by  nienibfr^  nf  tin-  OM 
Settlers'  Society. 

THE  POLISH   CLAIMS  DEL.W  L.VXD  PATENTS. 

Events  of  local  interest  occasionally  have  their 
historic  background  in  national  and  even  inter- 
national affairs.    A  notable  instance  was  the  cele- 


PAST     AND    PRESEXT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


49 


brated  Polish  claims  made  in  1836  to  a  portion 
of  the  territory  which  now  comprises  the  town- 
ships of  Rockford  and  Rockton.  It  is  one  of  the 
most  interesting  chapters  in  the  history  of  Win- 
nebago county.  Local  histories  have  briefly  re- 
ferred to  the  incident,  but  only  one  complete 
statement  of  the  affairs  has  previously  been  writ- 
ten. 

The  checkered  career  of  Poland  furnishes  the 
historic  background.  The  reader  of  history  will 
recall  the  Polish  rebellion  of  1830-31.  Previous 
to  that  time  her  territory  had  been  partitioned  be- 
tween Russia  and  other  powers.  The  impulse  to 
this  uprising  of  1830  was  given  by  the  French, 
and  was  begun  by  a  number  of  students,  who  pro- 
posed to  seize  the  Grand  Duke  Constantine  in  the 
vicinity  of  Warsaw.  The  city  and  the  troops  en- 
listed in  the  movement,  imder  the  command  of 
General  Chlopicki.  a  veteran  of  the  wars  of  Na- 
poleon. Upon  the  suppression  of  this  uprising 
in  the  following  year,  the  leaders  were  sent  into 
exile.  They  naturally  sought  refuge  in  this 
country. 

The  forlorn  condition  of  these  exiles  enlisted 
the  sympathy  of  the  American  people,  and  con- 
gress rendered  them  some  assistance.  An  act  was 
approved  June  30,  1834,  which  granted  to  these 
Polish  exiles,  two  hundred  and  thirty-five  in  num- 
ber, who  had  been  transported  to  this  country  by 
the  order  of  the  emperor  of  Austria,  thirty-six 
.sections  of  land.  These  sections  were  to  be  se- 
lected by  them,  under  the  direction  of  the  secre- 
tary of  the  treasury,  in  any  three  adjacent  town- 
ships of  the  public  lands,  surveyed  or  unsurveyed, 
in  the  state  of  Illinois  or  the  territory  of  Michi- 
gan. After  this  land  had  been  surveyed  it  became 
the  duty  of  the  secretary  of  the  treasury  to  divide 
the  thirty-six  sections  into  equal  parts,  and  to  dis- 
tribute them  by  lot  among  the  exiles.  They  were 
to  reside  upon  and  cultivate  these  lands  for  ten 
years,  and  at  the  expiration  of  this  time  they  were 
to  obtain  their  patents  upon  the  payment  of  the 
minimum  price  per  acre. 

The  exiles  arrived  in  America  in  1835,  and 
their  committee,  at  the  head  of  whom  was  Coimt 
Chlopicki,  arrived  in  Rockford  in  the  autumn  of 
the  following  year.  The  count  was  an  elderly 
gentleman,  well  informed,  and  apparently  an  ex- 
cellent judge  of  land.  Upon  his  arrival  in  the 
Rock  river  valley,  he  selected  townships  forty- 
four  and  forty-six,  range  one  east.  These  are 
Rockford  and  Rockton.  The  intervening  town- 
ship of  Owen  was  not  taken,  and  thus  was 
violated  one  of  the  provisions  of  the  grant,  which 
stipulated  that  the  land  should  be  selected  in  three 
adjacent  townships. 

Much  of  this  land  was  already  in  the  posses- 
sion of  American  citizens  when  the  count  arrived 
upon  the  scene.  They  had  only  a  squatter's  title, 
inasmuch  as  there  was  then  no  pre-emption  law 

4 


that  would  apply  in  this  case,  and  the  govern- 
ment had  not  placed  the  land  upon  the  market. 
The  settlers  had  enclosed  their  farms  and  made 
such  improvements  as  they  were  able.  More- 
over, the  several  Indian  "floats"  in  these  town- 
ships might  have  precedence  over  the  claims  of 
settlers  or  exiles.  But  these  facts  did  not  dis- 
turb the  plans  of  the  doughty  count.  He  dis- 
regarded the  squatter  rights  of  the  settlers,  and 
made  a  formal  selection  of  their  land,  and  re- 
ported his  choice  to  the  secretary  of  the  treasury. 

While  in  this  section  Count  Qilopicki  had  been 
a  guest  of  Germanicus  Kent.  That  gentleman 
explained  the  situation  to  his  visitor,  and  the  lat- 
ter declared  that  the  settlers  should  not  be  dis- 
turbed. He  thus  set  their  fears  at  rest  in  a 
measure.  But  these  assurances  were  not  entirely 
satisfactory,  and  after  the  count's  departure  a  sum 
of  money  was  raised  and  Mr.  Kent  was  sent  to 
Washington  to  make  further  inquiry.  The 
anxiety  of  the  settlers  was  increased  by  the  fact, 
as  already  stated,  that  they  held  no  titles  to  the 
land  upon  which  they  had  settled.  Upon  Mr. 
Kent's  arrival  in  Washington  he  found  that  his 
apprehensions  were  well  founded.  The  count  had 
not  kept  his  word ;  he  had  chosen  the  very  town- 
ships he  had  promised  Mr.  Kent  he  would  not 
select.  Mr.  Kent  went  directly  to  the  land  office 
and  made  his  complaint  before  the  commissioner ; 
but  he  was  told  that  every  settler  in  the  county 
was  a  trespasser,  and  that  he  had  no  legal  right 
to  a  foot  of  the  land  which  he  had  so  uncer- 
emoniously taken.  It  is  said  facts  are  stubborn 
things.  Mr.  Kent  and  the  settlers  knew  that  the 
commissioner  was  correct,  but  they  did  not  be- 
come alarmed.  Perhaps  they  thought  that  in 
union  there  was  strength.  The  secretary  of  the 
treasury  did  not,  however,  order  the  subdivision 
of  the  lands,  because  their  selection  by  the  Polish 
agent  was  not  in  compliance  with  the  law,  and 
thus  the  matter  rested  for  some  years. 

The  selection  of  these  lands  by  the  Polish 
agent,  while  squatters'  possession  was  held  by 
the  settlers,  complicated  the  whole  question  of 
titles.  The  settlers  had  certain  rights  in  equity, 
but  inasmuch  as  no  pre-emption  law  was  then  in 
force  that  would  bear  upon  the  case,  the  govern- 
ment did  not  at  that  time  formally  recognize  their 
claims.  In  view  of  this  fact,  it  is  not  a  matter 
of  surprise  that  the  Polish  count,  in  his  desire  to 
select  good  lands  for  his  exiled  countrymen, 
should  disregard  claims  that  the  government  did 
not  recognize.  Moreover  this  section  of  the  Rock 
river  vailey  had  been  framed  in  the  prodigality  of 
nature.  Its  soil  was  good,  its  atmosphere  in- 
vigorating, its  scenery  a  perpetual  delight.  The 
possession  of  such  land  always  promotes  domestic 
happiness  and  commercial  strength. 

The  lands  in  this  vicinity  belonged  at  that  time 
to  the  Galena  land  district,  and  with  the  excep- 


50 


PAST     AXn     TRESEXT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


ii..ii  ui  Kockfonl  aiul  Ruckton.  wi-re  opened  to 
sale  and  entry  in  the  autumn  of  1839.  These 
to\vnshi]>s.  whicli  inchided  the  thirty-six  sections 
in  controversy,  were  withheld  from  sale  for  nearly 
eig'ht  years  after  they  had  been  surveyed. 

Matters  continued   in   this  unsettled  condition 
until  1843.     In  tiie  meantime  the  land  office  had 
been  removed  to  Dixon,  through  the  influence  of 
John  Dixon,  who  settled  there  in  1830,  and  after 
whom  the  town  was  named.     In  1840  Mr.  Dixon 
went  til  W'asiiington,  and  ihroujjb  the  influence 
of  General   Scott  and   other  army  officers,   who 
were  his  ])ersonal  friends,  he  secured  the  removal 
of  the   government   land   office   from   Galena   to 
Dixon.     The  settlers  in  Kockford  could  not  pro- 
cure i)atents  of  the  lands  which  they  had  occupied 
for  some  \ears.     The  attention  of  congress  was 
repeatedly  called  to  the  situation.     The   settlers 
addressed  petitions  to  that  body  imtil  their  griev- 
ance  received  attention.     The   Polish  agent  had 
forfeited  his  claim  in  not  .selecting  his  lands  in 
three  adjacent  townships.     The  exiles  had  also 
forfeited  their  rights  in  not  making  an  actual  set- 
tlement on  the  lands.     Congress,  therefore,  April 
14.    1842.    passed    another    act,    authorizing    the 
entry  and  sale  of  these  lands  in  these  two  town- 
ships.    This  relief  was  due  in  large  measure  to 
the  efforts  of  Hon.  O.  H.  Smith,  of  Indiana  :  Hon. 
Robert  J.  Walker,  of  Mississipjii.  and  Hon.  Rich- 
ard M.  Young,  of  this  state,  senators  in  congress. 
When   the   settlers  had   been   finally   delivered 
from  their  dilemma  by  a  special  act  of  congress, 
thev  began  to  make  jireiiarations  to  perfect  their 
titles  to  their  lands.     The  inhabitants  petitioned 
the  president  for  a  public  sale.     Fifteen  months 
elapsed    before   their   ])elition    was   granted,    and 
October   30.    1843,   the   land   in   these  townships 
was   offered    for   sale,   and   was   sold    November 
3d.     It  was  the  most  notable  land  sale  that  ever 
occurred  in  the  district.     Rockford  had  been  in- 
corporated as  a  town  four  years  before.     Daniel 
S.   Haight   had  platted   the  East   side,   north   of 
State,  as    far  east  as   Longwood.  and   south   of 
.State  east  to  Kishwaukee.     .\  portion  of  this  had 
been  i)latteil  as  early  as   1836:  and   Mr.  Haight 
had  sold  the  lots  to  the  settlers  and  given  them 
quit-claim  deeds  to  the  same  several  years  before 
he  had  obtained  his  own  patent  from  the  govern- 
ment.     When   the   land   was   finally   offered    for 
sale  at  the  land  office,  Mr.  Haight  was  authorized 
to  go  to  Dixon  and  bid  in  the  entire  tract   for 
the    settlers.      A   committee,   appointed    for    this 
jiur|iiise,  prepared  a  list  of  names  to  whom  the 
rleeds  shiiuld  be  given  after  the  sale.     This  com- 
mittee consisted  of  Willard   Wheeler.   David   S. 
Penfield,     E.     H.     Potter,     of     Rockford.     and 
Nathaniel  Crosby,  of  Bclviderc.    This  committee 
was  in  session  several  days,  passed  upon  every 
lot  in  the  town  on  the  East  side,  and  decided  quite 
a  number  of  disputed  claims.     Mr.  Crosby  was 


not  present,  liut  it  was  understood  that  a  majority 
should  have  power  to  act.  Thus  a  number  of  the 
first  settlers  of  East  Rockford  purchased  their 
land  twice.  The  first  purchase  of  town  lots  was 
from  Mr.  Haight ;  the  second  was  made  through 
Mr.  Haight  as  agent,  from  the  general  govern- 
ment. Inasmuch,  however,  as  the  land  office  took 
no  notice  of  the  fad  that  the  land  had  been 
platted,  it  was  sold  at  the  usual  price  of  a  dollar 
and  a  quarter  per  acre.  The  second  purchase 
was  therefore  more  of  a  formality  than  an  ad- 
ditional burden.  With  the  land  sold  in  bulk,  at 
a  dollar  and  a  c|uarter  per  acre,  the  second  pur- 
chase of  a  town  lot,  from  the  government,  w'as 
at  a  nominal  ])rice.  merely  its  relative  value  to  an 
unplatted  acre  of  land.  This  second  purchase, 
however,  perfected  the  title. 

At  this  point  it  may  be  necessary  to  state  that 
Mr.  Haight's  first  sales  of  land  were  perfectly 
legitimate  transactions.  The  ])urchasers  knew  at 
the  time  that  a  second  purchase  would  be  neces- 
sary to  procure  a  perfect  title.  There  was  re- 
centlv  found  among  some  old  pa])ers  of  the  late 
Francis  r>urna|)  a  list  of  the  town  lots  in  East 
Rockford  and  the  names  of  the  persons  to  whom 
the  deeds  should  be  given  after  the  land  sale.  The 
document  comprises  seventeen  pages  of  legal  cap, 
and  is  jierfectly  preserved.  .\t  the  same  sale  at 
Dixon  the  land  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  was 
bid  in  for  the  settlers  by  Ephraim  W'yman.  The 
\\"est  side  committee  was  composed  of  G.  .\.  San- 
ford.  Derastus  Harper,  and  George  Haskell.  The 
certificates  of  title  were  turned  over  to  Mr.  Wy- 
man  by  the  committee.  When  Mr.  Wyman  went  to 
California,  about  1850.  these  certificates  were  left 
in  a  trunk,  in  charge  of  G.  A.  San  ford.  During 
Mr.  \\'yman's  absence  they  were  totally  destroyed 
by  rodents :  and  these  facts  are  set  forth  with 
grave  precision  by  Mr.  Wyman.  in  a  certificate, 
duplicates  of  which  are  on  file  in  the  abstract 
offices  of  this  city. 

Thus  for  a  period  of  nine  years  from  Mr. 
Kent's  settlement  were  the  early  residents  of 
Rockford  and  Rockton  unable  to  obtain  titles  to 
the  lands  which  lluy  had  selected  and  improved, 
bv  reason  of  the  illegal  intrusion  of  an  exiled 
Polish  count.  The  seijuel  is  one  of  those  facts 
that  is  stranger  than  fiction.  Only  one  of  those 
exiles  ever  subsequently  appeared  in  Rockford  or 
WinnelKigo  countv.  He  was  emi)loyed  for  a  time 
as  a  cook,  in  1837,  by  Henry  Thurston,  the  land- 
lord of  the  old  Rockford  House.  The  later  history 
of  the  exiles  is  unknown. 

Mr.  Haight's  plat  of  East  Rockford  was  filed 
for  record  November  7.  1843,  four  days  after  the 
land  sale.  The  east  part  of  the  original  town  of 
Rockford,  west  of  Rock  river,  included  all  that 
part  of  the  city  lying  south  of  a  line  drawn 
from  the  Beattie  residence  west  to  the  property 
now  occupied  by  the  Ziock  flats,  and  east  of  a 


PAST  AXD  PRESEXT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


51 


line  drawn  from  the  latter  point  to  the  west 
end  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railroad 
bridge.  It  was  platted  by  Duncan  Ferguson,  No- 
vember 9,  1843.  ^id  filed  for' record  by  Ephraim 
Wyman,  November  28,  1843. 

J.  W.  Leavitt's  town  plat  included  all  that  part 
of  West  Rockford  situated  between  Wynian"s  plat 
on  the  east,  and  Kent's  creek  on  the  west  and 
south.  This  plat  was  made  August  17,  1844. 
and  filed  for  record  October  5.  1844. 

THE    FIRST    DAJ[. 

The  attempt  to  utilize  the  water-power  was  the 
first  step  in  the  transition  of  Rockford  from  a 
hamlet  to  a  manufacturing  city.  February  28, 
1843.  'I"  '^ct  of  the  legislature  was  approved,  to 
improve  the  navigation  of  the  rapids  in  Rock 
river  at  Rockford,  and  to  incorporate  the  Rock- 
ford Hydraulic  and  Manufacturing  Company. 
The  corporation  was  given  power  to  construct  a 
dam  across  the  river,  which  should  raise  the  water 
not  more  than  seven  feet.  The  company  was 
also  required  to  erect  and  maintain  such  locks  as 
might  be  necessary  for  the  passage  of  steamboats 
drawing  three  feet  of  water.  At  that  time  the 
navigation  of  Rock  river  was  an  open  question, 
and  the  government  might  assert  its  control  of 
the  river  as  a  navigable  stream.  A  dam  would 
obstruct  navigation :  hence  the  company  was  re- 
quired to  construct  locks  for  the  passage  of  boats, 
whenever  they  should  become  necessary.  The  law 
specified  the  rates  of  toll  which  the  company 
should  be  entitled  to  collect  for  the  passage  of 
boats  through  the  locks  ;  and  it  was  given  power 
to  detain  such  craft  until  the  toll  should  be  paid. 
Daniel  S.  Haight,  Germanicus  Kent.  Samuel  D. 
Preston,  Laomi  Peake,  Charles  I.  Horsman, 
George  Haskell  and  J.  C.  Goodhue  were  ap- 
pointed commissioners  to  receive  subscriptions  to 
the  stock.  The  capital  stock  was  placed  at  fifty 
thousand  dollars,  divided  into  five  hundred  shares 
of  one  hundred  dollars  each.  The  corporation 
was  given  power  to  increase  its  capital  stock  to 
an}-  sum  not  exceeding  two  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars.  The  law  expressly  provided 
that  the  state  might,  at  any  time  after  the  con- 
struction of  the  dam  and  locks,  assume  the  owner- 
ship of  the  same :  the  state,  however,  was  to  keep 
them  in  good  repair.  All  the  hydraulic  power 
was  to  remain  absolutely  the  property  of  the  com- 
pany. July  22.  1843,  books  were  opened  for  sub- 
scriptions to  the  capital  stock.  By  an  act  of  the 
legislature,  approved  February  11,  1845,  the  law 
of  1843  was  amended. 

In  the  spring  of  1844  the  Rockford  Hydraulic 
Company  was  fully  organized.  The  dam  was 
located  a  few  rods  above  the  present  water-works. 
Directly  above,  the  main  channel  of  the  stream 
shifted  abruptly  from  the  east  to  the  west  shore. 


On  the  east  side,  at  the  site  of  the  dam,  the  water 
for  two-thirds  the  width  of  the  stream,  was  about 
three  feet  deep  in  summer,  with  eight  or  nine  feet 
in  the  channel.  This  site  for  the  dam  was  chosen 
because  it  was  generally  believed  that  if  the  dam 
were  located  at  the  head  of  the  rapids,  the  town 
would  be  built  there.  Had  the  dam  been  built  at 
the  ford,  on  the  rock  bottom,  it  would  have  re- 
quired a  larger  outlay  of  cash.  This  article  was 
scarce,  while  timber,  brush,  stone  and  earth  were 
abundant. 

Edward  S.  Hanchett.  of  Freeport,  had  charge 
of  the  construction  of  the  dam  when  it  was  com- 
menced. He  abandoned  the  work  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  C.  C.  Coburn.  Eighty  acres  of  the  best 
timber  land  were  stripped  of  material  to  build  the 
(lam  and  repair  the  breaks.  This  brush  dam  was 
built  to  a  level  with  the  banks.  A  frame-work 
was  then  raised  on  the  brush,  to  which  plank  was 
spiked.  The  work  of  graveling  then  began.  The 
rock  and  gravel  were  obtained  along  the  bank  of 
the  river  from  sixty  to  eighty  rods  above  the  dam. 
There  were  head-gates  at  either  end,  built  high 
above  the  comb  of  the  dam,  with  gates  which 
opened  like  the  gates  of  a  lock  on  a  canal,  wide 
enough  for  the  passage  of  steamboats.  At  each 
side  of  these  gates  were  openings  to  admit  the 
water  to  the  races,  which  carried  it  to  the  mills 
below.  As  the  water  raised  on  the  brush,  the 
fish,  coming  down  the  river,  would  lodge  on  the 
dam  during  the  night ;  and  in  the  morning  the 
people  would  get  sturgeon,  pickerel,  black  bass 
and  catfish.  The  dam  was  completed  in  the 
autumn  of  1845.  I"  '*^s  issue  of  September  24th 
the  Forum  said :  "As  we  hear  the  roaring  sound 
of  the  falling  waters  (which  can  now  on  a  still 
morning  be  heard  for  several  miles  arovmd)  daily 
increasing  in  strength  and  power,  as  the  sheet  of 
water  becomes  thicker  and  heavier,  as  the  dam  is 
made  closer  and  tighter,  we  cannot  but  realize 
more  forcibly  the  immense  influence  which  these 
hydraulic  works  are  to  exert  upon  our  town  and 
country  if  the  dam  remains  firm  and  pennanent." 

The  mill-race  on  the  east  side  extended  to  Wal- 
nut street,  and  was  twenty  feet  in  width.  At 
the  end  of  the  race  Gregory.  Phelps  &  Daniels 
had  a  sawmill.  At  the  south  side  of  State  street 
was  Nettleton's  gristmill,  the  first  in  Rockford, 
which  was  started  in  1846.  Just  below  James  B. 
Howell  operated  carding  and  fulling  machinery. 
WHieeler  &  Lyon"s  sawmill  was  at  Walnut  street. 
The  race  on  the  west  side  was  about  fifteen  rods 
in  length.  At  the  head  Thomas  D.  Robertson  and 
Charles  I.  Horsman  built  a  sawmill.  Just  below, 
Orlando  Clark  had  an  iron  foundry  in  a  stone 
building.  It  is  significant  that  three  of  these  six 
plants  were  sawmills.  Pine  lumber  had  not  come 
into  general  use,  and  the  only  available  material 
for  frame  dwellings  were  the  trees  of  the  ad- 
jacent forests. 


PAST     AXl)     I'RKSlvXT     ( M^     WIXXKliAGU     tOL.XTV. 


April  j8.  184^1.  tlu'  west  end  of  tlie  dam  went 
out.  About  two  hundred  feet,  includintj  tlie  Inilk- 
liead,  were  swept  away,  and  more  tlian  an  acre 
of  ground  was  washed  out.  The  Mydrauhc  Com- 
pany imniecHately  decided  to  repair  the  dam,  and 
the  work  was  completed  duriufj  the  year. 

March  20,  1847,  the  dam  ^'dve  away  at  the 
east  entl,  and  carried  away  the  sawmill  of  Gre- 
gory. Phel])s  &  Daniels.  About  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  of  the  dani  were  washed  out  at  this  time. 
This  break  was  re])aired  by  Mr.  Xcttleton. 
rhel|>s  and  Daniels  sold  tlieir  interest  in  the 
wrecked  sawmill  to  Lewis  H.  Gregory  and  A.  C. 
.'^|)alTord,  who  rebuilt  it.  The  mills  then  had 
good  water-power  until  June  i,  185 1,  when  the 
entire  dam  went  out.  breaking  away  at  the  west 
bidkhead.  Several  changes  on  the  East  side  then 
followe<l.  Mr.  Howell  renuivecl  his  carding  ma- 
chine to  Xew  Mil  ford,  where  he  remained  until 
the  next  year,  when  he  returned  to  Rockford.  to 
the  West  side,  just  below  the  I'.artlett  flouring 
mills.  Wheeler  &  Lyon's  mill  was  removed 
across  the  race  near  Joseph  Rodd's  mill,  and 
became  a  part  of  his  plant. 

In  February,  1849,  the  legislature  provided  for 
the  improvement  of  the  navigation  of  Rock  river, 
and  for  the  ])roduction  of  hydraulic  power,  under 
a  general  law.  It  ap]iears  liy  an  entry  on  the 
county  records,  that  under  tliis  law  the  company 
filed  a  certificate  of  incoqioration  .\i)ril  13.  1849, 
before  the  abandonment  of  the  enterjirise.  The 
organization  of  the  present  water-power  com- 
pany, two  years  later,  will  he  considered  in 
later  paragraphs. 

I'OST.MASTF.R.S  OF  KOCKFOKO. 

The  early  official  records  of  the  postoffice  de- 
I)artment  at  Washington  are  very  meagre.  There 
arc  no  local  records,  as  these  arc  supposed  to  be 
kept  at  Washington.  In  1890  Hon.  Robert  R. 
Hitt  addressed  a  letter  to  Hon.  John  Wanamaker, 
who  was  then  postmaster-general,  asking  for  in- 
formation upon  this  subject.  That  official  re- 
plied that  the  records  were  incomplete  during  the 
early  history  of  the  service,  and  he  could  only 
give  the  time  of  appointment  and  resignation  of 
the  first  postmaster.  The  later  information  has 
been  obtained  from  the  files  of  the  Rockford 
newspa|)ers  in  the  jiublic  library.  This  is  the  only 
source  from  which  the  facts  given  in  these  para- 
graphs could  he  secured.  The  research  involved 
considerable  time  and  labor,  and  it  is  impossible 
to  give  the  e.xact  date  upon  which  the  com- 
missions were  issued. 

Daniel  S.  Haight  was  tlie  first  postmaster.  His 
commission  was  dated  .'\ugust  31,  1837.  and  he 
served  until  May,  1R41. 

The  first  mail  arrived  about  September  15th. 
J'revious  to  this  time  the  small  packages  of  mail 


had  been  brought  from  Oiicago  by  parties  who 
matle  trii)s  to  that  city  for  sujiplies.  An  order 
for  mail  ujjon  the  jjostmaster  at  that  office,  to 
which  each  man  attached  his  name,  was  left  at 
Mr.  Haight's  house.  The  first  mail  was  brought 
on  horseback,  the  second  by  a  carrier,  and  the 
third  by  open  wagon  with  two  horses.  .After  the 
postoffice  had  been  established,  the  contract  for 
carrying  the  mail  was  made  with  John  D.  Win- 
ters. .Vhout  this  time  Winters  became  associated 
with  Frink.  Walker  &  Co.  Still  later  Winters 
was  on  the  line  west  from  Rockford,  and  finally 
Frink,  Walker  &  Co.  carried  the  mail  on  the 
through  line.  Previous  to  January,  1838,  the 
mail  arrived  from  Chicago  once  a  week.  In 
1831J-40  the  mails  arrived  from  the  west  and  east 
each  three  times  a  week.  The  northern  and  the 
southern  mails  came  once  a  week  :  the  mail  from 
Mineral  Point  arrived  on  Saturday,  and  the  mail 
from  Coltonville  caiuc  on  Wednesday. 

The  first  mail,  in  September,  arrived  with  no 
key,  an(^  it  was  returned  unopened.  When  the 
second  mail  arrived  a  key  had  been  providetl,  but 
the  postmaster  was  not  equal  to  the  combination, 
and  he  turned  it  over  to  Giles  C.  Hard,  who 
solved  the  pmblem.  Its  contents,  about  a  hatful, 
were  received  with  a  general  handshaking.  The 
postage  was  twenty-five  cents  for  each  letter,  and 
stamps  were  unknown.  Mr.  Haight  erected  a 
small  building  sixteen  by  twenty-six  feet,  one 
and  a  half  story,  in  the  summer  of  1837,  for  a 
jiostoffice,  near  107  South  Madison  street.  There 
were  about  twenty-five  boxes.  This  building  was 
used  until  the  following  year  when  Mr.  Haight 
erected  a  more  conunodious  structure  near  312 
East  State  street  with  ante-room  and  boxes.  This 
building  was  used  for  this  purpose  during  sev- 
eral   adiuinstrations. 

Mr.  Haight  was  succeeded  by  Edward  War- 
ren, a  brother  of  Mrs.  Cliarles  H.  SpafTord.  Mr. 
Warren  served  until  August,  1841. 

Selden  M.  Church  was  the  tliird  postmaster, 
and  served  two  years,  when  he  was  removed. 
The  announcement  of  this  change  was  made  in 
three  lines  by  the  Rockford  Forum.  In  the  en- 
tire history  of  Rockford  there  is  nothing  more 
marked  than  the  evolution  of  its  newspapers  from 
the  most  primitive  sort  to  the  present  daily  of 
luetropolitau  proportions. 

In  .\ugust,  1843,  Charles  IT.  Spafford  was  ap- 
])ninted  postmaster.  There  is  a  tradition  that  Mr. 
Church  was  f|uite  active  in  obtaining  the  office ; 
and,  to  balance  the  account,  Mr.  Warren,  who  was 
not  lacking  in  influence,  used  it  in  securing  the 
appointment  for  his  brother-in-law.  The  late 
Mrs.  Spafford  recalled  interesting  reminiscences 
of  those  davs.  She  says :  "The  postoffice  busi- 
ness was  not  large  at  that  time :  there  were  no 
clerks.  The  mail  came  at  night  and  re(|uired  the 
postmaster  to  get  out  at  midnight  or  very  early 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


53 


morning-  to  change  tlie  mail.  \\'liat  seems  more 
strange,  the  postoffice  money  was  kept  at  the 
house  in  my  dressing  bureau.  Mr.  Spafford  was 
accustomed  to  come  home  late  in  the  evening, 
bringing  a  bag  of  money.  In  those  times  of  burg- 
laries all  this  occasioned  me  a  good  deal  of 
anxiety,  as  I  was  alone  so  much  of  the  time  when 
Mr.  SpaiTord  was  at  the  office :  especially  as 
houses  were  not  securely  built  in  those  days.  I 
was  not  sorry  when  the  robber  band  that  had  been 
committing  the  burglaries  around  were  secured 
and  taken  to  Joliet." 

In  Jidy,  1845,  Charles  I.  Horsman  received  the 
appointment.  Two  years  before,  in  1843,  Mr. 
Horsman  erected  a  small  structure  at  306  West 
State  street.  It  was  occupied  by  Colonel  James 
W.  Taylor  as  a  dry  goods  store,  and  was  the  first 
building  erected  on  West  State  street  for  busi- 
ness purposes.  In  the  following  year  he  pur- 
chased the  stock  of  Mr.  Taylor,  and  sold  dry 
goods  himself.  In  1845  li*?  built  a  wing.  No. 
306^,  and  moved  the  postoffice  into  it  from  the 
East  side.  The  jealousy  between  the  two  sides 
of  the  river  was  very  acute,  and  ^Ir.  Horsman 
was  obliged  to  move  his  fixtures  across  the  river 
in  the  night.  This  building  with  others  adjoin- 
ing was  removed,  in  1873,  to  make  room  for  the 
present  brick  block,  which  is  still  owned  by  the 
Horsman  estate.  The  postoffice  remained  at 
306^^  West  State  street  during  ^iFr.  Horsman's 
term  of  office. 

Buel  G.  Wheeler  was  appointed  postmaster  in 
May,  1849,  and  served  four  years.  Mr.  Wheeler 
removed  the  postoffice  to  the  East  Side,  into  the 
building  which  had  been  occupied  by  the  first 
postmaster,  and  stood  on  the  west  side  of  South 
^Madison  street. 

In  June,  1853,  C.  I.  Horsman  received  a  second 
appointment,  and  served  until  i8v-  He  removed 
the  office  to  the  building  on  West  State  street, 
from  which  it  had  been  taken  by  ]\Ir.  Wheeler 
four  years  previous.  The  postoffice  has  remained 
on  the  West  side  for  the  past  forty-eight  years. 

G.  F.  Hambright  succeeded  Mr.  Horsman  in 
March,  1857,  and  held  the  office  four  years.  He 
removed  the  office  into  the  new  Holland  House 
block,  which  had  been  completed  the  vear  before. 
The  office  occupied  the  corner  ground  floor. 

Melancthon  Smith  was  commissioned  by  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  in  1861.  Mr.  Smith  subsequently 
enlisted  in  the  service  of  his  country,  and  went  to 
the  front  with  the  Forty-fifth  Illinois  regiment. 
June  25,  1863,  Colonel  Smith  was  mortally 
wounded  at  the  storming  of  a  fort  at  \'icksburg 
by  General  Logan's  division.  He  lingered  three 
days  in  a  state  of  half-consciousness,  and  died 
Sunday  morning,  June  28th,  in  the  thirty-sixth 
year  of  his  age. 

After  Colonel  Smith's  death  the  local 
politicians  supported  David  T.  Dixon  as  the  logi- 


cal candidate  for  his  successor  in  the  postoffice. 
.\  ]H'tition,  however,  was  numerously  signed  by 
the  citizens,  asking  for  the  appointment  of  Mrs. 
Smith.  Melancthon  Starr,  who  was  a  cousin  of 
Colonel  Smith,  went  to  Washington  and  presented 
the  matter  to  President  Lincoln.  The  president 
endorsed  her  application,  and  sent  a  letter  to  the 
postmaster-general,  of  which  the  following  is  a 
copy : 

"Executive  ^Mansion,  Washington,  July  24, 
1863. — Hon.  Postmaster-General:  Yesterday  lit- 
tle indorsements  of  mine  went  to  you  in  two  cases 
of  postmastershi]is  sought  for  widows  whose  hus- 
bands have  fallen  in  the  battles  of  this  war.  These 
cases  occurring  on  the  same  day  brought  me  to 
reflect  more  attentively  than  I  have  before  done, 
as  to  what  is  fairly  due  from  us  here  in  the  dis- 
pensing of  patronage  toward  the  men  who,  fight- 
ing our  battles,  bear  the  chief  burden  of  saving 
our  country.  My  conclusion  is  that  other  claims 
and  qualifications  being  equal,  they  have  the  bet- 
ter right,  and  this  is  especially  applicable  to  the 
disabled  soldier  and  the  deceased  soldier's  family. 
"Your  obedient  servant, 

A.  Lincoln." 

Mrs.  Smith  accordingly  received  the  appoint- 
ment, and  completed  the  term.  Mrs.  Smith  be- 
came the  wife  of  General  A.  L.  Chetlain,  of  Chi- 
cago. She  is  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Julia  A.  Clemens, 
of  Rockford. 

Mrs.  Smith  was  succeeded  by  the  Hon.  Anson 
S.  Miller,  who  assumed  the  duties  April  I,  1865. 
Judge  Miller  removed  the  postoffice  from  the 
Holland  House  to  the  Brown's  hall  block.  He 
retained  the  office  six  years. 

In  1 87 1  Charles  H.  Spafford  was  appointed 
postmaster  and  served  four  years. 

February  20,  1875,  President  Grant  sent  to  the 
senate  the  name  of  Abraham  E.  Smith,  editor  of 
the  Rockford  Gazette,  for  postmaster  at  Rock- 
ford.  Mr.  Smith  was  confirmed  February  24: 
received  his  commission  March  23,  and  assumed 
the  duties  of  the  office  April  i.  In  December, 
1875,  Mr.  Smith  removed  the  postoffice  to  that 
part  of  the  block  on  the  river  bank  now  occupied 
by  the  Register-Gazette. 

The  choice  of  a  successor  to  Air.  Smith  was 
informally  determined  by  a  direct  popular  vote  of 
the  citizens.  ^Mr.  Smith  was  a  candidate  for  re- 
appointment, but  he  refused  to  go  before  the 
people.  Saturday,  December  21,  1878,  a  special 
election  was  held.  Israel  Sovereign  received  214 
votes :  Thomas  G.  Lawler,  i  ,689  votes :  a  ma- 
jority  for  the  latter  of  1,475.  The  name  of  Col- 
onel Lawler  was  sent  to  the  senate  by  President 
Hayes,  February  19,  1879,  He  was  confirmed 
Febrrarv  22.  and  began  the  duties  of  the  office 
Alarch  15.  Colonel  Lawler  was  reappointed  by 
President  Arthur. 

October    5,    1885,    considerably    more    than    a 


54 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


year  before  llie  expiration  of  Colonel  Lawler's 
second  term.  President  Cleveland  a]i])()inled  John 
D.  Waterman  as  postmaster,  and  he  began  his 
duties  November  2d.  Mr.  Waterman's  term  e.x- 
pired  during'  the  administration  of  President  Har- 
rison, and  Colonel  l-awler  was  reinstated.  When 
(Jrover  Cleveland  was  elected  president  a  second 
time  he  again  appointed  .Mr.  Waterman.  His 
name  was  sent  to  the  senate  Decemlxr  19,  1893. 
and  continued  January  8,  1894.  With  the  ad- 
vent of  William  McKinlcy  to  the  presidency. 
Colonel  Lawler  was  again  a])pointed  and  still 
holds  the  office.  His  nomination  was  sent  to  the 
senate  by  President  McKinky.  January  13.  1898. 
Colonel  Pawler  has  the  uiii(|ue  distinction  of  re- 
ceiving commissions  as  ])ostmaster  of  Rockford 
signed  by  five  presidents  of  the  United  States : 
Rutherford  li.  Hayes,  Chester  A.  Arthur, 
lienjamin  Harrison.  William  McKinley  and 
Theodore  Roosevelt.  Thus  for  a  period  of  nearly 
twenty-six  years  the  postmastershii)  has  see- 
-sawed  between  Thomas  G.  Lawler  and  John  D. 
Watemian. 

I'Ved  Wheat  is  a  veteran  in  the  postal  service. 
He  first  entered  the  local  office  in  .\pril,  1866. 
There  was  an  interval  of  fourteen  years  when  he 
was  in  the  railway  mail  service.  He  then  re- 
turned to  the  city  office,  where  he  has  since  re- 
mained. Mr.  \Vheat  has  been  assistant  post- 
master since  1889. 

The  government  building  was  authorized  by 
act  of  congress  apjiroved  February  9.  1891.  and 
was  appropriated  for  by  act  of  March  3.  1891. 
It  is  located  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Alain  and 
Green  streets.  The  land  was  secured  by  pur- 
chase February  2,  1892,  for  the  sum  of  $17,500. 
The  building  was  completed  and  occupied  Octo- 
ber I.  i8<>3.  The  cost  of  construction  was  $82,- 
169.14.  It  is  constructed  of  Portage  red  sand- 
stone and  coiuaius  a  space  of  186.000  cubic  feet. 

The  Rockford  postoffice  now  gives  emplov- 
nient  to  sixty-three  men.  There  are  eleven  rural 
free  delivery  routes.  Hy  the  extension  of  this 
system  the  postoffices  at  Elida,  Wcmpleton  and 
Latham  Park  have  been  discontinued. 


oKc.x.Niz.vriox  OF  riiK  umvkksai.ist  ciiuRcn. 

The  Unitarian  church  did  not  at  first  in- 
clude all  the  adherents  of  a  liberal  Christian  faith. 
At  a  meeting  held  in  the  brick  schoolhouse,  in 
Fast  Rockford.  .\i)ril  24,  1841.  a  Universalist 
church  was  organized  by  the  election  of  Daniel 
S.  Haight,  I*>.ra  Dorman  and  Thomas  Thatcher 
as  trustees.  This  election  was  recorded  in  the 
recorder's  office,  as  provided  by  law'.  It  is  not 
probable  that  the  official  records  of  this  church 
have  been  preserved.  It  is  known;  however,  that 
j)rcaching  services  were  held  at  the  courthouse 
on  the  Fast  side,  and  at  the  schoolhouse  a  por- 


tion of  the  tiiuc  during  the  next  ensuing  few 
months. 

In  1841  the  Universalists  were  sufficiently 
strong  to  consider  the  erection  of  a  house  of 
worship.  In  those  days  the  citizens  regarded  any 
church,  of  whatever  name,  as  a  factor  in  pro- 
moting the  general  welfare  of  the  vill.ige.  Hence 
the  name  of  a  generous.  ])ul)lic-s])iriteil  citizen 
would  be  found  among  the  contributors  to  the 
support  of  liberal  and  orthodox  churches  alike. 
The  original  subscription  list  for  the  Universalist 
church  which  is  still  extant,  is  an  interesting 
document.  .Mr.  Haight  gave  a  lot  which  he 
valued  at  one  hundred  dollars  ;  the  same  amount 
in  carpenter's  and  joiner's  work  ;  "forty-two  sleep- 
ers in  my  wood-lot  near  Rockford.  seventeen  feet 
long,  at  three  cents  per  foot,  twenty-one  dollars 
and  forty-two  cents :"  and  fifty  dollars  in  money. 
.Almost  the  entire  subscri])tions  are  in  work  or 
material.  William  W'orthington  subscril^ed  ten 
dollars  in  blacksmith's  work ;  Charles  Latimer, 
twenty  dollars,  how  i)aid  is  not  stated ;  A.  M. 
Catlin.  in  produce  fir  building  material,  twenty- 
five  dollars;  J.  M.  Wight,  one  thousand  feet  of 
lumber  at  Stokes  &  Jewett's  mill,  twelve  dollars. 

On  Thursday,  July  22.  1841,  the  corner-stone 
of  the  Universalist  church  was  laid  on  a  site  near 
the  East  side  public  S(|uare.  The  large  assem- 
blage included  peoj^le  of  other  denominations. 
Prayer  was  offered  hy  Rev.  Mr.  \'an  .Mstine,  and 
a  discourse  was  delivered  by  Rev.  Seth  Piarnes. 
This  structure  was  never  comjileted.  .\  stranger, 
in  jjassing  the  unfinished  building,  intiuired  of 
Dr.  George  Haskell  concerning  its  ])urpose.  The 
doctor  replied  that  it  was  an  "insurance  policy 
again.st  hell-fire."  .Xll  the  original  supporters  of 
this  project  are  gone :  and  not  even  tradition  has 
given  the  cause  for  its  sudden  abandonment. 
Thus  the  Unitarian  church  became  the  one  liberal 
household  of  faith. 


FIRST   BRIDGE. 

Ten  years  elajised  from  the  first  settlement  of 
the  village  before  Rock  river  was  spanned  by  a 
bridge  at  Rockfonl.  .\  bill  had  passeil  the  legis- 
lature, aiijiroved  I'ebruary  27,  1843,  aiuhorizing 
Daniel  S.  Haight,  S.  D.  Preston.  Charles  I.  Hors- 
man.  and  their  associates  to  build  a  bridge.  When 
coiui)leted  in  a  manner  so  as  not  to  obstruct  the 
navigation  of  the  river,  and  accepted  by  the 
countv  commissioners'  court,  it  was  to  be  a  public 
highway,  anil  kept  in  repair  by  the  county.  Piut 
nothing  was  done  until  nearly  one  year  later,  when 
the  construction  of  the  county  buildings  on  the 
West  side  emphasized  this  need  to  the  citizens  of 
the  East  side,  where  the  courts  had  been  held. 
The  entire  i)eo]iIe  felt  that  a  bridge  must  be 
built,  although  few  had  means  enough  to  con- 
duct their  own  business  successfullv.    Citizens  of 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


55 


the  West  side,  including-  the  country  west  of  the 
village,  had  built  the  courthouse  and  jail  without 
a  dollar's  expense  to  their  neighbors  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river.  But  the  progressive  citizens 
were  willing  to  assume  another  burden.  At  a 
meeting  held  in  December,  1843,  a  committee  con- 
sisting" of  E.  H.  Potter,  D.  Howell,  Willard 
Wheeler,  C.  I.  Horsman  and  G.  A.  Sanford, 
were  appointed  to  solicit  subscriptions.  A  per- 
sistent efifort  throughout  the  county  secured 
pledges  to  warrant  the  construction  of  an  oak 
lattice  bridge.  All  the  money  raised  at  this  time 
was  by  subscriptions.  The  most  liberal  con- 
tributors were  Frink,  Walker  &  Co.,  the  stage 
proprietors.  January  22,  1844.  the  committee  let 
the  contract  to  Derastus  Harper.  This  gentle- 
man was  a  competent  workman.  He  subsequently 
went  to  Cliicago.  became  the  city  engineer,  and 
designed  the  first  pivot  bridge  across  the  Chicago 
river.  The  lumber  was  cut  from  trees  on  gov- 
ernment land  on  Pecatonica  river,  rafted  down 
the  Rock,  and  sawed  at  Mr.  Kent's  mill.  The 
covering  for  the  lattice  was  basswood  boards,  cut 
from  logs  in  Mr.  Blake's  grove,  and  sawed  at 
Kent's  mill.  C.  I.  Horsman  and  William  G. 
Ferguson  drew  the  logs.  By  August  or  Septem- 
ber, Mr.  Harper  had  sufficient  material  on  hand 
to  commence  laying  the  bridge.  This  was  done 
nearly  in  the  rear  of  the  Masonic  Temple  site,  on 
the  piece  of  level  bottom.  The  bridge  was  of 
three  strings  of  lattice-work,  made  from  oak 
planks,  fastened  with  oak  pins.  There  was  no 
iron  in  the  structure,  except  the  nails  that  held 
the  half-inch  basswood  boards  which  covered  the 
lattice  when  the  structure  was  completed.  There 
were  stone  abutments  on  either  shore.  Christmas 
night,  1844,  the  lattice  was  in  place  a  distance  of 
about  seventy  feet  from  the  west  shore,  supported 
by  temporary  trestles.  Ice  formed  about  the 
trestles  from  the  west  shore.  The  water  arose 
and  lifted  the  entire  structure,  including  the 
trestles,  when  it  toppled  over  with  a  crash.  The 
pride  and  fond  anticipations  of  the  village  went 
out  with  it.  Such  discouragement  is  seldom  de- 
picted on  the  faces  of  the  entire  community.  x\ll 
shared  in  the  disappointment :  but  the  energies  of 
the  citizens  were  not  easily  foiled.  A  united 
efifort  was  made  in  a  short  time,  and  promises 
were  again  secured.  The  abutments,  piers  and 
one  section  were  left,  and  some  of  the  material 
was  saved  which  had  floated  down  stream.  The 
fallen  lattice  was  taken  from  the  water,  and  each 
plank  numbered  with  red  chalk  ;  and  excepting  a 
few  that  were  splintered,  thev  were  again  placed 
in  proper  order.  After  the  ice  went  out  in  March, 
1845,  the  structure  was  again  raised,  without  ac- 
cident. Cheerfulness  and  hopefulness  assumed  full 
sway  :  and  after  many  discouragements  the  bridge 
was  open  for  travel.  Julv  4,  1843.  It  was  a  time 
of  great  rejoicing.     The  public-spirited   citizens 


of  Rockford  felt  that  Independence  Day  had  been 
properly  celebrated.  When  the  last  plank  had 
been  laid  E.  H.  Potter  mounted  a  horse  and  was 
the  first  man  to  ride  across  the  bridge.  It  was 
estimated  that  two  thousand  people  crossed  the 
bridge  that  day.  There  were  two  roadways, 
separated  by  the  centre  lattice,  which  projected 
about  five  feet  above  the  planking. 

Perhaps  no  other  public  improvement  in  Rock- 
ford  ever  so  tested  the  courage  and  financial 
strength  of  the  community.  The  burden  fell 
heavily  upon  the  committee.  The  contract  with 
Mr.  Harper  was  for  five  thousand  and  five  hun- 
dred dollars.  A  financial  statement,  made  July 
15,  1845,  showed  that  only  two  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  forty-seven  dollars  and  ninety  cents 
had  been  collected.  The  committee  had  borrowed 
five  hundred  dollars  on  their  personal  credit,  for 
which  they  were  paying  twelve  per  cent.  There 
was  also  a  balance  due  Mr.  Harper  of  one  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and  ninety-seven  dollars.  The 
bridge  served  its  day  and  generation  very  well, 
but  it  was  subject  to  many  calamities.  The  dam 
broke  three  times  after  the  bridge  was  completed. 
When  the  west  end  broke  in  April,  1846,  the 
pressure  of  the  water  on  the  upper  side  of  the 
center  and  principal  pier  removed  the  foundation 
on  that  side  and  settled  the  bridge  in  the  center 
of  the  up-stream  side  nearlv  to  the  water,  and 
gave  it  the  appearance  of  being  twisted  nearly 
one-fourth  around.  The  bridge  stood  in  this 
])osition  for  some  months,  when  a  contract  was 
made  with  William  Ward  to  raise  it  into  position. 
The  bridge  sustained  some  injury  when  the  east- 
ern portion  of  the  dam  broke  in  April,  1847.  On 
the  25th  of  February  preceding  a  law  of  the  legis- 
lature had  been  approved,  providing  for  a  special 
tax  to  be  levied  upon  the  taxable  property  of 
Rockford  precinct,  for  the  purpose  of  repairing 
and  maintaining  the  bridge,  and  for  the  payment 
of  the  debt  incurred  in  its  construction.  New- 
ton Crawford,  Bela  Shaw,  Ephraim  Wyman  and 
Daniel  ^IcKenney  were  appointed  bridge  com- 
missioners by  the  act,  and  vested  with  power  to 
declare  the  amount  of  tax  to  be  levied,  which 
was  not  to  exceed  fifty  cents  on  one  hundred 
dollars.  These  commissioners  were  appointed  by 
the  act,  until  their  successors  should  be  elected 
annually  at  the  .\ugust  election.  When  the  dam 
went  out  the  third  time,  in  June.  1851,  the  bridge 
withstood  the  rush  of  waters,  although  it  was 
wrenched  from  its  position.  It  reminded  one  of 
a  cow-path  or  a  rail-fence,  and  had  a  very  in- 
secure look.  Though  twisted  from  end  to  end, 
it  kept  its  place  very  tenaciously  until  it  was  re- 
placed by  the  covered  bridge  in  the  winter  of 
1852-53.  Its  memory  should  be  treated  with  re- 
spect. It  enabled  people  to  attend  their  own  re- 
spective churches,  for  nearly  everybody  went  in 
those  days — Congregationalists  on  the  West  side, 


56 


TAST     ANT)     PRESEXT     OF     W  IXXE1!A<  io     COL'XTV. 


an<l  the  .Methodists  on  the  East  side.  Post  office 
and  county  l)nildin_sjs  were  accessible  to  all.  It 
proved  a  linnd  of  nnion  hetween  the  two  sides. 

KIUST    KUL'.NDKV    .\NI)    .\l  .\l  1 1 1  .\  K    SllOl'. 

The  first  foundry  and  niaciiine  sho]i  was  built 
in  the  autumn  ot  1843.  or  early  in  the  s]>rinjj  of 
the  followintj  year.  It  stood  on  the  site  of  Jerc- 
niiali  Davis'  residence,  on  Xorth  Second  street. 
The  proprietors  were  Peter  II.  and  William  W'at- 
.son.  Tlieir  father's  family  came  from  Canada 
and  settled  on  a  farm  in  the  Enoch  neighborhood 
in  (iuilford.  Peter  Watson  was  at  one  time  as- 
sistant secretary  of  war  durinjj  the  civil  conllict, 
and  at  a  later  period  was  president  of  the  Xcw 
"^'ork  and  I">ie  railroad.  The  foundry  was  run- 
nintj  in  the  sjirins;  of  1844.  The  jiroprietors  ob- 
tained a  contract  for  larjj^e  pumps  and  jjipes  for 
raisintj  water  from  the  lead  mines  at  Galena. 
March  11.  1845.  William  Wat.son  sold  his  interest 
in  the  business  to  his  brother  and  eufjag'ed  in  the 
manufacture  of  fanniufj  mills.  Peter  H.  con- 
tiiuieil  the  foundrv  until  .Aujjust,  1843.  His  suc- 
cessors in  the  business  at  this  stand  were  in  turn  : 
R.  E.  Reynolds.  0.  K.  Lyon.  John  Stevens.  H. 
H.  .Silsbv  Laomi  Peake.  and  James  L.  Fountain. 
The  last  named  proprietor  removed  the  material 
and  patterns  to  Xew  Milford  about  1852.  The 
last  vear  Mr.  Sil.sby  conducted  the  business,  in 
i84i>.  it  was  prosperous.  Peojile  came  a  distance 
of  forty  miles  to  g;et  their  work  done.  Mr.  Silsbv 
was  often  reiiiiired  to  work  niijhts  in  order  to 
ketj)  up  with  his  orders.  James  Worslcy  was  the 
ex|)ert  moulder  durinsj  all  these  years,  and  he  was 
master  of  his  trade.  He  was  afterward  in  the 
employ  of  Clark  &  L'tter  until  his  retirement  from 
the  business  bv  reason  of  old  age. 

Orlando  Clark,  who  has  been  erroneouslv 
credited  with  building  the  first  foundrv.  came 
from  Dcloit  in  1847.  and  established  himself  in 
business  on  the  \Vest  side  race,  where  he  re- 
mained imtil  185 1,  when  lie  went  into  business 
with  .Mr.  l'tter  on  the  new  water-])ower.  Mr. 
Clark  built  the  residence  in  South  Rockford. 
which  is  now  the  liome  of  Mrs.  John  C.  Harver. 

TIIIC    MvW    F.Nr,r..\ND   TYPF.. 

E.nierson  observes  that  an  institiUion  is  the 
lenf,'tliened  shallow  of  one  man;  as,  the  Reforiua- 
lion  of  Luther:  Methodism,  of  Wesley:  and  that 
all  history  resolved  it.self  into  the  biographv  of  a 
few  stout  and  earnest  jiersons.  Thus,  he  savs. 
■'events  prow  on  the  same  stem  with  persons :  are 
sul)-|)ersons."  The  larper  iunn])er  of  the  earlv 
sittlers  of  Rfickford  came  froiu  Xew  Enjjlaml. 
Some  emigrated  from  Xew  York  and  other  states. 
hut  the  Xew  Enpland  element  iiredominated. 
These  pioneers  im|)rcssed   their  pir-..  m.-ilil  v   upon 


this  connnunily.  .•md  it  has  remained  until  this 
day.  The  .Xew  Enyianders.  in  their  native  home, 
were  a  homo.ijeneous  race  :  even  the  Chinese  were 
scarcely  more  so.  With  the  exception  of  a  few 
Ihisjuenot  families,  who  came  from  the  old  world 
at  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  who. 
from  religious  symiiathy  and  other  causes,  were 
easily  jjrafted  (ju  the  primeval  vine,  they  were 
all  descendants  of  I-jiirlish  stock. 

Industry,  thrift,  and  a  high  sense  of  personal 
honor  are  prominent  traits  in  the  typical  son  of 
Xew  England.  Soil  and  climate  determine  in 
some  measure  the  character  of  a  people.  The 
rocky  soil  of  New  England  refjuircd  the  hus- 
bandman to  practice  the  virtue  of  industry.  In  a 
s])eech  given  at  a  dinner  of  the  Pilgrim  .Society 
in  Plymouth,  in  1855.  Wendell  Philii])s  gave  this 
unique  characterization  of  the  Puritans:  "How 
true  it  is  that  the  Puritans  originated  no  new 
truth.  How  true  it  is.  also.  Mr.  President,  that 
it  is  not  truth  which  agitates  the  world.  I'lato, 
in  the  groves  of  the  .\cademy.  soundetl  on  and 
on  to  the  utiuost  depth  of  |)hilosophy,  but  .Vthens 
was  quiet.  Calling  around  him  the  choicest 
minds  of  Cirecce.  he  pointed  out  the  worthlessncss 
of  their  altars  and  the  sham  of  ])ul)lic  life,  but 
Athens  was  quiet. — it  was  all  speculation.  When 
Socrates  walked  the  streets  of  .\thens.  and.  cpies- 
tioning  everyday  life,  struck  the  altar  till  the 
faith  of  the  passer-by  faltered,  it  came  close  to 
action,  and  immediately  they  gave  him  hemlock, 
for  the  city  was  turned  upside  down.  I  might 
find  a  better  illustration  in  the  streets  of 
Jerusalem.  What  the  Puritans  gave  the  world 
was  not  thought,  but  action.  luiro])e  had  ideas, 
but  she  was  letting  T  dare  not  wait  upon  I 
would,  like  the  cat  in  the  adage.  The  Puritans, 
with  native  ])luck.  launched  out  into  the  deep  sea. 
Men.  who  called  themselves  thinkers,  had  been 
creeping  along  the  Mediterranean,  from  headland 
to  headland,  in  their  timidity:  the  Pilgrims 
launched  boldly  out  into  the  .Atlantic  and  trusted 
(iod.  That  is  the  claim  they  have  upon  pos- 
terity. It  was  action  that  made  them  what  they 
were." 

That  which  is  pinxhascd  at  the  greatest  cost 
is  usually  the  most  highly  treasured  :  and  thus 
the  inelustrious  farmer  and  artisan  became  frugal. 
It  was  a  point  of  honor  with  a  true  Xew  Eng- 
lander  to  maintain  his  family  and  pay  his  debts. 
This  he  could  not  do  except  by  a  persevering  in- 
dustry, and  a  metliodical  and  prudent  manage- 
ment of  his  affairs.  He  must  be  economical  if  he 
would  be  generous,  or  even  just,  for  extrava- 
gance sooner  or  later  weakens  the  sense  of  moral 
obligation.  These  traits  of  industry  and  thrift 
were  pleasantly  satirized  many  years  ago  bv  a 
southern  writer  in  the  following  paragrajih  :  "We 
of  the  south  are  luistaken  in  the  character  of 
these   peo])le.    when    we    think   of   them   only   as 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WIXXEBAGO  COUNTY. 


peddlers  in  horn  flints  and  bark  nutmegs.  Their 
energy  and  enterprise  are  directed  to  all  objects, 
great  and  small,  within  their  reach.  At  the  fall 
of  a  scanty  rivulet,  they  set  up  their  little  manu- 
factory of  wooden  buttons  or  combs  :  they  plant 
a  barren  hillside  with  broomcorn,  and  make  it  into 
brooms  at  the  bottom,  and  on  its  top  they  erect 
a  windmill.  Thus,  at  a  single  spot,  you  may  set 
the  air,  the  earth  and  the  water  all  working  for 
them.  But,  at  the  same  time,  the  ocean  is 
whitened  to  its  extremities  with  the  sails  of  their 
ship,  and  the  land  is  covered  with  their  works 
of  art  and  usefulness." 

The  early  New  Englanders  have  been  charged 
with  coldness  and  severity  of  manner.  For  an 
austere  people,  however,  they  have  been  easily 
enkindled  with  noble  enthusiasms.  There  are 
certain  traits  prominent  in  their  type  of  character, 
such  as  their  love  of  order  and  the  habit  of  self- 
control,  which  hasty  observers  have  mistaken  for 
tokens  of  a  want  of  earnestness.  PiUt  seldom,  if 
ever,  has  there  been  a  more  sublime  rage  than 
was  shown  near  Boston,  in  April,  1775,  and  for 
eight  years  thereafter.  The  accusation  most  fre- 
quently repeated  against  those  stalwart  people  is 
that  of  religious  intolerance.  Christian  charity, 
however,  has  been  a  slow  and  painful  evolution 
through  the  centuries ;  and  the  New  Englander 
was  but  a  sharer  in  the  world-wide  spirit  of  in- 
tolerance. Perhaps  they  held  their  spinal  columns 
too  rigidly  erect,  and  carried  their  heads  too  high 
to  view  with  tender  sympathy  the  weak  and  sinful 
world  about  them.  Nevertheless,  they  bore  aloft 
the  standard  of  righteousness  before  a  lawless 
generation,  and  planted  in  the  new  world  the 
seeds  of  patient,  practical  and  self-denying  mor- 
ality. Their  posterity  have  sold  their  birthright 
for  the  pottage  of  license  and  disregard  of  the 
moral  law.  Whatever  of  justice  there  may  be  in 
the  strictures  upon  those  ancient  worthies,  it 
may  be  observed  that  no  Channing,  nor  Sumner, 
nor  Garfield  has  ever  been  nttrtured  in  the  atmos- 
phere of  a  Sunday  beer-garden. 

When  Judah  was  in  exile  in  Babylon,  her 
prophet,  Ezekiel,  had  a  vision  of  a  brighter  day. 
".Afterward  he  brought  me  again  unto  the  door 
of  the  house :  and  behold,  waters  issues  out  from 
under  the  threshold  of  the  house  eastward  :  for 
the  forefront  of  the  house  stood  toward  the  east, 
and  the  waters  came  down  from  under,  from  the 
right  side  of  the  house,  at  the  south  side  of  the 
altar."  This  river  was  primarily  a  symbol  of 
the  transformation  that  should  be  wrought  in 
Canaan  to  make  it  a  fit  dwelling-place  for  the 
ransomed  of  the  Lord  who  should  return  to  Zion. 
A  feature  of  Messianic  prophecy  is  the  promise 
of  the  renewal  of  nature  and  the  reconstruction 
of  society.  In  the  prophet's  vision  the  stream  of 
blessing  proceeded  from  the  temple  of  Jehovah ; 
and  the  virtue  of  its  waters  was  received  as  thev 


flowed  b}'  the  altar  of  sacrifice.  In  the  mind  of 
the  devout  Hebrew,  Jehovah  was  always  to  be 
found  in  his  visible  sanctuary.  The  Lord  was 
in  his  holy  temple.  So  the  institutions  of  an  en- 
lightened civilization  have  proceeded  from  the 
Christian  church,  through  the  sacrifice  of  the 
noble  men  and  women  of  the  past,  who  have 
served  her  with  a  lover's  devotion.  The  early 
colleges  of  this  land,  with  very  few  exceptions, 
were  the  offspring  of  the  church,  and  consecrated 
by  its  prayers. 

It  could  not  be  said  that  every  settler  of  Rock- 
ford  belonged  to  the  highest  class ;  but  the  de- 
termining force  in  the  community  came  from 
those  high  ideals  of  culture  and  religion,  and 
those  habits  of  economy,  industry,  integrity  and 
temperance  which  have  made  the  true  Englander 
a  representative  of  the  best  elements  of  our 
civilization.  It  was  ordained  in  the  beginning 
that  seed  should  bring  forth  fruit  after  its  kind. 
It  is  none  the  less  true  in  social  and  moral  life. 
The  moral  status  of  a  city  or  country  as  truly  indi- 
cates the  character  of  its  pioneers  as  the  rich, 
ripe  fruit  of  the  vineyard  tells  the  secret  of  its 
seed  and  culture. 

Hon.  R.  R.  Hitt,  in  an  address  delivered  in 
August,  1899,  before  the  old  settlers  of  Seward 
in  this  county,  said  the  statement  that  the  early 
settlers  builded  wiser  than  they  knew,  was  a 
reflection  upon  their  intelligence.  He  insisted  that 
the  ]5ioneers  knew  what  they  were  doing,  and  had 
some  conception  of  the  outcome.  Certain  it  is 
that  whatever  Winnebago  county  is  to-day  is 
directly  traceable  to  their  agency.  They  have 
been  the  architects  of  her  institutions.  They  laid 
broad  and  deep  the  foundation  of  her  industrial, 
educational,  moral  and  religious  interests,  and 
from  time  to  time  they  have  superintended  the 
superstructure..  The  large  majority  of  this  van- 
guard have  ceased  from  their  labors,  and  their 
works  do  follow  them.  As  the  few  who  remain 
behold  the  institutions  of  learning  that  have  been 
reared  in  every  town,  and  the  resources  provided 
for  the  humblest  as  well  as  for  the  strongest :  as 
the>-  look  over  the  prairies  reclaiined  from  bar- 
renness and  barbarism  through  their  toil  and 
privations  :  as  they  consider  the  various  religious 
influences  that  are  quietlv  softening  and  humaniz- 
ing the  moral  nature,  they  have  the  satisfaction 
of  knowing  that  they  have  not  lived  in  vain. 

There  is  a  tendency  in  this  age  to  remove  the 
ancient  landmarks  which  the  fathers  have  set. 
The  Sabbath  has  lost  much  of  its  former  sanctity. 
Parental  authority  has  become  a  lost  art,  or  a  lost 
virtue :  and  there  has  been  a  widespread  insub- 
ordination to  constituted  authority ;  and  the  mad 
chase  for  wealth  has  established  false  standards 
of  worth,  and  weakened  the  moral  fibre  of  the 
people.  These  are  not  the  reflections  of  a  pes- 
simist, but  the  conclusions  of  the  casual  observer. 


5S 


PAST     AXD    PRESFA'T    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


If  this  rciniblic  is  to  endure  there  imist  be  a 
speedy  return  to  the  homely  virtues  and  the  high 
ideals  of  the  fathers.  "For  wheresoever  the  car- 
cass is  there  will  the  eagles  be  gathered  together." 
In  the  ( )Id  Testament  the  eagle,  i>r  the  liird  of 
prey,  represents  a  foreign  army  sunimoiied  by 
Jehovah  to  execute  his  chastisement  u])on  a  cor- 
rni)t  nation.  The  interpretation  is  this :  Wher- 
ever there  is  corruption  there  will  be  inflicted  the 
judgments  of  Him  who  rules  in  righteousness. 

KIVICK    .\M>    IIARHOR    CO.W  ENTIOX. 

Prior  til  1846  Chicago  was  a  port  of  delivery 
only  and  belonged  to  the  district  of  Detroit.  The 
former  city  was  made  a  port  of  entry  by  act  of 
congress  in  1846.  Some  improvements  had  been 
made  in  the  harbor  previous  to  1839,  when  the 
work"  was  discontinued  for  want  of  funds.  A  bar 
had  formed,  which  extended  across  the  entrance 
of  the  chamiel.  so  that  vessels  could  enter  only  in 
fair  weather,  and  even  then  with  considerable 
difficulty.  It  was  only  in  response  to  the  un- 
remitting efforts  of  the  citizens,  by  memorials 
and  personal  influence,  during  the  years  1839-41, 
that  congress,  in  1843.  appropriated  twenty-five 
thousand  dollars  to  continue  the  improvements. 
The  next  year  thirty  thousand  additional  were 
a|>|)ropriated  for  the  same  purpose.  Up  to  this 
time  two  hundred  and  forty-seven  thousand  dol- 
lars had  been  ex|)ended  :  yet  the  harbor  was  still 
incomplete,  if  not  positively  dangerous.  John 
Wentworth,  Chicago's  able  representative  in  con- 
gress, had  secured  the  incorporation  of  another 
appropriatir)n  in  tlie  river  and  harbor  l)ill  of  1846 
by  a  decisive  majority :  but  Presiilent  Polk  in- 
teq)osed  his  veto. 

The  president  and  the  minority  in  congress 
were  thus  comniitte<l  against  the  |)olicy  of  river 
and  harbor  iTuijrovement.  This  course  pro- 
voked general  criticism,  and  especially  in  the 
west :  and  resulted  in  the  call  for  the  famous  river 
and  harbor  convention,  which  met  in  July,  1847 
It  was  f>ne  of  the  most  notable  events  of  the 
()eriod.  Preliminary  conferences  had  been  held 
in  Chicago.  Detroit,  Buffalo,  and  New  York,  and 
such  encouragement  had  been  received  that  a 
meeting  was  held  in  Chicago,  November  13,  184^1. 
to  complete  the  arrangements  for  the  convention. 
William  Moscly  Hall,  who  took  the  initiative  in 
calling  the  convention,  was,  from  1845  to  1848, 
agent  at  St.  Louis  of  the  Lake  Steamship  Associ- 
ation, connecting  by  Frink,  Walker  &  Company's 
stage  lines,  and  later  by  Illinois  and  Michigan 
canal  packets,  with  Illinois  river  steamers  to  St. 
Louis. 

The  convention  assembled  in  Chicago  July  5. 
1847.  Delegates  were  present  from  eighteen  out 
of  the  twenty-nine  states  of  the  union.  New 
^'ork  sent  over  three  hundred:  and  still  larger 


numbers  came  from  Michigan,  Ohio,  Wisconsin, 
Indiana  and  Illinois.  The  total  attendance  was 
estimated  to  be  from  six  to  ten  thousand.  Many 
of  the  leading  men  of  the  nation  were  present. 
Among  them  were  Thomas  Corwin.  \\'illiam 
I '.ebb.  Stanly  Mathews,  Schuyler  Colfax,  David 
Diidly  Field,  Thurlow  \\'ccd.  and  Horace  Greely. 
Thirty-five  counties  in  Illinois  sent  delegates. 
Abraham  Lincoln  was  one  of  the  number.  Mr. 
Lincoln  was  the  only  whig  representative  in  con- 
gress from  the  state.  He  at  this  time  made  his 
first  visit  to  its  commercial  metropolis.  Giicago 
was  then  a  city  of  fifteen  thousand  pi)])ulation. 

The  resolutions  adopted  enthusiastically  as- 
serted that  it  was  the  right  and  duty  of  the 
general  government  to  facilitate  commerce  by 
improving  harbors,  and  clearing  out  navigable 
rivers ;  and  that  theretofore  ajipropriations  made 
for  the  improvement  of  inter-oceanic  rivers  and 
lakes  had  not  Ijcen  in  fair  proportion  to  those  made 
for  the  benefit  of  the  Atlantic  coast.  A  resolution 
in  favor  of  a  railroad  from  the  states  to  the 
Pacific,  introduced  by  William  Moseley  Hall,  was 
adopted.  The  closing  speech  was  delivered  by 
the  president.  Edward  Bates,  which  tradition  has 
pronounced  "'a  masterpiece  of  American  oratory 
theretofore  unexcelled."  No  report  of  this  great 
oration  has  been  preserved. 

Winnebago  county  was  re])resented  at  this  con- 
vention by  thirty  delegates,  as  follows:  Daniel  S. 
Maight,  .\nson  S.  Miller.  S.  G.  Armor.  Thomas 
D.  Robertson.  William  Hulin.  Spencer  Post, 
Charles  H.  Sjjafford.  O.  Jcwett.  J.  A.  Wilson, 
Jason  Marsh.  Newton  Crawford.  Cyrus  1".  Mil- 
ler, Goodyear  .A.  Sanford.  W'.  A.  Dickerman.  R. 
R.  Comstock,  Jesse  Bliiui,  J.  B.  Peterson.  Austin 
Colton.  Shepherd  Leach.  C.  A.  Huntington.  J.  M. 
Wight.  L  B.  Johnson.  Samuel  Cunningham, 
Horace  Miller,  F.  M.  Miller,  W.  P.  Dennis.  H. 
Barross.  D.  Corey.  M.  H.  Regan.  Dr.  Carpenter. 

The  most  complete  report  of  this  historic  con- 
vention is  published  in  Fergus'  Historical  Series, 
number  eighteen,  which  devotes  about  two  hun- 
dred pages  to  the  subject.  Several  numbers  of 
this  work,  which  have  now  become  rare  and  valu- 
able, may  be  foimd  in  the  Rockford  public  library. 

idNSTITlTloNAr,    CONVENTION    OF     1848. 

In  pursuance  of  an  act  of  the  general  assembly, 
ajiproved  I-'ebruary  20,  1847,  a  constitutional  con- 
vention assembled  at  .Springfield.  June  7th  of  the 
same  year.  The  delegates  from  \\'innebago 
county  were  Seldon  M.  Church  and  Robert  J. 
Cross.  The  delegates  from  the  neighI)oring 
county  of  Boone  were  Dr.  Daniel  H.  Whitney 
and  Stephen  A'.  Hurlbut,  both  of  whom  were  well 
known  in  Rockford  at  an  early  date.  The  jour- 
nal of  ])roceedings  indicale  that  all  of  these  gen- 
tlemen took  part   in  the  iliscussions.     Upon  the 


PAST     AN'D     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


59 


organization  of  the  convention  Mr.  Church  was 
appointed  a  member  of  the  standing  committee 
on  the  organization  of  departments  and  offices 
connected  with  the  executive  department ;  ^Ir. 
Cross,  a  member  of  the  committee  on  the  bill  of 
rights ;  ]\Ir.  Hurlbut,  on  the  judiciary  depart- 
ment, and  Dr.  Whitney'  on  incorporations. 

Early  in  the  session  Mr.  Church  introduced  the 
following  resolution:  "Resolved,  That  the  com- 
mittee on  the  bill  of  rights  be  requested  to  in- 
quire into  the  expediency  of  so  amending  the 
sixth  article  of  the  present  constitution  that  it 
shall  provide  that  there  shall  be  neither  slavery 
nor  involuntary  servitude  in  this  state,  otherwise 
than  for  the  punishment  of  crimes,  whereof  the 
parties  shall  have  been  duly  convicted.  Nor  shall 
any  person  be  deprived  of  liberty  on  account  of 
color."  June  26th  Mr.  Cross  introduced  the  fol- 
lowing resolution :  "Resolved,  That  the  com- 
mittee on  elections  and  the  right  of  suffrage  be 
instructed  to  inquire  into  the  expediency  of 
changing  the  time  of  holding  the  elections  from 
the  first  Monday  in  August  to  the  Tuesday  next 
after  the  first  Monday  in  November,  and  the 
manner  of  voting  from  vive  voce  to  the  ballot." 
]\Ir.  Cross  also  led  in  an  effort  to  secure  in  the 
new  constitution  a  provision  for  a  state  superin- 
tendent of  schools,   with  a  liberal   salary. 

The  convention  continued  in  session  luitil 
August  31st,  when  the  new  constitution  was 
adopted.  It  was  ratified  by  the  people  March  6, 
1848,  and  in  force  from  April  ist  following.  The 
adoption  of  this  new  constitution  was  a  notable 
event  in  the  transition  from  a  primitive,  pioneer 
state  to  a  great  commonwealth.  Many  changes 
were  made.  A  section,  introduced  by  Air.  Hurl- 
but,  of  Boone,  provided  for  township  organiza- 
tion in  the  counties  wherever  desired.  The  time 
of  holding  the  general  election  was  changed  from 
August  to  November ;  the  method  of  voting  from 
vive  voce  to  the  ballot :  the  judiciary  was  made 
elective ;  and  many  improvements  were  made 
along  other  lines.  This  constitution  remained  in 
force  until  1870.  A  new  constitution  was  adopted 
in  convention  in  1862.  but  it  was  rejected  by  the 
people.  The  delegate  from  Winnebago  county 
to  this  convention  was  Porter  Sheldon,  a  brother 
of  C.  \\'.  Sheldon,  of  Rockford. 

THE   GALENA    AND  CHICAGO   UNION   RAILROAD. 

January  16.  1836.  a  charter  was  granted  to 
the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union  Railroad  Company 
to  construct  a  railroad  with  a  single  or  double 
track  from  Galena  to  Chicago.  The  capital  stock 
was  to  be  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  with  the 
privilege  of  increase  to  a  sum  not  exceeding  one 
million  dollars.  William  Bennett,  Thomas  Drum- 
mond,  J.  C.  Goodhue.  Peter  Semple,  J.  M. 
Turner,  E.  D.  Tavlor  and  T-  B.  Thomas,  Jr.,  were 


made  commissioners  for  receiving  subscriptions 
to  the  capital  stock.  At  that  time  Galena  was  the 
leading  village  of  this  western  country.  This 
fact  explains  the  precedence  given  to  that  name 
in  the  title  of  the  road.  The  company  was  given 
three  years  in  which  to  commence  operations. 
Either  animal  or  steam  power  might  be  used.  The 
charter  was  obtained  mainly  through  the  influence 
of  Ebenezer  Peck  and  T.  W.  Smith.  The  Galena 
&  Chicago  Union  was  the  first  railroad  chartered 
to  be  built  from  Chicago,  upon  which  work  was 
immediately  begun.  The  road  became  an  im- 
portant factor  in  the  great  transportation  system 
of  Chicago,  as  well  as  towns  along  the  line. 

Thirteen  months  after  the  charter  was  granted, 
the  survey  of  the  proposed  route  was  begun  by 
an  engineer,  James  Seymour,  and  was  extended 
from  the  foot  of  North  Dearborn  street  as  far  as 
the  Des  Plaines  river.  Work  was  suspended  in 
June,  1838,  but  resumed  the  following  year,  and 
piles  were  driven  along  the  line  of  Madison 
street,  and  stringers  placed  upon  them.  It  soon 
became  evident,  however,  that  Chicago's  financial 
strength  was  not  equal  to  her  ambition,  and  the 
enterprise  was  temporarily  abandoned.  The  sus- 
pension of  operations  was  a  source  of  profound 
regret  to  the  citizens  of  the  Rock  River  valley, 
who  had  made  several  attempts  to  obtain  better 
connection  with  Chicago,  first  by  means  of  the 
contemplated  road,  and  later  by  canal.  These 
schemes  did  not  prove  feasible,  and  other  plans 
were  substituted. 

The  agitation  was  continued  in  Winnebago 
county  for  several  years.  The  first  railroad  meet- 
ing in  Rockford  was  held  November  28,  1845. 
Anson  S.  Miller  was  chosen  chairman  and  Seldon 
M.  Church,  secretary.  The  meeting  was  ad- 
dressed bv  Hon.  iNIartin  P.  Sweet.  It  was  re- 
solved that  those  counties  interested  in  the  con- 
struction of  a  railroad  from  Galena  to  Chicago  be 
recommended  to  send  delegates  to  a  convention 
to  be  held  in  Rockford.  January  7,  1846,  for  the 
purpose  of  taking  measures  for  the  construction 
of  the  road  at  the  earliest  possible  time.  Jason 
Marsh,  T.  D.  Robertson,  and  William  Hulin  were 
appointed  a  corresponding  committee  to  carry  out 
the  object  of  the  meeting.  The  following  dele- 
gates were  appointed  to  attend  the  convention 
from  Winnebago  county :  Horace  Miller,  A;  C. 
Gleason,  Robert  Barrett,  Harvey  Gregory,  Robert 
J.  Cross,  Asa  Farnsworth,  Stephen  Mack, 
Thomas  B.  Talcott,  Leman  Pettibone.  Guy 
Hulett,  Snvder  J.  Fletcher,  Alonzo  Hall,  Daniel 
B.  Baker,'  E.  S.  Cable.  Harvey  Woodruflf. 
Joseph  Manchester,  George  Haskell,  Willard 
Wheeler,  E.  H.  Potter,  Newton  Crawford,  J,  C. 
Goodhue,  S.  M.  Church,  Anson  ^Miller,  Jason 
^larsh,  and  T.  D.  Robertson. 

December  5,  1845,  a  meeting  was  held  in  Chi- 
cago to  select  delegates  to  the  Rockford  conven- 


6o 


PAST     ANT)     l'ki:SI-:\T     OI"     W  l.Wl-.r.ACO     COUXTV. 


tion.  Mayor  A.  Garrett  presided,  aiul  Isaac  X. 
Arnokl  was  secretary.  Tlie  meetinj:;  was  ad- 
dressed by  J.  Y.  Scamnion,  of  Cliicago,  and  Wil- 
liam lialdwin.  of  I'.oston.  The  followiiijj  delc- 
fjates  were  chosen  to  attend  the  convent  ion  at 
Ki)ckfi)rd:  Isaac  .\.  .\rnold,  J.  V.  ."^caninion.  J. 
1>.  I'".  Rnssell.  Mark  Skinner.  Thomas  D\er.  K. 
\V.  Tracy.  John  Danlin.  Stei)lien  1-".  dale.  Wil- 
liam H.  Ilrown.  Walter  L.  Xewberry.  William  E. 
Jones,  iJryan  W.  Raymond,  1".  C.  Sherman,  Wil- 
liam Jones,  Mayor  A.  Clarrctt.  Meetings  were 
held  at  ISelvidere.  December  20th,  and  at  Free- 
port.  December  25th,  for  the  selection  of  dele- 
jrates  to  the  convention. 

The  convention  was  held  .ii  Rockford  Jann- 
ary  7,  1S46.  Delejjates  were  present  from  the 
counties  i)roposed  to  be  traversed  by  the  line. 
Cook  comity  sent  si.xteen  delejfates ;  De  Kalb, 
one  ;  McHenry.  fifteen  ;  Rock,  three  ;  Ogfle,  eighty  ; 
Hoone.  forty-two;  I.ee,  one;  Kane,  fifteen; 
Stephenson,  forty ;  Winnebago,  one  hundred ; 
Jo  Daviess,  six;  a  total  of  three  hundred  and 
nineteen  delegates.  It  will  be  observed  that  Win- 
nebago, and  i)robably  other  comities,  sent  a  larger 
delegation  than  had  been  authorized  by  the  pre- 
liminary meeting.  The  convention  was  called  to 
order  at  twelve  o'clock  by  T.  D.  Robertson,  who 
nominated  T.  X.  .\rnold  for  teiiii)orary  chairman. 
Mr.  Robertson  was  chosen  secretary.  i)ro  teiii. 
The  committee  a|)pointed  to  nominate  perniaiieiit 
ofJicers  jireseiited  the  following  rejiort :  Thonias 
Drummond.  of  Jo  Daviess,  jiresident ;  William  II. 
Hrown,  of  Cook;  Joel  Walker,  of  lioone; 
Spooner  Ruggles,  of  Ogle;  Elijah  Wilcox,  of 
Kane,  vice-presidents ;  T.  D.  Robertson,  of  Win- 
nebago;  J.  ii.  Russell,  of  Cook;  S.  P.  Hyde,  of 
Mcllenry,  secretaries. 

The  president,  on  taking  the  chair,  addressed 
the  meeting  <m  the  great  im])ortance  of  the  out- 
come to  northern  Illinois  and  the  northwest,  and 
expressed  the  hope  that  all  their  transactions 
might  be  characterized  by  an  intelligent  view  of 
the  situation.  J.  Y.  Scamnion.  of  Cook,  oflfercd 
a  resolution  that  a  committee  of  one  from  each 
countv  be  ajipointed  to  re|)ort  resolutions  which 
would  express  the  views  of  the  convention.  The 
chair  appointed  the  following  committee:  J.  Y. 
Scanimon.  of  Cook;  (icorge  T.  Kasson,  of  Mc- 
Henry ;  Charles  S.  Hempstead,  of  Jo  Daviess ; 
M.  G.  Dana,  of  Ogle;  James  S.  Waterman,  of 
DeKalb ;  William  H.  Ciilman.  of  Pioonc ;  [ohn  A. 
Clark,  of  .Stephenson;  .\.  1!.  Wells,  of  Kane;  S. 
M.  Church,  of  Winnebago;  E.  (i.  Fisher,  of  Wis- 
consin Territory.  Walter  E.  .Xewberry.  of  Chi- 
cago, otYered  the  fallowing:  "Resolved,  If  a  satis- 
factory arrangement  can  be  made  with  the  |)resent 
holders  .if  the  stock  of  the  ( ialena  &  Chicago 
I'nion  Railroad  Company,  that  the  members  of 
this  convention  will  use  all  honorable  measures  to 
obtain  .subscriptions  to  the  stock  of  said  com- 
()any." 


.\n  animated  debate  followed,  and  after  a  full 
discussion  of  the  powers  of  the  charter  and  pos- 
sible benefits,  the  resolution  was  adopted  by  an 
overwhelming  vote. 

The  following  resolutions,  presented  by  J. 
^'olmg  Scamnion.  in  behalf  of  the  coniiiiittce  ap- 
pointed for  that  purpose,  were  adojited  without 
a  dissenting  vote : 

"Resolved,  That  the  wants  of  the  farmers  and 
the  business  men  of  northern  Illinois  require  the 
immediate  construction  of  a  railroad  from  Gii- 
cago  to  (ialena.  That  the  value  of  farms  ni)oii 
the  route  wonUl  he  doubled  by  the  construction 
of  the  road,  and  the  convenience  of  the  in- 
habitants  immeasural)ly  i)rofited  thereby. 

"Resolved,  That  in  order  to  accomplish  the  ob- 
ject of  this  convention,  it  is  indispensably  neces- 
sary that  the  inhabitants  and  owners  of  property 
between  (ialena  and  Chicago  should  come  for- 
ward and  subscribe  to  the  stock  of  the  proposed 
railroad  to  the  extent  of  their  ability;  and  that 
if  each  farmer  ni»on  the  route  shall  take  at  least 
one  share  of  the  stock  ( (Jiie  hundred  dollars)  the 
coiiii)letioii  of  the  road  would  be  placed  beyond 
contingency." 

This  action  enkindled  enthusiasm  along  the 
entire  line,  but  before  the  necessary  subscriptions 
had  been  secured.  Messrs.  Townsend  and  Mather, 
who  owned  the  original  charter,  otTered  the  same, 
together  with  the  land  and  such  improvements  as 
had  alread\-  been  made,  to  the  citizens  of  Chicago, 
for  the  sum  of  twenty  thousand  dollars.  The 
terms  contem])lated  the  payment  of  the  entire  sum 
in  stock  of  the  new  company  ;  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars immcdiatelv  after  the  election  and  organiza- 
tion of  the  board  of  directors,  and  the  remaining 
ten  thousand  dollars  on  the  completion  of  the  road 
to  Rock  river,  or  as  soon  as  dividends  of  six  per 
cent,  had  been  earned.  This  proposition  was  ac- 
cepted. The  i)urcliasers  subscribed  from  their 
own  means  for  the  expense  of  the  survey  on  De- 
cember 6,  1846,  and  the  following  year  the  work 
was  begun,  under  the  su]iervision  of  Richard  P. 
Morgan. 

It  was  decided  to  open  subscription  books  at 
Chicago  and  at  (Ialena.  as  well  as  the  several  set- 
tlements through  which  the  road  was  to  pass. 
The  task  of  canvassing  among  the  farmers  be- 
tween the  jiroposed  termini  was  undertaken  by 
William  P..  Ogden.  J.  Young  Scamnion  solicited 
funds  in  Chicago,  but  the  subscriptions  came  in 
slowly.  ( )nly  twenty  thousand  dollars  were  ob- 
tained at  the  t)utset  from  all  the  real  estate  men 
and  others  who  might  have  been  supi)osed  to 
have  been  especially  interested.  Certain  business 
men  in  Chicago  opposed  the  construction  of  the 
road  on  the  ground  that  it  might  divert  business 
from  Chicago  to  other  jioints  along  the  line.  Mr. 
( )g(len  met  with  better  success  in  the  rural  dis- 
tricts. Even  the  women  were  willing  to  undergo 
many  i)rivations  of  a  per.sonal  character,  that  they 


PAST  AXD  TRESEXT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


6i 


mig-ht  assist  in  the  construction  of  an  iron  high- 
way, which  they  behaved  would  prove  of  great 
benefit  to  the  succeeding  generations.  The  citi- 
zens of  Rockford  and  farmers  in  the  adjoining 
districts  made  hberal  subscriptions  to  stock.  John 
A.  Holland  and'T.  D.  Robertson  were  the  most 
active  local  promoters  of  the  enterprise. 

The  original  ])lan  was  to  secure  as  large  a  local 
subscription  to  the  capital  stock  as  possible,  and 
then  apply  to  eastern  capitalists  for  such  advances, 
either  in  the  form  of  subscriptions  to  capital  stock 
or  loans,  as  might  be  found  necessary.  The  in- 
terest in  the  enterprise,  however,  was  such  that 
by  April  i.  1848,  one  hundred  and  twenty-six 
subscribers  had  taken  three  hundred  and  fifty-one 
thousand  and  eight  hundred  dollars'  worth  of 
stock.  It  was  therefore  concluded  that  the  road 
should  be  constructed  and  owned  by  residents  of 
the  territory  through  which  it  was  to  pass.  It  was 
determined,  however,  to  interview  friends  of  the 
project  in  the  east,  to  obtain  such  suggestions  as 
their  experience  in  railroad  matters  might  enable 
them  to  give.  Eastern  capitalists  advised  the  con- 
struction of  the  road  as  far  as  the  subscription 
might  be  available ;  and  later,  if  money  were 
needed,  it  might  be  obtained  in  the  east.  There 
was  another  factor  in  the  problem.  Illinois  was 
burdened  with  an  enormous  debt,  and  repudiation 
had  been  imminent.  Eastern  capitalists  were 
therefore  not  prompt  in  response  to  calls  for  loans 
to  be  expended  in  internal  improvements. 

In  September.  1847,  a  corps  of  engineers  was 
engaged  for  surveys  and  work  was  begun.  Un- 
expected obstacles  were  encountered,  and  it  was 
impossible  for  the  directors  to  make  the  first  con- 
tract for  construction  until  near  the  close  of  the 
year.  Contracts  for  the  grading  and  bridging  of 
twenty-five  additional  miles  were  made  in  March, 
1848.  Meanwhile,  in  February,  1847,  an  amended 
charter  had  been  secured,  under  the  terms  of 
which  a  new  board  of  directors  was  elected  April 
5th  of  the  following  year.  Changes  were  sub- 
sequently made  as  follows  :  Thomas  D.  Robertson, 
of  Rockford.  was  elected  director,  vice  Allen 
Robbins,  resigned,  April  5,  1849;  Dexter  A. 
Knowlton,  of  Freeport,  vice  J-  Y,  Scammon.  re- 
signed, in   1850. 

The  canvass  for  subscriptions  made  along  the 
line  by  Mr.  Ogden  was  subsequently  supple- 
mented by  Charles  Walker,  Isaac  N.  Arnold, 
John  Locke  Scripps  and  John  B.  Turner.  In 
1848  B.  ^^'.  Raymond  and  John  B.  Turner  visited 
the  seaboard  to  enlist  eastern  support  in  the 
project.  The  journey  was  not  as  successful  as 
they  had  hoped ;  yet  they  reported  to  Chicago 
subscriptions  for  fifteen  thousand  dollars'  worth 
of  stock  and  the  promise  of  a  loan  of  seven  thou- 
sand dollars  additional.  The  financial  success  of 
the  enterprise  seemed  to  be  so  far  assured  by  this 
time  that  the  management  purchased  a  limited 
amount  of  rolling-stock. 


Mr.  Ogden,  the  president  of  the  company,  and 
also  a  member  of  the  city  council  of  Chicago,  en- 
deavored in  the  latter  capacity  to  secure  the  pas- 
sage of  an  ordinance  giving  the  company  the  right 
of  way  into  the  city,  with  other  incidental  privi- 
leges. The  ordinance  failed  to  pass,  but  the  road 
was  granted  the  privilege  of  constructing  a  tem- 
]iorary  track,  in  order  to  facilitate  the  hauling  of 
necessary  material  through  the  city.  The  first 
civil  engineer  of  the  reorganized  company  was 
John  \^an  Xortwick,  and  in  June,  1848,  his  as- 
sistant, George  W.  Waite,  drove  the  first  grading 
peg,  at  the  corner  of  Kinsie  and  Halstead 
streets. 

In  September,  1848,  the  directors  purchased 
two  engines  from  eastern  companies.  The  first, 
the  Pioneer,  arrived  in  Chicago,  October  loth 
following.  They  were  clumsy  in  appearance  and 
workmanship :  but  they  rendered  efficient  service. 
The  Pioneer  was  unloaded  from  the  brig  Buf- 
falo, on  the  Sunday  following  its  arrival  in  Chi- 
cago. It  proved  to  be  a  memorable  purchase.  At 
first  it  ran  simply  as  a  motor  for  hauling  ma- 
terial for  construction:  but  December  15,  1848, 
it  started  from  Chicago  at  the  head  of  the  first 
train  which  left  the  city  over  the  four  miles  of 
track.  In  the  rear  of  the  Pioneer  were  six 
freight  cars,  extemporized  into  passenger  coaches. 
The  engineer  in  charge  was  John  Ebbert.  As 
the  road  developed  Mr.  Ebbert  was  promoted 
until  he  became  master  mechanic  of  the  road.  His 
death  occurred  in  Chicago,  August  21,  1899,  at 
the  age  of  eighty-five  years.  The  first  engineer, 
however,  who  ran  the  Pioneer  as  far  west  as 
Rockford  was  I.  D.  Johnson.  In  1854  Mr.  John- 
son was  married  to  ]\Iiss  Delia,  a  daughter  of 
Samuel  Gregory.  To  them  were  born  six  chil- 
dren, three  of  whom  survived  the  father.  Mr. 
Johnson  died  at  his  home  in  Chicago.  February 
24,  1899,  and  was  buried  in  Rockford.  He  was 
a  man  of  straightforward  character,  and  as  an 
engineer  he  was  careful  and  courageous.  The 
Pioneer  was  on  exhibition  at  the  world's  Colum- 
bian exposition  in  1893.  under  the  charge  of  its 
former  master  Engineer  Ebbert,  and  attracted 
great  attention  as  an  example  of  primitive  ideas 
in  locomotive  construction.  It  is  now  on  exhibit 
at  the  Field  Columbian  Museimi. 

The  line  was  extended  to  Elgin,  forty  miles 
west,  in  January,  1850.  Nearly  one  hundred  and 
sixty-five  thousand  dollars  had  been  expended 
for  construction  up  to  that  time.  The  rolling- 
stock  was  then  an  object  of  admiration;  but  it 
is  now  only  of  interest  as  a  relic  of  the  day  of 
small  things.  The  track  was  laid  as  far  west  as 
Belvidere  in  the  spring  of  1852.  On  IMonday, 
August  2,  1852,  a  train  on  the  Galena  &  Chicago 
Union  railroad  arrived  in  East  Rockford.  Its 
advent  was  signalized  by  the  ringing  of  bells  and 
the  firing  of  cannon.  The  iron  horse  was 
greeted  by  the  populace  as  the  successor  of  the 


PAST     AX  I)     I'RESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


horse  ami  \va,t;nn  ami  oxcii  ami  ilrivcr  and  whip. 
From  tliat  day  Rock  ford  ])cgan  to  make  rapid 
strides  in  wealth,  population,  and  commercial  im- 
portance;  and  the  I'^orum  took  the  llattering  unc- 
tion to  its  .>;oul  that  Chicago  and  Galena  might 
be  soon  '■looking  this  way  with  a  jealous  eye 
lest  they  become  eclipsed  in  greatness  by  the  city 
of  the  Rock  river  valley." 

r.y  the  year  1857  quite  an  extension  of  the  line 
liad  been  completed.  A  double  track  had  been 
extended  thirty  miles  west,  as  far  as  Turner  Junc- 
tion, and  large  a<lditioiis  to  the  rolling  stock  had 
been  acquired.  The  expense  thus  incurred  in- 
creased the  total  up  to  that  time  to  nine  million 
dollars.  Before  the  close  of  1853  the  company 
had  extended  its  main  line  to  Freeport,  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  miles  from  Chicago.  Notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  there  was  no  little  en- 
thusiasm in  Galena  over  the  extension  of  the  line 
to  that  i)oint.  Fate  decreed  that  (Galena  should 
be  connected  with  Chicago  by  another  line.  The 
Galena  &  (."hicago  L'nion  sold  its  right  of  way  to 
the  Illinois  Central.  It  has  been  said  that  had  the 
great  Central  system  made  a  connection  with  the 
Rock  ford  at  that  early  date  the  population  of  the 
city  would  have  been  materially  increased.  At  the 
close  of  1858  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union  Com- 
l)any  was  free  from  a  lloating  debt ;  but  it  had  a 
fimded  indebtedness  of  three  million  seven  hun- 
dred and  eighty-three  thousand  and  fifteen  dol- 
lars. 

The  system  owned  and  operated  by  the  Chicago 
&  Northwestern  Railway  Company,  as  it  exists 
at  the  ])resent  time,  is  a  consolidation  of  not  less 
than  forty-five  distinct  roads.  June  2.  1864.  was 
effected  a  consolidation  of  the  Galena  &  Chicago 
Union  and  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  com- 
l>anies.  under  the  name  of  the  Chicago  &  North- 
western Railway  Company.  The  old  Galena  & 
Chicago  Union  had  been  legitimately  built,  and 
was  never  bonded  :  and  when  it  was  purchased 
bv  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern,  the  stock  held  by 
the  old  subscribers  in  the  Galena  road  was  ex- 
changed for  stock  in  the  new  com])any.  The  con- 
solidatifin  was  effected  by  the  late  Samuel  J.  Til- 
den,  one  of  the  greatest  railroad  lawyers  of  his 
time.  The  Galena  had  been  a  profitable  road ; 
and  its  consolidation  was  one  of  the  first  in  north- 
ern Illinois. 

KKI-KIiSEXTATlVr,  ROCKFORD  CITIZENS:    1842-5O. 

Marshall  II.  Regan  was  born  in  Rochester,  New 
^'ork,  and  his  early  life  was  spent  in  his  native 
state  and  in  Canada.  Mr.  Regan  came  to  Rock- 
ford  in  1842.  He  engaged  in  the  lumber  trade, 
in  which  he  spent  his  active  business  life.  He 
was  also  a  contractor  and  builder,  did  a  large 
i)usiness,  and  accumulated  a  competence.  Mr. 
Regan  was  the  architect  of  the  old  First  Congre- 


gational church,  on  the  corner  of  First  and  Wal- 
nut streets.  He  was  a  ])rominent  citizen  in  early 
Rockford.  and  a  Democrat  in  politics.  He  died 
ill  1875. 

James  B.  Howell  settled  in  Rockford,  No- 
vember 8,  1843.  His  business  was  that  of  a  wool- 
carder  and  cloth-dresser.  When  the  first  dam 
was  completed,  Mr.  Howell  operated  a  carding 
and  fulling  machine  on  the  south  side  of  State 
street.  He  erected  a  building  in  1846.  and  began 
business  in  1848,  and  continued  therein  until  the 
dam  went  out  in  1851.  He  then  removed  his 
machinery  to  New  Milford.  He  returned  to  Rock- 
ford. and  some  years  later  he  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  his  brother-in-law,  M.  H.  Regan,  in 
the  lumber  business.  After  Huntington  & 
iiarncs'  book  store  was  destroyed  by  fire,  Mr. 
1  lowell  engaged  in  the  book  trade.  His  stand 
was  the  east  store  in  Metropolitan  Hall  block, 
which  for  many  years  was  occu])ie(l  by  B.  R. 
Waldo,  in  the  same  line  of  trade.  Mr.  Howell 
was  a  consistent  member  of  the  State  .Street 
Baptist  church. 

Benjamin  A.  Rose  was  torn  in  Philadelphia  in 
1 81 7.  In  early  manhood  he  removed  to  Chemung 
county.  New  York,  and  in  October,  1844,  he 
came  to  Rockford.  Mr.  Rose  was  county  clerk 
from  1847  to  1849.  He  was  one  of  the  clerical 
force  in  the  banking  house  of  Robertson  &  Hol- 
land, and  remained  in  the  bank  one  year  after  re- 
moving to  his  farm  in  1855.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rose 
were  charter  members  of  the  Second  Congrega- 
tional church.  Mr.  Rose  died  in  1883.  Mrs. 
Rose  died  in  December,  1896. 

Dr.  Lucius  Clark  became  a  resident  of  Rock- 
ford in  1845.  T^r.  Clark  was  born  in  Amherst, 
Massachusetts,  June  10,  1813.  He  was  the  third 
in  a  family  of  seven  sons,  five  of  whom  became 
physicians.  Dr.  Clark  was  a  member  of  the 
.American  Medical  Association,  and  of  the  Illinois 
State  Medical  Society.  During  the  war  he  was 
in  the  field  a  short  time  as  president  of  the  board 
of  examining  surgeons  for  the  state  of  Illinois. 
He  was  for  many  years  a  trustee  of  Rockford 
seminary.  In  1836  Dr.  Clark  married  Julia  A. 
.\dams,  of  Hinsdale,  Massachusetts.  She  died  in 
1 861.  In  1864  Dr.  Clark  married  Charlotte  M. 
Townsend,  of  this  city.  His  death  occurred  No- 
vember 5,  1878.  Dexter  Clark.  M.  D.,  followed 
his  brother  Lucius  to  Rockford,  where  he  re- 
sided until  his  death,  except  the  time  spent  in 
California,  where  he  went  in  1850.  Dr.  Dexter 
Qark  was  for  many  years  a  prominent  member 
of  the  -Second  Congregational  church,  and  su- 
perintendent of  its  Sunday-school.  Another 
brother.  Dr.  E.  N.  Clark,  settled  at  Beloit ;  and 
a  fourth  brother.  Dr.  .Asaliel  Clark,  resided  at  De- 
troit, Michigan.  Dr.  Lucius  Clark  had  two  sons 
who  succeeded  him  in  the  practice  of  medicine: 
Dexter  Selwvn,  ami  Lucius  Armor.     Dr.  D.  Sel- 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


wvn  Clark  died  February  12,  1898.  No  citizen  of 
Rockford  had  a  higher  sense  of  professional  and 
personal  honor,  and  his  death  was  universally 
lamented.  The  death  of  Dr.  L.  A.  Clark  occurred 
July  23,  1899,  in  the  house  in  which  he  was  born 
fifty  years  before.  He  had  a  wide  reputation  as 
an  expert  surgeon.  During  his  residence  on  the 
Pacific  coast  he  was  employed  as  a  steamship  sur- 
geon for  some  years,  and  was  a  passenger  on  the 
first  voyage  of  the  Colema.  which,  after  long 
service,  foundered  a  few  vears  ago.  Dr.  Clark 
was  also  surgeon  for  the  Illinois  Railroad  Com- 
pany, which  position  he  held  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  For  more  than  half  a  century  the  Clark 
family  was  represented  in  the  medical  profession 
of  Rockford.  In  the  death  of  Armor  Clark  there 
passed  awa}'  the  last  of  this  historic  familv  of 
practitioners. 

C.  A.  Huntington  came  to  Rockford  in  1845. 
He  had  left  his  family  in  July  at  Racine,  Wis- 
consin, until  he  could  find  a  desirable  place  for 
settlement.  November  5th  of  that  year  he  be- 
gan his  first  term  of  school  in  Rockford  in  a 
building  owned  by  H.  R.  Maynard,  which  stood 
on  the  site  of  the  Masonic  Temple.  In  the  fol- 
lowing year  L.  B.  Gregory  retired  from  teaching, 
and  Mr.  Huntington  succeeded  him  as  teacher 
in  the  old  courthouse  building  on  North  First 
street,  where  he  remained  until  the  fall  of  1848. 
Mr.  Huntington  then  taught  in  the  old  Baptist 
church  on  North  Main  street.  In  the  autumn  of 
1849  Mr.  Huntington  was  elected  school  com- 
missioner, and  served  eight  years.  In  that  same 
year  he  also  opened  the  first  book  store  in  Rock- 
ford, on  the  site  of  the  Third  National  Bank. 
He  subsequently  removed  to  the  corner  store  in 
Laomi  Peake's  block,  where  the  Reeling's  drug 
store  now  stands.  There  he  and  Robert  Barnes 
conducted  a  book  store,  and  a  book  bindery  on  the 
second  floor.  November  27.  1857,  this  block  was 
destroyed  by  fire.  Huntington  &.  Barnes  carried 
a  stock  of  eleven  thousand  dollars.  Mr.  Hunt- 
ington resided  in  Rockford  until  1864,  when  he 
removed  to  California,  where  he  died  a  few 
months  ago. 

Hon.  W'illiam  Brown  was  born  in  Cumberland, 
in  the  north  of  England,  June  I,  1819.  In  1846 
he  became  a  citizen  of  Rockford.  During  his  first 
winter  in  the  west  he  taught  a  district  school. 
Judge  Brown  was  honored  with  several  public 
offices.  He  was  chosen  a  justice  of  the  peace 
in  1847.  In  1852  he  was  elected  state's  attorney 
for  the  district  comprising  Stephenson,  Winne- 
bago and  Jo  Daviess  counties,  and  served  three 
years.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time  he  was 
elected  mayor  of  Rockford.  In  1857  Judge 
Brown  formed  a  partnership  with  ^^^iliam  Lath- 
rop,  which  continued  three  years.  He  then  be- 
came a  partner  with  the  late  H.  W.  Taylor,  with 
whom  he  was  associated  until  1S70.     In  1864  he 


was  elected  a  member  of  the  legislature  as  a  re- 
publican. Judge  Brown  was  first  elected  judge 
to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  promotion  of 
Judge  Sheldon  to  the  supreme  bench.  He  was 
subsequently  elected  for  three  full  terms.  His 
career  on  the  bench  covered  twenty  j-ears.  Judge 
Brown  died  January  15,  1891. 

Hiram  H.  Waldo  was  born  in  Elba,  Genesee 
county.  New  York,  November  23,  1827.  He 
came  to  Rockford  in  1846,  when  he  was  nine- 
teen years  of  age,  and  completed  his  early 
education  in  the  district  schools.  He  studied 
in  summer,  and  taught  in  the  winter,  for  several 
years,  until  1851.  Mr.  Waldo  taught  in  the  Red- 
ington  district,  in  the  old  First  Baptist  church, 
Cherry  Valley,  Guilford,  Harlem,  in  the  basement 
of  the  First  Methodist  church  as  assistant  to  See- 
ly  Perry,  and  as  assistant  to  C.  A.  Huntington,  on 
First  street.  Mr.  Waldo  subsequently  spent  two 
years  in  Chicago,  where  he  secured  a  clerkship  in 
the  postoffice,  under  Postmaster  Dole,  and  was 
promoted  to  the  superintendency  of  western  dis- 
tribution. Mr.  Waldo  remained  a  short  time  under 
Postmaster  Isaac  Cook.  He  returned  to  Rock- 
ford when  Charles  I.  Horsman  became  postmas- 
ter the  second  time.  Mr.  Horsman  did  not  give 
his  personal  attention  to  the  office,  and  Mr.  Wal- 
do assumed  this  responsibility.  Mr.  Waldo 
opened  a  book  store  in  1855,  in  a  frame  building 
which  rested  on  poles,  where  the  Grand  Union 
Tea  Store  now  stands.  He  remained  there  four 
}'ears,  and  then  removed  into  his  present  stand, 
in  1859,  where  for  forty-six  years  he  has  done 
business  without  interruption.  He  is  the  only 
merchant  now  in  business  of  all  those  engaged  in 
trade  when  he  began.  Mr.  Waldo,  however,  was 
not  the  only  early  book  dealer  on  the  west  side. 
John  M.  Perry,  a  brother  of  Seely  Perry,  had  a 
book  store  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  Whee- 
lock's  crockery  store.  Mr.  Perry  sold  this  stock 
to  J.  W.  Seccomb.  Mr.  Waldo  served  as  school 
commissioner  of  Winnebago  county  from  1857  to 
1859,  and  again  from  1863  to  1865.  Upon  the 
failure  of  the  Second  National  Bank,  Mr.  Waldo 
was  appointed  receiver  by  Commissioner  Eckles, 
and  paid  eighty-five  per  cent,  of  the  indebtedness. 

L.  F.  Warner  was  a  native  of  Connecticut.  He 
read  law  with  Hon.  Reuben  Booth,  who  had  been 
governor  of  the  state.  Mr.  Warner  came  to 
Rockford  in  November,  1848.  He  was  always  a 
democrat,  and  was  a  delegate  to  the  famous  con- 
vention at  Charleston,  in  i860,  which  resulted 
in  a  breach  in  the  party,  and  the  nomination  of 
Stephen  A.  Douglas  for  the  presidency  at  a  later 
convention.  Mr.  Warner  seiwed  Rockford  as 
city  attorney  several  terms.     He  died  in  1904. 

Melancthon  Starr  is  an  honored  name  in  Rock- 
ford history.  Mr.  Starr  was  born  in  Albany, 
New  York,  April  14,  1816.  He  removed  to  Rock- 
ford in   1850.     He  first  conducted  a  dry  goods 


64 


PAST     AXU     I'KF.SEXT     OF     WIXXFi'.AGO     COUXTV. 


business  on  the  old  Second  Xational  Hank  corner. 
He  was  assignee  of  Charles  I.  Horsnian's  bank 
when  it  failed.  In  1855  Mr.  Starr  became  inter- 
ested in  what  was  afterward  called  the  Winneba- 
go Xational  Bank.  This  banking  house  was 
founded  in  1848  by  Thomas  D.  Robertson  and 
John  A.  Holland.  Later  John  S.  Coleman  be- 
came a  partner,  and  the  (irm  was  Robertson,  Cole- 
man &  Co.  On  the  death  of  Mr.  Holland,  Mr. 
Starr  was  admitted  to  the  firm  ;  and  after  Mr. 
Coleman's  death  the  firm  was  Robertson 
&  Starr,  which  continued  until  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Winnebago  Xational  Bank, 
in  1865.  Mr.  Robertson  was  president,  and 
Mr.  Starr  was  vice-president  until  his  death, 
.\  beautiful  trait  was  his  sympathy  for  his 
old  friend,  tlie  late  Ephraim  Wyman,  wlio 
in  his  old  age  was  reduced  to  very  moderate  cir- 
ctuustanccs.  Xcarly  every  Sunday  Mr,  Starr 
visited  his  friend,  and  cheered  his  last  years  with 
liis  sympathy  and  purse.  Mr.  Starr  was  a  Uni- 
tarian, and  was  a  communicant  of  the  local 
church  until  its  membership  disbanded,  when  he 
became  a  regular  attendant  at  the  church  of  the 
Christian  Union.  Mr.  Starr  died,  universally 
esteemed,  Xovember  29,  1885. 

John  Edwards  was  born  at  Acton,  Massachu- 
setts, August  18,  1800.  He  was  in  business  in 
Lowell  before  his  removal  to  the  west.  Mr.  Ed- 
wards was  living  at  Alton,  Illinois,  during  the 
excitement  which  resulted  in  the  death  of  Rev. 
Elijah  P.  Lovejoy,  America's  martyr  to  free  soil 
and  free  speech.  On  that  occasion  Mr.  Edwards 
took  an  honorable  and  decided  position  in  favor 
of  the  freedom  of  the  press ;  and  stood  on  guard 
at  Mr.  Lovejoy's  bed,  with  a  loaded  musket  in 
his  hand,  the  night  before  that  brave  abolitionist 
was  murdered  by  the  pro-slavery  mob.  Mr.  Ed- 
wards came  to  Rockford  in  1850.  He  was  the 
first  dealer  in  ])ine  lumber  in  the  city.  His  first 
yard  was  near  Peter  Sanies'  wagon  factory,  near 
the  Xorthwestern  Railroad  track.  Mr.  Edwards 
encouraged  the  development  of  the  Rockford 
water-power ;  was  interested  in  the  work  of  the 
seminary,  and  during  his  last  years  lie  was  its 
agent.     His  death  occurred  June  14,  1871. 

I)F.P.\RTURK    OF    MR.    H.MGIIT. 

Daniel  S.  Haight,  the  founder  of  East  Rock- 
ford, like  his  west  side  rival,  did  not  remain  in 
Rockford  to  see  the  fruition  of  his  early  settle- 
ment. Mr.  Haight  removed  from  the  village 
in  the  winter  of  1847-48,  and  settled  in  Texas, 
near  .'^hrcveport.  Louisiana.  He  revisited  Rock- 
ford in  1857.  The  date  of  his  death  is  unknown 
to  his  old  friends  in  Rockford.  There  is  a  tradi- 
tion, which  is  commonly  accepted,  that  he  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Confederate  army,  and  that  he  died 
after  the  Civil  war  at  Fort  Worth,  Texas.     No 


worthy  record  of  his  life  and  work  has  been  pre- 
served ;  but  next  to  Mr.  Kent,  his  name  is  most 
])n)niincnt  in  early  history. 

GOLD  IILNTERS  OF  '49 

ihe  gold  e.xciteiuent  drew  many  to  California 
in  1849-50.  Among  those  who  went  from  Rock- 
ford was  Giles  C.  Hard.  A.  C.  Spafford,  D.  K, 
Lyon,  H.  B.  Potter,  Dexter  Clark,  William  Ham- 
ilton, H.  H.  Silsby,  Isaac  Rowley.  Obadiah  E. 
Lamb,  a  Mr.  Smith,  a  Mr.  Lewis,  Sylvester  Rob- 
inson, and  Henry  L.  Simpson.  Mr.  Robertson 
died  at  .Mud  .Springs,  forty-five  miles  east  of  Sac- 
ramento, a  few  days  after  his  arrival.  Mr.  Rob- 
inson was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  came  to 
Rockford  in  1847.  He  was  the  father  of  Mrs. 
E.  P.  Catiin  and  H.  H.  and  X.  S.  Robinson.  Mr, 
Simpson  died  while  on  his  return  home,  at  Peru, 
Illinois,  in  March,  1851.  His  remains  were 
brought  to  Rockford  for  burial,  Mr.  Simpson 
was  the  father  of  E.  L.  Simpson  and  Mrs.  Z.  B. 
.Sturtevant.  He  came  to  Rockford  about  1839.  He 
built  a  brick  house  which  still  stands  on  Leonard 
Schmauss'  lot  on  Xorth  Second  street ;  and  part 
of  another  brick  house  on  the  southwest  corner 
of  First  and  Market  streets.  Mr.  Simpson  was 
engaged  in  the  business  of  blacksmithing.  He 
owned  a  one-half  interest  in  a  gristmill  at  Cherry 
X'alley,  and  pro])crty  in  Rockford.  Mr.  Lamb 
died  in  California.  As  in  all  similar  ventures, 
some  were  successful :  while  others  received  no 
adc(|uate  returns  for  their  journey  into  this  far 
country. 

i;.mm.\n'i;el  cmurch. 

The  Rt.  Rev.  Philander  Chase,  D.  D..  first 
bishop  of  the  diocese  of  Illinois,  made  his  first 
e|)iscopal  visitation  to  Rockford.  August  28, 
1841.  Prior  to  this  time  there  had  been  no  public 
services  of  the  Episcopal  church  held  in  the 
county.  There  had  been  only  a  very  few  families 
of  the  faith  who  had  .settled  in  Rockford.  Levi 
Moulthrop,  M.  D.,  was  the  first  churchman  who 
came  into  this  county. 

The  first  church  family  who  settled  in  the 
county  was  that  of  Sam]>son  George,  who  came 
from  Yorkshire,  England.  They  arrived  in  the 
settlement  of  Rockford,  September  24,  1836.  The 
family  consisted  of  Mr.  George,  his  wife,  Ann, 
and  five  children,  two  daughters  and  three  sons. 
The  children  had  received  baptism  in  England. 
Mr.  George  brought  a  letter  from  their  parish 
priest,  commending  the  family  to  the  spiritual 
care  of  any  clergyman  of  the  American  church 
into  whose  jurisdiction  they  might  come.  The 
death  of  Mr.  George  occurred  five  weeks  after 
the  arrival  of  the  family  in  Rockford.  There  was 
no  priest  nearer  than  the  missionary  at  Galena, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


6S 


he  could  not  be  definitely  located,  owing  to  the 
extent  of  territory  under  his  charge.  Thus  the 
first  churchman  was  buried  without  the  offices  of 
church. 

During  the  next  few  years  several  other  fami- 
lies of  the  church  settled  in  the  county.  Among 
these  were  Jonathan  W'eldon,  Chauncy  Ray  and 
John  W.  Taylor.  The  former  two  settled  on 
farms  about  six  miles  southwest  of  the  town,  and 
the  latter  remained  in  the  village,  and  engaged 
in  the  dry  goods  business. 

At  the  Bishop's  first  visitation  the  services  were 
held  in  the  old  courthouse  building  on  North 
First  street,  which  served  a  similar  purpose  for 
other  households  ot  faith. 

August  4,  1842,  the  bishop  made  a  second  visi- 
tation to  Rockford.  The  services  morning  and 
afternoon  were  held  in  the  same  building  as  in  the 
preceding  year.  The  sacrament  of  the  holy  eu- 
charist,  baptism  and  confirmation  were  adminis- 
tered. The  bishop  preached  two  sermons. 
Aside  from  these  yearly  visitations  by  the  bishop, 
the  church  families  in  and  around  Rockford  were 
without  the  sacraments  of  the  church,  except  an 
occasional  visit  by  some  missionary  priest  from 
a  distant  point. 

In  1845,  the  Rev.  Alfred  Lauderback,  of  New 
York  State,  was  appointed  by  the  domestic  board 
of  missions  to  the  missionary  field  of  northern 
Illinois  and  southern  Wisconsin,  with  Belvidere 
and  Rockford  as  chief  points  of  location. 
This  fact  meant  more  regular  and  fre- 
quent services  for  Rockford.  The  new  mis- 
sionary's service  was  held  August  10,  1845. 
Father  Lauderback  ministered  in  this  sec- 
tion two  years,  when  he  was  sent  to  take  charge 
of  the  parish  which  had  been  recently  organized 
at  Galena,  Illinois.  From  this  time  for  several 
years  occasional  services  were  held  in  the  village 
by  the  Rev.  Dudley  Chase,  a  son  of  the  bishop, 
and  the  Revs.  Humphrey  and  Millett,  of  Beloit, 
Wisconsin ;  Pulford,  of  Belvidere ;  Johnston,  of 
Pekin,  and  ]\Iiller,  of  Bonus,  Illinois,  the  father 
of  Orin  ]\Iiller,  an  early  Rockford  attorney.  Ser- 
vices were  generally  held  in  the  new  courthouse. 

The  present  parish  was  organized  May  i,  1849. 
A  meeting  of  the  parishioners,  both  men  and 
women,  was  convened,  at  which  the  Rev.  Dudley 
Chase  presided ;  and  the  parochial  organization 
was  effected  in  accordance  with  the  prescribed 
canonical  fomi.  The  articles  of  association  were 
signed  by  Chauncey  Ray,  Jonathan  Weldon, 
Horace  Starkey,  Duncan  j.  Stewart,  John  Con- 
rad, S.  R.  Weldon,  and  Spencer  S.  Weldon.  Up- 
on the  organization  of  the  parish  the  parishioners 
proceeded  to  the  election  of  a  vestry.  Those 
elected  were :  senior  warden,  Horace  Starkey  ; 
junior  warden.  Cliauncey  Ray;  vestrymen,  John 
Conrad,  Duncan  J.   Stewart  and  S.  R.  Weldon. 

The  Rev.  Dudley  Chase  was  called  to  be  the 
5 


first  rector.  He  accepted  the  call  but  afterward 
declined,  as  he  preferred  to  accept  a  charge  in 
Chicago,  where  he  organized  the  parish  of  the 
Atonement  on  the  west  side,  which  was  afterward 
merged  into  the  cathedral  of  Saints  Peter  and 
Paul. 

November  15,  1852,  the  Rev.  Charles  Reighley, 
of  Chicago,  was  called  to  the  rectorship  of  the 
parish.  With  the  consent  of  the  new  Bishop, 
Rt.  Rev.  Henry  John  Whitehouse,  the  call  was 
accepted,  and  the  first  rector  entered  at  once  upon 
his  work.  Bishop  Chase  had  died  September  27, 
1852,  and  had  been  succeeded  by  Bishop  White- 
house.  A  lot  was  purchased  on  the  corner  of 
North  Church  and  North  streets,  for  two  hundred 
dollars,  and  a  church  builuing  erected  at  a  cost  of 
nineteen  hundred  dollars.  The  new  church  was 
consecrated  by  Bishop  \Miitehouse,  August  23, 
185^,  "hv  the  name  of  Emmanuel  Church  Rock- 
ford." 

Succeeding  the  Rev.  Charles  Reighley  have 
been  the  following  rectors  in  the  order  named : 
Revs.  Anson  Clark,  Alichael  Schofield,  William 
T.  Smithett,  Thomas  Smith,  S.  B.  Duffield.  J.  E. 
Walton,  S.  D.  Dav,  C.  S.  Percival,  F.  W.  Adams, 
A.  ^^^  Snvder,  D.  C.  Peabodv,  ^^^•llvs  Rede  and 
N.  B.  Clinch. 

The  Rev.  D.  C.  Peabody  became  rector  March 
I,  1 886.'  During  his  rectorship  the  present  rec- 
tory was  purchased,  and  the  Fairfield  Memorial 
Parish  House  erected,  at  a  cost  of  forty  thousand 
dollars.  The  latter  was  the  gift  of  one  parishion- 
er, Mrs.  Eleanor  G.  Fairfield,  and  was  erected  as 
a  memorial  to  her  husband.  An  additional  thirty 
feet  of  land  adjoining  the  church  lot  on  the  west 
was  purchased  at  a  cost  of  sixteen  hundred  dol- 
lars, and  many  other  permanent  improvements 
made  in  the  parish. 

.\DOPTIOX  OF  TOWNSHIP  ORGANIZATION. 

The  constitution  of  1848  provided  for  a  county 
court,  as  the  successor  of  the  county  commission- 
er's court,  and  authorized  the  legislature  to  enact 
a  general  law.  providing  for  township  organiza- 
tion, under  which  counties  might  organize,  by  a 
majority  vote  of  the  people.  In  the  early  days  of 
Illinois  as  a  state,  southern  ideas  and  institutions 
dominated  the  commonwealth.  The  commission- 
er's form  of  local  government  originated  in  this 
country  with  the  Virginia  planters.  The  sj'S- 
tem  of  township  organization  had  its  origin  in 
New  England.  But  the  root  of  this  form  of  local 
government  may  be  traced  to  the  districting  of 
England  into  tithings  by  King  Alfred,  in  the 
ninth  century,  to  curb  the  widespread  social  dis- 
orders which  disturbed  his  realm.  The  change 
under  the  second  constitution  of  Illinois  was  due 
to  the  influence  of  New  England  settlers  in  the 
northern  portion  of  the  state.   The  Illinois  town- 


66 


PAST     AND     l'Ki:SF.XT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


ship  sv.sliiii.  Imucvor.  is  not  closely  nuuklcil  alUi" 
that  of  the  New  Fuisjlaiul  states. 

The  legislature,  by  two  acts  ai)i)n)veil  I'Vbruary 
12.  1S4V.  siipplenieiiteil  these  two  constitutional 
provisions  by  the  necessary  legislation.  The 
first  created  a  county  court,  the  judges  of  which 
should  be  elected  on  the  Tuesday  after  the  first 
Monday  in  November,  1849.  and  (|uadrennially 
thereafter,  and  assume  their  duties  on  tlie  first 
Monday  in  December  followin«j.  There  were 
also  to  be  elected  at  the  same  time  and  places,  two 
associate  justices  of  the  peace,  who.  with  the 
judjjfe.  ccjustituted  the  county  court,  which  suc- 
ceeded the  county  commissioners"  court. 

This  county  court  was  shortlived,  so  far  as 
Winnebago  covuity  was  concerned.  The  second 
statute,  also  approved  February  12,  1840,  provid- 
eil  that  at  the  next  g^eneral  election  in  Xovember. 
1841;.  the  voters  in  any  county  niisjht  vote  for  or 
against  township  organization.  Conse(|uently,  at 
the  same  general  election  in  Xovember.  1S49.  tlic 
voters  of  this  county  elected  both  a  county  court 
to  succeed  the  county  commissioners'  court ;  and 
voted  to  adopt  township  organization.  Section 
four  of  the  new  law  provided  that  if  the  voters  so 
elected,  the  township  organization  should  be  in 
force  the  first  Tuesday  in  .\pril.  1850.  At  that 
time  the  associate  justices  ceased  to  be  members 
of  the  county  court,  under  the  provision  of  sec- 
tion six  of  article  seven  of  the  new  constitution. 
The  associate  justices,  however,  were  elected  for 
several  years  as  justices  of  the  peace  for  the 
county  at  large. 

It  may  seem,  at  first  thought,  that  two  such 
laws  would  not  have  been  passed  by  the  legisla- 
ture, as  the  second  might  nullify  the  first.  lUit  it 
will  be  observed  that  the  township  organization 
system  did  not  become  operative  unless  the  peo- 
ple so  voted ;  hence  there  was  a  possibility  that 
tliey  would  not  conflict. 

I'rom  1849  to  1855  the  clerk  of  tne  county 
court  was  also  clerk  of  the  board  of  supervisors, 
under  section  eight  of  article  sixteen  of  the  town- 
shij)  organization  law.  ]\\  virtue  of  an  act  of 
I'ebruary  9,  1855.  tlie  clerk  of  the  county  court  of 
Winnebago  county  ceased  to  be  ex-oflficio  clerk  of 
the  Ixiard  of  supervisors  after  the  first  Monday  of 
the  following  .\pril.  Under  this  law  Duncan 
Fergus(}n  was  appointed :  and  a  separate  clerk 
of  the  l)oard  was  thereafter  biennially  appointed, 
until  the  law  was  repealed. 

SECOND  CONGREG.\TIO.V,\L  CHURCH. 

The  Seconrl  Congregational  church  was  orga- 
nized in  the  autumn  f)f  1849.  ^^'^h  forty-seven 
members.  Nearly  all  ha<l  taken  letters  from  the 
first  church  imder  ilate  of  October  i8th. 

The  first  meeting  ])reliminary  to  organization 
was  held  October  30.   1849.  at  the  schoolhouse 


in  West  Rockfonl.  This  building  was  standing 
on  South  Maon  street  until  about  two  years  ago. 
.\  committee  of  three  was  chosen  to  present  at  a 
future  meeting,  the  articles  of  faith,  covenant  and 
rules  of  the  government  for  the  ])roiX)sed  church, 
iienjamin  .\.  Rose.  Dexter  G.  Clark  and  Thomas 
D.  Kolx-rtson  constituted  this  committee.  It  was 
resolved  that  the  public  organization  of  the 
church  should  take  place  November  14th;  and 
Samuel  J.  Russell,  Worcester  .A..  Dickerman  and 
Robert  Clow  were  chosen  to  make  the  necessary 
arrangements. 

An  adjourned  meeting  was  held  November  7th. 
.\  resolution  was  adopted,  by  which  the  following 
named  ])ersons  who  were  present  organized  the 
church :  Robert  Clow,  I'urton  P.  Franklin, 
David  D.  .\lliiig,  Rebecca  Ailing,  Alexander  Pat- 
terson, Helen  I'atterson,  Ellen  Patterson,  Jane 
Gordon.  'J'honias  D.  Robertson,  Goodyear  A. 
.Sanfonl.  Elizabeth  H.  .Sanford.  Worcester  A. 
Dickerman,  Caroline  M.  Dickcrmati.  Michael 
I'.urns,  Deborrah  Burns,  Samuel  I.  Russell,  Lucy 
Russell,  Dexter  G.  Clark,  Benjamin  .\.  Rose, 
.\ntionettc  \\'.  Rose.  Eliza  Han  ford,  Rebecca 
Spurr.  Hariette  W.  Piatt,  Rial  K.  Town,  Clarissa 
Town,  Mary  ISond.  Emily  G.  .Sanford,  Susan  G. 
l'"uller,  Elizabeth  1!.  l-'ield.  Hilary  .\.  Frink.  Lcmi- 
ra  L.  Meyers.  Lucy  C.  Hyde.  Sarah  D.  Hyde, 
Esther  Ann  Hyde.  Henry  C.  Hyde.  (Sershom  C. 
Hyde.  Alonzo  Gorham,  Hannah  L.  (^orham.  Mer- 
cv  .-\.  (jorham,  .Ann  Levings,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  C. 
Porter,  .Vnor  Woodruff.  Mrs.  Eliza  Woodruff, 
James  lAirter.  F^benezer  Hyde.  Mrs.  Barbara  Por- 
ter. 

Thomas  D.  Robertson,  from  the  committee  ap- 
pointed at  the  former  meeting,  presented  a  report 
of  articles  of  faith,  covenant  and  rules  of  govern- 
ment. This  rejiort  was  accepted  and  adopted. 
The  articles  of  faith  were  thoroughly  orthodox, 
according  to  the  standard  of  the  time. 

This  preliminary  organization  was  completed 
bv  tlie  election  of  officers.  Rial  K.  Town  and 
.Monzo  Gorham  were  chosen  deacons ;  Thomas 
D.  Robertson,  clerk  ami  treasurer;  I'lcnjamin  A. 
Rose  and  .Sanniel  J.  Russell,  jirudential  commit- 
tee :  Goodyear  A.  Sanford.  Worcester  .\.  Dick- 
erman and  Dexter  G.  Clark,  assessment  commit- 
tee. 

The  jniblic  organization  of  this  clnirch  oc- 
curred Wednesday.  Xovember  14.  1849.  Pre- 
vious to  these  formal  exercises  Mrs.  Sarah  J. 
Clark,  Mrs.  E.  W.  Spalding  and  Jane  C.  Hough- 
ton, who  bad  been  included  in  the  original  letter 
of  dismission  from  the  first  church,  but  were  not 
jiresent  at  the  first  meeting,  were  received ;  also 
Mrs.  Mary  Haskell  and  Miss  Eliza  Holmes. 

The  congregational  council  was  composed  of 
the  following  gentlemen  :  Rev.  Hutchins  Taylor, 
m<i(lerator:  Rev.  Dexter  Clary.  Beloit :  Rev. 
Lewis   Benedict,  Rockton  :  Rev.   R.   M.  Pearson, 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


67 


Grand  DeTour  ;  Rev.  Lansing  Porter,  Rockford  ; 
Horace  Hobart,  delegate  from  Beloit.  Rev.  R.  M. 
Pearson  was  chosen  scribe  of  the  council ;  prayer 
was  offered  by  Rev.  H.  Taylor ;  and  Rev.  L.  Ben- 
edict preached  the  sermon.  The  covenant  and 
articles  of  faith  were  read  by  the  clerk,  and  pub- 
licly approved  by  the  church.  An  address  to  the 
church  and  deacons  was  delivered  by  Rev.  Dexter 
Clary.  The  council  then  formally  declared  the 
Second  Congregational  church  of  Rockford  to 
be  duly  and  orderly  organized. 

Since  the  mother  church  had  vacated  its  first 
house  of  worship  on  the  corner  of  Church  and 
Green  streets  for  the  new  brick  structure  on  the 
east  side,  the  fomier  had  been  unoccupied.  The 
Second  church  now  returned  to  the  house  which 
many  of  its  members  had  abandoned  less  than 
four  years  previous.  Messrs.  Kent  and  Brink- 
erhoff  had  failed  in  business,  and  the  old  edifice 
was  sold  by  their  assignee  to  the  Second  church. 
It  was  placed  on  a  rock  foundation  and  refitted 
for  worship. 

The  first  pastor  of  the  new  church  was  Rev. 
Lansing  Porter.  This  gentleman  had  served  the 
First  church  as  its  pastor  a  little  more  than  two 
years.  The  records  of  the  Second  church  do  not 
show  that  any  formal  call  was  extended  to  Rev. 
Porter.  But  he  assumed  this  position  as  soon  as 
the  organization  had  been  effected  November  7, 
1849,  ^""i  served  four  years. 

Mr.  Porter  pursued  two  years  of  his  college 
course  at  Hamilton  and  two  years  at  Wesleyan 
college,  and  was  graduated  from  the  latter  in  the 
class  of  1839.  He  then  took  the  full  three  years' 
course  in  Yale  Theological  seminary,  and  a  year 
of  post-graduate  work  at  Auburn  Theological 
seminary.  Mr.  Porter  went  to  Chicago  in  1843, 
and  from  there  he  caine  to  Rockford,  when  he 
was  less  than  thirty  years  of  age.  Mr.  Porter's 
first  pastorate  was  that  of  the  First  Congrega- 
tional church,  Rockford.  He  is  now  living  at 
Hamburg,  New  York. 

In  1851  the  church  was  found  to  be  too  small, 
and  its  capacity  was  increased  by  the  addition  of 
forty  feet  to  its  length. 

December  31,  1853,  Rev.  Porter  severed  his 
pastoral  relation.  At  a  meeting  held  December 
1 6th  of  the  same  year,  it  was  voted  to  extend  a 
call  to  Rev.  Joseph  Emerson.  This  call  was  ac- 
cepted. May  21,  1854,  a  congregational  council 
convened  in  the  church  for  the  transaction  of 
business  incident  to  the  settlement  of  the  pastor. 
The  installation  services  occurred  on  the  follow- 
ing day. 

Rev.  Emerson  was  a  son  of  Rev.  Daniel  Emer- 
son ;  a  cousin  of  Ralph  Emerson,  of  Rockford,  and 
a  second  cousin  of  the  famous  Ralph  Waldo  Em- 
erson. Joseph  Emerson  was  born  in  Dartmouth, 
Massachusetts,  in  1806,  and  died  at  Andover, 
Massachusetts,  in  1885.     JNIr.  Emerson  was  grad- 


uated from  Yale  college  in  1830,  and  from  An- 
dover Theological  seminary,  in  1835.  He  re- 
ceived his  ordination  in  1836.  His  pastorate  in 
Rockford  was  eminently  successful.  He  built  the 
house  on  North  Church  street,  where  Ralph  Em- 
erson now  resides. 

The  pastorate  of  Rev.  Emerson  was  signalized 
bv  the  erection  of  the  second  house  of  w'orship  on 
South  Church  street.  July  19,  1855,  the  society 
voted  that  it  was  expedient  to  take  action  toward 
building  a  new  church.  A  committee,  consisting 
of  D.  G.  Clark,  G.  A.  Sanford,  T.  D.  Robertson, 
John  Edwards  and  John  S.  Coleman  was  ap- 
pointed to  carry  out  the  same.  In  1856  subscrip- 
tion papers  were  circulated.  A  building  com- 
mittee was  composed  of  John  Edwards,  D.  G. 
Clark,  J.  G.  jNIanlove,  G.  A.  Sanford,  Ralph  Em- 
erson and  T.  D.  Robertson.  A  correspondence 
was  opened  with  Renwick  &  Auchmuty,  a  firm 
of  architects  in  New  York,  and  from  them  was 
received  in  the  summer  of  1856  plans  and  speci- 
fications for  the  structure.  The  committee  in- 
vited proposals.  The  most  favorable  response 
was  received  from  David  and  James  Keyt,  of 
Piqua,  Ohio.  The  committee,  before  letting  so 
large  a  contract,  desired  to  obtain  definite  infor- 
mation concerning  the  character  and  standing  of 
the  bidders.  John  Edwards  was  sent  to  Piqua  to 
make  an  inquiry.  The  result  of  his  mission  was 
so  satisfactory  that  the  contract  was  let  to  the 
Messrs.  Keyt  for  the  sum  of  twenty-three  thou- 
sand four  hundred  and  seventy-eight  dollars  and 
seventy-eight  cents. 

Work  was  begun  on  the  building  May  17.  1857, 
and  was  completed  in  the  autumn  of  1858.  The 
plans  provided  for  a  stone  porch  in  front,  and  a 
lecture  room  in  the  rear.  Upon  signing  the  con- 
tract, the  rear  extension  was  omitted,  because  the 
committee  could  not  depend  upon  obtaining 
money  to  pay  for  the  same  ;  and  still  later  the 
porch  was  also  abandoned,  which  reduced  the  ex- 
pense about  fourteen  hundred  dollars.  The 
building  committee  met  great  difiiculty  in  prose- 
cuting "the  work,  and  during  its  progress  the  fi- 
nancial panic  of  1857  came  upon  the  country. 
It  was  one  of  the  most  severe  strains  in  the  money 
market  in  the  history  of  the  country.  October 
13th,  of  that  year,  the  New  York  banks  suspend- 
ed specie  payment.  The  committee  had  fortu- 
natelv  negotiated  a  loan  for  six  thousand  dollars, 
with  a  gentleman  in  New  Jersey,  on  the  first  of 
October.  This  loan  was  made,  as  were  nearly  all 
the  loans  on  the  personal  notes  of  the  building 
committee.  The  loan  of  four  thousand  dollars 
was  also  secured  bv  a  mortgage  given  by  G.  A. 
Sanford,  T.  D.  Robertson  and  W.  A.  Dickerman, 
on  their  individual  property.  The  document  was 
preserved  for  many  years  as  a  memorial  of  the 
courage  of  the  builders. 

Farewell  services  were  held  in  the  old  church 


68 


PAST     AXD     PRESEXT    OF     \VL\XK1!AG()     O  JUXTV. 


on  Sunday,  Xovcnibr  28tli.  Alter  this  little 
sanctuary  had  outlived  its  usefulness  in  a  grow- 
inj^  city,  it  was  donated  to  the  peo])le  in  Owen 
townshii),  where  it  was  again  used  as  a  house  of 
worship. 

The  new  church  was  dedicated  Thursday,  De- 
cember 2.  1858.  The  dedicatory  sermon  was 
preached  by  the  pastor.  This  churcii  continued 
to  be  the  house  of  worship  for  nearly  thirty-four 
years,  until  the  spring  of  1892.  It  has  been  said 
that  1'.  r.  liliss,  the  famous  gospel  singer  and 
composer,  wrote  his  best  known  song,  "Mold  the 
Fort,"  in  this  church.  Among  the  distinguished 
persons  who  have  entertained  Rockford  au- 
diences from  this  pul])it  are  Rev.  Lyman  .Vbbott, 
D.  D.,  and  Mrs.  Julia  Ward  Howe. 

July  30.  1859,  Rev.  Emerson  tendered  Iiis  res- 
ignation ;  and  on  August  23d  an  ecclesiastical 
council  convened  at  the  church,  and  dissolved  the 
pastoral  relation.  The  church  did  not  long  re- 
main without  an  un(ler-she])herd.  At  a  regular 
meeting  of  the  church  December  7,  1859,  a  call 
was  extended  to  Rev.  Jeremiah  E.  Walton.  This 
call  was  accepted,  although  there  is  no  record  of 
his  installation.  This  pastorate  continued  until 
December,  1863. 

Mr.  Walton  graduated  from  Williams  college 
in  1853,  and  from  Hartford  seminary  in  1856. 
He  came  to  Rockford  from  Troy,  Xew  York, 
wlien  a  young  man.  full  of  hojie  and  enthusiasm. 
Mr.  Walton  entertained  religious  views  similar 
to  those  held  by  the  late  Horace  Bushnell,  and 
especially  those  concerning  Christian  nurture. 
After  his  removal  from  Rockford  Rev.  Walton 
took  orders  as  a  priest  in  the  Episcojjal  church. 
He  subsequently  returned  to  Rockford,  antl  be- 
came the  rector  of  Emmanuel  church. 

The  pipe  organ  was  constructed  in  1863.  at  a 
cost  of  about  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars. 
Rev.  M.  P.  Kinney  was  called  to  the  pastorate 
August  10,  1864;  and  an  ecclesiastical  council 
was  convened  November  29th.  Rev.  Frank  B. 
Woodbury,  D.  D.,  was  called  Xovember  23,  1870. 
He  was  succeeded  in  1888  by  the  late  Rev.  W'al- 
ter  Maiming  Barrows,  D.  D.  His  successors 
have  been  Rev.  W'eslev  P.  Haskell  and  Rev.  Peter 
M.  Sny<ler. 

A  magnificent  new  temple  of  worship  on  North 
Church  street  was  dedicated  May  8,  1892. 
I'ebruary  20,  1894,  this  church  was  destroyed  by 
fire.  Only  the  bare  walls  remained.  There  were 
valiant  Xehemiahs  ready  to  build  a  second  tem- 
ple, which  was  dedicated  December  2,  1895. 

The  longest  ])astorate  was  that  of  the  Rev. 
Frank  P.  Woodbury,  who  served  eighteen  years, 
from  1870  to  1888.  Only  two  resident  charter 
members  are  now  living;  Mrs.  Caroline  M.  Dick- 
erman  and  Mrs.  Emily  G.  Sanford-Dodd. 

The  church  property  is  valued  at  $100,000.  Its 
membership  is  about  730. 


I.\C()KI'OR.\TIO.N    Ol"  KOCKl-OKD  AS  A  CITY. 

Three  nearly  contemporary  events  contributed 
ti)  the  progress  of  Ruckford  from  the  simple  vil- 
lage to  its  more  commanding  position  as  a  city. 
The  advent  of  the  railroad,  the  first  in  importance, 
has  already  been  noted.  The  organization  of  the 
new  water-power  coiupany  is  reserved  for  later 
paragrai^hs.  The  third  factor  was  the  incorpora- 
tion of  Rockford  as  a  city. 

.\s  early  as  185 1  the  citizens  realized  llial  the 
local  government  was  no  longer  a(le(|uate  to  meet 
the  needs  of  the  rapidly  increasing  |)opulation. 
In  the  autunui  of  that  year  steps  were  taken  for 
the  organization  of  a  city  government.  In  pur- 
suance of  a  call,  signed  by  Jason  Marsh,  G.  A. 
.Sanford,  Willard  Wheeler,  Isaiah  Lynon,  George 
W'yatt,  Xewton  Crawford,  C.  I.  Horsman,  W'.  A. 
Dickernian.  W'.  P.  Dennis.  Jesse  Bliim  and  Wil- 
liam 1  lulin,  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  court  house 
Xovember  29th.  It  was  deemed  advisable  at  this 
conference  to  submit  the  (|uestion  of  city  organi- 
zation io  a  vote  of  the  citizens.  The  trustees  of 
the  town  thereupon  ordered  an  election  for  this 
jjurpose  to  be  held  Jaiuiary  3,  1852.  There  was 
no  excitement  to  call  out  the  voters,  as  the  pros- 
pective change  was  generally  accepted  as  a  matter 
of  course.  One  hundred  and  nine  votes  were 
cast  for  organizing  under  the  general  law  of 
iS4().  The  city  government  of  S])ringfield,  Illi- 
nois, was  adopted  as  a  basis  of  organization. 

ihe  first  election  under  the  new  order  was  held 
April  19,  1852.  The  candidates  for  mayor  were 
W'illard  Wheeler  and  E.  M.  Potter.  The  election 
resulted  in  the  choice  of  Mr.  Wheeler.  The 
aldermen  elected  were :  Sumner  Damon,  First 
ward;  E.  H.  Potter,  Second  ward;  H.  N.  Spald- 
ing, Third  ward  ;  C.  N.  Andrews.  Fourth  ward. 
The  first  meeting  of  the  city  council  was  held  on 
Monday,  April  26th,  at  the  counting  room  of 
Eleazer  H.  Potter.  William  Lathrop  was  ap- 
pointed city  clerk.  An  ordinance  was  passed 
creating  the  following  city  officers :  Clerk  of  the 
council,  attorney,  treasurer,  marshal,  assessor, 
collector,  engineer  and  two  street  commissioners. 
These  officers  were  to  be  appointed  annually  by 
the  city  council  at  its  first  regular  meeting  after 
the  annual  municipal  election.  At  the  second 
session  of  the  council,  held  May  ist.  the  follow- 
ing city  officers  were  appointed :  W'illiam  Lath- 
ro]),  attorney;  Hiram  R.  Maynard,  treasurer; 
Dimcan  iHTguson,  assessor;  K.  H.  Millikcn,  col- 
lector; Duncan  Ferguson,  city  engineer; 
Thatcher  I'lake  and  William  McKcnney.  street 
commissioners. 

An  act  of  the  legislature  of  June  18,  1852, 
authorized  the  city  of  Rockford  to  borrow  money, 
not  exceeding  ten  tliousand  dollars,  for  the  pur- 
|)ose  of  constructing  a  bridge.  Bonds  were  to  be 
issuetl.  in  the  sum  of  one  hundred  dollars  each, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


69 


bearing-  interest  not  exceeding  ten  per  cent.,  and 
were  to  be  redeemed  within  twenty  years  from 
issue.  The  sum  was  evidently  insufficient  for  the 
purpose :  and  an  act  of  the  legislature  of  Febru- 
ary 3,  1853,  authorized  the  city  to  borrow  a  max- 
imum sum  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars.  Bonds 
were  to  be  issued  in  sums  not  exceeding  one 
thousand  dollars  each,  payable  within  twenty 
years,  and  to  draw  interest  not  exceeding  ten  per 
cent.  The  act  of  1852  was  repealed.  There  is 
a  tradition  that  Jason  Marsh  was  sent  east  to  ne- 
gotiate the  sale  of  the  bonds,  for  which  he 
charged  a  commission  of  ten  per  cent.  This  fee 
was  very  reluctantly  paid.  To-day  Rockford  can 
borrow  money  at  a  very  low  rate  of  interest,  and 
command  a  liberal  premium  on  her  lx)nds.  The 
second  or  covered  bridge  was  built  in  1854,  with 
the  funds  derived  from  the  sale  of  bonds  the  pre- 
ceding year.     This  bridge  stood  imtil  December, 

1871,  when  it  was  torn  down  and  succeeded  by 
the    first    iron    bridge. 

There  was  some  technical  irregularity  in  the 
incorporation  of  the  city :  and  an  act  of  the  legis- 
lature approved  February  8,  1853,  legalized  the 
previous  official  acts  of  the  mayor  and  covmcil. 
Section  two  of  this  law  provided :  "That  all 
official  acts  of  the  council  and  of  the  mayor  or 
either  of  them,  of  said  city,  done  or  performed 
since  their  election  as  such,  and  prior  to  the  period 
this  act  shall  take  eiifect,  and  which  would  have 
been  valid  in  case  the  original  incorporation  as  a 
city  had  been  legal,  be  and  the  same  is  liereby  le- 
gahzed." 

A  special  charter  was  granted  to  the  city  by  the 
legislature  March  4,  1854.  By  this  act  the  gen- 
eral law  of  1849  was  declared  to  be  no  longer  in 
force,  so  far  as  Rockford  was  concerned,  except 
for  the  purpose  of  supplementing  proceedings 
had  or  commenced,  so  as  not  to  impair  the  legal 
consequences  of  any  past  transaction.  This 
charter  was  amended  February  4,  1855,  April  26, 
1859,  and  February  22,  1861.  "An  act  to  re- 
duce the  charter  of  the  city  of  Rockford.  and  the 
several  acts  amendatory  thereof  into  one  act  and 
to  revise  and  amend  the  same"  was  approved 
February  15,  1865.  Rockford  was  governed  by 
this  charter  until  the  city  was  reorganized  under 
the   general  law.     This  general  law.  enacted  in 

1872,  repealed  the  general  law  of  1849,  and 
abolished  the  system  of  special  charters.  Between 
these  dates  there  appear  to  have  been  two  meth- 
ods for  the  incorporation  of  cities  in  force  at  the 
same  time ;  by  a  general  law,  and  by  a  special 
charter.  It  may  be  presumed  that  a  city  generally 
obtained  greater  powers  under  a  special 
charter  than  by  a  general  law  :  and  the  former 
method  of  incorporation  was  more  generally 
adopted  by  the  cities  of  the  State. 

In  1855  steps  were  taken  for  the  organization 
of  a  fire  department.     Its  need  had  daily  become 


apparent.  A  committee,  appointed  by  the  city 
council,  purchased  four  small  engines,  named 
Constantine,  Alexander,  Sevastopol  and  Nicho- 
las. The  Sevastopol  was  received  in  the  latter 
part  of  October,  and  February  21,  1856,  a  public 
trial  was  made  of  the  engines,  all  of  which  had 
arrived.  The  result  was  not  altogether  satisfac- 
tory, and  the  "machines"  with  Russian  names 
were  discarded.  In  May  and  June,  Winnebago 
Engine  Company  Number  One,  and  Washing- 
ton Number  Two  were  organized,  and  nearly  a 
year  later  the  efficient  engines  bearing  those 
names  were  received.  Subsequently  Union  En- 
gine Company  Number  Three  was  formed,  and 
an  engine  procured.  These  three  engines  con- 
stituted the  fire  apparatus  of  the  city  as  late  as 
1869.  The  first  six  chief  engineers  were  Ed- 
ward F.  W.  Ellis.  Samuel  I.  Church.  M.  A.  Bart- 
lett,  Howard  D.  Frost,  A.  G.  Springsteen,  Gard- 
ner S.  Allen.  The  first  four  assistant  engineers 
were  Gardner  S.  .Mien,  James  E.  L.  Southgate, 
Charles  T.  Jellerson,  Hiram  H.  Waldo. 

The  tax  levies  for  the  first  few  years  under  the 
new  regime  were  as  follows :  1854,  seven  and 
one-half  mills  on  each  dollar  of  taxable  property, 
both  real  and  personal :  1855,  ten  mills  on  each 
dollar;  1856,  one  and  three-quarters  per  cent,  on 
each  dollar ;  1857,  one  and  one-half  per  cent. ; 
1858,  one  and  five-eighths  per  cent. ;  1859,  two 
and  one-half  per  cent. ;  i860,  two  per  cent. ;  1861, 
two  per  cent.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  rate 
increased  each  year  up  to   1859. 

ELKCTIO.X'S   OF    1 852-53. 

In  the  presidential  election  of  1852  Winneba- 
go county  maintained  its  position  as  a  whig 
stronghold.  The  presidential  electors  received 
1,023  votes;  the  Democratic  electors,  820;  Free 
Soil  electors.  725. 

Under  the  apportionment  of  August  22,  1852, 
the  legislature  divided  the  state  into  nine  congres- 
sional districts.  The  first  district  comprised  the 
counties  of  Fake,  McHenry,  Boone.  Winnebago, 
Stephenson,  Jo  Daviess,  Carroll  and  Ogle. 

The  campaign  of  1852  was  signalized  by  the 
election  of  E.  B.  Washburne  as  a  member  of  con- 
gress from  the  First  district.  Mr.  Washburne 
received  1.102  votes  in  W^innebago  county; 
Thompson  Campbell,  his  democratic  opponent, 
851  ;  and  Newman  Campbell,  610  votes. 

Abraham  I.  Enoch  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
legislature  from  the  Forty-seventh  senatorial  dis- 
trict. His  vote  in  Winnebago  county  was 
1,063;  Lyman  F.  Warner,  democrat,  840;  Ezra 
S.  Cable,  659.  Mr.  Enoch  was  born  in  Dayton, 
Ohio.  July  24,  1819.  He  came  to  this  county 
with  his  father's  family  in  1835,  and  settled  in 
Guilford  township.  Mr.  EnocK  was  honored  by 
several  public  offices,  and  in  1866  he  was  again 


I'AST     AM)     1'K1-:S1':.\T     Uh"     WIXXEnAGO     COUXTV. 


elected  a  moinlKT  of  tlic  legislature.  Mr.  Enoch 
reniovetl  to  Rock  ford  in  1S67,  and  bejjan  the 
inaiui  fact  lire  of  plows.     He  died  ni  1883. 

William  I'.rown  was  elected  state's  attorney 
for  tile  I'ourteentli  judicial  circuit.  Mis  majori- 
ties in  the  several  counties  were:  \\'iiinel)ag;o, 
650:  Stephenson.  480:  Jo  Daviess,  ^j ;  total. 
1.217.  Hi*  opponents  were  I'rancis  Ihirnap. 
John  C.  Kean  and  Francis  S.  W.  Bradley. 

Charles  H.  Sjiafford  was  elected  circuit  clerk 
by  an  even  one  thousand  votes;  Kinp  H.  Milli- 
ken  was  elected  sherilT:  .\lfred  A.  ChamlxTlaiii, 
coroner. 

At  the  county  election  in  1853  the  entire  \\\u'^ 
ticket  was  successful.  Sehien  M.  Church  was 
elected  county  judije :  .\sher  ISeach  and  .\lfred 
E.  Hale,  associate  justices :  William  Hiilin, 
county  clerk:  C.  .\.  Huntington,  school  commis- 
sioner ;  Duncan  I'eriruson,  county  treasurer ; 
Duncan  Ferguson,  surveyor. 

KAKl.V   n.WS  ON    TIM-:   W.VTKR   I'OWKH. 

July  15,  1851.  many  of  the  leading  ])uhlic- 
spirited  citizens  of  the  town  associated  them- 
selves together  under  the  name  of  the  Rockford 
Water  Power  Company.  These  gentlemen  were : 
Thomas  D.  Robertson.  John  .\.  Holland,  R.  P. 
Lane.  (i.  .\.  Sanford.  \V.  .\.  Dickerman.  .S.  M. 
Church.  ( )rlando  Clark.  C.  I.  Horsman.  John 
ICdwards,  John  S.  Cok-man,  John  l'"isher.  Wil- 
liam Hulin.  Isaiah  Lyon,  Melancthoii  Starr, 
C.  H.  Spafford,  Lucius  Clark,  J.  J.  Town,  Henry 
Potwin.  H.  R.  .Maynard,  James  H.  Rogers,  15. 
McKennv.   John   Piatt.  Albert  Sanford.  Chas.  C. 

Hope.  H.   i\   Kimball.  Robert  Clow.  

\'anduzer  and  McCoy.  This  organi- 
zation was  effected  in  pursuance  of  the  general 
law  enacted  by  the  legislature  in  1849.  for  the  im- 
provement of  Rock  river  and  the  production  of 
liydraulic  power.  In  Sei)tembcr.  1831,  the 
owners  of  the  water  and  land  under  the  old  com- 
pany entered  into  an  agreement  with  the  new 
company,  whereby  the  two  interests  were  con- 
soliclated,  and  stejis  were  immediately  taken  for 
the  construction  of  a  |)ermanent  rlam  on  the  rock 
Ixittom  of  the  old  ford,  from  which  the  city  de- 
rives its  name.  In  the  s])ring  of  1853  the  dam 
and  race  were  ci>m|)leted  and  accepted  by  the 
coni|)any.  The  length  of  the  dam  is  between 
seven  hundred  and  eight  hundred  feet.  The 
water  power  is  divided  into  twenty  thousand 
parts,  and  is  held  and  sold  in  this  projiortion. 

The  first  great  impetus  given  to  the  manufac- 
turing interests  of  Rockford  was  the  advent  of 
John  H.  Manny,  in  1853,  to  whom  further  ref- 
erence is  made  in  later  paragra])hs.  There  were 
however,  other  firms  doing  a  general  manufac- 
turing business  in  the  city. 

.\bout  1848  James  B.  Skinner  began  business, 
which  developed  into  the  firm  of  Skinner.  Briggs 


&  luioch.  He  was  a  son  of  Deacon  Ste])hen 
.Skinner,  who  had  a  blacksmith  shop  on  Xorth 
.Main  street,  about  where  Louck's  restaurant  now 
stands.  James  B.  worked  with  his  father  some 
\ears  in  the  sho]).  and  then  began  business  for 
himself.  In  1850  he  erected  a  larger  building 
and  o|)erated  eleven  forges.  This  l)lacksmith 
shop  was  said  to  be  the  largest  in  the  west  at  that 
time.  To  this  business  he  later  added  the  man- 
ufacture of  wagons.  Mr.  Skinner  was  the  in- 
ventor of  the  first  riding  cultivator,  rolling  coul- 
ter, single  riding  i)low  and  gang  plow.  In  1867 
a  Mr.  .Mead  and  C.  C.  Briggs  were  taken  in  as 
partners.  In  January.  i8f)8.  Mr.  Mead  retired 
and  was  succeeded  by  .\.  I.  luioch.  under  the  firm 
name  of  Skinner.  Briggs  &  Enoch.  Plows  and 
cultivators  formed  a  large  i)art  of  their  output. 
The  company  outgrew  its  limited  ])lant  and  re- 
moved to  the  water-])ower.  .Mr.  .Skinner  died 
in  187J.  and  C.  C.  I'-riggs  and  .\.  I.  Enoch  pur- 
chased the  interest  of  the  Skinner  estate. 

W.  D.  Trahern  came  to  Rockford  in  1848,  and 
soon  after  began  the  manufaclure  of  threshing 
machines  and  horse-powers,  under  the  firm  name 
of  Trahern  &  Stuart.  Mr.  Stuart  retired  in  1856, 
and  was  succeeded  by  William  Dales.  He 
with<lrew  from  the  firm  in  i8f)2.  and  from  that 
time  .Mr.  Trahern  conducted  the  business  alone 
until  his  death  in  1883.  In  later  vears  Mr.  Tra- 
lieni  devoted  his  exclusive  attention  to  the  man- 
ufacture of  iron  pumps.  Mr.  Dales  subsequently 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  the  wood  portions 
of  grain  separators,  and  did  general  job  work  in 
hard  wood  and  sheet  metal. 

In  1851  ( )rlando  Clark  began  the  erection  of 
a  foun(lry  on  the  water-jiower.  He  came  to 
Rockford  in  1847.  and  established  a  foundry  on 
the  west  side  race,  where  he  remained  until  the 
old  dam  went  out  in  1831.  He  was  one  of  the 
incorporators  of  the  new  water-power  company 
a  few  months  later. 

In  1832  Isaac  I'tter  came  fn>ni  Warsaw. 
X.  v..  and  formed  a  i)artnership  with  Mr.  Clark, 
under  the  firm  name  of  t  lark  &  I'tter.  In  the 
spring  of  1833  this  firm  manufactured  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  combined  rea|)ers  and  mowers  for 
John  H.  Mannv.  In  xHCv)  the  firm  manufactured 
one  thousand  ( iorham  seeders.  Their  output  also 
included  sugar  mills,  evaporators  and  steam  en- 
gines. 

D.  Forbes  &  Son  established  an  iron  foundry 
in  1834,  and  in  ^iV^  the  iinlleable  iron  works 
were  added  to  the  busimss. 

X.  C.  Thompson  came  to  Rockford  in  1837.  and 
built  u])  one  of  the  largest  jilants  on  the  waier- 
|)<)wer.  which  at  one  time  covered  several  acres. 
A  capital  of  a  (|uarter  of  a  million  dollars  was  re- 
i|uired  to  carry  on  the  business.  The  John  P. 
.Slannv  reaper  and  mower  was  manufactured  ex- 
clusively by  .Mr.  Thom|)son. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


71 


Frederick  H.  Manny  came  to  Rockford  in 
1859  and  built  a  large  plant.  He  manufactured 
the  John  H.  Alanny  combined  reaper  and  mower, 
and  the  Rockford  broadcast  seed  sower  and  cul- 
tivators combined. 

Flouring  mills  were  an  important  factor  in 
Rockford  industries.  Moses  Bartlett  built  a 
stone  mill  on  the  east  side  in  1854,  with  four 
stories.  Joseph  Rodd  came  to  Rockford  from 
Canada  in  the  autumn  of  1853,  and  a  few  years 
later  he  embarked  in  the  milling  business  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river.  The  Troxell  mill  was 
built  on  the  east  side  in  1853,  and  was  purchased 
by  ]\Ir.  Bartlett  in  1865.  ^^Ir.  Bartlett  also 
owned  a  large  mill  on  the  west  side.  E.  Derwent 
completed  a  mill  on  the  east  side  in  1863.  T.  Der- 
went &  Sons  began  milling  business  in  Rockford 
in  1859.  This  plant  is  now  owned  bv  A.  L.  Bart- 
lett &  Co. 

There  were  also  several  ])laning  mills.  La- 
pointe  &  Derwent  began  business  on  the  water- 
power  in  1866.  In  the  same  year  J.  F.  Lander 
erected  a  three-story  structure,  which  was  subse- 
quently occupied  by  Blakeman  &  Dobson  as  a 
sash  and  blind  factory,  and  now  owned  by  the 
Rockford  Bolt  Works'. 

Nelson  &  Co.  began  business  in  1865.  Camp- 
bell &  Wood  commenced  business  in  1866  in  a 
building  which  partially  covered  a  large  founda- 
tion for  a  planing  mill,  laid  by  Thomas  Garrison, 
at  the  west  end  of  the  dam,  but  never  completed. 
George  Bradley  &  Co.  opened  the  first  steam 
planing  mill  in  1868,  in  a  building  now  occupied 
by  C.  J.  Weldon  as  a  carriage  shop. 

Among  the  other  manufacturers  were  Bertrand 
&  Sames.  who  began  business  in  the  middle  fif- 
ties;  Graham  cotton  mill,  1865;  Rhoades,  Utter 
&  Co.,  paper  mill,  1865  :  Rockford  \\'oolen  ]\Iills, 
J.  &  W.  Dyson,  1865  ;  Northwestern  Bolt  Works, 
G.  Sunsaul  &  Co.,  1866. 

FA.Mors    m.vnxv-m'corjiick   .suit. 

This  story  has  often  been  told,  but  it  will  never 
cease  to  be  of  interest  to  Rockford  readers.  The 
interest  is  more  than  local.  John  H.  .Manny,  the 
defendant  in  the  suit,  was  the  inventive  genius 
whose  patents  laid  the  foundations  for  the  great 
Emerson  manufacturing  plant  on  the  water- 
power.  Cyrus  H.  McCormick,  the  plaintifif,  was 
the  inventor  of  the  reaper,  and  the  founder  of  the 
theological  seminary  in  Chicago  which  bears  his 
name.  It  was  during  the  progress  of  this  suit 
that  .A-braham  Lincoln  made  his  only  visit  to 
Rockford.  Several  of  the  leading  attorneys  of 
the  countr>'  were  retained.  Among  them  were 
Reverdy  Johnson,  Peter  H.  Watson,  George 
Harding  and  Edward  M.  Stanton.  The  outcome 
of  the  decision  involved  many  millions  of  dollars, 
and  vitallv  affected  Rockford  as  a  manufacturing 


center.  The  suit  was  one  of  the  most  notable 
chapters  in  the  industrial  development  of  the 
country. 

John  H.  Atanny  was  born  in  Amsterdam,  New 
York,  November  28,  1825.  His  father.  Pells 
Manny,  settled  at  \\'addams  Grove,  in  Stephen- 
son county.  The  younger  iManny's  attention 
was  called  to  the  need  of  a  reaper  by  his  father's 
purchase  of  a  heading  machine,  which  proved  un- 
satisfactory. The  father  and  son  thereupon  so 
constructed  the  header  as  to  practically  make  a 
new  machine.  They  obtained  a  patent  on  the 
header,  and  began  its  manufacture  on  a  small 
scale.  It  proved  to  be  too  expensive  and  was 
abandoned.  iMr.  IManny  then  directed  his  atten- 
tion toward  a  reaper,  and  after  many  vicissitudes, 
which  brou.ght  him  to  serious  financial  embar- 
rassment, his  inventive  genius  and  indomitable 
energy  were  crowned  with  success.  ?i[r.  Alanny 
built  eighty-four  machines  in    1852. 

In  July,  1852,  a  reaper  trial  was  held  in  Ge- 
neva, New  York,  in  which  Mr.  Manny's  reaper 
came  into  competition  with  eleven  others.  The 
excellence  of  Mr.  iManny's  machine  was  estab- 
lished. 

In  the  spring  of  1853  Mr.  iManny  was  urged 
to  come  to  Rockford  by  Orlando  Clark.  The 
preceding  year  Isaac  Utter  came  from  the  east 
and  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  Clark,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Clark  &  Utter.  In  the  spring 
of  1853  there  were  manufactured  one  hundred 
and  fifty  of  Mr.  Manny's  combined  reapers  and 
mowers  in  Clark  &  Utter's  factory.  It  is  also 
said  that  John  A.  Holland  told  Blinn  &  Emer- 
son, who  were  then  in  the  hardware  business, 
that  it  would  be  desirable  to  have  Mr.  Manny 
come  to  Rockford  for  two  reasons :  First,  there 
was  better  water-power :  second,  the  firm  was  ex- 
tendin.o-  liberal  credit  to  Mr.  Manny  for  stock. 

The  popularity  of  the  Manny  reaper  demanded 
larger  capital.  In  the  spring  of  1834  Wait  and 
Sylvester  Talcott  became  associated  with  IMr. 
Manny  as  partners,  under  the  firm  name  of  J.  H. 
Mannv  &  Co.,  and  during  the  year  eleven  hun- 
dred machines  were  made.  In  the  autumn  of 
1854  Jesse  Blinn  and  Ralph  Emerson  were  added 
to  the  firm  and  the  name  was  changed  to 
IManny  &  Company.  In  1855  the  famous  trials 
of  the  IMannv  reaper  were  made  in  Europe, 
which  gave  to  his  invention  a  reputation  abroad. 
'Sir.  Mannv  continued  to  improve  his  reaper,  and 
obtained  twenty-three  patents  upon  new  devices. 

In  September.  1855,  Cyrus  H.  McCormick,  of 
Chicago,  began  suit  in  the  federal  court  to  en- 
join the  Manny  company  from  using  a  certain  de- 
vice upon  the  grounds  of  infringement  of  pat- 
ent. The  case  was  heard  before  Justice  McLean 
and  Judge  Drummond  at  Cincinnati,  although 
the  court  records  were  kept  in  Chicago,  which 
belonared  to  the  same  circuit.     Attorneys  of  na- 


72 


PAST     AND     ri>JESEXT     OF     W  I. WE  I '.AGO     COrXTY 


tioiuil  rcpulatiiiii  were  retained.  Mr.  AlcCor- 
mick's  counsel  were  Reverdy  Johnson  and  E. 
X.  Dickinson.  Peter  H.  W'atson,  who  had  ob- 
tained Mr.  Manny's  patents,  was  g'iven  entire 
change    of    tlie    defendants'    case. 

Peter  II.  W'atson  was  an  early  resident  of 
Rockford.  He  and  his  l)rothcr  William  were 
])niprietors  of  the  first  frnnidry  and  machine  sho]), 
which  stood  on  the  site  of  Jeremiah  Davis'  resi- 
dence on  Xorth  Second  street.  Mr.  Watson 
continued  his  interest  in  the  foundry  until  .Au- 
gust. 1845.  .\fter  leavingf  Rockford  \\x.  Watson 
became  one  of  the  best  known  attorneys  of  the 
country.  lie  was  assistant  secretary  of  war  un- 
der Edwin  M.  Stanton ;  was  later  jiresident  of 
the  Erie  railway,  and  one  of  the  organizers  of 
what  is  now  the  Standard  Oil  Company. 

Mr.  Watson  employed  George  Harding,  Ed- 
win M.  Stanton  and  Abraham  Lincoln.  It  is  said 
E.  I'..  Washburnc  had  recommended  Mr.  Lin- 
cnln  to  Mr.  Manny.  When  all  the  ])arties  had 
arrived  at  Cincinnati  .Mr.  Lincoln  was  informed 
bv  Mr.  Watson  that  .Mr.  Stanton  would  close  the 
case  for  the  defendants.  This  was  a  great  humil- 
iation to  Mr.  Lincoln.  Although  he  had  prepared 
his  argument  Mr.  Lincoln  did  not  argue  the  case. 

Mr.  Lincoln  first  met  Mr.  Stanton  at  Cincinnati. 
Mr.  Stanton  treated  him  with  great  discourtesy 
during  the  trial  and  referred  to  him  as  a  rail 
sjilitter  from  the  wild  west.  Xot withstanding 
these  indignities  Mr.  Lincoln  was  imi)ressed  with 
Mr.  Stanton's  force  of  character ;  and  when  six 
years  later  a  man  of  iron  was  needed.  President 
Lincoln  made  Stanton  his  secretary  of  war.  No 
other  incident  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Lincoln  better 
illustrates  his  moral  greatness. 

The  trial  resulted  in  a  victory  for  the  Mannv 
Conipany.  The  decision  was  announced  January 
16,  1856.  The  defendants'  expenses  of  the  suit 
were  sixty  thousand  dollars,  and  this  large  sum 
was  paid  from  the  business  in  a  short  time.  Mr. 
McCormick  appealed  the  case  to  the  Cnited 
States  supreme  court,  of  which  Roger  Pi.  Taney, 
who  rendered  the  famous  Dred  Scott  decision, 
was  chief  justice.  The  decision  of  the  lower  court 
was  affirmed,  and  Mr.  Manny's  rights  as  an  in- 
ventor   were    fully    sustained. 

Icla  M.  Tarbell's  Life  of  Lincoln,  republished 
from  her  serial  in  McClurc's  Magazine,  gives 
an  incident  of  this  trial,  which  the  author  obtained 
from  Rali)h  Emerson,  who  says : 

".Mr.  Stanton  closed  his  speech  in  a  flight  of 
imi)assioned  elofjuence.  Tiien  the  court  ad- 
journed for  the  day,  and  Mr.  Lincoln  invited  me 
to  take  a  long  walk  with  him.  For  block  after 
block  he  walked  rapidly  forward,  not  saving  a 
word,  evidently  deeply  dejected. 

".\t  last  he  turned  suddenly  to  me,  exclaiming, 
'Emerson,  I  am  going  home.'  \  pause.  'I  ain 
going  hfinie  to  study  law.' 


"  "W  hy.  I  exclaimed,  '.Mr.  Lincoln,  you  stand 
at  the  head  of  the  bar  in  Illinois  now !  What  are 
you  talking  about  ?' 

■■  'Ah,  yes,'  he  said,  'I  do  occu])y  a  good  posi- 
tion there,  and  I  think  that  I  can  get  along  with 
the  way  things  are  done  there  now.  Put  these 
college  trained  men.  who  have  devoted  their 
whole  lives  to  study,  arc  coming  west,  don't  you 
see?  And  they  study  their  cases  as  we  never  do. 
Thev  have  got  as  far  as  Cincinnati  now.  They 
will  soon  be  in  Illinois."  Another  long  pause; 
then  sto])ping  and  turning  toward  me,  his  coun- 
tenance suddenly  assuming  that  look  of  strong 
determination  which  those  who  knew  him  best 
sometimes  saw  upon  his  face,  he  exclaimed,  'I 
am  going  home  to  study  law !  I  am  as  good  as 
anv  of  them,  and  when  they  get  out  to  Illinois  I 
will  be  ready  for  them.'  " 

Mr.  Lincoln's  only  visit  to  Rockford  was  on 
a  hot  summer  afternoon.  He  came  on  profes- 
sional busines.s'  in  connection  with  his  suit.  Mr. 
Lincoln  and  one  of  the  clients  sat  on  an  old  log 
on  the  bank  of  the  river  and  discussed  the  matter. 
Mr.  Lincoln  wore  a  long  linen  coat,  and  presented 
that  ])icture  of  ungainliness  with  which  the  world 
is  familiar.  Mr.  Lincoln  was  a  guest  at  Mr. 
Manny's  home,  which  was  a  small  frame  build- 
ing that  .stood  on  the  site  of  the  Mihvaukee  depot. 
The  company  paid  Mr.  Lincoln  a  fee  of  one  thou- 
sand dollars,  which  was  the  largest  retainer  he 
had  received  up  to  that  time. 

The  prolonged  mental  strain  incident  to  per- 
fecting his  inventions  and  the  trial  of  the  suit  un- 
dermined Mr.  Manny's  health.  He  fell  a  prey  to 
consumption,  and  January  37.  1856,  he  passed 
away,  in  his  little  modest  home  on  South  Main 
street,  when  he  had  just  ])asscd  his  thirtieth  birth- 
day. He  never  realized  the  w^eallh  which  his  in- 
ventions would  bring  to  others,  nor  the  prestige 
which  they  would  give  to  the  Reaper  City,  nor  the 
great  name  which  he  had  made  for  himself, 

Mrs.  Manny  received  a  royalty  of  twenty-five 
dollars  on  every  machine  manufactured.  This 
amount  was  subsequently  reduced.  Financial  re- 
verses overtook  the  comjiany  in  1857.  but  it 
weathered  the  storm  and  built  an  extensive  plant. 

During  the  summer  of  1903  the  Milwaukee 
Sentinel  jniblished  a  notable  article,  written  by  a 
special  Washington  correspondent,  which  pur- 
])orted  to  he  an  expose  of  the  "Inside  story  of  the 
great  fraud  perpetrated  on  Cyrus  Hall  McCor- 
mick, which  robbed  him  of  his  |)atent  rights  and 
barred  his  face  from  I'ncle  Sam's  currency."  The 
article  professetl  to  reveal  the  manner  by  which 
Colonel  William  Wood  purchased  every  McCor- 
mick reaper  known  to  exist  in  the  country,  one 
of  which  was  examined  by  a  patent  commissioner, 
and  subsc(|uently  so  tampered  with  and  changed 
by  Colonel  Wood  as  to  deceive  the  I'nited  States 
supreme  court  into  renilering  a  decision  against 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WLXXEBAGO     COUNTY. 


73 


Mr.  McCormick.  Col.  Wood  died  in  1903.  He 
was  superintendent  of  the  old  Capitol  and  Carrol 
prisons  during-  the  war  and  was  at  the  head  of 
the  United  States  secret  service  during  the  re- 
construction period. 

Mr.  McCormick  had  other  troubles.  In  1895 
an  efifort  was  made  to  have  the  portrait  of  Mr. 
]McCormick  placed  on  the  silver  certificates  of  the 
government  currency.  But  there  had  been  a  pro- 
longed controversy  between  the  rival  claims  of 
'Sir.  ]\IcCormick  and  Obed  Hussey  as  to  who  was 
the  real  inventor  of  the  reaper.  j\lr.  McCormick's 
old  rivals  and  enemies  came  forward  with  such 
vigorous  protests  and  so  clouded  his  title  to  an 
invention  that  the  government  abandoned  the 
idea  of  placing  his  name  upon  its  currency. 

There  are  several  small  volumes  in  the  Rock- 
ford  public  library  bearing  upon  the  various 
phases  of  this  historic  controversy. 

EMERPOX.   LOWELL  AND  GREELEY   \-ISIT   ROCKFORD. 

There  has  been  one  movement  in  the  history 
of  the  American  mind  which  gave  to  literature  a 
g-roup  of  writers  entitled  to  the  name  of  a  school. 
This  was  the  great  humanitarian  movement,  or 
series  of  movements,  in  New  England,  which  be- 
gan with  the  elder  Channing.  ran  through  its 
later  phase  in  transcendentalism,  and  spent  its 
force  in  the  anti-slavery  agitation  and  the  enthusi- 
asms of  the  civil  war.  This  intellectual  and  moral 
awakening  found  its  expression  in  the  lecture 
platform.  The  daily  newspaper  had  not  assumed 
its  present  blanket-sheet  proportions :  and  the 
leaders  of  these  various  phases  of  new  thought 
carried  their  message  to  the  people  in  person. 

In  the  autumn  of  1853  the  Young  i\Ien's  Asso- 
ciation was  organized,  for  the  purpose  of  bring- 
ing to  Rockford  the  most  popular  lecturers  of  the 
dav.  Among  its  members  were  Rev.  H.  M. 
Goodwin,  C.  H.  Spafford.  H.  H.  Waldo,  H.  P. 
Holland,  E.  W.  Blaisdell,  J.  E.  L.  Southgate, 
William  Lathrop,  R.  A.  Sanford,  E.  H.  Baker, 
Rev.  J.  Murray,  E.  C.  Daugherty,  A.  S.  Miller. 

The  first  course  was  provided  for  the  winter 
of  1853-54.  It  began  with  two  lectures,  Novem- 
ber 29th  and  30th.  by  E.  P.  Whipple,  in  the  First 
Baptist  church.  It  is  almost  incredible  that  one 
of  the  local  newspapers  should  not  have  even 
given  the  subject  of  his  lecture.  From  the  other, 
however,  it  is  learned  that  ]\Ir.  Whipple's  theme 
for  the  first  lecture  was  "Heroic  Character,"  and 
that  he  "delineated  graphically  and  beautifully, 
the  hero-soldier,  led  on  by  his  love  of  glory ;  the 
hero-patriot,  actuated  by  his  love  of  country ;  the 
hero-reformer,  moved  by  his  love  of  humanity ; 
and  the  hero-saint,  animated  by  his  love  of  God." 
The  subject  of  his  second  lecture  was  "Eccentric 
Character."  The  Forum's  criticism  was  not  very 
appreciative. 


The  third  lecture  was  given  December  loth,  at 
the  Baptist  church,  by  Horace  Mann.  His  sub- 
ject was  "Young  Alen."  The  Democrat,  in  "re- 
porting" the  lecture,  took  this  flattering  unction 
to  its  soul ;  "As  we  looked  around  over  the  large 
assemblage  of  youth,  beauty,  intellect  and  fashion, 
and  noted  with  what  anxiety  the  sea  of  heads 
were  turned  toward  the  speaker,  as  if  to  catch 
the  words  ere  they  left  his  lips,  we  experienced 
a  deep  feeling  of  pride,  and  thought  to  ourselves, 
few  places  in  any  land,  of  equal  age,  population, 
etc.,  can  boast  of  a  more  highly  refined  intellect- 
ual community  than  is  to  be  found  in  our  own 
little  embryo  city." 

The  fourth  lecture  was  given  in  the  City  Hall, 
by  George  \MlHam  Curtis,  December  12th.  His 
subject  was  "Young  America,'"  and  for  an  hour 
and  a  half  the  speaker  entranced  his  audience 
with  his  noble  thought  and  pure  diction. 

Horace  Greeley  followed  Mr.  Curtis.  His 
theme  was  "The  Reforms  of  the  Age."  He  spoke 
of  the  abolition  and  temperance  movements, 
woman's  rights,  and  the  abolition  of  the  death 
penalty.  ]\Ir.  Greeley  wrote  his  impressions  of  the 
Rock  River  valley  at  some  length  for  the  New 
York  Tribune,  from  which  his  characteristic 
paragraph  is  taken:  "I  have  traversed  the  Ro- 
man Campagna  ( which  is  only  a  great  wet  prairie 
surcharged  with  malaria  and  ruins),  glanced  at 
the  great  pastures  of  Belgium,  and  ridden  across 
the  prairies  of  central  and  northern  Indiana  by 
daylight,  lamplight  and  moonlight ;  but  still  I  was 
nowhere  in  a  discussion  of  the  value  and  attract- 
iveness of  prairies — for  I  had  never  been  on  Rock 
river.  But  now,  gentlemen !  I  give  you  fair 
warning  that  I  take  a  back  seat  no  longer  when 
the  felicities  of  western  life  and  the  genial  fer- 
tility and  Eden-like  character  of  the  prairies  is 
under  discussion,  for  I  have  been  on  Rock  river ! 
.  .  I  should  like  more  springs,  more  running 
streams,  and  less  lime  in  the  water ;  but  then  Par- 
adise is  beyond  Jordan,  or  some  other  stream, 
and  is  not  wisely  sought  even  on  Rock  river." 

The  next  speaker  was  Prof.  Joseph  Emerson, 
of  Beloit,  who  spoke  of  Greek  civilization.  W. 
H.  Channing  was  announced  for  January  27th, 
but  no  reference  to  the  lecture  is  found. 

Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  delivered  the  seventh 
lecture  in  the  course  February  3,  1854,  in  War- 
ner's Hall.  "Emerson's  lecture,"  says  H.  H. 
Waldo,  "was  not  without  its  comical  features. 
His  subject  was  'History.'  I  believe  it  was  the 
same  as  his  essay  with  that  title.  One  scintilla- 
tion was  this :  'Time  vanishes  to  shining  ether  the 
solid  angularity  of  facts.  Carthage  was,  but  is 
not.'  This  was  only  saying  there  was  nothing 
permanent.  He  gave  this  thought  in  a  matter-of- 
fact  style.  The  hall  was  packed,  but  half  the  au- 
dience was  sleepy.  The  lecture  was  pronounced 
bv  some  to  be  a  failure." 


PAST     AXl)     I'RKSICXT     OF     \\l\.\l-:i!A(i( )     CorXTY. 


Lectures  were  jjiveii  (luriiijj^  the  season  by 
Bisliop  T'otter.  Chancellor  Lalliro]),  .liidsje  Doo- 
little.  of  Wisconsin,  on  "The  Cliaracler  of  Wash- 
ington;"  Uayanl  Taylor,  two  lectures,  on  "The 
Arabs,"  and  "Japan  and  the  Jai)anesc."  March 
27tb.  1854.  ( )le  r.ull  and  Patti"  were  in  Rockford. 

The  course  for  1854- 1853  included  Rev.  E.  H. 
Chapin.  Josiali  Ouincy.  John  C,.  Saxe.  John  Pier- 
pont.  James  Russell  i.owell.  and  Itayard  Taylor. 
Dr.  Chapin  spoke  on  ".Modern  Chivalry;"  Mr. 
Saxe  gave  a  poem-lecture  on  "Yankee  Land ;" 
John  I'ierpont's  theme  was  "The  Golden  Calf;' 
Lowell  spoke  on  "English  Ballads."  and  Taxlor 
on  "India." 

The  course  of  1853-56  was  opened  by  Henry 
Ward  lieecher.  who  spoke  on  "I'atriotism."  He 
was  followed  by  Wendell  Phillips.  T.  Sarr  King 
and  Dr.  Chapin  were  engaged  for  Ibis  course. 

During  the  next  few  years  Rockford  was  fa- 
vored with  P.  .\.  Shillabcr,  Parke  E.  Godwin, 
John  15.  Gough  and  Prof.  Youmans. 

.\     FR.\G.\IKNT    OK    POl-irilAI.     HISTORY. 

Rockffird  has  claimed  the  honor  of  the  ])irth- 
|)lace  of  the  Republican  |)arty,  so  far  as  a  congres- 
sional nomination  under  the  name  is  concerned. 
"Seven  cities  tought  for  Homer  dead ;''  likewise 
many  places  have  contended  for  the  honor  of  the 
first  party  organization.  Rockford's  claim  to 
the  first  congressional  nomination  is  certainly 
not  unreasonable ;  and  even  if  it  can  not  be  sus- 
tained, it  will  at  least  call  attention  to  a  notable 
])o1itical    event. 

When  the  Kansas-Xebraska  bill  was  passed 
by  congress  in  May,  1854,  there  was  a  general 
feeling  in  the  old  whig  and  democratic  parties 
that  the  enroachments  of  the  slave-power  de- 
manded more  vigorous  resistance.  With  this  end 
in  view,  a  call  was  issued  .\ugust  8th.  to  the  vot- 
ers of  the  first  congressional  district,  for  a 
mass  meeting  to  be  held  in  Rockford  on  the  30th 
instant.  This  call  was  signed  by  forty-six  citizens 
of  Rockford.  only  two  of  whom  are  now  known. 
The  meeting  was  called  to  order  in  the  court- 
house, and  from  there  adjourned  to  the  grove 
west  of  the  Ilaptist  church,  between  Court  and 
Winnebago  streets.  E.  I!.  Washburiie  had  been 
elected  a  member  of  congress  as  a  whig  two  vears 
before,  and  was  of  course  a  candidate  for  re-elec- 
tion. There  were  other  Richmonds  in  the  field: 
Turner  and  .Sweet,  of  I'reej^irt :  Loop,  of  Rock- 
ford, and  Hulbut  of  P.elvitlere.  Xone  of  these 
were  f)penly  avowerl  candidates :  but  each  was 
anxious  for  the  jirize.  A  committee  on  resolu- 
tions of  one  from  each  county  was  nominated. 
There  was  ambition  mixed  with  patriotism.  It 
was  a  time  >>{  breaking  u])  of  old  parties,  and  the 
future  was  uncertain.  Mow  far  would  it  be  safe 
to  declare  against  the  action  of  congress? 


This  was  a  serious  f[uestion.  The  leaders  were 
against  Washburne,  but  the  ijeojile  were  with  him. 
There  is  a  tradition  that  the  committee  on  res- 
olutions was  directed  somewhat  by  the  suggest- 
ions of  Ste])hen  .\.  Hurlbut.  in  preparing  anti- 
slavery  resolutions  so  radical  that  Mr.  W'ash- 
buriie,  it  was  thought,  could  not  accept  a  nomina- 
tion u])on  them.  I'.ut  Mr.  Washburne  was  equal 
to  the  occasion,  lie  ileclared  that  the  resolutions 
met  his  most  hearty  approval ;  whereu])on  James 
Loo])  remarked,  in  language  more  emijhatic  than 
l)ious.  that  Washburne  would  swallow  anything. 
.Mr.  Washburne  was  thereupon  nominated  as  a 
Re])ublicaii  by  this  mass  convention. 

The  regular  whig  convention  for  the  district 
was  held  Se])tember  Cith.  and  Mr.  Washliurne  was 
also  made  the  nominee.  His  nomination  was  op- 
])ose(l  by  .Mr.  ilurlbut.  who  on  the  d.ay  of  the  con- 
vention is  reported  to  have  said :  "When  you  say 
that  E.  D.  Washburne  is  a  good  man,  I  agree  with 
you.  But  when  you  say  that  he  is  a  wise  man  and 
a  statesman,  there  is  a  chance  for  an  argument. 
It  has  been  said  .Mr.  Washburne  is  a  man  of  learn- 
ing, l)ut  I  say  that  as  a  man  of  learning,  E.  B. 
Washburne.  of  Fever  river.  Galena,  possesses 
frightful  limitations."  Mr.  Hurlbut  was  a  con- 
summate master  of  sarcasm,  which  he  often  used 
without  mercy.  But  it  has  been  said  that  while 
Hurlbut  could  make  the  better  speech.  Wash- 
l)urne  won  the  votes  ;  and  on  the  whole,  he  was 
the    more    successful    ])olii!cian. 

In  the  evening  .Mr.  Waslil)urne  entertained  his 
friends  at  a  bancpiet  at  the  City  Hotel.  Some- 
time after  this  whig  convention.  Mr.  Hurlbut 
met  II.  11.  Waldo,  who  had  supported  Mr. 
Washburne,  and  complimented  him  on  his  splen- 
did fi,ght,  and  said  that,  considering  the  material 
at  hand,  he  had  done  well. 

Thus  was  made  one  of  the  first,  if  not  the  very 
first,  republican  nomination  for  member  of  con- 
gress. The  strong  anti-slavery  sentiment  of  both 
]jarties  had  been  intensified  by  the  repeal  of  the 
Missouri  compromise,  under  the  leadership  of 
.Stephen  .\.  Douglas,  and  the  passage  of  the  Il- 
linois lilack  Laws,  through  the  influence  of  John 
.A.  Logan.  Like  Saul  of  Tarsus  before  he  saw  a 
great  light.  Logan  was  dominated  by  prejuflice; 
ami.  like  I'aul  after  his  change,  he  bravely  de- 
fended those  he  formerly  oppressed.  General 
Logan  always  had  the  courage  of  his  convictions ; 
and  his  jwlitical  change  was  sincere. 

ROCKFORO   SKTTI.ICRS    1 85 1 -54. 

Seeley  Perry  was  born  at  .Stockbridgc,  Massa- 
chusetts, .\ugust  22.  i8jj,  and  was  graduated 
from  L'niitn  College  at  Schenectady  in  1845.  Mr. 
Perry  came  to  Rockton  in  1840,  and  in  1851  he 
settled  in  Rockford.  .\fter  teaching  one  year  he 
engagefl  in  the  lumber  trade,  in  which  he  contin- 


PAST     AXD    PRESENT     OF     WIXXEBAGO     COUNTY. 


75 


ued  for  nearly  half  a  century.  Mr.  Perry  was 
elected  mayor  of  Rockford  in  1858,  and  served 
one  term.  He  also  served  the  city  as  alderman, 
member  of  the  hoard  of  education,  and  a  director 
of  the  public  library.     Mr.  Perry  died  in  1900. 

Jesse  Blinn  was  born  in  1809  in  \'ermont,  and 
from  there  he  removed  to  Conneaut,  Ohio.  He 
came  to  Rockton  in  1838 ;  in  1850  he  settled  in 
Rockford.  and  his  family  a  3'ear  later.  He 
opened  the  first  exclusive  hardware  store  in  the 
city.  He  subsequently  became  a  manufacturer 
on  the  water-power,  to  which  reference  has  been 
made.  Mr.  Blinn  died  in  iS/ij.  ]\lrs.  Blinn  died 
in    1905. 

Ralph  Emerson  was  the  son  of  Rev.  Ralph  Em- 
erson, a  Congregational  clergyman,  and  a  profes- 
sor in  Andover  theological  seminary,  the  oldest 
Congregational  divinity  school  in  the  country. 
Another  son  was  Professor  Joseph  Emerson,  of 
Beloit.  ^Ir.  Emerson  was  born  in  Andover, 
Massachusetts,  in  1831.  He  came  to  Rockford 
in  1852.  and  was  later  a  partner  with  Jesse  Blinn 
in  the  hardware  business  until  they  became  inter- 
ested in  the  water-power.  The  Emerson  Com- 
pany has  proved  one  of  the  most  successful  man- 
ufacturers in  the  west.  This  result  may  be  at- 
tributed to  2\lr.  Emerson's  unusual  executive 
ability.  He  has  made  a  generous  use  of  his  large 
wealth  in  contributions  to  various  religious  en- 
terprises. Mr.  Emerson  married  Adaline  Talcott, 
a  daughter  of  Hon.  Wait  Talcott. 

Hon.  Wait  Talcott  was  a  son  of  William  Tal- 
cott, and  was  born  at  Hebron,  Connecticut,  Octo- 
ber 17,  1807.  He  came  to  Rockton  in  the  autumn 
of  1838.  He  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  Be- 
loit college  and  Rockford  seminary.  In  1854  he 
came  to  Rockford  and  began  his  career  as  a  man- 
ufacturer on  the  water-power  with  his  brother 
Sylvester.  In  1854  he  was  elected  state  senator 
from  the  district,  comprising  Winnebago,  Carroll, 
Boone  and  Ogle  counties.  Upon  the  passage  of 
the  internal  revenue  act.  President  Linconi  ap- 
pointed ]\Ir.  Talcott  commissioner  of  internal 
revenue  for  the  Second  congressional  district. 
This  appointment  was  dated  August  27,  1862, 
and  Mr.  Talcott  served  five  years.  Mr.  Talcott 
preserved  files  of  Chicago  and  Rockford  news- 
papers, and  upon  his  death,  which  occurred  No- 
vember 7,  1890.  his  son.  William  A.  Talcott.  pre- 
sented them  in  excellent  bound  condition  to  the 
Rockford   public   library. 

John  S.  Coleman  was  a  native  of  Delaware 
county.  New  York.  In  185 1  he  removed  with  his 
family  to  Rockford  and  became  a  member  of  the 
banking  firm  of  Robertson,  Coleman  &  Company. 
He  built  the  stone  house  on  North  >\lain  street, 
now  owned  by  \\'iliam  Nelson.  Air.  Coleman 
was  a  trustee  of  Rockford  seminary  and  treasurer 
of  the  board,  and  a  member  of  the  city  council. 
He  died  April  6,  1864,  in  his  fifty-eighth  year. 


James  L.  Loo]i  was  Ijorn  in  Steuben  county, 
New  York,  in  1815.  He  settled  in  Belvidere  in 
1838,  and  some  years  later  he  formed  a  partner- 
shi]5  with  his  brother-in-law,  Stephen  A.  Hurlbut, 
in  the  practice  of  law.  He  was  prosecuting  attor- 
ney for  the  northern  district  of  Illinois  in  1843-5. 
From  1846  to  1850  Mr.  Loop  was  secretary  of  the 
Illinois  and  ^Michigan  canal,  which  office  he  re- 
signed. In  1852  ]\Ir.  Loop  removed  to  Rockford 
and  formed  law  partnership  with  William  Lath- 
rop.  In  1856  tie  was  elected  mayor  of  Rockford, 
and  served  one  term.  Mr.  Loop's  death  occurred 
February  8,  1865,  when  he  was  fifty  years  of  age. 
The  remains  were  taken  to  Belvidere  for  burial. 
By  the  common  consent  of  the  Rockford  bar, 
James  L.  Loop  possessed  the  finest  legal  ability 
of  any  man  who  ever  practiced  in  this  city.  His 
intellect  was  strong  and  his  resources  were  at  his 
instant  command.  His  grasp  of  legal  principles 
was  due  to  his  acute,  intuitive  sense  of  what  was 
right  between  man  and  man,  which  was  a  gift 
from  nature.  Mr.  Loop  was  always  the  genial 
gentleman.  Like  so  many  other  gifted  men.  he 
was  his  own  worst  enemy,  and  his  sad.  imtimely 
death  was  an  impressive  object  lesson  that  strong 
drink  is  no  respecter  of  persons. 

\\'illiam  Lathrop  is  a  native  of  Genesee  county, 
New  York.  He  came  to  Rockford  in  January, 
1 85 1.  He  was  partner  with  James  L.  Loop  from 
1853  to  1857.  In  1856  Mr.  Lathrop  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  legislature,  and  served  one  term. 
In  1876  he  succeeded  Stephen  A.  Hurlbut  as 
member  of  congress  from  the  Fourth  district, 
and  served  one  term.  During  his  long  residence 
in  Rockford  Mr.  Lathrop  has  enjoyed  a  large  and 
lucrative  legal  practice.  The  author  takes  pleas- 
ure in  acknowledging  his  obligations  to  Mr.  Lath- 
rop for  the  free  use  of  his  library  and  for  infor- 
mation personally  given. 

Lion.  John  Early  was  born  in  Middlesex 
county,  Canada  West,  A  larch  17,  1828.  In  1846 
he  removed  with  his  parents  to  Boone  county, 
and  in  1852  he  settled  in  Rockford.  He  served 
three  terms  as  assessor  of  Rockford.  In  1869  he 
was  appointed  one  of  the  first  board  of  trustees 
of  the  reform  school  at  Pontiac.  In  1870  ilr. 
Early  was  elected  state  senator  from  the  Twenty- 
third  district,  composed  of  Winnebago,  Boone, 
AlcHenry  and  Lake  counties.  His  senatorial 
colleague  was  General  Allen  C.  Fuller,  of  Bel- 
videre. After  the  state  haa  been  re-districted  he 
was  elected  senator  in  1872,  from  the  Ninth  dis- 
trict, which  included  Winnebago  and  Boone  coun- 
ties, and  again  in  1874,  for  the  full  term  of  four 
years.  By  the  election  of  Governor  Oglesby  to 
the  United  States  senate,  and  Lieutenant-Gover- 
nor Beveridge  becoming  governor,  Mr.  Early 
became  acting  lieutenant-governor  of  the  state. 
Mr.-  Early  died  September  2.  1877. 

Lieutenant-Colonel    Edward   F.    W.    Ellis   was 


I'\ST     Wn     I'KFSRXT     OF     \\  I XXFlJALiU     CUL'XTV. 


born  in  Milton,  Maine.  Ajjfil  15,  i8iy.  lie  came 
to  Rockfonl  in  1S54  and  became  a  member  of 
tlie  bankin.ij  firm  of  Spaffonl.  Clark  &•  Ellis. 
L'i)on  the  outbreak  of  the  civil  war  Colonel  Ellis 
raised  a  company  for  the  Fifteenth  regiment, 
called  the  Ellis  Rifles.  He  was  chosen  lieutenant- 
colonel,  but  was  acting  colonel  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  At  the  battle  of  Shiloh  he  was  in  command 
of  the  I'ilteentn.  which  belonged  to  General  Hurl- 
hut's  division.  On  Monday  morning  his  regiment 
was  exposed  to  a  terrible  fire  and  Colonel  Ellis 
was  struck  in  the  breast  by  a  ball,  and  instantly 
expired.  Col.  l^llis'  home  was  the  historic  home- 
stead lately  owned  by  Dr.  W.  H.  Fitch,  on  ^Vest 
State  street.  In  1S56  the  property  was  trans- 
ferred to  Colonel  Ellis,  and  there  he  lived  with  his 
wife  and  children. 

Henry  P.  Kimball  was  a  native  of  Xew  Hamp- 
shire, and  was  graduated  from  Rochester  univer- 
sity. Mr.  Kimball  came  to  Rockford  in  1852. 
and  taught  school  for  some  time.  He  had  a  local 
re]>utatitin  as  a  horticulturist.  As  secretary  of  the 
-Agricultural  Society,  Mr.  Kimball  achieved  a 
uni(|ue  distinction  as  a  successful  fair  advertiser. 
l'l)on  his  invitation  many  of  the  most  distin- 
guished men  of  the  la.st  generation  visited  Rock- 
ford  and  made  addresses.  Mr.  Kimball  died  Mav 
10,    1889. 

John  Xelson  was  a  native  of  West  Gothland, 
Sweden,  born  April  5,  1830.  He  came  to  Rock- 
ford  in  1852.  ilis  life  was  uneventful  until  a 
short  time  before  liis  death,  when  he  i)erfected 
the  Xelson  knitting  machine,  which  revolution- 
ized the  knitting  of  liosiery.  After  (icneral  Grant 
had  returned  from  liis  tour  around  the  world,  he 
visited  Mr.  Xelson's  factory,  and  declared  that 
he  had  never  seen  such  perfect  machinerv  for  this 
purpose.  Mr.  Xelson  died  April  15.  1883.  The 
Hotel  Xelson  is  named  in  his  honor. 

.\.  E.  Goodwin,  M.  D.,  was  Ixirn  August  11. 
1827.  at  Chelsea.  \'ermont.  He  was  graduated 
from  P.erk.shire  medical  college  at  Pittsficld. 
Massachusetts.  Dr.  Goodwin  came  to  Rockford 
in  1854.  During  the  civil  war  lie  was  a  surgeon 
in  the  Eleveiitli  Illinois  Infantry  and  in  the  One 
Hundred  and  F:ighth.  He  was  wounded  at  Mcks- 
burg.  Dr.  Goodwin  was  a  member  of  tlie  citv 
1)oard  of  education,  and  of  the  public  library 
board.     He  died   May   14,   1889. 

Chester  C.  Rriggs  was  a  native  of  \''ermont. 
He  was  liorn  in  Dover,  Se])tember  6,  181 7.  He 
was  graduated  from  Dartmoutli  college,  and  in 
1833  he  came  to  Rockford  and  became  the  sen- 
ior nieml)er  of  the  banking  firm  of  Hriggs,  Spaf- 
ford  &  Penfield.  He  was  subsequently  financial 
manager  of  the  Kenosha  Railroad  Coiiipain.  In 
}H()H  he  became  associated  with  the  firm  of 
'•riggs.  Mead  &  Skinner,  in  the  manufacture  of 
agricultural    implements.      The    firm    n.imc    w.-i^; 


later  changed  to  P.riggs  &   Enoch.      .Mr.    Priggs 
died  January   24,    i8<j2. 

James  (;.  .Manlove  was  a  native  of  Dover,  Del- 
aware, where  he  was  born  December  15,  181 2. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Wisconsin,  and  set- 
tled in  Rockford  in  185 1,  and  began  the  practice 
of  law.  He  held  the  offices  of  police  magis- 
trate, justice  of  the  peace,  town  clerk  and  alder- 
man, and  the  confidence  which  the  peojjle  rc])osed 
in  him  is  attested  by  his  re])eated  elections  as 
town  clerk  and  justice  of  the  peace.  ]\fr.  Man- 
love   died    Xovember  6,    i8(p. 

Robert  P.  Lane,  M.  D..  was  torn  in  Ho|)cwell, 
I'edford  county,  Penns\lvania,  in  1818.  He  came 
to  Rockford  in  1 851.  He  was  a  leader  in  the  or- 
ganization of  the  water-power  company,  and  gave 
his  ])ersonal  attention  to  the  construction  of  the 
dam.  He  was  a  member  of  the  banking  firm  of 
Lane,  Sanford  &  Com])anv  :  one  of  the  organizers 
of  the  Second  Xational  liank,  and  continuously 
served  as  its  president  from  1864  to  1881,  when 
he  resigned  to  accept  the  ])residency  of  the  Rock- 
ford Insurance  Company.  He  served  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  library  board,  and  was  senior  warden 
of  the  Episcopal  church  for  forty  \ears.  Dr. 
Lane  died  March  7,  1891. 

.\ntliony  Haines  was  a  native  of  Marietta, 
Pennsylvania,  born  April  21,  1829.  He  came  to 
Rockford  in  1854.  and  formed  a  partncr.ship  with 
I'^lisha  .A.  Kirk  for  buying  and  shipping  grain 
over  the  Kencxsha  railroad.  In  1880  he.  witli  other 
gentlemen,  organized  the  Rockford  Street  Rail- 
way Company,  of  which  he  was  elected  president 
and  general  nianager.  Mr.  Haines,  at  the  time 
of  his  death  in  1898,  was  vice-president  of  the 
Manufacturers'  National  Bank. 

Charles  O.  L^pton  was  born  in  North  Reading, 
Massachusetts,  in  T832,  and  came  to  Rockford 
in  1854.  ;\rr.  l'()ton  has  been  prominent  in  the 
banking  business  of  the  city.  He  was  a  director 
of  the  Second  Xational  Pank  twenty  years,  and 
the  last  two  years  was  its  vice-president.  In  1889 
he  led  in  the  organization  of  the  Manufacturers' 
Xational  Bank  and  was  its  president  ten  years. 
Mr.  L'pton  has  served  the  jwblic  in  the  city  coun- 
cil, on  the  county  board,  and  as  treasurer  of  Rock- 
ford one  term. 

Carlton  W.  Slielildu  is  a  native  of  Xew  York, 
born  in  \'ictor.  March  14.  1828.  He  came  to 
Rockford  in  1852,  entered  the  law  office  of  Ja- 
son Marsh,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  the  au- 
tumn of  the  same  year.  In  1869  lie  entered  the 
em|)loy  of  the  Rockford  Insurance  Company  as 
adjuster  and  remained  five  years,  and  in  1874  he 
was  elected  secretary  of  the  Forest  Cit\  Insurance 
Company,  and  lield  this  iiosition  five  years,  when 
he  resunie<l  the  practice  of  law. 

Isaac  Utter  was  a  native  of  Xew  York.  He 
came  to  Rockford  in  1852.  and  formed  a  partner- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


77 


ship  with  Orlando  Clark,  on  the  water-power. 
For  twenty-one  years  he  was  associated  with  Levi 
Rhoades.  in  the  manufacture  of  paper.  He  was  a 
man  of  energy,  and  good  judgement  in  business 
affairs.     Mr.  Utter  died  May  7,  1888. 

Alexander  D.  Forbes  was  born  in  Perthshire, 
Scotland,  December  13.  1S31.  He  came  to  Rock- 
ford  in  1854,  and  in  partnership  with  his  father, 
Duncan  Forbes,  began  business  on  the  water- 
power.  In  1864  they  established  the  first  malle- 
able iron  works  west  of  Cincinnati.  The  father 
died  in  1871.     Mr.  Forbes  died  ]\Iarch  30,  1902. 

Major  Elias  Cosper  was  born  in  Wooster,  Ohio, 
in  1824.  He  came  to  Rockford  in  1854,  and  en- 
tered the  banking  house  of  Robertson, 
Coleman  &  Company,  as  teller,  and  in 
1857  he  became  its  cashier.  Upon  the 
outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Cosper  sold  his 
interest  in  the  bank  and  entered  the  service  with 
Company  E,  Seventy-fourth  Regiment.  After 
the  battle  of  Chickamauga  he  was  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  major  and  paymaster  of  the  army. 
Upon  his  return  to  civil  life.  Air.  Cosper,  in  com- 
pany with  T.  D.  Robertson,  Alelancthon  Starr, 
and  John  P.  Jilanny.  organized  the  John  P. 
Manny  Reaper  Company  and  was  its  manager. 
From  1874  Mr.  Cosper  was  connected  with  the 
Rockford  Tack  Company,  and  was  its  secretary 
and  treasurer.    He  died  in  1900. 

John  G.  Penfield  is  a  native  of  \'ermont  and 
settled  in  Rockford  in  1854.  Since  that  time  he 
has  been  continuously  in  business  as  a  broker  and 
dealer  in  real  estate  and  insurance.  ]\Irs.  Pen- 
field  gave  the  lot  to  the  First  Congregational 
church  on  which  the  parsonage  now  stands. 

William  A.  Knowlton  was  a  native  of  Chautau- 
qua county.  New  York,  and  removed  to  the  west 
when  a  young  man.  He  came  to  Rockford  in  1853 
from  Freeport,  Illinois.  After  the  death  of  J.  H. 
Alanny.  Mr.  Knowlton  became  business  agent  for 
I\Irs.  Alanny.  He  retained  this  position  for  sev- 
eral years,  and  was  eminently  successful.  Mr. 
Knowlton  was  subsequently  engaged  in  various 
manufacturing  enterprises.  He  sustained  finan- 
cial reverses,  and  in  the  autumn  of  1891  he  re- 
moved to  Chicago,  where  he  died  September  17th 
of  the  following  year. 

John  P.  ]\Ianny  was  born  in  Amsterdam,  New 
York,  March  8,  1823.  He  settled  at  \\'addam's 
Grove,  Stephenson  county,  in  1842.  He  came  to 
Rockford  in  1852,  and  for  several  years  he  man- 
ufactured knife  sections  for  J.  H.  Manny's  ma- 
chines. Early  in  the  sixties  he  perfected  several 
inventions,  which  were  handled  by  N.  C.  Thomp- 
son. After  the  war  Mr.  Manny  became  interested 
with  the  John  P.  Manny  Compan}-.  in  wliich  he 
was  associated  with  Elias  Cosper,  T.  D.  Robert- 
son and  Melancthon  Starr.  This  company  and 
j\lr.  Thompson  paid  him  royalities  upon  his  in- 
ventions, and  the  JNIississippi  river  was  the  divid- 


ing line  between  their  respective  territories. 
Mr.  Alanny's  income  from  this  source  was  at 
one  time  forty  thousand  dollars  a  year.  He  pur- 
chased the  John  S.  Coleman  estate  on  North  Main 
street,  which  was  his  home  for  many  years.  This 
property  is  now  owned  by  William  Nelson.  JNIr. 
Manny  died  November  16,  1897. 

Among  other  well-known  citizens  who  came  to 
Rockford  during  this  period  were :  Horace 
Brown,  T.  J.  L.  Remington,  1850;  J.  AI.  South- 
gate,  Andrew  G.  Lowry,  Horace  Buker,  1852 ; 
Jacob  Hazlett,  D.  A.  Barnard,  Samuel  Ferguson, 
1853:  Henry  Fisher,  Melancthon  Smith,  T.  W. 
Carrico,  ^^'illiam  and  George  R.  Forbes,  1854. 

THE    FIRST    PUBLIC    LIBRARY. 

The  agitation  for  a  public  library  began  in  1852. 
Several  years  elapsed,  however,  before  a  library 
was  established,  and  informatiot:  concerning 
these  early  efforts  are  very  meagre. 

The  Sinissippi  Division  No.  134  of  the  Sons 
of  Temperance  of  Rockford  surrendered  its  char- 
ter to  the  grand  division  April  15.  1852.  Its  for- 
mer members  resolved  to  reorganize  under  the 
name  of  the  Rockford  Library  Association.  All 
members  of  the  division  who  had  paid  their  quar- 
terly dues  to  the  close  of  the  preceding  quarter, 
were  to  be  equal  sharers  in  the  library.  A  request 
was  made  in  the  Forum  of  April  21st,  for  the  re- 
turn of  all  books  belonging  to  the  library.  Thus, 
so  far  as  known,  the  first  circulating  library  was 
the  small  number  of  books  owned  by  the  Sons  of 
Temperance.  The  Forum  of  October  27th  pub- 
lished a  call  for  a  meeting  of  the  trustees  of  the 
Library  Association  for  October  30th,  and  for 
the  annual  meeting  of  the  stockholders  on  the 
first  Saturday  of  November.  No  other  refer- 
ence to  the  library  is  found  immediately  there- 
after. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Young  Men's  As- 
sociation, September  11,  1855,  it  was  proposed 
to  extend  its  sphere  of  usefulness  by  providing 
a  library  and  reading-room.  A  committee  of  three 
was  appointed  to  confer  with  the  old  Library  As- 
sociation with  a  view  of  obtaining  its  books.  As 
far  as  can  be  learned,  this  effort  to  establish  a  li- 
brary and  reading-room  was  not  successful. 

It  was  not  until  March,  1857,  that  the  first  suc- 
cessful effort  to  establish  a  library  was  made.  In 
that  month  a  subscription  paper  was  circulated, 
with  the  following  statement  of  its  object: 

"We,  the  undersigned,  agree  to  take  the  num- 
ber of  shares  set  opposite  our  names,  in  an  associ- 
ation to  be  incorporated  under  the  general  law 
of  this  state,  for  the  purpose  of  the  establish- 
ment of  a  public  library  in  the  city  of  Rockford. 
Said  library  to  be  under  the  management  and 
control  of  a  board  of  trustees,  to  be  elected  by  the 
stockholders. 


7S 


PAST     AND    TRESEXT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUXTY. 


Shares  to  lie  fifty  dollars  each.  Ten  dollars 
per  share  payable  iii)oii  the  foundation  of  the  as- 
sociation, and  ten  dollars  per  share  per  anninii 
thereafter,  in  such  amounts  and  at  such  times 
as  shall  lio  tletermined  by  the  said  board  of  trus- 
tees. Shares  subject  to  forfeiture  by  the  trustees, 
for  non-payment  of  installments." 

The  first  four  names  u])on  the  list  jjledsjcd 
twelve  hundred  dollars,  and  by  the  autunui  i>f 
1858  six  thousand  dollars  had  been  pledged.  Wil- 
liam L.  Rowland  collected  a  considerable  portion 
of  this  amount,  and  a  schedule  of  cash  payments 
was  preserved  by  him.  which  is  still  in  existence. 
The  library  was  duly  organized  October  14,  1858. 
Rooms  were  secured  on  the  third  floor  of  Robert- 
son. Coleman  &  Company's  bank.  James  M. 
Wight,  .^celey  Perry.  Selden  M.  Church.  Pllias 
Cospor.  and  Thomas  D.  Robertson  constituted 
the  first  board  of  trustees  ;  Elias  Cospcr  was  chair- 
man :  Spencer  Rising,  treasurer ;  F.  H.  Bradley, 
librarian.  The  original  board  was  composed  of 
gentlemen  of  exceptional  literary  equipment. 
Others  rentlered  efficient  aid  in  the  selection  of 
books.  .Among  them  was  William  L.  Rowland, 
who  was  subsquently  ai)|)ointeil  librarian  of  the 
l)ublic  library.  The  books,  although  few  in  nmn- 
ber.  possessed  very  high  merit. 

The  number  of  volumes  at  this  time  was  about 
one  thousand  :  number  of  magazines  and  news- 
papers, tliirty-eight.  During  the  next  few  years 
the  li])rary  steadily  received  accessions.  Accord- 
ing to  the  annual  rejiort  of  the  stockholders,  made 
October  11,  i860,  there  were  1,134  volumes. 
There  had  lieen  drawn  during  the  year  ending 
October  4th.  1 .669  volumes.  This  was  an  in- 
crease of  396  over  the  preceding  year.  Several 
gentlemen  acted  as  librarian  for  short  tcmis.  and 
received  a  nominal  com])ensation.  .Aiuong  those 
who  rendered  this  service  were  John  F.  Squier 
and   Hosmer   P.   Holland. 

The  library  served  its  jiurposc  several  years 
but  during  the  war  popular  interest  began  to  de- 
cline. The  library  was  finally  closed,  anil  1867  the 
books  were  sold  at  public  auction  in  a  building 
on  Xorth  Alain  .street,  directly  north  of  Air.  A.sh- 
ton's  block.  .Some  of  these  books  are  now  in  the 
puljlic  lil)rary.  and  (|uite  a  number,  in  excellent 
condition,  are  in  the  private  library  of  Rolx^rt  II. 
Tinker. 

WKSLKY.X.N'    SK.M  I  X  Ain'. 

In  the  summer  of  1856  a  movement  was  begun 
for  the  founding  of  a  co-educational  seminary 
in  Rockford.  under  the  control  of  the  Alcthodist 
Episcopal  church.  February  14,  1837,  an  act  of 
the  legislature  was  approved  to  incoqioratc  the 
Rockford  Weslevan  seminarv.  The  incorjjor- 
ators  were  E.  F.  \V.  Ellis.  T.  D.  Robertson.  D. 
W.  Ticknor,  and  \^^  F.  Stewart.  There  were 
to  ]}i-   twelve   trustees,   appointed   by   the   stock- 


holders, eight  of  whom  should  he  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  .\  board  of 
three  visitors  was  to  be  a])i)ointed  by  the  annual 
Rock  River  conference.  The  company  was  to 
have  a  capital  stock  of  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  divided  into  shares  of  one  hundred  dol- 
lars each. 

.\  farm  of  about  two  lumdred  and  sixteen 
acres  was  purchased  of  William  AI.  Rowland. 
It  adjoined  Judge  Church's  farm  on  the  west 
and  extended  north  to  the  State  road.  The  pur- 
chase price  and  accrued  interest  amounted  to 
nearly  twenty  thousand  dollars.  A  large  portion 
of  this  tract  was  platted  into  town  lots,  and  it 
was  proposed  to  build  a  college  su1)urban  town. 
The  sale  of  lots  occurred  .\pril  21).  1857.  The 
subscribers  to  stock  |)urchased  lots.  Rev.  W. 
V.  Stewart  had  been  transferred  from  the  Ohio 
to  the  Rock  River  conference,  and  had  been 
assigned  to  the  Second  or  Court  Street  church. 
Rev,  Stewart  was  made  purchasing  agent  for  the 
seminary  by  the  annual  conference. 

-August  31,  1857,  the  ceremony  of  breaking 
ground  for  the  seiuinary  building  took  place 
imder  the  direction  of  Rev.  T.  AI.  Eddy,  who 
was  in  attendance  upon  Rock  River  conference, 
which  was  then  in  session  in  Rockford.  Several 
hundred  people  were  in  attendance.  An  address 
was  made  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Stoughton.  agent  of 
Clark  seminary :  and  Rev.  W.  F.  Stewart  gave  a 
brief  history  of  the  origin  of  the  seminary 
movement. 

When  the  groimd  was  broken,  fiftv-seven 
thousand  dollars  had  been  subscribed.  The  en- 
terprise, however,  was  unsuccessful.  Quite  a 
number  of  houses  were  built,  but  in  time  several 
of  them  migrated  into  town  on  rollers,  and  the 
land  reverted  to  farming  purposes. 

In  October,  1857,  Rev.  .Stewart  began  the 
l)ublication  of  the  Rockford  Weslyan  Seminary 
Reporter,  in  the  interest  of  the  seminary.  Only 
four  numbers  were  ])ublished.  Both  Rev. 
Stewart  and  Rev.  Stoughton  have  died  within 
the  past  few  years. 

n.WAKI)    TAVI.ok's    TRinUTE. 

Bayard  Taylor,  in  a  letter  to  the  Tribune, 
l)ublishe(l  the  spring  of  1855,  paid  Rockford  this 
generous  tribute:  "I  last  wrote  to  you  from 
Rockford,  the  most  beautiful  town  in  northern 
Illinois.  It  has  the  advantage  of  an  admirable 
water-power,  furnished  by  Rock  river ;  of  a  rich, 
rolling  prairie,  which  is  fast  being  settled  and 
farmed  on  all  sides,  of  a  fine  building  material 
in  its  quarries,  of  soft  yellow  limestone,  re- 
sembling the  Roman  travertine:  and  of  an  mi- 
usually  enterprising  and  intelligent  population. 
Knowing  all  these  advantages,  I  was  not  sur- 
])rised  at  the  evidence  of  growth  since  my  first 


PAST     AXD    PRESENT     OF    WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


79 


visit  a  year  ago.  People  are  flocking  in  faster 
than  room  can  be  furnished,  and  the  foundations 
of  two  new  hotels,  on  a  large  scale,  show  the 
equipments  of  the  place.  I  was  pleased  to  note 
that  taste  keeps  pace  with  prosperity  here,  as 
elsewhere  in  the  northwest.  The  new  Unitarian 
church  is  a  simple  but  very  neat  Gothic  edifice, 
and  the  residences,  of  i\Ir.  Holland  and  Air.  Starr 
are  very  fine  specimens  of  home  architecture. 
The  grounds  of  the  former  are  admirably  laid 
out ;  there  is  nothing  better  of  the  kind  on  the 
Hudson." 

FIRST    FR-\TERX.\L    ORDERS. 

The  charter  of  Winnebago  Lodge,  No.  31,  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  was  issued  by 
Geo.  W.  Woodward,  grandmaster  of  Illinois,  in 
1847,  to  the  following  named  charter  members : 
Selden  AI.  Bronson.  Ansel  Kenfield,  Dewitt  Clin- 
ton Briggs,  Frederick  H.  Maxwell,  and  Rev. 
Nathaniel  P.  Heath.  The  lodge  was  instituted 
August  II,  1847.  Tlie  place  of  meeting  was 
Horsman's  block,  on  the  West  side. 

Rockford  Lodge,  No.  102,  Alasons,  was  or- 
ganized February  13,  1851,  under  a  dispensation 
from  C.  G.  Y.  Taylor,  the  grand  master.  The 
following  named  citizens  constituted  its  first 
membership :  Alfred  E.  Ames,  William  Lyman, 
Henry  Carpenter,  C.  H.  Spafford,  William  Hulin, 
E.  H.  Baker,  Ansel  Kenfield,  John  Fraley,  James 
P.  Burns,  W.  F.  Ward,  Jesse  Bliiui.  and  Buel 
G.  Wheeler.  E.  H.  Baker  was  the  last  survivor 
of  this  original  membership. 

Social  Lodge.  No.  140,  Odd  Fellows,  was  in- 
stituted February  6,  1854. 

Winnebago  Chapter,  No.  24,  Masons,  was  or- 
ganized December  12,  1854,  under  a  dispensation 
from  Louis  Watson,  grand  high  priest.  The  fol- 
lowing constituted  its  first  membership :  A.  Clark, 
Chauncv  Rav.  \\'.  F.  Parish.  H.  Aliltimore.  John 
A.  Holland,'  L.  P.  Pettibone,  R.  H.  Cotton, 
Abriam  Alorgan,  G.  D.  Palmer,  and  Ansel  Ken- 
field. This  chapter  was  constituted  under 
another  charter  in  December,  1855. 

Star  in  the  East  Lodge,  No.  166,  Masons,  was 
organized  Feljruary  12,  1855,  under  a  dispen- 
sation from  James  L.  Anderson,  grand  master. 
The  charter  members  were :  E.  F.  W.  Ellis.  R. 
H.  Cotton,  W.  AI.  Bowdoin,  William  Hulin,  S. 
G.  Chellis,  Jos.  K.  Smith,  Joseph  Burns,  C.  I. 
Horsman,  B.  G.  Wheeler,  G.  W.  Re\molds,  John 
A.  Holland,  C.  H.  Richings,  D.  G.  Clark.  Adam 
AlcClure,  Holder  Brownell. 

The  dispensation  for  Rockford  Encampment, 
No.  44,  Odd  Fellows,  was  granted  August  5, 
1857,  to  the  following  patriarchs  as  charter  mem- 
bers :  James  Fleming,  J.  H.  Clark,  Hugh  Strick- 
land, Enos  C.  Clark.  G.  A.  Stiles,  Joseph 
Schloss,  and  Robert  Smith.  The  encampment 
was  instituted  by  Deputy  Grand  Patriarch  A.  E. 
Jenner,  August  26,   1857. 


The  Rockford  Burns  Club  was  organized  No- 
vember 5,  1858.  It  is  an  association  of  Scottish- 
Americans,  who  meet  annually  on  the  birthday  of 
Robert  Burns. 

DE.\TH    OF  JOHN    .\.    IIOLLAXD. 

The  death  of  John  A.  Holland  occurred  Sep- 
tember 29,  1855,  at  Alount  Vernon,  Ohio,  while 
he  was  on  a  visit  to  his  father-in-law,  who  re- 
sided there,  in  company  with  his  family.  The 
remains  were  brought  to  Rockford  for  burial. 
Resolutions  of  respect  were  adopted  by  the 
Alasonic  bodies  and  by  the  bar  of  the  city.  The 
funeral  was  held  at  the  Unitarian  church  on 
Sunday.  John  A.  Holland  was  born  in  what 
is  now  West  Virginia.  He  came  to  Rockford  in 
1845,  from  Wooster,  Ohio,  where  he  had  prac- 
ticed law.  He  formed  a  partnership  with  T.  D. 
Robertson  in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He 
was  the  attorney  for  the  Galena  &  Chicago  L'nion 
Railroad,  and  assisted  the  Illinois  Central  in  se- 
curing the  right  of  way  from  Chicago  to  Cairo. 
yiv.  FfoUand  was  an  attendant  at  the  Unitarian 
church,  but  was  not  a  member.  He  was  a  man 
of  comprehensive  mind,  great  energy  and  sa- 
gacity, and  always  operated  upon  a  large  scale. 
He  was  a  leading  spirit  in  every  public  enter- 
prise. The  Holland  House  was  named  in  his 
nonor.  Mr.  Holland  was  father  of  Hosmer  P. 
Holland.  His  second  wife  was  a  daughter  of 
Dr.  J.  C.  Goodhue. 

irURDER   OF   SHERIFF    T.WLOR. 

Tuesday,  November  11.  1856,  John  F.  Tavlor, 
sheriff  of  Winnebago  coimty,  was  instantly 
killed  by  Alfred  Countrxman.  On  that  day 
Alfred  and  John  Countryman  came  to  Rockford 
from  Ogle  county  with  some  cattle,  which  they 
offered  for  sale  at  such  low  prices  as  to  arouse 
suspicion.  The  cattle  were  sold  for  a  sum  below 
their  market  value.  The  purchasers  delayed  pay- 
ment until  notice  had  been  given  the  sherifT,  and 
papers  made  out  for  the  apprehension  of  the 
brothers  which  occurred  about  nine  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  They  were  then  arrested  on  suspicion ; 
and  before  they  were  taken  to  jail  Sheriff  Taylor 
searched  them  for  concealed  weapons.  He  found 
pistol  balls  in  Alfred's  pockets,  and  upon  inquir- 
ing for  his  revolver  the  prisoner  replied  that  he 
had  none.  Sheriff  Taylor,  assisted  by  Constable 
Thompson,  then  started  with  the  prisoners  for 
the  jail.  Just  as  they  reached  the  steps  Alfred 
Countryman  broke  away  from  the  sheriff,  leaped 
over  the  fence  on  Elm  street,  and  ran  down  that 
street,  with  the  sheriff"  in  pursuit.  At  the  next 
corner,  near  the  livery  stable  of  Hall  &  Reynolds, 
the  sheriff'  had  nearly  overtaken  Countryman, 
and  was  about  to  seize  him,  when  the  latter  drew 
a  pistol  which  he  had  concealed,  and  fired.    The 


8o 


PAST     AXD    PRESENT    OF    WIXXEBAGO    COL'XTV. 


shcritt  staggered  a  few  i)aces  and  fell.  His  only 
wonls  were:  "rni  shot:  catch  him." 

Coinitrvnian  ran  to  the  woods  north  of  Kent's 
creek,  with  Innidreds  of  infuriated  citizens  in  pur- 
suit. John  I'latt  was  the  first  to  overtake  him. 
He  took  his  pistol  from  him.  and,  with  assistance, 
secured  his  arrest.  .Amid  threats  of  lynching, 
the  prisoner  was  placed  in  jail  and  securely 
ironed.  Samuel  1.  Cluirch.  the  sheriff-elect, 
hriefly  addressed  the  crowd  and  assmed  them 
that  the  prisoner  was  secure. 

Sheriff  Taylor  was  thirty-one  years  of  age, 
anil  left  a  wife,  and  a  son  a  year  and  a  half  old. 
He  was  an  excellent  officer,  and  was  held  in  high 
respect  by  the  community.  The  funeral  was  held 
TInirsdav'  on  the  public  square  adjoining  the 
jail,  imder  tlie  charge  of  the  .Masonic  fraternity. 
The  board  of  supervisors  were  in  attendance  in 
a  body.  The  discourse  was  preachcil  by  Rev. 
W.  F.'  Stewart. 

EXECUTION   01-  COfNTKV.M.XN. 

t.  (Hint ry man  was  indicted  and  tried  for  the 
murder  of  Sheriff  Taylor  at  the  February  term 
of  the  circuit  court  in  1857.  The  prosecution  was 
conducted  by  U.  D.  Meacham,  the  state's  attorney, 
assisted  by  William  Hrown.  The  counsel  for 
the  defense  was  Orrin  Miller  and  T.  J.  Turner. 
The  following  gentlemen  constituted  the  jury: 
Levi  Tunks,  Philo  C.  ^^'atson.  Anthonv  M. 
Felmly,  Silas  G.  Tyler,  Jacob  B.  Place,  G.  R. 
Ames,  Allen  Rice,  Charles  \\'orks,  J.  W.  Jenks, 
Edward  Peppers,  J.  W.  Knapp,  S.  P.  CoUer.  The 
trial  began  on  Monday,  February  23d.  The  case 
was  given  to  the  jury  on  Thursday,  and  Friday 
morning  they  returned  a  verdict  of  guilty.  Judge 
Sheldon  pronounced  the  sentence  of  death  upon 
CountrxTnan.  One  of  his  counsel,  Mr.  Miller, 
tried  to  obtain  a  stay  of  proceedings,  so  as  to 
bring  the  case  Ijeforc  the  supreme  court.  But 
Judge  Caton  refused  to  grant  a  writ  of  error. 

On  Friday.  March  27th.  Countryman  was 
executed  on  the  farm  of  Sheriff  Church,  a  short 
distance  from  the  city.  The  execution  was 
witnessed  by  eight  thousand  people.  In  the  ab- 
sence of  a  military  company,  the  two  fire  com- 
panies, armed  with  sabres  and  carbines,  formed 
a  hollow  square  at  the  jail,  into  the  center  of 
which  the  carriages  which  were  to  form  the  pro- 
cession, were  driven,  and  as  the  procession  moved 
to  tlie  place  of  execution  the  fire  companies 
formed  a  strong  guard.  Upon  arriving  at  the 
scaffold.  Rev.  Hooper  Crews  offered  an  earnest 
prayer.  The  prisoner  made  a  short  speech  and 
professed  repentence  and  forgiveness  for  his 
crime.  At  seventeen  minutes  past  two  the  bolt 
was  withdrawn,  and  Countryman  was  swung 
into  eternity.  His  father,  sister  and  one  brother 
witnessed  the  execution.     Before  the  body  was 


taken  down,  Sheriff  Church  addressed  the  crowd 
as  follows:  "These  ])ainful  i)roceedings  being 
now  concluded,  and  the  sword  of  justice  about  to 
be  returned  to  its  sheath,  I  hope  never  again  to 
be  drawn  into  so  much  severity.  I  would  thank 
you  all  for  the  good  order  you  have  maintained. 
Your  conduct  does  credit  to  the  city,  and  I  hope 
you  will  observe  the  same  decorum  in  retiring." 

KE.XOSIIA  .\M)  UOCKFORD  R.MLRO.VD. 

In  1856  was  projected  a  railroad  to  connect 
Kenosha  on  Lake  Michigan  with  Rockford.  It 
was  a  ])art  of  the  original  plan  that  this  line 
should  extend  from  Rockford  to  Rock  Island. 
January  20,  1857,  a  charter  was  granted  John  M. 
Cai)ron.  Egbert  Ayer,  Thomas  Paul,  John  Cor- 
nell. W.  1!.  ( )gden,  John  Bradley,  Jason  Marsh, 
George  Haskell,  David  S.  Penfielil.  Robert  P. 
Lane,  C.  C.  Briggs,  C.  H.  Spafford,  A.  S.  Mil- 
ler, Jesse  Blinn,  and  Seely  Perry.  The  com- 
])any  was  to  have  a  capital  stock  of  eight  hun- 
jlred  thousand  dollars,  to  be  divided  into  shares 
of  one  hundred  dollars  each,  and  was  authorized 
to  construct  a  road  from  a  point  near  the  state 
line  in  McHcnry  county  to  Rockford.  This  road 
was  built  as  a  means  of  relieving  Rockford  from 
burdens  imposed  by  the  high  freight  and  pas- 
senger rates  of  the  Galena  &  Chicago  L'nion. 

Books  for  subscriptions  to  the  stock  of  the 
road  were  opened  early  in  November,  1856,  and 
on  the  25th  of  the  same  month  the  company  was 
organized  by  the  election  of  the  following  of- 
ficers: President,  C.  H.  Spafford:  vice-presi- 
dent, R.  P.  Lane :  secretary,  E.  H.  Baker ; 
treasurer.  A.  C.  Spaft'ord  :  executive  committee, 
J.  P.ond,  J.  M.  Capron,  R.  P.  Lane,  D.  S.  Pen- 
field  and  Seely  Perry.  The  subscriptions  were 
made  largely  by  farmers  along  the  line,  who 
gave  mortgages  on  their  real  estate  to  secure  their 
|)ayments.  'The  company  negotiated  these  mort- 
gages in  ])aymcnt  for  iron,  labor  and  other  ex- 
jienses  in  the  building  of  the  road.  \\'hen  these 
obligations  matured  man\-  of  the  subscribers 
could  not  redeem  them,  and  the  holders  of  the 
mortgages  foreclosed  them. 

The  contract  for  the  construction  of  the  road 
to  Harvard  was  made  in  March,  1857,  and  the 
work  was  begun  shortly  afterwards.  The  east- 
ern division  of  the  road  was  under  the  control  of 
another  comjiany,  organized  under  a  charter  from 
the  Wisconsin  legislature.  The  progress  of  con- 
struction was  impeded  by  financial  embarrass- 
ments, arising  from  the  great  depression  which 
spread  over  the  country  in  1857,  and  the  enter- 
prise languished.  In  .\ugnst,  1858,  the  company 
a]iplied  to  the  council  of  Rockford  for  a  loan  of 
the  city  credit  to  the  amoinit  of  $50,000  to  aid 
in  the  completion  of  the  road.  An  election  was 
held  September  2,  and  the  measure  was  carried  by 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


8i 


a  majority  of  more  than  five  hundred.  This  is 
the  only  instance  in  the  history  of  Rockford  of 
the  loan  of  the  credit  of  the  corporation  to  a 
railroad. 

November  21,  1859,  the  road  was  completed 
between  Rockford  and  Harvard,  and  the  event 
w^as  celebrated  by  a  banquet  at  the  Holland 
House  the  same  evening.  In  1864  the  Galena  & 
Chicago  Union  Railroad  Company  was  absorbed 
by  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern,  and  the 
Kenosha  &  Rockford  road,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
soon  came  under  the  same  control. 

AN    EARLY   ROCKFORD   MANSION. 

The  most  beautiful  home  in  early  Rockford 
was  that  of  Mrs.  J.  H.  Manny,  on  South  Main 
street.  The  "Manny  mansion"  was  built  in  1854, 
by  John  A.  Holland.  The  grounds  had  a  front- 
age of  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet,  and 
e.xtended  from  the  northern  limit  of  G.  N.  Saf- 
ford  &  Company's  lumber  yard  to  a  point  below 
Kent's  creek,  and  were  fronted  by  a  stone  fence. 
The  beauty  of  these  grounds  was  due,  in  large 
measure,  to  John  Blair,  a  Scottish  landscape 
gardener  who  came  from  Canada  at  Mr.  Hol- 
land's solicitation.  He  laid  out  the  grounds,  and 
set  the  standard  for  landscape  gardening  in 
Rockford,  and  in  this  way  he  left  his  impress  on 
the  city.  Mr.  Blair  subsequently  laid  out  the 
grounds  of  the  Elgin  insane  asylum.  After  the 
death  of  Mr.  Holland,  in  1855,  financial  reverses 
overtook  his  family,  and  about  i860  this  splendid 
estate  passed  into  the  ownership  of  Mrs.  J.  H. 
Manny. 

WINNEB.\GO  SUPPORTS  FREMONT. 

At  the  presidential  election  in  November,  1856, 
Winnebago  county  gave  John  C.  Fremont  a  mag- 
nificent vote.  Every  town  in  the  county  was 
carried  for  the  Pathfinder.  The  total  vote  of 
the  county  was  4,154.  The  county  gave  a  ma- 
jority of  3,179  for  Fremont  over  Buchanan.  The 
First  Congressional  district  gave  majorities  for 
Fremont  and  Washburne  of  more  than  twelve 
thousand.  William  Lathrop  was  elected  repre- 
sentative :  Samuel  I.  Church,  sheriff ;  H.  T.  Mes- 
ler,  coroner;  Morris  B.  Derwent,  circuit  clerk. 
Mr.  Church  was  a  brother  of  Jvidge  Church,  and 
came  to  Rockford  in  1848.  He  purchased  a 
quarter  of  the  school  section ;  later  he  made  it  his 
home,  where  he  died  in  1886. 

ROCKFORD   CITY   GREYS. 

In  1856  a  military  company  was  organized, 
under  the  name  of  the  Rockford  City  Greys, 
which  enkindled  the  enthusiasm  of  a  large  num- 
ber of  the  young  men  of  the  city.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1858  Colonel  E.  E.  Ellsworth  was  en- 
6 


gaged  as  drillmaster,  and  under  his  instruction 
the  company  attained  a  high  degree  of  proficiency. 
In  September,  1858,  an  encampment  was  held  on 
the  fairgrounds,  which  continued  four  days. 
Companies  from  Freeport,  Elgin  and  Chicago 
were  in  attendance.  This  company  continued  in 
e.xcellent  condition  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
war.  when  under  the  name  of  Rockford  Zouaves, 
man\-  of  the  company  volunteered  in  the  three 
months'  service,  under  the  call  of  the  president 
for  seventy-five  thousand  men  ;  and  as  a  part  of 
the  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteers,  were  detailed  to 
garrison  duty  at  Cairo  and  at  Bird's  Point. 

IN    HONOR   OF   .\TLANTIC   CABLE. 

August  17,  1858,  the  completion  of  the  Atlantic 
cable  was  celebrated  by  the  citizens  of  Rockford 
with  great  demonstrations  of  enthusiasm.  On 
that  day  the  queen  of  England  and  the  president 
of  the  United  States  exchanged  messages.  The 
event  was  celebrated  in  Rockford  by  a  salute  of 
fifty  guns,  fired  by  the  City  Greys,  and  the  church 
bells  were  rung.  Public  exercises  were  held  in 
the  evening  at  the  courthouse.  Addresses  were 
made  by  James  L.  Loop,  Judge  Miller,  E.  W. 
Blaisdell,  Judge  Church,  William  Hulin,  and 
Dr.  L\Tnan.  The  speech  of  Mr.  Loop  was  ex- 
ceptionally brilliant,  and  replete  with  noble 
thought.  One  paragraph  from  this  address  is 
quoted :  "Great  Britain  and  the  United  States — 
the  two  great  maritime  nations  of  the  globe,  have 
met  in  mortal  combat  upon  that  briny  deep  ;  they 
have  fought  for  the  sea's  supremacy,  they  have 
maintained  on  either  side  with  all  their  prowess 
and  power  their  respective  country's  glory,  and 
well  and  gloriously  have  their  names  resounded 
through  the  world — but  no  victory  ever  won  by 
either  upon  the  ocean  can  compare  with  this  joint 
victory  we  have  met  to  celebrate." 

CENSUS    OF    i860. 

In  i860  the  census  of  the  city  of  Rockford, 
taken  by  Thos.  Boyd,  showed  a  population  of 
7,046,  and  8,117  in  the  township.  In  1836  there 
were  350  white  inhabitants  in  the  county,  which 
included  Boone,  and  the  eastern  half  of  Stephen- 
son. In  June,  1837,  after  Winnebago  had  been 
reduced  to  its  present  size,  the  county  had  a 
population  of  1,086.  In  1839  the  village  of  Rock- 
ford had  235  inhabitants,  and  in  December,  1845, 
there  were  1,278.  In  1840  there  were  2,563  in 
Rockford  township,  and  in  1855  there  were 
6,620. 

TRIAL    OF    GOVERNOR    BEEB. 

On  Tuesday  evening.  May  19,  1857,  a  chari- 
vari resulted  in  the  instant  death  of  one  of  the 
party.      Hon.    William    Bebb,    Ex-Governor    of 


8_' 


PAST     AXn     PRESENT     OF     WIXXEBAGO     COL'XTV. 


Ohio,  was  resiclinij  in  Seward  township.  His 
son,  M.  S.  T'fbl).  liad  just  rcturiifd  from  the  east 
with  iiis  bride.  Twelve  yonni;  men  of  the  neisjh- 
borluHid  iiropo.sed  to  eharivari  the  liridal  ])arty. 
They  as.senibled  at  the  jjovernor's  liousc  about 
eleven  o'clock  at  iiisht.  and  began  their  ]}erforni- 
ance  with  cowl)ells,  tin  pans,  three  guns,  and 
other  articles  which  could  contribute  to  the 
hideous  din.  The  governor  at  length  appeared 
wiih  a  shot-gun  and  ordered  them  to  retire.  Thev 
l)aid  no  heed  and  Mr.  Fiebb  fired  one  barrel, 
which  took  effect  in  the  face  of  William  Hogan. 
The  ])arty  then  ai)i)roached  nearer  the  house,  as 
for  an  assault,  wlien  the  governor  discharged 
the  second  liarrel  at  the  leader.  Lemuel  Clemens, 
and  instantly  killed  him.  The  crowd  then  speed- 
ily dis])ersed. 

The  trial  of  (iovernor  I'.ebb.  for  manslaughter, 
began  February  4.  1858.  in  the  circuit  court. 
Judge  Sheldon  jiresiding.  The  pro.secution  was 
conducted  by  V.  D.  Aleacham.  the  state's  at- 
torney, who  was  assisted  by  T.  J.  Turner.  The 
counsel  for  the  defense  was  the  famous  Tom 
Corwin.  of  Ohio,  assisted  by  Judge  William  John- 
son, James  L.  Looj),  and  Judge  ,\nson  S.  Miller. 
The  trial  began  in  the  courthouse,  and  in  order  to 
secure  more  room,  an  adjourniiieiit  was  taken  to 
Metro])olitan  Hall. 

The  greatest  interest  was  manifested  in  the 
trial  by  reason  of  the  reputation  of  the  defend- 
ant and  the  celebrity  of  Mr.  Corwiu.  .\  large 
number  of  ladies  were  daily  in  attendance.  The 
jury  consi.sted  of  the  following  named  gentle- 
men :  John  Spaff<ird,  Putnam  Pcrlev,  ^^'^i^iam 
A.  Pheijis,  Joel  \\'.  Thompson,  Horace  Hitch- 
cock, L.  D.  Waldo,  P.altus  Heagle.  Pienjaniiii  F. 
Long,  John  Morse,  .^.  M.  Preston,  B.  K.  Town. 
Isaac  Manes. 

I'lOth  sides  of  the  case  were  argued  with  great 
ability.  The  central  figure  was,  of  course,  Mr. 
Corwin.  The  Register,  in  reporting  his  address 
to  the  jury,  said:  "It  was  just  such  a  speech  as 
Tom  Corwin  akme  can  make,  and  was  listened 
to  with  breathless  attention.  It  lasted  some  four 
hours,  during  which  time  he  went  over  every 
particular  of  the  case,  applying  the  law  to  each 
point,  and  showing  under  what  circumstances  a 
man  may  kill  another,  and  also  detailing  in  great 
beauty  of  language  the  manner  in  which  the 
people  had  become  possessed  of  the  inalienable 
right  to  enjoy  their  homes  in  peace,  and  un- 
disturbed." 

The  case  was  given  to  the  jury  at  five  o'clock 
Monday  afternoon,  and  at  nine  o'clock  they  re- 
turned with  a  verdict  of  not  guilty.  The  Register 
concluded  ([uite  a  full  report  of  the  trial  with 
a  commendation  of  the  jury  for  their  righteous 
decision. 

M.  S.  liebb,  whose  marriage  was  the  occasion 
of   this   di>turbance,   became   a   well   known   citi- 


zen of  Rockford.  He  had  quite  an  extended 
re]iutation  in  the  scientific  world,  and  was  recog- 
nized as  the  highest  authority  u])on  some  species 
of  the  willow.  .Mr.  I'.ebb  was  for  some  years 
a  member  of  the  public  library  board. 

Till-:  i.i.\(()i..\-:)(iiGi..\s  i>i:ii.\Ti:. 

riu'  famous  Lincoln-Douglas  debate  was  an 
event  of  local  interest  as  well  as  national  sig- 
nificance. In  A])ril,  1S58.  the  Illinois  State 
Democratic  convention  endorsed  Stephen  A. 
Douglas  for  the  L'nited  .States  senate,  .\braham 
Lincoln  was  nominated  by  the  republican  party 
at  S])ringfield,  June  17th.  July  24th  .Mr.  Lincoln 
sent  a  challenge  to  Judge  Douglas  to  discuss  the 
political  issues  of  the  day  in  a  series  of  joint  de- 
bates. The  latter  accepted  a  challenge,  and 
named  one  city  in  each  congressional  district, 
excei)t  the  second  and  sixth,  where  they  had  al- 
ready spoken.  Ottawa.  Freeport.  Galesburg, 
Quincy.  .\lton.  Joiu-sboro  and  Charleston  were 
the  points  chosen  for  these  discussions. 

The  second  and  most  famous  debate  was  held 
at  Freei)ort.  August  27th.  It  was  the  greatest 
political  event  ever  hekl  in  this  congressional  dis- 
trict. Thousands  were  in  attendance  from  the 
northern  counties,  and  the  excitement  was  in- 
tense. .\  special  train  was  made  up  at  Marengo, 
and  run  over  the  (lalena  &  Chicago  L^nion  road. 
It  consisted  of  eighteen  coaches,  eight  of  which 
were  filled  with   Rockford  citizens. 

It  was  at  this  debate  that  Mr.  Lincoln  pro- 
pounded the  four  celebrated  questions  to  Judge 
Douglas,  the  answers  to  which  swept  away  his 
last  chance  for  .securing  the  jiresidency  in  i860. 
Previous  to  this  debate,  a  conference  was  held  at 
the  r.rewster  House,  at  which  E.  P>.  Washburne 
and  Joseph  Medill  urged  Mr.  Lincoln  to  refrain 
trom  such  interrog-ations.  But  Lincoln  was  in- 
sistent. He  said  that  if  Judge  Douglas  answered 
them  one  way  he  would  lose  his  prestige  with 
the  south  :  and  if  he  answered  them  the  other 
way,  he  could  not  retain  the  leadership  of  the 
northern  wing  of  his  party. 

The  result  justified  Mr.  Lincoln's  prophecy. 
"Of  that  answer  at  Freeport,''  as  Mr.  Herndon 
puts  it,  Douglas  "instantly  died.  The  red- 
gleaming  southern  tomahawk  flashed  high  and 
keen.  Douglas  was  removed  out  of  Lincoln's 
wav.  The  wind  was  taken  out  of  Seward's 
sails  ( bv  the  house-divided  speech),  and  Lincoln 
stooil  out  ])rominent." 

The  election  occurred  on  the  2d  of  Novem- 
ber. Mr.  Lincoln  received  a  majority  of  over 
four  thousand  of  the  popular  vote,  yet  the  re- 
turns from  the  legislative  districts  foreshadowed 
his  defeat.  .-Kt  the  senatorial  election  in  the  legis- 
lature. Judge  Douglas  received  fifty-four  votes, 
and  Mr.  Lincoln  forty-six — one  of  the  results  of 
the  unfair  a])()ortioiiment  law  then  in  o|)eration. 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


83 


ROCKFORD  SETTLERS   IX    1855-59. 

Charles  ^^'illiams  was  a  native  of  Massachu- 
setts. He  came  to  Rockford  in  1855,  and  with 
his  son  Lewis,  was  engaged  in  the  hardware 
business.  ]\Ir.  Williams  was  the  war  mayor  of 
Rockford,  serving  from  1859  to  1864.  His  home 
was  the  residence  now  owned  by  John  Barnes. 
^Ir.  \\'illiams  died  in  1876. 

^^'illiam    M.    Rowland    came   to    Rockford    in 

1855.  He  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  when 
a  young  man  he  removed  to  Augusta.  Georgia, 
where  he  was  interested  in  the  Iron  Steamboat 
Company.  Soon  after  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri 
compromise,  Hon.  Alexander  H.  Stephens,  mem- 
ber of  congress,  informally  received  the  promi- 
nent citizens  of  Augusta.  Mr.  Rowland  is  said 
to  have  been  the  only  gentlenian  present  who 
did  not  offer  congratulations  to  Mr.  Stephens 
upon  the  repeal  01  that  law,  but  assured  him  that 
it  would  prove  a  calamity  to  the  south. 

William  L.  Rowland  was  graduated  from  Yale 
college  in  the  class  of  1852,  and  removed  to  Rock- 
ford with  his  father's  family  in  1855.  \Mien  the 
public  library  was  founded  in  1872,  Mr.  Row- 
land was  appointed  librarian,  and  he  retained  this 
position  until  his  death  in   1900. 

Benjamin  Blakeman  was  a  native  of  Strat- 
ford,   Connecticut.      He    came    to    Rockford    in 

1856,  and  carried  on  the  lumber  business,  first 
on  South  Court,  and  later  on  South  Main  street. 
About  1 87 1  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Wil- 
liam Dobson,  in  manufacturing.  Mr.  Blakeman 
is  now  retired  from  business. 

Colonel  Garret  Nevius,  a  native  of  New  York, 
came  to  Rockford  in  1858.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Rockford  City  Greys,  and  in  1861  he  en- 
listed with  the  Eleventh  Illinois  ^"olunteers,  and 
arose  to  the  rank  of  colonel.  He  was  killed  in 
the  charge  of  Ransom's  brigade  on  the  enemy's 
works  at  Mcksburg,  Mav  22,  1863.  Memorial 
services  were  held  on  the  courthouse  square,  in 
Rockford,  where  the  remains  lay  in  state,  and  an 
address  was  delivered  by  Dr,  Kerr.  His  body 
was  then  sent  to  New  York  for  burial.  Colonel 
Nevius  was  only  twenty-six  years  of  age. 
Nevius  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  was  named  in  his  honor. 

Robert  H.  Tinker  was  born  at  Honolulu, 
Sandwich  Islands,  in  1837,  where  his  father.  Rev. 
Reuben  Tinker,  was  a  missionary,  sent  out  by  the 
Presbyterian  church.  IMr.  Tinker  came  to  Rock- 
ford in  1856.  He  built  the  Swiss  cottage  on 
Kent  creek,  the  most  picturesque  home  in  the 
city.  The  plan  of  his  unique  library,  on  two 
floors,  with  winding  stairway,  was  suggested  to 
Mr.  Tinker  by  his"  visit  to'  Sir  Walter  Scott's 
library,  more  than  forty  years  ago.  He  was 
elected  Mayor  of  Rockford  in  1875,  and  served 
one  term.  Mr.  Tinker  has  been  interested  in 
various  manufacturing  enterprises. 


John  H.  Hall  came  to  Rockford  in  1855,  and 
engaged  in  the  grocery  trade.  He  served  the 
city  as  alderman,  and  as  a  member  of  the  school 
board.  The  Hall  school  is  named  in  his  honor. 
His  death  occurred  in  1882. 

Lucius  ]\I.  West  was  born  at  Vernon  Centre, 
New  York,  June  19,  1820.  He  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  A.  Sturtevant,  of  his 
native  county.  In  1858  Mr.  and  Mrs.  West  and 
their  three  sons  came  to  Rockford.  In  1862  Mr. 
west  built  the  store  now  occupied  by  Peer's 
jewelry  store,  where  he  carried  on  trade  in  rub- 
ber goods  and  boots  and  shoes.  About  1874  he 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  and  jobbing  of 
enamel  carriage  top  dressing,  which  has  attained 
a  world-wide  re]5utation.  Mr.  West  was  actively 
identified  with  the  religious  interests  of  the  city. 
In  1875  '''£  appointed  a  religious  service  for 
Woodruff's  Addition,  and  for  three  years  and  a 
half  conducted  a  mission  school  there,  and  fur- 
nished the  building  at  his  own  expense.  He  died 
.\ugust  20,  1893. 

Charles  L.  Williams  was  born  in  Sherburne, 
Qienango  county.  New  York,  October  20,  1828. 
He  was  graduated  from  Hamilton  college  in 
1847.  and  in  1 85 1  he  received  the  degree  of  M. 
A.  from  his  alma  mater.  'Mr.  Williams  came  to 
Rockford  in  1859  and  engaged  in  mercantile  busi- 
ness. He  married  a  daughter  of  Mayor  Charles 
Williams  and  subsequently  purchased  his  father- 
in-law's  house  on  North  Main  street,  which  in- 
cluded the  lots  now  belonging  to  John  Barnes 
and  Mrs.  Julia  P.  Warren.  Air.  Williams  took 
an  active  interest  in  organizing  the  public 
library,  and  from  1872  to  1878  he  was  a  member 
of  the  board  of  directors. 

Daniel  N.  Hood  was  born  in  Salem,  Massa- 
chusetts, September  25,  1834,  and  came  to  Rock- 
ford in  1858.  Prof.  Hood  was  for  many  years  at 
the  head  of  the  nuisical  department  of  Rockford 
seminarv,  and  for  more  than  ten  years  of  this 
period  he  w-as  organist  of  the  Second  Presby- 
terian church  in  Chicago.  Prof.  Hood  now  re- 
sides in  Boston. 

Gilbert  Woodruff'  was  born  near  Watertown, 
New  York,  November  20,  1817.  He  came  to 
Rockford  in  1857,  and  soon  after  he  purchased 
and  platted  a  farm  which  is  now  known  as 
Woodruff's  Addition,  Easy  terms  of  payment 
were  given  purchasers  of  lots.  Mr.  Woodruff 
was  therefore  in  a  real  sense  one  of  the  builders 
of  Rockford.  He  had  been  president  of  the 
Rockford  National  Bank  since  its  organization ; 
president  of  the  Forest  City  Insurance  Company 
since  its  organization  in  1873  ;  and  president  of 
the  Forest  City  Furniture  Factory  since  1875. 
Air.  Woodruff  was  mayor  of  Rockford  from 
1873  to  1873.  He  died  in  Rockford  in  October, 
1903. 

Horace  \\".  Tavlor  was  born  in  Granby,  Mas- 

V 


84 


PAST     AND     l'RF,SEXT     OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


sacluisetts.  February  i,  1823.  He  was  gradu- 
ated from  Amherst  in  1848.  In  1857  he  came 
to  Rockford  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  the 
autumn  of  the  same  year.  For  forty  years  Mr. 
Taylor  was  a  well  known  member  of  the  legal 
profession  of  this  city.  In  1866  he  began  his 
work  as  master-in-chancery  under  appointment 
of  Judge  Sheldon.  This  position  he  held  until 
his  death,  e-xcept  an  interim  from  1872  to  1876. 
Mr.  Taylor  was  elected  a  member  of  the  legis- 
lature in  1878,  and  served  one  term.  His  death 
occurred  at  a  sanitarium  at  Kenosha,  August 
29.  1898. 

Marquis  L.  Gorham  was  a  native  of  Vermont, 
and  came  to  Rockford  in  1857.  He  obtained  a 
patent  for  a  seeder  manufactured  by  Clark  & 
I'tter.  and  for  a  corn  cultivator  made  by  N.  C. 
Thompson.  He  was  also  the  inventor  of  the 
\  first  twine  binder,  the  patent  for  which  was  sold 
L  to  C.  H.  McCormick.  Mr.  Gorham  died  at  Phila- 
delphia in  1876.  while  attending  the  Centennial 
exposition,  when  he  was  only  about  forty-five 
years  of  age. 

Norman  Cornelius  Thompson  was  born  in 
Knoxville,  Georgia,  May  25,  1828.  He  came  to 
Rockford  in  1857.  He  built  one  of  the  largest 
manufacturing  plants  on  the  water-power,  and 
his  immense  output  contributed  in  no  small  de- 
gree to  the  prestige  of  Rockford  as  a  manufactur- 
ing city.  Mr.  Thompson  was  a  public-spirited 
citizen,  and  a  generous  sup])orter  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  church.  Financial  reverses  over- 
took him  in  1884,  which  resulted  in  the  suspen- 
sion of  his  bank  in  East  Rockford,  and  his  re- 
tirement from  his  manufacturing  industry.  Mr. 
Thompson  died  July  4,  1898. 

Thomas  Butterworth  was  born  in  Manchester, 
England,  September  6.  1827.  In  his  twentieth 
year  he  came  to  America,  and  landed  at  New 
Orleans.  On  account  of  yellow  fever,  he  im- 
mediately went  to  Cincinnati.  He  entered  the 
employ  of  Stacy  &  Company,  the  proprietors  of 
the  Cincinnati  gas  works,  and  in  their  interest 
he  was  sent  to  repair  the  works  in  Rockford 
about  1856.  The  latter  plant  was  then  owned  by 
Lane,  Sanford  &  Co.  He  remained  in  Rockford 
and  assumed  the  management  of  the  works.  He 
also  continued  the  business  of  contractor,  and 
built  Brown's  Hall,  the  old  People's  Bank  Build- 
ing on  State  street,  and  other  buildings.  He 
subsequently  sold  his  contracting  business,  and 
in  time  became  the  sole  owner  of  the  gas  plant. 
In  1878  Mr.  Butterworth  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  legislature,  as  a  democrat,  and  served  one 
term.  His  death  occurred  at  Ashville,  North 
Carolina.  .April  5,   1885. 

William  H.  Townsend  came  to  Rockford  in 
1857,  from  Springfield,  Pennsylvania.  He  was 
in    artluent    circumstances.      I  lis   home    was   on 


.South  Third  street,  well  known  in  later  years  as 
the  residence  of  Dr.  D.  S.  Clark.  Mr.  Townsend 
was  a  stockholder  and  director  of  the  Rock 
River  Mutual  F'irc  Insurance  Company,  and  the 
later  reverses  of  the  company  were  a  source  of 
such  an.xiety  to  him  that  he  became  deranged, 
June  2,  1869.  his  body  was  found  in  Rock  river, 
about  four  and  a  half  miles  south  of  the  city.  ^Ir. 
Townsend  was  about  si.xty  years  of  age,  and  had 
been  a  member  of  the  board  of  education.  He 
was  held  in  high  esteem,  and  his  death  was  a 
great  shock  to  the  community. 

F.  H.  Manny  came  to  Rockford  in  1859.  He 
was  a  cousin  of  John  P.  and  John  H.  Manny. 
For  some  years  he  was  engaged  in  manufactur- 
ing on  the  water-power.  His  home  was  the  resi- 
dence owned  later  by  W.  F.  Iludler.  on  the  South 
side.  He  met  willi  reverses  in  1875,  went  to 
W'aukegan,  and  from  there  to  Chicago.  Mr. 
Manny  died  in  Chicago,  .\pril  15,  1899,  at  the 
age  of  eighty-two  years.  The  remains  were 
brought  to  Rockford  for  interment. 

.\niong  other  well  known  citizens  who  came 
to  Rockford  during  this  period  are  the  follow- 
ing: George  frufant,  George  H.  Dennett.  Wm. 
McKinlev,  1855:  .A.  C.  Burpee,  1856:  David 
Kevt.  S.'F.  Penfield.  D.  S.  Hough,  H.  B.  Hale, 
W.'H.  Smith,  C.  .\.  Shaw.  1857:  John  R.  Porter, 
1859. 

Other  citizens  engaged  in  active  business  dur- 
ing the  fifties  were:  L.  H.  Todd,  dealer  in  boots 
and  shoes ;  Thomas  Ennett,  contractor :  D.  Miller, 
boots  and  shoes ;  J.  W.  Seccomb.  books ;  C.  T. 
Sackett,  painter;  W.  G.  Johnson,  painter;  Rob- 
ert Smith,  hatter ;  J.  B.  Agard,  grain  buyer ; 
Joseph  Burns,  dry  goods ;  \\'m.  Lyman,  physi- 
cian ;  John  Fraley,  druggist ;  Israel  Sovereign, 
hardware  dealer. 

Several  early  settlers  should  have  been  men- 
tioned in  their  proper  chronological  order. 
.\mong  these  was  Levi  Rhoades,  born  at  Hins- 
dale, New  York,  June  23,  1830.  In  1847  he  came 
to  Rockford.  He  learned  the  cooper's  trade,  and 
during  the  war  he  laid  the  foundation  of  a  large 
estate  in  supplying  the  demand  for  barrels.  He 
continued  in  this  business  until  1884.  Mr. 
Rhoades  was  interested  in  many  manufacturing 
cnterjirises.  and  was  a  man  of  great  force  and 
executive  ability.  He  was  elected  mayor  of  Rock- 
ford in  187^).  and  served  one  year.  His  death  oc- 
curred November  19.  1891. 

W.  D.  Trahcrn  was  born  in  Loudoun  county, 
N'irginia,  March  24,  1824.  In  1848  he  came  to 
Rockford.  and  the  following  year  he  began  the 
manufacture  of  threshing-machines.  In  1862 
Mr.  Trahern  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  iron 
l)umps.  Mr.  Trahern  was  successful  in  business, 
a  considerate  employer,  and  was  highly  esteemed. 
He  died  No /ember' 2,  1883. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


OMINOUS   WAR  CLOUDS. 

The  presidential  election  of  i860  marked  an 
epoch  in  American  history.  The  nation  had  come 
to  the  parting  of  the  ways.  Mr.  Lincoln's 
prophecy  that  the  g-overnment  could  not  per- 
manently endure  half  slave  and  half  free,  was 
about  to  be  demonstrated  before  the  world.  Mr. 
Lincoln,  by  reason  of  his  profound  insight  into 
the  political  situation,  which  he  had  shown  in  his 
debates  with  Jndge  Douglas,  was  the  logical  can- 
didate of  his  party. 

The  nomination  of  Mr.  Lincoln  was  received 
with  great  enthusiasm  by  the  citizens  of  Rock- 
ford.  In  August  the  Rockford  Wide  Awake 
Club  was  organized.  Its  object  was  co-operation 
for  the  success  of  republican  principles  and  the 
election  of  Mr.  Lincoln. 

Saturday,  September  ist,  was  a  republican 
rally  day.  The  Wide  Awake  Clubs  from  neigh- 
boring towns  were  present.  The  special  attrac- 
tion was  Cassius  M.  Clay,  the  celebrated  orator 
of  Kentucky.  The  exercises  were  held  on  the 
courthouse  square,  and  it  was  estimated  that 
fully  twelve  thousand  people  were  in  attendance. 
The  first  speech  was  made  by  Hon.  James  H. 
Baker,  secretary  of  state  of  Minnesota.  Mr. 
Clay  was  introduced  by  Judge  S.  M.  Church. 
"His  oratory,"  said  the  Register,  "is  not  of  the 
fervid  kind,  but  he  is  a  calm,  cool,  deliberate 
speaker,  laying  out  his  ideas  into  square  blocks 
of  solid  argument  and  building  up  an  edifice  sup- 
ported b}-  facts  and  figures  which  it  is  absolutely 
impossible  to  undermine  or  batter  down." 

During  September  and  October,  a  series  of 
joint  discussions  was  held  by  Judge  Allen  C. 
Fuller,  of  Belvidere,  and  John  A.  Rawlins,  of 
Galena,  on  the  political  issues  of  the  day.  One 
joint  debate  was  held  in  each  county  of  the  First 
congressional  district.  Judge  Fuller  was  the  re- 
publican candidate  for  presidential  elector,  and 
Mr.  Rawlins  was  the  candidate  of  the  Douglas 
democracv.  One  discussion  was  held  in  Rock- 
ford,  September  29th.  These  debates  have  a 
historic  interest  by  reason  of  the  subsequent 
prominence  of  the  participants.  Judge  Fuller  be- 
came the  war  adjutant  of  the  state,  and  in  this 
capacity  he  displayed  great  executive  ability,  and 
was  the  able  supporter  of  Governor  Yates,  in  the 
organization  of  the  military  forces  of  the  state. 
Judge  Fuller  died  in  Belvidere  in  December, 
1901.  Upon  the  outbreak  of  the  war  in  1861, 
Mr.  Rawlins  came  promptly  to  the  support  of 
the  union  cause ;  he  was  the  confidential  friend 
and  adviser  of  General  Grant  during  his  cam- 
paigns, and  in  i86g  he  became  his  secretary  of 
war. 

Among  other  gentlemen  who  made  addresses 
in  Rockford  during  the  campaign  were  Judge 
Lyman  Trumbull,  Stephen  A.  Hurlbut,  Governor 


Bebb,  Melancthon  Smith,  Colonel  Ellis,  James 
L.  Loop  and  Judge  Church.  Richard  Yates  and 
Owen  Lovejoy  made  speeches  at  Belvidere,  Oc- 
tober 9th. 

The  presidential  election  was  held  November 
6th.  Winnebago  county  cast  3,985  votes  for 
Aljraham  Lincoln  and  817  for  Judge  Douglas; 
Richard  Yates  received  3,986  votes  for  governor, 
and  Mr.  Allen  826. 

The  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln  was  perhaps  the 
most  notable  event  in  the  life  of  the  nation. 
The  shouts  of  victory  had  scarcely  died  away 
when  one  southern  state  after  another  openly 
revolted  from  the  authority  of  the  union.  The 
election  of  Mr.  Lincoln  brought  the  sword,  rather 
than  peace.  But  the  sword  was  drawn  in  a  holy 
cause.  For  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  the 
irrepressible  conflict  between  freedom  and  slavery 
had  continued.  The  "land  of  the  free"  had  made 
iniquity  her  law.  Alillions  of  bondsmen  wet  the 
soil  with  their  tears  and  blood.  Cause  and  effect, 
the  chancellors  of  God,  had  come  to  enforce  the 
truth  that  there  were  rights  that  states  must  keep 
or  they  shall  suffer  for  their  sins.  Victor  Hugo 
says  of  Napoleon  at  Waterloo:  "For  Bonaparte 
to  be  conqueror  at  Waterloo  was  not  in  the  law 
of  the  nineteenth  century.  *  *  *  When  earth 
is  suffering  from  a  surcharge  there  are  mysterious 
moanings  from  the  deeps  that  the  heavens  hear. 
Napoleon  had  been  impeached  before  the  Infinite 
and  his  fall  was  decreed.  He  vexed  God.  Wa- 
terloo is  not  a  battle ;  it  is  the  change  of  front  of 
the  universe."  So  the  slave-power  had  overleaped 
itself,  and  could  no  longer  resist  the  advance  of 
a  more  enlightened  Christian  civilization. 

Abraham  Lincoln  was  the  divinely  appointed 
man  for  the  hour.  There  seem  to  be  certain 
superhuman  adjustments  that  philosophy  does 
not  explain,  that  work  out  righteous  results.  Hu- 
man wisdom  does  not  foresee  them :  they  do  not 
destro\-  human  freedom,  but  they  do  achieve 
their  results  with  infallible  certainty.  The  lead- 
ers of  such  events  are  like  Aeneas  in  the  fable : 
they  are  often  covered  with  a  cloud  woven  by 
divine  fingers,  and  men  do  not  see  them.  But 
when  they  are  needed  the  cloud  breaks  away, 
and  they  stand  before  the  world  prepared  to  do 
their  work.  Such  a  man  was  Abraham  Lincoln. 
He  was  called  to  lead  in  a  war  made  holy  by  the 
quickened  moral  conscience  of  the  nation.  Poets, 
and  reformers  and  statesmen  had  cast  up  the 
highwav  for  the  King,  who  should  visit  the  na- 
tion with  chastening.  This  judgment  day  was 
at  hand,  because  Phillips  and  Garrison  and  Sum- 
ner had  come :  because  Whittier  and  Lowell  and 
Harriet  Beecher  Stowe  had  come ;  because  Lin- 
coln and  Seward  and  Chase  had  come :  because 
Grant  and  Sherman  and  Sheridan  had  come ; 
because  the  great  and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord 
had  come. 


86 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


THE   STORY   (IF   THIC    CIVIL    WAR. 

As  soon  as  the  ek-clion  of  Abraham  I.iiicohi 
was  definitely  ascertained,  the  legislature  of  South 
Carolina  smnmoned  a  sovereiiji)  convention  of 
the  people  of  that  state,  which  met  December  17, 
i860.  Three  days  later  this  convention  adopted 
an  ordinance  of  secession,  which  declared  the  state 
no  longer  a  member  of  the  union.  Mississippi 
seceded  January  ().  1861  :  I'^Iorida,  January  10; 
Alabama,  January  11;  Cleorg^ia.  January  19; 
Louisiana.  January  26;  Texas.  I-'ebruary  i.  The 
forts,  arsenals  and  other  federal  jiropcrty  within 
the  limits  of  these  states  were  seized  by  the  au- 
thorities thereof,  with  the  exceptions  of  Forts 
Moultrie  and  Sumter. 

Deleg-atcs  from  the  seceding'  states  met  at 
Montgomery,  .\labama.  February  4,  1861,  and 
proceeded  at  once  to  organize  a  new  rejjublic.  with 
the  name  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America. 
F'ebruary  8th  a  provisional  government  was  de- 
clared, with  Jefferson  Davis  as  president.  April 
8th  Governor  Pickens,  of  South  Carolina,  was 
notified  b\-  the  general  government  of  its  inten- 
tion to  relieve  Fort  Sumter  at  all  hazards. 
Governor  Pickens  at  once  informed  General 
lleauregard  of  this  official  notification,  and  the 
news  was  sent  by  him  to  the  Confederate  gcvem- 
mcnl  at  .Montgomery.  Its  secretary  of  war  there- 
upon ordered  (ieneral  Beauregard  to  demand  the 
immediate  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter. 

On  Friday  morning,  .April  12th,  the  Confederate 
batteries  opened  fire  upon  the  fort.  The  bom- 
bardment lasted  thirty-two  hours.  Late  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  13th  Major  .\nders()n.  in  com- 
mand of  the  fort,  agreed  to  capitulate,  and  the 
firing  ceased.  On  the  morning  of  Sundav.  .Viiril 
I4.th,  Fort  Sumter  was  surrendered  to  the  Con- 
federate forces,  and  Major  Anderson  and  his  gar- 
rison sailed  at  once  for  New  York.  Treason  had 
struck  the  decisive  blow ;  war  was  inevitable. 

Tin-;    FIRST    WAR    SERMON. 

To  the  late  Dr.  Tliomas  Kerr  belongs  the  honor 
of  preaching  the  first  war  sermon  in  Rockford. 
He  was  then  pastor  of  the  First  na])tist  church. 
Sunday  morning,  .\pril  I4tli.  the  startling  news 
was  received  that  .Sumter  had  fallen.  It  was  one 
of  the  critical  moments  in  the  nation's  life.  Under 
its  solemn  inspiration  Dr.  Kerr  preached  an  im- 
pressive, patriotic  discourse  Sunday  afternoon  in 
the  liaptist  church.  l"or  the  first  time  in  the 
history  of  Rockford,  the  .American  flag  graced 
the  sanctuary  of  the  God  of  battles.  It  was  a 
symbol  of  the  true  union  of  church  and  state. 
But  it  was  then  an  innovatii>n.  Public  worship 
was  then  of  the  "churchly"  sort.  Questions  of 
the  ilay  had  not  been  discussefl  in  the  ])ulpit.  The 
Civil  war  made  the  services  of  the  church  more 


practical  and  less  theological.  The  pendulum  has 
never  swung  back. 

.'Sunday  afternoon.  .April  28,  1861.  Dr.  Kerr 
preached  aiinther  stirring  war  semion  in  the 
Ba])tist  church.  The  auditorium  was  crowded 
and  the  pastor  preached  a  semion  of  great  power. 
Several  times  during  its  delivery  his  noble  senti- 
ments were  greeted  with  outbursts  of  applause. 
None  of  Dr.  Kerr's  local  contemporaries  in  the 
ministry  are  now  living.  The  hearts  moved  by 
the  elocjuence  of  that  hour  have  ceased  to  beat. 
The  aged  preacher  himself  was  almost  the  last 
survivor  of  that  historic  day. 

Dr.  Kerr  was  asked  to  rei)eat  this  discourse  to 
a  larger  audience.  He  responded  in  Metropolitan 
Hall  Sunday  evening.   May  5. 

Monday  morning.  .April  15th,  President  Lin- 
coln issued  a  proclamation  calling  for  75,000 
volunteers  to  "subdue  combinations  too  powerful 
to  be  supi)ressed  by  the  ordinary  course  of  judi- 
cial proceedings,  and  to  cause  the  laws  to  be  duly 
executed."  On  the  same  day  a  dispatch  was  re- 
ceived at  .'^pringfield.  stating  that  the  quota  of 
Illinois  under  the  president's  call  was  six  regi- 
ments of  militia.  (Governor  Yates  therefore  issued 
a  proclamation,  convening  the  legislature  in 
special  session,  .Ajiril  23(1,  for  the  ]nir])ose  of 
putting  the  state  upon  a  more  effective  war  foot- 
ing. 

The  attack  upon  Sumter  obliterated  all  party 
lines  in  Winnebago  county,  and  friends  and  oppo- 
nents of  the  administration  sprang  to  arms  to  de- 
fend the  government  from  the  assaults  of  traitors. 
It  is  said  that  when  Cadnnis  of  old  needed  men 
he  sowed  dragons'  teeth,  and  forthwith  from  the 
ground  came  warriors  armed  for  battle.  So  when 
Treason  threw  down  the  gauntlet,  loyal  legions 
of  freedom  acce|)ted  the  gage  of  battle. 

Tin:    ROCK  FORD    ZOUAVES. 

The  war  record  of  Winnebago  countv  has 
never  been  fidly  written,  and  no  com])lete  history 
can  be  assured  in  the  future.  Owing  to  failures 
to  make  ])roi)er  retiuMis  at  Springfield,  even  the 
adjutant-general's  reports  are  only  apiiroximate- 
ly  correct.  The  late  General  Fuller  did  much  to 
com|)lete  the  records,  but  he  could  not  achieve 
the  impossible.  S(ime  enlisted  in  regiments  or- 
ganized in  other  states,  and  in  many  instances 
credit  was  not  ])ro|)erly  given.  The  scope  of  this 
work  does  not  admit  a  full  treatment  of  even  the 
available  sources  of  information,  but  the  brief 
outline  is  believed  to  be  correct. 

Ten  days  after  the  fall  of  Sumter  the  first 
com|)any  (^f  Rockford  volunteers  marcherl  to  the 
front  to  the  "wild,  grand  music  of  war."  They 
bore  the  name  of  the  Rockford  Zouaves.  The 
story  of  their  origin  may  be  briefly  noted.  Dur- 
ing   the     Lincoln     campaign     a     "Wide-Awake" 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


87 


niarcliinij;-  club  was  organized,  in  command  of 
Captain  Garrett  L.  Xevius.  When  the  presiden- 
tial campaign  was  over  they  were  reluctant  to 
abandon  the  organization,  and  when  Captain  Nev- 
ius  proposed  a  military  company,  it  met  w"ith  gen- 
eral favor.  A  meeting  was  held  December  26, 
i860,  at  the  photograph  gallery  of  Barnes,  Nevius 
&  Company,  when  preliminary  steps  were  taken, 
and  January  3,  1861.  the  Rockford  Zouaves  were 
formally  organized.  The\'  had.  of  course,  no  idea 
of  the  future  before  them. 

Garrett  L.  Nevius  was  chosen  captain ;  R.  A. 
Bird,  first  lieutenant :  \\'.  D,  E.  Andrus,  second 
lieutenant :  R.  S.  Norman,  ensign :  F.  F.  Peats, 
orderly  sergeant ;  H.  H.  Dean,  second  sergeant ; 
J.  H.  Manny,  third  sergeant;  C.  B.  Hull,  fourth 
sergeant ;  Randolph  D.  Hobart,  first  corporal :  E. 
Lugrin,  second  corporal :  Thomas  Anvon,  third 
corporal :  O.  C.  Towne.  fourth  corporal ;  I.  S. 
Hyatt,  secretary,  and  C.  T.  Jellerson,  treasurer. 

Aleetings  for  drill  were  held  during  the  winter. 
January  17,  186 1,  resolutions  were  adopted  to 
the  effect  that  they  should  hold  themselves  in 
readiness  to  respond  to  any  possible  call  for 
troops. 

At  a  meeting  held  February  2d  the  South 
Rockford  band  was  admitted  to  membership. 
This  band  consisted  of  F.  A[.  Xeedham  and  J.  A. 
Hobart,  drummers,  and  C.  H.  Alarsh.  fifer.  They 
entered  with  the  imderstanding  that  they  w^ere  to 
have  no  more  privileges  than  any  of  the  other 
members.  Xeedham  and  Hobart  entered  the 
service  as  drummers,  and  Needham  is  now  drum- 
ming for  Nevius  post. 

April  13th  there  was  an  impressive  meeting  of 
the  Zouaves.  Captain  Xevius  made  a  stirrijig 
speech.  The  last  meeting  noted  in  the  record 
book  was  held  April  i6th.  By  that  time  the  com- 
pany had  received  orders  to  report  at  Springfield. 
A  subscription  paper  had  been  circulated  to  raise 
money  to  furnish  uniforms  for  the  Zouaves,  and 
by  .A.pril  20th  $1,200  had  been  pledged,  with  the 
promise  of  more  if  it  should  be  needed.  Men. 
women  and  children  bent  their  efforts  toward  get- 
ting the  Zouaves  in  shape  for  service.  The  wom- 
en sent  their  sewing  machines  up  to  concert  hall, 
and  gathered  there  to  make  the  uniforms  out  of 
bolts  of  blue  flannel  secured  as  donations  from 
the  merchants  and  with  money  subscribed  by  the 
men.  Those  were  busy  days  in  concert  hall. 
Women  worked  as  they  had  never  worked  before, 
willingly,  yet  reluctantly  ;  tearfully,  and  yet  cheer- 
fully, as  each  tried  to  encourage  the  other  and 
remove  the  fears  that  they  were  preparing  for  a 
final  parting  from  their  loved  ones.  There  was 
much  to  do,  and  a  discussion  arose  on  the  subject 
of  working  on  Sunday.  Ajjril  21st.  The  citizens 
were  a  Sunday-keeping  people  then,  perhaps  more 
so  than  now,  but  it  was  resolved  that  the  work 


ju.stified  it,  and  the  women  labored  all  that  bright 
and  beautiful  day  in  early  spring. 

Wednesday,  April  24,  1861,  the  Rockford  Zou- 
aves left  Rockford  for  the  capital  of  the  state. 
Business  was  g-enerally  stispended,  and  between 
four  and  five  thousand  people  were  at  the  train 
to  bid  them  farewell. 

The  Zouaves  first  enlisted  for  three  months' 
service,  and  became  Company  D,  of  the  Eleventh 
Illinois  Infantry,  of  which  W.  H.  L.  Wallace  was 
colonel. 

This  compan\-.  with  two  recruits  in  the  follow- 
ing June,  and  one  member  of  the  noncommis- 
sioned regimental  staff,  numbered  exactly  one 
hundred  inen.  They  were  the  vanguard  of  the 
amiy  furnished  b)'  Winnebago  county.  They 
belong  to  the  first  roll  of  honor,  and  for  this  rea- 
son their  names  are  given  in  full  as  follows : 

Captain,  Garrett  L,  X^evius ;  first  lieutenant, 
Rhenodyne  A.  Bird ;  second  lieutenant,  William 
D.  E.  Andrus ;  first  sergeant,  Henry  H.  Dean ; 
sergeants,  Randolph  D.  Hobart,  James  H,  Man- 
ny, Charles  B,  Hull ;  corporals,  Edward  F,  Lu- 
grin, Thomas  Anyon,  C)rin  C,  Towne,  Frederick 
Brown :  musicians,  John  A.  Hobart,  Mills  F. 
X'eedham :  privates,  Charles  E.  .\rnold,  William 
.\tkins,  Lcander  Bander,  Alfred  Barker,  Thomas 
J.  Bryan.  David  O.  Butolph,  Henry  L.  Brown, 
John  Beatson,  Alpheus  D.  Brown,  Alpheus  M. 
Blakesley,  George  C,  Brown.  Benjamin  Bentson. 
Thomas  Beddoes,  Thomas  W.  Cole,  Orin  W. 
Cram,  Andrew  Clark,  Bradford  A.  Champlain, 
Henry  W.  Cooling.  Ervin  E.  Clark.  William  W. 
Clark.  Richard  A.  Compton,  Philip  Crooker, 
Charles  D.  Clark,  George  \\'.  Darling.  George  E. 
Dol])hin.  Elislia  S.  Daggett.  Charles  L.  Dunham, 
John  L,  Davis.  Alexander  X.  Davis.  Charles  B. 
Eaton,  Jud  .A..  Ellison.  John  E.  Elliott,  Peter  En- 
galls,  William  D.  Frost,  Almond  Gifford,  Har- 
vey Hemenwa}-,  Derastus  Holmes,  Simon  Hos- 
mer,  Charles  Hawkinson,  lereon  R.  Hest,  Freder- 
ick I.  Horsman,  George  J.  Hitchcock,  Herring- 
ton  Love,  Daniel  E.  Lee,  Xeri  R.  Mosher,  George 
W.  Maguire,  John  McGuire,  Edward  E.  Magee, 
J.  George  Manlove,  George  H.  Manchester,  Wil- 
liam L.  Mesick,  Charles  Pittinger,  Charles  N. 
Price,  Levi  Pitney.  Frederick  L.  Posson,  Luman 
G.  Pierce,  Floyd  B.  Penoyer.  Rudolph  W.  Peake, 
William  M.  Putman,  Charles  X.  Roberts.  Walter 
Reckard.  Shepard  P.  Strunk,  Louis  Schlunt,  Jo- 
seph R.  Shields,  Erastus  T.  Stevens.  William  H. 
Skeed,  Henry  P.  Strong.  .-Vmbrose  Stearns.  J. 
Murray  Southgate,  Christopher  C.  Shank,  James 
M,  Stevens,  Thomas  A.  Stevens,  Edward  S. 
Smith,  Edwin  Swift,  Edward  P,  Thomas,  Riley 
\'an  Patten,  John  Wagner,  Rufus  L,  Whitney, 
Jolm  W.  Warfield,  John  W^  Warner,  William 
\\'inter,  George  \\'irkin,  William  G.  D.  Weed, 
Francis  B.  Wakeman :  recruits,  Marion  E,  De- 
lanv,  Louis  Houston. 


88 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Twenty  members  of  the  Zouaves  were  subse- 
(|iiently  sent  home  from  Siiriiitrfield,  under  an 
army  re.trulution  tliat  companies  nnist  not  exceed 
ninctv-seven  men.  inchuhng'  officers.  Some  of 
these  promptly  enHsted  in  other  companies. 

The  first  soldier  from  Rockford  to  die  for  his 
country  in  the  Civil  war  was  Xeri  R.  Mosher, 
one  of  the  first  Zouave  volunteers.  He  died  June 
5th  of  tyi>hoi(l  fever,  at  Camp  Hardin,  near  Villa 
Ridf^e.  Illinois,  and  his  remains  were  sent  to 
Rockford  for  interment. 

.Vu.sfust  8th.  after  three  months  of  service,  the 
Zouaves  returned  to  Rockford.  Many  of  them 
promptly  re-cnlisted,  and  eig:ht  days  later,  .Au- 
STust  1 6th.  they  again  went  to  the  front.  Captain 
W.  D.  E.  Andrus  was  detailed  as  recruiting  offi- 
cer, and  it  was  not  until  Xovembcr  13th  that  the 
ranks  were  filled,  when  the  recruits  joined  the 
coiupany  at  Bird's  Point.  The  Rockford  Cit\' 
band  entered  service  with  the  Zouaves  and  be- 
came a  part  of  the  Eleventh  regiment.  The  fol- 
lowing named  musicians  constituted  the  regi- 
mental band : 

Leader,  M.  H.  P.aldwin :  musicians,  Robert  .\1- 
chin,  Rufus  B.  Artz,  Prolia  .A.rtz,  Charles  B. 
Eaton  ( Xo.  1),  Charles  B.  Eaton  (No.  2),  James 
Eaton,  Augtistus  Dedrickson,  Thomas  Gray, 
Giarles  W.  Halcum,  Charles  P.  Henrick,  Daniel 
Kipp.  Isaac  Larue,  Horace  Nettleton,  John  P. 
Xettleton,   Henry  C.   Sullivan. 

The  total  number  of  men  enrolled  in  Company 

D,  of  the  Eleventh  Regiment,  including  recruits 
for  the  three  years,  was  one  hundred  and  four. 
With  the  field  and  staff,  non-commissioned  staff, 
musicians  and  nine  unassigned  recruits  in  Com- 
pany K.  the  total  enlistments  for  this  county  in 
the  Elcvcntli  Regiment  were  one  hundred  and 
thirty-three. 

THF.    Fir<ST    WAR    MF.F.TI.N'G. 

In  following  the  early  history  of  the  Zouaves, 
the  reader  has  been  taken  out  of  the  strict  chron- 
ological order  of  events.  The  narrative  mav  now 
be  resumed  at  another  point. 

.\n  im])romptu  meeting  of  citizens  was  called 
in  Rockford,  ancl  a  committee  appointed  to  pre- 
pare and  issue  a  call  for  a  mass  meeting.  This 
committee  consisted  of  E.  F.  W.  Ellis,  Selden 
M.  Church  and  L.  F.  Warner. 

Pursuant  to  a  call  issued  by  the  committee,  a 
mass  meeting  was  held  at  the  courtliouse 
Wednesday  afternoon,  .\pril  24th,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  considering  the  state  of  the  country. 
Judge  Church  was  called  to  the  chair.     Messrs. 

E.  F.  W.  Ellis,  Hall.  Dr.  William  Lyman.  D.  J. 
Stewart  and  Dr.  R.  P.  Lane  were  appointed  a 
committee  on  resolutions,  which  were  unanimous- 
ly adopted,  with  great  enthusiasm.  .Speeches  were 
made  liv    Dr.   William   Lvman,    E.    F.   W.   Ellis, 


JaiTies  L.  Loop,  E.  W.  Blaisdell,  L.  F.  Warner, 
."^eely  Perry,  John  .Abrahamson,  T.  .'\.  C.  Beard, 
Jason  Marsh  and  B.  .McKenney. 

TIIF   F.LLIS   RIFLES. 

E.  F.  W.  Ellis  was  one  of  the  first  citizens  to 
l>ecome  inspired  with  an  ardent  military  spirit, 
which  found  its  expression  in  the  organization  of 
a  cnm])any,  the  Ellis  Rifles,  which  he  tendered 
to  the  governor.  The  enrollment  began  Wednes- 
day. .April  24th,  and  the  ranks  were  filled  in  less 
than  one  week.  Mr.  Ellis  was  chosen  captain ; 
Holder  Brownell.  first  lieutenant :  Cyrenius  C. 
Clark,  second  lieutenant.  On  Saturday,  May  11, 
the  Rifles  went  into  camp  at  Freeport,  and  were 
subsequently  known  as  Company  C,  of  the  Fif- 
teenth Infantry,  under  command  of  Colonel 
Thomas  J.  Turner.  The  total  enrollment  of  Com- 
pany C,  including  veterans  and  recruits,  was 
ninety-three  men.  A'olunteers  from  Winnebago 
enlisted  in  other  companies  of  the  Fifteenth.  The 
total  enrollment  of  this  regiment  from  Winne- 
bago county,  including  field  and  staff,  non-com- 
missioned staff,  privates,  veterans,  recruits  and 
unclassified  recruits,  was  one  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-five men.  The  adjutant's  report  also  gives 
the  names  of  fifteen  volunteers  from  this  county 
in  the  reorganized  Fifteenth  Regiment. 

(  APTAIX    KKTCHESON'.S   COMPAXV. 

Daniel  (X  Ketchcson  was  also  among  the  first 
to  respond  to  the  call  of  his  country.  He  organ- 
ized a  companv  called  the  Rockford  Rifles.  By 
reason  of  some  confusion  and  embarrassment, 
limvever.  at  Springfield,  he  failed  to  get  into  the 
service  of  his  own  state,  and  the  company  at 
once  disbanded.  A  new  muster  roll  was  imme- 
diately o|)ened  and  another  company  fonued.  It 
went  into  camp  at  the  fair  grounds,  where  it  took 
a  full  course  of  drill.  Friday.  May  31,  Captain 
Kctcheson's  company  left  Rockford  for  St.  Louis, 
where  it  was  accepted  as  Company  I.  of  the  Sixth 
Missouri  Regiment,  under  command  of  Frank 
Blair.  Captain  Ketchcson  died  in  Rockford  .April 
28,  1864.  He  fought  bravely  at  Corinth.  \'icks- 
burg.  Champion  Hills,  .Arkansas  Post,  Mission 
Ridge  and  Chattanooga.  .At  \'icksburg  and  Ar- 
kansas Post  Captain  Ketchcson  led  charges  and 
cneered  his  men  to  the  very  muzzles  of  the  guns 
of  the  enemy. 

DF.ATII    OF    COr.OXF.L    F.LI.S WORTH. 

Colonel  Ephraini  Elmer  Ellsworth  is  one  of 
the  most  historic  figures  of  the  early  war  period. 
He  was  a  national  character,  yet  there  were  rea- 
sons why  local  interest  attaches  to  his  meinory, 
and  to  the  older  residents  wlio  had  known  him 
he  still  seems  as  one  of  their  own  heroic  bovs. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


89 


Colonel  Ellsworth  was  born  in  Mechanicsville, 
New  York,  April  23,  1837.  After  a  brief  mer- 
cantile career  in  Tro}-  and  New  York,  he  removed 
to  Chica,a;o  at  an  early  age.  where  he  became  a 
solicitor  of  patents. 

In  1858  Colonel  Ellsworth  was  engaged  as 
drillmaster  for  the  old  Rockford  City  Greys,  an 
independent  military  company,  which  had  been 
organized  two  years  before.  Under  his  instruc- 
tions the  company  attained  a  high  degree  of  pro- 
ficiency. In  September,  1858,  an  encampment 
was  held  on  the  fair  grounds,  which  continued 
four  days. 

The  Rockford  Register  of  June  i,  1861,  in  edi- 
torially commenting  upon  his  death,  said  of  this 
brilliant  military^  leader :  "Although  young,  he 
had  proven  himself  to  be  surpassed  by  no  man  in 
the  land  as  a  teacher  of  military  rules  and  drill, 
and,  in  fact,  was  the  father  of  the  Zouave  drill 
in  this  country.  No  one  has  forgotten  his  splen- 
did tour  through  the  northern  states  last  sum- 
mer, stopping  for  drill  in  every  large  city  of  the 
north,  received  with  acclamations  of  joy  at  every 
point,  and  taking  his  command  through  that  try- 
ing military  ordeal,  crowned  with  honors,  and 
the  reputation  of  being  the  best  drilled  corps  of 
men  in  the  United  States.'' 

Colonel  Ellsworth  was  a  splendid  type  of  young 
manhood.  He  was  received  as  a  social  lion  by 
the  young  people  of  Rockford.  He  was  frequent- 
ly a  guest  at  the  home  of  Charles  H.  Spafford, 
and  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  betrothed  to 
his  elder  daughter,  now  Mrs.  Carrie  S.  Brett. 

In  i860  Colonel  Ellsworth  organized  a  com- 
panv  of  Zouaves  in  Chicago,  and  the  following 
year  he  accompanied  President  Lincoln  to  Wash- 
ington. May  24,  1 861,  upon  seeing  a  Confeder- 
ate flag  floating  from  a  hotel  in  Alexandria,  Vir- 
ginia, he  rushed  to  the  roof  and  tore  it  down.  On 
his  return  from  the  roof  he  was  met  and  shot 
dead  by  Jackson,  the  owner,  who,  in  turn,  was 
killed  by  one  of  Ellsworth's  men,  Frank  E. 
Browneli.  Colonel  Ellsworth's  blood  was  the 
first  shed  in  the  civil  conflict. 

The  nation  mourned  his  loss  as  of  the  fairest 
of  the  flower  of  her  chivalrv.  The  New  York 
World  paid  him  this  noble  tribute :  "He  was  a 
hero  in  the  fairest  and  most  captivating  sense  of 
the  word.  He  was  as  handsome  as  Murat  and 
as  brave  as  Ney.  He  possessed  to  a  degree  that 
winning  power  over  men  by  which,  through  all 
historv.  great  captains  and  leaders  have  been  dis- 
tinguished. He  was  a  commander  by  the  im- 
perial right  of  birth.  Quick,  alert,  exclusive,  in- 
tuitive in  his  perception  of  tne  qualities  of  men ; 
rigorous  in  discipline,  yet  submitting  himself  to 
the  rigors  which  he  imposed." 

Colonel  Ellsworth's  funeral  was  held  in  the 
east  room  of  the  White  House.  Among  the 
mourners  was  General  \^'infield  Scott,  dressed  in 


the  full  uniform  of  his  high  position.  Before 
him  lay  the  dead  body  of  one,  almost  a  boy  in 
vcars,  who  had  died  in  the  service  of  his  country, 
and  around  him  were  gathered  the  great  ones  of 
the  land.  There  were  President  Lincoln,  Simon 
Cameron,  William  H.  Seward,  Commander 
Paulding,  of  the  Navy,  Nathaniel  P.  Banks,  and 
other  men  high  in  the  councils  of  the  nation. 

Sunday  afternoon,  June  2d,  Rev.  H.  M.  Good- 
win preached  a  memorial  service  on  the  death  of 
Colonel  Ellsworth  in  the  Second  Congregational 
church.  The  day  and  hour  were  the  same  that 
similar  services  were  held  in  Chicago. 

DE.\TH   OF  .STEPHEN   .\.  DOUGLAS. 

Stephen  A.  Douglas  died  at  the  old  Tremont 
House,  in  Chicago,  June  3,  1861,  at  the  age  of 
fortv-eight  vears.  With  the  single  exception  of 
Abraham  Lincoln,  no  personality  in  the  history  of 
Illinois  possesses  more  elements  of  intense  in- 
terest than  that  of  Senator  Douglas.  His  life  was 
a  notable  example  of  the  perils  and  possibilities  of 
genius.  Douglas  was  ambition's  child  and  king. 
With  the  single  exception  of  Henry  Clay,  he  was 
the  greatest  parliamentary  leader  in  American 
history. 

Rockford  shared  the  nation's  grief  in  the  death 
of  Senator  Douglas.  Memorial  services  were 
held  on  the  courthouse  square,  Saturday  after- 
noon, June  7th.  Three  thousand  people  were  in 
attendance.  The  orator  of  the  day  was  the  Rev. 
John  P.  Donelan,  priest  of  St.  James'  Roman 
"Catholic  church.  Flags  were  at  half  mast,  public 
buildings  were  draped  in  emblems  of  mourning, 
and  from  two  o'clock  until  five  business  was  en- 
tirely suspended. 

On  the  following  Sunday  a  second  memorial 
service  was  held.  Rev.  M.  Schofield,  rector  of 
Emmanuel  Episcopal  church,  preached  in  the  Sec- 
ond Congregational  church,  and  by  request  of 
citizens  his  discourse  was  published  in  the  city 
papers. 

WAR     SERMON.S     P,Y     r.TSHOP    SIMPSON. 

Bishop  Simpson  was  one  of  the  greatest  Amer- 
ican preachers.  His  war  sermons  in  Rockford 
are,  therefore,  a  matter  of  historic  interest.  Sun- 
dav.  June  30,  1861,  the  three  Methodist  churches 
of  the  city  united  in  a  service  in  Metroplitan 
Hall.     Tlie  bishop's  sermon  was  of  great  power. 

In  the  afternoon  a  union  Methodist  meeting 
was  held  in  the  Second  church,  later  known  as 
the  Court  Street  church,  when  Bishop  Simpson 
addressed  the  children.  In  the  evening,  upon  the 
request  of  citizens,  he  preached  an  eloquent  dis- 
course in  the  Second  Congregational  church,  on 
"The  Present  Crisis." 


90 


PAST     AND    TRESEXT    OF    WINXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


KKV.    A.    II.    Cd.V.WT    I'.KCO.MICS   CIlAl'l-Al  \ . 

In  July.  i8<')i.  Rev.  .A.  H.  Conant.  pastor  of 
tlif  L'liitarian  cluircli.  rcsijjiu'd,  and  a  feus  weeks 
later  lie  enlisted  as  a  chaplain  in  the  .Xineteeiith 
Illinois  Infantry.  (  )nly  one  other  citizen  o{  Win- 
nehapi  county  is  known  to  have  entered  the  ser\'- 
ice  with  this  resiuit'nt — Colonel  Thomas  C.  Law- 
der.  r.oth  these  names,  however,  in  the  adjutant- 
.t^eneral's  report,  arc  credited  to  Chica,e;o.  Chap- 
lain Conant  died  at  Xashville.  February  8.  1863. 
His  death  was  due  to  exposure  and  exertion  at 
the  battle  of  Murfrcesboro. 

Till'.   KOCKFOKD   RlFLli.S. 

In  .\us:ust  Melc-uicthon  Smith  issued  a  stirring 
api)eal  for  vohniteers.  quoting  the  last  words  of 
( "icneral  I, yon.  "Come  on.  brave  men!"  Mr. 
.^mith  had  oidy  a  few  months  before  received  the 
appointment  of  jmstmaster  of  Rockford,  and  it 
reeiuired  not  a  little  patriotism  to  leave  this  posi- 
tion for  the  hard.ships  of  war.  Mr.  Smith  had 
been  a  member  of  the  old  Rockford  City  Greys, 
which  had  been  drilled  by  Colonel  Ellsw-orth, 
and  he  was  thus  not  entirely  without  military  ex- 
perience. 

September  17th.  after  the  ranks  had  been  filled, 
an  election  of  officers  was  held,  with  the  follow- 
ing result : 

Captain.  Melancthon  Smith :  first  lieutenant. 
Robert  P.  Sealy :  second  lieutenant.  D.  W.  Grip- 
pen. 

September  22(\  the  company  left  Rockford  for 
Cam|i  W'ashburne.  at  (ialena.  They  were  mus- 
tered into  the  service  as  Company  G,  of  the  For- 
ty-fifth Regiment,  known  as  the  W'ashburne 
Lead-.Mine  Regiment,  in  command  of  Colonel 
John  E.  Smith.  The  total  number  of  enlistments 
in  Company  G  from  Wimiebago  county,  includ- 
ing veterans,  recruits  and  drafted  and  substitute 
recruits,  was  one  hundred  and  twenty-four.  There 
were  on  tlie  field  and  staff  and  in  other  companies 
eightv-seven  volunteers,  making  the  total  num- 
ber of  enlistments  in  the  Forty-fifth  Regiment 
from  Winnebago  county  two  hundred  and  thirty- 
one. 

John  Travis,  a  member  of  the  Rifles,  was  the 
first  solflier  from  Winnebago  county  killed  in 
battle.  Me  lost  his  life  at  the  battle  of  Fort  Don- 
el.son.  in  February.  1862.  There  were  four  com- 
panies from  this  connty  on  that  field  of  carnage 
—the  Rockford  Rifles  and  the  Cherry  X'alley 
com|)any.  in  the  I'orty-fifth  :  the  Zouaves,  in  the 
Eleventh,  and  Captain  P.oyd's  company,  in  the 
Fifty-second. 

W.VSIIlll'RNK   Riri.ES. 

In  September  Rhenodyne  .\.  Piird  organized  a 
comi)any   with  a1)OUt  eighty  members,  and   .Sep- 


tember i;tli  they  left  lor  camp  at  Chicago,  where 
they  became  a  ])art  of  the  Douglas  brigade.  The 
Rifles  were  known  as  Company  C.  of  the  Fifty- 
fifth  Illinois  N'olunteers.  The  total  niunber  of 
enlistments  in  this  com])any  from  Winnebago 
coimty.  including  veterans  and  recruits,  was  one 
hundred  and  seven.  There  was  one  volunteer  in 
Coni])any  D. 

WI  N NF.lt .\r.O    .SH.\RPSIIOnTF.RS. 

In  September.  i8r>i.  Wesley  Pioyd  organized  a 
company.  calKd  the  Winnebago  Shar|)shooters, 
(if  which  he  became  ca])tain.  In  October  the  com- 
pany went  into  cam])  at  Camp  Geneva,  and  be- 
came Company  E.  of  the  Fifty-second  Infantry. 
The  total  number  of  enlistments  in  this  company 
from  this  county,  including  veterans  and  recruits, 
was  ninety-eight.  There  was  oidy  one  volunteer 
in  Company  F.  The  regiment  was  organized  at 
Geneva.  Kane  county,  by  the  Hon.  Isaac  G.  Wil- 
son, who  was  for  many  years  a  judge  upon  the 
circuit  bench. 

CAVALRY    COMPANY. 

.\  s])len(li(l  cavalry  cimiiiany  was  organized  in 
September.  John  Austin,  of  Riickford.  was  cho- 
sen captain;  A.  j.  .Martin,  first  lieutenant;  John 
.\uslin.  of  Ogle  county,  second  lieutenant.  It 
was  known  as  Company  M.  of  the  Eighth  Illinois 
cavalry. 

Winnebago  county  contributed  to  this  com- 
pany, during  the  entire  war  period,  one  hundred 
and  thirteen  volunteers.  Enlistments  in  other 
companies  of  this  regiment,  with  unassigned  re- 
cruits, brought  the  total  number  of  enlistments  in 
this  coimty  to  two  hundred  and  thirteen. 

September  lAth  the  company  went  into  camp 
at  St.  Cliarles.  The  regiment  was  organized  by 
the  Hon.  John  V.  Farnsworth.  who  represented 
the  Rockford   di>trict    in   congress   from    186^   to 

T.  T.  Ilobart  raised  a  companv  in  August,  which 
bi'came  Company  G.  of  the  Fortv-fourth  Infan- 
tr\.  known  as  the  X'orthwestern  Rifles  regiment. 
TJie  number  of  enlistments  in  this  companv  from 
Winnebago  coimty  for  the  entire  war  period,  in- 
cluding recruits,  was  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
four.  There  were  also  in  this  regiment,  on  its 
field  and  stafT,  non-commissioned  staff,  and  re- 
cruits in  Com|)any  F.  ten  volunteers  from  this 
countv.  This  regiment  was  mustered  into  the 
service  in   Sejjtember. 

(HIIFR   VOI.fNTKKRS   OF   'fil. 

In  response  to  apjieals  made  at  war  meetings. 
nianv  attem])ts  were  made,  more  or  less  success- 
ful, to  raise  com|>anies  in  the  various  townshijis 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


91 


of  the  county.  Captain  S.  Whitmeyer  organized 
the  Diirand  Guards,  and  a  company  was  enrolled 
in  Cherry  Valley,  which,  for  some  reason,  was 
not  accepted.  These  volunteers  found  their  way 
into  the  service  as  members  of  other  companies. 

Recruiting  officers  also  secured  volunteers  in 
the  interest  of  various  regiments.  Among  these 
were  Lieutenants  E.  H.  Brown  and  D.  H.  Gile, 
of  Chicago,  who  were  in  Rockford  in  the  interest 
of  Company  A,  of  the  Yates  Phalanx. 

soldiers'  aid  society. 

The  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  was  organized  Au- 
gust 27,  1861.  It  represented  the  different  re- 
ligious organizations  in  the  city,  united  on  the 
broad  ground  of  Christian  patriotism,  to  labor 
with  one  mind  and  heart  for  those  who  had  en- 
listed in  the  service  of  their  country.  The  offi- 
cers were:  Mrs.  Thomas  Kerr,  president;  Airs. 
Jane  Smith,  vice-president;  Miss  Juliette  Wheat, 
secretary;  Miss  Melissa  Aloffat,  treasurer;  Miss 
Anna  P.  Sill,  corresponding  secretary.  A  state- 
ment published  January  4,  1862,  showed  that  a 
great  work  had  been  done  during  the  first  year 
of  the  war. 

COUNTY    W.\R    .\PPR0PRIATIONS. 

January  4,  1862,  H.  R.  Enoch,  the  county 
treasurer,  made  a  public  statement  of  county 
money  expended  for  the  relief  of  the  families  of 
volunteers.  The  total  sum  for  the  preceding 
eight  months,  from  Alay  to  December,  inclusive, 
was  $4,259. 

THE    FIFTEENTH    .\T    THE   BATTLE   OF   SHILOH. 

The  Fifteenth  Regiment  of  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry  was  raised  under  the  "ten  regiment  act," 
in  the  First  congressional  district.  Company  A 
was  from  McHenry  county ;  Company  B,  Boone 
county ;  Company  C,  W'innebago  county ;  Com- 
pany D,  McHenry  county ;  Company  G,  Stephen- 
son county  ;  Company  H,  Ogle  county  ;  Company 
I,  Lake  county,  and  Company  K,  from  Carroll 
county.  The  regiment  was  organized  at  Free- 
port,  Illinois,  and  mustered  into  the  LInited  States 
service  on  the  24th  day  of  May,  1861,  being  one 
of  the  first  regiments  from  the  state  sworn  into 
the  Lmited  States  service,  for  the  three  years' 
service.  After  electing  officers,  organizing  and 
drilling  for  some  time,  the  regiment  proceeded 
to  Alton,  Illinois,  remaining  there  six  weeks  for 
instruction.  In  July  the  regiment  left  .\lton  by 
steamboat  for  St.  Charles,  Missouri,  thence  by 
rail  to  Mexico,  Missouri,  where  it  remained  for 
a  time  in  company  with  the  Twenty-first  Illinois 
Infantry,  commanded  by  Colonel  L'.  S.  Grant.  A 
part   of  the   regiment   marched   from   Mexico   to 


Fulton,  and  thence  to  the  Missouri  river,  and 
thence  by  steamer  to  Jefferson  Barracks ;  the 
other  part  of  the  regiment  marched  to  Hannibal, 
Alissonri,  and  thence  by  steamer  to  Jefferson 
1  Sarracks.  The  regiment  then  moved  by  rail  to 
Rolla,  Missouri,  where  it  arrived  in  time  to  cover 
General  Sigel's  retreat  from  Wilson's  Creek. 
After  building  one  or  two  forts,  the  regiment  was 
ordered  to  Tipton,  Missouri,  and  thence  became 
attached  to  General  Fremont's  army,  and  marched 
under  General  Hunter  to  Springfield,  Missouri ; 
after  remaining  there  a  short  time  the  regiment 
returned  to  Tipton,  then  went  to  Sedalia.  It  as- 
sisted in  the  capture  of  1,300  rebels  a  few  miles 
from  the  latter  place.  The  regiment  then  marched 
to  Otterville,  Missouri,  and  went  into  winter 
quarters  December  26,  1861.  The  winter  was 
cold  and  the  snow  deep,  and  the  first  winter's  ex- 
perience in  tents  was  a  very  severe  one. 

February  i,  1861,  the  regiment  marched  to 
Jefferson  Citv,  thence  by  rail  to  St.  Louis,  where 
it  embarked  on  transports  for  Fort  Donelson.  and 
arrived  to  take  part  in  the  surrender.  The  regi- 
ment was  then  assigned  to  General  S.  A.  Hurl- 
but's  "Fighting  Fourth  Division,"  and  marched 
to  Fort  Henry,  then  went  by  boat  to  Pittsburg 
Landing,  it  being  one  of  the  first  regiments  that 
landed  on  that  historic  battle-ground.  At  the  bat- 
tle of  Shiloh,  on  the  6th  of  April,  the  regiment 
was  in  the  first  line  of  battle,  formed  by  Hurl- 
but's  division,  and  was  in  the  brigade  commanded 
by  General  C.  Veach.  Hardly  had  the  brigade 
taken  position,  when  a  Confederate  column, 
massed  three  lines  deep,  deployed  from  the  woods 
on  the  left  front,  and  with  rebel  yell  that  ech- 
oed through  the  surrounding  forest,  charged  on 
in  double-(|uick.  The  Fifteenth  was  flanked  by 
the  Fifty-third  Ohio,  on  the  right.  At  the  first 
fire  of  the  enemy  the  Buckeyes  broke  and  ran,  and 
the  enemv  were  not  only  in  front  of  the  Fifteenth 
Regiment,  but  on  both  flanks  in  a  very  short  time. 
For  more  than  one  hour  the  regiment  held  its  po- 
sition, and  fought  as  gallantly  as  any  troops  could 
fight  in  the  terrible  struggle,  called  by  the  Con- 
federates the  "Hornet's  Nest."  and  disputed  inch 
by  inch  the  advance  and  the  incessant  attacks  of 
the  best  troops  in  the  Confederate  service.  Owing 
to  the  want  of  support,  the  regiment  was  com- 
pelled to  withdraw  and  take  up  a  new  position. 
In  five  minutes  after  the  regiment  formed  its  first 
line,  the  field  officers,  Lieutenant-Colonel  E.  F. 
W.  Ellis  and  Major  William  R.  Goddard,  Cap- 
tains Holden  Brownell  and  Harley  Wayne  and 
Lieutenant  John  W.  Peterbaugh,  were  killed,  and 
Captain  Adam  Nase  lost  a  leg  and  was  taken 
prisoner.  Captain  Thomas  J.  Turner  was  ab- 
sent, and  the  command  of  the  regiment  devolved 
upon  Captain  L.  D.  Kelly  and  George  C.  Rogers, 
assisted  by  Adjutant  Charles  F.  Barber.  As  soon 
as  a  new  line  was   formed    (the  Fourteenth  Illi- 


92 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


nois  on  the  left  of  the  Fifteenth),  wlien  the  ene- 
my had  approached  sufficiently  near,  these  two 
regiments,  actintj  as  one  man,  rose  and  delivered 
a  rapid,  well  aimed  and  awfully  destructive  fire 
full  into  the  massed  ranks  of  the  enemy.  The 
enemy  was  soon  convinced  that  this  was  not  the 
way  to  the  landing:.  .\t  the  second  attack  these 
two  regfiments  received  the  first  shock,  and  for 
three  hours  were  in  that  awful  gap,  without  giv- 
ing ground,  where  the  Confederates  sacrificed 
more  than  two  thousand  as  brave  men  as  ever  trod 
the  battle-field,  in  the  unavailing  efi'nrt  ti>  drive 
them  from  their  position.  This  bajjtism  of  blood 
cemented  the  two  regiments,  and  they  were  al- 
ways afterward  ijrigaded  and  served  together 
during  the  remainder  of  the  war,  and  discharged 
at  the  same  time  and  place.  The  Fifteenth  Regi- 
ment was  in  the  hottest  of  the  fight  both  days  of 
the  bloody  battle,  and  not  a  man  faltered  in  his 
duty  or  failed  to  perform  all  that  was  re(|uircd  of 
him.  The  two  regiments  that  were  in  the  final 
charge  on  the  7th,  led  by  General  Grant  in  per- 
son, were  the  Fourteenth  and  Fifteenth  Illinois; 
the  Fourteenth  commanded  by  Colonel  Cyrus 
Hall,  and  the  [""ifteenth  by  Captain  George  C. 
Rogers.  This  detachment  moved  forward,  and 
when  within  range  delivered  their  fire,  and  with 
fi.xed  bayonets  charged  at  double-quick.  The  rak- 
ing fire,  however,  had  done  its  work.  The  Con- 
federate army  had  fled.  The  Fifteenth  Regiment 
lost  in  this  engagement  two  hundred  and  fifty 
men  killed  and  wounde<l,  and  there  are  more  of 
the  '"known  dead"  of  this  regiment  buried  in  the 
national  cemetery  at  I'ittsburg  Landing  than  of 
any  other  regiment,  and  many  died  of  wounds 
in  ho.spitals  at  home. 

i-i'.\"i:r.\l  of  colonel  lllis. 

Rock  ford's  sorrow  over  the  death  of  Colonel 
Rllis  was  ex|)ressed  in  an  imposing  demonstra- 
tion. His  remains  were  brought  to  the  city  on 
Sunday.  .April  20th.  on  a  si)ecial  train.  On  Mon- 
day they  lay  in  state  at  the  court  house.  The 
room  was  draped  in  the  national  colors,  and  un- 
derneath lay  all  that  was  mortal  of  the  patriot 
hero,  inclosed  in  a  metallic  burial  case,  upon  which 
was  placed  his  sword  and  belt. 

Tlie  funeral  was  held  on  Tuesday  in  the  .Sec- 
ontl  Congregational  church,  the  largest  auditori- 
um then  in  the  city.  Two  thousand  peo|5le  were 
in  attendance.  Rev.  J.  H.  \'incent.  jiastor  of  the 
Court  Street  church,  now  Bishop  Vincent, 
preached  the  funeral  sermon.  His  text  was 
Zachariah,  XIII :  8-9:  ".And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
that  in  all  the  land,  saith  the  Lord,  two  parts 
therein  shall  be  cut  off  and  die ;  but  the  third 
shall  be  left  therein.  .Xnrl  I  will  bring  the  third 
part  through  the  fire,  an<l  I  will  refine  them  as 
silver   is   refined,   and   will    try   them  as   gold   is 


tried  :  they  shall  call  on  my  name,  and  I  will  hear 
liieiii;  I  will  say.  It  is  my  people;  and  they  shall 
say,  the  Lord  is  my  God."  Masonic  services  at 
the  grave  were  in  charge  of  L.  F.  Warner,  mas- 
ter of  Star  in  the  East  lodge. 

Winnebago  county  had  six  companies  in  the 
battle  of  .^hiloh.  Companv  C  lost,  besides  Colonel 
Kllis,  Captain  H.  Brownell,  W.  H.  Brown,  Wil- 
liam Caughey,  J.  E.  \'ance  and  Asabel  Douglas; 
Company  D,  of  the  Eleventh,  lost  Charles  Haw- 
kinson  and  Dennis  Manchester.  Those  killed  in 
Company  G,  of  the  Forty-fifth,  were  Corporal 
Mc.Veilage,  James  Watterson,  Conrad  La  Grange, 
(ieorge  1  lcnr\-.  The  killed  in  Company  E,  of  the 
Fifty-second,  were  Patrick  Cunningham  and 
Charles  P.  Roch.  The  company  was  in  six  en- 
gagements during  the  first  day's  fight.  Com- 
pany C,  of  the  Fifty-fifth,  lost  Lieutenant  Theo. 
Hodges,  Corporal  Daniel  Sullivan.  Sergeant  Mi- 
ron  Ganoung,  Bragella  Crowell.  Nathan  Knapp 
and  O.  Helgerson.  .\11  of  these  companies  suf- 
fered losses  in  wounded.  J.  C.  Manlove.  Jr..  and 
.\ndrcw  Clark,  who  had  entered  Waterhouse's 
Battery,  after  three  months'  service  with  the  Zou- 
aves, were  both  wounded  in  the  shoulder. 

\oi.i-\tei-;rs   roR   tiirke   iroxxHs'   service. 

in  June.  1862,  in  res])onse  to  calls  for  volun- 
teers for  three  months,  two  additional  companies 
were  organized  and  immediately  entered  the 
service  at  Camp  Douglas  in  guarding  Confeder- 
ate prisoners.  One  of  these  companies,  the  Win- 
nebago County  Guards,  was  largely  composed  of 
volunteers  from  the  country  towns,  of  which  H. 
R.  Enoch  was  chosen  caj^tain.  and  James  B.  Kerr 
first  lieutenant.  There  were  one  hundred  and 
four  volunteers  in  this  company,  including  re- 
cruits, of  whom  eighty-three  were  from  \\'inne- 
bago  county.  They  were  known  as  Company  C, 
of  the  Si.xty-seventh  Infantry. 

The  Rockford  City  Guards  entered  this  .serv- 
ice, with  Charles  B.  Mull  as  captain.  The  Guards 
were  known  as  Company  .A.  of  the  Sixty-seventh 
Regiment.  They  are  credited  with  exactly  one 
hundred  men,  of  whom  sixty-three  were  from  this 
county.  There  were  four  soldiers  from  Winne- 
bago on  the  field  and  staff,  and  the  non-commis- 
sioned staff,  and  one  jirivate  each  in  Companies  B 
and  H.  Winnebago  county  contributed  to  this 
regiment  in  the  two  companies  a  total  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty-three  meiL 

These  accessions  made  nine  full  companies 
which  W'innebago  county  had  sent  mto  the  serv- 
ice, besides  many  enlisted  in  other  companies  and 
batteries. 

C.\MP    FULLER. 

July  16,  1862.  .-Xdjutant-General  Fuller  issued 
an  order  establishing  cam])s   for  temporary  ren- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY." 


93 


dezvous  in  several  cities  of  the  state.  In  the  lat- 
ter part  of  the  month  General  Fuller  visited 
Rockford  and  personally  selected  a  site  north  of 
the  city.  Jason  Marsh  was  placed  in  command, 
who  named  the  camp  in  honor  of  the  man  who 
did  more  than  any  other  citizen  in  making  a 
glorious  military  record  for  the  commonwealth 
of  Illinois.  General  Fuller  was  the  central  fig- 
ure of  the  war  power  of  Illinois ;  the  forger  of 
her  thunderbolts,  the  splendid  defender  of  her 
sons.  General  John  C.  Black  once  said  to  the 
writer  that  General  Fuller  was  a  greater  man 
than  Edwin  M.  Stanton,  President  Lincoln's  great 
war  secretary ;  that  he  had  Stanton's  executive 
ability  without  his  brutality. 

Camp  Fuller  was  a  camp  of  rendezvous  for 
Lake,  McHenry,  Boone,  Winnebago,  Ogle,  Car- 
roll, Stephenson  and  Jo  Daviess  counties.  Four 
regiments  were  in  camp  at  Camp  Fuller — the  Sev- 
enty-fourth, Ninety-second,  Ninety-fifth  and 
Ninet3--sixth.  The  activity  at  this  camp  was 
short-lived.  All  the  regiments  soon  entered  the 
service,  and  January  31,  1863,  the  barracks  were 
sold  at  auction. 

THE    SEVENTY-FOURTH    REGIMENT. 

In  July,  1862,  President  Lincoln  issued  a  call 
for  300,000  volunteers.  In  response  to  war  meet- 
ings held  in  every  township  in  Winnebago  county 
the  military  spirit  became  the  ruling  passion  of 
the  people.  July  31st  the  board  of  supervisors 
met  in  special  session  and  offered  a  bounty  of  $60 
to  each  volunteer  enlisting  before  the  25th  of  Au- 
gust, and  $40  for  all  subsequent  enlistments  pre- 
vious to  September   15th,  next  following. 

Winnebago  county  again  promptly  did  her 
duty,  and  raised  eight  of  the  ten  companies  of  the 
Seventy-fourth  Regiment.  Company  G  was  or- 
ganized in  Ogle  county,  and  Company  I  in  Ste- 
phenson county.  The  regiment  was  mustered 
into  the  service  September  4th. 

The  first  field  otificers  were:  Jason  Alarsh.  of 
Rockford,  colonel :  James  B.  Kerr,  of  Roscoe, 
lieutenant-colonel,  and  Edward  F.  Dutcher,  of 
Oregon,  major.  Anton  Nieman,  of  Chicago,  an  of- 
ficer of  military  education,  was  its  first  adjutant. 
On  September  30,  1862,  the  regiment  reported  for 
duty  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  where  the  Army  of  the 
Ohio,  afterward  known  as  the  Amiy  of  the  Cum- 
berland, was  then  being  organized  under  General 
Don  Carlos  Buell.  On  October  i  a  brigade  or- 
ganization was  effected,  and  the  Seventy-fourth, 
with  the  Seventy-fifth  and  Fifty-ninth  Illinois,  the 
Twenty-second  Indiana,  and  the  Fifth  fPinney's) 
Wisconsin  Battery,  formed  the  Thirtieth  Brigade, 
Ninth  division.  Fourteenth  Corps.  Colonel  Philip 
Sidney  Post,  of  the  Fifty-ninth  Illinois,  had  com- 
mand of  the  brigade.  General  O.  M.  Mitchell  of 
the  division,  and  General  Gilbert  of  the  corps,  the 


whole  comprising,  with  other  troops,  a  command 
under  General  A.  McD.  McCook,  designated  the 
right  wing. 

On  October  24,  1862,  the  army,  then  at  Bowl- 
ing Green,  was  reorganized,  under  General  W. 
S.  Rosecrans,  and  was  afterward  known  as  the 
Army  of  the  Cumberland. 

The  regiment  participated  in  the  following  bat- 
tles :  Perryville,  October  8,  1862  :  Stone  River, 
December  31,  1862:  Mission  Ridge,  November 
24-25,  1863;  Rocky  Face,  May  9,  1864:  Resaca, 
May  14,  1864;  Calhoun,  May  17,  1864;  Adairs- 
ville,  Alay  18,  1864:  Dallas,  May  25  to  June  25, 
1864;  Lost  Mountain,  June  16,  1864;  Kenesaw 
Mountain,  June  27,  1864;  Peach  Tree  Creek, 
July  20,  1864;  Atlanta,  July  22,  1864;  Jonesboro, 
September  i,  1864;  Lovejoy,  September  2,  1864; 
Spring  Hill,  November  29,  1864;  Franklin.  No- 
vember 30,  1864:  Nashville,  December  15-16, 
1864. 

Winnebago  county  contributed  793  volunteers 
to  the  Seventy-fourth.  This  was  almost  exactly 
one-ciuarter  of  the  whole  mmiber  of  recruits 
raised  by  the  county  during  the  four  years  of  the 
war.  This  fact  made  the  regiment  in  a  sense  the 
special  pride  of  the  citizens.  June  10,  1865,  the 
Seventy-fourth,  then  numbering  343  officers  and 
men,  was  mustered  out  of  the  service  at  Nash- 
ville, Tennessee,  and  arrived  in  Rockford  June 
29.  The  veterans  hold  annual  reunions,  but  time 
has  thinned  their  ranks.  In  1903  an  excellent 
history  of  the  Seventy-fourth  Regiment  was  pub- 
lished by  a  committee  consisting  of  John  H.  Sher- 
ratt.  Hosmer  P.  Holland  and  Tohn  \\'.  Beatson. 


DEATH    OF    COLONEL    NEVIUS. 

The  Eleventh  Infantry  took  an  active  part  in 
the  Vicksburg  campaign.  Garrett  L.  Nevius  had 
entered  the  service  as  captain  of  Company  D,  but 
he  rose  rapidly.  He  was  promoted  major,  lieu- 
tenant-colonel and  finally  the  colonel  of  his  regi- 
ment. 

Colonel  Nevius  was  killed  in  the  charge  of 
Ransom's  brigade  on  the  enemy's  works  at  Vicks- 
burg, May  22,  1863,  while  on  foot  at  the  head 
of  his  regiment,  within  ten  rods  of  the  line  of 
entrenchments.  He  was  in  the  act  of  waving  his 
sword  and  urging  his  men  forward,  when  the 
fatal  bullet  struck  him  in  the  head,  crashing 
through  his  brain,  killing  him  instantly.  His 
dving  words  were:  "Forward,  mv  brave  Elev- 
enth !" 

The  colonel's  body  was  recovered  and  placed 
in  charge  of  Captain  W,  D.  E.  Andrus,  who, 
with  a  guard  of  ten  men,  immediately  started  to 
convey  it  to  Rockford.  The  funeral  guard  was 
met  at  the  Illinois  Central  depot  in  Chicago  by 
a   delesration   from   Rockford,   with   Mavor  Wil- 


94 


PAST     AXD    I'RESENT    OF     WIX.XEBAGO    COUNTY. 


liams.  and  escorted  to  tlie  Galena  depot.  The  re- 
mains arrived  in  Rocktord  Wednesday.  Jnne  3, 
1863. 

The  body  lay  in  state  at  the  courthouse,  where 
memorial  services  were  held  on  Thursday.  All 
business  in  the  city  was  suspended.  The  meeting 
was  called  to  order  by  the  war  mayor,  Charles 
Williams.  Dr.  Thomas  Kerr  pronomiced  an  elo- 
i|uent  eulogy.  The  remains  were  taken,  with 
military  escort,  to  the  Northwestern  depot,  and 
forwarded  to  the  home  of  his  mother  at  Lodi, 
Seneca  county.  New  York. 

.\s  a  military  man  Colonel  Nevius  had  won  an 
enviable  rei)utation.  He  ij<issessed  sujierior  abil- 
ities. He  was  careful  of  his  men.  cool,  well  post- 
ed, sound  in  judgment,  and  brave  almost  to  the 
l)oint  of  recklessness.  He  led  his  men  where  duty 
called,  and  they  were  quick  to  follow.  Colonel 
.Nevius  was  naturally  retiring  and  unassuming  in 
private  life,  and  was  not  thus.  perha])s.  so  widely 
known  as  others  of  less  ability  for  leadership. 

Those  who  knew  him  best  learned  to  respect 
him  fi>r  liis  high  moral  character  and  social  worth 
and  all  who  enjoyed  his  ac(|uaintance  will  remem- 
ber him  with  the  liveliest  emotions.  His  charac- 
ter was  one  which  all  will  love  tt>  <lwell  upon, 
and  his  memory  will  be  fresh  in  the  hearts  of  our 
citizens   for  long  years  to  come. 

Colonel  Nevius  was  only  twenty-six  years  of 
age.  He  lived  in  deeds,  and  not  in  years.  Nevius 
post.  No.  I.  C,.  A.  R..  is  named  after  him. 

THE    MULLIG.\N    GU.SRaS. 

^fajor  Patrick  Flynn  was  a  representative  son 
of  Erin,  who  espoused  the  cause  of  his  adopted 
country  with  a  lover's  devotion.  He  fought  her 
battles  with  the  characteristic  ardor  of  his  race. 
He  was  born  in  Mayo,  Ireland.  May  11,  1831. 
He  came  to  Rockford  in  1858.  and  was  engaged 
in  mercantile  business  until  1862,  when  President 
Lincoln  issued  a  call  for  300,(XX)  volunteers. 

Major  Flynn  enlisted  about  300  men  in  Win- 
nebago, Pioone  and  Stephenson  counties.  He  or- 
ganized the  Mulligan  Guards,  named  in  honor  of 
the  famoius  Colonel  James  Mulligan,  nf  the  Twen- 
tv-third  Illinois,  known  as  the  Irish  brigade.  The 
late  Dean  Piutler,  priest  of  St.  James'  Catholic 
church,  of  Rockford,  was  chaplain  of  Mulligan's 
brigade.  Later  the  major's  company  dropped  the 
name  of  Mulligan  Guards  and  was  designated 
as  Comjiany  .\.  Nineteenth  Illinois  N'ohmteer  In- 
fantry, and  assigned  to  the  Fifteenth  Army  Corps. 
There  were  in  this  company  ninety-three  volun- 
teers from  Winnebago  county.  There  were  also 
six  enlistmeiUs  froni  the  coimty  in  other  compa- 
nies of  the  regiment. 

Many  years  after  those  stirring  scenes,  in  No- 
veml)er,  1900.  Major  Flynn  relatcfl  his  exjiericnce 
in  securing  enlistments  in  the  well-known  Mulli- 


gan (iuarcls.  These  were  given  in  a  paper  read 
before  a  campfire  of  Nevius  post.  The  major 
said : 

"On  July  14.  1862,  Charles  L.  Williams,  then 
mayor  of  Rockford  ;  Rev.  J.  P.  Donelan,  pastor  of 
St.  James'  Catholic  church  ;  W.  G.  King.  Judge 
Church,  Hon.  William  Lathrop.  Hon.  Wait  Tal- 
cott.  Dr.  R.  ]'.  Lane  and  Laurence  McDonald 
called  on  me  and  suggested  that  I  assist  in  rais- 
ing an  Irish  company  of  volunteers.  Tlie  idea 
was  not  displeasing  to  me.  but,  having  a  wife, 
I  deemed  it  i)roper  to  first  consult  her  in  reference 
to  the  suggestion.  She  .shared  my  patriotic  feel- 
ings, or.  ratlur.  I  shared  hers,  and  the  result  was 
that  I  soon  entered  heartily  into  the  undertaking. 
( )nly  a  few  remain  of  those  young  men  who 
signed  the  muster  roll  at  that  time.  They  are 
.\ndrew  Phinney,  and  Hugh  McMahon,  of  Rur- 
ritt,  who  was  said  to  be  the  youngest  sergeant  in 
the  brigade.  The  young  Irishmen  of  Rockford  be- 
came enthusiastic  in  the  defense  of  their  country, 
and  in  the  reniarkablv  short  period  of  sixteen  days 
140  men  enlisted.  One  more  name  which  I  was 
anxious  to  add  to  the  list  of  these  young  heroes 
is  that  of  Joseph  P.  Whalen,  of  .\rgyle  township, 
who  especially  tlistinguished  himself  at  the  bat- 
tle of  Missionary  Ridge  on  November  23.  1863. 
He  deserves  special  mention,  being  struck  by 
rebel  bullets  no  less  than  three  times,  and  so  dis- 
abled in  his  limbs  to  this  day  that  his  effort  to 
move  about  is  extremely  painful.  Wo  exnected  to 
be  attached  to  the  Twenty-third  Illinois,  which 
had  achieved  a  brilliant  reputation  in  the  west  and 
in  \"irginia.  and  whose  young  commander  was 
James  .\.  Mulligan.  The  company  was  named 
the  Mulligan  Guards  in  his  honor.  On  Augfiist 
31st  we  were  mustered  into  the  service  of  the 
United  States  at  Camp  Douglas.  Chicago,  and 
became  Companv  .\.  of  the  Ninetieth  Illinois,  of 
which  Colonel  O'Meara  became  the  commanding 
officer.  There  were  also  volunteers  which  I  re- 
cruited in  Company  T.  The  regiment  was  then 
detailed  for  a  time  to  guard  prisoners  at  Camp 
Douglas.  Rumors  were  rife  for  a  time  that  the 
Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle  were  planning  an 
attempt  to  liberate  the  rebel  prisoners  under  our 
care.  The  rumors  were  not  without  foundation, 
though  the  attempt  was  not  made  at  that  time. 
Had  it  been,  the  Ninetieth  would  have  proven  it- 
self loyal  to  the  country  that  sheltered  its  mem- 
bers in  their  exile.  In  those  days  domestic  ene- 
mies, which  were  known  as  co]>perhcads.  were  a 
source  of  much  annoyance.'' 

In  the  same  pajicr  Major  Flvim  vividly  de- 
scribed the  battle  of  Missionary  Ridge.  His  allu- 
sion to  the  death  of  Lieutenant  James  Conway, 
of  Company  A.  breathes  the  fervor  and  eloquence 
of  his  race.  Rare  indeed  is  a  soldier's  death  more 
impressively  told  than  in  these  words : 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


95 


"The  next  morning  the  Fifteenth  Corps  moved 
along  the  valle}-  under  the  Lookout  mountain 
range  toward  Chattanooga.  On  the  morning  of 
the  25th  it  was  in  Hne  for  the  desperate  struggle 
that  day  commemorates  as  the  battle  of  Mission 
Ridge.  The  regiment  lost  its  colonel,  the  brave 
O'Meara ;  its  lieutenant-colonel  was  shot  through 
the  body,  and  Lieutenant  James  Conwav.  of  Com- 
pany A,  of  this  city,  was  shot  through  the  heart. 
WHien  found  after  the  sun  went  down,  he  was 
in  a  kneeling  position,  his  sabre  in  his  right  hand, 
his  revolver  in  his  left,  his  face  to  the  enemy  and 
his  virtuous  eyes  turned  to  heaven,  as  though  ful- 
ly satisfied  of  the  sacred  justness  of  the  cause  for 
which  he  was  yielding  up  his  life,  he  was  anxious 
to  meet  the  benignant  glance  of  his  Creator.  Im- 
pressed with  a  knowledge  of  a  duty  nobly  done, 
this  brave  )'oung  officer  knelt  at  the  shrine  of  in- 
finite mercy,  and  while  the  words  of  hope  were 
yet  warm  upon  his  cjuivering  lips,  his  soul  went 
forth  into  the  presence  of  the  Almighty  Father. 
There  160  out  of  370  heroes  were  beaten  down 
in  the  bloody  rain  of  rebel  bullets.  Being  rank- 
ing officer,  I  took  command  of  the  Nineteenth 
that  day." 

Major  Flynn  served  his  company  as  captain 
from  August,  1862,  until  March,  1863.  when  he 
was  promoted  to  major  and  continued  with  his 
regiment  until  he  was  wounded.  August  28,  1863, 
at  the  battle  of  i\Iissionary  Ridge.  He  was  mus- 
tered out  of  service  in  Jime,  1865. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  war  there  were 
also  eight  enlistments  in  the  Eighth  Infantry, 
twenty  in  the  Forty-sixth,  one  in  the  consolidated 
Forty-seventh,  one  in  the  Forty-eighth,  one  in 
the  Forty-ninth,  thirteen  in  the  Fifty-first,  three 
in  the  Fifty-fourth,  two  in  the  Sixty-ninth,  and 
eight  in  the  Seventy-first. 

There  were  fifty-six  volunteers  in  Batteries  A, 
B.  E,  H  and  I  of  the  First  Regiment  of  light  ar- 
tillery, and  twenty-one  in  the  Second  artillery. 

DEATH    OF   COLONEL   SMITH. 

In  the  month  of  February,  1863,  the  Forty-fifth 
Regiment  moved  with  Grant's  army  on  transports 
down  the  river  from  Alemphis  to  take  part  in  the 
Vicksburg  campaign.  Stops  were  made  at  Lake 
Providence,  Msta  plantation  and  Milliken's  Bend. 
At  I\Iilliken"s  Bend  volunteers  were  called  for  to 
run  the  batteries  with  transports  at  Vicksburg. 
The  entire  regiment,  officers  and  men,  volunteered 
for  this  duty.  Tlie  matter  was  decided  by  mak- 
ing a  detail  of  the  quota  assigned  to  the  Forty- 
fifth.  The  detail  comprised  the  crew  which 
manned  the  steamer  Anglo-Saxon,  and  took  her 
safely  through.  loaded  with  a  full  cargo  of  com- 
missary stores. 

ilay  I,  1863,  found  the  Forty-fifth  on  the  east 
bend    of    the    ^Mississippi    at    Bruinsburg,    below 


N'icksburg,  and  the  same  day  started  with  Gen- 
eral (Grant's  army  on  the  famous  campaign  which 
ended  in  the  capture  of  \'icksburg.  The  regi- 
ment participated  in  all  the  battles  of  the  cam- 
paign, forming  part  of  Logan's  division. 

The  position  of  the  Forty-fifth  during  the  siege 
of  \'icksburg  was  immediately  at  the  White 
House,  on  the  Jackson  road,  in  front  of  the  rebel 
Fort  Hill,  regarded  as  the  key  to  the  fortress. 

The  Forty-fifth  took  part  in  three  charges 
against  the  rebel  works,  on  the  19th  and  22d"of 
May  and  the  25th  of  June.  On  the  22d  Major 
Luther  H.  Cowan  was  instantly  killed.  About  a 
month  was  occupied  in  running  a  gap  and  dig- 
ging a  mine  under  Fort  Hill.  June  25th,  the 
mine  having  been  charged,  the  match  was  ap- 
])lied.  The  Forty-fifth  was  selected  as  the  storm- 
ing party  after  the  breach  should  be  made.  Im- 
mediately after  the  explosion  the  regiment  rushed 
into  the  crater,  but  was  met  with  a  murderous 
fire  l3\-  the  enemy,  who  was  still  protected  by  an 
embankment  of  about  three  feet  in  width,  which 
had  been  thrown  up  by  the  rebels  as  an  inner  line 
in  case  the  outer  works  should  be  demolished. 
The  loss  to  the  Forty-fifth  in  this  charge  was 
eighty-three  ofificers  and  men  killed  and  wounded. 
Among  the  number  were  Melancthon  Smith,  lieu- 
tenant-colonel ;  Leander  B.  Fisk.  major,  and  a 
number  of  non-commissioned  officers  and  men. 
Among  the  wounded  was  Jasper  A.  Maltbv,  col- 
onel of  the  regiment.  It  was  a  bloody  afl'air,  in- 
deed. When  the  city  surrendered,  on  account  of 
its  conspicuous  service  during  the  siege,  bv  order 
of  General  Grant,  the  Forty-fifth  was  given  the 
advance  of  the  L'nion  army  when  it  entered  that 
stronghold,  and  its  flag  was  raised  upon  the  court- 
house by  Colonel  William  F.  Strong,  of  General 
McPherson's  stafi',  to  denote  the  possession  of 
the  city  by  the  Federal  army. 

June  23,  1863.  Colonel  Smith  was  mortally 
wounded  at  the  storming  of  a  fort  at  Vicksburg 
by  General  Logan's  division.  He  lingered  three 
days  in  a  state  of  half-consciousness  and  died 
Sunday  morning,  June  28,  in  the  thirty-sixth  year 
of  his  age.  His  remains  were  brought  to  Rock- 
ford  for  burial.  Funeral  services  were  held  June 
nth  at  the  home  of  his  father-in-law,  John  Ed- 
wards. His  remains  lay  in  state  in  front  of  the 
house.  The  discourse  was  delivered  by  Rev.  F. 
AI.  Holland,  pastor  of  the  Unitarian  church,  of 
which  Colonel  Smith  was  a  member. 

Sunday  afternoon  Dr.  H.  M.  Goodwin 
preached  a  memorial  sermon  in  the  Second  Con- 
gregational church.  Concerning  Colonel  Smith's 
patriotism.  Dr.  Goodwin  said :  "Before  deciding 
to  enter  the  ami}-,  he  made  the  question  a  subject 
of  devout  and  earnest  prayer,  and  the  decision, 
when  made,  was  a  religious  consecration  to  the 
service  of  his  country,  expecting  never  to  return, 
but  to  die  on  the  field  of  battle." 


96 


PAST     AXD     PRESENT    OF     WTXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


RESUME  OF   RECORD  OF  VOLUNTEERS. 

November  14.  1863,  Rolicrt  Ogrilby  made  an 
abstract  of  the  record  uf  Winiicbago  county  vol- 
imteers  to  that  date.  The  total  niunber  of  en- 
listments was  2,127.  ^^f  tli^"^*-'  47  '^•"^'  ^'^'^"  killed. 
160  died,  86  wounded,  24  wounded  and  died.  49 
wounded  and  discharged.  14  discharged  and  died, 
0  nuistered  out  and  died.  The  total  deaths  to  that 
date  were  254. 

SUPERVISORS    R.MSE    WAR    BOUNTY. 

At  the  regular  session  of  the  supervisors  in 
December,  1863.  the  board  of  super\-isors  raised 
the  bountv  to  $100  for  all  who  would  enlist  be- 
tween December  ist  and  January  5th.  This 
bountv  was  in  the  form  of  a  county  bond  draw- 
ing seven  per  cent,  interest  and  transferable  at 
pleasure. 

The  last  year  of  the  war  drained  the  loyal 
states  of  its  available  militia.  President  Lincoln's 
call  for  500,000  men  in  the  summer  of  1864  was  a 
severe  test  of  loyalty,  but  all  demands  were  met 
by  \\'innebago  county.  September  15th  the 
board  of  super\isors  passed  a  resolution  offering 
a  bounty  of  $300  to  volunteers  in  the  county  who 
had  enlisted  since  September  5th,  or  who  might 
thereafter  enlist.  October  ist  it  was  officially  an- 
nounced that  \\'imiebago  county  was  out  of  the 
draft,  and  that  under  the  last  call  for  volunteers, 
more  than  three  hundred  had  been  raised. 

Winnebago  county  contributed  3,187  .soldiers 
to  the  volunteer  sen-ice  of  the  Union  during  the 
Civil  war.  This  was  twenty-five  more  than  its 
quota. 

PRISONERS    OF    W.\R. 

The  adjutant-general's  report  devotes  fifteen 
full  pages  to  the  list  of  Illinois  soldiers  who  died  in 
Andersonville  prison.  Among  diose  who  sur- 
vived the  horrors  of  that  prison  pen  from  this 
county  were  Captain  Lewis  F.  Lake,  a  member 
of  Taylor's  Battery,  who  had  l>een  captured  at 
the  battle  of  Atlanta;  Lieutenant  Andrew  Phin- 
ney  and  Roger  Brown.  The  late  Dr.  Selwyn 
Clark  and  Dr.  Ginton  Helm  were  confined  in 
Libby  prison.  H.  C.  Scovill,  the  present  city 
clerk,  was  a  prisoner  ten  months  at  Macon,  Geor- 
gia. He  enlisted  in  an  Ogle  county  company. 
William  L.  Mesick,  of  Company  E,  First  Illinois 
Light  .\rtillery,  a  Rockford  boy,  was  left  on  the 
field  of  Guntown,  Mississippi,  for  dead,  and  aft- 
erward turned  up  at  Andersonville  prison.  His 
funeral  sermon  was  preached  in  Rockford.  He 
recovered  his  health  in  a  measure,  and  lived 
more  than  thirty  years. 

MRS.    M.\RV     BRAINARD,    ARMY    NURSE. 

Mrs.  Mar>-  Brainard  saw  the  hard  side  of  the 
war  life,  and  worked  many  a  long  night  over 


the  dying  soldiers,  and  writing  the  last  letters 
iiome  for  those  who  were  too  weak  to  do  it  for 
themselves.  Mrs.  Brainard  left  Rockford  in  Sep- 
temljer  of  1862,  going  with  the  Seventy-fourth 
Illinois  volunteers  as  a  nurse  under  Colonel 
Marsh.  In  a  short  time  she  was  made  nurse  and 
head  matron  of  the  hospital  at  Lebanon,  Ken- 
tucky, where  she  sjient  the  winter,  and  then  go- 
ing to  the  hos])ital  at  Lewisvillc  as  head  nurse 
and  matron.  She  spent  the  summer  there  in 
charge  of  the  officers'  hospital,  but  during  the 
fall  she  was  taken  seriously  sick  with  malarial 
fever  and  was  sent  north.  During  the  time  of 
her  nursing  she  was  not  under  sanitarj-  commis- 
sion, as  were  most  of  the  nurses,  but  was  in  the 
government  employ.  Because  of  her  faithful 
work  she  was  awarded  a  ])ension  by  a  special  act 
of  congress.  Mrs.  Brainard  died  suddenly  Octo- 
ber 7,  1905. 

CHRISTIAN  COMMISSION. 

The  late  Dr.  Thomas  Kerr  was  for  a  time  a 
member  of  the  Christian  commission,  under  ap- 
pointment of  President  Lincoln.  After  his  re- 
turn from  the  field  he  delivered  a  number  of  lec- 
tures, the  ])roceeds  of  which  were  devoted  to  the 
war  relief  fund. 

THE    NAVAL   SERVICE. 

'J"hc  county  contributed  a  few  volunteers  to  the 
naval  service.  \'olney  D.  W'oodruff,  John  L. 
Clark.  George  Potter,  and  John  A.  Ferguson 
were  members  of  the  West  Gulf  Blockading 
squadron.  John  McDermaid,  now  a  resident  of 
Rockford.  but  who  enlisted  in  an  eastern  state, 
enjoys  the  distinction  of  having  been  a  partici- 
pant in  the  engagement  in  which  the  Confederate 
ram  .\lbcmarle  was  destroyed.  This  unique  his- 
toric event  occurred  October  27.  1864.  on 
Roanoke  river,  in  North  Carolina,  by  a  detail  of 
twelve  men,  under  command  of  Col.  Cushing. 

SENT  ELEVEN  SONS  TO  WAR. 

The  story  of  Mrs.  H.  B.  Merchant's  devotion 
to  her  country  is  probably  without  parallel.  Her 
husband  had  died  several  years  before  and  she 
was  dependent  for  support  upon  her  eleven  sons. 
When  the  war  broke  out  she  bade  the  elder  ones 
farewell  and  they  went  away.  As  the  need  for 
men  grew  greater  the  younger  ones  enlisted  until 
finally  all  of  the  eleven  were  fighting  for  the  stars 
and  stripes.  The  brothers  in  the  war  and  the  com- 
mands in  which  thev  enlisted  were :  G.  W. 
Merchant,  Co.  C,  74th'lll.  Vol. :  A.  L.  Merchant, 
Co.  C,  15th  111.  Vol.;  Enoch  Merchant,  Co.  F, 
156th  111.  Vol.;  D.  O.  Merchant,  Co.  C,  74th  111. 
\'ol. ;  S.  B.  Merchant,  Co.  G,  44th  111.  Vol. ;  A. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


97 


J.  Merchant,  Co.  G,  44th  111.  Vol.;  L.  E.  Mer- 
chant, Co.  G,  45th  111.  Vol. ;  Aaron  Merchant,  Co. 
G,  isth  Wis.  Vol.;  N.  W.  Merchant,  United 
States  Cavalry ;  J.  C.  Merchant,  teamster  in  quar- 
ter-master's department.  Each  of  the  brothers 
who  sur\'ived  received  an  honorable  discharge. 

THE  COST  OF  THE  W.\R. 

January  i,  1866,  Adjutant-General  Haynie 
issued  a  circular  letter  to  the  authorities  of  each 
county  in  the  state,  requesting-  a  statement  of  the 
amount  of  money  paid  by  counties,  cities  and  vil- 
lages. Winnebago  county  contributed  $434, 
038.25.  The  several  townships  and  the  city  of 
Rockford  raised  $65,964.13.  These  sums  make 
a  grand  total  of  $500,002.38.  This  amount  was 
expended  for  bounties,  transportation,  subsistence, 
general  expenses,  soldiers'  families  and  interest. 

END  OF   WAR   STORV. 

The  writer  is  deeply  conscious  of  the  fact  that 
this  sketch  is  not  an  adequate  history  of  the  part 
borne  bv  Winnebago  county  in  the  great  civil 
conflict.  Such  an  undertaking  would  require  a 
volume  in  itself.  After  the  admission  has  been 
made,  however,  this  history  may  still  modestly 
claim  to  be  th'e  most  complete  that  has  appeared 
to  date.  It  is  hoped  that  in  time  to  come  some 
historian  may  tell  the  story  in  full  as  it  is 
worthy  to  be  told. 

NEVIUS    POST    G.    A.    R. 

Nevius  post,  G.  A.  R.,  is  one  of  the  oldest 
posts  in  the  United  States.  For  some  years  there 
was  much  discussion  over  the  question  of  pri- 
ority of  organization  of  the  Wisconsin  and  the 
Illinois  departments,  and  this  honor  has  finally 
been  decided  in  favor  of  the  latter.  The  Rock- 
ford  post  was  mustered  into  the  order  June  i, 
1866,  by  General  Stephen  A.  Hurlbut,  as  No. 
124,  although  the  charter  bears  the  date  of  Oc- 
tober 3d.  following.  All  previously  organized 
posts  in  Illinois  were  disbanded,  so  that  the  Rock- 
ford  post  succeeded  to  priority.  The  present 
membership  is  about  four  hundred,  in  round  num- 
bers. 

Nevius  post  has  been  able  to  secure,  during  the 
thirtv-nine  rears  of  its  histon,-,  some  of  the  best 
orators  in  the  country,  for  Memorial  day  oc- 
casions. Among  these  are :  Gen.  John  A.  Logan, 
Gen.  John  L.  Beveridge,  Gen.  Smith  D.  Atkins, 
Gen.  Allen  C.  Fuller,  Gen.  A.  L.  Chetlain,  Ex- 
Secretary  of  War  Belknap,  Bishop  Samuel  Fal- 
lows, Col.  James  A.  Sexton,  Col.  Frank  A.  Rid- 
dle. Col.  W.  P.  Hepburn,  Commander-in-Chief 
John  R.  Rea,  Gov.  Chamberlain  of  Vermont,  W. 
J.  Calhoun. 
7 


The  post  was  named  in  honor  of  Colonel  Gar- 
rett L.  Nevius,  who  was  killed  during  the  siege 
of  Vicksburg.  Only  two  charter  members  are 
known  to  be  living :  J.  G.  Manlove  and  Evans 
Blake.  The  annual  encampment  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Illinois  has  been  held  four  times  in  Rock- 
ford.     The  last  two  dates  were  1894  and  1905. 

Col.  Thomas  G.  Lawler  has  served  the  post  the 
greater  part  of  its  history  as  commander.  Be- 
ginning with  July,  1868,  he  served  five  terms  of 
six  months  each.  In  1872  he  was  elected  for  the 
term  of  one  year  and  has  held  the  office  thirty- 
three  consecutive  years.  Col.  Lawler  was  elected 
commander-in-chief  of  the  national  Grand  Army 
organization  in  1894. 

FAMOUS  INVITATION  TO  JEFFERSON  DAVIS. 

July  I,  1875,  Mr.  Henry  P.  Kimball,  the  sec- 
retary of  the  Winnebago  Count}'  Agricultural 
society  for  seventeen  years,  by  the  authority  of 
the  board  of  directors,  extended  an  invitation  to 
Jefferson  Davis  to  be  present  at  the  annual  exhi- 
bition in  September,  and  deliver  an  address.  This 
invitation  and  its  acceptance  stirred  up  such  a 
furore  of  excitement  among  the  people  of  north- 
ern Illinois  as  to  induce  Mr.  Davis  to  withdraw 
his  acceptance.  The  correspondence  thus  neces- 
sitated became  a  matter  of  national  notoriety. 

In  the  time  of  the  Indian  troubles  through  this 
section  of  the  country  Jefferson  Davis,  with 
others,  helped  subdue  them.  Later,  however,  he 
became  the  representative  man  and  leader  in  the 
attempt  to  establish  an  independent  confederacy 
out  of  the  slave  states,  and,  although  unsuccess- 
ful, the  horrors  of  the  war  that  followed  were  not 
forgotten. 

When  his  promised  attendance  was  announced, 
the  memories  of  war  times  were  kindled  anew 
in  the  loyal  heart,  and  a  cry  of  opposition  was 
raised  that  was  soon  borne  to  the  ears  of  the 
Confederate  chieftain,  giving  him  to  understand 
that  his  presence  would  be  offensive  almost  be- 
yond toleration.  In  giving  shape  to  this  opposi- 
tion the  G.  L.  Nevius  post,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Rock- 
ford,  was  the  first  to  move,  and  caused  to  be  is- 
sued the  following  protest : 

"Whereas :  We  learn,  with  regret,  that  Jef- 
ferson Davis  has  been  invited  by  the  board  of 
directors  of  the  Winnebago  Agricultural  society 
to  deliver  the  annual  address  at  our  county  fair ; 
and  whereas,  we  look  upon  it  as  an  insult  to  the 
loyal  citizens  of  Winnebago  county  to  invite  the 
arch-traitor,  Jefferson  Davis,  to  address  the  rela- 
tives and  surviving  friends  of  thirteen  thousand 
men  murdered  at  Andersonville  alone,  by  his 
orders. 

"Resolved.  That  while  as  an  organization  we 
have  nothing  to  do  with  politics,  yet,  as  loyal 
citizens  and  former  soldiers,  we  feel  it  our  duty 


i)» 


I'AST     AXn     I'RESKXT     OF     \VIX"\i:i'..\(  ,0     LOLXTV. 


to  speak  in  behalf  of  the  memory  of  our  fellow- 
comrades,  who  arc  no  lonsjcr  able  to  speak  for 
tlieiiiselves. 

"Second.  That  we  protest  as^ainst  the  action  of 
the  board  of  directors,  and  jiledge  onrselves  that 
we  will  not  attend  the  fair,  nor  contribute  any- 
thing;- toward  makinjj  it  a  success,  if  tiie  board 
of  directors  persist  in  bringing-  forward  this  arch- 
traitor  and  cow-ard. 

'Third.  That  the.se  resolutions  be  signed  b\ 
the  members  of  this  post,  and  published  in  the 
county   papers." 

This  protest  was  signed  by  one  hundred  and 
twenty-six  members  of  the  post,  and  a  jsrinted 
copy  thereof  forwarded  to  Mr.  Davis,  upon  the 
receipt  of  which  he  atldressed  to  Mr.  Kimball  his 
letter  of  declination,  under  date  of  Augu.st   i.sUi. 

THE   FAI.I,  or  -niE  COURTHOUSE. 

In  1S75  the  board  of  supervisors  took  pre- 
liminary steps  toward  the  erection  of  a  new- 
courthouse.  Henry  L.  Gay  was  the  architect, 
and  W.  D.  Richardson  the  contractor.  The  cor- 
ner-stone was  laid  June  23.  1876.  May  11,  1877, 
occurred  the  greatest  disaster  in  the  history  of  the 
city,  known  as  the  "fall  of  the  courthouse."  All 
but  a  portion  of  the  front  pediment  of  the  main 
central  tow-er.  or  dome,  had  fallen  straight 
through  the  middle  of  the  building,  crushing  in 
its  descent  much  of  the  inside  work  of  the  struc- 
ture. Seven  men  were  killed  outright,  and  several 
others  severely  wounded,  two  of  whom  died  be- 
fore the  coroner's  jury  had  completed  its  inc|uest. 

Those  who  w-ere  killed  outright  were  Fred 
Hang,  -A.  Hollenbcck.  John  Warren.  .\.  Ilaug. 
John  Pipe,  George  (iloss.  Timothy  I-'lannigan. 

The  w-ounded  were  .\ugust  Lucas.  Thomas 
Hayes.  William  McTnnis.  John  Peck.  George 
Smith.  Hugh  Eldredge.  Cicero  Dickerson,  Hen- 
drez  rieldahl.  Isaac  Donnelly.  John  Donaldson. 
I'rank  Harris,  and  a  man  named  Lindholm.  John 
Peck  and  Lindholm  died  from  their  injuries. 

.\  coroner's  jury  made  careful  examination  into 
the  cause  of  the  disaster.  The  jury  w-as  composed 
of  Selden  M.  Giurch,  H.  W.  Carpenter.  George 
S.  Haskell.  Jolm  R.  Porter.  G.  A.  Sanford.  J.  P.. 
Howell.  Thomas  lUitterw-orth.  George  Wilson,  J. 
W.  Seccomb.  D.  L.  Emerstm.  Wm.  H.  Smith.  .\. 
G.  Lowry. 

The  jury  found  that  the  disaster  was  caused 
first  by  the  neglect  of  Henry  L.  Gay.  the  archi- 
tect, to  provide  for  the  great  amount  of  weight 
called  for  to  com|)lete  the  building  according  to 
the  plans  designed  by  him  ;  second,  want  of  care 
on  the  part  of  said  architect  in  not  giving  special 
sjiccifications  and  ])lans  for  tlie  parts  of  the  gen- 
eral i)lan  required  to  carry  the  extra  weight,  in 
proportion  to  their  su]>erfices ;  third,  the  board  of 


supervisors  failed  to  use  due  caution  in  exaniin- 
ing  the  plans  and  specifications,  and  in  not  em- 
])loying  a  competent  architect. 

Work  was  at  once  resumed,  and  the  courthouse 
was  completed  in  1878.  at  a  total  cost  of  $21  i.ocx). 

THE  RIFLES  AND  THE  GREYS. 

During  the  interval  between  the  Civil  and  the 
Spanish  wars  there  were  tw-o  local  militia  com- 
jianies  which  brought  much  fame  to  the  Forest 
City.  They  w-ere  the  Rifles  and  the  Greys.  The 
former.  Com])any  K.  was  organized  in  1876.  and 
the  latter.  Company  H.  six  years  afterwards.  The 
Rifles  early  in  their  career,  through  their  pro- 
ficiency in  drill  and  military  standing,  achieved  a 
fame  by  no  means  confined  to  Illinois  alone. 

One  year  after  their  organization  the  Rifles  .saw 
their  first  military  .service.  This  was  during  the 
Rraidw-ood  riot.  In  1893  with  the  Greys  it 
served  in  a  similar  cajiacity. 

The  history  of  Comi)any  K  dates  from  July. 
1S76,  when  the  governor's  guard  of  .S])ringfield 
visited  Rockford.  on  the  occasion  of  the  laying 
of  the  courthouse  corner-stone.  So  favorable 
was  the  impression  made  by  the  visitors  that  a 
call  for  a  similar  independent  military  organiza- 
tion w-as  issued  at  once.  The  first  meeting  for 
organization  was  held  July  22d.  in  (t.  ,\.  R.  hall. 
John  C.  Garver  w-as  chairman.  C.  M.  P>razee 
was  elected  captain  :  George  .\.  Silsby.  first  lieu- 
tenant:  and  II.  X.  Starr,  second  lieutenant. 
Thomas  G.  Lawler  was  elected  drill-master  and 
at  the  third  meeting  there  were  114  men  in  line. 

In  the  following  year  the  state  legislature 
passed  a  law-  jiroviding  for  an  enlisted  militia. 
The  Rifles  promptly  enlisted,  and  became  Com- 
])any  P..  of  the  Third  regiment,  .\fter  a  brief 
service  in  the  P)raidw-ood  riots  the  comjiany  de- 
cided to  give  attention  to  competitive  drills,  and 
in  the  autumn  of  that  year  defeated  the  .Aurora 
Light  Guard. 

In  1879  the  conijiany  participated  in  the  great 
military  encam])ment  and  prize  contest  at  St. 
Louis  in  the  month  of  Octolier.  On  the  w-ay  it 
stopi)ed  at  Springfield  and  particijiatcd  in  a  drill, 
in  which  it  was  defeated  by  the  Moline  troops,  the 
decision  of  the  judges  creating  dissatisfaction 
among  the  spectators.  At  St.  Louis  the  Rifles 
secured  fourth  honors  among  sixteen  entries,  the 
Chickasaw  (niards  being  first.  Company  P>.  First 
infantrv.  Chicago,  second:  and  a  St.  Louis  com- 
pany third. 

In  the  month  of  October  the  company  made 
its  famous  southern  trip  to  participate  in  the  mili- 
tary encampment  at  .\tlanta.  Its  journey  going 
and  returning  was  marked  by  ovations.  The 
Forest  City  band  played  "Dixie"  and  the  w-arm- 
hearted  southerners  immediately  took  the  Rock- 
ford  bovs  to  their  hearts. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


99 


The  Gre_vs  were  mustered  into  service  Decem- 
ber 28,  1882,  by  Major  Henry  N.  Starr.  George 
F.  Adams  was  the  original  captain ;  Fred  C. 
Pierce,  first  lieutenant  and  Donald  Tolmie,  sec- 
ond lieutenant.  Captain  Adams  resigned  the  fol- 
lowing year,  and  was  succeeded  bv  Fred  Pierce. 
He  in  turn  was  succeeded  by  William  G.  Dustin. 
William  C.  Wildt  was  elected  captain  in  1886. 
When  the  latter  moved  up  to  the  major's  position 
Fred  N.  Drake  was  elected  captain.  He  resigned 
March  27,  1893,  and  was  succeeded  by  First  Lieu- 
tenant William  C.  Brogunier. 

Both  companies  have  made  history  that  has  re- 
flected credit  upon  Winnebago  county. 

rockford's  representatives  in  congress. 

The  several  congressional  districts,  of  which 
^^'inncbago  county  has  successively  formed  a  part, 
have  been  represented  in  congress  by  able  gentle- 
men. .Several  were  statesmen  and  specialists  of 
national  and  even  international  reputation.  In 
order  to  make  the  record  complete  a  paragraph 
must  be  devoted  to  the  territorial  organization  of 
Illinois. 

Previous  to  1818,  when  Illinois  became  a  state, 
the  territory  was  represented  in  congress  suc- 
cessively by  three  delegates.  Shadrach  Bond 
served  from  December  3,  1812.  until  October  3, 
1 814.  Benjamin  Stephenson  succeeded  Bond, 
and  served  from  November  14,  1814,  until  April 
29,  1 816.  Nathaniel  Pope  entered  congress  De- 
cember 2,  1816,  as  the  last  territorial  delegate, 
and  remained  until  Illinois  became  a  state  in 
March,  1818. 

From  1818  until  1832,  the  state  of  Illinois  con- 
stituted one  congressional  district.  Daniel  P. 
Cook  was  its  first  representative  in  congress,  and 
served  from  1818  to  1827.  Joseph  Duncan  suc- 
ceeded and  held  his  seat  until  1833. 

The  first  apportionment  proper  was  made  in 
183 1.  The  state  was  divided  into  three  districts. 
Tlie  Third  included  the  northern  half  of  the  state, 
and  was  represented  successively  by  three  con- 
gressmen. Joseph  Duncan  was  elected  in  1832. 
He  resigned  and  Wm.  L.  May,  of  Springfield,  was 
elected  to  complete  the  term.  May  was  re-elected 
as  a  democrat  in  1834  and  1836.  The  latter  year 
was  the  first  in  which  Winnebago  county  voted 
at  a  congressional  election.  John  T.  Stuart,  sub- 
sequently a  law  partner  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  was 
elected  in  1838  over  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  and  was 
re-elected  in  1840.  Lender  the  apportionment  of 
1843,  Joseph  P.  Hogue.  of  Galena,  was  elected  as 
a  democrat  for  the  new  Rockford  district,  and 
re-elected  in  1844,  defeating  Martin  P.  Sweet,  of 
Freeport.  In  1846  Thomas  J.  Turner,  of  Free- 
port,  was  elected  and  served  one  term  as  a 
democrat.  By  the  year  1848  the  whigs  had  again 
come  into  power,  and  the  famous  Colonel  Ed- 
ward D.  Baker  was  elected. 


Colonel  Baker  was  born  in  London,  England, 
February  24,  181 1.  He  came  to  the  United 
States  at  the  age  of  five  years,  with  his  father, 
who  died  in  Philadelphia.  The  son  removed  to 
Springfield,  Illinois.  He  rose  rapidly  to  distinc- 
tion, and  in  1844  he  was  elected  a  member  of 
congress.  He  served  his  adopted  country  with 
signal  ability  in  the  Mexican  war ;  and  upon  his 
return  to  Illinois  he  settled  at  Galena.  After  serv- 
ing one  term  in  congress  he  settled  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, California,  in  1852.  Colonel  Baker  was  a 
brilliant  orator.  His  speech  on  the  death  of  Sen- 
ator Broderick,  of  California,  who  fell  in  a  duel 
with  Judge  Terry,  in  1859,  is  one  of  the  master- 
pieces of  American  oratory.  For  an  hour  the 
homage  of  tears  was  paid  to  Baker's  genius  and 
to  Broderick's  memory.  His  closing  words  are 
remarkable  for  their  pathos :  "The  last  word 
must  be  spoken,  and  the  imperious  mandate  of 
death  must  be  fulfilled.  Thus,  O  brave  heart ! 
we  lay  thee  to  thy  rest.  Thus,  surrounded  by  tens 
of  thousands,  we  leave  thee  to  thy  equal  grave. 
As  in  life  no  other  voice  among  us  so  rang  its 
trumpet  blast  upon  the  ears  of  freeman,  so  in 
death  its  echoes  will  reverberate  amidst  our 
mountains  and  our  valleys  until  truth  and  valor 
cease  to  appeal  to  the  human  heart.  Good 
friend !  true  hero !  hail  and  farewell !" 

Colonel  Baker  was  subsequently  elected  L^nited 
States  senator  from  Oregon.  His  debate  with 
Breckenridge  in  the  senate  in  1861  attracted  na- 
tional attention.  "In  the  history  of  the  senate," 
says  Mr.  Blaine,  "no  more  thrilling  speech  was 
ever  delivered.  The  striking  appearance  of  the 
speaker,  in  the  uniform  of  a  soldier,  his  superb 
voice,  his  graceful  manner,  all  united  to  give  to 
the  occasion  an  extraordinary  interest,  and  at- 
traction." Colonel  Baker  left  his  seat  in  the 
senate  and  entered  military  service.  He  was  killed 
while  commanding  a  brigade  at  the  battle  of  Ball's 
Bluff,  October  21.  1861. 

Col.  Baker  was  succeeded  in  1850  by  Thomp- 
son Campbell,  of  Galena,  as  a  democrat,  who 
served  one  term. 

Lender  the  apportionment  of  1852  the  state  was 
divided  into  nine  districts.  Elihu  B.  Washburne 
served  the  entire  period  of  ten  years  during  which 
this  apportionment  continued.  Mr.  Washburne 
was  first  elected  as  a  whig ;  his  subsequent  elec- 
tions were  as  a  republican. 

Elihu  Benjamin  Washburne  was  a  member  of 
the  celebrated  \\^ashburne  family.  He  was  born 
in  Livermore,  Elaine.  September  23,  1816.  In 
1839  he  entered  the  Harvard  law  school.  Among 
his  classmates  were  Richard  H.  Dana  and  Wil- 
liam M.  Evarts.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1840,  and  at  once  settled  at  Galena,  Illinois,  and 
entered  into  partnership  in  the  practice  of  law 
with  Charles  S.  Hempstead,  one  of  the  incorpor- 
ators of  Rockford  female  seminary.     Mr.  Wash- 


^ 


lOO 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


bume  remained  in  congress  from  1853  until 
March  6,  1869.  From  this  long-  and  honorable 
serv'ice  he  was  familiarly  known  as  the  "Father 
of  the  House,"  and  in  that  capacity  he  adminis- 
tered the  oath  as  speaker  to  Schuyler  Colfax  three 
times,  and  once  to  James  G.  Blaine.  By  reason  of 
his  insistence  that  the  finances  of  the  government 
should  be  administered  with  the  strictest  economy, 
Mr.  Washburne  was  called  the  "Watch-dog  of 
the  Treasury."  Mr.  \\'ashburne  called  the  at- 
tention of  Governor  Yates  to  his  townsman, 
Ulysses  S.  Grant,  who  wished  to  enter  military 
sen'ice.  When  the  hero  of  the  Civil  war  became 
president,  he  honored  his  old  friend  with  the  ap- 
pointment of  secretary  of  state,  and  later  made 
him  minister  to  France.  This  position  he  held 
(luring  the  Franco-Prussian  war.  At  the  request 
of  Bismarck,  and  with  the  permission  of  the 
French  minister  of  foreign  affairs.  Mr.  W'ash- 
burne  exercised  his  official  influence  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  Germans  in  Paris.  When  the  em- 
pire was  overthrown,  Mr.  Washburne  was  the 
first  foreign  rejiresentative  to  recognize  the  new 
republic.  He  remained  in  Paris  during  the  siege, 
and  was  at  his  j)ost  when  the  commune  ruled  the 
city.  Tile  emperor  of  Germany  recognized  his 
services  by  conferring  ui)on  him  the  Order  of 
the  Red  Eagle.  He  declined  this  honor  because 
a  provision  of  the  constitution  of  the  United 
States  prohibited  it.  Upon  Mr.  \\'ashburne's 
resignation  in  1877,  the  emperor  sent  him  his  life- 
size  portrait:  and  he  was  similarly  honored  by 
Bismarck,  Theirs  and  Gambetta.  Mr.  W^ash- 
burne  died  in  Chicago  October  22.  1887. 

The  apportionment  of  1861  divided  the  state 
into  thirteen  districts.  Winnebago  county  formed 
a  part  of  the  Second  district,  and  General  John  F. 
Farnsworth  represented  the  district  during  the 
full  ten  years. 

In  1872  the  state  was  divided  into  nineteen 
districts,  and  Winnebago  formed  a  part  of  the 
Fourth.  General  Steiihen  .\.  Hurlbut,  of  Belvi- 
dere,  was  elected,  over  lion.  S.  G.  Bronson,  then 
of  Rockford.  Gen.  Hurlbut  was  re-elected  over 
Gen.  Farnsworth  in  1874. 

Stephen  .\.  Flurlbut  was  born  in  Giarleston. 
South  Carolina,  in  1815.  and  settled  in 
Belvidere  in  1845.  He  was  the  son  of  a 
Unitarian  clergyman,  and  a  brother  of  Wil- 
liam Henry  Hurlbut,  for  many  years  editor- 
in-chief  of  the  New  York  World.  He  was 
commissioned  a  brigadier-general  in  1861,  com- 
manded the  Fourth  division  at  the  battle  of 
Shiloh,  and  for  that  service  he  was  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  major-general,  and  assigned  to  the 
command  of  the  department  of  the  gulf.  General 
Hurlbut  was  the  first  commander-in-chief  of  the 
Grand  .'\rmy  of  the  Rqiublic ;  was  appointed 
minister-resident  to  the  United  States  of  Colom- 
bia bv  President  Grant.    In  1881  General  Hurlbut 


was  appointed  United  States  minister  to  Peru, 
and  died  at  Lima  in  the  spring  of  the  following 
year.  .Abraham  Lincoln  once  said  that  .^tejjhen 
.\.  Ilurlinit  was  the  ablest  orator  on  the  stump 
that  Illinois  had  ever  produced. 

Hon.  William  Lathrop  was  elected  in  1876, 
and  served  one  term.  He  is  the  only  citizen  of 
R(5ckford  who  ever  held  a  seat  in  congress. 

John  C.  Sherwin,  of  .Aurora,  was  elected  in 
1878,  and  re-elected  in  1880. 

By  the  apportionment  of  1882  Winnebago  was 
attached  to  the  Sixth  district  and  Hon.  Robert  R. 
Hitt  was  its  representative  for  ten  years.  In 
1893  Winnebago  became  a  part  of  the  Ninth  dis- 
trict, and  Mr.  Hitt  also  sen-ed  this  district  ten 
years. 

Congressman  Hitt  was  born  at  Urbana,  Ohio, 
January  16,  1834,  and  moved  to  Ogle  county, 
Illinois,  in  1837.  His  first  public  work  of  note 
was  the  stenographic  report  of  the  famous  Lincoln 
and  Douglas  debates  in  1858.  He  was  first 
United  States  secretary  of  legation  and  charge  d' 
affaires  ad  interim,  at  Paris,  from  1874  to  1881. 
^Ir.  Hitt  was  assistant  secretary  of  .state  of  the 
United  States  in  1881.  when  James  G.  Blaine  was 
at  the  head  of  the  state  department. 

Mr.  Hitt's  continuous  service  of  twenty-three 
years  in  the  house  has  given  him  a  national  repu- 
tation. Fie  has  for  several  years  been  chairman 
of  the  committee  on  foreign  affairs,  and  is  con- 
sidered one  of  the  best  authorities  in  this  coun- 
try- on  international  law.  In  July,  1898.  he  was 
appointed  by  President  McKinley.  a  member  of 
the  commission  to  establish  a  government  for 
Hawaii,  upon  its  annexation  to  the  L'nited  States. 

Edward  D.  Baker,  E.  B.  Washburne,  John  F. 
Farnsworth.  Stephen  A.  Hurlbut  and  Robert  R. 
Hitt  were  men  of  national  reputation  who  have 
served  the  several  districts  in  which  Rockford  has 
from  time  to  time  been  located.  This  record  is 
scarcely  less  notable  than  that  of  the  old  Western 
Reser\'e  district  in  Ohio,  which  was  represented 
by  Elisha  ^^^^ittlesey.  Joshua  R.  Giddings  and 
James  A.  Garfield,  who.se  terms  aggregated  fifty- 
one  years. 

The  apportionment  of  1901  made  Winnebago 
county  a  part  of  the  Twelfth  district.  Judge 
Charles  E.  Fuller,  of  Belvidere,  was  nominated  in 
1902,  without  opposition,  and  elected.  He  was 
also  renominated  in  1904  by  acclamation,  and  re- 
elected. 

Rockford  has  not  been  represented  in  congress 
by  a  democrat  in  fifty-one  years,  since  the  re- 
tirement of  Thompson  Campbell  in  1853. 

WINXEBAGO   C01;NTY    I\    ST.\TE  LF.GISr,.\TURE. 

A  complete  roster  of  the  senators  and  repre- 
sentatives who  have  represented  Winnebago 
county  in  the  .state  legislature  is  given  herewith. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


lOI 


There  have  been  many  apportionments,  and  the 
county  has  had  quite  a  number  of  poHtical  neigh- 
bors. Among  these  since  the  pioneer  days  have 
been  Ogle,  Boone,  McHenry  and  Lake. 

\Mien  Germanicus  Kent  and  Thatcher  Blake 
settled  in  Rockford  in  1834,  what  is  now  Win- 
nebago county  was  a  part  of  senatorial  and  repre- 
sentative districts  which  covered  a  large  portion 
of  northern  Illinois. 

Under  the  apportionment  of  1831  the  counties 
of  Peoria,  Jo  Daviess,  Putnam,  La  Salle  and  Cook 
were  united  in  one  district,  and  had  one  senator 
and  one  representative.  Winnebago  countv.  hav- 
ing been  organized  from  attached  portions  of  La- 
Salle  and  Jo  Daviess,  was  included  in  this  ter- 
ritory. 

At  the  election  of  1832,  James  M.  Strode  was 
elected  senator,  and  Benjamin  Mills,  representa- 
tive. In  1834  James  W\  Stephenson  was  chosen 
senator,  but  he  resigned  and  James  M.  Strode  was 
chosen  his  successor.  John  Hamlin  was  elected 
representative. 

Winnebago  county  was  organized  in  1836,  and 
continued  to  l>e  attached  to  Jo  Daviess  county  in 
all  general  elections  until  the  apportionment  of 
1841.  At  the  general  election  in  1836,  A.  G.  S. 
\\"right,  of  Jo  Daviess,  was  elected  senator,  and 
Elijah  Charles  and  James  Craig  were  elected  rep- 
resentatives. In  1838  George  W.  Harrison  was 
chosen  senator,  and  served  the  district  until  a  new 
apportionment  was  made.  Germanicus  Kent,  of 
Winnebago,  and  James  Craig,  of  Jo  Daviess,  were 
elected  representatives.  In  1840  Thomas  Drum- 
mond,  of  Galena,  and  Hiram  W.  Thornton,  of  Jo 
Daviess,  were  elected  representatives. 

The  apportionment  of  February  26,  1841,  pro- 
vided that  the  county  of  Winnebago  should  have 
one  representative,  Ogle  one  representative,  ''and 
the  two  together  one  senator."  The  first  election 
under  this  apportionment  was  held  in  1842. 
Spooner  Ruggles,  of  Ogle  comity,  was  elected 
senator,  and  served  four  years.  Before  his  term 
had  expired,  however,  Mr.  Ruggles  had  become 
a  citizen  of  Winnebago  county.  In  1846  Anson 
S.  Miller  was  elected  senator  and  sen-ed  two 
years. 

In  1842  Darius  Adams  was  elected  represent- 
ative from  \\^innebago  county,  and  served  one 
term.  In  1844  Anson  S.  Miller  was  elected,  and 
served  one  term  ;  and  in  1846  Robert  J.  Cross  was 
elected  and  served  one  term. 

The  constitution  of  1848  divided  the  state  into 
twenty-five  senatorial  districts,  with  one  member 
each,  and  fifty-four  representative  districts,  with 
a  total  of  seventy-five  members. 

L'nder  this  apportionment,  McHenry,  Boone 
and  Winnebago  counties  constituted  the  Twenty- 
fourth  senatorial  district.  At  the  first  election 
Alfred  E.  Ames,  of  Winnebago  county,  was  elect- 
ed senator.     The  senators,  at  their  first  session 


under  the  new  constitution,  were  divided  by  lot.s 
into  two  classes.  The  seats  of  the  first  class  were 
vacated  at  the  expiration  of  the  second  year,  and 
those  of  the  second  class  at  the  expiration  of  the 
fourth  year,  so  that  one-half  of  the  members  were 
elected  biennially.  Mr.  Ames  drew  the  short  term 
and  served  two  years.  In  1850  Thomas  B.  Tal- 
cott  was  elected  senator,  and  served  four  years. 

LTnder  this  constitutional  apportionment,  Win- 
nebago county  constituted  the  Forty-seventh  rep- 
resentative district,  with  one  member.  Wilson  H. 
Crandall  was  elected  in  1848,  and  served  one- 
term.  Horace  ^filler  was  elected  in  1850,  and 
served  one  term.  In  1852  Abraham  I.  Enoch  was 
elected  and  served  two  years. 

The  act  of  February  27,  1854,  apportioned  the 
representation  in  the  general  assembly  at  twenty- 
five  senators  and  seventy-five  members  of  the 
house,  with  fifty-eight  representative  districts. 
Boone,  Winnebago,  Ogle  and  Carroll  comprised 
the  Third  senatorial  district. 

At  the  election  in  November,  1854,  Wait  Tal- 
cott,  of  Winnebago,  was  elected  senator  for  the 
Third  district,  and  served  the  full  term  of  four 
years.  In  1858  Zenas  Applington,  of  Ogle,  was 
elected,  and  served  four  years. 

The  apportionment  of  1854  made  Winnebago 
county  the  Fifty-third  representative  district,  with 
one  member.  In  November  of  that  year  Wil- 
liam Lyman,  of  Rockford.  was  elected,  and  served 
two  years.  In  1856  William  Lathrop  was  elected 
and  served  one  term.  Elijah  W.  Blaisdell,  Jr., 
was  elected  in  1858,  the  year  of  the  famous  Lin- 
coln and  Douglas  debate.  Mr.  Blaisdell  voted  for 
.\braham  Lincoln  for  L'nited  States  senator.  In 
i860  Alfred  A.  Hale  was  elected  and  served  one 
term. 

By  the  act  of  January  31,  1861,  the  repre- 
sentation was  fixed  at  twenty-five  senators  and 
eighty-five  members.  The  state  was  divided  into 
twenty-five  senatorial  and  si.xty-one  represent- 
ative districts.  Winnebago,  Boone,  McHenry  and 
Lake  constituted  the  Twentv-third  senatorial  dis- 
trict. 

At  the  first  election  on  this  basis,  in  1862, 
Cornelius  Lansing,  of  McHenry,  was  elected 
senator,  and  served  three  years.  Senator  Lansing 
died  August  26,  1865.  In  1866  General  Allen  C. 
Fuller,  of  Belvidere,  was  elected  senator,  and  was 
re-elected  in  1870. 

LTnder  the  apportionment  of  1861,  Winnebago 
county  was  made  the  Fifty-fifth  representative 
district,  with  one  member.  In  1862  Selden  M. 
Church,  of  Rockford,  was  elected,  and  served  one 
term.  In  1864  William  Brown,  of  Rockford,  was 
elected,  and  served  one  term.  Abraham  I.  Enoch 
was  elected  in  1866,  and  served  one  term. 
Ephraim  Sumner  was  elected  in  1868. 

The  representation  in  the  Twenty-seventh 
general    assembly,    which    convened    January    4, 


I02 


PAST     A\D    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


1871.  was  the  first  under  the  constitution  of  1870, 
and  was  apportioneil  by  the  governor  and  sec- 
retary of  state.  There  were  fifty  senators  and 
177  representatives.  The  state  was  divided  into 
twenty-five  senatorial  districts,  and  ninety-seven 
representative  districts.  Winnebago,  lloone,  Mc- 
Henry  and  Lake  comities  constituted  the  Twenty- 
third  senatorial  district.  At  the  election  of  1870 
General  .Mien  C.  Fuller,  of  lielvitlere.  and  John 
Early,  of  Rock  ford,  were  elected  senators. 

Winnebago  county  was  made  the  Ninety-first 
re])resentative  district,  and  at  the  election  of  1S70 
James  M.  Wight  and  D.  Emmons  .\danis  were 
elected  members  of  the  house. 

By  the  act  of  March  i,  1872.  the  state  was 
divided  into  fifty-one  senatorial  districts,  as  pro- 
vided by  the  constitution.  Ivich  district  was  en- 
titled to  one  senator.  Winnebago  and  Boone 
counties  comj^rised  the  .Xiiith  senatorial  district. 
At  the  general  election  in  1872  John  ILirly,  of 
Rockford.  was  elected  senator  for  the  Ninth  dis- 
trict. Tlie  constitution  of  1870  provided  that 
senators  elected  in  1872  .should  vacate  their  of- 
fices at  the  expiration  of  two  years.  Mr.  Early 
was  re-elected  in  1874  for  the  full  tenn  of  four 
years,  but  died  while  in  office,  in  Se])t ember.  1877. 

In  1878  Charles  E.  I'"uller.  of  lielviilere,  was 
elected  senator,  after  a  notable  triangular  contest. 

Under  the  new  constitution  senatorial  and  rep- 
resentative districts  became  identical  for  the  first 
time  in  the  history  of  the  state.  Each  district 
was  entitled  to  three  rej^resentatives. 

In  1872  Robert  J.  Cross  and  Duncan  J.  .Stew- 
art, of  Winnebago  county,  and  Jesse  .^.  Ilildruii. 
of  Boone  county,  were  elected  rejjrescntatives  for 
the  Ninth  senatorial  district.  Mr.  Cross  died  in 
office.  February  15,  1873.  and  Richard  F.  Craw- 
ford was  chosen  to  complete  his  term.  In  1874 
-Andrew  .\shton  and  Ricliard  F.  Crawford,  of 
Winnebago,  and  Myron  K.  .\very.  of  lloone,  were 
electeft.  George  H.  Hollister.  John  Budlong.  and 
Andrew  Ashton,  all  of  Winnebago  countv,  were 
elected  in  1876.  In  1878  Omar  H.  Wright,  of 
Boone,  and  Thomas  Rutterworth  and  Horace  W. 
Taylor,  of  Winnebago,  were  electetl.  In  i88o 
Edward  B.  .Sumner,  of  W'innebago.  and  Omar  II. 
Wright,  of  Belvidcrc,  were  elected  as  rei)ublicans. 
and  Laurence  McDonald,  of  Winnebago,  was  the 
democratic  minority  representative. 

By  the  apportionment  act  of  May.  18S2.  Win- 
nebago and  Ogle  counties  were  united  in  the 
Tentli  senatorial  district. 

The  first  election  under  this  apportioniuent  was 
held  in  1882.  Lsaac  Rice,  of  Ogle  county,  the  hold- 
over senator  from  the  old  Twelfth  district,  had 
two  years  to  serve,  as  it  is  a  iirinciple  of  our 
present  constitutional  law  that  no  man  can  be 
legislated  oiu  of  office.  There  was  therefore  no 
election  of  senator  until  18S4.  when  Edward  B. 
Sumner   was  elected    for   the    full    term   of   four 


years.  Benjaiuin  F.  Sheets,  of  Ogle  county,  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  i^iunner  in  1888,  and  served  four 
years.  In  1892  David  Hunter,  of  W'innebago, 
was  elected  and  served  four  years. 

In  1882  Albert  F.  Brown  and  John  Seyster,  of 
Ogle,  and  Edward  B.  Sumner,  of  Winnebago, 
were  elected  representatives  for  the  Tenth  district. 
Albert  F.  Brown,  republican,  of  Ogle,  David 
Hunter.  repul)Iican,  of  Winnebago,  and  Edward 
M.  Winslow,  democrat,  of  Ogle,  were  elected  in 
1884.  In  1886  David  Hunter,  of  Winnebago. 
James  Lamont.  of  Winiiel)ago,  prohibitionist,  and 
James  P.  Wilson,  republican,  of  Ogle,  were 
elected  representatives.  From  1888  to  1890  David 
Hunter  and  Robert  Simpson,  of  Winnebago,  and 
\Vm.  H.  Co.K,  of  Ogle,  represented  the  district.  In 
1890  James  P.  Wilson  and  Prescott  Talbot,  of 
Ogle,  and  David  Hunter,  of  W'innebago,  were 
elected.  In  i8y2  James  P.  Wilson  and  Prescott 
H.  Talbot,  of  Ogle  county,  and  Lars  M.  Noling. 
of  W'innebago,  were  elected  representatives. 

By  the  apportionment  act  of  June  15,  1893, 
W^innebago  and  Ogle  counties  were  continued  as 
the  Tenth  district. 

The  first  election  for  senator  under  this  ap- 
portionment was  held  in  1896.  when  Delos  ^^^ 
Baxter,  of  Roclielle.  was  elected  senator  for  the 
full  term.  In  1900  Henry  Andrus.  of  Winne- 
bago, was  elected  senator,  and  his  term  expired 
January  i.  1905. 

The  first  election  for  representatives  under  this 
apportionment  was  in  1894.  when  Lars  M.  Noling 
and  C.  Harry  Woolsey,  of  Winnebago,  and  X'iclor 
H.  Bovey.  f)f  Ogle,  were  elected  for  this  district. 
In  1896  Lars  M.  Noling  and  Henry  Andrus.  of 
Winnebago,  and  ^'ictor  H.  Piovey.  of  Ogle,  all 
rei)ublicans,  were  elected.  In  1898  Henry  .Andrus 
and  I'rank  S.  Regan,  of  Winnebago,  and  James 

A.  Countryman,  of  Ogle,  were  elected.  In  1900 
James  .\.  Countryman  and  James  P.  Wilson,  of 
Ogle,  and  David  Hunter,  of  Winnebago,  were 
elected. 

l>y  the  act  of  May  10,  npr.  Winnelxigo  and 
Ogle  counties  were  for  a  third  time  made  the 
Tenth  senatorial  district. 

.\t  the  election  in  1902  Frederick  Haines,  rc- 
])ublican.  of  W^innebago.  Johnson  Lawrence,  re- 
])ublican,  of  Ogle,  and  James  P.  Wilson,  demo- 
crat, of  Ogle,  were  elected  representatives. 

B.  McHenry,  of  Ogle,  were  elected  representa- 
tives. 

At  the  general  election  in  November.  1904.  .A. 
J.  .Anderson  was  elected  senator,  and  Frederick 
Haines  and  C.  E.  Martin,  of  Winnebago,  and  W. 
P..  McHenry.  of  Ogle,  were  elected  represent- 
atives. 

jrouiAi.   iiisroRV — circuit   rencii. 

The  first  circuit  court  held  in  Winnebago 
county  convened  ( )ctober  Ct.  1837.  at  the  house  of 


PAST     AND     TRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


103 


Daniel  S.  Haight.  This  was  the  frame  huilding 
which  stood  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Madison 
and  State  streets,  a  part  of  which  is  now  on  the 
northeast  corner  of  Second  and  Wahiut  streets. 
Hon.  Daniel  Stone,  of  Galena,  was  the  presiding 
judge.  Seth  B.  Farwell  was  appointed  state's 
attorney  pro  tern ;  and  James  Mitchell,  then  of 
Jo  Daviess  county,  was  made  clerk. 

Under  the  first  constitution  of  Illinois,  the 
justices  of  the  supreme  court  and  the  judges  of 
the  inferior  courts  were  elected  by  joint  ballot  of 
the  legislature.  This  made  the  courts  in  a  sense, 
the  creatures  of  the  legislature,  rather  than  a  co- 
ordinate branch  of  the  government.  The  legisla- 
ture is  always  governed  more  or  less  by  partisan 
expediency,  and  the  reflex  action  u]ion  the  judi- 
ciary compromised  its  independence. 

The  first  judicial  apportionment  which  afifected 
Winnebago  county  was  the  act  of  the  legislature 
of  January  17.  1835,  by  which  the  state  was 
divided  into  six  judicial  circuits. 

Under  this  first  apportionment,  what  is  now 
Winnebago  county  formed  a  part  of  the  Sixth 
circuit.  Thomas  Ford  was  commissioned  Janu- 
ary ly,  1835,  but  he  never  presided  over  a  court 
within  the  present  limits  of  Winnebago  county. 
Judge  Ford  resigned  in  March.  1837,  and  was 
elected  governor  in  1842.  He  was  the  author  of 
Ford's  History  of  Illinois,  an  historical  classic. 
Judge  Ford  was  succeeded  by  Judge  Stone,  who 
was  commissioned  March  4,  1837. 

Judge  Stone,  a  native  of  \'ermont,  became  a 
member  of  the  Springfield  bar  in  1833.  Upon  his 
elevation  to  the  bench,  he  was  assigned  to  the 
northwestern  part  of  the  state,  and  removed  to 
Galena.  Judge  Stone  was  legislated  out  of  office 
in  1 84 1.  He  removed  a  few  years  later  from  the 
state,  and  died  in  New  Jersey. 

The  Seventh  judicial  circuit  was  created  Feb- 
ruar\-  4.  1837,  and  February  23,  1839,  the  Eighth 
and  Ninth  circuits  were  created.  Judges  were 
appointed  for  these  additional  circuits. 

The  judiciarv  of  the  state  was  reorganized  in 
1841  by  a  statute  which  repealed  all  former  laws 
authorizing  the  election  of  circuit  judges,  who 
were  legislated  out  of  office.  The  state  was 
divided  into  nine  circuits.  Additional  justices  of 
the  supreme  court  were  appointed,  who  were  re- 
quired to  do  circuit  duty.  The  judiciary,  as  thus 
organized,  was  continued  until  the  entire  system 
of  an  appointive  judiciary  was  swept  away  by  the 
new  constitution  of  1848. 

Under  this  new  system  the  first  judge  assigned 
to  circuit  duty  in  Rockford  was  Hon.  Thomas 
C.  Browne,  who  presided  at  the  first  term  of  court 
in  the  courthouse  completed  in  1844.  James 
Mitchell  was  clerk,  and  G.  A.  Sanford.  sheriff^. 
Judge  Browne  was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and 
came  to  Illinois  before  its  organization  as  a  state. 
Upon   the  adoption  of  the  first  constitution,  he 


was  elevated  to  the  supreme  bench,  and  served 
continuously  thirty  years,  until  the  reorganiza- 
tion of  the  judiciary  under  the  constitution  of 
1848.  An  attempt  was  made  before  the  legisla- 
ture in  1843  to  impeach  his  ability  as  a  judge. 
Nearly  every  attorney  of  the  Winnebago  county 
bar  signed  a  petition  for  his  removal,  but  the  at- 
tempt resulted  in  failure.  Judge  Browne  died  in 
San  Francisco,  California,  about  1857. 

Hon.  Jesse  B.  Thomas  succeeded  Judge 
Browne  in  1847  ^^  presiding  judge  of  Winne- 
bago county,  and  served  until  the  judiciary  sys- 
tem was  changed  in  1848.  Judge  Thomas  first 
held  the  position  of  circuit  judge  from  1837  to 
1839.  In  1843  he  became  associate  judge  of  the 
supreme  court  by  appointment  of  the  governor, 
as  successor  to  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  and  was  sub- 
sequently elected  by  the  legislature  to  the  same 
office.    He  died  in  Chicago  February  21,  1850. 

Hon.  Hugh  T.  Dickey  was  the  first  judge  to 
preside  in  Rockford  after  the  adoption  of  the 
second  constitution.  Hugh  Thompson  Dickey 
came  to  Illinois  from  New  York  in  1840.  and  set- 
tled in  Chicago.  In  September,  1848,  he  was 
elected  judge  of  the  Seventh  judicial  circuit.  He 
died  in  New  York,  his  native  city,  June  2,  1892. 

Hon.  Hugh  Henderson,  of  Joliet,  succeeded 
Judge  Dickey,  and  presided  in  1848  and  1849. 
He  died  soon  afterward,  and  little  is  known  of 
him. 

Judge  Benjamin  R.  Sheldon  succeeded  Judge 
Henderson.  Judge  Sheldon  was  a  native  of  jMas- 
sachusetts.  He  came  to  Illinois  at  an  early  day, 
and  resided  first  at  Hennepin,  and  later  at  Galena. 
He  was  elected  in  1848  judge  of  the  Sixth  circuit, 
which  was  afterward  divided,  and  he  was  as- 
signed to  the  Fourteenth  circuit.  He  remained 
on  the  circuit  bench  until  1870.  when  he  was  elect- 
ed a  justice  of  the  supreme  bench,  presiding  as 
chief  justice  in  1877.  He  was  re-elected  in  1879, 
and  retired  in  1888.  Judge  Sheldon  then  became 
a  resident  of  Rockford,  where  he  died  April  13, 
1897.  He  left  an  estate  valued  at  $2,000,000. 
He  bequeathed  $10,000  to  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  of  Rockford.  and  $10,000 
to  Rockford  College, 

Hon.  William  Brown  was  the  first  citizen  of 
Rockford  to  be  elected  to  the  circuit  bench.  Judge 
Brown  was  a  native  of  England,  born  in  Cum- 
berland, June  I,  1819.  His  father's  family  came 
to  America  in  1827,  and  settled  in  New  York. 
The  son  read  law  in  Rome,  and,  after  being  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar,  came  to  Rockford  in  1846.  In 
1852  Mr.  Brown  was  elected  by  a  large  majority 
state's  attorney  for  the  Fourteenth  judicial  cir- 
cuit, comprising  Winnebago,  Stephenson  and  Jo 
Daviess  counties,  serving  for  four  years.  Mr. 
Brown  was  elected  mayor  of  Rockford  in  1857, 
and  in  1864  he  was  chosen  member  of  the  legis- 
lature.    In  1870  ^Ir.  Brown  was  elected  a  judge 


I04 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


of  the  circuit  court,  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned 
by  the  promotion  of  Judge  Sheldon  to  the  su- 
preme bench.  Under  the  judicial  apportionment 
of  March  28.  1873.  Jo  Daviess.  Stephenson  and 
Winnelxiijo  counties  formed  the  First  circuit.  In 
the  following  June  Judge  I'.rown  was  elected  for 
the  full  tenii  of  six  years.  He  was  subsequently 
elected  for  two  full  terms,  making  a  total  period 
of  over  t^venty  years  on  the  bench.  Judge  I'.rown 
died  January  15,  1891. 

By  the  apportionment  of  1873  the  legislature, 
in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  constitu- 
tion of  1870.  divided  tlie  state,  exclusive  of  Cook 
county,  into  twenty-six  judicial  circuits.  In  1877 
the  legislature,  in  order  to  increase  the  number  of 
circuit  judges,  and  to  provide  for  the  organiza- 
tion of  appellate  courts,  divided  the  state,  outside 
of  Cook  county,  into  thirteen  districts,  and  pro- 
vided for  the  election  of  one  additional  judge  in 
each  district.  In  August,  1877,  one  additional 
judge  for  each  circuit  was  elected  for  two  years, 
making  three  judges  in  each  district. 

I'nder  this  act,  in  force  July  i,  1877.  the  First 
judicial  circuit,  of  which  Winnebago  county 
formed  a  part,  was  consolidated  with  the  Third 
circuit,  and  made  the  Thirteenth.  By  this  ap- 
portionment Judge  Hcaton.  formerly  of  the  Third 
circuit,  and  Judge  Bailey  became  judges  of  the 
circuit  court  of  \\'innebago  county,  in  addition  to 
Judge  Brown. 

Hon.  William  W.  Heaton  was  a  native  of  New 
York,  and  settled  at  Dixon,  Illinois,  in  1840.  In 
1861  he  was  elected  judge  of  the  Twenty-second 
circuit,  and  occupied  a  seat  upon  the  liench, 
through  repeated  re-elections,  until  his  death.  De- 
ceml)er  26.  1877,  while  ser\-ing  as  a  member  of 
the  ajipellate  court  for  the  First  district. 

Judge  Joseph  M.  Bailey,  a  native  of  New  York, 
settled  in  Freeport,  Illinois,  in  1856,  and  began 
the  practice  of  law.  His  first  election  to  the 
bench  in  1877  was  for  two  years,  l)ut  he  was  re- 
elected in  1879  and  1885.  He  was  several  times 
assigned  to  duty  on  the  ajipellate  bench,  and  in 
1888  he  was  elected  to  the  Ix^nch  of  the  supreme 
court.  Judge  Bailev  died  in  office  October  16. 
1895. 

Hon.  John  V.  Eustace  came  to  Illinois  in  1842 
from  Philadelphia,  his  native  city.  He  settled  in 
Dixon,  where  he  resided  until  his  death.  He  was 
first  elected  circuit  judge  in  1857.  and  served  one 
term.  In  March.  1878,  he  was  again  elevated  to 
the  bench  to  succeed  Judge  Heaton.  He  was  re- 
elected in  1879.  and  again  in  1885.  Judge  Eus- 
tace died  in  Dixon  in  1888. 

Judge  John  D.  Crabtree  was  a  native  of  Eng- 
land, and  emigrated  to  .America  in  the  early  ■40s. 
He  went  from  Chicago  to  Pecatonica.  where  he 
worked  on  a  farm  for  the  late  Ephraim  Sumner. 
He  then  made  his  home  in  Lee  count v,  where  hi« 
entire  subsequent  life  was  spent.     He  was  state 


senator  for  the  Nineteenth  district  in  the  thirty- 
fifth  general  assembly,  where  he  was  a  colleague 
of  Hon.  E.  B.  Sumner.  June  4.  1888,  he  was 
elected  judge  of  the  Thirteenth  circuit,  to  suc- 
ceed Judge  Bailey.  June  i,  1891,  he  was  re- 
elected for  the  full  term.  Judge  Crabtree  died 
suddenly  at  Ottawa,  May  22,  1902,  while  attend- 
ing a  session  of  the  appellate  court. 

Judge  James  H.  Cartwright  is  a  son  of  Rev. 
Peter  Cartwright,  the  famous  pioneer  Methodist 
preacher.  He  began  the  practice  of  law  at  Ore- 
gon, in  Ogle  county,  in  1870.  In  1888  he  was 
elected  circuit  judge  to  succeed  Judge  Eustace, 
and  in  1891  he  was  assigned  to  appellate  duty.  In 
1895  he  was  elected  justice  of  the  supreme  court 
to  succeed  Judge  Bailey,  and  re-elected  in  1897. 

Hon.  James  Shaw  is  a  native  of  Ireland.  His 
career  as  an  attorney  began  at  Mount  Carroll.  Il- 
linois. He  served  eight  years  in  the  Illinois  house 
of  representatives,  and  was  speaker  of  that  body 
in  1877.  In  1 89 1  he  was  elected  judge  for  the 
Thirteenth  circuit,  and  in  1897  he  was  re-elected 
for  the  Fifteenth  circuit,  under  the  last  appor- 
tionment. 

John  C.  Garver  was  a  native  of  Winnebago 
county.  He  was  born  on  a  farm  near  Pecatonica. 
He  took  a  full  collegiate  course  at  Wittcnburg 
College,  Springfield.  Ohio,  and  studied  law  under 
the  tutorshiji  of  General  Keifer,  at  one  time  speak- 
er of  the  lower  house  of  congress.  In  1871  Mr. 
Garver  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  began  the 
practice  of  his  profession  in  Rockford.  In  1872 
he  was  elected  state's  attorney  of  Winnebago 
county,  and  re-elected  in  1876.  In  1896  Mr.  Gar- 
ver was  elected  to  the  circuit  bench,  to  succeed 
Judge  James  Cartwright,  upon  the  elevation  of 
the  latter  to  the  supreme  bench.  Judge  Girver 
was  elected  judge  of  the  Seventeenth  circuit,  un- 
der the  apportionment  of  1897.  Judge  Garver 
died  November  27.  1901. 

Under  the  apportioimient  of  1897.  McHenry, 
Boone,  Lake  and  Winnebago  counties  constituted 
the  Seventeenth  circuit.  In  June  of  that  year  Hon. 
Giarles  IT.  Donnelly,  of  Waukcgan.  and  Hon. 
Charles  E.  Ftdler  were  elected  with  Judge  Gar- 
ver, already  noted. 

Hon.  Giarles  E.  Fuller  is  a  native  of  Boone 
county,  where  his  entire  life  has  been  spent.  He 
was  born  in  Flora  township  in  1849.  After  his 
admission  to  the  bar  in  1870  his  rise  to  political 
prominence  was  very  rapid.  Ilis  first  office  was 
that  of  citv  attorney  of  Belvidere.  In  1876  he 
was  elected  state's  attorney  of  Boone  county.  Two 
vears  later  he  was  elected  state  senator  after  a 
bitter  contest  that  has  Ix^come  historic.  Judge 
Fullers'  legislative  experience  covers  eight  years 
in  the  state  senate,  and  six  in  the  house.  In  the 
memorable  struggle  over  the  I'nited  State  sen- 
atorship  in  1885,  Mr.  Fuller  was  the  recognized 
leader   of   the    "Famous    103."    which    stood    to- 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


105 


gether  until  the  re-election  of  General  John  A. 
Logan  was  accomplished,  after  a  contest  of  four 
months.  In  1897  Mr.  Fuller  was  elected  judge 
of  the  Seventeenth  circuit  for  the  full  term  of  six 
years.  In  1902  Judge  Fuller  was  nominated 
member  of  congress  for  the  Twelfth  district  with- 
out opposition,  and  in  1904  he  was  renominated 
with  the  same  unique  distinction.  While  Judge 
Fuller's  temper  is  pre-eminently  that  of  a  parlia- 
mentary leader,  yet  he  achieved  the  reputation  as 
one  of  the  fairest  judges  upon  the  local  bench. 

Upon  the  death  of  Judge  Garver.  Hon.  A.  H. 
Frost  was  elected  in  1902  to  fill  the  unexpired 
term.  Judge  Frost  was  born  in  A'ermont,  May 
12,  1856.  In  1861  he  came  to  Rockford,  where 
he  has  since  resided.  Judge  Frost  read  law  in  the 
office  of  the  late  Major  N.  C.  Warner,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  January  19,  1879.  For  some 
years  thereafter  he  served  Rockford  as  police 
magistrate.  He  was  elected  state's  attorney  of 
Winnebago  county  in  1892,  and  re-elected  in  i8g6 
and  1900.  This  office  he  resigned  February  24, 
1902. 

The  election  of  Judge  Fuller  as  member  of 
congress  involved  his  retirement  from  the  bench, 
and  at  the  judicial  election  held  in  June,  1903, 
Hon.  A.  H.  Frost,  Charles  H.  Donnelly  and  Hon. 
Robert  W.  Wright  were  elected  judges  of  the 
Seventeenth  circuit  for  the  full  term  of  six  years. 

Judge  Wright  is  the  youngest  judge  who  ever 
sat  upon  the  circuit  bench  in  Rockford.  He  is 
the  elder  son  of  the  late  Hon.  O.  H.  Wright,  of 
Belvidere,  who  once  represented  Rockford  district 
in  the  state  legislature.  Judge  Wright  was  born 
July  I,  1862.  He  read  law  in  his  father's  office, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
one.  In  1884  he  was  elected  state's  attorney  of 
Boone  county,  and  was  re-elected  in  1888.  1892 
and  1896,  serving  sixteen  years. 

Judge  Charles  H.  Donnelly  is  a  native  of 
Woodstock,  Illinois,  where  he  was  born  August 
22,  1835.  He  received  his  collegiate  education  at 
Notre  Dame  University,  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  January,  1877.  From  1883  to  1891  he  was 
city  attorney  of  Woodstock.  In  1886  he  was 
elected  captain  of  Company  G,  Third  Regiment. 
Illinois  National  Guard,  which  position  he  held 
until  1892.  In  i8go  he  was  elected  county  judge, 
and  served  until  June,  1897,  when  he  resigned 
and  was  elected  a  judge  of  the  Seventeenth  cir- 
cuit. Judge  Donnelly  was  re-elected  in  1903.  In 
July,  1902,  Judge  Donnelly  heard  the  arguments 
in  the  locally  famous  library  site  case,  in  cham- 
bers at  Woodstock. 

PROB,\TE    AND    COUNTY    JUDGES. 

Previous  to  1837  a  judge  of  probate  was  ap- 
pointed for  each  county  by  the  legislature.  In 
1837  the  office  was  made  elective,  with  the  title 
of  probate  justice  of  the  peace,  to  be  filled  by  a 


vote  of  the  people.  The  constitution  of  1848 
brought  this  court  to  an  end,  and  transferred  its 
powers  to  the  judge  of  the  county  court. 

Milton  Kilburn  was  the  first  judge  of  probate, 
and  served  from  1836  to  1837.  Mr.  Kilburn  was 
a  settler  of  1835. 

Charles  I.  Horsman  was  the  second  judge  of 
probate,  and  held  the  office  from  1837  to  1838. 
Mr.  Horsman  came  to  Rockford  in  1836,  with 
his  bride,  the  only  daughter  of  Abiram  Morgan. 
Mr.  Horsman  was  one  of  the  best  known  citi- 
zens of  Winnebago  county. 

Anson  Barnum  was  the  third  probate  judge, 
and  held  the  office  from  1838  to  1841.  He  was  a 
son  of  Ezra  Barnum,  the  first  shoemaker  of  the 
village.     The  family  settled  in  Rockford  in  1835. 

John  W.  Taylor  held  the  office  from  1841  to 
1843.  He  was  a  prominent  citizen  of  early  Rock- 
ford. and  a  brother-in-law  of  the  late  T.  D.  Rob- 
ertson. 

Bela  Shaw  was  probate  justice  of  the  peace 
from  1843  to  1849.  Judge  .Shaw  came  to  Rock- 
ford in  the  later  '30s.  He  died  suddenlv.  Alav 
31,    1865. 

Selden  M.  Church  was  the  first  county  judge 
under  the  constitution  of  1848,  and  held  the  of- 
fice froiu  1849  to  1837.  Judge  Church  was  a 
member  of  the  constitutional  convention  of  1847, 
and  later  was  a  member  of  the  legislature. 

Anson  S.  Miller  succeeded  Judge  Church,  and 
served  from  1857  to  1863.  Judge  ililler  also 
served  at  various  times  as  senator,  representative 
and  postmaster.  He  was  a  brother  of  Cyrus  F. 
and  Asher  Miller. 

Abram  S.  Van  Dyke,  of  Pecatonica,  was  elected 
in  1863,  and  served  until  1873,  when  he  resigned, 
just  before  the  expiration  of  his  term. 

Judge  R.  C.  Bailey  was  first  chosen  in  1873  to 
fill  the  unexpired  term  of  Judge  Van  Dyke.  At 
the  county  election  in  that  year  he  was  elected, 
and  has  held  the  office  thirty-two  years.  This 
long  service  on  the  bench  is  without  parallel  in 
the  history  of  Winnebago  county,  and,  so  far  as 
known  to  the  writer,  is  without  precedent  in  Illi- 
nois. Judge  Bailey  was  born  in  Auburn,  Maine, 
July  28.  1833,  and  was  graduated  from  the  scien- 
tific department  of  Amherst  College,  Massachu-' 
setts,  in  1833.  He  came  to  Rockford  and  entered 
the  profession  of  civil  engineer,  which  he  fol- 
lowed until  1838,  when  he  took  up  the  study  of 
law,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  August  18.  i860. 
He  practiced  in  this  citv  until  he  was  elected  to 
his  present  position.  His  pleasant  bearing  and 
judicial  fairness  have  made  him  .'in  'deal  official, 
and  the  honor  bestowed  upon  him  is  a  partial 
demonstration  of  the  esteem  in  whxh  he  is  held. 

RO.STER   OF   COUNTY    CLERKS. 

Under  the  first  constitution  this  officer  was 
clerk  of  the  countv  commissioners'  court.     From 


io(i 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


1841^  t(i  1835  1k'  was  till'  ck-rk  of  the  (.-niiiiix  court 
and  of  the  btiard  of  supervisors.  In  tlie  latter 
year  a  separate  clerk  was  apiiointed  by  the  board, 
under  a  special  act  of  the  legislature.  These  offi- 
cers were  subsequently  united.  The  following 
n.iined  citizens  have  served  as  county  clerk: 

Don  .\loiizo  Si)auldiiig.  1836  to  1837:  Nathan- 
iel Looniis,  1837  to  1838:  .\nsi>n  lianiuni.  1838  Id 
1840:  Sehlen  M.  Church.  1840  to  1847;  Benja- 
min .\.  Rose.  1847  '"  1849:  \Vniiani  Hulin,  1844 
to  .\i)ril  2.  iSs5  ;  Duncan  Ferguson.  1855  to  1856; 
E.  S.  Gaylord.  1856  to  1867:  I.  S.  Hyatt.  1867 
to  1869;  T.  I.  Laniont,  1869  to  1873;  !>.  F.  Lee. 
1873  to  1877;  Thomas  Bell.  1877  to  1886;  Mar- 
cus .\.  .Norton,  to  date,  a  period  of  nineteen  years. 

BOOKS     WRITTEN     IIV    ROCKFORl)     PEOPLE. 

Rock  ford  has  never  assumed  the  role  of  polit- 
ical dictator  outside  of  its  own  area  of  local  inter- 
ests. Perhaps,  however,  there  are  comjiensations 
and  balances  in  communal  as  well  as  individual 
life.  Certain  it  is  that  our  city  lias  jiroduced  a 
goodly  number  of  what  the  late  Senator  Zach 
Chandler  called  "literary  fellers."  The  general 
reader  will  doubtless  be  surprised  to  learn  that 
not  less  than  eighty  books  have  been  written  by 
persons  who  have  been,  for  a  greater  or  lesser 
|)eriod.  actual  residents  of  Rockford.  Only  .i 
small  number,  however,  have  been  written  while 
the  aiuhors  claimed  Rockford  as  their  home.  The 
majority  attained  this  distinctinn  after  removal 
to  other  fields.  It  is.  therefore,  in  no  invidious 
sense  that  it  may  be  said  that  Rockford  is  a  good 
])lace  from  which  to  emigrate.  It  is  the  ])ur])osc 
of  this  chapter  to  present  as  comjilete  a  list  as 
Ijossible  of  these  authors. 

David  (;.  Croly  and  his  famous  wife.  "Jennie 
June."  edited  the  Rockford  Daily  .News  from 
I-'ebruary  1859,  to  April,  i860.  Mr.  Croly  subse- 
(|Uently  became  city  etlitor  of  the  New  York 
World,  and  later  its  managing  editor.  He  wrote 
"Lives  of  Seymour  and  Blair."  "A  History  of  Re- 
construction." and  ".\  Primer  of  Positivism." 

"Jennie  June"  is  best  known  to  the  world  as  the 
editor  of  Demorest's  .Magazine.  .Mrs.  Croly's  ])en 
name  uf  "Jennie  June"  was  derived  from  a  little 
^)oem  written  by  Benjamin  F.  Taylor,  sent  to  her 
when  she  was  about  twelve  years  old,  by  her  pas- 
tor, with  the  name  underlined,  because,  he  said. 
"You  are  the  Juniest  little  girl  I  know."  Mrs. 
Croly's  books  are :  "Talks  on  Women's  Toi^ics." 
"T'or  lietter  or  Worse."  "Thrown  l'])on  her  Own 
Resources."  "Knitters  and  Crochet."  "Letters  and 
.Monograms."  "Cookery  l!ook  for  Young  Begin- 
ners." "History  of  the  Woman's  Club  Move- 
ment." 

Itishop  John  H.  N'incent.  who  has  achieved 
world-wide  fame  as  the  founder  of  the  ChaiUau(|ua 
Literary  and  Scientific  Circle,  was  [lastor  of  the 


Court  Street  .M.  F.  church  from  1861  to  1864. 
During  this  pastorate  he  took  a  trip  to  Europe  in 
company  with  Hon.  R.  H.  Tinker.  Bishop  \'in- 
cent's  published  works  arc :  "The  Modern  Sun- 
day School."  "Studies  in  Young  Life."  "Little 
l-'ootjirints  in  Bible  Lands,"  "The  Church.  School 
.'ind  Sundav  School  Institutes."  "ICarthly  I'oot- 
prints  of  the  Man  of  (ialilee."  "Better  .Not,"  "The 
Chautauqua  Movement."  "To  Old  Piethlehem." 
"Outline  Histories  of  England.  Greece  and 
Rome,"  "Our  Own  Qiurch." 

Rev.  E.  C.  .Mitchell,  the  first  jiastor  of  the  State 
Street  Baptist  church,  was  subset|uently  profes- 
sor of  Piiblical  literature  at  Shurtleff  College,  pro- 
fessor of  Hebrew  in  Regent's  I 'ark  College.  Lon- 
don, and  hekl  similar  positions  at  .Nashville,  New 
Orleans  and  Paris,  France.  Mr.  Mitchell  revised 
and  edited  Davies'  Hebrew  and  Chaldee  Lexicon. 
With  this  he  issued  "The  Principles  of  Hebrew 
Grammar."  In  1880  he  issued  a  new  translation 
of  (jesenius'  Hebrew  Grammar. 

Dr.  Henry  M.  Goodwin,  for  twenty-one  years 
]iastor  of  the  h'irst  Congregatit)nal  church,  was  a 
gentleman  of  scholarly  tastes.  In  1875  he  i)ub- 
lished  his  work.  "Christ  and  Humanity."  which 
was  dedicated  "To  Horace  Bushnell.  my  revered 
friend  and  teacher,  whose  profound  and  sancti- 
fied genius  has  made  the  world  his  debtor,  and 
whose  eminent  services  to  Christianity  in  the  re- 
conciliation of  faith  and  reason  awail  thr  \-t,'rdiot 
of  the  future  ages." 

In  1864  Rev.  Mead  Holmes  ])ublished  a  memoir 
of  his  only  son.  Mead  Holmes.  Jr..  with  the  title. 
■'.\  Soldier  of  the  Cumberland."  This  young  .sol- 
dier fell  at  Murfreesboro,  Tennessee.  .Ajiril  12. 
iSCfi,.  at  the  age  of  twentv-one  vears. 

Mary  F.  Holmes.  Ph.  'D..  i)ublishe(l  in  1887 
"The  Morphology  of  the  Carinae  l'i)on  the  Septa 
of  Rugose  Corals.  "  The  book,  finely  illustrated, 
bears  the  imprint  of  a  Boston  publishing  lu)use. 
The  work  was  presented  as  a  thesis  for  the  de- 
gree of  Doctor  of  Philosophy,  in  the  L^niversity 
of  Michigan,  and  is  signed  by  Professor  . Alexan- 
der \\"inchell.  the  well-known  scientist  and  author 
of  "Preadaiuites." 

Mrs.  S.  M.  I.  Henry  was  one  of  the  first  wom- 
en to  devote  her  life  to  gospel  temperance  work- 
in  a  public  maiuicr.  Her  writings  arc:  ".\fter 
the  Truth  Series,"  "X'ictoria,''  "Pledge  and 
Cross,"  "\'oice  of  the  Home,"  "Mabel's  Work," 
"One  More  Chance,"  "P>eforehand."  "Marble 
Cross."  "L'nanswered  Prayer."  "Frances  Ray- 
mond's Investment." 

The  late  l''liiah  W.  Blaisdill  was  a  man  of 
versatile  talents,  .\bout  twenty-five  years  ago  he 
wrote  "The  Hidden  Record,"  a  novel,  the  scene 
of  whicli  was  laid  in  the  war  of  181 2.  The  book 
was  ])ublished  by  the  Lippincotts,  of  Philadel- 
phia.    .\  short  tiiuc  before  his  death   Mr.  Blais- 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


107 


dell  completed  "The  Rajah,"  a  political  burlescjue, 
and  "Eva,  the  General's  Daughter,"  foimded  on 
incidents  of  the  Black  Hawk  war. 

Rev.  Henry  C.  Mabie,  D.  D.,  formerly  pastor 
of  the  State  Street  Baptist  church,  was  in  1890 
chosen  home  secretary  of  the  American  Baptist 
Missionary  Union.  Previous  to  entering  upon  his 
duties,  he  made  a  tour  of  the  mission  fields,  which 
were  to  come  under  his  supervision.  His  obser- 
vations were  published  under  the  title  "In  Bright- 
est Asia." 

The  late  Mrs.  Mary  Braiiiard,  an  old  resident 
of  Rockford,  was  a  hospital  nurse  during  the 
Civil  war.  She  published  three  volumes  of  verse : 
"Esther  Gray  and  ( )ther  Poems,"  "Memorial 
Pictures  of  War  and  Peace,"  "Heart  Offerings." 
Robert  P.  Porter,  superintendent  of  the  elev- 
enth census,  and  widely  known  as  a  writer  on 
economic  subjects,  began  his  newspaper  career 
as  city  editor  of  the  Rockford  Gazette.  His  books 
are :  "The  West  in  1880,"  "Life  of  William  Mc- 
Kinlev,"  "Municipal  Ownership  at  Home  and 
Abroad,"   "Industrial   Cuba." 

The  later  Frederick  C.  Pierce,  another  city  edi- 
tor of  the  Gazette,  made  a  specialty  of  compiling 
genealogies.  His  last  achievement  was  a  "Gene- 
alogy of  the  Field  Family,"  for  Marshall  Field, 
the  merchant  prince  of  Chicago.  This  work  is  in 
two  large  volumes,  and  a  copy  has  been  presented 
to  the  public  library.  While  in  Rockford  Mr. 
Pierce  published  "Picturesque  and  Descriptive 
History  of  the  City  of  Rockford,"  and  "The  Life 
of  Hon.  Robert  M.  A.  Hawk."  member  of  con- 
gress. 

Professor  J.  D.  S.  Riggs,  late  of  Ottawa  Uni- 
versity, Kansas,  spent  many  years  of  his  early  life 
in  Rockford.  His  father  was  a  charter  member 
of  the  State  Street  Baptist  church.  Professor 
Riggs  has  published  "In  Latinuni,"  a  Latin  text- 
book founded  on  Caesar,  which  was  formerly 
used  in  the  Rockford  high  school. 

Professor  Henry  Freeman  published  in  1873 
a  book  entitled  "Wonders  of  the  \\'orld."  It  is 
a  work  both  of  compilation  and  original  work. 
It  bears  the  imprint  of  a  Boston  publisher. 
.^  Dr.  George  W.  Brown's  "Researches  in  Ori- 
■'''ental  History"  has  had  four  editions.  It  is  an  in- 
quirv  into  the  origin  of  Judai.sm,  Zoroasticism 
and  Christianity.  "Or.  Brown  founded  the  first 
free  state  paper  in  Kansas.  It  was  called  the 
Herald  of  Freedom,  published  at  Lawrence.  The 
doctor  has  bound  files  of  this  paper  in  his  office. 
Dr.  Brown  clainis  the  distinction  of  furnishing  a 
truthful  statement  of  the  alleged  adoption  of  the 
Lecompton  constitution  to  Stephen  A.  Douglas, 
upon  which  the  senator  repudiated  that  measure 
and  broke  with  the  Buchanan  wing  of  the  de- 
mocracy. 

Rev.'  Frank    P.   Woodbury   published   in    1883 
"Luther   and   the   Annals   of   the   Reformation," 


as  the  outcome  of  a  series  of  historical  sermons 
delivered  in  the  Second  Congregational  church. 
Rev.  R.  !•'.  V.  Pierce  was  the  third  pastor  of 
the  State  Street  Baptist  church  to  enter  the  field 
of  book-writing.  During  his  Rockford  pastorate 
he  wrote  and  published  "Pictured  Truth." 

Mrs.  Ralph  Emerson  published  in  1891  the  life 
and  letters  of  her  son,  Ralph  Emerson,  Jr.,  who 
was  killed  in  August,  1889.  It  is  a  beautiful 
tribute  to  a  worthy  son,  wdio  gave  promise  of 
great  usefulness  in  later  years.  Mrs.  Emerson 
has  also  published  a  volume  of  verse,  "Love- 
Bound,  and  Other  Poems,"  which  is  dedicated  to 
her  husband   and   children. 

The  late  John  H.  Thurston  made  a  valuable 
contribution  to  local  history  in  his  "Reminis- 
cences," published  in  1891.  In  this  little  volume 
the  author  graphically  portrayed  that  pioneer  so- 
cial life  in  which  he  moved. 

Airs.  Harriott  \\'ight  Sherratt  published  in 
1899  a  delightful  volume  of  travel,  with  the  title, 
"^Mexican  Vistas."  The  local  demand  for  this 
book  has  been  great,  and  the  sale  in  the  general 
trade  has  been   most  gratifying. 

Harrv  M.  Johnson  is  the  author  of  a  small  vol- 
ume, entitled  "Edith:  A  Story  of  Chinatown,' 
the  scene  of  which  is  laid  in  the  Chinese  district 
in  Los  Angeles,  California. 

Rev.  J.  B.  Robinson,  D.  D.,  formerly  pastor  of 
Grace  M.  E.  church,  has  written  a  volume  of 
verse,  "The  New  Woman,  and  Other  Poems." 

Alexander  McCleneghan,  formerly  a  well- 
known  local  newspaper  writer,  has  written  "Six 
Years  in  Heaven,"  founded  upon  the  strange  ca- 
reer of  George  Jacob  Schweinfurth. 

;\Irs.  H.  Houghton  Chapel,  JNI.  D.,  published  a 
small  volume  of  poems  in  1901.  She  now  resides 
in   Palmetto,  Florida. 

Eugene  Brown  and  Ford  Rowe,  formerly  con- 
nected with  the  Register-Gazette,  compiled  a 
work,  "Industrial  and  Picturesque  Rockford." 

Charles  Eugene  Banks,  formerly  city  editor  of 
the  Register-Gazette,  has  Dublished  a  volume  of 
verse,  "Sword  and  Cross,  and  Other  Poems."  Mr. 
Banks  was  also  associated  with  George  Cram 
Cook  in  writing  "In  Hampton  Roads,"  a  drama- 
tic romance,  which  was  once  quite  popular  with 
local  readers.  Mr.  Banks  most  popular  work  is 
"The  Child  of  the  Sun,"  a  beautifully  illustrated 
work  of  juvenile  fiction. 

Mrs.  C.  C.  Jones'  book,  "Humanities,"  is  an 
interesting  series  of  meditations  upon  life,  duty 
and  manners.  She  presents  her  father  as  the 
highest  ideal  of  the  manly  virtues.  The  book 
was  dedicated  to  the  late  Dr.  Thomas  Kerr. 

Mrs.  Carrie  Grout's  volume,  "By  the  Way,"  is 
a  collection  of  sketches,  written  in  popular  news- 
paper style. 

Mrs.  Eliza  Roe  Shannon,  who  recently  died  in 
the   west,   a   music   teacher   of   Rockford   in   the 


io8 


PAST     AND    TRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


earlv  '60s,  wrote  the  life  of  her  father,  the  ven- 
erable Charles  Hill  Roe.  for  fifteen  years  pastor 
of  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Belvidcre.  Dr.  Roe 
perfonned  a  unique  service  to  his  country,  simi- 
lar to  that  of  Henry  Ward  Bceclier.  in  delivering 
addresses  in  Eng^land  and  creatintj  northern  sen- 
timent durins:  the  Civil  war. 

Daniel  Fish,  formerly  a  student  in  the  Rockford 
schools,  has  compiled  the  most  complete  Lincoln 
bibliography. 

Charles  A.  Church's  "History  of  Rockford" 
was  issued  in  1900.  This  is  believed  to  be  the 
largest  volume  of  exclusively  original  work  un- 
dertaken by  a  Rockford  writer.  Mr.  Church  has 
also  written  the  life  of  Ccneral  .Mien  C.  Fuller, 
the  war  adjutant  of  Illinois.  He  has  also  edited 
several  pamphlets. 

The  autobiography  of  Elder  Jacob  Knapp  was 
published  in  1867.  It  is  an  interesting  volume, 
revealing  the  inner  life  and  notable  exjieriences 
of  one  of  the  remarkable  men  of  his  time. 

\\'i]liam  Hulin  edited  a  work  on  school  law, 
with  forms,  which  was  of  value  to  teachers. 

Miss  Julia  Gulliver,  president  of  Rockford  Col- 
lege, collaborated  with  Edward  Bradford  Titch- 
ener,  sage  professor  of  psychology-  in  Cornell 
University,  in  translating  the  first  volume  of 
"Facts  of  the  Moral  Life."  This  is  a  work  in 
three  volumes,  by  William  W'undt,  professor  of 
philosophy  in  the  I'niversity  of  Leii)zig.  The 
translation  was  published  in  1897  in  New  York 
and  London.  The  second  and  third  volumes  were 
translated  by  Margaret  Floy  Washburn,  profes- 
sor of  psycholog}-  and  ethics  in  Wells  College. 

Giarles  J.  Woodbury,  a  half-brother  of  Rev. 
Frank  P.  Woodbury,  formerly  pastor  of  the  Sec- 
ond Congregational  church.  pul)lislu'<l  a  volume 
in  1890  entitled  "Talks  With  Ralph  Waldo  Em- 
erson." 

.•\lfrcd  H.  Henry  has  written  a  story  of  Mor- 
mon life  in  Utah,  "By  Order  of  the  Prophet." 
Mr.  Henry  is  a  son  of  the  late  Mrs.  S.  M.  I. 
Henry,  and  lived  in  Rockford  when  a  boy. 

"Annals  of  a  Quiet  Country  Town"  is  a  vol- 
ume of  sketches  written  by  Mrs.  Julia  Katherine 
Barnes,  and  illustrated  by  E.  Warde  Blaisdeli. 
It  is  a  series  of  local  character  sketches.  Among 
the  portraits  are  those  of  the  late  Dr.  Thomas 
Kerr  and  H.  H.  Waldo. 

Fay  Lewis  has  edited  and  compiled  a  small 
volume.  "The  City  Jail."  It  is  a  plea  for  more 
enlightened  views  and  humane  practices  toward 
those  who  have  been  guilty  of  offenses  against 
good  order.  .-\  number  of  local  writers  contrib- 
uted to  the  symposium. 

General  A.  L.  Gietlain's  "Recollections  of  Sev- 
enty Years"  is  an  interesting  volume  of  reminis- 
cences, and  contains  valuable  information  con- 
cerning men  and  events  in  northern  Illinois. 

"Rockford  Today"  is  an  attractive  volume  is- 
sued in  1904  by  the  Rockford  Morning  Star  Com- 


l)any.  It  is  historical,  descriptive  and  biograph- 
ical. It  is  printed  on  calendered  paper,  and  the 
illustrations  arc  most  excellent. 


ROCKFORD    FURNITURE    IXDU.STRY. 

Rockford  ranks  third  among  the  cities  of  the 
L'nited  States  in  the  manufacturing  of  furniture. 
It  is  surpassed  only  in  this  respect  by  Qiicago  and 
Grand  Rapids.  This  industry  has  been  entirely 
developed  since  the  Civil  war.  There  were,  how- 
ever, individuals  who  made  furniture  in  a  small 
way  at  a  much  earlier  ])eriod. 

Thomas  Johnson,  an  English  cabinet-maker, 
came  to  Rockford  in  1837.  He  is  the  first  man 
of  whom  there  is  any  record  who  depended  en- 
tirely for  a  livelihood  on  the  manufacture  of  fur- 
niture in  this  city.  He  occupied  a  basement  room 
in  the  old  Rockford  House,  which  was  kept  by 
Henrv  Thurston.  Mr.  Johnson  had  no  machin- 
erv.  -Ml  his  work  was  done  by  hand,  and  his  s]jc- 
cialties  were  ottomans,  chairs  and  tables.  He 
later  removed  from  the  city. 

From  that  time  there  was  no  regular  manufac- 
turer of  furniture  in  Rockford  until  1853.  In  that 
year  the  first  factory  for  this  purpose  was  erected 
between  Sixth  and  Seventh  streets,  near  Fourth 
avciuie,  bv  William  Silsbe  and  Abraham  Deyo. 
The  liuilding  was  called  a  factory,  although  it 
had  very  little  machinery.  It  was  a  two-story 
structure,  located  in  a  section  then  known  as  "the 
woods."  The  timber  used  in  making  the  furni- 
ture was  obtained  by  hewing  down  large  native 
trees  which  surrounded  it.  The  firm  had  an  of- 
fice and  salesroom  on  South  First  street,  between 
State  and  Walnut,  in  the  frame  structure  now  oc- 
curred by  E.  J.  Welch  as  a  livery  stable,  .\bout  a 
dozen  men  were  emi)loyed.  The  enterprise  was 
not  very  successful,  and  the  firm  dissolved. 

Charles  Burpee,  a  brother  of  the  late  A.  C. 
Burpee,  who  lived  in  a  building  called  the  "Pep- 
perbox" on  South  First  street,  made  a  small 
amount  of  furniture  in  the  office  rooms  of  Silsbe 
&  Deyo,  after  the  dissolution  of  that  firm. 

A.  C.  Burpee  was  one  of  the  pioneer  furniture 
men  of  Rockford,  although  he  was  not  a  manu- 
facturer. He  came  to  Rockford  in  1853,  and  was 
for  a  time  a  salesman  in  Silsbe  &  Deyo's  store. 
He  opened  a  furniture  store  in  a  frame  building 
which  stood  on  or  near  the  site  of  Harry  B.  P.ur- 
pee's  store  on  West  State  street.  In  1857  Wil- 
liam Werner  became  a  partner,  and  the  finn  con- 
tinued until  about  i860,  when  the  firm  name  was 
changed  to  Burpee  &  Groneman.  Mr.  Grone- 
Tuan  retired  in  1871,  and  the  business  has  since 
been  conducted  by  the  Burpee  family. 

In  1854  Peter  Marshall  made  walnut  tables  in 
his  cariHMiter's  shop  on  the  northwest  comer  of 
State  and  Wyman  streets,  where  he  was  in  busi- 
ness for  manv  vears. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


109 


R.  Cook  &  Co.,  the  predecessors  of  J.  B. 
]\Iarsh  &  Co.,  in  1854  began  on  a  small  scale  the 
manufacture  of  tables,  mattresses  and  upholstered 
goods.  The  firm  occupied  the  second  floor  of  a 
building  which  stood  on  the  site  of  F.  J.  Leon- 
ard's block  on  East  State  street.  All  the  goods 
were  sold  in  the  city,  and  the  firm  is  reported  to 
have   succeeded   fairly   well. 

John  Nelson,  a  native  of  Sweden,  came  to 
Rockford  in  1852.  He  was  an  inventive  genius, 
and  in  early  life  had  paid  especial  attention  to 
designing  and  model-making.  He  worked  for  a 
time  for  William  Ghent,  who  had  a  shop  on  the 
water-power.  In  1865  he  formed  a  partnership 
with  -\ndrew  C.  Johnson  and  Gust  Hollem  in  the 
manufacturing  of  sash,  doors  and  blinds.  IVIr. 
Johnson  learned  the  cabinet-maker's  trade  in 
Rockford,  and  after  Mr.  Nelson  and  Mr.  Hollem 
had  retired  from  the  firm  in  1869,  he  conducted 
the  business  as  sole  proprietor  on  the  water-power 
and  began  in  a  small  way  the  manufacture  of  fur- 
niture. In  1872  he  formed  a  partnership  with  J. 
P.  Anderson.  It  was  during  the  existence  of  this 
firm  that  the  late  Jonas  Peters,  then  a  traveling 
salesman,  induced  the  firm  to  extend  its  business 
by  the  manufacture  of  new  lines  of  goods,  and  to 
Mr.  Peters  is  due  in  no  small  degree  the  honor  of 
first  promoting  the  fu  niture  industry  outside  of 
the  local  market.  Mr.  Peters  had  been  engaged 
in  the  retail  furniture  trade  in  Belvidere  before 
coming  to  Rockford. 

In  1873  L.  D.  Upson  was  admitted  as  a  third 
member  of  the  firm,  and  a  factory  on  the  site  of 
the  Central  furniture  plant  was  erected.  Mr. 
Johnson  retired,  and  E.  L.  Herrick  became  a 
member  of  the  firm,  which  was  known  as  Upson 
&  Herrick.  The  factory  of  Upson  &  Herrick 
was  destroyed  by  fire  January  21.  1877.  William 
N.  Upson,  a  watchman,  and  a  brother  of  the 
senior  member  of  the  firm,  lost  his  life. 

Ellsworth  &  Parker  began  the  manufacture  of 
furniture  on  a  small  scale  in  Bartlett's  stone  feed 
house  on  the  water-power  in  1873.  The  firm  had 
some  machinery,  but  the  enterprise  did  not  last 
more  than  a  year  or  two.  when  the  firm  went  to 
Chicago. 

A.  C.  Johnson,  upon  leaving  the  water-power, 
in  company  with  J.  P.  Anderson,  established  an 
independent  business  in  a  building  at  the  comer 
of  Railroad  avenue  and  Seventh  street.  In  1874 
the  late  Gilbert  Woodruff  became  interested  in 
this  industry,  and  in  that  year  the  Forest  City 
Furniture  Company  was  organized.  It  is,  there- 
fore, the  real  pioneer  in  the  manufacture  of  furni- 
ture on  a  large  scale  in  Rockford.  A  four-story 
brick  building  was  erected  on  Railroad  avenue. 
Gilbert  A\'oodruff  was  president  of  the  company ; 
Charles  H.  Keith,  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  A, 
C.  Johnson,  superintendent.  Mr.  Keith  died  in 
December,  1877,  and  was  succeeded  as  secretary 
by  Lvon  P.  Ross.     He  invented  the  Ross  folding 


bed,  Ross  perfection  desk  and  the  Ross  combina- 
tion wash-stand,  wdiich  proved  good  sellers.  His 
close  attention  to  business  affairs  weakened  his 
nervous  system  and  hastened  his  death.  While 
attending  a  national  convention  of  furniture  man- 
ufacturers in  Grand  Radips,  February  16,  1889, 
he  was  taken  suddenly  ill,  and  in  one  week  from 
that  time  passed  away.  Mr.  Ross  w-as  succeeded 
by  R.  W.  Emerson.  W.  F.  Woodruff"  succeeded 
his  father,  Gilbert  Woodruff',  as  president ;  V.  D. 
Woodruff  is  vice-president ;  C.  A.  Clark,  secre- 
tary and  treasurer.  J.  P.  Anderson  died  a  short 
time  ago  in  Beatrice,  Nebraska. 

The  success  of  the  Forest  City  quickened  the 
ambition  of  other  practical  men.  The  Union  Fur- 
niture company  was  organized  in  1876.  The  pro- 
moters were  Jonas  Peters,  John  Erlander,  John 
Pehrson  and  James  Sundquist.  P.  A.  Peterson, 
who  was  then  about  to  graduate  from  a  local  busi- 
ness college,  was  chosen  secretary.  This  was  the 
beginning  of  the  business  career  of  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  men  who  ever  resided  in  this 
city,  and  who  is  to-day  the  great  organizing  genius 
of  the  furniture  industry  in  Rockford.  The 
Union  factory  was  situated  where  the  Emerson 
company's  blacksmith  shop  now  stands.  In  1889 
this  building  was  destroyed  bv  fire.  A  new  plant 
was  erected  on  Eighteenth  avenue. 

The  Central  Furniture  company  was  organized 
in  January,  1879.  The  promoters  were  S.  A. 
Johnson.  L.  M.  Noling,  August  Peterson,  August 
P.  Floberg,  A.  G.  Johnson,  Peter  Parson,  H.  F. 
Peterson,  A.  N.  Noling.  J.  R.  Anderson,  P.  J. 
Friberg  and  Samuel  Lundin.  The  original  capi- 
tal stock  w-as  $22,500.  The  company  purchased 
the  stone  structure  on  the  water-power  owned  by 
Upson  &  Herrick. 

The  Rockford  Co-Operative  Furniture  com- 
pany was  organized  in  July,  1880.  Its  original 
capital  stock  was  $25,000,  divided  into  shares  of 
$100  each.  The  company  was  prosperous  until  the 
great  financial  depression  of  1893,  and  for  some 
years  thereafter  the  plant  was  practically  closed. 
Qiarles  J.  Lundberg  subsequently  purchased  the 
interest  of  the  company,  and  again  placed  it  on  a 
money-making  basis. 

The  Rockford  Chair  and  Furniture  company 
was  organized  in  1880.  Its  officers  are:  C.  A. 
Newman,  president :  Andrew  Shelgren,  vice-presi- 
dent :  Robert  C.  Lind,  secretary  and  treasurer. 
The  company  really  operates  two  establishments, 
known  as  plant  A  and  plant  B.  These  are  sepa- 
rated by  a  distance  of  about  two  miles.  The  floor 
space  occupied  by  plant  A  is  about  125.000  square 
feet.  Plant  B  has  a  floor  area  of  150,000  square 
feet.  The  firm  does  an  annual  business  of  half  a 
million  dollars,  and  its  territory  includes  the  en- 
tire United  States,  Canada  and   Mexico. 

The  Mechanics'  Furniture  company  was  organ- 
ized in  1890.  L.  M.  Noling  is  president;  Emil 
Engberg,    vice-president ;   A.    P.    Floberg,    treas- 


1  lO 


PAST     A\n     TRESEXT     OF     WI.WEBAGO     COUNTY. 


urer ;  J.  August  Johnson,  secretary.  The  com- 
pany's plant  covers  two  acres  of  ground,  at  the 
corner  of  Seminary  and  Keith  streets.  The  for- 
eign trade  takes  a  fair  jiroportion  of  its  annual 
output.    Tlic  sales  reach  about  S180.000  annually. 

The  Standard  Furniture  company  was  organ- 
ized in  1887.  The  officers  are:  P.  .\.  Peterson, 
president;  F.  E.  Lundgren.  vice-jjresident ;  J.  E. 
Swanson,  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  (Jscar 
Warner,  superintendent.  The  plant  has  a  floor 
space  of  over   ioo,ocx:>  square  feet. 

The  West  End  Furniture  company  was  organ- 
ized July  7,  i8t>o.  with  a  cajiital  stock  of  $50,000. 
C.  R.  Slower  is  jiresident ;  (^scar  Day.  vice-presi- 
dent; J.  H.  Eynn,  secretary  and  treasurer.  Mr. 
Lynn  is  also  manager,  and  gives  his  entire  at- 
tention to  the  supervision  of  the  plant.  The  an- 
nual output  is  about  $225,000.  The  line  of  man- 
ufacture includes  both  medium  and  fine  grades  of 
desks,  buffets,  bookcases,  folding  beds  and  tables. 

The  Rockford  Mantel  company  was  organized 
in  i(p2.  P.  .\.  Peterson  is  president :  ().  I>.  Huey, 
vice-president ;  C.  .\.  Hult,  secretary  and  treas- 
urer ;  F.  O.  Lind,  superintendent.  The  factory  is 
a  four-story  brick  building,  with  basement,  and 
has  a  floor  space  of  57,000  square  feet.  The  firm 
employs  about  one  hundred  operators,  and  manu- 
factures wood  mantels  and  furniture  of  various 
designs.  A  market  is  found  in  the  L'nited  States, 
Mexico  and  Canada. 

Other  furniture  companies  now  doing  business 
are : 

Rockford  Palace  Furniture  company. 

Rockford  Frame  and  Fixture  company. 

East  Rockford  Mantel  company. 

Royal  Mantel  company. 

.^kandia  Furniture  company. 

Rockford  Desk  company. 

These  make  a  total  of  sixteen  plants  now  in 
oi)eration  in  the  city. 

Of  this  list  the  Skandia  has  the  largest  single 
plant,  but  the  Rockford  Giair  and  Furniture 
company,  with  its  two  separate  plants,  is  probably 
able  to  put  out  more  than  any  other  one  concern 
in  the  city. 

Several  other  factories  have  been  built  from 
time  to  time  that  are  not  now  in  operation.  The 
Excelsior,  Phoenix.  Rockford  Cabinet  and  Dia- 
mond were  burned  and  never  rebuilt.  The  Amer- 
ican Star  and  Palace  Folding  P.ed  com])any  failed 
and  did  not  resume.  The  financial  panic  of  i8<)3 
was  a  terrible  disaster  to  the  Rockford  industry, 
but  the  larger  number  of  them  finally  weathered 
the  storm. 

In  the  sixteen  factories  now  in  operation,  near- 
ly tour  thousand  men  earn  their  daily  bread. 
Xearly  one-fourth  of  Rockford's  great  colony  of 
workingmen  find  their  cm])loyment  within  these 
sixteen  plants.  This  fact  gives  to  some  extent 
an  idea  of  the  great  value  of  the  industry  to  the 
citv. 


The  payroll  is  .something  enormous.  From 
one  million  to  one  million  five  hundred  thousand 
dollars  is  paid  annually  to  these  workmen,  the 
amount  depending  largely  u])on  the  extent  of 
business  during  the  season. 

To  run  these  sixteen  plants  almut  $3,275,000  of 
Rockford  capital  is  utilized.  Practically  every 
cent  of  this  amount  was  furnished  by  the  humble 
workinginan,  who,  by  his  frugality  and  good  busi- 
ness sense,  has  been  enabled  to  lay  by  enough  to 
purchase  a  few  shares  of  stix-k,  and  at  the  pres- 
ent time  he  is  enjoying  the  full  benefits  of  his  in- 
vestments. 

Xo  out-of-town  capitalist  holds  sway  over  this 
industry ;  no  trust  has  the  reins  to  close  or  open 
the  factories  at  its  will ;  but  all  is  done  by  Rock- 
ford men,  who  have  demonstrated  that  they  can 
coi)c  with  the  world  when  it  comes  to  finding  a 
market  for  the  goods  that  they  produce. 

Closely  allied  to  the  furniture  business  of  the 
city  are  a  number  of  concerns  only  organized 
within  the  past  few  years. 

There  are  the  Xational  Mirror  Plate  works, 
and  the  Rockford  Glass  P.ending  works,  both 
owned  by  men  who  are  backing  the  furniture 
plants,  and  which  concerns  supjily  much  of  the 
mirrors  and  glass  used  in  them.  The  Rockford 
-\rt  Glass  company  also  bears  a  close  relation  to 
the  furniture  industry. 

The  Union  Furniture  company  was  the  first  to 
organize  on  the  co-o])eralive  plan.  The  employes 
were  urged  to  save  their  earnings  and  invest  in 
the  company.  Other  factories  adopted  this  plan, 
but  it  was  not  altogether  successful,  and  it  has  to 
a  large  extent  been  abandoned.  The  capital  has 
become  more  centralized,  but  it  has  never  passed 
from  the  control  of  the  Rockford  men.  This  vast 
industry  is  capitalized  and  operated  almost  en- 
tirely by  Swedish-.Vmerican  citizens. 

THE    PT.VXO    INDrSTRV. 

During  the  Civil  w.ir  Julm  Wigell.  father  of  O. 
J.  Wigell.  and  Charles  Marske  conducted  a  melo- 
deon  factory  on  East  .State  street  in  a  frame  build- 
ing across  the  allev  from  the  Schmauss  meat  mar- 
ket. May  30,  1865,  this  building  and  contents 
were  destroyed  by  fire.  Mr.  Wigell,  however, 
resumed  business,  and  from  1865  to  1871  he  man- 
ufactured over  200  melodeons  and  reed  instru- 
ments. Quite  a  number  of  these  old  instruments 
are  still  in  the  city,  and  three  of  the  number  are 
now  owned  by  the  son.  Mr.  Wigell  also  com- 
pleted two  pianos  to  show  that  he  could  accom- 
plish this  work.  In  1871  Mr.  Wigell  completed 
a  contract  with  \\'alter  Trumbull  for  the  erection 
of  a  i^iano  factory.  These  plans  were  abandoned 
by  the  death  of  Mr.  Wigell.  which  occurred  in 
the  autumn  of  1871. 

Tn  1880  John  Loven.  residing  on  First  avenue, 
opposite  the  Henry  Freeman  school,  made  two 
pianos,  which  he  sold  at  large  ])rices. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


III. 


In  1891  Peter  Nelson  came  to  Rockford  from 
Qiicago  and  organized  the  Rockford  Piano  com- 
panv.  Its  plant  was  in  what  was  then  known  as 
the  Union  Shoe  company  s  iDuilding,  now  occu- 
pied bv  the  Union  Dairy  company.  1  he  firm  was 
short-lived,  and  failed  in  less  than  a  year. 

In  the  autumn  of  1 891  John  Anderson,  of  Erie, 
Pennsylvania,  came  to  Rockford  and  organized 
the  Anderson  Piano  company,  which  occupied  a 
part  of  the  Cream  City  mirror  plate  building.  The 
companv  failed  in  1892,  and  H,  N.  Starr  was 
appointed  assignee.  He  removed  the  finished  in- 
struments to  the  Hale  building,  on  Walnut  street, 
where  they  were  sold.  The  Anderson  piano  was 
subsequently  manufactured  at  ^linneapolis. 

The  Haddorft'  Piano  company  was  organized 
in  IQOI  by  P.  A.  Peterson.  It  is  capitalized  at 
$500,000,  and  is  entirely  financed  by  Rockford 
citizens.  The  instrument  is  named  in  honor  of 
C.  A.  Haddorfif,  a  native  of  Sweden.  He  is  an 
expert  in  this  line  of  business,  and  is  now  the 
general  superintendent  of  the  factory.  The  com- 
panv emplovs  about  300  men,  and  the  average 
dailv  output  is  from  fifteen  to  twenty  instruments. 

In  1899  the  Smith  &  Barnes  Piano  company, 
of  Chicago,  purchased  the  plant  of  the  Illinois 
Chair  company  in  the  north  end,  which  was  after- 
ward sold  to  George  K.  Barnes,  of  Rockford, 
who  established  the  Barnes  &  Son  Piano  com- 
panv in  1901,  and  manufactured  pianos  under  that 
name  until  February,  1904,  when  he  sold  the  plant 
to  the  Schumann  Piano  company,  which  removed 
its  manufacturing  interests  to  Rockford,  retain- 
ing a  Chicago  office  at  the  Republic  building.  The 
Schumann  Piano  company  is  incorporated  for 
$300,000,  and  has  a  daily  output  of  six  pianos. 
Its  officers  are:  W.  N.  Van  Matre,  president; 
C,  S.  Hockett,  vice-president ;  J.  W.  Van  Matre. 
treasurer :  C.  S.  ]\Iarsh,  secretary,  E.  K.  Barnes, 
mechanical  superintendent. 

The  Kurtz-Seeburg  company  is  one  of  the  late 
accessions  to  the  manufacturers  of  Rockford. 
Fred  K.  Kurtz,  a  native  of  New  York  city,  came 
to  Rockford  in  1903,  and  October  15th  of  that 
year  he  began  the  manufacture  of  piano  actions 
in  the  Union  Shoe  company  lauilding  at  Sixth 
street  and  Eleventh  avenue.  The  business  was 
small  at  first,  but  it  steadily  grew,  until  a  stock 
companv  was  organized,  with  P.  A.  Peterson  as 
president ;  Fred  K.  Kurtz,  vice-president  and  su- 
perintendent ;  John  Anderson,  secretary  and  treas- 
urer. In  April,  1905,  the  company  purchased  a 
plat  of  ground  on  Eighteenth  avenue  and  erected 
a  commodious  factory. 

The  latest  local  finn  to  contribute  in  any  way 
to  the  manufacture  of  pianos  is  the  Billings  com- 
pany, on  the  water-power.  This  firm  came  to 
Rockford  in  1905,  and  manufactures  a  metal 
flange. 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS. 

ROCKFORD    COLLEGE    FOR    WOMEN. 

As  early  as  1843  there  was  sorie  discussion  of 
the  need  of  a  college  for  the  upper  Rock  River 
valley.  A  general  convention  of  the  churches  of 
the  northwest  was  held  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  in 
June,  1844,  at  which  education  received  much  at- 
tention. It  was  decided  that  a  college  and  a  fe- 
male seminary  should  be  founded  in  southern 
Wisconsin  and  northern  Illinois,  respectively,  A 
resolution  was  adopted  that  the  "exigencies  of 
Wisconsin  and  northern  Illinois  require  that  those 
sections  should  unite  in  establishing  a  college  and 
a  female  seminary  of  the  highest  order — one  in 
Wisconsin,  near  to  Illinois,  and  the  other  in  Illi- 
nois, near  to  Wisconsin."  The  delegates,  upon 
their  return,  called  a  convention  at  Beloit  in  Au- 
gust, 1844.  Three  subsequent  conventions  were 
held  at  Beloit,  because  it  was  believed  from  the 
first  that  the  college  should  be  located  at  that 
place.  The  resolution  of  the  first  convention, 
affirming  the  need  of  both  college  and  seminary, 
was  reaffirmed  in  these  subsequent  conventions, 
representing  especially  the  Presbyterian  and  Con- 
gregational ministry  and  churches  in  all  the  re- 
gion. The  union  of  these  two  churches  in  this 
movement  may  be  attributed  to  the  fact  that  each 
was  weak  as  it  stood  alone,  and  only  in  union  was 
there  strength.  At  the  fourth  convention,  held  at 
Beloit  in  October,  1845,  Beloit  was  selected  as 
the  seat  of  the  college,  and  a  board  of  triistees 
was  elected,  to  whom  was  committed  the  devel- 
opment of  both  institutions.  The  first  meeting  of 
the  trustees  was  held  the  same  month.  Upon  the 
original  board  were  Rev.  Aratus  Kent  and  Hon. 
Wait  Talcott.  The  charter  for  Beloit  College  was 
approved  by  the  governor  of  the  territory  of  Wis- 
consin. February  2,  1846.  Middle  College,  the 
first  building,  was  begun  in  the  autumn  of  that 
year. 

Then  began  the  discussion  of  a  site  for  the 
seminary.  Rockford  and  Rockton  were  rivals. 
But  Beloit  had  been  selected  for  the  college :  and 
from  the  Puritanical  point  of  view  of  those  days, 
Rockton  was  considered  not  a  desirable  distance 
for  a  college  for  young  ladies.  Thus  Rockford 
was  given  the  preference.  The  Rockford  Forum 
of  October  29.  1845,  published  a  call  for  a  meet- 
ing at  the  Methodist  church  on  Monday  evening, 
November  3d,  to  consider  the  location  of  the 
seminary.  This  call  was  signed  by  thirty-four 
citizens,  led  by  T.  D.  Robertson.  At  this  meet- 
ing it  was  resolved  to  attempt  to  raise  the  sum 
prescribed  bv  the  Beloit  trustees  as  necessary, 
about  $3,500.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  so- 
licit subscriptions,  consisting  of  Jason  Marsh, 
George  Haskell,  Willard  Wheeler,  Asa  Crosby, 


1 1. 


PAST     AND     I'RliSEXT     OF     WIXNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Anson  S.  Miller,  P.  B.  Johnson  and  Horace 
Foote.  The  Forum  of  Novemhcr  5.  1845,  con- 
tains a  full  report  of  this  meeting,  also  a  lengthy 
editorial.  Citizens  pledged  the  required  amount. 
The  Forum  of  December  3d  mentions,  in  a  sketch 
of  the  city,  that  the  trustees  of  Beloit  College  have 
located  the  seminary  at  Rockford.  A  charter  was 
granted  February  25,  1847,  to  the  following  gen- 
tlemen as  incorporators :  Aratus  Kent.  D.  Clary, 
S.  Peet,  F.  Bascom,  C.  Waterburv,  S.  D.  Stevens. 
A.  L.  Chapin,  R.  M.  Pearson.  G.  \V.  Wilcox,  A. 
Ra\niiond.  C.  M.  Qoodsell,  E.  U.  Potter.  L.  G. 
Fisher.  Wait  Talcott,  Oiarles  S.  Hempstead  and 
Samuel  Hinman.  These  same  gentlemen  were 
the  incorporators  of  Beloit  College.  The  board  of 
trustees  was  to  consist  of  sixteen  members,  with 
power  to  increase  the  number  to  twenty-four. 
But  disasters  affecting  the  business  interests  of 
the  village  prevented  the  fulfillment  of  the  pledges 
which  had  been  made,  and  delayed  the  enterprise 
for  a  time ;  but  it  was  never  abandoned. 

Meanwhile.  June  11,  1849,  Miss  Anna  P.  Sill 
began  a  preparatory  school,  under  the  name  of 
the  Rockford  Female  Seminary.  The  recitations 
were  held  in  the  old  courthouse  building  on  Xorth 
First  street.  Miss  Sill  came  to  Rockford  from 
the  east,  with  the  expectation  that  her  school 
would  develop  into  the  seminary  which  had  been 
planned  by  the  trustees  of  Beloit.  This  prepara- 
tory school  was  not  the  seminary  proper,  but 
rather  its  forerunner,  and  entirely  under  local 
management.  Miss  .Sill  was  assisted  by  Misses 
Hannah  and  Eliza  Richards.  The  number  of 
pupils  the  first  term  was  seventy,  most  of  whom 
were  under  ten  years  of  age.  The  opening  of 
this  school  apparently  gave  an  impetus  to  the 
consummation  of  the  former  plans  for  a  semi- 
nary. The  trustees  were  Rev.  L.  H.  Loss.  Jason 
Marsh.  Anson  S.  Miller,  C.  A.  Huntington.  S. 
M.  Church,  Rev.  J.  C.  Parks,  Bela  Shaw.  T.  D. 
Robertson,  E.  H.  Potter.  Dr.  George  Haskell, 
Asa  Crosby.  The  academic  year  was  divided  into 
four  tenns  of  eleven  weeks  each. 

In  1850  the  citizens  again  made  pledges  ag- 
gregating more  than  five  tliousand  dollars,  for 
buildings,  and  the  ladies  pledged  one  thousand 
dollars  for  the  beautiful  grounds.  This  original 
subscrij>tion  list  is  still  in  existence,  though  eaten 
away  in  places.  It  was  found  among  the  papers 
of  the  late  Charles  H.  .SpafFord.  The  word  origi- 
nal is  here  used  Ijecause  the  subscriptions  of  1845- 
46  were  apparently  never  redeemed.  The  list  is 
probably  the  only  one  in  existence.  Thus  by  Sep- 
tember 18.  1850.  the  seminary  proper  was  as- 
sured as  a  permanent  institution  of  R(5ckford,  for 
the  higher  education  of  young  women. 

During  the  first  two  years  of  Miss  Sill's  resi- 
dence in  Rockford  she  continued  independently 
her  preparatory  school.  But  in  185 1  the  school 
was  formally  recognized  by  the  board  of  trustees 


of  Beloit  college  as  the  preparatory  department 
of  Rockford  female  seminary,  under  the  charter 
which  they  had  already  obtained.  Full  prepara- 
tory and  collegiate  courses  of  study  were  defined, 
and,  upon  examination,  fifteen  were  admitted  to 
the  first  collegiate  class  in  September  of  that  year. 
The  year  1851  is  thus  regarded  as  the  date  of  the 
founding  of  the  seminary,  according  to  the  origi- 
nal design.  The  recitations  were  conducted  in 
the  old  courthouse  building  already  noted.  The 
seminary  had  been  granted  full  collegiate  powers 
by  its  charter,  but  it  was  called  a  seminary,  as 
was  customary  for  such  institutions  at  that  time. 
Seven  of  this  first  class  of  1851  graduated  in 
1854.  Only  one.  Mrs.  William  Lathrop,  is  now 
a  resident  of  the  city.  The  course  then  covered 
three  years,  and  was  later  changed  to  four  years. 

The  present  college  grounds  were  purchased 
from  Buell  G.  Wheeler.  The  land  originally  ex- 
tended to  the  river,  but  a  portion  was  taken  by 
the  Giicago  &  Iowa  railroad.  The  property  was 
not  condemned,  as  the  trustees  preferred  to  sell 
rather  than  enter  into  any  controversy.  The 
grounds  never  extended  farther  east  or  north. 
They  were  never  enlarged,  and  were  reduced  only 
on  the  west.  The  deed  to  this  property  was  also 
found  among  Mr.  Spafford's  jwpers,  and  appar- 
ently had  never  left  his  possession.  The  reason 
therefor  may  be  explained.  Mr.  SpafFord  was 
county  recorder  at  the  time ;  he  was  also  a  trustee 
of  the  seminary  and  the  treasurer  of  the  board. 
The  document  would  thus  naturally  remain  in 
his  possession.  Tliis  deed  and  the  original  sub- 
scri])tion  list,  previously  noted,  were  presented 
to  the  college  at  the  last  commencement  season 
by  Mr.  Spafford's  family,  and  are  now  among 
its  permanent  records.  The  city  of  Rockford 
owes  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  three  of  its  early  citi- 
zens for  the  very  existence  of  this  institution.  At 
a  critical  moment  in  the  formative  period.  Charles 
H.  .SpafFord.  Eleazer  H.  Potter  and  Dr.  Lucius 
Clark  mortgaged  their  homes  and  raised  several 
thousand  dollars  to  insure  the  success  of  the  sem- 
inar}-. This  self-sacrifice  bv  these  gentlemen,  who 
had  faith  in  the  future  of  Rockford,  and  who  ap- 
preciated the  value  of  higher  education,  has  never 
been  properly  recognized,  for  the  apparent  reason 
that  their  course  has  not  been  generally  known. 

.\fter  the  purchase  of  the  grounds  Mr.  Wheeler 
said  they  were  sold  for  nnich  less  than  their  real 
value.  Airs.  Wheeler  was  deeply  interested  in  the 
success  of  the  seminary,  and  thus  the  property 
was  obtained  at  a  low  price.  Mr.  SpaflFord  also 
preserved  a  transcript  of  an  itemized  estimate  of 
the  cost  of  the  first  building,  made  by  John  Beat- 
tie.  This  document  called  for  an  outlay  of  seven 
thousand  nine  hundred  and  twenty-seven  dollars 
and  thirty-five  cents. 

July  15,  1852,  the  corner-stone  of  the  first 
building  was  laid  by  Rev.  Aratus  Kent,  president 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


"3 


of  tlie  board  of  trustees.  He  spoke  from  the 
words :  "That  our  daughters  may  be  as  corner- 
stones, poHshed  after  the  similitude  of  a  palace." 

After  the  acceptance  by  the  board  of  trustees 
of  the  financial  pledges  of  the  citizens  of  Rock- 
ford  in  1850,  it  was  deemed  best  that  each  insti- 
tution should  manage  its  own  affairs.  A  provi- 
sional local  board  appears  to  have  been  created  at 
this  time,  and  in  1S52  the  seminary  passed  into 
the  control  of  a  separate  board  of  trustees.  The 
principle  of  co-operation,  however,  continued  to 
prevail,  and  certain  gentlemen  were  on  the  official 
boards  of  the  college  and  the  seminary.  In  the 
lapse  of  years  this  number  gradually  diminished. 
The  first  formal  appointment  to  the  permanent 
faculty  of  the  seminary  was  made  in  July,  1852, 
when  Miss  Sill  was  elected  principal.  In  July, 
1854,  the  collegiate  course  was  divided  into  four 
departments :  ]\Iental  and  moral  philosophy, 
mathematics  and  natural  science,  history^  and  Eng- 
lish literature,  ancient  languages.  The  depart- 
ment of  mental  and  moral  philosophy  was  as- 
signed to  the  principal.  Aliss  Mary  \Miite  was 
chosen  teacher  in  mathematics  and  natural  sci- 
ence. 

In  1854  work  was  begun  on  Linden  hall,  the 
western  wing.  It  received  its  name  from  the  resi- 
dence of  one  of  its  New  England  friends.  From 
this  place  and  from  New  York  the  larger  part  of 
the  fund  was  obtained  for  its  construction.  In 
the  50s  Miss  Sill  raised  a  large  sum  of  money 
among-  her  eastern  friends,  especially  in  Boston, 
for  the  seminary,  apparently  to  raise  a  deficit.  Up 
to  September  8,  1854.  Miss  Sill  had  secured  in 
subscriptions  the  sum  of  three  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  fifty-nine  dollars  and  sixty-seven  cents. 
This  fact  appears  from  a  financial  statement  made 
by  Charles  H.  Spafford.  According  to  the  Rock- 
ford  Democrat  of  August  I,  1854.  Mr.  Milwain 
was  the  architect  of  Linden  hall,  and  the  plans 
and  specifications  called  for  an  addition  forty-one 
by  sixty-four  feet,  and  four  stories.  Linden  hall 
was  first  separate  from  Middle  hall,  and  then  con- 
nected by  a  frame  passageway. 

In  1866  a  second  addition.  Chapel  hall,  w'ith  its 
connecting  corridors,  was  begun,  and  completed 
two  years  later.  In  1871  Linden  hall  and  Middle 
hall  were  connected  by  a  corridor. 

Of  the  first  collegiate  class  admitted  in  185 1, 
seven  were  graduated  in  1854,  eight  in  1855,  six- 
teen in  1856.  ten  in  1857,  eleven  in  1858.  ten  in 
1859.  eleven  in  i860,  and  nine  in  1861,  a  total  of 
eighty-two  in  eight  years.  There  were  then  three 
departments — collegiate,  normal  and  academic. 
During  that  time  there  were  eighty-five  others 
who  entered  the  seminary,  but  did  not  complete 
the  course.  Forty-one  were  in  the  junior  class 
in  1861.  The  whole  number  who  shared  in  the 
instruction  of  the  collegiate  course  during  the 
first  ten  years  was  two  hundred  and  six.  One 
hundred  and  eightv-three  had  received  instruc- 
8 


tion  in  the  normal  course,  and  the  whole  number 
of  pupils  for  a  longer  or  shorter  time  connected 
with  the  institution,  including  the  preparatory 
courses,  from  the  beginning  in  1849  to  July,  1861, 
was  fifteen  hundred  and  thirty.  During  this  time 
there  was  contributed  to  the  seminary  from  all 
sources  the  sum  of  thirty-nine  thousand  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty-eight  dollars. 

In  the  winter  of  1886  Sill  hall  was  completed. 
This  building,  erected  at  a  cost  of  $15,000,  with 
funds  almost  entirely  provided  by  the  citizens  of 
Rockford,  contains  the  gjinnasium  on  the  second 
floor  and  the  music  rooms  on  the  first  floor. 

This  completes  the  number  of  edifices  erected 
during  Miss  Sill's  lifetime.  For  the  sake  of  clear- 
ness and  completeness  in  this  connection,  it  is  to 
be  noted  that  in  the  fall  of  1892  Adams  hall  was 
opened.  This  is  a  fine,  modern  edifice,  costing 
about  $35,000.  Of  this  sum  Mr.  J.  L.  Adams,  of 
Chicago,  contributed  a  large  portion,  and  the  re- 
mainder was  chiefly  given  by  the  citizens  of  Rock- 
ford.  It  contains  all  the  laboratories  and  a  num- 
ber of  large,  well-lighted  recitation  rooms.  The 
upper  floor  is  occupied  by  the  studio. 

In  1891  Memorial  hall,  a  residence  for  stu- 
dents, was  given  as  a  memorial  to  Ralph  Emer- 
son, Jr.  This  completes  the  list  of  structures  used 
for  the  institution. 

Having  become  the  first  principal  of  the  semi- 
nary in  1849,  Miss  Sill  filled  that  position  until 
the  summer  of  1884,  when  she  resigned,  but  as 
principal  emerita  she  retained  her  connection  with 
the  school,  when  she  died  under  the  roof  that  her 
own  strength  and  devotion  had  reared. 

JMiss  Sill  was  followed  by  ^liss  Alartha  Hillard 
(now  Mrs.  Martha  Hillard  MacLeish),  who  was 
principal  of  Rockford  seminary  from  1884  to 
1888.  Her  genial  personality  did  much  to  increase 
the  social  power  01  the  school,  both  at  home  and 
abroad,  and  the  regret  felt  when  her  marriage 
caused  her  resignation  was  universal  and  very 
sincere. 

Miss  Anna  Gelston  was  the  next  in  the  suc- 
cession, 1888-1890;  but  her  fragile  health  com- 
pelled her  to  relinquish  the  task  in  two  years. 

Miss  Sarah  F.  Anderson  (now  Mrs.  Sarah  An- 
derson Ainsworth)  became  acting  principal  in 
1890.  and  principal  in  1 89 1,  a  position  she  con- 
tinued to  occupy  until  1896.  Miss  Anderson 
graduated  from  the  normal  department  of  the 
seminary  in  1869,  and  for  many  years  acted  as 
financial  secretary  before  she  became  principal, 
and  her  wise  financial  management  forms  one  of 
the  striking  features  of  her  administration.  The 
whole  body  of  alumnae  knew  her  well,  and  were 
deeply  attached  to  her.  Through  her  efforts  and 
those  of  Miss  Jane  Addams,  who  accompanied 
her  in  a  trip  abroad,  an  unusually  fine  collection 
of  photographs  was  secured  for  the  art  depart- 
ment. 

When  Miss  Anderson  resigned  to  be  married  in 


114 


PAST     A\l)     I'Kl'.SEXT     OF     WIXXKliAllO     COl'XTY. 


1896,  Miss  Phebc  T.  Siitliff  was  made  president 
of  Rockford  collejje,  ami  coiitiinied  in  that  office 
until  1901.  Miss  Siitliff  bent  all  her  energies  to- 
ward raising  the  standard  of  scholarship,  and.  as 
a  result  of  her  efforts,  the  whole  tone  of  the  insti- 
tution changed  for  the  better  in  this  reS])ect. 

For  some  time  jirevious  to  Miss  Sutliff's  ad- 
ministration, the  trustees  had  been  working  stead- 
ily to  make  Rockford  a  woman's  college  of  the 
first  rank.     In   1882  a  collegiate  course  of  study 
was  added  to  the  seminary  curriculum,  and  since 
then   all    students   who   have   done    the   requisite 
amount  of  work  have  received  the  degree  of  A.  i>. 
In  June.  t8<)I.  the  board  of  trustees  clecideil  to 
discontinue    the    seminary    course,    and    in    June. 
1892,   the    name   of    the    institution    was    legally 
changed    from    Rockford    semin;uy    to    Rockford 
college,  in  order  that  the  title  might  represent  the 
work  done.     The  last  seminary  graduates  belong 
to  the  class  of  1895.     Begining  with  the  class  of 
1896.  all  graduates  have  been  college  graduates. 
On    Miss    Sutliff's    resignation    in    igoi.    Miss 
Emily  K.   Reynolds  was  elected  president.     Un- 
fortunately.   Miss    Reynold's   health    broke   down 
before  she  had  scarcely  begun  her  work,  and  she 
was  obliged  to  leave  Rockford  after  only  two  or 
three   months    of    residence.      Even    during    this 
short  space  of  time,  however,  she  made  her  influ- 
ence felt  in  establishing  a  system  of  self-govern- 
ment at  the  college  and  in  helping  to  beautify  the 
college  home.     On  Miss  Reynold's  resignation,  in 
1902.   Miss  Julia  Gulliver  was  elected  president, 
and  she  now  holds  that  position. 

In  1903-4  there  were  155  students  and  a  facul- 
ty of  twenty.  The  number  of  the  faculty  in  pro- 
portion to  the  number  of  students  is  so  unusually 
large  that  it  will  at  once  attract  attention  as  guar- 
anteeing an  amount  of  personal  care  for  the  indi- 
vidual students  that  is  impossible,  savi'  un<ler  just 
these  conditions.  The  heads  of  the  different  de- 
partments arc  all  trained  specialists,  and  in  gen- 
eral the  instructors  have  done  advanced  work 
above  their  college  degrees.  It  may  be  added 
that  the  relation  of  genial  and  sympathetic  com- 
panionship between  the  faculty  and  students  is 
one  of  Rock  ford's  distinguished  characteristics. 

All  through  its  history  Rockford  college  has 
been  blessed  in  its  trustees.  Thev  have  been 
broad-minded  men  and  women,  who  have  counted 
not  life  itself  dear  unto  them  in  their  devoted  la- 
Ixirs  for  the  best  interests  of  the  institution.  Pro- 
gressive, clear-sighterl.  courageous,  they  have 
laid  its  foundation  in  heroic  self-sacrifice;  they 
have  reared  its  walls  in  honor.  The  present  board 
worthily  represents  a  long  line  of  illustrious  pred- 
ecessors. Whatever  can  be  contributed  in  the 
wav  of  money,  time,  professional  knowledge, 
business  sagacity  and  vital  interest  is  given  freely. 
The  marked  musical  iire-cminence  of  the  city 
also  had  its  origin  and  ins])iration  in  tlie  musical 


department  of  the  college,  notably  during  the 
years  when  Professor  D.  X.  Hood  had  it  in 
charge  ( 1 858- 1 895 ) . 

The  commencement  of  1904  marked  the  fiftieth 
anniversary  of  the  class  of  1854.  the  first  graduat- 
ing class.  There  were  seven  of  them,  and  all 
were  living,  and  all  were  present  to  celebrate  the 
occasion.  An  almost  uni^recedented  event  in  the 
annals  of  any  college  this — that  a  graduating  class 
should  reach  the  half-century  mark  with  its  num- 
ber unbroken,  and  for  all  those  connected  with 
Rockford  college  the  conunencement  of  1904  will 
always  be  hallowed  by  the  presence  of  these  noble 
souls  who  had  for  man\-  years  fought  the  good 
fight  and  kept  the  faith. 

line  uocKroKo  fuicic  rrMi.ic  library. 

The  Rockforil  jjublic  library  is  believed  to  be 
the  first  one  established  in  the  state,  outside  of 
Chicago,  under  the  present  library  law.  In  May, 
1872.  a  petition  was  presented  to  the  city  council, 
signed  bv  jirominent  citizens  of  Rockford.  repre- 
senting all  classes  of  its  inhabitants.  ])raying  for 
the  organization  of  a  free  public  library  and  read- 
ing room.  The  council  promptly  passed  an  ordi- 
nance, which  was  approved  June  17.  1872.  It 
provided,  however,  that  "no  indebtedness  or  lia- 
l)ility  shall  be  allowed,  or  contracted  against  the 
said  city,  or  the  "library  fund'  of  said  city,  for 
anv  of  the  contingent  or  running  expenses  of  said 
librarv  and  reading  room,  until  after  the  first  dav 
of  March.  A.  D.  1873." 

On  the  very  day  the  library  ordinance  was  ap- 
proved. Mayor  Seymour  G.  Bronson  appointed 
the  following  named  gentlemen,  the  first  hoard  of 
directors  of  the  public  librarv:  Melancthon 
Starr.  Elias  Cosper.  S.  C.  \\' ithrow.  D.  S.  Clark. 
Rev.  F.  P.  Woodbury.  Rev.  H.  C.  Mahie.  \.  C. 
Thom])son.  J.  ( J.  Knapji  and  Charles  L.  Wil- 
liams. The  board  was  organized  with  the  elec- 
tion of  X.  C.  Thompson  as  president  and  Major 
Cosper  as  secretary.  Of  this  original  board  only 
Mr.  Withrow  and  Mr.  Williams  are  now  resi- 
dents of  the  city.  Dr.  Mabic  resides  in  Bo.ston, 
and  Dr.  \\'oodbnrv  has  headquarters  in  \^cw 
York. 

tender  the  restrictions  of  the  ordinance  there 
were  no  iniblic  funds  available  for  the  founding 
and  maintenance  of  the  library.  Its  immediate 
support  nuist  therefore  come  from  individual  sub- 
scrijitions.  The  board  of  directors  issued  a  gen- 
eral invitation  for  a  imblic  reception  to  be  held 
Tulv  30th.  Its  i)ur|)ose  was  to  afford  the  directors 
an  o])pf>rtunity  to  make  a  report  of  what  had 
alreadv  been  done,  and  to  consult  with  reference 
to  future  action.  At  that  meeting  it  was  resolved 
to  raise  by  private  subscription  a  fund  of  $5,000, 
to  supplement  the  limited  sum  to  be  raised  by  the 
tax  lew.  which  woulrl  not  be  available  for  some 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


"5 


time.  Subscriptions  exceeding  $2,000  were  made. 
Among  the  most  liberal  contributors  were : 
Thomas  D.  Robertson,  $500 ;  Emerson  &  Tal- 
cott,  $500 ;  Melancthon  Starr,  $200 ;  Elias  Gos- 
per, $40 ;  N.  C.  Thompson,  $200 :  Selden  AL 
Church,  $50 ;  S.  C.  Withrow,  $50 ;  Wm.  Lathrop, 
$100. 

The  outlook  was  not  promising,  but  the  citi- 
zens were  determined  to  have  a  librar_v,  and  ac- 
cording to  their  faith,  so  it  was  given  unto  them. 
Dr.  Woodbury  and  Melancthon  Starr  had  been 
appointed  a  committee  to  prepare  an  address  to 
the  citizens.  It  is  no  disparagement  of  the  work 
of  others  to  say  that  the  most  zealous  supporter 
of  the  project  was  the  late  Major  Elias  Cosper. 
He  solicited  funds  and  books,  and  many  of  the 
valuable  works  of  reference  in  the  early  library 
came  from  his  private  collection.  Major  Cospe'" 
earned  the  distinction  of  "Father  of  the  library," 
a  title  given  hmi  by  the  late  W.  L.  Rowland. 
Alajor  Cosper  served  on  the  board  twenty  years. 
The  official  records  of  June  27,  1892,  show  a  reso- 
lution of  thanks,  introduced  by  A.  D.  Farlv.  for 
his  long  and  distinguished  service. 

Three  rooms  were  leased  on  the  second  floor  of 
the  \\^allach  block,  which  stood  on  the  site  of  the 
present  Ashton  block.  The  annual  rental  was 
$350.  July  30  Miss  Mary  E.  Rankin  was  en- 
gaged temporarily  as  librarian.  The  reading 
rooms  were  open  to  the  public  August  i.  1872, 
with  a  goodly  number  of  daih"  and  weekly  news- 
papers, magazines  and  reviews. 

September  2d,  Thomas  M.  Martin  was  ten- 
dered the  appointment  of  permanent  librarian.  A 
few  days  later  Mr.  Martin  reported  that  he  could 
not  accept  the  position,  and  September  17,  1872. 
the  board  engaged  William  L.  Rowland  to  fill 
the  place. 

On  the  first  day  of  February,  1873,  the  library 
was  open  to  the  public  for  the  issue  of  books  for 
home  use.  The  first  catalogue  of  eighty-six  pages 
was  printed  a  few  months  later. 

Miss  Frank  I.  Edson  entered  the  library  as  an 
assistant  in  March,  1873.  In  September  follow- 
ing she  was  succeeded  by  Miss  Elizabeth  J.  Wil- 
liamson, who  remained  eighteen  years,  until  the 
autumn  of  1891.  Aliss  Nellie  Rose  was  then  ap- 
pointed assistant  librarian,  and  served  several 
years. 

The  first  annual  report  of  the  board  of  direct- 
ors, made  June  I,  1873,  showed  that  $1,773.11 
had  been  received  on  private  subscriptions  up  to 
that  date,  with  $2,160.50  still  unpaid:  making  a 
total  of  $3,933.61.  There  were  on  that  date 
2,815  volumes  in  the  library.  Of  this  number 
1,603  were  donations.  There  were  ninety-one 
periodicals  in  the  reading  room. 

The  lil)rarian"s  report  showed  that  for  the  first 
four  months,  ending  May  31,  1,252  cards  had 
been  issued  to  borrowers.  The  total  circulation 
for  the  same  period  was  8,777. 


The  first  tax  levy  for  library  purposes  was  ap- 
proved September  16,  1872,  and  was  fixed  at  one 
mill  on  the  dollar,  which  was  the  statutory 
maximum.  This  tax  yielded  a  library  fund  of 
only  $2,164,  a  sum  quite  inadequate  to  the  needs 
of  the  institution.  The  second  tax  levy,  approved 
November  3,  1873,  was  only  three-tenths  of  a 
mill  on  the  dollar.  The  modest  sum  of  $2,849.79 
was  realized.  The  lew  for  1874  was  $3,500 ;  and 
for  1875,  $3,411.33. 

The  library  remained  in  the  Wallach  block  until 
June,  1876,  when  the  books  were  removed  to  a 
part  of  the  second  floor  of  the  block  just  com- 
pleted by  Church,  Robertson  &  Emerson.  This 
lilock  is  now  occupied  in  part  by  the  Register- 
( iazette  company.  The  rental  was  $500  per 
annum. 

In  1890  it  was  decided  that  it  would  be  wise 
to  open  the  reading  room  three  hours  Sunday 
afternoon,  for  the  accommodation  of  those  who 
were  without  homes,  or  who  were  unable  to  visit 
the  library  during  the  week.  The  first  response 
was  not  very  general,  but  time  has  vindicated  the 
wisdom  of  such  action. 

In  1892  Mayor  Starr  made  an  innovation  by 
the  appointment  of  three  ladies  on  the  board  of 
directors.  These  were  Mrs.  Marie  T.  Perry,  Mrs. 
Clara  G.  Sanford,  and  Miss  Sarah  Anderson, 
then  president  of  Rockford  College. 

For  twenty-seven  years  the  library  remained  in 
these  quarters.  Its  growth  and  educational  im- 
portance kept  pace  with  the  rapid  advance  of  the 
city  in  population  and  commercial  importance. 
In  1896  the  library  board  leased  the  entire  second 
story  of  the  building,  which  nearly  doubled  the 
floor  area. 

The  card  catalogue  for  public  use  was  placed 
in  the  delivery  room  in  September,  1897.  In  it 
were  entered  all  books  received  since  the  publi- 
cation of  the  printed  supplement  to  the  catalogue 
in  1894.  This  was  superseded  in  1902  by  a  com- 
plete directory  catalogue  of  the  entire  contents  of 
the  librarv. 

During  the  autumn  of  1898  the  library  board 
voted  to  spend  a  portion  of  the  annual  appropri- 
ation in  the  purchase  of  books  to  be  placed  in 
certain  schools  of  the  city.  The  Rockford  library 
was  one  of  the  first  in  Illinois  to  place  libraries 
in  the  public  schools.  The  inauguration  of  this 
plan  of  reaching  the  youth  of  the  city  came  from 
an  address  by  j\Irs.  Marie  T.  Perry,  then  a  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  directors,  before  the  Rockford 
Federation  of  W^omen's  clubs.  Mrs.  Perry's  ad- 
dress so  well  incorporated  the  salient  features  of 
the  proposed  work  that  from  her  ideas  a  resolu- 
tion was  drafted  and  presented  to  the  board  by 
Henry  S.  Whipple.  A  committee  was  appointed 
composed  of  Airs.  Perry,  Librarian  Rowland,  H. 
S.  Whipple  and  Prof.  O.  F.  P)arbour,  who  were 
authorized  to  select  a  suitable  list  of  books. 
January   5,    1899,   libraries   were  placed   in   nine- 


no 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


teen  school  rooms,  and  himiary  lylli  four  more 
schools  were  siipi)lied.  The  total  circulation  of 
these  lx)oks  for  the  four  and  one-half  months 
of  the  fiscal  year  ending  May  31,  1899,  was 
9.808.  The  report  of  the  librarian  for  the  year 
ending  May  31,  1903,  showed  that  forty-four 
school  libraries  had  been  in  use  during  the  year, 
witii  a  total  of  1.726  volumes,  and  a  circulation 
of  25.398.  On  account  of  delay  in  placing  the 
books  in  that  year,  occasioned  by  removal  to  the 
new  Carnegie  building,  the  circulation  for  1903 
was  only  16.929. 

Another  effort  to  reach  the  youth  of  the  city 
was  the  publication  in  June.  1899,  of  a  catalogue 
of  juvenile  literature.  Copies  were  distributed  to 
the  scholars  in  grades  four  to  eight.  They  were 
also  given  to  other  children  over  ten  years  of  age. 
This  carefully  .selected  list  largely  increased  the 
use  of  books  by  children. 

In  August.  1900.  by  the  death  of  Andrew  M. 
Potter,  of  Philadelphia,  a  native  of  Rockford.  and 
a  veteran  of  the  Seventy-fourth  Illinois  Infantry, 
the  library  was  enriched  by  the  accession  of  446 
vt>lunies  of  history  pertaining  to  the  Civil  war. 
The  Rockford  library  now  has  one  of  the  most 
complete  collections  of  works  in  Illinois  on  the 
Civil  war,  outside  of  Chicago. 

.September  27.  1900,  Mr.  Rowland  jiassed  away 
after  a  brief  illness.  I-'or  twenty-eight  years  he 
had  been  the  efficient  librarian  and  his  death  was 
mourned  as  a  great  loss  to  the  i)ublic. 

In  January.  1901.  the  board  of  directors  ad- 
vanced Miss  Jane  P.  Hubbell  to  the  position  of 
librarian.  She  had  been  first  assistant  for  several 
years. 

One  of  the  notable  events  of  the  years  1901-02 
was  the  reorganization  of  the  library  according 
to  more  modern  methods.  September  16.  1901. 
Miss  Mary  E.  Gale,  an  experienced  cataloguer, 
Ijcgan  the  work  of  reclassifying  and  cataloguing 
the  books,  according  to  the  decimal  classification. 
Miss  Gale  completed  her  work  in  November, 
1902,  after  fourteen  months  of  the  most  exacting 
labor. 

For  many  years  the  friends  of  the  public 
library  recognized  that  a  commodious,  fire-proof 
building  was  an  urgent  necessity.  The  city,  how- 
ever, could  not  build  it,  for  it  had  been  for  many 
years  up  to  the  statutory  limit  of  its  lx)nded  in- 
debtedness. When  it  became  known  that  Mr. 
Andrew  Carnegie  proposed  to  distribute  a  por- 
tion of  his  wealth  in  public  library  buildings,  an 
effort  was  made  to  enlist  his  interest  in  Rock- 
ford. Correspondence  Ix-gan  in  1899.  In  March. 
1901.  Mr.  Carnegie  made  a  gift  of  $60,000.  The 
text  of  his  letter  is  given  in  full : 

"March  6,    1901. 
"O.  F.  Barbour,  Ksq.,  Rockford,  111. 

"Dear  Sir:  If  the  city  of  Rockford  will 
furnish  a  suitable  site  and  agree  to  maintain  the 
) 


library  at  a  cost  of  not  less  than  $8,000  a  year, 
Mr.  Carnegie  will  be  glad  to  give  $60,000  for  a 
free  library  building. 

"Respectfully  yours, 
"James  P.  Bertram,  Secretary.'' 

The  prolonged  controversy  over  a  site  is 
familiar  recent  history,  and  no  further  mention 
need  be  made  of  it.  A  desirable  site  was  finally 
selected.  The  ])roperty  was  owned  by  the  Rock- 
ford Gas  Light  and  Coke  company,  and  was 
valued  at  $1 1,000,  of  which  a  gift  of  $2,000  was 
made  by  the  company.  The  balance  was  paid  by 
citizens.  The  plans  submitted  by  Bradley  &  Car- 
IH'ntcr  were  approved,  and  the  contract  for  the 
structure  was  made  with  W.  H.  Cook. 

In  the  spring  of  1903,  when  funds  were  greatly 
reduced.  .Mayor  .Amasa  Ilutchius  asked  Mr. 
Carnegie  for  an  addition  to  his  gift,  and  he 
I)romptly  received  $10,000.  .\  portion  of  this 
sum  was  expended  in  the  completion  of  the  build- 
ing, and  the  balance  was  used  in  the  furnishings. 
The  work  of  beautifying  the  grounds  was  in 
charge  of  Hon.  Robert  H.  Tinker. 

The  comi)leted  Carnegie  library  building  was 
opened  to  the  public  November  21.  1903.  The 
total  value  of  the  property,  including  building, 
furnishings  and  grounds,  is  conser\-ativcly  placed 
at  $90,000.  This  does  not  include  the  books  nor 
the  museum.  The  opening  of  the  new  library  im- 
mediately resulted  in  an  increase  of  twenty-five 
])cr  cent,  in  circulation. 

In  1895  the  library  was  made  a  depository  for 
government  publications.  .\  large  room  has  been 
set  ajjart  for  them,  and  when  the  work  of  cata- 
loguing is  complete,  they  will  be  official  sources 
of  information  of  great  value. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  features  of  the 
library  is  the  children's  room  in  the  basement,  in 
charge  of  Miss  Mabel  Snyder.  During  a  busy 
season  of  the  year  nearly  one  hundred  little  ones 
have  been  seen  there  at  one  time. 

In  1904  the  Misses  Anna  and  Mary  Beattie 
and  brothers  Edward  W.  and  Geo.  D.,  presented 
to  the  city  of  Rockford  a  rare  museum  of  natural 
history.  conservativel\  valued  at  $9,000.  The 
collection  was  the  life-work  of  Dr.  Velie,  and  he 
personally  supervised  its  installation.  The  gift 
is  a  memorial  to  the  parents  of  the  donors  of  the 
gift,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Beattie,  early  residents 
and  highly  esteemed  citizens  of  Rockford. 

The  city  authorities  referred  the  acceptance  of 
the  gift  to  the  library  board,  who  gave  it  a  place 
on  the  second  floor  of  the  Carnegie  building. 

In  January.  iiX)4.  the  city  council  made  an  ap- 
propriation of  $2,000  for  the  purpose  of  es- 
tablishing a  branch  library  on  Seventh  street.  The 
furniture  was  generously  furnished  by  the  fac- 
tories in  which  P.  .\.  Peterson  has  large  interests. 
The  library,  in  charge  of  Miss  Blanche  Oaks, 
was  opened  in  June,  with  about  2,000  volumes. 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


117 


Tlie  following-  is  a  complete  roster  of  directors 
from  the  beginning:  Melancthon  Starr,  Elias 
Cosper,  S.  C.  Withrow,  Dr.  D.  S.  Clark,  Rev.  F. 
P.  Woodbury,  Rev.  H.  C.  Mabie,  X.  C.  Thomp- 
son, J.  G.  Knapp,  Charles  L.  Williams,  Dr.  A.  L. 
McArthiir,  Dr.  A.  E.  Goodwin,  R.  F.  Crawford, 
W.  A.  Talcott,  H.  P.  Holland,  I  Herva  Jones, 
Prof.  O.  F.  Barbour,  Rev.  Wilder  Smith,  Dr.  R. 
P.  Lane,  Geo.  S.  Haskell,  Rev.  T.  J.  Butler,  D.  S. 
Doig,  John  H.  Sherratt,  Prof.  M".  S.  Bebb,  W. 
W.  Bennett,  James  Lamont,  Rev.  J.  J.  Flahert)', 
Hon.  E.  H.  Baker,  Hon.  Seely  Perry,  August 
Lind,  Mrs.  Marie  T.  Perry,  Mrs.  Clara  Goodall 
Sanford,  Miss  Sarah  Anderson,  Hon.  C.  A. 
Works,  P.  O.  N.  Wall,  ]Mrs.  Harriott  Wight 
Sherratt,  Robert  Rew,  A.  D.  Earlv,  H.  S.  Whip- 
ple, J.  V.  Riley,  A.  P.  Floberg,  C.  L.  Miller,  Fred 
Haines,  A.  G.  Larson,  J.  E.  Goembel,  T.  E.  Swan- 
son,  J.  L.  Clark,  J.  A.  Alden,  W.  A.'Brolin.  Of 
this  number  Prof.  Barbour  is  the  senior  member, 
in  length  of  service.  He  was  first  appointed  in 
1876  by  Mayor  Levi  Rhoades,  to  succeed  H.  P. 
Holland,  resigned.  With  the  exception  of  a  brief 
interim  in  1878,  during  the  administration  of 
Mayor  Watson,  he  has  served  twenty-nine  years. 

The  present  library  staff  is  as  follows :  Jane  P. 
Hubbell,  librarian;  Mrs.  Anna  C.  Vincent,  as- 
sistant librarian  ;  assistants,  Eliza  A.  Kave,  Mary 
E.  Lowry,  Lelia  P.  King,  Mabel  L.  Snyder: 
evening  assistant,  Charles  A.  Church  :  Saturday 
assistant,  Katherine  E.  Dickerman :  substitute, 
Edith  1\L  Hess.  In  continuous  service  Mr. 
Church  out-ranks  any  other  person  on  the  present 
library  staff,  having  served  eighteen  years. 

^liss  Blanche  Oaks  is  librarian  of  the  Seventh 
street  branch,  with  Miss  Alma  Freeberg  as  as- 
sistant. 

May  31,  1Q05,  the  number  of  volumes  in  the 
main  library  was  41,320,  and  2,063  volumes  in 
the  branch.  The  total  circulation  for  home  use 
for  the  fiscal  year  ending  on  that  date,  at  the 
main  library,  was  86,946  ;  circulation  at  the  branch, 
18,360:  school  libraries.  13,828:  reference  works 
in  main  library,  15,403:  total  circulation  of  main 
library  and  branch,  134,537. 

In  .\pril,  1905,  the  tenth  annual  meeting  of  the 
Illinois  Librarv  association  was  held  in  Rock- 
ford. 

E.\RLY    ROCKFORD    SCHOOLS. 

The  first  school  in  Winnebago  county  was 
taught  by  Miss  Eunice  Brown,  who  afterward 
became  Mrs.  J.  G.  Lyon.  This  school  was  on  the 
site  of  no  South  Second  street,  in  the  rear  of 
what  is  known  as  the  John  Earlv  residence,  and 
taught  in  a  log  house.  This  was  about  July,  1837. 
In  the  spring  of  1838  Miss  Brown  taught  on  the 
west  side,  in  a  building  on  what  is  now  the  court 
house  square.  Mrs.  Lvon  died  at  her  home  in 
Rockton,  December  7,  i\ 


In  1837  Miss  Frances  Bradford  taught  school 
in  a  log  cabin  which  belonged  to  William  E. 
Dunbar.  In  1869  the  late  Mrs.  John  H.  Thurs- 
ton prepared  a  list  of  early  Rockford  schools  and 
teachers,  which,  with  some  amplification,  is  sub- 
stantially reproduced.  Israel  Morrill  and  Miss 
.Sarah  E.  Danforth  taught  in  1838  on  the  west 
side ;  Miss  Wood  in  1839,  on  the  west  side :  James 
M.  Wight,  in  the  winter  of  1838-39,  in  the  build- 
ing on  the  corner  of  Madison  and  Market  streets, 
on  the  site  of  the  American  house ;  Miss  Hyde, 
in  1839,  in  the  same  place;  Andrus  Corbin,  in 
1839,  in  a  house  owned  by  himself  on  the  west 
side;  Mr.  Jackson,  in  the  winter  of  1839-40,  in 
the  house  on  the  corner  of  Madison  and  Market 
streets ;  Miss  Hepsabeth  Hutchinson  and  Miss 
Maria  Baker,  in  1840,  on  the  east  side;  Mrs.  Mary 
Jackson,  in  1838-39,  on  the  west  side;  Miss 
Wealthy  Bradford,  in  1841-42,  on  the  west  side; 
Lewis  S.  Sweezy,  in  1841-42,  in  the  brick  school 
house  on  the  southeast  corner  of  the  public 
square,  east  side;  Miss  Harriet  Barnum,  in  1841, 
in  a  private  house,  east  side ;  Miss  Minerva  C. 
Fletcher,  in  1842,  in  a  log-  house  that  stood  op- 
posite the  First  Congregational  church,  east  side ; 
Elijah  Holt,  in  1841-42,  in  the  brick  schoolhouse, 
east  side;  John  Paul,  in  1841,  in  the  first  house 
south  of  the  railroad.  Main  street,  west  side ; 
Lewis  B.  Gregory,  in  the  brick  schoolhouse,  east 
side,  1843-44 ;  Miss  Fronia  Foote  and  George 
Waterman,  in  1843-44;  Miss  Julia  Barnum,  in 
1844,  in  private  house,  east  side ;  Miss  Adeline 
Warren,  private  house,  east  side ;  Miss  Augusta 
Kemfield  in  1845,  ^^^^  side;  C.  A.  Huntington, 
1845  to  1849,  in  the  old  courthouse  on  North 
First  street,  and  on  the  west  side  ;  Miss  Elizabeth 
Weldon  was  assistant  to  Mr.  Huntington ;  H.  H. 
Waldo,  in  1848,  in  Baptist  church,  west  side;  D. 
W.  Ticknor,  from  1846  to  1849,  in  the  brick 
schoolhouse,  east  side ;  assisted  in  turn  by  Miss 
Elizabeth  Weldon,  Anson  Barnum,  John  W. 
Andrews,  and  D.  Dubois ;  H.  H.  Waldo,  in  1849- 
50,  Miss  Hannah  Morrill.  1848,  east  side ;  Robert 
A.  Sanford,  1848,  west  side. 

In  1850  Mr.  Bowles  taught  in  the  brick  school- 
house  on  the  east  side;  Mrs.  Squires,  in  1850,  on 
what  is  now  in  South  Madison  street,  east  side, 
and  afterward  on  west  side ;  Mrs.  King  H.  Mil- 
liken,  in  1850,  east  side ;  Miss  Mary  Dow,  Miss 
Delia  Hyde  and  George  E.  Kimball,  1850-53,  in 
the  basement  of  the  present  First  Baptist  church 
building,  west  side ;  Miss  Sarah  A.  Stewart  and 
Aliss  Mary  Joslin,  in  1850,  in  a  building  where 
the  Masonic  temple  now  stands ;  Seely  Perry,  in 
the  basement  of  the  First  Methodist  church,  on 
Second  street ;  B.  Rush  Catlin,  in  1852,  in  base- 
ment of  First  Methodist  church ;  Misses  Char- 
lotte and  Harriet  Leonard,  in  1851-52;  Miss 
Stowell  and  T.  J.  L.  Remington,  in  185 1,  in  the 
lirick  schoolhouse,  west  side ;  Rev.  C.  Reighley, 


118 


PAST     AXn     PRESEXT     OF     WIWEI'.AGO     COLXTV 


in  1852.  on  the  cast  side;  Miss  Fanny  Avery,  in 

1852.  on  tlie  east  side:  Mr.  Stevens,  in  1833,  in 
tiie  brick  schoolhousc.  east  side;  Miss  Lizzie 
Fern,  in  1853,  on  the  cast  side;  .Mrs.  Carpenter,  in 

1853.  west 'side;  Rev.  L.  Porter,  1852;  Mr. 
Stowell.  in  1853;  Rev.  .\ddison  P>ro\vn  and  Miss 
Frances  .\.  I'.rown  on  the  west  side;  Miss  I'lia 
Galloway,  in  1854.  in  the  lobby  of  the  First  Con- 
STcsational  church,  east  side ;  Darwin  Dubois,  in 

1854.  in  the  First  Methodist  church;  Mrs.  Julia 
and  .Miss  Chapman,  in  1854,  on  the  west  side; 
Miss  l!elle  l!uri)cc  and  Miss  Ethalinda  Thomp- 
son, in  1855.  on  the  east  side;  Hal.sey  C.  Clark, 
in  1855,  in  old  courthouse,  east  side,  with  Miss 
Lizzie  'Ciffen  as  assistant ;  Miss  Emma  Brown, 
in  1857,  east  side;  \.  W.  Freeman,  in  the  base- 
ment of  First  Baptist  church,  west  side :  Wesley 
Sovcrei.qrn.  in  First  Methodist  church,  cast  side; 
Mrs.  Jiines.  on  west  side;  Miss  Elizabeth  I'isher, 
west  side;  Miss  Gunsolus,  east  side;  Mr.  Johnson 
and  Mr.  Clifford,  west  side. 

.Xearly  all  these  schools  were  private.  The 
teachers  were  paid  mainly  by  the  parents.  The 
teacher  made  out  his  own  bills  and  collected  them. 
There  was  then  no  resfnlar  state  or  local  ta.x, 
and  the  only  ])ublic  school  money  was  derived 
from  the  interest  on  the  several  state  school  funds, 
and  the  township  fund  obtained  from  the  sale  of 
the  sixteenth  section.  Private  teachers,  who  con- 
formed to  certain  requirements  of  the  law,  re- 
ceived some  comi)cnsation  from  tlie  jniblic  money, 
in  |)roportion  to  the  number  of  jnipils  under  their 
instruction. 

The  earlv  public  school  records  of  Rockford 
township  have  been  lost.  It  is  therefore  im- 
possible to  obtain  exact  information.  There  ap- 
pears, however,  to  have  been  a  school  district,  with 
a  schoolhouse,  on  each  side  of  the  river.  The 
cast  side  public  school  was  in  the  brick  building 
on  the  southeast  corner  of  the  public  s(|uare.  This 
schoolhouse  was  erected  at  an  early  date,  by 
private  subscription.  L.  P>.  Gregory  taught  there 
soon  after  his  arrival  in  Rockford.  His  examina- 
tion for  certificate  was  c|uite  brief,  and  was  held 
in  E.  H.  Potter's  store.  The  directors  were  E. 
H.  Potter,  William  E.  Dunbar,  Willard  Wheeler 
and  Dr.  A.  M.  Catlin.  Mr.  Gregory  was  asked 
to  spell  baker.  ITe  rei)lied  that  he  could  not; 
but  the  certificate  was  granted. 

In  the  classical  institute,  in  the  basement  of 
the  First  I'.a|)tist  church,  from  1855  to  1856,  of 
which  H.  P.  Kimball  was  principal,  one  class 
pursued  the  regidar  studies  of  the  freshman  year 
in  college,  and  entered  one  year  in  advance.  .-\ 
score  of  students  left  this  institution  and  entered 
eastern  colleges.  Two  years'  study  was  con- 
sidered sufficient  to  advance  scholars  through  a 
full  ])reparatory  course  of  mathematics  and  the 
usual  bofjks  in  Latin  and  Greek,  giving  them  a 
sufficient  preparation. 


Seely  Perry  taught  a  preparatory  school  for 
young  men  about  a  year  and  a  half,  in  the  First 
.Methodist  church.  .\t  this  school  quite  a  num- 
ber of  students  prepared  for  college.  .Vmong 
these  were  the  late  Dr.  Selwyn  Clark ;  .\lexander 
Kerr,  who  became  professor  of  Greek  in  the 
Cniversity  of  Wisconsin ;  Rev.  John  Edwards, 
brother  of  Mrs.  Clemens.  On  account  of  ill  health, 
Mr.  Perrv  turned  over  the  school  to  a  brother  of 
Dr.  E.  P.'  Catlin. 

ISesides  the  houses  used  for  schools  on  the  east 
side  already  noted,  were :  one  on  Kishwaukee 
street,  near  bridge ;  one  on  lot  in  rear  of  engine 
house  on  South  First  street ;  one  on  South  .Madi- 
son street.  Xot  less  than  eight  buildings  were 
used  for  school  puqDOses  on  the  cast  side.  .\  sum 
of  money  was  once  raised  to  build  a  second 
public  school  house  on  the  east  side ;  but  it  was 
never  erected.  The  money  was  finally  paid  into 
the  nninicipal  treasury,  upon  the  order  of  the  city 
Council. 

John  .\.  Holland  and  others  built  a  school 
house  for  private  pupils  on  South  West  street. 
It  w^as  occupied  exclusively  by  the  children  of 
those  who  erected  it.  It  was  therefore  not  a 
large  school,  but  somewhat  exclusive.  The  con- 
tract was  made  with  Seely  Perry  for  furnishing 
building  material. 

.\n  old  schoolhouse  stood  on  South  Main 
street,  and  later  used  as  a  blacksmith  shop,  near 
Mrs.  Brett's  block.  The  Second  Congregational 
church  was  organized  in  this  building.  There 
was  also  a  small  schoolhouse  on  the  south  side 
of  Green  street,  between  Church  and  Court.  It 
was  a  white  frame  building,  .\bbie  Parker,  a 
sister  of  the  late  G.  W.  Parker,  tau.ghl  there  at 
one  time. 

IKi:i-:   ITltLIC  SCHOOL  svsrii.M. 

The  development  of  the  public  school  system 
is  an  excellent  illustration  of  the  growth  of  ]>a- 
tcrnalism  ;  first,  on  the  part  of  the  general  govern- 
ment ;  and  second,  in  the  gradual  advance  of  the 
state  toward  the  present  standard. 

The  free  jjublic  school  system  of  Illinois  dates 
from  1855.  In  December.  1853.  a  large  common 
school  convention  met  at  Jerscyville.  composed  of 
delegates  from  many  adjoining  counties,  and  one 
at  Bloomington,  for  the  whole  state.  These 
movements  ])ro<luced  results.  The  general  as- 
sembly, which  met  the  following  February,  sepa- 
rated the  office  of  state  su|ierintendent  of  public 
instruction  from  that  of  secretary  of  state,  and 
made  it  a  distinct  department  of  the  state  gov- 
ernment. The  state  superintendent  was  required 
to  draft  a  bill  emlnxlying  a  system  of  free  edu- 
cation for  all  the  children  of  the  state,  and  report 
to  the  next  general  assembly.  March  15.  1854, 
Governor     Slattcson     appointed     Hon.      Xinian 


PAST  AXD  PRESEXT 


OF  WIXNEBAGO  COUXTY. 


119 


Edwards  as  state  superintendent.  In  the  fol- 
lowino;  January  Mr.  Edwards  presented  a  bill 
which  became  a  law  February  15.  1855.  Fo'' 
state  purposes  the  school  tax  was  fixed  at  two 
mills  on  the  one  hundred  dollars.  To  this  was 
added  the  interest  from  the  permanent  school 
fund.  A  free  school  was  required  to  be  main- 
tained for  at  least  six  months  in  each  year,  and  it 
was  made  imperative  upon  the  directors  of  every 
school  district  to  levy  the  necessary  tax.  Thus 
the  free  school  system  of  Illinois  began  when  the 
taxing;'  power  of  the  state  was  invoked  in  its 
behalf. 

The  school  law  was  bitterly  opposed,  and  nar- 
rowlv  escaped  repeal.  Sir  William  Berkeley,  the 
royal  governor  of  \'irginia,  said  in  1670:  "T 
thank  God  there  are  no  free  schools  nor  printing 
presses  in  Mrginia  and  I  hope  we  shall  not  have 
these  hundred  years."  The  spirit  of  this  pious 
wish  prevailed  in  southern  Illinois :  and  there  was 
a  repetition  of  the  old  conflict  between  the  two 
distinct  classes  of  people  in  the  two  portions  of 
the  state.  The  southern  portion  was  poor,  while 
the  northern  portion  was  well-to-do ;  and  it  was 
only  as  it  was  made  to  appear  to  the  southern 
part  that  it  was  receiving  more  from  the  state 
school  fund  than  it  was  contributing,  that  the 
people  acquiesced  in  the  law. 

The  charter  of  1854  had  conferred  upon   the 
city    council    of    Rockford    full    power    over    its 
schools.     Ji'iie   20,    1855,  the  council   passed   its 
first  school  ordinance  under  the  new  school  law. 
The  city  was  divided  into  school  districts ;  East 
side,  number  one ;   West  side,  number  two.     A 
board   of  school   inspectors   was  appointed,   con- 
sisting of  George  Haskell,  A.  S.  JNIiller  and  Jason 
Marsh.     In  December  the  board  voted   to  pur- 
chase of  A.  W.   Freeman  his  lease  of  the  base- 
ment of  the  First  Baptist  church  for  a  school  in 
district    number    two.      IMr.    Freeman    was    em- 
ployed to  teach  at  $800  per  year.     .\t  the  same 
time    Henry    Sabin    was    engaged    for    the    First 
district,    and    the    old    courthouse    on    the    east 
side  was   leased.     Mr.    Sabin    is    a    brother    of 
Charles  Sabin,  of  X'^orth  Giurch  street.     He  is  a 
graduate  of  Amherst   College,   and  has  made  a 
record   for   distinguished   service.      He   has  been 
superintendent  of  schools  at  Clinton,   Iowa,  and 
has  served  several  terms  as  state  superintendent 
of  that  state.     He  now  lives  at  Des  Moines. 

The  council  had  provided  by  ordinance  for  a 
school  agent  for  each  district,  whose  acts  were  to 
be  approved  by  the  council.  July  27,  1855,  the 
agent  for  the  First  district  was  authorized  to 
purchase  from  Solomon  Wheeler,  the  tract  on 
which  the  Henry  Freeman  school  now  stands. 
September  loth  a  contract  was  made  for  the  con- 
struction of  the  building.  April  28,  1856,  a  con- 
tract was  made  for  a  schoolhouse  in  the  Second 
district,   on   the   site   of   the   Lincoln   school ;   the 


contractors 


were  E.  X.  House.  M.  H.  Regan 
and  James  B.  Howell.  The  progress  of  the  build- 
mgs  was  delayed  by  unfavorable  weather,  and  the 
late  arrival  of  school  furniture. 

August  14,  1857,  in  the  afternoon  and  evenino- 
occnrred  the  formal  dedication  of  the  two  uniOT 
school  buildings.  Previous  to  this  time  Rock- 
ford  as  a  city  had  no  schoolhouse  of  its  own. 

The  First  district  school  had  three  principals 
from  1857  to  1884.  The  first  was  Orlando  C. 
Blackmer.  who  was  appointed  March  10,  i8s7 
His  assistant  was  S.  F.  Penfield.  iMr.  Blackmer 
remamed  but  a  short  time,  when  he  began  the 
iniblication  of  school  records  in  Chicago.  Mr. 
Blackmer  is  a  brother  of  Mrs.  X.  C.  Thompson.' 
He  is  now  living  at  Oak  Park. 

Prof.    Henry    Freeman,    Mr.    Blackmer's    suc- 
cessor, was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  born  within 
twenty  miles  of  Plymouth  Rock.     He  was  gradu- 
ated   from    Teacher's    Seminarv.    Andover,"  Mas- 
sachusetts,  in   1839,  and  taught   for  one  vear  in 
the  preparatory  department.  "  Prof.  Freeman  be- 
gan his  life-work  as  principal  of  the  high  school 
at  Bridgeton,  Xew  York,  in   1840.     In"  1845  he 
was  offered  the  principalship  of  Salem  academv, 
at   Salem,   X^'ew  Jersey,   where   he  remained  five 
>ears  until  he  was  elected  principal  of  \\'allkill 
Academy,  at  Middleton,  Xew  York.    In  1855  he 
was  called  to  the  position  of  principal  of  the  high 
school  and  superintendent  of  schools  at  Freepo'rt. 
Illinois.  In  1859  the  board  of  school  inspectors  in- 
vited Prof.  Freeman  to  take  the  position  of  prin- 
cipal and  superintendent  of  schools  of  East  Rock- 
ford  at  a  salary  of  one  thousand  dollars  a  vear. 
This  position  he  filled  twenty-one  vears.  imtil  he 
resigned  in  1880.     During  tliis  long  service  hun- 
dreds of  pupils  came  under  the  influence  of  the 
principal.    Prof.  Preeman  had  high  ideals  of  life, 
and  his  strong  character  was  a  potent  factor  in 
promoting  that  which  was  for  the  best  interest 
of   the   pupils.      His    conscientious    efforts    were 
appreciated,   and   occasionally   his   former   pupils 
gathered    informally    at    his'  home    and    recalled 
reminiscences  of  those  formative  vears. 

The  third  and  last  principal  was  Prof.  .\.  W. 
McPherson,  who  remained  until  1884. 

George  G.  Lyon  was  chosen  principal  of  the 
Second  school  district  March  10,  1857.  April 
22,  1904,  the  old  pupils  of  Prof.  Lyon  had  the 
pleasure  of  honoring  his  memory  bv  planting  the 
Lyon  elm  on  the  Lincoln  school  grounds. 

Prof.  Lyon  was  succeeded  bv  E.  M.  Fernal, 
E.  X.  sillier.  James  H.  Blodgett  and  W.  W. 
Stetson.  Prof.  Blodgett  became  principal  of  the 
^^'est  side  school  in  September,  1865,  and  held  this 
position  fifteen  years.  He  had  served  his  country 
in  the  Civil  war  as  captain  of  Companv  E, 
Seventy-fifth  Illinois  \'olunteer  Infantrv.  Prof. 
Blodgett  has  for  many  years  been  an  official  in 
the  interior  department  at  Washington. 


I20 


I'AST     AXD     PRESF.XT     OF     WIXXKHAGO     COUXTY. 


Prof.  W.  W.  Stetson,  the  last  principal  of  the 
West  side  high  school  before  the  consolidation, 
is  now  state  superintendent  of  Maine. 

By  1857  a  small  frame  strncture  had  been 
erected  in  South  Rock  ford  as  a  schoolhouse. 
This  was  soon  enlargfed  and  was  later  superseded 
by  a  stone  structure,  now  known  as  Kent  school. 
Thomas  Sherratt  and  a  Mr.  Munson  were  early 
principals.  Mr.  Sweet,  another  early  principal, 
went  to  California  and  there  died. 

Prof.  O.  F.  Barbour  succeeded  Mr.  Sweet  in 
September.  1866,  and  has  retained  this  position 
thirtv-nine  consecutive  years.  Prof.  Barbour's 
continuous  service  in  the  same  school  is  without 
a  parallel  in  the  state  of  lUinnis.  "To  his  in- 
spiration."' says  Prof.  James  II.  Blodgett.  "is 
largely  due  the  unusual  prominence  of  boys 
among  the  graduates  of  the  West  high  school. 
At  a  time  when  girl  graduates  monopolized  the 
diplomas  in  many  schools,  one-third  of  the  gradu- 
ates of  \\'est  Rockford  high  school  were  boys, 
and  occasionally  a  graduating  class  had  more 
boys  than  .girls,  and  .^outh  Rockford  furnished  a 
conspicuous  share." 

October  21.  i86i.  the  number  of  school  in- 
spectors was  increased  from  three  to  five. 

In  1884  the  public  school  sy.stem  was  thor- 
oughly reorganized,  and  the  city  was  made  one 
school  district,  with  one  high  school,  in  ])ursu- 
ance  of  an  ordinance  drawn  Ijy  Hon.  .\lfrcd  Tag- 
gart.  Prof.  P.  R.  Walker  was  made  general 
superintendent  of  all  the  city  schools,  and  he  has 
held  this  position  twenty-one  years.  Prof.  Walker 
did  service  during  the  Civil  war  with  the  Xinety- 
second  Illinois  \'oluntcers.  He  graduated  from 
tlie  Illinois  State  Xormal  School  and  was  for 
many  years  a  teacher.  Pie  came  to  Rockford  from 
Rochelle. 

.\  central  high  school  was  created.  Temporary 
(|uarters  were  secured  in  the  second  story  of  a 
building  on  West  State  street.  The  first  prin- 
ciiial  was  Prof.  A.  W.  McPherson,  who  served 
one  year.  The  second  principal  was  Prof. 
Charles  A.  Smith,  a  graduate  of  .\inhcrst.  The 
present  high  school  Iniilding  was  erected  in  1885, 
and  an  addition  was  completed  in  1900.  Prof. 
Smith  was  succeeded  by  Walter  A.  Edwards,  a 
son  of  Prof.  Edwards,  at  one  time  superintendent 
of  public  instruction  of  Illinois.  Mr.  Edwards 
resigned  in  1805.  and  was  succeeded  by  Prof.  B. 
D.  I'arker.  who  remained  nine  years.  The  jircs- 
ent  i)rinci|)al  is  Ellis  U.  Graff,  who  began  his 
duties  in  Sei)teml)er.   1904. 

Previous  to  the  reorganization  of  the  Rockford 
schools  in  1884.  the  schoolhouses  were  simply 
designated  by  the  wards  in  which  the}'  were 
.severally  located.  Prof.  Walker,  as  he  became 
acquainted  with  the  history  of  the  city,  advised 
the  naming  of  the  several  schools,  and.  with  three 
exceptions,  they  were  named  in  honor  of  Rock- 
ford citizens. 


The  West  side  high  school,  built  in  1857.  was 
called  the  Lincoln  school,  in  honor  of  .\braham 
Lincoln.  It  was  rebuilt  in  1892  at  a  cost  of 
$35,000. 

The  East  Rockford  high  school,  also  built  in 

1857,  was  named  .Adams,  in  honor  of  President 
Jolm  .\dams.  In  1893  the  old  stone  structure 
was  razed  to  the  ground  and  a  two-story  brick 
building  erected,  at  a  cost  of  $40,000.  In  1904 
about  $5,000  was  expended  in  a  steam  heating 
plant  and  a  system  of  fan-ventilation.  This  build- 
ing has  been  re-christened  the  Henry  Freeman 
school,  in  honor  of  Prof.  Freeman,  who  taught 
twenty-one  years  in  the  old  East  side  high  school. 

The  South  Rockford  school  building,  erected  in 

1858,  was  named  the  Kent,  in  honor  of  Ger- 
manicus  Kent,  the  first  settler  of  Rockford,  who 
came  here  in  1834. 

The  Hall  .school,  built  in  1866,  and  rebuilt  in 
1892.  was  named  in  honor  of  John  Hall,  an  early 
member  of  the  board  of  education. 

The  Ellis  school,  built  in  186S.  hears  the  name 
of  Col.  E.  F.  ^^'.  Ellis,  an  early  banker  of  Rock- 
fcMil,  who  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh  in 
.\pril,   1S62. 

The  Blake  school,  erected  in  an  early  day,  and 
rebuilt  in  1899,  received  its  name  from  Thatcher 
Blake,  who  came  to  Rockford  with  Germanicus 
Kent,  in  1S34. 

The  Marsh  school,  built  in  1872.  bears  the 
name  of  Col.  Jason  Marsh,  a  pioneer  of  1839. 
and  a  representative  lawyer  and  public-spirited 
citizen. 

The  Xelson  school,  built  in  1881.  is  named  for 
John  Xelson,  the  famous  Rockford  inventor  of 
the  knitting  machine.  The  Hotel  X'^elson  also 
hears  his  name. 

The  Haskell  school  was  built  in  1874.  and 
perpetuates  the  memory  of  Dr.  George  Haskell, 
who  came  to  Rockford  in  1838.  He  has  been 
immortalized  by  the  poet  Whittier  in  Snow- 
boiuid. 

The  Montague  school  was  built  in  1883.  and 
enlarged  in  i8()2.  It  bears  the  name  of  Richard 
Montagut-.  a  pioneer  of  1835. 

The  Wight  school,  built  in  1889,  is  named  in 
honor  of  James  AI.  Wight,  a  prominent  barri.ster, 
member  of  the  constitutional  convention  of  1870, 
and  a  representative  in  the  legislature. 

The  Brown  school,  erected  in  1892,  derives  its 
name  from  Judge  William  Brown,  who  held 
many  offices  of  ])ublic  trust  and  was  for  twenty 
years  judge  of  the  circuit  court. 

The  Garrison  school,  built  in  1887.  and  en- 
largcfl  in  i8<)2,  is  named  for  Thomas  Garrison, 
who  came  to  Rockford  from  New  Jersey  in  1853, 
and  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  north  of  the 
city.  Mr.  Garrison  died  October  6,  1871.  .\n 
addition  has  been  made  to  the  school  building 
during  the  present  year. 
The  Cliurch  school  was  built  in  1894,  and  per- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


121 


petuates  the  memory  of  Judge  Seklen  M.  Church, 
an  early  settler,  postmaster,  member  of  the  legis- 
lature, and  judge  of  the  county  court. 

The  Kishwaukee  school  was  built  in  1896.  and 
derives  its  name  from  the  street  on  which  it 
stands,  which,  in  turn,  is  derived  from  Kish- 
waukee river.    Kishwaukee  is  an  Indian  name. 

The  Turner  school  was  built  in  1898,  and  de- 
rives its  name  from  J.  M.  Turner,  a  supervisor 
and  alderman.  Mr.  Turner,  in  recognition  of  this 
honor,  gave  the  school  a  bell. 

A  site  at  the  corner  of  Summit  and  Crosby 
streets,  consisting  of  one-half  of  a  block,  was 
purchased  in  1904,  and  a  ten-room  building 
erected.  It  is  called  the  Jackson  school,  in  honor 
of  Charles  E.  Jackson,  the  present  mayor.  It  is 
pleasing  to  know  that  the  idea  of  more  extensive 
school  grounds  has  at  last  been  adopted,  and  that 
this  new  building  is  heated  by  steam,  and  well 
ventilated  with  a  fan  to  drive  the  pure,  warm  or 
cold  air  through  the  building.  The  plans  pro- 
vide large  rooms,  well  lighted,  and  large  halls 
that  are  easily  accessible,  with  stairs  easy  to 
ascend  and  descend.  The  light  comes  in  at  the 
left  and  rear  of  the  pupils  in  each  room.  The  site 
is  on  an  elevation  well  drained  and  supplied  with 
ample  sewerage,  a  very  important  item  in  the 
location  of  a  school  building. 

With  the  completion  of  the  Jackson  school,  the 
entire  school  property  of  Rockford,  including 
buildings,  grounds  and  furnishings  is  not  less 
than  half  a  million  dollars. 

The  following  table  indicates  the  cost  of  the 
completed  buildings  as  they  now  stand : 

High    School,    1885-1900 $  92,145.97 

Lincoln,   1892 35,000.00 

Henry    Freeman,    1893 45,000.00 

Hall,  1892 30,000.00 

Wight.   1889 20.000.00 

Brown,    1892 18,000.00 

Kent,    1858 20,000.00 

Montague,    1883-1892 20,700.00 

Garrison,    1887-1892 18,000.00 

Church,    1894 20.000.00 

Kishwaukee.    1896 30,000.00 

Nelson,    1881 4.000.00 

Marsh,   1872 5,000.00 

Blake,   1899 28.385.49 

Haskell,    1874 6,000.00 

Ellis,    1868 4,000.00 

Turner,   1898 25,588.74 

Jackson,    1904 35.000.00 


Total $456,820.20 

Tne   following  is   the   total   enrollment   of   the 
citv  schools  bv  vears,  since  1884: 

1884 '.  ^.^.-JJi  1894 4.723 

1885 2,818  1895 4.781 

1886 2,875  1896 4.945 

1887 2,950  1897 5,138 


1888. 
1889. 
1890. 
1891. 
1892. 
1893. 


•  3,206 
•3.306 
•3.563 
•3.851 
•4.195 
•4.531 


1898 5,193 

1899 5.645 

1900 5,877 

1901 6.01 1 

1902 6,116 

1903 6,251 

Opening  day,  September  5,  1904 5.627 

Enrollment  for  September,  1905 6.441 

The  work  of  the  Rockford  high  school  is  to 
a  limited  extent  elective,  and  is  based  upon  an 
election  of  subjects  rather  than  of  courses.  The 
unit  of  the  plan  is  a  "credit,"  which  means  five 
hours  of  work  per  week  for  a  period  of  thirty- 
nine  weeks.  Sixteen  such  credits  are  necessary 
for  graduation,  of  which  seven  and  a  half  are  re- 
quired, and  the  remainder  elective.  The  plan 
may  be  seen  by  reference  to  the  course  of  study. 
Below  is  a  report  of  the  number  in  the  enter- 
ing classes,  and  the  number  graduated  since  1886: 

WHEN  WHEN 

GRADUATED.  NO. 

1890 32 

1891 37 

1892 28 

1893 49 

1894 52 

1895 48 

1896 67 

1897 88 

1898 58 

1899 55 

1900 68 

1901 48 

1902 ^6 

1903 64 

1904 77 

1905 87 

education  consists  of  Dr. 

,  E.  D.  Revnolds.  L.  M. 
Biller. 


NO. 


ENTERED. 

1886 

1887 

r888 

1889 

1890 

189I 

1892 

1893 

1894 

1895 

1896 

1897 

1898 

1899 

1900 

I9OI — 

The  present  board  of 
Culhane,  A.  G.  Everett, 
Xolina:.  and  JNIiss  Pearl 


.109 

79 
89 

"5 

132 

,116 
138 
176 
163 
146 
154 

■152 
169 

■159 


FIRST    C0NS0LID.\TED    SCHOOL    IN    ILLINOIS. 

Seward  township  has  the  first  consolidated 
school  in  Illinois.  In  the  spring  of  1903,  on  pe- 
tition to  the  school  trustees.  Districts  90,  91,  93, 
of  Seward  township,  were  consolidated.  The 
electors  of  the  consolidated  district,  bv  a  vote  of 
thirty-eight  for  and  fifteen  against,  bonded  the 
district  for  $7,000,  ten  years'  time  at  four  per 
cent,  to  purchase  a  site  and  erect  a  union  school 
building.  By  a  vote  of  forty-seven  for,  and  one 
against,  the  airectors  were  authorized  to  pur- 
chase a  certain  site  for  the  new  school  grounds. 
This  consists  of  three  and  six-tenths  acres  of  some 
of  the  finest  farming  land  in  northern  Illinois. 
The  amount  paid  for  it  was  $1,000. 

Prof.  Blair,  chief  of  horticulture  of  the  Illinois 
College  of  Agriculture,  designed  the  landscape 
arrangement  of  this  ground.     It  provides  for  the 


122 


lM      AM)     I'RF.SF.XT     OI"     WIX.XEliACO     COrXTV. 


tifiil  fjroii|)in<js  and  massing  of  nunuTous 
varieties  of  shrubs  anil  llowcrs :  a  boys'  athletic 
field ;  a  gfirls'  athletic  field ;  little  folks'  play 
ground ;  and  experimental  gardens  for  all  the 
children.  TJie  new  building  was  erected  at  a  cost 
of  about  $6,000.  The  credit  of  this  iimovation 
belongs  to  Superintendent  ().  J.  Kern,  who 
labored  four  years  and  a  half  to  accomplish  this 
result.  This  school  promises  to  be  the  connecting 
link  between  the  farm  and  the  college  of  agri- 
culture. 

DI.^TKICT    SCIIOOI.    TR.WKI.I.NG    LlliR.\RIES. 

The  Winnebago  County  District  School  Travel- 
ing Libraries  were  organized  in  lyoi.  The  object 
was  to  supply  valuable  helps  for  school  work 
and  good  literature  in  a  way  that  would  be  pos- 
sible to  reach  every  district  school,  every  child 
and  intlirectly  every  home  in  the  county  outside 
of  the  City  of  Rockford.  This  was  the  first  at- 
tempt of  its  kind  in  Illinois.  These  traveling 
libraries  are  the  property  of  the  county,  and  are 
in  charge  of  the  county  superintendent  of  schools. 

The  money  with  which  to  inirchase  the  books 
was  acquired  in  two  ways.  First,  an  appropria- 
tion by  the  county  board  of  supervisors ;  second, 
by  the  net  jimceeds  of  annual  township  school  ex- 
ercises. 

The  districts  over  the  county  are  grouped  into 
circuits  of  six  districts  each,  with  two  or  three 
excejjtions.  A  box  of  books  stays  at  a  school  one 
month  and  then  is  taken  to  another  school  in  die 
circuit.  The  fractional  township  of  Laona  has 
exactly  six  school  districts.  The  teachers  of  this 
circuit  are  over  twenty  miles  from  Rockford.  Tlie 
traveling  library  is  the  only  way  to  reach  them, 
for  the  distance  is  too  great  for  teachers  to  go  to 
the  county  suj^erintendent's  office  and  lake  books 
to  their  schools.  With  the  traveling  libraries  all 
schools  are  on  an  equal  footing  as  far  as  oppor- 
tunity to  u.se  lxx)ks  is  concerned.  Three  boxes  of 
books  are  placed  in  each  circuit,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  graded  school  circuit  of  ten  schools, 
which  has  five  lx)xes. 

The  library  movement  is  helping  to  create  a 
new  educational  ideal  in  Winnel)ago  county.  It 
is  no  small  factor  in  the  imjirovement  of  the 
teaching  force.  .And  tiie  library,  if  rightly  used 
in  the  .school  room,  can  not  fail  to  strengthen  the 
work  of  the  puiiils.  Pufiils  and  teacliers  are 
brought  into  contact  with  good  books  during  the 
year,  .^lowly,  but  surely,  the  reading  habit  will 
be  formed,  the  desire  to  rea<l  gix)d  books.  This  is 
of  great  importance  to  the  boy  or  girl  after  school 
days  are  over. 

DI.STRICT  SClK)Or,  LI1!R.\RIES. 

There  has  been  a  great  increase  in  tlie  local 
district  school  libraries  during  the  past  three  years, 
total  numIxT  of  admissions  having  Ijeen  nearly 
90,000, 


These  books  are  the  property  of  the  various  dis- 
tricts, and  are  secured  by  socials.  ])urchased  by 
directors  from  school  funds,  etc. 

TOW.V.Smi'    GR.XDUATION    EXERCISES. 

This  innovation  l)egan  in  1901.  These  annual 
exercises  are  helpful  in  creating  a  new  educational 
ideal  with  reference  to  the  country  school.  It 
gives  an  opportunity  for  all  the  chililren  and  i)ar- 
eiits  of  a  townshij)  to  get  together  in  the  interests 
of  better  .schools.  .Xo  attempt  is  made  to  create  a 
great  display.  The  aim  has  always  been  to  have 
the  children  render  the  i)rogram  of  a  simple  edu- 
cational character,  and  thus  keep  alive  a  growing 
interest.  If  the  children  are  interested,  the  par- 
ents will  be.  The  county  superintendent  attends 
every  one  of  them.  Ten  cents  admission  is 
charged,  and  the  net  proceeds  go  toward  the  trav- 
eling lilirary  fund. 

Eighth  grade  certificates  for  admission  to  high 
school.  ])upils'  reading  circle  diplomas  and  teach- 
ers' professional  attainment  certificates  are  given 
at  these  union  township  exercises.  .\  subject  is 
selected  each  year  by  the  county  superintendent, 
which  is  the  central  theme  of  tlu'  ])rogram.  The 
aim  is  to  make  the  program  a  unit  all  over  the 
county,  and  thus  make  the  exercises  trul\'  educa- 
tional and  at  the  .same  time  entertaining. 

The  subject  for  1-901  was:  The  History  of 
\\"innebago  County:  1902.  Louisiana  Purchase 
Fx]3osition  ;  1903,  Out  Door  Art  for  Home  and 
School. 

KOCKFOKO   CH.\UTAUOU.'\    .\SSEMIILY. 

It  has  fallen  to  the  lot  of  few  Rockford  insti- 
uuions  to  meet  with  such  success  in  a  comi)ara- 
tively  short  time  as  lo  the  Rockford  Chautau(|ua. 
now  known  the  breadth  and  width  oi  the  Chau- 
tauqua world  as  one  of  the  largest  and  most  in- 
lluential  in  the  entire  country. 

The  Rockford  Chautau(|ua  assembly  was  or- 
ganized in  the  year  i()02.  The  promoters  felt 
tliere  was  a  need  of  such  an  institution  in  this 
city  and  Ixdieved  that  their  efforts  would  be 
strongly  aided  by  the  Rockford  public. 

.\  stock  company  of  100  shares  was  organ- 
ized with  a  ca])ital  of  S5.000.  and  the  work  was 
taken  up  with  a  will.  The  Rockford  and  Inter- 
urban  Comjiany  erected  the  handsome  and  cajja- 
cious  auditorium  at  Harlem  Park,  seating  5,000 
people,  and  made  otlur  improvements  u])on  the 
grounds. 

The  i<)02  assembly  was  a  record-breaker  for  a 
first-vear  gathering.  .\  jirogram  such  as  has  not 
been  arranged  but  for  few  gatherings  Oi  the  sort 
sufficed  to  attract  thousands  and  the  reputation  of 
the  assembly  was  established. 

The  .season  of  1903  broke  all  records  in  point 
of  attendance  for  short-term  Chautauquas,  the 
artistic  arrangement  of  many  kinds  of  trees  :  beau- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


123 


These  enormous  figures  were  a  stu"prise  even 
to  the  management  itself  and  other  Chautauquas 
in  the  country  saw  they  had  a  powerful  rival  in 
the  point  of  popularity.  These  attendance  figures 
have  only  been  surpassed  by  the  mother  assembly 
at  Jamestown,  New  York. 

The  season  of  1904  was  as  highly  successful 
in  every  respect  as  that  of  the  previous  year,  the 
attendance  frgures  being  about  the  same. 

With  a  confidence  born  of  this  unprecedented 
attendance  the  management  looks  forward  to  the 
season  of  1906  with  hope,  and  does  not  hesitate 
to  say  that  the  program  will  be  unquestionably  the 
strongest  ever  presented  by  any  assembly  in  the 
west. 

No  expense  has  been  spared  in  past  years  to 
gratify  every  desire  of  the  public  for  pleasing,  as 
well  as  educating,  programs,  and  the  Chautauqua 
association  will  continue  on  this  same  broad  plan 
in  the  years  to  come. 

The  officers  of  the  association  are : 

President — D.  Lichty. 

\'ice  President — George  Stansbury. 

Secretary — Frank  S.  Regan. 

Treasurer — Miss  Mary  I.  Beattie. 

Superintendent — A.  C.  Folsom. 

Directors — A.  E.  Elmore.  J.  B.  Whitehead, 
August  Peterson,  H.  S.  Whipple,  L.  A.  Williams, 
W.' W.  Bennett,  C.  H.  Knapi.,  J.  FT.  I-Cing,  E.  M. 
Breckenridge. 

ROCKFORD     STREET     RAILWAY     AND 
INTERURBAN  LINES. 

KOCKFORD  STREET  RAILWAY  I'OMPAiW. 

The  Story  of  the  growth  of  the  city  railway  and 
interurban  systems  of  Rockford  forms  an  inter- 
esting chapter  in  the  commercial  development  of 
the  city.  From  very  humble  beginnings  these 
lines  have  become  a  great  factor  in  the  municipal 
life  to-day.  They  bring  thousands  of  people  to 
the  city  every  week,  and  make  Rockford  the  busi- 
ness, educational  and  amusement  center  for  the 
great  Rock  river  valley. 

The  Rockford  Street  Railway  company  was  or- 
ganized in  the  latter  part  of  1880,  with  a  capital 
of  $20,000.  January  21,  1881,  the  secretary  of 
state  authorized  Anthony  Haines,  Charles  O.  Up- 
ton and  James  Ferguson,  as  commissioners,  to 
open  books  for  subscriptions  to  stock.  The  orig- 
inal stockholders  were :  Anthony  Haines,  H.  H. 
Robinson,  James  Ferguson,  C.  O.  Lfpton,  C.  M. 
Brazee,  R.  F.  Crawford,  Levi  Rhoades,  N.  E.  Ly- 
man, George  H.  Trufant,  J.  S.  Ticknor,  A.  D. 
Forbes,  E.  L.  Woodruff,  John  Barnes  and  John 
Lake.  The  first  directorate  was  chosen  February 
9,  1881,  at  the  office  of  Holland.  Ferguson  &  Co., 
and  consisted  of  the  following  named  gentlemen : 
C.  M.  Brazee,  A.  D.  Forbes,  Levi  Rhoades,  C.  O. 


Upton,  R.  F.  Crawford,  A.  Haines  and  John 
Barnes.  On  the  following  day  the  directors  elected 
A.  Haines,  president ;  Levi  Rhoades,  vice-presi- 
dent;  H.  H.  Robinson,  secretary:  G.  H.  Trufant, 
treasurer. 

The  company  was  organized  under  the  gen- 
eral corporation  act  of  April  18,  1872,  and  a  char- 
ter was  obtained  for  ninety-nine  years.  June  27, 
i88r,  a  franchise  was  granted  by  the  city  council, 
and  the  promoters  had  no  difficulty  in  securing 
the  right  of  way. 

The  records  of  the  company,  now  ui  possession 
of  H.  H.  Robinson,  contain  this  modest  para- 
graph, tmder  date  of  July  6,  1881  : 

"Moved  by  A.  D.  Forbes  that  the  companv  pro- 
ceed to  make  necessary  arrangements  to  build  a 
street  railway  from  or  near  the  corner  of  Mon- 
tague and  South  ^lain  streets,  in  South  Rockford, 
to  a  point  at  or  near  where  South  Fourth  street 
crosses  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railway,  in 
East  Rockford,  Illinois.  Motion  seconded  and 
carried." 

The  original  track  began  on  I-'ourth  avenue,  at 
its  intersection  with  Fourth  street,  running  to 
Kishwaukee,  thence  to  State,  from  State  to  South 
Main,  extending  on  the  latter  to  its  intersection 
with  Montague. 

September  26,  1881.  the  capital  stock  was  raised 
to  $40,000,  and  December  27,-  1883,  the  capital 
was  increased  to  $80,000.  \\'ith  a  large  fund  at 
its  disposal,  the  conijjany  extended  its  track  to 
the  north  gate  of  the  fair  ground.  This  line,  how- 
ever, was  authorized  by  the  original  tranchisc. 
The  east  side  line  was  also  extended  on  Fourth 
avenue  to  Seventh  street,  thence  to  the  Northwest- 
ern railroad  crossing.  The  company  operated  a 
doulile  track  on  State  street. 

\\'hen  the  first  line  was  nearly  completed  an 
amusing  question  arose  whether  horses  or  mules 
should  be  used  to  draw  the  cars.  The  directorate 
was  a  tie,  and  President  Haines  gave  the  casting 
vote  in  favor  of  the  horse.  The  company  em- 
ployed no  conductors.  Passengers  were  supposed 
to  dnip  their  nickel  or  ticket  in  the  box.  Wash- 
ers, buttons  and  old  coins  also  came  to  fill  the 
coffers  of  the  company.  The  latter  often  proved 
of  value,  and  were  sold  at  good  prices  to  coin  col- 
lectors. Sometimes  a  five-dollar  gold  piece  would 
be  dropped  in  by  mistake.  On  one  occasion  a  lady 
left  her  false  teeth  on  the  seat. 

The  company  made  some  money  during  the 
first  six  years.  The  enterprise,  however,  failed  to 
pay  when  the  lines  were  extended  to  the  .sparsely 
settled  portions  of  the  city.  In  i88g  H.  W.  Price, 
who  had  become  a  director,  and  one  of  the  great- 
est of  our  cit\'  builders,  negotiated  a  sale  whereby 
the  property  of  the  old  company  passed  into  the 
hands  of  a  syndicate  at  sixty  cents  on  the  dollar. 
"Judge"'  R.  N.  Baylies  became  president,  and  the 
name  of  the  corporation  was  changed  to  the  Rock- 


124 


PAST     .WD     PRF.SKXT     OV     WIXXEBAGO     COL'XTY. 


ford  City  Railway  company.  Electricity  sup- 
planted the  slow,  but  faithful,  horse,  and  a  metro- 
politan street  railway  system  was  rapidly  devel- 
oped. 

WEST  KND  STREET  RAILW.W. 

It  will  be  a  matter  of  regret  to  the  future  his- 
torian of  Rock  ford  tliat  the  records  of  the  West 
End  Street  Railway  company  have  been  lost.  F.  A. 
Ticknor,  the  secretary  and  superintendent  of  the 
company,  has  kindly  furnished  interesting  facts 
concerning  the  enteqirise. 

During  the  winter  of  1890  a  number  of  gentle- 
men became  actively  interested  in  the  expansion  of 
the  city  in  what  is  now  known  as  the  "West  End." 
It  was  proposed  to  construct  a  street  railway,  in 
the  belief  that  it  would  increase  the  demand  for 
lots  and  eventually  build  up  a  prosperous  suburb. 

The  leader  in  this  movement  was  the  late  James 
S.  Ticknor.  who  became  president  and  secretary  of 
the  company.  His  son.  Frank  .\.,  was  secretary 
and  superintendent. 

The  West  End  Street  Railway  company  was 
organized  in  i8qo.  with  a  capital  of  $50,000, 
which  sum  was  subsequently  increased.  A  fran- 
chise was  obtained  without  serious  opposition,  al- 
though there  was  an  animated  controversy  over 
the  kind  of  rail  to  be  used,  which  finally  resulted 
in  the  choice  of  the  girder  type,  which  Ihe  com- 
pany advocated. 

The  first  line  was  the  West  End  loop,  which 
started  from  the  intersection  of  Elm  and  .South 
Main  streets,  west  on  Elm  to  Cleveland  avenue, 
north  on  Cleveland  avenue  to  .'School  street,  west 
on  School  to  Johnson  avenue,  south  on  Johnson 
avenue  to  Anderson  street,  ea.st  on  .\nderson  and 
Preston  .streets  to  South  .\von,  and  north  on 
South  Avon  to  Elm. 

The  South  Rockford  line  began  on  Elm  street. 
running  west  to  Church,  south  on  Church  to  Ce- 
dar, west  on  Cedar  to  Winnebago,  south  on  \V\n- 
nebago  to  Montague. 

The  third  line  was  begim  at  the  intersection 
of  Chestunt  Wyman  streets,  running  north  on^^'y- 
man  to  Mulbern-.  west  on  Mulberry  to  Horsman. 
north  on  Horsman  to  Locust,  west  on  Eocust  to 
Kilburn  avenue,  north  on  Kilburn  avenue  to 
School  street.  Eater  the  line  was  extended  on 
Mullierrv  to  Avon,  north  on  Avon  to  School,  and 
east  on  School  to  connect  with  the  first  line  termi- 
nus. 

Tn  18^)2  the  east  side  line  was  built.  Tt  began 
at  the  intersection  of  Church  and  Giestnut  streets, 
running  east  on  Chestnut  and  Walnut  .streets  to 
Third,  north  on  Third  to  ^Tarket.  east  on  Market 
to  Xorth  Fourth,  north  on  Xorth  Fourth  to  Hen- 
ton,  east  on  Picnton  to  Longwood.  north  on  Long- 
wood  to  Rural  street. 

The  East  side  line  was  subsequently  extended 
on  Market  to  the  intersection  of  Charles  and  East 
State,  and  east  on  Charles  to  Eleventh  street. 


When  all  its  lines  were  completed  the  West 
luid  company  had  a  greater  mileage  than  the  City 
Railway,  but  many  of  them  were  not  on  the  main 
thoroughfares.  The  road  was  supplied  with  elec- 
tric power  throughout.  The  west  end  loop  and 
south  side  lines  paid  well.  The  enterprise,  how- 
ever, was  not  successful,  and  lo.-t  a  fortune  for 
its  president  and  his  family.  Tl  c  financial  strin- 
gency of  1893  was  especially  severe  in  Rockford, 
and  the  West  End  comjjany  could  not  stem  the 
adverse  tide.  In  1895  t'^*^  property  of  the  com- 
pany passed  into  the  hands  of  a  receiver.  The 
mortgage  was  foreclosed,  and  the  property  was 
bid  in  by  John  Parson,  who  represented  the  bond- 
holders. 

CON'SOLinATED    SVSTF..\rS. 

The  Rockford  City  Railway  company  was  or- 
ganized in  1890.  I'pon  the  foreclosure  of  the 
West  End  Street  Railway  company  in  1895.  the 
line  was  owned  and  operated  by  the  Rockford 
Traction  company.  The  Rockford  Railway, 
Light  and  Power  company  was  organized  in  1898, 
by  the  consolidation  of  the  Rockford  City  Rail- 
way company  and  the  Rockford  Traction  com- 
pany. The  Rockford  S:  Iklviderc  Electric  Rail- 
way com])any  was  organized  in  1900.  The  Rock- 
ford and  Tntcrurban  Railway  company  was  in- 
corporated in  the  fall  of  1902.  as  ,1  consolidation 
of  the  Rockford  &  P.clvidere  Electric  Railway 
company  and  the  Rockford  Railway,  Light  and 
Power  company.  It  is  capitalized  at  $1,000,000, 
with  the  following  officers:  R.  N.  Baylies,  presi- 
dent: John  Parson,  vice-president;  G.  G.  Olm- 
steady.  secretary :  F.  ^^^  W^oodruff.  treasurer :  T. 
^1.  Ellis,  general  manager:  F.  W.  Mc.\ssey.  au- 
ditor: C.  C.  Lines,  superintendent  of  tracks. 

There  are  two  interurban  divisions — one  ex- 
tending from  Rockford  to  Pielvidere,  a  distance  of 
fifteen  miles  ;  the  other  running  to  Freeport.  thirty 
miles  west,  was  completed  in  1904.  The  latter 
line  is  operated  bv  a  sejiarate  organization,  called 
the  Rockford  &:  Freeport  Electric  Railwav  com- 
pany. The  territory  traversed  by  these  lines  is 
one  of  the  garden  spots  of  Illinois,  and  is  as  fer- 
tile and  prosperous  a  region  as  exists  in  the  state. 
It  is  drained  by  the  Rock.  Kishwaukee  and  Peca- 
tonica  rivers.  Between  this  city  and  Belvideie 
lies  Cherry  valley.  Between  Freeport  and  Rock- 
ford there  are  three  towns — Ridott.  Pecatonica 
and  Winnebago.  The  highest  grade  is  two  per 
cent,  for  two  thousand  feet. 

Cars  leave  for  Helvidere  or  Freeport  at  6  a.  m. 
and  each  succeeding  hour  until  11  p.  m.  The 
schedule  time  to  Belvidere  is  forty-five  minutes, 
with  a  record  run  of  thirty-two  minutes  for  the 
distance.  Over  the  Freeport  line  the  regular  time 
is  one  hour  and  twenty  minutes,  a  special  having 
made  the  run  in  forty-five  minutes. 

The  Rockford,  Beloit  &  Jancsville  railroad,  op- 
erating lx?tween  Rockford,  Illinois,  and  Janesville, 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


Wisconsin,  a  distance  of  thirty-four  miles,  pass- 
ing- through  Roscoe  and  Rockton,  Illinois,  and 
Beloit.  \Msconsin,  by  a  traffic  arrangement,  en- 
ters Rockford  over  the  tracks  of  the  Rockford  & 
Interurban  Railway  compan}-.  giving  an  hourly 
service  to  the  above  named  points. 

The  local  service  is  very  complete,  a  network 
of  tracks  intersecting  the  entire  city  and  suburbs. 
Over  one  thousand  cars  pass  the  waiting  station 
during  the  eighteen  hours.  The  power  used  for 
interurban  lines  requires  a  13,200-volt  alternat- 
ing current,  carried  to  the  substations  located  at 
Winnebago,  Pecatonica,  Ridott  and  Cherry 
Valley,  respectively,  making  them  about  seven 
miles  apart. 

The  advent  of  the  interurban  has  increased  the 
value  of  fami  property  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
right-of-way  fully  twenty  per  cent.  Electric 
lines  are  projected  and  under  way  connecting  va- 
rious cities  and  towns  in  this  section  with  Rock- 
ford, and  complete  connection  with  Chicago  will 
soon  be  realized,  when  Rockford  will  be  one  of 
the  greatest  centers  of  electric  lines  in  the  north- 
west. At  the  present  time  one  can  reach  Chicago 
via  electric  roads,  with  a  slight  gap  from  Belvi- 
dere  to  Elgin,  and  a  line  is  now  being  constructed 
between  those  cities.  The  prejudice  existing  a 
few  years  ago  among  nierchants  in  smaller  towns 
against  electric  lines  entering  their  territory  has 
given  way  to  a  great  enthusiasm  in  favor  of  the 
same. 

In  addition  to  the  passenger  service  the  Rock- 
ford &  Interurban  Railway  company  has  modern 
express  and  freight  runs,  and  since  its  inaugura- 
tion, July  16.  1902,  this  department  has  been  very 
successful. 

Harlem  Park  was  purchased  in  1898,  and  as  a 
pleasure  resort  and  Chautauqua  grounds  has 
proven  a  valuable  adjunct  to  the  interurban  sys- 
tem. 

Substantial  stations  have  been  erected  in  all  the 
small  towns  along  the  lines.  These  have  com- 
fortable waiting  rooms  and  a  department  for 
handling  express  business.  In  a  separate  part  of 
the  building  are  the  electric  transformers  used  in 
supplying  power  for  the  road. 

MEMORIAL    HALL. 

Winnebago  county  began  the  agitation  of  a 
memorial  hall  for  its  soldier  and  sailor  dead  al- 
most a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  but  it  was  not 
until  1903  that  a  monument  was  dedicated.  On 
June  3d  of  that  year  President  Theodore  Roose- 
velt unfurled  the  stars  and  stripes  over  the  beau- 
tiful building  on  North  Main  street.  The  struc- 
ture is  of  Bedford  stone.  In  the  basement  are 
kitchens  and  storage  rooms :  on  the  second  floor 
the  post  rooms,  memorial  tablets  and  club  rooms, 
while  on  the  third  floor  is  a  large  auditorium  and 


balcony  with  a  seating  capacity  of  eight  hundred. 

In  1885  a  resolution  was  introduced  at  a  meet- 
ing of  the  board  of  supen^isors,  providing  for  an 
appropriation  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  for 
a  memorial  hall.  There  was  some  question  about 
the  legality  of  the  appropriation,  and  the  resolu- 
tion failed  of  passage. 

Again  in  1898  the  matter  was  taken  up  by  the 
board.  Attorney  A.  D.  Early  spoke  before  that 
body,  and  everything  seemed  bright  for  an  appro- 
priation. But  once  again  the  plan  failed  because 
the  state's  attorney  held  that  the  board  could  not 
legally  appropriate  money  fo.r  this  purpose. 

Repeated  failures  did  not  dampen  the  ardor  of 
the  friends  of  the  memorial  movement,  and  it  was 
finally  determined  to  appeal  to  the  legislature  for 
assistance. 

A.  D.  Early  drew  up  a  bill  permitting  the  board 
of  supervisors  to  appropriate  the  money  for  a 
memorial,  after  the  matter  had  been  passed  on  by 
the  voters  of  the  county  at  a  general  election. 

Hon.  Henry  Andrus  was  entrusted  with  the 
charge  of  the  measure,  and  he  succeeded  in  secur- 
ing its  passage  by  both  branches  of  the  legisla- 
ture, and  the  governor  affixed  his  signature  there- 
to without  delay. 

All  that  then  remained  to  be  done  was  the  circu- 
lation of  petitions  to  the  supervisors  for  the  sub- 
mission of  the  proposition  to  the  voters  at  the 
November  election  of  1900. 

The  members  of  Nevius  post  and  the  Woman's 
Relief  Corps  took  charge  of  this  feature  and  went 
to  work  with  a  will  circulating  the  petitions.  The 
requisite  number  of  names  were  readilv  secured, 
and  the  petition  duly  presented. 

The  question  went  to  the  people,  was  heartily 
indorsed,  and  the  last  obstacle  in  the  way  of  the 
desired  memorial  was  removed.  The  vote  of  the 
county  stood,  6,021  yeas,  2,757  nays. 

The  board  of  supervisors  went  to  work  with  a 
will.  Bradley  &  Carpenter  were  given  the  con- 
tract to  draw  plans,  and  \Y.  H.  Cook  was  award- 
ed the  contract  for  the  construction  of  the  build- 
ing. President  Roosevelt's  visit  was  made  the 
occasion  of  great  celebration.  It  is  estimated 
that  Rockford  entertained  twenty  thousand  visi- 
tors on  the  third  day  of  June,  and  entertained 
them  royally.  The  day  was  perfect,  and  immense 
crowds  lined  the  sidewalks  to  see  the  nation's  ex- 
ecutive. All-day  exercises  were  held,  and  far  into 
the  night  the  campfires  of  Nevius  post  burned 
brightly. 

SPANISH    WAR  VETERANS. 

^^^^en  the  call  for  troops  came  to  right  the 
wrongs  of  Cuba  and  to  punish  Spain  for  her 
treachery  and  the  destruction  of  the  Maine,  Win- 
nebago county  responded  with  more  than  its  quota 
of  men. 


126 


PAST     AND    TRESFA'T     OF     WIXNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


Rockfonl  tirsi  licanl  that  actual  liuslilitit-s  had 
bcgiin  on  the  afternoon  of  Tluirsdav,  April  21, 
181J-.  Prolonged  whistles  from  the  factories  an- 
nounced the  declaration  of  war.  and  all  classes  of 
]Ko])lc  were  instantly  charged  with  the  military 
sjjirit. 

President  .McKinley  issued  a  call  for  100,000 
men.  and  congress  made  liberal  apijropriations. 
without  a  dissenting  vote  in  either  house.  The 
(|Uota  of  Illinois  under  this  call  was  6,439  "i^"''- 
Two  da\  s  later  fompanies  H  and  K  of  Rockford 
were  on  their  way  to  Siiringfield.  The  towns 
along  the  way  turned  out  to  clieer  them.  At  El- 
gin they  were  joined  by  Comi)any  M.  and  in  Chi- 
cago the  Rochelle  and  \\'oo(lstock  conijianies  were 
added.  .\t  Joliet.  Colonel  P.ennitt  and  staff  and 
tile  company  from  that  city  were  accessions.  The 
regiinent  arrived  at  Camp  Tanner  .\pril  27th. 
AJFter  two  weeks  at  Camp  Tanner  the  boys  left. 
Mav   14th,  for  Chattanooga. 

Rocktord  was  made  more  fully  aware  of  the 
realitv  of  tlie  war  on  the  afternoon  of  May  27th. 
when  a  telegram  came  from  Chattanooga  an- 
nouncing the  death  of  T'irst  lieutenant  C.  E.  .Al- 
mond. The  remains  arrived  in  Rockford  on  Me- 
morial day.  and  were  buried  with  military  honors. 
He  was  the  first  soldier  from  Winnebago  county 
to  die  during  this  war. 

.\fter  weeks  of  waiting,  the  Rockford  boys  re- 
ceived word  to  move  from  Camp  Thomas  in  the 
latter  part  of  Jid.v.  and  Sunday,  July  24th,  found 
them  on  their  way  to  Newport  News,  where  they 
took  the  transport  for  Porto  Rico.  Their  record 
in  the  island  campaign  was  one  of  which  they 
have  reason  to  be  proud. 

One  of  the  sad  incidents  of  the  war  was  the 
death  of  Lieutenant  W.  .\.  Talcott.  Jr..  which  oc- 
curred at  Watch  Hill,  Rhode  Island,  .\ugnst  ^i.st, 
as  the  result  of  illness  contracted  in  the  service. 
He  enlisted  with  the  Seventy-first  New  York 
\'olunteers,  and  was  jiromoted  for  bravery.  Mr. 
Talcott  had  recently  been  admitted  to  the  bar.  and 
a  bright   future  was  apparently  before  him. 

.Another  Winnebago  boy  who  went  to  war  and 
death  was  Harry  Potter.  He  was  a  member  of 
Company  H. 

A  few  davs  later  came  word  of  the  death  of 
Corporal  Lillic.  A  comrade  at  the  time  said : 
"He  was  a  good  soldier  and  never  shirked  his 
duty." 

.Another  Rockford  soldier  who  died  from  dis- 
ease instead  of  bullets  was  Private  Renus  Nelson, 
who  was  a  memlx-r  of  the  First  Wisconsin  Regi- 
ment.    He  died  from  fever  at  the  citv  hos])ital. 

.After  the  hostilities  had  ceased,  the  Rockford 
sokliers  were  kept  on  the  island  for  several  weeks, 
and  finally  sailed  for  home  October  i6th. 

The  Third  Regiment  reached  Rockford  on  its 
return  Friday,  Novemlx'r  nth.  The  return  was 
a  great  event  in  the  history  of  Rockford.     It  was 


estimated  that  twenty  thousand  persons  stood  in 
the  cold  around  the  Illinois  Central  depot  and 
watched  the  trains  bearing  the  soldiers.  It  was 
10  o'clock  before  they  arrived.  There  was  a  big 
clis])lay  of  fireworks  and  a  deafening  discharge  of 
artillery  in  welcome  to  the  men. 

.\  few  days  later  there  was  a  i)ageant  of  peace. 
.V  banquet  was  served  the  returned  soldiers,  and 
there  was  an  immense  parade.  It  was  a  night  of 
red  fire  and  patriotism. 

A  sad  touch  was  given  the  general  atmosphere 
of  rejoicing  by  the  news  of  Jeremiah  Ilooley's 
death  in  Chicago. 

A  few  days  later  the  Rockford  boys  received 
their  discharges  and  had  settled  down  to  the  pur- 
suits of  peace. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  members  of  Com- 
panies H   and  K  : 

rOMP.\NV   II. 

Captain — \\'illiam  H.   P.rogunier. 

Finst  Lieutenant — Charles  E.   .Almond. 

Second  Lieutenant — William  H.  Sarver. 

First  Sergeant — George   Searle. 

Quartermaster-Sergeant — Harry  E.  Brogunier. 

Sergeants — .Axel  L.  Hulten.  Herbert  L.  P>ack- 
us.  Fred  L.  Auchter,  Harry  T.  Potter. 

Corporals — Peter  Lindberg.  l-'rank  E.  Osljorn, 
Fritz  Johnson.  Ed  C.  Johnson,  W.  C.  King.  .An- 
ton Johnson,  C.  Rov  Speake.  Fred  W.  Farmiloe, 
John  W.  Pctrie,  Henry  Sanders,  George  H. 
riaker.  Gihnore  Grant. 

Musicians — William  II.  Stuckev,  Stillman 
\'alley :  Louis  W.  Miles. 

.Artificer — George  H.  Allen. 

Wagoner — Charles  E.  Richardson. 

Privates — Charles  E.  .Adamson,  Roy  .Archer, 
.August  L.  .Vpplegren.  Leon  M.  Baldwin.  Streat- 
or :  James  L.  Basford.  Frank  B.  Basford,  Clar- 
ence C.  Bover,  Richar<l  Boyer,  Joseph  Boyer, 
George  L.  Baxter,  Louis  M.  Barker,  Isaac  W, 
Breckcnridge,  London,  Pa.:  Swan  Carlson, 
Giarles  E.  Carlson.  .Arthur  P>.  Carr,  Sullivan  L. 
Clark,  Joseph  Caldwell,  James  Coyne.  Edward  E. 
Cowles,  Edgar  E.  Campbell.  Henry  J.  Dillon, 
Charles  J.  Dillon,  II.  J.  Dickerman,  Hiram  R, 
Drake,  Fort  .Atkin.son,  W'isconsin  ;  John  Garry, 
John  J.  Hooley,  Joseph  .A.  Hunter,  Edward 
Houseman,  Fred  Johnson,  Ix>uis  W.  Jones,  John 
R.  Tohnson.  David  F.  King.  .Andrew  T.  Lawler, 
.Mbert  E.  I^imb.  John  W.' Lindell.  P.ert  J.  Lin- 
dell.  Richard  H.  Limigberg.  Otto  Lundin.  Frank 
E.  Mahon.  Peter  J.  McGrath.  William  F.  Mur- 
phv,  Richard  Noreen,  O.scar  G.  Olson,  .Albert 
O'Garr.  Harry  E.  Osgood,  Frank  G.  Parker, 
lames  W.  Paxton.  Rudolph  L.  Peterson,  Rudolph 
.\.  Perterson,  Charles  Sederstrom,  Charles  Sea- 
lander,  Gustav  Schmidtz.  George  H.  Shepard, 
Tohn   .'"^inilh.  John  ,\.  Tavlor,  I^wrence  Taylor, 


PAST     AXD     IT-JESEXT     OF     WIXXEBAGO     COUXTY. 


127 


Edward  Ta}-lor,  Eugene  Tunison.  Emil  \'an 
Holsbeke,  Frank  H.  Welch.  Abe  L.  YingHng. 
Recruits — Gustave  G.  Boetcher,  Milwaukee : 
Mark  M.  Butler,  Belvidere ;  Joseph  Bath,  Thomas 
Blachford.  Belvidere ;  Arthur  R.  Davis.  Joliet ; 
Albert  L.  Ferree,  Coldwatcr,  ^lich. ;  Richard 
Flynn.  Belvidere ;  Josepn  Flannerv.  Belvidere ; 
Louis  Gastman,  Jerry  F.  Holey.  Robert  A.  Hunt- 
er. Clarence  Hunieston.  Henry  S.  Hensel,  Oscar 
A.  Jackson.  William  S.  Lawman.  Belvidere:  John 
J.  AIcGrath.  Andrew  F.  Alaloney,  Belvidere ; 
Oron  McConel.  William  Outcalt.  Yerman  Out- 
calt.  Edward  C.  Osmus,  Roy  M.  Phelps,  Belvi- 
dere :  John  ^^'.  Roderick,  Belvidere  ;  Edward  ^^^ 
Roderick,  Belvidere ;  John  E.  Randolph,  Garden 
Prairie:  Henry  Schmitz,  Peoria;  Fred  B.  Stock- 
well. 

COMPANY     K. 

Captain — Edwin  E.  Leonard. 

First  Lieutenant — James  A.  Ruggles. 

Second  Lieutenant — Ernest  L.  Hess. 

First  Sergeant — Lee  Lemaire. 

Quartermaster-Sergeant — Eric    Swcnbcig. 

Sergeants — Edward  A.  Ouinn.  Frank  ?il,  Hull. 
Frank  Smith,  ^^'ill   AlcDermaid. 

Corporals — \\'alter  1!.  Tavlor.  Eric  Kjellgren, 
Walter  Wall,  Samuel  C.  Hull  Fred  J.  Corey'."  Lu- 
man  P..  Lillie.  William  M.  Banner,  Fred  H. 
Wlieeler.  George  A.  Trumbo,  Will  J.  Barbour, 
John    B.    Chaney. 

Musicians — Charles  E.  Frank.  Knutt  O.  Juh- 
Hn. 

Artificer — Richard  Anderson. 

Privates — Charles  E.  Anderson,  Fred  C.  Bar- 
bour. Charles  G.  Bowman.  Joseph  H.  Bryden. 
Thatcher  B.  Bean.  Frank  Betts.  Williams  Buske. 
Oscar  X.  Danielson.  Bert  Dundon,  Richard  Al. 
Eylward,  Edward  H.  Engqnist,  Emil  Flood.  Wil- 
got  Flood.  Fred  Fellows.  Joseph  Frost,  Gust  T. 
Gustafson.  Robert  K.  Gustafson.  Charles  G.  Gns- 
tafson.  Harold  R.  Gaston.  James  H.  Galloway, 
Charles  O.  Harper.  Lycurgus  A.  Hall,  Joseph  B, 
Hoffman,  Clinton  S.  Holmes,  Benjamin  A.  Hun- 
ter. John  Hagenson,  Harrv  Hunter.  Jason  B.  Is- 
bell.  Eric  S.  Johnson.  Louis  H.  Johnson,  Frank 
A.  Jordan,  Chicago :  Elmer  R.  Johnson.  Axel 
Kjellgren.  Paul  R.  Klentz,  \'ictor  Liliydahl,  Paul 
C.  Loveland,  Peter  A.  Larson,  Robert  S.  Lane, 
^^'illianl  H.  Mcintosh,  Israel  X^.  ^^futimer,  George 
Matthews,  Harry  Nelson,  Fred  R.  Olson.  \Tctor 
C.  Olson,  Henry  Odenahl,  Ed  Ostness,  Edwin 
Oberg,  Floyd  Osmus,  George  Pitney,  Harry  M. 
Putnam,  Harry  A.  Parson,  Frank  R.  Ridgley, 
Matthew  Ryan,  Wilbur  P.  Raymond.  Charles  F. 
Strong.  Linus  Selin.  Bruce  W.  Savage.  Grant 
Shields,  Otto  Stohlgren.  Carl  R.  Savage,  Charles 
A.  Thorne.  George  Whitmore.  Recruits — Lewis 
Ahlberg,  Belvidere;  Charles  G.  Barnes,  Byron; 
Frank  Blank,  Belvidere ;  John  F.  Clayton,  Belvi- 


dere;  Louis  J.  Caswell,  Claus  Ekstedt,  Cherry 
\'nllrv  :  Wdiinm  Fallon,  Evert  J.  Garlock,  Byron ; 
Israel  J.  Ferris,  Robert  B.  Hart,  Byron  ;  Charles 
E.  Gooman,  Guy  Holland.  Herman  Huffman. 
Adolph  Johnson,  John  E,  Jones,  Ernest  Kilgore, 
Byron  ;  Otto  Koch,  Belvidere ;  Henry  C,  Lane, 
Byron ;  George  Monroe,  Belvidere ;  Martin  F. 
Xally,  Byron  :  Clarence  C.  X'elson.  George  Patter- 
son, Steven  Powell.  Joseph  H.  L^nderwood.  By- 
ron ;  Frans  A.  Titus,  Clarence  G.  Tetlow,  Belvi- 
dere ;  Ernest  D.  Wallace. 

Other    Rockford    boys    who    enlisted    for    the 
Spanish- American  war  were : 

Third  Illinois  Regiment — Companv  A :  Charles 
R.  Gipe,  Axel  L.  Kjellgren. 

Company  D :  Howard  C.  Carpenter.  James 
McConnell. 

Company  F :  Selwyn  L.  Clark,  Charles  Jen- 
kins, Charles  Sederstorm. 

Company  G:  Richard  Anderson,  Rav  T. 
Barnes,  Robert  S.  Farrar. 

Company  M :  Frank  W.  Adams.  Ernest  V. 
Johnson.  William  J.  Myers.  C.  A.  George  Sahlin. 

Sixth  Regiment,  Infantry — Companv  L:  John 
M.   Keefe. 

Seventh  Regiment.  Infantry — Companv  L: 
Guy  L.  Harvey. 

Company  M  :     Dennis  Owens. 

Eighth  Regiment.  Infantry — Harry  S.  Mc- 
Card. 

Third  Neljraska.  Infantry — W^arren  H.  Rav. 

First  L'.  S.  Engineers — Comjjany  F :  ^^^  D. 
Kewish. 

First  IJ.  S.  \'ol.  Infantrv — Company  B  :  P. 
^^■.  Doolittle. 

Fortieth  Wisconsin  Infantrv — Companv  B ; 
William  H.  Fitch. 

First  Regiment.  Fifth  Wisconsin  Artillery — 
Josiah  C.  Forbes. 

Third  Alissouri  Cavalrv — Company  G;  George 
H.  Forbes. 

Second  U.  S.  \'.  Engineers.  Second  Battalion — 
C.   Kingley  Ray. 

Fifty-first  Iowa  Infantry — Company  B  :  El- 
mer G.  Stockberger. 

Arthur  E.  Fisher  went  to  the  front  with  the 
Third  Regiment  as  lieutenant-colonel.  In  1899 
he  was  elected  colonel  of  the  Third  Re.giment, 
and  served  the  full  term  of  five  years.  He  was 
re-elected  in  1904.  and  resigned  in  the  spring  of 
1905.  after  having  rendered  nineteen  years  of 
military  service  to  the  state. 

INSTITUTIONS    OF    PHILANTHROPY. 

ROCKFORD    HCSPITALS. 

During  the  year  1883  the  subject  of  organizing 
a  hospital  for  the  city  of  Rockford  became  an 
object  of  much  interest,  both  to  the  medical  pro- 


128 


PAST     AXD    TRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


fession  and  to  the  comiminity  at  large,  .\inoiig 
the  physicians  especially  interested  in  the  move- 
ment were  the  late  T.  (i.  Vincent,  W. 
H.  Fitch  and  F.  H.  Kimhall.  The  sub- 
ject elicited  much  attention  at  the  meet- 
ings of  the  medical  society  of  the  coun- 
ty, and  in  the  autumn  of  1883  resulted  in  the  ap- 
pointment of  a  committee  to  secure  a  corporate 
e.xistcnce  under  the  laws  of  the  state.  The  com- 
mittee so  appointed  made  application  and  received 
from  the  secretary  of  state  a  certificate  of  organ- 
ization, under  date  of  December  15,  1883.  The 
incorporators  were  Drs.  A.  E.  Goodwin,  Silas  A. 
Austin.  Frank  H.  Kimball,  Frank  K.  Hill.  Lem- 
uel Tibbcts.  Thomas  G.  Vincent. 

It  was  the  desire  of  the  promoters  to  secure  the 
co-operation  of  the  churches,  and  the  selection  of 
trustees  was  made  with  this  end  in  view.  The 
original  board  consisted  of  the  following  citizens: 
William  A.  Talcott,  William  Lathrop,  Norman 
C.  Thompson,  William  Brown,  Jeremiah  Davis, 
H.  W.  Carpenter.  John  Z.  Rydberg,  Thour 
Munthe,  R.  P.  Lane.  R.  F.  Whipple.  Thomas 
Butterworth.  Frances  I.  Price,  ;\Iary  H.  Penfield, 
Jane  G.  Wilkins,  Adeline  E.  Emerson. 

Upon  the  completion  of  the  organization  the 
physicians,  by  choice,  were  no  longer  officially 
identified  with  the  hospital  association.  A  num- 
ber of  the  original  board  have  been  called  by 
death,  and  in  several  instances  their  sons  have 
been  chosen  to  succeed  them. 

.At  a  meeting  held  January  29,  1884,  a  tempo- 
rary organization  was  effected  by  the  election  of 
William  Brown  as  chairman  and  William  .\.  Tal- 
cott as  secretary  of  the  board  of  trustees.  .Vt  a 
meeting  held  April  8,  1884,  a  constitution  and 
by-laws  were  adopted.  A  permanent  organiza- 
tion was  effected  by  the  election  of  the  following 
officers :  President,  William  Brown  ;  vice-presi- 
dent, Mrs.  Jane  G.  Wilkins ;  secretary  and  treas- 
urer. William  A.  Talcott. 

Shares  were  placed  at  $10  each,  and  were  taken 
by  a  large  number  of  the  citizens.  Selden  M. 
Cliurch  took  thirty  shares :  Dr.  Fitch,  thirty 
shares;  Dr.  R.  P.  Lane,  fifty  .shares;  Emerson, 
Talcott  &  Co.,  fifty  shares  ;  Thomas  D.  Robertson, 
fifty  shares ;  Horatio  Stone,  fifty  shares. 

June  21,  1884,  the  board  of  trustees  met  to  con- 
sider the  question  of  the  selection  and  purchase 
of  suitable  hospital  grounds.  At  this  meeting 
several  propositions  for  location  were  canvassed, 
.^niong  these  was  the  proposition  of  Dr.  W.  H. 
Fitch  for  the  sale  to  the  association  of  his  prop- 
erty, consisting  of  a  plat  of  about  125  feet  front- 
age on  South  Court  street  by  156  feet  deep,  and 
having  a  south  and  east  exposure,  at  the  price  of 
$6,800 — $300  payable  in  certificates  of  member- 
ship. The  trustees,  as  a  body,  examined  the  prop- 
erty, and  thereafter  passed  the  following  resolu- 
tion, viz. : 


"Resolved.  That  we  deem  it  wise  that  the  asso- 
ciation shall  at  once  take  necessary  steps  to  pro- 
cure hospital  grounds." 

The  following  resolution  was  unanimously 
adopted : 

"Resolved,  That  the  president  and  secretary  be 
and  hereby  are  authorized  to  accept  the  proposi- 
tion of  Dr.  W.  H.  Fitch  for  the  sale  of  his  proper- 
ty of  125  front  on  Court  street.  West  Rockford, 
for  the  use  of  the  association,  and  make  the  nec- 
essary papers  therefor,  unless  more  favorable 
terms  can  be  obtained." 

By  subsequent  arrangement  with  Dr.  Fitch,  the 
association  purchased  the  property,  paying  there- 
for $6,200  cash  and  $300  in  certificates  of  mem- 
bership. The  property  was  fully  paid  for,  and 
the  deed  made  and  delivered  on  July  i.  1885,  at 
which  time  the  association  received  possession. 

When  the  property  was  paid  for  and  the  title 
obtained,  the  association  immediately  proceeded 
to  make  such  repairs  and  changes  as  were  re- 
quired to  adapt  the  building,  as  far  as  practicable, 
to  hospital  uses.  The  hospital  opened  October  i, 
1885.  Dr.  S.  A.  Austin  and  Dr.  F.  H.  Kimball 
were  the  first  attending  physician  and  surgeon, 
respectively.  Drs.  R.  P.  Lane  and  D.  S.  Clark 
were  the  first  consulting  ])hysicians.  and  Drs.  W. 
II.  Fitch  and  Henry  Richings  the  first  consulting 
.surgeons.  The  first  patient  was  received  Octo- 
ber  loth. 

Mrs.  Martha  J.  Smith,  more  familiarly  known 
as  ".'Vunt  Jane,"  was  the  first  matron.  She  as- 
sumed this  responsibility  October  i,  1885,  and 
faithfully  administered  its  duties  nearly  fifteen 
years,  until  .\pril,  1900.  Miss  Lizzie  C.  Glenn 
was  appointed  matron  March  28,  igoo.  She  re- 
signed April  6,  1901.  and  Miss  Flora  B.  Patch 
(now  Mrs.  A.  D.  Early)  was  appointed.  Miss 
Patch  resigned  November  i,  1902.  and  Miss  Alma 
M.  Barter  received  the  aiapointment.  which  posi- 
tion she  now  holds.     Miss  Loring  is  assistant. 

Hospital  Sunday  was  established  in  the 
churches  October  10.  1885,  by  a  resolution  of  the 
hospital  trustees,  which  has  since  been  maintained 
with  a  very  liberal  spirit. 

In  1888  steps  were  taken  to  provide  a  perma- 
nent fund  for  the  maintenance  of  the  hospital. 
The  ammmt  of  this  finul  in  round  numbers  is 
about  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

In  1887  a  new  hospital  building  was  erected, 
fronting  on  Chestnut  street.  In  1901  Mrs.  Ade- 
line E.  Emerson,  in  memory  of  her  deceased  son, 
Ralph  Emerson,  Jr.,  contributed  the  funds  for 
an  addition  to  the  hospital  for  an  operating  room 
and  office.  In  1904  a  s)ilendid  addition  was  erect- 
ed on  the  site  of  the  first  hospital  building,  at  a 
cost  of  alxiut  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

William  Brown  served  as  president  from  1884 
to  1886.  William  Lathrop  from  1886  to  1887.  Ho- 
ratio Stone  from  1887  to  January  29,  1896.  when 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


129 


his  death  occurred.  Wilham  Lathrop  was  elected 
to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  Mr. 
Stone,  which  office  he  has  since  continuously  held. 

W.  A.  Talcott  served  as  secretary  and  treasurer 
of  the  hospital  from  its  inception  to  the  time  of 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  Palestine,  December 
19,  1900.  The  success  of  the  institution  is  in 
large  measure  due  to  his  liberality  and  untiring 
effort.  His  son.  Wait  Talcott,  was  elected  to  the 
position  so  ably  filled  by  his  father,  April  6,  1901, 
which  position  he  now  holds. 

The  largest  gift  to  the  hospital  fund  was  from 
the  estate  of  Horatio  Stone,  which  was  $27,000; 
the  next  largest  is  from  W.  A.  Talcott  and  fam- 
ily, $12,000,  and  A.  D.  Forbes  and  family,  $10,- 
500.  Several  others  have  contributed  from  $2,400 
to  $5,000. 

During  the  fiscal  year  ending  April  i,  1904, 
482  patients  were  received  for  treatment. 

The  present  board  of  trustees  are  John  Barnes, 
H.  H.  Robinson,  Mrs.  E.  P.  Lathrop,  Walter  A. 
Forbes.  P.  A.  Peterson,  L.  L.  Morrison,  William 
C.  Butterworth,  Wait  Talcott,  B.  F.  Whipple, 
Katherine  M.  Keeler.  Frank  R.  Brown.  Antes  S. 
Ruhl,  John  H.  Sherratt,  William  Lathrop,  Kate 
F.  O'Connor. 

ST.   ANTHONY  H0SPIT.\L. 

Although  but  six  years  old,  St.  .\nthony  hos- 
pital has  become  one  of  the  substantial  institutions 
of  our  progressive   city. 

Some  seven  or  eight  years  ago  about  a  half 
dozen  physicians  associated  themselves  together 
with  the  object  in  view  of  establishing  a  hospital 
for  East  Rockford — "A  hospital,"  said  one  of  the 
staff,  "whose  advantages  might  be  enjoyed  by  any 
phvsician  or  surgeon  entitled  to  practice  his  art 
in  the  state  of  Illinois."  The  maintenance  of  this 
liberal  policy  in  the  conduct  of  its  aft'airs  has  been 
one  of  the  most  potent  features  in  the  success  of 
the  hospital.  Early  in  its  history  the  late  William 
Crotty  became  interested  in  the  project,  and  gave 
of  his  time,  money  and  strength  to  raise  means  to 
purchase  a  site. 

The  Sisters  of  St.  Francis,  whose  headquarters 
are  at  Peoria,  were  invited  to  visit  Rockford  and 
select  a  location.  They  accepted  the  invitation 
and  selected  the  present  site  at  1401  East  State 
street.  The  purchasing  price  of  this  property  was 
$12,000,  one-half  of  which  was  furnished  by  the 
Sisters.  Three  thousand  dollars  was  the  personal 
contribution  of  physicians  who  are  members  of 
the  staff.  The  remaining  three  thousand  dollars 
necessary  for  the  purchasing  price  was  given  by 
friends  of  Rockford  and  Winnebago  county. 

The  property,  title  and  entire  management  of 
the  hospital  is  vested  in  the  Sisters'  society — a 
plan  desired  even  by  those  most  intimately  asso- 
ciated in  its  origin,  as  it  made  it  possible  for  all 
9 


physicians  to  pursue  their  work  there  upon  an 
even  footing. 

The  large  brick  residence  which  stood  upon  the 
property  was  fitted  up  by  the  Sisters,  and  in  Au- 
gust, 1899,  the  hospital  was  opened  for  the  re- 
ception of  patients.  The  patronage  given  was  so 
liberal  that  within  two  years  accommodations 
could  not  be  afforded  all  the  patients  seeking  ad- 
mission. To  provide  for  this,  an  addition  was 
erected  at  the  cost  of  $60,000.  The  corner-stone 
was  laid  May  22,  1902,  and  in  March,  1903,  the 
new  building  was  formally  opened.  This  im- 
provement enables  the  hospital  to  accommodate 
sixty  patients. 

This  order  of  Sisters  maintains  seven  other 
hospitals  in  various  cities  of  Illinois,  Iowa  and 
Michigan,  and  they  must  be  accorded  great  praise 
for  their  tact,  thrift  and  industry,  which  have 
made  the  success  of  these  enterprises  possible.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  Sisters  are  keenly  appreciative 
of  the  help  and  sympathy  given  their  work  from 
the  city  and  county  and  from  the  many  kind 
friends  everywhere. 

St.  Anthony  hospital  is  thoroughly  equipped 
for  scientific  work,  and  with  its  new  building  and 
beautiful,  spacious  grounds,  is  one  of  the  most 
attractive  spots  in  Rockford. 

The  following  physicians  are  members  of  the 
hospital  staff : 

Attending  surgeons,  Drs,  I.  E.  Allaben,  P.  L. 
:\Iarkley.  Frank  ""K.  Hill. 

Consulting  surgeons,  Drs.  J.  ]\Iurphy.  Weller 
Van  Hook,  T.  J.  Watkins,  all  of  Chicago. 

Attending  physicians,  Drs.  S.  C.  Andrus.  A.  J. 
]\Iarkley,  Belvidere. 

Oculists,  Drs.  L.  Tibbets,  Grant  Hatch. 

WINNEB.\GO    COUNTY    HOi[E    FOR    THE    .AGED. 

For  many  years  observant  people  had  recog- 
nized the  need  of  a  comfortable  home  in  which 
the  aged  poor  could  receive  proper  care.  No 
existing  organization  fully  met  this  demand.  In 
recognition  of  this  fact,  and  in  response  to  a 
public  call,  a  number  of  citizens  of  Rockford  and 
vicinity  convened  at  the  Nelson  House,  July  7, 
1904,  to  discuss  the  project  of  establishing  a  home 
for  the  aged  of  Winnebago  county.  Among  those 
present  at  this  first  meeting  were  Mesdames  B. 
R.  Waldo.  Chandler  Starr,*"  M.  B.  St.  John.  M. 
R.  Harned,  J.  M.  Fraley.  Hervey,  of  Dubuque : 
Misses  Kate  F.  O'Connor,  Ama  Taylor,  Rev.  R. 
C.  Brvant.  Messrs.  Charles  Sabin,  G.  Nordstrom 
and  B.  R.  Waldo. 

Mt.  Nordstrom  started  a  fund  with  a  gift  of 
$500.  A  temporary  organization  was  effected, 
with  Rev.  R.  C.  Bryant  as  chairman  and  Miss 
Kate  F.  O'Connor  secretary.  A  committee  of 
five  on  constitution  and  by-laws  was  appointed  by 
the  chair.     An  adjourned  session  was  held  July 


I30 


PAST     AND     PRESEXT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUXTY. 


14th,  at  which  time  the  conimittee  on  constitution 
and  by-laws  submitted  its  report,  which,  after 
a  few  sli.irht  amenilnients,  was  adopted.  Tlie  fol- 
lowing names  were  subscribed,  which  form  the 
cliarter  membership  of  the  association  :  G.  Xord- 
strom,  Charles  Sabin,  Ama  Taylor,  Kate  F. 
O'Connor,  Susan  H.  Rogers,  P.  M.  Snvdcr,  F.  H. 
Rodman,  B.  R.  Waldo,  Mary  M.  Burchfield,  Fan- 
nie B.  Waldo.  Stella  R.  Ricker.  Annetta  G.  Mari- 
ner. Blanche  Ellis  Starr.  Ellen  M.  St.  John.  Mrs. 
11.  II.  Robinson.  Mrs.  (ieorjje  Manny.  Mrs.  M. 
H.  Lane  and  Mrs.  L.  A.  Weylnirn. 

Charles  Sabin  became  a  life  member  by  sub- 
scribing' $100.  A  committee  on  nominations  w-as 
ap])ointcd,  which  reported  at  an  adjourned  meet- 
ing, held  Jiily  2 1  St.  On  that  date  a  full  board  of 
managers  were  elected,  as  follows :  For  one  year, 
.Mesdames  Jeanette  C.  Robinson,  Adeline  E. 
Thom])son.  .-Mice  Shoults.  Messrs.  Charles  F. 
Jackson,  (J.  Xordstrom.  George  W.  Collins ;  for 
two  years.  Mesdames  .\niia  R.  Page,  M.  R.  Har- 
ned.  Kate  F.  O'Connor,  Messrs.  Robert  C.  Lind, 

D.  B.  Redington.  A.  S.  T.  Ogilby :  for  three  years. 
Mesdames  IJlanche  Ellis  Starr,  May  Brow-n 
Buckbee.  Byron  Graham,  Fannie  B.  Waldo,  H. 
Helena  Weyburn,  S.  .A.  Johnson.  The  following 
officers  for  the  year  were  elected :  H.  Helena 
Weyburn.  president:  Mrs.  Fannie  Pi.  Waldo,  vice- 
president  ;  Kate  F.  O'Connor,  secretary  :  Robert 
C.  Lind.  treasurer.  The  lioard  was  instructed  to 
incorporate  under  the  laws  of  Illinois.  .\t  a  sub- 
sequent meeting  rules  for  the  matron  and  gov- 
ernment of  the  home  and  a  set  of  a])i)lication 
blanks  were  adoi)ted.  The  officers  were  consti- 
tuted a  conimittee  to  select  a  site.  This  commit- 
tee recommended  the  leasing  of  the  Crawford 
homestead.  408  Xorth  Horsman  street,  at  a  rental 
of  $25  per  month.  This  ])roposition  met  the  ap- 
proval of  the  board,  and  the  committee  was  in- 
structed to  close  negotiations  for  the  same.  Ma- 
ria G.  Hobart  w-as  elected  matron  for  one  year 
from  October  i,   1904- 

The  home  was  formally  opened  October  2. 
ir>04.  It  ])roved  a  veritable  shower  day.  Furni- 
ture, provisions,  clothing,  checks  and  cash  were 
received,  and  the  tables  were  laden  with  gifts 
from  the  generous  people  of  Rockford  and  vicin- 
ity. The  home  is  now  filled.  There  have  been 
thirteen  inmates,  two  of  whom  have  died.  These 
were  Mrs.  Caroline  Wyman  and  Xancy  Holdcn 
Brown. 

Through  the  efforts  of  Mrs.  Chandler  .Starr 
and  Mrs.  M.  R.  Harned,  of  the  ways  and  means 
committee,  the  board  of  supervisors  made  an  ap- 
propriatif)n  of  $500  for  the  home. 

Mrs.   May   Brown   Buckbee  and   Mrs.   .Xdeline 

E.  Thompson  have  resigned  from  the  board,  and 
Mrs.  E.  P.  Catlin  and  Miss  .\nna  Beattie  have 
l)cen  chosen  to  succee<!  them. 


At  a  meeting  held  in  July.  1905,  the  board 
voted  to  invest  in  a  pemianent  home.  The  pres- 
ent home  known  as  the  Crawford  jiropcrty  seemed 
most  available  and  reasonable,  and  it  was  there- 
fore selected,  at  a  consideration  of  $6,500.  As 
the  society  had  $5.cxx)  on  hand,  a  loan  was  nego- 
tiated at  a  bank  for  the  balance,  and  the  amount 
of  the  purchase  price  was  paid  in   full. 

R0STI:K    Ol"    ROCK  FORD    MAYORS. 

Rockford  was  incorporated  as  a  city  in  1852. 
I'nder  its  original  charter,  the  mayor  was  elected 
annually. 

Willard  Wheeler  was  the  first  mayor  of  Rock- 
ford. He  came  from  St.  Thomas,  L^pper  Canada, 
in  September,  1839.  He  was  the  second  tinner  in 
the  town.  Mr.  \Vheeler  was  a  brother  of  the  late 
Solomon  Wheeler. 

The  second  mayor  was  Hiram  R.  Maynard. 
Pie  came  to  Rockf(jrd  in  1837  with  his  brother- 
in-law.  Benjamin  Kilburn.  Mr.  Maynard  con- 
ducted a  general  store  in  a  one-story  frame  build- 
ing on  the  Masonic  temple  site.  It  was  subse- 
quently used  by  the  late  C.  A.  Huntington  as  an 
academy.  The  Second  Congregational  church 
was  organi7.cd  in  this  building.  A  daughter  of 
Mr.  Ma\nard  is  a  local  .Salvation  .Army  worker. 

I'lysscs  M.  Warner  was  the  third  mayor,  elect- 
ed in  1854.  He  carried  on  a  general  store  on 
West  State  street  with  Hiram  R.  Maynard.  and 
later  was  in  business  alone.  Mr.  Warner  built 
the  C.  F.  Henry  block,  and  Warner's  hall  was  the 
jiopular  lecture  and  concert  hall  for  many  years. 
Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  and  other  celebrities  lec- 
tured there.  H.  S.  and  the  late  Charles  F. 
Warner   were   sons. 

Edward  \'aughn  was  elected  in  1855,  and 
served  one  term.  He  was  in  partnership  with  his 
brother-in-law.  Charles  F.  Lewis,  father  of  Fay, 
Harry  \\'.  and  C.  Herbert  Lewis.  They  con- 
ducted a  general  store  on  the  site  of  .Vrmstrong's 
clothing  store. 

James  L.  Loop  was  elected  in  1856.  Especial 
mention  has  been  made  of  Mr.  Loop  in  another 
part  of  this  history.  Further  reference  is  made 
to  him  in  the  article  on  The  Bench  and  Bar. 

William  Brown  was  elected  in  1857.  Mr. 
Brown  is  mentioned  more  fully  in  the  article  on 
The  liench  and  Bar. 

.Seely  Perry  was  elected  in  1858.  He  was  a 
prominent  lumber  merchant  of  Rockford  for  more 
than  half  a  century.  He  was  a  native  of  Stock- 
bridge,  Massachusetts,  where  he  was  bom  in  1822. 
He  was  graduated  from  I'nion  College  and  came 
to  Rockford  in  1851.  Mr.  PerrA-  also  ser\ed  the 
city  as  alderman,  member  of  the  board  of  educa- 
tion and  a  director  of  the  public  library. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


131 


Charles  Williams  was  elected  in  1859,  and 
served  five  years.  He  is  known  as  the  '"war 
mavor,"  and  has  the  distinction  of  having  been 
elected  more  consecutive  terms  than  any  other  cit- 
izen who  has  held  that  office.  He  would  have 
been  chosen  again,  but  positively  declined.  Mr. 
\\^illiams  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts  and  came 
to  Rockford  in  1855.  He  died  in  1876.  Miss 
Elizabeth  Williams  is  a  daughter. 

Albert  Fowler  was  elected  in  1864,  and  served 
two  years.  He  possessed  a  competence  when  he 
came  to  the  city,  and  lived  a  retired  life.  He  sub- 
sequentlv  suffered  some  reverses.  He  was  fath- 
er-in-law of  E.  H.  Griggs,  at  one  time  editor  of 
the  Rockford  Register. 

Edward  H.  Baker  was  elected  in  1866.  Fur- 
ther mention  is  made  of  him  in  the  chapter  on 
The  Bench  and  Bar. 

Mr.  Fowler  was  elected  for  a  second  term  in 
1867,  and  Mr.  Baker  again  succeeded  Mr.  Fow- 
ler in   1868. 

Sevniour  G.  Bronson  was  elected  in  1869,  and 
served  four  3'ears.  In  1872  Mr.  Bronson  was  the 
democratic  nominee  for  member  of  congress,  and 
was  defeated  by  General  Stephen  A.  Hurlbut.  of 
Belvidere.  Mrs.  Calista  J.  Smith,  of  Rockford, 
is  a  sister  of  Mr.  Bronson. 

Gilbert  Woodrufif  was  elected  in  1873,  and 
served  two  years.  He  came  to  Rockford  in  1857, 
and  soon  after  he  purchased  and  platted  a  farm, 
which  is  now  known  as  Woodruff's  addition.  He 
was  therefore  one  of  the  real  builders  of  Rock- 
ford. Mr.  Woodrufif  died  in  October,  1903.  He 
was  president  of  the  Rockford  National  bank 
from  its  organization  to  his  death,  president  of 
the  Forest  City  Furniture  company  from  1875, 
and  president  of  the  Forest  City  Insurance  com- 
pany from  its  organization  in  1873. 

Robert  H.  Tinker  was  elected  in  1875.  He 
was  born  in  Honolulu,  Sandwich  Islands,  where 
his  father.  Rev.  Reuben  Tinker,  was  a  mission- 
ary, sent  out  by  the  Presbyterian  church.  Mr. 
Tinker  came  to  Rockford  in  1856,  ami  built  the 
Swiss  cottage,  the  most  picturesque  home  in  the 
city.  In  1870  he  married  the  widow  of  John  H. 
Manny.  She  died  in  1901.  In  1904  he  married 
Mrs.  Jessie  Dorr  Hurd.  Mr.  Tinker  has  been 
interested  in  various  manufacturing  enterprises 
on  the  water-power. 

Levi  Rhoades  was  elected  in  1876.  Few  citi- 
zens of  Rockford  have  been  identified  with  as 
many  interests  as  Mr.  Rhoades.  He  was  a  large 
stockholder  in  the  Rockford  paper  mills,  presi- 
dent of  the  Rockford  W'atch  company,  and  one 
of  the  original  promoters  of  the  old  city  railway. 
He  also  had  investments  in  other  enterprises. 

Duncan  Ferguson  was  mayor  from  1877  to 
1878.  He  was  a  native  of  Glasgow,  Scotland, 
came  to  America  in  1837.  and  settled  in  Rockford 
two  years  later.     In   1862  he  was  appointed  as- 


sessor of  internal  revenue,  and  retained  this  office 
eight  years.  He  also  held  the  positions  of  city 
engineer,  assessor  and  county  treasurer. 

William  Watson  was  elected  in  1878.  He  was 
the  founder  of  the  Rockford  Insurance  company 
and  was  its  secretary  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 

Sylvester  B.  Wilkins  succeeded  Mr.  Watson 
in  1879,  and  served  two  years.  He  is  a  native  of 
New  York,  and  came  to  Rockford  in  1870.  He 
was  president  of  the  Rockford  bolt  works,  and 
later  of  the  Wilkins  Knitting  company. 

Samuel  P.  Crawford  was  elected  in  1881,  and 
served  two  years.  It  was  during  his  term  that 
important  steps  were  taken  toward  establishing  a 
waterworks  system.  Upon  the  failure  of  the  N. 
C.  Thompson  Manufacturing  company,  Mr, 
Crawford  was  appointed  assignee,  and  adminis- 
tered the  affairs  very  successfully. 

Alfred  Taggart  was  elected  in  1883,  and  served- 
four  years.  The  distinctive  feature  of  his  admin- 
istration was  the  reorganization  of  the  public 
schools  of  the  city.  The  city  council  was  a  tie  on 
the  selection  of  a  high  school  site,  and  it  was  Mr. 
Taggart's  casting  vote  that  decided  the  contro- 
versy in  favor  of  the  east  side. 

H.  C.  Scovill  has  served  the  city  in  more  im- 
portant official  capacities  than  any  other  citizen. 
Mr.  Scovill  came  to  Rockford  in  1865  and  en- 
gaged in  the  lumber  business.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  board  of  supervisors  five  years,  and  alder- 
man in  the  city  council  eight  years,  from  1878  to 
1886.  In  1887  he  was  elected  mayor,  and  served 
one  term.  In  1897  he  was  elected  city  clerk,  and 
still  holds  the  office. 

John  H.  Sherratt  was  chosen  mayor  in  1889, 
and  served  one  term.  He  is  a  native  of  Winne- 
bago county.  In  18(12  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in 
the  Seventy-fourth  Illinois  Infantrv,  and  was 
mustered  out  with  the  rank  of  captain.  For  manv 
years  after  the  war  he  was  associated  with  the 
Rockford  Insurance  company,  and  subsequently 
became  secretary  of  the  Forest  City  Insurance 
company.  Mr.  Sherratt  succeeded  the  late  A.  C. 
Spafford  as  president  of  the  Third  National  bank. 

Henry  N.  Starr  was  elected  mayor  in  189T,  and 
served  two  years.  Mayor  Starr  was  the  first  to 
appoint  ladies  on  the  board  of  education  and  the 
public  librarv  board.  Mr.  .Starr  was  for  some 
years  proprietor  of  the  old  Holland  House. 

Amasa  Hutchins  was  elected  in  1893.  He  was 
born  in  Guilford,  Winnebago  county,  in  1843. 
He  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  and  served  through 
the  Civil  war.  In  1880  he  was  elected  sheriff  of 
Winnebago  county,  and  served  six  years.  He  has 
been  engaged  in  the  monument  business,  and  is 
one  of  the  owners  of  the  steamer  Illinois. 

Edward  W.  Brown  has  the  honor  of  holding 
the  office  of  mayor  longer  than  any  other  one 
citizen.  He  was  elected  in  1895,  and  re-elected  in 
1897  and  1899,  serving  six  years.     He  was  born 


13^ 


PAST     AND     l'Rr-:SEXT    OF     WINXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


in  Rockford  in  1857,  and  is  a  son  of  the  late 
Judge  Brown,  one  of  the  early  mayors.  It  is  the 
only  instance  in  Rockford  history  where  father 
and  son  liavc  held  the  office  of  mayor.  In  1884 
Mr.  Brown  was  appointed  the  first  local  agent  of 
the  Illinois  L'cnlral  Railroad  company,  which  po- 
sition he  still  holds.  In  1885  he  was  elected  al- 
derman from  the  old  Second  ward,  and  served 
seven  years.  During  his  administration  as  mayor, 
many  of  the  most  notable  public  improvements 
were  made. 

In  1901  .\masa  Hutcliins  was  again  elected 
mayor,  and  served  one  term. 

Charles  E.  Jackson  is  the  last,  as  well  as  the 
voungest,  mayor  of  Rockford.  He  was  elected  in 
1903.  Mr.  Jackson  is  a  native  of  Boone  county, 
born  Xovcmber  30,  1867.  In  1891  he  established 
a  wholesale  portrait  and  frame  business,  which 
he  has  conducted  most  successfully,  extending  his 
sales  into  every  state  in  the  Union  and  into  for- 
eign countries.  Mayor  Jackson's  administration 
has  been  efficient,  and  meets  the  approval  of  the 
people. 

ROCKl'OKD    U.\.\KS    .\ND    D.VXKERS. 

The  first  bank  in  Rockford  was  opened  in  1848 
by  the  late  Thomas  D.  Robertson  and  John  A. 
Holland.  Their  place  of  business  was  a  low  frame 
building  adjoining  the  European  hotel  site  on 
West  State  street.  In  1851  J.  S.  Coleman  re- 
moved from  New  York  to  Rockford,  and  became 
a  member  of  the  firm,  the  name  of  which  was 
changed  to  Robertson,  Coleman  &  Co.  Mr.  Cole- 
man built  the  stone  inansion  on  North  Main  street, 
now  the  home  of  Colonel  William  Nelson.  The 
firm  continued  in  business  in  its  small  quarters 
until  1855.  when  the  present  Winnebago  National 
bank  block  was  completed.  Until  the  death  of 
Mr.  Holland  in  1835,  Melancthon  Starr  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  firm,  and  after  Mr.  Coleman's  death 
in  1864  the  firm  name  was  changed  to  Robertson 
&  Starr,  which  continued  until  the  organization 
of  the  Winnebago  Nalion.il  bank  in  1865. 

In  October.  1852,  the  Bank  of  Rockford  was 
organized  under  the  general  banking  law  of  the 
state.  Charles  I.  Horsman  was  president  and 
Charles  C.  Wilcox  was  cashier.  .\  sworn  state- 
ment of  its  condition  on  the  first  Monday  in  July, 
1853,  reported  a  circulation  of  $49,995.  The  late 
Levi  Moulthroj)  began  his  business  career  as  a 
clerk  in  this  bank,  when  he  was  twelve  years  of 
age,  and  remained  five  years.  The  bank  sus- 
pended  in    1857. 

The  banking  house  of  SpafFord,  Clark  &  Ellis 
was  founded  in  November,  1854.  The  firm  con- 
sisted of  C.  H.  SpafFord.  Dr.  D.  G.  Clark  and  E. 
F.  W.  Ellis.  Dr.  Clark  came  to  Rockford  in 
1848.  Two  years  later  he  went  to  California, 
and  returned  in  1853.  Dr.  Clark  died  October 
4,  1861.  SpafFord,  Clark  &  Ellis  did  business 
in  the  old  stone  building  on  the  alley  on  the  south 


side  of  State,  between  Main  and  Qiurch.  This 
building  has  been  torn  down  and  replaced  by  a 
modern  structure  by  Hon.  E.  B.  Sumner.  This 
bank  went  into  liquidation,  and  Mr.  Spafford  is 
said  to  have  paid  its  obligations  in  full. 

In  1854  was  also  established  the  banking  house 
of  Briggs.  Spafford  &  Penfuld.  in  East  Rock- 
ford, which  became  the  Third  National  bank. 
The  members  of  the  firm  were  C.  C.  Briggs,  A.  C. 
Spafford  and  David  Penfield. 

January  ,  1855,  the  banking  firm  of  Dickerman, 
Wheeler  &  Co.  began  business  on  West  State 
street.  The  firm  consisted  of  W.  A.  Dickerman, 
Bucl  G.  Wheeler,  G.  .\.  Sanford  and  R.  P.  Lane. 
This  house  became  the  Second  National  bank. 

Fuller  &  Tomkins  began  banking  business  in 
the  W'orthington  block.  East  Rockford,  in  1853. 
The  firm  consisted  of  Allen  C.  and  E.  L.  Fuller 
and  Enos  and  N.  C.  Tomkins,  all  of  Belvidere. 
The  firm  was  later  called  E.  L.  Fuller  &  Co. 

E.  H.  Potter  &  Co.  and  Edward  N.  Kitchel 
were  also  in  the  banking  business  on  the  liast 
side. 

These  banks  complete  the  list  for  Rockford  to 
1861.  It  was  a  day  of  unstable  currency,  when 
"wildcat"  money  was  abundant,  but  worthless. 
This  fact  made  banking  a  precarious  business,  as 
compared  with  the  splendid  system  of  today. 

Tlie  private  bank  of  N.  C.  Thompson  was 
opened  aliout  i8fio  in  the  Iniilding  now  occupied 
by  the  Manufacturers'  National  l)ank.  It  is  said 
Mr.  Thompson  had  $150,000  on  deposit  in  Chi- 
cago banks  at  the  time  of  the  great  fire  in  1871. 
This  bank  closed  its  doors  in  1884. 

The  First  National  bank  of  Rockford  began 
business  June  15,  1864,  with  Alonzo  Wood  as 
president,  and  E.  H.  Griggs,  cashier.  It  occupied 
the  .second  floor  of  the  C.  F.  Hcnr\-  block.  Mr. 
Wood  conducted  a  large  general  store,  approach- 
ing the  modern  department  store,  and  had  the 
four  stores  now  occupied  by  C.  F.  Henry  and  A. 
C.  Deming.  The  First  National  was  popularly 
called  •A\^ood's  bank."  His  son,  W.  W.  Wood, 
succeeded  to  the  management,  with  George  Strat- 
ton  as  cashier.  The  bank  and  the  store  tumbled 
into  a  common  ruin.  The  first  currency  issued  in 
Rockford  under  the  national  banking  law  was  put 
in  circulation  bv  the  First  National  bank,  August 
5,  1864. 

The  Second  National  bank  was  organized  in 
1865  as  the  successor  of  the  banking  firm  of  Lane. 
.Sanford  &  Co.  The  principal  stockholders  were 
Dr.  R.  r.  Lane.  G.  A.  Sanford  and  \\'.  .\.  Dick- 
erman. In  its  prime  it  was  the  largest  banking 
house  in  the  city,  but  reverses  came,  and  the  in- 
stitution finally  closed  its  doors.  H.  H.  Waldo 
was  appointed  receiver. 

.\  bank  started  on  Seventh  street  by  John  Bud- 
long  in  the  early  nineties  completes  the  list  of 
lionses  which  have  |)asse<l  out  of  business.  This 
bank  succumbed  to  the  financial  crash  of  1893. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


133 


The  Winnebago  National  bank  is  the  oldest  in 
the  city,  representing  an  unbroken  line  since  1848, 
when  Robertson  &  Holland  began  business  in  a 
small  and  primitive  way.  The  Winnebago  opened 
its  doors  April  3.  1855,  with  T.  D.  Robertson, 
president ;  Melancthon  Starr,  vice-president ; 
Spencer  Rising,  cashier. 

The  Third  National  bank  was  organized  in 
1864,  to  succeed  the  banking  firm  of  Briggs, 
Spafford  &  Penfield.  A.  C.  Spafford  was  presi- 
dent until  his  death  in  1897.  '^^-  T.  Wallis  was 
the  first  cashier.  His  succesosrs  have  been  L.  A. 
Trowbridge  and  George  C.  Spafford.  Captain 
John  H.  Sherratt  succeeded  .\.  C.  Spafiford  as 
president. 

The  People's  bank  was  incorporated  in  1869, 
under  a  special  act  of  the  general  assembly  of  Illi- 
nois. The  presidents  have  been  N.  E.  Lyman, 
A.  D.  Forbes  and  Harry  F.  Forbes.  The  bank  is 
capitalized  at  $125,000. 

The  Rockford  National  bank  began  business  in 
May,  1871.  Gilbert  Woodruff  was  president  un- 
til his  death  in  1O03.  Horace  Brown  is  the 
present  incumbent.  The  capital  stock  is  $100,- 
000. 

The  Manufacturers'  National  bank  began  busi- 
ness January  2,  1889.  and  its  growth  has  been 
phenomenal.  Its  presidents  have  been  Qiarles  O. 
Upton.  W.  F.  Barnes  and  Norman  F.  Thompson. 

The  Forest  City  is  the  youngest  bank  in  the 
city  and  opened  its  doors  June  7,  1890.  John  D. 
Waterman  has  been  president  from  the  first,  and 
Paul  F.  Schuster  was  its  cashier  fifteen  years. 
The  bank  has  a  capital  of  $100,000. 

Three  of  these  banks  increased  their  capi- 
tal stock  in  1904.  The  Winnebago  now  has  a  cap- 
ital stock  of  $250,000.  The  Manufacturers'  in- 
creased from  $125,000  to  $200,000:  while  the 
Third  National  increased  from  $100,000  to 
$250,000. 

The  total  capitalization  of  the  Rockford  banks 
is  now  $1,025,000. 

NEWSP.APERS   OF  ROCKFORD. 

One  of  the  greatest  institutions  in  this  day  of 
great  things  is  the  daily  newspaper.  Its  evolution 
has  been  most  rapid.  Even  Horace  Greeley,  the 
Nestor  of  American  journalism,  if  he  were  per- 
mitted to  come  back  to  earth,  would  be  ill  at  ease 
in  his  old  profession.  The  fast  presses,  printing 
many  thousands  an  hour,  the  linotype  and  other 
inventions  that  work  almost  with  the  precision  of 
the  human  mind,  have  produced  results  far  beyond 
the  wildest  dreams  of  half  a  century  ago.  Jules 
Verne's  fantastic  stories  are  scarcely  more  won- 
derful. Indeed.  \'erne  was  something  of  a  pro- 
phet, for  in  other  lines  of  progress  some  of  his 
fancies  have  been  realized  in  fact. 

The  scope  of  the  daily  newspaper  has  become 
greatly  enlarged.    By  the  constantly  increased  use 


of  illustrations,  and  the  introduction  of  "fea- 
tures." the  newspaper  has  encroached  upon  the 
domain  of  the  magazine.  The  religious  journal 
has  also  felt  the  growing  prestige  of  the  daily.  As 
in  ancient  Rome,  the  Pantheon  was  dedicated  to 
the  worship  of  all  the  gods,  so  the  newspaper  of 
today  meets  the  needs  of  all  the  people.  Interur- 
ban  lines  of  railway  and  the  rural  route  have 
brought  the  morning  and  evening  news  to  the 
door  of  the  farmer.  The  special  correspondent 
has  traversed  all  parts  of  the  globe,  and  is  now 
sighing  for  other  worlds  to  conquer. 

It  was  said  in  the  olden  time.  "Despise  not  the 
day  of  small  things."  The  story  of  the  news- 
papers of  Rockford.  daily,  weekly  and  monthly, 
is  replete  with  interest,  and  will  now  be  told  in 
full. 

The  first  newspaper  published  in  Winnebago 
county  was  the  Rock  River  Express.  Its  publi- 
cation began  in  Rockford  May  5.  1840,  by  B.  J. 
Gray.  In  politics  it  was  whig  of  the  most  radical 
type.  In  a  village  of  perhaps  three  hundred  in- 
habitants there  was  very  little  of  a  local  nature 
that  could  be  published.  The  primary  purpose  of 
the  paper's  existence  seems  to  have  been  to  pro- 
mote the  election  of  William  Henry  Harrison  to 
the  presidency.  Its  ambition  was  satisfied,  but 
after  it  had  been  published  one  year  the  press  and 
]-irinting  material  were  sold  and  removed  from 
the  village.  A  file  of  this  paper,  nearly  complete, 
has  been  preserved  in  the  public  library. 

The  Rockford  Star  was  founded  in  the  autumn 
of  1840,  as  a  democratic  paper.  The  printing  ma- 
terial was  owned  by  Daniel  S.  Haight,  Daniel 
Howell  and  Adam  Keith.  The  office  was  located 
on  the  southeast  corner  of  IVIadison  and  Market 
streets,  in  the  building  erected  by  Mr.  Haight  for 
religious,  court,  and  other  purposes.  This  old 
building  still  shelters  one  of  the  craft,  William  G. 
Conick.  on  North  First  street.  The  editor.  Phil- 
ander Knappen.  was  simply  a  tenant.  J.  H. 
Thurston  was  the  "devil"  in  the  office,  a  role 
which,  according  to  his  own  statement,  he  was 
eminently  qualified  to  fill.  He  also  became  quite 
an  expert  compositor.  Air.  Thurston  subsequent- 
ly obtained  employment  on  John  Wentworth's 
paper,  the  Chicago  Democrat,  on  the  strength  of 
a  letter  of  Mr.  Knappen.  to  the  effect  that  he  was 
a  rapid  compositor,  could  set  a  clean  proof,  and 
could  sometimes  make  sense  from  Knappen's  own 
manuscript. 

April  28,  1841.  the  editor  of  the  Star  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Eliza  Simons,  of  Harlem.  Mr. 
Knappen  sent  a  special  invitation  to  "Long  John" 
Wentworth.  of  Chicago.  Mr.  Wentworth  had 
already  started  on  one  of  his  frequent  trips  to 
Rockford.  and  he  expressed  his  congratulations 
by  following  the  bride  and  groom  all  the  evening 
with  a  tallow  dip  in  his  extended  hand,  which 
reached   nearly  to  the  ceiling. 


'34 


TAST     A\'D     PRESF.XT     OF     WIXXF.P.AGO     COUXTV. 


Mr.  Knappen  had  been  in  Rockford  but  a  short 
time  when  the  Driscoll  tragedy  occurred  as  a 
chmax  to  the  career  of  the  "bandits  of  the  prairie" 
in  northern  Ilhnois.  Mr.  Knappen  did  not  un- 
derstand tiie  temper  of  the  people :  and  his  strongs 
denunciation  of  the  summary  execution  (if  the 
outlaws  aroused  intense  indii^nation.  Tlie  citizens 
proposed  to  punish  the  editor.  Soon  after  the 
issue  of  the  paper,  the  office  of  the  Star  was  en- 
tered in  the  nijjht  and  the  type  reduced  to  pi. 
When  the  editor  beheld  this  "wreck  of  matter" 
he  stirred  the  pi  with  a  stove  shovel,  and  mixed 
the  fonts  of  type  in  every  case  in  the  office.  Mr. 
KnajJiK'n  turned  over  the  subscri]nion  list  to  Mr. 
Howell,  of  the  Rockford  House,  wliere  the  office 
force  boarded,  and  abandoned  journalism  in  this 
una])preciative  villajje.  Mr.  Howell  did  not  real- 
ize anything:  from  the  assets  placed  in  his  hands. 
Thirty  years  later  Mr.  Thurston  divul.sjcd  the 
fact  that  D.  S.  Haigflit.  Charles  Latimer  and 
Adam  Keith  were  the  i)eri)etrators  of  the  mis- 
chief. The  democratic  huninary  had  been  side- 
tracked in   its  orbit. 

The  Rockford  Pilot  be.cjan  its  brief  career  July 
22,  1841.  Mr.  Thurston  .says  he  helped  distril)ute 
the  Star  pi,  and  with  this  material  assisted  in  is- 
suing the  first  four  numbers  of  its  successor.  The 
Pilot  was  published  as  a  democratic  paper  until 
October,  1842.  It  could  no  longer  steer  clear  of 
the  rocks.  The  editor.  John  A.  P>rown.  had  been 
defeated  for  representative ;  the  democrats  had 
sustained  a  local  defeat  of  their  entire  ticket,  and 
on  the  30th  of  October  the  last  number  of  the 
Pilot  was  issued. 

The  Better  Covenant,  a  I'niversalist  ])apor.  was 
printed  at  the  Pilot  office  during  a  i)ortion  of  tliis 
period.     Its  editor  was  William  Rounsevilie. 

Februan-  17.  1843.  J.  .\mbrose  W^ight  bc.gan 
the  publication  of  the  Winnebago  Forum,  a  whig 
paper,  with  material  which  had  been  used  in 
printing  the  Rockford  Star.  Mr.  Wight  was  a 
graduate  of  Williams  college,  and  first  came  to 
Winnebago  county  in  1836.  He  was  a  brother  of 
Jaiues  M.  W'iglit.  with  whom  he  read  law  for  a 
time.  Mr.  Wi.ght  retired  from  the  Forum  .\u- 
gust  18.  1843.  when  he  sold  the  jiaper  to  .\ustin 
^I.  Colton.  The  terms  were  easv.  Mr.  Wight 
said:  "He  asked  me  my  price.  I  told  him  if  he 
would  take  it  off  my  hands,  we  would  be  square." 
Mr.  Colton  was  more. successful  than  anv  of  his 
])redecessors  in  the  local  newspai)er  field,  and  his 
])lace  in  local  history  is  that  of  the  best  known 
"country  editor"  of  the  old  school.  Mr.  Colton 
continued  the  paper  under  the  old  name  until  the 
close  of  the  first  volume,  in  Fcbruarv,  1844,  when 
it  was  rechristened  the  Rockford  Forum.  .After 
Mr.  Colton  had  "written  for  glory  and  printed 
on  trust"  for  ten  years,  he  .sold  the  paper  to  E. 
W.  niaisdell.  Jr.,  who  came  to  Rockford  in  the 
latter  part  of  1853.     In  January  of  1854  the  new 


proprietor  changed  the  name  of  the  Forum  to 
the  Reiniblican,  and  took  his  brother,  Richard  P. 
Blaisdell.  into  partncrshi]).  The  Republican  was 
])ublished  until  1862,  when  it  was  purchased  by 
Klias  C.  Daugherty,  and  merged  into  the  Rock- 
ford  Re.gister,  of  which  he  was  proprietor. 

In  Se|)tember,  184S.  Henry  W.  De  Puy  estab- 
lished the  Rockford  Free  Press,  as  a  Free  Soil 
or  Barnburner  organ.  It  was  published  until 
February,  1850,  when  it  was  discontinued  for 
want  of  patronage. 

The  Rock  River  Democrat  was  founded  in 
June.  1852.  as  a  democratic  paper,  by  Benjamin 
Holt.  David  T.  Dickson  afterward  [nirchased 
an  interest.  In  1855  Rhenodyne  A.  Bird  became 
Mr.  Holt's  successor.  The  paper  was  published 
by  Dickson  &  Bird  until  May  1,  1864.  It  was 
then  purchased  by  Isaiah  S.  Hyatt,  who  contin- 
ued its  publication  until  June  12,  1865.  when  the 
plant   was  sold   to  the   Register  company. 

The  Rockford  Register  was  founded  by  E.  C. 
Daugherty  in  l\-bruary,  1855.  There  were  al- 
ready two  weekly  papers  in  the  field,  the  Repub- 
lican and  the  Democrat.  But  Mr.  Daugherty  was 
confident  there  was  always  room  at  the  top.  In 
his  prospectus  Mr.  Daugherty  said  he  had  "se- 
lected the  flourishing  and  beautiful  city  of  Rock- 
ford as  his  future  home,  believing  the  field  ample 
for  a  new  aspirant  to  ])ublic  favor.' 

-Mr.  Daugherty  had  in  him  the  elements  of  the 
reformer,  and  he  founded  the  Register  as  a  strong" 
opi)onent  of  the  extension  of  slavery.  He  made 
a  declaration  of  his  principles  in  the  following 
paragraph  of  his  prospectus : 

"In  the  present  confused  state  of  political  ])ar- 
ties  and  issues  we  need  not  promise  further  as  to 
the  ])olitical  course  of  the  Register  than  that, 
while  our  sympathies  are,  as  ever,  with  the  cardi- 
nal doctrines  and  faith  of  the  whig  party,  we  shall 
also  earnestly  lend  our  humble  efforts  and  influ- 
ence to  check  the  aggressive  encroachments  of 
southern  dictation  and  overthrow  the  monopoly  of 
slave  ])ower — endeavoring  by  all  honorable  means 
to  advance  the  interests  and  sustain  the  true  issues 
of  freedom.  We  are  not  among  those,  however, 
who  believe  all  the  honesty  and  intelligence  be- 
long to  either  of  the  great  political  parties,  and 
shall  be  as  free  to  commend  a  political  o])]ionent 
when  right  as  to  condemn  one  of  our  faith  when 
wrong — according  the  right  of  free  opinion  to 
all.  We  may  also  say  lure,  the  Re.gister  will  be 
the  organ  of  no  cli(|ue  or  club,  but  will  he  inde- 
pendently its  own  exi>onent." 

Concerning  the  business  side  of  the  enterprise, 
the  prospectus  continued : 

"The  paper  will  be  styled  the  'Rockford  Regis- 
ter' and  will  be  |)rinted  weekly,  upon  new  type 
and  good  quality  of  paper,  seven  columns  to  the 
page,  at  $1.50  per  annum  in  advance,  or  $2,00  at 
the   end   of   the    vear.      Citv    subscribers,    whose 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


135 


papers  are  delivered  by  the  carrier,  will  be 
charged  fifty  cents  additional." 

Commencing  with  a  limited  capital,  and  con- 
tending against  strong  opposition.  Air.  Daugh- 
erty  lived  to  see  both  the  original  rival  papers, 
and  others,  merged  into  the  Register,  which  be- 
came a  strong  and  intluential  paper.  The  Regis- 
ter absorbed  other  papers  representing  an  almost 
unbroken  line  since  1840.  June  i,  1859,  Air. 
Daugherty  began  the  publication  of  the  Dailv 
Register  ;  but  it  was  discontinued  at  the  end  of 
three  months.  In  June,  1865,  the  Rock  River 
Democrat  was  merged  with  the  Register,  which 
passed  into  the  hands  of  a  joint  stock  company. 
The  impaired  health  of  Mr.  Daugherty  compelled 
him  to  retire  from  active  business  life.  I.  S. 
Hyatt,  who  had  at  two  previous  periods  been 
connected  with  the  paper,  as  assistant  editor,  and 
later  the  proprietor  of  the  Rock  River  Demo- 
crat, became,  under  the  new  management,  the 
principal  editor  with  E.  H.  Griggs  as  associate. 

By  reason  of  breaks  in  the  files,  the  record  of 
changes  in  the  management  of  the  Register  may 
not  be  absolutely  complete.  The  possible 
omissions,  however,  do  not  cover  more  than  one 
or  two  years. 

June  30,  1866,  Air.  Hyatt  resigned  his  posi- 
tion as  editor,  and  was  succeeded  by  E.  C.  Daugh- 
erty, who  retained  the  editorial  charge  of  the 
pajjer  until  February  23,  1867,  when  the  condi- 
tion of  his  health  forced  him  to  retire.  Abraham 
E.  and  William  E.  Smith,  former  proprietors  of 
the  Indianapolis  Gazette,  became  associated  with 
E.  H.  Griggs  in  the  management  of  the  Register. 
These  gentlemen  retired  June  29,  1867.  Air. 
Griggs  became  editor  and  manager,  with  J.  E. 
Fox  as  associate.  This  management  continued 
until  October  7,  1871,  when  the  name  of  S.  M. 
Daugherty,  widow  of  the  founder  of  the  paper, 
appeared  as  proprietor.  Tlie  following  week  the 
Register  announced  that  P.  S.  Alartin  was  busi- 
ness manager. 

January  6,  1873,  Geo.  E.  Wright  &  Co.  began 
the  publication  of  the  Daily  Register.  It  was  a 
morning  paper,  with  no  Sunday  edition.  Alarch 
13,  1873,  Cliarles  J.  Woodbury  &  Co.  assumed 
the  management.  Air.  Woodbury  was  a  half- 
brother  of  Rev.  Frank  P.  Woodbury.  D.  D.. 
pastor  of  the  Second  Congregational  church.  Dr. 
Woodbury  had  the  editorial  instinct,  and  rendered 
some  assistance  in  an  editorial  way.  November 
8,  1873,  the  Register  was  changed  from  a  morn- 
ing to  an  evening  paper.  But  the  time  had  not 
come  for  the  success  of  such  a  venture,  and  on 
February  10,  1874,  the  daily  was  discontinued. 

Aoril  16,  1875,  the  names  of  N.  D.  \\'right  and 
Al.  CoUaton  appear  as  members  of  the  Register 
company.  In  January  of  the  following  year  Mr. 
Wright  was  editor-in-chief. 

July  2-j.    1877.  the  Register  was  issued  under 


the  management  of  N.  D.  Wright  and  C.  L.  Mil- 
ler. The  latter  had  come  to  Rockford  from 
Rochelle,  where  he  had  been  connected  with  a 
weekly  paper, 

October  i,  1877,  the  Rockford  Daily  Register 
was  started  upon  a  permanent  basis  by  Messrs, 
Wright  and  Aliller,  with  E.  C.  Chandler  as  city 
editor.  A  few  months  later  E.  M.  Botsford  ac- 
cepted a  reportorial  position,  and  in  1881  he  pur- 
chased an  interest.  \\'.  P.  Lamb  subsequently  be- 
came a  third  partner. 

The  firm  of  Miller,  Botsford  &  Co.,  continued 
in  the  management  until  January  I,  1891,  when 
Edgar  E.  Bartlett,  W.  L.  Eaton  and  Eugene  Mc- 
Sweeney,  all  of  Kalamazoo,  Alichigan,  purchased 
the  good  will  of  the  Daily  Register  and  Daily 
Gazette,  and  consolidated  them  under  the  firm 
name  of  the  Register-Gazette. 

In  1898  Mr.  Bartlett  purchased  the  interest  of 
Air.  AlcSweeney,  and  in  1901  he  purchased  Mr. 
Eaton's  interest.  In  the  autumn  of  that  year  Mr. 
Bartlett  sold  a  part  interest  to  Archibald  S. 
Leckie,  of  Chicago,  who  became  managing  editor. 

Two  years  later,  in  October,  1903,  Fred  E. 
Sterling  purchased  Air.  Leckie's  interest,  and  be- 
came manager  of  the  editorial  department. 

The  Rockford  Wesleyan  Seminary  Reporter 
was  begun  as  a  monthly  publication  in  October, 
1857.  Only  four  numbers  were  issued.  It  was 
published  by  Rev.  W.  F.  Stewart  in  the  interest 
of  the  proposed  Wesleyan  seminary. 

The  first  number  of  the  Cudgel  was  issued 
January  17,  1857.  It  bore  this  legend  on  its  title- 
page:  "Published  somewhere,  circulates  every- 
where, edited  nowhere."  It  was  published  semi- 
monthly, but  only  seven  numbers  were  printed. 

Dr.  George  Haskell  began  the  publication  of 
the  Spirit' Advocate  April  15.  1854.  It  was  an 
able  propagandist  of  spiritualism.  Twenty-three 
numbers  were  published  when  it  was  consolidated 
with  the  Orient,  with  headquarters  at  Waukegan. 
The  last  number  of  the  Advocate  appeared  Alarch 
15.  1856.  A  complete  file  of  this  paper  has  been 
preserved  in  the  Rockford  public  library. 

The  Democratic  Standard  was  founded  October 
30,  1858,  by  Springsteen  &  Parks,  as  a  democratic 
organ.  After  about  a  month,  the  Standard  was 
published  by  Parks  alone,  until  February  5,  1859, 
when  David  G.  Croly  became  proprietor.  On  the 
1 8th  of  Alay  following  the  proprietorship  was 
changed  to  D.  G.  Croly  &  Co.  The  company  was 
John  H.  Grove.  On  the  suspension  of  the  News 
April  30,  i860,  and  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Croly 
the  publication  of  the  Standard  was  continued  by 
John  H.  Grove  and  James  S.  Ticknor  for  a  few 
months.  The  paper  was  then  sold  to  James  E. 
and  Joseph  H.  Fox,  who  established  the  Daily 
News.  It  was  a  republican  paper,  and  the  first 
number  was  issued  in  December,  i860.  A  few 
weeks    later    they    began    the    publication    of    the 


136 


PAST     A\n     PRKSKN'T     OF     \VI\XF.P.\r,0     COUNTY. 


Weekly  N'ews.  which  was  continued  until  Sep- 
tember 21.  1861.  The  plant  was  then  sold  to  E. 
C.  Daugfherty,  and  its  publication  was  discon- 
tinued. 

.\ii  earlier  pa])er,  also  called  the  Daily  Xews. 
was  established  by  David  G.  Croly,  February  8, 
1859.  The  paper  was  neutral  in  politics.  Its 
])nl)lication  was  continued  until  .\pril  30,  i860, 
when  it  was  suspended  for  want  of  patronaije. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Croly  won  national  re]>utation  in 
journalism  and  letters  after  their  departure  from 
Rockford.  Mr.  Croly  became  city  editor  of  the 
New  York  World  and  later  was  its  managing 
editor.  He  was  the  author  of  biographies  of 
Horatio  Seymour  and  Francis  P.  Pdair,  a  History 
of  Reconstruction  and  a  Primer  of  Positivism. 
He  died  in  1889. 

The  Crescent  Age  was  founded  in  1859.  Its 
editors  were  Dr.  George  Haskell  and  H.  P.  Kim- 
ball. It  was  a  .Spiritualist  ])ublication.  and  lived 
only  a  short  time. 

The  Rock  River  Mirror  was  established  Sep- 
tember 6,  1859,  by  Allen  Gib.son.  It  was  neutral 
in  ]>olitics  and  was  printed  at  the  Register  office. 
Later  the  name  of  X.  C.  Thompson  appeared  as 
associate  editor,  and  still  later  the  proprietors  were 
-Allen  Gibson  and  E.  D.  Marsh. 

The  People's  Press  was  established  July  2~,. 
1865.  by  W.  P.  Furey,  who  published  it  until 
May.  1866.  when  a  joint  stock  company  was  or- 
ganized, which  continued  its  publication  until 
September  i,  1866,  when  it  was  suspended  from 
lack  of  patronage. 

\\'ords  for  Jesus,  a  monthly  religious  ])ublica- 
tion,  was  started  in  October.  1867,  by  Thomas  J. 
and  Hugh  Lamont. 

Leaves  from  Forest  Hill,  a  monthly,  was  ]nil)- 
lishcd  for  some  time  during  the  school  year,  by 
the   yoimg   ladies  of  Rockford   Seminary. 

The  Rockford  Gazette  was  founded  November 
22,  1866,  by  I.  S.  Hyatt,  as  a  small  advertising 
sheet.  It  prospered  to  such  an  extent  that  in  the 
following  .'\pril  it  was  greatly  enlarged,  .\pril 
25,  1867,  the  name  of  Benjamin  I'oltz  appeared 
as  editor,  .\ugust  29,  1867,  the  Gazette  was 
issued  with  the  names  of  Abraham  F.  and  Wil- 
liam E.  Smith  as  proprietors.  This  partnership 
continued  for  some  years.  In  1878  the  publishers 
began  a  semi-weekly  edition,  and  .\ugust  4,  1879, 
the  Gazette  was  issued  as  a  daily,  and  became 
valuable  newspaper  property.  In  1882  Mr. 
Smith  admitted  Col.  F.  .\.  Eastman,  of  Chicago, 
as  a  ])artner.  This  partnership  was  dissfilved  the 
following  year,  and  Mr.  .Smith  continued  as  sole 
])roprietor  until  January,  i8(;i,  when  the  iiajjcr 
was  merged  into  the  Register-Gazette. 

The  Winnebago  Chief  was  started  X'ovcmber 
21,  1866,  by  J.  P.  Irvine  as  editor  and  proprietor. 
July  3,  1867,  Hiram  R.  Enoch  was  admitted  as 
a  partner,  and  the  name  of  the  pajier  was  changed 


to  the  Winnebago  County  Chief.  Mr.  Irvine  sub- 
.setjuently  retired,  and  Mr.  Enoch  remained  sole 
proprietor  until  December,  1882,  when  the  journal 
jiassed  into  the  hands  of  Foote  &  Kimball.  In 
March,  1883,  the  paper  was  sold  to  D.  Miller  & 
Co.,  who  published  it  three  years.  In  March, 
1886,  a  Mr.  Gardner,  from  the  southern  part  of 
the  state,  purchased  a  half  interest.  This  part- 
nershij)  was  dissolved,  Mr.  Gardner  taking  the 
jf)l)  department,  and  D.  Miller  &  Co.  retaining 
the  subscription  list  and  business  of  the  paper. 
In  -Vugust.  1887,  the  journal  was  .sold  to  Hon. 
J.  Stanley  Browne,  by  whom  its  publication  was 
continued  until  the  good  will  and  subscrijition  list 
became  the  property  of  the  Rockford  Morning 
Star  company. 

The  Golden  Censer  was  founded  Alay  i,  1868. 
by  John  Lcnile\'.  It  was  an  undenominational 
religious  and  family  paper.  It  was  first  issued 
semi-monthly,  and  subse(|uently  changed  to  a 
week!\.  X'^ovember  i,  1877,  the  pa]xT  passed  into 
the  hands  of  a  .stock  company.  The  principal 
stockholders  were  O.  R.  Brouse.  Rev.  C.  E. 
.Mandevillc,  and  X'.  E.  Lyman,  who  was  then 
l)resident  of  the  People's  bank.  The  Censer, 
under  this  management,  attained  a  circulation  of 
eighteen  thousand,  the  largest  ever  reached  bv  a 
Rockford  ])aper.  In  time,  however,  the  circu- 
lation was  greatly  reduced,  until  .August.  1896, 
when  the  Censer,  with  barely  two  thousand  sub- 
scribers, was  indefinitelv  suspendcil.  In  March, 
i8(;7,  the  Calvert  Brothers  purchased  the  good 
will  and  material  and  resumed  publication,  with 
Charles  A.  Church  as  editor.  The  policy  of  the 
Censer  was  greatly  changed,  and  an  able  corps 
of  local  contributors  was  secured.  In  less  than 
one  year  the  circulation  advanced  to  six  thousand. 
P>ut  this  number  did  not  make  the  paper  self- 
sustaining.  In  .April,  1898,  Charles  .\.  Church 
became  sole  proprietor.  June  ist  of  the  same 
year  the  good  will  of  the  paper  was  sold  to  the 
Ram's  Horn  of  Chicago. 

The  Christian  ( lleaner.  a  monthly,  was  pub- 
lished at  the  Censer  office  for  some  years.  It  was 
made  up  of  selections  from  the  Censer,  and  con- 
tained very  little  original  matter.  The  subscrip- 
tion list  was  absorbed  by  the  Censer  about   i8(>i. 

The  Rockford  Daily  Journal  was  started  in 
.\ugust,  1870,  by  Lumley  &  Carpenter.  It  lived 
two  days. 

.\ndrus'  Illustrated  Monthlv  was  founded  in 
January,  1872,  by  D.  A.  K.  and  W.  D.  E. 
.\ndrus.    It  was  discontinued  in  September.  1873. 

The  Methodist  Free  Press  was  started  by  John 
Lemley  in  September,  1872,  and  was  continued 
until  January,  1875. 

\'ol.  I,  Xo.  I,  of  the  Curiosity  Hunter  was 
issued  in  September,  1872,  as  a  monthly  by  D.  A. 
K.  .\ndrus.  and  was  continued  until  July.  1874. 
In  1876  it  was  resumed  at  Belvidere. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


137 


Nowadays  was  launched  by  E.  C.  Chandler  & 
Co.,  January  i,  1874.  Only  one  number  was 
issued. 

The  Rockford  Sunday  Herald  was  started  May 
II,  1879,  by  E.  C.  Chandler.  It  was  discontinued 
December  21,  1879. 

The  People's  Champion  was  launched  by  E, 
W.  Blaisdell,  September  29,  1880.  Only  five  num- 
bers were  issued. 

Our  Home  and  Science  Gossip  was  started  by 
D.  A.  K.  Andrus  in  March,  1881,  and  was  con- 
tinued about  two  years. 

The  Rockford  Seminary  Magazine  was  founded 
in  January,  1873,  with  the  name  of  Caroline  A. 
Potter,  class  of  1855,  as  editor.  The  first  num- 
ber contained  forty  pages.  In  later  years  the 
magazine  was  edited  by  the  senior  class.  After 
the  seminary  was  raised  to  the  rank  of  a  college, 
in  1 89 1  tlie  name  of  the  paper  was  changed  to 
the  Rockford  Collegian.  Its  publication  was  dis- 
continued in  1895. 

One  number  of  the  Stamp  News  was  issued  in 
1873  by  D.  .'\.  K.  Andrus. 

The  Rockford  Industrial  Times  began  a  brief 
career  in  February,  1874,  with  W.  F.  Barrows  as 
editor.  A  few  months  later  the  name  was 
changed  to  the  Hornet.  The  second  volume  be- 
gan with  a  second  change  in  name,  the  Rockford 
Times.  John  R.  Coursen  and  Fred  Dayton  were 
the  proprietors.  The  issue  of  August  4,  1875,  an- 
nounced that  Mr.  Coursen  had  sold  his  interest  to 
Louis  A.  Manlove.  There  is  a  complete  file  of 
the  Times  in  the  public  library  for  two  years  end- 
ing February  16,  1876. 

The  first  number  of  the  Rockford  Daily  News 
was  issued  January  26,  1878,  by  D.  A.  K.  Andrus. 
Geo.  W.  Sherer  and  F.  O.  Bennett.  Sunday 
morning,  June  3,  1878,  the  Daily  News  created 
a  great  sensation  by  publishing  a  harrowing  story 
of  a  communist  attack  upon  the  government. 
When  it  was  learned  that  the  story  had  no  founda- 
tion in  fact.  Mayor  Watson  ordered  the  office 
closed  by  the  city  marshal.  After  many  changes 
the  Daily  News  suspended  publication  in  i  )cto- 
ber,   1880. 

The  Western  Banner  was  established  as  a  tem- 
perance paper  in  1878,  by  J.  E.  Hampton.  F.  Wil- 
son and  H.  S.  Wilbur.  The  paper  was  printed 
on  a  hand  press  in  the  office  of  the  Rockford 
Journal.    It  died  December  19,  1878. 

The  Morning  Herald  was  started  June  11. 
1 88 1,  bv  Miller  &  Welch.  It  was  published  until 
October.  1882. 

The  Rockford  Furniture  Journal  was  founded 
in  1888.  A  leading  spirit  in  the  agitation  for  a 
trade  paper  was  the  late  Lyon  P.  Ross,  who  was 
then  secretary  of  the  Forest  City  furniture  fac- 
tory. The  Furniture  Journal  company  was  or- 
ganized, in  which  A.  F.  Judd  and  George  W. 
Sherer    were    the    principal    stockholders.      The 


Journal  was  published  monthly  nearly  two  years, 
when  the  subscription  list  and  good  will  of  the 
paper  were  sold  to  Abraham  E.  Smith.  About 
1894  Mr.  Smith  sold  an  interest  to  P.  D.  Francis, 
and  a  year  or  two  later,  he  sold  his  remaining 
interest  to  J.  Newton  Nind.  Messrs.  Francis  and 
Nind  continued  its  publication  for  some  years  in 
Rockford.  In  the  meantime  other  trade  papers 
were  purchased  and  consolidated.  The  publica- 
tion office  was  removed  to  Chicago,  and  the  Jour- 
nal, now  a  semi-monthly,  is  one  of  the  most  pros- 
perous trade  papers  in  the  west. 

The  Monitor,  a  weekly  publication  in  the  in- 
terest of  the  prohibition  party,  issued  its  first 
number  in  May,  1885.  It  was  published  by  the 
Prohibition  company,  with  James  Lamont  as  sec- 
retary and  editor.  In  1890  the  Monitor  was  sold 
to  James  Lamont  and  Charles  M.  Whipple.  Its 
publication  was  continued  by  the  Monitor  Pub- 
lishing company  until  July,  1897,  when,  owing  to 
business  troubles  the  Alonitor  suspended. 

The  Oiicago  Lever  was  purchased  in  1892  by 
the  Monitor  Publishing  company  and  brought  to 
Rockford.  It  was  published  each  Thursday  and 
was  a  national  organ  of  the  prohibition  party. 
James  Lamont  was  editor.  In  July,  1897,  the 
Lever  was  sold  to  James  Lamont  and  Liberty 
Walkup,  who  in  February,  1899,  sold  it  to  DicKie 
&  Woolley,  and  the  office  of  publication  was 
transferred  to  Chicago.  In  September,  1899,  't 
was  merged  with  the  New  Voice  of  Chicago. 

The  Rockford  Morning  Star  is  the  first  suc- 
cessful morning  newspaper  published  in  the  city. 
Hon.  J.  Stanley  Browne,  the  editor-in-chief,  came 
to  Rockford  in  1887.  He  had  served  two  terms 
as  democratic  member  of  the  New  York  legis- 
lature from  Otsego  county,  and  for  five  years  was 
secretar\-  to  Lieutenant  Governor  Dorscheimer, 
when  Samuel  J.  Tilden  was  governor.  Mr. 
Browne's  first  newspaper  work  in  Rockford  was 
in  1887,  when  he  became  editor  and  publisher 
of  the  Rockford  Journal.  In  the  following  spring 
a  stock  company  was  organized  for  the  publica- 
tion of  the  Morning  Star,  and  March  20th  the 
first  number  was  issued.  Many  changes  have 
been  made  in  the  business  and  reportorial  staff, 
but,  with  a  brief  interim.  Mr.  Browne  has  been 
the  managing  editor  from  the  first. 

The  Farmer's  Monthly  was  started  by  A.  E. 
Smith,  and  sold  to  Messrs.  Bartlett,  Eaton  and 
McSweeney,  and  was  published  by  them  for 
several  years. 

In  the  spring  of  1890  the  Republican  company 
was  organized  with  a  capital  of  $10,000,  of  which 
about  $7,000  was  paid  in.  The  first  board  of 
directors  was  as  follows :  W.  H.  Worthington, 
H.  H.  Robinson,  H.  C.  Scovill.  W.  G.  Conick, 
H.  O.  Hilton,  W.  J.  Johnson,  Harry  Marean,  C. 
H.  Godfrey,  J.  A.  Johnson.  The  first  number  of 
the  Republican  was  issued  April  10,  1890,  with  H. 


>38 


PAST     AXD     PRF.SF.XT     OF     WIXXFliACO     COl'XTV. 


O.  Hilton  as  t-ilitor :  Harry  Marcan.  business 
manager,  and  Will  J.  Jolinson.  city  editor.  The 
Republican  was  a  morning  daily,  witliout  a  .Sun- 
day edition.  In  politics  tlic  pajK-r  was  radical 
republican.  In  1893  C.  D.  .Allyn.  who  bad  been 
on  the  staff  of  the  old  Daily  Ciaz.ette.  purchased  an 
interest,  and  the  company  issued  an  evening  edi- 
tion. There  were  several  changes  in  the  business 
management.  Mr.  Marean  being  succeeded  in  turn 
bv  Will  I.  Johnson.  W.  H.  Worthington  and  C. 
D.  .-Mlyn!  In  18./)  Charles  L.  .Miller.  Harry  M. 
Johnson  and  John  E.  Warfield  jjurchased  a  con- 
trolling interest  in  the  plant,  ancl  these  gentlemen 
are  still  the  owners  of  the  paper.  The  name  was 
changed  to  the  Republic. 

The  Sunday  Mercury,  started  in  December. 
1890.  bv  C.  H.  Seiders  and  Alex  Majors,  was  a 
creditable  weekly  paper,  but  only  a  few  numbers 
were   iniblished. 

In  1892  Charles  A.  Church  organized  a  stock 
com]5any.  with  a  capital  of  $5,000,  for  the  ])uhli- 
cation  of  the  .Spectator.  Abraham  E.  Smith  was 
business  manager,  and  the  pajier  was  printed  in 
the  office  of  the  Smith  Publishing  company.  The 
first  number  was  issued  May  21,  1892.  The 
Spectator  was  strictly  a  literary  and  family  paper 
of  sixteen  pages,  with  an  able  corps  of  contribut- 
ors. .\mong  the  latter  were  the  late  Mrs.  Eva 
T.  Clark.  Mrs.  Marie  T.  Perry.  Mrs.  Caroline 
A.  P.  P.razee.  Mrs.  Mary  L'rquhart  T-ee.  Mrs. 
H.  M.  Johnson.  Hon.  Gias.  E.  Fuller,  of  Relvi- 
dere,  and  the  Rev.  C.  H.  Moscrip.  of  Rockford. 
From  a  literary  point  of  view,  the  Spectator  was 
eminently  successful,  but  the  expense  of  maintain- 
ing it  was  far  beyond  the  receipts  that  a  new 
paper  of  its  kind  was  able  to  command.  .After 
one  year  the  distinctive  features  of  the  Si)ectator 
were  abandoned  and  the  paper  was  issued  as  a 
daily.  The  first  number  appeared  May  15.  1893. 
Tlic  financial  stringency  which  came  so  suddenly 
upon  the  country  during  the  summer  seriously 
embarrassed  the  princi|)al  stockholders  of  the 
Smith  Publishing  company,  which  had  absorbed 
the  .Spectator  com]>any.  and  in  .August.  i8(;3.  the 
daily  was  su.spended.  The  following  autumn  the 
publication  of  the  Spectator  was  resumed  as  a 
local  weekly,  and  continued  until  the  spring  of 
1805.  when  the  subscription  list  was  sold  to  the 
Monitor  company. 

The  Weekly  Recorder  was  started  in  Mav. 
189^).  by  Will  J.  Johnson.  It  kept  up  a  spirited 
existence  until  October.  1899.  when  the  paper  was 
sold  to  H.  O.  Hilton,  who  issued  a  few  numbers, 
and  about  Jaiuiary  ist  the  paper  was  discontinued. 

The  Owl  has  been  published  nearly  everv  vear 
since  1885  as  the  paper  of  the  Rockford  high 
.school.  The  editor,  business  manager  and  staff 
have  been  chosen  each  year  from  the  senior  class. 

The  Rockford  Review  was  issued  in  June.  1S91. 
by  the  Forest  City  Publishing  company.  It  was 
later  merged  with  the  Furniture  Journal. 


Winnebago    County    Schools    was    started    by 
.^ui)t.  C.  J.  Kinnie  in  1886.  and  was  continued  for 
a  short  time. 

The  .\gricultural  West  launched  by  Don. 
Xeedham  in  March.  1884.  but  was  soon  discon- 
tiiuied. 

\'ol.  I.  Xo.  I.  of  the  Rockford  Labor  Juurnal 
was  issued  July  9.  1898.     It  had  a  brief  career. 

One  number  of  the  Constitution  was  issued 
.August  25,   1890. 

Journal  of  Practical  Xursing  was  started  in 
1888.     It  was  edited  by  L.  C.  Brown.  M.  D. 

The  Rockford  .Air  Brush  was  started  in  1891, 
in  the  interest  of  the  company  of  that  name. 

The  Cnion  Printer  made  its  first  appearance 
.April  25,  1898. 

The  People's  Journal  made  its  first  appearance 
September  21.  1894.  It  was  published  by  the 
Calvert   I'rothers. 

The  -Advocate  was  launched  in  December. 
18S4.  by  W.  G.  Dustin.  in  the  interest  of  real 
estate. 

The  Rockford  Chief  was  pulilished  for  a  time 
bv  Mrs.  E.  Hertherington,  beginning  October  22, 
1892. 

The  Riickfiird  I'nion  Record  was  .started  Oc- 
tober 31.  1003.  by  John  W.  .Asjiegren.  It  is 
])ublishe(I  in  the  interest  of  organized  labor. 

The  Forest  City  was  published  for  a  time  in 
1S95-96  by  Tomblin   I'rothers. 

The  Hammer,  published  by  Dr.  E.  S.  Tebbetts 
in  the  interest  of  socialism,  has  ceased  to  exist. 

The  large  Swedish  population  of  Rockford  has 
created  a  demand  for  a  newspaper  published  in 
the  language  of  the  fatherland.  Several  attempts 
have  been  made  to  sujiply  this  need. 

Xva  Sverige  was  started  in  March.  1872.  by 
.A.  \\'.  Schalin.     It  lived  but  a  short  time. 

Rockford's  AUehanda  was  established  June  18, 
1884,  bv  Otto  Pallin.  The  name  was  changed  to 
Sveiiska  Fria-Fressen.  It  was  published  by  C. 
I""l)l)eser..  about  four  years. 

Jaiuiarv  4.  1889.  Mr.  Fbbesen  launched  another 
paper,  the  Posten.  It  was  jjublished  in  the  Crotty 
i)lock  on  East  State  street.  Subsequently  the 
jniblication  oflice  was  removed  to  the  I'nion 
block,  on  Kishwaukee  street,  where  it  has  since 
been  published.  .Mr.  Ebbesen  was  succeeded  in 
turn  bv  C.  J.  Sjostrom.  Fred  Swenson.  and  Prof. 
C.  .A.  Wendell.    The  present  editor  is  Mr.  Linden. 

Joltomten.  by  C.  Ebbesen.  was  ])ublished  Satur- 
days,  1st,  8th,  15th  and  22(\  of  December.   1888. 

RockfonKs  Harold  was  established  by  Magnus 
Larson.  .Apriri2,  1902.    One  number  was  issued. 

Framtiden  was  first  issued  .April  13.  1892.  by 
the  I'ramtiden  Publishing  company.  It  was  pub- 
lished three  or  four  years. 

I"or.skaren  was  started  September  4.  181)3,  by 
E.  I'iellander  and  F.  Malmc|uist. 

Folkets  Rost  was  issued  by  Charles  Henry. 
March  18,   1895.     Four  numbers  were  published. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


139 


Framat  was  started  l)v  Swenson  &  Bjork,  Sep- 
tember 15,  1903. 

The  German  population  of  Rockford  has  never 
been  large,  yet  it  has  for  many  years  supported 
a  church  and  a  newspaper.  The  Germania  was 
founded  as  a  four-page  weekly  by  John  Pingle  in 
1885.  The  present  proprietor  is  Herr  Ferd 
Stedinger,  who  for  many  years  has  been  in- 
stritctor  in  Gemian  at  the  Rockford  high  school. 

The  foregoing  is  believed  to  be  the  first  com- 
plete story  of  Rockford  newspapers  ever  pub- 
lished. The  list  might  be  continued  by  the  men- 
tion of  various  monthly  bulletins  issued  by  the 
churches  from  time  to  time,  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  the 
Business  college,  and  similar  organizations.  While 
these  performed  a  legitimate  function  in  their 
way.  they  scarcely  have  a  place  in  the  chronicle 
of   Rockford  newspapers. 

The  press  of  Rockford  has  not  been  the  ex- 
clusive purveyor  of  local  news.  .Several  news- 
papers have  been  started  in  the  other  towns  of 
the  comity. 

The  Rockton  Gazette  was  established  at  Rock- 
ton  in  1857,  by  Funk  &  Phelps.  j\Ir.  Funk  re- 
tired and  the  paper  was  continued  about  one  year 
bv  H.  W.  Pheljis.  The  office  and  fixtures  were 
removed  to  Burlington,  Wisconsin. 

The  Pecatonica  Independent  was  established  in 
May,  1859,  by  J.  E.  Duncan.  It  was  published 
about  one  year,  when  the  office  was  removed  to 
Darlington,  Wisconsin. 

The  Pecatonica  News  was  started  as  a  weekly 
newspaper  December  I.  1872.  A\'.  A.  and  Nate 
L.  Colby  were  editors  and  proprietors.  January 
I,  1881,  W.  A.  Colby  sold  his  interest  to  his 
brother,  who  continued  its  publication  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death,  July  11,  1904.  Gilbert  F.,  a 
son  of  N.  L.  Colby,  is  now  editor  and  manager 
for  the  estate. 

The  Winnebago  Reflector  was  established  Feb- 
ruary II,  1887,  published  by  the  Winnebago  C. 
L.  S.  C.     C.  F.  Trittle  is  the  present  publisher. 

The  Rockton  Weekly  Echo  was  established  De- 
cember 15,  1887.  L.  H.  Cook  was  editor  and 
publisher.    There  was  only  one  issue. 

The  Cherry  X'alley  Courier  was  established 
in  July.  1869,  by  Dr.  L.  Foote,  editor  and  pub- 
lisher.    It  was  published  three  months. 

The  newspaper  enterprises  of  Duraiid  are  as 
follows : 

Winnebago  Countv  Advertiser,  established  in 
1869  by  1\L  G.  Sheldon. 

Durand  Argus,  established  December  29,  1883, 
by  E.  E.  Pettingill. 

Durand  Free  Press,  established  Alarch  24. 
1888,  by  Johnson  Potter. 

Durand  Weekly  Echo,  established  June  30, 
1887,  by  L.  H.  Cook,  editor  and  publisher:  thirty 
numbers  issued. 

Durand    Weekly    Times,   established    February 


7,  1890,  by  E.  E.  Pettingill.  publisher  ;  seven  num- 
bers issued. 

Durand  Record,  established  April  30,  1890,  by 
John  R.  Bertsch.     Discontinued  August  i.  1890. 

Durand  Weekly  Clipper,  established  April  17, 
1891,  by  E.  I.  Schoolcraft;  still  published  by  W, 
H.   Tousley. 

ILLINOIS,    IOWA    &    MINNESOTA   RAILWAY. 

The  Illinois,  Iowa  &  Alinnesota  Railway  com- 
pany was  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  Illinois 
in  December,  1902.  The  line  was  completed  from 
Alomence  to  Rockford  about  October  I,  1905.  A 
line  has  been  projected  for  1906  from  Peotone, 
Illinois,  to  Michigan  City,  Indiana,  a  distance  of 
seventy-five  miles  ;  from  Rockford  to  Janesville, 
thirty  miles ;  and  from  Kirkland,  Illinois,  to 
Milwaukee,  a  distance  of  eighty  miles. 

The  mileage  operated  October  i,  1905,  was  as 
follows  :  Rockford  to  Aurora,  sixty-six  miles  ; 
Joliet  to  ]\Iomence,  thirty-five  miles.  The  com- 
pany has  trackage  rights  over  the  E.  J.  &  E., 
.Vurora  to  Joliet,  twenty-four  miles  :  total  mileage, 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles.  The  guage 
is  four  feet  and  eight  and  one-half  inches. 
Seventy-pound  street  rails  have  been  used  in  con- 
struction. 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  finances ;  Oc- 
tober I,  1905,  the  capital  stock,  $5,000,000  in 
$100  shares  had  all  been  paid  in.  A  mortgage  has 
been  executed  to  the  Illinois  Trust  and  Savings 
bank.  Chicago,  as  trustee,  securing  an  issue  of 
$5,000,000  first  mortgage,  five  per  cent,  forty-year 
gold  $1,000  bonds,  due  March  i,  1944,  with 
interest  maturing  March  ist  and  September  ist 
at  the  office  of  the  trustee.  Of  this  amount 
$3,000,000  has  already  been  issued.  The  bonds 
are  limited  in  issue  to  $30,000  per  mile  of  main 
track,  and  are  secured  by  first  mortgage  on  all 
lines  constructed  or  to  be  constructed,  now  owned 
or  hereafter  to  be  acquired  within  the  counties  in 
Illinois  named  in  its  charter ;  also  any  line  or 
lines  of  railroad  which  may  be  constructed  under 
any  amendment  of  the  charter,  together  with  all 
branches  and  au.xiliary  lines,  all  charters,  fran- 
chises, etc.,  and  all  other  property  of  the  com- 
pany except  telegraph  and  telephone  lines.  Of 
this  amount  it  is  provided  that  $4,000,000  may 
be  issued  at  once  under  the  terms  of  the  deed  of 
trust,  the  remaining  $1,000,000  being  reserved  for 
the  purpose  of  construction  of  additional  lines. 
The  entire  issue  of  those  bonds  is  subject  to  re- 
demption at  $1.07  and  accrued  interest  on  an}^ 
first  day  of  September  or  March  after  March  i, 
1909,  provided  that  notice  of  such  intention  to 
redeem  be  given  at  least  six  months  before  the 
date  selected  for  such  payment  by  publication  at 
least  once  in  each  week  for  three  months,  be- 
ginning not   less   than   six   nor  more  than  seven 


140 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


months  before  the  day  of  redemption  in  one  Chi- 
cago and  one  New  York  daily  newspaper. 

The  directors  of  the  road  are  H.  \V.  Seaman. 
J.  C.  Duffin.  W.  F.  McSwiney.  Chicago;  J.  C. 
V'^an  Riper.  Edwards  W'hitaker  and  S.  W. 
Fordyce.  of  St.  Louis. 

The  road  was  christened  the  "Rnckford  Route" 
in  October,  1904,  at  which  time  the  trademark 
was  adopted. 

There  was  a  rumor  current  at  the  time  this 
manuscript  was  prepared  for  tlie  press  that  the 
Chicago  Great  Western  Railway  comiiany  would 
run  through  passenger  trains  over  the  new  line 
of  the  I.  I.  &  M..  between  Chicago  and  Rockford 
througli  Sycamore,  via  Wilkinson  Crossing,  five 
miles  west  of  Sycamore. 

LATER  ECCLESL\STICAL  HISTORY. 

COURT    STREET    METHODISI. 

The  Court  Street  Methodist  church  was  or- 
ganized January'  i.  1852.  Its  first  house  of 
worship  on  North  Court  street  was  dedicated  in 
November.  1854.  at  a  cost  of  $7,000.  The  first 
])astor  was  Rev.  Chatfield.  His  successors  have 
been  Revs.  W.  F.  Stewart.  Luman  .\.  Sanford. 
Wm.  P.  Grav,  James  R.  Goodrich,  W'm.  E. 
Daniels.  T.  B.  Taylor.  J.  H.  \'incent.  V.  V.  Cleve- 
land. T.  C.  Clendenning.  L.  .Meredith.  W.  Aug. 
Smith.  C.  E.  Mandevi'lle.  T.  P.  Marsh.  T.  R. 
Strobridge.  P.  H.  Swift.  W.  A.  Philliiis.  W.  O. 
Shepard.  Fred  H.  Sheets.  Rfibert  H.  Pooley.  and 
Frank  D.  Sheets.  The  present  house  of  worship 
was  dedicated  in  May.  1887.  The  site  for  the 
parsonage  was  purchased  from  the  Horsman  es- 
tate in  1884,  and  the  house  was  completed  in  Oc- 
tober of  the  same  vear.  The  total  value  of  the 
church  property  is  $65,000.  The  membership  re- 
ported to  the  annual  conference  in  October.  1904. 
was  957. 

ST.    J.\MES    CATHOLIC. 

Information  concerning  the  early  history  of  St. 
James  Catholic  church  is  very  meager.  Tlie 
records  are  said  to  have  been  destroyed  in  the 
Chicago  fire  of  1871.  Mass  was  celebrated  in 
the  hoines  of  Catholic  settlers  in  Rockford  by 
priests  located  at  New  Dublin  and  Freeport  pre- 
vious to  1850.  Father  Gueguen  said  mass  and 
baptized  children  in  1840.  The  ])ermanent  or- 
ganization dates  from  1850.  After  ])urchasing 
lots  Father  Hampston  was  appointed  priest  of 
the  parish  in  1851,  by  P.ishop  \'an  de  \'elle.  He 
was  the  first  resident  pastor,  and  built  the  first 
church  in  1852.  Father  Hampston  died  while  in 
charge  of  the  parish,  and  is  buried  under  the 
l)resent  church.  The  present  St.  James  church 
was  begun  in  1866.  and  dedicated  the  following 
year  under  the  pastf)rate  of  Rev.  J.  S.  O'Neill. 
The  pastors  of  St.  James'  church  have  been  as 


follows :  Revs.  John  Hampston,  George  Hamil- 
ton. William  Lambert.  J.  Bulger,  John  P.  Done- 
Ian.  J.  S.  O'Neill.  Joseph  McMahoii.  T.  J.  Butler, 
and  James  J.  I'^laherty.  Father  Flaherty  has  been 
in  charge  of  the  parish  twenty  years,  and  is  thus 
the  oldest  ])astor  in  the  city  in  continuous  service. 
He  .started  the  parochial  school  in  1886.  and  in 
1891  com])leted  the  present  brick  structure  at  a 
cost  of  $17,000.  The  deanery  was  erected  in  1878 
by  Dean  Butler  and  cost  $8,000.  St.  James  church 
has  expended  $68,000  in  church  property.  The 
])resent  membership  is  about  1.300. 

J-IUST    I'KKSBYTERIAN. 

The  Presbyterians  of  early  Rockford  worshiped 
with  the  Congregationalists  for  several  years. 
.\ftcr  holding  services  in  various  places  the  little 
company  of  Presbyterians  was  formally  organized 
July  8.  1834.  Rev.  Hugh  A.  Brown  was  the 
first  stated  supply,  and  served  until  January  i, 
1858.  when  Rev.  John  M.  Paris  was  called.  Rev. 
I'^aris'  pastorate  continued  until  (Jctober.  1862. 
His  successors  have  been  Revs.  Faunt  Leroy 
Senour.  J.  S.  Grimes.  .A.  J.  Leyenberger  (now 
shortened  to  Berger).  James  Cruickshanks.  J.  K. 
Fowler.  J.  R.  Sutherland.  George  Harkness.  B. 
E.  .S.  Ely.  The  latter  has  now  been  upon  the  field 
eleven  years.  In  September  following  the  or- 
ganization, the  congregation  worshiped  in  the 
old  I'nitarian  church,  on  the  northeast  corner  of 
Elm  and  C'hurch  streets,  and  in  1855  the  Uni- 
tarian ])ro])erty  was  purchased.  The  .society  used 
it  for  a  time  on  the  old  site,  and  then  removed  it 
to  the  northeast  corner  of  State  and  Winnebago 
streets,  where  the  church  continued  to  worship 
until  December  20.  1868,  when  it  took  possession 
of  its  ]irescnt  house  of  worship.  In  1904  the 
church  purchased  the  projjcrty  on  the  corner  of 
North  .Slain  and  North  streets,  owned  by  Dr. 
Rohr.  and  is  now  erecting  a  handsome  house  of 
worshij).  which  will  probably  be  dedicated  in 
February.  1906.  The  society  also  owns  a  par- 
sonage and  upon  the  completion  of  the  new 
church  will  have  property  worth  $60,000.  Its 
menihershii)  in  round  numbers  is  600. 

FrusT  i.r  L  iii:uAN. 

The  First  Lutheran  church  was  organized 
January  15.  1854,  with  seventy-seven  communi- 
cants and  thirty-two  children.  The  first  house 
of  worshij)  was  built  on  the  ct)rner  of  North  First 
street  and  Lafayette  avenue.  The  dedication  oc- 
curred November  23,  1856,  and  the  sermon  was 
preached  by  Dr.  Hasselquist.  This  building  is 
still  standing  and  forms  a  part  of  Mrs.  J.  Fried- 
man's double  house.  The  first  pastor  was  called 
in  1856,  and  his  jiastorate  continued  until  i860. 
In  that  vear  the  church  withdrew  from  the  synod 
of   nortiiern    Illinois   and   joined   the   Augiistana 


PAST     AXD     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


141 


synod.  The  present  church  was  built  in  1883,  at 
a  cost  of  about  $60,000.  It  is  the  largest 
auditorium  in  the  city,  with  a  seating  capacity  of 
2,500.  The  church  owns  Luther  hall,  a  paro- 
chial school  on  Kishwaukee  street,  and  another  on 
Fourteenth  avenue.  It  also  owns  a  parsonage 
on  South  Third  street.  The  pastors  of  the 
church  have  been  Revs.  Andreen,  A.  W.  Dahl- 
sten,  (;.  Peters,  L.  A.  Johnston,  E.  C.  Jessup,  as- 
sistant :  Joel  Haaf,  J.  F.  Seedoff.  In  January, 
1904,  the  church  celebrated  the  golden  jubilee  of 
its  organization.  The  communicant  membership 
is  1540,  the  largest  of  any  Swedish  Lutheran 
church  in  America.  The  total  membership,  in- 
cluding children,  is  2,250.  The  church  owns 
property  to  the  value  of  $85,000. 

WESTMINSTER    PRESBYTERI.\N. 

Westminster  Pre.sb\terian  church  was  organ- 
ized January  3,  1856,  with  22  members,  many  of 
whom  had  taken  letters  from  the  First  Congre- 
gational church.  It  was  first  called  the  Second 
Presbyterian  church,  and  the  name  was  subse- 
quently changed  to  Westminster.  Rev.  Morrison 
Huggins  was  the  first  pastor,  who  served  until 
1859.  The  first  place  of  worship  was  the  historic 
courthouse  on  North  F'irst  street.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1856  a  ch?pel  was  completed  on  the 
ground  now  occupied  by  the  lecture  room.  This 
chapel  soon  proved  too  small,  and  public  worship 
was  conducted  in  Metropolitan  hall,  pending  the 
erection  of  the  present  church,  which  was  dedicat- 
ed in  1858.  The  following  have  served  the  church 
as  pastors  or  stated  supplies :  Revs.  Morrison 
Huggins,  L.  H.  Johnson,  Charles  Mattoon, 
ChaVles  A.  Williams"  W.  S.  Curtis,  J.  H.  Ritchie, 
T.  S.  Scott,  S.  L.  Conde,  W.  M.  Campbell,  W.  T. 
Wilcox,  and  John  Henry  Boose.  The  present 
pastor  has  been  on  the  field  three  years,  coming 
directly  from  McCormick  seminary.  The  value 
of  the  church  property  is  $25,000.  Its  member- 
ship is  325.  A  parsonage  was  erected  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1905  on  the  lot  adjoining  the  church  on 
the  north,  at  a  cost  of  about  $3,700. 

WINNEBAGO  STREET   METHODIST. 

Winnebago  Street  Methodist  church  had  its 
origin  in  a  Sunday-school,  which  was  started 
May  20,  1856,  and  which  held  its  sessions  in  a 
grove  on  the  river  bank.  The  church  was  or- 
ganized March  4,  1864,  at  the  home  of  Israel 
Sovereign.  The  roll  of  members  numbered 
twenty-eight.  Ground  was  broken  for  a  church 
August  8,  1864,  and  the  corner-stone  was  laid 
August  24.  The  address  was  made  by  the  Rev. 
Thomas  M.  Eddy,  author  of  a  work  in  two 
volumes,  The  Patriotism  of  Illinois.  The  cost 
of  the  church  was  $8,000,  and  was  dedicated 
February  12,  1865,  by  Dr.  Eddy.    The  parsonage 


was  built  in  1867,  at  a  cost  of  $1,250.  The  fol- 
lowing named  pastors  have  served  the  church: 
Revs.  Robert  Bentlev,  Wm.  D.  Skelton,  Henry  L. 
Martin,  John  M.  Caldwell,  F.  A.  Reed,  R.  S. 
Cantine,  Wm.  S.  Harrington,  W.  H.  Smith,  J.  M. 
Clendenning,  Wm.  H.  Haight,  Henry  Lea,  J.  W. 
Richards,  F.  F.  Farmiloe,  M.  L.  Norris,  and  F. 
I?.  Hardin.    A  fine  brick  structure  was  erected  in 

1904,  and  was  dedicated  Sunday,  November  27th. 
The  church  has  property  worth  $25,000.  The 
membership  is  about  300. 

STATE   STREET    B.\PTIST. 

The  State  Street  Baptist  church  was  formally 
organized  in  the  vestry  of  Westminster  Presby- 
terian church,  August  17,  1858.  Three  of  the 
original  members  are  now  living  in  the  city:  Mrs. 
Jane  Hazlett,  Catherine  Hazlet't,  Mrs.  J.  P.  Lar- 
gent.  Rev.  Edward  C.  Mitchell  was  called  to  the 
])astorate  August  31st.  The  first  organist  was 
Prof.  D.  N.  Hood.  A  chapel  was  erected  at  the 
juncture  of  Market,  State  and  North  Fifth  streets, 
which  is  still  standing.  This  chapel  was  dedicated 
February  2,  i860.  The  organization  was  first 
called  the  Second  Baptist  church,  but  on  the  choice 
of  a  permanent  location,  the  name  was  changed 
October  26,  1858,  to  the  State  Street  Baptist 
church.  The  present  house  of  worship  was  cledi- 
cated  November  18,  1868.  The  cost  was  $34,000. 
Dr.  Mitchell's  successors  in  the  pastorate  have 
been :  Revs.  Spencer  Holt,  Henry  C.  Mabie,  E. 
K.  Chandler,  A.  R.  Medbury,  C.  R.  Lathrop,  J.  T. 
Burhoe,  R.  F.  Y.  Pierce,  Langlev  B.  Sears,  J.  T. 
Burhoe,  R.  R.  Perkins.  Rev.  J.  T.  Burhoe's  first 
pastorate  was  the  longest  in  the  history  of  the 
church.  It  began  in  September,  1883,  and  closed 
in  February,  1892.  His  second  pastorate  began 
in  November,  1898.    Rev.  Burhoe  died  March  14, 

1905,  and  his  funeral  was  the  occasion  of  an 
unusual  demonstration  of  sorrow  which  was  felt 
by  all  classes  of  people.  His  two  pastorates  thus 
cover  a  little  more  than  fourteen  vears.  In 
March  a  call  was  extended  to  Rev.  Richard  Roy 
Perkins,  Ph.,  D.,  and  he  entered  upon  his  full 
pastoral  duties  in  July.  The  present  membership 
is  about  440.  The  value  of  its  property  is  $29,000. 

SWEDISH    METHODIST. 

The  Swedish  ^Methodist  church  was  organized 
January  30,  1861,  at  the  home  of  P.  A.  Peterson, 
on  Charles  street,  with  tw'elve  members.  The  so- 
ciety purchased  the  old  Westminster  chapel  for 
$600.  and  reinoved  it  to  First  avenue.  The  pres- 
ent brick  edifice  was  erected  in  1877,  and  was 
dedicated  by  Rev.  C.  E.  Mandeville.  The  par- 
sonage was  built  in  1888.  The  following  pastors 
have  served  the  society :  Revs.  V.  Whitting, 
Albert  Erickson,  Peter  Newberg,  August  Wester- 
gren,    Oscar    Shorgren,    Olof    Qunderson,    John 


142 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Lind,  A.  Y.  Wcsterpren,  S.  B.  Newman,  John 
Wcafjren,  S.  D.  Sorleiiic,  Herman  Lindskog.  N. 
i;.  Xelson.  J.  M.  Objerholm.  A.  Kahlin.  A.  Dahl- 
berg.  M.  Hess,  O.  F.  Lindstrom,  Richard  Ceder- 
berg.  X.  M.  I-iljerren.  .^  .  v.  S  >r..- 
son  and  P.  M.  Alfvin.  The  value  of  the  church 
|)roperty  is  $12,500.  There  are  200  members  in 
full  connection  besides  jirobationers.  P.  A.  Peter- 
son is  the  onlv  charter  member  of  the  society  now- 
living.  He  resides  in  the  same  house  in  which  the 
church  organized,  and  is  over  eighty  years  of  age. 
The  church  is  out  of  debt,  and  the  Sunday-school 
has.  a  memlx^rship  of  about  250. 

CHURCH   OF  Tin;   niUISTI.VN   cxiox. 

The  Giurch  of  the  Christian  L'nion  had  its 
origin  in  the  exjiulsion  of  Dr.  Kerr  from  the 
])astorate  of  the  First  liajjtist  church.  He  had  be- 
come a  convert  to  a  more  liberal  faith,  and  he  and 
fortv-eight  sym])athizers  were  obliged  to  seek 
other  affiliations.  In  .Sq)teniber.  1870.  a  religious 
society  was  organized  by  the  engagement  of  Rev. 
Dr.  Kerr  as  jireacher,  and  the  election  of  tem- 
porary executive  and  finance  committees.  Public 
preaching  services  were  immediately  begun  in 
Brown's  hall.  On  Sunday,  October  9,  the  execu- 
tive committee  presented  a  report  which  offered  a 
plan  of  Christian  fellowslii]).  .\11  per.sons  who 
desired  to  form  a  church  upon  this  basis  were 
requested  to  send  in  their  nanios  on  the  succeeding 
.^^abbatli.  The  church  was  formallv  organizerl 
Wednesday,  October  26,  1870.  The  meeting  was 
held  in  Haskell's  hall.  Duncan  Ferguson  pre- 
sided, and  James  S.  Ticknor  was  secretary.  The 
executive  committee  again  presented  its  basis  of 
church  fellowshij),  which  was  read  and  unani- 
mously adojned.  The  names  received  in  rei)ly 
to  the  public  notice  of  October  9th  were  cnlled, 
and  104  i)ers(jns  responded.  Tiiese  constituted  the 
charter  members  of  the  church. 

It  was  resolved  that  "Those  who  have  responded 
to  the  call  of  their  names,  as  accepting  the  basis 
of  Christian  fellowship  which  has  now  been 
ado])ted,  shall  constitute  tlie  membership  of  the 
church,  togi-ther  with  those  not  personally  pres- 
ent, whose  names  have  been  received  on  their 
subscribing  to  this  basis  of  fellowship."  A  i)lan 
was  adoptefl  for  the  order  of  the  church.  On 
motion  of  Melancthon  .Starr,  it  was  unanimously 
resolved  to  call  Dr.  Thomas  Kerr,  at  a  salarv  of 
$2,000  a  year.  H.  X.  Starr  was  elected  clerk  of 
the  church,  and  Dtmcan  Ferguson,  treasurer.  The 
first  board  of  trustees  was  composer!  of  David  C 
Sears,  William  Peters,  Seymour  Bronson.  J.  F. 
Lander,  and  C.  I.  Horsman.  Regular  Sunday 
services  were  first  held  in  Brown's  hall.  Upon 
the  completion  of  the  new  courthouse,  public 
worship  was  conducted  for  a  time  in  the  circtiit 
court  room,  and  later  in  the  opera  house.     After 


eighteen  years  of  successful  work  the  church  de- 
cided to  erect  its  own  house  of  worship.  The 
corner-stone  was  laid  September  17,  1888.  .Ad- 
dresses were  made  by  Rev.  Jenkin  Lloyd  Jones, 
Dr.  H.  W.  Thomas  and  Dr.  Kerr.  Mrs.  John  H. 
Sherratt  read  an  original  poem.  Congratulatory 
letters  were  sent  by  distinguished  representatives 
of  liberal  Christianity.  .\fter  thirty  years  of 
faithful  service  Dr.  Kerr  tendered  his  resignation 
in  the  autumn  of  1900.  He  continued  as  pastor 
emeritus  until  his  death,  January  3,  1904.  Dr. 
Kerr  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Robert  C.  Bryant, 
who  began  his  duties  in  the  autumn  of  1901.  Mr. 
Bryant  came  to  Rockford  from  Lisbon,  Xew 
IIam])shire.  He  studied  two  years  at  L'nion  The- 
ological Seminary,  and  one  year  at  .\uburn  Semi- 
nary, a  Presbyterian  school.  The  membership  of 
the  fhurcll  is  about  330. 

SWEDISH     EV.\XGi:i.KAI-     MI.SSIOX. 

The  .Swedish  Evangelical  Mission  society  was 
organized  June  i,  1875.  Its  faith  is  that  of  the 
.Swedish  Alission  covenant  and  its  form  of  gov- 
ernment is  congregational.  The  church  has  a 
large  brick  stnicture,  known  as  Mission  taber- 
nacle, on  Kishwaukee  street,  with  a  seating  ca- 
pacity of  1, 100.  There  is  a  membership  of  about 
500.  The  Sunday  school  is  the  largest  in  W'in- 
nebago  county,  with  over  700  members.  The 
church  owns  property  worth  $12,500.  The 
l)astors  have  l>een  Revs.  Palm(|uist  Lindell.  John 
C.ustafson,  \\"enstrand,  .\lfred  Karlen,  F.  M. 
Johnson,  who  .served  eleven  years,  S.  W.  Stmd- 
berg,  who  served  seven  years,  and  O.  P.  Peter- 
.son,  who  came  in  the  spring  of  1905. 

CENTE.XXI.M.    METHODIST  EPISCOP.\L. 

This  society  was  formed  by  the  union  of  the 
old  First  and  Third  street  Methodist  Episcopal 
churches  on  May  19,  1876,  during  the  pastorate 
of  Rev.  Hooper  Crews,  a  man  of  God  whose 
memory  is  as  ointment  poured  forth.  The  board 
of  trustees  elected  Mav  Kjth  was  Hon.  William 
Brown,  George  Troxell.  Clark  Miller,  Harmon  B. 
.'^ol1er,  John  Budlong.  Joseph  Rodd,  Thomas  G. 
Lawler,  Reuben  Sovereign  and  John  C.  Cireg- 
ory.  It  was  agreed  that  a  new  and  suitable 
church  building  should  be  erected  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, which  task  was  consummated  during  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  G.  R.  \'aidiorne.  This  build- 
ing which  now  stands  at  South  .'Second  and  Oak 
streets,  was  completed  in  1883  and  dedicated  by 
Dr.  Cnow  Bishop")  Fowler.  .Sunday,  September 
9,  1883.  This  church  building  occupies  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  sites  in  the  city  and.  together 
with  the  parsonage,  is  valued  at  $50,000.  The 
pastors  appointed  to  this  churcli  since  its  organiza- 
tion have  been:  1877-78,  Hooper  Crews;  1878-81, 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


143 


William  A.  Spencer:  1881-84,  Garret  R.  \'an- 
horne ;  1884-87.  William  Aug.  Smith;  1887-90, 
Martin  E.  Cady;  1890-91,  Fred  Porter  and  J.  R. 
Hamilton;  1891-93,  J.  S.  Bell;  1893-96,  John  N. 
Hall;  1896-1901,  W.  W.  Painter;  1901-02.  John 
Thompson;  1902-1905,  Harlow  \".  Holt.  Rev. 
F.  W.  Barniun  was  assigned  by  the  conference  of 
1905.  The  church  membership  now  numbers 
620  people,  with  a  Sunday  school  enrollment  of 
450- 

EVANGELICAL   LUTHERAN    {GER.\L\n). 

A  German  Lutheran  congregation  was  or- 
ganized in  the  '70s  by  Rev.  F.  N.  Richman,  of 
Elgin,  with  the  name  of  Emmanuel  Lutheran. 
This  church  is  now  extinct. 

About  1882  dissensions  arose  and  a  number 
withdrew  and  organized  the  Evangelical  Lutheran 
St.  Paul's  church,  U.  A.  C,  which  means  the 
Unaltered  Augsburg  Confession,  as  contained  in 
the  Book  of  Concord  of  1580.  Services  were  con- 
ducted by  supplies  until  1888.  when  Rev.  L.  Dorn 
was  called.  The  present  faithful  pastor  is  Rev. 
Otto  Qruner.  He  has  been  in  charge  since  1895, 
and  the  church  is  in  a  prosperous  condition.  There 
are  about  450  members.  The  church  is  erecting 
a  new  house  of  worship  on  Horsman  street. 

EPWORTH    METHODIST. 

E]iworth  ?\L  E.  church  was  organized  as  the 
Ninth  Street  church  in  the  spring  of  1876,  by 
Rev.  G.  L.  Wiley,  who  was  then  pastor  of  the 
First  church.  The  society  was  designed  to  be  a 
feeder  for  the  First  church,  and  began  with 
fifteen  charter  members.  The  Swedish  Methodist 
church  building  was  purchased  for  $300,  and  re- 
moved to  Ninth  street,  at  a  cost  of  $300.  The 
first  year  the  society  was  under  the  care  of  the 
First  church.  The  second  year  the  pastor  was 
sent  by  conference,  and  since  that  time  the  church 
has  maintained  an  independent  existence.  In  1891 
the  old  church  was  sold  for  $75,  and  a  new  edifice 
erected  on  the  old  site.  The  new  church  was 
later  removed  to  its  present  location  at  the  corner 
of  Parmele  street  and  Fourteenth  avenue,  and  the 
name  changed  to  Epworth  church.  The  pastors 
have  been  Revs.  G.  L.  Wilev.  Joseph  Odgers,  W. 
A.  Spencer.  W.  H.  Barrett,  A.'j.  Brill.  E."j.  Rose, 
Joseph  Warden,  H.  L.  Martin.  F.  R.  Hall.  J.  L. 
Gardner,  J.  W.  Irish.  J.  L.  Chase.  Frank  Milne. 
Charles  Wentworth,  C.  F.  Kleihauer.  C.  A. 
Briggs.     The  membership  is  about  75. 

ST.    MAR\^S    CATHOLIC. 

St.  Mary's  church  was  organized  in  1885  by 
the  Rev.  E.  A.  Murphy,  who  subsequently  re- 
moved to  Chicago,  and  there  died  in  September. 
1903.     The  parish  wr.s  originally  a  part    of    St. 


James'  church.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  in  the 
summer  of  1885,  with  an  imposing  ceremony,  in 
which  a  large  number  of  priests  from  Chicago 
officiated.  Tlie  following  pastors  have  succeeded 
Rev.  Murphy :  Rev.  M.  E.  McLaughlin,  now  de- 
ceased ;  and  Rev.  P.  A.  ^IcMann.  The  follow- 
ing priests  have  served  as  assistants :  Revs.  John 
Dorsey,  Green,  A.  Carr,  Stephen  Woulfe,  S.  P. 
Byrne,  James  A.  Solon.  John  P.  Harrington.  Paul 
Burke.  The  church  has  a  membership  of  about 
2.500,  and  the  parish  is  one  of  the  most  important 
in  the  diocese.  The  church  has  property  worth 
not  less  than  $70,000. 

EMMANUEL  LUTHERAN   CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  as  a  Swedish  con- 
gregation in  the  general  synod  July  20.  1882, 
with  eighty-five  members.  A  lot  was  purchased 
on  the  corner  of  Third  avenue  and  Sixth  street. 
The  church  was  dedicated  October  14.  1883.  The 
general  svnod  pastors  have  been :  C.  Anderson, 
1882-84  ;'C.  Hansen,  1884-88;  C.  Ross,  1888-90. 
The  church  withdrew  from  the  general  synod  and 
entered  Augustana  synod  in  1890.  While  yet  a 
Swedish  congregation  it  employed  the  following 
.\ugustana  pastors:  A.  P.  Fors,  1890-91:  G. 
Juhlin,  1892-95.  On  the  22d  of  April,  1895.  ^ 
bold  step  was  taken ;  the  mother  tongue  was 
abandoned  and  the  language  of  the  land  adopted. 
Those  unable  to  understand  the  latter  quietly 
withdrew  and  others  soon  began  to  take  their 
places.  As  an  English-speaking  congregation  it 
has  emploved  the  following  lavmen  and  pastors : 
Mr.  Edwin  Stenholm,  1895  ;  Mr.  C.  A.  W'endell, 
1895-97;  Rev.  Oscar  Nelson,  1897-00:  Rev.  O. 
AI.  Anderson.  1900-01  ;  Rev.  C.  O.  Solberg,  1901- 
03;  Prof.  C.  J.  Sodergren.  1903  (summer 
months)  ;  Rev.  C.  A.  Wendell  since  January  i, 
1904.  The  change  of  language  has  proven  wise 
and  timelv,  and  the  work  nas  been  highlv  success- 
ful. 

GRACE    M.    E. 

Grace  AI.  E.  church  was  organized  in  the 
autumn  of  1891  to  meet  the  needs  of  a  growing 
population  on  the  west  side  of  Kent's  creek.  There 
were  thirty-nine  charter  members.  Sorne  of 
these  came  from  other  churches,  but  the  society 
was  not  an  offshot  from  any  other  body.  The 
church  was  organized  under  the  administration 
of  Presiding  Elder  Haight.  The  first  pastor  was 
Rev.  Frank  D.  Sheets,  who  served  five  years.  His 
successors  have  been  Revs.  Frank  McNamer,  J. 
B.  Robinson,  T.  E.  Ream.  E.  K.  D.  Hester,  and 
T.  R.  Strobridge. 

CHRISTIAN    SCIENCE. 

This  church  was  organized  several  years  ago, 
and  has  maintained  regular  services.     Its  present 


144 


I'AST     AXU     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


place  of  meeting  is  Mendelssohn  hall.  A  reading 
room  is  maintained  in  the  Lathrop  block,  on 
North  Church  street.  The  membership  is  gaining 
steailily. 

AFRICAN    METHODIST   EPISCOPAU 

The  African  Methodist  chnrch  was  the  out- 
growth of  a  Sunday  school  held  for  some  years 
in  the  First  Congregational  church.  It  was  or- 
ganized in  1891,  with  only  seven  members.  The 
chnrch  owns  property  on  the  corner  of  Elm  and 
W'iimebago  streets,  worth  $6,000.  The  little 
society  has  been  burdened  for  many  years  with  a 
mortgage,  which  has  been  assumed,  pro  rata,  by 
the  stronger  churches  of  the  city.  The  church 
has  been  served  by  the  following  pastors :  Revs. 
F.  B.  Jones.  J.  C.  Anderson,  Richmond  Taylor, 
Lewis  Dixon,  Sandy  McDowell.  P.  P.  Taylor, 
S.  B.  Moore  and  C.  H.  Thomas.  Mr.  .Moore  came 
upon  the  field  in  October,  1900,  and  has  faith- 
fully labored  for  the  u])lifting  of  his  people.  The 
church  has  a  membership  of  forty-live.  The  con- 
gregation, however,  is  much  larger. 

SWEDISH    FREIC    ClU'RCII. 

The  Swedish  Free  church,  on  Fourth  avenue, 
has  a  membership  of  325,  a  gain  of  100  per  cent, 
in  three  years.  The  value  of  the  church  property 
is  $6,000.  Besides  this  a  lot,  worth  $2,700  has 
been  purchased  on  the  corner  of  Fourth  avenue 
and  Sixth  street,  on  which  a  cliurch  is  now  in 
process  of  construction. 

TRIXnV   I.UrillCRAX. 

The  Trinity  F.nglish  l.utlieraii  cluirch  is  one 
of  the  latest  additions  to  the  long  list  of  Rock- 
ford  churches.  The  society  was  organized  by 
Rev.  W.  H.  Manss.  March  10,  1895,  with  forty 
members.  Services  were  held  in  the  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
building  and  later  in  the  brick  building  owned 
by  the  old  Christian  church.  In  1898  the  society 
purchased  this  property  for  $3,400.  The  growth 
of  the  membership  was  rapid  and  soon  outgrew 
the  edifice,  which  was  torn  down  to  make  room 
for  a  more  commodious  structure.  This  house 
of  worship  was  dedicated  December  16,  1900. 
Rev.  Manss  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  H.  M.  Ban- 
ncn,  to  whom  the  church  is  indebted  for  its  un- 
usual growth.  He  is  an  eloquent  preacher  and  an 
indefatigable  worker,  and  his  magnetic  person- 
alitv  has  been  the  inspiration  of  liis  people.  In 
the  spring  f)f  1804.  while  the  pastor  was  in  Pal- 
estine, the  church  i)urchased  the  Trowbridge 
homestead,  on  Lafayette  aveiuie.  for  a  ])arsonage. 
The  church  now  has  a  membership  of  over  600. 

CENTRAL  CHRISTIAN. 

The  present  Central  Qiristian  church  is  the 
result  of  an  heroic  effort  to  succeed  an  older  so- 


ciety which  had  disbanded.  It  was  organized 
.Xovember  20,  1898,  with  twenty-three  members, 
after  holding  a  scries  of  revival  meetings. 

In  1899  Rev.  D.  R.  Lucas,  national  chaplain  of 
the  G.  A.  R.,  was  called  to  the  pastorate  and 
meetings  were  helil  in  Y.  M.  C.  A.  hall.  In  Au- 
gust, 1900,  Rev.  ().  F.  Jordan,  the  present  pastor, 
began  his  labors.  The  society  dedicated  its  first 
house  of  worshi])  .\pril  14,  1901.  This  was  the 
property  on  South  Church  street  originally  owned 
by  the  old  Unitarian  Society,  but  which  had 
])assed  into  other  hands.  The  church  has  one 
liundrcd  and  sixty  members. 

SWiailSII    liAl'TI.ST. 

The  .Swedish  Baptist  church  owns  a  brick 
house  of  worship  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  avenue 
and  Seventh  street  valued  at  $16,400.  The  church 
affiliates  with  the  Rock  River  Baptist  Associa- 
tion, and  in  June  last  reported  a  membership  to 
that  body  of  254. 

ZION    LUTHERAN. 

Zion  Lutheran  church  is  one  of  the  largest  and 
most  prosperous  Swedish  churches  in  Rockford. 

It  is  located  on  Sixth  street. 

S.\L\.\TloX    .\RMV    AXn    VOLUNTEERS. 

The  Salvation  .\mi\-  and  the  X'olunteers  of 
.\merica  have  covered  the  local  field  with  varying 
degrees  of  success  for  some  years. 

YOUNG   men's  CHRISTIAN  A.S.S0CIATI0N. 

The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  was 
first  organized  in  1858.  .\  few  men  are  still  liv- 
nig  in  Rockford  who  were  members  of  the  early 
organization.  This  association  held  its  meetings 
the  first  year  in  the  different  churches,  but  the 
second  vear  it  rented  commodious  rooms  in  the 
Buxton  building  at  the  corner  of  Wyman  and 
State  street,  now  occupied  by  the  street  railway 
compan}  as  offices  and  transfer  station.  With 
the  breaking  out  of  the  great  Civil  war  it,  like 
many  others,  was  forced  to  suspend,  the  last 
meeting  recorded  being  January  6,  1862. 

The  present  Y.  M.  C.  A.  was  organized  in 
1876.  The  call  for  the  first  meeting  was  signed 
bv  W.  H.  Worthington,  Charles  E.  Sheldon,  T. 
G.  Lawler.  F.  J.  Leonard.  H.  H.  West.  S.  J. 
Caswell.  E.  P."  Thomas.  G.  L.  Wiley.  L.  A. 
Trowbridge.  C.  L.  \\^illiams  and  others. 

The  first  meeting  was  held  .\pril  17th  in  the 
lecture  room  of  the  State-street  Baptist  church. 
It  was  called  to  order  by  L.  .\.  Trowbridge,  who 
stated  the  object  of  the  meeting.  May  i.  1876, 
the     organization     was     completed,     constitution 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


145 


adopted  and  officers  elected,  in  Congregational 
hall,  319  West  State  street.  E.  P.  Thomas  was 
elected  president ;  L.  A.  Trowbridge,  first  vice- 
president  ;  W.  H.  Worthington,  second  vice-presi- 
dent; Charles  E.  Sheldon,  secretary,  and  D.  I. 
Waddell,  treasurer. 

Rooms  known  as  the  "library  rooms"  in  the 
old  Ashton  store  building,  corner  of  Main  and 
State  streets,  were  occupied  by  the  association 
from  1876  to  1890.  Reading  and  social  rooms 
were  maintained  from  the  first.  Religious  meet- 
ings were  held  Sunday  afternoons  and  Monday 
evenings,  many  conversions  resulting.  For  a 
time  meetings  were  held  at  noon  each  day.  A 
gymnasium  was  started  in  1885.  Practical  talks 
and  lectures  were  maintained  each  winter;  even- 
ing educational  classes  were  a  regular  feature  in 
the  early  '80s.  A  work  for  boys  was  started  in 
1886. 

July  6,  1884,  at  the  close  of  the  Sunday  meet- 
ing, a  special  meeting  was  held.  Agitation  for  a 
building  was  begun  and  a  fund  of  $921  was 
pledged  to  start  the  movement.  W.  H.  Worth- 
ington took  the  initiative. 

In  1886  Mrs.  D.  S.  Penfield  gave  impetus  to 
the  movement  by  a  gift  of  a  lot  on  East  State 
street  as  a  site.  In  October  of  the  same  year  the 
State  Y.  M.  C.  A.  convention  was  held  here,  the 
sessions  being  held  in  the  Second  Congregational 
church.  This  created  great  interest  in  the  build- 
ing movement. 

On  the  17th  of  October,  1886,  a  special  meet- 
ing of  a  few  leading  business  men  was  held  at  the 
residence  of  the  late  W.  A.  Talcott  on  North 
Main  street,  at  which  $5,000  was  pledged  toward 
the  building  fund.  Henry  W.  Price  and  Mr. 
Talcott  each  pledged  $1,000  to  start  it.  They 
prepared  subscription  lists  and  launched  the  can- 
vass for  $25,000. 

The  fund  steadily  grew  until  in  the  autumn  of 
1888  the  association  appointed  a  building  com- 
mittee consisting  of  Prof.  P.  R.  Walker,  W.  H. 
Worthington,  P.  R.  Wood  and  H.  H.  Robinson, 
secured  plans  for  the  building  and  received  bids 
for  its  erection. 

The  corner-stone  was  laid  April  18,  1889.  The 
building  was  completed  near  the  close  of  1890  at 
a  total  expense  of  $42,000.  The  building  con- 
tained adequate  reception  rooms,  parlors,  game 
rooms,  gymnasium,  offices,  dining  room  and 
kitchen,  social  rooms,  baths,  auditorium  and 
sleeping  apartments. 

The  first  meeting  in  the  new  building  was  held 
by  the  board  of  directors  December  30,  1889.  E. 
M.  Aiken  was  the  first  general  secretary  after  the 
new  building  was  occupied.     B.   F.    Pierce  and 

E.  E.  Lockwood  were  general  secretaries  and  S. 

F.  Weyburn  and  Prof.  P.  R.  Walker  were  presi- 
dents during  the  building  period. 

Ever  since  the  erection  of  the  building  an  all- 
10 


around  work  similar  to  that  now  carried  on  has 
been  maintained. 

The  following  men  have  been  presidents  of  the 
association  during  its  history:  E.  P.  Thomas, 
H.  S.  Tupper,  G.  D.  Smith,  O.  R.  Brouse,  L.  A. 
Trowbridge,  W.  H.  Worthington,  C.  H.  C.  Bur- 
lingame,  S.  F.  Weyburn,  P.  R.  Walker,  H.  H. 
Robinson,  William  Pond,  F.  S.  Regan  and  L.  L. 
Morrison,  Judge  Morrison  having  been  president 
since  1896. 

The  general  secretaries  have  been :  J.  G.  John- 
son, 1879  to  1881  ;  George  S.  Avery,  1881  to 
1883;  B.  F.  True,  1883  to  1885;  B.  F.  Pierce, 
1885  to  1889;  E.  E.  Lockwood,  1889  to  1890; 
E.  M.  Aiken,  1890  to  1894 ;  J.  P.  Bailey,  1894  to 
1895 ;  T.  H.  Hansen,  1896  to  1898 ;  E.  L.  Tuck- 
er, 1898  to  1900;  A.  W.  Beckner,  1900  to  date. 

The  association  has  had  two  important  be- 
quests ;  one  of  $10,000  from  Judge  Benjamin  R. 
Sheldon,  and  $500  from  Giles  R.  Goss. 

Educationally,  there  are  many  features.  The 
reading  room,  supplied  with  the  best  magazines, 
is  in  constant  use.  Two  series  of  practical  talks 
are  maintained  on  Monday  and  Friday  nights, 
the  speakers  being  mostly  local  business  and  pro- 
fessional men.  A  night  school  is  conducted,  with 
an  enrollment  of  150  students;  special  classes  in 
English  for  Swedes  are  very  popular.  Classes 
in  chemistry,  mechanical  drawing,  penmanship, 
arithmetic  and  other  common  branches  are  con- 
ducted. The  Star  Course  has  been  a  feature  of 
the  association  during  the  past  ten  years.  Many 
notable  lecturers  and  musicians  have  been 
brought  to  the  city  by  it,  including  such  men  and 
women  as  Gen.  Lew  Wallace,  T.  DeWitt  Tal- 
mage,  B.  K.  Bruce,  Sam  Jones,  Lieut.  Schwatka, 
Jahu  DeWitt  Miller,  Hedley,  Dr.  Henson,  George 
Kennan,  R.  H.  Conwell,  Jacob  A.  Riis,  Katherine 
Ridgeway,  Thomas  Dixon.  Jr. ;  Frank  Dixon, 
Bob  Taylor,  Senator  Dolliver,  Landis,  Chicago 
SxTTiphony  Orchestra,  Brook's  Band,  Temple 
Quartet,  Leland  T.  Powers,  Mockridge,  Banda 
Rossa,  George  Hamlin,  Ernest  Gamble,  Benfey, 
Susanne  Adams  and  Campanari. 

The  gymnasium  was  started  in  1885  in  the  old 
Ashton  block.  When  the  present  building  was 
erected  the  plans  included  an  additional  gymna- 
sium building.  In  1891  a  number  of  prominent 
business  men  in  close  touch  with  the  association 
formed  a  syndicate  and  purchased  the  property 
adjoining  on  the  north  to  carry  out  the  original 
purpose.  But  when  the  hard  times  came  the 
property  was  lost,  the  men  themselves  losing  the 
amounts  invested  and  the  association  the  needed 
site  for  such  a  building. 

YOUNG    women's    CHRISTIAN    ASSOCIATION. 

In  the  spring  of  1876  at  the  close  of  a  revival 
meeting,   a  prayer  circle  of  young  women  was 


146 


I'AST     AXIJ     l'RESi:.\r 


WIX.XliUAGU     CDIXIA' 


foriiK'il.  coniposctl  of  those  from  the  various  Eiist 
Side  chiirclics.  Tliis  circle  met  in  the  W'estniiii- 
ster  cliitrch  i)arlor  the  hour  hefore  tlie  Sunday 
evening;  service,  which  proved  a  great  blessing  to 
those  alteniling. 

In  December.  1877.  they  decided  to  organize 
for  better  and  wider  work,  but  with  no  thought 
of  taking  up  tlie  usual  work  of  a  V.  \V.  C  A. 
A  constitution  was  a<lopted.  officers  elected  aiitl 
thirty-six  gave  their  names  as  charter  members. 

.Miss  lilla  1".  Brainard  was  elected  president. 
Miss  Helen  Pcnfield  (now  Mrs.  Revell)  record- 
ing .secretary.  Meetings  were  held  in  Westmins- 
ter ]iarlors.  the  sick  were  visited,  cottage  prayer 
meetings  held,  many  ])oor  families  were  assisted 
and  the  young  women  hcli)ed  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  on 
social  occasions. 

In  June,  1880.  it  was  decided  to  disband  be- 
cause .so  many  young  people's  societies  had  been 
organized  in  the  different  churches.  The  young 
women  on  the  East  Side  had  been  drawn  closely 
together,  and  led  to  feel  the  need  of  work  among 
the  young  women  of  the  city,  and  had  been 
trained  for  religious  work  by  this  first  Y.  W.  C. 
A.  so  that  eleven  years  later  many  of  them  be- 
came charter  members  an<l  are  still  f.iithtul  wurk- 
ers  in  the  present  association. 

In  May.  1891.  Miss  Mary  McElroy,  .state  sec- 
retary for  Illinois,  came  to  Rockford  and  after 
conference  with  prominent  ladies  the  present 
Viiung  Women's  Christian  .\ssociation  was 
organized  in  the  parlors  of  the  Second  Congrega- 
tional church.  May  28.  Mrs.  .\nna  Williams  was 
elected  president:  Mrs.  C.  R.  Wise,  vice-presi- 
dent ;  Miss  Kate  Rising,  recording  secretary ; 
Miss  Ida  .Mien,  treasurer.  Mrs.  Williams  served 
only  a  sho'^t  term  and  was  succeeded  by  Mrs. 
W.  I,.  i*)atoii,  and  Mrs.  Selwyn  Clark  was  elected 
to  take  the  place  of  Mrs.  C.  R.  Wise.  The  board 
of  directors  was  as  follows:  Mrs.  V..  M.  Revell. 
Mrs.  S.  L.  Kennedv.  Mrs.  M.  S.  Parmele.  Mrs. 
S.  X.  Jones,  Miss  Mary  Shcrratt,  Mrs.  C.  H.  C. 
Burlingame,  Mrs.  Frank  lirown.  .Mrs.  Charles 
Herrick.  Mrs.  Oscar  Hall.  Mrs.  M.  L.  Baird. 
Mrs.  .\rthur  Berridge.  Following  Mrs.  Eaton. 
Mrs.  S.  L.  Kennedy,  Mrs.  E.  L.  Herrick,  Mrs. 
Harriett  I'easc  and  Mrs.  G.  R-  N'anhorne  have 
served  as  ])resident.  Mrs.  E.  S.  Cregory  is  serv- 
ing in  that  office  at  jiresent. 

Miss  Caroline  Griffith  was  the  first  general  sec- 
retary. She  was  here  only  one  year.  Then  Miss 
May  McGranahan  came  for  a  year.  In  January. 
1894.  Miss  Gratia  X'orton  was  a.sked  to  take  the 
position  until  a  ])ermanent  .secretary  could  be  se- 
cured. In  Jinie,  i')C>^.  she  was  called  to  the  sec- 
retaryshi])  and  has  remained.  Miss  Mildred 
(ircaves  was  until  recently  associated  with  her  in 
the  work. 

The  present  property  of  the  association  was 
rented  and  furnished  and  later  on,  in  June,  1892, 


was  purcha.sed  for  S5.500.  .^  large  part  of  the 
money  was  raised  by  a  soliciting  committee  that 
year  by  great  eft'ort.  In  1899  another  ett'ort  was 
put  forth  and  the  final  payment  on  the  building 
was  made. 

.\t  the  l)eginning  of  the  work  a  noon  lunch 
was  started  ;  also  an  employment  bureau,  evening 
classes,  a  go.spel  service  on  Sunday  afternoon 
and  a  boarcling  department.  These  lines  of  work 
are  still  carried  on. 

l-or  three  years  an  assistant  secretary  has  been 
employed  and  the  work  has  been  enlarged.  Reg- 
ular work  has  been  carried  on  during  the  noon 
hour  in  the  Nelson  knitting  mills,  the  Ziock  box 
factory,  the  Union  Overall  Company  and  visita- 
tion in  other  factories.  .Many  girls  have  been 
l)rought  into  the  association  from  this  work  dur- 
ing the  noon  hour. 

The  as.sociation  will  dedicate  a  building  in  De- 
cember. 1905.  at  a  cost  of  $18,000,  free  of 
debt. 

MUSKAI,   fl.UnS  .\ND  .ML'SKI.\NS  OF  ROCKFORD. 

The  nuisical  life  of  Rockford  is  so  interwoven 
in  its  liistory,  even  from  its  earliest  days,  that  one 
woidd  be  incomplete  without   the  other. 

The  grandfathers  tell  of  the  singing  .schools  of 
the  early  days  when  a  tiny  village  marked  the 
place  where  a  city  now  flourishes,  and  one  of  the 
old  singing  masters.  David  Merrill,  who  taught 
singing  school  here  in  1841,  is  still  living.  Mr. 
Merrill  is  ninety-three  years  old  and  resides  in 
the  neighboring  town  of  Cherry  \'alley. 

.\  program  nearly  a  half-hundred  years  old  ad- 
vertises in  glowing  terms  the  '"fourth  grand  en- 
tertainment" of  the  Rockford  Musical  Associa- 
tion, at  Concert  hall,  March  26,  1857.  The  pro- 
gram itself  contains  scarcely  a  number  familiar 
to  the  ])resent-day  concert-goer,  and  among  the 
many  ])articiiiants  not  more  than  two  or  three 
names  are  known  to  the  present  generation. 

.■\bout  this  time  there  came  to  Rockford  from 
the  East  a  }oung  man,  who  was  soon  recognized 
as  the  leader  of  all  musical  affairs.  This  young 
man  was  Daniel  X.  Hood.  For  thirty-seven 
years  he  was  actively  identified  with  the  musical 
interests  of  the  city,  and  to  him  perhaps  more 
than  to  any  other  one  person  belongs  the  credit 
of  the  city's  grreat  musical  growth.  A  musician 
of  high  ideals.  Prof.  Hood  would  tolerate  noth- 
ing but  the  best  in  the  art  to  which  he  has  de- 
voted a  lifetime,  and  patiently  but  persistently 
labored  to  elevate  the  musical  taste  <if  the  com- 
munity. 

.A  .series  of  musical  festivals  were  given  in  the 
early  '60s  and  '"Ps.  first  under  the  direction  of 
Prof.  J.  V.  Farg'o  and  later  imder  Prof.  Hood, 
lasting  two  or  three  days  and  overshadowing  all 
other  events  of  those  times. 

In  1858-59  Prof.  Hood  assumed  charge  of  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


147 


^lusical  Corservatory  of  Rockford  College,  then 
known  as  the  Rockford  Female  Seminary.  Many 
prominent  musicians  to-day  owe  their  success  to 
the  early  triining  received  from  Prof.  Hood  at 
Rockford  College.  For  thirty-seven  years  he  was 
identified  with  the  college,  part  of  the  time  teach- 
ing both  vocal  and  instrumental,  and  for  sixteen 
years  of  this  time  also  held  the  position  of  organ- 
ist in  the  Second  Presb}'terian  church  of  Chicago, 
then  the  wealthiest  church  in  that  city.  He  was 
later  identified  with  the  First  and  Second  Congre- 
gational churches  in  Rockford  as  organist  and 
choir  director  for  many  years,  and  at  present  he  is 
organist  of  a  Congregational  church  in  W'oburn, 
Mass.,  the  largest  church  in  New  England  out- 
side of  Boston. 

Eleven  years  ago  Prof.  Hood  left  Rockford  to 
spend  the  rest  of  his  days  in  the  East,  and  with 
his  going  the  city  lost  one  of  its  most  talented 
musicians,  whose  life  has  made  a  lasting  impress 
in  its  history. 

L.  B.  Starkweather,  who  came  to  Rockford  in 
1863  and  organized  the  Harmonic  Societv,  was 
the  first  vocal  teacher  in  the  town  who  had  fitted 
himself  for  that  profession,  and  for  many  years 
he  taught  both  voice  and  piano.  He  was  an 
organist  in  the  First  Congregational  church, 
whose  organ  was  dedicated  by  Dudley  Ikick.  Air. 
Starkweather  also  successfully  condticted  several 
musical  festivals  in  Rockford  and  other  towns. 

In  1884  Prof.  L.  A.  Torrens  came  to  Rock- 
ford to  become  director  of  the  Rockford  Choral 
I'nion,  a  society  with  which  nearly  all  the  musi- 
cians of  the  city  were  identified. 

Some  noteworthy  concerts  were  given,  among 
the  number  being  the  historical  choral  concert, 
held  in  the  First  Lutheran  Church,  and  partici- 
pated in  by  Rockford,  Freeport  and  Janesville 
choruses :  "The  Messiah,''  given  with  the  Chicago 
Orchestra  and  soloists  from  Chicago  and  Rock- 
ford ;  two  performances  of  Haydn's  "Creation," 
given  with  the  Chicago  Orchestra,  a  chorus  of 
350  voices ;  and  three  performances  of  Haydn's 
"Seasons,"  with  Bach's  Orchestra,  of  Milwatikee, 
The  last-named  concerts  were  the  first  events  ever 
held  in  Court  Street  church. 

Prof.  Torrens  returned  to  Rockford  about  six 
years  ago  and  organized  a  choral  society,  which 
has  sponsored  a  number  of  fine  musical  events, 
including  two  annual  festivals  that  brotight  to  the 
city  such  well-known  artists  as  Herbert  Wither- 
spoon,  Alme.  Charlotte  Alaconda,  Genevieve 
Clark  Wilson,  Jeanette  Durno-Collins,  Glenn 
Hall,  Herbert  Butler,  Theodore  Spiering.  George 
Hamlin,  Dan  T.  Boddoe  and  a  number  of  others. 

To  Prof.  Torrens  is  due  great  credit  for  under- 
taking to  give  to  Rockford  an  annual  musical  fes- 
tival of  such  worth  and  so  deserving  of  the  city's 
support.  Prof.  Torrens  has  for  many  years  suc- 
cessfully conducted  large  choral  societies  in  vari- 


ous parts  of  the  country,  aside  from  his  teaching 
and  has  long  been  prominent  in  musical  affairs. 

Far  and  near  Rockford  is  known  as  a  city  of 
musical  clubs,  and  more  than  a  dozen  organiza- 
tions of  a  distinctly  musical  character  are  in  exist- 
ence at  the  present  time. 

At  the  head  of  these  stands  the  Alendelssohn 
Club,  which  is  recognized  from  Maine  to  Califor- 
nia as  one  of  the  strongest  musical  clubs  in  the 
country. 

Twenty-one  years  ago  last  October  a  small 
company  of  ladies  met  at  the  home  of  Mrs, 
Chandler  Starr  and  formed  a  little  club,  the  ob- 
ject of  which  was  "the  permanent  establishment 
of  an  organization  for  the  musical  culture  of  the 
members  and  the  uplifting  of  the  standard  of 
music  in  the  cit}-  of  Rockford."  Mendelssohn 
was  chosen  as  their  patron  saint. 

The  club  now  has  a  number  of  departments, 
including  active,  passive,  honorary,  associate  and 
student  members,  and  an  auxiliary  chorus  of 
sixty  ladies,  under  the  direction  of  Harrison  M, 
^^"ild.  of  Chicago. 

There  are  between  thirty-five  and  forty  active 
members,  who  are  responsible  for  the  regular 
concerts  given  every  other  Thursday.  Almost 
without  exception  these  musicians  are  constantly 
studying,  and  each  year  finds  a  number  in  the 
great  art  centers  of  the  world,  gaining  new  ideas 
and  fresh  inspiration  for  future  club  work.  At 
jjresent  the  club  has  representatives  in  Paris,  Ber- 
lin, Dresden  and  New  York,  while  a  number 
make  weekly  trips  to  Chicago  for  instruction  un- 
der the  best  teachers  there. 

Each  season  a  number  of  artists'  recitals  are 
given  under  the  auspices  of  the  club,  and  some  of 
the  best  artists  in  the  country  have  been  brought 
here.  Among  the  number  that  may  be  mentioned 
are  Afme.  Fannie  Bloomfield-Zeisler.  Alme.  Car- 
reno,  Mme.  Schumann-Heink,  the  Alendelssohn 
Quintet  Club.  David  Bispham,  leannette  Durno- 
Collins,  Alme.  Blauvelt.  E.  A.  AlacDowell  and 
many  others. 

Last  year  the  famous  Pittsburg  Orchestra,  un- 
der the  direction  of  Emil  Paur,  was  one  of  the 
attractions. 

The  present  officers  of  the  club  are :  President, 
Mrs.  Chandler  Starr :  vice-president,  Airs,  Fred 
H.  Motfatt ;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  O.  R. 
Brouse :  corresponding  secretary.  Miss  Ethel  L. 
Van  Wie ;  treasurer.  Airs.  T.  Y.  Engstrom. 

Following  the  example  of  the  Alendelssohn 
Club,  a  score  of  young  girls  organized  the  St. 
Cecilia  Club  fourteen  years  ago.  For  several  sea- 
sons the  club  met  at  the  homes  of  the  members, 
but,  like  the  mother  club,  soon  outgrew  the  small 
quarters  and  rented  a  hall  for  its  regular  meet- 
ings. 

As  the  members  of  the  St.  Cecilia  Club  grew 
older  several  of  the  younger  girls  formed  another 


148 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


club  at  the  home  of  their  teacher,  Mrs.  John 
Oberg.  This  chili  was  named  the  Schumann,  and 
with  Mrs.  Oberg  for  a  guide,  worked  with  a  will 
to  accomplish  creditable  results. 

The  Liebling  Club  is  another  of  the  younger 
clubs  that  is  well  known,  and  that  has  sponsored 
many  pretty  concerts.  The  club  was  named  for 
Emii  Liebling.  of  Chicago,  and  this  popular  pian- 
ist has  taken  a  personal  interest  in  the  club's  wel- 
fare, making  visits  to  Rockford  to  hear  and  par- 
ticipate in  the  annual  concerts. 

Rockford  has  hail  its  share  of  nnisical  celebri- 
ties and  several  who  call  this  city  "home"  have 
won  fame  on  two  continents.  Mrs.  Katharine 
Tanner  Eisk,  the  celebrated  contralto,  is  a  gradu- 
ate of  Rockford  College,  and  pays  frequent  visits 
to  this  city,  where  her  mother  resided  until  her 
death  in  October.  u>05.  Wilhclm  lleinrich.  the 
noted  blind  tenor,  who  makes  his  home  in  I'.os- 
ton,  is  another  artist  whom  we  are  proud  to  own, 
and  whose  mother  still  lives  here. 

No  young  woman  pianist  has  won  more  fame 
than  Jeanetle  Uurno-Collins,  who  is  known  in 
this  country  and  liurope  as  a  wonderfully  gifted 
musician.  Frank  C.  La  Forge,  who  at  the  pres- 
ent time  is  in  lierlin,  is  fast  gaining  recognition 
as  a  young  pianist  and  composer,  who  will  be 
famous  in  this  country  and  Europe  before  many 
years.  Howard  Wells,  now  of  Chicago,  is  also 
known  as  a  pianist  of  undoubted  talent. 

Two  Rockford  ladies  are  filling  important 
choir  positions  in  Xew  York  City.  Miss  Alice 
Sovereign's  beautiful  contralto  voice  is  popular  in 
the  great  metropolis,  and  Mrs.  Corinne  Ryder 
Kelsey  filled  fine  engagements  last  season  in  the 
East,  including  two  appearances  with  Walter 
Damrosch  in  Wagnerian  lectures.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
George  Nelson  Holt,  both  well-known  musicians, 
are  at  present  studying  in  Paris. 

For  half  a  century  the  musical  conservatory  of 
Rockford  College  has  played  an  important  part 
in  the  musical  life  of  the  city,  and  among  the 
graduates  each  year  are  young  women  from  all 
parts  of  the  country. 

Under  Prof.  Hood  the  conservatory  gained  a 
wide  reputation  that  has  strengthened  with  the 
years.  Prof.  Hood  was  the  head  of  the  depart- 
ment from  1858  until  1895,  '''"^1  ^^■^■''  succeeded  by 
Mrs.  George  Nelson  Holt,  who  was  connected 
with  the  piano  department  for  seven  years.  Mrs. 
Helen  Saljin  Brown  and  Howard  Wells  and  Jose- 
phine Phinncy  also  taught  in  this  department. 

( )ne  of  the  poptdar  vocal  teachers  connected 
with  the  college  was  Mrs.  Addie  St.  John  Far- 
num,  who  was  at  the  head  of  the  dejiartment  for 
seven  vears  and  was  at  that  time  a  favorite  so- 
prano here.  Frank  T.  Baird.  of  Chicago,  taught 
the  vocal  classes  for  five  years  and  Miss  Caro- 
line Radecke  for  eight  years.  Miss  Radecke  was 
succeeded  by  Mrs.  Daisy  I'orce  Scott,  who  taught 
for  two  seasons.  At  the  present  time  the  piano 
<lepartment  is  in  charge  of  Miss  Emily  Parsons. 


.Among  the  male  quartets  that  have  traveled 
over  the  country  none  has  won  more  fame  than 
the  old  Weber  ([uartet,  of  Rockford,  which  was 
organized  in  18S6.  During  the  cam[)aign  of  1888 
the  quartet  was  a  prominent  feature  of  all  im- 
portant political  meetings,  and  the  fame  of  the 
young  men  spread  until  they  were  twice  called  to 
Washington  to  sing.  The  members  of  the  quar- 
tet at  this  time  were  .Myron  E.  Barnes,  Charles 
Rogers,  L.  J.  West  and  Henry  D.  Andrew,  and 
under  the  management  of  the  Slayton  Lyceum 
Bureau  they  toured  the  country  from  Washington 
to  California,  and  from  British  Columbia  to 
Texas,  winning  ovations  everywhere.  The  quar- 
tet was  in  existence  until  1891.  Others  identified 
with  the  quartet  were  I'"rank  .\ndrew  and  Frank 
D.  Emerson. 

.Since  the  days  of  the  civil  war  Rockford  has 
had  a  band  organization.  In  the  early  days  of 
the  war  the  old  Rockford  Band  accomijanied  the 
home  regiment  to  battle,  among  the  members  be- 
ing August  Dedrickson,  who  from  that  time  until 
his  death  a  few  years  ago  was  the  most  promi- 
nent figure  in  the  city's  bands  and  orchestras. 

In  1867  the  Forest  City  Banel  was  organized, 
with  Mr.  Dedrickson  as  leader,  and  for  thirty 
years  he  served  in  that  capacity.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Frank  Fitzgerald,  when  the  name  of 
the  band  was  changed  to  Watch  Factory  Band, 
and  later  to  Rockford  Military  Band,  under 
which  name  it  was  known  throughout  the  state. 

After  four  years  Mr.  Fitzgerald  was  succeeded 
by  E.  F.  Blakeley,  under  whose  efficient  leader- 
ship the  band  has  continued  until  to-day.  In  the 
year  1903  the  name  of  tlie  band  was  changed  to 
the  Schumann  Military. 

.Albert  Barker  and  .Allen  Crandall  were  charter 
members  of  the  band  and  have  been  connected 
with  the  organization  during  its  entire  existence. 
The  late  Marcus  C.  Thayer,  who  for  many  years 
had  an  active  ]iart  in  local  musical  affairs,  was 
also  a  charter  member. 

Dedrickson's  Orchestra,  later  known  as  the 
Opera  House  Orchestra,  was  an  outgrowth  of  the 
Forest  City  Band,  and  for  thirty  years  prospered 
under  the  leadership  of  August  Dedrickson. 

Ten  years  ago.  to  supply  the  demand  for  a 
dance  orchestra,  the  Benedict  Orchestra  was  or- 
ganized b\-  .Albert  Barker.  This  orchestra,  under 
tlie  leadcrshi])  of  Mr.  Dedrickson,  sprang  into 
instant  favor  and  since  that  time  has  held  first 
place  among  similar  organizations  of  the  city. 
Mr.  Barker  is  still  manager  and  Mr.  George 
Gieske  is  the  present  leader. 

The  HaddorfF  Band,  though  comparatively 
new,  is  doing  excellent  work  and  gaining  an  envi- 
able reputation. 

A  band  known  as  Camp  51  Band,  M.  W.  .A., 
is  an  outgrowth  of  the  old  S.  M.  and  S.  F.  Band. 

.Among  other  local  orchestras  are  the  Metro- 
pole,  now  known  as  Collin's  Orchestra;  the  Ep- 
worth  and  Rockford  orchestras. 


^^L^M)    ?y  /^^^  (u^cj  £^  ^ 


Biographical 


GOODYEAR  ASA   SANFORD. 

Among  the  men  of  the  past  and  present  who 
have  contributed  to  the  progress  and  develop- 
ment of  Rockford  and  Winnebago  county,  Good- 
year Asa  Sanford  was  prominent.  He  left  the 
impress  of  his  individuality  upon  the  public  life 
of  the  citv  and  his  labors  promoted  its  material, 
intellectual  and  moral  development.  He  won 
the  success  that  comes  from  consecutive  and 
well  directed  effort,  and  at  the  same  time  his 
methods  were  so  honorable,  his  principles  so 
elevating,  that  even  the  most  malevolent  had 
naught  to  say  against  his  career.  Such  a  life 
history  is  indeed  well  worthy  of  emulation  and 
should  serve  as  an  example  to  the  young  and  an 
inspiration  to  the  aged.  Mr.  Sanford  was  a  na- 
tive of  Hamden.  Connecticut,  born  August  28, 
1814.  The  ancestry  of  the  family  can  be  traced 
back  to  Thomas  Sanford,  of  Gloucestershire. 
England,  who  came  to  this  country  with  the 
John  Winthrop  colony  in  the  period  from  1631 
to  1633.  He  was  one  of  the  four  appointed  to 
"make  diligent  search"  for  Colonels  Whaley  and 
Goft'e  and  like  a  true  patriot,  "declares  and  testi- 
fies" that  he  failed  to  find  them.  The  family 
history,  however,  is  obtainable  even  at  a  more 
remote  period.  Sanford  Manor  in  England  is 
one  of  the  few  Shropshire  estates  which  can  be 
said  to  be  held  by  the  lineal  descendants  of  its 
earliest  feofi'ee.  Thomas  de  Sanford.  a  Norman 
follower  of  William  the  Conqueror,  is  mentioned 
on  the  roll  of  battle  Abbey,  having  been  one  of 
the  Norman  followers  of  William,  duke  of  Nor- 
mandy, by  whom  he  was  knighted  for  bravery 
at  the  battle  of  Hastings.  His  son,  Sir  Thomas 
de  Sanford.  held  under  King  Henry  I  the  manor 
of  Sanford  and  Rothal  and  the  former  is  still 
in  possession  of  his  descendants.  The  origin  of 
the  name  is  quite  evident — sand>-  ford — but  in 
many  branches  of  the  name  the  first  letter  "d" 
is  omitted. 


Thomas  Sanford,  son  of  Anthony  and  Jane 
Sanford,  of  Stowe,  county  Gloucester,  England, 
came  to  Boston  with  the  John  Winthrop  colony. 
We  find  record  of  him  in  Dorchester,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  with  others  he  received  land  in 
1634  and  also  in  1635.  He  became  a  freeman 
of  the  colony,  March  9,  1637,  and  in  1639  re- 
moved with  a  colony  from  Dorchester  and  Wa- 
tertown  to  Connecticut,  settling  in  Milford, 
where  his  name  appears  in  the  earliest  records. 
He  was  the  leader  in  organizing  the  town,  and 
was  intimately  associated  with  Governor  Treat, 
Leete,  Buckingham,  Law  and  other  leading  men 
of  the  times. 

Stephen  Sanford.  grandfather  of  G.  A.  San- 
ford, of  Rockford,  was  born  at  Milford,  Connec- 
ticut, August  13,  1740,  and  died  on  the  fifty-fifth 
anniversary  of  his  birth.  He  was  married  while 
living  at  Woodbridge,  Connecticut,  to  Sybil 
\Miite,  who  was  probabl)-  born  at  New  Haven, 
her  natal  day  being  October  15,  1745,  while  her 
death  occurred  December  5,  1808.  She  was  a 
daughter  of  Deacon  John  White,  and  a  grand- 
daughter of  Captain  John  and  Mary  (Dicker- 
man)  \Miite.  and  a  great-granddaughter  of 
Isaac  and  ]\Iary  (Atwater)  Dickerman.  Her 
father  settled  on  a  farm  in  Woodbridge.  Con- 
necticut, but  afterward  removed  to  New  Haven, 
where  he  died  November  24.  1797,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-five  years.  He  wedded  Mary  Dicker- 
man,  of  New  Haven,  December  27,  1744.  Sallie 
^^'hite  was  a  daughter  of  Lieutenant  John 
White,  a  son  of  Deacon  John  and  Mary  (Dick- 
erman) White.  Lieutenant  John  White  was 
married  May  25,  1778,  to  Anna  Bostwick,  of 
Derby,  and  their  daughter  Sallie  was  born  April 
5,  1785.  She  married  David  Sanford,  of  Bethany, 
her  death  occurring  in  February,  1836,  at  the 
age  of  fifty  years. 

Unto  Stephen  and  Sybil  (White)  Sanford 
were  born  nine  children :  Esther,  who  was  born 
February  4,  1768,  and  died  May  21,  1768;  Es- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


tlicr,  llie  second  of  the  name,  who  was  born  July 
26.  i/i*).  and  married  Jared  Sperry ;  Rachel, 
who  was  born  necembcr  1.  1771.  and  married 
Zeri  Downes:  llnlda.  who  was  born  May  17. 
1774,  and  died  July  1.  1794:  F.lisha.  who  was 
born  July  i.  1776.  and  married  Marijaret  ToUes ; 
Stephen  Elisha.  who  was  born  March  30,  1779: 
Sybil.  wh(j  was  born  July  2y.  17S2.  and  married 
a  Mr.  S]ierry :  .\mos  Wliite.  who  was  born  De- 
cember 20.  1785.  and  married  Obedience  .\t- 
water ;  and  Lucretia.  who  was  born  October  27. 
1789.  and  became  Mrs.  ISeecher.  After  losing 
her  first  husband  Sybil  White  Sanford  married 
Deacon  .\sa  (ioodyear.  of  Ilamden.  Connecticut. 
The  will  of  Stephen  Sanford  is  still  in  exist- 
ence and  reads  as  follows:  "In  the  name  of  Clod. 
Amen:  I,  Stephen  Sanford.  of  .\ew  Haven 
county,  and  state  of  Connecticut,  in  New  En.ij- 
land.  beintj  weak  in  body  but  of  .sound  mind 
and  memory,  thanks  be  to  God  therefor ;  do  make 
this  my  last  will  and  testament  in  manner  and 
form  followiuij,  namely:  Principally  and  first 
of  all.  1  sii^'"^  a'l'l  recommend  my  soul  to  (iod 
that  save  it.  and  my  body  to  the  earth  in  a  decent 
and  Christian  burial  at  the  discretion  of  my  ex- 
ecutor hereafter  mentioned,  in  hopes  of  a  glo- 
rious resurrection  through  Jesus  Christ  my  Lord, 
and  the  worldly  estate  which  (iod  hath  been 
pleased  to  bless  me  withal  after  my  ju.st  debts 
and  funeral  charges,  and  charge  of  executing  this 
my  will  are  duly  paid  and  satisfied.  I  dispose  of 
in  the  following  manner,  namely :  Item — To  my 
dear  and  loving  wife,  Esther  Sanford.  I  give 
and  bef|ueath  all  my  movable  estate  whatsoever, 
excepting  the  legacies  hereafter  in  this  my  will 
mentioned,  and  to  her,  her  heirs  and  assigns  for- 
ever. I  also  give  to  my  said  wife  the  use  and 
improvements  of  all  my  real  estate  for  the  space 
of  one  year  after  my  decease.  I  also  give  her 
during  her  natural  life  the  use  and  im])rovement 
of  the  real  estate  hereafter  mentioned,  two-thirds 
of  my  new  house  and  barn  and  all  my  old  house. 
all  standing  on  my  homestead,  also  two-thirds  of 
all  my  land  adjoining  my  house,  and  two-thirds 
of  all  my  lands  in  the  Fort  (fast?)  Rock,  so 
called ;  also  all  my  lands  called  Grindum  farm 
and  the  barn  standing  thereon  ;  also  two  lots  of 
land  lying  at  the  southeast  corner  of  a  lot  called 
Sherman  lot,  by  estimation  about  seven  acres 
as  the  fence  now  stands.  Item — I  also  give  to 
the  society  of  Amety  in  the  town  of  New  Haven, 
for  tlie  support  of  a  Presbyterian  or  Congrega- 
tional minister  in  said  society,  he  being  a  friend 
to  this  and  the  L'nited  States  of  .America,  after 
my  wife's  estate  therein  shall  be  ended,  the  Car- 
ington  lot  .so  called,  containing  about  tweiitv- 
three  acres.  I  also  give  to  the  church  of  Christ 
in  said  society  a  silver  christening  basin  of  the 
size  of  that  in  the  church  in  White   Haven  so- 


cietv,  to  be  procured  and  ]}urchascd  by  my  execu- 
tor hereafter  mentioned  within  one  year  alter  my 
decease,  and  delivered  to  said  church.  I  also 
give  to  said  society  eighty  pounds  lawful  money 
to  be  paid  by  my  e.xecutor,  ten  pounds  yearly 
until  the  whole  of  said  sum  be  paid.  I  also 
give  and  bequeath  to  Charles  Sanford,  who  now 
lives  with  me,  my  new  house  and  barn  stand- 
ing on  my  homestead  and  all  my  lands  adjoining 
to  my  house  and  all  my  lands  lying  in  the  Fort 
Rocks,  so  called,  and  one  acre  and  a  i|uarter  of 
Salt  Meadow,  he  not  disturbing  my  said  wife, 
Esther,  in  her  improvements  as  before  mentioned, 
to  be  to  him,  the  said  Charles  and  to  his  heirs  on 
the  following  conditions,  namely :  That  he.  the 
said  Charles,  shall  find  au<l  provide  my  said  wife 
with  fire  wood,  cut  fit  for  the  fire,  as  long  as  she 
lives,  and  also  shall  take  care  of  my  said  wife's 
stock  summer  and  winter  and  keep  her  fences 
in  good  repair ;  but  if  said  Charles  shall  fail  to 
perform  said  conditions,  then  my  will  is  that  said 
real  estate  given  to  him  above  shall  go,  and  I 
hereby  give  it  to  said  society  of  Amety  to  sup- 
port a  minister  as  aforesaid.  My  will  further  is 
that  if  said  Charles  shall  die.  leaving  no  issue  of 
his  body  lawfully  begotten,  the  said  real  estate 
given  to  him  as  above  shall  go  to  the  said  society 
of  Amety  for  their  use  aforesaid.  My  will  also 
is  that  said  Charles  shall  bring  no  family  into  my 
house  during  the  lifetime  of  my  said  wife  but 
his  own.  I  also  give  to  said  Charles  Sanford  my 
year  mare.  Item — To  Stephen  Sanford,  Jr..  of 
Bethany,  my  nephew.  I  give  and  bequeath  the 
use  and  improvements  of  the  following  pieces  of 
land  after  my  wife's  term  and  estate  therein  shall 
be  ended,  namely :  .\11  my  land  1\  ing  at  a  ])lace 
called  Grindum.  exce])ting  thirty  acres  on  the 
south  of  saiil  land,  said  thirty  acres  to  be  fifteen 
rods  wider  on  the  east  line  than  on  the  west, 
and  the  barn  standing  thereon,  also  all  mv  land 
called  .Sherman  lot.  My  will  furthei  is  tiiat  av 
the  death  of  said  Ste]>hen.  said  two  pieces  of 
land  shall  go.  and  I  do  give  it  to  his  eldest  male 
heir  and  to  his  heirs  forever:  but  it  the 
said  Stephen  shall  leave  no  male  iieir. 
then  to  his  female  heirs  equally  and  their 
heirs  forever.  Item — To  Zadock  Sanford,  of 
llelhany,  I  give  and  l)e(|ueath  all  my 
right  called  mine  lot.  lying  at  a  place  called 
Mad  Mars  I  lill,  to  him  and  his  heirs  forever,  he 
not  disturbing  my  said  wife's  im])rovements  as 
before  expressed.  Item — To  my  negro  servant, 
Jesse,  I  give  and  bequeath  and  to  his  heirs  and 
assigns  forever,  thirty  acres  of  land  on  the  south 
side  of  the  (irindum  farm,  which  is  to  be  fifteen 
rods  wider  on  the  east  line  than  on  the  west, 
after  my  wife's  term  and  estate  therein  shall  be 
ended,  and  I  do  hereby  manumit  my  said  servant, 
Tesse,  and  give  him  his  freedom  after  the  death 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


153 


of  my  said  wife.  I  also  give  him  liberty  to  live 
in  my  old  house  during  his  natural  life.  Item — 
Mv  will  further  is  that  my  Bradley  lot,  so  called, 
shall  be  sold  b_\'  my  executor  to  pay  my  just  debts 
and  legacies  and  charges  of  settling  my  estate, 
and  if  there  be  any  overplus  it  shall  go  to  my 
said  wife,  Esther,  and  to  her  heirs  and  assigns 
forever.  Item — I  give  to  Ebenezer  Sanford,  of 
Newton,  for  the  love  and  good  will  which  I  have 
to  him.  twent}'  pounds  lawful  money  Item — I 
give  and  bequeath  to  Hannah  Hainson,  Oliver 
Sanford,  Jonah  Sanford  and  Joseph  Sanford, 
children  and  heirs  of  my  brother,  Joseph  San- 
ford. late  of  Litchfield,  deceased ;  my  sister, 
Esther  Bristol,  and  Abagail  Pierson  and  to 
Joseph  Sanford,  Oliver  Sanford,  Aaron  Sanford, 
Elihu  Sanford  and  Eunice  Stoddard,  children 
and  heirs  of  my  brother,  David  Sanford,  late  of 
Milford,  deceased,  and  to  Isaac  Sanford,  to  each 
of  them  one  great  Bible,  to  be  purchased  by  my 
executor  within  one  year  after  my  decease,  or 
so  much  lawful  money  as  is  sufficient  to  purchase 
a  great  Bible  for  each  of  them.  Lastly  I  do 
hereby  nominate,  constitute  and  appoint  my  said 
wife,  Esther  Sanford  and  Deacon  Amos  Perkins, 
of  said  New  Haven,  executors  of  this  my  last 
will  and  testament,  and  my  will  is  that  Deacon 
Perkins  have  a  handsome  reward  for  his  trouble 
therein  in  confirmation  of  all  that  is  before  writ- 
ten, revoking  and  disannulling  all  former  wills 
and  testaments  by  me  made,  I  hereunto  set  my 
hand  and  seal  this  8th  day  of  January,  A.  D., 
1779,  signed,  sealed,  published,  pronounced  and 
delivered  by  the  said  Stephen  Sanford  as  and 
for  his  last  will  and  testament  in  presence  of 
us  witnesses  signing  in  his  presence  and  in  the 
presence  of  each  other. 

(Si£;ned)     STEPHEN  SANFORD   [Seal.| 

JOHN  HORTC^N, 

PFIINEAS  BRADLEY, 

DANIEL  PERKINS. 

;\.mos  White  Sanford.  son  of  Stephen  Sanford. 
was  born  in  Connecticut  and  throughout  his 
entire  life  followed  farming  in  that  state.  He 
married  (Jbedience  Atwater,  who  was  also  of 
English  lineage,  and  was  a  direct  descendant  of 
David  Atwater,  one  of  the  original  planters  of 
New  Haven,  Connecticut.  David  Atwater.  the 
English  ancestor,  was  also  a  follower  of  William 
the  Conqueror,  and  fought  with  distinction  in 
the  battle  of  Hastings.  Lioth  Mr.  and  ^Irs.  .San- 
ford died  at  Hamden.  Connecticut. 

G.  A.  Sanford  acquired  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  New  Haven  and  Hamden.  Con- 
necticut, and  was  reared  upon  his  father's  farm, 
early  becoming  familiar  with  the  duties  and  la- 
bors that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist,  but 
his  ambition  ior  a  business  career  led  in  another 


direction.  Believing  that  he  might  enjoy  bet- 
ter business  opportunities  in  the  west,  lie  came 
to  Illinois,  in  December,  1836,  making  his  way 
to  Alton,  and  the  following  year  came  to  Rock- 
ford  and  established  a  dry-goods  store  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  Main  and  State  streets.  He 
continued  in  business  there  for  several  years,  his 
patronage  steadily  increasing,  making  possible 
the  erection  of  a  large  building  in  order  to  have 
space  for  his  constantly  increasing  stock.  He 
conducted  that  business  for  some  time,  its 
growth  being  attributable  to  his  enterprising  ef- 
forts, earnest  desire  to  please  his  patrons  and 
his  conformity  to  a  high  standard  of  commercial 
ethics.  In  1838  he  was  appointed  deputy  sheriff 
and  served  in  that  capacity  for  four  years,  while 
in  1842  he  was  elected  sherifif  and  served  until 
1844.  While  acting  as  deputy  sheriff  he  rode 
on  horseback  over  the  country  to  a  great  extent, 
and  one  day  while  riding  north  of  the  river  sev- 
eral miles  above  the  town  he  looked  across  the 
stream  and  saw  a  dark  object  in  the  tree.  Ford- 
ing the  river,  he  climbed  the  tree  and  found  a 
canoe  containing  the  mummy  of  a  Pottawatomie 
squaw.  Unfortunately  no  effort  was  made  to 
preserve  this  mute  testimonial  of  the  wild  life 
that  preceded  white  settlement.  From  1838  until 
1844  he  collected  all  the  taxes  of  \\'innebago 
county.  No  public  trust  reposed  in  him  was 
ever  betrayed  in  the  slightest  degree,  for  he  was 
prompt  and  efficient  in  discharge  of  his  duties. 
]\Ir.  Sanford  was  one  of  the  organizers  and  trus- 
tees of  the  Rockford  Insurance  Company.  (Jne 
of  the  many  services  of  Mr.  Sanford  for  the 
city  of  Rockford  was  securing  the  postoffice  for 
Rockford.  A  town  had  been  started  on  the  low 
land  where  the  Kishwaukee  joins  Rock  river — 
supposedly  called  Kishwaukee — and  at  this  time 
it  was  proving  a  formidable  rival  to  Rockford.  in 
that  it  bade  fair  to  get  the  postoffice  instead  of 
Rockford.  Government  was  sending  out  an  agent 
to  make  decision  in  this  weighty  matter  and  he 
was  coming  to  Kishwaukee  instead  of  Rockford. 
It  was  in  the  early  spring  just  as  winter  was 
loosening  its  icv  grip.  With  a  horse  and  cutter, 
and  John  Piatt  as  a  companion,  Mr.  .Sanford 
started  for  the  settlement  at  the  north  of  the 
Kishwaukee,  but  for  some  reason  they  took  the 
road  down  the  west  side  of  the  river.  The  day 
was  warm  and  the  fears  of  the  two  men  were 
aroused  lest  the  ice  go  out  before  they  reach 
their  destination  and  leave  them  on  the  wrong 
side  of  the  river.  Sure  enough  with  a  prolonged 
cracking  the  river  began  to  break.  Putting  their 
horse  to  a  run  they  soon  covered  the  remaining 
distance,  and  while  one  hitched  the  horse  to  the 
fence  the  other  ripped  of¥  a  board,  and  with  this 
board  they  bridged  the  chasms  between  the  float- 
ing cakes  of  ice  that  were  too  wide  to  jumj)  and 


154 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


so  made  their  way  safely  to  Kislnvaiikce  and  the 
postoffice  commissioner.  Tlie  facts  and  logic 
won  the  day.  and  they  returned  to  Rockford 
with  a  hired  team  up  the  cast  side  of  the  river, 
with  the  postoffice  in  their  pockets  and  sent  a 
boy  down  to  brinjj  back  their  horse  and  cutter. 
Perhaps  nothing:  has  been  a  greater  factor  in  the 
prosperity  of  tlie  city  than  the  Water  Power 
Company,  which  was  organized  July  15.  1851, 
and  of  which  Mr.  Sanford  was  an  active  mem- 
ber. It  was  Mr.  Sanford's  help  that  made  it 
possible  for  Thomas  Rutterworth  to  successfully 
organize  and  carry  on  the  Rockford  Gas  Com- 
pany. 

In  1838  Mr.  Sanford  built  the  first  tlatboat 
at  this  place  and  loaded  it  with  potatoes  and 
merchandise  for  the  St.  Louis  market  and 
twenty-four  years  later  he  was  connected  with 
the  sending  of  the  first  carload  of  grain  that  was 
shipped  from  Cherry  \alley.  He  was  likewise 
interested  in  the  building  of  some  of  the  rail- 
roads, and  the  newspapers  of  that  day  give  ac- 
count of  his  co-operation  in  these  enterprises, 
showing  that  he  took  large  contracts  for  the  con- 
struction of  the  lines.  From  1844  until  1847  ^^e 
was  engaged  in  general  merchandising  at  the 
corner  of  State  and  Main  streets,  where  the  Sec- 
ond National  r)ank  was  afterward  located. 

It  was  during  the  early  days  of  his  residence 
in  Rockford  that  he  also  became  a  leading  factor 
in  financial  circles.  On  the  ist  of  January,  1855, 
the  banking  firm  of  Dickerman.  Wheeler  &  Com- 
pany was  organized  with  Mr.  Sanford  as  one  of 
its  members.  In  1856  the  firm  was  changed  to 
Lane,  Sanford  &  Company,  so  contimiing  until 
August  I.  1864.  when  the  business  was  reorgan- 
ized under  the  name  of  the  -Second  National 
Rank  of  Rockford.  Mr.  Sanford  at  that  time 
was  chosen  cashier,  and  soon  afterward  was 
elected  president,  acting  in  the  latter  ca|)acity  up 
to  the  time  of  his  death. 

Mr.  Sanford  was  three  times  married.  In 
February,  1837,  he  married  F.lizabcth  IT.  lias- 
sett,  who  was  born  in  the  state  of  New  York  in 
1813.  He  returned  east  for  his  bride,  and  on  the 
2d  of  .Xpril,  1838,  they  arrived  in  Rockford.  In 
1844  they  united  with  the  First  Congregational 
church,  and  were  very  active  in  its  work,  Mrs. 
Sanford  being  one  of  the  original  members  of  the 
Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Society  formed  in 
the  First  church  in  1838.  She  was  one  of  the 
forty-seven  charter  members  of  the  Second 
church,  sang  in  the  choir  for  several  years  and 
tr«jk  a  most  active  and  hel])ful  i)art  in  the  church 
work  imtil  failing  health  prevented  lur  further 
co-f)|)eration  in  its  activities.  She  died  in  (  )c- 
tobcr,  1857.  They  had  one  son.  wlm  died  in 
infancy. 

In  1858  Mr.  Sanford  married  Harriet  .\ustin. 


of  Skaneateles,  New  York,  who  came  from  a 
New  York  family  of  sterling  worth.  She  was 
a  woman  of  rare  native  ability,  and  exercised  a 
wide  intUience  in  both  the  religious  and  the  so- 
cial life  of  Rockford.  She  was  one  of  the  most 
helpful  workers  in  the  Second  Congregational 
church  and  missionary  society.  She  founded 
the  Monday  Club,  the  oldest  literary  club  in 
Rockford.  and  was  most  hospitable  in  entertain- 
ing her  friends.  After  a  ])rolonge(l  and  ])aintul 
illness,  which  she  bore  with  great  Christian  forti- 
tude, she  died  in   1879. 

For  his  third  wife  Mr.  Sanford  chose  !Miss 
Clara  Goodall.  a  daughter  of  David  G.  and  Maia 
Dearborn  (French)  Goodall.  Her  father  was  a 
native  of  Rath.  New  Hampshire,  and  her  mother 
of  Landaff.  New  Hampshire.  He  is  descended 
in  the  paternal  line  from  John  \\'hitney.  who 
emigrated  from  London,  in  1635,  and  settled  at 
^\'ate^town.  Massachusetts.  .Ml  of  this  descent 
"can  claim  the  blood  of  some  of  those  whose 
names  are  most  familiar  in  English  history — 
the  Saxon  king,  .\lfred  the  Cireat.  and  Fdnumd 
Ironside :  the  Normans,  ^^'illiam  the  Conqueror 
and  Henry  I :  the  Plantagnets,  Henry  II,  John, 
Henry  III  and  Edward  I;  to  say  nothing  of  the 
royal  houses  of  Scotland,  France  and  Spain,  with 
whom  these  were  allied."  On  her  mother's  side. 
Mrs.  Sanford  is  descended  from  Godfrey  Dear- 
born, the  founder  of  the  family  of  American 
Dearborns  of  military  fame,  and  also  from  Ed- 
ward Gilman.  who  came  to  this  country  in  1638. 
His  genealogy  runs  through  the  famous  knight, 
(iilman  Troed-dhu,  back  to  Coel  Godeboc.  king 
of  Britain,  ancestor  of  Henry  VII  and  grand- 
father of  Constantine  the  Great.  Mr.  I'.oodall 
was  a  lawyer  by  ])rofession  in  his  early  days,  and 
was  a  son  of  Ira  Goodall,  a  very  prominent  attor- 
ney of  the  state  of  New  Hampshire.  David 
Goodall  engaged  in  the  operation  of  flour  and 
starch  mills  and  in  the  lumber  business.  He 
also  conducted  a  woolen  factory,  and  was  owner 
of  several  stores  in  Lisboti.  Rath  and  Swiftwatcr, 
New  Hampshire.  His  chief  interest  was  his 
lumber  business,  however,  and  this  he  carried 
on  successfully,  developing  a  large  trade.  He 
likewise  practiced  law  to  some  extent  and  was 
one  of  the  most  prominent  and  influent  residents 
of  his  community,  contributing  in  substantial 
measure  to  its  material  growth  and  jirogress.  He 
and  his  father  were  the  builders  of  the  \\"hite 
Mountain  Railway  of  New  England,  the  latter 
being  president,  wiiile  David  G.  Goodall  was 
vice  president  of  the  company  that  constructed 
this  line.  .\t  a  later  day  Ira  and  David  Goodall 
removed  to  the  west  and  both  died  in  Reloit. 
Wisconsin,  where  Mrs.  David  (i.  (ioodall  also 
passed  away.  In  their  family  were  five  children, 
who  are  vet  living:  Mrs.  Sanford;  Blanche,  who 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


155 


makes  her  home  in  Rockford  with  her  sister, 
Mrs.  Sanford ;  Nelhe  P.,  who  is  residing  in  \lc- 
toria,  British  Cokunbia ;  Mrs.  A.  J.  Morley,  also 
of  Victoria ;  and  Karl  D.,  a  druggist  of  Las  \'e- 
gas.  New  Mexico. 

Rockford  had  no  truer  friend  or  more  active 
co-operant  in  its  interests  for  the  general  welfare 
than  G.  A.  Sanford.  He  kept  well  informed  on 
political  questions  and  issues  of  the  day,  but  did 
not  seek  office  as  a  reward  for  party  fealty.  He 
served  as  alderman  and  in  other  city  and  county 
offices,  but  these  came  to  him  in  recognition  of 
his  ability  on  the  part  of  his  fellow-townsmen. 
He  was  deeply  interested  in  the  educational  pro- 
gress of  the  city,  and  on  the  6th  of  July,  1864. 
was  elected  a  trustee  of  Rockford  Seminary, 
now  Rockford  College,  serving  thus  until  the 
time  of  his  death.  On  the  6th  of  June,  1893,  '^^ 
was  chosen  vice  president  of  the  board,  and 
would  have  been  honored  with  the  presidency 
had  he  consented  to  accept.  He  became  a  char- 
ter member  of  the  Second  Congregational  church. 
in  which  ]\Irs.  Sanford  is  still  a  most  active  and 
earnest  worker.  His  name  was  the  second  found 
on  the  subscription  list  for  building  the  first 
stone  church,  and  owing  to  the  financial  condi- 
tion of  the  country  at  that  time  the  necessary 
expense  of  building  and  equipping  the  new 
church  became  so  burdensome  upon  the  sub- 
scribers and  members  of  the  society  that  Mr. 
Sanford  mortgaged  his  home'  in  order  that  the 
work  might  go  forward.  For  twenty-one  years 
he  served  as  a  trustee  of  the  church,  and  on  the 
expiration  of  that  period  was  presented  by  his 
co-workers  with  an  elegant  gold  chain  and  tab- 
let. January  3.  1887.  after  a  service  of  thirty 
years  as  trustee,  he  was  again  re-elected,  but  re- 
signed. On  that  occasion  the  following  record 
was  adopted :  "Resolved.  That  the  society  of 
the  Second  Congregational  church  desires  to  rec- 
ognize the  faithful  and  efficient  services  of  Trus- 
tee G.  A.  Sanford.  who  today  completes  thirty 
years  of  continuous  service  as  a  trustee  of  said 
society,  and  we  wish  to  extend  to  our  friend  and 
brother  this  expression  of  our  sincere  thanks  and 
high  appreciation  of  his  labors  in  its  behalf,  and 
that  it  be  placed  upon  the  records  of  the  society." 
The  records  of  the  church  show  that  he  was  the 
first  delegate  sent  out  by  that  organization  and 
in  1849,  SI'  55-  56  and  57  he  was  also  a  member 
of  the  assessment  committee.  In  1855  he  was 
elected  on  a  committee  of  five  to  take  action  for 
building  a  new  church.  He  read  the  report  rec- 
ommending the  site  of  the  stone  church  and  was 
made  chairman  of  the  committee  to  raise  the 
necessary  funds  for  the  building.  He  was  one 
of  the  trustees  and  usually  auctioned  the  church 
sittings.  In  i860  he  was  appointed  on  the  com- 
mittee to  liquidate  the  church  debt.      His  name 


heads  the  list  and  the  money  he  gave  he  was 
obliged  to  borrow  at  two  per  cent,  interest  a 
month.  In  1871  he  stated  to  a  called  meeting 
of  the  church  the  need  for  internal  improve- 
ments of  the  house  of  worship  and  in  1872  was 
made  chairman  of  a  committee  to  raise  the  nec- 
essary money.  In  1882  he  was  again  chairman 
of  a  special  meeting  to  consider  interior  changes 
of  the  church.  He  could  always  be  relied  upon 
to  help  struggling  churches  of  other  denomina- 
tions and  up  to  the  time  of  his  death  there  was 
hardly  a  church  in  the  city  or  in  the  neighboring 
towns  that  had  not  received  help  from  him.  He 
was  always  a  regular  attendant  at  the  various 
church  services  and  he  assisted  in  building  four 
Second  Congregational  churches  in  Rockford.  Al- 
though Mr.  Sanford  took  a  keen  interest  in 
politics,  beyond  serving  as  alderman,  sheriff  and 
school  commissioner,  he  never  took  any  official 
position.  He  was  a  whig  and  republican.  One 
side  of  Mr.  Sanford's  character,  that  would  not 
be  noticed  by  the  public,  was  his  intense  love  for 
flowers  and  animals.  Flowers  were  almost  like 
living  things  to  him  and  his  comradeship  with 
all  animals  was  often  amusing — the  cat  and  all 
her  kittens  following  in  his  wake  wherever  he 
moved  and  the  canary  bird  perching  on  his 
finger  or  head. 

He  died  very  suddenly,  March  16,  1894,  at 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  just  as  the  bank, 
of  which  he  was  president,  w^as  closing  its  doors 
after  the  business  of  the  day  was  over.  The  in- 
fluence of  such  a  man,  however,  will  long  he 
felt.  It  remains  as  a  blessed  benediction  to  those 
who  knew  him  and  as  a  potent  force  in  the  lives 
of  many  with  whom  he  was  associated.  His 
life  proved  that  an  honorable  name  and  success 
may  be  won  simultaneously.  In  his  business  af- 
fairs he  prospered  year  by  year  but  he  never 
selfishly  hoarded  his  gains.  He  believed  that  he 
was  merely  the  steward  into  whose  hands  the 
worldy  possessions  had  been  given  and  he  was 
free  and  generous  in  his  donations  to  help  worthy 
charit}'.  In  his  later  years,  when  crowned  with 
honors  and  wealth,  he  stood  just  where  he  did  in 
his  early  life — as  the  champion  of  character 
rather  than  of  competence,  and  is  an  advocate 
of  right  living  in  every  relation.  "An  honest 
man  is  the  noblest  work  of  God"  and  G.  A.  San- 
ford was  an  honest  man. 


FREDERICK  CHA.MP. 

Frederick  Champ,  to  whom  there  has  come 
success  as  the  direct  result  of  well  directed  efifort 
in  the  active  affairs  of  life,  so  that  he  is  now  en- 
abled to  live  retired,  is  a  resident  of  Rockford 
and  a  native  of  England.     His  birth  occurred  in 


i3r. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WIXXEP.AGO     COUXTY. 


London,  Ft-briiary  23,  1829.  his  parents  being 
Thomas  and  Hannah  (I'eak)  Champ,  in  wliose 
family  were  two  daughters  and  four  sons.  The 
father  was  a  carver  and  gilder. 

I'Vederick  Champ  ac(|uired  only  a  common- 
school  education,  antl  in  his  native  land  he  re- 
mained until  i!;<54,  when,  with  the  hope  of  enjoy- 
ing better  business  advantages  in  the  new  world, 
he  crossed  the  Atlantic,  landing  at  Xew  York 
city  on  the  6th  of  July.  From  the  latter  place 
he  went  direct  to  Rockford.  Illinois,  and  for 
many  years  was  identified  with  its  business  inter- 
ests. He  was  first  employed  by  the  firm  of  Clark 
&  Utter,  with  whom  he  continued  for  some  years 
as  a  molder,  afterward  receiving  promo- 
tion to  the  position  of  foreman  and  later  of 
sujierintendent,  in  recognition  of  his  capability 
and  long  continued  and  faithful  service.  He  re- 
mained with  that  finn  until  18S3,  when  he  re- 
tired from  the  active  management  of  the  business 
and  retired  to  private  life,  since  which  time  he  has 
enjoyed  a  well  earned  rest.  In  the  meantime,  as 
his  financial  resources  had  increased,  he  pur- 
chased proi)erty  and  is  now  the  owner  of  de- 
sirable realty,  from  which  he  derives  a  good  in- 
come, and  the  supervision  of  his  property  inter- 
ests is  the  only  business  that  claims  his  attention. 

i'.efore  coming  to  Rockford  .Mr.  Champ  was 
united  in  marriage  in  England  to  Miss  I'rances 
Lucas,  of  .Sioke,  I-jiglantl,  and  they  had  two  chil- 
dren, Edwin  !•".  and  tjeorge  H.,  the  latter  now  a 
member  of  the  Loan  and  Investment  Company  of 
Logan.  Cash  county,  L'tah.  After  traveling  life's 
journey  together  for  about  half  a  century  .Mr. 
anfl  Mrs.  Champ  were  separated  by  the  death  of 
the  wife,  June  19,  1903.  .Mr.  Chami)  is  an  intel- 
ligent man.  devoting  considerable  time  to  read- 
ing, so  that  he  is  well  versed  on  all  subjects  of 
general  interest.  He  began  life  with  small  means, 
but  early  manifested  the  traits  of  character  which 
are  always  the  basis  of  succes.s — earnest  purpose, 
laudable  ambition  and  a  willingness  to  work — and 
in  this  way  he  has  accumidated  a  com])etency  for 
old  age. 


HARLOW  n.   1!.WKS. 

Harlow  ().  Hanks,  who  was  well  known  in 
business  circles  of  Rockford.  being  general 
agent  here  for  the  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Com- 
j)any  of  Xew  ^'ork,  and  also  active  and  promi- 
nent in  community  atTairs,  serving  as  conntv  sur- 
veyor of  Winnebago  couiUy.  l«x)k  U|)  his  alxide 
in  this  city  in  1889,  removing  from  Detroit, 
Michigan.  He  was,  however,  a  native  of  the  Em- 
pire state,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Chenango 
county,  in  1833.  His  father  was  born  in  .\ew 
P.altimore.    Xew   'N'nrk.    .\ngnst    17.    171)2.    while 


the  mother's  birth  occurred  in  Oeenfield,  Xew 
York.  July  i6,  1796.  They  spent  their  entire 
lives  in  the  state  of  their  nativity  and  Mr.  Banks 
was  a  surveyor,  always  following  that  pursuit 
as  a  life  vocation. 

Harlow  ( ).  r>anks  acquired  a  liberal  and  practi- 
cal education  ^n  his  native  state,  where  he  after- 
ward taught  school,  following  that  profession  for 
several  years,  or  until  the  time  of  his  first  mar- 
riage. While  attending  and  teaching  school  in 
the  east  he  also  studied  surveying  and  subsequent 
to  his  marriage  he  entered  the  employ  of  the 
(rrand  Trunk  Railway  Company  and  before  the 
construction  of  its  line  in  the  east  he  executed  the 
survey  work  'all  over  the  state  of  Xew  York. 
Subsequently  he  removed  to  Detroit.  Michigan, 
where  he  accepted  a  general  agency  for  the  Mu- 
tual Life  Insurance  Com])any  of  Xew  York,  and 
with  characteristic  energy  he  began  the  building 
up  of  the  business  in  the  west  and  for  seven- 
teen years  was  connected  with  insurance 
business  in  Detroit.  In  1889  he  removed  to 
Rockford  and  was  again  made  general  agent  for 
the  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company,  thus  con- 
tinuing in  the  insurance  business  until  his  death. 
Through  the  management  of  his  department  he 
largely  increased  the  business  of  the  company  in 
this  section  of  the  country. 

Mr.  Banks  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife 
died  in  Detroit,  in  1888.  They  were  the  jiarents 
of  four  children :  .\ngela.  who  now  resitles  in 
Des  Moines,  Iowa:  .Archie  W.,  a  resident  of 
Rockford.  who  is  now  agent  for  the  Mutual  Life 
Insurance  Company  of  Xew  York :  Willie,  a 
dentist  of  Detroit  :  and  Martin  .\dell)ert,  who  is 
one  of  the  leading  and  prominent  dentists  of 
Rockford.  with  offices  in  the  Brown  building. 
.After  losing  his  first  wife.  Mr.  Banks  was  married 
to  Mrs.  .\ddie  E.  (  Beardsley)  Corey,  a  native  of 
.Xew  Brunswick.  Xova  .Scotia,  and  a  <laughter 
of  John  and  E.xperience  (Patterson)  P.eardsley, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Xova  Scotia,  where 
the  father  was  engageel  in  the  lumber  business. 
Lie  afterward  removed  to  Port  Huron.  Michi- 
gan, where  he  continued  in  the  same  line  until  his 
death.  Mrs.  lieardsley  is  now  living  with  her 
son  in  Grand  Raj^ids.  .Michigan,  .\ddie  E. 
Beardsley  was  first  married  to  John  Corey,  who 
died  in  Port  liuron,  Michigan,  leaving  two 
children :  Georgiana.  now  in  Chicago ;  and 
Frederick  J.,  who  is  agent  for  the  .\danis  Express 
Com])any.  in  LaCrosse.  Wisconsin. 

.Subse(|uent  to  his  removal  to  Rockford.  .Mr. 
Banks  was  elected  county  surveyor  of  Winne- 
bago county  and  acted  in  that  capacity  for  two 
years.  He  was  a  stanch  re|)ul)lican  in  his  polit- 
ical views,  took  an  active  and  helpful  part  in 
[jolitical  work  and  did  everything  in  his  power 
to  ])romote  the  growth  and  insure  the  success  of 


H.  O.  BANKS. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


159 


his  party.  His  religious  faith  was  indicated  by 
his  membership  in  the  Court  Street  jMethodist 
Episcopal  church,  to  which  his  widow  also  be- 
longs. He  died  in  Rockford,  December  8,  1903, 
respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  had  gained 
many  friends  during  his  residence  here  and  was 
recognized  as  a  reliable  business  man,  whose 
character  was  such  as  commanded  uniform  es- 
teem and  confidence.  He  was  loyal  in  citizenship, 
faithful  in  friendship  and  unfaltering  in  his  de- 
votion to  his  family.  In  1893  he  erected  a  nice 
resirence  at  No.  1008  Franklin  avenue,  which  is 
now  owned  and  occupied  by  his  widow.  Mrs. 
Banks  is  well  known  in  social  circles  in  Rock- 
ford  and  the  hospitality  of  the  best  homes  is 
freely  accorded  her. 


ALFRED  HALL. 


Alfred  Hall,  deceased,  was  a  farmer  of  Winne- 
bago township,  who  died  in  February,  1900.  He 
is  yet  remembered,  however,  by  many  friends, 
who  appreciate  his  sterling  worth  and  many  good 
qualities  and  entertained  for  him  warm  regard. 
A  native  of  Canada,  he  was  born  in  London  town- 
ship, ^Middlesex  courty,  in  1833,  his  parents  be- 
ing Alonzo  and  Malinda  (Owen)  Hall,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Canada,  whence  the}-  came 
to  Winnebago  count}-  during  the  pioneer  epoch  in 
its  history,  arriving  here  in  January,  1844.  The 
father  secured  a  large  tract  of  land  and,  making 
investment  from  time  to  time  in  property,  ulti- 
mately became  the  owner  of  about  fifteen  hun- 
dred acres.  Later,  however,  he  sold  much  of  his 
property  and  went  to  California  in  1850,  being 
accompanied  by  his  son  Alfred,  then  about  six- 
teen years  of  age.  The  father,  however,  became 
ill  in  the  Golden  state,  dying  within  three  or  four 
months  and  the  son  afterward  returned  to  the 
farm  in  Illinois.  His  mother  continued  to  reside 
here  until  1893,  when  she  passed  away  at  the  age 
of  eighty-four  years.  In  their  family  were  four 
children.  The  eldest,  Mrs.  Sophia  Hartwell,  was 
for  twenty-five  or  thirty  years  a  resident  of  Ma- 
son City,  Iowa,  subsequent  to  which  time  she 
made  her  home  in  Winnebago  township  until  her 
death,  which  occurred  several  years  ago.  Alfred 
is  the  second  of  the  family.  Joshua  left  this  sec- 
tion of  the  country  a  number  of  years  ago.  Char- 
lotte, the  widow  of  George  Hudson,  is  now  resid- 
ing in  Belvidere,  Boone  county,  Illinois. 

Alfred  Hall  was  but  a  boy  when  he  came  with 
his  family  to  Winneb-'go  county,  and  here  he  was 
reared  amid  pioneer  environments.  Following 
his  father's  death  he  returned  home,  but  three 
years  later  he  again  went  to  California,  where  he 
engaged  in  mining  for  several  years.  He  arrived 
once  more   in  Winnebago   county,   in   1869,   and 


then  turned  his  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits, 
which  he  carried  on  e.xtensively  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death.  He  was  the  owner  of  one  hundred  and 
eighty-one  acres,  which  tract  is  now  in  posses- 
sion of  Mrs.  Hall,  who  still  resides  upon  the 
farm  and  their  sons  operate  the  land.  In  his  busi- 
ness pursuits  Mr.  Hall  was  energetic,  systematic 
and  diligent,  and  his  labors  were  crowned  with 
a  gratifying  measure  of  prosperity.  Moreover, 
he  was  strictly  reliable  in  all  business  transac- 
tions, so  that  his  name  was  regarded  as  a  syno- 
nym of  business  integrity. 

In  Canada  Mr.  Hall  was  married  to  Miss  Em- 
ily McFarlane,  who  was  born  in  Middlesex  coun- 
ty, in  1844,  a  daughter  of  Archibald  and  Jean- 
ette  (Bryce)  McFarlane,  who  were  also  natives 
of  Canada,  where  they  spent  their  entire  lives, 
the  father  passing  away  in  1865,  while  the  moth- 
er survived  until  1894.  In  their  family  were 
twelve  children,  of  whom  four  are  now  deceased, 
and  Mrs.  Hall  is  the  only  one  residing  in  Winne- 
bago county.  By  her  marriage  she  became  the 
mother  of  four  children — Frank,  residing  at 
Westfield  Comers,  is  married  and  has  one  son, 
Elmer.  Fred  C.  is  married  and  is  a  farmer,  re- 
siding in  Winnebago  township,  but  at  present  he 
is  in  Colorado.  He  has  three  children,  Hazel  B., 
Helen  V.  and  Archie  B.  James  O.  and  Alonzo  K. 
are  at  home  and  are  engaged  in  the  operation  of 
the  farm  for  their  mother. 

Mr.  Hall  was  a  republican  in  his  political 
views,  stanch  in  his  advocacy  of  the  party,  and 
his  sons  have  followed  in  his  political  footsteps. 
He  was  called  to  several  public  ofiices,  serving 
as  road  commissioner  for  thirteen  years,  and  no 
trust  reposed  in  him  was  ever  betrayed  in  the 
slightest  degree.  He  was  always  true  to  his  du- 
ties, whether  of  a  public  or  private  nature,  and 
was  thus  one  of  the  valued  citizens  of  his  com- 
munity, whose  worth  was  widely  acknowledged, 
and  he  gained  thereby  the  friendship  and  regard 
of  man\'  with  whoi-n  he  came  in  contact. 


PATTEN  H.  ATWOOD. 

Patten  H.  Atwood,  at  one  time  an  enterprising 
and  respected  farmer  of  Winnebago  county,  gave 
up  his  life  when  in  the  military  service  of  his 
country  in  the  last  year  of  the  Civil  war,  but  he  is 
yet  remembered  by  many  of  the  older  citizens  of 
this  part  of  the  state.  He  belonged  to  a  family 
long  well  known  and  prominent  in  Rockford  and 
the  county.  He  was  born  in  Canada,  April  15, 
1842,  and  was  a  son  of  Joseph  Atwood.  His  moth- 
er died  during  the  early  boyhood  of  her  son  and 
the  father  afterward  married  again.  Later  he 
brought  his  family  from  Canada — his  native 
country — to  Illinois  and  purchased  a  farm  in  the 
Stillman  vallev,  in  Winnebago  county,  where  he 


i'\si'    \\i)    I'Ki^iAi    ( >i     w  iwi  r.  \(,o   coL'xrv. 


};a\i-   his   iimliviilcil  iittiiilioii  lo  miur.il   .ii;iKiil 
tnral  |iiiiMiil>  tintil  liis  lU'atli. 

Ill  llio  oommnii  M'liiiol.s  l'aiu-i\  11.   Atwood  ao- 
<|inii'il  liis  oiliK'alioii  and  in  lus  \onili  lu-  assisud 
l\i>  I'atlu'f  in  iIk-  oiuralion  nf  iho   I'aim.  .nivinj; 
lo  him  thr  liiiulil  of  liis  siTviiTs  until  lu'  naohiMl 
till-  a^;«'  oi   i\\cnt\-oni"  voars.  wlu'n  lu'  \va>  mar 
ncil  anil  vlarU'il  oni  in  life  on  his  own  account. 
lie  wi'iliKd   Mi-s   Hannah   II.    .MclMu-ison.  a  na 
ti\o  oi  Tanaila,  honi  I'lhruarv  .'i,  iS.(J,  hir  par 
I'lits  lioiiij;  I'harU's   IS.  aixl   l-idolia   !•"..   Mol'hoi- 
soi\,  \vlu>  also  oanu-  to  W  innclK»,i;o  count\   at  an 
early  pcrioil  in  its  M-ttli'mcni   and  improvomont. 
I  lor  falliiT  on^a.ci'd  in   laiininj.;  hero  for  .sovoral 
voars  anil  then  romovod  to  W  isoonsin,  whoro  ho 
diod.      .Mr,   and    .Mrs.    .\t\vood   iKvamo   tho  i»ar- 
onts  ot  ihroo  sous—Ira  .\..  who  resides  iu  Jowcll 
oonniy,   Kansas,   whoro  ho  is  ous^ivjod   in   farm 
iuj*  ;  I'vrus   llomor.  who  luarriod  t  lara   .MoAlli.v 
tor  and  rosidos  in  Storliuj,;.   Illiitois,  whoro  ho  is 
cuf^ajix-d  in  tho  ,yrooor\  hnsinoss,  and  I'.dward  II.. 
who  marriid  I  .illian  I'ioivo,  and  is  doalini;  in  ii.v 
in   Kookl\>rd.  hoiuj;    ouo    of    tho    proiniuom    in.I 
piDsporons  husittoss  moii  of  this  city. 

\fior  his  marriajiio  Mr.  .Xtwood  sotiloti  np.Mi  .i 
faun  in  tho  Stillman  valloy  and  onori;x-ticalt\  Ih-- 
^an  tho  cultivation  of  tho  soil  and  tho  improvo- 
ntont  of  tho  place,  which  soon  ,iia\o  ovidonco  of 
his  careful  supervision  and  dilijioucc.  I  lo  had 
carried  oi\  farn\in,i<  hut  a  low  yo.trs,  however, 
when  tho  I'ivil  war  hiMko  <M<t.  His  s\iui<athios 
wore  with  tho  I'niou  cause  and  in  iS(vj  ho  oi\- 
listod  and  with  his  ivjjimont  woiu  to  HutValo,  \ow 
Nork,  whoiv  he  was  taken  ill  with  measles  and 
after  an  illness  of  several  months,  his  death  there 
iHXMirrod  .\pril  15,  iSf\<;,  his  r^'maiits  Ihmu.h  iu- 
trrrcd  in  lUttYalo. 

.Mrs.  AiwimhI  i\»nliuued  lo  tx'sido  uiH>n  tho 
home  fanu  it\  tho  Stillman  vallo\  uiuil  iSS(».  attd 
there  irarod  her  sons,  hut  m  tho  \ear  montioniHl 
she  romovotl  lo  K>vkfi>nl,  whoro  she  has  sittce 
made  Iter  Itome.  t\ow  nsidiu};  al  \o.  11J5  X'iuth 
strtTl.  She  l>eIi>nK^  lo  the  Metltixlist  l'"pisco|Xi>l 
chtttvh.  of  which  her  Ituslvtnd  was  also  a  moiu- 
In-r,  and  her  U'li^ious  faith  has  Iveu  a  pormoaliuji' 
intlnenco  in  her  life,  dovolopiuj;  trails  oi  character 
that  have  wott  her  m.inv  friends. 


1>  \\  IP  >  \MI'l  I- 

!  well  known  as  a  ivpivseittative 

a^;■  Owen   township,   was  l>on«    \n 

Slialer  lownslup,  Mlojiheiu  t>nu\ly,  IVunsylva- 
uia,  }\\\\  (\  iS4,v  at»d  ix>pr»'seuis  ot«e  of  the  old 
families  of  that  state.  His  |v\terual  ,»;rai\dfalhcr. 
Jrt'  I  i\alivc  of  t.'«imK'rland  cxiuu- 

tv  !i  *  Vl.^^HT  J5.  i~5<>,  autl  w:^s 

of  Smteh  an»xs(r\       He  servt^l  liis  cxMtut' 


soMuf  in  tile  Kovolntionary  war  under  lioneral 
Washington  ami  after  the  ostahlishmont  of  the 
now  repnhlic  he  locitod  in  .\llo,i;hen\  comity, 
IVnnsvlvania,  takini;  up  government  huul  iu 
Shaler  township.  Ho  hocame  captain  of  a  coiu- 
pauN  of  militia  and  while  ho  was  on  militar\  duly 
his  wife  and  children  wore  carried  olV  h\  the  In- 
dians, hut  the  same  nijiht  a  sipiaw  returned  the 
familv  In  canoe  while  tlie  hravos  of  tho  trilv  were 
havinv;  a  dance.  James  Sample  Iniilt  the  first 
urist  mill  in  .\llesjhony  county,  iu  17*K>.  and  was 
otherwise  actively  idonlilied  with  tho  a.i;ricuttural 
and  industrial  dovolopitiont  of  the  stale. 

William  .Sample,  father  of  Havid  .Sample,  was 
horn  in  I'oimsxlvania,  July  jS,  iSoo,  and  pursued 
his  education  iu  the  puhlic  schi^>ls.  He  worked 
for  his  father  up  to  tho  lime  of  his  marriage, 
which  occurred  Aujiusl  jS,  i8jS.  Miss  Jane 
Andorsi>n  luvomiuj;  his  wife.  She  was  horn  Jan- 
uary i(>,  1S07.  .\t  that  time  W  illiam  Sample  re- 
ceived from  his  father  a  i^ift  i^i  aKnil  lour  huu- 
ilrod  ;icros  of  land,  and  ho  ciMitinnoil  to  on,i;aj;o  in 
larmiuji;  and  also  couductoil  a  millinj;  hnsinoss, 
which  was  estahlishod  hy  his  father,  until  1871. 
in  which  \car  he  sold  lite  romamini;  one  him- 
drod  and  t\>ri\  acres  of  tho  old  home  place  which 
his  lather  had  nivou  him.  ha\  inj;-  in  the  meantime 
disposed  of  tho  rest  of  the  farm.  He  received 
for  this  trad  of  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  one 
hundred  and  ninety  thousand  dollars  from  a  land 
compau\  thai  snhdivided  it  into  lots,  and  it  is  now 
tho  horouv;h  of  Millvalo.  \\"illiam  .Sample  then 
tvmoved  lo  .Sharpshur?;.  IVnusylvauia.  whoro  he 
spout  his  romainiuj;'  davs.  and  several  times  he 
visited  his  son  Haviil  iu  \\  innolKtso  county.  I'or 
forty-tive  years  he  served  as  a  memlKT  of  the 
school  hi\-»rd  in  his  vlisirict  and  was  always  ac- 
tivclv  and  helpfully  inton-stod  in  puhlic  atYairs. 
\\c  passed  awa\  .\u.v;nsi  15.  iSoi,  and  his  wife 
diod  iu  April.  i8Sj.  Ihov  were  the  i>arents  of 
ei.uht  childiXMt--  RoIhti  .V..  James.  John.  Martha. 
William  H  Marjiaret  I..  l\>vid  and  l-.liza- 
Wth  A 

Havid  >.inipic  pursuovl  his  inhication  iu  the 
puhlic  .schiH^ls  auvl  was  reau-d  upon  Itis  father's 
farm,  iweivin.i;  there  tho  training;  that  tilted  him 
for  earryiuj;  on  a  similar  business  entorj^rise  iu 
later  years.  Two  days  InMoro  tho  oii^huvnth  an- 
uivers;\ry  of  his  birth  he  ix-spoude*l  to  his  coun- 
try's call  for  tr\H>ps.  eulisliujj  iu  the  I'uioti  army 
on  the  4llt  of  July.  t8(M.  as  a  memlxT  of  Com- 
(vuiy  A.  .Si\iy-stv»Mid  IVnu.sylvauia  Infantry.  He 
was  mustond  into  service  al  rittsburt;  and  afler- 
warvl  went  to  Harrisburj;.  where  he  niuaiuol  f>^r 
two  wevks.  SuKs«]uently  he  went  to  l?^»ltimore. 
and  later  with  his  command  to  W'aslutt,»;lon.  D. 
I  ..  where  the  n\uimonl  rtMuaiueil  tor  a  month, 
and  was  then  onioned  to  \rlins;ion  Heiijbts.  }::\v 
i"C  '"'o  winter  nuarlers  tte;tr  Falls  church.  In 
the  st>rit>s:  of  tfVxj  the  Sixty-secxmd  marcheti  to 


TAST     wn     I'Kl-Sl'XT     Ol'     W  I  \  X  I'.l'.Ai  IC)     COUNTY 


i6i 


I'";ui"l'ax  t'oiirt  Ihnist.-  ;iiul  was  soon  alU'iwaril 
sent  to  Ak'xaiulria,  w  liovi'  llu'\  took-  transports 
I'or  I'lirtrrss  .Monroe.  Alter  .1  sliorl  linic  llu'\ 
ni.irolu'il  to  I'.ii;  Tu'llu'l,  auil  later  to  Norklown. 
anil  .Mr,  Sanipli"  participated  in  llie  sie^e  at  lliai 
place  ami  in  tlic  cnijayen touts  at  1  lanovcr  (,'ourl 
ilonse.  Mcchanicsvillo.  tiaincsville  anil  MaKern 
Hill.  In  llie  l;'.st  named  he  \v;'>s  shot  in  the  I'iyht 
arm  and  hip  and  was  taken  to  the  hospital  on 
llcdloo's  island.  .\s  soon  ,is  possihle  he  started 
to  rejoin  his  re^inienl.  Inn  insier.d  oi'  heinj^'  al- 
lowed to  do  ■^o  he  w.is  pl.ieed  on  detached  duty 
at  {'"ort  llamillon.  I.,ilei'.  iio\\e\er,  he  was  with 
his  command  in  the  h;ittle  of  .Mine  Kini,  ami 
after  th;il  litiardcd  the  railroad  from  Manassas  to 
He.'.llon  Station  nntil  startin,i;'  with  ticneral  (Irani 
on  the  Wilderness  cam])ais'ns.  .\lr.  ,Sam|)le  re- 
cei\-ed  .an  honoralilc  dischar.Ljc  in  July.  iSh.].  h.av 
ini.;  for  ihree  years  valiantly  dcfemU'd  his  conn- 
try,  dnrin.y  which  time  he  ne\er  faltered  in  the 
|icrformance  of  any  dnl\.  lie  was  often  where 
the  leaden  h.ail  fell  thickest  and  a,L;;iin  on  the  lone- 
1\  picket  line  .■nid  .al  all  limes  he  displayed  the 
loyalt)-  and  \:dor  of  many  a  vclei'an  of  twice  his 
years. 

hollowini;  his  relnrn  home.  .Mr.  .'>.\mple  assist- 
ed in  the  operation  of  his  father's  farm  nnlil 
1871,  when  the  ])ropcrty  was  sold.  He  spent  the 
succeedinj.;'  live  years  in  Ir.ivel,  after  which  he 
came  to  W'inneluii^o  conntv  and  pnrehased  on* 
hnmlred  and  sixty  acres  of  l;nnl.  which  he  has 
since  imjiroved.  dcvotini;'  his  .illenlion  \miirini;l\ 
to  as'ricnitnral  interests  in  wh.il  is  one  of  ihe  rich- 
est farminj;'  districts  of  this  jLjrcat  slate.  It  was  in 
the  year  of  his  removal  to  \\'inneha,i;o  connly 
that  Mr.  .'-i.ample  was  married,  on  ihe  ,^d  >>\  ,\la\. 
iSjd,  to  .Miss  .Melinda  Steward,  a  d.in^hler  of 
James  and  Mary  (Smith)  .Steward,  whoari'  men- 
lioneil  on  another  aj;'c  of  this  work.  I'heir  chil- 
dren ,ire  ;is  follows:  Steward,  who  maiiied  Miss 
I  nl.i  \la\  I  nli.in,  is  livini;' in  Waterloo,  Iowa,  and 
llie\  lia\e  t  \\  o  ehildrcn.  l\oss.  who  joined  the 
1  niled  St;itCS  navy  as  an  .ippienliee  and  remained 
in  die  scr\'iee  for  live  \  e.iis  ,iml  Iwo  monllis.  he- 
inu;  with  ihe  \il.inlie  sipiadron  on  ilu  Kear.sarsi'c 
ami  ,ilsii  on  odiers  as  coxswain,  is  now  ai  home, 
le.ii.i,  ihe  \onn!L;esl,  is  also  at  lionie. 

In  his  political  views  Mi'.  .S;nn]ilc  is  a  stanch 
repnlilicm  and  hcloni^s  lo  Xevins  post,  \'o.  t, 
I  I,  \.  K.,  of  Kockfnrd.  lie  is  aUo  a  memher  of 
llu'  I'armers'  Mnln.il  lieiiexolenl  \ssoci.alion  and 
is  inleresled  in  all  ih.il  peil.iins  in  pnhlie  improvc- 
menl  and  ;idvanccment,  .yivini;'  his  co-o]H'ration 
to  many  measnrcs  for  tlic  .general  welfare,  lie 
now  has  in  his  possession  his  L;i-andfa(hcr's  old 
clock,  wliich  is  more  than  one  hnmlred  \cars  old, 
and  keeps  correct  lime.  Ft  w,as  reeentlv  ii'paired 
hy  a  clock-maker.  '.•,  ho  said  lh;il  it  woidd  nm  for 
another  eenlnr\.  Mr.  Sample  h.is  i;;iined  .a  w  ide 
.•ie(|nainlanee  dnrinq'  th<>  lhirl\    \ cars  of  his   resi- 


dence in  this  county  ;md  is  known  as  ,a  man  of 
lirm  convictions  and  slcrlin.i;  worth,  who  mav 
well  he  classed  amoni;  the  representative  cili/.cns 
ol  (  >wen  lownshiii. 


w  II  I  I  \M  .1.  ni'  I  \  \i  \  n.-.K. 

W'illiam  J.  De  1  .a  iMalcr,  servins;-  as  supervisor 
of  IVcatonica  township,  is  cn,i;a!.;ed  in  hnsiness  as 
a  hlack.smilh,  dealer  in  htij.;gics  and  f.irm  machin- 
ery. He  was  horn  l''ehrnary  jj,.  1854,  jn  Tusca- 
rawas connly,  (  )lno,  ;md  when  only  seven  months 
old  was  taken  lo  Indiana  li\  his  p.neiils,  U.dpli 
and  Sn.sanna  (/.nhlin)  I  )r  I  .1  M.iiei.  Ihe  lailier 
w.as  horn  in  ( Jlse.U'o  eoinilx.  Xew  \  01k.  and  lol- 
lowins;- Ills  removal  to  ()|n,.,  w.is  married  in  Ma 
riella,  that  slate.  A  deiiiisi  |i\  profession,  he 
praclieeil  for  thirty  live  years  in  soulhem  Indi 
;ma,  and  he  died  in  IVlcnsljuri;-,  that  stale,  ,ii  die 
;i,i;e  of  seventy-three  years,  while  his  wife  passcil 
away  in  iledfoial,  lndi,ana.  in  1X50,  Tlie\  wore 
the  p.areiils  of  seven  ehildreii  K.  I,.,  w  ho  lost  his 
life  i!i  the  hallle  of  (  h;nnpion  Hill,  while  servinj;- 
ill  llie  Iweiilv  foniili  Indi.nia  \dhmleer  In- 
f,inlr\  ;  .\nna  \,.  who  heciine  Ihe  wife  of  ( leori^c 
H.  Il.aleman,  and  died  in  Hnntin.LjIon.  Indi.ana; 
h;ilen,  Ihe  wife  of  II.  X.  Meieli.im.  of  rovll.ind, 
(  ire.udu.  and  the  mother  of  two  sons  and  .1  d.iii.i;li- 
ler:  h'raiiccs.  who  hccanie  ilu-  wife  of  K',  ||. 
.Moses  and  died  in  .Scdalia,  Missouri,  in  iStjo; 
W  .ilier,  who  married  .M.ariha  l.aswell,  l)\  whom 
he  had  seven  chiMreii.  ,ind  died  in  Joneshoro,  .\r- 
kansas :  Ida  M..  the  wile  of  .Mieh.ael  Sweenv, 
who  is  superintendent  of  ihe  M  inne.ipolis  \-  ,S|. 
I.onis  l\,ailroad,  liviiiL;  al  ,\l  inne.ipoji.s.  Minne- 
sota. h\  whom  she  li.is  nine  ehihlrcn  :  .and  \\  il 
liam    I.,  of  ihis  review  . 

William  I.  De  I  .a  .Maler  w.is  reared  in  Indi- 
ana, aci|ini-in.i;  his  education  in  Ihe  pnhlie  schools. 
;md  in  1S71  he  came  to  Wiiineh.-.j^o  eonnlv.  Illi- 
nois, hein.u;  al  lli.il  lime  .alionl  seveiileen  \ears  of 
;i.i;e.  He  lirsl  workial  as  .a  f.aian  li.aiid  for  .alionl 
three  years  and  lluai  enlered  llie  eniploe  of  \\.  I ). 
rellihone.  ,a  hl.acksmilh.  with  whom  he  rem.ained 
lor  iliiee  years  in  I'ecalonica.  ;md  then  removed 
lo  Minneapolis,  where  he  work-ed  in  the  shops  of 
ihe  street  r.ailw.ax  eoinp.ain.  \firr  .ni  .ahsence 
ol  ahoiil  fwv  \e,irs  he  nlmneil  li>  I'eealoiiiea  ,and 
purchased  llie  shop  of  Is.  I  ).  rellilioiie.  He  has 
lieeii  in  liusiiiess  here  eon|innonsl\-  since,  .■nul  is 
nol  onl\-  :\\\  expert  horsesiioer  .and  i^eneral  hiack- 
smilh.  having;  hnill  up  a  repnialion  in  Ihis  line 
second  to  none,  hut  is  .also  a  dealer  in  line  hu.u'.y-ics 
and  vehicles  of  all  descriptions,  in  hicycles  and  in 
laian  iniplemeiiis.  I  le  h.as  ever  hccn  a  lover  of 
line  horses  and  he  now  owns  five  head  of  repfLs- 
lered  sl<iek.  His  fax'orile  hcirsc  is  one  which  he 
pnreh.ased    in    ihe   sonlh   in    Ihe   sprint;'  of    11)05 — 


1 62 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Hal  Spy — a  liiit.-  type  of  lliu  lij,'lu  lianiiss  horse. 
Mr.  Dc  l,a  .Mater  lias  a  liberal  patronage  in  both 
branches  of  his  business  and  is  regarded  as  one 
of  the  representative  merchants  of  his  town. 

On  the  4th  of  November,  1875,  was  celebrated 
the  marriage  of  William  J.  De  La  Mater  and 
Miss  Edie  Hitchcock,  a  daughter  of  Horace  and 
Henrietta  (Wells)  Hitchcock.  Her  father  came 
from  New  York  state  to  Illinois  at  an  early  day 
and  cast  his  lot  with  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Sew- 
ard township,  Winnebago  county.  He  entered 
land  from  the  government  and  broke  the  raw 
prairie,  transforming  it  into  cultivable  fields.  He 
was  here  before  there  hatl  been  a  railroad  built 
and  hauled  his  wheat  to  Chicago  and  Galena. 
His  death  occurreil  when  he  was  only  thirty-five 
years  of  age.  His  brother  William  is  the  only  one 
left  of  a  large  family  and  he  is  now  living  on  the 
old  home  farm  of  his  father,  at  the  age  of  almost 
ninety  years.  Mrs.  De  La  Mater  was  the  eldest 
of  four  children.  Her  brother  John  married  Miss 
Jennie  Stockburger,  by  whom  he  has  two  chil- 
dren, Homer  R.  and  Edna  L..  and  they  reside 
u])on  the  old  Hitchcock  homestead  in  Seward 
township.  Laura  is  the  wife  of  iMoses  Mitchell, 
residing  at  Bingham  Lake.  Minnesota,  and  they 
have  three  soi-.s.  Wallace.  Horace  and  John.  Abi 
married  Charles  Stockburger  and  died  in  I'eca- 
tonica  township. 

Mr.  De  La  Mater,  prominent  and  influential  in 
community  affairs,  has  been  president  of  the  town 
board  and  is  now  supervisor,  having  served  four 
terms.  He  is  a  member  of  Rawson  lodge.  No. 
145,  A.  F.  &  .\.  M.:  Winnebago  chapter.  No. 
24.  R.  .\.  M.,  and  Crusader  comniandery.  No.  17, 
of  Rock  ford.  He  has  always  voted  with  the  re- 
publican party  and  has  firm  faith  in  its  principles. 
L'nto  him  and  his  wife  has  been  born  a  daughter, 
whose  birth  occurred  September  7.  1892,  and  the 
family  is  well  known  in  Pecatonica,  where  they 
have  many  warm  friends,  and  where  the  business 
record  of  Mr.  De  La  Mater  has  been  such  as  to 
win  for  him  the  unr|ualified  regard  and  trust  of 
his  fellow  townsmen. 


RUSSELL  BROUGHTON,  M.  D. 

Dr.  Russell  Broughton,  neurologist  and  also 
specialist  in  the  treatment  of  opium  and  other 
drug  addictions  and  founder  of  the  Dr.  Brough- 
ton .Sanitarium  at  Rockford.  Illinois,  was  born  in 
Racine,  Wisconsin.  May  16,  1842,  his  parents 
being  John  and  Amanda  Broughton.  who,  in 
1841,  started  for  the  middle  west,  traveling  by 
team  to  .Mbany  township,  Green  county,  Wis- 
consin. The  father  entered  a  quarter  section  of 
land  from  the  government  and  at  once  began 
to  clear  and  cultivate  it,  transforming  the  raw. 


undeveloped  tract  into  rich  and  productive  fields. 

There  he  continued  to  engage  in  farming  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1896.  He  is  still 
survived  by  his  widow. 

Reared  to  farm  life.  Dr.  Broughton  pursued 
his  early  education  in  the  public  schools  and 
later  entered  Milton  College,  at  Milton,  Wis- 
consin. He  also  studied  in  Bryant  iS;  Stratton 
Business  College,  in  Milwaukee,  and,  prepar- 
atory to  entering  upon  the  practice  of  medicine 
and  surgery,  he  matriculated  in  Rush  Medical 
College,  of  Chicago,  in  which  he  completed  the 
full  course  and  was  graduated  with  the  class 
of  1869.  Lie  located  for  practice  in  Broadhead, 
Wisconsin,  where  he  remained  for  twenty-one 
years,  and  as  a  general  practitioner  he  enjoyed 
an  extensive  patronage.  His  first  exclusive  work 
in  the  lines  of  his  specialty  was  in  connection 
with  the  Keely  Institute,  at  Dwigiit,  Illinois, 
where  he  remained  for  nine  and  a  half  vcars, 
in  charge  of  all  opium  and  other  drug  patients. 
He  then  came  to  Rockford  and  established  the 
Dr.  Broughton  Sanitarium. 

This  institution,  constantly  widening  the  field 
of  its  beneficent  work,  has  accomplished  great 
good  during  the  four  years  of  its  existence. 
Coming  to  Rockford.  Dr.  Broughton  leased  Dr. 
Ransom's  sanitarium,  a  properly  located  on  Rock 
river,  opposite  Harlem  Park.  He  had  already 
earned  a  high  reputation  as  a  specialist  in  the 
treatment  of  nervous  diseases  and  tho.se  attribut- 
able to  drug  and  alcohol  addictions  and  was 
most  cordially  assisted  by  his  fellow  physicians 
having  patients  requiring  such  treatments.  He 
had  a  very  wide  acquaintance  and  his  patronage 
increased  so  rapidly  that  his  accommodations 
proved  inadequate  and  he  purchased  the  Keyt 
residence  on  Rock  river,  just  south  of  the  city, 
there  opening  his  new  sanitarium  in  June,  1902. 
He  took  possession  of  a  building,  beautiful  and 
spacious,  which  had  been  originally  erected  at 
a  cost  of  thirty  thousand  dollars,  while  later 
much  more  had  been  expended  iti  improvements. 
Dr.  I'roughtoii  continued  the  work  of  improve- 
ment, while  refitting  it  for  .sanitarium  purposes. 
The  large  ballroom  on  the  third  floor  was  divided 
into  sleeping  rooms,  finished  differently  and 
furnished  in  homelike  fashion.  The  first  and 
second  floors  were  also  decorated  throughout 
and  the  basement  was  entirely  remodeled  and 
divided  into  a  large  dining  room,  club  rooms, 
kitclien  and  other  rooms.  A  complete  system  of 
plumbing,  hot  water,  heating  and  electric  light- 
ing appliances  was  installed.  The  ground, 
covering  twelve  acres,  displays  the  greatest  skill 
of  the  landscape  gardener,  and  the  trees  and 
shrubbcrv  secure  a  seclusion  like  that  found  in 
a  remote  woodland,  although  the  sanitarium  is 
less  than  two  miles  from  the  center  of  Rock- 
ford. 


/?.    fd^^^rx^cJc^^ 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WINXEBAGO  COUNTY. 


165 


The  management  of  the  sanitarium  is  perfect. 
The  strictest  disciphne  is  maintained  in  so  kindly 
a  way  that  the  place  has  no  air  of  restraint  and 
yet  all  are  under  the  rules  governing  the  institu- 
tion. Patients  have  been  received  from  every 
state  in  the  Union  and  already  the  commodious 
quarters  have  been  taxed  to  the  utmost  to  ac- 
commodate the  patients.  Dr.  Bronghton's  meth- 
ods of  treatment  are  confined  to  purely  medical 
lines.  He  is  not  exploiting  any  proprietary 
medicine  or  remedy.  His  is  a  home  for  the 
treatment  of  habitual  diseases  along  the  lines 
that  any  other  specialist  would  follow  and  the 
good  that  he  has  wrought  is  immeasurable. 
Rockford  may  well  be  proud  of  this  institution 
and  its  founder  and  many  have  reason  to  bless 
him  for  the  aid  received  through  his  professional 
services.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Wis- 
consin Medical  Society  since  1877  and  also  be- 
longs to  the  American  Medical  Association,  the 
Winnebago  County  and  Illinois  State  Medical 
Societies. 

In  manner  Dr.  Broughton  is  most  genial  and 
kindly  and  is  popular  and  prominent  socially  as 
well  as  professionally.  In  May,  1864.  during 
the  Civil  war,  he  enlisted  at  Milton,  Wisconsin, 
in  Company  C,  Fortieth  Wisconsin  Infantry, 
and  saw  considerable  active  service.  He  mar- 
ried in  1869  to  Miss  Julia  A.  Smiley,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Hon.  Daniel  Smiley,  of  Albany,  Wis- 
consin, now  deceased,  and  the\'  have  two  sons : 
William  S.,  formerly  a  medical  student,  but  now 
auditor  in  the  navy  office  at  Washington,  D.  C. ; 
and  James  E..  an  employe  in  a  large  electrical 
plant  at  Niagara  Falls.  Dr.  Broughton  is  a 
member  of  Bicknell  lodge.  No.  91,  A.  F.  &  A. 
M.,  at  Broadhead.  \\'isconsin  ;  Evansville  chap- 
ter, No.  35,  R.  A.  ]\I.,  at  Evansville,  Wisconsin; 
and  a  charter  member  of  W.  W.  Patton  post. 
No.  90,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Broadhead.  He  stands  to- 
day a  foremost  representative  of  his  line  of  prac- 
tice, his  labors  proving  of  philanthropic  worth 
in  the  world. 


FRANCIS  KEELING. 

Francis  Keeling,  for  many  years  closely  identi- 
fied with  the  industrial  interests  of  Winnebago 
county,  is  now  living  in  Rockford,  where  for  al- 
most a  half  century  he  has  made  his  home.  Hon- 
ored and  respected  in  every  class  of  society,  he 
has  for  some  time  been  a  leader  in  thought  and 
action  in  the  public  life  of  the  state,  and  his  name 
is  inscribed  high  on  the  roll  of  fame,  his  honor- 
able and  brilliant  career  adding  luster  to  the  his- 
tory of  Winnebago  county. 

He  was  born  in  West  Allum,  Devonshire,  Eng- 
land, August  27,  1827,  his  parents  being  Clark 
II 


and  Helen  (Coolshaw)  Keeling.  The  father  was 
a  stocking  manufacturer,  which  business  he  fol- 
lowed for  many  years  in  Nottingham,  England, 
in  which  country  both  he  and  his  wife  were  born 
and  spent  their  entire  lives.  Francis  Keeling  be- 
gan his  education  in  the  common  schools  and 
pursued  his  studies  until  his  eleventh  year,  when 
he  put  aside  his  text-books  in  order  to  enter  busi- 
ness life,  it  being  necessary  that  he  assist  in  the 
work  of  the  stocking  factor}'.  There  he  operated 
a  machine  until  thirteen  years  of  age,  when  he 
left  the  factory  and  was  employed  on  a  farm. 
Later  he  became  driver  of  a  coach  and  care-taker 
of  horses,  continuing  in  that  position  for  eighteen 
months,  when  he  was  promoted  to  the  position  of 
coach-driver,  acting  in  the  latter  capacity  for 
three  years.  He  also  was  employed  in  brewing 
ale  and  beer  and  subsequently  secured  employ- 
ment in  wine  cellars,  taking  his  position  in  the 
vault,  but  working  his  way  steadily  upward  until 
he  became  a  bottler  of  wines,  his  attention  being 
concentrated  upon  that  work  for  three  years.  He 
next  turned  his  attention  to  carpentering,  was 
afterward  employed  by  a  railroad  company  and 
later  engaged  in  preparing  timbers  for  vessels  in 
the  employ  of  Isaac  Wright,  a  noted  vessel  con- 
tractor. Completing  his  agreement  with  Mr. 
Wright,  he  then  sailed  for  America,  attracted  by 
the  better  business  opportunities  of  the  new 
world.  Landing  at  New  York  city  in  1848,  he 
soon  found  employment  at  carpentering  in 
Brookhn,  where  he  remained  for  six  months, 
after  which  he  removed  to  Rochester,  New  York, 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade  for  one  year.  Again 
locating  in  Brooklyn,  he  was  once  more  identi- 
fied wnth  its  building  interests  until  1857,  when 
on  the  9th  of  April  of  that  year  he  arrived  in 
Rockford. 

Mr.  Keeling's  entrance  into  business  life  of  this 
state  was  as  a  representative  of  the  builder's  trade. 
He  worked  at  carpentering  for  different  con- 
tractors and  was  employed  on  many  of  the  prin- 
cipal buildings  of  the  city,  including  residences, 
churches,  school  houses  and  many  of  the  manu- 
facturing establishments  on  Main  street.  He  also 
worked  on  the  construction  of  St.  Mary's  Catho- 
lic church  and  the  old  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  His  next  business  connection  was  with 
N.  C.  Thompson,  manufacturing  plows,  cultiva- 
tors, planters  and  self-binders,  in  whose  employ 
he  remained  for  two  years.  He  was  also  in  the 
employ  of  the  J.  P.  Manny  Company,  manufac- 
turers of  binders,  and  subsequently  he  embarked 
in  business  on  his  own  account  as  a  dealer  in 
flour  and  feed  at  the  corner  of  State  and  Madison 
streets,  where  he  built  up  an  extensive  business, 
continuing  there  in  trade  for  twenty-one  years, 
when  he  closed  out  his  store  and  retired  to  pri- 
vate life.  In  the  meantime  he  had  made  judicious 
investment  in  city  property  and  now  devotes  his 


i66 


I'AST     AND    PRESENT    OF     W  l.WEBAGO    COUNTY. 


leisure  hours  tu  tlie  sujjervision  of  his  realty  in- 
terests, which  return  liini  a  g'ratifying  annual  in- 
come. 

On  the  3d  of  July.  1853,  .Mr.  Keeling  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  .Mary  A.  .Morgan,  of 
IJrooklyn,  .New  York,  a  daugjiter  of  Thomas  and 
Mary  (Starr)  Morgan.  She  was  born  May  25, 
1834,  in  Wales,  and  in  her  early  girlliood  days 
accompanied  her  parents  on  their  emigration  to 
New  ^'ork.  in  which  city  she  grew  to  woman- 
liood  and  was  married,  l-'ive  children  have  been 
born  of  this  union — Francis,  who  is  now  engaged 
in  the  drug  business  in  Chicago;  Thomas  Mor- 
gan, wlio  is  with  his  brother  in  Chicago;  James 
H.,  of  Rockford ;  William  B.,  also  a  druggist  of 
Chicago,  and  l-'red  C.  who  is  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  perfume  on  Clark  street  in  Chi- 
cago. 

In  i8yi  Mr.  Keeling  built  his  home,  which  is 
an  attractive  residence,  noted  for  the  generous 
hospitality  extended  to  the  many  friends  oi  the 
family.  .Mr.  Keeling  iias  been  a  subscrilier  of  the 
Register  since  1859.  He  belongs  to  that  class  of 
men  who  owe  their  prosperity  entirely  to  their 
own  efforts.  The  invariable  law  of  destiny  ac- 
cords to  tireless  energy,  industry  and  ability  a 
successful  career,  and  the  truth  of  this  assertion 
is  abundantly  verified  in  his  life  history,  lie  had 
but  meager  advantages  in  his  youth  and  altlinugh 
he  has  met  many  difficulties  and  obstacles,  he  has 
overcome  these  by  determined  purpose  and  laud- 
able endeavor,  working  his  way  steadily  u])ward 
until  now  he  is  enabled  to  enjoy  an  honorable 
retirement  front  further  business  cares  and  labors. 


WILLI  AM  \\(  tKTlI  I'.CRSON. 

William  Wortli  I'urson,  invertor  and  manu- 
facturer, has  attained  a  ])osition  of  distinction 
aiuong  those  whose  genius  has  given  to  the  world 
products  that  have  advanced  the  material  welfare 
and  i)rosperity  of  the  nation,  in  connection  with 
liis  business  interests  Mr.  I'urson  has  in  substan- 
tial measure  contributed  to  the  welfare  of  Rock- 
ford  along  the  lines  of  industrial  activity.  Tlic 
history  of  many  men  is  but  a  succession  of  fail- 
ures, but  the  life  record  of  Mr.  Iiurson  is  a  suc- 
cession of  successes.  Discouragements  have  hin- 
dered his  progress,  obstacles  have  blocked  his 
|)athwa\'.  yet  ihniugii  a  |)ersistency  of  ])ur|)osi. 
l)orn  of  a  knowleilge  nf  his  own  power,  he  has 
continued  his  lalwrs  until  his  fame  as  an  inventor 
has  s])read  abroad. 

Mr.  I'urson  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  in 
1842  was  taken  by  liis  parents  to  McD<inougb 
Cfiunty.  Illinois,  and  the  following  year  to  Fulton. 
where  his  Ixiyhood  and  early  manhotxl  were 
passed,  thus  sharing  the  experiences  of  pioneer 


life.  Reared  to  the  occupation  of  farming,  he  was 
always  interested  and  much  used  to  the  work  of 
the  fields  and  soon  brought  to  bear  his  natural 
mechanical  ingenuity  upon  the  improvement  of 
the  farm  machinery.  His  first  work  in  this  di- 
rection of  any  note  was  the  invention  and  con- 
struction of  a  self-rake  reaper  in  1858,  this 
being  the  first  machine  to  regulate  the  size  of 
favcl  by  weight.  Continued  experimenting,  study 
and  investigatinn  made  him  a  pioneer  in  the  in- 
vention of  grain  hinders  and  he  obtained  a  jiatent 
on  a  twine  binder  in  i860.  These  machines  were 
attached  to  the  reaper  and  operated  by  hantl,  be- 
ing first  brought  into  prominence  by  being  op- 
erated in  the  great  rea]K-r  trial  at  Dixon.  Illinois, 
held  during  the  harvest  season  of  1862.  Emer- 
son &  Comjiany  contracted  to  make  one  thou- 
sand machines  for  Mr.  Iiurson  for  the  harvest  of 
1863,  these  being  the  first  thousand  grain  binders 
ever  manufactured.  ^Ir.  l'>urson  came  to  Rock- 
ford  for  the  puqjose  of  carrying  out  the  contract 
and  resided  in  this  city  until  iSSi.  when  he  re- 
moved to  Chicago.  On  accnunt  of  imperfect 
workmanship,  lack  of  field  experts  and  other  ad- 
verse circumstances  the  business  of  manufactur- 
\:\g  and  placing  upon  the  market  the  grain  bind- 
ers ])rove(l  a  disastrous  venture  financially  and  left 
him  with  a  large  indebtedness,  which  was  not  en- 
tirel\  li(|ui(lated  until  upi.  In  the  meantime  his 
llHHights  and  etiorts  were  concentrated  along 
other  lines  of  invention  and  mechanical  improve- 
ment, and  in  1866.  associated  with  the  late  John 
.Nelson,  under  the  firm  name  of  Burson  &  Nelson, 
the  invention  of  the  family  knitting  machine  was 
undertaken.  Mr.  Nelson  was  obliged  to  give  his 
attention  largely  to  the  operation  of  a  sash,  door 
and  blind  factory  for  some  time,  but  Mr.  Burson 
a|)i)lied  himself  closely  to  the  work  which  he  had 
undertaken  an<l  after  much  tedious  labor  on  the 
part  of  both  gentlemen  a  power  machine  was  per- 
fected. Cpon  these  machines  patents  were  issued 
to  Burson  &  .Nelson  in  i8('j8,  1870  and  1875,  and 
in  1874  they  also  secured  a  patent  on  hose.  On 
the  25tli  of  Decemlx^r,  i86t),  a  part  now  known  as 
the  ])resser  hook  was  dcvelojied  and  on  the  23d  of 
fill  v.  1870.  the  first  sock  was  knit  by  an  auto- 
matic machine  at  Rockford.  The  .socks  came 
from  the  machine  joined  together  and  were  sepa- 
rated by  hand  and  the  toes  were  also  thus  closed. 
This  was  the  first  practical  automatic  knitting 
machine.  In  1 872-3  the  ]iarallel  row  machine  was 
developed,  this  being  tlie  beginning  of  Rock- 
ford's  great  knitting  industry.  These  machines 
were  automatic  an<l  closed  both  toe  and  heel,  pro- 
ducing a  stocking  ready  to  wear  without  hand 
work. 

Rockford  seamless  socks  were  i)ioneers  in 
seamless  hosiery  and  superseded  the  old  line  of 
goods  which  before  had  held  the  market.  .Mr. 
Bursnn   continued   as  a   member  of   tlie   firm  of 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


167 


Burson  &  Nelson  initil  1878.  when  he  withdrew 
from  that  business  and  independently  continued 
the  work  of  experiment  and  invention.  He  has 
continuously  studied  out  new  devices,  which,  put 
to  the  practical  test,  have  resulted  in  the  building 
of  an  automatic  grain-binding  harvester :  a  knit- 
ting machine  with  a  mitten  pattern,  having  a 
double  wrist,  with  the  letters,  "pat'd,"  knit  there- 
in, also  a  patent  office  model,  knitting  a  stocking 
with  a  narrow  ankle  and  fancy  top,  containing 
the  letter  "B,"  a  ribbed  scarf  with  letters  at  each 
end,  and  a  shirt  sleeve  with  fancy  cuff  and  wid- 
ening to  the  body,  all  of  these  articles  knit  with 
change  of  yarn  and  on  a  single  pattern  upon  the 
same  needles.  Between  the  years  of  1879  ^"d 
1892  ^Ir.  Burson  developed  a  number  of  im- 
portant harvesting  inventions  which  were  pur- 
chased by  W^hitely,  Deering,  AlcCormick,  Walter 
A.  Wood  and  the  Milwaukee  and  Piano  Harvest- 
ing Companies.  In  1891  he  undertook  the  perfec- 
tion of  knitting  machinery  and  in  1892  brought 
one  of  these  machines  to  Rockford.  These  ma- 
chines were  modeled  after  his  invention  of  1878, 
and  their  product  is  now  being  shipped  from 
Rockford  to  all  parts  of  the  United  States,  an  ex- 
tensive factory  being  kept  in  constant  operation. 
Mr.  Burson  has  been  allowed  more  than  fifty 
United  States  and  foreign  patents  on  grain  bind- 
ers, harvesters,  automatic  knitting  machines,  knit 
fabrics  and  other  lines  upon  which  he  has  worked, 
and  on  which  he  is  still  actively  engaged.  "There 
is  nothing  extemporaneous,"  said  one  of  Chica- 
go's eminent  divines.  "Everything  results  from 
some  previous  condition  of  labor."  This  truth 
is  especially  manifest  in  the  life  of  the  inventor, 
who  may  jjerfect  in  a  few-  weeks  or  perhaps  days 
an  invention  which  is  the  outcome  of  years  of 
thought,  study  and  experiment,  and  all  that  Mr. 
Burson  has  given  to  the  world  in  the  way  of  im- 
proved machinery  represents  years  of  close  appli- 
cation, earnest  investigation  and  untiring  effort. 
He  is  a  man  of  enterprise,  positive  character,  in- 
domitable energy,  strong  integrity  and  liberal 
views  and  has  been  fully  identified  with  the 
growth  and  prosperity  of  the  city  of  his  adop- 
tion. He  has,  moreover,  concentrated  his  efforts 
in  pursuit  of  a  persistent  purpose  until  he  has 
gained  a  most  satisfactorv  reward. 


HUGH  FERGUSON. 

Hugh  Ferguson,  living  on  section  25,  Harlem 
township,  is  the  owner  of  a  farm  of  two  hundred 
and  eight  acres  of  arable  land,  the  productiveness 
of  which  is  demonstrated  in  the  fine  harvests 
which  he  annually  garners.  He  was  born  on  the 
2d  of  November.  1854,  in  the  village  of  Argyle, 
Harlem   township.      His    parents    were   William 


and  Helen  (  Picken)  Ferguson.  The  father  was 
born  in  Campbellstown,  Scotland,  in  1813  and 
there  resided  until  1836,  when  he  came  to  the 
United  States,  making  his  way  to  Cincinnati, 
( )hio,  where  he  lived  for  four  years.  On  the  ex- 
piration of  that  period  he  took  up  his  abode  at 
Arg}le,  Winnebago  county,  and  purchased  the 
farm  whereon  he  resided  for  twenty-two  years. 
He  then  sold  that  property  and  bought  the  farm 
now  occupied  by  his  son  Hugh,  continuing  it  as 
Iiis  place  of  residence  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  January,  1884.  He  learned  the  carpen- 
ter's trade  in  Scotland,  but  in  this  country  his  en- 
ergies and  attention  were  concentrated  upon  his 
agricultural  pursuits.  His  wife  was  also  a  native 
of  Scotland,  having  been  born  in  the  vicinity  of 
Campbellstown  about  181 7,  and  with  her  parents 
she  came  to  \\'innebago  county,  Illinois,  in  1836. 
Her  death  occurred  here  in  October,  1883.  The 
members  of  the  family  are  as  follows :  James, 
born  in  1840,  died  in  Rockford  in  1895,  leaving 
a  widow  and  one  son.  Alexander,  born  in  Har- 
lem township  and  now  living  in  Rockford,  mar- 
ried .Margaret  Ralston,  of  Caledonia,  Illinois,  and 
has  two  children.  W.  J.,  a  resident  of  Harlem 
township,  wedded  Cora  E.  Ferguson  and  is  liv- 
ing at  Rockford.  \\'.  D.,  whose  home  is  in  Los 
Angeles.  California,  married  Ada  Smith,  by 
whom  he  has  two  daughters  and  a  son,  and  their 
home  is  in  Rockford.  Thomas,  living  in  Rock- 
ford, married  Alice  Smith,  of  Byron,  Illinois. 
Charles  P.,  of  Lake  City,  Iowa,  married  Jennie 
Turner,  of  Argyle.  and  has  one  son  and  two 
daughters.  Ellen,  born  in  1844,  became  the  wife 
of  Charles  Greenlee,  of  Belvidere,  Illinois,  and 
(lied  in  1882,  leaving  a  husband  and  two  sons  and 
two  daughters.  Mary  J.,  born  in  1846,  became 
the  wife  of  James  Brysen,  of  Chicago,  Illinois, 
and  died  in   1869. 

Hugh  Ferguson  was  seven  years  of  age  when 
his  parents  removed  from  the  farm  at  Argyle  to 
the  farm  in  Harlem  township,  on  which  he  yet 
resides.  He  was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits 
and  has  alwavs  followed  that  occupation,  being 
now  successfully  engaged  in  general  farming  and 
also  in  the  raising  and  feeding  of  cattle.  His 
early  education  was  acquired  in  the  common 
schools  and  subsequently  he  continued  his  studies 
in  Lounsberry  Academy,  in  Rockford. 

Hugh  Ferguson  was  married  March  30,  1897, 
to  Cora  Belle  Bryden  and  they  have  a  daughter, 
Minnie  Helen,  born  March  7,  1899.  Mrs.  Fergu- 
son is  a  daughter  of  James  W.  and  Olive  (Hal- 
sted)  Bryden  and  was  born  December  9,  i864_,  in 
Harrison  township.  She  has  been  twice  married, 
her  first  husband  being  Henry  Barkley,  wdno  died 
in  1892,  leaving  three  children — Earl  H.,  Fred 
L,  and  Olive  F.  Her  father.  James  W.  Bryden, 
was  born  in  Argyleshire,  Scotland,  July  22,  1830, 
and  came  to  America  when  eighteen  years  of  age. 


i68 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


landing  at  New  York  city.  He  lived  in  the 
state  of  New  York  and  in  Pennsylvania  until 
185C),  when  he  came  to  Winnebago  connly.  In 
1861  he  joined  the  Union  army  and  served  for 
four  years,  being  for  two  years  in  the  commis- 
sary department,  while  for  two  years  he  was  a 
member  of  Company  G.  Eleventh  Illinois  Cavalry. 
He  married  C  )live  Halstetl.  who  was  born  in 
Pennsvlvania,  and  was  brought  to  Harrison  town- 
ship, this  county,  in  her  early  girlh(X)d  days.  Her 
death  occurred  in  Rockford  in  1893.  Mrs.  l-'er- 
guson  has  one  brother,  William  J.  Bryden,  a  resi- 
dent of  Shirland  township,  who  is  married  and 
has  a  son  and  daughter.  Her  sisters  are :  Mrs. 
Fred  Gilmore,  of  Owen  townshi]).  who  has  one 
son ;  Mrs.  Fred  Schoonmaker.  of  Harlem 
township,  who  has  two  sons ;  and  ^Irs.  Frank 
Buchanan,  of  Rockford,  who  has  one  daughter. 

Mr.  Ferguson,  since  attaining  liis  majority,  has 
exercised  his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the 
men  and  measures  of  the  republican  i)arty  and 
has  done  everything  in  his  power  to  jjromote  its 
growth  and  extend  its  influence,  being  recog- 
nized as  a  local  leader  in  party  ranks.  He  has 
served  as  justice  of  the  peace  and  retired  in  the 
present  year,  1905,  from  the  office  of  assessor,  in 
which  he  had  been  the  incumbent  for  eight  years. 
At  the  present  time  he  is  a  member  of  the  school 
board.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  Camj) 
No.  661,  M.  W.  A.,  and  with  Harmony  Grange, 
of  which  he  is  treasurer,  and  he  belongs  to  the 
Presbyterian  church.  His  entire  life  has  been 
spent  in  this  county  and  he  has  lived  always  upon 
two  farms,  the  one  upon  which  he  was  b<irn  and 
the  one  which  is  now-  his  place  of  residence.  He 
has  here  a  valuable  property  and  its  splendid  ap- 
pearance indicates  his  careful  supervision  and 
practical  methods. 


MARCUS   A.    NORTON. 

Marcus  A.  Norton,  who  during  the  last  twen- 
ty years  has  been  honored  by  being  made  the  re- 
cipient of  various  offices  of  public  trust,  and  is 
now  filling  the  position  of  county  clerk  in  Win- 
nebago county,  was  born  in  the  town  of  r)ridge- 
water,  Michigan,  January  16.  1841.  Three  years 
later  his  parents  took  up  their  abode  in  Ann  Ar- 
bor, Michigan,  so  the  children  might  enjoy  the 
excellent  educational  opportunities  there  offered. 
In  1852  they  removed  to  Rockford,  the  famil\- 
home  being  established  on  the  south  side  in  what 
was  then  the  fifth  ward. 

Marcus  A.  Norton  attended  the  .\nn  .\rbor 
and  the  Rockford  schools,  and  the  latent  force 
of  his  character  was  developed  by  the  incidents 
and  early  scenes  of  the  Civil  war.  He  became  a 
stanch  advocate  of  the  Union  cause,  and  feeling 


tUai  his  aid  was  needed  at  the  front,  he  enlisted 
as  a  private  in  Company  G.  Forty-fourth  Illinois 
Infantry,  for  a  term  of  three  years.  With  his 
command  he  went  to  the  south  and  took  part  in 
a  number  of  important  engagements.  At  the 
battle  of  Chickamauga,  on  the  20th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1863,  he  was  severely  wounded,  and  when 
the  regiment  retreated,  was  left  on  the  field, 
where  he  was  later  found  by  the  rebels  and 
claimed  as  a  prisoner  of  war.  He  was  paroled, 
however,  with  others  who  were  severely  injured, 
and  on  the  ist  of  October,  1863,  was  taken  to 
Chickamauga.  Following  an  exchange  of  pris- 
oners, he  rejoined  his  regiment,  and  again  active 
service  fell  to  his  lot,  for  he  participated  in  the 
.\tlarta  campaign  under  General  Sherman,  being 
present  at  the  time  of  the  surrender  of  the  city. 
\\'hen  his  three  years'  term  had  expired  he  was 
mustered  out  at  .Atlanta.  September  17,  1864,  and 
with  a  most  creditable  military  record  returned 
to  his  home.  He  gave  his  service  freely  and  will- 
ingly to  his  country.  The  important  military 
tluties  which  devolved  upon  him  are  indicated  by 
the  fact  that  he  ])articipated  in  the  engagements 
at  Perryville.  Stone  River,  Chickamauga,  Lost 
Mountain,  Kenesaw  Mountain.  Peach  Tree 
Creek  and  Jonesboro,  together  with  many  of 
the  skirmishes  and  engagements  in  the  vicinity  of 
.\tlanta.  The  story  of  the  great  sanguinary  con- 
flict which  to  many  is  a  matter  of  history  is  to 
him  a  matter  of  experience,  and  indelibly  im- 
pressed upon  his  mind  are  many  of  the  scenes  and 
incidents  which  occurred  in  connection  with  the 
preservation  of  the  L'nion. 

Mr.  Norton  has  rendered  to  his  country  equal- 
ly loyal  and  creditable  service  as  a  public  official, 
for  no  trust  reposed  in  him  in  connection  with  his 
official  duties  in  Winnebago  county  has  ever  been 
betrayed  in  the  slightest  degree.  In  1883  he  was 
elected  supervisor  from  the  fifth  ward  of  Rock- 
ford. and  continued  in  office  for  three  terms,  when 
he  declined  to  again  become  a  nominee,  from  the 
fact  that  he  was  a  candidate  for  the  office  of  comi- 
ty clerk  in  1886.  When  the  republican  county  con- 
vention met  at  Rockford  in  Jime  of  that  year  he 
was  nominated  by  acclamation  for  the  office  which 
he  sought,  and  the  election  in  the  following  No- 
vember showed  that  he  was  a  successful  candi- 
date. .At  each  recurring  convention  he  has  been 
renominated  by  acclamation,  and  is  now  serving 
his  fifth  term.  He  takes  no  special  credit  to  him- 
self for  the  capable  manner  which  has  marked  the 
discharge  of  his  official  work,  regarding  it  merely 
as  his  duty,  but  the  general  public  is  free  to  ac- 
cord him  ]>raise  for  what  he  has  done,  and  the 
testimonial  of  the  public  trust  is  his  frequent  re- 
election. .Abraham  Lincoln  said,  "Yon  can  fool 
some  of  the  .American  people  all  of  the  time,  and 
all  of  the  .American  people  some  of  the  time,  but 
von  can't   fool  all  of  the  American  people  all  of 


MARCUS  A.  NORTON. 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


171 


the  time."  It  is  in  this  that  the  safety  of  Amer- 
ican poHtics  hes,  and  a  continuation  in  an  elective 
office  is  virtual  proof  of  prompt,  capable  and  hon- 
orable service  on  the  part  of  the  incumbent. 

JNIr.  Norton  was  married,  in  May,  1866.  to 
Miss  Henrietta  Gardner,  the  weddinsj  ceremony 
being  performed  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  Kerr. 
They  lost  their  only  child  in  infancy.  Their  home 
is  at  No.  610  North  street,  and  the  social  enter- 
tainment there  afforded  is  greatly  enjoyed  by 
their  many  friends  who  are  constantly  increasing 
in  number  as  the  circle  of  their  acquaintance 
widens. 


RUGGLES  W.  CRUMB. 

Ruggles  ^^'.  Crumb,  now  deceased,  was  well 
known  in  business  circles  in  Rockford  as  the  pres- 
ident of  the  R.  W.  Crumb  Lumber  &  Fuel  Com- 
pany. He  was  born  in  Otsego  county.  New  York, 
January  2'].  1828,  his  parents  being  \'arnum  and 
Sophronia  Crumb.  The  father  spent  his  entire 
life  in  that  county  and  passed  away  there,  while 
]\Irs.  Crumb  came  west  to  Rockford  and  died 
here,  aged  ninety-six  years. 

Ruggles  \\'.  Crumb  was  a  student  in  the  com- 
mon schools  in  his  early  boyhood  days  and  after- 
wartl  attended  the  academ_\"  in  Otsego  county, 
thus  acquiring  a  good  education  and  being  well 
equipped  for  the  practical  and  responsible  duties 
which  came  to  him  in  later  life.  At  the  age  of 
eighteen  years  he  secured  a  situation  in  the  em- 
ploy of  a  manufacturing  company  in  Otsego 
county,  manufacturers  of  all  kinds  of  garden  im- 
plements, and  there  his  capability  and  fidelity  won 
ready  recognition  in  promotion  which  eventually 
made  him  a  partner  in  the  enterprise.  He  was 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  implements  at 
that  place  until  1868,  when,  thinking  that  the 
west  offered  a  still  broader  field  of  labor,  he  took 
up  his  abode  in  Chicago,  where  he  formed  a  part- 
nership with,  two  brothers,  establishing  a  lumber 
business.  There  he  remained  until  1877.  when 
he  removed  to  Marengo,  Illinois,  where  he  con- 
tinued in  the  lumber  trade  for  three  years.  He 
afterward  spent  nine  years  in  a  similar  enter- 
prise in  Belvidere,  Boone  county,  Illinois,  and  in 
1889  came  to  Rockford,  where  he  and  his  two 
children  opened  up  a  lumber  yard  under  the  firm 
style  of  the  R.  W.  Crumb  Lumber  &  Fuel  Com- 
pany, at  No.  709  Seventh  street.  Mr.  Crumb  was 
active  in  the  management  of  this  enterprise  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  January  25,  1902. 

In  Otsego  county.  New  York,  occurred  the 
marriage  of  Ruggles  W.  Crumb  and  Miss  Caro- 
line M.  Robinson,  a  native  of  Otsego  county,  and 
a  daughter  of  Dr.  Plinney  Robinson,  who  was  a 
prominent  physician  of  that  county,  where  he  and 


his  wife  spent  their  entire  lives.  Five  children 
were  born  unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crumb,  of  whom 
three  are  living,  namely :  Haskell  A.,  who  mar- 
ried Mary  M.  Crandall,  and  resides  in  Rockford, 
where  he  is  president  and  treasurer  of  the  R.  W. 
Crumb  Lumber  &  Fuel  Company ;  Grace  K., 
who  is  principal  of  the  Garrison  School  of  Rock- 
ford. and  resides  with  her  mother:  and  Ward  C, 
who  married  Nellie  Bennett  and  is  secretary  of 
the  R.  \\'.  Crumb  Lumber  &  Fuel  Company. 
The  other  children,  Josephine  and  Arthur,  died 
while  in  Chicago. 

Mr.  Crumb  voted  with  the  democratic  party 
in  early  life  and  afterward  became  a  republican, 
but  never  cared  for  political  preferment.  He 
was  a  stanch  advocate  of  the  temperance  cause 
and  devoted  much  time  to  furthering  temperance 
principles,  while  both  he  and  his  wife  were  con- 
sistent and  active  members  of  the  State  Street 
Baptist  church.  Flis  life  was  at  all  times  hon- 
orable and  u])right,  being  in  consistent  harmony 
with  his  professions,  and  his  religion  formed  a 
part  of  his  daily  existence,  prompting  him  to 
honorable  dealings  in  all  his  business  transac- 
tions and  to  justice  and  uprightness  in  all  life's 
relations.  His  name  became  a  synonym  for  busi- 
ness integrity  as  well  as  industry,  and  he  left  his 
family  an  untarnished  life  record,  as  well  as  a 
substantial  competence.  His  widow  now  owns  a 
nice  home  at  No.  1013  Harlem  aventie,  where  she 
and  her  daughter  reside. 


G.  A.  STE\ENS. 


G.  A.  Stevens,  starting  out  in  life  for  himself  at 
the  age  of  ten  years,  is  to-day  one  of  the  prosper- 
ous farmers  of  Winnebago  county,  located  on  sec- 
tion 9.  Guilford  township.  He  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  this  county  since  1877  and  in  earlier  years 
was  identified  with  building  operations,  but  for 
some  time  has  been  connected  with  agricultural 
interests.  He  was  born  in  New  Brunswick,  New 
Jersey,  in  1858,  his  parents  being  John  and  Anna 
Stevens,  but  the  mother  died  during  the  infancy 
of  her  son.  The  father  was  a  native  of  England 
and  came  to  the  United  States  when  a  young 
man.  In  his  youth  he  went  upon  the  sea  and  re- 
mained a  sailor  throughout  much  of  his  life,  but 
in  his  later  years  became  a  merchant  tailor,  con- 
ducting business  in  New  York  city.  He  died 
there  in  July,  181)4,  when  almost  eighty-six  years 
of  age.  In  his  family  were  the  following  named : 
(j.  A.,  of  this  review  :  Mrs.  Lydia  Kennedy,  of 
Spottswood.  New  Jersey ;  Jule,  who  resides  near 
Brockport,  New  York :  and  Alfred,  who  is  liv- 
ing in  Norwich,  New  York. 

G.  A.  Stevens,  leaving  home  when  ten  years  of 
age,  worked  his  wav  alone  among  strangers,  trav- 


J  72 


I'AST     AND     PRESEXT     OF     WINNEBAGO    COUXTV. 


cling  westward  to  Wisconsin,  and  reaching  Jef- 
ferson county,  tliat  state,  in  April,  1869.  He 
made  his  home  there  for  about  eight  years,  or 
until  1879,  when  he  came  to  Winnebago  county, 
Illinois,  settling  in  Rockford,  where  he  l)egan 
working  at  the  cariK-nter's  trade.  He  was  thus 
engaged  for  about  tifteen  years  and  during  ihat 
period  he  located  on  his  present  farm.  This  is  a 
good  tract  of  land,  whicli  is  well  improved,  and 
indicates  his  careful  supervision  in  its  splendid 
appearance  and  excellent  etiuipment.  He  also 
owns  a  fine  farm  in   South   Dakota. 

In  1887,  in  Rockford,  .Mr.  Stevens  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Amelia  Whittle,  who  was 
born  in  Guilford  township,  in  1853,  her  parents 
being  Frederick  and  Matilda  ( IJeers)  \\'hittle. 
Her  father  was  born  in  Canada,  September  5, 
181S.  and  was  of  French  lineage.  He  was  reared 
in  the  ])lace  of  his  nativity  and  on  coming  to  Illi- 
nois, located  on  the  state  road  in  (niilford  town- 
ship. He  was  then  a  young  man  and  began  life 
here  as  an  agriculturist.  Alx)Ut  1888  he  ])ur- 
chased  a  farm  in  section  22,  Guilford  townshi]). 
As  a  companion  and  helpmate  on  life's  journev  he 
chose  Miss  lleers.  to  whom  he  was  married 
March  2^.  1849.  'i"*^'  t'ley  located  upon  his  farni. 
which  continued  to  be  their  home  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  April  26,  1854.  In  his  political 
views  he  was  a  republican  and  in  religious  faith 
a  ISaptist.  His  wife  was  born  in  Somerset.  Or- 
leans county.  New  York,  January  22.  1831,  and 
was  a  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Mary  (Herrick) 
ISeers,  who  came  to  this  county  in  June,  1836. 
locating  in  Guilford  township  on  the  state  road. 
The  father  was  a  farmer  and  both  he  and  his 
wife  died  in  this  county.  Daniel  Ueers  was  born 
August  II,  1806,  in  Moore  townshi]),  Northamp- 
ton county,  Pennsylvania,  and  was  married  in  the 
state  of  New  York,  February  11,  1830.  In  1834 
he  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
and  in  June,  1836,  he  removed  with  his  family 
to  Rockford,  reaching  his  destination  on  the  13th 
of  June  of  that  year.  Not  long  afterward  he  took 
up  his  abode  in  Guilford  township,  where  he  re- 
mained until  the  fall  of  1855,  when  he  removed  to 
Monroe,  Wisconsin,  making  his  home  there  until 
1863.  At  that  date  he  returned  to  Rockford,  and 
in  the  spring  of  1868  removed  from  the  city  to 
Harlem  township,  where  the  succeeding  three 
years  were  passed,  when  he  again  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  cotmty  scat,  there  spending  his  re- 
maining days,  his  (leath  occurring  April  3,  1880. 
He  and  his  wife  were  among  the  five  charter 
memlxirs  of  the  Methodist  church.  Mrs.  Beers 
\\as  born  November  30.  1812.  in  the  Empire 
State  and  was  a  daughter  of  Lutlier  and  Mary 
(Johnson)  Herrick,  who  were  also  natives  of 
that  state.  Mrs.  Beers  died  in  Rockford,  No- 
vember 18,  1896,  having  foi  about  sixteen  years 
sun'ived  her  husKind. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frederick  Whittle  were  the  par- 
ents of  two  daughters — Emily  J.,  who  was  born 
in  Guilford  townshii),  February  20,  1850,  was 
married  to  Leonard  Marsh,  December  15.  1868, 
and  died  September  17,  1885.  Mr.  Marsh  now 
resides  at  Topeka,  Kansas.  Mrs.  Whittle  was 
married  August  23.  1855,  to  Wilhrd  Convers,  who 
was  born  January  20,  1822,  in  Litchfield  town- 
ship, Bradford  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  was  a 
son  of  Henry  Convers,  whose  birth  occurred 
April  7.  177<).  and  he  removed  westward  to  Guil- 
ford township.  \\'innebago  county,  where  he  re- 
sided until  his  death,  January  3.  1853.  Willard 
Convers  came  as  a  boy  to  this  county  in  1839  and 
resided  on  section  16.  Guilford  township,  this  be- 
ing the  farm  now  occupied  by  Mrs.  Convers  and 
by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stevens.  Mr.  Convers  took  up 
land  on  section  16,  the  patent  of  which  is  still  in 
possession  of  the  family.  Mrs.  Convers  will  be 
seventy-five  years  of  age  in  January,  ux)6.  and 
having  been  a  resident  of  Guilford  township  since 
June  13,  1836,  has  lived  longer  in  this  county 
than  any  other  woman  now  living. 

Mr.  Stevens  is  a  stanch  repulilican.  believing 
firmly  in  the  ])rincii)les  of  his  rarty,  and  has  ac- 
ceptably filled  various  township  offices.  So- 
cially he  Is  a  member  of  Rockford  lodge.  No. 
102.  A.  F.  &  A.  M..  and  his  religious  views  are 
somewhat  in  harmony  with  the  doctrines  of  the 
L'niversalist  church. 


HORACE  r.ROWN. 


Horace  lirown.  banker  and  cai>ilalist.  whose 
intense  and  well  directetl  activity  has  gained  him 
a  foremost  position  in  financial  circles  of  Rock- 
ford. was  born  in  Springfield,  Windsor  county, 
\'ermont,  June  24,  1824.  His  ancestry,  both  lineal 
and  collateral,  has  through  many  generations 
been  distinctively  .Vmerican,  but  still  farther  back 
the  record  leads  to  Edward  Brown,  who  was  born 
in  Horton,  County  Kent.  England,  in  1501,  and 
became  one  of  the  early  colonists  of  Ijiswich, 
Massachusetts,  sailing  from  London,  England, 
on  the  ship  Hopewell.  Representatives  of  the 
family  lived  there  down  to  the  time  of  Elisha 
Brown,  grandfather  of  Horace  Brown,  who  was 
br)rn  in  Ipswich,  Massachusetts.  January  7,  1748. 
P'oUowing  his  removal  to  Ilinghaiu.  Massachu- 
setts, he  was  married  there  to  Merriel  Bates,  and 
in  1773  removetl  to  Winchendon,  Massachusetts. 
He  studied  closely  the  attitude  of  the  mother 
coimtry  as  she  encroached  more  and  more  closely 
upon  the  liberty  of  the  colonists  and  when  the  at- 
tempt was  made  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of 
British  opjiression  he  joined  the  .Xmerican  army 
and  participated  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill 
and  other  important  engagements.  In  1778  he 
took  up  his  abode  in  Springfield,  \'ermont. 


)(XTci. 


zjJ3, 


/yCT'LAJ-'^ 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


175 


Jonathan  Brown,  father  of  Horace  Brown,  was 
born  in  Springfield,  October  5.  1796,  and  wedded 
Hannah  Stocker,  who  was  of  Enghsh  and 
Scotch  lineage.  Her  father,  Elijah  Stocker.  also 
a  patriot  of  the  Revolutionary  army,  partici- 
pated in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  and  also  in 
the  engagement  at  Yorktown,  where  Cornwallis 
surrendered. 

In  his  native  county  Horace  Brown  acquired 
a  public  school  education  and  when  not  engaged 
with  his  text-books  assisted  in  the  operation  of 
his  father's  farm,  remaining  at  home  until  twenty 
years  of  age,  when  he  entered  the  employ  of  the 
Hon.  William  Thayer,  a  farmer  of  the  neigh- 
borhood. In  1845,  however,  he  turned  his  at- 
tention to  the  manufacture  of  oil  cloth  in  Lan- 
singburg.  New  York,  where  he  remained  until 
1850.  when  he  started  for  the  middle  west,  reach- 
ing Rockford  on  the  12th  of  ;\Iay.  He  made 
investment  in  a  farm  in  New  Milford  township, 
then  containing  a  population  of  only  eighteen 
liundred,  and  after  leasing  the  property  he  re- 
turned to  the  east  for  his  bride. 

]\Ir.  Brown  was  married,  September  12.  1850, 
to  Miss  Mary  .\.  Thayer,  a  daughter  of  the 
Hon.  William  Thayer,  his  first  employer.  Her 
father,  better  known  as  Captain  Thayer,  was 
a  man  of  prominence  in  his  comunity,  where  he 
served  as  justice  of  the  peace  and  was  also  a 
member  of  the  state  legislature  for  several  terms. 
He  was  engaged  in  the  tanning  business  and  the 
manufacture  of  shoes.  Mrs.  Brown  was  born 
February  16.  1827,  and  with  her  husband  re- 
turned to  his  western  home,  but  in  the  following 
spring  they  again  went  east  and  Mr.  Brown  ac- 
cepted a  position  in  the  oil  cloth  factory,  where 
he  remained  until  June,  1853. 

On  that  date  they  arrived  in  Rockford,  where 
they  located.  Mr.  Brown  trading  his  farm  for 
property  on  the  west  side  of  the  city,  while  he 
turned  his  attention  to  the  livery  business,  form- 
ing a  partnership  with  G.  W.  Reynolds.  The 
new  enterprise  proved  profitable,  but  after  two 
years  Mr.  Brown  sold  out  and  again  returned 
to  his  native  town,  where  he  was  connected  with 
the  conduct  of  several  business  interests.  He 
took  up  his  abode  permanently  in  Rockford  in 
1859  and  his  home  has  since  been  on  Park  Ridge, 
one  of  the  most  beautifully  located  districts  of 
the  city.  He  has  long  figured  prominently  in 
financial  circles.  He  assisted  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Rockford  National  Bank  in  1871. 
with  Gilbert  Woodruff  as  president :  Mr.  Brown, 
vice  president ;  and  D.  H.  Ferguson,  cashier. 
Later  J\I.  S.  Parmelle  was  made  cashier  and 
was  succeeded  by  ^^^  F.  Woodruff,  who  became 
vice  president  after  the  death  of  his  father  in 
1875.  at  which  time  ]\Ir.  Brown  succeeded  to  the 
presidency,  and  H.  S.  Burpee  was  made  cashier. 
The  bank  was  organized  with  a  capital  of  one 


hundred  thousand  dollars  and  now  has  a  surplus 
of  the  same  amount.  The  safe  conservative 
policy  inaugurated  by  the  bank  at  the  outset  has 
alwavs  been  maintained  and  the  bank  almost  im- 
mediately took  rank  with  the  leading  moneyed 
institutions  of  the  state  and  has  been  accorded 
a  patronage  which  makes  its  volume  of  business 
of  a  proportion  that  would  be  creditable  to  the 
banks  of  much  larger  cities.  To  other  fields 
of  business  activity  Mr.  Brown  has  extended  his 
eitorts.  In  1892  he  was  one  of  the  promoters 
of  the  Forest  City  Insurance  Company,  of  which 
he  has  served  as  treasurer  and  vice-president 
and  also  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  directors, 
being  the  only  original  director  now  left,  and  he 
was  president  of  the  Insurance  Company  of  the 
State  of  Illinois  during  the  first  years  of  its  ex- 
istence. He  has  been  a  factor  in  public  progress 
in  community  interests  and  as  the  champion  of 
beneficial  public  measures  his  labors  have  proved 
far-reaching. 

Mr.  and  !Mrs.  Brown  had  one  son  and  one 
daughter.  William  Tha}-er  Brown,  born  in  Rock- 
ford, ;\Iarch  2,  1854.  is  a  member  of  the  fimi 
of  A.  G.  Spaulding  &  Brothers.  He  resides  in 
East  Orange.  New  Jersey,  and  has  his  office  at 
No.  126  Nassau  street.  New  York  city.  He 
wedded  Miss  Mary  L.  Spaulding  on  the  24th 
of  August.  1875.  She  was  bom  October  23, 
1854.  and  they  have  four  children:  Horace  S., 
Harriet  Irene.  William  Thayer  and  Elizabeth. 
Alice  C.  Brown,  born  March  26.  1856,  was  the 
wife  of  D.  H.  Ferguson,  of  Denver,  Colorado, 
and  died  March  23,  1890,  leaving  a  son,  Donald 
Bro\\n  Ferguson.  Carrie  A.  Brown,  born  Ju'y 
27.  i860,  died  April  10.  1885.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Brown  have  ever  occupied  in  social  circles  the 
prominent  position  accorded  in  recognition  of 
culture,  intelligence  and  long  residence,  and 
in  business  circles,  where  he  has  been  known 
for  more  than  half  a  century,  his  judgment  is 
regarded  as  of  great  value  and  his  name  is 
honored. 


JOHN  HIBBARD. 


John  Hibbard.  a  retired  wagonmaker.  residing 
at  No.  1443  School  street,  was  born  in  England 
in  182 1.  His  father,  John  H.  Hibbard,  a  native 
of  the  same  country,  was  a  wagonmaker  by  trade. 
John  Hibbard  spent  the  days  of  his  youth  in  his 
nati\-e  country  and  was  about  twent_\--nine  years 
of  age  when  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America, 
settling  first  in  Canada,  whence  he  made  his  wa.y 
to  Buffalo,  New  York.  He  afterward  took  up  his 
abode  in  Pike  county,  Illinois,  where  he  lived  for 
two  vears,  and  later  removed  to  Louisiana,  Mis- 
souri', where  he   spent  the  succeeding  ten  years. 


176 


PAST     AND     I'RllSKXT     OV     Wl.WEP.AGO     COUNTY. 


On  tlie  expiration  of  that  periotl  he  settled  in  Ne- 
braska, where  for  twenty  years  he  made  his  home, 
and  then  ag'ain  went  to  Canada,  S])en<hng  five 
years  in  the  IX)niinion.  W'lien  lie  returned  to  Illi- 
nois he  tt)ok  up  his  abode  in  Rix-ktord.  where  he 
is  now  living  retired,  having  for  fourteen  years 
made  his  home  in  this  city.  In  early  life  he 
learned  the  wagonmaker's  trade  and  throughout 
the  greater  ])art  of  his  active  business  career  he 
has  followed  that  pursuit,  his  industry,  persever- 
ance and  indefatigable  energy  being  the  strong 
elements  in  his  success.  l!y  tlie  careful  husband- 
ing of  his  resources  as  the  years  passed  he  accu- 
mulated a  handsome  coni])etence  that  now  enables 
him  to  live  retired. 

Mr.  Hibbard  was  married  in  Dorsetshire.  Eng- 
land, to  Miss  .\nn  .Martin,  who  was  born  in  that 
country  in  1831.  She  is  a  lady  of  culture,  fond 
of  reading,  and  is  seldom  found  without  a  book  in 
her  hands.  Mr.  Hibbard  has  also  kept  well  in- 
formed with  the  progress  of  the  world  and  the 
t|ucstions  of  the  day  through  I'.is  reading  and  ob- 
servation. He  has  twice  visited  luigland  since 
taking  u]i  his  abode  in  the  new  world,  thus  re- 
newing acquaintances  of  his  youth  and  looking 
again  upon  the  scenes  amid  which  his  boyhood 
days  and  early  manhood  were  passed.  He  now 
has  a  nice  home  where  he  resides  at  No.  1443 
School  street,  and  he  owns  a  tract  with  fort\ 
feet  frontage  adjnining  his  lot.  his  land  cover- 
ing an  area  of  one  hundred  and  four  by  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-two  feet.  He  also  has  a  good  bank 
account  and  his  prosperity  is  the  rew'ard  of  his 
efforts,  lioth  .Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Hibbard  are  members 
of  the  r[])iscopal  church.  They  have  now  trav- 
eled far  on  life's  journey,  he  having  passed  the 
eighty- fourth  milestone. 


F..   I.  N'ENESS. 


There  are  many  men  of  worth  who  for  lack  of 
certain  of  the  essential  elements  of  a  successful 
business  career  have  to  strive  year  after  year  for 
a  competence  and  then  fail  of  its  attainment. 
There  arc  others  who  by  reason  of  energy,  strong 
l)uri)ose  and  laudable  ambition,  guided  by  .sound 
inisiness  judgment  and  ])ractical  common  sense, 
gain  the  goal  of  prosperity  and  are  enabled,  in 
their  later  years,  to  enjoy  merited  rest  from  labor. 
To  the  latter  class  Mr.  Veness  belongs.  He  is  a 
re])resentative  of  a  colony  of  New  ^'ork  citizens 
who  have  been  iirominent  and  active  in  the  u])- 
building  of  Kockton  townshij)  and  the  utilization 
of  its  natural  resources.  He  was  born  in  Rome, 
New  York.  January  31,  1836.  and  his  parents, 
James  and  Charlotte  (Gerrish)  Wness,  were 
both  natives  of  luigland,  in  which  country  they 
were  reared  and  married.  I'our  ni  their  children 
were  Ixmi  in  that  land  and  in   1833  .Mr.  N'eness 


came  with  his  family  to  the  new  world.  They 
had  altogether  five  children,  of  whom  three  are 
living:  Mrs.  Charlotte  H.  Douglas,  E.  J.,  of 
this  review,  and  .Mrs.  Keziah  W'aite.  Having 
crossed  the  .Atlantic,  the  father  took  U])  his  abode 
in  N'ernon,  New  \'ork.  where  he  remained  for  six 
years,  following  the  occupation  of  farming.  He 
later  became  a  Haptist  minister  and  preached  the 
first  sermon  in  behalf  of  that  denomination  in 
Uelvidere.  IJoone  county.  Illinois,  the  services  be- 
ing held  in  the  courthouse  before  its  completion. 
He  preachetl  at  various  points  in  the  county  as  a 
pioneer  minister,  making  the  journey  on  foot 
from  one  ])lace  to  ant)tlier,  for  tlie  horse  which  he 
owned  was  needed  in  the  farm  work.  He  plained 
the  seeds  of  gos])el  truth  in  many  a  settlement  and 
did  much  to  promote  the  moral  (levelojjment  of 
Winnebago  county  in  an  early  day.  He  arrived 
here  in  1839.  'living  made  the  journey  by  way 
of  the  lakes  to  Chicago  and  thence  by  team  to 
Rockford.  after  which  he  drove  to  Rockton, 
where  he  remained  for  six  months.  t)n  the  ex- 
piration of  that  period  he  removed  to  Boone 
county,  where  he  lived  upon  a  farm  and  in  cor. 
nection  with  the  cultivation  of  his  land  he  also 
divided  his  attention  with  gospel  work,  .\fter 
twelve  years  he  returned  to  Rockton.  where  he 
engage(l  in  merchandizing  from  1851  until  iS(-i2. 
I)eing  one  of  the  representative  |)ioneer  nK-rchants 
there.  \\  bile  in  lloone  count v  he  served  as  ])ost- 
master  for  several  years,  the  mail  being  brought 
from  Chicago  on  horseback  at  that  time.  His 
early  ])olitical  support  was  given  to  the  whig 
party  and  he  became  a  .stanch  adviicate  of  the  abo- 
lition cause,  so  that  when  the  republican  party 
was  formed  to  prevent  the  further  extension  of 
slavery,  he  joined  its  ranks,  continuing  one  of  its 
stalwart  advocates  until  his  death.  He  was  born 
in  September,  1 800,  and  died  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
two  years.  He  had  lived  a  life  of  usefulness  and 
his  memory  remains  as  a  blessed  benediction  to 
many  who  knew  him.  His  wife  passed  away 
when  sixty-two  years  of  age. 

E.  J.  N'eness  spent  the  greater  ]>art  of  his  youtb 
in  Rockton  and  upon  attaining  his  majority  en- 
tered his  father's  store,  thus  beconnng  a  factor  in 
connnercial  circles  in  the  village.  He  became  a 
partner  with  his  father  in  the  store  in  185^)  an<l 
st>  continued  until  iSfij,  when  he  ])urchased  his 
father's  interest  in  the  business,  which  he  carried 
on  alone  for  some  time,  and  eventually  admitted 
his  son  to  a  partnership.  He  was  active  in  the 
management  and  ownership  of  the  store  until 
KJ04,  when  his  son  became  his  successor  and  he 
retired  to  private  life.  The  business  interests  of 
the  firm  had  always  been  carefully  managed  and 
everv  stej)  was  thoughtfully  taken  by  Mr.  \'eness, 
who  closely  watched  the  indications  pointing  to 
success,  and  in  his  mercantile  career  folUiwod  a 
definite  i)lan  of  action. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


177 


In  1862  occurred  the  marriage  of  E.  J.  Veness 
and  Miss  Mary  Stearns,  who  was  born  in  Bloom- 
ington,  Illinois,  forty-one  years  ago,  a  daughter 
of  Lloyd  Stearns.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Veness  have  a 
son  and  daughter.  Lloyd  E.,  who  succeeded  his 
father  in  business  in  Rockton,  and  is  now  one  of 
the  representative  merchants  of  the  town,  was 
born  in  that  place  and  married  Jessie  Smith,  of 
Kansas,  by  whom  he  has  one  child,  Joce  C,  who 
was  born  in  Rockton.  The  daughter,  Mary  Eve- 
lyn, is  now  the  wife  of  Guy  M.  Hopkins,  of 
Rockton.  Mr.  Veness  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church.  His  wife  has  served  as  organist  for  a 
number  of  years,  but  is  not  a  member  of  the 
church.  He  votes  with  the  republican  party  and 
has  been  prominent  and  influential  in  affairs  of 
his  township  and  county.  During  his  earlv  resi- 
dence here  he  served  as  school  director,  was  high- 
way commissioner  in  1862,  has  been  supervisor  of 
the  township  for  nine  years  and  was  chair- 
man of  the  same  board  for  seven  years.  In 
all  of  these  offices  he  has  been  true  to  the 
general  welfare,  placing  the  public  good 
before  personal  aggrandizement.  He  is  in- 
deed one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  his  communi- 
ty, having  been  successful  in  a  business  career, 
while  in  his  private  life  he  has  won  the  highest 
esteem  of  all.  His  efforts  have  promoted  progress 
along  material,  social,  intellectual  and  moral  lines 
and  his  life  history  forms  an  important  factor  in 
the  annals  of  Rockton. 


JOHN  ANDREWS. 

John  Andrew's,  practically  living  retired,  after 
many  years  of  active  connection  with  agricultural 
interests,  makes  his  home  at  1723  School  street. 
He  is  a  native  of  southern  Indiana,  his  birth  hav- 
ing occurred  in  Posey  county.  April  i.  183 1,  his 
parents  being  Anson  S.  and  Elizabeth  (  r.utler ) 
Andrews.  The  father  was  born  in  Connecticut 
in  1787  and  the  mother  was  a  native  of  Massa- 
chusetts. After  leaving  the  Charter  Oak  state 
Anson  S.  Andrews  went  to  New  York  city  and 
later  came  to  the  middle  west,  settling  in  Indiana, 
where  he  followed  general  agricultural  pursuits 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1854.  In  his 
family  were  two  sons  and  a  daughter,  all  of 
whom  are  now  living,  namely :  Seth,  a  resident 
of  ^^'isconsin  ;  Mrs.  Harriet  Hinkley,  a  resident  of 
Rockford ;  and  John,  of  this  review. 

John  Andrews  spent  the  first  twenty-seven 
years  of  his  life  in  the  county  of  his  nativity  and 
acquired  his  early  education  in  the  common 
schools  and  also  studied  mathematics  and  the  dead 
languages.  He  remained  on  the  farm  after  his 
father's  death  and  he  became  interested  in  a  flour 
mill  and  a  general  store  in  Indiana,  thus  having 


varied  business  aff'airs  which  claimed  his  time  and 
attention  and  made  him  one  of  the  enterprising 
citizens  of  that  locality.  In  1858,  however,  he 
sold  his  property  in  that  state  and  removed  to 
southern  Illinois,  becoming  interested  in  a  large 
orchard  there  and  carrying  on  horticultural  pur- 
suits for  about  three  years.  He  first  made  his 
wa}-  to  Rockford  in  September,  1861,  and  has 
spent  the  greater  part  of  the  time  here  since.  His 
attention  has  been  given  largely  to  agricultural 
pursuits  and  he  yet  owns  a  valuable  tract  of  land 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  adjoining  the  city 
limits.  He  is  now  practically  living  retired,  doing 
only  a  little  gardening,  while  the  remainder  of  his 
land  is  rented.  His  farm  is  worth  three  hundred 
dollars  per  acre  and  it  is  the  visible  evidence  of 
his  life  of  well  directed  labor  and  enterprise.  He 
lias  made  the  most  of  his  opportunities  as  the 
}ears  have  gone  by  and  has  ever  been  found  hon- 
est and  reliable  in  his  business  dealings. 

In  1858  Mr.  Andrews  was  married  at  Lincoln, 
Illinois,  to  Miss  Mirinda  Piper,  who  was  born  in 
Charleston.  Illinois,  in  1840,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
B.  B.  Piper,  a  minister  of  that  denomination  for- 
merly known  as  the  Hardshell  Baptists.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Andrews  became  the  parents  of  three  sons — 
Charles  N.,  wdio  died  in  1900;  Harry  B.,  a  prac- 
ticing attorney  of  Rockford,  and  Ernest  E.  J.,  a 
teacher  in  one  of  the  high  schools  of  Chicago. 
Our  subject  and  his  wife  now  reside  at  No.  1723 
School  street,  where  they  have  a  beautiful  home. 
They  are  both  interested  in  religious  work,  being 
members  of  the  Christian  church.  Mr.  Andrews 
has  never  given  evidence  but  once  upon  the  wit- 
ness stand,  has  never  served  on  a  petit  uiry  nor 
sued  or  been  sued  by  any  man.  He  has  lived 
peacefully  with  his  fellowman,  true  to  principles 
of  honorable  manhood  and  in  his  business  career 
he  has  won  ver)-  desirable  success.  Having  re- 
sided in  this  county  almost  continuously  for  a 
period  of  forty-four  years,  he  is  w-ell  known,  here 
and  is  one  of  the  leading  and  representative  citi- 
zens of  the  community. 


BRUCE  H.  GARRETT. 

Bruce  H.  Garrett,  practicing  at  the  Rockford 
l3ar,  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Guilford  township, 
Winnebago  county,  November  i,  1865.  His  fa- 
ther, Benjamin  F.  Garrett,  was  a  native  of  Geauga 
county.  Ohio,  born  in  1835,  and  in  1838  came  to 
Winnebago  county  with  his  parents,  Thomas  and 
Margaret  P.  Garrett,  locating  here  when  this  was 
a  frontier  district  and  Rockford  contained  only  a 
few  houses.  In  1864  Benjamin  F.  Garrett  en- 
listed in  Company  B,  One  Hundred  and  Forty- 
sixth  Illinois  A'olunteer  Infantry,  and  remained  in 
the  service  until  the  close  of  the  war.     In  1861 


178 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WIXNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Esther  A. 
Hayes,  who  was  a  native  of  Ilhnois  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  William  Hayes.  She  became  a  resident  of 
Winnebago  county  in  1839.  lienjaniin  l-".  (iar- 
rett  died  April  3.  1900. 

Bruce  H.  Garrett  began  his  education  in  the 
district  schools  while  upon  his  father's  farm  and 
later  he  continued  his  studies  in  the  public  schools 
of  Rockford.  He  began  preparation  for  the  bar 
under  the  direction  of  Albert  D.  Early,  a  promi- 
nent attorney  of  this  city,  and  in  1887  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  practice,  successfully  passing  an  exami- 
nation before  the  appellate  court  at  Mount  \'er- 
non.  Mr.  Garrett  began  practice  in  Rockford  im- 
mediately afterward,  but  was  soon  appointed  a 
clerk  in  the  general  delivery  department  of  the 
postoffice  and  occupied  that  ])osition  for  ten  years. 
He  then  resumed  the  practice  of  law  antl  has 
gained  a  creditable  clientage. 

On  the  25th  of  February,  1891,  Mr.  Garrett 
was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Donaldson,  of  Rock- 
ford, a  daughter  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Jane  Donaldson, 
and  they  now  have  two  children — (irace  E.  and 
Donald  B.,  aged  fourteen  and  twelve  years,  re- 
spectively. In  politics  Mr.  Garrett  is  a  repub- 
lican, and  he  has  attained  a  high  degree  in  Ma- 
sonry, belonging  to  Ellis  lodge,  No.  1 16,  A.  F. 
&  A.  !M. ;  Winnebago  chapter,  No.  24,  R.  A. 
M. ;  Crusader  commandery.  No.  17,  K.  T.,  and 
Tebala  Temple  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  resides 
on  National  avenue,  where  in  1904  he  erected  an 
attractive  residence,  modern  in  all  of  its  appoint- 
ments. He  is  possessed  of  a  considerable  prop- 
erty, the  supervision  of  which  claims  his  personal 
attention. 


PASCHAL  COLVIN. 

Paschal  Colvin,  the  mayor  of  Pecatonica,  who 
has  conducted  various  business  enterprises  in 
different  parts  of  the  country  and  is  now  the 
owner  of  a  stone  quarry  and  lime  kiln  in  this 
locality,  conducting  a  profitable  business  as  a 
dealer  in  both  commodities,  was  lx)rn  at  Ham- 
burg, Eric  county.  New  York,  November  17, 
1832.  His  father  died  when  the  son  was  very 
young  and  the  latter  went  to  live  with  .Mvin 
Salisbury  in  New  York,  remaining  with  him  until 
eighteen  years  of  age.  when  he  came  to  Illinois. 
He  located  first  in  Stephenson  county,  his  mother 
having  removed  there  after  her  second  marriage. 
In  tile  middle  west  he  Ix-gan  farming  and  later 
went  to  Iowa,  where  he  purchased  two  hundred 
and  forty  acres  of  government  land  in  Clayton 
county.  On  selling  that  propert\-  he  purchased 
five  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Chickasaw  county 
from  the  government  and  when  he  had  disposed 
of  it  became  tlie  owner  of  eight  hundred  and 
thirtv  acres  in  Webster  and  Humlxjklt  counties. 


He  also  secured  this  as  government  claims  and  in 
each  case  carried  on  the  work  of  cultivation  and 
improvement  to  some  extent  upon  the  land  which 
he  ac(iuired.  His  possessions  in  Webster  and 
Humboldt  counties  were  later  sold  to  good  ad- 
vantage, so  that  he  realized  a  very  desirable  profit 
on  his  investment. 

Mr.  Colvin  was  next  found  in  the  copper  mines 
in  Ontonogan  county,  Michigan,  to  which  place 
he  went  by  way  of  the  lakes,  as  there  were  no  rail- 
roads at  that  time.  After  working  in  the  mines 
for  a  period  he  returned  by  the  water  route  and 
invested  his  earnings  in  eighty  acres  of  land  in 
Stcjihenson  county,  Illinois,  whereon  he  erected 
a  house,  making  it  his  home  for  four  or  five  years, 
during  which  time  his  labors  largely  transformed 
the  ajipearance  of  the  farm,  the  productive  fields 
bringing  to  him  a  good  financial  return.  He  then 
sold  out  and  established  his  home  in  Pecatonica, 
wdiere  he  purchased  a  residence.  In  the  mean- 
time he  had  invented  and  secured  a  patent  on  a 
water  tank  heater,  which  he  began  to  manu- 
facture in  Pecatonica.  He  also  sold  the  state  and 
county  rights  and  had  various  representatives 
upon  the  road  selling  his  manufacture.  He  also 
traded  some  of  his  patent  rights  for  four  hun- 
dred and  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Winneljago  and 
Worth  counties.  Iowa,  but  afterward  sold  that 
pn)|)erty  and  removed  to  Orange  City.  Florida, 
where  he  purchased  three  hundred  acres  of  fruit 
land.  Before  the  memorable  hard  winter  there  in 
which  most  of  the  fruit  was  killed  he  sold  all  of 
his  land  except  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
which  he  still  retains.  He  traded  some  of  his 
llorida  land  for  a  house  and  eight  acres  of  land 
near  Pecatonica  and  also  bought  forty-two  acres, 
so  that  he  now  has  fifty  acres  in  this  locality.  It 
is  upon  this  land  that  he  has  a  stone  quarry  and 
lime  kiln  and  he  makes  large  sales  annually  of 
Ixith  lime  and  stone.  In  all  of  his  business  oper- 
ations he  has  been  successful,  being  seldom,  if 
ever,  at  fault  in  matters  of  business  judgment, 
so  that  his  investments  bring  him  an  excellent 
financial  return.  In  addition  to  his  farm  property 
he  owns  a  number  of  brick  store  buildings  in 
Pecatonica  and  a  g(Tod  home  in  the  town  together 
with  some  vacant  lots  and  two  hundred  and 
twentv-five  acres  of  rich  farming  land  near  the 
town. 

Mr.  Colvin  and  his  mother  lived  together  in 
her  last  years  and  he  took  excellent  care  of  her 
when  her  health  failed,  thus  repaying  her  in  part 
for  the  care  which  she  gave  to  him  in  his  early 
boyhood  days.  She  lived  to  be  more  than  ninety- 
nine  years  of  age.  There  were  three  .sons  and 
one  daughter  in  her  family :  .Mvin :  Richard,  who 
died  in  ciiildhood ;  .Vrilla,  who  married  Mr.  Kiby 
and  after  his  death  became  the  wife  of  Garrett 
Llovd  but  is  again  a  widow  and  is  now  living  in 
Petatonica. 


PAST     AXD     PRESENT     OF     WIXNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


i8i 


Paschal  Colvin,  the  other  member  of  the  family, 
became  a  Mason  on  the  20th  of  April,  1863,  and 
has  always  been  lo)-al  to  the  teachings  of  the 
craft.  He  belongs  to  A.  W.  Rawson  lodge.  No. 
145,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  being  one  of  its  oldest  rep- 
resentatives. In  former  years  his  political  al- 
legiance was  given  to  the  democracy  but  he  be- 
came convinced  that  the  republican  platform  con- 
tained the  best  elements  of  good  government  and 
is  now  allied  with  the  latter  party.  He  is  ser\-- 
ing  his  second  term  as  mayor  of  Pecatonica  and 
his  re-election  as  an  indication  that  his  adminis- 
tration was  marked  by  qualities  that  work  for 
good  citizenship,  for  public  progress  and  sub- 
stantial improvement.  He  has  the  interests  of 
the  town  deep  at  heart  and  his  labors  have  been 
effective  in  promoting  business  welfare.  Mr. 
Colvin  has  been  known  in  this  section  of  the  state 
for  many  years  and  as  a  business  man  and  citizen 
has  made  a  record  that  well  entitles  him  to  rep- 
resentation in  this  volume. 


HON.  E.  W.   BROWN. 

Hon.  E.  W.  Brown,  whose  intense  and  well 
directed  activity  has  been  of  material  benefit  to 
the  city  of  Rockford  as  well  as  the  source  of  his 
business  success,  was  born  August  8.  1857.  and 
throughout  his  entire  life  has  resided  in  Rock- 
ford.  His  efforts  have  been  so  practical,  his  dis- 
cernment so  keen,  and  his  labors  so  effective  that 
it  would  be  difficult  to  find  one  who  has  contrib- 
uted in  larger  or  more  effective  measure  toward 
the  upbuilding  and  improvement  of  this  place. 
His  patriotic  citizenship  and  his  interest  in  com- 
munity aft'airs  has  taken  tangible  form  in  his 
zealous  labors  for  the  improvements  instituted 
through  aldermanic  measures,  and  through  the 
reforms  and  progressive  movements  which  he  has 
fathered  during  his  six  years"  service  as  mayor. 

Mr.  Brown  was  born  in  Rockford.  .August  .S, 
1857,  and  was  a  student  in  the  public  schools. 
Later  he  attended  schixtl  in  ^Nlount  Morris.  Illi- 
nois, but  the  strain  placed  upon  his  eyes  forced 
him  to  lay  aside  his  text-books.  At  that  time  he 
entered  upon  an  active  business  career,  which  in 
its  scope  and  result  has  broadened  until  few  men 
have  exerted  the  influence  upon  material  prog- 
ress in  Rockford  that  Mr.  Brown  has  done.  For 
five  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  Brown  &  Eck- 
stine  Drug  Company,  the  sales  of  which  con- 
stantly increased  until  they  were  represented  by 
an  annual  figure  of  sixty  thousand  dollars.  On 
the  expiration  of  that  period  I\Ir.  Brown  sold  his 
interest  in  the  drug  store  and  became  a  whole- 
sale dealer  in  oil,  securing  a  contract  with  the 
Standard  Oil  Company  which  enabled  him  to  se- 
cure the  product  at  excellent  terms  and  to  supply 


many  surrounding  towns.  He  built  the  first  oil 
tank  in  Rockford  and  secured  equipment  for  con- 
ducting an  extensive  trade.  He  began  with  a 
capital  of  three  thousand  dollars  and  within  six 
months  his  business  had  reached  the  sum  of 
thirty  thousand  dollars.  He  then  sold  out  to 
John  P.  Porter  &  Company,  for  other  interests 
claimed  his  attention. 

Perhaps  the  work  that  has  contributed  most 
largely  to  the  improvement  of  Rockford  was  his 
labor  in  securing  the  building  of  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral Railroad  to  this  point.  In  1884  the  company 
was  making  plans  for  the  construction  of  an  air 
line  between  Chicago  and  Freeport.  Their  sur- 
vey had  been  completed  and  it  was  decided  to 
leave  Rockford  out  and  build  the  road  east  of 
New  Alilford,  crossing  the  river  at  Hoisington 
Rocks  below  this  city.  Judge  Brown,  the  father, 
realizing  the  detriment  this  would  be  to  Rock- 
ford, at  once  entered  upon  active  measures  to  se- 
cure the  construction  of  the  road  through  this 
city.  He  was  personally  acquainted  with  E.  T. 
Jefferies,  general  manager  of  the  Illinois  Central, 
and  v.-ith  Stuyvesant  Fish,  president  of  the  road. 
He  sought  an  interview  with  the  former  and  in- 
duced him  to  come  to  Rockford  and  look  over 
the  city  before  determining  upon  a  final  settle- 
ment for  the  location  of  the  line.  Mr.  Jefferies, 
accompanied  by  Isaiah  Randolph,  chief  engineer 
of  the  road,  visited  Rockford  and  was  enter- 
tained at  the  home  of  Judge  Brown.  They  met 
with  a  number  of  prominent  manufacturers  in- 
cluding Ralph  Emerson,  W.  A.  Talcott,  John  P. 
Manny,  H.  W.  Price  and  Gilbert  Woodruff,  and 
that  night  .Mr.  Jefferies  decided  to  build  into 
Rockford.  He  secured  the  services  of  Mr.  Brown 
to  obtain  a  right  of  wa\-  for  the  new  line  and 
active  operations  in  promoting  this  valuable  en- 
terprise were  instituted  on  the  ist  day  of  Novem- 
ber. 1884.  E.  W.  Brown  was  made  the  first 
agent  for  the  company  in  this  city  and  still  holds 
that  position.  His  thorough  business  ability  is 
recognized  by  the  corporation  and  his  advice  is 
frequently  sought  on  important  matters,  his  judg- 
ment being  regarded  as  safe  and  reliable.  Dur- 
ing his  connection  with  the  companv  the  busi- 
ness at  this  point  has  grown  in  an  astonishing 
measure  until  it  exceeds  that  of  any  other  railvvav 
interest  in  the  city  in  its  property  investments  and 
volume  of  business.  The  company  now  owns  a 
frontage  of  eight  hundred  feet  on  South  Main 
street,  while  its  yard,  extending  for  three  quarters 
of  a  mile,  is  free  from  grade  crossings.  Its  pas- 
senger and  freight  buildings  are  the  finest  in  the 
city  and  in  both  is  handled  an  immense  amount 
of  business,  the  freight  output  now  averaging 
eighty  cars  per  day.  Employment  is  furnished  to 
forty  people  in  the  various  departments  of  the 
companv's  service  in  this  city,  and  at  the  head  re- 
mains  Mr.   Brown,   who  has  perfected  a  system 


\Sj 


PAST     AXD     PRESENT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


of  work  here  tliat  has  produced  excellent  results 
and  made  this  one  of  the  important  stations  on 
the  line. 

In  political  affairs  in  Rockford  Mr.  lirown  has 
been  e(|ually  prominent,  antl  in   1885  was  chosen 
alderman  from  the  second  ward,  which  position 
he    filled    for    seven    years.      Those    who    had 
watched  his  public  service  recotjnized  his  fitness 
for     leadership     in     affairs     of     the     munici- 
pahty,    and    in     1895    he    was    elected    mayor. 
Again    he    was    called    to    the    office    in    1897 
and   for   a   third   term   in    1899,   and   he   could 
undoubtedly  have  won  election  again  had  he  not 
declined  further  service.     In  1903  representative 
citizens  of  Rix-kford  endeavored  to  induce  him  to 
again  accept  the  office  but  the  extent  and  impor- 
tance of   his   ])rivate  business   affairs   prevented. 
His   administration   was   business-like    and   pro- 
gressive.    He  worked  along  the  practical   lines 
that  have  ever  been  manifest  in  the  conduct  of 
his  private  interests.     Me  regards  a  ])ublic  office 
as  a  public  trust — and  no  trust  rept)se(l   in   him 
has  ever  been   betrayed   in   the   sliglitest   ilegree. 
He  was  the  diampion  of  all  progressive  meas- 
ures that  he  believed  would  benefit  the  city  with- 
out  proving   an   extravagance,   and    he   studied 
closely  its  needs  and  jiossibilities,  carefully  weigh- 
ing every  question  which  came  up  for  considera- 
tion.    It  was  through  his  efforts  and  recommen- 
dation that   the  present   system  of  water  supply 
was  instituted  in  1897  and  was  put  into  cft'ective 
operation  by  D.  W.  Mead  at  a  cost  of  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars,  affording  a  supply  of  seven  million 
gallons  of  water  daily.     The  water  works  park 
was  a  product  of  the  general  improvements  insti- 
tuted.   The  present  system  of  macadamizing  was 
instituted  and  is  doubtless  the  most  efficient  means 
for  doing  effective   work   that   could   have  been 
planned.    He  appointed  to  different  city  positions 
men  well  qualified  by  experience  or  capability  for 
duties  which  would  devolve  upon  them.     A  re- 
view of  his  several  annual  messages  to  the  coun- 
cil demonstrates  a  determination  to  adhere  to  a 
rigid   economy   in   the   expenditure   of   the   city 
funds ;  a  just  and  exact  enforcement  of  the  laws ; 
and  together  with  the  co-operation  of  the  coun- 
cil  to  so  administer   the  city   government  as  to 
insure   stable  progress   and   permanent   good. 

Mr.  Brown  was  married  to  Miss  Lizzie  A. 
White,  a  daughter  of  Joshua  White,  who  is  well 
known  in  Rockford  as  a  prominent  citizen  and 
has  extensive  realty  holdings  in  Stillman  Valley. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  have  three  children,  and 
the  family  home  is  at  312  South  Third  street. 
Such  in  brief  is  the  history  of  one  of  the  best 
known  citizens  of  Rockford.  The  consensus  of 
public  opinion  regarding  his  political  and  busi- 
ness life  is  most  favorable.  Tic  has  ever  dis- 
charged his  duties  with  marked  ability  and  fair- 
ness, for  he  is  a  most  loyal  public-spirited  citizen. 


As  a  business  man  he  has  been  conspicuous 
among  his  associates  not  only  for  his  success  but 
for  his  fairness,  probity  and  honorable  methods. 
In  everything  he  has  been  manifestly  practical, 
and  this  has  been  manifest  not  only  in  his  busi- 
ness undertakings  but  also  in  his  ]jrivate  and  so- 
cial  life. 


HON.  JOHN  C.  GARVER. 

Hon.  John  C.  Garver.  to  whom  there  came  a. 
distinguished  position  in  connection  with  the  le- 
gal profession  of  Rockford  and  whose  champion- 
ship of  progressive  ])ublic  measures  constituted 
him  one  of  its  most  valued  citizens,  was  born 
on  a  farm  near  Pecatonica,  November  16,  1843. 
He  was  a  son  of  John  Garver,  who  came  from 
Pennsylvania  to  Illinois  at  an  early  day  and  located 
upon  a  tract  of  land  that  became  the  old  farm 
homestead.  The  boyhood  and  youth  of  Judge 
Garver  were  passed  in  the  usual  manner  of  farmer 
lads  of  the  period  and  his  elementary  education 
was  obtained  in  the  public  schools.  Ambitious 
to  enjoy  better  opportunities  he  secured  per- 
mission to  attend  Wittenburg  college  in  Spring- 
field, Ohio,  where  he  completed  a  full  course. 
He  began  preparations  for  the  bar  with  General 
Keifer,  of  Springfield.  Ohio,  as  his  preceptor  and 
following  his  admission  to  the  bar  in  1871  he 
entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  chosen  profession 
in  Rockford.  The  favorable  judgment  which 
the  world  passed  upon  his  at  the  outset  of  his 
career  was  in  no  degree  set  aside  or  modified 
as  the  years  passed  by,  but  on  the  contrary  was 
strengthened  as  he  gave  evidence  of  high  legal 
talent.  His  preparation  of  cases  was  most 
thorough  and  exhaustive  and  he  seemed  almost 
intuitively  to  grasp  the  strong  points  of  law  and 
fact,  while  in  his  briefs  and  arguments  the  au- 
thorities are  cited  as  extensively  and  the  facts  and 
reasoning  therein  were  presented  so  cogently  and 
unanswerably  as  to  leave  no  doubt  as  to  the 
correcttiess  of  his  views  or  his  conclusions.  He 
rose  rapidly  in  his  profession,  soon  gained  the 
confidence  of  the  people  and  he  was  accorded 
a  clientage  of  the  distinctively  representative 
character. 

Elected  to  the  office  of  state's  attorney,  he 
served  in  that  position  for  two  terms  with  marked 
ability.  Other  official  preferment  was  accorded 
him.  In  1882  he  was  a  candidate  for  congress  and 
would  have  been  nominated  and  elected  but  for 
the  sudden  death  of  Major  Hawk,  which  occurred 
shortly  before  the  meeting  of  the  convention  and 
occasioned  its  adjournment  without  action.  At 
the  next  meeting  Robert  Hitt  and  Colonel  R.  F. 
Sheets  lx)th  entered  the  race  and  Mr.  Hitt  was 
nominated     although     Judge     Carver's     home 


p 


PAST     AXD     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


185 


county  stood  unanimously  for  him.  In  1886  he 
was  elected  judge  of  the  circuit  court  to  succeed 
Judge  James  Cartwright,  who  had  been  elevated 
to  the  supreme  bench  as  successor  of  Judge 
Bailey,  deceased,  and  when  he  had  filled  out  the 
unexpired  term  of  his  predecessor.  Judge  Garver 
was  elected  to  the  office  for  the  full  term.  He 
frequently  served  in  most  capable  maimer  upon 
the  bench  in  Chicago.  The  profession  of  law 
was  his  real  life  work  and  at  the  bar  and  on  the 
the  bench  he  won  distinction.  A  man  of  unim- 
peachable character,  unusual  intellectual  endow- 
ments, with  a  thorough  understanding  of  the  law, 
patience,  urbanity  and  industry,  Judge  Garver 
took  to  the  bench  the  very  highest  qualifications 
for  this  responsible  position  of  the  state  govern- 
ment and  his  record  as  a  judge  was  ever  in  har- 
mony with  his  record  as  a  man  and  lawyer — 
distinguished  by  unswerving  integrity  and  a 
masterful  grasp  of  every  problem  which  was 
presented  for  solution. 

In  his  social  relations  the  Judge  was  affiliated 
with  E.  F.  W.  Ellis  lodge  of  Masons,  in  which 
he  served  as  master,  and  he  was  likewise  past 
commander  of  Crusader  commandery,  K.  T.,  a 
member  of  the  consistory  and  shrine,  a  member 
of  the  Knights  of  the  Globe,  Forest  City  lodge. 
United  Workmen,  Odd  Fellows  society  and  the 
Woodmen  camp.  A  man  of  domestic  tastes,  his 
interest  centered  in  his  family  and  he  accounted 
no  personal  sacrifice  on  his  part  too  great  if  it 
would  promote  the  happiness  or  advance  the 
welfare  of  his  wife  and  children.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  Rockford,  November  25,  1875,  to  Miss 
Sarah  A.  Segur,  of  this  city,  a  daughter  of  John 
Segur,  who  is  yet  living  in  Rockford.  Of  the 
six  children  born  unto  Judge  and  Mrs.  Garver, 
five  are  yet  living:  Laura  J\I.,  Lewis  C,  Earl, 
Eva  and  Howell,  and  the  family  occupy  an  at- 
tractive residence  at  No.  1103  South  Main  street. 

It  was  on  the  27th  of  November,  1901,  that 
Judge  Garver  departed  this  life,  being  at  that 
time  about  fifty-eight  years  of  age.  Perhaps 
no  better  indication  of  his  character  and  his  stand- 
ing in  the  profession  could  be  given  than  in  quot- 
ing from  the  action  of  the  bar  taken  concerning 
his  death.  After  a  few  preliminary  remarks  the 
report  read  as  follows :  "In  1896  he  was  chosen 
circuit  judge  and  held  that  office  until  his  death. 
How  he  won  his  large  clientage  and  how  well 
he  filled  the  high  offices  the  records  of  our  court 
show.  They  are  the  most  fitting  eulogies  of  his 
work.  Under  his  administration  our  court  pre- 
served that  lofty  standard  of  justice  for  which 
it  was  ever  noted  under  his  illustrious  predeces- 
sors. He  was  a  lawyer  of  high  attainments,  con- 
scientiously doing  his  full  duty  to  his  clients. 
With  an  accurate  knowledge  of  law  he  had  the 
forensic  skill  to  present  a  case  to  the  jury  with 
an  eloquence  rarely  surpassed.  He  was  a  pa- 
12 


triot,  keenly  interested  in  his  countr\-'s  welfare  and 
ever  willing  to  sacrifice  self-interest  in  its  behalf- 
He  never  elevated  himself  above  his  fellow  citi- 
zens, his  heart  beating  in  unison  with  toiling 
humanity.  Judge  Garver  was  trained  in  early 
piety  and  was  a  quiet,  sincere  Christian.  He 
was  a  genial  companion,  a  true  friend,  a  loving 
husband  and  father  and  an  honest  man.  With 
feelings  of  deep  sorrow  we  mourn  his  end.  We 
deplore  the  loss  of  one  faithful  to  every  trust. 
We  sorrow  for  him  as  a  member  of  our  bar  whose 
life  in  a  large  measure  exemplified  the  teach- 
ings of  the  law. 

"Therefore,  in  order  that  this  short  record  of 
his  life  and  our  appreciation  of  his  character  may 
be  known  to  those  who  shall  come  after  us :  Be 
it  resolved  that  these  resolutions  be  written  in 
the  records  of  this  court : 

"Resolved  further,  that  we  extend  to  his  sor- 
rowing family  our  heartfelt  sympathy  in  this 
their  great  loss." 

Robert  Rew  spoke  of  Judge  Garver  as  follows : 
"It  was  in  1870  while  attending  the  East  side  high 
school  that  I  first  became  acquainted  with  Judge 
C.  Garver.  It  was  told  that  Judge  Garver  and 
some  others  were  to  indulge  in  a  debate  at  the 
old  courthouse  standing  on  the  site  of  the  present 
structure,  and  with  A.  H.  Frost  I  attended.  My 
acquaintance  with  Judge  Garver  began  then. 
My  acquaintance  with  him  as  a  law3-er  began  in 
1882.  He  was  then  one  of  the  gatling  guns  of 
the  Winnebago  county  bar. 

"Judge  C.  Garver  was  born  in  the  land  of 
splendid  opportunities — a  land  in  which  citizens 
born  of  the  humblest  origin  may  become  equal 
to  any  king.  A  descendant  of  a  pioneer  and  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  community,  Judge  Garver 
belonged  to  a  class  of  men  who  represent  the 
highest  type  of  manhood.  They  were  educated 
in  country  schools — the  foundation  to  the  great 
commonwealth  of  to-day,  inured  to  high  work  and 
form  a  class  of  men  to  be  found  nowhere  except 
in  this  blessed  country  of  ours.  They  represent 
the  very  flower  of  Christianity  and  democracy. 
Kindly  and  genial,  capable  of  meeting  the  greatest 
problems,  in  the  main  righteous,  they  tread  the 
straight  and  narrow  path,  never  craving  favor, 
fearing  the  hate  of  none.  To  this  class  of  men 
Judge  Garver  belonged.  He  was  an  impassioned 
orator.  He  possessed  the  skill  to  select  from  a 
mass  of  evidence  just  the  part  which  would  im- 
press and  sway  court  and  jury  and  he  would 
present  it  in  a  most  convincing  manner.  His 
eloquence  in  his  prime  swept  all  before  him.  It 
was  a  dovetailing  of  all  facts  in  a  convincing 
manner,  rather  than  the  presentation  of  the  max- 
ims of  law.  He  was  classed  with  the  sort  of 
lawyers,  who.  like  flowers,  are  bloom  to  blush 
unseen.  He  had  the  knack  of  getting  business 
and  keeping  it  after  he  got  it.     He  had  the  knack 


i86 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


of  remembering  faces  and  names  and  throughout 
the  northern  i)arl  of  tlie  state  had  an  extensive 
acquaiiitance  among  all  classes.  It  was  always 
a  pleasure  to  meet  Judge  darvcr  for  he  was 
always  the  same  genial,  kind  gentleman.  1  think 
Judge  Gar\er  died  without  realizing  his  ambi- 
tion, for  he  had  hopes  of  congressional  rather 
than  judicial  honors.  P>ut  with  his  dream  un- 
realized, as  with  mo.^t  of  us.  he  rests.  He  dis- 
played an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  law.  I 
think  the  public  does  not  realize  the  responsi- 
bility resting  with  the  lawyers  of  the  community, 
upon  whom  devolves  the  maintenance  of  the 
rights  of  the  citizens  and  they  must  be  the  guard- 
ians for  the  rights  of  both  parties.  With  such 
a  record  he  need  liave  no  fear.  To  dust  returneth 
no  fear  of  the  sable  shore.  We  all  must  obey 
the  warrant  of  death.  Out  of  darkness  wc  come, 
into  darkness  we  go." 

Judge  Carver  left  an  indelible  impression  upon 
the  legal  history  of  the  state  and  his  memory 
remains  enshrined  in  the  hearts  of  those  who 
knew  him  as  one  who  was  honored  because  of  his 
talents  and  his  genuine  worth. 


WILLIAM  CRILL. 

William  Crill,  decea.sed,  belongs  to  one  of  the 
pioneer  families  of  Winnebago  county,  being  only 
three   vears   of   age    when   his   parents   came   to 
Illinois'.     Throughout  the  greater  part  of  his  life 
he  carried  on   farming  here  and  he  was  known 
as  a  reliable  and  trustworthy  business  man.    He 
was  born  in  Herkimer  county,  Xcw  York,  May 
19,    1840,   his   parents   being   Henry   and    Betsy 
(Brooks)  Crill.  both  of  whom  were  born  in  1799. 
The    father    was    also    a    native    of    Herkimer 
county,  where  he  resided  on  a  farm  until  his  re- 
moval to   Illinois   in    1843.     He  settled   in   New 
Milford  township,   \\'innebago  county,  and  \yas 
there  engaged  in  farming  for  a  year,  after  which 
he   removed  to  Monroe  township.  Ogle  county, 
just    across    the    line    from    Winnebago    county. 
There  he  purchased  fifteen  hundred  acres  of  land 
from  the  government,  and  the  deeds,  which  were 
signed  by  James  K.  Polk,  then  president  of  the 
I'nited    States,   are   now    in   possession   of    Mrs. 
William  Crill.    He  at  once  began  to  cultivate  and 
improve   his   land   and    was   actively   engaged   in 
farm   work    until    1864.    meeting    with    excellent 
success  in  his  lalx)rs.     He  then  decided  to  retire 
to  private  life  and  divided  his  property  among  his 
children.     Removing  to  Rockford  he  enjoyed  a 
well   earned   rest   here   for  nearly   twenty   years, 
and  in  1882  he  returned  to  the  village  of  Monroe 
in   Ogle   county,    where   he   and   his   wife   spent 
their   remaining  days.      He   died    September    19, 
1885,    and    his    wife's    death    orrnrrcd    April    2, 
1883. 


Of  the  nine  children  in  that  family  William 
Crill  was  tlie  youngest.  He  obtained  his  educa- 
tion in  the  district  schools  of  Ogle  county  and 
spent  his  youth  ujjon  his  father's  farm  working 
in  the  fields  and  meadows.  When  his  father  died 
he  took  charge  of  the  old  home  place  and  for 
nearly  forty  years  resided  upon  that  farm.  He 
worked  earnestly  and  persistently  and  made  his 
place  a  well  improved  proi)erty.  He  continued  to 
engage  in  farm  work  there  until  his  death.  Mr. 
Crill  was  married  to  Miss  Lucy  D.  Crawford,  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania,  in  which  state  her  father 
died  during  her  early  girlhood  and  the  mother 
passed  away  in  Rochellc.  Five  children  were 
born  unto  our  subject  and  his  wife ;  Henry,  who 
married  Alta  Campbell,  and  is  engaged  in  agri- 
cultural jjursuits  in  Monroe,  Illinois;  Grace,  the 
wife  of  Fred  Tyler,  a  farmer  of  Monroe ;  George 
Herman,  who  married  Florence  Jeanette  Hunter 
and  is  a  retired  farmer  of  the  village  of  Monroe ; 
Harriett  Gertrude,  the  wife  of  Frank  A.  Hilde- 
brand.  cashier  of  the  Monroe  Center  State  Hank 
of  Monroe ;  and  John  Wilson,  who  resides  with 
his  mother  and  is  studying  law. 

Mr.  Crill  was  elected  to  many  township 
offices  and  always  gave  an  unfaltering  support  to 
the  republican  ])arty.  He  was  a  very  enter])rising 
man.  who  prospered  in  all  that  he  undertook  be- 
cause he  knew  no  such  word  as  fail.  His  life  was 
a  busy,  active  and  useful  one,  crowned  by  success. 
He  passed  away  December  19,  1885.  He  was 
well  known  in  both  Ogle  and  Winnebago  counties 
and  had  a  very  large  circle  of  friends.  For  ten 
years  after  her  husband's  death  Mrs.  Crill  re- 
sided upon  the  old  home  fann  in  Ogle  county 
now  occupied  by  her  son,  and  in  1894  she  came 
to  Rockford,  where  she  purchased  a  nice  home 
at  No.  133  East  street,  where  she  and  her  young- 
est son  reside.  She  is  a  consistent  member  of 
the  Centennial  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


BRITTAX  JEWETT. 

Brittan  Jewett.  interested  in  general  farming, 
resides  in  the  village  of  Harrison  and  is  one  of 
the  extensive  landowners  of  the  northern  part  of 
the  county,  having  nine  hundred  acres  in  Har- 
rison and  Shirland  townships.  He  is  one  of  the 
native  sons  of  the  county,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  Harrison  townshi])  on  the  23d  of  .\u- 
gust.  1854.  His  father.  David  Jewett,  became  an 
early  resident  of  this  jiart  of  the  state  and  the  .son 
was  reared  and  educated  here,  pursuing  his  edu- 
cation in  the  district  schools  in  Rockford  and 
Durand.  When  not  busy  with  his  text-books  he 
worked  in  the  fields  and  meadows,  becoming  fa- 
miliar with  the  best  methods  of  cultivating  the 
soil  and  caring  for  stock.     He  thus  had  a  good 


WILLI.VM   CRILL. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


189 


fund  of  practical  experience  and  knowledge  when 
he  started  out  in  business  on  his  own  account. 

It  was  in  June,  1896,  that  Mr.  Jewett  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Helen  M.  Miller,  a 
native  of  Winnebago  county,  where  her  father, 
Alexander  Miller,  settled  in  pioneer  times.  He 
was  born  in  Newbury,  X'ermont,  March  18,  1808, 
and  died  in  Winnebago  county  on  the  22d  of  Jan- 
uary, 1889.  He  wedded  Miss  Mary  Mackie,  who 
was  born  at  Markwich,  Scotland,  on  the  5th  of 
IMarch,  1810,  and  departed  this  life  on  the  30th 
of  January,  1901.  They  were  farming  people  and 
resided  in  Winnebago  county  for  many  years,  liv- 
ing a  quiet  life,  yet  enjoying  the  respect  and  es- 
teem of  all  who  knew  them.  In  their  family  were 
the  following  children :  Henry  W.,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  twenty-two  months ;  William  M.,  who 
died  when  twenty-eight  years  of  age ;  Frank  P., 
who  passed  away  in  California  in  1898;  Mrs. 
Mary  A.  Lloyd,  of  Roscoe ;  J.  D.,  who  is  living 
in  Rockford ;  A.  B..  of  Shirland  township ;  ^Irs. 
Fidelia  Harley,  of  Rockton ;  Mrs.  Margaret 
Reckhow,  of  Rockford ;  Roger,  who  is  living  in 
Michigan ;  William,  deceased ;  I\Irs.  Henrietta 
Robinson,  of  Beloit :  E.  S.,  who  resides  in  Owen 
township;  F.  P.,  who  died  in  California;  and 
Helen  M.,  the  wife  of  Brittan  Jewett. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jewett  began  their  domestic  life 
upon  a  farm  and  although  they  now  reside  in  the 
village  of  Harrison,  Mr.  Jewett  is  one  of  the  most 
extensive,  capable  and  successful  agriculturists  of 
his  part  of  the  county,  owning  and  operating  nine 
hundred  acres  of  land,  lying  in  Harrison  and 
Shirland  townships,  from  which  he  annually  har- 
vests large  crops.  Fie  also  has  much  stock  upon 
his  place,  including  horses  and  cattle,  and  from 
his  purchases  and  sales  he  realizes  a  good  finan- 
cial return.  In  business  affairs  he  is  capable, 
prompt,  energetic  and  reliable,  carefully  watch- 
ing every  indication  pointing  to  success,  and  at 
the  same  time  making  a  record  for  reliability  that 
any  man  might  well  envy.  His  interest  in  politi- 
cal questions  has  led  him  to  give  his  support  to 
the  republican  party  and  he  has  served  as  com- 
missioner and  in  other  local  offices,  and  socially 
he  is  connected  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America  and  the  Roval  Neighbors. 


PROFESSOR  WILLIAM  L.  EATON. 

Professor  William  L.  Eaton,  whose  family  are 
living  in  Rockford.  where  they  are  well  known, 
was  a  native  of  East  Ware,  New  Hampshire,  born 
March  26,  1814.  His  father,  Washington  Eaton, 
spent  his  entire  life  in  the  old  Granite  state.  Pro- 
fessor Eaton  was  educated  in  the  east,  completing 
his  studies  bv  a  course  in  Dartmouth  College  and 


thus  equipped  by  superior  educational  advantages 
for  life's  practical  duties  he  entered  upon  his 
business  career.  He  resided  in  the  east  until  the 
time  of  his  marriage,  in  Windsor,  Vermont,  to 
;\Iiss  Anna  S.  Maine,  a  native  of  Hartland,  Ver- 
mont, and  a  daughter  of  Stephen  Maine,  who 
followed  farming  in  the  Green  Mountain  state 
throughout  his  entire  life,  both  he  and  his  wife 
passing  away  in  Hartland. 

In  1843  Professor  Eaton  brought  his  bride  to 
the  west,  settling  at  Schoolcraft,  Michigan,  but 
after  a  short  time  he  removed  from  that  place 
to  Kalamazoo,  Michigan,  where  he  became  a 
professor  in  the  Kalamazoo  College,  having 
charge  of  the  Latin  classes.  There  he  remained 
until  his  death.  He  was  regarded  as  one  of  the 
most  capable  educators  of  the  state,  for  added  to 
his  comprehensive  learning  was  an  abilitv  to  im- 
part clearly  and  readily  to  others  the  knowledge 
that  he  had  acquired.  Of  scholarly  attainments 
and  strong  intellectuality,  his  mind  was  continu- 
ally reaching  out  for  new  thought.  While  con- 
ducting his  classes  in  college  he  acted  as  minis- 
ter of  the  Baptist  church  for  a  part  of  the  time 
but  never  relinquished  his  work  of  teaching  in 
the  schoolroom.  The  profession  of  teaching, 
whether  it  be  from  the  pulpit,  the  schoolroom  or 
the  lecture  platfomi,  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the 
most  important  callings  to  wh'ch  man  can  devote 
his  energy.  He  has  influence  over  the  minds  and 
lives  of  his  pupils  at  the  most  impressionable 
period  in  their  entire  existence  and  he  qualifies 
them — good  or  ill  according  to  his  ability — for 
the  responsibilites  which  come  to  them  in  later 
life.  Professor  Eaton,  with  a  full  realization  of 
what  devolved  upon  him  in  this  connection,  was 
a  conscientious,  earnest  and  progressive  teacher. 
He  died  in  Kalamazoo,  December  25,  1853,  his 
loss  being  deeply  deplored  by  a  large  circle  of 
friends. 

Professor  and  Mrs.  Eaton  were  th.e  parents  of 
a  daughter  and  son :  Adeline  became  the  wife  of 
W.  H.  David,  of  Chicago,  and  died  in  that  city 
at  the  age  of  forty-seven  years.  The  son,  Wil- 
liam L.  Eaton,  Jr.,  was  born  in  Kalamazoo,  De- 
cember 15,  1850,  and  married  Helen  Colman,  of 
that  place.  They  have  four  children :  Helen, 
William.  Anna  and  Colman.  William  L.  Eaton 
and  his  mother  remained  in  Kalamazoo  and,  fol- 
lowing the  completion  of  his  education,  he  en- 
gaged in  newspaper  work  there  for  several  vears. 
He  then  came  with  his  familv  and  his  mother  to 
Rockford,  recognising  a  good  openmg  in  the 
newspaper  field  of  this  city.  Here  he  assisted 
in  organizing  the  company  that  began  the  publi- 
cation of  the  Register  Gazette,  which  is  now  the 
leading  daily  newspaper  of  Rockford.  He  was 
connected  Avith  that  paper  until  1891,  when  he 
left  that  field  of  activity  and  became  manager  of 


IQO 


PAST    AXD     PRESENT    OF     WIXXEl'.AGU    COUNTY. 


the  Rock  River  Oil  ami  Transportation  Com- 
pany. He  has  since  been  engaseil  in  this  busi- 
ness, in  which  connection  lie  controls  extensive 
interests,  and  in  addition  he  has  valuable  agri- 
cultural interests  in  the  south.  He  travels  much 
of  his  time  but  he  and  his  family  make  their  home 
with  his  mother.  Mrs.  Eaton,  her  son  and  his 
wife  are  all  members  of  the  State  Street  Baptist 
church  of  this  city  and  take  great  interest  in  its 
work,  doing  all  in  their  jjower  to  extend  its  in- 
fluence and  jiromote  its  growth.  They  own  a 
beautiful  home  at  No.  809  Seminary  street  and 
the  family  are  prominent  here,  their  circle  of 
friends  and  actiuaintances  being  extensive. 


CASSILS  .M.  (iARDXF.R. 

Cassius  M.  Gardner,  a  farmer  living  on  section 
22,  Winnebago  township,  is  numbered  among  the 
citizens  of  this  count\-  that  have  been  furnished 
to  Illinois  by  the  Empire  state.  He  was  born 
in  Oneida  county,  New  York,  in  1852,  his  par- 
ents being  James  and  Margaret  J.  (Groat)  Gard- 
ner, who  came  to  Winnebago  county  about  i868, 
locating  on  a  farm  in  Rockford  township  near 
the  county  seat.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Eng- 
land but  the  mother  was  born  near  Schenec- 
tady, New  York.  James  Gardner's  birth,  how- 
ever, occurred  in  Cheshire,  England,  and  with  his 
parents  came  to  America  when  only  three  years 
of  age,  the  family  home  being  established  in 
Oneida  county.  New  York,  where  he  was  reared 
and  educated.  He  afterward  engaged  in  mer- 
chandizing in  the  Empire  state,  but  following  his 
removal  to  Winnebago  county,  he  settled  upon 
the  fann  and  carried  nn  the  work  of  the  fields  for 
manv  vears.  At  the  present  time,  however,  he 
is  living  retired  and  makes  his  home  about 
twelve  miles  from  Philadeli)hia,  Pennsylvania, 
at  thfe  age  of  seventy-six  or  seventy-seven  years. 
He  is  a  stanch  democrat  in  politics  and  in  his 
social  relations  is  a  Mason.  While  living  in 
Winncbag'^)  county  he  was  called  upon  to  mourn 
the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  died  on  the  home  farm 
in  1892  when  about  sixty  years  of  age.  In  their 
family  were  five  children,  all  of  whom  are  yet 
living:  J.  E..  a  resident  of  Rockford,  where 
he  is  employed  as  a  pattern-maker  in  the  factory 
of  Savage  &  Love;  J.  S.,  who  carries  on  farm- 
ing in  Winnebago  township;  Mrs.  Emma 
Shoudy,  whose  husband  is  engaged  in  the  real 
estate  business  in  Chicago;  and  Phil  C,  who  was 
born  in  Illinois  and  is  now  living  in  Rockford. 

Cassius  M.  Gardner,  the  other  member  of  the 
family,  spent  the  first  sixteen  years  of  his  life 
in  the  state  of  New  York  and  during  that  time 
was  a  public  school  student.  He  then  came  with 
his  parents  to  Winnebago  county  ami   remained 


at  home  till  about  twenty  years  of  age.  The 
greater  part  of  his  life  has  been  devoted  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  he  now  has  a  finely  im- 
jiroved  farm  on  section  22,  Winnebago  township, 
comprising  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land, 
devoted  to  general  agricultural  pursuits.  He  has 
erected  commodious  and  attractive  buildings  in 
modern  style  of  architecture  and  the  grounds 
abf)ut  his  home  are  in  splendid  condition.  The 
building  site  is  an  ideal  one.  his  residence  stand- 
ing upon  the  highest  point  of  ground  in  this  part 
of  the  county,  so  that  an  excellent  view  of  the 
surrounding  country  is  afforded.  In  all  of  his 
work  }ilr.  Gardner  has  been  very  successful  be- 
cause his  methods  have  been  practical  and  his 
industry  indefatigable. 

In  Winnebago  county.  December  31.  1874.  .\lr. 
( lardnor  married  .Miss  Clara  Simpson,  who  died 
January  2^,  1898,  leaving  two  daughters:  Clara 
Ruby,  who  taught  in  the  public  schools  previous 
to  her  marriage  to  Frank  Lander,  February  22, 
1902;  and  Myrtle  E.  I'oth  are  residing  in  Boone 
county  at  present.  ( )n  June  19,  1905.  for  his  sec- 
ond wife  Mr.  Gardner  chose  Jessie  A.  Falconer, 
of  this  county,  a  daughter  of  Robert  and  Anna 
(Ross)  Falconer.  Her  father  settled  in  this  part 
of  the  state  at  a  ver\  early  day  and  died  here 
about  six  years  ago. 

Politically  Mr.  Gardner  is  a  democrat,  having 
usually  given  his  support  to  the  men  and  meas- 
ures of  the  party,  and  he  has  served  as  school 
director  and  in  other  local  offices.  He  belongs  to 
the  Modern  Woodmen  camp  at  Winnebago,  and 
his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
church.  Working  ]XTsistently  and  earnestly,  with 
a  definite  plan  of  action,  he  has  attained  the  suc- 
cess which  is  the  goal  of  all  business  endeavor. 


MRS.  .M.\RGARET  L.  FRESSE. 

Mrs.  Margaret  L.  Fresse,  living  on  section  26, 
Burritt  township,  is  well  known  in  liiis  part  of 
tlie  county.  She  was  born  December  25,  1850.  in 
I'jigland,  and  when  nuW  three  years  of  ri.;:c  was 
brought  to  the  L'nited  States  by  her  parents.  He»- 
father.  .Moses  Whalen,  was  born  in  County  Wex- 
ford, Ireland,  on  the  6th  of  January.  1812,  and 
after  spending  some  time  in  England  he  crossed 
the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world,  arriving  on  the 
20th  of  Si.ptember,  1854.  He  did  not  tarry  on 
the  coast,  but  made  his  wax-  at  once  to  the  in- 
terior of  the  country,  settling  in  Rockford.  where 
his  remaining  days  were  passed.  In  early  man- 
hood he  wedded  Miss  .\nn  Crulleton.  wl'o  was 
born  in  County  Wexford,  Ireland,  I'ebruary  24, 
1814.  an<l  after  establishing  their  home  in  Rock- 
ford tlu-v  coiuiinieil  residents  of  the  coMuy  seat 
until    called    to    their    final     rest.      Mr.    Wlialen 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


191 


passed  away  on  the  6th  of  December,  1894,  while 
his  wife  died  on  the  12th  of  March,  1892 

!Mrs.  Fresse  was  reared  in  Rockford,  attcndc'l 
its  pubhc  schools  and  remained  in  her  parents' 
home  nntil  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  vears  she 
gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Patrick  Alurphy. 
They  began  their  domestic  life  at  her  present 
place  of  residence  and  here  she  has  since  lived. 
Air.  Alurphy  devoted  his  energies  to  the  improve- 
ment of  the  farm  and  was  an  enterprising,  indus- 
trious agriculturist,  whose  labors  wrought  a 
transformation  in  the  appearance  of  the  place, 
making  it  a  well  developed  property.  He  died 
upon  this  farm  Alay  31,  1890.  The  children 
born  of  that  marriage  were  as  follows:  Mar- 
garet and  May,  who  died  in  infancy ;  Joseph,  who 
was  born  December  13,  1877,  and  is  now  living 
in  Rockford;  Mary,  who  was  born  on  the  iith 
of  May,  1879,  ''"'i  '*  3t  home  with  her  mother; 
John,  who  was  born  Alay  4,  1882,  and  is  living  in 
Rockford ;  Thomas  and  Ella,  who  were  born 
July  23,  1888,  and  are  at  home;  and  Henry, 
the  youngest. 

Having  lost  her  first  husband  in  1892,  Mrs. 
Alurphy  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Louis 
Fresse,  who  was  born  in  October,  1863,  at  Sauk- 
ville,  \Msconsin,  where  the  first  fourteen  years  of 
his  life  were  passed.  He  then  came  to  Winne- 
bago county,  Illinois,  and  since  1892  has  lived 
upon  the  farm  where  he  and  his  wife  now  make 
their  home.  His  father.  Louis  Fresse,  was  born 
in  France  and  when  twenty-three  years  of  age 
emigrated  to  the  L'nited  States,  spending  his  re- 
maining days  in  Wisconsin,  his  death  occurring  in 
Saukville  when  he  was  fifty-three  years  of  age. 
His  wife,  w^ho  was  born  in  Germany,  came  to  this 
country  in  her  girlhood  days  and  in  1858  gave  her 
hand  in  marriage  to  Louis  Fresse,  Sr.  Her  death 
occurred  in  Saukville  in  1885. 

L'nto  Air.  and  Airs.  Fresse  of  this  review  have 
been  born  two  sons — George,  born  April  13,  1893, 
and  Charles,  born  August  5,  1895.  The  family 
home  is  an  excellent  farm  on  section  26,  Burritt 
township,  constituting  a  well  developed  property 
improved  with  modern  equipments  and  acces- 
sories. Everything  about  the  place  is  neat  and 
thrifty  in  appearance,  indicating  careful  and  prac- 
tical supervision.  Air.  and  Airs.  Fresse  and  all 
of  the  family  are  well  known  in  this  locality  and 
the  circle  of  their  friends  is  extensive.  They  are 
members  of  St.  Alarv's  Catholic  church  of  Rock- 
ford. 


C.  E.  AUSTIN. 


C.  E.  Austin,  the  present  supervisor  of  Shir- 
land  township  and  a  prosperous  farmer  actively 
engaged  in  operating  three  htmdred  and  thirty- 
five  acres  of  land,  was  born  upon  this  farm  Feb- 


ruary 22i,  1857,  his  parents  being  H.  S.  and  Eliza 
(Packard)  Austin,  who  came  to  Winnebago 
county  in  1838.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Buck- 
field,  Alaine,  and  was  of  New  England  ancestrv, 
the  family  coming  originally  from  England.  His 
wife  was  also  a  native  of  the  same  locality  and 
was  of  English  descent.  They  arrived  in  this 
county  on  the  i8th  of  Alay,  1838,  settling  first  in 
Rockton  township.  They  spent  the  summer  there 
and  then  removed  to  the  village  of  Rockton, 
where  Air.  Austin  erected  a  house,  after  which  he 
followed  the  shoemaker's  trade  at  that  place  for 
five  or  six  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  pe- 
riod he  took  up  a  claim  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  on  sections  17  and  18.  half  of  the  farm  King 
in  Rockford  and  one-half  in  Shirland  township. 
He  improved  the  claim  and  continued  to  carry  on 
general  agricultural  pursuits  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1892,  when  he  was 
almost  eighty  years  of  age.  He  had  for  several 
years  survived  his  wife,  who  died  in  1886,  when 
about  seventy  years  of  age.  In  their  family  were 
five  sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  one  is 
deceased — H.  S.  Austin,  Jr.,  wdio  died  in  Cali- 
fornia, wdiere  he  w-as  then  making  his  home,  in 
1879,  ^t  the  age  of  forty  years.  Those  who  still 
survive  are:  A.  AI.,  a  mining  engineer  residing 
in  Los  Angeles,  California,  where  he  has  lived 
since  1861  ;  S.  A.,  a  practicing  physician  of  Los 
Angeles,  California,  for  the  past  eighteen  years 
but  who  was  formerly  of  Rockford  and  was  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  hospital  in  that  city ;  Airs. 
Mary  E.  Evans,  who  is  living  in  Los  Angeles, 
California ;  W.  W.,  wdio  is  engaged  in  the  real 
estate  business  in  Rockford ;  and  Mrs.  L.  N.  Lef- 
fingwell,  whose  husband  is  a  farmer  of  Glidden, 
Iowa. 

C.  E.  Austin,  the  other  member  of  the  family, 
was  reared  upon  the  old  homestead  farm,  where 
he  has  spent  his  entire  life.  His  education  was 
acquired  in  the  district  schools  and  in  Beloit,  Wis- 
consin, and  when  not  busy  with  his  text-books  he 
aided  in  the  labors  of  the  fields.  He  has  added 
to  his  farm  from  time  to  time  until  he  is  now  tlie 
owner  of  three  hundred  and  thirty-five  acres  of 
rich  and  valuable  land  in  the  home  place  on  sec- 
tion 18,  Shirland  township,  and  he  also  has 
eightv  acres  of  land  in  Rockford  township.  He 
is  actively  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  his  fields 
and  has  made  excellent  improvements  upon  his 
farm,  which  is  now  one  of  the  valuable  proper- 
ties of  the  locality.  In  all  that  he  does  he  is 
eminently  practical  and  his  earnest  labor  has  been 
the  resultant  factor  in  his  success. 

Air.  Austin  was  married  to  Aliss  Nellie  F.  Rich- 
ardson, of  this  county,  a  daughter  of  C.  B.  Rich- 
ardson, of  Rockford.  Four  children  grace  this 
marriage:  Gray  R..  nineteen  years  of  age;  Aler- 
ton  H.,  fifteen  vears  of  age ;  Sewall  E.,  a  little 


192 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUXTY. 


lad    of    four    summers :  and  Lillian,  who  is  two 
years  old.     All  are  yet  with  their  parents. 

Politically  Mr.  Austin  is  an  earnest  republican, 
having  given  unfaltering  support  to  the  party 
since  attaining  his  majority.  His  father  served 
as  supervisor  of  Shirland  township  for  fifteen 
years  during  his  residence  in  the  county  and  Mr. 
Austin  of  this  review  was  elected  to  tlic  same  of- 
fice in  1904  and  is  now  capably  serving  in  that 
position.  Socially  he  is  connected  with  the  Ma- 
sonic lodge  and  chapter  at  Rockford  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Modern  W'l^idmcn  cam])  and  Royal 
Xeighlxirs  lodge  at  Shirland.  while  his  religious 
views  are  those  of  the  Congregational  church. 
His  entire  life  having  been  passed  in  this  locality, 
his  history  is  well  known  to  his  fellow  townsmen, 
and  the  fact  that  many  of  his  stanchest  friends 
are  those  who  have  known  him  from  his  youth 
to  the  present  is  an  indication  that  his  has  been 
an  honorable  career. 


JOHN  NELSON. 

Rockford,  as  a  manufacturing  center,  offered 
an  excellent  field  for  the  inventor  and  among  the 
men  prominent  in  the  world  because  they  have 
contributed  to  the  utilitarian  devices  which  have 
lessened  labor  and  have  also  decreased  the  cost 
of  production  John  Xclson  should  be  mentioned. 
He  became  widely  known  in  manufacturing  cir- 
cles throughout  the  country  as  the  inventor  of 
the  Xelson  knitting  machine,  and  in  Rockford, 
where  he  was  best  known,  he  was  regarded  as 
a  man  of  strong  purpose,  superior  capability  and 
genuine  worth. 

He  was  born  in  West  Gothland,  Sweden, 
.April  5.  1830,  and  when  a  young  lad  lost  his 
father.  The  widowed  mother  was  left  with  little 
of  this  world's  goods,  but  she  was  a  woman  of 
superior  intelligence  and  had  a  natural  insight 
into  the  workings  of  machinery,  a  trait  which 
was  inherited  by  her  son.  When  f|uite  young 
John  Xelson  became  a  spinning-wheel  maker. 
He  remained  a  resident  of  his  native  land  until 
twent\-two  years  of  age.  when  thinking  that 
he  might  liave  better  business  opportunities  in  the 
new  world,  he  bade  goodbye  to  his  old  home  and 
sailed  from  Gottenburg  for  X^ew  York  city, 
wlure  he  arrived  after  a  voyage  of  six  weeks. 
He  did  not  tarry  long  on  the  .Atlantic  coast,  how- 
ever, but  at  once  made  his  way  into  the  interior, 
locating  first  at  Chicago  and  Elgin. 

On  the  4th  of  X'^ovember.  1854,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Eva  Cliristina  Person, 
whose  ac(|uaintance  he  had  formed  when  they 
were  passengers  t<igetlier  on  the  sliip  that  sailed 
from  Gottenburg.  She.  too,  was  a  native  of 
West  Gothland.  Sweden,  born  May  6,  1834,  and 


she  is  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Andrew  Long,  of  Rock- 
ford. 

The  year  1852  witnessed  the  arrival  of  Mr. 
X'elson  in  Rockford,  and  for  a  time  he  was  in 
business  as  a  designer  and  pattern  and  model 
maker.  In  this  labor  he  was  associated  with 
Mr.  Ghent,  and  afterward  formed  a  partnership 
with  A.  C.  Johnson  and  Gust  Ilollcni  in  the 
manufacture  of  sash  and  doors.  Throughout  his 
residence  here  he  was  closely  identified  with  in- 
dustrial and  manufacturing  interests  and  con- 
tributed in  substantial  measure  toward  the  busi- 
ness progress  and  development  of  the  city.  Fol- 
lowing the  close  of  the  Civil  war  he  wont  to  the 
south  and  in  company  with  Gustaf  P>urgland,  of 
Water  Valley,  Mississippi,  he  began  business  at 
that  place.  His  environment,  however,  was  not 
congenial,  and  accordingly  he  returned  to  Rock- 
ford after  a  brief  period.  He  was  always  study- 
ing machinery  aiid  continually  working  out  new 
plans  to  accomi)lish  the  same  results.  He  also 
studied  along  the  line  of  improvement  and  for 
many  years  was  revolving  in  his  mind  plans  for 
the  manufacture  of  a  knitting  machine.  As  the 
result  of  all  his  years  of  work  and  investigation 
and  experiment  he  finally  produced  the  Xelson 
knitting  machine,  which  has  entirely  revolu- 
tionized the  business  of  knitting  machinery.  His 
completed  product  was  so  perfect  that  hose  are 
now  knit  for  about  two  cents  per  dozen  pair. 
Just  about  the  time  that  he  had  completed  his 
great  work  he  was  called  from  this  life,  passing 
away  April  15,  1883.  Such  was  his  concentration 
of  thought  that  he  found  it  impossible  to  sleep  at 
night  and  his  constitution,  never  very  strong, 
was  thus  undermined.  He  was  a  natural  born 
mechanic  and  from  his  early  boyhood  liis  mind 
was  filled  with  ideas  that  gave  promise  of  the 
rich  fulfillment  of  his  mature  years.  The  perfec- 
tion of  the  machine  which  he  produced  is  indi- 
cated by  a  remark  that  was  made  by  President 
Grant,  who  came  to  Rockford  on  the  completion 
of  his  tour  around  the  world.  Here  he  inspected 
the  shops  of  the  Xelson  Knitting  Company  and 
after  looking  over  the  machinery  and  seeing  the 
wonderful  work,  declared  enthusiastically  that 
after  all  his  tour  around  the  globe,  including 
visits  to  the  large  cities  and  factories,  he  had 
never  seen  anything  to  equal  this.  Tlicn  pick- 
ing up  a  pair  of  the  hose  as  they  dropped  from 
the  machine  he  walked  away. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  X^elson  were  born  seven 
children,  but  two  have  departed  this  life.  .Alfred, 
whose  death  occurred  when  he  was  thirty-three 
vears  of  age,  inherited  his  father's  genius  and 
invented  some  necessary  improvements,  especially 
the  device  for  widening  the  leg  of  a  hose  as  it  is 
being  knitted.  He  gave  promise  of  a  successful 
career  which  would  prove  of  value  to  the  world 


,   y(>o<^&-j^ 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


195 


as  well  as  a  source  of  individual  profit.  He  left 
a  widow  who  is  now  living  in  Colorado.  Frithiof 
died  in  childhood.  William  and  Oscar  are  resi- 
dents of  Rockford,  and  Frithiof,  the  second  of 
the  name,  is  associated  with  his  brothers  in  many 
of  the  enterprises  with  which  they  are  connected. 
John  Franklin  is  also  interested  in  business  with 
"his  brothers.  Anna  C,  the  only  daughter,  re- 
sides with  her  mother.  Mrs.  Nelson,  still  sur- 
viving her  husband,  was  to  him  ever  a  true  help- 
mate and  a  faithful  and  loving  wife.  She  has 
since  his  death,  with  the  aid  of  her  children,  de- 
veloped a  splendid  business  from  the  industry 
established  by  her  husband. 

It  was  not  alone  the  great  inventive  genius  of 
John  Nelson,  however,  that  made  him  a  valued 
citizen  of  Rockford,  for  he  possessed  the  personal 
traits  of  character  that  endeared  him  to  many 
friends.  He  was  a  sincere  and  earnest  Christian, 
kind  in  his  treatment  of  others,  considerate  at  all 
times  of  those  with  whom  he  came  in  contact, 
and  he  left  to  his  family  an  untarnished  name. 
What  he  accomplished  in  the  line  of  invention 
entitled  him  to  rank  with  Whitney,  Arkwright 
and  other  great  inventors  whose  fame  has  become 
world  wide. 


HENRY  J.  MILLER. 

Henry  J.  Miller,  successfully  conducting  busi- 
ness as  proprietor  of  the  marble  and  granite 
works  located  on  North  Main  street  just  outside 
the  city  of  Rockford,  arrived  in  Winnebago 
county  in  1880  and  has  since  been  a  factor  in  in- 
dustrial circles  here.  He  was  born  in  Sweden, 
was  a  student  in  its  public  schools  in  his  early 
youth  and  when  seventeen  years  of  age  crossed 
the  Atlantic  to  America,  arriving  in  the  new 
world  in  1880.  He  made  his  way  direct  to  Rock- 
ford and  learned  the  marble-cutter's  trade  under 
the  direction  of  his  father,  John  H.  Moeller,  who 
has  followed  the  marble  business  for  many  years 
and  is  still  engaged  in  that  enterprise  at  the  age 
of  seventy-one  years.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
in  early  manhood  to  Miss  Edna  Eklund.  who 
died  about  three  years  ago.  One  sister  of  Mr. 
Miller.  Mrs.  Man,'  Linwall,  resides  near  Belvi- 
dere,  Illinois,  while  a  brother,  John  E.,  who  came 
to  America  in  1891,  returned  to  Sweden  about 
two  years  later. 

Following  his  arrival  in  the  United  States 
Henry  J.  Miller  worked  for  various  firms  en- 
gaged in  marble-cutting,  being  for  fifteen  years 
in  the  employ  of  Mayor  Hutchins,  the  former 
owner  of  the  plant  that  is  now  in  possession  of 
our  subject.  IMr.  Miller  has  conducted  the  busi- 
ness on  his  own  account  for  about  five  years  and 
has  a  well  equipped  marble  and  granite  yardmen 
North  Main  street,  just  outside  the  corporation 


limits  of  Rockford  and  directly  opposite  the  west 
side  cemetery.  He  employs  two  men  here  and 
also  has  a  traveling  salesman  on  the  road,  cover- 
ing the  territory  of  northern  Illinois  and  Wiscon- 
sin. Mr.  Miller  now  has  a  very  gratifying  pa- 
tronage and  enjoys  an  enviable  reputation  for 
fair  dealing  and  for  satisfaction  given  to  his  cus- 
tomers. 

Mr.  Miller  was  married  to  Miss  Emma  C. 
Kindberg,  who  came  to  Winnebago  county  in  her 
girlhood  days  and  was  here  reared.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Miller  are  now  the  parents  of  four  daugh- 
ters and  one  son,  all  born  in  Rockford,  namely: 
Mabel  v.,  May  Ethel,  Effie,  Viola,  Clifford 
Dwight  and  Beatrice.  The  family  home  is  at  No. 
1416  North  Main  street  and  with  the  exception 
of  two  years  spent  in  Kansas  and  Nebraska,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  followed  his  trade,  located 
largely  in  Concordia,  Kansas.  Mr.  Miller  has 
resided  continuously  in  Rockford  since  1880.  He 
soon  gave  evidence  of  excellent  workmanship  and 
since  embarking  in  business  on  his  own  account 
he  has  built  up  a  very  good  trade.  In  politics 
he  has  always  been  a  republican  since  the  right  of 
franchise  was  conferred  upon  him.  Socially  he 
is  connected  with  M.  W.  A.  camp.  No.  51.  His 
religious  views  accord  with  the  teachings  of  the 
Lutheran  church.  Mr.  Miller  has  never  had  oc- 
casion to  regret  his  determination  to  seek  a  home 
in  America,  for  here  he  has  found  good  business 
opportunities  unhampered  by  caste  or  class.  His 
faithfulness  and  reliability  in  business  brings  to 
mind  the  statement  of  a  well  known  writer  and 
lecturer  that  "Sweden  is  the  home  of  the  honest 
man." 


GEORGE  F.  SEAVERNS. 

George  F.  Seaverns,  who  owns  and  operates  an 
excellent  farm  in  Owen  township,  was  born  in 
this  locality,  July  25,  1861.  His  father.  Isaac 
Seaverns,  was  a  native  of  Jamaica  Plains,  now 
a  part  of  Boston,  Massachusetts,  his  natal  day 
being  June  29,  1814.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  and  lived  with  his  parents  until 
twenty  years  of  age,  when  he  entered  business 
as  a  partner  of  Joseph  Merriam,  opening  a  mar- 
ket on  Milk  street  in  Boston.  They  conducted  the 
Ijusiness  until  1836.  after  which  Mr.  Seavenis 
removed  to  Richmond,  Ohio,  and  in  1840  became 
a  resident  of  Cleveland,  Ohio.  There  he  con- 
ducted a  mercantile  enterprise  but  after  six  years 
went  to  ^^'isconsin  and  located  on  land  about 
eight  miles  north  of  Racine,  where  he  carried  on 
agricultural  pursuits  for  two  years,  when  he  sold 
his  property  and  came  to  Winnebago  county,  Illi- 
nois, settling  in  Rockford  township,  where  he 
purchased  seven  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land 
which  he  im]5roved.     He  resided  thereon  for  ten 


196 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


years,  after  \vliich  he  sold  out.  The  county  poor 
farm  is  now  located  upon  a  part  of  tliis  land. 
Air.  Scaverns  then  purchased  oni  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land  in  Owen  tovv-nship.  making 
his  home  thereon  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
on  the  _'4th  of  October,  1879.  He  was  a  demo- 
crat in  his  political  views  and  favored  the  Chris- 
tian L'nion  church,  although  in  did  not  hold 
niembershi])  relations  with  any  denomination.  He 
was  first  married  to  .\bbie  liliza  Winslow,  a  na- 
tive of  .New  York,  who  died  in  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
leaving  one  son,  Isaac  \Y,  wIkj  was  born  in 
Cleveland,  September  30,  1840,  and  is  now  living 
in  Chicago.  For  his  second  wife  Ij^aac  Scaverns 
chose  .\nna  F.  Titus,  whom  he  wedded  .May  15. 
1842.  She  was  born  in  1822,  and  died  in  1903. 
There  are  four  sons  and  four  daughters  by  this 
marriage,  of  whom  three  are  now  living:  Frank, 
who  was  lx)rn  at  Rockford.  December  13.  1850, 
and  is  now  married  and  lives  in  that  city;  Elea- 
nor, who  was  born  December  26,  1853,  is  the 
wife  of  C.  S.  Taylor,  and  resides  in  California; 
and  ( ieorge  1". 

In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of  George  F. 
Seaverns  we  present  to  our  readers  the  life  rec- 
ord of  one  widely  known  in  Winnebago  county. 
He  attended  the  public  schools  here  and  was  al.so 
for  two  years  a  .student  in  the  Skinner  school  in 
Chicago.  He  early  became  familiar  with  the  best 
methods  of  carrying  on  the  farm  and  worked 
upon  the  old  homestead  with  his  father  until  the 
latter  death,  after  which  he  rented  the  property 
from  his  mother  until  her  death.  He  then  pur- 
chased the  interest  of  the  other  heirs  in  the  farm, 
which  is  now  carefully  and  siiccesssfully  con- 
ducted. 

On  the  loth  of  January,  1887.  .Mr.  Seaverns 
was  married  to  Miss  Esther  .\.  Kinsley,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Edwin  and  Jennie  .\.  ((ilover)  Kinsley. 
Her  father  was  born  in  .Xewark.  Xew  fersey, 
-May  19.  1838,  and  his  wife's  birth  occurred  in 
.Manchester,  England,  July  8,  1841.  .Mr.  Kinslev 
left  Xewark  at  the  age  of  twelve  years  and  with 
his  parents  went  to  Janesville,  Wisconsin,  where 
he  worked  at  the  carriage  building  trade  until 
1858.  He  then  removed  his  business  to  Rock- 
ton,  Winnebago  county,  Illinois,  and  for  twenty- 
si.\  years  was  an  active  factor  in  the  industrial  life 
of  that  place,  but  in  1884  took  up  his  al)ode  in 
I'.eloit,  Wisconsin,  where  he  is  now  conducting 
business,  having  thrnn,;jhoni  hi^  eniin-  active  life 
carried  on  the  manufacture  of  v.agons  and  car- 
riages. He  was  marrietl  in  Rockton,  in  i860, 
and  for  almost  a  third  of  a  century  he  and  his 
wife  traveled  life's  journey  together  but  were 
separated  bv  the  death  of  .Mrs.  Kinslev,  Seoteni- 
ber  15,  1892.  I'nto  them  were  born  four  chil- 
dren :  Mrs.  Seaverns.  whose  hinh  occurred  in 
Rockton,  September  8,  i8^')2;  Frances  E.,  who 
u.-i^  Ki.rn  September  9,  1864,  and  is  the  wife  of 


C.  O.  Smith,  of  Beloit,  Wiscorfsin ;  Edwin  A.,  of 
Chicago,  who  was  born  October  26,  1874,  and 
married  .Miss  Ellen  U.  \'ivian ;  and  Grace  A., 
who  was  born  February  15,  1882.  .Mr.  Kinsley 
has  always  given  his  political  allegiance  to  the 
deinocracy.  The  marriage  of  .Mr.  aiul  Mrs.  Sea- 
verns, which  was  celebrated  at  ik-Ioit,  Wisconsin, 
lias  been  blessed  with  three  childn  n :  Isaac  Wv- 
man,  who  w.ns  born  in  lieloit,  December  25,  1889; 
Harold  Kinsle},  who  was  born  March  7,  1891. 
?nd  died  on  the  21st  of  May,  following;  and 
Jennie  Grace,  born  February  29,  1892. 

.Mr.  Seaverns  's  .n  democrat  m  his  political 
views  where  naliiMial  (|uestions  and  issues  are  in- 
volved but  at  local  ol'ctions  votC£  independently, 
supporting  the  candidates  whom  he  thinks  best 
qualified  for  oftice.  He  Is  a  charier  member  of 
Owen  camp.  No.  616,  M.  W.  A.,  and  also  of 
the  Knights  of  Pvthias  lodge  at  Rockford. 


LEMUEL  FULLER. 


Lemuel  Fuller,  who  follows  farming  on  sec- 
tion 19,  Rockford  township,  owing  about  five 
hundred  and  seventy-six  acres  of  land  in  Winne- 
bago county  in  addition  to  which  he  has  about 
two  hundred  acres  lying  just  across  the  line  in 
Ogle  county,  has  been  a  resident  of  this  section 
of  the  state  since  1839,  coming  to  the  west  with 
his  parents,  John  and  Lucy  (Wilder)  Fuller,  who 
removed  from  Genesee  county,  Xew  York.  The 
father  entered  land,  purchasing  claims  each  and 
west  of  the  home  farm  and  afterwards  securing 
the  tract  in  between.  There  he  successfully  and 
energetically  carried  on  general  farming  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1858.  when  he  was 
fifty-eight  years  of  age.  His  widow  long  sur- 
vived him  and  died  in  December.  1896,  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-six  years.  They  were  the 
l)arents  of  eight  children ;  Lemuel ;  L.  B. ; 
Charles;  John;  Mrs.  Xancy  Ingalls.  who  died 
several  years  ago ;  Eliza,  who  married  David 
Hartwell ;  Lucy  Ellen,  who  married  T.  G.  Lev- 
ings  and  died  October  14,  1903:  and  Mary  Ellen, 
who  died  in  infancy. 

I^muel  Fuller  was  born  in  Genesee  county 
Xew  York,  in  1832  and  was  therefore  a  young 
lad  when  brought  by  his  parents  to  Illinois  in 
1839.  His  educational  privileges  were  some- 
what limited  but  he  attended  a  i)rivate  school 
held  in  a  farm  house.  His  father  afterward  em- 
ployed a  teacher,  a  Mr.  Felton,  at  ten  dollars 
a  month  to  instruct  his  children. 

Upon  the  old  family  homestead  Mr.  Fuller  was 
reared  and  has  resided  here  throughout  his  en- 
tire life  with  the  excejition  of  the  three  years 
which  he  six'iit  in  the  army.  He  enlisted  .\ugust 
9,  1862,  at  Rockford,  in  defense  of  the  l'nion 
cause,  as  a  member  of  Company  F,  Seventy-fourth 


LEMUEL  FULLER. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


199 


Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  under  Captain  Barker, 
and  was  mustered  in  at  Camp  Fuller.  Going  to 
the  front  he  served  until  the  close  of  hostilities 
and  was  then  mustered  out  with  his  regiment 
near  Nashville,  Tennessee.  He  was  never  wound- 
ed, altliough  he  participated  in  a  number  of  hotly 
contested  engagements.  He  also  spent  about 
eighteen  months  in  the  hospital  suffering  from  an 
attack  of  smallpox.  He  was  captured  at  Jones- 
boro  and  was  then  sent  to  Andersonville,  where 
he  remained  for  some  time,  after  which  he  was 
taken  to  Savannah  and  later  to  Florence,  South 
Carolina,  being  exchanged  at  Oiarleston.  He 
participated  in  the  battle  of  Perryville  and  of 
Stone  River  and  it  was  soon  after  this  that  be 
became  ill  and  was  sent  to  the  field  hospital. 

Following  the  close  of  the  war  Lemuel  Fuller 
returned  to  his  home,  where  for  many  years  he 
was  actively  engaged  in  fanning  but  during 
the  past  few  years  he  has  rented  all  three  of  his 
farms.  His  home  place  is  a  finely  improved 
property,  supplied  with  good  buildings  and  all 
modern  equipments,  and  he  ranks  with  the  lead- 
ing, influential  and  prosperous  agriculturists  of 
the  community.  In  his  political  views  he  has 
always  been  a  republican  and  he  served  as  school 
director,  while  fraternally  he  is  connected  with 
Nevius  post,  No.  i,  G.  A.  R.,  at  Rockford. 


CAPTAIN  LEWIS  F.  LAKE. 

Captain  Lewis  F.  Lake,  who  is  now  serving 
for  the  fourtli  term  as  circuit  clerk  and  recorder 
of  Winnebago  counts;.  \vas  born  iri  Owen  town- 
ship, this  count}  ,  in  1846,  his  parents  being  Ad- 
am S.  and  Elizabeth  Lake,  who  became  residents 
of  this  part  of  the  state  in  1843.  The  son  ob- 
tained his  education  in  the  public  schools  and 
his  boyhood  days  were  passed  without  event  of 
special  importance,  his  time  being  divided  between 
the  pleasures  of  the  playground,  the  duties  of  the 
schoolroom  and  the  labors  of  the  home  farm.  He 
watched  with  interest,  however,  the  progress  of 
events  in  the  Civil  war,  and  though  but  a  boy  his 
patriotic  nature  was  aroused  by  the  thrilling  inci- 
dents which  occurred  as  the  great  contending 
armies  met  and  battled,  the  one  for  the  Lhiion  and 
the  other  for  the  privilege  of  secession.  Accord- 
ingly when  still  in  his  teens  he  offered  his  serv- 
ices to  the  government  and  donned  the  blue  uni- 
form. Going  to  the  south  he  was  in  active  service 
up  to  the  time  of  the  siege  of  Atlanta,  when  he 
was  captured  in  July,  1864.  He  was  then  sent 
to  Andersonville  prison,  where  he  remained  until 
released  by  a  special  exchange  of  prisoners  in 
the  following  September.  During  a  portion  of 
his  service  he  was  with  Taylor's  Battery  of  the 
First  Illinois  Light  Artillery  and  participated  in 
a  number  of  the  important  engagements  of  the 


war.  He  never  faltered  in  the  performance  of 
any  soldierly  duty.  He  took  his  place  on  the 
lonely  picket  line  or  on  the  firing  line,  went  on 
long,  hard  marches  and  met  the  rigors  of  war 
uncomplainingly.  His  interest  in  military  aft'airs 
was  further  evidenced  by  his  fifteen  years"  of  serv- 
ice in  the  Illinois  National  Guard,  during  eight 
years  of  which  time  he  was  a  member  of  the  fa- 
mous Rockford  Rifles,  and  for  seven  years  he 
was  regmiental  adjutant  with  the  rank  of  captain. 
He  has  never  ceased  to  feel  the  deepest  interest 
in  military  organizations  of  state  and  nation,  and 
is  justly  proud  of  the  accomplishments  of  our 
standing  and  volunteer  armies. 

Following  the  close  of  the  Civil  war  Captain 
Lake  returned  to  his  home  in  Winnebago  county 
and  began  working  at  the  carpenter's  trade. 
Soon,  however,  he  accepted  a  position  in  the  shops 
of  the  Emerson  Manufacturing  Company,  where 
he  was  employed  for  thirteen  years.  Since  that 
time  he  has  largely  been  occupied  v»'ith  public  du- 
ties, his  fellow  townsmen,  recognizing  his  worth 
and  ability,  having  frequently  called  him  to  office. 
In  1881  he  was  a  candidate  for  the  position  of 
collector  and  received  a  good  majority,  and  on 
the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service  in  that  of- 
fice he  was  made  deputy  county  clerk,  in  which 
capacity  he  served  for  six  years.  His  experience 
and  his  familiarity  with  all  the  duties  of  the  posi- 
tion well  qualified  him  for  the  further  official 
honors  which  were  accorded  him  by  his  election 
to  the  office  of  circuit  clerk.  For  the  fifth  term 
he  is  the  incumbent  in  that  capacity,  and  no 
higher  testimonial  of  his  efficiency,  fidelity  and 
promptness  could  be  given  than  the  fact  that  he 
has  been  four  times  re-elected. 

Captain  Lake  was  married  to  Miss  Martha  A. 
Allen,  on  the  20th  of  June,  1866,  and  they  have 
had  three  children,  but  only  one,  a  daughter, 
Gertrude,  is  now  living.  The  family  home  is  at 
No.  229  North  Church  street.  Socially  Captain 
Lake  is  connected  with  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic,  with  the  Masons,  the  Royal  League, 
the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  and  the 
Knights  of  P\1:hias,  together  with  other  benefi- 
ciary organizations.  In  political  thought  and  ac- 
tion he  has  always  been  a  republican,  carrying 
out  his  honest  convictions  without  fear  or  favor, 
and  as  a  public  servant  he  has  been  true  to  the 
trust  reposed  in  him,  while  in  private  life  he  has 
gained  that  warm  personal  regard  which  arises 
from  true  nobility  of  character,  deference  for  the 
opinion  of  others,  kindness  and  geniality. 


JUDGE  WILLIAM  BROWN. 

No  citizen  of  Winnebago  county  was  ever  more 
respected  and  no  man  ever  more  fully  enjoyed 
the  confidence  of  the  people  or  more  richly  de- 


200 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


served  the  estconi  in  which  he  was  liekl  tliaii  did 
Judge  WilHani  Brown.  In  his  life  time  the  peo- 
ple of  his  state,  recognizing  liis  merit,  rejoiced 
in  his  advancement  and  in  the  honors  to  wliicli 
he  attained,  and  since  his  death  they  have  cher- 
ished his  memory.  Honorable  in  business,  loyal 
in  citizenship,  charitable  in  thought,  kindly  in 
action,  true  to  every  trust  confided  to  his  care, 
his  life  was  of  the  highest  type  of  .\merican 
manhood.  lie  was  for  many  years  in  active 
practice  at  the  Winnebago  county  bar,  and  com- 
paratively few  men  endear  themselves  to  so  great 
an  extent  to  their  professional  associates  and  to 
those  with  whom  they  come  in  contact  m  the  <lis- 
charge  of  public  duties. 

His  life  record  began  in  Cumberlanil  county. 
Englantl.  where  occurred  his  birth  on  the  i6th  of 
June,  1819.  He  possessed  a  very  retentive  mem- 
ory and  recalled  vividly  all  of  the  circumstances 
of  his  trip  across  the  ocean  to  the  new  woriil 
when  he  was  eight  years  of  age.  He  had.  too. 
a  strong  mental  picture  of  his  native  town  and 
the  sclioolhouse  in  which  he  began  his  (diication. 
and  he  frequently  told  of  his  surprise  at  first 
seeing  the  negro,  meeting  that  colored  individual 
in  1-iverpool  when  on  his  way  to  .\meric3.  It  was 
in  1827  that  he  was  brought  to  the  United  States, 
and  his  boylnHxl  days  were  passed  on  a  farm  in 
Oneida  county.  New  York.  His  educatii)nal  ])riv- 
ileges  were  somewhat  liiuited  because  it  was 
necessary  that  he  should  assist  in  the  labors  of  tlie 
fields  from  the  time  of  early  spring  planting  un- 
til crops  were  harvested  in  the  late  autumn  :  but 
during  the  winter  months  he  a])plied  himself  dili- 
gently to  the  mastery  of  such  branches  of  learn- 
ing as  were  taught  in  the  public  schools.  He 
entered  college  but  w'as  obliged  to  leave  before 
completing  the  course.  His  ambition  was  in  the 
direction  of  a  professional  career,  and  determin- 
ing upon  the  ()ractice  <if  law  as  a  life  work,  by 
indomitable  energy  and  close  application  he  ])re- 
pared  himself  for  practice,  and  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  New  York  .state. 

.-\ttracted  by  the  opportunities  of  the  great  and 
growing  west  he  started  for  Illinois  in  1846.  His 
cash  capital  was  ver}'  limited  but  he  possessed 
strong  and  determined  purpose.  He  arrived  in 
Rockford  on  the  loth  of  November,  finding  a 
little  town  of  less  than  one  thousand  inhabitants. 
and  where  now  are  some  of  Rockford's  busy 
streets  there  were  forests  and  thickets.  He  cast 
in  his  lot  with  the  early  settlers,  being  at  that 
time  a  young  man  of  twenty-seven  years  and  hav- 
ing a  capital  of  forty-eight  dollars  and  fifty  cents. 
His  entrance  into  business  life  in  the  west  was 
as  a  teacher  of  a  country  school  about  ten  miles 
from  Rockford.  but  he  .soon  l)ecanie  ill  and  was 
unable  to  pursue  his  labors  for  several  months. 
He  recovered  to  face  debts  and  discouragement 
brought  on  by  his  long  contiiuied  illness.    Friends 


advised  him  to  go  to  Wisconsin,  and  he  visited 
Beloit,  after  which  he  returned  to  Rockford.  At 
the  time  that  he  was  endeavoring  to  decide 
whether  to  maintain  his  residence  in  this  place  or 
seek  a  home  elsewhere  he  was  elected  justice  of 
the  peace,  and  though  the  office  did  not  pay 
him  a  very  liberal  salary  it  proved  the  turning 
point  and  he  decided  to  remain  in  \\'innebago 
cnunty. 

In  1850  Judge  I'.rown  was  united  in  marriage 
to  -Miss  Caroline  H.  .Miller,  and  ev.-^r  afterward 
he  said.  "This  was  the  wisest  move  I  ever  inade." 
They  began  their  domestic  life  in  a  little  cottage 
on  the  present  site  of  the  Carpenter  home  of 
Rockford.  and  Judge  Brow'ii  continued  a  member 
of  the  bar.  doing  his  best  to  secure  clientage  and 
to  so  conduct  his  cases  as  to  win  the  confidence 
of  the  public.  After  six  years'  service  as  justice 
of  the  peace  he  was  elected  state  attorney  in  1852. 
.Vlready  he  W'as  demonstrating  his  ability  to 
handle  involved  litigated  interests,  and  he  ren- 
dered capal)le  service  in  the  second  position  to 
which  he  was  elected,  a  fact  which  also  ditl  nuich 
to  win  him  i)ub!ic  confidence  and  support.  He 
was  also  called  to  other  public  offices,  being  one 
of  the  township  trustees  prior  to  the  incorpora- 
tion of  the  city,  and  in  1857  he  was  honored  by 
election  to  the  ma\'oralty.  in  which  office  he  gave 
to  the  young  cit\'  a  business-like  and  ])rogressive 
administration,  carefully  guarding  its  financial 
interests  and  at  the  same  tiem  using  his  influence 
and  official  prerogatives  for  the  upbuilding  and 
l)romotion  of  its  welfare.  In  1864  he  was  elected 
to  the  state  legislature,  and  for  a  term  of  two 
years  was  active  in  framing  the  laws  of  the  com- 
monwealth. For  six  years  he  served  by  a])i)oint- 
ment  as  master  in  chancery,  and  in  1870  he  was 
elected  to  the  circuit  bench,  serving  for  twenty 
years  with  conspicuous  ability  in  that  position. 
He  had  great  respect  for  the  dignity  of  judicial 
])lace  and  ])ower,  and  no  man  ever  presided  in  a 
court  with  more  re.spect  for  his  environments  than 
<lid  Judge  Brown.  As  the  result  of  this  personal 
characteristic  the  proceedings  were  always  orderly 
upon  the  part  of  every  one — audience,  bar,  and 
the  olTicers  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest.  The 
court  records  are  the  best  proof  ot  his  capability. 
His  opinions  are  fine  specimens  of  judicial 
thought,  always  clear,  logical  and  as  brief  as  the 
character  of  the  case  will  permit.  His  life  dur- 
ing the  entire  period  of  his  course  at  the  bar  and 
on  the  Ijench  was  directed  in  the  line  of  his  pro- 
fession and  his  duty.  He  was  excejitionally  free 
from  all  judicial  bias,  his  varied  legal  learning 
and  wide  experience  in  the  courts,  the  patient 
care  with  which  he  ascertained  all  the  facts  bear- 
ing upon  every  case  which  came  before  him,  ga\e 
his  decisions  a  solidity  and  an  exhaustiveness 
from  which  no  member  of  the  bar  could  take 
exceptions. 


PAST     AXD     PRESENT     OF     WLWEBAGO     COUNTY. 


20 1 


The  home  Hfe  of  Judge  Brown  was  largely 
ideal.  Unto  him  and  his  wife,  who  still  sur- 
vives him,  were  born  two  sons,  Edward  ^^'.  and 
Frank  R.  Brown,  of  the  Nelson  Knitting  Com- 
pany;  and  a  daughter,  }ilay.  now  the  wife  of 
H.  W.  Buckbee.  His  interests  centered  in  his 
family  and  he  counted  no  personal  sacrifice  on 
his  part  too  great  if  it  would  promote  the  welfare 
or  happiness  of  his  wife  and  children.  No  better 
indication  of  his  love  for  his  family  and  the  de- 
sire for  the  best  development  of  his  sons  and 
daughters-  can  be  given  than  to  print  a  letter 
which  he  wrote  to  them  after  his  elevation  to  the 
bench,  which  read  as  follows  : 

Galena.  111..  June  8.  1873. 
To  Eddie,  Frankie  and  Alay ; 

Aly  Dear  Children : 

Your  pa  was  unanimously  elected  judge  of  the 
First  Judicial  Circuit  of  the  State  of  Illinois  last 
JMonday,  for  the  term  of  six  years. 

If  we  live  to  the  close  of  my  term  in  office, 
Eddie  will  be  twenty-two,  Frankie  nineteen  and 
little  May  fourteen  years  of  age.  The  boys  will 
be  young  men  and  Alay  will  be  almost  a  young 
lady.  As  to  you,  boys,  there  is  no  more  impor- 
tant period  in  your  lives  than  the  next  six  \ears. 
Your  characters  ought  then  to  be  formed  for  good 
or  for  evil.  It  will  be  developed  by  that  time, 
whether  you  will  make  noble,  useful  men  in  the 
world,  or  whether  you  will  be  worthless  loafers, 
respected  by  none  and  despised  by  all.  It  will 
be  a  terrible  affliction  to  your  pa  and  ma  to  raise 
up  a  worthless  boy.  What  will  be  of  more  value 
to  you  than  anything  else  is  a  fixedness  of  pur- 
pose, a  determination  and  a  will  to  do  right — 
let  others  do  as  they  may.  You  want  a  fixed  prin- 
ciple so  that  you  can  not  under  any  circumstances 
be  influenced  to  do  wrong.  \\'hen  }0u  go  out 
(as  you  will  soon  have  to  go)  from  home  and 
home  influences,  you  want  your  habits  so  firmly 
established  that  you  will  not  drink,  that  you  will 
not  use  tobacco,  that  you  will  not  use  profane 
or  vulgar  language,  and  that  you  will  not  asso- 
ciate with  the  wicked  or  the  vile. 

Boys,  you  have  ability  enough  to  make  tal- 
ented men,  and  a  noble  future  awaits  you.  if  you 
only  dare  to  do  right. 

Another  thing  that  I  want  to  particularly  im- 
press upon  you  is  this :  always  be  kind,  respect- 
ful and  obedient  to  your  dear  mother.  I  never 
knew  a  boy  to  make  a  good  man  who  was  un- 
kind lo  his  mother.  Your  mother  will  mostly 
have  charge  of  you  for  the  next  six  j'ears.  If 
you  will  under  all  circumstances  obey  her,  and 
kindly  do  her  bidding,  I  will  have  no  fears  of 
your  future :  but  if  on  the  other  hand  you  dis- 
obey her  and  treat  her  unkindly,  you  will  become 
worthless,  cruel  and  wicked.     In  the  Bible  chil- 


dren are  commanded  to  obey  their  parents,  for 
this  is  right. 

I  trust  that  little  May  will  always  be  a  bright, 
twinkling  little  star,  shedding  her  light  upon  a 
sin-cursed  and  darkened  world.  May  you  all 
grow  up  to  be  a  blessing  in  the  world,'  and  a 
comfort  and  joy  to  your  parents. 

From  Your  Loving  Pa. 

Only  those  who  knew  Judge  Brown  best  ap- 
preciated to  the  full  extent  his  ability,  his  char- 
acter and  the  depths  of  his  kindly  nature.  The 
local  press  at  the  time  of  his  demise,  which  oc- 
curred January  15,  1891,  said: 

Judge  Brown  was  a  high  type  of  American 
manhood.  He  was  earnest,  honest  and  self-reli- 
ant. From  a  poor  boy  he  made  his  way  up  to  a 
position  which  any  man  might  envy,  and'  in  doing 
so  pushed  no  other  man  down,  nor  was  there 
ever  a  suspicion  of  trickery  or  dishonesty  in  any 
way  attached  to  him.  None  ever  knew  him  but  to 
respect  him.  He  possessed  strong  opinions 
which  he  held  tenaciously  but  never  obtruded 
them  upon  others.  He  acquired  a  considerable 
by  strict  business  principles  and  shrewd  specula- 
tions. It  was  ever  a  pleasure  to  meet  him.  He 
possessed  a  large  fund  of  information  which  he 
could  impart  with  rare  ability,  and  was  a  whole- 
souled,  genial  and  companionable  gentleman. 

As  a  jurist.  Judge  Brown  bore  the  highest  rep- 
utation. For  twenty  3-ears  he  sat  on  the  circuit 
bench,  and  rarely  did  he  have  a  decision  re- 
versed in  the  higher  courts.  He  was  deeply 
learned  in  legal  lore,  and  was  so  eminentl_v  fair 
that  all  litigants  and  attorneys  were  glad  to  have 
him  try  their  cases.  Strong  temperance  man  as 
he  was,  the  saloonists  themselves  were  glad  to 
have  him  on  the  bench  at  their  trials.  His  repu- 
tation as  a  jurist  was  not  local,  but  extended  far 
and  wide,  and  it  would  be  well  inscribed  on  his 
tomb,  "He  was  a  righteous  judge."  He  was 
deeply  interested  in  his  duties  on  the  bench,  and 
sought  only  to  raise  the  standard  of  American 
jurisprudence,  make  decisions  which  would  stand 
the  test  of  time,  and  leave  an  honorable  reputa- 
tion— all  of  which  he  accomplished.  He  knew 
no  way  to  administer  the  law  but  on  the  great 
principles  of  the  science,  and  with  painstaking 
conscientiousness  worked  out  the  problems  pre- 
sented by  each  suit  tried  before  him.  His  re- 
ward was  in  the  consciousness  of  duty  well  per- 
formed, and  the  universal  honor  and  respect  of 
the  legal  profession. 

As  a  citizen.  Judge  Brown  was  a  noble  type. 
He  fully  appreciated  the  responsibilities  of  .Amer- 
ican citizenship,  and  earnestly  sought  to  meet 
them.  Never  a  politician,  and  far  removed  in 
nature  and  vocation  from  affinity  with  the  noisy 
strife  of  partisanship,  he  fairly  faced  every  issue 


202 


PAST     AM)     i'RESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


of  the  day,  decided  which  course  was  the  better 
for  his  country  and  tlie  people  in  his  estimation, 
and  then  by  voice  and  vote  forwarded  the  cause 
which  his  clear  head  had  caused  him  to  espouse. 
He  was  an  earnest  republican,  a  republican  from 
deeply  rooted  principle  and  no  minor  mistake 
which  the  party  could  make,  no  abuse  of  the  party 
by  individuals,  could  swerve  him  from  his  princi- 
ples. Right  was  right  with  him,  and  his  atten- 
tion could  not  be  distracted  by  minor  issues.  He 
did  loyal  work  for  the  party  in  a  quiet  way,  and 
his  time,  his  energy  and  his  purse  was  always  at 
its  command.  He  was  a  strong  temperance  man 
and  worked  with  a  will  for  the  cause.  The  old 
residents  will  remember  with  how  firm  a  hand  he 
enforced  the  liquor  laws  during  his  term  as 
mayor.  Careful  as  he  was  as  judge,  not  to  allow 
his  personal  opinion  to  interfere  with  his  inter- 
pretation of  the  law,  as  an  executive  officer  he 
was  as  firm  as  adamant  and  enforced  the  temper- 
ance laws  with  a  hand  of  iron.  Once  convinced 
of  his  duty  naught  could  swerve  him.  The  liquor 
men  girdled  his  fruit  and  ornamental  trees,  and 
otherwise  injured  the  grounds,  out  of  anger  at 
his  firmness,  but  he  never  wavered.  They  threat- 
ened him,  but  he  knew  not  fear,  and  went  about 
his  business  as  openly  as  ever  and  entirely  un- 
attended. Nearly  all  his  life  long  occupying  pub- 
lic positions,  no  man  ever  charged  that  he  did 
not  in  every  case  do  his  duty,  and  no  man  ever 
suggested  a  word  against  his  absolute  honesty. 
He  was  a  good  citizen.  If  all  were  such  as  he 
government  would  be  a  simple  matter,  and  the 
community  would  be  an  Elysium  indeed. 

The  judge  was  an  honest  and  consistent  Qiris- 
tian  and  has  ever  been  devoted  to  the  church. 
He  has  been  closely  identified  with  the  Centennial 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  for  many  years,  and 
was  one  of  the  principal  luovers  in  erecting  the 
new  church.  He  held  all  the  affairs  of  Metho- 
dism close  to  his  heart,  and  was  interested  in  the 
church  at  large  as  well  as  local  organizations. 
There  was  no  Christian  movement  but  appealed 
to  his  heart  and  interest.  He  was  alwavs  to  be 
found  in  the  front  rank  of  workers  for  the  r.iuse 
of  Christ  and  of  right.  He  filled  various  lay 
offices  in  the  Methodist  church  and  will  be  greatly 
missed  by  his  fellow  workers  in  the  field.  He 
possessed  to  an  eminent  degree  the  Christian  vir- 
tues of  forgiveness  and  benevolence,  and  did  what 
he  could  to  lighten  the  loads  of  others. 

In  his  family  Judge  I'rown  was  a  king,  en- 
throned in  the  love  and  honor  of  his  children. 
He  was  a  great  home  man  and  loved  the  joys  of 
his  fireside.  Nothing  was  too  good  for  his  fam- 
ily that  he  could  get.  Their  happiness  was  the 
apple  of  his  eye  and  the  life  inside  of  the  charmed 
home  circle  was  most  beautiful.  He  was  the  idol 
of  his  wife  and  children.     The  latter  have  ever 


regarded  his  opinion  as  be\ond  debate  or  doubt, 
anfl  what  he  said  the\-  were  willing  to  stake  their 
lives  on.  It  has  been  a  beautiful  example  of  faith 
to  all  who  knew  them.  The  sons,  grown  men  of 
strong  opinions  themselves,  and  ready  to  combat 
their  opinions  in  the  world,  have  ever  bowed  be- 
fore his  wider  experience  and  riper  judgment. 
During  the  past  year  since  failing  health  com- 
pelled him  to  give  up  the  active  duties  of  life, 
he  has  especially  enjoyed  his  home  and  the  sunny 
smiles  of  his  grantldaughters  growing  up  about 
him.  During  the  last  hours  when  naught  else 
could  arouse  him  from  the  lethargy  into  which 
he  was  sinking,  the  presence  of  the  little  girls  in 
his  room  would  summon  the  scattered  faculties 
like  a  gleam  of  sunshine  and  he  would  notice 
them  pleasantly.  It  is  in  this  circle  where  the 
loss  falls  most  heavily.  The  state  loses  a  good 
citizen,  the  people  a  good  neighbor,  the  church  a 
good  member,  humanity  a  good  man,  and  a  thou- 
sand hearts  bow  in  sadness  at  his  death  ;  but  one 
circle  about  the  deserted  fireside  lose  something 
more  tangible.  They  lose  a  guide  ever  ready 
with  advice  and  encouragement ;  a  father  and 
husband  whom  they  loved  with  passionate  tender- 
ness. 


THOMAS  LAKE. 


Thomas  Lake,  deceased,  was  a  representative 
farmer  of  Winnebago  county,  born  on  the  4th 
of  July,  1806,  at  Blackford,  in  the  parish  of 
Selworth.  Somersetshire.  England,  his  parents 
being  William  and  Elizabeth  Lake.  The  father 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  carried  on  a 
milling  business  in  connection  with  the  tilling 
of  the  soil.  The  Lake  homestead  belonged  to  the 
estate  of  Sir.  T.  D.  Ackland. 

Thomas  Lake,  reared  to  the  occupation  of 
farming,  followed  that  pursuit  during  the  great- 
er part  of  the  time  until  his  father's  death.  Soon 
afterwards  he  sailed  for  America.  He  had  pre- 
viously married  Miss  Lavinia  Atkins,  a  daughter 
of  John  Atkins,  a  farmer  residing  at  \\'hilcomb 
in  the  parish  of  Minehead.  It  was  in  May,  1832, 
that  ^Ir.  Lake  sailed  from  Bristol  on  board  the 
bark  Charlotte,  bound  for  New  York.  The 
voyage  was  a  long  and  tedious  one  as  compared 
with  the  rapid  transportation  of  the  present 
times,  but  at  length  anchor  was  dropped  in  the 
American  port.  A  few  days  later  Mr.  Lake  pro- 
ceeded to  Troy,  New  York,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed for  a  short  time,  but  owing  to  a  cholera 
epidemic  he  deemed  it  wise  to  proceed  on  his 
westward  way.  They  stopped  for  a  short  time  in 
Ohio  and  there  Mr.  Lake  worked  at  the  carpen- 
ter's trade,  which  he  had  learned  in  his  native 
land.      Subsequently  he   started  with   his    family 


THOMAS  LAKE 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


205 


for  Chicago,  where  he  arrived  011  the  ist  of 
October,  1835.  It  was  not  until  about  two  years 
later  that  the  city  was  incorporated.  There  he 
was  employed  by  a  ]\Ir.  Steel,  who  was  later 
elected  sheriff  of  Cook  county.  In  March,  1836, 
accompanied  by  Air.  Tw'ogood  and  his  family.  Mr. 
Lake  and  his  family  completed  the  trip  to  Rock- 
ford.  At  that  time  the  land  office  had  not  been 
opened,  the  entire  county  being  in  a  primitive  con- 
dition. Tlie  Lake  family  remained  at  the  home 
of  Daniel  S.  Haight  until  a  log  house  could  be 
erected  by  Mr.  Lake  on  his  claim  near  Rock- 
ford.  He  secured  a  considerable  tract  of  land 
in  Guilford  township  and  there  he  began  the  de- 
velopment of  his  farm,  aiding  in  large  measure  in 
the  substantial  improvement  of  the  county  at  an 
early  day.  He  was  one  of  the  worthy  pioneer 
settlers  and  assisted  in  laying  broad  and  deep  the 
foundation  upon  which  has  been  reared  the  super- 
structure of  the  present  prosperity  and  progress 
of  Winnebago  county. 

Before  leaving  England  one  son,  Robert  W., 
had  been  born  unto  Air.  and  Mrs.  Lake.  Their 
daughter,  Mrs.  E.  J.  Lake,  now  owns  a  fine  farm 
on  section  2,  Guilford  township,  and  from 
pioneer  days  down  to  the  present  the  family  has 
jjeen  prominent  in  this  county,  its  members  be- 
ing respected  and  worthy  citizens. 


IR\TN  S.   SUMNER. 

Irvin  S.  Sumner,  filling  the  position  of  post- 
master at  Pecatonica,  is  one  of  the  leading  citizens 
of  his  part  of  the  county,  his  labors  proving  ef- 
fective in  advancing  the  welfare  of  the  town, 
while  his  efforts  in  his  business  interests  have 
brought  him  a  gratifying^  measure  of  success.  Pie 
was  born  in  Pecatonica,  November  8,  1844,  his 
parents  being  \\'illiam  and  Cynthia  ( Farrell ) 
.Sumner,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  tlie  Em- 
pire state.  The  father  came  to  Winnebago 
county  in  1835,  casting  in  his  lot  with  the  pioneer 
settlers  of  Pecatonica  township,  where  he  en- 
tered land  from  the  government.  He  was  one 
of  the  first  to  locate  on  the  banks  of  the  Pecaton- 
ica river  and  throughout  his  entire  business  life 
he  carried  on  general  farming  and  stock-raising. 
In  1858  he  made  a  business  trip  to  low'a  and 
there  dropped  dead  from  heart  failure.  His  wife 
had  departed  this  life  in  1856.  They  were  the 
parents  of  two  sons  and  a  daughter :  Irvin  S. ; 
Louise,  w'ho  married  William  Marsh  and  is  now 
living  in  California ;  and  Eugene,  whose  death 
was  occasioned  by  a  tree  falling  on  him  when  he 
was  twenty-one  years  of  age.  After  losing  his 
first  wife  William  Sumner  married  Miss  Ellen 
Leonard,  and  they  had  one  child,  Flora,  who  is 
13 


now  the   wife  of  William  Giltrap,  of  Anamosa, 
Iowa. 

Irvin  S.  Sumner  pursued  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  and  remained  at  home  until  the  age 
of  fourteen  years,  when  he  went  to  Kansas,  where 
he  spent  two  years  working  as  a  farm  hand.    He 
then  returned   home   and  in    1861    worked  upon 
the   farm,   attending  school   through   the   winter 
months.     In  the  year  1862,  however,  he  offered 
his  services  to  the  government,  being  then  but 
seventeen  years  of  age.    He  enlisted  in  Company 
B,    Seventy-fourth    Illinois    \^olunteer    Infantryi" 
and  on  the  4th  of  September  was  mustered  in  at 
Rockford.     He  served  for  more  than  two  years, 
and  was  then  honorably  discharged  on  acct>ujj)f/q'f 
disability  at  Chicago,  January  6,  1865.     He  went 
from  Rockford  with  his  regiment  to  Louisville, 
Kentucky,  and  on  to   Perryville,  where  he  was 
first  under  fire,  participating  in  the  battle  at  that 
place.     Subsecjuently  he  went  to  Nashville,  Ten- 
nessee, where  the  first  winter  was  spent,  and  be- 
ing on  the  sick  list  he  was  in  the  hospital  most 
of  the  time.     Later  he  rejoined  his  regiment  at 
Alurfreesboro,  Tennessee,  and  with  his  company 
moved  on  to  Winchester  and  to  Chattanooga.    He 
[larticipated  in  the   battle  of   Missionary   Ridge, 
thence  went  to  Knoxville,   where  tlie  winter  of 
1863  vvas  passed,  after  which  his  command  fol- 
lowed General  Bragg  through  to  Kenesaw  Moun- 
tain,  and   in  the  notable   engagement   which  oc- 
curred at  that  place  Mr.  Sumner  was  wounded 
on  the  27th  of  June,  1863.     He  w^as  struck  by  a 
ball  which   entered  the  right  side  above  the   hip 
and  came  out  just  below  the  breast-bone,  passing 
through  the  large  lobe  of  the  liver.     Mr.  Sum- 
ner is  the  only  man  in  this  state  with  the  excep- 
tion of  ex-Governor  Joseph  Fifer  that  ever  sus- 
tained such  a  wound  and  lived.    He  was  wounded 
in  the  morning  and  lay  on  the  field  until  the  fol- 
lowing day,  when    he    was  found  in  the  grass, 
which  was  covered  w-ith  blood.     He  was  discov- 
ered    by     his     company     commander.      Captain 
Thompson.     The  doctors  had  done  nothing  for 
him,  as  they  thought  he  could  not  live,  but  the 
captain  ordered  them  to  dress  his  wound,  which 
they  did,  and  later  he  was  removed  to  Big  Shanty, 
about  six  miles  from  the  battle-field.     Care  had 
been  given  him  so  late  that  the  microbes  had  done 
their  w-ork  before  the  wound  was  dressed.     He 
was  sent  to  Chattanooga,  Tennessee,  on  the  2d  of 
July,   remaining  in  the  hospital   there   for   some 
time,  and  afterward  was  in  the  hospitals  of  Nash- 
ville and  of  Louisville,   Kentucky,   being  trans- 
ferred from  the  last  named  to  Jeffersonville.  In- 
diana.    Because  of  the  delay  in  attending  his  in- 
juries gangrene  set  in  and  in   burning  out  the 
poison  the  surgeon  also  burned  off  an  artery  and 
he  came  very  nearly  losing  his  life  from  bleeding 
to  death.     After  being  transferred  tqsChicago  he 


2o6 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


was  in  tlic  .Marine  Hosijital  under  Dr.  Islinni  un- 
til cliscliargc(.l  from  tlic  service,  and  after  his  re- 
turn home  was  under  the  care  of  Drs.  Rutler  and 
Newell,  but  niorc  than  a  year  passed  before  he 
could  stand  erect,  and  he  has  always  suffered 
from  his  wound,  having  never  recovered  his  gen- 
eral he.ilth.  l-'or  months  at  a  time  he  has  been 
undrr  the  care  of  an  attendant,  and  in  fact  h.is 
never  enjoyed  a  well  ilay  since  the  fatal  battle 
of  Kenesaw  Mountain.  He  made  a  great  sacri- 
fice for  his  country  and  belongs  to  that  class  of 
brave  and  noble  men  to  whom  the  country  owes 
a  debt  of  gratitude  that  can  never  be  repaid. 

As  soon  as  possible  after  somewhat  regaining 
his  health  .\Ir.  Sumner  resumed  business  in  con- 
nection with  fanning  interests  in  this  state.  In 
1880  he  rented  a  farm  belonging  to  his  uncle  and 
thus  superintended  between  twelve  and  fourteen 
hundred  acres  of  land,  continuing  in  the  conduct 
and  operation  of  that  place  until  about  four 
years  ago.  He  now  owns  a  valuable  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  thirty-five  acres,  wdiich  he  purchased 
a  number  of  years  ago,  and  which  he  rents,  wdiile 
he  is  living  in  a  good  home  in  Pecatonica  and 
filling  the  position  of  postmaster  here.  He  has 
done  much  to  advance  business  interests  in  the 
village,  promoting  public  ])rogrcss  along  com- 
mercial and  industrial  lines.  He  was  one  of  the 
first  men  to  aid  in  starting  the  creamerj-  and  was 
also  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Milk  Condensing 
Company.  He  himself  became  a  stockholder  and 
induced  others  to  invest,  and  these  enterprises 
have  proved  of  much  value  in  business  circles 
here. 

Mr.  Sumner  has  been  married  three  times.  He 
wedded  Miss  Sarah  Green,  a  daughter  of  El- 
bridge  and  Mary  (Brewer)  Green,  and  they  be- 
came the  parents  of  two  sons,  William  and 
fieorge.  The  former  married  Florence  Christ- 
man  and  they  reside  in  Pecatonica.  George,  also 
of  Pecatonica,  wedded  Miss  Betsey  Doty  and  has 
two  sons,  Harold  and  Eugene.  For  his  second 
wife  Mr.  Sumner  chose  Ellen  Kerr,  a  daughter 
of  Peter  and  Margaret  (Winchester)  Kerr,  and 
they  have  two  daughters,  .Mice  A.  and  .Vnna  L., 
who  are  attending  to  the  duties  of  the  postoffice. 
For  his  third  wife  he  chose  Minnie  Hamlin, 
a  daughter  of  Jeremiah  and  Mary  (Madden) 
Hamlin.  Her  father  was  boni  at  Bleeding  Hill, 
Massachusetts,  a  brother  of  Vice  President  Ham- 
lin, and  the  mother  was  born  at  Rochester,  New 
York.  She  died  in  1866.  while  .Mr.  Hamlin 
passed  away  in  1875.  both  dying  in  Rockford. 
They  had  come  to  the  west  about  1853,  settling 
in  the  county  seat,  where  Mr.  Hamlin  lived  re- 
tired. He  was  a  memlKr  of  the  Masonic  frater- 
nity. Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  bom  two 
daughters.  Mrs.  Sumner  and  Hattic.  the  deceased 
wife  of  T.  S.  Tuthill.  a  lumber  merchant  of  Siou.'c 


Falls,  South  Dakota.     She  died  in   .Minneapolis, 
Minnesota,  in  1902,  leaving  one  child. 

Mr.  Sumner  is  an  earnest  advocate  of  repub- 
lican principles,  his  first  vote  being  cast  for  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  on  the  8th  of  November,  1865.  He 
was  challenged  by  Charles  Stephens,  a  democrat, 
but  Mr.  Sumner  swore  in  his  vote,  just  the  same, 
for  it  was  his  twenty-first  birthday  and  he  was, 
therefore,  entitled  to  exercise  his  right  of  fran- 
chise and  supported  the  republican  candidate, 
who  in  the  light  of  history  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  greatest  men  the  nation  has  ever  produced. 
He  was  commissioner  of  highways  for  twelve 
years  and  was  school  commissioner  for  three 
years,  but  has  never  cared  to  hold  office  in  Peca- 
tonica save  that  which  he  is  now  filling — the  po- 
sition of  postmaster.  He  is  a  member  of  Ellis 
post.  No.  20,  G.  A.  R.,  and  thus  maintains  pleas- 
ant relations  with  his  old  army  comrades.  In 
days'of  peace  and  days  of  war  he  has  been  cquallx 
loyal  to  his  country,  and  stands  to-day  as  one  of 
the  representative  citizens  of  \\'inncbago  county, 
honored  and  respected  by  all  who  know  him. 


THOMAS  WINCHESTER. 

Thomas  Winchester,  a  general  contractor,  de- 
voting his  attention  mainly  to  cut  stone  work, 
is  a  native  of  Northumberland  county,  England. 
He  was  born  in  the  year  1846  and  remained  in 
his  native  country  until  ten  years  of  age.  In 
1837  he  crossed  the  .\tlantic  to  .America  and  be- 
came a  resident  of  Pecatonica.  Winnebago 
county.  Illinois.  His  parents  resided  at  that 
place  until  called  to  their  final  rest  and  the 
father.  \\^'lliam  \\'inchester,  was  also  engaged  in 
the  stone-cutting  trade. 

Thomas  ^^'inchester  of  this  review  was  a 
young  man  of  twenty  years  when,  in  i8fi6.  he 
left  home  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Rockford. 
where  he  has  since  resided.  In  early  life  he 
learned  the  stone-cutter's  trade  and  after  work- 
ing a,s  a  journeyman  for  a  number  of  years,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  gained  a  thorough  and  accu- 
rate knowledge  of  the  business,  he  embarked  in 
business  for  himself  and  for  the  past  sixteen 
years  has  been  well  known  as  a  contractor  of 
this  city.  He  has  a  yard  located  at  the  Kenosha 
division  depot  and  employs  on  an  average 
throughout  the  year  from  fifteen  to  twenty  men, 
while  oftentimes  he  has  in  his  service  as  many 
as  fifty  men.  all  skilled  mechanics.  He  has 
erected  under  contract  numerous  fine  buildings 
in  the  city  and  in  fact  has  worked  for  most  of 
the  leading  stone  contractors  of  Rockford.  He 
is  now  engaged  in  the  erection  of  tlie  Fir.st 
Prcbvterian  church  at  Main  and  \\"orth  streets, 
associated  with  John  P.  CuUcn.    He  has  now  fol- 


THOMAS  WINCHESTER. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


209 


lowed  the  stone-cutting  business  for  forty  years 
and  as  time  has  advanced  his  patronage  has 
gained  until  he  is  now  a  leading  representative 
of  this  line  of  activity  in  his  adopted  citv. 

Mr.  \\'inchester  was  married  in  Pecatonica  to 
Miss  Esther  J.  Corwin,  of  that  place,  a  daughter 
of  'Squire  Corwin.  who  was  an  early  resident 
of  the  city  and  is  now  deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Winchester  have  five  children,  all  of  whom  were 
born  in  Rockford :  Edith,  now  the  wife  of  W. 
F.  Pitney,  who  is  engaged  in  the  grocery  busi- 
ness in  Rockford :  Thomas  R.,  a  stone-cutter, 
who  is  married  and  makes  his  home  in  this  citv : 
Nellie,  the  wife  of  J.  H.  Tole,  who  is  chief  mone\- 
order  clerk  in  the  postoffice,  and  has  two  chil- 
dren, Arthur  T.  and  Dorothy ;  and  Mabel  and 
Maud,  both  at  home.  The  family  residence  is 
at  No.  720  Fifth  avenue. 

In  his  political  allegiance  ]\Ir.  ^^'incllester  is  a 
democrat.  In  his  social  relations  he  is  an  Odd 
Fellow,  belonging  to  both  the  lodge  and  encamp- 
ment of  Rockford,  and  he  has  filled  all  of  the 
chairs  in  the  order.  He  likewise  holds  member- 
ship relations  with  the  Tribe  of  Ben  Flur.  Strong 
purpose  and  unfaltering  industry  constituted 
the  success  of  his  rise  in  the  business  world  and 
from  a  humble  position  as  an  apprentice  Mr. 
Winchester  has  worked  his  way  upward  tmtil  as 
a  contractor  he  is  prominent,  controlling  im- 
portant business  enterprises. 


ISRAEL  SOVEREIGN. 

Israel  Sovereign,  now  in  the  seventy-eighth 
year  of  his  age  and  living  retired  at  No.  313 
North  Church  street,  in  Rockford,  was  born  in 
Canada,  November  6,  1827.  His  parents,  John 
and  Miriam  (Mabee)  Sovereign,  were  resi- 
dents of  Canada.  The  father  was  born  in  New 
Jersey  and  went  to  the  Dominion  with  his  parents 
when  but  four  years  of  age,  so  that  he  was  reared 
in  that  country.  He  took  up  land  in  the  province 
of  Ontario  and  followed  farming  in  the  township 
of  Malihide  until  the  fall  of  1840,  when  he  re- 
moved to  W'innebago  county,  making  the  journey 
overland  to  Rockford  by  way  of  Chicago,  and  at 
that  time  the  latter  city  contained  but  three  houses 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  While  living  in 
Canada  he  had  been  called  upon  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  his  wife,  who  died  in  1839,  when  thirty- 
nine  years  of  age.  She  left  ten  children,  nearly 
all  of  whom  reached  mature  3'ears,  and  one  is  a 
resident  of  California,  one  of  Missouri  and  two 
of  Illinois.  With  his  family  Mr.  Sovereign  start- 
ed for  this  state,  making  the  journey  \i.-ith  teams 
and  wagons  and  reaching  his  destination  on  the 
loth  of  November.  Being  left  with  a  large  fam- 
ily, he  married  again,  Mrs.  Mary  Mason,  a  na- 


tive of  Illinois,  becoming  his  wife.  Their  mar- 
riage occurred  in  Boone  county,  and  T\Irs.  Sov- 
ereign also  had  a  number  of  children  by  her  first 
marriage.  Arriving  at  his  destination,  Mr.  Sov- 
ereign purcliased  a  house  on  Tliird  street,  in  East 
Rockford,  south  of  the  park,  and  there  made  his 
home  for  a  time,  after  which  he  bought  a  farm  on 
section  31,  Guilford  township,  this  property  be- 
ing now  partly  owned  by  Reuben  Sovereign.  The 
tather  became  the  owner  of  a  half  section  on 
Fourteenth  avenue  road  and  also  the  northeast 
quarter  of  section  31,  which  is  now  the  pr.operty 
of  Reuben  Sovereign,  and  the  northwest  quarter 
of  section  32,  which  has  since  passed  out  of  pos- 
session of  the  family.  Israel  Sovereign  owned 
the  west  half  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  section 
32,  which  he  afterward  traded  for  a  store  in 
Rockfortl.  while  the  remaining  eighty  acres  was 
owned  b}-  Ruth  Sovereign,  who  married  Reuben 
Havenson,  and  is  now  deceased.  John  Sovereign 
operated  his  large  farm  for  a  time,  but  afterward 
divided  it  among  his  children.  He  resided,  how- 
ever, upon  that  place  until  about  1870,  v.'hen  he 
went  to  California  on  a  visit  to  a  son,  George, 
who  removed  there  in  the  early  '50s,  and  in  the 
Golden  state  John  Sovereign  passed  away  on  the 
20th  of  August,  1870,  when  seventy-three  years 
of  age.  His  early  political  support  was  given  to 
the  whig  party  and  when  the  question  of  slavery 
was  the  dominant  issue  before  the  people  he  es- 
poused the  cause  of  abolition.  He  never  sought 
or  desired  office  for  himself,  however.  He  and 
both  of  his  wives  were  devoted  members  of  the 
Alethodist  Episcopal  church  and  he  was  a  local 
minister  of  '\\'innebago  county,  known  far  and 
wide  as  an  earnest  and  faithful  Christian  man. 
His  second  wife  reached  an  advanced  age.  He 
was  one  of  the  leading  pioneers  of  Guilford 
township,  active  in  business,  charitable  and 
benevolent  in  his  relations  to  those  who  needed 
aid  and  loyal  in  his  friendships. 

Israel  Sovereign  was  reared  in  Canada  and 
Guilford  township,  \Mnnebago  county,  and  in 
1857,  when  thirty  years  of  age,  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  Rockford,  where  he  became  connected 
with  the  hardware  business,  following  that  pur- 
suit until  1883.  He  was  one  of  the  leading  mer- 
chants in  that  line  of  trade  on  the  west  side  and 
he  yet  owns  a  business  block  at  No.  116  South 
Main  street.  He  was  one  of  the  promoters  of  the 
Rockford  Watch  company,  became  a  director 
and  also  represented  the  company  on  the  road  as 
a  traveling"  salesman  for  five  years.  He  met  with 
almost  phenomenal  success  in  that  work  in  the 
northwestern  states  and  parts  of  Canada. 

Israel  Sovereign  was  married  in  Winnebago 
county  to  Miss  Laura  Judd,  who  came  from 
Ohio  to  Illinois  in  her  early  girlhood  with  her 
parents,  Jason  and  Rebecca   (Shaw)   Judd,  who 


2IO 


PAST     AXn     rkl-.SLNT     OF     WIXXEBAGO     COUNTY. 


settled  upon  a  farm  in  Durand  township  and 
there  passed  their  remaining  days,  dying  about 
thirty  years  ago.  They  were  natives  of  N'ermont 
and  Massachusetts  respectively  and  were  repre- 
sentative people  of  their  conmnmity,  enjoying  in 
high  degree  the  regard  of  all  with  whom  they 
came  in  contact.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sovereign 
have  been  born  three  children — C.  Eugene,  a 
prominent  business  man  of  Rockford,  who  mar- 
ried Miss  Elsie  Irvine:  l-"red  J.,  who  is  ])roprie- 
tor  of  the  City  Ice  Comiiany,  and  married  Luella 
Rhodes :  and  Alice.  The  family  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  church  and  Mr.  Sovereign  is  a  re- 
publican in  politics.  He  never  sought  or  de.sircd 
office,  however,  preferring  to  devote  his  attention 
to  his  business  interests,  and  for  many  years  he 
was  prominent  in  commercial  circles  in  Rockford, 
making  for  himself  a  reputation  which  any  man 
might  be  proud  to  possess. 

He  not  only  worked  his  way  steadily  upward, 
but  was  prompt  in  meeting  obligations  and  never 
made  engagements  that  he  did  not  fulfill.  He 
placed  his  reliance  in  such  old  and  time-tried 
maxims  as  "honesty  is  the  best  policy,"  and 
"there  is  no  excellence  without  labor,"  and 
these  proved  the  basis  of  his  prosperity. 


HOMER  W".  K.XOWLTON. 

Homer  W.  Knowlton,  cashier  of  the  Pecaton- 
ica  Bank  since  1873,  was  born  in  Freeport,  Illi- 
nois, April  9,  1839.  His  parents  were  Dexter  A. 
and  Eveline  (.\rnnld)  Knowlton.  lx)th  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Herkimer  county.  New  York. 
His  paternal  grandfather,  Djivid  Knowlton,  was 
born  May  7,  1783.  and  in  1804  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Achsah  Barnes.  He  removed  from 
Herkimer  county.  Xew  York,  to  Stockton  town- 
ship, Chautauqua  county,  about  1813.  [le  fol- 
lowed farming  and  the  trade  of  boot  and  .shoe- 
making,  which  he  had  leamcd  in  early  life.  He 
was  also  active  and  influential  in  matters  relating 
to  the  public  welfare,  and  was  one  of  the  deacons 
of  the  Baptist  church  at  old  Town  Line.  This 
church  was  organized  in  1814  and  known  as  the 
First  Baptist  church  of  .Stockton. 

Unto  David  and  .\chsah  (Barnes)  Knowlton 
were  born  seven  children :  Sophronia,  born 
March  5,  180*1,  married  Isaac  Andrus  May  29, 
1823.  removed  to  Rockford  in  1849  au'i  died 
here  June  10,  1888.  .\chsah.  born  March  23, 
1809.  died  in  childhood.  David,  born  February 
15,  1810,  also  died  in  childhood.  Dexter  A., 
born  March  3,  1812,  was  married  January  15, 
1834,  to  Eveline  .\rnold,  who  died  .\ugust  19, 
1874,  while  his  death  occurred  Marcli  10,  1876. 
Betsey  A.,  born  March  3.  1820,  became  the  wife 
of  Lewis  Morgan  and  died  Xovember  16.  1882. 
Dyer,  born  May  11,  1822.  died  in  diildhood.  Wil- 


liam Alfred,  born  August  4,  1831,  was  married 
January  21,  1857,  to  Matilda  Hitchcock,  made  his 
home  in  Rockford  and  died  in  1892. 

Dexter  A.  Knowlton,  father  of  Homer  W. 
Knowlton,  was  born  .March  3,  1812,  in  Herkimer 
county.  New  York,  and  the  following  year  ac- 
companied his  parents  on  their  removal  to  Chau- 
tauqua county,  where  he  resided  until  1839.  He 
then  went  to  Freeport,  Illinois,  where  he  em- 
barked in  business  as  a  general  merchant.  He 
was  one  of  ihe  principal  promoters  and  builders 
of  the  first  railroad  out  of  Chicago,  the  old  Ga- 
lena &  Chicago  Union  Railroad,  now  owned  and 
operated  as  a  part  of  the  Qiicago  &  Northwestern 
Railway  system.  Of  this  line  he  was  one  of  the 
directors.  In  1855  he  returned  to  Westfield, 
Chautauqua  county.  Xew  York,  and  after  a  resi- 
dence of  six  years  there  he  went  to  Saratoga, 
Xew  York,  where  he  purchased  the  Empire 
Spring  and  organized  the  Congress  and  Empire 
Spring  Company.  While  in  Freeport  in  1869  he 
established  the  bank  of  D.  A.  Knowlton  &  Sons 
and  continued  in  the  banking  business  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death.  In  religious  faith  he  was  a 
Presbyterian  and  in  politics  he  was  one  of  the 
early  advocates  of  the  abolition  party,  becoming 
the  first  candidate  of  that  party  in  this  state  for 
governor.  He  was  married  in  early  manhood  to 
Miss  Eveline  .\rnold.  who  was  born  in  Herki- 
mer county.  Xew  York,  and  when  about  seven- 
teen or  eighteen  years  of  age  went  with  her 
parents  to  Chautauqua  county,  the  marria.ge 
being  celebrated  there  at  what  was  called  the 
Town  Line,  between  Jamestown  and  Fredonia, 
New  York. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dexter  A.  Knowlton  were 
born  eight  children,  four  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters, the  first  three  being  natives  of  the  Empire 
state.  The  family  record  is  as  follows:  Ar- 
minda,  born  December  29.  1834,  died  May  10, 
1 89 1.  Dexter  \\'..  born  July  28,  1836,  died  in 
1840.  Eveline  A.,  born  August  17,  1837,  is  the 
wife  of  Charles  Currier  and  is  now  livmg  in 
Berkeley,  California.  Homer  W.,  is  the  next  of 
the  family.  Dexter  A.,  the  second  of  the  name, 
born  .\ugust  26,  1843,  married  Mary  L.  Myers 
and  lived  in  Freeport  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred October  19,  1903.  Born  in  Freeport.  he 
acquired  his  early  education  there  and  was  gradu- 
ated with  honors  from  Williams  College  in  1866. 
He  became  a  member  of  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa 
fratenn'tv.  His  entire  business  career  connected 
him  with  interests  in  his  native  town,  for  after 
the  death  of  his  father  in  1876  he  and  his  brother 
established  the  banking  house  of  Knowlton  Broth- 
ers and  he  was  identified  with  tliat  institution  up 
to  the  time  of  his  demi.sc.  He  was  for  twenty- 
six  years  or  more  a  ruling  elder  in  the  Presby- 
terian church  and  was  also  a  trustee  and  tntasurer 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OE     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


211 


of  Beloit  College,  Wisconsin,  and  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  board  of  aid  for  colleges  and 
academies.  In  his  family  were  seven  children ; 
Florence,  Maria.  ]\Iabel,  Clara  M.,  Mary  L.,  who 
died  June  i6,  1888;  Jean  and  Dorothy.  Julianna 
A.,  born  July  2,  1845,  died  July  4,  1882;  Charles 
D.,  was  successor  of  Knowlton  Brothers  at  the 
death  of  Dexter  A.  Knowlton,  banker,  of  Free- 
port  and  Pecatonica,  born  January  27,  1848,  mar- 
ried Ida  A.  .Mann  and  has  three  children — lidith. 
now  living  in  Freeport ;  Charles  D.,  Jr.,  who  has 
recently  gone  to  North  Dakota  to  establish  a 
bank :  and  Kenneth.  Charles  D.  Knowlton  was 
born  in  Freeport  and  was  a  member  of  the  firm 
of  D.  A.  Knowlton  &  Sons.  He  is  one  of  the 
prominent  citizens  of  his  native  town,  to  whose 
prosperity  he  has  steadily  contributed  bv  his 
business  activity  and  upright  citizenship.  Ophe- 
lia A.,  the  yomigest  member  of  the  family  of 
Dexter  A.  and  Eveline  (Arnold)  Knowlton,  was 
born  January  30,   1852,  and  died  in  infancy. 

Dexter  A.  Knowlton,  the  father  of  the  forego- 
ing children,  died  March  10.  1876,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-four  years  and  seven  days.  He  and  his 
wife  were  making  a  pleasure  trip  through  the 
south  and  arrived  at  New  Orleans  on  the  9th  of 
March  of  that  year.  The  following  morning  Mr. 
Knowlton  left  the  hotel  to  call  upon  friends,  bid- 
ding his  wife  a  most  cheerful  adieu,  expecting 
soon  to  return  to  her,  but  he  was  found  dead  sit- 
ting on  the  steps  of  a  public  building.  He 
stood  fearless  in  defense  of  whatever  he  be- 
lieved to  be  right  and  was  a  champion  of  the  abo- 
lition cause  when  it  required  personal  courage  to 
announce  one's  advocacy  of  those  principles. 

Another  member  of  the  Knowlton  family  who 
figured  prominently  in  business  circles  for  many 
years  was  William  Alfred  Knowlton,  who  died 
at  Rockford  in  1892.  His  history  forms  an  in- 
tegral chapter  in  the  records  of  the  city.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Matilda  Hitchcock  and  they  became 
the  parents  of  six  children — William  A.,  Jr. ;  Ev- 
eline, Helen,  who  is  the  wife  of  Charles  E.  Gib- 
son, of  Boston,  Massachusetts ;  David,  who  died 
in  childhood :  Matilda,  who  is  the  wife  of  T.  H. 
Hardy,  of  Boston,  Massachusetts ;  and  Mary  T. 

Homer  W.  Knowlton  acquired  his  early  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  and  in  Canandaigua 
Academy,  of  New  York.  He  also  attended  Bry- 
ant &  Stratton's  Business  College  at  Buffalo, 
New  York,  and  in  1858  he  entered  the  employ 
of  the  J.  H.  Manny  Manufacturing  Company, 
manufacturers  of  reapers,  at  Rockford.  He  trav- 
eled for  that  house,  making  collections,  continu- 
ing in  that  service  for  about  a  year.  His  uncle, 
William  A.  Knowlton,  was  in  full  charge  of  the 
business  and  the  estate  Mr.  Manny,  the  found- 
er, being  deceased.  Later  Mr.  Knowlton  secured 
a  position   in   the  Westfield   Bank   at  Westfield, 


^New  York,  now  the  First  National  Bank  there, 
and  in  1861  he  went  to  Saratoga,  New  York, 
where  he  entered  the  employ  of  his  father,  who 
at  that  time  was  the  owner  of  the  Empire  Spring. 
He  then  organized  the  Congress  and  Empire 
Spring  Company  and  Homer  W.  Knowlton  was 
associated  with  the  conduct  of  the  business  for 
four  or  five  years.  In  1871  he  began  traveling 
for  the  American  Insurance  Company  of  Chi- 
cago, making-  collections  for  that  corporation  un- 
til 1873,  when  he  came  to  Pecatonica,  where  he 
has  since  been  engaged  in  the  hanking  business, 
the  bank  having  been  established  by  his  father 
and  his  brothers.  He  has  continuously  acted  as 
cashier  and  the  success  of  the  institution  is  large- 
ly attributable  to  his  determined  efforts  and  sound 
business  judgment.  The  institution  is  thoroughly 
reliable  carrying  on  a  general  banking  business, 
and  the  patronage  is  now  extensive. 

Homer  W.  Knowlton  has  been  married  twice. 
He  first  wedded  Miss  Kate  Alton,  in  May,  1862. 
She  was  born  at  Dunkirk,  New  York.  December 
3,  1844,  and  died  July  4,  1897.  Her  parents  were 
Luther  and  Alary  Ann  (Weaver)  Alton,  also  na- 
tives of  the  Empire  state.  On  the  29th  of  April, 
1903.  Air.  Knowlton  wedded  Miss  Marsha  J. 
Langtry,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  William  and  Jane 
(Hill)  Langtry.  She  was  born  at  Westville, 
Franklin  county.  New  York. 

In  community  affairs  Mr.  Knowlton  has  been 
active  and  influential.  He  has  served  as  presi- 
dent of  the  town  board,  but  has  never  cared  for 
office,  preferring  to  contribute  to  public  progress 
in  other  ways  rather  than  as  an  official.  His  po- 
litical allegiance  is  given  to  the  republican  party 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Con- 
gregational church.  He  represents  one  of  the 
honored  pioneer  families  of  northern  Illinois  and 
in  his  business  career  has  so  directed  his  labors 
that  his  personal  worth  has  made  him  a  repre- 
sentative citizen  of  Winnebago  count}-. 


JAMES  H.  CARSON. 

On  the  roster  of  county  officials  in  Winnebago 
county  appears  the  name  of  James  H.  Carson, 
who  is  now  filling  the  position  of  treasurer,  and 
his  public  service  has  won  him  high  enconiums 
because  of  his  fidelity  to  duty  and  his  promptness 
and  efficiency  in  dispatching  the  business  relating 
to  his  office.  A  native  of  Ireland,  he  was  born  in 
the  city  of  Belfast,  March  10,  1846,  and  is  of 
.Scotch-Irish  parentage.  His  father,  Robert  Car- 
son, was  also  a  native  of  Belfast  and  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Jane  Mc\"ey,  a  native  of  Green- 
ock, Scotland,  in  which  place  they  were  married. 
Soon  afterward  they  removed  to  Belfast,  where 
their  son  James  H.  was  born,  but  subsequently 
thev   returned  to   (ireenock.   where   thev   resided 


212 


PAST     AXD     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY 


for  about  six  years.  In  1853  they  caiiK-  to  Aiiur- 
ica.  settlings  on  a  farm  near  Rocliesler.  New 
York.  Tliey  were  the  parents  of  eis'lit  eliiklren. 
five  of  whom  are  still  living:.  The  family  is 
noted  for  lonjjevity  and  both  parents  still  survive, 
the  father  havinpf  now  reached  the  age  of  eighty- 
eight  years,  while  the  mother  is  eighty-five  years 
of  age.  They  reside  on  the  old  homestead  in 
Monroe  county.  New  York,  and  are  venerable 
and  respected  citizens  of  tliat  locality. 

lame-;  11.  (."arson,  the  eldest  of  his  father's 
family,  is  indebted  to  the  public-school  system  of 
the  Empire  State  for  the  educational  privileges  he 
enjoyed.  In  1865,  when  about  nineteen  years  of 
age.  he  came  to  Illinois,  and  in  W'inneliago  coun- 
ty engaged  in  farming.  For  many  years,  how- 
ever, he  has  been  identified  with  industrial  inter- 
ests in  Rockford,  having  at  dilTerent  times  been 
employed  in  the  works  of  Emerson  Talcott  & 
Company,  in  the  N.  C.  Thomjjson  maufacturing 
plant,  in  the  l'>riggs  iS:  Enoch  works  and  in  the 
Trahern  Pumj)  Company's  factory.  Diligence, 
industry  and  perseverance  have  ever  been  charac- 
teristic of  his  business  life  and  have  secured  him 
some  excellent  positions. 

When  twenty-three  years  of  age  .Mr.  Carson 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ella  .M.  Thoni])- 
son.  a  daughter  of  Hiram  Thomijson.  one  of  the 
earlv  settlers  of  Winnebago  county.  Three  chi! 
dren  have  blessed  this  union :  Robert  D.,  who 
died  when  twenty-six  years  of  age;  I-'rank  .\.. 
who  is  now  twenty-eight  years  of  age.  and  is  serv- 
ing as  deputy  county  treasurer;  and  Mrs.  Mabel 
F.  \\'etherell,  who  also  resides  here.  The  family 
have  a  pleasant  home  in  South  Rockford  at  No. 
1129  Ferguson  street,  and  have  piade  their  home 
in  this  city  since  1873.  Socially  Mr.  Carson  is  a 
Mason  and  has  served  as  secretarv  of  the  E.  F. 
W.  Ellis  lodge.  No.  633,  A.  F.  '&  A.  M.,  for 
a  number  of  years.  He  is  also  comiected  with  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Tribe  of  Ben  Hur  and 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  his 
wife  is  affiliated  with  the  ladies'  auxiliaries  of 
these  societies.  She  is  nf)w  a  past  matron  of  the 
Order  of  the  Eastern  Star  and  jiast  grand  of  the 
Rebekah  lodge  of  the  Odd  Fellows  society. 

Politically  Mr.  Carson  has  ever  been  a  stanch 
republican,  but  in  local  matters  he  is  conserva- 
tive and  will  snpi)ort  the  candidate  who  in  his 
judgment  is  best  (|ualified  to  fill  the  office  regard- 
less of  party  lines.  His  deej)  and  sincep-  interest 
in  the  public  welfare  has  been  manifest  bv  the 
capable  service  which  he  lias  rendered  when  called 
by  his  fellow  townsmen  to  j)ositions  of  public 
trust  and  responsibility.  The  first  office  he  held 
was  that  of  supervisor,  representing  Rockford  on 
the  board  in  i8<)i.  and  by  re-election  he  was  con- 
tinuerl  in  the  position  fr)r  ten  vears.  He  served 
on  a  lunnber  of  important  committees  and   was 


chairman  of  the  committee  on  fees  and  salaries. 
He  was  ajipointetl  by  the  board  of  health  of  the 
city  of  Rockford  as  water  and  ])]umbing  mspector 
and  again  he  did  ])ractical  and  signal  service  for 
the  community.  I-Vom  the  board  of  supervisors 
he  received  appointment  to  the  office  of  overseer 
of  the  poor,  in  which  position  he  remained  for 
six  years,  and  at  the  election  held  in  November, 
1902,  he  was  chosen  by  po])ular  ballot  to  the  of- 
fice of  county  treasurer,  receiving  the  unanimous 
vote  of  every  town  in  the  county  and  precinct  in 
the  city.  He  is  now  in  charge  of  the  funds  of  the 
county  and  in  this  office,  as  in  all  others  which 
he  has  been  called  ujion  to  fill,  he  has  studied 
closely  the  best  methods  to  pursue  in  order  to 
render  to  his  fellow  townsmen  a  service  th.nt  will 
promote  the  public  welfare.  He  has  a  wide  and 
favorable  acquaintance  in  Rockford  and  his  offi- 
cial career  has  been  characterized  by  all  that 
marks  the  exemplary  citizen. 


ALBERT  SAN  FORI). 

.\lbert  Sanford  was  a  ilescendant  of  one  of 
the  I  lid  and  prominent  New  England  families 
and  in  the  history  of  Rockford  the  name  figures 
consiMcuously.  the  subject  of  this  review  being 
for  a  number  of  years  an  old  and  representative 
business  man  here.  He  was  born  in  New  Haven, 
Connecticut,  May  i,  1818.  The  ancestry  of  the 
family  can  be  traced  back  to  Thomas  Sanford, 
of  Gloucestershire,  England,  who  came  to  this 
country  with  the  John  Wintb.rop  colony  in  the 
|)criod  from  1631  to  1633.  The  family  history, 
however,  is  obtainable  even  at  a  more  remote 
period.  Sanford  Manor  in  England  is  one  of 
the  few  Shropshire  estates  whicli  can  be  said  to 
be  held  by  the  lineal  descendants  of  its  earliest 
feoffee.  Thomas  de  Sanford.  a  Norman  follower 
of  William  the  Conqueror,  is  mentioned  on  the 
roll  of  battle  Abbey.  His  son.  Sir  Thomas  de 
Sand  ford,  held  under  King  Henry  I  that  manor 
of  Sand  ford  and  Tothal  and  the  former  is  still 
in  possession  of  his  descendants.  The  origin  of 
the  name  is  quite  evident — a  sandy  ford — but  in 
many  branches  of  the  name  the  first  letter  "d" 
is  omitted. 

Thomas  Sanford.  son  of  .\ntliony  and  Jane 
Sanford.  of  Stowe.  County  (doucester,  England, 
came  to  Boston  with  the  John  Winthrop  colony. 
We  find  record  of  him  in  Dorchestershire,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  with  others  he  received  land  in 
1634  and  also  in  i''>35.  He  l)ecame  a  freeman  of 
the  colony.  March  9.  if>37,  and  in  1639  removed 
with  a  colony  from  Dorchester  and  Watertown 
to  Connecticut,  settling  in  Milford.  where  his 
name  appears  in  the  earliest  records.  He  was 
the  leader  in  organizing  the  town  and  was  in- 


I 


\ 


i 


( 


ALBERT  SANFORD 


PAST     AND     PRESEXT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


!I5 


timately  associated  with  Governor  Treat,  Leete, 
Buckingham,  Law  and  other  leading  men  of  the 
times. 

Stephen  Sanford,  grandfather  of  Albert  San- 
ford,  of  Rockford,  was  born  at  JMilford,  Con- 
necticut, August  13,  1740,  and  died  on  the  fifty- 
fifth  anniversary  of  his  birth.  He  was  married 
while  living  at  Woodbridge,  Connecticut,  to 
Sybil  \Miite,  who  was  probably  born  at  New- 
Haven,  her  natal  day  being  October  15,  1745, 
while  her  death  occurred  December  5,  1808.  She 
was  a  daughter  of  Deacon  John  ^^'hite,  a  grand- 
daughter of  Captain  John  and  Mary  (Dicker- 
man)  White,  and  a  great-granddaughter  of  Isaac 
and  Mary  (Atwater)  Dickerman.  Her  father 
settled  on  a  farm  in  Woodbridge,  Connecticut, 
but  afterward  removed  to  New  Haven,  where 
he  died  November  24,  1797.  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enty-five years.  He  wedded  Mary  Dickerman, 
of  New  Haven,  December  2"/,  1744.  Sallie 
White  was  a  daughter  of  Lieutenant  John  White, 
a  son  of  Deacon  John  and  Mary  (Dickerman) 
White.  Lieutenant  John  White  was  married 
May  25,  1778,  to  Anna  Bostwick,  of  Derby,  and 
their  daughter  Sallie  was  born  April  5.  1785. 
She  married  David  Sanford,  of  Bethany,  her 
death  occurring  in  February,  1836,  at  the  age 
of  fifty  years. 

L'nto  Stephen  and  Sybil  (\Miite)  Sanford 
were  born  nine  children :  Esther,  who  was  born 
February  4,  I768.and  died  IMay  21,  1768;  Esther, 
the  second  of  the  name,  who  was  born  Jul}-  26, 
1769,  and  married  Jared  Sperry ;  Rachel,  who 
was  born  December  i,  1771,  and  married  Zeri 
Dow-nes ;  Hulda.  who  w-as  born  May  17,  1774, 
and  died  July  i,  1794:  Elisha,  who  was  born 
July  I,  1776.  and  married  Margaret  Tolles : 
Stephen  Elisha,  w-ho  w-as  born  March  30.  1779; 
Sybil,  who  was  born  July  27,  1782,  and  married 
a  Mr.  Sperry ;  Amos  White,  w-ho  was  born  De- 
cember 29,  1785,  and  married  Obedience  At- 
water :  and  Liicretia,  who  was  born  C)ctober  27, 
1789,  and  became  ]\Irs.  Beecher.  After  losing 
her  first  husband  Sybil  White  Sanford  married 
Deacon  Asa  Goodyear,  of  Hamden.  Connecticut. 

Albert  Sanford,  son  of  Amos  White  and 
Obedience  f  Atwater)  Sanford,  having  acquired 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  the  east 
came  to  the  west  two  years  after  the  arrival  of 
his  brother,  G.  .\.  Sanford,  one  of  Rockford's 
most  prominent  citizens.  He  located  here  but 
after  a  short  time  took  up  land  near  Pecatonica 
and  began  the  development  of  a  farm. 

In  1844  Mr.  Sanford  returned  to  Rochester, 
New  York,  and  was  there  married  to  Miss  Emily 
Gould  Bond,  who  was  born  near  that  city  on  the 
4th  of  June,  1818.  her  parents  being  Abner  and 
Mary  (Gould)  Bond,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  New  Jersey,  born  near  Caldwell,  that  state. 


They  were  of  English  and  German  descent  re- 
spectively and  removed  from  New  Jersey  to 
Rochester,  New  York,  her  father  purchasing  a 
farm  at  Mendon  Center  near  the  city.  There 
he  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  until  his 
death,  w-hich  occurred  on  the  3d  of  April,  1840, 
when  he  was  sevent_\--four  years  of  age.  He 
lived  an  upright,  honorable  life  in  harmony  with 
his  profession  as  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  in  which  he  long  served  as  deacon.  Mrs. 
Bond  came  to  Rockford  in  1844  w-ith  her  daugh- 
ter, Mrs.  Sanford,  and  here  resided  until  her 
death,  w-hich  occurred,  February  6,  1868,  at 
which  time  she  lacked  but  a  month  of  being 
ninety-five  years  of  age.  She.  too,  was  a  de- 
voted member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and 
she  retained  her  mental  faculties  unimpaired  to 
the  last.  They  were  the  parents  of  thirteen  chil- 
dren, of  wdiom  two  died  in  infancy,  while  eleven 
reached  mature  years.  Mrs.  Dodd's  grandfather, 
General  Gould,  served  as  private  secretary  to 
General  Washington,  President  of  the  LTnited 
States,  and  she  distinctly  remembers  his  visiting 
the  family  in  New  York.  Unto  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs. 
Sanford  were  born  two  children :  One  who  died 
in  infancy,  and  Edgar,  deceased. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Sanford  brought 
his  bride  to  Rockford,  w-here  he  began  business 
as  a  grain  merchant,  buying  and  shipping  all 
kinds  of  grain.  He  also  conducted  a  storage 
w-arehouse  here,  and  was  very  successful  in  both 
lines,  securing  as  the  years  passed  by  a  hand- 
some competence.  Fie  died  September  23,  1854, 
at  the  age  of  thirty-six  years,  but  he  is  yet  re- 
membered by  many  of  the  early  settlers  of  the 
city.  He  held  membership  in  the  Congregational 
church  of  Rockford  and  gave  his  political  sup- 
port to  the  w-hig  party.  .\11  who  knew  him  es- 
teemed him  for  his  many  excellent  traits  of  char- 
acter, and  he  w-as  a  w-orthy  representative  of  the 
family  whose  name  has  been  an  honored  one, 
both  in  New  England  and  Illinois. 

On  the  22d  of  November,  1877,  ]\Irs.  Sanford 
was  again  married,  becoming  the  w-ife  of  Jacob 
S.  Dodd  on  that  day.  He  was  born  in  Newark, 
New  Jersey,  November  17,  181 1,  and  died  near 
that  city  on  the  2d  of  April,  1884.  He  entered 
his  business  career  as  an  employe  in  a  leather 
manufactory,  and  after  mastering  the  business 
he  was  connected  w-ith  the  trade  either  directly 
or  indirectly  for  a  number  of  years.  Later,  how- 
ever, he  took  up  his  abode  on  a  small  farm  just 
outside  of  the  city,  and  was  largely  engaged  in 
dairying  until  the  time  of  his  death.  His  place 
was  known  as  the  Lyon  farm.  He  was  also  a 
stockholder  in  the  Bank  of  Newark.  Active  and 
prominent  in  church  work,  he  served  as  an  elder 
in  the  Presbyterian  church  of  New-ark  for  a  long 
period.     He  was  a  director  of  the  Newark  Ever- 


2l6 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


green  cemetery,  and  was  inrtuential  and  active 
in  public  affairs,  especially  sjiving  his  support 
to  all  measures  that  he  deemed  would  prove  of 
general  good.  A  short  time  prior  to  his  death 
he  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace. 

Mr.  Dodd  was  twice  married.  He  first  wed- 
ded Rhoda  r>rown.  who  died  in  New  Jersey, 
leaving  two  children :  William  P>.,  a  retired  cap- 
italist, living  in  Newark,  New  Jersey ;  and 
Phoebe,  the  wife  of  Fred  Crane,  who  lives  upon 
her  father's  old  farm  near  Newark.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Dodd  had  one  daughter,  Mabel  V..,  who  has 
always  resided  with  her  mother  and  is  quite 
prominent  in  society  circles  in  Rockford.  Mr. 
Dodd  was  a  great  lover  of  fine  horses,  and  owned 
many  superior  specimens  of  the  noble  steed.  Both 
Mr.  Dodd  and  Nir.  Sanford  were  republicans  in 
their  political  views. 

In  the  fall  of  1884,  following  the  death  of  her 
second  husband.  Mrs.  Dodd  returned  to  Rock- 
ford,  in  which  city  she  first  located  in  1844.  She 
is  the  owner  of  much  valuable  property  here, 
and  she  and  her  daughter  now  reside  at  No.  114 
North  Winnebago  street,  where  they  occupy  a 
beautiful  home.  She  is  one  of  two  surviving 
charter  members  of  the  Second  Congregational 
church  of  Rockford,  living  in  the  city,  of  which 
her  daughter  is  also  a  member.  Mr.  Sanford 
likewise  belonged  to  this  church,  while  Mr.  Dodd 
was  an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Lyon 
Farm,  near  Newark,  New  Jersey.  Mrs.  Dodd 
gave  to  that  church  its  first  pipe  organ.  She 
and  her  daughter  are  well  known  in  Rockford, 
and,  although  she  has  not  been  a  continuous 
resident  here  she  came  to  the  city  more  than 
sixty  years  ago  and  has  ever  been  an  interested 
witness  of  its  growth  and  development.  She 
has  now  reached  the  eighty-seventh  milestone 
on  life's  journey,  and  is  remarkably  well  pre- 
served. 


LEWIS  SHIRLEY. 


Lewis  Shirley,  whose  life  span  covered  more 
than  the  allotted  three  score  years  and  ten,  and 
who  in  passing  away  left  behind  him  the  mem- 
ory of  an  honored  name  and  an  upright  career, 
was  born  March  i,  1820,  in  Ohio.  His  jiarents 
were  Joseph  S.  and  Elizabeth  (Keith)  Shirley, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Huntingdon  coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania.  The  father  was  born  March 
25.  1703.  and  about  1810  accompanied  his  par- 
ents on  their  removal  to  Ohio,  where  he  formed 
the  ac(|uaintance  of  Miss  Keith,  whom  he  mar- 
ried in  Morgan  county.  Ohio,  in   1814. 

Lewis  Shirley  spent  his  early  boyhood  davs  in 
the  Buckeye  state  and  in  1837  accompanied  his 
parents  on  their  removal  to  Laportc  countv,  In- 
diana,  where  the   familv   home   was   maintained 


for  three  years.  They  then  again  started  west- 
ward with  teams,  driving  across  the  prairies  in 
the  fall  of  1840  until  they  reached  Winnebago 
count\-,  where  the  father  purchased  a  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  This  was  a  pio- 
neer region,  in  which  much  of  the  land  was  wild 
and  unimproved,  and  when  most  of  the  houses 
were  little  pioneer  cabins.  The  nearest  market 
of  any  importance  was  Chicago,  and  at  one  time 
Lewis  Shirley  drove  to  that  place  with  a  load  of 
pork  and  a  load  of  wheat,  and  for  the  two  re- 
ceived only  forty  dollars.  Hardships  and  priva- 
tions fell  to  the  lot  of  the  family,  but  as  the 
years  passed  they  triumphed  over  these  and  de- 
veloped a  good  farm. 

Lewis  Shirley  was  reared  under  the  parental 
roof  and  throughout  his  entire  business  career 
followed  farming.  Pie  opened  and  improved 
several  hundred  acres  of  land  and  was  a  very 
prosperous  agriculturist.  As  his  financial  re- 
sources increased  he  invested  in  property,  be- 
coming the  owner  of  fifteen  hundred  acres  in 
different  farms.  The  old  homestead  property 
comprises  live  hundred  acres  of  highly  improved 
land  and  he  erected  there  a  commodious  resi- 
dence in  1878.  He  also  built  good  barns  and 
other  outbuildings  for  the  shelter  of  his  grain 
and  stock.  In  all  of  his  farm  work  he  was 
progressive,  i)ractical  and  reliable  and  he  certain- 
ly deserved  great  credit  for  the  success  he 
achieved.  When  he  came  to  Winnebago  county 
he  did  not  have  a  dollar  and  yet  as  the  years 
passed,  through  his  industry,  frugality  and  ju- 
dicious investment,  he  became  one  of  the  exten- 
sive landowners  of  the  county,  having  fifteen 
hundred  acres,  .\bout  i88<)  he  sold  most  of  his 
land  and  removed  to  the  village  of  Cherry  \'al- 
ley.  where  he  lived  retired  until  his  death. 

Mr.  Shirley  was  married  twice.  On  the  6th 
of  January,  1843,  'le  wedded  Miss  Lucinda 
Keith,  a  daughter  of  Balser  and  Lucy  (Smith) 
Keith.  They  became  the  parents  of  eight  chil- 
dren, but  lost  two  in  infancy.  The  others,  three 
sons  and  three  daughters,  are  as  follows:  Eliza- 
beth A.,  who  was  born  October  31,  1844,  and  is 
now  the  wife  of  Captain  William  \'an  Wert,  of 
De  Kalb  county,  Illinois ;  Silas  \\\,  who  was 
born  June  26.  1848.  and  is  living  in  Cherry  Val- 
ley; Lucretia  E..  born  January  6,  1850.  of  Cher- 
ry Valley,  Phocba  Jane,  who  was  born  April  2, 
1852,  and  is  the  wife  of  William  Thompson,  of  De 
Kalb  county ;  Benjamin,  who  was  born  Novem- 
ber 28,  1853,  and  is  living  in  Cherry  Valley 
township,  and  Lewis  E.,  who  was  born  March 
13,  1861.  and  is  living  in  Iowa,  .\fter  losing  his 
first  wife  Mr.  Shirley  was  again  married  in 
1893,  'i'^  second  union  1)eing  witji  Mrs.  Nich- 
ols, a  native  of  Canada;  and  a  daughter  of 
.Mexander  and  Orpha  (Smith)  Black.  Her 
father  was  born  in  New  Brunswick  in  1810  and 


LEWIS  SHIRLEY. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


219 


her  mother  in  Canada  in  1809.  Mr.  Black  re- 
moved to  Winnebago  county  in  1852  and  pur- 
chased a  large  farm  in  Guilford  township,  but 
previous  to  his  arrival  here  he  went  to  Califor- 
nia in  1849  s^^d  spent  one  year  on  the  Pacific 
coast.  He  then  made  his  way  to  Australia, 
where  he  engaged  in  mining  for  a  year,  being 
very  successful  in  his  search  for  the  precious 
metal  there.  Taking  up  his  abode  in  this  county 
in  1852,  he  was  extensively  engaged  in  farm- 
ing and  stock-raising,  and  became  widely  known 
as  an  importer  of  fine  horses.  He  was  once  the 
owner  of  Prince  George,  a  very  fine  stallion.  He 
continued  to  reside  upon  his  farm  until  1877, 
when  he  removed  to  the  city  of  Rockford,  where 
he  lived  retired  until  his  death  in  1883.  His 
wife  survived  him  about  four  years,  passing 
away  in  1887.  In  their  family  were  six  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  are  residents  of  Rockford, 
namely:  Hannah  B.,  the  wife  of  John  Hutch- 
ins,  who  is  now  living  retired ;  Alexander ; 
Rachel,  the  wife  of  James  Falconer,  living  with 
Mrs,  Shirley ;  Margaret  C,  who  is  the  widow 
of  Ira  Stafford,  and  has  been  an  invalid  for 
many  years,  living  with  Mrs.  Shirley ;  Orpha 
Black,  who  is  also  with  her  sister ;  and  Mrs. 
Mary  Shirley. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Shirley  was  a  stal- 
wart republican,  interested  in  his  party  and  do- 
ing all  in  his  power  to  promote  its  growth  and 
insure  its  upbuilding.  He  was  active  in  the  work 
of  the  jMethodist  church  and  favored  every 
movement  that  tended  to  promote  public  prog- 
ress. He  was  a  large  man.  weighing  two  hun- 
dred and  sixty  pounds.  He  displayed  many 
sterling  traits  of  character,  and  his  genial  man- 
ner and  kindly  disposition  won  him  warm  friend- 
ships. His  wife  was  a  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  of  Cherry  Valley.  Since 
her  husband's  death  she  has  removed  to  Rock- 
ford, where  she  owns  a  beautiful  residence,  at 
No.  229  North  Second  street,  where  she  is  liv- 
ing with  her  three  sisters.  She  also  owns  other 
property  in  this  city  and  a  farm  of  four  hundred 
acres  in  Cherry  A'alley  township.  Because  of 
the  ill  health  of  her  sisters,  however,  she  ex- 
pects soon  to  remove  to  California,  hoping  that 
the  climate  will  prove  beneficial  to  them.  Both 
the  Shirley  and  Black  families  were  established 
here  in  pioneer  days  and  have  borne  an  im- 
portant part  in  the  agricultural  development  of 
the  county. 


CAPTAIN  AUGUSTUS  W.  THOMPSON. 

Captain  Augustus  W.  Thompson,  a  veteran  of 
the  Civil  war,  now  living  retired  in  Pecatonica, 
was  born  in  Twinsburg,  Ohio,  March  8,  1823. 
His  parents    were    Joel  W.  and    Em.ily    (Mills) 


Thompson,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Gosh- 
en, New  York.  The  mother  was  only  three  years 
old  when  taken  by  her  parents  to  Ohio  and  the 
father,  who  was  born  in  1 79 1,  was  a  lad  of  six 
years  when  the  Thompson  family  removed  to  the 
Buckeye  state.  When  eighteen  years  of  age  he 
enlisted  for  service  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  was 
married  in  Ohio  and  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomp- 
son spent  their  last  days  in  Pecatonica  township, 
Winnebago  county,  the  father  passing  away  at 
the  advanced  age  of  ninety-one  years,  while  his 
wife  reached  the  age  of  ninety,  Joel  W.  Thomp- 
son, accompanied  by  his  son,  Augustus  W.,  first 
came  to  Winnebago  county  in  1839,  after  which 
they  returned  to  CMiio  and  in  the  spring  of  1840 
the  father  lirought  his  family  to  this  state,  travel- 
ing with  a  two-horse  team  and  covered  wagon,  as 
there  was  no  railroad  at  that  time.  The  journey 
was  a  difficult  one  and  the  teams  became  mired  in 
the  Maumee  swamps,  but  finally  they  reached 
their  destination  in  safety  and  Mr.  Thompson 
purchased  two  tracts  of  land,  an  eighty  and  forty 
acres,  respectively,  in  the  timber  at  Irish  Grove. 
He  afterward  bought  a  claim  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  at  Lysander,  now  Pecatonica.  He 
was  a  millwright  by  trade  and  in  1839  he  built  a 
sawmill.  His  first  home  was  a  log  cabin,  with  a 
puncheon  floor,  and  in  true  pioneer  style  the  fam- 
ily began  life  in  Winnebago  county,  meeting  the 
usual  experiences  and  hardships  of  those  who 
live  upon  the  frontier.  In  1852  he  went  to  Cali- 
fornia, where  he  superintended  the  construction 
of  a  mill,  receiving  one  thousand  dollars  for  his 
services.  He  was  away  from  home  at  that  time  for 
about  fourteen  or  fifteen  months.  Upon  his  re- 
turn he  again  took  up  his  abode  on  the  farm  and 
was  identified  with  agricultural  development  here 
for  a  long  period.  He  served  as  justice  of  the 
peace  for  fifteen  or  twenty  years,  retiring  from 
the  office  in  the  "70s.  While  in  Ohio  he  became 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  in  liis 
life  exemplified  its  beneficent  spirit.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  were  consistent  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  and  they  lent  their  aid  and 
influence  to  the  intellectual  and  moral,  as  well  as 
the  material,  development  of  Winnebago  county 
in  its  pioneer  days.  Mr.  Thompson  gave  his  po- 
litical allegiance  to  the  whig  party  until  its  dis- 
solution, when  he  joined  the  ranks  of  the  repub- 
lican party.  In  the  family  of  this  worthy  couple 
were  twelve  children,  eight  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters, and  three  sons  and  three  daughters  are  yet 
living. 

Captain  Augustus  W.  Thompson  pursued  his 
early  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  na- 
tive town  and  when  twenty  years  of  age  or  more 
he  returned  to  Ohio,  where  he  completed  his  edu- 
cation by  attending  a  select  school.  He  was  six- 
teen years  of  age  when  he  came  with  his  father 
to  this   countv   and   began   working   for  a   Mr. 


220 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Cable  as  a  farm  liaiul  for  tight  ilullars  per  nioiitli. 
He  did  much  teaming,  liauling  rails  and  perform- 
ing other  service  such  as  was  necessary  in  the 
development  of  a  farm  in  pioneer  times.  He 
afterward  secured  employment  with  Mr.  Hico.x, 
who  paid  him  fifteen  dollars  per  month  for  his 
labor  as  a  farm  hand.  He  also  assisted  in  build- 
ing a  mill  and  later  went  down  the  .Mississippi 
river  and  bought  buffalo  hides,  Indian  robes  and 
other  such  commodities,  which  he  took  to  St. 
Louis.  In  that  city  he  worked  at  loading  and  un- 
loading boats  which  carried  cargoes  of  lead. 
These  boats  could  not  pass  the  rapids  unless  the 
load  was  taken  off  and  conveyed  by  team  to  the 
other  side  of  the  rapids,  where  the  ore  was  again 
loaded.  On  leaving  St.  Louis  Captain  Thomp- 
son went  up  the  Ohio  river  to  W'cllsville  and 
thence  drove  to  Twinsburg,  where  he  sold  his 
buffalo  robes  and  bought  a  horse.  Then,  in  1839, 
he  returned  to  Winnebago  county. 

On  the  loth  of  October,  1844.  Captain  Thomp- 
son was  married  to  Miss  Mariah  E.  Wells,  a 
daughter  of  Reuben  and  Jane  (Cole)  Wells.  Her 
father  was  a  native  of  St.  Lawrence  county.  New 
York,  and  died  in  his  fiftieth  year,  while  his  wife 
passed  away  at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  They 
became  residents  of  Pecatonica  township  in  1842, 
the  father  entering  eighty  acres  of  land  from  the 
government.  He  at  first  lived  in  a  blockhouse 
and  later  he  improved  his  farm,  making  it  his 
home  up  to  the  time  of  his  demise.  In  his  fam- 
ily were  ten  children,  but  only  two  are  now  liv- 
ing. Alfred  and  John. 

At  the  time  of  his  marriage  Captain  Thompson 
built  a  frame  house,  which  he  occupied  until 
1850,  when  he  went  to  New  York  city,  traveling 
by  team  to  .Michigan  City,  thence  bv  rail  to  De- 
troit, by  stage  to  Niagara  Falls  and  Idv  rail  to  his 
destination.  At  New  York  city  he  took  passage 
on  the  mail  steamship  Ohio  for  Havana,  Cuba, 
with  the  intention  of  taking  a  sitamcr  there,  but 
because  of  yellow  fever  instead  to  New  Or- 
leans, where  he  demaincd  for  tight  days,  after 
which  he  returned  to  Havana,  from  which  point 
he  sailed  for  the  Isthmus  of  Panama.  Crossing 
the  isthmus,  he  took  passage  on  a  sailing  vessel, 
which,  sixty-five  days  later,  reached  San  Fran- 
cisco harbor.  He  borrowed  three  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars,  on  which  he  paid  fifty  per  cent,  in- 
terest, so  exorbitant  were  the  prices  charged  in 
the  Golden  slate  in  early  mining  days.  He  spent 
two  years  in  mining  in  California  and  then  re- 
turned to  his  home  by  way  of  tlie  route  that  he 
had  taken  to  the  far  west.  Here  he  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land  and  began  farming  on  his 
own  account.  Going  to  Ohio,  he  Durchascd 
horses,  which  he  brought  to  Illinois,  paying  two 
hundred  dollars  for  a  team,  which  he  here  sold 
for  three  hundred  and  sixty  dollars.  It  was  in 
1853  that  he  made  the  trip.    After  farming  for  a 


time  Captain  Thompson  embarked  in  the  dry 
goods  business  in  connection  with  Robert  Cole- 
man, but  sold  out  in  1857  and  went  to  New 
York.  By  boat  he  made  a  trip  to  California  and 
on  to  Nevada,  where  he  engaged  in  teaming, 
making  as  high  as  one  hundred  dollars  per  day 
with  his  team.  He  lived  in  Carson  City  for  about 
a  year  and  a  half,  after  which  he  turned  his  at- 
tention to  the  logging  business,  in  which  he  con- 
tinued for  a  year,  when  the  Civil  war  broke  out, 
and  he  returned  to  his  home  by  way  of  the  pony 
express  route. 

In  the  mcantiiue  Cajjtain  Thompson  had  made 
a  trip  to  Pike's  Peak  at  the  time  of  the  gold  ex- 
citement there.  He  left  his  home  in  .\pril.  185S, 
going  by  team  to  Burlington,  thence  by  boat  to 
.St.  Louis,  where  he  purchased  a  team  of  horses 
and  company  outfit.  There  were  six  men  in  ^he 
party,  including  his  twin  brothers,  Edward  and 
Edwin  Thompson,  Jefferson  Southard,  L.  Hen- 
derson and  Wilson  Johnson.  The  party  proceeded 
by  boat  up  the  Missouri  river,  but  left  the  boat 
at  Leavenworth  and  went  through  to  Fort  Riley. 
They  crossed  the  Blue  river  and  joined  iTie  gov- 
ernment train.  Major  Russell  in  command,  travel- 
ing with  the  train  to  the  vicinity  of  Cherry 
Creek.  About  forty  miles  south  of  Denver 
Captain  Thompson's  horse  was  bitten  by  a 
rattlesnake  and  the  party  remained  for  two 
weeks  until  the  horse  had  recovered.  They 
camped  by  the  side  of  the  niountain  stream, 
and  there  were  antelope  and  rabbits  for 
game.  They  then  proceeded  to  Cherry  Creek 
along  the  Santa  Fe  trail,  on  the  Denver  and 
to  Boulder,  where  they  went  into  camp  m  an  old 
log  shanty.  They  took  their  wagons  down  the 
ravine,  covered  them  with  pine  boughs  and  then 
turned  the  horses  loose  on  the  ranch.  Leaving 
their  outfit  at  that  place,  they  went  up  the  moun- 
tains to  the  snow  ridge  and  Captain  Thompson 
found  rock  which  contained  gold.  He  thought 
he  could  obtain  the  metal  by  panning,  but  tliey 
got  only  about  ten  cents  per  pan.  They  took  up 
six  claims  and  made  sluices,  sawing  the  lumber 
with  a  pit  saw.  A  party  passed  by  en  route  to 
California  and  Captain  'riiompson  sold  them  one 
of  his  wagons.  He  afterward  returned  to  Den- 
ver, where  he  shod  one  of  his  horses,  having 
brought  the  nails  with  him  from  the  east.  This 
horse  he  then  rode  to  Gregory  Diggings  to  sec 
his  brother  but  in  the  meantime  the  brother  had 
started  to  Denver  to  find  the  captain.  He  re- 
turned to  what  is  now  the  beautiful  capital  of  Col- 
orado and  then  started  home  along  the  Platte 
river,  which  the  party  follnived  to  Omaha,  strik- 
ing thence  eastward  through  Iowa  and  crossing 
the  Mississippi  river  at  Bellevue  on  a  ferry.  They 
arrived  in  Pecatonica  in  August,  1858.  and  later 
Captain  Thompson  Ix'gan  buying  grain,  which 
pur.suit  he  followed  through  the  succeeding  sum- 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


221 


mer.  He  next  purchased  a  drug  store,  which  he 
sold  in  1862.  In  July  of  that  year  he  wrote  to 
the  war  governor,  Richard  Yates,  for  a  commis- 
sion to  raise  a  company  of  volunteers,  receiving 
the  official  paper  on  the  ist  of  August.  Within 
five  days  he  had  enrolled  sixty-five  men,  and  when 
he  had  secured  an  enrollment  of  one  hundred  and 
ten  men  the  governor  commissioned  him  a  lieu- 
tenant. The  troops  went  into  camp  for  a  month 
and  on  the  4th  of  September.  1S62,  were  mus- 
tered in  by  General  Fuller  as  Company  B,  Seven- 
ty-fourth Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry. 

The  regiment  proceeded  southward  to  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky,  thence  to  Perryville,  on  to  Nash- 
ville and  to  Camp  Johnson,  where  the  winter  was 
spent.  Their  first  engagement  was  at  Perryville, 
and  they  also  participated  in  the  battles  of  Stone 
River  and  IVIurfreesboro.  In  February,  1863, 
they  were  ordered  to  Chattanooga  in  command 
of  a  company  of  prisoners.  It  was  about  this 
time  that  Captain  Thompson  was  commissioned 
ranking  officer  of  the  company.  With  his  com- 
mand he  assisted  in  putting  u]d  breastworks  and 
went  on  to  Atlanta,  Georgia,  where  he  was 
granted  a  leave  of  absence,  spending  twenty-two 
days  at  hon~e.  He  then  returned  to  his  regiment 
at  Atlanta,  and  when  his  troops  were  at  Spring 
Hill  they  were  nearly  surrounded.  Captain 
Thompson,  while  participating  in  the  battle  there, 
was  shot  in  the  right  eye.  His  brigade  drove  the 
rebels  out  but  no  attention  was  paid  to  the  cap- 
tain, for  the  doctor  said  that  he  had  no  chance 
to  live.  He  was  put  under  a  tent  at  night  and 
the  rebels  surrotmded  the  tent  and  in  an  ambu- 
lance Captain  Thompson  was  taken  to  Franklin, 
Tennessee,  ten  miles  from  Spring  Hill.  He  v.-as 
afterward  taken  to  Nashville,  where  he  was 
placed  in  a  hospital,  remaining  there  for  twenty 
days.  Later  he  returned  home,  where  he  spent 
six  weeks,  after  which  he  rejoined  his  command 
at  Columbus,  Georgia,  although  his  wound  still 
caused  him  serious  trouble.  He  afterward  went 
to  Chattanooga  and  later  to  Nashville,  where  he 
served  as  officer  of  the  day.  He  was  then  or- 
dered to  headquarters  and  at  the  close  of  the 
war  he  received  an  honorable  discharge.  Captain 
Thompson  made  up  his  books  himself  and  was 
the  first  officer  to  report.  He  now  has  the  bul- 
let which  he  carried  in  his  head  for  three  and  a 
half  years.  It  is  flattened  where  it  hit  the  frontal 
bone  and  its  weight  is  one  ottnce. 

Captain  Thompson  is  a  member  of  Ellis  post. 
No.  320,  G.  A.  R..  and  at  this  writing  is  officer 
of  the  day.  Fie  made  a  splendid  military  record, 
being  distinguished  by  unswerving  loyalty  and  by 
marked  valor  in  times  of  danger.  He  also  be- 
longs to  A.  W.  Rowlson  lodge.  No.  145,  A.  F. 
&  A.  M.,  and  he  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church. 


In  1877  Captain  Thompson  was  called  upon  to 
mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife.  They  had  become 
the  parents  of  the  following  named :  Andrew 
M.,  who  was  a  member  of  the  One  Hundred  and 
Thirty-sixth  Volunteer  Infantry,  serving  as  drum 
major,  died  at  home.  Ann  is  also  deceased.  John 
died  in  infancy.  George  M.  is  living  in  Chicago. 
Augusta  is  the  wife  of  H.  G.  Tisdale  and  they 
make  their  home  witli  her  father.  Captain 
Thompson  is  now  living  a  retired  life  hi  Peca- 
tonica.  His  has  been  an  eventful  career.  At 
times  he  has  faced  dangers  and  hardships 
through  pioneer  experience  in  the  wild  west  and 
again  on  the  field  of  battle.  There  have  also  been 
periods  in  which  he  has  quietly  followed  business 
pursuits  and  through  his  well  directed  efforts  has 
accumulated  a  competence.  His  life  history  if 
written  in  detail  would  furnish  manv  a  thrilling 
chapter  but  tliis  brief  outline  will  serve  to  give 
to  his  many  friends  an  account  of  his  activity 
and  shows  forth  many  elements  that  are  worthy 
of  emulation. 


S.  W.   WALLACE. 


S.  ^\'.  Wallace,  who  is  now  living  retired  from 
active  business  life,  his  investments  being  repre- 
sented by  considerable  valuable  property  in  Rock- 
ford,  was  born  in  Canada  near  the  V'ermont  state 
line  in  1834,  his  parents  being  Robert  and  Jane 
Wallace.  In  1836  the  fatlier  removed  with  his 
family  from  Canada  to  Illinois,  settling  in  the 
vicinity  of  Chicago.  He  took  up  a  large  tract  of 
land  in  Cook  county,  known  later  as  Bloom 
township.  At  that  time  Chicago  was  but  a  small 
village  and  had  not  been  incorporated  as  a  city, 
^luch  of  the  land  in  the  county  was  considered 
worthless  because  of  its  swampy  condition  and 
the  sale  price  was  very  low.  Robert  Wallace, 
however,  secured  his  claim  and  began  farming, 
which  occupation  he  followed  for  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  He  became  the  owner  of  an  exten- 
sive tract  of  land  and  as  the  county  became  more 
thickly  settled  this  rose  in  value.  He  served  as 
postmaster  for  a  number  of  years  of  the  town  of 
Bloom,  now  a  part  of  Chicago  Heights,  and  there 
he  died  in  1885,  when  more  than  seventy-five 
years  of  age.  In  his  family  were  ten  children, 
but  S.  W.  Wallace  and  one  sister  are  the  only 
ones  now  living. 

S.  W.  Wallace,  spending  his  boyhood  days 
under  the  parental  roof,  pursued  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  and  in  his  boyhood  aided  in 
the  work  of  the  farm,  gaining  a  practical  knowl- 
edge of  all  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the 
lot  of  the  agriculturist.  He  was  engaged  in 
farming  until  twenty  years  of  age,  when  he 
learned   tlie   trade    of   wagon-making,   which   he 


dJz/^^u!^, 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


221; 


with  Mr.  Utter,  who  manufactured  the  seeders 
invented  by  Mr.  Gorham.  The  latter  continued 
his  stud}'  of  agricultural  implements  in  order  to 
give  to  the  world  better  farm  machinery  and  in- 
vented the  corn  cultivator,  which  was  manufac- 
tured by  Mr.  Thompson,  of  Rockford,  and  also 
netted  to  both  gentlemen  a  good  financial  return. 
His  next  invention  was  the  binder,  to  which  he 
devoted  two  years  of  study,  investigation  and  ex- 
periment, and  in  fact  he  applied  himself  so  assidu- 
ously to  this  work  that  his  health  became  very 
seriously  impaired  and  the  doctors  advised  him 
to  travel.  He  then  went  abroad,  remaining  in 
Europe  for  a  few  years,  after  which  he  returned 
and  located  in  New  York  city,  where  he  re- 
ceived medical  attendance  from  the  best  physi- 
cians. His  health  was  little  improved,  however, 
and  while  he  was  visiting  the  Centennial  Expo- 
sition in  Philadelphia  he  became  ill  with  typhoid 
fever  and  died  in  that  city,  November  17,  1876. 
His  illness  was  caused  by  worry  and  study  over 
his  inventions  and  he  has  left  a  splendid  monu- 
ment to  his  memory  in  the  useful  devices  which 
he  gave  to  the  world.  Plis  name  is  inseparably 
associated  with  the  machinery  constantly  in  use 
upon  the  farms  of  the  country,  anfl  the  binder, 
cultivator  and  seeder  now  manufactured  by  the 
McCormick  Company  of  Chicago  are  made  after 
patents  produced  by  Mr.  Gorham  and  which 
were  sold  by  his  widow  to  that  company.  Fol- 
lowing her  husband's  death  Mrs.  Gorham  re- 
turned to  Rockford.  Mr.  Gorham  was  very  suc- 
cessful with  all  of  the  patents  which  he  pro- 
duced, and  his  inventive  genius  made  his  life  one 
of  great  benefit  to  his  fellowmen,  the  influence 
of  which  will  be  felt  for  years  to  come.  He  was 
very  prominent  among  the  pioneer  settlers  of 
Rockford  and  Winnebago  county,  and  for  one 
year  served  as  township  supervisor,  although  he 
never  sought  or  desired  office.  In  politics  he 
was  a  democrat  and  while  in  Vermont  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Sons  of  Temperance. 

Mrs.  Gorham  is  prominent  in  society  circles 
in  Rockford,  and  in  this  city  owns  a  beautiful 
home  at  No.  603  ^Mulberry  street  where  she  and 
her  nephew  reside.  She  has  made  many  modern 
improvements  here  and  in  addition  she  owns 
other  valuable  property  in  the  city  which  returns 
to  her  a  splendid  rental.  Her  husband  left  her 
in  exceedingly  comfortable  financial  circum- 
stances, so  that  she  is  now  enabled  to  enjoy  all 
of  the  comforts  and  manv  of  the  luxuries  of 
life. 


DAVID  W.  EVANS. 


David  ^^^   E-^-ans,  who  is  engaged  in  general 
farming   and   stock-raising,   having  a   very   fine 
herd  of  Jersey  cows  upon  his  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-five  acres  on  section  31,  Harlem 
14 


township,  was  born  in  Grenville,  Argenteuil  coun- 
ty, Canada,  November  30,  1840,  and  is  of  English 
descent  in  the  paternal  line.  His  grandparents, 
John  and  Jane  Evans,  were  natives  of  Hull,  Eng- 
land, and  the  latter  died  in  that  country.  The 
grandfather  married  again  and  later  came  to 
America,  settling  in  Canada  in  1820.  He  died 
there  at  a  ripe  old  age. 

James  El  vans,  father  of  our  subject,  was  born 
in  Hull,  England,  in  1799  and  was  quite  young 
when  he  lost  his  mother.  In  early  life  he  was 
apprenticed  to  the  wagonmaker's  trade,  serving  a 
term  of  indenture  of  six  and  a  half  years.  When 
he  had  attained  his  majority  he  emigrated  to  Can- 
ada, where  he  engaged  in  farming  until  1856, 
when  he  came  to  Illinois.  He  purchased  a  tract 
of  land  in  Cherry  Valley  township,  Winnebago 
county,  whereon  he  followed  farming  until  his 
death  in  September.  1870.  In  1827  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Ann  Campbell,  who  was  born  in  Inniskil- 
len  in  1802,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Robert  Camp- 
bell, who  was  of  Scotch-Irish  parentage.  She 
became  a  resident  of  Canada  when  a  young  lady, 
her  home  being  in  the  vicinity  of  Grenville,  and 
she  died  in  Guilford  township,  this  county,  at  the 
home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Thomas  Turner,  No- 
vember 30,  1900.  Through  much  of  their  resi- 
dence, in  this  county,  however,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
James  Evans  resided  in  Cherry  Valley  township, 
removing  there  after  a  year's  residence  in  Rock- 
ford. 

David  W.  Evans  spent  the  first  sixteen  years  of 
his  life  in  the  place  of  his  nativity  and  then  came 
with  his  parents  to  Rockford  and  a  year  later  re- 
moved with  them  to  the  home  farm  in  Cherry 
Valley  township.  He  remained  under  the  par- 
ental roof  until  the  spring  of  1861,  when  he  began 
farming  on  his  own  account,  but  in  the  fall  he  re- 
sponded to  the  call  of  his  adopted  countrv  for 
troops  to  preserve  the  Union  and  on  the  i8th  of 
September  enlisted  in  Company  L,  Eighth  Illinois 
\''ohmteer  Cavalry  as  a  private.  He  was  mus- 
tered out  as  sergeant  in  August,  1865.  His  regi- 
ment began  its  service  with  the  Army  of  the  Po- 
tomac and  continued  in  the  south  until  the  close 
of  the  war.  Mr.  Evans  participated  in  all  the 
battles  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  its  marches 
and  campaigns,  with  the  exception  of  the  battle 
of  Fort  Stevens,  where  he  was  in  the  hospital.  He 
served  under  Generals  McClellan,  Burnside, 
Hooker,  Meade  and  Grant  and  also  under  the  cav- 
alry Generals  Pleasanton,  Buford  and  Sheridan. 
Mr.  Evans  did  his  full  duty  as  a  soldier  and  at 
the  close  of  the  war  participated  in  the  grand  re- 
view in  Washington,  D.  C.  He  had  two  brothers 
who  died  in  the  army,  both  enlisting  from  Qierry 
Valley.  James,  becoming  a  member  of  the 
Eighth  Illinois  Volunteer  Cavalry,  was  killed  at 
Beverly  Ford,  Virginia,  June  9,  1863  ;  and  Joseph 


2j6 


PAST    AXD     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY, 


Evans,  a  member  oi  tlie  Seveiity-Unirtli  Illinois 
Infantry,  died  in  the  hospital  at  jMurfreesboro, 
Tennessee. 

Durinp:  his  army  service  David  W.  Evans  pur- 
chased a  farm  in  Ciicrry  Valley  township  and 
carried  on  general  agricnltural  pursuits  there  un- 
til 1883,  when  he  sold  that  proijcrty  and  pur- 
chased his  present  home,  whereon  he  has  since  re- 
sided. He  carried  on  general  farming  and  has  a 
well  improved  place.  He  has  every  reason  to  be 
proud  of  his  fine  herd  of  Jersey  cattle — certainlv 
among  the  finest  stock  of  the  county. 

On  the  27th  of  April,  1868,  Mr'.  Evans  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emma  J.  Conklin,  a 
native  of  Oneida  county.  New  York,  and  a 
daughter  of  James  S.  and  Theresa  J.  (.Martin) 
Conklin.  who  at  the  time  of  their  daugliler'.-; 
marriage  were  living  in  Cherry  N'ailey  township. 
Her  father  was  born  near  Sand  Lake,  New  York, 
in  1824  and  died  near  Sutherland,  Iowa,  in  1899. 
His  wife,  born  in  Oneida  county,  New  York,  in 
1829,  died  in  Cherry  Valley,  this  count}-,  in  1898. 
Mrs.  Evans'  birth  occurred  March  29.  1849.  Her 
sisters  arc:  Mrs.  Helen  A.  Baxter,  of  Rockford, 
v.ho  has  one  son  and  four  daughters ;  Mrs.  Laura 
Baxter,  of  New  Milford  township,  who  died  'n 
1893,  leaving  four  sons  and  six  daughters ;  Mrs. 
Melva  Tierney,  of  Sutherland.  Iowa,  who  ha-^ 
two  sons  and  three  daughters ;  Mrs.  Cora  Cam- 
CTon.  of  Cherry  Valley  township,  w-ho  has  two 
sons  and  three  daughters ;  Mrs.  Kate  Dennison, 
of  Sugar  Grove,  Pennsylvania,  who  has  three 
daughters ;  Mrs.  Capitola  Baxter,  of  New  Mil- 
ford  township,  who  has  three  sons  and  two 
daughters ;  and  Miss  Lulu  Conklin,  of  Cherry 
Valley.  The  brothers  of  this  family  are :  Fred 
Conklin,  of  Sutherland,  Iowa,  who  has  eight  sons 
and  one  daughter ;  and  Oscar  Conklin,  of  Cherry 
X'alley  township,  who  has  five  sons  and  two 
daughters. 

I'nto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans  were  born  tlic  fol- 
lowing children  :  Olive  G..  born  March  25,  1873, 
is  the  w'ife  of  L.  L.  Burritt.  living  near  Williams- 
burg, \'irginia,  and  they  have  three  sons.  George 
E.,  Lewis  E.  and  Jesse  D.  Jeanette  M.,  born 
September  16,  1875.  is  the  wife  of  Charles  R.  Ed- 
wards, of  Chicago,  and  they  have  two  children, 
Robert  L.  and  Evans.  Ruby  F.,  born  .\ugust  31. 
1877,  is  the  wife  of  James  A.  Watterson.  of  .'Vre- 
dale.  Iowa,  and  has  one  daughter,  Fay.  .\lice  J., 
born  June  23,  1881,  Harry  G.,  born  December  9, 
1885,  and  I'lorcnce  C,  born  May  30.  i8i)o.  arc  at 
home.  They  also  lost  three  children — Leroy,  at  the 
age  of  five  years  and  six  months ;  Jesse  R.,  who 
died  at  Union,  Oregon,  .\pril  14,  1896.  at  the  age 
of  twenty-seven  years ;  and  Willie. 

Mr.  Evans  has  led  a  busy  and  useful  life  and 
has  become  a  well  informed  man  through  reading 
the  daily  papers  and  good  literature,  thus  keeping 


in  touch  with  the  iirogress  of  the  world.  He  is 
a  republican  in  politics,  but  not  an  office  seeker, 
serving  in  no  pul>lic  positions  save  that  of  town 
school  trustee  one  year  and  school  director  for 
twenty  years,  the  cause  of  education  finding  in 
him  a  warm  champion,  who  believes  in  raising 
high  the  standard  of  the  schools  and  in  providing 
good  opportunities  for  the  intellectual  develop- 
ment of  the  young.  He  belongs  to  Nevius  post, 
.\o.  I.  G.  A.  K.,  of  Rockfi.rd,  and  to  Harlem 
camp,  No.  661,  M.  W.  A.,  and  is  an  active  mem- 
ber of  1  larniony  Grange.  No.  957.  The  family 
attend  the  Methodist  church. 


WILLIAM   J.   CLEVELAND. 

Among  the  residents  of  worth  in  Seward 
townshi])  William  J.  Cleveland  is  always  promi- 
nently mentioned.  He  was  born  July  21,  1829, 
in  Hebron,  Washington  county,  New  York,  his 
parents  being  Job  W.  and  Almira  Cleveland,  the 
former  born  in  Washington  county,  August  7, 
1796.  His  father  was  Job  Cleveland,  born  in 
New  York  in  1757,  while  his  death  occurred  in 
Washington  county  when  he  w-as  well  advanced 
in  years.  He  too  was  a  farmer  and  reared  a 
family  of  eleven  children.  Job  W.  Cleveland, 
the  father  of  our  subject,  died  in  Wethersfield, 
New  York,  July  7.  1870.  His  wife  lx)re  the 
maiden  name  of  Almira  Fenton  and  was  a  native 
of  Dorset,  Vermont,  born  November  12,  1799, 
while  her  death  occurred  in  Wetliersfield,  New 
York,  on  the  eighty-seventh  anniversary  of  her 
birth.  Her  parents  were  also  natives  of  the 
Green  Mountain  state  and  at  an  advanced  age  de- 
parted this  life  in  Genesee  county.  New  York. 
The  Fcntons  were  mechanics  and  were  pioneers 
of  Vermont,  where  they  were  recognized  as  hon- 
orable and  upright  citizens.  The  grandfather 
Fenton  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  181 2  and  was 
granted  a  pension  in  recognition  of  his  services. 
The  father  of  our  subject  was  also  a  pensioner 
of  the  war  of  1812.  having  espou.sed  the  Amer- 
ican cause  during  the  second  conflict  with  Eng- 
land. 

William  J.  Cleveland  was  a  lad  of  seven  years 
when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  re- 
moval to  Wyoming  county.  New  York,  where  he 
was  educated  in  the  public  and  select  schools. 
He  worked  upon  his  father's  farm  until  eighteen 
vears  of  age  and  during  three  winter  terms  en- 
gaged in  teaching  school.  When  twenty-two 
vears  of  age  he  was  married  and  two  years  later 
iie  came  to  Illinois,  making  the  journey  by  rail 
to  Buffalo,  where  he  arrived  on  the  14th  of  De- 
cember. 1853.  He  then  boarded  a  steamer  bound 
for  Detroit.  Michigan,  and  over  the  Chicago  & 
Galena  Railroad,  now  a  part  of  the  Chicago  & 


MR.  AND  MRS.  \V.  J.  CLEVELAND. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


229 


Northwestern  Railroad  system,  he  continued  his 
journey  to  Rockford.  Soon  after  he  located  in 
Pecatonica  township,  where  he  built  a  "shack" 
in  a  stone  quarry.  He  then  chopped  wood  that 
winter  and  the  following  spring  removed  to  Sew- 
ard township,  having  in  1854  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  land  here,  he  and  his  brotlier  buying 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  together.  Mr. 
Cleveland  then  drove  a  breaking  team  of  five 
yoke  of  oxen  through  the  first  summer  and  has 
assisted  materially  in  the  pioneer  development  of 
this  section  of  the  state.  He  lived  upon  this 
land  for  about  four  or  five  years,  after  which  he 
sold  his  eighty-acre  tract  and  came  to  his  pres- 
ent farm  in  Seward  township,  at  first  purchasing 
eighty  acres,  which  was  the  nucleus  of  his  present 
home.  He  built  a  house  upon  this  tract  and 
afterward  extended  the  boundaries  of  the  farm 
by  the  purchase  of  an  additional  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres.  In  1885  he  erected  a  fine  residence 
and  he  has  put  extensive  and  substantial  im- 
provements upon  the  place,  which  is  now  one 
of  the  finest  farms  of  the  county.  lacking  in 
none  of  the  accessories  and  conveniences  which 
indicate  the  progressive  farmer.  He  has  tilled 
the  soil  and  raised  stock,  making  a  specialty  of 
short-horn  cattle  and  Chester  White  hogs  and 
he  always  keeps  first  class  farm  horses. 

Mr.  Cleveland  was  married,  July  3,  1851,  to 
Elvira  J.  Curtis,  a  daughter  of  Waterman  and 
Sylvia  Curtis,  both  natives  of  the  Empire  state. 
Her  father,  who  was  born  May  7,  1804,  died 
August  2,  1861.  while  his  wife  passed  away  De- 
cember 16,  1894,  in  Seward  township,  at  the  age 
of  eighty-eight  years,  having  been  born  Novem- 
ber 6,  1806.  Their  remains  were  interred  in 
Gratiot  county.  ^Michigan.  In  their  family  were 
eleven  children.  Francis,  born  February  12. 
1829.  and  now  living  in  Michigan,  married  Miss 
Luceba  Rugg  and  has  two  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters. Sylvia  A.,  born  February  2,  1830,  died  Sep- 
tember 22,  1852.  Mrs.  Cleveland  is  the  next 
member.  Laura,  born  November  24,  1833,  is  the 
wife  of  William  Hall,  of  Wyoming  county.  New 
York,  and  has  four  children ;  Seneca  M.,  born 
October  6,  1835,  and  now  living  in  Michigan, 
married  Sophia  Barnard  and  has  one  child : 
Helen  M.,  born  June  14,  1837,  is  the  wife  of 
John  Hall,  of  Wyoming  county.  New  York,  and 
has  one  child;  Albro,  born  October  17,  1837, 
married  Lucy  Woodard  and  with  their  three  chil- 
dren they  reside  in  Michigan ;  Waldo,  born  July 
30,  1841,  married  and  has  five  children,  now  liv- 
ing: Martha  B.,  born  September  10.  1845,  is  the 
wife  of  Theodore  Muscott,  of  Gratiot  county. 
Michigan,  by  whom  she  has  four  children.  Mar\- 
E.,  born  July  31,  1848,  is  living  in  Michigan: 
William  M..  born  January  8.  1853.  married  Kate 
Chisam  and   has   four  children.     The   father  of 


this  family  was  a  farmer  of  Wyoming  county, 
New  York,  until  1859,  when  he  removed  to 
Michigan,  where  he  died  two  years  later.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Baptist 
church  from  early  youth  and  in  politics  he  was 
a  whig  and  later  a  republican. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cleveland  have  been  born 
seven  children.  Albert  W.,  born  August  27, 
1852,  married  Frankie  A.  Rugg  and  has  four 
children,  their  home  being  in  Rockford.  Maria 
R.,  born  August  26,  1854,  died  July  14,  1893; 
Adella  E.,  born  June  10,  1857,  is  the  wife  of 
Frank  Conger,  of  Seward,  and  has  four  chil- 
dren. Herbert  W.,  born  August  8,  i860,  married 
Nanie  Moon  and  with  their  five  children  thev  re- 
side in  Rockford  ;  Lillie  C,  born  August  6,  1862, 
died  August  25,  1862.  Clara  R.,  born  May  22, 
1867,  is  the  wife  of  Frank  Holenbeck,  of  Sew- 
ard, and  has  two  children.  Wilson  S.,  born  July 
3,  1876,  and  living  on  the  old  homestead  with 
his  parents,  married  IMabel  Grady  and  has  three 
children. 

In  recent  years  Mr.  Cleveland  has  left  the 
care  of  his  farm  to  his  son  and  is  now  practically 
living  retired.  He  has  returned  to  his  native 
state  to  visit  the  old  homestead  and  the  friends 
of  his  youth.  He  has  acted  as  town  clerk  and 
collector,  as  road  commissioner  and  for  many 
years  has  been  a  member  of  the  school  board 
and  his  political  support  is  given  to  the  republican 
party.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  and  is  the 
president  of  the  Old  Settlers'  Association  and 
for  forty-five  years  he  has  been  a  deacon  in  the 
Congregational  church.  His  long  connection 
with  the  church  and  his  fidelity  to  its  interests 
and  its  teachings  indicate  the  upright  life  that 
he  has  led,  making  him  one  of  the  most  highly 
esteemed  and  valued  residents  of  his  community. 
He  has  now  passed  the  seventy-sixth  milestone  on 
life's  journey  and  is  one  of  the  venerable  pioneer 
settlers  of  Winnebago  countv. 


MAJOR  GEORGE  S.  ROPER. 

ilajor  George  S.  Roper  figured  prominently 
through  many  years  in  business  circles  in  Rock- 
ford, and  his  life  record  in  all  its  relations  was 
characterized  by  fidelity  to  principle.  In  citizen- 
ship  he  manifested  the  same  progressive  spirit 
and  patriotism  which  characterized  his  service  in 
behalf  of  his  country  during  the  Civil  war.  He 
was  born  in  Rutland,  \\'orcester  county,  Massa- 
chusetts, January  28,  1832,  his  parents  being  Jo- 
seph and  Maria  L.  (Mendell)  Roper,  who  were 
likewise  natives  of  Massachusetts,  where  they  re- 
mained until  1839.  In  that  year  they  removed 
with  their  family  to  a  farm  near  Ligonier,  Penn- 
svlvania,  where  the  father  carried  on  general  agri- 


230 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


cultural  pursuits  until  his  deatli.  His  widow 
afterward  lived  with  her  children  and  departed 
this  life  at  the  home  of  lier  son  John  in  Alton, 
Illinois. 

Major  Roper  spent  his  boyhood  days  on  the 
old  fami  homestead  and  supplemented  his  early 
educational  advantages  by  study  in  the  acadenij 
at  Ligonier,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  acquired  a 
good  education.  He  afterward  engaged  in  teach- 
ing school  for  a  few  }ears  and  subsequently  went 
to  Zanesville,  Ohio,  where  he  secured  a  situation 
as  clerk  in  a  china  store.  He  had  spent  about 
two  jears  in  that  way,  when  because  of  n  cholera 
epidemic  in  Zanesville  he  returned  to  Ligonier 
and  while  residing  there  he  was  married  !o  Miss 
Louisa  B.  George,  a  native  n^  Westmoreland 
county,  IVnnsylvania,  who  died  in  Springfield, 
Illinois,  in  1856. 

It  was  in  the  year  1854  that  Major  Roper  ac- 
companied by  his  family  came  to  the  west,  set- 
tling in  Springfield,  where  for  a  year  he  acted  as 
salesman  in  a  dry-goods  store.  He  was  also  book- 
keeper for  S.  M.  Tinsley  for  about  ten  months 
and  then  became  a  partner  of  Edward  R.  Ulrick 
&  Company,  lumber  dealers  of  Springfield.  His 
active  connection  with  that  business  was  main- 
tained for  five  years,  on  the  expiration  of  which 
period  he  removed  to  Alton,  Illinois,  wiu-re  he 
also  engaged  in  the  lumber  and  lime  business. 
In  the  latter  city  the  business  was  carried  on 
under  the  firm  style  of  Ulrick  &  Roper.  He  con- 
tinued operations  in  Alton  for  two  years  or  until 
the  floods  caused  him  to  return  to  Springfield, 
where  he  purchased  a  shoe  store  and  was  thus 
connected  with  the  mercantile  interests  of  the 
city  until  after  the  inauguration  of  the  Civil  war. 

Major  Roper,  deeply  interested  in  the  questions 
and  issues  of  the  day,  gave  his  political  allegiance 
to  the  newly  organized  re])ublican  party  and  in 
i860  he  formed  the  first  Republican  (ilee  Club 
that  sang  the  first  glee  songs  in  central  Jllinois. 
He  watched  with  interest  the  progress  of  events 
that  culminated  in  hostilities  between  the  north 
and  the  south  and  at  the  commencement  of  the 
war  he  entered  the  commissary  department  under 
Colonel  John  Williams  and  when  the  govern- 
ment relieved  his  superior  officer  he  was  assigned 
to  the  quartennaster's  department  under  General 
Wood.  About  that  time  General  Grant  took  com- 
mand of  the  Twenty-first  Illinois  Infantry  and 
Major  Roper  accompanied  him  to  the  old  fair- 
grounds of  Springfield,  thereby  forming  a  friend- 
ship, which  continued  throughout  their  remain- 
ing days.  It  was  at  the  special  retjuest  of  Gen- 
eral Grant  that  Major  Roper  was  given  a  posi- 
tion in  the  commissary  department  with  the  rank 
of  captain,  after  which  he  was  ordered  to  join 
General  W.  T.  Sherman  at  Louisville.  Kentucky. 


Later  he  was  assigned  to  the  staff  de()artment  of 
General  George  H.  Thomas,  with  whom  he  con- 
tinued until  after  the  battle  of  Stone  River.  Im- 
mediately following  the  engagement  at  Mill 
Spring  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major 
and  received  decidedly  complimentary  commenda- 
tion from  General  Thomas,  for  while  that  com- 
mander gave  all  the  officers  and  men  crerlit  for 
doing  their  duty  he  said  "If  any  one  was  entitled 
to  credit  more  than  anotlier  for  the  success  of 
the  northern  troops  it  was  Captain  Roper."  The 
newly  appointed  major  continued  on  the  staflf  of 
General  Thomas  until  he  became  connected  with 
the  First  Division  of  the  Fourteenth  .\rniy  Corps 
under  the  command  of  General  Fry,  of  Kentucky. 
In  tlie  reorganization  of  the  army  after  the  battle 
of  Cliickamauga  considerable  change  was  made 
and  the  three  divisions  of  the  Fourteenth  Army 
Corps  opened  the  charge,  it  being  the  duty  of 
Major  Roper  to  manage  the  divisions.  Novem- 
ber 24,  1863,  he  was  sent  to  Nashville  to  inspect 
the  horses  and  subsequently  was  appointed  over- 
seer and  inspector  of  the  military  roads  of  the 
nortlnvest.  On  the  24th  of  May,  1864,  he  re- 
ceived appointment  to  a  position  on  the  staff  of 
General  McCullom,  with  headquarters  at  Wash- 
ington, serving  in  that  capacity  until  February  6, 
1866,  wiien  he  was  mustered  out  with  the  rank 
of  brevet  colonel.  He  continued  to  be  known, 
however,  as  Major  Roper,  by  which  title  he  was 
always  addressed  in  his  home  city. 

The  w-ar  having  ended  Major  Roper  removed 
to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  in  1866.  and  was  there 
engaged  in  the  commission  business  for  a  short 
time,  but  soon  afterward  he  went  to  Jersey  Land- 
ing. Illinois,  where  he  purchased  a  large  flouring 
mill  and  distillery,  conducting  business  there  for 
a  year.  He  next  took  up  his  abode  again  in  Al- 
ton. Illinois,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  fire 
insurance  and  real-estate  business  for  sixteen 
years  and  in  1881  he  removed  to  Rockford,  where 
he  assisted  in  organizing  the  Merchants'  Mutual 
Fire  Insurance  Company,  of  which  he  was  made 
secretary.  He  also  became  the  president  of  the 
\^an  ^^'ie  Gas  Stove  Company  and  the  treasurer 
of  the  Eclipse  Gas  Stove  Comjiany.  of  which  his 
son  is  now  presidenl.  He  was  always  engaged  in 
the  insurance  business  imtil  his  death  and  between 
these  interests  he  divded  his  attention,  his  sound 
judgment,  wise  counsel  and  indefatigable  energy 
contributing  substantially  to  the  success  of  both. 

It  was  during  his  residence  in  .Springfield  that 
Major  Roper  lost  his  first  wife.  He  afterward 
married  Miss  .Ah-ira  S.  Bangs,  who  was  princi- 
pal of  the  schools  of  .Springfield  and  died  in  Al- 
ton, Illinois,  about  five  months  after  her  mar- 
riage. In  1857  he  wedded  Miss  Roxie  G.  Conk- 
lin,  a  native  of  New  York,  and   a  daughter  of 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


231 


Philander  K.  Conklin,  who  removed  to  the  west 
and  settled  in  Spring  Arbor,  Michigan,  where  he 
worked  at  the  blacksmith's  trade  until  his  death. 
There  were  three  children  born  to  Major  Roper 
by  his  first  marriage :  Mabin  F.,  who  died  in 
St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
the  drug  business ;  George  D.,  who  married  Kate 
Butterworth  and  resides  near  his  mother  on 
Franklin  place  in  Rockford,  where  he  is  a  lead- 
ing and  enterprising  physician,  and  also  presi- 
dent of  the  Eclipse  Gas  Stove  Company  and  the 
American  Foundry  Company ;  and  Edward  U., 
who  married  Martha  J.  Lowden  and  resides  in 
Logansport,  Indiana,  where  he  is  engaged  in  the 
printing  business.  There  was  also  one  child  by 
the  third  marriage,  Charles  .S.,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  five  months. 

Major  Roper  was  prominent  in  social  and  po- 
litical circles.  He  was  a  Knight  Templar  Mason, 
belonging  to  Crusader  commandery.  No.  17,  K. 
T.  and  he  held  membership  in  the  Freeport  con- 
sistory and  the  Medinah  Temple  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine  at  Chicago.  He  also  held  membership  re- 
lations with  the  Illinois  commandery  of  the 
Loyal  Legion  and  attended  many  of  its  national 
assemblies.  He  was  an  active  and  influential 
worker  in  Nevius  post.  No.  i,  G.  A.  R..  at  Rock- 
ford,  and  delighted  in  the  social  relations  with  his 
old  arm}'  comrades.  He  held  membership  in  the 
Christian  U^nion  church,  to  wliich  his  wife  also 
belongs,  and  he  ever  took  a  great  interest  in  its 
work,  always  serving  on  its  reception  committees 
and  doing  verything  in  his  power  to  promote  its 
growth.  His  political  views  accorded  with  re- 
publican principles  and  he  never  wavered  in  his 
allegiance  to  the  party.  For  years  he  was  closely 
connected  with  local  and  state  politics  and  his 
opinions  carried  weight  in  tlie  cor.ncils  of  his 
party.  He  was  chainnan  of  the  republican  county 
central  committee  in  1888,  and  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  state  central  committee  and  for 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  attended 
each  state  convention  except  those  held  while 
he  was  at  the  front  during  the  Civil  war. 
He  was  also  frequently  seen  in  the  na- 
tional conventions  of  his  party.  He  died  Feb- 
ruary 3,  1897,  and  thus  passed  awa_\'  one  wliose 
business,  political  and  military  career  reflected 
credit  and  honor  upon  the  city  of  his  adoption. 
He  was  a  man  of  pleasing  address,  courteous 
manner,  unfaltering  truth  and  unquestioned  in- 
tegrity and  yet  withal  possessed  that  practical 
common  sense  which  never  runs  to  extremes. 
He  won  friends  wherever  he  went,  his  life  was 
well  spent  and  honorable  and  his  useful  career 
was  worthy  of  emulation.  Mrs.  Roper  now 
owns  a  beautiful  residence  at  No.  1030  Franklin 
place,  where  she  lives  with  her  sister.  Miss  Ruth 
A.  Conklin,  and  in  society  circles  of  the  city  she 
is  prominent. 


HON.  ROBERT  SIMPSON. 

Hon.  Robert  Simpson,  formerly  a  member  of 
the  state  legislature  of  Illinois,  and  one  of  the 
wealthy  farmers  of  Wmncbago  county,  resides 
on  section  5  in  the  southern  part  of  Rockford 
township,  where  he  owns  over  live  hundred  acres 
of  valuable  land.  He  was  born  in  Yarmouth,  in 
the  London  district  of  the  province  of  Ontario, 
Canada,  March  15,  1836,  and  is  a  son  of  Peter 
and  Henrietta  (Curry)  Simpson,  natives  of  Ed- 
inburgh, Scotland,  born  in  1812  and  1815,  re- 
spectively. In  their  family  were  eight  children — • 
Mary  Ann,  Mar}'  .Ann  (second),  Mary  Jane, 
William,  Susan,  and  two  died  in  infancy.  It  is 
also  believed  that  the  grandfather,  Robert 
Simpson,  Sr.,  was  likewise  born  in  Edin- 
burgh, and  it  is  definitely  known  that  he 
came  to  America  in  1833,  settling  in  Yarmouth, 
where  he  resided  for  six  years.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  came  to  Illinois  and  pur- 
chased a  squatter's  claim  in  what  is  now  Rock- 
ford township,  \A'innebago  county,  which  was  lo- 
cated on  section  6,  township  43,  range  i  east.  He 
improved  and  resided  upon  that  tract  until  his 
death,  being  one  of  the  prominent  early  farmers 
of  his  locality.  He  married  Mrs.  Mary  (Knox) 
Laurie,  a  widow,  who  was  also  a  native  of  Scot- 
land, her  death  occurring  in  Centerville,  Winne- 
bago county,  in  January,  1865. 

Peter  Simpson  was  reared  and  married  in 
Scotland  and  taking  up  the  study  of  medicine 
afterward  engaged  in  practice  in  Edinburgh  until 
1833.  He  then  determined  to  seek  a  home  in  tlie 
new  world  and  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  Americ.i, 
locating  in  Yarmouth,  Canada,  but  he  came  to 
Illinois  in  the  same  year  in  which  the  grandfather 
established  his  home  in  Winnebago  county.  Ac- 
companied by  his  family,  he  made  the  entire  jour- 
ney overland,  crossing  the  Detroit  river  on  the 
4th  of  July,  1839.  Later  in  the  year  he  arrived 
in  this  county,  finding  it  a  pioneer  district,  ',n 
which  the  work  of  improvement  and  development 
had  scarcely  been  begun.  The  land  was  at  that 
time  owned  Ij}-  the  government  and  a  few  settlers 
^vere  living  in' or  near  the  timber,  it  being  thought 
impossible  that  the  prairies  would  ever  be  settled 
or  prove  of  any  value.  The  timber  land  was  held 
by  claimants  who  desired  to  sell  their  rights  so  as 
to  be  able  to  move  farther  westward.  Peter  Simp- 
son purchased  a  claim  to  a  tract  of  land  in  what 
is  now  Rockford  township,  and  when  the  land 
came  into  market  he  entered  it  from  the  govern- 
ment. There  he  carried  on  general  farming  year 
after  year  and  his  labors  wrought  a  wonderful 
change  in  the  appearance  of  the  place,  the  wild 
land  "being  transformed  into  highly  productive 
fields,  from  which  he  annually  harvested  good 
crops.     At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  he  espoused 


23-' 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


tlif  Union  cause,  enlisting  as  a  member  of  the 
Fifteenth  Illinois  Infantry  in  the  spring-  of  1861. 
His  name  was  on  the  roll  of  Company  C  for  three 
years  and  he  was  under  command  of  Colonel  Ellis, 
Before  leaving  Scotland  he  married  Henrietta 
Curry,  who  died  in  1851.  I'^or  a  second  wife  he 
married  Rebecca,  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Lydia 
(Morse)  Drake.  She  was  born  in  Cortland  coun- 
ty, New  York,  December  17,  1832,  and  is  now 
living  with  Robert  on  the  fami.  There  were  two 
children  by  his  second  marriage,  one  of  whom, 
Charles,  is  in  I'.ritish  Columbia,  and  Clara,  who 
died  in   1894. 

Robert  Simpson  was  but  three  years  old  when 
brought  by  his  parents  to  Illinois  and  upon  the 
home  fami  he  was  reared,  the  days  of  his  boy- 
hood and  youth  being  passed  in  the  usual  manner 
of  farm  lads  of  that  period.  He  worked  in  the 
fields  when  not  occupied  with  the  labors  of  the 
schoolroom  and  continued  on  the  old  homestead 
until  the  6th  of  August,  1862,  when  no  longer 
content  to  remain  at  home  while  his  country  was 
in  peril,  he  offered  his  services  to  the  govern- 
ment and  joined  the  boys  in  blue  of  Companv  C, 
Seventy-fourth  Illinois  Infantry,  being  mustered 
in  as  corporal.  He  participated  in  various  battles, 
including  the  engagements  of  Perryvillc,  Nolans- 
ville.  Stone  River.  Chickamauga,  Liberty  Ciap. 
■Missionary  Ridge  and  the  .\tlanta  campaign  un- 
der Sherman,  taking  part  in  all  the  battles  from 
Chattanooga  to  Atlanta  and  in  the  siege  and  ca])- 
ture  of  the  city.  After  its  fall  he  went  w-ith  hi* 
regiment  in  pursuit  of  Hood  and  fought  in  the 
battles  of  Si)ring  Hill.  I'ranklin  and  Xa^^hville. 
He  was  honorably  discharged  as  orderly  sergeant 
and  was  mustered  out  June  10,  1863,  returning  to 
bis  home  with  a  most  creditable  military  record. 

Previous  to  entering  the  army  Mr.  Simpson 
had  ])iircliased  eighty  acres  of  land  on  section  3. 
Rockford  township,  now  included  within  his 
present  farm.  He  has  at  different  times,  how- 
ever, extended  the  boundaries  of  his  ])roperty  im- 
til  his  landed  ]>ossessions  now  aggregate  over  five 
hundred  acres.  He  is  thus  one  of  the  large  land- 
owners of  the  county  and  his  property  is  very 
v;dual)le  owing  to  the  si>lennid  improvements  he 
has  ])laced  upon  it  and  tiie  care  with  which  the 
fields  have  been  cultivated.  His  farm  in  all  of 
its  departments  is  neat  and  thrifty  in  ap]K'arance 
and  indicates  the  careful  supervision  of  a  practi- 
cal and  progressive  owner. 

On  thi  17th  of  April,  1867,  Mr.  Simiison  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eliza  Davis,  a  native 
of  New  Brunswick,  and  a  daughter  of  John  and 
FJlen  Davis.  One  child.  Effic,  died  Febniary  3, 
1881.  Mrs.  Simpson  died  in  1872  and  the  fol- 
lowing vcar  Mr.  Simpson  wedded  Catherine 
Spottswood.  a  native  of  Kemptville.  Creenville 
cnuntv.  of  the  province  of  (  Mitario,  Canada,  her 


parents  being  Robert  and  Mary  (Graham) 
Spottswood,  both  of  whc«n  are  now  deceased. 
They  had  a  family  of  nine  children — Catherine 
(first),  Robert  (first),  Robert  (second),  Cath- 
erine (second),  Elizabeth,  Margaret,  Jeimie, 
Mary,  who  was  principal  of  the  Lincoln  school 
in  Rockford  for  eighteen  years,  and  died  July  30, 
1902,  and  liUen,  who  died  in  infancy.  The  father 
was  lx)rn  in  or  near  Ro.xboro,  Scotland,  as  was 
also  his  father,  Robert  Spottswood.  He  came  to 
America  in  1833.  settling  in  (irecnville  county, 
Canada.  He  had  married  Elizabeth  I'Vater,  also 
a  native  of  Scotland,  who  died  in  Canada  in  June, 
1866.  Mrs.  Simpson's  father  was  a  blacksmith 
by  trade,  and  after  coming  to  America  he  engaged 
in  hlacksmithing  at  KemiHville  and  later  engaged 
in  merchandizing.  .Subsequently  he  removed  to 
St.  Lawrence  county,  New  York,  but  after  a  few 
years'  residence  there  returned  to  Kemptville, 
where  he  followed  his  trade  until  1867,  when  he 
came  to  Illinois.  His  wife  was  a  daughter  of 
James  and  Catherine  (Clinkscaks )  ( irahani  and 
was  born  in  Dumfricshire,  .'Scotland.  Both  are 
now  deceased.  Two  children  have  been  l)orn  unto 
^Ir.  and  Mrs.  Simpson — Mary,  born  March  23, 
1877,  ^^ho  was  married  September  12,  U)03-  to 
Homer  St.  John,  who  is  with  the  Western  Indi- 
ana Railroad  and  lives  in  Chicago,  and  .Vrthur 
G..  born  December  16,  1882.  who  lives  at  home 
with  his  parents. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Simpson  is  independ- 
ent, hut  was  elected  to  the  state  legislature  in  1S88 
on  the  democratic  ticket.  He  has  also  served  in 
other  official  capacities,  acting  as  supervisor  of 
Rockford  township  for  ten  years,  and  no  public 
trust  reposed  in  him  has  ever  been  betrayed  in  the 
slightest  degree.  As  a  soldier  upon  the  fields  of 
l)attle,  as  a  legislator  or  as  a  i)rivate  citizen  he  is 
e(|uallv  loyal  to  the  general  good  and  he  has  made 
an  honorable  rei)utation  in  business  circles  as  well. 


LEWIS  KEITH. 


Lewis  Keith,  a  retired  fanner  of  Rockford  to 
whom  success  has  come  in  recognition  of  his  un- 
tiring labor  and  his  utilization  of  the  oppor- 
tunities which  have  surrounded  him — such  as  are 
common  to  all  men, — has  resided  in  this  section 
of  Illinois  from  the  peritxl  of  its  pioneer  develop- 
ment. For  many  years  he  was  closely  associated 
with  agricultural  interests  and  still  owns  valu- 
able farm  ])roperty  on  the  border  line  between 
Boone  and  Wiimebago  counties.  He  is  a  native 
of  Morgan  county,  Ohio,  born  May  2,  1826,  and 
represents  a  family  that  was  established  in 
America  in  colonial  days.  His  great-grandfather 
emigrated  from  Holland  to  the  new  world  about 
fifteen  vears  Ix-fore   the   Revolutionarv  war  and 


X-^i'UU^-T^^     /O-X-'^^^— 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


235 


settled  in  New  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania.  He  was 
a  blacksmith  by  trade  and  conducted  a  shop  there 
for  many  years,  after  which  he  removed  to 
Huntingdon  county,  Pennsylvania,  where  his 
death  occurred  in  1810.  During  the  war  for 
independence  he  served  his  country  as  a  black- 
smith. His  son  Peter  P.  followed  both  black- 
smithing  and  farming  and  about  1814  removed 
from  Pennsylvania  to  Morgan  county,  Ohio.  In 
1836  he  became  a  resident  of  Rockford,  Illinois, 
which  at  that  time  contained  only  three  houses 
that  were  located  on  the  east  side  of  the  river 
just  below  the  present  site  of  the  water  tower. 
He  reared  a  family  of  twelve  children  and  died  at 
the  age  of  eighty-one  years  and  four  months. 

Lewis  Keith,  Sr.,  father  of  our  subject,  was 
born  in  Huntingdon  county,  Pennsylvania,  in 
1801,  and  in  1814  accompanied  his  parents  to 
Morgan  county.  Ohio,  where  he  lived  until  the 
6th  of  July,  1832,  when  he  took  up  his  abode 
at  Laporte,  Indiana,  building  a  cabin  there.  He 
married  Miss  Mary  Spencer,  by  whom  he  had 
four  sons.  Her  death  occurred  when  her  son 
Lewis  was  only  twenty-three  days  old.  The 
father  afterward  married  Nancy  O'Hara,  by 
whom  he  had  six  sons  and  four  daughters,  and 
his  third  wife  was  Mrs.  Nancy  H.  Jessup.  His 
children  are  as  follows:  Mrs.  Jane  Bunker; 
Elisha,  who  married  Amanda  Thornberg;  Peter, 
who  married  Sarah  J.  Thornton ;  Lewis,  of  this 
review ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Henry  Crane ;  Julia 
A.,  the  wife  of  Lewis  Parker ;  Maria,  the  wife 
of  Edward  Co.x ;  Wesley,  who  married  Sarah 
Prian ;  Dennis  T.,  who  married  Catherine  Ernest; 
Francis,  who  married  Martha  McLain  ;  Margaret, 
the  wife  of  George  Huckens ;  W.  Riley ;  Sarah 
Crane ;  and  Aridana,  the  wife  of  Amos  Taylor. 

Lewis  Keith  spent  the  first  few  years  of  his 
life  in  the  county  of  his  nativity  and  at  the 
age  of  nine  came  to  Winnebago  county  to  live 
with  his  grandfather  Spencer.  He  made  the 
journey  with  friends,  it  requiring  fourteen  days 
to  travel  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  during 
which  time  snow  fell  to  the  depth  of  one  foot. 
He  found  here  a  pioneer  district,  the  city  of 
Rockford  being  at  that  time  but  a  small  village  of 
but  two  houses,  while  all  of  the  land  in  the 
county  was  still  in  the  possession  of  the  govern- 
ment and  the  work  of  improvement  and  progress 
had  not  been  begun.  His  grandfather  died  in 
1838  and  Lewis  Keith  was  then  thrown  upon 
his  own  resources.  Whatever  success  he  has 
achieved  is  due  entirely  to  his  own  efforts.  His 
educational  privileges  were  meager,  but  with  a 
resolute  spirit  he  started  out  to  make  his  own 
way  in  the  world  and  has  brooked  no  obstacles 
that  could  be  overcome  by  persistent  and  honor- 
able effort.  He  was  employed  at  different  kinds 
of  farm  work,  and  by  frugality  and  industry 
managed  to  acquire  a  small  sum  of  money.    This 


he  invested  as  partial  payment  on  a  tract  of  forty 
acres  of  government  land,  giving  his  note  for  the 
remainder  of  the  purchase  price.  Thus  he  secured 
a  home  of  his  own  and  began  raising  wheat. 
He  worked  from  early  morning  until  late  at 
night  in  the  fields,  and  as  the  years  passed  he 
prospered.  When  his  financial  resources  were 
somewhat  increased  he  purchased  other  land 
and  from  time  to  time  invested  in  property,  mak- 
ing payments  thereon  through  his  sales  of  wheat, 
hogs  and  cattle.  Ultimately  his  landed  posses- 
sions amounted  to  fourteen  hundred  acres  lying 
in  Winnebago  and  Boone  counties.  Subsequently 
he  purchased  a  tract  of  one  thousand  acres  in 
Iowa  and  managed  that  farm  in  connection  with 
his  Illinois  lands.  He  was  formally  the  owner  of 
valuable  property  in  North  and  South  Dakota  in 
addition  to  his  farming  interests  in  this  city, 
and  at  one  tiiue  he  conducted  a  mercantile  enter- 
prise in  Cherry  Valley  and  Fairdale,  Illinois. 

Mr.  Keith  has  been  married  twice.  He  first 
wedded  Katherine  Brown,  a  native  of  Ohio,  who 
died  in  1862,  leaving  three  children :  Lewis  W., 
Luther  L.,  and  Roswell  C.  For  his  second  wife 
Mr.  Keith  chose  Louisa  M.  Farley,  who  came 
from  Ohio  to  Illinois  and  was  married  to  him 
in  1864.  They  have  three  children:  Julia  Flor- 
ence, the  wife  of  Earl  D.  Reynolds,  a  practicing 
attorney  of  Rockford  ;  Mabel  K,,  the  wife  of  M. 
L.  Burt,  of  Bedford,  Iowa ;  and  Estella,  at  home. 

Mr.  Keith  continued  to  reside  upon  his  farm 
for  many  years,  placing  the  land  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation  and  adding  to  it  modern 
buildings  and  many  substantial  improvements.  In- 
1 901.  however,  he  removed  from  his  farm  to 
Rockford  and  purchased  property  at  No.  1552 
Charles  street.  He  rebuilt  and  remodeled  this, 
and  now  has  a  comfortable  home  in  which  he  is 
spending  the  evening  of  life.  His  health  is  some- 
what impaired  but  he  keeps  in  touch  with  the 
current  events  of  the  day.  His  political  support 
has  long  been  given  to  the  republican  party,  but 
he  has  never  sought  or  desired  office.  The  history 
of  pioneer  life  in  Winnebago  county  is  familiar 
to  him,  and  his  memory  forms  a  connecting  link 
between  the  primitive  past  and  the  progressive 
present.  He  came  to  the  county  when  it  was 
largely  wild  and  has  seen  a  great  transformation 
here.  Furthermore  he  has  assisted  materially  in 
making  the  changes  which  have  developed  the 
county  into  an  important  center  of  civilization, 
and  his  name  is  on  the  roll  of  honored  pioneer 
settlers  in  WinnebaafO  countv. 


ALEXANDER  RALSTON. 

Ale-xander  Ralston,  deceased,  was  a  pioneer  of 
northern  Illinois  of  1849,  i"  which  year  he  settled 
at  Caledonia,  Boone  county,  near  the  Winnebago 


23^. 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WTXNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


county  line.  He  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  born 
in  1820.  and  liis  parcTits  were  John  and  Belle 
(Greenlee)  Ralston,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Scotland,  whence  they  came  to  Illinois  in  1850, 
settlin.t;-  in  Caledonia  the  year  following  the  ar- 
rival of  their  son  Alexander.  TlKre  they  made 
their  home  on  a  farm  with  their  children  until 
called  from  this  life. 

Alexander  Ralston  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  his  native  country  and  was  reared 
upon  a  farm  there,  early  becoming  familiar  with 
the  methods  of  agriculture  in  vogue  in  that  coun- 
try. He  was  married  in  the  land  of  hills  and 
heather  to  Miss  Margaret  McKerrall,  also  a  na- 
tive of  Scotland,  born  January  1,  1825.  her  par- 
ents being  Dugald  and  Jane  McKerrall,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  the  same  country.  They  came 
to  the  new  world  in  an  early  day,  settling  in  Can- 
ada, where  they  resided  until  called  to  their  final 
home,  the  father  carrying  on  general  farming 
there  throughout  his  active  business  career.  He 
died  at  the  very  advanced  age  of  eighty-six  years. 

Soon  after  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rals- 
ton sailed  for  America,  locating  first  in  Canada, 
but  after  a  short  time  coming  to  Illinois  and,  as 
before  stated,  settled  near  Caledonia,  which  place 
was  largely  established  by  emigrants  from  Scot- 
land. There  he  purchased  a  farm  and  carried  on 
general  agricultural  pursuits  until  his  death,  be- 
ing one  of  the  substantial  and  reliable  farmers  of 
the  locality. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ralston  were  bom  nine 
children,  of  whom  six  are  yet  living.  Jane  is  the 
widow  of  Matthew  Harvey,  who  was  engaged  in 
the  agricultural  implement  business  in  Rockford 
for  many  years,  and  she  now  resides  in  Rockford 
at  No.  2310  West  State  street.  Margaret  is  the 
wife  of  Alexander  Ferguson,  a  retired  farmer,  re- 
siding at  No.  915  North  Court  street.  Mrs. 
Thomas  W'aterson  makes  her  home  in  Ardale, 
Iowa.  John  D..  who  married  Ida  M.  Simpson, 
resides  at  No.  940  North  Court  street.  Rockford. 
He  and  his  brother  constitute  the  firm  of  J.  D. 
&  G.  A.  Ralston,  extensive  dealers  in  agricul- 
tural implements,  carriages,  wagons  and  harness 
at  No.  1 10  and  112  .\orth  .Madison  street.  George 
A.,  a  partner  of  his  brother  John,  married  Au- 
gusta Marriett  and  they  reside  here  at  316  Rock- 
ton  avenue.  Mrs.  C.  H.  Blass  is  now  living  in 
Mongo,  Indiana.  Those  deceased  are  Isabelle  and 
two  who  were  named  Jeanette. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Ralston  was  a  re- 
publican, giving  his  support  to  the  party  from  the 
time  that  he  became  a  naturalized  .American  citi- 
zen. He  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  at  Caledonia,  took  a  deep  and  helpful  in- 
terest in  its  work,  served  as  an  elder  and  was  also 
leader  of  the  clioir.  His  religious  faith  jiermeatcd 
his  entire  life  and  shaped  his  relations  with  his 


fellowmen.  He  owned  a  large  farm  near  Cale- 
donia and  was  very  successful  in  his  business  pur- 
suits. Although  he  never  resided  in  Rockford,  he 
was  well  known  here  and  liad  the  entire  respect 
of  all  with  whom  he  was  brought  in  contact.  He 
died  December  25,  1888.  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine 
years,  and  his  remains  lie  interred  in  the  Scotch 
cemetery  near  that  place. 

Following  her  husband's  death  .Mrs.  Ralston 
sold  the  farm  to  her  son  George,  with  whom  she 
resided  for  a  year  thereafter.  She  then  went  to 
live  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  I'erguson,  in  Har- 
lem, this  county,  remaining  there  for  eight  years. 
In  the  meantime  her  son  George  had  removed  to 
Rockford  and  began  business  w-ith  his  brother  in 
this  city,  and  in  1903  Mrs.  Ralston  came  to  Rock- 
ford, since  ^vhich  time  she  has  lived  at  No.  316 
Rockton  avenue  with  her  .son  George  and  his 
wife,  he  having  lately  built  a  nice  residence  there. 
The  Ralstons  are  a  prominent  and  well-to-do 
family  of  the  city  and  the  firm  of  Ralston  Broth- 
ers constitutes  an  important  factor  in  commercial 
activitv  here. 


CHARLES  J.  SOWLE,  D.  D.  S. 

Dr.  Charles  J.  Sowle,  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  dentistry  in  Rockford,  was  born  in  Tomah, 
Wisconsin,  March  22,  1869.  His  paternal  grand- 
father, Hiram  .\.  Sowle.  removed  to  that  place 
in  the  '40s,  becoming  one  of  its  pioneer  settlers. 
His  son,  Orlando  Thompson  Sowle.  was  born  in 
Vermont,  and  accompanied  his  parents  on  their 
removal  to  Wisconsin,  where  he  was  reared  to 
farm  life,  remaining  on  the  old  homestead  until 
seventeen  years  of  age,  when  in  1861  he  ran 
away  from  home  to  join  the  army,  enlisting  as 
a  member  of  Company  II,  Eleventh  Wisconsin 
Infantry.  He  afterward  returned  to  that  state 
and  organized  what  became  Company  D  of  the 
Fifty-first  Wisconsin  Regiment  of  Volunteers. 
Mr.  Sowle  was  made  first  lieutenant  of  the  com- 
pany, and  saw  much  active  service  on  the  battle- 
fields of  the  south,  continuing  at  the  front  until 
mustered  out  at  the  close  of  the  war.  Returning 
then  to  his  old  home  in  Wisconsin  he  joined  his 
father  in  the  conduct  of  a  general  store,  and  was 
also  engaged  in  the  hotel  business.  He  was  upon 
the  road  as  a  traveling  salesman  for  a  munbcr 
of  years,  and  was  proprietor  of  a  hotel  in  To- 
mah, Wisconsin,  afterward  entering  into  the  real 
estate  and  pension  business  and  remaining  there 
until  the  time  of  his  demise,  which  occurred  in 
i88(),  when  he  was  forty-five  years  of  age. 

Dr.  Sowde  is  the  only  surviving  member  of  a 
family  of  four  children.  His  mother  died  in  Cal- 
ifornia in  if)oi.  Contiiniing  his  education  in  his 
native  state,  he  became  a  high  school  student 
there,  and  afterward  attended  the  University  of 


DR.  C.  T.  SOWLE. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


239 


Wisconsin  at  Madison  for  a  year.  Deciding 
upon  a  professional  career,  he  entered  the  Chi- 
cago College  of  Dental  Surgery  in  1892,  and  on 
the  completion  of  a  regular  three  years'  course 
was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1895,  winning 
the  valedictorian  honors  and  delivering  the  ad- 
dress to  a  class  of  one  hundred  and  twenty.  He 
then  located  for  practice  in  Rockford,  and  now 
has  a  well  equipped  office  at  No.  401  Brown 
Building.  He  is  thoroughly  informed  concern- 
ing modern  methods,  and  his  work  is  of  a  most 
satisfactory  character,  insuring  him  a  continu- 
ance of  a  liberal  and  growing  patronage.  He 
belongs  to  the  Illinois  State  Dental  Society,  the 
Northern  Illinois  Dental  Society.  Winnebago 
County  Dental  Society,  the  Delta  Sigma  Delta, 
a  college  fraternity  and  the  Odontological  So- 
ciety of  Rockford. 

Dr.  Sowle  was  married  in  October,  1897,  to 
Miss  Gertrude  E.  Stuart,  a  daughter  of  Mar- 
garet Stuart,  of  Rockford,  who  was  born  in 
this  city.  They  now  have  two  sons  and  a 
daughter :  Stuart  Orlando,  five  years  of  age ; 
Giarles  Burdette,  three  years  old ;  and  Helen 
Elizabeth,  born  January  16.  1905.  Dr.  Sowle 
belongs  to  the  Elks  lodge  at  Rockford.  In  poli- 
tics he  is  independent,  supporting  men  and 
measures  rather  than  party.  He  is  a  young  man 
of  laudable  ambition  and  firm  principles,  and  has 
made  for  himself  a  creditable  place  in  the  pro- 
fessional circles  in  Rockford. 


ISAAC  TOMS. 


Isaac  Toms,  deceased,  was  one  of  the  pioneer 
farmers  of  Winnebago  county,  who  settled  here 
in  1837,  and  through  many  years  was  closely 
connected  with  agricultural  interests — the  basis 
of  the  wealth  and  prosperity  of  the  great  state 
of  Illinois.  He  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  born 
in  Elizabeth,  Essex  county,  on  the  24th  of  De- 
cember, 1809.  The  family  is  of  English  lineage 
and  the  grandfather,  Lewis  Toms,  spent  his  last 
days  in  New  Jersey,  in  which  state  occurred  the 
birth  of  Isaac  Toms,  Sr.,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject. He  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  in  early 
life  and  was  connected  with  building  operations  in 
Essex  county  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1809,  two  months  before  the  birth  of 
his  son  and  namesake.  In  early  manhood  he  had 
wedded  Elizabeth  Henderson,  also  a  native  of 
Essex  county  and  a  daughter  of  Robert  Hender- 
son, a  native  of  Scotland,  who  was  drafted  into 
the  British  army  during  the  Revolutionary  war 
and  therefore  came  to  America.  Interested  in 
this  land,  he  established  his  home  in  the  new  re- 
public and  for  some  time  resided  in  New  Jersey, 
but  eventually  removed  to  Canada,  where  he  made 
his  home  until  called  to  his  final  rest.     Following 


the  death  of  her  husband  Mrs.  Isaac  Toms,  Sr., 
accompanied  by  her  three  children,  removed  to 
Simcoe,  Canada,  in  1816,  and  there  remained 
with  her  children  until  she,  too,  passed  away. 

Isaac  Toms  of  this  review  was  a  little  lad  of 
only  five  summers  when  the  family  went  to  Can- 
ada. He  attended  the  public  schools  there,  ac- 
quiring a  good  practical  education,  and  after  put- 
ting aside  his  text-books  he  and  his  brother  were 
engaged  in  farming  in  Canada  until  1837,  pur- 
chasing land  which  they  continued  to  cultivate 
until  the  removal  of  Isaac  Toms  to  Illinois.  He 
was  at  that  time  twenty-eight  years  of  age.  Bid- 
ding adieu  to  his  old  home  and  friends  across  the 
border,  he  started  for  this  state  on  foot,  carrying 
his  possessions  in  a  bundle.  The  first  night  he 
met  a  3-oung  man  on  his  way  to  Michigan  riding 
a  horse,  and  they  afterward  traveled  together, 
riding  by  turns  to  Branch  county,  Michigan,  from 
which  place  Mr.  Toms  continued  the  journey  on 
foot  to  Rockford.  The  now  populous  and  beauti- 
ful city  was  then  a  small  collection  of  pioneei 
cabins,  but  it  lay  in  the  midst  of  a  rich  agricul- 
tural district  and  the  natural  resources  of  the 
country  were  such  as  to  give  promise  of  a  bright 
future.  Mr.  Toms  was  at  once  made  constable 
and  held  that  office  in  Rockford  for  seven  years. 
He  was  also  employed  at  a  very  early  day  on  the 
building  of  the  dam  across  Kent  creek  and  in  the 
spring  of  1838  he  went  to  Ogle  county,  where  he 
was  variousl}-  employed  until  1840.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Rockford  and  two  years  later  purchased 
the  land  included  in  his  farm.  It  was  then  a  tract 
of  wild  prairie,  entirely  destitute  of  improve- 
ments. It  lay  in  Guilford  township,  the  place 
comprising  two  hundred  acres.  With  character- 
istic energy-  Mr.  Toms  began  its  development  and 
the  utility  of  his  labors  was  soon  manifest  in  sub- 
stantial buildings  and  well  tilled  fields.  He  also 
planted  an  orchard  and  set  out  shade  and  orna- 
mental trees,  and  as  the  years  passed  he  added  all 
of  the  modern  equipments  and  accessories  of  a 
model  farm.  He  was  not  only  practical,  but  pro- 
gressive in  his  work  and  long  ranked  with  the 
leading  agriculturists  of  the  community. 

In  1865  Mr.  Toms  was  married  in  Chicago  to 
Miss  ^Martha  A.  Dodge,  whose  birth  occurred  in 
Mount  Vernon,  New  Hampshire,  on  the  8th  oi 
May,  1829,  her  parents  being  Charles  and  Alice 
(  McClary)  Dodge.  Her  father  was  born  in  New 
Boston,  New  Hampshire,  and  for  many  years  re- 
sided in  the  old  Granite  state,  devoting  the  great- 
er part  of  his  time  and  attention  to  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits.  He  was  a  son  of  Amma  and 
Lucv  (Fowler)  Dodge,  who  spent  their  entire 
lives'  in  New  Hampshire.  Charles  Dodge  was 
therefore  reared  in  New  Boston  and  it  was  subse- 
quent to  his  marriage  that  he  became  a  resident 
of    .Mount    Vernon.     He    married     Miss     Alice 


240 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


McClary,  a  native  of  Wiiidliani,  New  llaiii])shire, 
and  they  began  tlieir  domestic  life  in  the  state  of 
their  nativity,  where  Mr.  Uodge  provided  for  his 
family  for  many  years  by  the  careful  conduct  of 
his  agricultural  interests.     At  lengtli  he  became 
ill  and  was  in  poor  health  for  thirteen  years.     Be- 
cause of  this  he  left  the   farm  and   in    1830  re- 
moved to  Lowell,  -Massachusetts,  where  he  spent 
his  remaining  days,  his  death  occurring  in   183.'. 
His  wife  survived  him  until   1850,  ])assing  away 
in    Methuen,   Massachusetts,   while    visiting    her 
daughter  there.     She  had.  however,  been  a  resi- 
dent of  Lexington  for  four  years.     Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.   Dodge  were  members  of  the   Presbyterian 
church  and   he  had  served  as  deacon   for  many 
years.  Mrs.  Dodge  was  of  Irish  and  Scotch  de- 
scent.    Her  father,  John   McClary.  was  born  in 
the  north    of    Ireland    of    .Scotch  ])arentage.  but 
from  early  manhood  until  his  death  was  a  re.-.i- 
dent   of   New    Ham|)shire.      .Mrs.    Toms   accom- 
panied her  parents  on  their   removal  to  Lowell. 
Massachusetts,  where  she  resided  until  1856,  aftei 
which  she  spent  two  years  in   Davenport,  Iowa. 
The    succeeding  two  years   were  passed    in    St. 
Louis.  Missouri,  and  she  then  went  to  Chicago, 
where  she  remained  from   i8f)2  until   1865,  when 
she  came  to  Winnebago  county.     There  were  no 
children  born  unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Toms,  but  the 
latter  belonged  to  a  family  of  nine  children,  of 
whom  three  are  yet  living.    Her  sister.  Hannah 
P.,  born  September  8,   1823,  in  Mount  Vernon, 
New  Hampshire,  is  the  widow  of  Francis  B.  Ab- 
bott, a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  born  in  i8r7. 
Wiien  a  lad  he  went  to   Lowell.   Massachusetts, 
where  he  acquired  a  good  education  in  the  higli 
schools.     He  then  learned  the  machinist's  trade, 
at  which  he  worked  in  Chicago  for  forty  vears. 
and  he  applied  himself  so  closely  and  untiringly 
to  his  business  that  he  broke  down  his  health,  his 
intense  activity  and  energy  being  the  cause  of  his 
deatli.     He  was  a  man  of  strong  religious  temper- 
ament and  a  devoted  Christian,  whose  labors  were 
effective  and  far-reaching  in  behalf  of  the  gospel 
work.     He    established    a    chapel  and   Sunday- 
school  in  Chicago  and  would  attend  the  chapel 
every  morning  before  going  to  his  work.     The 
little  chapel  grew  in  membership,  in  influence  and 
in  the  extent  of  its  ojx-rations  for  the  moral  devel- 
opment of  mankind  and  is  now  one  of  the  largest 
churches    in    Giicago — known  as  Grace  church. 
Mr.  Abbott  continued  to  follow  his  chosen  voca- 
tion in  Chicago  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.    His 
niece,  Emma  Abbott,  was  a  noted  prima  donni. 
Mr.  and   Mrs.   Abbott   had  no  children  of  iheir 
own.  but  adopted  a  son.  George  L.  Austin,  who 
inarried  Etta  Perkins.     He  was  graduated  from 
Harvard  University,  became  an  editor  and  pub- 
lisher   and    died    in    Cambridge.   Massachusetts, 
leaving  four  children,     .\ftcr  the  death  of  Mr. 


Abbott  ill  Chicago  his  widow  came  to  Rockford 
and  has  since  made  her  home  with  Mrs.  Toms. 

Nancy  Elizabeth,  the  other  surviving  member 
of  the  Dodge  family,  was  born  November  30, 
1S25.  and  is  the  widow  of  George  W.  Clark,  of 
Rockijort,  Massachusetts,  who  was  extensively 
engaged  in  l\v:  manufacture  of  hoots  and  shfics  in 
the  east,  conducting  a  large  and  profitable  busi- 
ness. He  afterward  removed  to  Sanoma,  Califor- 
nia, where  he  was  engaged  in  the  .same  business 
for  many  years,  but  eventually  retired,  and  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a  well  earned  ease  spent  his  last 
days  in  that  land  of  sunshine  and  flowers,  his 
death  occurring  in  Sanoma.  Mrs.  Clark  now  re- 
sides in  Azusa,  California,  with  her  only  son, 
Fred  L.  Clark.  There  were  three  members  of  the 
Dodge  family  who  died  in  infancy,  while  the 
others  were:  Sarah  Jane,  who  was  the  wife  of 
John  Collins,  and  died  at  the  heme  of  her  sister 
in  Sanoma.  California;  Catherine,  who  married 
Daniel  1!.  .Shipley,  and  died  in  Derry,  New 
Hampshire ;  and  Charles  R.,  who  died  soon  after 
his  marriage.  He  was  a  farmer  in  the  east  and 
subsequent  to  his  removal  to  California  he  car- 
ried on  agricultural  ])ursuils  until  his  death. 

The  home  of  ^Ir.  Toms  was  located  on  section 
27,  Guilford  township,  where  he  had  one  of  the 
best  farms  of  the  county,  supplied  with  fine  im- 
provements, indicating  the  careful  supervision 
and  i)rogressivc  spirit  of  the  owner.  There  he 
engaged  in  general  agricultural  pursuits  till  a 
few  years  prior  to  his  death,  when  he  retired  from 
business  cares.  He  then  sold  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  his  land,  but  continued  to  remain 
at  the  old  home  until  he  passed  away  on  the  17th 
of  January,  igo2.  lieside  serving  as  constable  of 
Rockford  in  an  early  day  he  held  a  number  of 
local  offices  in  his  township  and  in  politics  he  was 
always  a  stanch  republican,  unswerving  in  his 
allegiance  to  his  party.  He  was  a  self-made  man, 
whose  business  career  was  marked  by  consecutive 
advancement,  owing  to  his  close  application,  un- 
remitting diligence  and  strong  and  honorable  ])ur- 
pose.  He  was  so  honorable  in  his  conduct  and  so 
fair  in  his  views  that  his  opinions  carried  weight 
among  his  friends  and  neighbors  and  he  became 
an  influential  citizen  of  his  community,  respected 
by  all  for  what  he  accomiilished  and  for  the  hon- 
orable pnnciples  which  proved  the  motive  power 
of  his  action.  He  was  well  known  to  all  the  pio- 
neer settlers  of  the  county  and  he  had  many 
friends  in  Rockford. 

Following  the  death  of  her  husband  Mrs.  Toms 
sold  the  farm  and  removed  to  the  city,  where  she 
invested  her  money  in  realty,  but  has  since  sold 
off  much  of  her  city  property.  She  has  in  her 
possession  a  most  interesting  relic,  one  of  the  old 
"grandfather's  clocks."  which  has  been  in  posses- 
sion of  the  Dodge  familv  for  nearlv  two  hundred 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


241 


years,  and  yet  keeps  perfect  time.  Mrs.  Toms 
and  Mrs.  Abbott  are  now  residing  at  No.  929 
Rockton  avenue,  but  the  former  expects  soon  to 
buy  or  build  a  large  residence  in  the  north  part  of 
the  city,  in  which  she  and  her  sister  will  make 
their  future  home.  She  frequently  visits  her  sis- 
ter in  California,  for  the  family  ties  are  held  most 
sacred  by  them  both.  Mrs.  Toms  and  Mrs.  Ab- 
bott have  many  friends  in  the  city  and  are  great- 
h'  esteemed  by  those  who  know  them. 


THOMAS  GILMORE. 

Thomas  Gilmore,  retired  from  business  life,  is 
residing  at  No.  151 1  School  street,  Rockford.  He 
is  entitled  to  representation  in  this  volume  be- 
cause of  an  honorable  business  career  and  because 
of  the  valuable  service  which  he  rendered  to  his 
country  in  the  dark  days  of  the  Civil  war.  He 
was  born  in  Belfast,  Ireland,  March  20,  1843,  and 
comes  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry.  His  father,  Da- 
vid Gilmore,  was  a  native  of  Scotland  and  was  a 
weaver  by  trade. 

Thomas  Gilmore  resided  on  the  Emerald  isle 
until  about  1856,  when  he  came  to  America,  set- 
tling at  Corning,  New  York,  where  he  remained 
until  after  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war.  In  the 
meantime  he  had  watched  with  interest  the  prog- 
ress of  events  in  the  south  and  his  spirit  of  pa- 
triotism was  aroused  in  behalf  of  the  Union,  so 
that  on  the  ist  of  z^ugust,  1862,  he  offered  his 
services  to  the  government  and  was  enrolled  as  a 
member  of  Company  I,  One  Hundred  and  Sev- 
enth New  York  Volunteer  Infantry.  He  en- 
listed at  Corning  and  after  serving  for  three 
years  was  honorably  discharged  at  New  York 
city  on  the  20th  of  July,  1865.  He  served  in  the 
Eastern  Army  for  eighteen  months  and  was  then 
sent  to  the  west,  participating  under  General 
Sherman  in  the  Atlanta  campaign  and  the  cele- 
brated march  to  the  sea,  which  showed  the  claims 
of  the  Confederacy  to  be  but  an  empty  boast,  its 
military  strength  having  been  drawn  from  the 
interior  to  defend  the  borders.  Mr.  Gilmore  par- 
ticipated in  many  important  engagements,  includ- 
ing the  battle  of  Antietam,  September  17.  1862. 
He  was  in  Fredericksburg  in  the  winter  of  1862- 
63,  and  in  May  of  the  latter  year  participated  in 
the  battle  of  Cliancellorsville  and  the  hotly  con- 
tested engagement  of  the  first  three  days  of  July, 
1863,  at  Gettysburg.  He  also  met  the  enemy  at 
the  battle  of  Buzzard's  Roost :  at  Rocky  F"ace 
Ridge:  Resaca,  May  15,  1864;  New  Hope 
Church,  May  25,  1864.  and  was  wounded  there 
with  a  grape  shot  on  the  25th  of  May.  which  ne- 
nessitated  the  amputation  of  his  leg.  The  mem- 
ber was  cut  off  on  the  27th  of  May  under  the 
trees  on  the  battle-field.  He  then  rode  for  three 
davs  in  a  wagon,  but  his  injury  became  worse. 


gangrene  set  in  and  there  had  to  be  another  am- 
putation. He  had  indeed  a  hard  time  and  after 
lying  at  Chattanooga  for  a  while  was  sent  to 
Louisville,  Kentucky,  and  on  to  Madison,  Indi- 
ana, the  rebel  cavalry  following  in  the  path  of  the 
soldiers  who  were  then  advancing  to  the  north. 
^Vhen  in  the  battle  of  Antietam  Mr.  Gilmore  saw 
General  Mansfield  shot  from  his  horse.  Being 
mustered  out  of  the  service,  he  returned  to  New 
York  city,  where  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  artificial  limbs,  being  thus  occupied  until  1871, 
when  he  sold  his  business  and  came  to  Rockford, 
where  he  has  since  resided  with  the  exception  of 
a  period  of  three  years  beginning  in  1875.  At 
that  date  he  made  a  trip  to  Massachusetts,  re- 
maining in  New  England  until  1878.  He  is  now 
granted  a  pension  of  forty  dollars  per  month  in 
recognition  of  the  sacrifice  which  he  made  for  the 
government. 

Before  coming  to  the  west  Mr.  Gilmore  was 
married  in  New  York  city  in  1868  to  Miss  Mar- 
garet Hamilton,  a  daughter  of  Robert  and  Jane 
(Carroll)  Hamilton,  the  former  a  shoemaker, 
which  pursuit  gave  him  the  means  of  livelihood 
for  his  family.  Mrs.  Gilmore  was  born  in  1844 
and  by  her  marriage  has  become  the  mother  of 
six  children,  all  of  whom  are  yet  living.  David, 
born  July  16,  1869,  is  a  fanner  residing  in  Har- 
rison township.  He  married  Emma  Rottger  and 
has  three  children.  Agnes  G.,  born  January  9, 
1871,  is  the  wife  of  Fred  Knapp,  Hving  on  a 
farm  in  Harrison  township,  and  they  have  three 
sons.  Chaunce}'  A.,  born  December  25,  1873,  is 
the  owner  of  a  fruit  farm,  upon  which  he  lives, 
in  Oregon.  Ellen  H..  born  April  30,  1875,  is  the 
wife  of  Samuel  Scott,  a  resident  farmer  of  Har- 
rison township,  and  they  have  two  children. 
Elizabeth  M.,  born  December  2,  1880,  is  the  wife 
of  Charles  Higgin,  an  agriculturist  of  Owen 
township,  and  they  have  two  children.  Mary  A., 
who  was  born  April  7,  1882,  married  J.  C.  Black, 
and  they  reside  on  a  farm  near  Beloit,  Wisconsin. 

Since  coming  to  the  west  Mr.  Gilmore  has 
been  identified  with  business  interests  and  public 
service.  He  conducted  the  postofifice  in  Harrison 
township  from  1891  until  1898,  and  also  carried 
on  a  store  there  for  fifteen  years.  He  was  town- 
ship clerk  for  thirteen  years  and  was  likewise 
township  school  treasurer.  In  1896,  however,  he 
sold  his  business  interests  in  Harrison  township 
and  in  1898  removed  to  Rockford,  following  his 
election  to  the  office  of  county  treasurer,  in  which 
capacity  he  served  for  four  years,  or  until  1902, 
retiring  from  office  with  the  confidence  and  good 
will  of  all  concerned,  his  capable  administration 
of  the  aflfairs  of  the  position  having  won  him 
high  enconiums.  In  1902  he  became  manager  of 
the  west  end  yard  of  the  Rockford  Lumber  and 
Fuel  Company,  but  had  to  abandon  that  position 


242 


PAST    A\D     PRESENT    OF     WIXNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


on  account  of  ill  health  occasioned  h)  the  injury 
sustained  in  the  Civil  war.  He  now  deals  to 
some  extent  in  real  estate,  but  is  largely  living  re- 
tired. He  owns  the  home  in  Rockford  where  he 
resides  at  No.  151 1  School  street,  and  a  lot  on 
Locust  street,  on  which  he  is  now  erecting  a  fine 
residence. 

He  belongs  to  Xevius  post,  No.  i,  G.  A.  R., 
of  Rockford.  and  to  Harrison  camp,  No.  684. 
M.  W.  .\..  while  lx)th  he  and  his  wife  are  valued 
members  and  generous  contributors  to  the  Pres- 
byterian church.  In  politics  he  has  always  Ix'en 
an  earnest  republican  since  casting  his  first  pres- 
idential ballot  in  1864,  ever  voting  the  straight 
ticket.  He  is  deci)ly  interested  in  the  success  and 
growth  of  his  pjirty  and  his  devotion  to  its  wel- 
fare and  his  loyalty  to  all  that  is  beneficial  ni 
friendship  have  been  the  means  of  winning  his 
elections  when  as  the  candidate  of  the  repub- 
lican ticket  he  has  stood  for  office. 


JOHN  \\\  WOLVEN. 

John  W.  Wolven  is  one  of  the  valued  citizens 
of  Pecatonica.  whose  business  activity  and  ca- 
pable service  in  public  office  have  made  him  a 
representative  man  here.  He  was  born  in 
Greene  county.  New  York,  September  4.  1830. 
and  in  his  early  childhood  was  taken  to  Canada, 
his  education  being  acquired  in  the  schools  of 
that  country  and  in  Wisconsin.  His  parents,  Ja- 
cob and  Elizabeth  (Story)  Wolven,  were  both 
natives  of  New  York,  the  former  born  in  1800, 
while  his  death  occurred  in  Canada  in  1834,  at 
a  comparatively  early  age.  His  wife,  long  sur- 
viving, departed  this  life  in  Seward  township, 
Winnebago  county,  in  1893.  ^I"".  \\'olven  was 
a  butcher  by  trade,  and  would  buy  a  beef,  sheep 
or  hog  which  he  would  slaughter  and  then  peddle 
the  meat.  In  this  way  he  made  a  living  for  his 
family,  which  numbered  four  children :  John 
W.,  who  was  born  in  Greene  county.  New  York ; 
and  Benjamin.  Catherine  and  Andrew,  all  born 
in  Canada. 

Soon  after  the  father's  death  John  W.  Wol- 
ven, the  eldest  of  the  children,  left  his  home  to 
make  a  living  for  the  family.  The  mother  took 
in  sewing,  making  clothing  for  people  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  when  between  them  they  had 
saved  up  a  little  money  she  determined  to  re- 
turn to  New  York.  She  hired  a  team  to  take 
them  across  the  country,  but  at  Lewiston.  New 
York,  their  supply  of  money  gave  out  and  they 
were  forced  to  remain  there  for  some  time  until 
they  could  work  and  earn  enough  more  to  en- 
able them  to  complete  the  journey.  They  moved 
to  Buffalo  and  later  to  Lockport.  New  York, 
where  they  were  living  when  visited  by  Mr. 
Wright,  an  uncle  of  our  subject,  with  whom  they 


returned  to  BufTalo  and  later  accompanied  him 
to  Racine,  Wisconsin,  in  1847.  making  the  jour- 
ney in  a  sailing  vessel  around  the  lakes.  From 
Racine  Mr.  Wolven,  with  his  uncle  and  family, 
went  to  Duck  lake,  in  Walworth  county,  Wis- 
consin, where  he  remained  with  Mr.  Wright  for 
about  two  years.  He  hauled  grain  and  worked 
in  the  town  for  four  dollars  i)er  month.  He  was 
employed  in  that  way  for  about  six  weeks,  after 
which  he  returned  to  his  uncle's  home.  Later 
his  mother  married  again,  becoming  the  wife  of 
William  Russell,  and  Mr.  Wolven  then  went  to 
live  with  her  and  his  step-father.  The  latter  se- 
cured him  a  position  as  cook  on  a  lumber  vessel, 
sailing  between  Michigan  ports  anil  Racine  and 
he  was  on  the  lakes  for  two  years,  spending  his 
winters  in  .Shehovgan.  Wisconsin,  with  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Russell,  who  had  removed  to  that  place 
from  Racine. 

When   Mr.   Wolven  had  saved   forty   dollars 
he  went  to  Bloomfield.  Wisconsin,  where  he  lived 
with  his  uncle  and  attended  school  in  the  winter 
months.     He  afterward  began  work  at  digging 
wells,  being  employed  in  that  way  for  about  si.x 
weeks,  and  in  the  fall  he  became  a  man  in  the 
harvest  field  upon  his  uncle's  farm.    The  follow- 
ing spring  he  went  to  Richmond,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  grain  cradle,  and  with  this  implement  he 
began  cradling  grain  for  a  dollar  and  a  half  per 
day   in   the  employ  of   Mr.   Sutton.     \\'hen   the 
wheat  was  all  cradled  he  cut  rye.     The  follow- 
ing season  he  purchased  a  yoke  of  steers  for 
fi)rt\-   dollars,   taking  this   step   through   the   in- 
lluence  of  his  uncle.     Mr.  Wolven  did  not  wish 
to  put  all  of  his  money  in  the  steers,  but  found 
that  he  profiled  hv  doing  so.    Later  he  purchased 
three  yoke  and  his  uncle  bought  three  yoke,  after 
which  they  broke  grub  land.     Just  before  pur- 
chasing his   steers   Mr.   Wolven   came  to  Win- 
nebago county  and  bought  a  soldier's  land  war- 
rant   for    one    hundred    and    fifty    dollars,    with 
which  he  obtained  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land  in  Seward  township.     He  then  returned 
to  Bloomfield.  Wisconsin,  traveling  most  of  the 
way  on  foot.    He  next  purchased  a  pair  of  oxen 
for  forty  dollars,  for  which  he  gave  his  note  and 
then  plowed   forty  acres  of  land,   for  which   he 
received  forty  dollars,  and  was  thus  enabled  to 
discharge  his  indebtedness.     Realizing  the  need 
of  education  he  attended  school,  working  nights 
and  mornings  for  his  board  for  O.  H.  P.  Gookin, 
who  wintered  his  stock  for  him.     He  broke  land 
through  the  succeeding  sunnner  and  again  spent 
the  winter  with   Mr.   Gookin.     .A.t  this  time  he 
hired  to  haul  wheat  to  Kenosha  for  S.  Post,  re- 
ceiving four  dollars  and  a  half  for  three  days' 
work,   using   his   own   oxen.     With   the   money 
thus  earned  he  came  west  to  his  land  in  Seward 
township,  bringing  four  yoke  of  oxen  with  him. 
He  traded  his  grain  cradle  and  his  best  coat  in 


.U<' 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


245 


order  to  get  his  last  steer.  After  reaching  this 
county  he  boarded  witli  Mr.  Warner  near  his 
own  claim,  paying  him  a  dollar  and  a  half  per 
week.  He  then  began  working  his  land,  turn- 
ing" the  first  furrow  on  twenty-five  acres.  He 
also  broke  ten  acres  for  a  neighbor  for  a  dollar 
and  a  half  per  acre,  for  which  he  received  an 
order  on  a  merchant  in  Freeport.  Mr.  Moore 
gave  him  a  cow  for  breaking  land,  and  he  after- 
ward obtained  another  cow  in  the  same  way. 
When  E.  Cleveland  came  to  the  county  he  gave 
Mr.  Wolven  a  dollar  and  a  half  per  acre  for 
breaking  twenty-five  acres  of  land,  paying  him 
the  cash,  which  was  the  first  money  that  he  ever 
received  for  breaking  prairie  in  Winnebago 
county. 

Mr.  Wolven"s  next  service  was  in  the  harvest 
field.  He  found  two  men  who  had  a  Smith 
reaper,  and  he  began  working  for  a  dollar  and  a 
half  per  day.  He  cut  hay  to  winter  his  cattle 
on  and  in  the  fall  of  185 1  he  began  working  for 
a  contractor  on  the  Chicago  &  Galena  Railroad, 
breaking  the  ground  for  the  construction  work. 
Through  trading  he  afterward  obtained  five 
acres  of  timber  land  and  hauled  logs  to  Sumner's 
mill.  As  he  found  oportunity  he  continued  the 
work  of  improvement  upon  his  own  land,  fencing- 
eighty  acres  and  seeding  twenty  acres.  He  built 
a  granary  upon  his  farm  and  he  traded  his  oxen 
for  a  two-horse  team.  In  the  following  June 
he  sold  his  land  and  its  improvements  for  twenty- 
five  hundred  dollars,  reinvesting  in  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  in  Stephenson  county  and 
eighty  acres  in  Winnebago  county.  On  the  for- 
mer tract  there  was  an  old  house,  but  few  im- 
provements had  otherwise  been  made. 

In  the  same  fall  Mr.  Wolven  was  married  to 
Miss  Juliett  Martin,  a  daughter  of  David  and 
Hannah  (Brando)  Martin.  In  1879,  however, 
he  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife, 
who  died  on  the  nth  of  November,  at  the  age 
of  forty-three  years,  four  months  and  twenty- 
nine  days.  Their  eldest  son,  Albert,  died  April 
6,  i860,  at  the  age  of  ten  days.  They  had  one 
son,  Edwin,  who  is  living  in  Worthington,  Min- 
nesota. Charles  A.  married  Miss  Bombard,  of 
Harvard,  Illinois,  and  died  February  26,  1892, 
at  the  age  of  thirty  years,  six  months  and  four- 
teen days.  The  other  members  of  the  family, 
Jessie  and  Georgia,  are  twins.  For  his  second 
wife  Mr.  Wolven  chose  !Miss  Ida  Lamb,  a  na- 
tive of  Minnesota,  with  whom  he  lived  for  about 
twenty-two  years.  After  her  death  he  married 
Mrs.  Levina  Wallick,  this  marriage  taking  place 
September  7,  1904.  Three  times  he  has  divided 
his  property  with  his  children.  Just  before  his 
second  marriage  he  gave  each  of  his  children 
land  to  the  value  of  fourteen  thousand  dollars, 
and  later  on  he  again  made  division  of  his  prop- 
erty, giving  twenty-three  thousand  dollars  to 
15 


each  of  his  children  and  an  equal  amount  to  his 
wife.  In  the  fall  of  1904  he  deeded  his  Kansas 
land,  consisting  of  fifty-three  quarter  sections. 
Ten  quarter  sections  of  this  he  gave  to  people 
outside  of  his  family,  one  of  whom  had  long 
been  in  his  employ,  while  the  balance  was  given 
to  his  children.  At  the  present  time  he  owns 
twenty-four  and  a  half  quarter  sections  in  Hand 
county,  South  Dakota ;  and  between  six  and 
seven  hundred  acres  in  Stephenson  county,  Illi- 
nois ;  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres  in  Win- 
nebago county ;  and  four  hundred  and  twenty- 
three  acres  in  Minnesota ;  while  his  improved 
property  in  Rockford  is  valued  at  fifty  thousand 
dollars. 

Air.  Wolven  has  acted  as  supervisor  for  four 
or  five  years,  was  also  mayor  for  five  or  six  years 
in  Pecatonica,  giving  to  the  city  an  administra- 
tion characterized  by  marked  helpfulness  and 
progressiveness.  He  is  to-day  one  of  the  wealthy 
men  of  Winnebago  county,  and  is  a  splendid 
example  of  the  self-made  man,  for  he  was  in 
very  limited  financial  circumstances  in  his  youth. 
He  has  acquired  extensive  landed  holdings 
through  judicious  investment,  but  more  than  all 
he  owes  his  success  to  his  untiring  industry  and 
careful  management.  As  the  years  have  gone 
by  he  has  made  the  most  of  his  opportunities ; 
has  strongly  guarded  his  business,  and  has 
worked  earnestly  and  persistently.  For  years 
he  did  any  service  that  would  yield  him  an  hon- 
orable living,  and  was  found  busy  from  early 
morning  until  late  at  night.  Thus  he  gained  his 
start,  and  in  later  years  the  result  as  a  raiser 
of  grain  and  stock  and  his  dealings  in  land  have 
brought  him  the  splendid  success  which  now 
crowns   his   labors. 


HON.  FREDERICK  HAINES. 

Hon.  Frederick  Haines,  treasurer  of  the  Forest 
City  Insurance  Company  of  Rockford,  is  a  son 
of  Anthony  and  Adaline  (Rowse)  Haines.  The 
father  was  a  native  of  Marietta,  Pennsylvania, 
and  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in  Bucyrus,  Ohio. 
They  were  married  in  1853  and  the  following 
year  became  residents  of  Rockford.  The  father 
was  engaged  in  the  grain  business  in  this  city 
for  m.any  years  and  was  otherwise  identified  with 
its  commercial  and  industrial  activity,  conducting 
an  important  manufacturing  plant  for  several 
years.  He  sought  for  the  development  and  up- 
building of  his  locality  as  well  as  for  individual 
success,  and  in  public  office  he  rendered  capable 
service,  being  a  member  of  the  county  board  of 
supervisors  for  eighteen  years,  and  he  represented 
the  first  ward  in  the  city  council  about  the  same 
length  of  time.     His  long  continuance  in    the  of- 


246 


PAST     AXD    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


fice  of  supervisor  was  uninistakable  evidence  of 
his  tKlclity  to  duty. 

Frederick  Haines,  whose  birth  occurred  in 
Rock  ford  .Autrii'^t  30.  1863,  was  a  student  in  the 
city  schools  until  he  had  been  advanced  through 
consecutive  grades  and  was  graduated  from  the 
high  school  with  the  class  of  1S79.  He  tirst  en- 
gaged in  business  with  J.  McDermaid,  manufac- 
turer of  churns,  with  whom  he  was  associated  at 
that  time  for  a  year.  Alert  and  enterprising, 
watchful  of  business  opportunities  and  quick  to 
utilize  the  advantages  that  had  offered,  he  as- 
sisted in  the  organization  of  the  Rockford  Street 
Railway  Company,  thus  meeting  a  public  demand 
for  transportation  facilities.  He  acted  as  superin- 
tendent of  the  road  until  the  ])laiit  was  changed 
to  electric  power.  He  afterward  spent  two  years 
with  the  Rockford  Construction  Company  and  in 
1900  he  was  elected  to  the  important  position  of 
treasurer  of  the  Forest  City  Insurance  Company, 
which  position  he  now  holds.  The  business  of 
this  company  has  reached  extensive  proportions 
and  the  corporation  is  widely  and  favorably 
known.  Mr.  Haines,  as  one  of  its  executive  offi- 
cers, has  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  its 
success.  As  a  business  man  he  is  very  energetic, 
sagacious  and  discriminating,  and  carries  forward 
to  successful  completion  whatever  he  undertakes. 

In  the  political  campaign  of  1902  Mr.  Haines 
was  nominated  on  the  republican  ticket  as  the 
candidate  for  representative  in  the  state  legisla- 
ture and  was  elected  by  a  large  majority.  At  the 
session  of  1903  he  was  ])laced  on  several  impor- 
tant committees  and  his  serv-ices  were  most  ac- 
ceptable to  his  constituency.  He  was  closely  con- 
nected with  some  of  the  important  constructive 
legislation  of  that  assembly  and  he  formed  the 
acquaintance  and  won  the  admiration  of  a  large 
number  of  the  prominent  members  of  the  house. 

Mr.  Haines  was  married  in  1887  to  Miss  Min- 
nie Bushnell,  of  Sterling,  Illinois,  and  they  now 
have  one  son,  Anthony.  The  family  home  is  at 
1621  National  avenue,  and  in  his  fraternal  rela- 
tions Mr.  Haines  is  a  Mason,  a  Knight  of  Py- 
thias and  an  Elk.  He  has  become  widely  known 
through  business  and  political  relations  and  is  a 
typical  citizen  of  the  west,  determined  in  accom- 
plishing the  task  that  lies  before  him.  making 
opportunity  where  none  exists,  and  i)ushing  for- 
ward the  wheels  of  progress  in  various  paths 
wherein  lies  the  ui^building  and  prosperity  of  the 
communitv  and  the  commonwealth. 


GEORGE  A.  FRITZ. 


George  A.  Fritz,  a  representative  of  one  of  the 
oldest  pioneer  families  of  this  county  and  now 
a  retired  farmer  living  upon  his  home  place  on 


sections  11  and  12,  Durand  township,  where  he 
owns  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  valuable 
land,  was  born  upf>n  this  farm  Sei)iember  25, 
1840.  His  parents  were  George  and  Cornelia  J. 
(Cleveland)  I-'ritz,  the  former  born  in  Maryland 
of  German  parentage,  while  the  latter  was  born 
in  the  state  of  New  York  in  1827.  It  was  in  the 
year  1837  that  George  Fritz,  Sr.,  arrived  in 
Illinois.  enteriTig  from  the  government  the  land 
upon  which  his  son  George  now  resides.  It  was 
entirely  destitute  of  improvements,  being  covered 
with  the  native  prairie  grasses  but  he  at  once 
began  to  break  the  i)rairie  and  till  the  fields  and 
in  course  of  time  was  gathering  abundant 
harvests.  Throughout  the  long  ])eriod  of  his 
residence  in  Winnebago  county  he  continued 
upon  this  farm,  where  his  death  occurred  in 
1898,  when  he  was  eighty-one  years  of  age.  His 
wife  passed  away  in  i88r.  The  surviving  mem- 
bers of  their  family  are:  George  A. ;  Henry,  who 
married  Mary  J.  Crowley  and  resides  in  Harrison 
townshij).  has  three  daughters  and  one  son,  de- 
ceased ;  and  Ellen  A.,  who  is  living  in  Durand 
township.  Ann  Cecelia,  who  is  deceased,  married 
Henry  E.  Harris,  of  Durand  towship,  and  left 
four  children:  Fred  M..  a  rural  mail  carrier  of 
Durand  ;  Lewis  H.,  of  Seattle,  Washington  ;  Ray- 
mond F.,  of  Chicago:  and  Lillian  I.,  now  postmis- 
tress of  Durand. 

George  A.  Fritz,  whose  name  introduces  this 
review-,  has  spent  his  entire  life  upon  the  home 
farm  save  for  the  brief  period  of  three  years 
spent  in  the  l^nion  .\rmy  during  the  Civil  war. 
He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  and  was 
trained  to  farm  work,  early  becoming  his  father's 
assistant  in  the  development  and  cultivation  of 
the  fields.  In  August,  1862,  however,  he  put 
aside  business  and  personal  considerations  that 
he  might  aid  in  the  preservation  of  the  Union 
and  heconie  a  member  of  Company  IT.  .Seventy- 
fourth  Illinois  Infantry,  with  which  he  served 
until  mustered  out  in  August,  1865.  He  took 
part  in  the  battles  of  Perryville  and  Stone  River 
and  many  of  lesser  importance  and  was  in  the 
hospital  service  for  a  considerable  portion  of 
his  time  but  wherever  his  duty  called  he  was 
found  loyal  and  promjit  in  its  discharge  and  made 
a  creditable  record  as  a  soldier. 

When  the  war  was  over  Mr.  Fritz  returned  to 
his  home  and  his  bride,  having  been  married 
after  his  enlistment  to  Miss  Sarah  A.  Frazier, 
of  Durand  township,  the  wedding  taking  place 
on  the  20th  of  .August,  1862.  Her  parents  were 
.\lva  V.  and  Lucy  (TruesdelH  Frazier.  Her 
father  was  born  in  the  state  of  New  York  in 
1804  and  soon  after  his  marriage  made  his  way 
westward  to  Chicago,  which  at  that  time  con- 
tained but  thirteen  buildings.  He  remained  in 
or  near   the   embrvo  citv   for   several   vears   and 


MR.  AND  ^IRS.  G.  A.  FRITZ. 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


249 


afterward  removed  to  Wisconsin  when  Mrs.  Fritz 
was  about  seven  years  of  age.  He  purchased  a 
farm  in  Green  county  and  for  many  years  Hved 
in  Wisconsin  and  in  Illinois,  but  eventually  re- 
moved to  Iowa,  where  he  died  at  the  advanced 
age  of  eighty-four  years.  His  wife,  who  was 
a  native  of  the  Empire  state,  died  at  their  Iowa 
home  when  eighty-six  years  of  age.  The  broth- 
ers of  Mrs.  Fritz  are :  John  F.  Frazier,  who  is 
living  in  Quincy,  Iowa :  James  W.,  who  died 
leaving  a  son ;  John,  now  a  resident  of  Montana ; 
Mrs.  Ella  Patterson,  a  resident  of  Minnesota ; 
and  Mrs.  .Sarah  A.  Gaylord,  who  is  living  in 
Durand,  Illinois. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fritz  was  blessed 
with  seven  children.  George  W.,  born  in  1865 
and  now  living  in  Durand,  married  Lucy  Nowles 
and  has  two  sons,  Paul  and  Ralph  :  Alinnie,  born 
in  1867,  is  the  wife  of  James  H.  Thomas;  Rosa 
A.,  born  in  1869,  is  at  home;  Burton  E.,  born 
in  1873,  is  a  resident  of  Durand  township ;  Wil- 
liam A.,  born  in  J875,  resides  in  Bremerton, 
Washingfton ;  Artie  R.,  born  in  1879,  is  at  home; 
and  Lawrence  E.,  born  in  1881,  is  also  at 
Bremerton. 

Reared  to  the  occupation  of  farming,  Mr. 
Fritz  has  always  followed  that  pursuit  as  a  life 
work  but  is  now  retired  from  active  business 
cares,  his  farm  being  conducted  by  his  son.  He 
has  a  valuable  tract  of  land  of  three  hundred 
and  sixty  acres,  a  part  of  which  has  never  been 
out  of  possession  of  the  family  since  it  was 
entered  from  the  government  by  his  father.  He 
has  made  good  improvements  thereon  and  he 
conducted  his  work  in  a  practical,  systematic 
manner  that  resulted  in  bringing  him  a  hand- 
some competence.  In  politics  he  is  independent 
and  he  attends  the  Baptist  church  of  Laona 
township.  His  entire  life  having  been  passed 
in  this  county,  he  has  a  very  wide  acquaintance 
here  and  his  many  excellent  traits  of  character 
have  gained  him  the  esteem  of  those  with  whom 
he  has  associated.  He  is  numbered  among  the 
honored  pioneer  settlers  and  in  a  quiet  way  has 
done  his  full  share  toward  the  improvement  and 
upbuilding   of   the   locality   in   which   he   resides. 


THOM.\S  WELLINGTON. 

Thomas  Wellington,  deceased,  who  became  a 
resident  of  Rockford  in  1852.  and  was  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  connected  with  its  industrial  interests, 
was  a  native  of  England,  born  ]\Iarch  g,  1831. 
His  parents  were  Abraham  and  Jennifer  Welling- 
ton, also  natives  of  England,  in  which  country 
thev  resided  until  after  their  son  Thomas  came 
to  the  new  w  orld.  Later  they  emigrated  to 
America,  settling  in  Rockford,  where  the  father 


lived  retired,  enjoying  a  well  earned  rest  until 
called  to  his  final  home.  His  wife  has  also  passed 
away.  Their  son  William  was  the  first  of  the 
family  to  cross  the  Atlantic  and  he,  too,  resided 
in  Rockford,  where  he  engaged  in  stonecutting 
until  his  death. 

Thomas  Wellington  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  his  native  country,  where  he  corir 
tinned  to  reside  until  he  attained  man's  estate.  He 
then  determined  to  seek  his  home  and  fortune  in 
America  and  in  company  with  a  companion  about 
his  own  age  he  made  the  voyage  to  the  new 
world.  On  reaching  New  York  he  at  once  re- 
sumed his  journey,  his  destination  being  Rock- 
ford, in  which  city  his  brother  William  was  then 
living.  Here  Thomas  Wellington  at  once  began 
learning  the  stonecutter's  and  stonemason's 
trade  and  in  addition  to  working  along  this  line 
he  would  frequently  drive  through  the  county 
among  the  farmers,  exchanging  coffee,  tea  and 
groceries  for  eggs  and  other  farm  products.  He 
was  quite  successful  in  that  business.  As  a  stone- 
cutter he  assisted  in  the  erection  of  many  of  the 
early  schoolhouses  and  other  public  buildings  of 
the  kind  and  became  a  proficient  workman,  his 
sendees  being  in  constant  demand. 

In  1857  Mr.  Wellington  was  united  in  mar- 
riage in  Rockford  to  Miss  Margaret  Martin,  a 
native  of  Belpre,  Ohio,  and  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  (I'atterson)  Martin,  who  were  na- 
tives of  Scotland,  whence  they  came  to  America 
at  an  early  day,  settling  in  Ohio,  where  Mr.  Mar- 
tin was  engaged  in  farming  for  a  few  years.  He 
afterward  came  to  Winnebago  county  and  was 
among  the  early  settlers  in  this  part  of  the  state. 
He  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in  Guilford  town- 
ship and  for  many  years  was  engaged  in  farm- 
ing, making  his  place  a  very  productive  and  well- 
improved  property.  Subsequently  he  removed  to 
Bremer  conntv,  Iowa,  where  he  continued  farm- 
ing until  after  his  wife's  death,  when  he  returned 
to' the  land  of  his  nativity  and  there  lived  retired 
until  called  to  his  final  home.  He  was  a  man  of 
integrity  and  wherever  he  went  he  was  respected 
by  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  The  sur- 
viving members  of  his  family  are  Mrs.  W'elling- 
ton  and  John  H.  Martin,  the  latter  a  retired  bank- 
er, now  residing  in  Tripoli,  Iowa,  where  for  many 
years  he  was  engaged  in  the  banking  business,  a 
pursuit  that  has  always  been  followed  by  his  son. 
He  is  now  a  very  well-to-do  man,  with  a  desirable 
capital  to  supply  him  with  all  of  the  comforts  and 
many  of  the  luxuries  of  life,  he  is  living  retired. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wellington  became  the  parents  of 
two  sons  and  two  daughters.  Charles,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  forty  \ears,  was  a  butcher  in  Rock- 
ford, Illinois,  and  also  in  Rockford,  Iowa,  his 
death  occurring  in  the  latter  place.  He  married 
Eva  Kaufman.'  also  now  deceased,  and  they  had 


^5° 


PAST    AXD     PRESENT    OF     WIXNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


'Mm 


one  cliild,  Mabe!  Edmoiuls,  who  is  liviii<j  in  Los 
Angeles,  California,  where  .Mrs.  Wellington  oc- 
casionally visits.  Mary  E.  became  the  wife  of 
Milton  E.  Rowley  and  both  are  now  deceased. 
They  left  a  daughter.  .Miss  P.essie  Rowley,  who 
has  always  made  her  home  with  .Mrs.  Wellington 
and  is  now  twenty  years  of  age.  .AI)rahani  h., 
who  was  a  traveling  salesman  for  a  -Minneapolis 
candy  firm,  was  killed  in  that  city  in  the  explosion 
of  fireworks  on  tlie  evening  of  July  4,  1890. 
Louise  Ix'came  the  wife  of  William  Criffin  and 
died  at  the  age  of  thirty-one  years  anil  her  hus- 
bc'ind  is  also  deceased. 

Thomas  Wellington,  subsequent  to  his  mar- 
riage, engaged  in  working  at  the  stonecutter's 
trade  and  in  the  conduct  of  other  business  inter- 
ests in  Rockford  until  after  the  inauguration  of 
the  Civil  war.  when  his  patriotic  spirit  having 
been  aroused,  he  responded  to  the  country's  call 
for  trooi)s  in  1862,  enlisting  in  the  Eleventh  Illi- 
nois Infantry  under  Captain  .Andrews.  His  com- 
pany participated  in  a  number  of  important  en- 
gagements and  while  in  camp  at  Shrevesport, 
Louisiana,  Mr.  Wellington  was  shot  atul  killed 
by  one  of  his  company  on  the  eve  of  February  14, 
1865,  his  itmains  being  interred  there.  He  was 
we'll  known  among  the  early  settlers  of  Rockford 
as  a  man  of  genuine  worth,  of  genial  disposition 
and  manly  principles.  .\  great  lover  of  music,  he 
p)ossessed  a  fine  voice  and  was  a  favorite  in  musi- 
cal and  social  circles  of  the  city.  Though  many 
years  have  passed  away  since  he  dejiarted  this 
life,  his  memory  is  yet  cherished  by  his  widow 
and  many  friends.  Mrs.  Wellington  <'.nd  her 
granddaughter  now  reside  at  No.  1 14  North 
Third  street.  She  owns  ])roperty  in  Wavcrly. 
Iowa,  which  she  inherited  from  her  brother,  Wil- 
liam Martin,  and  this  brings  her  a  good  income. 
She  is  a  member  of  the  Centennial  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  of  Rockford. 


CHARLES  FULLER. 

Charles  Fuller,  brother  of  Lemuel  Fuller,  and 
now  following  farming  near  the  western  limits 
of  Rockford,  was  Ixjrn  in  Geneseo  county,  New 
York,  I-\bruary  12.  1836.  His  father,  John  Ful- 
ler, was  Ixjrn  at  Worthington,  Hampshire  county, 
Massachusetts,  in  1800.  while  his  wife,  Mrs.  Lucy 
(Wilder)  Fuller,  was  born  in  Hampshire  county, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Westfield  river,  in  ^lassa- 
chusetts.  The  I'ulkr  family  was  of  Ivnglish  line- 
age, probably  coming  to  .-Xmerica  from  Hamp- 
shire, England,  and  early  ancestors  ])articipated  in 
the  Revolutionary  war.  The  grandfather,  Lem- 
uel Fuller,  was  captain  of  a  training  coinpany  in 
Hamjishire  county.  Massachusetts,  in  early  mili- 
tia (lavs.     In  his  familv  were  seven  children,  in- 


cluding Henry,  Clara,  -Eliza,  .\ancy,  Susan  and 
.Mary.  .After  losing  his  first  wife  Lemuel  Fuller 
married  a  Miss  Smith,  by  whom  he  had  two  sons, 
Lemuel  S.  and  Daniel  P..  who  died  at  the  ages  of 
seventy-five  and  seventy-three  years,  resjK'ctively. 

Henry  Fuller  was  a  prominent  man  of  Illinois, 
having  a  wide  acquaintance  throughout  the  state, 
and  he  was  one  of  the  real  upbuilders  and  pro- 
moters of  the  city  of  Chicago  during  the  earlier 
epoch  of  its  development.  He  secured  the  pas- 
sage of  the  famous  lake  front  bill,  which  was  a 
source  of  great  benefit  to  the  city.  He  was  the 
president  and  principal  stockholder  of  the  Knick- 
erbocker Fire  Insurance  Company  at  the  time  of 
the  great  Chicago  fire  of  1871,  whereby  his  for- 
tune, which  had  formerly  amounted  to  millions, 
was  greatly  reduced.  He  became  a  resident  of 
Chicago  abcnit  1839,  only  two  years  after  the  in- 
corporation of  the  city,  and  there  he  conducted 
various  business  enterprises.  He  was  proprietor 
of  one  of  the  first  theaters  there  and  he  was  in- 
strumental in  constructing  the  first  street  railway, 
oi)crated  by  horses,  built  in  the  city  of  Giicago. 
In  this  he  was  connected  with  David  Gage,  Frank 
Parmelee  and  the  celebrated  Dr.  Bigelow,  of  Bos- 
ton. Mr.  Fuller,  however,  managed  the  business 
and  finally  jiurchased  the  interests  of  the  other 
stockholders,  becoming  sole  proprietor.  He  was 
also  interested  in  banking  and  was  a  good  busi- 
ness lawyer.  His  knowledge  of  legal  principles 
led  to  his  election  to  the  bench  in  Michigan  and 
he  was  commonly  known  as  Judge  Fuller.  He 
also  owned  large  lumber  interests  in  Michigan 
and  engaged  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  in  specu- 
lation. 

Henry  Fuller  was  a  most  successful  man  and 
did  much  toward  pushing  forward  the  wheels  of 
l)rogress  in  the  voung  city  by  the  lake,  contribut- 
ing in  large  measure  toward  its  early  development 
which  in  its  gnwth  and  expansion  has  made  the 
marvelous  metropolis  of  to-day.  He  died  at  his 
home  in  Chicago  about  1880.  when  seventy-five 
years  of  age. 

Charles  I-'uller  was  reared  in  Rockford  town- 
ship, W^innebago  county,  and  has  always  fol- 
lowed farming  as  a  business.  He  was  married 
here  to  Miss  Emma  F.,  daughter  of  John  and 
Rebecca  (Marrow)  Hamilton,  of  .\lbia.  New 
York,  who  came  from  New  York  to  Rockford 
when  twelve  years  of  age.  In  his  jiolitical  af- 
filiation he  is  a  republican. 


D WTD  schoo\m.\ki:k. 

David  Schoonmaker,  living  retired  at  No.  1227 
Cros1)v  street,  in  Rockford,  after  long  connection 
with  agricidtural  interests,  in  which  his  labors 
brought  him  a  very  gratifying  competence,  was 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


251 


born  October  31,  1849,  •"  Knox  township,  Alban}- 
county,  New  York.  His  father,  Cherrick 
Schoonmaker,  was  born  in  Florida,  Montgomery 
county,  N^ew  York,  in  1824,  and  was  of  Dutch 
ancestry,  but  his  father  and  grandfather  were  also 
born  in  Montgomery  county.  In  1855  Cherrick 
Schoonmaker  came  to  the  west  in  search  of  a  lo- 
cation and  ]:>urohased  land  in  Owen  township, 
Winnebago  county.  Hither  he  brought  his  fam- 
ily in  1857  and  located  on  the  farm  which  he  had 
prepared.  He  lived  in  Owen  township  until  1880, 
when  he  purchased  a  farm  on  section  18,  Harlem 
township,  to  which  he  removed,  making  his  home 
there  until  his  later  years,  when  he  located  at  La- 
tham Park.  He  died  March  15,  1898,  a  most  re- 
spected and  worthy  citizen  of  the  community. 
His  wife  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Charit>'  Dar- 
ing and  was  a  native  of  Wright,  Schoharie  coun- 
ty. New  York,  born  January  5,  1827.  Her  par- 
ents were  Frederick  and  Catherine  Daring,  who 
were  also  natives  of  the  Empire  state.  The 
daughter  Charity  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to 
Mr.  Schoonmaker  on  the  19th  of  August,  1848, 
and  they  traveled  life's  journey  together  as  man 
and  wife  for  almost  a  half  century.  Mrs.  Schoon- 
maker is  now  living  at  Latham  Park  and  is  a  hale 
and  active  old  lady,  doing  lier  own  housework. 
By  her  marriage  she  became  the  mother  of  two 
sons,  of  whom  Frederick  Schoonmaker  is  now 
living  on  a  part  of  the  old  homestead  in  Harlem 
township.  He  married  Miss  Minnie  Bryden,  a 
daughter  of  James  Bryden,  and  they  have  two 
sons. 

David  Schoonmaker  came  west  with  his  par- 
ents in  1857  when  a  youth  of  seventeen  years  and 
lived  upon  ihe  home  farm  in  Owen  township  un- 
til 1880,  when  he  removed  to  the  farm  which  his 
father  purchased  in  Harlem  township  and  there 
he  resided  until  1897.  He  was  throughout  the 
period  of  liis  active  business  career  engaged  in 
general  farming  and  his  labors  were  carefully 
directed,  so  that  he  secured  a  comfortable  compe- 
tence as  the  years  passed  by.  He  was  practical  In 
all  of  his  work,  systematic  in  everything  relating 
to  the  improvement  and  cultivation  of  the  farm 
and  enterprising  in  everything  that  he  undertook. 
At  length  he  retired  from  the  farm  and  removed 
to  Latham  Park  in  order  to  care  for  his  parents 
who  were  living  there.  On  the  8th  of  November, 
1904,  he  removed  to  the  city  of  Rockford.  where 
he  is  now  living  with  his  estimable  wife  in  a 
comfortable  home  at  1227  Crosby  street.  His 
farm  comprises  one  hundred  and  sixty-three 
acres  in  section  18,  Harlem  township,  and  brings 
to  him  a  good  rental. 

On  the  23d  of  November,  1886,  Mr.  Schoon- 
maker was  married  to  Miss  Ida  Wright,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Solomon  and  Eliza  Wright,  of  Rockford 
township.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schoonmaker  attend  the 


Baptist  church  and  he  is  a  member  of  camp  No. 
616,  M.  W.  A.,  at  Latham  Park.  In  politics  he 
has  always  been  a  stalwart  republican  and  while 
at  Latham  Park  served  as  postmaster  from  the 
15th  of  June,  1898,  until  the  ist  of  July,  1904. 
He  was  also  for  three  years  road  commissioner 
in  Harlem  township,  for  many  years  was  school 
director  and  likewise  filled  the  ofhce  of  justice 
of  the  peace,  discharging  every  duty  that  de- 
volved upon  him  with  promptness  and  fidelity. 
His  faithfulness  to  every  trust  has  been  one  of 
his  marked  characteristics  and  his  business  record, 
political  service  and  private  life  are  alike  above 
reproach. 


HENRY  ^l.  BRINKERHOFF. 

Henry  M.  Brinkerhofif,  deceased,  who  was  en- 
gaged in  the  dairy  business  in  Rockford  for  sev- 
eral years,  was  born  in  Gettysburg,  Pennsylvania, 
January  5,  1856,  his  parents  l^eing  John  M.  and 
Alargaret  (Creswell)  Brinkerhofif.  The  mother 
died  in  the  Keystone  state  when  her  son  Henry 
was  but  eight  years  of  age.  The  father  afterward 
carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  in  Pennsylvania 
until  1887,  when  he  came  west  with  his  son 
Henry  and  settled  at  Franklin  Grove,  Illinois, 
where  he  lived  retired  until  the  son  removed  to 
Rockford,  the  father  accompanying  him.  There 
he  also  lived  retired  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred December  24,  1894. 

Henry  M.  Brinkerhofif  was  a  student  in  the 
common  schoools  near  Gettysburg  and  in  his 
youth  assisted  in  the  operation  of  the  home  farm 
until  the  father  sold  the  property  in  1887.  As 
stated,  they  came  together  to  Illinois  and  the  sub- 
ject of  this  review  secured  a  position  as  baggage 
man  for  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railway 
Company  at  Franklin  Grove.  Later  he  was 
transferred  to  Dixon,  Illinois,  where  he  occupied 
a  similar  position  for  the  same  corporation  for 
about  two  years.  He  then  removed  to  Rockford 
in  1890  and  entered  into  partnership  with  his 
brother-in-law,  W.  A.  Moore,  in  the  establish- 
ment and  conduct  of  a  grocery  store  at  the  north- 
west corner  of  Church  and  State  streets.  They 
engaged  in  business  there  for  two  years,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  Mr.  Brinkerhofif  sold  his  inter- 
est to  Mr.  Sharp,  but  continued  in  the  store  as  an 
employe  for  a  brief  period.  He  then  turned  his 
attention  to  the  dairy  business  at  No.  826  Mul- 
berry street  and  used  several  milk  wagons  in  the 
delivery  of  the  dairy  products,  being  accorded  a 
yen,'  liberal  patronage.  He  engaged  in  business 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death  and  was  quite  success- 
ful, his  labors  bringing  to  him  a  good  financial 
return  annually. 

Mr.     Brinkerhofif    was    married    in    Franklin 


^5^ 


PAST     AXD    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Grove  to  JMiss  Flora  \'.  Plank,  a  native  of  Gettys- 
burg, Pennsylvania,  and  a  daugflUir  of  George 
and  Tirzali  (Kittinger)  Plank,  both  of  wbom 
were  natives  of  Peinisylvania.  wbere  tbe  fatbcr 
followed  farming  tbroughoiil  his  entire  life.  He 
died  in  that  state  and  bis  widow  is  still  residing 
upon  the  old  bonie  farm  tbere.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
I'lrinkerhotT  bad  one  daugbter.  Tirzab.  who  is 
living  at  brme  wilb  her  motlier. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Urinkerholt  occurred  on  tbe 
6th  of  March,  1905.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Woodmen  camp  and  tbe  Fraternal  League,  both 
of  Rockford,  and  he  gave  his  political  allegiance 
to  the  republican  party,  but  never  sought  or  de- 
sired office.  He  was  known  throughout  his  home 
neighborhood  as  the  "early  riser,"  as  be  always 
liad  his  milk  wagons  out  at  a  very  early  hour. 
His  close  application  to  bis  work  and  his  unre- 
mitting diligence  undermined  his  health.  On  the 
1st  of  September,  1904.  be  i)urcbase(l  a  residence 
at  No.  713  Rockton  avenue,  where  bis  widow  and 
daughter  now  reside.  Mrs.  I'rinkerboff  is  a  mem- 
ber of  tbe  German  Baptist  church  of  Rockford 
and  is  living  with  her  daughter  in  the  home  pre- 
pared for  her  by  her  husband,  together  with  her 
two  cousins.  Raphael  Kittinger  an<l  Nancy  Ber- 
ger. 


TERE^^AH  DAVIS. 


Jeremiah  Davis,  tbe  founder  of  the  town  of 
Davis  Junction.  Illinois,  and  now  an  esteemed  a 
and  valued  resident  of  Rockford.  was  born  in 
Steuben  county.  New  York,  June  12,  1826.  When 
thirteen  years  of  age  be  accompanied  his  par- 
ents on  their  removal  to  Milton.  Rock  county, 
Wisconsin,  and  continued  his  education,  begun 
in  the  schools  of  his  native  state,  in  tbe  public 
schools  of  Milton  and  in  the  academy  tbere.  His 
first  active  business  venture  was  the  purchase  of 
eighty  acres  of  land,  wliicb  he  cultivated  until 
1850.  when  be  made  an  overland  trip  to  Cal- 
ifornia in  company  with  L.  P.  Knowlton.  of 
Waterloo.  Wisconsin.  He  was  attracted  to  the 
far  west  by  the  discovery  of  gold,  and,  locating 
a  miner's  claim  near  Georgetown.  California,  he 
spent  a  year  in  a  successful  search  for  tbe  pre- 
cious metal.  Having  established  a  residence  in 
the  territory  he  therefore  bad  a  right  of  fran- 
chise, and  voted  for  the  adoption  of  tbe  first 
constitution  of  the  state,  in  September.  1850. 

Subsetiueutly  Mr.  Davis  returned  to  the  mid- 
dle west,  again  taking  up  his  abode  at  Milton, 
Wisconsin,  wbere  he  remaitied  until  1859,  when 
be  removed  to  (  )gle  county,  Illinois,  securing  a 
tract  of  land  on  which  be  carried  on  general  ag- 
ricultural pursuits.  When  the  Chicago,  Milwau- 
kee &  St.  Paul  Railroad  was  projected  in  1874 
be  laid  out  and  founrled  the  town  of  Davis  Junc- 
tion,  which   vet  bears  his  name.      In   the  mean- 


time he  had  purchased  farm  land  at  dilTerent 
intervals  until  his  realty  holdings  in  that  locality 
were  valuable  and  extensive,  barming  has  been 
his  real  life  work,  and  it  is  along  this  line  that 
be  has  acquired  a  competence  that  now  classes 
him  with  the  substantial  citizens  of  northern  Il- 
linois. In  the  year  1881  be  removed  to  Rock- 
ford, establishing  bis  home  at  No.  216  North 
Second  street,  where  he  has  since  resided,  and  his 
excellent  qualities  have  made  him  well  and  fa- 
vorably known  in  this  city. 

While  residing  in  Milton  Mr.  Davis  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Jane  Goodrich,  of  that  city, 
a  daughter  of  the  Hon.  Joseph  Goodrich. 
The  wedding  was  celebrated  in  the  sjjring 
of  1852.  and  as  the  years  passed  they  became  the 
parents  of  eight  children,  si.x  of  whom  are  now 
living:  J.  Milton,  of  Davis  Junction;  Mrs.  Alice 
Woodman,  now  residing  in  Chicago ;  Henry  G., 
a  ])ract icing  physician  of  Monroe  Center,  Illi- 
nois ;  Charles  E. ;  Elbert  Lincoln,  residing  at 
Davis  Junction  ;  and  Mrs.  Mabel  Vandemark,  of 
Rockford. 

In  matters  of  citizenship  Mr.  Davis  has  always 
been  progressive,  active  and  helpful,  and  while 
living  in  Ogle  county  he  represented  the  town 
of  Scott  on  the  board  of  supervisors  for  eight 
years.  He  was  also  elected  to  represent  bis  dis- 
trict in  the  state  legislature,  serving  in  1871-2 
and  after  his  removal  to  Rockford  was  elected 
to  the  city  council  from  the  first  ward  in  1885. 
His  official  service  has  ever  been  characterized 
by  an  unfaltering  devotion  to  duty  prompted  by  a 
deep  interest  in  the  welfare  and  ])rogress  of  his 
community.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity  for  many  years,  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Western  Society  of  California  Pio- 
neers. He  has  passed  the  seventy-ninth  mile- 
stone of  life's  journey,  and  receives  from  young 
and  old.  rich  and  poor  the  respect  and  veneration 
which  should  ever  be  accorded  one  of  advanced 
years  whose  career  has  been  characterized  by  all 
that  is  manly  and  straightforward  in  his  relations 
with  his  fellowmen.  In  his  business  career  he 
made  good  use  of  bis  opportunities,  prospering 
from  year  to  year,  nor  has  never  permitted  tbe  ac- 
cumulation of  a  comi)clence  to  effect  in  any  way 
bis  actions  toward  those  less  successful  than  he. 
.\lthougb  now  in  his  eightieth  year  Mr.  Davis 
is  a  well  preserved  man,  having  never  used  to- 
bacco or  intoxicating  licjuor  in  any  form,  and  is 
still  active,  giving  his  attention  to  his  business  in- 
terests. 


HON.  HENRY  ANDRl'S. 

Hon.  Henry  Audrus,  whose  name  figures  in 
the  history  of  legislation  in  Illinois,  and  who  is 
to-dav  one  of  tbe  most  honorable  and  honored 
citizens  of  \\'innebago  countv.  was  born  in  Har- 


^^A^^-L^a^y, 


^i^n- 


a,yt/l^ 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


255 


lem  on  the  4tli  of  November,  1844.  His  youth 
was  quietly  passed,  his  time  being  largely  de- 
voted to  the  actiuircment  of  an  education  in  the 
public  schools  an<l  to  the  work  of  the  home  farm, 
with  which  he  early  became  familiar.  In  early 
manhood  his  entire  attention  was  devoted  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  he  resided  upon  his  farm 
up  to  the  time  of  his  marriage  in  1868.  He  then 
removed  to  Pecatonica,  where  he  remained  for  six 
years,  and  on  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
resumed  agricultural  pursuits  in  Cherry  Valley 
township,  where  he  owned  a  productive  tract  of 
land.  That  place  continued  to  be  his  home  until 
his  removal  to  Rockford  and  its  further  develop- 
ment and  improvement  occupied  his  energies  with 
the  result  that  the  property  became  very  valuable. 

Air.  Andrns'  devotion  to  the  general  good  and 
his  fitness  for  leadership  led  to  his  selection  for 
public  offices  of  honor  and  trust.  He  was  elected 
supervisor  of  the  township  of  Cherry  Valley  for 
nineteen  years  and  during  that  period  he  was  for 
seven  consecutive  vears  honored  by  the  board  with 
its  chairmanship,  a  distinction  that  has  not  been 
conferred  upon  any  other  man  serving  as  super- 
visor in  Winnebago  count)-.  In  1896  he  was 
elected  to  represent  his  district  in  the  general  as- 
sembly of  Illinois  and  that  he  won  the  approval 
of  his  constituents  and  the  public  in  general  is 
shown  by  the  fact  that  he  was  re-elected  in  1898, 
while  in  1900  he  was  elected  to  the  upper  hoii;c 
and  represented  the  tenth  senatorial  district  until 
January  i,  1905.  He  has  been  actively  concern- 
ed in  constructive  legislation  and  was  an  earn- 
est working  member  of  the  senate.  Among  the 
important  measures  which  have  been  enacted  into 
laws  through  his  etlorts  is  the  enabling  act,  which 
gave  the  people  of  \\'innebago  county  the  right 
and  privilege  of  voting  for  an  appropriation  by  the 
board  of  supervisors  of  a  sum  of  money  for  the 
building  of  a  memorial  hall  in  memory  of  the  sol- 
diers and  sailors  of  this  county.  He  also  secured 
the  passage  of  the  act  providing  for  the  building 
of  a  monument  at  Stillman  \'alley.  He  is  a  stu- 
dent of  social  economy  and  political  questions  and 
is  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  more  impor- 
tant issues  of  the  day.  Every  measure  which  was 
introduced  received  from  him  careful  considera- 
tion and  when  once  he  determined  upon  a  course 
that  he  believed  would  prove  beneficial  to  the 
state  he  never  wavered  in  his  allegiance  thereto. 
He  was  one  of  the  strong  and  able  members  of 
the  senate  and  although  he  did  not  seek  the  fame 
that  arose  from  brilliant  oratorical  efforts,  he  was 
known  as  one  of  the  earnest  working  men  of  the 
upper  house. 

Air.  .Andrus  was  married  in  1868,  the  lady  of 
his  choice  being  Aliss  Jennie  Love.  The}-  have 
two  living  children — a  daughter,  Mrs.  Edith 
Scott,  who  resides  on  a  farm  in  Cherry  Valley; 


and  a  son,  Dr.  S.  C.  Andrus,  a  prominent  physi- 
cian of  Rockford.  Mr.  Andrus'  name  is  on  the 
membership  roll  of  the  Elks  lodge,  the  Modern 
Woodmen  camp  and  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and 
in  the  last  named  he  has  attained  high  rank,  being 
now  a  thirty- second-degree  Alason.  He  has  won 
distinction  in  the  fields  of  political  life  and  is  to- 
day numbered  among  the  leading  influential  and 
honored  citizens  of  Rockford.  He  is  recognized 
as  a  leader  in  public  thought  and  action  and  is 
moreover  known  for  his  ]3ublic-spirited  devotion 
to  all  that  pertains  to  the  welfare  of  the  county 
and  the  commonwealth. 


F.  ^^^  rockaa^ell. 


F.  W.  Rockwell,  following  farming  in  Rock- 
ton  township  and  rendering  valuable  service  to 
his  comniunity  in  the  position  of  supervisor, 
comes  of  a  family  that  through  many  generations 
has  been  distinctively  American,  both  in  its  lineal 
and  collateral  branches.  His  great-great-great- 
grandfather, William  Rockwell,  was  the  first 
planter  of  Windsor,  Connecticut,  and  was  the 
ancestor  of  the  family  in  New  England.  He  is  a 
meniber  of  the  church  of  that  organization 
formed  in  the  new  hospital  at  Plyn-iouth,  Eng- 
land, by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Warhan  as  pastor,  and  with 
Air.  Alaverick  as  teacher.  This  congregation 
emigrated  in  a  body  to  America  in  1630.  They 
landed  at  Nantucket.  Massachusetts,  and  soon  aft- 
erward made  settlement  in  what  is  now  Dorches- 
ter, in  that  state,  where  they  remained  until  1836. 
In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  the  greater  part  of 
the  colonv  removed  to  W'indsor,  Connecticut,  and 
AA'illiam  Rockwell  became  a  planter  there.  His 
second  son,  Samuel  Rockwell,  married  Hepzibah 
Pratt,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  Alartin  Rock- 
well, the  great-grandfather  of  our  subject.  He 
wedded  Alay  Burrell,  and  their  son,  William 
Rockwell,  married  Alaria  Roberts.  Of  their  fam- 
ilv  only  one  is  now  living,  Susan  AI.  Rockwell, 
who  makes  her  home  in  Jersey  Cit\-,  New  Jersey. 

Alartin  Rockwell,  son  of  William  and  Alaria 
(Roberts)  Rockwell,  was  born  in  Coldbrook, 
Connecticut,  and  -\vas  united  in  marriage  to  Aliss 
Alalissa  ^^'.  Talcott,  a  native  of  Rockton.  Illinois, 
and  a  daugh'er  of  Sylvester  Talcott.  Her  father 
and  his  brother,  Vs'aite  Talcott,  were  very  early 
settlers  of  AA'innebago  county,  and  were  success- 
ful in  their  business'afifairs,  becoming  prosperous 
citizens.  At  his  death  Sylvester  Talcott  left  a 
very  large  estate,  which  was  under  the  super- 
vision of'^F.  W.  Rockwell.  It  passed  to  Sylvester 
Talcott"s  wife  and  when  she  died  to  F.  A\'.  Rock- 
well and  his  mother,  who  still  retain  it. 

F.   \\'.   Rockwell   is  the   only   child   that   was 


256 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


born  unio  his  parents.  His  youth  was  passed  in 
Rockton  and  in  Minnesota,  but  subsequently  he 
rcturnetl  to  J'^ockton,  wiiere  he  has  since  followed 
agricultural  pursuits,  and  since  the  death  of  his 
g-randmother,  from  whom  he  inherited  a  larg-e 
tract  of  land,  he  has  managed  the  estate,  which 
is  extensive  and  valuable.  In  this  connection  he 
disi)lays  excellent  business  ability  and  executive 
force  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  represnta- 
tive  leading  citizens  of  his  community. 

In  i8«>9  Mr.  Rockwell  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Florence  Wilford.  a  native  of  Wisconsin. 
In  politics  he  is  an  earnest  republican,  keeping 
well  informed  on  the  f|uestions  and  issues  of  the 
day  and  at  this  writing  he  is  ser\-ing  as  supervisor 
of  Rockton  townshiji.  He  had  filled  the  office  for 
two  years,  when  in  1905  he  was  re-elected  for  a 
second  term.  lie  has  also  been  a  member  of  the 
village  board  and  has  been  town  clerk  for  sev- 
eral years,  discharging  the  duties  of  these  posi- 
tions in  a  capable  manner,  which  indicates  his 
public-spirited  interest  in  the  general  welfare. 
The  circle  of  his  acquaintance  is  an  extensive  one 
and  his  friends  are  almost  equally  numerous,  for 
in  this  county  where  nnich  of  his  life  has  been 
passed  he  has  the  favorable  regard  and  good  will 
of  a  large  number  of  those  with  whom  he  has 
been  brought  in  contact. 


CLINTON  HELM,  M.  D. 

Clinton  Hcliu,  M.  D..  who  since  1878  has  en- 
joyed a  substantial  practice  as  a  member  of  the 
medical  fraternity  at  Rockford,  was  bom  in 
Schoharie  county.  New  York,  in  1829.  His 
father.  Woodhul!  Helm,  was  born  in  Orange 
county,  \cw  York,  in  1777.  and  was  of  English 
and  Irish  lineage.  The  English  branch  of  the 
family  received  a  coat  of  anns  as  a  reward  for 
distinguished  service  to  the  state.  Woodhull 
Helm  was  a  member  of  the  state  militia  for  many 
years,  and  rose  to  the  rank  of  captain.  He  was 
three  tiiues  married,  his  third  wife,  who  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Miss  Lucy  Ruggles,  being  the 
mother  of  Dr,  Helm,  who  was  the  youngest  mem- 
ber of  the  family.  About  1835  the  father  re- 
moved to  Jersey  county,  Illinois,  and  in  1837  to 
Ogle  county,  this  state,  where  his  remaining  davs 
were  passed.  He  died  in  Byron  in  1845.  when 
sixty-eight  years  of  age. 

Dr.  Clinton  Helm  was  a  lad  of  six  years  when 
brought  by  his  parents  to  Illinois,  and  his  early 
education,  obtained  in  the  common  schools,  was 
supplemented  by  study  in  Rockford  Academy. 
I^ter  he  entered  upon  preparation  for  his  chosen 
profession  as  a  student  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Lucius 
Clark,  of  this  city,  and  his  later  reading  and  in- 
vestigation were  carried  on  as  a  student  in  the 
medical  department  of  the  L^niversity  of  Iowa,  at 
Keokuk,  in   1852.  Following  his  graduation.  Dr. 


Helm  located  for  practice  in  Oregon,  Ogle  county, 
Illinois,  and  afterward  removed  to  Byron,  whence 
he  later  went  to  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  remaining  for 
eight  years  as  a  practitioner  of  that  city,  his  pat- 
ronage constantly  growing  in  volume  and  impor- 
tance. It  was  alxjut  the  end  of  that  time  when,  in 
September.  1862,  he  rceived  appointiuent  from 
Governor  Yates  to  the  jiosition  of  sergeant  of  the 
Ninety-second  Illinois  Infantry,  and  during  the 
succeeding  year  he  was  with  that  command  in  all 
of  its  marches  and  battles.  On  the  20th  of  Sep- 
tember. 1863.  he  was  captured  by  the  Confeder- 
ates at  Chickamauga.  Tennessee,  and  spent  two 
months  in  Libby  prison.  During  the  last  vear  of 
the  war  he  was  with  General  Kilpatrick's  com- 
mand as  inedical  director,  and  was  honorably  dis- 
charged June  21.  1865.  having  rendered  valuable 
aid  to  his  country  by  the  exercise  of  his  profes- 
sional skill  among  the  ill  and  wounded. 

When  the  war  was  over  Dr.  Helm  returned  to 
Byron,  and  in  1878  became  a  resident  of  Rock- 
ford, where  he  has  since  practiced  his  profession. 
He  was  not  long  in  demonstrating  to  the  public 
lus  thorough  understanding  of  the  principles  of 
medicine,  and  his  correct  application  of  their  use 
as  remedial  agencies,  and  his  business  steadilv 
grew.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Winnebago  County 
Medical  Society,  and  is  called  in  consultation  in 
critical  cases  over  a  wide  area  of  country.  There 
had  been  great  changes  made  in  the  methods  of 
])racticc  during  the  years  of  his  connection  with 
the  profession,  and  Dr.  Helm  has  kept  in  touch 
with  the  onward  march  of  progress. 

Dr.  Helm  was  married  in  1852  to  Miss  Hannah 
S.  Poyneer,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  of 
French  lineage.  She  was  a  lady  of  superior  cul- 
ture and  refinement,  kindly  in  manner,  charitable 
in  disposition,  helpful  and  Ix-nevolent  in  action. 
Both  the  Doctor  and  Mrs.  Ileliu  held  membership 
in  the  Second  Congregational  church,  and  were 
foremost  in  charitable  work  here.  They  became 
the  parents  of  six  children,  five  of  whom  are  liv- 
ing: Minnie  F...  wife  of  E.  J.  White,  of  Chi- 
cago: Clinton,  a  practicing  dentist  of  Rockford; 
Eva,  wife  of  Charles  McGlashan  :  Harry  S.  and 
Willis.  Mrs.  Helm  died  in  July,  1899.  her  death 
being  deeplv  deplored  bv  many  who  had  come 
to  know  and  love  her  during  the  years  of  her  resi- 
dence in  Rockford.  Dr.  Helm  maintains  his 
home  at  No.  62?:  Mulberry  street,  and  in  the 
comnnmity  is  ]ironiinent  professionally  and  so- 
cially, his  uiiriffht  life  justly  entitling  him  to  the 
esteem  in  wliich  he  is  held. 


JOHN  F.  .\Nn  GEORGE  P.  McMAHON. 

Jolin  F.  and  George  P.  McMahon  are  repre- 
sentative far-uers  of  Burritt  township,  living  on 
section  27  where  they  own  and  cultivate  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  rich  productive  land.  John 


DR.  CLINTON  HELAi. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


259 


F.  McMahon  was  born  in  November,  1873.  upon 
the  old  homestead  farm  where  he  yet  resides,  and 
the  birth  of  George  P.  McMahon  occurred 
March  14,  1877.  Their  father,  Hugh  McMahon, 
was  a  native  of  Ireland,  born  in  January,  1846, 
and  with  his  parents  he  came  to  the  United  States 
in  1853,  being  then  a  youth  of  seven  years.  He 
remamed  under  the  parental  roof  until  1862, 
when  at  the  early  age  of  sixteen  years  he  re- 
sponded to  the  call  of  his  adopted  country  for 
aid  and  enlisted  in  the  Union  army,  becoming  a 
member  of  the  Ninetieth  Volunteer  Infantry.  He 
was  n:ade  sergeant  of  Conipany  A  and  color 
bearer  of  his  regiment  and  served  with  the  army 
until  the  close  of  the  war,  proving  a  loyal  and 
valorous  soldier.  He  participated  in  twenty-one 
engagements,  beginning  with  Vicksburg  and 
ending  at  Bentonville,  North  Carolina.  He  was 
with  Sherman  throughout  his  campaign  to  At- 
lanta, on  to  the  sea  and  through  the  Carolinas 
and  was  also  with  General  Sherman's  division  in 
the  grand  review  at  Washington,  D.  C,  where 
the  president  viewed  the  victorious  army  march- 
ing through  the  streets  of  the  capital  city. 

When  the  war  was  over  Hugh  McMahon  re- 
turned to  Winnebago  county  and  was  employed 
at  farm  labor  until  his  industry  and  economy  had 
brought  him  capital  sufficient  to  purchase  a  home. 
In  1870  he  became  the  owner  of  what  is  now  the 
old  McMahon  homestead  and  lived  thereon  for  a 
number  of  years,  placing  many  modern  improve- 
ments on  the  farm.  He  is  now,  however,  living  re- 
tired, leaving  the  active  work  of  the  farm  to  his 
sons,  his  home  being  at  No.  318  Rockton  avenue 
in  Rockford.  He  has  been  quite  prominent  and  in- 
fluential in  local  community  affairs  and  for  eight 
years  served  as  justice  of  the  peace,  his  decisions 
being  characterized  by  a  strict  regard  to  the 
equity  as  well  as  the  law  in  the  case.  He  has  also 
been  school  director  for  many  terms  and  on  the 
1st  of  July,  1903,  he  was  appointed  to  a  position 
in  the  rural  free  delivery  postal  service.  In  poli- 
tics he  has  alwavs  been  a  stanch  democrat  and  he 
and  his  familv  are  members  of  the  Catholic 
church,  belonging  to  St.  Mary's  parish  in  Rock- 
ford. 

John  F.  and  George  P.  McMahon  are  with 
one  exception  the  eldest  members  of  the  family 
and  the  others  are  as  follows :  James  F.,  who  was 
born  November  26,  1873,  and  was  married, 
February  7,  1901,  to  Miss  Nellie  Steifman.  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Steifman,  of  Bur- 
ritt,  while  their  home  is  now  in  the  village  of 
Winnebago ;  Charles  H.,  who  was  born  May 
7,  i88t,  and  is  living  with  his  parents  in  Rock- 
ford;  Mary  E.,  who  was  born  December  17, 
1882,  and  is  at  home :  and  Thomas  Joseph  and 
David  Henry,  who  died  in  infancy. 

John  F.  and  George  P.  McMahon  were  reared 


upon  the  old  family  homestead.  They  were 
students  in  the  public  schools  of  the  neighbor- 
hood in  their  boyhood  days  and  through  the 
months  of  summer  assisted  in  the  work  of  the 
fields.  They  are  now  in  charge  of  the  home 
property,  cultivating  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land  which  is  rich  and  arable.  In  all  of  their 
work  they  are  practical  and  the  eft'orts  of  the 
one  ably  supplement  the  labors  of  the  other. 

John  F.  McMahon  was  married.  May  2,  1905, 
to  Miss  Helen  E.  Redmond,  a  daughter  of  Henry 
and  Julia  Redmond,  of  Rockford,  Illinois,  who 
are  members  of  old  families  of  the  city.  Her 
birth  occurred  October  12,  1879,  and  she  has 
always  lived  in  this  county.  John  McMahon  is 
now  serving  his  second  term  as  justice  of  the 
peace  and  his  third  term  as  school  director.  The 
brothers  are  both  advocates  of  democratic  prin- 
ciples and  are  members  of  St.  Mary's  Catholic 
church  of  Rockford.  They  are  wide-awake  and 
enterprising  young  business  men,  widely  and 
favorably  known  in  the  locality  where  they  re- 
side and  where  they  are  so  directing  their  efforts 
as  to  win  creditable  prosperity. 


HUGH  McMICHAEL. 

Hugh  McMichael  is  the  owner  of  a  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on  section  21,  Win- 
nebago township,  and'  his  labors  have  made  it  a 
valuable  property,  well  equipped  with  modern  ac- 
cessories and  conveniences.  Mr.  McMichael  ar- 
rived in  Winnebago  county  in  185 1  and  for  ten 
years  was  a  resident  of  Rockford.  He  is  a  native 
of  Scotland,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Argyle- 
shire  in  1830.  His  parents  were  Hugh  and 
Nancy  fMcDougall)  McMichael.  The  "mother 
died  in  Scotland,  after  which  the  father  came  to 
this  country  in  1853  and  resided  in  Winnebago 
county,  Illinois,  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  Harlem  township,  in  1879,  when  he 
was  about  eighty-four  years  of  age.  In  his  fam- 
ily v/ere  six  children,  who  came  to  America, 
namely :  Malcolm,  now  living  in  Rockford  ;  Neil, 
a  farmer  residing  on  the  old  homestead  in  Har- 
lem township  :  Elizabeth,  who  died  in  the  Scotch 
settlement  in  this  county  in  1857;  Mrs.  Archie 
Stewart,  now  a  resident  of  Minnesota ;  and  Don- 
ald, who  afterward  returned  to  Scotland,  where 
he  died  in  1803. 

Hugh  McMichael  spent  the  days  of  his 
boyhood  and  youth  in  the  land  of  hills  and 
heather  and  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade 
in  that  country.  He  crossed  the  Atlantic  in 
1851  and,  making  his  way  to  this  county, 
was  for  the  succeeding  decade  a  resident 
of  Rockford,  following  the  blacksmith's  trade 
in    that    city.     He    then   took   up    his    abode    in 


26o 


PAST     AND    PRESEXT     OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUXTY. 


Harlem  township,  north  of  Art,'-yle.  wliere  he  re- 
sided for  four  years,  while  later  he  spent  fourteen 
years  in  Owen  towTiship,  where  lie  was  engaged 
in  general  farming.  He  removed  to  his  present 
farm  in  1880  and  has  since  made  it  his  home.  He 
now  has  one  htindrcd  and  sixty  acres  of  land  on 
section  21,  Winnebago  township,  and  this  is  well 
improved  largdy  through  his  own  efforts.  He 
also  owns  another  tract  of  ninety-eight  acres  in 
the  same  township  and  he  operates  the  entire 
amoimt,  giving  his  time  and  energies  to  general 
farming  with  excellent  success. 

Mr.  McMichael  was  married  in  this  county  to 
Miss  Mar^•  Hill,  wlio  was  born  in  Arg)leshire, 
Scotland,  and  came  to  America  in  1858.  They 
have  si.v  children,  all  of  whom  are  living.  Daniel, 
a  resident  of  Rockford,  employed  in  the  tin  shop 
of  John  Rawlstou.  married  a  .Miss  Henderson, 
who  resided  near  Caledonia,  Illinois,  and  they 
have  two  daughters.  Ellen  and  Edith.  Agnes  is 
residing  at  home.  Hugh  is  following  farming 
on  his  father's  land.  Lizzie  is  the  wife  of  James 
McXair,  a  resident  fanner  of  Winnebago  town- 
ship, and  they  have  two  chililren.  Jean  and  Rob- 
ert. John,  engaged  in  the  real-estate  business, 
makes  his  home  at  Cedar  Falls.  South  Dakota. 
James  is  now  a  .student  in  a  dental  college  in  Los 
Angeles,  California. 

In  his  political  views  .Mr.  McMichael  has  al- 
ways been  a  democrat  since  becoming  a  natural- 
ized American  citizen  and  he  has  filled  several 
township  offices  in  a  creditable  manner,  faith- 
fully discharging  every  duty  that  has  devolved 
upon  him.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of 
the  Winnebago  Presbyterian  church,  interested 
and  active  in  its  work. 


THEODORE  E.  BUCKBEE. 

Among  the  early  settlers  in  beautiful  Winne- 
bago county,  famed  far  and  wide  as  one  of  the 
garden  spots  of  Illinois,  was  Jesse  Buckbee.  A 
far-seeing  man,  whose  tendencies  were  agricul- 
tural, the  new  country,  to  which  he  was  aljoul 
to  remove  his  family,  presented  immense  possi- 
bilities to  him  and  to  an  extent  it  can  be  truly 
said  that  the  city  of  Rockford  and  the  entire 
country,  of  which  it  is  the  natural  capital  and 
trade  center,  stand,  in  these  latter  days,  a  nioini- 
ment  to  the  business  sagacity  of  the  Xew  York 
farmer  who.  anticipating  Horace  Greeley's  since 
famous  advice,  had  given  up  his  eastern  home 
and  had  come  west  to  grow  up  with  the  country. 
For  he  had  no  sooner  thoroughly  inspected  the 
country  in  the  region  round  about  Rockford, 
then  but  a  village,  than  he  i)urcliased  a  full  sec- 
tion of  land  to  the  immediate  south,  set  uf)  a 
farm  upon  it  and  a  home  for  his  family.  That 
land  is  now  largely  within  the  corporate  limits 


of  Rockford,  much  of  it  is  taken  up  by  splendid 
homes  and  the  city  has  spread  to  the  south,  the 
east  and  the  west  until  the  old  homestead  is 
fairly  surrounded  and  is  no  longer  "out  in  the 
country."  On  the  site  which  was  once  a  pasture 
ticld  of  the  lidme  farm  stands  one  of  the  largest 
buildings  in  Rockford,  in  which  a  grandson  of 
Jesse  Buckbee  conducts  a  business  whose  opera- 
tions extend  to  every  section  of  the  United 
States,  Canada  and  lands  across  the  sea. 

John,  the  first  of  the  Ikickbee  family  known 
to  America,  settled  on  .Manhattan  Island  in  the 
seventeenth  century,  having  come  from  luigland. 
The  second  generation  from  John  brought  the 
descent  to  Russell  Buckbee,  who  gained  fame 
as  a  lieutenant  in  the  Revolution.  He  participated 
in  the  battle  of  Trenton,  where  he  was  taken 
prisoner  by  the  Hessians.  An  exchange  of  pris- 
oners released  him  from  the  guardship  where  he 
had  been  contined.  and  after  the  close  of  the  war 
he  settled  in  Orange  county,  Xew  York,  where 
his  son,  Jesse,  was  born.  The  latter  grew  to 
manhood  in  Monroe  county.  New  York,  at  Buck- 
bee's  Corners,  near  Chili  Center,  fourteen  miles 
southwest  from  Rochester,  and  there,  June  22, 
1833.  Theodore  E.  was  born,  the  seventh  of  nine 
children.  In  1844  the  family  removed  to  the 
west,  traveling  by  wagon  to  Buffalo,  thence  by 
way  of  the  Great  Lakes  to  Milwaukee,  thence 
overland  again  to  Janesville,  Wisconsin.  The 
children  who  made  the  journey  were  Charles  W., 
I'Vaucis  v..  Theodore  E.  and  Eleanor.  The  first 
named,  who  became  quite  prominent  in  Rock- 
ford business  affairs,  died  in  1887,  a  bachelor, 
and  is  buried  here.  Francis  A.  is  a  highly  re- 
spected resident  of  Lake  Geneva,  Wisconsin,  and 
for  years  has  been  one  of  the  leading  attorneys 
of  Walworth  county.  Eleanor  (Mrs.  John 
Ames),  aged  eighty-four,  and  the  oldest  of  the 
family,  resides  at  Nora,  near  Stoughton,  Wis- 
a>nsin.  Theodore  E.  died  in  Rockford,  June  6, 
1904,  and  is  buried  here.  The  mother  of  these 
children.  Mary  Secor.  daughter  of  French  par- 
ents, was  a  most  estimable  woman,  and  her  char- 
acter and  guiding  ability  are  reflected  in  the  up- 
right and  ever  honorable  lives  of  her  sons  and 
her  daughter.  She  died  in  Rockford  in  1875,  at 
the  ripe  age  of  eighty-four. 

When  Jesse  Buckbee.  through  a  letter  of  in- 
troduction to  the  late  Horace  Miller,  had  an 
excellent  opportunity  to  view  the  land  around 
Rockford.  he  forthwith  decided  to  settle,  and 
accordingly  purchased  the  section  of  land  hereto- 
fore mentioned,  removing  his  family  to  the  new 
home  from  Janesville  by  ox  team,  and  reaching 
Rockford  February  22.  1843.  Here  Theodore 
made  his  habitation  continuously  until  his  death, 
and  his  life  was  closely  and  almost  entirely  inter- 
woven with  the  growth  and  material  progress 
of  the  citv.     No  man  ever  lived  who  had  more 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


261 


friends  in  Winnebago  county  nor  whom  more 
thoroughly  deserved  to  have  them.  His  advice  in 
business  and  pubHc  affairs  was  sought  eagerly  and 
often  and  those  who  followed  it  had  no  regrets. 
A  pioneer  republican,  whose  first  son,  as  a  happy 
omen,  was  born  on  the  very  day  that  saw  the 
election  of  Abraham  Lincoln  to  the  presidency  of 
the  United  States,  he  was  active  in  the  councils 
of  his  party  for  over  forty  years,  and  for  more 
than  thirty  years  was  chairman  of  its  town  com- 
mittee. As  a  member  of  the  board  of  supervisors 
(for  many  years  its  chairman),  he  served  the 
public  with  fidelity  and  unquestioned  integrity. 
He  was  chairman  when  the  splendid  memorial 
hall  was  erected  in  Rockford  to  commemorate  the 
valor  of  the  soldiers  and  sailors  of  Winnebago 
county,  and  at  its  dedication,  June,  1893,  intro- 
duced to  the  audience  Theodore  Roosevelt,  the 
orator  of  the  day.  As  an  officer  and  director 
of  the  Winnebago  County  Fair  Association  he 
paid  special  attention  to  the  speed  department  and 
brought  it  up  to  a  high  standard,  serving  the 
society  until  it  finally  passed  out  of  existence. 
He  also  served  as  director  of  the  Mechanics'  Fur- 
niture Company. 

His  home  life  was  ideal.  In  i860,  on  Febru- 
ary II,  he  was  married  to  Katherine  Elizabeth 
Allington,  who  was  born  at  Van  Etten,  New 
York,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Kath- 
erine (Westbrook)  Allington.  Her  father  was 
from  a  sturdy  Scotch  family.  Her  mother  was  a 
daughter  of  David  Westbrook  and  ]\Iary  Dimon. 
Jacob  Allington  was  a  son  of  Elizabeth  Swart- 
wood,  whose  ancestor,  Peter  Swartwood,  was 
one  of  the  four  original  Swarthwoods  who  emi- 
grated from  Holland  to  America  long  before 
the  Revolutionary  war,  and  Peter's  grandson 
Jacob,  became  a  general  in  that  successful 
struggle  for  freedom.  A  member  of  this  same 
Swartwood  family  married  Kathenne  Van 
Auken,  one  of  the  heroines  of  the  Revolution. 
Mrs.  Buckbee  still  makes  her  home  in  Rockford. 
Her  only  children  are  two  sons — Hiram  W.,  born 
November  6,  i860,  and  John  T.,  born  August 
I,  1 87 1,  both  residents  and  prominent  business 
men  of  Rockford.  The  immense  seed  business 
conducted  by  them  under  the  name  of  H.  W. 
Buckbee,  with  its  collateral  branches,  Rockford 
Seed  Farms  and  Forest  City  greenhouses,  is  one 
of  the  most  important  merchandising  institutions, 
not  only  of  Rockford,  but  of  Illinois,  and  for 
that  matter,  of  the  United  States.  Hiram  W. 
was  married  September  15,  1885,  to  Mary,  daugh- 
ter of  Judge  William  Brown.  John  T.  was  mar- 
ried, November  2,  1897,  to  Florence,  daughter 
of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Fisk  H.  Day,  of  Lansing,  ]\Iich- 
igan.  Two  children,  Francis  and  Mary,  have 
been  born  to  them,  the  former  in  1899,  the  lat- 
ter in   1901. 

Of  the  inception  and   growth   of  the   H.   W. 


Buckbee  seed  business  it  may  be  well  to  say 
that  the  former  was  the  work  of  growing  seeds 
on  the  farm  by  the  father,  the  latter  the  determi- 
nation to  make  a  life  work  of  it  in  larger  form 
by  the  son  Hiram.  With  the  latter  John  T.  has 
been  associated  for  many  years.  Under  skillful 
guidance  the  institution,  which  had  such  a  mod- 
est begimiing  has  grown  to  real  greatness  in  its 
particular  line,  and  has  carried  the  historic  name 
of  Buckbee  to  almost  every  quarter  of  the  globe. 


JACOB  A.  REHM. 


Jacob  A.  Rehm,  following  farming  on  sec- 
tion 8,  Harlem  township,  was  born  in  Chicago, 
Illinois,  March  i,  1884,  and  resided  at  Blue 
Island  until  his  removal  to  Harlem  township  in 
1904.  His  grandfather,  Jacob  Rehm,  was  born 
in  Alsace,  France,  December  6,  1828,  and  mar- 
ried Philloppina  Richenbacker,  a  native  of 
Germany  now  living  in  Chicago.  The  grand- 
father was  a  prominent  business  man  of  that 
city,  as  is  Jacob  A.  Rehm,  the  father  of  our 
subject.  When  a  young  man  the  former  drove 
a  team  to  Galena,  Illinois,  taking  emigrants  to 
that  place  and  passed  through  Rockford  on  the 
trip.  He  was  then  about  fourteen  years  of  age. 
He  came  to  the  United  States  in  1837  and  after 
living  in  Naperville,  Illinois,  for  two  years  the 
family  removed  to  Chicago.  When  a  youth  he 
hauled  water  from  Lake  Michigan  to  the  homes 
of  people  in  the  embryo  city,  selling  it  by  the 
barrel.  As  the  years  have  passed  and  the  city 
has  grown  he  has  developed  extensive  and  im- 
portant business  interests  and  is  now  a  pros- 
perous man.  Jacob  F.  Rehm  was  born  in  Chi- 
cago, September  2,  1853,  and  is  now  the  vice- 
president  of  the  National  Brewing  Association. 
Throughout  his  entire  business  life  he  has  been 
connected  with  the  brewing  business  and  has 
met  with  splendid  success.  He  married  Minnie 
Wuest,  who  was  born  in  Chicago,  September 
ID,  1858,  and  they  still  reside  in  that  city.  They 
have  two  sons  and  a  daughter :  Jacob  A. ;  Walter 
A.,  who  was  born  December  31,  1886,  and  is  now 
a  student  in  Wisconsin  State  University ;  and 
Clara  Louisa,  who  was  born  November  2,  1882, 
and  is  at  home. 

Jacob  A.  Rehm  resided  in  Blue  Island,  a 
suburb  of  Chicago.  He  was  a  student  in  the 
ward  schools  of  Blue  Island  and  afterward  at- 
tended the  Lake  Mew  high  school  of  ChicagxD 
and  subsequently  the  Illinois  Agricultural  Col- 
lege, a  department  of  the  State  LTniversity.  He 
then  returned  to  Blue  Island,  where  he  remained 
until  1904,  when  he  removed  to  Winnebago 
county,  settling  in  Harlem  township.  He  is  now 
extensively  and  successfully  engaged  in  general 
agricultural    pursuits    and    in     the    breeding    of 


262 


PAST     A\n     PRESENT    OF     WTXXEBAGO    COUXTY. 


registered  blooded  stock,  making  a  specialty  of 
Angus  cattle,  Shropshire  sheep  and  Berkshire 
hogs.  His  business  interests  are  well  conducted 
and  his  keen  foresight  and  executive  ability  are 
noticably  characteristic  in  his  work.  He  be- 
longs to  the  Country  Club  of  Rockford  and  is 
a  member  of  the  Xational  College  I-'raternity. 
His  pt)litical  allegiance  is  given  to  the  republican 
party  and  while  not  an  aspirant  for  oftice  he  is 
interested  in  its  success.  A  young  man,  alert 
and  enterprising,  with  laudable  ambition,  he  has 
alread)  attained  a  creditable  measure  of  pros- 
perity which  will  undoubtedly  be  augmented  in 
the  future. 


I II RAM    II.  \V.\LD(). 

Hiram  II.  Waldo,  the  youngest  son  of  Hiram 
and  Uulcina  Waldo,  was  born  in  Elba,  Genesee 
county,  Xew  York,  on  the  23d  day  of  Xovem- 
ber,  1827.  He  was  educated  in  a  country  school 
and  attended  one  term  at  Carey  Collegiate  Semi- 
nary in  Alabama,  Genesee  county,  Xew  York. 
Having  read  glowing  accounts  of  Rock  river 
valley,  Illinois,  he  was  seized  with  the  pioneer 
spirit  and  emigrated  to  Rockford,  Illinois,  in 
1846,  with  the  distinct  purpose  oi  teaching  school. 
On  arriving  in  Rockford  he  was  examined  by 
Goodvear  .\.  Sanford,  then  school  commissioner, 
and  was  granted  a  certificate  of  com])etency  to 
teach  school  under  the  re(|uircments  of  the 
school  laws  then  existing  in  Illinois.  He  tauglit 
successively  and  successfully  at  Whig  Hill,  Rock- 
ford, Cherry  Valley,  Guilford  and  Harlem,  and 
was  the  assistant  of  C,  A.  Huntington  and  Seeley 
I'errv  in  the  Rockford  .\cademy.  a  private  school 
where  scholars  were  prepared  for  college.  Samuel 
Montague,  chief  engineer  of  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad  and  Alexander  Kerr,  professor  in 
Greek  of  Madison  University,  were  his  class- 
mates. Mr.  Waldo  prepared  himself  in  the 
Rockford  Academy  for  P.eloit  College,  but  being 
offered  a  handsome  salary  to  accept  a  situation 
in  the  Chicago  postoffice,  he  abandoned  his  col- 
lege career.  He  was  foreman  of  the  western  dis- 
tribution department  for  two  years,  and  then 
returned  to  Rockford  to  take  charge  of  the 
Rockford  postoffice  under  the  postmastership  of 
C.  I.  Horsman. 

Mr.  Waldo  was  elected  to  the  office  of  school 
commissioner  in  1856.  and  held  the  office  by 
election  and  apjiointment  for  eight  years,  and 
during  that  time  he  assisted  Xcwton  Bateman  and 
Simeon  Wright  in  framing  the  first  free  school 
law  adopted  by  the  Illinois  legislature.  On  Sep- 
temlier  i.  1855.  he  established  a  book  store  at 
205  West  State  street,  but  moved,  in  1859,  to 
hi.s  ])resent  location,  at  304  West  State  street, 
and   Mr.   Waldo   is  now   celebrating  his   fiftieth 


anniversary  as  a  bookseller  and  claims  that  he 
antedates  any  other  book  store  in  the  state  in 
continuous  business  under  one  firm  name. 

In  1853  Mr.  Waldo  was  married  to  Miss 
Olive  S.  True,  of  Lewiston,  Maine.  His  wife's 
death  occurred  in  September.  1835.  In  1858  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  E.  llulett,  of  .\lbion, 
Michigan.  Mr.  Waldo  was  a  re])ublican  in 
politics  until  Horace  Greeley  was  nominated  by 
the  democratic  party,  and  since  that  time  he  has 
been  an  independent  and  voted  for  those  men 
who  were  opposed  to  the  protective  tariff  and  in 
fa\dr  of  a  sound  and  not  a  fictitious  money  basis. 
Mr.  Waldo's  religious  affiliations  are  with  the 
church  of  the  Christian  Union,  which  was  or- 
ganized September  i,  1870.  He  was  a  charter 
member  and  has  not  missed  a  Sunday  service 
since  its  organization  up  to  date.  October  15, 
1905.  Mr.  Waldo  has  never  sought  any  political 
office  since  his  retirement  from  the  office  of 
school  commissioner  but  without  his  solicitation 
he  was  a])pointc(l  receiver  of  the  Second  Xational 
Bank  by  Hon.  James  H.  Eckels,  then  comptroller 
of  the  currency,  and  was  continued  in  the  office 
by  Hon.  Charles  G.  Dawes  until  its  final  settle- 
ment. 

Mr.  Waldo  is  now  seveiUy-eiglU  years  old  and 
attends  regularly  to  his  daily  business  duties  and 
wishes  to  do  so  as  long  as  he  can  do  business 
intelligently.  He  is  not  an  advocate  of  "re- 
tiring" from  business  but  rather  for  "continu- 
ing" in  business  as  long  as  his  health  and  strength 
will  permit.  Mr.  Waldo  said  to  the  writer  that 
the  supreme  desire  of  his  life  was  to  cultivate 
an  optimistic  spirit  and  become  the  possessor 
of  a  cheerful  old  age.  Although  Mr.  Waldo  is 
on  the  "last  leaf"  on  the  tree  of  business  pioneers 
at  Rockford  he  does  not  look  "sad  and  wan" 
nor  have  the  "melancholy  grin"  that  character- 
ized the  "Last  Leaf,"  written  about  by  Oliver 
Wendell    Holmes. 


JOSEPH  W.  IRX'IXE. 

Through  a  number  of  years  Joseph  W.  Irvine 
was  known  as  a  promoter  of  industrial  and  com- 
mercial activity  in  this  city  and  through  his 
financial  assistance,  wise  counsel  and  able  man- 
agement contributed  to  tlie  business  development 
which  has  made  Rockford  a  leading  productive 
center  of  Illinois.  To  the  interests  which  claimed 
his  attention  he  brought  careful  consideration 
and  keen  discrimination,  and  he  would  never  tol- 
erate any  methods  save  those  which  would  bear 
the  closest  scrutiny,  so  that  be  won  success  and 
an  honored  name  .simultaneously.  Mr.  Irvine 
was  born  in  Belleville.  Ontario,  Canada,  March 
TO.  1819,  his  parents  being  Rev.  .\lexander  and 
Clarissa    (Harrington)    Irvine.     The   father  was 


A^..^  ^-  -:%,^^,^J^, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


265 


from  Perthshire,  Scotland,  and  was  a  descendant 
of  an  old  and  prominent  family  of  that  coun- 
try. His  parents,  William  and  Marjorie  (Stu- 
art) Irvine,  determining  to  make  a  home  in  the 
new  world,  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United 
States  when  their  son  Alexander  was  but  four 
years  of  age  and  became  residents  of  New  York, 
William  Irvine  remaining  a  resident  of  the  Em- 
pire state  until  his  death.  His  wife,  long  surviv- 
ing him,  removed  to  Canada,  where  she  passed 
away  at  the  age  of  ninety-seven  years.  She  was 
connected  with  the  royal  family,  and  both  she 
and  her  husband  were  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian church. 

Plaving  arrived  at  years  of  maturity  Rev. 
Alexander  Irvine  was  married  in  the  state  of 
New  York  to  one  of  its  native  daughters.  Miss 
Clarissa  Harrington,  who  was  descended  from 
New  England  ancestry.  They  removed  to  Can- 
ada and  during  their  residence  there  two  chil- 
dren were  born  unto  them.  They  afterward 
returned  to  the  Empire  state,  but  when  Joseph 
W.  Irvine  was  twelve  years  of  age  they  went  to 
Canada,  whence  they  came  to  Illinois,  in  1836. 
They  first  settled  near  Dixon,  in  Lee  county,  but 
after  a  short  period  removed  to  Ogle  county, 
taking  up  their  abode  on  the  RoCk  river,  near 
Byron.  Rev.  Alexander  Irvine  secured  a  tract 
of  land  in  Rockdale  township  from  the  govern- 
ment and  began  the  development  of  a  farm,  but 
was  not  long  permitted  to  enjoy  his  new  home, 
his  death  occurring  in  1840,  when  he  was  in 
the  prime  of  life.  His  wife  survived  him  until 
during  the  period  of  the  Civil  war,  when  she 
passed  away  at  the  age  of  sixty-two  years.  Their 
church  relationship  was  with  the  Methodist 
denomination.  Their  family  numbered  four 
sons  and  four  daughters. 

Joseph  W.  Irvine,  the  second  in  order,  was 
a  }'outh  of  seventeen  when  he  came  with  his  par- 
ents to  Illinois.  He  had  attended  the  public 
schools  of  New  York  and  Canada,  but  had  no 
educational  advantages  after  he  was  twelve  years 
of  age.  He  became,  however,  a  well  informed 
man,  adding  to  his  knowledge  year  by  year 
through  reading,  experience  and  observation. 
After  putting  aside  his  text-books  he  was 
employd  in  a  store  in  Toronto,  Canada,  and  sub- 
sequent to  the  removal  of  the  family  to  Ogle 
county,  Illinois,  he  assistd  his  father  in  the  opera- 
tion of  the  home  farm  until  twenty-two  years  of 
age,  when  he  was  married  to  Miss  Electa  Shel- 
don Parsons,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  in  which 
state  she  spent  her  girlhood  days.  In  early 
womanhood  she  came  to  Illinois,  and  her  death 
occurred  upon  the  farm  in  Ogle  county,  in  1856. 
She  possessed  many  excellent  traits  of  character 
that  endeared  her  to  a  large  circle  of  friends  and 
was  devoted  to  the  welfare  of  her  family.  She 
had  become  the  mother  of  five  children :  Edwin, 
16 


who  is  now  a  railroad  mail  agent,  residing  in 
Rockford,  married  Miss  Mina  Underwood ; 
Ellen  C.  is  the  wife  of  William  Warburton,  a  resi- 
dent farmer  of  Buchanan  county,  Iowa ;  Mary 
is  the  wife  of  Christian  Burkholder,  a  dealer  in 
agricultural  implements  in  Sterling,  Illinois ;  W. 
Henn"  is  living  with  his  sister  in  Sterling ;  and 
one  died  in  infancy. 

After  losing  his  first  wife  Mr.  Irvine  was 
married,  in  Ogle  county,  to  Miss  Rebecca  W. 
\\aggoner,  in  1857.  She  was  born  in  New  Co- 
lumbia, Union  county,  Pennsylvania,  on  the 
23d  of  June,  1829.  Her  parents,  Henry  R.  and 
Elsie  (Woods)  Waggoner,  were  natives  of 
Northumberland  county,  Pennsylvania,  but  at 
the  time  of  their  daughter's  birth  were  living 
on  the  banks  of  the  beautiful  Susquehanna.  Her 
father  was  of  Pennsylvania  Dutch  lineage,  while 
her  mother  came  of  Irish  ancestry.  They  were 
married  in  Northumberland  county  and  in  order 
to  provide  for  his  family  Mr.  Waggoner  fol- 
lowed mechanical  pursuits.  In  1848  he  brought 
his  family  to  Ogle  county.  Illinois,  settling  on 
a  farm  in  Rockdale  township,  and  after  losing 
his  first  wife  he  wedded  Miss  Margaret  Hensel. 
Subsequently  he  went  to  Mount  Morris,  this 
state,  where  he  passed  away  March  5,  1869, 
when  about  seventy-five  years  of  age  and  his 
second  wife  also  died  there.  Mrs.  Irvine  was 
one  of  seven  children  and  by  her  marriage  be- 
came the  mother  of  five  children,  but  the  young- 
est, W^ilson  S.,  died  in  infancy.  Charles  Erancis, 
the  eldest,  married  C.  Blanche  Swarthout  and 
is  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Rockford  Over- 
alls Alanufacturing  Company,  making  his  home 
in  Rockford.  George  L.,  president  of  the  Rock- 
ford Overalls  Manufacturing  Companv,  married 
;\Iiss  Nevada  Miller,  who  died  two  months  later, 
and  he  then  married  Hattie  M.  Swain.  Elsie 
M.  is  the  wife  of  C.  Eugene  Sovereign  and  thev 
reside  in  Rockford,  ]Mrs.  Irvine  making  her 
home  with  them.  Mr.  Sovereign  is  a  member 
of  the  firm  of  C.  E.  Sovereign  &  Company,  manu- 
facturers of  neck  yokes,  leather  washers  and 
hardware  specialties  at  No.  415-27  West  State 
street  and  is  very  prominent  in  manufacturing 
circles  here.  He  also  represents  one  of  the  early 
families  of  the  county  and  a  sketch  of  his  father, 
Israel  Sovereign,  is  given  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

After  his  first  marriage  Mr.  Irvine  purchased 
a  farm  in  Ogle  county  and  was  engaged  in 
general  agrcultural  pursuits  until  October,  1869, 
when  he  removed  to  Rockford  and  became  con- 
nected with  what  is  now  the  Emerson  Manu- 
facturing Company,  being  associated  therewith 
for  seventeen  years.  He  was  afterward  with  the 
AMlkins  Knitting  Factory  for  a  few  years  and 
has  been  a  promoter  and  stockholder  in  various 
other  important  business  enterprises,  sometimes 
activelv    interested    therein    and    at    other    times 


^^^ 


PAST     AXl)     I'KKSEXT     OF     WIXXRHACO     COrXTY. 


havinc:  lint  financial  investment.  He  was  con- 
nected with  the  Rockford  Boot  &  Shoe  Com- 
pany, the  Silver  Plate  Mannfacturing  Com- 
pany, the  Rockford  Watch  Company,  the  Rock- 
ford  \\'atch  Case  Company  and  the  Rockford 
Overalls  Company.  He  was  esteemed  for  his 
sound  business  judg:ment  and  keen  insight  into 
intricate  business  problems.  He  possessed  a 
large  fund  of  that  ([uality  which  we  call  com- 
mon sense  and  his  opinions  were  sound  and  his 
counsel  reliable.  For  some  time  he  was  presi- 
dent of  the  Rockford  Boot  &  Shoe  Company 
but  in  the  later  years  of  his  life  lived  retired 
and  in  a  well  earned  ease  spent  his  remaining 
days  in  a  beautiful  home  in  Rockford. 

In  his  political  affiliation  Mr.  Irvine  was  a 
stanch  republican  and  held  several  offices  in  Ogle 
county  but  was  never  an  aspirant  for  political 
preferment.  He  and  his  wife  were  members  of 
the  Court  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in 
which  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  official  board 
and  as  trustee.  He  was  one  of  the  leading  busi- 
ness men  of  this  city  and  was  very  successful  in 
all  life's  relations.  He  commanded  the  trust 
and  good  will  of  those  with  whom  he  came  in 
contact  and  was  never  so  busy  but  that  he  had 
time  to  accord  to  any  one  the  courtesy  of  an 
interview  and  he  also  found  opportunity  to  co- 
operate in  movements  for  the  moral  development 
of  the  city.  I\Irs.  Irvine  now  makes  her  home 
with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sovereign,  at  X^o.  412  North 
Court  street. 


ORLAXno  F.  CRILL. 

Orlando  F.  Crill,  a  retired  farmer  of  Ogle 
county,  became  a  resident  of  Rockford  in  1900. 
He  was  born  in  Ogle  county.  May  30.  1850,  his 
birthplace  being  his  father's  farm  in  Monroe 
township.  He  is  a  son  of  John  J.  Crill,  who 
was  born  in  Steuben  county.  New  York,  and 
with  his  parents  came  to  Illinois  in  1843,  t'l^" 
family  home  being  established  in  Monroe  town- 
ship, where  the  grandfather,  Henry  Crill,  fol- 
lowed farming  for  many  years.  As  he  pros- 
pered in  his  undertakings  he  wisely  invested  in 
land  until  he  became  the  owner  of  about  thirteen 
InuKlred  acres,  and  this  place  is  still  in  posses- 
sion of  his  descendants.  In  his  family  were  nine 
children,  five  sons  and  four  daughters,  of  whom 
two  daughters  and  a  son  are  now  living — Mrs. 
Orbit,  who  resides  on  West  State  street,  in 
Rockford  ;  Mrs.  Stocking,  of  Rochelle ;  and  Har- 
vey Crill,  living  on  Xorth   .Main  street. 

John  J.  Crill.  a  native  of  New  York  state,  was 
alwnit  nineteen  years  of  age  when  he  came  to 
rninr>is,  anfl  he  assisted  in  the  arduous  task  of 
developing  a  new  farm  until  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  when  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land,  upon 


which  he  spent  his  remaining  days,  developing 
it  into  an  excellent  farm  i3ro])erty.  He.  too,  be- 
came an  extensive  landowner,  adding  to  his 
original  ])urchase  until  he  owned  six  hundred 
acres.  His  business  judgment  was  sound  and  ac- 
curate and  his  investments  were  wisely  placed, 
so  that  he  realized  a  handsome  financial  return. 
He  wedded  Miss  Margaret  Keith,  who  was 
born  in  Marietta,  Ohio,  and  they  became  the 
])arents  of  two  sons  and  a  daughter — M.  J.  Crill, 
who  is  living  on  Third  street  in  Rockford;  Or- 
lando F.  and  Mrs.  M.  J.  Hardy,  whose  home  is 
on  Third  street  in  Rockford.  In  his  i)olitical 
views  the  father  was  a  republican.  He  kept 
thoroughly  informed  concerning  the  questions 
and  issues  of  the  day  and  held  the  office  of  as- 
sessor, but  was  never  active  in  seeking  ]iolitical 
])referment.  He  and  his  wife  were  members  of 
the  Methodist  church  and  their  home  was  always 
the  ])lace  of  entertainment  for  the  ministers  who 
visited  the  locality.  Mr.  Crill  contributed  most 
liberally  to  the  support  of  the  church  and  was 
(lee]ily  interested  in  all  that  jiertained  to  the 
moral  u|)building  of  the  community.  He  died 
in  the  year  1888.  and  is  still  survived  by  his 
widow,  who  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years  re- 
sides in  Rockford  with  her  son.  M.  j.  Crill. 

Orlando  F.  Crill  pursued  a  common-school 
education  and  his  vouth  was  a  busy  one,  for 
when  not  occupied  with  his  text-books  he  as- 
sisted in  the  work  of  the  home  farm.  He  re- 
mained with  his  parents  until  twenty-two  years 
of  age.  when  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in  the 
same  locality,  carrying  on  its  improvement  and 
cultivation  until  he  traded  it  for  the  farm  which 
he  now  owns.  He  has  two  hundred  and  fifty- 
seven  acres  of  finely  improved  land  in  Monroe 
township,  on  which  is  a  beautiful  country  resi- 
dence, substantial  barns  and  all  modern  equip- 
ments, including  windmills  and  tanks.  There  is 
running  water  on  the  place  and  in  his  farming 
operations  Mr.  Crill  introduced  all  modern 
methods  and  imiirovements  that  facilitated  his 
work  and  rendered  his  labors  more  available  in 
the  acquirement  of  a  handsome  competence.  He 
kept  a  great  amount  of  stock  and  this,  too. 
proved  a  source  of  income.  His  farm  is  one  of 
the  best  improved  in  Ogle  county  and  he  resided 
thereon  until  looo.  when  he  took  up  his  abode 
in  Rockford. 

On  the  17th  of  December.  1873.  Mr.  Crill  was 
married  to  Miss  Julia  Matthews,  who  was  born 
June  I,  1852.  in  the  state  of  New  York,  her  par- 
ents being  John  T.  and  Elvira  P.  (Garvin)  Mat- 
thews, who  came  to  Illinois  when  their  daughter 
was  but  five  years  of  age.  They  had  a  family  of 
six  children — .Andrew,  who  died  in  New  York 
city :  Keziah,  who  died  in  the  state  of  New 
York,  in  .\pril,  1885 ;  Augusta,  who  became  the 
wife  of  George  Carr  and  died  in  Cherry  Valley, 


MR.  AND  MRS.  O.  F.  CRJLL. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


269 


Illinois,  leaving  four  children ;  Harlow,  who 
died  in  Ogle  county,  Illinois,  and  who  was  a  sol- 
dier of  the  Civil  war,  serving  for  four  years  in 
the  Seventeenth  Illinois  Cavalry :  Jane,  who  be- 
came the  wife  of  Hugh  Carr,  and  died  in  Butler 
county,  Iowa,  leaving  a  daughter ;  and  Julia. 
Both  Mr.  and  Airs.  Matthews  have  now  passed 
away. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crill  was  blessed 
with  four  children,  but  they  lost  their  eldest, 
Johnnie,  who  was  born  (  )ctol)er  4,  1874,  and 
died  February  28,  1875.  Perry  A.,  born  March 
27,  1877,  purstied  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  in  Alonroe  Center  for  a  year  and  in  the 
business  college  at  Rockford  for  one  term.  He 
remained  upon  the  home  farm  until  twenty- 
three  years  of  age  and  five  years  ago  he  entered 
the  Manufacturers'  Bank  of  Rockford  as  col- 
lector, assistant  cashier  and  bookkeeper.  In  fact, 
he  did  any  work  that  was  needed  to  be  done 
around  the  bank  and  liis  capability  made  him  a 
valued  assistant.  He  remained  there  three 
years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  accepted  a 
position  in  the  office  of  the  Edison  Light  Com- 
pany, where  he  continued  for  a  year.  He  then 
went  upon  the  road  as  traveling  salesman  for 
the  .-Vmerican  Stogey  Company  at  a  salary  of 
twelve  hundred  dollars  per  year,  and  he  makes 
his  home  with  his  parents.  Edna  Ruth,  born 
May  10,  1883,  was  educated  in  a  business  col- 
lege and  has  also  received  considerable  instruc- 
tion in  music.  Alarguerite  Hazel,  born  October 
24,  1885,  is  a  graduate  of  the  high  school  of 
Rockford  of  the  class  of  KJ05. 

While  Air.  Crill  is  practically  living  retired, 
he  is  a  man  of  marked  energy,  indolence  and 
idleness  being  utterly  foreign  to  his  nature,  so 
that  he  can  hardly  content  himself  without  some 
business  interests,  and  has  operated  in  real  es- 
tate for  himself  and  for  the  Eastern  Investment 
Company.  He  deals  in  South  Dakota  lands  and 
also  in  property  here.  A  republican  in  his  po- 
litical views,  he  has  refused  various  offices  that 
have  been  tendered  him.  preferring  to  give  his 
attention  to  his  business  and  social  relations.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Amer- 
ica, and  he  and  his  wife  attend  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  of  which  their  daughters  are 
members.  Their  home  is  at  No.  423  South 
Church  street,  and  they  are  prominent  and  in- 
fluential people  of  the  coninnuiitv,  having  won 
many  friends  in  their  connection  with  the  social 
life  of  Rockford. 


WILLIAM  THOMPSON. 

William  Thompson,  who  for  about  fifteen 
years  has  served  as  township  treasurer  of  Rock- 
ton  township  and  is  proprietor  of  a  store  in  the 


village  of  Rockton,  was  born  in  England,  in 
1832.  His  father,  Richardson  Thompson,  was 
also  a  native  of  that  country,  and  about  1834 
he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America  with  his  fam- 
ily, establishing  his  home  in  Canada,  where  his 
remaining  days  were  passed.  In  his  native 
country  he  had  married  Eliza  Green,  who  was 
also  born  in  England.  He  passed  the  Psalmist's 
allotted  span  of  three  score  years  and  ten,  reach- 
ing the  age  of  seventy-three  years,  while  his 
wife  died  in  Canada  at  the  very  advanced  age  of 
ninety-two  years.  They  were  the  parents  of 
eight  children,  of  whom  William  was  the  fourth 
in  order  of  birth.  Five  of  the  mimber  were  born 
on  the  "merrie  isle,"  while  three  were  natives  of 
Canada.  Those  still  living  are :  William ; 
Thomas,  a  resident  of  Minnesota :  Robert,  who 
resides  in  Toronto ;  and  Mrs.  Sarah  Ann  Win- 
ters, also  living  in  Canada.  Throughout  his  en- 
tire life  the  father  followed  the  occupation  of 
farming  and  thus  jirovided  for  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren. 

^^'illiam  Thompson  was  only  five  years  old 
when  brought  by  his  parents  to  the  new  world 
and  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Canada.  Having 
arrived  at  adult  age  he  entered  business  life 
there  as  a  grain  merchant  and  miller,  carrying  on 
the  dual  pursuit  until  about  1879,  when  he  came 
to  \Mnnebago  county,  Illinois,  establishing  his 
home  in  Rockton.  Here  he  engaged  in  teaching 
school  for  three  or  four  terms  and  in  1881  he 
became  a  factor  in  mercantile  life,  establishing  a 
store  which  he  has  since  conducted  with  con- 
stantly growing  success,  his  business  increasing 
year  by  year  owing  to  his  reasonable  prices,  his 
fair  dealing  and  his  progressive  methods.  He 
carries  a  well  selected  line  of  goods  and  his 
patrons  find  him  obliging,  courteous  and  con- 
siderate. He  has  thus  gained  a  good  living  by 
the  conduct  of  his  mercantile  interests  and  is 
well  known  as  one  of  the  leading  business  men 
of  the  village. 

In  1852  Air.  Thompson  was  married  to  Aliss 
Elizabeth  Davis,  who  was  born  in  Canada,  but 
came  of  .American  parentage.  They  had  three 
children,  but  Rachel  Ann  is  deceased.  Julia  be- 
came the  wife  of  John  Alanning  and  had  two 
children,  Evelyn  and  Kate.  Sarah  Elizabeth  be- 
came the  wife  of  Hiram  Baker  and  died,  leav- 
ing two  children,  \\'inifred  and  Alae.  The  for- 
mer is  now  the  wife  of  Frank  Hueltner.  of  Alil- 
waukee,  Wisconsin,  and  has  one  son,  Frederick. 

Since  becoming  a  naturalized  American  citi- 
zen William  Thompson  has  never  failed  to  cast 
his  ballot  for  the  men  and  measures  of  the 
republican  party  and  for  about  fifteen  years  has 
served  as  township  treasurer,  while  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  he  was  justice  of  the  peace.  He 
discharges  his  official  duties  with  the  same 
promptness    and    sense   of    conscientious    obliga- 


270 


PAST     AXD     I'RF.SKXT     OF     WIN'NEBAGO     COUNTY. 


tion  that  marks  his  private  business  career  and 
he  is  much  esteemed  in  Rockton  wlicre  he  has 
manifested  traits  of  patriotic  and  pubhc-spirited 
citizenship  and  has  also  made  a  creditalile  name 
as  a  merchant  and  in  private  life. 


CHESTER  E.  BRIGGS. 

Chester  E.  Bri^g^s,  deceased,  was  a  represent- 
ative of  a  pioneer  family  in  Winnebago  countv 
and  his  business  connections  anil  jiersonal  quali- 
fications insured  him  a  place  of  prominence  in 
the  public  regard  and  made  him  a  worthy  citi- 
zen of  Rockford.  A  native  of  Vermont  his  birth 
occurred  in  Jamaica,  on  the  19th  of  September, 
1852,  his  parents  being  Joseph  \V.  and  Eliza- 
beth (Cressy)  Briggs,  who  were  also  natives  of 
the  Green  Mountain  state,  the  father  born  in 
Dover,  May  29,  1825,  while  the  mother's  birth 
occurred  in  Jamaica,  April  14,  1820.  The  pater- 
nal grandparents  were  Calvin  and  Lucy  (Wash- 
burn) Briggs,  both  natives  of  Vermont,  where 
the  grandfather  carried  on  business. as  a  tanner 
and  farmer.  He  spent  his  entire  life  in  his  na- 
tive state,  after  which  his  widow  came  west  to 
Rockford  on  a  visit  to  her  son  C.  C.  and  other 
children  and  died  in  his  home.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Calvin  Briggs  were  representatives  of  old 
New  England  families  and  were  relatives  of 
Governor  l'>riggs.  of  .Massachusetts,  and  of  (Jov- 
ernor  P.  T.  Washburn,  of  \  ermont.  Joseph  W. 
Briggs  is  the  only  survivor  of  a  family  of  nine 
children  and  is  now  living  a  retired  life  in  Rock- 
ford. He  came  to  Winnebago  county,  in  De- 
cember, 1855,  settling  on  a  farm  in  Berry  town- 
ship, where  he  resided  for  three  years.  He  then 
removed  to  Mil  ford  township  for  a  short  time. 
after  which  he  ])urchased  a  farm  in  Cherry 
Valley  township  and  continued  the  cultivation 
and  improvement  of  that  place  for  three  years. 
On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  city  of  Rockford.  where  he  has  since 
resided.  His  wife  died  here  .September  24,  1900, 
and  he  now  resides  at  No.  917  Kishwaukee  street. 
He  owns  much  valuable  property  in  this  city, 
having  in  former  years  made  judicious  invest- 
ment of  his  capital  in  realty  which  now  com- 
mands a  high  price.  He  was  one  of  the  early 
members  of  the  I'irst  Congregati(jnal  church 
here  and  has  lived  an  upright,  honorable  life, 
commending  him  to  the  good  will,  friendship  and 
confidence  of  th(jse  with  whom  he  has  been  as- 
sociated. Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  born  a 
son  and  daughter,  the  latter  being  Maria  E.. 
now  the  wife  of  Elwin  W.  L'handler.  of  the  firm 
of  Chandler  Brothers,  publishers,  of  Rockford. 
They  had  one  son — Cressy  ICKvin,  who  died 
March  24,  1897,  at  the  age  of  ten  years,  and 
they  arc  now  rearing  an  adopted  son — Melvin 
Joseph,  who  was  born  November  30,  1892. 


Chester  E.  Briggs  acquired  his  early  educa- 
tion in  the  district  schools  of  Cherry  Valley 
township,  having  been  brought  to  Winnebago 
county  when  in  his  third  year.  He  continued  his 
etiucation  in  the  Rockff)rd  high  school.  He  was 
a  youth  of  nine  years  when  his  parents  removed 
from  the  farm  to  the  city  and  while  still  a 
student  he  devoted  much  of  his  leisure  hours  to 
mechanical  work,  seeming  to  possess  much 
natural  ingenuity  in  this  direction.  He  was 
ahva\s  making  brackets  or  other  devices  and 
after  putting  aside  his  text-books  he  began  learn- 
ing the  cabinet-maker's  trade,  securing  a  posi- 
tion with  the  Forest  City  F'urniture  Company,  of 
Rockford.  He  followed  that  pursuit  for  several 
years  and  then  entered  the  employ  of  the  bicycle 
works  of  this  city,  with  which  he  continued  for 
a  brief  period.  He  had  saved  his  earnings  and 
when  the  Co-operative  Furniture  Company  of 
Rockford  was  established  he  became  one  of  the 
stockholders  and  was  made  secretary  and  treas- 
urer of  the  company.  He  was  thus  engaged  in 
business  for  himself  for  a  few  years  and  then 
sold  his  interests,  after  which  he  returned  to  the 
l'"orest  City  Furniture  Company,  with  w'hich  he 
remained  for  a  few  years  or  until  his  retirement 
from  active  business  life.  He  was  a  skilled 
workman  and  in  fact  the  company  said  that 
they  never  had  a  more  efficient  workman  in  their 
employ.  He  was  very  successful  in  his  business 
dealings  and  as  he  accumulated  money  he  in- 
vested in  property,  erecting  the  residence  which 
is  now  occupied  by  his  widow  and  son.  This  is 
located  at  No.  905  Kishwaukee  street  and  ad- 
joins the  home  of  Mr.  Joseph  W.  Briggs.  Mr. 
Briggs  was  also  executor  for  the  well  known 
Britton  estate  for  thirteen  years. 

Chester  E.  Briggs  was  married  twice.  He  first 
wedded  Miss  OUie  A.  Preston,  a  native  of  Cam- 
den, New  Jersey,  who  was  born  July  5,  1857, 
and  died  in  Rockford,  March  7,  1892.  There 
were  two  children  by  that  marriage:  Edwin  C, 
who  married  Constance  Fritz  and  resides  in 
Chicago,  where  he  is  an  instructor  in  the  .\rmour 
Institute ;  and  Lewis  P.,  who  is  at  home  with 
his  stepmother  and  attends  the  Rockford  Busi- 
ness College.  In  1893  Mr.  Briggs  wedded  Miss 
C.  Elizabeth  .\llen,  a  native  of  Gun  Plains,  Alle- 
gan coniitx.  Michigan,  and  a  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam .\llen,  who  was  a  farmer  of  that  county 
throughout  his  active  life.  He  died  in  Otsego, 
Michigan.  The  death  of  Mr.  Briggs  occurred 
February  27,  1903.  .Mthough  never  an  aspirant 
for  public  i)ffice  he  was  a  stanch  advocate  of 
republican  |)rinciples  and  both  he  and  his  wife 
were  meml)ers  of  the  First  Congregational 
church  of  Rockford.  He  was  a  man  whose  busi- 
ness integrity  was  above  question  and  his  life 
was  manly,  his  actions  sincere  and  his  manner 
unaffected.     He  lived  in  Winnebago  county  for 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


271 


almost  a  half  century  and  many  of  his  stanchest 
friends  were  those  who  had  known  him  from 
his  boyhood  days — a  fact  that  indicates  an  honor- 
able career,  worthy  of  confidence  and  respect. 


WILLIAM  H.  TOUSLEY. 

William  H.  Tousley,  editor  of  the  Durand 
Clipper,  was  born  December  8,  1866,  at  Jefferson, 
Wisconsin.  His  father,  William  F.  Tousley,  was 
a  native  of  Medina  county,  Ohio,  and  when  a 
young  man  accompanied  his  parents  to  Wis- 
consin, settling  at  Fort  Atkinson.  He  learned 
the  printer's  trade  in  his  brother's  office  at  Jef- 
ferson, Wisconsin,  and  afterward  in  connection 
with  a  brother  established  a  job  office  at  Fort 
Atkinson,  Wisconsin,  whence  he  later  removed 
to  Edgerton,  in  the  same  state.  There  Mr. 
Tousley  and  his  cousin  began  the  publication  of 
the  Independent  and  subsequently  Mr.  Tousley 
purchased  his  partner's  interest  and  established 
the  ^^'isconsin  Tobacco  Reporter.  He  was  con- 
nected with  the  newspaper  business  throughout 
his  entire  life.  He  married  Lenora  Schmidt, 
who  was  born  in  Jefferson  county,  Wisconsin, 
in  July,  1848.  He  died  in  1881  and  is  still  sur- 
vived by  his  widow  who  resides  in  Edgerton. 
They  had  four  sons :  William  H. ;  Frank  H., 
who  is  living  in  Oelwein,  Iowa,  and  has  a  son 
and  daughter ;  Jesse  E.,  of  Milwaukee,  Wiscon- 
sin, who  has  one  daughter;  and  George  R.,  also 
a  resident  of  Oelwein. 

William  H.  Tousley  spent  his  youth  in  Jef- 
ferson and  Fort  Atkinson,  Wisconsin,  remain- 
ing in  his  native  county  until  1878,  when  his 
parents  removed  to  Edgerton,  where  his  father 
established  a  paper.  He  learned  the  printer's 
trade  there  and  followed  it  for  a  number  of 
years  as  a  journeyman,  being  employed  in 
various  cities  until  1888,  when  he  came  to  Rock- 
ford,  working  here  on  the  Register-Gazette.  He 
was  foreman  and  linotype  operator  and  con- 
tinued in  that  position  until  October  7,  1903, 
and  then  purchased  his  present  office  at  Durand, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  editor  and  pro- 
prietor of  the  Clipper,  having  a  well  conducted 
newspaper  office  and  giving  to  the  public  a  bright 
and  interesting  paper  devoted  to  the  dissemi- 
nation of  general  news  and  to  the  furtherance 
of  local  interests. 

On  the  14th  of  November,  1888,  Air.  Tousley 
was  married  to  Miss  Frances  L.  Zastrow,  of 
Rockford.  a  daughter  of  Frederick  and  Minnie 
fChartier)  Zastrow.  Her  father  was  born  in 
Germany  and  when  seven  years  of  age  was 
brought  to  the  United  States  by  his  parents.  In 
early  life  he  learned  the  miller's  trade,  which 
he  followed  until  a  few  years  prior  to  his  death, 
when  he  purchased  a  farm  in  Jeiiferson  county. 


\\'isconsin,  and  thereon  spent  his  remaining  days, 
passing  away  at  the  age  of  fifty-six  years.  His 
wife  was  born  in  the  United  States  and  died 
during  the  early  girlhood  of  Mrs.  Tousley, 
whose  brothers  are  Edward  Zastrow,  of  Con- 
cord, Wisconsin  ;  Herman,  who  is  living  at  Wet- 
more,  Colorado :  and  Paul,  who  makes  his  home 
in  the  same  place.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Touslev  have 
one  daughter,  Ruth  Millicent,  who  was  born  in 
Rockford,  January  23,  1896.  The  parents  are 
members  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  church 
and  Mr.  Tousley  is  a  stanch  republican,  known 
as  the  champion  of  the  party  by  reason  of  active 
work  in  its  ranks  and  by  his  advocacy  of  its 
principles  through  the  columns  of  his  paper.  He 
is  a  member  of  camp  No.  61,  M.  W.  A., 
and  is  now  its  venerable  counsel.  He 
also  belongs  to  Shawbenee  lodge,  No.  146,  I. 
O.  O.  F.,  of  which  he  is  secretary,  and  to  Blue 
lodge,  No.  302,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Tousley  are  both  members  of  the  Daughters  of 
Rebekah. 


FRANK  E.  DARROW. 

Few  men  are  more  prominent  or  more  widely 
known  in  the  enterprising  city  of  Rockford  than 
Frank  E.  Darrow,  a  wholesale  lumber  dealer  and 
the  president  of  the  Co-operative  Furniture 
Company.  The  prosperity  of  any  community, 
town  or  city  depends  upon  its  commercial 
activity,  its  industrial  interests  and  its  trade  re- 
lations, and  therefore  the  real  upbuilders  of  a 
town  are  those  who  stand  at  the  head  of  the 
leading  enterprises.  Mr.  Darrow  is  justly  ac- 
corded a  place  among  the  representative  Amer- 
ican citizens,  who  while  advancing  his  individual 
success  also  promotes  the  general  prosperity. 

A  native  of  New  York  state,  he  spent  his  youth 
in  that  part  of  the  country,  supplementing  his 
early  common  school  advantages  by  study  in 
an  academy.  He  came  to  Illinois  in  1889  and 
has  since  engaged  in  the  wholesale  lumber  busi- 
ness, his  interests  representing  large  invest- 
ment in  sawmills  and  timber  lands  in  the  state 
of  New  York  and  in  the  south,  in  both  of  which 
he  is  extensively  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
lumber.  He  is  also  the  president  of  the  Co- 
operative Furniture  Company  of  Rockford.  of 
which  he  is  a  large  stockholder.  The  product 
of  his  mills  in  New  Mexico  and  old  Mexico  and 
the  south  supplies  railroads  and  furniture  com- 
panies in  Rockford  and  other  points.  Some  of 
the  finest  timber  in  the  country  is  to  be  obtained 
in  New  and  old  Mexico.  The  mills  are  sup- 
plied with  band  saws  and  the  most  modern  ma- 
chinery in  every  particular  and  have  a  capacity 
of  three  hundred  thousand  feet  per  day.  The 
lumber    consists    of   oak,    pine,    gum    and    other 


PAST     AXD    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


hardwoods  and  the  vohimc  ul  husinoss  annuahy 
conducted  makes  Mr.  Darrow  one  of  the  lead- 
in<j  representatives  of  the  limibcr  interests  of  the 
country.  lie  lias  been  watchfnl  of  every  indica- 
tion ixiintini;  toward  success  and  to  liini  there  lias 
come  the  attainment  of  a  distinsjiiislied  ])osition 
in  connection  witii  the  jjreat  material  inchistries 
of  tile  state,  wiiile  his  affairs  liave  been  so  dis- 
cerninj^ly  directed  alonjj  well  defined  lines  that 
he  seems  to  have  realized  at  any  point  of  progress 
the  fidl  !iieasiire  of  his  possiliilities  for  accom- 
plishment at   tiiat  point. 


Hr.XRY  WTT.T.I.XM   PRICE. 

With  the  industrial  and  commercial  develop- 
ment of  Rockford,  whereby  the  city  has  attained 
]>roininence  as  a  leading  commercial  antl  pro- 
ductive center  of  Illinois.  Henry  W.  Price  was 
clo.sely  identified  and  although  lie  has  passed 
away,  the  measure  of  giuid  which  he  did  in  the 
world  in  this  connection  will  not  have  ceased 
until  the  enterpri.ses  with  which  he  was  associated 
are  no  longer  a  factor  in  business  life  here. 
.Moreover  he  maintained  a  reputation  for  in- 
tegrity and  trustworthiness  that  made  his  name 
an  honored  one  and  his  life  history,  too,  is  an- 
other exemplification  of  the  fact  that  the  road  to 
success  is  oi)eii  to  all  who  have  the  will  to  dare 
and  to  do.  .\t  one  time  he  was  intercste<l  in 
twenty  different  lines  of  business  in  Rockfonl 
but  was  most  clo.sely  connected  with  the  manu- 
facturing interests. 

.\  native  of  Lakeville.  Livingston  count\.  Xew 
Vnrk.  born  .May  22.  1837.  he  was  a  son  of  Wil- 
liam Henry  and  Margaret  (Hayiies)  Price,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  the  Em]>ire  state,  where 
the  father  conducted  business  as  a  caqiciiter. 
builder  and  contractor.  He  resided  in  Lakeville 
until  the  fall  of  1S37,  when  he  came  to  the  west, 
settling  in  Chicago,  which  city  in  that  year  was 
first  incor])orated.  He  became  identified  with 
its  building  interests  but  later  established  a  plan- 
ing mill  and  conducted  the  business  with  marked 
success.  His  patronage  grew  readily  and  he  built 
other  iilaning  mills  until  his  enterprise  was  the 
largest  of  that  character  in  the  citv.  There  he 
continued  in  business  until  1841),  when  attracted 
by  the  discovery  of  gold  in  (."alifornia,  he  started 
for  the  Pacific  coast  but  on  the  way  became  ill 
and  died  on  the  Isthmus  of  Panama.  His  widow 
afterward  returned  to  the  east  and  S])ent  her  re- 
maining da\s  at  the  old  home  in  I-ikeville.  New 
York. 

Henry  W.  Price  was  indebted  to  the  jtublic 
school  system  of  his  native  state  for  the  early 
educational  privileges  he  receive<l  and  later  con- 
tinuecl   his  studies  in  the  Temi)le   Hill   .\cademv 


at  Cieneseo,  Xew  York.  He  was  pre-eminently 
a  self-made  man,  who  without  any  family  or 
pecuniary  assistance  made  his  way  from  humble 
surroundings  to  a  position  of  prominence  that 
well  justifies  the  use  of  the  term  "captain  of 
industry"  in  connection  with  his  name.  He  was 
thirteen  years  of  age  when  his  parents  started 
for  California,  leaving  him  in  Chicago.  He  .se- 
cured a  position  as  errand  boy  and  caretaker  in 
a  clothing  store  conducted  by  a  Mr.  Harris  at  a 
salary  of  two  dollars  per  week  and  there  his 
faithfulness  and  utility  won  him  promotion  until 
he  was  made  clerk  and  finally  became  the  leading 
salesman  in  the  establishment.  1  le  had  the 
faculty  of  interesting  customers,  displaying  the 
goods  to  the  best  advantage,  and  indeed 
possessed  the  traits  of  a  natural  born  salesman. 
He  occujiied  the  (losition  for  three  years,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  his  maternal  grandfather,  who 
was  much  attached  to  him.  took  him  back  to 
Gencseo,  New  York,  and  provided  him  with  the 
means  that  enabled  him  ti>  secure  his  academic 
education. 

\\  hile  he  was  working  in  the  store  he  and  his 
mother  managed  to  save  three  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars.  .\lKiut  the  time  he  put  aside  his  text- 
Iwoks  he  learned  of  the  failure  of  a  small  shoe 
store  in  llutTalo,  Xew  York,  and  invested  the 
capital  which  he  had  saved  in  the  stock  of  shoes. 
Embarking  in  the  retail  shoe  trade  he  was  very 
successful  in  the  conduct  of  the  business  until 
1860.  when  his  store  was  destroyed  by  fire,  to- 
gether with  a  part  of  the  stock.  He  then  de- 
termined to  take  the  remainder  of  the  stock  to 
the  west,  believing  that  the  advantages  afforded 
in  the  Mississi]ipi  valley  were  greater  than  he 
might  enjoy  in  the  east.  He  went  direct  to  I-'rce- 
port.  Illinois,  but  not  liking  that  town  never  un- 
jiacked  his  goods  there  and  came  on  to  Rockford. 
where  he  oi)ened  a  small  shoe  store  on  the  east 
side.  Prosperity  attended  the  new  venture  from 
the  beginning  and  it  was  not  long  before  he  was 
enabled  to  establish  a  second  store  and  eventually 
a  third  on  W'est  State  street,  so  that  he  was  the 
owner  of  three  shoe  stores  in  the  city,  having  a 
large  patronage  that  made  his  business  very 
])rofitable.  He  continueil  that  business  for  .some 
vears.  after  which  he  traded  his  stock  of  sIkx^s 
for  a  stock  of  gloves  and  mittens  and  concen- 
trated his  energies  upon  the  glove  and  mitten 
trade.  He  hired  a  horse  and  buggy  and  assisted 
by  his  wife  he  visited  all  of  the  neighboring 
towns,  selling  his  stock  in  small  job  lots  until  he 
had  disjiosed  of  the  entire  amount  at  a  good 
profit.  Turning  his  attention  to  the  wholesale 
trade  as  a  dealer  in  gloves  and  mittens  he  opened 
a  store  at  the  corner  of  State  and  Wyman  streets, 
purchased  goods  at  Gloversville.  Tohnstou  and  as 
far    cast    as    I'oston    and    also    in    the    hjiglish 


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PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


275 


markets,  and  entered  upon  a  prosperous  era  in 
the  trade,  finding  it  necessary  to  enlarge  his  stock 
from  year  to  year  in  order  to  meet  the  growing 
demands  of  a  constantly  increasing  patronage. 
His  business  assumed  such  proportions  that  he 
was  justified  in  the  erection  of  a  large  building 
on  Wyman  street,  where  he  continued  in  the 
wholesale  trade.  At  the  same  time  he  built  a 
large  factory  at  the  corner  of  Peace  and  Wyman 
streets  and  began  the  manufacture  of  gloves  and 
mittens,  thus  conducting  both  branches  of  the 
business  throughout  his  remaining  days.  He  em- 
ployed a  number  of  men  in  both  places  and  his 
house  gained  a  wide  reputation,  his  product  find- 
ing a  ready  sale  upon  the  market.  He  had  as 
many  as  twenty  salesmen  traveling  at  one  time 
and  his  trade  reached  from  coast  to  coast  and 
from  Canada  to  the  far  south.  He  also  spent 
much  time  upon  the  road  himself  in  buying  his 
stock  and  looking  after  the  interests  of  his  busi- 
ness. So  extensive  and  important  did  the  enter- 
prise become  and  so  well  known  was  he  to  the 
trade  that  he  was  called  the  "glove  king." 

Mr.  Price  was  a  man  of  marked  business  dis- 
cernment and  resourceful  ability,  watchful  of 
opportunities  and  prompt  in  utilizing  every  busi- 
ness advantage  that  offered  him  a  field  for  honor- 
able eflfort.  He  became  interested  in  many  other 
kinds  of  business  here  and  the  commercial  and 
industrial  circles  of  the  city  would  be  much 
abbreviated  if  it  were  not  for  the  prominent  part 
which  he  took  in  promoting  the  productive  in- 
dustries and  financial  affairs  of  the  city.  He  was 
president  of  the  Rockford  ^^'atch  Factory  and 
one  of  its  large  stockholders,  was  president  of  the 
Rockford  Street  Railway  Company,  president  of 
the  Rockford  Silver  Plate  ^^'orks,  a  director  in 
the  People's  Bank,  a  stockholder  in  the  Nelson 
House,  a  director  in  the  Rockford  Insurance 
Company,  financially  interested  in  the  Rockford 
Tack  Factory  and  one  of  its  directors  and  one 
of  the  charter  members  of  the  Rockford  and 
Intcrurban  Railway  Company,  so  continuing  up 
to  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  likewise  inter- 
ested in  real  estate  and  owned  valuable  property 
all  over  the  city.  He  also  held  stock  in  other 
business  enterprises  here.  He  found  in  i8go  that 
his  interests  were  becoming  too  extensive  and 
varied  for  successful  management  and  made  an 
assignment  at  a  time  when  he  was  able  to  pay 
dollar  for  dollar.  Such  was  the  position  which 
he  held  in  the  trust  of  his  fellowmen  that  his 
creditors  all  assisted  him  in  again  starting  in 
business  and  it  was  not  long  before  he  was  once 
in  control  of  extensive  interests  and  many  of  the 
business  enterprises  mentioned  above  felt  the 
stimulus  of  his  activity  and  profited  by  his  wise 
counsel  and  keen  discernment  up  to  the  time  of 
his  demise. 


On  the  20th  of  January,  1862,  Air.  Price  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Frances  Irene 
\\^arner,  a  native  of  Bradford  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  a  daughter  of  Myron  and  Harriet 
(Hurlbert)  Warner,  and  a  granddaughter  of  Dr. 
Adjionia  \\'arner,  who  was  one  of  the  first 
physicians  of  Pennsylvania.  Her  father  followed 
tarming  throughout  his  entire  life  and  made  his 
home  in  Bradford  county,  Pennsylvania,  until 
called  to  his  final  rest,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six 
years,  while  his  wife  passed  away  at  the  age  of 
eighty-two  years.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Price  were 
born  two  children :  Mrs.  Maude  St.  Leon,  who 
resides  in  Denver,  Colorado,  with  her  son,  Harry 
Price,  and  who  also  has  a  daughter,  Mary 
Daphne.  The  second  daughter  of  Mr.  Price, 
Mary  Eugenia,  died  in  July.  1870.  The  death 
of  Mr.  Price  occurred  very  suddenly  on  the  nth 
of  May,  1903,  a  few  days  before  the  sixty-sixth 
anniversary  of  his  birth. 

In  his  political  affiliation  Mr.  Price  was  a 
stanch  republican,  who  took  an  active  interest 
in  the  party,  its  work  and  success.  He  belonged 
to  Rockford  lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  Crusader 
commandery.  No.  17,  K.  T.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  held  membership  in  the  Episcopalian  church 
but  she  is  now  identified  with  the  Seventh  Day 
Adventists.  Mr.  Price  was  an  earnest  Christian 
man  and  in  his  life  exemplified  a  humanitarian 
spirit  that  awakened  admiration  and  respect.  At 
all  times  he  commanded  the  esteem  of  those  with 
whom  he  had  business  relations  or  who  were  em- 
ployed by  him  and  those  who  came  within  a  closer 
circle  of  a  social  acquaintance  knew  him  as  a 
most  genial  and  companionable  gentleman.  His 
was  a  noble  career  from  the  fact  that  entering 
business  life  with  the  meager  salary  of  two  dol- 
lars per  week  he  worked  his  way  steadily  upward 
to  a  place  where  he  controlled  business  interests 
involving  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars.  He 
had  a  ready  appreciation  for  opportunities  and 
never  failed  to  utilize  the  advantages  that  came  to 
him  and  his  name  was  a  synonym  for  integrity 
in  commercial  transactions.  His  history  is  inter- 
woven with  that  of  Rockford  and  while  he  has 
passed  away  his  name  is  found  upon  the  roll  of 
honored  dead.  Men  of  prominence  and  in  public 
life  and  whom  the  workl  acknowledges  as  of  real 
worth  are  not  the  military  or  political  leaders  but 
those  who  are  controlling  the  veins  and  arteries 
of  the  traffic  and  exchanges  of  the  world  wherein 
rests  the  prosperity  of  town,  county  and  nation, 
and  Mr.  Price  contributed  in  substantial  measure 
to  the  material  upbuilding,  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  his  adopted  city.  Moreover  he  was 
known  as  a  citizen  of  genuine  worth  endeared  to 
his  associates  by  ties  of  strong  friendship. 

Mrs.  Price,  well  known  in  social  circles  of 
Rockford,  was  the  first  lady  clerk  in  the  postoffice 


276 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


of  this  city,  for  during  the  period  of  the  Civil 
war  she  accepted  that  position  for  a  man  who 
desired  to  go  to  the  front  and  slie  acted  in  that 
capacity  for  eighteen  months.  In  May,  1882, 
Mr.  Price  hiiilt  the  present  residence  where  his 
widow  now  resides,  at  No.  929  North  Main 
street,  and  it  is  one  of  the  large  and  fine  homes 
of  the  city.  It  is  said  that  Mr.  Price  never  had 
an  enemy  in  the  world  but  all  men  liked  him  and 
that  he  was  popular  with  young  and  old,  rich 
and  poor.  It  is  only  men  of  the  best  qualities  and 
characteristics  who  are  thus  esteemed  and  in 
Rockford  he  stood  as  a  man  among  men. 
"His  life  was  noble  and  the  elements 
So  mixed  in  him  that  .Nature  might  stand  u]) 
And  say  to  all  the  world  'This  was  a  man.'  " 


FRANK  OSCAR  SEGURD. 

Death  often  removes  from  our  midst  those 
whom  we  can  ill  afford  to  lose  and  such  was 
the  case  with  Frank  O.  Segiird,  who  when  called 
from  the  activities  of  this  life,  was  one  of  the 
progressive  business  men  of  Rockford,  his  labors 
contributing  to  its  commercial  progress  and 
prosperity.  He  also  was  well  known  in  p(3litical 
circles,  while  liis  personal  traits  of  character  en- 
deared him  to  a  large  circle  of  friends.  He  was 
a  native  of  Sweden  but  was  only  two  and  a 
half  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  Winnebago 
county  with  his  ])arents.  locating  in  Pecatonica, 
on  a  small  farm,  which  his  father  had  purchased 
near  that  village.  P.oth  parents  still  reside  there. 
The  father  is  a  shoemaker  by  trade  and  fol- 
lows that  pursuit  in  the  village  in  addition  to 
the  management  of  his  agricultural  interests. 
He  has  two  sons  and  a  daughter,  who  arc  yet 
living:  Charles,  who  is  engaged  in  the  gro- 
cery business  on  Seventh  street  in  Rockford; 
Godfrey,  who  is  a  farmer  residing  in  Walker, 
Missouri :  and  .Anna,  the  wife  of  George 
Brewster,   a   caqienter.   living  in    Pecatonica. 

In  his  boyhood  and  youth  l-'rank  ().  Segurd 
attended  the  public  schools  and  when  a  young 
man  went  to  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  where  he 
was  a  student  for  one  year.  On  his  return  to 
Pecatonica  he  was  in  the  employ  of  J.  B.  Green- 
wood for  five  years  and  spent  the  year  1886  in 
Chicago.  The  following  year  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  Rockford.  where  ho  secured  a  position 
with  W.  W.  Sawyer,  one  of  the  oldest  drug- 
gists in  years  of  connection  with  the  trade  in 
the  city.  He  continued  to  clerk  for  Mr.  Saw- 
yer for  eleven  years,  or  until  1897,  when  he  em- 
harked  in  the  drug  liusiness  on  his  own  account 
at  No.  530  South  Seventh  street,  where  he  con- 
tinued up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was 
situated  at  an  advantageous  corner  and  had  a 
handsome  well  appointed  store,  carrying  a  large 


line  of  drugs,  druggists'  specialties  and  im- 
ported and  domestic  cigars.  He  likewise  made 
a  specialty  of  compounding  medicines  and  filling 
prescriptions  and  was  accorded  a  liberal  patron- 
age not  only  by  reason  of  his  straightforward 
business  methods  but  also  on  account  of  his 
genial  and  obliging  manner  and  his  pleasant  dis- 
])i5sition.  lie  led  a  very  busy  life,  having  little 
time  for  recreation,  finding  that  his  business  in- 
terests claimed  his  time,  energies  and  talents  to 
the  full  extent.  He  was  also  one  of  the  stock- 
holders in  the  Rockford  Undertaking  Establish- 
ment, with  which  he  was  connected  from  its 
organization  twelve  years  ago  to  the  time  of 
his  death. 

On  the  2d  of  October,  1890,  Mr.  Segurd  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Selma  Elizabeth  Borg, 
a  native  of  Rockford,  and  a  daughter  of  .\ndrew 
and  Matilda  (Carlson)  Piorg,  both  of  whom 
were  born  in  Morlunda,  Sweden.  Tier  father 
was  at  one  time  engaged  in  business  in  Rock- 
ford as  a  mason  contractor  and  builder.  He 
was  born  June  16.  1839,  and  was  among  the 
early  emigrants  from  his  land  to  the  United 
States.  He  learned  his  trade  in  ( )skershaiu, 
and  in  the  summer  of  1854,  when  twenty-four 
years  of  age,  took  passage  on  a  sailing  vessel 
bound  for  New  York  city.  They  encountered 
severe  weather  and  for  four  days  were  without 
food  and  water.  Twenty-four  passengers  died 
from  exhaustion  and  were  buried  in  the  sea,  but 
at  length  the  long  hard  voyage  was  over  and 
Mr.  Borg  set  foot  on  American  soil  in  New 
York  city,  August  15,  1854.  He  then  started 
for  Chicago.  He  was  entirely  without  money 
and  had  also  lost  his  trunk  so  that  literally  he 
began  life  in  the  new  world  empty-handed.  He 
was  resolute  and  energetic,  however,  and  soon 
found  employment.  A  year  later  he  determined 
to  go  to  Kansas  but  in  ])assiMg  through  Rock- 
fi>rd  was  so  well  pleased  with  the  city  that  he 
resolved  to  make  his  home  there.  Other  mem- 
bers of  the  family  al.so  came  to  this  country. 
Three  years  after  coming  to  this  country  Mr. 
Borg  returned  to  his  native  land,  where  he 
wedded  .\ima  S.  Carl.son.  who  died  at  the  age 
of  twenty-two  years,  only  nine  days  after  she 
and  her  husband  had  come  to  the  United  States. 
Later  he  wedded  Ida  M.  Carlson,  a  sister  of  his 
first  wife,  and  she  also  died  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
two  years,  .^he  left  a  daughter,  .Sclma  E.,  now 
the  wife  of  Frank  .^egurd.  Mr.  P>org  was  mar- 
ried in  Rockhjrd  to  .\nna  S.  Bowman,  who  was 
born  in  Sweden,  .-\ugust  4,  1852,  and  in  1864 
came  to  this  city  with  her  parents.  There  were 
eight  children  born  of  tiie  last  marriage,  of 
whom  four  are  yet  living,  .\lbert,  Olivia  and 
X'ictoria,  twins,  and  Esther  have  passed  away. 
Those  who  still  survive  are  Edward,  .\lbert  A., 
Esther  L.  and   ITurbert. 


FRAXK  O.  SEGURD. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


279 


The  year  following  his  arrival  in  Rockford 
Mr.  Borg;  began  business  as  a  mason  contractor 
and  builder  and  many  of  the  substantial  struc- 
tures of  the  city  stand  as  monuments  to  his 
skill  and  enterprise.  As  liberal  patronage  was 
accorded  him  and  his  financial  resources  were 
thereby  increased,  Mr.  Borg  invested  in  property 
here  and  in  addition  to  his  own  residence  had  an 
interest  in  the  flats  and  residence  at  the  corner 
of  Fourth  avenue  and  Seventh  street.  He  and 
J.  A.  Bowman  built  the  Royal  block  and  the 
Bowman  Borg  building.  He  likewise  became 
financially  interested  in  a  number  of  important 
business  enterprises,  being  a  stockholder  in  the 
Skandia  Plow  Company,  a  stockholder  and  di- 
rector in  the  Skandia  Brick  Company  and  a  di- 
rector in  the  Union  grocery  store.  His  was  a 
successful  business  career,  in  which  diligence, 
effort  and  perseverance  were  crowned  with  a 
full  measure  of  success.  His  political  allegiance 
was  given  to  the  republican  party  and  both 
he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Zion 
Lutheran  church.  They  remained  residents  of 
Rockford  until  called  to  their  final  rest,  J\Ir. 
Borg  passing  away  December  3.  1899.  Air.  and 
Mrs.  Segurd  have  but  one  son,  Floyd  Oliver, 
born  August  4,  1892. 

Mr.  Segurd  departed  this  life  June  10,  1905. 
His  widow  still  owns  the  drug  store.  He  always 
took  an  active  interest  in  politics  and  for  manv 
years  was  an  active  worker  and  treasurer  in  the 
Rockford  Republican  Club.  He  was  a  trustee 
of  the  Zion  Lutheran  church  for  twelve  years, 
and  its  treastirer  for  five  years  and  Mrs.  Se- 
gurd yet  retains  her  membership  with  that  or- 
ganization. She  now  resides  at  No.  622  Col- 
lege avenue  and  is  prominent  socially  in  Rock- 
ford. 'Mr.  Segurd  was  well  known,  being  one 
of  the  representative  citizens  here,  and  he  al- 
ways had  a  kind  word  for  all  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact.  He  was  also  a  man  of  liberal 
spirit  and  marked  generosity  and  the  poor  and 
needy  never  appealed  to  him  in  vain.  His 
fidelity  in  friendship,  his  trustworthiness  in  busi- 
ness and  his  honor  in  citizenship  combined  to 
make  him  a  man  deserving  the  esteem  of  all. 
while  his  life  record  is  worthv  of  emulation. 


HON.  CHARLES  A.  WORKS. 

Hon.  Charles  A.  Works,  who  died  very  sud- 
denly at  his  home  on  College  avenue  in  Rock- 
ford, on  the  evening  of  Alay  16,  1903,  was  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  pioneer  families  of 
Winnebago  county,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Guilford  township.  May  4,  1848.  His  parents, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Works,  were  natives  of 
the  east  and  on  coming  to  this  county   in   1836 


settled  upon  a  farm  in  Guilford  township,  where 
they  spent  their  remaining  days.  The  records  of 
the  First  Congregational  church  of  Rockford 
show  that  Charles  Works.  Sr.,  was  admitted  to 
its  membership  on  the   19th  of  May,   1837. 

Air.  Works  of  this  review  was  a  public  school 
student  in  his  home  district  in  Guilford  town- 
ship and  afterward  in  the  east  side  high  school 
of  Rockford,  where  he  completed  a  course  in 
1868.  He  then  entered  Beloit  College,  at  Beloit, 
Wisconsin,  and  was  graduated  with  the  class 
of  1873.  His  first  experience  in  professional  life 
was  as  clerk  of  the  Illinois  supreme  court  at 
Ottawa,  where  he  remained  until  1875  ^"d  ''^ 
September  of  that  year  he  was  chosen  sttperin- 
tendent  of  schools  of  La  Salle,  Illinois,  where 
he  continued  his  labors  as  an  educator  for  two 
}-ears.  He  next  entered  the  office  of  the  circuit 
clerk  at  Ottawa  as  deputy,  remaining  there  until 
the  spring  of  1878.  During  his  entire  residence 
in  La  Salle  county  he  had  devoted  every  avail- 
able moment  to  the  study  of  law  and  in  1878 
was  admitted  to  the  bar,  having  qualified  himself 
for  the  practice  of  his  chosen  profession.  About 
this  time  he  received  the  appointment  to  a  posi- 
tion with  the  United  States  superintendent  of 
Indian  affairs  at  Yankton,  Dakota.  In  January, 
1879,  he  entered  upon  the  active  practice  of  his 
profession  at  Rockford  with  W.  D.  StapHn  as  a 
partner,  which  continued  for  about  two  years. 
About  ten  years  prior  to  his  death  he  formed  a 
partnership  with  Stanton  A.  Hyer,  which  rela- 
tion was  maintained  until  his  life's  labors  were 
ended.  Mr.  Works  was  recognized  as  a  promi- 
nent member  of  the  Rockford  bar,  preparing  his 
cases  with  great  thoroughness  and  presenting 
them  before  court  or  jury  with  great  force  and 
earnestness.  He  always  impressed  his  juries 
with  faith  in  the  justice  of  his  cause  and  his 
success  made  him  one  of  the  notable  lawyers  of 
this  part  of  the  state.  In  1880  he  was  elected 
state  attorney  of  Winnebago  count}-,  which  posi- 
tion he  filled  with  distinguished  abilitv  for  twelve 
years,  neither  fear  nor  favor  swerving  him  in 
the  discharge  of  his  duties.  In  1892  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  state  board  of  equaliza- 
tion of  the  old  ninth  congressional  district  and 
acted  in  that  cajjacity  for  a  period  of  thirteen 
years. 

Mr.  Works  was  well  known  as  an  ardent  re- 
publican and  his  championship  to  the  principles 
of  the  party  were  an  influential  factor  in  its  suc- 
cesses. He  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
General  Grant,  in  1872.  and  ever  afterward 
worked  for  the  organization  in  its  campaigns. 
In  1888  he  was  chosen  as  a  delegate  to  the  re- 
publican national  convention,  which  nominated 
Benjamin  Harrison  for  the  presidency.  He  was 
excelled  by  few  as  an  impromptu  political  speaker 
and  because  he  had  firm  belief  in  his  party  plat- 


28o 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


form  and  possessed  beside  a  natural  ^ift  of  ora- 
tory he  never  failed  to  leave  a  strong  impression 
upon  the  minds  of  his  auditors  and  frequently 
carried  conviction  to  his  hearers.  He  was  also 
regarded  as  a  safe  political  advisor,  being  wise 
and  conservative  in  his  political  labors  as  well 
as  professional  life. 

In  November,  1880,  was  celebrated  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  Works  and  Miss  Eva  Enoch,  a 
daughter  of  Hon.  .Abraham  I.  Enoch,  one  of 
the  prominent  citizens  of  Rockford  at  an  early 
day.  They  became  the  parents  of  four  children, 
Marion,  Mabel,  Helen  and  Charles  Enoch.  Mr. 
Works  was  a  man  of  strong  domestic  tastes  who 
found  in  his  home  most  congenial  surroundings 
and  he  was  ever  mitiringly  devoted  to  the  wel- 
fare of  his  wife  and  children.  He  had  per- 
fected plans  for  a  beautiful  new  residence  on 
North  Main  street  when  called  to  his  final  rest 
and  Mrs.  Works  has  since  carried  out  the  plans 
and  now  has  a  fine  home  occupied  by  herself  and 
children.  Mr.  Works  was  the  only  thirty-second 
degree  Mason  in  Winnebago  county.  He  be- 
longed to  Rockford  lodge,  No.  102,  A.  F.  &  A. 
M.,  Winnebago  chapter.  No.  24,  R.  A.  M., 
Crusader  commandery.  No.  17,  K.  T.,  Freeport 
consistory,  S.  P.  R.  S.  and  Tebala  temple,  A. 
.\.  O.  N'.  M.  S.  He  had  also  taken  the  thirty- 
second  degree,  an  honor  to  which  one  must  be 
elected  and  he  likewise  held  membership  in  Rock- 
ford lodge.  No.  64.  B.  P.  O.  E.,  and  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  United  Workmen.  He  was 
a  valued  representative  of  these  different  or- 
ganizations and  in  their  ranks  his  death  was 
deeply  regretted,  while  Rockford  recognized  its 
loss  of  a  valued  citizen,  the  bar  a  prominent 
member  and  his  family  a  devoted  husband  and 
father. 


GILBERT   F.   COLBY. 

The  Pecatonica  News  is  a  bright  and  newsy 
weekly,  and  has  aided  in  no  small  way  in  pro- 
moting the  interests  of  the  village  where  it  is 
pulilished.  It  is  a  successful  representative  of 
the  people  of  the  place  where  it  is  located  and 
its  value  in  the  community  can  not  be  estimated. 
Tireless  in  its  defense  of  the  right,  and  fearless 
in  its  denunciation  of  the  evils  of  the  age,  it  has 
won  an  enviable  reputation  among  the  best  peo- 
ple of  the  county  and  its  ]3opularity  is  proved 
by  a  constantly  increasing  subscription  list. 

The  editor  and  publisher  of  this  paper  was 
born  in  Pecatonica,  Winnebago  county,  Illinois, 
July  IQ.  1881,  the  son  of  Nathan  L.  and  Ella  M. 
(Smith)   Colby. 

The  father,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Peca- 
tonica News  and  one  who,  during  his  life,  was 
one  of  the  most  influential  and  best  known  resi- 


dents of  the  county,  was  born  at  Beloit,  Wis- 
consin, December  20,  1854,  the  son  of  Nathan 
D.  and  Sybil  W.  (Pease)  Colby.  His  parents 
came  to  Beloit  in  1847  from  Maine,  being  among 
the  earliest  settlers.  His  mother  died  in  Beloit, 
on  December  17,  1884,  and  his  father's  death 
occurred  seven  years  later,  July  12,  1891.  In  his 
youth  he  learned  the  trade  of  a  printer  in  a 
priming  cstalilishment  at  Beloit  and  gained  a 
good  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  city. 
In  1870  he  went  to  Milwaukee,  where  he  be- 
came a  compositor  on  the  Sentinel  but  the  fol- 
lowing year  removed  to  Davis,  Illinois,  and  with 
his  brother,  William  A.  Colby,  started  a  paper 
of  their  own.  In  December,  1872.  it  was  moved 
to  Pecatonica  and  established  as  the  Pecatonica 
News.  In  1880  he  purchased  his  brother's  in- 
terest and  conducted  the  paper  with  marked  suc- 
cess up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 

Mr.  Colby  was  a  stanch  republican  and  filled 
various  offices  of  trust,  serving  for  five  years 
as  township  clerk,  also  as  village  treasurer, 
])rcsident  of  the  village  board  of  trustees,  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  education,  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  in  September,  1898,  he  was  appointed 
postmaster,  being  re-appointed  in  1902.  He  was 
for  many  years  chief  of  the  fire  department, 
])residcnt  of  the  Electric  Light  Company  and 
otherwise  identified  with  the  upbuilding  of  the 
community.  In  his  social  connections  he  was 
identified  with  the  A.  W.  Rawson  lodge.  No. 
145.  A.  F.  &  A.  M..  at  Pecatonica:  Crusader 
commandery.  No.  17,  Knights  Templar,  and 
Tcbala  Temple  of  the  Mystic  Shrine,  at  Rock- 
ford :  Freeport  consistory,  at  Freeport ;  the 
luireka  camp.  No.  50,  M.  W.  A. ;  Monitor  gar- 
rison. No.  19,  at  Pecatonica,  and  was  at  one 
time  connected  with  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows.  His  death  occurred  July  11,  1904, 
passing  away   very  suddenly. 

The  mother  of  our  subject,  known  in  maiden- 
hood as  Ella  M.  Smith,  was  born  in  Ridott 
township,  Stephenson  county,  Illinois,  April  8, 
1859,  the  daughter  of  Gilbert  F.  and  Helen  M. 
(Shaw)  Smith.  She  was  educated  in  the  coun- 
try schools  and  afterward  taught  school  for  a 
mimber  of  years.  Her  marriage,  which  was 
solemnized  in  Freeport.  Sei)tembcr  15.  1880.  was 
blessed  bv  the  birth  of  three  children,  namely: 
Gilbert  F..  born  Tulv  19.  1881  :  Claude  A.,  July 
27.  1883:  and  Smith  W.,  May  15.  1887.  She 
was  always  a  true  and  faithful  helpmate  to  her 
husband  and  their  unitcfl  efforts  brought  them 
a  competence  which  left  her  well  provided  for 
at  the  death  of  her  husband.  She  still  resides 
at  the  family  residence  in  Pecatonica. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  obtained  his  edu- 
cation in  the  Pecatonica  public  school  from 
which  he  was  graduated  in  1S97.  ^^  then  ac- 
cepted a  position  as  assistant  postmaster  under 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


281 


his  uncle  at  Union  Grove,  Wisconsin,  which  posi- 
tion he  resigned  a  year  later  to  take  a  similar 
position  under  his  father  in  the  Pecatonica  post- 
office.  In  1901  he  was  appointed  to  a  position 
in  the  railway  main  service  of  the  government, 
running  first  between  Chicago  and  Dubuque  and 
later  from  Chicago  to  Lake  Geneva,  Wisconsin. 
At  the  Lake  Geneva  postoffice,  his  terminal  office, 
he  became  acquainted  with  Lena  A.  Voss,  a  clerk, 
and  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carl  Voss,  with 
whom  he  was  united  in  marriage,  March  30, 
1904.  Just  prior  to  the  death  of  his  father,  in 
July  of  the  same  year,  he  resigned  from  the  rail- 
way mail  service  to  assist  him  in  the  postoffice 
and  printing  office  and  at  his  father's  death  took 
up  the  management  of  the  paper.  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Colby  was  born,  July  17,  1905,  a  son, 
Charles  Nathan. 

Politically  Mr.  Colby  is  a  republican  and  con- 
ducts the  paper  which  he  publishes  in  the  in- 
terests of  that  party.  He  is  at  present  a  member 
of  the  village  board  of  trustees  and  greatly  in- 
terested in  the  welfare  of  the  community. 


BENJAMIN   BLAKEMAN. 

Benjamin  Blakeman,  a  retired  merchant  and 
manufacturer,  v,-ho  has  almost  rounded  the  span 
of  four  score  years,  was  born  in  Stratford,  Con- 
necticut, June  12,  1826.  The  ancestors  of  the 
Blakemans  emigrated  from  England  to  America 
in  1639.  The  grandfather  was  Zachariah  Blake- 
man and  the  father  was  Treat  Blakeman.  The 
latter  was  born  in  Stratford,  Connecticut,  in 
1798,  and  was  a  man  of  affairs,  active  and  enter- 
prising in  business,  and  he  died  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety-two  years.  He  married  Hannah 
Birdsey,  also  of  Stratford,  Coimecticut.  The 
great-grandfather  of  Mr.  Blakeman  in  the  ma- 
ternal line  was  the  Rev.  Nathan  Birdsey,  who 
settled  in  Stratford,  Connecticut,  in  1739,  and 
attained  the  very  advanced  age  of  one  hundred 
and   three   years   and   five   months. 

Benjamin  Blakeman,  spending  his  boyhood 
days  in  the  place  of  his  nativity,  acquired  his 
early  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Strat- 
ford, and  afterward  continued  his  studies  in 
Bridgeport,  Connecticut.  He  entered  upon  his 
business  career  as  a  salesman  in  a  general  store, 
and  thinking  to  enjoy  better  business  opportu- 
nities in  the  eastern  metropolis,  he  went  to  New 
York  city,  where  for  two  years  he  occupied  a 
position  as  clerk.  Later  he  bought  and  removed 
to  a  farm  in  his  native  town,  on  which  he  resided 
until  1856,  when  he  came  to  Rockford,  Illinois. 
Here  he  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  associ- 
ated with  Henry  Plant,  and  afterward  became 
a  member  of  the  firm   of  Blakeman,   Upson   & 


Company.  His  next  business  relationship  was 
as  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Blakeman, 
Woodruff  &  Company,  and  afterward  he  was 
with  William  Dobson.  He  engaged  in  manu- 
facturing and  supplying  builders'  material  and 
continued  actively  in  trade  until  1898,  when  he 
disposed  of  his  holdings  to  William  Dobson. 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Blakeman  had  made  ex- 
tensive and  judicious  investments  in  real  estate, 
and  is  to-day  the  owner  of  considerable  valuable 
property  in  Rockford,  including  a  number  of 
good  brick  business  houses  and  residences.  He 
is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  People's  Bank  & 
Trust  Company,  on  the  board  of  its  directory, 
and  for  several  years  was  a  director  of  the  Home 
Loan  &  Building  Company.  Since  severing  his 
connection  with  the  lumber  trade,  he  has  lived 
quietly,  looking  after  his  general  business  inter- 
ests and  affairs,  and  amid  comfortable  surround- 
ings, and  in  the  midst  of  many  friends  is  enjoy- 
ing the  fruits  of  his  former  toil. 

While  residing  on  the  farm  in  his  native  town 
Mr.  Blakeman  was  married  in  1848  to  Miss  Car- 
oline Fairchild,  and  unto  them  were  born  four 
daughters,  namely :  Anna  C,  widow  of  Dr. 
Thomas  G.  \  incent :  Helen,  the  wife  of  Theron 
G.  Pierpont ;  Emma,  the  deceased  wife  of  Al- 
bert D.  Early,  and  Harriet  E.,  who  died  in  1904. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Blakeman  are  acceptable  members 
of  the  Second  Congregational  church,  to  which 
they  are  liberal  contributors,  and  he  has  been  a 
deacon  in  the  church  for  more  than  forty  years. 
Their  home  is  at  No.  732  North  Main  street, 
and  for  years  it  has  been  noted  for  its  gracious 
and  attractive  hospitality. 

Mr.  Blakeman  is  an  extremely  well  preserved 
man  for  one  of  his  years.  Nature  is  kind  to 
those  who  abuse  not  her  laws,  and  Mr.  Blake- 
man has  ever  been  strictly  temperate  in  all  of 
his  habits,  never  using  tobacco  or  intoxicants  in 
any  form,  and  molding  his  life  in  harmony  with 
the  principles  that  underlie  an  upright  manhood. 
He  earned  for  himself  an  enviable  reputation  as 
a  careful  man  of  business,  and  in  his  dealings 
was  known  for  his  prompt  and  honorable  meth- 
ods which  won  for  him  the  respect  and  un- 
bounded confidence  of  his  fellowmen.  Such  a 
career  should  serve  as  an  example  for  the  young 
and  an  inspiration  to  the  aged. 


WILLIAM  BODINE. 

^^'illiam  Bodine,  following  general  farming  on 
section  18,  Harrison  township,  is  a  pioneer  set- 
tler, the  length  of  whose  residence  in  Winnebago 
county  is  surpassed  by  few  of  its  citizens  at  the 
present  day,  for  he  arrived  here  in  January,  1840. 
He  was  born  in  the  township  of  Southwold,  in 


28^2 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


the  district  of  London,  now  in  the  province  of 
Ontario,  Canada.  March  8,  1820,  and  is  a 
son  of  Ahrani  and  Zelah  (Taylor)  liodine. 
the  former  of  luiijlisli  and  the  latter  of  I'Vench 
and  ( iernian  parenlatje.  The  father  was  horn 
in  Xeu  Jerse\.  and  his  wife  was  a  native  of 
I'ennsylvania.  In  1810  they  removed  to  Canada, 
where  he  engaged  in  farming,  and  where  they 
made  their  home  until  called  to  tlicir  final  rest. 
Mr.  liodine  (lejianing  this  life  in  June.  1846. 
when  ahiuit  sixty-five  years  of  age.  while  hi> 
wife  died  in  .\])ril.  18,^7.  when  about  fifty  years 
of  age.  They  had  a  large  family,  and  two  of 
the  sisters  came  to  Illinois,  a  son  of  one  of  them. 
I'Vank  I'elley  by  name,  now  residing  in  Rock- 
ford    tnwnship. 

William  I'.odine  was  reared  in  Canada,  and 
there  made  his  home  until  eighteen  years  of  age. 
wiien  he  went  to  Michigan,  where  he  spent 
fifteen  months.  He  then  removed  to  Joliet.  Illi- 
nois, and  in  January.  1840.  arrived  in  Winnebago 
county.  .\  year  or  so  afterward  he  settled  upon 
the  farm  which  is  now  his  home,  purchasing  a 
claim  <if  S.  S.  Richards.  .\fter  spending  the 
first  summer  at  Roscoe  Mr.  IJodine  took  u])  his 
abode  on  this  farm,  and  is  now  the  oldest  resi- 
dent of  Harrison  townshi]).  He  owns  eightv- 
nine  acres  in  the  home  place,  besides  sixty  acres 
on  section  7.  Harrison  township,  and  he  has  long 
carried  on  general  farming  and  stock-raising, 
bringing  his  land  up  to  its  present  high  state  of 
cultivation  and  making  all  of  the  improvements 
upon  the  place.  It  came  into  his  pos.session  just 
as  it  had  left  the  hand  of  nature  and  the  soil, 
naturally  rich  and  jiroductive.  under  the  culti- 
vation of  .Mr.  liodine  has  brought  forth  rich 
harvests  which  have  amiually  returned  him  a 
good  income. 

in  Harrison  township,  this  county,  Mr.  Bo- 
wline was  first  married  to  Miss  Harriet  Sophronia 
Babcock,  a  native  of  New  York,  who  died  here 
in  .August,  11846,  leaving  two  children.  Harriet 
Lenora.  born  September  i.  1844.  is  the  wife  of 
.\lexander  Tunks.  of  Clover,  Portage  countv, 
Wisconsin,  and  she  is  now  a  grandmother. 
George  \V.,  who  served  in  the  Civil  war.  enter- 
ing the  army  as  a  recruit  of  the  Fifty-fifth  Illi- 
nois Infantry,  died  before  joining  his  regiment, 
being  then  about  eighteen  years  of  age.  For 
his  second  wife  Mr.  Bodine  chose  I'rances  E. 
.Mlhright.  of  Winnebago  county,  who  was  born 
in  Ohio,  but  was  reared  in  .Michigan  and  in  this 
state.  She  is  now  living  at  more  than  sevcntv- 
four  years  of  age.  There  were  eleven  children 
by  this  marriage:  ( )rin  J..  Jacob,  and  Doris  C. 
who  died  in  infancy:  Zelah.  the  wife  of  Daniel 
Dobson.  a  farmer  of  Harrison  township:  Jere- 
miah, a  farmer,  living  in  .Arkansas;  Esther  L., 
the  wife  of  John  M.  Ilurd,  who  resides  in  Har- 
rison township;  Charles  Sumner,  who  died  when 


twenty-one  years  of  age;  Laura  Emeline,  the 
wife  of  (ieorge  M.  Norton,  a  farmer  and  car- 
penter, residing  near  her  father's  farm;  Arthusa, 
who  is  living  at  home:  .\nna  Loiza.  the  wife  of 
l-"rank  W'.  Selden.  living  on  the  home  farm  with 
her  father;  Isaac,  who  died  when  about  seven- 
teen years  of  age. 

Politically  Mr.  I'odine  is  a  stalwart  prohi- 
bitionist, and  su|)i)orle(l  the  alxjlition  party  be- 
fore the  war.  He  was  the  first  boy  who  dared  to 
step  forward  and  sign  the  cold  water  ])ledgc  in 
the  town  where  he  was  born  in  the  early  days 
of  temperance  agitation,  and  he  has  always 
exerted  his  infiuence.  both  by  precept  and  exam- 
ple, against  the  liquor  traffic.  He  has  served  in 
some  of  the  local  offices  of  the  townshi]).  has 
been  chairman  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the 
1-Veewill  Baptist  church  and  is  an  earnest 
Christian  gentleman  and  highly  respected  citi- 
zen. Honorable  principles  and  upright  motives 
have  actuated  his  life,  and  he  receives  the  ven- 
eration and  esteem  which  should  ever  be 
accorded  those  who  have  advancecl  far  on  life's 
journey.  Through  sixty-five  years  he  has  lived 
in  this  county,  and  we  of  the  twentieth  century 
can  scarcely  realize  the  hardships,  dangers  and 
privations  borne  by  the  early  pioneers  who 
bravely  met  the  struggles  and  difficulties  inci- 
dent to  settlement  in  a  frontier  region  and 
planted  the  seeds  of  civilization  which  have 
l)rought  comfort  and  prosperity  at  the  present 
time. 


EDWARD  TAYLOR. 

Edward  Taylor,  the  secretary  and  treasurer  of 
the  Rockford  Silver  Plate  Company,  is  a  native 
of  Massachusetts,  his  birth  having  there  occurred 
in  1863.  He  pursued  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  and  when  quite  young  removed  to  Michi- 
gan with  his  parents,  where  he  continued  his 
studies.  Later  he  returned  to  his  native  state, 
where  he  entered  upon  his  business  career  as  an 
employe  in  the  Pairpoint  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, of  Xew  Bedford.  Massachn.setts.  Tn  1891 
lie  went  to  .'^an  Francisco.  California,  where  he 
established  a  branch  business  for  his  firm  and 
after  placing  this  upon  a  substantial  footing  he 
returned  to  the  old  Bay  state,  and  subsequently 
accepted  a  position  with  the  Holmes  &  Edwards 
Silver  Company,  of  Bridgeport.  Connecticut.  He 
continued  with  that  house  until  May,  1890,  when 
he  took  charge  of  the  Rockford  Silver  Plate  Com- 
pany and  here  he  became  a  stockholder  in  the 
enterprise  and  soon  afterward  was  elected  secre- 
tary and  treasurer,  which  positions  he  has  since 
filled  in  a  most  creditable  manner,  L'nder  the 
management  of  Mr.  Taylor  a  number  of  valuable 
improvements  have  been  made.    The  business  has 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


285 


been  enlarged  and  the  sales  have  been  increased 
until  the  industry  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
substantial  productive  enterprises  of  Rockford, 
contributing  in  no  small  degree  to  the  com- 
mercial prosperity  of  the  city.  The  works  were 
established  in  1883,  having  been  removed  to  this 
city  from  Racine,  Wisconsin.  Local  parties  be- 
came interested  therein  and  the  company  is 
capitalized  for  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
thousand  dollars.  The  present  officers  are  Hon. 
William  Lathrop,  president,  and  Edward  Taylor, 
secretary  and  treasurer.  A  four-story  building 
was  erected  especially  for  this  business,  was 
equipped  with  the  latest  improved  machinerv  and 
with  steam  power  and  about  one  hundred  oper- 
atives are  employed  in  the  factory.  They  do  all 
kinds  of  plating  of  tableware,  cutlery  specialties, 
and  novelties.  The  majority  of  workmen  are 
skilled  in  their  line  and  the  output  of  the  house 
is  of  such  a  desirable  character  that  a  readv 
market  is  secured  for  the  product  at  home  and 
abroad. 

Mr.  Taylor  was  married  in  1889  to  Miss 
Georgia  H.  Bradley,  and  they  make  their  home 
at  No.  962  North  Church  street.  Mr.  Taylor  is 
prominent  in  Masonry,  having  attained  the 
thirty-second  degree  of  the  Scottish  Rite.  He  is 
popular  socially  as  well  as  in  business  circles  and 
in  the  latter  has  made  a  creditable  name  and  an 
honorable  record.  His  entire  life  has  been  de- 
voted to  the  line  of  activity  which  still  claims 
his  attention  and  by  a  thorough  understanding  of 
the  work,  close  application,  unremitting  diligence 
and  devotion  to  the  interests  entrusted  to  him  he 
worked  his  way  steadily  upward  and  has  achieved 
the  success  which  classes  him  with  the  "captains 
of  industrv"  in  this  citv. 


JAMES   M.   S]\nTH. 


James  AI.  Smith,  who  carries  on  farming  on 
section  35,  Harlem  township,  where  he  has  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  was  born  upon 
this  farm,  June  24,  i860,  and  has  spent  his 
entire  life  here.  His  grandfather,  Daniel  Smith, 
was  a  native  of  Argyleshire,  Scotland,  and 
became  the  founder  of  the  family  in  this  county, 
where  he  located  in  pioneer  times.  He  died  in 
Harlem  township  in  1843,  while  his  wife,  who 
bore  the  maiden  name  of  ^lary  Montgomery, 
and  was  born  in  Argyleshire,  Scotland,  in  1800, 
survived  him  for  thirty  years  and  departed  this 
life  in  1875.  ^^''^  members  of  their  family  were 
as  follows :  John,  father  of  our  subject :  Rob- 
ert, who  is  now  living  in  Rockford :  Daniel,  a 
resident  of  the  village  of  Winnebago :  Alexan- 
der, who  died  in  Rockford  in  May,  1904 :  .\rchi- 
bald,  who  died  in  his  youth :  William,  who  died 
17 


in  Rockford  in  September,  1904;  Flora,  who 
died  in  1847;  Mrs.  Jane  Greenlee,  living  in 
Charles  City,  Iowa :  and  Mary  Agnes,  who  died 
in  1845. 

John  Smith  was  born  in  Argyleshire,  Scot- 
land, July  21,  1826,  and  came  with  his  parents 
to  the  new  world.  They  left  Campbellstown, 
Scotland,  on  the  4th  of  June,  1842,  and  landed 
at  New  York  on  the  4th  of  July.  They  then 
went  by  boat  to  Albany,  thence  to  Buffalo  by 
way  of  the  Erie  canal,  by  steamer  from  Buffalo 
to  Chicago,  and  on  by  team  to  Winnebago 
county,  the  grandfather  liiring  teams  to  haul  his 
family  and  goods  to  Harlem  township.  Reach- 
ing this  location,  John  Smith  purchased  gov- 
ernment land  and  cast  in  his  lot  with  the  pio- 
neer settlers  of  this  locality.  Rockford  at  that 
time  was  but  a  small  village,  the  business  dis- 
trict being  all  on  North  Madison  street,  and 
there  was  no  bridge  across  the  river.  .\  col- 
ored man  conducted  a  restaurant  and  was  also 
the  banker  of  the  little  town.  From  pioneer  times 
down  to  the  present  Mr.  Smith  has  watched  the 
development  and  growth  of  the  county  and  has 
materially  assisted  in  its  progress  by  his  efforts 
along  agricultural  lines.  He  is  now  a  hale  and 
hearty  old  gentleman,  living  in  honorable  retire- 
ment from  business  cares  with  his  wife,  their 
home  being  near  that  of  their  son,  James.  Mrs. 
Smith  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Elizabeth  Mont- 
gomery, was  born  in  Argyleshire,  Scotland,  De- 
cember 9,  1826,  and  was  a  daughter  of  James 
and  Jane  (Caldwell)  Montgomery,  pioneer  resi- 
dents of  Harlem  township.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith 
were  married  December  12,  1852.  and  became  the 
parents  of  the  following  sons  and  daughters : 
James  AL,  Daniel  M.,  who  is  living  in  Rockford 
township,  and  wedded  Catherine  Brown,  of  Cal- 
edonia, Illinois,  by  whom  he  has  one  son  ;  Jane, 
the  wife  of  James  S.  Reid,  of  Harlem  township, 
by  whom  she  has  two  sons  and  two  daughters : 
Flora  W..  at  home  with  her  parents ;  and  Marv 
E.,  the  wife  of  Hugh  McCarroll,  of  Battle  Creek, 
Michigan,  by  whom  she  has  one  daughter. 

James  M.  Smith,  whose  name  introduces  this 
review,  has  always  lived  upon  the  old  home- 
stead, where  he  yet  resides.  At  the  usual  age 
he  entered  the  public  schools,  and  therein  mas- 
tered the  common  branches  of  English  learning. 
Having  arrived  at  years  of  maturity  he  wedded 
Isabella  Rawlston,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Jane  Rawlston,  of  Harlem  township,  the  wed- 
ding being  celebrated  on  the  20th  of  October, 
iQoo.  The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  is 
noted  for  its  generous  and  genial  hospitality  and 
their  farm  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  county.  The 
residence  is  a  commodious  and  attractive  house 
built  in  modern  style  of  architecture,  and  in  the 
rear  stand  good  barns  and  outbuildings  which 
in  turn  are  surrounded  by  well  tilled  fields,  giv- 


286 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


ing  every  indication  of  tlic  careful  supervision 
of  a  practical  owner  of  good  business  judgment 
and  enterprise. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smitli  hold  membership  in  Wil- 
low Creek  Presbyterian  church  at  .\rgyle,  and 
in  politics  he  is  a  stalwart  re]niblican.  active  in 
support  of  the  party.  He  is  now  serving  as 
siipervisi)r  of  his  township,  anil  for  many  years 
has  been  a  member  of  the  school  board,  doing 
effective  service  tor  the  cause  of  education,  while 
in  his  other  official  duties  he  is  ever  found  prompt 
and   reliable. 


ROBERT  G.  I^IcEVOY. 

Robert  G.  McEvoy,  a  leading  member  of  the 
Rockford  bar,  who  served  as  coqioration  counsel 
of  the  city,  and  was  also  assistant  state's  attor- 
ney for  several  years,  was  born  in  Prescott,  Can- 
ada, in  1861,  his  parents  being  John  and  Mary 
McEvoy,  who  were  natives  of  Ireland,  .\fter 
coming  to  .Xmerica  they  settled  in  Canada,  where 
the  father  engaged  in  farming  until  1869.  He  then 
removed  to  Winnebago  county,  Illinois,  and  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  land  in  Xew  Mil  ford  township. 
on  which  he  carried  on  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits until  1888.  In  that  year  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  city  of  Rockford,  where  he  lived  re- 
tired for  ten  years,  or  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  February,  1898.  His  wife  died  upon 
the  farm  in  Xew  Milford.  Of  their  children, 
seven  are  now  living:  William,  James,  Mrs. 
Rurritt.  Samuel.  John.  Robert  G.  and  .\Ibert. 

Robert  G.  McEvoy  was  only  eight  \ears  old 
when  his  parents  came  to  this  county.  He  at- 
tended the  public  schools  until  he  had  acquired 
a  good  English  education  and  then  entered  upon 
the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Judge  -\rthur  H. 
Frost,  who  was  one  of  the  first  attorneys  of 
Rockford,  and  is  now  upon  the  bench  of  the  cir- 
cuit court,  .\fter  reading  under  the  direction 
of  Judge  Frost,  Mr.  McEvoy  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1884,  and  located  for  practice  in  this 
city.  He  then  entered  into  partnership  with  his 
former  preceptor,  and  the  relation  was  main- 
tained for  fourteen  years,  the  firm  of  Frost  & 
McEvoy  occupying  a  foremost  position  at  the 
Rockford  bar.  .\t  the  end  of  that  time  Mr. 
McEvoy  opened  an  office  in  the  Forest  Citv  Na- 
tional Bank  building,  where  he  remained  until 
his  life's  labors  were  ended.  .\  liberal  clientage 
was  accorded  him  and  connected  him  with  much 
of  the  important  litigation  tried  in  the  courts  of 
his  district.  He  was  thorough  and  painstaking 
in  the  ])rei)aration  n{  his  cases,  and  in  his  rea- 
soning was  cogent  and  logical,  so  that  he  won 
many  verdicts  favorable  to  his  clients  to  whom 
hi<  devotion  was  proverbial. 


.Mr.  .Mcl'A'oy  was  married  in  Ruckford  to  Miss 
Ella  Compion,  a  daughter  of  J.  11.  and  Hester 
X.  Compton.  Her  father  was  an  early  settler 
of  Rockford.  \vho  was  engaged  in  agricultural 
im]>lement  liusiness  here  for  many  years  and  then 
retired.  He  died  in  May.  1900.  and  his  widow, 
now  seventy-seven  years  of  age,  is  residing  in 
Rockford  with  Mrs.  Youngberg,  at  Xo.  ^2j  In- 
de]iendence  avenue.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McEvoy  be- 
came the  parents  of  two  daughters,  N'era  C.  and 
luhia  Alay,  both  residing  with  their  mother.  The 
father  died  July  20.  1904.  and  thus  passed  away 
a  representative  citizen  of  Rockford. 

In  his  ))olilical  views  Mr.  Mcl-'voy  was  an 
unfaltering  republican,  and.  keeping  well  in- 
formed on  the  questions  and  issues  of  the  day, 
was  enabled  to  support  his  position  by  intelli- 
gent argument.  He  served  as  alderman  from  the 
fourth  ward  for  two  terms,  and  his  devotion  to 
tlie  public  good  found  tangible  evidence  in  his 
support  of  many  aldermanic  measures  whereby 
the  welfare  and  progress  of  the  city  were  aug- 
mented. His  social  relations  were  with  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Modern  Woodmen,  the 
Mystic  Workers,  the  Red  Men  and  Royal  Ar- 
canum, all  of  Rockford.  He  was  a  man  of  ca- 
pabliiy,  of  strong  intellectuality,  of  lauilable  am- 
bition and  honorable  ])urpose,  and  his  success  in 
his  professional  career  was  equaled  by  his  pop- 
ularity among  his  friends.  Mrs.  McEvoy  is  a 
iiu'inher  of  the  Court  Street  Methodist  Episcopal 
cliurch.  and  she  owns  a  nice  residence  at  Xo.  420 
Winnebago  street,  where  she  and  her  children 
reside.  She  also  has  a  nice  summer  home  on  the 
banks  of  Rock  river,  at  the  northern  boundary 
of  Rockford,  where  they  spend  the  heated  sum- 
mer season,  and  she  also  spends  much  of  the 
winter  months  in  the  south.  In  addition  to  the 
residences  which  she  occui)ies  she  also  has  other 
valuable  property  in  Rockford,  which  returns  to 
her  a  comfortable  financial  income. 


EDWARD  P.  CATLIX.  M.  1). 

No  history  of  Winnebago  county  would  be 
complete  w-ithout  the  life  record  of  Edward  P. 
Catlin.  for  many  years  a  physician  of  Rockford 
and  a  representative  of  one  of  the  oldest  and 
most  ])rominent  families  of  the  city.  His  father, 
too.  practiced  here  for  many  years,  and  thus  the 
name  Catlin  has  long  been  associated  with  the 
medical  fraternity  of  Winnebago  county.  Ed- 
ward P.  Catlin  was  born  in  Chester.  Ohio.  July 
r,  T837,  his  parents  being  Dr.  .\rchibald  and 
Miranda  (Harwood)  Catlin.  The  father  was 
born  in  that  part  of  Litchfield,  which  is  now 
Winfield,  Herkimer  county,  Xew  York,  his  natal 
(lav  beinsj'  Sentonibir  8,   1801.     He  is  descended 


ROBERT  G.  McEVOY 


PAST     AXD    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


289 


from  Revolutionary  ancestry,  his  grandfather, 
Roger  CatHn,  Sr.,  having  been  a  soldier  of  the 
American  army  in  the  war  for  independence. 
Roger  Catlin,  Jr..  father  of  Archibald  M.  Cat- 
lin,  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  the  father 
came  originally  of  English  lineage.  Roger  Cat- 
lin, Sr.,  removed  from  the  Charter  Oak 
state  to  New  York,  spending  his  last  days 
in  Herkimer  county,  and  Roger  Catlin,  Jr.. 
became  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of 
that  county,  to  which  place  he  removed  after 
being  reared  and  married  in  Connecticut.  In 
what  is  now  the  town  of  Winfield,  Herkimer 
county,  he  purchased  a  tract  of  timber  land,  on 
which  he  built  a  log  cabin,  containing  one  room 
on  the  ground  floor,  and  one  above.  As  it  was 
located  in  the  center  of  the  township,  at  the 
junction  of  five  roads,  he  was  frequently  called 
upon  to  entertain  the  travelers  to  diti'erent  parts 
of  the  county,  and  this  led  him  to  establish  a 
hotel.  His  home,  too,  was  often  used  as  a  meeting- 
place  when  religious  services  were  held,  and  later 
he  donated  the  land  upon  which  a  little  church 
was  built,  and  he  took  an  active  part  in  further- 
ing the  intellectual,  moral  and  material  progress 
of  his  community.  He  continued  to  conduct  his 
hotel  and  also  carried  on  farming  interests  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1813.  He  married 
Sarah  Clark,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  a 
daug-hter  of  Deacon  Clark,  a  pioneer  ot 
Tompkins  county,  New  York.  After  the  death 
of  her  husband  Mrs.  Catlin  was  married  again, 
and  her  death  occurred  in  Winfield,  New  York. 
Archibald  i\I.  Catlin  was  only  twelve  years  old 
at  the  time  of  his  father's  death,  and  he  remained 
with  his  mother  until  her  second  marriage,  after 
which  he  lived  with  an  uncle  in  Plainfield  town- 
ship, Herkimer  county,  assisting  in  the  farm 
work  when  not  attending  the  district  schools.  In 
1820  he  started  for  the  west,  walking  to  C)lean 
Point,  and  thence  going  down  the  Allegheny 
river  to  Pittsburg,  and  by  way  of  the  Ohio  and 
Mississippi  rivers  to  St.  Louis,  which  at  that 
time  was  a  small  town.  He  was  in  Missouri 
when  it  was  admittd  to  the  Union,  and  after- 
ward he  removed  to  Madison  county,  Illinois, 
but  a  year  later  returned  to  JMissouri.  where  he 
worked  in  the  lead  mines  until  1823.  He  then 
went  again  to  New  York.  He  had  read  medi- 
cine previous  to  his  removal  westward,  and  now 
resuming  preparation  for  the  profession  he  at- 
tended lectures  at  the  Fairfield  Medical  College, 
in  Herkimer  county.  Subsequently  he  became 
a  student  in  the  ofiice  of  Dr.  Clark,  of  Winfield, 
and  attended  a  course  of  lectures  in  the  college 
at  Castleton,  \'ermont,  in  the  winter  of  1825-6. 
In  January  of  the  latter  year  he  again  entered 
Fairfield  College,  and  was  graduated  with  the 
class  of  1827.  After  winning  his  degree  he 
located  for  practice  in  \\'infield,  New  York,  and 


for  five  years  was  a  partner  of  Dr.  Nathan  Har- 
wood.  He  then  removed  to  Chester,  Ohio,  where 
he  continued  in  active  practice  until  1832,  when 
he  became  a  resident  of  Lorain  county,  that 
state,  making  his  home  there  until  1838,  which 
year  witnessed  his  arrival  in  Rockford.  He 
found  a  small  village  of  little  importance,  stand- 
ing in  the  midst  of  a  sparsely  settled  district,  in 
which  much  of  the  land  was  still  owned  by  the 
government.  He  built  a  home  on  the  east  side, 
where  he  purchased  a  lot,  and  from  that  time 
until  his  death  continued  as  one  of  the  most 
prominent  physicians  in  his  part  of  the  state.  He 
was  one  of  the  earliest  members  of  the  profes- 
sion in  Rockford,  and  engaged  in  practice  here 
for  seventy  years.  He  was  honored  and  respected 
by  all  by  reason  of  what  he  accomplished,  and 
the  effective  work  which  he  did  for  his  fellow- 
men  in  alleviating  human  suffering.  He  was 
progressive  in  his  methods,  keeping  in  touch 
with  modern  progress  in  his  chosen  calling,  and 
his  life  was  indeed  a  busy  and  useful  one.  In 
his  earlier  years  he  bore  the  hardships  which 
always  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  pioneer  physician, 
but  later  his  practice  was  more  largely  confined 
to  the  city,  and  brought  to  him  the  remunerative 
return  which  was  his  just  due.  He  died  August 
28,  1892,  at  the  very  advanced  age  of  ninety-two 
years,  and  his  name  was  then  added  to  the  roll 
of  Winnebago  county's  honored  dead. 

In  early  manhood  he  had  wedded  ^Miranda 
Harwood,  of  Winfield,  New  York,  a  daughter  of 
Dr.  Nathan  Harwood.  His  marriage  took  place 
in  1828,  and  she  died  in  1846.  The  following 
year  Dr.  Catlin  married  Sarah  Morrill,  a  native 
of  ]\Ieriden.  New  Hampshire,  and  a  daughter  of 
Rev.  John  Morrill,  who  was  the  first  minister  of 
the  First  Congregational  church  in  Rockford, 
he  and  his  two  brothers  organizing  the  church 
here.  ]\Irs.  Sarah  Catlin  survived  her  husband 
until  1902,  passing  away  at  the  advanced  age  of 
eighty-four  years.  Dr.  A.  M.  Catlin  gave  his 
early  political  support  to  the  whig  party,  and  aft- 
erward became  a  stanch  republican.  He  acted 
as  president  of  the  first  medical  society  ever  or- 
ganized in  A\'innebago  county,  and  he  and  his 
wife  held  membership  in  the  First  Congrega- 
tional church.  The  world  is  better  for  his  having 
lived,  for  his  influence  was  ever  on  the  side  of 
right,  progress  and  improvement,  and  his  influ- 
ence was  a  potent  factor  in  promoting  the  moral 
and  intellectual  development  of  his  community. 

Edward  P.  Catlin  was  brought  to  A\'innebago 
county  in  1838,  when  only  about  a  year  old,  and 
his  youth  was  passed  in  the  village  of  Rockford, 
where  he  began  his  education  in  the  common 
schools,  passing  through  successive  grades  until 
he  had  completed  the  high  school  course.  He 
then  went  to  Meriden.  Vermont,  where  he  com- 
pleted  an   academic   course   by   graduation   from 


290 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


the  Kimball  Union  Academy,  and  thus  with 
broad  literary  knowledge  to  serve  as  tlie  founda- 
tion for  professional  learning  he  mairiciilaicd  in 
Rush  Medical  College,  of  Chicago,  where  he 
mastered  the  regular  course,  and  was  graduated 
in  1864.  Not  content,  however,  with  his  prepa- 
ration for  his  profession,  he  went  to  New  York 
city,  pursuing  post-graduate  work  in  the  College 
of  Physicians  &  Surgeons.  He  also  attended  the 
Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College  of  New  York 
city  in   1865. 

Returning  to  Rockford  after  his  graduation 
from  Rush  Medical  College.  Dr.  Catlin  entered 
upon  practice  here,  and  was  thus  engaged  when 
in  1864  he  enlisted  as  first  assistant  surgeon  in 
the  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-second  Illinois  In- 
fantry, with  which  he  served  for  a  year,  or  until 
the  close  of  the  war.  I'ollowing  his  return  lo 
the  north  he  resumed  his  professional  labors  in 
Rockford,  and  with  the  exception  of  the  period 
spent  in  college  in  New  York  he  continued  one 
of  the  active  physicians  of  this  city  until  his 
death.  Anything  which  tended  to  bring  to  man 
the  key  to  the  complex  mystery  which  we  call 
life  was  of  much  interest  to  him.  He  carried  his 
research  and  investigation  into  various  fields  of 
knowledge,  and  became  one  of  the  learned  mem- 
bers of  the  medical  fraternity  in  Winnebago 
county,  having  a  knowledge  that  well  equipped 
him  for  the  iniporlant  and  resjionsihle  duties 
which  ever  devolve  ujion  the  medical  ])racti- 
tioner. 

In  i86f5  Dr.  Catlin  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
H.  Robinson,  a  native  of  Huron,  Ohio,  born  in 
1840,  her  parents  being  Sylvester  and  Emily 
(Skinner)  Robinson.  Her  father  was  a  native 
of  Connecticut,  and  her  mother  of  New  York, 
and  he  became  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Rock- 
ford, but  remained  only  a  few  years.  He  ar- 
rived here  in  1847,  "I'lfl-  entering  into  partner- 
ship with  E.  H.  Potter  was  engaged  in  general 
merchandising  until  1849.  when  he  became  at- 
tacked with  the  gold  fever  and  started  for  Cal- 
ifornia, in  which  state  his  death  occurred.  His 
wife  passed  away  in  Rockford.  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Catlin  became  the  parents  of  four  children : 
Archibald  M.,  who  married  Ella  Riley,  of  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  and  is  now  engaged  in  the  news- 
paper business  in  Chicago;  Sanford  R.,  a  prac- 
ticing i)hysician  of  Rockford.  where  he  repre- 
sents the  third  generation  of  the  family  in  the 
medical  profession  and  who  luarried  Mary  H. 
Richings,  of  Washington.  D.  C. :  Norman  E., 
who  is  a  member  of  the  firm  of  H.  H.  &  N.  S. 
Robinson,  of  this  city,  and  makes  his  home  with 
his  mother:  an<l  ICmily  ll.'irwmid,  who  died  in 
infancy. 

Following  iiis  marriage  Dr.  Catlin  removed  to 
Manteno,  near  Kankakee,  Illinois,  where  he  jirac- 
ticed  for  several  years,  and  he  was  also  surgeon 


for  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company  at 
that  place  for  a  year.  He  then  returned  to 
Rockford.  where  he  resumed  practice,  and  was 
an  active  and  eminent  member  of  his  profession 
in  this  part  of  the  state  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  Se])tember  26,  1904.  He  was  a  man 
of  strong  intellectuality,  progressive  views  and 
noble  purposes,  and  the  high  principles  which 
actuated  his  life  in  all  its  relations  made  him  a 
leading  member  of  the  medical  fraternity,  con- 
forming strictly  to  the  highest  ethics  of  the  pro- 
fession. He  held  memhership  in  Nevius  post, 
No.  I,  G.  A.  R.,  and  gave  his  political  allegiance 
to  the  republican  party,  and  both  he  and  his  wife 
were  members  of  the  First  Congregational 
church  of  this  city.  Mrs.  Catlin  still  owns  the 
old  home,  at  No.  304  South  Mrst  street,  where 
she  and  her  son  reside,  and  the  Doctor's  offices 
still  remain  upon  the  lot.  She  possesses  many 
old  family  relics,  including  a  rocking  chair  in 
which  Mrs.  .Archibald  M.  Catlin  rode  in  the 
wagon  when  the  family  removed  from  Ohio  to 
Rockford.  in  1838.  carrying  her  little  son,  Ed- 
ward P.,  in  her  arms.  .\s  has  been  stated,  the 
name  of  Catlin  is  inseparably  associated  with 
the  history  of  Winnebago  county,  and  its  rep- 
resentatives have  ever  been  loyal  in  citizenship ; 
have  held  friendship  inviolable,  and  have  been 
found  trustworthy  and  reliable  in  all  life's  rela- 
tions. 


BENJ.VMIN  HERD  .\.\d  GEORGE  PARKER. 

These  two  gentlemen,  both  now  deceased,  were 
lirominent  citizens  of  Rockford,  and,  although 
neither  engaged  in  business  here,  both  spent  their 
last  days  in  the  city,  living  retired  until  called 
to  their  final  rest.  Benjamin  Herd  was  a  native 
of  Herkimer  county.  New  York,  was  reared 
upon  a  farm,  early  becoming  familiar  with  all 
the  labor  necessary  for  its  cultivation,  and  in 
the  district  schools  he  acquired  his  education. 
He  was  married  in  Herkimer  county  to  Miss 
.Mmira  E.  Sheldon,  a  native  of  that  county,  who 
came  of  Revolutionary  ancestry,  so  that  she  is 
now  one  of  the  daughters  of  the  Revolution. 
Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Herd  engaged  in 
farming  on  his  own  accoimt  in  Herkimer  coimty 
and  through  his  well  directed  labors,  enterprise 
and  ability  wi)n  creditable  success.  He  made 
judicious  investment  in  real  estate,  and  became 
the  owner  of  .several  farms,  continuing  to  en- 
gage in  agricultural  pursiu'ts  in  Herkimer 
county  luitil  i8(>8.  when  he  came  to  the  west  and 
took  up  his  abode  in  Rockford.  The  income 
derived  from  his  projierty  interests  was  sufficient 
to  enable  him  to  live  retired,  and  he  no  more 
actively  engaged  in  business  pursuits  but  enjoyed 
a  well  earned  rest  here  until  called  to  his  final 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


29 1 


home  in  1893,  when  he  had  reached  the  venerable 
age  of  eighty-seven  years.  His  wife  survived 
him,  passing  away  November  18,  1899.  He 
ever  took  a  deep  interest  in  religious  work  and 
was  junior  warden  of  the  Episcopal  church  of 
this  city.  His  entire  life  was  in  harmony  with 
his  profession,  and  his  fidelity  to  duty,  his  honor 
in  business  relations  and  his  devotion  to  his  fam- 
ily were  numbered  among  his  salient  character- 
istics. 

There  were  four  children  born  unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Plerd :  Eugenia  C,  is  a  native  of  Herki- 
mer county,  New  York,  and  married  Rufus 
Mills  Parker,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  a 
son  of  George  and  Catherine  A.  Parker.  His 
father  was  born  near  Boston,  Massachusetts,  in 
1805,  and  resided  in  the  east  until  1869,  when 
he  took  up  his  abode  in  Rockford  and  lived 
retired  until  his  death  in  August,  1885.  His 
wife  passed  away  July  19,  1904.  He  was  a 
republican  in  his  political  views,  and  both  he  and 
his  wife  held  membership  in  the  First  Congre- 
gational church  of  Rockford. 

Venetia  R.  Herd,  the  second  child  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Benjamin  Herd,  is  the  widow  of  Major 
Alexander  Walker,  of  Rockford,  and  resides  at 
No.  410  South  Third  street.  Ada  is  the  wife  of 
Henry  Ellsworth,  a  commission  merchant  of 
Chicago.  Eugene  H.,  the  youngest  member  of 
the  family,  died  at  the  age  of  four  years. 

Rufus  Mills  Parker  was  born  in  Massachu- 
setts, and  came  to  the  west  at  an  early  day,  set- 
tling first  in  Joliet,  Illinois,  where  he  was  en- 
gaged in  the  dry  goods  business  for  a  few  years. 
In  1867  he  came  to  Rockford,  where  he  married 
Miss  Herd,  and  unto  them  were  born  three 
children :  Lillian  C,  the  eldest,  is  the  wife  of 
James  Colville,  a  traveling  salesman,  represent- 
ing the  Arcade  Manufacturing  Company  of 
Freeport,  Illinois.  They  reside  in  Rockford  with 
his  parents,  and  they  have  two  children.  Vio- 
letta  is  the  wife  of  G.  W.  Anderson.  Edith  died 
at  the  age  of  four  months. 

^Ir.  and  Mrs.  Parker  own  and  occupy  the  old 
Herd  homestead,  which  is  a  beautiful  residence, 
at  No.  503  Catlin  street.  Both  the  Herd  and 
Parker  families  are  prominent  in  Rockford,  their 
representatives  being  well  known  in  social 
circles. 


ELMER  E.  HARRIS. 

Elmer  E.  Harris  is  the  owner  of  a  good  farm 
of  one  hundred  and  five  acres  on  section  14, 
Durand  township,  and  upon  this  farm  was  born 
July  23,  1862.  His  father,  Elisha  Harris,  was 
born  in  Steuben  county.  New  York,  July  19. 
1817.  and  there  followed  farming  until  1837, 
when    he    came    west     to     Pecatonica    township. 


where  he  was  employed  for  a  short  time.  He 
then  came  to  Durand  township  and  entered  a 
claim  from  the  government,  securing  a  farm 
which  is  now  owned  by  his  son  Elmer.  Here 
he  spent  his  remaining  days,  devoting  his  time 
and  energies  to  agricultural  pursuits.  He  was 
married  in  early  manhood  to  Calista  C,  daugh- 
ter of  Scott  and  Lavina  Robb.  She  was  born 
in  Ohio,  July  22,  1823,  and  became  a  resident 
of  Durand  township  in  1842.  In  August  of  that 
year  she  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Mr.  Har- 
ris, and  they  traveled  life's  journey  together  for 
forty-one  years,  the  wife  and  mother  passing 
away  August  19,  1883,  while  Mr.  Harris  died 
December  13,  1900.  Their  children  were  as  fol- 
lows: Henry  E.,  born  November  27,  1843,  is 
living  in  Seattle,  Washington,  and  has  three  sons 
and  a  daughter.  William  Eugene,  born  May  8, 
1847,  ^"d  also  a  resident  of  Seattle,  has  three 
sons  and  a  daughter.  Lewis  Frederick,  born 
October  10,  1848,  is  living  at  Neil,  Kansas,  and 
has  four  daughters  and  a  son.  Charles  E.,  born 
March  19,  1853,  is  living  at  Bartonville,  Illinois. 
Willis  Spencer,  born  Februan,'  18,  i860,  resides 
at  Geneva,  Illinois.  Jesse  F.,  born  July  3,  1867, 
makes  his  home  in  Durand.  Those  deceased  are : 
Erastus  P.,  who  was  born  January  25,  1844,  and 
died  in  the  hospital  March  11,  1863,  while  serv- 
ing the  Union  as  a  member  of  Company  H,  Sev- 
enty-fourth Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry ;  Joseph 
Scott,  who  was  born  January  19,  1858,  and  died 
February  2,  1892;  and  Julia  L.,  who  was  born 
April  II,  1851,  and  died  November  6,  1869. 

Elmer  E.  Harris  has  always  lived  upon  the 
home  farm  in  Durand  township  where  his  birth 
occurred  and  in  the  common  schools  he  acquired 
his  education.  He  received  ample  training  at 
farm  labor,  for  at  an  early  age  he  began  to  as- 
sist in  the  cultivation  of  the  home  place,  and 
was  thus  well  qualified  to  assume  its  manage- 
ment when  he  began  fanning  on  his  own  account. 

On  the  nth  of  April,  1888,  Mr.  Harris  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eva  Place,  a  daugh- 
ter of  J.  R.  and  Amanda  (Morris)  Place,  of 
Durand  township.  She  died  December  23,  1898, 
leaving  three  children :  Bessie  A.,  born  Septem- 
ber 18,  1889;  Lloyd  E.,  born  February  28,  i8()3: 
and  Eva  I.,  born  November  26,  1898.  For  his 
second  wife  Mr.  Harris  chose  Lois,  daughter  of 
Hawkins  and  Lydia  (Gillem)  Inoebritson,  of 
Durand  township,  who  were  of  English  and  Nor- 
wegian descent.  She  was  one  of  six  children: 
Annie,  who  married  Earle  Strauss,  of  Rockford, 
and  has  two  children ;  Lois,  of  this  review  ;  John, 
living  at  Bremerton,  Washington  :  Sherman  and 
Shirley,  twins,  the  former  living  at  Bremerton, 
the  latter  in  Durand  township :  and  Alfred,  who 
also  lives  at  Bremerton,  Washington.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Harris  have  one  son,  Wayne  J.,  born  Sep- 
tember II,  1903. 


292 


PAST     AND     TRESEXT     OF     WIXXEBAGO     COUXTY. 


Mr.  Harris  is  a  nieinbcr  of  Shawbcnee  lodijc. 
No.  146.  I.  O.  O.  1*".,  of  wliich  lie  is  a  past  iu)ble 
grand,  and  he  likewise  belongs  to  Uurand  lodge. 
No.  302.  .\.  F.  &  .\.  M.,  both  of  Diirand.  In 
politics  he  is  an  earnest  republican,  and  is  now 
serving  as  assessor  of  his  townshi]).  while  for 
six  years  he  was  road  commissioner,  lie  and  his 
wife  hold  membership  in  the  Methodist  dnirch. 
and  are  ])eople  of  genuine  worth,  whost  many 
good  (|nalities  have  gained  them  imqualitied  con- 
fidence and  trust  of  those  with  whom  they  have 
been  associated. 


FRAXK   1;.  CAMPBELL. 

Frank  B.  Campbell,  one  of  the  extensive  land- 
owners of  the  county,  now  living  in  Pecatonica 
townshij).  was  born  in  Durand  township,  Jul}'  25, 
1846.  His  education  was  acquired  in  the  public 
schools  and  he  also  attended  the  seminary  at 
Durand,  while  an  inmate  of  his  father's  home. 
His  parents  were  Jeremiah  and  Cynthia  (Hoyt) 
Campbell.  The  father  came  to  Winnebago 
county  in  1836.  driving  across  the  country  with 
an  ox  team.  He  and  his  brother  David  entered 
land  from  the  government  and  became  pioneer 
residents  of  this  |)ortion  of  the  state.  There 
w'ere  only  three  houses  in  Rockford  at  the  time 
of  their  arrival  here  and  the  entire  countryside 
was  largely  as  it  had  come  from  the  hand  of  na- 
ture, the  prairie  being  covered  with  its  high 
grasses,  while  in  certain  districts  stood  the  forest 
trees,  amid  which  the  sound  of  the  woodman's 
ax  had  not  lieen  heard.  He  first  entered  his  land 
at  Dixon  and  built  thereon  a  log  house,  which 
was  afterward  rei)laced  by  a  frame  residence. 
He  hauled  his  grain  to  the  Chicago  market  and 
on  one  trip  to  that  city  the  entire  expense  of  the 
journey  was  twelve  cents,  which  he  paid  for  milk. 
In  cnnnection  with  general  farming  he  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  cheese,  which  he  sold  at  Min- 
eral Point,  Wisconsin,  and  al.so  at  Galena.  Illinois. 
He  carried  on  the  work  of  the  fields  and  as  his 
financial  resources  increased  he  bought  more  land 
initil  a  short  time  previous  to  his  death,  he  was 
the  owner  of  a  valuable  tract  of  four  hundred 
acres  which  he  sold  to  his  son  Frank.  He  was 
active  and  influential  in  community  aft'airs  and 
held  all  the  different  township  offices,  the  duties 
of  which  he  discharged  with  promptness  and 
fidelity.  In  his  political  views  he  was  a 
republican.  His  death  occurred  in  Durand  town- 
ship, .\pril  25.  1884,  while  his  wife  is  now  liv- 
ing in  that  township.  He  was  twice  married  and 
by  the  first  union  had  one  son,  Edward  S..  who 
was  born  December  11.  1840.  and  died  at  the  age 
of     fifty-eight     years.      Tlie     children     of     the 


second  marriage  were  as  follows :  Romeo 
H..  who  was  born  September  15.  1844, 
was  married  ami  died  at  the  age  of 
fifty-seven  years,  leaving  a  wife  and  five 
children  :  Frank  B.  is  the  second  ;  Emma  L.,  born 
June  10.  1850,  died  April  15,  1864;  and  Eva  M., 
l)orn  December  24,  1854,  is  the  wife  of  Louis 
(ioodrich.  and  resides  in  I'renHHit.  Nebraska. 

Mr.  Campbell  was  reared  to  farm  life  and.  as 
lx.'fore  stated,  was  given  good  educational  privi- 
leges. At  the  age  of  twenty  years  he  bought 
his  time  from  his  father  for  one  hundred  and 
fiftv  dollars  and  began  farming  for  himself  on 
five  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land,  for  which 
he  gave  twelve  hundred  dollars  ])er  year  rent. 
When  twenty-one  years  of  age.  having  made  some 
mone\  in  thv  previous  year,  he  purchased  one 
hundred  and  forty-five  acres,  at  twenty-five  dol- 
lars per  acre.  This  was  largely  covered  with 
brush  or  timber  and  he  bad  to  clear  it  before 
it  was  read)-  for  the  plow.  He  afterwards 
rented  his  father's  farm  of  four  hundred  acres 
for  which  he  jjaid  twelve  hundred  dollars  per 
year,  and  subsequently  he  bought  this  tract  of 
four  hundred  acres  from  his  father,  becoming  its 
owner  in  1865.  He  then  removed  into  the  old 
home  and  began  operating  his  land,  for  which  he 
had  i)aid  fifty  dollars  jier  acre.  That  he  worked 
diligently  and  prospered  is  indicated  by  the  fact 
that  within  six  years  he  had  paid  twenty  thousand 
dollars  on  the  jirojjerty  and  was  thus  the  owner 
of  the  old  homestead,  which  he  had  freed  from 
debt.  He  continued  farming  with  excellent  success 
and  has  purchased  more  land  from  time  to  time 
imtilhis  realty  possessions  at  present  comprise 
nineteen  hundred  and  seventy  acres.  Upon  his 
home  place  he  has  all  modern  improvements  and 
a  beautiful  residence  with  hot  and  cold  water  and 
all  modern  improvements.  It  is  surrounded  with 
fine  shade  trees  and  is  one  of  the  most  attractive 
features  of  the  landscape.  In  his  farm  work. 
Mr.  Campbell  is  systematic,  determined  and  ca- 
])al)le  and  has  carried  forward  to  completion  what- 
ever he  has  undertaken.  He  has  been  engaged 
(|nite  extensively  in  feeding  cattle  and  hogs,  feed- 
ing alxiut  two  hundred  and  thirty  head  of  cattle 
in  the  winter  of  1904  and  aboin  three  hundred 
head  of  hogs.  He  now  has  about  two  hundred  and 
forty  head  of  hogs  and  two  hundre<l  and  twenty 
head  of  cattle.  His  oats  crop  in  the  year  1905 
was  thirteen  thousand  Inishels  in  excess  of  what 
the  renters  got  as  their  share.  His  wheat  also 
\ields  him  thirty  bushels  to  the  acre  and  eleven 
acres  were  planted  to  that  croji.  In  if)05  he 
raised  fifty-six  acres  of  oats,  yielding  sixty-six 
bushels  to  the  acre. 

On  the  29th  of  December,  1870.  Mr.  Campbell 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  .-\rabelle  .\dams. 
a  native  of  the  state  of  Xew  York,  and  a  daugh- 


^1 


'^f 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


295 


ter  of  Daniel  D.  and  Olive  Adams,  also  born  in 
the  Empire  state,  whence  they  came  westward  to 
Winnebago  county  about  i860.  Their  only 
child  was  Airs.  Campbell.  Unto  Air.  and  Airs. 
Campbell  have  been  born  the  following  named : 
Lula,  born  April  11,  1881,  married  Rufus  Win- 
chester, a  farmer  of  Durand  township ;  Ralph, 
born  Alarch  2,  1885,  and  Roy,  born  April  19, 
1888,  are  both  at  home:  while  Rena,  the  first 
born,  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Campbell  is  a  man  of  domestic  tastes,  de- 
voted to  his  family  and  considering  no  personal 
sacrifice  on  his  part  too  great  if  it  will  promote 
the  happiness  or  enhance  the  welfare  of  his  wife 
and  children.  He  has  held  some  public  offices 
but  has  no  ambition  in  this  direction,  preferring 
that  others  shall  fill  the  official  positions.  His 
support  is  given  to  the  republican  party.  His 
life  record  illustrates  the  power  and  force  of 
keen  discernment,  strong  purpose  and  indefati- 
gable energy  in  the  fields  of  business  for  through 
these  means  he  has  made  for  himself  a  place 
among  the  prosperous  citizens  of  his  native 
county.  Buying  his  time  of  his  father  and  re- 
ceiving no  pecuniary  assistance,  as  the  years  have 
gone  by  he  has  through  his  own  ef-forts  become  a 
prosperous  man  and  one  whose  success  is 
equaled  by  the  respect  which  is  generously  ac- 
corded him. 


BENJAAIIN  D.  GOLDY. 

Benjamin  D.  Goldy,  who  follows  farming  on 
section  3,  Shirland  township,  where  he  owns 
eighty  acres  of  finely  improved  land,  has  been  a 
resident  of  Winnebago  county  since  the  spring 
of  1850.  although  for  a  brief  period  he  was  in 
the  west.  He  was  born  in  Elmira,  New  York, 
in  1830.  his  parents  being  Samuel  and  Alary  Ann 
( Durham )  Goldy.  who  came  to  this  county  in 
the  spring  of  1850.  The  father  was  born  in 
Penns>'lvania,  and  became  a  farmer  of  the  Em- 
pire state,  where  he  carried  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  until  his  removal  to  the  mid- 
dle west.  He  was  married  in  the  east  to  Aliss 
Durham,  a  native  of  Elmira,  New  York,  whose 
father  was  a  surveyor  of  that  locality.  As  before 
stated,  the  year  1830  witnessed  the  arrival  of 
Samuel  Goldy  and  his  wife  in  this  county,  and 
for  six  years  they  resided  in  Rockton  township, 
after  which  they  removed  to  the  farm  now- 
owned  and  occupied  by  their  son  Benjamin,  the 
father  having  purchased  this  land  upon  coming 
to  the  county.  Here  he  and  his  wife  resided 
until  called  to  their  final  rest,  Mr.  Goldy  pass- 
ing away  in  January,  1865,  when  sixty-three 
years  of  age.  while  his  wife  died  in  1890,  at  the 
a£fe  of  ei^htx-three  vears.     He  was  active  and 


influential  in  community  aft'airs,  and  served  as 
commissioner  of  highways  in  Rockton  and  Shir- 
land townships  for  several  }ears.  In  their  fam- 
ily were  six  children :  James,  who  went  to  Cal- 
ifornia in  1849,  afterward  lived  for  a  number  of 
years  in  Kansas,  but  eventually  returned  to  Cal- 
ifornia, where  his  death  occurred.  John,  who 
was  a  hatter  by  trade,  learning  the  business  in 
Elmira.  New  York,  also  spent  four  years  as  a 
sailor  on  whaling  expeditions,  and  later  he  sailed 
on  the  Great  Lakes  for  several  j^ears.  He  served 
his  country  as  a  member  of  the  Union  army  dur- 
ing the  Civil  war,  and  subsequently  he  was  mar- 
ried and  removed  to  Butler  county,  Kansas, 
where  his  death  occurred.  William,  who  learned 
the  printer's  trade  in  Elmira,  New  York,  after- 
ward worked  at  Aurora  and  at  Chicago.  Illinois, 
and  in  the  latter  city  was  foreman  of  the  job 
office  owned  by  S.  P.  Rounds,  in  which  office  the 
first  color  work  was  probably  done.  He  con- 
tinued to  make  his  home  in  Chicago  during  the 
greater  part  of  the  time  until  his  death.  Airs. 
Elizabeth  HoUister,  the  fourth  member  of  the 
family,  resides  at  Cresco.  Iowa.  Stephen  D. 
died  May  22.  1905,  in  Harrison  township,  this 
county,  where  he  had  resided  for  many  years, 
engaged  in  raising  bees  and  dealing  in  honey. 

Benjamin  D.  Goldy  was  a  youth  of  nine  years 
when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  re- 
moval to  Winnebago  county,  arriving  here  in 
the  spring  of  1850.  He  resided  in  Rockton  town- 
ship for  six  years,  and  since  that  time  has  prac- 
tically made  his  home  in  Shirland  township. 
However,  he  spent  some  years  on  the  plains  in 
the  west,  going  first  in  i860  and  again  in  the 
early  '70s.  He  secured  a  homestead  in  Adams 
county.  Nebraska,  proved  it  up  and  retained  the 
ow'nership  thereof  for  several  years,  but  sold 
it  some  time  ago.  He  now  resides  on  section  3. 
Shirland  township,  where  he  owns  a  farm  of 
eighty  acres,  which  is  productive  and  valuable 
land. 

At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war,  however.  Air. 
Goldy  felt  that  his  duty  to  his  country  w'as  para- 
mount to  all  other  interests  in  his  life,  and  in 
1862  offered  his  services  to  the  government,  en- 
listing in  Company  D.  Seventy-fourth  Illinois 
Infantry,  at  Rockford.  being  mustered  in  and 
out  at  the  same  time  as  the  entire  regiment.  Dur- 
ing a  part  of  the  three  years,  however,  he  was 
out  of  the  service  for  a  time  on  account  of  his 
ill  health,  but  he  re-enlisted  and  met  the  company 
at  Chattanooga.  He  was  never  injured,  although 
he  participated  in  many  important  engagements, 
and  he  was  mustered  out  at  Nashville,  Tennes- 
see, at  the  close  of  the  war,  and  paid  off  at  Chi- 
cago. He  was  always  loyal  to  the  cause  he 
espoused,  and  upon  the  battle-fields  of  the  south 
faithfully  followed  the  stars  and  stripes  until  the 


296 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


flag  of  the  Union  was  victoriously  planted  in  the 
capital  of  the  soutlu-ni  Confederacy. 

Mr.  Goldy  was  married  first,  in  1862,  to  Miss 
Harriet  Stilwell,  who  was  born  in  Shirland 
township,  this  county,  and  died  in  1869,  leaving 
three  children:  Hiram  S.,  a  farmer  of  Shirland 
township,  whose  daughter,  Mrs.  Judd,  resides  in 
Laona  township ;  William,  of  Seattle,  \\'ashing- 
ton,  who  was  for  years  engaged  in  the  railroad 
busimss:  and  iuigene.  a  resident  famur  of  Lin 
coin  county.  South  Dakota,  who  is  married,  and 
has  four  sons.  His  property  is  a  valuable  farm 
of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres.  For  his  second 
wife  Mr.  (ioldy  chose  Miss  \'elona  Guptil.  who 
was  born  in  Rockton  township.  Wiiuiebago 
county,  and  is  a  daughter  of  John  B.  Guptil,  one 
of  the  pioneer  residents  of  this  county,  now  de- 
ceased. His  widow,  however,  still  resides  at 
Shirland.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goldy  have  been 
born  the  following  named :  Mrs.  Bessie  Hulburt, 
who  is  living  in  Monroe.  \\'isconisn :  Floyd,  a 
farmer,  residing  near  Springfield,  in  Bonhomme 
county.  South  Dakota,  who  is  married  and  has 
one  child ;  Stanley,  who  is  bookkeeper  in  the 
Manufacturers'  Bank  at  Rockford ;  George, 
John,  Samuel.  Clarence.  Robert  and  .Mice,  all 
at  liome. 

Politically  Mr.  Goldy  is  an  earnest  republican, 
having  always  given  stanch  supi)ort  to  the  party 
and  its  j)rinciples.  He  has  served  as  supervisor 
for  eight  or  nine  terms,  and  in  various  other 
local  offices,  and  no  trust  reposed  in  hiin  has 
been  betrayed  in  the  slightest  degree.  Socially 
he  is  connected  with  Nevius  post.  No.  1,  G.  A. 
R.,  at  Rockford.  became  a  charter  member  of 
Harrison  camp.  No.  684,  M.  W.  A.,  and  is  now 
a  member  of  the  camp  at  Shirland.  He  attends 
the  Congregational  church  in  Shirland  township, 
and  his  interest  in  the  material,  social,  political 
and  moral  welfare  of  his  community  is  that  of  a 
public-s])irited  citizen  who  realizes  possibilities, 
im])rovements  and  opportunities,  and  does  what 
he  can  not  only  for  his  indivithial  advancement, 
but  also  for  the  welfare  of  tin-  general 
communitv. 


ARCHIBALD  R.  ARMSTRONG. 

.\rchibald  R.  Armstrong,  one  of  the  extensive 
landowners  of  Winnebago  county,  his  farm 
comprising  four  hundred  anrl  eighty  acres,  was 
Ixjrn  in  .\lleghcny  county.  Pennsylvania,  Febru- 
ary 16.  1852,  and  when  about  two  years  of  age 
was  brought  to  Illinois  by  his  parents,  .\rchibald 
ami  Eliza  (Xcwburn)  .\rmstrong.  The  father 
was  a  native  of  Ireland,  born  in  County  Sligo  in 
1815.  Crossing  the  .\tlantic  to  .\merica  in  1848, 
he  mafle  liis  home  in  Petnisylvania  and  soon  after- 
ward sent   for  his   wife,   whom   he  had   married 


on  the  Emerald  isle.  She  was  born  in  1813  and 
with  her  children  she  started  for  the  new  world, 
joining  her  husband  and  father  here.  They 
settled  nead  Pittsburg,  where  they  remained  un- 
til 1854,  when  they  came  to  Winnebago  county, 
Illinois,  Rockford  being  their  destination.  Soon 
afterward  Mr.  Armstrong  rented  land  in  Owen 
township  and  the  family  home  was  established 
thereon.  He  also  worked  as  a  farm  hand  in  the 
neighborhood  until  i860,  when  he  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land  and  thus  became  one  of  the 
property  holders  of  his  locality.  He  worked  per- 
sistently and  energetically  in  order  to  make  a 
good  home  for  his  family  and  acquire  a  comfort- 
able competence,  and  as  the  years  passed  he  was 
enabled  lo  extend  the  boundaries  of  his  farm  by 
additional  purchase  until  it  comprised  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres.  His  remaining  days  were 
devoted  to  general  farming  and  stock-raising  and 
he  deserved  the  respect  and  esteem  which  was 
uniformly  accorded  him  because  of  what  he  ac- 
complished and  by  reason  of  the  honorable  meth- 
ods which  he  always  followed  in  his  business 
career.  He  died  in  1893,  and  his  wife  departed 
this  life  in  1877.  They  were  the  parents  of  three 
sons  and  five  daughters,  and  two  sons  and  four 
daughters  are  yet  living,  namely :  Catherine ;  J. 
\\\,  who  married  Martha  Wishop ;  Elizabeth,  the 
wife  of  James  1  jlack ;  Marie,  the  wife  of  Walter 
Wickes  :  Sarah,  the  widow  of  William  A.  Halley ; 
and  Archibald  R.  Rebecca  and  James  E.  are 
deceased. 

Being  but  two  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  the 
removal  of  the  family  to  Winnebago  county, 
Archibald  R.  .Armstrong  was  reared  in  Illinois 
and  through  the  iieriod  of  his  boyhood  and  youth 
remained  with  his  parents,  .\fter  attending  the 
public  schools  he  spent  two  years  as  a  student 
in  Professor  Lownsbury's  Business  College,  at 
Rockford.  and  was  thus  well  equipped  for  life's 
practical  and  responsible  duties.  Following  his 
marriage  he  located  on  a  tract  of  land  of  eighty 
acres,  constituting  the  nucleus  of  his  extensive 
possessions.  He  realized  that  "there  is  no  excel- 
lence without  lalxir."  and  he  persistently  and  en- 
ergetically sought  to  make  his  farm  productive 
and  his  annual  sales  of  crops  added  to  his  in- 
come and  made  it  possible  for  him  to  extend  the 
boundaries  of  his  farm  tmtil  he  is  now  the  owner 
of  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  very  valu- 
able land.  .Ml  of  the  improvements  upon  the 
propertv  are  his  work  and  include  substantial 
Imildings  and  every  modern  accessory. 

On  the  28th  of  Decemlier.  1881,  Mr.  .\rm- 
strong  was  marrietl  to  Miss  .\gnes  Compton.  a 
daughter  of  Wortman  and  Mary  C\''anderhoflF') 
t'ompton,  the  former  horn  July  27.  1830.  and  the 
latter  .\pril  14,  1833.  They  were  both  natives 
of  New    [ersev.  and  came  to  Winneliago  countv 


MR.  AND  ^IRS.  A.  R.  ARAISTROXG. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


299 


111  1855,  settling  tirst  in  Owen  town- 
ship, after  which  they  removed  to  Harri- 
son township,  where  Mr.  Compton  carried 
on  business  as  a  contractor  and  builder.  He 
erected  many  substantial  structures  in  this  county 
and  was  well  known  throughout  this  part  of  the 
state  as  a  reliable  business  man  and  representa- 
tive citizen.  At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  he 
espoused  the  Union  cause  and  enlisted  as  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  D,  Seventy-fourth  Illinois  In- 
fantry, and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war. 
Following  his  return  from  the  battle-field  of  the 
south,  he  again  worked  at  his  trade  and  later 
purchased  a  farm,  which  he  made  his  home  until 
1886,  when  he  removed  to  Rockford,  there  living 
a  retired  life  until  called  to  his  final  rest  C)ctober 
12,  1901.  His  wife  survived  him  until  July  28, 
1903.  They  had  two  children:  Agnes,  who  was 
born  Augaist  23,  1854;  and  Whitfield,  born  Jan- 
uary 14,  1859.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Armstrong  also 
have  two  children,  Charles  E.  and  Mary  L..  who 
are  at  home. 

Mr.  Armstrong  has  served  as  a  member  of  the 
school  board,  as  town  clerk,  assessor  and  justice 
of  the  peace,  filling  the  latter  position  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  and  in  all  of  these  offices  he  has  dis- 
charged his  duties  with  capability  and  fidelity. 
His  political  allegiance  is  given  to  no  one  party 
for  he  holds  himself  free  to  vote  for  the  men  and 
measure  that  he  deems  best  worthy  of  his  support. 
He  favors  the  Methodists  Episcopal  church,  of 
which  his  wife  is  a  member,  and  he  belongs  to 
Owen  camp.  No.  616,  JM.  W.  A.  There  have 
been  no  exciting  chapters  in  his  life  record  but 
the  inherent  forces  of  his  character  and  his  unre- 
mitting diligence  have  enabled  him  to  gain  a  po- 
sition of  affluence  and  win  at  the  same  time  the 
good  will  and  trust  of  his  fellowmen  by  reason 
of  the  honorable  methods  he  has  ever  followed. 


THOMAS  M.  BUTLER,  M.  D. 

Dr.  TlKjmas  M.  Butler,  of  Rockford.  who  was 
born  June  21,  1833,  in  Lycoming  county.  Penn- 
sylvania, was  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Hannah 
(Farr)  Butler.  In  the  paternal  line  he  comes  of 
Scotch-Irish  ancestry,  while  in  the  maternal  line 
he  is  of  English  lineage,  the  Farr  famil\'  having 
been  founded  in  America,  however,  prior  to  the 
Revolutionary  war.  Thomas  Butler,  Sr.,  was 
born  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  and  came  to  Amer- 
ica when  twelve  years  of  age,  settling  in  Penn- 
sylvania about  1790.  He  served  his  country  in 
the  war  of  1812  as  a  member  of  General  Hull's 
Brigade.  Following  the  close  of  hostilities  he 
returned  to  Pennsylvania,  and  was  there  married 
to  LTannah  Farr,  whose  people  resided  near  the 
Potomac   river.     Their  property   was   destroyed 


during  the  progress  of  the  war,  and  the  govern- 
ment afterward  gave  to  the  family  one  thousand 
acres  of  land  in  Lycoming  county,  Pennsylvania. 
Mr.  Butler  became  the  owner  of  a  farm  in  that 
locality,  where  he  made  his  home  until  1854, 
when  he  sold  his  property  and  came  to  Win- 
nebago county.  Here  he  purchased  a  farm  in 
Rockford  township,  and  continued  its  further 
development  and  improvement  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1857.  His  wife 
long  survived  him,  and  died  in  1891.  Thev  were 
the  parents  of  nine  children,  three  of  whom  died 
in  Pennsylvania  before  the  removal  of  the  fam- 
il\-  to  the  west.  At  the  present  time  four  sons 
and  two  daughters  are  yet  living:  John,  a  resi- 
dent of  Ogle  county.  Illinois ;  William  F.,  who 
died  in  1866;  Ann,  the  wife  of  O.  J.  Cummings, 
of  Winnebago  county ;  Thomas  M. ;  Bartlett  F., 
also  of  this  county ;  G.  C,  who  is  living  in  Mar- 
shall county,  Kansas ;  Gillon  T.,  who  died  at 
Clarksville,  Butler  county,  Iowa,  in  the  '90s  :  and 
^Margaret  E.,  who  is  living  in  Winnebago  county. 

Thomas  M.  Butler  was  a  student  in  the  dis- 
trict schools  of  Pennsylvania,  and  later  attended 
an  academy  at  Bloonisburg,  that  state,  and  after- 
ward the  Lewisburg  University.  He  pursued  a 
scientific  course  preparatory  to  entering  upon 
the  study  of  medicine.  He  read  medicine  under 
the  direction  of  Drs.  Hill  and  Butler  and  later 
came  west  with  his  father.  Subsequently  he 
went  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  continuing  his 
preparation  for  the  practice  of  medicine,  was 
graduated  from  the  Cincinnati  Medical  College 
in  May,  1857.  He  then  located  for  practice  in 
Rockford,  opening  an  office  in  this  city  in  con- 
nection with  J.  B.  McFatrich,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained for  about  a  year.  Dr.  Butler  then 
removed  to  Iowa,  where  he  practiced  for  a  time, 
after  which  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Jackson 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  continued  in  business 
for  some  time.  He  also  taught  school,  and  in 
1861  he  came  to  Pecatonica.  Winnebago  county, 
where  he  continued  in  the  active  practice  of 
medicine  and  surgery  for  sixteen  years.  In  1876 
he  was  elected  clerk  of  the  circuit  court,  in  which 
capacity  he  served  for  three  terms  of  four  years 
each,  thus  spending  twelve  years  in  that  office, 
to  which  he  was  chosen  as  the  candidate  of  the 
republican  party.  In  1888  he  removed  to  Mil- 
waukee, Wisconsin,  where  he  followed  his  pro- 
fession for  two  years,  and  later  spent  five  years 
as  a  practitioner  in  Detroit.  In  1895  he  returned 
to  Rockford,  where  he  again  opened  an  office, 
but  about  two  years  ago  he  retired  from  active 
life.  He  had  enjoyed  a  large  practice  in  many 
of  the  towns  in  which  he  had  been  located,  and 
by  careful  husbanding  of  his  resources  had 
gained  a  handsome  competence. 

Dr.  Butler  was  married  in  Pecatonica,  Sep- 
tember  I,   1864,  to  Miss  Adelaide  A.  Prouty,  a 


300 


PAST     AXD    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


daughter  oi  William  L'.  rruiiiy,  who  came  to 
Rockford  in  18(15,  and  was  engaged  in  merchan- 
dising here  until  the  lime  of  his  death  in  1878. 
He  was  born  in  Brattleboro,  Vermont,  in  1844, 
and  on  coming  to  the  west  settled  in  I'ecatonica, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  business  until  his 
removal  to  Rockford.  His  widow  long  sur- 
vived liim,  and  died  in  1892,  at  the  age  of  eighty 
years.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Butler  have  had  two  chil- 
dren :  Anna  C,  who  was  born  in  Pecatonica,  May 
7,  1866.  and  is  living  at  home  :  and  W.  H.  P. 
Butler,  who  was  born  October  13,  1867,  and  was 
married  in  i8iji  to  Miss  Mary  Buker.  He  died 
November  j8,  1894.  He  had  served  as  clerk 
with  his  father  in  the  circuit  court,  and  in  his 
business  career  was  connecte<l  with  Lewis  Lake 
and  afterward  with  the  Holland  Abstract  Com- 
pany. He  had  one  child,  Norman  H.,  who  is  now 
fourteen  years  of  age. 

Dr.  Butler  is  a  Mason,  belonging  to  .\.  W. 
Rawlson  lodge  of  Pecatonica,  and  lie  has  also 
taken  the  Royal  Arch  and  Knight  Templar  de- 
grees. He  served  as  prelate  in  the  commandery 
for  ten  years,  was  also  eminent  commander,  and 
in  his  life  has  exemplified  the  beneficent  spirit 
of  the  craft,  which  is  based  upon  mutual  helpful- 
ness and  brotherly  kindness.  In  politics  he  has 
been  a  republican  since  the  organization  of  the 
party.  Dr.  Butler,  in  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion, rendered  valuable  service  to  his  fellow- 
men.  Without  capital,  wealth  or  influence  to  aid 
him  in  his  ]>rofessional  career,  he  placed  his  de- 
pendence upon  his  native  intellectual  force,  his 
laudable  ambition  and  his  unfaltering  energy, 
and  these  proved  an  excellent  capital.  His  suc- 
cess resulted  entirely  from  his  close  application 
and  capability,  and  he  is  well  known  in  Winne- 
bago county  as  one  who  justly  merits  the  es- 
teem and  confidence  of  all  with  whom  he  has 
been  brought  in  contact. 


JOHN   M.  RHODES. 

Jolin  M.  Rhodes,  who  has  served  for  twenty- 
one  years  on  the  l)oard  of  supervisors  and  has 
taken  an  active  [)art  in  community  affairs  in  Ros- 
coe,  his  native  village,  was  born  August  25,  1840, 
his  parents  being  John  J.  and  Pamelia  (Wilson) 
Rhodes.  The  grandfatlier.  Jolni  Rhodes,  a  na- 
tive of  Ireland,  came  to  tlie  new  world  after  his 
marriage,  bringing  with  him  his  wife  and  one 
child.  His  M-ife  was  a  native  of  England.  They 
settled  in  Oneida  county.  New  York,  the  year 
of  their  emigration  being  1795.  Mr.  Rhodes 
had  been  a  carder  in  the  woolen  mills  in  his  na- 
tive country  and  subsequently  conducted  a  woolen 
mill  in  the  Empire  state.  The  father  was  a  na- 
tive of  the  Empire  state,  liorn  in  1803.  while  the 


mother's  birth  occurred  in  Canada,  in  1806.  \\'hen 
a  young  man  John  J.  Rhodes  learned  the  trade 
of  carding  in  a  woolen  mill  in  the  state  of  New 
York,  and  later  with  a  younger  brother  went  to 
Canada,  where  they  conducted  a  woolen  mill  for 
several  years.  It  was  during  their  residence  there 
that  the  parents  of  our  subject  were  married,  and 
in  1839  they  came  west  to  Illinois,  remaining  for 
about  a  year  in  Rockford.  On  the  expiration  of 
that  period  they  took  up  their  abode  in  Roscoe, 
where  Mr.  Rhodes  built  a  sawmill.  He  also 
purchased  land  and  in  coimection  with  the  manu- 
facture of  lumber  was  engaged  in  pursuits  upon 
the  farm,  which  is  now  the  property  of  his  son, 
John  M.  The  tract  comprised  alx^ut  three  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  and  was  largely  imim- 
proved  but  the  father,  with  characteristic  energy, 
])laced  his  fields  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 
He  was  the  first  supervisor  of  Roscoe  township, 
which  office  he  filled  for  seven  years  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  of  his  constituents.  He  was  also 
justice  of  the  peace  for  many  years  and  his  decis- 
ions were  strictly  fair  and  impartial.  He  was  also 
highway  commissioner  and  every  trust  reposed  in 
him  was  faithfully  performed.  His  political  alle- 
giance was  given  to  the  whig  party  in  early 
manhood  and  on  its  dissolution  he  espoused  the 
principles  of  the  new  republican  party  and  con- 
tinued one  of  its  stalwart  supporters  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  Roscoe,  when  he  was 
fifty-six  years  of  age.  His  wife  survived  him 
until  about  seventy  years  of  age.  They  brought 
with  them  to  Illinois  three  children,  who  were 
born  in  Canada,  but  only  one  is  now  living.  Wil- 
liam, a  resident  of  Worth  county.  Iowa.  The 
iitlier  memlx-rs  of  the  family  born  in  Illinois, 
who  yet  survive,  are  John  M.  and  his  sister,  Mrs. 
Laura  Sammons.  the  wife  of  .\mos  Sammons. 

John  M.  Rhodes  has  made  his  home  in  Roscoe 
throughout  his  entire  life.  The  pubic  schools  af- 
forded him  his  educational  privileges  and  on  the 
24th  of  Mav,  1861.  in  response  to  his  country's 
need,  he  ofifered  his  services  to  the  Union,  en- 
listing as  a  private  of  Company  B.  Fifteenth  Illi- 
nois Infantry  for  three  years'  service.  He  con- 
tinued with  the  command  for  about  a  month  after 
the  expiration  of  his  term,  being  nnistcred  out 
June  14.  1864.  He  went  to  the  front  under  Cap- 
tain Hurlbut.  who  afterward  rose  to  the  rank  of 
major  general.  The  first  battle  in  which  he  par- 
ticipated was  the  hotly  contested  engagement  at 
Shiloh.  where  the  men  fell  like  flowers  before  a 
hailstorm,  the  regiment  losing  two  hundred  and 
fiftv-eight  of  its  members  in  eight  minutes.  Mr. 
Rhodes  had  three  bullets  shot  tlirough  his  clothes 
in  that  engagement.  Later  he  participated  in  the 
battles  of  Fort  Donaldson  and  the  siege  of  Yicks- 
burg  and  in  other  engagements  with  his  regiment, 
never  faltering  in  the  performance  of  any  duty  as- 
signed to  him. 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


301 


When  mustered  out  of  the  army  Mr.  Rhodes 
returned  to  his  home  in  Roscoe,  and  was  married 
on  the  25th  of  August,  1864,  to  Miss  Louisa 
Love.,  a  native  of  Roscoe,  and  a  daughter  of 
Jahez  Love,  who  was  born  in  England 
but  in  his  youth  came  to  America,  set- 
tling in  Detroit,  ^lichigan,  whence  he  aft- 
erward came  to  this  place,  casting  in  his 
lot  with  its  early  settlers.  He  is  now  the 
owner  of  one  hundred  and  ninety-seven  acres  of 
his  father's  old  homestead.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Rhodes  were  born  three  children,  of  whom  two 
are  living :  Charles,  now  a  veterinary  surgeon, 
residing  at  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  married  Miss  Maria 
Lyford,  a  daughter  of  Dudley  Lyford,  of  Ros- 
coe, and  they  have  two  children,  Alice  and  John 
D.  Mary  is  the  wife  of  Clifford  Wilcox,  and  had 
three  children,  Lee  and  Ethel,  living ;  and  Arthur, 
who  was  killed  by  lightning  August  9,  1893.  He 
married  Ella  Cummings,  and  thev  had  one  son, 
Ralph. 

Through  much  of  his  life  Mr.  Rhodes  has  been 
identified  with  agricultural  interests  but  in  1900 
he  went  to  Washington,  D.  C,  and  became  one 
of  the  police  officers  in  the  capital,  where  he  re- 
mained for  a  year.  He  was  then  appointed  to  a 
position  in  the  internal  revenue  service,  acting  as 
special  agent  for  three  years,  after  which  he  re- 
turned to  Roscoe.  Prior  to  his  residence  in  the 
national  capital  he  was  for  many  years  justice 
of  the  peace  and  had  also  served  on  the  board  of 
supervisors  for  nine  years  at  one  time,  and  ten 
years  at  another  time.  He  was  the  first  native 
born  son  of  Roscoe  to  be  called  to  that  office  and 
upon  his  return  from  Washingfton  he  was  again 
elected  supervisor  so  that  his  service  in  the  posi- 
tion covers  twenty-one  years  altogether.  No 
higher  testimonial  of  his  ability  or  of  the  trust 
reposed  in  him  could  be  given  than  the  fact  that 
he  has  so  long  been  retained  in  the  one  office.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  at  Rock- 
ton,  and  of  Nevius  post.  No.  i.  G.  A.  R.,  at 
Rockford.  He  has  ever  been  a  public-spirited  and 
patriotic  citizen,  as  true  and  loyal  to  his  country 
in  days  of  peace  as  when  the  war  cloud  hung 
over  the  land  and  he  battled  for  the  Union  upon 
the  contested  srround  of  the  south. 


MICHAEL  C.  KEATING. 

Michael  C.  Keating,  a  retired  farmer  resid- 
ing in  Pecatonica,  is  a  native  of  the  Emerald 
isle,  and  in  his  life  has  displayed  many  of  the 
sterling  characteristics  of  the  Celtic  race,  includ- 
ing the  ready  adaptability  and  unfailing  enter- 
prise which  have  been  strong  elements  in  the 
success  of  the  sons  of  Erin.  He  was  born  in 
Queen's   county.   Ireland,   October  3.    1846,   and 


was  educated  in  \^'estcheste^  county.  New  York, 
and  in  the  schools  of  Rockford.  He  came  to 
America  in  March,  1848,  with  his  parents,  James 
and  Winifred  (Brannon)  Keating.  They  were 
eight  weeks  in  crossing  the  Atlantic  to  America, 
as  passengers  on  a  sailing  vessel,  which  dropped 
anchor  in  the  harbor  of  New  York.  Alichael 
Keating  was  then  about  a  year  and  a  half  old, 
and  the  family  lived  in  \\'estchester  county  for 
five  years,  after  which  they  removed  to  Oswego 
county.  New  York,  where  they  spent  a 
}ear.  Three  children  had  been  born  in 
Ireland  and  three  more  children  were 
added  to  the  family  in  the  Empire  state. 
In  1854  the  parents  left  New  York,  made  their 
wa\'  by  boat  to  Detroit,  Michigan,  thence  by 
canal  to  Chicago,  and  on  by  rail  to  Elgin.  For 
a  year  the  family  home  was  maintained  between 
Rockbridge  and  Elgin,  and  the  father  laid  the 
track  for  the  Fox  River  road  and  also  worked 
on  the  old  St.  Charles  Air  Line.  In  the  spring 
of  1855  he  removed  to  Rockford,  living  in  the 
city  for  four  years,  working  on  the  water  power. 
He  then  came  to  Pecatonica  on  the  27th  of  July, 
1859,  and  purchased  a  small  lot  on  the  north 
side  of  the  river,  after  which  he  at  once  began 
to  clear  his  land.  There  was  a  log  house  on  the 
place  in  whch  he  and  his  family  took  up  their 
abode.  They  had  lost  one  daughter,  Mary,  while 
living  in  Rockford,  and  the  youngest  daughter, 
Margaret,  died  here  in  1859.  The  father  added 
to  his  land  from  time  to  time  as  his  financial 
resources  increased  until  he  had  about  three  hun- 
dred acres,  constituting  a  valuable  property.  He 
was  one  of  the  early  pioneer  settlers  of  the 
county,  industrious  and  honest,  and  he  enjoyed 
the  respect  of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 
He  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years  and 
three  months,  while  his  wife  passed  away  when 
about  eighty-seven  years  of  age.  He  and  all  his 
family  were  communicants  of  the  Catholic 
church. 

Michael  C.  Keating  accompanied  his  parents 
on  their  various  removals  and  lived  with  them 
until  they  were  called  to  the  home  beyond.  He 
worked  upon  the  home  farm  after  coming  to 
Winnebago  county  until  the  age  of  thirteen 
years,  when  he  began  earning  his  own  living  by 
working  as  a  farm  hand  in  the  neighborhood  by 
the  day  and  month.  He  was  employed  by  Sam- 
uel Derwent  for  two  years,  after  which,  in  1863. 
he  began  farming  on  his  own  account,  and  was 
thus  engaged  until  1864,  when  he  could  no  longer 
content  himself  to  remain  at  home  while  the 
LTnion  was  in  peril,  and  enlisted  in  Company  C, 
One  Hundred  and  Forty-sixth  Illinois  Infantry, 
as  a  private.  He  was  enrolled  in  the  month  of 
August,  and  went  to  Camp  Butler,  at  Springfield, 
where  he  received  his  uniform.  He  then  went 
to  Brighton,  Macoupin  county,  where  the  troops 


3°- 


I'AST     AND     I'RF.SKXT     OF     WI.W'EBAGO     COUNTY. 


were  drillet.!  iiniil  ordered  to  Alton  on  provost 
duty,  remaininj;  tliere  for  about  tliree  months. 
They  next  went  to  I'eoria  on  jirovost  duty,  Mr. 
Keating  being  tliere  with  nine  others  of  his  com- 
pany. Later  he  returned  to  Springfield,  and  on 
to  Cain.),  where  he  was  on  guard  duly  for  about 
two  months.  He  was  next  sent  to  New  Orleans 
by  boat  to  take  part)lletl  prisoners  to  the  south, 
and  was  in  that  cit\'  wlien  the  rebel  ram  ran  the 
blockade.  He  afterward  returned  to  Cairo,  leav- 
ing there  upon  the  day  that  President  Lincoln 
was  assassinated — .\pril  14.  iS(>~,.  when  he  re- 
porteil  at  Camp  Yates,  in  Siiringfield.  being  mus- 
tered out  there  July  8,  1865. 

Returning  to  his  home,  Air.  Keating  engaged 
in  farming  again,  and  in  connection  w'ith  his 
father  purchased  land  and  carried  on  general 
agricultural  pursuits.  As  a  companion  and  hel]}- 
niate  for  life's  journey  he  wedded  Miss  Ellen 
Kennedy,  to  whom  he  was  married  June  20, 
1879.  Her  parents  were  Patrick  and  Ellen  Ken- 
nedy, both  natives  of  Ireland.  The  mother  was 
twice  married,  having  two  children  by  her  second 
marriage,  but  Mrs.  Keating  was  the  only  child 
of  the  fir.st  marriage.  Iler  second  husband  was 
Miciiael  Russell,  who  is  now  living  in  Rockford. 
Mr.  Kennedy  died  in  1854,  while  the  mother  of 
Mrs.  Keating  passe<l  away  in  1878.  They  were 
early  settlers  of  Winnebago  county,  and  arrived 
here  in  the  '50s.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keating  have 
two  children,  a  son  and  daughter:  James  \V.. 
born  h'ebruary  5,  1880,  and  Mary,  born  January 
30,  1881.  The  wife  and  niotiier  jiassed  away 
November  10.  1883,  and  her  remains  were  in- 
terred in  the  Irish  Grove  cemetery.  The  daugh- 
ter Mary  is  now  acting  as  her  father's  house- 
keeper, and  they  have  a  pleasant  home  in  the 
village  of  Pecatonica.  The  son,  James  \V.. 
attended  the  public  scIkjoIs  in  Pecatonica  until 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  when  he  was  graduated 
from  the  high  school,  after  which  he  went  to 
Chicago  and  entered  the  law  department  of  the 
Northwestern  University,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  with  the  class  of  11)03.  He  is  now 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  that 
city,  and  was  formerly  connected  with  Thomas 
Foley,  a  leading  attorney  there.  The  daughter 
was  a  student  in  St. Charles  Sisters'  School,  in 
Chicago,  completing  the  eighth  grade  work.  Her 
mother  died  about  that  tiiue.  and  she  then  re- 
turned to  i'ecatonica  and  com])Ieted  her  educa- 
tion by  graduation  in  the  high  school  here. 

Mr.  Keating  owns  three  hundred  acres  of 
well  improved  land,  but  is  now  practically  liv- 
ing a  retired  life.  His  farm  lies  near  the  town, 
and  the  house  thereon  is  situated  about  two  miles 
from  (he  village.  He  and  his  family  are  com- 
municants of  the  Catholic  church.  In  politics 
he  is  a  republican,  anrl  has  been  a  member  of 
the  town  board  and  has  been  district  schc«>l  <lirec- 


tor  for  twelve  years.  He  iias  never  sought  or 
desired  ofifice,  however.  |)referring  to  give  his 
attention  to  his  business  afi'airs.  He  has  always 
been  a  lover  of  fine  horses,  and  at  the  present 
time  owns  four  very  fine  specimens,  two  coming 
from  Tennessee,  one  of  these  being  a  pedigreed 
animal.  He  worked  hard  from  early  boyjiood 
through  long  years,  and  his  well  earned  ease  is 
a  fitting  crown  to  his  life  of  industry  and  well 
directed    effort. 


HERVEY  SEYMOUR  CLEVELAND. 

Hervey  Seymour  Cleveland,  who  in  practical, 
l)rogressive  and  profitable  manner  is  following 
agricultural  pursuits  in  Seward  township,  was 
born  in  Hebron,  Washington  county.  New  York, 
January  18,  1831,  his  parents  being  Job  W.  and 
.\lmira  (Fenton)  Cleveland.  The  father,  born 
August  7,  1796,  removed  with  his  family  from 
Washington  county  to  Wyoming  county,  New 
York,  about  1834  and  spent  his  remaining  days 
there,  his  death  occurring  July  7,  1870.  His 
wife  was  born  November  12.  1799,  and  died  on 
the  eighty-seventh  anniversary  of  her  birth. 
The\-  were  married  in  \"emiont  but  spent  the 
greater  part  of  their  married  life  in  the  Empire 
state.  Mr.  Cleveland  was  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity  and  also  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  In  his  family  were 
eleven  children,  of  whom  four  are  now  living: 
VA'i.  a  resident  of  Rockford  :  William  J.,  who  is 
living  in  Seward ;  Hervey  S.,  of  this  review ; 
and  Helen,  the  wife  of  Percival  Joiner,  whose 
home  is  in  Wcthcrsfield.  \\'voming  countv.  New 
\'ork. 

Hervey  S.  Cleveland,  when  three  years  of  age, 
was  taken  by  his  parents  to  Wyoming  county, 
where  he  acquired  his  education  in  the  district 
schools.  He  remained  at  home  until  sixteen 
years  of  age,  after  which  he  worked  in  Leroy, 
New  York,  for  three  years,  there  learning  the 
trade  of  a  wagonmaker.  Later  he  went  to  .\ttica, 
Wyoming  county.  New  York,  where  he  had  to 
abandon  work  at  his  trade  because  it  proved 
detrimental  to  his  eyesight.  In  September.  1853. 
he  came  west  to  Winnebago  county,  where  he 
remained  until  winter  came  on,  when  he  went  to 
.Monroe.  Wisconsin,  where  he  again  resumed 
wagonmaking.  However,  he  had  purchased  a 
tract  of  land  of  eighty  acres  where  he  now  lives 
and  began  breaking  the  wild  prairie,  continuing 
the  active  work  of  the  farm  until  1855.  when  he 
returned  to  the  state  of  New  York  to  see  his 
parents.  He  remained  at  home  for  three  years 
and  was  married  there  on  the  nth  of  June.  1856. 
to   Miss   Annette   Curtis,  who   was  born   in   the 


/^  ,^  ^Ai-^^^^n^.  ^ 


/^Ol^    ,       tfl-^^1^0<U^,    /^/^It^^^^^^i^tnM,  , 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


307 


town    of    Java,    Wyoming    county,    New    York, 
April  21,  1834. 

Witli  his  wife  Mr.  Cleveland  returned  to  Win- 
nebago county  in  the  spring  of  1859  and  during 
the  summer  lived  in  a  shanty  belonging  to  his 
brother  but  in  the  fall  of  that  year  erected  a 
house  and  with  strong  purpose  began  the  de- 
velopment of  his  farm  and  the  improvement  of 
his  property.  Later  he  purchased  another  eighty- 
acre  tract  of  land  and  afterward  bought  sixty 
acres,  continually  adding  to  his  property  until 
he  had  two  hundred  and  ninety-five  acres  of 
very  valuable  farm  land.  In  the  fall  of  1887  he 
was  visited  by  a  disastrous  fire,  eleven  buildings 
being  destroyed,  but  soon  he  built  his  fine  home 
in  which  he  now  lives  and  the  substantial  barns 
and  outbuildings  which  give  shelter  to  grain  and 
stock.  He  was,  up  to  the  last  five  years,  ex- 
tensively and  successfully  engaged  in  raising  and 
feeding  stock  and  he  now  has  twenty  head  of 
cows  upon  his  farm  and  raises  from  forty  to 
sixty  head  of  hogs  each  year.  He  was,  however, 
a  breeder  of  shorthorn  cattle  until  he  suffered 
so  extensively  from  the  fire. 

In  1891  Mr.  Cleveland  was  called  upon  to 
mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  died  on  the  26th 
of  April  of  that  year.  Her  standing  in  the  com- 
mimity  and  in  the  regard  of  her  many  friends  is 
perhaps  best  indicated  by  the  following  resolu- 
tions of  respect. 

Whereas,  It  has  pleased  the  Great  Master 
of  the  Universe  in  His  infinite  wisdom  to  remove 
from  our  midst  our  beloved  sister,  Annette  Cleve- 
land, therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  in  the  death  of  Sister  Cleve- 
land this  Grange  has  lost  an  earnest  and 
energetic  member,  a  woman  endowed  with  those 
graces  of  mind  and  body  which  endeared  her  to 
all  who  knew  her. 

Resolved,  That  while  bowing  submissively  to 
the  Divine  Will  we  deeply  deplore  the  loss  of 
one  who  was  to  us  a  cheerful  companion,  one 
whose  gentle  habits  and  lovable  qualities  rendered 
her  a  desirable  associate  in  our  order. 

Resolved,  That  we  offer  our  sincere  sympathy 
to  the  bereaved  family  of  the  deceased  in  this  sad 
hour  of  affliction. 

Resolved,    That    these    resolutions   be    entered 
in  our  minutes  and  a  copy  of  the  same  be  sent 
to  the   family  of  the  deceased   and   also   a   copy 
sent  to  the  Grange  News  for  publication. 
Laurence  McDonald, 
John  McDonald, 
Julia  McDonald, 

Committee. 

Attest :  John  IMcDonald,  Sec. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cleveland  were  born  five 
children:  Myrtie,  who  was  born  January  5,  i860, 
and  died  November  17,  1867;  Alta  C,  who  was 
18 


born  February  20,  1862,  and  died  November  16, 
1867;  Lucas,  who  was  born  September  7,  1870, 
and  died  February  10,  1871  ;  Amy,  who  was 
born  November  24,  1881,  and  died  the  same 
day ;  and  Hervey,  who  was  born  March  27, 
1869,  and  is  now  conducting  the  home  farm. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Cleveland  has  been  and 
at  the  present  time  is  a  member  of  the  school 
board  and  the  cause  of  education  finds  in  him  a 
warm  and  helpful  friend.  He  has  also  been  a 
member  of  the  directors  of  the  Winnebago 
Farmers'  Mutual  Fire  and  Lightning  Insurance 
Compan\-  of  Wimiebago  and  Seward  townships, 
which  was  incorporated  February  5,  1875.  tie 
belongs  to  the  Knights  of  the  Globe  and  is  a 
supporter  of  the  Congregational  church,  whicn 
he  has  attended  for  manv  years. 


JAMES  H.  BABCOCK. 

James  H.  Babcock,  who  has  placed  his 
capital  in  the  safest  of  all  investments — real 
estate — and  is  now  an  extensive  dealer  in  lands  in 
Illinois  and  the  Dakotas,  is  a  native  son  of  this 
state,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Stephenson 
county,  near  Freeport,  in  1861.  His  parents 
were  E.  N.  and  Harriet  (Dunn)  Babcock,  who 
became  early  settlers  of  Stephenson  county, 
where  the  father  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits 
and  became  one  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of  his 
neighborhood. 

In  the  usual  manner  of  farm  lads  of  the 
period  James  H.  Babcock  spent  his  boyhood 
days.  He  began  his  education  in  the  district 
schools  and  afterward  enjoyed  the  benefits  of 
instruction  in  the  higher  schools  of  his  county. 
When  his  education  was  completed  he  turned 
his  attention  to  farming  and  stock-raising, 
which  he  carried  on  quite  extensively,  and  while 
still  living  upon  his  farm  he  became  interested 
in  real-estate  operations.  He  is  seldom  at  fault 
in  mattters  of  judgment  concerning  the  value  of 
property  and  is  thus  enabled  to  make  judicious 
investments  and  profitable  sales.  In  1901  he 
removed  to  Rockford,  where  be  opened  a  real- 
estate  office  and  is  now  devoting  his  time  and 
means  to  investing  in  and  selling  western  lands. 
He  is  now  the  possesor  of  large  tracts,  having 
a  valuable  farm  of  about  thirteen  hundred  acres 
in  Dakota  which  is  a  grain  farm  devoted  to  the 
raising  of  wheat,  it  being  situated  in  the  midst 
of  the  great  wheat  and  corn  belt.  He  also  owns 
several  farms  in  Minnesota  aggregating  eight 
hundred  acres,  which  are  well  stocked  with  thor- 
oughbred Hereford  cattle,  many  of  them  being 
registered.  This  farm  is  conducted  largely  un- 
der his  own  supervision  with  the  aid  of  a  num- 
ber of  employes.     He   is   likewise  interested  in 


3o8 


PAST     A\D     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COLXTV. 


valuable  land  in  Iowa,  and  his  holdinjjs  in  Illi- 
nois return  to  him  a  jjood  income.  He  has  prop- 
erty in  the  city  of  Cliica^o.  three  good  farms  in 
Kansas  and  also  land  in  Wisconsin. 

In  1887  Mr.  Babcock  was  married  to  Miss 
Jennie  E.  Steele,  of  Stephenson  county.  Illinois, 
antl  they  have  a  son  and  daughter.  Ralph  and 
Marie.  The  family  home  is  at  No.  1535  East 
Slate  street.  Without  special  educalit)nal  or 
financial  advantages  to  aid  him  in  the  outset  of 
his  career  Mr.  Babcock  has  steadily  worked  his 
way  ujjward.  The  successful  men  of  the  day 
are  they  who  have  planned  their  own  advance- 
ment and  have  accnm])lished  it  in  spite  of  many 
obstacles  and  with  a  certainty  that  could  have 
been  attained  only  through  their  own  efforts. 
This  class  of  men  has  a  worthy  representative  in 
James  H.  Babcock,  who  in  his  active  life  has 
ever  displayed  a  weight  of  character,  a  native 
sagacity,  a  far-seeing  judgment  and  a  fidelity  of 
purpose  that  commands  the  respect  of  all. 


TIMOTHY  P.  HL'RNS. 

Timothy  P.  Burns,  interested  in  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  on  section  29,  Burritt  township, 
where  he  owns  and  cultivates  one  hundred  and 
sixty-nine  acres  of  land,  was  born  in  this  town- 
shij)  January  2t,.  1867.  His  father,  Tobias  Burns, 
is  a  retired  farmer,  living  in  Rockford.  The  fam- 
ily is  of  Irish  lineage,  and  was  established  in  the 
United  States  by  John  and  Julia  (Shaughnes- 
scy)  Ihirns,  who  came  to  this  country  in  1850. 
accom])anied  by  their  family.  After  si)ending 
about  four  years  in  New  York  they  made  their 
way  westwart  to  Winnebago  county,  where  they 
resided  until  called  to  their  final  rest.  John  Burns 
passing  away  in  October,  1873,  while  his  wife 
died  in  June,  1890.  In  their  family  were  eight 
children,  and  of  the  seven  daughters  all  are  now 
deceased  with  the  exception  of  Mrs.  James  Mor- 
rissey.  of  Belvidere.  Illinois. 

The  only  son,  Tobias  Burns,  was  born  in 
County  Carlow.  Ireland,  and  is  now  about  sev- 
enty-five years  of  age.  He  came  with  his  parents 
to  America,  and  through  many  years  was  iden- 
tified with  agricultural  interests  in  Wimiebago 
county,  his  success  being  attributable  entirely  to 
his  own  labors.  He  was  married  in  Rockford  in 
i860  to  Miss  Mary  Doyle,  who  was  born  in 
County  Kilkenny,  Ireland,  in  October,  1842,  her 
parents  being  Timothy  and  Elizabeth  (Ryan) 
Doyle,  natives  of  County  Carlow,  Ireland.  They 
came  to  the  new  world  in  1850,  and  after  living 
for  four  years  in  Rochester,  New  York,  removed 
to  Rockford,  where  Mr.  Doyle  died  in  February, 
1866,  his  wife,  however,  surviving  until  Novem- 
ber  I,   1893.     Mr.  and  Mrs.   Burns  began  their 


domestic  life  upon  a  farm,  and  from  Ajiril,  1864, 
until  March,  1902,  resided  on  .section  22,  lUirritt 
ti>wnsliii),  where  the  well  directed  labors  of  Mr. 
Burns  won  him  a  gratifying  ])rosperity.  More 
extended  mention  of  this  worthy  cou])le  is  given 
on  another  page  of  this  work. 

Timothy  P.  Burns,  of  this  review,  was  reared 
in  the  usual  manner  of  farm  lads  of  the  period, 
no  eveiU  of  special  im])ortance  occurring  to  vary 
the  routine  of  work,  study  and  play  for  him  in 
his  boyhood  days.  .Vrriving  at  years  of  matur- 
ity he  sought  a  companion  and  helpmate  for  life's 
journey,  and  was  married  on  the  13th  of  Jan- 
uary. 1898,  to  Miss  Margaret  E.  Shehan,  a 
(laughter  of  Phillip  and  .\nn  Shehan.  of  this 
county.  She  is  a  graduate  of  the  high  school  of 
Winnebago  of  the  class  of  1892,  and  taught 
school  for  several  terms,  being  known  as  one  of 
the  most  successful  teachers  of  the  county.  She 
was  thus  engaged  up  to  the  time  of  her  marriage. 
The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burns  has  been 
blessed  with  three  children:  William  Shehan, 
born  September  15.  1899;  Philip,  born  August  2, 
1901  :  and  Tobias,  born  in  ( )ctober,  1904. 

.\t  the  time  of  his  marriage  Mr.  Burns  left 
the  old  homestead  farm  on  which  he  had  been 
reared,  and  of  which  he  had  acted  as  manager 
in  the  early  years  of  his  manhood  and  took  up 
his  abode  upon  the  farm  which  is  now  his  home, 
comprising  one  hundred  and  sixty-nine  acres  of 
land  on  section  29,  Burritt  township.  Here  he 
is  now  successfully  carrying  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  his  life  being  characterize<l  by 
mu'emitting  diligence  and  perseverance.  In 
community  affairs  he  is  interested,  and  for  sev- 
eral terms  he  has  served  as  school  director.  His 
political  allegiance  is  given  to  the  democracy, 
and  he  and  his  wife  are  communicants  of  St. 
Mary's  Catholic  church  in  Rockford. 


WILLIAM  A.  POWELL. 

William  A.  Powell,  interested  in  general  farm- 
ing on  section  27,  Wimiebago  township,  is  num- 
bered among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  the  county, 
having  resided  here  since  1854,  and  the  changes 
which  have  occurred  have  left  their  impress  on 
his  memory,  so  that  he  is  well  informed  concern- 
ing the  history  of  this  section  of  the  stale  as  it 
has  emerged  from  pioneer  conditions  and  taken 
on  all  the  improvements  and  advantages  of  an 
advanced  civilization.  A  native  of  Pennsylvania, 
Mr.  Powell  was  born  in  Chester  county  in  1844, 
his  parents  being  Lewis  and  Mary  (Hallowell) 
Powell,  who  arrived  in  Rockford  in  the  spring 
of  1853.  They  resided  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
west  of  Weslfield  Corners  for  a  year,  at  the  end 
of    which    time    Lewis    Powell    purchased    the 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


309 


eighty-acre  tract  of  land  upon  which  W.  A. 
Powell  now  resides.  He  began  improving  the 
farm,  which  up  to  that  time  had  but  little  work 
done  thereon.  His  labors  were  effective  and  prac- 
tical, and  as  the  years  passed  his  work  wrought  a 
very  gratifying  transfonnation  in  the  appearance 
of  the  place.  The  house  which  he  first  iDuilt  has 
been  moved  back  on  the  farm  and  is  now  being 
used  as  a  wood  house.  Later  he  purchased  the 
eighty-acre  tract  just  east  of  his  original  farm  on 
section  26  and  this  is  also  owned  by  William  A. 
Powell,  who  likewise  has  ten  acres  of  timber  land 
on  section  34,  Winnebago  township.  Lewis 
Powell  continued  to  carry  on  general  farming 
on  the  old  homestead  up  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  March  17,  1899,  when  he  was 
eighty  years  of  age,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Chester  county,  Pennsylvania,  April  18,  1818. 
The  family  is  of  English  lineage.  Mr.  Powell 
gave  his  political  support  to  the  democracy  and 
served  as  a  school  director  and  in  other  local 
offices,  taking  an  active  and  helpful  interest  in 
the  affairs  of  the  township.  He  desired  public 
improvement  and  progress  along  lines  that  would 
prove  of  practical  benefit  and  he  did  his  full  share 
in  promoting  the  welfare  of  his  community.  He 
and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Winnebago.  Mrs.  Powell,  whose  birth 
occurred  in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania,  in 
1821,  died  in  this  county  January  31,  1888,  when 
about  sixty-six  years  of  age. 

Howard  Powell,  the  brother  of  our  subject, 
was  for  some  years  engaged  in  farming  in  Win- 
nebago township.  He  was  born  in  Chester 
county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1851,  and  died  July  3, 
1873,  soon  after  his  marriage  to  Miss  Delia 
Bunn,  who  still  resides  in  this  county.  One  sis- 
ter, Anna  ^^lar}-,  born  here  in  1858,  married 
Leonard  Greene  and  resides  at  Pomona,  Cali- 
fornia. 

William  A.  Powell  was  but  nine  years  of  age 
when  the  family  came  to  Illinois,  and  since  his 
tenth  year  he  has  resided  upon  the  farm  which 
is  now  his  home.  He  was  reared  to  agricultural 
pursuits,  being  trained  to  the  practical  work  of 
the  fields  under  the  direction  of  his  father,  who 
early  impressed  upon  his  mind  the  value  of  in- 
dustry and  integrity  in  active  affairs  of  life  and 
in  the  years  that  have  passed  these  lessons  have 
borne  rich  fruit  in  a  successful  and  creditable 
business  career.  As  before  stated,  he  owns  the 
old  family  homestead,  his  landed  possessions  ag- 
gregating one  hundred  and  seventy  acres.  The 
farm  comprises  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  that  is  rich  and  productive,  and  in  addition 
he  has  a  ten-acre  timber  tract.  Everything  about 
his  place  is  neat  and  thrifty  in  appearance,  and 
from  the  time  of  early  spring  planting  until  crops 
are  harvested  in  the  late  autumn  he  gives  careful 
supervision  to  his  farm  work  and  is  prosperous 
in  all  that  he  undertakes. 


Mr.  Powell  was  married  to  Miss  Angeline 
Hollenbeck,  a  native  of  Schoharie  county.  New 
York,  and  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Eva  (Zim- 
mer)  Hollenbeck,  who  came  to  Winnebago 
county  in  1857  and  located  on  section  22,  Winne- 
bago township,  the  fami  now  owned  by  M  Hol- 
lenbeck, a  brother  of  Mrs.  Powell.  Her  father 
died  March  23,  1894.  In  his  family  were  nine 
children :  Catherine,  Miner,  Sylvester,  John, 
Eliza,  ;\lary,  Luther,  Millard,  and  Angeline.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Powell  have  two  sons,  both  born  upon 
the  home  farm:  William  W.,  born  July  21,  1870, 
who  follows  farming  near  his  father  and  who 
married  ]\Iiss  Rachel  Patrick,  of  the  village  of 
Winnebago,  by  whom  he  has  three  children, 
Lewis.  Clara  and  Anna ;  and  Clifford,  born  July 
9,    1880,  still  at  home. 

Politically  Mr.  Powell  is  a  democrat  and  has 
served  as  school  director.  He  has  always  taken 
an  active  interest  in  political  affairs  in  his  town- 
ship and  is  interested  in  the  great  issues  and 
questions  which  divide  the  two  parties.  His  wife 
is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church  of 
^Vinnebago,  and  both  have  a  wide  acquaintance  in 
the  county  where  they  have  long  resided,  Mr. 
Powell  having  for  more  than  half  a  century  made 
his  home  within  its  borders,  so  that  from  pioneer 
times  down  to  the  present  he  is  familiar  with  its 
history. 


JOHN   FITZGERALD. 

John  Fitzgerald,  following  the  occupation  of 
farming  on  section  17,  Rockford  township,  owns 
here  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  acres  of  land, 
and  is  numbered  among  the  pioneer  residents  of 
the  county,  having  settled  here  on  the  15th  of 
;\Iarch.  1859.  He  was  born  in  county  Wether- 
ford,  Ireland,  about  four  miles  north  of  Youghal 
Harbor,  July  23,  1838,  his  parents  being  Edward 
and  Bridget  (Mountain)  Fitzgerald,  both  of 
whom  died  in  Ireland.  They  were  farming  peo- 
ple, and  on  the  Emerald  isle  they  reared  their 
family  of  six  children,  of  whom  John  was  the 
second  in  order  of  birth.  Of  that  number 
Michael  still  resides  in  Ireland,  while  Thomas  is 
living  in  Rockford  and  James  died  in  New  Jer- 
sey. The  daughters,  Mary  and  Ellen,  have  also 
passed  away. 

John  Fitzgerald  came  to  America  when  nine- 
teen years  of  age,  landing  at  Quebec,  Canada. 
A  week  later  he  went  to  Toronto,  where  he  re- 
mained until  November  of  that  year  (1857). 
He  then  traveled  through  New  York,  visiting 
New  York  city  and  also  Philadelphia.  Making 
his  way  westward  he  worked  on  the  Kenosha 
division  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Rail- 
road for  a  little  time.  He  then  went  south, 
spending  two  years  in  that  section  of  the  coun- 
try but  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war  he  returned 
to  Rockford. 


3IO 


I'AST     AND     PRESENT     Ol'     W  IXXl-.l'.At  .c)     COLXTV. 


Here  in  1862  Mr.  Fitzo^tTakl  enlisted  as  a 
member  of  Company  A,  Ninetieth  Illinois  In- 
fantry, called  the  C'hica.iro  Irish  Lesjion,  under 
command  of  Colonel  (  )'.Mera.  Me  was  mustered 
into  service  at  Chicago  at  Camp  Dunne  and  the 
re.tjiment  was  with  the  Sixteenth  Army  Corps 
until  ordered  to  \icksburs:.  when  they  were  at- 
tached to  the  Fifteenth  Army  Corps.  Mr.  Fitz- 
gerald particijiated  in  the  battles  at  Jackson. 
\'icksbur^  and  Mission  Ridsje.  .\t  the  last  named 
he  was  wounded  and  was  sent  to  the  lu>spital. 
where  he  remained  for  six  months,  after  which 
he  served  with  the  invalid  corps.  When  the 
war  was  over  and  his  aid  was  no  longer  needed 
he  was  mustered  out  at  Indianajiolis.  Indiana, 
July  3,  1865.  He  had  been  seriously  womided 
in  the  leg  by  two  bullets. 

Mr.  Fitzgerald  at  once  returned  to  Rockford 
and  has  since  resided  in  Winnebago  county.  He 
was  married  here  to  Miss  Anna  Kearney,  a  native 
of  County  Carey,  Ireland,  who  came  to  this  coun- 
try in  1863.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fitzgerald  have  nine 
cliildren  living  and  one  deceased :  .\gncs.  the  wife 
of  Martin  Duane,  of  Boone  county,  Illinois,  and 
the  mother  of  eight  children  ;  Edward,  a  resident 
farmer  of  Rockford  township :  Mary,  who  has 
taught  school  for  the  past  fourteen  years  in 
Winnebago  county  and  is  now  residing  with  her 
brother  Edward  :  Mark  J.,  who  resides  on  a  farm 
just  south  of  Rockford  and  is  married  and  has 
two  children :  Catherine,  the  wife  of  James 
Radmond,  of  Rockford  :  Anna,  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Drohan,  of  Rockford  township;  John,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years ;  Margaret, 
Patrick  W.  and  Clara,  all  at  home. 

Politically  Mr.  Fitzgerald  is  a  democrat  where 
national  questions  and  issues  are  involved,  but  at 
local  elections  he  votes  independently.  Socially  he 
is  a  member  of  Ncvius  post.  No.  i,  G.  A.  R.,  at 
Rockford  and  also  belongs  to  the  .\ncient  Order 
of  United  Workmen.  lie  is  likewise  a  member 
of  St.  Mary's  Catholic  church  of  Rockford. 
Throughout  almost  his  entire  business  career  he 
has  followed  farming  and  his  success  is  the  di- 
rect outcome  of  his  well  directed  labors,  his 
splendidly  improved  farm  being  the  visible  evi- 
dence of  his  life  of  enterprise  and  untiring  ac- 
tivitv. 


PROFESSOR   P.  R.  WALKER. 

Pelcg  Remington  Walker,  for  more  than 
twenty-one  years  city  superintendent  of  the 
schools  of  Rockford  and  widely  acknowledged  as 
one  of  the  most  capable  educators  representing 
the  public  school  system  of  the  state,  is  a  native  of 
Brooklyn.  Windham  county,  Connecticut,  where 
liis  birth  occurred  on  the  1st  of  July.  1835.  He 
was  but  four  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  the  re- 
moval   of    the    familv    to    East    Brooklvn,    now 


Danielson,  where  he  pursued  his  education  in  the 
district  schools  until  twelve  years  of  age,  after 
which  only  the  winter  months  were  devoted  to 
study,  while  the  summer  seasons  were  given  to 
farm  work.  .Ambitious,  however,  for  further 
educational  development  he  resumed  his  studies, 
in  the  West  Killingly  academy,  attending  during 
the  fall  and  winter  terms  of  1850. 

In  November,  1852.  Professor  Walker  entered 
u|)on  the  ])rofession  whicii  he  has  made  his  life 
work  as  teacher  in  the  North  Higelow  district 
in  Hampton,  Connecticut,  and  in  the  following 
sunnner  he  engaged  in  car|)entering  in  connection 
with  his  father.  He  taught  in  the  south  parish 
school  in  Killingly  in  the  winter  of  1853-4,  and 
at  that  time  began  preparation  for  a  college 
course,  attending  school  through  the  following 
winter,  but  in  the  spring  of  1855  he  was  forced 
to  abandon  his  cherished  plan,  because  of  troubles 
with  his  eyes,  occasioned  by  an  attack  of  measles. 
He  became  a  resident  of  the  middle  west  in  April, 
1856,  when  he  accomjianied  his  father's  family 
(Ml  their  removal  to  .^cott  township,  Ogle  county, 
Illinois,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he  was 
elected  to  the  ])osition  of  teacher  in  Lynnville  for 
seven  months.  When  summer  came  he  engaged 
in  breaking  prairie  and  was  thus  identified  with 
the  early  agricultural  developments  of  the  county, 
but  the  winter  found  him  installed  behind  the 
teacher's  desk  in  the  Sniith-Woodburn  school, 
in  Byron,  Illinois. 

His  work  in  the  schoolroom  has  been  so  satis- 
factory that  he  resolved  to  devote  his  life  to  the 
professi(3n  and  that  he  might  be  still  better  quali- 
fied he  pursued  a  course  in  the  Normal  I'niver- 
sity  at  Bloomington.  Illinois,  being  graduated 
therefrom  in  June.  1861.  He  taught  at  Dement 
the  following  year,  but  feeling  that  a  higher  duty 
called  him — his  duty  to  his  country — he  put  aside 
personal  considerations,  and  on  the  12th  of 
August.  1862.  joined  the  boys  in  blue  of  Com- 
pany K.  Ninety-second  Illinois  Infantry,  as  a 
private.  The  regiment  was  sent  to  Camp  Fuller 
and  from  that  point  left  for  the  scene  of  hostili- 
ties. October  10.  1862.  The  regiment  was 
mounted  in  July.  18^)3.  and  supplied  with  repeat- 
ing rifles,  and  with  his  command  Professor 
Walker  particijiated  in  the  advance  on  Chat- 
tanooga, was  with  Hooker  at  Lookout  Mountain, 
saw  the  battle  of  Mission  Ridge,  was  with  Sher- 
man in  Kilpatrick's  Cavalry,  from  Chattanooga 
to  .\tlantic  and  on  the  march  to  Savannah.  He 
was  slightly  wounded  when  approaching  Raleigh 
but  otherwise  escaped  uninjured.  He  was  pro- 
moted successively  to  sergeant,  first  sergeant  and 
lieutenant  and  was  in  connnand  of  his  company 
during  the  last  year  of  the  war.  Conscious  of 
having  faithfully  performed  his  duty  to  his  coun- 
try, he  then  returned  to  his  home  to  resume  the 
l)ursuits  of  civil  life. 


p.  R.  WALKER. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


313 


Before  leaving  the  army  Professor  Walker  had 
been  engaged  to  teach  the  Dement  school,  leaving 
there  only  after  eight  years  to  accept  a  still  better 
position  in  Rochelle,  Illinois.  Twelve  years  were 
passed  in  the  latter  city  and  a  further  onward 
step  was  made  when  he  accepted  the  preferred 
superintendency  of  the  city  schools  of  Rockford. 
The  public  school  system  of  this  city  is  largely 
a  monument  to  his  life  work.  He  was  continu- 
all)'  sought  for  work  in  institutes.  He  has 
inaugrated  new  and  i.iractical  ideas  and  by  his 
own  zeal  and  enthusiasm  have  inspired  the 
teachers  to  their  best  work.  Rockford  has  every 
reason  to  be  proud  of  her  schools — and  her 
schools  owe  their  excellence  and  advanced  posi- 
tion to  his  efforts.  He  keeps  in  touch  with 
modern  thought  relative  to  his  profession  through 
regular  attendance  at  the  National  and  State 
Teachers'  Associations  and  for  several  years  he 
served  as  treasurer  of  the  latter,  and  in  1890 
he  was  its  presiding  officer.  He  has  also  been 
the  president  of  the  Northern  Illinois  Teachers' 
Association  and  a  member  of  the  state  board  of 
education  for  more  than  twenty  years  and  his 
name  in  educational  circles  stands  as  a  synonym 
for  progress  and  practical  work  in  the  public 
schools. 

Professor  Walker's  fraternal  relations  are  with 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  He  married 
Miss  Martha  E.'  Webb,  of  New  York,  and  with 
their  daughter  they  reside  at  No.  716  North 
Church  street — the  center  of  a  cultured  society 
circle. 


DA\'TD  P..  PENNIMAN,  M.  D. 

Dr.  David  1!.  Penniman,  engaged  in  the  prac- 
tice of  medicine  in  .Argyle  and  Harlem  township, 
was  born  June  9,  1867,  at  Woodburn,  Macoupin 
county,  Illinois.  His  paternal  grandfather,  David 
Penniman,  was  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  born 
June  12,  1786,  and  died  in  North  Bloomfield, 
Ohio,  July  26,  1858.  His  ancestors  came  from 
New  England  and  from  Maryland,  representa- 
tives of  the  name  living  in  New  England  as  early 
as  1630.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  the  Doc- 
tor was  a  soldier  of  the  American  army  in  the 
war  of  1812.  The  father.  Dr.  Alexander  B.  Pen- 
niman, was  born  in  Rutland,  New  York, 
April  II,  1824,  and  in  his  youth  accom- 
panied his  parents  to  Bloomfield,  Ohio, 
where  they  lived  for  a  number  of  years. 
During  that  period  he  pursued  his  literary 
education  in  Oberlin  College,  at  Oberlin,  Ohio, 
after  which  he  took  up  the  study  of  medicine  in 
the  Eclectic  College,  at  Cincinnati.  Ohio,  from 
which  institution  he  was  graduated.  He  located 
for  practice  in  Canada,  remaining  there  for  three 


years,  after  whch  he  removed  to  southwestern 
Missouri,  where  he  also  practiced  for  three  years. 
He  next  went  to  Woodburn,  Illinois,  where  he 
followed  his  profession  with  excellent  success  for 
a  quarter  of  a  century,  after  which  he  took  up 
his  abode  in  Oberlin,  Ohio,  in  order  that  his 
children  might  enjoy  the  benefits  of  education 
afiforded  in  that  city.  For  five  years  he  continued 
in  practice  there  or  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  1887.  In  early  manhood  he  had  wedded 
Sarah  Barton,  who  was  born  in  Jacksonville,  Illi- 
nois, Januaryio,  1833,  and  was  a  daughter  of 
John  H.  and  Mary  (Reid)  Barton.  Mrs".  Penni- 
man still  survives  her  husband  and  is  now  living 
with  her  son  David  in  Argyle.  The  other  mem- 
bers of  the  family  are:  Rev.  Alford  Penniman, 
who  is  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  at 
Ravenswood,  Illinois ;  and  Ira,  who  is  director 
of  music  in  the  First  Congregational  church  in 
Omaha,   Nebraska. 

Dr.  Penniman,  of  this  review,  spent  the  first 
fourteen  years  of  his  Hfe  in  the  place  of  his  na- 
tivity and  then  went  with  his  parents  to  Oberlin, 
Ohio,  where  he  continued  his  education,  studying 
for  eight  years  in  the  preparatory  school  and  col- 
lege. He  was  graduated  from  the  latter  with  hon- 
ors and  afterward  removed  to  Chicago,  Illinois, 
where  he  entered  upon  the  study  of  his  profession 
in  the  medical  department  of  the  Northwestern 
University.  When  he  was  graduated  and  re- 
ceived his  degree  he  located  for  practice  in  Spring 
Valley.  Illinois,  and  on  the  28th  of  September, 
1893,  he  took  up  his  abode  at  Argyle,  where  he 
has  since  followed  his  profession  with  excellent 
success.  He  has  now  an  extensive  patronage 
from  among  the  best  Scotch  families  of  this  local- 
ity, and  his  thorough  understanding  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  medicine,  combined  with  a  conscientious 
devotion  to  his  chosen  life  work,  makes  him  one 
of  the  most  capable,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most 
successful  physicians  of  this  part  of  the  count}'. 

On  the  13th  of  September.  1893,  Dr.  Penniman 
was  married  to  Miss  Corda  Shively,  of  Shelby, 
Iowa,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  Shively,  now  living  in 
Dayton,  Ohio.  Her  father  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Civil  war,  serving,  in  Company  H,  of  the  Tenth 
Kentucky  \^oIunteers.  Her  mother  died  when 
Airs.  Penniman  was  about  six  years  of  age.  The 
latter  was  born  February  14,  1868,  and  unto  the 
Doctor  and  his  wife  have  been  born  two  children  : 
Lawrence  W.,  born  January  28,  1895  ;  and  Al- 
ford. born  January  28,  1902. 

Dr.  Penniman  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
lodge  at  Roscoe,  the  Modern  Woodman  camp  at 
Caledonia,  Illinois,  and  also  is  connected  with 
the  Mystic  Workers  at  Argyle.  In  politics  he 
is  a  republican  and  he  takes  an  active  and  help- 
ful interest  in  the  cause  of  education,  doing  ef- 
fective  service   in   that  line  as  a  member  of  the 


3 '4 


FAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


school  board.  He  and  his  wife  are  ineinlxTS  of 
the  Willow  Creek  Presbjteriaii  church  at  Argj'Ie 
and  he  is  a  member  of  the  boLrd  of  sessions.  A 
gentleman  of  culture,  of  capability  in  his  profes- 
sion and  of  practical  ideas  concerning  the  vital 
questions  of  life  in  man's  physical,  intellectual 
and  spiritual  nature,  he  stantls  as  the  champion 
of  all  that  is  worthy  and  has  commanded  the 
confidence  and  good  will  of  his  fcllowmen  by 
his  genuine  personal  worth. 


LEWIS  B.  GREGORY. 

Lewis  B.  Gregory,  who  was  interested  in  the 
erction  of  the  first  sawmill  on  Rock  river  and 
the  building  of  the  first  dam,  and  who  is  now 
coimected  with  various  corporations  of  the  city, 
having  financial  interests  therein,  although  he  is 
largely  living  a  retired  life,  was  born  in  Seneca 
county,  New  York,  March  28,  1820,  and  is  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  old  families  of  New 
England.  His  grandfather,  Sanuiel  Gregory, 
was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  there  spent  his 
entire  life  as  a  farmer,  dying  at  an  advanced  age. 
He  luarried  a  lady  of  Connecticut,  who  survived 
him  for  a  number  of  years  and  died  at  the  home 
of  one  of  her  children,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven 
years.  Both  grandjiarcnts  were  active  members 
of  the  Methodist  church,  doing  all  in  their  power 
to  extend  its  influence  and  promote  its  growth. 

Their  son,  the  Rev.  I  larry  Gregory,  was  born 
in  Danbury,  Coiuiecticut,  and  was  reared  among 
the  hills  in  that  section  of  the  country.  When  a 
young  luan  he  removed  to  Seneca  county.  New 
York,  where  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Hannah  I'arnum,  a  native  of  that  locality.  They 
began  their  domestic  life  there,  and  after  several 
years  removed  to  Niagara  county.  New  York, 
where  Mr.  Gregory  began  active  work  in  con- 
nection with  the  ministry  of  the  Methodist 
church.  From  that  time  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  Canandaigua,  New  York,  in  1879, 
when  he  was  eighty-four  years  of  age,  he  was 
engaged  in  proclaiming  the  gospel,  and  his  influ- 
ence was  a  potent  force  in  the  development  of 
his  denomination.  He  served  his  country  as  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  liecame  a  stanch  advo- 
cate of  the  abolition  cause  and  took  an  active 
part  in  suppressing  slavery.  His  political  sup- 
port was  given  to  the  whig  ])arty  until  the  re- 
|)ulilican  party  was  formed  to  prevent  tiie  further 
extension  of  slavery,  when  he  joined  its  ranks. 
His  wife  died  in  New  York  about  twenty  years 
]>rinr  to  the  death  of  her  husband.  They  were 
the  ])arenls  rif  eight  children,  fnur  of  whom  are 
yet  living  and  are  marrieil. 

Lewis  IJ.  Gregory  was  quite  young  when  his 
parents    became    residents    of    Lockport,    New 


York,  and  later  he  accoiupanied  the  family  on 
their  removal  to  Lima,  Livingston  county.  He 
supplemented  his  early  educational  privileges  by 
study  in  the  seminary  there,  and  subsequently  he 
began  teaching,  following  that  profession  in  the 
east  for  several  years.  He  was  a  young  man  of 
twenty  when  he  arrived  in  Rockford,  and  for 
two  and  a  half  years  he  continued  his  active  con- 
nection with  the  teacher's  profession,  being  one 
of  the  early  educators  in  this  part  of  the  state. 
Quick  to  recognize  a  business  opportunity  and 
to  utilize  it,  he  became  a  factor  in  industrial  in- 
terests by  joining  others  in  the  erection  of  the 
first  sawmill  built  on  Rock  river  at  this  place.  He 
was  also  connected  with  the  building  of  the  first 
clam,  and  was  associated  in  other  progressive 
movements  which  have  been  of  material  benefit 
in  the  u])building  and  improvement  of  the  city. 
At  the  present  time  he  is  laying  out  into  town 
lots  the  land  which  he  purchased  here  in  1845. 
A  man  of  wise  council  and  keen  discrimination 
in  business  matters,  his  co-operation  has  been 
sought  in  the  conduct  of  a  number  of  important 
enterprises  here,  and  the  value  of  his  council 
has  been  demonstrated  in  the  success  which  has 
attended  many  enterprises  with  which  he  has 
been  associated.  He  is  now  a  stockholder  and 
director  in  the  Burial  Case  Company  and  a 
stockholder  and  vice-president  of  the  Air  Brush 
Company,  which  has  developed  an  extensive 
business  during  the  ten  years  of  its  existence. 

In  Rockford  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of 
Lewis  B.  Gregory  and  Miss  Lucy  E.  Spafford, 
who  was  born  in  St.  Lawrence  county.  New 
York,  December  t8,  1831,  her  parents  being  Dan 
and  Julia  (Galloway)  Spafford,  who  were  early 
residents  of  Rockford,  coming  here  in  1844.  Her 
father  was  coiuiected  with  the  printing  business 
here  through  a  long  period,  and  was  well  kumvn 
as  a  pioneer  resident  of  the  county.  He  and  his 
wife  had  a  very  wide  acquaintance,  and  were  fa- 
miliarly called  "Cncle"  and  "Aunt"  by  their 
man\-  friends,  who  entertained  for  them  the 
wanucst  regard.  I'.oth  lived  to  an  advanced  age, 
and  Mrs.  S])aft"orfl  was  a  consisteiU  member  of 
of  the  I'^piscopal  church.  They  had  a  large 
family,  incluiling  Mrs.  Gregory,  wlio  was  a  lady 
of  iiuiate  culture  and  refinement,  her  good  (luali- 
ties  of  heart  and  mind  wimiing  her  the  love  and 
esteem  of  all  who  knew  her.  She  was  a  member 
the  I'reshyterian  church,  and  died  in  that  faith 
at  her  home  in  this  city,  July  2,  1888.  She  had 
become  the  mother  of  six  children,  of  whom 
Charles  died  in  infancy.  Those  still  living  are: 
Edward,  a  plumber  of  the  firm  of  S])ringer  & 
Gregory,  who  luarried  Evaline  Chancy,  and  after 
her  death  chose  Laura  J.  Potter  for  his  wife: 
Carroll  S.,  who  was  educated  in  Heloit.  Wiscon- 
sin, and  is  now  a  plumber  of  that  city,  where  he 
married   Jennie  Waterman ;  Lewis  L.,  who  wed- 


<^^^aajt^  ^^r^^^2^^>^ 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     \\'INNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


317 


ded  Sarah  Throckmorten ;  and  is  a  successful 
practitioner  of  medicine  in  Chicago ;  Kittie  C, 
the  wife  of  George  N.  Safford,  Uimberman,  of 
Rockford ;  and  George  B.,  who  is  bookkeeper  for 
the  Love  Manufacturing  Company,  of  Rockford. 

On  the  7th  of  December,  1893,  Mr.  Gregory 
married  Airs.  Sarah  A.  Stambro.  widow  of  Ira 
Stambro,  and  a  daughter  of  John  Grain.  She 
was  born  in  Alabama,  but  in  early  life  removed 
to  Memphis,  Tennessee.  By  her  first  marriage 
she  has  one  daughter,  Henrietta,  now  the  wife  of 
Frank  L.  Cleveland,  of  Rockford. 

Mr.  Gregory  has  now  passed  the  eighty-fifth 
milestone  on  life's  journey.  His  has  been  an  act- 
ive and  useful  career,  in  which  much  time  has 
been  devoted  to  his  business  interests,  and  yet 
he  has  found  time  and  opportunity  to  co-operate 
in  measures  for  the  general  good.  He  has  long 
been  an  advocate  of  temperance  principles,  and 
casts  his  ballot  for  the  men  and  measures  of  the 
prohibition  party.  .America  is  a  self-made  coun- 
try, and  those  who  have  created  it  are  self-made 
men.  It  is  to  this  class  that  Mr.  Gregory  be- 
longs, for  he  came  to  the  west  when  twenty 
years  of  age.  with  no  capital,  possessing  how- 
ever, a  laudable  ambition  and  strong  determina- 
tion. He  realized  that  there  is  no  excellence 
without  labor,  and  he  resolutely  set  to  work  to 
achieve  a  fortune  through  persistent,  earnest 
purpose.  He  has  always  manifested  a  lively  in- 
terest in  and  given  a  helping  hand  to  every  move- 
ment for  the  benefit  of  his  city  and  has  also  been 
very  helpful  to  young  men  just  beginning  the 
battle  of  life — never  forgetting  his  own  early 
struggles.  He  is  genial,  courteous  and  chival- 
rous, and  a  fast  friend  to  those  who  have  enjoyed 
his  confidence.  In  all  of  his  business  enterprises 
he  has  been  eminently  successful,  and  by  those 
who  know  him  has  been  regarded  as  exception- 
allv  sure  and  conservative. 


TOHN  BLACK. 


John  Black,  whose  business  ability  finds  visible 
evidence  in  his  well  improved  farm,  which  has 
been  acquired  from  his  own  efforts  and  improved 
through  his  own  labors,  was  born  in  Sligo  county, 
Ireland,  July  31.  1846,  his  parents  being  Charles 
and  Eliza  (Hall)  Black.  The  father,  who  was 
born  in  Sligo  county,  November  21,  1821,  died 
on  the  6th  of  November,  1902,  while  his  wife, 
who  was  born  in  October,  1824  passed  away  Oc- 
tober 21,  1893.  The  year  1846  witnessed  Mr. 
Black's  emigration  to  America.  He  landed  in  New 
York,  made  his  way  to  Philadelphia  and  after- 
ward to  Chester  county,  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
lived  for  ten  years.  He  had  been  married  in 
1839,  and  after  a  residence  of  two  years  in  the 
new  world,   during  which  time  he  became  con- 


vinced that  he  could  provide  a  better  living  for 
his  family  in  this  country,  he  sent  for  his  wife  to 
join  him  in  1848.  They  arrived  in  Winnebago 
county,  Illinois,  in  1856,  and  after  a  residence 
here  of  two  years,  Charles  Black  purchased  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  while  subse- 
quenth-  he  bought  an  additional  tract  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres.  He  built  thereon  a  house 
and  at  once  began  breaking  the  raw  prairie.  Not 
a  furrow  had  been  turned  or  an  improvement 
made  upon  the  place  when  it  came  into  his  posses- 
sion. He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  settlers  of  the 
community  and  he  did  as  others  had  to  do  to 
meet  the  hardships  and  trials  incident  to  life  on 
the  frontier.  In  addition  to  raising  grain  he  also 
engaged  in  the  raising  of  cattle,  horses  and  hogs, 
and  was  actively  identified  with  agricultural  pur- 
suits until  the  last  fifteen  years  of  his  life,  when 
he  lived  retired.  He  was  known  as  an  energetic, 
hard-working  man,  persevering  in  all  that  he  did, 
and  his  labor  formed  the  basis  of  a  richly  merited 
and  gratifying  success.  Unto  him  and  his  wife 
were  born  twelve  children,  of  whom  eleven  are 
still  living:  James,  who  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Armstrong,  b\-  whom  he  had  five  children,  is  now 
carrying  on  fanning  in  Brown  county,  Kansas. 
Edward,  who  married  Miss  Mary  Chapman,  and 
has  five  children,  resides  at  Jessup,  Iowa.  John 
is  the  third  of  the  family.  William,  who  married 
Miss  Amelia  Gephard,  and  has  six  children,  is 
engaged  in  g-eneral  farming  in  Owen  township. 
G  orge.  who  wedded  Miss  flattie  Hullet,  and 
has  thirteen  children,  is  carr\-ing  on  gen-eral  farm- 
ing in  Owen  township.  Annie  is  the  wife  of 
Edson  Miller,  a  resident  of  Madison,  South  Da- 
kota, and  they  have  three  children.  Charles,  who 
married  Miss  Agnes  Mc?^Iichael,  and  is  living  in 
Owen  township  has  five  children.  Charlotte  re- 
sides on  the  old  homestead.  Samuel  B.,  who  is 
married  and  has  five  children,  makes  his  home  in 
Brown  county.  Kansas.  Eliza  is  the  wife  of  E. 
O.  Campbell,  of  Owen  township,  and  they  had 
six  children,  of  whom  four  are  living.  Lorenzo 
D.,  who  lived  to  the  age  of  twenty-four  years, 
married  Miss  Mary  Harvey  and  had  three  chil- 
dren. Louise  is  living  on  the  old  homestead  in 
Owen  township. 

John  Black  was  onlv  about  two  years  of  age 
when  brought  by  his  mother  to  America.  He 
was  reared  under  the  parental  roof,  and  was  a 
youth  of  ten  summers  when  the  family  removed 
to  Winnebago  county,  where  he  has  since  lived. 
He  continued  under  the  parental  roof  until 
twentv  vears  of  age  and  gained  practical  ex- 
perience in  farm  work,  so  that  he  was  well  quali- 
fied to  carry  on  a  similar  business  for  himself, 
when  at  the  age  of  twenty  years  he  began  farming 
on  his  own  account.  He  took  up  his  abode  on 
the  place  where  he  yet  resides,  but  at  that  time 
it  was  open  prairie  without  improvement  or  culti- 


3>8 


PAST     A\D     PRESENT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY 


vation.  All  of  tlic  buildings  ii])oii  the  place 
stand  as  monuments  to  his  enterprise  and  ])ro- 
gressivc  spirit,  and  the  well  tillecl  fields  are  the 
evidence  of  his  life  and  thrift  and  industry.  He 
has  worked  persistently,  his  labors  giiided  by 
sound  judgment,  and  in  all  that  he  does  he  is 
eminently  practical.  He  owns  five  hundred  and 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  Winnebago  county  and 
one  hundred  am!  twenty  acres  in  Rock  county. 
Wisconsin. 

On  the  4th  of  September,  1870,  Mr.  Black  was 
married  to  Mi.ss  Lucy  Chapman,  a  daughter  of 
Edom  and  Gertrude  Chapman,  in  whose  family 
were  eight  children,  of  whom  five  are  yet  living: 
Minerva  became  the  wife  of  Thomas  Liddle.  who 
died  May  16.  11)04.  leaving  three  chililren.  who 
with  the  mother  resides  in  Owen  township.  .Mrs. 
I'.lack  is  the  next  of  the  family.  Elmer  is  mar- 
ried anil  lives  in  P.utte.  Montana,  and  has  three 
children.  Eiunia  is  the  wife  of  Frank  King,  of 
Rockford.  and  has  one  child.  Jeremiah  is  de- 
ceased. The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  lUack  has 
been  blessed  with  eight  children,  of  whom  all  are 
yet  living:  George,  who  married  .\gncs  Pom- 
eroy,  and  has  three  children,  is  engaged  in  farm- 
ing in  the  town  of  Rockton.  Lena  and  P>aze  are 
at  home.  John,  who  married  Miss  P.essie  Fair- 
child,  and  has  one  child,  is  also  a  farmer  in  the 
town  of  Rock-ton.  Jay.  who  wedded  Miss  Mar\ 
Gilmore,  is  engaged  in  farming  near  P)eloit,  Wis- 
consin. Minerva  is  the  wife  of  .-\lbert  .\shland. 
of  Rockt<in  township.  Edom  and  Charles  are  at 
home. 

.Mr.  P.lack  has  Ixx'n  called  to  public  office,  hold- 
ing all  of  the  difTcrcnt  jiositions  in  the  town  ex- 
cept that  of  clerk,  and  at  this  writing  he  is  super- 
visor. He  belongs  to  Rockton  lodge,  No.  74.  A. 
F.  &  .\.  M..  and  Rockton  chapter.  No.  igo,  R.  .\. 
M.  He  contributes  to  the  support  of  the  Meth- 
odist l-",])isco]ial  church  and  gives  his  ])olitical 
allegiance  to  the  rei)ublican  party. 


(}.  W.  COLLINS. 


G.  W.  Collins,  who  originated  and  conducted 
the  first  Farmers'  Institute  in  Wimicbago  coimty. 
and  who  has  ever  stood  for  im])rovement  and 
progress  in  agricultural  circles,  is  now  living  on 
section  5.  fiuilford  townsliip,  where  he  has  one 
hundred  and  twenty-six  acres  of  well  improved 
laivl.  It  has  been  his  home  since  the  sjiring  of 
1X58,  and  the  excellent  buildings  upon  it  stand 
as  monuments  to  a  life  of  well  directed  and  in- 
tense activity.  Mr.  Collins  is  a  native  of  the 
Empire  state,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Lewis 
county,  in  1834.  His  ])arents  were  Sylvester  and 
Betsv  (Glasgow")  Collins.  likewise  natives  of 
New  York.  On  leaving  that  state  they  removed 
to  Hillsdale  countx.  Michigan,  in  1844,  and  there 


spent  their  remaining  days  until  the  father  and 
mother  departed  this  life  about  ten  years  ago. 
In  their  family  of  four  sons  and  three  daughters, 
all  are  yet  living  and  five  of  them  are  residing  in 
Hillsdale  coiuily.  .\notlier  son.  Charles,  who 
formerly  engaged  in  farming,  is  now  living  a 
retired  life  in  ( )klahoma. 

(i.  W.  Collins  has  s|xmU  almost  his  entire  life 
in  the  middle  west,  being  a  youth  of  ten  years 
when  his  parents  removed  to  Michigan.  He 
there  remained  until  he  had  attained  his  majority 
and  his  ])reliminary  education.  ac(|uired  in  the 
common  seiiools.  was  su])])lemented  by  one  year's 
study  in  tlie  Slate  I'niversity  of  .Michigan,  at 
.Vnn  .\rbor.  lie  then  entered  active  business  life 
on  his  own  account  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-six 
years  was  married  to  Miss  Eliza  Hart,  a  daugh- 
ter of  I'Vcderick  and  .Sylvia  Hart,  of  (iuilford 
township.  Her  i)eo|)le  were  also  from  the  Em- 
igre state  and  they  came  to  Winnebago  county  in 
1854.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Collins 
was  blessed  with  three  children :  Rufus.  a  prac- 
ticing physician  of  Chicago  who  is  a  graduate 
of  the  schools  of  P.eloit  and  of  the  Chicago 
.Medical  School,  since  which  time  he  has  followed 
his  ])rotession  for  fifteen  years,  is  now  married, 
havitig  a  wife  and  one  daughter:  Howard,  who 
follows  farming  in  Harlem  township,  is  married 
and  has  one  daughter:  and  ICva  M..  a  graduate 
of  the  Rockford  high  school,  is  at  home. 

^Ir.  Collins  arrived  in  this  county  in  the  fall 
of  1855.  and  in  the  siiring  of  1858  settled  u])on 
his  jiresent  farm  on  section  3.  (iuilford  townshi]). 
All  of  the  improvements  u])on  his  place  are 
evidences  of  his  handiwork  and  of  his  practical 
]>rogressive  spirit.  He  has  erected  new  buildings, 
ineluding  a  good  residence  and  substantial  barn 
and  buildings  for  the  shelter  of  grain  and  slock. 
He  carries  on  general  farming  and  everything 
about  his  ])lacc  is  ke])t  in  excellent  condition. 
Politically  he  is  a  democrat,  who  for  seven  years 
re])resented  (iuilford  townshi])  as  su])ervisor. 
He  has  also  held  various  local  offices,  doing 
everything  in  his  jiower  to  conserve  the  public 
welfare.  His  interest  in  ai;ricultural  progress  is 
evidenced  by  the  labor  which  he  jierformed  in 
behalf  of  the  first  I'armers'  Institute  in  Win- 
nebago county,  which  lie  organized  and  con- 
ducted. His  religious  views  are  in  accord  with 
the  Christian  Cnion  church  of  Rockford.  He 
has  ever  worked  for  high  standards  in  agri- 
cultural life  and  his  own  farm  is  an  excellent 
example  to  those  who  live  near  him. 


MOSES  i;artlf.tt. 

Moses  Bartlett,  deceased,  whose  record  was  the 
chronicle  of  successful  accomplishment  in  the 
business  world  and  of  respect  and  honor  gained 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


319 


in  private  life  by  reason  of  the  strong  and  sterling 
traits  of  his  character,  came  to  Rockford  in  i860. 
He  belonged  to  the  class  of  representative  Ameri- 
can men,  who  in  promoting  individual  interests 
also  advanced  the  general  welfare  and  Rockford 
profited  by  his  business  efforts  in  the  promotion 
of  her  industrial  and  commercial  activity.  Mr. 
Bartlett  was  bom  in  New  Hampshire.  His  par- 
ents were  likewise  natives  of  that  state,  where 
they  spent  their  entire  lives,  the  father  engaging 
in  mercantile  pursuits  there  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death.  Moses  Bartlett  was  reared  upon  the  home 
farm  and  the  district  schools  of  his  native  county 
afforded  him  his  educational  privileges.  When 
he  had  become  proficient  in  the  knowledge  of 
the  common  branches  of  learning  he  began  teach- 
ing school,  successfully  following  the  profession 
for  a  few  years  in  New  York.  He  then  removed 
to  Whitby,  Canada,  where  he  was  also  a  teacher 
for  a  short  time  and  it  was  during  his  residence 
there  that  he  was  first  married.  While  living  in 
Whitby  he  married  Miss  Fannie  Hall,  of  that 
village,  and  there  were  three  children  torn  unto 
them :  Harvey,  who  was  at  one  time  engaged 
in  the  milling  business  in  Rockford  and  is  now 
deceased:  Esther,  the  wife  of  John  Nichols,  and 
a  resident  of  Fond  du  Lac,  Wisconsin ;  and 
James,  a  traveling  salesman  residing  in  Evans- 
ville,  Indiana.  The  son  Harvey  was  the  first  of 
the  family  to  come  to  Rockford,  arriving'  about 
1859,  ^fter  which  he  purchased  a  flour  mill  and 
the  careful  conduct  of  his  interests  gained  very 
his  death  in  1867. 

Following  his  marriage  Moses  Bartlett  con- 
tinued to  engage  in  teaching  school  in  Canada 
for  several  years,  and  then  with  the  capital  which 
he  had  acquired  through  his  own  economy  and 
industry  he  embarked  in  general  merchandising 
in  Whitby,  conducting  a  store  at  that  place  for 
several  years.  He  afterward  removed  to  Rock- 
ford in  i860  and  entered  into  partnership  with 
his  son  in  the  milling  business,  which  they  con- 
ducted on  the  wholesale  plan,  eng-aging  in  the 
manufacture  of  flour  throughout  the  Civil  war 
and  until  the  son's  death  in  1867.  Later  Mr. 
Bartlett  retired  from  active  business  life  but  in- 
dolence and  idleness  were  utterly  foreign  to  his 
nature  and  he  could  not  content  himself  without 
business  interests.  It  was  then  that  he  became 
a  stockholder  in  the  Winnebago  Agricultural 
Company  on  Wyman  street,  manufacturers  of 
carriages.  His  partner  is  that  enterprise  was  Mr. 
Hall,  and  they  entered  the  business  in  1876.  Mr. 
Bartlett  was  chosen  president  of  the  company  and 
continued  at  the  head  of  the  enterprise  for  several 
years,  making  it  a  profitable  concern  which  took 
rank  with  the  leading  manufacturing  interests  of 
the  city.  It  was  during  that  time  that  he  was 
chosen  vice-president  of  the  Winnebago  National 
Bank,  in  which  institution  he  served  for  several 


years,  and  he  also  became  president  of  a  water 
power  company,  of  Rockford,  and  afterward  was 
its  vice-president.  He  also  invested  in  real  estate 
in  this  city  and  was  the  owner  of  valuable  prop- 
erty. His  varied  business  interests  were  ably 
conducted  by  him  for  a  number  of  years  and  he 
was  actively  associated  with  manufacturing  in- 
terests until  1878,  when  he  gave  up  all  participa- 
tion in  business  affairs  and  lived  retired  until  his 
death.  Whatever  he  undertook  he  carried  for- 
ward to  successful  completion.  He  was  a  man 
of  keen  insight  into  business  conditions,  readily 
recognizing  and  utilizing  an  opportunity,  and  by 
the  careful  conduct  of  his  interests  gained  very 
gratifying  success. 

Having  lost  his  first  wife  Mr.  Bartlett  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Mary  Foster,  a  native  of  Marcellus, 
New  York,  and  a  daughter  of  Silas  H.  and  Fan- 
nie (Smith)  Foster.  Her  father  was  a  fanner 
and  tanner.  He  spent  his  entire  life  in  Marcellus 
and  in  Warsaw,  New  York,  his  death  occuring 
in  the  latter  place.  His  widow  afterward  came 
to  Rockford  and  resided  with  Mrs.  Bartlett  until 
called  to  her  final  home  in  1881.  The  death  of 
Mr.  Bartlett  occurred  in  April,  1879.  His 
political  views  were  in  accord  with  re- 
publican principles  but  he  was  never  an 
aspirant  for  office.  Although  not  a  mem- 
ber he  served  as  a  trustee  in  the  West- 
minster Presbyterian  church  and  was  also  a 
teacher  in  the  Sunday-school  here.  He  became 
one  of  the  leading  and  well-to-do  business  men 
of  Rockford,  and  was  very  liberal  with  his  means 
for  promoting  movements  for  the  general  good. 
With  a  capacity  and  experience  that  would  have 
enabled  him  to  fulfill  any  trust  to  which  he 
might  be  chosen  he  never  sought  to  advance  him- 
self in  office  but  was  content  to  do  his  duty  where 
he  could  and  leave  the  office-seeking  to  others. 
He  was,  however,  in  full  sympathy  with  all  the 
great  movements  of  the  world  about  him  and 
watched  the  progress  of  events  with  keen  interest. 
He  was  recognized  by  those  who  knew  him  as  a 
man  of  kindly  heart,  of  sterling  worth,  pure 
and  incorruptible  in  all  his  business  and  social 
relations. 

In  1 881  Mrs.  Bartlett  gave  her  hand  in  mar- 
riage to  Ira  J.  Nichols,  of  Chicago,  who  was  born 
at  Lake  George,  New  York,  and  went  to  the  for- 
mer city  in  childhood.  He  afterward  took  up 
the  study  of  law  and  both  he  and  his  brother  were 
admitted  to  the  bar  there.  He  also  engaged  in 
the  real-estate  business  there.  In  an  early  day 
he  predicted  the  great  growth  and  improvement 
of  Chicago  and  invested  his  money  in  property 
in  South  Chicago  and  Englewood.  This  rose 
rapidlv  in  value  and  he  became  very  successful. 
Both  he  and  his  brother  devoted  a  part  of  their 
time  to  legal  practice  and  he  also  operated  in  real 
estate  until  his  death,  which  occurred  about  a  year 


320 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WIXXEBAGO  COUNTY. 


after  his  marriage,  or  in  1882.  while  he  was  living 
at  the  corner  of  Sixty-first  street  and  W'eiitworth 
avenue.  His  remains  were  interred  in  the  ( )ak- 
wood  cemetery.  Mrs.  Nichols  continued  to  re- 
side in  Chicago  for  several  years  thereafter,  or 
until  1894,  when  she  returned  to  Rockford  to 
make  her  home.  She  now  owns  and  resides  in 
the  old  i'artktl  residence  at  No.  303  drove  street 
— a  beautiful  homeland  her  sister.  I'rances  E. 
Foster,  resides  with  her.  She  is  well  known  here 
in  society  circles  and  is  a  luemher  of  the  West- 
minster I'reslnterian  church. 


ISAAC  SWAR'rnOUT. 

Isaac  Swarthout,  a  resident  of  the  village  of 
Harlem,  was  horn  on  the  26th  of  December.  1832, 
his  parents  being  Ralph  15.  and  Catherine  (  \'oor- 
heis)  Swarthout.  The  father  was  born  in 
Dutchess  county.  New  York,  and  was  of  Penn- 
sylvania Dutch  descent,  while  the  mother  was 
born  in  the  state  of  New  Jersey  and  came  of 
similar  ancestry.  The  former  died  at  St.  Charles, 
Illinois,  in  February,  1869,  and  the  latter  on  the 
1 0th  of  March  of  the  same  year.  They  had  \x- 
come  residents  of  Winnebago  county  in  1850 
and  after  a  brief  period  spent  in  Rockford  the 
father  purchased  a  farm  in  Cherry  \'alley  town- 
ship anfl  for  a  number  of  years  devoted  his  at- 
tention to  agricultural  pursuits.  In  their  family 
were  the  following  named :  James  \'.,  who  died 
from  wounds  sustained  in  the  army  while  serv- 
ing the  Union  cause  as  a  member  of  a  New  York 
regiment ;  Rali)h  H.,  who  is  living  in  Rockford, 
Illinois,  and  who  served  for  four  years  in  the 
Eighth  Ohio  Cavalry  in  the  Civil  war :  I'lenianiin 
L.,  who  was  a  member  of  Company  E,  One  Hun- 
dred and  Twenty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry  and 
died  in  St.  Oiarles.  Illinois,  during  the  period  of 
the  Civil  war  Irom  disease  contracted  in  the 
service :  Luther,  who  (lie<l  at  the  home  of  his 
parents  while  on  a  sick  furlough,  being  at  the 
time  a  member  of  Company  E,  One  Hundred  and 
Twenty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry:  Edwin,  who 
died  in  Rockford  a  few  years  after  the  close  of 
hostilities,  his  health  having  been  broken  down 
by  his  army  service:  Mrs.  .Mary  Ann  Wyckoff, 
who  is  living  in  Seneca  county.  New  York:  Mrs. 
Martha  .S.  .Martin,  who  became  the  wife  of  Sid- 
ney Martin,  of  Rockford,  and  died  alxiut  fifteen 
years  ago:  Mrs.  .Sojihia  .S.  Warman.  who  died  in 
Rockford  about  forty-five  years  ago:  and  Mrs. 
Lois  (ioldeii.  who  died  in   1859. 

Isaac  Swarthout,  whr)se  name  inirnduces  this 
review,  remained  in  the  place  of  his  nativity  until 
eighteen  years  of  age,  ac<|uiring  his  education  in 
the  ])ublic  schools  and  in  a  business  college.     He 


then  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  removal  to 
Rockford.  Illinois,  in  1850.  and  after  two  months 
s])ent  in  the  city  the  father  purchased  a  farin  in 
C"herry  X'alley  township.  Mr.  Swarthout  of  this 
review  assisted  in  the  cultivation  of  the  home 
])lace  for  two  years  and  then  removed  to  Chi- 
cago, where  he  was  engaged  in  the  pump  and 
lightning  rod  business,  his  territory  extending 
between  Chicago  and  Centralia,  Illinois.  He  fol- 
lowed that  pursuit  for  seven  years,  at  the  end 
of  which  time  he  took  up  his  abode  in  the  city 
of  Rockford  and  continued  in  the  sale  of  pumps 
and  lightning  rods  with  territory  between  Rock- 
ford and  Galena.  Illinois,  for  two  years.  Through 
the  succeeding  two  years  he  was  engaged  in 
farming  at  St.  Charles,  Illinois,  but  put  aside 
business  considerations  in  order  to  respond  to  his 
country's  call  in  August,  1862. 

The  history  of  the  Swarthout  family  is  a  re- 
markable one  concerning  its  military  record,  the 
brothers  all  espousing  the  Union  cause  and  doing 
active  service  on  the  battle-fields  of  the  south. 
Isaac  Swarthout  joined  the  boys  in  blue  of  Com- 
pany E.  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-seventh  Il- 
linois Infantry,  with  which  he  served  for  three 
years,  mostly  in  the  .-\nny  of  the  Tennessee. 
He  was  under  General  Grant  until  after  the  sur- 
render of  \'^icksburg  and  later  was  under  com- 
mand of  General  Sherman  in  the  .\rmy  of  the 
Cumberland,  serving  in  the  campaigns  of  Nash- 
ville. Chattanooga  and  .\tlanta.  His  regiment 
was  assigned  to  the  Fifteenth  .\niiy  Corps,  Gen- 
eral John  .\.  Logan  commanding,  and  went  with 
.Sherman  on  the  celebrated  march  to  the  sea  and 
through  the  Carolina  campaign,  marching  from 
!>avannah,  Georgia,  to  Richmond.  \'irginia,  and 
thence  to  \\"ashington,  D.  C  where  they  par- 
ticipated in  the  grand  review,  the  most  celebrated 
military  pageant  ever  seen  on  the  western  hemis- 
phere. .\t  Washington  transportation  was  fur- 
nished to  the  regiment  to  Chicago  but  the  muster 
out  occurred  in  the  capital  city.  Of  the  original 
ten  himdred  and  ten  men  who  formed  the  One 
Hundred  and  Twenty-.seventh  Illinois  at  the  be- 
ginning of  its  service  in  1862  but  ninety-five  were 
mustered  out  at  Washington,  D.  C,  the  others 
having  been  killed  in  battle,  died  from  di.sease  or 
discharged  because  of  disabilitv  prior  to  that 
time.  Mr.  .Swarthout  participated  in  seventeen 
of  the  most  important  engagements  of  the  war 
beside  many  skirmishes.  .A  week  prior  to  the 
surrender  of  \'icksburg  he  became  ill  with 
typhoid  fever  and  after  the  surrender  of  the  city 
be  was  taken  to  the  hi>s]iital  at  Memphis,  being 
there  graiUed  a  furlough.  He  returned  to  his 
home  in  St.  Charles,  Illinois,  and  by  the  exten- 
sion of  his  furlough  for  thirty  days  he  reinained 
at  home  for  about  three  months.  He  then  re- 
joined his  regiment  at  Larkinsville,  .Mabama,  and 


ISAAC  SWARTHOUT  AND  FAMILY' 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


323 


continued  at  the  front  until  hostilities  had  ceased 
and  the  flag  of  the  Union  was  planted  in  the 
capital  of  the  Southern  Confederacy. 

Following  his  return  home  Mr.  Swarthout  se- 
cured employment  in  a  foundry  in  St.  Charles, 
Illinois,  where  he  remained  for  three  years  and 
in  1868  he  removed  to  a  farm  in  Harlem  town- 
ship, on  which  he  spent  five  years.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1872,  he  located  in  the  village  of  Harlem, 
where  he  embarked  in  general  merchandizing  and 
was  also  appointed  to  the  position  of  postmaster. 
He  conducted  his  store  until  December  6,  1904, 
when  he  sold  out  the  business  and  resigned  the 
position  of  postmaster  because  of  failing  health. 
He  had  been  very  successful  as  a  merchant  and 
had  carefully  conducted  his  efforts  along  honor- 
able and  enterprising  business  lines,  so  that  a 
liberal  patronage  was  accorded  him  and  he  gained 
thereby  a  gratifying  competence. 

On  the  27th  of  August,  1862,  a  few  days  after 
his  enlistment.  JNlr.  Swarthout  was  married  to 
Miss  Louise  Austin,  of  Rockford,  Illinois,  a 
daughter  of  Edward  and  Harriet  Austin.  Her 
parents  were  born  in  England  and  the  father  died 
in  Beloit.  Wisconsin,  thirty-five  years  ago.  The 
mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Harriet  Martin, 
died  in  the  village  of  Harlem  eight  years  ago  at 
the  very  advanced  age  of  ninety-two  years.  They 
had  three  daughters :  Mrs.  Swarthout ;  Mrs. 
Sabina  Bishop,  of  Beloit,  Wisconsin ;  and  Mrs. 
Catherine  Fabrick,  of  Harlem.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Swarthout  have  been  born  the  following 
named.  Edward  R.,  born  June  18,  1867.  in  St. 
Charles.  Illinois,  is  now  living  in  Hampden, 
North  Dakota,  where  he  is  engaged  in  banking 
and  in  the  real-  estate  business.  He  married 
Miss  Caroline  Coad.  of  Park  River,  North  Da- 
kota, and  has  two  children,  Bernadine  and  Emma 
A.  May  L.,  born  September  26,  1869,  is  the  wife 
of  W.  L.  Whipple,  then  of  Rockford  but  now- 
living  at  Mount  Moriah,  Illinois,  where  he  is 
pastor  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  They 
have  three  children :  Louis,  Leonard  A.  and 
Ruth.  Harriet  A.,  born  March  29.  1871,  is  the 
wife  of  Fred  A.  Hart,  of  Harlem  township,  and 
they  have  two  children,  Harold  L.  and  Char- 
lotte. 

Mr.  Swarthout  is  a  member  of  Nevius  post. 
No.  I,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Rockford,  and  thus  main- 
tains pleasant  relations  with  his  old  army  com- 
rades. In  politics  he  has  always  been  a  re- 
publican and  his  official  service  covers  thirty-two 
years  as  postmaster  at  Harlem,  eight  years  as 
justice  of  the  peace,  twenty-five  years  as  town- 
ship clerk,  and  a  number  of  years  as  a  member 
of  the  school  board.  His  duties  have  been  per- 
formed with  marked  promptness  and  fidelity  and 
no  trust  reposed  in  him  has  ever  been  betrayed 
in  the  slightest  degree.  He  is  now  living  in  well 
earned    ease    at   his   pleasant   home    in    Harlem, 


having  for  many  years  been  connected  with  either 
agricultural  or  commercial  interests  whereby  he 
has  won  a  creditable  and  gratifying  measure  of 
success.  In  all  matters  relating  to  the  general 
good  he  is  true  and  loyal,  manifesting  the  same 
patriotic  spirit  that  he  displayed  when  he  wore 
the  blue  uniform  of  the  nation  upon  the  battle- 
fields  of   the   soutli. 


HUGH  GREENLEE. 


Hugh  Greenlee,  a  retired  farmer  now  residing 
at  No.  637  North  Winnebago  street,  Rockford, 
was  born  in  Argyleshire,  Scotland,  in  March, 
1 83 1,  and  is  a  son  of  Robert  and  Mary  (Mitchell) 
Greenlee.  He  has  resided  in  this  countv  for 
thirty-nine  years.  In  1859  he  came  with  his  par- 
ents to  Illinois,  the  family  home  being  established 
in  Caledonia  township,  Boone  county.  The 
father  purchased  a  farm  there  and  continued  to 
make  his  home  upon  that  place  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1868.  when  he  was  sixty-nine 
years  of  age.  His  wife  long  survived  him  and 
passed  away  in  1885.  at  the  age  of  eighty  years. 
This  worthy  couple  had  a  large  family,  of  whom 
three  sons  and  four  daughters  are  yet  living. 

Hugh  Greenlee  spent  the  greater  part  of  his 
boyhood  and  youth  in  the  land  of  his  nativity 
and  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  there. 
After  coming  with  his  parents  to  Illinois  at  the 
age  of  nineteen  years,  he  resided  upon  the  home 
farm  in  Boone  county  until  1867.  when  he  came 
to  Winnebago  county,  having  purchased  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Winneliago 
township.  .Since  that  time  he  has  splendidly 
improved  the  property,  enclosing  it  with  a  fine 
hedge  fence,  placing  his  fields  under  a  high  state 
of  cultivation,  keeping  his  buildings  in  good  re- 
pair and  adding  all  modern  equipments  and  ac- 
cessories. Year  after  year  he  carried  on  general 
farming  with  excellent  success,  and  as  time  passed 
he  accumulated  a  very  gratifying  competence. 
He  still  owns  this  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  and  it  returns  to  him  a  good  rental, 
but  in  1904  he  put  aside  the  active  work  of  the 
fann  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Rockford.  where 
he  is  now  living  retired. 

Hugh  Greenlee  was  married  in  Winnebag'o 
county  to  Miss  Jane  Smith,  a  daughter  of  James 
Smith,  who  resided  in  \\'innebago  township.  Her 
father  came  here  about  1855  but  died  a  year  later, 
his  wife  surviving  him  for  several  years.  Mrs. 
Greenlee  was  born  in  Argyleshire,  Scotland,  about 
sixty  years  ago,  and  by  her  marriage  she  became 
the  mother  of  two  sons  and  a  daughter:  James 
S.,  who  is  employed  at  Shirley's  wholesale  gro- 
cery house  in  Rockford ;  Nellie,  at  home ;  and 
Albert,  who  is  in  the  employ  of  Frank  Pitney,  of 
Rockford. 


324 


PAST    AXD     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


In  his  political  views  Mr.  Greenlee  is  a  demo- 
crat and  has  served  as  school  director  and  in 
other  local  positions.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
First  Presbyterian  church,  of  Rockford,  and  is 
now  enjoying  life,  being  able  to  secure  many  of 
its  comforts  and  some  of  its  luxuries.  For  years 
he  worked  earnestly  and  persistently,  gaining  the 
sure  reward  of  consecutive  endeavor  when  guided 
by  sound  judgment. 


WILLIAM  S.  CALDWELL,  M.  D. 

Although  Dr.  William  S.  Caldwell  never  re- 
sided in  Rockford  he  had  an  extensive  acquaint- 
ance among  the  best  people  of  the  city,  as  he 
lived  in  the  neighboring  town  of  Freeport  from 
1879  until  his  death  and  was  one  of  the  promi- 
nent, influential  and  well  known  citizens  of  that 
place,  having  an  extensive  practice,  which  was 
accorded  him  by  many  residents  of  Freeport  and 
Stephenson  county  and  also  extended  to  Win- 
nebago county.  A  native  of  Charlottesburg, 
North  Carolina,  he  was  born  August  28,  1832. 
His  father.  Dr.  William  Caldwell,  was  also  a  suc- 
cessful practicing  physician.  He  lived  in  the 
south  for  many  years,  belonging  to  a  prominent 
old  family  of  that  section  of  the  country  and 
was  an  own  cousin  of  John  C.  Calhoun.  After 
practicing  for  a  long  period  in  North  Carolina, 
he  removed  to  Vicksburg,  Kalamazoo  county, 
Michigan,  where  he  continued  in  practice  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  his  skill  and  efficiency 
being  widely  acknowledged  in  the  liberal  patron- 
age which  was  accorded  him. 

Dr.  William  S.  Caldwell  was  a  student  in  the 
l)ublic  schools  of  his  native  state  and  after  his 
father  removed  to  Kalamazoo  county,  Michigan, 
he  entered  upon  preparation  for  the  protession 
in  the  office  and  under  the  direction  of  his 
father.  He  also  attended  private  schools  in  the 
town  of  Kalamazoo  until  he  had  completed  his 
course  in  medicine  and  received  the  certificate 
whicli  pennitted  him  to  practice.  In  1856  he  left 
Kalamazoo  county,  removing  to  the  town  of 
Elizabeth  in  Jo  Daviess  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
opened  an  office  and  entered  upon  the  active  work 
of  his  profession.  It  was  during  his  residence 
there  that  Dr.  Caldwell  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Caroline  1!.  Ilutcliins.  / 

Dr.  Caldwell  continued  to  practice  in  Elizabeth 
for  fourteen  years,  after  which  he  removed  to 
Warren.  Illinois,  where  he  practiced  for  six  years 
witli  excellent  success.  On  the  expiration  of 
that  period,  in  1877.  he  went  abroad,  remaining 
in  Europe  for  two  years,  and  upon  his  return  to 
his  native  land,  in  1879,  he  settled  at  Freeport, 
Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in  practice  through- 
out his  remaining  days,  being  accorded   a  very 


liberal  patronage.  He  was  careful  in  the 
diagnosis  of  a  case  and  seldom  at  fault  in  mat- 
ters of  judgment  concerning  the  outcome  of  dis- 
ease or  of  complications  that  might  arise.  His 
skill  was  widely  acknowledged  and  he  continu- 
ally promoted  his  efficiency  through  study  and 
investigation,  having  a  deep  scientific  as  well  as 
liumanitarian  interest  in  his  profession.  In  ad- 
dition to  his  practice  he  was  recognized  as  a 
representative  and  valuable  business  man  of  Free- 
port  and  was  connected  with  many  important 
enterprises  there.  In  connection  with  D.  C. 
Stover  he  organized  the  State  I'ank  of  Freeport, 
which  is  the  largest  institution  of  that  character 
in  the  city  and  remained  connected  therewith  up 
to  the  time  of  his  death.  He  also  assisted  in  the 
organization  of  a  bank  in  Sioux  Falls,  South 
Dakota,  and  he  dealt  quite  extensively  in  real 
estate  there.  He  possessed  keen  business  sagacity 
and  unfaltering  enterprise  and  carried  forward 
to  successful  comjiletion  whatever  he  undertook. 
In  politics  he  was  a  stanch  rei)ublican,  thoroughly 
in  sympathy  with  the  principles  and  policy  of  the 
liarty,  yet  he  never  sought  or  cared  for  office  for 
himself.  He  belonged  to  the  Masonic  lodge  and 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  at  Free- 
port  and  had  many  friends  in  these  fraternities. 
He  was  also  widely  known  in  Rockford,  where 
he  gained  the  favorable  regard  of  many  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact.  His  business  activity, 
his  professional  efficiency  and  his  public  spirit 
made  him  a  valued  citizen  of  the  community  in 
which  he  long  made  his  home  and,  his  well 
directed  efforts  brought  him  a  financial  return 
that  classed  him  with  the  wealthy  residents  of 
Freeport.  Mrs.  Caldwell  is  now  a  resident  of 
Rockford. 


CHARLES  W.  SANDERS. 

Charles  W.  Sanders,  living  retired  in  Rock- 
ford, was  born  at  New  Haven.  Connecticut,  Octo- 
ber I,  1835,  his  parents  being  Carmie  and  Susan 
(Brooks)  Sanders,  the  former  a  native  of  Con- 
necticut and  the  latter  of  England.  Mrs.  San- 
ders came  with  her  parents  to  .\merica  in  1835, 
the  family  settling  in  Otsego.  New  York.  In 
1845  C"armie  .Sanders  brought  his  family  to  this 
state,  taking  uj)  his  abode  in  McHenry  county, 
where  he  remained  for  some  time.  Three  sons 
of  the  family  were  soldiers  in  the  Civil  war  and 
all  are  vet  living:  William  Henry,  being  a  resi- 
dent of  Chicago:  Ebenezer  .\..  of  .Aurora.  Illi- 
nois: and  Levi  L..  of  Rockford. 

Charles  \\'.  Sanders,  whose  name  introduces 
this  review,  was  a  youth  of  ten  summers  when 
he  came  with  the  family  to  Illinois.  His  educa- 
tion was  acquired  in  the  public  .schools  and  he 
lived  at  Franklinville  for  some  time  and  also  spent 


■//,„'/''/, „/,'/„, //\  //// 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


327 


some  time  at  Belvidere,  Illinois,  being  employed  in 
various  ways  in  those  two  places.  In  1857  he 
took  up  his  abode  permanently  in  Winnebago 
county  but  had  been  here  several  times  before. 
Here  he  engaged  in  teaming  for  a  number  of 
years  and  for  twenty-one  years  he  was  in  the  shops 
of  the  John  P.  Manny  Company.  He  then  went 
upon  the  road  as  a  traveling  salesman  for  that 
house  and  later  retired  from  active  business  with 
a  comfortable  competence  secured  through  his  in- 
dustry, economy  and  well  directed  efforts.  He 
owns  the  home  where  he  resides  at  No.  1426 
Charles  street  and  also  the  house  adjoining  and 
here  he  has  lived  since  1863.  When  he  took  up 
his  abode  here  his  house  was  all  surrounded  by 
farm  land  but  the  growth  of  the  city  has  made  it 
in  one  of  the  populous  residence  districts. 

In  1857  Mr.  Sanders  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Melisse  D.  Scott,  a  native  of  Schenectady 
county,  New  York,  born  in  1829,  and  a  daughter 
of  Jesse  D.  Scott,  a  cousin  of  General  Winfield 
Scott,  of  the  Empire  state.  Her  mother  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Hannah  Tollman  and  was  also 
born  in  New  York.  She  died  when  forty-eight 
years  of  age.  while  Mr.  Scott  reached  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  ninety-three  years.  They  were  the 
parents  of  thirteen  children,  who  lived  to  man- 
hood or  womanhood,  and  in  the  family  were  five 
sons  who  became  loyal  defenders  of  the  Union 
in  the  Civil  war.  namely  :  John  S..  now  deceased  : 
Cornelius,  a  resident  of  Manchester,  Iowa  ;  Aris- 
tides  and  Allen,  both  deceased ;  and  Demosthenes, 
who  resides  in  Harrison  county,  Ohio. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sanders  have  one  child.  Sue  E., 
who  for  seven  years  has  been  deputy  in  the  of- 
fice of  the  county  clerk  of  Winnebago  county. 
In  his  political  views  Mr.  Sanders  is  independent, 
but  is  the  champion  of  progressive  measures  and 
advocates  all  movements  for  the  general  good. 
He  is  a  self-made  man,  who  without  any  family 
or  pecuniary  advantages  at  the  outset  of  his  ca- 
reer has  worked  his  way  steadily  upward  to  suc- 
cess. He  has  been  so  honorable  in  conduct,  so 
fair  and  reasonable  in  his  views  that  his  opinions 
carry  weight  among  his  neighbors  and  friends, 
thus  making  him  a  man  of  influence  in  the  com- 
munitv. 


DAVID  BEATSON. 


David  Beatson,  living  on  section  14,  Burritt 
township,  where  he  is  successfully  engaged  in  the 
cultivation  of  a  farm  of  two  hundred  and  eight 
acres,  was  born  on  the  12th  of  April,  1848,  in  the 
town  of  Florida,  Montgomery  county.  New 
York.  His  father,  AA^illiam  Beatson,  was  a  native 
of  Scotland,  born  in  December,  181 1,  and  in  early 
youth  he  crossed  the  Atlantic,  becoming  a  resident 
of  New  York  state.  In  1849  he  removed  from 
19 


New  York  to  Illinois,  arriving  in  Burritt  town- 
ship in  the  fall,  accompanied  by  his  family,  at 
which  time  he  settled  on  section  23,  now  known 
as  the  McSweaney  farm.  There  he  lived  until 
the  spring  of  1873,  when  the  present  home  was 
purchased.  He  devoted  his  entire  life  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  passed  away  on  the  7th  of 
June,  1883.  in  Rockford.  His  wife,  who  was 
born  in  March,  1814,  died  in  Rockford  on  the 
/th  of  June,  1896.  In  addition  to  our  subject 
their  children  were  as  follows :  George,  born  in 
Scotland,  November  27,  1836,  died  in  Rockford, 
September  20,  1898,  leaving  a  widow  and  eight 
children.  John,  born  in  Scotland  in  1839,  is  now 
living  in  Rockford.  but  his  wife  died  in  April, 
1905.  leaving  four  daughters.  Jeannette,  born 
in  Scotland,  April  7,  1841,  is  the  widow  of  E.  H. 
Wemple  and  is  living  in  Rockford  with  her  three 
children.  Ellen,  born  in  New  York  in  1846,  died 
on  the  old  home  farm  in  this  county  in  1865. 
Agnes,  born  in  New  York  in  1846.  is  the  wife  of 
Louis  M.  Hickox,  of  Rockford,  and  they  have 
four  sons.  David  is  the  next  of  the  family.  Caro- 
line, who  was  born  in  Burritt  township  in  1850, 
is  the  wife  of  J.  N.  Lillie,  a  resident  of  Rock- 
ford, and  they  have  six  children.  Julia,  born  in 
1852,  is  living  in  Rockford. 

David  Beatson,  whose  name  introduces  this 
record,  was  little  more  than  a  year  old  when 
brought  by  his  parents  to  Winnebago  county  and 
upon  the  home  farm  in  Burritt  township  he  was 
reared.  He  continued  with  his  parents  until 
twenty  }-ears  of  age.  when  he  went  to  the  west 
and  was  employed  on  the  construction  of  the 
Union  Pacific  Railroad  Company  in  Wyoming 
and  LTah.  He  remained  there  until  November, 
1868,  when  he  went  to  Colorado,  where  he  re- 
sided until  September,  1869.  He  then  returned  to 
Illinois,  where  he  continued  until  the  early  winter 
of  1872,  at  which  time  he  made  his  way  to  Kansas 
and  took  up  a  homestead  claim  from  the  govern- 
ment. After  proving  up  this  property  he  again 
took  up  his  abode  in  Burritt  township,  living  with 
his  parents  until  the  spring  of  1873.  He  then 
went  to  California,  where  he  spent  a  little  more 
than  a  year  and  returning  to  Winnebago  county 
in  1874  he  has  since  continuously  devoted  his  at- 
tention to  agricultural  pursuits  here,  having  now 
a  valuable  farm  of  two  hundred  and  eight  acres 
of  very  rich  and  productive  land,  which  he  has 
placed  imder  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and 
which  returns  to  him  golden  harvests  each  year. 

On  the  loth  of  January.  1877,  ^Ii"-  Beatson 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emma  Comstock, 
a  daughter  of  Levi  and  Matilda  Comstock,  of 
Burritt.  Her  father  was  born  'May  3,  1812,  and 
died  in  Rockford.  June  24,  1884,  while  his  wife, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Berkshire  county,  Massa- 
chusetts, August  15,  1810,  died  in  1898  at  the 
home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Beatson.    The  latter 


328 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


was  born  in  Saratoga  county.  New  York.  Au- 
gust 17,  1850,  and  was  brought  by  her  parents  to 
this  county  in  1859,  since  which  time  she  has 
lived  in  Burritt  townsliip.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beat- 
son  have  become  the  parents  of  four  children : 
Clyde  E.,  bom  November  28,  1878;  Ethel  M., 
who  was  bom  October  29,  1879,  and  was  married 
on  the  9th  of  March.  1904.  to  Frank  Kasch,  a  res- 
ident farmer  of  Durand  township;  Earl  II.,  bom 
April  I.  1884:  ami  Irene,  born  February  17,  1889. 
In  his  i)')litical  affiliation  .Mr.  ISeatson  is  a  re- 
publican, interested  in  the  success  of  his  party, 
and  he  gives  inflexible  support  to  its  principles. 
He  has  served  as  a  .school  director  for  the  pa.st 
nine  years  and  the  cause  of  education  finds  in 
him  a  friend,  whose  labors  have  been  effective  in 
promoting  the  welfare  of  the  schools. 


WILLIAM   BROWN. 


William  Brown,  well  known  in  Pecatonica  and 
other  sections  of  Winnebago  county,  was  born  in 
Northani])t<)n  county.  England,  May  22,  1831. 
His  father.  Richard  Brown,  worked  for  an  Eng- 
lish company  for  about  sixty  years  and  aided  in 
building  the  Prince  .Mbert  canal.  He  cut  big  limbs 
from  the  trees  in  the  Wittleboro  forest  al»ut 
fifty  miles  from  London  and  they  were  used  in  the 
construction  of  the  canal.  The  forest  was  about 
six  miles  s<|uare  and  there  were  about  three  thou- 
sand deer  running  wild  there.  These  thev  caught 
in  nets,  and  many  of  them  were  jnit  in  Queen's 
park,  in  London.  In  his  old  age  Mr.  Brown  was 
a  pensioner  of  the  English  government,  having 
practically  S])ent  his  entire  life  at  work  on  the 
canal  in  one  position  and  another.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  lived  to  be  more  than  eighty  years  of 
age. 

Their  son,  \\'illiam  Brown,  had  little  opportu- 
nity to  attend  school  and  is  practically  a  self- 
educated  as  well  as  a  self-made  man.  In  his 
early  youth  he  peddled  fruit,  worked  in  a  brick- 
yard and  was  also  employed  on  the  Prince  Albert 
canal,  tending  locks  in  the  city  of  London,  for 
the  canal  extended  twelve  miles  through  the  city 
and  on  to  the  basin  at  the  opening.  His  duty 
was  to  close  and  open  the  gates  when  the  boats 
came  in  from  the  east  at  flood-tide.  Mr.  Brown 
also  worked  at  farming  in  England,  but  at  length 
becoming  convinced  that  he  would  have  better 
business  opportunities  in  the  new  world,  he  bade 
adieu  to  friends  and  native  land  and  completed 
his  arrangements  to  seek  a  home  in  .\merica. 

Taking  passage  on  a  sailing  vessel  at  Liver- 
pool bound  for  New  York  city  Mr.  Brown  was 
six  or  seven  weeks  in  crossing  the  .Atlantic.  He 
then  went  u])  the  Hudson  river  l)y  boat  to  .Mbany 
and  from  there  made  his  wav  into  the  country 


where  he  secured  work  as  a  farm  hand.  One  of 
his  early  experiences,  however,  was  being  pois- 
oned by  ivy.  Later  he  went  to  L'tica,  New  York, 
Ijy  stage  and  on  into  the  pine  woods  of  Madison 
county,  that  state.  He  worked  as  a  farm  hand 
for  thirteen  dollars  per  month  through  the  sum- 
mer season  and  in  the  foUnwing  winter  worked 
for  his  board.  In  the  spring  he  was  paid  sixteen 
dollars  i)er  month  in  a  ho]j-yard  but  yet  not  con- 
tent with  his  location,  because  he  believed  he 
could  do  better  elsewhere,  he  came  in  the  fall  of 
that  year  to  \\'innebago  county,  going  first  to 
Rockford  and  later  to  Pecatonica,  where  he  se- 
cured cmi)loyment  in  a  butcher  sho]).  Soon  after- 
ward he  began  conducting  a  meat  market  of  his 
own  and  for  many  years  he  has  been  one  of  the 
heaviest  buyers  and  shipijcrs  of  stock  at  this 
point — a  fact  which  indicates  a  consecutive  prog- 
ress and  success  in  his  business  career.  He  has 
bought  and  sold  many  hundred  acres  of  land  and 
at  the  present  time  he  owns  sixty-five  acres  within 
the  city  limits  of  Pecatonica  and  is  also  owner  of 
the  stockyards  at  this  place. 

Mr.  Brown  was  united  in  marriage  here  to 
Miss  Matilda  Peterson,  a  native  of  Sweden.  Her 
father.  Charles  Magnus  Peterson,  was  born  in 
.Sweden.  May  13.  1817.  and  was  married  in  that 
country.  With  his  wife.  Johanna,  lie  came  to 
America  in  1S54,  and  they  were  therefore  auKjng 
the  early  settlers  of  the  county.  The  father 
bought  the  land  that  be  now  owns  at  Twelve  Mile 
Corner  on  the  state  road.  .Some  of  the  farm  has 
since  been  laid  out  in  town  lots  and  it  was  thnutjht 
that  a  village  would  be  built  thereon,  but  this  hope 
was  not  realized.  The  mother  died  October  8. 
1891.  In  the  family  were  si.x  children,  who  catue 
with  their  parents  to  .America.  Mrs.  Matilda 
Brown,  who  was  born  May  28.  1832.  died  in 
1900:  Orphia.  born  May  30,  1877.  is  the  widow 
of  Peter  Lindolf.  and  resides  in  Minnesota.  Em- 
ilv  is  the  wife  of  S.  .\.  Johnson,  of  Rockford. 
Anna  S.  is  the  wife  of  L.  Collins.  Augusta  Al- 
bertina.  lx)rn  November  2,  1847,  is  now  caring 
for  her  father.  She  learned  the  millinery  trade 
and  conducted  a  store  in  Rockford  for  twenty- 
five  vears  and  employed  from  five  to  eight  girls, 
during  which  time  she  l)ought  most  of  her  goods 
from  D.  B.  Fisk.  of  Chicago,  and  she  is  now 
keeping  house  for  her  father.  John,  born  .\ugust 
3.  1850.  died  in  Rockford  .\tigust  24.  1854.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Brown  have  become  the  parents  of 
nine  sons  and  three  daughters.  Six  of  the  sons 
are  vet  living  and  are  actively  engaged  in  busi- 
ness. Charles  R..  a  resident  of  Clark.  Nebraska, 
is  married  and  has  one  daughter,  Florence.  John 
is  the  owner  of  an  extensive  ranch  in  Colorado, 
on  which  he  has  about  eight  hundre<l  head  of 
cattle,  mules  and  horses.  He  is  also  married. 
Fred,  living  in  Clark.  Nebraska,  married  Maud 
McClain  and  thev  have  two  children.  William  W. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


329 


and  Edwin.  He  is  now  buying  and  feeding  stock 
and  is  also  conducting  a  store  at  Clark.  Alfred 
I.,  extensively  engaged  in  buying  and  selling 
horses  and  also  in  merchandising  in  Clark,  Ne- 
braska, married  Sophia  Morgan,  and  has  one 
daughter,  Mildred.  Joseph,  engaged  in  buying, 
feeding  and  shipping  cattle  at  Seward,  Nebraska, 
shipped  two  hundred  and  fifty  head  from  that 
place  to  New  York  city  and  thence  by  the  Ohio 
steamship  of  the  Wilson  line.  Mr.  Wilson  also 
shipped  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  head  at 
the  same  time  and  thus  they  sent  out  twentv- 
eight  carloads  from  Seward  on  that  occasion. 
William  Henr}',  living  at  Seward,  Nebraska,  is 
conducting  a  meat  market  and  is  feeding  cattle 
and  horses.  He  was  interested  with  his  brother, 
Joseph,  in  the  shipment  of  cattle  to  Deadford 
docks,  at  London,  England.  Mr.  Brown  of  this 
review  went  with  that  shipment  of  cattle  from 
Seward  to  New  York  city,  but  there  took  pas- 
sage on  a  steamer  of  the  White  Star  line,  from 
which  he  landed  in  Liverpool  and  thence  made 
his  way  by  train  to  London.  He  afterward  went 
to  Yadley,  where  he  spent  several  days  with  his 
brothers  and  friends,  returning  thence  to  Dead- 
ford  docks,  where  he  remained  until  the  cattle 
shipped  by  his  sons  had  been  sold.  He  left 
Seward,  May  27,  1903,  and  returned  home  on 
the  2d  of  July.  The  daughters  of  the  Brown 
family  are  all  deceased  and  the  mother  has  like- 
wise passed  away,  her  birth  occurring  March 
28,  1832,  and  her  death  on  the  12th  of  May, 
1900.  The  daughter  Hannah,  born  Septem- 
ber 25,  1864,  died  May  10,  1886.  One  son, 
George  W.,  born  March  8,  1866,  died  on  the 
29th  of  April,  of  that  year.  George  O.,  born 
May  16,  1867,  died  on  the  20th  of  September  fol- 
lowing. Cora  M.  and  Nora  M.,  twins,  were  born 
December  15,  1872,  and  the  former  died  on  the 
23d  and  the  latter  on  the  31st  of  the  same 
month. 

Mr.  Brown  has  never  sought  or  desired  public 
office.  His  first  presidential  vote  was  cast  for 
Abraham  Lincoln  and  he  has  always  supported 
the  candidates  whom  he  has  believed  best 
qualified   for  office. 


DAVID  A.  STURTEVANT. 

David  A.  Sturtevant,  who  has  risen  from  a 
humble  clerkship  to  rank  with  the  successful  and 
leading  merchants  of  Winnebago  county,  con- 
ducting a  well  equipped  store  in  Roscoe,  was 
born  in  Oneida  county,  New  York,  in  1825.  His 
father,  Cephas  Sturtevant,  was  a  native  of  Massa- 
chusetts and  never  came  to  the  west  but  retained 
his  residence  in  New  York  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death.    He  was  a  mason,  following  that  trade  as 


a  means  of  livelihood  throughout  his  active  busi- 
ness career  and  passing  away  in  Madison  county, 
New  York,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty  years. 
He  married  Elizabeth  Lawrence,  also  a  native  of 
Massachusetts  and  they  became  the  parents  of 
ten  children  who  reached  mature  years,  David 
A.  Sturtevant  being  the  ninth  in  order  of  birth 
and  the  only  son  now  living.  He  has  one  sur- 
viving sister,  Susan  Pearl,  a  resident  of  Rock- 
ford. 

David  A.  Sturtevant  spent  the  days  of  his  boy- 
hood and  youth  in  New  York,  acquiring  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  and  in  the  fall  of 
1846  he  came  west  to  Illinois  induced  to  this  step 
by  the  fact  that  he  had  a  sister  living  in  Roscoe. 
He  had  previously  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade 
in  the  east  and  he  resumed  work  in  that  line  on 
arriving  in  Roscoe.  For  ten  years  he  followed 
his  chosen  vocation  and  was  then  obliged  to  re- 
linquish work  on  the  bench  because  of  ill  health. 
He  rented  land  in  Roscoe  township  and  for  five 
or  six  years  carried  on  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits, after  which  he  spent  one  year  in  California, 
working  in  the  mines.  It  was  in  1857  that  he 
crossed  the  plains  to  the  Pacific  coast,  attracted 
by  the  discoveries  of  gold  in  that  far  western 
country.  Upon  his  return  to  Roscoe  in  1859  he 
again  resumed  shoemaking,  to  which  he  devoted 
his  energies  until  after  the  outbreak  of  the  civil 
war. 

Mr.  Sturtevant  had  been  an  interested  witness 
of  events  in  the  south,  had  noted  the  growing  feel- 
ing of  unrest  and  had  resolved  that  if  an  attempt 
was  made  at  secession  he  would  strike  a  blow  in 
defense  of  the  Union.  Accordinglv  he  became  a 
member  of  Company  H,  Second  Regiment  of 
Illinois  Light  Artillery.  His  old  friend,  Dr. 
Ransom,  of  Roscoe  township,  who  was  a  surgeon 
in  the  army,  secured  his  detail  for  dutv  at  the 
hospital  but  ill  health  eventually  forced  Air.  Stur- 
tevant to  retire  from  the  amiy  and  he  returned 
to  Roscoe,  where  the  following  year  he  secured 
a  clerkship  in  the  store  of  A.  D.  Lawrence,  his 
brother-in-law,  who  was  proprietor  of  a  dry- 
goods  establishment.  He  remained  as  a  salesman 
there  for  three  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time 
I\Ir.  Lawrence  removed  to  Iowa  and  I\Ir.  Sturte- 
vant purchased  the  store,  which  he  has  since  con- 
ducted. He  has  one  of  the  oldest  concerns  of 
the  village  both  as  regards  years  and  in  the  length 
of  his  continuous  connection  with  mercantile  in- 
terests. He  has  a  well  appointed  establishment, 
having"  closely  studied  the  needs  and  wishes  of 
the  public  and  by  reason  of  his  fair  dealing,  his 
earnest  desire  to  please  his  patrons  and  his  en- 
terprising methods,  he  has  won  a  creditable 
measure  of  success. 

]\Tr.  Sturtevant  has  been  married  twice.  He 
first  wedded  Susan  M.  Wood  and  they  had  two 
children,  Frank  and  Hattie.    The  former  married 


330 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     W  IXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Bertha  Eakin,  of  Illinois,  and  has  ihrcc  children. 
JJert,  Louisa  and  Lcnorc.  Hattit  is  the  wife  of 
George  Wiggins.  In  1863  Mr.  Sturtcvant  was 
again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Har- 
riet E.  Lawrence,  a  native  of  Xew  York,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Judge  L.  \V.  Lawrence,  of  llelvidere,  Illi- 
nois, who  went  to  tliat  town  in  an  early  day. 
They  have  three  children :  Alaude,  Blanche,  the 
wife  of  Giles  Baldwin ;  and  Marie,  who  married 
Fred  P.lackington  and  has  three  children,  Ralph. 
Letta  and  Feme. 

Mr.  Sturtevant  and  his  familv  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  church  and  are  people  of  the  high- 
est respyectability,  their  lives  being  permeated  by 
principles  which  work  for  good  citizenship  and 
for  upright  character.  In  his  political  views 
Mr.  Sturtevant  has  been  a  stalwart  republican 
since  the  organization  of  tlie  party  and  for  three 
years  served  as  tax  collector  of  Roscoe  township. 
In  1881  he  was  appointed  ]iostmaster  of  Ro.scoe 
by  President  Garfield  and  was  retired  by  Presi- 
dent Cleveland  in  1885.  but  when  the  republicans 
again  came  in  power  he  was  appointed  by  Presi- 
dent Harrison  and  continued  in  office  altogether 
for  seven  years.  He  has  been  notary  public  for 
twenty  years.  He  belongs  to  the  Masonic  frater- 
nity of  Roscoe  and  is  one  of  the  most  respected, 
influential  and  prominent  citizens  of  the  village. 
There  is  indeed  nnich  that  is  commendable  in  his 
life  record  and  he  is  justly  entitled  to  the  confi- 
dence and  respect  so  uniformly  tendered  him. 


HON.  RUFUS  C.  BAILEY. 

Hon.  Rufus  C.  Bailey,  who  for  thirty-two 
years  has  served  with  honor  and  distinction  as 
the  county  judge  of  Winnebago  couniv.  a  public 
service  unparalleled  in  the  history  of  Illinois,  was 
born  in  Auburn,  Maine,  July  28,  1833.  His 
])arents  were  Moses  and  Anne  (Chandler) 
Bailey.  The  father  was  born  in  Minot,  Maine, 
and  spent  his  entire  life  in  that  state,  ])assing 
away  when  the  Judge  was  about  seven  years  of 
age.  wliile  his  wife,  who  was  a  native  of  Yar- 
mouth, Maine,  also  lived  in  the  Pine  Tree  state 
imtil  her  death,  which  occurred  about  1853. 

Judge  Bailey  attended  successively  the  com- 
mon schools  of  his  native  city  and  Auburn  and 
Water\'ille  (Maine)  Academies,  wherein  he  pre- 
pared for  college.  He  then  matriculated  in 
Amherst  College  and  completed  the  scientific 
course  by  graduation  with  the  class  of  1855.  Im- 
mediately afterward  he  sought  a  home  in  the 
great  and  growing  west,  with  firm  faith  in  its 
future  and  a  desire  to  utilize  its  business  con- 
ditions so  that  his  own  career  might  be  cmwned 
with  success.  Taking  up  his  abode  in  Rock- 
ford,  he  was  then  engaged  in  railroad  engineer- 


ing, in  which  he  cunliiuied  until  1857,  being 
employed  on  the  Kenosha  &  Rockford  Railroad. 
Becoming  imbued  with  the  desire  to  attain  some- 
thing better,  he  entered  upon  the  study  of  law 
in  1858  in  the  office  of  Lathrop  &  Brown  and 
after  thorough  and  systematic  preliminary  read- 
ing was  admitted  to  the  bar  on  the  18th  of 
.\ugust,  i860.  He  immediately  entered  upon 
the  practice  of  his  profession  as  a  member  of 
the  law  firm  of  Lathrop  &  Bailey,  which  had  a 
contiiutous  and  successful  existence  of  twelve 
\ears.  In  the  meantime  he  was  elected  as  a 
clerk  and  acted  in  that  capacity  for  five  years 
when  associated  with  Mr.  Lathrop  in  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession.  He  was  also  city  at- 
torney for  the  year  1863  and  in  1873  he  re- 
ceived the  republican  nomination  for  the  posi- 
tion of  county  judge  and  by  re-election  has  been 
continued  in  the  office  for  thirty-two  consecu- 
tive years,  an  official  record  unparalleled  in 
length  of  service  in  the  state.  It  would  be 
tautological  to  enter  into  any  series  of  statements 
showing  him  to  be  a  man  of  marked  capability 
or  of  a  special  fitness  for  office,  for  these  have 
been  shadowed  forth  between  the  lines  of  this 
review.  His  decisions  are  regarded  as  models  of 
judicial  soundness  and  he  presides  over  his  court 
with  a  dignity  and  impartiality  that  awakens  re- 
spect for  the  law  and  for  the  office  to  which  one 
must  look  for  the  protection  of  human  rights, 
privileges  and  liberties. 

()n  the  5th  of  (October,  1885.  Judge  Bailey 
was  married  to  Mrs.  Emma  L.  Faulkner,  nee 
Trufant.  who  died  .\pril  11,  1905.  Prominent 
in  Masonrv.  he  belongs  to  Rockford  lodge,  A. 
F.  &  .\.  M..  Winnebago  chapter,  R.  A.  M..  Cru- 
sader commandery.  Xo.  17,  K.T.,  the  consist- 
ory, in  which  lie  attained  the  thirty-second  de- 
gree of  the  Scottish  Rite  and  the  Mystic  Shrine. 
He  served  for  about  six  years  as  eminent  com- 
mander of  the  commandery.  He  also  belongs  to 
the  Benevolent  and  iVotective  Order  of  Elks 
and  is  identified  with  the  Christian  Union.  While 
on  the  bench  he  is  dignified  and  reserved.  Those 
who  know  him  in  his  home  life  find  him  a  most 
social  and  congenial  companion  and  the  circle 
of  his  friends  is  almost  co-extensive  with  the 
circle  of  his  acquaintance. 


JOHN  BARRETT. 


John  Barrett  was  well  known  in  Rockford  for 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century  and  had  a  wide  ac- 
quaintance among  the  early  settlers  of  the  city, 
taking  up  his  abode  here  in  J 868.  He  was  a  na- 
tive of  County  Limerick.  Ireland,  born  Novem- 
ber 24,  1838.  and  his  parents  were  Edward  and 
Margaret  CNoonan")   Barrett,  who  were  likewise 


JUDGE  R.  C.  BAILEY. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


333 


natives  of  County  Limerick,  where  they  spent 
their  entire  lives.  The  father  was  a  tailor  by 
trade  and  always  followed  that  pursuit  in  order 
to  provide  for  his  family. 

John  Barrett  was  educated  in  the  Catholic 
schools  of  his  native  country  and  acquired  a  gfood 
education  there.  When  a  )oung  man  he  began 
to  learn  the  shoemaker's  trade  and  throughout  his 
entire  life  that  continued  to  be  his  source  of  live- 
lihood. As  a  companion  and  helpmate  for  life's 
journey  he  chose  Miss  Margaret  Hayes,  also  a 
native  of  Ireland,  born  December  29,  1841,  and 
a  daughter  of  Hall  and  Mary  (Downey)  Hayes, 
also  natives  of  the  Emerald  isle.  His  father  al- 
ways followed  farming  and  died  in  the  land  of 
his  nativity,  after  which  the  mother  emigrated  to 
America  and  spent  the  remaining  da\s  in  the 
home  of  her  son,  Thomas  Hayes,  in  Tracr,  Tama 
countv,  Iowa.  After  his  marriage  Mr.  Barrett 
continued  to  work  at  the  shoemaker's  trade  on 
the  Emerald  isle  until  1868,  when  with  bis  family, 
then  numbering  wife  and  five  children,  he  crossed 
the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States.  Landing  in 
New  York  citv,  he  came  direct  to  Rockford  and 
invested  in  town  property  here,  after  which  he 
owned  a  shoe  shop  on  East  State  street  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  Madison  street.  There  he 
worked  at  his  trade  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a 
centurv  or  imtil  his  death,  which  occurred  June 
16,  1892. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barrett  became  the  parents  of 
ten  children,  of  whom  six  were  born  in  Ireland  : 
Catherine,  who  died  July  7,  1900,  was  the  wife 
of  Joseph  L.  Schmauss,  who  is  now  secretary  and 
treasurer  of  the  Schmauss  Company,  the  largest 
wholesale  and  retail  dealers  in  meat  in  Rockford. 
Marv  is  the  wife  of  George  Schlenk  and  resides 
in  this  citv.  Edwin  died  in  Ireland  at  the  age  of 
six  months.  IVfargaret  and  Hannah  P..  are  at 
home  with  their  mother.  Ann  died  in  Rockford 
June  24,  1879,  John  J.,  who  married  Katherine 
F,  Hickev.  resides  in  Rockford  and  is  captain  of 
hose  company  No.  2  of  the  city  fire  department. 
William  died  September  17,  1891.  Edwin,  who 
conducts  a  large  fire  and  life  insurance  business 
with  offices  at  No.  124  South  Main  street,  also 
resides  with  his  mother.  Elizabeth,  who  died 
October  6,  1904,  was  the  wife  of  Walter  Mc- 
Guire,  a  member  of  the  IMcGuire  Hardware  Com- 
pany of  Rockford. 

]\Tr.  Barrett  always  took  a  very  active  part  in 
politics  and  was  a  stanch  democrat.  He  held  mem- 
bership in  St.  James'  Catholic  church,  of  which 
his  wife  and  family  are  also  communicants.  He 
was  a  hard-working  man,  honest  and  upright  and 
was  quite  successful.  In  the  early  davs  of  his 
residence  here  he  purchased  the  entire  block 
upon  which  his  widow  now  resides,  and  as  the 
citv  has  grown  and  developed  this  became  very 
valuable  property  and  much  of  it  has  since  been 


sold  as  city  lots.  They  still  own  and  retain  pos- 
session of  the  old  Barrett  home,  however,  at  No. 
1303  Benton  street,  where  Mrs,  Barrett  and  three 
of  her  children  still  reside,  and  the  family  is  well 
known  here.  Mrs.  Barrett  is  now  rearing  her 
grandson,  Edwin  Barrett,  whose  father,  William 
Barrett,  is  now  deceased.  Her  daughter-in-law, 
Mrs.  Katherine  Barrett,  also  owns  a  nice  home 
on  a  part  of  the  Barrett  addition  to  this  city. 


HENRY  W.  STEVENS. 

Henry  W.  Stevens,  interested  in  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  in  Owen  township,  is  one  of 
the  worthv  citizens  that  England  has  furnished 
to  Winnebago  county.  His  birth  occurred  in 
London,  October  9,  1852,  his  parents  being- 
Henrv  and  Mary  Ann  Stevens,  who  had  but  two 
children,  the  daughter,  Rosa,  coming  to  this 
country  with  her  brother,  Henry.  The  parents, 
however,  both  died  in  the  old  country. 

Henry  W.  Stevens  spent  the  first  twelve  years 
of  his  life  in  his  native  land  and  was  a  student 
in  the  public  schools  there.  He  landed  at  New 
York  citv,  whence  he  afterward  made  his  way 
to  Belvidere,  Illinois,  and  subsequently  he  came 
to  Winnebago  county,  living  in  Rockton  township 
until  about  thirteen  years  ago.  He  first  earned 
his  living  bv  working  as  a  farm  hand  by  the 
month  and  persistently  and  energetically  he  con- 
tinued his  labor  until  his  work  had  brought  him 
a  goodlv  sum  of  money.  He  then  purchased  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Rockton  town- 
ship, partially  improved,  and  for  ten  years  gave 
his  attention  to  its  further  cultivation  and  devel- 
opment. He  followed  both  farming  and  stock- 
raising,  and  on  the  expiration  of  a  decade  he 
bought  eightv  acres  of  land  in  Owen  township, 
whereon  he  has  since  lived,  having  now  an  ex- 
cellent farm  here.  He  has  built  a  new  and  mod- 
ern residence  and  has  made  all  that  he  possesses 
through  his  industrv,  for  he  started  out  in  life 
for  himself  a  poor  boy.  He  has  bought  and  fed 
hosrs  and  cattle  and  in  his  various  business  pur- 
suits has  gained  a  creditable  and  gratifying  meas- 
ure of  success. 

Mr.  Stevens  was  married  December  22.  1881, 
to  Miss  Diantha.  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Mar- 
p-aret  (Calkins)  A^an  Wicklin.  Her  father  was 
born  September  18,  1827,  on  Long  Island,  New 
York,  and  came  to  Illinois  in  the  earlv  '40s.  He 
worked  as  a  farm  hand  near  Crvstal  Lake  until 
about  t8s7,  \vhen  be  removed  to  Minnesota, 
where  he  lived  for  two  vears.  He  then  returned 
to  IMcHenrv  countv.  Illinois,  settling  near  Wood- 
stock, and  throughout  his  entire  life  he  followed 
agricultural  pursuits,  molding  his  life  according 
to  the  sTolden  rule  and  doing  unto  others  as  he 


334 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WIXXEBAGO    COIXTV 


would  have  them  do  unto  him.  He  passed  away 
in  April,  1867,  and  the  motlier  of  Mrs.  Stevens 
departed  this  life  December  4,  i860.  The  remains 
of  both  now  rest  in  the  family  burial  ground  near 
Crystal  Lake.  Mrs.  \'an  Wicklin  was  born  De- 
cember 4,  1835,  and  was  married  in  1854.  She 
had  two  children :  Cerroland,  who  was  bom 
February  25,  1855,  and  is  a  carpenter  living:  in 
Rockford;  and  Mrs.  Stevens,  boni  May  26,  1859. 
After  lusinij:  his  first  wife  Mr.  \an  Wicklin  mar- 
ried Miss  Sarah  Sawyer  and  they  had  two  chil- 
dren :  Cora,  now  deceased ;  and  Mary,  who  is 
livint;  in  Rockton. 

Tlie  marria.sfc  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stevens  was  cel- 
ebrated December  22,  1881,  and  has  been  blessed 
with  two  daughters:  Mabel  G.,  born  December 
22,  1885;  and  Ida  E.,  born  July  8,  1888.  Both 
have  attended  the  public  schools,  and  the  latter 
is  now  attending  business  college.  Mabel  G.  is 
the  wife  of  Rayniund  S.  I'.radt,  of  Shullsburg, 
Wisconsin.  Mr.  Stevens  has  never  sought  or  de- 
sired public  office  as  a  reward  for  party  fealty, 
but  is  recognized  as  a  stanch  and  unfaltering  ad- 
vocate of  republican  principles.  He  belongs  to 
Owen  camp.  M.  W.  A.,  and  both  he  and  his  wife 
are  faithful  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
clun-ch. 


EDWIX  R.  1 1  ALLEY. 


Edwin  R.  Halley,  following  the  occupation  of 
farming  in  Owen  township,  was  born  at  Rock- 
ton.  Winnebago  county,  February  20,  1856,  his 
parents  being  William  and  Christian  (Mackie) 
Halkv.  The  father  was  born  in  Fifeshire,  Scot- 
land, alwut  twenty  miles  from  Edinburgh,  on  the 
4th  of  June,  1818,  and  acf|nircd  a  common  school 
education.  He  became  a  resident  of  this  county 
in  1838.  when  about  twenty  years  of  age,  and 
lived  for  a  year  and  a  half  near  Rockton.  He 
then  settled  in  the  village  in  February,  1840.  He 
was  a  tailor  by  trade  and  followed  that  pursuit, 
also  handling  ready-made  clothing,  and  he  con- 
tinued in  that  business  for  twenty  years,  meeting 
with  splendid  success  by  reason  of  the  liberal 
patronage  which  was  accorded  him.  He  then 
])urcbased  five  hundred  acres  of  raw  prairie  land 
in  r)wen  township  which  he  improved,  making 
a  splendid  property.  He  planted  many  trees  u])on 
his  place  and  also  raised  trees  from  the  seed.  His 
farming  operations  were  also  attended  with  suc- 
cess and,  making  additional  ])urchases,  he  had 
at  one  time  more  than  one  thousand  acres  of  land. 
He  was  a  worthy  pioneer  settler  of  this  locality, 
aiding  greatly  in  the  reclamation  of  the  wild  land 
for  the  purposes  of  civilization,  and  his  efforts 
contributed  in  substantial  measure  to  the  progress 
and  improvement  of  the  locality.  His  fellow 
townsmen,  recognizing  his  worth  and  ability,  fre- 


quently called  him  to  office.  He  was  the  first 
town  clerk  in  Rockton  township,  also  served  as 
supervisor  and  assessor  and  was  likewise  justice 
of  the  peace.  He  was  one  of  the  first  supporters 
of  the  whig  party  in  the  country  and  cast  his 
ballot  for  William  Henrj-  Harrison.  On  the 
organization  of  the  new  republican  ])arty  he  be- 
came one  of  its  stanch  advocates  and  voted  for 
Abraham  I.incoln.  He  was  married,  December 
6,  1846,  to  Christian  Mackie,  who  is  now  living 
at  the  age  of  ninety-two  years.  In  their  family 
were  three  children.  William  A.,  who  was  born 
in  Rockton  in  1 85 1,  married  Miss  Sarah  Arm- 
strong and  had  one  child.  His  death  occurred 
June  6,  1895.  Annie  M.  became  the  wife  of  John 
Wishop  and  died  in  December.  1894.  leaving  one 
son. 

Edwin  R.  Halley,  the  other  member  of  the 
family,  began  his  education  in  the  public  schools 
and  for  two  years  was  a  student  in  Professor 
Lownsbury's  Ijusiness  College  at  Rockford.  He 
was  reared  to  farm  life,  spending  his  boyhood 
days  under  the  parental  roof,  his  parents  remov- 
ing from  Rockton  to  the  farm  in  i860.  He  has 
always  been  identified  with  general  agricultural 
pursuits  and  stock-raising  and  he  is  now  the 
owner  of  four  hundred  acres  of  fine  land  which  is 
well  improved  and  constitutes  one  of  the  best 
farms  of  this  locality.  He  also  has  a  half  interest 
in  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Rockton 
township. 

Edwin  R.  Halley  was  married,  .\ugust  24, 
1887,  to  Miss  Ida  Cowan,  a  daughter  of  John  and 
Maria  (Judson)  Cowan.  Her  father,  who  was 
bom  Xovember  10,  1810,  at  Rowe,  Massachu- 
setts, died  Xovember  9,  1891,  at  the  age  of 
eight v-one  years,  while  his  wife,  whose  birth 
occurred  in  X'ew  P.erlin.  Chenango  county,  Xcw 
York,  February  27,  1818,  died  on  X'ovember  7, 
1894.  When  only  two  years  old  the  father  was 
taken  by  his  parents  to  Watertown,  Xcw  York, 
where  he  lived  mitil  he  attained  his  majority, 
when  he  located  in  Xew  P)erlin.  There  he  was 
married  and  worked  at  the  cari)eiUer's  trade 
while  later  he  established  his  home  in  Rochester. 
Xew  York,  where  he  again  followed  building 
pursuits.  He  next  became  a  resident  of  Xaples, 
Xew  York,  and  in  i8.:;3  he  removed  to  the  mid- 
dle west,  settling  at  Winslow.  Stephenson  county. 
Illinois.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  that  lo- 
cality and  entered  from  the  government  a  tract 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  wild  land.  He 
broke  the  raw  prairie  and  began  the  work  of  im- 
provement there  by  building  a  log  cat)ii..  In 
connection  with  his  farming  pursuits  he  also 
worked  at  the  builder's  trade  and  contracting 
until  1854,  in  which  year  he  removed  to  N'nra. 
Jo  Daviess  county.  Illinois,  where  he  built  a  home 
and  settled  in  order  that  his  children  might  en- 


/VatU/^/^     '^^  <■  ''^ 


'-iUJl 


ci.4^\^i^ 


J^^M. 


7 


MRS.  WILLIAM  HALLEY 
AOED  92   YEARS 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


339 


joy  the  advantages  of  the  town  schools.  He 
purchased  forty  acres  near  the  town  which  he 
used  for  pasturage,  also  raising  some  com 
thereon.  His  last  years  were  spent  in  honorable 
retirement  from  labor.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
were  devoted  members  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church  and  were  worthy  people,  enjoying  in 
full  measure  the  confidence  and  good  will  of 
those  with  whom  they  were  associated.  Jn  his 
political  views  Mr.  Cowan  was  a  stanch  re- 
publican. It  was  on  the  13th  of  January,  1833, 
that  he  wedded  Maria  Judson,  at  New  Berlin, 
New  York,  and  they  became  the  parents  01  tliree 
sons  and  seven  daughters.  Five  of  the  family 
are  yet  living.  Cornelius,  who  was  born  Janu- 
ary 20,  1834,  married  Lemyra  Steere  and  they 
had  seven  children,  of  whom  three  are  now  living, 
Emery,  Lucia  and  Louise.  Philo  J.,  born  Janu- 
ary 24,  1846,  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Welty  and 
they  have  three  living  children.  Helen  E.,  born 
February  17,  1848,  is  the  wife  of  Walter  Stickney 
and  has  three  sons  and  two  daughters  living. 
Louisa,  born  Jime  21,  1843,  '^  the  wife  of  T.  W. 
Young  and  has  four  surviving  daughters. 

Mrs.  Halley,  the  other  member  of  the  Cowan 
family,  was  reared  in  her  parents'  home,  where 
she  remained  until  her  marriage.  There  has  been 
one  child  by  this  union,  Helen  C,  born  July  i, 
1889.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Halley  have  always  lived 
upon  the  farm,  where  they  now  have  an  attractive 
home,  and  in  social  circles  in  the  community  they 
occupy  an  enviable  position. 

Mr.  Halley  holds  membership  with  Rockton 
lodge.  No.  74,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  which  is  one  of 
the  oldest  Masonic  organizations  in  the  state.  He 
likewise  belongs  to  Rockton  chapter.  No.  190,  R. 
A.  M.,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of 
Starlight  chapter.  No.  404,  O.  E.  S.,  while  Mrs. 
Halley  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  His  political  support  is  given  to  the  re- 
publican party  and  he  has  been  supervisor  and 
assessor  of  Owen  township.  He  now  has  a  valu- 
able farming  property  and  in  its  control  displays 
excellent  business  ability,  executive  force  and 
keen  discernment.  He  has  led  a  busy  and  useful 
life  and  is  justly  accounted  a  representatiye 
farmer  of  Owen  township. 


EUGENE  E.  DAVIS. 

A  city  which  owes  its  upbuilding  and  derives 
its  income  from  its  manufacturing  interests  al- 
ways attracts  to  it  men  of  inventive  genius,  who 
are  prominent  in  the  world  of  mechanical  con- 
struction— men  whose  labors  are  of  the  utmost 
value  to  the  world  at  large  by  reason  of  the  fact 
that  they  have  and  are  producing  many  labor-sav- 
ing devices,  which  also  produce  a  finished  product 


at  less  cost  and  time  than  hitherto  had  been  done. 
Eugene  E.  Davis  brought  to  the  manufacturing 
city  of  Rockford  a  skill  and  ability,  which  in  the 
line  of  manufacturing  and  invention,  made  him 
one  of  the  valued  representatives  of  industrial 
life  here. 

A  native  of  Herkimer  county,  New  York,  he 
was  born  March  30,  1855,  and  was  a  son  of 
Benjamin  C.  and  Catherine  Davis.  His  mother 
died  in  Buffalo,  New  York.  The  father,  also  an 
inventor,  was  connected  with  manufacturing  in- 
terests during  the  greater  part  of  his  life  and 
manufactured  many  household  articles,  devoting 
his  energies  to  the  business  until  his  retirement. 
He  now  makes  his  home  with  his  niece  in  Oneida 
county.  New  York,  and  has  reached  the  age  of 
about  eighty  years. 

After  attending  the  common  schools  in  his  na- 
tive county  Mr.  Davis  began  working  for  his 
father,  who  at  that  time  was  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  sash  and  blinds.  He  soon  learned  the 
use  of  tools  and  the  principles  upon  which  ma- 
chinerv  was  propelled  and  thus  laid  the  founda- 
tion for  his  labors  in  later  life.  Desirous  of  seek- 
ing his  fortune  in  the  west,  he  left  home  at  an 
earlv  age  and  went  to  Michigan,  where  he  was 
employed  in  different  factories  for  a  few  years, 
when  he  came  to  Rockford.  Mr.  Gent  was  then 
the  owner  of  the  water  power  here  and  Mr.  Davis 
entered  his  employ,  but  after  a  short  time  he  se- 
cured a  situation  with  the  Emerson  Manufactur- 
ing Company,  now  controlling  the  largest  manu- 
facturing plant  in  the  city.  Mr.  Davis  became 
the  patent  expert  on  binders  for  the  company. 
During  that  time  William  W.  Eurson,  who  is 
mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  work,  and  who  is 
president  of  the  Burson  Knitting  Company  of 
Rockford,  was  connected  with  the  Emerson  Man- 
ufacturing Company,  and  he,  too,  is  an  inventor 
of  wide  reputation  and  superior  ability.  When 
he  formed  the  Burson  Knitting  Company  Mr. 
Davis  entered  his  employ  and  soon  both  Mr. 
Davis  and  Mr.  Burson  went  to  Chicago,  where 
thev  worked  as  inventors  for  the  Deering  Har- 
vester Companv.  After  a  short  tim-  they  re- 
turned to  Rockford  and  Mr.  Davis  was  made 
superintendent  of  the  machinery  department  of 
the  Burson  Knitting  Company,  in  which  impor- 
tant position  he  remained  for  many  years. 

While  in  Chicago  Mr.  Davis  met  and  married 
Miss  Elida  Campbell,  a  native  of  Bath,  New 
York,  and  a  daughter  of  John  M.  and  Elizabeth 
CHalleck)  Campbell,  the  latter  a  member  of  the 
well  known  Halleck  family  and  a  descendant  of 
Fitz  Green  and  General  Halleck.  Mr.  Campbell 
was  a  brother  of  the  late  Lieutenant-Governor 
Campbell  of  New  York.  Of  Scotch  descent,  he 
was  an  earlv  settler  of  Steuben  county.  New 
York,  where  he  successfully  carried  on  farming 
all  his  life,  his  death  occurring  in  that  county. 


340 


I'AST     AND    PRESEXT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


His  widow  afterward  removed  to  the  west,  re- 
siding in  Chicago  for  a  number  of  years,  and 
after  her  daughter's  marriage  she  came  to  Rock- 
ford,  making  her  home  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis 
imtil  called  to  her  final  rest.  She  died  May  26, 
i8<>8.  and  her  remains  were  interred  in  the  ceme- 
ter}-  here.  Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Davis  had  no  chihlrcn 
of  their  own  l)ut  ado|)tc(l  her  ne|)hew,  Donald 
Patterson  Cam])lKdl,  who  was  born  May  23,  1893, 
and  is  now  a  student  in  the  Kent  .school. 

Following  his  return  to  Rockford  and  the  sev- 
erance of  his  connection  with  the  Piurson  Knit- 
ting Company.  Mr.  Davis  went  to  Canton,  ( )hio. 
He  had  formed  the  ac(|uaintance  of  James  I'.aird. 
an  inventor,  working  under  .Mr.  Davis.  .Vlmut 
iqoo  he  accepted  the  position  of  su]X'nntendent 
of  the  Canton  Roll  .Machine  Comjiany,  of  Canton. 
Ohio,  and  persuaded  Mr.  Davis  to  go  to  that 
city  and  take  charge  of  the  i)lant.  .Accordingly 
in  .\]iril,  iijoi.  Mr.  Davis  left  the  P.urson  Knit- 
ting Companv  and  went  to  Canton.  ( )hio.  where 
he  entered  the  service  of  the  above  mentioned 
firm.  Becoming  ill.  however,  he  died  after  about 
ten  months  spent  there,  passing  away  in  Canton 
on  the  loth  of  March,  u>02.  His  remains  were 
then  brought  back  to  Rockford  for  interment. 
He  possessed  superior  ability  along  mechanical 
lines  and  his  inventive  genius  was  far  beyond 
the  average.  Mr.  llurson  .said  of  him  that  he 
was  a  natural  horn  inventor,  and  no  more  skilled 
f)r  active  man  was  ever  in  his  employ. 

Mr.  Davis  was  a  stanch  re])ublican  in  his  po- 
litical views  and  was  always  interested  in  the 
questions  and  issues  of  the  day  relating  to  the 
welfare  of  state  and  nation.  He  read  extensively 
and  kept  well  informed  on  all  matters  of  general 
moment.  .Mthough  not  a  member  he  contributed 
generously  to  the  supi)ort  of  the  First  Presbyte- 
rian church  here,  and  took  an  interest  in  its  work. 
Mrs.  Davis  now  belongs  to  this  church,  and  she 
owns  a  beautiful  home  at  Xo.  i  loi  South  Church 
street,  where  she  and  her  family  reside.  The 
death  of  the  husband  and  father  was  deeply  felt 
not  onlv  bv  his  immediate  family,  but  also  by 
his  manv  friends  here,  and  while  to  all  he  was  a 
genial,  courteous  gentleman,  it  was  in  the  inner 
circle  of  his  own  home  that  his  be.'it  traits  of 
character  were  most  often  seen. 


SYLVESTER  B.  WTI.KIXS. 

Sylvester  B.  W'ilkins.  a  retired  merchant  and 
manufacturer  of  RrK'kford.  comes  of  English  line- 
age, tracing  his  ancestrv  back  to  Bray  Wilkins, 
the  progenitor  of  the  familv  in  the  new  world, 
and  the  son  of  I-ord  J.  Wilkins,  of  Wales.  Bray 
W'ilkins  came  to  .America  in  1630  and  represent- 
atives of  the  family  lived  in  the  Xew  England 
states    through     many     succeeding    generations. 


Cooley  Wilkins,  the  grandfather  of  Sylvester  B. 
Wilkins.  was  an  early  settler  of  Guilford,  Ver- 
mont, and  married  Polly  Crandall.  Their  son, 
Joshua  L.  Wilkins,  was  born  in  Chenango  county, 
Xew  York,  in  1799,  and  became  one  of  the  pros- 
perous men  of  that  locality.  He  wedded  .Mary 
Stowell.  who  was  also  of  English  lineage,  and 
the  representatives  of  the  name  who  crossed  the 
.Atlantic  liecame  ])ioneer  residents  of  Xew  Eng- 
land. The  Wilkins  family  was  represented  by 
seven  members  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 

.Sylvester  I?.  Wilkins  is  also  a  native  of  the 
Em])ire  state,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Che- 
nango county,  Xew  York,  .March  24.  1833.  He 
was  reared  to  farm  life  and  Ix^gan  his  education 
in  the  district  schools,  while  later  he  enjoyed  the 
benefit  of  instruction  in  the  schools  of  I'.ingham- 
ton,  I'roome  counlv.  Xew  \'ork.  IK-  made  his 
home  u])on  his  father's  farm  until  he  attained  his 
nineteenth  year,  when  he  started  out  in  life  on 
his  own  account,  accepting  a  clerkshi])  in  a  gro- 
cery store  at  iiinghaniton.  where  he  remained  for 
some  time.  In  1857  he  became  interested  in 
manufacturing  s])okes  and  belt  work  for  wagons 
in  P)inghamton,  and  later  was  identified  with  in- 
dustrial interests  in  Milton.  Pennsylvania,  where 
he  remained  for  twelve  years.  In  iS'h^  he  came  to 
Rockford,  where  he  entered  upon  the  manufac- 
ture of  bolts  for  agricultural  implements,  build- 
ing u\)  an  extensive  business  in  this  regard,  his 
])roduct  being  sold  to  manufacturers  of  agricul- 
tural implements  throughout  the  western  states. 
He  furnished  them  upon  order  and  continued 
active  in  the  conduct  of  this  important  productive 
industry  from  1869  until  I  Sip.  when  he  retired 
from  the  active  management  of  the  business.  He 
did  not  confine  his  efforts  entirely  to  this  line, 
however,  for  other  enterprises  felt  the  stimulus 
of  his  co-operation  and  benefited  by  his  wise  coun- 
sel, lie  was  for  some  time  connected  with  the 
knitting  industries  of  Rockford.  and  in  i8<>2  he 
became  interested  in  the  Chicago  Hosiery  Com- 
panv, of  Kenosha,  Wisconsin.  Being  one  of  the 
incor])orators  of  the  company,  he  continued  his 
connection  therewith  for  a  number  of  years  and 
is  still  one  of  the  stockholders.  The  works  which 
were  for  some  time  located  in  Rockford  were  af- 
terwards removed  to  Kenosha. 

In  1861  Mr.  Wilkins  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Jane  G.  Goodlander.  of  .Milton,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  a  daughter  of  Giristopher  and  Mary 
(Osmond)  Goodlander.  They  became  the  parents 
of  a  ,s<in  and  two  daughters:  George  L.,  of 
Chicago,  who  is  identified  with  the  New  York 
Life  Insurance  Company  ;  Mary  R.,  the  wife  of 
George  X.  Holt,  of  Paris,  and  a  highly  accom- 
plished musician,  who  is  now  receiving  instruc- 
tion from  some  of  tlie  most  noted  teachers  in 
Europe:  and  Ruth  C.  who  is  a  teacher  of  do- 
mestic .science. 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


341 


Mr.  Wilkins  in  his  political  views  is  a  pro- 
nounced republican,  taking  great  interest  in  the 
success  of  his  party,  yet  never  seeking  office  for 
himself.  He  has  ever  been  a  follower  of  tem- 
perance principles  and  is  a  strong  advocate  of 
prohibition  measures.  He  belongs  to  the  E.  W. 
F.  Ellis  lodge.  No.  i66,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  to 
Winnebago  chapter.  No.  24,  R.  A.  M.,  and  he  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Court  .Street  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church,  to  which  he  has  long  been 
a  liberal  contributor.  He  is  public-spirited  and 
thoroughly  interested  in  whatever  tends  to  pro- 
mote the  moral,  intellectual  and  material  welfare 
of  Rockford.  .'\  man  of  distinct  and  forceful  in- 
dividuality, of  broad  mentality  and  matured  judg- 
ment, he  has  left  his  impress  upon  the  industrial 
world.  For  years  he  was  an  important  factor  in 
the  development  of  business  enterprises  in  Rock- 
ford  and  through  this  means  he  contributed  in 
substantial  measure  to  the  general  improvement. 
Now  in  the  evening  of  life  there  has  been  vouch- 
safed to  him  a  rest  from  further  labor  and  the 
unqualified  confidence  and  admiration  of  his  fel- 
lowmen  are  also  accorded  him  by  reason  of  his 
success  and  the  honorable  methods  he  has  ever 
pursued. 


WILLIAM  H.  SCHOONMAKER. 

William  H.  Schoonmaker,  following  farming 
on  section  20,  Winnebago  township,  where  he  has 
made  his  home  for  the  past  fifty-three  years,  this 
being  the  place  of  his  birth,  was  born  May  5, 
1852,  his  parents  being  Henrv  and  Marv  fLown) 
Schoonmaker,  who  came  to  Winnebago  county, 
November  26,  1838,  from  West  township,  Albany 
county.  New  York.  It  was  in  that  locality  that 
the  parents  were  reared  and  married,  and  at  the 
time  of  their  removal  to  the  west  they  had  but 
one  child,  Cornelia  .A.nn,  who  was  born  November 
26,  1837.  On  coming  to  Illinois  they  established 
their  home  in  Rockford,  and  they  resided  in  Win- 
nebago county  from  1838  until  called  to  their 
final  rest.  Henr^'  Schoonmaker  worked  at  Rock- 
ford on  the  first  dam  built  there.  He  secured  a 
claim  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  where  Burr 
Brothers'  store  now  stands,  but  because  of  his 
health  he  was  forced  to  leave  the  water  side  and 
located  on  the  prairie.  He  remained  for  a  time 
both  at  Westfield  and  Byron  and  then  took  up 
a  claim  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on  section 
20,  Winnebago  township,  where  he  successfully 
carried  on  farming,  extending  the  boundaries  of 
his  land  until  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  owned 
three  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  He  had  no 
funds  when  he  arrived  at  Rockford,  in  fact,  was 
utterlv  penniless  and  borrowed  fifty  cents  from 
his  sister-in-law,  Margaret  Lown,  who  had  ac- 
companied them  to  Illinois.     Margaret  Lown  af- 


terward became  the  wife  of  W.  W.  Smith,  of 
Freeport,  and  died  in  1903,  at  the  advanced  age 
of  eighty  years,  while  Mr.  Smith  passed  away  in 
1904.  Mr.  Schoonmaker,  although  without  capi- 
tal, possessed  strong  determination  and  energy, 
and  these  qualities  enabled  him  to  overcome  the 
difficulties  and  hardships  of  pioneer  life  and  work 
his  way  steadily  upward  until  he  became  a  sub- 
stantial farmer,  having  a  valuable  property  which 
supplied  him  with  all  the  comforts  and  many  of 
the  luxuries  of  life.  He  died  August  20,  1872, 
at  the  age  of  sixty-two  years,  four  months  and 
six  days,  while  his  wife  passed  away  April  12, 
1892,  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty  years.  Both 
died  upon  the  old  home  farm,  which  is  now  owned 
and  occupied  by  their  son  William.  In  his  po- 
litical relation  Mr.  Schoonmaker  was  a  re- 
publican and  all  his  sons  have  become  ad- 
vocates of  the  same  party.  He  served  as 
school  director  for  many  years  and  also 
filled  other  local  offices.  He  was  a  reliable  citi- 
zen, and  both  he  and  his  wife  were  held  in  the 
highest  esteem.  In  their  family  were  eight  chil- 
dren: The  eldest  daughter,  Cornelia  Ann,  be- 
came the  wife  of  Edward  Hobson,  and  is  now 
living  in  Winnebago  township,  but  Mr.  Hobson 
died  about  nine  years  ago :  Emmeline,  born  Au- 
gust ID.  1840.  is  the  wife  of  Adam  Branagh,  and 
resides  at  Chicago  Heights ;  John,  born  April  2, 
1842,  now  resides  on  Montague  street,  in  Rock- 
ford;  Margaret  N.,  born  September  14,  1849,  be- 
came the  wife  of  Henry  Warner,  and  died  in 
Winnebago,  March  16,  1883 :  David,  born  Sep- 
tember 18,  1847,  resides  at  Stineton,  Oklahoma  : 
William  H.  is  the  next  of  the  family:  Charles  E., 
born  March  27,  1857,  is  now  a  retired  farmer 
living  in  Winnebago ;  and  Mar\-  Ellen,  born 
March  9,  1863,  married  Robert  IMcDonald,  by 
whom  she  has  nine  children,  and  her  home  is  at 
Treton,  Sioux  county,  Iowa. 

William  H.  Schoonmaker  was  reared  and  has 
alwavs  resided  upon  his  present  farm,  and  the 
care  and  cultivation  of  the  place  has  fully  claimed 
his  time  and  attention.  He  has  a  finely  improved 
property  of  eigthy  acres,  the  fields  being  under 
a  high  state  of  cultivation,  so  that  he  annually 
harvests  good  crops.  The  house  was  built  about 
forty-six  years  ago,  but  he  has  since  rebuilt  and 
added  to  it  at  dififerent  times.  It  is,  however,  one 
of  the  old  landmarks  of  the  county  and  has  been 
a  mute  witness  of  the  great  changes  that  has  oc- 
curred as  Winnebago  county  has  progressed  from 
pioneer  conditions  to  an  advanced  civilization.  ^ 

In  1873  Mr.  Schoonmaker  was  married  to  Miss 
Melinda  B.  Taugher,  who  was  born  in  Peca- 
tonica,  December"  5,  1853,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
James  and  Man-  C.  (Swift)  Taugher,  who  came 
to  Winnebago  township  when  their  daughter  was 
but  six  months  old,  so  that  she  was  reared  in  this 
locality.     Her  father,  now  residing  in  the  village 


342 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


of  Winnebago  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years, 
was  burn  in  Ireland,  in  April,  1833.  After  coming 
to  Illinois  he  worked  on  the  railroad  for  many 
years  and  he  is  now  the  owner  of  some  property 
in  the  village  of  Winnebago,  beside  a  good  farm 
in  Wisconsin.  He  came  to  Winnebago  county  in 
1833  with  his  parents,  and  in  early  life  he  learned 
blacksmithing.  but  followed  railroading  for  many 
years,  acting  as  section  foreman  at  Winnebago 
for  sixteen  years.  His  wife  died  February  10, 
1887,  wlien  more  than  sixty-one  years  of  age. 
Mrs.  Schoonmaker  was  one  of  eleven  children, 
but  only  three  are  now  living.  Her  elder  sister, 
Hannah,  born  June  27,.  185 1.  became  the  wife  of 
Michael  Mc.Mahon.  who  died  May  5,  1904,  while 
she  now  makes  h-^r  home  in  Butler  county,  Iowa ; 
the  other  sister,  Maria,  born  October  18,  1858, 
is  the  wife  of  Frank  Booth,  and  resides  at  Rock- 
ford.  The  other  members  of  the  family  arc  all 
deceased. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schoonmaker  have  become  the 
parents  of  five  daughters  :  Mary,  born  Noveiiil^er 
23,  1874,  married  Emery  James  and  died  August 
31,  1896,  at  Winnebago,  leaving  one  child, 
William  E. ;  Jennie,  born  March  7,  1878,  is  the 
wife  of  Edward  McDonald,  a  fanner  of  Winne- 
bago township,  and  they  have  had  three  children, 
Morrill  .\ndres  and  Lester  Martin,  living,  and 
James,  deceased  ;  Laura  E..  born  August  2^,.  1881. 
Winnie,  born  July  17,  1884,  and  Nellie,  born 
April  27.  1890,  are  all  at  home. 

Mr.  Schoonmaker  is  a  stanch  republican,  but 
has  always  refused  to  Ix-come  a  candidate  for 
office.  His  wife  is  a  member  of  St.  Alary's  Cath- 
olic church  at  Rockford.  Throughout  his  entire 
life  he  has  lived  upon  the  farm  where  his  birth 
occurred  and  vvhicli  is  endeared  to  him  through 
the  associations  of  his  youth  as  well  as  those  of 
later  manhood.  He  has  found  in  the  operation 
of  his  land  opportunity  for  the  exercise  of  good 
business  ability,  and  through  his  unflagging  in- 
dustry has  gained  a  desirable  measure  of  suc- 
cess. 


JOHN  SEARL. 


lohn  Searl,  now  retired  from  active  business 
life  and  residing  just  outside  the  city  limits  of 
Rockford.  where  he  owns  a  tract  of  land  of  fifteen 
acres,  upon  which  he  has  built  a  fine  home,  also 
has  other  realty  possessions  in  Winnebago 
county,  being  the  possessor  of  a  fine  farm  of  two 
hundred  and  thirty  acres  on  section  0,  Rockford 
township,  which  land  he  has  rented  for  several 
years.  He  came  to  Winnebago  county  in  1850 
from  his  native  country  of  England.  His  birth 
occurred  in  Cornwall,  in  1833,  his  parents  being 
Walter  and  .Xnn  (Pliilp)  Searlc.  both  of  whom 
diefl  in  England,  but  three  of  their  children  came 


to  the  new  world.  The  brother  of  our  subject, 
Walter  Searl,  located  in  Winnebago  county  about 
1850,  and  for  a  time  followed  his  trade  of  car- 
pentering but  afterward  gave  his  attention  to 
farming.  He  died  about  ten  or  twelve  years  ago, 
leaving  three  sons  and  a  daughter,  all  of  whom 
were  born  in  this  county — John  F.,  William, 
Frank  and  .\nnie. — all  yet  residents  of  Rockford. 
The  sister,  Sarah,  became  the  wife  of  William  F. 
Matthews  and  is  now  residing  in  Rockford. 

John  Searl  spent  his  early  youth  in  England, 
where  he  acquired  his  education  in  private 
schools  and  when  a  young  man  he  crossed  the 
.\tlantic  to  the  new  world.  ho])ing  to  find  better 
business  advantages  in  .\merica,  where  advance- 
ment is  more  quickly  acquired  and  returns  fol- 
low more  readily  upon  the  exercise  of  industry 
and  cnter])rise.  He  is  a  carpenter  by  trade  and 
followed  that  inirsuit  both  in  Canada  and  in  Win- 
nebago county.  Removing  from  the  Dominion 
to  the  United  States  he  took  up  his  abode  in  this 
counts'  where  about  twenty  years  ago  he  pur- 
chased his  present  farm  and  for  a  long  period 
he  continued  actively  in  its  o|)eration  and  im- 
provement. He  has  made  his  home  at  his  present 
residence,  however,  for  a  long  period  and  at  this 
writing  is  leaving  the  farm  work  entirely  to 
others,  receiving  a  good  rental  from  his  land 
which  is  rich  and  valualile  and  in  his  present 
home  he  has  fifteen  acres  of  land  well  laid  out 
and  adjoining  the  city  limits  of  Rockford  so  that 
while  enjoying  the  advantages  of  a  rural  home  he 
also  can  secure  those  of  city  life  with  little 
effort. 

Mr.  Searl  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
^laria  Wilcox,  a  native  of  Cornwa-11.  England, 
their  wedding  I>eing  celebrated  at  Beloit,  W'iscon- 
sin,  in  1853,  but  he  made  his  home  in  Rockford, 
however.  Mrs.  Searl  departed  this  life  about 
nine  vears  ago.  when  more  than  sixty  years  of 
age.  In  politics  Mr.  Searl  has  always  been  a 
repul)lican,  giving  his  support  to  the  party  since 
Ix'coming  a  naturalized  citizen  of  the  L^nited 
States.  The  hojic  that  led  him  to  seek  a  home 
in  America  has  been  more  than  realized  and  he 
has  never  had  reason  to  regret  his  determination 
to  cross  the  .Atlantic  for  here  he  found  the  busi- 
ness opportunities  he  sought  and  which  are  al- 
wavs  open  to  voung  men  of  ambition  and  deter- 
mination. Thus  making  the  most  of  his  ad- 
vantages he  steadily  worked  his  way  upward  to 
a  position  of  afiluence. 


ST,  MARY'S  PARISH.  PECATONICA. 

St.  ^fary's  Parish,  at  Pccatonica.  had  its  first 
house  of  worship  erected  in  1841.  From  that  date 
mitil  1 87 1  the  ]>arish  was  served  by  pastors  from 
Galena.  Freejiort  and  Rockford  and  the  first  per- 


MR.  AND  MRS.  JOHN  SEARL. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


345 


manent  pastor  was  appointed  in  1871.  The 
churches  in  the  parish  inckule  St.  Alary's.  at 
Pecatonica,  built  in  1882  by  Rev.  John  Ryan ;  St. 
Thomas,  at  Seward,  built  in  1870  by  Hon.  L. 
McDonald;  St.  Mary's,  in  Durand,  built  in  1869 
by  Rev.  M.  Hauley ;  and  St.  Patrick's,  at  Rock 
Run,  in  1895,  by  Rev.  M.  J.  Sullivan. 

St.  Mary's  parish  is  the  most  expensive  in  the 
archdiocese,  of  Chicag'o,  being  thirtv-eight  miles 
long  and  about  twenty  miles  wide  and  including 
parts  of  Ogle,  Winnebago  and  Stephenson  coun- 
ties, Illinois.  The  list  of  its  permanent  pastors  is 
as  follows:  Rev.  Father  Birch,  1871-75;  Rev. 
Charles  O'Callahan,  D.  D.,  1875-78;  Rev.  M. 
Welby,  1878-79;  Rev.  John  E.  Shanahan,  1879- 
83  ;  Rev.  John  H,  Ryan,  1883-86 ;  Rev.  Richard 
McGuire,  1886-90;  Rev.  Thomas  Kearney,  1890- 
94 ;  Rev.  Michael  J.  Sullivan,  1894-99 ;  and  Rev. 
Michael  Cotter,  1899. 

Rev.  Charles  O'Callahan,  D.  D..  the  second 
permanent  pastor,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Cork, 
Ireland,  and  was  graduated  from  the  famous  Uni- 
versity of  Propoganda,  at  Rome,  Italy.  He  was 
a  distinguished  theologian  and  classical  scholar, 
a  cultured  gentleman  and  a  most  zealous  priest. 

Rev.  John  H.  Ryan,  another  pastor,  was  born 
in  County  Tipperary.  Ireland,  and  his  first  ap- 
pointment after  his  ordination  was  to  Pecatonica, 
where  he  built  St.  Mary's  church.  He  was  well 
liked  by  all  classes  in  the  community  and  did  a 
good  work  here.  While  attending  the  sick  in  the 
parish  he  caught  a  severe  cold  and  died  from  its 
effects,  his  remains  being  interred  in  the  Catholic 
cemetery  at  Seward. 

Rev.  Michael  J.  Sullivan,  the  date  of  whose 
appointment  to  St.  Clary's  parish,  in  Pecatonica, 
was  1894,  was  the  builder  of  St.  Mary's  rectory 
and  also  of  St.  Patrick's  church,  at  Rock  Run,  in 
1895.  The  present  house  of  worship  there  is 
the  third  that  was  erected.  The  first,  which  was 
built  in  1849,  is  now  used  as  a  barn  on  the  Matt 
Redd  farm,  while  the  second,  built  in  1862,  is 
now  a  barn  on  Anthony  Mullarkey's  farm.  The 
present  church  is  the  most  beautiful  in  the  sur- 
rounding district.  In  1899  Rev.  Father  Sullivan 
was  promoted  to  an  important  parish  in  Chicago. 

Rev.  Michael  Cotter,  the  present  pastor,  was 
appointed  in  June,  1899,  '^''"^  '''^^  greatly  improved 
the  parish  grounds  by  cement  sidewalks  and  shade 
trees,  shrubs  and  flowers  until  the  lawn  is  the 
most  beautiful  in  Pecatonica. 


MRS.  GEORGIANA  B.  GLOVER. 

Mrs.  Georgiana  B.  Glover,  the  widow  of  John 
W.  Glover,  resides  in  Owen  township,  where  she 
has  a  good  farm.  She  was  born  May  31,  1840, 
in  Lewiston,  Delaware,  her  parents  being  Isaac 


and  Elizabeth  (  Waples)  Mariner,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Lewiston,  Delaware.  They  came 
from  the  east  to  \^'innebago  county  in  1850,  and 
for  a  number  of  years  the  father  followed  the 
occupation  of  farming,  but  eventually  purchased 
a  home  in  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  where  he  died  on 
the  31st  of  May,  1898,  at  the  age  of  eighty-one 
years.  In  his  family  were  but  two  children.  Mrs. 
Glover ;  and  Joseph,  who  was  born  in  1842. 

Georgiana  B.  ^lariner  spent  her  girlhood  davs 
in  her  parents'  home,  and  on  the  loth  of  Octo- 
ber, 1865,  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  John  W. 
Glover.  He  was  a  son  of  Thomas  Glover,  who 
was  born  in  Manchester,  England,  and  was  mar- 
ried there  to  Miss  Anna  Collier.  His  death 
occurred  w  hen  he  had  reached  the  age  of  seventy- 
eight  years,  and  his  wife  died  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enty-five years.  They  were  the  parents  of  three 
children,  of  whom  John  W.  was  the  eldest.  The 
sisters  were  Jane  Ann,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
fifty  years ;  and  Isabella,  the  wife  of  Luther  W. 
Kendall,  of  Beloit,  Wisconsin. 

John  W.  Glover  arrived  in  Winnebago  county 
when  seventeen  }-ears  of  age  and  worked  with  his 
father  at  Roscoe  spinning  cotton,  for  they  had  a 
cotton  mill  there.  Later  he  went  to  Rockton, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  the  painting  business 
and  eventually  he  began  farming,  following  that 
pursuit  from  1856  up  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  July  31,  1893,  when  he  was  in  his 
sixty-third  year.  He  had  eighty  acres  of  land 
when  he  turned  his  attention  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits and  subsequently  he  added  a  forty-acre  tract 
to  his  farm.  He  was  an  industrious  man  and 
made  for  his  family  a  good  home  with  the  as- 
sistance of  his  estimable  wife,  who  was  indeed 
a  worthy  helpmate  to  him.  They  lived  in  an  old 
stone  house  in  which  the  death  of  Mr.  Glover  oc- 
curred, and  because  of  his  industry,  perseverance 
and  capable  business  management  in  former  years 
he  was  enabled  to  leave  his  family  in  comfortable 
financial  circumstances. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Glover  were  the  parents  of  eleven 
children :  Mary  Ann,  who  was  born  September 
17,  1866,  and  died  September  4,  1894;  Jane  Ann, 
born  March  17,  1868;  Thomas,  born  July  25, 
1869 :  Annie  Belle,  born  April  6,  1871  ;  Isabelle, 
born  November  6,  1872;  Nellie  J.,  born  June  11, 
1874;  Katie  E.,  born  July  25,  "1876:  John  W., 
born  March  28,  1878;  Fanny,  born  October  11. 
1880;  Frank  M.,  born  August  24.  1884:  and 
Janette,  born  February  5.  1887. 

]\Ir.  Glover  was  called  to  some  public  offices, 
serving  his  township  as  justice  of  the  peace  dur- 
ing the  last  seven  vears  of  his  life,  while  for  four 
vears  he  was  a  school  commissioner.  The  cause 
of  education  found  in  him  a  warm  friend  and 
as  justice  of  the  peace  he  rendered  excellent  serv- 
ice, being  always  fair  and  impartial  in  his  de- 
cisions.    He  was  a   member  of  Rockton  lodge, 


346 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


No.  74,  .\.  1".  &  .\.  M.,  for  forty  years  and  at 
the  tinu'  of  his  death  was  its  oldest  representative. 
He  was  laid  to  rest  with  Masonic  honors,  for  he 
had  been  a  devoted  and  faithful  member  of  the 
craft,  and  in  his  life  had  exemplified  its  benefi- 
cent spirit.  He  had  settled  a  number  of  estates 
and  was  a  man  in  whom  implicit  confidence  was 
reposed.  He  had  many  friends  in  Rockfonl  and 
throutrhout  tlie  entire  county  and  was  honored 
by  all  who  knew  him.  Mrs.  Glover  now  belongs 
to  the  Eastern  Star  lodge  of  Rockford.  and  her 
daughters  Mrs.  Belle  Styler,  Fanny  and  Nettie 
H..  are  also  members.  She  is  a  lady  whose  circle 
of  friends  is  almost  co-extensive  with  the  circle 
of  her  acquaintance. 


(-.EORGE  J.  WUXDER. 

George  J.  W'lmder.  one  of  the  best  known 
German-. \merican  citizens  of  Rockford,  who 
for  many  years  figured  in  business  circles  here 
and  Iiccame  a  wealthy  man  so  that  in  his  last 
vears  he  was  enabled  to  live  retired,  was  born 
in  Bavaria,  Germany,  July  4,  1827.  His  par- 
ents, Michael  and  Louisa  (Karner)  W'under, 
spent  their  entire  lives  in  Germany,  making  their 
home  upon  a  farm,  where  the  father  died  at  the 
age  of  sixty-three  years.  His  wife  long  sur- 
vived him  and  retained  her  mental  and  physical 
faculties  almost  unimpaired  up  to  the  time  of 
her  death,  which  occurred  in  1886,  when  she 
was  eighty-four  years  of  age.  They  were  both 
members  of  the  Methodist  church.  In  their 
family  were  but  two  sons,  the  younger  being 
Martin  Wunder,  now  deceased,  who  owned  and 
occupied  the  old  homestead  in  Bavaria.  Ger- 
many. 

George  J.  Wunder.  who  was  six  years  his 
brother's  senior,  was  reared  to  farm  life  in  the 
fatherland,  hut  the  liope  of  bettering  his  financial 
condition  led  him  to  cross  the  Atlantic  to  .Amer- 
ica, and  when  about  twenty-seven  years  of 
age  he  sailed  for  New  York,  wlierc  he 
arrived  on  the  28th  of  August,  1834.  He 
was  accompanied  by  a  cousin  and  the 
voyage  was  maile  on  a  sailing  vessel  which  was 
forty-two  days  upon  the  trip.  Mr.  Wunder  was 
in  very  limited  financial  circumstances  when  he 
arrived  in  the  United  States.  He  at  once  made 
his  way  across  the  country  to  Chicago,  having 
at  that  time  a  cash  capital  of  only  five  dollars. 
That  was  the  year  of  the  great  cholera  epidemic 
in  that  city.  Sir.  Wunder  secured  a  position  in 
a  Inmberyarrl  owned  by  Seeley  Perry,  one  of 
the  old  lumber  merchants  of  that  city,  with  whom 
he  remained  for  two  years,  after  which  Mr. 
Perry  drove  with  a  team  across  the  country  to 
Rockford,   in    1856,  accompanied  by   Mr.   Wun- 


der. The  latter  then  engaged  in  the  lumber 
Iiusiness  in  Rockford  for  seventeen  years,  being 
one  of  the  early  re])resenlatives  of  that  line  of 
activity  in  the  city.  Later  he  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  farming  in  Rockford  township  and  con- 
tinued the  tilling  of  the  soil  for  a  short  ])eriod. 
but  found  that  he  was  not  as  successful  as  an 
agriculturist  as  he  was  in  commercial  lines.  He 
therefore  returned  to  Rockford,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  the  dairy  business  for  a  short  time. 
He  then  re-entered  the  employ  of  the  old  lumber 
firm  with  which  he  had  formerly  been  connected 
antl  to  that  work  devoted  his  energies  until  i860, 
when  he  went  to  California  by  way  of  New 
York  and  the  Isthmus  of  Panama.  He  was  quite 
successful  during  the  few  years  which  he  spent 
on  the  Pacific  coast,  but  failing  health  caused 
him  to  return  and  in  1864  he  again  took  up  his 
abode  in  Rockford.  lie  then  rented  land  for 
some  years  and  with  the  money  saved  during 
the  period  in  which  he  cultivated  his  farm  he 
began  dealing  in  sand.  A  few  years  later  he 
embarked  in  the  dairy  business,  which  claimed 
his  attention  for  four  years  and  then  for  two 
years  thereafter  he  lived  retired.  Later  he  en- 
gaged in  buying  and  shipping  horses  and  in 
1876  he  became  a  wholesale  dealer  in  beer  and 
also  did  a  retail  bottling  business.  He  was  agent 
for  and  sold  the  first  Milwaukee  beer  in  Rock- 
ford and  was  one  of  the  pioneers  in  the  bottling 
business  here,  his  ice  house  and  wholesale  house 
being  located  at  No.  131 2  Charles  street.  He 
conducted  the  business  with  constantly  growing 
success  for  fifteen  years  and  then,  having  ac- 
cumulated a  very  gratifying  fortune,  he  re- 
tired to  private  life,  enjoying  a  well  earned  rest 
throughout   his   remaining   days. 

Mr.  Wunder  was  married  in  1856.  in  Chicago, 
to  Miss  Louisa  Kadcrli.  a  native  of  Berne, 
Switzerland,  who  came  to  America  in  1854.  Her 
parents  both  died  in  the  land  of  the  .Vlps.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wunder  had  but  one  child,  Carrie, 
who  is  now^  the  wife  of  .\lfred  E.  Giggey,  a 
dealer  in  fine  wines  and  liquors  at  No.  316  East 
State  street,  who  for  the  |)ast  twenty  years  has 
resided  in  Rockford.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Giggey  now 
make  their  home  with  Mrs.  Wunder  and  they 
have  one  child,  .\lfred.  who  was  born  lanuarv 
8.  1898. 

.\fter  taking  up  his  abode  in  Rockford  Mr. 
Wunder  made  a  visit  to  Germany,  in  1884.  look- 
ing again  u])on  the  scenes  amid  which  his  boy- 
hood, youth  and  early  manhood  were  passed  and 
renewing  acquaintances  and  friendships  of 
former  years.  He  was  well  content,  however, 
to  return  to  .America,  having  formed  a  deep  at- 
tachment for  the  laud  of  his  adoption,  to  whose 
welfare  and  interests  he  was  ever  Knal.  In  the 
community  in  which  he  lived  his  support  could 
ahvays  be  counteil   upon   to   further  progressive 


^ 

1 

^^ 

^ 

F -" 

.- 

^ 

■ 

t 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


349 


measures.  He  bore  a  striking  resemblance  to 
the  typical  figure  used  to  represent  our  country 
and  his  friends  therefore  familiarly  and  af- 
fectionately called  him  Uncle  Sam. 

His  early  political  allegiance  was  given  to  the 
democracy  but  he  afterward  became  a  stanch 
republican.  He  was  a  charter  member  of  the 
Germania  Society  in  Rockford,  and  he  had  a 
very  wide  circle  of  friends  here.  As  he  pros- 
pered in  his  business  career  he  made  judicious 
investment  in  real  estate  and  was  the  owner  of 
valuable  property  all  over  Rockford.  Though 
he  advanced  in  years  he  was  always  young  in 
spirit,  delighting  in  the  companionship  of  the 
young.  He  had  excellent  eyesight,  never  using 
glasses.  He  was  of  a  genial,  jovial  manner,  of 
kindly  spirit  and  deference  for  the  opinion  of 
others,  of  broad  sympathy  and  those  with  whom 
he  once  came  in  contact  entertained  for  him 
warm  regard  and  strong  friendship  because  of 
his  sterling  personal  traits  of  character.  He  died 
February  I,  IQ04,  when  in  his  seventy-seventh 
year,  and  thus  passed  away  one  of  the  old  Ger- 
man-American citizens  of  Rockford.  Mrs. 
Wunder  now  owns  a  nice  home  at  No.  618  East 
State  street,  where  she  resides  together  with  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Giggey  and  their  son.  Both  ladies 
are  prominent  in  social  circles  here.  Mrs.  Wun- 
der now  spends  much  of  her  time  in  traveling" 
and  has  visited  many  points  of  interest  in  this 
country. 


BENJA^IIN  C.  SHER:\IAN. 

Farming  interests  of  Harrison  township  find 
a  worthy  representative  in  Benjamin  C.  Sherman, 
whose  valuable  tract  of  land  of  one  hundred  and 
thirty-one  acres  on  section  21  indicates  careful 
supervision  and  practical  farm  methods  .  Back 
to  pioneer  days  his  residence  extends  for  he  ar- 
rived in  this  county  in  1847.  He  was  born  in 
March,  1836,  in  Grafton  county.  New  Hampshire, 
his  parents  being  Benjamin  and  Sallie  (Cowen) 
Sherman,  who  arrived  in  this  county  in  the  fall 
of  1847,  taking  up  their  abode  on  the  farm  now- 
owned  by  their  son  Benjamin.  The  father  was 
born  in  Lisbon,  X^ew  Hampshire,  in  1806,  and 
was  a  son  of  Benjamin  Sherman,  who  was  also 
born  in  the  east,  either  in  Connecticut  or  New 
Hampshire.  The  father  of  the  last  named  was  a 
native  of  Connecticut  and  with  his  fatnily  removed 
to  the  old  Granite  state.  Mr.  Sherman,  of  this  re- 
view, is  undoubtedly  a  relative  of  General 
William  T.  Sherman,  of  Ohio.  His  mother,  ^Irs. 
Sallie  Cowen  Sherman,  was  born  in  Lisbon.  New 
Hampshire,  in  1805,  and  was  a  daughter  of 
Zachariah  Cowen,  who  died  in  that  state  in  the 
late  '40s.  Throughout  his  entire  life,  Benjamin 
Sherman,  father  of  our  subject,  carried  on  gen- 
20 


eral  agricultural  pursuits  and  became  a  pioneer 
farmer  of  \Mnnebago  county,  aiding  in  develop- 
ing the  natural  resources  of  this  part  of  the  state, 
and  finding  upon  the  broad  prairies  of  Illinois 
ample  opportunity  for  the  successful  conduct  of 
agricultural  interests.  His  wife  died  in  1853  and, 
surviving  her  for  thirty  years,  he  passed  away  in 
1883.  In  their  family  were  six  children,  the 
daughters  being  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Jameson,  who 
died  in  Florida :  Eliza,  who  died  in  childhood  in 
New  Hampshire;  Mrs.  Laura  Brown,  who  died 
at  Eau  Claire,  Wisconsin,  and  was  buried  there ; 
Mrs.  Arvesta  Pease,  now  living  in  Beloit,  Wis- 
consin :  and  Mrs.  Hannah  Hathaway,  whose 
home  is  in  Eau  Claire. 

Benjamin  C.  Sherman,  the  only  son  of  the 
family,  spent  the  first  eleven  years  of  his  life  in 
the  state  of  his  nativity  and  then  accompanied 
his  parents  on  their  removal  to  Illinois,  remain- 
ing in  Winnebago  county  between  the  ages  of 
eleven  and  twenty-two  years.  He  then  went  to 
California,  in  1858,  and  to  some  extent  engaged 
in  mining  during  the  seven  years  of  his  residence 
on  the  Pacific  coast.  He  returned  in  1866  to 
^^'innebago  county  and  purchased  the  home  farm 
in  Harrison  township,  whereon  he  has  since  lived. 
He  has  the  unique  record  of  having  walked  the 
entire  distance  to  Los  Angeles.  California,  and 
his  experiences  in  the  far  west  would  prove  a 
most  interesting  chapter  in  his  life  history  if 
given  in  detail.  Since  his  return  he  has  worked 
at  farm  labor  on  the  old  homestead,  his  fields 
resulting  in  the  development  of  a  splendid  prop- 
erty, and  he  now  owns  one  hundred  and  thirtv- 
one  acres  on  section  21,  Harrison  township,  which 
yields  him  a  good  living  as  the  reward  of  his 
earnest  and  persistent  labor. 

Mr.  Sherman  married  Miss  Nancy  A.  Logan, 
whose  people  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  of 
A^'innebago  county.  Her  mother  belonged  to  the 
Blake  family,  also  pioneer  residents  here,  their 
home  being  established  at  Rockton,  and  Mrs. 
Sherman  was  born  at  Rockton  about  sixty  years 
ago.  Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have  been 
bom  five  children :  William,  who  resides  on  th€ 
farm  owned  by  his  father  on  section  g,  Harrison 
township;  Harry  C.,  who  is  a  farmer,  residing  in 
Franklin,  ^linnesota,  and  married  a  Miss  Sher- 
man :  Mrs.  Man-  Bratt.  who  resides  at  her 
father's  home  and  has  one  child.  John,  now  seven 
years  of  age ;  Mrs.  Alice  Geildseth,  of  Durand, 
who  has  a  daughter,  Eveline  :  and  Ezra,  who  is 
working  another  of  his  father's  farm  in  Shirland 
township ;  he  married  Miss  Etta  Bennett  and  they 
have  three  children,  Allen,  Alice  and  Edward. 

'Sir.  Sherman  is  now  the  owner  of  four  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  land,  of  which  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  lies  in  Shirland  and 
the  remainder  in  Harrison  township.  He 
has    been    verv    successful    since   locating  here 


350 


PAST     AXD     TRKSEXT     OF     WIXXEBAGO     COUXTV. 


in  iSW),  placiiijj  liis  dcpciKlence  upon  tlie 
subslantial  t|ualilies  of  iinfaltcrinj^  iiuliistry, 
guided  by  i)ractical  coninion  sense.  He  has 
been  watchful  of  opportunities  pointing  to 
success  and  by  tiie  careful  husbanding  of  his 
resources,  by  judicious  investment  and  the  profit- 
able sale  of  his  farm  ])roducts  he  has  won  a  very 
gratifying  measure  of  prosperity.  In  politics  he 
is  independent  without  desire  for  office,  and  while 
in  California  he  served  as  sheriff.  Socially  he 
is  connected  with  the  Grange  and  the  Farmers' 
Mutual  IJenevolent  Association,  and  his  wife  is 
a  member  of  the  Seventh  Day  Adventist  Society. 
^Irs.  Sherman  was  born  in  Kockton  township, 
and  it  will  be  interesting  in  this  connection  to 
note  something  of  the  history  of  her  people  who 
are  prominent  pioneer  settlers  here.  Her  parents 
are  John  and  Rachel  (  Blake)  Logan.  Her  father 
came  from  Michigan  in  the  "30s,  and  his  brothers, 
Robert  and  James  Logan,  had  settled  in  this 
county  prior  to  that  time.  John  Logan  followed 
farming  and  made  his  home  at  Kockton  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  December 
10,  i872,when  he  was  fifty-one  years  of  age. 
His  wife  was  born  in  North  Carolina  and  came  to 
\\'innebago  county  with  her  parents,  David  and 
Nancy  (Bowman)  Blake,  who  located  in  Rockton 
township  near  the  village  of  that  name  in  1833. 
They  afterward  removed  to  Iowa  alxiut  1850, 
locating  in  Decorah,  where  Mr.  Blake  died,  and 
subsequently  his  widow  returned  to  Rockton, 
where  her  deatli  occurred  about  1865.  They  were 
the  parents  of  eight  children:  Amos,  who  died 
at  Rockton  :  .Mlison.  who  died  on  the  plains  while 
en  route  to  California  and  was  buried  near  the 
Humboldt  river ;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Robert 
Logan,  of  California;  Eleanor,  w'ho  married  Al- 
bert Hewlett ;  Rachel,  who  married  John  Logan  ; 
Emeline,  who  became  the  wife  of  Samuel  Drake 
and  died  at  Rockton,  Illinois ;  Adeline,  who  mar- 
ried Guy  Hewlett  and  died  in  Chicago;  and 
David,  who  died  in  North  Dakota,  in  1904,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-one  years. 


HARLOW   E.   BLAKE. 

Harlow  K.  Blake,  a  native  son  of  Winnebago 
county,  wlio,  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  well  earned 
ease,  is  living  retired  in  Pecatonica,  was  born 
in  what  was  then  Howard  township,  but  is  now 
Durand  township.  May  2.  1847.  11  is  parents 
were  John  and  Miranda  (Barker)  Blake,  who 
were  married  in  the  fall  of  1841.  The  father  was 
born  in  Franklin  county,  X'ermont,  March  31, 
1812,  and  was  of  English  descent.  He  became 
a  pioneer  resident  of  \\'innebago  county,  where 
for  many  years  he  energetically  and  successfully 
carried  on  agricultural  ])nrsuits.  He  cast  liis 
first  presidential  vote  for  William  Henry  Harri- 


son, and  on  the  dissohnion  of  the  whig  party, 
became  a  stanch  republican.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  E|)iscn])al  church,  and  his  gen- 
uine worth  was  recognized  by  his  fellow  towns- 
men, who  called  him  to  a  number  of  local  offices 
of  honor  and  trust.  In  his  family  were  six  chil- 
dren: Milan  A.,  who  is  married  and  has  five 
cliililren  :  Harlow  E. :  .\ndrew  S..  who  is  married 
and  has  four  children:  Henry  J.:  Mary  A.,  the 
wife  of  A.  A.  Mcinre.  and  tlie  mother  of  three 
children  ;  Sarah  .\..  the  wife  of  I'rank  Anshutz, 
a  resident  of  Iowa. 

Harlow  E.  Blake  ac(|nired  his  education  in  the 
])ublic  schools  and  attended  the  normal  school  in 
Durand.  lie  also  worked  on  his  father's  farm 
in  his  youth  and  devoted  his  time  between  the 
labors  of  the  fields  and  the  duties  of  the  school- 
room until  twenty-two  years  of  age.  .About  that 
time  he  was  married  to  Miss  Lydia  Corwin.  a 
daughter  of  Captain  P..  I-",  and  Betsy  Corwin, 
the  former  born  ( )ctober  28.  1810.  and  the  latter 
on  the  13th  of  July,  1813.  They  were  married 
December  31,  1839,  and  came  to  Rockford,  where 
Captain  Corwin  established  a  brickyard,  the  first 
enterprise  of  the  character  started  in  the  county 
seat.  Later  he  removed  to  the  vicinity  of  Peca- 
tonica, his  home  bein.g  about  three  and  a  half 
miles  north  of  the  village.  There  he  entered 
government  land,  securing  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres,  on  which  he  built  the  first  brick  house 
in  the  townshi]3.  burning  the  brick  and  making 
the  lime  for  the  building.  He  was  one  of  the 
pioneer  settlers  of  the  community,  broke  the  raw 
])rairie,  cut  the  timber  and  hewed  out  the  lum- 
i)er  used  in  the  construction  of  the  barn.  He  also 
si)lit  the  shingles  for  the  roofs  of  his  buildiiigs 
and  burned  the  brick  for  the  first  brick  building 
erected  in  Pecatonica.  in  addition  to  general 
agricultural  ])ursuits  he  conducted  a  cooper  shop 
on  his  farm  and  made  barrels  for  the  shipment 
of  ])ork  and  beef.  1  le  also  made  hnndreds  of 
Hour  barrels,  which  he  sold  in  Rockford,  Galena 
and  Freeport.  He  continued  in  the  coopering 
business  for  forty  years  or  more,  and  at  times 
did  shoemaking  for  his  own  family.  His  busi- 
ness interests  were  thus  varied  and  extensive. 
He  possessed  marked  mechanical  ingenuity,  as 
well  as  mifailing  enterprise  and  strong  jiurpose, 
and  his  labors  were  attended  with  a  gratifying 
measure  of  success.  His  death  occurred  in  Dur- 
and township,  and  the  community  thereby  lost 
one  of  its  representative  citizens.  In  the  family 
were  seven  children :  E.  W..  born  September 
4,  1842;  Mar(|uis  L. ;  .Ksenath.  born  Xoveniber 
J2.  184";  .\massa,  born  April  27,  i84<):  Mrs. 
Blake,  born  March  21,  1852;  Lucy  J.,  December 
31,  1855;  and  Franklin  S.,  March  19,  1859. 

Following  his  marriage.  Mr.  Blake  began 
farming  on  the  old  homestead,  which  he  operated 
for  five  years,  ami  then  returned  to  Poweshiek 
county,   Iowa,    wiiere   he   purchased   a    farm,   on 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


351 


■which  had  been  built  a  log  house.  He  lived  in 
that  cabin  for  a  winter  and  then  erected  a  more 
substantial  and  commodious  residence.  His  at- 
tention was  given  to  the  cultivation  and  improve- 
ment of  his  land,  and  he  transformed  it  into  a 
valuable  property.  He  took  with  him  to  Iowa 
ten  cows  and  some  other  stock  and  carried  on  his 
farm  work  and  stock-raising  along  progressive 
lines.  After  living  in  that  state  for  four  or  five 
years  he  returned  to  this  county,  settling  in  Dur- 
and  township,  where,  in  connection  with  his 
brother,  he  rented  four  hundred  acres,  belonging 
to  Mr.  Pettingill.  For  about  three  or  four  years 
they  conducted  business  there,  carrying  on  an 
extensive  dairy.  They  had  sixty-five  milch  cows, 
but  at  length  decided  to  sell  out,  and  held  a  sale, 
receiving  thirty-six  hundred  dollars  for  their 
stock,  reserving,  however,  ten  head  of  the  best 
cows,  also  four  head  of  horses  and  some  of  the 
farm  machinery.  The  brothers  then  began  feed- 
ing cattle,  and  they  had  at  one  time  two  hundred 
and  fifty  head.  They  shipped  their  stock  to  the 
Cliicago  market  and  continued  the  business  for 
about  three  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  Har- 
low E.  Blake  sold  his  interest  to  his  brother  and 
removed  to  North  Dakota,  purchasing  a  hotel 
at  Grafton,  in  connection  with  Daniel  Norton. 
He  continued  as  the  landlord  there  for  two  years 
and  then  traded  his  interest  in  the  business,  in 
1881,  for  one  hundred  and  forty-six  acres  of 
land  in  Dakota.  Taking  up  his  abode  there,  he 
carried  on  farming  for  eight  or  ten  years,  mak- 
ing a  specialty  of  the  raising  of  wheat  and  bar- 
ley. He  then  rented  the  farm,  retaining  the 
ownership,  however,  until  1904,  when  he  sold 
the  property.  About  1890  or  1891  he  returned 
to  the  old  homestead  in  Winnebago  county, 
whereon  he  resided  until  February,  1902,  when 
he  retired  from  farm  life  and  took  up  his  abode 
in  Pecatonica,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Blake  have  become  the  parents 
of  six  children :  Maud  E.,  the  wife  of  Fred  Sal- 
isbury, a  resident  of  Freeport,  Illinois,  by  whom 
she  has  two  children :  .\ndrew  J.,  who  married 
Mate  Arnold  and  died  in  1903,  leaving  three 
children ;  Roy  R.,  at  home ;  Pearl,  the  wife  of 
Blake  Hamilton,  of  Pecatonica ;  Ralph  W^,  who 
is  living  in  California ;  and  Walter  H.,  at  home 

Mr.  Blake  served  as  trustee  of  the  village  of 
Pecatonica  in  1904,  faithfully  discharging  his 
duties,  and  while  living  in  Iowa  and  also  in  Pe- 
catonica he  served  as  school  director,  being  a 
member  of  the  board  for  about  twelve  years.  His 
political  allegiance  has  always  been  given  to  the 
republican  party.  He  is  prominent  in  the  Odd 
Fellows  society,  of  which  he  has  been  a  mem- 
ber since  1879,  and  he  has  passed  through  all  of 
the  chairs  in  Pecatonica  lodge.  No.  173.  He 
joined  the  order,  however,  in  Shawbena  lodge. 
No.  146,  at  Durand.     His  life  has  been  an  active 


and  busy  one,  and  now  he  is  enjoying  a  well 
earned  rest.  He  has  visited  many  parts  of  the 
country  and  is  especially  thoroughly  familiar 
with  the  middle  west,  its  possibilities  and  its 
business  conditions.  His  personal  traits  of  char- 
acter are  such  as  have  gained  him  warm  friend- 
ship, and  he  deserves  mention  among  the  lead- 
ing native  sons  of  the  county. 


ALVA  B.   DAVIS. 


Alva  B.  Davis,  a  worthy  representative  of  agri- 
cultural interests  in  Harlem  township,  living  on 
section  20,  now  owns  and  operates  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land.  He  was  born  June  13, 
1857,  in  Burritt  township,  his  parents  being 
George  B.  and  Samantha  (Place)  Davis.  The 
Davis  family  is  of  Welsh  lineage  and  the  father 
of  our  subject  was  born  in  New  Brunswick,  Can- 
ada, while  the  mother  is  a  native  of  the  state  of 
New  York,  born  in  1838.  Mr.  Davis,  coming  to 
Winnebago  county  as  one  of  its  early  settlers,  re- 
sided for  some  time  in  Burritt  township,  and 
about  1858  removed  to  Owen  township,  where  he 
resided  for  ten  years.  He  then  returned  to  Bur- 
ritt township  and  for  a  long  period  was  identified 
with  agricultural  interests  in  this  part  of  the 
state.  His  death  occurred  in  1904,  when  he  was 
seventy-four  years  of  age.  His  widow  still  sur- 
vives him  and  resides  in  Burritt  township.  Their 
sons  are :  Alva  B. ;  Adelbert  B.,  of  Burritt  town- 
ship, who  is  married  and  has  two  sons  and  a 
daughter  ;  Frank  E.,  of  Burritt  township,  who  has 
three  sons  and  four  daughters  :  George  also  a  resi- 
dent farmer  of  Burritt  township  :  and  Guy,  who 
died  in  1905.  The  daughters  of  this  familv  are: 
Mrs.  Adelle  Andrews,  who  resides  in  Burritt  and 
has  one  daughter;  May,  who  is  living  upon  the 
old  homestead  in  Burritt  township ;  and  Mrs. 
Ellen  Davis.  The  maternal  grandmother  is  yet 
living,  her  home  being  in  New  Milford  township, 
and  has  attained  the  extreme  old  age  of  one  hun- 
dred and  three  years. 

Alva  B.  Davis  was  only  about  a  year  old  when 
his  parents  went  to  Owen  township  and  after  ten 
years  he  returned  with  them  to  Burritt  township, 
where  he  lived  tintil  he  attained  his  majority. 
He  then  started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account, 
working  as  a  farm  hand  until  his  marriage,  which 
was  celebrated  on  the  i6th  of  July.  1879.  Miss 
^Iar\-  A.  ^^''eatherhead.  of  Harrison  township,  be- 
coming his  wife.  Her  parents  were  James  R.  and 
Nancy  (Fisher)  Weatherhead,  and  the  latter  died 
during  the  infancy  of  her  daughter.  Mr.  and 
I\Irs.  Davis  took  up  their  abode  in  Burritt.  where 
they  lived  for  a  year  and  then  removed  to  Laomi 
towndiip.  where  they  resided  for  two  years.  The 
succeeding  sixteen  years  were  spent  in  Harrison 
township,  and  in  the  spring  of   1901  they  came 


35^ 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


to  Harlem  township,  and  have  since  resided  on 
section  20,  where  Mr.  Davis  owns  a  valuable 
and  well  improved  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres.  He  carries  on  general  as:ricnltural  pur- 
suits and  the  neat  and  thrifty  appearance  of  his 
place  is  indicative  of  his  careful  supervision  and 
practical  methods. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  was  blessed 
with  three  children:  Lee  ^\  .,  born  Octol>er  20, 
1883:  Dale  L..  horn  November  24.  1886;  and 
Fay  B.,  born  January  24,  1890.  Mrs.  Davis  was 
born  October  19.  1854,  in  Harrison  township, 
and  has  been  a  devoted  wife  and  mother.  Mrs. 
Davis  holds  membership  in  Willow  Creek  Pres- 
byterian church  at  .Vrcjyle,  and  he  belongs  to 
Harrison  camp,  M.  \\'.  .-\.  His  political  alle- 
giance is  given  to  the  republican  party  and  for 
one  year  he  served  as  road  commissioner  in  Har- 
lem township,  but  has  never  sought  or  desired 
office,  his  business  cares  claiming  his  time  and 
attention,  while  his  earnest  labor  and  perseverance 
have  been  the  salient  factors  in  his  prosperity. 


TOHX  SECUR. 


John  Scgur  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years  is 
living  a  retired  life  in  Rockford,  where  for  nearly 
a  half  century  he  has  made  his  home,  having 
taken  up  his  abode  here  in  1857.  \  native  son 
of  New  England,  his  birth  occurred  in  Granby, 
Connecticut,  July  6.  1820.  and  his  parents,  Orlean 
and  .\mret  (Dean)  Segur,  were  both  natives  of 
that  state.  His  paternal  grandparents  were  Au- 
gustus and  Elizabeth  (Tuller)  Segur.  The 
former  located  in  Connecticut  in  early  life  and 
was  extensively  engaged  in  farming  there,  own- 
ing over  three  hundred  acres  of  land.  He  al- 
ways devoted  his  attention  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits and  he  passed  away  in  the  Charter  Oak 
state  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years,  while  his 
wife  reached  the  extreme  old  age  of  ninety-six 
years.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Eli  Tuller,  one  of 
the  heroes  of  the  Revolutionary  war. 

Orlean  Segur  made  his  home  near  Canton. 
Connecticut,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  for 
many  years  and  during  the  last  thirty  years  of 
his  life  he  lived  retired  at  Simsbury.  Connecticut, 
where  he  passed  away  in  October.  1872.  His 
widow  survived  him  until  November,  1882,  when 
she  too  died  in  Simsbury.  One  of  her  brothers 
is  still  living,  Orlando  Dean,  who  is  a  retired 
carpenter  and  merchant  and  makes  his  home  in 
Simsbury  at  the  very  venerable  age  of  ninety- 
one  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Segur  were  the  par- 
ents of  six  children,  of  whom  two  .-^ons  and  a 
daughter  yet  survive,  the  second  being  John  of 
this  review.  Dighton,  who  is  now  eighty-one 
vcars  f)f  age,  is  still  engaged  in  carriage  manu- 


facuiring  in  West  Suffield.  Connecticut.  Ellen 
is  the  widow  of  Moses  1).  Humphrey  and  re- 
sides with  her  brother  John  in  Rockford.  Mr, 
Humphrey  was  descended  from  English  an- 
cestry and  became  a  resident  of  Connecticut  in 
early  life.  Throughout  his  business  career  he 
carried  on  farming  near  Sim.sbury.  Connecticut, 
and  there  his  death  occurred  in   1897. 

John  Segur  obtained  his  education  in  the 
coiumon  schools  of  his  native  town  and  on 
leaving  home  he  went  to  New  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  where  he  became  acquainted 
with  Freeman  Graham  and  went  to  work 
for  him  to  learn  the  machinist's  trade, 
following  that  pursuit  until  1855.  In  that 
year  Mr.  Segur  came  west  with  the  Graham 
family  and  settled  at  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  where 
he  and  Mr.  Graham  worked  at  their  trade  for 
two  years  and  in  1857  both  came  to  Rockford. 
Mr.  Segur  then  secured  a  position  in  the  em- 
ploy of  Emerson  &  Talcott,  the  predecessors  of 
the  Emerson  Manufacturing  Company  now  con- 
trolling the  largest  manufacturing  plant  in 
Rockford  wherein  agricultural  implements  are 
made.  Mr.  Segur  continued  to  work  for  that 
hou.se  as  a  machinist  for  several  years  and  was 
then  promoted  to  the  position  of  foreman  of  the 
machine  shops,  in  which  capacity  he  served  for 
twenty  years,  so  that  his  term  of  service  in  the 
employ  of  the  firm  covers  thirty-five  consecutive 
years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  was  accident- 
ally injured  and  lost  the  sight  of  one  eye  and  be- 
cause of  this  he  retired  from  business. 

In  the  meantiiue  through  his  frugality  Mr. 
-Segur  had  added  year  by  year  to  his  capital  and 
had  invested  his  savings  in  valuable  property  in 
Rockford.  which  in  1887  he  exchanged  for  his 
present  home  on  Clifton  avenue,  where  he  now 
owns  twenty-two  acres  of  land.  This  is  situ- 
ated in  the  city  limits  in  the  southern  part  of 
Rockford  and  he  has  made  many  improvements 
thereon,  having  a  beautiful  home,  .'\lthough  he 
has  retired  from  his  trade  indolence  is  utterly 
foreign  to  his  nature  and  he  can  not  content  him- 
self in  idleness,  so  he  gives  his  time  to  light 
farming  and  thus  manages  to  keep  busy.  The 
city,  however,  is  building  up  very  rapidly  around 
him  and  he  expects  soon  to  divide  his  twenty-two 
acres  into  town  lots  and  thus  make  an  addition 
to  Rockford. 

While  living  in  the  east  Mr.  Segur  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Jane  Trowbridge,  a  native  of  Bark- 
haiusted,  Connecticut,  and  a  daughter  of  James 
Trowbridge,  who  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  in 
early  life  and  afterward  became  general  agent 
for  D.  B.  Smith  &  Son,  large  cotton  manufactur- 
ers of  Connecticut,  with  whom  he  continued 
throughout  the  remainder  of  his  business  career. 
Mrs.  Segur  died  in  Rockford,  .'^eptember  7, 
1900.     There  was  a  son  and  daughter  by  that 


JOHN  SEGUR. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


355 


marriage :  James,  who  was  born  in  New  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut,  married  Nellie  O'Connor  and 
is  a  machinist  by  trade  now  residing  in  Du- 
buque. Iowa,  where  he  is  occupying  the  position 
of  superintendent  with  the  A.  Y.  McDonald 
Manufacturing  Company,  manufacturers  of 
pumps,  having  resided  in  that  city  for  twenty 
years.  Sarah  A.,  born  in  New  Hartford  and 
now  living  at  1103  South  Main  street,  Rockford, 
is  the  widow  of  Judge  J.  C.  Carver,  of  Rock- 
ford,  whose  history  and  ]xjrtrait  are  given  on 
another  page  of  this  work. 

Mr.  Segur  has  never  been  an  office  seeker 
nor  sought  reward  for  party  fealty  but  has  long 
given  an  unswerving  support  to  the  republican 
party.  He  has  held  membership  with  the 
Masonic  fraternity  since  January  12.  1851.  and 
after  coming  to  Rockford  was  made  a  charter 
member  of  Ellis  lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  He  also 
belongs  to  the  Royal  Arch  chapter.  His  sister, 
Mrs.  Humphrey,  is  a  member  of  the  Winnebago 
Street  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  she  re- 
sides with  her  brother  at  No.  171 5  Clifton 
avenue.  Mr.  Segur  is  a  self-made  man  of  strong 
purpose  and  firm  determination  and  these  quali- 
ties have  enabled  him  in  an  active  business  career 
to  steadily  work  his  way  upward.  He  came  to 
Rockford  empty-handed  and  all  that  he  now 
possesses  has  been  obtained  through  his  earnest 
labor  and  judicious  use  of  his  means.  He  is 
well  known  among  the  pioneers  of  the  city  and 
county  and  justly  merits  the  esteem  which  is 
uniformly  extended  him.  Rockford  has  long 
been  his  home  and  he  is  therefore  a  witness  of 
much  of  its  growth  and  progress,  his  mind  form- 
ing a  connecting  link  between  the  past  when  it 
was  a  small  and  unimportant  village  and  the 
present  when  it  has  become  one  of  the  leading 
commercial  and  manufacturing  centers  of  the 
Mississippi  valley. 


GEORGE  FRANKLIN. 

George  Franklin  may  truly  be  called  a  self- 
made  man,  as  the  prosperity  which  he  now  en- 
joys is  attributable  entirely  to  his  earnest  labor 
that  year  after  year  has  brought  him  a  good 
living  and  enabled  him  to  add  annually  to  his 
income,  until  he  is  now  the  possessor  of  a  com- 
fortable competence.  He  is  one  of  Winnebago 
county's  native  sons,  whose  birth  had  occurred 
in  Durand  township  March  17,  1851.  His  father. 
Charles  M.  Franklin,  came  to  this  county  about 
1837  or  1838,  and  cast  in  his  lot  with  the  pioneer 
settlers  of  Durand  township.  He  secured  a  tract 
of  timber  land  and  at  once  began  its  develop- 
ment. This  was  a  frontier  settlement,  and  there 
were  many  hardships  and  privations  to  be  en- 
dured. He  had  to  haul  his  grain  to  Mineral 
Point,  Wisconsin,  that  being  the  nearest  market. 


and  he  also  took  his  farm  products  to  Chicago. 
At  Rockford  there  were  only  a  few  houses,  and 
some  of  the  now  thriving  towns  and  villages  of 
the  county  had  not  at  that  time  sprung  into  ex- 
istence. As  the  years  passed,  his  continued  ef- 
forts wrought  a  marked  transformation  in  his 
land,  and  his  farm  became  a  valuable  property. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  in  his  political  views  was  a  whig. 

George  Franklin  pursued  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  near  his  father's  home.  He  was 
a  hard-working,  industrious  young  man,  and 
when  his  labor  had  brought  him  a  sufficient  sum 
of  money  he  made  purchase  of  a  farm  of  eighty 
acres  in  Burritt  township,  to  the  improvement 
and  cultivation  of  which  he  devoted  his  energies 
untiringly  until  1887.  He  then  sold  that  farm 
and  removed  to  C)wen  township,  where  he  pur- 
chased one  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  land, 
upon  which  he  now  resides.  He  has  here  a  well 
developed  property,  improved  with  modern  equip- 
ments, while  the  fields  return  to  him  golden  har- 
vests for  the  care  and  labor  he  bestows  upon 
them. 

On  the  13th  of  February,  1878,  Mr.  Franklin 
was  united  in  marriage,  at  Burritt,  by  the  Rev. 
John  Wilcox,  to  Miss  Emma  Jane  Swindells,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Susanna  (Statham)  Swin- 
dells, both  of  whom  were  natives  of  England. 
Thev  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America  on  a  sail- 
ing vessel,  "The  Washington,"  which  weighed 
anchor  at  Liverpool  on  the  21st  of  March,  1849, 
and  reached  Boston  harbor  a  month  later.  They 
continued  to  reside  in  Boston  until  1857,  and 
thence  came  to  Rockford,  where  the  father  soon 
afterward  died.  They  were  the  parents  of  three 
children :  \Mlliam  J..  Margaret  Ann  and  Mrs. 
Franklin.  After  losing  her  first  husband.  Mrs. 
Swindells  was  married  on  the  lOth  of  October, 
1859,  to  Richard  Lightfoot,  and  they  had  one 
son,  Nathaniel.  Mr.  Lightfoot  was  born  in  the 
county  of  Cornwall,  England,  January  29,  1824, 
and  came  to  .\merica  in  185 1  upon  a  sailing  ves- 
sel, leaving  Plymouth,  England,  and  landing  at 
Quebec.  The  voyage  was  a  tempestuous  one  of 
eight  weeks  and  four  days.  Not  long  after 
reaching  the  new  world.  l\Ir.  Lightfoot  made  his 
way  to  Winnebago  county.  Illinois,  where  he  soon 
afterward  rented  land  and  began  farming  on  his 
own  account.  Later  he  purchased  land,  for  which 
he  paid  twenty  dollars  per  acre.  He  was  one 
of  the  pioneers  of  this  county,  and  contributed 
in  substantial  measure  to  its  early  development 
and  improvement.  In  188 1  he  built  a  residence 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  his  old  home, 
and  there  spent  his  last  days  in  retirement  from 
labor. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Franklin  have  become  the  par- 
ents of  seven  children.  Susie  is  the  wife  of  Cas- 
sius  Zuck.  a  draftsman  living  in  Rockford,  and 


35" 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


they  have  one  child.  Carroll  .M.  married  Cora 
Salisbury  and  resides  in  Rockford.  Edith  B.  is 
the  wife  of  .Mbert  Ziick,  of  Kansas,  and  they 
have  one  child.  \\'alter  is  living  at  home.  Ber- 
tha J.  is  liie  wife  of  Lorenzo  H.  Crowell,  Jr. 
Irnia  and  George  M.  are  also  at  home. 

Mr.  Franklin  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  and  has  led  a  life  in  harmony 
with  his  professions.  In  politics  he  is  a  repub- 
lican, having  long  supported  the  party.  He  has 
spent  liis  entire  life  in  this  county,  where  he  is 
well  known  as  a  reliable  and  honorable  business 
man. 


PENN  W.  RANSOM,  M.  D. 

Dr.  Penn  W.  Ransom,  a  specialist  in  the 
treatment  of  many  diseases  and  the  founder  and 
proprietor  of  The  Ransom  Sanitarium  at  Rock- 
ford,  is  a  native  son  of  Winnebago  county,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Roscoe,  May  4,  1857. 
His  father,  Dr.  Giles  P.  Ransom,  was  a  native  of 
New  York,  born  January  13.  1824,  and  tradition 
says  that  the  family  was  founded  in  America  by 
three  brothers  who  came  to  this  country  from 
England.  The  great-grandfather,  Daniel  Ran- 
som, was  born  in  New  England,  and  in  early 
days  left  N'ermont  to  become  a  resident  of  New 
York.  He  devoted  his  entire  time  and  attention 
to  agricultural  ])ursuils  and  passed  away  in  Wyo- 
ming county.  New  York. 

Dr.  Daniel  Ransom,  the  grandfather,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  Windham  county,  Vermont, 
s])ent  his  youth  upon  his  father's  farm,  but  be- 
lieving that  he  would  find  the  professional  life 
more  congenial  than  agricultural  pursuits  he 
entered  upon  the  study  of  medicine  in  Oneida 
county.  New  York.  Later  he  removed  to  Erie 
county  and  subsequently  spent  eight  years  as 
a  practitioner  of  medicine  in  Union  City,  Penn- 
sylvania. The  year  1844  witnessed  his  arrival 
in  Illinois,  and  he  successfully  engaged  in  prac- 
tice in  iielvidere  until  failing  health  caused  him 
to  abandon  the  arduous  duties  of  the  profession. 
In  early  manhood  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Willard,  who  was  born  in  Westfield,  Connecticut, 
and  was  a  daughter  of  Samuel  \\'^illard.  Both 
spent  their  last  days  in  tiie  home  of  Dr.  Giles 
P.  Ransom,  of  Roscoe.  the  grandfather  there 
passing  away  in  1870.  and  his  wife  in  1874. 
They  were  the  parents  of  si.x  children :  Erasmus 
D.,  Alzina,  Giles,  Cynthia,  Samantha  E.  and 
Loretta  II. 

When  a  mere  youth  Dr.  Giles  P.  Ransom 
joined  a  party  of  emigrants  en  route  for  the 
Rock  river  valley.  This  was  in  1843.  He 
walked  the  greater  part  of  the  distance  and  se- 
cured a  position  as  a  teacher  of  a  three  months' 
term  of  .school  in   Poplar  Grove.     I'ioneer  con- 


ditions existed  everywhere  throughout  this  por- 
tion of  the  state.  .\t  that  time  twenty-five  cents 
postage  was  required  upon  each  letter,  and  so 
scarce  was  money  that  often  this  amount  had 
to  be  borrowed  from  some  neighbor  before  the 
letter  could  be  procured  from  the  postoftice.  Dr. 
Ransom  obtained  a  position  as  postmaster  at 
Belvidere  and  was  well  known  in  connection 
with  the  pioneer  progress  and  development  of 
his  locality.  He  began  reading  medicine  with 
Dr.  Ames,  and  after  the  removal  of  that  gen- 
tleman to  Roscoe,  Dr.  Ransom  also  went  to  that 
place  in  January,  1845,  ''"^  entered  upon  prac- 
tice there.  He  was  graduated  from  the  Rush 
Medical  College  of  Chicago  in  1850,  and  his 
professional  service  called  him  to  all  parts  of 
Winnebago  county.  In  1862  he  entered  the 
United  States  service  as  assistant  surgeon  of 
the  Second  Illinois  Light  .Vrtillerv,  which  posi- 
tion he  resigned  a  year  later  on  account  of  ill 
health.  He  ranked  high  in  his  profession  and 
was  for  some  time  one  of  the  oldest  physicians 
of  the  county  in  the  years  of  continuous  prac- 
tice here.  He  married  Mahala  Jenks.  in  March. 
i860,  and  in  his  social  relations  Dr.  Ransom  was 
well  known  as  an  exemplary  Mason. 

Dr.  Penn  W.  Ransom,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  record,  is  a  high  school  graduate,  and 
in  the  line  of  his  chosen  calling  enjoyed  excel- 
lent educational  privileges.  He  first  read  medi- 
cine with  his  brother.  Dr.  Wilmot  L.  Ransom, 
and  afterward  entered  the  Chicago  Medical  Col- 
lege, now  the  medical  department  of  the  North- 
western University,  from  which  he  was  gradu- 
ated with  the  class  of  1879.  He  entered  upon 
practice  at  .\urora.  Illinois,  where  he  remained 
for  seven  years  and  then,  coming  to  Rockford, 
established  The  Ransom  Sanitarium.  It  is  situ- 
ated a  mile  north  of  the  city  on  the  east  bank 
of  the  Rock  river  in  a  most  beautiful  grove  and 
amid  attractive  surroundings.  The  buildings 
have  been  designed  especially  for  the  use  to 
which  they  are  put.  The  spring  water  is  clear 
and  possesses  valuable  medical  qualities.  It 
was  in  1S87  that  Dr.  Ransom  purchased  the 
building,  which  is  a  large  frame  structure  con- 
taining twenty  well  furnished  rooms.  It  .stands 
in  the  midst  of  eight  acres  of  ground  adorned 
with  fine  shade  trees,  beautiful  walks  and  drives. 
The  sanitarium  is  o|)])osite  Harlem  park  and  the 
Chautauqua  .\ssembly  grounds,  which  each 
year  attracts  thousands  thereto.  The  Kenosha 
division  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Rail- 
road i)asses  within  a  few  rods  of  the  house,  also 
the  Rockford.  Beloit  &  Janesville  Interurban 
passes  the  place,  making  easy  access  to  Rockford 
and  points  north.  The  visitors  to  the  sanilariinn 
mnnber  from  nineteen  thousand  ])ersons  annually, 
and  Mrs.  Ransom,  a  most  accomplisiied  -lady, 
presides  over  the  institution  and  also  attends  to 


y^^f 


yyr  ^ 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


359 


much  of  the  business  in  connection  with  its  con- 
duct. Dr.  Ransom  gives  his  attention  to  his 
practice,  making  a  specialty  of  the  treatment  of 
mental  and  nervous  diseases.  He  utilizes  only 
such  measures  and  means  as  are  known  to  and 
endorsed  by  the  profession,  including  electro- 
thermal, hot  air  and  plain  baths,  salt  glow,  oil 
inunctions,  massage,  and  other  lines  of  bath 
treatment  in  connection  with  medicine,  surgery, 
diet  and  rest.  He  is  assisted  by  a  corps  of  well- 
trained  nurses  and  attendants  and  The  Ransom 
Sanitarium  is  splendidly  equipped  for  carrying 
on  this  work. 

In  1884  Dr.  Ransom  was  married  to  Miss 
Sarah  C.  Brown,  of  Rockford,  Illinois,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Lewis  Brown  and  a  representative  of  one 
of  the  old  families  of  this  county.  Dr.  Ransom 
has  a  very  wide  acquaintance  and  is  a  most 
genial  gentleman  whose  cheering  presence  in 
the  sick  room  is  like  a  ray  of  sunshine  dispelling 
gloom.  He  follows  nature's  methods  of  healing 
in  all  of  his  practice  and  also  keeps  in  touch 
with  the  most  advanced  methods  of  the  medical 
and  surgical  science. 


WILLIAM  DALES. 


William  Dales,  long  connected  with  interests 
that  made  Rockford  a  manufacturing  center  and 
one  of  the  best  business  cities  in  Illinois,  allied 
his  interests  with  those  of  Winnebago  county  at 
an  early  day  in  its  development,  when  Rockford 
was  a  small  village.  As  the  years  passed  by  his 
recognition  of  business  opportunities  and  intense 
and  well  directed  business  activity  were  felt 
along  many  lines  and  his  efiforts  proved  of  com- 
mercial value,  not  only  to  himself,  but  also  as  a 
factor  in  Rockford's  prosperitv. 

A  native  of  Delaware  county.  New  York,  he 
was  born  October  14,  1821,  his  parents  being 
Samuel  and  Susan  (Walker)  Dales,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Orange  county.  New  York.  The 
father  was  educated  for  the  ministry,  but  after  his 
marriage  he  settled  in  Delaware  county,  New 
York,  where  he  began  farming,  which  vocation 
he  followed  throughout  his  remaining  days.  His 
widow  afterwards  made  her  home  with  her  chil- 
dren and  died  at  the  home  of  her  daughter  in 
Monroe,  Wisconsin. 

The  educational  advantages  which  William 
Dales  received  were  only  such  as  were  afforded 
by  the  common  schools,  but  all  through  life  he 
used  his  advantages  to  the  best  opportunities,  and 
in  this  lay  the  secret  of  his  success.  He  worked 
on  the  home  farm  in  his  youth  and  prior  to  his 
first  marriage  he  began  learning  the  carpenter's 
trade,  at  which  he  worked  for  some  time  in  the 
east.     Before  his  second  marriage  he  came  west 


to  Illinois,  taking  up  his  abode  in  Rockford  in 
the  spring  of  1852.  It  was  a  small  place  but  he 
foresaw  the  rapid  and  substantial  development 
of  the  west  and  wisely  concluded  to  try  his  for- 
tune in  this  part  of  the  country.  His  first  work 
in  the  city  was  the  superintendency  of  the  carpen- 
ter or  construction  work  on  the  machine  shops, 
now  the  largest  building  on  the  water  power.  He 
also  superintended  the  carpenter  work  on  many 
of  the  fine  residences  of  the  city  of  an  early  day, 
including  the  home  of  Judge  Church  and  others. 
At  length  he  abandoned  building  operations  and 
entered  into  partnership  with  W.  D.  Trahern, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Trahern  &  Dales,  and 
thev  began  the  manufacture  of  threshing  machines 
and  farming  implements  of  all  kinds.  While  thus 
engaged  he  also  traveled  quite  extensively, 
selling  the  machines  to  the  outside  dealers.  Later 
the  firm  began  the  mantifacture  of  pumps  and 
the  Trahern  Pump  Company  is  still  conducting 
a  prosperotis  business  in  Rockford.  On  retiring 
from  the  firm,  Mr.  Dales  began  an  independent 
business  as  the  manufacturer  of  the  Dales  wind- 
mill, his  factory  being  located  on  Sotxth  Main 
street,  where  he  employed  a  large  number  of 
men  in  the  manufacture  of  the  output  which  was 
sold  all  over  the  country.  He  had  soon  devel- 
oped a  paying  business  and  he  continued  opera- 
tions in  that  line  for  several  years  or  until  he 
had  manufactured  enough  to  supply  the  trade  for 
some  time.  He  then  began  the  manufacture  of 
plows  in  connection  with  Mr.  Derwent  and  this 
claimed  his  attention  for  a  number  of  years  or 
until  his  health  began  to  fail,  and  for  about  ten 
years  he  was  unable  to  do  any  active  business  save 
the  collecting  for  the  firm  and  the  supervision  of 
the  repair  work.  It  was  very  reluctantly  that 
he  retired  from  the  field  of  active  industrial  and 
commercial  life,  for  indolence  and  idleness  were 
utterly  foreign  to  his  nature,  but  he  was  at  length 
compelled  to  do  so,  and  he  lived  retired  until  his 
death,  July  18,  1892.  His  business  career  was 
characterized  by  untiring  industry  and  persever- 
ance, and  in  his  vocabulary  there  was  no  such 
word  as  fail.  If  he  undertook  to  do  a  thing  he 
did  it.  He  was  a  man  of  action  rather  than  the- 
ory, and  while  he  planned  his  work  carefully,  he 
was  also  prompt  and  determined  in  its  execution. 
Mr.  Dales  was  married  first  in  Delaware  county, 
New  York,  to  Miss  Margaret  McQueen,  a  native 
of  New  York,  in  which  state  her  parents  always 
lived,  her  father  engaging  in  farming  there.  Mrs. 
Dales  died  in  the  county  of  her  nativity  a  few 
years  after  her  marriage.  There  were  two  chil- 
dren, Elizabeth  and  Walker.  The  former  is  the 
wife  of  Jesse  Robertson,  a  retired  carpenter  of 
Monroe,' Wisconsin,  and  the  latter  died  at  the 
home  of  his  grandmother  in  Monroe,  Wisconsin, 
at  the  age  of  three  vears.     Mr.  Dales  was  mar- 


360 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


ricii  in  the  town  of  Coiirlrif^hl.  Uclawaro  county, 
New  York,  to  Miss  Nancy  E.  Dales,  a  distant 
relative  and  a  native  of  that  county.  Ixirn  April 
II,  1823.  her  ])arents  Ix'inp  Alexander  and  Ra- 
chel (  Dibble)  Dales,  the  latter  born  in  Columbia 
count V  and  the  fonncr  in  Orange  county.  New 
York.  Her  father  was  a  fanner  there  and  in 
Delaware  county,  and  died  on  the  farm  in  the 
latter  county,  where  he  had  so  long  resided.  His 
wife  also  passed  away  there.  There  were  three 
children  l)orn  of  the  second  marriatje :  Raljjh  E., 
who  married  Isabelle  Rincv .  is  an  electrician  of 
Rockford.  John,  a  successful  physician  of  Sioux 
City,  Iowa,  married  Gertie  Locke,  and  after  her 
death  wedded  Marie  Peterson.  Lillian,  a  teacher 
in  the  Kent  school  of  Rockford,  resides  with  her 
mother. 

Mr.  Dales  was  well  known  to  the  early  settlers 
of  the  city  and  iiad  many  friends  anioncf  the  pio- 
neer settlers  of  Rockford  and  W'iiniebas^o  county. 
He  was  a  stanch  republican  and  his  friends  fre- 
quently suggested  to  him  a  candidacy  for  office, 
but  he  would  never  consent  to  accept  a  nomina- 
tion. He  attended  the  Pre.sln-terian  church,  to 
which  Mrs.  Dales  and  her  daughter  belong,  and 
he  was  always  in  sympathy  with  movements  for 
the  jiublic  good.  He  rejoiced  in  the  upbuilding 
and  improvement  of  Rockford.  where  be  resided 
for  almost  forty  years,  passing  away  July  18, 
1 89 1.  Mrs.  Dales  now  occupies  a  nice  home  at 
No.  c>oi  South  Winnebago  street,  where  she  and 
her  daughter  reside.  This  has  been  in  i)ossession 
of  the  Dale  family  for  nearly  half  a  century,  a 
part  of  the  building  having  been  erected  by  Mr. 
Dale  in  iSsCi.  It  then  stood  in  the  midst  of  the 
hazel  brush,  there  lieing  only  three  houses  in  the 
neighborhood,  where  now  stand  many  beautiful 
homes,  constituting  an  attractive  residence  dis- 
trict of  the  citv. 


JOSEPH   W.   FAULKXF.R. 

Joseph  W.  Faulkner,  deceased,  was  for  many 
years  closely  associated  with  agricultural  inter- 
ests in  Winnebago  county,  and  spent  his  last 
years  in  Rockfonl.  He  was  a  native  of  England, 
horn  in  liedfordshire.  his  natal  day  being  Janu- 
arv  3.  1834.  His  parents.  John  and  Mary  (Read) 
Faulkner,  were  also  natives  of  the  same  county. 
and  while  they  resided  in  England  became  the 
parents  of  seven  children,  with  whom  they 
started  for  .America  in  the  early  '50s.  crossing  the 
.\tlantic  in  a  sailing  vessel,  which,  after  a  voy- 
age of  seven  weeks,  dropped  anchor  in  the  har- 
bor of  New  ^'ork.  The  father,  accompanied  by 
his  wife  and  children,  made  his  way  at  once  to 
Chicago,  and  by  team  proceeded  to  Winnebago 
countv.    for    the    era    of    railroads    had    not    yet 


come,  an<l  travel  at  tiiat  time  was  done  by  stage 
or  private  conveyance.  The  family  home  was 
established  in  Seward  township,  where  few  set- 
tlements had  been  made  by  early  jiioneers,  but 
nnicb  of  the  land  was  still  in  ])ossession  of  the 
government,  and  John  l-'aulkner  entered  a  claim 
which  he  at  once  began  to  clear  and  improve. 
In  the  course  of  time  this  became  a  valuable  farm 
])ro])erty,  and  he  was  classed  with  the  substantial 
agriculturists  of  his  locality.  He  continued  a 
resident  of  the  county  throughout  his  remaining 
da\s.  his  last  years  being  spent  in  the  village  of 
Winnebago,  where  lie  ile])arted  this  life  in  1884, 
after  having  attained  the  age  of  three  score  and 
ten  years.  He  erected  the  first  warehouse  in 
Winnebago  and  for  some  time  was  engaged  in 
the  grain  business,  owning  a  large  elevator  there. 
His  wife  has  since  jiassed  away  in  Rockford. 
rhe\  were  both  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  took  an  active  ])art  in  its  work  and  con- 
tributed liberally  to  its  su])|x)rt.  Mr.  l-'aulkner 
was  well  known  in  his  home  locality  as  "Uncle 
Johnnie."  a  term  which  was  indicative  of  the 
confidence  and  love  re])osed  in  iiim.  His  life  was 
ever  ni)right  and  honorable,  and  he  left  his  fam- 
il\-  an  nntarnislied  name.  Unto  him  and  his 
wife  were  born  fifteen  children. 

loseph  W.  i'';mikner.  the  eldest  son  and  sec- 
ond diild  of  tlie  family,  attended  the  public 
schools  of  England  to  a  limited  extent,  but  his 
education  was  largely  acquired  in  the  night 
schools  there.  He  came  with  his  parents  to 
.America  and  in  early  life  assisted  his  father  in 
the  arduous  task  of  developing  a  new  farm.  He 
was  freipiently  sent  to  Chicago,  where  all  of  the 
farm  ])roducts  were  marketed.  He  learned  the 
value  of  industry  and  economy  in  the  active 
atYairs  of  life,  and  those  traits  of  character  were 
alwavs  manifest  by  him  and  proved  the  basis  of 
the  success  which  he  attained.  He  was  married 
in  Rockford  to  Miss  Catherine  Falconer,  a  na- 
tive of  Rosshire,  Scotland,  born  in  1836,  and  a 
daughter  of  Hugh  and  Catherine  Falconer,  who 
came  to  .\mericH  about  1842.  making  their  way 
direct  to  Chicago,  after  which  ihev  drove  across 
the  country  with  ox  teams  to  Wimiebago  county. 
Thev,  too.  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  this 
part  of  the  .state,  and  experienced  all  the  hard- 
slii])s  and  trials  incident  to  jiioneer  life.  Rock- 
ford at  that  time  c<Mitained  only  a  few  log  bcnises 
and  nnich  of  the  land  was  still  in  possession  of 
the  government,  having  never  been  claimed  by 
the  white  men  for  the  purjioses  of  civilization. 
They  first  settled  in  the  village  of  Centerville, 
but  afterward  Mr.  I'alconer  |)urchascd  a  farm 
in  Winnebago  township,  where  he  carried  on  gen- 
eral agricultural  |)ursuits  until  his  death.  His 
widow  afterward  lived  with  her  daughter.  Mrs. 
Faulkner.  uiUil  she  was  called  to  her  final  rest. 
Their  first  home  was  a  log  cabin,  which  had  no 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


361 


board  floor,  but  later  this  was  replaced  by  a 
comfortable  residence,  for  Mr.  Falconer  pros- 
pered as  the  years  went  by,  displaying  in  his  life 
the  sterling  traits  of  character  of  the  Scotch  race. 
His  wife  was  seventy-three  years  of  age  at  the 
time  of  her  demise,  and  both  she  and  her  husband 
were  devoted  members  of  the  Congregational 
church.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Falconer  became  the  par- 
ents of  two  daughters.  Mary  A.  is  the  wife  of 
James  F.  Bennett,  and  they  reside  with  her 
mother.  Mr.  Bennett  is  a  ladies'  tailor,  conduct- 
ing an  extensive  business  at  No.  302  West  State 
street,  and  they  have  two  children,  Ethel  F.  and 
Josephine.  Katie  L.  Falconer  is  the  wife  of  J. 
F.  Hollenbeck,  a  hardware  merchant  at  No.  1030 
South  Main  street,  in  Rockford,  and  they  have 
two  children.  Vera  May  and  Joseph. 

On  the  24th  of  March.  1887,  Mr.  Faulkner  re- 
tired from  the  farm  and  removed  to  Rockford, 
where  he  enjoyed  a  well  earned  rest.  His  life 
had  been  most  active  and  enterprising,  and  in 
his  farming  operations  he  was  practical  and  pro- 
gressive, so  that  the  soil  under  his  cultivation 
became  very  fertile  and  productive  and  his  farm- 
ing interests  brought  him  very  gratifying  suc- 
cess. In  politics  he  was  active,  supporting  men 
and  measures,  rather  than  party.  He  served  as 
road  commissioner  in  his  township  for  several 
years,  and  was  always  interested  in  whatever 
pertained  to  the  welfare  and  progress  of  his  com- 
munity. He  displayed  many  commendable  traits 
of  character  that  gained  him  the  favorable  re- 
gard of  his  friends,  and  his  life  record  is  espe- 
cially noteworthy  from  the  fact  that  he  owed  his 
prosperity  entirely  to  his  own  labors.  Mrs. 
Faulkner  and  her  family  are  all  members  of  the 
Second  Congregational  church  of  Rockford.  She 
owns  a  nice  home  at  No.  1204  South  Main  street, 
where  she  resides.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bennett  and 
their  family  living  with  her.  She  also  owns  the 
old  home  farm  of  about  one  hundred  and  three 
acres  of  very  rich  and  arable  land,  and  this 
brings  to  her  a  good  income. 


THOMAS  H.  BROWN. 

Thomas  H.  Brown,  living  retired  in  Rockford, 
but  for  many  years  an  active  and  enterprising 
agriculturist  of  Winnebago  township,  was  born 
near  Benson,  in  Rutland  county,  Vermont,  Feb- 
ruary 8,  1835.  His  parents  were  .\rthur  and 
Jane  (Dougand)  Brown.  Their  family  con- 
sisted of  seven  children,  only  three  of  whom  are 
now  living:  William,  residing  in  Vermont; 
Thomas  H.  and  Hamilton  W.,  who  live  in  Den- 
ver, Colorado. 

Thomas  H.  Brown  spent  the  first  nine  years 
of  his  life  in  Vermont,  and  then  came  to  Illinois 
with   Martin   Root  and  his   family,   with  whom 


he  remained  until  twenty-one  years  of  age.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  common  schools 
of  Du  Page  county,  Illinois,  and  on  attaining 
his  majority  began  farming  on  his  own  account. 
Two  years  later  he  removed  to  Winnebago 
count)',  where  he  lived  continuously  since. 

About  1875  he  became  the  owner  of  a  tract  of 
land  of  one  hundred  and  ninety-six  acres,  and 
has  since  had  valuable  landed  holdings  in  the 
county.  He  now  owns  two  hundred  and  forty- 
five  acres  of  fine  land  in  Winnebago  township, 
and  his  farm  is  well  improved  with  good  equip- 
ments and  all  modern  accessories.  He  removed 
to  Rockford  in  1861.  and  since  that  time  has  re- 
sided continuously  at  his  present  home  at  No. 
114  Rockton  avenue. 

Mr.  Brown  was  married  in  1871  to  Miss  Caro- 
line E.  Holcomb,  who  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1845 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Talcott  and  Jeanette  Hol- 
comb. Of  their  two  children,  the  elder,  Her- 
mon  H.,  died  in  1888,  at  the  age  of  fourteen.  The 
younger,  Pembroke  H.,  was  educated  in  the  high 
school  of  Rockford,  and  also  received  liberal  in- 
struction in  music.  He  is  now  living  with  his 
parents  in  this  city.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  at- 
tend the  Christian  Union  church.  In  politics  Mr. 
Brown  is  a  republican,  but  has  never  sought  or 
desired  office.  Although  he  has  led  a  quiet  life, 
it  contains  lessons  that  might  well  be  followed, 
for  he  has  always  been  reliable  in  his  dealings 
with  his  fellowmen  and  faithful  to  the  duties  of 
citizenship  that  have  devolved  upon  him. 


FRANK  E.  THOMAS. 

Frank  E.  Thomas,  chief  of  the  Rockford  fire 
department,  was  born  in  Greenville,  the  county 
seat  of  Darke  county,  Ohio,  June  23,  1863,  his 
parents  being  John  and  Melinda  (Clapp) 
Thomas,  also  natives  of  Ohio.  For  many  years 
the  father  was  a  contractor  and  builder  of  the 
Buckeye  state,  and  in  later  life  he  removed  to 
Chicago,  where  he  was  employed  on  the  con- 
struction of  a  five-story  building,  from  which 
he  fell  and  was  instantly  killed  in  the  year  1881. 
His  wife  yet  survives  him.  and  is  living  in  Rock- 
ford with  her  son  Frank,  being  now  in  her  sev- 
enty-sixth year.  The  family  of  this  worthy  coit- 
ple  numbered  six  children,  but  only  three  are  yet 
living,  the  surviving  daughters  being  Mrs.  A.  F. 
Hale"  and  Mrs.  J.  C.  Duell,  both  of  Rockford. 

Frank  E.  Thomas  was  a  lad  of  seven  sum- 
mers when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their 
removal  to  Chicago,  in  1870,  and  in  that  city  he 
completed  his  education  as  a  public  school  stu- 
dent. Putting  aside  his  text-books,  he  entered 
the  employ  of  Field,  Leiter  &  Company.  He  was 
first  employed  as  messenger  and  cash  boy  and 


362 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


was  advanced  from  time  to  time,  until  he  be- 
came inspector  of  goods,  remaining;  with  that 
liouse  as  a  trusted  and  efficient  employe  until  he 
attained  his  twenty-first  year.  In  this  way  he 
gained  a  practical  knowledije  of  the  dry-goods 
business  and  at  the  same  time  it  was  good  school- 
ing for  him  in  tlie  matter  of  mingling  with  men. 
In  1885  he  came  to  Rockford,  and  for  one  year 
was  employed  as  watchman  by  the  Forest  City 
Furniture  Company.  In  February,  1SS6,  how- 
ever, he  became  connected  with  the  I'iockford  fire 
department,  and,  proving  his  efficiency,  was 
elected  captain  of  Company  No.  1.  In  1901  he 
was  appointed  chief  of  the  fire  department,  and 
is  a  most  capable  official,  having  the  department 
well  organized  and  doing  elTective  service.  He 
is  cool  and  collected  in  times  of  danger,  watchful 
of  the  interests  of  the  city  and  of  the  individual 
in  the  line  of  his  duty  and  his  service  has  won 
him  high  encomiums. 

In  1887  Mr.  Thomas  was  married  to  Miss  Ida 
Erickson,  a  daughter  of  John  Frickson.  of  Rock- 
ford,  and  they  have  two  children,  Lillian  M. 
and  Robert  F.,  who  are  high  school  students 
here.  The  family  home  is  at  No.  614  Whitman 
street,  and  Mr.  Thomas  has  social  relations  with 
Rockford  lodge.  No.  102  A.  F.  &  .\.  M.,  and 
with  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of 
Elks. 


GEORGE  RICHARD  ATKINSON. 

George  Richard  Atkinson,  well  known  in  busi- 
ness circles  of  Rockford  as  a  merchant  tailor,  was 
born  September  19,  1835,  in  Cockermouth  county, 
Cumberland,  England.  His  parents  were  Joseph 
and  Ann  (Anderson)  Atkinson,  the  former  a 
native  of  England  and  die  latter  of  Ireland.  The 
father  died  when  the  son  was  a  small  child.  He 
had  been  connected  with  a  factor)-  whose  prod- 
uce was  Cumberland  tweed.  George  R.  .Atkin- 
son, the  eldest  of  the  family,  remained  a  resi- 
dent of  his  native  land  until  about  nineteen  years 
of  age,  when  in  1858  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to 
the  new  world.  -At  the  age  of  twelve  years  he 
had  entered  upon  an  appreiuiceship  to  the  tailor's 
trade,  serving  a  term  of  four  years  and  when  he 
had  mastered  the  business  he  decided  to  seek 
his  fortune  in  .America,  hearmg  that  better  wages 
were  paid  for  all  such  work  in  the  new  world. 
Accordingly  he  made  arrangements  to  leave  his 
native  land  and  secured  passage  on  the  sailing 
vessel,  James  Bell,  which  was  si.x  weeks  in  mak- 
ing the  voyage  to  New  York  city.  He  then 
went  up  the  river  to  .\Ibany,  New  York,  where 
he  began  working  in  a  tailoring  establishment, 
spending  a  brief  period  in  that  city.  I'.ecause 
of   the    f:ii-t    that    his   uncle,   Thomas   Chambers, 


lived  in  Montreal,  he  made  his  way  to  the  latter 
]ilace  and  entered  the  employ  of  his  uncle  who 
was  conducting  a  store  there.  .After  six  months, 
however,  he  went  to  Portland,  Maine,  in  order  to 
see  the  Prince  of  Wales  depart  for  England.  He 
did  not  return  then  to  Montreal  but  retained  in 
Portland  for  a  year  and  in  i860  went  to  Boston, 
where  he  met  the  lady  who  become  his  wife — 
Miss  Julia  .Ann  Haqjcr,  a  resident  of  Wilton, 
Franklin  county,  Maine,  her  birth  having  oc- 
curred near  Farmington,  that  state.  Her  father 
was  Colonel  James  C.  Harper,  a  veteran  of  the 
Mexican  war.  who  served  under  General  Win- 
field  Scott. 

Mr.  .Atkinson  continued  a  resident  of  Boston 
until  1864.  when  he  went  to  Alaine  on  a  visit. 
I^ter  he  returned  to  P)Oston  but  in  the  meantime 
he  had  heard  much  of  Qiicago  and  its  advantages 
and  determined  to  make  a  visit  to  the  western  city. 
There  he  met  a  friend  who  was  living  in  Rock- 
ford and  induced  him  to  come  to  this  place  in 
1864.  \Miile  in  Boston  he  had  learned  the  cut- 
ting business  and  had  become  an  expert  workman 
in  that  line  and  after  arriving  in  Winnebago  coun- 
ty he  secured  a  position  as  a  cutter  with  the  firm 
of  David.  Wallach  &  Com[)any,  remaining  with 
that  house  for  five  years.  He  then  determined 
to  embark  in  business  on  his  own  account  and 
carried  out  the  plan  in  the  year  1869.  In  Janu- 
ary, 1900,  he  again  embarked  in  business  on  his 
own  account  at  No.  304  South  Main  street  in 
the  Ncl.son  building.  Here  he  has  since  remained 
and  now  enjoys  a  libral  patronage  accorded  him 
by  his  fellow  townsmen,  also  a  large  trade  which 
comes  to  him  from  surrounding  cities.  That 
his  business  has  reached  extensive  proportions  is 
indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  now  employs  four- 
teen men  throughout  the  entire  year.  In  style, 
finish  and  worknianshiji  the  products  of  his  tailor- 
ing establishment  arc  of  su])erior  grade  anil  as  he 
is  reasonable  in  his  prices  and  honorable  in  his 
dealings  his  patronage  has  continually  increased 
initil    it   has   reached  gratifying  proportions. 

Mr.  Atkinson  was  married  on  the  ist  of  Janu- 
ary, 1863.  and  he  now  has  a  beautiful  home  at 
1215  National  avenue.  He  belongs  to  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity,  his  membership  being  in  the  Star 
of  the  Fast  lodge,  and  he  has  attained  the  thirty- 
.second  degree  of  the  Scottish  rite.  He  is  like- 
wise connected  with  the  Mystic  Shrine  and  in 
politics  he  was  a  democrat  until  if^^Ci.  since  which 
time  he  has  supported  the  republican  party.  Dur- 
ing the  years  which  mark  the  period  of  his  busi- 
ness career  he  iias  met  witli  gratifying  success 
for  he  is  a  self-educated  as  well  as  a  self-made 
man.  .After  coming  to  .Ainerica  he  attended  night 
school  in  .Albany  and  made  the  most  of  his  op- 
|xirtnnitics  as  the  years  passed  by.  During  the  pe- 
riod of  his  residence  in  Rockford  he  has  won  the 


GEORGE  R.  ATKINSON. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


365 


good  will  and  respect  of  many  of  the  best  citizens 
here.  Concentration  of  purpose  and  persistently 
applied  energy  rarely  fail  of  success  in  the  accom- 
plishment of  any  task,  and  in  tracing  the  career  of 
Mr.  Atkinson  it  is  plainly  seen  that  these  have 
been  the  secret  of  his  rise  to  prominence. 


LEVI  B.  FULLER. 


Levi  B.  Fuller,  who  resides  immediately  west 
of  Rockford  on  Montague  road,  and  gives  gen- 
eral supervison  to  his  farms,  which  he  has 
rented,  was  born  in  Geneseo  county.  New  York, 
February  12,  1834.  His  father,  John  Fuller, 
who  was  born  in  1800,  came  to  Rockford  in  1838, 
and  purchased  the  claims  now  owned  by  his 
son  Lemuel,  after  which  he  returned  to  the  Em- 
pire state.  The  following  y-ear,  however,  he 
iDrought  his  family  to  the  west  and  settled  on 
section  ig.  Rockford  township.  There  were  four 
children:  Lemuel,  Levi  B.,  Charles  and  Nancy. 
John.  Lucy  E.  and  Eliza  J.  were  born  in  Illinois. 
The  last  named  became  the  wife  of  Harvey  In- 
galls  and  died  in  Rockford  township  in  1877. 
John  Fuller  contiiuied  to  make  his  home  in  Win- 
nebago county  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
October.  1858.  when  he  was  fifty-eight  y^ears  of 
age.  In  early  days  he  was  very  active  and  in- 
fluential in  politics,  and  his  opinions  carried 
weight  in  the  councils  of  his  party.  He  im- 
proved the  claims  which  he  purchased  and  be- 
came an  extensive  landowner,  having  at  the  time 
of  his  death  about  one  thotisand  acres.  He  al- 
ways followed  farming,  and  his  enterprise  and 
well  directed  effort  constitvited  the  basis  of  his 
prosperity.  In  early  manhood  he  wedded  Lucy 
\Mlder.  who,  like  her  husband,  was  a  native  of 
Massachusetts.  They  were  married  in  Pittsfield, 
that  state,  and  ;\Irs.  Fuller,  long  surviving  her 
husband,  died  in  Winnebago  county.  December 
13,  1895,  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight  years.  Henry 
Fuller,  an  uncle  of  Mr.  Fuller  of  this  review, 
was  a  very  prominent  citizen  of  Chicago,  and 
built  the  first  street  railway  there. 

Levi  B.  Fuller  was  reared  in  ^^'innebago 
count}-  and  acquired  his  education  in  the  com- 
mon schools.  His  advantages  in  that  direction 
were  somewhat  limited,  but  reading,  observation 
and  experience  have  largely  broadened  his  knowl- 
edge. He  was  trained  to  the  active  work  of  the 
farm,  assisting  his  father  in  the  labors  of  field 
and  meadow  in  earl\-  bo}hood  days,  and  for 
many  years  he  continued  to  actively  engage  in 
agricultural  pursuits.  He  was  also  engaged  in 
the  grocery  and  produce  business  for  a  quarter 
of  a  century,  and  he  bought  and  shipped  poultry 
for  about  twenty-five  years.  He  has  now  been 
retired  from  regular  business  interests  since  1877, 


but  he  still  owns  two  farms  in  the  county,  and 
gives  his  general  supervision  to  their  improve- 
ment and  cultivation. 

Mr.  Fuller  was  married  in  Bradford.  Chicka- 
saw county,  Iowa,  to  Miss  Anna  A.,  daughter  of 
Zenas  and  Maria  (Carpenter)  Thomas,  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania.  They  became  the  parents 
of  five  children,  of  whom  only  two  are  living: 
Levi  S.,  who  was  formerly  credit  man  in 
Appel's  store  in  Rockford,  is  now  occupying  a 
good  position  in  Chicago.  He  married  Esther 
\N"ells.  Frances  E.  is  at  home.  The  three  chil- 
dren who  have  passed  away  were  Franklin  S.. 
Emma  E.  and  Ida  E.  All  were  natives  of  Win- 
nebago county. 

Politically,  Mr.  Fuller  is  a  republican,  having 
never  faltered  in  support  of  the  party  since  he 
attained  his  majority,  and  he  has  served  as  alder- 
man of  Rockford,  representing  the  fifth  ward. 
He  is  a  worthy  representative  of  a  prominent 
pioneer  family,  and  his  own  sterling  traits  of 
character  make  him  a  leading  citizen  here,  en- 
joying in  large  measure  the  good  will  and  con- 
fidence of  those  with  whcmi  he  has  been  asso- 
ciated. 


DANIEL  DOBSON. 


Daniel  Dobson,  now  serving  for  the  fourth 
term  as  justice  of  the  peace  in  Harrison  town- 
ship and  energetically  carrying  on  farming  oper- 
rations  on  section  30.  was  born  in  Lancaster- 
shire.  England,  in  October.  1841,  his  parents 
being  Henry  and  Sarah  (Bird)  Dobson,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  England,  whence  they 
crossed  the  .\tlantic  to  America  in  1849.  They 
resided  in  Connecticut  until  1857,  when  they 
came  to  this  county,  the  father  carrying  on 
agricultural  pursuits  here  tmtil  retirement  from 
business  life.  In  the  east,  however,  he  had  been 
connected  with  the  manufacture  of  paper.  In 
1868  he  put  aside  the  cares  of  the  farm  and 
removed  to  Rockford.  where  he  lived  in  quiet 
and  honorable  retirement  from  labor  until  1878, 
when  at  the  age  of  sixty-three  years  he  passed 
away.  His  wife  died  in  1871.  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
five  years.  In  their  family  were  ten  children : 
Thomas,  now  deceased :  Abram,  living  at  Chi- 
cago Heights,  Illinois :  James,  who  died  in  Da- 
kota :  Henry,  of  Rockford :  Daniel  of  this  re- 
view :  Mrs.  John  M.  Smith,  of  the  village  of 
Winnebago :  Ann  and  Martha,  who  have  passed 
away,  and  two  who  died  in  infancy. 

Daniel  Dobson  was  about  eight  years  of  age 
when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  the  voy- 
age across  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world,  and 
was  a  youth  of  sixteen  when  he  arrived  with 
the  family  in  Winnebago  county.  He  has  since 
resided  in  Harrison  township,  with  the  exception 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


nf  ilircc  years  spent  in  the  army.  Watching 
with  keen  interest  the  events  llial  proceeded  the 
Civil  war.  he  cnHsteil  as  a  nienilier  of  Company 
A.  Seventy-fourtli  UHnois  Infantry,  and  served 
for  three  years,  being  mustered  out  at  Spring- 
field on  the  9th  of  July,  1865.  He  served  in  the 
.\nny  of  the  Cumberland  and  was  never  se- 
riously injured,  although  he  was  slightly  wound- 
ed at  Stone  River.  Faithful  to  his  duty,  he  fol- 
lowed the  banner  of  the  L'nion  on  many  southern 
battle-fields,  and  when  its  supremacy  was  estab- 
lishetl  he  returned  to  his  home,  resinning  farm- 
ing pursuits  in  this  county. 

In  1868  Mr.  Dobsun  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  .'^usan  Moate,  wlio  died  about  1895  leaving 
three  children:  Mrs.  Frank  Ilerrick.  who  is  liv- 
ing in  Harrison  township;  Mrs.  Herbert  Lillie,  a 
resident  of  P)Urritt  township;  and  George  W., 
who  died  in  1899,  at  the  age  of  twenty  years.  For 
his  second  wife  Mr.  Dobson  chose  Miss  M. 
Zelah  P.odine.  a  daughter  of  William  P>odine, 
whose  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work. 
Politically  a  republican,  Mr.  Dobson  has  always 
kept  well  informed  on  the  questions  and  issues 
of  the  day,  and  is  thus  able  to  support  his  posi- 
tion by  intelligent  argument.  He  has  served 
in  various  townshii)  offices,  was  school  director 
for  eighteen  years,  has  been  township  trustee 
for  three  terms,  was  supervisor  for  one  term, 
is  now  serving  for  the  fourth  term  as  justice 
of  the  peace,  and  in  fact  has  been  continuously 
in  one  official  position  or  another,  discharging 
with  marked  capability  the  duties  that  have 
devolved  upon  him,  and  thus  manifesting  the 
same  loyalty  to  his  country  that  he  displayed 
when  upon  southern  battle-fields  he  aided  the 
Union  cause.  He  maintains  pleasant  relations 
with  his  old  army  comrades  through  his  mem- 
bershi])  in  Xevius  post.  No.  i,  G.  A.  R.,  at 
R'ickford.  and  he  is  also  connected  with  the 
Modern  Woodmen  camp  at  Harrison,  while  his 
religious  views  are  indicated  by  his  membership 
in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


ELIJAH  B.  GUILFORD. 

Elijah  1!.  Guilford,  the  oldest  living  settler  in 
\\'innebago  county  to-day,  has  been  a  witness 
of  almost  the  entire  growth  and  development  of 
this  section  of  the  state  and  no  history  of  the 
locality  would  lie  complete  without  the  record  of 
Win   Port  55  vbgkf|j  cmfwyp 

his  life.  For  a  long  period  he  was  actively  con- 
nected with  agricidtural  interests  and  has  also 
followed  mechanical  pursuits,  but  now  in  the 
evening  of  life  is  living  retired  in  Pecatonica 
township.  He  was  horn  in  Worcester  county, 
Massachusetts,  .\pril  21,   1824,  and  when  about 


four  years  of  age  left  that  place,  his  parents  re- 
moving to  Genesee  county.  New  York.  The 
father,  John  Guilford,  died  when  the  son  was  a 
small  boy,  so  that  the  latter  does  not  remember 
seeing  his  parent, 

Mr.  Guilford  of  this  review  left  the  Empire 
state  in  company  with  his  mother  and  her  three 
brothers,  Ephraim.  \\'illiam  and  James  Sumner. 
They  started  westward  with  a  two-horse  team 
but  traded  the  horses  for  four  head  of  o.xen  and 
with  the  o.x-team  proceeded  on  their  journey. 
They  arrived  in  \Vinnebago,  Illinois,  Septem- 
ber 19,  1835,  and  here  they  traded  one  yoke  of 
oxen  for  land,  securing  a  claim  on  which  a  log 
house  had  been  built.  It  stood  on  the  bank  of 
the  Pecatonica  river,  but  the  family  were  almost 
drowned  on  account  of  the  high  waters,  Mr. 
Guilford's  mother  being  carried  out  of  the  house 
by  one  of  her  brothers,  for  the  cabin  was  en- 
tirely surrounded  by  the  river.  They  lived  upon 
their  original  claim  for  seven  years  or  until  1842, 
when  the  government  opened  a  land  office  at 
Dixon,  .\bout  that  time  they  took  up  their 
abode  upon  a  farm  at  Twelve  Mile  Grove.  All 
three  of  the  brothers  purchased  land  upon  which 
they  settled.  They  were  typical  pioneer  resi- 
dents and  underwent  all  of  the  hardships  in- 
cident to  establishing  a  settlement  on  the  frontier. 
Tile  greater  part  of  the  land  was  still  unclaimed 
and  could  be  had  for  a  nominal  price.  Fphraim 
Sumner  built  a  house  at  the  grove  and  after 
selling  that  place  built  another.  He  also  con- 
structed a  gristmill  a  mile  and  a  half  west,  it 
l)eing  the  only  mill  in  this  part  of  the  coimty. 

Elijah  P>.  Guilford  worked  for  his  uncle  until 
about  twenty-four  years  of  age.  The  uncle 
bought  and  sold  inore  land  than  any  other  real- 
estate  dealer  of  the  county  and  at  one  time  was 
the  ow-ner  of  fifteen  hundred  acres.  Eventually 
he  removed  to  Rockford.  where  he  practiced  law, 
making  his  home  in  the  city  for  a  number  of 
years,  after  which  he  returned  to  the  farm.  He 
was  the  second  postmaster  at  \'anccboro,  which 
was  on  the  old  stage  line  between  Chicago  and 
Galena,  and  he  held  all  of  the  offices  in  his  town- 
ship, including  that  of  justice  of  the  peace. 
While  serving  in  that  capacity  he  at  one  time 
time  swam  the  river  in  order  to  marry  a  couple 
and  received  fifty  cents  for  performing::  the  cere- 
mony, but  when  he  returned  home  he  found  that 
he  had  married  the  couple  out  of  his  jurisdic- 
tion. On  another  time  when  crossing  the  river 
driving  some  oxen  he  lost  control  of  his  team 
and  they  landed  on  one  side  of  the  river,  while 
he  and  the  wagon  box  were  left  on  the  other 
side.  He  sought  and  found  shelter,  however,  in 
a  log  cabin,  where  he  spent  the  night.  His  last 
days  were  passed  in  Rockford  and  w'hen  he  was 
called  to  his  final  rest  the  county  lost  one  of  its 
most  prominent  pioneer  settlers,  a  man  who  had 


M<-§^^^^ 


~^^^    ^,^.1^    <£.oc^^n^ 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


371 


tlone  much  for  the  early  improvement,  upbuild- 
ing and  development  of  this  section  of  the  state. 

In  his  youth  Elijah  B.  Guilford  became 
familiar  with  all  of  the  hardships,  labors  and 
privations  of  frontier  life.  He  continued  to 
work  at  farming  and  in  various  wa)'s  assisted  his 
uncle.  At  length,  however,  he  began  life  on 
his  own  account,  starting  out  with  forty  acres 
of  prairie  land  and  forty  acres  of  timber  land. 
Upon  the  farm  he  built  a  little  house,  which  was 
ultimately  replaced  by  his  present  residence. 
He  has  planted  all  of  the  trees  upon  his  farm, 
both  fruit  and  shade  trees,  and  the  various  im- 
provements are  the  work  of  his  hands  and  in- 
dicate a  life  of  earnest  labor  and  untiring  ac- 
tivity. He  would  go  to  the  fields  in  the  early 
morning  and  continue  his  labors  until  the  sun 
had  set  and  as  the  years  passed  by  and  he  pros- 
pered he  kept  adding  to  his  land  until  he  had 
at  one  time  four  hundred  and  sixty-five  acres, 
but  he  has  given  away  most  of  this,  retaining 
possession,  however,  of  a  good  farm  property, 
which  returns  him  an  income  sufficient  for  all 
his  needs  and  in  fact  such  as  supplies  him  with 
the  comforts  and  some  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 

On  the  2d  of  December.  1849,  Mr.  Guilford 
was  married  to  Miss  Alary  Jane  Butler,  at  Free- 
port.  She  was  born  at  Alden,  New  York,  No- 
vember 10.  1828.  Her  father.  Stephen  Butler, 
was  born  January  23,  1800,  in  Whitestown, 
(?)neida  county.  New  York,  and  died  March  25, 
1 881,  his  death  occurring  in  Chicago,  while  his 
remains  were  intered  in  the  cemetery  at  Peca- 
tonica.  After  traveling  life's  journey  together 
for  nearly  a  half  century  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Guilford 
were  separated  by  death,  the  wife  being  called 
to  her  final  home  on  the  8tli  of  October,   i8<)8. 

Mr.  Guilford  has  liad  in  many  respects  an 
eventful  life.  In  1857,  accompanied  by  his  wife, 
he  started  for  Pike's  Peak,  going  as  far  as  Blue 
river,  where  they  remained  for  two  years. 
About  1867  he  went  to  St.  Louis  by  boat  and 
ultimately  reached  Fort  Benton.  It  required 
seventy-six  days  for  the  steamer  Favorite  to 
make  the  trip  up  the  river,  for  they  had  to  haul 
the  boat  over  the  sand  bars  by  attaching  ropes 
to  the  shore.  Mr.  Guilford  spent  one  winter 
and  two  summers  at  Fort  Benton,  where  he  was 
largely  engaged  in  mining,  getting  out  the  tim- 
bers for  the  mine  and  also  doing  underground 
work.  He  likewise  made  a  hay  press  and  fol- 
lowed blacksmithing  there.  He  has  given  more 
or  less  attention  throughout  his  entire  life  to 
mechanical  pursuits  and  has  always  maintained 
a  workshop  on  his  farm.  Possessing  excellent 
mechanical  ingenuity  he  was  enabled  to  keep  his 
farm  machinery  and  his  buildings  in  good 
repair. 

Mr.  (luilford  is  a  member  of  A.  \\'.  Rawlson 
lodge.   No.    145,  A.   F.   &  A.   M.     Although  he 
usually  votes  the  democratic  ticket  and  adheres 
21 


to  the  principles  advocated  by  Jackson  and  Jef- 
ferson, he  does  not  consider  himself  bound  by 
party  ties  and  has  often  voted  for  men  of  the  op- 
posite party,  incltiding  Abraham  Lincoln.  He 
was  a  visitor  at  the  W'orld's  Columbian  Ex- 
position in  Chicago  and  also  attended  the  Rail- 
way Appliance  Exposition  in  Chicago.  The 
Guilford  family  has  long  been  known  in  Win- 
nebago county  and  the  name  is  inseparably  con- 
nected with  its  history.  Mr.  Guilford's  mother, 
who  was  born  in  1800,  was  well  known  because 
of  her  medical  skill  and  her  services  were  often 
in  demand  by  her  neighbors  and  friends  through- 
(jut  the  county.  Guilford  township  was  named 
in  her  honor.  Mr.  Guilford,  as  a  pioneer  set- 
tler, did  much  for  the  early  development  and 
improvement  of  this  part  of  the  state  and  his 
mind  carries  a  picture  of  pioneer  days  with  all 
of  its  hardships  and  privations,  its  joys  and 
its  pleasures,  and  he  can  relate  in  a  very  in- 
teresting manner  many  anecdotes  of  the  early 
times. 


GEORGE  O'BRIEN. 

George  O'Brien,  living  on  section  19,  Burritt 
township,  is  one  of  Winnebago  county's  native 
sons,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Rockford,  De- 
cember 25,  1851.  His  father,  Patrick  O'Brien, 
was  born  near  Dublin,  Ireland,  about  1819,  and 
came  to  the  laiited  States  in  185 1.  Two  years 
later  he  took  up  his  abode  on  a  farm  on  section 
19,  Burritt  township,  having  up  to  that  time 
lived  in  Rockford,  and  his  death  occurred  upon 
the  old  homestead  farm  in  October,  1881.  He 
wedded  Mary  McMahon,  who  was  also  born 
near  Dublin,  in  the  year  1821,  and  she  passed 
away  on  the  farm  in  Burritt  township  about 
1875.  George  O'Brien  is  the  eldest  son  of  the 
family.  The  others  are  as  follows :  Margaret, 
who  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1848.  is  the  wife  of 
John  Bailey,  formerly  of  Burritt  township,  but 
now  of  Rockford.  by  whom  she  has  six  children. 
John,  who  was  born  in  1853,  is  married  and  liv- 
ing in  Rockford.  He  wedded  Margaret  Maloney, 
of  Pecatonica,  and  has  six  children.  James  was 
born  in  1855.  ^"d  is  living  in  Rockford.  Thomas, 
l)orn  in  1857,  makes  his  home  in  York,  Ne- 
braska, and  is  married  and  has  five  children. 

George  O'Brien  was  in  his  second  year  when 
his  parents  removed  from  Rockford  to  the  home 
farm  in  Burritt  township  near  his  present  place 
of  residence,  and  he  has  since  lived  in  this  town- 
ship, devoting  his  entire  life  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits, which  he  has  carried  on  successfully.  He 
wedded  Miss  Mary  Murphy,  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Ellen  Murphy,  of  \Vinnebago  county.  Her 
father  was  born  in  County  Wexford.  Ireland, 
May  30,   1 83 1,  and  died  in  Rockford,  May  29, 


^7^ 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


1892.  wliilc  Iiis  wile,  wlm  horc  tlic  maiden  name 
of  Kllen  Ik'haii.  was  Ixini  in  County  Wexfonl 
in  \i<2(i.  and  now  makes  her  liome  in  Rockford. 
Their  chililren  were  as  follows:  Thomas  W.. 
who  resides  in  Winnebago  and  is  married  and 
has  eipht  children :  John  W.,  also  livinj^'  in  Win- 
neha.vTo,  who  is  married  and  has  six  children: 
Mrs.  Anna  Dolan.  of  Rockford:  Mrs.  Ellen  Mc- 
Donald, oi  Seward,  Illinois,  who  has  four  chil- 
dren :  .Mrs.  Kate  Murphy,  who  died  in  i8t;3 : 
and  Mrs.  (  >'l>ricn.  the  wife  of  our  subject.  She 
was  born  March  3.  1857.  and  on  the  3rd  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1880.  jjave  her  hand  in  marriajje  to  (ieortje 
()'l!rieM.  They  now  have  twelve  children, 
lieortie,  born  November  29,  1880,  was  married 
January  11,  H)05,  to  I'elle  Milne,  of  llurritt, 
where  they  now  reside:  .Mary,  born  January  1, 
1882:  Neilie,  born  February  14.  1883;  James, 
born  November  21.  1885:  John,  June  18,  1887; 
I'lorence.  July  24,  1889:  Marjjaret,  November  i, 
|8<K):  Ra\niond,  September  20,  1892:  \'incent, 
January  28,  1894:  l.oretia.  May  i,  1895:  Ifjna- 
tius.  July  21.  i8c)8.  and  liernice.  .\pril  29,  1901, 
are  all  at  home. 

Mr.  (  )'l!rien  has  always  carried  on  sjeneral 
farminji.  and  his  place  is  well  imjiroved  and 
briui^s  to  him  a  t^ood  return  in  large  crops.  In 
politics  he  has  always  voted  the  straigth  demo- 
cratic ticket,  and  for  the  past  five  years  he  has 
served  as  schocil  director.  He  and  his  family- 
are  communicants  of  St.  Mary's  Catholic  church 
of  Rockford,  and  he  is  well  known  in  his  com- 
munity as  an  industrious,  enterprising  agricul- 
turist. For  more  than  a  half  century  he  has 
lived  in  IJurritt  township  and  has  seen  many 
changes  that  have  occurred  as  pioneer  conditions 
have  given  way  to  the  improvements  of  an  ad- 
vanced civilization. 


N.  1'.  WILSON. 


N.  P.  Wilson,  engaged  in  farming,  resides  on 
section  ^z,  (Juiltord  twonship,  where  he  has 
seventy-eight  acres  of  land  that  is  finely  im- 
I)roved  with  modern  equipments.  He  is  a  native 
of  Pennsylvania,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Clarion  county,  in  1858,  his  parents  being  John 
and  .Margaret  ( Moore)  Wilson,  both  of  whom 
died  in  Pennsylvania,  where  they  followed  the 
occu]iation  of  farming. 

.\.  P.  Wilson  was  reared  in  the  Keystone  state, 
and  in  iiis  youth  attended  the  common  schools. 
He  afterwards  came  west  to  Illinois,  settling  in 
iWxjne  county,  and  he  also  resided  for  three 
years  in  Ogle  county  before  coming  to  Winne- 
bago county  in  1885.  In  that  year  he  located 
on  his  present  farm,  known  as  the  old  San<lers 
place,  and   he   has  always   followed   agricultural 


pursuits.  He  works  ])ersistently  and  energetic- 
ally and  his  farm  is  now  returning  him  a  good 
income.  .\t  one  time  his  attention  was  largely 
given  to  gardening  and  dairying,  but  he  now 
tills  the  fields  in  the  cultivation  of  the  cereals 
best  adapted  to  the  soil  and  climate  and  has 
.seventy-eight  acres  of  rich  land  highly  culti- 
vated. Upon  the  place  he  has  made  many  im- 
provments  and  altogether  the  farm  is  a  model 
property,  lacking  none  of  the  facilities  which  are 
found  on  the  best  farms  of  the  middle  west. 

While  residing  in  Ogle  county.  Mr.  Wilson 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Minnie  (i<irdon,  a 
daughter  of  William  C.  and  Mary  (  Foulk )  Cor- 
don, who  were  early  settlers  of  Illinois,  taking 
u])  their  abode  in  Ogle  county  about  1846.  The 
mother  died  in  that  county  May  23,  i8<;5.  and 
Mr.  Gordon  now  makes  his  home  with  Mr. 
Wilson.  He  was  born  in  Clearfield  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, November  13.  1828,  a  son  of  Patrick 
Gordon,  who  was  born  in  Ireland  of  Scotch 
parentage.  Patrick  Gordon  was  reared,  however, 
on  the  Emerald  isle  and  in  early  manhood  went 
to  England,  whence  he  afterwards  sailed  for 
.\merica.  While  living  in  Center  county.  Penn- 
sylvania, he  wedded  Eliza  Cook,  who  was  born 
in  Lancaster  county,  that  state,  and  subsequently 
they  established  their  home  in  Clearfield  county, 
where  Mr.  Gorilon  became  owner  of  one  hundred 
and  seven  acres  of  land,  making  that  ])lace  his 
residence  until  1846,  when  he  came  to  Illinois, 
settling  in  Monroe  townshijj.  Ogle  county.  That 
the  district  was  largely  wild  and  unimproved  is 
indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  entered  a  claim  from 
the  government  but  he  was  not  long  permitted 
to  enjoy  his  new  home  for  his  death  occurred 
in  Noveiuber  of  the  same  year.  His  widow, 
long  surviving  him,  passed  away  in  Oregon,  at 
an  advanced  age.  1  hey  were  the  parents  of  nine 
children,  and  with  one  e.xce])tion  all  reached  ma- 
ture years. 

William  C.  (Gordon  .s])eiit  the  days  of  his  boy- 
hood and  youth  in  the  county  of  his  nativity  and 
came  to  Illinois  with  his  parents,  making  the 
journey  by  team  and  canal  to'  Pittsburg  and 
thence  down  the  (~)hio  and  up  the  Mississippi 
rivers.  Following  his  arrival  in  the  state  he  be- 
gan earning  his  own  living  by  working  as  a  farm 
hand  by  the  month  and  was  thus  engaged  until 
1852,  when  attracted  by  the  discovery  of  gold 
in  California  he  made  the  journey,  crossing  the 
])lains  to  the  Pacific  coast,  accompanied  bv  James 
Kiddell.  They  left  Peru.  Illinois,  in  .\pril  of 
that  \ear  and  eventually  reached  their  destina- 
tion in  safety  although  the  journey  was  a  long, 
difficult  one.  The  only  white  jieople  living  Ix*- 
tween  the  Missouri  river  and  California  at  that 
time  were  missionaries  and  soldiers,  and  the  Mor- 
mons   who   has   established   their   colonv   at    Salt 


> 


r 

< 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


37z 


Lake  City.  Mr.  Gordon  was  employed  at  min- 
ing at  four  dollars  per  day  and  later  he  received 
seventy-five  dollars  per  month  and  his  board. 
He  remained  in  California  until  1854,  when  by 
way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  he  returned  to  his 
home  in  Illinois.  In  the  meantime  he  had  sent 
money  back  to  this  state  with  which  to  purchase 
the  interests  of  the  other  heirs  in  the  eighty 
acres  of  land  which  his  father  had  left  in  Ogle 
county.  He  continued  to  work  as  a  farm  hand, 
however,  until  1857,  when  he  liuilt  a  home  upon 
his  farm  and  took  up  his  abode  there,  residing 
upon  that  place  until  1864.  In  that  year  he  sold 
out  and  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land  in  Spring  twonship,  where  he  lived  for 
two  years.  Once  more  selling  his  farm,  he  pur- 
chased two  hundred  acres  lying  in  Ogle  county 
along  the  boundary  line  of  De  Kalb  county  and 
he  cultivated  that  place  until  1883.  when  he 
rented  it  and  purchased  seventy-nine  acres  in 
Guilford  township.  There  he  made  his  home 
until  1888  and  placed  many  improvements  upon 
that  property.  In  the  year  mentioned  he  placed 
his  son-in-law  in  charge  of  the  farm,  while  he 
moved  to  a  farm  in  Guilford  township,  com- 
prising twenty-eignt  and  a  half  acres  within  half 
a  mile  of  the  city  of  Rockford. 

In  1864,  Mr.  Gordon  was  married  to  Mary 
(  Foulk )  Steele,  a  native  of  Cumberland  county. 
Pennsylvania,  and  a  daughter  of  Peter  and  Susan 
(Schowalter)  Foulk,  natives  of  Bucks  county 
and  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania,  respectively. 
Her  parents  lived  in  Cumberland  county  for  some 
time  after  their  marriage  and  later  removed  to 
Perry  county,  whence  in  1851  they  came  to 
Illinois. 

Mr.  Foulk  followed  farming  in  Stephenson 
county  for  some  time  and  later  purchased  land 
between  Ogle  and  De  Kalb  counties.  He  next 
took  up  his  abode  in  Black  Hawk  county,  Iowa, 
where  he  carried  on  general  farming  for  a  number 
of  years,  after  which  he  lived  retired  in  Waterloo, 
Iowa,  until  his  death  in  1887.  His  wife  survived 
him  until  the  following  year.  Their  daughter 
Mary  first  became  the  wife  of  Cadwallader  Steele, 
who  died  in  1854,  leaving  a  son,  Frank  P.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Gordon  had  one  daughter,  Minnie  J., 
now  the  wife  of  N.  P.  Wilson.  They  also  lost 
three  children,  of  whom  one  died  in  infancy, 
Emma  at  the  age  of  three  years,  and  Ida  May 
when  she  was  seventeen  years  of  age.  Since  the 
death  of  his  wife  Mr.  Gordon  has  come  to  make 
his  home  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson,  with  whom 
he  now  resides. 

Mrs.  Wilson  was  married  in  Boone  county, 
Illinois,  and  by  her  marriage  has  become  the 
mother  of  seven  children:  John  \\'..  a  resident 
of  Rockford,  employed  in  the  Emerson  manu- 
facturing plant ;   Earl   C,    M.   Grace,   N.   Pearl, 


(den  G.,  Blanche  and  Rose,  all  at  home.  N.  P. 
Wilson  is  a  republican  and  he  belongs  to  the 
Central  Christian  church.  He  has  a  wide  and 
favorable  acquaintance  in  W'innebago  county, 
where  he  lias  now  lived  for  twenty  years  and  in 
his  business  affairs  he  has  met  with  gratifying- 
success. 


HENRY    L.    BAKER. 

Henry  L.  Baker,  deceased,  was  numbered 
among  the  early  settlers  of  Winnebago  county, 
becoming  a  resident  of  this  section  of  the  state 
in  1838,  at  which  time  his  father's  family  settled 
in  Owen  township.  He  was  born  in  Upper  Can- 
ada August  12,  1827,  and  was  a  son  of  Dr.  Dan- 
iel and  Nancy  (Reed)  Baker.  The  father  was 
born  in  the  state  of  New  York,  and  the  mother 
in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  and  after  their  mar- 
riage they  removed  to  Upper  Canada,  where  Mr. 
Baker  engaged  in  farming  until  1838.  He  then 
went  with  his  family  to  Winnebago  county,  set- 
tling on  a  farm  in  Owen  township,  on  wdiat  was 
known  as  the  old  Dr.  Baker  place.  He  was  a 
physician,  having  studied  medicine  in  the  east 
in  his  earlv  life,  and  became  one  of  the  first  prac- 
titioners in  this  county.  He  practicd  here  in 
Owen  township,  and  also  engaged  in  farming 
throughout  the  remainder  of  his  days.  He  died 
(in  the  old  homestead  farm  there  June  15,  1868. 
His  widow  afterward  removed  to  Rockford,  and 
spent  her  last  days  in  the  home  of  her  son  Henry, 
passing  away  January   19,   1874. 

Henry  L.  Baker  was  only  ten  years  old  when 
brought  by  his  father  to  this  county,  and  in  his 
youth  he  attended  the  district  schools  near  the 
home  farm.  He  was  ambitious  to  learn,  and  was 
always  at  the  head  of  his  class.  When  not  busy 
with  his  books,  he  assisted  his  father  in  the  work 
on  the  farm,  until  the  latter's  death,  after  which 
he  purchased  the  home  property  from  the  other 
heirs.  He  continued  to  reside  upon  the  farm 
until  his  health  failed,  and  he  was  an  enterpris- 
ing, practical  and  prosperous  agriculturist.  .\t 
length  he  retired  to  private  life,  removing  to  the 
city  of  Rockford  ^larch  7,  1873.  He  was  in 
hopes  that  his  health  might  be  benefited  by  his 
rest,  but  he  grew  gradually  worse,  and  passed 
away  on  the  nth  of  September,  1873. 

Mr.  Baker  was  married  in  Iowa  to  Miss  Cas- 
sandra Cottrell,  a  native  of  McLean  county,  Illi- 
nois, born  March  11,  1837.  Her  parents  were 
William  and  ]\Iargaret  (Ellington)  Cottrell. 
Her  father  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  her  mother 
of  Kentucky,  and  throughout  his  entire  life  he 
followed  farming.  He  removed  from  his  native 
state  to  Illinois,  and  afterward  to  Iowa,  finally 
settling  on  a  farm  in  Kansas,  where  both  he  and 


3-6 


I'AST     AND     PRESEXT     OF     WIWEBAGO     COUXTV. 


liis  wife  died.  .Mr.  and  .Mrs.  I'.aker  w  i.m\-  the 
parents  of  four  children:  Daniel  \\  ..  who 
wedded  Mary  S.  (jorhani.  and  is  a  carpenter,  re- 
sidinij  at  Xo.  120(>  I'arnielee  street,  in  Rockfonl: 
.Alice  is  the  wife  of  William  Jenks.  a  farmer  re- 
sidiiii^  near  Kuckford  :  Marietta  is  the  wife  of 
E.  L".  I'.easlcv.  of  Wisconsin:  and  William  H. 
married  (ieorg^ia  Countryman,  and  they  reside 
with  her  mother  in  Rockfonl.  .Mr.  Countryman 
iKinji  in  the  em])loy  of  Mart  &  I'a^e.  Tliey  have 
three  children.  Clyde,  (llenn  and  Marguerite. 

Mr.  I'.aker  was  interested  and  active  in  com- 
munity affairs,  and  his  fellow  townsmen,  rccog- 
nizinjj  his  worth  and  ability,  called  him  to  ])ublic 
office.  He  served  in  several  township  positions 
in  ( )wen  township,  and  was  a  stanch  rei)ul)lican 
in  |)olitics.  lie  helonged  to  the  .Masonic  fraternity 
in  Rtickford.  and  ho  and  his  family  attended  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He  was  a  man  re- 
liable in  business,  and  his  energy,  close  ap])lica- 
tion  and  strong  ])urpose  enabled  him  to  become 
a  prosperous  farmer,  and  one  wdiose  success  was 
well  merited.  His  death  was  deeply  regretted 
by  many  friends,  and  most  of  all  by  his  family, 
for  he  was  a  devoted  husband  and  father. 

Since  her  husband's  death  .Mrs.  I'.aker  has  sold 
the  farm,  which  C(jm])rised  one  hundred  and  fif- 
ty-eight acres  of  land,  and  purchased  her  present 
home  in  Rockford  at  Xo.  1440  lllaisdcll  street, 
where  she  resides  with  the  family  of  her  daugh- 
ter. She  e.xpccts  to  make  Rockford  her  ])erma- 
net  home,  and  she  is  well  and  favorably  known 
here. 


W  I 


[.    X.    (.ARRRTT 


Will  X.  (iarrett,  the  ])resent  assessor  oi  Ciuil- 
ford  township,  who  has  capably  served  in  other 
official  positions,  re])resents  one  of  the  old  and 
])rominent  pioneer  families  of  Winnebago  county. 
The  farm  which  he  owns  has  been  in  |)ossession 
of  the  family  since  it  was  entered  from  the  gov- 
ernment by  his  grandfather.  TlKjmas  ( iarrett, 
during  the  administration  of  John  Tyler  as  presi- 
dent of  the  L'nited  States  in  1841.  Thomas  dar- 
rett  was  tlie  first  shoemaker  of  Rockford  and  re- 
mained in  that  city,  working  at  his  trade  for 
about  two  years,  after  which  he  removed  to  the 
farm.  He  there  continued  to  follow^  shoemak- 
ing  to  Some  extent,  but  gave  much  of  his  atten- 
tion to  the  cultivation  and  improvement  of  his 
land,  developing  a  good  farm  projjcrty,  upon 
which  he  resided  up  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  June.  1873.  when  he  was  sev- 
enty-six years  of  age.  His  wife  was  Margaret 
Kervish.  who  died  in  I'ebruary.  i8-_v  They 
were  both  natives  of  the  Isle  of  Man,  and  they 
came  to  .-\merica  in  1827.  settling  first  at  I'aines- 
ville.   I  )bio.   where   they   lived   tmtil    18^8,    when 


tiiey  removed  to  j\(]ckf(ir(l.  and  .Mr.  ( iurrcU  thus 
became  identified  with  its  business  interests  as 
proprietor  of  its  first  shoe  shop.  I'oth  he  and 
his  wife  were  members  of  the  Methodist  church. 

Thomas  (iarrett.  father  of  our  subject,  was 
born  on  the  Isle  of  Man  in  1827,  and  was  there- 
fore an  infant  when  brought  by  his  parents  to 
the  new  world.  His  boyhood  and  youth  were 
passed  in  t  )hio  and  in  Winnebago  county,  and  in 
early  life  he  learned  the  trade  of  blacksmith  and 
wagon-maker  in  Rockford,  serving  his  appren- 
ticeship under  Henry  .Morton.  Later  he  worked 
for  the  firm  of  I'rink  &  Waller,  of  the  stage 
Company,  being  employed  by  them  for  several 
years  at  Rockford  as  an  e.x])ert  shoer  of  horses. 
Later  he  followed  his  trade  in  Xew  Milford  for 
eighteen  years  before  locating  on  his  farm  and 
his  last  years  were  sjjent  upon  the  old  home- 
stead, his  attention  being  given  to  agricultural 
pursuits.  He  dietl  here  January  19.  1900.  when 
about  seventy-three  years  of  age.  He  had  been 
married  in  ( )hio  on  the  6th  of  June.  1852,  to 
Miss  Mary  .\nn  Radcliffe,  who  was  born  in  Le- 
roy.  Lake  count\-.  ( )hio.  in  January.  1833.  her 
|)arents  being  Thomas  and  Mary  (  Kervish ) 
Radcliffe.  .She  was  reared  in  ( )hio  uj)  to  the- 
lime  of  her  marriage,  and  then  accompanied  iier 
husband  to  Rockford.  and  she  now  resides  ui)on 
tile  home  farm  with  her  son  Will,  who  is  an  (juK 
chil.l. 

Will  X.  (iarrett  was  reared  in  Milford  until 
1871,  when  his  parents  removed  to  a  farm  in 
(iuilford  townshi]3.  He  sup])lemenle(l  his  early 
educational  jirivileges  by  study  in  Rockford  llusi- 
ness  College  and  the  Commercial  liistitute  there, 
after  which  he  took  up  farming,  which  he  has 
Cfintinuously  followed  lo  the  present  time.  He 
was  marrieil  at  Cherry  X'alley,  on  .Xew  Year's 
day  of  1878.  to  Miss  Carrie  11.  Crosby,  who  w'as 
luirn  there  in  1861,  her  parents  being  Sidney  and 
Julia  (Daggett)  Crosby.  Her  mother  was  born 
at  Xewburg,  I'oone  county.  Illinois,  May  28, 
1840.  and  is  now  residing  in  Iherry  X'alley.  Her 
father  was  a  native  of  the  lvm])ire  state,  born 
near  Schenectady.  Xew  York,  in  1831.  and  com- 
ing thence  to  Xewburg,  IJoone  county,  Illinois, 
when  a  young  man.  He  was  a  car()enter  by  trade 
and  followed  that  ]>ursuit  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  Se]itember  13,  Kpi,  in  C'herrv  N'alley. 
where  he  resided  continuously  from  the  lime  of 
his  marriage.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crosby  were  the 
parents  of  six  children,  of  whom  Mary  died  in 
infancy  about  twenty-six  years  ago.  'The  others 
are  .\.  E.  Crosby,  who  is  living  in  norlhern  Xe- 
braska :  Mrs.  (iarrett:  l-llizabeth.  the  wife  of 
I'"  rank  ( iarrett.  of  Cherry  \alley  :  I  lenry  F.,  of 
.Sw^ift  county,  Minnesota:  and  (ieorge,  who  is 
living  with  bis  mother  in  Cherry  Valley.  The 
maternal  grand])arents  of  Mrs.  (iarrett  were  .\sa 
ami    I'.lizaluth    (llarnes)    Daggett,   who   went   to 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY, 


377 


Boone  county,  Illinois,  in  183(1,  where  AIv.  Dag- 
gett engaged  in  farming.  They  had  previously 
been  residents  of  Connecticut.  The  grandfather 
died  January  8,  1848,  at  the  age  of  fifty  years, 
while  liis  wife  died  Jnly  i.  1891.  at  the  age  of 
eighty-three  years. 

Air.  and  Airs,  darrett  have  become  the  par- 
ents of  four  children :  .Vlma  B.,  the  wife  of 
Thomas  Norton,  living  on  her  father's  farm,  and 
now  the  mother  of  two  children,  Gladys  and 
Dorothy,  both  l)orn  in  Rockford  ;  Thomas  A.,  at 
home ;  Julia,  who  died  Alarch  5,  1902,  at  the  age 
of  sixteen  years ;  and  Robert  E.,  who  died  Alarch 
13,  1897,  at  the  age  of  six  months.  Air.  Garrett 
is  a  member  of  the  local  county  and  state  granges 
and  is  secretary  of  the  county  grange.  He  also 
belongs  to  the  Alasonic  fraternity  at  Cherry  Val- 
ley, and  in  politics  is  a  stalwart  republican,  rec- 
ognized as  one  of  the  leaders  of  his  party  in  Win- 
nebago county.  He  has  for.  many  years  held  of- 
fice, serving  in  most  of  the  township  positions. 
He  was  township  clerk  for  several  years,  was 
justice  of  the  peace  for  twelve  years,  was  school 
director  for  tv\'elve  years,  and  has  recently  been 
elected  for  a  second  term  to  the  office  of  assessor. 
He  has  very  often  served  as  a  member  of  the 
election  board,  the  town  hall  being  located  on  his 
farm.  In  public  affairs  he  is  active,  and  his 
laljors  have  been  far-reaching  and  beneficial,  his 
devotion  to  the  general  good  being  above  ques- 
titin.  He  yet  resides  upon  the  old  family  home- 
stead, comprising  one  hundred  and  ten  acres  of 
land,  which  has  been  in  possession  of  the  family 
since  entered  from  the  governemnt  by  his  grand- 
father. 


JOHN   H.   DA\T^Y.  Jr. 

The  farming  interests  of  Winnebago  county 
find  a  worthy  representative  in  John  H.  Davey, 
Jr..  whn  is  successfully  carrving  on  general  ag'!- 
cultural  pursuits  on  section  31,  Rockford  town- 
ship. He  has  been  a  resident  of  the  county 
since  the  i8th  of  June,  1854,  coming  to  Illinois 
from  Canada,  to  which  country  he  had  removed 
from  England.  Fie  was  born  in  Cornwall.  Eng- 
land, September  18,  1846,  his  parents  being  John 
and  Sarah  (Wellington)  Davev.  both  of  whom 
spent  their  last  days  in  Rockford  township,  the 
father's  death  occurring  in  1896,  when  he  was 
seventy-six  years  of  age,  while  his  wife  passed 
away  in  1894,  when  seventy-four  years  of  age. 
John  Davey  worked  on  the  old  Galena  Railroad 
during  the  first  year  of  his  residence  in  Illinois, 
receiving  only  ninety  cents  per  day  for  his  serv- 
ices, and  during  the  succeeding  thirteen  years 
and  a  half  he  worked  in  the  Bartlett  flouring 
mill.  He  then  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land, 
now  owned  by  his  son,  ].  H.  Davey,  ]t..  and  to 


the  development  and  improvement  of  that  place 
he  devoted  his  energies  throughout  his  remain- 
ing days.  From  the  time  he  became  a  natural- 
ized American  citizen  he  gave  an  unfaltering 
support  to  the  republican  party,  and  warmly 
espoused  its  principles.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
commanded  the  esteem  of  all  who  knew  them, 
being  people  of  the  highest  respectabilit)'. 

John  H.  Davey,  Jr.,  their  only  child,  was  a 
young  lad  in  his  eighth  year  when  brought  by 
liis  parents  to  Winnebago  comity.  He  began 
his  education  in  the  schools  of  England,  but.  wa; 
mostly  educated  on  the  east  side  of  Rockford, 
being  a  student  under  Professor  Freeman.  He 
always  remained  with  his  parents  upon  the  old 
homestead  farm,  rendering  to  his  father  in  his 
boyhood  days  such  assistance  as  his  age  and 
strength  permitted.  Later  he  performed  a  man's 
full  duty  upon  the  place,  and  he  has  since  con- 
tinued the  operation  of  the  farm,  which  com- 
prises at  present  one  hundred  and  thirty-five 
acres  of  finely  improved  land.  All  of  the  pres- 
ent buildings  have  been  erected  by  him,  and  he 
has  made  many  other  substantial  improvements, 
including  the  building  of  fences,  the  careful  cul- 
tivation of  his  fields  and  the  use  of  the  best 
machinery  in  the  care  of  his  crops. 

Air.  Davey  was  married  in  this  county  to  A'liss 
Elizabeth  Berridge,  who  was  born  in  Williams 
county,  Ohio,  in  1848,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
Charles  and  Harriet  (Ager)  Berridge,  but  the 
latter  died  during  the  early  girlhood  of  Airs. 
Davey.  The  Berridge  family  were  from  Bed- 
fordshire, England,  and  located  first  in  the  state 
of  New  York,  whence  they  removed  to  Williams 
county.  (Jhio,  subsequently  becoming  residents  of 
La  Grange  county,  Indiana,  where  the  father  of 
Mrs.  Davey  died.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion and  the  old  homestead  is  still  in  possession 
of  the  family.  There  were  six  children,  but  only 
three  are  living:  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  our  sub- 
ject; Charles,  of  La  Grange  county,  Indiana, 
and  Airs.  Alary  Arver,  of  Steuben  county,  Indi- 
ana. Tliose  who  have  passed  away  are  Airs.  Jane 
Notstine,  who  died  in  the  spring  of  1905,  and 
Henry  and  Simon,  who  died  in  Indiana.  Airs. 
Davey  came  to  Rockford  on  a  visit  in  1869,  and 
three  years  later  was  married.  Two  children 
have  blessed  this  union :  S.  J.,  who  at  the  age 
of  twenty-five  years  conducts  the  home  farm, 
and  Florence  P.,  who  is  nineteen  years  of  age, 
and  is  yet  with  her  parents. 

In  politics  Air.  Davey  is  an  earnest  repub- 
lican, but  has  little  aspiration  for  office,  having 
refused  to  accept  various  positions  of  trust  and 
honor,  which  would  have  been  conferred  upon 
him  had  he  consented.  He  has,  however,  served 
for  the  past  sixteen  years  as  trustee  of  New  A'lil- 
ford  township,  and  in  this  regard  has  done  much 
for   the   material    improvement    of    the    county, 


3/8 


PAST     AXD    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


favoring  progressive  measures  al  all  times,  and 
doing  mucli  for  the  schools,  the  public  highways 
and  all  improvements  that  tend  to  promote  the 
general  welfare,  lie  and  his  wife  and  children 
are  devnted  and  loyal  members  of  the  Centennial 
Methodist  Ei)iscopal  ciuirch  of  Uockford. 


IvDWWRD  J.    IIOFI'.M.W. 

Edward  J.  Hoffman,  deceased,  was  one  of 
the  large  manufacturers  of  Rockford.  He  w-as 
prominent  among  the  business  men  of  the  city. 
where  for  a  long  period  lie  was  closely  identi- 
fied with  the  history  of  commercial  jjrosperity 
here  as  a  representative  of  one  of  its  most  im- 
portant business  interests.  He  was  a  man  of 
keen  discernnient  and  sound  judgment  and  his 
executive  ability  and  excellent  management 
brought  to  the  concern  with  which  he  was  con- 
nected a  large  degree  of  success.  As  the  presi- 
dent and  treasurer  of  the  Rockford  Frame  and 
Fixture  Company  and  also  as  the  president  and 
treasurer  of  the  Cream  City  Mirror  Plate  Com- 
pany his  name  was  known  far  beyond  the  limits 
of  this  county  and  was  an  honored  one  on  com- 
mercial paper. 

A  native  of  Prooklyn.  .\ew  York,  Mr.  Hoff- 
man was  born  January  15.  1863,  a  son  of  Joseph 
and  Catherine  Hoffman.  The  father  was  an 
engineer,  and  was  killed  in  a  railroad  accident 
when  his  son,  Edward  J.,  was  only  four  years 
of  age.  The  mother  died  in  Philadelphia,  I'enn- 
sylvania.  in  1904.  Following  his  father's  death 
Edward  J.  Hoffman  went  to  live  with  an  aunt 
who  resided  near  Pirooklyn,  Xew  York,  and 
there  he  attended  the  public  schools  and  also 
studied  at  nights,  thus  acquiring  a  good  educa- 
tion. When  nineteen  years  of  age  he  went  to 
Boston.  Massachusetts,  where  he  secured  a  po- 
sition in  the  glass  department  of  a  lantern  fac- 
tory, being  there  employed  for  some  time.  He 
afterward  olitained  a  situation  in  lioston  as  a 
beveler  and  smoother  in  a  inirnjr  factory,  and 
became  an  expert  in  that  line.  His  efficiency  and 
ability  were  so  pronounced  that  he  was  pro- 
niotefl  to  the  position  of  foreman  in  the  factory 
at  the  age  oi  twenty-one.  but  when  he  had  acted 
in  that  ca|)acity  for  a  brief  ])eriod  lie  decided 
to  try  iiis  fortune  in  the  west,  and  made  his  way 
to  Chicago,  wliere  he  was  em])loyed  in  flifferent 
mirror  works  for  a  few  years,  becoming  one 
of  the  most  ex])erienced  and  capable  rejjresent- 
atives  of  the  tra<le.  He  afterward  removed  to 
Milwaukee  Wisconsin,  where  he  began  business 
on  his  own  account  by  the  establishment  of  a 
small  factory  for  the  mamifaclure  of  mirrors. 
In  this  enter])rise  he  was  associated  with  Henry 
Rich   ancl    John   ( letzingor  and   tlu'\'   (.ii'j.ii^ed   in 


the  business  for  a  few  years.  It  was  then  that 
P.  .\.  Peterson  and  H.  H.  Robinson,  of  Rock- 
ford, were  desirous  of  securing  the  services  of 
some  one  in  Rockford  to  take  charge  of  the 
Rockford  Mirror  Plate  Works,  and  Mr.  Hoff- 
man and  Mr.  Getzinger  were  offered  the  ])osi- 
tions.  .Vccepting  the  jjroiiosition  made  them 
they  came  to  Rockford  and  brought  with  them 
several  of  their  best  workmen  and  through  the 
joint  efforts  of  these  men  the  Rockford  I'rame 
and  Fixture  Com])any  was  organized  as  well  as 
the  Cream  City  Mirror  l^late  C()mi)any.  of  both 
of  which  Mr.  IIofTman  was  made  i)resident.  The 
business  increased  rapidly  from  the  beginning, 
and  soon  the  old  plant  was  sold  and  a  new  one 
erected.  In  1898  Mr.  Hoffman  ])urchased  the 
interest  of  his  partner,  Mr.  Getzinger,  with 
whom  he  had  been  associated  up  to  that  time, 
after  which  he  became  president  and  treasurer 
of  both  com])anies,  and  so  continued  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death.  The  plant  is  a  very  extensive 
one  and  an  anne.x  has  recently  been  built.  It  is 
located  at  the  corner  of  Fourteenth  avenue  and 
Twenty-second  street,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
extensive  and  important  industrial  concerns  of 
the  city.  I-",m])loymenl  is  furnished  to  several 
Inmdred  operators  in  the  factory,  together  with 
ni,in\  office  employes  and  traveling  salesman. 
Since  the  death  of  Mr.  Hoft'man  his  widow  has 
succeeded  him  in  the  presidency  of  the  two  con- 
cerns, while  J.  .\.  Carlstrom  is  treasurer  and 
general  manager.  Frank  Carlston  assistant  man- 
ager and  .\.  Erickson  shi|)ping  clerk.  l)is]ilay 
rooms  are  maintained  by  the  company  in  Xew 
York  city.  Chicago  and  Grand  Rapids,  Mich- 
igan, and  the  output  of  the  factory  is  shipped 
from  coast  to  coast  and  also  to  European  mar- 
kets. They  manufacture  all  kinds  of  ornamental 
furniture,  and  a  glance  at  their  catalogue,  or 
better  still,  a  visit  to  their  warerooms  shows 
that  the  company  are  producers  of  some  of  the 
finest  goods  in  their  line  in  the  country. 

Mr.  Hoffman  was  not  only  a  manufacturer, 
but  was  also  an  inventor,  and  gave  to  the  world 
the  finest  glass  polishing  machine  ever  made. 
.\fter  perfecting  his  invention  he  had  the  ma- 
chine manufactured,  and  it  is  now  in  u.se  in  the 
Rockford  factory  and  in  the  factory  in  Milwau- 
kee, Wisconsin.  It  was  this  invention  which 
gave  Mr.  Hoffman  his  start  in  life,  as  he  was 
very  successful  with  it  and  realized  a  handsome 
])rofil   u])on  the  work. 

Edward  J.  Hoffman  was  fir.st  marrieil  to 
l,izzie  Mitcliel  in  Xew  York  city,  and  they  had 
three  children :  Louis  E.,  who  is  now  attending 
St.  Mary's  .Academy,  at  St.  Mary's.  Kansas : 
fTenry  O.  and  Catherine  E.,  at  home.  For  his 
second  wife.  Mr.  Iloft'man  married  Miss  .\nna 
G.  Leber,  a  native  of  Xew  York  city,  and  a 
daughter    of    William    and    .\nna    Leber.      Her 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY, 


381 


father  removed  to  the  west  in  1879  and  now  re- 
sides in  Rockford.  where  he  is  occupying  a  good 
position  with  the  Cream  City  Mirrow  Plate 
Company.  He  and  his  wife  reside  at  No.  523 
East  street.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hoffman  were 
born  two  children :  Margaret  G.  and  Marion  V., 
both  with  their  mother. 

In  1902  Mr.  Hotfman  met  with  an  accident  in 
the  breaking  of  the  fork  of  his  bicycle,  from 
which  he  was  rendered  unconscious,  and  from 
which  he  never  recovered.  He  was  ill  for  a 
year  and  a  half,  and  received  the  best  medical 
treatment  in  the  west,  after  which  he  was  taken 
to  the  Geneva  Sanitarium  at  Geneva,  Illinois. 
While  there  he  grew  rapidly  worse,  and  died 
on  the  14th  of  February,  1904.  Thus  was  ended 
a  life  of  intense  usefulness.  In  politics  he  was 
a  republican,  and  was  a  prominent  member  of 
the  Knights  of  Columbus  of  Rockford.  He 
alwavs  took  a  great  interest  in  church  work,  be- 
ing a  devout  Catholic,  and  both  he  and  his  wife 
were  members  of  St.  James  Catholic  church. 
He  also  held  membership  in  Germania  Society 
of  Rockford,  and  in  his  family  he  was  a  most 
devoted  husband  and  father,  his  interest  center- 
ing at  his  own  fireside.  He  stood  as  one  of  the 
most  prominent  citizens  of  Rockford,  having  in- 
stituted one  of  its  most  modern  industrial  enter- 
prises. The  safe,  conservative  policy  which  he 
inaugurated  commended  itself  to  the  judgment 
of  all,  and  secured  to  the  company  a  patronage 
which  makes  the  volume  of  trade  transacted  over 
its  counters  of  great  importance  and  magnitude. 
The  prosperity  of  the  company  is  certainly  due 
in  a  large  measure  to  Air.  Hoffman,  who  planned 
the  business  methods,  along  which  the  enterprise 
is  still  conducted.  It  has  been  truthfully  said 
that  the  man  who  pays  each  week  over  his  coun- 
ters a  large  force  of  employes  does  more  for  his 
country  than  he  who  leads  armed  forces  forth  to 
battle.  This  was  what  Mr.  Hoffman  did,  fur- 
nishing employment  to  many  workmen,  and  thus 
contributing  in  substantial  measure  to  the  com- 
mercial activity  and  prosperity  of  his  adopted 
city.  He  was  alert  and  enterprising,  and  was, 
moreover,  notably  prompt  and  reliable,  and  his 
business  career  was  such  as  any  man  might  be 
proud  to  possess,  awakening  the  admiration  of 
his  associates  and  of  the  general  puljlic. 


JOHN  S.  PARKER. 

John  S.  Parker,  a  practical  and  enterprising 
farmer,  living  on  section  28,  Harlem  township, 
is  a  native  of  New  York,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  A'ienna,  Oneida  county.  December  10, 
1 83 1.  His  father.  Linns  Parker,  was  born  in 
Litchfield,  Connecticut,  in  July,   1790,  and  when 


a  young  man  removed  to  New  York,  settling  in 
Oneida  county  when  it  was  a  wild  and  unim- 
proved region,  in  which  many  Indians  still 
resided,  while  wild  beasts  roamed  in  the  forests. 
In  March,  1853,  he  came  to  Winnebago  county, 
Illinois,  where  his  remaining  days  were  passed, 
his  death  occurring  at  the  old  homestead  on  the 
26th  of  November,  1876.  His  wife,  who  was 
born  in  Clinton,  New  York,  April  17,  1799,  died 
in  Vienna,  Oneida  county,  New  \''ork,  Februarv 
6,  1842.  Their  children  were:  Whitman  Par- 
ker, who  died  in  1839;  Herbert  R.,  of  Rockford, 
who  was  born  in  May,  1834,  and  is  married  and 
has  a  son  and  four  daughters,  and  John  .S..  of 
this  review. 

The  last  named  spent  the  days  of  his  minor- 
ity in  his  native  county,  and  in  his  youth  acquired 
a  public-school  education  and  worked  upon  the 
farm.  In  April,  1853,  he  left  Oneida  county  and 
traveled  to  Buft'alo  by  way  of  the  Erie  canal. 
There  he  took  passage  on  a  steamer  which  car- 
ried him  to  Chicago,  and  he  landed  on  the  2d 
of  May,  1853.  The  journey  from  Chicago  to 
Rockford  was  made  by  rail  over  the  Chicago  & 
Galena  road,  Rockford  being  then  the  terminus 
of  the  line.  He  came  to  Harlem  township  where 
his  family  had  preceded  him  by  a  few  months, 
and  purchased  the  farm  where  he  now  lives.  He 
has  since  made  his  home  in  this  locality,  and  is 
accounted  one  of  the  successful  agriculturists  of 
his  communit^^  Upon  his  farm  stands  an  old 
building  that  was  known  as  the  Buckhorn  Tav- 
ern in  very  early  days,  having  been  built  eightv- 
five  years  ago.  There  have  lived  upon  the  place 
six  generations  of  ]\Irs.   Parker's  family. 

On  the  1 2th  of  December,  1866,  John  S.  Par- 
ker was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna  Bar- 
tholomew, of  Harlem  township,  a  daughter  of 
Edwin  and  Lemira  (Wilder)  Bartholomew,  who 
were  pioneer  settlers  of  the  community.  The 
father  was  born  in  the  state  of  New  York,  Sep- 
tember 16,  1821,  and  died  in  }ilay,  1853,  while 
the  mother,  who  was  born  in  Jericho,  A'ermont, 
August  14,  1826,  died  in  June,  1848.  Mr.  Bar- 
tholomew made  an  overland  trip  to  California 
at  the  time  gold  was  discovered  on  the  Pacific 
coast,  and  returned  in  the  same  way  after  a  year 
spent  there.  In  1839  he  had  sailed  around  the 
world  on  a  whaling  ship  that  left  the  harbor  of 
New  Bedford,  ]\Iassachusetts.  Mrs.  Parker  was 
born  July  20,  1846,  in  Harlem  township,  and  by 
her  marriage  has  become  the  mother  of  the  fol- 
lowing named:  James  W.,  born  January  31, 
1866.  married  Lula  .\.  Fowler,  of  Lena,  Illinois, 
and  is  living  in  Roscoe.  They  have  one  daugh- 
ter, Welthy  Louisa,  born  June  7,  1868,  is  at 
home.  Eben  S.  Parker,  born  September  19, 
1877,  is  living  with  his  parents.  John  R..  born 
January  31.  1875,  died  August  14,  1889.  Charles 
H..  born  September  5.  1887.  is  also  at  home. 


.?82 


TASr     AXn     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


Mr.  and  .\lr.s.  I'arkcr  arc  well  known  in  ll 
locality  where  they  re.^ide.  and  have  a  large  cir- 
cle of  warm  friends.  I  le  ha.s  always  carried  on 
general  agricullnral  jjursuits.  and  while  there 
have  been  no  exciting  chapters  in  his  life  rec- 
ord his  history  yet  displays  many  sterling  char- 
acteristics that  have  won  him  commendation  and 
respect.  In  jjolitics  he  has  always  been  a  demo- 
crat, and  served  for  ten  years  as  township  asses- 
sor, for  one  year  as  collector,  and  for  several 
terms  as  school  director.  He  and  his  family 
attend  the  services  of  the  Methodist  l'"i)iscopal 
chnrch  at    I  larlem. 


KdlU-KT  (n.INFR. 


Robert  Oliver,  at  one  time  sheriff  of  Winne- 
bago county,  and  now  living  retired  at  (k^t. 
North  Avon  street,  after  active  comiectioTi  with 
agricultural  interests  in  Harrison  townshi]i,  was 
born  July  4.  1838,  in  County  Down.  Ireland,  a 
son  of  Adam  and  Mary  ( )liver.  His  father  was 
a  fisherman  and  boat-builder,  and  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1848  with  his  famil\ ,  establishing  his 
home  near  Rochester,  New  York,  .\fter  coming 
to  this  coinitry  he  engaged  in  farming  on  a  small 
scale.  In  his  family  were  five  sons  and  fov.r 
daughters,  of  whom  two  son.^  and  three  daugii- 
ters  are  yet  living:  James,  who  is  a  weallliy 
farmer  of  Harrison  township,  Winnebago  coun- 
ty, owning  between  three  and  iour  hundred 
acres  of  valuable  land :  Robert,  of  this  reviijw  . 
Marv  Jane,  the  wife  of  James  Gilmore,  of  Rock- 
ford  :  Martha,  who  is  the  widow  of  \\'illiam  Mil- 
ler, and  resides  in  South  Dakota ;  and  Eliza,  the 
wife  of  T.  W.  Allen,  also  living  in  South  Da- 
kota. The  jiarents.  removing  from  New  York 
to  Illinois,  both  died  in  Harrison  township,  this 
county. 

Robert  (  )liver  was  only  eleven  years  of  age 
when,  with  his  ])arents.  he  came  to  the  I'nited 
.States,  antl  he  lived  in  the  vicinity  of  Rochester. 
New  York,  until  he  had  attained  his  majority, 
jjursning  his  education  in  the  jjublic  schools  of 
that  city.  In  i860  lie  came  with  the  family  to 
Winnebago  county,  and  on  the  <>th  of  Septem- 
ber of  the  following  year  in  response  to  his 
Cfumtry's  call  he  enlisted  as  a  member  of  Com- 
])any  C,  Fift\-tifth  Illinois  X'olnnteer  Infantry, 
which  company  carried  the  cr)lors  of  the  regi- 
ment. His  commanrl  was  assigned  to  the  I-'irst 
P.rigadc,  Second  Division,  I'ifteenth  Armv 
(."orps,  .\rmy  of  the  Teiuiessee.  At  its  organiza- 
tion he  was  made  corporal,  was  ])rr>moted  to 
sergeant  May  I.  i8f>2:  first  sergeant,  .'^e])tember 
I,  1862;  next  lieutenant  to  rank  from  .Novem- 
ber 26,  18^^(2.  and  after  veteranizing  was  commis- 
sioned captain  on  the  iith  of  August,  1864.     Me 


lewas  slightly  wuunded  at  Siiiloh  and  was  seriously 
injured  in  the  right  shoulder  at  I'.entonville. 
North  (,'art)lina,  March  20.  1865,  and  later  was 
mustered  out  with  his  regiment.  lie  |)artici- 
])ated  in  thirty-two  battles,  and  was  for  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-seven  days  under  fire.  The 
regiment  went  out  with  nine  hundred  and  eighty- 
seven  men  and  officers,  was  furnished  with  one 
hundred  and  eighty-five  recruits  while  in  the 
south,  and  came  home  with  only  two  hundred 
and  thirty-nine  members.  Those  who  read  be- 
tween the  lines  will  gain  a  story  of  hardships 
in  battle  and  of  uian\'  difficulties  and  privations 
borne  until  the  ranks  were  so  greatly  dissemi- 
nated that  there  were  scarcely  more  than  enough 
men  to  make  up  two  companies.  The  I'ifty-fifth 
Illinois  Regiment  marched  thirty-three  hundred 
and  forty  miles,  traveled  by  rail  twenty-eight 
hundred  and  seventy-five  miles  and  by  water 
fifty-eight  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  Captain  Oliver 
was  in  the  battles  of  Shiloh,  Russell  House,  the 
siege  of  Corinth.  Chickasaw  liayou.  Arkansas 
Post,  Snyder's  P)lufF,  Champion  Hill,  \'icksi)urg. 
Jackson,  Mississippi:  Tuscumbia,  Alabama: 
Mission  Ridge,  Kenesaw  ?iIountain,  Atlanta, 
Jonesboro.  the  march  to  the  sea.  Fort  Mc.M- 
hster.  Savannah,  South  F.disto  river,  Charleston, 
Columbia  and  Ijcntonville,  and  was  present  at 
the  surrender  of  ( iencral  Johnston.  He  was 
mustered  out  at  Little  Rock,  .\rkansas,  August 
14,  18^)5.  and  was  finally  discharged  at  Chicago, 
on  the  24th  of  August,   1865. 

luillowing  the  close  of  the  war  Captain  Ol- 
iver came  to  Rockford,  and  in  three  days  began 
feeding  a  tjireshing  machine,  working  on  the 
machine  until  fall,  while  the  following  spring 
he  began  farming.  He  rented  land  in  Harrison 
townshi]!  for  three  years,  after  which  his  father- 
in-law  ]iurchased  one  hundred  and  twenty-two 
acres,  selling  it  to  Captain  ( )liver  on  time.  He 
also  began  buying  other  land,  adding  to  his 
pro])ert\'  until  he  became  the  owner  of  about 
four  hundred  acres.  lie  contimied  his  active 
farming  operations  until  i8()i.  meeting  with 
sjilendid  success  in  his  undertakings,  and  then 
renting  his  land  he  removed  to  Rockford.  where 
he  has  since  resided.  He  now  owns  a  fine  home 
at  No.  603  North  Avon  street,  together  with  two 
hundred  and  thirty-three  acres  of  fine  land,  well 
im])roved,  in  Harrison  towushi]i  and  one  Inm- 
<lre(l  and  sixty  acres  of  good  land  in  North  D;i- 
kota. 

On  the  2rnh  of  March.  1866.  Captain  ( )liver 
was  married  to  Miss  Jane  .Atkinson,  of  Harrison 
township,  who  was  born  in  1840,  and  is  a  daugh- 
ter of  William  Atkinson,  who  died  in  1<)03,  at 
the  very  venerable  age  of  ninety-one  years.  He 
had  served  as  su])ervisor  of  Harrison  township 
for  seventeen  consecutive  years,  and  was  a  very 
prominent,  influential  citizen,  true  to  every  tnist 


ROBERT  OLIVER. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


38s 


reposed  in  him  and  active  and  prosperous  in  his 
business  career.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ohver  became 
the  parents  of  three  sons  and  a  daughter:  Wil- 
liam G.,  born  May  26,  1868,  who  married  Ida 
Higginbotom,  and  is  a  farmer  residing  in  North 
Dakota;  Robert  C.,  born  October  7,  1870,  who 
married  Pearl  Lilly,  and  lives  in  North  Da- 
kota;  Guy  T.,  born  September  26,  1873,  who 
married  Floy  Shepherdson,  and,  like  the  others 
of  the  family,  makes  his  home  near  McClusky, 
North  Dakota;  and  Irma  C,  born  April  10,  1881, 
the  wife  of  S.  H.  Ijuchanan,  of  Rockford.  Illi- 
nois. 

Captain  (Jliver  is  a  stalwart  republican,  in- 
terested in  his  party  and  its  welfare,  and  he  has 
been  called  to  a  number  of  public  positions  of 
honor  and  trust.  He  served  as  supervisor  of 
Harrison  township  for  four  years,  as  assessor 
for  eleven  years,  and  in  Rockford  has  been  road 
commissioner  of  his  township  for  four  years, 
occupying  the  position  at  the  present  time.  In 
1894  he  was  elected  sheriflf  of  the  county,  and 
filled  that  position  for  four  years,  discharging  his 
duties  without  fear  or  favor.  He  is  a  member 
of  Nevius  post.  No.  i.  G.  A.  R..  of  Rockford.  and 
also  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  camp  and  the 
Masonic  lodge.  All  he  possesses  has  been  ac- 
quired through  his  own  efforts,  and  his  life  his- 
tory stands  in  splendid  exemplification  of  what 
can  be  accomplished  when  one  has  the  will  to 
dare  and  to  do.  He  found,  as  others  may,  that 
earnest  labor  is  the  basis  of  prosperity,  and  is 
the  only  means  whereby  honorable  success  can 
be  attained.  He  is  highly  esteemed  in  his  com- 
munity, enjoying  in  full  measure  the  good  will 
of  those  with  whom  he  has  been  associated. 


EMANT'EL  STOVER. 

Emanuel  Stover,  deceased,  was  never  a  resi- 
dent of  Rockford  or  Winnebago  counties  yet 
had  many  friends  and  acquaintances  here  because 
his  home  was  always  in  neighboring  towns  and 
his  family  have  resided  in  Rockford  since  i8gi. 
He  was  born  in  Franklin  county.  Pennsylvania, 
xA.pril  7,  1828,  his  parents  being  Jacob  P.  and 
Elizabeth  ( Emmert )  Stover.  The  father  was  a 
native  of  Franklin  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  the 
mother's  birth  occurred  in  Washington  county. 
Maryland.  He  remained  during  the  greater  part 
of  his  life  in  the  place  of  his  nativity,  and 
always  devoted  his  time  and  energies  to  farm- 
ing. Both  he  and  his  wife  have  now  passed 
away.  They  were  the  parents  of  eleven  children, 
but  only  three  are  now  living,  namely:  Daniel. 
a  retired  manufacturer  residing  in  Freeport. 
Illinois  ;  Mitchell,  who  owns  a  large  fruit  farm 
in  Alaliama.  where  he  makes  his  home ;  and  Mrs. 
Alargaret  Middlekauf,  a  resident  of  Lyons, 
Kansas. 


Emanuel  Stover  olstained  his  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  his  native  county  and  assisted 
in  the  work  of  the  home  farm  during  the  period 
of  his  boyhood  and  youth.  When  he  became 
of  age  his  father  gave  him  a  farm  in  Carroll 
comity,  Illinois,  and  he  took  up  his  abode  thereon. 
Not  long  afterward  he  sought  a  companion  and 
helpmate  fc.ir  life's  journey,  and  was  married 
there  to  Miss  Sarah  I.  Moffitt,  who  was  born 
in  Carroll  county,  being  one  of  the  first  white 
children  born  there.  Her  parents  were  Garner 
and  Alary  J.  (Davis)  Moffitt,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Virginia.  Her  father  cast  in  his  lot 
with  the  first  settlers  of  Carroll  county,  where 
he  was  engaged  in  farming  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  when  he  was  forty-nine  years 
of  age.  His  wife,  long  surviving  him,  died  at 
the  advanced  age  of  eighty-two  years.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Stover  had  a  family  of  four  children ;  Car- 
rie Elizabeth,  who  died  at  the  age  of  four  years 
and  six  months  :  Robert,  who  married  Edith  Hull, 
and  resides  in  Warren,  Ohio,  where  he  is  super- 
intendent of  a  machine  shop ;  Porter,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  eighteen  months ;  and  Frank  G.. 
who  married  Annie  Draper  and  was  a  prominent 
dentist  of  Rockford  for  a  number  of  years,  but 
has  recently  removed  to  Jonesboro,  Arkansas, 
where  he  is  now  engaged  in  practice. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Stover  removed 
to  Freeport,  Illinois,  where  with  his  brother  Dan- 
iel, he  engaged  in  manufacturing  machinery  of 
all  kinds,  and  they  continued  business  there  for 
many  years.  In  fact  Daniel  is  still  interested  in 
the  enterprise.  It  was  during  that  time  that  Mr. 
Stover  was  elected  a  member  of  the  thirty-fifth 
general  assembly  of  Illinois,  serving  in  the  lower 
house  of  the  state  legislature  for  two  years.  He 
proved  so  capable  an  official  that  he  was  re- 
elected for  a  second  term  of  two  years,  and  he 
left  the  impress  of  his  individuality  upon  the  leg- 
islation enacted  while  he  was  a  member  of  the 
assembly.  He  afterward  removed  to  Lanark, 
Illinois,  where  he  organized  a  life  insurance  com- 
pany, and  toward  the  close  of  the  war  in  1864 
he  became  a  member  of  the  Union  army,  enlist- 
ing as  second  lieutenant  of  Company  B,  Seventy- 
first  Illinois  Infantry.  He  served  for  six  months 
but  was  ill  in  the  hospital  much  of  that  time,  and 
was  discharged  in  Chicago  in  1865.  He  then 
returned  to  Lanark,  Illlinois.  where  he  again  took 
up  the  life  insurance  business  in  which  he  con- 
tinued up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  He  passed 
way  April  24,  1890,  at  the  age  of  sixty-two 
years  and  seventeen  days.  In  politics  he  was  a 
republican,  and  while  he  never  sought  office  in 
the  way  most  politicians  do,  he  was  ever  loyal 
to  the  interests  of  his  party,  and  when  honored 
with  ])olitical  preferment  was  ever  true  to  his 
duty.  He  belonged  to  the  Modern  Woodmen, 
also  the  Workmen   lodge,   and   the   Independent 


386 


PAST    AXD     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


Order  of  Odd  I'Vllows.  all  of  [.aiiark,  Illinois. 
He  was  likewise  a  nicniber  of  the  Christian 
cluirch  of  Lanark,  and  was  a  man  of  benevo- 
lent, kindly  spirit,  who  ever  jjave  a  helping'  hand 
to  the  poor,  lie  had  fjreat  sympathy  for  the  nn- 
fortnnate  in  distress  and  did  whatever  he  could 
to  promote  the  comfort  and  hai)])iness  of  his  fel- 
lowmen.  In  his  home.  t<x).  he  (Iis])layed  the  ijen- 
tle  and  atTcctionate  side  of  his  nature,  and  lie 
was  uniformly  a  favorite  amonj,'  his  many  friends 
and  ac(|naintances.  His  death  carries  to  his  fam- 
ily the  comfort  that  lie  leaves  behind  him  an 
imlarnished  name  and  the  record  of  a  career  in 
which  they  can  take  unalloyed  satisfaction.  In 
1891  Mrs.  Stover  sold  her  ])roperty  in  Lanark 
and  removed  to  Rockford.  now  residing:  at  \o. 
713  Elm  street.  She  is  a  very  consistent  member 
of  the  Central  Christian  church,  and  takes  an 
active  and  helpful  part  in  its  work. 


THOMAS  A.  DEXXRV. 

Thomas  A.  Denney.  whose  history  is  that  of  a 
self-made  man,  risiiifj  from  a  humble  financial 
position  to  one  of  affluence  thronj;!}  well  directed 
aTid  earnest  effort,  is  now  living  in  ( )wen  town- 
ship. He  was  born  on  the  ist  of  Aujjust.  1834.  in 
Janesville.  Rock  county,  Wisconsin.  His  parents 
were  Aaron  and  Jane  (Mains)  Denney.  The 
father  was  born  in  r.clfast,  Ireland,  in  181 1.  and 
was  of  Scoth  parentage.  In  1847  he  crossed  the 
Atlantic  to  .Vmerica,  attracted  by  the  improved 
business  opportunities  of  the  United  States. 
Landing  in  New  York  city,  he  there  remained 
for  about  five  or  six  years,  after  which  he 
made  his  way  westward  to  Wisconsin,  settling  in 
Janesville,  where  he  resided  for  a  year.  He  then 
removed  to  Dane  county,  where  he  entered  eighty 
acres  of  land,  upon  which  he  erected  a  log  house. 
The  land  office  at  that  time  was  at  Mineral  Point. 
He  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  his  locality 
and  exjierienced  all  of  the  liardships  and  ]iriva- 
tions  of  pioneer  life,  but  through  determined  ]>ur- 
pose  overcame  these  and  in  due  course  of  time 
securefl  the  comforts  known  to  a  more  advanced 
civilization.  As  he  ]iros|)ered  in  his  business  af- 
fairs he  extended  the  boundaries  of  his  farm  until 
he  had  two  hun<lred  acres  of  rich  and  productive 
laufl,  and  in  the  '7ns  he  erected  thereon  a  com- 
modious and  substantial  residence  tr»  replace  liis 
pioneer  home.  He  had  taught  school  in  the  early 
days  in  the  winter  montlis  and  made  grnid  use  of 
every  opportunity  to  provide  for  his  family.  He 
Acted  as  town  clerk  for  twenty-one  years  and  was 
township  superintendent  of  schools  for  a  long 
period.  In  the  early  days  the  townships  were  ver\- 
large,  but  he  assisted  in  dividing  them,  and  he 
tof>k  an  active  and  heljiful  part  in  many  matters 


of  progress  ami  improvement  in  his  locality.  Mr. 
Deimcy  gained  more  than  local  reputation  as  a 
writer  and  was  always  a  great  reader.  kee])ing 
in  touch  with  the  trend  of  modern  thought  and 
also  becoming  familiar  with  many  of  the  lx?st 
works  of  literature.  When  a  boy  he  committed 
to  memory  ])oems  which  he  never  forgot  through- 
out his  entire  life.  His  political  allegiance  was 
given  to  the  democracy  and  he  advocated  the  prin- 
ciples ])ronnilgated  by  Jefferson.  He  died  June 
iS.  i8i)j5,  at  his  home  in  Dane  county,  Wiscon- 
sin, and  thus  passed  away  one  of  the  most  honored 
and  respected  pioneer  residents  of  that  portion  of 
the  state.  His  widow,  who  was  Ixirn  in  181 7, 
is  .still  living  and  now  makes  her  home  with  her 
son  Thomas,  who  is  the  elder  of  the  two  children 
born  of  this  familx.  The  daughter.  Eliza.  Ixirn 
December  7,  1857,  is  the  wife  of  Robert  Steel, 
of  Mitchell  county,  Iowa,  and  they  have  two  chil- 
dren. 

Thomas  A.  Denney  was  but  an  infant  when 
taken  by  his  parents  to  Dane  county.  Wisconsin, 
and  in  his  youth  he  worked  upon  the  home  farm, 
assisting  his  father  to  pay  off  the  indebtedness 
upon  the  place.  When  this  was  done  he  liegan 
saving  his  money  and  ultimatelv  he  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land,  while  later  he  bought  his 
sister's  and  mother's  interest  in  the  old  home  farm, 
residing  thereon  until  the  s]iriiig  of  i8<;4.  when  he 
sold  the  ])roperty  and  crossed  the  line  into  \\'in- 
nebago  comity,  taking  up  his  abode  in  Owen 
township.  .\t  that  date  he  purchased  his  present 
fami  coniiirising  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
good  land.  It  is  a  desirable  property,  the  fields 
being  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  while 
many  modern  improvements  have  been  placed 
thereon. 

On  the  26tli  of  October.  1883.  Mr.  Denney  was 
m-irried  to  Miss  Martha  H.  Fitton.  a  daughter  of 
John  and  Charlotte  (Pilling)  Fitton.  both  natives 
of  England,  whence  they  came  to  .\merica  at  an 
I'lrly  day,  Mrs.  Fitton  living  in  this  country  about 
twentv  years  prior  to  the  arrival  of  him  who  after- 
ward became  her  husband.  Mr.  Firton  worked 
for  his  uncle  in  early  manhood,  and  following  his 
marriage  he  rented  land  for  a  time  until  he  was 
able  to  ])nrcliase  a  farm  of  eighty  acres.  Tfc  then 
sold  out  an<l  bought  a  farm  of  two  hundred 
acres,  sjiending  his  remaining  days  thereon,  en- 
vaged  in  the  raising  of  grain  and  stock  uj)  to  the 
lime  of  his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  was 
between  fifty-five  and  sixty  years  of  age.  In  his 
famih  were  seven  children,  of  whom  six  are  liv- 
ing: Tames.  Cicorge.  Martin.  Julia,  .\melia  and 
Jennie.  Fraternally  the  father  was  connected 
with  the  Odd  Fellows  society,  and  in  his  political 
\iews  he  was  a  republican.  I'nto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Deniiev  have  been  born  five  children:  Robert  A.. 
Alice   II..    Jennie   M..   Everett   A.  and   Willard. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


387 


In  politics  Air.  l_\-niiL-y  has  ahvavs  been  a 
stanch  repnl)hcaii.  and  he  lield  various  local  offices 
while  residinj:;-  in  Vermont  township,  Dane  countv. 
He  was  chairman  of  the  town  board  during  the 
last  eleven  years  of  his  residence  there  and  was 
president  of  the  school  board  for  twenty-one 
years.  In  early  manhood  it  was  his  desire  to 
study  medicine  and  follow  a  professional  career, 
but  on  account  of  his  father's  financial  condition 
he  remained  at  home,  assisting  him  in  paying  off 
the  indebtedness  on  the  farm.  He  managed  to 
acquire  a  good  education,  however,  by  reading, 
observation  and  experience,  supplemented  bv  a 
retentive  memory.  He  has  always  been  a  strict 
abstainer  from  licjuor  and  tobacco  and  has  done 
much  to  further  the  temperance  cause.  His  life 
has  indeed  been  honorable  and  upright,  actuated 
by  principles  which  develop  upright  manhood  and 
which  in  every  land  and  clime  awaken  confidence 
and  inspire  respect. 


AA^ILLIAM  STOTHARD. 

William  Stothard.  who  was  connected  with  the 
business  interests  of  Rockford  as  a  representa- 
tive of  the  merchant  tailoring  trade,  became  a  resi- 
dent of  the  city  in  1853,  when  it  was  a  small 
town.  He  was  the  second  tailor  who  settled  here, 
and  through  long  years  he  was  interested  in  busi- 
ness, being  widely  known  for  his  efficient  work- 
manshi|i  and  honorable  dealings.  He  was  born 
in  Yorkshire.  England.  July  5.  1820.  His  father, 
Marmaduke  Stothard.  spent  his  entire  life  in  Eng- 
land, as  did  his  wife.  In  the  common  schools  of 
his  native  country  William  Stothard  obtained  his 
education,  and  when  a  young  man  he  left  his 
parents'  home  and  went  to  London,  where  he 
learned  the  tailor's  trade.  His  parents  and  rela- 
tives were  then  all  living  in  a  small  town  near 
Manchester,  and  after  completing  his  apprentice- 
ship William  Stothard  removed  to  that  place, 
where  he  worked  until  1848.  when  on  the 
twent\-eighth  anniversary  of  his  birth  he 
sailed  for  America.  The  voyage  was  a 
long  and  tedious  one,  as  he  embarked  on 
the  5th  of  Julv  and  it  was  the  27tli 
of  .Aueust  when  he  landed  at  New  York 
city.  He  at  once  went  west  to  Buffalo,  New 
York,  where  he  secured  employment  as  a  mer- 
chant tailor,  occup}-ing  a  position  there  until 
1S53.  Thinking  that  he  might  have  still  better 
opportunities  in  the  middle  west  he  came  to  Rock- 
ford,  and  with  the  exception  of  three  years  spent 
in  Genoa.  Wisconsin,  he  remained  a  resident  of 
this  city  until  his  demise,  and  was  continuously 
connected  \\ith  tailoring  here. 

Before  leaving  his  native  countr\-  Air.  Stothard 
was  married  to  Miss  Ann  Newbolt.  a  native  of 
England,  who  died  in  Bufifalo.  New  York.    There 


were  three  children  of  that  marriage:  Marma- 
duke. who  was  a  railroad  man.  living  in  Rock- 
ford,  and  died  in  Wisconsin  ;  Emma,  deceased ; 
and  one  that  died  unnamed.  Mr.  Stothard  was 
again  married,  his  second  union  occurring  in  Buf- 
falo, the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Julia  Mc- 
Nally.  Her  birth  occurred  in  Dublin,  Ireland,  on 
the  31st  of  August,  1826.  Her  father.  James  Mc- 
Nally.  was  a  farmer  of  the  Emerald  isle,  and  died 
there  during  the  early  girlhood  of  his  daughter, 
who  afterward  came  to  the  United  States  with  her 
mother,  wdio  departed  this  life  in  Rockford.  There 
were  eight  children  born  unto  Mr.  Stothard  by 
his  second  marriage,  all  natives  of  this  city, 
namely :  William,  now  deceased ;  Jennie,  who 
owns  one  of  the  leading  millinerv  stores  of  Rock- 
ford. located  at  No.  103  West  State  street,  where 
she  conducts  a  large  business  ;  Mary,  the  wife  of 
Charles  Hinckley,  of  Aurora.  Illinois,  bv  whom 
she  has  three  children.  George,  Blanche  and 
Charles ;  John,  deceased  ;  Thomas,  who  died  in 
infancy ;  Jidia,  deceased ;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of 
Guy  Cutting,  a  resident  of  Rockford,  by  whom 
she  has  three  children.  Bertha,  Harold  and  Fran- 
cis :  and  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Charles  T.  Boswell. 
a  member  of  the  firm  of  C.  T.  Boswell  &  Com- 
pany, druggists  at  No.  325  East  State  street. 
Thev  reside  with  Mrs.  Stothard  and  have  two 
children,   L'larence  and  Bernice. 

After  coming  to  Rockford  Mr.  Stothard  work- 
ed at  his  trade,  being  employed  as  cutter  most  of 
the  time,  this  perhaps  being  the  most  particular 
department  of  the  business.  For  a  brief  pe- 
riod he  abandoned  tailoring  and  became  the  land- 
lord of  the  Rockford  House,  but  soon  returned 
to  his  trade  and  conducted  a  large  business.  He 
prospered  in  his  undertakings  as  the  years  went 
by  and  the  hope  that  led  him  to  seek  a  home  in 
America  was  therefore  realized.  He  found  here 
business  conditions  which  were  favorable  for  men 
of  ambition,  willing  to  work,  and  through  his 
persistency  of  purpose  and  capability  he  secured 
a  good  return  for  his  labor.  His  early  political 
support  was  given  to  the  democracy,  but  during 
the  last  five  years  of  his  life  he  voted  the  repub- 
lican ticket,  having  become  convinced  that  the 
principles  of  the  republican  party  contained  the 
best  elements  of  good  government.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  of  Rockford. 
and  in  his  life  exemplified  the  beneficent  spirit 
of  the  craft.  He  was  a  man  of  intelligence,  al- 
ways interested  in  the  leading  questions  and  issues 
of  the  day.  kept  well  informed  on  all  matters  of 
general  moment  and  devoted  his  leisure  hours  to 
reading.  This  trait  of  his  character  made  him 
an  entertaining  and  companionable  gentleman 
and  won  for  him  the  friendship  of  many  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact  through  social  and 
business  relations.  He  died  January  15.  1900. 
after   a    residence    in    Rockford   covering   nearly 


3^ 


PAST    AND     PRESENT     OF     WIXXKBAC.O     C.UL'XTV. 


a  lialf  ci-'.itiiry,  during  wliicli  linic  ho  witnessed 
many  changes  as  the  city  emerged  fnim  village- 
hduti  and  tcK)k  on  all  tlie  evidences  of  a  metropoli- 
tan center.  He  delighted  in  the  progress  of  the 
city  and  county  and  in  as  far  as  possible  aided  in 
the  work  of  public  ini|)rovement.  Mrs.  Stothard 
and  her  family  are  all  members  of  the  Centennial 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  She  owns  a  i>leas- 
ant  home  at  Xo.  512  W'ahnU  street,  and  with  her 
resides   Mr.   lioswell  and  his  family. 


\\II.1.1.\.M    A.    ll.\LLEY. 

William  .\.  Ilalley.  who  died  in  Rockford  <in!y 
a  few  months  ago.  belonged  to  one  of  the  pioneer 
families  of  Winnebago  county  and  was  born  in 
the  village  of  Rockton.  May  18,  185 1,  his  par- 
ents being  William  and  Christina  (Mackie)  Hal- 
ley.  The  father  came  to  this  county  in  1838, 
when  the  now  pojnilous  city  of  Rockford  con- 
tained only  a  few  houses,  and  he  then  believed 
that  Rockton  would  become  the  larger  town  of 
the  two.  He  therefore  removed  to  that  town- 
shi]).  He  was  born  in  Fifeshire.  Scotland,  about 
twenty  miles  from  Edinburgh,  on  the  4th  of 
June,  1818,  and  ac(|uired  a  common  school  educa- 
tion, lie  became  a  resident  of  this  county  in 
1838,  when  alxxit  twenty  years  of  age,  and  lived 
for  a  year  and  a  half  near  Rockford.  He  then 
settled  in  the  village  in  February,  1840.  He  was 
a  tailor  by  trade  and  followed  that  i)ursuit,  also 
haiiilling  ready  made  clothing  and  he  continued 
in  that  business  for  twenty  years,  or  until  i860, 
meeting  with  splendid  success  by  reason  of  the 
liberal  patronage  which  was  accorded  him.  He 
then  purchased  five  hundred  acres  of  raw  prairie 
land  in  ( )wen  townshi))  which  he  improved,  mak- 
ing a  splendid  ])ropcrty.  He  |)lanted  many  trees 
upon  this  j)Iace  and  also  raised  trees  from  the 
scefl.  His  farming  ojjerations  were  also  attended 
with  success  and,  making  additional  purchase,  he 
had  at  one  tiine  more  than  one  thousand  acres  of 
land.  He  was  a  worthy  pioneer  settler  of  this 
locality,  aifling  greatly  in  the  reclamation  of  the 
wild  land  for  the  purposes  of  civilization  and  his 
efforts  contributed  in  substantial  measure  to  the 
])rogress  and  improvement  of  the  locality.  His 
fellow  townsmen,  recognizing  his  worth  and 
ability,  fre(|uently  called  him  to  office.  He  was 
the  first  town  clerk  in  Rockton  township,  also 
served  as  supervisor  and  assessor  and  was  like- 
wise justice  of  tlie  peace.  He  was  one  of  the 
first  supporters  of  the  whig  party  in  the  country 
and  cast  his  ballot  for  William  Henrv  Harrison. 
On  the  organization  of  the  new  republican  partv 
he  became  f>ne  of  its  stanch  advocates  and  voted 
for  .Abraham  Lincoln.  He  was  married  Decem- 
ber 4.  1846.  to  Christina  Mackie.  who  is  now 
living  at  the  age  of  ninety-two  years.     In  their 


family  were  three  chilren.  They  live  m  me  same 
house  with  their  son,  T.  R.  Ilalley,  a  prosperous 
farmer  of  Uwen  township. 

William  A,  Ilalley  was  a  stutlent  in  the  public 
.schools  of  Rrjckton  in  his  early  youth  but  was 
only  nine  years  of  age  when  his  parents  removed 
to  Owen  township  and  he  afterward  became  a 
public  school  student  in  Rockford,  thus  acquir- 
ing a  good  education.  In  his  boyhood  days  he 
assisted  in  the  operation  of  the  home  farm  in 
Owen  townshi])  and  later  he  began  farming  on 
his  own  account.  Subsequent  to  his  marriage  he 
purchased  land  in  that  townshi])  and  was  en- 
gaged in  its  cultivation  and  in  the  improvement 
of  the  farm  until  about  1900,  when  he  suffered 
from  ill  health  and  gave  up  hard  work.  He  was 
not  afterward  actively  engaged  in  general  agri- 
cultural ]jursuits  but  continued  to  make  his  home 
u])on  his  farm  and  suiiervisc  its  operations  until 
March.  1905.  when  he  removed  to  Rockford. 

Tn  1883.  \Ir.  Halley  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah 
J.  Armstrong,  a  native  of  Owen  township, 
and  a  daughter  of  Archibald  and  Eliza 
(Newburn)  .\rmstrong,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Ireland,  whence  they  came  to 
.\merica.  settling  first  in  Pennsylvania.  They 
afterward  left  the  east  and  at  an  early  day 
became  residents  of  Winnebago  county,  taking  u]) 
their  abode  in  Owen  township,  where  the  father 
was  actively  engaged  in  farming  until  his  later 
years,  when  he  lived  retired  until  his  death  in 
1893,  when  he  was  seventy-seven  years  of  age. 
His  wife  passed  away  in  1877.  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
two  years,  and  further  mention  of  them  is  made 
on  another  page  of  this  work.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Halley  became  the  ])arents  of  one  daughter. 
.Mice,  who  is  now  a  student  in  Rockford  and  re- 
sides with  her  motlur. 

.\s  before  stated.  .Mr.  Ilalley  continued  to  en- 
gage in  farming  from  the  time  of  his  marriage 
until  his  removal  to  Rockford.  His  health  grew 
worse  in  the  city  until  on  the  6th  of  June.  1905. 
he  ])asse(l  away.  He  voted  with  the  republican 
])arty  but  had  no  desire  for  office,  his  attention 
lieing  given  during  his  active  business  life  to  his 
farming  interests,  whereby  he  acquired  a  hand- 
.some  com])etencc,  being  thus  enabled  to  leave 
his  family  in  very  easy  financial  circumstances. 
His  widow  owns  a  nice  home  at  X11.  1523  School 
street  and  yet  owns  the  old  homestead  farm  of 
four  hundred  acres  in  Owen  township,  which  is 
said  to  be  one  of  the  finest  in  the  count  v. 


ROBERT  MEYER. 


The  growth  of  Rockford  has  been  marvelous, 
es|)ecially  along  manufacturing  lines,  until  the 
city  is  to-day  one  of  the  leading  productive  cen- 
ters of  the  middle  west.     In  the  control  of  cxten- 


''C^ 


PAST     AXD     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAlJO     COL'XTY, 


391 


sive  and  important  interests  are  men  of  marked 
enterprise,  keen  discernment,  executive  force  and 
splendid  business  ability,  and  to  their  labors  the 
development  of  Rockford  is  due.  Mr.  Meyer,  a 
representative  of  this  class,  is  now  general  man- 
ager for  the  Rockford  Glass  Bending  Works,  the 
only  enterprise  of  this  character  in  the  state. 

A  native  of  south  Germany,  he  was  born  in 
1862,  and,  having  acquired  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  the  fatherland,  he  afterward  learned 
his  trade  in  that  country,  becoming  familiar  with 
all  departments  of  glass  manufacturing.  He 
came  to  America  in  1877,  then  a  youth  of  fifteen 
years,  and  has  followed  glass  bending  continu- 
ously since.  He  removed  to  Rockford  from  St. 
Louis,  where  he  had  previously  followed  his 
trade.  In  that  city  he  was  with  the  Western 
Glass  Bending  Company,  and  also  the  Oyer  Glass 
Bending  Company,  and  his  long  experience  well 
qualified  him  for  the  work  which  he  undertook 
in  Rockford.  He  located  here  in  April,  1899, 
establishing  his  plant,  which  is  the  only  one  of 
the  kind  in  the  state.  It  was  built  after  the  com- 
pany was  organized  and  they  now  have  three 
furnaces,  which  are  in  constant  operation,  being 
run  night  and  day.  Employment  is  furnished  to 
about  twenty-five  men,  and  the  output  of  the  fac- 
tory finds  a  ready  and  profitable  sale  on  the  mar- 
ket. The  plant  is  located  at  the  corner  of  Tenth 
avenue  and  Tenth  street,  and  j\Ir.  Meyer  has  en- 
tire charge  of  the  business,  which  he  is  develop- 
ing along  modern  lines  and  in  conformity  with 
strict  commercial  ethics,  so  that  the  house  sus- 
tains a  very  enviable  reputation. 

In  1884  Mr.  Meyer  was  united  in  marriage,  in 
St.  Louis,  to  Miss  Sophia  Schmidt,  and  thev 
have  six  children :  Henry,  who  is  employed  in 
the  glass  works,  is  married,  and  resides  in  Rock- 
ford :  Otto,  who  is  also  working  at  the  factory; 
Lena.  Robert.  Emma  and  Albert,  all  at  home. 
Politically,  ^Ir.  Meyer  is  a  republican,  interested 
in  the  success  and  welfare  of  his  party,  but  never 
desiring  office  as  a  reward  for  party  fealty.  He 
belongs  to  Rockford  lodge.  No.  689.  I.  O.  O.  F., 
and  his  religious  views  are  in  accord  with  Prot- 
estantism. The  family  home  is  at  Tenth  avenue 
and  Tenth  street,  and  I\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Meyer  have 
made  many  friends  during  their  residence  in 
Rockford.  and  Mr.  Meyer  has  won  for  himself 
favorable  regard  in  business  circles  here. 


MILTON    TODD. 


Milton  Todd,  a  self-made  man,  who  has  be- 
come a  large  landowner  with  holdings  in  Rock- 
ford, Owen  and  Harrison  townships,  makes  his 
home  on  section  i,  Burritt  township,  on  a  tract 
of  land  of  one  hundred  and  seventy  acres.  He 
was  born  September  6,   1847,  his  parents  being 


Jonathan  and  Hannah  P.  (N'adakinj  Todd.  The 
father  was  bom  in  New  Jersey,  April  20,  1826, 
while  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in  Wayne 
county,  Pennsylvania,  November  5,  181 9.  Thev 
came  to  the  west  in  1855,  and  the  father  bought 
the  homestead  farm  in  Harrison  township. 
Throughout  his  active  business  career  he  carried 
on  general  agricultural  pursuits,  and  he  passed 
away  April  13,  1871,  being  long  survived  by  his 
wife,  who  died  January  5,  1894.  In  their  familv 
were  the  following  named :  George  R.,  who  is 
living  in  Harrison  township  and  has  three  chil- 
dren ;  Daniel,  a  resident  of  Burritt  township,  who 
is  married  and  has  two  children ;  Mrs.  Marilla 
Mofifatt,  the  wife  of  R.  N.  Mofi'att,  of  Harrison 
township ;  and  Milton. 

The  last  named,  a  native  of  Liberty  Corners, 
Somerset  county,  New^  Jersey,  was  a  lad  of  about 
eight  }'ears  when  brought  by  his  parents  to  the 
west,  and  upon  the  home  farm  in  Harrison  town- 
ship he  was  reared,  early  becoming  his  father's 
assistant  in  the  labors  and  duties  that  fall  to  the 
lot  of  the  agriculturist.  He  lived  in  Harrison 
township  for  twenty-eight  years  and  then  re- 
moved to  his  present  home  on  section  i,  Burritt 
township,  where  he  has  resided  for  twenty-two 
years.  In  his  farm  work  he  has  prospered,  and 
as  the  years  have  gone  by  he  has  added  to  his 
possessions,  becoming  the  owner  of  one  hundred 
and  seventy  acres.  He  has  for  some  time  made 
a  specialty  of  growing  seed  com  and  of  manu- 
facturing syrup.  At  the  present  time  he  is  prac- 
tically living  retired,  leaving  the  active  work  of 
the  farm  to  his  son,  although  he  gives  general 
supervision  to  the  place.  Working  persistently 
and  energetically  year  after  year,  his  rest  is  now 
justly  deserved,  and  his  extensive  possessions  are 
the  visible  evidence  of  his  life  of  well  directed 
industry. 

On  the  2d  of  July,  1879,  Mr.  Todd  was  married 
to  ]\Iiss  Eliza  K.  ]\icDougall.  of  Burritt  township, 
a  daughter  of  D.  C.  and  Jessie  B.  McDougall. 
Her  father  was  a  native  of  Perthshire,  Scotland, 
and  became  a  resident  of  Harrison  township,  this 
county,  in  1851.  Soon  afterward,  however,  he  re- 
moved to  Burritt  township,  and  as  the  years 
passed  became  an  extensive  landowner.  He  is 
now  living  a  retired  life  in  Rockford,  possessing 
a  handsome  competence  that  enables  him  to  enioy 
all  the  comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  that 
go  to  make  life  worth  living.  He  wedded  Jessie 
B.  Patterson,  who  was  born  in  Scotland.  Thev 
were  married  in  that  country,  and  the  year  185 1 
witnessed  their  removal  to  the  United  States. 
Mrs.  McDoug-all.  however,  departed  this  life  on 
the  home  farm  in  Burritt  township.  ]\Iay  15.  1900. 
In  their  family  were  the  following  named :  John 
McDougall,  a  resident  of  Burritt  township,  who 
married  Kate  McGonegal.  and  has  five  children ; 
Tames    McDougall,    of   Shirland   township,    who 


39-' 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


married  Ellen  Al.  Scott,  and  has  tlirce  children ; 
Arthur  .McDougall,  of  Burrilt  township,  who 
married  Isahelle  Lidell,  and  has  five  children ;  and 
Jennie,  who  became  the  wife  of  S.  B.  Wallace, 
and  died  July  23,  1892,  leaving  two  children. 
The  other  member  of  the  family  is  Mrs.  Todd, 
who  was  evlucated  at  Lownslnirg-  Academy  in 
Rock  ford  and  followed  teaching  from  the  age  of 
eighteen  to  twenty-three  years.  Of  the  four  chil- 
dren born  to  .Mr.  and  Mrs.  Todd,  Ella  J.  died  at 
the  age  of  ten  years  and  Arthur  died  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  years.  Those  still  living  are:  Jessie 
M.,  who  was  born  in  Harrison  township,  Septem- 
ber 6,  1880,  and  is  the  wife  of  J.  .M.  Harcourt.  of 
Rock  ford  :  and  Ira  D..  who  was  torn  January  14, 
1883,  and  is  living  at  home,  largely  relieving  his 
father  of  the  work  of  the  farm. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Todd  belong  to  a  progressive 
class  of  people  who  believe  in  living  in  the  pres- 
ent and  not  in  the  past,  and  who  are  continually 
abreast  with  the  modern  march  of  progress  and 
improvement.  They  have  many  warm  friends  in 
the  community  and  are  highly  esteemed  by  all 
who  know  them,  while  the  hospitality  of  their 
own  home  is  greatly  enjoyed  by  many.  Mr.  Todtl 
is  an  ardent  republican  in  his  political  views,  and 
for  sixteen  years  has  served  as  school  director, 
while  for  nine  years  he  was  justice  of  the  peace, 
discharging  his  duties  in  a  manner  strictly  fair 
and  impartial,  so  that  his  official  service  has  been 
creditable  to  himself  and  satisfactory  to  his  con- 
stituents. 


FRANK  M.  BAUDER. 

Frank  M.  Bauder,  residing  in  New  Milford, 
where  he  is  engaged  in  farming  and  in  the  raising 
of  early  garden  products,  came  to  this  county  in 
October,  1854,  from  Fort  Plains,  Montgomery 
county.  New  York.  He  was  there  born  and  was 
only  a  year  and  a  half  old  when  brought  to  Illi- 
nois by  his  parents.  Peter  G.  and  Julia  A. 
(Allen)  Bauder,  who  on  emigrating  to  the  west 
brought  with  them  a  number  of  fine  sheep.  They 
si)cnt  their  remaining  days  in  Winnebago  county 
and  for  a  number  of  years  resided  at  Rockford. 
but  afterward  returned  to  New  Milford,  where 
they  passed  away,  the  father  dying  July  i,  1903. 
at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-five  years,  while 
his  wife  died  on  the  "th  of  December,  1900,  at 
the  age  of  eighty-two.  He  was  a  farmer  and 
stockman,  raising  and  handling  sheep  and  wool, 
lie  bought  wool  for  a  numl)cr  of  years,  finding 
this  a  profitable  department  of  his  business  in- 
terests. He  owned  the  farm  on  section  23  and 
26.  New  Milford  township,  that  is  now  the  prop- 
erty of  his  son,  Frank  M.  Bauder,  having  about 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  rich  land.  He 
became  well  known  as  an  extensive  stock-dealer 


and  for  years  he  attended  the  dairy  state  fairs  in 
Iowa  and  Illinois,  exhibiting  his  high  grade  and 
thoroughbred  sheep.  He  did  much  to  improve 
the  standard  of  sheep  raised  in  this  section  of  the 
country  and  thereby  greatly  promoted  the  pros- 
perity of  the  agricultural  class.  In  his  family 
were  four  sons:  J.  J.,  who  is  now  living  re- 
tired in  New  Milford;  George  M.,  who  is  en- 
gaged in  the  livery  business  in  Chicago ;  Charles, 
who  was  killed  by  being  thrown  from  a  horse 
in  his  boyhood  days  in  New  York ;  and  Frank  M. 

Frank  M.  Bauder  was  reared  in  this  county, 
living  on  the  home  farm  in  New  Milford  town- 
ship for  over  fifty  years.  Having  acquired  a 
conunon-school  education  he  started  out  in  life 
on  his  own  account  and  whatever  success  he  has 
achieved  is  due  entirely  to  his  own  cff'orts.  He 
was  married  here  to  Miss  Mary  J.  Graham,  who 
was  born  in  northern  Ireland  and  is  a  daughter 
of  \\'illiam  and  .\gnes  fPieggs)  Graham,  who 
came  to  Kishwaukee,  this  county,  about  1858  and 
has  since  resided  here.  Her  father  was  a  farmer 
and  shoemaker  by  trade,  and  his  death  occurred 
about  1885,  when  he  was  sixty  years  of  age. 
His  widow,  now  more  than  eighty  years  of  age, 
still  resides  in  this  county.  Mrs.  Bauder  was  one 
of  a  family  of  six  daughters  and  four  sons,  of 
whom  eight  are  living:  Hugh,  a  resident  farmer 
of  Cherry  \'alley  township:  William  John,  of  the 
same  township  ;  Mrs.  Sarah  Cassidy.  of  that  town- 
ship :  Mary  J.:  Thomas,  of  New  Milford;  Mrs. 
Maggie  Lacy,  of  Davis  Junction,  Ogle  county ; 
Mrs.  .-Vsa  Kinson  ;  George,  a  farmer  of  New  Mil- 
ford ;  Jennie,  who  died  at  the  age  of  three  years ; 
and  Jeannctte.  who  died  in  infancy. 

Politically  Mr.  Bauder  is  a  republican,  who 
has  served  as  school  director  and  in  other  local 
offices.  His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  and  both  are  well  known  in 
the  locality  where  they  have  long  resided.  In 
his  business  affairs.  Mr.  Bauflcr  has  proposed  and 
in  connection  with  general  farming  he  has  been 
engaged  in  the  poultry  business  for  a  number  of 
years,  handling  several  breeds  of  fine  chickens, 
including  Cochins.  Brahmas  and  Leghorns,  which 
he  has  exhibited  at  the  St.  Louis  and  Chicago 
fairs  and  also  in  Iowa,  winning  various  pre- 
miums. He  formerly  devoted  considerable 
attention  to  the  raising  of  Poland  China  hogs  and 
he  is  now  engaged  also  in  the  raising  of  vege- 
tables for  the  market.  His  business  interests  are 
well  conducted  and  he  is  now  a  prosperous  resi- 
dent of  his  localitv. 


SOLOMON  JENKS.  M.  D. 

No  history  of  Roscoc  township  would  be  com- 
plete without  mention  of  Dr.  Soliimon  Jenks. 
who  was  the  pioneer  physician  in  his  part  of  the 


MRS.  F.  M.  BAUDER. 


P.  G.  BAl'DER. 


MRS.  P.  G.  BAUDER. 


F.  M.  BAUDER. 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


395 


county.  He  was  born  in  N'crniont  in  1796,  and 
when  about  six  or  seven  years  of  age  accompa- 
nied his  parents  on  their  removal  to  Rhode 
Island,  where  he  was  reared  to  manhood.  He 
supplemented  his  public  school  education  by  a 
course  of  study  in  the  medical  school  at  Pitts- 
field.  Massachusetts,  and.  following  his  gradua- 
tion, he  sought  a  field  of  labor  in  the  middle 
west,  going  first  to  Ohio,  where  he  continued  in 
active  practice  for  some  time.  He  was  married 
in  Pittsfield,  Massachusetts,  and  soon  afterward 
came  to  Illinois,  arriving  in  Winnebago  county 
in  1839.  He  was  the  first  physician  to  locate  in 
Roscoe  township,  and  for  several  years  he  prac- 
ticed there,  meeting  the  usual  experiences  of  the 
physician  upon  the  frontier,  who,  because  of  the 
sparsely  settled  district,  must  needs  take  long 
drives  under  the  summer's  sun  or  through  the 
winter's  cold,  counting  no  personal  sacrifice  too 
great  if  it  would  enable  him  to  advance  the  wel- 
fare of  his  fellowmen  by  reason  of  his  profes- 
sional skill  and  abilit}-. 

Dr.  Jenks  was  married  to  Miss  Lydia  Walker, 
a  native  of  North  Adams.  Massachusetts,  and 
they  became  the  parents  of  fourteen  children,  in- 
cluding Mrs.  Ransom,  of  Roscoe,  who  was  the 
fifth  member  of  the  family,  and  to  whom  we  are 
indebted  for  the  material  furnished  for  the  sketch 
of  her  parents.  One  son  of  the  family.  Captain 
George  W.  Jenks,  -who  raised  a  company  at  Van- 
dalia,  Illinois,  for  service  in  the  Civil  war,  was 
commissioned  its  commander.  (3f  the  fourteen 
children  only  three  are  now  living:  Mahala. 
who  became  Mrs.  Ransom ;  Mrs.  Gertrude  Bill- 
ings and  Mrs.  Alma  Lawrence.  Mahala  was 
married  to  Dr.  G.  P.  Ransom,  of  whom  mention 
is  made  in  connection  with  the  sketch  of  Dr.  Penn 
W.  Ransom,  of  Rockford.  on  another  page  of  this 
work. 

Dr.  Jenks  departed  this  life  in  Roscoe  in  1842. 
at  the  age  of  forty-six.  while  his  wife,  returning 
to  Ohio,  died  in  Saybrook.  Ashtabula  county,  at 
the  age  of  fifty-six  years.  They  were  worthy 
pioneer  people  of  this  part  of  the  state,  and  are 
yet  remembered  by  some  of  the  earliest  settlers 
of  \\'innebago  countv. 


ELLIS  ANDREW 


Ellis  Andrew,  retired  from  agricultural  pur- 
suits and  now  living  in  Rockford,  was  born 
in  England  in  1838,  his  parents  being  William 
and  Hannah  Andrew,  who  in  1846  made  their 
way  across  the  briny  deep  to  the  new  world, 
landing  at  Rhode  Island,  wdiere  they  remained 
for  four  years.  During  that  time  the  father  came 
to  Burritt  township,  Winnebago  county,  and  pur- 
chased thirty  acres  of  land  from  the  government. 
He  then  returned  to  New  England,  and  in   i8^o 


brought  his  family  to  Illinois,  settling  upon  the 
little  farm  which  he  had  prepared.  He  spent 
his  remaining  da3's  in  Burritt  township,  and  a» 
the  years  went  by  his  labors  were  not  only  prac- 
tical and  progressive,  but  also  profitable,  and 
he  became  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  sixt\' 
acres  of  land.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  inden- 
tified  with  the  church  of  England.  Thev  were 
the  parents  of  thirteen  children,  of  whom  nine 
reached  years  of  maturity,  while  Ellis  and  three 
sisters  are  now  living,  namely :  Airs.  Chapman, 
who  resides  on  Winnebago  street  in  Rockford ; 
one  living  in  Missouri ;  and  another  in  Iowa. 

Ellis  Andrew  acquired  but  a  limited  education, 
for  when  only  eight  years  of  age  he  began  earn- 
ing his  own  living,  and  has  always  followed 
farming.  He  remained  at  home  until  twenty- 
eight  years  of  age,  and  in  1866  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Ellen  Rudd,  who  was  born  in 
Erie  count}-,  New  York,  November  5,  1842,  her 
iiarents  being  Joel  and  Caroline  (Estee)  Rudd. 
The  father  was  born  in  Aliddletown.  \'irginia, 
February  7,  1794,  and  the  mother  in  Salem,  New 
York,  February  4,  1807.  In  1846  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Rudd  removed  to  the  west,  and  the  former  fol- 
lowed agricultural  pursuits  in  Burritt  township, 
where  he  owned  and  operated  sixty  acres  of 
good  land  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  February  25,  1856.  He  was  survived 
by  his  wife  until  February  17,  1874.  His  three 
daughters  are  all  living,  namely :  Airs.  E. 
Cushman.  a  resident  of  Rockford ;  Mrs.  Clarissa 
(  )akley,  of  Durand ;  and  Airs.  Andrew.  Unto 
our  subject  and  his  wife  have  been  born  two 
sons.  Lewis  J.,  born  January  2,  1869.  was  a 
student  in  Oregon,  Illinois,  for  three  years,  and 
afterward  attended  the  Chicago  Dental  College, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in  April.  1899. 
since  which  time  he  has  practiced  in  Rockford. 
having  an  oflice  at  the  corner  of  Wyman  and 
State  streets.  Charles  A.,  born  October  3,  1870, 
and  attended  college  in  C)regon,  Illinois,  for  a 
year.  He  married  Aliss  Bertha  A.  Davis,  of  Bur- 
ritt township,  and  has  one  child,  Verna  L..  born 
Alav  22,  1902.  He  is  now  successfully  follow- 
ing farming  in  Burrit  township. 

After  his  marriage  Air.  Andrevv  of'this  review 
engaged  in  operating  land  on  the  shares  from 
1866  until  1874  and  in  the  latter  year  his  mother- 
in-law  died,  after  which  he  purchased  a  farm  of  ' 
sixty  acres  which  she  had  previously  owned,  and 
of  which  he  retained  possession  until  a  short  time 
ago,  when  he  sold  to  his  son.  He  kept  adding 
to  it  from  time  to  time  until  the  farm  comprised 
one  hundred  and  seventy-five  acres,  and  of  this 
he  still  has  one  hundred  acres,  but  in  1899  he 
retired  from  active  business  life  and  took  up  his 
abode  in  Rockford,  where  he  rented  a  house  for 
four  years,  and  then  in  1903  bitilt  the  home 
which  he  now  occupies  at  No.  837  North  Hors- 
man    street. 


396 


PAST     AXn     PRESENT     OF     WTXXEBAGO     COUNTY. 


Voting  with  the  rqnibHcan  ])ariy.  .Mr.  .\ii- 
drcw  keeps  well  iiifonned  on  the  (Hiesticnis  and 
issues  of  the  daw  and  has  served  as  highway 
commissioner  and  constable.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  at- 
tends the  Court  Street  Methodist  church,  of 
which  his  wife  is  a  member.  Tie  gained  the 
greater  part  of  his  projjerty  through  his  own 
efforts,  and  his  life  record  ])roves  the  force  and 
value  of  industry  and  perseverance  in  the  active 
affairs  of  life,  lie  is  not  only  a  self-made,  but 
also  a  self-educated  man,  and  keeps  thoroughly 
informed  concerning  the  leading  questions  and 
interests  of  the  day.  lie  was  but  eight  years 
of  age  when  he  came  with  his  jjarcnts  to  Amer- 
ica, and  for  more  than  a  half  century  he  has 
resided  in  Winnebago  county. 


.\RTEMUS  C.  TIIORNE. 

.\rtemus   C.   Thorne   is   the   present  townsliijj 
clerk  of  Winnebago  township,  and  also  the  vil- 
lage clerk.     He  has  filled  the  former  position  for 
thirty-three  years,  and  no  higher  testimonial  of 
his   capability   and   fidelity   could   be   given   than 
the  fact  that  he  has  so  long    been    retained  in 
office.     lie  has  lived  in  Wiimebago  county  since 
1858,  locating  at  that  time  in  Durand,  where  he 
resided   for  one  year,   since   which   time  he   has 
made  his  home  at  Winnebago,     lie  is  a  native 
of  Oneida  county.  New  York,  born  in  1848,  his 
parents   being    C.    .\.    and    Angelinc    ( Grii)])en ) 
Thome,  who  came  to  Winnebago  county,  where 
they   resided    for   several   years,    and    here    the 
father  died  in   1859.     The  mother  afterward  re- 
moved to   Nebraska,   spending  her  last  days  in 
Fairmont,  where  her  death  occurred  in  1879.     I" 
their  family  were  two  daughters.  Mrs.  Chambers 
Atwood,  now  living  in  Rawlins  county,  Kansas, 
being  the   only   survivor   with   the   exception   of 
the  subject  of  this  review,  who  is  the  only  son. 
Mrs.  Celestia  Treadwell  died  in  Nebraska.    A.  C. 
Thorne  was  about  ten  years  of  age  when  he  be- 
came a  resident  of  W'inncbago  county,  and  since 
1864  he  has  lived  in  the  town  of  Winnebago.   He 
was  a  youth  of  only  sixteen  when,  in   1864,  he 
responded  to  his  country's  call  for  troo|)s,  enlist- 
ing in  Company   I,  One   Hundred  and   Fortieth 
Illinois  Infantry.     In   February,   1865,  he  joined 
Com|)any  F,  ( )ne  Himdred  and  h^ifty-sixth  Illi- 
nois   infantry,   and    was   discharged    as    second 
lieutenant.      Returning    to    the    north    when    the 
country  no  longer  needed  his  aid,  he  settled  in 
Winnebago,  and  for  the  past  thirty-five  years  he 
has  been  engaged  in  carpentering.     In  this  way 
he  has  aided  in  the  construction  of  many  of  the 
leading  structures  in  the  town  and  surrounding 
districts,  and  he  has  through  his  business,  official 


and  social  relations  become  well  acquainted  with 
])racLically  every  resident  of  the  township.  He 
lias  long  been  a  recognized  leader  in  the  ranks 
of  the  re])ublican  party,  ami  has  served  on  the 
election  board  of  the  town  for  the  past  thirty- 
four  years.  He  has  for  a  third  of  a  century  been 
township  clerk  of  W'innebago  township,  .Tnd  at 
this  writing  is  also  filling  the  position  of  village 
clerk. 

In    i8(>8   Mr.  Thorne  was  united   in  marriage 
to  Miss  Martha   Benedict,  who  was  born  in  the 
western  part  of   New   York,   near  Auburn,  and 
came  to  this  county  in  1865.     They  have  three 
daughters  and  one  son,  the  last  named  being  C. 
.\.  Thorne,  who  is  a  conductor  on  the  Chicago 
&    Northwestern    Railroad.     The   daughters   are 
Mrs.  L'.  (i.  Dennison.  whose  husband  is  a  drug- 
gist  of  Winnebago:   Mrs.   B.    Faulkner,   whose 
husband   is  a   farmer  of  Seward  township :  and 
Mrs.  E.  J.  Foley,  whose  husband  is  agent  for  the 
Chicago  &   Northwestern   Railroad   Company  at 
("lilberts,    Illinois.      Fraternally    Mr.    Thorne    is 
])rominent.  being  a  valued  reijresentalive  of  va- 
rious   lodges.      He    holds    membership    relations 
with  tile  Masons,  Modern  Woodmen  of  Amer- 
ica,   the    Royal    Arcanum,  the    Knights    of    the 
(ilobe  and  the   Good   Teiii])lars,   and   he   is  also 
a  member  of  the  Neviiis  ])ost.  No.   I,  G.  A.  R., 
of  Rockford.     I  lis  wife  holds  membership  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  the  family  at- 
tend services  there.     Mr.  Thorne  certainly  needs 
no  introduction   to  the   readers  of  this   volume, 
being  .so  well  known  here,  and  he  is  a  popular 
citizen,   whose   good   (jualities   have   gained    him 
warm    regard,  the    circle    of    his    friends    being 
almost   co-extensive    with   the   circle   of   his   ac- 
quaintance. 


ROBERT  FALCONER. 

Robert  Falconer,  deceased,  for  many  years  a 
farmer  of  Winnebago  township,  was  practical  in 
his  methods,  successful  in  his  work.  He  was 
born  in  Rosshirc,  Scotland,  February  i,  1832,  and 
with  his  parents,  Hugh  and  Catherine  (McDon- 
ald) Falconer,  came  to  America  in  1848,  being 
at  tliat  time  about  sixteen  years  of  age.  The 
family  was  established  in  Rockford  township, 
Winnebago  county,  and  about  seven  years  later, 
in  1855.  they  removed  to  Winnebago  township. 

Robert  Falconer  remained  under  the  parental 
roof  through  the  period  of  his  minority,  aided 
his  fatlier  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm  and  ulti- 
mately came  into  possession  of  the  old  family 
homestead,  to  which  he  added  until  he  owned  the 
one  hundred  and  fifty-three  acres  which  are  now 
in  possession  of  his  widow.  His  father,  Hugh 
Falconer,  died  January  8,  1867,  being  long  sur- 
vived bv  the  mother,  who  passed  away  December 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF    WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


397 


15,  1885.  ^[r.  Falconer,  as  a  companion  and 
helpmate  for  life's  journey,  chose  Aliss  Anna 
Ross,  who  was  born  in  Rosshire,  Scotland,  in 
July,  1853,  one  of  nine  children  of  Crawford  and 
Catherine  (McDonald)  Ross,  both  of  whom  died 
in  Scotland  in  1903,  when  more  than  eighty  years 
of  age.  Mr.  and  Airs.  Falconer  became  the 
parents  of  seven  children :  Robert  H..  born  No- 
vember 5,  1876;  Donald,  October  23,  1878;  Jessie, 
August  10.  1880;  Ross,  JMarch  31,  1882;  Mar- 
garet, April  14,  1884;  Catherine  J.,  April  20. 
1886;  and  Joseph  E.,  November  6,  1891.  All 
are  still  at  home  with  their  mother  save  Jessie, 
who  is  now  the  wife  of  Cassius  Gardner. 

Throughout  his  entire  business  career  Robert 
Falconer  followed  the  occupation  of  farming,  and 
liis  place  became  finely  improved  and  was  success- 
fully operated.  It  is  a  valuable  tract  of  land,  and 
he  was  thus  enabled  to  leave  his  family  in  com- 
fortable circumstances.  His  political  views  ac- 
corded with  republican  principles  and  he  did  all 
in  his  power  to  promote  the  growth  and  insure 
the  success  of  his  party,  yet  he  was  never  a  poli- 
tician in  the  sense  of  ofifice-seeking.  However, 
for  over  twenty-four  years  he  filled  the  postion 
of  school  director  in  district  98,  formerly  district 
No.  5.  He  attended  the  Congregational  church, 
of  which  Mrs.  Falconer  and  most  of  her  children 
are  members.  His  death  occurred  April  18,  1899, 
upon  the  old  homestead  farm,  and  was  the  occa- 
sion of  deep  regret,  not  only  in  his  immediate 
family  but  also  among  his  friends,  for  he  had 
gained  a  wide  and  favorable  acquaintance  during 
the  long  years  of  his  residence  here,  covering  a 
period  of  more  than  half  a  century.  Mrs.  Fal- 
coner, with  the  aid  of  her  sons,  now  operates 
the  farm,  which  is  a  well  equipped  property,  con- 
ducted along  modern  lines  of  agricultural  devel- 
opment. 


AUGUST  \y.  LARSON. 

August  W.  Larson,  the  senior  member  of  the 
firm  of  A.  W.  Larson  &  Company,  meat  dealers 
of  Rockford,  has  been  a  resident  of  this  city 
since  1890.  He  was  born  in  Vestergotland,  Swe- 
den, in  1873,  his  parents  being  Lars  and  Christina 
CKling)  Johnson.  The  father  was  a  carpenter 
by  trade  and  followed  that  pursuit  in  Sweden 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
1887.  His  widow  still  survives  and  is  living  in 
Rockford,  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years.  She 
came  to  the  LTnited  States  about  fifteen  years  ago 
and  has  since  made  her  home  in  this  city.  In 
the  family  were  eight  children,  all  of  whom  are 
yet  living,  namely :  Charles,  who  is  employed 
in  the  car  shops  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad : 
Gustafif,  an  upholsterer  and  furniture  dealer  liv- 
insr  in  Kewanee,  Illinois ;  Mrs.  Anna  Eklund.  of 


Rockford ;  Hulda,  the  wife  of  C.  A.  Carlson ; 
Alfred,  who  is  superintendent  and  president  of 
the  Co-operative  Furniture  Company  of  Rock- 
ford :  Robert,  who  is  a  cabinet-maker  by  trade 
and  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Co-operative  Furni- 
ture Company ;  Albert,  who  is  in  the  grocery 
store  of  P.  O.  Anderson  &  Company ;  and 
August  W. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  interest  of  August 
W.  Larson  we  present  to  our  readers  the  record  of 
one  who  has  made  consecutive  advancement  since 
entering  upon  his  business  career  empty-handed 
at  an  early  age.  He  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  Sweden  and  after  coming  to  America 
learned  the  trade  of  wood-car^-ing.  He  was  a 
young  man  of  seventeen  years  when  with  his 
mother  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America  and 
became  a  resident  of  Rockford.  Realizing  that 
in  America  where  labor  is  not  hampered  by  caste 
or  class  he  might  have  better  opportunities  for 
business  advancement,  he  resolutely  set  to  work 
here  to  gain  a  start  in  life  and  after  working  at 
his  trade  for  some  time  he  embarked  in  his  present 
business  in  1897,  now  having  a  large  meat  market 
at  No.  620  Seventh  street,  where  he  is  associated 
with  August  Eklund.  They  have  built  up  an 
excellent  business  and  are  now  prospering,  having 
a  commodious,  comfortable  and  model  market. 
Their  business  methods,  too,  are  such  as  to  com- 
mend them  to  the  confidence  and  patronage  of  the 
public  and  their  worth  in  trade  circles  is  widely 
acknowledged. 

]\Ir.  Larson  was  married  to  Miss  Hulda  Eng- 
lund.  who  was  born  in  Indiana,  in  1875,  3^"d  is  a 
daughter  of  Charles  Englund,  who  now  resides  at 
No.  1723  Qiarlotte  street,  Rockford.  They  have 
two  children,  Leroy  William  and  Florence  Irene, 
aged  respectively  four  and  two  years.  The  family 
home  is  at  1007  Sixth  street,  and  their  residence 
is  a  very  attractive  and  pleasant  one.  Mr.  Larson 
is  connected  with  the  ]\Iission  Tabernacle, — which 
indicates  his  religious  views,  and  his  political  sup- 
port is  given  to  the  republican  party.  He  is  a 
strong  advocate  of  temperance  principles  and  of 
all  movements  that  tend  to  alleviate  mankind. 
His  own  life  is  honorable  and  upright,  actuated 
by  high  motives  and  commendable  principles.  He 
is  firm  in  support  in  what  he  believes  to  be  right 
and  stands  for  justice  and  truth  in  man's  rela- 
tions with  his  fellowman. 


STEPHEN  W.  TANNER. 

In  this  enlightened  age  when  men  of  energy, 
industrv  and  merit  are  rapidly  pushing  their  way 
to  the  front,  those  who  bv  their  individual  efiforts 
have  won  favor  and  fortune  may  properly  claim 
recoErnition.    Years  ago  when  the  west  was  enter- 


398 


PAST     AXn     I'Rl-.Sr.XT     OF     W  IXXl'.r.ACo     CorXTV 


ing  ui)oii  its  era  of  growth  aiul  development  and 
Illinois  was  laying  its  foundation  for  the  future 
prosperity  there  came  to  Rockford  from  all  parts 
of  the  county  men  of  sturdy  independence,  pos- 
sessing strong  determination  to  succeed.  Among 
this  number  was  Stephen  W.  Tanner,  who  became 
a  well  known  manufacturer  of  Rockfortl,  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  all  kinds  of  leather 
goods.  He  took  up  his  abode  in  this  city  in 
1866  and  his  business  record  was  in  hannony 
with  the  spirit  of  the  tiiues — characterized  In-  un- 
faltering energy  and  consecutive  advancement. 
Horn  in  I,ondon,  England,  he  represented  an  old 
family  of  that  country.  His  parents  came  to 
.'Vmerica  during  his  early  youth  and  settled  in 
Canada.  The  father  was  a  veterinary  surgeon, 
and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  jirofession  in 
Canada  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  days,  his 
wife  also  departing  this  life  there. 

S.  W.  Tanner  was  a  student  in  the  district 
schools,  in  addition  to  those  of  Canada,  where 
his  father  resided,  l)Ut  was  only  a  boy  when  his 
parents  died,  .\fter  completing  his  education  he 
l>egan  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  leather  manufacturer 
in  Canada,  being  employed  in  different  factories 
of  that  country  as  a  common  laborer.  He  saved 
his  earnings  anil  his  frugality  and  industry  at 
length  brought  him  ca])ital  sufficient  to  enable 
him  to  engage  in  business  on  his  own  account 
on  a  small  scale.  For  several  years  he  conducted 
private  business  interests  in  Canada,  after  which 
he  removed  to  Ashtabula.  Ohio,  where  he  contin- 
ued in  the  same  line  for  a  few  years.  Later  he 
sold  out  and  went  to  Conncaut.  Ohio,  and  subse- 
quently came  to  the  middle  west,  locating  at  Clin- 
ton Junction.  Wisconsin,  where  he  purchased  a 
tract  of  land  and  was  engaged  thereon  in  general 
fariuing  for  twelve  vears.  He  did  not  meet  with 
the  success  tliat  he  had  anticii)atcd  in  that  direc- 
tion and  becoming  discouraged  he  decided  to  re- 
turn to  his  trade  as  leather  worker.  He  then 
sold  his  farm,  and  it  was  at  this  time,  in  1866. 
that  he  came  to  Rockford.  Here  he  established  a 
leather  manufacturing  plant,  erecting  a  large  fac- 
tory near  the  Rockford  fair  grounds.  His  busi- 
ness stea<lil\  increased  until  he  emi)loved  a  large 
number  of  leather  workers  and  niannfactured  all 
kinds  of  leather  goods,  which  he  shipjjed  to  va- 
rious parts  of  this  country.  He  visited  the  fac- 
tory each  day  to  superintend  the  work  therein 
conducted,  but  maintained  an  office  near  the  Rock- 
ford Xational  I'.ank.  He  was  thus  associated 
with  one  of  the  large  |)ro(luctive  industries  of  this 
city  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  and  was  a  man 
of  unfaltering  industry,  neglecting  no  detail  of  his 
business,  and  watchful  of  every  intlication  point- 
ing to  success.  He  was  well  known  to  the 
manufacturers  of  this  part  of  the  country  and 
his  name  in  trade  circles  was  a  synonym  for 
business  integrity  and  for  successful  acconn)lish- 
ment. 


Mr.  Tanner  was  married  in  the  state  of  Xew 
York  to  Miss  Margaret  A.  Stewart,  a  native  of 
New  Brunswick,  Canada,  and  a  daughter  of  Rob- 
ert and  Ann  (McClellan)  Stewart,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Scotland,  whence  they  emigrated 
to  America  in  early  life,  settling  in  the  I-lmpire 
state.  The  father  was  there  engaged  in  farming 
for  several  years  and  afterward  removed  to  Can- 
ada, where  he  carried  on  general  agricultural  i)ur- 
suits  for  a  long  period  or  until  his  retirement 
from  active  business  life.  He  then  removed  to 
the  home  of  his  son  at  Eagle  Prairie.  Wisconsin, 
wliere  he  and  his  wife  lived  until  called  to  their 
fnial  rest.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tanner  became  the  par- 
ents of  three  children  :  James  E..  who  married 
Miss  Xichols,  of  Boston,  .Massachusetts,  and  now 
resides  near  that  city,  where  he  is  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  a  patent  brick;  William  J.,  who 
married  Miss  Elizabeth  .Schmauss,  of  Rockford. 
and  (lie<l  here  in  np2:  and  Mrs.  Katherine  E. 
Fisk.  the  noted  singer.  She  was  born  in  Clinton 
Junction,  Wisconsin,  November  5,  1861,  and  war- 
ned Franklin  Proctor  Fisk,  of  Giicago.  She  had 
her  voice  cultivated  in  New  York  city,  and  since 
her  marriage  has  been  on  the  stage,  being  one 
of  the  noted  singers  of  the  present  day.  Mr. 
Tanner  was  a  democrat  in  his  political  views,  but 
was  never  an  aspirant  for  office.  The  success 
of  his  life  was  due  to  no  inherited  fortune  or  to 
anv  happy  succession  of  advantageous  circum- 
stances, but  to  his  own  sturdy  will,  steadv  appli- 
cation, tireless  industry  and  sturdy  integrit\.  lie 
kept  in  touch  with  the  modern  thout^ht  and  action 
of  the  business  world  and  his  ready  adaptability 
and  laudable  ambition  proved  a  .strong  basis  for 
his  prosperity.  He  died  February  2^,  1888.  Mrs. 
Tanner  is  a  member  of  the  First  Congregatii')nal 
church  of  Rockford.  and  takes  a  deep  and  .active 
interest  in  its  work.  She  resides  at  No.  512  Col- 
lege avenue,  where  she  owns  a  beautiful  home. 


O.   T.  Cl'MMINCrS. 


O.  J.  Cummings,  who  for  alwut  a  half  ccnturv 
has  resided  on  a  farm  on  sections  17  and  t8.  duil- 
ford  township,  where  he  yet  makes  his  home, 
having  more  than  three  hundred  acres  of  land 
that  anmtallv  returns  him  a  good  financial  in- 
come, arrived  in  \\'iiuiebago  countv  on  the  14th 
of  Febmary.  1844,  in  company  with  his  father, 
Nehemiah  Cummings.  Tn  earlv  manhood 
Nehemiah  Cummings  had  married  Rebecca  Cot- 
tani.  who  died,  in  18,^7.  in  Ohio.  The  father 
afterward  married  Miss  Laura  Clark,  and  with 
his  second  wife  and  his  children  he  made  the 
iourney  westward  to  Illinois,  reaching  his 
destiuatif>n  on  the  date  indicated.  He  settled  on 
what  is  called  the  big  bottom  in  Cnilford  town- 
<lii|t.   ti.'iling   (  Hiio   land    for   a   tract    here.     He 


•   L^i/<-^*^ 


^^n-l^^'V^^ 


y^ 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WIXXEBAGO     COUNTY 


401 


found  the  soil  rich  and  productive  after  careful 
cultivation  and  he  continued  to  make  his  home 
iipon  his  farm  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1863,  when  he  was  sixty-nine  years  of  age. 
He  always  followed  the  occupation  of  farming 
and  was  thus  enabled  to  provide  a  comfortable 
living  for  his  family.  His  early  political 
allegiance  was  given  to  the  whig  party  and  when 
the  republican  party  was  formed  to  prevent  the 
further  extension  of  slavery  he  joined  its  ranks. 
He  was  an  ardent  advocate  of  the  Union  cause 
but  he  did  not  live  to  see  the  completion  of  the 
war  and  the  vindication  of  the  president's  policy. 
He  held  membership  in  the  First  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  ot  Rockford  and  his  life  was 
honorable  and  upright.  His  second  wife,  long 
surviving  him,  died  a  few  years  ago  in  Missouri, 
when  more  than  eighty  years  of  age.  She  had 
one  child  by  a  former  marriage  and  one  son  by 
her  second  marriage — Clarkson  E.  Cummings, 
who  is  now  living  in  Iowa  Falls,  Iowa, 

O,  J-  Cummings  also  has  a  sister,  Mrs.  Mary 
Hunter,  who  resides  in  Delaware  county,  Iowa. 
O.  J.  Cummings  was  born  in  Geauga  county, 
Ohio,  in  December,  183 1,  and  was  therefore  a 
youth  of  about  thirteen  years  when  he  came  with 
his  father  to  Illinois.  He  had  begun  his  educa- 
tion in  the  schools  of  the  Buckeye  state  and  he 
continued  his  studies  there,  being  under  the  in- 
struction of  Miss  Ferona  Foote,  a  well  remem- 
bered teacher.  At  another  time  he  was  under  the 
instruction  of  H.  H.  Waldo  and  he  also  attended 
the  Rockford  schools.  Throughout  the  greater 
part  of  his  business  career  he  has  carried  on 
farming,  starting  out  in  life  for  himself  as  a 
young  man.  He  had  no  special  advantages  to 
assist  him  but  realizing  that  earnest  labor  is  the 
basis  of  all  prosperity  he  closely  applied  himself 
to  his  work  and  in  the  course  of  years  has  won 
success. 

Mr.  Cummings  was  married  at  the  age  of 
twenty-seven  years  to  Miss  Ann  Butler,  who  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania,  but  came  to  Winnebago 
county  in  early  womanhood.  She  is  now  seventy- 
six  years  of  age,  and  for  more  than  a  half  cen- 
tury has  lived  in  Winnebago  county.  Unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Cummings  have  been  born  five  chil- 
dren :  Mrs.  Lillian  Fitts,  of  Northampton,  Mas- 
sachusetts;  ]\lrs.  Mary  Gorham,  formerly  of 
Iowa,  but  now  of  Rockford:  Mrs.  Abbie  Knoud, 
who  is  residing  on  the  Samuel  Fuller  farm  in 
Rockford  township:  and  B.  N.,  who  is  managing 
and  residing  on  the  farm  in  Guilford  township, 
and  who  married  iNIiss  Ella  Elliott,  of  Lynnville, 
by  whom  he  has  three  children — Mildred,  sixteen 
years  of  age :  Kenneth,  eight  years  of  age,  and 
Dorothy,  a  little  maiden  of  four  years.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Cummings  lost  one  child.  Lulu,  who  is  a 
twin  of  Lillian  and  who  died  at  the  age  of  four 
vears. 


Locating  upon  their  present  farm  in  the  '50s, 
this  place  has  since  been  their  home  and  Mr.  Cum- 
mings continued  active  in  its  cultivation  and 
management  until  1862,  when,  teeling  that  his 
country  needed  his  aid,  he  became  a  member  of 
Company  D,  Seventy-fourth  Illinois  Infantry, 
joining  the  regiment  as  a  private  soldier.  He 
soon  was  made  sergeant,  however,  and  thus 
served  until  1863,  when  he  was  honorably  dis- 
charged because  of  disability.  He  had  partici- 
pated in  the  battle  of  Perryville,  Stone  River 
and  other  engagements  and  after  being  mustered 
out  at  Gallatin,  Tennessee,  he  returned  to  his 
home.  He  has  never  entirely  recovered  from 
injuries  sustained  at  the  front.  He  is  now  a 
member  of  Nevius  post.  No.  i,  G,  A.  R.,  and 
was  at  one  time  quite  active  therein.  He  was 
fonnerlv  identified  with  the  Modern  \\'oodmen 
and  he  is  well  known  in  political  circles  as  a  re- 
publican. For  foitr  years  he  served  as  a  member 
of  the  board  of  supervisors  and  assisted  materially 
in  securing  the  location  of  Memorial  Hall,  at 
Rockford,  and  was  likewise  instrumental  in  the 
building  of  the  north  end  bridge.  He  has  a 
wide  acquaintance  in  his  township,  having  for 
about  a  half  century  lived  upon  his  present  farm 
and  not  to  know  Mr.  Cummings  in  that  com- 
munity is  to  argue  one's  self  unknown.  There 
have  been  no  exciting  chapters  in  his  life  his- 
tory but  his  record  proves  the  true  worth  of  char- 
acter and  indicates  the  eft'ectiveness  of  persistent, 
honorable  labor  in  achieving  success,  which  is 
the   goal   for   which   all   business   men  are  striv- 


:\LAROUIS  L.  CORWIN. 

Marquis  L.  Corwin,  a  retired  farmer,  living 
in  Pecatonica,  was  born  February  22,  1845.  in 
what  was  then  the  township  of  L}-sander,  but  is 
now  Pecatonica  township.  His  parents  were  Cap- 
tain B.  F.  and  and  Betsy  (Tibbits)  Corwin,  the 
former  born  October  28,  1810,  and  the  latter  on 
the  13th  of  July,  181 5.  They  were  married  De- 
cember 31,  1836,  and  about  1839  come  to  Rock- 
ford, where  Captain  Corwin  established  a  brick- 
vard,  the  first  enterprise  of  the  character  started 
in  the  county  seat.  Later  he  removed  to  the  vi- 
cinity of  Pecatonica.  his  home  being  about  three 
and  a  half  miles  north  of  the  village.  There  he 
entered  government  land,  securing  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres,  on  which  he  built  the  first  brick 
house  in  the  township,  burning  the  brick  and 
making  the  lime  for  the  building.  He  was  one  of 
the  pioneer  settlers  of  the  community,  broke  the 
raw  prairie,  cut  the  timber  and  hewed  out  the 
lumber  used  in  the  construction  of  the  barn.  He 
also  split  the  shingles  for  the  roofs  of  his  build- 
ings and  he  burned  the  brick  for  the  first  brick 


402 


PAST     AX  I)     I'RKSEXT    OF     WIXNEBAGO     COUXTY. 


buililing  erected  in  IVcatonica.  In  addition  to 
general  agricultural  pursuits  he  conducted  a 
cooper  shop  on  his  farm  and  made  barrels  for  the 
shipment  of  pork  and  beef.  He  also  made  hun- 
dreds of  flour  barrels,  which  he  sold  in  R<x-kford, 
Galena  and  Freei)ort.  He  continued  in  the  coop- 
ering business  for  forty  years  or  more,  and  at 
times  did  shoemaking  for  his  own  family.  His 
business  interests  were  thus  varied  and  exten- 
sive. He  possessed  marked  mechanical  ingenu- 
ity, as  well  as  unfailing  enterprise  and  strong 
purpose,  and  his  labors  were  attended  with  a 
gratifying  measure  of  success.  His  death  oc- 
curred in  Durand  township  and  the  comnnmitv 
thereby  lost  one  of  its  reiiresentative  citizens.  In 
the  family  were  seven  children :  E.  ^^^,  born  Sep- 
tember 4.  1842:  Marquis  L.,  of  this  review;  Ase- 
nath.  born  Xovember  22.  1847:  .\massa.  IxDrn 
April  27,  1849:  Lydia.  March  21.  1852;  Lucv  T- 
December  ^1,   i8ss:  and  Franklin  S..  March   i"q. 

Marquis  L.   Corwin  pursued  his   education   in 
the  public  schools  of  Pecatonica  township,  and 
during  his  boyhood  days  worked  upon  his  father's 
farm  through  the  summer  months.     \\'hen  about 
twenty  years  of  age  he   rented   land  and  began 
business  on  his  own  account.     As  a  companion 
and   helpmate   for   life's   journey   he   chose   .Miss 
Fidelia  .A.  Canon,  a  daughter  of  George  P.  and 
Harriet  L.  fHaynes)  Canon,  the  former  a  native 
of  Ohio,  whence  he  came  to  Illinois,  becoming 
one  of  the  pioneer  .settlers  of  Winnebago  couiitv. 
Her  grandfather  erected  the  first  frame  house  in 
what  was  then  Cord,  but  is  now  Durand  town- 
ship.     Her   father  carted   wheat   to  the  Chicago 
market  and  in  return  secured  merchandise.     He 
hauled  his  pork  to  Galena,  Illinois,  and  also  to 
the  pine  woods  of  Wisconsin.    He  was  a  memlx-r 
of  Company  I,  .Seventy-fourth  \'oIuntcer  Infan- 
try-, during  the  Civil  war.     The  marriage  of  Mr. 
anfl    Mrs.    Canon    was    celebrated    Februarv    26. 
1865.  and  in  the  first  year  thereafter  he  rented 
land   from  his   father,  while  the  second  year  he 
rented  his  father-in-law's  fami.     In  1868  he  pur- 
cha.sed  forty  acres  of  land,  on  which  was  a  .small 
house  and  a  log  barn,  but  the  fields  were  poorly 
improved.     He  cleared  away  the  timber  on   the 
place  and  added  to  the  house,  continuing  the  cul- 
tivation  of  the   farm   for  some   time.     I^ter  he 
sold  this  proi)erty  and  bought  eighty  acres  of  land 
seven  miles  from  Pecatonica,  to  which  he  after- 
ward  added   a   tract   of  eighty   acres.     In    1900. 
however,  he  sold  eighty  acres  of  his  land,  but  in 
the  meantime  was  for  a  long  period  recognized 
as  one  of  the  most  practical,  energetic  and  pro- 
gressive fanners  of  his  locality.     He  placed  his 
fields  under  a  very  high  state  of  cultivation,  and 
he   raised   blooded   stock,  both   cattle   and   hogs, 
making  a  specinlty  of  Durham  cattle  and  Chester 
White  hogs.    He  never  raised  a  black  hog  in  his 


life.  He  also  bred  coach  horses,  and,  in  fact,  all 
of  the  stock  was  of  superior  grades,  so  that  he 
found  ready  sale  on  the  market.  His  business 
interests  were  carefully  and  cai)ably  conducted 
until  F'ebruary.  1905,  when  he  removed  to  the 
village  of  Pecatonica.  where  he  is  now  living  re- 
tired. He  is  still  owner,  however,  of  eighty  acres 
of  valuable  land. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Corwin  have  been  born 
three  daughters :  Xettie  M.,  born  September  26, 
1866,  is  the  wife  of  William  .\.  .Miller,  residing 
on  her  father's  farm  in  Durand  township,  and 
they  have  two  children,  Guy  E.  and  Neva  R.  Eva 
L..  born  May  5.  1870,  is  the  wife  of  Irving 
Clikeman,  now  living  retired  in  Pecatonica,  being 
formerly  actively  connected  with  agricultural  in- 
terests, and  they  have  one  son,  Claude  E.  Bir- 
dena  F.,  born  March  20,  18S1.  is  a  school-teacher, 
living  at  home,  and  has  completed  the  courses  in 
the  district  schools  and  high  school  of  Peca- 
tonica. 

Mr.  Corwin.  interested  in  public  affairs  relat- 
ing to  the  welfare  and  upbuilding  of  his  com- 
munity, has  co-operated  in  many  movements  for 
the  general  good.  He  served  for  about  sixteen 
years  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  and  acted 
as  overseer  of  highways  for  three  or  four  terms. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Ignited  Workmen.  Modern 
^\'oodmcn  camp.  Court  of  Honor  and  the  Fra- 
ternal League,  while  his  wife  holds  memlxrship 
with  the  Eminent  Ladies  and  Relief  Corps.  She 
i.--'  also  a  member  of  the  I'nion  .-Md  Society  and 
the  Hard  Times  Society,  which  indicate  her  be- 
nevolent and  charitable  spirit  and  her  practical 
helpfulness,  Mr.  Corwin  gives  his  political  alle- 
giance to  the  republican  party.  He  has  a  wide  ac- 
ciuaintance  in  the  county,  where  his  entire  life 
has  been  passed.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  repre- 
.sentatives  of  old  and  prominent  families  of  pio- 
neer times,  and  are  now  numbered  among  the 
substantial  citizens  of  Pecatonica,  a  position  which 
is  due  to  their  own  labors,  for  in  early  married 
life  their  financial  resources  were  limited,  and 
that  they  now  have  a  competence  which  enables 
them  to  enjoy  a  well  earned  ease  is  the  result  of 
capable  management  and  well  directed  business 
interests. 


SAMCEL  SEYMOUR. 

Samuel  Seymour,  now  living  retired  in  a 
pleasant  home  at  Xo.  1926  F^st  State  street  in 
Rockford,  is  a  native  of  Litchfield  county.  Con- 
necticut, born  December  14.  1829,  his  parents 
being  Erastus  and  Jerusha  (King)  Seymour. 
while  the  paternal  grandfather  was  Samuel  Sey- 
mour, of  Connecticut.  The  father  engaged  quite 
extensively  in  fanning  in  the  Charter  Oak  state, 
owning  one  of  the  best  farms  in  Litchfield  county. 


SA.ML'EL  SEYMOUR. 


PAST     AXD     PRESKXT     OF     WINXEISAGO     COUNTY. 


405 


He  had  three  sons,  all  of  whoni  reached  adult 
age  and  are  still  living:  Edward  P.,  who  resides 
near  the  old  homestead  in  Connecticut :  Samuel ; 
and  John,  who  is  a  wagonniakcr,  also  living  in 
Litchfield  county. 

Samuel  Seymour  of  this  review  was  educated 
in  Williston  Seminary  in  Massachusetts  and 
afterward  attended  medical  lectures  for  six 
months.  He  engaged  in  teaching  school  for  four 
years  in  the  village  of  Norfolk,  Connecticut,  and 
in  1849  lis  joined  a  company  planning  to  go  to 
the  Pacific  coast,  attracted  by  the  discovery  of 
gold  in  California.  They  borrowed  the  money 
to  bu\-  a  ship,  which  they  stocked  with  lumber 
and  pork  and  a  good  supply  of  provisions,  and 
then  sailed  around  Cape  Horn  to  San  Francisco. 
After  reaching  their  destination  they  sold  the 
lumber  for  five  hundred  and  ninety  dollars  per 
thousand  feet  and  they  also  made  some  money  in 
mining,  remaining  in  California  for  two  years, 
after  which  they  returned  to  Connecticut  by  wa)' 
of  the  isthmus.  Not  long  after  reaching  New 
England,  Samuel  Seymour  went  to  Loudoun 
county,  A'irginia,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the 
chain  pump  business.  His  experiences  in  the  far 
west  were  very  interesting  because  of  the  pioneer 
condition  of  that  country  and  he  can  relate  many 
anecdotes  which  rival  the  marvelous  tales  of 
literature,  proving  again  that  "truth  is  stranger 
than  fiction."  Mr.  Seymour  came  to  Illinois 
when  twenty-eight  years  of  age,  arriving  in  Win- 
nebago county  in  1857.  He  located  in  Rockford. 
where  he  began  loaning  money,  and  later  he 
turned  his  attention  to  the  insurance  business,  in 
which  he  continued  for  many  years,  winning  a 
very  high  measure  of  success  in  his  efforts  along 
that  line.  He  also  represented  a  paper  company 
of  Beloit.  Wisconsin,  traveling  upon  the  road  for 
two  years,  but  for  the  past  ten  years  he  has  lived 
retired  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  fruits  of  a  former 
toil  and  of  the  rest  which  he  has  truly  earned. 

Mr.  Seymour  was  married,  October  24,  1855, 
to  Miss  Laura  Lewis,  a  native  of  Wyoming 
countv.  New  York,  their  marriage  being  cele- 
brated in  the  east.  Her  death  occurred  in  1898. 
and  on  the  8th  of  September,  ic)02,  "Sir.  Seymour 
was  again  married.  Miss  Florence  E.  Kennish 
becoming  his  wife.  She  was  born  in  Rockford 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Jolm  and  Ellen  (Kissack) 
Kennish.  of  Davis  Junction,  the  former  a  har- 
nessmaker  by  trade.  Both  her  parents  were  bom 
on  the  Isle  of  Man  and  her  father  crossed  the 
Atlantic  on  the  same  ship  with  John  Hutchins. 
In  his  family  were  three  children  :  Fred,  who  is 
living  at  Davis  Junction ;  Mrs.  Seymoiu- ;  and 
Anna  May,  who  is  the  wife  of  Adelbert  Richards, 
and  lives  at  Fairdale,  Illinois.  She  has  one  child. 
a  daughter.  Mrs.  Seymour  began  her  education 
in  the  schools  of  Davis   Junction  and  afterward 


attended  Mrs.  Carpenter's  Academy  and  the 
Wells  Training  School,  at  Oregon,  Illinois.  She 
successfully  taught  school  for  several  years  and 
then  attended  the  business  college  at  Rockford, 
completing  a  course  in  shorthand  and  typewrit-, 
ing.  She  is  a  lady  of  superior  education,  of 
natural  refinement  and  culture,  and  like  her  hus- 
band enjoys  the  friendship  of  many  here.  They 
have  one  child.  Porter  Kennish  Seymour,  born 
June  29,   1903. 

Mr.  Seymour  owns  a  fine  home  where  he  re- 
sides at  No.  1926  East  State  street,  and  he  also 
has  several  other  residences  in  the  town  and 
real  estate  in  the  west,  his  property  interests  be- 
ing the  visible  evidence  of  his  life  of  activity  and 
energy.  His  early  political  allegiance  was  given 
to  the  free  soil  party  and  he  has  now  long  been  a 
republican.  He  is  a  liberal  supporter  of  the  Con- 
gregational church  and  is  a  self-made  man,  being 
both  the  architect  and  builder  of  his  own  for- 
tunes. Labor  is  the  basis  of  his  prosperity  and 
he  has  persistently  and  energetically  followed  a 
given  course  and  is  now  one  of  the  substantial 
residents  of  Rockford. 


CHARLES  E.  HIGGINS. 

Charles  E.  Higgins  is  the  owner  of  a  good 
farm  on  sections  2  and  11,  Burritt  township,  and 
has  always  carried  on  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits. He  was  born  in  Owen  township,  this 
county,  July  20,  1875.  His  father,  Thomas  Hig- 
gins, a  native  of  Ireland,  came  to  America  in 
the  year  1844,  arriving  in  Winnebago  county 
when  about  twenty  years  of  age.  He  lived  for  a 
quarter  of  a  century  in  Owen  and  Rockton  town- 
ships and  finally  made  a  permanent  settlement 
in  the  former,  spending  his  remaining  days  there 
upon  the  old  homestead,  where  he  departed  his 
life  October  14,  1904.  His  wife  was  Miss  Anna 
Scott  in  her  maidenhood,  and  her  birth  occurred 
in  Ireland  in  the  year  185 1.  When  seventeen 
years  of  age  she  came  to  the  LTnited  States  with 
her  sisters,  taking  up  her  abode  in  Rockford,  but 
soon  afterward  they  removed  to  Owen  township, 
and  on  the  17th  of  November,  i86g,  Anna  Scott 
gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Thomas  Higgins. 
She  still  survives  him,  and  is  now  living  on  the 
old  home  farm  in  Owen  township.  In  their 
family  were  eight  children :  Charles  E. ;  William 
W.,  of  Rockton,  Illinois,  who  wedded  Mary  Mil- 
ton, of  Owen  townshii:),  and  has  one  daughter; 
Alfred  J.,  a  farmer  of  Harrison  township,  who 
married  Belle  Halley,  of  Owen  township,  and 
has  one  son  ;  Thomas,  a  resident  farmer  of  Owen 
township,  who  married  Gertrude  Webber,  of 
Rockton  township,  and  has  one  daughter;  George, 
who    is    living   on    the   old    homestead    in    Owen 


4o6 


I'AST     AM)     I'RESEXT    OF     WIXXEBAGO     COUNTY. 


township;  Orvis,  also  living  t>ii  the  did  home 
farm  in  Owen  township;  Margaret  and  ld:i.  both 
at  home. 

Charles  E.  Higgins  pursued  his  early  education 
in  the  common  schools  and  afterward  attended  a 
business  college.  He  was  reared  to  farm  work 
and  has  deyoted  his  entire  life  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits and  stock-raising,  being  now  extensively 
engaged  in  the  breeding  of  Duroc  Jersey  hogs. 
He  resides  on  the  Thomas  Fell  fami.  and  his 
time  and  energies  are  devoted  to  the  tilling  of 
the  soil,  the  place  comprising  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  land.  In  his  business  he  is  ener- 
getic, ambitious  and  diligent,  and  is  meeting  with 
a  creditable  measure  of  success. 

On  the  8th  of  March,  i&X).  Mr.  Higgins  wed- 
ded Miss  Elizabeth  Gihm)re,  a  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  ^^argaret  (Hamilton)  (iiimore. 
of  Rockford.  Her  father  was  born  in  tlie 
north  of  Ireland  in  March.  iS4_^.  and  came 
to  the  United  States  when  about  eighteen 
years  of  age.  Soon  afterward  he  enlisted 
in  the  One  Hundred  and  Seventh  New  ^'ork  In- 
fantry, serving  from  1862  until  1864.  In  the 
latter  year  he  was  severely  wounded,  losing  a 
limb,  which  necessitated  his  discharge  from  the 
army.  In  1868  he  was  married  to  Margaret 
Hamilton,  of  Massachusetts,  and  came  to  this 
county  about  1872.  Mr.  Cilmore  is  an  ardent 
republican  and  has  taken  an  active  ])art  in  polit- 
ical work  in  this  county.  He  served  for  four 
vears  as  county  treasurer  and  was  township  treas- 
urer and  collector  of  Harrison  township  for  a 
numlx^r  of  years.  He  is  an  active  and  valued 
member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  cam]),  and  he 
and  his  wife  are  now  living  in  Rockford.  Their 
daughter,  Elizabeth,  was  born  in  Harrison  town- 
ship, December  2.  1880.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Higgins 
have  become  the  parents  of  two  children,  Mar- 
garet .^nna  and  Clarence  A.,  both  born  in  Owen 
township,  tlic  former  .\ugust  5.  1901.  and  the 
latter  December  23.  k/33. 

Mr.  Higgins  is  a  member  of  Harrison  camp. 
Xo.  684,  M.  W.  .\..  and  is  actively  interested  in 
political  questions,  having  always  given  his-  sup- 
port to  the  republican  party.  He  is  a  wide-awake 
and  enterprising  young  business  man.  esteemeil 
in  the  community  where  his  entire  life  has  been 
passed. 


RUFUS  W.  GRAVES. 

Rufus  W.  Graves,  interested  in  general  agri- 
cidtural  pursuits  on  section  11.  Roscoe  township, 
is  numbered  among  the  worthy  citizens  that  the 
Empire  state  has  furnished  to  Winnebago  countv. 
He  was  born  in  New  York,  .\pril  2f>,  1825.  His 
father,  Obed  Graves,  was  a  native  of  Cortland 
county.  New  York,  and  his  last  days  were  spent 


at  the  home  of  his  son  Rufus,  where  he  died  at 
the  very  venerable  age  of  ninety-three  years.  He 
had  followed  hnnbering  in  the  east  and  after  com- 
ing to  the  west  was  engaged  in  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  but  for  some  years  prior  to  his 
demise  he  lived  retired  with  his  sons  in  Roscoe 
township.  His  wife  Iwre  the  maiden  name  of 
.\llie  Monroe,  was  also  a  native  of  New  York 
state,  and  died  in  Roscoe  at  the  age  of  eighty-five 
years,  in  the  family  of  this  worthy  conjjle  were 
nine  children,  of  whom  Rufus  W.  was  the  third 
in  order  of  birth.  Only  three  are  now  living,  the 
others  being  (  ).  I'err\-.  a  resident  of  Roscoe 
townshi]);  and  tjeorge  D..  wlm  is  living  in 
Picloit,  \\'isconsin. 

Rufus  W.  Graves  spent  the  ])criod  of  his  mi- 
nority in  the  east  and  when  twenty-one  years  of 
age  made  his  way  to  Illinois,  taking  up  his  abode 
in  Winnebago  county,  in  1846.  Almost  sixty 
years  have  since  come  and  gone  and  great  changes 
have  occurred,  a  wonderful  transformation  being 
wrought  in  all  departments  of  business  activity. 
In  the  year  of  his  removal  to  the  west  he  was 
married  in  New  York,  to  Miss  Julia  Thornton, 
also  a  native  of  the  Empire  state. 

Mr.  ( I  raves  when  a  boy  was  on  a 
canal  in  the  east,  lie  brought  with  him 
only  a  limited  capital  when  he  removed  to 
this  coimtv  but  invested  his  money  in 
twelve  acres  of  land,  which  he  still  owns.  Al- 
most from  the  beginning  he  prospered  here  and 
kejit  adding  to  his  holdings  until  now  his  landed 
possessions  aggregate  three  lunulred  and  twenty 
acres  in  Roscoe  township,  of  which  forty  acres 
is  used  for  ])asturage,  wliile  the  remainder  is  de- 
voted to  general  farming.  His  fields  are  highly 
ctdtivated  and  give  promise  of  golden  harvests. 
He  has  also  been  engaged  quite  extensively  in 
the  raising  of  stock,  making  a  sjiecialty  of  sheep 
and  Qiester  White  hogs.  His  business  interests 
have  been  carefully  managed  and  he  has  watched 
cvcrv  indication  ])ointing  to  success  until  now 
as  the  reward  of  his  unremitting  labor  and  honor- 
able methods  he  is  in  possession  of  a  very  valu- 
able and  desirable  property. 

]\rr.  Graves  exercises  his  right  of  franchise  in 
sujiport  of  the  men  and  measures  of  the  repub- 
lican party  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  influ- 
ential citizens  of  his  townshii).  where  he  has 
held  jjublic  offices  of  trust.  For  many  years  he 
served  as  highway  commissioner  of  Roscoe  town- 
ship and  did  much  to  improve  the  condition  of  the 
roads.  He  has  always  favored  the  measures 
tending  to  advance  the  general  welfare  and  his 
co-operation  can  be  counted  upon  in  movements 
for  the  public  good.  He  held  office  twelve  years. 
He  was  justice  of  the  |)eace  and  his  decisions 
were  strictly  fair  and  impartial,  neither  fear  nor 
favor  swerving  him  in  the  utterance  of  an  opin- 
ion which  he  believed  emb<idied  the  equity  of  the 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF    WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


407 


case.  He  has  held  the  office  of  road  commis- 
sioner for  forty-five  years  in  Roscoe  township. 

The  Iiome  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Graves  has  been 
blessed  with  two  sons  and  a  daughter,  all  born  in 
this  county:  Orlando  M.,  now  making  his  home 
in  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  wedded  Miss  Lodena  Rock- 
well and  has  two  children,  Smith  M.  and  Fen- 
ton  ;  Frances  A.  became  the  wife  of  George  H. 
]\Iuchmore  and  has  three  children ;  Harriet  \\'ini- 
fred,  Cora  and  Roy ;  Jay  U.  married  Laura 
Franz,  and  has  one  child,  Lyle  F. 

Air.  Graves  is  numbered  among  the  early  resi- 
dents of  the  county,  having  for  almost  six  dec- 
ades lived  within  its  borders  and  here  he  has 
worked  his  way  upward  from  a  humble  finan- 
cial position  to  one  of  affluence,  basing  his  rise 
in  the  world  upon  the  substantial  qualities  of  un- 
remitting diligence  and  unflagging  industry. 


THOMAS  MANNIX. 

Thomas  Mannix,  deceased,  was  one  of  the 
self-made  men  of  Rockford,  who,  improving 
business  opportunities,  worked  his  way  steadily 
upward  from  an  humble  financial  position  to  one 
of  affluence.  He  settled  here  in  pioneer  days, 
becoming  a  resident  of  the  city  in  1841  and  he 
conducted  the  first  express  business  here.  He 
was  born  in  County  Clare,  Ireland.  December  22. 
182 1,  and  his  parents  both  died  in  that  country 
in  his  youth.  He  was  then  reared  by  his  grand- 
mother and  an  uncle  and  he  attended  the  com- 
mon schools  of  Ireland  and  acquired  a  fair 
education.  He  was  a  young  man  when  he  landed 
on  the  shores  of  the  United  States  and  he  made 
his  way  to  Vermont,  where  he  worked  as  a  la- 
borer. He  was  also  employed  as  a  farm  hand 
in  that  locality,  where  he  continued  to  reside  for 
several  years. 

It  was  while  making  his  home  in  \'ermont  that 
Mr.  Mannix  was  married  to  Miss  i\Iargaret 
Leahy,  a  native  of  Ireland,  who  died  in  Rock- 
ford,  in  1865.  They  became  the  parents  of  four 
children,  of  whom  two  are  now  living:  Marie, 
the  wife  of  Leonard  H.  Schmauss,  the  president 
of  the  Schmauss  Company  of  Rockford  and  one 
of  the  leading  business  men  here :  and  Ellen,  the 
wife  of  Edward  Condon,  residing  upon  a  farm 
near  Kishwaukee.  In  1866  Mr.  Mannix  was 
again  married,  his  second  wife  bearing  the 
maiden  name  of  Katherine  Connelly.  She,  too, 
was  born  in  Ireland  and  her  parents,  John  and 
Mary  (Doyle)  Connelly,  were  both  natives  of 
that  country,  where  thev  spent  their  entire  lives. 
Their  daughter  Katherine  and  her  brother  came 
to  the  LTnited  States  together  and  settled  in 
Rockford,  where  the  brother  died  and  where  the 
sister  was  married.  Three  children  were  born 
of  the   second   union :   Thomas  J.,   who  married 


Ellen  Condon  and  is  engaged  in  the  meat  busi- 
ness ;  Katherine  J.,  the  wife  of  Edward 
Schmauss,  who  is  traveling  agent  for  the 
Schmauss  Company  and  resides  in  Rockford; 
and  Frederick,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
months.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schmauss  make  their 
home  with  her  mother,  Mrs.  Mannix,  and  they 
have  three  children,  Edna,  Katherine  and  Alta. 
Following  his  first  marriage  Mr.  Mannix 
came  to  Rockford  in  1841  and  is  well  known 
to  all  its  citizens  as  the  first  expressman  of  this 
place,  beginning  business  here  with  an  old  two- 
wheeled  dray.  As  the  years  advanced  and  the 
city  grew  his  business  also  expanded  until  it 
reached  extensive  and  profitable  proportions. 
He  had  a  very  large  patronage  in  his  later  years 
and  derived  a  good  income  therefrom.  Becom- 
ing suddenly  ill  with  heart  trouble  he  died  De- 
cember 15,  1895.  He  exercised  his  right  of  fran- 
chise in  support  of  the  men  and  measure  of  the 
democracy  and  he  belonged  to  the  St.  James 
Catholic  church,  of  which  his  wife  and  children 
are  also  communicants.  There  were  no  thrilling 
incidents  in  his  career,  but  no  history  represented 
in  this  volume  can  serve  as  a  better  illustration  to 
young  men  of  the  power  of  indefatigable  industry 
and  unswerving  integrity  in  insuring  success. 
Mrs.  jNIannix  owns  and  occupies  a  residence  at 
No.  604  South  Fourth  street  and  with  her  re- 
side JMr.  and  Mrs.  Schmauss  and  their  children. 
The  Schmauss  Company  are  the  large  meat  pack- 
ers of  Rockford  and  the  family  have  attained 
wealth  through  the  conduct  of  extensive  busi- 
ness interests. 


WILLIAM   H.    MINERS. 

William  H.  Miners,  a  representative  agricul- 
turist of  Harlem  township,  has  an  excellent  farm 
on  sections  16  and  21  and  through  his  well  di- 
rected labors  has  become  one  of  the  substantial 
citizens  of  his  community.  A  native  of  England, 
he  was  born  in  Cornwall,  December  21,  1849,  his 
parents  being  James  and  Mary  (Allen)  Miners, 
also  natives  of  Cornwall,  the  former  born  in 
1827  and  the  latter  in  1830.  They  are  now  resi- 
dents of  Rockford,  the  father  having  retired  from 
active  business  life.  In  their  family  were  seven 
children :  Thomas  J.,  a  resident  of  Harlem 
township,  who  has  two  sons  and  one  daughter ; 
John,  who  is  living  retired  in  Oregon,  Illinois ; 
Abel,  a  resident  farmer  of  Ogle  county,  Illinois, 
who  has  two  sons  and  a  daughter :  James  E.,  of 
Harlem  township,  who  has  one  son  ;  Mary,  the 
wife  of  Henry  \\'iIcox.  of  Harlem  township,  and 
the  mother  of  one  daughter :  Mrs.  Hiram  \\''hit- 
wood.  of  Harlem :  and  Louisa,  who  married 
Louis  Overholt,  of  Calmar,  Iowa,  and  has  three 
daughters  and  two  sons. 


4o8 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF     \\lX.\i:i'.A(;u     COLXTY. 


The  otiicr  member  of  the  .Miners  family  is 
W'ilHam  H.  Miners  who,  when  five  years  of  agfe, 
was  l)rous:ht  by  his  parents  from  England  to 
America.  For  four  years  the  family  home  was 
maintained  in  Rockford.  at  the  end  of  which  time 
the  parents  removed  to  a  farm  near  W'estfield. 
\\'inneba,s^o  county,  the  father  working'  as  a  farm 
hand  by  the  day  in  that  locality.  WHien  five  years 
had  passed  he  returned  to  Rockford  township, 
where  he  resided  two  years,  and  then  took  up 
his  al)i)(Ie  in  Harlem  township.  \\'illiam  H. 
Miners  accomjianied  his  parents  on  these  various 
removals  and  for  eight  years  lived  with  them 
in  Harlem  township,  after  which  he  started  out 
in  life  on  his  own  account.  He  carried  on  gen- 
eral agricultural  pursuits  for  four  years  and  after- 
ward spent  a  year  in  Guilford  township,  subse- 
quent to  wliich  time  he  settled  in  the  city  of  Rock- 
ford and  conducted  a  hack  line  for  four  years. 
He  tlien  followed  teaming  for  about  three  years, 
after  wliich  he  accepted  the  position  of  night 
watchman  on  the  water  power,  acting  in  that  ca- 
pacit\'  for  three  years,  when  he  resumed  teaming, 
which  he  followed  for  two  years.  FTis  next  work 
was  as  night  watchman  at  the  Phoenix  furniture 
factory  and  a  year  later  he  began  working  for 
the  citv  street  department,  with  which  he  was 
connected  for  four  vears.  .-Xbout  eleven  years 
ago  he  rcmoveil  to  his  present  home  in  Harlem 
townshij).  where  he  has  .since  resided,  giving  liis 
time  and  energies  to  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits, his  labors  bcinsi  crowned  with  an  excellent 
measure  <>f  success.  Tn  his  works  he  is  verv  ener- 
getic and  dilisrent.  brooking  no  obstacles  that  can 
be  overcome  by  determined  and  earnest  purpose 
and  in  this  lies  the  secret  of  his  jirosperitv. 

On  the  .^d  of  December.  1873.  Mr.  Miners  was 
married  to  ^liss  Mar\'  M.abie.  of  Harlem  town- 
ship, a  daughter  of  Peter  and  Eliza  (Chaiipcn 
Mabie.  honored  and  early  pioneer  residents  of 
Harlem  township.  Her  father  was  born  in 
Clyde,  Ohio,  in  181 2  and  the  mother  was  a  na- 
tive rif  that  i>lace.  liorn  in  iRi^.  Tn  their  early 
married  life  they  came  to  ^^'innebago  county, 
where  ihev  spent  their  remaining  days.  ^fr.  ^fa- 
bie  passing  awa\  Februnrv  3.  i8<)2.  and  his  wife 
in  September.  187^.  Mrs.  Mines  lias  three 
lirothers  and  two  sisters,  naniclv :  Joshua,  resid- 
inrr  at  Santa  .Ana.  California:  Homer,  of  Mason 
Cit\ .  Iowa,  who  lias  four  sons  and  r>  daughter: 
William,  who  is  living  in  Whiting.  Indiana:  Mrs. 
Francis  Dresser,  of  '^anta  Ana.  (^ilifMrnia.  who 
has  nine  sons:  and  Mrs.  Laura  Corlette.  whose 
liu,sl)and  is  a  farmer  of  Xew  Milford  township, 
and  thcv  have  three  sons  and  three  daughters. 
The  children  of  Mr.  and  >Trs.  Miners  arc  as  fol- 
lows: Henrv-  Charles,  born  Dicember  :;.  1874. 
pnd  now  living  in  Owen  townshiii,  married  Miss 
Ida  Revnolds.  of  Rockford.  anil  they  Inve  a  son 
and  dai'cdiliT.   Madeline  and   William  H.     Clar- 


ence F..  burn  July  19.  1875.  married  Grace 
Brown,  of  Rockford,  where  the\-  reside,  and  they 
have  two  daughters.  Avis  I.  and  Ethel  M.  Addie 
May,  born  December  9,  1880,  is  at  home.  At  a 
family  gathering  on  the  I7tli  of  September.  iiP5. 
on  our  subject's  farm,  there  were  thirty-five  pres- 
ent and  four  generations  represented. 

^^'illiam  H.  Miners  belongs  to  camp  Xo.  49. 
M.  W.  .\.,  at  Rockford,  and  in  politics  has  been  a 
stanch  republican  since  age  gave  to  him  the  right 
of  franchise.  The  family  attend  the  Methodist 
E])iscopal  church  at  Roscoe.  Interested  in  gen- 
eral ])rogress.  Mr.  Miners  is  a  public-spirited  and 
enterprising  citizen  and  he  deserves  much  credit 
for  what  he  has  accomplLshed  in  his  business  ca- 
reer, for  he  had  to  gain  for  himself  the  advan- 
tages which  many  boys  receive  through  inheri- 
tance or  ])arcntal  indulgence.  His  educational 
l)rivileges  were  limited  but  he  has  become  a  man 
of  good  practical  knowledge  gained  through 
reading  and  experience.  His  farming  interests 
have  been  carefully  managed  and  his  straightfor- 
ward dealing  and  energ}-  form  the  basis  of  his 
i)resent  success. 


GEORGE  GLEASMAX. 

George  Gleasman,  who  became  an  enterpris- 
ing farmer  of  Owen  township,  and  won  succsss 
through  his  well  directed  efforts,  was  born  in 
Rome,  New  York,  on  the  30tli  of  June,  1840. 
He  was  a  son  of  Godfred  Gleasman,  a  native  of 
Germany,  who  with  his  two  brothers.  X'alentine 
and  George,  entered  the  L'nion  .Army,  and  all 
three  were  killed  at  the  battle  of  Antietam.  in 
the  Civil  war,  by  the  explosion  of  one  shell. 
Godfred  Gleasman  and  his  wife.  Henrietta,  were 
the  parents  of  five  sons  and  three  daughters,  of 
whom  George  (ileasman  was  the  second  son  and 
fourth  child.  The  members  of  the  family  still 
living  are:  Fred,  a  resident  of  Rockton ;  I'hilip, 
of  Owen  township ;  Lizzie,  the  wife  of  J.  B.  At- 
wood.  of  Roscoe  township :  Mrs.  Louisa  Faass, 
who  is  living  in  I'tica,  Xew  York :  and  Kate, 
who  is  residing  in  I'tica.  New  York. 

Cieorge  Gleasman  sjient  the  days  of  his  boy- 
hood and. youth  in  the  Empire  state,  acquiring 
his  education  in  the  public  schools.  He  had  no 
special  advantages  in  Ins  early  life  and  in  fact 
was  dependent  upon  his  own  resources  for  a 
living  from  an  early  age.  In  the  s])ring  of  i8()3 
he  came  from  the  h'nqiire  state  to  Illinois,  set- 
tling first  in  ( )weii  townshi]),  Winnebago  county, 
where  he  purchased  three  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  land  on  section  1.  This  farm  is  .still 
in  possession  of  the  family.  1  le  later  bought 
four  hundred  acres  in  Rockton  townshi])  and 
was  a  most  successful  agriculturist.     .\11  of  his 


GEORGE  GLEASMAN 


PAST     AND     PRESEXT     OF     W'lXXEBAGO     COUNTY. 


411 


investments  proved  profitable  and  at  his  death 
he  left  thirteen  hundred  and  fortj-eight  acres 
of  very  valuable  land.  His  success,  however, 
was  characterized  by  unremitting  diligence  and 
he  was  truly  deserving  of  the  praise  implied  in 
the  term  a  self-made  man,  being  both  the  archi- 
tect and  builder  of  his  own  fortune.  He  came 
to  the  west  empty-handed  but  he  utilized  his 
business  opportunities  to  the  best  advantage  and 
as  the  years  passed  amassed  a  goodly  fortune  for 
his  family.  He  was  also  active,  influential  and 
helpful  in  public  affairs  in  his  township  and 
county,  and  while  living  in  Owen  township 
served  as  highway  commissioner  for  a  number 
of  years  and  capably  and  efficiently  filled  other 
offices  of  trust  and  responsibility.  His  political 
allegiance  was  given  to  the  republican  party. 

George  Gleasman  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Sarah  Lake,  a  daughter  of  Hiram  Lake, 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Winnebago  county. 
They  became  the  parents  of  nine  children,  of 
whom  eight  are  living,  namely:  Edwin  S., 
Charles  H.,  Mina  L.,  Kate,  Ratie,  Alice,  Abbie 
and  Frank,  while  one  son,  George,  is  now  de- 
ceased. The  death  of  the  father  occurred  on 
the  1st  of  January,  1890.  when  he  was  about  fifty 
years  of  age.  He  was  led  a  busy  and  useful  life 
characterized  by  close  application  to  his  daily 
duties,  by  unflagging  industry  in  his  business 
and  by  unfaltering  perseverance  in  all  that  he 
undertook.  He  was  in  hearty  sympathy  with 
public  progress  and  improvement  and  was  a  man 
whose  genuine  personal  worth  gained  him  the 
respect  and  confidence  of  those  with  whom  he 
associated.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Rockton,  taking 
an  active  part  in  the  officiarj'  of  the  same. 


GEORGE  STEVENS. 

George  Stevens,  a  resident  farmer  of  New 
ililford  township,  his  home  being  on  section  31, 
has  lived  in  \^'^innebago  county  since  the  22d  of 
February,  1861,  arriving  here  when  a  young  lad 
of  four  years.  He  was  born  in  Boston.  Massa- 
chusetts, in  1856,  his  parents  being  Gilbert  and 
Lucinda  (Hall)  Stevens,  who  located  in  Kish- 
waukee.  New  Milford  township,  at  the  time  of 
their  removal  to  Winnebago  county.  The  father 
was  a  machinist  by  trade  and  in  the  east  was  a 
master  mechanic.  Following  his  removal  to  the 
west  he  purchased  a  farm  near  the  Kishwaukee 
settlement  in  New  Milford  township.  The  vil- 
lage of  Kishwaukee  was  at  one  time  larger  than 
Rockford  but  has  now  ceased  to  exist,  no  house 
remaining  at  the  present  time  to  mark  the  site 
of  the  once  thriving  and  prosperous  village.  Gil- 
bert Stevens  did  not  actively  engage  in  business. 


for  his  health  had  become  impaired  while  still  in 
the  east,  though  from  time  to  time  he  would  do 
some  work,  as  he  did  not  wish  to  be  idle.  He 
resided  in  this  county  from  i860  until  October, 
1900,  when  he  passed  away  at  the  advanced  age 
of  eighty-four  years.  He  had  served  as  highway 
commissioner  for  nine  years  and  was  always 
interested  in  public  progress  and  improvement. 
His  wife  survived  him  until  December,  1904,  and 
departed  this  life  at  the  ver}-  old  age  of  eighty- 
eight  years. 

George  Stevens,  their  only  son,  was  reared  to 
farm  life,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  one  hundred 
and  ninety-four  acres  of  valuable  land,  of  which 
one  hundred  acres  is  situated  on  section  31,  New 
Milford  township.  In  his  youth  he  attended  the 
common  schools  and  when  not  occupied  with  his 
text-books  his  attention  was  largely  given  to  the 
work  of  the  fields.  He  has  mainly  follow^ed  farm- 
ing and  he  was  also  engaged  in  the  implement 
business  for  several  years,  enjoying  a  good  pat- 
ronage. He  possesses  strong  determination  and 
laudable  ambition  and  he  allows  no  obstacle  to 
bar  his  path  when  he  determines  upon  a  given 
course.  His  farm  property  is  now  valuable  and 
well  improved  and  indicates  in  its  excellent  ap- 
pearance his  careful  supervision  and  practical 
methods. 

Mr.  Stevens  was  married  to  Miss  Abby  Roth- 
well,  a  daughter  of  W.  A.  Rothwell,  one  of  the 
oldest  residents  of  New  Milford  township.  Mrs. 
Stevens  was  born  near  her  present  home  and  by 
her  marriage  has  become  the  mother  of  four  chil- 
dren. Harry  A.,  the  eldest,  who  was  born  in 
1 88 1,  and  resides  upon  a  farm  in  Ogle  county, 
Illinois,  married  Miss  Preston,  whose  father  now 
resides  in  Rockford.  They  have  a  fine  farm  in 
Ogle  county  near  the  Winnebago  county  line  and 
two  children  have  blessed  their  union,  Curtis  and 
Elmer  George.  Clara  Andrus.  born  in  1885,  re- 
sides at  home  and  is  now  engaged  in  teaching  in 
New  Milford  township,  having  pursued  her  own 
education  in  Rockford  high  school  and  in  DeKalb, 
Illinois.  Alma,  born  in  189 1,  now  attending  high 
school  in  Rockford,  and  Orlo  B.,  born  November 
18.  1900,  are  at  home. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Stevens  was  formerly 
a  republican,  but  is  now  a  stanch  advocate  of  pro- 
hibition principles,  for  the  party  platform  embod- 
ies his  ideas  upon  the  temperance  question.  He 
has  served  as  highway  commissioner  and  has  re- 
fused various  other  nominations,  preferring  tc 
concentrate  his  attention  upon  his  business  af- 
fairs. Socially  he  is  a  member  of  M.  W.  camp. 
No.  419,  of  New  Milford.  He  has  made  all  of  the 
fine  improvements  now  on  his  fann  and  has  re- 
cently erected  a  comfortable  house  for  a  tenant. 
He  expects  soon  to  retire  from  active  farm  work, 
although  he  will  retain  his  residence  upon  the 
old  homestead.     His  labors  in  former  vears  have 


41- 


I'ASr     AND     I'Ki:SFA'T     OF     WlXXl-.i;  A(iO     COL'XTV. 


constituted  tlie  source  of  a  very  desirable  compe- 
tence, which  pemiits  of  his  retirement  from  active 
business  life. 


GEORGE  W.  FLAGG. 

George  W.  Flagg.  actively  interested  in  agri- 
cultural pursuits  in  Seward  township,  was  born 
at  Heath,  Massachusetts,  September  9,  1825,  and 
is  intlehted  to  the  common  and  select  schools  of 
that  locality  for  the  educational  privileges  he  en- 
joyed. His  parents  were  Silas  M.  and  Hannah 
(Bixby)  Flagg.  The  father,  a  native  of  Wor- 
cester, Massachusetts,  died  in  1845.  at  the  age  of 
forty-seven  years,  while  his  wife,  who  was  a 
native  of  Vermont,  passed  away  in  1857,  at  the 
age  of  sixty-five  years.  The  father  followed  the 
occupation  of  farming  in  the  state  of  his  nativity 
throughout  his  entire  life.  In  the  family  were 
three  children,  of  whom  George  W.  is  the  eldest. 
Henry  F..  born  September  23,  1829,  died  July  3, 
1853.  when  about  twenty-three  years  of  age. 
Marcia  A.,  born  April  11.  1832,  died  April  7, 
1902.  She  became  the  wife  of  Cor\don  Simonds, 
who  has  departed  this  life  since  her  death.  They 
had  one  daughter,  now  Mrs.  Clara  Thompson. 

George  W.  Flagg  was  reared  to  the  occupation 
of  farming,  early  becoming  familiar  with  all  of 
the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the 
agriculturist.  He  lived  on  the  old  homestead, 
taking  care  of  his  mother  and  sister  until  1856, 
when  he  came  to  Winnebago  county,  Illinois, 
settling  first  in  Pecatonica.  He  worked  in  a  lum- 
beryard during  the  succeeding  summer  and  then 
removed  to  Seward  township,  where  he  pur- 
chased some  land.  In  February,  1858,  he  re- 
turned to  the  old  home  farm  in  Massachusetts  but 
had  become  imbued  with  the  western  spirit  and  in 
1859  he  returned  to  Seward  township,  where  he 
has  resided  continuously  since.  He  built  a  good 
home  around  which  he  planted  shade  and  fruit 
trees  and  he  also  broke  the  wild  prairie,  trans- 
forming it  into  rich  fields.  He  has  one  hun- 
dred and  twelve  acres  of  land,  now  finely  im- 
proved, but  when  it  came  into  his  possession  one- 
half  of  it  was  covered  with  timber.  His  fields 
promise  golden  harvests  and  in  addition  to 
cultivating  of  the  cereals  best  adapted  to  soil  and 
climate  he  is  engaged  quite  extensively  and  suc- 
cessfully in  the  raising  of  cattle,  hogs  and  horses. 

On  the  9th  of  January.  1850.  Mr.  Flagg  was 
united  in  luarriage  to  Miss  Lcstina  Rugg.  who 
was  born  in  Heath.  Massachusetts,  .\ugust  14. 
1829,  and  is  a  daughter  of  David  and  Eunice 
f^Glcason)  Rugg,  who  were  also  native*  of 
Heath.  Her  father,  who  was  born  .Xugust  20. 
1786,  departed  this  life  February  2,  1872.  while 
his  wife,  who  was  born  October  14,  1790,  died 
on  the  13th  of  March.  1874.     He  followed  farm- 


ing in  Massachusetts  until  1856.  when  he  came  to 
Pecatonica,  where  he  remained  until  his  death.  In 
the  family  of  that  worthy  couple  were  eleven  chil- 
dren: Cyrus,  who  was  born  January  20,  1811, 
and  died  February  12,  1894;  Lucrctia,  who  was 
born  December  8.  1812.  and  died  May  8.  1889: 
Eunice,  who  was  born  Xovember  4,  1814,  and 
died  October  28,  1846;  Elizabeth,  who  was  born 
Xovember  18,  1816,  and  died  December  29,  1842  ; 
David,  who  was  born  October  30,  181 8,  and  died 
December  25.  1900;  Erastus  R.,  who  was 
born  Xovember  2.  1820,  and  died  Sep- 
tember 20,  1888;  Henry  M.,  who  was  born 
October  13,  1822,  and  died  October  13,  1890; 
Amos,  who  was  born  August  11,  1825,  and  died 
l\farch  21,  1895;  George,  who  was  born  August 
II,  1827.  and  died  June  27,  1864,  being  killed  at 
the  battle  of  Kenesaw  Mountain,  while  serving 
as  a  member  of  the  Seventy-fourth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry :  Lcstina,  the  wife  of  George  W. 
Flagg;  and  Alfred  H.,  who  was  born  August  8, 
1 83 1.  The  last  two  named  are  the  only  ones 
living. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  ^Irs.  Flagg  was  blessed 
with  two  sons  and  two  daughters :  Henry  E., 
who  was  born  October  17,  1850,  and  is  still  liv- 
ing on  the  old  home  farm;  Clara  A.,  who  was 
born  January  17,  1852,  and  died  at  the  age  of 
five  years  and  six  months,  on  the  14th  of  July, 
1857;  Lillian,  who  was  born  February  4.  1861, 
and  is  the  wife  of  W.  R.  Stone ;  and  Elijah  F., 
who  was  born  lunc  3.  1863.  and  died  December 
3,    1865. 

Mr.  Flagg  has  been  .school  director  for  twenty 
years  or  more,  and  has  ever  been  the  champion 
of  progress  along  educational  lines,  believing  in 
the  employment  of  competent  teachers  and  the 
upholding  of  a  high  standard  of  intellectual  at- 
tainment. Both  he  and  his  wife  are  devoted 
members  of  the  Congregational  church  at  Sew- 
ard, in  which  he  has  served  as  trustee,  and  his 
political  support  is  given  to  the  republican  and 
prohibition  jiartics.  His  life  has  been  character- 
ized by  honorable  principles  and  upright  motives, 
and  during  his  long  residence  in  Winnebago 
county  he  has  so  lived  as  to  merit  the  esteem  and 
good  will  of  all  with  whom  he  has  been  associ- 
ated. 


:^rTCHAEL  J.  ROGAN. 

Michael  J.  Rogan,  deceased,  was  a  machinist 
of  Rockford  for  many  years  and  at  the  time  of 
his  death  had  charge  of  the  machinery  for  the 
.Star  Publishing  Companv  of  this  city.  He  was 
a  native  of  Lockport,  Xew  York,  born  January 
10.  1833,  and  his  parents  were  Peter  and  Sarah 
("Stewart")  Rogan,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  the   Empire   state,  where  they  resided   until 


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-MR.  AND  MRS.  GEORGE  W.  FLAGG. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


415 


1854,  when  they  came  to  the  west,  setthng  in 
Rockford,  where  the  father,  who  was  a  car- 
penter, followed  his  trade  throughout  his  remain- 
ing days.  He  worked  most  of  the  time  for  J. 
P.  Manny,  now  deceased,  who  is  also  repre- 
sented in  this  work,  and  both  he  and  his  wife 
remained  residents  of  Rockford  imtil  called  to 
their  final  iiome. 

Michael  J.  Rogan  acquired  a  common-school 
education  in  the  Adams  school  of  Rockford  and 
when  he  had  put  aside  his  text-books  he  began 
to  learn  the  machinist's  trade,  working  with  his 
father  in  the  employ  of  Air.  Manny  until  the 
latter  failed  in  business,  after  which  he  accepted 
a  position  with  the  Star  Publishing  Company. 
His  work  at  first  was  light  and  his  salary  small 
but  he  soon  demonstrated  his  ability  and  won 
ready  recognition  and  promotion.  He  was  ad- 
vanced from  one  position  to  another  until  at 
last  he  had  full  charge  of  all  the  machinery  and 
presses  of  the  plant.  He  occupied  the  position 
of  foreman  in  the  machiner}-  department  for 
several  3'ears  or  until  his  health  began  to  fail, 
when  he  was  obliged  to  give  up  his  position.  For 
several  years  he  was  in  a  semi-invalid  condition 
and  finally  was  forced  to  take  his  bed.  He  never 
recovered  and  his  death  occurred  May  8.  1901. 

After  becoming  a  resident  of  Rockford  Mr. 
Rogan  was  married  in  this  city  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Farrell,  a  native  of  Rockford.  and  a  daughter  of 
Miles  and  Ellen  (Wickham')  Farrell,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Ireland,  whence  they  came 
to  America,  settling  in  Rockford  in  the  early 
'40s.  Her  father  was  at  one  time  a  student  in 
the  school  conducted  by  H.  H.  Waldo,  the  his- 
torian for  this  volume.  Mr.  Farrell  was  a  mason 
by  trade  and  after  mastering  the  business  fol- 
lowed it  in  Rockford  throughout  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  F>oth  he  and  his  wife  died  in  this 
city. 

Mr.  and  Airs.  Rogan  had  but  one  child, 
Robert,  who  is  now  eleven  years  of  age.  The 
parents  held  membership  in  St.  James  Catholic 
church  here  and  Mr.  Rogan  possessed  consider- 
able musical  talent  and  was  a  member  of  the 
choir  here  from  early  manhood  until  his  death. 
He  had  a  fine  voice  and  always  assisted  in  the 
public  entertainments  given.  He  was  identified 
with  the  old  militia  here  and  was  among  the 
first  to  go  to  Atlanta,  Georgia,  at  the  time  the 
call  was  issued  for  troops  to  serve  there.  He 
took  an  active  interest  in  political  questions  and 
was  a  stanch  democrat.  Well  acquainted,  his 
genial  manner,  unfailing  courtesy  and  kindly  dis- 
position gained  him  many  friends.  Being  the 
owner  of  property  in  Rockford  he  became  well 
known.  He  never  sought  to  figure  prominently 
in  public  life  but  was  content  to  do  his  full 
duty   to   his   emplovers.   to   perform   his   acts   of 


citizenship  in  a  private  capacity  and  devote  his 
leisure  hours  to  his  friends  and  family.  His 
widow  and  son  now  reside  at  No.  604  College 
avenue. 


JOHN  GRIFFITHS. 

John  Griffiths,  now  deceased,  was  born  in 
Montgomeryshire,  Wales,  in  1816.  He  remained 
a  resident  of  Great  Britain  until  twenty  years  of 
age  and  in  1836  sailed  from  England  with  his 
brother  William.  The  voyage  successfully  ac- 
complished, they  landed  at  New  York,  whence 
they  made  their  way  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  the 
brother  making  a  permanent  location  there  but 
after  a  short  period  spent  in  that  city  John  Grif- 
fiths removed  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where  he 
remained  for  about  three  years.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  came  to  Rockton  township, 
Winnebago  county,  in  1840.  Here  he  purchased 
a  tract  of  land  and  throughout  the  remainder  of 
his  life  was  engaged  in  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits. He  was  classed  with  the  enterprising 
fanners,  following  modern  methods  and  adopting 
all  new  ideas  which  he  believed  would  prove  of 
practical  benefit  in  his  work.  His  success  was 
due  to  no  fortunate  combination  of  circumstances 
or  to  any  inheritance,  but  resulted  from  his  strong 
and  steadfast  purpose  in  carrying  on  his  business 
aft'airs. 

Mr.  Griffiths  was  married  March  i.  i860,  to 
Aliss  Catherine  Webber,  who  was  born  in  Eng- 
land January  26,  1838,  and  was  a  daughter  of 
William  Webber.  Her  father  was  a  native  of 
Devonshire,  England,  whence  he  afterward  re- 
moved to  Somersetshire  and  there  he  became  the 
owner  of  extensive  landed  interests  and  much 
propertv,  which  he  disposed  of  at  auction  when 
he  determined  to  come  to  America  in  1849.  His 
place  presented  the  appearance  of  a  fair  ground, 
for  tents  were  pitched  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  visitors  and  food  and  drink  were  supplied  to 
those  who  attended  the  auction,  in  keeping  w-ith 
the  English  custom  at  that  day.  He  had  married 
Alarv  Hake,  also  a  native  of  England,  and  they 
were  the  parents  of  eight  children  before  they 
crossed  the  Atlantic.  After  reaching  New  York 
thev  made  their  w^ay  w^estward  around  the  Great 
I-akes  and  on  reaching  Winnebago  county  the  fa- 
ther made  purchase  of  six  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  land  for  which  he  paid  ready  cash,_  a 
thing  quite  unusual  in  that  day.  He  was  quite 
well-to-do,  however,  and  after  obtaining  his  land 
he  continued  to  prosper  in  its  care  and  cultivation, 
being  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  enterprising 
and  successful  agriculturists  of  the  county.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  died  when  about  eighty  years  of 
age.  Further  mention  of  the  family  is  made  in 
connection  with  the  history  of  Henry  A.  Webber 


4i6 


PAST     AND     I'RESFA'T    Ol-     \V1  Wl-J;  \(  ic )     O  )L'\TV. 


on  another  pajje  of  tliis  work.  .Mr.  and  .\lr.<. 
Griffiths  became  the  jjarenls  of  the  following 
children:  Mary  S.,  the  deceased  wife  of  EKvin 
Damon,  by  whom  siie  had  two  children,  Law- 
rence (i.  and  W'innifred  .M. ;  S.  Catherine,  the  wife 
of  James  Brown,  a  fanner  of  Shirland  township, 
Winnehajjo  county,  by  whom  she  has  three  chil- 
dren, Stanley.  Catherine,  and  Richard  :  F.lizaheth 
A.,  the  wife  of  Richard  Powell  and  the  mother 
of  one  .son,  Richard  ( )}j(len  ;  .Xollie  E..  the  widow 
of  C.  Menry  Cowan  and  the  mother  of  four  chil- 
dren, Ralph.  Roslin.  Robbin  and  Dorothy:  Fran- 
ces .M.,  the  wife  of  Giarles  Smith  anil  the  mother 
of  one  child.  Rolx>rt :  W'innifred  F...  the  next  of 
the  family:  Minnie,  the  wife  of  .Arthur  Ludley, 
by  whom  she  has  two  children,  Dorothy  and  Jo- 
seph ;  John  C,  who  married  .Alice  Fittle  and  has 
one  child.  Clarence:  and  William  S..  who  mar- 
ried \'iola  Daring. 

Mr.  Griffiths  continued  to  engage  in  farming 
pursuits  throughout  the  period  of  his  residence  in 
this  county,  although  he  left  the  active  work  of  the 
farm  largely  to  others  in  the  evening  of  life.  He 
passed  away  at  the  age  of  eighty  years,  respected 
by  all  who  knew  him  and  he  left  to  his  family  a 
comfortable  competence  ancl  an  untarnished  name. 
Following  her  husbamrs  death  Mrs.  Griffiths  re- 
moved to  the  village  of  Rockton,  where  she  now 
makes  her  home.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Con- 
gregational church  and  is  one  of  the  highly  es- 
teemed ladies  of  the  town. 


JOHN  .ANDERS,  Jr. 

.\mong  the  substantial  and  worthy  citizens  of 
Winnebago  county  that  Germany  has  furnished 
to  the  new  world  is  John  .\nders,  Jr..  a  retired 
farmer  of  Pecatonica.  He  was  born  in  the  father- 
land June  5.  1846,  and  spent  his  minority  in  that 
country,  coming  to  .America  when  twenty-one 
years  old.  He  is  a  son  of  John  and  ]\raria  (Ren- 
chrust)  .Anders,  who  were  also  natives  of  Ger- 
many anfl  crossed  the  .Atlantic  in  iSCtj,  coming  in 
June.  ifV>8.  to  Pecatonica  with  their  three  chil- 
dren. The  father  was  born  June  19.  1816.  and 
died  April  IQ,  1891,  while  his  wife,  wliosc  birth 
occurred  November  15,  1821,  passed  away  Janu- 
ary r.  1808,  in  her  seventy-seventh  year.  On  ar- 
riving in  Winnebago  comity  the  father  turned  his 
attention  to  farming  upon  rented  land  which  lie 
secured  from  Mr.  Sanders,  and  later  when  his 
financial  resources  permitted  he  purchased  forty 
acres,  sjiending  his  remaining  rlavs  in  its  culti- 
vation and  improvement.  He  and  his  family  were 
members  of  the  German  I-uthcran  church  and  his 
political  allegiance  was  given  to  the  republican 
party.  He  was  respected  because  of  his  genuine 
worth  and  fidelitv  to  dutv  and  in  the  community 


where  he  lived  he  had  many  friends.  In  his  fam- 
ily were  five  children  :  Fred,  who  is  now  living 
in  Pecatonica  township,  where  he  follows  fann- 
ing, married  Miss  Mary  Swartz  and  they  have 
five  living  children,  three  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters and  have  also  lost  two  daughters ;  John  is 
the  second  in  order  of  birth  ;  Chris  died  at  the 
age  of  twenty-five  years;  Mary  is  the  wife  of 
Chris  .\hrcns.  a  resident  farmer  of  Pecatonica 
township  and  they  have  five  living  children  and 
have  lost  one :  Sophia,  the  wife  of  Henry  Sass, 
who  follows  farming  in  this  township  and  they 
liave  three  living  children  and  have  lost  one. 

John  .\nders,  Jr..  having  pursued  his  education 
in  the  schools  of  his  native  country,  res<ilved.  on 
attaining  his  majority,  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the 
new  world.  .Accordingly  he  left  Hamburg,  in 
November,  1867,  and  by  steamer  crossed  the  At- 
lantic to  New  York  city,  where  he  remained  for 
about  a  week.  He  then  went  up  the  Hudson  river 
to  Rondout,  New  A'ork,  where  he  spent  one  year, 
being  employed  in  a  brickyard.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  made  his  way  by  rail  to  Win- 
nebago county  and  spent  a  month  in  Pecatonica, 
after  which  he  went  to  .Afton,  Rock  county,  Wis- 
consin, where  he  became  a  farm  hand  in  the  em- 
])loy  of  William  H.  Eldredge.  .After  a  year  he  re- 
turned to  Pecatonica  and  for  two  years  operated 
land  which  he  rented  from  Eeroy  Kidder.  He 
next  rented  the  <  )gden  Hance  farm  for  four 
vears,  after  which  he  purchased  land  from  Caleb 
Palmer,  becoming  the  owner  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres,  which  is  still  in  his  possession.  La- 
ter he  bought  sixty  acres  of  Mr.  Egglcston,  eighty 
acres  of  Mr.  .Atwood  and  also  purchased  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  in  North  Dakota,  in  TQ02. 
The  tract  was  partially  improved  and  is  now 
rented,  while  his  sons  are  operating  his  farms  in 
this  countv.  He  owns  altogether  about  four  hun- 
dred acres  of  fine  farming  land  in  Winnebago 
countv.  For  a  number  of  years  he  engaged  in 
feciling  and  shipping  stock  and  has  bred  short- 
horn cattle,  also  Durham  and  Holstein  breeds.  He 
has  likewise  raised  high  grades  of  horses  and 
hogs,  breeding  draft  horses.  His  fanning  inter- 
ests have  been  carefully  conducted  and  have 
brimght  him  a  high  measure  of  success.  He  is 
an  excellent  iudge  of  stock  and  moreover  he  is 
practical  in  his  work,  his  labors  therefore  bring- 
ine  him  a  rich  financial  reward. 

On  the  24th  of  December,  1872,  Mr.  .\nders 
was  married  to  Miss  Sophia  Marth.  a  daughter 
of  Joseph  and  Dorothv  (Dirschen)  Marth.  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany,  in  which 
country  the  mother  died.  The  father  afterward 
came  to  .\merica,  arriving  here  alxiut  1874.  His 
daughter.  Mrs.  .Anders,  was  alreadv  living 
here  and  subse(|uently  a  .son  and  daugli- 
ter  came  from  the  old  countrv.  while  one 
s<in     is     still     living     in     Gennany.        In     the 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WIXXEBAGC.)     COUNTY. 


417 


family  were  five  children,  of  whom  four  still 
survive :  John,  living  in  Seward  township, 
wedded  Mary  E.  Hacker  and  they  have  five  chil- 
dren ;  Fred  yet  makes  his  home  in  Germany ; 
Ricka  died  in  this  county;  Mrs.  Anders  is  the 
next  of  the  family ;  Mary  also  died  in  Germany. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Anders  have  been  born 
nine  children :  Bertha,  born  September  2,  1873. 
is  the  wife  of  Charles  Cash,  a  resident  farmer  of 
Burritt  township  and  they  have  one  daughter, 
Violet;  Herman,  born  August  17,  1874,  and  liv- 
ing in  Burritt  township,  married  Jennie  Lyd  and 
they  have  a  son  and  daughter ;  Emma,  born  July 
10,  1876,  is  at  home;  Minnie,  born  June  21,  1878, 
is  the  wife  of  Herman  Thedorff  and  has  a  son  and 
daughter,  Harry  and  Helen  ;  Ida.  born  March  21, 
.1881,  is  filling  a  position  as  bookkeeper  in  Rock- 
ford  ;  John,  born  February  15,  1882,  died  in  in- 
fancy ;  Mollie,  born  December  5,  1883.  is  at  home ; 
George,  born  June  28,  1886.  is  operating  his  fa- 
ther's farm  in  Burritt  township  in  connection  with 
his  brother ;  and  Rosa,  born  November  30,  1887, 
died  November  30,  1893. 

John  Anders,  active  and  interested  in  public 
affairs,  has  served  for  twenty-two  years  as  school 
director  and  has  done  eflfective  service  in  behalf 
of  education.  He  has  also  been  commissioner  of 
highways  in  Burritt  township  for  three  years  and 
at  the  present  writing  is  one  of  the  trustees  of 
the  village  of  Pecatonica.  His  political  allegiance 
has  always  been  given  to  the  republican  party 
save  when  he  voted  for  Grover  Cleveland  for  the 
presidencv.  He  and  his  family  are  members  of 
the  German  Lutheran  church.  In  his  life  he  has 
displayed  many  of  the  strong  sterling  character- 
istics of  the  German  people.  He  feels  that  he 
made  no  mistake  in  selecting  this  country  as  a 
place  of  residence  and  as  the  years  have  gone  by, 
through  the  improvement  of  business  opportuni- 
ties and  unfaltering  energy  he  has  worked  his 
way  steadily  upward  until  through  his  farming 
operations  and  judicious  investment  he  has  be- 
come the  owner  of  extensive  and  valuable  landed 
interests.  At  the  present  time,  leaving  the  active 
management  of  his  farms  to  his  sons,  he  is  now 
enjoying  a  well  earned  rest  in  Pecatonica  and  his 
life  history  stands  in  evidence  of  what  may  be 
accomplished  when  one  has  the  will  to  dare  and 
to  do  and  through  well  directed  labor  finds  the 
success  which  is  the  goal  of  all  business  endeavor. 


HENRY  TERMOHLEN. 

Henry  Termohlen,  who  came  to  Rockford  in 
1893  and  accepted  the  position  of  shop  foreman 
for  the  Rockford  Street  Railway  Company,  was 
thus  identified  with  industrial  interests  in  Win- 
nebago county.  He  was  born  in  Germany,  De- 
cember t6,   1865,  his  parents  being  William  and 


Marietta  Termohlen,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  the  fatherland.  They  emigrated  to  America 
in  early  life  and  settled  in  Freeport,  Illinois, 
where  the  father  engaged  in  gardening  for 
several  years.  He  afterward  removed  to  Rock- 
ford, but  resided  here  only  a  brief  period  and 
then  took  up  his  abode  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa, 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  His 
death  there  occurred.  His  widow  is  now  living 
at  the  home  of  her  sister  in  Iowa  and  several  of 
their  children  are  residents  of  the  same  state, 
while  two  make  their  home  in  Freeport,  Illinois. 

Henry  Termohlen  is  indebted  to  the  district 
schools  for  the  early  educational  privileges  he 
enjoyed.  He  also  pursued  his  studies  in  Free- 
port  and  Rockford,  and  he  entered  upon  his  busi- 
ness career  as  a  gardener  in  Freeport,  where  he 
remained  for  two  years.  He  afterward  went 
to  Des  JMoines,  Iowa,  where  he  became  connected 
with  the  electrical  business  in  the  employ  of  a 
street  car  company  learning  to  be  an  electrician. 
He  was  thus  employed  for  three  years,  after 
which  he  came  to  Rockford,  and  here  he  accepted 
a  position  as  electrician  for  the  Rockford  Street 
Railway  Company,  and  was  afterward  promoted 
to  foreman  of  the  shops,  having  charge  of  all  the 
men  in  their  shops.  This  is  a  very  responsible 
position,  the  duties  of  wdiich  were  capably  and 
promptly  discharged  by  Mr.  Termohlen,  who 
was  retained  in  the  service  of  the  company 
throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was 
killed  in  a  railroad  accident,  being  on  the  Chi- 
cago &  Northwestern  Railroad  between  Rock- 
ford and  Freeport  when  he  was  thrown  from 
the  train  and  his  life  was  thus  ended.  This  oc- 
curred December  16,  1900,  on  the  thirty-fifth 
anniversary  of  his  birth. 

Mr.  Termohlen  was  married  in  Freeport, 
Illinois,  to  Miss  Bertha  Bauscher,  who  was  born 
in  that  city  and  is  a  daughter  of  John  and 
Sophia  Baucher,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Germany  and  became  early  settlers  of  Freeport, 
where  her  father  worked  as  a  harness-maker. 
Later  he  engaged  in  business  as  a  florist  and 
finally  turned  his  attention  to  gardening,  which 
he  followed  for  many  years  or  until  he  retired 
from  active  business  life.  When  his  labors  had 
brought  to  him  a  comfortable  competence  he  put 
aside  further  business  cares  and  is  now  a  well- 
to-do  citizen  of  Freeport,  where  both  he  and  his 
wife  reside.  Mr.  and  Airs.  Termohlen  had  one 
child.  Emily  P.,  who  now  resides  with  her 
mother.  Mr.  Termohlen  was  a  member  of  the 
Modern  Woodmen  camp  at  Rockford  and  in 
politics  was  a  republican,  but  he  never  sought 
or  desired  office,  preferring  to  give  his  un- 
divided attention  to  his  business  affairs.  He  is 
an  expert  electrician  and  a  very  industrious  man, 
who  was  well  liked  by  the  people  whom  he  served 
and  by  those  who  served  under  him.     Mrs.  Ter- 


4i8 


I'AST     AND     PRESENT     OF     \VIX.\I-:i!A(  K  )     fi  )r\TV. 


nuililen  is  a  member  iif  tlie  Hnptist  church  at 
Des  ^^()incs.  Ir)\va.  and  with  her  daiisihter  re- 
sides at  Xo.  211  North  Third  street.  August 
Nelson,  who  is  now  livinjj  retired,  also  makes 
his  home  with  them,  having-  resided  in  the  Ter- 
molilen   famih    tor  several   vears. 


W  [I.I.IAM   PHELPS. 


Although  William  Phelps  resided  in  Winne- 
l>ago  county  for  but  a  few  years  in  the  latter  part 
of  his  life,  he  was  a  pioneer  of  this  part  of  the 
state,  living  in  Ogle  county  at  a  day  when  one's 
neighbors  were  the  settlers  that  lived  in  districts 
covered  by  a  radius  of  many  miles.  He  was  there- 
fore well  known  among  the  early  residents  of 
Winnebago  county,  for  his  home  was  near  the 
dividing  line.  A  native  of  Herkimer  county.  New 
York,  he  was  born  on  the  29th  of  November, 
1829,  his  parents  being  John  and  Polly  (Steb- 
bens)  Phelps,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  PTer- 
kimer  county,  where  the  father  followed  the  oc- 
cupation of  farming  until  1852.  He  then  came 
with  his  family  to  the  west,  his  son  William 
being  at  that  time  twenty-three  years  of  age. 
The  father  entered  land  from  the  government, 
securing  a  claim  near  White  Rock,  in  Ogle 
county,  wliere  he  opened  uj)  a  farm  and  carried 
on  general  agricultural  pursuits  up  to  the  time 
of  his  demise.  His  wife  also  remained  in  that 
locality  till  the  time  of  her  death,  which  occurred 
when  she  had  reached  the  very  advanced  age  of 
ninety-seven  years.  The  ancestry  of  the  family 
can  be  traced  Iwck  to  the  landing  of  the  ^fay- 
flower. 

William  Phelps  acc|uired  a  common-school 
education  in  Herkimer  county.  New  York,  and 
assisted  in  the  development  and  imjjrovement 
of  tlie  home  farm  there  and  after  coming  to 
Ogle  county  continued  as  his  father's  helper  upon 
the  new  claim  frjr  a  few  years.  He  then  pur- 
chased a  farm  in  Ogle  county  and  while  living 
there  was  married,  in  1865.  to  Miss  Margaret 
J.  Wiley,  the  wedding  being  celebrated  in  Rock- 
ford.  ^f^s.  Phelps  was  a  native  of  Oienesee 
county.  New  York,  and  a  rlaughter  of  James 
C.  and  Elizabeth  CCorbett)  \\'iley.  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Washington  county,  New- 
York.  The  father  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and 
followed  building  pursuits  both  in  Washington 
and  Genesee  counties,  remaining  in  the  Empire 
state  until  i8'')7,  when  he  came  to  the  west, 
settling  in  the  town  of  Rock  ford,  Floyd  county, 
Iowa,  where  he  was  identified  with  building 
operations  until  his  death.  His  first  wife  had 
passed  away  in  Genesee  county.  New  York,  May 
21,  1849,  anrl  he  was  again  married  there,  his 
second  union  being  with  Miss  Caroline  Cole. 
who  now  resides  in  Rockford,  Towa. 


Mr.  I'helps  brought  his  bride  to  his  farm  and 
continued  its  develoi^ment  and  cultivation,  mak- 
ing it  a  splendidly  improved  jiropertv.  In  all  his 
work  he  was  i>ractical  and  he  kejit  in  touch  with 
the  modern  methods  of  farming  up  to  the  time 
of  his  retirement  from  active  business  life  in 
1896.  In  that  year  he  took  up  his  alwde  in  Rock- 
ford  and  afterward  sold  a  |)ari  of  his  farm  to  his 
nc])hew,  Harry  P.  Willoughby.  who  now  resides 
tliereon.  L"pon  coming  to  Rockford  Mr.  Phelps 
purchased  the  residence  now  (Kcupied  by  his 
widow  and  there  lived  until  his  death  on  the  5th 
of  January,  1901.  He  held  many  minor  offices 
in  Ogle  county  and  always  vfited  the  democratic 
ticket.  He  belonged  to  the  Masonic  fraternity 
in  Holcomb.  Ogle  county,  and  took  a  deep  in- 
terest in  the  craft,  being  in  hearty  sympathy  w'ith  ■ 
its  teachings  and  tenets.  He  hekl  membership 
relations  with  the  blue  lodge,  chapter,  command- 
ery  and  Mystic  Shrine  and  after  coming  to  this 
state  he  became  identified  with  the  Knight 
Templars  of  Rockford. 

His  life  was  well  spent  and  he  was  truly  a 
self-made  man,  whose  labors  were  so  carefully 
directed  that  they  brought  to  him  a  creditable 
measure  of  success.  In  the  early  days  he  would 
ride  from  his  farm  in  Ogle  county  to  Rockford 
to  do  his  trading  and  he  was  well  acquainted 
with  the  pioneer  settlers  of  the  city  and  county, 
many  of  whom  have  expressed  a  desire  to  see 
his  history  in  this  work.  All  respected  him  be- 
cause of  his  genuine  worth,  knowing  him  to  be 
an  honest,  ujiright  man.  worthy  of  llieir  full  con- 
fidence and  regard.  Mrs.  Pliel])s  now  owns  a 
nice  residence  at  Xo.  437  North  Avon  street, 
where  she  resides,  and  also  eighty  acres  of  the 
old  homestead  farm  in  Ogle  county  to  which 
she  went  as  a  bride  in  i8r>5.  She  is  well  known 
in  Rockford.  where  she  has  manv  friends. 


.MRS.  KATE  GI. AWE. 

Mrs.  Kate  Glawe  is  the  owner  of  an  excellent 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-nine  acres  on  sec- 
tions 28  and  33,  liurritt  township.  This  is  one 
of  the  best  kept  places  in  this  i)art  of  the  county 
and  indicates  her  careful  supervision  and  excel- 
lent executive  ability.  Mrs.  Glawe  was  born  near 
Rochelle.  I.ee  county,  Illinois,  October  3.  i86r, 
and  is  a  daughter  of  John  and  Margaret 
(  Schmoll )  N'aupel.  of  Eee  county.  .She  s])ent  her 
girlhood  days  in  her  parents'  home  and  in  early 
womanhood  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Fred 
Glawe.  who  was  1)orn  in  Germany  and  came  to 
this  countr\  about  1870.  He  worked  for  others 
as  a  farm  hand  imtil  1878.  when  he  purchased 
the  tract  of  lanil  ui)on  whicli  his  wi<l(iw  now  re- 
sides.     His   time   and   energies   were  then   given 


m/jiti 


cxyyvx 


® 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WIXNECAGO  COUNTY. 


421 


to  the  improvement  of  his  property  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  April  24,  1897,  when  he 
was  in  his  fifty-fifth  year. 

Unto  JMr.  and  Mrs.  Glawe  were  bom  the  fol- 
lowing- named :  Louis,  born  April  26.  1882.  was 
married  in  February,  1904.  to  Emma  Weitkam- 
per  and  is  now  living  in  Winnebago  township. 
Edwin,  born  September  6,  1884,  resides  in  Peca- 
tonica  township.  Irvin,  born  September  18,  1886, 
is  at  home.  Clarence,  born  in  1888,  is  also  at 
home.  Lilly,  born  June  19,  1890,  Elmer,  born 
June  II,  1893,  and  Walter,  born  March  15,  1895, 
complete  the  family.  Alvin.  the  third  in  order 
of  birth,  died  at  the  age  of  fourteen  months. 

Since  her  husband's  death  Mrs.  Glawe  has  car- 
ried on  the  home  farm  with  the  assistance  of  her 
sons,  who  perform  the  active  work  of  the  fields, 
while  she  gives  careful  supervision  to  the  busi- 
ness interests  and  in  this  work  has  displaved 
marked  executive  force  and  keen  discernment. 
The  farm  is  one  of  the  neatest  and  best  kept  in 
the  township  and  upon  it  stands  an  attractive 
modern  residence.  Mrs.  Glawe  believes  in  keep- 
ing abreast  with  improvement  and  progress  on 
the  farm  and  in  the  home  and  her  place  is  there- 
fore well  equipped  with  all  modem  accessories. 
She  is  a  lady  of  many  estimable  and  admirable 
characteristics,  who  has  carefully  reared  her  chil- 
dren since  her  husband's  death.  She  belongs  to 
the  Presbyterian  church  at  Winnebago  and  is  held 
in  high  esteem  by  all  who  know  her. 


H.  M.  SABIN,  :\L  D. 


Dr.  H.  M.  Sabin.  who  as  the  result  of  years 
of  thorough  preparation  and  extensive  practice 
became  one  of  the  most  able  and  skilled  members 
of  the  medical  fratenu'ty  in  Rockford.  practiced 
in  this  city  from  1880  until  1896,  and  when  his 
death  occurred  in  the  latter  year  the  community 
felt  it  had  been  called  upon  to  part  with  one 
whom  it  could  ill  afiford  to  lose.  A  native  of 
Lennox.  ^Massachusetts.  Dr.  Sabin  was  born 
September  6,  1832,  his  parents  being  Dr.  Millen 
and  Millescent  (Bidwell)  Sabin,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  the  old  Bay  state.  The  father 
was  also  a  physician  and  practiced  successfully 
in  Massachusetts  until  1872,  when  he  removed 
to  the  west,  settling  in  Aurora,  Illinois,  where, 
after  practicing  for  a  few  years,  he  retired  to 
private  life.  He  afterward  removed  to  Prince- 
ton, where  he  spent  his  remaining  days  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a  well  earned  rest.  He  was  a 
capable  physician  and  his  professional  service 
therefore  made  his  life  of  much  value  to  his 
fellownien.  His  widow  removed  from  Prince- 
ton to  Anna.  Illinois,  and  resided  at  the  home  of 
her  son  until  her  death,  which  occurred  in  1903, 
when  she  was  ninetv-seven  vears  of  aee. 


Dr.  Sabin  pursued  his  education  in  the 
Wellston  Seminary,  located  near  Lennox,  (joing 
to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  he  taught  in  a  college  there 
for  a  few  years,  and  then  returned  to  Massa- 
chusetts, desirous  of  continuing  his  own  educa- 
tion. He  therefore  entered  Williams  College, 
and  was  graduated  in  a  class  which  has  given 
to  the  country  many  eminent  men.  In  the  mean- 
time he  had  determined  to  make  the  practice  of 
medicine  his  life  work  and  to  this  end  matricu- 
lated in  the  Bellevue  Medical  College,  of  New 
York  city,  wherein  he  completed  the  full  course 
and  graduated  in  the  class  of  1863,  after  which 
he  received  his  certificate  to  practice. 

The  proud  possessor  of  a  diploma  which  gave 
him  entrance  to  the  medical  fraternity.  Dr. 
Sabin  returned  to  his  home,  but  as  the  Civil  war 
was  in  progress  he  enlisted  in  the  Fifty-third 
Massachusetts  Regiment.  He  had  been  in  the 
service  for  only  three  months  when  he  was  taken 
ill  and  again  went  to  his  home,  unfit  for  arduous 
field  service  at  the  front. 

It  was  in  1867  that  he  came  to  the  west,  locat- 
ing for  practice  in  Edwardsville,  Illinois,  where 
he  remained  for  a  few  years,  after  which  he 
removed  to  Lincoln,  Nebraska.  There  he  con- 
tinued until  18S0,  when  he  came  to  Rockford 
and  for  sixteen  years  was  a  well  known  repre- 
sentative of  the  medical  fraternity  here.  He 
never  permitted  the  profession  to  progress  be- 
yond a  point  with  which  he  was  also  familiar, 
for  reading,  study  and  investigation  kept  him  in 
touch  with  the  advance  made  by  the  members  of 
the  medical  fraternity.  He  was  careful  in 
diagnosing  a  case  and  apt  in  foretelling  the  pos- 
sible outcome  of  disease,  and  in  all  his  practice 
he  was  conscientious  and  earnest  and  conform- 
ing to  the  highest  ethics  of  the  calling.  He  built 
up  a  large  practice  in  city  and  county  and  gave 
to  it  close  attention  until  he  became  ill  in  1894. 
For  two  years  he  was  in  poor  health  and  then 
passed  away  April  29.  1896. 

Dr.  Sabin  was  married  twice.  In  Edwards- 
ville. Illinois,  he  wedded  Miss  Letitia  Tunnell, 
who  died  in  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  leaving  a  son, 
\\'illiam  H..  the  only  child  of  that  marriage  and 
now  a  baker  in  Rockford.  In  the  latter  city 
Dr.  Sabin  was  again  married,  his  second  union 
being  with  Mrs.  Madeline  M.  (DeMarke) 
Shaw,  a  native  of  Galena.  Illinois,  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  jMenard  DeMarke,  who  was  of  French 
descent,  as  was  his  wife,  and  both  are  now  de- 
ceased. By  the  first  marriage  of  Mrs.  Sabin 
was  born  a  son,  Charles  H.,  who  is  now  engaged 
in  the  study  of  law  in  the  western  part  of  Iowa. 
In  his  political  views  Dr.  Sabin  was  always 
an  earnest  Republican  who  kept  well  informed 
on  the  issues  and  questions  of  the  day  but  was 
never  an  aspirant  for  office.  He  belonged  to  the 
Masonic   fraternitv   and  to  the   Second   Congre- 


4^^ 


I'AST     AND     PRE?F.XT     OF     WIXXF.RAGO     CnUXTY 


Rational  church  of  Rocktord  and  these  relatons 
itidicateil  the  character  of  the  man,  wlio  enter- 
taiiieil  broad  Iniinanilarian  views  and  was  true 
to  all  the  (hities  and  oblijjations  which  devolved 
upon  him  as  a  business  man.  a  ])hysiciau  and 
friend.  Of  studious  tastes  and  habits  he  was 
a  great  reader,  having  a  strong  love  of  good 
books  and  he  ]josscssed  a  good  library,  with  the 
contents  of  which  he  was  familiar,  sjiending 
some  of  his  happiest  hours  in  com])anionship 
with  the  best  writers  of  this  and  other  ages.  Tie 
was  a  member  of  the  Winnebago  Medical  So- 
ciety of  Rockford  and  enjoyed  the  high  regard 
of  his  professional  brethren.  His  widow  re- 
sides at  the  old  home,  Xo.  309  Winnebago  street, 
where  she  has  long  resided,  and  where  her  many 
friends  deliirht  to  irather. 


WILLIAM  H.  KEITH. 

William  H.  Keith  is  a  well  known  farmer  of 
Ilurritt  township,  living  on  section  31,  w-here 
he  and  his  sister  have  a  valuable  farm  of  three 
hundred  and  forty-five  acres,  ten  miles  west  of 
Rockford.  This  was  his  birth  place,  his  natal 
(lav  being  Mav  18.  1R48.  He  traces  his  ancestry 
back  tlirough  several  generations  to  Peter  Keith, 
his  great-grandfather,  who  came  of  Rockford  in 
1836.  He  found  a  little  village  of  a  few  build- 
ings standing  in  the  midst  of  broad  prairies  which 
were  largely  uncultivated,  much  of  the  land  being 
still  in  possession  of  the  government.  He  came 
to  Winnebago  county  in  company  with  his  son. 
Adam  Keith,  who  was  born  in  Penn.>ylvania  in 
I  "93  and  who  became  a  pioneer  settler  of  Ohio. 
Indiana  and  Illinois.  He  arrived  in  Rockford  in 
1836  and  he  kept  moving  westward  in  the  ad- 
vance guard  of  civilization  and  spent  his  last 
years  on  the  frontier  in  Furnas  county,  X^e- 
iiraska,  where  he  died  in  1883.  He  was  wel 
fitted  to  cope  with  the  hardships  and  difficulties 
incident  to  pioneer  life  and  he  aided  in  planting 
the  seeds  of  civilization  and  progress  ii'  various 
districts  in  four  states  to  which  he  went  as  a 
frontier  settler. 

Adam  Keith,  father  of  our  subject,  was  born 
November  7,  1825,  in  Ohio  and  was  a  youth  of 
eleven  years  when  brought  by  his  parents  from 
Indiana  to  Illinois.  He  lived  in  RfX'kford  with 
his  father  until  1847,  when  he  entered  a  home- 
stead claim  from  the  government  and  began  its 
cultivation.  Xot  a  furrow  had  been  turned  and 
the  breaking  plow  was  soon  put  into  use.  The 
seed  was  then  planted  and  in  due  course  of  time 
crops  were  hars'ested  and  thus  the  work  of  culti- 
vation was  carried  on  year  after  year  until  he 
transformed  his  place  into  a  valuable  farm  prop- 


erty, living  thereon  up  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  on  the  25th  of  July,  1896,  when 
he  was  in  his  seventy-first  year.  His  life  was  a 
busy  and  useful  one  and  all  who  knew  him 
respected  him  for  his  genuine  worth  and  his 
many  sterling  traits  of  character.  In  i860  he 
served  as  township  supervisor  but  while  he  was 
never  remiss  in  the  duties  of  citizenship  he  cared 
little  for  public  office,  feeling  that  the  daily  work 
of  the  farm  was  worthy  of  his  best  efforts  and 
his  imdivided  attention.  He  married  Martha 
Holmes,  who  was  born  in  Bradford,  England, 
and  (lied  in  Rockford,  January  20.  1864.  For 
his  second  wife  he  chose  X^ancy  Hilton,  who  was 
born  May  10.  1842,  and  died  on  the  7th  of  Sep- 
tenilKT.  1869.  The  brothers  and  sisters  of  Wil- 
liam II.  Keith  arc  as  follows:  Elizabeth,  who  was 
born  February  14,  1847.  and  in  1871  became  the 
wife  of  J.  L.  Dickerson.  now  living  in  Oklahoma ; 
Martha,  w'ho  was  born  in  1854  and  is  living  upon 
the  old  homestead  with  her  brother  ^^'illiam  ;  Jes- 
sie, who  was  born  May  29,  1838.  and  in  1884  be- 
came the  wife  of  Fred  Putney,  now  living  in 
Indian  Territory ;  X'ancy  E.,  who  was  born  on  the 
17th  of  September,  1868,  and  in  1885  became  the 
wife  of  Fred  Wliiting,  who  died,  and  in  1901  she 
married  Jesse  Hopkins,  their  home  being  on  in 
St.   Paul.   Minnesota. 

William  IT.  Keith,  whose  name  introduces  this 
review,  has  spent  his  entire  life  upon  the  old 
homestead  farm  on  section  31.  Burritt  township, 
save  for  the  period  of  ten  years  which  he  passed 
in  Haves  county.  X^ebraska.  He  has  always  car- 
ried OTi  general  agricidtural  pursuits  and  he  and 
his  sister  Martha  have  a  valuable  place,  the 
fields  being  well  tilled,  while  the  farm  is  equipped 
with  many  modern  accessories  and  conveniences. 
Mr.  Keith  is  also  well  known  in  connection  with 
public  interests  of  his  comnumity.  to  which  he  has 
alwavs  been  most  loyal.  He  was  supervisor  of 
his  township  from  1876  until  1879  and  is  again 
serving  in  that  capacity.  In  politics  he  is  a  demo- 
crat but  believes  in  supporting  the  best  man  for 
office. 


WILLIAM    COY. 


William  Coy.  now  deceased,  was  one  of  the 
honored  pioneer  settlers  of  Winnebago  county, 
taking  up  his  abode  in  this  .section  of  the  state 
when  the  work  of  improvement  seemed  scarcely 
begun  and  when  there  was  little  promise  of  rapid 
development  in  the  future.  The  year  1844  wit- 
nessed his  arrival  and  from  that  time  until  his 
death  he  was  numlx'red  among  the  leading  and 
successful  agriculturists  of  this  countv.  He  came 
fmm  England,  having  been  Mrn  in  Lincolnshire, 
in  that  countrv.  in  1813.    He  was  therefore  about 


ADAM    KEITH. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


425 


thirty-one  years  of  age  when  he  crossed  the  At- 
lantic to  the  new  world.  He  made  his  way  direct 
to  \^'innebago  county  and  settled  upon  the  farm 
which  is  now  in  possession  of  his  widow,  which 
had  been  entered  from  the  government  b}-  a  Mr. 
Thomas.  With  characteristic  energy  he  began 
the  development  and  improvement  of  this  place 
which  was  largely  covered  with  timber,  there 
being  but  ten  acres  of  prepared  land.  It  was 
necessary  therefore  that  he  cut  down  the  trees, 
grub  out  the  stumps  and  otherwise  clear  the  fields 
before  they  were  ready  for  cultivation.  He 
worked  earnestly  and  persistently  year  after  vear 
and  as  his  financial  resources  increased  he  made 
judicious  investment  in  property  until  his  landed 
interests  aggregated  three  hundred  and  twentv 
acres,  of  which  two  hundred  acres  is  still  in  pos- 
session of  his  family. 

Mr.  Coy  had  been  a  resident  of  Winnebago 
county  for  about  three  years  when,  in  1847,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Isabella  R.  Zie- 
bach, who  had  arrived  here  the  previous  vear. 
She  was  born  in  Union  county,  February,  1822, 
and  when  about  twenty-four  years  of  age  came  to 
Winnebago  county,  where  her  sister,  Mrs, 
Groves,  was  then  living.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coy  be- 
came the  parents  of  six  children,  of  whom  four 
are  living,  two  sons  and  two  daughters;  R.  E., 
who  is  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine  in 
Rockford,  Illinois ;  Miss  E.  A.  Coy,  who  is  an 
artist  of  New  York  city ;  Miss  Emma  Coy,  now 
the  principal  of  the  Hall  school  at  Rockford ;  and 
W.  E.,  who  resides  upon  the  home  farm,  which 
he  is  now  operating. 

In  his  political  views  William  Coy  was  a  repub- 
lican and  kept  well  informed  on  the  issues  of  the 
dav  although  he  never  sought  or  desired  public 
office.  He  was  a  man  of  rather  quiet  and  retiring 
disposition  and  of  domestic  tastes,  devoted  to  his 
family  and  his  business.  He  counted  his  greatest 
pleasure  in  providing  for  his  wife  and  children 
and  his  enterprise  and  untiring  labors  as  the  years 
passed  enabled  him  to  acquire  a  comfortable  com- 
petence. 


ROBERT  SPOTTSWOOD. 

Robert  Spottswood,  devoting  his  entire  atten- 
tion to  the  interests  of  the  Winnebago  Lumber 
Company,  which  is  now  one  of  the  prosperous 
commercial  interests  of  the  town,  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  this  county  since  1867.  He  is  a  native 
of  St.  Lawrence  county.  New  York,  his  birth 
having  occurred  in  the  town  of  Lisbon,  in  1846. 
His  parents  were  Robert  and  Mary  C.  (Graham) 
Spottswood.  both  natives  of  Scotland,  the  for- 
mer born  in  Roxburyshire  and  the  latter  in  Dum- 
fries. Both  came  to  this  country  in  childhood, 
aged   respectively   fourteen   and   nine  years,   and 


with  their  parents  they  settled  in  New  York  and 
Canada.  Following  their  marriage  they  took 
up  their  abode  in  St.  Lawrence  county,  New 
York,  where  they  resided  until  1 85 1,  when  they 
went  to  Canada,  making  their  home  in  Kempt- 
ville,  Grenvilie  count}-,  near  Ottawa,  until  their 
removal  to  Winnebago  county,  Illinois,  in  1867, 
The  family  home  was  then  established  at  West- 
field  Corners,  where  Robert  Spottswood,  Sr,, 
conducted  a  blacksmith  shop  for  a  number  of 
years,  being  thus  a  well  known  representative  of 
industrial  interests  of  that  place.  He  died  in 
the  fall  of  igoo,  when  more  than  eighty  years 
of  age,  and  his  wife  passed  away  in  July,  1904, 
at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years.  In  their  family 
were  eight  children,  of  whom  two  died  in  in- 
fancy, while  Mary  C,  died  in  1903,  after  fifteen 
years  teaching  in  the  public  schools  at  Rockford, 
while  five  are  yet  living,  as  follows :  Mrs.  Robert 
Simpson,  of  Rockford  township:  Mrs.  Edwin 
\\'are,  of  Winnebago  township  ;  Elizabeth,  who 
is  residing  in  \\'innebago  county;  Margaret,  who 
is  employed  in  Stewart's  department  store  in 
Rockford ;  and  Robert  of  this  review. 

In  his  boyhood  days  Robert  Spottswood  ac- 
quired a  public-school  education.  He  accom- 
panied his  parents  on  their  removal  to  Canada 
and  to  this  county,  living  first  in  Westfield  Cor- 
ners, where  he  worked  for  his  father  at  the 
blacksmith's  trade  until  coming  to  Winnebago, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  connected  with  the 
lumber  business.  He  was  instrumental  in  or- 
ganizing the  Winnebago  Lumber  Company  and 
devotes  his  entire  energies  to  the  development 
of  the  trade  which  has  long  since  reached  ex- 
tensive and  profitable  proportions,  the  business 
being  one  of  the  leading  enterprises  of  the  city. 

Mr.  Spottswood  was  married  in  1875  to  Miss 
Eleanor  F.  Ellis,  a  daughter  of  Wifliam  and 
Justina  (.\bbott)  Ellis,  who  died  at  Byron, 
Illinois,  in  December,  1903,  when  about  ninety- 
six  years  of  age.  Her  father  was  a  pioneer  of 
\Vinnebago  county  and  at  different  times  owned 
property  in  Rockford.  He  was  also  owner  of 
a  farm  in  this  count}-  and  was  well  known,  com- 
manding the  respect  and  esteem  of  those  with 
whom  business  and  social  relations  brought  him 
in  contact.  Mrs.  Spottswood  has  two  sisters 
at  Byron — Mrs.  Harriet  Spoor  and  Mrs.  David 
J.  Simpson.  L^nto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spottswood 
have  been  born  two  children ;  M.  Justina,  who 
in  early  womanhood  engaged  in  teaching  in  the 
schools  of  Rockford,  and  is  now  the  wife  of  H. 
M,  Robins,  a  resident  of  San  Francisco,  Califor- 
nia ;  and  Ralph  B.,  who  is  connected  with  the 
Forest  City  Bank,  of  Rockford. 

In  politics  Mr.  Spottswood  is  an  independent 
democrat  and  has  recently  been  elected  justice 
of  the  peace  of  \Mnnebago.     He  is  also  notary 


426 


PAST     AXI)     PRESENT     OF     WIXXEli  \(  ;0     COUNTY 


public  and  township  treasurer  and  in  tlic  dis- 
chara:e  of  his  official  duties  is  ever  |)r(inii)t.  ac- 
curate and  reliable.  He  belongs  to  the  Modern 
Woodmen  camp  and  to  the  Knijjiits  of  the  (ilobe 
of  W'innebago  and  for  twenty  years  has  been  a 
factor  in  fraternal,  business  and  political  circles 
of  this  place. 


JOHN   WALLIS. 

It  seems  that  nature  intended  that  man  should 
enjoy  a  season  of  rest  in  his  later  years.  In  youth 
he  possesses  unbounded  visitor,  hope  and  enthusi- 
asm, and  in  his  mature  years  there  is  added  a 
sound  judgment  and  capability  that  make  his 
labor  of  much  avail  in  the  business  world.  Later 
when  his  powers  are  somewhat  diminished,  if  he 
has  carefully  and  persistently  worked  to  acquire 
a  competence  he  may  put  aside  the  more  arduous 
duties  of  business  life  and  live  retired.  Such  has 
been  the  history  of  ]\Ir.  Wallis,  who  since  1849 
has  resided  in  ^^'^nnebago  county  and  is  there- 
fore numbered  among  its  pioneer  settlers.  He 
took  up  his  abode  in  Owen  township,  near  the 
village  of  Owen  Center,  and  was  there  engaged 
in  farming  for  a  few  years.  He  was  born  in 
Gloucestershire,  England,  sixteen  miles  from  the 
city  of  Gloucester,  in  December,  1824,  his  par- 
ents being  Thomas  and  Hannah  ("Greening)  Wal- 
lis. lx)th  of  whom  were  natives  of  Enghnd, 
whence  in  T844  thev  emigrated  with  their  fnni- 
ilv  to  .\mcrica.  first  settling  in  P.rnoklvn.  New 
York.  The  mother,  who  was  quite  ill  during 
the  voyage,  died  soon  after  their  arrival,  and  the 
father  afterward  made  his  home  with  his  son 
John  until  his  death.  .Ml  of  the  children  are  now 
deceased  with  the  exception  of  him  whose  name 
introduces  this  review. 

The  educational  advantages  which  Tolin  Wal- 
lis received  were  somewhat  meager,  although  he 
attended  school  for  a  limited  time  in  England. 
He  was  about  twentv  \ears  of  asre  when,  with 
his  parents,  he  crossed  the  .Atlantic  to  the  new 
world,  and  after  residing  for  a  few  months  in 
Pirooklyn.  New  York,  he  went  to  Chester.  New 
York,  where  he  had  an  imcle  living.  There  he 
worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade  with  his  imcle 
for  a  brief  period  but  decided  to  trv  his  fortune 
in  the  west,  believing  that  he  would  have  better 
business  opportunities  in  a  district  where  compe- 
tition was  not  so  great,  .\ccordinglv  he  came  to 
W'innebairo  countv.  Illinois.  He  first  settled  at 
Whig  Hill,  but  after  a  short  time  removed  to 
Owen  Center,  in  Owen  township,  borrowing  five 
hundred  dollars  from  his  father  with  which  to 
purchase  his  farm  there.  His  land  was  all  new 
and  imimprovcil.  but  he  at  once  began  to  clear 
and  cultivate  it  and  soon  rich  har\-ests  were  gath- 


ered wlK-re  ])revinusly  the  wild  prairie  grass  had 
been  seen.  He  resided  there  from  1849  ""'il 
1855.  when  he  abandoned  farming  and  took  up 
his  abode  in  the  city  of  Rockford. 

Mr.  Wallis  was  married  in  Corinth,  Saratoga 
county,  New  York,  to  Miss  Olive  Barber,  a  na- 
tive of  the  Empire  state  and  a  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Lucinda  I'.arber,  who  resided  in  the  east  for 
many  years,  but  after  the  father  retired  from  busi- 
ness life  they  made  several  trips  to  Rockford  and 
spent  much  of  their  later  life  in  traveling.  They 
visited  Minnesota  and  Wisconsin  and  finally  set- 
tled in  Prescott,  of  the  latter  state,  where  both 
the  father  and  mother  died.  He  was  a  millwright 
by  trade  and  for  many  years  followed  that  pur- 
suit. Mr.  Wallis  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  his  wife  in  1885,  her  death  occurring  in 
Rockford  on  the  28th  of  June  of  that  year.  There 
had  been  three  children  born  unto  them :  Brunello 
Monroe,  who  died  December  14.  1903,  married 
Arabella  \'ale.  of  Elgin,  Illinois,  where  she  and 
her  children  now  reside ;  Adelbert  James,  who 
married  Ella  Miller,  makes  his  home  in  Colum- 
bus, Ohio,  and  is  traveling  salesman  for  a  whole- 
sale drug  house  of  Peoria,  Illinois ;  Mary  Ellen 
is  the  widow  of  A,  J.  Roscoe.  who  was  chief 
engineer  at  the  power  house  of  Rockford  for  the 
street  car  company  for  three  years,  and  was  also 
engineer  for  other  companies  in  this  city.  He 
died  November  25,  1901,  and  Mrs.  Roscoe  now 
makes  her  home  in  Rockford.  Mr.  Wallis  resid- 
ing with  her.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wallis  also  adopted 
and  reared  a  nephew.  Professor  William  H. 
r>rydges,  who  is  a  highly  educated  man,  now  su- 
perintendent of  schools  in  Elgin,  Illinois.  For 
his  second  wife  Mr.  \\'allis  chose  Miss  Elizabeth 
Hetherington.  a  native  of  Scotland  and  a  daugh- 
tef  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Hetherington.  a  widow,  who 
part  of  the  time  makes  her  home  in  Rockford  with 
Air.  ^^'allis  and  spends  the  remainder  of  the  time 
with  her  three  sons  in  Michigan.  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth Wallis  died  in  Rockford.  December  26.  1900. 

.After  coming  to  this  city  Mr.  Wallis  worked  at 
the  carpenter's  trade  for  a  short  time  and  later 
engaged  in  selling  sewing  machines,  buggies,  car- 
riages and  other  vehicles.  He  also  conducted 
a  general  repair  shop.  Later  he  traveled  on  the 
road,  selling  sewing  machine  attachments  for 
three  vears,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  he  joined 
his  son  in  the  conduct  of  a  drug  l)usiness  at  No. 
325  East  State  Street,  where  he  remained  for 
several  vears.  During  all  of  this  time  the  part  of 
the  citv  in  which  he  now  lives  was  an  oatfield.  but 
Mr.  Wallis  realized  that  the  city  was  rapidly 
growing  and  that  the  outlying  districts  would 
soon  be  incorporated  within  the  botmdary  limits. 
He  therefore  invested  his  money  in  land  and  be- 
gan buying  and  selling  houses.  Many  unim- 
proved and  unsightly  places  have  been  trans- 
formed into  attractive  residence  districts  bv  him, 


/ 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  WIXNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


427    ^ 


and  he  now  owns  many  dwellings  in  his  part 
of  the  city  which  he  rents,  deriving  therefrom  a 
good  income. 

In  his  political  views  Air.  W'allis  was  a  repub- 
lican but  was  never  an  office  seeker.  He  has 
always  kept  well  informed  on  the  questions  and 
issues  of  the  day  and  is  interested  in  the  success 
and  growth  of  his  party.  Both  Mr.  Wallis  and 
]\Irs.  Roscoe  are  members  of  the  Christian  Union 
church,  and  she  is  a  member  of  the  Ladies'  Aux- 
iliary society,  the  Woman's  Relief  Corps,  and 
other  social  and  benevolent  organizations.  She 
is  well  to  do  and  has  alwa\-s  been  very  liberal 
with  her  money,  giving  freely  to  churches  and 
to  any  one  in  need.  ?ilr.  Wallis  is  now  more 
than  eighty  years  of  age  but  is  still  a  busy  man, 
leading  a  useful  and  industrious  life,  his  atten- 
tion being  given  to  the  supervision  and  improve- 
ment of  his  property,  which  is  located  at  various 
points  on  the  east  side.  His  home  is  at  No.  501 
Longwood  Street,  and  as  one  of  the  pioneer  citi- 
zens of  Winnebago  county  he  has  a  very  wide  ac- 
quaintance. He  owes  his  prosperity  entirely  to 
his  own  labors,  for  he  started  out  in  life  amid 
unfavorable  circumstances.  Believing  that  suc- 
cess might  be  accomplished  through  determined 
and  honorable  effort  he  has  steadily  worked  his 
way  upward  and  has  not  only  gained  a  handsome 
competence  but  has  also  made  for  himself  an 
honored  name. 


ROBERT  RALSTON. 

A  productive  and  well  tilled  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  on  section  22,  Harlem  town- 
ship, is  the  property  of  Robert  Ralston,  who  was 
born  at  Watertown,  Washington  county.  Ohio, 
August  22.  1849.  His  paternal  grandparents  were 
David  and  Helen  Ralston  and  the  former  died  in 
Scotland,  while  the  latter  died  in  Harlem  town- 
ship. The  maternal  grandfather,  !Mr.  Biggins, 
died  in  Ohio  in  1856.  The  father,  Robert  Rals- 
ton, was  a  native  of  the  parish  of  Southend,  Ar- 
gyleshire.  Scotland,  born  July  12,  1802.  When 
a  young  man  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the 
LTnited  States,  settling  first  in  Massachusetts, 
where  he  secured  employment  in  a  hardware  store 
and  after  spending  a  number  of  years  in  New 
England  he  removed  to  Ohio.  For  some  time  he 
engaged  in  teaching  in  Washington  county,  that 
state,  and  while  living  in  Ohio  he  wedded  Nancy 
Biggins,  who  was  bom  in  Watertown.  that  state, 
on  the  1 6th  of  May,  181 1.  He  continued  to  fol- 
low the  profession  of  teaching  during  the  greater 
part  of  his  residence  in  the  Buckeye  state,  whence, 
in  185 1,  he  removed  to  Winnebago  county,  set- 
tling in  Harlem  township.  About  two  years  la- 
ter he  bought  the  farm  on  which  his  son  Robert 
now  resides  and  prior  to  this  time  he  had  been 


identified  with  educational  interests  here.  His 
remaining  days,  however,  were  devoted  to  agricul- 
tural pursuits  and  he  died  upon  the  old  home- 
stead, July  20,  1890,  while  his  wife  survived  un- 
til October,  1900.  The  members  of  their  family 
were :  David  W.,  a  farmer  residing  at  Neosho 
Falls,  Kansas,  who  was  born  April  11,  1840,  and 
is  married  and  has  two  sons  and  three  daughters ; 
Henry,  who  was  born  September  7,  1841,  and 
died  Alarch  11,  1862;  John  B.,  a  hardware  dealer 
of  Rockford,  who  was  born  April  21,  1846,  and 
is  married  and  has  one  son ;  Ellen  Jane,  who  was 
born  !vlarch  4,  1843,  ^nd  is  the  wife  of  Robert 
Henderson,  of  Caledonia,  Illinois,  by  whom  she 
has  two  sons  and  two  daughters ;  and  Mary- 
Louise,  who  was  born  June  5,  185 1,  and  is  the 
wife  of  Robert  McGeachy.  of  Swaledale.  Iowa. 

Robert  Ralston,  the  other  member  of  the  fam- 
ily, was  brought  by  his  parents  to  this  countv  in 
the  fall  of  1 85 1,  the  family  home  being  estab- 
lished in  Harlem  township  upon  the  farm  where 
he  yet  resides  and  where  he  has  lived  continuously 
since.  He  attended  the  public  schools  and  through 
the  summer  months  worked  upon  the  farm.  His 
education  was  supplemented  by  the  assistance 
■which  he  received  from  his  father,  who  had  for 
many  years  been  a  teacher  and  who  was  a  well 
educated  man,  being  a  graduate  of  the  Edinburgh 
L^niversity  of  Scotland.  In  farm  labor  he  was 
also  well  trained  and  early  became  familiar  with 
the  best  methods  of  tilling  the  soil  and  caring  for 
the  stock. 

On  the  4th  of  March.  i8q6,  ]\Ir.  Ralston  was 
married  to  IMiss  Agnes  F.  Mitchell,  a  daughter 
of  James  and  Agnes  Mitchell,  who  for  many 
years  made  their  home  in  Harlem  township.  The 
father  was  born  in  Arg}-leshire.  Scotland,  came 
to  the  LTnited  States  in  1870  and  died  in  Harlem 
township  in  September,  1901.  His  wife  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Agnes  Johnstone  and  was  born 
in  Argyleshire  in  184^  She  is  now  living  in 
the  township  where  she  has  long  resided  and 
where  she  is  widely  and  favorably  known.  In  the 
Mitchell  family  were  six  children :  Hugh,  who 
is  living  on  the  old  homestead  in  Harlem  town- 
ship ;  William,  who  also  occupied  a  part  of  that 
farm:  Eliza  McDougall  Mitchell,  also  at  home; 
Marv  Jane,  who  is  on  the  old  farm :  and  Maggie, 
who  died  September  24.  1903.  Mrs.  Ralston  is 
the  other  member  of  the  familv  and  was  born  in 
Guilford  township.  May  28,  1871.  By  her  mar- 
riage she  has  become  the  mother  of  one  daughter, 
Florence  A.,  born  June  23.   1897. 

Air.  Ralston  is  an  earnest  supporter  of  the  re- 
publican party,  to  which  he  h^s  given  his  alle- 
giance since  attaining  his  majority.  He  has  been 
recognized  as  an  active  worker,  loyal  to  the  party 
and  effective  in  promoting  its  interests.  In  1891 
he  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  and  has  since 
served  in  that  office.     He  has  likewise  been  town 


'428 


PAST     AXD     PRESENT     OF     W  I.\.\I:i;A(;()     COL'XTY. 


clerk  since  1902,  was  assessor  for  three  _vears  and 
school  (Hrector  for  the  past  two  years.  Tlie  fam- 
il\'  arc  members  of  the  Willow  Creek  Presbyter- 
ian church  of  Argyle.  The  name  of  Ralston  has 
figured  ])rominently  in  connection  with  public  af- 
fairs of  the  locality  through  a  long  period,  for 
Mr.  Ralston's  father  was  honored  with  a  number 
of  local  offices,  serving  from  1858  until  his  death 
as  iustice  of  the  peace,  while  from  1854  until 
1873  he  was  town  clerk  and  for  many  terms  was 
school  director.  The  Ralstons  have  ever  stood 
as  champions  of  progress  and  improvement,  de- 
voted to  the  welfare  of  the  community  and  active 
in  support  of  every  measure  for  the  general  good. 


EDG.\R  THEODORi:  lUl.l.M Vl'.R.   M.  D. 

Dr.  Edgar  Theodore  I'illmyer.  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  medicine  in  Cherry  \'alley,  where  he 
has  been  located  since  1864.  was  born  in  I'nion- 
town,  CarniU  county,  Maryland,  July  8.  1832. 
His  fatlicr  was  a  manufacturer  of  fine  boots. 
The  son.  spending  his  boyhood  days  in  the 
coimty  of  his  nativity,  acciuired  his  literary  edu- 
cation there,  attendins:  the  l^niontown  .\cademy. 
He  afterward  engaged  in  teaching  in  Carroll 
countv  for  three  years  and  in  the  meantime  de- 
voted his  leisure  hours  to  the  study  of  medicine, 
his  reading  being  directed  by  a  physician  of 
Westminster,  Carroll  county.  Later  he  entered 
a  medical  college,  being  graduated  in  l-'ebruary, 
1855.  from  Physio-Medical  College  at  Cincin- 
nati. Ohio,  in  which  city  he  studied  under  Pro- 
fessor Curtis.  Me  then  crossed  the  river  and 
studied  for  three  months  under  Professor  Wil- 
liam r.ird  Powell,  the  subject  of  his  investiga- 
tion being  cerebro-physiology  and  its  relations 
to  the  body.  He  afterward  traveled  through 
Ohio  and  in  the  same  year  came  on  a  visit  to  an 
aunt  who  resided  between  Cherry  \'alley  and 
New  Milford.  in  Winnebago  county.  Her  son, 
Lemuel  Colwell,  still  resides  in  Rockford.  and 
she  has  a  daughter  who  is  also  living  in  that 
dty. 

Tt  was  this  that  led  Dr.  I'.illmyer  to  locate  in 
Winnebago  county.  lie  began  practice  in  the 
locality  where  his  aunt  lived  in  June.  1855.  pur- 
chasing a  fann  between  the  two  villages,  which 
he  continued  to  make  his  home  until  1864.  when 
he  took  up  his  abode  in  Cherry  Valley.  He  re- 
tained the  f>wnership  of  his  farm  for  some  time 
thereafter,  but  sold  it  several  years  ago.  Here 
he  has  practiced  contiiniously  since  his  connec- 
tion with  the  medical  fraternity  in  this  county, 
covering  over  fifty  years.  He  is  a  subscriber 
to  many  medical  journals  and  thus  keejis  in 
touch  with  the  advanced  thought  of  the  ])rofes- 
sion.     He  has  instituted  a  treatment  of  his  own 


for  pneumonia,  using  medicated  sheets,  which  he 
wraps  around  the  patient  and  in  this  special  line 
of  practice  he  has  been  exceptionally  success- 
ful. ( )ut  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  cases  of 
diphtheria  which  he  has  treated  in  Cherry  Val- 
ley and  vicinity  he  has  lost  only  one  patient — a 
remarkable  record,  lie  also  has  a  powder 
which  he  uses  to  clear  the  throats  of  diphtheria 
patients.  In  his  general  practice  he  has  al.so 
been  successful  and  a  liberal  patnmage  has  been 
accorded  him  through  many  years. 

Dr.  I'lillniyer  was  married  in  this  county  to 
Miss  Mary  Metier,  who  died  about  twenty-two 
years  ago.  She  belonged  to  one  of  the  pioneer 
families  of  this  part  of  the  state,  her  people  hav- 
ing located  in  Winnebago  count}'  about  iS^T,'). 
Politically  Dr.  P)illmyer  is  a  stalwart  rejniblican. 
having  cast  his  first  ])residential  vote  for  John 
C.  Fremont  and  supjiorting  each  candidate  at 
the  head  of  the  ticket  since  that  time,  although 
he  was  reared  in  the  democratic  faith.  He  has 
fre(|uently  been  solicited  to  accept  offices,  but 
lias  always  refused,  serving  only  as  school  trus- 
tee in  Cherry  \'alley  for  several  terms  and  also 
while  living  on  a  farm.  .\t  one  time  he  joined 
the  Sons  of  Temperance  in  Maryland  and  he 
has  always  been  true  to  his  vows  taken  in  early 
life,  never  purchasing  any  stimulant  for  use  as 
a  beverage  during  the  seventy-three  years  in 
which  he  has  traveled  life's  journey.  He  favors 
the  nisci])le  church,  but  is  liberal  in  his  religious 
views.  He  is  a  remarkably  active  and  well  pre- 
served man  and  his  life  has  been  of  great  useful- 
ness and  benefit  to  his  fcllowmcn  during  the 
fifty  years  of  his  connection  with  the  medical 
fraternity  in  Winnebago  county.  He  is  the  loved 
family  physician  in  many  a  household  and  a 
cheery  presence  has  been  a  valuable  supple- 
ment to  the  remedial  agencies  which  he  has  em- 
ployed. 


P.\TRICK  DROHAN. 

Patrick  Drohan,  who  departed  this  life  about 
ten  years  ago  after  active  and  honorable  connec- 
tion with  agricultural  interests,  was  born  in 
County  Waterford,  Ireland,  and  spent  the  days 
of  his  boyhood  and  youth  in  that  country,  but 
when  a  young  man  came  to  America.  He  took 
up  his  abode  in  \\'iiuiebago  county  about  twenty 
vears  ago.  residing  first  near  Rockford.  where  he 
made  his  home  for  several  years.  He  then  pur- 
chased the  farm  which  is  yet  owned  by  his  widow 
and  is  operated  by  his  two  sons.  This  place  com- 
Iirises  one  hundred  and  ninety  acres  of  land  which 
is  rich,  productive  anrl  well  improved.  He  was  a 
hard-working  man  and  very  successful  in  his 
farming  operations,  his  prosjicrity  being  due  en- 
tirelv  to  his  tmfaltcring  labor  and  perseverance. 


E,  T  BILLMYER.M.D 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF    WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


431 


It  was  after  his  arrival  in  America  that  Mr. 
Drohan  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary 
O'Brien,  who  was  born  in  County  Limerick,  Ire- 
land, and  came  to  the  United  States  when  a 
maiden  of  fifteen  years,  arriving  here  in  the  '50s. 
She  first  resided  in  Vermont  and  later  became  a 
resident  of  Rockford,  where  she  gave  her  hand 
in  marriage  to  Patrick  Drohan.  They  became 
the  parents  of  four  children,  of  whom  one  died  in 
infancy,  while  Ellen  A.  died  at  the  age  of  twentv- 
five  years.  Thomas,  residing  on  the  home  farm, 
married  Miss  Sarah  Hartlett,  a  native  of  Stam- 
ford, Connecticut,  and  a  daughter  of  Lawrence 
and  Sarah  (Malvy)  Hartlett,  who  now  reside 
near  Rockford.  Her  parents  were  married  in 
Limerick,  Ireland,  and  Mr.  Hartlett  is  engaged  in 
business  as  a  landscape  gardener.  Thomas  Dro- 
han and  his  wife  have  three  children :  JXIarguer- 
ite,  Ellen  and  Paul  Thomas.  William  Drohan, 
the  younger  son,  now  residing  on  section  7,  Rock- 
ford township,  married  Miss  Annie  Fitzgerald. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Drohan  was  an  earn- 
est democrat,  believing  firmly  in  the  principles  of 
the  party.  He  held  membership  in  St.  Marv's 
Catholic  church  of  Rockford,  of  which  his  familv 
are  also  communicants.  His  life  proved  the 
force  and  value  of  industry  and  integrity  in  an 
active  business  career  and  he  deserved  much 
credit  for  what  he  accomplished,  as  everything 
that  he  possessed  was  won  through  his  indefati- 
gable labor  and  capable  management.  He  left  to 
his  family  a  very  good  farm,  so  that  his  widow  is 
now  in  comfortable  financial  circumstances. 


FRED  W.  PATTERSON. 

Fred  W.  Patterson,  following  farming  on  sec- 
tion 29,  Harrison  township,  where  he  has  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  devoted  to  the 
raising  of  crops,  was  born  in  the  neighborhood 
of  his  present  home  on  the  5th  of  Aoril.  1846, 
his  parents  being  Lewis  and  Emilv  I.  (  Bhck- 
burn)  Patterson,  who  were  married  in  Mav.  i8_V). 
and  came  to  Winnebago  countv,  in  August  of  that 
year.  They  forded  the  Rock  river  at  what  is  now 
the  city  of  Rockford  at  the  place  where  the  dam 
has  since  been  built.  There  was  hardly  a  hamlet 
there  to  give  promise  of  the  present  city  of  metro- 
politan proportions  with  its  splendid  industrial, 
commercial  and  professional  interests.  The  river 
crossed,  thev  proceeded  on  over  the  prairies  to 
Harrison  township,  where  Mr.  Patterson  entered 
a  claim  on  section  21.  A  year  or  two  later  he 
removed  to  section  29  on  the  same  township  and  it 
was  upon  that  farm  that  his  son  Fred  was  born. 
Robert  Coulter  had  previously  owned  a  claim 
and  sold  it  to  Air.  Patterson.  A  log  house  was 
the  home  of  the  family  until  1876,  when  the  pres- 
24 


ent  commodious  and  substantial  frame  residence 
was  erected.  As  the  years  passed  the  labors  of 
i\Ir.  Patterson  and  his  son  transformed  the  tract  of 
wild  prairie  into  fields  that  were  made  to  bloom 
and  blossom  as  the  rose,  and  all  modern  equip- 
ments were  added,  making  the  farm  a  valuable 
tract  of  land.  Here  the  father  continued  to  make 
his  home  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Octo- 
ber, 1900,  when  he  was  nearly  eightv-four  years 
of  age.  His  wife  passed  away  in  April,  1905,  at 
the  age  of  eighty-four  years  and  one  month.  They 
were  natives  of  Canada  and  Ohio  respectively  and 
their  marriage  was  celebrated  near  Cleveland, 
Ohio.  Lewis  Patterson  did  much  toward  pro- 
moting the  pioneer  improvement  of  the  countv 
and  his  genuine  worth  as  an  individual  and  citizen 
led  to  his  election  to  local  office.  He  was  first 
chosen  justice  of  the  peace  in  1853,  his  commis- 
sion being  assigned  by  Joel  A.  Matteson,  while 
later  he  was  commissioned  by  Governor  Richard 
Yates  and  other  chief  executives  of  the  state.  He 
was  likewise  township  collector  for  manv  vears 
and  also  assessor.  Mrs.  Patterson,  a  worthv  pio- 
neer woman,  held  membership  in  the  ]\Iethodist 
Episcopal  church  and  proved  a  faithful  compan- 
ion and  helpiuate  to  her  husband  on  the  journey 
of  life.  In  the  family  of  this  worthy  couple  were 
three  sons  and  a  daughter :  John  A.,  who  was  a 
member  of  Company  C.  Fiftv-fifth  Illinois  I'n- 
fantry  in  the  Civil  war,  was  captured  at  Shiloh 
and  died  at  Macon,  Georgia,  in  1862  :  George  C. 
who  was  a  member  of  the  Seventy-second  Illi- 
nois Regiment,  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Frank- 
lin, Tennessee:  and  ]Mrs.  Marion  Riche  is  living 
at  Nora  Springs.  Iowa. 

Fred  W.  Patterson,  the  other  member  of  the 
family,  was  reared  upon  his  father's  farm  here 
and  has  always  lived  in  Harrison  township  with 
the  exception  of  one  year  spent  in  Indiana.  The 
educational  facilities  of  the  public  schools  gave 
him  a  knowledge  of  the  common  branches  of  Eng- 
lish learning,  while  under  his  father's  direction  he 
became  familiar  with  all  the  work  of  the  fields. 
Having  arrived  at  years  of  maturity  he  wedded 
Miss  Erdell  Kilbourn.  who  was  bom  in  Oneida 
countv.  New  York,  in  1853.  a  daughter  of  Daniel 
and  Kate  (Thorne")  Kilbourn.  who  came  to  this 
county  in  1858.  The  father  died  here  in  .\ugust, 
1 001,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven  years,  and  his 
widow  now  resides  in  northwestern  Iowa  at  the 
age  of  seventy-seven.  For  a  long  period  they 
made  their  home  in  Durand  township  and  were 
farming  people  of  that  locality.  Mr.  Kilbourn 
served  his  country  as  a  member  of  the  Twelfth 
Illinois  Cavalry  in  the  Civil  war.  L^nto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Patterson  have  been  born  two  children : 
Emily  Kate,  the  wife  of  .A.rthur  Myott.  residing 
in  Dnrand  township,  by  whom  she  has  three  chil- 
dren. Bernard  L..  Bernice  D.  and  one  who  died 
in  infancy ;  and  Flora  J.,  who  is  attending  school. 


43^ 


PAST     AND 


ii:si-:xT   i.n-    wixxeijago    eoLxrv 


T1k-\  also  lost  their  second  daughter,  Alice,  who 
died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Patterson  is  a  member  of 
the  United  Brethren  church.  Mr.  Patterson 
has  served  in  some  local  offices  and  has  always 
given  his  support  to  the  republican  party.  Dur- 
iiig  almost  si.x  decades  he  has  lived  to  see  the 
changes  that  have  been  wrought  here,  transform- 
ing \\'innebago  county  from  a  wild  and  unim- 
proved district  into  one  of  the  most  populous  and 
prosperous  sections  of  this  great  commonwealth. 


DANIEL  KINSOX. 


Daniel  Kinson.  now  retired  from  active  busi- 
ness life  and  living  on  his  farm  on  section  33, 
Xew  Milford  township,  was  born  in  the  town  of 
Eden.  \^ermont,  August  21.  1827.  his  parents 
being  Jolin  and  Malinda  CT.amphere)  Kinson. 
the  former  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  and  the 
latter  of  \'ermont.  Coming  to  the  west  they 
spent  a  few  months  at  Whitewater,  Wisconsin, 
while  the  father  and  his  son  Daniel  looked  over 
the  country  emijraced  within  the  borders  of 
Winnebago  county.  Being  favorably  impressed 
with  this  part  of  the  state  they  decided  to  locate 
here,  for  land  could  be  secured  at  a  nominal  rate. 
much  of  it  still  being  in  possession  of  the  govern- 
ment. The  homes  at  that  time  were  widely 
scattered  and  many  of  the  now  thriving  towns 
and  villages  had  not  yet  sprung  into  existence. 
.Arrangements  being  perfected  for  securing  a 
farm.  John  Kinson  brought  his  family  to  Winne- 
bago county  and  here  spent  his  remaining  days. 
He  came  into  possession  of  what  is  now  a  part 
of  Daniel  Kinson's  fami,  securing  it  as  a  pre- 
emption claim,  and  continued  its  cultivation  and 
improvement  throughout  the  remainder  of  his 
active  business  life.  He  reached  a  venerable  age. 
|)assing  away  in  New  Milford.  December  28. 
1891.  after  attaining  the  eighty-eighth  milestone 
on  life's  journey.  His  wife  died  September  7. 
1880.  also  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight  years.  In 
the  familv  of  this  worthy  couple  were  the  follow- 
ing named:  Daniel:  Lewis,  who  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Seventy-fourth  Illinois  X'ohmteer 
Regiment,  and  died  while  in  the  army :  and  Cyn- 
thia, the  wife  of  Winslow  Bordwell.  a  resident 
of  the  village  of  New  Milford. 

Daniel  Kinson  spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood 
and  youtli  in  the  Green  Mountain  state  and  with 
his  parents  came  to  the  west.  .\s  before  stated. 
he  accompanied  his  father  on  a  prospecting  tour 
of  this  county  and  here  he  pre-empted  a  claim 
on  which  he  has  since  made  his  home.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Joanna  P.axter.  who  was  born  in  the 
Empire  state,  in  1834.  and  came  to  Winnebago 
county  with  her  ])arents.  .She  was  to  her  hus- 
band a  faithful  companion  and  helpmate  on  life's 


journey  for  many  \ears  and  she  passed  away  in 
1899,  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years.  Nine 
children  had  been  horn  unto  them,  of  whom  seven 
are  yet  living:  Asa  H.,  who  married  .Miss  Lorena 
Graham  of  this  township,  owns  a  farm  near  his 
father's  home.  Mrs.  Clara  Fitzgerald  is  resid- 
ing at  New  Milford.  Ella  is  the  wife  of  .-Mbert 
McEvoy,  of  Ottawa.  Illinois.  John,  who  mar- 
ried Eva  Eastman,  is  engagetl  in  merchandising 
in  New  Milford  townshi]i.  Rena.  the  wife  of  Gil- 
bert Thompson,  a  resident  farmer  of  New  Mil- 
ford township.  Ora  married  Miss  Rose  Lyman, 
and  lives  at  Davis  Junction.  Rose  is  the  wife  of 
John  I'urt.  who  resides  near  Clarion,  in  Wright 
county.  Iowa.  Fred  died  in  childhood,  and  one 
other  son  died  in  early  life. 

Politically  Mr.  Kinson  is  a  republican,  having 
continuously  supported  the  party  since  its  organi- 
zation and  he  has  served  as  school  director  and 
highway  commissioner.  He  formerly  had  fra- 
ternal relations  but  is  not  identified  with  any 
lodge  at  the  present  time.  He  has  always  at- 
tended the  ]\iethodist  church  although  not  a 
member  now.  He  continuea  active  farming  until 
two  or  three  years  ago.  when  he  delegated  the 
more  arduous  work  of  the  fields  to  others  and  is 
now  enjoying  a  well  earned  rest.  He  retains 
his  residence,  however,  uj^on  the  old  homestead 
tarni.  comprising  two  hundred  and  twenty-four 
acres  in  New  Milford  township,  one  hundred  and 
sixty  of  which  he  entered  from  the  government 
in  early  pioneer  days.  Few  residents  of  the 
county  have  longer  resided  here  and  he  has  inti- 
mate knowledge  of  events  which  occurred  in 
pioneer  times  and  of  conditions  which  existed 
when  the  land  was  but  slightly  improved  and  the 
county  was  sparsely  settled  and  when  there  was 
little  promise  of  future  development.  He  has 
made  i)rogress  in  keeping  with  the  county's  adop- 
tion of  the  various  interests  of  an  advanced  civi- 
lization and  he  relates  in  interesting  manner  many 
incidents  of  earlier  davs  here. 


TOTTN  CARLSON. 


.\mong  the  men  of  Rockford  now  deceased 
who  were  formerly  prominent  and  active  in  busi- 
ness circles  here  was  John  Carlson,  who  came  to 
this  city  in  1868,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was 
one  of  the  stockholders  of  the  Rockford  Standard 
Furniture  Company.  .\s  the  name  indicates  he 
was  of  Swedish  birth,  his  natal  dav  iK'ing  Octo- 
ber 21.  1846.  His  parents  were  Christopher  and 
Catherine  Carl.son.  wlio  spent  their  entire  lives  in 
Sweden.  The  father  was  the  owner  of  a  large 
farm  and  always  carried  <in  agricultural  ]iursuits 
there  u]i  to  the  time  i->f  his  death.  His  widow 
is  living  on  the  old  homestead  farm  there  at  the 
advanced  age  of  eightv  vears. 


a 

> 


O 
> 


r 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


435 


John  Carlson  acquired  a  common-school  educa- 
tion in  Sweden  and  assisted  his  father  on  the 
home  farm  there  until  he  attained  his  majoritv. 
He  had  heard  favorable  reports  concerning  busi- 
ness opportunities  in  the  new  world  and  resolved 
to  try  his  fortune  in  America,  so  that  at  the  age 
of  twenty-one  years  he  sailed  for  the  United 
States,  landing  at  New  York  city.  He  afterward 
went  to  Laporte,  Indiana,  where  he  was  emploved 
in  various  ways  for  three  years.  He  afterward 
removed  to  De  Kalb,  Illinois,  where  he  worked 
on  a  farm  for  his  cousin  for  two  years.  On  the 
expiration  of  that  period  he  returned  to  Laporte 
and  purchased  a  small  farm  near  there,  carrving 
on  general  agricultural  pursuits  for  two  years. 
Again  he  located  in  Dc  Kalb,  Illinois,  where  he 
was  employed  in  a  wagon  factory  for  about  fif- 
teen years,  and  in  1868  he  came  to  Rockford. 
Here  he  soon  purchased  stock  in  the  Rockford 
Standard  Furniture  Company,  manufacturers  of 
all  kinds  of  furniture,  and  now  controlling  one 
of  the  most  extensive  business  enterprises  of  the 
kind  in  this  city. 

Indolence  and  idleness  were  utterly  foreign  to 
the  nature  of  Mr.  Carlson,  and  as  he  could  not 
content  himself  without  some  work  to  do  he  ac- 
cepted a  position  in  the  factory,  where  he  remained 
until  his  health  failed  in  tqoo.  He  continued  as  a 
stockholder  of  the  company,  however,  until  his 
death,  which  occurred   February   i,   iQor. 

While  living  in  Laporte,  Indiana,  Mr.  Carlson 
was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Dolk,  also  a  native 
of  Sweden  and  a  daughter  of  Peter  and  Marie 
(Peterson)  Dolk,  both  of  whom  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1870,  settling  in  De  Kalb,  Illinois.  Her 
father  was  then  sixty  years  of  age  and  retired 
from  active  business  life,  living  in  the  enjoyment 
of  a  well  earned  rest  until  he  was  called  to  the 
home  bevond.  Mrs.  Dolk  afterward  came  to 
Rockford  and  resided  with  her  daughter  until 
her  death  on  the  2d  of  June,  1895.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Carlson  became  the  parents  of  ten  children : 
Emma,  the  wife  of  Charles  A.  Stark,  of  Rock- 
ford ;  Charles,  who  married  Miss  H.  Lundeen, 
and  is  a  machinist  of  this  city  ;  Albert,  who  mar- 
ried Clara  Peterson  and  resides  in  Rockford ; 
Jennie,  the  wife  of  Charles  Anderson,  of  Chi- 
cago ;  Minnie,  the  wife  of  D.  W.  Shirle>'.  of  Be- 
loit,  Wisconsin;  Herbert  T.,  a  spinner  by  trade. 
residing  with  his  mother  ;  Olive,  a  stenograoher 
employed  by  the  Rockford  Standard  Furniture 
Company :  Alartin  E.,  a  finisher  in  the  employ  of 
the  Rockford  Mitten  Company  :  Harold,  who  is 
with  the  furniture  factory ;  and  Maude,  who  is 
attending  school.  The  children  were  all  given 
good  educational  privileges  in  Rockford,  the  par- 
ents realizing  the  value  of  education  as  a  prepa- 
ration for  life's  responsible  duties. 

Mr.  Carlson's  study  of  the  political  ques- 
tions and  issues  of  the  day  led  him  to  give  his 
support   to   the   republican    part\-   and   he   always 


voted  for  its  men  and  measures.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  First  Lutheran  church  of  Rockford,  to 
which  his  family  all  belong.  In  his  business  af- 
fairs he  was  very  successful  and  he  was  very 
prominent  among  the  Swedish- American  citizens 
here.  He  possessed  many  of  the  sterling  charac- 
teristics of  his  countrymen,  being  very  industri- 
ous and  diligent,  while  his  perseverance  was  an- 
other strong  element  in  his  prosperitv. 


JAMES  A.  PROVOOST. 

James  A.  Provoost,  assistant  cashier  of  the  Pe- 
catonica  Bank,  was  torn  in  Buffalo,  New  York, 
May  22,  1863,  and  is  a  son  of  Robert  C.  and  Fanny 
(Alton)  Provoost.  The  father,  who  was  born  in 
Buftalo,  New  York,  died  in  that  city  in  1881, 
while  his  wife,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Dunkirk, 
New  York,  is  now  living  in  Chicago.  The  pa- 
ternal grandfather  of  Mr.  Provoost  was  the  ship 
chandler's  business  at  Buffalo  for  many  years 
and  the  father  was  reared  to  that  trade.  At  one 
time  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  stone-engrav- 
ing business  but  found  that  it  was  injurious  to 
his  eyes  and  so  resumed  operations  as  a  chandler, 
in  which  he  continued  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 

James  A.  Provoost,  the  only  child  of  the  fam- 
ily, began  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
his  native  city  and  continued  his  studies  in  Peca- 
tonica,  becoming  a  resident  of  this  place  when 
fifteen  years  of  age.  He  lived  with  his  uncle,  H. 
H.  Knowlton,  for  a  time  and  later  went  to  Chi- 
cago, where  he  worked  for  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  Company  in  the  motive  department.  He 
was  thus  employed  until  1881,  when  he  returned 
to  Pecatonica  and  has  since  been  connected  with 
the  Pecatonica  Bank,  in  which  he  is  now  assist- 
ant cashier.  He  has  gained  a  thorough  familiarity 
with  the  banking  business,  both  in  principle  and 
detail,  and  his  close  application,  comprehensive 
understanding  of  the  work  and  his  loyalty  to  the 
interests  of  the  institution  have  made  him  one  of 
its  valued  representatives. 

Mr.  Provoost  has  also  figured  prominently  in 
local  affairs  and  fluring  President  Harrison's  ad- 
ministration served  as  postmaster  from  1890  un- 
til 1894.  He  was  township  treasurer  for  four 
years  in  the  '80s  and  holds  this  office  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  having  filled  the  position  altogether  for 
nine  vears,  a  fact  which  is  indicative  of  his 
promptness  and  fidelity  in  the  discharge  of  his 
duties.  He  has  likewise  served  as  village  trustee 
for  four  or  five  years  and  as  village  clerk  for  two 
terms.  He  is  a  member  of  A.  W.  Rawlson  lodge. 
No.  145,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  at  Pecatonica,  in  which 
he  has  served  as  master  and  filled  other  offices. 
He  likewise  affiliates  with  Rockford  chapter.  No. 
24,  R.  A.  M.,  Crusader  commanderv.  No.  17. 
K.  T.  of  Rockford  and  Tebala  Temple  of  the  Mys- 


43fj 


PAST     AM)     I'RICSEXT     OF     WIXXEBAGO     COUNTY. 


tic  Shrine  in  that  city.  Jloth  he  and  liis  wife  are 
affihated  with  the  Eastern  Star  and  are  members 
of  the  ;\Iystic   Workers. 

Mr.  Provoost  was  married  July  4.  1886.  to  Miss 
Mamie  O'lirien.  a  ilan.t;:^hter  of  James  and  .Ann 
O'Brien.  Her  father  was  Ijorn  in  .\ew  York  city. 
Dccenilx^r  10,  1837.  and  the  mother  was  born  in 
Eiif^land.  January  11.  1844.  .Mr.  ()"ilrien  first 
came  to  the  west  in  1852.  settling  in  Clinton,  Wis- 
consin, and  for  many  years  was  clerk  in  Lot  Tay- 
lor's hotel  there.  He  afterward  came  to  this  vil- 
lafje  and  purchased  the  IVcatonica  Hotel,  which 
he  conducted  successfully  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  September  22.  1887.  His 
wife  also  died  in  Pecatonica.  passinsj  away  Feb- 
ruary 28,  1900.  They  were  the  parents  of  two 
children.  Mrs.  Provoost  and  William,  who  is  liv- 
insj  in  Woodstock.  Illinois.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pro- 
voost have  one  daughter,  Xellie  .\.  They  favor 
the  Episcopal  church  but  as  there  is  no  conjjre- 
S^ation  of  that  denomination  in  Pecatonica  they 
usually  attend  scr\-iccs  at  the  Conarregational 
church.  Mr.  Provoost  is  well  known  as  a  leader 
in  republican  circles  in  his  commimity.  as  a  l)anker 
of  capability  and  as  a  man  of  genuine  worth,  who 
in  all  life's  relations  entertains  a  correct  idea  of 
the  iluties  and  oblisjations  which  devolve  uprin 
him  and  is  ever  loval  thereto. 


RORER 


AX DREW 


.Xmont,"^  the  men  who  have  contributed  to  the 
industrial  and  commercial  development  of  Rock- 
ford  in  days  past  Robert  .-\ndrew  was  prominent. 
He  became  a  resident  of  this  citv  in  1868.  and  for 
some  years  was  enfjajjed  in  the  flour  and  feed 
business  here.  He  was  amonsj  the  worthy  resi- 
dents that  .Scotland  furnished  to  Rockford.  his 
birth  havinp  occurred  in  the  land  of  the  hills 
and  heather  in  February.  1830.  His  parents,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  David  .\ndrew.  were  also  natives  of 
.Scotland,  and  with  their  children  they  came  to 
.\merica.  One  of  their  sons  is  now  living  in 
Rockford — John  J.  .Andrew,  who  is  now  reiire- 
senting  his  district  in  the  state  legislature  and  is 
one  of  the  ])rominent  and  influential  citizens  of 
Winnebago  cotmty  now  living  retired  from  busi- 
ness cares.  When  the  fimily  came  to  .\merica 
they  settled  first  in  Michitran  and  afterward  re- 
moved to  Guilfnrd  townshii).  Winne1)ago  countv. 
the  father  purchasing  a  fnrin  on  .section  I.  where 
his  son  is  now  living.  There  he  engage<l  in  till- 
ing the  soil  throughout  his  remaining  davs.  be- 
ing one  of  the  enterprising  and  practical  agricul- 
turists of  his  community. 

RolKTt  .Andrew  was  a  imblic-school  student  in 
Guilford  township,  and  when  not  busy  with  his 
text-lnvoks  he  assisted  his  fatlier  in  the  work  of 


the  farm.  (  )n  leaving  home  he  came  to  Rock- 
ford, where  he  al.so  attended  school,  thus  acquir- 
ing a  good  education.  He  entered  upon  his  busi- 
ness career  in  Xew  .Milford.  Illinois,  where  he 
secured  a  ])osition  in  the  flouring  mill.  He 
learned  the  trade  of  milling  and  was  em])loyed  in 
that  mill  for  several  years.  He  afterward  went  to 
ISeloit.  Wisconsin,  where  he  followed  the  milling 
business  for  several  years,  and  in  1868  he  came 
to  Rockford.  Here  he  opened  a  flour  and  feed 
store  on  East  State  street,  conducting  the  busi- 
ness for  a  few  years,  after  which  he  rented  a  mill 
near  the  waterworks  and  operated  it  for  some 
time.  He  afterward  rented  another  flouring  mill 
and  continued  in  that  line  of  business  until  he 
was  taken  ill,  when  he  retired  from  active  busi- 
ness cares.  In  connection  with  the  industrial  and 
commercial  life  here  he  was  well  known,  and  he 
accomplished  all  that  he  undertook  by  reason  of 
his  perseverance,  strong  determination  and  imfal- 
tering  energies. 

Mr.  .Andrew  was  married  in  Rockford  to  .Miss 
Caroline  A.  Evans,  a  native  of  Waterloo,  New 
York,  born  in  .August.  1838.  and  a  daughter  of 
Ozias  and  Mary  Evans.  Her  father  settled  in 
Xew  Milford  and  later  he  removed  to  Byron. 
Ogle  county,  Illinois,  where  both  he  and  his  wife 
died.  There  were  five  children  born  of  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  and  .Mrs.  .\ndrew :  .Adella  L.,  who 
has  for  some  tiine  been  a  teacher  in  the  Free- 
man school  of  Rockford  and  resides  with  her 
mother :  Merton  Elwood.  who  died  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  months  :  Robert  M..  a  painter  who  re- 
sides with  his  mother:  Carrie  M..  the  wife  of  J. 
F.  Duncan,  a  farmer  residing  in  Shirland  town- 
ship this  county  :  and  .Ada.  who  died  at  the  age 
of  two  years. 

The  <ieath  of  the  husband  and  father  occurred 
December  15,  kjoi.  He  was  never  an  office 
seeker  nor  did  he  take  much  interest  in  iiolitics. 
He  preferred  to  center  his  energies  upon  his  busi- 
ness aft'airs  and  the  enjovment  of  home  life.  He 
held  friendship  inviolable,  and  to  his  familv  he 
was  a  devoted  husband  and  father.  i>utting  forth 
his  best  efforts  to  secure  a  good  living  for  his 
wife  and  children  and  to  i)romote  their  hapjiiness 
and  welfare  in  every  way  possible.  Mrs.  .\ndrew 
and  her  daughter  arc  members  of  the  L'entcnnial 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Rockford.  and 
she  owns  a  nice  home  at  No.  921  First  avenue, 
where  she  is  living  with  her  son  and  daughter. 


IIOX.  CIl.\Rl.i:S  E.  MARTIX,  M.  D. 

Dr.  Charles  E.  Martin,  member  of  the  legi.s- 
lature  from  Winnebago  county,  elected  in  1904 
on  tlie  democratic  ticket,  is  now  living  in  Seward. 
He  was  born  in  Melmore.  Seneca  county.  ( )hio. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF    WINNEBAGO     COl'NTY 


437 


February  8,  1866.  His  ])arents  were  Robert  and 
Barbara  (Kegy)  Martin,  both  natives  of  Ohio, 
in  which  state  the  father  followed  the  occupa- 
tion of  farming,  while  for  nine  years  he  served 
as  county  recorder  of  Seneca  county.  In  his 
family  were  thirteen  children,  of  whom  eight 
are  yet  living:  Samuel  S.,  who  married  Miss 
Cora  Hyatt  and  now  resides  upon  the  old  home- 
stead ;  Jennie,  who  married  C.  D.  Leas ;  Eliza, 
the  wife  of  Rev.  John  Sargent ;  Isaac  R.,  who 
married  Hattie  Haverstick ;  John  Y..  a  practic- 
ing ph\-sician  of  Toledo.  Ohio ;  Fanny,  the  wife 
of  George  Hepler  ;  Amia,  who  married  Charles 
Derr,  a  practicing  lawyer  of  Tiffin,  Ohio ;  and 
Charles  E. 

Robert  Martin  died  when  his  son  Charles  was 
but  thirteen  years  of  age,  leaving  him  without  a 
patrimony,  so  that  it  became  necessary  for  him 
to  provide  for  his  own  support  when  but  a  lad. 
He  was  employed  as  a  farm  hand  and  in  stores 
and  ambitious  to  acquire  an  education,  he  man- 
aged to  complete  the  high-school  course.  He 
then  determined  to  devote  his  energies  to  a  pro- 
fessional life  and  worked  his  way  through 
Heidelberg  College.  Ohio,  while  later  he  matricu- 
lated in  Rush  Medical  College  of  Chicago,  in 
which  he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1891. 
During  his  collegiate  course  he  had  no  leisure 
hours,  for  when  the  school  was  not  in  session 
he  devoted  his  time  to  attending  indigent  patients 
in  the  hospitals.  He  applied  himself  assidu- 
ously to  the  mastery  of  the  branches  forming 
the  college  curriculum  and  when  he  had  com- 
pleted his  studies  at  Rush  and  won  his  diploma 
he  located  for  practice  in  Seward,  where  he  has 
since  remained.  He  has  now  what  is  probably 
the  largest  practice  of  any  physician  in  the 
country  towns  of  Winnebago  county  and  his 
work  has  fully  justified  the  confidence  which  the 
public  reposed  in  him.  He  is  zealous  and  earnest 
in  his  professional  duties  and  maintains  a  high 
standard  of  professional  ethics  in  his  practice, 
so  that  he  enjoys  the  full  confidence  of  his 
brethren  of  the  medical  fraternity. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  1892,  Dr.  Martin  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mabel  Tracy  and 
they  have  two  children,  Mary  L.  and  Barbara  K. 
Dr.  Martin  is  a  member  of  A.  W.  Rawlson  lodge, 
No.  145,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Pecatonica,  the 
Knights  of  the  Globe,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America,  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  Elks  lodge. 
No.  64,  of  Rockford. 

Dr.  ]\Iartin  has  always  been  a  stanch  democrat, 
unswerving  in  his  support  of  the  party  because 
of  his  firm  belief  in  its  principles  and  yet  never 
until  1904  has  he  sought  to  figure  in  political 
affairs.  Indeed  he  did  not  enter  the  political 
arena  at  that  time  until  solicited  by  many  friends 
to  do  so.  Differences  of  opinion  among  the 
democratic  leaders  led  to  the  growth  of  factions 


and  it  seemed  necessary  that  they  must  choose 
as  a  candidate  a  man  upon  whom  all  could  unite. 
Accordingly  when  the  nomination  for  the  legis- 
lative candidate  was  made  Dr.  Martin  became 
the  choice  of  the  party.  He  made  no  campaign 
promises  and  did  not  do  the  usual  amount  of 
campaign  work  because  of  the  claims  of  his 
practice  but  nevertheless  he  was  elected,  so  that 
he  is  now  a  member  of  the  Illinois  legislature. 
To  those  who  know  him  it  is  needless  to  say 
that  he  will  be  true  to  his  principles  at  all  times, 
that  he  will  support  no  measure  without  giving 
to  it  his  careful  consideration  and  that  as  a 
champion  he  will  be  fearless  and  true.  In  local 
alifairs  he  has  ever  stood  on  the  side  of  progress, 
reform  and  improvement  and  he  was  in  a  large 
measure  instrumental  in  securing  the  consolida- 
tion of  the  Seward  schools,  rendering  valuable 
aid  to  Superintendent  Kern,  who  said,  "It  gives 
me  sincere  pleasure  to  pay  a  tribute  to  a  man 
who  has  unselfishl}-  given  his  best  eiiforts  to  im- 
prove the  school  advantages  for  the  children  on 
the  farms.  Dr.  Martin  has  done  valuable  service 
in  establishing  the  first  consolidated  country 
schools  in  Illinois.  No  man  has  done  more. 
He  and  the  late  Hon.  Laurence  McDonald,  of 
Seward,  labored  as  no  other  men  did  to  bring 
about  better  schools.  This  school  at  Seward, 
in  the  great  success  it  is  proving  to  be,  is  to  a 
large  degree  the  results  of  the  labor  of  these 
two  men.  Dr.  C.  E.  Martin  is  a  sincere,  true 
friend  of  education." 


TAMES  STEWARD. 


James  Steward,  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of 
Winnebago  county,  taking  up  his  abode  here  in 
1850,  is  a  native  of  Canada,  and  a  son  of  William 
and  Sophia  (Long)  Steward.  The  mother  was  a 
native  of  Germany  while  the  father  was  of  Scotch 
lineage.  He  settled  in  Canada  in  early  life  and 
there  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade  until  1850, 
when  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Winnebago 
county,  Illinois.  Here  he  purchased  a  large  tract 
of  land  in  Owen  township  and  put  his  sons  to 
work  upon  this  place,  while  he  practically  lived 
retired,  merely  overseeing  the  operation  of  his 
land.  He  thus  enjoyed  a  well  merited  rest  until 
called  to  his  final  home  and  both  he  and  his  wife 
died  in  Owen  township.  In  their  family  were 
five  children  who  are  yet  living,  namely :  Ed- 
ward, a  resident  of  Nebraska;  Minard  M..  who  is 
living  retired,  his  home  being  on  School  street 
in  Rockford ;  Mrs.  Daniel  Reddington,  who  re- 
sides in  Rockford  township ;  Mrs.  James  Scott, 
who  is  living  in  Burritt  township,  Winnebago 
county ;  and  Alanson,  one  of  the  most  extensive 
landowners  of  the  county,  having  over  one  thou- 
sand acres  in  Owen  township,  on  which  he  now 


438 


\.s 


A.\i)    I'Ri-SRVT   nr   \\"!xxr,p, AGO    corxrv 


makes  his  home.  He  expects  soon,  however,  to 
retire  from  active  fami  life,  having  tlirough  his 
own  efforts  become  one  of  the  weahhy  men  of 
the  coninnuiity. 

James  Steward  ac(|uired  his  e(Kication  in  liie 
common  schools  of  Canada  and  after  the  re- 
moval to  Illinois  assisted  liis  Iiroiliers  in  the  o])er- 
ation  of  the  home  farm  here.  He  was  married 
in  Owen  township,  this  county,  to  Miss  Mary  A. 
Smith,  a  native  of  Canada,  born  February  lo, 
1836.  and  a  daughter  of  John  and  Laura  (W'eb- 
stcr)  Smith,  the  former  a  native  of  Scotland  and 
the  latter  of  N'ermont.  Her  father  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  early  life,  settling  in  Canada,  whence  he  aft- 
erward removed  to  Ohio  and  later  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  Winnebago  county.  Here  he  purchased 
a  farm  in  Owen  townshii),  where  he  carried  on 
general  agricultural  pursuits  for  many  years.  His 
wife  died  there  and  lie  afterward  married  again, 
his  second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Jerusha  (Hill) 
Ward,  who  died  in  Rockford. 

Following  the  death  of  his  first  wife  Mr.  Stew- 
ard removed  to  the  city  of  Rockford  to  live  re- 
tired, giving  up  farm  work  at  that  time.  There 
were  six  children  by  that  marriage,  namely :  Me- 
linda,  the  wife  of  David  Samjile.  a  farmer  of 
Owen  townsliij) :  Lcota,  the  wife  of  Charles  Hoy. 
a  resident  of  lirownsdale.  Minnesota  :  Frank,  who 
is  living  in  Richville,  Mimiesota ;  Alice,  the  wife 
of  Barney  Conklin,  a  resident  farmer  of  Burritt 
township ;  Fannie,  the  wife  of  Robert  C.  Mon- 
criefT.  a  collar  maker  with  the  Hess  &  Hopkins 
Leather  Company  of  Rockford.  their  home  being 
with  her  mother  in  this  city :  and  Clara,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  two  years  and  six  months. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Steward  engaged 
in  farming  on  a  part  of  the  old  family  homestead, 
placing  his  fields  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 
He  also  owned  and  o|)erated  a  threshing  machine 
for  fortv-six  years  in  Owen  township  and  con- 
tinued the  same  business  to  some  extent  after 
coming  to  Rockford.  His  own  farm  was  splendidly 
improved  with  modern  equipments  and  the  latest 
machinery  and  he  continued  in  active  farming  un- 
til January,  1885,  when  he  took  up  his  abode 
in  the  city  nf  Rockfonl,  where  he  lived  retired 
until  his  death.  He  retained  possession  of  his 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  however,  in 
Owen  township.  In  March.  1897.  he  became  ill 
and  after  suffering  for  two  months  passed  awav 
on  the  oth  of  May. 

Mr.  Steward  w^as  always  interested  in  jiublic  af- 
fairs, giving  helpful  support  to  many  measures 
for  the  general  gnod.  He  served  as  a  school  di- 
rector in  Owen  towTiship  fur  several  years  and 
was  a  stanch  republican  in  his  political  views. 
His  business  dealings  were  ever  honorably  con- 
ducted and  all  who  knew  him  esteemed  him  as  a 
man  of  sterling  worth,  for  he  displayed  many 
traits  of  characlcr  that  in  every  land  and  clime 
command  admiration  and  regard.     Mrs.  Steward 


attends  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Rock- 
ford. Beside  her  country  property  she  owns  a 
nice  home  at  Xo.  836  Woodlawn  aveiuie.  where 

she  is  now  living  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mi)ncriet+. 


\  ALi:X  TIXE  (iLFAS.MAX. 

\  alentine  (lle.isman.  now  deceased,  became 
one  of  the  extensive  landowners  of  \\  innebago 
county  and  his  life  record  proved  that  success 
may  be  obtained  through  persistent  and  earnest 
effort,  guided  by  sound  judgment  and  supple- 
mented by  honorable  dealing.  He  was  born  in 
Rcinie,  ( hieida  county,  New  York.  March  2. 
1S3S.  ilis  father.  Ciodfred  Gleasman.  was  a 
native  of  Germany  and  was  a  shoemaker  by 
trade.  He  enlisted  in  defense  of  the  Union  at 
the  time  of  the  Civil  war  and  he  and  his  two 
brothers,  \'alcntine  and  George,  were  all  killed 
in  tlie  battle  of  .\ntietam  by  the  explosion  of  a 
single  shell. 

.As  his  parents  were  in  liniiietl  financial  cir- 
cumstances Valentine  Gleasman  when  but  a  boy 
started  out  to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world 
and  accejited  any  employment  that  would  yield 
him  an  honest  living.  In  1857  he  came  to  the 
west  with  the  family  of  Chauncey  Smith,  for 
whom  he  drove  a  team  across  the  country.  Soon 
after  reaching  \\'imiebago  county  he  secured 
employment  by  the  month  as  a  farm  hand  and 
afterward  engaged  in  farming  on  the  shares  for 
one  year  for  M.  H.  Patten.  He  then  collected 
one  hundred  dollars  from  his  first  cro])  that  had 
been  raised  on  the  shares  and  with  this  he  re- 
turned to  the  east  for  his  mother,  three  brothers 
and  one  sister,  who  accompanied  him  to  Illinois, 
the  journey  being  made  by  way  of  the  lakes. 
He  then  resumed  his  farming  operations  in  this 
part  of  the  state,  his  mother  acting  as  his  house- 
keeper until  his  marriage. 

(in  the  31st  of  December,  1859,  Mr.  tlleas- 
man  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss  Maryette 
Gridley,  who  was  born  in  Harmony,  New  A'^ork. 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Jarcd  C.  and  Celestia  .A. 
(Talmadgc)  Gridley.  who  came  to  \Vinnebago 
county  in  1843.  settling  at  Rockton.  The  father 
worked  in  the  mills  in  the  employ  of  the  Tal- 
cotts.  .\fter  his  marriage  Mr.  Gleasman  rented 
land  in  Owen  township,  taking  possession  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  which  he  cultivated. 
Through  the  summer  he  would  work  for  his 
neighbors  in  the  daytime  in  order  to  obtain 
ready  money,  and  he  cut  his  own  grain  by 
night.  The  fir.st  tract  of  land  which  he  pur- 
chased comprised  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
in  Owen  township  near  the  old  Canaila  school- 
house  and  he  paid  for  the  place  in  wheat  at  one 
dollar  per  bushel.     Within  a  short  time  he  had 


iL^jL^  /  ^^  o^^ 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WIXXEBAGO     COUNTY. 


441 


discharged  liis  indebtedness  and  tlnree  3'ears 
after  making  the  purchase  he  sold  his  original 
farm  and  bought  two  hundred  and  ninety  acres 
in  the  same  township.  In  1872  he  bought  an- 
other eighty  acres  adjoining.  He  afterward 
lived  up  to  the  time  of  his  death  either  in  Rock- 
ton  or  Owen  township  and  as  the  years  passed 
by  he  added  to  his  landed  possessions  until  at 
the  time  of  his  demise  he  owned  nearly  fifteen 
hundred  acres,  all  lying  in  Rockton  and  Owen 
townships.  He  was  an  excellent  judge  of  land, 
made  judicious  investments,  and  as  the  years 
passed  by  his  labors  brought  him  a  handsome 
competence.  His  sound  judgment  and  business 
ability  were  recognized  forces  in  his  life  and  it 
seems  that  all  he  undertook  was  crowned  witli 
success. 

Unto  Mr.  and  ^Nlrs.  Gleasnian  were  born  five 
children:  Godfrey,  who  is  now  living  in  Rock- 
ton  :  George,  who  follows  farming  in  Rockton 
township :  Ona  M..  who  is  a  graduate  of  the 
normal  department  of  the  Rockford  Normal 
School  and  is  now  living  with  her  mother  after 
a  recent  trip  abroad,  gaining  thereby  the  culture 
and  knowledge  that  only  travel  can  bring :  Jessie 
M.,who  died  April  30,  1904;  and  Adelbert,  who 
died  August   10,   1877. 

Mr.  Gleasman  removed  to  Rockford  with  the 
expectation  of  retiring  from  active  business  and 
bought  a  beautiful  home  there  in  1892  but  was 
not  long  permitted  to  enjoy  his  new  place  of 
residence  for  his  death  occurred  on  the  29th  of 
September.  1893.  He  had  served  as  road  com- 
missioner and  in  minor  offices  in  his  township 
and  in  politics  he  was  a  republican.  Flis  life 
was  one  of  imtiring  industry  and  his  prosperity 
was  richly  merited  because  of  the  methods  he 
followed  in  its  acquirement  were  such  as  would 
bear  the  closest  investigation  and  scrutiny.  He 
had  the  warm  regard  of  many  friends  and  his 
death  was  the  occasion  of  deep  regret  in  the 
conimunit\-  in   which  he  lived. 


JOSEPH  MOORE. 


The  broad  ])rairics  of  Illinois  furnish  opportu- 
nities to  the  agriculturist  unsurpassed  in  any  sec- 
tion of  the  country  and  it  is  because  of  this  condi- 
tion that  many  of  the  farmers,  men  of  industry  and 
enterprise,  have  worked  their  way  steadily  upward 
until  having  acquired  a  handsome  competence 
they  are  enabled  in  their  later  years  to  enjoy  a 
well  earned  rest.  Such  has  been  the  career  of 
Mr.  IMoore,  who  is  now  living  retired  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Pecatonica.  He  was  born  May  i,  1856,  in 
Seward  township  and  is  therefore  one  of  the 
county's  native  sons.  His  parents,  William  and 
]\Iary  (Fortner)  Moore,  were  natives  of  England, 


in  which  country  they  were  reared  and  married, 
while  two  of  their  eight  children,  three  sons  and 
five  daughters,  were  born  unto  them  in  that  land. 
They  came  to  the  United  States  in  1840,  leaving 
Liverpool  on  a  sailing  vessel,  which  after  a  long 
and  tedious  voyage  of  fourteen  weeks  and  three 
days  dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  New  York. 
For  about  a  year  they  remained  in  the  vicinity  of 
that  city  and  thence  went  by  rail  to  Buflfalo,  on  by 
way  of  the  Great  Lakes  to  Chicago  and  b\-  rail 
to  Turners  Junction  on  the  Chicago  &  Galena 
Railroad,  from  which  point  they  drove  across  the 
countrv  to  Rockford.  After  spending  about  two 
years  in  the  city  the}'  took  up  their  abode  in  Sew- 
ard township,  Mr.  Moore  purchasing  twenty  acres 
of  land  for  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  per  acre.  Later 
he  bought  twenty  acres  additional  at  five  dollars 
per  acre,  afterward  forty  acres  at  fifteen  dollars 
per  acre  and  still  later  another  forty-acre  tract, 
so  that  his  fann  comprised  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres.  This  was  all  wild  land  when  it 
came  into  his  possession  but  the  sturdy  pioneer 
soon  wrought  a  transformation  in  the  place.  He 
broke  the  wild  prairie  land,  built  a  house  for 
himself  and  labored  untiringly  in  order  to  gain 
his  start.  ]\Iost  of  the  work  on  his  house  was 
done  by  moonlight,  for  in  the  da\-time  he  was  en- 
gaged in  tilling  the  soil.  For  some  years  he  cul- 
tivated his  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres, 
gaining  success  as  the  years  passed  by  and  then 
as  his  financial  resources  increased  he  bought 
more  land,  until  he  owned  about  four  hundred 
acres,  constituting  a  valuable  property.  He 
reached  the  advanced  age  of  ei,ghty  years,  passing 
awav  September  2,  1896,  and  his  wife  died  in 
1903  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years.  They  were 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  In 
their  familv  were  eight  children :  \\'illiam,  James, 
Joseph,  Bertha,  Mar>-,  Isabelle,  Adeline  and 
Susan. 

Joseps  ?\Ioore  was  reared  to  the  occupation  of 
farming  and  throughout  his  active  business  ca- 
reer remained  upon  the  old  homestead.  After 
his  marriage  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land  and  later  he  bought  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres,  so  that  he  now  owns  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty  acres  which  he  rents  to  his  two 
sons-in-law.'  Through  a  long  period,  however, 
he  was  active  in  the  work  of  tilling  the  soil  and 
harvesting  the  crops.  In  the  spring  of  1905, 
however,  he  purchased  a  home  in  Pecatonica  and 
took  up  his  abode  here  on  the  6th  of  March,  since 
which  time  he  has  lived  retired,  the  rental  from 
his  farms  together  with  his  other  possessions 
bringing  him  a  good  income. 

On  tile  13th  of  August,  t88o,  T^Ir.  Moore  was 
married  in  the  German  Lutheran  church  in  Peca- 
tonica to  ?i[iss  Annie  Peters,  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Marv  fSnelH  Peters.  Her  parents  were  na- 
tives of  Germanv  in  which  country  the  children 


442 


I'AS'I 


AXI)     I'KKSKXT     OF     W  1  WI'-.IJAi ;()     COIX  lA' 


were  alsu  l)orii  and  in  1870  ihc  family  came  to 
America,  sailing  from  Hamburg  to  New  York 
city.  They  were  on  tlie  water  for  seven  weeks 
and  after  reaching  the  American  port  they  pro- 
ceeded hy  rail  to  IhitTalo  and  by  way  of  the  lakes 
to  Milwaukee  but  when  they  reached  the  former 
city  there  was  so  much  ice  that  the  Iwats  could  not 
run  and  tliey  had  to  wait  until  the  spring  thaw. 
From  Milwaukee  they  went  to  ,\ppleton.  Wiscon- 
sin, where  the  father  worked  on  his  brother's 
farm  for  fifteen  dollars  per  month  in  order  to 
rejiay  his  brother  for  the  money  sent  him  in  order 
to  meet  the  expenses  of  the  voyage  to  the  new 
world.  When  the  indebtedness  was  discharged  he 
removed  with  his  family  to  Winnebago  county  and 
rented  diflFercnt  farms  here,  carrying  on  agricul- 
tural pursuits  until  his  wife  died,  when  he  retired 
to  private  life  and  is  now  living  with  his  daugh- 
ter. Mrs.  Coppan,  in  biwa.  In  the  family  were 
twelve  children,  of  whom  eight  are  now  living: 
Minnie.  Mary,  Sophia.  John,  .\nnic,  Rachel.  Lena 
and  Fred. 

Mrs.  Moore  was  born  April  i(>,  \H(^2.  and  1)\- 
her  marriage  has  become  the  mother  of  eight 
children,  of  whoni  seven  are  now  living:  \Vil- 
liam.  Lillian.  Josil,  Jessie.  Mabel,  Lena  and  (iuy. 

Mr.  Moore  has  been  a  member  of  the  school 
board  for  three  years  and  he  gives  his  political 
support  to  the  democracy.  He  and  his  wife  be- 
long to  the  Pecatonica  Tribunes  and  are  at- 
tendants on  the  ser\-ices  of  the  Methodist  Fpisco- 
pal  church.  I'or  almost  sixty  years  he  has  lived 
in  Wiimebago  countv.  watching  with  interest  its 
develoi)nient  and  progress  and  along  agricultural 
lines  he  has  contributed  to  its  upbuilding  and 
growth.  In  his  business  career  he  has  been  earn- 
est and  energetic,  considering  that  the  duties  of 
the  work-a-day  world  are  worthy  of  his  best  ef- 
forts and  thus  as  the  years  have  gone  bv  he  has 
attained  a  success  which  now  enables  him  to  live 
retired. 


THOMA.S 


MIXERS. 


Thomas  J.  Miners,  living  on  section  17.  Har- 
lem tnwnshii).  was  Ixirn  in  Cornwall,  England, 
December  ().  1852.  His  father,  James  ^iiners. 
also  a  native  of  that  country,  was  born  in  1827 
and  is  now  living  a  retired  life  in  Rockford  town- 
ship. His  wife  l)()rc  the  maiden  name  of  Mary 
.Mien  and  yet  survives.  The  cliildren  of  this 
worthy  couple  arc :  William,  living  in  Har- 
lem township,  is  now  married  and  has  two  sons 
and  one  daughter.  John  is  married  and  is  living 
retired  in  Oregon,  Illinois,  .\bram,  a  resident  of 
Oregon,  is  married  and  has  two  sons  and  a 
daughter.  James,  a  farmer  of  Harlem  township, 
is  married  and  has  one  son.  Marv  Jane  is  the 
wife    of    Hiiiiv    Wili-ox.    ;i    farmer    of    Harlem 


township,  and  has  one  daughter.  Louisa  M.  is 
the  wife  of  Louis  Ovcrholt,  a  resident  of  Colmar, 
Iowa,  and  has  two  sons  and  three  daughters. 

Thomas  J.  Miners  was  only  two  years  old 
when  brought  by  bis  parents  to  the  United 
States,  the  family  making  their  way  to  the  city 
of  Rockford  after  reaching  the  American  port. 
Ten  years  later  the  father  removed  to  a  farm  in 
Winnebago  townshi]),  whereon  he  resided  for 
three  years,  and  then  tcx)k  up  his  abode  in  Rock- 
ford township,  where  he  carried  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  for  five  years.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  .settled  on  the  Levins  farm 
in  Ilarlem  township,  where  he  lived  for  six  years, 
after  which  he  established  his  lionu-  in  Latham 
I'ark. 

[n  his  youth  Thomas  J.  Miners  worked  upon 
the  home   farm  and  in  the  common   schools  ac- 
(|uired  his  education.     His  advantages,  however, 
in   that   direction   were   somewhat   limited,   for   it 
was   necessary  that  he  assist  in   fann  labor  and 
aid  in  the  support  of  a  large  family.     He  worked 
at  four  dollars  per  month  at  a  time  when  other 
boys  were  attending  school  and  when  he  had  at- 
tained his  majority  he  started  in  business  on  his 
own    account,    being    first    emjjloyed    by    Rrown 
ilrotliers  in  a  brickyard  in  Owen  township.     He 
remained   there   for   four   years,   after   which   he 
tcx>k  up  his  abode  on  a  farm  which  he  rented  in 
(ruilford  township,  continuing  its  cultivation  for 
two  years,  when  he  removed  to  a  farm  in  Win- 
nebago  townshi]),    on    which    he    lived    for   eight 
years.     He  then  located  in  Rockford,  working  for 
the  city  for  a  time,  and  for  eight  years  was  em- 
liloyed   at  teaming  by   Hart   &   Page.     Through 
the  careful  husbanding  of  his  financial  resources 
he  was  enabled  in  the  spring  of  1803  to  |nirchase 
his  present  farm,  on  which  he  has  since  lived,  cid- 
tivating  it  very  successfullv.     His  fields  are  now 
under  a  very  high  state  of  cultivation  and  every- 
thing about  his  |)lace  is  neat  and  attractive  in  ap- 
pearance.   He  is  svstematic,  methodical  and  prac- 
tical   in    his    work    and    his    labors    have    been 
crowned  with  a  gratifying  measure  of  prosperity, 
lie  is  now  the  owner  of  two  hundred  thirty-six 
and  a  half  acres  of  cultivable  land  and  one  hun- 
dred acres  of  timlx>r  land   in   Harlem  township. 
On  the  20th  of  .\pril.   1878.   Mr.   Miners  was 
married    to    Miss    Ida    D.    rhilli|)S.    of    Harrison 
township,    a    daughter    of    William    and    .\lmira 
Phillips,  early  settlers  of  this  county.     Mrs.  Min- 
ers died  April  3.  1885,  leaving  one  son,  Clifford 
11.,  who  was  born  in  \\'innebago  township  on  the 
loth  of  Jtme,  1880,  and  is  now  living  in  Portland, 
Oregon.       On    the    3i.st    of    March,    1801,    Mr. 
Miners    was    again    married,    his    second    miion 
being  with  (iertina  Olson,  of  Rockford,  a  daugh- 
ter    of     Mathias     and     Caroline     Olson.       Her 
father  was  born  in  Trondjhan,  Xorway.  in  1837 


T.    ].   AllXEKS. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  (3F  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


445 


and  became  a  resident  of  Durand  township,  Win- 
nebago county,  where  he  died  in  1871.  His  wife, 
who  was  born  May  13,  1840,  is  now  Hving  in  the 
city  of  Rockford.  Mrs.  Miners  has  two  brothers, 
Olie  M.  and  Theodore,  both  Hving  in  Rockford. 
She  was  born  in  Norway,  October  31,  1868,  and 
became  the  mother  of  four  children  but  two  died 
in  infancy.  Those  living  are :  Hazel  C,  who 
was  born  April  30.  1893 ;  and  Verne  L.,  born 
February   3.    1899. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Miners  is  a  stanch 
republican  and  for  several  terms  has  served  as 
school  director.  He  and  his  wife  attend  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  are  esteemed  as 
worthy  people  of  the  community.  His  record 
is  notable  as  that  of  a  self-made  man,  for  with 
few  advantages  and  privileges  in  his  youth  he 
started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account,  working 
earnestly  and  persistently  until  he  was  at  length 
enabled  to  buy  property.  Since  that  time  in  his 
farming  operations  he  has  met  with  a  gratifying 
measure  of  prosperity  that  is  due  entirely  to  his 
capable  efforts,  close  application  and  unremitting 
diligence. 


DANIEL  CARNEY. 


Daniel  Carney,  well  known  in  this  part  of 
Illinois  in  pioneer  times  in  connection  with  a 
stage  line  before  the  advent  of  railroads  and  after- 
ward as  the  owner  of  a  valuable  farm  and  fine 
trotting  stock,  visited  Rockford  at  a  very  early 
epoch  in  the  development  of  this  section  of  the 
state,  but  did  not  take  up  his  abode  permanently 
here  until  1848.  He  was  born  in  Marbletown, 
New  York,  May  14,  1826,  and  was  a  son  of  An- 
drew and  Lana  (Greene)  Carney,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Ulster  county,  New  York,  where 
they  spent  their  entire  lives,  the  father  engaging 
in  farming  in  order  to  provide  for  his  family. 

Daniel  Carney,  being  reared  in  that  locality,  at- 
tended the  common  schools  and  in  his  youth  as- 
sisted his  father  in  the  operation  of  the  home 
farm,  early  becoming  familiar  with  the  best  meth- 
ods of  caring  for  the  fields  and  cultivating  the 
crops.  He  continued  to  aid  in  the  work  of  the 
homestead  until  about  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
when  he  started  out  on  an  independent  business 
career.  He  followed  boating  on  the  Delaware  & 
Hudson  canal  for  about  three  years  and  after- 
ward engaged  in  teaming  across  the  mountains 
from  Ellenville  to  Middletown.  He  next  drove 
a  stage  from  Ellenville  to  Kingston  and  remained 
a  resident  of  New  York  until  1845.  when  he  came 
to  the  west  by  way  of  Buffalo,  the  Great  Lakes 
and  Chicago.  There  were  no  railroads  here  at 
that  time  and  Mr.  Carney  began  driving  the  old 
stage  coach  from  Dixon  to  Oregon.  Byron  and 
other   Illinois   towns,   carrying   the  mail   between 


many  of  these  points.  He  also  drove  a  stage 
coach  between  Rockford  and  Chicago,  and  be- 
came one  of  the  well  known  citizens  of  the  early 
days,  having  a  wide  acquaintance  among  the  pio- 
neer settlers  who  sought  homes  in  northern  Illi- 
nois. In  1848  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Rockford, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  livery  business  for  about 
a  year.  He  then  sold  out  and  began  teaming 
again,  hauling  goods  and  lumber  between  Rock- 
ford and  Elgin.  He  likewise  made  trips  to  Chi- 
cago and  Milwaukee,  then  back  to  Rockford  again. 
He  followed  that  business  for  two  years, 
and  later  conducted  a  dray  line  in  this  city,  be- 
coming the  first  expressman  of  Rockford.'  He 
followed  that  business  from  1855  until  1874,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  also  formed  a  partnership  with 
L.  B.  Starkweather,  and  he  purchased  horses  for 
the  Metropolitan  Street  Railway  Company,  of 
Boston,  while  during  the  period  of  the  Civil  war 
he  purchased  horses  for  use  in  cavalry  service. 
In  the  spring  of  1876  Mr.  Carney  bought  the 
farm  at  the  edge  of  Rockford,  wdiereon  his  widow 
and  son  now  reside.  There  he  made  a  race  track, 
and  he  was  the  owner  of  and  drove  the  first  horse 
in  Rockford  that  ever  beat  the  2  130  heat.  This 
was  Chief,  the  trotter  that  in  1889  made  the  mile 
in  2:27^.  Mr.  Carney  at  different  times  owned 
several  fine  racing-  horses  and  had  other  valuable 
stock. 

In  1849  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Daniel 
Carney  and  Miss  Jane  Ann  Huntley  in  Beloit, 
Wisconsin.  She  was  born  in  Phelps,  New  York, 
and  was  a  daughter  of  John  and  Mehitable  Hunt- 
ley, both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Phelps,  where 
the  father  died.  The  mother  afterward  came  west, 
settling  first  in  Michigan  and  subsequently  in 
Rockford.  Here  in  i860  she  became  the  wife  of 
A.  D.  Stone,  and  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stone  de- 
parted this  life  in  Rockford.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Carney  became  the  parents  of  two  sons  and  two 
daughters:  Ann  Almira,  born  in  1851,  died  in 
1852.  Harry  H.,  married  Jennie  Chamberlain, 
who  died  leaving  a  daughter  Mabel.  He  now 
resides  in  Mound  City,  Missouri,  where  he  is 
engaged  in  the  insurance  business.  Julia  died  at 
the  age  of  thirty  years.  D.  Fay,  born  January 
9,  1868.  married  Jeanette  Gilmore,  of  Owen  town- 
ship, a  daughter  of  William  Gilmore.  who  was  a 
prominent  farmer  of  that  locality.  They  now 
have  one  child.  Jane  Elizabeth,  born  January  5. 
1904. 

Mr.  Carney  continued  to  engage  in  farming, 
but  his  principal  business  was  the  purchasing, 
selling  and  trading  of  fine  horses,  and  in  this 
work  he  gained  a  wide  reputation.  It  was  his 
intention  to  join  the  army  at  the  time  of  the 
Civil  war.  but  he  was  disabled  by  being  kicked  by 
a  horse  and  had  to  send  a  substitute.  He  was 
never  an  office  seeker  nor  was  he  a  strict  partisan, 
but  cast  his  ballot    for   the   candidate   whom   he 


44" 


I'AST     AND     I'RF.SKXT     OF     WlWF.r.Ai  It  >     O  )r\"rV. 


thought  best  qualified  k>r  the  office.  Genial  ami 
courteous  in  manner,  straightforward  in  business 
relations  and  ])ublic-spirited  in  his  devotion  to 
tlic  general  good,  he  was  known  as  a  representa- 
tive citizen  of  Winnebago  county.  He  died  after 
an  illness  of  only  five  days,  on  the  19th  of 
March,  1893. 

Mrs.  Carney,  her  son  and  his  wife,  all  attend 
the  Christian  Cnion  church.  D.  F"ay  Carney  is 
a  very  prominent  young  man  of  this  city  and 
has  been  connected  with  various  newspapers  of 
Rockford  and  also  some  out-of-town  iniblications. 
inckuling  Clark's  Horse  Review,  and  other  jxipers 
for  many  years.  He  now  remains  at  home  look- 
ing after  his  mother's  and  his  own  properly,  and 
he  has  some  very  fine  stock  in  Winnebago  county. 
They  ow-n  a  beautiful  residence  and  five  acres  of 
land  at  the  corner  of  Rock-ton  and  Auburn  streets, 
where  Mr.  Carney,  his  wife  and  mother  are  all 
now  living. 


WILLIAM  C.  JONES. 

William  C.  Jones,  deceased,  who  was  engaged 
in  the  news]ia]ier  business  in  Rockford  for  sev- 
eral years,  was  bom  in  Birmingham.  England, 
Xoveiiiber  26,  1856.  His  parents,  John  and  Eliza 
Jones,  were  likewise  natives  of  that  country  and 
always  resided  there,  the  father  conducting  busi- 
ness as  a  florist.  William  C.  Jones  was  educated 
in  the  schools  of  his  native  land  and  was  mar- 
ried in  Birmingham.  FLngland,  to  .Miss  Ada  F. 
Bennett,  a  native  of  that  city,  and  a  daughter  of 
George  and  Eleanor  Bennett,  both  of  Birming- 
ham. Her  parents,  however,  came  with  their 
family  to  America  about  1865,  and  settled  in  Bel- 
videre,  Boone  county.  Illinois,  where  Mr.  Ben- 
nett was  engaged  with  the  bridge  and  building 
department  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Rail- 
road Company.  re])resenting  that  corporation 
throughout  the  remainder  of  his  active  business 
career.  He  died  in  1884,  and  his  widow  after- 
ward removed  to  Rockford,  living  with  her  chil- 
dren until  her  own  death,  which  riccurred  several 
years  ago.  Three  of  the  daughters  of  the  family 
survive  and  are  residents  of  Rockford.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Jones  became  the  jiarents  of  three  children  : 
Ethel,  now  the  wife  of  Charles  Sheldon,  a  fanner, 
residing  in  Winnebago  township :  Guy,  who  is  a 
student  in  the  high  school ;  and  Wallace,  at  home. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Jones  sailed  for  .Amer- 
ica, and  in  1883  Ix'came  a  resident  of  Rockford, 
where  he  entered  upon  his  business  career  as  the 
first  bookkeeper  of  the  firm  of  Schmauss  Broth- 
ers, the  well  know^l  meat  packers  of  this  city. 
He  was  connected  with  that  house  for  a  year 
and  was  afterward  bookkeeper  for  three  years 
for  the  real-estate  firm  of  Crawford  &  Revell. 
Subsequently   he   kept   Ixioks    for   William    Gent 


for  about  a  year  and  then  tinned  his  attention  to 
the  news])a])er  business,  becoming  a  stockholder 
in  the  Republic.  Me  was  comiected  with  that 
paper  for  four  years,  after  which  he  entered  into 
partnership  with  Abram  Smith  and  w^as  ]xirt 
owner  of  the  Gazette  for  some  time.  Sulise- 
quently  he  and  Mr.  Smith  established  a  news- 
l)aper  which  they  called  the  .Spectacle  and  en- 
gaged in  its  publication  until  they  closed  out  the 
business.  Mr.  Jones  then  returned  to  the  old 
Gazette,  which  in  the  meantime  had  become  known 
as  the  Register-Gazette,  and  is  now  the  leading 
daily  newspaper  of  Rockford,  Mr.  Jones  remain- 
ing as  one  of  its  stockholders  until  his  demise, 
which  occurred  November  28.  1894. 

At  different  times  Mr.  Jones  was  solicited  to 
become  a  candidate  for  office  by  those  who  recog- 
nized his  fitness  for  public  service  and  his  devotion 
to  the  general  good,  but  he  was  without  political 
asi)iration  and  preferred  to  do  his  services  for 
the  iKiblic  as  a  private  citizen.  He  gave  to  the 
re])nblican  party  a  stanch  and  unswerving  sup- 
port, while  fraternally  he  was  connected  with  the 
A\'oodmen  and  with  the  Loyal  League,  lx)th  of 
Rockford.  lir  held  membership  in  the  State 
Street  Baptist  church  and  w^as  Sunday-school 
treasurer  and  secretary  for  more  than  eight  years. 
He  took  a  very  great  interest  in  the  church  work 
and  w'as  closely  associated  with  many  of  its  ac- 
tivities, and  his  labors  proved  of  direct  and  per- 
manent good  in  extending  its  influence  and  pro- 
moting its  growth.  In  all  this  work  he  had  the 
entire  sympathy  and  co-operation  of  his  wife,  who 
still  retains  her  meniber.ship  in  the  State  Street 
Bajitist  church.  His  business  record  was  such 
as  any  man  might  be  proud  to  possess,  for  he 
never  made  an  engagement  that  he  did  not  meet, 
nor  incurred  an  obligation  that  he  did  not  fulfill. 
Honored  and  respected  by  all  he  ranked  long  as 
one  of  the  jirominent  men  of  the  city.  A  short 
time  ])rior  to  his  de.alh  he  built  a  large  residence, 
which  his  widow  and  children  now  occupy,  at  No. 
717  North  Horsman  street.  He  possessed  strong 
domestic  tastes,  and  while  he  accomplished  much 
in  the  business  world  and  ratified  his  friendships 
l)v  kindly  sympathy  and  thought  fid  consideration, 
his  greatest  (le])th  of  love  was  reserveil  for  his 
familv. 


ALEXWDFR    Mll.Xi:. 

Alexander  Milne,  a  retired  farmer  living  on  his 
farm  on  North  Roekton  avenue  near  the  city  lim- 
its of  Rockforrl.  was  born  in  \\'innebago  county. 
Illinois.  October  ^.  1848.  his  parents  being  .Mex- 
ander  and  Isabelle  C  Porter)  Milne.  The  father 
was  a  native  of  .Scotland  and  after  coming  to  Illi- 
nois was  married  in  183S.  He  followed  the  occu- 
pation of  farming  and  invested  in  land  until  he 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OE     WIXXEP.AGO     COUXTY. 


447 


owned  two  hundred  acres  constituting  a  valualjlc 
property  in  Purritt  township.  There  he  raised 
fancy  cattle  and  other  stock  and  also  produced 
fine  grain  crops.  Pi  politics  he  was  a  republican, 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  His  death  occurred  in 
1885,  while  his  wife  passed  away  in  1900.  They 
were  the  parents  of  nine  children,  of  whom  four 
sons  are  living,  two  being  residents  of  Burritt 
township,  while  one  resides  in  Huron,  South  Da- 
kota. 

Alexander  ■\Iilne  was  educated  in  Burritt  town- 
ship and  remained  at  home  until  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  when  he  began  farming  on  his  own  ac- 
count. He  rented  land  in  Burritt  township  for 
five  years  and  then  purchased  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres  which  he  cultivated  and  improved  im- 
til  1891,  when  he  sold  out  and  came  to  Rockford. 
Here  he  has  since  lived,  owning  twenty  acres  just 
outside  the  city  limits.  Not  caring  to  continue 
further  in  active  agricultural  pursuits  to  the  ex- 
tent that  he  had  formerly  done,  he  disposed  of 
his  larger  farm  and  is  now  practically  living  re- 
tired, although  he  gives  supervision  to  a  general 
farming  and  gardening  business,  which  are  con- 
ducted upon  his  place  here. 

In  1877  Mr.  ]Milne  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Jessie  Dow,  who  was  born  in  Scotland  in  1847  ''"f' 
is  a  daughter  of  Robert  and  Catherine  Dow,  who 
came  to  Winnebago  county  when  their  daughter 
was  but  two  years  old  and  made  their  home  upon 
a  farm  in  Burritt  township.  Both  parents  are 
now  deceased  but  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Milne  is  yet 
living.  I'nto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Milne  have  been  born 
three  sons  :  Donald  M..  Harry  and  Guy  W.,  who 
are  still  with  them  at  the  home  place,  while  Charles 
died  at  the  age  of  six  years.  By  a  former  mar- 
riage Mrs.  Milne  had  a  daughter,  J\Iillie,  now 
the  wife  of  Dr.  Earned,  of  Chicago. 

Mr.  ]\Iilne  votes  with  the  republican  party  and 
served  as  collector  for  two  terms.  His  wife  is  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  church,  and  they 
are  well  known  in  Rockford  and  the  part  of  the 
countv  in  which  they  reside,  Mr.  Milne  having 
spent  his  entire  life  here,  covering  a  period  of 
fifty-seven  years,  so  that  his  memory  compasses 
the  period  of  almost  the  entire  growth  and  devel- 
opment of  this  portion  of  the  state. 


C.  M.  PACKARD. 


C.  M.  Packard,  who  is  no\v  filling  the  position 
of  township  commissioner  in  Shirland  township 
and  who  for  several  years  has  been  engaged  in 
the  grain  business  in  the  village  of  Shirland.  is 
a  native  son  of  this  localitv.  born  in  1848.  his 
parents  being  Job  and  H.  .\.  (.Vustinl  Packard, 
earlv  residents  of  this  countv.  Both  were  born  in 


Ihickficld,  Maine,  and  the  father  came  to  Illinois 
with  the  Austin  family,  who  were  early  residents 
of  this  part  of  the  state.  He  located  first  in  the 
village  of  Rockton,  where  for  a  short  time  he 
conducted  a  shoe  shop,  but  soon  afterward  he 
secured  a  homestead  claim  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  Shirland  township,  where  he  resided  for 
a  number  of  years.  He  then  sold  that  property 
and  located  on  a  farm  that  is  now  owned  bv  Mrs. 
Eairchilds,  on  section  18,  Shirland  township.  Eor 
a  long  period  he  continued  its  cultivation  and 
development,  but  eventually  removed  to  the  vil- 
lage of  Shirland,  where  he  turned  his  attention 
to  the  lumber  and  grain  trades,  continuing  in 
those  lines  of  business  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  January  18,  1888,  when 
he  was  seventv-six  years  of  age.  His  wife 
passed  away  December  22,  1880.  Mr.  Packard 
was  a  republican  in  his  political  views,  and 
served  in  various  township  offices,  the  duties  of 
which  he  discharged  with  promptness  and  fidel- 
ity. In  his  family  were  three  sons  and  a  daugh- 
ter: C.  M.,  of  this  review;  Edward,  who"  is 
engaged  in  the  real-estate  business  in  Manilla, 
Iowa;  Mrs.  Frank  Arnold,  who  is  living  in 
Woodbine,  Iowa,  and  A.  J.  Packard,  a  railroad 
man  who  until  recently  was  agent  at  Ottumwa, 
Iowa,  of  the  St.  Paul  and  Wabash  railroads,  occu- 
pying that  position  for  a  long  period.  He  was  as- 
sociated with  the  former  for  a  number  of  years, 
and  he  still  makes  his  home  in  Ottumwa,  and  is 
now  engaged  in  business  as  a  traveling  salesman. 
One  daughter  of  this  review,  Mrs.  Annetta  Si- 
monds,  died  in  Shirland  township. 

C.  M.  Packard  was  reared  in  Shirland  town- 
ship, is  indebted  to  its  public  school  system  for 
the  educational  privile.ges  he  received,  and  has 
spent  nearly  his  entire  life  here.  He  was  en- 
gaged in  farming  for  a  long  period,  but  for  a 
number  of  years  has  given  his  attention  to  the 
grain  and  live-stock  business  in  the  village  of 
Shirland.  where  he  has  made  his  home  for  six 
years.  lie  successfully  conducts  his  interests, 
and  is  recognized  as  a  far-sighted,  sagacious  and 
enterprising  man.  whose  eilorts  are  well  directed, 
and  form  the  basis  of  a  creditable  success. 

Mr.  Packard  was  married  to  Miss  A.  D.  Cun- 
ningham, of  Harrison  township,  Winnebago 
count}-,  who  was  born  in  that  township,  and  was 
one  of  a  large  family.  Her  parents  were  early 
residents  of  this  county,  and  her  grandparents 
located  here  about  1840,  coming  from  Susque- 
hanna county.  Pennsvlvania.  Mrs.  Packard  is 
a  daughter  of  William  H.  and  Hannah  S.  (Elal- 
stead)  Cunningham,  who  reside  at  Rockford. 
Her  father  had  for  many  years  carried  on  gen- 
eral agricultural  pursuits  in  Harrison  township, 
but  in  1890  retired  from  the  farm  and  took  up 
his  abode  in  the  countv  seat,  where  he  is  now 


448 


PAST     AXl)     I'RKSRXT     OF     WINXKP.AGO     COL'XTV. 


tilliiijj  the  position  of  city  weigher.  Liilu  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Packard  have  heen  born  four  sons  and 
two  danshtors:  Iva,  the  wife  of  II.  L.  W'atjer,  a 
resident  fanner  of  Shirland  towiisliip :  Ke.x,  a 
carpenter,  residinjj  in  the  villajje  of  Shirland : 
L'ri,  a  hrakenian  on  the  St.  I'anl  Railroad,  re- 
siding at  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin ;  Ada,  the  wife 
of  \\'illiani  Daldwin,  a  resident  farmer  of  Shir- 
land township :  Max.  who  is  in  the  engineering 
department  with  the  regular  army  at  West 
Point.  .Xew  York  :  and  Leo.  a  stenographer,  cm- 
l)loye<l  by  the  Cramer  Advertising  Company  of 
Milwaukee,  Wisconsin.  They  also  lost  two 
children,  (iuy,  who  died  at  the  age  of  one  year, 
and  Job  at  the  age  of  seven  months. 

Politically  Mr.  Packard  is  independent,  ami  his 
fellow  townsman,  recognizing  his  worth  and  loy- 
alty to  local  interests,  have  called  him  to  public 
office.  He  is  now  serving  his  third  year  as  com- 
missioner of  the  townshi]i.  Socially  he  is  con- 
nected with  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America,  being  a  charter  mem- 
ber of  Harrison  camj),  Xo.  684.  while  his  wife 
is  a  member  of  the  ( )rdcr  of  the  Eastern  Star 
and  the  Royal  .Xeighbors,  and  both  hold  mem- 
bership relations  in  the  Congregational  church. 
Mr.  Packard's  interest  in  community  affairs  is 
dee]j  and  sincere  and  has  been  manifest  in  help- 
ful co-o])eration  in  many  movements  for  the  gen- 
eral   good. 


THOMAS   c;LE\XKY. 

Thomas  ( ilenney,  now  a  wealthy  and  retired 
farmer  of  Rockford,  possessed  a  capital  oi  only 
a  dollar  and  a  quarter  when  he  came  to  America. 
He  was  born  in  County  Sligo.  Ireland,  June  12. 
1X18.  his  ])arents  being  Henry  and  .\nn  (.\llcn) 
(ilenney,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the 
I'juerald  isle.  There  the  ])arents  always  resided 
and  the  father  was  a  weaver  of  fine  linen.  He 
likewise  engaged  in  farming  to  some  extent  and 
in  his  last  years  he  lived  retired  from  business 
cares.  His  wife  was  of  Sc()tch-Irish  descent.  In 
the  family  were  four  children :  P.essie.  the  wife 
of  William  Smith,  a  farmer  now  living  near 
Waterloo,  Iowa:  .Mexander.  wiio  follows  farm- 
ing in  the  same  locality  :  Thomas :  and  Henry, 
wiio  came  to  .\merica  in  i8r>2  and  is  now  a  re- 
tired tailor  f>f  Rockford. 

Thomas  ( ilenney  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  his  native  country,  where  he 
remained  until  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  when 
he  crossed  the  .\tlantic  to  the  new  world.  For 
some  time  he  remained  in  Chester  county,  Pemi- 
sylvania,  near  Philadelphia,  and  afterward 
worked  for  eight  years  upon  a  farm  of  seven 
hundred  acres  at  \alley  Forge.     He  had  but  a 


dollar  and  a  (juarter  when  he  reached  .Xew  York 
and  he  worked  for  the  first  winter  in  Pemisyl- 
vania  for  four  dollars  ])er  month,  after  which 
he  received  ten  and  a  half  dollars  per  month  for 
a  half  year.  Later  he  was  foreman  of  a  gang 
on  the  railroad  and  each  successive  position 
which  he  secured  brought  him  i)romotion  in  a 
measure. 

While  working  on  the  railrn;i<l  .Mr.  (ilennev 
was  married  in  Westchester.  Pennsylvania,  to 
Miss  Margaret  McClellan,  a  native  of  Ireland, 
the  wedding  being  celebrated  .\ugust  i,  1S51. 
In  March,  1853.  they  removed  to  Illinois,  settling 
in  Owen  townshi]),  Wimiebago  coimty,  where 
Mr.  Glenney  purcliased  thirty  acres  of  land,  on 
which  he  followed  farming  until  i8'>5.  He  then 
bought  twenty  acres  more  and  in  addition  to  the 
home  i)lace  he  rented  land  which  he  cultivated. 
.Subsequently  when  his  labors  had  brought  him 
sufficient  capital  he  invested  in  a  tract  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  one  mile  from  the  city 
limits  of  Rockford.  after  which  he  sold  the 
original  fifty-acre  tract.  He  next  bought  forty 
acres  and  still  later  eighty  acres  additional,  and 
he  lived  u])on  his  home  farm  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  county  seat  until  1890.  when  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  city.  However,  he  continued  to 
sui)ervise  his  farm  until  \<)0^.  He  traded  eighty 
acres  of  his  land  for  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
near  Roscoe  and  recently  he  has  disposed  of 
this  farm  but  he  .still  owns  two  hundred  acres 
of  very  fine  land,  well  improved  in  Rockford 
township,  ^^'hen  he  took  up  his  abode  in  the 
city  he  built  the  residence  which  he  now  occu- 
pies at  Xo.  ')J^  (irand  avenue  and  he  also  owns 
two  fine  dwellings   adjoining. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  (Ilenney  have  been  born 
eight  children,  of  whom  seven  are  now  living. 
Henry  married  Melvina  .A..  Burgoon,  who  was 
born  in  Dubuque,  Iowa,  a  daughter  of  Francis 
and  Flavia  .\.  (Barnett")  Burgoon.  the  former 
an  extensive  farmer  of  the  1  lawkeye  state. 
I  lenr\  ( iletmey  was  for  a  long  period  actively 
connected  with  agricultural  ])ursuits  but  has  re- 
tired from  the  farm  and  is  now-  engaged  in  real- 
estate  dealing.  1  le  makes  his  home  with  his 
father  and  unto  him  and  his  wife  have  been 
born  two  children,  Farl  I'...  and  F.lsie  M.  Thomas 
married  Laura  Fiddick  and  after  her  death 
wedded  Heh'n  I'iddick.  their  home  being  now 
in  California.  James,  residing  on  Rockton 
avenue  in  Rockford.  married  Eliza  Long,  born 
in  this  city.  .\nna  J.  is  deceased.  Mary  is  liv- 
ing on  Rockton  avenue.  Rockford.  William  H., 
who  follows  farming,  married  \'ena  Siddcrs. 
Allen  M.  is  the  wife  of  John  Burgoon.  also  of 
Rockford.  Charles  .\.,  living  in  Roscoe,  mar- 
ried Louisa  Male,  now  deceased  and  afterward 
wedded  N'ina  Male.  The  wife  and  mother  died 
in   .\ugust.    1888. 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WIXXEBAGO  COL  XTY. 


^5^ 


Air.  Glenney  is  a  member  of  the  Grange  and 
also  of  the  American  Protective  Association,  and 
in  his  pohtical  views  is  a  stalwart  republican. 
He  has  served  as  a  school  director  but  other- 
wise has  held  no  public  offices.  He  was  reared 
in  the  Episcopal  faith  but  later  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church.  Although  now 
eighty-seven  years  of  age  he  is  still  a  well 
preserved  man,  hale  and  hearty,  and  in  spirit 
and  interest  seems  yet  in  his  prime.  All  that 
he  possesses  or  has  enjoyed  in  life  has  been  ac- 
quired through  his  own  efforts.  When  upon 
the  farm  he  was  busy  raising  stock  and  grain 
and  he  has  always  been  fond  of  a  good  horse 
and  yet  owns  a  fine  one.  The  extent  and  im- 
portance of  his  business  interests,  his  fair  judg- 
ment and  his  consideration  of  others  has  made 
him  an  influential  citizen  and  in  the  evening  of 
life  he  receives  the  veneration  and  respect  which 
should  ever  be  accorded  one  of  advanced  vears. 


TOHX  W.  SEEK. 


John  W.  Seek,  deceased,  who  was  numbered 
among  the  early  settlers  of  Winnebago  countv. 
establishing  his  home  here  in  1849,  was  born  in 
Virginia,  September  29,  1822,  his  parents  being 
John  and  Alary  (Shaefer)  Seek.  Thev  were 
natives  of  \'irginia  and  removed  thence  to  Indi- 
ana, where  the  mother  died.  The  father  after- 
ward engaged  in  farming  there  until  1849,  ^vhen 
he  brought  his  family  to  ^Vinnebago  county,  and 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  in  Xew  Milford  town- 
ship, three  miles  southeast  of  the  village  of  New 
Milford.  He  at  once  began  the  cultivation  and 
development  of  the  farm  and  continued  its  active 
operation  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 

John  W.  Seek  was  a  student  in  the  public 
schools  of  Indiana  in  his  boyhood  days,  and  spent 
his  youth  in  his  parents'  home.  While  living  in 
that  state  he  was  married  in  Wells  county,  near 
Fort  Wayne,  to  Miss  Eliza  J.  Alontgomery. 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Ohio,  while  her  j)arents 
were  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  They  removed 
from  the  Keystone  state  to  Ohio,  and  there  re- 
inained  until  called  to  the  home  beyond,  the 
father  following  farming  as  a  life  occupation. 
Air.  and  Airs.  Seek  became  the  parents  of  five 
children,  of  whom  Mary  E.  and  William  died  in 
infancy.  The  others  are  as  follows :  George  W., 
who  wedded  Agnes  Al.  Hall,  died  in  September, 
t88o,  leaving  a  widow  and  two  sons,  Claude  and 
\\'ilber.  They  reside  with  their  mother  in  Rock- 
ford  and  are  now  employed  by  the  Rockford 
Watch  Company.  Sarah  is  the  wife  of 
Thomas  Lawson,  a  retired  farmer  living  in  the 
village  of  X^ew  Alilford,  and  they  have  four  child- 
ren :  W'alter.  Harrv,  Rov  and  Bettv.  Emma  is 
25 


the  wife  of  Lovejoy  C.  Hall,  and  they  reside  with 
her  mother  in  Rockford.  Air.  Hall  is  well 
known  as  a  real-estate  dealer  of  this  city,  con- 
ducting a  large  business.  They  have  four  child- 
ren :  Alaude,  Ida,  Eugene  and  Emery.  Mrs. 
Seek  and  her  family  are  all  members  of  the 
Alethodist  Episcopal  church  of  X'ew  Alilford. 
Air.  Seek  was  ever  successful  in  his  farming  op- 
erations, and  his  widow  is  now  well-to-do.  "  The 
old  homestead  is  still  in  possession  of  the  fam- 
ily, but  Airs.  Seek  intends  to  make  her  home  with 
her  children. 


H.   H.   STONE. 


H.  H.  Stone,  who  is  now  retired  from  active 
business,  although  he  is  financially  interested  in 
I  he  Rockford  Burial  Case  Company  as  its  vice- 
president  and  also  owns  a  farm  in  Rockford  town- 
ship, makes  his  home  at  No.  1130  North  Court 
street  in  the  city  of  Rockford.  For  more  than 
thirty-one  years  he  has  lived  in  Winnebago 
county,  coming  to  this  state  from  Alinnesota.  He 
was  born,  however,  in  Franklin  county,  Ver- 
mont, but  left  the  Green  Alountain  state  when 
a  boy  of  eleven  years.  His  father,  James  Stone, 
was  a  pioneer  of  Wisconsin,  settling  there  in 
1846.  He  was  one  of  the  best  mechanics  in  the 
locality  in  which  he  made  his  home  and  through- 
out his  entire  life  he  followed  that  line  of  busi- 
ness. He  settled  on  the  Onion  river  in  Wiscon- 
sin and,  taking  part  in  the  founding  of  the  town, 
he  gave  to  it  the  name  of  Winooski.  He  was 
appointed  its  first  postmaster  and  so  continued 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death  in  the  spring  of  1857. 

H.  H.  Stone,  whose  name  introduces  this  rec- 
ord, spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood  and  vouth  in 
his  parent's  home,  remaining  with  his  father  un- 
til the  latter's  death,  when  he  removed  to  Minne- 
sota. There  he  was  engaged  in  the  furniture 
business  until  coming  to  Rockford,  or  for  a  per- 
iod of  about  seventeen  years.  Believing  that  he 
might  have  good  business  opportunities  in  Winne- 
bago countv,  he  arrived  in  Illinois  on  the  1st  of 
Januarv,  1874.  establishing  his  home  in  the  citv, 
where  he  continued  to  reside  for  two  and  a  half 
years.  He  then  removed  to  the  farm  upon  which 
he  lived  for  seven  years,  placing  his  land  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation.  He  then  returned  to 
the  city,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home  and 
he  has  been  financially  interested  in  the  Rockford 
Burial  Case  Companv  since  its  establishment 
about  twenty  years  ago.  Its  business  has  steadilv 
increased  and  the  stockholders  now  annuallv  re- 
ceive a  good  dividend  upon  their  investment. 

Mr.  Stone  has  one  son  by  his  first  marriage : 
Roy  J.,  who  is  assistant  state  mining  engineer  in 
the  assayer's  office  in  X^evada :  and  one  bv  his  sec- 
ond marriage.   Frank  H.,  who  as  an  electrician 


45- 


PAST     AM)     l'Ki:Si:.\T     ()1-     \Vl\\i:i'.AG(i     Oil' XT  V 


is  employed  by  the  Edison  Company  at  Rockford. 
Mr.  Stone  exercises  his  rifrht  of  franchise  in  sup- 
port of  the  men  and  measures  of  the  republican 
|)arty  and  has  served  as  councilman  i)f  Rockford. 
I'raternally  he  has  been  connected  with  the  Ma- 
.sonic  lodsje  for  many  years,  now  belnni^^ing  to 
Riicklord  lodge,  Xc  I02.  .\.  V.  &  .\.  .M..  and 
Rockford  chaiJter,  R.  .\.  .M..  while  both  he  and  his 
wife  are  members  of  the  Order  of  the  Eastern 
Star.  He  is  a  past  master  of  the  lodge  and  has 
held  various  other  offices.  He  is  a  drand  .-\nuy 
of  the  Rei)ublic  man,  having  served  two  years  in 
the  Civil  war.  enlisting  in  the  .Seventh  .Minnesota 
Infantry.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
Cnion  church  and  his  influence  is  ever  on  the 
side  of  riglit,  improvement  and  progress. 
Through  an  active  business  career  he  accumulated 
a  comfortable  competence,  which  now  enables  him 
to  live  retireil  and  be  is  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his 
former  toil  in  a  comfortable  home  in  this  citv. 


HEXRV  A.  \\1-:BBER. 

Henry  .\.  Webber,  of  Rockton,  is  a  native  of 
Somersetshire,  England,  born  .August   19.    1837. 
His   father.  William  Webber,  was  born  in  Eng- 
land, in    March.    1801.  or    1802,  and  died  at  the 
age  of  eighty-five  years  while  on  a  visit  to  one  of 
his   daughters   in    lUirritt    township,    ^^'innebago 
county.     He  was  a  native  of  Devonshire,  whence 
he  removed  to  .Somersetshire,  where  he  became  a 
large  landowner  and  when  he  decided  to  come  to 
.\merica    with    his    family    his   i)roi)crty    was    all 
sold   bv   auction,    which    was   carried   on    in    the 
regular  English  style,  it  taking  three  days  to  dis- 
jiose  of  his  possessions.     It  was  almo.st  like  a  fair, 
tents   being  pitched    for   the  convenience   of   the 
crowd,    while   the    food   and   drink    were    ser\'ed 
after  the  old-time   English  custom.     He  brought 
his       wife       and       all       of       his       eight       chil- 
dren   with    liim    to    the    L'nited    States,    landing 
at   Xew  York,  and  by  way  of  the  Great  Lakes 
tliev  |)roceedefl  to  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  thence 
driving    across    the    coimtry    with    ox-teams    to 
Rockton.     Mr.  Wel)ber  was  a  man  of  consicler- 
able  means   and  on   reaching  his   destination   he 
purchased  six  hundred  and   forty  acres  of  land, 
for  which  he  was  able  to  jiay  cash.     He  followed 
farming  on  an  extensive  scale,  making  his  home 
in  Winnebago  county  from   1841)  u])  to  the  time 
of  his   death.     His   wife   bore   the  maiden   name 
of  Mary  Hake.     .She  too  was  a  native  of  England 
and  died  at  the  age  of  eighty  years.     They  were 
the   i)arents   of   eight    children:     Mrs.    Margaret 
Wilcox :   William,   who  is  now   living  in   .South 
Dakota:  John,  a  resident  of  California:  Cather- 
ine, the   widow   of  John   (iriffith:   Henry   .\..  of 
this  review:  Mrs.  Marv  Arnold:  llirman  I.,  who 


resiiles  in  Rockton  :  and  Ihomas,  deceased.  The 
family  home  was  about  two  miles  south  and  just 
a  little  to  the  east  of  Rockton.  and  the  father  was 
one  of  the  most  ])rominent  and  honored  of  the 
l)ioneer  settlers  of  bis  portion  of  the  county. 

Henry  .\.  Webber  spent  the  first  ten  years  of 
his  life  in  his  native  country  and  then  came  with 
his  parents  to  .\merica  in  1849.  He  has  resided 
almost  continuously  in  Illinois.  He  was  reared 
upim  his  father's  farm  in  Winnebago  county  and 
afterward  went  to  Chicago.  He  had  previouslv 
learned  the  carjienter's  trade  and  in  Chicago  he 
was  one  of  the  carpenters  who  laid  the  first  planks 
for  the  building  of  the  stockyards,  this  work  be- 
ing executed  in  1863.  Mr.  Webber  has  always 
been  of  an  inventive  turn  of  mind  and  has  jiro- 
duced  some  fifteen  ditTerent  inventions  upon 
which  he  has  secured  patents,  including  the  Web- 
ber reaper  and  mower,  the  Webber  automatic 
gate,  a  railroad  snow  plow,  a  railroad  track 
grater,  and  a  Webber  angle  sieve  fanning  mill, 
which  he  is  now  manufacturing  in  Rockton  at  the 
old  plant  which  is  oix-niled  by  water  power  and 
which  was  built  by  .Mr.  Webber  and  his  brothers. 
William  and  John,  a  number  of  years  ago.  when 
they  were  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  the 
Webber  reaper  and  mower.  Our  subject  is  now 
devoting  his  atteiUion  to  the  production  of  the 
faiuiing  mills.  With  his  brothers  he  contiiuied 
the  manufacure  of  the  reajjcr  and  mower  for  fif- 
teen years  with  much  success.  He  has  lived  a 
life  of  marked  industry  and  his  continued  energy 
furnishes  an  examjile  that  is  well  worthy  of 
ennilalion. 

.\t  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  .Mr.  Webber  re- 
sponded to  the  country's  call  for  troops,  enrolling 
at  Rockton  in  response  to  the  first  call.  He 
afterward  marched  to  Rockford.  a  distance  of 
fourteen  miles,  to  enlist.  In  days  of  ])eace  he 
has  been  equally  loyal  to  his  country  and  has 
performed  ca])able  ])ublic  service  in  local  offices. 
Eor  the  past  ten  years  he  has  been  constable  of 
the  town  of  Rockton,  has  served  on  the  village 
board  and  has  held  other  local  positions,  being 
most  true  and  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  the 
duties  that  thus  devolved  u]ion  him.  His  ])olit- 
ical  allegiance  is  given  to  the  renublican  party, 
which  he  has  supported  unswervingly  since  at- 
tained his  majority. 

Tn  1867  Mr.  Webber  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Mrs.  Sarah  A.  Kennedy,  nee  Jewell,  the  widow 
of  the  late  Sanniel  Kennedy,  who  was  a  veteran 
of  the  Civil  war.  He  enlisted  from  Ohio  in  1861 
in  response  to  the  first  call  and  was  discharged 
on  account  of  illness,  dying  soon  afterwarrl.  He 
left  one  son.  Elmer  J.  Kennedv.  a  native  of  Ohio. 
Mr.  Kennedv  was  a  blacksmith  and  wood-worker 
bv  traile.  following  those  pursuits  luitil  he  offered 
bis  services  to  the  government  in  defense  of  the 


:MR.   AXl)  .MRS.   11.   A.   WEBBER. 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


455 


Union.  After  the  death  of  her  first  husband, 
Mrs.  Kennedy  made  a  visit  to  Illinois  and  formed 
the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Webber.  Later  she  re- 
turned to  Ohio  and  soon  afterward  Mr.  Webber 
went  to  that  state  and  the\-  were  married.  They 
have  two  living  children  :  Minnie  C,  now  the 
wife  of  William  Alden,  by  whom  she  has  three 
children,  Harry.  Ralph  and  Ruth ;  and  Gertrude, 
who  married  Thomas  R.  Higgins  and  has  one 
child,  Dorothy. 


WILLIAM  G.  SMITTI. 

William  G.  Smith,  interested  in  general  farm- 
ing on  sections  35  and  26,  Harlem  township, 
owns  a  valuable  tract  of  land  of  two  hundred 
acres.  He  was  born  in  this  township,  December 
4.  1870.  on  a  farm  adjoining  his  present  place, 
his  parents  being  Robert  and  Agnes  (Greenlees) 
Smith,  who  are  now  living  retired  in  Rockford. 
The  former  was  born  in  Kintyre,  Argyleshire. 
Scotland,  August  22,  1824,  and  was  a  grandson 
of  Daniel  Smith,  who  removed  from  his  native 
county  of  Ayrshire  to  Arglyeshire.  establishing 
his  home  in  a  sod  house  upon  a  tract  of  wild 
land.  In  the  course  of  time,  however,  he  im- 
proved a  good  farm  there.  Only  two  of  his  chil- 
dren ever  came  to  America.  Daniel  and  Mrs. 
Janet  Brown,  who  made  her  home  in  Cincinnati, 
Ohio. 

Daniel  Smith,  the  grandfather  of  William  G. 
Smith,  was  born  in  Argyleshire,  February  1 1 , 
1791,  and  in  his  vouth  assisted  his  father  in  the 
work  of  the  farm,  ^^'hen  he  started  out  in  life 
on  his  own  account  he  rented  land  and  was  en- 
gaged in  farming  until  his  emigration  to  the  new 
world.  He  wedded  Mary  Montgomery,  who 
was  born  in  Kintyre,  January  12.  1795,  and  was 
a  daughter  of  Robert  Montgomery.  They  be- 
came the  parents  of  nine  children,  and  with  their 
family  they  sailed  for  America  in  1842  as  pas- 
sengers on  the  Gleaner,  which  weighed  anchor 
at  Campbelltown,  and  was  the  first  ocean  vessel 
that  ever  left  that  port.  The  voyage  continued 
from  the  4th  of  June  until  the  4th  of  July,  when 
anchor  was  dropped  in  New  York  harbor.  The 
family  came  at  once,  however,  to  Winnebago 
county  by  way  of  the  Great  Lakes  to  Chicago, 
and  thence  to  Harlem  township,  where  Daniel 
Smith  purchased  the  land  that  has  long  been  in 
possession  of  the  family.  His  home  was  a  log 
cabin,  and  the  farm  was  purchased  by  Mr.  Smith 
and  his  brother-in-law.  James  Montgomery,  for 
five  dollars  an  acre,  .\lthough  many  pioneer  ex- 
periences fell  to  his  lot  Mr.  Smith  persevered  in 
the  work  of  developing  the  farm  until  it  became 
a  good  property.  His  death  occurred  there  Au- 
gust 20,  1845.  and  his  wife  passed  away  on  the 
old  homestead.  May  31.  1872. 


Robert  Smith  was  a  youth  of  seventeen  when 
the  family  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United 
States,  and  following  his  father's  death,  the  care 
of  the  home  farm  devolved  upon  him.  He  con- 
ducted agricultural  pursuits  there  for  a  long  pe- 
riod, but  is  now  living  retired  in  Rockford,  hav- 
ing acquired  a  handsome  competence  that  en- 
ables him  to  rest  from  further  business  cares.  In 
politics  he  has  been  a  stanch  republican  since  the 
organization  of  the  party,  and  he  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  He 
was  married  in  1855  to  Agnes  Greenlees,  who 
was  a  native  of  his  home  town,  and  a  daughter 
of  William  and  Martha  (Harvey)  Greenlees. 
This  union  was  blessed  with  five  children :  Mary 
J.,  Martha,  Agnes,  the  wife  of  William  Brown  : 
^^'illiam  G.,  of  this  review,  and  Daniel  A.,  who 
follows  farming  in  Harlem  township. 

W'illiam  G.  Smith  is  indebted  to  the  public- 
school  system  for  the  educational  privileges  he 
enjoyed  in  his  youth.  He  has  always  remained 
a  resident  of  Harlem  township,  and  lived  with 
his  parents  until  the  fall  of  1898.  when  he  pur- 
chased his  present  farm.  He  now  carries  on 
general  agricultural  pursuits  and  stock-raising, 
and  both  departments  of  his  business  are  prov- 
ing profitable,  for  he  finds  a  ready  sale  on  the 
market  for  the  products  of  his  fields,  and  also 
for  the  cattle,  hogs  and  horses  which  he  raises. 

In  November,  1898,  was  celebrated  the  mar- 
riage of  \\'illiam  (j.  Smith  and  Miss  Janie  Mc- 
Echeran.  a  daughter  of  John  and  Anna  H.  (Rals- 
ton) McEcheran.  both  of  Caledonia  township, 
Boone  county,  Illinois.  They  were  natives  of 
Argyleshire.  Scotland,  and  became  residents  -of 
Boone  county  in  the  '40s.  Mrs.  Smith  was  bom 
in  Caledonia  township.  August  7.  1876.  and  her 
home  has  been  blessed  with  one  son,  John  R.. 
who  was  born  December  22,  1899.  ^Ir.  and  Mrs. 
Smith  attend  the  ^^'illow  Creek  Presbyterian 
church  at  Arg}-le,  and  he  is  a  republican  in  poli- 
tics. He  has  served  as  school  director  for  sev- 
eral terms  and  is  interested  in  local  progress  and 
improvement,  but  gives  closest  attention  to  his 
business  affairs,  wherein  he  has  prospered.  He 
is  a  young  man  of  ambition,  strong  purpose  and 
diligence,  and  it  is  with  safety  that  his  friends 
predict  for  him  a  successful  future. 


CYRUS  A.  WALLACE. 

From  the  rich  farms  surrounding  Pecatonica 
have  come  many  of  the  representative  citizens 
of  the  village — men  who  having  long  been  con- 
nected with  agricultural  interests  have  so  man- 
aged their  business  affairs  that  they  are  now  in 
possession  of  a  comfortable  competence  and  are 
therefore  able  to  enjoy  at  the  present  time  a  well 


4SI' 


PAST     AND     I'RMSliX  r     Ol"     W  I  Wl'.l'.  \t  i<  '     (OrXlV 


earned  rest.     To  this  class  belonijs  Mr.  Wallace, 
who   is  a   native  of   Lorain   county.   ( )liio.   born 
.Ma.\   24,  1837.     His  parents  were  William  and 
Sophronia  ( Nobles )  Wallace.    The  father,  a  na- 
tive of  Yorkshire.  Enjjland,  crossed  the  Atlantic 
to  Canada,   and   in   his  early   life   was   a   sailor, 
goinjj  ii]xin  whalinsf  voyages.     He  removed  from 
Canada  to  Loraine  county.  (~)liio.  where  he  pur- 
chased fifty  acres  of  timber  land  and  Iniilt  a  log 
house  in  the  midst  of  the  forest.     He  then  began 
clearing  awa\-   the   trees  and  brush   in  order  to 
plant  crops  and  continued  the  cultivation  of  the 
fields  through  the  i)ioneer  jieriod  in  that  part  of 
the  state.     Later  he  sold  his  i)roperty  there  and 
in  1S53  came  to  Winnebago  county,  Illinois,  pur- 
chasing one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in 
Seward  township.     The  tract   was  at   that  time 
raw  prairie,  on  which  he  built  a  little  cabin  home. 
lie  then  began  breaking  his  land,  and  in  course 
of   time   the    fields   were   returning   to   him    rich 
harvests.      He   marketed   his   wheat   and   oats   at 
I'ecatonica.    for   the   railroad    was   built   through 
that  year.     He  paid  three  dollars  ])er  acre  for  his 
land,  and  the  next  year  was  offered  twenty-five 
dollars  per  acre  owing  to  the  rapid  increase  in 
po|)ulation,  and  also  because  of  the  excellent  im- 
proveiuents  he  had  placed  on  his  property.     He 
soon  became  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful agriculturists  of  his  community  and   for 
many  years  prospered  in  his  business  undertak- 
ings here.     He  died  in   Seward  township  in  his 
eighty-fifth  year,  while  his  wife,  who  was  born  in 
^iassacbu setts,  died  in  the  same  township  in  her 
sixty-sixth    year.      She    was    married   twice,    her 
first   hnsl)aiid   being   Eli    Hubliard.     There   were 
three  children  born  of  that   marriage,  of  whom 
all    are   now    deceased,    while   to    Mr.   and    Mrs. 
Wallace   were  born   six   children,  of  whom   two 
are  living.  Cyrus  A.  and  William.     The  latter,  a 
resident    farmer    of    Seward    township,    married 
X'iola   Kellev.   and   has   two   living   sons   by    that 
marriage.  I-irnest  and  Cecil.     For  his  second  wife 
he  chose  T-ouisa  Jones,  and  there  is  one  living 
child  bv  this  union.  Jerome,  a  resident  of  Seward 
township. 

In  his  boyhood  days  Cvrus  W.  Wallace  worked 
upon  the  hoiue  farm  and  afterward  secured  em- 
plovment  as  a  farm  hand  in  the  neighborhood. 
P.efore  his  marriage  he  had  become  the  owner  of 
eighty  acres  of  land,  and  froiu  that  time  forward 
he  carried  on  general  agricultural  pursuits  on 
his  own  accomit  until  1892.  That  he  prospered 
is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  in  the  year  men- 
tioned he  was  able  to  jnit  aside  active  business 
cares  and  take  up  his  abode  in  Pecatonica.  having 
possessions  sufficient  to  enable  him  to  live  retired. 
He  now  rents  his  farm,  and  in  adilition  to  this 
jiroperty  he  owns  nine  lots  on  which  stand  his 
jirescnt  residence. 

On  the  28th  of  December.   1878.   Mr.  Wallace 


was  married  to  ."-■ophia  .Mexander,  a  daughter  of 
Samuel   and    Sarah    (  I'ranklin )    Alexander,  both 
of   whom   were   natives  of   England,   the    former 
born  A])ril  6.  i8o<^i.  and  the  latter  on  the  I2lh  of 
June.  1804.     Mr.  Alexander  passed  away  in  1888, 
while   his    wife   died    in   her   seventy-ninth   year. 
They    sailed    from    Liverijool.   linglaud.   to   New 
^'ork  city,  and  thence  removed  westward  to  St. 
Lawrence  count}-.   New   York,   where  they   lived 
for  a  short  time,  iluring  which  jieriod  Mrs.  Wal- 
lace  was   born.     They   afterward   t(X)k   u])   their 
alwde  in  Elyria.  Ohio,  where  they  remained  for 
two  years  and  then  settled  in  Grafton  township, 
Lorain  county,  where  the  fallur  iiurchased  about 
eighty  acres  of  timber  land,  on  which  he  built  a 
log    cabin.      He    then    began    clearing    his    farm, 
living  in  true  pioneer  style.     He  was  one  of  the 
early   settlers  of   that   county   and  continued  his 
residence  upon  his  original  farm  for  about  eight 
or  nine  years,  when  he  removed  to  the  township 
of  Eaton  and  bought  two  hundred  acres  of  land. 
This  he  also  cleared  and   improved,  and  at  one 
time   he   was   the  owner  of  a   valuable   tract   of 
three  hundred  acres.    His  health  failed  him  event- 
ually and  he  was  unable  to  do  any  work  during 
the  last  three  years  of  his  life.     He  was  an  up- 
right, honorable  man.  respected  by  all  whi^  knew 
him  because  of  his  genuine  worth  and  fidelity  Ui 
])rinciple.     To  each  of  his  sons  he  gave  a  farm, 
and   tlius  ably   assisted   them   in   starting  out   in 
life.     In  his  family  were  eight  children,  of  whom 
six  are  now  living:     Martha,  born  September  24, 
1827.  became  the  wife  of  Edward  Martin,  a  resi- 
dent of   LaiJorte.  Ohio,  and  died  at   the  age  of 
fiftv-six   vears,   leaving  three  children.     Samuel, 
born   Mav  3,   1830.  resides  at  Eaton.     .\nn,  born 
November  2,  1832.  is  the  wife  of  William  Rawl- 
.son,  of  Grafton,  Ohio,  and  has  two  sons.     Mrs. 
Wallace,  the  next  of  the  family,  was  born  Jan- 
uary   I.    1835.     John,  born    November    12.    1837. 
and  living  in  Eaton.  ( Miio.  married  Hannah  Dim- 
mick.  and  has  one  daughter.    Job.  born  Decemlier 
23.    1 841.  and  also  a  resident  of  Eaton,  wedded 
.\nn   Pierce,  and  has  six  children,  of  whom  five 
are  living,     .\lbert.  horn  June  25,  1850.  and  also 
a  resident  of  Eaton,  married  Mrs.  .\ddie  Golden, 
and  has  five  children.     .Amanda,  born  June  25. 
1850.  died  in  infancy. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wallace  was 
celebrate<l  in  Eaton  township.  Lorain  county, 
(^hio,  December  28,  1878,  and  they  have  since 
traveled  life's  iourney  happily  together.  They 
lived  upon  the  farm  until  1802,  when  they  estab- 
lished their  home  in  Pecatonica.  Mr.  Wallace  pur- 
chasing their  present  residence.  He  is  a  democrat 
in  his  political  views  and  for  one  term  .served  as 
school  director,  but  has  never  sought  or  desired 
office.  Eraternallv  he  is  connected  with  the  ( )dd 
Fellows  .societ\.  Through  manv  vears  a  resident 
of  this  county,  he  im()roved  his  business  oppor- 


i'VST     AND     PRESENT     (_)F     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


457 


tunities  with  such  success  that  he  is  now  one  of 
the  substantial  citizens  and  Pecatonica  knows  him 
as  a  man  of  genuine  worth  whose  friends  in  the 
county  are  manv. 


HENRY  :\frRPHY. 


Henry  MuqDhy,  whose  life  record  was  an  ex- 
emplification of  the  saying  "through  struggles  to 
success."  followed  farming  for  many  years  in 
Burritt  township,  Winnebago  county,  but  in  his 
later  years  was  enabled  to  enjoy  in  honorable  re- 
tirement the  competence  that  had  been  ac(|uired 
in  the  }ears  of  his  former  toil.  He  was  also  num- 
bered among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  the  county, 
having  taken  up  his  abode  here  about  1830.  His 
birth  occurred  in  Ireland,  March  24,  1830.  His 
father  was  Perry  Murphy.  The  mother  died  in 
Ireland  at  the  birth  of  her  son  Henry,  and  he  was 
then  reared  by  an  aunt  in  that  country.  His 
father  also  passed  away  on  the  green  Isle  of  Erin. 

Henry  Murphy  was  but  a  boy  when  he  emi- 
grated to  America,  landing  at  New  York,  whence 
he  went  to  Boston,  where  he  worked  for  five  years 
at  any  employment  he  could  secure.  He  then  de- 
termined to  seek  a  home  in  the  west  and  settled 
in  Rockford  in  1850,  being  then  a  young  man  of 
twenty  years.  Here  he  first  engaged  in  teaming 
for  a  few  years  and  then  entered  the  employe  of 
\Y.  A.  Talcott,  being  retained  in  his  service  for 
thirteen  years.  The  capital  which  he  acquired 
through  his  frugality  and  industry  during  that 
period  enabled  him  to  purchase  a  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Burritt  township,  and 
taking  up  his  abode  upon  this  tract  of  land  he 
devoted  his  energies  to  its  further  development 
and  improvement  until  1898.  In  the  meantime 
the  well  tilled  fields  had  brought  to  liim  a  grati- 
fying financial  return  for  his  labor  and  with  a 
comfortable  competence  he  retired  from  the  farm 
and  took  up  his  abode  in  Rockford.  where  he 
enjoyed  a  well  merited  rest  until  called  to  his 
final  home. 

;Mr.  Murphy  was  married  in  tlic  old  Warner 
home  in  Rockford  to  Miss  Mary  Sheehan.  also 
a  native  of  Ireland,  born  in  March.  1829,  and  a 
daughter  of  ^^'illiam  and  Ellen  Sheehan.  Her 
father,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  died  in  his  native 
land,  but  the  mother  afterward  came  to  America, 
making  her  way  first  to  Rockford.  Subsequently 
she  settled  on  a  farm  in  Burritt  township,  where 
she  spent  her  remaining  davs.  Only  two  of  her 
children  are  now  living.  Mrs.  Murphy  and  a 
brother,  who  resides  in  Solomon  City.  Kansas. 
The  home  of  ^fr.  and  Mrs.  Murphy  was  blessed 
with  nine  children,  but  only  one  now  survives, 
the  others  having  all  died  in  infancy,  with  the 
exception  of  William,  who  passed  away  at  the 
age   of   thirty-five   years.      Mary   is   the   wife   of 


Richard  Foley,  a  mail  carrier  on  Rockford  rural 
route  No.  8.  They  reside  with  Mrs.  Murphy, 
and  they  had  five  children,  but  only  Herbert  is 
now  living.  Those  deceased  are  Harry.  X'inetta, 
Charlie  and  Willie. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Murphy  occurred  on  the  28th 
of  August.  1904.  He  was  a  democrat  in  his 
political  faith,  and  was  a  communicant  of  St. 
Mary's  Catholic  church  of  Rockford,  of  which 
all  of  his  family  are  also  members.  He  justly 
earned  the  proud  American  tile  of  a  self-made 
man,  for  he  came  to  America  empty-handed,  and 
in  fact  had  no  capital  at  the  time  of  his  arrival 
in  Rockford.  He  worked  hard  and  his  unfalter- 
ing energy  was  a  strong  element  in  his  prosperity. 
Year  after  year  he  labored  perseveringly  to  .gain 
a  good  home  and  the  comforts  of  life  for  his 
family,  and  at  length  he  won  a  competence  that 
left  them  in  comfortable  circumstances.  His 
business  methods,  too,  were  ever  honorable  and 
straightforward  and  commanded  him  to  the  trust 
and  good  will  of  his  fellowmen.  Since  her  hus- 
band's death  Mrs.  Murphy  has  sold  the  home  farm 
in  Burritt  township  and  she  now  owns  a  nice 
residence  at  No.  lorfi  Kilburn  avenue,  where  she 
is  living  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Foley. 


AVERILL  A.   MARSH. 

Averill  A.Marsh  is  the  owner  of  two  hundred 
and  ten  acres  of  land  on  section  16.  Guilford 
township,  which  he  leases,  while  he  is  practically 
living  a  retired  life.  He  was  born  upon  this 
farm.  October  25.  1848.  his  parents  being  Richard 
and  Sarah  (Watson)  Marsh,  both  of  whom  are 
now  deceased.  The  mother,  who  was  born  in 
England,  came  to  America  when  a  little  maiden 
of  ten  summers  in  company  with  her  parents,  who 
located  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Edwin  Robin- 
son in  Guilford  township.  Richard  Marsh,  the 
father,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  arrived  in 
Winnebago  county  in  the  winter  of  1837-8.  He 
cast  in  his  lot  with  the  pioneer  settlers  and  here 
resided  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Novem- 
ber, 1893,  when  he  had  reached  the  age  of  sev- 
entv-six  years.  His  wife  died  in  September  of 
the'  same'  vear  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight.  Mr. 
Marsh  would  never  consent  to  hold  office,  but 
was  interested  in  general  jirogre^s  and  improve- 
ment and  contributed  in  substantial  measure  to 
the  material  development  of  the  county  through 
the  part  which  he  took  in  advancing  agricultural 
interests.  He  was  one  of  the  earlv  members  of 
the  Grange.  In  his  family  were  three  children: 
Averill  A. :  Leonard,  who  is  residing  near  To- 
peka.  Kansas,  where  he  follows  farming:  and 
Mrs.  Fanny  A.  Pierce,  who  resides  on  a  farm 
just  north  of  Rockford. 


43^ 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


Avcrill  A.  Marsh  has  spent  his  ciitiro  life  in 
Gnilford  to\vnshii>,  and  the  place  up^ii  which  he 
now  resides  in  enileared  to  liini  throuj^h  the  asso- 
ciations of  his  hoyhood,  as  well  as  those  of  later 
years.  He  now  owns  two  hundred  and  ten  acres 
of  land,  which  he  leases.  In  his  youth,  however, 
he  hecanie  familiar  with  all  of  the  duties  and  la- 
bors that  devolve  u]ion  the  agriculturist,  and  after 
completing;  his  education  in  the  district  schools 
he  .q;ave  his  undivided  attention  to  farm  work, 
in  which  he  continued  for  a  lonjj  period,  and  his 
labor  resulted  in  the  acquirement  of  a  comfort- 
able competence,  his  fields  yielding;  him  excellent 
harvests  as  a  reward  for  the  care  and  labor  which 
he  bestowed  upon  them. 

Mr.  Marsh  was  married  to  Miss  Emma  Nich- 
ols, a  native  of  Winnebago  county,  and  the 
daughter  of  Horatio  Nichols,  one  of  the  early 
residents  of  the  county.  Her  father  was  a  farmer 
by  occupation  and  died  during  the  early  '60s. 
r.oth  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Marsh  have  many  friends  in 
this  county  and  the  hospitality  of  the  best  homes 
of  Guilford  township  is  freely  accorded  them. 
Politically  Mr.  Marsh  is  a  republican,  but  has 
never  sought  or  desired  office,  giving  his  undi- 
vided attention  to  his  business  affairs,  which,  being 
capablv  and  honorably  managed,  have  made  him 
one  of  the  prosperous  agriculturists  of  Guilfurd 
township. 


DUDLEY  LYFORD. 


Dudly  I.yford,  well  known  in  Roscoe  town- 
ship as  one  of  its  representative  and  prominent 
citizens,  occupies  an  attractive  home  in  the  vil- 
lage, his  long  connection  with  agricultural  inter- 
ests in  former  years  well  entitling  him  to  the 
period  of  ease  that  he  is  now  enjoying.  He  is  a 
native  of  New  Hampshire,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  the  town  of  Canterbury,  November  6. 
1835.  His  father,  Thomas  Lyford,  was  also  a 
native  of  the  old  Granite  state,  and  belonged  to 
a  i)rominent  jiioneer  family  there.  He,  too,  first 
opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of  day  in  Canterbury, 
and  he  continued  his  residence  in  his  native  town 
until  1842.  when  with  his  family  he  removed  to 
Illinois,  becoming  a  resident  of  Winnebago  coun- 
ty, where  he  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  up 
to  tlie  time  of  his  death.  He  was  accidentallv 
killed  in  a  threshing  machine  in  1838.  when  fifty- 
two  years  of  age.  His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Eliza  P..  Greeley,  was  a  native  of  Gil- 
manton.  New  Hampshire,  and  her  death  occurred 
at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years.  When  Mr,  and 
Mrs.  Lyford  arrived  in  Winnebago  county  in 
1842  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  Roscoe  townshi|i.  which  his 
brother-in-law,  Dudley  Greelcv,  had  entered  from 


the  government  in  1836.  The  latter  was  a  native 
of  .Maine,  and  had  become  one  of  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers of  this  county.  In  the  family  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Lyford  were  three  .sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters, namely :  Dudley ;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of 
John  liradley ;  Joseph,  who  is  living  in  Guilford, 
Winnebago  county :  Alice,  the  widow  of  Josiah 
Richardson,  who  serv'ed  as  major  in  a  regiment 
of  colored  cavalry  in  the  Civil  war :  .-\ugusta  ;  and 
Charles,  who  is  living  in  Minnea|>olis,  Minnesota. 

Dudley  Lyford  spent  the  first  seven  years  of 
his  life  in  the  state  of  his  nativity,  and  then  ac- 
companied his  parents  on  their  removal  to  Illi- 
nois, since  which  time  he  has  made  his  home  in 
1  larlem  township.  He  was  reared  to  the  occupa- 
tion of  farming,  and  in  his  business  career  has 
been  very  successful,  making  investments  in  land 
from  time  to  time,  until  he  is  now  the  owner  of 
twelve  hundred  acres  of  valuable  farming  land 
in  this  state.  Of  this  he  and  his  son  cultivate 
about  four  hundred  acres,  while  the  remainder 
is  rented,  and  the  son  now  laigely  relieves  his 
father  of  the  care  of  the  farm  mentioned,  so  that 
he  is  ])ractically  living  retired.  In  1902  he  pur- 
chased fifty-five  acres  of  land  in  the  village  and 
built  thereon  a  nice  residence,  which  stands  on 
a  knoll  and  commands  an  excellent  view  of  the 
surrounding  country.  He  also  built  a  barn  and 
has  all  modern  improvements,  and  his  home  is 
one  of  the  attractive  places  of  the  town.  It  is  a 
monument  to  his  enterprise  and  labors  in  former 
\ears,  and  its  tasteful  furnishings  bring  to  him 
the  comforts  of  life,  which  he  well  merits. 

Mr.  Lyford  was  married  April  13,  1862,  to 
Miss  Emma  Harley,  a  native  of  Rockton,  Illi- 
nois, and  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Harley,  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  this  county.  Twelve  children 
were  born  imto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lyford,  of  whom 
seven  are  yet  living.  Of  those  deceased,  one 
daughter.  Plelen.  became  the  wife  of  Pert  Hutch- 
ins,  and  at  her  death  left  four  children.  Bertha. 
Margaret,  Helen  and  .\nna.  Those  who  still  sur- 
vive are :  Anna ;  Maria,  the  wife  of  Charles 
Rhodes,  a  veterinary  surgeon  of  Beloit,  Wiscon- 
sin, by  whom  she  has  two  children.  .Mice  and 
John  D. :  Katherinc,  the  wife  of  Charles  Gleass- 
ncr,  and  the  mother  of  three  children.  George, 
Laueme  and  Mildred;  Thomas,  who  married 
Donna  Coffin,  of  Rockford,  and  has  four  chil- 
dren, Francis,  Esther.  James  and  .\ddie :  Dudley, 
who  is  living  on  the  old  home  farm  :  Custer,  a 
resident  of  Cheyenne,  North  Dakota,  and  Emily, 
the  wife  of  Joseph  Gesell. 

Mr.  Lyford  exercises  his  right  of  franchise  in 
support  of  the  men  and  measures  of  the  repub- 
lican ])arty,  and  was  highway  commissioner  for 
one  term,  but  has  never  been  a  politician  in  the 
sense  of  office  seeking,  preferring  to  conccTitrate 
his  energies  upon  his  business  affairs,  in  which 


DUDLEY  LYFORD 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


46. 


he  lias  met  with  sjileiKhd  success.  He  belongs 
to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  holding  membership  in 
Roscoe  lodge,  No.  75,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  that 
he  has  attained  high  rank  in  the  craft  is  indicated 
by  the  fact  of  his  membership  in  the  Mystic 
Shrine.  He  is  today  one  of  the  extensive  land- 
owners of  the  coimty,  and  his  holdings  represent 
a  life  of  untiring  activity,  of  keen  business  dis- 
cernment and  straightforward  methods,  his  his- 
tory being  proof  of  the  fact  that  success  and  an 
honored  name  may  be  won  simultaneously. 


MRS.  EMILY  M.  BARBER. 

Mrs.  Emily  M.  Barber,  owning  valuable  farm 
property  in  Rockford  township,  is  the  widow  of 
X.  Barber,  who  died  June  25,  1899,  at  the  age 
of  seventy-four  years.  Mr.  Barber  was  a  native 
of  Madison  coimty,  New  York,  born  in  the  town 
of  Fenner  about  1825,  his  parents  being  Eli  and 
Olive  ( Nourse)  Barber,  both  of  whom  died  in 
the  Empire  state.  The  family  was  of  English  lin- 
eage and  representatives  of  the  name  removed 
from  Connecticut  to  New  York,  where  they  fol- 
lowed the  occupation  of  farming.  Mr.  Barber 
was  one  of  five  children,  two  of  whom  reached 
years  of  maturity,  but  his  sister,  Delia,  died  sev- 
eral years  ago.  She  was  the  wife  of  Reuben 
Mathers,  and  resided  in  the  state  of  New  York 
until  her  death.  She  left  one  son,  Seldon  Math- 
ers, who  resides  in  \''irginia. 

Nolton  Barber  was  reared  in  the  state  of  his 
nativity,  and  was  but  six  of  years  of  age  at  the 
time  of  his  father's  death.  Between  the  ages  of 
nine  and  twenty-one  years  he  resided  with  a  Mr. 
Gillett  and  then  started  to  work  by  the  month 
as  a  farm  hand.  It  was  thus  that  he  entered 
upon  his  business  career,  and  in  the  course  of 
years  he  had  become  the  owner  of  land,  and  was 
known  as  a  substantial  agriculturist.  After  his 
marriage  he  purchased  a  farm  in  Madison 
county,  New  York,  where  he  made  his  home  for 
two  years,  and  in  1835  he  started  westward,  set- 
tling in  Rockford  township  in  Winnebago  county, 
Illinois.  It  was  largely  a  pioneer  district,  and 
much  of  the  land  in  the  county  was  but  slightly 
improved.  Here  and  there  were  still  seen  the 
rude  pioneer  cabins,  and  the  city  of  Rockford  was 
at  this  time  but  a  small  town.  Mr,  Barber  at 
once  began  the  cultivation  and  development  of 
his  land,  which  he  transformed  into  productive 
fields,  and  the  tract  which  he  purchased  on  his 
arrival  in  the  west  has  now  been  the  family 
home  for  forty-three  years.  When  it  came  into 
his  possession  it  was  wild  prairie,  and  had  no 
buildings  or  trees  upon  it,  but  he  knew  that  earn- 
est labor  would  work  a  change  in  its  appear- 
ance and  productiveness,  and  he  was  soon  able 
to  harvest  good  crops  where  before  were  seen  the 


wild  prairie  grasses.  In  the  home  farm  is  a 
tract  of  land  of  eighty  acres,  and  just  south  is 
another  tract  of  twenty-five  acres,  making  in  all 
one  hundred  and  five  acres,  which  now  belongs 
to  J\Irs.  Barber,  and  which  she  has  rented.  It 
was  before  his  removal  to  the  west  that  Mr.  Bar- 
ber was  married  on  the  isth  of  March,  1849. 
He  wedded  Miss  Emily  Marshall,  whose  birth 
occurred  September  10,  1824,  in  Fenner,  Mad- 
ison county.  New  York,  her  parents  being 
Thomas  and  Phoebe  (Keeler)  Marshall,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  the  state  of  New  York, 
and  there  died  many  years  ago.  They  were 
farming  people  of  the  highest  respectability.  The 
ancestors  of  the  ^larshall  family  came  from  Eng- 
land, and  the  early  home  of  the  family  was  in 
Massachusetts.  The  maternal  grandfather-  of 
Mts.  Barber  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war, 
and  lived  to  the  extreme  old  age  of  more  than 
ninety-six  years.  Unto  Thomas  and  Phoebe 
Marshall  were  born  six  children,  all  of  whom 
reached  adult  age,  including  Elmer,  who  resides 
in  the  state  of  New  York ;  Mrs.  Maria  Pinckney. 
living  near  Auburn,  New  York;  Mrs.  Louisa 
Sears,  who  died  at  Rockford  in  June.  1903 ;  and 
John  F.,  who  died  at  Rochelle,  Illinois,  June  7, 
1859. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barber  were  born  three 
children :  Myron,  the  eldest,  born  in  New  York, 
April  2,  1850,  is  a  farmer,  residing  near  Mason 
City,  Iowa.  He  married  Anna  Sloan,  who  was 
born  December  4,  1858,  in  Illinois,  and  they  have 
become  the  parents  of  ten  children:  William, 
born  Mav  9,  1884:  John  M.,  April  26,  1886; 
Emily  P-',  July  17,  1887;  Myron  IT.,  March  6, 
1889';  Mary  L„  October  9,  1890;  Olive  S.,  Oc- 
tober 2,  1893  ;  Daisy  A.,  February  24,  1896;  Ada 
N.,  April  19,  1898;  Lizzie,  January  4,  1899:  and 
Grace,  December  13,  1902.  Louisa  Barber,  the 
elder  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nolton  Barber. 
was  born  in  New  York,  June  14,  1853,  and  be- 
came the  wife  of  Jerome  A.  Hudler,  who  was 
born  August  8,  1849,  i"  the  Empire  state.  They 
have  four  children,  but  the  two  eldest  are  by  a 
former  marriage:  Maud,  born  May  9,  1884,  and 
Harry,  born  in  February,  1887,  The  children  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hudler  are :  Laura  E.,  born  Jan- 
uary 30,  1893,  and  Irene  L.,  born  October  i, 
1895.  The  family  home  is  in  Rockford,  where 
Mr.  Hudler  is  connected  with  the  dry  plate 
works.  Ada  I.  Barber,  born  July  21,  1858,  in 
Winnebago  county,  is  the  widow  of  Albert  M. 
Truesdall,  who  was  bgrn  November  22,  1862, 
in  Illinois,  and  died  at  the  home  farm  of  Mrs. 
Barber  February  11,  1901.  Mrs.  Truesdall  re- 
sides with  her  mother,  and  has  two  children : 
Emma  Louise,  who  was  born  June  2,  1892,  and 
Arthur,  born  March  10,  1894. 

Mr.  Barber  was  a  republican  in  his  political 
views     and     served     in     several     local     offices 


4'' 


I'AST    AM)    i'Ri-:si:\" 


ol"     W  INXI-.r.ACO     COl'XTN' 


111  Ilis  tounsliii).  I U-  was  a  member  ul 
the  (irange.  and  hotli  he  and  his  wife 
belonged  to  the  Winnebago  Street  Method- 
ist Episco]>al  chureh.  His  hfe  was  a  busy 
and  useful  one,  and  for  many  years  he  suc- 
cessfully carried  on  agricultural  pursuits,  his  la- 
bors resulting  in  the  aciiuirenieut  of  a  comfort- 
able competence.  He  was  truly  a  self-made  man. 
for  he  started  out  empty-handed  and  de])ended 
entirely  upon  his  own  resources  for  all  that  he 
ac<|uired  or  enjoyed.  His  sterling  worth  gained 
him  the  confidence  of  his  fellow  townsmen,  and 
all  who  knew  him  entertained  tor  him  warm  re- 
gard. Mrs.  Iiarber  still  resides  on  the  old  home- 
stead farm,  and  although  she  has  rented  the  land, 
gives  genera!  supervision  ti>  the  property. 


FREDERICK  W.  W  AKXER. 

Frederick  W.  Warner,  connectcil  wiili  agricul- 
tural interests  in  Winnebago  count\  fmm  an  early 
day.  when  jiroducc  was  hauled  by  team  to  the 
Chicago  market,  is  now  the  owner  of  a  valuable 
farm  of  six  hundred  and  eighty-seven  acres  in 
Harlem  townshi]).  He  was  born  September  29. 
1828.  at  Wethersfield.  Connecticut,  a  .son  of 
Walter  and  ( )ra  (  Clicney  )  Warner,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Connecticut. 

The  Warner  family  (in  .so  far  as  jiresent 
records  go)  originated  in  County  Essex,  England. 
where  \Villiam.  the  .\merican  emigrant,  was  born 
October  20.  1394,  and  who  settled  at  Tjiswich, 
Massachusetts,  with  a  daughUr  and  two  sons  in 

A  grandson  and  namesake  of  the  emigrant. 
Lieutenant  and  Deacon  William  W^irner,  settled 
ill  Wethersfield.  Connecticut,  and  married  No- 
vember 1,  \(y(^j.  to  Hannah,  (daughter  of  Centle- 
maii  John)  Robbins.  From  this  coujile  a  long 
line  of  Warners  has  descended  in  the  (nearly) 
two  hundred  and  fifty  years  that  have  elapsed 
since  their  marriage.  Many  of  these  lived  and 
died  at  Wethersfield,  and  more  found  homes  in 
far  distant  scenes  of  life  and  activity,  .\niong 
the  latter  we  find.  W^alter  Warner,  the  Rock 
river  pioneer,  who  was  the  son  of  .\llen  and 
Marv  (  Readle)  Warner,  born  at  Wetliersfield. 
Connecticut.  June  12,  1801,  died  at  Roscoe,  March 
25,  i86_:?.  and  who  marrieil  first.  .Xjiril  13.  1825. 
drry  ('daughter  of  Olcott)  Cheney,  of  Berlin. 
Connecticut,  who  was  born  February  5.  1804. 
died  July  13.  1839.  at  Roscoe.  He  was  married 
second.  Xovember  9.  1840.  to  Sarah  Sanborn, 
daughter  of  John  and  Hannah  ( Dickerman) 
Tucker.  The  Tucker  family,  originally  of  Rox- 
Iniry.  Massachuttsetts.  removed  after  1813  t" 
I'.ahimore.  where  Sarah  was  born  .\pril  4.  i8ir). 
The  family  again  removetl  about   1820  tn  llreeii- 


brier  county.  N'irginia  (now  West  Virginia), 
and  from  there  about  1839  to  Kane  county.  Illi- 
nois, where  she  married.  She  died  at  Kirk  wood, 
.Missouri.  December  16.  i88(>.  and  was  buried 
at   Roscoe. 

Walter  Warner's  father  died  in  181 3,  leaving 
him  at  twelve  years  of  age  the  main  support  of  a 
mother  and  five  children.  In  early  lite  he 
worked  at  the  caqieiiter's  trade  one  or  more 
winters  at  Savannah.  ( lecjrgia.  returning  to 
Wethersfield  for  the  warm  season,  and  working 
his  ])assage  on  the  sailing  vessels  plying  between 
Xew  York  and  Savannah,  as  a  common  sailor. 
Ill  1824  he  assisted  in  building  the  first  Methodist 
ciuirch  organized  in  Wethersfield.  being  a  mem- 
ber of  the  first  board  of  trustees.  This  was  a 
rude  structure,  as  money  and  labor  were  scarce, 
and  particularly  so  for  such  an  enterprise  as 
Methodism  was  considered  almost  a  heresy  at 
that  time.  However  the  house  was  built  and  in- 
closeil.  though  for  a  long  lime  for  lack  of  means. 
it  remained  unfinished.  Rude  seats  were  made 
l)\-  placing  planks  across  the  timbers,  upon 
which  the  worshipers  set  while  their  feet  rested 
on  the  ground. 

Mr.  \\'arner  continued  to  reside  it  W'ethers- 
field.  where  his  older  children  were  born,  until 
1833.  when  he  removed  to  Lima.  Xew  York, 
where  he  bought  a  farm,  but  becoming  dissatisfied 
with  his  purchase,  he  left  his  family  at  Lima  in 
1836.  and  in  company  with  his  wife's  brother, 
rienjamin  Cheney,  he  went  to  Illinois,  to  "spy 
out  the  land".  The  P.lack  Hawk  war  had  ceased, 
and  the  tide  of  immigratinn  had  just  begun  to 
set  that  wav.  He  "filed"  on  a  considerable  tract 
of  land  in  the  autumn  of  1836.  returned  to  Lima, 
and  in  the  following  sirring  .sent  his  family  over 
the  lakes  by  boat,  while  he  and  his  brother-in-law. 
Xorris  Wilcox,  drove  a  team  with  their  few 
belongings  overland  from  Lima  to  Illinois, 
where  their  families  joined  them,  arriving  on 
the  8th  of  .\ugust.  1837. 

i'.v  his  first  wife  he  had  six  children,  as  fol- 
lows: Lucv  .\nn.  Ixirn  at  P.erlin.  Connecticut, 
Sei)tember  17.  i82f).  living  now  at  Roscoe.  mar- 
ried William  Richardson,  born  at  Spencer.  Mas- 
sachusetts, September  3.  1820.  died  at  Roscoe. 
September  18.  i8i)8.  Frederick  William,  of  this 
review  is  the  next  of  the  family.  Orry.  lx>rn 
September  24.  died  Xovember  4.  1830.  Mary 
Jane,  born  at  Wethersfield,  July  31,  1833,  now 
living  ill  Heloit,  Wisconsin,  married  at  Roscoe 
in  1832  Sabin  O.  Wood,  of  Maine,  who  died  in 
Xovember.  1888.  Josephine  .\melia.  born  at 
Wethersfield  July  13.  1833.  now  living  at  St. 
Paul.  Minnesota,  married  at  Roscoe.  in  1870. 
Arthur  P.  P.rown.  who  died  .\pril  18.  1903. 
Sarah  Elizabeth,  born  at  Ro.sax'.  September  2. 
1837.  died  at  C.rinnell.  Iowa.  March  3.  i8r)8.  .She 
w.-is   the   first    wife   of   .Xrthur    P.    Pniwn.    who 


F.   W.   WARXER. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WIXXEBAGO     COUNTY. 


465 


married  her  sistc'r  Josephine.  The  following 
children  were  born  of  the  second  marriage : 
John  Tucker,  born  August  20,  died  September 
10,  1841.  George  Washington,  born  August  11, 
1842.  died  INIarch  8,  1874.  He  was  married 
November  24.  1865,  to  Ellen  A.,  daughter  of 
Lewis  and  Susannah  ( Pratt)  Anderson,  born 
Stockbridge,  New  York,  March  i,  1844,  now 
living  in  Chicago.  Martha  Maria,  born  November 
29,  1844,  died  July  21,  1882.  She  was  long  a 
teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  Roscoe  and 
Rockford  :  William  Fisk,  born  at  Roscoe,  June 
20,  1848,  now  living  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
married  October  7,  1873,  Florence  Gazlay, 
daughter  of  William  M.  and  Emily  H.  Waide,  of 
Louisville,  Kentucky,  born  at  La  Grande,  Ken- 
tucky, July  10,  1856.  Stephen  Olin,  born  Novem- 
ber 6.  1851,  died  February  15,  1897.  He  married 
on  October  i,  1880,  Elva  B.  Horning,  now  living 
in  Chicago.  Hannah  Lucretia,  born  December  3, 
1854,  died  June  29,  1855.  Lucy  A.,  Frederick 
W.,  Mary  J.,  and  Josephine  A.,  came  to  Winne- 
bago county  on  the  8th  day  of  August.  1837,  and 
all  are  still  living. 

Frederick  W.  Warner  was  about  nine  years 
of  age  when  he  accompanied  the  family  to  Illi- 
nois, traveling  by  canal  to  Buffalo,  thence  on  a 
sailing  vessel  on  the  Great  Lakes  to  Chicago, 
the  lake  trip  requiring  three  weeks  time.  They 
found  Chicago  a  small  village,  located  in  the 
midst  of  a  swamp.  That  was  the  year  of  its  in- 
corporation and  the  most  prophetic  could  not 
have  dreamed  that  it  was  soon  destined  to  be- 
come the  commercial  center  of  the  great  west. 
Mr.  Warner  was  his  father's  active  and  able  as- 
sistant in  the  ardous  task  of  clearing  and  develop- 
ing a  new  farm  and  he  worked  diligently,  faith- 
fully performing  all  the  tasks  necessary  in  the 
development  and  improvement  of  the  property. 
He  and  his  father  hauled  grain  and  dressed  hogs 
to  the  Chicago  and  Milwaukee  markets  over 
many  miles  of  corduroy  roads  and  carried  on 
farming  with  the  crude  machinery  of  that  day, 
but  speedily  adopted  the  improved  farm  imple- 
ments and  other  modern  facilities  as  they  were 
introduced.  Mr.  Warner  has  always  kept  pace 
with  progress  in  agricultural  life,  and  in  fact  has 
been  recognized  as  a  leader  in  many  things  in  his 
community.  Year  after  year  carrying  on  general 
farming,  he  has  prospered  in  his  undertakings 
and  is  now  a  prosperous  citizen.  He  has  large 
landed  possessions  in  Texas,  comprising  thirteen 
thousand  acres,  and  all  has  been  acquired 
through  his  own  labors  and  wise  investment. 

On  the  27th  of  October,  1853,  Mr.  Warner 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Pamelia  Birdsall. 
of  Roscoe,  Illinois,  who  was  born  in  New  Hart- 
ford, New  York,  April  5,  1829,  and  died  June  24, 
1896,  her  death  being  deeply  regretted  not  only 


by  her  immediate  family  but  also  by  many 
friends  because  she  was  a  most  estimable  lady, 
displaying  many  excellent  traits  of  character. 
There  were  two  sons  and  three  daughters  of  that 
marriage.  George  B.  Warner,  the  eldest,  born 
November  30,  1854,  and  now  living  in  Shenan- 
doah, Iowa,  married  Ada  Blair,  of  Roscoe, 
Illinois,  and  has  a  son  and  two  daughters.  Nel- 
lie A.  is  the  wife  of  John  P.  Graham,  of  Rock- 
ford,  and  has  two  daughters.  Harriet  J.  is  the 
wife  of  Payson  W.  Peterson,  of  Lisbon,  Iowa, 
and  has  a  son  and  two  daughters.  Abigail  M. 
Warner  is  living  in  Palo  Alto,  California.  Fred 
W..  a  resident  of  Baker  City,  Oregon,  married 
Edith  Eldred,  of  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  and  they 
have  two  sons,  Fred  W.,  3d,  and  Eldred.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Warner,  of  this  review,  also  lost  one 
son  and  two  daughters. 

In  politics  Mr.  Warner  is  an  inflexible  sup- 
porter of  the  prohibition  party,  having  long  been 
an  ardent  advocate  of  the  cause  of  temperance, 
doing  everything  in  his  power  to  promote  its 
principles.  He  is  also  a  friend  of  higher  educa- 
tion, for  although  his  own  advantages  in  youth 
in  that  direction  were  rather  limited,  he  realizes 
the  value  of  intellectual  training  and  desires  it 
for  others.  For  the  past  forty  years  he  has  been 
a  school  director  and  has  ever  favored  methods 
which  would  promote  the  utility  and  efficiencv 
of  the  schools  of  the  county.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  church  at  Roscoe,  in  which  he 
is  serving  as  steward  and  his  long  useful  and  hon- 
orable life  have  gained  him  the  respect  and  trust 
of  his  fellowmen.  As  a  pioneer  citizen  he  is  also 
entitled  to  representation  in  this  volume,  having 
for  sixty-eight  vears  lived  in  the  county. 


FREDERICK  GARNER. 

Frederick  Garner  was  a  wealthv  retired 
farmer,  who  resided  in  the  city  of  Rockford  for 
more  than  a  third  of  a  century.  He  came  to 
Winnebago  county  in  1858  and  purchased  a  farm 
in  Guilford  township.  He  was  a  native  of  New 
York,  born  December  19,  1830.  His  father  died 
in  the  Empire  state  when  Frederick  was  only  nine 
years  of  age,  and  the  mother  afterward  made  her 
home  in  New  York  throughout  her  remaining 
days,  passing  away  in  New  York  city,  although 
she  frequently  made  visits  to  Rockford  and  was 
well  known  here.  Only  one  member  of  that  fam- 
ily still  survives,  Nyac,  who  resides  in  New  York 
city. 

Frederick  Garner  attended  the  public  schools 
of  New  York,  but  his  educational  privileges  were 
somewhat  limited,  and  it  was  through  the  in- 
herent force  of  his  character,  his  strong  deter- 
mination and  native  ability  that  he  won  the  sue- 


40') 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF    WIXXEBAGO    eOLXTV 


cess  tliat  crowned  his  efforts.  He  remained  with 
his  mother  in  the  east  until  1858,  when  lie  came 
to  lUinois.  estahUshiiig  his  home  in  Winnebago 
county.  Here  lie  jjurcliased  a  farm  nf  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  on  section  31,  (hiilford  town- 
ship, but  only  resided  thereon  for  a  brief  period, 
after  which  he  rented  his  land  and  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  city  of  Rockford.  livin<;  retired  here 
until  his  death. 

It  was  subse(|uent  to  his  removal  to  the  west 
that  Mr.  ( iarner  was  married  to  .Miss  Elmore  J. 
Davis,  a  daug:hter  of  Peter  Davis,  wbo  was  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  the  county,  and  purchased  a 
farm  in  Guilford  townshi]),  where  he  carried  on 
fjenerai  agfricultural  pursuits  until  his  death.  .\11 
of  the  members  of  the  Davis  family  have  passed 
away  with  the  txception  of  .Mrs.  (iarner.  There 
were  five  diildren  born  in  this  luiion.  but  oidy 
three  are  now  living:  tirace  (I.  and  Ruby  V.. 
who  reside  with  their  mother,  and  Mrs.  H.  C. 
Chandler,  a  resident  of  Pittsburg.  Pennsylvania. 
Those  who  have  passed  away  are  Mrs.  .\.  G. 
.Allen,  who  flied  in  P>uffa]<i.  New  York,  and  one 
that  died  in  infancy. 

The  death  of  Mr.  (iarner  occurred  in  Rock- 
ford,  December  18,  1891.  He  was  independait 
in  his  political  views,  supporting  men  and  meas- 
ures rather  than  party.  He  formed  a  wide  ac- 
quaintance during  his  residence  here  and  gained 
many  friends,  who  esteemed  him  1)ecause  of  his 
genuine  pcr.sonal  worth.  He  was  always  consid- 
erate of  others,  w-as  loyal  in  citizenship,  faithful 
in  friendship  and  devoted  to  his  family.  Mrs. 
Garner  still  owns  the  old  home  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  in  Guilford  townshi]),  to- 
gether with  her  fine  residence  at  Rockford,  at 
No.  509  College  avenue,  where  she  and  her 
daughters  are  living.  .She  is  a  member  of  the 
First  Congregational  church  of  this  city. 


EDGAR  C.  SP.MT.DING. 

Edgar  C.  Spaulding.  who  in  his  life  exempli- 
fied the  traits  of  character  which  in  every  land 
and  clime  command  respect  and  confidence,  was 
born  in  Pirodbead.  Wisconsin.  June  18.  !8fV).  and 
for  many  years  was  activelv  identified  with  build- 
ing operations  in  Rockford  as  foreman  for  many 
contractors  of  this  city.  His  parents  were  Allen 
C.  and  Phoebe  C  Keller")  Spaulding.  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  whence 
they  came  to  the  west  at  an  early  day.  settling 
in  Piroflhead.  Wisconsin.  Eater  the  father  re- 
moved to  Towa.  but  after  a  brief  period  returned 
to  Pirodbead.  He  was  a  carpenter  and  general 
mechanic,  and  he  carried  on  business  at  P.rod- 
head  imtil  1874.  when  he  removed  with  bis  fam- 
ilv  to  Rockforcl.     Here  be  became  owner  of  a 


large  sash  and  lilind  factory,  w  iiich  he  conducted 
successfully  on  South  Main  street  for  many 
years.  He  secured  a  good  patronage,  his  busi- 
ness constantly  increasing,  and  be  resided  in 
Rockford  until  he  went  south,  where  he  remained 
until  his  death.  .\t  the  time  of  the  Civil  war 
he  responded  to  the  country's  call  for  aid.  and 
became  a  member  of  the  Cnion  army.  His  widow 
still  survives  him,  and  is  now  living  in  Chatta- 
nooga, Tennessee.  .\  daughter  of  the  family  is 
also  a  resident  of  that  city,  and  another  daughter 
of   Hammond.    Louisiana. 

Edgar  C.  Spaulding  was  only  five  years  of  age 
when  brought  by  his  parents  to  Rockford,  and 
he  ac(|uired  a  good  education  in  the  public 
schoiils  here.  He  found  necessity  to  be  the  spur 
of  ambition  when  be  started  out  upon  his  busi- 
ness career,  and  by  his  persistency  of  purjiose  he 
won  advancement.  He  first  worked  in  a  tannery 
for  a  few  years  and  afterward  secured  a  situatinn 
in  connection  with  a  dry-plate  business  of  Rock- 
ford. Subsequent  to  his  marriage  be  spent  about 
six  months  in  the  vicinity  of  New  ( )rleans.  work- 
ing at  the  carpenter's  trade,  after  which  he  re- 
turned to  this  city,  and  resumed  building  opera- 
tions here.  He  had  a  thorough  understanding  of 
the  ]irinci])les  which  underlie  construction  as  well 
as  of  the  jiractical  work  of  the  trade,  and  because 
of  his  ability  he  acted  as  foreman  for  Mr.  Cook, 
a  contractor,  and  in  this  capacity  superintended 
the  construction  of  many  of  the  fine  residences 
and  public  buildings  of  Rt)ckford. 

It  was  on  the  23d  of  October.  1890,  that  Mr. 
S])aulding  was  united  in  marriage  in  this  city  to 
.Miss  Eaura  Morten,  a  native  of  Rockford,  and 
a  daughter  of  Jonathan  F.  and  Mary  .-\nn 
(Long)  Morten,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Hamilton  county,  Oiiio.  The  father  was  born 
October.  t8,  1824.  and  in  May.  1868.  removed 
to  Rockford.  where  be  entered  into  |)artnership 
with  a  Mr.  Currier  in  the  drug  business.  They 
conducted  a  store  in  F.ast  Rockford  for  several 
years,  but  .Mr.  Morten  did  not  meet  with  the 
success  he  had  anticii)ated  in  that  line  of  activity 
and  in  consetjuence  withdrew  from  commercial 
pursuits  and  removed  to  a  farm  in  New  Milford 
township,  Winnebago  comity.  He  then  devoted 
his  energies  to  agricultural  i)ursuits  for  a  few 
years  in  that  township,  after  which  he  took  up 
his  abode  on  a  large  farm  in  Roscoe  township, 
continuing  its  further  development  and  improve- 
ment for  some  time.  Eventually  he  again  estab- 
lished bis  home  in  Rockford.  where  he  was  en- 
gaged in  carpentering  initil  his  death  in  Novem- 
ber, i8<ji.  His  widow  now  makes  her  home  in 
Rockfonl  with  her  daughter.  Mrs.  Si)aulding. 
There  were  six  children  in  the  Morten  family, 
of  whom  Mrs.  Spaidding  is  the  youngest.  The 
others  are  as  follows:  Sarah,  the  eldest  of  the 
Morten   familv.  is  now  the  wife  of  W.   P.  Gui- 


PAST     AND     PRESEXT     UV     WTXXEBAGC)     COUXTY. 


467 


teau,  of  Marietta.  Ohio :  John  L.  is  carpenter 
living  in  Sacramento.  California  :  C  ( iilbert  was 
an  engineer  for  the  Chicago  &  Xorthwestern 
Railroad  Company,  and  made  his  home  in  Rock- 
ford,  but  on  accoinit  of  ill  health  he  has  recently 
removed  to  Los  Angeles.  California :  Frank  re- 
sides at  Deer  Lodge.  Montana ;  Arthur  E.  was  a 
very  prominent  young  man  of  Rockford.  having 
a  wide  ac(|uaintance  and  the  friendship  of  all 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  armory,  and  he  married  Rena  Leman. 
They  now  reside  in  Libby.  Oregon,  where  he  has 
charge  of  the  offices  of  a  mining  company.  (Jf 
a  social,  genial  nature,  he  was  very  popular,  and 
his  removal  from  Rockford  was  deeply  regretted 
by  his  many  friends  in  this  cit}'. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spaulding  became  the  parents  of 
five  children:  Alarv  M..  who  was  born  Xovem- 
ber  16,  1891  :  Phoebe,  born  March  22,  1895 : 
Ruth  M.,  April  5,  1897;  Olive  M..  March  22, 
1899,  '"id  Elizabeth  Clara.  April  6,  1901.  The 
eldest  <laughtcr  is  now  a  high  school  student. 
Mr.  Spaulding  gave  his  political  support  to  the 
republican  party,  but  had  no  desire  for  office, 
preferring  to  concentrate  his  attention  upon  his 
business  affairs,  his  home  and  his  church.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  State  Street  Baptist  church, 
and  took  a  very  active  and  helpful  part  in  its 
work,  giving  generously  according  to  his  means 
to  its  support  and  regularly  attending  its  serv- 
ices. In  business  life  he  was  known  as  a  skilled 
workman,  and  above  all  as  a  conscientious  and 
reliable  one.  Socially  he  was  connected  w-ith 
the  Fraternal  Tribunes.  His  death  occurred  in 
Rockford,  September  2.  1900,  after  a  very  brief 
illness,  and  was  the  occasion  of  deep  and  wide- 
spread regret  in  building  circles,  among  his 
friends  and  in  his  church,  but  the  loss  came  with 
greatest  force  to  his  family,  for  in  his  own  house- 
hold he  was  a  devoted  husband  and  father. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spaulding  were  living  on  Avon 
street  at  the  time  of  his  death,  but  she  has  since 
removed  to  Irving  avenue,  where  she  purchased 
a  lot  and  erected  a  nice  residence,  living  there 
with  her  children  and  her  mother.  Siie  too  is  a 
member  of  the  State  Street  Baptist  church,  and 
is  activelv  interested  in  its  work. 


ALLEX   WELLS    GOODRICH. 

.\llen  \\'ells  Goodrich,  whose  farming  interests 
are  represented  by  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  land  on  section  8.  Durand  township,  and  sec- 
tion 5.  Laona  township,  was  born  in  the  former 
township.  .September  19.  1849.  his  parents  being 
David  M.  and  Eliza  Ann  (Wells)  Goodrich.  The 
father  was  born  in  ^lanlius  township.  Onondago 
county.   Xew   York,    February    19,    1814,   and   in 


1836  came  west  to  Illinois,  casting  his  lot  with 
the  pioneer  settlers  of  Stephenson  county,  where 
he  lived  for  four  or  five  years,  when  he  entered 
from  the  government  what  has  since  been 
known  as  the  Goodrich  homestead.  He  was  an 
enterprising  and  prosperous  agriculturist,  and 
carried  on  the  work  of  the  farm  until  his  death, 
February  10,  1878.  His  wife,  a  daughter  of 
Henry  and  Ann  Wells,  was  born  in  Manlius, 
Xew  York.  Alarch  3,  1814,  and  died  August  7, 
1856.  Their  son,  Henry  J.  Goodrich,  bom  Au- 
gust 15,  1839,  enlisted  in  July,  1862,  as  a  member 
of  the  Seventy-fourth  Illinois  Volunteers,  and 
was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Kenesaw  Moun- 
tain, June  23,  1864.  He  was  then  taken  to  the 
hospital  at  Chattanooga,  Tennessee,  where  he 
died  July  21,  1864,  his  remains  being  interred  in 
the  national  cemetery  there.  One  son  of  the 
faniil}-  died  in  youth.  Betsy  Ann  Goodrich,  a 
sister,  born  August  6,  1842,  became  the  wife  of 
A.  M.  Kasson,  of  Eskridge,  Kansas,  and  they 
have  five  sons  and  two  daughters.  Mr.  Kasson 
enlisted  October  16,  1861,  in  Company  B,  Eight- 
eenth Wisconsin  \'olnnteer  Infantry,  was  dis- 
charged at  Corinth  for  disability,  re-enlisted  De- 
cember 17,  1863,  and  was  mustered  out  at  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky,  in  July.  1865,  after  participating 
in  various  battles  of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee 
and  Cumberland.  \\'ealthy  J.  (,ioodrich,  born 
May  18,  1845,  's  tlie  ^^''ft^  of  Henry  Wallace,  of 
Durand,  and  has  a  son  and  daughter.  After  los- 
ing his  first  wife  David  M.  Goodrich  married 
Harriet  Ames,  and  the  half-sisters  of  our  sub- 
ject are:  Ella,  who  was  born  May  9.  1858.  and 
is  the  wife  of  Lliram  Potter,  of  Laona  township, 
by  whom  .she  has  four  sons ;  and  Katie  E..  who 
was  born  December  25,  1859,  and  is  the  wife 
of  Fred  Sackett,  of  ^Minneapolis,  b}'  whom  she 
has  one  daughter.  Two  sisters  died  in  child- 
hood. 

Allen  \\'.  Goodrich,  born  only  five  and  a  half 
miles  from  his  present  home,  has  always  lived 
in  Durand  township,  and  at  the  usual  age  began 
his  education  in  the  public  schools,  while  in  the 
summer  months  the  work  of  the  fields  claimed  his 
attention  and  he  assisted  in  the  plowing,  planting 
and  harvesting.  He  has  always  followed  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  and  he  also  carries  on  dairying, 
both  branches  of  his  business  being  carefully 
conducted,  so  that  he  is  prospering  in  his  under- 
takings. 

Air.  Goodrich  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Emma  C.  Potter,  December  24,  1873.  She  is  a 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Sallie  (Smith)  Potter,  of 
Davis,  Illinois.  Her  father,  born  in  Ohio,  Sep- 
tember 2,  1830,  came  to  this  state  about  1837, 
and  died  Alay  3,  i860,  while  his  wife,  who  was 
born  in  Indiana.  X'^ovember  10,  1834,  died  in 
Davis,  X^ovember  27,  1859.  They  were  married 
July  3,   1853.     Mr.   Potter  was  descended   from 


4(.8 


I 'AST     AND     I'KF.Sr.XT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


\  ir.<:;iniaii  ancestry,  his  father  having  removed 
from  the  Old  Dominion  to  Ohio  in  pioneer 
times,  vvliile  Mrs.  Potter  was  of  Irish  and  Ger- 
man descent.  They  had  two  sons :  Hiram,  of 
Laona  townsliip.  and  one  that  died  in  childhood. 
L'nto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goodrich  have  been  born 
four  children :  Clarinda  E.,  born  October  6, 
1874:  D.  Birdell,  born  May  20.  1879;  Omer  A., 
November  3.  1881  ;  and  Darrell  R..  December 
19.  1889.  .All  are  at  home.  The  parents  attend 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Durand,  and 
Mr.  Goodrich  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the 
republican  party,  of  which  he  is  an  unfaltering 
advocate.  He  has  served  for  many  years  as 
school  director,  and  is  interested  in  all  that  per- 
tains to  ])ublic  i)nigrcss  along  material,  political, 
intellectual  and  moral  lines.  That  many  of  his 
stanchest  friends  are  those  who  have  known  him 
from  boyhood  is  an  indication  that  he  has  led 
an  upright  life.  worth\    tlieir  unqualified  regard. 


DANIEL  A.  SMITH. 

Daniel   -\.   Smith   is  one  of  the  younger  and 
successful    rpresentatives    of    agricultural    inter- 
ests in   Harlem   township,  owning  land   on   sec- 
tions 26  and  35.     It  was  upon  this  same  farm 
that  he  was  born  March  18,  1873.     lie  comes  of 
Scotch  lineage,  tracing  his  ancestry  back  to  Dan- 
iel Smith,  a  native  of  .\yrshire,  Scotland,  who, 
removing  to  .\rgyleshire.  lived   for  many  years 
in  a  sod  house,  and  transformed  a  tract  of  wild 
land   into  a  productive   farm.      His  son.   Daniel 
Smith,  torn  in  Argykshire,  February   11,   1791, 
engaged  in   the  cultivation  of  rented  land  after 
attaining  his  majority.     He  was  married  to  Mary 
Montgomery,   whose  birth  occurred  in    Kintyre. 
January  12.  1795.  her  father  being  Robert  Mont- 
gomery.     In    1842   Daniel    Smith   with   his   wife 
and  children  sailed  on  the  ( ileaner  from  Camp- 
bclltown  to  New  York,  where  they  arrived  on  the 
4th   of  July,   and   thence   by   way   of   the   Great 
Lakes    to    Chicago     they     came    to    Winnebago 
county,  settling  in  Harlem  township  on  the  farm 
which  is  now  the  home  of  our  subject.    The  land 
was   ])urchased   at   a   low   figure   by    Mr.    .Smith 
aufl  his  brother-in-law,  James  Montgomery,  and 
the  improvements  on  the  place  consisted  of  a  log 
cabin  and  a  large  log  building  which  had  been 
used   as   a   distillery.      Mr.    .Smith    continued    to 
operate  his  farm  until  his  death  which  occurred 
.\ugust   20.    1845.   his   wife   surviving  him   until 
May  31.   1872. 

Rn1)ert  Smith,  their  son,  born  in  Kintyre,  Ar- 
gyleshire,  .Scotland,  .\ugust  22,  1824,  was  a 
young  man  of  eighteen  years  when  the  family 
crossed  the  Atlantic.  He  was  the  second  i>f  nine 
children,  and  after  his  father's  death  the  work  of 


improving  and  devel()i>ing  tlie  iionie  farm  de- 
volved largely  upon  him.  lie  cinitinued  its  cul- 
tivation fur  many  years,  making  many  improve- 
ments there  but  at  the  ])resent  time  is  living  re- 
tired in  Rockford.  In  1855  he  married  .Agnes 
Greenlees,  who  was  born  in  Kintyre,  .Argyle- 
shire,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Martha  (Har- 
vey) Greenlees.  She  is  now  deceased.  Mr.  Smith 
is  a  Presbyterian  in  religious  faith,  and  his  polit- 
ical views  endorse  re]ntblican  i)rincii)les. 

Daniel  .A.  Smith,  the  youngest  of  five  chil- 
dren in  his  father's  family,  has  always  resided 
upon  the  old  home  farm.  He  assisted  his  fatiier 
until  nineteen  years  of  age.  when  he  and  his 
brother  \\'illiam  rented  the  home  place,  aufl  in 
1898  Daniel  .Smith  purchased  the  farm.  His  at- 
tention has  been  given  in  undivided  manner  to 
its  further  developmnet  and  improvement,  and 
in  connection  with  the  tilling  of  the  soil  he  car- 
ries on  stock-raising.  He  was  well  qualified 
for  his  business  interests  by  a  good  common- 
school  education,  and  a  term's  study  in  a  busi- 
ness college  at  Rockford  and  in  all  of  his  work 
he  is  methodical,  practical  and  diligent. 

In  June.  1901.  I\Ir.  Smith  married  Margaret 
Ralston,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Martha 
(Pickcn)  Ralston,  of  Harlem  township.  Mrs. 
.Smith  was  born  Seiitember  21.  1875,  and  her  par- 
ents were  early  residents  of  the  locality.  Our 
subject  and  his  wife  attend  the  Willow  Creek 
Presbyterian  church,  and  his  political  allegiance 
is  given  to  the  republican  party.  They  are  well 
known  young  people  of  the  community,  to  whom 
the  hos])itality  of  the  best  homes  is  freely  ac- 
corded. 


CHARLES  R.  HALL. 

Charles  R.  Hall,  who  since  1858  has  made  his 
home  in  Wiimebago  county  and  in  connection 
with  farming  is  financially  interested  in  indus- 
trial pursuits  and  banking  in  Rockford.  now 
lives  on  section  19.  Rockford  township,  where 
be  owns  a  valuable  farm  of  three  hundred  acres, 
in  addition  to  which  he  cultivates  a  tract  of  twa 
hundred  acres  which  he  leases.  He  is  a  native 
of  Connecticut,  having  been  born  in  the  town 
of  Bristol  in  1855,  his  parents  being  Friend  C. 
and  Loly  B.  (^latthews")  Hall,  who  came  to 
Winnebago  county  about  1858.  The  mother  died 
April  II,  1901.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Joel  and 
Julia  ( I'ord)  Matthews,  who  spent  their  entire 
lives  in  ^\'aterbury.  Connecticut,  and  were  farm- 
ing people.  Our  subject's  jiatcrnal  grandjiarents 
were  Lyman  and  Mila  (Hall)  Hall,  who  died  in 
Wallingford,  Connecticut,  the  former  March  6, 
1844,  at  the  age  of  fort\-six  years,  and  the  lat- 
ter November  16,  1837,  at  the  age  of  thirty-six 
vears. 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


4/1 


On  reaching-  the  middle  west  Friend  C.  Hall 
purchased  a  farm  in  Winnebago  township,  and 
later  received  nine  hundred  acres  in  Rockford 
township  from  his  uncle.  Riley  Hall,  who  came 
to  the  west  at  a  very  early  day  in  the  develop- 
ment of  this  section  of  the  state  and  took  up  the 
land  from  the  government.  The  old  stage  barn 
was  located  upon  his  farm,  and  is  still  standing 
on  the  property  of  Charles  R.  Hall.  The  farm 
was  one  of  the  first  developed  in  this  locality, 
and  has  since  been  divided  among  the  four  chil- 
dren of  Friend  C.  Hall.  It  was  upon  this  place 
that  Charles  R.  Hall  was  reared,  early  becoming 
familiar  with  the  duties  and  labors  which  claim 
the  attention  and  energies  of  the  agriculturist. 
In  addition  to  what  he  inherited  of  the  old  home 


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ucation,  and  since  his  youth  has  had  charge  of 
the  home  farm  and  its  operation.  At  one  time 
he  cultivated  eight  hundred  acres  of  valuable 
land,  and  he  has  recently  sold  a  farm  in  Hodge- 
man county,  Kansas.  He  now  cultivates  five 
hundred  acres  of  land,  of  which  he  owns  three 
hundred  acres.  He  carries  on  general  farming 
and  stock-raising,  feeding  a  large  amount  of 
stock  annually.  He  has  upon  his  place  many 
thoroughbreds,  including  shorthorn  Durham 
cattle  and  Poland-China  hogs.  He  not  only 
raises,  but  also  buys  and  feds,  hogs  and  cattle, 
handling  several  hundred  each  year.  The  build- 
ings are  all  new  and  the  farm  is  finely  improved. 
In  1904  he  suffered  great  losses  through  fire, 
the  buildings  being  thus  destroyed,  but  with  char- 


OLD  WELL. 


OLD  STAGE  BARN. 


property  he  later  purchased  his  brother's  inter- 
est, following  the  death  of  the  father  October 
15,  1904.  at  the  age  of  seventy-four  years.  Friend 
C.  Hall  had  been  prominent  and  influential  in 
community  affairs  and  had  served  as  road  com- 
missioner and  school  director  for  many  years. 
He  was  active  in  business  and  political  life,  and 
was  well  liked  by  his  neighbors  and  friends.  In 
early  manhood  he  became  a  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity,  joining  Star  in  the  East  lodge. 
No.  166,  March  3,  1871.  In  his  family  were 
four  children :  F.  L..  who  married  Rose  C. 
Smith,  of  Rockford,  and  is  living  in  Rock  Island, 
Illinois ;  Charles  R.,  of  this  review  ;  Mrs.  John 
Stiles,  whose  home  is  in  Rockford  township,  and 
who  had  two  children,  Clinton  J.,  who  died  in 
infancy,  and  Loly  B.,  at  home  ;  and  Alena,  who 
is  living  at  the  old  family  home. 
Charles  R.  Hall  acquired  a  common  school  ed- 
26 


acteristic  energy  he  replaced  them  by  commodious 
and  modern  structures,  and  now  has  a  splendid 
farm  property,  on  which  is  a  good  residence  and 
large  barns  and  other  outbuildings  for  the  shel- 
ter of  grain  and  stock.  Mr.  Hall  has  likewise 
become  financially  interested  in  the  furniture 
factories  of  Rockford  and  in  the  Rockford  Na- 
tional Bank.  He  is  a  man  of  excellent  business 
discernment,  sound  in  judgment,  enterprising  in 
purpose  and  reliable  in  his  dealings. 

In  his  political  views  J\Ir.  Hall  is  an  inde- 
pendent democrat,  and  for  twenty  years  has 
served  as  school  director,  but  otherwise  has 
never  held  nor  sought  public  office.  Fraternally 
he  is  a  Mason,  and  is  now  worshipful  master  of 
Star  in  the  East  lodge.  No.  166,  A.  F.  &  A.  M., 
of  Rockford.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Eastern 
Star  chapter,  the  Royal  Arch  chapter.  Crusader 
commandery.  No.   17,  K.  T.,  and  the  consistory 


472 


I'AS'I 


AXI)     I'RI-:S1-:XT     OF     WINXEBAGO     COLXTV. 


at  l-'rccpDrt.  tlnis  atlaiiiiiis;  the  lliirty-SL-coiul  ilc- 
grce  of  the  Scottisli  rite.  lie  is  lil<c\vise  a  mem- 
ber of  tlic  Mystic  Shrine  at  Rockfonl.  and  he 
has  filled  many  offices  in  various  branches  of 
Masoiirv  and  is  chairman  of  the  board  oi  hall 
committees  of  the   Masonic  bodies. 


RF.W  Al.niA  W ARRF.X. 

Death  often  removes  from  our  midst  those 
whom  we  can  ill  afford  to  lose,  and  such  was 
the  opinion  generally  felt  wlien  Rev.  Alpha  War- 
ren was  called  from  this  life.  He  served  as  a 
minister  of  the  Consret^ational  dnirch  in  Rock- 
ford  and  other  jioints  in  this  ])art  of  the  state, 
and  resided  for  a  number  of  years  in  Winnebatjo 
county,  respected  and  honored  by  all  who  knew 
him.  He  was  Ixirn  in  Xew  York,  and  his  parents 
spent  their  entire  lives  in  the  cast.  In  his  native 
state  he  acquired  a  fjood  education,  and.  prepar- 
ing  for  the  ministry  he  entered  ujion  the  active 
work  of  the  Mcthcxlist  F])isco]ial  church  while 
in  Xew  York.  He  was  upon  the  same  circuit 
a<;  his  father-in-law.  the  Uev.  S.  H.  Stockiufj. 
aiid  he  i)reached  in  the  Empire  state  until  he 
came  to  the  middle  west,  settling  first  near 
Janesville.  \\'isconsin.  where  he  followed  farm- 
iiijj;.  and  also  continued  his  labors  as  a  minister 
of  the  gos])el.  He  was  later  made  presiding 
elder. 

Rev.  Warren  was  married  before  his  removal 
to  the  west.  .Miss  Harriett  Spaulding  becoming 
his  wife.  She  too  was  a  native  of  Xew  York, 
and  her  parents  both  died  there.  Her  death  oc- 
curred in  Rockford  at  the  family  home  at  Xo. 
(kx)  Xorth  Clnirch  street,  where  their  .son,  John, 
now  resides.  He  married  Lottie  Menzcr  and  is 
now  living  retired.  The  elder  child  of  that 
marriage  died  unnamed  in  infancy.  In  1875  R^v. 
Warren  was  again  married,  his  second  union 
being  with  Mrs.  Fliza  A.  (Stocking)  Herrick. 
a  native  of  I'ike  county.  Pennsylvania,  born  in 
October.  1821.  and  a  daughter  of  the  Rev.  S.  H. 
and  Polly  ( Matson )  Stcjcking.  I  ler  parents 
were  natives  of  Xew  York  and  removed  to  Penn- 
sylvania, whence  they  afterward  came  to  Illinois, 
first  settling  on  a  farm  near  llelvidere,  I'.oone 
county.  Later  they  took  u])  their  abode  in  lieloit, 
Wisconsin,  where  Mr.  Stocking  served  as  jiastor 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  for  several 
years.  Later  he  engaged  in  preaching  in  various 
churches  of  his  denomination  in  the  northern 
part  of  Illinois,  and  finally  settled  in  Celoit.  He 
and  his  wife  died  in  Rockford.  His  elaughter. 
Eliza  .\..- was  first  married  to  Rufus  L.  Herrick, 
of  Homer,  Xew  York,  who  removed  to  I'.elvi- 
dcre,  Illinois,  where  he  was  engaged  in  business 
as  a   carriage   finisher.      He  afterward   went   to 


lleloit,  Wisconsin,  where  his  death  occurred. 
There  were  five  children  of  that  union,  of  whom 
three  are  now  living:  Lizzie  I.,  born  March  9, 
1S4S,  is  the  widow  of  Edwin  W.  Wilson,  who 
had  charge  of  a  i)ai)er  mill  in  lieloit  and  nedr 
Kankakee,  Illinois.  He  lived  for  a  short  time  in 
Rockford,  but  died  in  Elmwomi,  Illinois,  .Mrs, 
Wilson  now  makes  her  home  with  her  mother 
in  this  city.  L'nto  Mr.  anil  Mrs.  Wilson  were 
l)orn  four  children:  Charles  E.,  now  deceased: 
Xellie  IC.  who  is  a  nurse,  and  resides  with  her 
mother:  Ruby  May,  who  is  living  on  .South  W  in- 
nebago  street,  in  Rockford.  and  one  that  died 
unname<l  in  infancy,  Charles  E.  Herrick  is  a 
carriage-painter,  residing  in  Xeenah,  Wi.scon- 
sin.  William  A.  makes  his  home  in  Rockford, 
where  he  is  engaged  in  the  extract  business.  The 
members  of  the  family  now  deceased  are  Sopliro- 
nius  and  .\lberl  Xeely. 

l'"rom  Janesville.  Wisconsin.  Rev.  Warren  re- 
moved to  the  village  of  Roscoe,  Illinois,  acting  as 
pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  for  a  few 
years.  He  then  retired  from  the  work  of  the 
ministr\-  and  removed  to  a  farm  in  Harlem  town- 
ship, devoting  his  energies  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits for  several  years,  on  the  e.\])iration  of  which 
period  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Rockford,  mak- 
ing his  home  here  until  his  death.  He  became 
a  ])romincnt  and  influential  citizen  here,  and 
owned  much  valuable  ])roperty,  but  the  estate 
has  not  yet  been  divided.  He  stood  as  a  high 
tyi)e  of  .\merican  manhood,  respected  by  all  for 
his  genuine  worth,  and  the  world  is  better  for 
his  having  lived.  His  influence  was  ever  on  the 
side  of  reform,  improvement,  justice  and  truth, 
and  Rockford  therefore  lost  one  of  its  best  citi- 
zens when  he  was  called  to  his  final  rest.  Mrs. 
Warren  owns  and  occupies  a  nice  residence  at 
Xo.  1020  Rockton  avenue,  where  she  and  her 
daughter,   Mrs.   Wilson,   reside. 


THOMAS  HEXRY  CULHAX'E,  M.  D, 

Dr,  Thomas  Henry  Culhane.  who  in  his  prac- 
tice is  making  a  specialty  of  surgery  and  is  also 
serving  on  the  staft  of  the  City  Hospital  of  Rock- 
ford, was  born  in  Cherry  X'alley,  Winncl«go 
county,  June  7,  18^)8.  His  parents,  .Andrew  and 
Catherine  Margaret  (P>evin)  Culhane,  were  na- 
tives of  Ireland,  and  on  crossing  the  Atlantic  to 
.America  in  1857.  the  fat  Iter  made  his  way  to 
Buffalo,  New  York.  .Afterward  he  located  in 
Cherry  N'^alley,  where  he  continued  to  make  his 
home  until  his  death.  He  scr\'cd  as  foreman  for 
Hugh  Mackey  and  John  Brown,  For  the  last 
fifteen  years  of  his  life  he  lived  retired  and  died 
February  28,  IWS-  In  his  family  were  eight 
children,    of   whom   one    died    in    infancv.      The 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COl'NTY. 


473 


others  are:  Mary,  the  wife  of  John  Sullivan,  of 
the  firm  of  Sullivan  &  Curry,  of  Rockford ;  Julia, 
the  wife  of  Joseph  Sullivan,  of  Rockford ;  Ellen, 
who  married  Harry  Jilbert,  of  this  city ;  Kath- 
erine,  the  wife  of  Frank  P.  Dooly,  of  Chicago ; 
Thomas  H. ;  Alice,  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools 
of  Rockford  :  and  A.  B..  a  practicin;;  dentist  of 
this  city. 

Dr.  Culhane  pursued  his  education  in  Cherry 
Valley  until  he  had  completed  the  high  school 
course,  after  which  he  engaged  in  teaching  there 
and  in  Caledonia  for  two  years.  He  began  prep- 
aration for  the  practice  of  medicine  in  1887.  ma- 
triculating in  Rush  Medical  College  of  Chicago, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1890.  In  1903 
he  pursued  post-graduate  work  in  the  Physicians 
and  Surgeons"  West  Side  Hospital  of  Chicago, 
and  reading  and  research  have  ahvavs  ke]it  him 
abreast  in  the  advancement  made  bv  the  medical 
fraternit}'.  Following  his  graduation  he  located  in 
Rockford,  opening  an  office  at  No.  1025  South 
Main  street,  and  he  has  now  a  very  large  prac- 
tice, his  patronage  having  constantly  grown  as  he 
has  demonstrated  his  ability  to  meet  the  intricate 
problems  which  continuallv  confront  the  phvsi- 
cian.  He  makes  a  specialty  of  surgery  and  he 
is  a  member  of  the  staff  of  the  Citv  Hospital.  He 
belongs  to  the  Illinois  State  ^Medical  Societv,  the 
Winnebago  County  ]\Iedical  Societv  and  the 
American   Medical  Association. 

In  1893  Dr.  Culhane  was  married  to  Miss 
Katherine  T.  Fitzpatrick.  a  daughter  of  Nicholas 
Fitzpatrick,  of  Chicago,  and  they  have  three  chil- 
dren:  Marion,  born  in  1896:  Francis,  in  1857: 
and  Thomas  Henry,  October  25,  1904.  The  par- 
ents are  members  of  St.  Mary's  Catholic  church, 
and  Dr.  Culhane  has  fraternal  relations  with  the 
Knights  of  Columbus,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America,  the  Home  Fraternal  League,  the  Mys- 
tic Workers,  the  Fraternal  Tribunes  and  the 
Loyal  Americans.  He  is  independent  in  his  po- 
litical views,  supporting  the  candidates  whom  he 
regards  as  best  qualified  for  office.  He  has  twice 
been  a  member  of  the  pension  board,  and  is  now 
president  of  the  school  board,  and  local  ad- 
vancement, as  well  as  national  progress,  is  a 
cause  dear  to  his  heart,  so  that  more  than  one 
measure  for  the  benefit  of  Rockford  has  felt  the 
stimulus  of  his  support  and  co-operation. 


DA\'ID  ATWOOD. 


David  Atwood.  for  manv  \-ears  an  agriculturist 
of  Winnebago  county  and  also  connected  with 
banking  interests  as  a  stockholder,  took  up  his 
abode  here  in  the  fall  of  1844,  ^"d  was  therefore 
one  of  the  pioneer  residents  of  this  part  of  the 
state.  Sixty  years  have  since  elapsed  and  many 
changes   have   occurred,   for  at  the  time   of  his 


arrival  he  found  a  district  largely  unimproved, 
while  Rockford  was  a  little  village  giving  small 
evidence  of  future  development  and  growth.  'Mr. 
Atwood  was  born  in  Middleville,  Berkshire 
county.  Massachusetts,  June  11,  1824,  his  parents 
being  Phineas  and  Huldah  (Hascall)  Atwood. 
The  father  was  a  native  of  Great  Barrington, 
Massachusetts,  and  the  mother  of  Peru,  that  state. 
In  his  native  town  he  learned  and  followed  the 
blacksmith's  trade  and  also  engaged  in  farming 
there.  He  was  likewise  active  in  the  work  of  the 
church  and  was  an  ordained  minister  of  the  ]\Ieth- 
odist  Episcopal  denomination,  preaching  at  both 
Middleville  and  Washington,  Massachusetts.  In 
1842  he  removed  to  Lewis  county.  New  York, 
where  he  resided  until  1845,  when  he  came  to  the 
west,  settling  in  Winnebago  count)-.  For  a  short 
time  he  resided  in  New  ^lilford  and  then  went 
to  Harlem  township,  where  he  became  owner  of 
a  large  tract  of  land,  to  the  cultivation  and  im- 
provement of  which  he  devoted  his  energies  as 
a  general  farmer  for  many  years.  Later  he  lived 
retired,  making  his  home  there  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  Harlem  township  when  he  was 
eighty-five  years  of  age.  He  had  served  his 
country  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812  as  a 
drummer  boy,  and  was  equally  loyal  to  her  wel- 
fare throughout  his  entire  life  and  also  to  public 
progress  and  improvement  along  the  lines  that 
promote  the  material,  intellectual  and  moral  de- 
velopment of  the  race.  His  widow  died  in  Har- 
lem township  at  the  age  of  ninety-four  vears. 
There  were  ten  children  in  their  family,  of  whom 
four  are  living,  namely :  Jonathan,  a  retired 
merchant,  residing  in  De  Kalb.  Illinois :  ^lary 
\\'..  who  is  the  widow  of  Charles  Haskins,  and 
resides  at  No.  415  East  street  in  Rockford  ;  Heze- 
kiah,  a  retired  merchant  living  in  Boone.  Iowa  ; 
and  Sylvester  G..  who  is  living  retired  at  No. 
1904  Harlem  avenue  in  Rockford.  Those  de- 
ceased are  Phineas.  Harriet  N.,  Patience,  David, 
Louisa  and  Bradley  S. 

David  Atwood  acquired  a  good  education  in 
the  east  and  in  1842  accompanied  his  parents  on 
their  removal  to  Lewis  county.  New  York,  where 
he  lived  until  1844.  The  brothers  came  west  on 
account  of  the  health  of  Jonathan  Atwood.  They 
made  the  journey  by  way  of  the  Great  Lakes  to 
Chicago  and  by  stage  to  Rockford.  Here  Mr. 
Atwood  began  working  by  the  month  as  a  farrn 
hand  and  finalh-  located  on  the  place  now  known 
as  the  old  Hastings  farm  in  New  Milford  town- 
ship, living  there  for  a  few  years.  Subsequently 
he  took  up  his  abode  in  Harlem  township  where 
he  purchased  a  tract  of  wild  prairie  land  for 
seven  dollars  per  acre  and  on  this  he  built  a  small 
house.  He  then  began  clearing  his  land,  and  as 
the  fields  were  prepared  for  the  plow  he  turned 
his  furrows  and  planted  his  crops.  He  paid  for 
his  farm  by  hauling  his  corn  to  Beloit,  Wisconsin. 


474 


FAST    A\D    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO     COIXTV. 


whicli  was  then  the  nearest  market,  receiving  for 
the  prodnct  twenty  cents  per  Inishel.  Desiring 
a  companion  and  hel]3mate  for  Hfe's  journey,  Mr. 
Atwood  was  married  November  15,  1848.  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Crill,  better  known  as  Libby.  She  was 
born  in  Stark,  Herkimer  county.  New  York,  Oc- 
tober ID.  1 83 1,  her  parents  being  James  and 
Susan  (Gnivits)  Crill.  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  Herkimer  county.  The  family,  however, 
is  of  German  lineage,  and  the  grandfather, 
Thomas  Crill,  was  the  first  of  name  to  come 
from  Germany  to  America,  emanating  from  a 
noble  family.  He  served  as  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolutionary  war  and  died  in  Herkimer  county. 
New  York.  James  Crill  and  his  wife  moved  to 
the  west  in  1844.  and  first  settled  in  New  Milford 
township.  Winnebago  county,  on  a  farm,  where 
they  lived  for  four  months.  They  then  removed 
to  Monroe  township.  Ogle  county,  where  Mr. 
Crill  became  the  owner  of  extensive  farming 
property  land.  Suhse(|uciitly  he  engaged  in  .gen- 
eral farming  until  his  later  years,  when  he  re- 
moved to  the  village  of  Monroe,  where  he  lived 
retired.  In  the  meantime  he  had  become  very 
wealthy  and  was  there  engaged  in  loaning  money, 
while  his  two  sons,  Isaac  and  John,  now  de- 
ceased, looked  after  the  farm.  P.oth  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Crill  resided  in  the  village  of  Monroe  until 
called  to  their  final  rest. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  .Atwood  became  the  parents  of 
two  children.  The  elder  son.  Tames  M..  married 
Lilly  Tuttlc,  and  they  now  reside  in  Guilford 
township,  where  he  is  engaged  in  farming. 
Charles  D.  Atwood  married  Emma  Shaul,  a  na- 
tive of  Amsterdam.  New  York,  and  they  reside 
with  his  mother  in  Rockford.  He.  however,  is 
engaged  in  business  in  Chicago  and  spends  only 
Sunday  at  home.  Air.  and  Mrs.  Atwood  also 
adopted  and  reared  three  children:  Millicent.  the 
wife  of  Gilford  Smith,  living  near  Holcomb,  Illi- 
nois;  Kitty,  who  now  resides  in  Marion,  Ohio: 
and  Henry,  %vho  lived  with  Mrs.  Atwood  until 
nineteen  years  of  age.  and  is  now  a  resident  of 
California. 

Mr.  .Atwood  continued  his  farming  operations 
in  Harlem  township  and  purchased  more  land 
there  until  he  owned  an  extensive  tract.  He  was 
practical  and  progressive  in  his  farming  meth- 
ods, adding  good  buildings  to  his  place  and  cul- 
tivating his  land  so  that  it  |)roduced  excellent 
crops.  He  there  carried  on  general  farming  imtil 
the  marriage  of  his  younger  son  in  1888,  when 
he  turned  over  the  farm  to  the  care  of  his  sons 
and  the  property  is  still  a  part  of  the  estate.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  .Atwood  then  removed  to  Rockford. 
and  throughout  his  remaining  days  he  enjoyed  the 
fruits  of  his  former  toil.  He  passed  away  here 
September  22.  1904.  For  several  years  he  had 
been  a  director  in  the  Rockford  National  Rank 
and  he  left  his  familv  in   vcrv  comfortable  cir- 


cumstances. His  possessions  had  all  been  ac- 
(|uired  through  his  own  efforts  and  his  example 
sht)uld  serve  to  encourage  and  inspire  others, 
showing  what  may  be  accomplished  through  de- 
termined purpose,  laudable  ambition  and  unfalter- 
ing industry  when  guided  by  sound  judgment. 
In  ])olitics  he  was  a  democrat,  and  he  belonged 
to  the  .Masonic  lodge  of  Rockford  for  over  a  half 
century,  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  his  connec- 
tion therewith  being  celebrated  in  August,  1904. 
He  also  belonged  to  the  Order  of  the  Eastern 
Star.  He  contributed  toward  the  building  of  the 
Crill  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Alonroe 
township,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  attended  the 
services  of  that  denomination,  but  were  not  mem- 
bers thereof.  Mr.  .Atwood.  known  and  honored 
as  one  of  the  wealthy  and  prominent  men  of  the 
county,  left  behind  him  many  friends.  The  fam- 
ily is  prominent  here  and  ^Irs.  Atwood  and  her 
S(in  occupy  a  commodious  and  lx?autiful  residence 
at  No.  21s  Killnirn  avenue. 


BRADFCmD  A.  KNIGMT. 

r.radford  A.  Knight  is  a  representative  of 
the  Winneba.go  county  bar  and  is  a  native  son 
of  Illinois.  He  was  born  in  Ogle  county,  Illinois, 
on  the  J<)th  of  May,  1856.  His  parents  were 
Joshua  A.  and  Aclisah  J.  (Davis)  Knight.  The 
father  was  born  in  the  slate  of  New  York  in 
1833.  He  removed  to  Ogle  county,  Illinois,  in 
1856,  and  took  up  his  abode  there  in  Lynnville 
township  on  a  tract  of  land  which  he  continued 
to  cultivate  until  his  death  in  1883.  He  is  sur- 
vived by  his  wife,  who  yet  resides  on  the  old 
homestead.  'llie  paternal  grandfather  was 
Ilezekiah  Talcott  Knight,  who  married  Miss 
-Anna  .\ngell,  of  New  York.  The  maternal 
grandfather  was  Richard  Davis,  also  a  native 
of  the  Empire  state,  and  his  wife  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Lois  Eddy,  also  of  New  York  state. 

Hradford  A.  Knight  supplemented  his  early 
education,  obtained  in  the  common  schools,  by 
study  in  Mount  Morris  Academy,  and  began 
preparation  for  the  practice  of  law  as  a  student 
in  the  office  and  under  the  direction  of  H.  O. 
Rogers,  of  Rochelle,  Illinois.  Subsequently  he 
attended  lectures  in  the  law  department  of  the 
State  I'niversity  of  Michigan  at  Ann  Arbor, 
froin  which  he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of 
1885.  In  the  same  year  he  entered  upon  the 
practice  of  the  law  in  Rockford,  where  he  has 
resided  continuously  since.  His  clientage  has 
constantly  increased  as  he  has  demonstrated  his 
power  to  solve  intricate  legal  problems.  His 
practice  extends  now  into  other  states  as  well 
as  in  the  federal  court.  His  law  library  con- 
tains thousands  of  volumes,  and  is  one  of  the 


B.  A.  KXIGHT. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


477 


largest  and  most  complete  ]irivate  law  libraries 
in  the  state  of  Illinois.  Mr.  Knight  is  by  nature 
a  student  and  this  characteristic  is  one  of  the 
strong  elements  in  his  success  at  the  bar. 

In  1884  Mr.  Knight  was  married  to  Miss 
Kate  F.  (Jakes,  of  White  Rock  township,  Ogle 
county,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  William  D.  and 
Sarah  (McCormack)  (Jakes.  They  have  be- 
come the  parents  of  eight  children:  W'illiam  D.. 
.Arthur.  Katherine.  .\lice.  and  Drtrothy,  who  are 
living,  three  having  died  in  infancy.  In  politics 
Mr.  Knight  has  been  what  ought  to  be  called 
an  independent,  having  voted  the  leading  party 
tickets  as  each  came  nearest  to  voicing  his  senti- 
ments. 


CAIATN  WKLTY. 


Calvin  W'elty  is  a  prosperous  farmer,  residing 
on  East  State  .street  near  the  city  limits  of  Rock- 
ford.  .A  native  son  of  Pennsylvania,  he  was  born 
in  Tioga  county,  in  December,  1836,  his  parents 
being  John  and  I^lizabeth  (  Linehart  j  W'elty.  who 
are  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  sketch  of 
J.  J.  Welty  on  another  page  of  this  work.  They 
removed  to  the  west  when  their  son,  Calvin,  was 
a  youth  of  fifteen  years,  and  he  remained  under 
the  parental  roof  until  after  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  war.  His  education,  which  was  gained  in 
the  public  schools  of  Pennsylvania,  was  contin- 
ued in  the  district  schools  of  Cherry  Valley  town- 
ship. 

In  (  )ctober,  1861.  he  enlisted  at  Cherry  Val- 
ley as  a  member  of  Company  L,  Eighth  Illinois 
Cavalrv.  and  served  for  three  years,  after  which 
he  re-enlisted  in  1864.  and  thus  as  a  veteran  re- 
mained with  the  army  until  the  close  of  the  war. 
He  was  always  with  the  cavalry  troops,  and  he 
enlisted  under  Captain  Duston,  of  Sycamore,  Illi- 
nois, in  whose  command  he  was  sent  to  W'ash- 
ington.  D.  C.  The  regiment  was  attached  to  the 
.\rmy  of  the  Potomac  in  \'irginia.  and  was  under 
command  of  General  Jolm  Farnsworth.  Mr. 
Welty  participated  in  the  following  engagements : 
Williamsburg.  May  5.  1862:  ilaitimore  Cross 
Roads.  May.  1862;  Fair  (Jaks,  X'irginia.  June  17 
and  18.  1862:  the  battle  before  Richmond;  Tur- 
key Creek.  Mrginia :  ^lalvern  Hill.  Bamstown. 
Catoctin  Pass.  Middleton.  South  Mountain  and 
Boonsboro,  Maryland,  and  Martinsburg,  \'ir- 
ginia.  At  the  last  named  place  he  was  taken 
prisoner,  but  was  paroled  by  General  Lee.  and 
returned  to  his  command  in  March.  1863.  In 
that  year  he  participated  in  the  battles  of  Free- 
man's Ford  and  Beverly  l-^jrd.  The  latter  oc- 
curred April  30.  T863,  and  thirty-five  thousand 
men  were  engaged  on  both  sides.  It  was  one  of 
the  hardest  fought  cavalry  engagements  of  the 
war.   After  this  battle  Mr.  Welty  was  made  quar- 


termaster sergeant,  and  so  continued  until  the 
close  of  hostilities.  In  1863  he  was  also  in  the 
engagements  at  I'pperville.  Fairfield.  Pennsyl- 
vania ;  Gettysburg,  W'illiamsport,  Boonsboro  and 
Benevola,  Maryland ;  Tunktown,  Falling  Waters, 
Chester  Gap.  Culpeper,  Rapidan.  Madison  Court- 
house. Raccoon  Ford.  Stevensburg,  Brandy  Sta- 
tion. Bull  Run.  Bealton  Station.  Hazel  Ridge  and 
Chantilly.  In  January,  1864,  he  re-enlisted,  and 
was  detailed  for  duty  in  Washington,  where  he 
remained  for  some  time,  and  later  was  sent  to 
X'irginia  to  hunt  Colonel  Mosby,  following  that 
commander  for  a  considerable  period.  Although 
in  many  hotly  contested  engagements,  and  often 
in  the  very  thickest  of  the  fight,  he  was  never 
wounded,  and  at  the  clo.se  of  the  war  was  dis- 
charged at  St.  Louis,  after  which  he  was  sent  to 
XX'ashington.  U.  C  being  mustered  out  on  the 
15th  of  July.  1865.  From  Washington  to  St. 
Louis  the  troojis  went  by  boat  from  Cincinnati, 
f  Jhio,  to  Cairo,  Illinois,  and  then  started  up  the 
Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis  that  night,  but  the 
boat  sank  and  four  of  the  men  on  board  were 
drowned. 

After  the  war  Mr.  Welty  came  to  Cherr\-  \'al- 
ley  township,  where  he  worked  with  a  threshing 
machine.  The  next  year  he  bought  eighty  acres 
of  land,  on  which  he  lived  until  1875,  when  he 
sold  out  and  purchased  his  present  farm.  He 
now  owns  one  hundred  and  six  and  a  half  acres 
of  fine  land,  under  a  high  .state  of  cultivation, 
adjoining  the  city  limits  on  Fast  State  street. 
Here  he  has  a  magnificent  home,  and  everything 
is  thoroughly  modern,  being  in  keeping  with  the 
most  progressive  .spirit  of  the  times.  While  in 
the  army  he  saved  twelve  hundred  dollars,  and 
this  gave  him  a  start  in  life,  and  most  of  his 
propertv  has  been  acquired  entirely  through  his 
own  labors.  He  keeps  a  large  amount  of  stock, 
including  cattle,  and  for  thirty  years  he  was 
successfully  and  extensively  engaged  in  the 
dairy  business,  and  for  twenty-seven  years  of 
that  time  supplied  the  female  college.  He  car- 
ries on  general  agricultural  pursuits,  and  super- 
intends most  of  the  farm  work  himself,  doing  not 
a  little  of  the  labor. 

In  1867  Air.  Welty  was  married  to  Miss  Fro- 
celia  M.  Dawson,  who  was  born  in  Boone 
county.  Illinois,  in  .\pril.  1847.  'i^r  parents  be- 
ing Robert  and  Cornelia  (  Dewitt )  Dawson.  Her 
father  was  of  French  descent :  became  a  farmer 
of  Indiana,  and  died  in  that  state  at  the  very 
advanced  age  of  one  hundred  and  four  years. 
The  children  of  this  marriage  are:  Grace.  Gen- 
evieve and  John,  all  at  home,  and  Bert,  who 
married  Nellie  Osborn.  and  lives  near  his 
father's  place,  on  State  street. 

'Sir.  X\"eltv  is  a  republican,  and  his  served  as 
school  director,  but  otherwise  has  filled  no  public 
offices.     He  belongs  to  Nevius  post.   No.   i,  G. 


4-8 


I'ASr     AND     PRESENT     OF     WIXXi:  H  AC.O     O  )UXTY. 


A.  K..  ami  alsn  tlic  Masonic  lodfje.  and  he  and 
his  family  are  members  of  the  P.aptist  church. 
His  life  exemplifies  the  term  "dignity  of  labor," 
for  along  honorable  lines  and  through  indefati- 
gable indiistrv  he  has  won  his  ]>rosperity,  his 
labors  being  so  directed  as  to  gain  the  highest 
esteem  of  liis   fellowmen. 


REV.  JOSEPH  S.  BRADDOCK. 

Kiv.  loseph  S.  P.raddock.  who  is  now  the 
oldest  living  graduate  of  Washington  &  JetYer- 
son  College  at  Washington.  Pennsylvania,  and 
who  since  1865  has  been  the  pastor  of  the  Middle 
Creek  Presbyterian  church  in  Winnebago  town- 
ship, was  born  in  Greene  county.  Pennsylvania. 
Tunc  17.  1817.  his  parents  being  Francis  and 
Anna  (Gray)  P.raddock.  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  the  Keystone  state.  They  w^ere  farm- 
ing people  and  both  passed  away  in  Pennsyl- 
vania more  than  a  half  century  ago. 

Rev.  Joseph  S.  P.raddock  was  reared  to  farm 
life,  eariv  becoming  familiar  with  the  duties'  and 
labors  of  the  fields  as  lie  assisted  his  father  in 
the  farm  work.  His  early  educational  privileges 
were  supplemented  by  a  course  in  Washington 
College,  now  the  Washington  &  Jefferson  Col- 
lege at  Washington.  Pennsylvania,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1842.  He  is 
now  the  oldest  living  alumnist  of  that  noted  in- 
stitution. Determining  to  devote  his  life  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  he  became  a  student  in  the 
Western  Theological  Seminary  at  Allegheny. 
Pennsvlvania.  and  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1847. 
since  which  time  he  has  been  continuously  con- 
nected with  the  active  work  of  the  ministry,  never 
failing  to  preach  a  sermon  on  the  Sabbath 
through  all  these  years  on  account  of  illness,  and 
his  vacations  have  also  been  few.  His  first  pas- 
torate was  in  Kentucky  near  Frankfort.  He  re- 
mained in  that  state  for  sometime  and  was  also 
jirincipal  of  a  female  seminary  at  Lebanon. 
Kentucky,  until  the  school  was  destroyed  by  fire 
by  the  noted  rebel  general  Morgan.  This  was 
because  of  Rev.  P.raddock's  allegiance  to  the 
I'nion  and  after  the  destruction  of  his  property 
he  caiue  to  the  north  in  tfV)?  and  accejited  his 
present  pastorate  at  the  Middle  Creek  Presby- 
terian church. 

While  in  Lebanon.  Kentucky,  Rev.  P.raddock 
was  married  to  Miss  Ella  Edmunds,  who  died  in 
IQOO.  and  their  only  son,  William  A.,  was  killed 
in  the  Civil  war.  In  his  early  political  aflfiliation 
Mr.  P.raddock  was  a  whig  and  when  the  re- 
publican party  was  formed  to  prevent  the  further 
extension  of  slavery  he  joined  its  ranks  and  gave 
to  it  his  support  for  a  number  of  years  but  is 


now   a   prohibitionist,  that   i)arty   embodying  his 
views    on    the    temperance    (|uestion.      His    life, 
however,  has  been  given  almost  entirely  to  the 
upbuilding  of  the  church  and  the  dissemination 
of  Christian  jjrinciples.     Toward   the  middle  of 
the  nineteenth  century  the  adherents  of  Presby- 
terianism  in  this  locality  worshiped  in  the  First 
I'resbvterian    church   in    Rockford   but    were   too 
far  distant  to  attend  services  there  regularly  and 
in    April,    1855.    ai)plication    was    made    to    the 
presbytery  of  Chicago  for  the  organization  of  a 
church   in  this  neighborhood.     The  request  was 
granted  and  the  church  was  formed  with  sixteen 
members,  services  being  held  in  a  stone  school- 
house.     In  the  sirring  of  1856  Rev.  W.  P.  Carson 
became  pastor,  combining  the  work  of  teaching 
and  ])reaching  and  remained  at  tlie  head  of  the 
church  for  a  number  of  years.     In  the  summer 
of   1856.  after  worshiping   for  five  years   in   the 
stone  schoolhouse  and  Grout  church  alternately, 
arrangements   were  made   for  the  building  of  a 
house  of  worship  and  on  the  loth  of  May.  1861, 
the  new  church  edifice  was  dedicated.     In  Sep- 
tember of  that  year  Rev.   Carson   resigned   and 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  M.  Pi.  Patterson,  and  in 
October.  1862,  M.  J.  L.  Merritt  was  called  to  the 
pastorate.    He  was  succeeded  in  December,  1865, 
i)v  Rev.  J.  S.  P.raddock.  who  has  now  for  forty 
years  been  pastor  here,  and  his  lalwrs  have  been 
attended  with  success,  which  is  manifest  in  the 
growth  of  the  church,  its  spiritual  development 
and  its  activity  in  its  various  lines  of  Christian 
labor.      Rev.    P.raddock   has   the   tmqualified    re- 
spect and  good  will  of  all  throughout  the  com- 
munity whether  of  his  own  or  other  denomina- 
tions and  has  the  warm  love  of  his  parishioners, 
as  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  nas  remained 
here  as  pastor  through  four  decades. 


TIMOTHY  I- IT/PATRICK. 

Timothy  l"ilz|);itrick.  a  farmer,  located  on  sec- 
tion 30.  Xew  Miiford  tf)wnship,  came  to  Illinois 
fiftv-one  vears  ago.  taking  up  his  abode  at  \\  hite 
Rock.  Ogle  county,  in  1854.  He  is  a  native  of 
Ireland,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  County 
Cork,  in  1833.  Mis  parents  were  John  and  Ellen 
(Shehan)  Fitzjiatrick.  both  of  whom  died  on  the 
l-'merald  isle.  Mr.  Fitzpatrick  had  two  brothers 
and  two  sisters  who  came  to  this  country,  but  the 
brothers  are  now  deceased.  The  sisters  are  Han- 
nah, living  in  Rockford.  and  Mrs.  Mary  Do- 
hany,  who  is  residing  near  Cherry  \'alley. 

Timothy  Fitzpatrick  spent  the  first  eighteen 
vears  of  his  life  on  the  Green  Isle  of  Erin,  and 
acquired  a  common  school  education  there.  He 
heard  favorable  rejiorts  of  .\inerica  and  its  op- 
portunities, and  resolved  to  seek  his  fortune  in  a 


MRS.  I.  s.  i;i-;.\I)DOCK. 


REV.  J.  S.  BRADDOCK. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF    WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


483 


land  where  labor  was  not  hampered  by  caste  or 
class.  Therefore,  crossing'  the  Atlantic,  he  made 
a  settlement  in  Pennsylvania,  where  he  resided 
for  five  years,  and  on  the  expiration  of  that  pe- 
riod he  came  west  to  Illinois,  establishing  his 
home  at  Whiterock,  Ogle  county,  in  1854.  Three 
years  later,  however,  he  removed  to  his  present 
farm,  which  he  at  first  leased,  but  soon  after- 
ward purchased.  He  now  has  a  finely  improved 
tract  of  land  of  two  hundred  and  fortv  acres, 
and  for  a  long  period  he  was  actively  engaged 
in  general  farming,  but  for  the  past  six  years 
he  has  lived  retired,  leaving  the  work  of  the 
fields  to  others,  while  he  is  enjoying  a  rest  that 
he  has  richly  earned  and  merits. 

In  Illinois  Mr.  Fitzpatrick  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Bridget  Hickey,  who  was  born  in 
County  Galway,  Ireland,  hut  who  left  there  in 
her  early  childhood,  being  brought  to  the  United 
States  by  her  father.  The  mother  had  died  in 
her  native  land.  The  father,  Patrick  Hickey, 
landed  at  New  York  city,  whence  he  made  his 
way  to  Illinois,  settling  in  CJgle  county,  where 
his  death  occurred  in  1897.  The  members  of  his 
family  were :  Mrs.  Fitzpatrick ;  Michael,  who  is 
engaged  in  blacksmithing  in  Rockford;  and  Mrs. 
Mary  Garrity,  who  is  living  in  Ogle  county.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Fitzpatrick  have  become  the  parents 
of  six  children,  but  lost  two,  John  and  Louisa. 
Those  still  living  are:  Mrs.  Mary  Welch,  of 
Rockford ;  Mrs.  Emma  Welch,  of  Durand ;  Mrs. 
Grace  Parnell,  of  \^'innebago  county :  and  Fran- 
cis, who  is  residing  at  home.  In  political  views 
Mr.  Fitzpatrick  is  somewhat  independent.  He 
does  not  consider  himself  bound  by  party  ties, 
and,  though  he  tisually  votes  for  republican  can- 
didates, he  often  gives  his  support  to  the  nomi- 
nees of  the  democratic  party.  He  belongs  to  St. 
James  Catholic  church,  and  he  is  a  self-made 
man,  who,  coming  to  the  new  world  empty- 
handed,  has  steadily  worked  his  way  upward,  and 
as  the  architect  of  his  own  fortunes  he  has 
biiilded  wisely  and  well. 


RIENZI  WEBSTER. 


Rienzi  Webster,  one  of  the  oldest  merchants 
of  Durand,  where  he  is  engaged  in  dealing  in 
boots  and  shoes  and  mens'  furnishing  goods,  was 
born  at  Weathersfield  Springs,  Wyoming  county, 
New  York,  May  8,  1837.  His  parents  were  Solo- 
mon and  Polly  (Kellogg)  Webster.  The  father 
was  born  in  New  Hampshire  in  1803,  and  died 
in  Laona  township,  Winnebago  county,  Illinois, 
January  2,  1878,  while  his  wife,  a  daughter  of 
Lovell  and  Thankful  Kellogg,  was  born  December 
22,  1810,  on  the  Holland  purchase,  in  the  state 
of  New  York,  and  died  in  Laona  township,  No- 


vember 22,  i860.  Her  father  served  as  a  soldier 
in  the  American  Army  during  the  Revolutionary 
war,  and  Mr,  Webster,  of  this  review,  is  also  a 
direct  descendant  of  Governor  John  Webster,  of 
Connecticut.  The  brothers  and  sisters  of  our 
subject  are  as  follows  :  Lydia  Almina  became  the 
wife  of  Duncan  J.  Stewart,  Sr.,  and  died  in  Du- 
rand, in  August,  1872,  leaving  three  sons:  Dun- 
can J.,  a  merchant  of  Rockford ;  Charles,  of 
S]5encer,  Iowa :  and  Henry,  also  of  Rockford : 
and  a  daughter.  Mina,  who  is  now  the  wife  of 
Justin  Walker,  of  Durand  township.  Harriet  J. 
Webster  is  the  wife  of  Abijah  Morey,  who  was 
one  of  the  early  residents  of  Laona  township,  but 
in  the  spring  of  1884  removed  to  Valentine, 
Nebraska,  where  he  now  resides.  They  now  have 
two  sons  :  Otis  W.  Morey,  of  Valentine,  and  Solo- 
mon R.  Morey,  of  Deadwood,  South  Dakota, 
and  two  daughters,  Jennie  M.,  the  wife  of 
Thomas  Malone,  of  \"alentine,  Nebraska ;  and 
Cora  Alvira.  wife  of  J.  H.  McKean,  of  Dead- 
wood,  South  Dakota.  Charles  Eugene  Web- 
ster died  several  years  ago  near  Grand 
Island.  Nebraska,  leaving  a  wife,  who  was 
formerly  Mary  Fleming,  of  Laona  township, 
this  county.  Minor  Abel  Webster,  living  at 
Seattle,  W^ashington,  married  Maria  Allen,  of 
Laona  township,  and  has  three  daughters.  He 
enlisted  August  6,  1862,  in  the  Seventv- fourth 
Illinois  Infantry  and  was  mustered  out  June  10. 
1865,  after  participating  in  the  battles  of  Cham- 
pion Hill,  Stone  River,  Tullahoma,  Chickamauga, 
Missionary  Ridge,  Resaca,  Atlanta,  Kenesaw 
Mountain  and  others  of  less  importance.  Emily 
L.  Webster  became  the  wife  of  John  Davies,  of 
Durand,  and  died  March  iq,  1874.  leaving  five 
daughters.  IMartha  Bancroft,  the  deceased  wife 
of  Rienzi  L.  Cleveland,  of  Devil's  Lake,  North 
Dakota,  left  one  son,  Edward  AVebster,  who  mar- 
ried Frances  Barmingham,  died  in  Durand  town- 
ship, leaving  one  child,  now  deceased.  Thurlow 
Weed  Webster,  a  stock  dealer  of  the  village  of 
Durand,  married  Ella  Adams,  of  Durand  town- 
ship, and  has  one  daughter.  Carr  Webster,  a 
lumber  manufacturer  of  Wildwood,  Washington, 
married  Emily  Scniler,  of  Durand  township,  and 
has  two  sons. 

When  Rienzi  Webster  was  seven  years  of  age 
his  father  came  to  Rockford,  where  he  spent  the 
winter  of  1844-45,  and  in  the  spring  of  the  latter 
vear  he  removed  to  Laona  township.  During  the 
winter  months  he  had  worked  at  the  blacksmith's 
trade,  but  after  taking  up  his  abode  at  Laona 
he  turned  his  attention  to  farming  and  Rienzi 
Webster  remained  with  his  father  upon  the  old 
home  farm  until  twenty-five  years  of  age.  In 
the  meantime  he  had  acquired  a  good  education 
in  the  common  schools  of  Laona  township  and 
spent  one  year  at  the  business  college  in  Rock- 
ford,     When   twentv-five   vears    of   age   he   left 


4^4 


AST     AND     l'RI-.SI-:XT     nv     Wi  \  \I-.|:A(  ;(  )     tOlXTV. 


home,  bought  land  and  began  farming  on  his  own 
account.  After  eighteen  months,  liowever,  he 
sold  that  property  in  i8<)4  and  went  to  N'irginia 
City,  Idalin.  Returning  the  same  \ear  he  en- 
gaged in  the  agricultural  implement  business  with 
|i,hn  Davis,  and  this  partnersiiip  was  maintained 
for  four  years,  during  which  time  the\  also 
dealt  in  boots,  shoes  and  clothing.  The  (inn  then 
sold  out  and  Mr.  Webster  bought  a  farm  in  Laona 
townshiji,  on  which  he  remained  t\)r  seven  vears, 
when  he  rented  the  land  and  returned  to  the 
village.  Here  he  established  business  as  a  dealer 
in  dry  goods,  groceries  and  machinery,  with  John 
\'an  Sickle,  and  they  were  thus  connected  for 
about  three  years.  Then  the  i)artnerslii])  was  dis- 
solved and  Mr.  Webster  conducted  the  business 
alone  until  the  s])ring  of  i8</).  when  he  sold  out 
and  lived  retired  for  two  years.  He  then  sold 
his  farm  in  Laona  townshii).  and  in  i8gy  pur- 
chased his  present  business  which  he  has  since 
conductcfl.  carrying  a  select  stock  of  boots,  shoes 
and  mens'  furnishing  goods,  and  receiving  from 
the  public  a  liberal  patronage. 

Tn  May.  1867.  Mr.  Welister  was  married  to 
Miss  Henrietta  \'an  Sickle,  a  daughter  of  lohn 
and  Phoebe  \'an  Sickle,  of  Wantage.  Sussex 
comity,  Xcw  Jersey.  Her  father  was  born  in 
Wantage,  March  15,  1815.  and  died  at  Durand, 
February  28,  i8(K;.  while  his  wife,  who  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Phoebe  Courtright.  was  born  in 
Wantage.  .August  30.  1S44.  and  died  in  Durand 
May  6,  1867.  The  members  of  their  family  were 
as  follows :  John  C.  \'an  Sickle,  born  in  Want- 
age, is  now  a  dealer  in  agricultural  implements 
and  harness  at  Durand.  He  married  Miss  Lucy 
M.  Judd,  of  Durand  townshi]).  and  has  one  son 
living.  Mary  J.  \'an  Sickle  is  the  wife  of  Forest 
J.  Rola.son.  of  Durand  townshi]),  and  has  two 
sons  and  three  daughters.  Elvira  is  the  wife  of 
David  P..  I,anc.  of  Jackson,  Summit  county, 
Peimsylvania,  and  has  two  sons  and  one  daughter. 
Harriet  is  living  in  Durand.  Elizabeth  is  the  wife 
of  W.  .\.  Patterson,  of  Durand  townshi]i.  and 
has  a  son  and  a  daughter.  Mrs.  W'ebster  was 
born  December  20,  1841.  and  is  descended  from 
early  Holland  settlers  of  Xew  York. 

I'nto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  \\'cbster  have  been  born 
two  children:  Phoelx'  P>.,  born  in  Laona  town- 
ship. March  27.  1872.  was  married  to  James  M. 
.\lden.  editor  of  the  Durand  Clipper,  and  a  direct 
descendant  of  John  .Alden,  of  Mayflower  fame. 
Their  marriage  occurred  Xovember  2'i.  i8</i. 
and  they  afterward  removed  to  Chicago,  Illinois, 
and  later  to  P>yron,  tliis  state,  where  Mr.  .Alden 
was  cilitor  of  the  P.yron  Reconl  at  the  time  of 
his  wife's  death.  .August  13.  1000.  Mae  E.  Web- 
ster, born  December  ^,  1870,  in  Laona  townshi|). 
is  living  with  her  parents. 

Mr.  Webster  is  a  member  of  the  Ma.sonic  fra- 
ternity and  has  served  as  treasurer  of  the  blue 
mcnt. 


lodge  of  Durand.  His  political  allegiance  is  given 
to  the  republican  party.  He  is  now  one  of  the 
oldest  merchants  of  Durand  and  one  of  its  most 
enterprising  business  men,  contributing  in  sub- 
stantial measure  to  its  commercial  prosperity. 
His  labors  have  resulted  in  bringing  him  a  cred- 
itable measure  of  success  and  have  ever  been 
guided  by  lionf)rable  principles  that  will  bear  the 
closest  scrntinx   and  investigation. 


W 


A.M    1«  iJlXS. 


\\'^illiam  Johns  is  the  owner  of  extensive  farm- 
ing interests  in  Winnebago  county,  his  home 
place  being  on  section  2,  Rockford  township. 
I  lis  residence  in  this  county  dates  from  TS51. 
and  as  an  early  settler  as  well  as  reliable  and 
successful  business  man  he  deserves  mention  in 
this  volume.  He  was  born  in  Cornwall,  Eng- 
land, in  1832,  and  with  his  parents  came  to  the 
L'nite<l  .States  when  about  nineteen  years  of 
age.  I  lis  father.  Thomas  Johns,  proceeded  at 
once  into  the  interior  of  the  country  after  land- 
ing on  the  .\tlantic  coast  and  settled  in  Rock- 
fonl  townslii]j.  where  he  jnirchased  land  on  sec- 
lion  12.  that  is  now  owned  by  F.  E.  \\'illoughby. 
Even  ])rior  to  this  time  he  purchased  property 
at  the  northwest  corner  of  Second  and  State 
streets  in  Rockford.  and  there  resided  for  a 
brief  ])eriod.  after  which  he  removed  to  the 
farm  on  section  12.  lie  carried  on  agricultural 
liursuits  during  a  considerable  period,  and  then 
retiring  from  active  business  life  once  more 
took  up  his  abode  in  Rockford.  where  he  lived 
until  his  death,  about  thirty  years  ago.  His 
life  was  essentially  that  of  a  farmer,  his  entire 
attention  being  given  to  agricultural  ])ursuits 
until  he  had  acquired  a  ca]>ital  that  enabled  him 
to  put  aside  all  business  cares.  His  wife,  who 
was  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Richard  and  Eliza- 
beth Light  foot,  survived  him  for  about  ten 
years.  William  Johns  of  this  review  has  a 
brother  Richard,  who  is  a  retired  farmer 
of  Rockford.  and  had  another  brother,  Thomas, 
who  died  in  I'^ngland.  in  i<X>4-  There  were 
si.x  sisters:  Jane  I'"...  who  married  Rev. 
(ieorire  Havcraft.  and  lives  at  Little  Prai- 
rie. Wisconsin  :  Elizabeth  J.,  who  married  James 
Fiddick.  and  lives  at  Duarte.  California:  Pris- 
cilla.  who  died  in  infancy;  I'riscilla,  second,  who 
married  Charles  Haley,  and  lives  at  Rockford: 
Mary,  who  married  John  Elwick,  and  died  in 
11^)3:  and  .\nn.  who  married  Thomas  Johns,  and 
died  in   li)02. 

\\'illiam  Johns  was  a  young  man  of  about 
nineteen  years  when  he  arrived  in  this  county, 
and  he  has  since  carried  on  agricultural  pur- 
suits with  the  exception  of  about  fifteen  months 


<5 


Q 
5? 


■ri 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


487 


spent  in  the  employ  of  the  firm  of  Diamond  & 
Thompson,  butchers,  of  Rockford.  He  had 
little  assistance  when  he  started  out  in  life,  but 
he  placed  his  dependence  in  the  substantial  qual- 
ities of  close  application,  unfaltering  diligence 
and  good  common  sense,  and  by  the  use  of  those 
he  prospered  and  invested  his  capital  in  more 
land  until  he  now  owns  about  nine  hundred 
acres,  lying  in  various  farms  in  Rockford  town- 
ship, with  the  exception  of  two  farms  compris- 
ing two  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Owen  town- 
ship. His  different  farms  are  now  carried  on 
by  his  sons. 

On  December  30,  1858,  Mr.  Johns  was  united 
in  marriage  to  ?\Iiss  Ann  Rodd,  a  native  of  Bev- 
erly, Canada,  daughter  of  Joseph  and  JMary  A. 
(Clement)  Rodd,  and  of  English  lineage.  She 
is  now  sixty-five  years  of  age.  In  their  family 
were  six  children :  Mary  J.,  who  married 
Thomas  Kyle,  and  died  in  1866;  Fannie,  who 
died  in  infancy ;  Ann,  now  Mrs.  Johns ;  Fannie 
A.,  who  married  Colonel  Thomas  G.  Lawler,  and 
lives  in  Rockford ;  Elizabeth,  who  married  Rev. 
James  Banme  and  lives  in  Rockford ;  and  Lucy 
C,  who  died  in  1871.  The  sister,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Baume,  of  Rockford.  spent  ten  years  as  a 
Methodist  Episcopal  missionary  in  India. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johns  were  born  eleven 
children,  all  of  whom  are  yet  living:  Ella  R.  is 
at  home.  Frederick  W.,  who  was  formerly  a 
farmer,  and  is  now  mail  carrier  on  route  No.  6, 
residing  on  Rockton  avenue,  in  Rockford,  mar- 
ried Flora  J.  Brown,  and  has  two  sons,  Dwight 
F.  and  Selwyn  W.  Fannie  is  the  wife  of  Harry 
Brown,  who  resides  upon  a  farm,  and  also  con- 
ducts a  lime  kiln.  Their  children  are  Orville  R., 
Aurilla  M.,  Chester  H.,  Ella  I.,  Myrde  C,  Eve- 
line F.  and  Maybelle.  George,  residing  in  Owen 
township,  is  a  farmer,  and  married  Miss  Jessie 
Drewer,  who  died  in  1899.  She  was  the  mother 
of  four  children,  but  Paul  T.  died  in  1897,  the 
surviving  members  being  Earl  W.,  George  H. 
and  Jesse  R.,  of  whom  the  last  named  is  now 
with  his  grandparents.  For  his  second  wife, 
George  Johns  chose  Maud  Russell,  of  Greene, 
Iowa.  Louis,  residing  on  section  2,  Rockford 
township,  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  J.  Loucks, 
a  sister  of  William  Loucks,  proprietor  of  a  res- 
taurant on  North  Main  street,  Rockford,  and 
they  have  three  children,  Marian  E.,  Dorothy  A. 
and  William  L.  Lucy  M.  is  the  wife  of  George 
Tallman,  a  resident  farmer  of  Rockford  town- 
ship, and  they  have  one  daughter,  Alice  M.  An- 
nie E.  Johns  is  at  home.  Edward  married  Miss 
Lula  M.  Chapman  and  is  a  farmer  residing  on 
the  North  Main  street  road  in  Owen  township. 
Herbert,  who  lives  upon  a  farm  on  section  16, 
South  Rockford  township,  married  Miss  Isadore 
C.  Haight.  Roy  C.  is  at  home.  Charles  E.,  re- 
siding on  a  farm  on  section  9,  Rockford  town- 

27 


ship,  married  Miss  Lulu  M.  Sanders,  and  they 
have  two  children,  Mildred  G.  and  Mary. 

In  politics  Mr.  Johns  is  a  republican,  but  has 
never  been  an  office  seeker.  He  contributed 
money  to  assist  in  raising  a  company  for  the 
Civil  war,  nor  has  he  withheld  his  support  from 
many  movements  for  the  general  good.  He  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Court  Street  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church,  while  his  life  has  been 
pre-eminently  that  of  a  business  man  who  has 
never  sought  his  own  advancement  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  those  interests  which  develop  an  hon- 
orable manhood  and  awaken  the  confidence  and 
trust  of  one's  associates.  He  has  prospered,  but 
has  gained  his  success  along  lines  that  will  bear 
closest  investigation  and  scrutiny. 


CHAUNCEY  R.  BURCH.  ; 

Chauncey  R.  Burch,  following  the  occupation 
of  farming  in  Seward  township,  was  born  in  Erie 
county,  Pennsylvania,  October  20,  1838.  He  is 
a  son  of  Chauncey  and  Nancy  (Cole)  Burch,  the 
former  a  native  of  Westfield,  Chautauqua  county. 
New  York,  born  in  April,  1803,  while  the  latter 
was  born  in  Massachusetts  in  1805.  Both  died 
at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years.  The  father  fol- 
lowed the  occupation  of  farming  in  order  to  pro- 
vide for  his  family,  and  was  also  well  known  as 
a  Freewill  Baptist  preacher,  devoting  many  years 
of  his  life  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  preaching 
for  thirty  years  in  one  church  in  Erie  county, 
Pennsylvania.  His  influence  was  of  no  restrict- 
ed order,  and  proved  a  helpful  factor  in  the  moral 
development  of  the  communities  in  which  he 
made  his  home.  In  his  family  were  eleven  chil- 
dren, but  only  four  are  now  living:  Mrs.  Emeline 
Loomis,  Mrs.  Mary  Colburn,  Chauncey  R.  and 
Mrs.  Delia  Loomis. 

Chauncey  R.  Burch,  spending  his  boyhood 
days  under  the  parental  roof,  worked  upon  the 
old  homestead  farm  until  twenty-one  years  of 
age.  He  assisted  in  the  tilling  of  the  soil,  in  cut- 
ting timber  and  wood,  and  in  all  of  the  various 
duties  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist. 
Thinking  that  he  might  have  better  business  op- 
portunities in  the  west,  he  came  to  Winnebago 
county,  Illinois,  in  November,  1859,  settling  in 
Pecatonica.  During  the  first  winter  he  worked 
for  Elisha  Woodruff,  cutting  wood,  and  in  March, 
i860,  he  entered  the  employ  of  M.  L.  Lowry,  for 
whom  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  at 
thirteen  dollars  per  month.  He  was  thus 
employed  for  nine  months,  and  in  the  suc- 
ceeding winter  he  worked  for  three  months 
for  nine  dollars  per  month.  He  continued  his 
work  as  a. farm  hand  until  May  24,  1861,  when 
he  offered  his  services  to  the  country,  enlisting 


488 


PAST    AND     I'RHSEXT    OF    WIXXEIJAGO     COL'XTV. 


at  Frecport.  llliiu)is.  in  Coinpanv  C,  Fifteenth 
Illinois  Infantry,  for  three  years'  service.  He 
was  under  command  of  Captain  !•-.  !•".  W.  Ellis. 
This  was  the  first  Illinois  rejjiment  enlisted  for 
three  years,  and  with  that  command  Mr.  lUirch 
went  to  .\lton.  Illinois,  thence  to  I-"ulton.  .Mis- 
souri, and  on  to  RoUa.  that  state.  P.ccaiisc  of  ill- 
ness he  was  granted  a  fnrlousjh.  and  returned  to 
his  home,  hut  he  rejoined  the  refxinicnt  at  Fort 
Donelson  and  particijiated  in  the  engagements 
there  and  at  I'ort  Henry.  He  was  woimded  in 
the  battle  at  I'ittsburg  Landing,  the  engagement 
occurring  there  on  the  ')th  and  7th  of  June.  1862. 
.\fter  his  injur\-  he  was  taken  to  Savannah.  Geor- 
gia, but  later  joined  his  regiment  at  Corinth  and 
]3articipated  in  the  siege  of  that  city.  Subse- 
quently he  went  to  Memphis,  Tennessee,  and 
later  to  La  Grange.  Tennessee,  where  because  of 
disahilitv  he  was  honorablv  discharged  on  the 
28th  of 'July.   1863. 

W  hen  no  longer  able  to  serve  his  countr\  Mr. 
Burch  returned  to  Pecatonica.  and  the  following 
year  because  of  his  ill  health  was  unable  to  work. 
.\t  a  later  date  he  purchased  the  i)ropcrty  known 
as  the  Deacon  Woodruff  farm.  com])rising  i^ne 
hundred  and  sixty  acres,  and  u]K)n  this  he  yet 
lives,  carrying  on  general  farming  and  stock  rais- 
ing. He  sells  cattle,  hogs  and  horses  and  the 
products  of  his  farm  which  he  markets  return  to 
liini  a  good  income.  I  lis  fields  are  well  tilled, 
and  everything  about  the  ]>lace  is  kejjt  in  excel- 
lent condition,  the  farm  being  productive  and 
his  care  and  labor  being  the  source  of  his  suc- 
cess. 

Mr.  liurch  has  been  married  twice.  He  first 
wedded  Miss  Mary  Whittlesey,  on  the  24th  of 
December.  1863.  Her  parents  were  Eliphalet 
and  Lydia  (Ilitchcockj  \\'hittlesey.  The  father 
was  born  in  Massachusetts  in  1816.  ac(|uired  his 
early  eduoition  in  the  iniblic  schools,  and  after- 
ward attended  ( )berlin  College,  at  (Iberlin.  Ohio. 
He  came  to  Winnebago  county.  Illinois,  in  1837. 
and  later  removed  to  Iowa,  where  he  died  in 
\')02.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneer  residents  of 
this  section  of  the  state,  and  is  yet  remembered 
by  early  settlers  here.  Mrs.  Burch  departed  this 
life  in  June.  1878.  leaving  two  sons.  Charles  W. 
and  I*!lii)halet  C.  For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Burch 
chose  Mary  E.  Short,  a  daughter  of  James  and 
Rosa  A.  (Re(hiian)  Short.  Her  father,  who 
was  born  in  St.  Lawrence  county,  X'ew  York, 
died  in  September,  1837.  and  her  mother,  who 
is  a  native  of  Wexfonl.  Ireland,  is  now  living  in 
Pecatonica  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Short.  They 
were  the  parents  of  three  children,  all  born  in 
l^ssi-x  county,  Xew  York,  namely:  Mrs.  Burch. 
born  Se|)teml)er  20,  1851^;  Isador  C,  born  Julv 
28.  i8<'i7:  and  James  F...  who  was  born  Julv  5. 
1 87 1.  an<l  died  at  the  ape  of  five  years.  The 
father   was   a    farmer  by   occui)ation,   and   also 


acted  as  a  guide  in  the  .\dirondack  Mountains, 
lie  was  murdered  by  ( )tis  Arnold,  who  destroyed 
himself  on  the  same  day  that  he  committed  the 
crime.  The  .second  marriage  of  Mr.  Burch  oc- 
curred in  Seward  townshi]).  Ajiril  11.  1880.  and 
l)y  this  marriage  there  were  three  children :  Edna 
R..  who  was  born  July  30.  1883.  and  died  May 
().  1S85:  Janus  II..  who  was  boni  May 
30.  i88():  and  .Mary  \i..  who  was  born  July  4, 
i88q.  and  died  Xovember  22,  1892. 

Mr.  Burch  is  one  of  the  intluential  citizens  of 
his  township  and  his  neighbors,  recognizing  his 
worth  and  ability,  have  called  him  to  public  of- 
fice. He  has  served  as  trustee,  collector,  asses- 
sor and  road  commissioner  and  for  twenty  years 
was  school  director.  He  is  likewise  a  member 
of  the  Modern  \\'oodmen  camp,  and  for  fifteen 
years  has  l)een  a  member  of  Ellis  post.  Xo.  320. 
(i.  -A..  R..  at  Pecatonica.  has  served  as  com- 
mander for  fifteen  years,  and  also  is  a  member 
of  the  Knights  of  the  ( ilobe.  He  belongs  to  the 
Congregational  church  at  Seward,  and  in  his  po- 
litical views  is  a  republican.  He  is  found  true 
and  faithful  to  every  trust  rejiosed  in  him.  and  his 
official  reconl.  his  military  service  and  his  private 
life  alike  entitle  him  to  mention  with  the  respect- 
ed and  representative  citizens  of  his  community. 


STEPHI'.X   II.  HERRICK.  / 

Stephen  H.  Herrick,  following  the  occupation 
of  farming  on  section  4.  Rockford  township,  owns 
a  tract  of  land  of  thirty  and  three-quarters  acres, 
and  in  connection  with  its  cultivation  he  is  en- 
gaged in  the  dairy  business  and  in  the  raising  of 
small  fruit.  He  is  a  native  of  the  Empire  state, 
his  birth  having  occurred  in  Malone.  Xew  York, 
October  20,  1835,  but  he  was  reared  at  Milton. 
Cbiltenden  county.  \'ermont.  His  parents  were 
I'hineas  and  Emily  ( Mears)  Herrick,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Vermont,  and  are  now 
deceased.  The  Herrick  family  is  of  English  line- 
age in  one  line  and  also  of  early  Danish  ancestry. 
I'ive  Herrick  brothers  came  to  this  country  from 
I'jigland  sliortl\  after  the  landing  of  the  Pil- 
grims, settling  in  Massachusetts,  and  some  of 
them  reared  families.  All  of  the  name  in  this 
country  are  doubtless  related.  Phineas  Herrick 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  followed  that 
()ursuit  throughout  his  entire  business  life.  He 
was  a  most  devoted  member  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church,  doing  everything  in  his  power  to 
promote  the  cause  in  which  he  believed.  In  his 
family  were  eight  children,  who  reached  years  of 
maturity,  and  in  addition  to  S.  H.  Herrick.  of 
this  review,  those  still  living  are:  Mrs.  Huldah 
n.  Meeker,  of  Milton.  \'ermont :  Mrs.  Lottie 
Corey,  of  Santa  Barbara,  California :  and  George 


S.  H.  HERRICK. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


491 


F.,  who  is  residing:  at  Riverside,  California,  and 
is  engaged  in  the  raising  of  oranges.  One 
brother,  Edgar,  served  in  the  Civil  war,  and  is 
probably  now  in  the  Soldiers'  Home  at  Wilming- 
ton. Delaware.  He  was  a  brave  soldier,  and 
was  mustered  out  as  acting  captain. 

Stephen  H.  Herrick  spent  the  davs  of  his  boy- 
hood and  youth  in  the  Green  Mountain  state, 
making  his  home  there  until  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  although  in  the  meantime  he  taught  school 
for  two  winters  in  the  state  of  New  York.  The 
year  1856  witnessed  his  removal  to  the  middle 
west.  He  made  his  way  to  Beloit,  Wisconsin, 
where  he  engaged  in  teacliing  school  through  the 
following  winter,  and  in  the  spring  of  1857  he 
joined  a  party  who  traveled  by  way  of  St.  Louis 
to  Kansas,  He  then  located  in  Doniphan  coun- 
ty, Kansas,  although  he  took  up  a  claim  in  Brown 
county.  After  spending  four  years  in  the  Sun- 
flower state,  he  returned  to  Vermont,  where  he 
was  married  in  1861  to  Miss  Emily  Cadman.  who 
died  in  1873  at  the  age  of  thirty-three  years,  leav- 
ing four  children,  all  of  whom  were  born  in 
Winnebago  county,  Illinois.  She  was  a  daughter 
of  George  and  Lydia   (Austin)   Cadman. 

Mr.  Herrick  removed  to  this  county  during  the 
period  of  the  Civil  war,  arriving  in  January, 
1863,  at  which  time  he  rented  land  near  Rock- 
ford,  settling  on  a  part  of  what  is  known  as  the 
John  Davey  farm.  He  began  here  in  a  small 
way,  but  as  the  years  have  passed  he  has  been 
quite  successful,  and  he  now  owns  a  fine  home, 
in  the  rear  of  which  stand  commodious  and  sub- 
stantial buildings  for  the  shelter  of  his  grain  and 
stock.  His  farm  is  also  well  improved  in  every 
particular,  and  in  connection  with  the  raising  of 
cereals  best  adapted  to  the  soil  and  climate,  he  is 
also  engaged  in  the  dairy  business,  which  he  has 
followed  successfully  for  the  past  twenty  years. 
His  farm  was  originally  a  part  of  the  H.  H.  Stone 
farm,  and  he  purchased  it  eight  years  ago.  He 
now  has  upon  his  place  a  herd  of  ten  cows,  large- 
ly of  the  Holstein  variety.  He  formerly  supplied 
milk  to  the  hotels  in  Rockford,  and  still  supplies 
to  the  Chick  House.  He  also  has  a  large  retail 
trade,  furnishing  about  one  hundred  quarts  of 
milk  daily  to  his  patrons.  He  is  to  some  extent 
also  engaged  in  the  raising  of  small  fruit,  having 
an  apple  and  cherry  orchard  and  also  good  straw- 
berry beds.  He  likewise  has  a  few  pear  and  plum 
trees,  and  the  horticultural  products  of  his  place 
add  not  a  little  to  his  annual  income. 

It  was  after  his  removal  to  Winnebago  county 
that  Mr.  Herrick  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  his  first  wife.  Of  their  children.  W.  D. 
is  now  residing  at  Downers  Grove.  Illinois.  Dora 
E.  is  the  wife  of  Charles  Loucks,  of  Rockford, 
and  has  three  children — Nina,  Katharine  and 
Charles  E.  Louis  A.,  who  is  secretary  and  man- 
ager   of    the    Stephenson    Telephone    Company. 


married  Clara  Tunnel,  and  has  one  child,  Ros- 
well,  aged  five  years.  Elmer,  who  was  connected 
with  the  telephone  business,  died  in  1902,  at  the 
age  of  twenty-nine  years.  For  his  second  wife 
^Ir.  Herrick  chose  .Miss  Catherine  A.  Mande- 
ville,  a  daughter  of  Dr,  Charles  and  Sarah 
(White)  Mandeville,  who  came  from  New  York 
state  to  Illinois,  her  father  being  an  early  physi- 
cian of  Rockford.  The  children  of  this  marriage 
were :  Sarah,  Charles  and  Nettie,  all  deceased ; 
Lizzie,  a  twin  sister  of  Nettie,  and  now  a  profes- 
sional nurse  of  Stockton,  Illinois ;  Ida,  the  wife 
of  Frank  Nason,  who  is  a  son  of  Edward  and 
Amanda  Nason,  of  Rockford,  and  is  residing  on 
a  farm  in  this  county ;  and  Gertie,  who  is  the 
wife  of  John   Sullivan,  of  Rockford. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Herrick  is  a  repub- 
lican, having  continuously  supported  the  party 
since  casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  John 
C.  Fremont.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Qiristian 
Union  church,  and  in  all  matters  of  citizenship 
is  public-spirited  and  progressive.  He  has  lived 
in  \\'innebago  county  forty-two  years,  during 
which  time  his  own  progress  has  been  in  keeping 
with  the  growth  and  development  of  this  section 
of  the  state.  He  is  entirely  a  self-made  man, 
having  no  family  or  pecuniary  advantages  at  the 
outset  of  his  career,  but  the  efficacy  of  labor  has 
been  proven  in  his  life  record,  and  he  is  today  a 
substantial  resident  of  Rockford  township. 


JOHN  H.  NELSON. 

John  PI.  Nelson,  a  contractor  in  teaming  of 
Rockfiird.  whose  business  since  its  establishment 
in  7892  has  continually  grown  until  it  is  the 
largest  of  the  kind  in  the  city,  was  born  and 
reared  in  Laona,  Illinois.  His  parents  were  na- 
tives of  Europe,  his  father  belonging  to  a  Swed- 
ish family,  while  his  mother  represented  a  fam- 
ily of  Irish  lineage.  When  a  youth  of  only  thir- 
teen years  Mr.  Nelson  started  out  in  life  on  his 
ow^n  account,  and  to  his  own  labors  may  be  ac- 
credited his  success.  He  had  no  influential 
friends  or  advantageous  circumstances  to  aid 
him,  and,  depending  entirely  upon  industry  and 
energy,  he  has  overcome  all  difliculties  and  ob- 
stacles in  his  path  and  is  to-day  in  control  of  a 
profitable  business.  In  1892  he  located  in  Rock- 
ford. where  he  began  teaming  with  one  team, 
and  to-day  he  employs  from  five  to  seven  teams 
for  contract  hauling,  his  business  now  exceeding 
that  of  any  other  representative  of  the  same  line 
of  activity  in  Rockford.  His  attention  was  largely 
given  to  this  work  and  during  the  past  two  years 
he  has  been  engaged  as  inspector  for  the  city. 

Air.  Nelson  was  married  in  Chicago  to  Miss 
Ella  Hawkins,  who  was  born  in  Plarrison,  Illi- 


492 


I'AST     AXD     PRIiSEXT     ( )1-     \\l  XX'ERAGO     COUXTY. 


nois.  Her  parents  came  to  tliis  state  from  the 
state  of  Xew  '^'ork  about  fifty-four  years  ajjo, 
ami  were  tlierefore  nuiiilxTcd  amonjj  tlie  early 
settlers.  Mr.  Xelson  now  owns  three  residence 
properties  in  Rockford,  havinfj  built  two  fine 
new  dwellings  on  .\corn  street,  while  his  own 
home  is  at  Xo.  933  Acorn  street.  He  likewise 
has  another  residence  on  l-'orest  avenue,  and  his 
property  is  the  visible  evidence  of  his  life  of 
thrift  and  industry.  In  ])()litics  he  is  a  demo- 
crat, while  socially  he  is  connected  with  the 
Modern  Woodmen  camp  of  Rockford.  and  his 
wife  is  a  member  of  the  Royal  Xeii^hbors.  Both 
are  communicants  oi  St.  Marv's  Catholic  church. 


EDWIX    W.VRE. 


Edwin  Ware  has  now  retired  from  active  farm- 
ing, but  still  resides  upon  the  home  jilace  on  sec- 
tion 24.  Winnebago  township,  and  is  the. owner 
of  two  hundred  acres  of  finely  improved  land,  in 
addition  to  a  tract  of  timber  land  some  distance 
south  of  the  home  farm.  His  possessions  alto- 
gether comprise  two  hundred  and  thirty  acres. 
He  has  been  a  resident  of  the  county  for  the  past 
thirty  years,  coming  to  the  west  from  Xew 
Hampshire.  He  is  a  native  of  Hillsboro  county, 
of  the  old  Granite  state,  born  January  31,  1842. 
His  parents  were  Ebenezer  and  Martha  (Lakin) 
Ware,  who  were  also  natives  of  the  same  part 
of  Xew  Hampshire,  and  resided  there  until  called 
to  their  final  home.  The  father  was  a  contractor 
and  builder,  and  erected  many  of  the  important 
structures  in  their  home  town  of  Hancock,  New 
Hampshire.  Later  in  life,  however,  he  turned 
his  attention  to  farming,  which  he  followed  near 
Hancock  upon  the  old  Immcstead  ])ropcrtv  u])on 
which  his  father  had  settled.  The  Ware  family 
is  of  English  lineage,  the  ancestors  having  re- 
sided in  Devonshire,  whence  Robert  Ware  came 
to  America  as  early  as  1640.  He  established  his 
home  in  Massachusetts  and  was  one  of  the 
wealthy  and  prominent  men  of  that  day.  The 
Lakins  were  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  and  in  re- 
ligious faith  were  adherents  of  the  Methodist 
cinirch. 

Edwin  Ware  is  the  only  member  of  his  father's 
family  who  came  to  Winneliago  county.  He  be- 
longed to  a  family  of  nine  children,  of  whom  six 
are  yet  living.  He  was  reared  in  Xew  Hamp- 
shire until  seventeen  years  of  age.  when  he  made 
his  way  westward  to  Wisconsin,  where  he  spent 
three  years.  He  then  entered  the  army,  enlisting 
on  the  13th  of  August.  1862,  as  a  member  of 
Company  G,  Thirteenth  Xew  Hampshire  \'olun- 
teers,  with  which  he  served  imtil  the  close  of  the 


war,  or   for  almost  three  years.      The   regiment 

was  attached  to  the   Xiiith  and  afterward  to  theporteil  his  jiarty  since  casting  his  first  presidential 


Jughteenth  .\rmy  Corps.  Mr.  Ware  was  wound- 
ed four  times,  but  was  not  disabled  seriously,  al- 
though he  has  been  lame  since  from  the  effect  of 
his  injuries.  Because  of  meritorious  and  faithful 
conduct  on  the  field  of  battle,  he  was  promoted 
from  grade  to  grade  until  commissioned  second 
lieutenant.  He  had  not  yet  attained  his  majority 
when  he  offered  his  services  to  the  Union,  and  he 
made  a  great  sacrifice  for  his  country,  which  owes 
to  him  a  debt  of  gratitude  that  can  never  he  re- 
paid. It  is  told  of  him  that  at  the  outbreak  of 
the  war  he.  with  one  other,  went  to  the  recruiting 
station  to  join  the  army.  Quaking  in  his  shoes 
for  fear  of  the  officer  finding  out  he  had  a  mal- 
formed foot,  he  loosened  his  trousers  and  allowed 
them  to  drop  down  and  hide  from  the  officer  the 
malformation.  When  the  war  was  over  he  re- 
turned to  Xew  Hampshire,  where  he  carried  on 
farming  for  several  years,  or  until  his  removal 
to  Wimiehagt)  county,  where  he  has  now  lived 
for  almost  a  third  of  a  century,  making  his  home 
throughout  the  entire  period  on  the  same  farm. 

Mr.  Ware  has  been  married  three  times.  On 
the  i6th  of  December,  1866,  in  this  county,  he 
wedded  .-\gnes  McQuatcrs,  who  was  a  native  of 
Xew  England,  and  was  of  Scotch  ])arentage.  She 
died  in  Winnebago  county.  May  24,  1883,  leaving 
three  children.  Winifred  .A.,  the  eldest,  is  now 
the  wife  of  W.  .\.  Thwing,  a  resident  of  East 
Derry,  New  Hampshire.  Ernest  E.,  of  New 
York  city,  is  a  graduate  nurse  of  Rellevue  Hos- 
pital, Xew  York,  and  saw  sen-ice  in  the  Spanish- 
American  war.  He  re-enlisted  and  spent  a  year 
and  a  half  in  Cuba,  and  is  now  engaged  in  hos- 
pital work.  John  C.  Ware,  the  youngest  son  of 
the  family,  spent  three  years  as  a  member  of  the 
Third  United  States  Infantry  in  the  Philippine 
service,  and  is  now  married  and  resides  in  Rock- 
ford. where  he  is  engaged  in  business  as  an  elec- 
trical engineer.  On  the  31st  of  January.  1886. 
Mr.  Ware  was  married  to  Mary  E.  Miller,  who 
ilied  .\pril  21.  i8g2.  His  present  wife  was  Miss 
Jennie  Sjjottswood.  whom  he  wedded  December 
20.  1894.  .She  was  a  resident  of  this  county,  and 
was  a  daughter  of  Robert  and  Mary  (Graham) 
.Spottswood,  and  is  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Robert  Simp- 
son, of  Rockford  township. 

Mr.  Ware  has  made  all  of  the  improvements 
upon  his  fami  which  are  today  seen  there,  and 
which  make  it  <ine  of  the  valuable  farming  prop- 
erties of  the  County.  He  now  rents  his  land,  al- 
though he  still  resides  upon  the  farm.  He  has 
in  his  home  a  most  interesting  collection  of  war 
relics,  including  souvenirs  of  three  wars — the 
Revolution,  the  Civil  and  the  S])anish-.-\merican. 
lie  has  also  various  relics  brouglit  from  the  Phil- 
i])pines  and  a  number  of  Indian  relics,  and  his 
cabinet  collection  is  indeed  a  fine  and  interesting 
one.     In  jiolitics  he  is  a  re])ublican,  having  sup- 


MR.  .\XD  -MRS.  EDWIN  WARE. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF    WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


495 


vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln  when  a  soldier  on  the 
field  of  battle.  He  now  belongs  to  Nevius  post. 
No.  I,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Rockford,  and  is  a  member 
of  Rockford  camp.  No.  51,  M.  W.  A.  He  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Second  Congrega- 
tional church  of  Rockford.  He  is  a  representa- 
tive in  the  seventh  generation  of  the  descendants 
of  Robert  Ware,  the  progenitor  of  the  family  in 
America,  and  during  his  residence  in  Winnebago 
county  he  has  become  recognized  as  a  valued 
citizen,  as  loyal  to  public  interests  in  days  of  peace 
as  when  he  followed  the  stars  and  stripes  upon 
the  battlefields  of  the  south.  In  business  affairs 
he  has  also  been  found  reliable,  and  his  present 
valuable  farm  is  the  visible  evidence  of  his  life  of 
industrv. 


CYRUS  L.  HUNTER. 

Cyrus  L.  Hunter,  deceased,  was  for  several 
3'ears  traveling  representative  of  the  F.  C.  Johnson 
factory  at  Rockford.  His  birth  occurred  in  St. 
Thomas,  Canada.  April  22.  1850,  his  parents  be- 
ing Robert  and  Elizabeth  Hunter,  both  natives  of 
Canada,  where  the  father  engaged  in  business  as 
a  contractor.  He  died  in  St.  Thomas  when  his 
son  Cyrus  was  only  four  years  old  and  the  mother 
also  died  during  the  early  boyhood  of  our  sub- 
ject. In  the  public  schools  of  his  native  citv  Cyrus 
L.  Hunter  acquired  his  education  and  when  but 
a  lad  began  learning  the  harness  maker's  trade, 
which  he  followed  in  St.  Thomas  for  several 
years.  After  leaving  that  place  he  worked  as  a 
journeyman  in  other  towns  and  finally  located  in 
Beloit,  Wisconsin,  where  he  engaged  in  harness 
making  until  1881.  His  health  becoming  impaired 
he  then  decided  to  remove  to  a  farm  and  the  same 
year  settled  in  Stillman  A'alley.  in  Ogle  county, 
Illinois,  purchasing  a  tract  of  land  in  Marion 
township.  There  he  carried  on  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits  until  1897,  but  did  not  find  that 
occupation  entirely  congenial  and  removed  to 
Rockford.  He  then  accepted  a  position  as  travel- 
ing salesman  for  the  Johnson  Company,  his  ter- 
ritory being  in  southern  Illinois,  Indiana  and 
Oklahoma,  and  his  trips  varied  from  one  to  three 
months  in  length. 

Mr.  Hunter  was  married  in  Ingersoll.  Canada, 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  Young,  a  native  of  Union, 
Canada,  and  a  daughter  of  Matthew  and  Sarah 
fTurnerl  Young.  Her  father  was  a  contractor 
and  he  died  in  Union,  Canada,  in  1899,  having 
for  several  years  survived  his  wife  whose  death 
occurred  in  October,  1891.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hunter  became  the  parents  of  three  children : 
Enabelle,  now  the  wiie  of  William  A.  Dennis, 
who  is  bookkeeper  for  the  Third  National  Bank 
of  Rockford.  and  resides  at  No.  522  North  Sec- 
ond street :   Teanette.  who  is  a  stenographer  for 


the  New  England  Insurance  Company,  at  Rock- 
ford, and  resides  with  her  mother ;  and  Leland 
M.  at  home. 

\MiiIe  living  in  Ogle  county  jMr.  Hunter  was 
elected  and  ser\-ed  as  justice  of  the  peace,  was  also 
tax  collector  for  two  terms  and  likewise  filled  the 
office  of  school  trustee.  He  took  an  active  inter- 
est in  political  questions,  giving  a  stanch  support 
to  the  republican  party  and  he  ever  kept  well 
informed  on  the  questions  and  issues  of  the  day. 
He  was  a  charter  member  of  Stillman  Valley 
lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  also  of  Stillman  Valley 
camp,  M.  W.  A.  Both  he  and  his  wife  held 
membership  in  the  Congregational  church  of 
Stillman  Valley  but  she  now  attends  the  Court 
Street  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Rockford. 
On  the  "th  of  July,  1904,  Mr.  Hunter  started  on 
his  last  trip  for  he  was  taken  ill  at  Beardstown, 
Illinois,  and  there  died  on  the  25th  of  July,  1904. 
He  had  a  wide  and  favorable  acquaintance  among 
the  business  men  of  Rockford  and  in  Ogle  county 
as  well  and  he  possessed  a  social,  genial  nature 
that  made  him  popular  with  those  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact.  His  friendly  spirit  and  kindly 
disposition,  combined  with  his  deference  for  the 
opinions  of  others,  won  for  him  warm  regard, 
and  his  death  was  deeply  regretted.  ^Irs.  Hunter 
and  her  daughter  are  well  known  socially  in  Rock- 
ford and  they  reside  at  No.  930  Rockton  avenue. 


JAMES  M.  ATWOOD. 

James  M.  Atwood,  w-hose  activity  in  the  pur- 
chase, improvement  and  sale  of  lands  and  stock 
has  contributed  to  the  business  prosperity  of  the 
community  as  well  as  to  his  individual  success, 
now  resides  upon  a  farm  on  section  33,  Guilford 
township.  He  is  numbered  among  the  native 
sons  of  this  countv.  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Harlem  township,  in  185 1,  and  there  he  was 
reared  upon  the  old  homestead.  His  parents, 
David  and  Betsy  E.  (Crill)  Atwood,  were  early 
residents  of  the  county,  and  the  father  was  a 
verv  successful  man.  His  home  was  in  Harlem 
township  and  there  he  carried  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  for  many  years  or  until  his  re- 
tirement from  active  business  life  about  fifteen 
years  ago.  He  then  settled  in  Rockford,  where 
he  made  his  home  until  his  death  on  the  22d  of 
September,  1904.  His  widow  still  survives  and 
vet  lives  in  Rockford.  They  had  two  sons,  one 
of  whom  is  Charles  D..  now  residing  with  his 
mother  at  215  Kilburn  avenue. 

Tames  M.  Atwood,  the  other  son,  was  reared 
on"  the  old  family  homestead  in  Harlem  township, 
where  he  remained  until  starting  out  in  life  on 
his  own  account.  He  has  purchased,  improved 
and  sold  a  number  of  farms  and  other  real  estate. 


496 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF    WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


and  has  also  handled  and  sold  a  large  number  of 
horses,  and  in  tact  has  led  a  very  active  and 
busy  life.  He  has  resided  on  his  present  home 
farm  on  section  33,  Guilford  township,  for  the 
past  ten  years,  although  he  has  spent  about  three 
years  in  other  localities.  He  has  done  consider- 
able s]K'culating  in  the  line  of  real-estate  invest- 
ment and  his  judgment  is  safe  and  reliable.  He 
now  has  a  finely  improved  farm  upon  which  is 
an  attractive  residence  and  good  outbuildings. 
There  is  a  street  car  line  passing  his  door  and 
this  brings  him  into  close  connection  with  the 
city. 

Mr.  Atwooil  was  married  to  Miss  Lilly  Tut- 
tle,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  who  has  resided  in 
Winnebago  county  for  the  past  thirty-five  years. 
They  have  three  children,  all  Iwrn  in  Harlem 
township,  namely :  Jennie  M.,  the  wife  of  James 
Cotton,  a  resident  of  Cherry  Valley  township ; 
Calla  M.,  who  is  the  wife  of  Bert  Popham,  also 
of  Clierr\  N'alley,  and  has  one  child,  Donald  A.; 
and  Harry  O..  at  home. 

Politically  Mr.  Atwotxl  is  a  republican  and 
socially  he  is  connected  with  Cherry  Valley  lodge. 
No.  173,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star 
of  Cherry  Valley,  and  lx)th  likewise  belong  to 
Oriental  \\'hite  Shrine,  No.  5,  at  Rockford.  and 
M.  W.  camp.  No.  51.  He  has  a  wide  ac(|uaint- 
ance  in  the  county  where  his  entire  life  has  been 
passed,  and  that  he  enjoys  the  favorable  regard 
of  many  who  have  known  him  from  his  boyhood 
days  is  an  indication  that  his  career  has  been  hon- 
orable and  straightforward  as  well  as  active  and 
prosperous. 


CF.ORGI".  W.  MARSTON. 

George  W.  Marston,  an  honored  veteran  of 
the  Civil  war,  living  in  Seward  township,  was 
born  in  Wyoming  county.  New  York,  February 
12,  1835.  His  parents  were  Charles  and  Meri- 
bah  (Morrill)  Marston,  natives  of  Vermont,  the 
former  horn  December  21,  1796,  and  the  latter 
September  \(>.  ij')/-  The  father  learned  the  car- 
penter's trade  when  a  young  lad,  and  in  early 
manhood  he  was  married  in  X'ermont.  the  wed- 
ding day  being  November  4.  1H23.  After  the 
birth  of  five  of  their  children  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mars- 
ton removed  from  the  Green  Mountain  state  to 
Wyoming  county.  New  York,  where  they  lived 
for  two  or  three  years,  and  then  established  their 
home  in  Fiuflfalo,  New  York,  while  later  they 
went  to  Royalton  township,  in  Niagara  county. 
New  York.  In  October,  1844,  they  took  passage 
on  the  steamer  St.  Louis,  bound  from  Buffalo  to 
Chicago,  but  because  of  a  heavy  storm  the 
steamer  had  to  put  back  to  Black  Rock,  and  the 
Marston     family     therefore     remained     in     Erie 


county  through  the  winter  of  1844.  In  May, 
1845,  ^''^y  <igain  started  for  the  west  on  the 
same  vessel  on  which  they  had  taken  passage  in 
the  previous  fall,  and  this  time  they  were  wrecked 
on  ^lanit^)ll  Island.  The  passengers  were  taken 
on  board  the  steamer  Madison,  however,  and 
were  landed  at  South]Mirt.  Wisconsin,  the  pres- 
ent city  of   Kenosha. 

Charles  Marston  made  his  way  across  the 
county  to  \\  inncliago  county,  after  which  he 
returned  to  Wisconsin  with  horse  teams  for  his 
family,  bringing  them  to  Rockford.  Tie  worked 
at  his  trade  in  and  near  the  city  until  1847,  at 
which  time  he  and  his  sons  entered  three  eighty- 
acre  tracts  of  land  from  the  governiucnt,  ])aying 
the  usual  purchase  jjrice  of  a  dollar  and  a  ([uar- 
ter  per  acre.  The  land  was  all  wild  prairie  ex- 
cept twenty-four  acres,  which  was  covered  with 
timber.  Mr.  Marston  hewed  the  trees  which 
he  converted  into  lumber,  from  which  he  built 
a  frame  house,  hauling  the  timber  to  the  saw 
mill  at  I'yron,  Illinois,  where  it  was  cut  by 
Smith  brothers,  owners  of  the  mill  there. 
The  Marston  family  experienced  all  the 
hardships  and  privations  incident  to  pioneer 
life  and  suffered  many  privations  in  those  early 
days  when  Winnebago  countv  was  cut  off  from 
the  comforts  of  the  older  east.  In  pioneer  limes 
it  was  customary  for  them  to  i)ut  lights  in  their 
windows  on  dark  nights  .so  that  people  might 
see  the  way  if  any  chanced  to  be  wandering  over 
the  prairie.  As  the  years  went  by  Mr.  Marston 
continued  his  farming  ojierations  and  his  land 
was  transformed  into  productive  fields,  from 
whicli  he  annually  harvested  good  crops.  He 
served  as  school  director  for  some  time,  and  was 
one  of  the  first  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church, 'in  which  for  many  years  he  served 
as  class  leader.  His  life  was  honorable  and  up- 
right, consistent  with  his  ])rincii)les,  and  he  left 
the  imjiress  oi  his  individuality  for  gO(3d  upon 
the  community  in  which  he  made  his  home.  His 
political  allegiance  was  given  to  the  whig  party, 
and  when  the  republican  party  was  formed  he 
joined  its  ranks.  He  was  living  in  the  vicinity 
of  Plattsburg  at  the  time  of  the  war  of  1812, 
when  tlu-  battle  occurred  at  that  place.  The 
cannonading  shook  the  home  of  Mr.  Marston, 
and  Charles  Marston,  his  enthusiasm  aroused, 
desired  to  enter  the  army,  but  his  mother  pre- 
vented him  from  doing  so,  as  he  was  then  a 
young  lad.  He  died  .\ugust  27,  1872.  respected 
bv  all  who  knew  him.  and  his  wife  passed  away 
July  3,  1876.  They  were  the  i)arents  of  nine 
children:  Julia  L.,  who  was  born  July  2^.  1824, 
and  (lied  .'^ejUember  8,  i8()8:  Laura  .'\.,  who  was 
born  February  4,  1826,  and  died  October  24, 
1855:  William  II.,  who  was  born  September  8, 
1827,  and  died  February  17,  1871  :  Charles,  who 
was  born    I'ebruary   25,    1831,  and  died  Decern- 


G.  W.  MARSTOX. 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


499 


ber  9,  1898;  Benjamin  \\'.,  who  was  born  July 
19,  1832,  and  died  Jul}-  3,  1835  ;  George  W.,  of 
this  review;  Hannah,  who  was  born  March  11, 
1837,  and  died  June  i,  1891 ;  Joel  B.,  born  Sep- 
tember 9,  1838,  and  died  August  12,  1889;  and 
Benjamin,  who  was  born  May  26,  1841,  and 
died  February  9,  1867. 

George  W.  Marston  spent  his  boyhood  days  in 
his  father's  home  and  assisted  him  in  the  active 
work  of  the  farm,  taking  his  place  in  the  fields 
almost  as  soon  as  he  was  old  enough  to  reach 
the  plow  handles.  In  the  winter  months  he  at- 
tended school,  and  thus  acquired  a  fair  English 
education.  Early  in  the  spring  of  1861,  soon 
after  the  Civil  w'ar  had  been  declared,  he  offered 
his  services  to  the  government  as  a  defender  of 
the  Union,  being  at  that  time  twenty-six  years 
of  age.  He  joined  Company  C,  of  the  Fifteenth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  for  three  years,  or 
during  the  war,  and  went  to  the  front  under 
command  of  Colonel  Thomas  Turner,  going 
from  Rockford  to  Freeport,  thence  to  Alton  and 
afterward  to  St.  Charles,  Missouri.  At 
Mexico,  ^Missouri,  they  joined  General 
Grant's  brigade  and  proceeded  to  Fulton 
City,  Missouri,  on  to  St.  Alberts,  and 
there  took  the  boat  for  St.  Louis.  ilr. 
Marston,  however,  became  ill  with  measles  at 
that  place.  The  troops  Avent  from  Jefferson  Bar- 
racks, St.  Louis,  to  Rolla,  Missouri,  covering 
Sigel's  retreat,  and  at  the  time  of  Fremont's 
raid  they  marched  three  hundred  miles,  living  on 
half  rations,  to  Springfield,  Missouri.  After- 
ward they  were  ordered  to  Tipton  and  to  Otter- 
ville,  building  a  fort  at  the  last  named  place,  and 
on  the  5th  of  February,  1862,  they  left  there  for 
St.  Louis  on  the  way  to  Fort  Donelson,  taking 
passage  on  the  steamer  on  the  13th  of  February, 
and  reached  Fort  Donelson  just  after  its  capitu- 
lation. They  then  marched  to  Fort  Henry,  and 
the  troops  were  sent  afterward  to  Pittsburg 
Landing.  Mr.  Marston  and  his  company  were 
in  General  Hulbert's  division,  and  were  the  first 
to  land  at  Shiloh,  being  there  for  a  month  before 
the  battle  had  begun  on  the  6th  of  April.  On  the 
first  day  of  the  battle  Mr.  Marston  w-as  in  the 
central  division,  and  the  regiment  lost  nearly 
half  of  its  number.  ]\Ir.  Marston  was  wounded 
near  Shadow  church,  first  in  the  left  leg,  the  bul- 
let passing  through  the  limb.  He  managed  to 
get  behind  a  tree,  but  after  being  w'ounded  he 
stood  up  and  kept  on  firing,  but  was  wounded 
again,  this  time  in  the  side  while  stooping  over 
to  tie  up  his  leg.  After  being  wounded  the  sec- 
ond time  he  lay  on  the  field  for  about  forty-eight 
hours,  the  battle  going  on  all  around  him  and 
the  shells  flying  thick  and  fast  over  his  head. 
Captain  Hart,  of  the  Second  Tennessee  Regi- 
ment, left  orders  that  his  troops  should  take  good 
care  of  the  Union  soldiers,  and  he  himself  went 


to  secure  the  services  of  a  surgeon  to  look  after 
Mr.  Marston,  who  in  the  course  of  the  tide  of 
battle,  because  of  the  advances  and  retreats,  was 
now  within  the  rebel  lines.  He  saw  the  rebels 
on  the  run  as  he  lay  on  the  ground.  That  night 
his  brother  came  to  him  and  bathed  his  wounds, 
but  he  did  not  receive  medical  attendance  until 
later.  At  length  he  was  taken  to  the  camp  tent, 
where  he  remained  for  about  a  week,  and  was 
then  sent  home,  his  brother  returning  with  him. 
They  took  him  to  the  boat  at  Pittsburg  Landing, 
whence  they  proceeded  down  the  Tennessee  and 
up  the  C^hio  rivers  to  Evansville,  Indiana,  and 
later  down  the  C>hio  to  Cairo,  on  to  St.  Louis, 
Alissouri,  and  by  boat  to  Dunleath,  East  Du- 
buque. Mr.  Marston  was  brought  the  entire  dis- 
tance on  a  cot.  From  Iowa  he  proceeded  by 
train  to  \\'innebago  county,  where  his  bed  was 
placed  in  a  wagon  and  he  was  thus  taken  home. 
This  was  in  April,  1862.  and  he  was  ordered  to 
report  for  duty  in  July.  His  wound,  however, 
did  not  heal  by  that  time,  but  he  made  his  way 
to  Chicago  on  crutches,  and  on  the  9th  of 
August,  1862,  he  was  honorably  discharged. 

Since  recovering  his  health  ]\Ir.  Marston  has 
lived  upon  the  old  homestead,  following  the  oc- 
cupation of  farming  and  stock-raising,  but  he 
has  never  been  able  to  do  any  hard  labor  since  his 
military  experience,  his  injuries  having  perma- 
nently disabled  him  for  active  manual  work.  He 
has.  however,  given  personal  supervision  to  the 
management  of  his  agricultural  interests,  and  his 
keen  business  sagacity  and  enterprise  have  re- 
sulted in  bringing  him  a  fair  measure  of  suc- 
cess. 

On  the  25th  of  August,  1863,  Mr.  I\Iarston 
was  married  to  JNIiss  Sarah  Scott,  a  daughter  of 
Dr.  Amos  and  Harriet  (McCarty)  Scott,  both 
natives  of  Munc\-  township,  Lycoming  county, 
Pennsylvania.  Her  father  w^as  born  October  3, 
1820,  and  died  September  12,  1901.  while  his 
wife,  whose  birth  occurred  May  23,  1823,  passed 
away  in  December,  i88g.  Dr.  Scott  had  studied 
medicine  in  Philadelphia,  and  later  he  engaged 
in  teaching  school.  He  came  west  to  Illinois  in 
1857  and  purchased  a  farm  in  Seward  township, 
turning  his  attention  to  agricultural  interests.  In 
1864  he  joined  the  Union  Army  as  a  private,  but 
passed  the  medical  stai¥  examination  and  was 
enrolled  in  the  service  as  a  surgeon,  being  as- 
signed to  duty  with  the  One  Hundred  and  Fifty- 
third  A/"olunteer  Infantry.  He  rendered  efficient 
and  valuable  aid  to  the  sick  and  wounded  in  the 
south,  and  W'ith  a  most  creditable  military  record 
returned  to  his  home  when  the  war  was  over. 
He  then  continued  the  practice  of  medicine, 
which  he  foUow-ed  for  over  forty  years.  Inter- 
ested in  the  welfare  and  upbuilding  of  his  com- 
munitv  he  gave  his  aid  to  many  measures  for 
the   general   good,   and   through   a   long  period 


500 


I'AST     AM)     PRESENT    OF     WI XXEBAGO    CorXTV. 


served  as  sc1uk)1  director.  I  lis  rcli,sji()iis  faitli 
was  that  of  tlio  Conprcjjational  church,  and  his 
pohlical  siipijort  was  in  accord  witii  tiic  princi- 
ples of  the  republican  ])arty.  In  his  family  were 
nine  children,  of  whom  Sarah.  Mrs.  Marston,  is 
the  eldest,  havinsj  been  born  December  4.  1842: 
Rachel,  lujrn  December  2.  1844.  died  May  6, 
i8t)i  :  Mary,  born  .May  8.  1847.  is  now  Mrs. 
Tracy,  of  Seward:  Charles,  born  May  26,  1841;, 
died  in  .Vujjust,  1890:  Martha,  born  in  Xovem- 
bcr.  1851,  is  now  Mrs.  Ray,  of  Winnebago 
county:  Julia,  born  in  March,  1S54,  is  Mrs. 
Hunting,  of  Xorthfield.  Massachusetts;  Mercv, 
born  in  June,  i85('»,  died  in  h'ebruary.  1857:  Har- 
riet, born  in  March.  1853,  and  Llara.  in  Septem- 
ber,  1 861,  complete  the  family. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Marston  has  been 
blessed  with  seven  children :  Amos  A\'..  who  is 
now  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law  in  Chicago: 
.\nson,  who  is  a  ])rofessor  of  civil  engineering 
iTi  the  State  University  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa: 
Ciiarles  L..  who  is  a  graduate  of  Rush  Medical 
College,  at  Chicago,  and  is  now  practicing  in 
Mason  City.  Iowa  :  Mary  .\..  the  widow  of  John 
Smith,  who  died  in  u)oi  :  deorgc  E.,  a  resident 
fanner  of  Iowa :  \\'alter  S.,  a  mechanical  engi- 
neer, living  in  Chicago:  and  Robert  V ..  who  fol- 
lows farming  with  his  father. 

Mr.  ^larston  has  served  as  township  collector 
for  one  year  and  as  school  director  for  nine 
years.  He  made  a  great  sacrifice  for  his  coun- 
try, and  has  ever  lieen  a  loyal  citizen,  devoted  to 
the  welfare  of  his  localitv,  state  and  nation. 


CHARLES  F.  CRAXDALL. 

Charles  F.  Crandall.  following  the  occupation 
nf  farming  on  section  20.  Rockford  township,  has 
been  a  resident  of  Winnebago  county  since  1875 
and  since  1876  has  made  his  home  on  the  farm 
which  he  yet  owns  and  occupies.  He  came  to 
the  west  from  Troy.  I'.radford  county.  Pennsyl- 
vania, but  was  born  in  Cortland  countv.  Xew 
York,  near  the  village  of  Homer.  March  4.  1827, 
his  parents  being  Daniel  and  I.ydia  fMorey) 
Crandall.  In  both  the  paternal  and  maternal  lines 
the  families  are  descended  from  three  brothers 
who  came  to  this  country  in  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury, probably  from  England.  The  jiaternal 
grandfather  of  our  subject  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolutionary  war.  serving  with  a  Connecticut 
regiment.  The  maternal  grandfather  was  born 
in  \'ermont  and  was  a  mason  of  the  earlv  day. 
Mr.  anrl  Mrs.  Daniel  Crandall  became  the  parents 
of  seven  children,  of  whom  three  are  vet  living. 
Niles  is  a  resident  of  Oak  Park.  Illinois,  and  was 
roadmaster  on  the  Chicago  &  Xorthwestern  Rail- 
road, having  charge  of  the  division  out  of  Elgin 


and  l"ree])iirt.  lie  continued  in  railroad  service 
throughout  his  active  business  life  but  is  now 
living  retired.  Bradford  Crandall  is  a  retired 
farmer  of  Rockford  and  owns  a  good  tract  of 
land  near  Rochclle,  Illinois.  The  half  sisters  of 
Mr.  Crandall  are  Mrs.  Frances  C.  Coddington, 
who  resides  on  Slate  street  near  Rockford  and 
Mrs.  .\ntoinettc  Wheeler,  of  .Santa  Rosa,  Cali- 
fornia. 

Charles  I~.  Crandall  was  about  six  years  of  age 
when  his  parents  removed  from  New  York  to 
i 'ennsylvania.  where  he  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools.  He  was  early  trained  to  the  work 
of  the  home  farm  and  has  always  followed 
general  agricultural  jjursuits.  ^^'hen  he  started 
out  upon  his  independent  business  career  he  be- 
gan working  by  the  month  as  a  farm  hand  at 
twelve  dollars  per  month  and  later  he  was  paid 
successively  thirteen,  fourteen  and  fifteen  dollars 
per  month,  being  thus  engaged  for  several  years. 
.\s  a  com])anion  and  helpmate  for  life's  journey 
lie  chose  Miss  Sophia  Dillin.  a  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Eliza  ( P>reathwaite')  Dillin,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  1853.  .She  was  born  in  Queens  county, 
Ireland,  and  was  brought  to  .\merica  when  only 
six  months  old  by  her  mother,  who  was  an  English 
lady.  Her  birth  occurred  January  i.  T830.  and 
the  young  couple  began  their  domestic  life  in 
Pennsylvania,  where  they  resided  for  more  than 
twenty  years,  after  which  they  came  to  Winne- 
bago c(^unty  in  1875.  The  following  year  I\Tr. 
Crandall  purchased  the  farm  which  has  since 
been  his  home  and  he  now  owns  and  cultivates 
seventy-nine  acres  of  land  on  section  20,  Rock- 
ford township.  I  kre  he  carries  on  general  farm- 
ing and  he  also  operates  about  seventy-five  acres 
additional  of  the  Wigdon  farm,  being  assisted  in 
his  work  bv  his  son  George. 

In  189Q  Mr.  Crandall  was  called  ujion  to  mourn 
the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  died  on  the  3rst  of  May 
of  that  year,  when  about  seventy  years  of  age. 
Thev  hnd  a  son  and  flaughter:  George  F.  and 
Evdia  E.,  both  born  in  Pennsylvania  and  both 
still  living  with  their  father. 

At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  ^\r.  Crandall  was 
an  advocate  of  the  Union  cause  and  enlisted  in 
December.  1864,  as  a  member  of  Company  P>. 
Forlx-eighth  Pennsylvania  \'olunteer  Infantry, 
which  was  attached  to  the  Ninth  Army  Corps 
tmder  llrigadier  General  Curtin.  \\"liilc  at  Knox- 
ville.  Tennessee,  this  conimand  used  for  the  first 
time  wire  entanglements  in  order  to  keep  Eong- 
street's  anny  away.  It  is  told  for  a  fact  that  this 
scheme  saved  the  day  for  the  Ninth  .'Krmy  Corps. 
His  regiment  mined  and  blew  up  the  fort  in 
front  of  Petersburg.  The  first  test  of  negro 
troops  was  made  at  this  time.  Mr.  Crandall 
served  for  .seven  months  and  was  mustered  out 
at  .Alexandria.  \'irginia.  .\fter  the  close  of  the 
war  he  returned   to   his   home   in    Pennsvlvania, 


^IR.  AND  MRS.  CHARLES  F.  CRANDALL. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


503 


where  he  resided  until  his  removal  to  Illinois.  His 
first  presidential  vote  was  cast  for  Zachary 
Taylor  in  1848  and  at  the  previous  state  election 
he  had  voted  for  David  Wilmot,  the  framer  of 
the  famous  Wilmot  Proviso.  He  is  now  an  ad- 
vocate of  the  prohibition  part}-,  which  embodies 
his  views  on  the  temperance  question.  He  and 
his  family  favor  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
and  usually  attend  the  services  at  the  Court  Street 
church  in  Rockford.  [Mr.  Crandall  has  now 
passed  the  seventy-eighth  mile-stone  on  life's 
journey,  but  though  the  snows  of  many  winters 
have  whitened  his  hair  he  is  yet  an  active  and 
enterprising  man,  who  in  spirit  and  interest  seems 
yet  in  his  prime.  Old  age  is  not  necessarily  a 
synonym  of  weakness  or  inactivity  and  need  not 
suggest  as  a  matter  of  course  lack  of  occupation, 
for  there  is  an  old  age  that  grows  stronger  in 
character  as  the  years  pass  by  and  gives  out  of 
its  rich  stores  of  experience  and  learning.  Such 
is  the  history  of  Mr.  Crandall,  whose  many  good 
qualities  win  him  genuine  regard  among  a  large 
circle  of  friends. 


GEORGE  L.  PETTIS. 

George  L.  Pettis,  whose  realty  holdings  com- 
prise two  hundred  and  thirty-six  acres  on  sections 
II  and  14.  Harlem  township,  is  one  of  the  native 
sons  of  this  county,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Winnebago  township,  December  28,  1861.  He 
is  a  son  of  Lewis  M.  and  Sarah  J.  (Mandeville) 
Pettis.  His  maternal  grandfather  fought  in  the 
American  army  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  while 
his  great-grandfather  Clark  was  a  member  of  the 
provincial  congress  in  colonial  days  and  served  in 
the  general  assembly  of  New  York  for  several 
terms  after  the  establishment  of  the  republic. 

Lewis  M.  Pettis,  now  living  at  No.  1235  South 
Main  street,  Rockford,  was  born  in  Westmore- 
land, Oneida  county.  New  York,  and  lived  there 
until  March,  1857.  He  then  accompanied  his 
parents  on  their  removal  to  the  west,  reaching 
Walworth,  Wisconsin,  on  the  ist  of  April.  He 
taught  school  in  both  the  Empire  and  the  Badger 
states  and  from  Walworth  county  removed  with 
his  parents  to  Sheboygan  county,  Wisconsin, 
where  he  followed  teaching  for  three  terms.  He 
also  attended  the  Wa^land  Academy,  at  Beaver 
Dam,  Wisconsin,  about  that  time.  He  lived  in 
Sheboygan  county  until  i860,  when  he  came  to 
Winnebago  county,  Illinois,  and  purchased  a  farm 
in  Winnebago  township,  making  his  home  thereon 
until  1865,  during  which  time  he  taught  school 
in  the  winter  months,  while  in  the  summer  sea- 
sons he  performed  the  labors  of  the  fields.  In 
December,  1865,  he  took  up  his  abode  in  the  city 
where  he  has  since  made  his  home  and  in  1867 


he  accepted  the  position  of  foreman  for  N.  C. 
Thompson,  dealer  in  agricultural  implements, 
with  whom  he  remained  two  years.  He  then 
went  upon  the  road,  selling  the  John  P.  Manny 
harvesters,  and  has  been  a  traveling  salesman 
continuously  since  1870,  being  one  of  the  best 
known  "knights  of  the  grip"  who  represents 
Rockford  industries  and  commercial  enterprises. 
He  was  married,  March  18,  1861,  to  Sarah  J., 
daughter  of  H.  N.  and  Peace  J.  (Chase)  Mande- 
ville, of  Skaneatles,  New  York.  The  members  of 
the  Pettis  family  are :  Frances,  the  wife  of  John 
F.  Armstrong,  of  Rockford,  by  whom  she  has 
one  son  and  one  daughter ;  Catherine  M.,  at  home 
with  her  parents ;  John,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
nineteen  years ;  and  Frederick,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  seventeen. 

George  L.  Pettis,  the  surviving  son  of  the 
family,  was  seven  years  old  when  his  parents  left 
the  farm  and  removed  to  Rockford,  where  he  was 
educated,  attending  successively  the  public 
schools,  a  business  college  and  Lounsbury  Acad- 
emv.  When  twenty-three  years  of  age  he  left  the 
city  and  rented  a  farm  in  Winnebago  township, 
whereon  he  made  his  home  for  six  years,  when  he 
removed  to  Benton  county,  Iowa,  where  he  fol- 
lowed farming  in  the  vicinity  of  Vinton  for  five 
years.  He  then  returned  to  Illinois  and  after 
farming  for  a  year  in  Winnebago  township,  came 
to  his  present  home  in  February.  1901,  purchas- 
ing two  hundred  and  thirty-six  acres  of  good 
land,  which  he  has  further  developed  and  im- 
proved, having  nov,-  a  good  farm,  from  which  he 
annually  garners  rich  harvests,  the  reward  of  the 
spring  planting. 

On  the  22d  of  November.  1884,  Mr.  Pettis 
married  Agnes  G.  Buxton,  of  Stockbridge,  Wis- 
consin, who  was  born  at  Forrest,  Fond  du  Lac 
county,  Wisconsin.  August  10,  1863,  a  daughter 
of  Rinaldo  A.  and  Lucy  J.  (Schofield)  Buxton, 
then  of  Stockbridge.  Her  father,  a  native  of 
New  York  state,  came  to  Winnebago  county 
when  there  was  not  even  a  village  where  the  city 
of  Rockford  now  stands.  He  was  then  a  young 
man  and  he  drove  a  six-mule  team  overland  to 
California  at  the  time  of  the  gold  fever.  His  wife, 
who  was  born  in  Essex  county,  Vennont,  in 
1840,  came  west  with  her  parents  in  her  early 
girlhood  days  to  Fond  du  Lac  county,  Wisconsin, 
and  is  now  living  at  Stockbridge.  The  brothers 
of  Mrs.  Pettis  are  Edwin  A.,  George  L.,  Albert 
J.,  Charles  W.,  Herbert  E.,  Alva  R.  and  Cecil  R., 
and  she  has  a  sister,  Blanche  C,  the  wife  of  John 
W.  Birkitt,  of  Winnebago  town.ship.  Unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Pettis  have  been  born  eight  children: 
Bessie  F.,  born  December  22,  1885  :  Jessie  A., 
August  16,  1887:  Lewis  B.,  who  died  January- 
16.  igoi  ;  Ruth  G.,  born  Januarv-  12,  1891 ; 
Blanche  C,  August  10,  1893 ;  Frank  A.,  born 
September  10,   1897;  Alva  A.,  March  29,   1901 ; 


\ 


504 


I'AST     AXl)     I'RI'.SKXT     (~)F     WIXXEB.MKJ     COUXTV. 


and  Lucy  J.,  .March  27.  lyo^.  Tlic  family  attend 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Koscoe  and  in 
politics  Mr.  Pettis  is  a  stalwart  republican.  His 
business  career  has  been  marked  by  steady  prog- 
ress and  vvitli  a  realization  of  the  fact  that  labor 
is  the  basis  of  all  true  success,  his  diligence  and 
industry  have  been  made  the  basis  of  tlie  com- 
f(irl.ili!t  ciimixtcnce  which  he  now  jxjssesses. 


Li;()X.\Rl)  !•:.  MRRRICK. 

Among  the  retired  farmers  of  Winnebago 
ajunty  who  are  now  comfortably  located  in 
Rock  ford  is  Leonard  E.  Herrick,  who  makes  his 
home  at  Xo.  hj2  W'oodlawn  avenue.  lie  still 
retains  the  ownershi])  of  two  farms  of  eighty 
acres  each,  located  on  sections  g  and  18.  Rock- 
ford  townshiji.  1  le  established  his  home  in  Win- 
nebago county  in  1856,  when  he  came  to  the 
west  from  X'ermont.  Tie  was  born  in  Chittenden 
county,  that  state.  .Marcii  17.  1829,  his  parents 
being  Russell  and  Maria  (Tyler)  Ilerrick.  the 
fornier  l)orn  in  Rutland.  X'ermont,  and  the  lat- 
ter in  Connecticut.  The  father  was  a  typical 
Xew  England  farmer  and  ne\er  removed  to  the 
west. 

Leonard  E.  1  lerrick  w  as  reared  on  the  old 
family  homestead  in  the  ( ireen  Mountain  state, 
Working  there  from  early  boyhood  up  to  the 
time  of  his  marriage,  when  he  came  to  the  west. 
He  had  lived  within  the  shadow  of  the  old  Mans- 
field moinitain  in  his  native  state,  but  here  he 
took  up  his  abode  upon  the  ])rairie.  .\fter  a 
brief  peril  irl  he  removed  to  a  farm  on  section  9, 
Rockford  township,  and  there  he  carried  on 
general  agricultural  jiursuits  until  about  fifteen 
vx'ars  ago.  when  he  removed  to  the  city  in  order 
to  give  his  children  better  educational  privileges. 
He  has  .spent  some  time  in  South  Dakota.  Iowa 
and  other  western  states.  He  now  gives  liis  sui>er- 
vision  to  his  ])ro])erty  interests  and  the  rental 
therefrom  brings  him  a  good  income.  He  placed 
many  excellent  improvements  on  his  land  and 
develo])ed  good  farms,  which  are  now  attractive 
features  in  the  landsca])e. 

Mr.  Herrick  was  married  in  1834  la  Miss 
Susan  P.ruce  Coffren.  who  was  born  in  Xew 
TIam])shire.  December  26.  1829,  her  parents  be- 
ing Daniel  and  Sally  (Currier)  CofFren.  who 
removed  to  \'ermont  from  New  Hampshire. 
They  were  both  natives  of  .\ckworth.  Xew 
Hamiishire.  in  which  |)lace  Mrs.  Herrick  was 
also  born.  The  CotTren  family  were  of  Scotch- 
Irish  descent  and  all  were  stanch  church  people. 
Mrs.  Herrick '.s  mother,  however,  was  of  iMiglisb 
lineage  and  was  a  l?aptist  in  her  religious  faith 
Hoth  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Herrick  received  academic 
instruction.      Mrs.    Herrick    lias    three    brothers 


who  are  ministers  and  a  son  who  has  also  fol- 
lowed that  holy  calling,  all  being  comiected  with 
the  Congregational  denonn'nation.  Harriet,  a 
sister  of  .Mr.  Ilerrick,  married  the  Rev,  Dr.  L. 
I  I.  (.obi),  of  Xew   ^'ork. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have  been  born 
four  children:  George  .M.,  now  with  the  Phila- 
deliihia  l,ife  and  Trust  Company  of  Chicago, 
residing  in  Englewood.  was  formerly  jiresident 
of  Washburn  t.'ollege  at  Topeka.  Kansas.  Rev. 
ilem-y  .M.  Ilerrick  is  a  graduate  of  Vale  College 
and  of  Williams  C<jllege  of  Xorthampton,  Massa- 
chusetts, anil  for  fifteen  years  was  actively  en- 
gaged with  the  ministry  of  the  Congregational 
church,  but  is  not  ])reaching  at  the  jiresent  time. 
Laura  is  the  wife  of  Rev.  I-'rancis  W.  Pates,  a 
missionary  of  the  .\merican  board,  now  con- 
nected with  the  East  Central  Mission  in  .\frica, 
having  spent  fifteen  years  in  that  work  there. 
(Irace  E.,  who  is  a  graduate  of  Carlton  College 
at  Xorthfield,  Minnesota,  has  been  a  teacher  in 
.^outh  .\frica  but  is  now  at  home  and  at  this 
writing  is  assistant  i)rinci]Kil  in  one  of  the  schools 
of  Rockford. 

Politically  Mr.  Ilerrick  sujjports  the  repub- 
lican party  and  voted  for  its  first  presidential  can- 
didate, John  C.  Fremont.  Prior  to  that  time  he 
was  a  whig.  He  is  an  active  and  influential  mem- 
ber of  the  (."ongregational  church  and  s])ent  three 
years  in  Sunday-school  work  in  the  west  as  a 
representative  of  that  denomination.  ?Iis  life 
has  been  honorable  and  active,  his  actions  manly, 
sincere  and  unatYected.  and  his  whole  career  has 
been  .so  dominated  by  ujtright  principles  that  he 
ever  commanded  the  highest  regard  of  all  with 
whom  lie  has  come  in  contact  in  whatever  sec- 
tion of  that  countrv  he  has  been. 


FRAXCIS  E.  WILLorc.HIlY. 

Francis  E.  Willoughb\'.  who  follows  fanning 
on  section  12.  Rockford  township,  is  a  native  of 
the  Empire  state,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
(~)xford,  Chenango  county,  Xew  York,  .\pr\\  30, 
1831.  His  ]>arents  were  John  P>.  and  Xancy 
('.^haplcy)  \Villoughby,  wlio  s])ent  their  entire 
lives  in  the  state  of  New  York.  Their  son 
Francis  was  reared  and  educated  there,  remain- 
ing a  resident  of  the  east  until  1855,  when  he 
took  up  his  abode  in  Ogle  county,  Illinois,  set- 
tling in  Lynnville  township,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  farm.  With  characteristic  energy  he 
began  its  cultivation  and  improvement,  making 
his  home  thereon  until  the  spring  of  i8<V>.  In 
February  of  that  year  he  removed  to  \\'innebago 
county  and  located  on  the  farm  on  section  12, 
Rockford  township,  where  he  has  resided  con- 
tinuously since,  covering  a  period  of  almost  forty 


^ 
J 


< 

CO 

o 

o 


PAST     AXD     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


so; 


years.  He  now  owns  sixty  acres  of  land,  which 
is  being  operated  by  his  son.  He  has  made  sub- 
stantial improvements  upon  this  tract,  erecting 
good  buildings  and  using  the  latest  improved 
machinery  in  the  care  of  his  land.  Through 
many  years  he  devoted  his  attention  to  general 
agricultural  pursuits,  but  now  is  largely  living 
retired,  leaving  the  active  work  of  the  farm  to 
others. 

On  the  6th  of  February,  1857.  Air.  Willough- 
by  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Janett  E. 
Root,  who  was  born  in  Oxford,  New  York,  and 
is  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Moore) 
Root.  Five  children  have  been  born  unto  them, 
one  of  whom.  Edgar,  died  September  11.  1895, 
when  about  thirty  years  of  age.  Augusta  E.  is 
the  wife  of  ^^'arren  O.  Eddy,  a  farmer  residing 
near  Rockford,  and  they  have  two  daughters, 
Flora  and  Alice,  the  former  a  teacher  in  the 
Rockford  high  school.  Arthur  B.,  who  re- 
sides near  his  father's  home  on  section  12,  is  a 
molder  by  trade  and  married  Miss  Kitty  Ernst, 
by  whom  he  has  four  children.  Hazel,  Lvria  A., 
Fletcher  and  Derwin.  John  H.,  who  is  a  farm- 
er residing  in  California,  married  Etta  B.  Clinite 
and  has  five  daughters,  Neenah,  Janett,  Marv, 
Helen  and  Doris.  Francis  W.  is  unmarried  and 
operates  the  farm  for  his  father. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  W'illoughby  is 
stanch  prohibitionist,  thus  expressing  his  views 
on  the  temperance  question.  He  has  served  as 
school  trustee  for  a  number  of  years.  He  was 
formerly  identified  with  the  Grange  and  while 
living  in  Ogle  county  was  a  member  of  the  Good 
Templars  society.  He  belongs  to  the  Court 
Street  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  has  al- 
ways been  deeply  interested  in  the  cause  of  tem- 
perance, morality  and  religion,  doing  everything 
in  his  power  to  aid  in  the  uplifting  of  mankind. 


SEL\'EY  K.  BLODGETT. 

Selvey  K.  Blodgett  follows  farming  and  stock- 
raising  on  section  iq,  Shirland  township,  where 
he  owns  and  operates  one  hundred  and  twentv- 
three  acres  of  well  improved  land.  In  addition 
to  this  he  has  a  farm  in  Rockton  township  which 
he  leases  but  his  personal  supervision  is  given  to 
the  home  place.  His  entire  life  has  been  passed  in 
this  section  of  the  country,  his  birth  occurring  in 
Beloit,  Wisconsin,  June  10,  1838.  His  parents 
were  S.  K.  and  Mahala  (Norris)  Blodgett,  who 
removed  from  Ohio  to  Beloit  shortly  before  1838. 
Not  long  afterward  they  took  up  their  abode  in 
Rockton  township,  this  county,  where  the  father 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  lying  along  the  Peca- 
tonica  river — the  farm  now  being  owned  by  the 
subject  of  this  review.     There  the  father  turned 


his  attention  to  general  agricultural  pursuits  and 
stock-raising,  which  he  followed  for  ten  years, 
when  he  once  more  took  up  his  abode  in  Beloit, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  stock  and  grain  busi- 
ness and  also  conducted  a  flour  mill.  He  \vas 
thus  closely  connected  with  the  commercial  and 
industrial  life  of  the  city  for  many  years  and  was 
a  very  successful  man,  possessed  of  a  good  fund 
of  common  sense,  keen  business  sagacity  and 
strong  purpose.  He  commanded  the  respect  of 
all  by  reason  of  his  genuine  worth  and  sterling 
integrity  and  when  he  passed  away  in  1881,  at  the 
age  of  sixty-nine  years,  his  death  was  deeply  re- 
gretted by  many  who  knew  him.  He  was  a  na- 
tive of  New  York  and  had  become  a  resident  of 
Ohio  when  a  young  man.  His  political  allegiance 
was  given  to  the  democracy  but  he  had  little  aspi- 
ration for  public  office.  His  wife  was  a  native  of 
Mrginia  and  they  were  married  in  Ohio.  Her 
death  occurred  in  Beloit  about  T884,  when  she 
was  seventy-three  years  of  age.  In  their  family 
were  four  children :  William,  now  deceased ; 
Selvey  K.  of  this  review ;  Mrs.  Sabra  H.  Smith, 
living  in  Beloit ;  and  Elanor.  who  died  at  the 
age  of  nine  years. 

Selvey  K.  Blodgett  was  reared  in  \\'imiebago 
county  until  ten  or  eleven  years  of  age  and  began 
his  education  at  Rockton,  then  known  as  Mack- 
town.  He  was  acquainted  with  Stephen  Mack 
and  his  squaw  wife.  Hononeqah,  and  attended 
school  with  their  half-breed  children.  His  edu- 
cation, however,  was  completed  in  the  schools 
of  Beloit  and  after  putting  aside  his  text-books 
he  engaged  in  business  with  his  father  and  brother 
at  Beloit  for  several  years.  In  1864  he  went 
\A-est  to  the  Pacific  coast  and  spent  about  two 
years  in  California,  gaining  much  experience  and 
practical  knowledge  there  if  not  wealth.  On  the 
expiration  of  that  period  he  returned  to  this  state 
and  settled  on  the  homestead  farm  in  Rockton 
township,  where  he  resided  until  1900,  when  he 
removed  to  his  present  place  of  residence  on  sec- 
tion ig,  Shirland  township.  He  now  owns  alto- 
gether five  hundred  and  sixty-four  acres  of  land 
in  his  two  farms  and  he  rents  his  Rockton  town- 
ship propert}'.  while  giving  his  personal  atten- 
tion to  the  cultivation  and  improvement  of  his 
farm  in  Shirland  township. 

Air.  Blodgett  has  been  married  three  times. 
He  first  wedded  Helen  AI.  Bullis,  of  this  county, 
who  died  leaving  two  children:  Ella  E.,  now 
the  widow  of  Samuel  Austin  and  a  resident  of 
'A'isconsin:  and  Delia  H.,  who  is  the  wife  of 
Samuel  Wallace,  of  Durand.  For  his  second 
wife  Mr.  Blodgett  chose  Aliss  Adda  Aliller.  also 
of  Winnebago  and  at  her  death  she  left  five  chil- 
dren :  Harry,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
four  years :  Elmer,  a  farmer  now  residing  in 
Rockton  township  :  Alay  :  Emma,  deceased  :  and 
S.  K..  at  home.     For  his  present  wife  Air.  Blod- 


5o8 


I'AST     AXn     PRESEXT     Ol'     \VTXXEI'.A(  io     (OrXTV 


gett  chose  Mary  E.  Austin,  whose  people  were 
early  residents  of  the  county,  coming  from  Xew 
York  state  to  Illinois.  Her  parents  resided  in 
Laona  township  hut  are  now  deceased.  Politically 
Mr.  Blodtjett  has  always  hcen  a  democrat,  nnfal- 
terinsj  in  his  advocacy  of  the  ])arly  and  he  an<l 
his  wife  are  menil)crs  of  the  .Methodist  church  of 
Shirland.  in  which  their  genuine  worth  and  tidel- 
it\'  are  recognized,  while  in  business  circles  he  is 
known  as  a  reliable  man.  i)lacing  his  dejx'ndence 
u]X)n  the  substantial  iiualities  of  earnest  labor  and 
perseverance. 


R(  )I',I:KT   M.  .^MITII. 

Robert  M.  Smith,  who  became  a  resident  of 
Rockford  in  18^5,  was  connected  with  the  bnild- 
ir.g  interests  of  the  citv  for  many  years,  assisting 
in  the  erection  of  many  of  the  early  homes  and 
business  houses  of  Rockford  and  of  the  bridges 
of  Winnebago  county,  was  born  in  Xorfolk,  Eng- 
land, in  1824.  His  father.  Jackson  Smith,  was 
also  a  native  of  that  country  and  both  he  and  his 
wife  spent  tlieir  entire  lives  there,  passing  away 
at  Xorfolk.  where  he  had  extensive  railroa<l  hold- 
ings. 

Robert  M.  .^niith  began  his  education  in  Eng- 
land, and  while  a  student  he  became  ill  with 
smallpox  and  it  was  long  before  he  was  able  to 
resume  his  studies.  Tn  early  manhood  he  de- 
termined to  try  his  fortune  in  America,  having 
heard  favorable  reports  concerning  the  business 
opjiortunities  here  afforded  and  in  18^)3.  accom- 
panied by  his  brother  (leorge.  he  sailed  for  the 
new  world.  They  first  settled  in  Indiana,  where 
tliey  remained  until  1865.  when  they  came  to 
Rockford.  George  Smith  was  a  mason  but  re- 
mained in  this  citv  for  only  a  year,  after  which 
he  n-turned  to  Indiana,  where  his  death  occurred. 
The  brothers  had  not  long  been  residents  of  tliat 
state  when  the  Civil  war  broke  out  and  Robert  .M. 
.'^inith  espoused  the  cause  of  his  adopted  country, 
enlisting  in  an  Indiana  regiment,  with  which  he 
served  for  one  vear  and  eight  months.  He  was 
on  active  duty  must  of  that  tin  v  a'ld  was  then 
wounded,  after  which  he  returned  to  his  home. 
He  then  removed  to  Illinois,  first  settling  in  P.elvi- 
ilere.  wliere  he  and  his  brother  worked  at  their 
trade  for  almost  a  year,  coming  to  Rockford,  as 
before  stated,  in  1865.  In  early  life  he  had  learned 
the  trade  of  a  brick  and  stone-mason  and  in  this 
ca))acitv  he  was  cmiilovei!  on  the  construction  of 
many  of  the  large  buildings  of  the  city,  and  he 
and  his  brother  Iniill  the  old  Commercial  Hotel 
here.  Many  of  the  early  structures  of  Rockford 
stand  as  monuments  to  his  skill  and  enterprise. 
He  particularly  liked  the  brick  aufl  stone  work 
connected  with  the  walling  of  wells,  and  while 
engaged  in  that  wav  on  one  occasion  a  wall  caved 
in  njion  him.  injuring  him  for  life.     He  never  re- 


covered but  remained  an  invalid  for  many  years. 

Mr.  Smith  was  married  in  1870  to  Miss  Susan 
.\.  Knajjp.  a  native  of  .Allegany  county.  Xew 
York,  born  June  3.  1841,  and  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  F.lizabeth  (  Towner )  Knapp.  The  fa- 
ther was  a  millwright  by  tra<le  and  lived  in  the 
east  until  old  age.  He  then  made  his  way  west- 
ward, settling  in  Iowa,  where  he  carried  on  fann- 
ing until  his  death.  His  wife  passed  away  in 
Jo  Daviess  county.  Illinois.  Four  of  their  children 
are  still  living.  Mrs.  Smith  came  to  Rockford 
in  1850  with  some  of  her  relatives,  ilere  she 
gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Robert  ]\I.  Smith. 
Two  children  graced  this  marriage :  George  H., 
who  married  Anna  Chrismaker  and  now  resides 
in  Sabula,  Iowa :  and  Robert  Elvin.  who  mar- 
ried (iussie  Satkiz.  She  died  here  I'ebruary  24. 
i<>02.  leaving  a  daughter,  .Myrtle  May.  four  years 
of  age,  who  is  now  being  reared  by  her  grand- 
mother. Robert  E.  Smith  is  a  plumber  by  trade 
but  at  present  writing  is  emploved  in  a  glove  fac- 
tory at  Rockford  and  makes  his  home  with  his 
ninther. 

in  his  political  views  Robert  M.  Smith  was  a 
stanch  rei)nblican  but  never  sought  or  desired  of- 
fice. While  in  luiyiand  he  was  a  comnuniicant  of 
the  Episcopal  church.  His  life  was  characterized 
by  untiring  industry  and  perseverance  as  well  as 
frugality  and  by  saving  his  earnings  and  invest- 
ing in  ])ro|)erty  he  became  the  owner  of  consid- 
erable realty  in  Rockford,  which  he  left  his  fam- 
ily at  the  time  of  his  death,  on  the  nth  of  Janu- 
ary, 1892.  Industry  and  integrity  were  among 
his  salient  traits  of  character  and  made  his  exam- 
ple one  worthy  of  emulation.  Much  of  the  pnm- 
ertv  which  he  left  has  recently  been  sold  but  Mrs. 
.Smith  still  retains  possession  of  the  old  home- 
stead at  Xo.  803  Rockton  avenue,  where  she  and 
her  son  yet  reside  and  of  which  she  has  lieen  the 
owner  for  thirty  years. 


WILLIAM    KILEY. 


William  Riley,  now  living  retired  in  Winne- 
bago, came  ti>  this  county  in  the  later  "305. 
England  has  furnished  a  number  of  valued  and 
representative  citizens  to  Illinois,  including  Mr. 
Rilev.  who  was  born  in  ^'orksbire.  .\ugust  ifi. 
1835.  his  parents  being  Robert  and  Sarah  f  Duck- 
ett)  Rilev.  both  of  whom  spent  their  entire  lives 
in  Ensrland.  where  the  father  conducted  business 
as  a  laborer.  In  the  family  were  eight  chiklren 
but  William  is  the  only  one  who  ever  came  to  this 
country. 

In  his  native  land  William  Riley  was  reared, 
receiving  limited  e<lucational  advantages,  for  at 
the  early  age  of  nine  or  ten  years  he  began  earn- 
ing his  own  living.  He  is  a  thoroucfhly  self-ed- 
ucated and   self-made  man.  who.se  life  has  been 


MR.  AND  ?^IRS.  WILLIAM  RILEY. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


5" 


crowned  Ijy  success  as  the  reward  of  labor  that 
has  been  persistent,  well  defined  and  indefati- 
gable. As  stated,  he  arrived  in  \\^innebago  in  the 
later  '50s  and  located  first  in  Burritt  township, 
where  he  resided  for  many  years.  His  work 
brought  him  capital  sufficient  to  enable  him  to 
purchase  a  farm  and  he  then  invested  in  land  and 
carried  on  general  agricultural  pursuits  until 
about  nineteen  years  ago.  He  sold  the  farm  prop- 
erty two  years  ago.  When  he  left  the  train  at 
Rockford  he  was  practically  penniless  and  there- 
fore began  work  by  the  month.  Out  of  his 
earnings  he  saved  the  sum  which  enabled  him  to 
become  a  landowner  and  year  after  year  upon  his 
farm  he  added  to  his  property  until  with  a  com- 
fortable competence  he  removed  to  the  village 
of  Winnebago  in  1887  and  purchased  a  home. 
He  then  leased  his  farm  and  continued  to  rent  it 
until  he  had  sold  out  about  two  years  ago. 

Air.  Riley  was  married  in  this  county  to  Mrs. 
Charlotte  R.  Randerson,  who  was  born  March 
15,  1826,  and  to  them  have  been  born  five  children, 
of  whom  two  are  living :  John,  who  now  makes 
his  home  on  South  Court  street,  in  Rockford,  and 
follows  the  carpenter's  trade :  and  Minnie,  the 
wife  of  Elmer  Alellen,  of  Winnebago.  Politically 
a  prohibitionist.  Mr.  Riley  has  long  been  a  stanch 
advocate  of  the  temperance  cause  and  has  given 
of  his  time,  means  and  influence  to  further  the 
work  along  that  line.  His  religious  views  are 
indicated  by  his  membership  in  the  Methodist 
church.  A  member  of  the  Masonic  order  for 
thirty  years  he  belongs  to  Winnebago  lodge.  No. 
745,  and  he  and  Mrs.  Riley  are  members  of  East- 
ern Star  lodge,  No.  444,  both  holding  office  in  the 
lodge.  He  is  known  and  honored  for  his  genuine 
worth,  his  life  being  characterized  by  integrity, 
straightforward  dealing  in  business  and  honor- 
able relations  with  his  fellowmen  at  all  times. 
He  certainly  deserves  much  credit  for  wdiat  he 
has  accomplished,  for  he  has  worked  hard  and 
persistently  and  as  the  years  have  gone  by  his 
labors  have  made  him  one  of  the  substantial 
citizens  of  the  countv. 


PHILETUS  W.  DOOLITTLE. 

Philetus  W.  Doolittle,  one  of  the  native  sons 
of  Winnebago  county,  represents  an  old  and 
prominent  pioneer  family  here,  his  parents  hav- 
ing come  to  Illinois  in  1835  before  the  land  in 
Winnebago  county  was  placed  upon  the  market. 
The  subject  of  this  review  first  opened  his  eyes  to 
the  light  of  day  on  the  19th  of  February,  1844,  at 
the  old  home  farm  in  Harlem  township  and  he 
now  carries  on  agricultural  pursuits  on  section 
14,  Guilford  township,  where  he  has  a  valuable 
farming  property.     His  parents  were  Harry  and 


Catherine  (Stedman)  Doolittle,  both  natives  of 
New  York  and  they  are  now  deceased.  The  fa- 
ther came  to  Winnebago  county  in  1835,  being 
one  of  the  first  settlers  within  its  borders.  He 
secured  a  claim  of  two  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  in  Harlem  township  and  entered  the  land 
when  it  came  in  the  market.  He  turned  the  first 
furrows  of  the  fields,  planted  his  seed  and  in  due 
time  harvested  good  crops,  continuing  the  active 
management  of  the  place  until  1845.  ^vhen  he  sold 
that  property  and  removed  to  Guilford  township, 
securing  two  hundred  and  thirty  acres  of  land  on 
section  11.  That  remained  his  home  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1894,  when  he  was  sev- 
enty-six years  of  age.  He  had  served  in  various 
township  and  local  offices  and  was  a  prominent 
and  progressive  citizen,  giving  tangible  evidence 
of  his  interest  in  public  affairs  by  his  co-operation 
in  measures  for  the  general  good.  He  was  a 
man  true  to  his  honest  convictions  and  was  highly 
respected  because  of  his  genuine  worth.  Free 
from  ostentation  and  (Iispla\"  he  neverth.eless, 
showed  many  sterling  traits  of  character.  His 
wife  passed  away  January  12,  1882.  They  were 
married  in  W'inneljago  county  and  all  of  their 
children  were  here  born,  namely :  Mrs.  Clara 
Beamer,  now  living  in  Cherry  Valley ;  Mrs.  Eliz- 
abeth Fuller,  of  Clear  Lake,  Iowa;  A.  L.,  of 
Belvidere,  Illinois ;  Edward,  .whose  home  is  near 
Council  Bluffs.  Iowa:  Mrs.  Laura  Ketchum,  re- 
siding in  Michigan ;  Austin,  w'ho  died  in  Califor- 
nia a  few  vears  ago,  leaving  a  wife  and  four  chil- 
dren ;  Calvin,  who  died  in  childhood :  and  Sarah, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years. 

Philetus  W.  Doolittle,  spending  his  boyhood 
days  in  Harlem  and  Guilford  townships,  ac- 
quired his  education  in  the  public  schools  near 
his  home.  He  was  only  seventeen  years  of  age 
when,  in  September,  1861,  he  offered  his  services 
to  the  government  and  joined  the  boys  in  blue  of 
Company  D,  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry. 
Later  he  served  with  Company  B,  First  United 
States  Veterans,  being  a  member  of  that  com- 
mand during  the  last  year  of  the  war.  He  was 
mustered  out  on  New  Year's  day  of  1866  in  Bal- 
timore, Alaryland,  having  ser\'ed  for  four  years 
and  four  months,  which  was  one  of  the  longest 
terms  of  any  soldier  of  the  Civil  war.  The  Elev- 
enth Illinois  regiment  undoubtedly  lost  more 
heavih-  than  any  regiment  of  the  entire  army, 
a  fact  which  indicates  that  they  were  in  the  thick- 
est of  the  fight.  i\Ir.  Doolittle  was  in  practically 
all  of  the  engagements  of  the  regiment,  including 
the  liattles  of  Fort  Donelson.  Shiloh.  the  assault 
on  Mcksburg,  the  siege  of  that  city,  Liverpool 
Heights,  Yazoo  Citv,  Black  River  Bridge,  Jack- 
son," Clinton  and  Fort  Blakely.  He  was  never 
taken  prisoner  nor  was  he  in  the  hospital,  and  he 
was  never  off  duty  during  his  long  term.  Week 
after  week  and  month  after  month  he  continued 
with  his  command,  taking  long  marches,  serving 


51-2 


I'AST     AM)     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


ir.  hotly  contested  battles  or  doing  guard  duty  at 
whatever  post  assignied.  He  was  indeed  a  brave 
and  loyal  soldier  and  one  to  whom  the  country 
owes  a  debt  of  gratitude  for  what  he  accomp- 
lished for  the  L'nion  cause.  He  is  now  a  niemlier 
of  Nevius  post.  No.  i,  (i.  A.  R. 

-Mr.  Doolittlc  at  once  returned  to  his  home  and 
resumed  farming  on  his  father's  lanil.  but  in  1868 
was  married  in  Guilford  township,  and  started 
out  in  life  on  his  own  account.  He  purchased 
one  hundred  and  thirty  acres  of  land,  which  con- 
stitutes his  present  farm.  Only  a  small  number 
of  acres  had  been  broken  at  that  time,  but  he  at 
once  began  to  clear  and  improve  it  and  now  has 
an  excellent  property.  He  has  built  sul)stantial 
Iniildings.  divided  his  place  into  fields  of  conven- 
ient size  with  well  kept  fences  and  has  tilled  the 
soil  until  it  is  very  rich  and  productive,  yielding 
him  excellent  crops. 

Mr.  noolittle  was  married  to  .Miss  .Mary  Ray, 
of  P.elvidere.  Illinois,  who  was  born  in  New 
Brunswick,  Canada,  in  1849,  'i'^''  parents  being 
William  and  Sarah  Ray,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  Scotland.  They  were  married  there  and 
afterward  came  to  New  I'.runswick,  later  remov- 
ing to  Doone  county.  Illinois.  Mr.  Ray  died  in 
i(j03.  near  Olympia.  Washington,  and  \Irs.  Ray 
departed  this  life  about  1875.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Doo- 
little  have  but  one  child,  a  daughter.  Gertrude  M., 
now  the  wife  of  A.  J.  Shaw,  who  is  residing  in 
Guilf<ir(l  township.  Tliere  is  one  child  by  this 
marriage.  .\lta  Lucile.  now  three  years  of  age. 
They  have  a  good  farm  in  Guilford  township. 

In  ])olitics  Mr.  Doolittle  is  a  republican  and  has 
held  various  townshi])  offices,  including  that  of 
assessor,  collector  and  other  ])ositions,  to  which 
he  has  been  called  b_\-  liis  fellow  townsmen,  who 
have  recognized  his  worth  and  his  allegiance  to 
the  general  welfare.  Socially  he  is  connected 
with  tile  Modern  Woodmen  camp  of  Rockford  as 
well  as  with  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  and 
lie  belongs  to  the  Freewill  Uaptist  church  of 
Cherrv  X'alley.  I  lis  entire  life  has  l)een  passed 
in  this  county  and  he  is  held  in  the  highest  re- 
gard where  best  known,  a  fact  which  indicates 
that  his  life  record  has  been  straightforward  and 
honorable. 


MRS.  JCi.I.\b:TTF   11.   HICKS. 

Mrs.  Juliaette  15.  Hicks,  residing  in  a  comfort- 
able home  on  section  31,  Rockfonl  townshi|),  is 
the  widow  of  Stephen  I'..  Hicks,  who  was  born 
March  16.  1840,  and  died  in  January.  1874.  .\t 
the  time  of  the  Civil  war  he  became  a  member 
of  the  Forty-fourth  Illinois  \olunleer  Infantry, 
enlisting  as  a  drummer  boy  in  Company  G  and 
serving  for  more  than  four  years.  In  the  latter 
part  of  that  period  he  was  a  messenger.     Fol- 


lowing his  reliirn  from  tlie  army  lie  took  up  the 
occupation  of  farming  in  W'iimebago  county-, 
and  his  widow  still  resides  upon  the  place  where 
ho  made  his  home. 

In  1838  .Mr.  1  licks  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Juliaette  IJ.  llovey,  who  was  born  in  Win- 
nebago county  and  is  of  English  descent,  her  an- 
cestors having  come  from  England  to  America 
at  an  early  period  in  the  colonization  of  the  new 
world,  establishing  a  home  in  Connecticut.  Her 
])alernal  grandfather.  Edmond  Hovey,  was  a 
farmer  of  Connecticut  and  it  was  at  Mansfield, 
that  state,  that  Aaron  Hovey.  her  father,  was 
horn  in  1812.  He  spent  the  days  of  his  boy- 
hood and  youth  in  New  England  and  was  mar- 
ried in  Connecticut  tn  Miss  Fidelia  Harmon, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Suftield.  Connecticut,  in 
1808.  Soon  after  their  marriage  they  came  to 
the  middle  west,  locating  in  Winnebago  county 
in  1834.  Here  Aaron  Hovey  built  a  cabin  on 
what  is  now  known  as  the  Weldon  farm  and 
later  he  entered  as  a  claim  tiu-  farm  which  is 
nn\\  owned  by  his  son.  E.  T.  Hovey.  and 
daughter.  Juliaette  1!.  Hicks.  There  he  carried 
on  general  agricultural  pursuits  for  many  years 
and  developed  a  splendid  farm  property,  the  pro- 
ductive fields  annually  yielding  him  excellent 
cro|)s.  He  was  a  re])ublican  in  his  jiolitical  views 
for  many  years  but  afterward  became  a  ])rohi- 
bilionist.  He  died  in  1894.  while  his  wife  passed 
away  in  18S8.  I'.olh  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  church  and  in  that  faith  they  reared 
their  family. 

Mary  E..  the  eldest  child  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hovey.  became  the  wife  of  Dr.  Guthrie  and  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty-eight  years,  leaving  a  daugh- 
ter, who  is  now  married  and  makes  her  home 
ill  ."-^,111  nernardino.  California.  Juliaette  P..  be- 
came Mrs.  Hicks  and  is  still  living  on  the  old 
home  farm,  lulmond  T..  who  was  born  I'ebru- 
ary  i,  1842,  is  now  the  owner  of  a  valuable 
farm  of  one  hundred  acres  on  the  southeast 
(|uarter  of  section  31.  Rockford  township.  He 
remained  in  Winnebago  county  inUil  twenty- 
nine  years  of  age.  when  he  went  to  the  west, 
visiting  Cowley  county.  Kansas.  There  he 
spent  five  years  eugai^ed  in  fanning  and  mining, 
after  which  he  returned  to  Illinois  and  ])ur- 
chased  a  part  of  the  old  homestead  jmiperly  in 
Rockford  township,  where  he  now  resides.  He 
is  a  reiniblican  in  his  political  views,  having  sup- 
l)orted  the  part\'  since  he  cast  his  first  presi- 
dential ballot  for  Abraham  I.iiicohi  in  1864. 
I'.lleii  Hovey  is  now  .Mrs.  ( ieurge  .Martin,  of 
.San  P.ernardino.  California.  Hubert  H..  resid- 
ing in  Cowley  comity.  Kansas,  has  a  family  of 
eight  children,  namely:  Florence  Lissa.  Mary 
I'idelia.  Juliaette.  I.ucora.  Edmond  Hubert. 
Grace.  Hubert  Urooks  and  Ralph  .\aron.  Melissa 


HERBERT  S.  HICKS. 


S.  B.  HICKS. 


MRS.  S.  B.  HICKS. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


515 


is  the  widow  of  Albert  Kidd  and  resides  in  San 
Bernardino,  California.  She  had  five  children, 
two  daughters  and  three  sons,  of  whom  four 
are  yet  living. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  ]\Irs.  Hicks  was 
Jehiel  Harmon,  who  is  the  only  Revolutionary 
soldier  buried  at  Rockford  and  a  brass  tablet 
suitably  inscribed  has  been  affixed  to  his  tomb- 
stone by  the  Daughters  of  the  Revolution.  j\lr. 
and  ]\Irs.  Hicks  had  but  one  child,  Herbert  S. 
Hicks,  born  April  12.  1872.  He  graduated  at 
the  Illinois  State  Normal  University,  at  Normal, 
in  1892  and  from  Stanford  University,  Cali- 
fornia, in  1896,  and  has  practiced  law  in  Rock- 
ford  since  the  spring  of  1897.  He  is  secretary 
of  the  Winnebago  County  Telephone  Company. 
He  married  Florence  Gantz,  of  Dixon,  Illinois, 
j\Iarch  II,  1904.  ;Mrs.  Hicks  since  her  hus- 
band's death  has  remained  upon  the  old  farm, 
which  is  a  valuable  property  and  brings  to  her 
a  good  income.  She  has  a  wide  acquaintance 
and  enjoys  in  large  measure  the  friendship  and 
kindly  regard  of  her  neighbors  and  friends. 


DAVID  PERRY. 


David  Perry,  living  in  Rockford  in  well  earned 
ease  after  long  years  of  active  and  prosperous 
connection  with  agricultural  interests  in  Cherry 
Valley  township,  was  born  in  Cayuga  county. 
New  York,  July  6,  1825,  his  parents  being  Ozias 
and  Eliza  (Merchant)  Perry,  both  of  whom  died 
in  Cherry  Valley  township  many  years  ago.  They 
were  farming  people,  respected  for  their  sterling 
worth  of  character.  David  Perry  had  two  broth- 
ers and  two  sisters,  of  whom  a  sister  and  a  brother 
are  still  living,  namely :  Mrs.  Clara  Lovejoy  and 
Marvin  Perry,  the  former  a  resident  of  Boone 
county,  Illinois,  and  the  latter  of  Iowa.  The 
other  members  of  the  family,  Mrs.  Esther  Martin 
and  John  Perr\%  are  both  deceased,  the  latter  hav- 
ing passed  away  while  living  in  Iowa. 

David  Perry  spent  the  first  twenty-five  years 
of  his  life  in  the  state  of  his  nativity,  acquiring 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  in  1851 
came  to  Illinois.  He  stopped  first  in  the  vicinity 
of  Belvidere  but  soon  after  located  in  Cherry 
A^'allev  township,  where  for  forty  years  he  fol- 
lowed farming,  becoming  one  of  the  prosperous 
agriculturists  of  his  community.  His  work  was 
conducted  along  practical  lines  and  he  was  sel- 
dom, if  ever,  at  fault  in  matters  of  business  judg- 
ment relating  to  the  farm  and  its  improvement. 
He  was  also  "earnestly  desirous  for  the  welfare  of 
his  township  and  county  and  co-operated  in  many 
movements  for  ,the  general  good.  When  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railroad  was  built  the 
station  of  Perryville  was  located  partially  on  his 


farm  and  he  gave  the  site  for  a  sidetrack,  while 
his  father,  Ozias  Perry,  gave  the  site  for  the 
depot.  Mr.  Perry,  of  this  review,  in  connection 
with  the  tilling  of  the  soil  and  the  raising  of  the 
crops  best  suited  thereto,  also  engaged  quite  ex- 
tensively in  raising  stock  and  feeding  cattle.  He 
owned  two  farms,  one  of  which  he  has  sold  since 
retiring  to  private  life  but  he  still  owns  two  hun- 
dred acres  of  valuable  land  on  sections  10  and 
II,  Cherry  Valley  township.  He  continued  his 
active  farming  pursuits  tmtil  1892,  when  he  re- 
tired, putting  aside  business  cares  and  taking  up 
his  abode  in  Rockford,  his  home  being  now  at 
No.    1141    Charles   street, 

]\Ir.  Perry  was  married  to  ]\Iiss  Charity  J.  Van 
Alstine,  who  w^as  born  in  the  state  of  New  York. 
They  have  two  children,  both  born  in  Winnebago 
county :  Clark,  now  a  resident  of  northwestern 
Iowa,  who  is  married  and  has  five  living  children, 
while  one  is  deceased ;  and  ]\Irs.  Ella  Merchant, 
who  is  residing  in  Ellendale,  North  Dakota,  and 
has  two  daughters, 

;\Ir.  Perry  attends  the  Christian  Union  church 
of  Rockford  while  his  political  faith  is  that  of 
the  republican  party.  He  served  in  the  office  of 
road  commissioner  for  three  years  in  Cherry  Val- 
lev  township,  his  administration  of  its  duties  be- 
ing acceptable.  He  has  always  been  interested  in 
general  progress  and  his  support  of  the  move- 
ments for  the  upbuilding  of  the  county  has  been 
generous,  loval  and  sincere.  His  labors  in  busi- 
ness affairs  have  been  the  resultant  factors  that 
have  won  him  prosperity,  making  him  a  leading 
farmer  of  the  county  and  now  enabling  him  to 
enjov  a  well  earned  rest. 


JOHN  C.  CARROLL. 

John  C.  Carroll,  deceased,  was  born  in  Ireland, 
in  1S47.  and,  ambitious  and  enterprising,  he  de- 
termined to  try  his  fortune  in  America  when  a 
voung  man  and  with  his  brother  came  to  the  new 
world.  Bidding  adieu  to  friends  and  native 
country  they  sailed  for  Baltimore.  Mars-land,  and 
were  soon  joined  in  that  city  by  their  parents, 
who  continued  to  reside  in  Baltimore  until  called 
to  their  final  home.  John  C.  Carroll  and  his 
brother,  however,  left  Baltimore  and  went  to  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  where  they  remained  for  a  few 
vears  and  later  they  took  up  their  abode  in  Ne- 
braska City,  Nebraska,  where  Mr,  Carroll  of  this 
review  conducted  a  saloon  for  a  short  time.  He 
next  located  in  Fairfield,  Nebraska,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  the  same  line  of  business  and  subse- 
quently went  to  Hastings,  Nebraska,  where  he 
likewnse  conducted  a  saloon  for  a  time.  Later, 
however,  he  accepted  a  position  as  traveling  sales- 
man and  went  upon  the  road.     While  living  in 


5'6 


PAST    AXn     PRESEXT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Nebraska  City  Mr.  Carroll  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  J.  Caroline  Casford.  a  native  of 
Janesville.  \\  isconsin.  and  a  daug^liter  of  William 
and  I-'annio  Casford.  The  mother  was  born  in 
London,  England,  and  is  a  representative  of  one 
of  the  Enfjlish  families  belonging'  to  the  nobility. 
She  now  makes  her  home  in  Rockford.  .\lr. 
Casford  was  liorn  on  Prince  Edward  Island,  and 
came  to  Wisconsin  at  an  early  day.  He  and  his 
three  sons  became  soldiers  of  the  L'ni<in  Army 
in  the  Civil  war.  he  enlisting  in  the  Thirteenth 
\\'isconsin  Regiment.  For  several  years  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  Wisconsin  and  later  re- 
moved to  Neliraska.  where  he  was  very  successfnl 
in  bnsiness  as  an  agricniturist.  He  spent  his  re- 
maining <lays  there  and  departed  this  life  in  Ne- 
braska. Two  of  the  danghtcrs  of  that  family  are 
residents  of  Rockford — Mrs.  Carroll  and  Mrs. 
Thomas  McFarland.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carroll  be- 
came the  i^arents  of  five  children :  Mrs.  Isabelle 
MacCormack.  of  Rockford  :  ^^'illiam  Revere  and 
Mcllie,  both  at  home :  Sarah,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  sixteen  years;  and  Johnnie,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  two  years. 

Mr.  Carroll  continued  as  a  traveling  salesman 
for  several  years  and  finally  located  in  Freeport, 
Illinois,  where  be  was  identified  with  different 
bnsiness  interests  for  three  years,  or  nntil  his 
death,  which  occurred  January  17.  1891.  at  the 
age  of  forty-four  years.  .\t  the  time  of  the  Civil 
war  he  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Confederate 
Army  and  bis  political  allegiance  was  always 
given  to  the  democratic  party.  He  was  reared  in 
the  Catholic  faith  but  never  belonged  to  any 
church.  Although  he  was  never  a  resident  of 
Rockford,  while  living  in  Freeport  be  became  ac- 
quainted with  many  citizens  here  and  in  1902 
Mrs.  Carroll  removed  to  this  city  in  order  to  be 
near  her  mother  and  is  now  living  with  ber  chil- 
dren at  No.  312  Rockton  avenue. 


DANIEL  W.    MILLER. 

Daniel  W.  Miller,  deceased,  who  found  that 
success  is  ambition's  answer,  and  who  through 
long  years  was  actively  engagi-d  in  nurchandis- 
ing  in  Rockford.  came  to  Winnebago  county  about 
ifVio,  first  locating  in  the  village  of  Ncw^  Milford, 
where  his  brother  John  was  then  living.  He  was 
a  native  of  Mount  Morris.  New  York,  born  Feb- 
ruary 27,  1830.  His  parents  were  natives  of  the 
east  and  always  resided  in  the  state  of  New  York, 
where  both  passed  aw^ay.  The  father  was  a 
fanner  by  occnjiation  and  followed  that  pursuit 
nntil  his  death,  wliich  occurred  when  his  son 
Daniel  was  a  small  lad. 

Daniel  W.  Miller  obtained  bis  education  in 
the  common  schools  of  his  native  countv  but  as 


be  lost  bis  father  in  his  early  youth  it  was  neces- 
sary that  he  earn  his  living  when  still  quite  >onng. 
He  secured  employment  as  a  clerk  in  a  boot  and 
shoe  store  in  .Mount  .Morris,  .\'ew  York,  and  was 
employed  in  different  shoe  stores  of  that  city  until 
he  had  become  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the 
business.  He  then  decided  to  seek  a  home  in  the 
west,  believing  that  be  might  have  better  o])por- 
tunities  for  ra])i(l  advancement  here.  Accordingly 
he  made  bis  way  to  New  .Milford,  where  his 
brother  John  was  living,  but  after  a  short  time 
he  can^e  to  Rockford.  Here  be  opened  a  boot  and 
shoe  store  on  East  State  street  where  he  contin- 
ued in  business  for  many  years  with  constantly 
increasing  success,  carrying  a  largo  and  well  se- 
lected line  of  goods  and  receiving  from  the  pub- 
lic a  liberal  patronage.  .\s  his  financial  resources 
increased  he  made  judicious  investments  in  real 
estate  and  realized  a,  goodly  sum  from  bis  pur- 
chases and  sales  of  land.  During  his  later  years 
he  gave  up  the  shoe  business,  intending  to  retire 
from  active  business  life,  though  he  still  dealt  to 
some  extent  in  real  estate. 

Mr.  .Miller  was  married  twice.  He  first  wedded 
Miss  Margaret  Forbes,  a  daughter  of  Duncan 
Forbes,  a  representative  of  an  early  family  of 
Rockford.  She  died  leaving  one  son,  W'illiam, 
who  is  now  teller  in  the  People's  I'.ank  and  is 
well  known  in  social  as  well  as  financial  circles  of 
the  city.  For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Miller  chose 
Miss  Harriet  L.  Dean,  a  native  of  .^dams  county. 
New  York,  and  a  daughter  of  Richard  and  Dia- 
daina  (Woodruff)  Dean.  Both  the  Dean  and 
Woodruff  families  were  early  settlers  of  Rock- 
ford and  became  wealthy.  Mr.  Dean  took  up 
his  abode  in  this  city  in  1S64  and  invested  in 
land  near  the  county  seat.  He  then  engaged  in 
real-estate  operations  until  bis  death,  negotiating 
many  important  realtv  transfers.  He  i)assed 
away  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years,  while  his 
wife's  death  occurred  when  she  was  seventy-two 
years  of  age.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  force  of 
character,  of  marked  individuality,  of  excellent 
business  capacity  and  cajiable  management,  and 
became  one  of  the  representative  and  honored 
residents  of  bis  adopted  county. 

Fn  i8<)^.  i>n  accinmt  of  the  ill  health  of  his  wife. 
"Wr.  Miller  took  her  to  Colorado,  where  they  re- 
mained for  some  time,  Mrs.  Miller  being  fully  re- 
stored to  health  during  that  period.  On  the  day 
on  which  they  were  to  start  for  home,  however, 
Mr.  Miller  was  stricken  with  paralysis  and  died 
very  suddenly  on  the  ist  of  October.  iS>)5.  at 
Steamboat  Sjirings.  Colorado.  His  remains  were 
then  brought  back  to  Rockford  for  interment. 
He  was  an  exemplary  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  in  which  be  attained  the  Knights  Tem- 
plar degree.  In  politics  he  was  an  unfaltering  ad- 
vocate of  republican  principles,  but  although 
often  urged  to  do  so  by  bis   friends,  he  would 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF    WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


ov 


never  accept  office.  He  always  attended  the  Cen- 
tennial Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Rockford. 
of  which  his  widow  is  now  a  member,  and  he 
gave  generouslv  to  the  church  work.  The  strong 
and  salient  characteristics  of  his  manhood  were 
such  as  commanded  confidence  and  good  will, 
while  the  social  qualities  of  his  nature  endeared 
him  to  those  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  He 
held  friendship  inviolable  and  the  best  traits  of 
his  heart  and  mind  were  reserved  for  the  inner 
circle  of  his  own  home  and  family.  Mrs.  Miller 
is  prominent  socially  in  Rockford,  where  she 
owns  and  occupies  a  fine  residence  at  No.  222 
South  First  street,  which  was  built  by  her  hus- 
band and  in  which  she  intends  to  spend  her  re- 
maining days.  She  also  has  other  valuable  prop- 
ertv  here  from  which  she  derives  a  g-Qod  income. 


^IRS.    ELLA   E.    PARTRIDGE. 

^Irs.  Ella  E.  Partridge  is  well  known  in  Peca- 
tonica  and  other  parts  of  Winnebago  countv. 
Her  husband,  Edward  C.  Partridge,  was  a  native 
of  Stephenson  county,  Illinois,  born  December  24, 
1847,  ^'id  ■^'^'«is  a  son  of  C.  M.  and  Mary  D. 
(Parks)  Partridge,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Dalton,  Berkshire  county.  Massachusetts.  Pos- 
sibly a  better  account  of  his  parentage  can  be 
given  by  quoting  liberally  from  the  memorial  vol- 
ume published  upon  the  death  of  his  mother  and 
which  said  "Mary  D.  Perlev  was  born  in  Dalton, 
Massachusetts,  September  2,  1818.  and  died  at 
Orange  City,  Florida,  September  25,  igoo,  at  the 
age  of  eigty-two  years  and  twenty-two  clays. 
Her  parents.  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Abigail  Parks,  were 
of  English  descent,  and  being  quite  wealthy  farm- 
ing people  for  that  day  she  was  given  good  edu- 
cational privileges.  She  possessed  a  sunnv  dispo- 
sition, vi^as  always  cheerful,  full  of  ambition  and 
vivacity.  A  conspicuous  trait  in  her  character 
was  self-reliance,  and  industry  was  inherent  in 
her  nature.  She  was  daily  taught  by  her  mother 
all  the  various  duties  of  the  household.  She  at 
one  time  received  at  a  county  fair  a  premium  for 
a  magnificent  piece  of  broadcloth  which  she  wove 
with  her  own  hands.  She  was  sent  aw'ay  to 
complete  her  education  in  a  select  female  semi- 
nary in  Connecticut  and  in  due  time  was  gradu- 
ated with  honors,  after  which  she  successfully 
engaged  in  teaching  school  with  marked  ability. 
When  she  had  follow^ed  that  profession  for  a 
brief  period  she  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to 
Cotton  Mather  Partridge,  who  came  of  good 
stock,  of  a  religious  and  literary  family  noted  for 
unswerving  integritv  and  nobility  of  character. 
Cotton  Mather  Partridge  was  the  youngest  of  his 
father's  family,  and  his  eyes  were  turned  to  the 
growing  west — to  Illinois,  with  its  deep  fertile 
lands.      Following-  his  marriage  to   Marv   Parks 


he  took  his  bride  to  the  pioneer  district  of  Win- 
nebago count\-.  This  was  in  1846.  After  travel- 
ing on  the  canal  for  about  ten  days  they  arrived 
at  Buffalo,  New  York,  where  they  took  passage 
on  a  boat  for  Chicago,  which  at  that  time  was  a 
small  village,  having  been  incorporated  only 
eleven  years  before.  There  were  no  railroads  at 
that  time,  and  they  had  \-et  one  hundred  and 
thirty  miles  to  go  after  reaching  Chicago,  but 
they  completed  the  journey  with  a  farmer,  who 
took  them  to  Rockford,  where  they  began  house- 
keeping in  a  comfortable  farm  house  which  the 
husband  had  previously  prepared  for  his  bride. 
The}-  invested  every  dollar  which  they  possessed 
in  land,  which  in  course  of  time  became  very 
valuable,  and  they  realized  a  splendid  return  upon 
their  purchase.  In  1855  they  removed  to  Peca- 
tonica,  and  built  one  of  the  first  large  and  elegant 
houses  in  the  town.  Mr.  Partridge  had  built  a 
small  house  to  live  in  while  a  more  pretentious 
one  was  being  finished  and  he  did  not  live  to  see 
the  latter  completed.  ?ilrs.  Partridge  and  her 
son  Edward,  however,  took  possession  of  the 
larger  residence  and  there  she  lived  with  her  boy 
for  many  years.  In  1862  she  became  the  wife  of 
E.  F.  Perley,  a  man  of  literary  tastes,  \yho  had 
fonnerly  been  a  journalist,  but  was  then  a  mem- 
ber of  the  commission  house  of  David  Buell  & 
Company,  of  Chicago,  and  an  operator  on  the 
board  of  trade.  He  also  owned  one  of  the  first 
elevators  built  in  Pecatonica,  where  he  was  in 
the  grain  business  for  many  years.  'Mr.  and  ]\Irs. 
Perley  lived  happily  together  for  nearlv  fortv 
\-ears.  when  the\-  were  separated  l)y  his  deadi. 
^Irs.  Perley  was  a  lady  of  excellent  business  ca- 
pacity and  of  most  kindly  spirit.  Silent  deeds  of 
kindness  and  numerous  acts  of  charitv  were  con- 
spicuous in  her  whole  life.  She  loved  her  home 
and  its  pleasant  duties,  and  while  she  never  min- 
c^led  in  "society,"  those  who  knew  her  best  were 
loudest  in  praise  of  her  genial  nature  and  sunnv 
disposition.  In  her  later  years  she  spent  the  win- 
ter months  in  Florida  to  escape  the  rigorous  cli- 
mate of  the  north  and  there  she  passed  peacefully 
awav." 

Edward  C.  Partridge,  her  only  son,  having  pur- 
sued his  education  in  the  public  schools  continued 
his  studies  in  Oberlin  College  at  Oberlin.  Ohio, 
and  later  attended  a  business  college  in  Chicago, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in  February,  1867. 
He  then  returned  to  Pecatonica,  where  he  opened 
a  general  store.  Later  he  sold  that  business  and 
■went  to  Holton,  Kansas,  to  look  after  his  father's 
estate,  and  in  due  course  of  time  he  disposed  of 
the  Kansas  propertv  and  went  to  Florida  and 
purchased  land  at  Orange  City.  He  bought  and 
sold  a  number  of  tracts  of  land  at  dififerent  times 
in  the  south  and  he  built  two  fine  homes  there, 
one  for  his  mother  and  one  for  himself,  which 
is  vet  owned  bv  his  widow,  ]\Irs.  Ella  Partridge. 


5'^ 


PAST  AND  PRESKXT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COLXTV. 


It  was  in  1880  that  lie  went  to  Florida  and  he 
continued  his  operations  in  real  estate  there  to  a 
greater  or  less  extent  imtil  his  death. 

On  the  15th  of  February,  1888,  Edward  C. 
Partridge  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ella 
Fenton.  a  daughter  of  M.  A.  and  Hannah 
(Hicks)  Fenton.  Her  father  was  born  in  Bol- 
ton, Warren  county.  New  York,  January  19, 
1829,  and  died  in  Lena,  Illinois,  February  9, 
1899.  while  his  wife  was  born  in  Norwich.  Can- 
ada, November  17,  1835,  and  is  now  living  in 
Lena  at  the  old  homestead  with  her  youngest  son. 
Mr.  Fenton  removed  to  St.  Qair  county.  Michi- 
gan, with  his  parents  when  but  four  years  of  age, 
and  they  became  pioneer  settlers  of  that  locality. 
When  he  was  alniut  fifteen  years  of  age  he  had 
poor  health  and  his  ])arcnts  planned  that  he  should 
sail  upon  the  lakes  with  a  lake  captain  who  was 
his  father's  friend.  He  spent  between  one  and 
two  years  in  that  way  and  his  health  was  thus 
greatly  imjjroved  so  that  he  afterward  went  to 
work  upon  his  father's  farm,  and  was  thus  con- 
nected with  agricultural  pursuits  until  1852.  He 
then  married  and  carried  on  farming  on  his  own 
account,  but  sul)se(|ucntly  he  disposed  of  his  prop- 
erty in  Michigan  and  in  1862  removed  to  Stephen- 
son county.  Illinois,  settling  near  Freeport. 
Being  undecided  as  to  whether  he  wished  to  re- 
main in  that  locality  he  rented  a  farm  for  a  time 
and  later  established  his  home  in  Lena,  where  he 
purchased  a  residence,  spending  his  remaining 
ilays  there.  He  was  a  mimlier  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  and  was  a  man  respected  and 
honored  by  all  wlio  knew  him. 

I'nto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fenton  were  born  nine 
children,  of  whom  seven  arc  now  living:  Martha 
!•■..  Ixirn  May  11.  1853.  is  the  wife  of  L.  Sawtell, 
a  resident  of  Lena,  anr!  they  have  one  son.  Elias 
F.  Fenton  <lie(l  in  infancy.  Rebecca  J..  Ixirn  Jan- 
uary 5.  1857,  is  the  wife  of  Augustus  F. 
Schwenck.  and  they  have  five  children,  with  whom 
they  are  living  at  Cathav.  North  Dakota.  Lo- 
dema.  born  Fcbruan-  0.  1859.  liecame  the  wife  of 
Michael  I'.ardell.  who  died  in  Rockford,  leaving 
five  children,  and  Mrs.  Rardell  now  makes  her 
home  in  Pecatonica.  Elwood  A.,  born  June  8, 
i8fii,  died  in  infancy.  Nathaniel  M.,  born  Jan- 
uarA'  5,  18^)5.  is  married,  has  two  children,  and 
resides  in  North  Dakota.  Mrs.  Partridge,  born 
September  13,  1867.  is  the  next  of  the  family. 
Oiarles  M..  bom  June  4.  1870,  married  Miss  Ber- 
tha Potter,  and  is  now  living  in  Spokane.  Wash- 
ington. They  have  two  children.  Lewis  J.,  born 
September  29,  1873,  is  living  at  the  old  home  \\"ith 
his  mother  at  Lena,  Illinois. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Partridge  were  born  two 
daugliters  and  a  son :  TTazel  L..  Gladys  L.  and 
Harold  E.,  who  with  the  mother  survive  the 
death  of  the  husband  and  father. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Partridge,  following  their  mar- 


riage, spent  the  winter  of  1888-9  '"  Florida  and 
traveled  to  a  considerable  extent.  They  attended 
the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  in  1893  and 
made  other  trips.  Theirs  was  a  congenial  com- 
panionship and  the  death  of  Mr.  Partridge  was 
a  heavy  blow  to  the  wife.  He  was  prominent 
and  influential  in  community  affairs  in  Pecaton- 
ica, and  at  the  time  of  his  death  xras  serv'ing  as 
a  inemljer  of  the  school  board.  He  never  cared, 
however,  to  hold  public  office,  preferring  to  aid 
in  progressive  measures  as  a  i>rivate  citizen.  His 
genuine  worth  of  character  coniniauded  the  re- 
spect of  all  who  knew  him.  He  displayed  many 
sterling  traits  of  character  and  the  circle  of  his 
friends  was  a  very  extensive  one.  Mrs.  Partridge. 
highly  esteemed  in  Pecatonica,  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  school  board  for  a  term  of  three 
\ears.  but  rcsignetl  the  office  after  one  year.  It 
was  on  the  4th  of  February.  1901.  when  fifty- 
four  years  of  age,  that  Mr.  Partridge  was  called 
from  this  life,  and  on  account  of  ill  health  Mrs. 
Partridge  sjient  the  succeeding  summer  in  North 
Dakota  and  a  part  of  the  winter  of  11)04  in  San 
Antonio,  Texas.  .\  lady  of  natural  culture  and 
refinement  she  enjoys  in  high  measure  the  friendly 
regard  and  esteem  of  those  with  whom  she  has 
been  associated  during  the  years  of  her  residence 
here. 


WTLLT.\:\r  C.  McC.VUGHEY. 

AA'illiam  C.  McCaughey.  deceased,  whose  last 
years  were  S])ent  in  an  honorable  retirement  from 
business  life  in  his  home  in  Rockford,  was  born 
in  Ottawa.  La  Salle  county,  Illinois,  March  8, 
1S33.  The  family  is  of  Scotch  lineage  and  was 
founded  in  .America  by  three  brothers  of  the 
name  who  caine  from  .Scotland  to  the  Ignited 
.States.  One  of  the  number,  James  McCaughey, 
was  the  grandfather  of  William  C.  McCaughey. 
When  a  young  man  he  established  his  home  in 
Pennsylvania,  whence  he  afterward  removed  to 
Jefferson  county,  Ohio,  casting  in  his  lot  with 
the  pioneer  settlers  of  that  district.  He  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  land  which  was  all  covered 
with  timber,  but  he  at  once  began  to  clear  away 
the  trees  and  brush  and  in  due  course  of  time 
developed  a  good  farm,  upon  wliich  he  made  his 
home  until  his  death. 

His  son  Thomas  M.  McCaughey  was  born  in 
]\Iount  I'leasant.  Jefferson  county,  Ohio,  and 
after  obtaining  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  that  locality  he  learned  the  cooper's 
trade,  which  he  followed  in  Ohio  until  1836. 
In  that  year  he  came  to  Illinois,  securing  gov- 
ernment land  near  Ottawa  in  La  Salle  county. 
There  he  performed  the  arduous  task  of  de- 
veloping a  new  farm  and  later  he  sold  his  original 
claim  and  opened  up  another  farm  in  the  same 


29 


THOMAS  r.  KETTLEWET.L 


WILLIAM  C.   IMcCAUGHEY, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


523 


locality,  continuing'  to  reside  there  until  1840, 
when  he  removed  to  Highland  Prairie,  Dodge 
county,  Wisconsin,  and  \yas  among  the  early 
settlers  of  that  locality.  His  home  was  a  mile 
and  a  half  from  the  present  town  of  Jmieau 
and  he  there  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits 
until  1855,  when  he  sold  his  farm  and  removed 
to  Appleton,  where  he  conducted  a  general  store 
for  five  years.  His  next  place  of  residence 
was  Rockford  and  after  spending  a  few  years 
in  the  city  he  took  up  his  abode  on  a  farm  six 
miles  south  of  the  county  seat  at  the  mouth  of 
Kishwaukee  river  in  New  Milford  township, 
where  he  carried  on  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  passing  away 
January  5,  1866.  In  early  manhood  he  had 
wedded  Ruth  N.  Noble,  who  was  born  in  Mary- 
land, her  parents,  Charles  and  Margaret  (Ellis) 
Noble,  also  being  natives  of  that  state  and  of 
English  lineage.  Mrs.  McCaughey  survived  her 
husband  for  several  years,  passing  away  in  San 
Diego,  California,  in  1873,  her  remains  being 
interred  there.  But  one  of  the  children  of 
Thomas  and  Ruth  McCaughey  are  now  living — 
Mrs.  Jennie  Gilbert,  a  widow  of  Charles  D. 
Gilbert,  residing  near  San  Diego,  California, 
where  she  owns  a  large  fruit  farm. 

William  C.  McCaughey  acquired  a  good  edu- 
cation which  was  completed  in  the  university  at 
Appleton.  Wisconsin.  He  was  only  two  years 
old  when  his  parents  removed  to  that  state,  the 
journey  being  made  with  ox  teams  and  in  his 
youth  he  assisted  his  father  on  the  home  farm 
as  soon  as  old  enough  to  handle  the  plow. 
Through  the  winter  months  when  the  work  of 
the  farm  was  practically  over  for  the  year  he 
pursued  his  studies  in  the  pioneer  schools  and. 
following  his  removal  to  Appleton,  he  enjoyed 
the  benefit  of  a  four  years'  course  in  Lawrence 
University.  He  became  a  resident  of  Rockford 
in  i860  and  on  the  5th  of  August.  1862,  he 
responded  to  the  country's  call  for  aid,  enlisting 
in  Company  D,  Seventy-fourth  Illinois  Infantry, 
with  which  he  served  until  June,  1864.  He  was 
then  discharged  on  account  of  disability  and  re- 
turning to  Winnebago  county  he  purchased  a 
farm  near  Rockford,  whereon  he  engaged  in 
market  gardening  for  a  long  period.  He  fol- 
lowed that  pursuit  until  1887  and  then  pur- 
chased a  home  on  Second  street,  where  he  lived 
retired  until  his  death. 

In  1870  Mr.  McCaughey  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Mary  E.  Kettlewell.  who  was 
born  in  London.  ^Middlesex  county,  Canada,  her 
parents  being  Thomas  P.  and  Susanna  (  Horton ) 
Kettlewell.  The  family  is  of  English  lineage 
and  her  grandfather.  Thomas  Kettlewell.  and  her 
great-grandfather.  Richard  Kettlewell,  were 
both  natives  of  Scruten,  Yorkshire,  where  the 
birth  of  Thomas  P.  Kettlewell,  the  father  of  Mrs. 


AlcCaughey,  also  occurred  on  the  22d  of 
August,  1818.  He  was  a  young  man  of  seven- 
teen years  when  he  came  to  the  United  States 
in  company  with  his  father  who  brought  his 
wife  and  nine  children  to  the  new  world,  taking 
passage  at  Liverpool  on  the  13th  of  May  on  the 
sailing  vessel  Columbia,  which  after  two  months 
dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  New  York  on 
the  3d  of  July.  Later  the  family  crossed  Lake 
Erie  to  Port  Stanley,  and  Thomas  Kettlewell, 
Sr.,  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in  Southold  town- 
ship in  what  is  now  Elgin  county,  Canada,  mak- 
ing his  home  there  for  several  years.  His  last 
days,  however,  were  spent  in  Rockford.  His 
wife  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Mary  Pinckney 
and  was  also  born  in  Scruten,  England,  her  par- 
ents being  Ralph  and  Fanny  Pinckney.  She 
died   at   the   home   of   her   son   in   Rockford    in 

1873. 

Thomas  P.  Kettlewell,  father  of  Mrs.  Mc- 
Caughey. remained  with  his  parents  in  Canada 
imtil  his  marriage,  when  he  began  the  operation 
of  a  rented  farm  in  Westminster  township,  Elgin 
county,  residing  there  until  1850,  when  he  came 
to  Illinois.  The  journey  was  made  by  lake  and 
rail  to  Elgin,  this  state,  which  was  then  the 
western  terminus  of  the  railroad  and  from  Elgin 
he  proceeded  by  team  to  Rockford,  after  which 
he  followed  farming  for  two  years.  Later  he 
devoted  his  energies  to  the  butchering  business 
and  stock-dealing,  which  continued  to  be  his 
life  work  until  he  retired  from  active  business 
cares.  He  was  married  July  3,  1844.  to  Susanna 
Horton,  who  was  born  in  Southold,  Elgin 
county,  Canada,  ,\pril  T2,  1824,  a  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Ramsey)  Horton.  Her 
father  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  as  was  her  grand- 
father, Samuel  Horton.  who,  however,  removed 
to  Canada  in  pioneer  times.  At  the  time  of  his 
marriage  Peter  Horton  settled  on  a  tract  of  tim- 
ber land  three  miles  from  the  old  home  and  in 
1846  came  to  ^^'innebago  county,  Illinois,  pur- 
chasing land  in  ("niilford  township,  which  he  con- 
tinued to  cultivate  and  improve  until  the  time  of 
his  death  in  1850.  l\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Kettlewell  be- 
came the  parents  of  seven  children :  Mary ; 
Nannie  J.;  Eva,  now  Mrs.  Henry  Carmichael, 
livino-  on  North  First  street,  Rockford ;  Louise 
and  William,  both  deceased :  Charles,  a  resident 
of  ]\Iissoula,  JNIontana ;  and  Fanny,  deceased. 
The  parents  were  devoted  and  faithful  members 
of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  Mr.  Kettlewell 
was  republican  in  his  political  views.  Both  were 
held  in  high  esteem,  enjoying  in  large  measure 
the  good  will  and  confidence  of  all  with  whom 
they  were  associated. 

The  home  of  ^Ir.  and  Mrs.  IMcCaughey  was 
blessed  with  two  children :  Hallie  Pauline,  now 
the  wife  of  Joseph  Weiss,  a  minister  of  the  Con- 
gregational church  residing  at  Washburn,  Wis- 


524 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


consiii :  aiul  F.vclyn  Lmiisf.  wlm  is  now  ihc  wife 
of  Wirt  Gould  ami  lives  in  Cliicajio.  where  Mr. 
Gould  occupies  a  good  position  in  the  offices  of 
the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad 
Company. 

After  the  war  .Mr.  McCaughey  purchased  a 
small  farm  of  twenty  acres  wliich  was  then  near 
Rockford  but  is  now  within  thr  city  limits  on 
Charles  street.  This  tract  is  still  owned  by  his 
widow.  There  he  engaged  in  the  raising  of  fruit 
and  vegetables  for  several  years,  doing  an  ex- 
cellent business  as  a  gardener.  However,  he 
never  enjoved  good  heallli  after  his  return  from 
the  south  and  giving  uj)  his  business  he  built 
the  residence  where  his  widow  now  resides,  liv- 
ing retired  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  February   15.   1S93. 

-Mr.  .McCaughey  held  a  number  uf  town  and 
county  offices.  He  was  town  collector  for  two 
terms,  served  as  dci)uty  under  .Sheriff  I'atrick 
I'-Iinn  in  1869,  was  county  coroner  from  1883 
until  1887,  and  also  filled  other  positions  of 
public  honor  and  trust.  In  politics  he  was  a 
gold  democrat  and  took  an  active  interest  in  the 
party  and  promulgation  of  its  jirinciples.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Imlependent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  of  .\pplet(in,  Wisconsin;  of  G.  L. 
Nevius  post.  No.  1,  G.  A.  R.,  at  Rockford,  and 
of  the  Centennial  Methodist  E])iscopal  church, 
with  which  his  family  are  also  identified.  His 
life  record  was  not  without  its  difficulties,  dis- 
couragements and  hardships,  but  these  he  over- 
came by  determined  jjurjrose  and  his  record 
should  inspire  all  young  men  who  read  it  with 
a  truer  estimate  of  the  value  and  sure  regard  of 
character.  P.oth  Mr.  McCaughey  and  Mr.  Ket- 
tlcwell  were  prominent  business  men,  were  re- 
spected for  their  genuine  worth,  and  their 
meniorv  is  still  cherished  by  many  friends. 


A.  P..  \VIL.M.\RTII 


A.  B.  Wihnarth,  of  Rockff)rd,  was  born  in 
Providence  county,  Rhode  Island,  in  1838, 
his  parents  being  Stephen  and  Hannah 
( Wade )  Wilmarth.  who  became  residents 
of  Ogle  county,  Illinois,  in  iS-,fy.  locating 
in  Marion  townshiji,  where  the  father  pur- 
chased a  farm.  There  he  carried  on  general 
agricultural  pursuits  for  some  years,  but  removed 
to  Rockford  about  sixteen  years  prior  to  his  death 
in  1876  and  while  in  the  city  he  lived  retired.  He 
was  jjrominent  in  priliiical  circles  in  the  east,  giv- 
ing his  allegiance  to  the  <lemocracy  in  early  life, 
while  later  he  joined  the  ranks  of  the  new  repub- 
lican party.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the  legis- 
lature of  Rhode  Islanfl,  but  after  coming  to  the 


west  tlid  ni)l  tigure  prominently  in  political  cir- 
cles, although  as  a  citizen  he  manifested  a  pub- 
lic spirit  that  promi)ted  liis  active  co-operation 
in  every  measure  that  he  deemed  would  prove  of 
jiublic  good.  His  wife,  who  accompanied  him 
to  Illinois,  died  in  Ogle  county  about  1858.  They 
became  the  parents  of  thirteen  children,  of  whom 
two  died  in  early  life,  while  all  of  the  remaining 
eleven  reached  the  age  of  eighteen  years  or  more. 
Only  four  of  the  family  are  now  living,  how- 
ever: C.  N.,  who  is  residing  on  the  old  family 
homestead  in  ( )gle  county :  Susan  A.,  who  resides 
in  Rockford:  L.  C. ;  and  .\.  !>.,  of  this  review. 
L.  L".  Wilmarth  is  a  millionaire  residing  at  .Ash- 
land, Wisconsin,  who  for  many  years  has  been 
very  prominent  .uid  activt-  in  business.  He  was 
the  first  banker  at  .\siilaiid  and  throughout  his 
business  career  he  seems  U>  have  realized  at  any 
one  point  of  his  progress  the  utmost  possibility 
for  accomi)lishment  at  that  jjoint.  He  secured  a 
claim  on  the  site  of  To|)eka.  Kansas,  and  for  sev- 
enteen years  lived  there,  being  very  successful 
in  his  speculations  and  business  operations  in  the 
west. 

A.  1'..  Wilmartii  was  reared  in  Rhode  Island, 
coming  to  C)gle  county  when  eighteen  \ears  of 
age.  His  education  was  obtained  in  the  public 
schools  and  after  his  removal  to  the  west  his  at- 
tention was  given  in  undivided  manner  to  agri- 
cultural jjursuits  for  a  long  period.  He  followed 
farming  until  about  1890  and  for  fifteen  years 
has  made  his  home  in  Winnebago  county.  Six 
vears  ago  he  removed  to  Rockford,  where  he 
owns  several  houses  and  a  flat  building  in  the  city. 
He  also  has  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  ninety-one 
acres  in  .Vew  Milford  township  and  another  tract 
of  ninety  acres  in  the  same  township.  His  time 
and  attention  are  given  to  the  supervision  of  his 
])ni|)ertv    and    otiier    business    interests. 

Mr.  \\'ilmarth  was  married  in  Ogle  county  to 
.Miss  llamiah  .\.  Hagaman,  who  was  born  in 
Montgomery  county,  .\'ew  York,  in  1840, 
and  went  to  (^gle  county,  Illinois,  in  1843, 
with  her  jiarents,  losejih  P..  and  Catherine 
(I.epi)er)  Hagaman,  who  located  in  Marion 
township,  where  the  father  followed  the 
occupation  of  farming.  Throughout  his  en- 
tire life  he  devoted  his  energies  to  that 
vocation  .md  both  he  and  his  wife  have  now 
])assed  away.  .Mrs.  Wilmarth  has  two  brothers 
who  are  now  living  in  ( )gle  county — J.  M.  and 
C.  \\'.  Hagaman,  while  other  members  of  the 
family  are  scattered  over  the  country.  There 
were  six  sons  of  the  family,  but  Mrs.  Wilmarth 
was  the  onl\-  daughter.  P.y  her  marriage  she  has 
become  the  mother  of  two  sons:  N.  D..  a  farmer 
of  New  .Milford  township,  who  has  two  children; 
and  R.  .\.,  who  likewise  follows  farming  in  that 
townshi])  and  has  two  children. 


A.  B.  WIL^^IARTH. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


527 


Air.  Wilmarth,  giving  his  political  allegiance 
to  the  republican  party  has  never  swerved  in  his 
devotion  thereto,  because  he  believes  that  its  plat- 
form contains  the  best  elements  of  good  govern- 
ment. He  has  served  in  various  local  offices  and 
has  always  been  found  true  and  loyal  to  the  trust 
reposed  in  him.  For  almost  a  half  centurv  he 
has  lived  in  this  part  of  the  state  and  his  life 
record  is  as  an  open  book  which  all  mav  read. 
Activity  in  farm  pursuits  and  loyalty  in  citizen- 
ship have  been  the  salient  traits  of  liis  character 
and  have  gained  him  ffncul  will  and  confidence. 


HENRY  COX. 


Henry  Cox,  deceased,  was  one  of  the  pioneer 
residents  of  Rockford,  and  was  chief  of  the  old 
hand  fire  department  of  the  city  nearly  a  half 
century  ago.  He  became  well  known  here,  his 
business  interests  and  his  activity  in  behalf  of 
public  progress  making  him  a  leading  resident  of 
Winnebago  county. 

Air.  Cox  was  a  native  of  Hampshire,  England, 
and  a  son  of  James  and  Rebecca  Cox,  who  were 
also  born  in  that  country  in  which  thev  spent  their 
entire  lives,  the  father  following  the  occupation 
of  farming  in  order  to  provide  for  his  family. 
At  the  age  of  twelve  years  Henry  Cox  left  his 
home  in  Hampshire  and  went  to  the  city  of 
Winchester,  near  London,  England.  He  lived  in 
the  home  of  a  minister  there  until  1865,  when  he 
came  direct  to  Rockford,  having  an  uncle, 
A\'illiam  Cox,  \vho  was  then  living  in  Burritt 
township,  Winnebago  county.  It  was  this  that 
caused  Mr.  Cox  to  seek  a  home  here,  and  he 
turned  his  attention  to  the  milling  business.  He 
first  worked  in  the  old  Chick  mill  for  several 
years,  and  later  he  purchased  an  interest  in  the 
old  Shirley  mill  and  was  engaged  in  its  operation 
for  about  seven  months.  He  then  returned  to 
Rockford  and  was  connected  with  the  D.  L.  Bart- 
lett  mill  for  several  years  or  until  the  plant  was 
destroyed  by  fire.  At  that  time  he  went  upon 
the  road  as  a  traveling  salesman,  representing  the 
Bartlett  Company  of  Chicago  for  several  years 
in  the  sale  of  crackers.  He  afterward  traveled 
for  a  Milwaukee  wholesale  house,  selling  crack- 
ers and  candy,  and  he  remained  upon  the  road 
for  twenty  years,  when  upon  one  of  his  trips, 
while  at  Alalta,  Illinois,  in  the  winter  of  1896-7, 
he  fell  upon  the  icy  sidewalk  and  was  badly  in- 
jured, after  which  he  was  brought  to  his  home 
here  in  Rockford.  Other  complications  aggra- 
vated his  injuries  and  he  passed  awav  Alarch  2J. 
1807. 

Air.  Cox  was  married  in  this  city  to  Aliss  .\nn 
Rew,  a  native  of  England,  in  which  country  her 
parents  al^va^■s  remained.  She  is  an  aunt  of  Robert 
Rew,  the  well  known  attornev  of  Rockford.     She 


came  to  America  to  make  her  home  with  a  half 
brother,  John  Lake,  now  a  retired  capitalist  of 
Rockfofd,  who  is  one  of  the  most  prominent  and 
best  known  citizens  here.  Eight  children  were 
born  unto  .Mr.  and  Airs.  Cox:  .A^lice,  the  wife  of 
Hiram  Kauffman,  of  Rockford :  Alinnie,  the  wife 
of  .\lvin  Ellsworth,  of  Chicago;  Edith  R.,  a  ste- 
nographer residing  at  home  f  Harrv,  a  baker  of 
Rockford:  Joseph  R.,  who  is  a  mail  carrier  in 
this  city :  Olive  B.,  who  is  also  emploved  as  a 
stenographer ;  Herbert  R.,  at  home :  and  Grace, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  nine  years. 

Air.  Cox  was  always  interested  in  the  upbuild- 
ing, growth  and  development  of  his  citv,  and  in 
the  early  da}-s  he  became  a  member  of  the  old 
hand  fire  department,  of  which  he  was  chief  engi- 
neer a  half  century  ago.  In  politics  he  was  a 
stanch  republican  and  socially  he  was  connected 
with  the  ATasonic  and  Odd  Fellows  lodges  in 
Rockford.  He  held  membership  in  the  Episcopal 
church  in  England,  but  in  this  city  he  and  his 
wife  attended  the  Christian  I'nion  church.  He 
gave  to  his  children  good  educational  advantages, 
realizing  the  value  of  mental  training  as  a  prepar- 
ation for  life's  work,  and  he  was  devoted  to  the 
welfare  of  his  family,  counting  no  personal  sacri- 
fice on  his  part  too  great  if  it  would  enhance  the 
happiness  and  promote  the  welfare  of  his  wife 
and  children.  His  manner  was  alwavs  genial  and 
affable,  and  he  won  friends  wherever  he  went. 
The  family  at  one  time  resided  on  Seventh  street 
and  the  propertv  is  still  owned  by  Airs.  Cox,  but 
in  1894  Air.  Cox  exchanged  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  Alinnesota  farming  land  for  the 
beautiful  residence  which  is  now  occupied  bv  his 
widow  and  children  at  No.  307  Penfield  Place. 


CHARLES  H.  HOPKINS. 

Charles  H.  Hopkins,  following  the  occupation 
of  farming  on  section  3,  Roscoe  township,  was 
born  in  the  state  of  New  York,  in  iB^s-  His  fa- 
ther, Cyrus  Hopkins,  was  a  native  of  Alassachu- 
setts,  and  served  his  countrv  as  a  soldier  in  the 
war  of  1812,  becoming  a  auartermaster  in  the 
American  army.  He  married  Aliss  Charlotte  Bis- 
sell,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  in  the  vear 
18;=;  thev  removed  from  the  Empire  state  to  TIH- 
nois,  settling"  in  Winnebas"o  coimtv.  Air.  Hon- 
kins  followed  fnrminsr  throughout  his  entire  life. 
In  tS^4  he  had  purchased  seventv-one  acres  of 
land  on  section  3.  Roscoe  township,  and  the  fol- 
lowing' vear  he  removed  his  familv  to  this  state, 
where  he  continued  to  make  his  residence  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  ivhich  occurred  when  he 
had  reached  the  venerable  ^ee  of  eierhtv-three 
vears.  His  wife  lived  to  the  ripe  old  age  of 
ninetv-four    years.      They    were    the    parents    of 


528 


PAST     AND    TRKSEXT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


twelve  children,  of  whom  four  came  with  tlieni  to 
Illinois.  The  living  are:  Nelson  F.,  a  resident 
of  Reloit,  Wisconsin ;  Jennie,  the  wife  of  George 
Garrett,  of  Topeka,  Kansas;  Charles  H.;  John, 
a  resident  of  Janesvillc.  Wisconsin  :  and  William, 
who  makes  his  home  in  Redfield.  South  Dakota. 

Charles  H.  Hopkins  obtained  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  state  and  remained 
a  resident  of  New  York  until  twenty  years  of 
age,  when  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Illinois. 
He  has  since  followed  farming  in  Wimiebago 
county  and  is  now  the  owner  of  his  father's  old 
homestead,  comprising  seventy-one  acres  in  Ros- 
coe  township.  His  land  is  very  fertile  and  pro- 
ductive and  he  aiuuially  harvests  good  cro])s.  He 
is  practical  in  his  methods,  systematic  in  all  that 
he  does  and  as  the  result  of  his  discriminating 
labor  has  gained  a  satisfactory  financial  reward, 
being  now  numbered  among  the  jirosperous  agri- 
culturists of  his  community. 

In  1876  Mr.  Hoi)kins  was  married  to  Miss 
Enuua  L.  Lund,  a  native  of  Buffalo,  New  York, 
and  they  became  the  parents  of  three  daughters, 
Clara  May.  Nellie  J.  and  Isadore  .\.  In  1896  the 
wife  and  mother  was  called  to  her  final  rest,  pass- 
ing away  at  the  age  of  fifty  years,  her  death  being 
(lee])ly  regretted  by  many  friends  as  well  as  her 
immediate  family.  Mr.  Hopkins  and  his  daugh- 
ters attend  the  Presbyterian  church  and  his  jjolit- 
ical  su])port  is  given  to  the  republican  party.  He 
has  long  lived  in  \A'innebngo  county,  where  he 
now  has  a  wide  ac(|uaintance  and  the  qualities 
of  Ills  manhood  have  been  such  as  to  make  him 
a  n'o^-t  worthy  and  respected  citizen  of  Roscoe 
township. 


TOBIAS  lURNS. 


Tobias  Pitu'tis.  now  living  relire<l  in  Rockford, 
at  one  time  extensively  engaged  in  farming  in 
Burritt  townshi|),  is  numbered  among  the  early 
settlers  of  the  county,  having  taken  u|)  his  abode 
here  in  the  spring  of  1855.  .\s  the  years  passed 
by  he  labored  persistently  and  with  determina- 
tion to  accpiire  a  competence,  and  at  length  gained 
a  success  which  is  ever  the  due  reward  of  con- 
secutive labor,  guided  by  .sound  judgment.  He 
is  thus  permitted  in  the  evening  of  life  to  put 
aside  active  business  cares  and  enjoy  the  fruits  of 
his   former  toil. 

Mr.  Burns  is  a  native  of  County  Carlow,  Ire- 
land, where  he  was  bom  .seventy-five  years  ago, 
his  parents  being  John  and  lulia  (  Sbaughuessey ) 
Burns,  who  came  to  the  L'nited  States  in  1850, 
bringing  with  them  their  family.  They  remaine<l 
for  about  four  years  in  New  York,  and  thence 
came  westward  to  Wiimebago  county,  where  they 
spent  their  remaining  days,  the  father  departing 
this  life  in  r)ctolKr.  187.V  and  the  mother  in 
June,  i8</).     In  their  family  were  eight  children. 


but  Tobias  Burns  was  the  only  son.  All  of  the 
Sristers  are  now  deceased,  with  the  exception  of 
.^(rs.  James  Morrissey,  of  Belvidere,  Illinois. 

Tobias  Burns  .spent  the  days  of  his  childhixjd 
in  the  land  of  his  nativity.  He  may  well  be  called 
a  >ell'-ira-Ie  man,  deserving  all  the  honor  and 
praise  lh:i!  that  term  implies,  for  when  he  came 
to  Winnebago  county  he  was  in  limited  financial 
circumstances  and  without  financial  assistance  he 
has  worked  his  way  steadily  upward  to  a  position 
of  affluence.  He  was  married  July  3,  i86o,  in 
Rockford,  to  Miss  Mary  Doyle,  who  was  born 
in  County  l\iikenu\,  Ireland.  (  )ctober  13.  1S42, 
her  parents  being  'i'imothy  and  1-llizabeth  I  Ryan) 
Doyle,  who  were  natives  of  County  Carlow,  Ire- 
land, and  crossed  the  .Atlantic  to  the  new  world 
in  1850.  The  father  had  first  visited  America 
in  1848  or  1849,  and  the  family  home  was  estab- 
lished in  Rochester,  New  York.  Four  years  later 
they  came  to  Rockford.  Illinois,  where  the  par- 
ents s])eul  their  remaining  days,  the  father  |)ass- 
ing  away  in  February,  1866,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
five  years,  while  his  wife  sur\Mvcd  until  Novem- 
ber I,  1803,  being  seventy-six  years  of  age  at 
the  lime  of  her  death.  .Mrs.  r>urns  was  one  of  a 
family  of  ten  children,  of  whom  four  are  now 
living:  James,  a  farmer  of  Sarpy  county,  Ne- 
braska; Michael,  who  is  engaged  in  the  catering 
business  in  Chicago:  Catherine,  the  wife  of  Hugh 
McMahon.  of  Rockford  :  and  Mrs.  Burns,  who 
was  reared  in  Rockford  until  the  time  of  her 
marriage  and  then  went  with  her  husband  to  a 
farm.  In  A])ril,  1864.  they  removed  to  a  farm 
on  section  22.  Burritt  tcnvnship.  which  coiuinued 
to  be  their  ]ilace  of  residence  until  March.  i()02, 
or  for  thirtv-eight  years.  Throughout  this  long 
period  Mr.  Burns  was  actively  engaged  in  general 
agricultural  pursuits,  at  one  time  operating  five 
Inuidred  acres  of  land.  He  therefore  raised  ex- 
tensive crops  and  his  business  j^roved  profitable, 
lie  worked  earnestlv  and  ])ersistently  dav  after 
day  until  success  had  crowned  his  efforts,  and 
with  a  handsome  competence  he  retired  to  Rock- 
ford. building  a  fine  home  at  No.  704  North  Win- 
nebago street,  where  he  and  his  wife  are  now 
(|uietly  s])ending  the  evening  of  life  in  the  mi<lst 
of  manv  friends  and  surrounded  bv  all  the  com- 
forts that  go  to  make  life  worth  living. 

I'nto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  I'.urns  have  been  born  four- 
teen children  :  John  H..  a  m<ilder  by  trade,  re- 
siding in  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  was  married  to  Miss 
Annie  Redman,  and  has  four  s<ins  and  a  daughter. 
Tobias,  (iregor,  Robert.  Thomas  and  Ann:  Mary 
is  the  wife  of  Thomas  Doran.  a  resident  of  New 
Milford.  Illinois:  Charles  is  a  farmer  living  in 
Burritt  townshi|) :  Timothy  is  also  a  farmer  of 
that  township:  Elizabeth  is  the  wife  of  William 
J.  Doran.  of  New  Milford:  Robert,  a  practicing 
physician,  of  Freeport,  Illinois,  wedded  Mary 
Cox,  of  this  county,  and  has  one  child.  Mary  C. ; 
James  J.  is  the  next  c*f  the  family  :  William  died 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


529 


at  the  age  of  twenty  years  ;  Thomas  and  one  other 
died  in  infancy ;  Thomas  J.  is  the  second  of  that 
name ;  Catherine  A.  is  the  wife  of  George  Camp- 
bell, of  Burritt  township ;  Julia  Mildred  is  at 
home ;  and  the  youngest  child  died  in  infancy. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Burns  has  been  a 
democrat  since  becoming  a  naturalized  citizen,  and 
has  served  as  school  director  and  in  other  local 
offices.  He  and  his  family  are  communicants  of 
St.  Mary's  CatliDlic  church.  In  matters  of  citi- 
zenship he  has  always  been  loyal  to  his  adopted 
land  and  he  has  never  had  occasion  to  regret  his 
determiination  to  come  to  America,  for  here  he 
found  business  opportunities  wherein  labor  finds 
its  just  reward  and  where  earnest  effort  is  not 
hampered  bv  caste  or  class. 

T.  J.  and  James  J.  Burns,  sons  of  Tobias 
Burns,  are  now  carrying  on  business  under  the 
firm  name  of  Burns  Brothers,  farmers  and  stock- 
raisers.  They  own  a  farm  on  section  10,  Burritt 
township,  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres.  Both 
were  horn  on  the  family  homestead,  the  former 
on  the  26th  of  June.  1880,  and  the  latter  on  the 
17th  of  March,  1873.  I"  their  political  views  they 
are  democrats  and  socially  connected  with  the 
Knights  of  Columbus,  while  their  religious  faith 
is  that  of  St.  ^Tarv's  Catholic  church. 


JOHN  A.  McCULLOUGH. 

John  A.  McCullough,  who  follows  farming  on 
section  5,  Rockford  township,  where  he  owns  and 
operates  an  excellent  tract  of  land  of  one  hun- 
dred and  nine  acres,  a  part  of  which  lies  on  sec- 
tion 6,  is  a  native  son  of  this  township,  having  been 
born  on  the  old  family  homestead  here  in  1858. 
His  ])arents  were  Robert  and  Ellen  (Thompson) 
McCuUougli.  The  former  was  a  son  of  William 
and  Mary  ('Falconer)  McCullough,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Rosshire,  Scotland,  and  the  latter 
was  a  daughter  of  Robert  and  Kate  (McNeil) 
Falconer.  Mrs.  ^^'illiam  McCullough  spent  her 
entire  life  in  her  native  land. 

Robert  McCullough  was  but  an  infant  when 
he  lost  his  father  and  he  was  afterward  cared  for 
by  his  mother  and  an  uncle,  whom  he  assisted 
on  the  farm  during  his  youth.  He  continued  a 
resident  of  Scotland  until  1847,  ^ncl  'i^  Ixide  good- 
bye to  the  lands  of  hills  and  heather  and  went 
to  Liverpool,  England,  where  he  took  passage  on 
the  sailing  vessel,  Kalamathew,  bound  for  the 
harbor  of  New  York.  At  length  anchor  was 
dropped  in  the  American  port  and  Mr.  McCul- 
lough at  once  made  his  way  westward  to  Win- 
nebago county.  Illinois,  by  way  of  the  Hudson 
river  to  .\lbany.  the  Erie  canal  to  Buffalo  and 
the  Great  Lakes  to  Chicago,  whence  he  continued 
his  journey  overland  bv  team.  The  voyage  across 
the  .\tlantic  had  occupied  two  months,  and   ^Ir. 


]\IcCu Hough  was  in  rather  limited  circumstances 
when  he  had  paid  all  of  the  expenses  of  his  trip. 
For  a  time  he  made  his  home  with  his  uncle, 
Robert  Falconer,  by  whom  he  was  employed  on 
the  farm.  Saving  his  earnings,  as  the  result  of 
his  industry  and  frugality,  he  was  finally  enabled 
to  purchase  the  valuable  farm  on  section  5,  Rock- 
ford  towmship,  which  is  now  owned  by  his  sons, 
Henry  and  Charles.  The  land,  however,  at  that 
time  did  not  command  such  a  high  market  price, 
for  only  a  few  acres  had  been  broken  and  meager 
improvements  made.  In  the  course  of  years  Mr. 
^IcCullough  erected  fine  buildings.  He  also 
planted  shade  and  fruit  trees  and  equipped  his 
place  with  all  modern  accessories  and  conve- 
niences, develo)>ing  one  of  the  best  farms  of  the 
county. 

Robert  McCullough  was  born  in  Rosshire, 
Scotland,  November  7,  182 1,  and  in  January, 
1857,  lie  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ellen 
Thompson,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Campbell- 
town.  Argyleshire,  Scotland.  June  16,  1833.  His 
death  occurred  upon  the  old  home  property  in 
Rockford  township,  February  g,  1895,  and  his 
wife  passed  away  July  20,  1898.  The  remains  of 
both  were  interred  in  Rockford  cemetery.  Mrs. 
McCullough  was  a  daughter  of  John  and  Mary 
Thompson,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Argyle- 
shire, where  Mr.  Thompson  died.  The  mother 
afterward  came  to  .\merica  in  1854  and  spent 
her  last  years  in  Winnebago  county.  Mrs.  Ellen 
(Thompson)  McCullough  came  to  America  with 
Iner  two  brothers,  John  and  Robert  Thompson, 
in  the  fall  of  1853.  Thev  embarked  at  Greenock 
on  the  sailing  vessel  Charlotte  Harrison  and 
landed  at  New  York  after  a  voyage  of  seven 
weeks  and  three  days.  There  thev  immediately 
resumed  their  journey,  making  their  way  to  Ma- 
rietta. Washington  county.  Ohio,  where  they  ar- 
rived on  the  7th  of  Inly,  there  continuing  until 
tlie  s]>ring  of  185=;.  They  then  came  to  Winne- 
bago comity  and  it  was  here  that  Ellen  Thomp- 
son gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Robert  McCul- 
lough. This  union  was  blessed  with  seven  chil- 
dren: lohn  .\.,  whose  name  introduces  this  re- 
^•iew  ;  Kate,  ^farv,  Charles,  Henry  and  Hugh, 
all  of  whom  are  residing  on  the  home  farm  :  and 
Daniel,  who  married  Miss  Mary  Kelly,  a 
daughter  of  Robert  Kelly,  of  Rockford  township, 
and  resides  upon  a  farm  in  Winnebago  town.ship. 
Robert  McCullough,  the  father  of  this  familv,  was 
a  prominent  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
and  was  a  man  held  in  the  highest  regard  by  all 
who  knew  him,  so  that  his  death  was  the  occa- 
sion of  deep  and  widespread  regret. 

John  A.  McCullough  was  reared  upon  the  old 
familv  homestead  and  attended  the  common 
schools  of  the  township.  .Althoush  his  advantages 
in  \outh  were  somewhat  limited  he  has  become  a 
successful  man  and  is  to-dav  one  of  the  leading 


530 


PAST     AND     PRESEXT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUXTY. 


agriciillurists  of  liis  community.  lie  has  always 
followed  farminjj,  at  first  i)urcliasingf  seventy-nine 
and  one-half  acres  of  land,  which  was  a  part  of 
the  Alfred  Ciiamplin  estate.  To  this  he  has  added 
twenty-nine  and  a  half  acres  a  mile  west.  His 
farm  is  well  improved  and  equipped  with  cvery- 
thingf  necessary  to  facilitate  the  work.  He  uses 
the  best  machinery  to  prepare  his  fields  and  har- 
vest his  crops,  and  in  addition  to  tlie  raisinjj  oi 
cereals  he  is  entjased  quite  larjjely  and  success- 
fully in  the  raisins^  and  fcedinfj  of  cattle.  He 
is  a  man  of  indefatisjable  enercry  and  determined 
purpose  and  whatever  he  undertakes  he  carries 
forward  to  successful  comi>letion. 

Tn  1884  ^Ir.  McCulIou.cfh  was  united  in  mar- 
riasjc  to  Miss  Lizzie  Cliani])lin.  who  was  horn  on 
section  8.  Rockfonl  township,  and  is  a  dausjhter 
of  Alfred  H.  and  .\lvira  (Drake)  Chaniplin.  early 
settlers  of  this  county.  Her  father  died  on  the 
home  farm  in  1877,  at  the  ag:c  of  seventy-one 
years,  and  his  wife  passed  away  in  i8()0,  at  the 
ape  of  si.\ty-six  years,  in  McPherson  county, 
Kansas.  Mrs.  McCulUniijli  is  one  of  six  x.-hildreii 
who  reached  adult  acfo.  namely :  Sophia,  wlio  is 
living  in  McPher.son,  Kansas;  Mrs.  Susie  White- 
hall, who  died  in  McPherson  county,  Kansas, 
in  the  fall  of  1900:  Mrs.  W.  P.  Farnham.  of 
Rockford  township ;  Sadie,  who  is  living^  in  Mc- 
Pherson county.  Kansas;  Mrs.  Lizzie  McCid- 
louj.^'h  ;  and  Mrs.  Clara  Hamilton,  of  McPherson 
county.  The  father.  .Alfred  H.  Champlin,  was 
twice  married,  and  there  were  five  children  by 
his  first  union,  as  follows :  Bradford  and  Joel, 
who  were  killed  in  the  Civil  war;  Charles,  who 
was  twice  wounded  when  a  member  of  the  L^nion 
.\rmy  and  is  now  deceased;  .Mfred.  who  has  also 
passed  away,  and  Mrs.  Kate  Drake,  who  is  re- 
sidinpf  in  Texas. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCullough  has 
been  blessed  with  two  children :  Edith  Lucille, 
who  died  in  1807.  at  the  ajje  of  fourteen  months, 
and  Robert  Champlin.  now  in  his  first  year.  The 
parents  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
and  Mr.  McCulloufjli  is  a  rei)ublican  in  his  po- 
litical views.  He  is  a  worthv  reiiresentativc  of  a 
prominent  pioneer  family  of  the  comity  and  liis 
own  record  has  ever  been  in  harmony  with  the 
reputatirin  borne  Iw  tlmse  f)f  the  name,  bcinsT 
cliaracterizcd  by  fidelity  to  duty,  enterprise  in 
business  affairs  and  faithfulness  in  friendship. 


DAXTFL  SCOTT. 


Tt  is  imperative  that  mention  be  made  of  Dan- 
iel Scott  in  this  volume  f(T  his  residence  in  Win- 
nebago county  probably  antedates  that  of  any 
other  man  now  living  within  its  borders.  He 
has  resided  here  since   1837,  and  upon  the  walls 


of  memory  hang  many  pictures  of  pioneer  life 
wlien  this  region  was  a  vast  undeveloped  district, 
the  land  unclaimed  and  the  natural  resources  of 
the  country  uncultivated.  He  has  watched  the 
building  of  homes,  the  introduction  of  business 
enter]jrises,  the  establishment  of  schools  and 
churches  and  the  growth  which  has  been  carried 
steadily  forward  until  the  count\-  now  has  within 
its  borders  one  of  the  rich,  ])roductive  sections 
of  the  state  together  with  agricultural,  social  and 
educational  interests  that  are  unsurpassed 
throughout  the  length  of  the  Mississippi  valley. 
Mr.  Scott  now  resides  on  a  farm  on  section  19, 
(iuilford  townshi]).  owning  two  hundred  acres 
oi  valuable  land,  lying  on  sections  i<)  and  20. 
There  are  fine  improvements  here,  including  a 
large  and  substantial  residence  built  in  attractive 
style  of  architecture  and  comniodifnis  outbuild- 
ings. 

Mr.  Scott  was  born  in  Cattaraugus  county, 
Xew  York,  in  1830,  coming  to  Winnebago  county 
when  seven  years  old.  His  ])arents  were  Reuben 
C.  and  Ann  (Johnson)  Scott,  who  made  their 
way  to  this  county  in  1837,  spending  their  re- 
maining days  here.  The  father  began  farming 
upon  a  raw  tract  of  land  and  his  father,  D. 
Johnson  Scott,  had  previously  taken  up  a  claim 
on  section  19,  Guilford  township,  a  part  of  which 
is  now  owned  by  Daniel  Scott  of  this  review, 
lioth  the  father  and  grandfather  were  farmers, 
devoting  their  entire  lives  to  the  tilling  of  the  .soil. 
They  became  residents  here  in  1837.  and  the  part 
which  they  took  in  the  early  development  of  the 
county  entitles  them  to  representation  among  its 
founders  and  upbuilders.  P>oth  the  parents  of 
Daniel  Scott  are  now  deceased.  He  had  one 
brother  and  tw^o  sisters,  of  whom  Mary,  now  the 
wife  of  X.  C.  Dean,  of  Colorado,  is  the  only  one 
living.  His  sister  Elvira  became  the  wife  of 
Daniel  Clay  and  both  are  now  deceased,  Mrs. 
Clay  passmg  away  about  six  years  ago.  Her  son. 
P>ert  Clay,  is  married  and  resides  in  Guilford 
township,  near  Rockford.  Sylvester  died  in  the 
fall  of  1903.  He  was  a  gardener,  who  resided 
in    Winnebago   county. 

!^l)cnding  his  boyhood  days  in  this  county, 
Daniel  Scott  was  reared  amid  pioneer  surround- 
ings. He  attended  the  common  .schools  and  has 
remained  upon  the  old  fami  homestead  from  his 
earlv  manhood.  l)ut  has  extended  the  bomidaries 
of  his  projierty  until  it  now  comprises  two  hun- 
dred acres  of  rich  and  productive  land  on  sections 
19  and  20.  He  is  constantly  striving  to  improve 
his  property  and  his  efforts  have  been  very  effect- 
ive so  that  the  farm  is  now  valuable  and  presents 
a  splendid  a|)pearancf.  Mr.  Scott  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Xancy  J.  Hayes,  who  came  from 
Canada  with  her  i)arents  to  Winnebago  comity 
in    1838.     Two  children  graced  this  union;  Lu- 


MR.  AND  MRS.  DANIEL  SCOTT. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


533 


ther.  who  is  engaged  in  the  operation  of  his 
father's  farm,  married  Aliss  Ella  Hill,  of  Rock- 
ford,  and  they  have  five  children,  Ralph,  Blanche, 
Maud.  Harry  and  Hazel,  and  with  the  exception 
of  Ralph,  who  is  mail  carrier  on  route  No,  4, 
all  are  yet  at  home.  Anna  Scott  becatne  the  wife 
of  Albert  RowJey,  and  resides  on  section  19,  Guil- 
ford township.  They  have  two  children,  Edna 
and  Clarence. 

IMr.  Scott  was  at  one  time  a  member  of  the 
Grange,  which  he  joined  on  its  organization  but 
he  is  not  connected  therewith  at  the  present  time. 
He  has  always  been  an  earnest  republican  since 
the  organization  of  the  party  and  he  has  filled 
some  local  offices.  His  life,  however,  has  been 
quietly  passed  in  the  pursuit  of  farming  and  the 
duties  which  each  day  have  devolved  upon  him 
have  been  faithfully  and  capably  performed. 
Practical  common  sense  has  guided  effective 
measures  in  the  improvement  and  cultivation  of 
his  farm  and  now  to-day  a  splendid  propertv  is 
the  indication  of  his  life  of  enterprise  and  thrift. 


ROBERT  BULL. 


Although  Robert  Bull  never  resided  in  Winne- 
bago county,  he  had  a  wide  acqtiaintance  here, 
for  he  made  his  home  on  a  farm  in  Ogle  county, 
near  the  ^^'innebago  county  line,  settling  thereon 
more  than  a  half  century  ago.  He  was  a  native 
of  Perry  county,  Pennsylvania,  his  parents  being 
John  and  Jane  Bull,  also  natives  of  the  Kevstone 
state.  They  came  to  the  west  at  an  early  day 
in  the  development  of  this  section  of  the  state 
and  resided  on  a  farm  in  Og'le  countv  until  called 
to  their  final  home. 

Robert  Bull  attended  the  public  schools  in  his 
youth  and  assisted  his  father  in  the  arduous  labor 
of  cultivating  and  improving  his  land.  He  thus 
became  familiar  with  all  the  duties  that  fall  to 
the  lot  of  the  agriculturist  and  was  well  qualified 
to  carr}'  on  fanning  operations  on  his  own 
account  when  he  married  and  settled  in 
Byron  township,  Ogie  coun*'}-.  .\t  a  later 
day  he  purchased  another  farm  in  the  same 
township  near  the  \^^innebaglO  county  line,' 
and  to  the  cultivation  of  the  fields  he  devoted 
his  energies  until  his  life's  labors  were  ended. 
His  farm  was  well  improved  and  he  used  modern 
machinery  in  the  care  of  his  crops.  Everything 
about  his  place  was  neat  and  thrifty  in  appear- 
ance, indicating  the  careful  supervision  of  a  sys- 
tematic, practical  and  progressive  owner. 

In  was  in  1868,  in  Winnebago  county,  that 
"Mr.  Bull  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ruth 
Sargent,  who  was  born  in  Canada,  in  1833,  and 
is  a  daughter  of  Charles  and  Ruth  (Mansurl 
Sargent,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the  same 


country.  In  an  earl)-  day  they  removed  bv  wagon 
to  Illinois,  settling  in  the  vicinity  of  Elgin,  and 
in  1850  they  took  up  their  abode  in  Winnebago 
county,  making  their  home  in  Winnebago  town- 
ship, where  the  father  purchased  land  and  engaged 
in  farming  until  his  death.  He  and  his  wife  were 
well  known  and  honored  pioneer  people  of  this 
locality,  and  he  assisted  in  laying  broad  and  deep 
the  foundation  upon  which  has  been  builded  the 
]-iresent  progress  of  this  portion  of  the  state. 
Three  of  their  children  are  still  living  in  Winne- 
bago coimty,  Mrs.  Bull,  Izora  A.  and  Daniel  M., 
the  brother  and  sister  both  living  with  Mrs.  Bull. 
Only  one  child  was  born  unto  our  subject  and 
his  wife,  Ella  J.,  who  has  always  resided  at  home 
and  gives  her  time  and  attention  to  the  care  of 
her  mother,  who  is  now  an  invalid,  having  been 
in  ill  health  for  the  past  ten  years.  She  still 
owns  the  old  iiome  farm  of  one  hundred  Ptid 
eighty  acres  in  Ogle  countv,  and  this  brings  to  her 
a  good  rental,  ^^'hen  they  removed  to  Rock- 
ford  Mrs.  Bull  and  her  brother  purchased  the 
residence  at  No.  827  Ferguson  street,  and  the 
members  of  the  household  at  the  present  time 
are  Mrs.  Bull  and  her  daughter,  Daniel  M.  and 
Izora  A.  Sargent.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bull  held 
membership  in  the  Presbyterian  church  and  were 
active  in  its  work,  desiring  greatl}-  the  growth 
and  extension  of  its  influence.  Mr.  Bull  was  a 
republican  in  his  political  views  and  a  man  of 
firm  convictions,  whose  position  upon  anv  ques- 
tion of  moment  was  never  an  equivocal  one.  He 
was  always  honest  in  expressing  his  ^-iews  and 
his  influence  was  ever  on  the  side  of  justice, 
truth  and  right. 


lOHN  HUTCHINS. 


John  Hutchins  was  for  a  number  of  years  con- 
nected with  industrial  pursuits  in  Rockford,  con- 
dticting  a  blacksmith  shop,  but  is  now  living  re- 
tired. He  was  born  on  the  Isle  of  i\Ian  in  1838. 
His  father.  Charles  Hutchins,  was  a  farmer  and 
fisherman,  and  on  his  native  isle  reared  a  family 
of  sevaT  children,  four  of  whoin  are  now  living, 
two  beinsT  residents  of  Rockford.  while  Thomas 
makes  his  home  in  Wheeling,  West  Virginia, 
lohn  Hutchins  spent  the  first  seventeen  vears  of 
his  life  in  the  place  of  his  nativitv  and  then 
crossed  the  brinv  deep  upon  a  sailing  vessel, 
from  which  he  landed  at  New  York,  being-  five 
weeks  on  the  voyage.  He  learned  the  black- 
smith's trade  in  Rockford  and  established  a 
smithy  on  State  street  about  forty  vears  ago.  He 
there  worked  at  his  trade  for  nearly  four  decades 
and  in  connection  with  blacksmithing  he  also  car- 
ried on  wagonmaking.  As  the  years  passed  he 
won  a  conifortable  conipetence  and  about  twelve 
vears  agfo  he  retired  from  active  business  to  en- 


5.U 


PAST     AND     PRESEXT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


joy  tlic  fruits  of  his  former  toil.  In  1898  he 
built  a  iKJiuliful  honu'  at  Xo.  3J4  Xi>itli  Third 
street,  where  lie  now  resides,  and  he  also  owns 
a  store  buildiufr  and  livery  stable  on  State  street. 
In  1868  -Mr.  Ilutchins  was  married  to  Miss  Han- 
nah Black,  a  native  of  Canada,  who  came  to  Illi- 
nois with  luT  parents  in  her  girlhood  days.  Both 
her  father  and  mother  have  passed  away,  but  for 
a  number  of  years  the  former  was  identified  with 
agricultural  pursuits  in  this  county.  Mr.  and 
Airs.  Hutchins  had  two  sons:  Daniel,  who  mar- 
ried Lillian  Congdon,  and  is  engaged  in  the  gro- 
cery business  on  East  State  street,  while  his  resi- 
dence is  on  North  Second  street,  Rockford,  and 
Charles,  who  was  drowned  in  Alaska. 

After  coming  to  America  Mr.  Hutchins  pro- 
ceeded to  inform  himself  concerning  the  politi- 
cal situation  of  the  country  and  the  questions  and 
issues  before  the  people,  and,  I>ecoming  in  hearty 
sympathy  with  the  object  of  the  new  republican 
party,  he  cast  his  first  ]iresidcntial  vote  for  Abra- 
liam  Lincoln.  In  more  recent  years,  however, 
he  has  been  a  prohibitionist,  for  that  jiarty  em- 
bodies his  views  on  the  temperance  question.  He 
belongs  to  Rockford  lodge.  No.  102,  A.  F.  S: 
A.  M..  and  has  also  taken  the  degrees  of  capitu- 
lar and  chivalric  Masonry,  being  identified  with 
the  chai)ter  and  commandery  here.  He  and  his 
wife  are  members  of  the  Centennial  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  on  South  Second  street.  Mr. 
Hutchins  is  a  self-made  man,  who  owes  his  pros- 
perity to  his  own  labors  and  the  able  assistance  of 
his  estimable  wife,  who  lias  indeed  been  a  faithful 
companion  aiid  heli)mate  to  him  on  life's  journey. 
He  has  crossed  the  ocean  nine  times,  making  the 
last  trip  in  order  to  visit  the  Paris  Exposition, 
and  travel  and  experience  have  broadened  his 
knowledge,  making  him  a  well  informed  men, 
and  enriching  his  mind  with  many  interesting 
anecdotes  and  reminiscences. 


THOMAS  BUCHANAN. 

Thomas  Buchanan,  now  deceased,  who  resided 
in  Rockford  forty  years  ago  and  was  engaged  in 
manufacturing  here  for  a  number  of  years, 
claimed  Scotland  as  the  land  of  his  birth,  having 
first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of  day  in  that 
countn*  of  hills  and  heather  on  the  15th  of  May, 
1826,  Lanarkshire  being  the  place  of  his  birth. 
His  father  and  grandfather  were  molders  by 
trade  and  always  lived  in  Scotland.  Both  parents 
of  our  subject  died  during  the  early  manhood 
of  their  son  Thomas.  When  a  lad  Thomas 
Buchanan  acquired  a  fair  education  in  the  schools 
of  Scotland,  and  while  still  a  boy  he  worked  with 
his  father,  learning  the  molder's  trade,  which  he 
followed  during  his  residence  in  his  native  coun- 


try, lie  was  first  married  there  when  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  to  .Miss  jane  Smith,  a  daughter 
of  William  Smith,  who  afterw.-ird  came  to  Amer- 
ica, and  died  in  Woonsocket,  Rhode  Island. 
Soon  after  their  marriage  the  young  couple 
started  for  the  United  States,  settling  in  Woon- 
socket, where  Mr.  Buchanan  worked  at  the  mold- 
er's trade  for  a  few  years.  I'.elieving  that  he 
might  have  still  better  adv.-uU.igcs  in  the  middle 
west  he  resumed  bis  journey  and  took  up  his 
abode  near  Poplar  Grove,  Illinois,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  land  and  engaged  in  general 
farming  for  some  time.  On  jnitting  aside  the 
])l()w  he  cam*:  to  RcKkford.  where  he  again 
worked  at  the  molder's  trade  for  a  brief  period. 
.•\  stock  company  being  formed  with  a  capital 
stock  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  for  the  purpose  of 
manufacturing  machinery,  Mr.  Buchanan  became 
the  owner  of  one-fifth  of  the  stock  and  was  active 
in  the  management  of  the  business,  but  after  sev- 
eral years  the  company  failed  and  Mr.  Buchanan 
thus  lost  six  thousand  dollars.  He  afterward 
took  charge  of  a  foundry  here  and  remained  as 
foreman  for  several  years.  During  that  time  his 
health  became  impaired  and  he  and  his  wife  made 
;i  tri])  to  .Scotland,  visiting  for  a  short  period  in 
tlie  land  of  his  nativity  among  old  friends  and 
acquaintances  of  his  youth.  He  then  returned  to 
Rockford  and  was  again  engaged  in  the  foundry 
business  until  he  was  obliged  to  retire  from  active 
life  because  of  illness. 

It  was  subsequent  to  his  arrival  in  Rockford 
that  Mr.  Buchanan  was  called  u])on  to  mourn 
the  loss  of  his  first  wife,  who  died  in  this  city  on 
the  4th  of  August.  1873,  leaving  three  children, 
Thomas  John,  whose  death  occurred  July  22, 
Kp2  :  Jennie,  now  Mrs.  1  r<iwe  ;  and  I'.ertha.  wife 
of  a  Mr.  Dodge.  In  Belvidere,  Illinois,  Mr. 
Buchanan  was  again  married,  his  second  union 
being  with  Miss  Mary  Cunningham,  also  a  native 
of  Scotland,  and  a  daughter  of  Hugh  and  Mar- 
garet CVnderson)  Cunningham.  Her  parents 
came  to  .\merica  at  an  early  day,  settling  in  Paw- 
tucket,  Rhode  Island,  where  the  father  engaged 
in  business  as  a  wholesale  and  retail  clothing 
merchant.  He  imported  clothing  on  an  extensive 
scale  and  also  dealt  in  domestic  articles,  conduct- 
ing his  store  with  success  for  a  number  of  years, 
after  which  he  retired  from  the  trade  and  re- 
moved to  Massachusetts,  living  for  a  short  time 
there.  He  next  came  to  the  west,  settling  in  Bel- 
videre, Illinois,  where  in  connection  with  his  son 
and  son-in-law  he  established  a  grocery  store 
which  he  carried  on  for  a  few  years.  Later  he 
formed  a  partnership  with  a  man  who  proved  to 
be  (lishonest  and  caused  the  failure  of  the  busi- 
ness in  1 86 1.  Mr.  Buchanan  then  joined  his  son 
and  son-in-law  in  the  establishment  of  a  hardware 
store  and  after  a  few  years  he  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  the  grain  business  in   Belvidere,  but  did 


THO.MAS  BUCHANAN. 


30 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


537 


not  meet  with  anticipated  success  in  that  venture. 
He  then  gave  up  all  business  interests  and  lived 
retired  in  Belvidere  until  his  death.  His  wife 
also  passed  away  in  that  city.  Onlv  three  of  the 
children  are  now  living:  Mrs.  Buchanan;  Mrs. 
Livingston,  a  resident  of  Belvidere :  and  James 
Ctmningham,  of  Nova  Scotia. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Buchanan  occurred  March 
4.  1898,  when  he  was.  about  seventy-three  years 
of  age.  He  was  a  member  of  the  school  board 
of  Rockford  for  eight  years  and  held  other  minor 
"otTfices.  In  politics  he  was  a  stanch  republican 
and  fraternally  was  connected  with  the  Masonic 
lodge  of  Rockford.  He  always  took  a  deep,  ac- 
tive and  helpful  interest  in  church  work,  both  he 
and  his  wife  being  zealous  workers  in  the  Pres- 
byterian church  here,  in  which  he  served  as  elder 
for  some  time.  His  life  was  always  in  harmony 
with  its  principles  and  he  advocated  everv  meas- 
ure which  tended  to  upHft  mankind  or  instill  in 
the  lives  of  those  whom  he  met  principles  of  in- 
tegrity, morality  and  benevolence.  Through  long 
wars  he  was  most  industrious  and  enterprising 
and  by  the  careful  husbanding  of  his  resources 
and  judicious  investment  he  was  enabled  to  leave 
his  family  in  comfortable  financial  circumstances. 
More  than  forty  years  as'o  he  built  a  residence 
where  his  widow  now  resides,  at  No.  1 127  Buch- 
anan street,  that  thoroughfare  having  been  named 
in  his  honor.  A  Miss  Norris  resides  with  Mrs. 
Buchanan,  assisting  her  in  the  work  and  acting 
as  companion  for  several  years. 


KATHARINE  ELIZABETH  JAIMES,  M.  D. 

Dr.  Katharine  Elizabeth  James,  who  was  born 
in  ]\Iiddleburg,  New  York,  in  1868,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Alanson  Leonard  and  Katharine 
f Watson)  James,  is  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
medicine  and  surgery  in  Rockford.  During  her 
early  girlhood  her  parents  removed  to  Glovers- 
ville.  New  York,  where  her  father  conducted 
business  as  an  architect.  He  died  in  1897,  and 
is  survived  by  his  widow,  who  is  yet  living  in 
Gloversville.  Thev  were  the  parents  of  four  chil- 
dren, Katharine  E.,  Hagar,  Edgar  and  Wilmot. 

Dr.  James,  having  completed  a  course  in  the 
public  and  high  schools  of  Gloversville,  New 
York,  afterward  entered  the  Brookport  Prepara- 
tory School,  where  she  spent  three  years  in  quali- 
fying for  university  work.  She  afterward  en- 
gaged in  teaching  for  two  years,  tnus  earning 
the  money  which  enabled  her  to  further  continue 
her  studies.  In  1892  she  went  to  Chicago  and 
entered  the  Hahneman  College,  from  which  she 
was  graduated  with  class  of  1895.  '^'i?  likewise 
spent  one  vear  as  an  interne  in  the  Hahneman 
Hospital  and  her  broad  experience  there  proved 


an  excellent  training  for  her  professional  services 
since  coming  to  Rockford.  She  located  in  this 
city  in  1896  and  has  a  well  equipped  ofifice  at 
No.  123  North  Main  street.  She  engages  in 
general  practice,  making  a  specialty  of  the  dis- 
eases of  women  and  children,  and  during  the 
early  period  of  her  residence  here  she  served  on 
the  staff  of  the  city  hospital.  She  is  now  a  mem- 
ber of  the  American  Institute  of  Homeopathy. 


HON.  ARTHUR  H.  FROST. 

Hon.  Arthur  H.  Frost,  serving  for  the  second 
term  as  judge  of  the  ninth  judicial  district  of  Illi- 
nois, with  residence  in  Rockford,  was  born  in 
St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont,  May  12,  1856.  In 
1861  his  parents  removed  to  Illinois,  settling  in 
Rockford,  where  he  acquired  his  early  education 
in  the  common  schools  and  passing  through  suc- 
cessive grades  was  eventually  graduated  from 
East  Side  high  school.  \\'ith  the  determination 
to  make  the  jiractice  of  law  his  life  work,  he  be- 
came a  student  in  the  office  of  the  late  N.  C.  War- 
ner, a  well  known  and  able  attorney  of  Rockford, 
and  after  thorough  and  systematic  preliminary 
reading  was  admitted  to  the  bar  on  the  19th  of 
January,  1879.  He  has  since  been  connected  with 
the  courts  in  the  active  practice  of  law  or  as  a 
representative  of  the  bench.  In  1892  he  was 
elected  state's  attorney,  to  which  position  he  was 
re-elected  in  1896  and  again  in  1900,  resigning  the 
office  on  the  24th  of  February,  1901,  having  been 
nominated  for  the  position  of  judge  of  the  circuit 
court  of  the  ninth  judicial  district.  He  was  elected 
on  the  25th  of  February,  and  on  the  ist  of  June, 
1903,  was  re-elected.  He  has  discharged  the  du- 
ties pertaining  to  the  several  judicial  positions 
with  distinction  and  fidelity,  and  enjoys  the  un- 
qualified confidence  of  the  bar  and  the  people  at 
large.  He  had  practiced  law  as  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Frost  &  McEvoy  from  December,  1888, 
until  March,  1901.  with  marked  success,  being  ac- 
corded a  distinctively  representative  clientage  and 
the  extent  and  importance  of  his  work  is  indi- 
cated by  a  glance  at  the  records  of  the  courts 
within  this  period.  He  has  the  faculty  of  dis- 
carding personal  opinions,  pecularities  and  preju- 
dices and  with  marked  impartiality  and  thorough 
understanding  of  the  ]irinciples  of  jurisprudence 
administering  the  law  without  fear  or  favor. 

Socially  Judge  Frost  is  a  member  of  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  fraternity  and  of  the  Masonic  order. 
On  tile  17th  of  May,  1883,  he  married  Miss  Ida 
Southgate,  of  Rockford,  a  daughter  of  William 
and  Kathryn  Southgate,  Judge  and  Mrs.  Frost 
became  the  parents  of  a  daughter  and  three  sons ; 
Bertha  Helen,  nineteen  years  of  age:  Raymond 


S3« 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Southgatc.  seventeen  years  of  age  ;  and  Arthur  H. 
and  Walter  K.,  aged  respectively  twelve  and  seven 
years.  The  family  resilience  is  at  No.  712  North 
Court  street,  and  Judge  and  Mrs.  Frost  arc  promi- 
nent socially.  Since  attaining  manhood  his  en- 
tire energies  in  the  husinoss  line  have  been  concen- 
trated u])on  his  jirofession,  and  his  close  applica- 
tion and  earnest  study  have  gained  him  prestige 
which  numbers  him  among  the  leading  members 
of  the  bar  in  this  section  of  the  state. 


C.EORCI-.    MERRILL   T.VFT. 

George  Merrill  Taft  is  an  extensive  landowner 
and  one  of  the  native  sons  of  Roscoe  township, 
his  birth  having  occurred  upon  the  old  family 
homestead  here  in  1855.  The  Tafts  trace  their 
ancestr\-  l)ack  to  Robert  Taft.  a  prominent  citi- 
zen of  New  Ham|)shire,  the  family  having  been 
established  in  New  England  during  an  early  pe- 
riod in  the  colonization  of  the  new  world.  Levi 
^L  Taft,  tlie  father,  was  bom  in  the  state  of 
New  York  and  was  taken  to  Ohio  by  his  jiarcnts 
when  only  si.x  years  of  age.  There  the  days  of 
liis  cluldhood  and  youth  were  passed  and  when 
he  luul  attained  man's  estate  he  came  to  Illinois, 
arriving  in  Winnebago  county  when  a  young 
man  of  twenty-one  years.  He  found  here  a  dis- 
trict largely  wild  and  unimproved  and  from  the 
goveriuueiit  he  entered  a  claim,  thus  securing  a 
tract  of  one  hundred  and  ninety  acres  ujwn  which 
he  speiU  his  remaining  days,  devoting  his  un- 
divided attention  to  agricultural  pursuits.  He 
was  a  hard-working  man  and  his  diligence  and 
frugality  were  tJK  basis  of  his  success,  for  as 
the  years  passed  he  emerged  from  a  limited 
financial  condition  and  took  his  place  with  the 
more  prosperous  citizens  of  tlie  community.  He 
was  likewise  interested  in  general  improvement 
and  ilevelopment  of  the  county  and  was  active 
and  helpful  in  community  affairs.  He  served  as 
higjnvay  commissioner  and  in  other  offices  of 
tni.st  in  his  township  and  his  political  allegiance 
was  given  to  the  repul)lican  party,  for  he  believed 
that  in  its  platform  were  emlxidied  the  best  ele- 
ments of  good  government.  He  married  Electa 
Gregory,  also  a  native  of  the  Empire  state  and 
his  death  occurred  in  i88g,  when  he  was  seventy 
years  of  age.  while  his  wife  survived  until  1894. 
passing  away  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine  years. 
In  their  family  were  four  children,  of  whom  two 
died  in  infancy. 

Ge<^rge  .Merrill  Taft.  the  only  member  of  the 
familv  now  living,  was  reared  in  Roscoc  town- 
ship and  has  always  lived  upon  the  old  home- 
stead which  is  endeared  to  him  through  the  as.so- 
ciations  of  liis  boylKVid  as  well  as  those  of  later 
years.     His   father  trained  him   in  the  work  of 


the  farm  and  he  became  ])ractical  in  his  methods 
of  caring  for  the  fields  and  in  all  that  ])r(>miscd 
sul)stantial  development  here.  He  contiimed  in 
active  operation  of  the  ])lace  until  about  two 
years  ago,  since  which  lime  he  has  rented  most  of 
his  land.  His  possessinns  in  this  county  aggre- 
gate more  than  five  lunidred  and  fifty  acres  and 
he  likewise  has  farm  proix-rty  in  other  states. 
He  has  been  very  successful  and  his  realty  hold- 
ings are  the  visible  evidence  of  a  life  of  thrift, 
mdustry  and  capable  business  management. 

On  the  23d  of  November,  1876.  Mr.  Taft  was 
married  to  .Miss  Cora  f>.  C"ar])enter.  who  was 
born  in  Roscoe  township  and  is  a  daughter  of 
Newton  Car]>enter.  a  pioneer  resident  of  this 
locality.  Five  children  graced  this  marriage,  of 
whom  three  are  yet  ''ving.  Helen  is  the  wife  o? 
Nelson  McColl  and  has  three  children.  Donald. 
Mildred  and  Lawrence  M.  l-ldith  and  Edna  are 
twins.  The  former  married  Ross  P)Uchanan  and 
the  later  is  the  wife  of  Harry  Morse  and  has  one 
child,  Carroll. 

As  one  of  the  native  sons  of  Winnebago  county 
Mr.  Taft  is  very  familiar  with  its  history,  having 
been  a  witness  of  the  events  which  have  shaped 
its  policy  through  a  half  century.  His  life 
proves  the  \aluc  and  force  of  industry  and  en- 
terprise in  wresting  fortune  from  the  hands  of 
fate  and  by  his  persistency  of  purpose  and  careful 
investment  he  has  become  the  owner  of  valuable 
and  extensive  landed  interests. 


THEODORE  C.  DECKER. 

Theodore  C.  Decker,  who,  in  his  farming  oper- 
ations, has  made  a  specialty  of  the  growing  of 
tobacco  and  of  sugar  beets,  makes  his  home  on 
.section  3.  Roscoe  township.  New  York  has  fur- 
nished a  large  settlement  to  this  part  of  the  coun- 
ty, many  of  the  leading  and  substantial  repre- 
sentatives of  Roscoe  township  being  native  sons 
of  the  Empire  state.  To  this  class  Mr. 
Decker  belongs,  his  birth  havinsr  occurred 
in  New  York,  in  1851.  TTis  father.  Corne- 
lius S.  Decker,  who  was  a  native  of  New  York, 
born  in  iRiQ.  is  now  living  in  Janesville.  Wis- 
consin, at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six  years. 
He  married  Miss  Elizabeth  J.  Ashby.  who  was 
also  born  in  the  same  state,  and  has  now  reached 
the  age  of  eighty-four  years.  They  have  a  farm 
of  forty  acres  near  Janesville.  ^^'isconsin.  making 
their  home  in  that  locality  with  two  of  their  sons. 
Jonathan  and  John.  In  his  political  views  the 
father  was  for  many  years  a  stalwart  democrat, 
active  in  support  of  the  party,  and  for  a  long 
period  filled  the  office  of  supervisor  of  his  town- 
ship in  a  most  acceptable  manner.  Tn  his  family 
were  ten  children,  of  whom  five  are  yet  living : 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


539 


Jonathan,  of  Wisconsin  ;  Frank,  a  resident  of  Ne- 
braska ;  Theodore  C,  of  this  review ;  John,  of 
Janesville,  Wisconsin  ;  and  Anna,  the  wife  of  Da- 
vid Mould,  a  prominent  attorney  of  Sioux  City, 
Iowa. 

Theodore  C.  Decker  was  a  lad  of  only  ten 
years  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their 
removal  to  Wisconsin.  He  was  reared  to  man- 
hood in  Janesville,  early  becoming  familiar  with 
all  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of 
the  agriculturist,  and  he  saw  no  reason  to  change 
his  occupation  when  he  had  reached  manhood 
and  started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account.  In 
1873,  he  bought  twenty  acres  of  land  on  section 
3,  Roscoe  township,  in  the  northern  part  of  Win- 
nebago county,  bordering  the  boundary  line  be- 
tween Illinois  and  Wisconsin.  Here  he  has  fol- 
lowed farming  continuously  since,  and  for  twenty- 
one  years  he  has  made  a  sitecialt}'  of 
the  growing  of  tobacco,  having  ten  acres 
planted  to  that  crop,  with  whicli  he  has 
been  very  successful.  He  has  also  made 
a  specialty  of  the  production  of  sugar  beets. 
Owing  to  his  careful  cultivation,  the  rotation  of 
crops  and  the  most  improved  modern  methods  of 
farming,  he  has  been  very  successful  in  his  work 
and  possesses  a  comfortable  competence  that  is 
the  merited  reward  of  his  labor. 

In  1871  Mr.  Decker  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
McNamara.  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  they 
have  one  child,  Frank  D.,  who  was  born  in  Janes- 
ville, Wisconsin,  and  married  Ora  Turnay,  a  na- 
tive of  Beloit.  jNIr.  Decker  and  his  family  attend 
the  Congregational  church  and  his  political  alle- 
giance is  given  to  the  democracy,  but  while  he 
keeps  well  informed  on  tlie  questions  and  issues 
of  the  day,  as  every  true  American  citizen  should 
do.  he  has  never  sought  or  desired  office,  pre- 
ferring to  give  his  undivided  attention  to  his  busi- 
ness interests. 


JA^IES  H.  KING. 


James  H.  King,  president  of  the  Central  Heat 
&  Power  Compan\-  of  Rockford,  one  of  the  more 
recentlv  organized  business  enterprises  of  the 
chv.  the  utility  and  value  of  which  is  demon- 
strated in  the  hberal  patronage  accorded  it,  was 
born  in  Grafton,  Worcester  county,  Massachu- 
setts, in  1832.  His  father,  John  M.  King,  was 
a  native  of  England  and  his  early  residence  in 
this  country  was  spent  in  New  England,  whence 
he  came  with  his  family  to  Illinois  in  September, 
1846,  making  the  journev  with  two  covered 
wagons.  They  located  in  Stillman  \'alley,  where 
the  father  spent  his  remaining  days  and  he  be- 
came the  owner  of  two  hundred  acres  of  fine 
land  there.  The  soil  was  alluvial  and  he  devel- 
oped an  excellent  farm.     He  was  twice  married 


and  by  his  first  union  had  seven  children,  while 
three  were  born  of  the  second  marriage.  Henry 
King,  brother  of  our  subject,  lived  for  many 
years  near  King  Station,  where  he  owned  two 
thousand  acres  of  land. 

James  H.  King  of  this  review  began  his  edu- 
cation in  the  schools  of  Massachusetts  and  after- 
ward continued  his  studies  in  the  public  schools 
of  Og"le  county  subsequent  to  the  arrival  of  the 
family  in  this  state.  He  remained  at  home  until 
seventeen  years  of  age,  after  which  he  worked 
out  b}'  the  month  until  twenty-two  years  of  age 
when,  desiring  that  his  labors  should  more  di- 
rectly benefit  himself,  he  rented  land  and  carried 
on  farming  for  a  number  of  years.  He  next  re- 
moved to  Iowa,  where  he  filed  a  claim  to  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  and  proved  it 
up,  paying  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  per  acre  to 
the  government  for  this  tract.  Subsequently  he 
traded  it  for  another  farm  elsewhere  in  Iowa 
and  eventuallv  bought  still  another  quarter  sec- 
tion. He  afterward  purchased  a  half  section  at 
Stillman  \'alley  for  twenty-eight  dollars  per  acre 
and  when  he  disposed  of  the  farm  it  brought  sev- 
enty dollars  per  acre  owing  to  the  rise  in  land 
values  and  the  improvements  which  he  had 
placed  upon  the  property.  He  resided  there  un- 
til 1883,  when  he  removed  to  Rockford,  where 
he  has  since  lived. 

In  the  meantime,  in  1881,  Mr.  King  established 
a  bank  in  Stillman  \'alley,  of  which  he  is  yet  a 
third  owner.  On  the  ground  where  the  bank 
building  was  erected  he  once  used  to  plow  as  a 
little  bare-footed  boy  dressed  in  overalls,  work- 
ing for  eight  dollars  per  month  in  the  service  of 
Joshua  White,  who  was  owner  of  a  farm  there. 
In  Rockford  he  owns  a  fine  residence  at  No.  622 
North  Main  street  and  he  likewise  has  valuable 
farms  in  Ogle  county.  In  1903  he  became  presi- 
dent of  the  Central  Heat  &  Power  Company  of 
Rockford.  operating  a  large  plant  in  the  manu- 
facture of  electricity  for  lighting  buildings,  while 
the  steam  from  five  manmioth  boilers  is  piped  to 
different  parts  of  the  city  for  heating  purposes. 
Since  the  beginning  an  excellent  business  has 
been  developed  and  the  enterprise  is  now  a  lead- 
ing one  in  RocKford. 

Mr.  King  was  married  to  Aliss  Mary  Lewis,  of 
Springfield,  Illinois,  who  died  leaving  a  daugh- 
ter. Belle,  the  wife  of  Denton  Taylor,  of  Lincoln, 
Nebraska,  by  whouT  she  has  two  children.  For 
his  second  wife  ]\Ir.  King  chose  Henrietta  Bard- 
well,  who  has  also  passed  away.  His  present 
wife  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Lucy  L.  Condie 
and  was  born  in  the  Hawaiian  islands,  her  father, 
Daniel  T.  Condie.  being  a  missionary  there  from 
this  countrv.  Three  children  graced  this  mar- 
riage :  Lela.  who  is  emploxed  in  the  library  in 
Rockford :  Millicent,  at  home :  and  James  Car- 
roll,   who   is   attending  school. 


540 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


The  parents  attend  the  Second  Congregational 
church  and  Mr.  King  lias  been  a  stalwart  repub- 
lican since  casting  his  ballot  for  Abraham  Lin- 
coln. At  one  time  he  .served  as  supervisor  in 
Ogle  county  for  four  years  but  has  preferred  to 
leave  office  holding  to  others  that  he  might  gives 
his  attention  to  his  business  affairs,  in  which  he 
has  iiH't  with  very  gratifying  success.  Where 
ambition  is  satisfietl  and  every  ultimate  aim  ac- 
complisheil  effort  will  cease  and  it  is  the  men 
who  are  always  looking  forward  to  the  improve- 
ment of  existing  conditions  that  are  the  forceful 
factors  in  tlie  business  world.  In  his  farming 
operations  Mr.  King  acquired  a  gratifying  meas- 
ure of  success  but  not  content  with  this  he  is 
now  a  factor  in  the  industrial  life  of  Rockford 
and  lias  made  a  business  record  which  any  man 
might  be  proud  to  ])OSsess. 


JAMES   M.    PATTERSON. 

James  M.  ]"'atterson,  residing  on  section  33, 
P.urritt  township,  is  successfully  following  gen- 
eral agricultural  pursuits,  and  is  also  interested 
in  the  W'inneliago  Linnber  &  Supply  Company. 
He  was  born  on  the  8th  of  March,  1856,  in  Owen 
townshi]),  this  county,  and  is  a  son  of  John  M. 
Patterson,  a  native  of  Scotland,  who  was  bom  in 
1834.  He  came  to  the  I'nited  States  in  1849. 
and  lived  in  New  York  city  for  a  year,  after 
which  he  made  his  way  westward  to  Illinois,  set- 
tling in  Rockford,  where  he  also  .spent  one  year. 
On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  Owen  township,  where  for  many  years 
he  followed  the  occupation  of  farming.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lillian  Stephenson, 
who  was  also  born  in  Scotland,  her  natal  year 
being  1838.  She  came  to  the  LInited  States  in 
1855,  and  made  her  way  at  once  to  Owen  town- 
ship. Winnebago  county,  Illinois,  where  she  aft- 
erward gave  her  hand  in  niarria,ge  to  Mr.  Pat- 
terson. Her  death  occurrcfl  in  St.  Paul,  Minne- 
sota, in  September,  kkx).  There  were  born  of 
that  marriage  the  following  named:  James  M. ; 
Nettie,  wlio  was  born  in  November.  1857,  and  is 
now  the  wife  of  Joseph  P>rewster,  of  Owen  town- 
ship: Jennie,  who  was  born  in  April,  i860,  and 
is  the  wife  of  J.  .M.  Stocks,  a  resident  of  Free- 
pi  irt.  Illinois:  .Nndrew,  who  was  born  in  June. 
18^(3.  ancl  is  living  upon  the  old  homestead  in 
Owi-n  townshi]);  b>hn.  who  was  born  August  21. 
i8/'i3.  and  is  a  farmer  of  Owen  township;  and 
Lilly,  who  was  lK)rn  in  1867,  and  is  the  wife  of 
RoluTt  Ceddes,  a  resident  of  Stillman  Valley,  Il- 
linois. 

No  event  of  special  importance  occurred  to 
vary  the  routine  of  farm  life  for  James  M.  Pat- 
terson   in    his   bovhood   davs.      He   attended    the 


])ublic  sch(X)ls,  acquiring  a  good  English  educa- 
tion, whereby  he  was  (jualified  for  business  duties 
and  responsibilities,  and  under  his  father's  direc- 
tion he  became  familiar  with  all  the  work  of  the 
fields,  so  that  he  was  prepared  for  farm  work 
when  he  started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account. 
He  lived  in  his  native  township  until  twenty-six 
years  of  age.  when  he  removed  to  Ogle  county, 
where  he  resided  for  eight  years.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  took  up  his  abode  on  his 
present  fami  in  Burritt  township,  where  he  now 
has  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  carefully 
culti\ated  according  to  modern  methods.  He  has 
followed  farming  ])ractically  all  his  life,  and  in 
his  work  is  systematic  and  progressive.  His  la- 
bors have  been  attended  by  success  because  of  his 
close  application  and  untiring  industry,  and  he 
is  now  one  of  the  pros])erous  agriculturists  of 
his  community.  He  also  has  other  business  in- 
terests, being  financially  connected  with  the  Win- 
nebago Lumber  &  Sujjply  Company,  this  being 
a  farmers"  stock  company  of  about  fifty  members. 

On  the  29th  of  October.  1884,  ^Ir.  Patterson 
was  united  in  marriage  in  Winnebago,  Illinois, 
to  Miss  P)arbara  Hill,  a  daughter  of  Donald  and 
.\gnes  Hill,  early  residents  of  Winnebago  town- 
ship. ?*Irs.  Patter.son  was  born  September  17, 
1858.  and  by  her  marriage  has  become  the  mother 
of  four  sons:  John,  born  .\ugust  29.  1886;  Wil- 
liam. March  9,  1888:  Ralph.  September  25.  1890, 
and  Donald.  Se])tember  22.  i8<)7.  all  living  at 
home. 

Mr.  Patterson  is  a  meml)er  of  blue  lodge.  No. 
745  A.  F.  &  .A.  M.,  at  Winnebago,  and  both  he 
and  his  wife  are  active  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  to  the  support  of  which  they  con- 
tribute liberally,  while  in  its  various  departments 
of  labor  they  manifest  a  dee]i  and  helpful  interest. 
Mr.  Patterson  has  been  clerk  of  tlie  town  school 
board  for  the  last  twelve  years,  and  as  a  public- 
.sijirited  citizen  has  supported  many  practical 
movements  that  have  been  of  lienefit  to  the  com- 
munity. His  entire  life  has  been  passed  in  this 
countv,  save  for  the  brief  period  spent  in  Ogle 
county,  and  his  long  identification  with  farming 
interests,  as  well  as  his  carefully  directed  labors, 
make  him  a  representative  a.griculturist. 


".V 


AMI'.S 


Alll 


TV. 


Riv.  lames  1.  I'ialurly.  wlm.  since  1885  has 
been  rector  of  St.  Jnnies  (Catholic)  church  of 
Rockford  and  dean  of  the  diocese  since  1901.  was 
born  in  iUirean  countv.  Illinois,  in  1853.  and  rc- 
.sided  there  until  his  ordination.  Determining  to 
prei)are  for  the  Catholic  ministry  he  siii)plemented 
his  earlv  educational  privileges  bv  study  in  the 
Niagara  liiiversity  at  Niagara  Falls.  New  York. 


^IR.  .\XD  MRS.  J.  M.  PATTERSON. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


543 


in  whicli  institution  lie  was  ordained  to  the  priest- 
hood on  the  7th  of  June.  1879.  On  the  3d  of  July 
of  the  same  year  he  was  assigned  to  duty  in  the 
city  of  Chicago,  where  for  six  years  he  acted  as 
assistant  priest.  He  came  to  Rockford  in  1885 
and  two  years  later  was  made  immovable  rector 
of  St.  James  church,  while  in  1901  he  was  ad- 
vanced to  the  position  of  dean  of  the  diocese,  the 
honors  of  the  church  being  thus  accorded  him  in 
recognition  of  his  consecrated  devotion  to  his 
work.  Under  his  wise  and  economical  adminis- 
tration of  the  affairs  of  this  branch  of  the  church 
the  membership  of  St.  James  has  more  than 
doubled  and  every  department  of  church  activity 
has  been  placed  upon  an  excellent  working  basis, 
so  that  splendid  results  are^  attained.  A  fine  win- 
ter chapel  and  school  have  been  built  and  all  de- 
partments of  the  work  are  now  in  a  flourishing 
condition.  Father  Flaherty  is  a  man  of  schol- 
arly attainments,  itnfaltering  zeal  and  strong  in- 
tellectuality and  his  laljors  for  the  church  and  his 
parishioners  have  made  him  greatly  beloved  by  his 
people  and  have  gained  him  many  friends  in  the 
citv. 


A.  E.  BARGREN. 


Rockford  is  fortunately  favored  in  having  A. 
E.  Bargreii  as  chief  of  police,  which  official  posi- 
tion he  has  held  with  eminent  satisfaction  to  all 
for  eleven  years.  Altogether  he  has  been  con- 
nected with  the  police  department  for  a  total  of  fif- 
teen years  with  an  efficiency  and  untiring  zeal  that 
has  resulted  in  Rockford  being  an  unrivaled  law- 
abiding  community.  Chief  liargren  is  in  the 
years  when  life  is  its  best  and  has  lived  in  the 
city  for  thirty-six  years  and  is  universally  con- 
sidered the  best  chief  of  police  Rockford  ever 
had.  He  is  a  man  of  large  physique,  command- 
ing presence,  keen  perception  and  unusual 
executive  ability,  his  acts  tempered  with  mild- 
ness but  sufficiently  forceful  as  to  leave  no 
donbt  as  to  his  intentions.  His  constant  watch- 
fulness has  been  the  direct  means  of  bringing 
manv  notorious  criminals  to  justice  after  having 
eluded  the  police  in  other  cities.  Rockford  is 
justlv  proud  of  the  achievements  of  Chief  Bar- 
gren  which  have  produced  a  moral  condition  not 
equaled  bv  any  other  city  in  the  state.  His  head- 
quarters are  on  South  Church  street. 


JOSEPH  BARNES. 


Joseph  Barnes,  a  farmer  and  dairyman  of  Har- 
lem township,  residing  on  section  15,  where  he 
owns  and  operates  two  htmdred  acres  of  land, 
is   a   native   of   AVashington   countv,    Wisconsin, 


born  June  15,  i860,  of  German  parentage.  His 
father,  Peter  Barnes,  was  a  native  of  Germany 
and  died  in  Washington  county,  Wisconsin,  1899. 
His  wife  was  born  in  Buffalo,  New  York,  was 
of  German  lineage,  and  is  now  living  at  the  old 
homestead  in  \^'isconsin.  All  of  the  sons  of  the 
family  are  yet  living,  namely :  Joseph,  of  this 
review:  Mathias,  of  Kaukauna,  Wisconsin:  John, 
of  \\'est  Bend,  Wisconsin ;  Peter,  of  Newberg, 
Wisconsin  :  James,  who  is  living  in  Campbells- 
port,  Wisconsin :  Henry,  of  Barton,  Wisconsin ; 
and  Albert,  of  Rockford,  Illinois.  The  daughters 
of  the  family  are:  Mrs.  Margaret  \\'ersheim.  of 
Newberg,  \\'isconsin ;  Mrs.  Mary  Dingle  and 
;\Irs.  Anna  Gorman,  both  of  West  Bend.  Wis- 
consin ;  Mrs.  Bessie  Weber,  of  Waukegan,  Illi- 
nois :  Mrs.  Katie  Bradley,  of  Newberg.  Wiscon- 
sin, and  Helen  and  Matilda  Barnes,  both  of  West 
Bend. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  histor}-  of  Joseph 
Barnes,  we  ))resent  to  our  readers  the  life  record 
of  one  widely  and  favorably  known  in  this  local- 
itv.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  and  remained  with  his  father  until  eight- 
een years  of  age,  whai  he  started  out  in  life  on 
his  own  account,  making  his  way  to  Harlem 
tow^nship.  where  he  secured  employment  as  a 
farm  hand.  He  was  thus  engaged  up  to  the  time 
of  his  marriage,  when  he  rented  land  and  thus 
carried  on  agricultural  purusits  for  six  years. 
On  the  expiration  of  that  period,  with  the  capi- 
tal he  had  acquired  through  his  industry  and 
economy,  he  purchased  the  farm  upon  which  he 
now  resides,  comprising  two  hundred  acres  of 
rich  land  on  section  is.  Harlem  township.  Here 
he  carries  on  general  agricultural  pursuits  and 
dairying,  having  a  good  herd  of  cows,  and  both 
branches  of  his  business  are  proving  profitable. 

On  the  2d  of  :\Iarch,  i88fi.  -\Ir.  Barnes  was 
married  to  iNIiss  Isabelle  Ralston,  who  was  born 
in  Harlem  towmship,  April  19,  1854,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Alexander  and  Mary  Ralston,  of 
that"  township.  Her  fatlier  was  born  in 
Argyleshire,  Scotland,  January  7,  1814,  and, 
coming  to  the  United  States,  landed  at  New  York 
city  on  the  4th  of  July,  1842.  He  first  located 
in  ^larietta,  Ohio,  whence  he  afterward  made  his 
way  to  Cincinnati.  He  lived  in  Ohio  for  eight 
vears.  and  while  in  that  state  learned  the  carpen- 
ter's trade.  In  1850  he  came  to  Winnebago 
countv,  casting  in  his  lot  with  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers of  Harlem  township,  w-here  he  follow^ed 
carpentering  until  1852,  when  he  purchased  the 
farm  upon  which  ]\Ir.  Barnes  now  resides.  He 
continued  to  carry  on  agricultural  pursuits 
throughout  his  remaining  davs,  his  death  occur- 
ring February  26,  1894.  His  wife,  wdio  was 
born  in  Arg}-leshire,  Scotland,  June  29,  1836, 
came  with  her  parents  to  the  new  world  in  18.^0, 
and    the    familv   home    was    established    in    Cale- 


544 


I 'AST     AXl)     I'RKSRXr     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


(Ionia.  I'oonc  coiiiuy.  Illinois,  wIk-r-  she  lived 
until  she  ^ve  her  hand  in  marriage  to  .Mr.  Ral- 
ston. She  survived  her  iuisban<l  l\)r  a  luniiher  of 
years,  and  died  at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  ^frs. 
Rames.  on  the  5th  of  May.  1903.  The  members 
of  her  family  were  as  follows :  Peter,  who  died 
in  1880:  .Mrs.  Martha  ( irifliths.  of  .Manchester. 
Illinois:  .Mrs.  Janet  Ralston,  who  is  living  in  Cale- 
donia, Illinois,  and  has  two  sons  and  three  daugli- 
ters:  Mrs.  Jeannie  Potter,  of  Mason  City.  Iowa, 
who  has  two  sons  and  three  daughters:  Mrs. 
Mary  .\nn  Thornton,  of  .\rgyle,  who  has  three 
daughters :  and  Elizabeth  E.,  who  is  living  with 
her  sister.  .Mrs.  Harnes.  Two  sisters  of  the  fam- 
ily tlied  in  infancv. 

L'nto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barnes  have  been  lx)rn 
three  children,  but  one  son  died  in  infancv.  The 
others  are:  Ralph  E..  born  .\pril  8.  1892.  and 
George  R.  born  November  30.  1895. 

Mr.  I'.arnes  belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen 
camp  at  Caledonia.  Illinois,  and  in  politics  is  a 
stalwart  republican,  having  firm  faith  in  the  prin- 
ciples and  policy  of  the  party.  I'.oth  he  and  his 
wife  arc  members  of  the  Willow  Creek  Presln- 
teriaii  church  of  Argyle.  and  the\-  arc  well  known 
in  this  part  of  the  county,  having  manv  friends 
who  esteem  them  highly  for  their  genuine  wnrtli. 


JOHN  W.  BE.\TSON. 

John  W.  Beatson  is  living  a  retired  life  in 
Rockford  but  for  many  years  was  actively  and 
successfidly  engaged  in  fanning  in  Burritt  town- 
ship. His  birth  occurred  in  Scotland  on  the  20th 
of  .April,  1839.  his  parents  being  William  and 
Elizabeth  (\\ilson)  Beatson,  who  in  1843  came 
with  their  family  to  America,  settling  in  Mont- 
gomery county.  New  York,  where  they  resided 
until  1849,  when  they  came  to  Winnebago 
county,  Illinois.  The  father  was  a  stone- 
mason and  worked  at  his  trade  in  the  Empire 
state.  On  coming  to  Winnebago  county  he  en- 
tered eighty  acres  of  land  from  the  government 
in  Burritt  township  and  at  once  began  to  open  up 
a  farm,  transforming  the  raw  prairies  into  rich 
and  cultivated  fields.  He  was  thus  identified  with 
agricultural  interests  until  1875.  when  he  re- 
moved to  Rockford.  spending  his  remaining  days 
in  the  city.  His  death  occurred  in  1882  and  his 
wife  passed  away  in  1893.  To  his  original  tract 
of  eighty  acres  he  had  added  forty  acres,  so  that 
at  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  the  owner  of  a 
good  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  In 
the  family  were  three  sons  and  five  daughters, 
namely:  George  A.,  now  deceased;  John  W..  of 
this  review :  Mrs.  Jennettc  Wimple,  living  in 
Rockford  :  Nellie,  who  died  in  1865  ;  Mrs.  .Agnes 
Hickox.    who    is    living    on    North    Winnebago 


street,  Rockford ;  David,  whose  home  is  in  Bur- 
ritt township ;  Caroline  Lillie,  of  Rockford ;  and 
Julia,  who  lives  with  her  brother.  John  W.  Beat- 
.son. 

\\"lu-n  but  four  years  of  age  John  W.  Beatson 
was  brought  by  his  parents  to  .America  and  in  the 
public  schools  of  New  York  state  he  began  his 
education,  which  was  continued  in  Burritt  town- 
ship. He  remained  at  home  until  1859  and  then 
went  to  Colorado,  where  he  was  engaged  in  min- 
ing for  a  year,  after  which  he  again  came  to  this 
state.  He  had  made  the  journey  overland  to  Col- 
orado with  teams,  arriving  there  in  .\pril.  1859. 
It  was  not  long  after  his  return  that  he  ofifered 
his  services  to  the  government  as  a  defender  of 
the  I'nion  cause.  Hardly  had  the  smoke  from 
I'ort  Sumter's  guns  cleared  away  when  he  had 
joined  the  L'nion  troops,  enlisting  on  the  i8th  of 
.April.  1 861,  as  a  member  of  Company  D,  Eleventh 
Illinois  X'olunteer  Infantry,  with  which  he  served 
f(5r  three  months  at  Bird's  Point.  He  then  re-en- 
listed in  Company  D.  Seventy-fourth  Regiment 
of  the  Illinois  Infantry  on  the  7th  of  August, 
1862.  and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He 
was  in  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  doing  duty 
in  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Alaljama  and  Georgia. 
I-'or  some  time  his  regiment  was  under  the  com- 
mand of  General  lUiell.  was  afterward  with  Rose- 
crans  and  later  particii)ated  in  the  movement  of 
General  Sherman's  army.  He  took  part  in  a  num- 
ber of  hotly  contested  engagements,  including 
those  of  Perryville,  Stone  River,  Chickamauga, 
Alissionary  Ridge  and  the  .Atlanta  campaign,  af- 
ter which  the  regiment  returned  to  Tennessee 
and  was  in  the  battles  of  Spring  Hill,  Franklin. 
Nashville  and  many  minor  engagements. 
Mr.  Beatson  took  part  in  every  engagement  with 
his  company.  He  was  wounded  at  Missionary 
Ridge  in  the  breast  by  a  minie-ball  and  also  in  the 
foot  and  his  clothes  were  ])ierced  by  seventeen 
bullets.  He  took  a  bullet  out  of  his  breast  with 
his  knife.  At  Nashville,  on  the  lolh  of  June, 
i8fi5,  he  was  honorably  discharged  under  general 
orders  from  the  war  department,  hostilities  hav- 
ing been  brought  to  a  close.  While  in  the  army 
he  served  as  first  sergeant  for  six  months,  was 
made  second  lieutenant  in  .Ajiril,  1863,  and  first 
lieutenant  on  the  2^i\  of  .April,  following,  and 
from  that  time  until  the  close  of  the  war  was  in 
command  of  his  company,  his  own  valor  often 
insiiiring  his  men  to  deeds  of  bravery. 

When  the  war  was  over  Mr.  Beatson  returned 
to  his  home  and  began  farming  in  Burritt  town- 
shii).  In  the  spring  of  18^)6  he  was  elected  col- 
lector of  the  township  and  discharged  the  duties 
of  that  office  in  addition  to  his  labors  as  an  agri- 
culturist. For  three  years  he  operated  his  father's 
land  and  then  in  1869  ixirchased  a  farm  of  sev- 
entv-three  acres  in  Winnebago  countv,  which  he 


yOHX  \V.  BEATSOX. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


547 


further  cultivated  and  improved  until  1875,  when 
sold  the  property  and  took  up  his  abode 
south  of  the  village  of  Winnebago,  where 
he  bought  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land. 
Eventually  he  sold  that  and  removed  to  Rockford 
in  1882.  The  following  year  he  was  appointed 
to  a  position  on  the  police  force  of  this  city  and 
acted  in  that  capacity  for  six  and  a  half  years, 
while  in  1889  he  was  elected  county  treasurer  and 
remained  the  incmnbent  of  the  office  for  four 
years.  In  1896  he  was  chosen  alderman  of  the 
seventh  ward  for  two  years'  term.  He  still  owns 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  fine  farming 
land  in  Marion  township.  Ogle  county,  together 
with  a  house  on  Cherry  street,  one  on  Winnebago 
street,  a  double  house  on  Acorn  street  and  his 
beautiful  residence  at  No.  236  Avon  street. 
Aroiuid  this  he  has  an  acre  of  ground  and  the 
fine  lawn  is  adorned  with  beautiful  flowers  and 
trees.  In  fact  the  home  is  one  of  the  attractive 
residences  of  this  part  of  the  city. 

On  the  6th  of  December,  1865,  Air.  Beatson 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jennie  Van 
Alstine,  who  was  born  in  iMontgomery  county. 
New  York,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Jacob  G.  Van 
Alstine,  who  came  from  the  Empire  state  to  Illi- 
nois and  followed  farming  in  Burritt  township. 
For  forty  years  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beatson  traveled 
life's  journey  together  and  were  then  separated 
by  the  death  of  the  wife,  who  passed  away  on  the 
26th  of  February,  1905,  leaving  a  husband  and 
four  daughters :  Rosella  A.,  who  is  with  her 
father ;  Daisy,  the  wife  of  James  W.  ^Miller, 
whose  home  is  near  Portland,  Oregon, 
]\Iargaret,  the  wife  of  Dr.  ^^^  S.  Howell,  of 
Trenton,  Iowa ;  and  Harriet,  who  married  Lea- 
nion  Woodruff,  who  lives  on  Avon  street  and, 
owning  a  team  and  wagon,  is  engaged  in  deliver- 
ings  goods  for  D.  J.  Stewart  &  Company. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Beatson  is  a  republi- 
can and  takes  an  active  interest  in  the  work  of  the 
party,  serving  as  a  member  of  the  republican 
township  committee.  In  addition  to  the  offices 
mentioned  that  he  has  filled  he  has  had  charge  of 
tax  books  for  two  years  and  has  handled  two 
hundred  and  twenty  thousand  dollars  each  year. 
The  trust  reposed  in  him  is  well  placed,  for  he 
displays  unswerving  fidelity  to  the  public  welfare. 
Air.  Beatson  is  a  self-educated  and  self-made  man 
and.  desiring  that  his  children  should  have  good 
advantages,  he  has  enabled  them  all  to  obtain 
good  educations,  one  having  been  a  student  in 
Chicago,  while  all  have  attended  the  public 
schools  of  this  county.  In  a  review  of  the  life 
history  of  J\Ir.  Beatson  we  notice  that  while  he  is 
now  the  possessor  of  valuable  property  he  started 
out  for  himself  without  financial  assistance  or  the 
aid  of  influential  friends  but  has  utilized  his  op- 
portunities and  by  good  business  ability  has 
steadily  worked  his  way  upward  until  with  a 
comfortable  competence  he  is  now  enabled  to 
live  retired. 


ilr.  Beatson  is  a  member  of  Nevius  post,  No  i, 
G.  A.  R.,  of  Rockford,  of  which  he  has  been 
senior  vice  commander  for  several  years.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  belonging 
to  Star  in  the  East  lodge,  No.  166,  A.  F.  &  A.  M., 
\Mnnebago  chapter.  No.  24,  R.  A.  M. ;  Crusader 
commandery.  No.  17,  K.  T. ;  and  Tebala  Temple 
of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  Mr.  Beatson  is  a  member 
of  the  township  republican  committee  and  he  at- 
tends the  Grace  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


^^TLLIAM   P.   FARNHAM. 

William  P.  Farnham,  following  the  occupation 
of  farming  on  section  8,  Rockford  township, 
where  he  owns  a  well  improved  tract  of  land  of 
ninety-seven  acres,  is  a  native  son  of  this  town- 
ship, born  September  14.  1856,  and  his  parents 
were  Sidney  and  Catherine  (Jones)  Farnham, 
earlv  residents  of  ^^'innebago  county.  The 
father  was  born  in  the  Empire  state  and  the 
mother  in  Canada,  and  in  early  life  they  came  to 
this  countv,  where  they  were  married.  Sidney 
Farnham  first  wedded  Dorcas  Freeman,  who  died 
at  Durand,  Illinois,  leaving  five  children,  but 
only  one  is  now  living,  Lanson  Farnham,  a  resi- 
dent of  Sedalia,  Missouri.  After  losing  his  first 
wife,  I\Ir.  Farnham  wedded  Catherine  Jones,  and 
thev  became  the  parents  of  seven  children,  of 
whom  William  P.  is  the  eldest,  the  others  being: 
Joseph  H.,  who  resides  in  New  Wadena.  Minne- 
sota, where  he  follows  farming:  George,  a 
farmer  of  Rockford.  Iowa :  Addie,  who  became 
the  wife  of  Daniel  Richards,  and  died  in  1895 : 
Benjamin,  a  resident  of  Independence,  Iowa ; 
Deborah,  who  died  in  1882  ;  and  John,  who  is  liv- 
ing in  Rockford,  Iowa.  The  father  passed  away 
in  1886,  at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years,  the 
mother  surviving  until  January  7,  1905,  at  which 
time  she  was  seventy-eight  years  of  age. 

AMlliam  P.  Farnham  was  reared  in  Winne- 
bago countv  upon  the  old  farm  homestead,  save 
for  the  period  of  two  years,  1876-77,  spent  in 
AlcPberson  county.  Kansas.  Having  arrived  at 
vears  of  maturitv,  he  was  married  in  this  county, 
in  the  spring  of  1876,  to  Miss  Addie  Champlin. 
and  almost  immediately  afterward  they  started 
for  the  Sunflower  state,  but  two  years  convinced 
them  that  thev  preferred  a  residence  in  Illinois. 
Her  father.  Alfred  Champlin.  who  died  January 
2,  1878.  resided  upon  a  farm  on  section  5,  Rock- 
ford to^\•^lship,  which  is  now  owned  and  occupied 
by  :\Ir.  and  Mrs.  J.  A.  i\IcCulloch.  He  was  born 
in  Sullivan  county.  New  York,  June  19,  1806, 
and  became  a  resident  of  Winnebago  county  in 
1845.  settling  in  Rockford  township,  where  he 
purchased  land.  He  was  married  three  times.  In 
1833  he  wedded  Sophronia  Gleason,  who  was 
born  in  \'ermont,  and  died  in  1835,  while  her  two 


34« 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO     COL'XTY. 


cliildren  also  passfil  away.  Tlie  scconil  wife, 
who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Pauline  Adams, 
was  born  in  Xew  York,  and  became  Mrs.  Champ- 
lin  in  1S36.  Slie  died  in  1848,  and  of  the  five 
children  of  that  union  but  one  .'■urvives.  .Mrs. 
Kate  Drake,  who  is  now  a  resident  of  Pearlaiul, 
Te.xas.  For  his  third  wife  -Mr.  Cham]jlain  chose 
Elvira  Drake,  who  was  born  in  Xew  York.  July 
21.  1823,  and  died  in  April,  1890.  There  were 
si.\  ciiildren  of  that  marriage :  H.  Sophia,  the 
eldest,  l>orn  January  24.  1851.  is  now  residing: 
in  McPherson.  Kansas:  .^usan,  born  .\pril  3. 
1834.  married  W'illiani  Whittle,  a  resident  of 
Canton.  Kansas,  and  died  in  December,  lyoo: 
.\ddie.  born  October  i,  1837,  is  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Farnham;  Sarah,  born  June  26,  1861,  is  now 
a  member  of  the  .McPherson  Countv  (Kansas) 
Abstract  Otmpany  ;  Lizzie.  l>orn  A])ril  20.  i8'')3. 
is  the  wife  of  J.  A.  .McCullocb.  re])resi'nted  else- 
where in  this  work;  Clara,  born  June  24.  1866.  is 
the  wife  of  Frank  Hamilton,  of  Canton,  Kan- 
sas. Two  s<ins  of  the  family  were  killed 
in  tlie  army,  ami  another  .son,  Alfred.  Jr., 
was  accidentally  killed  in  Rockford  town- 
ship alx)ut  forty  years  a^o.  The  soldier 
boys  were  Bradford,  Joel  and  Giarlcs.  who 
w-as  twice  wounded,  and  the  first  two  gave 
their  lives  in  defense  of  the  L'nion,  while  Charles 
was  accidentally  shot  after  returninpf  from  the 
army,  his  death  occurrinjj  in   1890. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  I'arnliam  have  four  children: 
Mabel,  born  Se])tember  9,  1878;  Harry,  born 
April  2<j.  1881  :  Charles.  December  24.  1883:  and 
Effie,  April  19,  1891,  all  at  home.  The  family 
occupy  a  fine  new  residence  which  has  been  built 
by  Mr.  Farnham.  In  addition  to  his  farming 
operations,  be  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Winne- 
bago County  Telei)h()ne  Comi)any.  )n  his  busi- 
ness affairs  he  has  prosijered.  and  has  now  a 
valuable  and  attractive  property.  Politically,  he 
!S  a  rei)ublican,  and  has  served  as  school  director, 
but  the  honors  and  emoluments  of  office  have 
had  little  attraction  for  him,  as  his  labors  have 
been  concentrated  upon  his  business  affairs.  His 
reputation  in  agricultural  circles  is  a  creditable 
one.  tor  liis  name  is  a  synonvm  of  straightfor- 
ward dealing. 


ISRAEL  SHOUDY. 

Among  the  men  who  occupy  a  position  in  the 
foremost  ranks  of  the  business  men  of  Rockford 
stands  Israel  Shoudy,  who  by  reason  of  his  in- 
tense and  well  directed  activity — the  embodiment 
of  the  spirit  of  the  age — has  gained  a  large 
measure  of  prosperity.  One  can  not  be  long  in 
his  company  without  recognizing  his  energv  and 
sagacity — his  dominant  qualities — and  his  opera- 
tions as  a  member  of  the  real  estate  firm  of 
Shoudy  &  Melville  bnve  been  e-xteu'^ivf  :i"il  im- 
portant. 


A  native  of  Illinois,  he  was  born  in  Lee  county, 
in  1859,  a  son  of  Israel  and  Abigail  (.\llen) 
."^houdy.  In  the  maternal  line  the  ancestry  is 
traced  back  to  England,  and  the  progenitor  of 
tile  family  was  well  known  to  history  as  a  pas- 
senger on  the  Mayflower.  In  the  '30s  the  father 
removed  from  the  vicinity  of  Syracuse,  New 
York,  to  Michigan,  and  later  went  to  Rock 
Island,  Illinois.  He  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade, 
and  while  in  that  city  he  made  the  first  steel 
plow  ever  manufactured  in  Illinois.  He  remained 
in  Rock  Island  for  three  years,  and  then  re- 
moved to  Lee  county,  where  he  purchased  a 
farm,  which  he  tilled  up  to  the  time  of  his  re- 
tirement from  active  business  life.  He  then 
rented  the  property  and  enjoyed  a  well  merited 
rest  until  called  from  this  life  in  1892.  His  wife 
died  in  1890.  They  were  parents  of  si.x  child- 
ren, and  by  a  former  marriage  the  father  had 
eight  children. 

Israel  Shoudy,  the  third  child  of  the  second 
marriage,  attended  the  ])ublic  schools,  and  after- 
ward pursued  a  course  in  a  business  college  in 
Rockford  in  1881.  He  then  spent  one  year  in 
the  college  as  an  instructor,  followed  by  one 
winter  spent  in  a  similar  position  in  Elgin,  Illi- 
nois. Me  afterward  spent  one  year  as  a  teacher 
in  the  high  school  at  I'awpaw,  Illinois,  and  then 
renting  the  home  farm  gave  his  attention  to  agri- 
cultural jnu-suits  until  1887.  In  that  year  he 
look  u])  his  abode  in  Rockford  and  began  the 
manufacture  of  tank  healers.  Later  he  organ- 
ized a  company  for  this  purpose  and  continued 
the  business  for  three  years,  when  he  withdrew 
from  the  company  and  turned  his  attention  to 
real  estate  operations.  He  dealt  at  first  in  gen- 
eral real  estate,  made  loans  and  built  up  an 
excellent  business.  In  1891  he  was  appointed 
agent  to  handle  the  lands  of  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  Company,  and  in  1898  he  formed  a 
]>artnership  with  F.  L.  Melville,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Shoudy  &  Melville.  The  firm  is 
regarded  as  one  of  the  most  enterprising  in  the 
city.  Mr.  .'^lioudy  owns  valuable  interests  in 
farming  lands  at  Belleville  and  Whitewater, 
Wisconsin,  and  Marengx).  Illinois,  and  also  three 
tlKHisand  acres  in  the  Yazoo  valley  in  Missis- 
sijipi,  and  three  thousand  acres  in  Clark  county, 
Wisconsin,  and  in  addition  to  this  the  firm  owns 
si.K  thousand  acres.  They  run  excursions  which 
are  very  popular  throughout  the  year,  doing 
everything  possible  for  the  comfort  of  the  excur- 
sionists. They  are  most  progressive  in  their 
methods,  displaying  many  of  the  qualities  of  the 
pioneer  in  working  out  new  methods  for  the 
advancement  of  their  business,  and  as  the  years 
have  passed  their  operations  have  constantly 
increased  in  volume  and  importaiice. 

Mr.  Shoudy  was  married  in  Rockford.  in  1884, 
to  Miss  Belle  K.  Miller,  a  daughter  of  Cyrus 
Miller.     His    fraternal    relations   are   with    Ellis 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


549 


lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. :  Kent  lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F., 
of  which  he  is  past  noble  grand :  Alodern  Wood- 
men camp,  No.  51,  and  the  Knights  of  the 
Globe,  and  politically  he  is  a  republican.  While 
he  is  continually  forming  new  plans  for  the  en- 
largement of  his  business,  he  is  a  man  of  action 
rather  than  of  theory,  and  when  his  plans  are 
once  formulated,  he  is  prompt  and  energetic  in 
their  execution.  His  judgment  is  rarely  at  fauh 
in  business  transactions  in  the  line  of  real  estate 
dealing,  and  his  position  of  prominence  is  well 
merited  because  of  the  enviable  success  he  has 
achieved. 


GEORGE  W.  SAXRORN. 

George  W.  San1>orn  was  one  of  the  most  prom- 
inent and  respected  citizens  of  Pecatonica,  and 
his  worth  was  so  widely  acknowledged  that  no 
history  of  this  community  would  be  complete 
without  mention  of  his  life  record.  He  was  born 
in  Roxbury.  [Massachusetts,  in  1828,  and  died  in 
Pecatonica.  April  20,  1903.  His  parents  were 
Abrani  and  Rebecca  (Swallow)  Sanborn,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  New  England.  The 
father  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years  and 
the  mother  in  early  life.  Abram  Sanborn  was 
twice  married.  George  W.  being  of  the  first  fam- 
ily, and  also  Rebecca  and  Eliza  Ann.  both  de- 
ceased. 

George  Sanborn  was  about  seven  years  of  age 
when  his  parents  removed  to  Canada,  settling  at 
Roxton.  .Shefford  county,  where  he  attended  the 
public  schools,  completing  his  high  school  course 
hi  Frost  Milage.  Canada.  He  after\vard  became 
a  student  at  St.  .Vlbans  Academy,  St.  Albans. 
Vermont,  and  when  his  own  education  was  com- 
pleted he  taught  school  in  Canada.  Attracted  by 
the  greater  opportunities  of  the  United  States, 
with  the  livelier  competition  and  advancement 
more  quickly  secured,  he  made  his  wav  across 
the  border,  arriving  in  Illinois  in  1850.  Through 
the  succeeding  winter  he  engaged  in  teaching 
school  at  Sugar  Grove,  this  state,  and  in 
the  second  winter  he  taught  school  at  North 
Grove. 

On  the  Qth  of  ]\lay.  1852,  ]\lr.  Sanborn  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Grata  N.  Emery,  a 
daughter  of  David  C.  and  Margaret  (Savage) 
Emer\-.  Her  ancestry  is  traced  back  to  Daniel 
Emier\',  who  was  born  May  5,  1730.  and  died  Au- 
gust 23,  1819.  His  son,  Noah  Emery,  was  born 
September  6,  1760,  and  died  August  9,  1837,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-seven  years,  while  his  wife, 
who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Elizabeth  Phil- 
brick,  was  born  July  18,  1762.  and  died  February 
22,  181 3,  at  the  age  of  fifty-one  years.  In  their 
family  were  fourteen  children,  of  whom  the  elev- 
enth in  order  of  birth  was  David  C.  Emerv.  the 


father  of  Mrs.  Sanborn.  He  was  born  December 
31,  1797,  in  Grafton,  Vermont,  and  died  in  Peca- 
tonica, Illinois,  December  10,  1869.  He  married 
Margaret  Savage.  He  lived  with  his  parents 
until  twenty-one  years  of  age,  when  he  went  into 
the  wilderness  of  Canada  to  make  a  home.  He 
located  in  Shefford  county,  near  Shefford  moun- 
tains, on  a  tract  of  timber  land,  and  worked  hard 
at  cutting  timber  and  clearing  the  farm.  He  first 
li\ed  in  an  old  sawmill  and  later  he  built  a  log 
house.  He  continued  clearing  and  improving  his 
land  until  most  of  it  was  under  cultivation,  erect- 
ing a  fine  residence  in  1840,  and  he  re- 
sided thereon  until  1851.  when  he  sold 
his  farm  in  Canada  and  came  to  Ogle 
county,  Illinois,  settling  near  B^•ron.  He 
then  purchased  a  farm  of  two  hundred  acres,  and 
in  addition  a  tract  of  ten  acres  of  timber  land. 
On  the  place  was  a  small  house,  in  which  he  lived 
until  he  could  build  a  better  dwelling.  He  broke 
the  wild  prairie  and  improved  the  farm,  making 
his  home  thereon  for  about  ten  or  twelve  years, 
after  which  he  engaged  in  the  grain  business  in 
Pecatonica  for  one  year  in  connection  with  his 
son-in-law,  George  W.  Sanborn,  having  previ- 
ously sold  his  farm.  From  this  time  on  until  his 
death  he  lived  retired,  spending  his  years  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a  well  earned  rest.  P)0th'  he  and 
his  wife  attended  the  services  of  the  Universalist 
church,  and  in  politics  he  was  a  stanch  and  earn- 
est republican.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight 
children,  two  sons  and  six  daughters,  but  Mrs. 
Sanborn  is  the  only  one  now  living.  Her  sister, 
Jane  F.,  who  resisded  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  died 
when  sixty-one  years  of  age  in  Pecatonica. 

h'ollowing  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  San- 
born., they  removed  to  Dubuque,  Iowa,  where 
he  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade  until  the  fol- 
lowing summer,  when,  on  account  of  cholera,  he 
left  that  city,  returning  to  Ogle  count\-.  In  the 
spring  of  1853  he  went  to  Osage,  Mitchell  county, 
Iowa,  where  he  took  up  a  claim  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land,  with  ten  acres  of  timber 
land  additional.  He  then  built  a  house  and  broke 
some  of  his  land,  but  two  years  later  he  returned 
to  North  Grove,  where  he  lived  for  about 
two  years,  working  at  the  carpenter's  trade,  and 
also  conducting  the  farm  belonging  to  his  father- 
in-law.  David  C.  Emery.  On  the  expiration  of 
that  period  he  estabblished  his  home  in  Pecaton- 
ica, where  he  was  engaged  in  the  grain  business, 
continuing  in  the  trade  for  about  thirty  years. 
He  twice  met  with  severe  reverses,  having  his 
elevator  destroyed  by  fire,  also  losing  heavily  by 
the  great  Chicago  fire,  which  burned  a  quantity 
of  grain  which  he  had  stored  there,  but  he  perse- 
vered, and  as  the  years  advanced  he  met  with  a 
gratifying  measure  of  success  that  enabled  him 
to  live  retired  for  about  six  years  prior  to  his 
death. 


55° 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


L'nlij  Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Saiiljoni  were  horn  ten 
chihlren,  of  whom  two  died  in  infancy,  while 
three  .sons  and  five  daujjliters  are  yet  living. 
George  C,  the  eldest,  has  heen  on  the  Hoard  of 
Trade  in  (.liicago  for  the  past  thirty  years,  and 
is  a  ]ininiinent  hnsiness  man  and  a  promoter  of 
a  nuniher  of  im|xirtant  enterprises.  He  is  now 
the  president  of  the  Sanb(jrii  Lumber  and  De- 
velo|)ment  Company,  with  capital  stock  of  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  with  offices  in  the  Jour- 
nal iiuildinjj,  in  Chicago,  while  the  works  of  the 
company  are  at  .^anhoni  in  the  stale  of  \'era 
Cruz,  Mexico.  The  company  there  owns 
nine  thousanil  acres  of  lieavily  tiiubered  land. 
He  is  also  the  president  of  the  Mexican  .Mutual 
Planters"  Company,  conducting  extensive  busi- 
ness interests  at  \'era  Cruz.  He  married  .Miss 
Cora  Allen,  of  Shabbona,  Illinois,  whose  father 
was  a  captain  in  the  Civil  war,  and  they  have 
two  children.  Harold  and  Grata  (r.  Margaret 
Sanborn  is  now  the  w-ife  of  Frank  Stephens,  of 
Cedar  Rapids.  Iowa,  and  they  have  two  children. 
Mabel  .\.  and  Carroll.  Addie  who  was  formerly 
engage<l  in  school  teaching  and  stenographic 
work,  is  now  living  at  home  with  her  mollur. 
May  is  the  wife  of  Albert  \  an  .\ntwerp.  of  Peca- 
tonica,  and  has  one  son,  Max.  Lucy  E.,  living 
in  [''redcricksburg,  Iowa,  is  the  wife  of  Frank 
Thorn,  and  lias  two  daugliters,  P.eth  and  Grata. 
Bertha,  living  in  lielvidere,  Illinois,  is  the  wife 
of  IJr.  1-Vank  A.  Weld,  and  they  have  one  son, 
Frank  .\.,  Jr.  Giarles.  a  resident  of  Des  Moines. 
Iowa,  formerly  engaged  in  the  grain  business,  but 
now  living  retired,  married  Miss  Alice  Lowcr\-, 
and  they  have  four  children,  three  sons  and  a 
daughter.  lister.  Clarence.  Walter  and  .Mice. 
Will,  living  at  Moville,  Woodbury  county,  Iowa, 
where  he  is  engaged  in  the  grain  business,  mar- 
ried i'.elle  Sinan,  and  their  chihlren  are  Clifi'ord. 
Florence,  Willie,   Frank,  Grata  and   Neil. 

Mr.  Sanlxirn  was  well  known  in  Pecatonica  as 
a  kading  an<I  intluential  citizen,  whose  worth  was 
widely  acknowledge<l  and  whose  interest  in  pub- 
lic affairs  was  manifested  in  tangible  support  of 
many  movements  for  the  general  good.  He  acted 
as  president  of  the  village  Ixjard  for  two  terms, 
and  was  a  member  of  the  school  board  for  some 
time,  the  cause  of  education  finding  in  him  a 
wanii  and  stalwart  friend.  He  favored  the  Cni- 
versalist  church,  and  in  jiolitics  was  a  republican 
until  1S84,  when  he  became  a  supporter  of  the 
prohibition  party,  with  which  he  was  connected 
up  to  the  time  of  his  ilcath.  He  was  known  as 
tile  champion  of  intellectual  development,  the 
temperance  cause  and  all  that  is  right  and  hfm- 
orable  between  man  and  his  fellowiuen,  and  his 
genuine  personal  wnrth  gained  him  the  uncpiali- 
fied  respect  of  those  with  whom  he  was  associ- 
ated. He  lived  for  many  years  in  this  count\. 
passing  away   -it    'i"-   ntr'-  "f  seventy-five   vears. 


L'nto  his  family  he  left  not  only  the  fruits  of 
earnest  labor,  but  also  an  untarnished  name, 
which  is  rather  to  he  chosen  than  great  riches. 


CAT.X'TX   A.   IIEMRXWAY. 

Calvin  A.  Hcmenway.  deceased,  was  a  member 
of  one  of  the  early  families  of  liurritt  township, 
who  settled  in  Winnebago  county  about  1837  and 
the  old  home  farm  is  still  in  their  name,  being 
now  owned  by  Mrs.  Calvin  A.  Hemenway.  Her 
hnshaiid  was  a  native  of  \ermont.  born  January 
13.  i<S22.  His  parents,  .\sa  and  Isabclle  Hemen- 
wav,  were  likewise  natives  of  the  Green  Mountain 
state  and  they  had  a  large  farm.  In  1837  Air. 
Hemenway  and  his  children  removed  to  the  west, 
settling  in  r>inTitt  township,  Winnebago  countv, 
in  what  was  then  a  frontier  district,  the  work  of 
improvement  an  progress  having  been  scarcely 
begun.  His  wife  had  died  in  Canada,  at  the 
home  of  a  daughter.  After  reaching  their  desti- 
nation he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  and  at  once 
began  its  cultivation  and  improvement,  continu- 
ing to  engage  in  general  farming  until  his  life's 
lalx>rs  were  ended.  Only  two  members  of  the 
family  are  now  living,  one  lacing  a  resident  of 
Canada  and  the  other  of  California. 

Calvin  .\.  Hemenway  was  reared  on  the  old 
farm  homestead  in  Rurritt  township  froiu  the 
age  of  fifteen  years  and  his  education,  which  was 
begun  in  the  east,  was  continued  in  the  schools 
of  this  locality.  He  assisted  his  father  in  the 
arduous  task  of  develo])ing  a  farm  and  continued 
to  reside  upon  the  old  homestead  after  putting 
aside  iiis  text-books,  .\fter  his  marriage  he  re- 
moved to  the  south  and  lived  for  one  year  at 
Memphis.  Tennessee.  Later  he  located  at  La- 
gonia,  Arkansas,  wdiere  he  carried  on  farming 
and  also  engaged  in  teaching  school  for  about  six 
years.  He  then  returned  to  his  farm  in  Burritt 
township  and  placed  his  fields  under  a  high  state 
of  cultivation,  improved  his  buildings  and  kept 
everything  about  his  place  in  splendid  repair, 
being  accounted  one  of  the  practical,  painstaking 
and  progressive  agriculturists  of  his  community 
until  1802,  in  which  year  he  removed  to  Rock- 
ford  and  there  lived  retired  until  his  death. 

Mr.  Hemenway  was  married,  in  Burritt  town- 
ship, to  Miss  Elizabeth  Rodd,  a  native  of  Eng- 
land, lx)rn  December  18,  1828,  and  a  daughter  of 
Richard  and  Mary  (Caldwell")  Rodd,  who  were 
likewise  natives  of  that  country.  They  became 
residents  of  Winnebago  county,  however,  during 
an  early  epoch  in  its  settlement  and  established 
their  home  in  P.nrritt  township,  where  Mr.  Rodd 
carried  on  farming  for  a  long  period,  both  he  and 
his  wife  dying  on  the  old  homestead  there.  Only 
two    of    their    children    are    now    living:    Mrs. 


31 


.MKS.  t .  A.  lll•:Mi•:^■\\•A^■ 


C.   A.   HEMENWAY. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


555 


Henienway ;  and  Thomas,  a  resident  of  Grundy 
county,  Iowa.  Air.  and  Mrs.  Hemenway  became 
the  parents  of  nine  children,  of  whom  three  yet 
survive.  WilHam  Henry,  who  married  Laura  L. 
Tush,  has  recently  sold  his  flour  and  feed  store  in 
Rockford  and  is  now  living  retired,  his  home 
being  on  Forest  avenue.  Libby  is  the  wife  of 
Kindred  Wood,  a  resident  farmer  of  Watertown, 
South  Dakota.  Rollo  Asa  married  Annie  Mc- 
Clish  and  is  living  on  the  old  Hemenway  farm  in 
Burritt  township.  Those  deceased  are :  Chester, 
Alice,  Christina,  Charles  and  two  who  died  in 
infancy. 

The  death  of  the  father  occurred  September  27, 
1897.  He  had  served  as  supervisor  of  Burritt 
township  for  several  terms  and  was  also  township 
clerk,  discharging  his  duties  in  a  manner  most 
creditable,  prompt  and  reliable.  His  political 
views  accorded  with  republican  principles  and  he 
never  wavered  in  his  allegiance  to  the  party  or 
in  his  support  of  the  cause  which  he  believed  to 
be  right.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  members 
of  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Rockford  and 
were  interested  in  its  growth  and  the  extension  of 
its  influence.  Mr.  Hemenway  was  a  great  reader 
and  became  a  well  informed  man,  keeping  in 
touch  with  measures  of  progress  along  all  mod- 
ern lines.  This  rendered  him  an  entertaining 
companion  and  he  had  many  warm  friends  who 
greatly  enjoyed  his  society.  His  life,  too,  was 
characterized  by  honorable  principles  and  worthy 
motives  and  although  he  attained  a  gratifying 
measure  of  success  his  business  career  was  credit- 
able and  honorable.  His  widow  still  owns  the  old 
home  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in 
Burritt  township  and  she  has  a  nice  residence  at 
No.  441  Forest  avenue.  This  was  built  by  Mr. 
Hemenway  when  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Rock- 
ford in  i8g2  and  it  has  since  been  the  family 
home. 


WTLLIAAI  H.  C.  MILLER. 

.  ^^■illiam  H.  C.  Miller,  at  one  time  engaged  in 
the  jewelry  business  in  Chicago,  is  now  residing 
at  Rockford,  where  he  is  living  retired.  He  was 
born  March  28,  1833,  '"  ^^^"^^^  Jersey,  his  parents 
being  Isaac  and  Susan  (Miller)  Miller.  The 
father  was  born  June  15,  1791,  ^nd  died  August 
8,  i86q,  while  his  wife,  whose  birth  occurred 
September  i,  1793.  departed  this  life  on  the  igth 
of  .\pril,  1874.  in  their  family  were  nine  chil- 
dren, five  sons  and  four  daughters,  and  there 
were  no  deaths  among  them  for  fifty  years.  Three 
generations  of  the  family  had  previously  been 
Ijnrn  in  New  Jersey,  which  indicates  that  the 
Millers  were  long  connected  with  that  state. 
Isaac  Aliller  was  a  farmer  and  carpenter,  and  was 


very  progressive  and  enterprising  in  all  that  he 
did.  The  family  is  noted  for  longevity,  and  he 
passed  away  at  the  extreme  old  age  of  eighty-nine 
years,  while  his  wife  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-one 
\ears.  Those  of  their  family  yet  living  are: 
Mrs.  Sarah  P.  Thomas,  who,  residing  in  New 
Jersey,  is  nearly  eighty-eight  years  of  age,  but 
iias  never  had  to  wear  glasses ;  William  H.  C. 
and  Isaac,  of  New  York  city,  who  was  formerly 
a  manufacturer  of  jewelry  and  later  engaged  in 
mining  in  New  Mexico. 

\Mlliam  H.  C.  Miller  spent  the  days  of  his 
boyhood  and.  youth  in  the  east,  where  he  acquired 
a  public-school  education,  and  on  the  30th  of 
iVpril,  1856,  he  arrived  in  Illinois,  settling  in  Chi- 
cago, where  he  became  a  representative  of  the 
jewelry  trade.  He  had  learned  watchmaking 
while  in  New  Jersey,  and  had  afterward  gone  to 
}\Iassachusetts,  where  he  lived  for  a  year,  com- 
ing from  the  old  Bay  state  to  the  middle  west. 
At  the  time  of  his  arrival  Chicago  contained  a 
population  of  only  about  seventy-five  thousand 
people.  He  lived  there  for  sixteen  years,  or  un- 
til the  memorable  fire  of  1871,  in  which  he  lost 
nearly  everything.  He  then  traded  his  home  for 
a  fruit  farm  in  the  south,  which  he  afterward 
sold,  and  in  August,  1873,  he  took  up  his  abode  in 
Rockford,  and  has  since  lived  at  No.  749  Johns 
street.  In  1882,  however,  he  went  to  South  Da- 
kota, where  he  secured  a  government  claim, 
which  in  ifjOi  he  traded  for  property  in  this  city. 

(  )n  the  20th  of  January,  1863.  I\Ir.  ]\Iiller  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Adda  Garrison,  a 
native  of  New  Jersey,  who  was  born  Alarch  7. 
1844.  and  is  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Electa 
( Walker )  Garrison.  Her  father  was  a  specu- 
lator and  also  engaged  in  the  grocen,-  business. 
He  came  to  the  west  in  September,  1853,  bring- 
ing with  him  a  capital  of  seventy-five  thousand 
dollars,  and,  locating  in  Rockford,  he  bought 
property  on  Main  street,  where  the  Talcott  prop- 
erty now  stands.  At  one  time  he  owned  all  of  the 
northern  portion  of  the  city  and  was  a  very  prom- 
inent and  influential  man  here.  In  i860  he  went 
west  to  the  Rocky  mountains,  and  during  the  last 
ten  years  of  his  life  he  frequently  visited  that 
section  of  the  country,  his  death  occurring  in  Col- 
orado in  1 87 1,  when  he  was  fifty-seven  years  of 
age.  His  wife  passed  away  in  December,  1868. 
They  were  the  parents  of  five  daughters  and  one 
son  :  Mrs.  Harriet  N.  Cedarholm.  a  widow,  re- 
siding in  Englewood,  Illinois ;  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Garrison,  who  is  living  in  Woodstock.  Illinois ; 
Mrs.  Theodocia  Cleveland,  a  resident  of  Evans- 
ton,  Illinois:  Mrs.  Miller:  Airs.  Anna  Know,  of 
Alichigan  ;  and  Thomas  J.,  who  is  also  living  in 
that  state. 

The  home  of  Air.  and  Mrs.  Miller  was  blessed 
widi  six  children.  Harry  G.,  who  was  born  De- 
cember 17,   1863,  is  a  machinist  and  inventor  of 


556 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUXTV. 


considerable  iiruiiiineiice.  living  in  Denver.  Colo- 
rado. Eclward  W'..  horn  Jannary  4.  iS'/).  is  cnn- 
ducting  a  restaurant  in  tliat  city,  (irace,  born 
June  25,  1868.  (lied  in  1869.  Mortimer  R..  born 
March  2.  1871.  is  superintendent  of  the  city 
water  works  and  also  city  engineer  at  W'aukegan, 
llilnois.  Ruth  E..  born  January  11.  187^),  died 
June  22.  1882.  Mabel  A.,  born  June  10.  i87«^.  is 
a  stenographer  for  the  Emerson  .Manufacturing 
Company  of  Rockford. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller  are  well  kni>\\n  in  this 
city,  where  they  have  now  long  resided.  He  owns 
here  ten  acres  of  very  valuable  land.^the  tract  Ix-- 
ing  favorably  situated  in  one  of  the  best  resi- 
dence districts  of  the  city,  so  that  it  will  com- 
mand a  high  ]jrice.  Always  interested  in  ques- 
tions of  the  day,  he  keeps  well  informed  on  [xt- 
litical  and  general  subjects.  lie  belongs  to  thi- 
]\Iasonic  fraternity,  while  his  wife  is  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  although  he  is 
now  seventy-two  years  of  age  he  presents  the  a|) 
pearance  of  a  man  in  his  prime,  being  very  active 
and  vigorous.  He  has  enjoyed  remarkably  good 
health  throughout  his  entire  life,  and  his  c<jn- 
linned  interest  in  public  atTairs  and  in  local  pro- 
gress makes  him  a  congenial  ci>m])anion  and  a 
valued  citizen  of  Rockford. 


I.   T.  WKLTY. 


J.  J.  W'elty,  a  retired  farmer  residing  at  No. 
1410  Charles  street.  l^)ckford,  was  born  in  I'erry 
county,  Pennsylvania,  .Xovcmbcr  19.  1841.  His 
parents  were  John  and  Elizabeth  (Linehart) 
Welty.  The  father  was  born  in  Fredericksburg, 
Maryland,  in  1810,  and  in  Pennsylvania  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Elizabeth  Einehart.  a  native  of 
Switzerland,  whose  birth  also  occurred  in  1810. 
She  came  to  this  country  witli  her  parents  in 
1820.  They  left  their  old  home  in  the  month  of 
June,  and  with  a  horse  and  wagon  drove  to  P>asil 
in  1826.  There  they  s|)ent  the  night,  and  then 
went  across  the  mountains  into  l-'rance,  where 
they  had  to  ])ay  the  exorbitant  jirice  of  si.xleen 
cents  per  jjound  for  bread.  They  continued  on 
their  way  to  Havre  de  (Irace,  France,  a  distance 
of  six  hundred  miles,  which  was  accomplished 
with  horse  and  wagon,  and  from  tliat  port  they 
took  passage  f)n  a  sailing  vessel  lK)nnd  for  New 
■S'ork,  being  thirteen  weeks  on  the  ocean.  Thev 
encountered  some  very  severe  .storms,  including 
three  whirlwinds,  which  took  every  sail  off  the 
Ixiat  three  times  for  three  different  days.  Their 
supply  of  provisions  was  exhausted,  and  they 
were  nearly  starved.  The  boat  drifted  helplessly 
here  and  there,  but  finally  drifted  to  Theresa 
island,  where  they  got  bread,  spending  three  davs 
at  that  ])ort.     Finally  they  landed  at  Philadelphia 

nil    ibf    I  vt    of    \'i  i\  iiiiliir      1820. 


When  only  nine  years  old  Mrs.  Welty  began 
working  out.  and  later  was  paid  fifty  cents  per 
week  for  her  services.  When  seventeen  years  of 
age  she  learned  dressmaking,  at  which  she  earned 
twelve  and  a  half  cents  per  day.  When  she  was 
twelve  years  old  she  carried  sap  in  a  sugar  camp, 
having  two  buckets  suspended  from  a  pole  which 
she  carried  across  her  shoulders.  She  remem- 
bers, too,  i)urchasing  some  fine  calico  for  a  Sun- 
day dress  at  forty  cents  per  yard.  When  fifteen 
years  of  age  she  started  on  foot  with  her  father 
to  Philadel])hia,  leading  an  ox  from  the  block- 
house in  the  vicinity  of  their  home  to  the  city 
market,  a  distance  of  two  hundred  miles.  The 
entire  journey  was  accomplished  on  foot,  and  the 
last  day  they  walked  twenty-seven  miles.  Her 
father  became  ill  with  typhoid  fever  in  the  city, 
and  Mrs.  \\'eh\  tlien  returned  alone  to  her  home 
over  that  entire  distance.  She  became  the  wife  of 
John  W'elty  in  Pennsylvania,  and  they  drove  with 
a  wagon  to  Illinois  in  1851.  in  which  year  the 
Xortliwestern  railroad  was  being  built  to  Rock- 
ford. They  were  five  weeks  on  the  way,  and  they 
located  in  Cherry  \'alley  township,  where  Mr. 
Welty  purchased  one  hundred  and  ninety-seven 
acres  of  land,  for  which  they  ])aid  two  hundred 
dollars.  The  second  year  they  ])lanted  one  hun- 
dred acres  of  corn.  Mr.  Welt\'  jiaid  twenty-five 
cents  per  bushel  for  seed  wheat  the  first  year. 
Some  of  the  land  which  he  Ixnight  was  improved 
and  a  log  cabin  had  been  l)nilt.  and  with  strong 
])ur])ose  and  courageous  hearts  this  worthy  pio- 
neer cou])le  continued  the  work  of  reclaiming  the 
farm  for  the  uses  of  civilization.  .\s  his  financial 
resources  increased,  John  Welty  kept  adding  to 
his  possessions,  until  at  one  time  he  owned  over 
one  thousand  acres  of  land  in  Illinois  and  eight 
himdred  acres  in  Iowa.  In  all  of  his  work  he  had 
the  able  assistance  of  bis  wife.  wIk^  was  a  most 
capable  helpmate,  and  who.  in  her  management 
of  the  household  affairs,  contributed  in  large 
measure  to  the  success  which  attended  her  hus- 
band. Mr.  Welty  passed  away  October  C\  1882. 
at  the  age  of  sevent\-fwo  years,  and  is  still  sur- 
vived b\  his  wife,  who  is  now  ninety-five  years  of 
age.  -Still  strong  in  intellect,  she  related  in  most 
interesting  manner  the  incidents  given  in  this 
sketch  concerning  her  childhood  days  in  the  old 
world  and  her  early  exiiericnccs  in  this  country. 
Three  of  the  children  born  inito  them  arc  yet  !iv- 
iuir:  I'-lizabeth.  the  wife  of  James  Dawson,  re- 
siding at  Xo.  1410  Giarles  street,  Rockford; 
Calvin,  who  lives  near  the  city  limits  of  Rock- 
ford :  and  J.  J.,  of  this  review. 

In  the  county  of  his  nativity  J.  J.  Welty  spent 
the  first  ten  years  of  his  life,  and  then  accompa- 
nied his  parents  on  their  removal  to  Winnebago 
county,  where  he  continued  his  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  Qierry  X'alley  township,  to 
which   he   had   to  go  a  distance  of  three  miles. 


MR.  AND  MRS.  JOHN  WELTY. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF    WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


559 


He  assisted  in  the  arduous  labor  of  developing  a 
new  farm  here,  and  continued  at  home  until  the 
Civil  war  broke  out.  In  1862  he  responded  to  his 
country's  call  for  aid.  enlisting  in  Companv  A, 
Seventy-fourth  Illinois  Infantry,  but  was  rejected 
on  account  of  his  youth.  In  1863  he  joined  the 
Eighth  Illinois  Cavalry,  of  which  General  Farns- 
worth  was  then  colonel.  He  served  until  June  17, 
1865,  when  he  was  discharged  in  Missouri.  On 
the  return  trip,  which  was  being  made  up  the 
river,  and  when  they  were  near  St.  Louis,  the 
boat  sank  and  five  of  the  men  were  drowned.  Mr. 
Welty  participated  in  the  battles  of  Culpeper, 
Colfax  Courthouse,  Middlesbury,  Malvern  Hill, 
Antietam,  Fredericksburg  and  others  of  less  im- 
portance. 

When  the  war  was  over  Mr.  Welty  returned  to 
his  home,  where  he  worked  for  some  time,  and 
later  engaged  in  farming  on  shares.  In  1878  he 
purchased  two  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Iowa,  re- 
taining it  in  his  possession  until  1900,  when  he 
sold  out.  He  now  owns  the  home  where  he  re- 
sides at  1410  Charles  street,  and  his  mother  has 
two  houses  and  lots  in  Rockford.  He  has  never 
married,  and  his  sister  Elizabeth  and  her  hus- 
band, James  Dawson,  reside  with  him.  Thev 
have  four  sons:  James  Robert:  Calvin,  of  Rock- 
ford  :  Emery,  of  Harvard,  and  John,  who  is  liv- 
ing in  Allen  Grove,  Wisconsin.  Mr.  Welty  is  a 
republican,  stanch  in  his  advocacy  of  the  partv, 
and  is  a  memlier  of  Nevius  post,  No.  i,  G.  A. 
R.,  of  Rockford,  maintaining  pleasant  relation- 
ships with  his  old  army  comrades  by  attendance 
at  camp  fires.  His  parents  were  members  of  the 
Congregational  church,  and  lived  together  as  man 
and  wife  for  over  fifty  years,  celebrating  their 
golden  wedding  in  Rockford. 


CHARLES  WILLS. 


Charles  Wills,  whose  life  historv  was  a  record 
of  activity,  and  who.  in  the  conduct  of  business 
affairs  in  Latham  Park  and  Rockford  became 
well  known,  was  a  native  of  Carbon  countv, 
Pennsylvania.  His  father,  Adam  Wills,  spent 
his  entire  life  in  that  county,  and  was  an  expert 
machinist,  following  his  trade  until  seventy  years 
of  age,  when  he  retired  from  active  business  life. 
He  was  a  member  in  high  standing  in  the  Ma- 
sonic order,  and  was  always  true  to  the  teachings 
and  tenets  of  the  craft.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
died  in  the  Keystone  state. 

Charles  Wills  was  indebted  to  the  public-school 
system  of  his  native  countv  for  the  educational 
privileges  he  enjoved  and  aft'er  finishing  his 
school  life  he  learned  the  machinist's  trade  under 
the  direction  of  his  father.  He  then  entered  the 
employ  of  the   Pennsylvania   Railroad    Company 


as  fireman,  and  was  afterward  pnimoted  to  loco- 
motive engineer,  running  upon  that  road  for  a 
few  years.  Subsequently  he  returned  to  his  trade 
as  a  machinist,  being  employed  in  the  shops  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  at  Hazelton, 
Pennsylvania,  and  it  was  while  he  was  working 
there  that  he  was  married.  He  continued  in  that 
service  for  a  few  years,  and  next  sougltt  a  home 
in  the  west,  settling  at  Janesville.  Wisconsin, 
where  he  began  as  engineer  in  the  employ  of  the 
Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railroad  Com- 
pany, his  run  being  between  Janesville,  Rockford 
and  Chicago.  After  acting  as  engineer  for  a  few 
years,  he  gave  up  railroad  work  and  removed 
from  Janesville  to  the  village  of  Latham  Park,  in 
\Mnnebago  county,  where  he  established  a  gen- 
eral store  and  also  served  as  postmaster.  When 
he  had  remained  at  that  place  for  a  few  \-ears,  he 
took  up  his  abode  in  Rockford  and  accepted  the 
position  of  janitor  and  engineer  in  the  Winne- 
bago county  courthouse,  which  position  he  held 
for  six  years.  His  health  then  failed  and  obliged 
him  to  resign,  so  that  he  returned  to  his  countrA- 
home  at  Latham  Park.  Again  he  engaged  in 
general  merchandizing  there,  and  was  once  more 
made  postmaster,  continuing  in  mercantile  life 
and  also  as  the  incumbent  in  the  office  uyi  to  the 
time  of  his  demise,  which  occurred  Octolier  29, 
1897.  . 

\\  bile  living  in  Hazelton,  Pennsylvania. 
Charles  Wills  was  married  to  Miss  Man,'  B.  Blay, 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  a  daughter  of 
Richard  and  Sarah  Blay.  Her  father  was  an 
architect  and  builder  and  was  prominent  in  Ma- 
sonic circles.  He  died  in  Mauchchunk,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  his  wife,  after  removing  to 
Janesville,  Wisconsin,  died  at  the  home  of 
her  daughter  there.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wills 
became  the  parents  of  two  daughters :  Lilly, 
the  wife  of  Frank  Severance,  a  promi- 
nent citizen  of  Rockford  and  Esther  May, 
who  has  always  resided  with  her  mother, 
who  since  the  death  of  Mr.  Wills  has  sold 
the  property  at  Latham  Park  and  removed  to 
Rockford.  purchasing  her  present  home  at  No. 
610  Bruce  street.  She  has  a  cottage  here,  but  in- 
tends soon  to  sell  this  place  and  build  a  larger 
residence  in  the  northern  part  of  the  citv  on  other 
lots  that  she  now  owns. 

Mr.  Wills  cast  his  ballot  in  support  of  the  men 
and  measures  of  the  republican  party,  and  was 
always  interested  in  its  success,  but  aside  from 
the  position  of  postmaster,  held  no  other  office. 
He  was  a  valued  rejiresentative  of  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  at  Rockford,  and  he 
had  a  wide  circle  of  friends  in  this  city.  He  was 
a  man  of  domestic  tastes,  alwavs  spending  his 
evenings  with  his  family,  for  he  found  his  great- 
est enjovment  at  his  own  fireside,  in  the  company 
of  his  wife  and  daughters.     He  was  very  tem- 


5C0 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     W  lX.\i:i:  AtiO     OKXTV. 


in-rato,  and  his  life  was  straightforward  and  ujj- 
riijht,  Ix-inj;  jjiiidcd  by  lionorable.  manly  princi- 
ples. Mrs.  Wills  antl  her  daiij^-htcr  arc  members 
of  the  Court  Street  .Methoilist   Eiiiscopal  church. 


\\lLLI.\.\i 


I'.IKR. 


William  I..  lUirr,  of  Rockford.  is  a  native  of 
Wa\ne  county.  Ohio,  born  in  1831.  his  parents 
beiiiij  James  and  Polly  ( Smitii )  P>urr.  His 
father  was  a  native  of  \'erniont,  and  owned  a 
farm  there,  also  conducting  a  sawmill.  Follow- 
in.jjf  the  death  of  his  wife,  he  removed  to  Iowa, 
an<l  he  passed  away  at  Cctlar  I"alls,  that  state. 
In  the  family  were  nine  children,  of  whom  four 
are  yet  living. 

W.  L.  lUirr,  of  tliis  review,  rcniained  a  resi- 
dent of  Ohio  until  fiftem  years  of  age,  when  he 
supplemented  his  early  educational  advantages 
by  study  in  a  school  at  .Milwaukee,  Wisconsin. 
He  had  continued  his  education  for  but  a  l)riet 
period  there,  h(5wever,  when  he  put  aside  his  text- 
books and  began  learning  the  jeweler's  trade, 
wliich  he  completed  in  Waukegan,  Illinois.  He 
then  went  to  Giicago.  where  lie  worked  for  ten 
nwnths,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  embarked 
in  business  in  coimection  with  his  brother  at  Hea- 
ver Dam.  Wisconsin,  where  they  remained  ior 
twelve  years,  enjoying  a  good  patronage  and  be- 
coming leailing  and  successful  merchants  of  that 
city.  ( )n  selling  out  there,  Mr.  llurr  removed  to 
Winona,  .Minnesota,  where  he  was  connected 
with  merchandizing  interests  for  ten  years,  when 
he  traded  his  stock  of  goods  for  five  himdred 
acres  of  land  near  the  city  and  turned  his  atten- 
tion til  farming.  .After  carrying  on  agricultural 
pursuits  for  several  years  in  that  locality  he  re- 
moved to  Rockford  and  here  he  established  his 
sons  in  business  in  the  store  adjoining  the  Chick 
House.  He  has  not  been  active  in  mercantile  life 
since,  .save  for  the  assistance  which  he  has  ren- 
dered to  his  sons,  and  now  he  is  living  in  well- 
eanied  ea.se,  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil  making 
life  pleasant  for  him. 

.Mr.  jiurr  was  married  to  Miss  Lucetta  J.  .Mc- 
Clure.  a  native  of  (  )hio.  and  they  Ixxame  the 
])arents  of  ten  children,  of  whom  eiglit  are  liv- 
ing. William  J.,  who  is  engaged  in  the  grocery 
luisiness  in  Rockford,  married  .Miss  l-^llen  Wills, 
and  with  her  one  son  they  reside  on  National  ave- 
nue. Giarles  D.,  a  grocer  residing  at  Burr 
Heights,  married  Miss  (Irace  Switz,  and  has  one 
.sfjn.  Prank  R.,  likewi.sc  connected  with  the  gro- 
ccPi-  trade,  and  now  living  on  Haskell  avenue,  is 
married  and  has  two  children,  a  son  and  daugh- 
ter. .Xddi.son.  who  is  engaged  in  the  sporting 
goods  business,  and  lives  on  Second  street.  Rock 


ford,  is  married,  and  has  one  daughter,  lulwin, 
who  is  also  a  merchant  dealing  in  sporting  goods, 
and  living  on  Giestnut  street,  is  married  and  lias 
two  sons.  Lee,  engaged  in  the  grocery  business,  is 
at  h<jme  with  his  lather.  .Mar\-  .Nettie  is  the  wife 
of  Theodore  ISaker,  who  is  engaged  in  the  stock 
business  and  mining,  and  they  have  one  daughter, 
Jennie  is  the  wife  of  N.  D.  Taylor,  who  resides 
at  322  Fisher  avenue.  Rockford.  and  manages 
the  grocery  business  on  the  east  side  for  the  firm 
of  llurr  llrothers.  Martha  became  the  wife  of 
Charles  McGlashen.  and  left  one  daughter. 

The  firm  of  lUirr  llrothers  own  three  stores  in 
Rockford  and  carry  a  full  line  of  groceries.  Their 
business  is  now  very  extensive  and  important, 
constituting  one  of  the  most  i>roniinent  commer- 
cial concerns  of  the  city,  and  em]>loyment  is  fur- 
nished to  sixty  men.  From  a  small  store  they 
have  built  up  a  mammoth  trade.  The  father  gave 
to  his  sons  six  thousand  dollars  and  with  this  as 
ilu-  nucleus  of  their  business  they  have  dcvelo[>ed 
an  enter])rise  whi>se  annual  trade  is  represented 
by  a  very  extensive  figure,  .\fter  s«ime  years  the 
father  sold  his  interest  to  his  sons,  but  he  now 
owns  two  large  farms,  one  including  a  half  sec- 
tion of  land,  and  the  other  an  entire  section  of 
very  valuable  land  in  Kansas.  He  also  owns  a 
fine  home  where  he  resides  at  No.  526  Giestnut 
street.   Rockford. 

.Mr.  Purr  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  whig 
party,  and  in  early  manhood  became  a  stanch 
advocate  of  republican  principles,  having  since 
given  his  support  to  the  party  organization, 
but  without  desire  for  office  as  a  reward 
for  his  fealty.  His  wife  is  a  member  of  the 
Congregational  church.  In  a  review  of  his 
record  we  note  the  manifestation  of  strong  and 
forceful  business  elements,  keen  perception, 
ready  adaptability  and  clo.se  a]i])lication.  .MI 
these  have  combined  to  make  him  a  very  suc- 
cessful man  and  the  family  has  long  been  a 
prominent  one  in  Rockford,  becau.se  of  the  gen- 
uine personal  w<>rth  of  the  father  and  his  sons, 
the  latter  now  ranking  with  the  bist  business  men 
of  the  cit\. 


|(>1IN  S.  W ATSMN. 


John  S.  Watson,  deceased,  was  a  prominent 
farmer  ot  New  .Milford  townshij),  and  his  success 
and  the  honorable  methods  whereby  it  was  se- 
cured won  him  the  admiration  and  re.spect  of  his 
fellowmen.  He  was  l)orn  in  Coventry,  England, 
in  1823,  and  ,s]K'nt  the  first  seventeen  years  of  his 
life  in  that  land,  after  which  he  emigrated  to 
the  new  world,  taking  up  his  alxidc  in  Indiana 
about  1840.  There  he  lived  for  a  few  years,  ami 
in   1845  he  came  to  Winnebago  county,  where  lie 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


S6i 


filed  a  claim  to  a  tract  of  land  constituting  the 
present  home  fann  of  his  family.  This  has  never 
been  mortgaged  nor  has  it  passed  out  of  the  pos- 
sesion of  the  family  since  Mr.  Watson  received 
the  deed  from  the  government.  In  his  native 
countn,^  he  had  learned  the  trade  of  ribbon  weav- 
ing-, following  that  pursuit  until  he  crossed  the 
Atlantic,  and  in  Indiana  he  learned  the  black- 
smith's trade,  to  which  he  gave  his  attention  in 
that  state.  Subsequent  to  bis  arrival  in  Illinois, 
he  engaged  in  farming.  His  educational  privi- 
leges were  limited,  but  he  made  the  most  of  his 
opportunities  and  progressed  along  the  line  of 
intellectual  development  as  well  as  of  material 
progress.  As  the  years  went  by,  he  made  sub- 
stantial improvements  upon  his  farm,  erecting 
good  buildings,  including  a  comfortable  home, 
which  replaced  the  little  log  cabin  that  had  first 
furnished  shelter  to  the  family,  following  their 
arrival  in  the  county.  As  his  financial  resources 
increased,  he  extended  the  boundaries  of  his  place 
by  the  purchase  of  an  additional  tract  of  eighty 
acres,  .so  that  the  farm  now  contains  two  hundred 
acres.  It  was  wild  and  uncultivated  when  it  came 
into  his  possession,  but  t'be  arduous  task  of  de- 
veloping it  did  not  deter  him  from  setting  reso- 
lutely to  work  to  transform  the  place  into  pro- 
ductive fields,  and  his  labors  were  crowned  with 
success,  for  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  he  was 
gathering  abundant  harvests,  where  iiefore  the 
wild  prairie  grasses  were  found. 

On  the  gth  of  December,  1847,  Mr.  Watson 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Addie  L.  Stick- 
ney,  who  was  born  in  Addison,  Addison  county, 
A'ermont,  in  ^larch,  1827.  and  removed  to 
Rochester.  Xcw  York,  with  her  parents,  the 
family  there  remaining  until  1846,  when  they 
came  to  Winnebago  county.  The  party  consti- 
tuted the  father,  mother  and  eight  children.  The 
father,  Abial  Stickney,  secured  a  tract  of  land  in 
New  Milford  township  near  the  site  of  the  pres- 
ent village  of  that  name,  but  a  year  later  removed 
to  Ogle  county,  where  he  purchased  a  farm.  He 
did  not  live,  however,  to  make  a  home  there  but 
his  widow  afterward  removed  to  the  farm  with 
her  children  and  spent  her  remaining  days  upon 
that  place,  dying  about  thirty  years  ago.  Subse- 
quent to  the  mother's  death  the  children  removed 
to  various  locahties  and  with  the  exception  of 
Mrs.  Watson  none  are  now  residents  of  Winne- 
bago county.  To  her  husband  she  proved  a 
faithful  companion  and  helpmate  on  life's  jour- 
ney and  since  his  death  she  has  conducted  the 
farm,  renting  the  land,  however,  largely  to  her 
children. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  \\'atson  were  born  three 
sons  and  two  daughters:  Robert  S.,  born  Octo- 
ber 13,  1848,  is  a  traveling  salesman  residing  in 
Chicago.     He  served  as  a  soldier  during  the  lat- 


ter part  of  the  Civil  war.  He  married  Jo- 
sephine Burdick,  and  their  only  child  died  when 
si.x  years  of  age.  Elizabeth  L.,  born  February 
21,  1850,  is  the  wife  of  James  Strong,  a  resident 
of  Allen  county,  Kansas,  and  tliey  have  three 
children,  Bdith,  Walter  and  Curtis.  Thomas  F., 
born  May  21,  1853,  was  frozen  to  death  while 
crossing  the  mountains  in  California,  February 
5,  1876.  Eva  A.,  born  March  24,  1859,  is  the 
wife  of  George  Skinner,  a  fanner  of  New  Mil- 
ford  township,  who  also  operates  a  part  of  the 
old  homestead  farm.  They  have  .six  children  of 
whom  four  are  living,  Charles,  Blanch,  Vera 
and  Herbert,  while  May  and  George  are  de- 
ceased. Cieorge  C.  Watson,  the  yoimgest  mem- 
ber of  the  family,  was  born  January  3,  1868, 
and  is  now  operating  the  old  homestead  farm. 
He  married  Miss  Laura  L.  Bryant,  a  native  of 
England,  who  came  to  this  country  and  settled 
near  the  village  of  New  Milford  with  her  par- 
ents, William  and  Mary  Bryant,  who  are  resi- 
dents of  Clarion.  Wright  county,  Iowa.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  George  C.  Watson  have  two  sons, 
Robert  C,  ten  years  of  age,  and  Emer\'  J.,  aged 
four  wars. 

The  family  are  all  republicans  in  politics  and 
John  S.  Watson  filled  various  township  offices, 
to  which  he  was  called  by  his  fellow  citizens  who 
reoognized  his  lo\'alty  to  the  general  gooil  and 
his  capability.  He  was  a  Mason,  belonging  to 
Cherry  \'alley  lodge,  and  in  his  religious  views 
he  was  liberal.  In  his  life  he  displayed  many 
excellent  traits  of  character  in  harmony  with  the 
teachings  of  the  craft  and  he  was  well  known 
as  a  prominent  and  enterprising  farmer,  his  life 
being  crowned  with  a  high  measure  of  success. 
The  nxethocls  which  he  followed  were  straight- 
forward and  commendable  and  a  definite  plan  of 
action  and  a  close  adherence  to  the  course  which 
he  marked  out  were  salient  features  in  his  pros- 
perity. He  was  devoted  to  the  welfare  of  his 
famil}',  doing  everything  in  his  power  to  pro- 
mote the  comforts  of  his  wife  and  children,  and 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1886.  \vas  also 
deeply  regretted  b\-  many  friends  as  well  as 
his  own  household. 


OLINER  A.  PENNOYER. 

Oliver  A.  Pennoyer,  deceased,  a  factor  in  the 
public  life  of  Rockford  for  many  years,  served 
through  a  long  period  as  circuit  clerk  and  also 
as  deputy  circuit  clerk  and  maintained  his  resi- 
dence here  from  1857.  A  native  of  Groton,  New 
York,  he  was  born  July  15,  1826.  His  parents, 
Justus  P.  and  Elizabeth  Pennoyer.  were  both 
natives  of  the  east  and  throug-hout  his  entire  life 


562 


PAST      WD     PRESENT     OF     WT.WECAGU     CUL'XTV. 


the  fatlier  followed  tanuiiii;  near  Grolon,  Xcw 
^'o^k.  His  wife  also  died  in  the  same  loealitv. 
Tliere  are  only  two  of  the  children  now  living. 
two  sisters  makings  their  home  near  Detroit. 
Michigan.  A  brother.  Hon.  Sylvester  Pennoyer. 
was  at  one  time  jjovemor  of  (!)regon. 

(  Hiver  .V.  Pennoyer.  reared  as  a  farm  lad.  at- 
tended the  common  schools  of  the  east  and 
worked  in  the  fields  when  not  occupied  with  the 
duties  of  the  .scho<ilroom.  Having  arrived  at 
years  of  maturity  he  chose  as  a  companion  and 
helpmate  on  life's  journey  Miss  .Margaret  P. 
Morris.  Her  parents  were  hoth  natives  of  the 
east  and  her  father  died  in  .Michigan  during  the 
early  girlhixxl  days  of  his  daughter.  .Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Pennoyer  bc-came  the  parents  of  four  chil- 
dren. Frank.  Hattie.  .Mattie  and  Charles,  hut  all 
died  in  childhood. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Pennoyer  resided  in 
the  east  until  1857.  when  he  came  to  Illinois,  .set- 
tling in  Rockford.  The  same  year  he  was  ap- 
l)ointed  deputy  circuit  clerk,  serving  in  that 
cajiacity  for  four  years,  when  he  was  elected  cir- 
cuit clerk  and  filled  the  position  for  the  usual 
four  years'  term.  ( )n  the  cx])iration  of  that  pe- 
riod he  was  again  appointed  deputy  and  later  he 
serve<l  as  police  magistrate  for  two  years.  He 
then  went  to  W'ashingtcjn.  D.  C.  where  he  occu- 
pied a  clerical  position  in  the  treasury  deijart- 
ment  for  over  .seven  years  during  President 
Grant's  administration.  On  returning  to  Rock- 
ford  he  engaged  in  the  abstract  business  for  a 
few  years  but  eventually  retired  on  account  of 
ill  health.  Indolence  and  idleness,  however,  were 
utterly  foreign  to  his  nature  and  he  could  not 
content  himself  without  some  business  interest. 
He  therefore  accepted  an  insurance  agency  and 
gave  Iiis  attention  to  that  business  until  his  death, 
which  (x-curred  December  13.  1882.  He  was 
also  interested  in  the  great  political  (|uestions 
wliich  divide  the  two  parties  and  gave  an  un- 
faltering support  to  republican  principles.  He 
was  identified  with  Masonic  lodge  in  the  east 
and  again  in  Rockford  and  he  held  memlx;rship 
in  the  Westminister  Presbyterian  church,  of 
which  his  wife  is  also  a  member.  Mr.  Pennover 
w;is  a  very  fine  penman  and  a  most  rapid  writer. 
He  also  possessed  considerable  artistic  talent  and 
although  lie  never  received  instructions  he  pro- 
duced some  very  excellent  works  of  art,  devoting 
his  leisure  time  while  in  Washington  to  paint- 
ing. .\  numlxT  of  his  works  now  ailorn 
the  home  of  his  widow.  He  tlelighted  in 
the  l)eautiful  and  had  a  great  apprecia- 
tion for  color  and  form  so  that  his  paint- 
ings display  a  supcTiority  much  a1)ove  the 
amateur.  Mrs.  Pennoyer  now  occupies  an 
apartment  in  the  residence  of  E.  L.  Herrick  at 
Xo.  303  South   Second   street.     She  lias  resirk-d 


in  Rockford  iluring  the  greater  part  of  the  time 
fcr  a  half  century  and  is  well  known  here,  the 
circle  of  her  friends  being  extensive. 


i:.M!L   l.(  )l-(,Ri:X.   M.   D. 

Dr.  Fmil  Lofgren.  who  for  the  second  term 
has  served  as  commissioner  of  health  of  Rock- 
ford. where  he  is  also  engaged  in  the  general 
])ractice  of  medicine,  was  born  February  27. 
1874,  in  Chicago.  Illinois,  his  parents  be- 
ing ( )ttn  and  Loui.sa  Lofgren.  The  former 
emigrated     from     Sweden     about      1872,     made 


his  wav  direct   to  C'liicasj 


and    after    residing: 


about  two  years  there  came  to  Rockford  is  the 
fall  of  1874.  Here  he  was  employed  by  the 
L'nion  I'urniture  Coiupany,  later  the  Skandia 
Furniture  Company.  In  his  family  were  two 
sons  and  three  dau.ghters.  of  whom  Fmil  is  the 
eldest. 

Dr.  Lofgren  was  onl\-  a  few  nidulhs  did  when 
brought  by  his  ])arents  to  tiiis  city.  Here  he 
began  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  and 
afterward  attended  .Augustana  College,  at  Rock 
Island,  in  1891.  In  the  fall  of  1895  'i^  com- 
menced teaching  at  the  .\ndover  ( )rphans'  Home 
and  continued  in  that  institluion  until  1897.  In 
the  fall  of  that  year  he  matriculated  in  the 
Iowa  L'niversity.  where  he  remained  for  two 
years,  or  until  the  spring  of  1899  ^^  a 
student  in  the  medical  dejiartment.  In  the  fall 
of  1891)  he  entereil  the  medical  department  of  the 
Xorthwestcrn  Cniversity.  at  Chicago,  and  was 
graduated  with  the  class  of  kjOI.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Rockford.  where  he  opened  his  office, 
and  has  since  enga.ged  in  general  practice. 

In  1896  Dr.  Lofgren  enlisted  in  the  Illinois 
.National  Guard  as  a  member  of  Company  F, 
.Sixth  Regiment,  of  Moline.  He  was  afterward 
transferred  to  the  hospital  corps  of  the  regular 
army,  and  was  in  Porto  Rico  under  General 
Miles  during  the  i)eriod  of  the  Spanish-.-\incrican 
war,  being  mustered  out  on  Thanksgiving  day 
of  i8<)8.  In  1903  he  was  ajipointed  commis- 
sioner of  health  of  the  city  of  Rockford.  and  is 
now  serving  for  the  second  term  of  one  year 
each.  He  visits  St.  .\uthony"s  hos])ital  in  addi- 
tion to  caring  for  the  work  of  private  practice, 
which  is  extended  to  him  by  those  who  recog- 
nize liis  professional  skill  and  capability.  He 
belongs  to  the  Illinois  State  Medical  .Society,  the 
\\  imtebago  L'oiuity  Medical  Society,  the  .\mer- 
ican  Medical  .\ssociation  and  the  Spanish  War 
X'eteran  .\ssociation,  and  of  the  last  named  he  is 
|)ost  surgeon.  He  al.so  has  membership  with  tlie 
Zion  Lutheran  church,  and  in  i)olitics  he  is  a 
republican.       The    field    of   business    is    limitless. 


DR.  EJNIIL  LOFGREN. 


PAST    AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


565 


and  its  prizes  are  many  and  }et  comparatively 
few  who  enter  the  "world's  broad  field  of  battle" 
come  off  victorious  in  the  struggle  for  success 
and  prominence.  This  is  usually  due  to  one  or 
more  of  several  causes — superficial  preparation, 
lack  of  close  application  or  an  unwise  choice  in 
selecting  an  avocation  for  which  one  is  not  fitted. 
The  reverse  of  all  these  seems  true  of  Dr.  Lof- 
gren,  who  although  yet  a  young  man,  has  made 
for  himself  a  creditable  position  as  a  represent- 
ative of  the  medical  fraternity  in  Rockford. 


ELL\S  COSPEK 


Among  the  men  who  have  been  builders 
of  Rockford  and  promoters  of  its  progress  and 
prosperity  Elias  Cosper  is  numbered.  Various 
business  enterprises  felt  the  stimulus  of  his 
energy,  far-sighted  sagacity  and  unfaltering  per- 
severance. He  became  a  resident  of  Rockford 
in  1854  and  for  years  thereafter  figured  promi- 
nently in  banking  and  manufacturing  circles. 
He  was  also  the  prime  mover  in  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Rockford  public  librar\-,  and  mam- 
other  interests  of  the  city  owe  their  existence  in 
whole  or  in  part  to  his  efforts. 

Mr.  Cosper  was  born  in  East  Union,  Ohio. 
March  19,  1824.  Iiis  parents  being  Daniel  and 
Margaret  ( ^larr )  Cosper,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  eastern  Pennsylvania.  He  followed 
general  merchandising  to  a  limited  extent  but 
his  attention  was  chiefly  given  to  agricultural 
pursuits  in  Ohio  to  which  state  he  removed  when 
a  young  man.  He  lived  with  his  family  in 
Fredericksburg.  Ohio,  where  both  he  and  his 
wife  resided  until  called  to  their  final  home. 
Only  one  of  their  children  is  now  living,  Daniel, 
who  has  retired  from  business  life  and  makes  his 
home  in  Fredericksburg. 

Elias  Cosper  acquired  a  good  education  in  the 
public  and  ]5rivate  schools  at  Wooster,  Ohio,  and 
afterward  began  learning  the  watchmaker's 
trade  there  with  a  Mr.  Sprague,  being  at  that 
tin^je  alx)ut  twenty-one  years  of  age.  Later  he 
went  to  Lancaster,  Ohio,  where  they  engaged  in 
watch  manufacturing  for  six  years,  and  on  the 
expiration  of  that  period  Mr.  Cosper  sought  a 
home  in  Chicago  and  conducted  a  jewelr}-  busi- 
ness at  No.  "jj  Lake  street,  remaining  there  until 
his  removal  to  Rockford  in  1854.  His  identifi- 
cation with  the  business  interests  of  this  cit\- 
began  as  cashier  of  the  banking  house  of  Robert- 
son, Coleman  &  Company.  The  business  after- 
ward clianged  hands  and  'Wx.  Cosper  became  one 
of  the  stockholders,  his  associates  being  Messrs. 
Robertson,  Starr  and  Coleman,  and  tlieir  bank 
was  the  predecessor  of  what  is  now  known  as 
the  \\'innebago  National  Bank.     Mr.  Cosper  con- 


tinued to  engage  in  the  banking  business  for 
several  years  or  until  after  the  outbreak  of  the 
Ci\'il  war,  when  he  put  aside  business  duties  in 
order  to  respond  to  his  country's  call. 

EnHsting  in  the  Union  Amiy  ilr.  Cosper  be- 
came captain  of  Company  E,  Seventv-fourth  Illi- 
nois Infantry,  under  Colonel  J.  C.  ^lorris.  His 
command  took  jjart  in  many  battles  of  importance 
and  while  at  Nashville  Mr.  Cosper  was  assigned 
to  office  duty,  being  made  first  assistant  provost 
marshal  general,  in  which  capacity  he  served 
both  at  Nashville  and  Stone  River.  Following 
the  battle  of  Chatttanooga  he  resigned  his  posi- 
tion as  captain  and  was  then  made  pa}-master,  in 
which  capacity  he  rendered  signal  serv'ice  to  the 
amiy  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

After  receiving  an  honorable  discharge  in 
1865.  Mr.  Cosper  returned  to  Rockford.  where 
he  entered  into  partnership  with  John  P.  Manny, 
now  deceased.  The}^  dealt  in  reapers  and  other 
farm  implements,  conducting  the  business  with 
success  for  several  }"ears,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  they  organized  a  stock  company  and  be- 
gan the  manufacture  of  tacks  under  the  name 
of  the  Rockford  Tack  Company.  Air.  Cosper 
continued  his  connection  with  that  business 
throughout  his  remaining  days.  The  enterprise 
grew  and  became  a  profitable  concern  and  Mr. 
Cosper  in  the  course  of  years  was  known  as  one 
of  the  wealthy  men  of  the  cit\\  He  owed  his 
business  advancement  entirely  to  his  own  efforts 
and  the  utilization  of  opportunities.  He  pos- 
sessed keen  discernment  and  readily  compre- 
hended  an  intricate  business  situation  and  in  all 
of  his  dealings  he  was  notably  prompt  and  re- 
liable. 

Mr.  Cosper  was  married  in  \\'ooster,  Ohio,  to 
Miss  Ehza  McMonigal.  a  native  of  Wooster  and 
a  daughter  of  Andrew  McMonigal,  who  was  ex- 
tensively engaged  in  farming  in  the  Buckeye 
state.  He  also  carried  on  general  merchandis- 
ing and  in  his  later  years  he  lived  retired  in 
Wooster,  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil. 
There  both  he  and  his  wife  died.  Unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Cosper  were  born  seven  children,  of 
whom  five  are  now  living.  Frank  is  engaged 
in  the  printing  business  as  a  member  of  the 
Cosper  Printing  Company,  of  St.  Louis,  Alis- 
souri.  Harry,  residing  in  Chicago,  is  manager 
of  the  wholesale  house  of  tlie  Becken  Jewelry 
Company.  Alar\',  who  has  always  resided  with 
her  motlier  is  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  L. 
Peake  Harness  Compan\-,  wholesale  and  retail 
dealers  in  harness,  saddlery  and  trunks  at  No. 
1 16  West  State  street  in  Rockford.  This  is  the 
largest  concern  of  the  kind  in  the  city  and  Aliss 
Cosper  gives  careful  attention  to  the  development 
of  the  business  under  her  care.  Charles  A.  is 
employed  in  a  supply  warehouse  at  Chicago. 
Laura    Marr   is   the   wife   of   P.    A.    AlcPherson. 


566 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COLX  IV. 


who  is  a  partner  in  tiic  I'.rinkcrhoff  Maniifactiir- 
inn-  Company,  manufacturers  of  pianos  at  Jack- 
son, .Micliistui.  Those  deceased  are  1-izzie,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  just  as  she 
completed  her  course  in  the  Rock  ford  seminary ; 
and  Anna,  wliu  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Cosper  was  never  an  office  seeker  but 
gave  an  unfaltering  support  to  the  republican 
party.  His  habits  and  tastes  were  those  of  a 
student  and  he  found  great  pleasure  in  the  midst 
of  his  botiks.  He  was  the  prime  mover  in  the 
estal)lishment  of  the  Rockford  public  library, 
worked  hard  to  raise  funds  for  this  purpose  and 
contrii)uted  lKR)ks,  time  and  money  to  the  enter- 
prise, until  the  library  was  an  assureil  fact  in 
1872.  He  l>clonged  to  the  Clrand  Anny  Post  of 
Rockford  and  enjoyed  in  full  measure  the  good 
will  ami  respect  of  his  fellownncn.  His  business 
career  was  such  as  any  man  niiglit  be  proud  to 
possess  for  he  steadily  worked  his  way  upward 
making  oi)portunity  where  none  existed,  over- 
coming the  difficulties  and  obstacles  that  always 
beset  a  business  career,  and  by  liis  inherent  force 
of  character  and  strong  purpose  gaining  the 
handsome  competence  that  enabled  him  to  leave 
his  family  in  very  comfortable  financial  circum- 
stances. .Mrs.  Cosper  is  a  member  of  the  Con- 
gregational church.  She  owns  a  beautiful  home 
at  Xo.  134  Cosper  Place,  in  the  northern  part 
of  Rockford  on  the  banks  of  the  Rock  river.  Mr. 
Cosper  at  one  time  owned  this  addition  to  Rock- 
fonl.  comprising  over  thirty-seven  acres,  but 
most  of  it  has  since  been  sold  in  town  lots,  Mrs. 
Cosper,  however,  retaining  possession  of  the 
family  residence  and  one  acre  of  land.  He  also 
owned  other  valuable  property  in  Rockford. 
The  family  is  very  prominent  here,  occupying  an 
enviable  position  in  social  circles,  and  their  own 
home  is  noted  for  its  gracious  and  cordial  hos- 
pitality. 


JOHN    SCHMAUSS. 

John  .^chmanss,  passing  from  this  life  left  to 
his  family  the  priceless  heritage  of  an  untarnished 
name  together  with  a  handsome  forttme  that  rep- 
resented a  life  of  honest  purpose,  of  laudable  am- 
bition and  indefatigable  industry.  Moreover  he 
endeared  himself  to  his  fellowmen  by  those  ster- 
ling traits  of  character  which  awaken  regard  and 
warm  friendships,  being  very  considerate,  loyal, 
courteous  and  kindly,  while  in  his  home  he  exem- 
plified all  of  the  best  elements  of  the  devoted  hus- 
liand  and  father.  His  life  record  was  an  honor  to 
the  land  of  his  nativity  and  the  land  of  his  adop- 
tion. 

His  birth  occurred  at  Scheittach,  not  far  from 
Nuremburg.  Bavaria,  August  14,  1830.  His  father 
owned   and    conducted   a   well   established   meat 


market  and  bis  five  sons,  George,  John.  Joseph, 
Leonard  and  Wolf,  all  became  experts  at  that 
trade.  Josejih  and  Leonard  were  the  first  repre- 
sentatives of  the  family  to  seek  a  home  in  Amer- 
ica and  secured  employment  in  Kettlewell's  mar- 
ket, in  Rockford.  Seeing  that  there  was  a  favor- 
able o])ening  for  workmen  of  their  nationality 
they  urged  their  brothers,  John  and  Wolf  to  join 
them  here  and  the  request  was  complied  with 
when  in  1855  these  two  brothers  sailed  from  the 
fatherland  for  New  York  and  a  few  davs  later 
reached  Rockford.  John  Schmauss  also  entered 
the  cm])loy  of  Mr.  Kettlewell,  with  whom  he  con- 
tinued until  after  the  discovery  of  gold  at  Pike's 
Peak,  when  he  made  his  way  to  Colorado.  He 
did  not  find  the  fortune  he  there  anticipated  and 
became  convinced  that  he  was  as  likely  to  win 
success  in  the  Inisincss  opportunities  afforded  in 
Rockford  as  in  the  gold  fields  of  the  mountain 
districts.  He  therefore  returned  to  Rockford 
with  a  belief  in  her  future,  the  infallibility  of 
which  was  proven  as  the  years  went  by.  He  re- 
alized that  industry  and  thrift  are  the  basis  of  all 
success  and  he  worked  persistently  and  energet- 
ically for  the  successful  conduct  of  the  business 
in  which  he  engaged  as  a  partner  of  Charles 
dehorn,  the  firm  being  established  under  the  firm 
style  of  Schorn  &  Schmauss.  This  was  in  May, 
1867,  and  for  five  years  they  conducted  a  profit- 
able trade,  at  the  end  of  which  time  Mr.  Schorn 
established  a  meat  market  on  Matlison  street, 
while  Mr.  Schmauss  removed  to  a  farm. 

In  1871  Mr.  Schmauss  purchased  the  property 
known  as  the  Twogood  farm  in  Cherry  Valley 
townshi]).  He  was  identified  with  the  meat  busi- 
ness until  1855,  when  the  firm  of  Schmauss 
Brothers  sold  out  to  Leonard  and  Joseph 
Schmauss,  sons  of  Leonard  Schmauss,  Sr.  Dur- 
ing the  interval  from  1871  until  1885  Mr. 
Schmauss  had  labored  constantly  to  improve 
what  had  become  a  most  valuable  farm  property 
and  after  he  had  retired  from  the  market  he  drove 
almost  daily  down  to  the  farm,  comprising  more 
(ban  three  hundred  acres,  giving  to  its  develop- 
ment and  cultivation  his  personal  supervision 
and  making  it  a  valuable  property.  In  connection 
with  the  tilling  of  the  soil  consideralile  attention 
was  given  to  the  raising  of  cattle  and  in  all  of  his 
business  he  was  practical,  systematic  and  ener- 
getic. Pie  seemed  to  use  his  opjiortunities  to  the 
very  best  advantage  and  his  farm  became  a  very 
paying  investment.  At  the  same  time  he  did  much 
to  improve  his  beautiful  home  on  East  State 
street  an<l  here  the  first  spring  flowers  and  the 
last  blossoms  of  autunnt  were  seen,  together  with 
all  the  rare  and  beautiful  jilants  nurtured  through 
the  smnmer  months.  He  likewise  had  a  garden 
which  was  his  pride  and  indeed  he  had  every 
reason  to  feel  the  utmost  gratification.    He  raised 


JOHN   SCHMAUSS. 


32 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


5f'Q 


the  earliest  and  best  veg'etal)les  anil  his  opinions 
concerning  the  cultivation  of  garden  products 
were  received  as  authority.  His  reputation  as  a 
far-sighted  financier  was  widespread  and  his 
judgment  was  seldom  if  ever  at  fault  in  any  busi- 
ness method.  He  readily  comprehended  intricate 
business  situations  and  mastered  difficult  prob- 
lems, so  using  existing  conditions  that  the  de- 
sired result  was  gained. 

There  were  other  sides  to  the  nature  of  Air. 
Schmauss,  however,  that  awakened  for  him  the 
warmest  regard,  while  his  business  ability  com- 
manded the  respect  and  excited  the  admiration 
of  his  contemporaries.  A  biographer  at  the  time 
of  his  death  said:  "Mr.  Schmauss  did  not  think 
solely  and  incessantly  of  his  work.  He  had  a 
genial  disposition  and  found  great  enjoyment  in 
social  life.  As  long  as  his  health  permitted  he 
participated  in  social  pleasures.  His  jovial,  cor- 
dial nature  made  him  always  a  welcome  addition 
to  a  large  and  congenial  circle  of  friends.  He 
was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Germania  Gesang- 
verein,  of  which  he  was  an  honorary  member." 

If  Mr.  Schmauss  had  been  questioned  concern- 
ing the  most  important  chapter  in  his  life  history 
he  would  probably  have  replied  that  it  was  the  one 
which  related  to  his  home  for  he  was  pre-emi- 
nently a  man  of  domestic  tastes,  displaying  the 
utmost  devotion  to  his  family  and  considering  no 
personal  sacrifice  on  his  part  too  great  if  it  would 
enhance  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  his  wife  and 
daughter.  He  was  married  April  4,  1866,  to 
Miss  Anna  Frohlich,  of  ^^'aldsassen.  Bavaria, 
Germany,  and  the  relation  that  existed  between 
them  was  a  most  congenial  one,  Mrs.  Schmauss 
proving  a  most  capable  helpmate  and  companion 
to  her  husband  on  life's  journey.  She  made  it  her 
object  to  share  and  lighten  his  care.  Had  the 
day  been  full  of  trials  and  annoyances  the  home 
was  bright  and  cheerful  and  a  welcome  always 
awaited  him.  Had  he  worked  past  hours  on  his 
farm  to  return  tired  out,  the  home-coming  was 
a  satisfaction  that  made  him  forget  his  weariness. 
Mrs.  Schmauss  is  pre-eminently  a  housewife, 
or  "housemother"'  as  the  Germans  put  it  and  she 
studied  constantly  the  wishes  and  desires  of  her 
husband  and  made  it  her  work  to  minister  tmto 
these,  thus  contributing  to  the  comfort  and  hap- 
piness throughout  the  long  years  of  their  married 
life.  They  had  one  daughter.  Katharine,  who  has 
attained  superior  ability  in  various  art  lines,  in- 
cluding needle  work  and  painting,  .\mong  her 
laces  there  is  a  collar  of  the  finest  material  for 
which  she  was  oflfered  two  hundred  and  fifty  dol- 
lars by  Marshall  Field  &  Company,  of  Chicago. 
Her  reputation  as  an  artist  indicates  the  value 
of  her  marked  talent  in  painting  and  she  has  a  fine 
collection  of  oil  and  water  colors  in  her  home. 
Mr.  Schmauss  departed  this  life  February  i, 
1904,  and  his  wife  and  daughter  now  reside  in  the 


beautiful  home  wdiich  he  has  prepared  for  them 
at  No.  821  East  State  street.  His  memory  is  en- 
shrined in  the  hearts  of  all  who  knew  him  and 
were  familiar  with  his  many  excellent  traits  of 
character,  his  kindly  spirit,  his  generous  sympa- 
thy and  his  devotion  to  the  good,  the  true  and  the 
beautiful.  While  he  has  achieved  a  success  that 
made  him  a  notable  figure  in  business  circles  this 
was  not  the  end  for  which  he  was  striving  save 
as  it  gave  him  the  means  to  minister  unto  his 
family  and  to  take  part  in  many  good  works.  He 
was  quick  to  recognize  true  manhood  in  others 
and  he  counted  his  friends  not  by  what  they  pos- 
sessed in  worldly  goods  but  because  of  their  gen- 
uine worth  of  character.  He  was  indeed  one  of 
the  most  prominent  factors  in  the  German-Ainer- 
ican  citizenship  of  Winnebago  county  and  his 
life  record  is  indeed  worthy  of  emulation. 


GLEASON  F.  BRIGGS. 

(_;ieason  F.  Briggs,  now  living  retired  in  W'in- 
nebagq,  where  for  the  past  twenty  years  he  has 
been  engaged  in  loaning  monev,  has  resided  in 
this  county  for  sixty-seven  years.  He  was  born 
in  Erie  county.  New  York,  near  Buffalo,  May 
25,  1825,  his  parents  being  Albey  and  Zerviah 
I  Jewell )  Briggs.  natives  of  Rhode  Island  and 
Massachusetts,  respectively.  Following  their 
marriage  they  resided  in  the  state  of  New  York 
until  1838,  and  on  the  2d  of  July  of  that  year 
they  arrived  at  Dixon,  afterward  locating  at 
Westfield  Corners.  Tliey  had  sold  their  farm  in 
the  east,  and  were  accompanied  on  the  westward 
journey  by  a  family  of  old  neighbors  from  New- 
York.  Mr.  Briggs  purchased  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  land  at  Westfield  Corners,  and  for 
thirty  years  owned  the  four  corners  there.  He 
conducted  the  postoffice  there  for  a  long  period. 
He  devoted  his  energies  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil 
and  raised  .stock  and  was  very  successful  in  his 
business  afl:"airs,  the  entire  family  being  noted  as 
money-makers,  having  the  sound  judgment  and 
indefatigable  energ\-  which  always  results  in  the 
acquirement  of  prosperity.  Mr.  Briggs  served  as 
school  director  and  also  as  a  church  officer,  and 
the  chapel  at  \\'estfield  Corners  was  erected  on 
his  farm.  He  lived  a  ver\-  honorable,  upright  life 
and  truthfully  said  that  he  never  sued  any  man 
or  was  ever  sued  by  any  one — a  fact  which  indi- 
cates a  business  career  that  will  bear  the  closest 
investigation  and  scrutiny.  He  died  December 
8.  1878,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six  years,  while  his 
wife  passed  awa\-  August  28,  1870,  when  sev- 
enty-two years  of  age.  G.  F.  Briggs.  of  this  re- 
view, like  his  father,  can  say  that  he  has  never 
sued  or  been  sued  by  an}-  man.  He  has  two 
brothers  and  three  sisters  :     Paulina  became  the 


57° 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


wife  of  Horace  Hudson,  and  died  Marcii  lo. 
1879,  in  the  village  of  Winnebago,  where  they 
made  their  home.  Irene  married  Levi  Burch. 
and  died  December  27,  1S77,  in  Byron  townsiiip, 
Ogle  county,  Illinois.  .Mary  Ann  is  living  with 
lier  brother,  Curtis  Briggs,  in  Winnebago.  Irvin 
died  in  1840,  at  the  age  of  nine  years.  Curtis, 
boni  in  Erie  county,  New  York,  March  14.  1823, 
antl  now  living  in  the  village  of  Winnebago, 
owns  a  tine  farm  in  Winnebago  Mwnship.  He 
married  Rachel  Wood,  wiio  died  alj<jut  1880.  and 
he  afterward  wedded  Narcissa  Fulsom,  who  died 
in  April,  1901.  Byron  W.  Briggs,  the  next  mem- 
ber of  the  family,  was  born  July  14,  1838,  soon 
after  the  arrival  of  his  parents  in  this  county. 
He  lives  in  Winnebago  and  married  Miss  Jennie 
Ixggett,  whose  father.  Jacob  Leggett,  came  to 
this  county  about  1850. 

G.  F.  Briggs  spent  a  portion  of  his  youth  in 
the  Empire  state,  and  the  remainder  in  Winne- 
bago county,  whither  he  came  with  his  parents 
at  the  age  of  thirteen  years.  He  has  always  fol- 
lowed famiing,  and  to  a  considerable  extent  has 
engaged  in  real-estate  operations.  In  all  that  he 
has  undertaken  he  has  been  successful,  making 
judicious  investments,  and  during  the'  past 
twenty  years  he  has  loaned  money.  At  one  time 
he  owned  two  farms,  which  he  afterward  sold, 
and  he  has  recently  disposed  of  the  old  home 
property. 

Mr.  Briggs  was  married  to  Rebecca  Ann  Hunt, 
who  was  Ixjrn  in  Mount  Pleasant,  New  jersev. 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Joscjih  Hunt,  who  went 
west,  settling  in  Independence,  Iowa,  but  soon 
returned  to  Rockford.  and  later  purchased  a  farm 
near  I'.yron,  Ogle  county,  where  he  resided  until 
he  retired  from  business  life,  when  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  Bjron  about  ten  or  twelve  _\ears  prior 
to  his  death,  there  passing  away  when  over  eighty 
years  of  age.  His  widow  still  resides  at  Byroii, 
and  is  now  more  than  ninety-four  years  of  age, 
making  her  home  with  her  son,  who  is  the  post- 
master tiierc.  In  1903  Mr.  Briggs  was  called 
upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  died  June 
17  of  that  year,  in  the  sixty-eighth  year  of  her  age. 

Studying  the  issues  and  questions  of  the  day, 
Mr.  Briggs  has  found  that  his  views  have  long 
been  in  harmony  with  the  principles  of  the  repub- 
lican party,  which  has  always  received  the  sup- 
port of  the  family.  He  served  as  constable  forty 
years  ago,  but  has  never  l)een  active  as  an  office- 
seeker.  He  belongs  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
churcli  of  Winnebago,  and  his  life  has  been  actu- 
ated by  its  teachings.  The  residence  of  few  men 
in  the  connty  antedates  that  of  our  subject,  who 
during  sixty-seven  years  has  witnessed  the 
changes  that  have  occurred,  as  roads  have  been 
made,  the  land  subdivided,  farms  cleared  and 
cultivated,  schools  and  churches  built  and  busi- 
ness interests  established.     He  has  taken   much 


pride  in  what  has  lieen  accomplished  and  has 
borne  his  part  as  a  citizen  of  worth  who  desires 
the  best  good  of  the  county.  He  is  now  over 
eighty  years  of  age.  and  says  he  has  never  missed 
a  meal. 


WILL  K.  WATKINS. 

W  ill  L.  Watkins.  residing  on  section  20,  Guil- 
ford township,  owns  a  farm  of  three  lunulred 
and  sixty-tive  acres,  lying  on  sections  19,  20, 
and  29.  He  was  born  in  this  township,  JIarch 
30,  1866,  and  is  a  son  of  N.  W.  Watkins.  His 
boyhood  and  youth  were  spent  on  tlie  old  family 
homestead,  where  he  early  Ixjcame  familiar  with 
all  the  work  of  the  farm.  After  mastering  the 
elementary  branches  of  learning  as  taught  in 
the  common  schools  he  continued  his  education 
in  Carpenter's  and  Selsby's  school  in  Rockford 
and  thus  well  ec|uipped  for  life's  practical  and 
responsible  duties  he  entered  upon  his  independ- 
ent business  career.  He  has  always  carried  on 
general  fanning  and  his  property  of  three  hun- 
dred and  sixty-five  acres  is  one  of  the  most 
valuable  farms  of  Guilford  township.  He  has 
not  been  active  in  famiing  operations  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  but  derives  from  his  farm  an  in- 
come sufficient  to  supply  him  with  all  of  the  com- 
forts and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life.  He  also 
has  a  fine  residence  property  at  No.  S3S  North 
Church  street,  in  Rockford. 

Mr.  Watkins  was  married  in  this  county  to 
Miss  Mar>-  Lacey,  who  was  born  in  W^innebago 
county,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Miles  Lacey,  an  old 
resident  of  Winnebago  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Watkins  have  one  daughter.  Catherine,  now  ten 
years  of  age.  Their  circle  of  friends  in  Winne- 
bago county  is  extensive  and  is  constantly  grow- 
ing as  the  circle  of  their  acquaintance  increases. 
Mr.  \\'atkins  has  always  been  known  for  relia- 
bility in  business  affairs  and  in  the  management 
of  his  property  interests  displays  keen  discern- 
ment and  capability,  gaining  thereby  a  comfort- 
able competence. 

It  will  be  interesting  in  this  connection  to  note 
something  of  the  history  of  Mr.  Watkins'  par- 
ents. His  father.  N.  W.  Watkins,  now  living 
retired  at  No.  619  Oak  street,  in  Rockford,  was 
born  in  Cattaraugus  county.  New  York,  in  1838, 
his  parents  being  N.  \\'.  and  Julia  (Brink)  Wat- 
kins, who,  in  1839,  removed  to  Kalamazoo.  Michi- 
gan. The  father,  however,  was  not  long  per- 
mitted to  enjoy  his  new  home  for  his  death 
occurred  there  the  same  year.  The  mother  and 
her  son,  N.  W.  Watkins,  Jr.,  afterwartl  came  to 
Cherry  Valley  township,  Winnebago  county, 
where  she  resided  with  her  sister.  Mrs.  Darius 
Fish,  for  several  years.  I^ter  she  made  her 
home   with  a  brother   for  sometime  and  subse- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


571 


qucntly  she  became  the  wife  of  a  Mr.  Dubois. 
Siie  then  resided  in  Belvidere  until  her  death, 
which  occurred  in  1888,  when  she  was  about 
seventy  years  of  age.  She  made  the  trip  over- 
land from  Kew  York  to  the  state  of  Illinois, 
traveling  after  the  primitive  manner  of  the  timer 
before  tlie  era  of  railroad  transportation  and  she 
was  cn<;  cf  the  well  known  pioneer  women  of 
this  part  of  the  state.  By  her  second  marriage 
she  had  a  son,  Louis  Dubois,  who  is  now  resid- 
ing in  Los  Angeles,  California. 

N.  W.  Watkins  was  reared  in  Winnebago 
county,  but  from  the  age  of  ten  or  eleven  years 
has  been  dependent  entirely  upon  his  own  re- 
sources for  a  living.  He  is  justly  entitled  there- 
fore to  the  praise  indicated  by  the  term,  "a  self- 
made  man."  He  attended  winter  schools  as  he 
spring  planting  until  crops  were  harvested  in 
found  opportunity  until  crops  were  harvested  in 
the  late  autumn  he  was  busy  in  the  fields.  It 
\\as  his  own  frugality  and  industry  that  brought 
him  the  capital,  wherewith  he  purchased  a  farm. 
He  finally  became  owner  of  a  tract  of  land 
just  east  of  Rockford,  in  Guilford  township,  and 
there  he  sncessfully  carried  on  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits  until  1894,  when  he  retired  and 
removed  to  Rockford.  He  then  purchased  and 
improved  his  present  comfortable  home  and  here 
he  has  since  enjoyed  a  well  earned  rest. 

N.  W.  Watkins  was  first  married  to  Miss  Mary 
Turner,  a  native  of  Guilford  township,  who  died 
in  1898,  at  the  age  of  sixty  years.  She  was  born 
on  the  farm  where  our  subject  now  resides, 
a  daughter  of  Melgar  and  Julia  (Kelly)  Turner, 
natives  of  New  York  and  Ireland  respectively, 
the  latter  coming  to  the  LTnited  States  with  her 
father.  James  Kelly.  The  only  child  of  the  mar- 
riage of  N.  W.  Watkins  and  wife  is  Will  E. 
Watkins.  Politically  ^Ir.  Watkins  is  a  demo- 
crat, but  the  honors  and  emoluments  of  office 
ha\'e  never  had  any  attraction  for  him.  Through 
manv  vears  he  gave  his  undivided  attention  to 
his  business  affairs  and  now  he  is  enjoying  a 
well  earned  rest  in  his  home  in  Rockford.  where, 
surrounded  by  many  friends  he  is  enjoying  all 
of  the  comforts  and  manv  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 


NAHUM  F.  PARSONS. 

Nahum  F.  Parsons  of  the  Winnebago  Grain 
&  Lumber  Company,  whose  watchful  attention 
to  and  utilization  of  opix>rtunities  has  given  him 
rank  with  the  representative  business  men  of 
this  section  of  the  county,  who  was  born  in 
Brimfield,  ^Massachusetts.  Dcember  4,  18.^4.  his 
parents  being  Luke  and  Tryphena  H.  (Fisher) 
Parsons,  who  came  to  Illinois  in  1836  and  1839 
respectively.     The  father  located  first  at  Byron, 


then  called  Bloomingdale,  and  his  wife  made  her 
wav  to  the  west  from  Westborough,  Massachu- 
setts. By  trade  Mr.  Parsons  was  a  hatter  and 
not  only  became  active  in  business  life  at  Byron 
but  was  also  influential  in  public  affairs,  serving 
as  deputy  county  surveyor  and  in  other  local 
Dffices.  He  died  in  Byron  in  1844,  at  the  age 
of  forty-six  years,  while  his  wife  passed  away 
in  1893,  ^^  '^'t^  '^S'^  o^  eighty-three  years,  having 
survived  her  husband  for  almost  a  half  century. 
In  the  family  were  three  sons  and  two  daughters, 
namelv :  Luke  F.,  residing  in  Salina,  Kansas; 
Samuel  E.  of  Brookville,  Kansas ;  and  Nahum 
F.  of  this  review.  The  sisters  are  both  deceased 
but  Mr.  Parsons  has  a  half-sister  ajid  two  step- 
sisters living,  his  mother  having  married  Lucius 
Read,  of  Bvron,  after  losing  her  first  husband. 
;Mr.  Read  passed  away  in  December,  1864. 

Nahum  F.  Parsons  was  reared  in  Byron,  Illi- 
nois, being  but  four  and  a  half  years  of  age  when 
the  family  arrived  at  that  place.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  schools  of  that  locality  and 
worked  upon  the  home  farm  until  he  became  a 
factor  in  the  business  life  of  Winnebago.  Tak- 
ing up  his  abode  here,  he  entered  the  stock  busi- 
ness in  1864,  in  connection  with  John  K.  Bing- 
ham, and  later  he  extended  his  field  of  operations 
to  the  lumber  trade  in  connection  with  D.  C. 
Lewis  in  1867.  Subsecjuently  he  purchased  the 
interest  of  ^Ir.  Lewis.  ]\Ir.  Bingham  having 
previously  retired.  In  1871  he  began  handhng 
grain  and  in  1890  he  commenced  dealing  in  coal. 
He  built  his  grain  elevator  in  1879 — the  first 
one  erected  in  this  vicinit\-  and  he  actively  con- 
ducted the  business  alone  until  he  decided  to 
organize  a  company  capitalized  at  twenty  thou- 
sand dollars.  The  incorporation  was  effected 
in  1893  under  the  name  of  the  Winnebago  Grain 
&  Lumber  Company  with  John  C.  Compton  as 
president  and  Robert  Spottswood  as  secretary 
and  treasurer.  The  board  of  directors  included 
these  officers  together  with  i\Ir.  Parsons  and  El- 
der Moore,  all  of  Winnebago.  Mr.  Parsons  had 
continued  sole  owner  of  the  business  until,  wish- 
ing to  retire  and  put  aside  the  arduous  duties 
that  devolved  upon  him  in  connection  with  the 
control  and  management  of  interests  that  had  al- 
ready become  extensive,  he  determined  to  in- 
corporate and  now  for  the  past  few  years  he 
has  practically  rested  from  business  cares. 

In  1873  Mr.  Parsons  was  married  to  Miss 
Nancv,  daughter  of  David  B.  and  Maria  (Stev- 
ens) Hendry,  of  Delaware  county.  New  York, 
who  had  been  a  successful  teacher  in  the  public 
schools  of  Iowa  prior  to  her  inarriage.  They 
have  three  sons.  Nahum  H.,  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Parsons  &  Company  conducting  a  lum- 
ber business  on  North  Madison  street  in  Rock- 
ford, married  Harriet  Ruezey,  of  Winnebago, 
and  has  one  child,  Nahum  \'incent.     George,  a 


.•>/- 


PAST  AX  I)  PRESENT  OF  WINXEBAGO  COUXTY. 


fjratluate  of  L'uriKll  I'liivtTsity.  at  Ithaca,  \c\v 
York,  is  an  dtrtrical  i-iif^iiiccr  in  the  Wcstin^j- 
1k)Usc  shops  at  I'ittshnrjj.  Hiijjh  G..  who  is  a 
graduate  of  the  high  scliools  of  W'iimebago  and 
of  Rock  ford  and  also  pursued  a  business  course 
in  Rtx'kford.  is  now  associated  with  his  eldest 
l>rotlu'r  in  the  lumlier  l)UsiiK'ss  in  the  county  seat 
and  tile  father  is  likewise  largely  interested  in 
tlie  Parsons  Lumber  Company  there. 

Mr.  Parsons  joinetl  the  Congregational  church 
at  Byron  when  but  thirteen  years  of  age.  At 
W'innelxigo.  however,  he  has  affiliated  witii  the 
Preslnterian  church.  In  jiolitics  he  has  been  a 
stanch  republican  from  the  organization  of  the 
|)arty.  having  voted  for  John  C.  I'Veinont.  its 
first  candidate.  For  two  tenns  he  ser\'ed  as 
su]X'rvi.sor  of  Winnebago  township  but  his  am- 
bition has  not  been  in  the  line  of  office-holding. 
In  liis  business  career  he  has  been  watchful  of 
opixirtiinities  and  of  all  indications  pointing  t<i 
success,  has  Ix-en  alert  and  energetic  and  has  so 
utilized  the  means  at  han<l  that  his  labors  have 
brought  a  satisfactory  reward.  In  1X7(1  lie  built 
his  fine  lit)me  in  the  soutlK-rii  part  of  the  village 
of  \\innebago.  where  he  is  now  living  in  prac- 
tical retirement  from  lalior.  having  reached  tlv 
Psalmist's  sjian  of  tiirce  score  years  and  ten  with 
a  liaiids(nne  comi)etence  that  sii])plies  him  with  all 
of  the  necessities  and  comforts  and  nianv  of  the 
luxuries  of  life. 


I'LIXY  /.  XF.WTON. 

Pliny  /,.  Xewton.  who  for  the  past  twenty 
years  has  been  engaged  in  the  undertaking  busi- 
ness in  Winnebago,  came  to  this  county  in  1852. 
first  locating  in  Seward  township,  where  he  still 
owns  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres, 
lie  is  numbered  among  the  worthy  sons  that  the 
Empire  state  has  furnished  to  this  section  of 
Illinois,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  St.  Law- 
rence county.  .Xovember  2t;.  1830.  his  parents 
being  Ziba  and  Martha  (Burnapp)  Xewton.  The 
mother  died  in  the  Fni])ire  state  <ibout  1850  but 
the  father  afterward  came  to  Winnebago  countv. 
arriving  here  in  comjiany  with  his  son.  Plinv  Z. 
.Xewton.  in  185J.  lie  continued  to  make  his  home 
in  this  county  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
about  forty  years  ago.  Mr.  Xewton  of  this 
review  ha(l  two  brothers  and  four  sisters,  who 
also  came  to  this  county  and  of  these  three  sisters 
are  yet  living  within  its  borders,  namely:  Mrs. 
Lucelia  Wells  and  Mrs.  Kozora  Proctor,  of  Rock- 
lord  :  and  .Mrs.  Susan  Seeger.  of  Winnebago 
township.  Winthrop  resided  here  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  Seward  township  several  years 

Pliny  Z.  .Xewton  was  reared  in  the  ljii])ire 
state    and    had    attained    his    majority    when    lie 


came  to  Illinois.  llis  education  had  been  ac- 
((uired  in  the  public  schools  and  he  had  became 
familiar  with  farm  work.  He  was  then  identified 
with  general  agricultural  pursuits  until  he  em- 
barked in  his  present  business.  When  he  ar- 
rived in  this  county  fifty-three  years  ago  he  set- 
tled in  Seward  township,  where  he  .still  owns  a 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  He  pur- 
chased it  soon  after  he  reached  Illinois  and  has 
made  all  of  the  improvements  thereon,  it  being 
now  a  splendidly  developed  property,  .\bout 
twenty  years  ago.  however,  he  came  to  the  vil- 
lage of  Winnebago,  where  he  established  under- 
taking parlors,  becoming  the  successor  of  (  ).  E. 
liunlick.  now  residing  in  t"liicago.  The  business 
had  been  purchased  from  .Mr.  liurdick  by  .\.  D. 
aii<l  j.  1'-.  Xewton,  .sons  of  our  subject,  about  a 
(|uarter  of  a  century  ago  and  they  conducted  it 
until   1885.  when  the  father  took  charge. 

.Mr.  Xewton  was  married  to  Miss  .Martha  J. 
riiclps.  who  was  born  July  21.  1838.  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Silas  and  Clarinda  (Williams) 
Pheljis.  Her  father  was  one  of  the  early  resi- 
dents of  Seward  township,  who  came  from  Ohio 
to  this  county  in  1850  and  here  died  a  number 
of  years  ago.  lie  had  nine  children:  Josiali. 
Silas.  William,  Mrs.  ( )rinda  Shelden,  Mrs.  Sarah 
liurdick,  and  three  who  died  in  infancy.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Xewton  have  become  the  parents  of 
three  sons:  J.  F...  who  is  now  residing  in  W'in- 
nebago.  where  he  operates  a  mill  and  thresher, 
married  Jessie  Seaton  and  has  one  child,  Lloyd; 
.v.  D..  who  conducts  the  home  farm  in  Seward 
township,  married  Carrie  Brown  and  has  one 
child.  \'iola :  and  .-\lva,  wdio  resides  in  Kirkland. 
is  married  and  has  one  child.  Lerov.  He  owns 
a  farm  near  there  but  is  now  living  retired,  mak- 
ing his  home  in  the  village.  There  is  also  an 
ado])te<l  daughter,  now  Mrs.  .\ugusta  Mack,  re- 
siding in  Waterloo,  low.i.  who  has  three  cliil- 
tlren.   Elmer.  Lillian  and   .Maybeth. 

Politically  a  re])ublican.  Mr.  Xewton  has 
served  for  several  years  t)n  the  town  board  of 
\\'innebago  township  and  he  gives  a  iiublic- 
spirited  siip])ort  to  measures  which  he  deems  of 
benefit  to  the  locality.  He  and  his  wfie  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of 
Winnebago  and  are  well  known  in  this  city. 
His  sterling  traits  of  character  and  good  (luali- 
ties  make  him  |jersonally  ])opular  with  a  large 
circle  of  friends. 


xi:i.s  T 


■||(  i.MIS(  )X. 


Xels  T.  Thompson,  who  has  been  engaged  in 
the  tail<iriiig  business  in  Rockford  since  187S 
and  has  nride  his  home  here  since  i8()0.  was 
born  in  .*^weden.  .\|)ril  22.  1833.  The  days  of 
his  boyhood  an<l  youth  were  s])eiit   in  his  native 


MR.  AND  MRS.  P.  Z.  NEWTON. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


575 


land  but  he  was  ambitious  to  enjoy  better  busi- 
ness privileg-es  than  could  be  secured  in  that 
country  and,  attracted  by  the  reports  which  he 
had  heard  concerning  America,  he  sailed  for  the 
United  States  in  1854.  He  had  already  acquired 
a  fair  education  and  had  learned  the  tailor's 
trade,  so  that  he  came  well  equipped  to  make  a 
creditable  position  for  himself  in  the  business 
world.  He  first  located  in  Qiicago,  where  he 
secured  employment  in  the  line  of  his  chosen 
occupation  but  was  obliged  to  discontinue  his 
labors  there  on  account  of  his  health. 

As  before  stated,  he  took  up  his  abode  in 
Rockford  in  i860,  six  years  after  arriving  in  the 
new  world,  and,  entering  Thompson's  repair 
shop,  he  was  employed  there  for  a  number  of 
years,  after  which  he  embarked  in  business  on 
his  own  account  in  August,  1878.  From  the 
beginning  he  has  prospered  and  a  constantly 
growing  trade  has  made  him  one  of  the  leading 
merchant  tailors  of  the  city.  He  now  employs 
a  number  of  experienced  workmen  who  are  kept 
busy  all  the  time.  His  stock  of  goods  is  thor- 
oughly up  to  date  and  he  receives  orders  from  a 
large  number  of  the  best  citizens  here,  for  the 
clothing  made  in  his  shop  carries  with  it  a  guar- 
antee of  good  workmanship  and  of  st^'le. 

In  1859,  in  Chicago,  Mr.  Thompson  was  mar- 
ried to  Aliss  Johanna  Vaul,  who  was  born  in 
Sweden  and  came  with  her  husband  to  Rockford, 
where  she  died  in  February,  1862.  He  has  since 
wedded  Emma  Peterson,  of  this  city,  also  a 
native  of  Sweden  and  a  sister  of  P.  A.  Peterson, 
of  Rockford.  Mr.  Thompson  has  five  children : 
Laura,  the  wife  of  Gus  Hultquist,  of  Rockford: 
^^'illie  :  ]\Iarie  ;  Hattie,  and  Blanche. 

Mr.  Thompson,  giving  careful  consideration 
to  the  questions  and  issues  of  the  day,  became  a 
champion  of  republican  principles  when  he  was 
made  a  naturalized  citizen.  He  belongs  to  the 
IMasonic  fraternity.  His  reliability  in  business 
interests  is  a  matter  alxive  question  and  his 
energy  and  strong  purpose  have  been  salient 
elements  in  a  successful  career.  The  hope  which 
led  him  to  seek  a  home  in  the  new  world  has 
been  more  than  realized,  for  he  has  not  only 
established  a  profitable  business  but  has  also 
gained  a  good  home  and  made  many  friends  in 
the  land  of  his  adoption. 


M.  W.  HAYWARD. 


"SI.  W.  Hayward,  owns,  occupies  and  operates 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  lying  on 
section  3,  Roscoe  township,  and  constituting  one 
of  the  well  improved  farms  of  the  locality.  He 
was   born   in   \'ermont   January   27,    1849.     His 


paternal  grandfatlier,  Azel  Hayward,  was  a  na- 
tive of  New  England  and  a  cabinet-maker  by 
trade.  He  married  Polly  Drake  and  they  lived 
in  Bridgewater,  Massachusetts,  for  sometime  but 
subsequently  removed  to  the  Green  Mountain 
state.  Their  son,  Edwin  Hayward,  father  of  our 
subject,  was  born  in  Bridgewater,  Massachusetts, 
in  1803,  and  having  arrived  at  years  of  maturity 
he  was  married  in  the  Green  Mountain  state  to 
Miss  Lucy  Ann  Warner,  who  was  born  in  Corn- 
wall, Vermont,  January  10,  1818.  The  father 
died  at  the  age  of  fifty-two  years,  his  last  days 
being  spent  in  Vermont,  but  the  mothep,  is  now 
living  in  Chicago,  Illinois..  Following  the  death 
of  her  husband  she  came  with  her  six  children  to 
the  west  in  1855,  settling  in  Roscoe  township, 
\\'itmebago  county,  and  has  since  made  her  home 
in  this  state.  Edwin  Hayward  was  a  man  of 
prominence  and  influence  in  Vermont,  doing 
much  to  mold  public  thought  and  action,  and 
he  was  called  to  represent  his  district  in  the  state 
legislature.  Of  the  six  children  who  came  with 
the  mother  to  Illinois  five  are  still  living,  namely : 
Harriet  F..  Levi  G.,  Laura  A.,  \l.  W.  and  Susan 
]\I.  The  other  son,  Azel  D.,  was  a  soldier  of 
the  Civil  war,  enlisting  in  the  First  Board  of 
Trade  Regiment  of  Cliicago,  Company  B,  Sev- 
enty-second Illinois  Volunteers,  and  he  died  of 
illness  contracted  while  he  was  in  the  army. 

M.  W.  Ha\-ward  came  with  his  mother  to  Illi- 
nois when  a  youth  of  only  six  years  and  was 
reared  to  manhood  in  Winnebago  county,  where 
he  has  resided  continuously  since,  always  living 
on  the  old  homestead  which  became  his  mother's 
place  of  residence  when  she  reached  Roscoe 
township.  He  now  has  a  tract  of  sixty  acres  on 
each  side  of  the  road;,  so  that  his  farm  comprises 
altogether  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  situated 
on  sections  three  and  four.  The  land  is  rich  and 
productive  and  the  fertile  fieklis  yield  golden  har- 
vests in  return  for  the  care  and  labor  he  be- 
stowed upon  them.  In  all  of  his  farm  work  Mr. 
Havward  has  been  practical  and  at  the  same  time 
progressive  and  he  is  quick  to  adopt  improved 
methods  which  promise  good  results.  He  has 
modem  macliinery  and  everything  to  facilitate 
the  farm  work  and  his  labors  have  brought  to 
him  a  gratifying  measure  of  success. 

On  the  2d  of  Januan,-,  1884,  occurred  the 
marriage  of  Mr.  Hayward  and  Miss  Lucy  W. 
Wooster,  a  native  of  Vermont  and  a  daughter  of 
Benjamin  P.  and  Hannah  (Warner)  Wooster. 
They  have  become  the  parents  of  four  children : 
Olive  M.,  Qiarles  P.,  Marion  F.  and  Lucy  A. 
Mr.  Havward  is  recognized  as  a  devoted  husband 
and  father,  as  well  as  an  enterprising  agriculturist 
and  useful  citizen.  He  belongs  to  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  fraternit)-  and  the  Alodern  Woodmen, 
and  in  politics  he  is  a  republican,  having  always 
supported   the  party,   but  he   never  seeks   office. 


.-)/' 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


preferring  lu  ii'we  his  undividcil  attention  to 
his  business  affairs,  whereby  he  provides  a  com- 
fortable Hviiifj  and  gtjod  home  for  his  wife  and 
children. 


(iEORGE  A.  CK()\Vl.i:V. 

( ieorge  A.  Crowley,  following;'  the  occiipatinn 
of  farming  on  section  35,  .Shirland  townshii), 
has  a  valuable  projx'rty  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  and  tlie  rich  and  productive  soil 
yields  him  excellent  harvests.  He  was  born  in 
\ictor  township.  Cayuga  county.  New  York, 
December  12,  1852,  his  parents  being  Walker 
and  Rosana  ( Camp )  Crowley,  both  of  whom 
sjienl  their  last  days  in  Winnebago  county.  The 
father  settled  in  what  was  then  Howard  but  is 
now  Durand  township,  ])urchasing  a  tract  of 
land,  and  uj)  to  the  time  of  his  death  he  owned 
that  farm,  carrying  on  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits. His  political  allegiance  was  given  to  the 
re])ublican  party  from  the  time  of  its  organiza- 
tion and  when  the  country  became  involved  in 
the  Civil  war  he  joined  Company  H.  of  the 
Seventy-fourth  Illinois  Infantry,  serving  from 
1862  until  the  clo.se  of  the  war  or  for  almost 
thri-c  years.  He  then  returned  to  engage  again 
in  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  remained  a 
resident  of  this  county  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred June  13.  iix>5.  when  he  had  reached  the 
advanced  age  of  seventy-eight  years.  He  had 
long  survived  his  wife  who  passed  away  in  1855. 
when  she  was  twenty-seven  years  of  age.  .'^he 
left  two  children.  (leorge  A.  and  Mrs.  Nancy  T. 
C(x>ney,  of  Harrison  townshij).  .\fter  losing  his 
first  wife.  Walker  Crowley  was  again  married, 
his  second  union  being  with  Miss  Martha  Camp- 
bell, of  this  county,  who  was  born  in  the  Empire 
state.  They  became  the  |)arents  of  four  children  : 
Mrs.  Mary  lane  I'ritz.  who  is  living  in  Harr 
rison  township;  Henry,  a  farmer,  who  is  mar- 
ried and  has  a  farm,  their  home  being  in  I^ona 
township :  David,  who  is  married  and  carries  on 
agricultural  pursuits  in  Durand  townshi]) :  and 
Mrs.  Ellen  I'.aker.  who  is  living  in  the  village  of 
Durand.  Mrs.  Crowley,  the  mother  of  this 
family,  died  about  1875,  and  for  his  thinl  wife 
Walker  Crowley  chose  Mrs.  Lord,  nee  Camp- 
hell,  a  sister  of  his  second  wife,  also  of  Winne- 
bago county.  They  had  two  children :  Walter, 
who  died  in  infancy:  and  I-'rederick,  a  farmer, 
residing  im  the  old  homestead  in  Durand  town- 
ship. 

George  .\.  Crowley  was  reared  in  Winnebago 
county  and  ])ursned  his  education  in  the  public 
schools.  He  has  followed  farming  throughout 
the  greater  ]>art  of  his  life  and  now  owns  one 
hundred  ami  twenty  acres  of  land  on  sectif>n  35. 


Shirland  lownshi|).  where  he  makes  his  home 
and  another  tract  of  two  hundred  and  one  and 
three-quarters  acres  in  Harrison  townshi]).  This 
is  also  well  im|)rove(l  and  is  being  operated  by 
two  of  his  sons.  Robert  and  Leonard.  Mr. 
Crtjwley  resided  in  Harrison  township  until  De- 
cember. i<KX).  when  he  purchased  his  present 
farm  in  .'shirland  townshijj  and  has  since  made 
his  home  thereon.  It  is  an  excellent  tract  of 
land  and  its  productive  soil  makes  his  labors  of 
good  effect  in  the  raising  of  crops.  He  is  prac- 
tical in  all  that  he  dtx\s,  reliable  in  his  methods 
and  trustworthy  in  his  business  dealings. 

Mr.  Crowley  has  been  married  twice.  He  first 
wedded  Mrs.  .-\nnie  Cooney.  who  was  born  in 
Winnebago  county  and  is  a  daughter  of  Robert 
Cooney.  a  pioneer  settler  of  Harrison  township. 
Her  mother  still  resides  in  Durand  township  at 
an  advanced  age.  Mrs.  Crowley  was  reared  in 
this  county  and  died  in  October.  1898.  at  the  age 
of  forty-seven  years,  leaving  the  two  sons,  who 
are  now  o])erating  their  father's  farm  in  Har- 
rison townshi]).  For  his  second  wife  Mr. 
Crowley  chose  .Mrs.  .Mary  lilack.  nee  Harvey, 
who  was  born  in  this  county  and  is  a  daughter 
of  J.  Harvey,  who  came  here  at  an  early  day. 
There  is  one  son  by  this  marriage.  George  .-\.. 
three  years  of  age. 

Politically  Mr.  Crowley  was  formerly  a  re- 
])ublican  but  now  gives  his  support  to  the  pro- 
hibition i)arty.  He  has  served  as  commissioner 
and  is  interested  in  the  public  welfare  to  the  ex- 
tent of  giving  his  co-operation  for  the  support 
of  many  measures  for  the  general  goo<I.  P>oth 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
ICpiscnpai  church  of  Shirland. 


IK\I\     l"Ki-.\Cli. 


To  know  Irvin  I'rench  was  to  respect  and 
honor  him.  for  his  u|)right  life,  his  kindly  nature, 
his  genial  manner  and  cheery  smile  endeared  him 
to  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  He  was 
a  pioneer  business  man  of  Winnebago  county, 
the  family  settling  here  in  1840,  and  when  he 
was  called  from  this  life  on  the  8th  of  Ma\ .  1902, 
his  death  was  the  occasion  of  deeji  and  wide 
s]>read   regret. 

Mr.  I'rench  was  lx)ni  in  Medina  county.  Ohio, 
on  the  "th  of  May.  1833.  and  was  a  son  of 
I-lverrtt  and  Wary  (. 'skinner)  I-"rench,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Connecticut,  whence  thev 
removed  to  .Medina  county.  Ohio,  at  an  early 
epxh  in  its  development.  There  the  father  en- 
gaged in  farming  until  i84(;.  when  he  brought 
his  family  to  Winnebftgo  county.  Illinois,  and 
purchasing  l:nid   in    .*-^eward   townshi])   was   there 


GEORGE  A.  CROWLEY. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


579 


eng-aged  in  farming  for  many  years  or  until  fail- 
ing health  caused  him  to  put  aside  active  business 
duties.  He  then  traveled  with  the  hope  of 
benefiting  his  health  and  died  in  California,  after 
which  his  widow  made  her  home  in  Rockford 
with  her  son  Irvin  until  her  death. 

Irvin  French  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  his  native  county.  When  a  boy  it 
was  his  great  desire  to  travel  and  learn  the 
world  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years  in  order 
that  he  might  fulfill  this  wish,  he  joined  a  survey- 
ing party  and  carried  the  chain  as  the  part_\- 
traveled  through  the  timber  regions  of  northern 
Iowa,  North  and  South  Dakota  and  Minnesota. 
He  continued  with  the  surveying  party  for  sev- 
eral years,  during  which  time  he  became  con- 
vinced that  there  was  money  to  be  made  in  the 
lumber  business,  so  he  returned  to  Winnebago 
county,  settling  in  the  town  of  Pecatonica.  where 
he  established  a  lumberyard.  He  would  go  north 
and  buy  large  tracts  of  timber  land,  have  it 
cleared  oiif  and  the  lumber  sawed  and  shipped 
to  the  yards  in  Pecatonica.  He  endured  all  the 
privations  of  the  lumber  camp  and  b\-  reason  of 
his  connection  with  the  business  he  became 
familiar  with  it  in  all  of  its  departments 
from  the  time  the  lumber  was  in  the  tree 
until  it  was  finished  and  marketable  com-, 
modity.  He  was  identified  with  the  lum- 
ber trade  in  Pecatonica  until  1879  and  his 
success  grew  year  by  year,  making  him  one 
of  the  prosperous  citizens  of  his  community.  At 
the  time  mentioned  he  came  to  Rockford  and 
practically  lived  retired  until  his  death. 

On  the  8th  of  March,  i860,  Mr.  French  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  \Miittlesey,  a 
native  of  Brownhelm,  Ohio,  who  died  in  Rock- 
ford, Ma)-  6,  1891.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Solo- 
mon and  Sarah  (Sherman)  Whittlesey.  There 
were  three  children  of  that  marriage :  Jo- 
sephine, now  the  wife  of  Frank  R.  Brown,  the 
president  of  the  Nelson  Knitting  Company  and 
one  of  the  leading  and  influential  business  men 
of  Rockford ;  Nell,  the  wife  of  W.  B.  Lxiwry,  a 
representative  of  an  old  and  prominent  family 
here,  where  he  engaged  in  business  for  several 
years  but  now  resides  in  Denver,  Colorado, 
where  he  is  interested  in  mining ;  and  Gertrude, 
who  resides  with  Mrs.  French.  On  the  22d  of 
August,  1894,  Mr.  French  was  married  to  Aliss 
Sara  Foster,  a  native  of  Massachusetts  and  1 
daughter  of  Nahiun  and  Mary  (Cassidy)  Fos- 
ter, the  former  a  native  of  Southampton,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  the  latter  of  New  Brunswick,  Mas- 
sachusetts. At  an  early  day  Mr.  Foster  removed 
to  the  west  and  later  took  up  his  abode  in 
Pecatonica,  where  he  spent  his  remaining  days. 
Mrs.  Foster  resides  in  Rockford. 

Although  Mr.  French  came  to  Rockford  with 
the  intention  of  living  retired  he  could  not  con- 


tent himself  without  some  business  interest,  hav- 
ing previously  led  a  life  of  intense  and  well  di- 
rected activity.  He  therefore  engaged  in  loaning 
monex'  and  when  the  Rockford  Watch  Company 
failed  he  was  appointed  receiver  and  acted  in 
that  capacity  until  his  death,  making  his  last 
report  to  the  circuit  court  during  the  January . 
term.  He  was  a  stanch  republican  in  politics,  al- 
though he  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  demo- 
cratic party,  his  father  having  been  equally 
strong  in  support  of  the  latter  organization.  Air. 
French  was  a  member  of  Ellis  lodge,  'No.  17, 
A.  F.  &  A.  AI.,  of  Rockford,  and  the  Knights 
Templar  commandery,  joining  the  organization 
(luring  the  early  period  of  its  existence.  He 
was  likewise  a  member  of  the  Court  Street  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church,  to  which  his  widow  now 
belongs,  and  he  took  a  deep  and  helpful  interest 
in  church  and  temperance  work.  His  widow 
and  daughter  are  prominent  in  social  circles  here 
and  Mrs.  French  owns  a  fine  large  brick  resi- 
dence at  No.  204  North  First  street,  where  the 
familv  have  remained  since  the  removal  to  Rock- 
ford.' 

Although  the  educational  privileges  of  Mr. 
French  were  limited  he  broadened  his  knowledge 
through  his  varied  business  experience  and  his 
extensive  travels  and  became  a  well  informed 
man.  He  looked  at  life  from  a  practical  and  yet 
a  humantarian  standpoint,  rejoiced  in  the  prog- 
ress made  by  his  fellowmen  and  in  the  advance- 
ment of  county,  state  and  nation  along  material 
and  moral  lines.  He  also  did  much  to  uphold 
the  legal  and  political  status  of  the  community 
and  his  influence  and  co-operation  could  always 
be  counted  upon  to  further  an_\-  movement  whicli 
promised  to  promote  the  general  good.  He  left 
to  his  family  a  very  desirable  fortune  but  more 
than  that  he  gave  to  them  the  priceless  heritage 
of  a  name  that  was  respected  and  honored  in 
business  circles. 


PATRICK  REDDY. 


Patrick  Reddy,  who  is  engaged  in  the  livery 
business  in  Pecatonica,  was  born  in  Stephenson 
couty,  Illinois,  March  10,  1862,  and  spending 
his  boyhood  days  under  the  parental  roof  ac- 
quired his  education  in  the  public  schools.  His 
parents  were  Matthew  and  Bridget  (Cufif) 
Reddy.  The  father  was  bom  in  Ireland  and  the 
mother  in  Pecatonica  township,  Winnebago 
count}-,  Illinois.  Matthew  Reddy  came  to  this 
country  on  a  sailing  vessel,  landing  at  New  York 
city  when  about  thirty-five  years  of  age.  He 
worked  his  way  westward  to  Stephenson  county 
and  there  obtained  employment  from  a  Mr. 
Flulce,  with  whom  he  worked  until  he  had  money 


;S<i 


I'AST     AM)     I'KllSKXT     UF     W  IXXliLiAcK  )     Ci  )L-XTV. 


c-nijiiyh  to  purohast'  a  yoke  of  cattle.  Latir  lie 
trailed  the  cattle  for  eighty  acres  of  timber  latul, 
on  which  he  built  a  log  house.  He  then  cleared 
a  part  of  the  land  and  when  he  had  thus  far 
completed  arrangements  lor  a  home  of  his  own 
he  was  married  in  1848.  As  the  years  passed 
he  added  to  his  land  until  he  had  lietween  four 
and  five  hundred  acres,  a  fact  which  indicates 
iJiat  his  has  been  a  prosperous  business  career. 
He  not  only  provided  for  his  own  family  but  he 
also  assisted  his  sisters  to  come  to  this  country 
and  settled  them  u]>on  a  part  of  his  land.  He 
likewise  brought  his  father  and  mother  to  this 
country  and  his  parents  s])ent  their  last  days  here. 
In  all  of  his  business  interests  Matthew  Reddy 
was  practical  as  well  as  industrious  and  jierse- 
vering.  In  connection  with  the  cultivation  of 
his  fields  he  was  extensively  engaged  in  raising 
cattle,  hogs  and  horses.  At  first  he  had  onlx 
oxen  when  he  began  his  farm  labors  here  but 
eventually  he  jiurchased  a  team  of  horses  which 
he  used  as  the  lead  team  with  the  oxen  in  break- 
ing his  cleared  land.  His  life  has  indeed  been 
a  l)usy  one  and  exemplifies  the  term  "dignity  of 
labor."  He  is  now  living  a  retired  life,  having 
in  1874  built  a  fine  home  in  Stephenson  county, 
where  he  resides  with  his  wife  and  son  John. 
He  has  never  cared  for  public  office  but  has  al- 
ways given  his  sup]X)rt  to  the  democratic  party. 
He  was  a  school  director  for  fifteen  or  twentv 
years  and  he  and  liis  family  are  communicants 
of  the  Catholic  church.  His  life  has  been  active 
and  hoiKirable.  crowned  with  success  and  also 
the  respect  of  his  fellnwnieii.  In  his  family  were 
fourteen  children,  eight  sons  and  six  daughters. 
of  whom  si.x  sfHis  and  five  daughters  are  yet  liv- 
ing, namely:  William:  .\nnic:  Patrick:  Mat- 
tlicw,  wlio  died  at  tlie  age  of  twenty-three  vears ; 
John:  Mary:  Katherine:  Rosella :  James:  Xora : 
Morris:  Julia,  who  died  at  the  age  of  five  years: 
Hugh,  who  died  in  infancy:  and  Charles. 

I'atrick  Re<ldy  s])tnt  his  boyhood  days  upon 
the  homestead  farm,  early  becoming  familiar 
witli  all  the  duties  and  labors  tliat  fall  to  the  lot 
of  the  agriculturist.  He  lived  at  home  during 
iiis  minority,  working  in  the  summer  months  on 
the  farm,  while  in  the  winter  sea.sons  he  attended 
the  district  schools.  He  was  employed  by  the 
month  as  a  farm  hand  between  the  ages  of  four- 
teen arwl  twenty-six  years  and  during  that  period 
he  worked  for  eight  years  for  his  father-in-law. 
He  then  began  fanning  on  his  own  account,  en- 
gaging in  the  tilling  of  tin?  soil  anil  in  the  raising 
of  .stock  ff>r  thirteen  years.  He  then  held  a  sale 
in  1<)CX).  after  which  he  ])urchase<l  a  liver\-  stable 
from  J.  I'.  Dickson  at  I'ecatonica.  He 
was  associated  for  a  short  time  with  a 
partner.  William  Mahan.  but  after  a  year 
sold  his  interests  to  his  partner  and  then 
Iviught    the    ol<|    Strutz    property,    since    which 


time  he  has  conducted  a  livery  business 
on  his  own  account.  He  has  a  well  equipped 
barn,  having  g(jod  horses  and  a  fine  line  of 
vehicles  and  he  is  accorded  a  liberal  patronage  by 
the  public,  who  recognize  his  straightforward 
methods. 

On  the  4th  of  January,  1887.  .Mr.  Redd\-  was 
married  to  Miss  Ella  Ma\  l^lliott,  a  daughter  of 
Giles  S.  and  i'.ctsy  .\.  (.Mitchell)  l^lliotl.  Her 
father  was  born  in  (  )hiio,  October  I.  1838.  and 
died  l-'ebruary  14.  i88<),  but  is  still  survived  b\- 
his  widow,  wiio  was  lK)rn  September  21. 
184(1.  and  now  makes  iier  home  with  Mr. 
and  Mrs,  Ueddy.  Mr.  Elliott  on  com- 
ing to  Illinois  settled  in  l-.lgtn.  whence  he  after- 
ward removed  to  I'ecatonica.  His  father  as- 
sisted in  the  building  of  the  old  Cliicago  & 
Calena  Railroad,  now  a  part  of  the  Chicago  & 
Xorihwestirn  system.  Ciles  .S.  Elliott  also  as- 
sisted in  the  construction  of  this  road  and  after 
its  completion  he  and  his  father  bought  one  hun- 
(Ireil  and  seventy- four  acres  of  land  from  the 
railroad  com])an\-.  They  carried  on  farming  to- 
gether for  about  twenty-five  years,  after  which 
(iiles  Elliott  purchasetl  his  father's  interest  and 
continued  to  engage  in  active  agricultural  pur- 
suits u|)  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  was 
caused  1)\'  the  explosion  of  a  lanij).  In  politics 
he  was  a  republican  but  had  no  aspiration  for 
office,  preferring  to  give  his  attention  to  his  busi- 
ness pursuits  and  he  was  widely  recognized  a.s 
an  honest,  industrious  man,  who  received  and 
merited  the  respect  of  all  who  knew  him.  He 
was  quite  extensively  engaged  in  the  breeding 
of  fine  cattle,  making  a  specialty  of  short-horn 
Durhams  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  had  a 
herd  of  between  forty  and  fifty  head.  He  took 
great  pride  in  raising  the  best  grades  of  cattle 
and  was  justly  celebrated  for  the  fine  stock  oti 
his  place.  In  his  family  wiere  four  sons  and  a 
daughter:  Charles  W.,  IClla  M..  (ieorge  H., 
tides  I-'.,  and  William   H. 

Mr.  Reddy  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the 
democratic  party  but,  he,  too,  is  without  aspira- 
tion for  office.  He  is  a  worthy  representative  of 
an  honored  i)ioneer  family  and  is  well  known  in 
l'ecat<inica  and  the  surrounding  districts,  where 
his  ca|)al>ly  directed  business  interests  are  win- 
ning him  success. 


I'.DW  \Ri)  nrxwb; 


M.  n. 


Dr.  ICdward  Dunwoll,  who  came  to  Winne- 
bago countv  when  a  young  man  and  settled  in 
Cherry  X'allcy  town.ship,  was  a  well  known  phy- 
sician in  that  ])art  of  the  comity  aiifl  enoyed  a 
large  practice  there.  Many  contend  that  the 
profession  of  medicine   is  the  most   im|iortnnt  to 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


581 


whicli  a  man  can  direct  his  energies  and  all  ac- 
cord its  great  worth  to  the  world.  Dr.  Dunwell, 
with  a  conscientious  regard  of  the  responsibilities 
and  obligations  that  rested  upon  him  in  this  con- 
nection, performed  his  professional  services  with 
a  soundness  of  principle  and  a  conformity  to  a 
high  standard  of  professional  ethics  that  won  him 
the  esteem  and  confidence  of  his  brethren  in  the 
fraternity  as  well  as  of  the  general  public. 

A  native  of  New  York,  his  birth  occurred  Au- 
g"ust  4,  1836,  his  parents  being  William  and  So- 
phrona  Dunwell,  who  were  also  natives  of  New 
York,  On  leaving  that  state  they  removed  to  a 
farm  near  Cleveland,  Ohio,  where  the  father  en- 
gaged in  the  further  cultivation  of  his  land  until 
he  brought  his  family  to  this  county,  arriving 
here  in  1853.  Settling  in  Cherry  X'alley  town- 
ship, he  resumed  agricultural  pursuits  and  for 
man\-  \ears  was  an  enterprising  and  successful 
farmer  of  his  community  but  ultimately  retired 
from  active  business  life.  He  died  in  1876  and 
was  survived  for  several  years  by  his  wife.  Four 
of  their  children  are  yet  living:  Chandler,  a  res- 
ident of  Spencer,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Sophia  White,  of 
Taylorvnlle,  IlHnois;  ]\Irs.  Sutherland,  of  Fair- 
dale,  Illinois ;  and  Mrs,  Norman,  of  Irene,  Illi- 
nois. 

Dr.  Dunwell  acquired  his  early  education  in 
the  schools  near  Cleveland  and  was  a  fellow  stu- 
dent of  James  A.  Garfield,  afterward  president 
of  the  United  States.  He  later  entered  upon  the 
study  of  medicine  but  with  his  parents  came  to 
the  west  and  married  Miss  Mary  Aldrich.  After 
a  short  time,  however,  he  returned  to  Cincinnati, 
where  he  completed  his  cotirse  in  medicine  and 
surgerv  and  was  there  graduated.  Going  to  the 
west  be  entered  upon  practice  in  Mar\sville,  Cali- 
fornia, where  he  followed  his  profession  for  a 
few  years  and  then  returned  to  Illinois,  opening 
an  offic^^i  Gilman, 

His  wife  died  in  Gilman  a  few  years  later, 
leaving  a  daughter,  Alida,  now  the  wife  of  Sim- 
eon Hoff,  of  \Vinterset,  Iowa.  Dr.  Dunwell  con- 
tinued to  practice  in  Gilman  for  a  short  time  and 
then  removed  to  Cherr\-  Valley,  where  lie  contin- 
ued his  professional  labors  to  the  benefit  of  his 
community  for  two  years.  Here  he  was  again 
married,  his  second  union  being  with  Miss  Re- 
becca Farley,  a  native  of  Washington  county, 
Ohio,  and  a  daugliter  of  James  and  Ellen  (Tay- 
lor) Farley,  the  former  a  native  of  N'irginia  and 
the  latter  of  England.  Mr.  Farley  resided  for  a 
few  vears  in  Pittsburg,  Penns\dvania,  where  he 
learned  die  trade  of  brickmaking  and  then  went 
to  Morgan  county,  Ohio,  where  he  purchased  a 
store,  flour  and  saw  mills,  continuing  their  oper- 
ation for  seven  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  settled  in  \A'ashington  count}-,  Ohio, 
where  he  carried  on  farming  for  five  \-ears,  and 
in  1853  he  came  to  \\'innebago  county,   Illinois, 


purchasing  land  in  Cherry  \'alley  township. 
Here  he  followed  farming  for  fifteen  years  or  un- 
til 1868,  when  he  retired  and  took  up  his  abode 
in  the  village  of  Cherry  Valley,  where  lioth  he 
and  his  wife  .spent  their  last  days.  In  their  fam- 
ily were  ten  children  :  Mrs,  Kirkland,  now  liv- 
ing in  Henr\-  county.  Illinois  ;  Elizabeth,  who  is 
the  widow  of  Benjamin  B.  Hovey,  who  died  in 
July,  1905,  leaving  her  an  estate  of  eighty  thou- 
sand dollars;  Thomas,  a  farmer  of  Cherr}-  \'al- 
ley  township;  Mrs,  Brooks,  of  Lawrence,  Kan- 
sas; Mrs.  Lewis  Keith,  of  Rockford;  Mrs.  Dun- 
well and  Mrs.  Eckert,  twins ;  Mrs.  Frowe,  of 
Wamego,  Kansas;  and  Mrs.  Heckman  and  Mrs, 
Carpenter,  Ixith  deceased.  Nellie  Farle\-,  now 
Mrs.  David  Eckert,  was  twice  married,  first  to 
John  Hicks,  of  Blair  cotmty,  Pennsylvania,  who 
was  an  army  officer,  serving  as  colonel  in  the 
volunteer  service  and  afterward  as  first  lieuten- 
ant in  the  regular  army.  He  died  in  Louisiana, 
of  yellow  fever,  in  1867.  His  widow  afterward 
became  the  wife  of  David  Eckert,  of  Burbank, 
Ohio,  who  was  a  hardware  merchant  there  and 
in  1872  removed  to  Topeka,  Kansas,  where  he 
lived  for  several  years.  He  then  became  general 
agent  for  the  Deering  Manufacturing  Company, 
of  Qiicago,  and  made  his  home  in  Dallas,  Texas, 
for  several  years,  after  which  he  returned  to 
Topeka,  where  he  lived  retired  until  his  death. 
He  was  first  married  to  Catherine  Idleman,  who 
died  in  Topeka,  leaving  two  children,  Franklin 
and  William,  both  now  residents  of  that  state. 
Following  the  death  of  her  second  husband  Mrs. 
Eckert  returned  to  Qierry  \'alley,  where  she 
lived  for  one  year  and  then  removed  to  Rock- 
ford  with  her  twin  sister,   ^Irs.  Dunwell. 

Unto  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Dunwell  two  children  were 
bom,  but  the  first  died  unnamed  in  infancy  and 
Walter  H.  died  at  the  age  of  eleven  years  and 
seven  months.  Following  his  second  marriage 
Dr.  Dunwell  left  Cherr\-  \'alley  and  removed  to 
Coflfeyville,  Kansas,  where  he  engaged  in  prac- 
tice for  six  vears.  He  then  went  to  Chama,  New 
Mexico,  where  he  practiced  and  invested  in 
mines.  He  had  been  there  only  a  brief  period, 
however,  when  he  became  ill  and  his  death  oc- 
curred February  4,  1880.  He  was  a  man  of 
strong  purpose  and  marked  capability  and  wher- 
ever he  went  he  left  the  impress  of  his  individ- 
uality upon  the  public  life.  While  in  Marysville, 
California,  he  served  as  county  superintendent 
of  schools  and  while  living  in  Coflfeyville,  Kan- 
sas, he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  state  legis- 
lature for  the  term  of  1871-72.  He  took  a  ver}- 
deep  interest  in  political  questions  and  gave  earn- 
est support  to  the  democracy.  He  became  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  while  living 
in  California.  As  a  practitioner  of  medicine  he 
was  ver\-  successful  and  both  he  and  Mr.  Eckert 
became  well-to-do.     His   worth   was   widelv   ac- 


PAST     AND     PRKSrXT     OF     WIXXEFSAGO     COUNTY. 


kiiowkxljjcd,  and  I'aiilllcss  in  honor  and  Kark>> 
in  con<lucl  all  who  knew  him  entertained  for  hini 
hitjh  and  nn(|ualitied  rejjfard. 

I-"ollo\vinj;  her  husband's  death  .Mrs.  IXnnvell 
returned  to  Cherr>  X'allcv,  where  she  lived  until 
1903.  when  with  her  sister  ^Irs.  Eckert,  slie  came 
to  Rock  ford  and  they  purchased  their  present 
fine  home  at  Xo.  136  South  Prospect  street, 
where  tliev  now  reside.  Mrs.  Uunwell  still  owns 
her  home  in  the  villajjc  of  CherrA-  X'alley,  and 
lioth  sI:p  and  Mrs.  Eckert  have  fine  farms  in 
Kansas  wliicli  thev  rent.  They  arc  both  mem- 
bers of  the  Cliristian  church  of  Rockford  and  the 
circle  of  their  friends  here  is  extensive. 


lOlIX    1.  CRILL 


John  J.  Crill.  deceased,  was  a  self-made  man. 
whose  enterprise,  executive  ability  and  persever- 
ance constituted  the  basis  of  a  pro.spcrity  which 
made  him  one  of  the  leading  and  substantial 
farmers  of  Ogle  county,  Illinois.  His  home  was 
just  south  of  the  boundary  line  of  Winnebago 
county,  and  he  had  a  wide  acquaintance  in  Rock- 
ford  and  this  county.  His  birth  occurred  in 
Oneida  county.  New  York.  May  12,  1825,  his 
l)arents  being  Henry  and  Betsy  (Brooks)  Crill. 
The  father  was  born  in  London,  England,  and 
after  coming  to  America  settled  first  in  Connecti- 
cut. At  the  time  of  the  Revolutionary  war  he 
served  as  a  member  of  General  \\'ashington's 
body  guard.  Tn  Connecticut  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Brooks,  a  native  of  that  state. 
the  wedding  taking  place  in  1818,  after  which 
tliey  removed  to  the  state  of  Xew  York.  On 
leaving  the  Empire  state.  Henry  Crill  took  up  his 
alx)de  in  Winnebago  county,  Illinois,  settling  first 
in  Xew  Milford  townshi|),  where  he  engaged  in 
farming  for  a  year.  He  then  removed  across  the 
border  line  to  Monroe  township.  Ogle  county, 
where  he  purcha.sed  fifteen  hundred  acres  of  land 
and  was  there  engaged  in  general  farming  and 
dairying  for  many  years.  He  prospered  in  his 
undertakings,  anrl  was  one  of  the  extensive  land- 
owners of  this  |)art  of  the  state.  Taking  up  his 
abode  in  Rix-kford.  he  resided  in  the  state  for 
only  a  brief  period,  and  then  returned  to  the  farm 
in  Ogle  county,  whereon  he  and  his  wife  spent 
their  remaining  days.  They  have  one  son,  Har- 
vey, who  is  still  living  in  Rockford,  his  home  be- 
ing on   Xorth   Main  street. 

John  J.  Crill  was  a  young  lad  at  the  time  of  the 
removal  of  his  parents  to  the  west,  and  he  ac- 
quired a  good  education  in  the  schools  of  Ogle 
county.  He  early  became  familiar  with  all  the 
duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agri- 
culturist, and  acquire<l  a  practical  knowledge  of 
the  best  methods  of  farm  work.    He  married  Miss 


.Margaret  J.  Keith,  a  daughter  of  LJalsar  and 
Lucy  (Smith)  Keith,  ln)th  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Virginia.  Removing  to  Monroe  county.  Ohio, 
the  father  there  resided  until  1835,  when  he  con- 
tinued his  westward  journey,  settling  near  the 
old  .Shirley  mill  in  Cherry  N'alley  township,  Win- 
nebago county,  Illinois.  He  resided  at  that  place 
for  a  few  years,  after  which  he  purchased  two 
hundred  acres  of  land  in  Ogle  county,  and  was 
there  engaged  in  farming.  His  wife  died  there 
in  1837,  '"'"'  li'-'  continued  to  reside  upon  that 
place  until  the  fall  of  1855,  when  he  removed  to 
Cedar  county.  Iowa,  where  he  lived  until  called 
to  the  home  beyond  in   1874. 

Mr.  Crill  was  always  a  very  busv  and  indus- 
trious man.  When  he  attained  his  majority  he 
began  teaming,  for  there  were  no  railroads  at  that 
time,  and  all  products  had  to  be  taken  by  wagon 
to  the  markets.  He  hauled  grain  from  Winne- 
bago county  to  Chicago,  and  received  a  good 
price  for  his  services.  He  was  soon  enabled  to 
invest  in  lanil,  and  as  his  financial  resources  in- 
creased, bought  more  and  more  property,  until 
he  was  the  owner  of  nearly  six  hundred  acres 
of  fine  farming  land  in  Ogle  county.  He  then 
gave  his  undivided  attention  to  farming  and  stock 
raising,  and  for  many  years  was  recognized  as  a 
leading  representative  of  that  line  of  activity  in 
this  part  of  the  state.  He  also  traveled  quite 
extensively  over  the  country  in  the  interests  of 
his  business.  In  1886  he  went  to  Chicago  with 
a  carload  of  stock,  and  u])on  his  return  he  rode 
on  top  of  the  car.  When  the  train  reached  Elgin 
he  fell  and  was  instantly  killed,  this  deplorable 
accident  occurring  April  8.  1886.  The  county 
thus  lost  one  of  its  active  and  representative  busi- 
ness meri,  and  his  family  a  devoted  husband  and 
father.  He  had  an  extensive  circle  of  friends, 
being  held  in  high  regard  by  those  who  came  in 
contact  with  him  through  business  or  social  re- 
lations. 

Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Crill  were  the  parents  of  three 
children  :  Michael  J.  married  .\melia  Houbshell, 
and  they  reside  with  her  mother,  Mr.  Houbshell 
having  now  retired  from  active  business  life. 
They  had  four  children,  but  one  died  in  infancy; 
Ruth  Ella  is  also  deceased  :  and  Maud  A.  died 
at  the  age  of  nine  years:  Xellie  A.  is  the  wife  of 
H.  Dresser,  of  Lynnville,  Illinois,  and  the  mother 
of  two  children.  Armour  Crill  and  Frances  Mar- 
garet. Orlando  F..  the  only  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Crill,  married  Julia  E.  Matthews,  and  is  engaged 
in  the  real  estate  business  in  Rockford,  his  home 
being  at  No.  423  South  Church  street,  .\ugusta 
L.  Crill  became  the  wife  of  C.  Henry  Hardy,  who 
is  also  a  retired  business  man,  and  their  home  is 
at  No.  216  X'^orth  Third  street.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Crill  had  an  adopteil  son.  Ellsworth  E..  who  mar- 
ried Luna  Kane,  and  resides  in  DeKalb.  Illinois, 
where  he  is  engaged  in  the  drug  business. 


33 


JOHX  .1.   CRILL. 


-AIRS.  .MARGARET  T.  CRILL. 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


587 


Following  her  husband's  death,  Mrs.  Crill  re- 
sided in  Monroe,  Ogle  county,  Illinois,  until 
1903.  when  they  removed  to  Rockford,  and  she 
purchased  her  present  home  at  No.  222  North 
Third  street,  where  she  and  her  son  and  his  wife 
all  reside.  They  still  own  land  in  Ogle  county. 
The  Crill  family  are  well-to-do  and  are  promi- 
nent in  Rockford  and  this  section  of  the  state. 


RICHARD  W.  ROGERS. 

There  are  men  who  because  of  an  ability-  to 
command  are  held  in  awe,  men  who  because  of 
successful  accomplishment  are  held  in  admira- 
tion, men  who  by  reason  of  rectitude  of  charac- 
ter awaken  respect,  but  it  is  the  man  of  gentle 
nature,  kindly  spirit,  deep  interest  in  his  fellow- 
men  and  unselfish  devotion  to  their  welfare  that 
wins  love  of  those  with  whom  he  is  associated. 
Such  a  man  was  Richard  W.  Rogers,  who  was 
well  known  in  Rockford  and  W^iimebago  county. 

A  native  of  Dudley,  England,  ]\Ir.  Rogers  was 
born  February  2,  1827,  and  his  parents,  Richard 
and  Fanny  Rogers,  were  also  natives  of  that 
countn,-.  Both  died  in  New  York  cit}'  shortly 
after  coming  to  America.  Their  son  Richard  was 
only  nine  }-ears  of  age  wdien  he  was  left  an 
orjjhan  and  was  then  sent  back  to  Dudley,  Eng- 
land, where  he  was  reared  and  educated  by  an 
uncle,  who  was  a  jeweler  and  watch  repairer  and 
with  whom  Mr.  Rogers  learned  the  trade.  He 
also  received  a  good  musical  education.  He  re- 
mained in  England  until  twenty-one  }-ears  of  age, 
when  with  the  desire  to  establish  his  home  in  the 
land  where  he  had  lived  for  a  brief  period  he 
again  crossed  the  Atlantic,  this  time  settling  at 
Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  where  he  began  busi- 
ness for  himself  as  a  jeweler. 

While  living  there  Mr.  Rogers  was  married  to 
Miss  Susan  H.  King,  a  native  of  tliat  state.  Her 
father  died  in  Connecticut  during  her  early  girl- 
hood and  her  mother  afterward  came  west  with 
Mr.  and  Airs.  Rogers  and  died  at  their  home  in 
Beloit,  Wisconsin.  Mr.  Rogers  continued  to 
engage  in  the  jewelry  business  and  watchmaking 
in  Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  for  five  years  and  in 
1853  came  to  the  Mississippi  Valley,  settling  in 
Rockford,  where  he  opened  a  store.  He  re- 
mained here,  however,  for  only  a  year  as  he  did 
not  have  capital  sufficient  to  enable  him  to  carry 
on  the  business  in  the  manner  he  desired.  He 
then  removed  to  Beloit.  Wisconsin,  where  he  es- 
tablished a  jewelry  store  on  a  smaller  scale.  His 
trade  soon  increased,  however,  and  enabled  him 
to  enlarge  his  stock  and  as  time  passed  he  was 
accorded  a  very  liberal  patronage  there.  He 
continued  in  business  in  Beloit  for  twelve  years 
and  then  removed  to  Freeport,  Illinois,  where  he 


conducted  a  jewelry  store  for  three  years.  Again 
he  was  successful  and  this  enabled  him  at  the 
end  of  that  period  to  once  more  identify  himself 
with  mercantile  interests  in  Rockford.  Here  he 
began  business  but  after  a  few  years  was  obliged 
to  discontinue  the  store  on  account  of  ill  health 
occasioned  by  indoor  life.  He  therefore  sold  out 
and  turned  his  attention  to  the  work  of  tuning 
pianos,  which  pursuit  he  followed  in  twelve  dif- 
ferent towns  in  the  vicinity  of  Rockford.  For 
several  years  he  was  thus  engaged  and  was  very 
successful,  having  many  patrons  in  the  various 
cities  which  he  visited,  so  that  his  labors  brought 
him  a  gratifying  financial  return. 

Unto  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Rogers  were  born  six  chil- 
dren, of  whom  four  are  living.  Charles  G.  is  a 
piano  tuner  residing  with  his  mother  in  Rock- 
ford. Harriett  C.  is  the  wife  of  George  W. 
Greene  and  they  reside  with  her  mother.  They 
have  one  child,  Richard.  Mr.  Greene,  a  native 
of  England,  learned  the  printer's  trade  in  that 
country  and  is  now  employed  by  the  T.  W.  Clark 
Company  of  this  city.  John  is  a  resident  farmer 
of  South  Dakota.  ]Mary  is  the  wife  of  Arthur 
Chubbuck,  a  newspaper  man  and  postmaster  at 
Ipswich,  South  Dakota.  Those  deceased  are 
William,  who  died  in  1886;  and  Frank,  who  died 
in  infancy. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Rogers  occurred  December 
22,  1881,  wlien  he  was  fifty-four  years  of  age. 
After  becoming  a  naturalized  American  citizen 
he  gave  his  political  allegiance  to  the  republican 
partv.  and  he  was  a  member  of  Ellis  lodge,  A. 
F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Rockford.  He  was  also  a  com- 
municant of  the  Episcopal  church,  to  which  all 
of  his  family  belonged,  and  he  took  a  very  active 
and  helpful  part  in  the  church  work.  For  a  few 
years  he  served  as  organist  and  the  family,  all 
of  whom  possess  musical  talent,  have  contributed 
in  large  measure  to  the  attractiveness  of  the 
musical  circles  here.  In  fact  at  one  time  the 
choir  was  known  as  the  Rogers  choir.  Mr. 
Rogers  was  a  man  of  broad  humanitarian  prin- 
cijiles  and  of  kindly  sympathy  and  these  traits 
of  character  endeared  him  to  all  who  knew  him. 
He  was  also  very-  industrious  and  energetic  and 
never  had  an  idle  moment.  When  not  connected 
\\  ith  business  or  church  duties  he  would  work  in 
his  shop  at  home  and,  possessing  superior  me- 
chanical ingenuitv,  he  manufactured  book  cases 
and  furniture  of  most  attractive  and  pleasing 
designs.  He  took  an  optimistic  view  of  life,  be- 
lieving that  the  world  was  growing  better  and 
doing  his  full  share  toward  this  end.  He  was 
charitable  and  generous  and  the  poor  and  needy 
found  in  him  a  wami  friend,  but  while  he  ac- 
complished much  in  business  and  won  the  re- 
spect and  good  will  of  all  with  whom  he  was 
associated  the  best  traits  of  his  character  were 
reserved  for  his  famih*  and  his  interests  centered 


588 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


in  his  home.  -Mrs.  Rogers  now  owns  a  nice  resi- 
dence at  No.  962  Grand  avenue  where  she  is  now 
Hving  with  her  son  and  daughter  and  in  social 
and  church  circles  in  Rock  ford  they  are  widely 
and  favorably  known. 


FREDERICK  A.  COLLINS. 

Frederick  A.  Collins,  whose  success  in  life  and 
present  creditable  financial  standing  are  the  re- 
sult of  earnest  and  persistent  labor  through  many 
years,  is  now  following  fanning  in  Owen  town- 
ship. He  was  born  in  Chautauqua  county.  New 
York,  February  19,  1837,  and  was  brought  to 
Wiiuiebago  county  when  twelve  years  of  age 
by  his  parents,  Albert  G.  and  Emeline  (Fair- 
child)  Collins,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
the  Empire  state.  The  father  was  born  in  New 
York,  June  30,  181 1.  and  in  early  life  learned 
the  tailor's  trade,  which  he  followed  in  the  east 
until  1849,  when  he  made  his  way  around  the 
Great  I^-ikcs  to  Racine,  Wisconsin,  from  which 
point  he  traveled  by  team  to  Winnebago  county, 
for  there  were  no  railroads  at  that  time.  He  first 
rented  a  farm  near  Roscoe  for  one  summer  and 
the  following  year  removed  to  Owen  township, 
where  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land,  to  which 
he  afterward  added  a  forty-acre  tract,  and  eventu- 
ally he  further  extended  the  boundaries  of  his 
property  until  he  had  one  hundred  and  eighty 
acres  of  land.  Willi  characteristic  energy  he 
began  its  cultivation  and  improvement.  Pic  set 
out  trees  and  fenced  the  j^lace  with  a  rail  fence. 
He  also  built  a  house  on  the  farm.  Mis  second 
home  was  a  log  cabin  and  later  he  erected  a 
frame  house  in  1850.  After  following  farming 
for  many  years  he  purchased  a  home  in  the  village 
of  Harrison,  where  he  lived  retired  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death.  He  was  school  director  for 
many  years  and  while  in  Chautauqua  county. 
New  York,  sers'cd  as  town  clerk.  He  manifested 
little  aspiration  for  office,  however,  preferring  to 
give  his  undivided  attention  to  his  farming  in- 
terests whereby  he  won  a  comfortable  competence 
that  enabled  him  in  his  last  days  to  enjoy  rest 
from  further  labor.  P.oth  he  and  his  wife  at- 
tended the  ser\-iccs  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  although  they  were  not  members.  Mr. 
Collins  belonged  to  Rockton  lodge.  No.  74,  A.  F. 
&  A.  M.,  and  was  also  an  Odd  Fellow,  while  his 
political  support  was  given  to  the  democracy.  He 
died  October  14,  1884,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two 
years,  three  months  and  fourteen  days.  His  wife, 
who  was  born  April  25,  1S18,  died  in  September, 
1892,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years. 

This  worthy  couple  were  the  parents  of  thir- 
teen children.  Charles  Oscar,  the  eldest,  enlisted 
at  Bclvidere,  Illinois,  in  the  Ninety-fifth  Illinois 


Infantry  and  died  of  measles  while  still  in  the 
army  at  Lake  Providence,  February  26,  1864. 
His  birth  had  occurred  December  15,  1834. 
Frederick  A.  is  the  second  of  the  family.  Amy 
R..  born  July  I,  1839,  is  the  wife  of  Andrew 
Bingham,  who  was  a  member  of  a  Michigan  regi- 
ment during  the  Civil  war.  They  have  four  chil- 
dren and  are  now  living  in  Rockton.  The  fourth 
member  of  the  Collins  family  died  in  infancy. 
F.llen,  l)orn  November  24,  1842.  died  April  22, 
1S92.  She  was  the  wife  of  Charles  Price  and  had 
four  children,  of  whom  three  are  now  living. 
Jared  H.,  born  July  11,  1845,  ^^'''^  ^  member  of 
the  Eleventh  Illinois  Cavalry  during  the  Civil 
war  and  is  now  living  in  Iowa.  He  married 
Miss  Mary  Harper  and  has  two  children.  Wil- 
liam W.,  born  December  24.  1847,  died  in  in- 
fancy. Mary  L.,  born  March  24,  1851.  became 
the  wife  of  a  Mr.  X'^ernon  and  died  May  17, 
1891,  at  the  age  of  forty  years,  two  months  and 
twenty-five  days.  Her  hu.sband  is  living  in  South 
Dakota  and  of  their  four  children  three  survive. 
Laura  J.,  born  January  25,  1849.  became  the  wife 
of  .^erenus  Roonc.  who  died  sometime  after  his 
return  from  the  Civil  war.  They  had  six  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  are  yet  living.  Following  the 
death  of  her  first  husband  Mrs.  Boone  became 
the  wife  of  Louis  Fairchilds  and  is  living  in 
Rockton.  Albert  N.,  born  February  14,  1854, 
married  Catherine  Shrump,  by  whom  he  had  a 
daughter.  He  was  married  the  second  time  and 
is  now  living  in  Montana.  By  his  second  mar- 
riage he  had  a  son.  Elizabeth  E..  born  November 
12,  1856.  died  October  25.  1871.  Plarriet  F.  be- 
came the  wife  of  William  Littlcjohn  and  had  four 
children,  of  whom  three  are  now  living.  Her 
second  husband  was  William  Gray  and  they  are 
residents  of  California.  There  are  six  children 
by  this  marriage.  Eva,  the  youngest  of  the  fam- 
ily, born  January  12,  1862,  married  Peter  Mc- 
Laren. 

Brought  to  Winnebago  county  by  his  parents 
at  the  age  of  twelve  years,  Frederick  A.  Collins 
was  reared  in  this  part  of  the  state  and  pursued 
his  education  in  the  public  schools.  He  early 
began  working  on  the  Wisconsin  and  Mississippi 
rivers,  rafting  lumber  down  the  river  for  one  sea- 
son. He  afterward  entereil  the  employ  of  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railway  Company,  in 
which  service  he  took  up  the  old  straj)  rails  be- 
tween Footville  and  Magnolia.  Wisconsin,  re- 
placing them  with  T  chain  rails.  He  was  fore- 
man of  the  iron  gang  which  laid  the  rails  from 
Magnolia  to  Madison.  Wisconsin,  and  afterward 
he  went  to  Iowa,  where  he  laid  the  track  from 
Toledo  to  Marshalltown.  He  next  went  to 
Springfield.  Massachusetts,  where  he  worked  at 
the  carpenter's  trade  until  1862.  when  he  removed 
to  Oil  Creek,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  entered  the 
service    of    the    Oil    Creek    Railroad    Company, 


MR.  AND  .AIRS.  F.  A.  COLLINS. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


591 


building  bridges  and  buildings.  In  1864  he  again 
arrived  in  Winnebago  count}",  where  he  pur- 
chased the  old  family  homestead  upon  which  he 
yet  lives,  and  is  to-day  the  owner  of  thiee  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  of  land.  His  handiwork 
is  seen  in  the  fine  modern  residence  upon  his 
place.  It  is  a  commodious  frame  structure  with 
stone  basement  built  in  attractive  style  of  archi- 
tecture and  is  one  of  the  fine  countr}-  homes  of 
Owen  township.  He  has  also  built  a  good  barn 
and  everything  about  his  place  is  kept  in  ex- 
cellent repair,  showing  his  watchful  care  and  me- 
chanical ingenuity. 

]\Ir.  Collins  was  married  to  Miss  Elnora  G. 
Crittenden,  a  daughter  of  Leander  and  Hannah 
(Dwy)  Crittenden.  Her  tather,  who  was  born 
April  16.  1817,  is  now  living  with  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Collins,  but  her  mother,  who  was  born  April  19, 
1830,  passed  away  October  30.  1897.  They  were 
married  July  6.  1845.  '"''^1  their  children  were  as 
follows:  Laura  F.,  born  January  2.  1848,  died  in 
infancy.  I\Irs.  Collins  was  born  September  8, 
1851.  Harmon  B..  born  August  5,  1854,  died  in 
infancy.  Laura  M.,  born  April  24,  1858,  died  in 
infancy.  Izora,  born  November  5.  1859,  ^^  the 
wife  of  Frank  Smith,  of  North  Dakota,  and  has 
two  children.  William  M.,  born  December  15, 
1861,  and  now  living  in  Rockford,  married  Ella 
Rochester  and  has  one  child.  Harmon  L.,  born 
March  i,  1864,  and  now  living  in  Rockford, 
married  Florence  Bennett,  and  had  three  children, 
of  whom  two  are  living.  Robert  D.,  born  October 
31,  1866,  and  also  a  resident  of  Rockford,  mar- 
ried Alice  Bennett  and  had  four  children,  of 
whom  three  are  living.  Mary  O.,  born  January 
16.  1870,  is  the  wife  of  Gilbert  Lake,  of  Rock- 
ford, and  has  two  children.  Lucy  E.,  born  Sep- 
tember 26,  1872,  is  the  wife  of  Andrew  Hickey, 
of  Egan,  Illinois,  and  had  four  children,  of  whom 
three  survive.  Theodore  G.,  born  July  6,  1875. 
and  now  a  resident  of  Rockford,  married  Lucy 
Bickford  and  has  two  children. 

Leander  Crittenden,  father  of  Mrs.  Collins,  be- 
gan his  education  in  the  pioneer  schools  of  his 
boyhood,  days,  but  when  alDOut  nine  years  of  age 
stepped  upon  a  thorn  in  such  a  manner  that  he 
was  crippled  for  life.  His  opportunity  of  at- 
tending school  was  therefore  very  limited,  but 
he  has  always  been  an  extensive  reader  and  has 
kept  well  informed  on  the  issues  and  questions 
of  the  day.  He  was  born  in  Greene  county.  New 
York,  and  in  that  state  was  married,  after  which 
he  removed  to  Wisconsin  in  1856,  settling  about 
two  miles  north  of  Juda  in  Green  county.  He 
followed  farming  for  a  number  of  years  there  and 
afterward  removed  to  Calhoun  county,  Iowa, 
where  he  spent  two  years,  on  the  expiration  of 
which  period  he  came  to  Winnebago  county, 
where  he  has  since  been  living  with  his  children, 
now   making  his   home   with   his   daughter   Mrs. 


Collins.  In  politics  he  is  a  democrat  and  at  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-eight  years  he  regularly 
reads  his  newspaper,  keeping  up  with  the  prog- 
ress of  the  times,  and  he  does  not  find  it  necessary 
to  use  glasses. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Collins  was  blessed 
with  four  sons  and  two  daughters.  Walter  F., 
born  November  4,  1873,  married  Miss  Etta 
Kelley  and  they  had  five  children,  of  whom  four 
are  living.  He  makes  his  home  in  Owen  town- 
ship and  owns  one  hvmdred  and  thirty  and  a  half 
acres  of  land  in  Winnebago  township.  Ben,  born 
February  2,  1875,  married  Louisa  Black  and  is 
living  near  his  father's  farm  in  Owen  township, 
where  he  owns  and  operates  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  land.  He  has  one  son.  Alta  M., 
born  April  14,  1876,  is  the  wife  of  Leonard  Webb, 
a  farmer  of  Harrison  township  cultivating  one 
hundred  and  thirty  acres.  They  have  two  daugh- 
ters. Bessie  E.,  at  home,  has  been  a  public 
school  student  and  also  educated  in  music. 
Frankie,  bom  November  15,  1875,  died  Novem- 
ber 16,  1880.  Robert,  born  January  31,  1887, 
completes  the  family. 

Mr.  Collins,  interested  in  the  public  welfare  and 
active  in  community  interests,  has  been  a  helpful 
factor  in  many  measures  for  the  general  good 
and  while  serving  as  school  director  for  nine 
years  the  cause  of  education  found  in  him  an 
efficient  friend.  Although  he  usually  votes  with 
the  democracy  at  local  elections  he  does  not  con- 
sider himself  bound  by  party  ties  and  casts  his 
ballot  for  the  candidate  whom  he  thinks  best 
qualified  for  office.  He  is  a  member  of  Rockton 
lodge.  No.  74.  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  The  greater  part 
of  his  life  has  been  passed  in  Winnebago  county 
and  for  more  than  forty  consecutive  years  he  has 
lived  continuously  upon  the  farm  which  is  still 
his  home.  He  owes  his  business  advancement  en- 
tirelv  to  his  earnest  labors  and  his  life  has  been 
one  of  untiring  activity,  now  crowned  with  a 
gratifving  measure  of  success. 


GEORGE  FALCONER. 

George  Falconer,  whose  valuable  farming  pos- 
sessions comprise  three  hundred  acres  of  very 
productive  land  on  sections  5  and  32,  Rockford 
township,  his  home  being  situated  on  the  north 
piece  of  land,  has  in  an  active  business  career 
demonstrated  the  power  of  industry  and  enter- 
prise as  moving  forces  in  the  acquirement  of  suc- 
cess. He  was  Ixirn  in  i860,  on  the  farm  which 
is  vet  his  home,  his  parents  being  Robert  and 
Jennett  (Thompson)  Falconer.  The  father  and 
mother  were  liorn  in  Scotland  and  he  was  a  black- 
smith by  trade.  Coming  to  America  in  1832  he 
followed  his  trade  in  the  state  of  New  York  for 


592 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


eight  years  and  llien  made  liis  way  westward 
to  Winnebago  county,  where  he  took  up  his 
abode  upon  what  is  still  the  Falconer  home  farm. 
He  built  a  stone  house  which  has  since  been  torn 
down,  being  rejilaced  by  the  present  fine  fann 
residence  now  occupied  by  our  subject.  W'hile 
cultivating  his  fields  he  hauled  his  produce  to 
Milwaukee  and  Oiicago  by  team,  and  as  the 
years  passed  his  earnest  labors  were  crowned 
with  a  fair  measure  of  prosperity.  He  became 
a  well  known  and  highly  respected  citizen  of  his 
community  and  his  death  occurred  here 
June  i6,  1884,  when  he  was  about  eight}' 
j-ears  of  age.  He  was  known  as  a  man 
of  integrity  and  honor  and  accumulated 
his  property  through  careful  industry.  He 
had  long  sun-ived  his  wife  who  dqiarted  this 
life  in  1864.  They  had  but  two  children,  George 
and  Rolx^rt,  Jr.  The  latter  was  for  a  niunber  of 
years  a  reporter  for  the  Register-Gazette,  of 
Rockford.  and  died  in  1891,  at  the  age  of  thirty- 
three  years. 

George  Falconer  was  reared  in  Winnebago 
county,  where  he  has  always  made  his  home.  He 
spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood  and  \outh  with 
his  uncle  and  aunt.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robert  Mc- 
Cullough.  and  divided  his  time  between  the  du- 
ties of  the  schoolroom,  the  pleasures  of  the  play- 
ground and  the  work  of  the  home  farm.  He 
continued  to  assist  his  father  throughout  the 
period  of  his  minority  and  eventually  assumed 
the  management  of  the  old  homestead  which  is 
now  in  liis  possession.  He  to-day  owns  three 
hundred  acres  of  valuable  lantl  Iving  on  sections 
5  and  32.  Rockford  township,  and  devotes  his  at- 
tention to  general  farming  and  to  the  feeding 
and  shipping  of  stock.  He  raises  fine  high  grade 
cattle  and  hogs,  favoring  the  Durham  and  sliort- 
horn  cattle  and  the  Poland  China  hogs.  Each 
year  his  annual  sales  of  stock  add  a  considerable 
fund  to  his  income  and  he  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  prosperous  :igriculturists  of  this  community. 
He  has  improved  the  fann  by  the  erection  of  a 
fine  home,  in  the  rear  of  which  stand  good  build- 
ings for  the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock.  These 
in  turn  are  surrounded  by  well  tilled  fields  and 
the  entire  farm  presents  an  attractive  appearance 
characterized  by  neatness  and  thrift.  In  addi- 
tion to  his  agricultural  interests  Mr.  Falconer 
became  one  of  the  seven  promoters  of  the  Win- 
nel>ag<)  Telephone  Company,  of  which  he  is  still 
a  stix'kholder. 

His  political  views  accord  with  republican 
princif>les  anrl  he  desires  the  success  of  liis  i)arty 
without  seeking  office  as  a  reward  for  partv 
fealty.  .Socially  he  is  connected  with  the  L'.enev- 
olent  and  Protective  ( )nler  of  Elks.  No.  64,  of 
Rockford.  and  with  Rockford  camp.  No.  31, 
M.  W.  .v..  while  his  religious  views  are  in  ac- 
conl    with    the    teachings    of    the    Presbyterian 


church.  He  is  known  as  an  enterprising  busi- 
ness man,  alert  and  energetic  and  in  the  control 
of  his  fanning  interests  is  annually  meeting  with 
gratifying  and  deserved  success.  He  has  now 
rented  his  fami  for  a  year  and  expects  to  take  a 
well  earned  rest. 


rilAKLFS  F.  CLOVER. 

Giarles  l'.  Clover,  following  the  occupation  of 
farming  on  section  17.  Rockton  township,  was 
born  in  the  village  of  Rockton  July  18,  1850, 
and  conies  of  English  lineage.  His  father,  John 
Clover,  was  a  native  of  England,  bom  in  1820, 
and  there  remained  until  he  had  attained 
his  majority  and  was  married.  He  wedded 
Miss  ^Iary  Clark,  also  a  native  of  that  country, 
and  two  children  had  been  added  to  the  family  at 
the  time  of  their  emigration  to  the  new  world  in 

1844.  Crossing  the  Atlantic,  they  did  not  tarry  on 
the  eastern  coast  but  at  once  continued  their  jour- 
ney into  the  interior  of  the  country,  settling  in 
Rockton.  In  1847  the  father  purchased  land  upon 
which  Oiarles  F.  Clover  now  resides,  entering 
a  claim  from  the  government  and  thereby  secur- 
ing one  hundred  and  sixty  acres.  He  at  once 
began  the  arduous  task  of  breaking  the  prairie 
and  ]ilacing  the  tract  under  the  plow  and  as  the 
years  advanced  his  labors  brought  to  him  a  good 
return.  In  1834  he  began  railroad  contracting  as 
a  member  of  the  firm  of  Frazcr,  Talcott  &  Qover 
and  was  thus  engagetl  for  sometime  but  subse- 
quently he  turned  to  his  farm  an<l  was  connected 
with  general  agricultural  interests  up  to  the  time 
of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  i8<;)4.  His  wife 
survived  him  until  1877.  passing  away  at  the  age 
of  sixt)'  years.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight 
children,  of  whom  six  are  now  living,  namely: 
John  J.,  Henry  ^\'.,  Elizabeth  A..  Charles  F., 
Emily  J.  and  lulward  C. 

Charles  F.  Clover  has  always  been  a  resident 
i)f  Rockton.  living  on  the  old  family  homestead, 
where  he  has  continuously  followed  farming 
from  his  boyhood  days  down  to  the  present.  In 
his  youth  be  became  familiar  with  the  best 
methods  of  tilling  the  soil  bv  assistance  which  he 
rendered  his  father  during  the  simimer  months. 
In  the  winter  sea.sons  he  attended  sclux)l  and  was 
thus  engaged  until  having  ])ut  aside  his  text- 
lxx)ks  he  concentrated  his  entire  attention  upon 
his  agricultural  interests.  He  now  owns  one 
hunilred  and  sixty  acres,  constituting  a  gootl 
t'arm  well  e(|uipped  and  sni>[)lie<l  with  all  modern 
facilitiis. 

In  1878  Mr.  Clover  was  married  to  Miss  A'iola 
D.  Shores,  a  native  of  Rockford,  Illinois,  and  a 
daughter  of  Orrin  P..  Shores,  who  was  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  the  county,  arriving  here  alxwt 

1845.  u|)  to  which  time  he  hail  been  a  resident  of 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


593 


Pennsylvania.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clover  have  two 
sons  and  two  daughters :  Murray  C,  born  in 
1880,  married  Angle  Palmer,  of  Rockford,  and 
has  one  child,  Lore  Virginia;  Pearl  A.,  eighteen 
jiears  of  age ;  Essie  Mae,  sixteen  years  of  age ; 
and  Fred  W.,  fifteen  years  of  age.  All  were 
born  on  the  old  family  homestead.  Mr.  Clover 
belongs  to  Shirland  lodge,  M.  W.  A.,  gives  hi« 
political  allegiance  to  the  republican  party  and 
served  as  road  commissioner  for  three  years. 
His  co-operation  can  always  be  counted  upon  to 
further  movements  for  the  benefit  of  town  and 
count}-  and  yet  he  has  never  sought  the  honors 
or  emoluments  of  office,  content  to  do  his  duty 
as  a  private  citizen. 


ARCHIBALD  H.  TYNDALE. 

Archibald  H.  T\-ndale,  whose  enterprise  and 
industry  proved  a  stimulating  force  in  business 
circles  in  Rockford  and  whose  labors  were  di- 
rected along  lines  of  modern  activity  that  pushed 
forward  the  wheels  of  progress,  took  up  his  abode 
here  in  September,  1873,  ^"d  became  manager 
of  one  of  the  large  dry  goods  stores.  A  native 
of  Paisley,  Canada,  he  was  born  near  Montreal, 
on  the  28th  of  January.  1842,  and  was  a  direct 
descendant  of  William  Tyndale,  who  was  the 
first  translator  of  the  Bible  into  English.  His 
parents  were  Mathew  and  Alargaret  (Scive- 
wright)  Tyndale,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Yorkshire,  England,  whence  they  went  to  Can- 
ada at  an  early  da}-.  The  father  owned  a  large 
farm  near  Paisley  and  at  one  time  controlled  all 
the  stage  and  mail  lines  in  that  part  of  the  coun- 
try. He  continued  general  agricultural  pursuits 
there  for  a  number  of  years  and  then  removed 
to  the  city  of  Montreal,  where  he  became  one  of 
the  pioneers  in  a  milKng  company  manufacturing 
infants'  food.  That  enterprise  was  successfully 
conducted  for  some  time  and  eventualh".  with  a 
handsome  competence  obtained  through  years 
of  carefully  conducted  business  affairs,  he  re- 
tired, making  his  home  in  Montreal  until  his 
death.  His  widow  now  resides  there  at  the  home 
of  her  daughter  and  is  ninet}'  years  of  age.  They 
also  have  a  son  residing  in  that  cit}-. 

]\Ir.  Tyndale  was  afforded  excellent  edu- 
cational privileges  in  the  best  schools  in  Mon- 
treal and  was  a  college  graduate  and  fine  French 
scholar.  It  was  always  his  desire  to  travel  and 
at  the  age  of  twenty-seven  years  he  left  home, 
after  which  he  spent  much  time  upon  the  road, 
visiting  many  parts  of  the  United  States.  He 
combined  business  with  pleasure  in  this  regard, 
going  first  to  New  York  city,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed as  a  salesman  in  various  stores.  He 
afterward  visited  all  of  the  southern  cities  and 


then  made  his  way  to  the  west,  meeting  the  ex- 
penses of  living  and  of  his  trips  by  occupying 
a  position  as  salesman  in  various  places.  He 
ended  his  trip  in  aiicago  in  1871  and  secured  a 
good  position  in  one  of  the  large  stores  there, 
acting  as  clerk  until  1873. 

Mr.  Tyndale  was  married  in  that  city  on  the 
9th  of  October,  1873,  to  Mrs.  Harriet  A. 
(Holden)  Ashley,  a  native  of  Prescott,  Canada, 
and  a  daughter  of  James  and  Chloe  M.  (Wood) 
Holden.  who  were  likewise  born  in  Canada.  Her 
father,  however,  was  descended  from  an  old  Con- 
necticut family  of  English  ancestr}'.  James 
Holden  never  engaged  in  any  business  because 
at  the  age  of  twenty-three  years  he  became  an 
invalid  and  he  died  in  Canada  at  the  age  of 
thirty-five.  His  widow  died  at  the  home  of  her 
son  in  Nebraska  when  eighty  years  of  age.  Mrs. 
T}-ndale  was  first  married  to  William  W.  Ashley, 
a  native  of  \'ermont,  who,  on  coming  to  the  west, 
settled  in  Chicago,  where  he  was  associate  press 
reporter  for  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  Com- 
pany, residing  there  until  his  death  in  1868.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  .\shle}'  became  the  parents  of  two 
daugnters :  Florence,  who  died  when  five 
months  old ;  and  Emma  M.,  who  has  always  made 
her  home  in  Rockford  with  her  mother. 

Following  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tyn- 
dale they  came  at  once  to  Rockford,  and  he  ac- 
cepted the  position  of  manager  in  the  dry  goods 
store  of  L.  Mothrope,  with  whom  he  was  con- 
nected for  two  years  and  under  his  control  the 
business  grew  in  volume  and  importance.  He 
then  went  to  Central  Cit}-,  Nebraska,  where  he 
established  a  dry  goods  store  of  his  own,  intend- 
ing to  move  his  family  there,  but  became  ill  and 
seeing  that  he  could  not  remain  in  the  country 
he  placed  his  business  in  the  care  of  his  brothers, 
■who  are  still  conducting  the  store.  Islr.  Tyndale 
then  returned  to  Rockford  and  accepted  a  posi- 
tion in  the  Ashton  dry  goods  store,  although  he 
still  retained  the  ownership  of  the  business  in 
Nebraska  and  made  visits  three  or  four  times 
each  }-ear  to  Central  Cit}-.  While  on  a  trip  there 
in  1891  to  look  after  his  invested  interests  he 
became  ill  and  died  on  the  19th  of  April.  His 
remains,  however,  were  taken  back  to  Montreal 
for  interment. 

Mr.  Tyndale  voted  with  the  republican  party- 
after  becoming  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 
He  attained  the  Royal  Arch  degree  of  Masonry, 
holding  membership  with  the  lodge  and  chapter 
in  Illinois,  and  he  was  also  a  member  of  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Mod- 
ern W'oodmen  camp  in  Nebraska.  He  was  a 
man  of  generous  impulses  and  warm  heart,  kind 
to  the  poor  and  needy  and  considerate  at  all  times 
of  those  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  He 
held  membership  in  the  Episcopal  church  in 
Rockford,  of  which  his  widow  and  her  daugh- 


594 


i'AST     AND     I'R1-:SEXT     OF     WlXXlilBAGO     COUNTY. 


tor  are  also  ooninuinicants.  Mrs.  TviKlale  lias 
recently  erected  a  larj^e.  fine  residence  at  Xci. 
1I2()  Grand  avenue  and  also  owns  considcralile 
other  property  in  Rock  ford,  including  a  nnmher 
of  dwellings,  the  rental  from  which  returns  her 
an  excellent  income,  .'^he  and  her  daujsjhter  are 
|iroiiiinent  in  social  circles  in  Rixklord.  Mr. 
Tyndale  was  verA-  devoted  to  his  family  and  he 
lield  friendship  inviolable.  Those  who  placed 
trust  in  him  found  that  it  was  never  betrayed 
and  his  business  record  was  at  all  times  unas- 
sailable. 


BEADON  R.  LYDDOX. 

Beadon  R.  Lvddon.  connected  with  the  build- 
injj  interests  of  Rockford,  is  to-day  one  of  the 
most  prominent  contractors  of  the  city,  and  has 
probably  done  the  largest  amount  of  Iiouse 
building  of  any  representative  of  the  trade  here. 
A  native  of  England,  he  was  born  in  Somerset- 
shire in  1866,  his  parents  being  Benjamin  and 
Elizabeth  Ann  (Withers)  Lyddon,  who  were 
also  born  in  the  same  country.  The  father  died 
there  on  the  25th  of  March,  1874,  when  sixty- 
nine  years  of  age.  He  was  a  tailor  by  trade,  and 
had  always  followed  that  pursuit  in  order  to  pro- 
vide for  his  family.  Subsequent  to  his  death. 
the  mother  and  her  three  sons  came  to  the  United 
States,  crossing  the  Atlantic  in  1877.  They  lo- 
cated at  Malta.  De  Kalb  county,  Illinois,  reach- 
ing their  destination  on  the  i6th  of  March,  and 
there  Mrs.  Lyddon  made  her  home  until  the 
fall  of  i8<^o,  when  she  removed  to  Rockford. 
where  she  now  resides,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six 
years.  The  sons  are:  Beadon  R.,  of  this  re- 
view :  Benjamin  A.,  a  contractor  and  builder  of 
Rockford.  who  married  Miss  Anna  R.  McDou- 
gle.  and  has  three  sons.  Forest  A.,  Albert  I.  and 
Clyde  O. ;  and  Earnest  E.,  who  married  Amanda 
Wright,  and  has  a  daughter,  Eva  Crystal.  Their 
home  is  also  in  Rockford. 

Beadon  R.  Lyddon  spent  the  first  eleven  vears 
of  his  life  in  the  land  of  his  nativity,  and  began 
his  educatinn  in  the  public  schools  there.  He  then 
came  with  his  mother  to  America  and  continucrl 
his  studies  in  the  schools  of  De  Kalb  countv. 
When  not  occupied  with  the  duties  of  the  school- 
room his  attention  was  given  to  the  farm  w^ork, 
and  he  did  arduous  service  in  assisting  his  mother 
in  imprnving  the  homestead  farm  on  which  she 
located  upon  her  arrival  in  the  new  workl,  .At 
the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  started  out  in  life 
on  his  own  account,  going  to  Belvidere,  where 
he  began  learning  the  carpenter's  trade,  for 
wliicli  he  had  displayed  a  natural  predilection 
from  his  boyhood  days,  being  very  handy  with 
the  use  of  tools.  lie  was  not  long  in  gaining  a 
thorough  and  accurate  knowledge  of  the  busi- 


ness :  was  recognized  as  a  skilled  workman,  and 
even  prior  to  his  removal  to  Rockford  he  began 
contracting.  In  the  fall  of  1890  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  this  cit\-,  and  has  since  been  connected 
with  its  building  o])erations  as  a  contractor.  He 
has  erected  on  contract  about  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  houses  here  and  has  also  built  the 
C'cii'.iUry  C  tub  building,  numerous  manufacturing 
l)lanis  and  imi)ortant  business  houses.  He  has 
made  a  specialty  of  flat  buildings,  and  in  1904 
he  erected  two  large  fiat  buildings  in  addition  to 
twenty  private  residences.  He  has  perhaps  done 
the  largest  amount  of  house  building  of  any 
contractor  in  the  city,  and  employs  on  an  av- 
erage of  twenty  men,  sometimes  having  as  many 
as  forty  or  fifty  men  in  his  emi)loy.  He  also 
furnishes  plans  for  buildings.  He  entered  upon 
his  varied  duties  with  admirable  equipment,  be- 
ing a  ])ractical  builder,  and  has  carried  out  his 
])n)jects  with  such  industry  that  he  is  credited 
with  the  erection  of  many  of  the  best  residences 
here.  These  are  an  ornament  to  their  respective 
neighborhoods,  pleasing  to  the  eye  and  con- 
structed with  conscientious  regard  for  real  util- 
ity and   thorough  workmanship. 

Mr.  Lyddon  was  married  in  Belvidere.  Illinois, 
to  Miss  Mary  T.  liauman,  who  was  born  July 
10.  1867,  in  Morris,  (jrundy  county,  Illinois,  her 
parents  being  Andrew  and  Crescent  (Read) 
Baunian,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Ger- 
many, the  father's  birth  having  occurred  in  Wurt- 
temburg,  while  the  mother  was  born  in  Bavaria. 
Mr.  ISauman  died  in  March,  1877,  at  the  age  of 
fifty-three  years,  while  his  wife,  who  was  born 
.\ugust  13,  1827.  is  now  living  in  Knoxville,  and 
is  still  a  very  active  woman.  ]\Irs.  Lyddon  has 
three  brothers  and  two  sisters,  namely :  John, 
w'ho  is  engaged  in  the  bakery  business  in  Utica, 
Xew  York :  Casper  C,  a  commercial  traveler, 
residing  at  Cherry  \'alley ;  Joseph,  who  is  also 
a  traveling  man :  Louise,  the  wife  of  Louis 
I'^agle.  a  baker  conducting  business  at  Knox- 
ville. Iowa :  and  Frances  R..  the  wife  of  J.  H. 
Lawrence,  who  is  engaged  in  the  restaurant  busi- 
ness at  Exira.  Iowa.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lyddon 
have  three  children:  ( iordon  Robert,  who  was 
born  at  Belvidere.  Illinois,  May  12,  1890:  Beadon 
Francis,  born  in  Rockford,  February  16,  1892 ; 
and  Ella  Mae,  born  in  this  city,  April  13,  1894. 
.\11  are  attending  school  here. 

Mr.  Lyddon  votes  with  the  republican  party, 
ami  his  religious  views  accord  with  the  teachings 
of  the  Ba])tisl  church,  the  services  of  which  he 
attends.  lie  is  prominent  in  his  fraternal  rela- 
tions, being  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen 
camp,  while  in  Masonry  he  has  attained  a  high 
degree.  He  is  now  affiliated  with  Star  in  the 
East  lodge.  Xo.  ir/".,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. :  Winnebago 
Chapter,  Xo.  24,  R.  \.  M. :  Crusader  Command- 
ery,  Xo.  17,  K.  T. ;  Tebala  Temple  of  the  Mystic 


B.  R.  LYDDON. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


597 


Shrine  and  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star,  of 
which  i\Irs.  Lyddon  is  also  a  member.  He  is 
deeply  interested  in  the  growth  of  the  craft,  and 
in  his  life  exemplifies  its  tenets  and  teachings. 
Like  all  successful  business  men  he  gives  the 
greater  part  of  his  attention  to  the  line  of  activity 
in  which  he  has  directed  his  eiiforts,  and  his 
work  as  a  contractor  has  met  with  cordial  and 
general  appreciation,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  at- 
tractive edifices  he  has  erected  and  the  liberal 
patronage  accorded  him. 


D.  E.  TURNER. 


D.  E.  Turner,  who  follows  fanning  in  Guil- 
ford township,  where  he  is  also  serving  as  road 
commissioner,  has  filled  this  office  for  twelve 
years,  a  fact  which  stands  in  uncontrovertible 
evidence  of  his  capability,  his  fidelity'  to  dutv  and 
the  trust  reposed  in  him  by  his  fellow  townsmen. 
He  came  to  \\'innebago  county  about  forty-one 
years  ago  and  is  a  native  son  of  the  middle  west, 
exemplifying  in  his  life  the  spirit  of  enterprise 
and  progress  which  have  been  the  dominant  fac- 
tors in  the  upbuilding  of  this  section  of  the  coun- 
try. He  was  born  in  \Vaverly,  Bremer  count}-, 
Iowa,  November  lo,  1861,  his  parents  being 
Thomas  and  Rebecca  J.  (Evans)  Turner,  who 
removed  to  this  county  about  fifty-four  years 
ago.  Thomas  Turner  came  from  Canada  to 
Rockford,  but  after  a  brief  residence  here  he  re- 
moved to  Iowa,  where  he  remained  for  seven 
years.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  after 
his  return  to  ^^'innebago  county  lived  in  Cherry 
\'alley  and  Guilford  townships,  devoting  his  at- 
tention to  the  tilling  of  the  soil.  He  died  in  the 
spring  of  1904,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven  years, 
and  is  still  survived  b}-  his  wife.  They  celebrated 
their  golden  wedding  on  the  12th  of  October, 
1903.  In  their  family  were  three  sons  and  a 
daughter,  but  one  son  and  the  daughter  died  in 
childhood.  E.  T.  Turner  is  now  living  on  a 
farm  near  Waverly,  Iowa,  the  land  having  been 
pre-empted  by  his  father  from  the  government 
when  the  family  home  was  established  in  that 
state. 

D.  E.  Turner,  whose  name  introduces  this  rec- 
ord, was  reared  in  Winnebago  count}-,  which  has 
been  his  home  for  more  than  four  decades,  and 
in  his  youth  he  gained  intimate  knowledge  of 
farm  work  through  assistance  which  he  rendered 
to  his  father  in  the  fields  and  meadows.  Having 
arrived  at  years  of  maturity-  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Ella  O.  Krans,  who  was  born 
in  Sweden  and  was  brought  to  the  United  States 
when  a  young  maiden,  her  parents  being  Gust 
and  Fredericka  Krans,  who  now  reside  in  Rock- 
ford,  her   father  being  employed   in  one   of  the 


factories  there.  j\Irs.  Turner  was  engaged  in 
teaching  in  the  Henr}-  Freeman  school  of  Rock- 
ford  for  several  years  and  is  a  lady  of  culture 
and  refinement.  She  has  become  the  mother  of 
two  daughters,  Lorene  and  Lucile,  both  at  home. 
Politicall}-  a  republican,  upon  the  party  ticket 
^Ir.  Turner  was  elected  road  conunissioner  and 
by  re-election  has  been  continued  in  the  ofiice  for 
the  past  twelve  \-ears.  He  has  done  much  to 
secure  good  roads  here  and  his  labors  have  been 
attended  with  excellent  results.  He  belongs  to 
the  Masonic  fraternity,  his  membership  being 
in  Cherry  Valley  lodge,  and  his  life  is  in  har- 
mony with  the  spirit  of  the  craft,  which  is  based 
upon  mutual  helpfulness  and  brotherh-  kindness. 
From  boyhood  down  to  the  present  time  he  has  so 
lived  that  his  stanchest  friends  are  those  who  have 
known  him  from  his  early  youth.  His  business 
success  has  come  as  a  legitimate  result  of  well 
directed  efforts,  liis  life  being  another  proof  of 
cause  and  eiifect  in  the  business  world. 


T.  N.  SAYLOR. 


J.  N.  Saylor,  a  farmer  located  on  section  19, 
Cherry  \"alley  township,  has  resided  in  Winne- 
bago county  for  more  than  six  decades,  having 
taken  up  his  abode  here  in  1843.  He  was  born 
in  Tompkins  county.  New  York,  April  20,  1818. 


C.  JEROME  ROBERTS. 

C.  Jerome  Roberts,  who  was  for  many  years  a 
well  known  business  man  of  Rockford.  took  up 
his  abode  in  the  city  when  it  bore  little  resem- 
blance to  the  metropolitan  center  which  we  find 
here  to-day.  He  settled  here  in  1846,  being  at 
that  time  a  young  man  of  about  twenty-one  years. 
He  was  born  near  Montrose,  Pennsylvania,  No- 
vember 8,  1825.  his  parents  being  Caleb  and  Mary 
Roberts.  The  mother  spent  her  entire  life  in  the 
Keystone  state,  where  she  died  when  her  son  Je- 
rome was  about  twenty-one  years  of  age.  Later 
the  father  came  to  the  west  and  departed  this  life 
in  Rockford.  One  of  their  sons  is  still  living  in 
this  city,  Jacob  W.  Roberts,  who  is  a  retired  shoe- 
maker now  residing  with  his  son-in-law,  G.  R. 
Warren,  at  No.  831  North  Court  street. 

Mr.  Roberts  of  this  review  acquired  a  good 
education  in  the  schools  of  the  east,  for  after  at- 
tending the  public  schools  of  his  native  town  he 
was  afforded  the  privilege  of  continuing  his  edu- 
cation in  Montrose  Academy  at  Montrose,  Penn- 
sylvania. He  did  not  complete  the  full  course 
there,  however,  because  his  health  failed  him  and 
for  this  reason  he  came  to  the  west  in  1846,  hop- 


598 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


ing  that  a  chaiig:t?  of  climate  would  prove  bene- 
ficial. He  made  his  way  direct  to  Rock  ford,  where 
he  entered  the  bakery  business  in  partnership  with 
his  cousin.  Amos  Roberts,  on  West  State  street. 
This  relation  was  maintained  for  a  few  years, 
after  which  Mr.  Roberts  joined  his  brother  in  a 
partnershi])  in  the  shoe  business  on  West  State 
street,  following  that  pursuit  for  several  years. 
Mr.  Roberts  then  accepted  a  position  as  sales- 
man and  bookkeeper  in  the  grocery  store  of  W. 
G.  King,  but  impaired  health  le<l  him  to  seek  out- 
door work  as  he  could  not  stand  tlie  close  con- 
finement of  the  store.  lie  then  began  traveling 
over  the  country,  buying  butter  for  Mr.  King,  in 
whose  employ  lie  remained  for  several  years,  after 
which  he  began  business  for  himself,  o]>ening  a 
store  on  West  State  street  near  .Main  street.  Pie 
there  engaged  in  buying  butter,  eggs  and  cheese, 
which  lie  ship[)ed  to  I'.oston,  New  York  and  St. 
Louis,  carrying  on  the  business  for  several  years. 
He  was  very  successful  in  this  undertaking,  and 
he  then  returned  to  keeping  books  for  a  few  years, 
after  which  he  want  uixin  the  road  as  a  traveling 
saleman,  selling  soap  for  sometime.  Subse(iuent- 
ly  he  acceptcil  the  i)osition  of  bookkeeper  for  'Sir. 
Sturtevant,  of  Rockford,  with  whom  he  remained 
for  four  years,  but  later  he  abandoned  all  business 
cares  and  retired  to  private  life,  spending  his  re- 
maining days  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  well  earned 
rest. 

Mr.  Roberts  was  married  three  times.  He  first 
wedded  Mary  J.  Dewey,  who  died  in  Rockford. 
For  his  second  wife  he  chose  Mrs.  Hettie  Quack- 
enbush,  of  New  York,  who  died  in  Rockford. 
There  were  four  children  of  that  union,  but  all 
died  in  early  life  with  the  exception  of  Carroll  J., 
a  painter  residing  in  Chicago.  For  his  third  wife 
Mr.  Roberts  chose  Miss  Hortcnse  Moore,  who 
was  born  in  Winnebago  county,  and  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  Washington  and  Lucia  (Holt)  Moore,  who 
were  natives  of  the  east,  and  came  to  Winnebago 
county  in  1838,  settling  in  Winnebago  township, 
where  Mr.  Moore  engaged  in  farming  until  his 
death  in  1846.  Mrs.  ^roore  afterward  married 
Clark  Fisher,  who  conducted  a  sawmill  in  this 
coimty  for  many  years,  and  both  he  and  his  wife 
died  here,  Mrs.  Fisher  passing  away  in  1805. 
There  were  three  children  born  unto  Mr.  Roberts 
by  liis  last  marriage:  Tracy  M.,  who  wedded 
Catherine  C.  McLaughlin  and  is  a  molder  by 
tra<le.  residing  in  Rockford  with  his  wife  and  one 
son,  I'^arle  Jerome ;  Dena  W.,  who  has  always  re- 
sided with  her  mother;  and  Newell  IL.  who  mar- 
ried Genevieve  A.  Tuttle.  They  have  one  child. 
Clement,  and  they  also  reside  with  .Mrs.  Roberts, 
Mr.  Tuttle  is  a  painter  by  trade. 

.Mr.  Roberts,  in  adflition  to  his  other  business 
interests,  was  at  one  time  a  director  in  the  old 
Forest  City  Itank  of  Rockford.  .About  ten  weeks 
before  his  death  he  became  ill  and  was  confined  to 


his  bed.  He  passed  away  May  8,  1904,  his  de- 
mise being  tlie  occasion  of  deep  regret  to  his  many 
friends.  In  |)()litics  he  was  a  republican,  actively 
interested  in  the  success  and  growth  of  the  party, 
and  he  always  kept  well  informed  on  the  (|uesti()ns 
and  issues  of  the  day.  He  possessed  a  very  reten- 
tive memory  and  was  thoroughly  informed  con- 
cerning the  important  events  in  the  history  of 
Rockft)rd  and  Winnebago  county.  He  had  a  wide 
ac(|uaintance  among  pioneer  settlers  here,  as  well 
as  among  later  arrivals,  and  all  recognized  his 
honorable  manhood  and  his  genuine  personal 
worth.  He  contributed  to  the  improvement  of 
the  city  by  his  indorsement  of  many  measures  for 
the  general  good  and  al.so  aided  in  the  material 
upbuilding  by  the  erection  of  several  houses.  .\t 
one  time  he  was  the  owner  of  a  very  fine  residence 
on  Rockton  avenue,  which  he  afterward  sold, 
building  the  present  home  of  the  family  at  No. 
316  Hinkley  avenue.  Mrs.  Roberts  and  her  chil- 
dren are  all  members  of  the  Coiu-t  Street  Meth- 
odist E[)iscopal  church. 


W.    .\l.   l.AWTO.V. 


W.  .M.  Lawton.  who  for  the  past  three  years 
has  conducted  a  prosperous  business  in  Rockford 
as  an  oil  dealer,  is  a  native  of  the  Empire  state, 
but  has  made  his  home  in  Illinois  since  about  two 
years  of  age.  He  was  reared  and  educated  here, 
and  in  his  boyhood  days  remained  with  his  par- 
ents, who  are  now  deceased.  He  entered  upon 
his  business  career  in  Chicago,  where  he  was  em- 
]iloycd  for  some  time,  .\fterward  he  became  an 
oil  dealer  in  Capron,  Pioone  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  was  located  for  several  years  prior  to 
his  removal  to  Rockford.  Since  1902,  however, 
he  has  been  engaged  in  business  in  this  city,  and 
he  now  has  a  large  storage  plant,  with  a  capacity 
of  fortv-four  thousand  gallons.  He  runs  three 
tank  wagons  and  also  supjilies  seventeen  towns 
besides  Rockford.  handling  the  best  grade  of 
Pennsylvania  oil.  He  furnishes  employment  to 
three  men,  and  devotes  his  entire  attention  to  the 
business.  He  is  the  only  one  thus  engaged  in 
Rockford,  aside  from  the  Standard  Oil  Com- 
pany, and  he  handles  all  refinery  products.  His 
lionorable  methods,  ()roniptness  in  attending  to 
the  wants  of  his  customers,  his  unflagging  enter- 
prise and  energy  have  brought  him  richly  merited 
success. 

In  1886  Mr.  Lawton  was  imited  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Carrie  Cooper,  a  daughter  of  .Arthur 
Cooper,  and  a  native  of  Illinois,  although  she  was 
reared  near  Mount  Pleasant.  Michigan.  In  his 
political  views  Mr.  Lawton  is  a  republican,  and 
served  as  trustee  of  the  village  board  while  re- 
siding in  Capron,  Boone  county.     Socially  he  is 


W.  M.  LAWTOX. 


34 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


Goi 


a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  at  Capron 
and  the  Knights  of  Pythias  at  Delavan,  Wiscon- 
sin, and  was  formerly  identified  with  the  Red 
]\Ien  and  the  Odd  Fellows  at  Delavan.  He  is 
now  connected  with  the  Alodern  \\'oodmen  of 
America,  and  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Wom- 
an's Relief  Corps  of  Rockford.  They  have  a 
pleasant  home  at  1009  Horsman  street,  and  al- 
though their  residence  in  this  city  covers  but  a 
Drief  period,  they  have  already  gained  many  warm 
friends   in   Rockford. 


PETER  ABRA:\I. 


Peter  Aljram.  deceased,  who  was  a  mason  con- 
tractor and  became  a  resident  of  Winnebago  coun- 
ty about  1880,  was  born  in  Southport.  England, 
January  11,  1844.  His  parents  always  resided  in 
that  cotmtry  and  both  died  there.  The  educa- 
tional privileges  afforded  the  son  were  limited,  and 
he  had  no  special  advantages  of  any  kind  to  aid 
him  as  he  started  out  upon  his  business  career. 
^M^ile  a  young  man  he  began  to  learn  the  trade  of 
a  brick-mason,  which  he  followed  while  still  in 
England. 

'Sir.  Abrani  was  also  married  in  that  country  on 
the  1 6th  of  June,  1864.  He  wedded  JMiss  Jane 
Ball,  who  died  in  Southport.  ]\Iarch  27,  1866, 
leaving  a  daughter,  Alice,  who  now  resides  in 
Iowa.  On  the  31st  of  December,  1866,  Mr. 
Abrani  was  married  in  England  to  Miss  Hannah 
Price,  who  died  in  Rockford.  They  were  the 
parents  of  eight  children  :  Samuel,  who  married 
Ann  Croucher  and  resides  in  Chicago ;  John,  de- 
ceased :  John,  the  second  of  the  name,  who  was 
born  August  28,  1872,  and  resides  in  Iowa ;  Eliza- 
beth, who  was  born  February  5,  1875.  and  is  the 
wife  of  Henry  Maxiner,  a  resident  of  Rockford  ; 
Mary  Anna,  deceased:  Mar\-  and  Annie,  twins, 
who  were  born  June  18,  1878,  the  latter  now  de- 
ceased, while  the  former  resides  in  Rockford  ;  and 
William  Henry,  who  was  born  November  7,  1880. 
and  makes  his  home  in  Chicago. 

Peter  Abram,  after  his  second  marriage,  re- 
sided for  sometime  in  England,  working  at  his 
trade,  and  then  came  to  America,  making  his  way 
into  the  interior  of  the  country.  He  settled  at 
Latham  Park,  \\'iniiebago  county,  Illinois,  where 
he  lived  for  a  short  period  and  then  removed  to 
Rockford.  It  was  subsequent  to  this  time  that 
his  second  wife  died  and  on  the  7th  of  Novem- 
ber, i8y3,  he  married  .Mrs.  ^fartha  'Slary  Ann 
(  Stanbury )  Tuckfield,  who  was  born  in  England 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  Stanbury,  who  died 
in  that  country  during  her  early  girlhood.  There 
she  became  the  wife  of  John  F.  Tuckfield,  also 
a  native  of  England,  in  which  country  he  learned 
the  miller's  trade.  On  coming  to  the  new  world 
he  settled  in  Rockford,  and  worked  at  the  miller's 


trade  until  his  death.  He  left  one  son,  Henry 
Francis  Stanbury  Tuckfield,  who  married  Bur- 
della  Phillips  and  resides  in  Beloit,  Wisconsin. 
He  is  a  machinist  by  trade. 

Mr.  Abram  worked  at  the  mason's  trade  in 
Rockford  for  a  number  of  years,  and  then  began 
contracting  along  that  line.  He  was  accorded  a 
liberal  and  important  patronage.  After  following 
that  business  for  several  years  he  went  to  the 
west  on  account  of  his  health,  but  onlv  remained 
for  three  months,  after  which  he  returned  to  Rock- 
ford. Here  he  was  taken  ill  and  died  May  3, 
1905.  He  was  a  republican  in  his  political  views 
and  fraternally  was  connected  with  the  Modern 
Woodmen  and  also  the  ^Mason's  Union.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Rebekah  lodge, 
and  he  belonged  to  the  Court  Street  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  while  his  wife  is  a  member  of 
the  Episcopalian  church. 


DANIEL  B.  REDINGTON. 

Daniel  B.  Redingtoii,  whose  prominence  in  com- 
munity affairs  and  place  in  public  regard  is  indi- 
cated by  the  fact  that  for  seventeen  years  he  has 
been  supervisor  of  Rockford  township,  is  now  re- 
siding on  his  farm  on  sections  3  and  4.  He  was 
born  in  this  township,  July  24,  1844,  and  has  prac- 
tically spent  his  entire  life  on  this  same  farm. 
His  ]3arents  are  Henry  P.  and  Jerusha  (  Bradford  ) 
Redington,  who  came  to  Winnebago  county,  in 
1836,  from  Keene,  New  Hampshire,  and  settled 
on  a  claim  on  section  4,  Rockford  township.  With 
characteristic  energy  the  father  began  the  im- 
provement of  his  place  in  the  midst  of  the  dis- 
trict where  the  work  of  civilization  had  scarcely 
been  begun.  His  land  is  now  a  part  of  the  three- 
hundred-acre  farm  owned  by  Daniel  B.  Redington. 
Throughout  his  entire  life  the  father  carried  on 
agricultural  pursuits  and  he  held  several  minor 
offices,  to  which  he  was  called  by  the  vote  of  his 
fellow  townsmen.  He  died  on  the  old  farm  home- 
stead, ill  1888,  when  about  seventy-three  years  of 
ag'e,  while  his  wife  passed  away  in  California,  in 
1881.  They  Avere  both  members  of  the  Unitarian 
church.  An  older  brother  of  our  subject,  C.  H. 
Redington,  is  now  living  in  Oakland,  California, 
occupying  the  position  of  assistant  treasurer  with 
the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  having 
been  associated  with  railroad  interests  from  his 
youth  to  the  ]M-eseiit  time.  One  sister  is  also  liv- 
ing, L.  A.,  who  is  now  the  widow  of  S.  S.  ^lon- 
tague,  who  was  chief  engineer  for  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad  Company  at  the  time  of  its  con- 
struction, her  home  being  still  in  California :  and 
S.  F.,  who  is  the  deceased  wife  of  Milton  Morse, 
a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  a  mechanic  in  his 
businesss  pursuits,  now  residing  in  the  old  Bay 
state. 


6o2 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Daniel  1>.  Rcdington  was  reared  in  Winnebago 
county,  where  his  entire  life  has  been  passed.  No 
event  of  special  importance  occurred  to  vary  the 
routine  of  farm  life  for  him  in  his  youth,  and  he 
enlisted  in  the  Eighth  Illinois  Cavalry,  a  jiart  of 
the  First  Independent  Cavalry  Corps  of  the  East- 
ern .\rmy,  and  was  himorahly  discharged  in  1865. 
He  was  never  wounded,  although  he  was  fre- 
quently in  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  and  made  a 
creditable  military  record. 

Subsefjuent  to  his  return  home  Mr.  Redington 
was  imited  in  marriage  to  Miss  Louisa  Steward, 
of  this  county,  who  was  born  in  ( )wen  township, 
antl  they  now  have  two  daughters.  Alice  and  Leta, 
the  latter  at  home.  The  elder  daughter  is  now  the 
wife  of  Charles  D.  Cliflford,  of  Rockford,  who  is 
conducting  the  Sujicrior  I^iundry  of  that  city,  of 
which  he  is  part  owner.  They  have  one  .son,  Har- 
old. Almost  contiiuinusly  since  his  marriage  Mr. 
Redington  has  followed  the  occu])ation  of  farm- 
ing, and  now  living  u|)on  the  old  farm  homestead 
is  giving  his  time  and  energies  to  the  tilling  of  the 
soil,  his  fields  being  well  cultivated,  so  that  rich 
crops  are  annually  harvested.  The  place  com- 
prises three  hundred  acres  of  land,  which  is  very 
valuable,  constituting  one  of  the  good  farms  of 
W'iimebago  county,  and  in  all  his  business  deal- 
ings he  is  reliable  and  trustworthy,  so  conducting 
his  affairs  that  he  has  made  for  himself  an  hon- 
orable name.  Well  known  as  an  advocate  of  re- 
pid)lican  principles  and  prominent  in  the  local 
ranks  of  his  party  he  has  served  as  supervisor  of 
Rockford  townshii)  for  seventeen  years.  Socially 
he  is  connected  with  Xevius  post.  No.  i,  G.  A.  R., 
and  with  Farmers"  camp.  No.  449,  M.  W.  A. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  hold  membership  in  the 
Christian  Union  church,  and  their  interests  are 
centered  in  lines  of  activity,  wherein  the  county  is 
benefited  and  public  progress  is  conserved. 


ALovzo  j.  i-:ns()X.  .m.  d. 

Dr.  .\lonzo  j.  Edson.  who  for  many  years  de- 
voted his  irfe  to  the  practice  of  medicine,  follow- 
ing the  ])rofession  for  forty-seven  years  m  (  )gle 
and  Winnebago  counties,  is  now  residing  in  the 
village  of  New  Milford,  where  he  has  lived  since 
t8(;8,  anil  where  he  is  now  practically  retired.  He 
was  born  in  Genesee  county.  New  York,  .\pril 
7,  iS.2(;.  his  parents  Ix-ing  (iemaliel  and  Haiuiah 
(Boylan)  Edson,  the  former  a  native  of  .\ew 
York  and  the  latter  of  New  Jersey.  They  re- 
moved to  Ogle  county.  Illinois,  in  1857,  settling 
in  .Monroe  townshi]),  where  Dr.  i-ldson  and  his 
father  ])urchased  a  farm,  and  upon  that  place  his 
])arents  both  died,  the  father  itassing  away  in  r877 
and  the  mother  in  |8'>4.  They  hail  four  children: 
Elizabeth  A..  Marietta  J..  Malvina  and  .Moiizo  |.. 
bi;t  Dr.  Ivlson  is  the  onlv  one  now  livinsr. 


L'ntil  twelve  years  of  age  Dr.  Edson  worked 
u])on  his  father's  farm  in  New  York.  He  then 
attended  the  common  schools  for  the  first  time, 
but  later  he  was  afforded  good  educational  privi- 
leges, becoming  a  student  in  the  academy  at  Wy- 
oming, New  ^'o^k,  where  he  remained  for  two 
tenns,  mastering  the  branches  of  learning  that 
constitute  the  curriculum  in  that  institution.  1  le 
afterward  took  up  the  study  of  theology,  placing 
himself  under  the  instruction  of  Elders  Hard,  Mc- 
Cuin  and  Fuller,  who  directed  his  reading  and 
investigation  for  a  year.  It  was  his  father's  wish 
that  he  became  a  minister  of  the  Christian  religion, 
but  owing  to  a  division  in  the  church  regarding 
the  slavery  i|uestion.  Dr.  Edson  jnit  aside  his  orig- 
inal intentions  of  following  his  father's  wish  and 
took  u])  the  study  of  medicine,  matriculating  in 
Cincinnati  .Medical  College,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  with  honors  in  the  class  of  1847.  He 
then  practiced  in  (ienesee  county.  New  York,  un- 
til 1854,  when  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Dr. 
Jacob  DeLamater,  of  Batavia,  New  York,  which 
relation  was  maintained  until  1856.  In  1858  he 
came  to  Illinois.  He  has  practiced  continuously 
since  1847,  meetmg  with  excellent  success  in  his 
profession,  and  he  has  continuously  studied  and 
read  to  keep  in  touch  with  methods  of  modern 
practice,  being  quick  to  advocate  any  new  idea 
that  would  prove  of  value  in  his  chosen  work,  yet 
he  never  discarded  hastily  the  old  and  time-tried 
methods  whose  value  he  had  proven  through  long 
years  of  active  work. 

C)n  the  1st  of  October.  1850.  Dr.  Edson  was 
married  to  Miss  Cornelia  Howe,  who  died  twelve 
years  later,  and  on  the  2d  of  January.  1865,  he 
wedded  Mrs.  Mercy  M.  Pardee.  They  have  four 
children :  Curtis  G.  and  Bertis  S..  twins,  the 
former  residing  at  New  Milford.  where  he  is  eni- 
])l(>yed  as  an  engineer,  while  the  latter  resides  on 
a  farm  in  ( )gle  county;  (jeorge  .\..  who  assists 
his  brother  Bertis  in  operating  the  farm:  and 
Kittie  .M..  at  home.  By  her  former  husband  Mrs. 
Edson  had  two  children,  one  of  whom.  Roland 
C,  resides  in  Monroe,  Ogle  county.  He  is  now 
married  and  has  four  daughters,  twt)  of  whom  are 
school-teachers. 

Dr.  Edson  is  the  owner  of  a  good  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  eighty  acres,  and  he  recently  sold 
seven  acres  for  the  right  of  way  for  the  Iowa, 
Illinois  &•  Minnesota  Railroad,  now  in  course  of 
construction.  The  farm  lies  jiartly  in  Winnebago 
and  ])artly  in  <  >gle  counties,  one  hmidred  and 
tliirtx -three  acres  being  in  the  townshi])  of  New 
.Milford,  ami  the  Doctor's  practice  has  naturally 
extended  into  both  counties.  In  November.  i8q8. 
he  removed  to  the  village  of  New  Milford,  where 
he  ]iurchased  and  imi)roved  his  present  comfor- 
table home.  He  formerly  owned  several  proper- 
ties in  the  city  of  l\(X"kford,  but  has  disjxised  of 
these.     Politically  Dr.  I'Mson  is  a  republican,  and 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


603 


in  religious  faith  his  wife  is  connected  with  the 
Wesleyan  Methodist  church.  Fraternally  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fol- 
lows and  the  [Masonic  lodge  in  New  York,  but 
has  never  affiliated  therewith  in  the  west.  In  the 
line  of  his  profession  he  was  identified  with  the 
New  York  State  Medical  Society  and  is  now  a 
member  of  the  Illinois  State  Medical  Society.  He 
is  a  social,  genial  gentleman  of  genuine  worth, 
whose  life  has  been  of  benefit  to  his  fellowmen, 
and  he  is  yet  the  loved  family  physician  in  many  a 
household.  He  has  now  attained  a  venerable  age, 
having  passed  the  seventy-sixth  milestone  on  life's 
journey,  but  his  era  of  usefulness  is  not  yet  over. 
Old  age  does  not  naturally  suggest  lack  of  occu- 
pation or  helplessness,  for  there  is  an  old  age 
which  grows  stronger  and  better  as  the  years  go 
by  and  gives  out  of  its  rich  stores  of  wisdom  and 
experience.  Such  has  Ix^en  the  career  of  Dr.  Ed- 
son. 


HEXRY  P.  KIMBALL. 

Henry  P.  Kimball  as  secretary  of  the  County 
Agricultural  Society  and  as  a  private  citizen  con- 
tributed in  substantial  measure  to  the  welfare  and 
upbuilding  of  Rockford  and  ^^'innebago  county, 
and,  while  he  started  out  in  business  empty- 
handed,  in  his  later  years  he  was  classed  with  the 
prosperous  citizens  whose  records  prove  the  force 
and  value  of  industry  and  integrity  as  factors  in 
the  business  world. 

;\[r.  Kimball  was  a  native  of  New  Hampshire, 
born  in  1829,  and  his  parents  were  Samuel  and 
Hannah  (Tasker)  Kimball,  who  were  natives  of 
New  England,  spending  the  greater  part  of  their 
lives  in  Kennebunk,  r^Iaine,  where  in  his  younger 
years  the  father  followed  the  miller's  trade.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  died  in  Salmon  Falls.  New  Hamp- 
shire. 

Henry  P.  Kimball  acquired  a  good  education 
in  the  east.  He  was  largely  reared  in  Maine,  and 
after  mastering  the  elementary  branches  of  learn- 
ing in  the  public  schools  continued  his  studies  in 
Colby  University,  of  Alaine.  while  subsequently  he 
was  graduated  from  Rochester  (New  York)  Uni- 
versity. He  then  turned  his  attention  to  the  pro- 
fession of  teaching,  which  he  followed  for  several 
years  in  the  Pine  Tree  state.  Attracted  by  the 
business  opportunities  of  the  great  and  growing 
west,  however,  he  made  his  way  to  Winnebago 
countv  in  early  manhood,  arriving  in  Rockford 
in  June,  1852.  He  first  taught  school  here  for 
three  years  and  then  turned  his  attention  to  hor- 
ticultural pursuits,  owning  twenty-six  acres  of 
land  in  the  northern  part  of  the  city,  now  included 
within  the  main  residence  portion  of  Rockford. 
He  also  bought  another  tract  and  set  out  both 
places  in  fruit  trees.     He  made  a  close  study  of 


the  needs  and  requirements  of  different  kinds  of 
fruit  trees,  and  his  opinions  were  largely  regarded 
as  authority  on  horticultural  questions  in  this 
part  of  the  state.  He  produced  high  grades  of 
fruit  and  met  with  excellent  success  in  his  busi- 
ness career.  He  was  also  secretary  of  the  County 
Agricultural  Society,  and  put  forth  his  best  efforts 
to  promote  its  interests,  so  that  the  farming  class 
of  Winnebago  county  owe  him  a  debt  of  gratitude 
for  what  he  accomplished  in  that  direction. 

In  i8q2,  Mr.  Kimball  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Ellen  Haskell,  a  native  of  [Massachusetts 
and  a  daughter  of  Dr.  George  and  Eunice  (Ed- 
wards) Haskell.  Her  mother  was  born  in  Acton, 
[Massachusetts.  Her  father.  Dr.  Haskell,  was  one 
of  the  early  physicians  of  Rockford  and  a  grad- 
uate of  Dartmouth  College.  Retaining  his  resi- 
dence in  New  England  for  some  time  he  practiced 
both  in  Maine  and  [Massachusetts,  and  then  re- 
moved to  the  west,  settling  first  in  Edwardsville, 
Illinois,  whence  he  afterward  went  to  Alton,  re- 
maining in  active  practice  there  for  a  few  years. 
He  afterward  proceeded  by  boat  up  the  river  to 
Rockford,  becoming  one  of  the  pioneer  phvsicians 
of  this  city.  Here  he  practiced  with  benefit  to  the 
community  until  his  own  health  failed  and  he 
found  it  necessary  to  live  an  outdoor  life.  How- 
ever, before  following  that  course  he  purchased 
a  small  stock  of  dry  goods  and  conducted  a  store 
for  a  few  years  after  his  retirement  from  practice. 
He  found  that  he  could  not  stand  the  close  con- 
finement and  embarked  in  the  nursery  business, 
giving  his  attention  largely  to  fruit  trees.  At  a 
later  date  he  removed  to  New  Jersey,  where  he 
invested  in  land  and  spent  his  last  days,,  but  Mrs. 
Haskell  died  at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
Kimball,  in  Rockford.  Dr.  Haskell  was  a  man 
of  marked  integrity  of  character,  of  unquestion- 
able honor  in  all  life's  relations  and  one  whose 
flevotion  to  the  public  good  was  characterized  by 
untiring  elTort  and  imselfishness  of  purpose. 

[Mr.  and  [Mrs.  Kimball  became  the  parents  of 
four  children :  Frank  H.,  a  practicing  physician 
of  Rockford.  who  is  represented  elsewhere  in  this 
work;  Willis  [M..  who  married  Isabelle  [Mears  and 
resides  on  Haskell  avenue,  now  representing  the 
fourth  ward  on  the  board  of  aldermen,  a  position 
which  he  has  filled  for  many  years  with  marked 
capability ;  Carlton  C,  who  wedded  [May  Irish 
and  is  city  collector,  residing  on  Winnebago 
street :  and  Cora,  who  died  at  the  age  of  four 
vears.  The  death  of  [Mr.  Kimball  occurred  [Mav 
10,  1889. 

He  was  a  republican  in  politics  and  took  an 
active  and  deep  interest  in  the  questions  and  is- 
sues of  the  day.  He  long  ranked  as  one  of  the 
leading  residents  of  his  adopted  city,  and  was 
closely  identified  with  its  upbuilding  along  varied 
lines.  He  was  a  gentlemen  of  broad  humani- 
tarian  spirit,   of   ready   sympathy   and   unfailing 


6o4 


PAST     AXD     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


courtesy  and  always  stooil  as  a  friend  <>f  educa- 
tional and  philanthropic  measures.  The  consensus 
of  public  opinion  conceminii  him  was  very  favor- 
able, and  lie  had  the  haiipy  faculty  not  only  of 
winnint;  friends,  but  of  (Irawins  them  closer  to 
him  as- the  years  passed  by.  In  i8i)2  .Mrs.  Kim- 
ball built  her  present  beautiful  home  at  .\o.  •t^j 
l-'isher  avenue.  The  family  are  well  known  here 
and  occupy  an  enviable  pfisition  in  social  circles 
and  public  life. 


A.    P..   MILLER. 


.\.  1!.  .Miller,  a  farmer  ami  stock-raiser  also 
enirased  in  the  breeding  of  stock,  is  located  on 
.section  27,  Shirland  township,  where  he  is 
larfjcly  en,c;a,tje<l  in  the  breediiiij  of  jersey  cattle 
and  P.erkshire  ho.ys.  lie  is  to-day  one  of  the 
most  ])roniinent  representatives  of  farmins;  inter- 
ests in  this  part  of  the  county,  and  his  judg'.nent 
concerning:  farm  animals  and  jiroducts  of  all 
kinds  is  considered  autlioritative.  He  is  a  na- 
tive of  Orauije  county,  X'ermont,  born  in  1835, 
and  was  a  lad  of  ten  years  when  in  1845  he  was 
lir<)ut;ht  to  \\'iimeba<.jo  county  by  his  parcr.ts, 
Alexander  and  .Mary  (  Mackey^„^Uer.  'JTie 
father  was  born  at  Ryegate,  Vermont,  and  .-ifter 
his  removal  to  the  west  settled  in  the  village  of 
Rockford.  where  he  oluained  employment  in  tlie 
salt  works.  Later  he  |)iircliased  the  farm  now 
owned  by  I-Vank  Zahn  in  Shirland  township,  .'md 
for  a  time  continued  its  improvement,  but  later 
sold  out  there  and  removed  to  Harlem  tovvn- 
shi|),  where  he  resided  for  a  number  of  yetr-;. 
lie  then  again  i)urchased  a  farm  in  Shirland 
townshi])  and  devoted  his  time  and  energies  to  its 
(leveloi)ment  and  imi>rovement  until  he  retired 
from  active  business  life  and  took  up  his  abode  in 
the  village  of  .Shirland.  where  he  made  his  home 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  about  fifteen  years 
ago.  when  he  was  eighty-five  years  of  age.  His 
wife  died  about  1<>X).  when  ninety-two  years  of 
age.  IJoth  were  very  active  u|)  to  the  last.  They 
were  natives  of  \'ermont  and  manifested  the 
thrift  and  industry  .so  characteristic  of  the  .\ew 
I'^ngland  people.  In  their  family  were  twelve  chil- 
dren, as  follows:  Mrs.  Margaret  Reckhow.  of 
Uockforfl :  John,  a  stock  buyer  <if  that  city; 
Rii'^riT,  who  is  engaged  in  the  fruit  business  in 
.Michigan;  ICduKynd.  a  resident  farmer  nf  ( )wen 
trtwnship;  Mrs.  Fidelia  Ilarley.  who  owns  a 
fine  farm  in  Shirland  townshi])  and  makes  her 
home  in  the  village  of  Rockton  ;  Mrs.  Henrietta 
Robinson,  of  Reloil ;  .Mrs.  Mary  A.  Llo\d,  of 
Roscoc ;  .Mrs.  P..  Jewett.  of  Harrison;  A.  P.,  of 
this  review;  one  who  died  in  infancy;  l-Vank. 
who  died  in  California;  and  William,  who  was 
a  farmer  of  Shirland  township  and  was  acci- 
rlentallv  killed  bv  working  about  a  thresher. 


.\.  !'..  Miller  spent  the  first  ten  years  of  his 
life  in  the  place  of  his  nativity,  and  from  the  age 
of  ten  years  has  resided  in  Winnebago  county, 
while  for  forty  years  he  has  made  his  home  upon 
his  present  farm.  Here  he  has  carried  on  gen- 
eral agricultural  ])ursuits  and  stock  breeding  and 
r.iising.  He  devotes  special  attention  to  the 
breeding  of  Jersey  cattle  and  1  Berkshire  hogs, 
and  he  owns  some  fine  ])ure  bred  Perkshires.  He 
has  bred  these  animals  for  thirty-eight  years,  has 
exhibited  at  various  fairs  and  has  won  many 
jjrizes,  often  times  carrying  olT  the  first  prize. 
.Ml  of  his  cattle  are  eligible  to  record,  and  indeed 
most  of  tliem  have  been  recorded.  They  average 
three  himdred  jvnuids  in  butter  t<j  each  cow  per 
year.  That  .Mr.  .Miller  is  considered  an  excellent 
judge  of  farm  animals  is  shown  by  the  fact  that 
he  has  often  been  chosen  to  act  as  judge  of 
fowls,  cattle  and  hogs  at  various  fairs  at  I-'ree- 
])nrt  and  elsewhere,  and  also  as  judge  upon  flow- 
ers and  plants.  He  owns  and  operates  his  farm 
of  seventy  acres,  which  is  finely  improved,  and 
he  conducts  an  extensive  dairy,  having  a  large 
herd  of  Jerseys.  This  branch  of  his  business  is 
proving  very  ]irofitable.  and  indeed  in  all  that 
he  undertakes  he  wins  success  because  he  is 
])raciical,  energetic  and  reliable. 

.Mr.  Miller  was  married  here  to  Miss  Mar\  j. 
Rochester,  who  was  born  in  Janesville,  Wiscon- 
sin, and  is  a  daughter  of  James  Rochester,  an 
early  resident  of  this  ])art  of  the  state.  The 
father  resided  in  Rockford.  and  was  a  mill- 
wright by  trade.  Ivventually.  however,  he  re- 
moved to  Kansas  City,  where  he  enlisted  in  the 
I'nion  army,  his  death  occurring  while  he  was 
in  the  service.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller  have  six 
children.  Henry,  agent  at  .Shannon.  Illinois,  for 
the  Chicago,  ^lilwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railroad 
Com])any.  is  married,  and  has  six  children.  Ed- 
ward, a  farmer  of  Shirland  township,  is  married, 
and  has  oiie  daughter,  but  has  lost  his  wife. 
William  is  associated  with  his  father  in  business. 
Clara  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Piemielt.  a  resident 
farmer  of  Shirland  township,  and  has  one  daugh- 
ter. Mae  is  the  wife  of  h'a^ctte  Stilwell.  and 
li.is  four  children.  Jemiie  is  at  home.  .Mr. 
-Miller  exerci.ses  his  right  of  franchise  in  support 
of  the  men  and  meas  ires  of  the  reimljlican  ])arty. 
but  has  little  as))iration  for  office,  and  has  served 
onl\'  in  a  few  minor  iiositions.  He  was  formerly 
identified  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
I'ellows,  but  he  now  concentrates  his  attentions 
largely  ui)on  his  business  affairs,  and  he  is  justly 
re,'arded  as  one  of  the  most  jirogressive  agri- 
culturists of  this  part  of  the  county,  being  so 
iboroughh-  informeil  on  the  best  methods  of 
raising  slock  and  farm  ])roducts  that  his  ojiinions 
are  considered  valuable  throughout  the  entire  lo- 
cality. 


7^ 


S-. 


> 


r 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


607 


NELSON  EUGENE  BENOIT. 

On  Sunday,  the  23d  of  March,  1902,  there  oc- 
curred an  event  which  caused  general  mourning 
in  the  city  of  Rockford,  the  death  of  Nelson  E. 
Benoit,  who  at  the  hour  of  2 :30  departed  this 
life.  He  was  a  remarkable  man  in  many  respects. 
He  achieved  splendid  success  in  business,  and  in 
him  were  embodied  many  virtues,  including  a 
steadfast  purpose,  unimpeachable  integrity  and 
devotion  to  the  general  good.  Moreover,  he  pos- 
sessed a  nature  which  enabled  him  to  shed  around 
him  much  of  the  sunshine  of  life.  This  was  per- 
haps his  most  distinguishing  characteristic,  as  all 
who  knew  him  were  familiar  with  his  intense  good 
nature,  his  ready  reply  and  his  quick  wit,  but 
those  who  came  within  the  closer  circle  of  his 
friendship  knew  more  of  a  kindly,  generous  spirit, 
a  philanthropic  purpose  and  a  serious  and  philo- 
sophic insight  into  life,  its  duties  and  its  possi- 
bilities. He  was  known  in  business  circles  of 
Rockford  for  many  years  as  one  of  its  leading 
merchants,  first  taking  up  his  abode  here  in  1868. 

Mr.  Benoit  was  a  native  of  Frelighsburg,  Que- 
bec, Canada,  born  in  the  6th  of  March,  1841.  His 
parents  always  lived  in  Quebec,  where  his  father 
was  a  carriage-maker  by  trade.  The  son  pursued 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native 
countv.  and  then  became  his  father's  assistant  in 
the  shop,  there  learning  the  trade,  which,  however, 
he  followed  for  only  a  brief  time.  He  afterward 
learned  the  art  of  photography  in  Canada,  and 
followed  it  as  a  business  pursuit  until  he  came  to 
Rockford  in  1868.  Here  he  secured  a  position  in 
the  paint  shop  of  the  N.  C.  Thompson  Company, 
but  when  he  had  been  thus  employed  for  about 
two  years  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  jewelry 
business,  securing  a  position  in  the  store  of  Mr. 
Manning,  with  whom  he  worked  for  a  few  years. 
He  afterward  clerked  for  Mr.  Freidman  in  his 
jewelry  store  for  about  a  year,  and  in  1880  he 
purchased  a  stock  of  goods  and  began  business 
on  his  own  account  at  No.  310  West  State  street, 
where  he  carried  a  complete  line  of  jewelry, 
watches,  clocks,  silverware  and  fine  optical  goods. 
At  the  beginning  the  new  enterprise  was  attended 
with  success.  The  safe,  conservative  policy  which 
he  inaugurated  commended  itself  to  all,  and  the 
public  knew  that  it  would  receive  fair  and  hon- 
orable treatment  at  his  hands.  He  continued  in 
the  jewelry  trade  with  constantly  growing  success 
until  1900.  when  he  sold  out  to  C.  E.  .\xt,  who 
still  conducts  the  store. 

Mr.  Benoit  was  married  twice.  He  first  wed- 
ded ]\Iiss  Julia  P.  ChaiTee,  who  was  born  in  Berk- 
shire, \'ermont,  and  died  in  Rockford  in  1 87 1. 
Seven  years  later,  in  1878,  Mr.  Benoit  wedded 
Mrs.  Martha  (Thayer)  Hobart,  the  widow  of 
Randolph  E.  Hobart,  who  came  to  Rockford  and 
was  employed  in  the  shops  of  this  city  until  his 


healtn  failed  him,  when  he  returned  to  Pl_\nnouth, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  died.  Mrs.  Benoit  was 
a  daughter  of  John  and  Maria  Thayer,  both  na- 
tives of  the  state  of  New  York.  They  came  to 
Rockford  in  1857.  and  Mr.  Thayer,  who  was  a 
carpenter  by  trade,  assisted  in  the  erection  of  many 
of  the  fine  buildings  of  this  city,  including  the 
\\'estminster  Presbyterian  church.  He  afterward 
engaged  in  the  pump  manufacturing  business  un- 
der the  firm  name  of  Springer  &  Thayer,  con- 
ducting that  enterprise  with  success  for  several 
years.  He  next  removed  to  Dakota,  and  after- 
ward visited  California,  and  while  on  a  return 
trip  to  Rockford  he  was  taken  ill.  dying  before 
he  reached  his  destination.  He  was  well  known 
in  this  city,  and  many  friends  entertained  for  him 
warm  regard.  His  widow,  now  aged  eighty-seven 
years,  makes  her  home  in  Rockford  with  her  two 
daughters,  Mrs.  Benoit  and  Mrs.  Tymesen,  at  No. 
1003  Haskell  avenue.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thayer 
were  born  five  children,  of  whom  four  are  yet  liv- 
ing, Airs.  Benoit  lieing  the  third  in  order  of  birth. 
The  others  are  Clara  W..  the  wife  of  Harvey  L. 
Tymesen,  who  is  engaged  in  the  express  business 
in  Rockford  ;  Mrs.  Frank  Johnson,  who  is  residing 
in  Los  Angeles,  California  ;  and  Mrs.  A.  I.  Man- 
uel, of  Denver,  Colorado.  The  eldest  daughter, 
Nancy,  now  deceased,  was  the  wife  of  A.  M.  Man- 
ny, who  was  formerly  a  prominent  business  man 
of  Rockford  and  now  resides  in  Chicago. 

Mr.  Benoit  disposed  of  his  business  interests 
in  Rockford  on  account  of  ill  health,  and  then 
went  to  California,  where  he  spent  about  nine 
months.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  re- 
turned to  Rockford  with  the  intention  of  going 
again  to  California  and  make  that  state  his  home, 
but  while  here  he  entered  into  partnership  with 
W.  H.  .-Vllen  in  the  organization  and  control  of 
the  business  of  the  Rockford  Glass  Company,  Mr. 
Benoit  managing  the  store,  while  Mr.  Allen  trav- 
eled upon  the  road  selling  their  goods.  In  Jan- 
uary. 1902,  however,  Mr.  Benoit  was  taken  ill. 
He  somewhat  recovered  his  health,  but  again  be- 
came worse,  and  on  the  23d  of  March,  1902,  he 
passed  away. 

In  his  political  relations  he  was  a  republican, 
and  fraternally  was  a  thirty-second-degree  and 
Knight  Templar  Mason.  He  was  also  a  member 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and 
other  fraternal  societies.  He  and  his  wife  at- 
tended the  Christian  Union  church,  and  it  was 
there  that  his  funeral  services  were  held.  There 
were  few  men  better  known  in  Rockford  and  cer- 
tainly none  more  popular.  He  was  called  "Ben- 
nv,"  a  term  of  good  fellowship,  popularity  and 
affection.  It  is  said  that  none  ever  heard  an  ill 
word  spoken  of  him.  He  was  to  every  one  who 
came  in  contact  with  him  a  merr\^  soul,  brimming 
over  with  good  nature  and  kindness  and  scattering 


6o8 


FAST     AND     I'RKSEXT     OF     WIXNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


sunsliinc  ulu-nver  he  went.  A  local  paper  said 
of  him:  "His  kindness  of  heart,  his  tolerance  of 
the  views  of  others,  his  sympathy  for  the  weak 
and  unfortunate  were  {|ualities  which  always  abid- 
ed with  him.  not  ostentatiously,  for  it  was  only 
upon  close  ac(|uaintance  that  his  true  nature  be- 
came revealed,  lie  was  a  lifelonij  republican  in 
politics  and  was  hapi)y  in  his  fidelity  to  his  party's 
principles,  thoutjh  he  was  genenius  to  a  fault  with 
those  who  held  opposing  views.  The  passing 
throng  knew  him  best  as  a  wit,  and  in  this  regard 
he  was  uni<iue.  His  sallies  into  the  grotesque  and 
ridiculous  were  always  free  from  bitterness  or 
malediction.  His  sayings  and  characteristic  de- 
scri])tioiis  of  places  and  incidents  which  came  into 
his  daily  life  never  failed  to  arouse  wholesome 
laughter.  Had  he  placed  his  genius  as  a  humorist 
more  into  the  public  eye  thousands  would  now 
mourn  for  one  who  had  brought  sunshine  into 
their  lives.  He  will  never  be  forgotten  by  scores 
of  friends  on  whom  his  bright  sayings  were  be- 
stowed so  prodigally.  His  genial  ways  made 
warm  friendships  among  people  of  all  ages  and 
all  classes  of  men.  He  was  one  of  the  best  known 
business  men  in  the  city  and  was  respected  by  all 
for  his  rectitude  in  his  dealings.  He  was  a  type 
of  luerchant  which  the  new  order  of  things  will 
not  produce,  for  with  him  trade  was  a  |)lcasant  ex- 
change not  only  of  luerchandise,  but  of  good  fel- 
lowship. .\  French-Canadian  by  birth,  he  was 
intensely  loyal  to  his  adopted  couiUry.  He  loved 
.\merica.  its  progress,  its  catholicity  of  opinion 
and  its  democracy.  The  death  of  President  Mc- 
Kinley  was  a  great  shock  to  him,  for  he  idolized 
the  martyred  President.  To  those  who  knew  him 
well  the  deep  sincerity  and  jjhilosophic  mood 
which  lay  luider  his  most  excellent  Inimor  rounded 
out  his  nature  into  an  ideal  worthy  of  any  man's 
affinities,  and  a  treasure  for  those  who  learned  to 
appreciate  his  true  worth." 

.Vmnng  the  numerous  tributes  to  Mr.  Tienoit's 
life  and  condolences  received  by  Mrs.  Uenoit,  is 
the  following  from  one  of  his  most  intimate  ac- 
quaintances, Frank  C.  Lander:  "Dear  Friend: 
Sympathy  is  but  an  em|)ty  name  in  the  depths  of 
a  sorrow  like  vours,  but  I  can  not  refrain  from 
giving  expression  to  the  ])rofoun(l  grief  which  is 
mine  through  the  great  loss  you  have  sustained. 
I  know  as  could  few  others  the  rare  nohilitv  of 
character,  the  loyalty  in  friendship,  the  almost 
womanly  tenderness,  the  unselfish  generosity,  the 
charity  for  the  weaknesses  of  others  and  the  will- 
ingness to  forgive  and  forget  the  blows  received  in 
the  strife  we  call  life  which  belonged  to  the  de- 
parted one,  and  I  loved  him  as  I  have  loved  no 
other  man  save  my  father.  In  lightening  the  bur- 
dens of  others  and  increasing  the  ha]i])iness  of  all 
who  came  within  the  circle  of  his  genial  influence 
he  found  for  himself  the  only  en<luring  jr)y  which 


earth  affords.  None  knew  him  but  to  hold  him 
in  the  highest  esteem,  and  in  all  the  years  I  have 
been  jirivileged  to  call  him  my  friend  1  have  never 
heard  an  ill  word  spoken  of  him  in  any  connec- 
tion. Rest  and  peace  are  his ;  while  the  rich  her- 
itage of  his  spotless  name  and  honorable  career 
are  yours.  I  do  not  believe  that  ever  man  stood 
before  the  great  white  throne  of  eternal  justice 
with  cleaner  hands  or  a  purer  heart  than  Nelson 
E.  P>enoit." 

.Mrs.  Penoit  is  now  residing  with  her  sister  and 
mother  at  No.  2oy  South  West  street,  but  has 
spent  much  of  her  time  since  her  husband's  ileath 
in  traveling,  mostly  in  the  west,  spending  much 
time  with  her  sisters  in  California  and  Colorado, 
and  she  intends  soon  to  take  up  her  permanent 
abode  in  California. 


N.  P.   |(  )IiXS(  ).\. 


N.  P.  Johnson,  conducting  an  extensive  men's 
and  ladies'  tailoring  establishment  at  No.  318 
East  State  street,  Rockford,  was  born  in  Skone, 
Sweden,  in  i860,  a  son  of  Johanes  Pearson.  He 
spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  in  the 
land  of  his  birth,  but  the  sui)erior  business  op- 
])(>rtunities  of  the  new  worUl  attracted  him.  and 
in  1881  he  crossed  the  .\tlantic  to  America,  mak- 
ing his  way  direct  to  Rockford  in  .May  of  that 
year,  where  he  has  since  remained,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  brief  period  of  three  months  spent 
in  Chicago.  I'ollowiug  his  arrival  here  he  was 
employed  for  nine  years  by  the  Glove  Manufac- 
turing Coiupany.  and  later  he  worked  for  three 
and  a  half  years  with  the  Globe  Clothing  Com- 
]iany  as  a  salesman,  lie  then  began  the  tailor- 
ing business  on  his  own  account,  and  has  since 
been  engaged  in  this  way.  He  carries  the  larg- 
est stock  of  woollens  of  any  tailoring  establish- 
ment in  Rockford,  and  does  all  kinds  of  ladies' 
and  mens  tailoring,  receiving  a  large  patronage 
fntm  the  best  ])eoplc  of  the  city  and  county,  his 
business  having  reached  such  ]>roportions  that 
he  is  justified  in  liie  employment  of  from  six  to 
eight  first-class  t:iilors.  Ilis  work  is  all  guaran- 
teed and  gives  uniform  satisfaction  and  his  es- 
tablishment is  thoroughly  modern  in  all  of  its 
equii)ments. 

In  1885  Mr.  Johnson  was  united  in  marriage 
to  .Miss  Ingrid  Eind.strom.  a  native  of  .Sweden, 
who  came  to  .\merica  in  1883.  They  have  two 
chilflren,  (ieorge  and  .\lbin.  The  family  home 
is  at  No.  1528  East  State  street,  where  Mr.  John- 
son owns  a  beautiful  residence,  having  lived  here 
for  eighteen  years,  lie  votes  with  the  rejnib- 
lican  |)arty.  but  is  too  busy  to  devote  any  time  to 
])olitical     work.      He    belongs    to    the    Modern 


i\.  r.  yoHXSox. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


6ii 


^^'oodmen  camp  oi  Rnckford,  and  he  and  his 
wife  are  members  of  the  Swedish  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  Pie  is  a  man  of  fine  appear- 
ance, of  unfaihng  courtesy  and  genial  disposi- 
tion, and  his  business  record  is  notable  from  the 
fact  that  he  came  to  America  without  capital  and 
but  limited  education.  He,  however,  soon  mas- 
tered the  English  language  and  with  a  mind  that 
is  continually  broadening  through  reading  and 
experience  he  has  acquainted  himself  with  the 
conditions  of  the  new  world  and  by  ready  adapt- 
ability to  business  life  has  worked  his  way  stead- 
ily upward  in  the  field  of  labor  which  he  has 
chosen. 


JAMES  P..  HARDY. 

James  B.  Hardy,  an  agriculturist  of  Roscoe 
township,  has  for  a  number  of  years  been  actively 
engaged  in  the  raising  of  cattle,  horses  and  sheep 
and  also  conducts  a  dairy  business,  and  the  record 
which  he  has  made  as  an  agriculturist  is  a  com- 
mendable one,  having  been  characterized  by  suc- 
cessful accomplishment  as  well  as  straightforward 
methods.  He  was  born  in  Roscoe  township  in 
1854,  and  is  a  son  of  Seldon  S.  and  Caroline 
Hardy,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Maine.  The 
Hardy  family  is  of  English  Imeage.  but  little  def- 
inite history  can  be  obtained  concerning  earlier 
generations  of  the  family.  Seldon  S.  Hardy  came 
from  the  Pine  Tree  state  to  Illinois  in  the  late 
'30s  and  settled  in  Roscoe,  Winnebago  county, 
where  he  followed  mechanical  pursuits.  At  a 
later  date,  however,  he  turned  his  attention  to 
farming  and  continued  to  make  his  home  in  this 
county  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
when  he  was  sixty-fotir  years  of  age.  His  wife 
passed  away  at  the  age  of  forty-five  years.  In 
their  family  were  seven  children,  of  whom  three 
are  living,  the  brothers  of  our  subject  being  Har- 
ris W.  and  Nicholas. 

James  B.  Hardy,  the  youngest  of  the  family, 
has  always  resided  in  Winnebago  county  with 
the  exception  of  a  period  of  twelve  years  spent  in 
LaSalle  count)',  Illinois.  He  acquired  his  early 
education  in  the  district  schools,  dividing  his  time 
between  the  work  of  the  schoolroom,  the  pleas- 
ures of  the  playground  and  the  duties  of  the  fields, 
for  under  his  father's  direction  he  was  trained  to 
habits  of  industry  and  economy  upon  the  home 
farm  and  early  gained  a  practical  knowledge  of 
the  best  methods  of  cultivating  land  and  caring 
for  stock.  When  he  had  reached  man's  estate  he 
resolved  to  make  his  life  work  the  occupation  to 
which  he  had  been  reared. 

Mr.  Hardy  married  ^.tiss  Amanda  T\irter.  a  na- 
tive of  Illinois  and  a  daughter  of  Robert  Porter. 
They  had  one  son.  Paul,  who  was  born  in  Roscoe 
township  and  has  married  Gladys  Newton,  a  na- 


tive of  Boone  county,  Illinois.  Mrs.  Amanda 
Hardy  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-two  years,  and  for 
his  second  wife  Mr.  Hardy  chose  Laura  Blair, 
also  a  native  of  Roscoe  township  and  a  daughter 
of  Alva  Blair,  who  was  one  of  the  earl)-  settlers 
of  this  county,  of  1836,  coming  to  Illinois  from 
Bufl^alo,  New  York.  He  arrived  in  Winnebago 
count)-  when  Mrs.  Hardy  was  only  two  years  of 
age,  and  secured  a  tract  of  land  which  he  devel- 
oped. Air.  Hardy  in  recent  years  has  purchased 
the  interest  of  the  other  heirs  in  this  property, 
whereon  he  now  makes  his  home,  having  here  one 
hundred  and  ninety  acres  of  rich  and  productive 
land.  He  works  it  all,  being  one  of  the  most  ac- 
tive and  energetic  agriculturists  of  his  community. 
He  raises  good  crops,  but  pays  more  particular  at- 
tention to  stock-raising,  keeping  cattle,  horses  and 
sheep.  He  also  does  a  dairy  business  and  the  prod- 
duct  of  his  dairy  finds  a  ready  sale  on  the  mark-et. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hard)'  are  the  parents  of  five 
children,  all  born  in  Roscoe  township,  namely : 
Kate,  Ruth,  Dora,  Blair  and  Harold.  Mr.  Hardy 
gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  republican 
part)-,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Woodmen  of  Amer- 
ica. He  has  a  wide  and  favorable  acquaintance  in 
the  county  where  his  entire  life  has  been  passed 
and  where  he  has  so  directed  his  labors  that  now 
a  fine  farm  gives  proof  of  his  activity,  energy  and 
business  discernment  in  former  vears. 


ALLEN  RICE. 


Having  in  an  active  business  career  acquired  a 
handsome  competency,  Allen  Rice  then  retired  to 
private  life  and  was  for  a  number  of  years  a  resi- 
dent of  Rockford.  enjoying  there  the  fruits  of  his 
former  toil.  He  became  a  resident  of  Winnebago 
county  in  1856,  at  which  time  he  purchased  a  farm 
in  Harrison  township.  A  native  of  the  Empire 
state,  he  was  bom  in  W'ashington  county,  New- 
York,  April  3,  1817.  His  father.  Jonathan  Rice, 
and  his  grandfather,  Abraham  Rice,  were  like- 
wise natives  of  the  same  locality,  and  the  latter 
served  as  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812  in  early 
manhood.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Eda  Deuell,  who  was  likewise  born  in  Washington 
county.  New  York,  and  one  of  her  brothers  was 
a  soldier  with  the  American  army  in  the  second 
war  with  England.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Abraham  Rice 
always  remained  residents  of  the  county  of  their 
nativity.  Jonathan  Rice,  however,  removed  from 
Washington  to  Genesee  county.  New  York.  He 
alwavs  carried  on  general  agricultural  pursuits, 
and  he  died  in  Genesee  county  at  the  age  of  fifty- 
two  years. 

Allen  Rice  is  indebted  to  the  public-school  sys- 
tem of  \\'ashington  county.  New  York,  for  the 
earlv  educational  advantages  he  received,  and  in 


6l2 


PAST     AND     I'RESEXT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


1831,  when  a  yoiiili  of  fourteen  years,  he  accom- 
panied his  parents  on  their  removal  to  (ienesec 
county.  While  hving  tliere  lie  he.ijan  learning:; 
the  carpenter's  trade,  and  soon  hecame  a  skilled 
workman,  followino;  that  calling  until  1856,  whei. 
he  removed  to  the  west.  He  had  two  hrotliers 
then  living  in  Winnel)ago  county,  and  this  led  him 
to  seek  a  home  here,  liotii  iirothcrs  were  farming 
at  that  time,  hut  have  now  ])assed  away.  One  sis- 
ter, however,  .Mrs.  William  Kinney,  the  wife  of 
a  retired  farmer,  now  resides  in  the  village  of 
Durand.  As  before  stated  Mr.  Rice  secured  a 
tract  of  land  in  Harrison  township,  and  with 
characteristic  energy  began  the  tilling  of  the  soil, 
placing  his  farm  under  a  hi.gh  state  of  cultivation. 
There  he  worked  jiersistently  and  energetically  for 
eight  years,  after  which  he  took  up  his  abode  in 
Rockford  and  purchasetl  the  Harlem  Park  farm 
at  the  north  end  of  the  city,  the  district  that  now 
constitutes  Harlem  Park.  .Mr.  Rice  there  owned 
one  hundred  and  seventy-five  acres  of  well  im- 
proved land  near  Rock  river  and  continued  its 
improvement  and  develo])ment  until  18.S7.  when 
he  sold  out  to  the  ])ark  com])any  and  ])urchased  a 
residence  at  the  corner  of  Mulberry  and  Church 
streets.  Taking  uj)  his  abode  there  he  lived  re- 
tired until  his  (kath,  but  for  several  years  he 
was  in  an  invalid  condition  owing  to  a  stroke  of 
paralysis,  and  he  passed  away  April  14,  1902. 

Mr.  Rice  was  married  twice.  He  first  wedded 
a  Miss  Miller,  a  native  of  New  York,  who  died 
in  that  state  leaving  two  children,  Charles  E.  and 
Joseph  A.,  the  former  now  a  farmer  of  Storm 
Lake,  Iowa,  and  the  latter  a  speculator  of  Chi- 
cago. Mr.  Rice  was  again  married  in  Genesee 
county.  New  York,  his  second  union  being  with 
Miss  Lydia  .\.  Mead,  a  native  of  Montgomery 
county.  l)orn  .\pril  17,  1835,  a  daughter  of  Charles 
and  Polly  (  Pierce)  Mead,  of  h'ulton  county.  New 
York.  Her  father  was  a  millwright  and  carpenter 
by  trade,  and  during  a  part  of  the  time  in  the  east 
worked  for  Mr.  Rice.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Rice  Ix-came  the  ]iarents  of  two  sons, 
but  Willie  was  (Irf)wned  in  Rock  river  on  the  8th 
of  September.  1865.  when  ten  years  of  age.  The 
sur\'iving  son,  Harris  H.  Rice,  was  born  July  i<). 
1850,  and  acquired  a  good  education  in  the  schools 
of  Winnebago  county.  Following  the  removal  of 
his  ])arents  to  Rockford  he  obtained  a  ])osition  in 
the  watch  factory  and  soon  became  an  expert 
watch-case  maker.  He  was  later  ])r(Mnoted  to 
sho|)  superintendent  an<l  acted  in  that  capacity  for 
several  years,  or  until  ill  health  forced  him  to  re- 
sign his  position,  since  which  time  he  Ins  lived 
at  home  with  his  mother. 

Mr.  Rice  served  as  supervisor  and  was  justice 
of  the  peace  and  also  held  minor  offices  while  in 
Harrison  township.  He  was  actively  interested  in 
|)olitics  a*  a   >u])|)orter  of  the  democratic  party. 


He  had  a  large  acquaintance  in  this  city  and 
county,  being  known  to  all  the  pioneer  residents 
of  this  |)ortion  of  the  state,  for  he  located  here  a 
half  century  ago,  and  his  death  was  deeply  re- 
gretted by  many  friends  as  well  as  his  family. 
Mrs.  Rice  has  recently  sold  some  of  her  property, 
but  still  owns  a  fine  brick  residence  at  No.  317 
.Mulberry  street,  where  she  and  her  son  now  re- 
side. Her  long  residence  in  the  county  makes  her 
familiar  with  its  history,  and  during  the  fifty 
years  in  which  she  has  lived  in  this  part  of  the 
.state  she  has  gained  many  warm  friends,  her  good 
traits  of  heart  and  mind  endearing  her  to  those 
with  whom  she  has  been  associated. 


AXDRI'.W  1".  Ck AIIAM. 

Andrew  I'.  Graham,  numbered  among  the  suc- 
cessful farmers  of  Rockton  township,  living  on 
.section  31,  was  born  in  that  township  December 
19,  1858.  He  traces  his  ancestry  back  to  his 
great-grandfather,  who  was  a  native  of  the  north 
of  Ireland,  and  came  with  his  family  to  America 
in  colonial  days.  When  the  colonists  could  no 
longer  endure  the  o])pressive  measures  of  the 
mother  country  he  joined  the  .\nierican  .\rmy  and 
fought  for  independence,  and  the  maternal  great- 
grandfather of  our  subject  was  also  one  of  the 
heroes  of  the  Revolution.  The  grandfather,  Mat- 
hew  (iraham,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  his 
business  pursuit  was  that  of  farming,  whereby  he 
jirovided  the  necessities  and  some  of  the  comforts 
of  life  for  his  family.  He  came  with  the  father 
of  our  subject  to  Illinois,  but  shortly  afterward  re- 
turned to  his  native  state.  His  wife  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Martha  Shannon  and  was  like- 
wise a  native  of  Pennsylvania. 

Henry  Graham,  father  of  .\ndrew  F.  Graham, 
was  born  in  Northumlierland  comity,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  in  early  life  learned  the  plasterer's 
trade,  which  he  afterward  followed  along  the  Mis- 
sissippi river  for  sometime.  On  .going  through 
the  south  and  witnessing  the  abuse  of  slavery  he 
became  a  very  stanch  abolitionist  and  because  of 
his  intense  feeling  against  the  custom  of  holding 
the  negroes  in  bonda.ge  he  awakened  the  antago 
nism  of  southern  people,  and  for  this  reason  was 
obliged  to  return  to  the  north.  He  then  settled 
in  Rockton.  Winnebagt)  county,  where  he  engaged 
in  |)l'istering.  taking  the  contract  to  plaster  the 
church  in  the  viliige.  He  afterward  removed  to 
Rockton  townshi]).  wlu're  he  |nirchased  the  eighty 
acres  of  land  on  which  his  son  Henry  now  resides. 
He  had  lived  ])reviouslv  for  a  short  period  in  Be- 
loit,  Wisconsin,  but  after  coming  to  Winneba.go 
county  s]ient  his  remaining  days  here,  and  for 
(|i'ite  a  long'  ])eriod  was  actively  and  successfully 
identified  with  its  agricidtural  interests.     He  mar- 


PAST     AXD     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


613 


ried  Ellen  Foster,  a  native  ot  Ohio,  and  his  death 
occurred  in  Rockton,  in  1895,  when  he  was  sev- 
enty-one years  of  age,  while  his  widow  is  still  liv- 
ing- in  Rockford.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight 
children,  of  whom  seven  are  living:  Andrew  F., 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Smith.  i\Irs.  Margaret  Ruhl,  Mrs. 
Rachel  Keagle.  ]\Irs.  Jennie  Hanghey,  Henry  and 
jNIrs.  Lucy  File. 

.\ndrew  F.  Graham  has  spent  his  entire  life  in 
Rockton  township,  and  was  reared  to  the  occupa- 
tion of  farming,  which  he  has  made  his  life  work. 
He  makes  a  specialty,  however,  of  the  dairy  busi- 
ness and  for  this  purjaose  keeps  thirty  Jersey 
cows,  manufacturing  from  five  to  six  thousand 
pounds  of  butter  each  year,  which  he  readily  dis- 
poses of  to  families  in  Rockford,  because  of  the 
excellence  of  his  product.  He  also  owns  a  full- 
blooded  bull  by  Brown  Bessie  Cadet.  No.  57522, 
which  is  at  the  head  of  his  herd.  He  has  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  of  land  which  he  purchased 
in  1 88 1,  and  since  that  time  he  has  made  many 
modern  and  substantial  improvements  upon  his 
farm  until  it  is  now  one  of  the  attractive  features 
of  the  landscape. 

In  1882  ;\Ir.  Graham  was  married  to  Miss 
Emma  Donner,  a  native  of  Akron,  Ohio,  and  they 
have  three  children :  Frank  H.,  Floyd  N.  and 
Gladys  F.  In  igo2  ]\Ir.  Graham  built  a  modern 
and  beautiful  residence,  finished  inside  in  light 
hardwood,  supplied  with  hot-water  heat  and  illu- 
minated by  acetylene  gas.  It  is  a  lovely  home,  and 
j\Ir.  Graham,  who  possesses  much  natural  me- 
chanical ingenuity,  installed  all  of  the  plumbing 
and  heating  apparatus  in  his  house.  This  beauti- 
ful home  is  a  momnnent  to  his  enterprise,  and  in- 
dicates his  progressive  spirit.  In  politics  he  is  a 
republican  and  fraternally  is  connected  with  the 
Modern  \\'oodmen  of  America.  He  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Methodist  church. 


LEVI  RHOADES. 


Levi  Rhoades,  the  extent  and  importance  of 
whose  business  interests  justify  the  use  of  the 
term  "captain  of  industry"  in  connection  with  his 
life  work,  figured  honorably  and  actively  in  in- 
dustrial, commercial  and  financial  circles  of  Rock- 
ford for  many  years.  He  was  born  in  Hinsdale, 
Cattaraugus  county.  New  York,  and  in  1836  re- 
moved from  his  native  town  to  Troy,  Wisconsin, 
with  his  parents,  who  settled  upon  a  farm.  Dur- 
ing the  summer  months  he  aided  in  the  work  of 
the  fields  and  when  opportunity  offered  he  at- 
tended school  until  seventeen  years  of  age.  when 
ambitious  to  become  a  factor  in  business  life  and 
lay  the  foundation  for  future  success,  he  came  to 
Rockford.  where  he  accepted  any  employment  that 
would  vield  him  an  honest  living.     In  1848  he  en- 


tered the  cooper  shop  of  Harry  Landers,  where 
he  applied  himself  so  diligently  and  assiduously 
that  he  not  only  thoroughly  mastered  the  business 
in  principle  and  detail,  but  also  won  the  promo- 
tion that,  bringing  him  a  good  salary,  enabled 
him  to  purchase  a  half  interest  in  the  business  at 
the  end  of  three  years.  The  partnership  was  main- 
tained for  three  years  with  excellent  success,  and 
in  1853  Mr.  Rhoades  purchased  Mr.  Landers'  in- 
terest and  continued  the  business  alone  until  1884. 
the  output  of  the  factory  finding  a  ready  and 
profitable  sale  on  the  market.  In  the  meantime  he 
had  extended  his  efforts  to  other  fields  of  business, 
becoming  in  1865  a  partner  of  Isaac  and  C.  M. 
L'tter  &  Co.  in  the  manufacture  of  paper,  and 
was  still  at  the  head  of  the  house  at  the  time  of 
his  death.  He  brought  to  every  business  under- 
taking keen  discernment,  clear  insight  and  indom- 
itable purpose  supplemented  by  an  honesty  of  in- 
tent and  action  that  was  recognized  by  all  with 
whom  he  had  business  dealings.  When  the  Peo- 
ple's Bank  was  organized  he  became  one  of  its 
leading  promoters,  its  heaviest  stockholder  and 
one  of  its  directors.  He  was  equally  prominent 
in  the  organization  of  the  Rockford  Watch  Com- 
pan}-,  was  chosen  its  vice  president  and  served 
as  a  member  of  its  board  of  directors  until  his  de- 
mise. He  aided  in  the  removal  of  the  works  of 
the  watch  case  company  from  Racine  to  Rockford, 
thus  adding  another  important  productive  indus- 
try to  the  city,  and  he  became  a  stockholder  in  the 
Phoenix  Furniture  Company  and  the  Rockford 
Boot  and  Shoe  Company.  Indeed  at  the  time  of 
his  oeath  he  held  responsible  positions  in  many  of 
Rockford's  important  indtistries,  and  was  finan- 
cially concerned  in  many  more.  He  realized  the 
value  and  force  of  close  application  and  a  thor- 
ough understanding  of  every  business  with  which 
he  became  connected,  and  he  had  a  wonderful  ca- 
pacity for  detail  work,  at  the  same  time  capable 
of  controlling  the  important  interests  of  the  con- 
cern with  which  he  was  associated.  As  the  years 
passed  hx  his  financial  interests  continually  in- 
creased until  he  became  known  as  one  of  Rock- 
ford's  wealthy  men. 

On  the  24th  of  December.  1854.  Mr.  Rhoades 
was  married  to  Mrs.  Frederica  fReik)  Rhoades, 
his  brother's  widow,  and  of  their  three  children 
two  are  living. 

I\Ir.  Rhoades  was  popular  socially,  and  while 
controlling  extensive  commercial  and  industrial 
concerns,  he  vet  found  opportunity  for  active  co- 
operation in  the  political  and  moral  development 
of  his  community.  He  was  most  generous  in  his 
contributions  toward  the  building  of  the  Court 
Street  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  contributing 
the  sum  of  six  thousand  dollars  toward  its  con- 
struction. He  was  long  a  member  of  the  congre- 
gation, and  felt  a  deep  and  abiding  interest  in  its 
work    and    the    extension    of    its    influence.     In 


6i4 


PAST    AXD     PRESENT    OF     WLVXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


1876  he  was  chosen  mayor  of  Rnckford. 
His  interest  in  the  welfare  and  upbiiild- 
ingf  of  the  city  was  very  deep  and  sincere, 
and  his  was  a  well  rounded  character  in  which 
due  and  proportionate  attention  was  jjiven  to  busi- 
ness concerns,  social  relations  and  jiolitical  anil 
church  interests.  His  success  won  him  the  ad- 
miration of  his  contemporaries,  and  those  who 
came  to  know  him  personally  entertained  for  him 
the  warm  resjaril  which  is  given  in  reco,sfnition  of 
arcnuine  worth  in  the  individual. 


JOHN  S.  Wir.Ar ARTTT. 

John  S.  Wilmarth.  who  never  sought  to  figure 
in  public  life  but  in  the  every-day  affairs  of  a 
business  career  won  success  and  also  an  honor- 
able name  by  reason  of  his  straightforward 
methods,  was  a  native  of  Gloucester.  Providence 
county.  Rhode  Island.  He  was  born  June  2^. 
1828,  his  parents  being  Stephen  and  Hannah 
(Wade)  \\'ilmarth,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Rhode  Island.  The  father  removed  to  the 
west  with  his  family  in  1831  and  settled  in  Ogle 
county,  Illinois,  not  far  from  the  boundary  line 
of  W'imiebago  county.  There  he  purchased  a 
tract  of  land  and  engaged  in  general  farming. 
His  wife  died  in  Ogle  county,  and  after  a  resi- 
dnece  of  fifteen  years  upon  his  farm  there  Mr. 
Wilmarth  removed  to  Rockford,  where  for 
twenty  years  he  lived  in  honorable  retirement 
from  active  business  cares,  passing  away  in  this 
city.  He  was  deeply  interested  in  political  ques- 
tions and  gave  a  strong  support  to  the  repub- 
lican party.  In  his  family  were  four  children 
who  yet  survive.  The  eldest,  Alonzo  B.,  is  a 
retired  farmer  residing  near  Rockford.  Charles 
M.  is  a  prominent  citizen  of  Ogle  county.  Lewis 
C,  who  left  home  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years 
with  a  capital  of  only  one  dollar,  entered  Oberlin 
college  and  was  graduated  there.  With  six 
other  students  he  then  went  to  Topeka,  Kansas, 
and  the  entire  number  aided  in  staking  out  the 
citv.  Lewis  C.  Wilmarth  became  the  owner  of 
considerable  land  there  where  the  city  now 
stands,  and  he  afterward  went  to  .\shland,  Wis- 
consin, where  he  ])urchased  timber  land  and  at 
one  time  had  thirty  camps.  He  also  ojiened  one 
of  tile  first  banks  of  that  |)lace  and  at  one  time 
lost  much  that  he  possessed  through  a  bank  rob- 
bery. Frf>m  .\shland  he  removed  to  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  he  invested  in  oil  lands  and  he  was 
very  successful  in  his  operations  there.  His  life 
has  been  an  extremely  busy,  active  and  useful 
one.  his  attentii'n  l)eing  given  to  varied  interests 
which  have  been  carefully  managed  by  him, 
until  to-day,  as  one  of  the  wealthy  men  of  Ash- 
land, Wisconsin,  he  is  now  living  retired.    Susan 


A.  Wilmarth  is  now  a  resident  of  Rockford. 

John  S.  Wilmarth,  whose  name  introduces  this 
record,  was  educated  in  the  east  and  there 
learned  the  machinist's  trade  in  the  town  of 
Foster,  Rhode  Island.  He  never  followed  that 
pursuit  to  any  extent,  and  in  1S51  he  came  to  the 
west  with  his  ]iarents  after  which  he  resided  on 
the  home  farm  in  Ogle  county  for  a  few  years. 
He  later  purchased  a  farm  in  Winnebago  county 
near  the  village  of  Roscoe,  where  he  engaged  in 
tilling  the  soil  for  a  few  years,  after  which  he 
sold  that  property  and  returned  to  Providence, 
Rhode  Island,  wliere  he  spent  two  years.  He 
next  took  up  his  abode  in  Tracey,  Minnesota, 
where  he  purchased  a  farm  and  carried  on  agri- 
cultural ]iursuits  until  his  return  to  Rockford. 
Here  he  spent  his  remaining  days. 

Mr.  Wilmarth  was  married  in  the  east  to  Miss 
Eliza  Heath,  of  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  who 
died  while  they  were  still  on  the  Atlantic  coast 
about  six  months  after  their  marriage.  After 
coming  to  Rockford  Mr.  \N'ilmarth  lived  a  re- 
tired hfe,  he  and  his  sister  making  their  home 
together  at  what  is  known  as  the  old  Wilmarth 
residence  at  Xo.  1234  Rock  street,  the  sister  still 
occupying  this  home.  It  was  there  that  Mr.  Wil- 
marth died  March  16,  1895,  and  his  remains 
were  interred  in  the  cemetery  near  the  old  home 
farm   in   Ogle   county. 

Mr.  Wilmarth  took  little  active  interest  in 
political  questions  but  voted  with  the  republican 
party.  \Vhile  in  Providence.  Rhode  Island,  he 
held  membership  in  the  Baptist  church  but  never 
united  with  the  church  in  the  west.  He  was  a 
very  industrious  man,  having  the  faculty  of  so 
managing  his  business  interests  that  success  re- 
sulted. His  path  was  never  strewn  with  the 
wreck  of  other  men's  fortunes,  for  in  all  his 
dealings  he  was  straightforward  and  reliable. 
Miss  Susan  A.  Wilmarth  still  resides  in  Rock- 
ford, owning  and  occupying  the  old  homestead 
here,  and  she  is  the  owner  of  other  valuable 
projierty  in  the  city  and  of  good  farming  land  in 
Winnebago  county.  She  has  recently  adopted 
a  child.  Miss  Bessie  Sandwick.  who  is  now  eight 
years  of  age,  and  whose  mother  died  in  Rock- 
ford a  few  months  ago. 


JA.MICS  I'..  SKIXXICR. 

James  P..  Skinner,  deceased,  was  numbered 
among  the  men  of  prominence,  who  gave  to  Rock- 
ford i^restige  as  a  manufacturing  center,  and 
throughout  an  active  business  career  he  enjoyed 
the  full  confidence  and  trust  of  his  contemporaries 
and  made  a  business  recor<l  which  any  man  might 
be  proud  to  ])ossess.  His  jiath  was  never  strewn 
with  the  wreck  of  other  men's  fortimes.  for  he  was 
strictly  just  in  his  dealings  and  jet  he  advanced 


35 


JOMX  S.  Wll.MAlM'l 


STEPHEN  WIL^IARTH. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


619 


from  a  humble  financial  position  to  one  of  afflu- 
ence. A  native  of  Barre  Center,  New  York,  he 
was  born  on  the  19th  of  October,  1823,  his  par- 
ents being  Stephen  and  Sophia  (Butler)  Skinner, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the  Empire  state, 
and  the  mother  was  a  relative  of  General  Benja- 
min Butler.  The  family  removed  to  the  west  in 
1839,  settling  in  Rockford,  where  the  father,  who 
was  a  blacksmith,  followed  his  trade  until  he  re- 
tired from  active  business  cares  in  old  age.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  passed  away  here.  The\'  were 
people  of  the  highest  respectability,  devoted  mem- 
bers of  the  Congregational  church,  and  at  the  time 
of  his  death  Mr.  Skinner  was  serving  as  one  of 
its  deacons. 

James  B.  Skinner  acquired  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  New  York,  and  was  also  for  one  year 
a  student  at  Willoughby,  Ohio.  He  was  thus 
well  equipped  by  splendid  and  thorough  mercan- 
tile training  for  the  practical  duties  of  life,  and 
on  putting  aside  his  text-books  he  began  work 
with  his  father  in  Rockford  at  the  blacksmith's 
trade,  which  he  thoroughly  mastered,  following 
that  pursuit  for  a  number  of  years.  He  possessed 
excellent  mechanical  ability  and  ingenuity,  and  his 
study  and  experiments  along  mechanical  lines  led 
to  his  invention  of  the  sulky  and  gang  plow  and 
the  stdky  cultivator.  His  blacksmithing  business 
soon  became  extensive,  and  he  built  a  two-story 
blacksmith  shop,  having  eleven  forges,  which  were 
kept  constantly  in  operation.  A  large  trade  made 
him  successful  and  enabled  Mr.  Skinner  to  turn 
his  attention  to  other  departments  of  labor.  As 
l)efore  stated  he  invented  the  sulky  and  gang 
plows,  a  walking  and  riding  cultivator  and  the 
rolling  coulter,  and  was  also  the  inventor  of  other 
dev'ices.  He  then  formed  a  partnership  with  C. 
C.  Briggs  and  I.  A.  Enoch,  under  the  firm  style 
of  Skinner,  Briggs  &  Enoch,  and  they  built  a 
large  factory  on  the  water  power  here,  beginning 
the  manufacture  of  the  farming  implements  that 
Mr.  Skinner  had  invented.  The  new  enterprise 
was  successful  from  the  beginning,  for  the  value 
of  his  plows  and  cultivators  was  soon  demon- 
strated and  became  utility  factors  in  farm  life  not 
only  in  the  coimty,  but  throughout  the  country. 
They  transacted  an  extensive  business  in  the  man- 
ufacture of  agricultural  implements,  and  Mr. 
Skinner  was  identified  with  the  enterprise  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death. 

In  1 85 1  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  James 
B.  Skinner  and  Miss  Charlotte  Leonard,  a  native 
of_\'ermont  and  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Lucy 
(Chandler)  Leonard,  who  were  also  natives  of  the 
(ireen  Moiuitain  state,  whence  they  removed  to 
the  west  in  1850,  settling  in  Burritt  township. 
Winnebago  countv,  the  father  a  pioneer  farmer  of 
this  localitv.  and  continued  to  engage  in  agricul- 
tural pursuits  until  in  advanced  life  he  retired 
from  business  cares  and  made  his  home  with  his 


son  in  Wisconsin  until  his  death.  His  wife  passed 
away  in  Burritt  township.  The  Leonard  family 
was  represented  in  New  England  at  a  very  early 
day,  Benjamin  Leonard,  his  father,  Benjamin 
Leonard,  Sr,,  and  the  grandfather  all  being  born 
in  the  same  house — one  of  the  old-time  dwellings 
which  was  built  of  bricks  brought  from  England. 
The  great-grandfather  of  Airs.  Keyt  was  an  em- 
ploye in  the  iron  works  at  Raynham,  Massachu- 
setts, and  spent  his  entire  life  in  that  town.  Her 
grandfather  was  also  an  iron  worker  and  lived 
and  died  in  Raynham.  He  married  Judith  Mc- 
Cumber,  wdio  was  of  Scotch  lineage,  and  their 
son  Benjamin  Leonard,  Jr..  when  a  young  man 
went  to  Vennont,  settling  in  the  town  of  Ludlow, 
where  he  married  Lucy  Chandler.  He  afterward 
removed  to  Milton,  that  state,  where  he  remained 
until  1850,  when  he  came  westward  to  Illinois  by 
way  of  Lake  Champlain  to  Whitehall,  thence  by 
the  railroad  and  the  Erie  canal  to  Buffalo,  New 
York,  and  from  that  port  by  way  of  the  Great 
Lakes  to  Chicago.  At  the  latter  place  he  again 
boarded  the  train  and  proceeded  to  Elgin  and  on 
by  steam  to  Rockford.  the  journey  from  Elgin  to 
this  county  covering  one  and  a  half  weeks.  He 
then  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in  Burritt  town- 
ship and  was  engaged  in  general  farming  until 
after  the  death  of  his  wife,  when  he  removed  to 
Lake  Alills,  Wisconsin,  where  his  last  days  were 
spent,  Mrs.  Leonard,  whose  birth  occurred  in 
Chester,  A^ermont,  was  a  daughter  of  Thomas 
Chandler,  Jr..  probably  a  native  of  the  same  place. 
His  father,  Thomas  Chandler,  Sr..  was  the  first 
.supreme  judge  of  the  Green  Mountain  state.  The 
grandfather  of  Mrs.  Keyt  was  reared  and  edu- 
cated in  the  place  of  his  nativity,  where  he  spent 
his  entire  life,  being  engaged  in  literary  pm-suits 
during  the  greater  part  of  his  time.  He  married 
Aliss  Asenath  Adams,  who  belonged  to  the  same 
family  of  which  John  Adams  and  John  Quincy 
.•\dams  were  members.  In  advanced  life  Mrs. 
Chandler  came  to  Illinois  and  spent  her  last  days 
at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Airs.  Robert  Short, 
in  Seward  township.  Winnebaa^o  county,  while 
Mrs.  Lucy  Chandler,  mother  of  Airs.  Keyt,  died 
upon  the  hoinestead  farm  in  Burritt  township. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Airs.  Skinner  were  born  three 
children :  Alarv  Charlotte,  the  wife  of  A.  C. 
Grav,  of  Rockford ;  Fanny  Sophia,  the  wife  of 
C.  F.  Henry,  the  leading  clothing  merchant  of 
Rockford  :  and  \\'ilbur  Then^in.  who  died  when 
but  five  days  old. 

Air.  Skinner  continued  to  engage  in  the  manu- 
facturing business  on  an  extensive  and  profitable 
scale  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
.April  15,  1872.  The  city  thereby  lost  one  of  its 
representative  business  men.  known  and  respected 
by  all  for  what  he  had  accomplished,  his  active 
business  career  being  marked  by  consecutive  ad- 
vancement.     In   politics   he   was  a   stanch   repub- 


620 


PAST    AXD     PRESENT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


lican  and  in  early  life  was  a  nieniher  oi  the  In- 
dependent Uriler  of  (^dd  Fellows.  He  held  mem- 
bership in  the  Court  Street  Metlioilist  Fpiseopal 
church,  took  much  interest  in  its  work  and  filled 
all  of  its  offices  and  his  Christian  faith  was  a  per- 
meating inrtuence  in  his  life. 

In  1873  Mrs.  Skinner  became  the  wile  of  David 
Keyt,  a  native  of  LMijua.  ( )hio,  born  September 
20,  1876.  His  father,  John  Keyt,  was  a  native  of 
New  Jersey  and  in  New  York  city  learned  the 
carpenter's  trade,  after  which  he  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Ohio,  where  for  sometime  he  was  identi- 
fied with  building  operations.  He  afterward  went 
to  Piqua,  where  he  erected  a  house  for  Colonel  H. 
D.  Johnson,  Indian  agent  at  that  place.  He  re- 
mained there  until  1850.  meanwhile  carrying  on 
his  work  as  a  carpenter  and  builder  and  in  the 
year  mentioned  he  went  to  California  by  way  of 
the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  attracted  by  the  discov- 
ery of  gold  on  the  Pacific  coast.  There  his  death 
occurred  the  following  year.  He  had  married 
Margaret  Widney.  a  native  of  Peiuisylvania,  and 
a  niece  of  Colonel  H.  D.  Johnson.  She  died  in 
Piqua  in  the  spring  of  1857.  In  the  family  were 
eight  children,  who  reached  adult  age :  Elizabeth, 
Mary  A.,  John  W'.,  James  R..  David,  Caroline. 
Stephen  and  Sarah  J. 

David  Keyt  spent  the  first  twenty-one  years  of 
his  life  in  the  place  of  his  nativity  and  at  the 
age  of  eighteen  years  he  began  work  with  his 
father.  In  the  spring  before  he  attained  his  ma- 
jority he  commenced  business  on  his  own  ac- 
cotmt  as  a  contractor  and  builder,  living  at  Piqua 
until  1857,  when  he  arrived  in  Rdckford  and  l)e- 
came  connected  with  building  operations  here. 
The  first  contract  which  he  secured  was  for  the 
erection  of  the  Second  Congregational  church  and 
the  excellent  w<irk  which  he  executed  established 
liis  reputation  and  brought  him  many  other  con- 
tracts. He  was  also  superintendent  of  construc- 
tion of  the  llrown  P.uilding.  the  Nelson  P.uilding 
and  the  Centennial  and  Court  Street  Methodist 
Episcopal  churches,  also  designing  the  last  men- 
tioned. He  developed  considerable  taste  and 
talent  in  the  line  of  architectural  designing  and 
(irnamentatiiin  and  he  won  for  himself  a  |iromi- 
nent  position  as  a  representative  of  building  oper- 
ations here.  He  was  an  invalid  for  seven  years 
prior  to  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  utli 
of  February,  1899. 

Mr.  Keyt  was  twice  married.  In  1847  '^^ 
wedded  Lydia  .\.  Sawyer,  w'ho  was  born  in  Dav- 
ton,  Montgomery  county,  Ohio,  her  [)arents  being 
I'riah  and  Sarah  Sawyer,  the  former  a  native  of 
Massachusetts  and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  Mrs.  Keyt 
died  in  1861  and  twelve  years  later  Mr.  Keyt  was 
united  in  marriage  to  ^lrs.  Cliarlotte  (LeonanD 
Skinner.  J'.y  his  first  marriage  he  had  a  daugh- 
ter, Clara,  wlio  is  now  the  wife  of  James  H. 
Rhodes,  of  Chicago.     Prominent  in  .Masonic  cir- 


cles Mr.  Keyt  attained  the  Knight  Teiuplar  de- 
gree and  was  also  identified  with  other  civic  or- 
ganizations here.  He  Ixlonged  to  the  Court  Street 
.Methodist  Ivpiscopal  church,  in  which  he  served  on 
the  official  board  and  in  its  work  he  took  an  active 
and  heljjful  interest  for  many  years.  He  was 
the  builder  of  that  church  and  architects  of  Chi- 
cago have  stated  that  it  is  one  of  the  finest  in 
northern  Illinois.  Mrs.  Keyt  now  resides  in 
Rockford,  at  No.  125  North  Main  street,  known 
all  over  the  city  as  the  Henry  Block.  The  block 
is  bounded  by  Main,  State,  Wyman  and  Mulberry 
streets  and  was  at  one  time  all  owned  by  her  first 
husband.  Mr.  Skinner.  It  is  to-day  one  of  the  best 
business  corners  of  Rockford.  Recently  Mrs. 
Kexi  has  sold  most  of  this  property  to  her  son- 
in-law.  C.  F.  Henry,  and  his  wife,  and  Mr.  Henry 
is  conducting  a  large  clothing  store  on  this  site 
and  the  remainder  of  the  block  is  also  built  up 
with  store  buildings.  Mrs.  Keyt  is  a  very  active 
lady,  who  in  early  life  taught  school  in  (uiilford 
townshi]).  two  and  one-half  miles  east  of  Rock- 
ford. She  was  of  much  assistance  to  her  hus- 
bands, acting  as  bookkeeper  for  both,  and  she 
did  other  work  for  them  and  her  excellent  busi- 
ness and  executive  force  is  supplemented  by  the 
true,  womanly  (lualities  which  in  every  land  and 
clime  awaken  respect. 


P.  P..  nUKI'.RMAN. 


In  till'  (|uii't  |)ursuits  of  farming,  devoting  his 
attention  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil  and  raising  of 
stock  year  after  year.  P.  P..  Dickerman  has  ac- 
cumulated a  com])etence  that  now  enables  him  to 
live  retired  and  those  who  are  familiar  with  his 
histoi\  know  that  his  success  has  been  worthily 
won.  He  resides  at  the  present  writing  (1905) 
at  No.  ~22  Kent  street.  Rockford.  but  still  owns 
a  fine  farm  in  New  Milford  township.  He  came 
to  Wiiuiebago  county  in  1865,  inunediately  after 
leaving  the  army.  He  is  a  native  of  the  .state  of 
New  York,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Greene 
■rounty  in  1840.  His  parents  were  Joel  and 
F.iuiice  (I'.ailey)  Dickerman.  who  arrived  in  this 
comity,  in  I"el>ruary,  1866,  and  .soon  afterward 
the  father  retired  from  fanu  life,  removing  to 
Rockford,  where  he  resided  until  his  death  in 
1895.  when  he  was  seventy-.seven  years  of  age. 
His  wife  died  in  this  city  in  the  early  ■80s. 
In  their  family  were  five  children:  M.  L..  a  re- 
tired farmer  of  New  Milford  township,  now  re- 
siding on  Jilson  avenue  in  R<ickford  :  P.  P>..  of 
this  review:  Mrs.  Emert  P.ailey,  who  is  living  on 
Cunningham  street  in  Rockford :  Mrs.  Ella  K. 
Mcl.arty.  residing  in  New  Milford  township: 
and  .Mrs.  L'ora  A.  Plackstock.  whose  hoiue  is  on 
Forest  avenue  in    Rockford. 


MR.  AXD  MRS.  I'.  B.  DlCKl-IRMAX. 


JOEL  DICKERAIAX. 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


623 


P.  B.  Dickerman  was  reared  in  the  Empire 
state  and  his  early  educational  privileges  were 
supplemented  by  a  course  of  study  in  the 
seminary.  He  afterward  engaged  in  teaching 
school  for  three  years,  but  in  1862  put  aside  his 
business  interests  in  order  that  he  might  respond 
to  his  country's  call  for  aid,  enlisting  in  August 
of  that  year  as  a  member  of  Company  F,  One 
Hundred  and  Twentieth  New  York  Infantry. 
He  joined  the  army  as  a  private,  but  his 
meritorious  conduct  on  the  field  of  battle  won 
him  promotion  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant  and  he 
actively  served  until  the  close  of  the  war. 
Although  he  participated  in  sixteen  hotly  con- 
tested engagements  he  was  never  wounded  and 
yet  he  was  often  found  in  the  thickest  of  the 
fight.  It  was  in  the  same  year  of  his  return 
trom  the  war  that  Mr.  Dickerman  came  to  Win- 
nebago county,  locating  in  New  Milford  town- 
ship, where  with  his  father,  Joel  Dickerman,  he 
purchased  a  farm  of  over  three  hundred  acres 
of  land.  The  son  improved  and  operated  this 
place,  for  the  father  soon  afterward  retired,  and 
P.  B.  Dickerman  continued  to  engage  in  the 
tilling  of  the  soil  here  until  1898,  when  he  took 
up  his  abode  in  his  present  home  in  the  county 
seat.  About  two  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  the 
original  homestead  is  now  owned  by  his  son, 
E.  B.  Dickerman. 

It  was  also  in  the  year  of  his  arrival  in  Win- 
nebago county  that  Mr.  Dickerman  was  united  in 
marriage  to  ^liss  Emily  F.  Peck,  who  was  born 
in  Greene  county.  New  York,  a  daughter  of 
Munson  and  Mary  (Peckl  Peck,  both  of  whom 
are  now  deceased.  Both  the  Dickerman  and  Peck 
families  were  established  in  New  York  at  an 
early  day,  representatives  of  the  names  going 
from  Connecticut  to  the  Empire  state.  Mrs. 
Dickerman,  however,  was  the  only  one  of  her 
family  that  came  to  Illinois,  her  parents  both 
returning  to  New  England,  their  last  days  being 
passed  in  ^Massachusetts.  Unto  our  subject  and 
his  wife  have  been  born  two  sons  and  a  daugh- 
ter, who  are  yet  living  and  they  also  lost  one 
son  at  the  age  of  fifteen  months.  Alfred  G.  Dick- 
erman. born  in  Winnebago  county  in  1867,  is 
now  a  farmer  of  New  IVIilford  township.  He 
married  I\Iiss  Fanny  Holdridge,  of  this  county, 
and  they  have  two  children,  Harold  and  Lucia 
P.  ]\Iary  E..  born  in  this  county  in  1870,  is 
the  wife  of  Chris  W.  Hammond,  who  is  residing 
in  Rockford,  and  they  have  two  daughters,  Eliza- 
beth and  Frances.  E.  Burton,  born  in  1872  and 
now  following  farming  in  New  Milford  town- 
ship, married  Miss  Delia  P.  Hurd,  a  native  of 
Ohio. 

]Mr.  Dickerman  maintains  pleasant  relations 
with  his  old  army  comrades  through  his  mem- 
bership  in  Nevius  post,   No.   i,   G.   A.   R.,   and 


his  wife  was  formerly  connected  with  the 
^^'omen's  Relief  Corps.  In  politics  he  is  a  re- 
publican, of  which  party  his  sons  are  also  ad- 
vocates, and  both  he  and  his  wife  hold  member- 
ship in  the  ^Methodist  church.  During  a  resi- 
dence of  forty  years  in  this  county  he  has  gained 
a  wide  and  favorable  acquaintance  and  wann 
friendship,  and  high  regard  is  accorded  him  by 
those  who  know  him  best.  His  business  activity 
has  been  crowned  with  a  competence  and  to  him 
has  been  vouchsafed  honorable  retirement  from 
labor  in  recognition  of  his  diligence  in  former 
vears. 


ANTHONY  COLLINS. 

Anthony  Collins  was  the  founder  of  a  business 
which  has  been  conducted  for  more  than  a  half 
century  in  Rockford  under  the  name  of  the  Col- 
lins Dray  Line,  and  throughout  the  3'ears  of  his 
residence  here  he  was  known  as  a  trustworthy 
man  who  made  the  most  of  his  opportunities  and 
was  always  straightforward  in  his  dealings.  He 
was  born  in  New  York,  June  i,  1831,  and  his  par- 
ents. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Anthony  Collins,  were  both 
natives  of  Ireland,  whence  they  came  to  America 
at  an  early  day,  settling  first  in  the  Empire  state. 
They  afterward  removed  to  Detroit.  Michigan, 
and  then  took  up  their  abode  in  Rockford  in 
1850.  Here  the  father  began  in  the  dray  business 
which  he  conducted  for  a  few  years,  while  later  he 
removed  to  Iowa,  settling  near  Cascade,  where 
both  he  and  his  wife  died.  Of  the  children  born 
unto  them  only  three  are  now  living,  two  being 
residents  of  South  Dakota  and  the  other  of  Du- 
buque, Iowa. 

.\nthony  Collins  had  but  little  educational  privi- 
leges in  his  youth.  He  was  only  four  years  old 
when  his  parents  removed  to  Detroit,  where  they 
remained  for  a  brief  period,  .\fter  he  arrived  in 
Rockford  it  was  necessary  that  he  assist  his  father 
in  the  draying  business,  and  he  thus  continued  to 
work  until  able  to  take  charge  of  the  business. 
\Mth  the  growth  of  the  city  his  patronage  in- 
creased, and  throughout  his  remaining  days  he 
was  at  the  head  of  a  large  transfer  line  and  dray 
business,  receiving  an  extensive  patronage  and 
furnishing  employment  to  a  large  number  of  men. 

;\Ir.  Collins  was  married  to  Miss  Julia  Sheehan, 
who  died  in  Rockford.  They  were  the  parents  of 
ten  children,  but  only  four  are  now  living:  Julia, 
who  is  the  wife  of  Mr.  Walsh,  a  partner  of  C.  E. 
Collins  in  the  Blue  Line  Transfer  Company  and 
now  residing  on  North  Winnebago  street ;  Lucy, 
the  wife  of  John  Clififord,  a  resident  of  Du- 
buque, Iowa;  Anthony,  who  is  living  in 
Des  Moines,  Iowa :  and  Charles  E..  who 
is  manager  of  the  Blue  Line  Transfer  Com- 
pany     in      Rockford      and      resides      with      his 


624 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


stepiiuitlicr.  It  was  in  tliis  city  tlial  Anthtniy 
Collins  was  niarricil  to  Miss  Marijarci  Mortjan. 
a  liauglitcr  of  Thomas  and  Catlicrinc  Morgan. 
both  natives  of  Ireland,  in  which  coinitry  they 
s|xnt  their  entire  lives,  .\nthony  and  .Margaret 
Collins  had  one  child.  Catherine  Frances,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  nine  years. 

.Mr.  Collins  voted  with  the  tleniocratic  iiarlw 
and  he  was  a  connnunicant  of  St.  .Mary's  Catholic 
cluirch.  to  which  his  wife  and  children  also  be- 
long. He  died  February  9,  1901,  after  having 
been  a  resident  of  this  city  for  nearly  a  half  cen- 
tnry.  His  business  hail  grown  with  the  develop- 
nuiil  of  the  city  and  he  built  a  nice  residence 
where  his  widow  and  son  now  reside  at  No.  412 
South  Court  street.  It  stands  as  the  visible  evi- 
dence of  his  life  of  thrift,  business  integrity  and 
unfaltering  diligence.  He  commanded  the  respect 
which  is  always  accortled  to  him  who  wins  suc- 
cess honorably  and  through  his  own  efforts,  and 
he  i)assed  away  I'ebrnary  ().  njoi.  esteemed  by  all 
who  knew  him. 


|()i;  .\li:.\a\i)i-:r. 


Jol>  .Mexander.  a  teaming  contractor  residing 
at  .\'o.  Kiw;  ICast  State  street,  was  born  in  Catta- 
raugus county.  New  York,  and  spent  the  days  of 
his  boyhood  and  youth  there.  He  became  a  resi- 
deiit  of  Illinois  in  1861,  making  his  way  in  the  fall 
of  that  year  to  Cherry  X'alley,  Winnebago  county. 
During  his  younger  years  he  engaged  in  clerking 
tlun  and  in  Kockford.  and  he  also  bought  stock 
which  he  shi])))e(i  to  Chicago.  .\t  one  time  he 
was  ])ro]3rietor  of  a  meat  market  at  Cherry  Val- 
ley, and  for  ten  years  he  resided  upon  a  farm  be- 
tween that  place  and  r)elvidere.  which  ]>roperty  he 
still  owns.  The  following  five  years  were  spent 
in  Cherry  N'alley,  and  in  .May.  i8t;o.  he  came  to 
Rock  ford,  where  he  has  since  engaged  in  busi- 
ness as  a  general  teaming  contractor,  with  stables 
on  Twelfth  street.  He  cm])loys  about  a  dozen 
teams  and  from  twelve  to  twenty  men.  He  was 
likewise  mgaged  in  a  harness  business  for  eleven 
years  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Wheeler  &  .Alex- 
ander, this  |>artnershi])  being  formed  in  i88()  and 
ci>ntinuing  imtil  .Mr.  .\le.\andcr  engaged  in  the 
♦eaming  business.  1  le  also  bandies  wagons,  bug- 
gies and  agricultural  imjilements  and  both 
branches  of  the  business  are  proving  jirofitable. 

.Mr.  .Mexander  was  married  at  Clierrv  \'allev  to 
Miss  .\nna  E.  (ileasoii,  (laughter  of  William  ( dea- 
son.  who  came  to  Wiinu-bago  comity  about  the 
spring  of  1834.  He  was  truly  a  pioneer  settler, 
of  whom  a  biographical  sketch  appears  elsewhere 
in  this  vohmie.  and  nuich  ot  the  land  was  yet  wild 
and  unimproved  when  be  entered  one  thousand 
acres  from  the  government  in  (iuilford  township, 
and  he  contributed  in  large  and  substantial  meas- 


ure to  the  early  (levelo|>ment  of  this  part  of  the 
state.  He  was  born  in  Worcester.  .Massachusetts, 
whence  he  removed  to  \'ermont,  and  from  the 
(ireen  Mountain  state  he  came  to  Cherry  Valley. 
Here  he  was  widely  known  as  a  jirominent  and 
])o])ular  citizen,  and  while  his  lalwirs  brought  to 
him  a  very  desirable  financial  return  he  also  be- 
longtd  to  that  class  of  men  who  while  promoting 
individual  prosperity  likewise  contribute  to  the 
general  welfare.  He  died  April  22,  1884,  at  the 
age  of  sixty-nine  years.  His  daughter,  Mrs.  Alex- 
ander, is  a  native  of  Winnebago  county,  and  by 
her  marriage  has  become  the  mother  of  two  chil- 
dren :  Mrs.  I-'rank  Howe,  who  is  now  living  in 
.Monroe  Center,  ( )gle  county,  and  has  two  chil- 
tlren,  .Maynard  .\lexander  and  \'era  May:  and 
Claire  (i.,  who  is  in  the  emjiloy  of  the  Hmiter 
Hardware  Company  in  Rock  ford. 

Mr.  .Mexander  votes  with  the  reiiuhlican  jKirty, 
having  given  to  that  organization  his  sui)i)ort  since 
attaining  his  majority.  l-'ratcrnally  he  is  con- 
nected with  the  Independent  ( )rder  of  ( )dd  Fel- 
lows and  the  bVaternal  League  Society,  while  his 
son  Claire  is  a  number  of  the  Masonic  lodge. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Alexander  attend  the  .State 
.Street  r.a])tist  church.  During  a  residence  of 
forty-four  years  in  Winnebago  county  he  has  be- 
come well  known,  and  his  activity  in  business,  his 
fidelity  and  friendship  and  his  faithfulness  in  citi- 
zenship c<institute  him  a  representative  man  of 
Winnebago  countv. 


MRS.  I-:.\1II.Y  .MILX!-:. 

-Mrs.  Emily  Milne,  living  on  section  22,  llurritt 
township,  was  born  February  22.  1848,  in  Rock- 
ford  township,  Winnebago  county,  her  parents 
being  William  and  .\nn  Dickinson.  Her  father 
was  born  in  England  in  1822,  and  when  a  young 
man  c-ime  to  Illinois,  arriving  in  Winnebago 
county  in  .\ugust,  1843.  He  lived  for  about  four 
years  in  Rockford  and  sper.t  his  remaining  days 
in  lUirritt  townshi])  on  the  old  homestead,  which 
he  took  up  from  the  government  in  1841).  The 
land  was  entirely  unimproved,  and  he  turned  the 
first  furrows  upon  the  ])lace,  breaking  the  prairie 
until  it  was  possible  to  i)lant  the  seed  that  in  due 
course  of  time  made  |)roductive  fields  out  of  the 
once  barren  tract.  .\s  the  years  passed  by  he  con- 
tinued his  farming  o|>erations  and  became  one  of 
the  well-to-do  and  res))ected  agriculturists  of  his 
commimity.  He  married  \nn  C"oward,  who  was 
born  in  England  in  1823.  The\  were  married  in 
that  country  and  with  her  nnsband  she  came  to 
the  I'nited  .States  in  1845.  She  died  in  Pmrritt 
townshi])  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  Milne  in  i<X)2,  and 
.Mr.  Dickinson  died  July  13.  181)5.  In  their  family 
were  the  following  named:  Fred  W.  Dickinson, 
l>orn  Mav  12.  1830,  is  living  in  Rockford  and  has 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


625 


two  sons  and  two  ilatighters.  (George  W'.,  born 
June  12,  1852.  IS  living  in  Huron,  South  Dakota, 
and  has  two  sons  and  one  daughter.  WilHam  died 
in  1882,  at  the  age  of  twenty-four  years.  Charles 
died  in  1885,  when  twenty-three  years  of  age. 
Theodore  P.,  born  December  16,  1853,  is  living  on 
the  old  Dickinson  homestead,  and  has  one  son  and 
one  daughter.  Rebecca,  who  died  August  16, 
1905,  was  the  wife  of  W.  W.  Hooker,  a  resident 
farmer  of  Burritt  township,  and  had  four  daugh- 
ters and  one  son.  Florence  is  the  wife  of  Robert 
Robbins,  a  resident  of  Burritt.  Annie  is  the  wife 
of  James  Robbins,  of  Rockford,  and  has  one  son 
and  one  daugliter. 

Emily  Dickinson  spent  her  girlhood  days  in 
her  parents'  home  and  after  completing  her  early 
education  in  the  common  schools  continued  her 
studies  in  Lounsbur)-  Academy  in  Rockford.  On 
the  1st  of  January,  1880,  she  gave  her  hand  in 
marriage  to  Frederick  A.  Alilne.  who  was  born  in 
Burritt  township,  January  2.  1854,  and  was  a  son 
of  William  and  Fanny  Milne.  He  had  two  broth- 
ers, Alfred  and  Lorin,  aged  forty-two  and  forty 
years  respectively,  and  now  living  upon  a  farm 
which  adjoins  that  of  'Sirs.  Emily  Milne.  Unto 
Frederick  and  Emily  Alilne  was  born  one  son, 
Wendell  P.,  who  was  born  October  3,  1886,  and 
is  now  operating  the  home  farm  for  his  mother. 

In  early  life  Mrs.  Milne  engaged  in  teaching 
school  with  excellent  success  for  a  number  of 
years,  and  for  the  past  twenty-eight  years  has 
been  town  treasurer  of  Burritt  township.  She  has 
practically  lived  in  this  township  throughout  her 
entire  life,  and  has  a  wide  acquaintance  here.  She 
lost  her  husband  on  the  14th  of  January,  1892,  and 
has  since  managed  the  home  property,  comprising 
eighty  acres  of  land.  She  is  a  lady  of  excellent 
executive  force,  keen  discernment  and  business 
ability,  and,  moreover,  she  possesses  those  true 
womanly  qualities  and  social  traits  which  render 
her  popular  with  a  large  circle  of  friends. 


THEODORE    L.    LEON    DE    TISSANDIER. 

Theodore  L.  Leon  de  Tissandier,  county  sur- 
vevor  of  Winnebago  county,  is  a  descendant  of  a 
prominent  French  family.  He  was  born  in 
Diep]3e,  France,  and  received  his  first  education 
through  private  tutors  in  that  country.  For  po- 
litical reasons,  however,  the  family  moved  to 
Germany  when  Air.  de  Tissandier  was  still  very 
voung  and  both  his  parents  died  there  shortly 
after.  His  education  was  then  under  the  guidance 
of  a  guardian  and  was  continued  and  completed 
in  the  most  thorough  manner  in  the  best  edu- 
cational institutions  of  Germany,  of  which  coun- 
try he  became  a  naturalized  citizen.  Being  gifted 
with  very  quick  conception  and  an  extraordinary 
zeal   for  learning  and  no  means  being  spared  to 


encourage  and  push  Iiim  along  by  aid  of  private 
tutors,  he  succeeded  in  passing  through  all  the 
schools  preparator}-  to  and  by  law  conditional  for 
admission  to  the  university  so  rapidly  that  he  was 
enabled  to  enter  the  university  of  Jena  for  the 
study  of  mathematics  at  an  extremelv  early  age. 
Having  spent  one  year  there  he  continued  his 
studies  at  the  famous  old  University  of  Heidel- 
berg until  his  prevailing  taste  for  the  applied 
sciences  made  him  enter  the  Polytechnical  Acad- 
emy of  Charlottenburg  ( Berlin ')  to  study  civil 
and  mechanical  engineering. 

However,  before  he  could  finish  the  long  and 
difficult  course  the  war  with  France  broke  out  in 
1870  and  he  joined  the  German  army  as  volunteer 
in  a  crack  cavalry  regiment.  During  the  cam- 
paign he  took  part  in  numerous  bloody  engage- 
ments and  was  repeatedly  wounded.  The  war 
being  over  and  army  life  agreeing  with  him,  he 
remained  with  the  army  for  a  number  of  years, 
being  in  turn  promoted  to  second  and  first  liett- 
tenant,  in  which  latter  capacity  he  finally  asked 
for  his  discharge  in  order  to  pursue  his  vocation 
as  civil  and  mechanical  engineer.  Although  the 
temptation  to  spend  his  free  time  in  idle  pursuits 
are  very  great  for  a  young,  wealthy  officer  in  a 
crack  cavalry  regiment  stationed  in  one  of  the 
great  capitals  of  German\-  with  its  brilliant  social 
life,  of  which  the  officers'  corps  of  the  army  virtu- 
ally forms  the  center,  Mr.  de  Tissandier  never  lost 
sight  of  his  initial  purpose  in  life  and,  although 
by  no  means  denying  himself  all  the  pleasures  to 
which  his  wealth  and  social  standing  entitled  him, 
devoted  much  of  his  time  to  study,  even  enrolling 
again,  while  yet  wearing  the  uniform,  as  student 
at  the  pohtechnical  academy,  listening  to  such 
lectures  as  his  military  duties  gave  him  time  to 
attend.  This  zeal  being  well  appreciated  by  his 
su])eriors,  ample  opportunity  was  afforded  him 
during  the  many  years  of  service  in  the  army  to 
gather  practical  as  well  as  theoretical  experience 
in  his  line.  He  was  repeatedly  detailed  for  serv- 
ice in  diiTerent  branches  of  the  service,  such  as 
artillery,  engineer  corps,  etc..  and  he  took  part 
in  the  triangulation  of  the  country  carried  on  by 
the  military  authorities  for  the  purpose  of  furnish- 
ing military  maps  giving  the  minutest  details. 
Consequently  Mr.  de  Tissandier  had  the  satisfac- 
tion of  successfully  passing  the  final  examinations 
at  the  Polytechnicum  and  obtaining  the  degree 
of  civil  and  mechanical  engineer  before  quitting 
the  military  service. 

Returning  to  civil  life  Air.  de  Tissandier  sought 
and  found  employment  as  civil  engineer,  first  in 
subaltern  but.  pushing  rapidly  forward  was  soon 
given  responsible  positions  with  different  rail- 
roads and  other  corporations  of  similar  nature  in 
difi'erent  countries,  being  employed  on  construc- 
tion, bridge,  tunnel,  canal  work,  etc.  He  thus 
he  had  occasion  to  travel  over  the  greater  part  of 


Gib 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Europe,  iiiciilentally  l)ecoining  acquainted  with 
maiiv  lansjuag'cs.  of  whicli  he  masters  six  per- 
fectlv.  After  this,  however,  he  gradually  drifted 
more  and  more  into  the  line  of  mechanical  en- 
gineering, having  a  remarkable  inventory  vein. 
As  mechanical  engineer  he  found  employment  as 
designer  with  some  of  the  most  prominent  ma- 
cliinery  manufacturing  concerns  until  he  finally 
decided  to  invest  his  considerable  fortune  in  a 
manufacturing  enterprise  of  his  own.  Good  luck 
onlv  had  hitherto  favored  him.  but  from  this 
moment  t>n  fortune  turned  her  face  away  from 
him.  Through  fire  he  lost  nearly  all  he  possessed. 
I'ndaunted  he  started  anew  and  working  a  few 
years  amassed  quite  a  fortune  but  again  luck 
was  against  him.  bad  times  came  on  and  the 
failure  of  a  bank  left  him  almost  penniless. 

Then,  in  i8<^^/S,  he  came  to  .\merica.  soon  finding 
eniitloyment  as  designer  with  ])romincnt  firms  in 
New  York.  Pennsylvania  and  Chicago,  from 
where  he  finally  drifted  to  and  settled  in  Rock- 
ford.  There  he  was  at  first  connected  with  a 
manufacturing  concern  until  through  the  death 
of  .Mr.  Kbenezer  Caldwin  the  office  of  county  sur- 
vcvor  became  vacant  and  he  was  called  upon  to 
fill  tliis  vacancy.  Conse(|ucntly  he  filled  out  the 
unexpired  term  and.  having  during  this  time 
am()ly  demonstrated  his  ability  and  qualification, 
he  was  in  1904  by  a  majority  of  about  seven  thou- 
sand votes — in  fact  almost  unanimously — elected 
county  surveyor  of  Winnebago  county.  His  lib- 
eral education,  his  broad  travel  and  experience 
render  him  a  most  efficient  officer. 


JOHN  LTNDS.AY. 


John  Lindsay,  who  for  a  quarter  of  a  century 
was  a  well  known  grocery  merchant  of  Rock- 
ford  standing  high  in  business  circles  because  of 
his  fidelity  and  straiglittorward  and  honorable 
principles,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  born  October 
8.  1R40.  his  parents  being  William  and  Elizabeth 
Lindsay,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the 
i'juerald  isle.  Thev  emigrated  to  America 
alxtut  iS5,S.  settling  in  .\msterdam.  New  York, 
wliere  the  father  engaged  in  business  until  his 
death.  The  mother  still  resides  at  that  jilace 
with  some  of  her  children. 

John  Lindsay  was  not  yet  thirteen  years  of 
age  when  he  bade  adieu  to  the  friends  of  his  boy- 
liood  antl  his  native  country  and  sailed  with  his 
parents  for  the  new  world.  He  ac(|uired  liis  edu- 
cation in  the  schools  of  Amsterdam,  but  his 
privileges  in  that  direction  were  somewhat 
limited,  for  his  father  died  when  the  son  was 
a  young  lad.  and  it  was  necessary  that  he  earn 
his  living.  He  workefl  at  whatever  he  could  get 
to  do  until  after  the  Civil  war  broke  out.  when 
his  patriotic  spirit  was  aroused  and  he  ofTer<  1  '"- 


services  to  the  government,  enlisting  as  first 
sergeant  of  Company  B.  Thirty-second  New 
York  Infantry.  He  participated  in  several  en- 
gagements of  importance  and  was  very  fortunate 
in  that  he  was  never  wounded.  He  remained 
with  his  comjiany  until  the  close  of  the  war  and 
was  then  honorably  discharged.  He  was  a  faith- 
ful soldier,  ever  true  to  his  duty  even  when  it 
called  him  into  the  thickest  of  the  fight  or  sta- 
tioned him  on  the  lonely  picket  line. 

W  lien  the  country  no  longer  needed  his  serv- 
ices Mr.  Lind.say  returned  to  Amsterdam  and  re- 
mained at  home  until  1866,  when  he  came  to  the 
west  and  took  uj)  his  abode  in  Rocktord.  Here 
he  worked  as  a  lalwrcr  in  different  shops  for  a 
few  years  and  he  also  s])cnt  one  season  as  a  farm 
hand  near  Rockford.  He  was  economical  and 
industrious  and  by  saving  his  earnings  he  ac- 
cumulated a  capital  sufficient  to  enable  him  to 
engage  in  business  on  his  own  account.  He 
therefore  established  a  grocery  store  in  1875  •** 
.\'o.  1102  South  Main  street,  and  continued  in 
that  line  of  business  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 
The  neat  arrangement  of  his  store,  his  care- 
fully selected  goods  and  his  earnest  desire  to 
])lcase  his  patrons  secured  him  a  good  patronage, 
and  he  constantly  enlarged  his  stock  in  order  to 
meet  the  growing  demands  of  his  trade.  .Vlthough 
he  began  business  on  a  small  scale  he  was  after- 
ward enabled  to  employ  several  men.  and  his 
grocery  store  continued  one  of  the  well  known 
business  enterprises  of  the  city  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death. 

In  1886  Mr.  Lindsay  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Mary  C.  Derstine,  a  native  of  Rockford 
and  a  daughter  of  Samuel  Derstine,  who  was 
one  of  the  early  residents  of  this  city.  His  birth 
occurred  near  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania.  No- 
vember 30,  1820,  and  his  father,  Michael  Derstine 
was  also  a  native  of  that  jilace.  He  re]>resented 
one  of  the  old  Pennsylvania  Dutch  families  that 
was  noted  for  longevity.  Michael  Derstine  was 
a  blacksmith  by  trade,  conducting  a  shop  of  his 
own  for  manv  years  in  I'ennsylvania.  He  re- 
moved from  flarrisburg  to  Bellefonte,  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  he  was  eni])loyed  in  a  stove  factory, 
and  there  his  death  occurred  in  1846  when  he  was 
fifty-two  years  of  age.  In  his  political  views 
he  was  a  whig,  and  his  religious  faith  was  in- 
dicated bv  his  memberslii]i  in  the  Dutch  Re- 
formed church.  He  married  Margaret  SchafFer 
in  Dauphin  county.  Pennsylvania.  She.  too.  was 
iMirn  in  that  county  and  was  of  Dutch  descent. 
Her  death  occurred  in  I'ellefonte,  in  i8"0,  when 
she  was  in  her  seventieth  vear,  and  she  too  had 
been  a  faithful  member  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 
church.  Mr.  Derstine  enjoyed  consiilerable 
reputation  because  of  his  musical  talent,  and  on 
the  outbreak  of  the  war  of  1812  he  joined  a  com- 


[OHX  LINDSAY 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


629 


pany  of  soldiers  as  a  musician,  but  because  of 
his  youth  his  father  persuaded  him  to  return 
home. 

Samuel  Derstine,  the  elder  son  and  second 
member  of  a  family  of  six  children,  was  reared 
in  the  Keystone  state,  and  after  reaching 
adult  age,  was  married  in  Bellefonte, 
Pennsylvania,  to  I\liss  Susan  Fye,  who  was  born 
in  Center  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1829.  In 
1856  he  came  to  Rockford  and  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  Emerson,  Talcott  &  Company,  proprietors 
of  the  foundry,  with  wnom  he  remained  for 
twenty-seven  years,  and  his  capable  service  and 
devotion  to  the  interests  of  his  employers  won 
him  promotion  from  time  to  time,  his  wages 
being  correspondingly  increased.  By  economiz- 
ing he  was  enabled  to  accumulate  a  competence 
that  in  his  later  years  permitted  his  living  in  re- 
tirement from  further  business  cares.  His  life 
exemplified  the  term  "dignity  of  labor,"  and  he 
justly  merited  tlie  rest  which  came  to  him  in  his 
later  years.  In  her  early  life  Airs.  Derstine  be- 
longed to  the  Lutheran  church,  but  after  re- 
moving to  Rockford  became  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  lived  a  most 
earnest  Christian  life.  She  died  here  April  19, 
1885,  and  was  survived  by  Mr.  Derstine  until 
May  22,  1904.  His  political  support  was  given 
the  republican  party.  In  his  family  were  six 
children ;  Michael  L.,  who  died  when  four  years 
of  age ;  Charles  H.,  who  died  when  a  year  old ; 
Mary,  who  married  John  Lindsay ;  David  W.,  a 
machinist  of  Rockford,  who  married  Fannie 
Higbee  and  after  her  death  wedded  Sarah  Sex- 
ton; Ellen  R.,  the  wife  of  H.  B.  Bussing,  of 
Chicago ;  and  Minnie  C,  the  wife  of  P.  H.  Bar- 
rett, a  partner  in  the  firm  of  Barrett  Brothers, 
extensive  wholesale  dealers  in  confectionery  in 
Rockford.  They  reside  at  No.  1003  Harlem 
avenue. 

Mr.  and  Airs.  Lindsay  became  the  parents  of 
two  children ;  Samuel  John,  who  is  now  a  sales- 
man in  Rockford ;  and  William  Walter,  who  is 
attending  school.  They  are  both  with  their 
mother.  Mr.  Lindsay  served  as  alderman  in  the 
Rockford  city  council  for  one  term,  and  was  also 
supervisor,  being  elected  to  these  offices  on  the 
Republican  ticket.  He  was  a  stanch  advocate 
of  the  party  and  did  all  in  his  power  to  promote 
its  growth  and  insure  its  success.  He  held  mem- 
bership in  Rockford  post.  No.  I,  G.  A.  R.,  and 
also  belonged  to  E.  F.  W.  Ellis  lodge.  No.  633, 
A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  which  he  was  treasurer  for 
several  years.  He  was  very  successful  in  busi- 
ness here  and  became  one  of  the  leading  mer- 
chants of  Rockford.  Steadily  pursuing  his  way, 
undeterred  by  obstacles  and  difficulties  in  his 
path,  he  achieved  creditable  and  gratifying  pros- 
perity. Steady  application,  careful  study  of  busi- 
ness methods  and  plans  to  be  followed,  close  at- 
36 


tention  to  details,  combined  with  an  untiring  ener- 
gy and  directed  by  a  superior  mind,  those  were 
the  traits  of  character  which  brought  him  success 
and  made  him  one  of  the  foremost  men  of  Rock- 
ford. Airs.  Lindsay  still  owns  the  business  prop- 
erty on  South  Alain  street,  in  which  her  husband 
conducted  his  grocery  store.  The  Derstine  estate, 
to  which  she  is  an  heir,  has  not  yet  been  divided, 
and  consists  of  much  valuable  property  in  Rock- 
ford. She  now  resides  at  the  old  Derstine  home 
at  No.  1203  South  Alain  street,  which  was  oc- 
cupied by  her  father  for  more  than  forty  years. 


TOHN  C.  SMITH. 


John  C.  Smith  is  the  owner  of  a  finely  improved 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  section 
6,  W'innebago  township,  and  has  made  his  home 
in  this  county  since  the  fall  of  1854.  Scotland  has 
furnished  a  number  of  representative  men  to  this 
county,  including  Air.  Smith,  who  was  born  in 
.\rgyleshire,  on  the  8th  of  Alay,  1 831.  His  par- 
ents were  Andrew  and  Elizabeth  (Colville)  Smith, 
who  spent  their  entire  lives  in  Scotland,  both  dy- 
ing in  Argyleshire,  where  the  father  had  followed 
the  occupation  of  farming.  In  their  family  were 
ten  children,  who  reached  adult  age  and  four  of 
the  number  came  to  America.  Of  these  Robert 
died  two  years  ago,  while  Archie  resided  in  Har- 
lem township,  where  his  death  occurred  about 
seven  years  ago. 

John  C.  Smith  spent  the  first  twenty  years  of 
his  life  in  the  land  of  his  nativity,  being  reared 
to  the  occupation  of  farming,  while  in  the  public 
schools  he  acquired  his  education.  As  before 
stated,  he  reached  Winnebago  county  in  the  fall 
of  1854,  and  established  his  home  in  the  Scotch 
settlement  in  Harlem  township.  He  first  worked 
as  a  farm  hand  there,  and  afterward  rented  land 
in  that  locality  for  some  years.  He  was  associated 
in  his  early  business  interests  here  with  his  brother, 
Robert  C.  .Smith.  They  had  come  together  to 
the  county,  and  in  1858  settled  in  Winnebago 
township,  residing  together  for  a  year  on  the 
Keith  farm.  In  1859  Air.  Smith  purchased  his 
present  fann,  where  he  has  made  improvements 
and  has  carried  on  general  farming  with  excellent 
success,  his  fields  annually  yielding  him  rich  har- 
vests. In  all  of  his  work  he  has  been  practical  and 
enterprising,  quick  to  adopt  modern  methods, 
which  he  readily  recognizes,  and  his  labors  are 
bringing  him  a  good  competence. 

Air.  Smith  was  married  in  this  county  to  Aliss 
Jeanie  AIcNair,  also  a  native  of  Argyleshire,  Scot- 
land, and  a  daughter  of  James  and  Anne  (John- 
ston) AIcNair,  both  of  whom  died  in  Argyleshire. 
They  have  a  large  family  of  ten  children,  but  Airs. 
Smith  and  her  brother,  Robert  AIcNair,  were  the 


630 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


only  oius  who  came  to  Winnebago  county,  aiul 
the  latter  died  here  about  four  years  ago.  Mr. 
and  .Mrs.  Smith  have  become  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  all  of  whom  are  living :  James  M..  a 
farmer,  residing  in  Winnebago  township  ;  Andrew 
D..  who  is  a  resident  of  Redwood  Falls.  Minne- 
sota:  Mrs.  Cieorge  l'>ri<lgland.  living  in  Seward 
town.ship.  this  county;  .Mrs.  Flizabelh  Greenlces. 
a  resident  of  Sidney.  Australia;  Martha,  at  home; 
Mrs.  Jessie  llagley.  of  Duliith.  Minnesota;  and 
David,  at  home. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Smith  is  a  stanch  pro- 
hibitionist, thoroughly  in  sympathy  with  temper- 
ance ])rinciples  and  doing  all  in  his  power  to  in- 
culcate his  temperance  sentiment  in  the  commu- 
nity in  which  he  resides.  lie  has  filled  some  of  the 
townshi])  offices  and  has  done  effective  service  in 
behalf  of  public  education  as  a  school  director. 
He  and  his  wife  hold  membership  in  the  Presby- 
terian church,  of  Winnebago,  contribute  gener- 
ously to  its  sni)port.  and  are  actively  interested  in 
its  work  and  welfare. 


ROLK\Z(  )  r..  SllL'MW.W. 

Rolenzo  B.  Shumway,  now  retired  from  active 
life,  having  recently  sold  the  farm  on  which  for 
many  years  he  was  engaged  in  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  yet  resides  near  the  village  of  New 
Mil  ford  and  through  a  long  period  has  been  an 
active  and  influential  citizen  here.  He  was  born 
in  Lorain  county.  Oliio.  May  25.  1835,  bis  par- 
ents being  David  S.  and  Sallie  (Greeley)  Shum- 
way, the  latter  a  relative  of  the  noted  journalist. 
Horace  Greeley.  David  Shumway  was  born  at 
Jamaica,  X'^ermont.  on  the  S/tb  of  March.  1803, 
and  his  wife's  birth  occurred  in  Andover.  that 
state.  February  8.  1806.  They  were  married  at 
Chester.  Vermont.  November  20.  1823.  and  after 
a  brief  residence  in  the  Green  Mountain  state 
started  for  Ohio  in  the  .spring  of  1828.  locating 
in  a  pioneer  district.  They  resided  at  what  is 
now  the  city  of  Oberlin  and  David  Shumway.  be- 
ing a  carpenter  by  trade,  was  employed  to  build 
a  church  there.  Soon  afterward,  however,  they 
started  back  to  Vermont,  where  they  remained 
until  .\pril,  1831,  but  they  found  that  the  west 
had  a  stronger  attachment  for  them  than  they  be- 
lieved and  again  they  went  to  Ohio,  this  time  set- 
tling in  Lorain  county,  where  they  continued  to 
live  until  April.  1836.  Resuming  their  westward 
way  at  that  time  they  traveled  overland  to  Illi- 
nois, arriving  at  Fox  River  on  the  24th  of  May, 
1836.  and  five  days  later  they  reached  Kish- 
waukce,  establishing  their  home  in  a  small  log 
cabin  near  the  Rock  river.  The  next  year  the 
father  built  a  sawmill  on  Killbuck  Creek  but  the 
plant  was  later  destroyed  by  fire.  He  afterward 
built  a   sawmill  at   South    Bend  on   Kishwaukce 


creek  and  tliere  he  sawed  the  lumber  for  the  hotel 
which  was  erected  in  1839.  Mr.  Shumway  was 
closely  connected  with  the  early  material  progress 
of  the  county,  his  name  being  inseparably  asso- 
ciated with  many  events  which  constituted  the 
|)ioneer  history  of  this  section  of  the  state.  On 
the  farm  which  he  secured  near  Kishwaukee 
creek  he  contimied  to  make  his  home  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  July  22.  1879.  His  widow 
afterward  removed  to  Rockford.  where  she  made 
her  home  with  the  other  members  of  the  family 
until  her  deatii.  which  occurred  there  on  the  i8th 
of  .August.  1888.  In  public  affairs  Mr.  Shumway 
was  also  ])rominent  and  he  served  as  justice  of  the 
peace  and  in  other  ]iosiiions  of  trust  and  responsi- 
bility. With  keen  insight  into  the  needs 
of  a  ])ioneer  district  he  so  directed  his 
labors  that  his  efforts  proved  a  tangible 
force  in  the  work  of  public  improvement. 
In  his  family  were  five  sons,  who  reached 
mature  years,  while  three  daughters  died 
in  early  life.  Rosanna  passed  away  in  1839.  at 
Kishwaukee.  when  alxiut  twelve  years  of  age. 
Romanzo  G.  is  a  banker  residing  in  Polo.  Ogle 
county,  and  is  a  very  wealthy  man.  being  inter- 
ested in  a  number  of  banks  in  this  i)art  of  the 
state.  R.  r>.  is  the  next  of  the  family.  Al- 
varo.  who  was  born  in  1838  at  Kishwaukee.  being 
one  of  the  first  native  white  children  of  that  lo- 
cality, died  in  Tacoma.  Washington.  November 
5.  1819.  Ro.setta.  who  was  U^ru  in  1840,  at 
Kishwaukee.  died  in  infancy.  i\.  11..  of  Rock- 
ford,  born  in  Kishwaukee  in  1842.  now  pays  the 
heaviest  tax  upon  jicrsonal  jiroperty  of  any  resi- 
dent of  the  city,  a  fact  which  inHicates  f^iat  his 
has  been  a  prosperous  career.  Monroe.  Ixirn  in 
Kishwaukee  in  1845.  became  a  druggist  of 
Arlington,  Iowa,  and  died  there  in  1895.  Ro- 
salinda, born  in  1848.  at  Kishwaukee.  died  in 
1852. 

R.  I'l.  Shumway  was  reared  in  New  Milford 
tow^nshi])  amid  the  conditions  of  pioneer  life,  shar- 
ing witli  the  family  in  the  hardships  and  trials 
and  also  in  the  pleasures  incident  to  settlement 
u])on  the  frontier.  He  has  remained  in  New  Mil- 
ford  township  almost  continuously  with  the  ex- 
ception of  two  years  s])ent  in  Rockford.  Here 
he  engaged  in  farming  and  in  buying  and  ship- 
|iing  stock,  making  shipments  from  Rockford. 
Stillman  N'alley  and  New  Milford.  He  is  an  ex- 
cellent judge  of  stock,  so  that  his  purchases  were 
carefully  made  and  his  sales  brought  to  him  a 
g(V5d  ])rofit.  In  the  development  of  the  fields 
too  he  displayed  a  thorough  and  practical  knowl- 
edge of  the  business  and  as  the  years  passed 
he  has  gained  a  comfortable  competency  that  now 
enables  him  to  live  retired  in  the  enjoyment  of  the 
fruits  of  his  former  toil. 

Mr.  Shumway  has  l)een  married  twice.  He 
first  wedded  .'^arah  Hall,  who  dietl  in  1883.  leav- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


631 


ing  the  following  children,  all  of  whom  were  born 
in  New  Milford  township.  Alva  E.,  who  was 
born  January  i,  1859.  is  engaged  in  merchandis- 
ing at  Newell,  Iowa.  Carrie  F.,  born  March  17, 
i860,  became  the  wife  of  John  McEvoy,  now  a 
policeman  of  Rockford  and  her  death  occurred 
July  7.  1889.  Hattie  M..  born  December  2.  1861. 
became  the  wife  of  William  Homer  and  died  in 
Indianapolis,  Indiana,  July  14,  1890.  Nora  J., 
born  August  11,  1863,  is  the  wife  of  George 
Graham,  a  resident  of  New  Milford  township. 
Minnie  C,  born  April  17,  1869,  is  the  wife  of 
Arthur  Erickson,  who  resides  at  Rockford,  where 
he  is  employed  in  the  watch  factory.  Harry  E., 
born  September  i,  1874,  was  formerly  engaged 
in  merchandising  at  Monroe  Center,  Ogle  county, 
but  is  now  emplo_ved  in  the  store  of  Mr.  Kinson 
at  New  Milford. 

He  was  again  married.  November  26.  1884.  to 
Lovina  Sherman,  widow  of  Robert  B.  Holdridge. 
;\lrs.  Shumway  was  born  October  4,  1835,  in 
Troy,  New  York. 

Mr.  Shumway  has  been  very  active  and  influ- 
ential in  public  affairs  and  his  opinion  has  carried 
weight  in  councils  of  the  republican  party  in  this 
countv.  He  has  been  honored  with  a  number  of 
local  offices.  For  fifteen  years  he  was  clerk  of 
the  board  of  school  trustees  of  New  ]\Iilford  and 
in  1873  he  was  elected  assessor  of  his  township, 
in  which  office  he  has  continued  to  the  present 
time,  now  covering  thirty-two  years.  He  was 
also  elected  treasurer  of  the  school  trustees  but 
resigned  that  position  in  1883.  when  he  removed 
to  Rockford.  In  January,  1885,  he  was  chosen 
treasurer  of  the  Guilford  Mutual  Fire  Insurance 
Company  and  has  acted  in  that  capacity  to  the 
present  date,  being  also  one  of  its  directors.  He 
likewise  handles  the  policies  of  the  Rockford  Dis- 
trict Tornado  Insurance  Company.  He  is  a  man 
of  strong  determination  and  sturdy  purpose,  suc- 
cessfullv  accomplishing  whatever  he  vuidertakes. 
He  realizes  that  persistency  of  purpose  and  hon- 
orable effort  can  overcome  all  difficulties  and  in 
his  business  career  he  has  allowed  nothing  to 
deter  him  in  his  onward  march  to  success.  The 
community  recognizes  his  worth  of  citizenship 
and  he  iustlv  deserves  mention  in  this  volume. 


LOREN  S.  .VLLEN,  :\I.  D. 

Dr.  Loren  S.  Allen,  remembered  by  many  as 
a  pioneer  physician  of  Winnebago  county  of 
marked  professional  skill  and  personal  worth  that 
gained  him  the  friendship  and  regard  of  the  best 
citizens  of  this  portion  of  the  state,  came  to  Rock- 
ford in  1851.  He  was  a  native  of  Heath,  ]\Iassa- 
chusetts,  born  July  28.  181 1,  and  his  parents  were 
Elijah  and  Rhoda  (Thompson)  Allen,  both  of 
whom  were  born  in  the  east  and  alwavs  resided 


in  the  vicinity  of  Heath,  where  the  father  devoted 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  to  farming.  They 
reared  a  large  family  and  two  of  their  sons,  Loren 
S.  and  S.  T.  Allen,  came  to  the  west.  The  latter, 
Rev.  S.  T.  Allen,  now  deceased,  was  a  minister  of 
the  Episcopal  church  in  Aurora,  Illinois,  where 
his  death  occurred  and  where  his  family  now  re- 
side. 

In  his  boyhood  days  Dr.  Allen  of  this  review- 
was  notable  among  his  companions  because  of 
his  energy,  enthusiasm  and  industry  and  from  an 
earh'  age  was  his  father  s  able  assistant  on  th» 
home  farm.  He  attended  the  country  schools 
near  his  native  town  and  then,  becoming  imbued 
with  the  desire  to  enter  professional  life,  he  re- 
solved to  become  a  member  of  the  medical  fra- 
ternity and  was  sent  by  his  parents  to  a  medical 
college  in-  Pittsfield,  Alassachusetts.  where  he 
graduated  in  1829.  Having  become  equipped  for 
practice,  he  located  in  South  Deerfield,  Alassachu- 
setts.  and  entered  upon  the  work  of  the  profes- 
sion, soon  demonstrating  his  capabilities  in  the 
success  which  attended  him  in  the  administration 
of  remedial  agencies. 

It  was  while  living  in  South  Deerfield  that  Dr. 
Allen  was  married,  in  1839,  to  Miss  Sarah 
blather,  a  native  of  Windsor,  Connecticut,  and  a 
daughter  of  Allyn  j\I.  and  Parthenia  (Hunting- 
ton) Mather,  the  latter  a  cousin  of  Bishop  Hunt- 
ington, of  central  New  York.  The  father  was  a 
native  of  \vindsor.  Connecticut,  and  became  a 
merchant  in  the  town  of  Windsor,  being  thus 
identified  with  its  commercial  interests  during  the 
greater  part  of  his  life.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
died  there. 

Dr.  Allen  resided  in  the  east  until  1 85 1,  when 
he  came  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Rockford,  where 
he  remained  for  a  brief  period  engaged  in  active 
practice  of  his  profession,  with  office  on  North 
Second  street  over  Kettlewell's  meat  market.  He 
then  removed  to  Polo,  Ogle  county,  and  pur- 
chased a  large  tract  of  land  near  there,  which  he 
subsequently  divided  into  farms.  He  devoted  his 
attention  to  the  practice  of  medicine  and  the  loan- 
ing of  money,  until  about  1867,  when  he  returned 
to  Rockford.  He  then  no  longer  made  profes- 
sional visits  but  was  frequently  called  in  consulta- 
tion. In  1882  he  and  his  wife  went  to  make  their 
home  with  their  daughter,  Mrs.  Warren,  on  the 
west  side  in  Rockford,  with  whom  they  remained 
until  called  to  their  final  rest.  Having  resolved 
to  devote  his  life  to  a  calling  demanding  intel- 
lectual force,  keen  discrimination  and  unfaltering 
devotion.  Dr.  Allen  so  directed  his  labors  that  his 
_  professional  services  were  for  many  years  in  con- 
stant demand  by  the  best  families  of  the  locality 
and  at  all  times  his  practice  was  actuated  by  a 
humantarian  spirit.  He  came  of  a  distinguished 
New  England  ancestry  and  throughout  his  life 
manifestecl  the  strong  and  sterling  traits  charac- 


63-' 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COr.\T\" 


tfrislic   of   ilu-   puoplf   oi   that    country.      .More 
tiviT  he  was  imljiu'd   witli  the  profjressivc  spirit 
of  the  initlillf  west,  wliich  fact  was  noticeable  in 
his  professional  work  as  well  as  in  other  relations 
of  life. 

L'nto  Dr.  and  .Mrs.  .\llen  were  born  two  dauj^h- 
tcrs  and  a  son:  jiilia  1'..  Charles  11.  and  Sarah 
Elizabeth,  but  the  last  named  died  in  Kockford  at 
the  a}je  of  five  years,  and  Charles  H.  passed  awa\ 
in  June.  lyoi.  He  hail  married  Carrie  Friedman, 
of  Rockford.  In  his  service  in  the  Union  army 
during;  the  Civil  war  he  contracted  a  disease 
which  disabled  him  for  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
He  was  only  twenty  years  of  afje  when  the  war 
ended.  From  Rockford  he  removed  to  Oak  Park. 
Illinois,  but  after  a  brief  period  went  to  New 
York  city,  where  his  last  days  were  passed.  The 
survivinij  daujjhter.  Julia  P.,  is  the  widow  of 
-Moses  Warren.  Dr.  .\llen  |)assed  away  October 
X>,  1890.  and  his  wife  departed  this  life  Xoveni- 
ber  22.  1903. 

Moses  Warren  was  never  a  resident  of  Rock- 
ford but  his  family  are  well  known  and  prominent 
in  this  city.  He  was  born  in  East  Lyme.  Connec- 
ticut. ( )ctober  25.  1826,  and  is  of  the  fourth  gen- 
eration bearing  tliat  name.  The  ancestry  of  the 
family  can  be  traced  back  to  William  the  Con- 
(jueror,  the  first  Xorman  king  of  England,  and  in 
America  the  family  was  through  colonial  davs 
and  through  the  Revolutionary  ])eriod  prominent 
and  influential  in  affairs  that  shai)ed  the  history 
of  New  England.  The  great-grandfather  of 
Moses  Warren  of  this  review  was  a  colonel  of 
the  RevolutioTiary  war.  His  parents,  Captain 
.Moses  Harris  and  Mary  (Miner)  Warren,  were 
Ixith  natives  of  East  Lyme,  Connecticut.  Moses 
Harris  Warren  was  a  surveyor,  following  the 
profession  throughout  his  entire  life,  and  he  was 
also  recognized  as  a  leading  political  worker  in 
early  days.  IJoth  he  and  his  wife  remained  at 
East  Lyme  until  called  to  the  home  beyond.  Their 
son,  Moses  Warren,  ac(|uired  a  good  education  in 
the  schools  of  his  native  state  and  there  learned 
the  carpenter's  trade,  which  he  followed  until 
1841;.  when  attracted  by  the  discovery  of  g6ld  in 
California  made  the  previous  year  he  determined 
to  visit  the  I'acific  coast  and  went  to  the  far  west 
on  a  sailing  ve.ssel.  There  he  became  the  founder 
and  builder  of  the  town  of  Georgetown  and  for 
sometime  owned  most  of  the  property  but  in  1857 
that  place  was  entirely  destroyed,  a  great  con- 
llagration  wi|)ing  it  out.  He  remained,  however, 
in  California,  |)aid  all  of  liis  financial  obligations 
and  then  rebuilt  the  town,  after  which  he  con- 
tinued to  reside  there  for  a  few  years.  Later  he 
returned  to  his  native  state. 

He  was  first  married  to  Mi.ss  Flora  Whiteside, 
a  native  of  Xew  York  state,  who  died  after  two 
years  leaving  one  child.  John,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  si.\  years  in  the  home  of  his  aunt  in  East 


•L\nie.  Connecticut.  .Moses  Warren  then  came 
west  and  on  the  231!  of  June.  1869,  was  married 
in  Rockford  to  .Miss  Julia  P.  .Mien,  the  elder 
daughter  of  Dr.  Loren  S.  .\llen.  Three  children 
were  born  of  tliis  marriage  but  the  eldest  died 
unnamed  in  infancy.  Claire  Louise,  who  is  a 
graduate  of  WelKsly  and  the  Chicago  L'niversity, 
has  always  resided  with  her  mother  in  Rockford. 
while  .Moses  .-\llen  Warren  is  an  attorney  in  .\'ew 
York  city.  He  acquired  his  early  education  in 
Rockford  and  C'hicago  and  later  graduated  from 
Yale  Lniversity  in  i8<;i;.  He  then  became  a  stu- 
dent in  the  law  office  oi  Eaton  &  Lewis,  promi- 
nent attorneys  of  Xew  York  city,  with  whom  he 
studied  during  his  course  at  the  Xew  York  I.^w 
School,  where  he  completed  his  course.  Entering 
u]ion  ])ractice  in  the  eastern  metropolis,  he  is  now 
a  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Thomjison  &  War- 
ren with  offices  at  .Xos.  41;  and  51  Wall  street. 
Xew  \'(irk  city. 

.\fter  his  marriage  Moses  Warren  went  to  Chi- 
cago to  make  that  city  his  home  and  was  the 
western  agent  for  the  publishing  house  of  D.  Ap- 
pleton  &  Company  and  also  for  Charles  Scribner 
&  Sons,  having  offices  at  the  corner  of  State  and 
Washington  streets.  He  was  engaged  in  book 
publishing  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Chi- 
cago on  the  lOth  of  October,  1881,  when  his  re- 
mains were  brought  to  Rfx-kford  for  interment. 

Xeither  Dr.  Allen  nur  Air.  Warren  were  ever 
office  setkers  and  both  were  independent  in  their 
])olitical  affiliations  in  early  days,  while  later  both 
voted  with  the  republican  party.  Dr.  .\llen  was 
a  member  of  the  Congregational  church  of  Rock- 
ford and  Airs.  Warren  and  her  daughter  are  now 
connected  with  the  mcmbcrshiii  of  that  organiza- 
tion. In  the  spring  of  1882  they  returned  from 
Chicago  to  this  city  to  make  their  home  and  .Mrs. 
Warren  built  one  of  the  most  ])alatial  residences 
here  at  Xo.  711  .Xorth  Main  street.  P>oth  are 
very  prominent  in  society  circles  and  the  social 
functions  of  their  home  are  notable  events  in 
Rockford.  Mr.  Warren  always  interested  in 
literary  subjects  and  various  publications  and  was 
a  man  of  broad  cidture  as  well  as  of  excellent 
business  capacity,  enabling  him  to  control  and  de- 
velop extensive  and  important  interests,  while  Dr. 
.•Mien,  known  and  honored  for  his  professional 
skill,  won  and  retained  the  friendship  of  many 
through  a  genial  nature  and  kindly  spirit  tliat  was 
nevertheless  accomjianied  by  a  dignified  manner 
that  ever  awakened  respect. 


MRS.  HELEN  V.  LEVINGS. 

Mrs.  Helen  V.  Levings.  owning  and  occupying 
a  valuable  farming  property  of  eighty  acres  in 
Rockl'ord  township,  is  the  widow  of  George  W. 
Levings.  who  was  for  many  years  actively  con- 


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GEORGE  W.  LEVINGS  AND  FAI\JILV, 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


63s 


nected  with  agricultural  pursuits  and  who  died 
upon  the  home  farm  May  2,  1904.  He  was  born 
in  New  York,  June  25,  1839,  his  parents  being 
Peter  R.  and  Anna  (Nunn)  Levings,  and  in  early 
life  he  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  but  followed 
farming  through  much  of  his  active  business 
career,  giving  undivided  attention  to  that  pursuit 
after  his  marriage.  He  was  only  three  years  of 
age  when  brought  by  his  parents  to  Winnebago 
county,  the  family  home  being  established  here 
in  1842,  when  it  was  largely  a  pioneer  district. 
He  was  thus  reared  amid  the  scenes  of  frontier 
life  and  in  his  youth  assisted  in  the  arduous  task 
of  developing  a  new  farm,  while  in  the  public 
schools  he  accjuired  his  education.  George  W. 
Levings  was  married  June  29,  1869,  to  Miss 
Helen  V.  Kimball,  who  was  born  July  4,  1835, 
in  Ohio,  and  came  to  Illinois  in  earlv  life.  She 
was  an  adopted  daughter  of  Edson  A.  Kimball, 
of  Elgin,  and  her  girlhood  days  were  spent  in  this 
state,  her  education  being  acquired  in  the  schools 
of  Rockford.  She  went  south  in  1864  to  act  as  a 
teacher  among  the  freedmen.  The  old  medical  col- 
lege at  Memphis  was  turned  over  to  Mrs.  Levings 
for  her  school.  At  times  she  had  four  hundred  pu- 
pils. The  grandmother,  mother  and  child  were 
often  members  of  the  same  class.  She  was  as- 
sisted in  her  work  by  four  lady  assistants  fur- 
nished by  the  American  Missionary  Society  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  She  followed 
that  professional  work  among  the  colored  people 
for  five  years.  She  was  in  Memphis  at  the  time 
of  General  Forrest's  raid.  She  remembers  very 
well  how  frightened  every  one  was  when  the  Gen- 
eral with  his  command  rode  into  the  city.  She 
with  many  others  took  refuge  at  Fort  Pickering. 
She  then  returned  to  Illinois  in  1869,  and  on  the 
29th  of  June,  of  that  year,  gave  her  hand  in  mar- 
riage to  Mr.  Levings,  the  wedding  being  cele- 
brated in  the  village  of  Roscoe,  for  she  was  then 
residing  there  in  the  home  of  Rev.  Stuff.  Mr. 
Levings  had  also  been  in  the  south,  having  enlist- 
ed in  1864  in  the  Eleventh  Illinois  Cavalry,  with 
which  he  remained  until  mustered  out  at  the  close 
of  the  war  in  1865.  He  served  in  the  Western 
Army.  The  regiment  was  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh, 
in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  and  on  the  Red  River- 
e.xpedition  and  engaged  in  chasing  the  cavalry 
forces  of  Generals  Smith  and  Forrest  through 
Arkansas,  Tennessee,  Texas,  Mississippi  and 
Louisiana.  He  was  a  faithful  soldier,  ever  loyal 
to  his  duty,  and  his  valor  was  manifest  on  more 
than  one  battle-field  of  the  south. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Levings 
located  on  a  farm  and  continued  residents  of 
Rockford  township  for  many  years.  Five  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them :  Frank  M.,  born  August 
II,  1870,  a  graduate  of  the  Rockford  high  school 
and  prominent  in  athletics,  is  now  engaged  in 
the    stock   business    in    Mitchell,    South    Dakota. 


Annie,  born  December  28,  1875,  is  the  wife  of 
Henry  H.  Coffin,  of  Rockford  and  has  one  son, 
Lawrence  H.  Nellie  F.,  born  September  4,  1877, 
is  employed  by  the  American  Insurance  Company 
of  Rockford.  Ralph  S.,  born  October  4,  1881, 
and  Golden  Winifred,  born  June  9,  1884,  are  at 
home. 

In  politics  Mr.  Levings  was  a  republican,  giv- 
ing his  support  to  that  party  from  its  organization 
until  his  death.  He  was  also  enthusiastic  in 
temperance  work  and  in  fact  was  interested  in  all 
movements  for  the  betterment  of  mankind  and 
for  the  promotion  of  general  progress  and  im- 
provement. He  held  membership  in  Rockford 
camp,  NTq_  ^^i^  ^i_  w.  A.,  and  also  in 
Nevius  post.  No.  i,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Rock- 
ford, while  his  wife  has  long  been  a  mem- 
ber and  officer  of  the  Women's  Relief  Corps 
of  Rockford.  She  likewise  belongs  to  the  Court 
Street  Methodist  church.  In  manner  Mr.  Lev- 
ings was  unassuming,  free  from  ostentation  and 
yet  his  worth  was  recognized  by  all  who  came  in 
contact  with  him  either  socially  or  through  busi- 
ness affairs,  and  in  a  review  of  his  history  it  will 
be  seen  that  he  possessed  many  excellent  traits  of 
character  which  endeared  him  to  family  and 
friends  and  made  him  a  representative  citizen  of 
Winnebago  county. 


CHARLES  A.  CHl'RCH. 

Charles  .\.  Church  was  born  in  Chemung,  Mc- 
Henry  county,  Illinois,  July  21,  1857.  He  was 
the  oldest  of  three  sons  born  to  Dr.  Richard  C. 
and  Eliza  A.  Church,  and  a  grandson  of  Dr. 
Qiarles  Church,  who  settled  in  Guilford  town- 
ship in  Winnebago  county,  in  1844,  and  later  re- 
moved to  Belvidere.  Mr.  Church's  father  died 
when  he  was  eight  years  of  age.  In  1873  he  en- 
tered the  office  of  the  Belvidere  Standard  and  be- 
gan the  printer's  trade.  In  two  years  from  that 
time  he  made  regular  contributions  to  the  edi- 
torial as  well  as  to  the  local  department  of  the 
paper.  He  remained  with  the  Standard  until 
.April  I,  1878,  when  he  became  city  editor  of  the 
Rockford  Journal,  of  which  Hiram  R.  Enoch  was 
proprietor. 

"Mr.  Church  remained  in  Rockford  until  the 
autumn  of  1878,  when  he  returned  to  Belvidere 
and  purchased  an  interest  in  the  Semi-Weekly 
Recorder,  which  he  published  with  C.  E.  Kelsey 
until  C)ctober,  1881,  when  he  assumed  entire  man- 
agement of  the  paper  and  made  it  a  weekly.  He 
continued  its  publication  until  1883,  when  he  sold 
the  business  and  good  will. 

Mr.  Church  in  1884  again  made  his  home  in 
Rockford,  where  he  has  since  resided  with  the 
exception  of  a  few  months  spent  in  Savanna,  Illi- 
nois. In  1887  he  became  foreman  and  assistant 
editor  of  the   (jolden   Censer,   which   position  he 


636 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  (^E  WTXXEBAGO  COLXTV. 


rctainf(l  until  iS«)_'.  In  iluit  xiar  lie  organized 
tlic  Siiectator  PuMisliing;  Coni]>any.  in  connectiim 
with  A.  E.  Smith  and  otliers.  It  was  the  highest 
grade  literary  i)ai>er  ever  published  in  this  city, 
but  it  was  continued  in  tliis  form  only  one  year. 

In  1897  the  Calvert  I'.rothers  ]nirchased  the 
liolden  Censer  and  Mr.  Church  was  chosen  its 
editor.  In  1898  he  became  editor  and  proprietor. 
and  published  the  Censer  until  the  subscription 
list  was  sold  to  the  Ram's  Horn.  Since  ujoi  .Mr. 
Church  has  been  on  the  staff  of  the  Register- 
(iazate. 

In  1887  -Mr.  Church  was  appointed  evening 
assistant  at  the  Rock  ford  ]nil)lic  library,  and  he 
has  served  in  that  capacity  eighteen  ami  one  half 
years.  No  other  person  ever  on  the  library  staflf 
iias  served  .so  long  a  time,  with  the  single  exception 
of  Mr.  \V.  L.  Rowland. 

In  lar.uarv.  i8t;4.  Mr.  Church  was  licensed  to 
jtriach  by  the  State  Street  liaptist  church.  Since 
that  time  he  has  supplied  more  than  thirty 
churches  in  northern  Illinois.  He  spent  portions 
of  1894  and  1895  '"  divinity  work  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Chicagt).  .\niong  his  instructors  were 
President  Harper  and  Professor  .\lexandcr  11. 
I'nice.  the  famous  Scotch  author  and  theologian. 
.Mr.  Church  graduated  in  the  CbautaiKiua  Liter- 
ary and  Scientific  Circle  in  the  class  of  1889. 

In  K/oo  Mr.  Church's  History  of  Rockford, 
from  1834  to  1861.  was  published  and  is  the  recog- 
nized authority  on  local  history.  In  H)02  he 
wrote  the  life  of  (ieneral  .Mien  C.  I""ullcr.  the  war 
adjutant  of  Illinois,  and  delivered  an  address 
upon  him  before  the  Chicago  Historical  society. 

.May  22,  1878.  Mr.  Church  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Hattie  M.  Lake,  daughter  of  Dr.  L.  L. 
Lake,  one  of  tlie  earliest  ])ractitioncrs  in  Belvi- 
dere.  and  surgeon  in  the  Civil  war  in  the  Fifteenth 
Illinois  Infantry,  and  in  the  Thirteenth  Cavalry. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cluirch  have  four  children :  Hol- 
land L.,  advertising  manager  for  the  .\shton  Dry 
Goods  Company;  Lorena  M.,  a  graduate  of  Rock- 
ford  College:  Cierlrude  M.:  an<l   Ruth  A. 


EDWIN  MORTON  REVELL. 

Edwin  M.  Revell,  whose  name  stood  as  the 
synonym  of  success  and  honor  in  business  circles 
in  Rockford,  where  for  many  years  he  was 
known  as  a  real-estate  dealer  and  operator,  was 
l)orn  in  Stillman  \'alley,  Illinois.  .August  13, 
1854.  His  parents,  William  and  ^iary  A. 
(Morton)  Revell,  were  both  natives  of  Canada 
and  the  father,  a  tailor  by  trade,  followed  that 
[jursuit  in  Canada  until  his  removal  to  Stillman 
Valley,  where  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  and 
engaged  in  general  farming  throughout  his  re- 
maining (la\s.  Poth  he  and  his  wife  died  upon 
the  homestead   farm  there.     Four  of  their  chil- 


dren arc  now  living,  one  daughter  being  a  resi- 
dent of  Nebraska,  while  a  son  is  the  postmaster 
of  Stillman  N'alley.     Those  now  living  in  Rock- 
ford are  Timotlix    H.  and   Mrs.  James  Graham. 

Edwin  M.  Revell  si)ent  the  days  of  liis  boy- 
hood and  youth  in  his  father's  home,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1875.  Then  at  the  age  of  twenty 
years  he  came  to  Rockford  to  attend  the  public 
schools  here,  but  after  a  short  time  he  put  aside 
his  text-books  and  secured  a  jiosition  as  sales- 
man in  the  dry-goods  store  of  G.  H.  Dennett, 
with  whom  he  reniainetl  for  abi>ut  five  years.  He 
afterward  engaged  in  clerking  in  the  dry-goods 
store  of  .\ndrew  Ashton  for  four  years  and  on 
the  expiration  of  that  period  he  accepted  a  clerical 
position  in  the  real-estate  office  of  J.  G.  Penfield, 
with  whom  he  remained  for  some  time.  In  1882 
he  embarked  in  the  real-estate  business  and  the 
following  year  entered  into  partnership  with  R. 
F.  Crawford,  an  attorney  of  Rockford.  and  they 
engaged  in  the  real-estate  business  together  until 
Mr.  Crawford  removed  to  California.  Mr.  Revell 
then  continued  business  alone  and  devoted 
the  remainder  of  his  life  to  real-estate  operations. 
He  had  a  very  extensive  clientage  and  the  realty 
transfers  which  he  annually  negotiated  repre- 
sented a  very  large  figure.  He  organized  the  Ran- 
dol])h  Revell  Land  .\ssociation  and  platted  what 
is  now  known  as  Highland  in  tiie  eastern  part  of 
Rockford.  He  named  all  of  the  streets  in  that 
subdivision  of  the  city  and  did  much  to  promote 
real-estate  activity.  He  ])ersonally  owned  prop- 
erty all  over  Rockford  and  likewise  engaged  in 
the  real-estate  business,  carrying  on  both  pur- 
suits up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  also 
the  president  of  the  Real  Estate  Exchange  of 
Rockford  at  the  time  of  his  demise. 

In  1880  Mr.  Revell  was  united  in  marriage  to 
^liss  Helen  M.  Penfield.  a  native  of  Rockford 
and  a  daughter  of  John  ( '•.  and  Mary  E.  (Crosby) 
Penfield.  The  mother  is  now  <leceascd.  but  the 
father  still  resides  in  Rockford,  where  he  is  en- 
gaged in  the  real-estate  business.  The  Penfield 
family  was  an  old  and  prominent  one  here. 
Three  children  were  born  unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Revell.  Constance  E.,  Mildred  Penfield  and  Ed- 
win M..  all  of  whom  are  at  home  with  their 
mother. 

Mr.  Revell  voted  with  the  Republican  party, 
but  never  sought  or  desired  office.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  .State  .Street  P.ajitist  church,  to 
which  all  of  his  family  belong.  He  took  a  very 
active  and  hel])ful  |)art  in  church  work,  serving 
as  one  of  the  church  trustees,  contributing  gen- 
erously to  its  su])port  and  doing  everything  in 
his  power  to  further  the  cause  <if  Christianity. 
He  was  likewise  secretary  of  the  Sunday  school 
and  was  serving  as  assistant  sui)erintendent  at  the 
time  of  his  death  and  his  intlneiiec  was  a  potent 


EDWIN  M.  REX'ELL. 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


639 


factor  for  good.  He  was  spoken  of  as  a 
"Christian  business  man,"  a  term  which  indicates 
the  strict  integrity  and  honor  with  which  he  car- 
ried on  all  business  transactions.  His  name  be- 
came the  synonym  for  honesty  in  business  life 
and  he  was  never  known  to  take  advantage  of  the 
necessities  of  his  fellowmen  in  any  business 
transaction.  His  death  occurred  very  suddenly 
on  the  i6th  of  July,  1891.  He  was  one  of  the 
original  members  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  and  was  treasurer  for  many  years. 
He  earnestly  desired  the  uplifting  of  his  fellow- 
men  and  co-operated  as  far  as  possible  in  move- 
ments for  the  moral  development  of  his  race.  He 
stood  at  the  time  of  his  death,  when  clothed  with 
the  honor  of  wealth  and  host  of  friends  his  life 
work  had  won,  just  where  he  stood  in  earlv  man- 
hood when  beset  with  difficulties  because  of  his 
limited  financial  condition — the  champion  of  the 
best  elements  of  Christian  progress,  of  education, 
of  temperance,  absolute  justice,  the  dignity  of 
manual  labor,  the  Bible,  the  church  and  the 
spread  of  the  gospel.  .Such  lives  are  well  worthy 
of  study.  Airs.  Revell  now  owns  a  fine  residence 
at  No.  1226  East  State  street,  where  she  and  her 
children  reside  and  she  also  has  other  valuable 
property  in  the  city. 


AI.\TOR  FRANK  F.  PE.\TS. 

Major  Frank  F.  Peats,  deceased,  was  well 
known  in  business  and  political  circles  in  Rock- 
ford  and  Winnebago  county.  He  held  a  number 
of  offices,  both  elective  and  appointive,  and  he  did 
an  appreciable  amount  of  work  in  connection 
with  the  republican  party,  his  labors  being  prac- 
tical and  efl^ective.  Moreover,  he  was  always 
actuated  by  a  spirit  of  devotion  to  the  public  good 
and  his  political  service  was  of  much  value  to  the 
interests  which  he  represented.  In  his  business 
career  his  work  was  also  characterized  by  ability 
and  skill  and  his  methods  were  ever  honorable. 

Major  Peats  became  a  resident  of  this  county 
in  1855.  He  was  born  in  New  York  city,  Octo- 
ber, 21,  1834,  his  parents  being  Alfred  H.  and 
Margaret  Peats,  also  natives  of  the  eastern 
metropolis,  whence  they  removed  to  the  west  in 
1846,  settling  in  Chicago,  where  they  resided  un- 
til 1855.  In  that  year  they  came  to  Rockford  and 
the  father  died  soon  afterward,  at  the  residence  of 
Captain  Weldon.  The  mother  also  died  in  this 
city. 

In  the  public  schools  of  Chicago  Major  Peats 
completed  a  fair  English  education,  and  while  liv- 
ing in  that  city  he  began  learning  the  trade  of  a 
sign  writer.  Following  the  removal  of  his  par- 
ents to  Rockford,  he  began  business  here  at  paint- 
ing, decorating  and  sign  writing,  and  followed 
that  pursuit  until  the  inauguration  of  the  Civil 


war,  when  in  May,  1861,  he  responded  to  the  call 
of  his  country  in  her  hour  of  peril  and  enlisted  in 
the  Seventeenth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  under 
Colonel  Ross.  He  was  then  made  captain  of  his 
company  and  thus  served  until  April,  1862,  when 
he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major,  in  which 
capacity  he  remained  until  mustered  out  in  June, 
1864.  He  went  on  every  march  with  his  com- 
mand, participated  in  every  engagement  and  ren- 
dered valuable  service  in  the  preservation  of  the 
Union,  his  own  valor  and  loyalty  inspiring  his  men 
to  deeds  of  valor.  He  took  part  in  the  battles  of 
Pittsburg  Landing,  Shiloh,  Vicksburg  and  many 
others  of  importance,  and  he  was  especially  noted 
as  a  superior  drill  master.  He  made  a  most  cred- 
itable record,  and  his  military  life  is  one  of  which 
his  family  have  reason  to  be  proud. 

Following  his  discharge.  Major  Peats  returned 
to  Rockford  and  again  took  up  his  trade  of  sign 
writing,  painting  and  decorating,  and  did  much 
fine  work  in  the  city.  In  1872  he  was  elected 
sheriff"  of  Winnebago  county  and  held  that  office 
for  eight  )-ears,  or  four  terms,  under  the  old  law. 
In  1890  he  was  elected  chief  of  police  of  Rock- 
ford, but  only  served  for  a  brief  period,  resigning 
in  August  of  that  year  in  order  to  accept  the 
office  of  adjutant  of  the  Soldiers  and  Sailors' 
Home  at  Ouincy,  Illinois,  after  which  he  removed 
to  that  city,  continuing  in  the  office  until  April, 
1894,  when  he  was  replaced  by  a  democrat.  He 
had  many  friends  there  among  the  old  soldiers, 
who  felt  great  regret  at  seeing  him  depart.  He 
then  returned  to  Rockford  and  not  long  afterward 
succumbed  to  the  illness  which  terminated  fatally, 
on  the  20th  of  March,  i8c;5. 

In  1861  Major  Peats  had  married  Miss  Bessie 
R.  Tew,  a  native  of  Connecticut  and  a  daughter 
of  Mrs.  B.  C.  Tew.  Her  father  had  died  in  Con- 
necticut, and  in  1852  the  mother  came  with  her 
daughter  to  Rockford,  where  she  conducted  a 
boarding  house  for  many  years.  She  was  well 
known  here  and  died  in  this  city.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Peats  became  the  parents  of  a  daughter,  Mabel, 
now  the  wife  of  E.  J.  Bloodgood,  who  is  traveling 
auditor  for  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railroad 
Compan)-.  They  reside  at  Oak  Park,  a  suburb  of 
Chicago,  and  they  had  one  child.  Frank  Peats 
Fjloodgood,  who  died  in  infancy. 

Major  Peats  had  a  wide  and  favorable  accjuaint- 
ance  in  Rockford,  where  he  made  his  home  for 
the  greater  part  of  the  time  through  four  decades. 
He  was  well  known  as  a  leader  in  republican  ranks 
here,  and  in  addition  to  the  offices  already  men- 
tioned, he  served  as  a  clerk  in  both  the  house  and 
senate  at  Springfield.  His  opinions  carried  weight 
in  the  local  councils  of  his  party.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  lodge  at  Rockford  and  of  Nev- 
ius  post.  No.  I,  G.  A.  R.,  aiding  in  its  organiza- 
tion and  taking  an  active  interest  in  its  work.  He 
alwavs  delighted  in  the  gatherings  of  his  old  armv 


640 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


cninradcs  ami  in  the  ox])rcssions  of  i)atrioiisni. 
He  was  an  i-ntiTtainiiijj  cuiiipaiiion.  and  was  noted 
for  liis  fjifts  of  story  Icllinjj.  His  political  and 
military  career,  his  business  record  and  the  strong 
traits  of  his  private  life  made  him  a  man  worthy 
of  high  res^ard.  and  his  death  occasioned  sincere 
sorrow  among-  his  large  circle  of  friends.  Mrs. 
Peats  is  a  member  of  the  Conrt  Street  Methodist 
Episcopal  cluirch.  and  resides  in  an  attractive  resi- 
dence at  No.  61 1  Peach  street,  which  was  built 
and  improved  by  her  hnsband. 


Lll  \RLi:S  -M.  CLARK. 

Charles  .M.  Clark,  1302  East  State  street.  Rock- 
ford,  was  born  I'ebruary  11,  1854,  on  a  farm  in 
the  town  of  New  Milford.  Mr.  Clark's  whole  life 
has  lieen  identified  with  Winnebago  connty,  and 
since  lie  was  eight  years  of  age  with  the  city  of 
Rockford,  where  he  receiveil  his  education  and 
grew  to  manhood. 

In  1874  he  was  marricil  to  Jennie  E.  Eake,  a 
daughter  of  John  Lake,  who  was  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  the  connty,  as  was  also  ^[r.  Clark's 
father.  James  H.  Clark,  who  settled  in  the  town  of 
New  Milford  in  1844  on  a  farm,  removing  to 
Rockford  in  1862. 

Mr.  Clark  identified  himself  in  business  with  a 
former  classmate,  Robert  Rcw,  and  for  a  good 
many  years  conducted  a  large  and  successful  real- 
estate  business  under  the  firm  name  of  Rcw  & 
Gark.  .Mr.  Clark  has  been  quite  successful:  has 
an  elegant  home.  and.  having  retired  from  busi- 
ness, is  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his  labors. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clark  have  one  child,  a  daughter, 
Alice  E.,  wife  of  Max  Hciliger,  assistant  manager 
of  the  Rockford  Edison  Electric  Light  Com])any. 


JOEL  P..  WHITEHEAD. 

Joel  1'..  Whitehead,  who  is  engaged  in  the  real- 
estate,  loan  and  insurance  business  in  Rockford, 
is  a  native  of  Montgomery  county.  Illinois,  his 
birth  having  occurred  on  a  farm  near  Hillsboro, 
January  31.  1864.  His  parents  were  Jacob  and 
Elizabeth  .Xim  (  Paisley  I  Whitehead,  the  former 
i>orn  in  New  Jersey  in  1815,  and  the  latter  near 
Hillsboro.  Illinois,  in  1830.  The  mother's  people 
were  originally  from  Scotland,  and  came  from 
CJuilford  Courthouse.  North  Carolina,  to  this 
state.  The  father  was  descended  from  English 
ancestry  and  was  born  shortly  after  the  arrival  of 
the  parents  in  this  country.  He  came  to  Illinois 
in  1837,  and  was  a  farmer  ami  blacksmith,  follow- 
ing the  dual  pursuit  imtil  he  retired  from  active 
business  life.  He  died  in  1900,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  eighty-five  years.    They  had  seven  children. 


who  reached  mature  years — four  sons  and  three 
daughters.  ( )ne  brother,  John  M.,  is  an  attor- 
ney and  now  a  state  senator  of  Wisconsin,  while 
another  brother.  Jacob  P..  is  a  minister  and  |)astor 
of  the  I'ir.st  I'resbyterian  church  at  .Newport.  Ken- 
tucky.    Charles  W.  died  in  Rockford  in  18S7. 

Joel  P..  \\hiteliead,  the  youngest  son,  acquired 
his  early  education  in  the  country  schools  and  at 
Hillsboro,  and  afterward  attended  I'eloit  College 
for  two  years.  He  ])ut  aside  his  text-hooks  in 
1 836  and  has  since  been  a  resident  of  Rockford, 
where  for  the  first  five  years  of  his  residence  he 
had  charge  of  the  wholesale  glove  and  mitten 
stock  of  Henry  W.  Price.  ( )n  the  ist  of  January. 
1 891.  he  opened  his  office  in  the  real-estate,  loan 
and  insurance  busircss.  and  for  fifteen  years  has 
been  a  leading  representative  of  this  deijartment 
of  activity,  his  office  being  now  located  at  Nos. 
408  and  4<y.)  William  lirown  I'.uilding.  He  was 
one  of  the  organizers  and  has  been  continuously 
on  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Insurance  Com- 
]iany  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  one  of  the  leading 
fire-insurance  com])anies  of  the  west,  rie  is  also 
a  director  of  the  Rockford  National  I'.ank.  one  of 
the  strong  financial  institutions  of  Rockford. 

Mr.  Whitehead  is  interested  in  many  other  pub- 
lic concerns  of  this  city,  and  is  a  man  of  influence, 
having  assisted  materially  in  molding  public 
thought  and  action  in  recent  \ears.  He  is  a  di- 
rector of  the  Rockford  Chautau(|ua  Association, 
and  was  secretary  and  manager  for  nine  or  ten 
years  of  the  \\'inncbago  County  .\gricultural  So- 
ciety, and  took  a  leading  part  in  ])romoting  its  af- 
fairs. He  is  now  serving  his  third  term  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  county  board  of  sui)ervisors.  and  dur- 
ing the  erection  of  the  Soldiers  and  Sailors'  Me- 
morial Hall  he  was  the  secretary  of  the  building 
committee,  and  when  the  hall  was  dedicated  on 
June  3,  1903,  he  had  general  charge  of  the  ar- 
rangements for  the  recej>tion  to  President  Roose- 
velt, who  delivered  the  dedicatory  address  on  that 
occasion.  He  has  served  on  the  Rockford  school 
board,  and  in  all  of  these  positions  as  a  servant 
of  the  people,  he  has  had  the  confidence  and  re- 
spect of  all.  In  politics  he  is  an  ardent  republican, 
and  he  has  always  been  active  in  jiromoting  its  in- 
terests. 

(^n  the  20th  of  May.  i8«;o.  occurred  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  Whitehead  and  Miss  Emma  \. 
Leech,  a  daughter  of  Shepard  and  Phoebe  .\. 
Leech,  of  Rockford,  her  father  being  one  of  the 
old  settlers  of  Winnebago  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Whitehead  became  the  parents  of  two  daughters 
and  a  son:  Kuth.  who  die<l  in  .\ugust,  11)04,  at 
the  age  of  twelve  \ears:  Crace,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy: and  Loren  L..  who  was  born  SeiHember 
28.  i8<)7.  an<l  attends  the  Lincoln  school.  Since 
the  death  of  their  daughter  RiUh  they  have  taken 
two  sisters  into  their  home.  Gladys  and  Ethel, 
aged  eleven  and  eight  years,  as  a  memorial  to  their 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


641 


lost  little  ones.  Their  home  is  at  No.  848  North 
Main  street,  where  they  have  a  fine  residence. 
Air.  Whitehead  is  a  member  of  the  Second  Con- 
gregational church,  and  has  been  chairman  and 
treasurer  of  the  board  of  trustees  for  a  number 
of  years,  but  retired  from  the  board  some  time 
ago.  His  interest  in  the  work  of  the  church  is 
deep  and  sincere,  which  has  been  manifested  by 
his  active  co-operation  in  its  various  activities.  He 
figures  prominently  in  connection  with  public  af- 
fairs at  Rockford,  and  is  a  popular  citizen,  alert, 
enterprising  and  progressive. 


ALBERT  J.  ATWOOD. 

Albert  J.  Atwood  is  living  in  the  village  of 
Pecatonica,  but  is  justly  regarded  as  a  leading  and 
successful  representative  of  agricultural  interests 
in  the  comity,  where  he  is  engaged  in  general 
farming  and  stock  raising.  He  has  spent  his  en- 
tire life  in  this  county,  and  in  recent  years  has 
been  prominent  in  the  public  affairs  of  the  village 
in  which  he  makes  his  home,  having  retired  from 
the  office  of  mayor  on  the  ist  of  May,  1905. 

He  was  born  May  10,  1848,  in  Burritt  town- 
ship, Winnebago  county,  his  parents  being  Thomas 
J.  and  Lois  (Cable)  Atwood.  His  father  was 
l3orn  in  Vermont,  May  26,  1818,  and  died  July  4, 
1898,  in  the  eightieth  year  of  his  age.  He  came 
fto  Winnebago  county  in  1840,  having  been  pre- 
Iceded  by  his  parents  two  or  three  years.  He  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Rutland,  Ver- 
mont, and  afterward  clerked  in  a  store  at  that 
place.  When  twenty-two  years  of  age,  however, 
he  came  to  the  west,  and  after  reaching  Winne- 
bago county  entered  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  government  land,  thus  making  arrangements 
for  carrying  on  farming  on  his  own  account. 
Later  he  sold  that  property  and  entered  another 
quarter  section,  on  which  he  built  a  house.  He 
was  married  here  in  Pecatonica  township,  Alay  4, 
1847,  to  JMiss  Lois  Cornelia  Cable,  who  was  born 
in  Stratford,  Connecticut,  November  19,  1816,  and 
came  to  Illinois  with  her  parents  in  1837.  The 
young  couple  began  their  domestic  life  upon  the 
claim  which  he  entered,  and  he  commenced  the 
improvement  of  his  farm  by  breaking  the  raw 
prairie  and  fencing  it  with  the  rails  which  he  split 
himself.  He  was  a  typical  pioneer,  bravely  bear- 
ing the  hardships  and  labors  that  fall  to  the  lot 
of  the  frontier  settler.  He  capably  performed  the 
arduous  task  of  developing  a  new  farm,  and  later 
he  added  to  his  land  from  time  to  time  until  he 
had  about  four  hundred  acres.  He  was  a  prosper- 
ous, successful  farmer,  raising  cattle,  hogs  and 
sheep  in  addition  to  the  cultivation  of  the  fields. 
He  carted  his  wheat  to  the  Chicago  markets  in 
early  days,  and  later,  when  the  railroad  was  built, 
he  used  that  means  to  get  his  farm  products  to 


the  city  markets.  ])ut  he  was  a  resident  of  this 
locality  for  fourteen  or  fifteen  years  before  the 
railroad  was  constructed.  He  led  a  very  busy  and 
useful  life,  and  his  history  proves  that  earnest 
labor  will  eventually  win  success  when  supple- 
mented by  sound  business  judgment.  He  con- 
tinued upon  his  farm  until  within  twelve  vears 
of  his  death,  and  during  that  period  lived  retired, 
enjoying  a  well  earned  rest.  He  was  active  and 
influential  in  public  affairs,  serving  as  supervisor 
of  the  township  of  Burritt,  and  for  many  vears  as 
school  director,  while  in  other  ways  he  contributed 
to  the  general  good,  being  the  champion  of  all 
meastires  that  tended  to  benefit  his  communit^•. 
He  held  membership  in  the  Odd  Fellows  societv, 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  were  devoted  members  of 
the  Congregational  church,  in  which  he  acted  as 
deacon  for  many  years,  holding  the  office  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  survived  by  his 
wife  for  about  three  years,  her  death  occurring 
November  21,  igoi,  when  she  was  in  her  seventy- 
sixth  year.  In  the  family  of  this  worthy  and 
honored  couple  were  six  children,  four  sons  and 
two  daughters,  namely  :  Albert  J- ;  Rollin  C,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  ;  Emma  C.  the 
wife  of  Harris  Neadman,  a  resident  of  Fonda, 
Iowa,  by  whom  she  had  a  daughter,  Nellie,  who  is 
now  married  and  resides  in  that  state ;  Ella,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  nine  years  :  and  Ezra  and  Amos, 
twins,  who  died  in  childhood. 

Albert  J.  Atwood,  whose  name  introduces  this 
record,  was  reared  upon  his  father's  farm,  where 
he  worked  through  the  summer  months,  while  in 
the  winter  seasons  he  attended  school.  His  early 
education  was  acquired  in  the  township  schools, 
and  he  afterward  continued  his  studies  in  the 
Rockford  Business  College,  where  he  completed 
his  course  in  April,  1868.  He  then  returned  home 
and  assisted  his  father  in  the  operation  of  the  farm 
from  that  time  until  the  spring  of  1870,  when  he 
began  farming  on  his  own  account,  not  only  culti- 
vating the  soil,  but  also  raising  cattle,  horses,  sheep 
and  hogs.  He  was  practical  in  his  methods,  in- 
dustrious in  all  that  he  undertook,  and  his  well 
directed  labors  brought  him  a  gratifying  measure 
of  success.  He  continued  active  in  the  business 
until  1894,  when  he  removed  to  the  village  of  Pe- 
catonica, where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  He 
was  here  engaged  in  the  ice  business  for  seven 
years,  but  on  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  re- 
sumed his  farming  operations  and  is  now  conduct- 
ing a  farm  of  two  hundred  acres  of  rich  and  pro- 
ductive land,  and  he  also  has  forty  acres  which  he 
rents.  His  long  experience  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits, his  keen  sagacity  in  business  matters  and  his 
unflagging  diligence  make  him  one  of  the  leading 
and  successful  representatives  of  farming  inter- 
ests here. 

On  the  26th  of  September,  1870,  Mr.  Atwood 
was    united    in    marriage    to    jNIiss    Caroline    M. 


6+2 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


BiertT,  a  (laughter  of  David  and  Amanda  M. 
(Hitchcock)  P>ierer.  Her  father  was  born  in 
Uniontown.  l'"ayctte  county,  Pennsylvania,  July 
29.  1820,  and  was  the  second  in  a  family  of  ten 
children.  He  came  west  when  a  young  man, 
located  in  Rockford  in  the  fall  of  1839,  and  the 
following  year  he  built  the  first  brick  store  in 
East  State  street,  near  Second  street.  There  he 
embarked  in  the  dry  goods  business  in  1840,  and 
for  twenty  years  was  connected  with  mercantile 
interests  of  the  city,  being  one  of  its  early  and 
prominent  representatives  of  commercial  life 
there.  He  married  Miss  Amanda  Hitchcock,  in 
1840,  and  he  spent  his  last  twenty  years  on  the 
farm  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  .Atwood,  living  a  retired 
life.  He  was  a  devoted  member  of  the  Methodist 
I-4iiscopal  church,  and  passed  away  December  1 1 , 
1904.  death  thus  claiming  one  of  the  honored  pio- 
neer resitients  of  Winnebago  county.  He  is  still 
survived  by  his  wife.  In  their  family  were  the 
following  named:  Everett  H.  died  at  Templeton. 
California.  December  25,  1904,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
three  years,  ^[rs.  Atwood  is  the  second  in  order 
of  birth.  Helen  J-  became  the  wife  of  J.  W. 
Smith,  of  Rockford.  Iowa,  and  they  spent  the  first 
year  of  tluir  married  life  in  traveling,  he  being 
quite  wealthy.  They  then  took  up  their  abode  in 
Rockford.  Iowa,  where  Mrs.  .^niith  taught  physi- 
cal cidturc  for  fifteen  years.  They  then  traveled 
ihriiugh  Canada,  for  she  was  in  ill  health,  and 
every  effort  was  ]jut  forth  to  restore  her  health, 
but  without  avail.  She  died  Decemljer  11.  1889, 
in  the  faith  of  the  Congregational  church,  her 
membershi])  being  with  the  Second  Congregational 
church,  of  Rockford.  P.enjamin  I!.,  now  living  in 
Templeton,  California,  is  married,  and  has  one 
child.  Zella.  Willie  died  in  infancy  and  an  infant 
died  unnamed. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Atwood  were  born  five  chil- 
dren, of  whom  four  are  yet  living:  Clarence  A., 
who  is  a  graduate  of  the  dental  department  of  the 
Northwestern  L'niversity  at  Chicago  of  the 
class  of  i8<j8,  and  is  now  engaged  in  prac- 
tice in  Durand,  married  Hattie  L.  Wag- 
goner and  has  one  child.  Florence  L.  Al- 
gernon .\.  .\twood,  who  completed  a  course 
in  dentistry  in  the  Northwestern  I^niversity 
with  the  class  of  i8<;7.  and  is  now  ]>racticing 
in  Pecatonica.  married  Hortense  A.  \'aii  N^ilken- 
burg.  and  has  two  children.  Cecel  (i.  and  Harry 
A.  Florence  A.  Atwood  died  when  twenty-one 
years  of  ape.  She  was  a  young  lady  of  most 
sunny  disposition  and  kindly  spirit,  and  her  death 
caused  profound  sorrow  among  her  many  friends 
as  well  as  in  her  family.  Zella  .\.  Atwood  is  at 
home.  \'iola  X.  is  the  wife  of  Claude  .\.  Colby, 
who  is  with  the  Rockford  Register-Gazette. 

Mr.  Atwood  has  been  very  prominent  and  in- 
fluential in  public  affairs  relating  to  the  material 
welfare  and  the  fraternal,  political  and  moral  in- 


terests of  the  community.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  school  board  in  lUirritt  township  for  eighteen 
years,  and  was  one  the  trustees  of  the  village  of 
Pecatonica  for  six  years.  In  1903  he  was  chosen 
president  of  the  village,  continuing  in  the  office 
until  May  i,  1905,  when  he  retired,  having  com- 
])lied  with  the  law  in  tlie  performance  of  his  du- 
ties, both  in  the  letter  and  spirit,  giving  a  ])nblic- 
s|)irited,  practical  and  beneficial  administration. 
He  was  strict  in  the  enforcement  of  all  the  city  or- 
dinances ami  also  introduced  many  progressive 
measures. 

Prominent  in  Masonry.  .Mr.  .\t\\iMi(l  h;is  pro- 
gressed from  the  entered  ajiprenlice  degree  to  the 
thirtx-third  degree  of  the  Scottish  rite,  belonging 
to  .V  W.  Rawison  lodge.  No.  145.  A.  F.  &  A.  M. : 
Rockford  chajHer.  Xo.  24.  R.  .\.  M.:  Crusader 
commandery.  .Xo.  \<).  K.  1"..  of  Rockford;  Free- 
])ort  consistory.  S.  P.  R.  S. ;  and  Teljala  Temple  of 
the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Elks 
lodge.  Xo.  64.  at  Rockford,  while  his  wife  and 
two  daughters  are  members  of  the  White  Shrine 
at  Freeport  and  the  l-lastern  Star  lodge  at  Peca- 
tonica. while  Mrs.  .\twood  is  also  connected  with 
the  Rehekah  degree  of  the  Odd  Fellows  society  at 
Pecatonica.  ancl  she  and  her  daughter  Zella  are 
members  of  the  Relief  Corps.  The  family  is  one 
of  prominence  socially  and  Mr.  .\twood  has  long 
been  numbered  among  the  representative  citizens 
of  the  village  and  township  of  Pecatonica.  his 
labor  in  behalf  of  jnililic  interests  proving  far- 
reaching  and  beneficial. 


DANIEL  GOODLANDER. 

Daniel  Goodlander,  a  resident  of  Rockford 
since  1865,  has  long  been  a  representative  of  its 
manufacturing  interests,  being  still  with  the 
well  known  Emerson  Manufacturing  Comjiany, 
successors  to  the  Emerson  Talcott  Com])any. 
He  was  born  in  i\Iilton.  Pennsylvania,  in  1828. 
His  parents  \vere  Christopher  and  Mary  (Os- 
borne) Goodlander.  The  father,  a  lumberman, 
died  in  1857.  Daniel  Goodlander,  reared  and 
educated  in  the  east,  came  to  the  middle  west 
in  1850,  settling  in  Rushville,  Illinois,  and  the 
following  year  he  went  to  California,  where  he 
was  in  the  government  employ  in  the  custom 
house  at  San  Francisco.  In  1854  he  went  east 
to  Pennsylvania,  and  in  1837  he  came  to  Free- 
port,  Illinois,  where  he  was  engaged  in  manu- 
facturing. The  year  1865  witnessed  his  arrival 
in  Rockford.  where  he  became  connected  with 
F.  H.  Maimy  in  matnifacturing  interests,  this 
relation  being  maintained  imtil  1876.  when  he 
became  vice-president  of  the  firm  of  Emerson  & 
Talcott.  The  business  was  changed  to  Emerson 
Manufacturing  Company  in  1885,  and  Mr. 
Goodlander   has    continued    with    the   house    as 


DANIEL  GOODLANDER. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


645 


superintendent  of  agencies.  He  is  well  known 
in  trade  circles  in  this  city,  and  his  conscientious 
performance  of  every  duty,  his  effective  labor 
for  advancement,  and  the  broadening  out  of  ac- 
tivity for  the  houses  which  he  has  represented 
have  made  his  efforts  of  value. 

j\Ir.  Goodlander  was  married  to  Miss  Cather- 
ine F.  Rogers,  of  Rushville,  Illinois,  and  they 
had  three  daughters,  Emma,  Alice  and  Mabel. 
The  mother  died  in  1882,  and  in  1885  Mr.  Good- 
lander  married  Mrs.  Etta  Bair,  of  Rockford. 
He  is  well  known  in  Masonic  circles,  belonging 
to  Star  in  the  East  lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  also 
to  the  Knight  Templar  commandery  and  the  con- 
sistor}'.  In  his  political  views  he  has  been  a 
stanch  republican  since  the  organization  of  the 
party,  and  he  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
church.  His  is  a  well  rounded  character,  in 
which  his  attention  has  been  proportionately 
given  to  the  varied  interest  which  make  for  an 
honorable  manhood,  and  render  one  of  use  in 
the  world  to  his  fellowmen,  because  of  his  good 
citizenship  and  consideration  for  the  rights  and 
privileges  of  others. 


THOMAS  J.  ABBOTT. 

Among  the  men  to  whom  has  been  vouchsafed 
an  honorable  retirement  from  labor  in  recognition 
of  activity,  earnest  purpose  and  successful  accom- 
plishment in  former  years  Mr.  Abbott  is  num- 
bered. He  makes  his  home  at  No.  448  North 
Avon  street,  Rockford,  and  is  a  native  of  Rock- 
land county,  New  York,  born  January  11,  1839. 
His  parents  were  Thomas  and  Nancy  (Blauvelt) 
Abbott.  The  father,  who  was  born  in  Rockland 
county.  New  York,  was  of  English  descent,  and 
his  father,  John  Abbott,  was  likewise  a  native  of 
Rockland  county.  In  the  year  1856  Thomas  Ab- 
bott came  to  the  west,  establishing  his  home  in 
Rockford.  where  he  followed  the  occupation  of 
farming,  although  in  the  east  he  had  learned  the 
shoemaker's  trade.  Here  he  became  the  owner  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Rockford 
township,  whereon  he  resided  until  1878,  when 
he  sold  out  and  took  up  his  abode  at  Eklora,  Hard- 
in county.  Iowa.  He  was  also  a  preacher  and 
exhorter.  He  had  twenty-one  children  by  his  two 
wives,  ten  of  whom  are  now  living,  but  Thomas 
J.  Abbott  is  the  only  one  residing  in  Winnebago 
county.  The  father  departed  this  life  in  July, 
1904.  at  the  very  venerable  age  of  ninety-three 
years,  while  the  mother  of  our  subject  passed 
away  in  1853. 

Thomas  J.  Abbott  pursued  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  New  York  and  Illinois,  and 
when  not  bus}-  with  his  text-books  his  time  was 
devoted  to  the  labors  of  the  farm,  and  he  continued 
to  assist  in  the  cultivation  of  the  fields  upon  his 
father's  land  until  after  the  inauguration  of  the 

37 


Civil  war.  He  watched  with  interest  the  progress 
of  events  in  the  south,  noted  the  indications  of 
the  oncoming  storm,  became  a  champion  of  repub- 
lican principles  and  cast  his  ballot  for  Abraham 
Lincoln  in  i860.  When  war  broke  upon  the  coun- 
try he  announced  uis  allegiance  to  the  Union,  and 
on  the  1st  of  August,  1861,  he  enrolled  as  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  G,  Forty-fourth  Illinois  Infantry. 
The  company  was  organized  by  ^lajor  Hobart, 
and  the  first  captain  was  M.  L.  Sabin.  The  Forty- 
fourth  Illinois  was  formed  at  Chicago,  and  its 
commander  was  Colonel  Giarles  Knoblesdorph. 
ilr.  Abbott  served  continuously  until  September 
25.  1865,  having  re-enlisted  January  i,  1864,  at 
■  Blains  Crossroads,  East  Tennessee,  becoming  a 
member  of  the  same  company  and  regiment.  He 
served  as  a  private  until  December,  1864.  when 
he  was  promoted  to  sergeant  and  afterward  to  first 
lieutenant,  while  at  the  time  he  was  mustered  out 
he  was  holding  the  rank  of  adjutant.  He  was 
twice  wounded,  being  shot  in  both  hips  at  Adairs- 
ville  on  the  17th  of  May,  1864,  carrying  the  bullet 
until  September,  1865.  while  six  years  passed  be- 
fore the  wound  healed.  He  now  has  in  his  pos- 
session this  bullet,  which  for  nearly  two  years  was 
imbedded  near  his  spine.  Always  in  active  duty, 
he  proved  a  brave  and  valiant  soldier.  His  regi- 
ment first  went  in  pursuit  of  Price  in  Missouri,  be- 
ing thus  engaged  from  September,  1861,  until  the 
fall  of  1862,  after  which  tliey  participated  in  the 
siege  of  Corinth,  Alississsippi,  and  thence  pro- 
ceeded to  Cincinnati.  Ohio,  and  again  crossed  the 
river  to  Covington.  Kentucky,  being  attached  to 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  The  first  battle  in 
which  Mr.  Abbott  participated  was  at  Pea  Ridge, 
and  later  he  was  in  the  engagements  of 
Perryville,  Stone  River,  Chattanooga.  Chicka- 
mauga.  Missionary  Ridge,  the  siege  of  Knox- 
ville,  the  Atlanta  campaign  and  the  bat- 
tles of  Franklin  and  Nashville.  The  regiment 
went  to  eastern  Tennessee  and  was  afterward  sent 
down  the  Mississippi  river  to  Texas,  where  it  re- 
mained until  mustered  out.  ^Ir.  Abbott  also  had 
three  brothers  in  the  army,  one  of  whom  gave  his 
life  in  defense  of  the  Union  cause. 

\\'hen  the  war  was  over  and  the  countrv  no 
longer  needed  his  aid  Mr.  Abbott  returned  to  the 
north  with  a  military  record  of  which  he  had 
every  reason  to  be  proud.  He  engaged  in  farm- 
ing in  Rockford  township  until  1888,  and  after- 
ward was  connected  with  other  business  interests, 
but  since  1898  has  lived  retired.  He  now  owns 
two  houses  and  lots  in  Rockford.  one  where  he 
resides  and  one  adjoining,  and  his  propertv  stands 
as  the  visible  evidence  of  his  life  of  industrv  and 
thrift. 

On  the  29th  of  March,  1864,  ;\Ir.  .\bbott  was 
married  to  iNIiss  Adeline  E.  Kilburn,  who  was 
born  in  Rockford  in  1846,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
the  late  ^Milton  Kilburn.  the  first  probate  judge  of 


646 


PAST     AXD     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


this  county,  who  came  here  from  New  Hampshire 
in  1835.  The  Kilburns  were  among:  tlic  oldest 
families  of  Xew  Eiiijlanil,  the  first  representatives 
of  the  name  in  the  world  havings  come  to  America 
on  the  .Mayflower.  Jiulge  Kilburn  was  very  prom- 
inent and  intUiential  in  W'innebatjo  county,  and  his 
efforts  in  behalf  of  public  progress  were  far- 
reaching  and  beneficial.  In  the  east  he  had  con- 
ducted business  as  a  drugfji.st.  but  after  his  re- 
moval to  the  west  was  identified  with  farming  in- 
terests in  Rockford  township.  Mr.  Abbott  was 
called  ujion  to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife  in  1902, 
her  death  having  occurred  on  the  1st  day  of  De- 
cember of  that  year. 

In  politics  he  has  been  a  rejiublican  since  the 
time  when  he  voted  for  .\brahani  Lincoln,  and  he 
has  served  as  liighway  commissioner,  constable, 
sidewalk  inspector  and  health  officer,  and  in  all 
these  offices  has  lieen  prom])t  and  faithful  in  the 
discharge  of  his  duties.  He  is  a  valued  repre- 
sentative of  several  fraternal  organizations,  in- 
cluding Xevius  post.  No.  1,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Rockford, 
in  which  he  is  now  quartermaster.  He  likewise 
has  membership  relations  with  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Red  Men.  and  is 
a  very  prominent  Mason,  belonging  to  Star  in  the 
East  lodge.  No.  166,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. ;  is  past  high 
priest  of  Kishwaukee  chapter,  No.  24,  R.  .V.  M.; 
is  a  member  of  Crusader  commandery.  Xo.  17, 
K.  T. :  has  attained  the  thirty-second  degree  of  the 
Scottish  Rite  in  l-rceport  consistory,  S.  P.  R.  S., 
and  is  a  nolsle  nf  Tebala  Temple  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine.  Mr.  .■\l)bott  is  a  man  of  genuine  worth, 
ever  loyal  in  all  life's  relations,  commanding  the 
respect  and  good  will  of  all  with  whom  he  has 
been  associated,  his  record  in  days  of  peace  being 
equally  commendable  with  his  record  as  a  soldier. 


A.  C.  LANSING. 


A.  C.  Lansing,  to  whom  has  been  vouchsafed 
an  honorable  retirement  after  many  years  of 
active  business  life  is  now  residing  at  No. 
1517  East  State  street.  He  has  been  a  resident 
of  the  city  for  thirty-five  years  and  during  much 
of  that  period  represented  commercial  interests 
here.  He  came  to  Illinois  from  Montgomery 
county.  New  York,  and  is  a  native  fif  .Saratoga 
county,  that  state,  his  birth  having  occurred 
there  in  1840.  His  parents  were  Cornelius  and 
Lydia  (Reed)  Lansing,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  the  state  of  New  York,  the  father 
following  the  occupation  of  farming  there 
throughout  his  entire  life.  They  passed  away 
many  years  ago,  Mr.  Lansing  dying  in  Decem- 
ber, 1870,  at  the  age  of  seventy-one  years,  while 
his  wife  died  about  1880.  when  seventy-seven 
years  of  age.    They  had  a  large  family,  of  whom 


five  are  yet  living,  four  sisters  being  residents 
of  the  Empire  state. 

.\.  C.  Lansing  was  reared  in  New  York  and 
in  1852  accompanied  his  iwrents  on  their  removal 
from  Saratoga  to  Montgomery  county,  where 
he  resided  continu(jusly  until  1870.  He  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools  and  was  early 
trained  -to  habits  of  industry,  economy  and  in- 
tegrity upon  the  home  farm.  Believing  that  he 
might  enjoy  better  business  privileges  in  the 
younger  but  rapidly  growing  west  he  came  to 
Rockford  in  1871  and  has  here  lived  for  thirty- 
four  years.  He  established  a  feed  store  here  at 
X^o.  416  East  State  street,  where  he  conducted 
business  for  eighteen  years,  and  then  retiring 
from  that  line  of  trade,  he  devoted  his  attention 
to  the  conduct  of  a  grocery  store  at  No.  517 
East  State  street,  being  proprietor  of  the  latter 
for  seven  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  retired  to  private  life  and  is  now  en- 
joying a  well  earned  rest.  He  began  business 
in  Rockford  on  a  small  scale  but  gradually  his 
patronage  increased  and  as  time  passed,  saving 
some  from  his  income  each  year,  he  was  at 
length  the  possessor  of  a  handsome  competence 
which  now  permits  him  to  put  aside  business 
cares  altogether. 

Mr.  Lansing  was  married  ere  his  removal  to 
the  west.  Miss  Sarah  Elizabeth  File,  of  Mont- 
gomery comity.  New  York,  becoming  his  wife, 
while  he  was  still  a  resident  of  that  state.  Their 
only  child,  George  R.,  died  in  1882,  at  the  age 
of  eleven  years.  He  owns  a  fine  home  at  15 17 
East  State  street  where  he  and  his  wife  are  now 
living.  They  are  well  known  in  Rockford  and 
the  hospitality  of  many  of  the  best  homes  of  the 
city  is  freely  accorded  them.  They  hold  mem- 
bership in  the  Centennial  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  in  his  political  views  Mr.  Lansing 
is  a  prohibitionist,  which  indicates  his  ideas  con- 
cerning the  temperance  question.  By  example, 
as  well  as  precept,  he  has  always  endeavored  to 
further  the  temperance  movement  and  is  evci" 
found  as  the  champion  of  all  measures  that 
tend  to  the  betterment  of  mankind.  His  life 
has  ever  been  an  exemplification  of  honorable 
principles  and  he  is  always  found  on  the  side 
of  justice,  truth,  right  and  kindly  consideration 
for  others. 


G.  S.  BROWN. 


G.  S.  Brown,  a  retired  farmer  of  Owen  town- 
shij).  residing  at  No.  324  Xorth  Rockton  avenue, 
was  born  June  23,  1839,  in  the  city  of  Rockford, 
his  birthplace  being  a  part  of  the  Beatty  home 
near  the  water-works,  which  is  still  standing  and 
is  yet  occupied.  His  parents  were  Mowry  and 
Lucv  M.  (Pease)  Brown.  His  father  was  a  native 


MR.  AND  MRS.  A.  C.  LANSING. 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


649 


of  Rhode  Island,  and  his  mother  of  the  Empire 
state.  The  Brown  family  is  of  English  lineage, 
while  the  Pease  family  is  of  Dutch  descent.  In 
Alay.  1838,  Alowry  Brown  arrived  in  Winnebago 
county,  taking  up  his  abode  in  Rockford,  where 
he  resided  for  two  years,  when  he  purchased  a 
claim  in  Owen  township,  upon  which  he  spent  his 
remaining  days.  As  he  prospered  in  his  imder- 
takings  he  wisely  invested  in  land  and  became  the 
owner  of  a  valuable  tract  of  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres.  He  voted  with  the  republican  party, 
for  it  embodied  his  ideas  concerning  the  best  ele- 
ments of  government,  and  both  he  and  his  wife 
were  for  many  years  members  of  the  First  Bap- 
tist church,  but  later  he  united  with  the  Christian 
Union  church.  He  died  June  4,  1878.  while  his 
wife  passed  away  on  the  7th  of  April,  1897.  In 
their  family  were  eleven  children,  of  whom  six 
are  now  living  in  this  county,  namely :  G.  S.,  of 
this  review  :  Charles  E.,  who  is  living  in  Rock- 
ford  township  ;  Mrs.  Alary  E.  Phelps,  whose  home 
is  on  School  street  in  Rockford  :  Henry  A.,  of  this 
city :  Fred  O..  who  is  living  in  Harlem  township  : 
and  Richard  E.,  also  residing  in  Rockford. 

G.  S.  Brown  was  educated  in  Owen  township 
in  the  common  schools  and  remained  at  home  until 
twenty-two  }ears  of  age.  In  the  meantime  he 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  whict.i  he  followed 
with  his  father  for  five  years,  and  in  1865  he 
bought  one  hundred  acres  of  land,  which  he 
still  owns.  He  added  to  this  from  time  to  time 
as  his  financial  resources  permittee^  until  he  be- 
came the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  sixty-five 
acres,  but  has  sold  some  of  this  to  a  company 
establishing  a  brickyard,  and  also  to  the  railroad 
company,  so  that  his  holdings  in  Owen  township 
now  comprise  two  hundred  and  thirty-two  acres. 
He  also  has  three  hundred  and  thirty-two  acres  in 
Ogle  county  and  thus  has  valuable  and  extensive 
landed  possessions  in  this  part  nf  the  state.  He 
continued  farming  until  1903,  and  in  the  follow- 
ing year  removed  to  Rockford,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  fine  home,  and  is  now  enjoying  a  well 
earned  rest.  While  on  the  farm  he  raised  stock, 
making  a  specialty  of  both  cattle  pud  hogs,  and 
that  branch  of  his  business  proved  very  profitable. 

In  February,  1868,  Mr.  lirown  was  united  in 
marriage  to  i\Iiss  Jennie  Rogers,  a  v.ative  of  Eng- 
land, who  was  born  March  8,  1847,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Jane  (  Meagher)  Rogers, 
who  came  to  America  in  1852,  settling  in  Guil- 
ford township,  A\'innebago  county.  Her  father 
was  a  farmer  and  stone-cutter  by  occupation,  and 
followed  that  pursuit  in  order  to  provide  for  his 
familv.  becoming  owner  of  one  hundred  and 
thirtv-two  acres  ot  land,  which  he  carefully  culti- 
vated, transforming  it  into  a  richly  productive 
property.  He  died  in  1893.  at  the  age  of  eighty 
years,  while  his  wife  passed  away  in  1872.  In 
their  familv  were  five  children,  but  Mrs.  Brown  is 


the  only  one  now  living  in  this  county.  She  has 
a  sister,  Mrs.  Anna  M.  Spink,  who  is  living  at 
Davis  Junction,  Illinois,  while  her  brother,  Hon. 
William  Rogers,  formerly  of  Kansas,  is  now  a 
resident  of  Lincoln,  Nebraska.  He  was  a  promi- 
nent factor  in  the  public  life  in  the  former  state, 
and  left  the  impress  of  his  individuaJity  upon  its 
legislation,  serving  as  state  senator  of  Kansas  for 
four  years,  also  as  a  member  of  the  house  of  rep- 
resentatives for  two  years,  and  as  one  of  the  re- 
gents of  the  university,  and  while  in  the  legisla- 
ture he  was  chairman  of  the  ways  and  means  com- 
mittee. At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  he  espoused 
the  Union  cause,  enlisting  in  1861  as  a  member 
of  Company  E,  Seventy-fourth  Illinois  Infantry 
under  Captain  Cosper.  He  served  for  four  years 
and  was  promoted  to  corporal,  and  during  an  en- 
gagement he  was  shot  through  the  left  arm.  He 
is  a  self-made  man,  who  has  made  a  notable  mili- 
tary and  political  record,  and  for  a  number  of 
years  was  classed  with  the  distinguished  citizens  of 
Kansas,  while  at  the  present  writing  he  is  a  promi- 
nent resident  of  Nebra.ska.  The  other  members 
of  the  Rogers  family  are :  Mrs.  Lizzie  Ruby,  liv- 
ing in  Nebraska ;  and  John  G.  Rogers,  who  re- 
sides at  Mason  City,  Iowa. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  have  become  the  parents 
of  eight  children:  William  R.,  who  married  Ade- 
laide Griggs,  a  <laughter  of  Dr.  Griggs,  and  lives 
at  Stillman  N'alley ;  Mora  ]..  the  wife  of  Fred 
Johns,  of  Rockford  :  Edith,  who  died  in  1895  • 
Lucy  A.,  the  wife  of  Thomas  Shimmin,  residing 
in  Bloomington,  Illinois  ;  George  W.,  who  lives  on 
the  old  home  farm ;  Jessie  G..  Ruby  K.  and 
Norma  G.,  all  living  at  home. 

Mrs.  Brown  and  the  children  are  all  members  of 
the  Court  Street  Methodist  Ejiiscopal  church.  Mr. 
Brown  votes  with  the  reiniblican  party,  and  for 
nine  years  was  road  commissioner  of  Owen  town- 
ship. He  owes  his  success  entirely  to  his  own  ef- 
forts and  the  assistance  of  his  estimable  wife,  and 
their  career  may  well  be  termed  a  prosperous  one, 
and  is  ec|ually  honorable  because  in  all  their  busi- 
ness dealings  they  have  been  reliable  and  upright, 
conducting  their  affairs  with  strict  regard  to  a 
high  standard  of  business  principles. 


JOHN  P.  MANNY. 


In  preparing  the  history  of  the  men,  past  and 
present,  who  have  been  prominent  in  the  upbuild- 
ing and  improvement  of  Rockford,  it  is  imperative 
that  mention  be  made  of  John  P.  ]Manny  because 
of  his  activity  in  business  affairs  and  his  co-op- 
eration along  lines  contributing  to  the  intellectual 
and  moral  development  of  his  community.  He 
was  likewise  a  pioneer  citizen  of  Rockford,  hav- 
ing settled  here  about  1853  and  for  many  years 


6.SO 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


as  a  mamifactiirer  of  knife  sections  and  inventor 
and  manufacturer  of  reapers  and  mowers  he  was 
well  known  tlinuijjhout  the  slate.  Mr.  Manny  was 
born  in  Amsterdam.  .New  York.  March  8.  1823. 
his  parents  being  James  and  Hester  (Marcelhis) 
Manny,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the  Empire 
state,  and  there  resided  until  about  1842,  when 
they  removed  t<5  the  west,  settling  on  a  farm  at 
Waddams  Grove,  Stephenson  county,  Illinois, 
where  the  father  devoted  his  attention  to  the  till- 
ing of  the  soil  for  a  number  of  years.  In  his  later 
life  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Rockford,  where  he 
lived  retired,  making  his  home  with  his  son  John 
until  his  death.  His  wife  also  passed  away  in 
tliis  city. 

John  P.  Manny  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  his  native  county  and  in  Stephenson 
county,  and  when  not  engaged  with  his  lcxl-b<ioks 
he  assisted  in  the  farm  work,  early  becoming  fa- 
miliar with  all  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to 
the  lot  of  the  agriculturist.  He  continued  to  work 
with  his  father  until  early  manhood,  when  he  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  knife  sections  for 
John  H.  Manny,  who  was  then  engaged  in  the 
implement  manufacturing  business  both  in  Free- 
port  and  Rockford.  Possessed  of  natural  mechan- 
ical ingenuity,  his  inventive  mind  and  skilled 
hands  wrought  along  original  lines  and  he  was 
continually  studying  and  experimenting  for  the 
improvement  of  reapers  and  mowers. 

John  P.  Manny  manufactured  his  reapers  and 
mowers  for  the  territory  east  of  the  Mississippi, 
while  N.  C.  Thompson  manufactured  them  under 
a  royalty  west  of  the  river. 

\Vhile  living  in  Waddams  Grove  John  P.  Man- 
ny was  married  to  Miss  Etmice  Hicks.  They  were 
the  parents  of  five  children,  all  of  whom  passed 
away  in  early  life  with  the  exception  of  George 
Manny,  who  married  Kitty  Dwight.  He  is  now 
deceased,  but  his  widow  resides  in  Rockford.  In 
1868  Mr.  Manny  was  again  married,  his  second 
union  being  with  Mrs.  Florida  L.  (Starr)  Brown, 
the  wndow  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Addison  Brown, 
of  the  Sixth  \'eniiont  Regiment  in  the  Civil  war. 
Her  parents  were  Melancthon  and  Lucretia  (Nev- 
ins")  Starr,  the  former  a  native  of  Albany.  New 
York,  and  the  latter  of  Connecticut.  Her  father 
was  one  of  the  honored  pioneer  settlers  of  Rock- 
ford, having  arrived  here  in  1850,  after  which  he 
became  a  leader  in  financial  circles.  Associated 
with  others,  he  established  the  Winnebago  Na- 
tional Bank  and  his  sons  are  still  connected  with 
the  institution.  Mr.  Starr  was  cashier  and  vice- 
president  and  continued  in  the  business  until  his 
death,  inaugurating  a  safe,  conservative  policy, 
which  has  made  this  one  of  the  leading  moneyed 
concerns  of  the  county. 

Unto  Mr.  Mannv  and  his  second  wife  were 
bom  five  children :  Mary,  now  the  wife  of  Charles 
T.  Sackett.  who  is  now  in  the  insurance  business 


in  Rockford;  Lucretia,  who  died  in  childhood; 
J.  Starr,  who  resides  in  Florida;  Henry,  who  is 
living  in  New  York  city,  and  Mrs.  X'ivginia  Lar- 
kin,  also  of  that  city. 

Mr.  Manny  lived  retired  from  the  time  he  dis- 
posed of  his  business  interests  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  Rockford,  November  16,  1897. 
He  was  never  an  office  seeker,  but  served  as  alder- 
man for  one  tenn  and  in  politics  was  a  stanch 
Republican,  believing  firmly  in  the  principles  of 
the  party  as  most  conducive  to  good  government. 
For  several  years  he  was  president  of  the  Rock- 
ford Cemetery  Association  and  the  extent  and 
importance  of  his  business  interests,  his  activity 
in  citizenship  and  co-operation  in  beneficial  pub- 
lic interests,  combined  with  his  loyalty  to  the  ties 
of  friendship  and  of  the  home  have  made  him  a 
man  well  worthy  of  the  higii  estceiu  which 
was  uniformly  accorded  him.  The  Manny  and 
the  Starr  families  are  numbered  among  tlie  oldest 
and  best  known  families  of  Rockford,  the  names 
being  prominent  for  a  long  period  in  business  and 
societv  circles. 


ALEXANDER  COLLIER. 

Alexander  Collier,  whose  name  appears  on  the 
roster  of  county  officials  of  Winnebago  county 
in  connection  with  the  office  of  sheriff,  is  a  na- 
tive of  Chenango  county.  New  York,  his  birth 
having  occurred  in  Smyrna  in  1849.  He  is  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  old  families  of  J\Io- 
liawk  Dutch  stock.  His  parents  were  William 
and  Barbara  (Vosburg)  Collier.  The  father  was 
a  bridge  builder  and  carpenter  and  lost  his  life 
by  accident,  when  his  son  .Mexander  was  a  small 
boy.  He  always  made  his  home  in  the  Empire 
state,  and  there  were  born  the  six  children  of 
the  family,  namely :  Jane,  Isaac,  Henry,  James, 
Maggie  and  Alexander.  Following  the  death  of 
her  first  husband.  Mrs.  Collier  was  married  to 
John  Sherman,  and  they  liad  two  sons.  Orvil 
and  Oliver. 

.Alexander  Collier  remained  a  resident  of  the 
Empire  state  through  the  ])eriod  of  his  minority, 
and  when  twenty-one  years  of  age  came  west  to 
Illinois,  settling  in  Roscoe.  where  for  fourteen 
years  he  worked  at  the  miller's  trade,  which  he 
had  learned  in  earlier  life.  When  his  untiring 
labors  and  economy  had  ))rought  him  sufficient 
capital  to  justify  the  purchase  of  a  farm  he  be- 
came the  owner  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  land,  upon  which  he  resirled  from  1884  until 
1890.  During  that  jieriod  he  successfully  car- 
ried on  agricultural  ])ursuits  on  his  own  account. 
In  1891  he  removed  to  Rockford.  and  when  the 
supervisors  sougiit  a  tru.sty  superintendent  to 
take  charge  of  the  poor  farm  the  position  was 
tendered  Sir.  Collier,     lie  accepted  it  and  acted 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


651 


in  that  capacity  through  the  succeeding  eleven 
years,  his  service  being  entirely  satisfactory  to 
the  general  public  and  to  the  unfortunate  class 
of  citizens  who  are  thrown  upon  the  county's 
bounty. 

Previous  to  this  time  'Sir.  Collier  has  been 
recognized  as  a  worker  in  the  ranks  of  the  re- 
publican party,  and  had  served  as  supervisor  of 
his  township  for  three  years  while  living  upon 
the  farm.  In  igo2  many  of  his  friends  requested 
him  to  become  a  candidate  for  the  office  of 
sheriff,  and  he  concluded  to  stand  as  a  nomi- 
nee. Elected  by  popular  suffrage,  he  entered 
upon  the  duties  of  the  position  in  January,  1903, 
and  is  yet  serving  in  that  capacitv.  A  contem- 
porary publication  said  of  him.  "During  his  term 
of  office  the  people  that  have  necessarih-  come 
under  his  care  have  found  the  iron  hand  of  jus- 
tice covered  with  the  glove  of  sympathy."  He 
never  falters  in  the  performance  of  his  duty,  and 
yet  he  would  do  everything  in  his  power  to  en- 
able the  law-breaker  to  become  a  law-abiding 
citizen.  His  son.  Charles  S.  Collier,  acts  as  his 
deputy,  and  proves  very  efficient  in  the  office. 

In  1876  Mr.  Collier  was  married  to  Miss  Eliza 
McMullen,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Nancy 
(Mesmore)  McMullen.  The  father  was  born 
in  the  Mohawk  Valley,  in  Herkimer  count3^  New 
York,  and  died  in  Belvidere.  Illinois,  in  January, 
1881,  at  the  age  of  fifty-eight  years.  He  was 
descended  from  Scotch  ancestry,  and  in  his  life 
displayed  many  of  the  sterling  characteristics  of 
that  people.  By  trade  he  was  a  blacksmith, 
which  pursuit  he  followed  in  Herkimer  county. 
New  York,  until  his  removal  to  the  west,  at 
which  time  he  settled  in  Ogle  county,  Illinois.  He 
was  married  in  this  state  near  Byron,  and,  enter- 
ing government  land,  he  became  one  of  the  pio- 
neer settlers  of  Winnebago  county,  where  he 
spent  many  years,  his  attention  being  given  to 
agricultural  pursuits.  In  the  care  and  cultiva- 
tion of  his  farm  he  acquired  a  comfortable  com- 
petence, so  that  he  was  enabled  to  live  retired 
in  his  last  years,  which  were  spent  in  Belvidere. 
Fie  was  prominent  in  local  affairs,  acted  as  road 
commissioner,  and  was  school  director  for  many 
years.  In  politics  he  was  a  republican,  and  he 
favored  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  His 
wife  was  born  in  Canada,  and  came  to  the 
United  States  when  eight  years  of  age  with  her 
parents.  Fler  death  occurred  in  Belvidere  in 
1866.  when  she  was  thirty-six  years  of  age.  In 
their  family  were  five  children :  Mrs.  Collier ; 
Eugene,  who  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-nine  years ; 
Charles  W.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight 
years:  Fred  R..  who  died  in  infancy;  and  Ida  E. 
After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  Mr.  Mc^Iullen 
was  married  to  ^Margaret  Bear. 

^Ir.  Collier  is  well  known  in  \Mnnebago 
countv.  and  is  held  in  high  regard  because  of  the 


faithfulness  which  he  has  displayed  to  every  pub- 
lic trust  reposed  in  him.  He  discharges  every 
duty  with  conscientious  obligation,  and  has  made 
a   creditable   record. 


WlLIJAAl    POLLARD. 

^^'i^iam  Pollard,  following  the  occupation  of 
farming  on  section  22,  ^^'innebago  township, 
where  he  owns  and  operates  one  hundred  and 
seventy  acres  of  land,  has  been  a  resident  of  W'in- 
nebago  county  since  1881.  He  came  to  America 
from  England,  his  native  country,  his  birth  hav- 
ing occurred  in  Camljridgeshire  in  1854.  His 
parents  were  Jabez  and  Sarah  (Taylor)  Pollard, 
who  spent  their  entire  lives  in  England.  In  their 
family  were  thirteen  ciiildren.  three  of  whom  came 
to  America  and  are  still  living. 

\\'illiam  Pollard  was  reared  to  manhood  in  his 
native  country  and  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  there.  When  a  }'oung  man  of  twenty- 
seven  years  he  determined  to  seek  his  fortune  in 
the  United  States  for  he  believed  that  better  op- 
portunities might  be  enjoyed  in  this  country.  Ac- 
cordingly he  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  made  his 
way  direct  to  Rockford,  where  he  arrived  in  1881. 
He  had  been  married  in  England  to  ]\Iiss  Rebecca 
Lambert,  also  a  native  of  Cambridgeshire.  They 
had  little  capital  when  they  arrived  in  America 
but  by  earnest  labor,  business  tact  and  inde- 
fatigable energy  i\[r.  Pollard  has  gained  a  fine 
property  in  AMnnebago  township,  in  addition  to 
which  he  owns  extensive  landed  interests  in  South 
Dakota.  The  place  which  he  now  has  comprises 
one  hundred  and  seventy  acres  and  was  formerly 
known  as  the  Kerns  farm.  ]\Iany  of  the  present 
modern  improvements  have  been  placed  thereon 
by  'Sir.  Pollard,  who  has  erected  a  residence  and 
commodious  outbuildings.  He  has  also  placed 
scales  upon  his  farm  and  various  facilities  for 
the  successful  conduct  of  his  place.  He  became 
the  owner  of  this  land  in  1893  and  personally  cul- 
tivated the  place  until  the  present  year.  1905, 
when  he  turned  over  the  active  work  of  the  farm 
to  his  sons. 

L'nto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pollard  have  been  born  ten 
children,  of  whom  six  are  living :  Emma,  a  resi- 
dent of  Rockford  :  Ethelbert,  a  farmer  of  South 
E)akota.  who  married  Emma  Layng  and  has  two 
children,  Wayne  and  Jane  :  ^^'ilfred.  who  is  liv- 
ing on  the  home  farm  and  married  Addie  Guynn, 
by  whom  he  has  one  child,  Winifred  C,  born  in 
July.  1905  ;  Isabella,  the  wife  of  Harry  Gillett, 
and  the  mother  of  one  child,  Audrey :  H.  Jackson, 
at  home ;  and  Rosa  Mae,  who  is  the  wife  of  Earl 
Andrew-s,  a  farmer  of  South  Dakota.  The  others 
all  died  in  early  childhood,  two  in  England  and 
two  in  this  coimtrv. 


6,2 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


l\)litically  Mr.  Pollard  is  a  rcpiiljlicaii.  liaviiig 
supported  the  ijarty  since  becoming  a  naturalized 
American  citizen.  He  has  served  for  six  years  as 
road  commissioner  and  has  been  interested  in  the 
material  development  and  progress  of  his  coni- 
nnuiitv.  The  family  attcnil  the  Episcopal  church 
and  the  members  of  the  household  are  esteemed 
for  their  genuine  worth.  He  is  thoroughly  rep- 
resentative of  that  class  of  citizens  w  ho  in  the  new 
world  have  taken  advantage  of  business  conditions 
here  and  through  earnest,  persistent  and  honor- 
able labor  have  worked  their  way  upward  to  suc- 
cess. 


JA^rES  G.  TETi.nw. 

James  G.  Tetlow,  who  in  the  practice  of  law 
lias  lieen  accorded  a  good  clientage  that  is  an 
indication  of  his  professional  standing,  was  born 
on  a  farm  in  Columbiana  county,  Ohio.  March 
24,  1869.  His  parents  were  Zachariah  and 
Elizabeth  (Chappell)  Tetlow,  the  latter  a  daugh- 
ter of  James  Chappell,  a  man  much  respected  for 
his  sterling  qualities.  Zachariah  Tetlow  was  a 
native  of  England,  where  he  spent  his  boyhood 
days  and  acquired  a  common-school  education. 
Emigrating  to  the  United  States  he  made  his 
way  into  the  interior  of  the  country  and  in  Ohio 
was  married  and  settled  on  a  farm,  devoting  his 
time  to  agricultural  pursuits  for  some  years. 
I_-ater  he  became  connected  with  the  coal  interests 
of  that  ])art  of  the  country  and  was  superintend- 
ent of  the  Cherry  \'alley  Coal  &  Iron  Works,  in 
Leetonia,  Ohio,  for  a  period  of  thirty  years.  He 
died  in  1901,  and  his  wife  passed  away  in 
March,  1905.  She  was  born  in  England  and  had 
jxissed  the  Psalmist's  three  score  years  and  ten. 

Tames  G.  Tetlow  was  educated  in  Washington- 
ville.  r^bio.  where  he  was  grafluated  from  the 
graded  schools.  He  afterward  entered  the  Ohio 
Wesleyan  University  at  Delaware,  Ohio,  where 
he  continued  as  a  student  for  three  years  and 
then  matriculated  in  the  State  University  Law 
School  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  from  which  institu- 
tion he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1895. 
Coming  west  to  Rockford.  Illinois,  he  again  read 
law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  this  state, 
though  he  had  previously  been  admitted  in  Ohio. 
He  then  entered  upon  his  practice  in  Rockford 
and  now  devotes  his  entire  attention  to  his 
professional  duties.  The  consensus  of  public 
opinion  in  regard  to  his  ability  is  favorable  and 
he  has  l)ecn  engaged  with  much  of  the  important 
litigation  tried  in  the  courts  of  his  district.  In 
addition  to  civil  litigation  he  has  been  conspicu- 
ously successful  in  some  very  important  criminal 
cases,  ufitably  the  Sadwaler  grand  larceny  case 
and   the    Haight   assault    with    intent   to   commit 


murder.  He  is  a  forcible  speaker,  logical  in  argu- 
ment and  his  ambition  to  attain  success  prompts 
earnest  devotion  to  the  interests  of  his  clients  and 
careful  preparation  of  his  cases. 

Mr.  Tetlow  takes  great  interest  in  military  af- 
fairs, and  in  1898  he  enlisted  as  a  member  of 
Company  K,  Third  Illinois  X'oluntecr  Infantry, 
Colonel  Fred  P.ennett  commanding.  In  the 
Spanish-American  war  he  took  part  in  the  ex- 
pedition to  Porto  Rico  and  served  for  several 
months  on  the  islands.  With  his  regiment  he 
returned  in  January,  1899,  and  soon  afterward 
was  commissioned  by  Governor  Tanner  second 
lieutenant  of  the  National  Guards  of  Illinois  and 
is  now  captain  of  Company  H  of  that  regiment. 
For  two  years  he  was  secretary  of  the  Rockford 
Merchants'  and  Business  Men's  Association,  and 
his  fraternal  relations  are  with  the  Star  of  the 
Ea.st  lodge.  No.  166,  .A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  Kent 
lodge.  No.  689.  I.  O.  O.  F.  He  takes  a  deep 
interest  in  the  Young  Men's  Giristian  Associ- 
ation, of  which  he  has  been  a  member  for  over 
eight  years,  and  has  been  an  usher  in  the  gallery 
of  the  Court  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
for  over  four  years. 

In  politics  ^Ir.  Tetlow  is  a  pronounced  re- 
publican and  was  a  delegate  to  the  state  senatorial 
convention.  He  also  took  an  active  part  in  the 
gubernatorial  contest  of  1904  and  did  some  able 
work  in  behalf  of  Richard  Yates.  He  also 
gained  considerable  notoriety  in  an  able  speech 
made  at  Owen  in  the  last  McKinley  campaign. 
He  is  a  man  of  energ\-,  strong  purpose  and  laud- 
able ambition  and  has  gained  more  than  local 
reputation  in  political  circles,  while  in  military 
and  legal  circles  he  has  won  the  rcs])ect  of  those 
wlif>  are  acquainted  witli  his  career. 


H(1S.MI:K  i'.  IK  >I.I..\\1). 

Ilosmer  P.  Holland,  a  member  of  the  Rockford 
bar  since  1861  and  a  resident  of  the  city  since 
May,  184^),  was  born  in  Millcrsburg,  Ohio,  on  the 
15th  of  lanuar\,  i8?8.  I  lis  parents  wore  John 
A.  and  Maria  L.  (Curtis)  Holland,  the  former 
a  lawyer  by  ()rofession.  practicing  fir.st  in  Ohio 
and  afterward  in  Illinois.  His  son.  Hosmer  P. 
Holland,  brought  to  this  city  when  a  youth  of 
eight  years,  was  here  reared  to  manhood  and  his 
earh  educational  privileges  were  supplemented  by 
study  in  Anlinch  College,  Ohio,  and  I'nion  Col- 
lege. New  York.  Taking  up  the  study  of  law, 
he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  i8('>i  and  entered 
upon  practice  in  Rockford,  but  on  the  4th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1862.  he  put  aside  professional  duties  in 
order  to  aid  in  the  jireservation  of  the  I'nion,  en- 
listing   in    the    .Seventy- fourth  Illinois  Infantry, 


JAMES  G.  TETLO\V. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


6S5 


with  which  he  served  until  November,  1864.  He 
has  been  master  in  chancery  of  Winnebago  county 
for  one  term,  but  has  mostly  confined  his  atten- 
tion to  the  active  duties  of  his  profession. 

He  was  secretary  of  the  Rockford  Watch  Com- 
pany for  the  first  fourteen  years  of  its  existence 
and  has  encouraged  and  promoted  various  enter- 
prises that  have  contributed  to  the  material  and 
intellectual  progress  of  the  city.  In  regard  to  his 
political  belief  Mr.  Holland  says  he  is  a  demo- 
crat, if  to  be  a  democrat  is  to  believe  in  the  gold 
standard  and  tariff  for  revenue  only.  For  the 
past  four  years  he  has  served  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  review.  While  thoroughly  informed  on 
the  questions  and  issues  of  the  day,  he  has  been 
without  political  aspiration,  preferring  to  concen- 
trate his  energies  upon  his  law  practice. 

Mr.  Holland  was  married  in  Rockford,  Novem- 
ber 21,  1865,  to  Miss  Laura  Blinn  and  their  sons 
and  daughters  are  as  follows :  Louise,  now  the 
wife  of  Daniel  McMullen,  of  Western  Springs, 
Illinois;  Aurilla,  the  wife  of  Dwight  .Allyn,  also 
of  Western  Springs;  Kate,  the  wife  of  Goldwin 
S.  Patton,  of  New  York  Cit}- :  Eleanor,  of  Rock- 
ford ;  and  Guv.  of  Zaiuboango.  Mindano, 
Philippine  Islands. 


SPENCER  S.  WELDON. 

Spencer  S.  Weldon,  now  retired  from  the  active 
management  of  his  farm,  which  lies  in  Winnebago 
township,  but  who  still  makes  his  home  thereon, 
was  bom  at  Keene,  New  Hampshire,  Tanuarv  26, 
1825,  his  parents  being  Jonathan  and  Mary  (Da- 
vis) ^^'eldon,  the  latter  a  cousin  of  Jefferson 
Davis,  president  of  the  Southern  Confederacy. 
Her  father  and  his  six  brothers  were  all  soldiers 
of  the  Revolutionary  war.  One  of  the  brothers 
afterward  established  his  home  in  Kentucky  and 
became  the  father  of  Jefferson  Davis. 

Jonathan  Weldon  brought  his  family  to  Illinois 
in  pioneer  times,  traveling  the  entire  distance  from 
Providence,  Rhode  Island,  to  Ottawa,  Illinois, 
with  team  and  wagon.  After  two  months  on  the 
road  they  arrived  at  their  destination  on  the  6th 
of  December,  1834,  and  spent  one  season  at  Otta- 
wa, Mr.  Weldon  planting  a  crop  there,  but  owing 
to  the  prevalence  of  fever  and  ague  among  the 
inhabitants  of  that  district  he  decided  to  remove 
to  Winnebago  county.  He  arrived  at  Rockford 
May  25.  1836,  at  which  time  he  found  a  mere  ham- 
let containing  no  frame  houses.  There  were  two 
log  houses  on  the  east  side  and  three  on  the  west 
side  of  Rock  river.  Jonathan  Weldon  very  soon 
located  a  claim  in  what  is  now  the  southeast  part 
of  Winnebago  township  and  it  remained  his  home 
until  1854.  when  he  took  up  his  abode  upon  the 
farm  which  is  now  owned  and  occupied  by  our 


subject,  there  continuing  to  reside  up  to  the  time 
of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1873.  when  he 
was  seventy-eight  years  of  age.  His  wife  died 
in  1871.  ]\Ir.  Weldon,  as  one  of  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers of  the  county,  took  an  active  and  helpful 
part  in  its  progress  and  improvement.  He  had 
taught  two  winters  in  his  own  log  cabin  and  this 
was  one  of  the  earliest  schools  conducted  in  what 
is  now  Winnebago  township.  He  was  always  in- 
terested in  educational  development  and  delighted 
in  the  progress  that  was  made  in  the  county  along 
intellectual  and  other  lines  as  tlie  years  passed  by. 
The  claim  which  he  entered  from  the  government 
in  early  pioneer  times  remained  in  possession  of 
the  family  until  about  ig02,  when  it  was  sold. 

Spencer  S.  Weldon  was  a  j-outh  of  nine  years 
when  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Illinois  and 
was  eleven  years  old  when  the  family  located  in 
Winnebago  county.  He  has  resided  for  the  past 
sixtv-nine  }-ears  in  the  same  school  district  in 
Winnebago  township.  A  picture  of  pioneer  times 
gives  a  correct  idea  of  his  environment  in  vouth. 
He  taught  about  the  first  winter  school  after  old 
district  No.  2.  now  district  100,  was  established. 
It  was  conducted  in  the  back  kitchen  of  a  log 
dwelling.  There  had  been  a  school  taught  in  the 
district  the  previous  summer  by  a  lady,  but  Mr. 
^^'eldon  was  the  first  male  teacher.  He  followed 
the  profession  for  two  winters,  one  temi'  in  Fuller 
district,  on  the  river,  but  did  not  continue  that  line 
of  work,  as  he  considered  farming  more  congenial 
and  more  profitable.  Throughout  his  entire  life 
he  has  carried  on  general  agricultural  pursuits  and 
stock  raising  and  has  been  ver\'  successful.  Tliere 
has  been  erected  on  his  farm  a  large  and  attractive 
dwelling  of  modern  style  of  architecture,  standing 
in  the  midst  of  a  well  kept  lawn.  In  the  rear  are 
good  barns  and  outbuildings,  all  most  ample  for 
the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock.  He  uses  the  latest 
improved  machinerA-  in  carrying  on  the  place  and 
everything  about  the  farm  is  neat  and  thrifty  in 
appearance.  It  is  now  being  conducted  by  his 
sons.  John  E.  and  Lincoln  S.  Weldon,  who  han- 
dle well-bred  stock,  making  a  specialty  of  horses 
and  cattle.  For  the  past  twenty  years  they  have 
raised  pure  bred  Percheron  and  French  coach 
horses  and  their  business  in  this  direction  has  be- 
come extensive  and  profitable. 

In  1854  Spencer  S.  \\^eldon  was  married  to 
Miss  Agnes  Kelley,  who  was  born  in  Campbell- 
town.  Scotland.  May  29,  1825.  Her  father  was 
Peter  Kelley,  who  married  Miss  Catherine  Stuart. 
}ilrs.  \\'eldon  came  to  Winnebago  county  from 
Scotland  in  1852  and  resided  here  mitil  her  death, 
which  occurred  February  23,  1901.  There  were 
eight  children  by  this  marriage,  all  born  on  the  old 
home  farm  in  Winnebago  township,  namely : 
]\[ary,  born  February  8.  i8,'^5.  resides  at  home. 
John  E..  born  April  ig,  1856,  living  on  the  home 


656 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


fann,  married  Ailell  Ilenncssy  June  8.  iS8i3.  \\li<> 
died  in  1884,  leaving  two  cliildrcii — ICarl  Ci.,  born 
September  18.  1881.  and  Adell.  b(irn  .March  lu, 
1S84.  anil  died  in  1S81;.  i*"or  his  second  wife  John 
E.  Weldon  chose  Ida  .M.  I'lriijgs,  of  Rockford,  to 
whom  he  was  married  in  1899.  Samuel,  born 
October  22.  1857.  is  engaged  in  the  real-estate 
business  in  Portland,  Oregon.  He  married  Mary 
Wliitney  in  September,  1899.  ^"f'  '''"-T  ''^^'^  o"^ 
child,  Kenneth  W.  Peter,  Ixini  ( V-tobcr  19.  1859, 
a  fanner  residing  near  Portage.  Wisconsin,  mar- 
ried Mar>-  Scott  in  February,  1897,  ami  they  have 
one  child,  Ray,  bom  in  November,  1900.  Cath- 
erine, born  March  17,  1863,  died  in  childhood. 
William,  born  May  23.  1861,  a  retired  farmer  re- 
siding near  Portage.  Wisconsin,  married  Bertha 
I.  Olson  in  (Vtober.  i8<X>.  and  they  have  one 
child.  Clarence  11.,  born  October  31,  1898.  Lin- 
coln S.,  bom  July  3,  1865,  associated  with  his 
brother  John  in  the  conduct  of  the  old  home  farm, 
married  J^Iargaret  TefFt  in  October,  1895.  Mar- 
guerite. Iiorn  Xovember  8.  i8ri7.  died  in  1900.  at 
the  age  of  thirty-two  years. 

Politicallv  Mr.  Weldon  is  a  republican  without 
aspiration  for  office.  In  his  religious  views  he  is 
liberal,  being  unhampered  by  creed  or  dogma,  yet 
is  a  thorough  believer  in  the  Qiristiau  religion. 
He  is  now  more  than  four  score  years  of  age  and 
has  led  a  useful,  active  and  honoralilc  life,  charac- 
terized by  devotion  to  duty  and  by  strict  adher- 
ence to  justice  and  truth  at  all  times.  He  well 
deserves  the  respect  which  is  unifonnly  accorded 
him  and  which  makes  him  one  of  the  valued  citi- 
zens of  this  ])art  of  the  state. 


CARLTON  WIT-LTAMS  SHELDON. 

Carlton  W.  Sheldon,  the  subject  of  this  article, 
was  born  on  a  small  farm  in  the  town  of  \'ictor, 
county  of  Ontario,  in  the  state  of  New  York, 
on  the  14th  day  of  March.  1828.  He  was  the 
fourth  child  of  Gad  Sheldon  and  Eunice  Williams 
Hosford,  who  were  united  in  marriage  in  said 
county  in  the  year  of  1820.  and  to  whom  were 
Ixirn  six  children  whose  names  in  the  order  of 
their  birth  are  as  follows :  Mary  Edna,  Alex- 
ander. Charles  H..  Carlton  W.,  Porter  and  Ogil- 
vic  H.  Gad  Sheldon  was  born  in  Massachusetts 
and  was  the  third  and  youngest  son  of  Ezra 
Sheldon  and  Sally  Perry,  a  relative  of  Commo- 
dore Perry  of  Lake  Erie  fame.  Ezra  Sheldon 
was  a  deacon  in  the  Presbyterian  church  at  the 
time  of  his  marriage  to  .Sally  Perry,  and  hence 
gave  all  three  of  his  sons  biblical  names.  The 
first  he  named  Ezra,  the  second  Asaph  and  the 
third  and  youngest,  Gad.  The  latter  was  a  sol- 
dier in  the  war  of  1812  and  fought  at  the  battle 
of  Sackett's  Harbor,  where  many  of  liis  com- 
rades were  killed  or  wounded. 


Joseph  Hosford,  the  father  of  Carlton's  mother, 
was  a  much  older  man  than  his  grandfather  Shel- 
don. He  went  into  the  Revolutionary  war  of 
1776  as  a  drummer  boy.  and  afterward  as  a  pri- 
vate fought  with  musket  and  bayonet  during  the 
whole  seven  years  of  that  bloody  struggle  for 
.\merican  Independence  and  before  its  close  was 
raised  to  the  rank  of  major.  He  was  the  co- 
patriot  of  Washington  and  of  Warren,  of  Ethan 
.Alien  and  Israel  Putnam  and  of  all  that  army  of 
heroes  who  were  finally  crowned  with  victory 
and  brought  a  new  republic  above  the  horizon  to 
the  astonished  view  of  the  kingdoms  of  Europe, 
to  be  looked  upon  by  its  rulers  with  dislike,  but 
by  their  subjects  with  love  and  admiration  down 
to  the  i^resent  time. 

In  1834  the  parents  of  Mr.  .Sheldon,  with  their 
si.x  young  children,  removed  to  South  Bristol  in 
the  same  county  on  t<i  a  small  farm  of  fifty  acres 
that  the  father  had  managed  to  purchase.  It 
was  located  only  four  miles  north  from  the  beauti- 
ful village  of  Naples  that  nestled  in  a  valley  at 
the  head  of  Canandaigua  lake  and  was  surrounded 
l)v  hills  and  mountains  on  all  sides  but  one,  and 
on  that  side  were  the  beautiful  waters  of  the  lake 
that  reached  north  to  the  city  of  Canandaigua. 
The  western  shore  of  said  lake  was  but  two  miles 
east  from  this  new  home. 

In  the  fall  of  1840.  General  William  Henry 
Harrison,  the  grandfather  of  I'lenjamin  Harrison, 
was  the  old  whig  candidate  for  president  and 
was  elected.  As  Carlton's  father  was  a  whig, 
so  of  cource  was  the  son  and  he  tells  us  he  shall 
never  forget  that  happy  day  when  he  hied  himself 
to  the  west  shore  of  tliat  lake  and  joined  the  great 
whig  procession,  which,  with  log  cabins  on 
wheels  aTid  hard  cider  barrels,  were  on  their  way 
u|)  from  the  city  of  Canandaigua  to  the  village 
of  Nai)les,  where  the  great  whig  mass  meeting 
was  to  be  held.  He  remembers  as  though  but  yes- 
terday the  speech  that  was  there  made  by  the  Hon. 
1-Vancis  Granger.  t)f  Canandaigua.  who  after 
the  election,  became  postmaster  general  in  Harri- 
son's cabinet. 

At  the  early  age  of  sixteen  our  young  whig 
friend  left  his  father's  home  and  his  mother's  care 
to  go  out  into  the  world  to  make  his  own  living. 
He  maile  his  first  halting  place  with  a  farmer  who 
lived  about  a  mile  from  the  small  village  of  East 
P.loomfield  in  the  same  county,  at  which  place 
there  was  a  very  good  academy,  of  which  Pro- 
fes.sor  S.  W.  Clark  was  the  principal.  Heie 
around  this  town  he  worked  for  different  farmers 
during  the  working  seasons  and  attended  the 
academy    during   the    winter    months. 

The  year  he  went  to  P.loomfield  was  the  fall 
of  1844.  when  another  presidential  election  was 
on,  and  where  he  hurrahed  for  Henry  Clay,  but 
who  was  defeated  by  James  K.  Polk,  of  Ten- 
nessee. 


C.  W.  SHELDON. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


659 


The  winter  he  was  eighteen  he  attended  a  dis- 
trict school  in  the  neighborhood  where  he  lived, 
and  the  succeeding  winter  he  taught  the  same 
school,  having  for  pupils  the  same  scholars  that 
had  been  his  school  fellows  of  the  year  before, 
and  so  every  year  thereafter  until  1851  he 
worked  for  farmers  during  the  spring  and  sum- 
mer months,  attended  the  academy  in  the  fall  and 
taught  some  district  school  in  the  county  during 
the  winter,  giving  to  his  parents  each  year  all 
he  could  spare  of  his  wages  and  making  them 
visits  as  often  as  possible. 

Having  at  that  time  an  uncle  who  \v<'>s  a  large 
farmer  living  near  Woodstock  in  this  state, 
whose  wife  was  a  sister  of  his  mother  and  who 
had  moved  from  South  Bristol  to  Illinois  several 
years  before,  he  concluded  he  would  now  follow 
his  uncle  to  this  state.  So  in  the  fall  of  185 1 
he  bade  his  parents  a  sorrowful  good-bye  but 
with  a  hopeful  heart  he  took  the  cars  at  Canan- 
daigua  for  Buffalo  and  thence  by  boat  around  the 
Great  Lakes  and  landed  at  a  place  then  called 
Southport,  in  Lake  county.  From  there  he  went 
to  his  uncle's  home  near  Woodstock,  where  after 
visiting  a  short  time  his  uncle  took  him  to  the 
then  small  village  of  Woodstock,  the  county 
seat  of  ]\IcHenry  count}",  where  he  was  intro- 
duced to  the  law  firm  of  Church  &  Willard,  whose 
office  he  then  entered  as  a  student.  Not  having 
funds  to  carry  him  through  the  winter  he  en- 
gaged with  Neal  Donnelly  and  Richard  K.  Todd, 
two  of  the  directors  of  the  village  school  at 
Woodstock,  to  teach  the  winter  term  of  1851  and 
1852,  who.  at  the  close  of  the  winter  term,  em- 
ployed him  again  to  teach  the  spring  term  of 
1852. 

While  teaching  at  \\''oodstock  he  heard  much 
about  the  growing  little  city  of  Rockford  and 
its  beautiful  river  and  thinking  it  would  prove 
a  more  desirable  location  than  Woodstock,  he 
changed  his  residence  to  that  then  small  city  of 
four  thousand  inhabitants,  where  he  arrived  on 
the  I2th  day  of  August,  1852.  Having  in  his 
pocket  a  letter  of  introduction  from  Church  & 
Willard  to  the  law  firm  of  Marsh  &  Wight,  of 
Rockford,  he  went  at  once  to  their  office  and  nn 
the  same  day  was  admitted  as  a  student.  The 
young  man  soon  found  out  that  he  would  have 
to  teach  again  for  the  coming  winter  of  1852 
and  1853  and  so  secured  a  district  school  at  a 
place  then  known  as  the  "Enoch  Settlement." 
Among  the  pupils  who  attended  his  school  were 
David  Hunter  and  Amasa  Hutchins ;  the  former 
became  in  after  years  a  state  senator,  serving  the 
people  of  this  district  many  terms,  while  the  latter 
many  years  after  became  sheriff  of  this  county 
and  later  mayor  of  Rockford.  Both  these  gentle- 
men are  still  living  in  this  county  and  known  and 
honored  throughout  the  state.     After  his  school 


was  over  in  the  spring  of  1853,  he  resumed  his 
studies  with  JMarsh  &  \\'ight  and  with  such  dili- 
gence that  in  Jul\-  following  he  secured  his  li- 
cense from  the  supreme  court  to  practice  law  in 
any  of  the  courts  of  this  state.  Shortly  after  he 
commenced  his  practice  in  Rockford  he  formed 
a  partnership  with  the  late  Judge  Brown  under 
the  firm  name  of  Brown  &  Sheldon,  which  con- 
tinued he  thinks  until  the  former  was  elected 
states  attorney  for  this  then  judicial  circuit. 

On  the  20th  day  of  December,  1855,  at  Rock- 
ford, Illinois,  Carlton  W.  Sheldon  and  Harriet 
J.  Hathaway  were  united  in  marriage  and  from 
that  union  were  born  six  children,  two  of  whom, 
Edward  and  Edna,  died  in  infancy  and  the  re- 
maining four  are  still  living  and  wtiose  names 
in  the  order  of  their  birth  are :  Charles  E.,  born 
July  29,  1857;  George  P.,  born  July  27,  1859; 
Dora  Sheldon  Hart,  born  March  7,  1868 ;  and 
Ethel  A.  Montgomery,  born  September  27,  1878. 

Harriet  J.  Hathaway  was  the  daughter  of 
Leonard  W.  Hathaway  and  Caroline  M.  Thomp- 
son, all  of  whom  were  born  in  the  state  af  Massa- 
chusetts and  afterward  moved  to  Chicago  in 
1837,  when  Harriet  was  two  years  of  age,  and 
then  from  Chicago  to  Rockford  in  1845.  H^i" 
father  died  at  Rockford  in  the  spring  of  1852 
and  her  mother  died  at  the  home  of  her  daughter, 
with  whom  she  lived  on  North  Second  street, 
on  the  1st  day  of  August,  1898,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  eighty-four  ye-i'-s. 

Charles  E.  Sheldon  is  the  present  successful 
western  manager  of  the  American  Insurance 
Company  of  Newark,  and  has  acted  in  that  ca- 
pacity for  many  years. 

In  the  winter  of  1857,  Porter  Sheldon,  who 
had  previously  been  in  the  practice  of  the  law  at 
Jamestown,  New  York,  with  his  eldest  brother 
Alexander  Sheldon,  came  to  Rockford  and 
formed  a  pertnership  with  his  brother  Carlton 
under  the  firm  name  of  Sheldon  &  Sheldon,  which 
continued  for  several  years. 

Soon  after  the  war  commenced  Porter  was 
elected  city  attorney,  while  at  the  same  time  Carl- 
ton was  serving  the  city  as  alderman  from  the 
first  ward,  he  residing  at  that  time  on  the  south- 
west corner  of  North  Second  and  Hill  streets,  to 
which  location  he  had  moved  in  June,  1858,  and 
where  all  his  children  were  born  except  the  old- 
est, and  where  he  has  ever  since  lived.  In  the 
year  1893  he  moved  his  old  house  back  to  the  rear 
part  of  the  lot  and  built  on  the  old  site  a  large 
and  commodious  residence  in  which  he  now 
resides. 

Before  the  close  of  the  war  Alexander  Sheldon 
died  at  Jamestown  and  Porter  left  Rockford  at 
once  to  attend  his  funeral  and  close  up  the  busi- 
ness of  the  estate.  While  there  he  was  persuaded 
by  the  citizens  of  Jamestown  to  move  his  family 


66o 


PAST    AXD     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


back  to  that  city  and  take  iij)  the  ])racticc  that 
his  brother  had  left,  which  he  did,  and  within  one 
year  thcreaftLT  he  was  elected  from  the  James- 
town district  a  member  of  congress  to  success 
Reuben  E.  l-enton.  who  had  just  been 
elected  governor  of  the  state  of  New  York. 
Porter  Sheldon  was  a  man  of  marked  ability  as 
a  lawyer  and  had  great  genius  as  an  inventor, 
having  patented  several  inventions,  aniDng  which 
was  one  for  the  manufacture  and  preparation  of 
a  paper  designed  for  the  special  use  of  photog- 
raphers in  the  making  of  pictures,  visiting  Ger- 
many once  to  make  liis  patent  periect  and  secure. 
He  i)uilt  many  large  buildings  at  Jamestown  for 
his  plant  and  after  making  about  half  a  million 
dollars  for  himself  in  the  business  he  finally  sold 
out  the  whole  plant,  including  his  patents,  to  an 
eastern  syndicate,  who  paid  him  five  hundred 
thousand  dollars  in  cash  therefor.  P>eing  then  a 
millionaire  he  retired  wholly  from  business,  pur- 
chased a  plantation  in  N'irginia.  where  he  and 
his  wife  spend  their  winters,  while  their  summers 
are  spent  at  their  home  near  the  beautiful  Lake 
of  Chautau(|ua.  on  whose  shores  P>isliop  \'incent 
started  his  first  meetings  and  from  which  lake 
the  name  of  "Chautauqua"  has  gone  forth 
throughout  the  land  and  l>ecome  famous. 

Carlton's  mother  was  a  Hosford  but  her  mother 
was  a  \\'illiams.  who  liad  a  ncplicw  by  the  name 
of  Carlton  U'illiams.  This  young  man  while 
rowing  in  a  boat  with  a  comrade  above  Niagara 
Falls  was  drawn  into  the  rapids  ajid  went  over 
the  falls  and  both  were  drowned,  and  it  was  in 
memory  of  this  unfortunate  young  man  that  tlie 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  named. 

Tn  1870  yir.  Shelilrm  was  called  upon  several 
times  by  the  secretary  of  the  Rockford  Insurance 
Company  to  settle  difficult  losses  for  that  com- 
pany, until  he  finally  declined  going  out  so  often, 
as  it  took  him  too  much  away  from  his  office. 
Finally  they  asked  him  what  he  would  charge  a 
day  to  settle  all  their  losses  from  that  time  on 
and  have  all  his  expenses  paid.  He  said  he 
would  do  it  for  eight  dollars  per  day,  which 
terms  they  at  once  accepted  and  from  that  time 
until  July  1874,  he  adjusted  all  their  losses  in 
this  state  and  Missouri.  During  this  time  he 
gave  up  his  law  practice  and  ran  a  large  local 
agency  tmder  the  name  of  Sheldoii.  Ireton  & 
Company,  his  son  Charles  E.,  then  only  fourteen 
years  of  age  being  the  company. 

In  July.  1874.  Gilbert  Woodruff,  then  presi- 
dent of  the  Rockford  National  Rank,  and  some 
of  his  co-directors  urged  him  strongly  to  organ- 
ize a  new  insurance  company  to  be  called  the 
Forest  City  Insurance  Conipany,  and  to  be  in  the 
interest  of  the  Rockford  National  Rank  as  the 
Rockford  Insurance  Company  had  been  of  the 
I^econd  National  Rank,  to  which  he  finallv  con- 


sented and  became  its  secretary.  This  company 
he  continued  to  run  with  greiit  success  for  the 
period  of  over  five  years  when  on  the  7th  day  of 
November,  1879,  he  very  suddenly  resigned,  to 
the  great  surprise  of  all  his  fellow  directors,  in- 
cluding the  president.  The  cause  of  such  resig- 
nation he  fully  gave  in  an  "open  letter"  to  the 
president  on  the  17th  day  of  December,  1879, 
which  letter  was  ])rinled  in  one  of  the  city  papers 
and  he  afterward  struck  off  one  thousand  copies 
in  pamphlet  form  which  he  had  intended  to  dis- 
tribute throughout  the  state  but  owing  to  the 
urgent  entreaties  of  some  of  his  late  associates 
I  who  had  not  yet  sold  their  stock  as  he  had  done) 
tu  su])press  this  edition,  he  finally  promised  them 
to  do  so,  as  he  knew  if  he  did  circulate  them 
in  the  state  it  would  probably  kill  the  company 
and  entail  great  loss  on  some  of  his  friends  as 
they  claimed.  The  reasons  for  his  resignation 
were  very  fully  given  in  this  remarkable  letter. 
He  then  at  once  opened  a  law.  loan,  and  insurance 
office  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  where  he  has 
been  steadily  in  business  for  the  past  twenty- 
five  years  and  at  no  time  since  said  resignation, 
except  the  first  year,  has  he  received  less  in  fees 
and  commissions  ])cr  annum  than  had  been  his 
former  salary  and  in  many  years  more,  while  at 
the  same  time,  so  to  sp-^ak,  he  has  been  "his  own 
master." 

He  has  now  reached  the  "advanced  age"  as 
the  papers  would  say,  of  seventy-seven  years  and 
has  not  yet  retired.  .\ccor(ling  to  Osier  he 
should  have  died,  or  retired  seventeen  years  ago. 
He  does  not  agree  with  Dr.  (~)sler  in  this,  but 
rather  with  Russell  Sage,  who  now  at  ninety,  at- 
tends his  office  daily  and  says  that  "frequent  vaca- 
tions are  not  necessary  to  health.  Nor  does 
racing  back  and  forth  through  the  crowded 
streets  of  a  city  in  a  huge  life  destroying  automo- 
bile add  anything  to  the  prosperity  or  happiness  of 
the  people." 


EARI.  D.  REYNOLDS. 

I-l.'irl  D.  Reynolds,  one  of  the  members  of  the 
Winnebago  county  bar,  who  since  1896  has  en- 
gaged in  the  practice  of  law  in  Rockford.  was 
l)orn  in  Hancock  county.  Ohio,  in  1866.  his  par- 
ents being  \olney  and  Christiana  (Smith)  Rey- 
nolds. In  1867  the  father  left  his  farm  in  Ohio 
and  removed  to  ijie  vicinity  of  Waldron.  Hillsdale 
county.  Michigan,  there  securing  a  tract  of  land. 
He  devoted  his  attention  to  general  farming  and 
stock  raising  and  still  resides  in  that  locality. 

No  event  of  special  importance  occurred  to 
\ary  the  routine  of  farm  life  for  Mr.  Reynolds  in 
his  youth.  He  worked  in  the  fields  and  meadows 
and  gained  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  best 
methods  of  caring  for  stock  and  the  crops.     In 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


66i 


the  winter  months  he  attended  the  district  schools 
and  later  became  a  student  at  Hillsdale  College, 
Michigan,  where  he  completed  his  course  by  grad- 
uation with  the  class  of  1891.  When  eighteen 
years  of  age  he  began  teaching  and  followed  that 
profession  at  intervals  while  attending  college. 
He  taught  for  several  years  in  North  Adams 
school  in  Hillsdale  county,  ultimately  becoming 
its  principal,  and  with  a  view  to  engaging  in  the 
practice  of  law,  he  matriculated  in  the  law  depart- 
ment of  the  University  of  Michigan  at  Ann  Arbor 
and  was  graduated  therefrom  in  1896.  In  the 
autumn  of  the  same  year  he  came  to  Rockford 
and  entered  upon  practice.  He  now  has  a  large 
library  in  his  office  on  East  State  street  over  the 
Manufacturers'  Bank.  His  clientage  has  steadily 
increased  and  his  practice  is  now  of  a  large  and 
important  character.  He  prepares  his  cases  with 
thoroughness  and  in  presenting  his  cause  before 
court  or  jur>'  he  is  logical  and  forceful  in  his 
reasoning  and  seldom,  if  ever,  at  error  in  citing 
a  similar  case  or  quoting  an  authority'. 

In  1891  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Reynolds 
and  Miss  Florence  Keith,  of  Boone  county,  Illi- 
nois, a  daughter  of  Lewis  and  Louisa  Keith,  who 
are  represent^^d  on  another  page  of  this  volume. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reynolds  have  four  children — 
Keith,  now  twelve  years  of  age ;  Lorenzo,  nine 
years ;  Dorothy,  five  years  ;  and  Lois,  eighteen  ; 
months. 

Mr.  Reynolds  has  always  been  interested  in  the 
cause  of  education  and  has  rendered  effective  serv- 
ice for  the  schools  of  Rockford  while  acting  as  a 
member  of  the  board,  being  elected  over  five  years 
ago,  and  is  the  present  incumbent.  Fraternally  he 
is  connected  with  Rockford  lodge.  No.  102,  A. 
F.  &  A.  M.,  and  is  also  affiliated  with  the  Elks 
and  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  and  is  the 
attorney  for  the  last  named.  Throughout  his  pro- 
fessional career  he  has  lived  in  Rockford,  where 
he  is  steadily  working  his  way  upward  by  dili- 
gent effort  and  devotion  to  the  interests  of  his 
clients.  During  the  last  year  and  a  half  he  was 
assistant  attorney-general  of  the  state  under  At- 
torney-General H.  J.  Hamlin. 


SILAS  W.  SHIRLEY. 

Silas  W.  Shirley,  who  has  retired  from  active 
business  life  and  resides  in  the  village  of  Cherry 
Valley,  was  for  many  years  actively  connected 
with  agricultural  interests  and  now  owns  two 
farms,  one  lying  in  Boone  county  and  the  other 
in  De  Kalb  county,  but  both  near  the  village  in 
which  he  makes  his  home.  His  landed  possessions 
aggregate  seven  hundred  and  fifts-  acres  and  the 
places  are  well  improved  and  valuable. 

Mr.  Shirley  is  a  native  son  of  Boone  county,  his 
birth  having  occurred  about  two  miles  from  Cher- 
38 


ry  \  alley,  in  1846,  his  parents  being  Lewis  and 
Lucinda  (Keith)  Shirley,  both  of  whom  are  now 
deceased.  The  father  was  born  in  Ohio,  March 
1,  1820,  and  when  twenty  years  of  age  came  to 
Illinois  with  his  parents.  His  father,  Joseph  Shir- 
ley, was  born  in  1793  and  located  in  Cherry  Valley 
township,  where  he  resided  for  a  number  of  years, 
removing  later  in  life  to  Iowa.  His  last  days  were 
spent  in  Black  Hawk  county,  that  state,  where 
he  passed  away  August  11,  1864.  His  wife,  who 
was  born  April  11,  1797,  died  October  5,  1868,  in 
Black  Hawk  county.  After  coming  to  this  state 
Lewis  Shirley  located  on  a  farm  in  Boone  county 
in  Cherr}'  Valley,  and  this  land  is  now  owned  by 
his  son  Silas.  There  he  carried  on  agricultural 
pursuits  for  many  years,  biit  later  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  village  of  Cherry  Valley,  where  he 
died  on  the  13th  of  May,  1898.  His  wife,  Lu- 
cinda (Keith)  Shirley,  was  also  from  Ohio,  ar- 
riving in  this  section  of  Illinois  in  1839.  She  was 
born  September  15.  1820,  and  died  November  i. 
1888,  in  Cherr\-  Valley  township.  In  their  family 
were  six  children — Elizabeth,  who  was  born  Oc- 
tober 31,  1844,  is  the  wife  of  Captain  Van  Wort, 
a  resident  of  De  Kalb  county.  Silas  W.  is  the 
second.  Lucrctia,  born  Januan'  6,  1849,  i^  living 
in  Cherry  Valle}-.  Phoebe  Jane,  born  April  2, 
1831.  is  the  wife  of  William  Thompson,  a  resident 
of  Kirkland,  Illinois.  G.  B..  born  November  28, 
1855,  is  a  farmer  of  Cherry  A'alley  township.  L. 
E.,  Ijoni  March  13,  i860,  is  an  insurance  agent, 
residing  in  Cedar  county,  Iowa. 

Silas  W.  Shirley  spent  his  boyhood  days  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  village  in  which  he  now  makes  his 
home  and  throughout  his  active  business  life  car- 
ried on  farming.  He  was  married  here  October 
22,  1873,  to  Miss  Julia  E.  Taylor,  a  native  of  No- 
ble county,  Ohio,  and  a  daughter  of  James  and 
Rosella  (Roach)  Taylor,  who  took  up  their  abode 
in  Boone  count}-,  Illinois,  in  1865,  settling  in 
Flora  township.  They  were  farming  people  and 
both  are  now  deceased.  The  father,  who  was 
born  in  England,  October  9,  1810,  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1817,  at  which  time  he  settled  in  Ohio,  his 
death  occurring  in  Boone  county.  July  22.  1893. 
His  wife,  who  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1817,  died  in 
Boone  county  November  29,  1874.  Mrs.  Shirley 
was  one  of  a  family  of  eleven  children,  all  of 
whom  were  born  in  Ohio,  while  five  are  yet  living. 
The  family  record  is  as  follows:  Harriet,  the 
deceased  wife  of  William  Lee ;  Hulda,  the  wife  of 
Daniel  Cronkhite,  who  follows  farming  near  Kirk- 
land, De  Kalb  county;  Mrs.  Hannah  Mason,  liv- 
ing in  Wirt  county.  Virginia  ;  Mrs.  Shirley  ;  Beu- 
lah,  twin  sister  of  Julia,  who  died  in  infancy ; 
Walter  S.,  who  resides  on  the  old  homestead  in 
Boone  county ;  Charles  R.,  a  farmer  of  De  Kalb 
county ;  Irene,  who  died  in  Ohio ;  Elvin,  who  died 
in  Illinois:  Lily,  the  deceased  wife  of  Charles 
Clinite ;  and  Willard,  who  died  in  infancy. 


662 


PAST     AND     PRESEXT    OF     WI.WEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Mr.  and  j\lrs.  Shirley  have  two  sons — Eugene, 
bom  November  28,  1874,  and  now  Hving  in  De 
Kalb  count)-,  married  Dora  Mack,  and  has  a 
(lan.tihter.  Ruth:  and  LcRoy.  burn  May  11.  1877, 
is  a  pattern-niaki.r  hving  witli  his  parents.  In 
pohtics  Mr.  Shirley  is  a  republican  antl  served  as 
trustee  of  Chcrr>-  \'alley  at  the  time  the  village 
was  incorporated.  He  belongs  to  the  Masonic 
lodge  lliere  and  liis  son  LeRoy  is  a  thirty-second- 
degree  Mason  and  a  Shriner,  belonging  to  the 
commander}-  of  Rockford.  For  many  years  Mr. 
Shirley  worked  persistently  and  energetically  in 
the  conduct  of  his  farm  and  as  the  years  passed 
he  added  annually  to  his  income  until  now. 
with  a  desirable  competence  to  supply  him  with 
the  comforts  of  life,  he  is  living  retired  in  Cherry- 
Valley,  having  many  warm  friends  there. 


JOHN  R.  I 'LACK. 


John  R.  Place,  now  deceased,  was  born  in  Co- 
lumbia county.  New  York,  September  27,  1841, 
his  parents  being  John  and  Ann  (Cowse)  Place, 
and  when  a  lad  of  ten  years  was  brought  by  his 
parents  to  the  west,  the  family  settling  in  Dur- 
and  township,  Winnebago  county,  upon  a  farm 
on  section  28.  Two  sons  of  the  family  are  yet 
living  in  Durand:  David,  who  is  married  and 
has  a  son  and  daughter,  and  Marsden.  who  is 
married  and  has  two  sons.  The  sister  of  Mr. 
Place  is  Mrs.  Samantha  Davis,  tiie  wife  of 
George  Davis,  of  I'.urritt  lownshi]).  and  they 
have  five  sons  and  two  daughters  living. 

John  R.  Place  was  reared  to  farm  life  and  ac- 
quired his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  the 
locality.  Pie  early  became  familiar  with  the  best 
methods  of  tilling  the  soil  and  caring  for  stock 
and  throughout  his  active  business  career  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuits  with  excellent  success. 
He  was  also  a  capable  schoolteacher  in  early 
manhood. 

On  the  22d  of  June.  1865,  Mr.  Place  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  .\manda  Morris,  of 
Durand  townshii).  a  daughter  of  William  and 
Mehetable  (Riche)  Morris.  Mrs.  Place  was 
born  in  Montgomery  county,  Indiana,  May  6, 
1840,  and  in  1842  was  brought  by  her  parents  to 
Durand  township.  Her  father  was  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  born  September  27,  1807,  and 
when  young  went  w'ith  his  parents  to  Indiana, 
where  he  was  married  to  Mehel.ible  Riche  on 
the  29tli  of  .\ugust,  1833.  They  remained  in  the 
Hoosier  state  until  1842  and  then  cast  in  their 
lot  with  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Winnebago  coun- 
ty, where  ^Ir.  Morris  carried  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  until  his  death  on  the  16th  of 
March,  1858.  His  wife,  who  was  born  October 
28,  1812,  in  the  state  of  New  York,  died  at  the 
home  of  her  son  in  Durand  township,  January 


8,  1903,  having  for  almost  f(jrty-five  years  sur- 
vived her  husband.  Mr.  Morris  was  a  soldier  of 
the  Black  Hawk  war  and  was  a  prominent  pioneer 
settler,  aiding  in  laying  strong  and  deep  the 
foundation  for  the  present  pros|)erity  and  prog- 
ress of  the  county.  Mrs.  Place  has  three  broth- 
ers— .\ndrew  J.  Murris,  who  is  living  in  Davis, 
Illinois,  and  has  two  sons  and  two  daughters ; 
L.  J.  Morris,  of  Durand.  who  has  two  daugh- 
ters ;  and  S.  H.  Morris,  of  Portland,  Oregon,  who 
has  one  son. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Place  were  born  three 
daughters  and  two  suns,  .\ndrew  M..  born  in 
Durand  township.  June  9,  1876,  is  now  living  on 
the  old  homestead  farm.  He  was  married  May 
31.  1899.  to  Cora  Belle  Bleakley,  of  Mount  Car- 
roll. Illinois,  who  was  born  in  Pittsburg.  Penn- 
sylvania, January  13.  1875,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
James  and  .\nna  (lUaney)  Bleakley.  .Vndrew  M. 
Place  and  his  wife  have  one  daughter,  Gladys 
M..  born  February  8,  1902.  .\lva  J.  Place,  born 
December  7,  1882,  is  living  in  Durand  township 
and  married  Myrtle  .Atkinson,  of  Shirland 
township,  by  wiiom  he  has  one  son.  ^lorris  G. 
Lottie,  born  Jiuie  24,  1866.  is  the  wife  of  Charles 
Thomas,  of  .\von.  Wisconsin,  and  has  seven  sons 
and  four  daughters.  Kittie  F,..  born  November 
2.  1877.  is  the  wife  of  Thomas  Tierney,  of  Irv- 
ington,  California.  Eva  A.,  born  October  16, 
1868.  bcame  the  wife  of  Elmer  Harris,  of 
Durand  township,  and  died  December  23,  1898, 
leaving  a  son  and  two  daughters,  one  of  whom 
died  in  infancy. 

^Ir.  Place  departed  this  life  on  the  24th  of 
August.  1890.  after  living  for  thirty  years  upon 
the  old  home  farm,  which  he  left  to  his  family. 
He  was  an  active  member  of  the  Patrons  of 
Ilusbandry.  was  a  rc])ublican  in  politics  and 
held  many  township  offices,  the  duties  of  which 
he  discharged  with  promptness  and  fidelity. 
In  business  he  was  trustworthy  and  reliable  and 
in  all  life's  relations  commanded  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  those  with  whom  he  was  asso- 
ciated. ]\Irs.  Place  now  manages  the  property, 
comprising  two  hundred  and  eighty-three  acres 
on  sections  12,  13  and  14,  Durand  township. 
She  has  long  been  a  resident  of  the  county  and 
the  circle  of  her  friends  is  an  extensive  one. 


S.  A.  NEMETH. 


S.  A.  Nemeth,  proprietor  of  a  tailoring  estab- 
lishment in  Rockford,  was  born  in  Omaha,  Ne- 
braska, in  1870.  and  is  a  son  of  Martin  and  Mary 
(Loss)  Nemeth.  The  father,  a  native  of  Austria, 
caiue  to  the  United  .States  in  the  '60s  and  made 
his  way  direct  to  Omaha.  Nebraska.  In  that  local- 
ity he  purchased  land  and  carried  on  fanuing  until 
1882,  when  he  removed  to  South  Bend,  Indiana, 


MR.  AND  MRS.  JOHN  R.  PLACE. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


66s 


where  he  Hved  retired  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  1893.  His  widow  still  survives  him  and 
is  yet  a  resident  of  South  Bend.  In  the  family 
were  five  children,  of  whom  two  died  in  infancy, 
the  others  being:  S.  A.,  of  this  review;  Michael, 
a  cutter,  who  is  living  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio ;  and 
Rose,  who  is  with  her  mother  in  South  Bend. 

S.  A.  Nemeth  was  a  district-school  student  in 
Nebraska  and  completed  his  education  in  Notre 
Dame  University,  Indiana.  About  the  same  time 
he  learned  the  tailor's  trade,  becoming  a  cutter. 
He  was  graduated  from  the  university  in  1891  and 
immediately  afterward  went  to  Battle  Creek, 
Michigan,  where  he  secured  a  position  as  cutter, 
acting  there  in  that  capacity  for  three  or  four 
years.  In  1894  he  went  to  Jackson,  Mississippi, 
where  he  spent  three  years,  and  in  1897  he  located 
in  Lafayette,  Indiana,  where  he  was  employed  at 
his  trade  for  four  and  a  half  years.  The  year  1901 
witnessed  his  arrival  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  where 
he  was  a  cutter  for  G.  S.  Rogers,  one  of  the  prom- 
inent tailors  of  that  city.  He  came  to  Rockford 
on  the  1 8th  of  August,  1902.  and  entered  the  em- 
ploy- of  the  E.  &  W.  Clothing  Company,  which 
he  represented  as  a  salesman  until  the  spring  of 
1905,  when  he  opened  a  tailoring  establishment  of 
his  own  at  No.  313  North  State  street,  where  he 
now  carries  a  fine  line  of  men's  tailoring  goods 
and  has  already  secured  a  good  patronage,  the 
public  having  become  acquainted  with  his  work 
during  the  previous  years  of  his  residence  here. 

Mr.  Nemeth  was  married  on  the  loth  of  Sep- 
tember, 1902,  in  Belvidere,  Illinois,  to  Miss  Dora 
A.  Jarvis,  of  Independence,  Iowa.  They  have 
one  daughter,  who  was  born  November  20.  1904. 
Fraternally  Mr.  Nemeth  is  connected  with  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  of  Cleveland,  and  with  the 
Elks  and  Eagles  at  Rockford.  He  has  met  suc- 
cess in  business  since  his  residence  here  and  has 
gained  the  favorable  regard  of  many  with  whom 
he  has  been  brought  in  contact.  He  possesses 
the  force  of  character  which  realizes  that  success 
depends  upon  the  individual  and  not  upon  envir- 
onment, and  by  thorough  mastery  of  his  trade  and 
capability  in  his  workmanship  he  has  advanced 
steadily  and  is  now  the  proprietor  of  a  growing 
business  in  his  adopted  city. 


RUFUS  H.  BURRITT. 

Among  the  residents  of  Rockford  formerl\-  en- 
gaged in  farming  but  now  living  retired,  is  Rufus 
H.  Burritt,  a  native  of  the  Empire  state,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  Ira,  Cayuga  county,  September 
23.  1842.  His  parents  were  Charles  and  Laura 
M.  (Remington)  Burritt.  The  father  was  born 
near  Roxburv,  Connecticut,  January  9,  1813,  and 
was  a  son  of  Lewis  Eben  and  Polly  (Warner) 
Burritt.    After  starting  out  upon  his  business  ca- 


reer he  followed  the  occupation  of  farming  and 
later  engaged  in  the  hardware  and  furniture  busi- 
ness in  Weeds|")ort,  New  York,  where  he  resided 
until  he  came  with  his  family  to  Rockford,  in 
1854.  He  spent  the  following  winter  in  the  city 
and  then  purchased  a  tract  of  land  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  Owen  township,  upon  which 
he  spent  his  remaining  days,  developing  there  a 
good  and  well  improved  farm.  In  his  family  were 
four  sons  and  three  daughters,  namely:  Mrs. 
Lucy  Ann  Moore,  who  is  living  in  Redlands,  Cal- 
ifornia; George  A.,  who  died  leaving  a  family  in 
Owen  township :  Rufus  H. :  Frances  M.,  the  wife 
of  Charles  Brown,  of  Rockford  township  ;  Dwight 
N.,  of  Los  Angeles,  California:  Ida  M.,  the  wife 
of  Fred  Knapp,  of  California,  and  Charles  L.,  liv- 
ing at  Compton,  California. 

Rufus  H.  Burritt  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  Owen  township,  having  been  brought 
bv  his  parents  to  Winnebago  county  in  early 
vouth.  He  was  one  of  the  sokUers  that  Illinois 
furnished  to  the  LInion,  for  he  enlisted  in  1864  as 
a  member  of  Company  M.  Eighth  Illinois  Cavalry, 
serving  for  a  year  and  a  half,  or  until  the  close  of 
the  war.  He  was  kept  in  Washington  doing 
picket  duty  and  participated  in  several  skirmishes 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  capital  city.  Following  the 
close  of  hostilities  he  returned  to  his  home  and 
was  engaged  in  farming.  He  rented  land  for 
three  vears  and  then  purchased  one  hundred  and 
sixtv  acres  in  Owen  township,  which  he  continued 
to  cultivate  and  improve  until  January,  1886, 
when  he  removed  to  Rockford,  where  he  has  since 
resided  and  is  now  living  a  retired  life.  He  owns 
a  fine  residence  on  Summer  street  and  his  wife 
owns  an  attractive  dwelling  where  they  reside  at 
No.  624  Ashland  avenue. 

Air.  Burritt  was  married  May  28,  1862,  to  Miss 
]\Iar}-  Jane  Rorebeck,  who  was  born  in  the  state 
of  New  York  and  came  west  when  a  child.  Her 
father,  Edwin  F.  Rorebeck,  was  a  farmer.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Burritt  became  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  of  whonT  five  are  yet  living:  Fred  E., 
who  married  Gertrude  M.  Patterson,  and  lives  in 
Pullman,  Illinois  ;  Rena  Alice,  the  wife  of  Fred 
J.  Corrv,  a  resident  of  La  Crosse,  Wisconsin; 
Walter  Roy,  who  married  Ida  Erffmeyer  and  lives 
on  a  farm  in  Kishwaukee  township  ;  Leta  Mary, 
the  wife  of  Roy  R.  Skinner,  who  is  with  Burr 
Brothers,  of  Rockford :  and  Bert  N.,  who  married 
yiaud  Cain,  and  resides  in  Rockford.  One  daugh- 
ter, Eva  L..  became  the  wife  of  A.  G.  Steward 
and  is  now  deceased,  while  Mr.  Steward  resides 
in  Owen.  Mrs.  Burritt  was  called  to  her  final  rest 
September  18,  1897,  and  on  the  i8th  of  June,  1903, 
:sir.  Burritt  was  married  to  Mrs.  Mary  J.  Hall, 
a  daughter  of  John  Hamilton  and  Mary  (Agnew) 
McEvoy.  Bvher  first  husband  she  had  four  chil- 
dren :    Vernon  J.,  who  is  a  professor  of  chemistry 


666 


PAST     A\D    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


in  the  Northwestern  University  at  Evanston,  Illi- 
nois; Clare  H.,  who  lives  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio; 
Willis  W..  of  Chicago;  and  Mary  F.  Hall,  who  is 
living  with  her  mother. 

Mr.  liurritt  is  a  rcpuijlicaii,  who  has  served  as 
road  commissioner  and  was  also  town  clerk  for 
three  years.  He  belongs  to  the  G.  L.  Nevius 
post.  No.  I.  G.  .\.  R.:  the  Royal  Arcannm,  the 
Home  Fraternal  League  and  the  Knights  and  La- 
dies of  Sccuritv,  and  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the 
Congregational  clnirch.  Having  sold  his  farm, 
Mr.  Burritt  purchased  cit>-  property.  When  he 
had  his  country  home  it  was  characterized  by  the 
utmost  neatness  in  every-  department  and  he  has 
ever  been  systematic  and  methodical  in  his  work. 
The  same  splendid  appearance  is  indicative  of  his 
city  home  and  gives  evidence  of  his  careful  and 
painstaking  supervision.  His  work  has  been 
crowned  with  a  merited  measure  of  success  and 
with  a  desirable  competence,  he  is  now  enjoying 
the  comforts  and  manv  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 


R1C11.\RD   jollXS. 


.\mong  tho-se  to  whom  has  been  vouchsafed 
an  honorable  retirement  from  labor  in  recog- 
nition of  active  and  successful  toil  in  former 
vears  is  Richard  Johns,  now  living  in  Rockford. 
A  native  of  England,  he  spent  the  days  of  his 
boyhood  and  youth  in  that  country.  He  is  a 
son  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Lightfoot)  Johns, 
who  were  also  natives  of  that  country,  whence 
they  came  to  .America  two  years  after  the  ar- 
rival of  their  .son  Richard.  The  father  died  at 
the  age  of  scventy-si.x  years,  while  his  wife 
passed  away  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years. 
Both  were  consistent  members  of  the  Methodist 
church. 

When  a  young  man  of  twenty-two  years 
Richard  Johns,  desirous  of  Ijcnefiling  his  finan- 
cial condition  by  taking  advantage  of  the  better 
business  opportunities  of  the  new  world,  bade 
adieu  to  friends  and  native  land  and  on  a  lum- 
ber vessel  crossed  the  .\tlanlic  to  Quebec, 
Canada,  reaching  his  destination  after  a  six 
weeks'  voyage.  He  did  not  remain  in  the  Do- 
minion, however,  but  at  once  resumed  his  jour- 
ney across  the  country  to  Illinois,  settling  in 
Rockford,  in  1850,  where ,  for  three  years  he 
was  a  representative  of  the  butchering  business. 
On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  returned  to 
his  native  country  and  in  Cornwall,  England, 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Jane  .\. 
Hocken,  a  native  of  that  county,  descended  from 
Cornish  ancestry.  The  young  couple  at  once 
started  for  the  I'nited  States  and  after  ten 
weeks  spent  u])on  the  ocean  reached  the 
shores     of     the     new     world.        Mrs.      Johns' 


parents  always  continued  residents  of  Eng- 
land and  her  father,  John  Hocken,  was  ac- 
cidentally killed  by  the  premature  discharge  of 
a  gun  when  forty-two  years  of  age.  His  wife, 
long  surviving  him,  was  in  her  seventy-seventh 
year  when  called  to  her  final  rest.  They  were 
members  of  the  Independent  church  of  England, 
and  Mrs.  Johns  was  the  second  of  their  ten  chil- 
dren. 

( )n  again  reaching  Winnebago  county  Mr. 
Johns  t(jok  his  bride  to  a  farm  and  for  a  mnn- 
bcr  of  years  prior  to  their  removal  to  the  city 
of  Rockford  they  lived  in  Ri:)ckford  township, 
where  he  devoted  his  time  and  energies  to  the 
tilling  of  the  soil  and  to  the  raising  of  stock. 
He  started  out  in  life  empty-handed  but  has 
gradually  worked  his  way  u]>wanl,  brooking  no 
obstacles  that  could  l)e  overcome  by  persistent 
and  honorable  effort,  lie  found  that  labor  is  the 
basis  of  all  success  and  by  his  untiring  efforts 
and  capable  management  he  became  the  owner 
of  valuable  property,  formerly  owning  five  hun- 
dred and  fortv  acres  of  rich  land  and  now  one 
hundred  and  thirty-five  acres  near  the  city,  which 
brings  to  him  a  s])lendid  rental  and  supplies  him 
with  all  the  comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries 
of  life.  The  land  is  not  only  productive  but  is 
also  underlaid  with  a  splendid  grade  of  stone, 
so  that  a  quarry  has  been  oi)ened  and  successfully 
oi)erated. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johns  have  been  born 
eight  children :  Emma,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Walter  H.  Morey,  of  Spencer,  Iowa,  and  died 
leaving  five  sons;  Nathaniel,  who  wedded  Min- 
nie .'^afl'ord  and  is  engaged  in  general  farming 
in  Rockford  township :  \\'ill  R..  who  married 
Carrie  Rowe  and  resides  near  this  city ;  Nellie, 
the  wife  of  John  D.  Safford.  a  resident  farmer 
of  Rockford  township :  Frank,  who  married  .\da 
Sauber  and  carries  on  general  farming  in 
Rockford  township ;  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Henry 
E.  Sauber,  who  is  connected  with  a  furniture 
company  in  Rockford ;  Flora  H..  the  wife  of 
George  Sauber :  and  .\lbert  C.  now  in  Denver. 
Colorado,  who  married  Nellie  Poarcher. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johns  have  now  traveled  life's 
journey  together  for  fifty-two  years,  sharing 
with  each  other  its  joys  and  sorrows,  its  ad- 
versitv  and  jjrosperity.  The  energies  and  labors 
of  the  husband  have  been  supplemented  by  the 
careful  management  of  the  wife,  and  together 
they  have  acquired  a  goodly  share  of  this 
world's  possessions,  .so  tiiat  they  are  now  living 
in  comfort  and  ease  in  Rockford.  having  a  pleas- 
ant home  .-It  No.  52S  Palm  street.  They  have 
gained  many  friends  iii  the  city  and  they  also 
have  a  large  circle  of  acquaintances  in  Rockford 
and  other  townships  because  of  their  long  resi- 
dence in  the  comity  and  their  genuine  worth.  Mr. 
Johns  has  never  liad  occasion   to  regret  his  dc- 


RKIIAKI)   lOHXS. 


MRS.  RICHARD   JOHNS. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


671 


termination  to  seek  a  home  in  the  new  world, 
for  here  he  has  found  the  opportunities  he 
sought,  which  by  the  way  are  always  open  to 
ambitious  young  men  and  through  the  use  of  his 
advantages  he  has  become  a  substantial  citizen, 
possessed  of  a  gratifying  competence. 


ABRAHA^I  L.  CO:\ILY. 

.\braham  L.  Conily.  a  representative  farmer  of 
Seward  township,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  Sep- 
tember 18,  1852,  his  parents  being  Charles  and 
]\Iary  (Ludwig)  Comly.  The  father  was  born  in 
Alilton,  Northumberland  county,  Pennsylvania, 
October  22,  1814.  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Catherine 
(Hunter)  Comly.  Thomas  Comly  was  born  in 
Chester  county.  Pennsylvania.  August  17.  1789, 
and  was  a  son  of  Ezra  and  Hannah  (Wedell) 
Comly  and  a  descendant  of  one  Henry  Comly,  who 
in  1682  accompanied  William  Penn  from  England 
to  the  new  world.  This  Henry  Comly  was  mar- 
ried to  Agnes  Heaton  on  the  17th  of  August,  1695. 
Thomas  Wedell  emigrated  from  England  to  the 
United  States  in  1700,  and  was  married  April  9, 
1705.  to  Rebecca  \Mlliams. 

Ezra  Comly,  great-grandfather  of  our  subject, 
was  a  lumber  merchant  and  died  in  Northumber- 
land county,  Pennsylvania,  when  eighty  years  of 
age,  while  his  wife's  death  occurred  there  when 
she  was  in  her  eighty-fourth  year.  Their  son. 
Thomas  Comly,  married  Catherine  Hunter,  who 
was  born  July  6,  1799,  in  Northumberland  coun- 
ty. Pennsylvania,  and  spent  her  last  days  in  Ly- 
coming county,  that  state,  where  she  died  at  the 
age  of  seventy-six  years.  She  was  a  daughter  of 
David  and  Isabella  ( Patterson )  Hunter,  and  her 
father,  a  native  of  Ireland,  died  in  Lycoming 
county,  Pennsylvania,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight 
years,  leaving  a  wife  and  seven  children.  His 
wife,  Mrs.  Isabella  Hunter,  was  born  in  the  Key- 
stone state  and  died  in  Lycoming  county  when 
sixty-six  years  of  age.  She  belonged  to  the  Pat- 
terson family,  who  were  of  Scotch-Irish  descent, 
while  the  Conilys  were  among  the  old  and  promi- 
nent families  of  the  United  States. 

Charles  Comly,  father  of  our  subject,  remained 
at  home  until  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  on  the 
8th  of  December,  1856,  was  married  in  Union 
countv,  Pennsylvania,  to  Alisss  Mary  Ludwig, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Berks  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, January  3.  1816.  her  parents  being  Abram 
and  Hannah  (Bower)  Ludwig,  natives  of  the 
Keystone  state,  but  who  died  in  Laporte  county, 
Indiana,  at  the  ages  of  seventy-eight  and  eighty 
years  respectively.  The  Ludwig  family  were  of 
German  lineage,  and  the  first  ancestors  in  Amer- 
ica settled  in  Pennsylvania  at  an  earlv  dav. 


Following  his  marriage  Charles  Comly  worked 
by  the  month  for  four  years,  and  then  operated 
rented  land  for  three  years,  after  which  he  pur- 
chased sixty-four  acres  in  Pennsylvania,  contin- 
uing its  cultivation  until  1854.  He  then  sold  his 
property  in  the  east  and  came  to  Winnebago 
coimty,  Illinois,  settling  on  a  partially  improved 
fann  of  one  himdred  and  sixty  acres,  on  which  he 
long  made  his  home.  He  placed  excellent  build- 
ings there,  developed  the  fields  and  carried  on  his 
tarm  work  along  modern,  progressive  ideas,  be- 
coming known  as  a  model  agriculturist  of  the 
community.  In  his  later  years,  however,  he  lived 
retired,  passing  away  in  igoi  at  the  advanced  age 
of  eighty-seven  years,  while  his  wife  died  in  1904, 
when  eighty-four  years  of  age.  In  politics  Mr. 
Comly  was  a  democrat,  but  never  cared  to  hold 
office,  although  he  acted  as  road  commissioner  and 
was  school  director  for  a  number  of  years.  He 
preferred  to  concentrate  his  energies  upon  his 
business  affairs,  and  at  one  time  was  the  owner 
of  four  hundred  acres  of  valuable  land,  but  event- 
ually he  removed  from  the  farm  to  the  village  of 
Pecatonica.  where  he  spent  the  last  six  months  of 
his  life.  He  retired  from  active  business  about 
fifteen  years  before  leaving  the  farm.  ]\Ir.  and 
Mrs.  Comly  were  the  parents  of  eleven  children : 
Lucy,  who  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-five  years ; 
Isabella  P..  the  wife  of  E.  Anderson,  of  Peca- 
tonica township,  by  whom  she  has  four  living  chil- 
dren ;  Caroline,  the  wife  of  Daniel  Sears,  of 
Iowa,  by  whom  she  has  seven  living  children ; 
Flannah  M.,  a  resident  of  Pecatonica  and  the 
widow  of  Henry  Maley,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  forty  years,  leaving  four  children,  of  whom 
one,  ^Mrs.  John  .\nderson,  has  since  died ; 
Catherine,  the  widow  of  Peter  Connell.  who  died 
in  1896:  ^[ar\-  E.,  the  wife  of  Ambrose  Searls, 
of  Sanborn,  Iowa,  who  has  two  living  children : 
Thomas,  residing  in  Pecatonica;  Abraham  L.,  of 
this  review ;  Charles  Hunter,  of  Iowa  Falls.  Iowa, 
who  married  Fannie  !\Iitchell  and  has  one  child ; 
John  B..  who  is  married  and  lives  in  La- 
dell,  .South  Dakota;  and  Edwin  D..  who  married 
Jennie  Lincoln  and  resides  in  Seward  township 
and  has  three  children. 

Abraham  L.  Comly  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools,  and  through  the  periods  of  vacation 
worked  upon  the  home  farm  imtil  twenty-one 
years  of  age.  when  he  went  to  California,  spend- 
ing two  years  on  the  Pacific  coast.  He  followed 
teaming  and  farming  in  Sacramento  valley,  and 
also  tried  mining  for  a  time.  L'pon  his  return  to 
Illinois  he  settled  in  Seward  township,  where  for 
three  years  he  operated  rented  land  and  then  pur- 
chased eighty  acres,  to  which  he  has  added  as  his 
financial  resources  have  increased  until  he  now 
owns  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  acres.  He  has 
carried   on   general   agricultural   pursuits,   and   is 


672 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


also  huyincj  and  k-cdiiii;  cattle,  liaiidlins;'  about 
three  carloads  each  year.  He  buys  cattle  to  feed 
in  the  ChicajSfo  market.  He  is  also  a  dealer  in 
mules  and  horses,  which  he  ])urchase(l  by  the  car- 
load. 

On  the  4lh  of  December,  i^jj,.  .\lr.  Comly  was 
married  to  Miss  Mary  .\.  Marks,  a  danshtcr  of 
Nathaniel  and  .Mary  .\nn  (.Miller)  .Marks,  the 
former  born  in  .Vortlnnnberland  coimtv.  Pennsyl- 
vania. .\|)ril  2(y.  i8,U.  whicli  the  latter  was  born 
in  llerks  county.  I'ennsN Ivania,  ( )ctober  16,  1829. 
.^he  is  still  livinsj.  makintj  her  home  in  Pecatonica 
with  her  daufjliter.  but  .Mr.  Marks  departed  this 
life  in  up^.  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine  years.  He 
came  to  W'innebatjo  county  in  March.  1861.  and 
bduijht  ciijhty  acres  of  land,  which  he  afterward 
sold  in  i8<>4  ])rior  to  his  removal  to  Towa,  where 
he  lived  until  the  sjjring  of  iSr/i,  when  he  went  to 
Missouri.  There  he  carried  on  farming  until 
1871,  when  he  again  came  to  this  county,  where 
he  resumed  agricultural  |)ursuits.  at  one  time  own- 
ing and  cidtivating  two  lumdred  and  twenty  acres 
of  land.  He  devnted  his  energies  to  the  raising 
of  cro]is  and  stock,  and  bred  and  raised  some  fine 
Durham  cattle,  having  at  times  from  thirty  to 
fifty  head  in  his  herd,  and  he  sold  many  fine  ani- 
mals. He  was  interested  in  comnuinity  affairs, 
and  acted  as  school  director  for  a  numlier  of 
years.  The  last  five  or  six  years  of  his  life  were 
spent  as  a  retired  farmer,  in  politics  he  was  a 
rei)iihlican.  and  favored  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  L'nto  him  and  his  wife  were  born  seven 
children:  Kate;  Hunter  C,  who  died  in  1894; 
John  M. :  Mary  .\.,  now  Mrs.  Comly:  C.  Wesley: 
Isabelle.  wlm  died  in  childhood:  and  Sarah  A. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Comly.  celc- 
l)rated  December  4.  1903,  has  been  blessed  with 
two  children,  .Minnie  and  Charles  E.  In  politics 
.Mr.  Comly  is  a  democrat.  He  has  contributed  to 
the  su])port  of  various  churches,  and  is  interested 
in  i)rogressive  measures  for  tlie  progress  and  up- 
building nf  his  CDtmty.  where  in  his  farming  op- 
erations he  has  met  with  verv  desirable  success. 


WILLIAM  L.  HARTLEY. 

William  L.  Hartley  is  now  living  a  retired  life 
in  Durand  tovmship,  while  for  inany  years  he  was 
actively  engaged  in  general  agricultural  pursuits, 
owning  and  f)perating  one  hundred  and  forty 
acres  f)f  laufl  on  sections  22  and  2~.  He  is  a  na- 
tive of  Massachusetts,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  Tainitnn  on  the  .v'  <lay  of  May.  1850.  His  pa- 
ternal grandparents  were  natives  of  Fjigland,  and 
the  grandfather  flied  in  Taunton,  Masssachu.setts. 
after  which  the  grandmother  came  to  Wiimebago 
coimty  and  died  upon  the  old  Hartley  homestead 
in  I^urand  township. 


William  Hartley,  father  of  William  L.  Hartley, 
was  born  in  I-jigland  in  i8i(),  and  s|)ent  his  minor- 
ity in  the  land  of  his  birth.  When  twenty-one 
years  of  age  he  sailed  for  the  L  iiited  .States,  land- 
ing at  Philadelphia,  where  he  remained  ill  in  a 
hospital  for  a  short  time.  L'pon  recovering  his 
health  he  went  to  Taunton.  Massachusetts,  and 
Secured  employment  at  his  trade  in  the  locomotive 
works.  There  he  remained  muil  about  1854.  when 
he  brought  his  family  to  Winnebago  countv  and 
settled  ii])on  a  farm  in  IJurand  townshij).  Hav- 
ing installed  his  wife  and  children  in  their  new 
home,  he  then  returned  to  Taunton,  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  accepted  the  position  of  foreman 
in  the  William  Mason  Locomotive  Works.  .After 
many  years  his  wife  die<l,  and  he  then  returned  to 
i-"ngland.  where  his  death  occurred  in  November, 
1887.  .Mrs.  Hartley  bore  the  luaiden  name  of 
Julia  Redfern.  and  was  born  in  England  in  t8i8. 
while  her  death  occurred  upon  the  old  home  farm 
in  Durand  townshij)  in  1884.  The  members  of  her 
family  were  as  follows:  P^verett  C.  born  in  1855. 
is  now  a  ])racticing  physician  at  Carver,  Minne- 
sota, and  has  three  .sons  and  one  daughter.  Ed- 
ward .A.,  who  enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred  and 
I'iftv-fiflh  Illinois  N'olunteer  Infantry  for  service 
in  the  Civil  war.  died  in  a  hospital  at  Memphis, 
Tenncs.see.  Scott  R.  S.  died  January  9,  i89(),  on 
the  old  homestead  in  Durand  township  at  the  age 
of  forty  years,  leaving  a  widow.  Mrs.  Emily 
(  P.arningham)  Hartley  and  a  daughter,  Ethel 
Julia  Hartley.  Julia  .\.  Hartley  became  the  wife 
of  .\menzo  Moyer.  of  Taconia.  Washington,  and 
has  two  sons.  Jane  married  William  Derwent, 
of  Minnea])olis,  Mimiesota,  and  died,  leaving  a 
son  and  daughter.  Amelia  E.  became  the  wife  of 
John  Nelson,  of  Carver.  Minnesota,  and  died  leav- 
ing a  son  and  daughter.  Olive  E.  died  at  the  old 
homestead  in  June.  1875. 

William  L.  Ilartlex'  was  oidy  four  years  old 
when  brought  by  his  jiarents  to  Illinois,  and  has 
resided  in  Durand  township  continuously  since, 
with  the  exception  of  two  years — 1874  and  1875 
— in  Charles  City,  Iowa.  He  has  always  carried 
on  general  agricultural  pursuits  initil  the  present 
year,  i<P5,  when  he  retired  from  active  business 
life  and  rents  his  farm,  which  com|)riscs  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  of  rich  and  productive  land 
on  sections  22  and  27,  Durand  township. 

On  the  1 2th  of  February,  1874,  Mr,  Hartley 
was  married  to  Miss  Sona  .\.  Scott,  a  daughter  of 
Henry  C.  and  Mary  C.  (Muffitt)  Scott,  of  Rur- 
ritt  township.  Her  father  was  born  in  Ohio  in 
1827,  and  in  1840  accompanied  liis  jiarents  to  Bur- 
ritt  townshi]),  where  he  resided  continuously  until 
1875,  when  he  removed  to  Rockford,  Iowa,  living 
there  until  1888.  when  he  took  up  his  alxide  in 
Rockford.  Illinois.  He  now  makes  his  home  in 
the  latter  city,  where  he  is  engaged  in  the  real 
estate  business.      His   wile,  who  was  a   native  of 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


^7^ 


New  York  state,  died  in  Rockford,  Illinois,  No- 
vember 29,  1904.  In  their  family  were  seven  chil- 
dren. Horace  T.,  born  December  22,  1852,  is 
now  farming  near  Rockford,  Iowa,  and  has  one 
son  and  two  daughters.  William  Henrv  died  at 
Cedar  F"alls,  Iowa,  leaving  a  wife  and  two  sons. 
Hattie  E.  is  the  wife  of  N.  C.  Oleson,  of  Cedar 
Falls,  Iowa,  and  has  one  son.  Delia  C.  is  the 
wife  of  Walter  Davis,  of  Waterloo,  Iowa.  Stella 
is  the  wife  of  Seth  Hanchett,  of  Estherville,  Iowa, 
and  has  a  son  and  daughter.  Jessie  M.  is  the 
wife  of  LeRoy  Shumway.  of  Rockford,  and  has 
one  son. 

Unto  i\lr.  and  Mrs.  Hartley  have  been  born 
three  children :  Edward  Everett,  born  Julv  3, 
1875,  and  now  living  in  Chicago,  married  Rose 
Lauburg,  of  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  and  has  a 
son.  Wilfred  Everett,  born  June  9,  1905.  Edward 
E.  Hartley  is  now  cit}-  salesman  for  the  Nichols 
Coal  Company ;  Chester  H.,  born  November  27, 
1877.  is  at  home.  \'era  Maude,  born  June  25, 
1880,  is  engaged  in  teaching  in  the  public  schools. 

Mr.  Hartley  is  a  member  of  Camp  No.  69,  M. 
W.  A.,  of  Dnrand,  and  Durand  lodge,  No.  302, 
A.  F.  &  A.  M.  In  politics  he  is  a  stalwart  repub- 
lican. He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Epis- 
copal church,  and  are  well  known  for  the  posses- 
sion of  characteristics  that  commend  them  to  the 
trust  and  confidence  of  all  who  know  them.  For 
more  than  a  half  century  Mr.  Hartley  has  resided 
in  this  county,  a  witness  of  its  wonderful  growth 
and  development,  and  through  an  active  business 
career  has  gained  a  comfortable  competence  that 
now  enables  him  to  live  retired. 


COLONEL  ALFRED  R.  CHAPIN. 

Colonel  Alfred  R.  Chapin,  who  was  a  com- 
mander of  the  Tenth  Wisconsin  V^olunteer  In- 
fantry during  the  Civil  war,  spent  his  last  years 
in  Rockford,  and  his  widow  now  resides  in  the 
old  family  homestead  which  belonged  to  her  par- 
ents, and  which  is  one  of  the  most  attractive  resi- 
dences of  Rockford.  Colonel  Chapin  was  a  na- 
tive of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  born  July  30.  1825. 
His  parents  were  also  born  in  the  east,  but  both 
died  in  Chicago.  He  acquired  his  education  in 
the  district  schools  near  Rochester,  New  York, 
and  in  1839  came  with  his  parents  to  the  middle 
west,  settling  in  Chicago,  which  had  been  incorpo- 
rated onlv  two  years  before  and  which  was  still 
a  village.  There  he  began  learning  the  tinner's 
trade,  and  soon  became  an  expert  in  making  tea- 
kettles and  winning  a  good  salary  at  piece  work. 
His  strongest  interests,  however,  were  in  the 
drama  and  in  military  life,  and  he  organized  in 
Chicago  a  military  company,  devoting  each  leis- 
ure moment  to  drilling  the  boys  of  that  command. 
Amonp-  the  number  were  General  Frank  Sherman. 


of  Chicago,  and  others,  who  became  distinguished 
in  the  Civil  war.  Colonel  Chapin  worked  at  his 
trade  in  Chicago  for  two  years,  and  about  that 
time,  the  actor,  Brutus  Booth,  filled  an  engage- 
ment in  that  city.  One  of  the  leading  members 
of  his  company  falling  ill  it  was  suggested  that 
he  send  for  the  boy  Alfred  Chapin.  A  message 
from  Booth  was  to  Colonel  Chapin  like  a  royal 
demand — not  to  be  disobeyed.  He  went  and  filled 
the  part  of  the  actor  so  acceptably  that  he  was 
offered  a  permanent  position,  traveling  with  Booth 
and  his  company  throughout  the  remainder  of  the 
season,  in  which  time  his  troop  visited  all  the  large 
cities  in  the  southern  states.  Lipon  his  return  to 
Chicago  Colonel  Chapin  left  the  stage  at  the  de- 
sire of  his  parents.  He  then  enlisted  for  service 
in  tile  Mexican  war,  but  was  not  called  forth  for 
active  duty.  After  being  honorably  discharged  he 
went  to  Port  Washington,  Wisconsin,  where  he 
engaged  in  the  commission  business  for  three 
years,  and  later  he  went  to  Milwaukee.  Wisconsin, 
where  he  was  also  a  commission  merchant,  con- 
ducting important  and  extensive  business  inter- 
ests there. 

His  time  was  thus  occupied  until  after  the  in- 
auguration of  the  Civil  war,  when  in  April,  1861, 
he  responded  to  the  country's  call  for  troops.  He 
had  watched  with  interest  the  progress  of  events 
in  the  south,  and  his  patriotic  spirit  was  aroused 
at  the  attempt  to  overthrow  the  Union.  He  of- 
fered his  aid  to  the  government  and  was  commis- 
sioned adjutant  of  the  First  Wisconsin  Volunteer 
Infantry.  On  the  c;th  of  June  the  regiment  left 
Milwaukee,  going  direct  to  Maryland,  and  later 
Colonel  Chapin  was  promoted  to  colonel  of  the 
Tenth  Wisconsin  Infantry.  He  participated  in 
many  important  engagements.  ]Many  nights  he 
lay  upon  the  battle-field  in  the  pouring  rain,  and 
the  exposure  and  hardships  of  war  undermined 
his  health,  but  he  would  not  give  way  to  disease 
and  remained  with  his  regiment,  continuing  in 
the  service  for  three  years,  although  he  suffered 
much  of  the  time.  On  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  put  aside  the  uniform  of  his  nation  and 
the  insignia  of  his  rank  and  returned  from  Vir- 
ginia to  his  home  in  Milwaukee.  He  never  re- 
covered his  health,  remaining  an  invalid  until  his 
death. 

After  a  brief  period  spent  in  Milwaukee,  Colonel 
Chapin  removed  to  Rockford  because  of  the  fact 
that  his  wife's  parents  were  living  there.  He  then 
purchased  the  residence  in  which  his  widow  now 
resides,  and  it  continued  to  be  his  home  until  his 
death.  It  was  in  Chicago  on  his  twenty-fourth 
birthday  that  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Sarah  H.  Twogood,  a  native  of  New  York  and  a 
daughter  of  William  and  Sarah  (Vandercook) 
Twogood,  a  representative  of  the  old  Vandercook 
family  of  Holland.  Her  ancestors  resided  in  New 
Jersev  at  a  very  early  period  in  its  colonization, 


6/4 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


and  licr  grandfatlier  was  one  of  the  early  settlers 
of  the  east.  He  removed  from  New  Jersey  to 
Troy,  New  York,  where  his  last  days  were  passed. 
Wiliiam  Two>;oo<l,  father  of  Mrs.  Chapin,  was 
horn  near  I'tica,  New  York,  and  served  his  coun- 
try in  the  war  of  1812.  Later  he  started  westward 
with  his  family,  traveling;  in  a  carriage,  and  they 
first  settled  in  Michigan  City.  Indiana.  They  soon 
came  to  W'innehago  county.  Illinois,  heing  among 
the  pioneer  residents  of  this  ]3art  of  the  state.  Mr. 
Twogood  hmught  with  him  a  considerahle  sum 
of  money,  all  in  gold,  and  this  he  invested  in  prop- 
erty, purchasing  two  sections  of  land  in  Cherry 
\'alley  township,  going  to  Galena.  Illinois,  to  pay 
for  the  same.  The  region  was  wild  and  unim- 
])r(ived.  hut  with  keen  foresight  he  believed  in  its 
future  devel()i)ment  and  progress.  He  built  a  log 
house  upon  his  land  and  began  making  imjirove- 
ments,  and  for  seven  years  he  resided  there  and 
engaged  in  farming,  after  which  he  removed  to 
Chicago  to  educate  his  children.  He  still  retained 
the  ownership  of  his  land  in  W'innehago  county, 
however,  and  often  visited  this  district  in  order  to 
su[)erintend  his  i)roperty  interests  here.  In  Chi- 
cago he  purchased  a  lot  on  Michigan  avenue,  near 
old  Fort  Dearborn,  and  built  a  house,  which  he 
occupied  for  several  years.  Subsequently  he  re- 
turned to  W'ninebago  county  and  settled  in  Rock- 
ford,  where  he  lived  retired  until  his  death.  His 
wife  also  passed  away  in  this  city.  The  family 
was  very  ]irominent  liere  at  an  early  day.  and 
Air.  Twogood  was  a  promoter  of  the  moral  ])rog- 
ress  and  prosjierity  of  the  county.  In  his  family 
were  the  following  children:  Mrs.  Chajiin  :  Mrs. 
Satterlee.  who  resides  at  Xo.  2704  Michigan  ave- 
nue. Chicago,  and  is  the  widf)w  of  M.  L.  Satter- 
lee. who  owned  the  first  wholesale  grocery  house 
in  that  city  and  died  there,  but  was  buried  in 
Rockford ;  Mrs.  Janies  F.  Hervey,  residing  at 
2953  Michigan  avemie,  Chicago;  Mrs.  S.  P. 
Jones,  of  Jacksonville,  Oregon  :  James  H.  Two- 
good,  of  Pioise  City.  Idaho:  William  S.  Twogood. 
of  Los  Angeles,  California:  and  Captain  Orestes 
T'>  Twogood.  who  commanded  a  company  in  the 
Civil  war  and  died  at  Ottumwa.  Iowa,  on  the  14th 
of  December,  i^^. 

Tolonel  and  \Frs.  Chapin  had  but  one  child. 
Carrie,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  A.  R.  Coonradt. 
a  very  wealthy  and  prr)mincnt  citizen  of  Rockford. 
and  they  reside  with  her  mother.  They  have  two 
children  who  arc  great  favorites  with  their  grand- 
mother— Alice  T..  who  is  a  graduate  of  Rockford 
College,  and  Arthur  C.  who  completed  a  course 
in  civil  engineering  and  was  graduated  at  the  uni- 
versity in  Pasadena.  California,  in  i<>05.  at  the  age 
of  seventeen  years. 

Coming  to  Rockford  with  his  family.  Colonel 
Chapin  continued  a  resident  of  this  city  until  his 
death,  but  he  never  recovered  his  health  and 
passed  away  on  the  20th  of  December,  iSC/x    Dur- 


ing that  time  he  had  gained  many  warm  friends 
who  greatly  deplored  his  loss.  A  flag  that  had 
been  j^resented  him  by  G.  D.  Norris,  of  Milwau- 
kee, was  tenderly  and  reverently  laid  upon  his 
casket,  and  thus  under  the  stars  and  stripes,  for 
which  his  life  had  virtually  been  given,  his  re- 
mains were  interred  in  the  city  cemetery  on  the 
west  side.  The  funeral  sen'ices  were  held  under 
the  direction  of  the  East  Side  lodge.  A.  F.  &  A. 
.M..  of  which  he  was  a  faithful  member.  His  po- 
litical views  were  in  accordance  with  re]jublican 
jirinciples,  and  he  was  a  member  of  the  Unitarian 
church  at  Milwaukee  and  contributed  generously 
toward  the  erection  of  the  house  of  worship.  That 
he  believed  in  honorable  principles  and  upright 
conduct  was  indicated  by  his  daily  life,  and  in 
every  relation  in  which  he  was  found  he  was  true 
to  his  dutv.  He  ])ossessc(I  excellent  business  and 
executive  force,  and  undoubtedly  had  he  remained 
upon  the  stage  he  would  have  won  fame  because 
of  his  superior  talents  as  an  actor.  He  was 
equally  prominent  and  distinguished  in  his  mili- 
tarv  career,  and  he  won  the  worthy  respect  of  his 
su|)erior  officers  and  the  boys  who  served  under 
him. 


L.   M.   DALl-:. 

Lvcurgus  M.  Dale,  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Dale  &  Seaton,  land  agents  at  Pecatonica,  who 
in  ])revious  years  was  actively  engaged  in  agri- 
cultural pursuits  in  Winnebago  county,  is  a  na- 
tive of  Livingston  county.  New  York,  where  his 
birth  occurred  July  4.  1S50.  His  parents  were 
Th()m])son  and  .\delia  K.  (Satterley)  Dale,  also 
natives  of  the  Fni]iirc  state.  The  father  came 
to  this  county  with  his  family  in  1856  and  lo- 
cated one  mile  north  of  the  town  of  Pecatonica, 
where  he  lived  for  a  year,  when  he  removed  to 
a  farm  about  five  miles  northeast  of  the  town, 
making  his  home  thereon  for  seven  years.  He 
next  took  up  his  abode  at  Elton.  Illinois,  where 
he  resided  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was 
a  cabinet-maker  by  trade  and  conducted  a  shop 
in  Cuylerville.  New  York,  manufacturing  furni- 
ture and  coffins.  He  did  all  of  the  work  in 
those  days  in  connection  with  the  mamifacture 
of  furniture,  including  the  ]iainting  and  decorat- 
ing, and  he  made  all  of  his  own  furniture  which 
he  used  after  his  removal  to  the  west.  He  like- 
wise did  some  cabinet  w-ork  for  others  and  fol- 
lowed ])ainting  to  some  extent,  but  his  attention 
was  chiefly  given  to  agricultural  pursuits  and  to 
the  raising  of  grain,  cattle,  horses  and  hogs.  He 
had  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land,  which 
he  placed  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation. 
While  actively  engaged  in  painting  he  ground 
his  own  paint  dust  and  was  poisoned  from  its 
f tunes,   which   no  doubt  shortened  his  life,   and 


GILBERT  DALE. 


CLIFTON,   L.   M,,  ORVINNIE,   ELEANOR 
NETTIE,  AIRS.  L.  M.  AND  VIOLA  DALE. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


677 


duriiiy-  his  last  eight  years  he  was  in  poor 
health.  He  held  membership  in  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows' lodge  and  rather  favored  the  teachings  of 
the  Baptist  church.  His  political  views  accorded 
with  Jefifersonian  democracy.  He  died  Septem- 
ber 20,  1870,  at  the  age  of  fifty- four  years,  while 
his  wife  passed  away  April  6,  1899,  at  the  age 
of  seventy-seven  years.  In  their  family  were 
eight  children.  Dallas  died  in  infancy.  Homer 
T.,  living  at  Carthage,  ^Missouri,  is  married  and 
has  one  daughter.  Philetus  L.  resides  in  Em- 
poria. Kansas.  Lycurgus  M.  is  the  fourth  of 
the  family.  Lillie  R.  died  at  the  age  of  nine 
years,  three  months  and  three  days.  Chauncey 
C.  died  at  the  age  of  two  years.  Alexander,  a 
tw'in  brother  of  Chauncey,  and  a  resident  of  Em- 
poria, Kansas,  now  has  his  second  wife,  and  tiiey 
have  five  living  children.  Perry  died  at  the  age 
of  eighteen  months. 

Lycurgus  AI.  Dale  remained  at  home  until  the 
age  of  nine  years,  when  he  went  to  work.  He 
followed  the  men  mowing  ha\-  and  turned  the 
hay  all  day  for  ten  cents.  He  worked  in  that 
way  for  three  years  and  at  the  age  of  eleven 
years  he  was  earning  six  dollars  per  month.  As 
his  age  and  strength  increased  and  he  was  able 
to  do  more  labor  his  wages  were  proportionately 
increased.  He  was  employed  as  a  farm  hand  for 
thirteen  summers  and  during  the  last  year  re- 
ceived twenty-five  dollars  per  month.  In  the 
winter  seasons  he  attended  school  until  fifteen 
years  of  age  and  the  winter  that  he  was  sixteen 
years  old  he  and  his  brother,  who  was  two  years 
his  senior,  chopped  one  hundred  cords  of  wood. 
Other  winters  he  engaged  in  teaming  as  well  as 
wood-chopping.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  years  he 
went  to  Iowa,  but  returned  to  Illinois,  where  he 
worked  in  a  mill  and  as  a  farm  hand  by  the 
month  until  twenty-five  years  of  age,  when  he 
began  farming  on  the  shares,  being  thus  engaged 
for  seven  years.  He  then  bought  and  sold 
stock  in  1882,  after  which  he  went  to  Kansas, 
carrying  on  general  pursuits  near  Emporia  for 
three  and  a  half  years,  but  preferring  Illinois  as 
a  place  of  residence,  he  again  returned  to  Win- 
nebago county  and  commenced  farming  on  a 
tract  of  eighty  acres,  on  which  he  lived  until  the 
spring  of  1903,  when  he  purchased  of  John  D. 
Jackson  a  fine  home  in  Pecatonica,  surrounded 
by  five  acres  of  land.  Since  that  tiine  he  has 
himself  been  a  land  agent  and  as  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  Dale  &  Seaton,  his  partner  being  W. 
S.  Seaton,  is  now  doing  a  good  business. 

On  th  28th  of  September,  1875,  Mr.  Dale  was 
married  to  Miss  Clio  Gates,  a  daughter  of  Lo- 
renzo and  Nancy  J.  (Thompson)  Gates.  Her 
father  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Winne- 
bago county,  coming  here  when  thirteen  years 
of  age.  He  broke  the  raw  prairie  and  hauled  his 
wheat  to  Chicago,  also  hauled  dressed  hogs  to 
39 


Galena.  He  was  identified  with  many  of  the 
early  events  which  constitute  the  pioneer  annals 
of  this  part  of  the  state  and  was  widely  recog- 
nized as  a  most  enterprising  agriculturist  of  his 
community.  He  lived  to  see  a  wonderful  trans- 
formation in  the  appearance  and  advantages  of 
the  county  and  passed  away  September  26,  1901, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-four  years,  while  his  wife 
died  in  February,  1897,  in  the  sixty-fifth  year  of 
her  age.  Mr.  Gates  was  a  charter  member  of 
the  Eureka  Camp,  No.  50,  M.  W.  A.,  and  his 
political  allegiance  was  given  to  the  republican 
party.  Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  born  two 
children.  The  son,  Olus,  living  in  Emmet  coun- 
ty, Iowa,  married  Miss  Martha  Weaver  after 
losing  his  first  wife,  and  they  have  one  daughter. 
Mr.  and  J\Irs.  Dale  are  the  parents  of  seven 
children ;  Clifton,  of  Pecatonica  ;  Orvinnie,  the 
wife  of  Byron  ^IcGraw,  and  the  mother  of  one 
daughter ;  Eleanor,  at  home ;  Nettie,  the  wife  of 
G.  Phelps,  of  McHenry  county,  North  Dakota, 
by  whom  she  has  four  children,  three  sons  and 
a  daughter ;  \^iola  and  Gilbert,  both  at  home ; 
and  Rennie,  who  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Dale  has  served  as  school  director  for 
three  years  and  gives  his  political  support  to  the 
republican  party.  He  is  a  member  of  Eureka 
Camp,  No.  50,  M.  W.  A.,  in  which  he  has  affil- 
iated since  1887.  His  wife  is  a  member  of  the 
Fraternal  League  and  she  and  their  daughter 
Eleanor  are  members  of  the  Woman's  Relief 
Corps.  Mrs.  Dale  was  a  school  director  for  two 
years  in  Durand  township  and  Mr.  Dale  was  for 
three  years  in  the  same  township.  They  are 
people  of  the  highest  respectability,  enjoying  the 
favorable  regard  of  many  friends,  and  IMr.Dale 
has  led  a  most  busy  life  since  starting  out  for 
himself  at  the  early  age  of  nine  years.  What- 
ever success  he  has  achieved  is  due  entirely  to 
his  earnest  labors  and  persistency  of  purpose. 


JOHN  HENRY  FROST,  M.  D. 

.Among  the  members  of  the  medical  fraternity  in 
Rockford  Dr.  Frost  has  gained  a  creditable  posi- 
tion, having  a  comprehensive  knowledge  of  mod- 
ern methods  of  practice.  He  was  born  Novem- 
ber 8,  1866,  in  Morrison,  Illinois,  and  is  a  son  of 
John  and  Julia  Deming  (Webb)  Frost,  of  Ogle 
county.  The  maternal  grandparents  were  Martin 
and  Fannie  Webb,  wdio  came  from  New  York  to 
Illinois  at  an  early  period  in  the  development  of 
this  section  of  the  state.  John  Frost,  who  was  of 
English  lineage,  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  and 
following  his  removal  to  the  west  became  con- 
nected with  the  Rock  River  conference  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  devoting  his  life  to 
the  work  of  the  ministry.     His  last  appointment 


bjS 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


was  at  .Morrisnn.  Illinois,  lie  was  married  in 
Crcstnn,  Illinois,  and  died  in  iS<)7.  I  lis  widow 
•Still  survives  liini  and  is  a  resident  of  Ann  .\rl)or, 
Micliifjan.  They  had  three  sons:  Herbert,  who 
was  a  g'raduate  of  the  .Michifran  State  L'niversity 
i\i  the  class  of  1890,  became  a  teacher  of  Latin 
and  dreek  in  the  hiiLrh  schot)|  at  Sa<:inaw.  Michi- 
{•fan,  and  was  occupying;-  that  position  at  the  lime 
of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  i8<k">.  when  he 
was  twenty-cifjht  years  of  age.  William  S.  l-"rost. 
who  conii)leted  the  law  course  in  the  .Michigan 
State  L'niversity  with  the  class  of  188X,  is  now 
engaged  in  the  commission  business  at  I'.ristol. 
Tennessee. 

Dr.  I'Vosl  |)ursued  his  education  in  the  ])ulilic 
schools  of  Lreston  and  was  also  a  high-school 
student.  In  1884.  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  hc 
entered  the  University  of  Michigan,  at  .\nn  .\r- 
bor,  where  he  took  up  the  study  of  pharmacy  and 
medicine,  comi)leting  a  course  in  the  former  in 
i88f)  and  in  the  latter  in  i8<;4.  Following  his 
graduation  Dr.  l-'rost  entered  upon  the  practice 
of  medicine  in  Iowa,  where  he  remained  for  about 
a  year,  and  in  December,  1893.  he  came  to  Rock- 
ford.  Here  he  became  as.sociated  with  Dr.  Green 
as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Green  &  I'rost.  and  is 
enjoving  a  large  general  practice.  He  also  serves 
on  the  staff  of  the  City  IIos])ital  and  belongs  to 
the  Winnebago  Coimty  .Medical  Society  and  the 
Illinois  State  Medical  Societv.  His  professsional 
skill  is  attested  by  the  excellent  results  which  have 
followed  his  labors  and  his  ready  adaptability  of 
the  |)rinci))les  of  medical  and  surgical  practice  to 
the  needs  of  his  ])atients. 

Dr.  I-'rost  was  married  on  the  14th  of  June. 
i8(;(j,  to  .Miss  I'jnnia  Lewis,  a  daughter  of  .Mrs. 
Sarah  .\.  Lewis,  of  Cadillac,  .Michigan,  and  they 
have  one  child.  Richard  Walker,  who  was  bori. 
October  29,  1902.  The  parents  are  members  ol 
the  Second  Congregational  church  of  Rockford. 
and  in  his  political  views  Dr.  I'rost  is  a  repub- 
lican. 


JAMES  P.  EDIE. 


James  I'.  I'.die.  for  a  third  of  a  century  a  resi- 
dent of  Rockford,  was  well  known  in  the  city  as 
a  man  of  activity  and  reliability  in  business  af- 
fairs, and  of  unfailing  courtesy  and  geniality  in 
social  life,  so  that  he  gained  in  high  measure  the 
esteem  and  good  will  of  those  with  whom  he  was 
associated.  He  was  fmrn  in  Pennsylvania,  Au- 
gust 24,  1818.  and  his  i)arcnts  were  Alexander 
and  Eleanor  (Phillips)  Edie,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Scotland,  whence  they  came  to  Amer- 
ica at  an  early  day.  They  settled  in  Pennsylvania, 
where  the  father  carriefl  on  fanning  as  a  means 
of  livelihood  for  the  support  of  himself  and  fam- 
ilv.     He  died  in  the  Kevstone  state  on  the  ninetv- 


tliird  anniversary  of  his  liirth,  and  his  wife  passed 
away  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years.  .-Ml  of 
their  children  are  now  deceased,  James  P.  Edie 
having  been  the  last  surviving  member  of  the 
family. 

In  the  ])ul)lic  schools  of  his  native  state  James 
P.  Edie  obtained  a  good  education.  Thinking 
that  he  might  have  better  business  opportunities 
in  the  west,  where  competition  was  not  so  great, 
and  yet  where  the  rapid  growth  afforded  excel- 
lent business  conditions,  .Mr.  Edie  came  to  the 
Mississippi  valley.  He  first  settled  in  Maquo- 
keta.  Iowa,  where  he  engaged  in  teaching  school 
for  two  years,  but  his  health  began  to  fail,  and, 
thinking  that  he  might  be  benefited  by  outdoor 
life,  he  engaged  in  railroad  surveying  for  a  year. 
He  then  removed  to  I'ellevuc,  where  he  taught 
school  for  two  years,  and  during  that  time  also 
acted  as  county  sui)erintendent  of  the  schools  of 
Jackson  county.  He  afterward  took  up  his  abode 
in  Sioux  City,  Iowa,  where  he  was  employed  as 
public  receiver  in  the  register's  office  for  alx)ut 
two  years,  or  until  1863,  when  he  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Rockford.  Here  he  acce|)te(l  the  agency 
for  the  E(|uitahle  Insurance  Com])an\',  and  was 
engaged  in  that  business  throughout  the  remain- 
der of  his  life.  The  policies  which  he  wrote  an- 
nually represented  a  large  figure,  and  his  business 
steadily  increased,  bringing  to  him  a  good  finan- 
cial return.  The  secret  of  his  success  lay  in  his 
close  a]>i)lication.  his  slmng  ]mrposi'  and  l;iudable 
anibition. 

Mr.  Edie  was  married  in  Crawford  county, 
Pennsvlvania,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  .S.  Prakey,  a  na- 
tive of  Cortland,  .\ew  York,  born  January  20, 
1827.  Her  father.  Mr.  I'.rakey.  followed  farming 
throughout  his  entire  life,  and  in  early  manhood 
removed  from  New  York  to  Crawford  county, 
Pennsylvania,  where  for  some  time  he  lived  re- 
tired from  active  business  cares.  I"",ventually  he 
removed  to  Kansas,  where  he  made  his  home  with 
his  daughter  until  his  death.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edie 
became  the  jiarents  of  seven  children,  of  whom 
four  are  now  living :  John  M.,  a  canvasser,  re- 
siding in  Des  Moines,  Iowa;  Robert  .\.  Pi.,  a 
printer,  of  S]iringfield,  Illinois:  Harry,  who  is 
foreman  of  a  shoe  factory  in  Menominee,  Michi- 
gan :  and  Florence  P>.,  the  wife  of  Gavin  .\.  H. 
Reid,  who  for  two  years  has  resided  in  Rockford. 
He  was  born  in  TTarlem  township,  Wimiebago 
county.  .Xugust  12,  i8r>3.  and  engaged  in  farming 
in  both  Winnebago  and  P.oone  counties,  follow- 
ing that  ])ursuit  until  Tfio.V  He  is  now  living  re- 
tired, but  still  owns  his  farm,  and  he  and  his  wife 
make  their  home  with  Mrs.  Edie.  Thev  have 
one  child.  Catherine  Elizabeth.  Mr.  Reid  is  a 
republican  in  his  political  views,  and  socially  is 
connected  with  the  Modern  W'ooflmen.  the  Mac- 
cal)fes  and  the  Mvstic  Workers,  all  of  Rockford. 


JAMES  P.  EDIE. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


68i 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edie  also  lost  three  children :  Wil- 
lie Howard,  Willie  Alexander  and  Mary  Eleanor, 
the  last  named  the  wife  of  James  H.  Patterson. 

On  the  3rd  of  March,  1896,  Mr.  Edie  was 
called  to  his  final  rest.  He  had  given  his  polit- 
ical support  to  the  republican  party,  and  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Westminster  Presbyterian  church 
of  Rockford,  to  which  his  widow  and  also  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Reid  belong.  He  suffered  from  ill 
health  for  several  years  prior  to  his  demise,  and 
for  two  years  was  totally  blind.  He  was  a  man 
of  unfaltering  industry,  successful  in  what  he 
undertook,  and  throughout  his  life  he  displayed 
many  of  the  sterling  characteristics  of  his  Scotch 
ancestry.  His  position  was  never  an  eqtiivocal 
one.  He  stood  firm  in  his  support  of  what  he 
believed  to  be  right,  and  his  entire  life  was  actu- 
ated by  honorable  principles.  He  was  for  a  long 
period  a  resident  of  Rockford,  and  was  well 
known  as  one  of  its  valued  citizens.  His  wife 
resided  for  some  time  at  the  old  family  home, 
and  still  owns  that  property,  but  has  recently 
gone  to  live  at  No.  1905  East  State  street. 


ELIZAUETH  C.  .AlAAS,  ^l.  D. 

Into  no  field  of  activity  into  which  woman  has 
entered  have  her  services  been  of  greater  value  or 
her  adaptability  more  pronounced  than  in  tlie 
study  of  medicine.  Dr.  Maas  is  a  member  of  the 
medical  fraternity  of  Rockford  and  has  won  a 
creditable  ]30sition  and  desirable  success.  A  na- 
tive of  Kenosha,  Wisconsin,  she  is  a  daughter  of 
Francis  and  Catherine  (Smith)  Maas,  who  were 
married  in  Kenosha  county.  The  Maas  family 
is  of  German  lineage  and  the  father  removed  from 
Buffalo,  New  York,  to  the  west,  becoming  a 
manufacturer  of  farming  implements  at  Kenosha, 
where  he  carried  on  business  for  many  years.  His 
death  occurred  in  1899,  and  his  wife  survived  un- 
til 1901.  In  their  family  were  six  children:  Caro- 
line, Amelia,  Mary,  Elizabeth  C,  Frank  and  Wil- 
liam. 

Dr.  Maas,  entering  the  public  schools,  passed 
through  successive  grades  until  she  had  completed 
a  high-school  course  and  later  she  pursued  special 
work  in  the  University  of  Wisconsin  at  Madison. 
Detennining  to  engage  in  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine, she  matriculated  in  the  Hahnemann  Medical 
College  of  Chicago  in  1890  and  was  graduated  in 
1894.  Her  theoretical  knowledge  was  then  put  to 
the  practical  test  by  one  and  one-half  years'  serv- 
ice in  the  Hahnemann  Hospital,  during  which 
time  she  gained  broad  and  thorough  experience 
that  well  qualified  her  for  the  duties  of  a  general 
practice.  In  1896  she  came  to  Rockford  and  now 
occupies  offices  at  No.  129  North  State  street, 
making  a  specialtv  of  the  diseases  of  women  and 
children.    She  also  serves  on  the  staff  of  the  Cits- 


Hospital  and  has  been  accorded  a  liberal  and  well 
merited  patronage.  She  is  most  conscientious  and 
earnest  in  her  work  and  her  thorough  preparation 
and  continued  research  have  kept  her  in  touch 
with  the  most  advanced  methods  followed  by  the 
medical  fraternity.  She  belongs  to  the  Illinois 
State  Homeopathic  Medical  Society,  the  Ameri- 
can Institute  of  Homeopathy,  Northwestern 
Homeopathic  Society  and  the  Clinical  Society  of 
Chicago.  She  has  been  ver\'  successful  and  pro- 
fessionally and  socially  is  prominent. 


GIRDEN  O.  WILLIAMS. 

Girden  O.  \A^illiams,  a  member  of  the  bar  and 
president  of  the  Rockford  Abstract  Company, 
well  known  in  business  circles  and  as  a  repre- 
sentative of  his  profession,  was  born  in  Oakland 
county.  Michigan.  January  2^.  1852.  He  is  a  son 
of  Seth  Williams,  who  birth  occurred  in  New 
York  on  the  30th  of  January,  181 8.  The  father 
was  a  hotelman,  conducting  a  hotel  on  Wood- 
ward avenue,  Detroit,  where  our  subject  was  born. 
He  located  in  that  city  in  1829.  He  married  Miss 
Eleanore  Moore,  of  L^tica,  Michigan,  who  was 
born  at  Hope,  Orange  county,  New  Jerse}',  in 
1823.  and  was  a  daughter  of  James  Moore.  Mr. 
\\"ilHams  died  August  21,  1896,  and  his  wife 
passed  away  August  28,  1899.  Joseph  B.  Moore, 
chief  justice  of  the  supreme  court  of  Michigan,  is 
a  cousin  of  our  subject. 

Girden  O.  Williams  was  a  student  in  the  dis- 
trict schools  near  Detroit  in  his  early  youth,  and 
when  he  had  completed  his  course  there  entered 
the  State  L^niversity  of  Michigan  at  Ann  Arbor 
as  a  law  student,  completing  the  regular  course. 
He  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1877,  and  the 
same  year  located  for  practice  in  Rockford.  He 
has  since  been  an  active  representative  of  the  legal 
fraternity  here,  giving  considerable  attention  to 
law  practice,  especially  to  that  department  relat- 
ing to  real-estate  transactions  or  transfers.  His 
energies,  however,  have  been  divided  between  the 
claims  of  his  law  clientage  and  his  patrons  in  the 
abstract  business.  In  1881  he  completed  a  set  of 
abstract  books  of  Winnebago  county,  and  in  1889 
he  organized  the  Frank  S.  Regan  Abstract  Com- 
pany, of  which  he  was  elected  president,  since  oc- 
cupying that  position.  The  compan)-  now  enjoys 
an  extensive  business,  being  widely  and  favorably 
known  in  this  line  of  activity.  Mr.  Williams  is 
prominent  in  the  walk  of  life  which  he  has  chosen, 
as  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  is  now  president 
of  the  Abstractors"  Association  of  the  state  of  Illi- 
nois. 

On  the  2ist  of  December.  1881,  occurred  the 
marriage  of  Girden  O.  Williams  and  Miss  Lima 
G.  Chapman,  of  Utica,  Michigan,  a  daughter  of 


682 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


John  I'.,  anil  Caroline  ( Rice)  Cliapnian.  Tliey 
have  two  clausjhters,  Caroline  and  A^nes.  wlio  are 
students  in  the  ])ul)lic  schools  of  Rocklortl,  and 
the  family  home  is  at  No.  413  Park  street. 
Througjhont  the  period  of  liis  residence  in  Rock- 
ford,  covering  almost  thirty  years.  Mr.  Williams 
has  displayed  the  cnterprisinsjf  sjiirit  which  has 
Ix'en  the  dominent  factor  in  the  npliuildinLj  of  the 
middle  west.  His  close  apjilication  am!  i)ersist- 
ency  of  purpose  in  husiness  have  constituted  the 
foundation  of  his  prosperity,  and  are  traits  of 
diaracter  sucli  as  may  he  cnltivatctl  hy  all.  Wher- 
ever he  is  found  he  is  a  social,  affable,  fjenial  s<-'"- 
tleman,  making  friends  wherever  he  goes. 


ISAAC  COOK. 


Isaac  Cook,  who  follows  farming,  his  home 
being  at  the  corner  of  Rome  and  <  "ireenwood  ave- 
nues, was  born  in  Harlem  townshij).  Winnebago 
county,  in  1841.  His  father.  Samuel  Cook,  came 
to  this  county  from  N'irginia  in  1833,  and  fol- 
lowed farming  in  Harlem  township,  wliere  he 
owned  and  operated  five  hundred  acres  of  land. 
He  was  deeply  interested  in  jiolitical  ((uestions 
and  gave  liis  support  to  the  whig  ])arty.  In  pio- 
neer times  he  held  the  office  of  constable  and  was 
also  a  member  of  the  school  board.  His  wife,  who 
bore  the  maiden  name  of  Mary  Wagner,  was  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania.  He  died  in  1859  and 
was  long  survived  hy  -Mrs.  Cook,  who  ]iassed 
away  in  1889. 

Isaac  Cook  was  educated  in  one  of  the  old-time 
log  school  houses  common  on  the  frontier.  He 
had  little  opportunity  to  attend  school  save  in  tlie 
winter  months,  when  the  work  of  the  farm  was 
practically  over.  He  remained  at  home  until 
twenty  years  of  age.  and  tlien  liegan  working  in 
Rf)ckford.  where  he  was  employed  until  he  en- 
listed in  the  army,  responding  to  the  country's  call 
on  the  13th  of  January.  1863.  and  placing  his 
name  on  the  roll  of  members  of  Comjwny  D,  Four- 
teenth Illinois  Cavalry,  witli  which  he  served  imtil 
honorably  discharged  after  the  close  of  liostilities 
on  the  30th  of  July.  1863.  The  regiment  marched 
through  Kentucky  and  followed  Morgan  into 
(  )hio  until  his  capture.  Mr.  Cook  afterward  went 
with  his  command  to  Kentucky  and  on  to  Knox- 
ville.  Tennessee,  and  ])articipated  in  the  siege  of 
that  city  and  in  the  battle  of  Kenesaw  Mountain. 
He  was  also  in  tlie  engagement  at  Strawberry 
Plain  and  was  with  Shennan  in  his  great  cam- 
paign until  the  capitulation  of  .\tlanta.  He  was 
also  under  command  of  that  great  leader  at  the 
time  of  Stoncman's  surrender  with  forty  thousand 
cavalrymen,  and  was  with  liis  regiment  at  the  time 
that  Morgan  was  killed  in  Tennessee.  .At  one 
time  Mr.  Cof)k  was  also  under  comman<l  of  (len- 
eral   Harrison.     He  i)arlici|)ated  in  the  battles  of 


Xasluille  and  I'Vanklin.  where  they  drove  Hood 
back,  and  he  received  his  discharge  at  Pulaski, 
Teimessee. 

l''ollowing  the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Cook  came 
to  Rock  ford,  where  he  began  threshing,  and  the 
following  year  he  farmed  near  Latham.  In  the 
succeeding  year  he  again  settled  in  Rockford, 
where  he  was  emi)loyed  for  four  years,  and  later 
he  o])erated  a  farm  on  Whig  Hill  for  four  years. 
.Suhse(|uently  he  ])urchased  the  home  which  he 
now  owns  and  occupies,  and  it  has  since  been  his 
place  of  residence.  He  has  a  nice  little  dwelling 
in  the  midst  of  a  good  tract  of  land,  and  the  im- 
])nivinKnt  and  cultivation  of  this  property  claim 
the  greater  ])art  of  his  time  and  attention. 

.Mr.  Cook  was  married  in  1866  to  Miss  Lucy 
Wilcox,  and  after  traveling  life's  journey  together 
for  twenty-two  years  they  were  sejiaratcd  by  the 
death  of  the  wife.  In  1903  Mr.  Cook  wctlded  Jo- 
sei^hine  Houser.  a  native  of  New  York  and  a 
daughter  of  Dra])er  Houser.  In  liis  political 
views  .Mr.  Cook  is  a  re])ublican  and  has  been 
called  to  .serve  in  several  local  offices.  He  was 
constable  and  was  collector  for  two  years  in  Guil- 
ford township  and  school  director  for  two  years 
in  I'nrritt  township.  He  now  belongs  to  Xevius 
post,  Xo.  1.(1.  A.  i\..  of  Rockford.  He  was  for- 
merly identified  with  the  Methodist  church,  but 
now  attends  the  meetings  of  the  Salvation  .\rmy. 
In  all  matters  of  citizenship  he  is  as  loyal  to  his 
country  to-day  as  when  he  followed  the  .stars  and 
stripes  on  southern  battle-fields,  and  he  takes  great 
|)leasure  in  meeting  with  his  old  amiy  comrades 
and  in  recalling  the  scenes  and  events  of  the  war. 


JOHX  W.  MURPHY. 

John  W.  .Mur])hy.  a  representative  farmer  of 
W'iimebago  township,  living  on  section  10.  owns 
and  ojierates  a  farm  of  two  hundred  acres,  which 
in  its  attractive  appearance  indicates  his  careful 
supervision  and  progressive  methods.  He  is  a  na- 
tive of  the  village  of  Winnebago,  born  December 
L'i'  '^^'.^-  H's  father.  John  Murphy,  was  a  native 
of  Wexford.  Ireland,  in  which  country  he  was 
reared  and  married,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being 
.Miss  Ellen  Uraham.  also  a  native  of  Wexford. 
Crossing  the  .\tlaiitic  to  America,  they  made  their 
way  to  Rockft)rd  in  the  early  '50s  and  Mr.  Mur- 
])hv  was  for  a  long  time  employed  by  the  Chicago 
&  Xorfhwestern  Railroad  Company,  while  later 
he  was  for  sixteen  years  section  foreman  on  a  di- 
vision iK'tween  Winnebago  and  Rockford.  making 
his  home  in  the  former  ])lace.  .\t  length  he  gave 
up  railroad  work  and  removed  to  a  fami  on  sec- 
tion 10.  Winnebago  townshi|),  where  he  carried 
on  general  agricidtural  pursuits  with  gratifying 
success  for  a  mnnber  of  years.  \\'hen  he  had  ac- 
ijuired  a  comfortalile  competence  he  retired  from 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


683 


active  farm  life  and  removed  to  Rockford  about 
1890,  making  his  home  there  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  May  29,  1892,  when  he 
was  sixty-three  years  of  age.  He  had  been  very 
prosperous  in  his  farming  pursuits  and  owned  at 
his  death  a  valuable  and  productive  tract  of  land 
of  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres.  He  was  re- 
puted to  have  been  the  best  section  foreman  ever 
located  at  Winnebago.  In  politics  he  was  a  stanch 
democrat,  unswerving  in  his  advocacy  of  the 
party.  In  his  family  were  f(jur  daughters  and 
two  sons  :  Anna  B.,  who  is  now  a  widow,  resid- 
ing at  No.  121 5  Green  street  in  Rockford; 
Thomas,  a  resident  farmer  in  Winnebago  town- 
ship;  Mrs.  Mary  O'Brien,  of  Burritt  township; 
Mrs.  Ellen  McDonald,  of  Seward  township ;  John 
W.  and  Katie,  deceased. 

John  W.  Murphy  was  reared  from  infancy  upon 
the  farm  which  he  now  owns  and  o])erates.  He 
early  became  familiar  with  the  duties  of  field  and 
meadow,  assisting  his  father  materially  in  the 
farm  work  when  not  occupied  with  the  duties  of 
the  schoolroom,  his  education  being  acquired  in 
the  public  schools  of  the  locality,  which  he  at- 
tended through  the  winter  seasons,  while  in  the 
summer  months  he  aided  in  the  fami  work.  He 
now  owns  two  hundred  acres  of  rich  land,  which 
annuall}-  yields  good  harvests  in  return  for  the 
care  and  labor  which  he  bestows  on  the  fields.  His 
labors  are  practical  and  resultant  and  he  is  to-day 
justlv  accounted  one  of  the  leading  agriculturists 
in  his  community. 

Mr.  Murphv  was  married  to  Miss  Theresa 
i\lurph_\-,  whose  birth  occurred  in  B}Ton  township. 
Ogle  count}-,  and  who  is  a  daughter  of  Thomas 
Murphy,  a  farmer,  and  one  of  the  early  residents 
of  that  part  of  Illinois.  He  died  in  i'888,  at  the 
age  of  sixtv-seven  years,  while  his  wife  passed 
away  in  October,  1904,  at  the  age  of  seventy-four 
vears.  Thev  were  the  parents  of  six  children : 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Gallaher,  who  is  living  at  Xo.  326 
Stanley  street,  in  Rockford ;  Thomas,  residing  at 
Xo.  1212  Chestnut  street,  in  Rockford;  James,  a 
farmer  of  Seward  township;  John,  who  is  living 
upon  a  farm  near  Leaf  river,  in  Ogle  county ; 
^Irs.  ;\Iurphy  ;  and  William,  who  is  employed  by 
the  Emerson  Alanufacturing  Company  at  Rock- 
ford. Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have  been 
born  six  children  ;  John,  Irene.  Harold,  Theresa, 
Leo  and  ^lary,  all  at  home. 

Mr.  Murjihv's  farm  is  improved  with  excellent 
buildings  and  in  fact  none  of  the  equipments  of  a 
model  farm  are  lacking,  .\ssociated  with  his 
brother  Thomas,  he  operates  in  all  three  hundred 
and  forty  acres  of  land  and  is  justly  accounted 
one  of  the  enterprising  and  successful  agricultur- 
ists of  his  commtmity. 

He  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  democ- 
racy and  has  served  as  school  director.  Socially 
he  is  connected  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  camp. 


Xo.  51,  and  the  Knights  of  the  Globe, 
Xo.  25,  in  which  he  has  held  office.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  St.  Mary's  Catholic 
Church  of  Rockford. 


FRED  BARLOGA. 


Fred  Barloga,  a  representative  farmer  of  Peca- 
tonica  township,  was  born  in  Greenfield  county, 
Wisconsin,  March  28,  1856,  his  parents  being 
Tohn  and  Rosa  (  Muhenberger)  Barloga,  both  of 
whom  were  of  German  birth,  the  former  having 
been  born  in  Hanover  and  the  latter  in  Baden. 
From  his  native  countr\-  the  father  came  to  the 
new  world  on  a  sailing  vessel,  landing  at  New 
York  city.  This  was  in  the  early  '40s  and  the 
vo\-age  was  a  long  and  tedious  one.  From  the 
eastern  metropolis  he  made  his  way  westward  to 
Detroit,  Michigan,  overland,  but  he  remained  long- 
enough  in  the  state  of  New  York  to  earn  the 
money  necessary  to  meet  the  expenses  of  the  jour- 
ne\-  and  with  which  to  purchase  a  cow  at  Detroit. 
He  lead  the  animal  from  that  city  across  the 
countrv  to  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  which  at  that 
time  was  but  a  village.  He  was  a  poor  man  and 
anxious  to  earn  a  living  in  any  way  that  he  could 
and  worked  for  twenty-five  cents  per  day  until 
he  could  gain  a  start.  Later  he  entered  land  in 
Greenfiekf  county,  Wisconsin,  about  five  miles 
from  the  citv  of  Milwaukee,  and  he  worked  on 
the  Illinois  &  ]\Iichigan  Canal  at  Chicago.  Three 
times  he  walked  between  the  two  cities,  a  distance 
of  eightv-five  miles,  when  the  country  was  wild 
prairie  or  timber  land,  there  being  few  settlers 
along  the  entire  distance.  "Mr.  Barloga  cut  the 
tin-iber  with  which  he  built  his  log  house  contain- 
ing three  roon-is.  That  was  a  very  commodious 
dwelling  for  the  time  and  district  and  he  had  one 
of  the  notable  homes  of  the  locality.  He  made 
wooden  hinges  for  the  doors,  split  the  shingles 
out  of  timber  with  which  to  roof  the  building, 
made  three  windows  and  in  fact  did  all  of  the 
work  himself  for  the  construction  of  the  pioneer 
cabin.  He  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the 
community  who  shared  in  all  the  hardships,  trials 
and  deprivations  incident  to  frontier  life.  He  cut 
timber  and  split  rails  for  fencing  his  land  and  with 
marked  energy  carried  on  the  work  of  the  fami. 
Later  he  erected  a  frame  residence  and  good 
barns  and  other  substantial  outbuildings.  Subse- 
quentlv  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  Winnebago  county,  Illinois,  lying 
in  Pecatonica  township,  known  as  the  Dr.  Emen" 
farm.  He  was  for  many  years  a  most  active  and 
energetic  agriculturist,  but  during  the  last  five  or 
six  j'ears  of  his  life,  although  he  gave  personal 
supervision  to  the  work  of  the  fann,  he  took  no 
active  part  in  the  labors  of  the  fields.     He  con- 


684 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


tinned  to  reside  upon  the  old  homestead  in  W'is- 
consin  until  called  to  his  final  rest.  His  life  rec- 
ord shows  what  ma_v  bo  accomplished  througfh 
determined  and  earnest  purpose,  for  he  was  al- 
most penniless  when  he  arrived  in  this  country 
and  gradually  l>y  untiring  effort  and  able  man- 
agement he  worked  his  way  U[)ward  until  he  be- 
came the  possessor  of  desirable  property  and  was 
known  as  one  of  the  substantial  fanners  of  his 
comnnmity.  In  politics  he  was  a  republican.  He 
passed  away  on  the  old  homestead  in  iSSi.  at  the 
age  of  seventy-eight  years,  and  his  wife  died 
on  the  same  farm  in  1898,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-three  years.  They  were  the  jiarents  of  five 
cliildren — John,  Herman.  I-Ved.  Henry  and  Eliza. 

Fred  Barloga  in  his  boyhood  days  devoted  his 
attention  to  work  on  his  father's  farm  through  the 
summer  months,  while  in  the  winter  seasons  he 
attended  the  district  sch(X)ls  and  thcrebv  acquired 
a  good  practical  education.  He  early  became  fa- 
miliar with  all  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the 
lot  of  the  agriculturist,  so  that  when  he  started 
out  in  life  on  his  own  account  at  the  age  of  twen- 
ty-four years  he  had  practical  experience  to  guide 
liim  in  his  farming  operations.  He  and  his 
brother  farmed  together  until  1883.  when  they 
divided  their  business  interest  and  Mr.  Barloga 
has  since  been  alone  in  the  conduct  of  his  agricul- 
tural pursuits.  He  is  to-day  the  owner  of  a  val- 
uable farm  property  comprising  two  hundred  and 
twenty-one  and  a  half  acres  of  splendidlv  im- 
proved land,  on  which  he  has  erected  a  fine 
residence,  in  the  rear  of  which  stand  commodious 
barns  and  outbuildings.  He  is  particularly  well 
known  as  a  stock  dealer  and  keeps  from  forty-five 
to  fifty  head  of  cattle  and  from  seventy-five  to 
eighty  head  of  hogs.  He  always  raises  good 
grades  of  stock  and  therefore  finds  a  ready  .sale 
on  the  market,  commanding  the  best  market 
prices. 

On  the  19th  of  December.  1883,  Mr.  Barloga 
was  married  to  IMiss  Eliza  Barg.  a  daughter  of 
John  and  .Sophia  (Rieckhoff)  Barg.  Her  parents 
were  natives  of  Hanover,  Germany,  and,  crossing 
the  .Atlantic  to  .\mcrica,  iK-came  residents  of  Ohio 
in  1853.  Tiiey  were  eight  weeks  in  making  the 
voyage  to  New  York  citw  The  father  worked 
for  three  years  in  a  coal  mine  and  then  removed 
to  tile  vicinity  of  Milwaukee,  Greenfiebl  county. 
Wisconsin,  wliere  he  purchased  a  farm  of  forty 
acres.  I^ter  he  secured  an  additional  tract  of 
forty  acres  and  spent  his  remaining  days  in  the 
cultivation  anrl  improvement  of  that  proi>ertv.  his 
death  occurring  on  the  old  homestead  when  he 
had  reached  the  age  of  seventy  years.  Ilis  widow 
still  resides  on  the  old  home  farm  with  her  young- 
est son,  William.  They  were  adherents  of  the 
German  Lutheran  Church  and  Mr.  Barg  gave  his 
political  support  to  the  reptiblican  ])artv.  In  their 
family  were  eight  children  :     John.  Fred,  Eliza, 


Minnie,  Bertha,  Henry  and  William.  One  daugh- 
ter, Mary,  the  fifth  member  of  the  family,  died  at 
the  age  of  sixteen  years.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Barloga  have  been  born  si.x  children :  David, 
John  antl  (ieorge.  who  died  in  infancy;  Celia. 
Homer  and  Floyd. 

Mr.  Barloga  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the 
repul)lican  ])arty,  but  has  never  sought  or  desired 
the  honors  and  emoluments  of  office,  preferring  to 
give  his  undivided  attention  to  his  business  af- 
fairs that  he  may  thcrci)y  provide  a  comfortable 
living  for  his  family.  He  has  worked  hard  from 
early  boyhood  days  down  to  the  present  and  his 
excellent  farm  is  an  indication  of  his  well-spent 
life  and  carefnllv  directed  labors. 


rA.Mi:s  M.  Ri:ii). 


James  .M.  Keid,  secretary  and  manager  of  the 
Holland-Ferguson  Abstract  Com])any.  of  Rock- 
ford,  is  a  native  of  \\'^innebago  county,  his  birth 
having  occurred  on  a  farm  in  1  larkni  township 
in  May,  1876.  His  ]iaternal  grandfather.  Hugh 
Reid,  was  a  native  of  Scotland  and  after  emi- 
grating to  .America  cast  in  his  lot  with  the  early 
settlers  of  Harlem  township,  Winnebago  county. 
There  in  the  midst  of  a  district  largely  wild  and 
unimjjroved  be  oiiencd  a  farm  which  he  ]ilaced 
midcr  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  His  son, 
James  S.  Reid.  the  father  of  our  subject,  has 
always  followed  in  his  footsteps  and  is  now  a 
prosperous  agriculturist  of  Winnebago  county. 
He  wedded  Mary  Breckcnridge,  who  died 
twenty-nine  years  ago. 

James  M.  Reid  was  reared  on  his  father's 
farm  and  in  the  winter  seasons  attended  the 
district  schools,  while  in  the  summer  inontbs  he 
performed  such  service  for  his  father  as  his  age 
and  strength  ]iermitted.  Later  he  became  a 
student  in  the  high  school  of  Rockford.  from 
which  he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1895. 
.\gricnltural  life  did  not  prove  altogether  con- 
genial to  him  and  he  sought  a  position  elsewhere. 
In  1901  he  was  a])pointed  secretary  and  man- 
ager of  the  Holland-Ferguson  .\b.stract  Com- 
pany, taking  charge  of  the  abstract  Inisiness, 
which  has  grown  to  extensive  proportions.  The 
company  is  regarded  as  a  most  resjionsible  one 
and  is  widely  known.  It  is  accorded  a  large 
clientage,  and  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Reid 
the  business  has  been  carried  successfully  for- 
ward and  he  has  proved  an  efficient  officer,  ca- 
pable, alert  and  enterjirising.  The  company's 
offices  are  located  on  the  southeast  corner  of 
State  and  Main  streets,  where  they  have  a  well 
equi|)ped  suite  of  rooms  and  a  comjilete  set  of  ab- 
stract books. 


JAMES  M.  REID. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


687 


Air.  Reid  was  happily  married,  in  June.  1904, 
to  Miss  Inez  B.  Thompson,  of  Rockford,  a 
daughter  of  E.  A.  and  Catherine  Thompson. 
Sociall}'  tliey  are  well  known  in  this  city,  and 
their  circle  of  friends  is  continually  increasing 
as  the  circle  of  their  acquaintance  widens. 


V 


WILLIAM  C.  PRATT. 

In  the  history  of  the  men  who  have  contributed 
in  substantial  measure  to  the  material  improve- 
ment of  Rockford  and  its  commercial  develop- 
ment William  C.  Pratt,  now  deceased,  is  worthy 
of  mention.  He  became  a  resident  of  this  citv  in 
1854  and  for  a  number  of  years  figured  promi- 
nently in  commercial  circles  as  a  dealer  in  fruit 
and  confectionery.  A  native  of  \'ermont,  he  was 
born  in  Alanchester,  Bennington  countv,  on  the 
24th  of  February.  1838,  and  represented  one  of 
the  old  families  of  that  state.  His  parents  were 
Chester  and  Almyra  (Collins)  Pratt.  The  father 
was  a  native  of  ]\Iarlborough,  A'ennont,  and  spent 
his  boyhood  days  upon  a  farm  there.  His  death 
occurred  when  he  was  fifty-six  vears  of  age.  His 
wife  was  a  native  of  Cambridge,  New  York,  and 
after  his  death  she  was  married  twice,  her  last 
years  being  spent  in  Brooklyn,  Michigan.  But 
two  of  the  children  of  the  family  are  now  living: 
Mrs.  Betsy  Hatch,  who  resides  in  Windsor,  Ver- 
mont, and  Mrs.  Julia  F.  Shepherdson,  a  resident 
of  Brattleboro,  A'ermont.  All  were  educated  in 
the  schools  of  the  Green  Mountain  state. 

William  C.  Pratt,  when  not  busv  with  his  te.xt- 
books  worked  upon  his  father's  farm  in  the  east 
until  1854,  when,  believing  that  he  might  enjoy 
better  business  opportunities  in  the  west,  he  came 
to  Illinois,  being  at  that  time  si.xteen  years  of  age. 
He  made  his  way  direct  to  Rockford  and  soon 
secured  a  position  as  a  farm  hand  in  Rockford 
township  in  the  employ  of  Solomon  Wheeler,  who 
was  a  pioneer  fanner  there.  Mr.  Pratt  continued 
to  work  for  Mr.  \Mieeler  for  a  few  years  and  aft- 
erward turned  his  attention  to  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits  until  1862.  when  he  removed  to  the 
city  of  Rockford.  Here  he  engaged  in  teaming 
and  he  hauled  all  of  the  stone  that  was  used  in 
the  construction  of  the  First  Congregational 
church,  the  Utter  paper  mill  and  the  Jacoby 
home.  He  continued  teaming  for  several  years 
and  then  accepted  a  position  as  a  clerk  in  the  F.  J. 
Leonard  store,  where  he  remained  for  five  years. 
In  1872  he  entered  into  partnership  with  N.  C. 
Burroughs  and  opened  a  confectionery  store, 
which  they  conducted  for  a  few  years,  when 
in  1877  Mr.  Pratt  began  business  by  him- 
self. He  flealt  in  both  fruit  and  con- 
fectionery at  No.  415  East  State  street, 
also     in     ice     creams     and     ices,     carrying     on 


both  a  wholesale  and  retail  business.  His  patron- 
age steadil}'  increased  and  he  enjoyed  a  large 
trade,  which  through  a  number  of  \-ears  returned 
him  a  very  gratif}'ing  income. 

Mr.  Pratt  was  married  near  Rockford  to  JMiss 
Julia  F.  Spink,  a  native  of  New  York,  born  near 
the  \"ermont  state  line.  Her  parents  were  Robert 
and  Julia  (Warner)  Spink,  both  natives  of  Rhode 
Island,  whence  they  removed  to  the  Empire  state, 
where  the  father  engaged  in  business  as  a  con- 
tractor and  builder  until  1852.  In  that  year  he  re- 
moved westward,  settling  in  Winnebago  county, 
Illinois,  and  for  a  few  years  he  was  engaged  in 
farming  in  New  Milford  township.  Later  he  took 
up  his  abode  in  Seward  township  and  cultivated 
his  land  with  success  for  several  years.  He  after- 
his  wife  then  removed  to  Rockford,  making  their 
ward  retired  from  active  business  life  and  he  and 
home  with  their  son-in-law,  Mr.  Pratt,  imtil  they 
were  called  to  their  final  rest.  \\'hen  a  young 
lady  ;\Irs.  Pratt  taught  school  in  New  Milford 
township.  Five  children  were  born  of  the  mar- 
riage of  our  subject  and  his  wife,  of  whom  three 
are  now  living:  Andrew  W.,  who  married  Edith 
Tanner,  and  resides  at  No.  312  North  Horsman 
street,  Rockford,  looking  after  his  mother's  es- 
tate, and  is  a  traveling  salesman ;  Robert  W.,  who 
married  Myrtie  E.  Lewis,  and  is  a  salesman  for 
the  Produce  Commission  Company  of  Rockford ; 
and  Fannie  A.,  who  resides  at  home  with  her 
mother :  George  and  Edwin  died  in  infancy. 

The  death  of  the  husband  and  father  occurred 
March  9.  1892.  He  voted  with  the  republican 
party,  but  was  never  an  office  seeker,  preferring 
to  give  his  undivided  attention  to  his  business 
interests.  He  belonged  to  tne  Masonic  lodge  and 
also  to  the  Centennial  ^Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  He  was  a  man  of  rugged  constitution 
and  his  great  physical  energy  enabled  him  to  .give 
unremitting  attention  to  his  business  interests.  As 
the  years  passed  by  he  prospered  in  his  unoertak- 
ings,  displaying  all  the  qualities  of  a  successful 
merchant,  who  quickly  recognizes  and  utilizes  an 
opportunity.  He  was  a  great  lover  of  fine  horses 
and  owned  many  at  different  times.  In  1872  he 
built  the  residence  where  his  widow  and  daugh- 
ter now  reside  at  No.  215  :?outh  Third  street.  She 
also  owns  other  property  on  South  Second  and 
East  State  streets  and  she  and  her  family  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Centennial  ?\rethodist  Episcopal  church. 
The  sterling  qualities  which  Mr.  Pratt  displayed 
commanded  the  respect  and  confidence  of  all  and 
secured  for  him  the  high  regard  of  a  large  circle 
of  friends.  To  a  student  of  human  nature  there 
is  nothing  of  greater  interest  than  to  examine  into 
the  life  of  a  self-made  man  and  analyze  the  prin- 
ciples by  which  he  has  been  governed,  the  meth- 
ods he  has  pursued,  to  know  what  means  he  has 
employed  for  advancement  and  to  study  the  plans 
which  have  given  him  prominence,  enabling  him 


688 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


to  pass  on  tlie  liijjliway  ot  liic  niaii\  w  lio  had  a 
more  aclvantas«>us  start.  In  the  history  of  Mr. 
Pratt  there  is  deep  food  for  thoiitjht,  and  if  one 
so  desires  he  may  profit  by  the  obvious  lessons 
tlierein  contained. 


MAJOR  WILLIAM   II.  S  \R\  I:R. 

Major  W.  II.  Sarvcr.  a  veteran  of  the  Span- 
ish-American war,  well  known  in  military  cir- 
cles in  Illinois,  havintj  for  si.xteen  years  been  a 
member  of  the  National  Ciuard.  now  follows 
farmintr  <>n  section  i),  Rockford  township,  where 
lie  owns  and  operates  two  hundred  and  eleven 
acres  of  arable  land,  lie  is  also  entjatjed  in  the 
buyin<j,  feedinjj  and  shipping  of  stock  and  finds 
it  a  profitable  source  of  income. 

Major  Sarver  is  a  native  of  ( )weu  lownship. 
^^'innebaJ::o  coimty,  born  on  the  I2th  of  Augfust. 
1S71.  and  his  parents  were  .Mexander  and  Sarah 
(Fell)  Sarver,  both  natives  of  Winnebasjo 
county.  He  was  reared  to  the  occupation  of 
farmin.s:,  spending  almost  his  entire  life  upon 
this  place,  and  in  the  public  schools  he  acquired 
his  education,  being  thus  well  equipped  for  prac- 
tical and  responsible  duties  that  devolve  upon  the 
individual  who  puts  aside  his  te.xt-books  and 
enters  business  life.  He  became  a  member  of 
the  Illinois  National  Guard  in  November,  1888. 
joining  as  a  private  Company  II,  Third  Infan- 
try, with  which  he  was  connected  until  the  out- 
break of  the  Si)anish-.-\merican  war.  He  then 
enlisted  in  the  service  of  the  government  on  the 
7th  of  May.  i8<)8,  as  a  second  lieutenant  of  Com- 
pany H.  Third  Illinois  Regiment  of  \'olunteers. 
The  command  was  organized  at  Springfield  and 
went  at  once  to  Chickamauga  Park.  On  the  15th 
of  July.  1898.  Mr.  Sarver  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  first  lieutenant  and  on  the  28th  of  the 
same  month  he  sailed  on  the  St.  Louis  for  Porto 
Rico  from  Newport  News.  \'irginia.  landing  at 
.\royo  on  the  2d  of  .\ugust.  He  was  then  under 
fire  until  the  13th,  taking  an  active  part  in  the 
subjugation  of  the  island.  He  was  sent  to  the 
hospital  on  the  25th  of  .September  and  returned 
to  the  I'nited  States  on  the  hospital  ship  Mis- 
souri, which  reached  New  York  city  on  the  20th 
of  October.  His  re!.;iment  left  the  island  on  the 
3d  of  November,  and  arrived  at  Rockford,  No- 
vember II,  i8r)8.  Mr.  .Sarver  was  mustered  out 
January  16.  i8</),  and  on  the  13th  of  May.  fol- 
lowing, he  reorganized  his  old  company — Com- 
pany H.  of  the  Third  Illinois  National  Guard, 
and  was  with  that  command  until  Jul\  2.  i<)()4. 
He  was  then  elected  luajor,  and  he  is  now  re- 
tired with  that  rank,  having  for  seventeen  years 
been  an  active  member  of  the  National  Guard, 
winning  promotion  because  of  meritorious  con- 


ilucl  and  thorough  understanding  of  military 
tactics.  The  reason  of  Major  Sarver's  retiring 
from  the  ( uiard  is  best  told  in  this  place.  In  Janu- 
ary, 1903,  he  was  running  a  hay  press,  whun  the 
lly  wheel,  of  five  hundred  ])i>un(ls  weight,  burst, 
the  Major  receiving  the  full  impact  of  the  Hying 
metal,  which  entirely  destroyed  the  bones  of  his 
left  leg,  necessitating  amputaticju.  .\bout  three 
weeks  after  he  had  left  the  hospital  he  visited 
the  armory  on  insiiection  night,  .\fter  Major 
Cecil  had  finished  inspection  he  slei)i)ed  forward, 
shook  hands  with  Major  Sarver,  saying:  "Cap- 
tain, I  am  very,  very  .sorry  that  your  military  ca- 
reer has  so  uncereiuoniously  ended."  This,  of 
course,  closed  the  Major's  connection  with  the 
National  (iuard.  He  was  Captain  of  Comjiany 
II  when  hurt,  but  was  retired  as  major  about 
August  I,  1904. 

Major  Sarver  was  married  to  Miss  Dora  .\1- 
len.  who  was  born  and  reared  in  Rockford,  and 
is  a  daughter  of  William  and  Sarah  (Sheffield) 
Allen.  They  now  have  four  children:  Everett, 
thirteen  years  of  age;  Carlton,  eleven  years  of 
age :  I'Vank,  a  youth  of  ten  years,  and  1  iirdie, 
who  was  born  on  the  2d  of  July.  1897. 

The  family  home  is  on  section  9,  Rockford 
township,  and  the  farm  is  located  on  sections  9 
and  5.  It  comprises  two  hundred  and  eleven 
acres,  of  which  a  ])art  was  timber  land  when  it 
came  into  his  possession,  but  he  has  since  cut 
down  the  trees,  selling  it  in  wood  and  lumber. 
During  the  past  few  years  he  has  been  engaged 
in  buying,  feeding  and  shipping  stock,  often 
shipiiing  from  four  to  six  carloads  per  week, 
■  and  he  employs  two.  three  or  more  men  to  con- 
duct the  business  of  the  farm.  He  is  energetic, 
alert  and  enterprising,  and  in  all  of  his  dealings 
is  notably  prompt  and  reliable. 

Politically  he  is  independent,  and  socially  was 
at  one  time  connected  with  the  Woodmen,  His 
interests,  however,  have  centered  in  his  business 
affairs,  and  in  his  military  connection  Major 
Sarver  was  always  deeply  interested  in  what  has 
been  accomplished  by  the  National  (iuard,  keep- 
ing his  own  command  uj)  to  the  standard  of  ex- 
cellence as  represented  by  the  entire  military  or- 
iranization  of  the  countrx'. 


lli:XRV  ILRICI. 


Germany  furnished  to  Rockford  many  of  its 
citizens  who  have  been  prominent  in  its  business 
developiuont  and  consequent  pros]ierity  and  to 
this  class  belongs  Henry  I'lrici,  who  is  now  living 
retired.  His  birth  occurred  in  Hanover,  Ger- 
many, in  1832.  and  he  spent  the  first  twenty-one 
years  of  his  life  in  the  fatherland.  The  reports 
which  he  heard  concerning  the  business  oppor- 


MAJOR  AND  AIRS.  W.  H.  SARVER. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


691 


tunities  and  conditions  of  the  new  world  awak- 
ened his  desire  to  become  a  factor  in  business  cir- 
cles here  and  in  1853  '''^  crossed  the  Atlantic  to 
the  United  States,  locating  in  Xew  York  city. 
He  had  been  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his 
native  land  and  had  learned  the  trade  of  took 
binding,  and  it  was  to  that  field  of  endeavor  that 
he  turned  for  a  position  when  he  reached  the  new 
world.  For  a  vear  and  a  half  he  was  employed 
in  New  York  and  then  made  his  way  westward 
to  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  where  he  worked  at  bis 
trade  for  three  years,  and  on  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  went  to  Beloit,  where  he  followed  book 
binding  for  seven  years.  In  1864  he  arrived  in 
Rockford,  where  he  embarked  in  business  on  his 
own  account,  establishing  a  book  binders',  which 
he  conducted  for  about  thirt\-  years.  In  1885  he 
established  a  paper  box  factory  in  connection  with 
the  bindery  and  carried  on  the  enterprise  at  that 
location  until  1887,  when  he  built  a  factors-  for 
the  manufacture  of  paper  boxes  at  No.  1008-10 
!\lulberry  street,  the  building  being  forty  by  one 
hundred  and  sixty  feet  and  one-story  with  base- 
ment. This  is  the  only  concern  of  the  kind  in 
Rockford  and  thirty  people  are  employed  here. 
The  enterprise  has  been  a  success  from  the  begin- 
ning and  is  a  valuable  addition  to  the  industrial 
life  of  the  city.  In  1887  Air.  I'lrici  sold  the  bind- 
ery to  his  son  Douglass,  who  is  now  conducting 
it,  and  in  1899  he  sold  the  box  factory  to  his  son 
Fritz,  who  is  now  proprietor  and  successful  man- 
ager of  the  concern.  The  father  then  retired  from 
all  active  business  pursuits  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of 
his  former  toil  in  a  well  earned  rest,  surrounded 
by  the  comforts  and  conveniences  which  go  to 
make  life  worth  the  living. 

In  August,  1854.  Air.  Ulrici  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  JMiss  Caroline  Bock,  who  was  born  in 
Germany,  and  died  in  1892,  at  the  age  of  fifty- 
eight  years.  They  were  the  parents  of  nine  chil- 
dren, of  whom  five  are  living :  Anna,  the  wife  of 
John  Collier,  a  traveling  .salesman,  residing  in 
Belvid-ere,  Illinois;  Douglass,  the  proprietor  of 
the  book  binder}-,  which  was  established  by  his 
father ;  Henry,  an  optician  of  Aurora,  Illinois ; 
Carrie,  who  is  bookkeeper  in  the  Gregorian  Hotel 
in  Xew  York  city:  and  Fritz.  In  1893  Mr.  Ul- 
rici was  again  married,  his  second  union  being 
with  Mrs.  Barnes,  who  died  in  1900,  and  in  1902 
he  wedded  Alma  L.  Pond,  with  whom  he  is  now 
living  in  Rockford.  He  is  a  member  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  cnurch  and  in  politics  is  a  repub- 
lican, but  he  has  always  been  too  busy  to  enter 
activelv  into  political  work,  nor  has  he  had  any 
aspiration  for  office.  He  has  based  his  business 
principles  and  actions  upon  strict  and  unswerving 
integritv,  upon  unfaltering  perseverance  and  inde- 
fatigable energy^  and  with  these  as  a  foundation 
the  superstructure  that  he  has  reared  has  been  one 
of  prosperit}^  and  gratifying  success. 


Fritz  Ulrici,  born  in  Rockford  on  the  4th  of 
April,  1875,  i"  an  old  frame  building  on  South 
Alain  street,  adjoining  what  was  then  known  as 
the  Holland  House,  is  indebted  to  the  public 
schools  of  this  city  for  the  intellectual  training 
which  he  received,  while  his  business  training 
was  received  under  his  father's  correction.  After 
putting  aside  his  text-books  he  entered  the  paper 
box  factor)-,  where  he  thoroughly  learned  the 
business,  becoming  conversant  with  it  in  principle 
and  detail  and  knowing  all  the  practical  workings 
of  the  trade.  When  twenty-one  years  of  age  he 
purchased  a  half  interest  in  the  concern  and  is 
now  sole  owner,  doing  business  under  the  name. 
This  is  the  only  fine  paper  box  factory  in  the  city 
catering  to  high-class  work  and  its  output  is  in 
demand,  the  product  finding  a  ready  and  profit- 
able sale  on  the  market.  Fritz  Ulrici  is  one  of  the 
most  successful  young  business  men  of  Rockford 
and  his  success  is  due  entirely  to  his  own  industry 
and  well  directed  eft'orts. 

On  the  1 2th  of  November,  1904,  Air.  Ulrici 
was  married  to  Airs.  Alma  Leila  Feudel,  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  L.  and  Alarion  Wrignt.  She  comes  of  a 
famil}-  of  artistic  skill,  taste  and  talent  and  has 
herself  won  an  enviable  reputation  as  an  artist  in 
oils,  many  of  her  paintings  being  exhibited  in  the 
Chicago  Art  Institute  and  also  at  the  Louisiana 
Purchase  Exposition,  held  in  St.  Louis.  Mr.  and 
Airs.  Ulrici  are  members  of  the  Court  Street 
Alethodist  Episcopal  Qinrch  and  his  political 
views  are  with  republican  principles.  Frater- 
nall\-  he  affiliates  with  the  Alodern  Woodmen  of 
America  and  .socially  with  the  Countn,-  Club  and 
the  1900  Outing  Club.  .\  young  man  of  good 
business  ability,  continually  studying  the  condi- 
tions in  the  trade  world  and  its  possibilities,  he  is 
now  in  control  of  an  important  productive  enter- 
prise of  his  native  city. 


AlISS  AlARV  C.  SPOTTSWOOD. 

Aliss  Mary  C.  Spottswood,  deceased,  figured 
prominently  for  a  number  of  }ears  in  educational 
circles  in  Rockford  and  was  one  of  the  most  com- 
petent teachers  that  has  ever  been  connected  with 
the  school  system  of  this  city.  Her  parents,  Rob- 
ert and  AIar\-  C.  (Graham)  Spottswood,  were  na- 
tives of  Scotland,  and  in  their  family  were  nine 
children,  namely  :  Airs.  Robert  Simpson,  of  Rock- 
ford township ;  Airs.  Edwin  Ware,  of  Winnebago 
township  :  Elizabeth,  who  resided  in  Winnebago 
county  :  Alargaret,  who  is  employed  in  Stewart's 
department  store  in  Rockford :  Robert,  of  Winne- 
bago city  :  and  three  who  died  in  infancy. 

The  other  member  of  the  family,  Aliss  Mary 
C.  Spottswood,  acquired  her  early  education  in 
the   district  schools  and   for  a   few  months  was 


692 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


a  country  school  teacher.  l)ut  liaviiis^:  a  desire  to 
prepare  herself  for  a  better  position  she  entered 
the  State  Xornial  School  near  Pdooniington,  Illi- 
nois, and  was  .s:nuliiated  with  high  honors  with 
the  class  of  1883.  She  acce])ted  a  position  in 
Metropolis,  Illinois,  where  she  remained  for  a 
year,  and  then  began  her  work  in  Rockford  the 
following  year.  Here  she  remained  continuously 
as  a  most  capable  and  successful  teacher  until 
March,  1902.  She  taught  first  in  the  Kent  school, 
was  afterward  transferred  to  the  Lincoln  school, 
and  subse(|nently  was  elected  its  principal,  teach- 
ing altogether  in  Rockford  schools  for  eighteen 
vears.  She  was  ever  thoughtful,  sym]iathetic, 
just  and  helpful,  and  was  a  real  friend  of  the  pu- 
pils, encouraging  eacli  one  to  put  forth  his  best 
efforts  that  he  might  make  the  most  of  his  oppor- 
tunities. She  inspired  many  with  her  own  zeal 
and  interest  in  the  work,  and  she  still  lives  in  the 
lives  of  her  jiupils  and  friends.  Who  can  know 
when  or  where  such  an  inlluence  may  end.  but  it  is 
none  the  less  a  potent  force,  and  one  whose  good 
efifects  will  be  long  felt. 

A  severe  attack  of  ])neumonia.  from  which  she 
suffered  in  the  winter  of  igoi,  left  Miss  Spotts- 
wood  in  a  very  weak  condition,  and,  being  unable 
to  return  to  her  duties  in  the  schoolroom,  she  went 
south  as  soon  as  possible,  her  place  in  the  school- 
room being  taken  by  her  assistant,  but  after  a 
short  stay  at  Tucson,  Arizona,  she  died  July  30, 
1902.  Professor  Walker,  superintendent  of  schools 
at  Rockford,  said  to  her :  "She  was  one  of  the  best 
teachers  we  ever  had  in  the  city.  She  was  well 
equipped  for  her  profession  and  made  a  success  of 
her  work,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  long  period  in 
which  she  was  retained  in  the  schools.  We  have 
lost  a  valuable  member  of  the  teaching  force. 
Well  educated  and  naturally  well  qualified  for  her 
work  and  a  good  discii)linarian,  slie  gained  the 
confidence  and  affection  of  her  pupils  and  the 
teachers  under  her  control."  She  served  long  and 
faithfully,  and  there  was  genuine  regret  when  the 
teachers  and  pupils  learned  their  chief  had  gone 
beyond.  The  following  beautiful  tribute  to  her 
memory  was  paid :  "The  teachers  of  the  city 
schools  through  a  committee  have  expressed  their 
appreciation  of  the  worth  of  the  late  Mary  .Spotts- 
wood.  .^he  was  ;.  teacher  of  superior  natural  en- 
dowment, together  with  excellent  special  training. 
We  who  were  associated  with  her  as  teachers, 
principals  and  superintendent  recognized  her  keen- 
ness of  intellect,  her  l)road  conceptions  of  the 
teacher's  duty,  her  willingness  to  do  all  in  her 
power  to  promote  the  best  interests  not  f>nly  of  her 
own  school,  but  to  assist  others,  as  well  as  to  ad- 
vance the  cause  of  education  in  our  own  city, 
state  and  county.  She  possessed  a  deep  sense  of 
justice,  a  generous  spirit,  great  sympathy  and  ex- 
cellent power  to  discern  character,  a  fertile  mind 
and    high    moral    and    religious   principles.      We 


nKiiirn  her  de])arture  and  >hall  miss  her  wise  coun- 
sel and  sincere  Uning  friendship.  She  lives  in  the 
lives  and  works  of  those  on  whom  she  has  left  the 
impress  of  her  skill  and  faithfulness,  and  will  live 
for  generations  to  come." 


|(  )H.\    T.  A.\"1)R1-:\V. 


John  J.  .\ndrew,  having  reached  the  eightieth 
milestone  on  life's  journey,  is  now  living  a  re- 
tired life  in  Rockford.  I'Dr  many  years  he  con- 
trolled business  interests  of  importance  in  Rock- 
ford. and  his  close  attention,  careful  direction  and 
recognition  and  utilization  of  op|)orlunities  made 
him  a  successful  man.  Still  in  ])osssession  of  his 
faculties,  seeming,  in  spirit  and  interests,  yet  in 
his  prime,  he  is  one  of  the  respected,  venerable  and 
honored  citizens  of  Winnebago  county. 

He  was  horn  in  Argyle.  Scotland,  in  1825,  a  son 
of  David  and  Jennet  (  Huie)  Andrew.  The  father, 
a  farmer  by  occupation,  came  to  America  in  1842. 
settling  in  Washington  county.  Ohio,  whence  he 
removed  to  this  county  in  1843,  locating  in  Guil- 
ford township,  where  he  purchased  one  hundred 
and  seventy-three  acres  of  land,  on  which  he  car- 
ried on  general  farming  until  his  death.  He 
passed  away  March  23.  1868,  and  his  wife  sur- 
vived him  until  ATarch  28.  1873. 

In  their  family  were  thirteen  children,  of  whom 
one  died  in  Scotland,  while  another  died  in  Ohio, 
in  infancy.  John  J.  is  the  eldest.  David,  a  ma- 
chinist by  trade,  died  .April  14.  1901.  Jane  is 
the  wife  of  Lynus  Knight,  of  Nebraska.  Robert, 
a  miller,  who  lived  for  many  years  in  Milford 
and  in  Rockford,  died  December  14,  1901.  James 
died  about  1895.  jMathew  is  princii)al  of  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Carthage,  Illinois.  Jennet  died  in 
Scotland.  Archibald,  who  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Civil  war  and  was  with  McClellan's  command, 
was  a  teacher  and  county  superintendent  of  schools 
in  Winnebago  county,  Illinois,  and  is  now  living 
a  retired  life  in  Milwaukee.  Wisconsin.  Jennet, 
born  in  .\ugust,  1838,  is  the  wife  of  Donald  Sil- 
lers, a  farmer  of  Argyle,  Illinois.  Maria  is  the 
wife  of  .\ndrew  Reed,  a  fanner  near  Spring\'ille, 
Iowa.  William  was  born  and  died  in  Ohio.  Wil- 
liam, the  second  of  that  name,  born  in  1844,  lives 
on  the  old  homestead  farm  in  Guilford  township. 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  William  Chapman,  of  Rock- 
ford, died  October  23,  1880. 

John  J.  .\ndrcw  acquired  the  greater  part  of 
his  education  in  the  schools  of  Scotland  but  after- 
ward spent  one  simimer  as  a  student  in  Beloit  Col- 
lege. He  came  with  his  parents  to  America, 
reaching  Winnebago  county  when  eighteen  years 
of  age,  and  he  assi.sted  in  the  work  of  the  home 
farm  until  more  than  twenty  years  of  age  and 
during  three  winters  he  taught  district  and  sing- 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


693 


ing  schools,  being  thus  engaged  until  1853,  when 
he  was  married  and  removed  to  Rockford.  He 
then  engaged  in  the  meat  business,  conducting  a 
market  for  twenty-five  years  at  No.  433  West 
State  street,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  sold  out 
to  Mr.  WcPherson.  That  he  continued  in  the 
trade  so  long  is  proof  of  the  success  that  attended 
his  efforts.  He  afterward  engaged  ni  the  manu- 
facture of  soap  for  twenty  years,  having  his  fac- 
tory at  what  is  now  Riverside.  In  1903,  however, 
he  sold  the  plant  and  retired  from  active  business 
life.  He  was  ever  watchful  of  the  indications 
pointing  to  success  and  every  step  was  carefully 
and  thoughtfully  made,  and  with  earnest  labor  as 
a  fundation,  he  builded  thereon  the  superstruct- 
ure of  a  handsome  competence. 

Mr.  Andrew  was  married  in  1S53  to  Miss 
Mary  J.  Enoch,  of  Guilford  township,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Henry  and  Mary  (Hall)  Enoch,  her  father 
a  fanner  of  this  county.  She  was  born  in  Butler 
county,  Ohio,  and  represented  one  of  the  old  fam- 
ilies of  that  state.  She  traces  her  ancestry  back 
to  England  to  the  Rev.  Henry  Hall,  who  in  1698 
came  to  America,  representing  the  English  gov- 
ernment as  a  minister  of  the  church.  His  son, 
known  as  Major  Henry  Hall,  was  born  March 
12,  1702,  and  was  an  officer  of  the  ISritish  armv. 
attaining  the  rank  of  colonel.  His  eldest  son. 
Major  Henry  Hall,  Jr.,  generally  spoken  of  as 
Major  Harry,  also  belonged  to  the  British  Army 
in  colonial  days,  and  he  was  the  father  of  William 
Hall,  who  was  an  adjutant  in  the  Revolutionary 
war.  His  daughter,  Mary  Hall,  born  July  14, 
1790,  was  married  September  5,  1813,  to  Henry 
Enoch,  who  came  of  almost  equally  remote  and 
distinguished  ancestry.  The  first  ancestor  in  this 
country  being  Colonel  Henry  Enoch,  Sr.,  who 
was  a  member  of  the  militia  of  Washington 
county,  Pennsylvania.  His  grandfather  left  Hol- 
land on  account  of  religious  persecution.  Colonel 
Henry  Enoch,  about  1770,  was  a  grantor  of  pat- 
ents for  ^'irginia  and  he  was  a  delegate,  on  June 
16,  1775,  to  Fort  Pitt,  where  an  important  con- 
vention was  held.  His  son,  Henry  Enoch,  Jr., 
located  in  Warren  county,  Ohio,  and  afterward 
removed  to  Winnebago  county,  Illinois.  He  had 
previously  married  Mary  Hall,  and  then  after  liv- 
ing for  a  time  in  Ohio  they  established  their  home 
in  Guilford  township,  this  county,  in  1835,  the 
father  entering  a  claim  from  the  government.  He 
followed  farming  throughout  his  entire  life. 
Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  born  seven  children : 
William  Henry  and  Richard  Hall,  who  died  in 
1837;  Martha,  who  died  in  1856;  John  T.,  who 
died  in  1857;  Abraham  I.,  whose  death  occurred 
April  30,  1883  ;  Hiram  R.,  who  died  in  1890;  and 
Mary  J.,  born  September  i,  1831,  who  married 
John  J.  Andrew,  and  died  in  1905.  The  father 
died  September  8,  1858,  and  the  mother  July  28, 

1859. 
40 


The  home  of  ;Mr.  and  Mrs.  Andrew  was 
blessed  with  seven  children.  John  D.,  the  eldest, 
assistant  surgeon  of  the  Northwestern  Railway 
Company  at  Chicago,  was  married  to  Annie  Til- 
ton,  of  that  city,  and  has  two  children,  Dorothy 
and  Margaret.  Henry  D.,  who  for  seven  years 
was  with  Marcus  Daly  in  Montana  as  a  salesman 
and  is  now  living  in  Rockford,  married  Anna  A. 
Ijaume,  of  Galena,  Illinois,  and  had  two  children 
— Marion,  now  deceased,  and  Harry  L.,  who  was 
born  May  12,  1895,  ^"f'  's  now  attending  school. 
Mary  Adele  died  in  1864.  Frank,  living  in  Chi- 
cago, city  salesman  for  the  Armour  Soap  Com- 
pan}-,  was  married  to  Miss  Addie  Swartz,  of 
Rockford.  Minnie  is  at  home.  Blanche  died  in 
1867.  Frederick,  w'ith  the  Haddorf  Piano  Com- 
pany and  living  in  Rockford,  married  Emma 
Davenport,  of  this  city.  The  mother  of  these 
children  died  May  14,  1905,  the  second  day  after 
her  fifty-second  wedding  anniversary. 

Mr.  Andrew  has  long  been  a  devoted  member 
of  the  Court  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
was  treasurer  and  a  member  of  the  board  of  trus- 
tees for  a  number  of  years  and  for  fourteen  years 
was  chorister  in  the  Sunday-school.  His  con- 
tribution to  its  support  and  his  co-operation  in 
many  of  its  activities  have  promoted  the  growth 
and  extended  the  influence  of  the  church.  He 
was  a  whig  in  his  political  affiliations  in  early  life 
and  since  the  organization  of  the  republican 
party  has  followed  its  banners.  With  a  retentive 
memory  and  a  mind  remarkably  keen  and  active, 
he  yet  keeps  in  touch  with  the  world's  progress 
and  with  local  advancement  and  is  yet  a  valued 
and  prominent  citizen  in  the  county,  where  he 
lias  so  long  lived  and  labored,  making  a  life  his- 
tory that  will  bear  the  closest  investigation  and 
scrutinv. 


ROBERT  B.  JEWETT. 

Robert  B.  Jcwett,  interested  in  general  farming 
on  section  23,  Harrison  township,  was  born  upon 
this  place  in  1862,  his  parents  being  John  R.  and 
Elizabeth  M.  (Gilmour)  Jewett,  -who  w^ere  mar- 
ried in  this  county.  The  father  was  born  in  Win- 
dom.  Connecticut,  August  22.  1815,  and  came 
alone  to  Winnebago  county,  Illinois,  in  1838,  be- 
ing then  a  young  man  of  twenty-three  years.  He 
made  his  way  westward  by  way  of  Buffalo  and 
Chicago  and  ultimately  reached  his  destination — 
Winnebago  county,  where  he  became  identified 
with  agricultural  interests.  He  was  a  millwright 
and  blacksmith  by  trade,  however,  and  followed 
those  pursuits  until  1850,  when  he  turned  his  at- 
tention to  farming  and  was  thus  engaged  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death.  In  1847  he  entered  from 
the  government  the  land  now  owned  by  his  son 
Robert,   walking  to  Dixon.   Illinois,   in  order  to 


694 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


secure  the  patent  wliich  is  still  in  possession  of 
our  subject.  The  farm  has  never  been  out  of 
piDSsession  of  the  Jewett  family.  On  the  22(1  of 
May.  1851,  John  R.  Jewett  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Elizai)eth  .M.  I  iilmour,  who  was 
born  in  Kentucky.  September  4.  18.^1.  anil  in 
1847  came  to  this  county  with  her  jjarents.  who 
located  in  Harrison  townshi]).  where  they  i)ur- 
chased  land  and  followed  farming^.  .Mr.  Jewett 
was  not  only  active  in  business  life  but  was  also 
a  man  of  consideral)le  influence  in  his  community, 
where  he  served  for  several  years  as  justice  of  the 
peace  and  roadmaster.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Grange  and  the  Patrons  of  Husbandry,  and  his 
wife  belonged  to  the  Congregational  church  at 
Harrison.  In  their  family  were  si.x  children: 
Clara  .A.,  who  died  in  1871  :  John  R.,  a  contractor 
and  builder  living  at  Wood  River.  Nebraska ; 
Ella,  who  died  in  1868.  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years ; 
George  L..  a  contractor  and  builder  of  Shirland. 
Illinois;  Robert  11.,  of  this  review:  and  Mrs.  .\b- 
bie  E.  Craig,  a  widow,  living  at  Shirland. 

Roliert  B.  Jewett  was  reared  upon  the  old 
family  homestead  where  he  yet  resides,  the  farm 
comprising  niie  Inmdrcd  and  sixty  acres,  of  which 
one  hundred  an<l  twenty  acres  lie  on  section  2I1. 
Harrison  township,  while  the  remaining  forty 
acres  are  in  Shirland  townshi]).  Here  he  devotes 
his  time  and  energies  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil  and 
to  the  raising  of  some  stock,  and  his  farm  pre- 
sents a  well  cultivated  ai)])earance.  the  green  fields 
giving  promise  of  golden  harvests  in  the  autumn. 
Everything  is  neat  and  attractive  in  apixarancc 
and  an  air  of  system  pervades  the  place. 

Mr.  Jewett  married  Miss  Winnie  McMahon. 
whf)  was  born  Jul\  4.  i86<j,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
John  and  .\nn  ( Iliggenbotton  )  McMahon.  Her 
father  still  resides  in  Harrison  township  but  her 
mother  died  March  .^i.  1904.  when  almost  seventy 
\ears  of  age.  Mrs.  Jewett  was  one  of  eight  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  are  living:  Mrs.  Eunice 
Weatherhead.  a  resident  of  Harrison  townshii^ : 
Edward,  living  in  the  same  township;  Mrs.  Lizzie 
Crowley,  of  I^iona  township ;  .Mien,  of  Harrison 
township;  Mrs.  Jewett.  of  Harrison  township; 
Mrs.  Mary-  Eick,  of  Durand  township;  Mrs.  Mat- 
tie  Shepards<jn,  of  Harrison  township ;  and  Mrs. 
.\nnie  (Jumniow,  of  Rockton  township.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Jewett  have  two  living  children :  John  R. 
and  Frances  .A.,  aged  resiiectively  fourteen  and 
eight  vears.  They  lost  their  second  son.  Graham 
^i..  who  died  at  the  age  of  two  years  and  six 
months. 

Politically  Mr.  Jewett  is  a  republican,  interested 
in  the  succcsss  and  growth  of  his  party,  and  is 
now  serving  as  township  clerk,  which  office  he 
has  filled  for  six  or  seven  years.  He  has  also 
held  other  local  positions  anrl  is  respected  for  his 
reliability  in  all  positions  of  public  trust.  His 
fraternal  relations  are  with  the  Royal  Neighbors 


and  with  Harrison  camj).  .\o.  684.  M.  W.  A.  His 
wife  is  also  connected  with  the  former  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  church  at  Har- 
rison. 


JACOB  VAN  DE  MARK. 

Jacob  \  an  De  Mark,  now  deceaseil.  was  con- 
nected with  manufacturing  interests  in  Rockford 
for  many  years  and  was  a  stockholder  in  the 
Rockford  Manufacturing  Company  at  the  time  of 
his  death.  Through  his  own  efforts  he  advanced 
to  a  prominent  position  in  connection  with  the 
leading  productive  industries  of  the  city. 
Though  no  land  is  richer  in  opportunities  of 
affords  greater  advantages  to  its  citizens  than 
.\merica.  success  is  not  to  be  obtained  through 
desire,  but  must  be  persistently  sought.  In 
America  "labor  is  king"  and  the  man  who  reso- 
lutely sets  to  work  to  accomplish  a  purpose  is 
certain  of  success  if  he  has  but  the  qualities  ot 
pcrserverance.  untiring  energy  and  jiraclical  com- 
luon  sense.  Mr.  Van  De  Mark  was  one  whose 
career  excited  the  admiration  and  gained  the  re- 
spect of  all,  for  through  his  diligence  he  won  a 
leading  place  in  manufacturing  circles  in  Rock- 
ford. where  he  located  in  1867. 

Mr.  \'an  de  Alark  was  born  near  Albany.  New 
York.  January  22.  1833,  and  was  a  son  of  Ebert 
and  Fannie  (Went worth)  Van  De  Mark.  He 
was  a  farmer  all  his  life  and  resided  upon  a  tract 
of  land  near  .\lbany  for  more  than  half  a  century, 
l)eiiig  one  of  the  leading  agriculturists  of  that 
locality.  He  was  also  throughout  the  entire 
time,  a  deacon  in  the  Wisqua  church  and  both 
he  and  his  wife  resided  in  that  locality  until  called 
to  their  final  rest.  Ebert  Van  De  Mark  depart- 
ing this  life  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-five 
years.  Of  the  nine  children  in  their  family,  there 
are  now  six  living. 

In  the  district  schools  near  Albany.  Jacob  Van 
De  Mark  acquired  a  good  practical  education  and 
then  assistecl  his  father  on  the  old  home  farm 
until  he  became  of  age,  when  he  went  to  Ro- 
chester, New  York,  where  he  began  business  on 
his  own  account.  Entering  into  partnershi])  with 
his  brother-in-law,  they  began  dealing  in  coffee 
and  spice,  in  which  they  continued  for  several 
years,  or  until  1867,  when  Mr.  Van  De  Mark  re- 
moved to  the  middle  west,  settling  in  Rockford, 
where  he  also  established  a  coffee  and  spice  store, 
which  he  conducteil  for  a  year.  He  then  turned 
his  attention  to  manufacturing  interests  and  for 
several  years  was  engaged  in  the  manufacturing 
of  pumps  after  which  he  assisted  in  organizing 
the  Rockford  Maiuifacturing  Company,  which 
is  now  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  important 
manufacturing  concerns  in  the  city,  the  output 
including   all    kinds   of   agricultural    itnplements. 


JACOB  VAN  DE  MARK. 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


697 


Mr.  Van  De  Mark  became  one  of  the  large  stock- 
holders in  the  new  enterprise,  but  did  not  take  an 
active  part  in  its  management,  althongli  he  was 
financially  interested  therein  until  his  death. 
Every  step  in  his  business  career  was  thought- 
fully made.  He  carefully  considered  each  plan 
and  opportunity  bearing  upon  his  interests  and 
when  once  he  had  determined  upon  a  course  was 
prompt  and  decided  in  action,  while  at  all  times 
his  course  was  in  strict  conformity  with  high 
commercial  ethics. 

While  engaged  in  business  in  Rochester,  Mr. 
Van  De  Mark  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Jane  Henderson,  a  native  of  Newcastle,  England, 
and  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Mary  (Wilkin- 
s(in )  Henderson,  both  natives  of  Yorkshire,  Eng- 
land, the  father  engaging  in  business  as  a  con- 
tractor in  Yorkshire  and  Newcastle.  His  death 
occurred  in  the  latter  place  during  the  infancy 
of  his  daughter  and  Mrs.  Henderson,  afterward 
married  William  Lord,  a  shoemaker  by  trade. 
They  removed  to  Rochester,  New  York,  where 
her  husband  followed  his  chosen  pursuit,  and 
both  died  in  that  city.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van  De 
Mark  became  the  parents  of  three  children,  but 
the  first  born  died  unnamed.  Cora  E.,  who  has  a 
very  wide  acquaintance  in  Rockford,  was  a 
teacher  in  the  high  school  here  for  several  years 
and  was  also  money-order  clerk  in  the  postoffice 
of  Rockford  for  some  time.  She  is  now  the  wife 
of  Charles  T.  Marsh,  United  States  ganger  and 
storekeeper  at  Rockford.  Theodore  W.,  mar- 
ried Mabel  Davis  and  resides  in  Rockford,  where 
he  is  occupying  a  good  position  in  the  .A.shton 
drv  goods  store,  where  he  has  lieen  employed  for 
several  years. 

The  death  of  Mr.  \^an  De  Mark  occurred  June 
8,  1893.  His  early  political  support  was  given 
the  republican  party  and  later  he  endorsed  prohi- 
bition principles  and  was  an  advocate  of  the  party 
embodying  his  views  on  the  temperance  question. 
He  was  strictly  temperate  in  his  habits  and  thus 
by  example  as  well  as  precept  endeavored  to  fur- 
ther a  cause  which  he  believed  affected  in  large 
measure  the  prosperity  and  happiness  of  the  race. 
He  belonged  to  the  .\ncient  Order  of  United 
Workmen,  of  Rockford,  and  the  Westminister 
Presbyterian  church  and  Mrs.  Van  De  Mark  is 
now  a  member  of  the  First  Congregational 
church.  Viewed  in  a  personal  light  he  was  a 
strong  man,  of  excellent  judgment,  fair  in  his 
views  and  highly  honorable  in  his  relations  with 
his  fellowmen.  His  position  regarding  any  ques- 
tion of  vital  interest,  political,  social  or  moral, 
was  never  an  equivocal  one,  and  he  never 
swerved  from  a  course  which  he  believed  to  be 
right.  Mrs.  Van  De  Mark  is  still  one  of  the 
stockholders    in    the    Rockford    Manufacturing 


Company,  whereby  she  derives  a  good  annual  in- 
come, and  she  owns  and  occupies  a  large  resi- 
dence at  No.  1229  Charles  street. 


JOHN  SCHOONMAKER. 

John  Schoonmaker,  who  was  formerly  identi- 
fied with  agricultural  interests  in  Winnebago 
township,  but  is  now  living  retired  at  No.  824 
Montague  street,  Rockford,  was  born  April  2, 
1842,  in  the  township  where  he  formerly  farmed. 
His  grandfather,  Henry  Schoonmaker,  was  a 
native  of  the  state  of  New  York.  He  is  a  son  of 
Henry  and  Mary  Schoonmaker,  the  former  born 
in  Albany  county.  New  York,  April  16,  1808, 
while  the  latter  was  a  native  of  Schoharie  county, 
New  York.  The  father  came  to  Winnebago 
count}-  in  1838,  at  a  time  when  there  were  only 
two  log  cabins  standing  upon  the  present  site 
of  the  city  of  Rockford.  He  helped  to  put  in  the 
first  dam  and  also  the  first  bridge  at  Rockford 
and  received  the  fir.st  deed  to  land  in  Winnebago 
township,  entering  his  claim  from  the  government. 
Money  was  scarce  in  the  west  at  that  time  and 
Mr.  Schoonmaker  returned  to  the  east  where  he 
obtained  the  gold  with  which  to  pay  for  his  prop- 
erty. He  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  here  and 
met  his  death  by  falling  from  a  load  of  hay,  when 
sixty-four  years  ot  age.  In  his  family  were  four 
sons  and  four  daughters,  seven  of  the  number  yet 
living:  Mrs.  Cornelia  Hobson,  who  resides  near 
the  old  homestead  in  Winnebago  township  ;  Mrs. 
Emily  Branagh,  who  is  living  in  Chicago 
Heights,  Illinois :  John,  of  this  review ;  David, 
who  resides  at  Stineton,  Dewey  county,  Okla- 
homa ;  William,  who  resides  on  the  old  home- 
stead;  Mrs.  Margaret  N.  Warner,  who  died  leav- 
ing two  children,  Mrs.  Lewis  Mitchell,  who  re- 
sides at  Harvard,  Illinois,  and  Mrs.  Maggie 
Stacy,  who  is  living  at  Rochelle,  Illinois ;  Charles 
E.,  who  owns  eighty  acres  of  the  old  homestead 
farm  in  Winnebago  township ;  and  Mrs.  Mary  E. 
McDonald,  who  lives  at  Hawarden,  Iowa.  The 
parents  have  both  passed  away  and  the  father 
was  owner  of  three  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
acres  of  land  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

John  Schoonmaker  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  and  enlisted  in  the  military  service 
of  his  country  when  twenty  years  of  age,  being 
assigned  to  duty  with  the  boys  in  blue  of  Com- 
pany E,  Seventy-tourth  Regiment  of  Illinois  Vol- 
unteers. He  served  for  five  months  and  was  then 
honorably  discharged  on  account  of  disability. 
The  only  battle  in  which  he  participated  was  at 
Perryvilie,  Kentucky.  Returning  to  his  home,  he 
remained  in  this  county  for  a  year  and  then  of- 
fered his  services  to  the  Union,  re-enlisting  as  a 
member  of  Battery  G,  Second  Illinois  Light  Ar- 


6y8 


PAST     AND     I'KESEXT     OF     WIXMII'.AGO     COrXTV 


tillerv.  with  which  lie  riniained  for  twenty 
months.  He  jjarticipated  in  the  battle  of  Tupelo. 
Mississippi.  July  14.  1864.  o|)posinjj'  the  C«Mifcd- 
erate  troops  under  General  Forest.  ( )ldto\\n 
Creek.  July  15.  i8<')4:  and  Hurricane  Creek,  Au- 
gust 13.  l8('»4.  He  was  with  the  Sixteenth  Army 
Corps  and  heljied  to  drive  tlie  rebel  general.  Trice, 
out  of  Missouri  in  the  fall  of  i8f>4.  He  was  also 
in  several  skirmishes  and  the  battle  of  Xashvillc. 
Tcimessee.  December  15  and  16.  1864.  and  the 
siege  of  Mobile  from  the  27th  of  March  until  the 
I2th  of  April.  18^5,  resulting  in  the  capitulation 
of  the  forts.  Ele  afterward  started  with  Itis  com- 
mand for  Montgomery,  .\labama,  being  in  the 
march  at  the  time  word  was  received  of  the  sur- 
render of  General  Lee.  He  was  then  discharged 
at  Springfield.  Illinois.  Se|)tember  4.  1865. 

Following  his  return  liome.  Mr.  Schoonmaker 
began  farming,  operating  rented  land  for  several 
years  until  his  lal)ors  had  brought  him  a  capital 
sufficient  to  enable  him  to  purchase  a  farm.  After 
that  he  cultivated  and  im])rove(l  his  own  land  witli 
gratifying  success  until  i8<)2.  when  he  retired  to 
])rivate  life,  and  took  u])  his  abode  in  Rockfc^rd. 
He  now  owns  two  fine  residences  on  Montague 
street  in  this  city  and  eighty  acres  of  land  in  the 
county. 

Mr.  Schoonmaker  was  married  in  1868.  to  Miss 
T-.  L.  M.  Posson.  who  was  bom  in  the  state  of 
Xew  York  in  i84<)  and  is  a  daughter  of  Daniel 
and  .\ngelica  (  Ih'Uglitclling)  Posson.  Her  fa- 
ther was  a  farmer,  who  owned  and  operated  two 
hundred  acres  of  land  in  the  state  ot  Xew  York. 
He  came  to  the  west  in  1864  with  his  family  and 
after  living  in  Winnebago  county  for  some  time 
removed  to  Missouri,  where  he  purchased  a  farm 
upon  which  he  lived  eleven  years.  On  selling 
that  proix?rt\  he  returned  to  Illinois  and  bought 
the  farm  on  winch  he  was  living  at  the  time  of 
his  death  on  the  17th  of  May.  1892.  His  widow 
still  survives  him  an<l  is  living  with  Mrs.  Charlona 
Clilkman  in  the  village  of  Winnebago.  Mr.  Pos- 
son was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  to  which  his  widow  still  belongs,  and  he 
took  an  active  jiart  in  the  church  work,  doing 
everything  in  his  power  to  promote  its  growth 
and  extend  its  influence.  He  served  as  steward 
of  the  church  and  was  also  deacon  for  many 
years.  In  his  family  were  four  children,  all  of 
whom  are  yet  living:  Mrs.  .Schoonmaker:  Mrs. 
Isabella  Patterson,  who  resides  at  Xew  Milford; 
.Arthur,  who  is  living  at  Windsor.  Missouri :  and 
Mrs.  Clilkman.  a  resident  of  the  village  of  Win- 
nebago. 

.Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schoonmaker  have  become  the 
])arents  of  three  rlaughters :  I*111a.  born  June  2_v 
1869,  is  the  wife  of  Strieker  Mitchell,  a  farmer 
living  in  Wimiebago  township,  and  they  have 
three  children.  Homer.  Ollic  and  John.  Fannie 
Schoonmaker,  born   September   14,    1874,  is  the 


\.'ife  of  .\lonzo  .Mitchell,  who  is  living  upon 
her  father's  farm,  anil  they  have  three  chil- 
dren, Irene,  Pearl  and  Everett.  Maggie,  bom 
January  17,  1877.  is  the  wife  of  Frank  Shel- 
don, a  farmer  residing  in  Seward  township,  and 
tlie\-  have  two  children.  Harold  and  Lorraine. 
The  jjarents  are  members  of  the  Congregational 
church  and  .Mr.  Schoonmaker  belongs  to  Xevius 
])ost.  Xo.  I.  (;.  .\.  K.  He  votes  with  the  repub- 
lican |)ariy  and  for  six  years  he  served  as  school 
director,  the  cause  of  education  finding  in  him  a 
warm  friend.  He  has,  however,  never  given 
much  time  to  office  seeking  or  office  holding,  con- 
tent to  do  his  sen'ice  for  the  public  as  a  private 
citizen.  He  has  been  very  successful  in  his  busi- 
ness and  is  now  one  of  the  substantial  and  re- 
sjiected  residents  of  his  native  county,  enjoying 
the  comforts  of  life  in  a  ])leasant  home,  whose 
hosjiitality  makes  it  a  favorite  resort  with  his 
nianv  friends. 


EDWARD  O.  CAMPP.ELL. 

Edward  O.  Camiibell.  actively  and  success- 
fully engageil  in  general  farming  in  Owen  town- 
ship, was  born  in  Winnebago  county,  January 
6.  1861.  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  .Mary  (McXeaD 
Campbell.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Ireland, 
born  in  1810.  while  the  mother's  birth  occurred 
in  Canada  in  1824.  They  were  married  in  the 
latter  coimtry  and  their  throe  eldest  children  were 
born  there.  Removing  to  Winnebago  county  in 
the  "SOS.  Mr.  Campbell  settled  in  Owen  town- 
ship, where  he  entered  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land  from  the  government.  He  at  once 
began  to  break  the  wild  prairie  and  in  course  of 
time  transformed  the  unim])roved  tract  into  a 
highly  productive  farm.  In  the  early  days, 
however,  he  bore  all  the  hardships  and  privations 
incident  to  pioneer  life  and  performed  the  arduous 
labor  that  fell  to  the  lot  of  the  frontier  settlers. 
There  was  no  market  nearer  than  Chicago  and 
he  had  to  haul  bis  meat  to  that  place,  it  often 
taking  him  from  eight  to  twelve  days  to  make  the 
round  trip.  Later  Pelvidere  offered  market  when 
then  old  Chicago  &  Galena  Railroad  was  built 
through  that  place.  It  is  now  a  part  of  the  Gii- 
cago  &  Xorthwestern  Railroad  system.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell contiTiueil  farming  throughout  his  entire  life 
and  also  raised  some  stock,  and  he  contributed 
in  no  unimjxjrtant  manner  to  the  early  substan- 
tial developments  of  the  county.  He  died  on 
the  old  farm  homestead  in  1883,  having  long 
survived  his  wife,  who  passed  away  in  1866. 
They  became  the  pareiUs  of  twelve  children,  of 
whom  five  are  now  living:  .Sarah,  the  wife  of 
John  Rose,  a  resident  of  Sac  City.  Iowa,  by  whom 
.she  has  one  child :  Rachel,  who  married  William 
Houffman.    of   Canada,   bv    whom    she   has   two 


.MRS.  !•:.  (),  r.\.\ii'i;i;LL. 


E.  O.  CAMPBELL. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


703 


children  :  Hannali,  who  is  the  wife  of  Z.  Miller, 
of  Rockford,  and  has  five  children  ;  Edward  O. ; 
and  James  E.,  who  married  Hattie  Steward  and 
has  four  children.  Their  home  is  in  Owen  town- 
ship. 

Edward  O.  Campbell  spent  his  boyhood  days 
under  the  parental  roof  and  acquired  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  common  branches  of  English  learn- 
ing by  attending  the  public  schools  of  the  neigh- 
borhood. He  worked  upon  his  father's  farm  un- 
til he  had  attained  his  majority  and  then  started 
out  in  life  on  his  own  account  as  an  agriculturist, 
purchasing  the  interests  of  the  other  heirs  in  the 
farm  which  formerly  belonged  to  his  ma- 
ternal grandfather.  He  now  has  six  hun- 
dred and  thirty-six  acres  of  as  fine  land 
as  can  be  found  in  the  county,  con- 
stituting a  splendidly  improved  property.  Upon 
the  place  he  has  at  the  present  time  sixty-five  head 
of  cattle  and  one  hundred  and  fifteen  head  of  hogs. 
He  ships  one  or  more  carloads  of  cattle  to  the 
Chicago  market  each  }-ear  and  both  branches  of 
his  business  are  proving  profitable,  bringing  him 
a  satisfactory  financial  return.  A  part  of  the 
old  jMcNeal  house,  which  was  built  and  owned 
by  his  grandfather,  is  still  standing  near  the  new 
home  of  Air.  Campbell,  which  he  erected  in  igoo. 
This  residence  is  of  modern  style  of  architecture, 
supplied  with  hot  and  cold  water  and  equipped 
with  all  modern  improvements.  It  is  tasteful  in 
its  furnishings  and  most  attractive  in  its  hospit- 
able cordiality.  Air.  Campbell  has  always  car- 
ried on  general  farming  and  stock-raising  and  as 
tlie  result  of  his  well  directed  eflforts  and  unremit- 
ting diligence  is  now  one  of  the  prosperous  citi- 
zens of  his  community. 

On  the  2d  of  February,  1881.  occurred  the 
marriage  of  Air.  Campbell  and  Aliss  Eliza  J. 
Black,  a  daughter  of  Charles  and  Eliza  (Hall) 
Black,  who  are  mentioned  in  connection  with 
the  sketch  of  John  Black  on  another  page  of 
this  work.  Air.  and  Airs.  Campbell  have  be- 
come the  parents  of  nine  children:  George  Al. 
born  November  9.  1882  ;  one  who  died  in  infancy  ; 
Ray  W.  born  August  8,  1884:  a  fourth,  who  was 
born  February  26,  1887.  and  died  in  infancy ; 
Ralph  E.,  born  November  28,  1890 :  Nellie  G., 
born  Alarch  31.  1892  ;  Clarence  C,  who  was  born 
January  12.  1895,  ^"d  died  December  i.  1896; 
Floyd,  born  July  17,  1897;  and  an  infant,  who 
was  born  on  the  9th  of  Alay,  1900.  and  died 
Alarch  28.  1901. 

Air.  Campbell  has  been  a  member  of  the  school 
board  for  six  or  seven  years  and  he  gives  his 
political  allegiance  to  the  republican  party.  He 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  church 
and  are  well  known  and  highly  respected  citizens 
of  Owen  township.  He  is  classed  with  the  suc- 
cessful men  whose  labors  have  been  the  basis  of 


their  prosperity  for  his  close  application,  enter- 
prise and  diligence  have  proved  the  foundation 
upon  which  he  has  builded  the  superstructure 
of  a  handsome  competence. 


T(")HX   A.   STILES. 


John  A.  Stiles,  following  the  occupa'tion  of 
farming  on  section  19.  Rockford  township,  was 
bom  en  this  section  on  the  old  Stiles  homestead, 
August  10.  1851,  his  parents  being  Richard  S. 
and  Sarah  (Stilson)  Stiles,  who  were  married 
in  \\'innebago  county,  December  10,  1846.  The 
father  was  bom  at  Keene,  New  Hampshire.  Au- 
gust 15,  181 1,  and  is  of  English  lineage.  He  re- 
mained at  the  place  of  his  nativity  until  the  spring 
of  1837.  when  ne  came  to  Winnebago  county  and 
soon  afterward  settled  on  a  farm  on  section  19, 
Rockford  township — the  place  now  owned  by  his 
son.  Amos  D.  Stiles.  He  at  once  began  to  clear 
and  improve  the  land,  transforming  it  into 
productive  fields,  and  nere  he  continued  to  fol- 
low farming  until  his  death.  He  owned  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land  all  yet  in 
possession  of  the  family.  In  politics  he  was  a 
strong  republican  and  was  a  highly  respected 
citizen.  He  held  membership  in  the  Second  Con- 
gregational church  and  his  life  in  harmon}'  with 
his  professions  made  him  a  citizen  of  value  and  a 
gentleman  of  genuine  personal  worth.  His  wife 
was  bom  in  Lobo,  Canada,  in  October.  1822,  and 
was  of  Scotch  lineage.  She  came  with  relatives 
to  this  county  and  here  gave  her  hand  in  mar- 
riage to  Richard  S.  Stiles,  in  1846.  She  then 
went  with  him  to  the  home  farm  and  resided 
thereon  until  her  death.  January  4.  1889.  She. 
too.  was  a  member  of  the  Second  Congregational 
church  and  .she  was- survived  by  her  husband  for 
about  one  and  a  half  years,  his  death  occurring 
on  the  2d  of  September,  i8go. 

Thev  were  the  parents  of  five  children :  John 
A.  is  the  eldest.  Lucy  A.  is  now  residing  in 
Tennessee.  Richard  L.  was  formerly  engaged 
in  the  milk  business  but  is  now  carrying  on  gen- 
eral farming  in  Tennessee.  Luther  A.,  of  Rock- 
ford. is  connected  with  the  City  Railway  Com- 
pany. He  was  married.  February  21,  1884,  to 
Aliss  Clara  Cole,  who  came  from  Pennsylvania  to 
Illinois.  They  have  two  living  children,  Charles 
R..  born  February  21,  1885  :  and  Helen  A.,  born 
August  2T.  1886.  The  mother  died  April  24, 
IQ05.  Amos  D.  Stiles  owns  a  farm  on  section  19. 
which  was  once  the  old  homestead.  He  married 
Donelda  McG^achie  on  the  7th  of  April.  1892. 
She  was  born  in  Winnebago  township  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Peter  AfcGeachie.  who  resided  in 
the  township.  They  have  two  children :  Amos 
E.,  born  December  10.  1893  :  and  Ellen  L..  born 
September  4.  1896. 


704 


PAST     AND     PRESEXT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


John  A.  Stiles  has  spent  the  greater  i)art  of  his 
Hfc  in  this  county,  beingf  reared  to  the  dccupation 
of  farming^,  and  since  iijoo  lias  made  his  home  on 
his  jjresent  farm.  He  lias  lived,  however,  in 
Winnehaj^o  townshi])  since  i<S84  and  is  regarded 
as  one  of  the  enterprising  agriculturists  of  his 
community,  working  industriously  day  after  day 
in  the  nianagoment  of  his  home  place  which  an- 
nually ])roduces  good  crops  because  of  the  care 
and  cultivation  which  he  bestows  ui)on  the  fields. 

( )n  the  5th  of  June.  1S84.  Mr.  Stiles  was  united 
in  marriage  to  .Miss  Ella  J.  Hall,  who  was  born 
in  Prospect.  Xcw  Haven  county,  Connecticut, 
March  26,  1858,  and  was  brought  to  the  west  by 
her  mother  when  only  a  few  months  old.  She  re- 
sided in  Winnebago  townshi])  until  fifteen  years 
of  age  and  was  educated  in  the  (uiblic  schools. 
Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Stiles  have  become  the  parents  of 
two  children:  Clinton  I.,  who  was  born  April 
26.  1885,  and  died  May' 14.  1887:  and  Loly  B., 
born  July  29.  1887.  and  now  with  her  ])arents. 

In  his  political  allegiance  Mr.  Stiles  is  a  re- 
publican. .Socially  he  is  connected  with  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity,  belonging  to  Star  in  the  East 
lodge.  .\.  F.  &  .\  .M..  of  Rockford.  in  which  he 
has  filled  some  of  the  chairs.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  are  members  of  the  order  of  the  Eastern  Star 
and  Mrs.  Stiles  has  been  worthy  matron  of  Rock- 
ford  cliai)ter.  .\o.  53.  in  which  her  sister  .\lena 
now  holds  that  position.  In  the  locality  where 
tliey  reside  and  in  Rockford.  as  well,  .\lr.  and 
Mrs.  Stiles  have  many  acquaintances  who  enter- 
tain for  them  warm  regard  and  good  will. 


URIAH  STOTT. 


I'riah  Stott,  deceased,  became  a  resident  of 
Rockford  in  1886.  He  was  born  in  Uddersfield. 
"S'orkshire.  England.  July  2.  1815.  His  parents 
always  resided  in  that  country,  and  both  died 
there,  the  father  having  followed  farming  as  a 
life  work.  I'riah  Stott  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  England.  In  1842  he  sailed  for 
America,  hoping  that  he  might  have  better  busi- 
ness privileges  and  opportunities  in  the  new 
world.  He  first  settled  in  Cook  county.  Illinois, 
sixteen  miles  northwest  of  Chicago,  and  there  he 
purcliaseil  a  farm  and  also  built  a  store,  carrving 
on  general  merchandising.  He  leamed  the  tail- 
or's trade  in  his  native  land,  and  followed  that 
l)nrsuit  in  connection  with  his  other  business  in- 
terests. fref|uently  making  clothes  for  his  neigh- 
lx)rs.  who  would  do  farm  work  for  him  in  return. 
He  remained  in  his  store  on  the  farm  for  several 
years,  but  afterwanl  returned  to  England.  In  a 
short  time,  however,  he  again  came  to  America 
and  settled  in  Barrington,  Illinois,  where  he  estab- 
lished a  general  store.     He  dealt  largely  in  cloth- 


ing and  groceries  for  several  years,  after  which 
he  gave  that  store  to  one  of  his  sons  and  removed 
to  lieiioa.  Illinois,  where  he  established  another 
general  store.  Later  he  gave  that  store  to  his 
other  sons  and  removed  to  Rockford. 

Mr.  Stott  was  married  first  in  England  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Thoniton.  who  was  born  in  that  coun- 
try .March  i,  1814.  Her  parents  .spent  their  en- 
tire lives  in  England.  While  on  a  visit  to  Des 
I'laines.  Illinois.  Mrs.  .Stott  was  killed  by  being 
thrown  from  a  buggy  in  a  runaway  in  .\ugust. 
1884.  There  were  si.x  children  born  of  that  mar- 
riage; William,  who  died  in  1904:  James,  who  is 
engaged  in  the  real-estate  business  and  is  the  pres- 
ent mayor  of  Cienoa.  Illinois:  Joseph  Uriah,  an 
undertaker  of  Des  Plaines.  Illinois :  Charles,  who 
is  now  a  merchant  clerk  in  a  grocery  store  in  Chi- 
cago :  F.lizabeth  .\niie,  who  died  at  the  age  of  thir- 
teen years ;  and  one  that  died  unnamed  in  in- 
fancy. 

Mr.  Stott  was  again  married  on  the  6th  of  June, 
1886,  in  Rockford,  his  second  union  being  with 
Mrs.  Mary  E.  (  .Milner)  Cowles.  who  was  born  in 
Yorkshire.  England.  September  5.  1836,  her  par- 
ents being  Joseph  and  .-Knii  (Peacock)  Milner. 
Her  father  was  a  farmer  of  I'Jigland  and  died  in 
his  native  country,  after  which  his  widow  came  to 
.America  in  1841;  and  resided  on  a  farm  near  Chi- 
cago with  her  brother.  She  then  came  to  the 
home  of  her  daughter.  Mrs.  Stott.  and  died  in 
1892.  Mary  E.  Milner  was  first  married  to  Dan- 
iel Cowles.  w'ho  was  born  in  the  Isle  of  Man  in 
1836.  They  came  to  Rockford  at  an  early  date, 
and  her  husband  engaged  in  blacksmitliing  here, 
being  a  reliable  and  trustworthy  business  man  long 
connected  with  industrial  interests  in  this  city. 
He  died  June  22.  1882.  in  the  home  where  his 
widow  now  resides.  There  was  one  child  by  that 
marriage,  Joseph  Daniel,  who  died  in  infancy. 
There  were  no  children  born  to  Mr.  .'^tott  by  his 
second  marriage. 

.\fter  coming  to  Rockford  he  divided  his  pro|)- 
ertv  among  his  wife  and  children  and  afterward 
lived  retired  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Jan- 
uary 13,  1892.  While  in  Cook  county.  Illinois. 
he  luld  several  political  offices,  and  was  always 
prompt  and  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties. 
Both  and  he  and  Mr.  Cowles  were  republicans  in 
))olitics,  and  Mr.  Stott  took  a  very  active  and  help- 
ful interest  in  the  work  of  his  party.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Indejiendent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
in  England,  but  never  united  with  any  fraternal 
r)rganization  in  this  countrx.  Mr.  Cowles.  how- 
ever, was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  lodge  in  Rock- 
ford. Mrs.  .^tott  is  a  member  of  the  Centennial 
Methodist  l-4)isco))al  church  here,  to  which  both  of 
her  husbands  also  belonged.  Her  cousin.  Wil- 
liam Peacock,  resides  with  her  and  is  a  retired 
farmer,  who  looks  after  the  estate  and  farm  in 
Cook  conntv.  Illinois.     Mrs.  Stott  owns  a  beauti- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


705 


fill  home  at  No.  405  East  street,  which  was  built 
by  her  and  Mr.  Cowles.  She  is  well  known  in 
Rockford  as  a  lady  of  many  excellent  traits  of 
heart  and  mind,  and  her  circle  of  friends  is  al- 
most co-extensive  with  the  circle  of  her  acquaint- 
ance. 


FAY  LEWIS  &  BROTHERS  COMPANY. 

Fay  C,  Herbert  and  Harry  Lewis  are  the  three 
brothers  who  are  at  the  head  of  the  firm  of  Fay 
Lewis  &  Bros.  Company,  which  was  in- 
corporated January  18,  1898,  the  business,  how- 
ever, having  had  a  continuous  existence  from 
1875,  when  it  was  established  by  Fay  Lewis.  The 
house  is  one  of  the  best  known  in  the  tobacco 
trade  and  the  reputation  sustained  by  the  firm  is 
beyond  reproach. 

Deacon  David  Lewis,  the  grandfather,  came 
from  ^Massachusetts  at  an  early  day  and  settled 
in  Black  Walnut  Grove.  \\'innebago  county,  Illi- 
nois. Later  he  conducted  a  starch  factory  in 
Rockford  but  it  was  eventually  destroyed  by  fire. 
The  family,  however,  thus  early  became  identified 
with  the  business  life  of  the  city  and  has  since 
figured  prominently.  Charles  F.  Lewis,  the  fa- 
ther, began  busine>s  in  Rockford  in  1848  as  a 
general  merchant  of  the  firm  of  \'aughn  &  Lewis. 
He  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts  and  for  many 
\"ears  was  well  known  in  connection  with  the  com- 
mercial interests  of  the  city.  He  married  Miss 
Frances  j".  Wheelock,  a  daughter  of  Judge 
Wheelock,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Ogle 
county,  who  in  early  life  engaged  in  teaching 
school  in  Bvron.  She  makes  her  home  with  her 
children. 

The  brothers  were  all  born  and  schooled  in 
Rockford,  being  products  of  the  city  schools  here 
and  they  have  fulh-  sustained  the  reputation  of 
the  father  and  grandfather  in  connection  with  the 
trade  interests  of  the  city,  contributing  in  sub- 
stantial measure  to  the  business  development  of 
Rockford.  In  1875  Fay  Lewis  established  a 
cigar  and  tobacco  business  and  for  sometime  con- 
ducted the  enterprise  alone  but  was  eventually 
joined  by  his  brothers  and  in  1898  the  business 
was  incorporated  under  the  present  name  of  Fay 
Lewis  &  Bros.  Company.  They  have  three  whole- 
sale stores  and  eight  retail,  four  being  in  Mil- 
waukee, two  in  Rockford  and  two  in  La  Crosse, 
Wisconsin.  Their  Roster  includes  more  than  a 
half  hundred  employes  and  they  are  represented 
on  the  road  by  about  fifteen  traveling  salesmen, 
covering  Illinois,  Iowa  and  Wisconsin.  Their 
principal  brands  are  the  Tom  Moore,  La  Azora, 
Optimo  and  Flor  De  Fay,  ten  cent  cigars,  and 
the  Henry  George,  Little  Tom,  Masterpiece  and 
Thomas  Paine,  five  cent  cigars.  The  Tom  Moore, 
Flor  De  Fay,  Optimo  and  La  Azora  are  manu- 


factured in  about  eighteen  different  sizes  and  the 
Flor  De  Fay  is  a  private  brand  owned  by  the 
firm  and  is  their  leading  clear  Havana  cigar.  It 
was  named  for  the  senior  member  of  the  firm. 
Fay  Lewis.  The  main  store  in  Rockford  is  at 
Xos.  312-14  West  State  street,  where  they  occupy 
two  floors  with  the  offices  on  the  second  floor  and 
at  Nos.  208-10  South  Main  street  they  have  a 
second  store,  where  they  also  conduct  a  billiard 
and  poolroom.  They  have  the  largest  cigar  busi- 
ness in  the  state  outside  of  Chicago,  carry  the 
finest  line  of  goods  and  are  the  largest  distributors 
of  cigars  in  Illinois.  Their  business  has  long 
since  reached  extensive  and  profitable  proportions 
but  they  confidently  expect  their  sales  will  amount 
in  the  present  year,  1905,  to  more  than  a  million 
dollars. 

Fay  Lewis  is  prominent  in  the  public  interests 
of  the  city  as  well  as  in  business  life  and  has  for 
many  years  been  superintendent  of  the  \Mnne- 
bago  County  Branch  of  the  Illinois  Humane  So- 
ciety. In  politics  he  is  a  utilitarian  and  maintains 
a  close  interest  in  every  movement  for  the  im- 
provement of  social  and  economic  conditions. 


FRED  N.  KNAPP. 


Fred  X.  Knap])  is  the  owner  of  a  valuable  farm 
of  more  than  one  hundred  and  seven  acres  lying 
on  section  2,  Burritt  township  and  section  35, 
Harrison  township,  and  he  is  known  not  only  as 
a  progressive  agriculturist  of  the  community  but 
also  as  an  active  and  helpful  factor  in  public  life 
and  is  now  serving  as  commissioner  of  highways. 
His  birth  occurred  in  Harrison  township,  Febru- 
ary 13,  1869,  his  parents  being  \\'illiam  M.  and 
Lois  (Ellis)  Knapp.  The  father  was  bom  in 
A'ermont,  November  14,  1836,  and  when  ten  years 
of  age  was  brought  by  his  parents  to  this  county. 
He  was  married  on  the  23d  of  January,  1864,  to 
Mrs.  Lois  (Ellis)  Conklin,  who  came  to  Winne- 
bago county  in  1846  and  wdio  was  born  in  Can- 
ada, May  29,  1828.  When  the  father  arrived  in 
this  county  in  1846  only  a  few  farms  had  been 
developed,  and  one  could  drive  for  miles  over  the 
prairie  without  a  fence  to  intercept  his  progress. 
For  a  long  period  he  carried  on  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  but  is  now  living  a  retired  life 
among  his  children.  His  wife  died  at  the  home  of 
their  daughter  in  Shirland  township  April  23, 
1905. 

Fred  N.  Knapp,  spending  his  boyhood  days  in 
his  parents'  home,  accjuired  his  education  in  the 
common  schools,  and  afterward  enjoyed  the  bene- 
fit of  instruction  in  Rockford  Business  College. 
The  occupation  to  which  he  was  reared  he  has 
made  his  life  work,  and  he  now  carries  on  general 
farming,   having  his  place  of  one  hundred   and 


7o6 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


seven  acres  uiuk-r  a  liitjh  state  of  cultivation.  The 
fiekls  are  well  tilled,  and  he  also  has  good  stock 
upon  his  i)lace  and  the  farm  is  well  equippetl  ac- 
cording to  modern  ideas. 

Mr.  Knapp  was  married  Novemhcr  14.  1889.  to 
Miss  Agnes  J.  Gilmore.  who  was  horn  in  .\storia. 
Long  Island,  New  York.  January  y,  1871.  and 
during  her  infancy  was  hn night  to  Illinois  hy  her 
parents.  Thomas  and  .Margaret  H.  (iilmore.  Unto 
Mr.  ami  .Mrs.  Knaji])  have  Ix^en  horn  three  sons: 
Thomas  W'..  born  Novemher  2^.  1891  ;  Willis  F.. 
-April  28,  i8()5  :  and  Harley  C.  June  4.  n)Oi.  All 
were  born  in  Harrison  township. 

.Mr.  Knapj)  exercises  his  right  of  franchise  in 
sup|)ort  of  the  men  and  measures  of  the  rei)ul)- 
lican  party.  He  has  served  as  scliool  director,  and 
has  been  township  collector  for  two  terms,  while 
at  the  present  time  he  is  occupying  the  position  of 
commissioner  of  public  highways.  In  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duties  he  is  ever  prompt  and  faith- 
ful, and  his  ability  well  ([ualifies  him  for  the  in- 
terests entrusted  to  his  care.  For  fourteen  years 
he  has  been  a  member  of  Harrison  camji.  No.  684, 
M.  W.  .v..  and  his  wife  is  a  memlx'r  i)f  the  C'on- 
gregational  church. 


[OHX   FALLOW 


John  I-"allon,  in  whom  the  public  reposes  con- 
fidence, as  is  indicated  by  his  incumbency  in  the 
office  of  assessor  in  Cherry  N'alley  township,  has 
for  half  a  century  resided  in  \\'inncbago  county, 
arriving  here  in  .\pril.  1855,  after  traveling  west- 
ward from  Steuben  county.  New  York.  He  was 
born  in  Goshen,  Orange  county,  New 
York,  in  1845,  his  parents  being  Patrick 
and  Bridget  (Turley)  Fallon,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  County  Roscommon, 
Ireland,  and  came  to  the  United  States 
in  early  life.  The  father  first  located  in  Massa- 
chusetts, while  the  mother  took  up  her  abode  in 
Orange  county.  New  York.  It  was  in  the  latter 
locality  tliat  they  became  acquainted  and  were 
married,  and  during  their  residence  there  Pat- 
rick Fallon  followed  railroading.  His  wife  died 
in  Corning.  New  York,  and  her  remains  were  in- 
terred at  Painted  Post,  in  that  state.  He  after- 
ward removed  to  tlie  west,  reaching  Winnebago 
county  in  March,  1853,  about  a  month  before  the 
arrival  of  his  sfin  John  and  the  other  members 
of  the  family.  He  |)urchased  a  farm,  now  owned 
and  occu])ied  by  John  Fallon,  and  made  his  home 
thereon  from  1861  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
on  the  1 2th  of  February,  1893,  wlien  he  was 
about  eighty-one  years  of  age.  He  followed  gen- 
eral agrictdtiiral  i)ursuits  throughout  his  entire 
life,  and  the  term,  "dignity  of  lalmr,"  found  ex- 
emplification in  his  record.     In  his  family  were 


two  sons  and  a  daughter :  John,  of  this  review  ; 
.Sarah,  who  died  in  1867.  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
five  years  :  and  Joseph,  who  is  residing  in  Chica- 
go, where  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  police 
force  for  over  twenty-two  years.  For  the  past 
eight  years  he  has  been  sergeant  of  patrol  at  the 
Warren-avenue  station. 

John  Fallon  was  reared  in  Orange  county, 
New  York,  and  attended  school  there  in  his  boy- 
hood days.  .\s  before  stated,  he  arrived  in  Win- 
nebago county  in  .April.  1855,  and  he  has  always 
followed  fanning,  being  now  the  owner  of  one 
Inmdred  acres  of  land  which  his  father  purchased 
many  years  ago.  This  is  a  well  improved  prop- 
erty, indicating  the  careful  sujiervision  of  the 
owner,  who  is  practical  in  all  of  his  n:ethods  and 
conducts  his  farm  along  progressive  lines.  He 
left  the  plow  at  the  time  of  the  Civil  war.  how- 
ever, enlisting  in  this  county  as  a  member  of  the 
Eighteenth  Wisconsin  \'olunteer  Infantry,  which 
was  assigned  to  the  Third  Division  of  the  Fif- 
teenth .Army  Corps.  He  also  sjient  some  time 
with  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  and  participated 
in  the  battle  of  Shiloh  and  in  many  other  impor- 
tant engagements,  but  was  never  seriously  in- 
jured. His  first  enlistment  was  in  January.  1862, 
and  he  afterward  re-enlisted  in  the  same  company 
and  regiment,  remaining  with  that  command  im- 
til  mustered  out  after  the  close  of  the  war,  on  the 
i8th  of  July.  1865.  at  the  time  his  command  was 
with  the  western  army.  He  enlisted  as  a  private 
and  was  sergeant  at  the  close  of  the  war. 

Mr.  Fallon  returned  to  his  home  when  the 
country  no  longer  needed  his  aid.  and  resumed 
farming.  He  was  married  here  to  I'.ridget  Do- 
lan,  a  native  of  County  Galway.  Ireland,  and  a 
daughter  of  Michael  and  Mary  (  Doud)  Dolan, 
who  came  to  Massachusetts  in  1854,  and  remained 
at  Pioston  for  a  few  months,  after  which  they 
continued  their  journey  westward  to  Winnebago 
count}',  arriving  here  in  1855.  They  settled  in 
Cherry  N'allcy  township,  where  the  father  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuits,  but  both  he  and  his  wife 
are  now  deceased,  the  former  having  died  in  Sep- 
tember. i8<>8,  when  seventy-one  years  of  age. 
while  the  latter  departed  this  life  in  1893.  ^^  '^'^ 
age  of  seventy  years.  Mrs.  h^allnn  has  three 
brothers  and  two  sisters  living :  Patrick,  who 
is  a  farmer  of  Cherry  \'alley  township ;  Thomas 
and  James,  who  are  following  farming  in  the 
same  township :  Evaline.  who  resides  upon  the 
old  farm  homestead,  and  Mrs.  .Anna  McMahan, 
of  Rock  ford. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fallon  has  been 
blessed  with  thirteen  children,  ten  of  whom  are 
living:  William  P..  now  deceased,  was  a  sol- 
dier of  Company  K.  Third  Illinois  Infantry,  en- 
listing at  the  outbreak  of  the  i^panish- .American 
war.  With  his  command  he  went  to  Porto  Rico, 
where  he  remained  until  the  close  of  hostilities, 


MR.  AND  AIRS.  JOHX  FALLON. 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


709 


but  he  contracted  fever  which  terminated  liis  life 
in  the  Presbyterian  hospital  of  Chicago  on  the 
29th  of  December,  1898.  Sarah  died  in  child- 
hood. Mary  is  the  wife  of  David  Lynch,  a  resi- 
dent of  Rockford.  Nellie  is  the  wife  of  Thomas 
Haley,  of  Cherry  Valley,  and  they  have  three 
children,  John,  Lucile  and  Francis.  Michael, 
who  served  in  the  Philippines  as  a  member  of 
Company  K,  Thirty-fifth  United  States  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  is  now  farming  in  Qierry  Valley 
township.  Joseph  is  at  home.  Catharine  and 
Elizabeth,  twins,  are  at  home.  Julia,  John, 
Thomas  and  Alice  are  yet  with  their  parents. 
F"rancis  died  at  the  age  of  six  months. 

^Ir.  Fallon  has  always  been  an  advocate  of 
republican  principles,  and  for  more  than  twenty 
years  has  served  as  school  director.  He  belongs 
to  Nevius  post.  No.  i,  G.  A.  R.,  and  to  the 
Knights  of  Columbus,  at  Rockford,  and  he  like- 
wise has  membership  relations  with  St.  James' 
Catholic  church.  In  all  matters  of  citizenship  he 
is  as  devoted  to  the  welfare  of  his  country  as 
when  he  wore  the  blue  uniform  and  followed  the 
starry  banner  of  the  nation  on  the  battle-fields  of 
the  south. 


TOHX  :\1.  FRALEY, 


John  M.  Fraley,  a  retired  druggist  and  a  vet- 
eran of  the  Civil  war,  making  his  home  at  No. 
118  North  First  street  in  Rockford,  is  a  native 
son  of  Illinois,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Mer- 
cer  county,   April    17,    1842.     His   parents   were 
John  and  Martha   (Shields)   Fraley.     The  father 
was  a  native  of  Switzerland,  born  in   1817,  and 
when  a  young  man  came  to  this  country.     Here 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Shields,  a  native  of  Vir- 
ginia, whose  grandfather  had   come  to  the  new 
world  from  the  northern  part  of  Ireland.    He  was 
Richard  Shields,  who  crossed  the  Atlantic  during 
the  period  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  his  son 
was  John  Shields,  father  of  j\Irs.  Fraley.     John 
Fraley,   Sr.,   came  from   Switzerland  by   driving 
six   hundred   miles   across    France   to   Havre   de 
Grace,  where  he  took  passage  on  a  sailing  vessel 
that  was  thirteen  weeks  in  reaching  the  harbor 
of  New  Orleans.     He  then  made  his  way  up  the 
Mississippi  river  to  Kentucky  and  later  went  to 
Indiana.     He  was  a  tailor  by  trade  and  in  1848 
he  made  his  way  from  the  Hoosier  state  to  Win- 
nebago county,  where  he  spent  his  remaining  days 
as  a  resident  of  Rockford.     His  first  wife  died 
during  the  early  boyhood   of  her  son   John   A., 
leaving    beside    a    daughter,    now    Mrs.    Martha 
Woodrufif.     The  father  afterward  married  again, 
his  second  union  being  with  Naomi  Willetts,  who 
died  in  1896.  while  his  death  occurred  in  1894. 

John    '\\.   Fraley,    educated   in   the    schools   of 
Rockford  and  spending  his  boyhood  days  in  the 
41 


usual  manner  of  lads  of  that  period,  remained  at 
home  until  after  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war, 
when  on  the  6th  of  August,  1862,  he  offered  his 
services  to  the  government  and  became  one  of  the 
boys  in  blue  of  Company  K,  Seventy-fourth  Illi- 
nois   Infantry,    with    which    he   served    for   three 
years.     He  was  a  loyal  soldier,  displaying  valor 
upon  the  fields  of  battle  and  when  the  war  was 
over  lie  was  honorably  discharged  and  returned 
to  his  home.     He  then  began  learning  the  drug 
business   and   after  remaining   in   the   employ   of 
others  for  sometime  he  embarked  in  business  on 
his    own    account,    successfully    conducting    his 
store  for  many  years  and  becoming  recognized  as 
one  of  the  leading  merchants  of  the  city.     Eventu- 
ally he  sold  out  and  was  with  the  Utter  Manufac- 
turing Company  until  1898,  when  he  retired  from 
business.     He  now  owns  the  home  where  he  re- 
sides at  No.  118  North  First  street  and  is  enjoy- 
ing a   well   earned   rest,   having   for  many  vears 
figured  prominently  in  business  circles  of  the  city. 
In  1866  Mr.  Fraley  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss    Mary   Utter,    who   was   born    in   Warsaw, 
New  York,  in  1844,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Eliza   (Smith)    Utter.     Her  father  was  one 
of  the  most  prominent  representatives  of  indus- 
trial interests  in  Rockford  for  many  years.     Mr. 
and   Mrs.    Fraley  have   lost  three  children.     He 
belongs  to  Nevius  Post,  No.  i,  G.  A.  R.,  in  which 
he  has  long  been  an  active  and  helpful  member, 
and  he  likewise  holds  membership  relations  with 
the  Masonic  fraternity  and  the  Royal  Arcanum. 
He  has  in  his  possession  a  Confederate  almanac 
published  in  1862,  few  of  the  kind  being  now  in 
existence,   and   he  also  has   an   old   map   of   the 
United   States   showing  the   length   of   railroads, 
canals,  rivers,  post  routes  and  wagon  roads.     He 
and    his    wife    attend    the    First    Congregational 
church  and  are  highly  esteemed  by  many  friends 
because  of  their  genuine  worth,  the  hospitality  of 
the  best  homes  of  Rockford  being  cordially  ex- 
tended to  them. 


WILLIAM  A.  ROTHWELL. 

William  A.  Rothwell.  following  farming  on 
section  32,  New  Milford  township,  was  born  in 
Marion  township.  Ogle  county.  Illinois,  February 
19,  1838,  his  parents  being  Robert  and  Susan 
(Andrus)  Rothwell,  who  came  to  Winnebago 
county  in  March,  1837.  Few  settlers  had  at  that 
time  sought  homes  within  the  borders  of  this 
county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rothwell  took  up  their 
abode  on  a  farm  in  Ogle  county,  but  about  1843 
returned  to  Winnebago  county,  settling  on  section 
32,  New  Milford  township,  not  far  from  the  farm 
upon  which  William  A.  Rothwell  now  resides. 
The  father  was  a  native  of  Manchester,  England, 
and  in  his  active  business  life  displayed  many  of 


7IO 


PAST     AXD    PRESENT    OF     WLNfNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


the  strong  and  sterling  characteristics  of  his  Eng- 
lish ancestry.  His  boyhood  and  youth  were 
passed  in  his  native  country  and  in  early  man- 
hood he  crossed  the  Atlantic,  arriving  in  Massa- 
ciuisetts  in  1826.  There  he  followed  his  trade  of 
calico  ])rinting  and  for  five  years  remained  in  the 
Old  Bay  State,  after  which  he  spent  a  similar  per- 
iod in  ( )hio  and  then  came  west  to  Illinois.  He 
was  an  active  church  man.  being  at  one  time  a 
local  minister  of  the  W'esleyaii  .MetlKjdist  denomi- 
nation. He  was  also  a  stanch  abolitionist  and 
prior  to  the  Civil  war  his  home  was  a  station  on 
the  celebrated  underground  railroad,  whereby  he 
assisted  many  a  fugitive  negro  to  proceed  north- 
ward on  his  way  to  freedom.  Jn  his  fraternal  re- 
lations Mr.  Rothwell  was  an  (  )d(l  l-"ellow  and  his 
life  manifested  many  Inimanitarian  traits,  his 
g<H)d  service  to  his  fellowmen  being  greatly  ap- 
preciated. He  died  June  14,  1884,  at  the  ad- 
vancetl  age  of  eighty-one  years  and  twelve  days. 
He  married  Susan  .\ndrus,  who  died  June  17, 
1882,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years,  six  months 
and  four  days.  She  was  lx>rn  in  P>erkley,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  was  a  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Andrus,  who  for  forty-six  consecutive  years  was 
pastor  of  the  church  there,  and  later  served  for 
several  years  intermittently. 

He  was  among  the  first  to  enter  the  Conti- 
nental .\rmy  during  the  kevolutinnary  war.  serv- 
ing from  1775  to  1781,  when  he  was  captured  by 
an  English  frigate  and  imprisoned  on  the  old  Jer- 
sey prison  ship  in  New  York  harbor.  This  was 
prior  to  his  entering  the  ministry.  It  was  at 
Berkley,  Massachusetts,  that  Mrs.  Rothwell  spent 
her  girlhood  days  and  was  married.  There  were 
but  two  sons  in  the  family,  Thomas  dying  at  the 
age  of  four  years. 

The  other  son,  William  Rothwell,  was  one  of 
the  first  three  white  children  born  in  this  sec- 
tion of  Illinois  and  he  has  spent  most  of  his  active 
business  life  here,  devoting  many  years  to  bridge 
building.  .\t  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  he  es- 
poused the  Cnion  cause,  enlisting  in  1862  as  a 
member  of  Company  K,  Seventy-fourth  Illinois 
Infantry.  He  served  for  almost  three  years  and 
|)articipatcd  in  more  than  thirty  battles  and  en- 
gagements in  which  his  regiment  took  part.  He 
\\p.'>  twice  slightly  wounded  and  was  mustered 
out  f>n  the  27th  of  June,  1865,  having  been  a  loyal 
and  devoted  advocate  of  the  Union  cause. 

When  the  war  was  over  Mr.  Rothwell  returned 
home  and  resumed  farming.  He  had  been  married 
in  1858  to  Miss  Nancy  .\.  Bartleman,  who  w^as 
Ikmu  September  I,  18.^8,  near  Prescott,  Canada, 
and  left  there  when  sixteen  years  of  age,  coming 
witli  till  family  to  W'iiniebago  county.  She  was  a 
daughter  of  (jcorge  and  Jennie  (Kirkwood)  Bar- 
tleman, the  former  born  near  Edinburg  and  the 
latter  in  Glasgow,  Scotland.  They  came  to  Can- 
ada as  children  and  were  married  there.     Both 


died  ill  the  West,  the  mother  departing  this  life 
at  Lawrence,  Kansas.  Mrs.  Rothwell  has  a  broth- 
er and  sister  living:  Benjamin,  who  makes  his 
home  in  Estherville.  Iowa;  and  .\nna  Lyon,  of 
Chicago.  The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rothwell 
was  blessed  with  a  daughter  and  son:  Mrs. 
George  Stevens,  and  Lester  Rol)ert,  who  is  op- 
ei.'iilng  the  home  farm. 

Mr.  Rothwell  exercises  his  right  of  franchise 
in  support  of  republican  i^rinciples  and  the  men 
who  stand  for  the  party  as  its  candidates.  He 
has  served  for  eight  years  as  supervisor  and  also 
as  justice  of  the  peace  and  his  political  duties 
have  been  discharged  in  prompt  and  able  man- 
ner. His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Wesleyan 
cliiirili.  I'.otli  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rothwell  enjoy  the 
warm  regard  of  many  friends  and  are  widely 
known  in  this  countv. 


ADOXIRAX    J.    SWF.ZEV. 

The  broad  prairies  of  Illinois  furnish  splendid 
opportunity  to  the  horticulturist  as  well  as  the 
agriculturist  and  Mr.  Swezey  is  numbered 
among  the  citizens  of  Winnebago  county  who 
have  successfully  engaged  in  the  raising  of  fruit. 
His  attention  is  largely  given  to  this  industry  at 
the  present  time,  his  home  being  on  section  16, 
Guilford  townshi]).  He  was  born  in  Harmony, 
Cliautau(|ua  cnuiity.  Xew  York.  I'ebruary  22, 
1836.  His  grandfather.  Daniel  Swezey,  was  a 
native  of  Suffolk  county.  Long  Island,  New 
York,  his  natal  day  being  in  June,  1753.  He  was 
a  son  of  Christopher  Swezey  and  a  grandson  of 
Steiihen  Swezey,  who  w-as  one  of  six  brothers 
living  in  ."-^wezeytown.  Suffolk  county.  Long 
Island,  .'■itephen  .Swezey  spent  his  entire  life 
there,  as  did  also  Christopher  Swezey,  and  Daniel 
Sw-ezey  was  there  reared  and  married.  He,  how- 
ever, left  the  old  homestead  and  sought  his  for- 
tune elsewhere,  going  in  1796  to  Norway, 
Herkimer  county,  Xew  York,  where  he  purchased 
four  hundred  acres  of  land,  on  which  he  erected 
a  log  cabin,  later  giving  his  attention  to  the 
cultivation  and  improvement  of  his  farm.  The 
date  of  his  birth  was  December  25,  1778,  and  he 
was  therefore  eighteen  years  of  age  when  he  be- 
came a  resident  of  Herkimer  county,  where  he 
continued  to  make  his  home  until  i<836.  In  that 
year  he  removed  to  Chautauqua  county,  where 
he  purchased  a  tract  of  land,  ujion  which  he 
.spent  his  remaining  days.  He  married  Miss 
Clarissa  Spcrry,  who  was  born  in  Xew  Haven, 
Connecticut,  September  15,  1789,  and  was  de- 
scended from  an  old  colonial  family  of  English 
origin  founded  in  Massachusetts  in  1635. 

Darius  A.  Swezey,  father  of  our  subject,  was 
born  in  the  town  of  Russia,  Herkimer  count>', 
Xew  York.  .August  15,   1808,  and  in   1833  went 


A.  T-  SWEZEY. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


713 


to  Chautauqua  county,  settling  there  among  its 
pioneer  residents.  The  western  part  of  the  state 
was  at  that  time  Httle  improved  and  he  purchased 
a  tract  of  timber  land,  on  which  he  erected  a  sub- 
stantial log  cabin — the  home  in  which  A.  J. 
Swezey  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of  day. 
There  the  father  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits 
until  1845,  when  he  removed  to  Erie  county, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  purchased  land,  residing 
thereon  until  185 1.  That  year  witnessed  his  ar- 
rival in  AVinnebago  county,  Illinois,  and  he 
purchased  the  land  upon  which  our  subject  now 
resides,  making  it  his  place  of  residence  until  he 
was  called  to  his  final  home.  He  married  Miss 
Esther  Brooks,  who  was  born  in  Cortland  county. 
New  York,  September  30,  181 5,  and  was  a 
daughter  of  James  and  Rhoda  Brooks.  Her 
fatlier's  birth  occurred  near  Marlboro,  Berkshire 
county,  Massachusetts,  and  when  a  young  man 
he  went  to  New  York,  residing  in  Cortland 
countv  until  1827,  when  he  removed  to  Chau- 
tauqua county,  where  he  lived  until  1854.  In 
that  year  he  sold  his  property  in  the  Empire  state 
and  took  up  his  abode  in  Erie  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  he  spent  his  declining  years.  In 
the  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Darius  Swezey  were 
six  children,  one  of  whom,  Edward,  enlisted  for 
service  in  the  Civil  war  as  a  member  of  the 
Seventy-fourth  Illinois  Infantry.  He  was  after- 
ward transferred  to  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty- 
fourth  Regiment  of  Illinois  Volunteers  and  died 
nine   days  after  being  discharged. 

A.  J.  Swezey  acquired  his  early  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  Chautauqua  county.  New 
York,  and  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  and  later  pur- 
sued a  more  advanced  course  at  Waterford 
Academy  in  Pennsylvania  and  the  National  Nor- 
mal School  at  Lebanon,  Ohio.  When  a  young 
man  he  began  teaching  and  followed  that  pro- 
fession up  to  the  time  of  his  marriage.  During 
the  latter  part  of  his  connection  with  that  work 
he  occupied  the  chair  of  languages  and  literature 
in  Elgin  Academy,  but  on  his  marriage  he  re- 
signed his  position  and  settled  on  the  old  home 
farm  in  Guilford  township.  He  then  began  its 
further  development  and  improvement  and  for  a 
number  of  vears  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  the 
cereals  best  adapted  to  the  soil  and  climate,  but 
in  recent  years  he  has  given  his  attention  largely 
to  horticultural  pursuits,  raising  each  year  large 
amounts  of  fruit,  for  which  he  finds  a  ready  sale 
on  the  market. 

In  1866  ^Ir.  Swezey  was  married  to  Miss 
]\Ialinda  Bruner,  who  was  born  in  Canada  and  is 
a  daughter  of  Philip  Bruner.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Swezey  are  members  of  the  State  Street  Baptist 
church  of  Rockford.  He  was  formerly  identified 
with  Grange  No.  6  and  for  three  years  he  man- 
aged a  store  in  the  interest  of  the  Grange.    He  has 


been  a  strong  advocate  of  temperance  principles 
through  many  years  and  since  1884  has  affiliated 
with  the  prohibition  party.  In  1889  he  was 
candidate  of  that  party  for  state  legislature  and 
ran  two  thousand  votes  ahead  of  his  ticket.  Mr. 
Sweze)'  is  a  public-spirited  and  progressive  citi- 
zen, prominent  and  influential,  and  has  the  regard 
of  all  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact.  For  the 
past  twenty  years  he  has  been  secretary  of  the 
Farmers'  Mutual  Insurance  Company  of  Guil- 
ford, of  which  successful  institution  Robert 
Simpson  is  the  president  and  R.  B.  Shumway  is 
treasurer. 

Four  children  were  born  unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Swezey.  Esther  Mary,  the  eldest,  is  the  wife  of 
Dr.  Robert  E.  Coy,  of  Rockford,  and  they  have 
an  infant  daughter,  Isabella.  Professor  Otto  H. 
Swezey  was  graduated  from  Lake  Forest 
L'niversity  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts 
and  the  Northwestern  LTniversity  at  Evanston 
with  the  degree  of  Master  of  Sciences.  He  has 
taught  at  Evanston  and  in  the  State  University 
of  Ohio  at  Columbus  and  is  now  professor  of 
entomology  and  biology  at  the  experimental  sta- 
tion of  the  Hawaiian  Sugar  Planters'  Associa- 
tion at  Honolulu.  He  married  Miss  Mary  Walsh, 
a  teacher  in  the  Cleveland  (Ohio)  schools  and 
formerly  an  instructor  in  Evanston,  Illinois. 
They  now  reside  in  Honolulu.  Mrs. 
Otto  Swezey  possesses  much  artistic 
talent,  and  draws  many  of  the  cuts  of 
the  insects  handled  by  her  husband.  Royal  E. 
Swezey  is  at  home.  Anna,  who  completes  the 
family,  is  a  graduate  of  the  cooking  school  of 
Battle  Creek,  Michigan,  and  is  now  superintend- 
ent of  the  culinary  department  of  the  sanitarium 
at  Madison,  Wisconsin. 


ELISHA  C.  DUNN. 


In  the  line  of  history,  science  and  religion,  this 
gentleman  possesses  an  inexhaustible  fund  of  in- 
formation, and  as  a  lecturer  has  won  a  national 
fame.  He  has  a  practical  knowledge  of  every 
country,  its  people,  politics  and  religion,  and 
has  been  a  thorough  student  of  languages,  speak- 
ing several  different  tongues  with  fluency.  A 
man  of  fine  physique  with  military  carriage  and 
genial  face,  he  has  a  welcome  grasp  of  the  hand 
for  his  many  friends  and  is  most  companionable. 
Of  recent  years,  he  has  given  special  attention  to 
the  study  of  the  sagacity  of  the  lower  animals,  par- 
ticularly the  horse  and  dog,  and  not  long  since 
edited  a  remarkable  work,  published  by  a  Boston 
firm,  entitled  the  "Sagacity  of  Dogs."  The  vol- 
ume is  beautifully  illustrated  and  is  so  arranged 
with  attractive  stories  as  to  be  a  most  popular  ju- 
venile work. 


PAST     AX  13     rUESEXT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Xiiw  retired  from  the  active  duties  of  life.  Dr. 
Dumi  resides  in  his  palatial  lionic  at  Xo.  809  West 
Slate  street.  This  residence,  which  was  erected  by 
an  architect  from  Xew  York,  is  of  an  oriental  de- 
sign of  architecture  externally,  with  an  interior 
(Jueen  Anne  finish,  and  is  a  model  of  elegance, 
fitted  widi  the  most  complete  modern  imi)rove- 
nients,  such  as  steam  heating,  gas  and  water  ac- 
commodations. The  parlor  is  finished  in  ebony 
and  gold,  and  is  furnished  with  light  through 
double  French  plate  glass  windows.  The  octagon 
dining  room  is  finished  in  walnut  and  cherry,  and 
the  windows  are  of  opalized  glass,  while  the  other 
rooms  contain  all  of  the  conveniences  desirable. 
The  residence  is  a  delightful  combination  of  com- 
fort anil  magnificence  and  is  an  im|)(irtant  addition 
to  the  architectural  beauty  of  the  l-'orest  City. 

Tile  Doctor  has  made  his  home  in  Rockford 
since  1863.  altliough  many  of  the  intermediate 
years  have  been  spent  either  in  the  lecture  field  or 
in  travel.  He  has  lectured  on  scientific  and  po- 
litical subjects,  and  on  the  human  anatomy  and 
diseases  and  has  addressed  audiences  as  small  as 
twelve  people  (in  Saugatuck.  Michigan)  and  as 
large  as  five  thousand  ]x'ople  ( in  Prince  .Mbert's 
Hall,  London.  England).  He  often  relates  in  a 
bright  and  interesting  manner  stories  of  his  trav- 
els, which  have  extended  into  every  habitable 
country  of  the  globe,  except  in  the  .\rctic  regions, 
and  he  has  lectured  in  most  of  the  large  cities  of 
the  world.  While  abroad  he  collectecl  genis  and 
precious  stones,  some  of  which,  worth  at  least 
nine  thousand  dollars,  were  destroyed  in  a  nni- 
seum  in  the  great  fire  at  Chicago.  He  has  come 
in  contact  with  many  of  the  greatest  minds  of  the 
world,  and  numbers  among  his  friends  many  of 
the  leading  men  of  different  kingdoms. 

In  social  organizations  the  Doctor  has  for  years 
been  very  prominent.  He  is  an  aide-de-camp  of 
the  supreme  commander,  (iencral  Carnahan,  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  and  meets  with  the  order  in 
their  state  and  national  conventions.  He  is  also 
a  Knigjit  Temjilar.  belonging  to  Crusader  com- 
mandcry.  No.  17,  and  is  well  known  to  the  mem- 
bers of  the  state  antl  national  lodges.  In  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  ( )dd  i'"ell(nvs  he  takes  an 
e(|ual  interest  anri  is  a  member  of  the  encamp- 
ment at  Rockford. 

While  visiting  in  Palestine  with  the  intention 
of  collecting  material  to  assist  him  in  his  lectures 
against  religion  he  became  thoroughly  convinced 
of  the  divinity  of  the  life  of  Christ,  and  has  since 
been  a  consistent  an<I  faithful  member  of  the 
Metliodist  F.pisco|>al  church.  He  advocates  |)ro- 
hibition  principles  and  has  never  drunk  liipiors  or 
used  tobacco  in  any  form.  In  his  p(jlitical  belief 
he  adheres  to  the  ])rincii)les  of  the  rei)ublican 
party  and  takes  the  stump  in  its  belialf  whenever 
necessarv. 


W  hen  seventeen  years  old  and  a  wild,  reckless 
lad,  our  subject  was  taken  into  the  home  of  Dr. 
Peebles,  whom  he  calls  his  benefactor,  and  was 
given  a  thorough  educaticjn.  being  a  graduate  of 
the  L'niversity  of  Peimsylvania.  He  remembers 
his  benefactor  with  an  affection  which  will  last 
as  long  as  life  itself,  for  he  owes  him  a  debt  of 
gratitude  which  naught  can  efface.  He  was 
yoimg  when  he  began  to  study  medicine,  and  soon 
afterward  was  able  to  support  himself,  although 
he  was  associated  and  traveled  with  Dr.  Peebles 
for  fifteen  years.  Although  a  native  of  Xew 
'S'ork.  he  spent  only  a  few  years  of  his  life  there, 
and  he  has  resided  in  liliiinis  during  the  most  of 
his  life. 

In  Marshall.  Michigan,  the  Doctor  was  united 
in  marriage  with  .Miss  Carrie  Etts.  a  native  of 
the  lun])ire  state  and  a  member  of  a  worthy  fam- 
ily Early  in  life  she  displayed  great  ability  as 
an  artist  and  in  later  years  executed  some  very 
fine  pieces,  which  in  style  and  coloring  are  far 
superior  to  the  work  of  amateurs.  Her  work 
has  received  the  commendation  of  the  best  artists, 
and  her  last  effort.  "Pythias  IJefore  the  Block,"  a 
painting  six  feet  by  four  and  six  inches,  is  valued 
at  more  than  one  thousand  dollars.  She  devoted 
much  time  to  her  artistic  studies  and  was  a  lady 
of  dignity  of  presence  and  noble  character.  She 
died  in  I\Iay,  1893,  and  was  buried  in  the  West 
Side  cemetery.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Dunn  were  the  par- 
ents of  two  children :  Aeola,  wife  of  Richard 
Hamlyn,  who  resides  in  Rockford,  where  her  hus- 
band is  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Hamlyn  &  P)ig- 
ham  in  the  meat-market  business ;  and  James, 
who  married  Emma  l'aters<in  and  resides  in 
Rockford. 

Dr.  Dunn  is  a  tnan  of  sterling  worth,  possess- 
ing those  characteristics  so  essential  not  only  to 
genius,  hut  to  chivalrous  .American  manhood,  and 
he  is  honored  and  respected  liy  all  who  know 
him.  1  le  has  been  an  im]>ortant  factor  in  the  in- 
tellectual, artistic  and  material  ilevelopment  of 
his  adopted  cit\'  and  no  history  of  Rockford  and 
Winnebago  cmmtx  would  be  complete  without 
exclusive  mention  of  this  genial  gentleman.  I'or 
two  years  he  served  as  alderman  of  the  fnurlh 
ward,  and  is  now  superintendent  of  i)arks. 


IS  \.\C  UTTER. 


Isaac  Clier.  who  died  on  the  "th  of  May, 
1881.  was  a  i>ioneer  settler  of  Rockford.  whose 
acli\ity  coiuributed  in  substantial  measure  to  the 
ni)l>uilding  of  the  city  through  many  years,  and 
hardly  an  enterprise  of  importance  had  been  es- 
tablished here  in  which  he  was  not  financially 
interested  or  to  whose  success  he  had  attrib- 
ute('  by  his  wise  l)usiness  counsel  and  coo;)- 
eralion.    He  was  born  in  Eaton.  Madison  county, 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


715 


New  York,  January  17,  1809,  and  resided  there 
until  1837.  when  he  removed  to  Angelica.  New 
York,  which  remained  his  place  of  residence  until 
1840.  He  then  took  up  his  abode  in  Warsaw, 
Wyoming  county.  New  York,  where  he  built  a 
woolen  mill  and  was  engaged  in  the  business  of 
manufacturing  cloth  until  1850.  During  the  suc- 
ceeding two  years  he  was  not  actively  connected 
with  business  enterprises,  but  in  1852  he  came 
to  Rockford  and  from  that  time  until  his  death 
was  a  most  valued  factor  in  industrial  and  com- 
mercial circles  of  this  city. 

Here  he  first  formed  a  partnership  with  Or- 
lando Clirke  in  Rockford  Iron  Works  and  they 
continued  in  business  for  years,  conducting  a 
foundry  and  machine  shop.  The  partnership  was 
maintained  until  1876,  at  which  time  J\Ir.  Clarke 
withdrew  and  the  Utter  Manufacturing  Company 
was  formed.  In  the  meantime  lilr.  Utter  had  be- 
come interested  in  other  lousiness  enterprises.  In 
1865.  associated  with  Levi  Rhodes  and  his  son, 
Charles  M.  Utter,  he  built  the  Rockford  Paper 
Mills  and  in  the  spring  of  1866  began  the  manu- 
facture of  paper,  the  plant  being  successfully  and 
continuously  conducted  since  that  time.  During 
his  business  career  he  invested  in  various  Rock- 
ford enterprises.  He  was  one  of  the  original 
stockholders  in  the  watch  factory,  a  stockholder 
in  the  tack  factor}'  and  in  the  People's  Bank,  and 
in  the  last  two  was  a  director.  He  was  also  a 
stockholder  in  the  Second  National  and  the  Win- 
nebago banks,  in  the  silver-plate  works  and  was 
president  of  the  Utter  Manufacturing  Company. 
At  his  death  he  left  an  estate  valued  at  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  which 
was  equallv  divided  among  his  wife  and  children. 
He  owned  about  thirt\'-seven  acres  of  land  north 
of  the  old  camp  grounds,  which  was  a  valuable 
tract,  and  he  also  had  a  farm  in  Iowa  and  a  com- 
fortable home  on  South  \\'innebago  street.  He 
was  an  enthusiast  in  anything  pertaining  to  ma- 
chinery and  was  alwa\'s  at  work  over  some  device. 
He  invented  a  number  of  implements  in  connec- 
tion with  his  manufactory,  although  he  never  at- 
tcmi.ited  to  secure  a  patent  on  these. 

Plis  was  a  business  record  which  any  man 
might  be  proud  to  possess,  as  it  awakened  the  ad- 
miration and  respect  of  his  contemporaries,  who 
knew  him  to  be  a  man  of  unflinching  honor  and 
unfaltering  integrity.  iMr.  Rhodes,  so  long  his 
partner,  said  of  him :  "He  was  a  good  man,  up- 
right and  sincere.  I  could  not  ask  a  better  part- 
ner. For  twenty-three  years  we  were  associated 
in  the  paper  mill  and  in  all  that  time  there  was 
never  a  word  of  difference  or  a  misunderstand- 
ing or  anv  antagonism  as  to  the  plans  and  details 
of  the  business."  One  of  his  most  marked  and 
commendable  characteristics  was  his  deep  inter- 
est in  the  success  of  other  business  men,  and  he 
generously  gave  counsel  and  often  financial  as- 


sistance to  those  who  became  factors  in  Rock- 
ford's  business  circles.  When  those  prominent 
in  business  for  many  years  passed  away  Mr.  Ut- 
ter regarded  it  as  a  personal  loss,  for  he  enter- 
tained the  warmest  esteem  and  friendship  for 
those  with  wliom  he  was  so  long  associated. 

On  the  14th  of  January,  1832,  Mr.  Utter  was 
married  to  Miss  Eliza  Smith,  who  was  born  in 
1810  and  who  died  October  28,  1871.  They  be- 
came the  parents  of  six  children,  of  whom  four 
are  now  living:  Mrs.  W.  E.  S.  Trowbridge,  who 
resides  at  Downers  Grove,  Illinois ;  Horace  B.,  a 
resident  of  Danville,  this  state ;  ]\Iary  E.,  the  wife 
of  John  M.  Fraley,  of  Rockford,  and  Fidello  I., 
also  living  in  Rockford.  On  the  i8th  of  January, 
1873.  ^I""-  Utter  was  again  married,  his  second 
union  being  with  Miss  Lydia  Rush,  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  who  still  survives  him,  and  is  a 
most  estimable  lady,  whose  devotion  to  her  hus- 
band made  his  last  years  filled  with  comfort  and 
happiness. 

He  lived  beyond  man's  allotted  time  and  death 
came  to  him  as  one  "who  wraps  the  drapery  of 
his  couch  about  him  and  lies  down  to  pleasant 
sleep."  His  was  an  unassuming,  straightforward, 
honest  nature,  and  he  was  a  man  who  believed 
in  doing  all  things  well.  Pie  worked  earnestly, 
yet  unostentatiously,  for  the  welfare  of  Rock- 
ford and  without  invidious  distinction  could  well 
he  called  one  of  her  foremost  men.  He  com- 
manded the  warmest  reverence  and  affection  of 
his  children,  to  whom  he  was  ever  loyally  de- 
voted, and  he  was  altogether  worthy  and  honor- 
able in  every  relation  of  life,  so  that  his  memory 
is  cherished'  by  those  who  knew  him  and  who 
came  within  the  circle  of  his  business  acquaint- 
ance, his  friendship  or  his  home  life. 


HON.  CHARLES  E.  JACKSON. 

Hon.  Charles  E.  Jackson  is  essentially  a  typi- 
cal representative  of  the  middle  west,  alert  and 
enterprising.  His  labors  into  whatever  channels 
directed  are  resultant  factors  in  accomplishing 
the  end  desired,  and  in  business  and  political  cir- 
cles in  his  community  he  is  prominent,  his  popu- 
larity being  well  deserved,  for  in  him  are  em- 
braced the  characteristics  of  an  unbending 
integrity,  unabating  industry  and  energy  that 
never  flags.  As  chief  executive  of  Rockford  he 
is  to-dav  giving  to  the  city  an  administration  in 
which  are  comljined  the  qualities  of  the  success- 
ful business  man,  whose  efforts  are  permeated 
bv  public-spirited  citizenship  and  a  sincere  and 
earnest  desire  for  the  general  welfare. 

Charles  E.  Jackson  was  born  upon  a  farm  in 
Boone  county.  Illinois,  about  four  miles  from  Bel- 
videre,  on  the  30th  of  November,  1867,  but  when 
he  was  only  four  months  old  his  parents  removed 


7i6 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


to  Rockford.  where  lie  lias  since  made  liis  home. 
His  education  was  that  afforded  by  the  public 
schools  of  this  city  aiul  its  practical,  thorough 
training;  well  equipped  him  for  the  duties  of  life 
that  came  when  his  text  books  were  put  aside, 
lie  entered  upon  his  business  career  as  a  sales- 
man in  a  retail  clothing  store  and  after  becoming 
familiar  with  methods  of  merchandizing  he  went 
upon  the  road  as  traveling  salesman,  giving  effi- 
cient service  in  that  capacity  for  several  years. 
Naturally  ambitious  to  enter  upon  an  independ- 
ent business  career  that  his  labors  might  more 
directly  benefit  himself,  he  established  the  whole- 
sale portrait  and  frame  business  in  1891  that  he 
has  successfully  conducted  from  that  time  to  the 
present,  his  sales  extending  to  every  state  in  the 
Union  and  into  foreign  countries.  He  has 
wrought  along  modern  business  lines  and  has 
wrested  success  from  the  hands  of  fate.  P>elong- 
ing  to  that  class  of  tyjiical  .\merican  men  whose 
business  labors  result  in  public  benefit  as  well 
as  individual  success,  he  has  exerted  his  influence 
strongly  and  beneficially  to  promote  the  commer- 
cial su])remacy  of  Rockford,  and  his  effective 
work  led  to  his  selection  for  the  presidency  of 
the  East  State  Street  Rusiness  Men's  Associa- 
tion. 

His  marked  qualities  of  leadership  in  tlial  re- 
gard caused  him  to  be  mentioned  as  a  candidate 
for  alderman  in  his  home  ward  and  to  that  ])osi- 
tion  he  was  elected.  .\  contemporary  publication 
said:  "In  his  new  ofifice  lie  surprised  his  best 
friends  by  his  temperate  demeanor  in  debate,  his 
uniform  courtesy  toward  his  colleagues  and  the 
clear-cut  manner  in  which  he  cared  for  the  in- 
terests of  the  people.  During  the  two  years'  serv- 
ice as  alderman  he  became  the  central  figure  of 
a  movement  to  modify  the  existing  ward  lines  of 
the  city  so  that  all  the  voters  could  be  equally  rep- 
resented in  the  council.  The  successful  termina- 
tion of  that  movement  made  him  the  logical  can- 
didate of  a  majority  of  his  fellow  citizens  for  the 
mayoralty,  and  his  supjiort  was  even  more  great- 
ly increased  as  election  day  drew  near."  Chosen 
to  the  highest  office  within  the  gift  of  his  fellow 
townsmen,  he  entered  u])on  the  discharge  of  his 
duties  with  a  determination  to  make  Rockford 
better  through  progress  in  material  lines  and 
through  methfids  of  reform  and  ui)building.  The 
same  energy,  close  ap])lication  and  keen  discrimi- 
nation which  Constituted  the  basis  of  his  business 
success  are  now  manifest  in  the  exercise  of  his 
official  prerogatives,  and  already  Rockford  has 
felt  the  stimulus  of  his  efforts  and  public  senti- 
ment has  been  aroused  in  favor  of  practical,  pro- 
gressive movements.  Quoting  from  the  same 
source  from  which  tiie  previous  extract  was 
taken,  we  add:  "If  Mr.  Jackson  has  ambitions 
of  a  political  nature  otlier  than  those  which  make 
for  g(K>(l  city  government,  lie  has  not  disclosed 


them  even  to  his  closest  friends,  and  the  belief 
obtains  that  his  foremost  aim  is  to  see  the  best 
interests  of  Rockford  developed  along  broad, 
])eaceful  and  permanent  lines." 

In  1898  Mr.  Jackson  was  married  to  Miss  N^el- 
lie  L.  llrown,  a  daughter  of  ^Ir.  and  Mrs.  Charles 
E.  Brown,  of  this  city,  and  their  position  in  social 
circles  is  assured  wherever  culture  and  intelli- 
gence are  received  as  the  jiassports  into  good 
society.  His  fraternal  relations  are  with  the 
Royal  .\rcanum,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Amer- 
ica and  the  Ancient  (  Jrder  of  United  Workmen, 
and  he  is  thoroughly  in  sympathy  with  the  basic 
elements  of  these  organizations.  Mr.  Jackson  is 
yet  a  young  man  and  there  has  been  nothing 
startling  in  his  history,  yet  he  is  a  citizen  of  whom 
Rockford  has  reason  to  be  proud.  The  advan- 
tages which  he  has  enjoyed  along  e<lucational 
and  business  lines  were  those  which  the  city  af- 
forded and  he  has  found  ample  opportunity  in 
its  conditions  and  possibilities  for  the  exercise  of 
native  talents  which  have  made  him  a  strong  and 
successful  business  man  and  a  reliable  official. 


MIXER  CLIKEM AX. 

Miner  Clikeniau,  a  retired  fariiKr  living  on 
Kilborn  avenue,  in  Rockford.  was  for  many 
years  closely  associated  with  agricultural  inter- 
ests in  W^inncbago  county  and  in  his  life  dis- 
played the  many  sterling  characteristics  of  his 
derman  ancestry.  His  paternal  grandfather, 
Lawrence  Clikeman,  came  to  .\mcrica  from  Ger- 
many, in  1776,  in  the  employ  of  the  British  army 
and  during  the  war  was  taken  prisoner.  On 
being  liberated  he  announced  his  allegiance  to 
the  I"nited  States,  becoming  a  citizen  of  the  new 
republic.  His  son.  Peter  Clikeman,  was  born 
August  27,  1798,  in  .Mbany  county,  Xew  York, 
and  was  a  farmer  throughout  his  entire  business 
career.  He  earned  a  living  for  himself  and 
family  in  the  early  days  among  the  hills  and 
rocks  of  his  native  county.  Having  arrived  at 
years  of  maturity  he  wcilded  Jane  Hilligass.  who 
was  also  a  native  of  that  county,  born  June  21. 
1708.  They  became  the  parents  of  five  .sons  and 
four  daughters:  Mary  Ann.  Ixirn  January  0. 
1824:  Magdaline.  born  October  5.  i82f>:  John  F.. 
Ixirii  DecemlKT  10.  1828:  Hannah.  February  25. 
1830:  Miner:  Eliza.  March  18.  1834:  Seneca. 
Xovembcr  8.  1836:  Jacob,  January  30.  1838:  and 
Peter  H..  February  26.  1840.  The  father's 
rleath  occurred  .\pril  15.  1875.  and  the  mother 
passed  away  February  26.  1840. 

Miner  Clikeman  was  born  February  1(1.  1832, 
upon  his  father's  farm  about  twelve  miles  from 
Wright,  in  Schoharie  county.  New  York,  and 
])ursue(l  his  education  in  the  subscription  schools. 


MR.  AND  ^IRS.  MINER  CLIKEMAN. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


719 


He  spent  his  youth  and  early  manhood  in  the 
east  and  came  first  to  Winnebago  county,  Illinois, 
in  1857,  but  at  that  time  remained  for  only 
about  six  months.  He  then  returned  to  the  Em- 
pire state  and  in  1861  he  again  spent  six  or 
eight  months  in  this  county.  In  1862  he  brought 
his  family  and  made  a  permanent  location  in 
Winnebago  county,  taking  up  his  abode  in  Owen 
township,  where  he  worked  at  carpentering,  being 
engaged  in  the  building  of  houses  and  barns  for 
some  time.  In  !March,  1868,  he  purchased  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  raw  prairie  land, 
which  he  at  once  broke  and  upon  the  plowed 
ground  scattered  the  seed  that  in  due  time 
brought  forth  good  harvests.  He  also  further 
improved  his  place  by  the  erection  of  a  house  and 
barn  and  the  planting  of  trees.  He  planted  two 
orchards  upon  his  place  and  his  son  Charles  is 
now  setting  out  the  third  one.  In  the  "70s 
he  bought  another  tract  of  land  of  one  hundred 
and  forty  acres  so  that  his  farm  now  comprises 
two  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  all  of  which  is  well 
improved,  constituting  one  of  the  best  properties 
of  the  township.  \\nTile  carr)'ing  on  agricultural 
pursuits  Mr.  Clikeman  also  worked  at  his  trade 
in  different  states  and  many  evidences  of  his 
handiwork  are  seen  in  Winnebago  county. 

In  1852  Mr.  Clikeman  was  married  to  Miss 
Ann  Elizabeth  Allen,  a  daughter  of  William  and 
Elizabeth  (Angle)  Allen.  Her  father  was  a  car- 
penter by  trade  and  provided  for  his  family  by 
following  the  builder's  art.  He  spent  his  entire 
life  in  the  Empire  state  and  died  in  Bern,  Albany 
county,  New  York,  where  his  birth  had  occurred 
eighty-two  years  before.  His  wife  passed  away 
June  29,  1879.  at  the  age  of  sixty-two  years  and 
ten  months.  In  their  family  were  seven  children : 
Ann  Elizabeth,  born  June  24,  1832;  IMargaret ; 
Richard  ;  Liddy  S. ;  Joseph  :  Everett ;  and  Isaac  M. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clikeman  were  married  in  Bern, 
Albany  county.  New  York,  June  4,  1852.  and  be- 
came the  parents  of  seven  children,  five  of  whom 
are  natives  of  the  Empire  state,  while  the  other 
two  were  born  in  \\'innebago  county.  Charles, 
born  December  12,  1853,  wedded  Alary  Cundiff 
and  they  have  four  children,  their  home  being  on 
the  old  farm  belonging  to  his  father.  Sidney  D.. 
living  in  Jackson  county.  Minnesota,  was  born 
March  2,  1855.  and  married  Miss  Hattie  Oliver, 
by  whom  he  has  five  children,  .\ustin.  who  was 
born  September  25,  1856,  and  lived  at  Greene. 
Butler  county.  Iowa,  married  Julia  Carpenter  and 
lias  one  child.  \'erna.  born  June  30,  1858.  is  a 
resident  of  Rockford.  Laura,  born  February  15. 
i860,  died  on  the  21st  of  the  same  month.  Adela, 
who  was  born  October  9,  1864,  died  February  23. 
1879.  William  C,  born  April  23,  1868,  married 
Bird  Shelev  and  is  a  barber  of  Chicago. 


After  many  years'  connection  with  agricultural 
pursuits  Mr.  Clikeman  retired  from  business  life 
and  is  now  enjoying  a  well  earned  rest  in  Rock- 
ford.  He  has  served  as  school  director  for  twelve 
years  and  has  always  been  interested  in  the  cause 
of  education,  exercising  his  official  prerogatives 
to  advance  the  standard  of  the  schools.  His 
political  allegiance  has  been  given  to  the  re- 
publican party  since  age  gave  to  him  the  right  of 
franchise.  He  has  led  a  very  busy  life  and  his 
own  labor  has  been  the  basis  of  his  success.  In 
an  analyzation  of  his  character  we  find  that  the 
strong  elements  are  persistent  purpose  and  a  thor- 
ough mastery  of  whatever  duty  has  devolved 
upon  him. 


JAMES  A.  GIBSON. 

The  home  farm  of  James  A.  Gibson  is  a  well- 
improved  property  of  two  hundred  acres  on  sec- 
tion 32.  Rockford  township,  and  in  addition  to 
this  he  owns  a  tract  of  timber  and  pasture  land 
of  one  hundred  and  five  acres.  His  activity  in 
business  aft'airs  is  well  known  to  those  who  are 
at  all  acquainted  with  his  life  record  and  it  is 
typical  of  his  Scotch  ancestry,  from  whom  he  in- 
herited an  industrious  and  enterprising  disposi- 
tion. A  native  of  the  land  of  hills  and  heather, 
he  was  born  in  Kirkcudbrightshire,  Scotland, 
February  5,  1856,  his  parents  being  Samuel  and 
Margaret  f.Adamson)  Gibson,  who  in  i860  came 
to  America  and  located  in  White  Rock  township, 
Ogle  county,  Illinois.  Both  have  now  passed 
away,  the  father  in  1901  and  the  mother  in  1881. 
James  A.  Gibson  has  three  brothers  and  two  sis- 
ters, who  are  }"et  living:  John  and  Robert,  vidio 
resided  upon  parts  of  the  old  homestead ;  and 
Samuel,  who  resides  at  Kings,  Ogle  county, 
where  he  operates  the  elevator  and  is  also  the 
owner  of  farming  lands  in  that  county  and  in 
South  Dakota ;  Jane,  the  wife  of  H.  B.  Hazelton, 
of  Carroll  count^•.  Jowa  :  and  Agnes,  the  wife  of 
\\'.  C.  Prill,  of  Glidden,  Iowa,  now  retired. 

James  A.  Gibson  was  onl}'  four  years  old  when 
brought  by  his  parents  to  Illinois,  and  was  reared 
in  Ogle  coimty.  where  he  remained  until  about 
twenty-five  years  of  age.  He  has  since  lived  in 
Winnebago  county,  spending  eight  years  in  the 
Scotch  settlement  near  Argyle,  where  he  took  up 
his  abode  in  the  spring  of  1885.  He  afterward 
lived  for  nine  years  in  Cherry  Valley  township, 
renting  a  farm  owned  by  John  Schmauss,  and  in 
the  fall  of  igoi  he  purchased  his  present  farm, 
which  is  one  of  the  old  settled  districts  of  the 
county.  On  it  stands  one  of  the  most  picturesque 
farm  houses  of  this  part  of  the  state  and  Mr. 
Gibson  has  made  improvements  there  to  the  value 
of  more  than  four  thousand  dollars.     He  keeps 


720 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


the  place  in  excellent  cunditiun.  carrying  nn  .y^cn- 
cral  agricultural  pursuits  and  slock  raising,  his 
specialty  being  shorthorn  fuU-bloLided  and  higl)- 
grade  cattle,  of  which  he  now  has  one  hundred 
and  seven  head.  He  also  raises  Poland  China 
hogs,  of  which  he  has  about  fifty  head.  An  ex- 
cellent judge  of  stock,  he  always  makes  his  |>ur- 
chases  carefully  and  thus  realizes  ccjnsidcrable  on 
his  sales. 

The  home  place  is  known  as  the  old  l.each 
farm  and  is  one  of  the  most  attractive  of  Rock- 
ford  township.  Xot  only  is  the  greater  part  of 
the  home  place  of  two  hundred  acres  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation,  but  in  addition  to  this  he  has 
one  lunidrcd  and  live  acres  i)arlially  covered  with 
timber,  while  the  remainder  is  good  pasture  land, 
affording  excellent  grazing  ground  for  his  stock. 

On  the  14th  of  .\pril,  1886,  Mr.  Gibson  was 
united  in  marriage  to  .Miss  Mary,  daughter  of 
James  and  .\nn  (Gilchrist)  Fleming.  .She  was 
born  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  F'ebruary  10.  185^). 
and  was  brought  to  .\merica  when  twelve  years 
of  age,  locating  with  her  people  at  .Argyle,  Win- 
nebago county.  Eight  children  have  been  born 
of  this  union,  all  natives  of  Winnebago  county: 
James  .\rthur,  born  October  1.  1888:  .\nna  Isa- 
bella, born  .Vugnst  25.  181JO:  Samuel  Lester,  born 
October  31,  1891  ;  Margaret  .\lveda,  born  Sep- 
tember 5,  1893 ;  William  Ernest,  born  June  '). 
18117;  Mary  ^lildred,  born  December  13.  18)8: 
and  two  who  died  in  infancy. 

hVaternally  Mr.  Gibson  is  connected  with  the 
Knights  of  the  Globe,  with  the  Modern  \\'oodmen 
camp  of  Cherry  \'alley  and  the  Mystic  Workers, 
and  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
ciiurch.  Since  age  gave  liim  the  right  of  fran- 
chise he  has  been  a  stalwart  re])ublican.  never 
faltering  in  his  allegiance  to  the  party,  but  he  has 
no  time  nor  desire  for  public  office,  his  interests 
being  centered  upon  his  business  affairs  wherebv 
he  is  enabled  to  provide  a  comfortable  home  for 
his  family.  In  the  county  wliere  almost  his  en- 
tire life  has  been  passed  he  is  well  known  as  a 
worthv  citizen  and  reliable  business  man. 


THOMAS  G.  LEVIXGS. 

Thomas  G.  Levings,  who  follows  farming  just 
west  of  the  city  limits  of  Rockford,  and  in  the 
ap|)lication  of  his  energies  to  the  develoi)ment 
of  the  natural  resources  of  the  state  has  won 
gratifying  prosperity,  was  born  in  .Sherman,  Con- 
necticut, in  .\pril,  1842.  his  parents  being  Peter 
R.  and  .\nna  (Xnmi)  Levings,  l)oth  of  whom  are 
now  deceased.  The  father  came  to  Winnebago 
county,  in  September.  1842,  and  located 
in  Winnebago  township  on  the  boundary  line 
of  Rockford  township.  There  he  entered  a 
claim  upon  which  not  a  furrow  had  been  turned 


nor  an  im|)rovenR'nt  made,  but  his  labors  resulted 
in  the  development  of  a  good  farm  upon  which 
he  resided  until,  retiring  from  active  business 
life,  he  took  uj)  his  abode  in  South  Rockford,  in 
.\pril,  1870.  There  he  spent  twelve  years  in 
the  enjoyment  of  a  well  earned  rest  before  he 
was  called  to  the  home  beyond,  his  death  occur- 
ring in  Rockford,  in  1882,  when  he  was  eighty- 
iwo  years  of  age.  From  the  organization  of  the 
party  he  was  a  stanch  and  earnest  republican, 
active  in  ])olitics  and  doing  all  in  his  power  to 
l)rouiote  the  growth  and  insure  the  success  of 
his  |)arty.  He  was  deeply  interested  also  in  the 
local  im])rovement  and  development  of  his 
adopted  county,  and  as  a  co-operant  factor  in 
many  measin-es  for  the  general  good  his  labors 
]iroved  far-reaching  and  beneficial.  He  was 
poj)uiar  as  a  man,  ])rominent  as  a  citizen  and 
was  res])ected  and  esteemed  by  a  large  circle 
of  friends.  His  wife  was  one  of  the  charter 
nKMnl)ers  of  the  Congregational  church  here.  His 
birth  had  occurred  in  Connecticut,  and  he  repre- 
sented an  old  family  of  English  lineage,  while 
his  wife  was  of  German  descent  and  was  a  na- 
tive of  the  state  of  Xew  ^'ork.  She  died  in 
Winnebago  county,  about  1868,  at  the  age  of 
si.xty-eight  years.  In  their  family  were  three 
sons,  the  brothers  of  Thomas  tl,  Levings  being 
Alfred  II.  and  G.  W.  The  former  is  a  physician 
of  Milwaukee,  jironiinent  in  his  profession,  be- 
ing head  surgeon  of  the  hos])itals  there,  and  one 
on  whose  opinions  arc  largely  regarded  as  au- 
thority in  the  line  of  his  profession  in  his  l<ical- 
ity.  The  other  brother.  G.  W.  Levings,  who  was 
engaged  in  farming  in  Rockford  township,  died 
May  2,  1904.  There  are  also  two  sisters,  Mrs. 
II.  I'"..  Pease,  who  resides  in  Winnebago  county, 
though  spending  much  of  her  time  in  California; 
and  -Maggie,  who  lives  in  Rockford. 

Thomas  (!.  Levings  was  reared  in  Winnebago 
comity,  being  only  a  few  months  old  when 
brought  by  his  parents  to  the  west.  He  can  re- 
member various  conditions  of  pioneer  life  which 
existed  here  during  his  boyhood  days,  for  the 
homes  were  then  widely  scattered  over  the  prai- 
ries and  many  of  the  now  thriving  towns  and 
villages  had  not  yet  sprung  into  existence.  Rock- 
ford, too,  was  a  small  place  of  little  importance, 
but  there  came  to  the  west  men  of  strong  pur- 
])ose,  anxious  to  find  homes  for  themselves  and 
families  and  desiring  a  ])rogressive  civilization, 
so  that  they  i>ut  forth  earnest  effort  for  substan- 
tial advancement  and  permanent  improvement, 
Mr.  Levings  has  always  been  interested  in 
what  has  been  accomplished,  and  has  given  his 
aid  to  many  measures  for  the  general  good. 
Since  1873  he  has  resided  in  his  present  fine 
home,  and  farming  has  been  his  life  work.  He 
now  owns  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land 
in    n.-irliin    to\\nslii|).    in    addition    to   his    home 


T.  G.   LEVIXGS. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


m 


farm  of  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Rock- 
ford  township,  and  his  extensive  holdings  return 
him  a  splendid  income  because  of  the  care  and 
labor  which  he  bestows  upon  his  fields. 

Air.  Levings  had  charge  of  the  roads  of  his 
township  for  twenty-one  years,  and  to  him  is 
due  much  credit  for  their  excellent  condition. 
When  he  was  first  elected  road  commissioner 
there  was  little  more  than  a  mile  of  paved  road, 
but  when  he  retired  from  the  office  there  were 
seventy-eight  miles  of  finely  macadamized  roads. 
He  was  also  the  prime  mover  in  securing  the 
free  rural  mail  delivery,  and  sent  in  the  first  pe- 
tition from  ^^'innebag•o  county  for  this  purpose. 

Mr.  Levings  was  married  to  Miss  Lucy  Ellen 
Fuller,  a  representative  of  the  prominent  Fuller 
family  of  this  county,  but  her  death  occurred  Oc- 
tober 14,  1903,  when  she  was  fifty-four  years  of 
age.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  Nevius 
post.  No.  I,  G.  .\.  R.,  of  Rockford,  to  which  he 
is  entitled  to  membership  because  of  the  fact 
that  he  enlisted  in  1864  in  Company  I,  Eleventh 
Illinois  Cavalry,  thus  serving  until  the  close  of 
the  war.  He  has  always  voted  for  the  repub- 
lican party,  which  stood  as  the  defender  of  the 
Union  during  the  hour  of  the  country's  peril, 
when  the  stability  of  the  Union  was  threatened 
by  the  secession  movement  of  the  south.  He  has 
ever  regarded  it  as  the  party  of  improvement, 
reform  and  progress,  and  those  are  causes  which 
have  always  elicited  his  interest  and  endorse- 
ment. His  religious  views  are  indicated  by  his 
membership  in  the  Congregational  church. 


AMOS  W.  \\^OODWARD. 

Amos  W.  Woodward,  inventor  and  manufac- 
turer of  Rockford,'  was  born  in  Winthrop,  Maine, 
in  1829,  his  parents  being  Amos  and  Nancy 
(jMuzzy)  Woodward,  the  former  born  in  New- 
ton, Massachusetts,  in  1786,  and  the  latter  in 
Spencer,  Massachusetts,  in  1793.  Both  families 
were  represented  in  the  American  army  at  the  time 
of  the  Revolutionary  war.  The  paternal  grandfa- 
ther served  in  the  battles  of  Concord  and  Lexing- 
ton, and  hauled  powder  to  the  troops  at  Bunker 
Hill,  and  the  maternal  grandfather  also  rendered 
signal  service  to  the  cause  of  independence.  The 
Woodward  family  was  founded  in  the  new  world 
in  1634,  when  John  W^oodward  crossed  the  At- 
lantic and  settled  in  ^Massachusetts,  where  his  de- 
scendants remained  until  the  grandfather  of  our 
subject  removed  from  his  home  in  Newton,  Mas- 
sachusetts, to  Maine.  His  wife  was  a  sister  of 
General  Jackson,  of  Revolutionary  fame.  Most 
of  the  family  followed  farming,  and  Amos  Wood- 
ward, Sr.,  was  not  only  identified  with  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  but  also  operated  a  cotton  mill  at 
Gardner,  Maine,  in  1820.     Selling  that  property. 


he  took  up  his  abode  on  a  farm.  His  death  oc- 
curred in  1868,  and  his  wife  passed  away  in  1885, 
at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-two  years.  They 
were  the  parents  of  six  children,  of  whom  four 
reached  adult  age:  Franklin  ]\I.,  Henry,  .\mos 
W.  and  Priscilla. 

Amos  W.  Woodward  was  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  the  Pine  Tree  state,  and  afterward 
learned  the  trade  of  a  machinist  in  a  plant  manu- 
facturing machinery  for  cotton  mills  at  Lowell, 
Alassachusetts.  He  began  that  work  in  1849, 
serving  a  three-years'  apprenticeship,  and  later 
went  to  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  machinsts"  tools 
until  1856.  In  that  year  he  came  to  the  middle 
west,  with  the  intention  of  going  to  Minnesota, 
but  instead  made  a  location  at  Rockford.  He  aft- 
erward began  working  for  the  firm  of  Talcott  & 
Emerson,  on  the  present  site  of  the  Woodward 
Governor  Works,  remaining  in  that  employ  for  a 
year.  He  next  worked  for  F.  H.  Manny  and 
later  for  M.  C.  Thompson,  being  thus  engaged  un- 
til November,  1872,  when  he  began  business  on 
his  own  account — a  step  made  possible  by  his  in- 
dustry and  frugality.  With  the  exception  of  a 
year  and  a  half  when  he  was  associated  with  Will 
Ross,  under  the  firm  style  of  Ross  &  Woodward, 
he  was  alone  in  business  for  many  years.  His 
partnership  with  Mr.  Ross  was  in  1875,  and  then, 
purchasing  his  interest,  Mr.  Woodward  continued 
the  business  as  sole  proprietor,  manufacturing 
pumps.  In  1870  he  invented  a  governor  for  use 
on  water  wheels,  the  first  one  he  made  being  used 
on  a  Thompson  wheel.  To  this  branch  of  busi- 
ness he  then  directed  his  energies  exclusively  and 
continued  under  the  name  of  A.  W.  Woodward 
until  1902,  when  the  business  was  incorporated 
imder  the  name  of  the  Woodward  Governor  Com- 
pany, with  A.  W.  Woodward  as  president  and  El- 
mer Woodward  as  vice  president  and  secretary. 
They  conducted  business  on  the  site  of  the  woolen 
mill  until  1893,  when  they  removed  to  No.  660. 
Race  street,  occupying  a  factory  one  hundred  by 
seventy  feet.  They  use  the  first  floor  in  the  con- 
duct of  their  business,  manufacturing  governors 
for  exclusive  use  on  water  wheels  and  hydro-elec- 
tric plants.  They  employ  seventeen  people,  and 
the  enterprise  has  become  one  of  the  leading  pro- 
ductive industries  of  the  city,  paying  a  good  re- 
turn to  the  stockholders  upon  their  investment. 

Mr.  Woodward  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  A. 
Sealy.  of  Rockford,  a  daughter  of  Richard  Sealy, 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  city,  coming  here 
about  fifty-five  years  ago  from  the  state  of  New 
York.  Prior  to  that  time,  however,  they  lived 
in  England,  in  which  country  Mary  A.  Sealy  was 
born.  She  had  three  brothers  in  the  Civil  war, 
Robert  Sealy  holding  the  rank  of  lieutenant  colonel 
at  the  time  of  his  discharge.  The  marriage  of  Air. 
and    Mrs.    Woodward,    celebrated    in    1861.    was 


724 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


blessed  with  four  children :  Cora,  who  died  in 
1903 :  Elmer,  who  is  vice  |)resident  of  the  Wood- 
ward Governor  Company  antl  is  married  and  has 
four  children  ;  Frank,  who  is  engaged  in  portrait 
work  in  Chicago;  and  Mimiie,  the  wife  of  G.  W. 
Taylor,  of  Rockford,  now  living  in  Canton,  Ohio. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Woodward  now  make  their  home  at 
No.  603  Pearl  street.  They  are  memhers  of  the 
Baptist  church,  of  which  he  has  been  a  dea- 
con for  tlie  i^ast  twenty  years,  and  in  politics  he 
has  been  an  unfaltering  re])ublican  since  casting 
his  first  presidential  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln. 
His  advancement  in  business  circles  has  been  made 
at  the  cost  of  strenuous  and  self-denying  labor, 
and  his  career  exem])lifies  the  old  saying  "through 
struggles  to  success."  The  men  who  have  known  • 
him — and  they  have  been  many — i-esptct  him,  and 
those  wlio  have  come  within  the  closer  circle  of  his 
friendship  ajipreciatc  his  many  good  qualities  of 
heart  and  mind. 


JOSEPH  E.  MERRTTT. 

Joseph  B.  ^Territt,  the  efficient  superintendent 
of  the  ^^'innebago  Paper  Mill  at  Rockton.  a  val- 
uable industry,  furnishing  employment  to  a  large 
nnmbiT  n!  workmen  and  thus  contributing  in 
substantial  measure  to  the  general  prosperity,  was 
born  in  Clinton,  New  York,  January  31,  1830. 
His  father,  .\rtenius  Merritt,  was  a  native  of 
Massachusetts,  and  on  leaving  New  England 
went  to  New  York  and  thence  to  the  West,  cast- 
ing his  lot  with  the  early  settlers  of  Indiana, 
where  he  established  his  home  about  1840.  He 
married  !\Iaria  Bradner,  and  they  died  at  the 
ages  of  seventy-two  and  seventy-three,  respect- 
ively. In  their  family  were  eight  children,  of 
whom  Joseph  P..  is  the  eldest  and  the  only  one 
now  living  in  Wiimebago  county. 

Mr.  Merritt  of  this  review  spent  the  first 
five  years  of  liis  life  in  the  Empire  state  and 
then  was  taken  liy  his  parents  to  Indiana,  but 
when  still  a  young  lad  he  returned  to  the  home 
of  his  grandparents  in  New  York  and  after  he 
had  reached  adult  age  he  entered  upon  his  busi- 
ness career  as  a  clerk  in  a  store  in  Danville,  New 
York,  where  he  was  employed  for  several  years. 
He  believed,  however,  that  the  west  would  fur- 
nish him  better  business  opportunities  and  that 
advancement  might  be  more  quickly  secured.  Ac- 
cordingly he  made  his  way  to  Illinois  in  1856, 
settling  first  in  Chicago.  The  following  year, 
however,  he  was  sent  to  Rockton  by  the  firm  of 
Bradner,  Smith  &  Company,  of  Chicago,  to  look 
after  their  paper  mill  at  this  point  and  has  since 
been  superintendent  of  the  industry.  Mr.  Brad- 
ner of  the  firm  was  his  uncle  and  it  was  this  fact 
that  induced  Mr.  Merritt  to  come  to  Illinois.  In 
the  control  of  the  business  here  he  has  showed 


thorough  mastery  of  the  trade  and  capability  in 
handling  a  large  working  force.  For  a  number 
of  years  the  product  of  the  plant  was  wrapping 
paper  of  all  kinds,  hut  during  the  last  three  years 
Mr.  Merritt  has  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
strawboard.  The  plant  is  well  equipped  with  all 
modern  machinery  and  employment  is  furnished 
to  thirty-five  operators — a  fact  which  makes  the 
industry  of  much  value  to  the  village. 

]\Ir.  Merritt  made  his  home  in  Rockton  until 
about  fifteen  years  ago.  when  he  removed  to  Be- 
loit,  Wisconsin,  where  he  still  maintains  his  resi- 
dence although  he  has  his  business  interests  in 
Rockton.  He  was  supervisor  of  Rockton  town- 
ship for  two  years  and  was  a  member  of  the  vil- 
lage board  at  the  time  of  the  incorporation.  He 
has  also  served  on  the  school  board,  has  been 
active  in  public  affairs  of  township  and  county 
and  during  his  incumbency  in  the  i)osition  of  su- 
pervisor the  court  house  at  Rockford  was  built. 
His  political  allegiance  has  ever  been  given  to  the 
republican  party  and  he  is  thoroughly  in  sym- 
pathy with  its  principles  and  policies. 

On  the  1st  of  December.  1858.  occurred  the 
marriage  of  Mr.  Merritt  and  Miss  Frances  E. 
Mellen.  a  native  of  New  York.  They  have  one 
daughter,  Fannie,  now  the  wife  of  H.  L.  Hollis- 
ter,  and  the  mother  of  one  child,  Frances.  In 
1901  Mr.  Merritt  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  his  wife,  who  passed  away  in  October  of 
that  year  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  Com- 
ing to  the  west  at  a  period  when  industrial  and 
commercial  progress  was  in  its  infancy,  he  con- 
tributed to  tlie  upbuilding  of  Rockton  in  the  suc- 
cessful control  of  one  of  its  leading  business  con- 
cerns and  at  the  same  time  he  made  his  services 
of  such  value  in  the  company  which  he  repre- 
sented that  he  commanded  an  excellent  salary, 
while  his  frugality  and  industry  in  the  passing 
years  have  brought  him  a  comfortable  compe- 
tence. 


^^'.  R.  KEVT. 


W.  R.  Keyt,  an  architect  and  builder,  whose 
labors  have  contributed  to  the  improvement  of 
Rockford,  was  born  in  Piqua.  ;\Iiami  county, 
Ohio,  in  1850.  his  parents  being  John  W.  and 
Rachel  (Barrington)  Keyt.  His  parents  were 
also  natives  of  Ohio,  and  the  father  was  a  farmer 
by  occupation,  following  that  pursuit  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death,  whicli  occurred  when  he  was 
seventy-five  years  of  age.  He  had  five  children, 
two  sons  and  three  daughters:  John  ^^^,  who 
died  in  1901  ;  Jane  .Sarah,  who  is  living  in  Ohio; 
Caroline,  also  of  Ohio;  Emma  Elizabeth,  who 
died  in  December,  1904:  and  W.  R..  of  this  re- 
view.   The  mother  passed  away  in  i860. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


725 


At  the  usual  age  W.  R.  Keyt  entered  the  pubHc 
schools  of  Piqua,  Ohio,  passing  through  succes- 
sive grades  until  he  completed  the  high-school 
course  by  graduation  with  the  class  of  1869.  He 
then  removed  to  the  farm  and  later  he  engaged  in 
clerking  for  a  time  in  a  dry  goods  store.  When 
he  had  been  employed  in  that  way  for  three  years 
he  went  to  Dayton,  Ohio,  where  he  attended  a 
commercial  school,  and  in  February,  1877,  h^ 
came  to  Rockford.  Here  he  learned  the  carpen- 
ter's trade  under  the  direction  of  his  uncle  David 
Keyt,  who  took  up  his  abode  in  this  city  in  1856 
for  the  purpose  of  building  the  Second  Congre- 
gational church  here.  He  was  a  contractor  and 
builder  and  was  identified  with  the  substantial 
imjirovements  of  Rockford  for  a  long  period. 

W.  R.  Keyt  not  only  mastered  carpentering, 
but  also  studied  architecture.  He  was  with  his 
uncle  in  contracting  for  four  years,  and  he  also 
did  drafting  on  his  own  account.  He  then  formed 
a  partnership  with  W.  A.  Keyt,  a  cousin,  under 
the  firm  name  of  W.  R.  &  W.  A.  Keyt,  contrac- 
tors and  builders.  This  relationship  was  main- 
tained for  eleven  years,  from  1887  until  i8q8,  and 
in  one  year  they  built  the  Lincoln  school,  the  ad- 
dition to  the  Garrison  school,  the  Freeman,  High- 
land and  Brown  schools  and  the  Christ  Henry 
Block.  Mr.  Keyt  of  this  review  also  had  charge 
of  the  rebuilding  of  the  Second  Congregational 
church  after  tne  fire.  In  1898,  on  account  of  a 
sprained  knee,  he  quit  the  work  of  building  and 
decided  to  enter  the  employ  of  The  Marsden  Com- 
pany as  a  millwright  foreman.  To  that  work  he 
devoted  his  energies  for  t\\x>  years  and  a  half, 
spending  si.x  months  of  that  time  in  Kentuckv. 
He  afterward  went  to  Peoria,  where  he  became 
superintendent  of  construction  for  the  largest 
plant  at  that  place.  He  spent  a  year  and  a  half  in 
Peoria,  and  in  1900  returned  to  Rockford,  where 
he  opened  up  an  office,  since  which  time  he  has 
given  his  attention  to  architecture,  and  has  secured 
a  liberal  patronage.  He  built  the  Gas  Stove 
Works,  the  Armory  building,  Andrews  Iron  & 
Wiire  Works,  an  addition  to  the  tannery  for  the 
Hess  &  Hopkins  Leather  Company,  and  a  large 
number  of  residences,  and  during  the  past  two 
years  he  has  had  charge  of  the  works  of  the  In- 
terurban  Railway  Company.  He  is  likewise  con- 
nected as  a  director  with  the  Rockford  Concrete 
Construction  Company. 

Mr.  Keyt  was  married  December  21,  1880,  to 
Miss  Alice  L.  ]\IcKinley,  of  Rockford,  a  daugh- 
ter of  William  McKinley,  who  is  now  ninety-two 
years  of  age.  They  have  two  children :  Eva  J-. 
who  is  living  at  home ;  and  Maurice  B.,  who  is 
attending  high  school.  The  family  residence  is  on 
the  Traskbridge  road,  a  mile  and  a  half  north  of 
the  city,  where  Mr.  Keyt  owns  several  acres  of 
land,  largely  planted  to  fruit.  In  view  of  the  fact 
that  he  commenced  his  business  career  empty 
42 


handed,  his  success  is  the  more  remarkable,  and 
his  record  should  prove  an  inspiration  to  many 
young  man  now  starting  out  as  he  did  a  few  years 
ago,  with  no  capital  save  brains,  integrity,  deter- 
mination and  perseverance,  which  after  all  con- 
stitute the  best  capital  and  without  which  wealth, 
influence  and  position  amount  to  naught. 


GEORGE  E.  KING. 

By  the  death  of  this  honorable  and  upright  citi- 
zen the  community  in  which  he  lived  sustained  an 
irreparable  loss  and  was  deprived  of  the  presence 
of  one  whom  it  had  come  to  look  upon  as  a  guard- 
ian, benefactor  and  friend.  Death  often  removes 
from  our  midst  those  whom  we  can  ill  afford  to 
spare,  whose  lives  have  been  all  that  is  exemplary 
of  the  true  and  thereby  a  really  great  citizen.  Such 
a  citizen  was  Mr.  King,  whose  "whole  career,  both 
business  and  social,  served  as  a  model  to  the  voung 
and  an  inspiration  to  the  aged.  He  shed  a  bright- 
ness around  everything  with  which  he  came  in 
contact,  and  his  memory  is  now  enshrined  in  the 
hearts  of  many  friends  who  felt  the  deepest  regret 
at  his  taking  ofif. 

Mr.  King  was  a  native  of  Wappingers  Falls, 
Dutchess  county.  New  York,  his  natal  day  being 
April  30,  1844.  His  parents  were  William"  G.  and 
Elizabeth  (Orr)  King.  The  mother  died  in  the 
Empire  state  during  the  infancy  of  her  son  George 
and  the  father  afterward  married  again.  With 
his  second  wife  and  his  children  he  removed  to  the 
west,  settling  first  in  Wisconsin,  where  they  re- 
sided until  May,  1856,  when  they  came  to  Rock- 
ford. Here  the  father  and  his  son  George  en- 
tered in  the  grocery  business  on  South"  Main 
street,  the  partnership  being  maintained  until  the 
father's  death.  His  second  wife  also  continued  a 
resident  of  Rockford  until  called  to  her  final  rest. 
George  E.  King  began  his  education  in  the  east 
and  continued  his  studies  in  the  schools  of  Wiscon- 
sin and  of  Rockford.  being  thoroughly  equipped 
with  thorough  manual  training  for  life's  practical 
and  responsible  duties.  At  the  age  of  eighteen 
years  he  entered  upon  his  business  career  in  con- 
nection with  his  father,  conducting  a  grocery  store 
on  South  Main  street  under  the  firm  name  of  Wil- 
liam G.  King  &  Son.  In  1864  he  became  con- 
nected with  the  Second  National  Bank  as  a  clerk, 
and  his  efficiency  won  him  promotion  to  the  posi- 
tion of  bookkeeper.  He  finally  became  one  of  the 
stockholders  of  the  institution  and  was  connected 
with  it  until  its  failure  about  1895  At  one  time 
he  was  the  foremost  business  man  of  the  citv,  and 
no  man  in  Rockford  enjoyed  a  wider  acquaintance 
or  had  the  confidence  of  the  community  to  a  larger 
extent.  He  was  consulted  in  matters  of  investment 
and  the  disposition  of  estates,  and  was  regarded 


726 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


as  a  mail  of  iinusiially  kct-n  and  sound  judg- 
ment. The  collapse  of  the  Second  National  Bank 
destroyed  the  structure  and  worth  of  a  lifetime, 
hut  thouijh  some  were  led  to  hlame  the  stockhold- 
ers and  officers  of  this  concern  his  friends  and 
those  who  knew  him  best  and  were  acquainted 
witli  the  business  affairs  of  tlie  bank  had  the  ut- 
most faith  in  the  intesrity  and  honesty  of  Mr. 
King.  With  fortune  gone,  he  went  to  the  far 
northwest  to  regain  his  lost  possession,  accom- 
jianied  by  his  wife,  who  was  ever  a  most  faithful 
com])anion  and  liel|>mate  to  him  on  life's  journey. 
Making  his  way  to  .\laska  he  first  lived  at  Circle 
City,  where  he  managed  a  supply  store  for  Ware 
&  Company,  but  for  several  years  he  made  his 
home  on  an  island  a  few  miles  from  Ketchukam. 
.\laska.  wliere  he  engaged  in  the  fish  packing 
business.  Early  in  the  winter  of  1904-5  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  King  went  to  .Seattle  to  spend  the  cold  win- 
ter months  there,  and  becoming  ill  he  was  taken  to 
a  hospital  for  treatment.  He  suffered  from  ty- 
phoid fever,  but  for  a  time  seemed  to  recover. 
Heart  trouble,  however,  was  afterward  manifest 
in  his  svmptoms,  and  lie  passed  away  on  the  28th 
of  .\pril.  1905. 

.\fter  becoming  a  resident  of  Rockford  Mr. 
King  was  wedded  to  Miss  .Alice  E.  Fisher,  a  na- 
tive of  this  city  and  a  daughter  of  Henry  Fisher, 
who  was  born  in  \'ermont.  Coming  to  the  west 
he  resided  in  Michigan,  but  after  a  short  time  re- 
moved to  Rockford.  establishing  his  home  among 
the  early  residents  of  the  city.  Here  he  engaged 
extensively  in  the  lumlier  business  and  he  owned 
sawmills  all  over  this  part  of  the  state.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  resided  in  Rockford  until  their  de- 
mise. Mr.  and  Mrs.  King  had  but  one  child.  Alma 
E..  who  was  an  unusually  gifted  and  beautiful 
girl.  She  was  taken  ill  of  diphtheria  during  her 
student  days  at  Rockford  College,  and  her  death 
resulted.  This  blow  was  one  from  which  Mr. 
King  never  recovered  and  it  marked  the  beginning 
of  his  decline  in  life. 

rublic-s])iritcd  and  progressive  he  assisted  ma- 
terially in  promoting  the  welfare  and  upbuilding 
of  Rockford.  He  held  many  city  offices.  rc])re- 
senting  his  ward  on  the  board  of  aldennan  and 
he  was  also  a  member  of  the  school  board.  He  was 
known  as  the  champion  of  every  measure  that  had 
for  its  basis  the  material,  intellectual,  social  or 
moral  progress  of  his  community  and  his  connec- 
tion with  the  city's  growth  and  development  and 
with  the  work  of  imyirovement  was  largely  instru- 
mental in  placing  Rockford  in  the  prominent  posi- 
tion it  to-day  occupies.  He  voted  with  the  repub- 
lican party  and  he  held  membership  in  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity,  attaining  the  Knight  Templar  de- 
gree of  the  York  Rite.  He  belonged  to  the  Epis- 
copal church,  of  which  his  family  are  also  mem- 
bers. In  all  his  personal  relations  he  stood  as  .1 
high  type  of  .\merican  manhood,  and  honored  bv 


many  friends  his  death  was  deeply  deplored  by 
all  who  knew  him.  Mrs.  King  owns  a  home  at 
No.  121  South  West  street  in  Rockford.  known  as 
the  I'isher  place,  and  spends  her  winters  here, 
while  her  summers  are  spent  in  Chomley,  .\laska. 


DR.   WILLIAM    lli:XRV   SHAW. 

Dr.  William  Henry  Shaw,  now  living  retired 
on  his  farm  on  section  ij.  Roscoe  township,  has 
reached  the  eightieth  milestone  on  life's  journey 
and  the  period  of  ease  and  rest  which  he  is  now 
enjoying  has  been  well  earned.  He  was  born  in 
the  state  of  New  York,  July  4,  1825,  and  is  de- 
scended from  English  ancestry.  His  paternal 
grandfather.  William  Shaw,  was  a  native  of 
England  and  came  to  .\merica  when  quite  young. 
He  was  a  well-to-do  man  and  owned  a  stable  of 
fine  racing  horses  where  Jerome  Park  now  car- 
ries on  business.  He  was  noted  as  a  sportsman 
of  the  early  days  and  was  very  prominent  and 
pojnilar  in  his   locality. 

\\'illiam  Shaw,  father  of  Dr.  Sliaw.  was  born 
in  New  York  state  and  there  he  died  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-five  years,  having  followed 
farming  throughout  his  active  career  in  order  to 
provide  for  his  family.  He  married  Sarah  Bul- 
lock, also  a  native  of  the  Empire  state  and  her 
death  there  occurred  when  she  was  seventy-five 
years  of  age.  They  had  a  large  family  of  fifteen 
children,  but  only  three  are  now  living:  Wil- 
liam Henry  :  Comer,  who  is  a  resident  of  Lock- 
])ort.  New  York  ;  and  .\hraham,  living  in  Lock- 
port. 

Dr.  Shaw  acquired  his  early  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  Lockport  and  after  preparing 
for  college  was  matriculated  in  Genesee  college, 
at  Lyman,  New  York,  where  he  completed  a  full 
course  of  study  by  graduation  in  the  class  of 
1840.  He  then  entered  \\\>o\\  the  profession  of 
teaching  school,  which  he  followed  for  fourteen 
years  in  the  Empire  state.  During  a  part  of  that 
time  he  also  studied  medicine  in  Buffalo,  New 
York,  becoming  imbued  with  the  desire  to  en- 
gage in  its  practice  as  a  life  work. 

In  1832  Dr.  Shaw  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
Pool,  who  was  born  and  died  in  New  York,  pass- 
ing away  in  1854  when  only  twenty-one  years 
of  age.  The  following  year  he  wedded  Catherine 
B.  Woods,  a  native  of  New  York  and  a  daughter 
of  Ely  and  Nancy  (Gary)  Woods.  There  has 
been  a  daughter  and  son  born  of  the  second  mar- 
riage. The  former,  Carrie,  is  now  the  wife  of 
W.  H.  Bradley,  of  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  and  has  two 
children,  Frances  M.  and  Catherine  C.  Clarence 
F.  was  born  in  the  state  of  New  York  and  wedded 
Grace  Ransom,  a  daughter  of  the  late  Dr.  Ran- 
som, of  Roscoe,  and  they  have  two  children, 
Catherine  M.  and  Ruth. 


DR.   W.   H.   SHAW. 


MRS.  W.   H.  SHAW 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


731 


Dr.  Shaw  became  quite  well  known  in  New 
York  as  a  successful  teacher  and  was  principal  of 
the  high  school  at  Attica,  that  state,  when  his 
second  wife  was  teaching  there.  She  taught  for 
eight  years  in  New  York  and  then  gave  her  hand 
in  marriage  to  Dr.  Shaw.  In  1864  they  removed 
to  Illinois  and  in  1867  he  purchased  and  settled 
upon  the  farm  where  he  now  lives,  having  here 
one  hundred  and  twelve  acres  of  rich  and  valu- 
able land.  In  1865  they  had  arrived  in  Roscoe 
township.  Dr.  Shaw  devoted  his  energies  to 
agricultural  pursuits  for  some  years  and  in  1882 
he  entered  Columbia  ]\Iedical  College  of  New 
York  city,  from  which  he  was  graduated  from 
the  veterinary  department  with  the  class  of  1883. 
He  then  returned  to  Roscoe  and  followed  his 
profession  in  the  township  and  county  until  1903, 
when  he  retired  and  again  took  up  his  abode 
upon  the  farm  but  he  now  rents  his  land. 

He  is  a  prohibitionist  in  his  political  views, 
having  long  been  a  stanch  advocate  of  the  tem- 
perance cause  and  for  thirty  years  he  has  been 
an  exemplary  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity 
and  is  a  past  master  of  his  lodge.  His  wife  holds 
membership  in  the  Congregational  church  of 
Roscoe  and  he  attends  and  contributes  toward 
its  support,  and  they  are  people  of  most  genuine 
worth,  being  held  in  the  highest  regard  by  all 
who  know  them.  Dr.  Shaw  has  led  a  busy  life 
and  one  that  has  been  of  benefit  to  his  fellow- 
men.  A  gentleman  of  strong  intellectuality,  his 
mental  faculties  are  unimpaired  and  in  spirit  and 
interest  he  seems  yet  in  his  prime,  keeping  in 
touch  with  modern  thought  and  progress  and 
manifesting  genuine  interest  in  the  welfare  and 
upbuilding  of  his  adopted  county. 


jere:miah  ca.mpbell. 

Jeremiah  Campbell,  who  has  passed  away,  was 
for  many  years  regarded  as  a  citizen  of  worth  in 
Durand  township,  where  he  was  long  connected 
with  agricultural  interests.  The  ancestral  history 
of  the  family  has  been  connected  with  America 
through  many  generations,  coming  from  Scotland 
to  the  new  world  and  among  the  relationship  were 
found  those  who  loyally  aided  in  the  early  wars 
of  the  country,  one  member  of  the  family  being  a 
noted  captain  in  the  war  of  1812.  Samuel  and 
X'Grace  ( Plumb )  CampbelJ,  parents  of  Jeremiah 
Campbell,  were  natives  of  Grand  Isle,  \"erraont, 
and  there  the  death  of  the  mother  occurred  about 
1828.  The  father  removed  westward  to  Winne- 
bago countv.  Illinois,  and  here  spent  his  remain- 
ing days,  passing  away  in  1844,  at  the  venerable 
age  of  eightv-two  years.  One  of  his  sons  had 
come  to  the  county  before  the  father's  removal 
from  New  England. 


Jeremiah  Campbell  was  born  in  Grand  Isle, 
\'ermont,  April  5,  1818,  and  spent  the  days  of  his 
boyhood  and  youth  in  the  Green  Mountain  state, 
but  when  a  young  man  of  nineteen  years  started 
for  what  was  then  the  far  west,  arriving  in  Win- 
nebago county  in  1837.  He  drove  across  the 
country  with  an  ox  team  in  companv  with  his 
father,  and  they  entered  land  from  the  govern- 
ment, becoming  pioneer  residents  of  this  portion 
of  the  state.  There  were  only  three  houses  in 
Rockford  at  the  time  of  their  arrival  here,  and  the 
entire  country-side  presented  the  appearance  of 
nature's  handiwork,  with  none  of  the  improve- 
ments or  cultivation  inaugurated  by  man,  the 
prairie  being  covered  with  its  high  grasses,  while 
in  certain  districts  stood  the  forest  trees  amid 
which  the  sound  of  the  woodman's  ax  had  not 
been  heard.  Jeremiah  Campbell  entered  his  claim 
at  the  land  office  in  Dixon  and  built  thereon  a  log 
house,  which  was  afterward  replaced  by  a  frame 
residence.  He  hauled  his  grain  to  the  Chicago 
market  and  on  one  trip  to  that  cit}-  the  entire  ex- 
pense of  the  journey  was  twelve  cents,  which  sum 
he  paid  for  milk.  In  connection  with  general 
farming  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  cheese, 
which  he  sold  at  Mineral  Point,  Wisconsin,  and 
also  at  Galena,  Illinois.  For  years  he  carried  on 
the  work  of  the  fields,  and  as  his  financial  re- 
sources increased  he  bought  more  land  until  at 
one  time  he  was  the  owner  of  a  valuable  tract  of 
four  hundred  acres,  which  he  afterward  sold  to  his 
son  Frank. 

Mr.  Campbell  was  first  married  June  30.  1839, 
the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Lois  B.  Hoyt. 
There  was  one  child  of  that  marriage,  Edward  S., 
who  was  born  December  11,  1840,  and  wedded 
Kate  Smith,  who  died  at  the  age  of  fifty-eight 
years,  leaving  three  children.  On  the  19th  of  Oc- 
tober, 1843,  Jeremiah  Campbell  was  again  mar- 
ried, wedding  ]\Iiss  Cynthia  E.  Hoyt,  a  si.ster  of 
his  first  wife.  She  was  born  in  St.  Albans.  Ver- 
mont, November  11,  1828,  and  was  a  daughter  of 
Hcman  and  Susan  f Franklin)  Hoyt.  Her  pa- 
ternal grandparents,  Jonathan  and  Lois  (Bradley) 
Hoyt,  were  natives  of  Connecticut,  and  became 
pioneer  settlers  of  St.  Albans,  Vermont,  where 
they  spent  their  remaining  days.  Heman  Hoyt, 
however,  removed  from,  the  Green  Mountain  state 
to  Illinois,  taking  up  his  abode  in  Winnebago 
county  on  the  3d  of  January,  1837,  his  family  hav- 
ing arrived  here  in  October  of  the  preceding  year. 
He  died  in  this  county  near  the  place  of  his  first 
settlement  at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years,  and 
his  wife  died  there  when  fift3r-six  years  of  age. 
L'nto  the  second  marriage  of  'Sir.  Campbell  there 
were  born  four  children :  Romeo  H..  who  was 
born  September  15,  1844.  was  married,  had  five 
children  and  died  at  the  age  of  fifty-seven  years. 
Frank  B..  born  July  25,  1846,  and  now  one  of  the 
extensive  landowners  of  the  countv,  living  in  Pe- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


catonica  township,  is  represented  elsewhere  in  thi< 
work.  Emma  L..  born  June  lo,  1850.  died  April 
15,  i8C)4.  Eva  M..  born  I>cember  21.  1854,  is 
the  wife  of  Louis  iSoodricb.  a  resitlcnl  of  I'air- 
mont.  Nebraska. 

in  his  political  views  Mr.  Cam])bell  was  a  re- 
publican, but  never  soufjht  office  as  a  reward  for 
iiis  party  fealty.  He  hekl  a  place  so  hi-.'^h  in  the 
esteem  of  his  fellowmen  that  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred .\pril  2-,.  1884,  was  the  occasion  of  deep 
and  wide  spread  regret.  Me  is  still  survived  by 
his  widow,  who  makes  her  home  in  Duraud  ti)W)i- 
ship,  and  the  family  is  uuich  respected  in  the  com- 
munity. No  history  of  the  county  would  be  com- 
plete without  the  mention  of  Jeremiah  Camjibell, 
who  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  here,  and  aided  in 
reclaiming  the  wild  district  for  the  puqioses  of 
civilization,  undergoing  all  the  hardships  and  |)ri- 
vations  of  pioneer  lite  in  order  that  he  might  make 
a  home  and  gain  a  comfortable  living  for  his  fam- 
ily. At  all  times  and  under  all  circumstances  he 
was  loyal  to  justice,  truth  and  the  right,  and  his 
genuine  worth  made  his  an  houored  name. 


THOMAS  w  .  ni:R\\  l-".\  C. 

I  hinnas  \\  .  Derwent,  who.  after  long  connec- 
tion with  agricultural  interests,  is  enjoying  a 
well  earned  ease  and  tlie  comforts  that  go  to  make 
life  worth  living,  his  home  being  in  Rockford, 
was  born  in  Duttonfiekl.  England,  May  22.  1832. 
He  was  nine  years  of  age  when  brought  by  his 
l)arents  to  America,  the  family  sailing  from  Liv- 
erpool to  New  York  city  on  a  sailing  vessel, 
which  was  four  weeks  in  completing  the  voyage. 
They  spent  five  or  six  months  in  the  east  and 
then  made  their  way  westward  to  Rockford.  Illi- 
nois, where  they  also  remained  for  a  few  months. 
The  year  1842  witnessed  their  arrival  in  Winne- 
bago comity.  The  journey  westward  was  made 
by  way  of  the  lakes  and  canal  and  after  reaching 
Chicago  the  father  and  grandfather  purchased 
horses  and  drove  across  the  country  to  this 
county.  The  grandafther  bought  a  claim  of 
James  Colton  in  Durand  townshi]),  and  later 
paid  the  govermnent  for  the  tract. 

Thomas  W.  Derwent.  reared  amid  pioneer  sur- 
roundings, assisted  his  father  in  liis  toyhood  days 
when  not  engaged  with  the  duties  of  the  school 
rtKim.  his  education  iK'ing  ac(|uired  in  a  select 
school,  taugiit  by  Newman  Rowley.  He  lost  his 
father  in  1847.  when  fifteen  years  of  age,  after 
which  he  continued  to  live  with  his  mother  on  the 
old  home  farm  until  twenty-three  years  of  age. 
He  then  purchased  his  mother's  and  sisters'  in- 
terests in  the  place  and  liegan  raising  cattle,  hogs 
and  wheat  on  his  own  account.  He  hauled  his 
wheat  to  Chicago  and  marketed  his  pork  in  Mil- 


waukee and  Racine.     It  would  require  from  si.x 
to  nine  dayslo  make  the  trip  and  upon  his  return 
he  would  iiaul  lumber,  salt  and  also  goods   for 
the  merchants  at  Rockford.     In  the  early  days 
his  financial  resources  were  limited,  but  year  after 
year  added  to  his  success  and  as  his  capital  per- 
mitted he  would  invest  in  land  until  he  became 
the  owner  of  five  hundred   acres   in    Pecatonica 
and    Duraiul   townships.      Mr.    Derwent    relates 
many  interesting  incidents  of  the  early  da\s  here, 
being  a  typical  ])ioneer  settler,  familiar  with  the 
l>rogress  of  the  coiuitx  from  its  early  development 
down  to  the  present.  When  a  boy  he  attempted  to 
cross  the  Pecatonica  river  with  two  companions 
for  the  pur[)ose  of  seeing  a  countryman  hanged. 
This  man  was  the  murderer  of  Sheriff  John  W. 
Taylor.     The  raft  on  which  they  had  expec'ed  to 
cross  would  not  hold  the  boys,  however,  and  so 
they  swam  back  lo  shore  and  did  not  complete 
the  errand  on  which  they  started  out.    When  but 
a  boy  Mr.  Derwent  drove  six  yoke  of  cattle  to 
a  plow  to  break  the  raw  prairie,  for  there  were 
large  tracts  of  land  throughout  Winnebago  coun- 
ty,   on  which  not  a  furrow  had  been  turned  nor 
an  imi)rovement  made.     He  also  planted  the  trees 
which  are  now  seen  upon    his    farm  and  at  the 
northwest  corner  stands  a  vcn,-  large  elm,  which 
he  set  out  when  a  mere  boy.    Industry  and  enter- 
])ri.se  have  characterized,  his  entire  life,  and  after 
taking  ])ossession  of  the  old  homestead  he  made 
splendid  improvements  there,  including  the  erec- 
tion of  a  fine  residence  which  is  surrounded  with 
fruit  and  sha<le  trees  of  his  planting.     He  pur- 
chased the  latest  improved  machinery  to  facilitate 
his  farm  work  and  he  kept  his  land  under  a  high 
state  of  cullivation.  .so  tliat  rich  crops  were  an- 
nuallv  harvested.     He  also  bought  land  in  Iowa, 
which  he  improved,  and  which  he  now  rents,  re- 
ceiviiig  a  good  income  from  four  hundred  acres 
there.     He   likewise    bought   nine    hundred   and 
sixty  acres  in   South  Dakota,  which  he  has  im- 
proved and  rents,  and  he  owns  betweeii  four  and 
five  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Durand  and  Peca- 
tonica townships,  the  income  from  which  adds 
materially  to  his  capital  each  year,     .\bout  seven 
years  ago  he  retired  from  the  farm  and  took  up 
iiis  abode  in  the  village  of  Pecatonica.  where  he 
has  lived  to  the  jiresent  time.  Init  recentlv  l-e  has 
purchased  a  home  in  Rockford.  where  he  is  now 
located. 

In  1883  Mr.  DerueiU  was  married  to  ^li.ss 
Emma  E.  I'oster.  a  daughter  of  Nahum  and 
Marv  J.  (Ca.s.sidy)  Foster,  the  former  a  native 
of  Southampton.  Massachusetts,  and  the  latter  of 
St.  Johns.  .New  I'.runswick.  in  which  place  they 
were  married.  There  were  nine  childre!i  in  their 
family,  of  whom  seven  are  now  living,  namely : 
Flora  L.  Foster,  a  resident  of  Rockford ;  Sarah 
|..  the  widow  of  Irvin  l>ench.  a  resident  of 
"Rockford;  Mrs.  Derwent:  (ieorgia  A.,  the  wife 


MR.  AND  MRS.  T.  \V.  DERWENT. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


735 


of  Frank  McLain,  who  is  living  in  Laona  town- 
ship ;  Roscoe  L.,  who  married  Helen  Bowman, 
and  makes  his  home  in  Rockford;  Dolly  J-,  the 
wife  of  James  H.  Smith,  of  Harlem  township, 
and  lulith  \'.,  the  wife  of  Thomas  R. 
Puddicomb. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Derwent  are  the  parent?  of  one 
son,  Everett,  who  was  born  September  19,  1884, 
and  has  pursued  his  education  successively  in  the 
district  schools,  the  Pecatonica  high  school  and 
the  State  I'niversity  at  Champaign,  where  he  is 
studying  civil  engineering,  and  will  complete  his 
course  in  June,  1906.  Mr.  Derwent  has  been  road 
commissioner  and  school  director  and  has  ever 
championed  progressive  measures  that  have  been 
for  the  general  good.  He  belongs  to  the  Odd 
Fellows  society  and  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the 
}iIethodist  Episcopal  church,  in  which  he  has 
served  as  trustee  and  to  the  support  of  which  he 
has  generously  contributed.  His  residence  in 
the  county  covers  more  than  sixty  years,  during 
which  his  labor  has  found  merited  reward  in  a 
handsome  competence,  making  him  one  of  the 
substantial  citizens  of  this  part  of  the  state.  In 
the  evening  of  life  he  is  enabled  to  enjoy  its  com- 
forts and  its  luxuries  and  yet  he  can  look  back  to 
the  time  when  it  required  great  efifort  on  his  part 
to  gain  the  necessities  of  life,  and  he  also  had  to 
endure  many  of  the  hardships  and  difficulties  in- 
cident to  maintaining  a  home  in  a  frontier  dis- 
trict. 


HERBERT  L.  NORTON. 

Herbert  L.  Norton,  living  in  the  village  of  Du- 
rand.  a  capitalist  with  extensive  landed  interests 
in  this  county  and  in  North  Dakota,  also  farming 
and  dealing  in  horses,  was  born  in  Laona  town- 
ship, July  10,  1845,  ^  son  of  Eliakim  and  Grace 
(Crowder)  Norton.  They  were  natives  of  Can- 
ada, the  former  born  February  18,  1801.  and  they 
were  married  on  the  ist  of  November,  1829. 
They  came  to  Winnebago  county  about  1844  and 
were  therefore  early  settlers.  The  father  se- 
cured a  tract  of  land  in  Laona  township  and  be- 
gan the  development  of  a  farm,  whereon  he  made 
his  home  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1893, 
while  his  wife  passed  away  on  the  old  homestead 
farm  in  1884.  They  were  the  parents  of  four 
sons :  Herbert  L. :  James  H.,  who  is  living  in 
Charles  City,  Iowa,  and  has  two  sons  and  five 
daughters  ;  Daniel  D.,  who  resides  at  Devils  Lake, 
North  Dakota;  and  Louis  H,.  who  has  a  large 
family  and  makes  his  home  in  Wisconsin. 

Herbert  L.  Norton  at  the  usual  age  began  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  and  when  not  busy 
with  his  text-books  aided  in  the  labors  of  the 
home  farm.  He  continued  a  resident  of  Laona 
township  until  1879,  when  he  removed  to  North 


Dakota,  settling  near  Pembina,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  dealing  in  horses,  in  conducting  a 
hotel  and  in  speculating  in  land.  He  was  quite 
successful  in  his  various  undertakings.  Settling 
at  Hamilton,  he  conducted  a  hotel  at  that  place 
and  not  only  carried  on  business  interests  there, 
but  also  became  a  prominent  factor  in  public  life 
and  left  the  impress  of  his  individuality  upon 
measures  and  movements  of  benefit  to  the  com- 
monwealth. He  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
legislature  in  1888  and  served  for  one  term.  Re- 
turning to  Illinois,  he  settled  in  Durand  in  1892 
and  has  since  made  his  home  in  the  village,  where 
he  has  large  property  interests.  He  also  owns 
considerable  property  in  the  vicinity  of  Hamilton, 
North  Dakota,  and  he  is  interested  in  general  ag- 
ricultural pursuits  and  in  dealing  in  horses.  He 
is  an  excellent  judge  of  stock  and  is  thus  enabled 
to  make  judicious  purchases  and  profitable  sales. 

On  the  I  ith  of  March,  1884,  Mr.  Norton  was 
married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Davies,  of  Durand 
township,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Emily  (Web- 
ster) Davies,  early  residents  of  this  county.  Her 
father  was  born  in  Glamorganshire,  Wales, 
March  9,  1832,  and  spent  his  childhood  and  youth 
in  that  country.  Desiring  to  better  his  condition, 
he  sailed  for  the  United  States  in  1853  and  lo- 
cated in  Washington,  D.  C,  where  for  a  year  he 
worked  at  his  trade  of  shoemaking.  He  then  re- 
moved to  Chicago,  where  he  also  spent  one  year, 
and  then  came  to  Rockford,  where  he  remained 
for  eighteen  months.  He  removed  to  Durand  in 
1857  and  on  the  12th  of  October  of  that  year 
launched  into  business  on  his  own  account,  in 
the  manufacture  of  boots  and  shoes.  He  erected 
the  building  now  occupied  by  R.  Webster  and 
afterward  enlarged  his  business  by  adding  a  stock 
of  clothing  and  men's  furnishing  goods,  conduct- 
ing the  store  up  to  his  last  illness,  his  death  oc- 
curring November  6,  1897.  He  married  Emily 
Webster,  who  was  born  June  24,  1838,  a  daughter 
of  Solomon  Webster,  w^ho  came  by  wagon  to  this 
county  from  the  state  of  New  York.  Mrs.  Da- 
vies died  j\Iarch  7,  1874.  The  daughters  of  the 
family  were  Mrs.  Norton:  Mrs.  B.  Morey,  of 
Durand ;  Ilattie,  the  wife  of  John  Chisholm,  of 
Pembina,  North  Dakota,  and  the  mother  of  four 
sons :  Bella,  the  wife  of  F.  B.  Smith,  of  Durand ; 
and  Mattie  Davies,  who  is  living  in  Pembina, 
North  Dakota. 

Mrs.  Norton  was  born  in  the  village  of  Du- 
rand, September  ig.  i860,  and  there  spent  her 
girlhood  days  with  her  parents  until  her  marriage, 
to  which  has  been  born  a  son  and  daughter: 
Wavne  L.,  born  in  Hamilton,  North  Dakota.  De- 
cember 18,  1887.  and  now  a  student  in  the  High- 
land Park  (Illinois)  Military  .\cademy,  and 
Emily  Grace,  born  January  20.  1894.  'Sir.  Nor- 
ton is  a  member  of  the  ^Masonic  fraternity  and  he 
usuallv  votes  the  democratic  ticket.    His  business 


73(^ 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WTXNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


interests  have  always  been  carefully  nianay^ed  and 
his  sound  judfjment  and  discrimination  have 
brought  him  success  in  many  business  transac- 
tions until  he  is  now  numbered  among  the  capi- 
talists of  Durand. 


\Xl)Ki:\\    j.   i.OXigi  )V. 

Andrew  J.  !,ovejoy.  imu-  uf  tin.'  must  pri  iininent 
representatives  nf  stock-raising  interests  in  Win- 
nebago county,  and  now  president  of  the  Ameri- 
can llerkshire  Association  of  S]>ringfield,  Illinois, 
vice-president  of  the  International  Live  Stock 
Association  of  Chicago  and  a  member  of  the  cen- 
tral committee  of  the  National  Live  Stock  Asso- 
ciation of  Denver,  resides  in  Harlem  townshii), 
owning  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  valua- 
ble land  on  sections  4,  }^  and  9.  He  was  born 
December  5,  1845.  ""  the  site  of  his  present  home. 
The  family  is  of  English  lineage  and  was  founded 
in  New  IL-im])shire  jjrior  to  the  Revolutionary 
war.  His  father.  .Nathan  L  I-ovejoy,  was  born 
in  Sanbornton.  New  Hampshire.  August  8.  i8i8, 
and  in  1837  came  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Winne- 
Ijago  county,  where  lie  pre-empted  a  tract  of  land 
which  is  now  owned  by  our  subject.  Nathan  J. 
J.ovejoy  was  accompanied  to  the  west  by  his 
father.  In  1844  he  wedded  Harriet  E.  Plat1,  at 
Tremont.  Tazewell  county.  Illinois.  His  death 
occurred  I'ebruary  23,  1897,  at  Roscoc,  when  he 
was  seventy-nine  years  of  age,  while  his  wife 
passed  away  June  22,  1866.  The  members  of 
their  family  are  as  follows :  Leslie  A.  Lovejoy, 
born  December  2,  1847,  and  now  living  in  Al- 
mena.  Norton  county.  Kansas,  has  two  daugh- 
ters and  one  son — Crace,  Sue  and  I^eonard,  but 
the  second  daughter  has  been  adopted  by  Mr. 
Lovejoy  of  this  review.  Henry  Stillman  Love- 
joy,  born  in  1861,  is  now  living  in  Jacksonville, 
Illinois.  Mary  is  the  wife  of  C.  E.  N'aughan,  a 
resident  of  the  province  of  .Mbcrta,  Canada,  and 
they  have  one  son,  C.  L.  N'aughan.  and  a  daugh- 
ter. Adelaide  \'aughan. 

Andrew  J.  Lovejoy  remained  at  home  until 
about  twenty-one  years  of  age  and  pursued  his 
education  in  the  common  and  high  schools.  He 
also  assisted  his  fatlier  in  the  operation  of  the 
home  farm,  but  on  attaining  his  majority  accepted 
a  position  in  a  wholesale  notion  house  of  Rock- 
ford,  driving  over  the  country  with  a  two-horse 
wagon  and  selling  their  goods  to  small  dealers 
throughout  northern  Illinois.  Twelve  years  later 
he  accej)ted  a  position  as  traveling  salesman  with 
a  wholesale  house  of  Chicago  and  remained  upon 
the  road  for  twenty-seven  years,  when,  in  1893, 
he  retired  from  commercial  life.  He  had  been 
very  successful,  liaving  the  ready  adaptability  so 
necessary  to  the  traveling  salesman,  and  he  se- 


cured nianv  ])atrons  for  the  house  which  he  rep- 
resented, so  that  his  service  was  valuable  and  his 
remuneration  gratifying.  While  thus  engaged  he 
had  invested  his  savings  in  the  old  family  home- 
stead, to  which  he  remcjved  in  1893.  and  he  has 
since  carried  on  general  farming  and  has  also 
become  widely  known  as  an  extensive  breeder  of 
registered  bk)oded  stock,  making  a  specialty  of 
English  P.erkshire  hogs  and  Shropshire  sheep, 
for  which  he  finds  a  market  in  all  ]:)arts  of  the 
world.  He  has  the  latest  inijiroved  facilities  for 
caring  for  his  stock  and  is  to-day  one  of  the  most 
l)roniinent  rei)resentatives  of  stock-raising  inter- 
ests in  Illinois.  His  reputation  in  this  connection 
e.xtends  far  beyond  the  boundaries  of  the  state 
and  he  has  done  much  for  the  improvement  of 
stock-raising  interests  here  in  recent  years.  He 
is  now  the  president  of  the  .American  Cerkshire 
.\ssociation  of  Si)ringfield,  Illinois,  and  the  vice- 
])resident  of  the  International  I-ive  Slock  Asso- 
ciation of  Chicago,  also  serving  as  a  member  of 
its  executive  committee  and  the  board  of  direct- 
ors. He  is  likewise  a  member  of  the  central  com- 
mittee of  the  National  Live  Stock  .Association  of 
Denver,  Colorado,  and  was  a  mentber  of  the  .State 
I'oard  of  Agriculture.  ( )f  the  latter  he  was  vice- 
])resi(lent  and  general  suijcrintendent  from  1894 
initil  1902,  and  at  the  same  time  was  president  of 
the  Interstate  Fair  Association  of  Beloit.  Wiscon- 
sin, lie  was  president  of  the  Winnebago  County 
.\griciiltural  Association  and  its  secretary  when 
its  groimds  were  turned  over  to  the  city  of  Rock- 
ford  for  park  i)urposes.  He  is  a  student  of  the 
conditions  affecting  agricultural  and  stock-raising 
interests  and  has  been  the  ])romoter  of  many  pro- 
gressive measures  of  benefit  along  these  lines. 

On  the  27th  of  August,  1867,  Mr.  Lovejoy  was 
miited  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eliza  J.  \\'yman.  of 
Roscoe,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  .\lfred  and  Hep- 
sibeth  Wyman,  and  a  native  of  Roscoe  township, 
born  July  12,  1846.  They  have  one  son,  Wyman 
X.  Lovejoy.  who  was  born  March  6,  1871,  and 
since  t888  has  been  the  ]>artner  of  his  father  in 
his  farming  and  stock-raising  interests,  while  in 
i8i)3  he  succeeded  him  on  the  road  as  traveling 
salesman,  but  since  iix>2  has  been  actively  en- 
gaged in  the  live  .stock  business  with  his  father. 
He  married  Ruby  Curtis,  a  daughter  of  II.  P.. 
Curtis,  of  Roscoe. 

Mr.  Lovejoy  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  lodge 
at  Roscoe,  the  Roval  .\rch  chai^ter  at  Rockton, 
Illinois,  and  Rockford  lodge.  P..  P.  O.  E.  In 
ix>lilics  he  has  always  been  a  stalwart  repub- 
lican and  has  taken  an  active  and  bem-ficial  inter- 
est in  state  and  county  affairs  relating  to  the 
l)arty's  growth  and  develo])ment  and  is  a  member 
of  the  comity  central  connnittee.  He  was  ap- 
])ointed  game  commissioner  by  ( lovernor  Yates 
and  when  he  entered  upon  the  duties  of  the  of- 
fice there  were  no  fmids  on  hand,  but  lie  organ- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


737 


ized  the  work,  secured  the  assistance  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twelve  subordinates  and  turned  the  of- 
fice over  to  his  successor  with  a  fund  of  sixty- 
nine  thousand  dollars.  He  was  also  appointed 
registrar  of  the  state  grain  inspection  depart- 
ment with  offices  at  Chicago  and  is  now  the  in- 
cumbent in  that  position.  He  is  likewise  a 
director  of  the  Winnebago  National  Bank  of 
Rockford  and  for  eight  years  he  served  as  super- 
visor in  Harlem  township.  In  him  are  displayed 
the  sterling  qualities  of  unabating  energv,  untir- 
ing industry  and  diligence  that  never  flags.  He 
has  thus  become  a  prominent  factor  in  stock- 
raising  interests  of  the  country,  in  political  cir- 
cles of  the  state  and  in  public  affairs  of  his  native 
county.  His  life  has  won  him  the  respect  and 
admiration  of  many,  but  at  home  where  best 
known  he  has  gained  the  warm  personal  regard 
of  manv  friends. 


GODFREY  HILDEBRAXD. 

Godfrey  Hildebrand  was  formerly  known  as 
an  active,  energetic  agriculturist  of  Winnebago 
count}-  and  now  with  a  comfortable  competence 
is  living  retired  in  Rockford.  He  was  born  Feb- 
luary  17,  1845,  ii^  Germany  and  reared  in  Mont- 
gomery county,  New  York,  his  parents  being 
Lewis  and  Catherine  (Jordan)  Hildebrand,  both 
of  whom  were  also  natives  of  Germany.  The 
father,  born  in  1808,  came  to  America  and  as 
the  years  passed  engaged  extensively  in  farming. 
He  owned  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  having  previously  given 
some  of  this  to  his  sons.  In  May,  1855,  he  came 
to  the  west  with  his  family,  settling  in  Ogle 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  purchased  a  farm, 
spending  his  remaining  days  thereon.  He  had 
seven  sons  and  one  daughter,  who  reached  adult 
age  and  four  are  yet  living. 

Godfrey  Hildebrand  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  Ogle  county  and  when  eighteen 
years  of  age  espoused  his  country's  cause,  join- 
ing the  Union  army  in  1863  as  a  member  of  Com- 
pany F,  Forty-fifth  Illinois  Infantr}',  with  which 
he  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was 
with  Sherman  on  the  celebrated  march  to  the 
sea  and  in  the  Carolina  campaign,  and  his  brother 
Henry  was  a  member  of  Company  K,  Seventy- 
fourth  Illinois  A^olunteer  Infantry.  W'hile  on  act- 
ive dutv  with  his  regiment  he  was  wounded  in 
the  head  and  shoulder  in  Georgia.  Another 
brother,  Theodore,  was  a  member  of  the  Forty- 
fifth  Regiment,  to  which  our  subject  belonged, 
and  was  killed  near  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Georgia. 
Godfrey  Hildebrand  took  part  with  his  command 
in  eighteen  engagements,  was  mustered  out  at 
Camp  Douglas  "arid  received  a  final  discharge  in 


Chicago  on  the  20th  of  July,  1865.  He  had  been 
a  true  and  loyal  soldier  and  his  valor  was  demon- 
strated on  many  battle-fields  of  the  south. 

In  1871  Mr.  Hildebrand  came  to  Winnebago 
county  and  while  making  the  American  Hotel  his 
headquarters  he  worked  by  the  month  for  three 
years.  The  careful  husbanding  of  his  resources 
and  his  unremitting  diligence  brought  him  the 
capital  which  enabled  him  to  purchase  the  farm 
of  eighty  acres  which  he  now  owns  and  upon 
which  he  resided  until  1901,  when  he  removed  to 
Rockford,  Illinois.  He  now  has  two  hundred 
acres  of  excellent  and  well  improved  land  in  Win- 
nebago township  and  in  Ogle  county  and  placed 
all  of  the  modern  equipments  upon  the  farm  him- 
self. There  are  fine  buildings,  well  kept  fences 
and  considerable  fruit  in  addition  to  well  tilled 
fields.  The  farm  lies  near  the  coimty  line,  the 
new  railroad  has  been  built  across  the  land  and  a 
depot  has  been  established  upon  the  place.  The 
fields  are  devoted  to  general  agricultural  pursuits 
and  there  is  also  good  pasture  land  for  stock,  and 
he  now  has  eightv  head  of  cattle,  fifteen  head  of 
horses  and  sixty  head  of  hogs  on  his  place.  He 
owns  a  fine  home  in  Rockford  at  No.  117  Auburn 
Place  and  other  lots  and  a  residence  on  Summit 
street. 

In  1870  Mr.  Hildebrand  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Mary  Gless,  of  DeKalb  county,  Illi- 
nois, with  whom  he  traveled  life's  journey  for 
about  twent^'-seven  years,  when,  in  1897,  Mrs. 
Hildebrand  was  called  to  her  final  rest.  They 
had  become  the  parents  of  six  children :  De- 
Forest,  who  married  Mona  Baker  and  lives  on 
his  father's  farm  ;  Ed,  residing  in  ^lontana :  Sam- 
uel, living  at  Fairdale,  Illinois ;  Lillie,  Rosetta 
and  Arthur,  all  at  home. 

Since  casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
Abraham  Lincoln  in  1864  J\lr.  Hildebrand  has 
been  a  stanch  advocate  of  the  Republican  party, 
and  he  attends  the  camp  fires  of  Nevius  post,  No. 
I,  G.  A.  R.,  of  which  he  is  a  valued  member.  He 
belongs  to  the  Trinity  Lutheran  church  and  his 
salient  characteristics  as  indicated  by  his  church 
and  social  relations,  have  made  him  one  of  the 
representative  and  respected  residents  of  Rock- 
ford. 


JAMES  H.  JOHNSON. 

As  long  as  memory  remains  to  the  American 
people  so  long  will  the  history  of  the  soldiers  of 
the  Civil  war  he  cherished  by  loyal  citizens  of  the 
republic.  James  H.  Johnson  was  among  the  num- 
ber who  donned  the  blue  uniform  of  the  nation 
and  fought  for  the  Union  cause.  In  Rockford  he 
was  known  for  many  years  as  a  successful  liver\-- 
man,  and  in  earlier  days  he  was  also  identified 
with    building   operations    and    with    agricultural 


7^» 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WIXNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


pursuits.  He  was  only  ten  years  of  age  when 
in  1854  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Winnebago 
count V.  the  family  casting  in  their  lot  with  its  pio- 
neer settlers.  He  was  born  in  New  York  on 
Christmas  day  of  1844.  his  parents  being  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  James  Johnson.  The  mother  died  during 
the  infancy  of  her  son,  James  H.  The  father  aft- 
erward lesided  upon  a  farm  in  the  state  of  New 
York  until  1854.  when  he  came  west  with  his 
family,  settling  near  C  )wen  Center  in  Owen  town- 
ship. There  he  iiurchased  a  farm  and  was  en- 
gaged in  the  cultivation  of  his  land  and  the  im- 
provement of  his  iilace  until  his  death. 

James  H.  Johnson  was  reared  on  the  olil  family 
Immestead,  early  becoming  familiar  with  the 
duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of 
the  agriculturist.  He  attended  the  district 
schools  of  Owen  township  and  aided  in 
the  work  of  the  farm,  while  later  he 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  which  he  fol- 
lowed until  after  the  Civil  war  broke  out.  He 
had  watchetl  with  interest  the  progress  of  events 
in  the  south,  and  his  i)atriotic  spirit  was  aroused 
by  the  attempt  to  overthrow  the  L'nion.  He  re- 
solved to  strike  a  blow  in  its  defense,  and  on  the 
1st  of  October,  1861,  he  enlisted  as  a  member  of 
Company  E,  Fifty-second  Illinois  Infantry,  un- 
der Captain  Dewitt  C.  Herd  and  Colonel  Wilcox. 
His  company  participated  in  many  important  bat- 
tles, and  in  the  engagement  at  Shiloh,  on  the  6tli 
of  .\pril.  1862.  .Mr.  Johnson  was  badly  wounded. 
He  lay  on  the  battle-field  for  twenty-four  hours 
without  care,  and  was  then  taken  to  the  hospital, 
where  he  received  medical  attention.  As  soon  as 
he  had  recovered  he  rejoined  his  company,  and, 
having  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran  December  25.  1863. 
continued  in  active  service  until  July  6.  1865. 
when  he  was  honorably  discharged.  He  did  his 
full  duty  as  a  soldier  and  was  often  found  on 
the  battle-field  where  the  leaden  hail  fell  thickest. 

.\fter  being  nnistered  out  Mr.  Johnson  returned 
to  Rockfnnl.  where  he  worked  at  the  car])enter's 
trade,  but  ill  health  forced  him  to  give  up  that  oc- 
cupation, and  he  tumeil  his  attention  to  fanning, 
renting  a  tract  of  land  near  this  city  on  which  he 
carried  on  general  agricultural  pursuits  for  nine 
years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  again 
took  up  his  abode  in  Rockford.  where  he  pur- 
chased a  livery  and  boarding  stable  at  the  comer 
of  Main  and  Elm  streets,  and  was  there  engaged 
in  the  livery  business  for  twenty  years  or  until 
his  death.  He  .secured  a  good  patronage,  for  he 
earnestly  desired  to  jilease  his  patrons  and  gave 
to  them  the  best  service  possible.  He  was  always 
foun<l  trustworthy  in  his  business  dealings  and 
his  prosperity  was  richly  desers-ed. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  married  in  P>eloit.  W'isconsin. 
to  Miss  Delia  .X.  .Smith,  a  native  of  Jackson 
county.  Michigan,  born  March  18,  1845.  Her 
parents,  James  and  Roxana  (Swiftl  .Smith,  were 


both  natives  of  Oswego  county.  New  York,  and 
her  father  followed  fanning  as  a  means  of  liveli- 
hood. He  removed  from  the  east  to  Jackson 
county,  .Michigan,  and  afterward  made  his  way 
down  the  Rock  river  on  a  raft  to  Rockford  in 
1845.  He  then  engaged  in  farming  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  Rockford  township  for  a  few  years, 
after  which  he  located  in  Burritt  township,  where 
he  carried  on  farming  until  1849.  In  that  year, 
attracted  by  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California 
and  the  business  O])portunities  which  there  o])ened 
up,  he  made  his  way  to  the  Pacific  coast,  where 
his  death  occurred.  There  are  only  two  children 
of  the  family  now  living:  Mrs.  Johnson,  and 
Mrs.  John  G.  Henrv,  who  also  resides  in  Rock- 
ford. 

.Mr.  Johnson  was  ever  (lee])ly  interested  in  ])ub- 
lice  affairs  and  was  a  cham])ion  of  every  ])rogres- 
sive  measure.  He  did  everything  in  his  power  to 
promote  the  welfare  of  his  city  and  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  first  fire  department  of  Rockford,  at 
which  time  the  old  hand  pumps  were  used.  In 
politics  he  was  a  republican  where  national  ques- 
tions and  issues  were  involved,  but  at  local  elec-- 
tions  he  believed  in  considering  the  efficiency  of 
the  candidate  rather  than  the  party's  choice.  He 
served  as  collector  of  Rockford  for  sometime,  and 
rendered  capable  and  honorable  ser\'ice.  He  was 
a  charter  inember  of  the  (irand  .\rniy  jjost  at 
Rockford  and  was  instrumental  in  hoMing  the 
first  camp  fires  of  this  city.  He  delighted  in  meet- 
ing with  his  old  army  comrades  and  in  recalling 
the  scenes  and  incidents  of  his  military  service, 
and  in  days  of  peace  he  was  as  loyal  to  his  country 
as  wluii  he  followed  the  stars  and  stripes  on  the 
southern  battle-fields.  He  held  membership  in  the 
First  Preslnterian  church,  and  he  left  to  his 
widow  an  honored  name  as  well  as  a  comfortable 
competence.  She  now  owns  a  large  residence  at 
No.  1 123  North  Church  street,  where  she  resides. 


RUSSELL  M.VRSII. 

There  is  nothing  of  more  interest  than  to  ex- 
amine into  the  history  of  a  self-made  man,  not- 
ing the  methods  that  he  has  followed  and  the 
plans  that  he  has  pursued  as  he  has  worked  his 
way  upward  from  a  humble  position  to  one  of 
affluence.  To  this  class  belongs  Russell  Marsh, 
who  is  now  living  retired  from  active  business 
at  his  home  on  section  17,  Guilford  township, 
having  reached  the  age  of  eighty-five  years. 
Few  residents  of  Winnebago  county  have  longer 
resided  within  its  borders  than  has  Mr.  Marsh, 
who  came  here  in  the  spring  time  of  1838,  ac- 
companying his  father  and  mother  on  their  re- 
moval in  the  month  of  May.  He  was  born  in 
Bradford  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1819,  his 
parents    being   Russell    and   Abigail     (Averill) 


RUSSELL   MARSH. 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


741 


Marsh,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Vermont. 
From  the  Green  Mountain  state  they  removed 
to  New  York,  and  afterward  to  Pennsylvania, 
whence  they  came  to  Winnebago  count}',  Illi- 
nois, here  spending  their  remaining  days.  The 
father  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years, 
prior  to  the  Civil  war,  and  the  mother's  death 
occurred  subsequent  to  the  war,  when  she  was 
eighty-two  years  of  age.  In  their  family  were 
four  sons  and  three  daughters,  but  only  two  are 
now  living,  Russell  and  a  sister,  who  makes  her 
home  in  California.  All  spent  some  time  in 
Winnebago  county,  however. 

Russell  Marsh,  who  was  the  next  to  the 
youngest  in  this  famil)-,  passed  the  days  of  his 
boyhood  and  youth  in  various  places,  his  parents 
removing  at  different  times  to  localities  in  Penn- 
sylvania, New  York  and  Canada.  His  school 
life  was  interrupted  because  of  this,  but  he  ac- 
quired a  fair  knowledge  of  English  branches  in 
the  common  schools  and  at  an  early  age  he  be- 
gan work  on  his  own  account,  since  which  time 
he  has  depended  entirely  upon  his  own  re- 
sources. He  was  a  youth  of  nineteen  years  when 
he  arrived  in  W'innebago  county,  and  here  he 
labored  until  his  efforts  had  brought  him  capital 
sufficient  to  enable  him  to  purchase  a  farm.  It 
was  in  the  '40s  that  he  became  the  owner  of 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  Guilford  township,  to 
which  he  afterward  added  until  within  the  boun- 
daries of  his  farm  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
are  now  comprised.  When  it  came  into  his  pos- 
session it  was  covered  with  brush,  but  he 
cleared  this  away,  preparing  the  fields  for  the 
plow,  and  in  due  course  of  time  reaped  rich 
harvests.  He  has  erected  a  comfortable  home, 
has  adorned  his  grounds  in  attractive  style  and 
as  the  years  passed  has  carried  on  general  farm- 
ing with  excellent  success,  but  at  the  present 
time  this  place  is  being  managed  by  his  son,  G. 
W.  Marsh,  who  also  conducts  a  farm  of  his 
own. 

Russell  Marsh  has  been  twice  married.  He 
first  wedded  Mar}-  Ann  Hayes,  whose  people 
were  early  residents  of  Winnebago  county.  She 
died  leaving  a  son  and  two  daughters,  namely: 
G.  W.,  who  owns  a  tract  of  land  on  section  8, 
Guilford  township ;  Mrs.  Lucy  King,  who  is  liv- 
ing in  Kansas,  about  one  hundred  and  thirty 
miles  southeast  of  Topeka ;  and  Mrs.  Rhoda 
Beers,  of  Otoe  county,  Nebraska.  For  his  sec- 
ond wife  Mr.  Marsh  chose  Miss  Maria  L. 
Beers,  who  was  born  in  Guilford  township,  and 
is  a  daughter  of  Daniel  Beers,  one  of  the  pioneer 
residents  of  this  county,  settling  here  in  1837. 
The  second  wife  died  about  four  years  ago. 

Since  the  organization  of  the  republican 
party  Mr.  Marsh  has  been  one  of  its  stanch  ad- 
vocates, believing  firmly  in  its  principles  as  con- 
taining the  best  elements  of  good  government. 

43 


He  served  as  school  director  and  road  super- 
visor and  also  filled  other  local  offices.  He  was 
in  former  years  a  member  of  the  Grange.  Act- 
ive for  a  long  period  in  public  and  private  life, 
he  now  well  merits  the  rest  that  has  been  vouch- 
safed to  him  and  the  respect  which  is  accorded 
him  when  in  the  evening  of  life  he  is  resting 
after  arduous  toil.  His  material  prosperity  has 
been  worthily  won  and  his  fife  is  an  exemplifi- 
cation of  what  may  be  accomplished  through 
honorable  business  methods.  His  path  has  never 
been  strewn  with  the  wreck  of  other  men's  for- 
tunes, for  in  his  legitimate  channels  of  business 
through  close  application  to  his  farming  inter- 
ests and  unremitting  diligence  he  has  won  the 
success  which  he  now  enjoys. 


'(.;. 


PAUL  L.  :\IARKLEY,  M.  D. 


Dr.  Paul  L.  Markley,  a  physician  and  surgeon 
of  Rockford,  was  born  in  Fulton  county,  Ohio, 
west  of  Toledo,  on  the  20th  of  Februan,-,  1861, 
his  parents  being  A.  L.  and  Juliette  (Lingle) 
Markley.  The  father,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania, 
was  born  in  1 819,  and  the  mother's  birth  occurred 
in  Ohio  in  1825.  Removing  to  the  Buckeye  state, 
A.  L.  Markley  became  one  of  the  prosperous  and 
progressive  farmers  of  Fulton  county,  devoting 
the  best  years  of  his  life  to  agricultural  pursuits, 
and  his  practical  and  enterprising  methods  gained 
for  him  a  desirable  competence.  He  died  in  1892, 
having  for  two  years  survived  his  wife,  who 
passed  away  in  1890. 

Dr.  Markley,  who  is  one  of  a  family  of  four 
brothers,  all  physicians,  spent  his  boyhood  days 
on  his  father's  farm,  where  he  worked  in  the  fields 
and  meadows  from  the  time  of  early  spring  plant- 
ing until  harvests  were  gathered  in  the  late  au- 
tumn. In  the  winter  months  he  mastered  the 
branches  of  learning  taught  in  the  \-illage  school, 
and  then  in  order  to  continue  his  education  he  at- 
tended the  normal  school  at  Fayette,  Ohio. 
Through  two  winter  seasons  he  engaged  in  teach- 
ing in  Ohio,  but  regarded  this  merely  as  an  initial 
step  to  other  professional  labor.  He  determined 
to  make  the  practice  of  medicine  his  life  work,  and 
to  this  end  entered  the  State  University  of  Michi- 
gan at  Ann  Arbor,  where  he  took  his  first  two 
courses  of  lectures.  He  then  entered  the  medical 
department  of  the  Northwestern  University  at 
Chicago  and  was  graduated  in  1886.  Dr.  Mark- 
ley  first  practiced  for  a  brief  period  in  Nebraska, 
but  came  to  Winnebago  county  in  1887,  though  he 
did  not  take  up  his  residence  in  Rockford  until 
1895.  Here  he  opened  an  ofifice,  and  as  the  years 
have  passed  by  his  business  has  increased  to  grati- 
fying proportions.  During  the  past  five  or  six 
vears  he  has  given  considerable  attention  to  sur- 


742 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


gery  and  has  successfully  performed  a  large  nuni- 
l)cr  of  o|)crations  for  apjHiidicitis.  in  fact  nearly 
three  hundred  cases  in  the  past  six  years.  He  has 
a  comprehensive  knowledge  of  anatomy,  a  steady 
nerve  and  a  delicacy  i)f  touch  and  nervous  sensi- 
hility  that  prove  vahiahle  factors  in  his  surgical 
work.  He  is  also  a  surgeon  to  .^t.  .\ntliony's  llos- 
])ital  and  president  of  the  Winnehago  County 
.Medical  Society,  the  Illinois  State  Medical  So- 
ciety, the  Central  Wisconsin  Medical  Society  and 
the  American  Medical  Association.  In  1899  he 
and  William  Crolty  founded  St.  .Vnthony's  Hos- 
pital, and  with  the  assistance  financiallx'  and  mor- 
ally of  the  other  physicians  oi  Rockford  and  vicin- 
ity have  created  an  institution  that  stan<ls  to-day 
as  a  mommient  to  their  enterprise. 

In  1889  Dr.  Markley  married  Miss  llanna  Mc- 
Hocs,  and  they  have  one  son,  Paul  1...  jr.  Dr. 
Markley  hclongs  to  .Star  in  the  East  hxlge.  .\'o. 
iT/i.  .\.  V.  &  .\.  .M..  of  Rockford,  and  in  his  pro- 
fessional career  has  ample  o])i)ortunity  to  exem- 
plify the  teachings  of  Masonry  and  to  show  forth 
the  spirit  of  the  craft  which  is  based  upon  broth- 
erly kindness  and  mutual  helpfulness. 


PATRICK  TI.  REYNOLDS. 

Patrick  IT.  Reynolds  is  the  prosperous  owner 
of  the  Palace  Horseshoeing  Shop  of  Rockford 
and  is  well  known  in  business  circles  here  because 
of  his  reliability,  lor  the  excellent  work  done  in 
his  establishment  and  for  a  laudable  ambition 
that  has  prompted  earnest  effort  leading  to  suc- 
cess. He  was  born  in  Cook  county,  Illinois,  in 
i85r>  and  has  made  his  home  in  Rockford  since 
1875.  He  was  left  an  orphan  when  a  babe  and 
began  earning  his  living  when  but  twelve  years 
of  age.  His  e<lncation  was  accjuircd  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  and  after  his  arrival  in  this  city  in 
1875  he  began  working  at  the  blacksmith's  trade, 
having  previously  served  an  ajiprenticeship  with 
Ed  Doyle  at  Sycamore,  Illinois.  Later  he  was 
employed  by  T.  I.  Colby,  with  whom  he  con- 
tinued for  eighteen  years,  and  in  1893  'i''  began 
business  on  his  own  account  without  a  dollar  in 
capital.  Later  he  made  arrangements  to  pur- 
chase a  home  without  capital  but  his  untiring 
industry  and  capable  management  enabled  him 
to  discharge  his  indebtedness  in  a  brief  jieriod. 
He  worked  for  seven  years  in  an  old  building 
and  then  built  a  fine  shop  at  a  cost  of  six  thou- 
sand dollars.  The  Palace  Horseshoeing  .Shop 
is  the  most  palatial  and  best  equipped  establish- 
ment of  its  kind  in  the  world.  The  building  is 
lighted  throughout  with  electricity  and  there 
is  a  fine  office  with  both  phones.  The  building 
is  a  two-story  brick  structure  ceiled  inside  with 
Georgia  pine  and  all  of  the  doors  and  windows 
are  screened.     The  forges  are  built  of  pressed 


brick  and  the  shop  is  locale<l  in  the  alley  be- 
tween First  and  Madison  streets  north  of  State 
street.  Four  horseshoers  are  kept  busy  all  the 
time  and  Mr.  Reynolds  carries  a  larger  stock  of 
imi)lements  in  his  line  than  any  other  three  shops 
in  the  city. 

In  1883  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
Reynolds  and  Miss  Mary  .\.  Welsh,  a  native 
of  Ireland.  They  now  have  three  children: 
Henry,  who  was  educated  at  St.  L>eade  College ; 
Charles,  who  is  attending  the  Sisters'  school ; 
and  Nellie,  who  is  in  the  millinery  business. 
They  have  also  lost  three  children. 

Mr.  Reynolds  is  an  earnest  democrat,  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  local  leaders  of  his  party  and 
in  i()05  was  elected  alderman  from  the  first 
ward,  receiving  the  largest  vote  given  to  any 
member  of  the  city  council  of  Rockford  with 
one  exception.  He  has  likewise  been  park  com- 
missioner for  two  years.  He  is  a  member  of  six 
fraternal  life  insurance  societies  and  also  has 
membership  relations  with  the  Eagles  while  both 
he  and  his  w'ife  are  communicants  of  the  Catho- 
lic church,  to  the  support  of  which  he  contributes 
most  liberally.  In  his  life  he  has  largely  fol- 
lowed the  golden  rule,  doing  unto  others  as  he 
would  huxc  them  do  unto  him.  and  in  his  busi- 
ness has  made  a  most  creditable  record,  owing 
his  success  and  advancement  to  untiring  indus- 
try. He  does  not  owe  a  dollar  and  never  incurs 
an  obligation  that  he  can  not  meet  and  within 
the  la.st  seven  years  he  has  accummulated  ])rop- 
erty  to  the  value  of  nearly  fifteen  thousand  dol- 
lars. He  owns  the  home  where  he  resides  at 
No.  628  Longwood  street  and  he  delights  to 
supply  his  family  with  the  comforts  and  con- 
veniences of  life.  He  has  certainly  won  splendid 
success  and  his  history  is  a  creditable  one,  prov- 
ing what  may  be  accomplished  through  per- 
sistent and  earnest  effort  guided  by  sound  judg- 
ment. 


GEORGE  S.  ELLIS. 


George  S.  ICllis,  who  is  engaged  in  l)lacksniith- 
ing  in  Rockton,  was  born  in  Canada,  in  1840. 
His  father,  David  Ellis,  was  a  native  of  Vermont, 
and  in  early  life  removed  to  Canada,  whence  he 
camt  to  Illinois  in  1845.  He  fellowed  farming  in 
Owen  township,  entering  land  from  the  govern- 
ment. He  secured  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
in  his  claim  and  with  characteristic  energy-  began 
its  cultivation,  for  not  a  furrow  had  been  turned 
nor  an  improvement  made  when  the  fanuly  came 
into  its  possession.  He  lived  there  until  his  death, 
but  did  not  long  have  the  ])rivilege  of  enjoying 
his  new  home,  for  he  ])as.se(l  away  about  1847  or 
1848,  when  fifty  years  of  age.  His  wife,  who 
bore  the  maiden  name  of  Maria  Spencer,  was  a 


p.    H.    REYNOLDS. 


PAST     AXD     PRESEXT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


745 


native  of  Michigan  and  died  in  1851,  at  the  age 
of  fifty-three  years.  They  were  the  parents  of 
ten  children,  of  whom  three  are  now  Hving: 
Henry,  who  was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  war  and 
makes  his  home  in  Rockford ;  George  S..  of  this 
review  :  and  Hannah,  the  widow  of  J.  B.  Conklin. 

George  S.  Ellis  was  reared  to  manhood  in  this 
county,  and  in  his  youth  learned  the  blacksmith's 
trade,  which  he  has  followed  in  Rockton  for  the 
past  thirty  years.  His  life  has  been  a  busy  one, 
and  whatever  success  he  has  achieved  or  enjoyed 
is  attributable  to  his  own  efiforts,  being  the  re- 
sult of  his  persistency  of  purpose  and  his  unfalt- 
ering attention  to  the  pursuit  in  whicli  as  a  young 
tradesman  he  embarked. 

^Ir.  Ellis  was  married  in  Rockton  to  Miss  Ruth 
Knapp,  a  native  of  \"ermont,  who  came  to  Harri- 
son township,  Winnebago  county,  with  her  par- 
ents in  1847,  her  father  being  William  Knapp. 
Five  children  graced  this  marriage,  of  whom  three 
are  living:  Emma,  the  wife  of  P.arne\'  Estes.  by 
whom  she  has  two  children,  Jessie  and  Fannie : 
Lena,  the  wife  of  Edward  Shortliff  and  the  mother 
of  three  children.  Hazel,  Florence  and  Edward : 
and  William,  who  married  Carrie  Chatzey  and 
has  six  children,  Ralph,  Arthur,  Ora,  Ruth,  Clif- 
ford and  Lois.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ellis  also  lost  one 
daughter.  Flora,  who  became  the  wife  of  Charles 
Seigel,  and  at  her  death  left  a  son,  Charles  F. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Ellis  is  a  republican, 
interested  in  the  gro\\i;h  and  success  of  his  party, 
which  he  has  supported  continuously  since  cast- 
ing his  first  presidential  ballot  for  Abraham  Lin- 
coln. He  served  for  about  eleven  years  on  the 
school  board,  was  constable  of  Rockton  township 
for  some  time  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  vil- 
lage board  and  in  all  these  offices  has  been  true 
to  the  general  good.  They  have  been  conferred 
iijx>n  him  bv  reason  of  his  fidelity  to  duty  and  his 
progressive  citizenship.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
]\Iasonic  fraternity  of  Rockton,  and  is  a  man  held 
in  the  highest  esteem  because  of  his  character 
worth. 


F.  L.  ELACKMAN. 


F.  L.  Blackman.  a  retired  shoe  merchant,  whose 
successful  life  finds  visible  evidence  in  his  palatial 
home  at  No.  215  North  First  street  in  Rockford. 
was  born  in  Genesee  coimty,  New  York,  in  Oc- 
tober, 1835.  His  parents,  Levi  and  .\my  (Dean) 
Blackman.  were  early  setUers  of  the  Empire  state, 
the  father  becoming  one  of  the  pioneer  merchants 
of  central  New  York.  He  was  the  founder  of  a 
town  on  Tonawanda  creek,  which  he  named  North 
Pembroke,  and  he  was  instrumental  in  securing 
the  postoffice  there  and  served  as  the  first  post- 
master. He  was  likewise  the  first  merchant  of 
the  town,  and  was   for  manv   vears  the   leading 


spirit  in  all  of  its  progressive  movements  and  en- 
terprises. Eventually,  however,  he  came  with  his 
family  to  the  west,  locating  in  Rockford  about 
1857.  Here  he  established  a  shoe  store  on  the 
ground  where  the  City  Hotel  was  later  built,  and 
for  some  time  was  one  of  the  prominent  merchants 
and  representative  business  men  here.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  spent  their  remaining  davs  in  Rock- 
ford. They  had  two  sons :  F.  L.  Blackman,  of 
this  review ;  and  George  W.  Blackman,  who, 
after  spending  some  years  in  Rockford,  went  to 
the  west  and  located  near  Alexandria,  South  Da- 
kota, on  a  farm  of  four  hundred  acres.  He  was  a 
successful  agriculturist  and  stock-raiser,  his  well 
directed  labors  bringing  him  a  gratifying  meas- 
ure of  prosperity.  Upon  that  farm  he  reared  his 
family  and  spent  his  remaining  days,  passing  away 
there  in  January,  1905,  survived  by  his  widow 
and  three  sons.  Mrs.  Blackman  still  resides  in 
Alexandria.  One  of  her  sons.  Frank  Blackman, 
is  an  attorney  and  real-estate  dealer  residing  in 
Sioux  Falls,  South  Dakota,  and  is  also  serving 
as  city  auditor  there.  The  second  son,  George 
T..  is  a  partner  of  his  brother  Frank,  and  makes 
his  home  in  Sioux  Falls  :  while  Dean,  the  voungest 
of  the  family,  is  living  upon  the  old  home  farm 
near  Alexandria. 

F.  L.  Blackman  supplemented  his  early  educa- 
tional privileges  by  study  in  the  Carrv'ville  Col- 
legiate Seminar)-  of  New  York,  and  later  engaged 
in  merchandising  in  Alabama,  New  York,  for  two 
years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  sold 
out  and  removed  to  Rockford,  in  i860,  and  soon 
afterward  he  purchased  the  grocery  business  of 
Charles  Ubeller.  located  where  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  building  now  stands.  Hav- 
ing conducted  the  store  for  two  years,  he  again 
sold  out  and  turned  his  attention  to  his  shoe  trade, 
being  for  a  number  of  years  one  of  the  success- 
ful shoe  merchants  of  this  city.  Eventually  he 
removed  to  Chicago,  where  he  conducted  a  whole- 
sale boot  and  shoe  business  for  several  years,  re- 
turning then  to  Rockford,  where  he  again  estab- 
lished a  retail  store,  conducting  the  same  with 
constantly  growing  success  until  1898,  when  he 
retired.  As  a  merchant  he  had  the  entire  con- 
fidence and  good  will  of  his  business  associates 
and  contemporaries,  being  known  as  a  most  reli- 
able representative  of  commercial  interests  here, 
never  making  engagements  that  he  did  not  fill  nor 
incurring  obligations  that  he  did  not  meet.  His 
business  record  stands  in  exemplification  of  the 
old  adage  that  "honesty  is  the  best  policy"  and 
also  illustrates  the  fact  that  "there  is  no  excel- 
lence without  labor." 

In  1863  Mr.  Blackman  returned  to  Genesee 
county.  New  York,  where  on  the  5th  of  January 
of  that  vear  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
.\lice  Halsey,  who  was  born  near  Rochester,  New 
York,  on  the  31st  of  March,  1840,  her  parents 


746 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


being  Edward  and  Nancy  (Oauch)  Halsey.  Her 
father  was  a  very  prosperous  farmer  of  Genesee 
ciiuiity.  and  liotli  lie  and  his  wife  died  in  the  east. 
In  their  family  were  a  daughter  and  son.  Mrs. 
iJlackman  and  Henry  llalsey.  The  latter,  a  resi- 
dent of  Oakfielii.  New  York,  owns  a  large  flour- 
ing mill,  is  also  engaged  in  the  coal  business  and 
follows  farming  on  an  extensive  scale.  He  has 
two  sons  :  Freilerick.  who  is  engaged  in  business 
with  his  father;  and  l>ruce,  a  member  of  the  med- 
ical fraternity  of  New  ^'ork  city,  who  was  grad- 
uated from  the  I'.uffalo  .Medical  College  and  also 
of  the  Louisville  (  Kentucky)  Medical  College. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  lilackman  became  the  (larents  of 
one  son,  Eddie,  who  was  born  in  iSiCh)  and  died 
in  1871. 

Mr.  niaeknian  ami  his  wife  own  and  occupy  a 
beautiful  residence  at  No.  215  North  First  street, 
which  he  built  a  few  years  ago.  and  which  is  one 
of  the  most  palatial  homes  of  the  east  side.  He 
also  has  considerable  real  estate  in  South  Dakota, 
having  from  time  to  time  made  ])urcliases  of  land 
— the  safest  of  all  investments.  His  political  al- 
legiance has  l)een  given  to  the  republican  party 
since  he  cast  his  ballot  for  its  first  presidential 
nominee.  John  C.  I-'remont.  in  1856.  He  has 
voted  for  every  candidate  at  the  head  of  the  ticket 
since  that  time,  but  has  stoutly  refused  to  accepi 
office  himself.  i)referring  to  concentrate  his  en- 
ergies u|)on  his  business  affairs.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  lodge  and  is  a  liberal  su])porter 
of  the  Congregational  church,  to  which  he  and  his 
wife  belong.  He  has  resided  in  Rockford  much 
f>f  the  time  for  a  third  of  a  century  and  stands  to- 
day among  its  toninost  men  liecause  of  his  former 
activity  in  business  affairs,  his  championshi])  of 
progressive  measures  for  the  jniblic  good  and  his 
allegiance  to  all  that  is  honorable  and  straight- 
forward in  man's  relations  with  his  fellowman. 


OLIVER  A.  CR.VNDALL. 

Oliver  A.  Crandall.  whose  death  occurred  Oc- 
tober ID,  1889.  was  born  at  Penfield,  Monroe 
county.  New  York,  December  31,  1827,  His 
parents  were  Jairus  and  Sarah  Crandall,  both  of 
wliom  were  natives  of  tlic  Empire  state,  where 
they  spent  most  of  their  lives.  Oliver  obtained 
a  common-school  education  and  learned  the  coop- 
er's trade.  He  removed  to  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  in 
1845,  where  he  worketl  at  his  trade  until  i8r)5, 
when  be  came  to  Rockford,  establishing  a  large 
cooper  shop  on  the  water  power,  cnnducting  all 
kinds  of  cooperage,  etc.,  successfully  for  several 
years.  He  was  then  employed  as  traveling  sales- 
man by  the  Rockford  Knitting  Works  of  this 
city,  and  for  seven  years  sold  hosiery  in  Califor- 
nia, after  which  he  returned  to  Rockford  to  ac- 


cept a  position  as  a  representative  of  the  com- 
pany here.  He  was  a  republican  in  politics,  was 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  of  the  Or- 
der lit  the  Eastern  Star  and  Royal  Arcanum.  In 
business  affairs  he  was  reliable  and  trustworthy, 
and  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  those  he  represent- 
ed. Mr.  Crandall  took  a  deep  interest  in  church 
work,  was  a  member  of  the  Court  Street  Metho- 
dist Kpiscii]ia!  church,  serving  as  Sabbath  school 
su])eriutendent  and  leader  of  the  choir  for  sev- 
eral years.  He  alscj  belonged  to  a  number  of 
glee  clubs  of  the  city,  and  his  musical  talent 
made  him  a  favorite  in  social  circles.  To  his 
family  he  left  an  untarnished  name,  and  his 
memory  will  ever  be  enshrined  in  the  hearts  of 
those  who  knew  him. 

In  1847.  while  residing  at  lleloit.  Wisconsin, 
he  married  }*liss  Sarah  F.  Carpenter,  a  native 
of  Hoosick,  Rensselaer  county.  New  York.  She 
was  born  July  27,  1828.  Her  parents  were 
George  and  Phebc  (Crandall)  Carpenter,  the 
former  a  native  of  Williamstown,  Massachu- 
setts, the  latter  of  Rensselaer  county.  New  York. 
The  father  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  the 
Em])ire  state,  and  was  engaged  in  farming.  He 
came  west  in  1843  and  settled  on  a  tract  of  land 
in  Rockton  township,  where  he  lived  until  1871, 
when  he  removed  to  Rockford.  his  death  occur- 
ring in  1872.  His  widow,  who  is  still  living 
with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Crandall,  is  one  hun- 
dred years  of  age.  .She  is  the  oldest  lady  in 
Rockford.  and  she  yet  retains  her  faculties  in  a 
remarkable  degree,  having  a  most  retentive 
memory.  On  the  occasion  of  her  one  hundredth 
anniversary,  November  16,  1904,  she  was  ten- 
dered a  reception,  many  being  present.  Only 
two  of  her  cliildrcn  are  living,  ^[rs.  Crandall  and 
Martha  A.  Hyatt,  widow  of  Jabez  A.  Hyatt,  of 
Ithaca,  New  York.  One  son,  David  H.  Carpen- 
ter, died  May  25,  1890.  Mr.  Hyatt  was  born 
September  2,  1831,  and  removed  from  Ithaca 
to  lieloit  in  1835.  .\t  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
war  he  enlisted  in  defense  of  the  Union  cause  as 
a  member  of  the  Sixth  \\"isconsin  Regiment  on 
the  28th  of  .August.  1862,  and  was  killed  at  the 
battle  of  Bull  Run.  Mrs.  Hyatt  is  living  with 
her  sister  and  mother.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crandall 
were  the  ])arents  of  two  children:  Helen  M.  Dmi- 
ham.  who  makes  her  home  with  her  mother,  at 
locVi  Rockton  avemie :  and  ( ieorge.  who  died  in 
infancv. 


|)\\  ID  CARPENTER. 

David  Car])enter.  imcle  of  Mrs.  Crandall  and 
Mrs.  Hyatt,  was  born  in  P.erkshire  county,  Mas- 
sachusetts, .March  18,  1808,  and  died  March  9, 
18*17.  'fc  ^^■'•^  married  to  Miss  Julia  Pcttibone, 
of  St.  Lawrence  county.  New  York,  in  1836,  com- 


GEORGE   CARPEXTER. 


JACOB  HYATT. 


MRS.  PHEUE  CARPEXTER, 

one  hundred  years  old 

X'ovember  i6,  1904. 


O.  .\.  CRAXDALL. 


PAST     AND    PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


749 


ing  to  Winnebag'o  county  on  their  wedding  trip 
and  settling  on  a  large  farm  near  Rockton  on 
the  west  side  of  the  river.  Mrs.  Carpenter  was 
the  first  white  woman  to  settle  on  that  side. 
When  they  came  through  Chicago  it  consisted 
of  old  Fort  Dearborn  and  a  cluster  of  houses. 
They  came  from  Chicago  by  team,  it  requiring 
six  days  for  the  journey,  and  it  seemed  to  them 
they  were  going  to  a  far  country  indeed,  but 
when  they  came  in  sight  of  the  valle_v  filled  with 
groves  and  wild  flowers  they  greatly  rejoiced 
and  felt  that  they  had  reached  the  "'promised 
land."  At  an  early  gathering  of  neighbors  Mrs. 
Carpenter  was  the  only  professing  Christian,  and 
she  urged  the  importance  of  Christian  observ- 
ances, and  through  her  effort  a  society  was 
founded  and  finally  a  church  built,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Carpenter  becoming  the  charter  members.  Rock- 
ton  owes  much  of  its  moral  status  to  the.se  early 
settlers. 

Mr.  Carpenter  was  elected  and  served  as  su- 
pervisor several  years.  He  was  also  one  of  the 
first  jurors  of  the  county,  was  president  of  the 
board  of  village  trustees  five  years,  and  was  su- 
perintendent and  trustee  of  the  Congregational 
church  twelve  years.  At  one  time  he.  with  sev- 
eral brothers  and  a  sister,  owned  all  the  land 
between  Rockton  and  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  on  the 
west  side  of  Rock  river.  The  bridge  at  Rockton 
is  still  known  as  the  Carpenter  bridge.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Carpenter  had  one  son,  Luman  N.,  who  is 
still  living,  at  Lovelocks,  Nevada.  Mrs.  Carpen- 
ter died  Januar}-  28,  1901,  greatly  beloved  by 
all  who  knew  her.  There  are  but  few  families 
better  known  in  Winnebago  county  than  the 
Carpenters. 


JAMES  A.  WARREN. 

The  world  is  better  for  the  life  of  every  suc- 
cessful and  honorable  man.  His  labors  contribute 
to  the  sum  total  of  human  accomplishment  and 
his  example  must  serve  as  a  source  of  inspiration 
and  encouragement  to  others,  showing  what  lies 
within  the  power  of  accomplishment  to  him  who 
possesses  ambition,  determination  and  industry. 
Such  has  been  the  history  of  James  A.  Warren, 
now  deceased,  who  was  well  known  in  Rockford. 
His  birth  occurred  in  Washington  county.  New 
York,  May  30,  1829.  His  parents  spent  the 
greater  part  of  their  lives  in  that  county,  locating 
there  during  the  epoch  of  its  pioneer  development, 
but  the  father  died  while  on  a  visit  in  Lynnville, 
Illinois. 

James  A.  Warren  made  his  home  in  Washing- 
ton county.  New  York,  for  nearly  forty  years  and 
in  early  life  he  learned  the  cabinet-maker's  trade 
and  afterward  successfully  engaged  in  the  fur- 
niture business,  conducting  all  his  mercantile  in- 


terests with  due  regard  to  a  high  standard  of 
commercial  ethics.  He  afterward  went  to  Al- 
bany, New  York,  where  he  was  connected  with 
the  hotel  business  as  landlord  of  the  City  Hotel 
for  fifteen  years.  In  the  meantime  he  had  pros- 
pered in  his  undertakings  and  on  the  expiration 
of  that  period,  having  acquired  a  handsome  com- 
petence, he  retired  from  the  hotel  and  built  a  fine 
home  near  the  Hudson  river.  For  several  years 
thereafter  he  was  not  actively  connected  with 
business  interests,  but  later  went  to  Chatham, 
New  York,  where  he  became  proprietor  of  a  boot 
and  shoe  store,  which  he  conducted  until  1888 — 
the  year  of  his  removal  to  the  west. 

Mr.  Warren  was  first  married  in  Hartford, 
New  York,  to  Miss  Sarah  Merithew,  who  died 
in  Chatham,  leaving  one  son,  C.  M.  Warren,  who 
is  now  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  business  in  Cats- 
kill,  New  York.  It  was  after  coming  to  Rock- 
ford  that  Mr.  Warren  was  married  again,  his 
second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Thankful 
(Brown)  Roberts,  the  marriage  being  celebrated 
in  the  house  yet  owned  and  occupied  by  his 
widow.  She  was  a  native  of  Cortland.  New 
York,  and  a  daughter  of  Abiel  and  Prudence 
(Church)  Brown,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  the  Empire  state.  They  removed  to  the  west 
in  i860,  settling  in  Rochelle,  Ogle  county,  Illi- 
nois, where  the  father  followed  farming  until 
called  to  his  final  rest.  Their  daughter.  Thankful, 
was  first  married  in  Rochelle,  becoming  the  wife 
of  John  C.  Roberts,  of  Lynnville,  Illinois,  who 
during  his  residence  in  Ogle  county  was  well 
known  to  his  friends  as  "Uncle  John."  He  was 
born  in  Orange  county.  New  York,  and  was 
a  soldier  of  the  Mexican  war,  enlisting  in  the 
service  at  Oswego,  Illinois.  He  became  a  pioneer 
settler  of  Ogle  county,  Illinois,  and  was  engaged 
in  farming  in  the  vicinity  of  Lynnville  for  several 
years,  becoming  one  of  the  enterprising  and  pros- 
perous agriculturists  of  his  community.  His  land 
was  secured  from  the  government.  His  devotion 
to  the  general  good  and  his  fitness  for  leadership 
led  to  his  selection  for  several  township  offices. 
He  afterward  removed  to  Monroe  Center,  Ogle 
county,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  real-estate 
business  and  in  loaning  money,  both  in  that  coun- 
ty and  Rockford.  He  also  conducted  other  busi- 
ness enterprises  there  and  was  postmaster  of  the 
town  for  several  years.  He  held  membership  in 
the  Masonic  fraternity  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
lodge  of  Rockford,  and  had  a  wide  and  favorable 
acquaintance  among  his  brethren  of  those  frater- 
nities. He  seemed  to  know  that  death  was  near 
and  made  arrangements  for  his  funeral,  which 
was  to  be  conducted  by  the  Masons  and  the  Elks 
of  Rockford.  He  passed  away  in  Monroe  Center 
March  10,  1891,  and  his  remains  were  interred 
in  the  cemetery  of  Rockford,  the  funeral  services 
being  the  first  ever  held  in  the  Christian  L^nion 


/y 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


church  of  this  city.  -Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roherts  had 
one  son,  Frank  Charles,  who  married  M\rtie 
Earl,  and  is  now  a  traveling;  salesman,  residing  at 
Rochelle,  Illinois.  Mr.  Roberts  had  one  son  by 
a  former  niarriag;e,  Thomas  S.,  who  is  living  in 
Chicago,  where  he  is  a  traveling  railroad  in- 
spector. 

Following  his  removal  to  the  west  Mr.  Warren 
engaged  in  no  active  business  pursuits,  but  lived 
retired  in  Ruckford  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred April  17,  1903,  when  his  remains  were 
taken  back  to  Hartford,  New  York,  for  inter- 
ment, lie  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  frater- 
nity and  Eastern  Star  here  and  in  his  life  e.xem- 
pliiied  its  beneficent,  kindly  spirit,  and  both  he 
and  his  wife  held  membership  with  the  Eastern 
Star  lodge  of  this  city.  Mrs.  Warren  still  owns 
a  fine  residence  on  the  I  ludson  which  was  once  her 
husband's  home.  Mr.  Warren  was  a  republican 
in  politics,  while  Mr.  Roberts  was  a  democrat 
and  took  a  very  active  interest  in  the  work  of 
his  parlv.  Mrs.  Warren  attends  the  State  .'street 
Baptist  church  of  Rockford.  She  and  her  son 
still  own  the  old  Roberts  homestead  farm  near 
Lvnnville,  Illinois,  comprising  four  huuflred 
acres  of  valualile  land,  which  they  rent.  She  also 
has  a  beautiful  home  at  Xo.  1613  East  State 
street  in  Rockford.  where  she  resides,  and  she 
is  prominent  in  social  circles  here,  while  her  own 
home  is  justly  celebrated  for  its  gracious  and 
charming  hospitality. 


JOHN  T.  La  FORGE. 

J<ihn  T.  La  Forge,  who  is  engaged  in  rendering 
tallow  and  dealing  in  hides  at  his  place  of  busi- 
ness in  New  Milford,  is  a  well  known  representa- 
tive of  manufacturing  interests  in  Wimiebago 
county,  and  he  has  a  wide  and  favorable  acquaint- 
ance in  Rfickford,  his  enterprise  and  reliability 
gaining  for  him  the  respect  and  confidence  of 
those  with  whom  he  has  been  brought  in  contact. 
He  is  a  native  son  of  Rockford,  born  in  1870, 
His  father.  C.  C.  La  h'urge.  is  a  contractor,  en- 
gaged in  sidewalk  building  in  Rockford. 

N'o  eveiU  of  special  importance  occurred  dur- 
ing the  boyhood  and  youth  of  our  subject,  who 
was  reared  in  the  city  and  obtained  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  of  Rockford  ami  in  a  busi- 
ness college,  i'or  the  |>ast  ten  years  he  has  de- 
voted his  energies  to  his  present  line  of  business — 
dealing  in  hides  and  tallow.  Me  has  a  plant  at 
New  Milford  and  employs  alnuit  a  half  dozen 
men  in  its  operation,  also  having  three  teams  for 
collecting  material  for  rendering.  He  has  re- 
cently entered  into  the  maiuifacture  of  fertilizers 
to  su|)|»ly  the  local  demand  of  formers  and  truck- 
>;i(  r<      ill-  b.id  nnviouslx    b.iudK(l   fertilizers   for 


Swift  &  Company,  of  Chicago.  There  are  only 
two  eiUer]3rises  of  this  character  in  Wimiebago 
countx .  that  Ix-longing  to  Mr.  La  I'orge  being 
situated  just  within  the  township  limits  of  New 
Milford.  He  has  a  fine  sewerage  system  in  con- 
nection with  the  plant,  and  the  business  has 
reached  extensive  and  ])rofital)Ie  proportions. 

In  1888  Mr.  La  I'orge  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Hattie  Johnson,  of  this  county,  who  came 
here  in  her  early  girlhood  days.  They  have  five 
children.  John,  Walter,  Raymond,  Ralph  and 
I'erne.  In  his  political  adherence  Mr.  La  l-'orge 
is  a  re])ublican,  hulieving  firmly  in  the  iirineiples 
of  the  party  as  embodied  in  its  platform.  He  be- 
longs to  Rockford  camj).  .\o.  51,  M.  W.  .\.,  and  is 
a  member  of  the  Court  Street  Methodist  church. 


(i.  1-:.  i:Ki-:i!ERG. 


G.  E.  Ekcljcrg,  who  from  the  age  of  twelve 
years  has  been  dependent  upon  his  own  resources, 
justly  winning  the  proud  .American  title  of  a  self- 
made  man,  is  now  successfully  engaged  in  the 
dry  goods  and  nnllinery  business  as  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  Hill  &  ICkeberg.  He  is  a  native  son 
of  Rockford,  his  birth  having  occurre<l  in  this 
city  in  1874.  His  father,  John  F.  Ekeberg,  was 
an  early  resident  here,  coming  to  America  from 
Sweden,  his  native  laud.  ISy  trade  he  was  a  cabi- 
net-maker and  was  em])loyed  in  the  different  fur- 
niture factories  of  this  state.  His  death  occurred, 
however,  about  eighteen  years  ago,  when  he  was 
more  than  forty  years  of  age.  His  widow  still 
survives  him  and  makes  her  home  in  Rockford. 
She,  too,  is  a  native  of  Sweden.  The  members  of 
the  family  are:  .\lbert,  who  is  in  the  emjjloy  of 
liis  lirother  G.  IC. :  Joseph,  who  is  employed  in 
the  Illinois  Sewing  Machine  Works ;  and  Mrs,  G. 
W.  (riynn.  of  Chicago. 

G.  E.  Ekeberg,  spending  his  boyhood  days  in 
his  parents'  home,  entered  the  public  scliools  of 
Rockford  at  the  usual  age  of  six  years,  and  was 
advanced  through  consecutive  grades  until  at  the 
age  of  twelve  years  he  started  out  in  life  for  him- 
self. Whatever  success  he  has  enjoyed  or 
achieved  has  resulted  entirely  from  his  own  labors. 
When  thirteen  years  of  age  he  Ijccame  connected 
with  the  dry  goods  trade,  and  has  continued  in 
this  line  to  the  present  time.  He  has  been  asso- 
ciated with  .\ntou  Hill  for  the  past  ten  or  twelve 
years,  remaining  in  his  employ  for  a  number  of 
years,  while  for  four  years  the  present  partner- 
shi])  of  Hill  &  Ekeberg  has  been  maintained.  The 
store  at  Nos.  510-512  Seventh  .street  is  under  the 
management  of  the  junior  jiartner.  and  was  e.stab- 
lishe<i  in  .\i)ril.  KKlf.  while  the  original  store  is 
at  Xo.  404  East  State  street,  and  is  imder  the  su- 
)iervision  of  Mr.  Hill.     .-\t  the  former  store  from 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


751 


twelve  to  fifteen  people  are  employed,  ami  the 
stock  occupies  a  double  store  building  and  com- 
prises a  carefully  selected  and  complete  line  of 
dry  goods  and  millinery.  The  house  enjo\s  a 
liberal  patronage  and  the  business  is  constantly 
growing  as  the  direct  result  of  the  efforts  of  Mr. 
Ekeberg,  whose  long  experience  in  the  dry  goods 
line  well  qualifies  him  for  the  conduct  of  this 
business.  He  fonns  his  plans  readily  and  is  de- 
termined in  their  execution,  watches  carefully  all 
the  details  of  the  business  so  as  to  save  needless 
expense,  and  at  the  same  time  he  closely  studies 
the  desires  of  the  public,  that  he  may  be  ready  to 
meet  any  demands  made  in  his  line. 

Mr.  Ekeberg  was  married  in  Rockford  to  iMiss 
Olga  Haglund,  a  daughter  of  John  Haglund,  who 
is  residing  on  Eleventh  street  in  this  city.  Mr. 
Ekeberg  erected  a  home  on  Third  avenue,  and  it 
is  a  favorite  resort  to  their  man\-  friends.  In  his 
religious  views  he  is  a  Lutheran,  belonging  to 
Emanuel  church,  and  in  his  political  faith  he  is 
a  republican.  As  every  true  American  citizen 
should  do,  he  feels  an  interest  in  the  political  sit- 
uation of  the  country  and  the  issues  which  arise 
before  the  people,  but  has  never  sought  the  honors 
or  emoluments  of  public  office,  preferring  always 
to  concentrate  his  attention  and  energies  upon  the 
control  of  his  many  liusiness  enterprises. 


CHARLES  A.  LUND\'ALL. 

Charles  A.  Lunihall  is  one  of  the  prominent 
and  influential  citizens  of  Guilford  township,  con- 
trolling important  business  interests  and  stand- 
ing as  the  champion  of  progress  and  improvement 
in  the  coimty,  so  that  his  value  in  public  affairs 
and  as  a  promoter  of  agricultural  and  industrial 
activity,  is  widely  acknowledged. 

Mr.  Lundvall  was  born  in  Smoland,  Sweden, 
I\Iay  3,  1850.  His  father  is  the  owner  of  a  farm 
in  that  country  and  is  now  Kving  retired  there  at 
the  age  of  eighty-three  years.  His  first  wife,  the 
mother  of  our  subject,  died  in  1865,  and  the  fa- 
ther afterward  married  Miss  Lena  C.  Samuelson, 
by  whom  he  had  two  children,  both  of  whom  are 
now  married  and  reside  in  Sweden.  Charles  A. 
Lundvall  is  the  third  of  four  children  born  of 
the  father's  first  marriage,  of  whom  three  are  liv- 
ing in  .\merica — J.  O.  Limdvall,  who  owns  and 
operates  a  farm  near  Dayton,  Iowa ;  Charles  A. ; 
and  Mrs.  P.  Larson,  of  Winnebago  county.  The 
other  sister  is  Sophia,  the  wife  of  N.  P.  Dahlburg. 
a  farmer  of  Sweden. 

Charles  A.  Lundvall  spent  his  boyhood  days 
in  Sweden  and  in  the  spring  of  1867,  when  seven- 
teen years  of  age,  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America, 
to   benefit   by   the    improved    business    conditions 


which  he  had  heard  were  off'ered  in  the  new 
world.  He  arrived  in  Winnebago  county  in  1867 
and  since  1869  has  been  identified  with  its  indus- 
trial interests  as  a  manufacturer  of  brick,  suc- 
cessfully carrying  on  the  business  for  thirty-six 
consecutive  years.  He  established  his  present 
brick  plant  in  igoo  and  employs  from  sixteen  to 
twenty-two  men.  manufacturing-  eighteen  thou- 
sand brick  daily,  which  output  is  mainly  con- 
sumed by  the  local  trade.  The  product  is  a  very 
marketable  commodity  and  he  finds  no  difficulty 
in  disposing  of  all  he  can  manufacture.  Mr. 
Lundvall  is  also  interested  in  various  other  busi- 
ness enterprises,  including  the  L'nion  Grocery 
Company,  in  which  he  owns  considerable  stock. 
His  fann  i)ro|jcrty  comprises  one  hundred  and 
fifty-two  acres  of  valuable  land,  which  he  has 
placed  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  on 
which  he  has  made  many  fine  improvements,  in- 
cluding the  erection  of  a  beautiful  and  modern 
home  supplied  with  all  conveniences.  He  has 
also  purchased  the  timber  rights  on  forty  acres 
of  land  and  operates  a  portable  sawmill,  cutting 
considerable  lumber  through  the  winter  seasons. 

Mr.  Lundvall  was  married,  in  Chicago,  in  1882, 
to  Miss  Augusta  C.  Swanson,  who  in  1868  came 
with  her  sister  Louisa,  now  a  resident  of  Rock- 
ford,  to  America  from  Sweden,  their  native  land. 
Their  parents  are  both  deceased.  Unto  JMr.  and 
l\[rs.  Lundvall  have  been  born  six  children : 
Hulda  R.,  Alice  R.,  Albion  S.,  JuHa  E.,  Henry  L. 
and  Charles  E.  Alice  R.  is  now  the  wife  of  Wal- 
ter Peterson,  of  Rockford,  and  at  present  they 
reside  in  Denver.  .Albion  S.  is  a  graduate  of  the 
law'  department  of  Di.xon  College,  at  Dixon,  Illi- 
nois, and  intends  to  engage  in  practice  as  a  life 
work. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lundvall  are  prominent  members 
and  active  workers  in  the  First  Lutheran  church 
at  Rockford.  He  has  served  for  many  years  as 
a  trustee  of  the  church  and  was  a  member  of  the 
building  committee  at  the  time  of  the  erection  of 
their  fine  new  house  of  worship.  In  politics  he 
has  always  been  a  stanch  republican  but  has 
never  been  an  office  seeker.  However,  he  has 
been  a  member  of  the  school  board  for  several 
years  and  he  is  never  remiss  in  any  duty  of  citi- 
zenship but  on  the  contrary  supports  loyally  and 
enthusiastically  every  measure  or  movement 
which  he  deems  will  prove  of  public  good.  He 
has  never  had  occasion  to  regret  his  determination 
to  seek  a  home  in  the  United  States  for  his  hope 
of  being  benefited  thereby  has  been  more  than 
realized.  He  has  improved  the  opportimities 
here  offered  in  this  land  where  competition  is 
greater  hut  where  advancement  is  more  quickly 
secured,  and  he  stands  to-day  among  the  pros- 
perous men  of  the  county  wlio  owe  their  enviable 
financial   position   to   their  own   efforts.      On  his 


/:>- 


PAST     AND    PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


part  desire  prompted  eftOn  and  effort  resulted  in 
accomplishment,  and  his  history  is  an  exemplifi- 
cation of  what  may  he  done  throngli  jHTsistent 
])nr])ose  when  guided  h\  huidable  ambilii)n  and 
clear  judgment. 


RICHARD  .S.  ALLEN. 

Richard  S.  .\llen.  deceased,  for  many  years 
a  resident  of  Rockford.  was  numbered  with  its 
earlv  settlers,  having  located  here  in  1849.  He 
was  a  native  of  I'robus,  Cornwall.  England,  born 
November  28,  1833,  a  son  of  Thomas  Allen  and 
a  grandson  of  Henry  Allen,  both  natives  of 
Probus,  in  which  place  the  grandfather  spent 
his  entire  life,  following  the  stonemason's  trade. 
The  father.  Thomas  .Mien,  was  also  a  stone- 
mason, who  continued  his  residence  in  his  native 
town  and  was  there  married  to  Miss  Margaret 
Secomb,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Joanna 
Secomb.  Thomas  .Mien  died  in  Probus  in  1841. 
his  wife  surviving  until  1843.  They  were  the 
parents  of  ten  children:  Samuel,  l-Hizabeth, 
Marv.  John,  Mary  (2d),  Henry,  Emma.  Edwin. 
Richard  S.  and  William.  Alary  (ist)  and 
Henry  died  in  England  but  the  others  of  the 
family  came  to  America,  making  their  homes  in 
the  Prairie  state  and  nearly  all  are  yet  resi- 
dents of  Illinois.  Samuel  enlisted  in  Company 
D.  Seventy- fourth  Illinois  Infantry  and  was 
killed  at  the  battle  of  Little  Fort.  South  Carolina. 
John  .Mien  was  a  manufacturer  of  artificial  stone 
in  Rockford  and  is  now  living  retired  in  this 
city. 

Richard  S.  .\llen  received  but  a  common- 
school  education  in  his  native  country  and  there 
began  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  cutter  in  a  tailor 
shop.  In  1840.  in  company  with  some  of  his 
brothers  and  sisters,  he  sailed  for  .America  and 
made  his  way  direct  to  Rockford,  where  he  se- 
cured employment  in  the  tailoring  establishment 
of  Joe  Durns.  He  afterward  worked  for  Wal- 
lach  &  Bacherach  for  a  short  time  and  then  ac- 
cepted a  position  in  the  shop  of  George  R. 
Atkinson,  a  leading  tailor  of  Rockford.  with 
whom  he  remained  for  twelve  years,  at  the  end 
of  which  time  he  began  business  on  his  own  ac- 
count, opening  a  tailoring  estciblishment  on  his 
own  account  on  Filast  State  street,  where  he  re- 
mained for  several  years.  He  then  removed 
to  the  west  side,  where  he  conducted  business 
for  several  years,  after  which  he  returned  to 
the  employ  of  Mr.  .Atkinson. 

On  the  22d  of  July,  1837,  Mr.  Allen  was  mar- 
ried, in  Beloit.  Wisconsin,  to  Miss  Clarissa  Jane 
Woodworth.  a  native  nf  Durham,  Canada,  born 
l^ecembcr  7,  183^).  and  a  daughter  of  Gresham 
and   Clarissa    ("Hill  I    Woodworth.   the   former  a 


native  of  the  state  of  .\'cw  ^'ork  and  the  latter 
of  Canada.  The  father,  removing  to  Canada, 
there  resided  until  1840,  when  he  came  to  Win- 
nebago county  and  purchased  a  farm  in  Guil- 
ford township,  where  he  carried  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  until  his  death.  Mrs.  Wood- 
worth  then  came  to  Rockford.  where  she  made 
her  home  with  her  children  until  her  demise. 
.Mr.  and  Mrs.  .Allen  became  the  parents  of  three 
children.  Frank  S.,  the  eldest,  a  glazier  by 
trade,  married  Carrie  E.  Smith,  of  Rockford,  a 
daughter  of  H.  T.  Smith,  who  was  a  stone- 
mason by  trade  and  formerly  resided  in  this 
city  but  is  now  living  in  Kansas.  Frank  S. 
.Mien  and  his  wife  reside  in  Rockford  with  his 
mother  and  they  have  one  son.  Howard  R.,  born 
February  9,  i8()5.  Charles  died  at  the  age  of 
ten  months,  and  Hattie  died  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen  months. 

Mr.  .Allen  conliiiueil  lo  work  at  his  trade  until 
i8<)2,  when  he  gave  u])  business  on  account  of  ill 
health  and  lived  retired  for  about  eleven  years, 
and  on  tlic  9th  of  February,  1904,  he  died  at  his 
home  on  Harlem  avenue.  He  was  never  an 
office  seeker  but  was  always  a  stanch  republican 
and  took  an  active  interest  in  the  adoption  of 
the  principles  of  the  party.  He  held  membership 
in  Rockford  lodge,  No.  102.  1'.  &  .A.  M.,  and  in 
the  Ancient  (3rder  of  United  Workmen  and  was 
true  to  the  jirinciples  of  those  orders.  Mrs. 
.Mien,  her  son  and  his  wife  are  all  members 
of  the  State  Street  P)apti.st  church,  and  they 
have  one  of  the  fine  homes  of  the  city,  recently 
erected  at  No.  1107  Harlem  avenue.  Mr.  Allen 
belonged  to  that  class  of  citizens  who  form  the 
real  strength  of  the  country — men  w'ho  are  in- 
dustrious and  reliable  in  business,  who  favor 
public  progress  and  co-operate  in  those  move- 
ments which  secure  the  greatest  good  to  the 
greatest  number.  He  did  not  seek  self-ag- 
grandizement, but  sought  the  general  welfare, 
and  he  was  worthy  of  high  respect. 


josr.Mi  siii:r AKDSON. 

Josiah  Shcpard.son,  a  retired  farmer  residing  in 
the  village  of  Harrison,  came  to  Illinois  in  1852, 
and  after  a  year  spent  at  St.  Charles.  Kane  county, 
where  he  engageil  in  farming,  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  Rockfonl.  since  which  time  he  has  largely 
lived  in  Winnebago  county.  He  is  a  native  of 
Erie  county.  Pennsylvania.  Iwrn  Novem1>er  12, 
1827,  and  his  parents  were  Setji  and  Minerva  , 
(Blakcsley)  Shepardson,  the  foniier  a  native  of 
(iuilford.  \'ermoiit.  and  the  latter  of  Eric  county, 
Pennsylvania.  The  father  was  a  blacksmith  by 
trade  and  conducted  an  ax  factory  near  James- 
town. New  York,  for  some  time,  but  his  last  days 


RICHARD  S.  ALLEN. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


755 


were  spent  in  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  where 
his  death  occurred.  His  widow  was  afterward 
brought  by  her  son  Josiah  to  Winnebagro  county, 
and  died  here  many  years  ago  on  the  4th  of  De- 
cember, 1876,  when  sixty-nine  years  of  age.  In 
their  family  were  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  all 
of  whom  are  yet  living :  Emra,  w'ho  has  been  con- 
nected with  the  circus  during  the  greater  part  of 
his  life  :  Ruljy  Ann,  who  became  the  wife  of  a 
Air.  Luther,  of  Pennsylvania,  and  is  now  a  widow- 
residing  at  San  Diego,  California  ;  and  Mrs.  Chris- 
tina Clement,  who  makes  her  home  at  Los  Angeles, 
California. 

Josiah  Shepardson,  the  other  member  of  the 
family,  was  reared  in  the  east,  acquiring  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  there,  and  in  earlv 
manhood,  anxious  to  make  the  most  of  his  op- 
portunities, he  came  to  the  Mississippi  valley,  hop- 
ing to  benefit  his  financial  condition  in  this  part 
of  the  country.  He  w'as  for  seven  years  prior  to 
coming  to  Illinois  engaged  in  boating  on  the  Erie 
canal  in  the  state  of  New  York.  His  first  farm 
tract  was  in  Kane  county,  this  state,  where  he 
spent  a  year,  and  afterward  was  for  a  year  in 
Rockford,  during  which  time  he  was  employed  on 
the  section  of  the  railroad  just  being  builded  to 
the  county  seat.  He  next  removed  to  Rockton  and 
]nirchased  a  team  and  wagon,  after  which  he  en- 
gaged in  teaming  for  some  time  by  way  of  Savan- 
nah into  Jones  county,  Iowa.  He  carried  goods 
both  ways  and  was  quite  successful.  He  later  se- 
cured sixteen  acres  of  land  in  Rockton  township. 
Having  lost  one  of  his  horses  he  traded  his  re- 
maining horse  and  wagon  for  the  sixteen-acre 
tract  upon  which  he  lived  for  three  years.  He  also 
engaged  in  teaching  school  for  three  winters,  hav- 
ing secured  his  certificate  by  passing  an  examina- 
tion before  H.  H.  Waldo,  then  count}'  superin- 
tendent. He  walked  from  the  tow-n  of  Harrison 
to  Rockford.  fifteen  miles,  and  back  again  the 
same  day  with  a  foot  of  snow  on  the  ground,  and 
he  began  teaching  the  next  day.  After  living  on 
his  first  fann  of  sixteen  acres  for  three  years  he 
purchased  sixty  acres  of  land,  upon  which  he 
made  his  home  for  five  years,  and  subsequentlv 
he  bought  an  additional  tract  of  eighty  acres  ad- 
joining but  Iving  across  the  boundary  line  in  Har- 
rison towniship.  To  the  further  cultivation  and 
improvement  of  his  forty-acre  farm  he  then  gave 
his  time  and  energies  for  some  years,  but  event- 
ually sold  a  part  of  this  and  bought  one  hundred 
acres  more  in  Shirland  township,  west  of  Peca- 
tonica  river.  After  having  disposed  of  a  part  of 
that  to  Frank  Cleveland,  he  iDought  the  Oakes 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  section 
17,  Harrison  township,  and  this  he  still  owns.  He 
also  purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
land  in  Shirland  township  known  as  the  Bennett 
farm,  and  both  farms  are  now  being  operated  by 
his  sons.     His  landed  possesssions  aggregate  two 


hundred  and  fort}-  acres  in  the  townships  of  Shir- 
land and  Harrison,  and  he  also  has  several  resi- 
dence properties  in  the  village  of  Harrison.  Al- 
though his  capital  at  the  time  of  his  arrival  in 
\\'innebago  county  consisted  of  but  sixtv  dollars, 
he  is  to-day  one  of  the  prosperous  citizens  of  the 
northern  part  of  tlie  county,  and  his  success  is  at- 
tributable entirely  to  his  own  labors. 

In  April,  1849,  in  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania, 
Mr.  Shepardson  w-as  married  to  Miss  Cordelia  A. 
Bartlett.  w-ho  was  born  in  Steuben  countv,  New 
York,  April  17,  1833.  and  is  a  daughter  of  David 
and  Mary  (  Fawcett )  P.artlett.  Her  father  died  in 
1833.  and  her  mother  passed  away  in  Brockport, 
New  York,  in  1878,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six  years. 
Mrs.  Shepardson  had  one  brother  and  one  sister: 
Chester,  who  died  in  Brockport  a  number  of  years 
ago :  and  Martha,  who  married  Orin  W.  Turner, 
of  Chicago,  but  both  are  deceased.  L'nto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Shepardson  have  been  born  seven  children, 
five  of  whom  are  living:  Seth  D.,  born  in  Octo- 
ber, 1857,  and  now  following  fanning  at  McLean. 
North  Dakota,  is  married  and  has  five  children : 
Annie  is  the  wife  of  Amos  Conklin,  residing  at 
Rockford :  May  is  the  wife  of  Thomas  Atkinson, 
of  Rockford,  and  they  have  one  son  :  J.  Clinton, 
a  farmer  of  Shirland,  is  married  and  has  three 
children :  Elbert  Le  Roy,  a  resident  farmer  of 
Harrison  township,  is  married  and  has  four  chil- 
dren. Those  who  have  passed  away  are  Charles 
L.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seventeen  vears :  and 
Chester  at  the  age  of  two  years. 

Air.  Shepardson  is  a  democrat  in  his  political 
views,  although  he  voted  for  Abraham  Lincoln. 
He  has  served  as  assessor  and  collector  for  nine 
years  in  Harrison  township,  w-as  justice  of  the 
peace  for  two  terms,  resigning  on  account  of  poor 
health,  and  was  prompt  and  faithful  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  official  duties.  His  w-ife  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Congregational  church,  and  thev  were 
formerly  members  of  the  Good  Templars  Society 
and  of  the  Grange.  Mr.  Shepardson  is  now  en- 
joying a  w-ell  earned  rest  at  his  pleasant  home  in 
the  village  of  Harrison.  He  may  truly  be  called 
a  self-made  man.  as  he  owes  his  prosperity  en- 
tirely to  his  earnest  labor  and  close  application. 
He  has  followed  a  definite  plan  of  action  in  his 
business  life  and  his  energy  and  capable  manage- 
ment have  been  the  means  of  bringing  him  in  a 
very  gratifying  competence. 


SYL\'ESTER  CLAUDE  ANDRUS.  M.  D. 

Dr.  Sylvester  Claude  Andrus,  who  is  accorded 
a  gratifying  practice  in  recognition  of  his  learn- 
ing and  skill  as  a  representative  of  the  medical 
fraternity  and  is  now  a  physician  to  St.  Anthony's 
Hospital  of  Rockford  and  a  member  of  the  hos- 


756 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


pital  staff,  was  born  in  Pccatonica.  Winnebago 
county,  on  the  20tli  of  April.  1872.  He  is  a  son 
of  Henry  and  jane  (  Love)  Andrus,  who  are  men- 
tioned on  anotlier  page  of  this  vohuiie.  He  at- 
tended the  pubhc  schools  and  passsed  through  suc- 
cessive grades  until  he  had  completed  the  high 
school  course,  graduating  with  the  class  of  1890 
at  Cherry  \'alley.  His  taste  temled  toward  a  pro- 
fessional life,  and  he  became  a  student  in  the 
.Xorthwestern  L'niversity  of  Chicago,  completing 
a  course  in  the  medical  department  with  the  class 
of  1897. 

I1uis  well  qualified  for  his  chosen  profession, 
he  located  in  Rockford  and  almost  immediately 
iK'gan  a  lucrative  practice.  Since  that  time  his 
business  has  constantly  grown,  and  he  is  now  a 
worthy  and  ca])able  representative  of  the  medical 
fraternity  of  Winnebago  county.  He  belongs  to 
the  Winnebago  County  Medical  Society,  the  State 
Medical  Society  and  the  .American  Medical  As- 
sociation, and  through  the  interchange  of  thought 
and  CNperiences  in  the  meetings  of  those  organiza- 
tii  ns  he  keeps  informed  concerning  the  progress 
that  is  continually  being  made  in  the  practice  of 
medicine  and  surgery.  Always  ready  to  adopt 
new  methods  wliich  he  believes  will  prove  of  bene- 
fit in  alleviating  suffering  and  checking  the  rav- 
ages of  disease,  he  is  at  the  same  time  slow  to  dis- 
card old  and  time-honored  methods,  whose  value 
has  been  proven. 

Dr.  .Andrus  was  married  to  Miss  Edna  Priest, 
of  Chicago,  in  which  city  she  was  born.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity,  a 
charter  member  of  the  Elks  lodge.  No.  64.  has  at- 
tained the  thirty-second  degree  of  the  Scottish 
Rite  in  Masonry,  belonging  to  Freeport  consist- 
on.-,  and  he  is  also  a  member  of  a  Greek  letter  so- 
ciety. 


MRS.  DELIA  A.  CHAPPELL. 

Mrs.  Delia  \.  Chappell,  making  her  home 
in  Rockford  township,  is  well  known  here,  hav- 
ing for  many  years  resided  in  Winnebago 
county.  She  is  the  widow  of  John  C.  Chappell, 
who  died  on  the  1st  of  July.  1880.  when  more 
than  sixty  years  of  age,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  Massachusetts  in  June.  1829.  He  was 
a  son  of  Palmer  and  Sylvia  (Hitchcock)  Chap- 
pell and  represented  an  old  family  of  Massa- 
chusetts. W'hen  quite  young  he  accompanied 
his  parents  on  their  removal  to  the  state  of  New 
York  and  there  he  was  reared  by  an  uncle  until 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  afterward  en- 
gaged in  the  hardware  business  in  the  east 
until  his  health  failed  him  and,  thinking  he 
might  be  benefited  by  outdoor  life,  he  turned  his 
attention  to  farming.  He  then  came  to  the  mid- 
dle west,  settling  in  Winnebago  county,  Illinois, 


in  1855.  Here  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  of 
one  hundred  and  thirty-five  acres,  which  is  now 
in  possession  of  his  widow,  and  taking  up  his 
home  thereon  he  made  it  his  place  of  residence 
until  his  death.  He  was  an  active  man  of  af- 
fairs and  wielded  a  wide  influence  not  only  in 
agricultural  circles  but  also  as  the  supporter  of 
progressive  measures  for  the  general  good.  He 
served  as  school  director  and  supervisor  and 
whether  in  office  or  out  of  it  he  was  always 
loyal  to  the  general  welfare  and  his  efforts  in 
behalf  of  public  improvement  were  far-reaching 
and  beneficial. 

Mr.  Cha])pell  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs. 
Lottie  Curtice,  who  died  in  1865.  leaving  three 
children.  The  eldest.  Azur  C.  Chappell,  resid- 
ing upon  a  part  of  the  old  homestead,  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Elizabeth  Bailey,  of  this  county, 
and  they  have  two  children:  John  C,  who  was 
born  in  1887 ;  and  I-llla  G..  who  was  born  in 
1889.  Azur  C.  Chappell  now  has  a  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  thirty  acres  of  arable  land,  con- 
stituting one  of  the  best  improved  properties  of 
his  locality.  Ella  G.  Chappell,  the  next  mem- 
ber of  the  family,  is  the  wife  of  B.  F.  Searls,  of 
Rockford.  Alice  S.  became  the  wife  of  Nelson 
Crampton  and  died  here  in    1877. 

In  December.  1870.  Mr.  Chai)i)ell  was  again 
married,  his  second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Delia 
.\.  Lansing,  nee  Brooks,  who  was  born  in  New 
Hampshire  and  was  a  daughter  of  Freeman  and 
Candace  (Chellise)  Brooks,  who  removed  to  the 
.state  of  New  York  when  Mrs.  Chappell  was  but 
five  years  of  age.  They  later  came  to  Henry 
county.  Illinois,  where  they  spent  their  last  days. 
Mrs.  Chappell  was  married  to  Mr.  Lansing  in 
the  Empire  state  in  1845  ^"d  came  to  the  west 
in  1859,  locating  in  Rockford.  where  her  hus- 
band engaged  in  the  drug  business  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death.  He  passed  away  in  Decem- 
ber. 1863,  at  the  age  of  forty-three  years.  There 
were  two  sons  of  that  marriage:  Edwin  H. 
Lansing,  who  is  residing  in  Maine;  and  Robert 
W.  Lansing,  who  makes  his  home  in  Boise 
City,  Idaho.  By  the  second  marriage  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Chappell  there  was  one  son,  John,  who 
now  resides  in  Rockford,  where  he  is  connected 
with  the  Weyburn  plant.  He  is  also  interested 
in  the  farm  with  his  mother.  He  married  Emma 
Mutimer  and  they  have  a  son,  Guy  J.,  now  ten 
years  of  age. 

Mrs.  Chappell  has  rented  the  farm,  although 
she  resides  in  the  old  home.  Mr.  Chappell  was 
a  stanch  and  inflexible  republican  in  his  political 
views  and  his  sons  have  followed  in  his  foot- 
steps in  this  particular.  In  early  life  he  be- 
longed to  the  Grange  and  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Winnebago  Street  Methodist  h'piscopal 
church.  When  he  was  called  from  this  life  his 
loss  was  deeply  felt  by  his  family,  to  whom  he 


R.  W.  LANSING. 


MRS.  CLARA  LANSING  KNOX. 

AIRS.  DELIA  A.  CHAPPELL. 
ALTA  KNOX. 


44 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


759 


was  a  devoted  husband  and  father :  in  the 
church,  where  he  was  loyal  to  its  teachings ; 
and  in  his  community,  where  he  furthered  every 
substantial  measure  for  the  general  g-ood.  His 
widow  belongs  to  the  Congregational  church 
of  Rockford,  nf  which  she  has  been  a  faithful 
member  for  over  iorty  years.  The  accompany- 
ing picture  shows  four  generations — Mrs.  Chap- 
pell.  R.  \\'.  Lansing,  ;\Irs.  Clara  (Lansing) 
Knox  and  Alta  Knox. 


DAA'ID   S.   SCHUREMAN. 

David  S.  Schureman,  who  has  gained  distinction 
as  an  architect,  evidences  of  his  handiwork  being 
seen  in  fine  buildings  in  various  cities  of  the 
country,  while  in  Rockford  many  important  struc- 
tures have  been  erected  after  designs  that  he  has 
furnished,  was  bom  in  Wilkesbarre,  Pennsylva- 
nia, April  29,  1854,  and  is  a  representative  in  the 
sixth  generation  of  the  descendants  of  Garrett 
Schureman,  who  was  the  third  generation,  mak- 
ing our  subject  the  ninth.  The  family  have  the 
following  history  of  the  family.  There  have  been 
Schuremans  in  Germany  and  Schuermans  in  the 
Netherlands  but  it  has  not  been  ascertained 
whether  they  were  of  one  family,  or  of  inde- 
pendent lines. 

"About  the  year  1300  Hermann  Schurman  held, 
in  fee,  a  hide  of  land  at  Scuren,  i.  e.,  Scheuren, 
near  Dortmund,  Arnsberg,  Westphalia.  Later  on 
Johann  Schuremann  was  in  possession  of  the 
same  and  of  other  land,  in  1371,  at  Arnsberg, 
Johann  Schuyrmann  was  enfeoffed,  for  himself, 
as  well  as  for  his  brothers,  Everhard  and  Hein- 
rich,  of  various  lands  among  the  rest,  of  a  "manse 
at  Holland,"  ( Abstract  through  Dr.  Jacob  Gould 
Schunnan,  from  the  "History  of  the  Noble  Fam- 
ilies of  Westphalia  Cologne.  Herberle.  Lemperts", 
1878 — A.  Fahne. )  According  to  Fahne,  the 
famous  scholar  and  accomplished  woman,  Anna 
Maria  Schuerman,  was  of  this  line.  Although 
she  was  born  at  Cologne,  her  father  and  her 
grandparents  were  of  Antwerp  and  she  was 
identified  with  L^trecht  and  she  seems  to  have  as- 
serted herself  as  a  Netherlander. 

Frederick,  grandfather  of  Anna  ^laria,  fled 
from  Antwerp,  for  Cologne,  with  his  wife,  who 
was  of  the  house  of  the  Counts  of  Lumey,  on  the 
night  of  October  4,  1564,  leaving  his  property  and 
affairs  in  ruins  rather  than  to  give  up  Evangelical 
religion.  On  that  day  Christopher  Smith  (Fabri- 
cius)  had  been  mangled  and  then  burned  at  the 
stake.  Frederick,  son  of  Frederick,  in  1602,  mar- 
ried into  a  noble  family  of  Cologne,  Eva,  daugh- 
ter of von  Harf  and  Lucia  Slaan.   They  had 

at  least  four  children  :  Henry  Frederick,  b.  1603.  d. 
i6ti2  :  John  Godschalk,  b.  1605.  d.  1664,  a  clergy- 
man ;  .\nna  ^Nlaria,  b.  November  5,  1607,  d.  1678, 


single,  in  the  Labadist  Community,  at  Wieuward, 
Friesland ;  and  William,  who  died  in  his  sixth 
year.  Anna's  father  died  in  1623,  and  his  widow 
removed  her  family  to  LTrecht,  where  she  died  in 
1637.  It  has  not  been  found  that  either  of  the 
sons  married.  (  Abstract  by  Professor  Schurman, 
from  "Kirchen-und  Ketzer-Historie,"  Arnold, 
1699 ;  Anna  Marie  von  Schurmann,  Tschackert, 
Gotha,  1876;  also  "Rise  of  the  Dutch  Republic," 
Motley;  and  the  "Liberators  of  Holland,"  Mrs. 
Charles.) 

The  name  of  Schuurman  is  extant  in  Utrecht, 
at  the  present  time,  and  appeared  there  in  a  news- 
paper, October  15,  1890. 

The  Schuermans  of  New  York  seem  to  begin 
with  Harman  Schuerman,  whose  name  is  found  at 
New  Amsterdam,  in  1649.  In  the  records  of  the 
Dutch  church.  New  York,  the  spelling  with  the 
double  V  is  more  common,  and  that  is  the  present 
form  in  the  Netherlands  (Schuurman)  ;  but  the 
older  form  "ue"  (Schuerman)  is  the  basis  for  the 
spelling  now  in  use  in  this  country  (Schureman) 
by  a  mere  transposition  of  two  letters.  The  pro- 
nimciation  Skureman,  still  prevails.  The  Royalist 
branch,  who  went  to  the  Piritish  Provinces, 
dropped  the  e  ( Schurman ) . 

The  New  Jersey  line  is  an  independent  one.  It 
began  with  Jacobus  Schuurman,  who  came  from 
Holland  in  1720. 

Frederick  Harmenszen  seems  to  have  been  a 
son  of  Harmon  Schuerman. 

Frederick  Harmenszen,  van  Bremen,  is  in  a 
list  "since  1649"  of  church  members  at  New  Am- 
sterdam :  and  his  wife  Christina  Jans  became  such 
church  member  August  30,  1647.  They  had  chil- 
dren baptized  there,  1659-75  ;  and  other  children 
within  the  same  period,  whose  baptisms  have  not 
been  found.  Possibly  Frederick  was  at  one  time 
a  resident  of  Stamford,  Connecticut,  Frederick 
Schurman,  aged  eighty,  appears  in  the  list  of  the 
town  of  New  Rochelle,  NBr.  9,  1710  (October). 
The  name  of  Alary  Scurman,  aged  seventy,  there 
follows  his.  There  is  a  tradition  that  he  took  a 
sister  with  him  to  New  Rochelle. 

Children  of  Frederick  Schuerman  (2)  and 
Christina  Jans :  Their  fifth  child  was  Johannes : 
bap.  N.  Y.,  April  9,  1662,  "Harmenszen."  He 
was  probably  the  Johannes  Scuerman  who  owned 
land  at  New  Rochelle,  which  formed  the  bound- 
ary of  land  conveyed  to  Jacob  Scuennan  in  1702. 
(White  Plains,  Lib.  C.  p.  126.)  He  seems  to 
have  been,  also,  the  Johannes  Schuerman  who 
married  Johanna  ^'e^veelen.  daughter  of  Daniel 
A'erveelen  and  .\letta  Schaata.  of  Hackeiisack. 
.\fter  his  death  Johanna  was  married  to  Nicholas 
Peterson.     (Hist,  of  Harlem,  p.  553.) 

Children  of  Johannes  (5)  and  Johanna  Ver- 
veelen  :  Their  eldest  child  was  Daniel ;  bap.  Hack- 
ensack,  May  24,  1708:  d.  about  1749;  m.,  ist, 
^^'illemtie  Blaauvelt:  2d,  Elizabeth  Helver,     Ob- 


76o 


PAST    AXn     PRF.Sr.XT    OF    WIXXEBAGO    COUNTY. 


taincd  a  lot  of  land  in  New  York  city,  .\pril  20, 
1747.  (Li'j-  33'  3-y-)  Last  will.  August  30,  1749. 
(Lib.  17.  p.  61.) 

Hiildrcn  of  Daniel  (  12)  and  W'illiolinina 
r.laauvdt  ;  tlicir  third  child  was  (ierrit;  h.  \o- 
vcnibcT  2y:  hap.  LXcenihcr  17.  1732:  ni.  Xew 
York.  .March  .).  1754.  Wyntjo  \'an  iler  Ilocf. 

Children  of  ( ierrit  (  T,i )  and  Wyntje  \'an  der 
Hoef.  Their  third  child  was  Johannis :  hap.  O- 
tobcr  10.  175*):  Witnesses,  I'ieter  Ennis  and  Ma- 
ria \'an  der  Iloev:  wid.  of  Jaci->bus  Rycknian  :  d. 
Asbun,-.  X.  J..  1833.  He  was  left  an  orphan  child 
and  was  brought  u|)  by  his  .\unt  .Steel.  He  served 
in  the  Revolutionary  army  while  still  under  age. 
He  was  married  three  times.  His  first  wife  has 
been  vaguely  mentioned  as  a  Miss  N'alentine  or  a 
Miss  Day.  There  was  a  child,  Michael,  baptized 
at  Schenectndv.  (  ictol-.cr  2.  17'*).  son  of  Johan 
Scliurman  and  Catarina  Merlelie. 

Children  of  John  (53)  and  Leonard. 

Their  oldest  child  was  Thomas :  m.  September  2. 
1800,  Catherine  .\])]ilegate.  He  lived  and  died  at 
Asbury.  X.  J.  Ilis  descendants  were  mostly  in 
Pennsylvania. 

Children  of  Thomas  (79)  and  Catherine  Apple- 
gate :  Thomas  :  Henry  ;  William  ;  P.ennet ;  La- 
Fayette,  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  ;  Polly  ; 
Rachel :  P.etsey  ;  Catherine  ;  .\manda  :  and  pcrhai^s 
another  daughter. 

James  Schureman  of  another  branch  of  the 
family  was  a  member  of  Congress  from  Xew  Jer- 
sey from  1786  to  1788  and  again  from  1797  until 
1799.  He  was  then  chosen  senator  from  that  state 
to  succeed  John  Rutherford,  serving  from  Decem- 
ber. 1799,  until  February,  1801.  He  was  again 
elected  congressman,  his  term  extending  from 
May  2S.  1813.  to  March.  1815.  His  business  was 
that  of  a  banker  an<l  merchant. 

Jacob  Gould  Schureman,  president  of  Cornell 
University,  like  our  subject,  is  a  descendant  of 
Garrett  Schureman  in  the  sixth  generation  of  the 
family  in  this  country,  and  they  were  born  within 
twenty-thrie  days  of  each  otlier.  In  Revolutionary 
war  times  there  were  seven  members  of  the  family 
fighting  for  independence. 

LaFayette  Scjuireman  came  to  Illinois  at  an 
early  day,  settling  in  Tazewell  county,  where  he 
followed  farming  until  1865.  and  then  after  the 
death  of  his  wife  he  returned  to  Pennsylvania. 
where  he  engaged  in  business  as  a  contractor  and 
builder.  He  had  three  children  l)y  his  tirst  mar- 
riage: David  S. :  Hattie,  who  died  in  infancy; 
Isalwll  became  tlie  wife  of  John  Tucker,  of 
Wilkcsbarre,  Pennsylvania.  P.y  his  second  mar- 
riage he  had  four  children,  of  wliom  one  died  in 
infancy,  while  .Mljert  died  in  Indianapolis,  Indi- 
ana, in  i()02.  The  surviving  son  and  daughter 
are:  Warren,  a  resident  of  Decatur,  Illinois;  and 
Jean.  tlic  wife  of  Will  Scarbough,  a  farmer  near 
Delavan,  Illinois. 


David   Schureman.  son   of   LaFayette   Schure- 
man.  was  a  student   in   the  common   schools  of 
Pittston,  Pennsylvania,  and  in  the  high  school  at 
.Scranton.  that  state,  and  after  putting  aside  his 
text-books  he  drove  mules  in  a  mine  for  a  time. 
He  then  iK'gan  working  for  his  father,  with  whom 
he  reniained  for  three  or  fi>ur  years,  during  which 
time  he  mastered  the  car])enter"s  trade.     He  after- 
ward followed  that  trade  for  a  number  of  years 
or  until  1871,  when  he  went  to  Pittsburg,  where 
he  became  foreman   of  a  building  business.      In 
1S73  he  removed  to  St.  Louis.  Misssouri.  w'here 
he  again  became  a  foreman,  although  at  that  time 
but   twenty-one   years  of  age.     .\lways   fond   of 
music,  he  began  taking  vocal  lessons  under  Pro- 
fessor Malmene  and  sang  in  Christ  church  of  that 
city.     He  likewise  became  interested   in  sanitary 
conditions  of  buildings,  and  took  u])  the  study  of 
architecture,  and  previously,  while  in   Pittsburg, 
he  had  ])ursued  a  course  in  mathematics.     In  the 
seast)n   of    1874  and    1875.   Louise    Kellogg,   the 
noted  prima  donna,  hearing  Mr.  Schureman  sing 
in  St.  Louis,  engaged  him  to  go  upon  the  road 
with  her  opera  company.     Later  he  was  with  the 
lulia   Mathews  Opera  Company  until  her  death 
about  the  close  of  the  season,  and  in  the  season  of 
1875  and  1876  he  sang  with  the  .\Iice  Oates  Opera 
Company.    This  was  the  extent  of  his  operatic  ca- 
reer, for  after  visiting  the  Centennial  Exposition 
at   Philadeliihia   in    1876  he   went  to  Cincinnati, 
where  he  acce])ted  a  position  with  the  firm  of  Dun- 
can   &    I'unten,    contractors,    with    whom    he    re- 
mained until  1880.     In  that  year  he  began  business 
for  himself  as  an  architect,  and  among  the  notable 
buildings   that   he  ])lanned   in   that   city  was  the 
Wcslyan  .\venuc  I'.ajitist  church,  the  Commercial 
Gazette  building,  the  Hammond  building,  the  Sen- 
ator Foraker   residence  and   the   home  of  L.    C. 
I'lack.  law  partner  of  Senator  I'oraker.     He  was 
also  architect  for  the  schoolboard  for  two  years. 
He  likewise  built  a  numlxT  of  carriage  factories, 
including  two  for  the  Scheler  Company.     In  1885 
he  went  to  Moline.  Illinois,  to  build  a  factory  for 
the  .Scheler  Carriage  Company,  and  at  that  time 
opened  a  branch  office  in  Rock  Island.     He  like- 
wise erected  the   Methodist  Episcojial  church   at 
Rock  Island,  and  numerous  other  buildings  there. 
In    1890  he  came  to   Rockford  to  compete  with 
twenty  otlier  architects   for  the  contract   for  the 
.Second  Congregational  church,  and  was  success- 
ful, erecting  the  fine  church  building  to-day  seen. 
Liking   R(X'kford   and   its   pcoi>le.   he   closed   hi« 
offices  in  Cincinnati  and  Rock  Island  and  removed 
to  this  city,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home. 

Mr.  .Schureman  has  furnished  plans  for  the 
building  of  public  and  private  structures  in  Rock- 
forfl  costing  in  the  aggregate  over  eight  hutulred 
thousand  dollars,  including  the  Second  Congrega- 
tional church.  City  Hall.  .Xjiple's  Department 
Store.  Svea  Music  Hall.  Rockford  Brewing  Com- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


761 


pany  plant,  the  Mead  building:,  ^lasonic  Temple, 
F.  J.  Shoudy"s  residence,  the  H.  W.  Buckbee  Seed 
Company  warehouse,  and  the  residences  of  Mrs. 
Julia  Warren,  W.  A.  Stapleton,  Aubrey  Barnes, 
William  Winter.  J.  R.  Whitehead.  Robert  Lind, 
E.  E.  Bartlett.  ¥.' F.  Nelson  and  A.  E.  Lindsey, 
and  also  the  Swedish  Lutheran  parsonage  on 
Third  street.  He  also  built  the  Illinois  building, 
Mendelssohn  Hall,  the  "Rockford"  Hall,  Trinity 
Lutheran  church  and  the  High,  Freeman,  Brown, 
Lincoln.  Hall.  Blake.  Garrison,  Jackson,  I\Ion- 
tague.  St.  AIary"s  and  St.  James'  schools.  No 
further  comment  is  needed  concerning  the  ability 
and  success  of  Mr.  Schureman  in  the  line  of  his 
chosen  profession  to  those  who  know  aught  of 
Rockford  and  her  fine  public  buildings  and  private 
residences. 

In  t88o  Mr.  Schureman  was  married  to  Miss 
Mary  Elizabeth  Ashley,  of  Cincinnati,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  one  son,  Robert  Clinton,  a 
machinist  of  Chicago,  who  wedded  Celina  Roy, 
of  Kankakee,  Illinois.  There  is  one  son  of  this 
marriage,  Roy,  who  is  of  the  eleventh  generation 
of  the  Schureman  family  in  America.  In  1890 
Mr.  Schureman  lost  his  first  wife,  and  in  i8gi  he 
wedded  Nettie  ]\Iay  Slack,  of  Delaware.  Ohio,  a 
daughter  of  LeRoy  P.  and  Adeline  (Terry)  Slack, 
belonging  to  one  of  the  old  families  of  the  United 
States.  There  have  been  three  children  of  this 
marriage,  of  whom  one  died  in  infancy.  David 
S..  who  was  born  on  the  day  that  Colonel  Tom 
Lawler  was  elected  commander-in-chief  of  the 
Grand  Army — September  7,  1894 — is  a  student  in 
the  Hall  school.  Adeline  Isabell,  born  February 
12,  i8g6,  is  also  a  student  in  the  Hall  school. 

Mr.  Schureman  is  a  member  of  Forest  City 
lodge.  No. 12,  A.  O.  U.  W..  and  in  politics  is  a 
stanch  republican.  His  business  career  has  been 
one  of  notable  successes,  ambition  prompting  earn- 
est effort  and  effort  resulting  in  prosperity.  He 
is  now  the  owner  of  several  valuable  patents  in 
heating  and  plumbing. 


THOMAS  M.  CLARK. 

Thomas  ^1.  Clark,  of  Rockford,  who  for  a 
half  centurv  made  his  home  in  this  city,  came  in 
1848  when  this  was  a  small  village.  He  was  bom 
near  Swansea,  New  Hampshire,  September  2, 
1800.  His  father,  James  Clark,  died  in  the  old 
Granite  state  when  quite  young,  and  the  mother 
and  her  children  afterward  came  to  the  west,  locat- 
ing in  Wisconsin,  where  she  and  her  two  daugh- 
ters died.  The  onlv  surviving  members  of  this 
branch  of  the  family  are  a  niece,  Mrs.  Lyons, 
who  resides  in  Hawkeye,  Iowa,  and  another  niece 
in  Kansas. 

Thomas  M.  Clark  obtained  a  good  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  the  east,  largely  in  Boston, 


and  while  there  ne  also  studied  medicine.  He 
continued  to  reside  on  the  Atlantic  coast  until 
about  1848,  when  he  came  to  the  west,  settling  in 
Rockford.  Here  he  began  in  the  jewelry  business 
as  one  of  the  first  merchants  in  that  line  in  the 
city,  but  on  account  of  ill  health  he  soon  aban- 
doned the  business,  selling  out  to  Horace  Buford. 
As  he  had  previously  studied  medicine  he  now  be- 
gan practicing  in  Rockford  as  a  magnetic  healer 
and  built  up  a  large  practice.  He  effected  many 
wonderful  cures,  and  his  powers  in  the  line  of 
magnetic  healing  made  him  a  very  successful  rep- 
resentative of  his  calling. 

Dr.  Clark  was  married  before  coming  to  the 
west  to  Miss  Sarah  Gunn,  of  New  Hampshire, 
who  died  in  this  city,  and  the  only  child  of  this 
marriage,  .\nna  Clark,  died  at  the  age  of  five  years 
and  six  months.  In  Rockford  Mr.  Clark  was 
again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Mrs. 
Ellen  (Morrison)  Leonard,  a  native  of  Hancock 
county,  Illinois,  and  a  daughter  of  \Mlliam  and 
Hannah  (Smith)  Morrison,  the  former  a  native 
of  Baltimore,  Maryland,  and  the  latter  of  Eng- 
land. Mrs.  Morrison  was  twelve  years  of  age 
when  she  came  with  her  father  to  America,  and 
he  was  the  first  merchant  to  introduce  roasted 
cofl^ee  into  Philadeljihia.  Air.  ^Morrison  was  a 
ship-builder  by  trade  and  followed  that  pursuit  in 
Baltimore.  Finallv  he  came  to  the  west,  locating 
on  a  farm  in  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  where  his 
wife  died.  Later  he  removed  to  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, where  he  followed  his  trade  until  his 
life's  labors  were  ended  in  death.  Four  of 
the  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morrison  are 
now  living,  namely :  Mrs.  Clark :  C.  •\. 
^Morrison,  who  is  vice  president  of  the  First 
National  Bank  in  Ellendale.  North  Dakota,  and 
is  also  engaged  in  other  business  enterprises  there  ; 
Arthur  Morrison,  a  well-to-do  commission  mer- 
chant of  Oklahoma  City ;  and  Mrs.  Lenora  Har- 
ford, who  resides  in  AlcClelland.  Florida.  Mrs. 
Clark  was  first  married  to  Theodore  Leonard,  a 
native  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  who  was  a  commercial 
traveler,  and  spent  his  entire  business  life  on  the 
road.  He  died  suddenly  while  visiting  her  par- 
ents in  Hancock  county.  Illinois. 

Dr.  Clark  continued  to  engage  in  practice  here 
until  his  health  failed,  and  he  finally  had  to  give 
up  his  work.  He  had  already  invested  in  land  in 
\'ernon,  Wisconsin,  and  he  again  went  to  that 
place,  where  he  purchased  more  land,  but  he  lived 
there  for  only  a  year.  He  then  began  traveling 
for  his  health,  visiting  California  and  other  parts 
of  the  country,  and  he  lived  a  retired  life  for 
twelve  years  or  until  called  to  his  final  home.  He 
passed  away  in  the  house  which  is  now  occupied 
by  his   widow,   his   death   occurring  October   21. 

He  was  a  democrat  in  politics  and  in  early  life 
a  member  of  the  Alasonic  fraternitv.     He  did  not 


762 


PAST    AND     TKESEXT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


hold  membership  with  aiiv  relifjious  cleiioniiiiation. 
but  contributed  to  the  sui)|x>rt  of  the  I'aptist 
church  of  Rockford.  In  his  later  years  lie  sold 
his  Wisconsin  property  and  invested  in  city  prop- 
erty in  Rockford.  His  business  operations  were 
usually  attended  with  a  very  desirable  measure 
of  success,  and  he  iK-came  the  jM>ssessor  of  a  com- 
fortable com]>etence.  .so  that  his  widow  was  left 
in  easy  financial  circumstances.  She  now  owns 
much  valuable  residence  property  in  the  most  de- 
sirable section  of  Rockford,  antl  the  rental  from 
this  brinj^s  her  a  pratifyinjj  ina)me.  She  is  now 
residinj;  at  the  old  Hlinn  home  at  \o.  510  North 
Horsman  street. 


JOHN   A.   TAYI-OR. 

For  years  no  new  names  were  added  to  the 
list  of  dead  heroes  of  our  .\merican  soldier  hoys, 
but  in  i8<>8  the  blast  of  strife  attain  soimded, 
causiu}.;-  the  .American  citizens  to  thronjj  to  the 
support  of  the  nation,  and  at  that  time  John  A. 
Ta_\lor  was  ainong  those  who  foufjht  for  rights 
and  liberty.  He  was  for  many  years  a  w^ell 
known  youn.a:  man  of  Rockford.  and  his  death, 
which  occurred  here  as  the  result  of  an  accident, 
was  the  occasion  of  very  deep  and  widespread 
refjret.  He  was  horn  in  the  cast,  his  parents  being 
Samuel  and  Catherine  Taylor,  who  were  also 
natives  of  the  east  hut  now  reside  in  Chicago,  the 
father  being  engaged  in  the  creamery  business 
both  in  that  city  and  in  Rockford. 

John  A.  Taylor  was  a  young  lad  when  he  ac- 
companied his  parents  to  Illinois.  lie  acquired 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  afterward 
learned  the  butter-maker's  trade  which  he  fol- 
lowed here  until  his  removal  to  Westfield, 
Illinois,  where  he  remaineil  for  several  years.  He 
then  returned  to  Rockford,  and  accepted  a  good 
position  in  the  gluco.se  factor}-,  of  which  his 
father  was  foreman.  There  he  was  emplo\-ed 
until  the  nth  of  March,  1903.  On  that  day  the 
machinery  of  the  factory  stoppefl  nmning  and 
Mr.  Taylor  going  to  investigate  was  caught  in 
the  machinery  when  it  started  up  again  and  was 
smothered  to  death  before  help  could  reach  him. 

In  Rockford.  in  1902,  he  had  been  married  to 
Miss  Xada  Kaker.  a  native  of  Elton,  Illinois,  and 
a  daughter  of  William  H.  and  Charlotte  A. 
fShamiour)  P.aker.  The  father  was  a  native  of 
New  "S'ork  and  removed  from  that  state  to 
Canada,  where  he  met  and  married  Miss 
Shamiour.  a  native  of  that  country.  They  re- 
sided there  until  1865,  when  they  came  to  Winne- 
bago county,  Illinois,  taking  up  their  abode  in  the 
village  of  Rockford.  Mr.  Baker  was  a  black- 
smith and  machinist  by  trade  and  followed  those 
pursuits  for  several  years.  Subse(iuently  he  re- 
moved  to   Elton.   Illinois,   where  he   engaged   in 


blacksmithing  for  two  years  and  then  returned  to 
Rockton.  wiiere  he  again  worked  at  liis  trade 
until  1900.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
came  to  Rockford,  where  he  and  his  wife  are  now 
living  and  where  he  is  employed  as  a  machinist. 
There  were  nine  children  bom  unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Baker,  four  of  whom  reside  with  their  parents. 
Unto  ;\lr.  and  Mrs.  Taylor  was  born  a  son, 
Charles  Arthur,  whose  birth  occurred  August  9, 
1903,  after  the  father's  death.  Mr.  Taylor 
was  a  memlx^r  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  camp,  of 
Elida,  and  held  offices  in  that  organization,  to 
which  he  was  called  by  his  fellow  nicml>ers  who 
entertained  for  him  the  warmest  regard.  He  also 
belonged  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity  and 
in  matters  of  citizenship  he  was  public  spirited 
and  progressive,  always  interested  in  everything 
that  tended  to  promote  the  general  welfare.  At 
the  time  of  the  Spanish-American  war  he  again 
demonstrated  his  loyalty  to  the  government  by  en- 
listing in  Company  H.  of  the  Second  Batallion, 
under  Colonel  Fred  Bennett,  of  Rockford.  He 
held  membership  in  the  State  Street  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  to  which  all  of  the  members  of 
the  Baker  and  Taylor  families  belong.  Mrs. 
Taylor  and  her  jiarents  now  reside  at  No.  11 17 
(Ireen  street  and  she  is  in  comfortable  financial 
circumstances,  having  received  a  goodly  amount 
of  insurance  at  the  time  of  her  husband  s  death. 


AKS   M.   X(  )L1XC 


Lars  .\I.  Xuling.  whose  connection  with  many 
of  the  leading  business  interests  and  whose  ac- 
tivity in  political  circles  make  him  one  of  the  rep- 
resentative and  honored  citizens  of  Rockford.  was 
born  in  Sweden,  May  4.  1843.  He  acc|uired  a 
good  common-school  education  in  his  native  coun- 
try, and  in  his  home  was  instructed  in  the  value 
of  industry  and  integrity  as  motive  forces  in  the 
affairs  of  life.  He  remained  a  resident  of  his 
native  land  until  1864.  when  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  vears,  he  bade  adieu  to  friends  and  family  and 
emigrated  to  the  United  States.  The  favorable 
reports  which  he  had  heard  concerning  this  coun- 
try attracted  him.  Landing  on  the  shores  of  Xew 
■S'ork  he  made  his  way  direct  to  Rockford.  IHi- 
nois,  where  he  arrived  with  very  limited  capital, 
but  with  strong  determination  and  laudable  ambi- 
tion. Here  he  entered  the  emjiloy  of  John  .Xel- 
son,  a  native  of  Sweden,  who  was  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  sa.sh,  dtmrs  and  blinds.  Mr.  Xo- 
ling  had  already  acquired  some  knowledge  of  the 
use  of  edge  tools  in  his  native  countrA-.  and  dis- 
played considerable  natural  mechanical  ingenuity 
in  working  in  wood.  He  continued  in  the  employ 
of  Mr.  Xelson  for  two  years,  and  ior  twenty-one 
years  did  contract  work  for  X.  t'.  Thompson,  em- 


TOHN  A.  TAYLOR. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


765 


plo}ing  other  men.  His  proficiency  increased,  so 
that  his  labors  brought  to  him  a  good  financial 
return,  enabHng  him  to  command  positions  of 
trust  and  responsibiHty.  Saving  his  earnings  he 
invested  his  capital  in  enterprises  which  he  be- 
lieved would  return  him  good  profit.  His  name 
has  now  long  been  associated  with  the  successful 
conduct  of  many  important  concerns  of  the  citv, 
and  he  is  to-day  the  president  of  the  Rockford 
Furniture  &  ITndertaking  Companv.  of  tlie 
Skandia  Coal  &  Liunber  Company,  the  Swedish 
Building  &  Loan  Association,  the  Rockford  Man- 
ufacturing Company,  the  Mechanics'  Furniture 
Company,  the  Forest  City  Bit  &  Tool  Company, 
the  Rockford  Union  Grocery  Company  and  Skan- 
dinavian  Ceinetery  Association.  The  hope  that 
led  him  to  leave  his  native  land  and  seek  a  home 
in  America  has  been  more  than  realized.  He 
found  the  opportunities  he  desired — whicli,  by 
the  way,  are  always  o])en  to  the  ambitious,  ener- 
getic man — and  making  the  best  of  these  he  stead- 
ily worked  his  way  upward.  He  possessed  the  res- 
olution, perseverance  and  reliability  so  charac- 
teristic of  people  of  his  nation,  and  his  name  is 
now  enrolled  among  the  best  citizens  of  Winne- 
bago county,  and  has  become  synonymous  not 
only  with  successful  dealing,  but  also  with  in- 
tegrity in  all  active  business  affairs. 

In  1866  Mr.  Noling  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Josephine  Johnson,  a  daughter  of  Peter 
Johnson.  She  is  a  native  of  Sweden  and  emi- 
grated to  the  new  world  in  her  girlhood  days  in 
1854.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Noling  now  have  one  daugh- 
ter. Mary,  who  is  the  wife  of  S.  E.  Erricson,  and 
has  three  children,  William,  Marion  and  Helen. 

Although  controlling  and  promoting  many  im- 
portant business  enterprises  of  considerable  mag- 
nitude Mr.  Noling  has  found  time  to  devote  to  the 
public  welfare  and  has  ever  thoroughly  informed 
himself  concerning  the  questions  and  issues  of  the 
day  bearing  upon  our  social,  economic  and  po- 
litical life.  In  1892  he  was  chosen  by  popular 
ballot  a  member  of  the  general  assembly  from 
the  tenth  legislative  district  and  in  1895  and 
1897  he  was  re-elected  so  that  for  three  terms 
he  served  as  a  member  of  the  house.  He  took  a 
very  active  part  in  the  discussion  of  important 
bills  and  measures  of  direct  interest  to  the  com- 
monwealth and  was  concerned  in  constructive 
legislation  as  a  member  of  various  important  com- 
mittees. He  did  not  seek  to  figure  prominently 
on  the  floor  of  the  house,  but  he  used  his  influ- 
ence and  efforts  to  advance  whatever  cause  he 
deemed  would  ])rove  beneficial  to  the  state,  and 
with  equal  resolution  and  energy  he  opposed  each 
measure  which  he  thought  would  prove  detri- 
mental. He  was  on  the  committee  on  railroads 
and  on  municipal  corporations  and  chairman  on 
the  home,  loan  and  building  associations,  and  he 
rendered  efficient   service.     He  has  always  been 


untiring  in  his  advocac)'  of  the  republican  party, 
and  in  lyoo  was  elected  a  member  of  the  school 
board,  in  which  capacity  he  is  now  serving  the 
fifth  year.  He  has  likewise  manifested  a  helpful 
interest  in  church  work  in  his  city,  he  and  his 
wife  being  valued  and  consistent  members  of  the 
First  Swedish  Lutheran  church,  while  upon  the 
church  board  he  has  served  for  over  thirty-seven 
\ears.  and  has  been  chairman  of  the  board  for 
twent)'  years.  In  his  four  years  as  a  member  of 
the  schoolboard.  the  cause  of  education  ever  found 
in  him  a  friend. 

He  has  never  concentrated  his  energies  upon 
his  business  affairs  to  the  exclusion  of  other  in- 
terests in  life  concerning  man's  relation  to  his 
fellowmen,  to  his  country  and  his  church.  Yet 
to  those  who  would  win  material  prosperity  we 
would  say  that  the  life  record  of  Mr.  Noling  con- 
tains man\-  lessons  worthy  of  consideration  and 
emulation.  His  success  in  all  his  undertakings 
has  been  so  marked  that  his  methods  are  of  in- 
terest to  the  commercial  world.  He  has  based  his 
Ijusiness  principles  and  actions  upon  strict  ad- 
herence to  the  rules  which  govern  industry,  econ- 
omy and  strict  unswerving  integrity.  His  enter- 
prise and  progressive  spirit  have  made  him  a 
tvpical  American  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  and 
he  well  deserves  mention  in  history.  What  he  is 
to-day  he  has  made  himself,  for  he  began  in  the 
worki  with  nothing  but  his  own  energy  and  will- 
ing hands  to  aid  him.  By  constant  exertion,  as- 
sociated with  good  judgment,  he  has  raised  him- 
self to  the  prominent  position  which  he  now  holds, 
having  the  friendship  of  many  and  the  respect  of 
all  who  kn<iw  him.  In  1893  ^^^-  doling  erected 
a  beautiful  residence  at  No.  1508  Kishwaukee 
street,  where  he  and  his  family  are  now  living. 


H.  B.  CHASE. 


H.  B.  Chase,  a  retired  farmer  of  Cherry  \'al- 
lev  township,  now  living  in  Rockford,  is  num- 
bered among  the  earliest  settlers  of  the  county. 
He  was  born  near  Concord.  New  Hampshire,  in 
1829,  his  parents  being  Ira  A.  and  Hannah  E. 
(Cate)  Chase.  The  father,  grandfather  and 
great-grandfather  were  all  natives  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  the  last  named  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolutionary  war,  fighting  for  the  independence 
of  the  country.  The  family  is  of  English  lineage, 
and  was  established  in  America  in  early  colonial 
days.  Ira  .\.  Chase  became  a  well-to-do  farmer, 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  died  in  New  Hamp- 
shire. 

H.  B.  Chase  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  that  state,  but  did  not  have  the  privi- 
lege of  attending  after  eight  years  of  age.  He 
came  to  Illinois  in  ]\[arch.  1858,  settling  in  Cher- 


766 


PAST    AXD     I'RKSEXT     OF    WIXXEBAGO     COIXTV. 


ry  \  alley  lownsliip,  W'iniu'bafio  county,  where 
he  purchased  a  farm,  the  <leed  heariuy;  date  of 
April.  1859.  It  was  formerly  owned  by  Joseph 
H.  Lake,  who  entered  the  land  from  the  g;ovcrn- 
nient.  and  this  property  is  still  owned  by  Mr. 
Chase,  who  has  jjreatly  improved  it  by  the  erec- 
tion of  tine  buildings,  the  plantinjj  of  trees  and 
the  cultivatiiijj  of  the  fields.  He  resided  ujion 
the  farm  for  thirty  years,  successfully  and  en- 
eri;etically  carrying  on  agricultural  pursuits 
throughout  that  entire  period,  after  which  he  re- 
moved to  Rockford  in  1890,  to  enjoy  a  well 
earned  rest  in  the  retirement  from  all  further 
labor.  He  shortly  afterward  jnirchascd  the  home 
where  he  now  resides  at  Xo.  321  Xorth  Tliird 
street,  but  he  still  owns  two  hundred  acres  of 
valuable  farming  land,  well  im])riivcd.  in  Cherry 
\  alley  townshi]). 

When  on  his  way  to  Illinois  Mr.  Chase  stopped 
in  ( )hio.  near  Cleveland,  where  he  remained  for 
two  years,  and  then  continued  his  westward  jour- 
ney. During  liis  residence  in  the  liuckeye  state 
he  assisted  in  building  the  railroad  between 
Cleveland  and  Toledo.  It  w-as  also  in  that  period 
that  he  was  married,  in  1837.  to  Miss  Catherine 
Hamiaford.  a  native  of  Cleveland,  who  was  born 
there  in  May.  1834.  her  jwrents  lieing  Rueben  and 
Xancy  (Foster)  Hannaford.  Her  father  was  a 
farmer  by  ()ccu])ati<iii.  and  both  he  and  his  wife 
die<l  in  (  )hio.  They  left  two  sons :  John,  a  resi- 
dent of  Cleveland:  and  Charles  .\.,  who  is  living 
in  Traverse  City.  Michigan,  while  Mrs.  Chase 
is  the  only  surviving  <Iaughter  of  the  family.  Her 
grandfather.  Abiah  Foster,  was  in  congress  for 
si.xteen  years,  and  signed  important  bills  in  the 
continental  congress.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Chase  has  been  blessed  with  si.x  sons  and  a 
daughter:  Charles  married  Emma  Cochrane 
and  both  have  now  passed  away,  leaving  two 
children:  Ira.  who  is  engaged  in  the  insurance 
business,  traveling  on  the  road,  married  Stella 
I'.arnes.  by  whom  he  has  three  children,  and  thev 
make  their  home  in  Chicago;  Frank  H.,  a  teach- 
er in  the  high  school  of  Chicago,  married  Ida 
(iayton  and  has  two  sons:  (jeorge  married  Jennie 
Dickerman  and  died  leaving  three  children,  who 
are  with  their  mother  in  Rockford;  Artinir  T.,  a 
resident  of  Xew  Milford.  Illmois.  married  ."Kcldie 
Rosecrance  and  has  two  children  ;  Estella  is  the 
wife  of  Frank  Rosecrance,  of  Ogle  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  has  two  chiUlren  ;  Harry  IT.,  who  is 
manager  of  the  advertising  department  of  a  ncws- 
pa[)er  office  in  Colorado  Springs.  Colora<ln,  mar- 
ried Ida   I'.arnes  and  has  one  child. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chase  now  reside  in  Rockford 
but  fr)r  some  time  the  latter  has  been  an  invalid. 
They  attend  the  First  Congregational  church,  and 
their  children  and  grandchiblren  (the  latter  fif- 
teen in  number)  are  all  church  people,  the  five 
sons   of   the    family    having  been    Sundav-school 


su])erintendents.  so  that  the  intUience  of  the  fani- 
il\  has  been  a  strong  element  for  religious  devel- 
o])ment.  In  his  ])olitical  views  Mr.  Chase  is  a 
rei)ublicaii.  and  his  father  was  a  whig  and  a  ])er- 
sonal  friend  of  Horace  Greeley.  He  is  a  self- 
made  man  who  has  accumulated  his  property  en- 
tirely through  his  own  labors.  When  he  first 
came  to  the  county  ho  found  here  a  largely  unim- 
proved district,  in  wiiich  homes  were  widely 
scattered,  little  ]>rogress  having  been  m.ide  in 
material,  intellectual  or  moral  lines.  At  liiat  time 
religious  services  were  held  for  several  years  in 
the  schoolhouse  on  what  was  called  the  island, 
a  ISaptist  church  having  been  organized  there. 
Later  there  came  Irish  Catholic  families — the 
.Mc.Maurs.  Dolans  and  others.  ( )ne  of  the  events 
which  remains  viviiil\  in  the  memory  of  Mr. 
Chase  was  hearing  a  lecture  by  H.  H.  Waldo 
upon  the  subject  of  the  Real  and  the  Ideal.  He 
takes  just  ])ride  in  what  has  been  accom|)lished 
in  the  comity  and  in  the  state,  and  through  long 
years  has  been  an  interested  witness  of  the  growth 
and  development  of  Illinois.  .\one  have  ever 
doubted  the  sincerity  of  Mr.  Lha.se  or  his  devo- 
tion to  the  jirinciples  in  which  he  believes,  and  all 
who  know  him  entertain  for  him  the  warmest 
regard. 


VRVA)    !•;.   STJ':RLiXG. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  at  Dixon, 
Illinois.  June  29,  1869.  being  the  third  son  of 
Edward  and  Irene  IJivins  .Sterling,  early  set- 
tlers of  tliat  section.  The  first  ten  years  of  his 
boyhood  were  spent  in  Dixon,  where  he  attended 
the  public  schools  until  1880,  wdien  his  parents 
removed  to  Huron,  South  Dakota,  and  settled 
on  a  farm  near  that  place.  They  were  among 
the  pioneers  of  central  Dakota  (then  a  terri- 
tory), the  subject  of  this  sketch  assisting  his 
fatlier  and  brothers  in  developing  one  of  the 
first  farms  in  Beadle  county.  He  attended  the 
public  schools  at  Huron  during  the  winter  terms 
and  wciirked  oh  his  father's  farm  during  the 
summer  until  the  age  of  fourteen  years,  when 
he  entered  ncwspa])er  work  with  the  Huron  Daily 
Times,  which  avocation  he  has  since  followed, 
with  the  exception  of  three  years. 

Mr.  Sterling,  in  his  boyhood,  was  consi.intly 
thrown  in  C(Mitact  with  men  of  much  more  ma- 
ture years  than  himself,  socially,  politically  and 
in  a  business  way.  in  the  develoiiment  of  the  terri- 
tory. On  the  promotion  of  Judge  Louis  K.  Church, 
of  Huron,  to  the  governorshi])  of  Dakota.  Mr. 
Sterling,  who,  although  youthful  in  years,  had 
been  his  close  friend  and  companion,  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  position  of  assistant  commissioner 
of  immigration,  in  which  capacity  he  had  much 
to  d<p   with   the   |>reparation   and   distribution   of 


FRED  E.  STERLING. 


PAST     AND     PRESH.VT     OI"     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


769 


literature  and  statistics  extolling  the  wonders  of 
the  territor}-,  resulting  in  its  rapid  settlement  by 
home-seekers  from  the  eastern  states.  Near  the 
close  of  his  term  of  office  he  resigned  this  posi- 
tion to  accept  the  management  of  the  Dakota 
edition  to  the  St.  Paul  Globe,  a  supplement  is- 
sued with  the  daily  each  Saturday  and  devoted 
to  the  interests  of  the  territory.  In  1890  he 
came  to  Rockford  to  accept  the  city  editorship 
of  the  Morning  Star,  which  paper  he  served  for 
a  3-ear  and  left  to  take  a  similar  position  with 
Register  -  Gazette  on  the  consolidation  of 
the  two  evening  newspapers.  In  the  service  of 
the  latter  he  continued  for  nine  years  when  he 
resigned  to  take  up  other  work.  During  that 
period  he  also  served  as  the  special  Rockford 
correspondent  of  the  Associated  Press,  the  Chi- 
cago Inter-Ocean.  Times-Herald.  Chronicle, 
Evening  Post.  Journal,  St.  Louis  Globe-Demo- 
crat and  other  metropolitan  newspapers.  On 
October  i,  1903,  Air.  Sterling  purchased  an  in- 
terst  in  The  Register-Gazette  and  assumed  the 
editorship  of  the  same. 

Ever  since  he  became  a  resident  of  Rockford 
Mr.  Sterling  has  taken  an  active,  aggressive  part 
in  the  business,  political  and  social  life  of  the 
city  and  lent  his  hearty  assistance  to  every  move- 
ment looking  to  its  progress,  welfare  and  up- 
building. He  enjoys  the  honor  and  distinction 
of  having  been  the  youngest  man  ever  elected  in 
Rockford  as  a  member  of  the  city  council.  He 
represented  the  third  ward  as  an  alderman  for 
eight  years,  until  the  spring  of  1903,  when,  be- 
cause of  other  duties,  he  declined  to  serve  longer, 
after  having  received  a  unanimous  caucus  re- 
nomination.  He  was  recognized  as  one  of  the 
leaders  of  the  council,  a  fine  parliamentarian  and 
ready  debater.  During  his  term  of  office  he 
served  either  as  chairman  or  a  member  of  the 
most  important  council  committees,  was  for  three 
years  secretary  of  the  board  of  local  improve- 
ments and  secured  for  his  ward  many  needed  im- 
provements, including  the  new  Blake  school 
building.  On  his  retirement  from  the  council  he 
was  presented  by  his  friends  with  a  very  hand- 
some diamond  ring. 

Mr.  Sterling  is  a  stanch  republican  and  has 
taken  an  active  part  in  city,  county  and  state 
politics,  serving  as  a  delegate  from  \'\''innebago 
county  in  every  state  convention  for  the  past 
eight  years  or  more.  He  served  three  terms  as 
secretary  of  the  Winnebago  county  republican 
central  committee,  being  elected  chairman  of  the 
same  in  1904.  During  the  presidential  and 
gubernatorial  campaign  01  1900  he  was  secretary 
and  manager  of  the  press  bureau  conducted  by 
the  republican  state  central  committee  in  Chi- 
cago, supplying  party  literature  and  statistics  to 
the  country  press. 


In  1901  Mr.  Sterling  was  appointed  by  Gov- 
ernor Yates  as  land  commissioner  of  the  Illinois 
&  Michigan  canal,  which  he  held  until  July,  1904, 
when  he  was  appointed  as  a  member  of  the  board 
of  managers  of  the  Illinois  State  Reformatory, 
located  at  Pontiac.  During  the  legislative  ses- 
sion of  1903  he  served  as  assistant  secretary  to 
the  chief  executive  at  Springfield.  He  enjoys 
an  extensive  acquaintance  with  and  the  friend- 
ship of  a  host  of  prominent  politicians  and  pub- 
lishers throughout  the  state. 

In  February,  igoi,  Mr.  Sterling  was  appointed 
receiver  of  the  Manufacturers'  &  Merchants' 
Mutual  Insurance  Company,  of  Rockford.  by 
the  circuit  court.  He  made  an  enviable  record 
for  himself  in  winding  up  the  aflfairs  of  this 
compau}',  paying  all  loss  claims  in  full  and  se- 
curing his  final  discharge  within  two  years  from 
the  date  of  his  ap]iointment. 

Ele  is  a  member  of  the  Elks,  Knights  of 
Pythias,  Royal  League,  Modern  Woodmen  and 
Home  PVaternal  League. 

On  December  17,  1901.  Mr.  Sterling  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Anna  C.  Parmele  and  two  children 
have  been  born  to  them,  Arthur  Edward  and 
Olive  Irene.  His  home  is  at  no  West  street, 
Rockford. 


ALONZO  BACHELDER. 

Alonzo  Bacheldcr.  although  a  resident  of  Rock- 
ford for  but  a  brief  period,  became  well  known 
among  the  business  men  here  and  gained  many 
friends.  He  was  born  in  Strafiford,  C)range  coun- 
ty. Vemiont,  December  16,  1820.  His  parents 
always  resided  in  the  east  and  both  died  in  the 
Green  Mountain  state.  In  the  schools  of  Ver- 
mont Alonzo  Bachelder  acquired  a  good  educa- 
tion and  then,  attracted  by  the  better  business  op- 
portunities of  the  west,  he  came  to  the  Mississippi 
valley,  locating  in  Fond  du  Lac,  Wisconsin,  where 
he  secured  a  position  as  express  messenger,  being 
the  first  one  to  occupy  that  position  on  the  rail- 
road between  Milwaukee  and  Oshkosh,  Wiscon- 
sin. For  several  years  he  was  thus  engaged,  after 
\\diich  he  married  and  removed  to  Sheboygan 
Falls,  Wisconsin,  where  he  had  charge  of  a  flour- 
ing mill  for  a  few  years.  On  the  expiration  of 
that  period  he  returned  to  Fond  du  Lac,  where 
he  learned  the  carriage-maker's  trade,  following 
that  pursuit  until  he  first  came  to  Rockford.  Here 
he  entered  the  employ  of  his  brother-in-law.  Dr. 
j\I.  D.  Ogden,  with  whom  he  continued  for  sev- 
eral years,  but  because  of  failing  health  he  re- 
turned to  Fond  du  Lac,  where  he  again  followed 
carriage  trimming.  Later  he  began  traveling  for 
his  health  and  received  treatment  in  Boston  and 
New  York.     He  also  took  an  ocean  trip  in  the 


770 


PAST     AXL)     rUllSKXT     OF     WTXXKBAGO     CUL'XTY. 


hope  of  being  benefited  thereby  and  eventually  he 
returned  to  Chicago  for  further  medical  treatment 
but  grew  worse  instead.  He  then  again  made  his 
way  to  his  old  home  in  Fond  du  Lac,  where  his 
death  occurred  on  the  22d  of  May,  1871. 

About  sixteen  years  before  that  time  .Mr.  Bach- 
elder  had  been  married,  on  the  19th  of  June,  1855, 
in  Fond  du  Lac,  to  Aliss  Eliza  A.  Ogden,  a  native 
of  Cooksville,  Canada,  bom  September  20,  1831, 
and  a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Sarah  (Cook)  Og- 
den. Her  father  was  a  farmer  of  Canada  and 
removed  thence  to  Fond  du  Lac,  where  he  re- 
sided for  a  few  years.  He  then  came  to  Winne- 
bago county,  Illinois,  and  purchased  a  farm  in 
Cherry  X'alley  township,  where  he  carried  on  gen- 
eral fanning  until  his  death  on  the  3d  of  January, 
1874.  His  wife  survived  him  until  the  8th  of 
August,  1880.  They  were  pioneer  settlers  of  this 
county  and  were  well  known,  while  high  regard 
was  ever  given  them  by  those  with  whom  they 
came  in  contact.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ogden  were 
born  four  children,  who  are  yet  living:  Mrs. 
BaclieUler ;  Mrs.  Starkweather,  also  a  resident  of 
Rockford ;  Georgia  Gertrude,  who  is  living  in 
Loyalton,  California:  and  E.  J.  liacheldcr.  who  is 
a  practicing  physician  of  Chicago. 

.Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bachelcler  became  the  parents  of 
five  children,  of  whom  three  are  yet  living:  Laura, 
the  eldest,  born  June  26,  1856,  became  the  wife 
of  Qiarles  P.  Woodruff,  who  died  in  Connells- 
ville,  Xew  York.  They  had  four  children — Geor- 
gia LucUa.  Tnnnan  J.,  P.ert  and  .S.  Mitchell — all 
of  whom  are  living  with  their  mother,  .\fter  los- 
ing her  first  husband  Mrs.  Woodruff  became  the 
wife  of  William  .\.  Jackson,  who  was  a  barber 
of  Rockford  and  died  in  this  city.  There  was  one 
child  by  that  union.  Bessie  May,  who  is  a  stenog- 
rapher of  Rockford.  Fred  AL  Bachelder,  bom 
April  24,  1838,  married  Lucy  P.alderson  and  is  a 
shipping  clerk,  residing  in  Rockford.  Carlton, 
born  Xovember  19,  1859,  has  been  twice  married. 
After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  he  wedded  P>essie 
Cowper.  who  is  also  deceased.  He  is  now  en- 
gaged with  the  Springfield  Transfer  Comi)any  at 
.Springfield.  Illinois.  Of  the  daughters  who  ])assed 
away  I<la  May  died  in  childhood,  and  .\ddie.  who 
became  the  wife  of  Professor  George  Blakeley. 
died  in  Saginaw,  Michigan,  October  15.  1890. 

When  Mr.  Bachelder  was  called  to  his  final  rest 
his  remains  were  interred  by  the  Independent  Or- 
der of  Olid  Fellows,  of  which  lodge  he  had  long 
been  a  consistent  and  exemplary  member,  acting 
at  times  in  various  oflfices,  l>eing  for  years  noble 
grand.  His  wife  was  also  connected  with  the 
ladies'  auxiliary — the  Rebekah  lodge — at  Fond  du 
Lac.  His  political  views  were  in  accord  with 
republican  principles  and  he  always  cast  his  ballot 
for  the  men  and  measures  of  the  party.  He  held 
membership  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


to  which  his  wife  also  belonged,  and  he  was 
known  as  an  earnest  Christian  man,  justly  merit- 
ing the  regard  in  which  he  was  uniformly  held. 
For  some  time  he  was  the  owner  of  much  valuable 
property  in  Fond  du  Lac,  including  the  site  of 
the  leading  hotel  of  that  city,  and  he  traded  the 
same  for  a  pair  of  boots.  He  afterward  owned 
other  proi)erty  there  and  also  a  farm  near  Fond 
du  Lac,  making  judicious  investment  in  real  es- 
tate. He  was  a  very  charitable  man,  of  kindly 
spirit  and  generous  disposition,  and  the  poor  and 
needy  found  in  him  a  friend.  He  was  also  chari- 
table in  thought  as  well  as  act.  never  judging  his 
fellowmen  harshly,  and  to  his  family  he  was  a 
devoted  husband  and  father.  Since  her  husband's 
death  Mrs.  Bachelder  has  returned  to  Rockford 
and  has  since  lived  with  her  children,  now  mak- 
ing her  home  with  her  daughter.  Mrs.  Jackson,  at 
Xo.  725  Qiestnut  street. 


REV.  NICHOLAS  B.WARD  CLINCH. 

Rev.  Nicholas  Bayard  Clinch,  rector  of  Eman- 
uel Episcopal  church  at  Rockford,  was  bom  in 
Waynesville,  Georgia.  February  3.  1864.  His 
parents  were  Duncan  Lamont  and  Susan  A. 
(Hopk-ins)  Clinch.  The  founders  of  the  family 
in  .\merica  came  from  England  during  an  early 
epoch  in  the  colonization  of  the  new  world  and 
their  descendants  have  since  been  prominent  in 
affairs  of  state  in  the  south.  The  grandfather  of 
Rev.  Clinch  was  General  Duncan  Lamont  Clinch, 
who  won  his  title  through  service  in  the  Ignited 
States  army  and  he  also  represented  his  district 
in  congress.  His  son  and  namesake  was  the  owner 
of  a  large  rice  plantation  and  served  as  a  soldier 
in  the  Confederate  army.  He  died  about  1893, 
having  for  several  years  survived  his  wife,  whose 
death  occurred  in  1885.  They  were  the  parents 
of  ten  children,  but  five  have  passed  away. 

Rev.  Clinch,  the  fifth  of  the  family,  acquired 
his  education  under  the  instmction  of  liis  parents 
upon  the  home  plantation  until  thirteen  years  of 
age,  when  he  entered  Cheltenham  .\cademy.  at 
Philadelphia,  from  which  he  was  graduated  with 
the  class  of  1882.  Coming  to  the  west,  he  ac- 
cejjted  a  position  in  Chicago  as  a  member  of  the 
clerical  force  in  the  hardware  house  of  Hibbard, 
.Spencer.  Bartlett  Coni)>any.  with  whom  he  re- 
mained for  six  vears.  when  determining  to  devote 
his  life  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  he  entered  the 
Western  Theological  Seminary  at  Chicago  and 
completed  the  regular  course,  after  which  he  was 
ordained  to  tlie  priesthood  of  the  Episcopal  church 
in  i8rj5.  He  was  then  called  to  the  pastorate  of 
Emanuel  church  at  Rockford.  after  a  year  spent 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


771 


in  Grace  church  at  Chicago,  and  since  December, 
1896,  has  hved  and  labored  here,  with  conscien- 
tious zeal  and  untiring  devotion. 

On  the  1st  of  January.  1895.  Rev.  Clinch  was 
united  in  the  holy  bonds  of  matrimony  to  Aliss 
Alice  Dyer  Loring,  a  daughter  of  Airs.  Stella 
Dyer  Loring,  of  Chicago,  and  they  now  have  one 
son,  Nicholas  Bayard,  Jr.,  born  June  19,  1898. 

Rev.  CHnch  is  a  member  of  Rockford  lodge, 
I.  O.  O.  F.  He  is  really  independent  in  politics, 
though  with  democratic  tendencies,  and  is  never 
remiss  in  citizenship  relating  to  the  welfare  and 
progress  of  the  city,  although  devoting  the  great- 
er part  of  his  time  to  the  duties  and  offices  of  his 
high  calling. 


HON.  FRANK  S.  REGAN. 

Hon.  Frank  S.  Regan,  legislator,  lecturer  and 
cartoonist,  whose  reputation  is  not  limited  by  the 
boundaries  of  his  county  or  state,  but  has  spread 
abroad,  as  he  has  addressed  the  public  from  the 
platform,  is  known  to-day  as  an  influential  factor 
in  molding  public  opinion  along  lines  that  work 
for  good  to  humanity.  He  was  born  in  Rockford, 
October  3,  1862,  his  father  having  become  a  resi- 
dent of  this  city  in  1840,  at  which  date  he  found 
here  a  small  town,  giving  little  promise  of  its 
present  metropolitan  development.  Mr.  Regan 
was  educated  in  the  city  schools  and  entered  busi- 
ness life  in  connection  with  the  compilation  of  a 
set  of  abstract  books  of  Winnebago  county  in 
company  with  Girdon  O.  Williams.  It  required 
seven  years  to  complete  this  task.  In  1887  Mr. 
Regan  was  appointed  to  the  position  of  stenog- 
rapher in  the  Illinois  legislature  and  after  com- 
pleting the  abstract  work  he  entered  upon  the 
reading  of  law  in  the  office  of  A.  D.  Early,  being 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1895,  since  which  time  he 
has  met  with  marked  success  in  his  practice.  He 
has  been  accorded  a  large  clientage. 

While  he  has  become  known  in  his  home  dis- 
trict as  an  able  practitioner  at  the  bar.  Mr.  Regan 
has  become  still  more  widely  known  in  connection 
with  his  work  in  behalf  of  the  cause  of  temper- 
ance. He  has  been  active  and  untiring  in  his  la- 
bors in  this  direction  for  many  years  and  served 
as  president  of  the  No  License  organization  in 
Rockford.  upon  which  ticket  he  was  elected  an 
alderman  from  the  fourth  ward  in  1895.  serving 
for  two  years.  He  identified  liimself  with  the 
prohibition  party  soon  after  the  campaign  of  1896 
and  was  elected  to  represent  his  district  in  the 
state  legislature  on  the  prohibition  ticket,  being 
the  only  man  so  chosen  that  year  in  the  United 
States.  In  the  campaign  of  1902  he  was  a  candi- 
date for  congress.  He  has  made  a  close  and  dis- 
criminating: studv  of  the  issues  now  before  the 


public  and  he  has  delivered  many  addresses  upon 
the  questions  which  are  claiming  general  attention. 
As  a  lecturer  he  has  received  favorable  comment 
from  press  and  public  and  his  ability  as  an  artist 
has  been  another  strong  element  in  the  success 
which  has  attended  his  efforts  upon  the  platform. 
It  has  been  well  said  of  him:  "He  is  one  of  the 
few  men  who  combine  the  skill  of  the  artist  with 
the  power  of  the  orator."  A  clever  cartoonist,  he 
sketches  rapidly,  illustrating  his  remarks  in  a 
manner  that  can  not  fail  to  leave  a  strong  impres- 
sion upon  the  minds  of  his  auditors.  Something 
of  the  scope  of  his  investigation  and  research  may 
be  obtained  from  the  fact  that  he  delivers  lectures 
upon  the  following  subjects :  The  American 
Small  Boy  ;  Don't  Get  Gay  ;  The  Fool  Set ;  Sun- 
shine in  the  Shadow ;  Observations  Out  of  School : 
and  Alodern  Man.  while  his  more  serious  lectures 
have  been  upon  The  Saloon  in  Politics :  The  Fool 
Taxpayer :  The  Building  of  a  City ;  The  Alob  in 
Broadcloth ;  Lhider  the  State  House  Dome,  and 
Human  Wrecks.  Some  one  has  said  of  him  :  "In 
all  his  work  there  is  a  thread  of  gold  which  leaves 
upon  his  audienc'  a  splendid  impression  and  tends 
toward  the  bettennent  of  humanity.  He  turns  on 
the  searchlight  of  ridicule  only  where  it  ought  to 
shine,  bringing  out  the  absurdities  and  follies  of 
life  in  a  strong,  entertaining  and  forceful  man- 
ner." Mr.  Regan  is  now  with  four  leading  ly- 
ceum  bureaus  in  the  United  States  for  the  regular 
lecture  courses,  and  is  also  given  a  large  number 
of  dates  at  the  Chautauqua  assemblies  during  the 
summer. 

JNIr.  Regan  was  married  to  Miss  Helen  M. 
Crumb,  of  Rockford,  June  11,  1896,  and  has  two 
children :  Frances  C.  and  Leland.  The  family 
home  is  at  No.  1201  North  Church  street.  Air. 
Regan  is  secretary  of  the  Rockford  Chautauqua 
Association  and  was  one  of  the  promoters  of  this 
enterprise.  In  contradistinction  to  the  old  adage 
"that  a  prophet  is  never  without  honor  save  in  his 
own  country,"  Mr.  Regan's  ability  is  much  appre- 
ciated in  his  native  and  home  city,  and  his  circle 
of  friends  here  is  very  large. 


FRED  JEWETT. 


Fred  Jewett,  following  farming  on  section  36, 
Harrison  township,  and  also  owning  a  tract  of 
land  of  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Owen 
township,  gives  his  time  and  energies  to  the  cul- 
tivation and  improvement  of  both  tracts  of  land. 
He  is  a  native  son  of  the  former  township,  born 
November  25.  1864.  and  his  parents  were  David 
and  Martha  A.  (Reckhow)  Jewett.  The  father 
was  born  in  Genesee  county.  New  York,  August 
24.  i8ti.  and  was  a  son  of  Josiah  and  Elizabeth 
(Bates)  Jewett,  farming  people  of  Genesee 
countv.    He  came  to  Winnebago  county,  Illinois, 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    \\IXNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


in  1S37.  settling  in  Rockton  township,  where  he 
built  a  sawmill,  cmc  of  the  first  in  the  county, 
lie  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber 
for  about  live  years,  and  then  sold  out.  after 
which  he  gave  liis  undivided  attention  to  farm- 
ing, becoming  the  owner  of  four  hundred  acres 
of  land  in  Harrison  townshi]).  which  farm  is  now 
in  possession  of  his  son,  lirittain  Jewett.  The 
father  was  twice  married,  having  lui  the  15th  of 
June.  i84().  wedded  Louisa  R.  Mosher.  who  died 
May  (),  1847.  On  the  5th  of  October.  1853.  he 
weiided  Martha  .\.  Reckhow.  who  was  born  in 
lireat  I'.end.  Pennsylvania.  March  5.  1831.  and 
resides  in  the  village  of  Harrison.  Her  ])arents 
wereW'illiam  and  Christiana  (( 'lardner  )  Reckhow, 
who  left  Pennsylvania  about  1837.  and  the  lat- 
ter died  at  Michigan  City,  Indiana,  when  they 
were  en  route  to  Winnebago  county.  The  fa- 
ther continued  on  his  way  and  arrived  in  this 
county  in  1838.  locating  on  a  farm  in  Shirland 
townshi]).  which  he  cultivated  and  improved,  fol- 
lowing general  agricultural  pursuits  up  lo  tlie 
time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1883,  when 
he  was  about  eighty-seven  years  of  age.  Here 
he  was  again  married,  his  second  union  being 
with  .\manda  I'.urch.  who  lived  in  this  county  un- 
til her  death  in  18^)4.  .Mrs.  David  Jewett  was  the 
second  of  four  children.  Sarah  Jane,  the  eldest, 
became  the  wife  of  James  IngcrsoU.  of  Wiscon- 
sin, and  died  several  years  ago.  .\deline  became 
the  wife  of  .\lden  Leffingwell,  of  Shirland.  and 
has  also  passed  away.  Williston  died  about  four- 
teen years  ago  upon  his  farm.  Mr.  Jewett  filled 
the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  for  four  years, 
and  was  the  first  school  treasurer  a))])oiuted  for 
the  town  of  Harrison,  filling  that  ])osition  in  ac- 
ceptable manner  for  eighteen  consecutive  years. 
He  laiil  out  the  village  of  Harrison  in  1848  and 
in  other  ways  was  closely  associated  with  the  sub- 
stantial develo])ment  and  im])rovement  of  the 
county.  He  attended  the  Methodist  church.  In 
his  family  were  four  children :  lirittain.  a  farmer 
residing  in  the  village  of  Harrison ;  Nellie,  who  is 
a  graduate  of  the  Rockford  Seminary  of  Music 
and  has  studied  music  in  both  lioston  and  Chi- 
cago, being  now  located  at  No.  3</>4  I-angley  ave- 
nue in  the  latter  city,  where  she  is  engaged  in 
teaching  nuisic ;  Elsworth.  who  is  engaged  in 
farming  in  Wellington.  Kansas,  where  he  has  re- 
sided for  several  years ;  and  Fred,  of  this  review. 
Fred  Jewett.  who  was  reared  in  Harrison  town- 
ship. acf|uirefl  his  education  in  the  country  schools 
and  also  spent  rme  winter  at  .Aurora  Normal 
School.  He  has  followed  farming  all  his  life,  and 
he  resideil  upon  the  farm  in  ( )wen  township  for 
fifteen  years  or  until  about  Septemlicr,  1900,  when 
he  removed  to  the  Marshall  farm  in  Harrison 
townshi|>.  He  was  married  here  February  4. 
1885.  to  Miss  Minnie  Marshall.  wh<i  was  born 
in  this  township  in   1868,  and  is  a  daughter  of 


James  and  Elizabeth  (Hamer)  .Marshall.  Her 
mother  first  married  a  Mr.  Dobson  and  was  a 
sister  <if  William  Hamer.  who  now  resides  in 
llurritt  township.  .She  died  .\ugust  3,  1900.  at 
the  age  of  si.\ty-si.x  years,  ^[r.  Marshall  s])ent 
the  summer  months  upon  the  farm  and  the  winter 
seasons  in  Rockford  until  his  death.  October  3, 
np5.  at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  His  son, 
.\.  H.  Marshall,  is  engaged  in  the  lumber  and 
Coal  business  in  Rockford.  l'>y  her  first  marriage 
-Mrs.  Marshall  had  two  daughters:  Ida.  the  wife 
of  .Vbram  Cham])ion.  of  Harrison  township;  and 
Edna,  the  wife  of  J.  H.  Halsted,  of  Carbondale, 
Illinois. 

.Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Jewell  have  had  four  children: 
Ralph,  who  was  born  November  7,  1885,  and  is 
engage<l  in  f;irniing  in  this  county  at  the  age  of 
twenty  years ;  .\ellie.  who  was  born  on  the  5th 
of  May,  1889,  and  died  on  the  12th  of  June,  i8go, 
when  about  a  year  old :  Hazel,  who  was  born 
March  21,  1891,  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years 
is  a  high  school  student  in  Rockford;  and  Leland. 
who  was  born  July  7,  1893.  and  it  atlen<liug  the 
home  school. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jewett  attend  the  Congregational 
church.  The  family  of  David  Jewett  were  very 
helpful  members  of  the  church  of  that  denomi- 
nation in  the  village  of  Harrison  and  gave  to  the 
church  its  bell.  I'ralemally  Mr.  Jewett  is  con- 
nected with  the  .Moilern  Woodmen  cam]>  and  the 
Masonic  lodge,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  Royal  Neighbors.  Politically  he 
is  a  stanch  and  earnest  re]niblican,  who  at  one 
time  -served  as  deputy  sheriff  and  in  other  local 
offices,  but  he  prefers  to  give  his  attention  to  his 
business  atTairs.  which  are  bringing  to  him  a  very 
desirable  measure  of  success.  He  now  carries  on 
general  farming  and  also  makes  a  specialty  of 
the  raising  of  shorthorn  cattle,  of  which  he  now 
has  a  fine  herd  of  about  twentv  head. 


MILES  O.  WRIGHT. 

Miles  O.  Wright,  who  was  connected  with  the 
business  interests  of  Rockford  for  many  years 
as  a  designer,  decorator  and  painter,  came  to 
this  city  in  1875,  being  one  of  the  worthy  resi- 
dents that  the  Empire  state  furnished  to  Win- 
nebago county.  His  birth  occurred  in  Sparta, 
New  York,  July  18,  1835,  and  his  parents  spent 
their  entire  lives  in  that  city.  The  father  was 
a  .soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war  and  lost  one 
of  his  limbs  while  defending  his  country.  He 
was  a  shoeinaker  by  trade  and  that  business 
provided  him  with  the  means  necessary  for  the 
support  of  himself  and  family. 

Miles  O.  Wright  acquired  a  good  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  New  York  and  afterward 
began  to  learn  the  trade  of  painting  and  decorat- 


MR.  AND  MRS.  M.  O.  WRIGHT. 


45 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


//o 


ing,  being  thus  engaged  until  after  the  inaugu- 
ration of  liostilities  between  the  nortli  and  the 
south.  He  enlisted  at  Sparta,  New  York,  on 
the  25th  of  April,  1861,  becoming  a  member  of 
Company  B,  Thirteenth  New  York  Infantry. 
Hardly  had  the  smoke  from  Fort  Sumter's  guns 
cleared  away  when  he  joined  the  army,  all  the 
patriotism  of  his  nature  being  aroused  by  the 
attempt  of  the  south  to  overthrow  the  Union. 
He  sustained  an  injury  at  the  battle  of  Malvern 
Hill,  being  shot  in  the  arm  and  he  was  mustered 
out  on  the  13th  of  May,  1863.  Among  the  im- 
portant engagements  in  which  he  took  part  were 
the  battles  of  Blackburn's  Ford,  Gaines  Mills, 
Malvern  Hill,  Fredericksburg,  Antietam,  Han- 
over Court  House,  Mechanicsville,  the  second 
battle  of  Bull  Run  and  siege  of  Yorktown. 

After  the  war  Mr.  \\'right  returned  to  his 
native  state  and  followed  the  business  of  paint- 
ing and  decorating  in  Binghaniton,  New  York, 
for  a  short  time.  He  afterward  went  to  Oil 
City,  Pennsylvania,  and  was  engaged  in  a  similar 
manner  during  the  boom  in  that  locality.  He 
worked  there  for  a  few  years,  receiving  as  high 
as  twenty  dollars  per  day  for  his  services.  He 
then  went  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  where  he  con- 
tinued in  the  same  line  of  business  for  three 
years  and  in  1875  ^^  came  to  the  west,  settling 
in  Rockfoi-d.  Here  he  entered  into  a  contract 
with  the  oldest  decorator  of  the  city,  W.  G. 
Johnson,  and  remained  in  his  employ  for  twenty- 
two  years,  his  services  being  engaged  on  the 
decoration  of  many  of  the  finest  homes  of  the 
city.  He  alwa^'s  kept  abreast  with  the  progress 
made  in  his  line  and  his  work  was  of  a  most 
satisfactory  and  pleasing  character.  At  length 
he  was  obliged  to  abandon  his  trade  because  of 
failing  eyesight,  after  which  he  lived  retired  until 
his  death. 

]\Iiles  O.  Wright  was  married  in  Rockford  to 
Miss  Alwilda  Bush,  a  native  of  Bath,  .Steuben 
county.  New  York,  born  .\ugust  31,  1840.  Her 
parents,  Abram  and  Harriet  (Booth)  Bush, 
were  both  natives  of  the  Empire  state  and  the 
father  was  a  pioneer  settler  of  Winnebago 
county,  arriving  here  in  1844.  He  located  on 
a  farm  in  Guilford  township  on  the  old  Beh^i- 
dere  road  and  there  carried  on  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits  for  a  long  period,  after  which  he 
went  to  Cherry  Valley,  where  he  engaged  in  mill- 
ing business  until  about  fifteen  years  before  his 
death.  His  widow  afterward  came  to  Rockford 
and  made  her  home  with  her  daughter  until  her 
demise.  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Wright  were  the  parents 
of  two  sons  but  lost  both,  Frank  dying  at  the 
age  of  seven  months,  and  George  G.  at  the  age 
of  four  months.  They  afterward  adopted  a  son. 
Charles  Garrett,  who  is  now  twenty-one  years 
of  age  and  is  a  baker  by  trade.  He  has  always 
made  his  home  with  Mrs.  Wright. 


The  death  of  Mr.  Wright  occurred  July  3, 
1903.  He  was  a  stanch  republican  in  politics  and 
a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  post  at  Rockford 
and  Ellis  lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  He  also  be- 
longed to  the  Centennial  JNIethodist  Episcopal 
church  and  his  widow  is  a  member  of  the  Free 
Methodist  church  here.  Airs.  Wright  and  her 
son  are  living  at  1203  Jackson  street  but  expect 
soon  to  remove  to  another  part  of  the  city.  She 
receives  a  good  pension  from  the  government 
in  recognition  of  the  aid  which  her  husband  ren- 
dered to  the  country  in  the  dark  hour  of  her 
peril  when  the  stability  of  the  Union  was  threat- 
ened. In  all  matters  of  citizenship  he  was  loyal, 
being  as  true  to  his  country  in  da3^s  of  peace  as 
in  days  of  war  and  he  was  equally  faithful  in 
the  performance  of  any  private  duty  which  de- 
volved upon  him,  so  that  he  won  the  respect  of 
his  fellowmen. 


J(  )nX  (i.  RALSTON. 

John  (1.  Ralston  is  the  owner  of  one  of  the 
beautiful  country  homes  of  Guilford  township, 
and  his  farm  of  one  hundred  and  ninetv-two 
acres  lies  on  sections  2  and  35.  It  is  a  valuable 
property,  with  good  buildings  and  richly  tilled 
fields,  and  everything  abotit  the  place  is  attractive 
in  appearance,  showing  the  owner  to  be  a  man  of 
practical,  progressive  ideas. 

Mr.  Ralston  was  born  in  Guilford  township, 
October  26,  1867,  and  is  of  Scotch  lineage.  His 
father.  James  Ralston,  a  native  of  Argyleshire, 
.Scotland,  was  born  March  17,  1826,  and  when 
seven  years  of  age  was  brought  to  America  by 
his  parents,  who  for  eight  years  resided  in  Mas- 
sachusetts and  then  removed  to  Ohio,  where  the 
succeeding  twelve  years  were  passed.  They  then 
came  to  Winnebago  covmty,  first  locating  in  Har- 
lem township,  and  later  moving  to  a  farm  of  his 
own  in  Guilford  township,  where  throughout  his 
remaining  days  James  Ralston  carried  on  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  his  practical  methods  and  unre- 
mitting labors  bringing  him  a  desirable  measure 
of  success.  He  died  at  his  home  February  19, 
1898.  His  wife,  Ellen,  was  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Helen  Greenlee,  and  was  born  in  Harlem 
township,  June  29,  1838 — the  first  white  child 
born  in  the  township.  Her  parents  had  located 
there  in  1836,  coming  direct  from  Scotland,  and 
theirs  was  the  first  home  within  the  township  bor- 
ders. Mrs.  Ellen  Ralston  is  now  living  with  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  Gavin  Ralston,  in  Caledonia  town- 
ship, Boone  county,  Illinois.  The  members  of  the 
family  are:  ^^"iIliam  A.,  a  resident  of  Belvidere, 
Illinois,  who  is  married  and  has  one  son  ;  Earl  J., 
who  is  living  in  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  and  has  one 
son  and  one  daughter;  Martha  E..  the  wife  of 
Gavin    Ralston,    of     Caledonia    township,    Boone 


7/6 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COIXTV. 


county,  and  the  niotlier  of  one  son  and  one 
daughter;  Maggie,  wlio  married  James  A. 
Brown,  formerly  of  Harlem  townshi])  and  now 
of  Rockford,  and  died  lea\ing  a  daughter:  and 
John  G. 

As  a  ])nblic-school  .student  John  ti.  Ralston 
mastered  the  common  branches  of  English  learn- 
ing, and  imdcr  liis  father's  direction  became  fa- 
miliar with  all  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to 
the  lot  of  the  agriculturist,  living  at  home  un- 
til twenty-one  years  of  age,  when  he  began  farm- 
ing with  his  brotlier  William  in  I'.elvidere  town- 
ship, Boone  county,  where  he  remained  for  eight 
years  and  then  removed  to  his  present  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  ninety-two  acres,  lying  on  sec- 
tion 2,  (luilford  t<iwnsln]x  and  section  35,  Har- 
lem township.  It  is  a  well  im|)roved  i)roperty. 
the  soil  being  ricii  and  productive,  so  that  rich 
crops  are  annually  harvested.  The  residence  is 
a  beautiful  country  home,  erected  in  modern 
style  of  architecture  and  su]}i)lied  with  all  modern 
conveniences  anil  comforts.  There  are  also  large 
and  substantial  outbuildings,  all  in  good  repair, 
and  the  farm  is  one  of  the  finest  of  the  township. 

Mr.  Ralston  was  married  in  1897  to  Miss  Mar- 
garet Breckenridge,  who  was  born  November  30. 
1871.  and  is  a  daughter  of  Hugh  and  Ellen  I'.reck- 
enridge,  of  (juilford  townshi]).  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ralston  had  two  children:  James  11.,  who  died 
in  infancy:  and  Helen  (iladys.  born  Xovember 
25,  1903.  Mrs.  Ralston,  after  attending  the  dis- 
trict schools,  continued  her  education  in  the  Rock- 
ford  Business  College,  and  is  a  lady  of  superior 
culture  and  refinement,  wiio  with  her  husband  dis- 
penses the  hospitality  of  their  attractive  home  in 
a  most  gracious  and  genial  manner.  They  are 
members  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of 
Rockford,  and  Mr.  Ralston  has  always  been  a  re- 
publican, keeping  well  informed  on  the  t|ucstions 
and  issues  of  the  day,  but  never  seeking  office 
as  a  reward  for  party  fealty. 


ROBERT  COLTON. 


Robert  Colton,  the  oldest  pioneer  in  Diirand 
township,  having  passed  the  eiglity-fifth  milestone 
on  life's  journey,  while  for  a  half  century  he  has 
lived  in  this  county,  was  born  in  Nottingham- 
.shire,  England,  October  15,  1819.  He  was  left 
an  orphan  when  only  five  years  of  age,  and  was 
educated  in  the  parish  schools  of  his  native  land, 
but  his  privileges  and  opportunities  in  youth  were 
very  limited,  and  his  advancement  in  life  has 
come  through  the  development  of  his  latent  en- 
ergies and  powers,  through  his  close  application 
and  unremitting  diligence  to  his  business.  He 
worked  as  a  farm  hand  in  England  until  coming 
to  the  United  States  on  the  sailing  vessel,  Mis- 


sissippi, landing  at  New  York  city  in  May,  1843. 
He  then  went  on  the  steamer  Swallow  to  Albany, 
-New  York,  and  thence  to  Steuben  county,  that 
state,  where  he  was  employed  at  general  work 
until  .'September,  1845,  when  he  came  to  Winne- 
bago county.  Here  he  took  up  three  forty-acre 
tracts  of  land  from  the  government,  located  on 
the  prairie  in  Durand  township,  and  he  has  since 
made  his  home  in  this  townshi]),  devoting  his 
time  and  energies  to  agricultural  jjursuits  with 
good  success,  so  that  he  is  now  one  of  the  pros- 
l)erous  agriculturists  of  the  community,  with  a 
comjjetence  sufficient  to  supply  hiin  with  all  the 
comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 

( )n  the  17th  of  January.  1845.  Mr.  Colton  mar- 
ried Miss  .Martha  Jane  Heine,  of  Durand  town- 
shi]), who  (lied  in  .\])ril.  1857.  lea\ing  five  chil- 
dren, of  whom  one  son  died  in  infancy.  Grace 
.\nielia  became  the  wife  of  Warren  Pettingill 
and  died  July  I,  1904.  leaving  two  sons  and  a 
daughter:  Letitia  is  the  wife  of  George 
Krone,  of  Whiting.  Iowa,  and  has  three  sons 
and  a  daughter.  Libbic  is  the  wife  of  George 
Cole,  of  Durand  township,  and  has  a  son  and 
daughter.  .Annie  is  the  wife  of  Charles  Ham- 
inond,  of  Durand  township,  and  has  two  sons. 

In  October,  1857,  Mr.  Colton  wedded  Mrs. 
Jane  Raney,  of  Durand  township,  who  died  in 
[ainiary,  1887,  leaving  a  son.  William  W. 
(  olton,  who  was  a  grailuate  of  Rush 
Medical  College,  of  Chicago,  and  died  June  8, 
1897.  On  the  loth  of  October,  1887,  Mr.  Col- 
ton married  Mrs.  Carrie  Moore,  nee  Bradley, 
who  is  of  English  and  Dutch  descent  and  was 
born  June  5.  1848,  in  Highland,  I'ranklin  cotmty, 
\'ermont.  There  she  married  Richard  Moore  and 
there  were  three  sons  and  three  daughters  by  that 
marriage:  Fred  H.,  of  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  who 
has  one  son  who  lives  with  his  mother's  sister; 
Dick,  who  lives  on  his  mother's  place ;  Stephen, 
of  Davis.  Illinois,  who  has  two  sons  and  one 
daughter :  Phoebe  A.,  the  wife  of  Dell  Hughes, 
of  P>eloit.  Wisconsin,  and  the  mother  of  five  sons 
and  five  daughters ;  Jennie,  the  wife  of  Frank 
C.  Hughes,  of  Rock  Grove,  Illinois,  by  whom  she 
has  a  son  and  daughter :  and  Ora  May,  the  wife 
of  Fremont  Randall,  of  Durand  township,  by 
whom  she  has  three  sons  and  one  daughter. 

In  his  ])olitical  views  Mr.  Colton  has  been  a 
republican  since  the  organization  of  the  party. 
It  seems  hardly  probable,  in  this  present  age  of 
advanced  civilization  that  there  is  living  a  man 
within  whose  memory  has  occurred  the  intro- 
duction of  steam  navigation,  the  building  of  rail- 
roads, and  the  construction  of  the  ocean  cables 
and  the  telegraph  lines,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
more  modern  inventions  of  the  telephone,  etc., 
but  Mr.  Colton  has  seen  all  this  while  in  Win- 
nebago county.  He  has  witnessed  the  trans- 
fonnation   of   wild    prairies   into   well   developed 


ROBERT   LULTON. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


779 


farms,  dotted  here  and  there  with  churches  and 
schools,  while  in  their  midst  have  sprung  up 
several  thriving  villages  which  were  not  here  at 
the  time  of  his  arrival.  For  sixty-  years  he  has 
lived  in  this  county,  and  as  one  of  its  most 
venerable  citizens  and  honored  early  settlers  he 
deserves  mention  in  this  volume.  Coming  to 
America  empty-handed,  he  has  made  continuous 
progress  in  his  business  career  and  his  excellent 
farm  of  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres 
to-day  proves  his  industry  in  former  years. 


THOMAS  B.  MOORE. 

Thomas  B.  ^loore,  who  follows  farming  on 
section  29  and  has  long  been  known  as  an  exten- 
sive and  successful  dealer  in  live  stock  in  Roscoe 
township,  is  a  native  of  the  middle  west,  and  in 
his  life  displays  the  enterprising  spirit  which  has 
been  the  dominant  factor  in  the  rapid  growth  and 
upbuilding  of  the  Mississippi  valley.  He  was 
born  in  Watertown.  Jefferson  county.  Wisconsin, 
on  the  14th  of  July.  1849.  a  son  of  Stephen  and 
Sarah  (\v'aite)  Moore,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Bugbrook.  Northamptonshire.  England,  the  fa- 
ther having  been  born  October  10.  1801.  and  the 
mother  on  the  13th  of  April,  1807.  His  death  oc- 
curred January  10.  1864,  while  she  passed  away 
on  the  17th  of  March.  1881.  Their  children 
were :  Robert  W..  born  January  29.  1833. 
died  October  8,  1868.  in  Kansas  City.  Missouri. 
Mary  B..  born  May  6,  1837,  became  the  wife  of 
Lewis  Brown,  and  died  May  28,  1895,  at  Roscoe. 
Illinois,  leaving  three  children.  Hannah  W..  born 
August  4.  1 841.  married  Horace  D.  Hopkins,  of 
Roscoe.  who  died  May  17.  1898.  leaving  four  chil- 
dren. John  \\'..  born  September  28.  1844.  mar- 
ried Mary  Goodrow  and  has  one  son.  Martha  J., 
born  February  18,  1847.  married  Harris  Hardy 
and  has  three  living  sons  and  lost  one  daughter. 

No  event  of  special  importance  occurred  to  vary 
the  routine  of  life  for  Thomas  B.  Aloore  in  his 
bo}'hood  days,  his  time  being  divided  between  play 
and  work.  He  attended  the  public  schools  and 
aided  his  father  in  farming  pursuits.  He  re- 
mained at  home  until  twenty-five  \-ears  of  age, 
after  which  he  followed  the  butcher's  trade,  his 
father  being  a  butcher.  Subsequently  he  turned 
his  attention  to  farming  and  removed  to  Minne- 
sota. He  was  there  engaged  in  the  hardware  busi- 
ness for  two  years,  on  the  expiration  of  which 
period  he  came  to  Illinois  in  1877.  settling  in  Ros- 
coe township.  Winnebago  counts-,  where  he  has 
since  carried  on  general  agricultural  pursuits  on 
the  old  farm  homestead  that  belonged  to  his  wife's 
father,  Luther  H.  Fassett.  who  was  a  very  promi- 
nent and  prosperous  farmer  of  this  locality,  leav- 
ing two  hundred  and  forty  acres  at  the  time  of 


his  death.  He  passed  away  October  19,  1895, 
having  for  several  vears  survived  his  wife,  who 
died  August  28,  1888. 

It  was  on  the  3d  of  April.  1877,  that  ^Ir.  Aloore 
was  married  to  Miss  Emma  Fassett,  w-ith  whom 
he  traveled  life's  journey  for  about  twenty-two 
years,  but  on  the  19th  of  January,  1900,  Mrs. 
Aloore  departed  this  life  at  the  age  of  fifty-five 
years,  leaving  one  son,  Frank  Fassett  Moore, 
who  was  born  in  Roscoe,  February  13,  1880,  and 
was  married  June  20.  1901,  to  Clare  Runyard, 
who  was  boni  February  19,  1880.  and  is  a  daugh- 
ter of  Robert  and  Ella  (Ketcham)  Runyard,  of 
Charles  City,  Iowa.  Unto  Frank  Fassett  Moore 
and  his  wife  have  been  born  two  daughters : 
Emma  F.,  born  in  Roscoe.  Januan-  4,  1903 ;  and 
Eliza  B..  born  May  21,  1905. 

Mr.  ]\Ioore  and  his  son  are  associated  in  their 
famiing  interests,  and  now  have  a  valuable  and 
extensive  tract  of  land,  w-hich  they  have  placed 
under  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  adding  all  mod- 
ern equipments.  In  addition  to  the  cultivation  of 
the  cereals  best  adapted  to  soil  and  climate,  they 
have  engaged  quite  extensively  in  the  raising  of 
live  stock,  and  their  annual  shipments  return  to 
them  a  good  income.  Mr.  Moore  is  enterprising 
in  all  of  his  business  interests,  possesses  keen  dis- 
crimination and  sagacity,  and  has  so  conducted  his 
affair  that  he  is  now  one  of  the  prosperous  agri- 
culturists of  this  portion  of  the  state.  He  and  his 
son  belong  to  Roscoe  lodge.  No.  75.  A.  F.  &  A. 
M.,  and  in  politics  is  a  stalwart  republican.  While 
serving  for  twelve  years  as  a  member  of  the 
school  board  he  has  effectively  promoted  the  cause 
of  education  in  his  district,  and  his  co-operation 
can  always  be  counted  upon  to  further  progressive 
movements. 


JAMES  HIXKLEY. 

James  Hinkley.  interested  for  many  years  in 
business  life  in  Rockford.  was  born  in  Posey 
county.  Indiana,  in  1829,  and  died  in  this  city, 
Jainiary  8,  1891.  He  came  of  English  lineage, 
and  among  his  ancestors  was  a  governor  of  Mas- 
sachusetts. In  1858  he  removed  to  Washington 
county,  this  state,  where  he  followed  farming  un- 
til the  fall  of  i860,  when  he  came  to  Winnebago 
county,  settling  in  Rockford.  He  owned  a  fruit 
farm  in  this  locality  and  also  established  a  can- 
ning factory  in  the  west  end  of  the  city,  the  busi- 
ness being  first  located  on  the  E.  H.  Skinner 
place.  The  factory  had  been  built  by  Mr.  Skin- 
ner and  Mr.  Hinkley  purchased  an  interest  in 
the  business,  finally  becoming  sole  proprietor. 
He  conducted  the  enterprise  for  a  number  of 
vears  and  this  together  with  a  two-hundred-acre 
fruit  farm  in  southern  Illinois  occupied  his  atten- 
tion and  claimed  his  time  and  energies  until  he 


78o 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


had  accumulated  a  comfortable  competence,  llis 
business  interests  were  discerningly  directed 
along  well  defined  lines  of  labor,  and  his  sound 
judgment  and  persistent  energy  were  the  strong 
factors  in  his  success. 

Mr.  Hinkk-y  married  Miss  Harriet  .\ndrews : 
also  a  native  of  Posey  county,  Indiana,  now  liv- 
ing at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  si.\  children:  .\nson  .\., 
who  resides  upon  a  farm  in  Washington  county. 
Illinois;  George,  deceased:  .Arthur  S.,  an  archi- 
tect living  in  P.oise  City,  Idaho :  Ella,  who  has 
also  passed  away:  Hargrove  (^tis,  a  florist  pf 
Rockford ;  and  Raljih  W..  who  is  secretary  and 
general  manager  of  the  Rockford  Packing  Com- 
pany. 

Mr.  Hinkley  attended  the  Christian  Union 
church.  lie  gave  his  political  su])port  to  the  re- 
publican party  throughout  the  greater  part  of  his 
life,  but  voted  for  drover  Cleveland.  lie  never 
held  office  nor  did  he  have  aspirations  in  that  di- 
rection, but  he  was  not  remiss  in  the  duties  of 
citizenship  and  co-operated  in  many  measures  for 
the  general  good. 

Ral])h  W.  Hinkley.  a  native  .son  of  Rockford. 
pursued  his  education  in  the  ])ublic  schools,  took 
up  the  study  of  stenogra]ihy,  and  was  afterward 
employed  at  stenographic  work  for  different  at- 
torneys and  as  court  re])orter.  In  1892  he  be- 
came connected  with  the  Rockford  Packing  Com- 
pany, with  which  he  is  now  identified  as  secre- 
tary and  general  manager,  being  one  of  the  large 
stockholders.  His  interest  in  its  success  indicates 
his  careful  control  of  its  affairs,  a  large  business 
being  annually  conducted,  for  the  product  of  the 
plant  finds  a  ready  sale  on  the  market.  Mr.  Hink- 
ley is  a  republican,  but  like  his  father  gives  his 
attention  in  undivided  manner  to  his  business  af- 
fairs. He  is  popular  in  the  city  where  his  entire 
life  has  been  passed,  and  the  circle  of  his  social 
as  well  as  his  business  ac(|uaintances  is  contin- 
uallv  broadening. 


ASA  E.  CUTLER. 


.\sa  E.  Cutler,  whose  efforts  have  been  char- 
acterized by  intelligence  and  force,  and  who  is 
now  a  representative  of  the  business  interests  of 
the  city,  was  bom  in  West  P.mukfield,  Massachu- 
setts, in  June.  1834,  his  parents  being  Abijah  and 
Mary  (Snow)  Cutler.  The  ancestry  of  the  fam- 
ily in  the  paternal  line  can  be  traced  back  to  1630, 
when  representatives  of  the  name  came  from 
England.  He  is  of  the  seventh  generation  in  de- 
scent from  James  Cutler,  and  through  the  inter- 
vening years  farming  has  usually  bein  the  occu- 
pation of  the  family.  Xeither  have  its  members 
been   remiss   in   rilizciisliii)  nr  l;u"king  in   lii\n!i\- 


to  their  country.  .Vbijah  Culler  became  a  lieu- 
tenant of  the  American  Army  at  the  outbreak  of 
the  Revolutionary  war  and  participated  in  the 
battle  of  Lexington,  afterward  taking  part  in 
other  engagements  which  resulted  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  republic.  Asa  E.  Cutler  is  the 
first  of  the  name  to  leave  New  England  and  seek 
a  home  in  the  west.  His  father  died  in  Massa- 
chusetts at  the  age  of  seventy  years,  and  the 
mother  passed  away  in  the  '80s,  when  ninety  years 
of  age,  both  having  been  born  in  the  eighteenth 
century.     In  their  family  were  seven  children. 

.V.sa  E.  Cutler,  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth,  was 
a  student  in  the  schools  of  West  Rrookfield  in 
earl\  life,  and  afterward  attended  an  academy 
at  ^^'arren,  Massachusetts,  while  his  more  ad- 
vanced c<lucation  was  acquired  in  Amherst  Acad- 
emy. He  then  jnirsued  a  business  course  in 
Worcester,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty  years  he 
])ut  aside  his  te.xt-books  in  order  to  become  an 
active  factor  in  business  life.  It  was  in  1855  that 
he  came  to  the  west,  making  his  way  to  Chicago, 
where  he  was  employed  at  varied  labor  until  1858. 
He  then  turned  his  attention  to  the  lumber  busi- 
ness as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Cutler,  Witbeck 
&  Com])any,  with  a  yard  on  Canal  street.  Later 
their  business  was  removed  to  Tw'enty-second 
street,  where  they  continued  operations  until 
1870,  when  Mr.  Cutler  sold  out  and  the  follow- 
ing year  came  to  Rockford.  He  purchased  a 
farm  of  three  himdrod  acres  in  \\'innebago 
county,  lying  along  the  river  about  three  miles 
south  of  the  city,  and,  giving  his  attention  to 
agricultural  pursuits,  he  continued  the  work  of 
cultivating  and  improving  his  land  until  he  took 
up  his  abode  in  the  city  in  1892.  His  son,  Fred 
S.,  remained  upon  the  farm,  however,  for  a  few 
years  longer. 

.\l  the  time  named  Mr.  Cutler,  establishing  his 
home  in  Rockford.  began  dealing  in  implements 
and  carriages,  which  business  he  conducted  until 
1902,  when  it  was  incorporated  under  the  name 
of  the  .\.  P..  Cutler  Company.  This  comjiany  car- 
ries a  full  line  of  carriages,  wagons,  autumohiles 
and  harness  and  the  ])lace  of  business  is  at  Nos. 
202-206  South  Church  street,  where  they  have 
a  large  building  one  hundred  and  thirty  by  sixty- 
five  feet  and  three  stories  in  height  with  base- 
ment. They  are  the  leaders  in  their  line  in  the 
city,  and  have  a  very  extensive  patronage.  In  ad- 
dition to  the  carriage  business  they  likewise  deal 
in  windmills  and  jnunps.  When  establishing  the 
house  Mr.  Culler  inaugurated  a  safe,  conserva- 
tive business  policy  which  has  ever  been  followed. 

On  the  17th  of  December.  1862.  occurred  the 
marriage  of  .Asa  E.  Culler  and  Miss  Lucy  Smith, 
of  Pruiceton.  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  Sidney 
Smith,  a  farmer  and  miller,  who  died  a  number 
of  years  ago.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cutler  have  seven 
chiklren:    Jessie,  who  died  in  1901,  was  the  wife 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


of  Dr.  Butterfield.  of  Ottawa,  Illinois ;  Fred,  who 
married  Evaline  Mnton  and  has  three  children, 
is  interested  in  business  with  his  father  as  the 
vice  president  of  the  A.  E.  Cutler  Company. 
Alexander  E.,  who  married  Susan  Alexander,  of 
Beloit,  Wisconsin,  is  a  minister  of  the  Congre- 
gational church  at  Elk  River.  Minnesota.  He  is 
a  graduate  of  Beloit  College  and  the  Chicago 
Theological  Seminary,  and  is  a  well-known  rep- 
resentative of  the  ministry  of  his  denomination. 
He  has  one  daughter,  Jessie.  Dwight,  who  mar- 
ried Miss  Florence  Wood,  of  Rockford.  is  secre- 
tary of  the  A.  E.  Cutler  Company,  and  has  three 
children.  Asa  Bryant  is  a  student  in  the  State 
University  at  Champaign.  Illinois.  Lucy,  at 
home,  is  a  graduate  of  Wellesley  College  of  Mas- 
sachusetts. Frank  is  a  graduate  of  the  class  of 
1905  in  the  State  University  at  Champaign,  and 
is  now  connected  with  the  Western  Electric  Com- 
pany of  Chicago. 

Mr.  Cutler  and  his  family  are  all  members  of 
the  Second  Congregational  church  of  Rockford, 
and  in  politics  he  is  a  republican,  having  sup- 
ported the  party  since  casting  his  first  presidential 
vote  for  John  L.  Fremont.  He  has  been  very 
active  and  helpful  in  church  work,  serving  as 
deacon  and  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school 
for  several  vears.  In  fact,  his  incumbency  in  the 
former  position  covers  a  quarter  of  a  century. 

If  those  who  claim  that  fortune  has  favored 
certain  individuals  above  others  will  but  investi- 
gate the  cause  of  success  and  failure,  it  will  be 
found  that  the  former  is  largely  due  to  the  im- 
provement of  opportunity,  the  latter  to  the  neg- 
lect of  it.  Fortunate  environments  encompass 
nearlv  everv  man  at  some  stage  in  his  career, 
but  the  strong  man  and  the  successful  man  is  he 
who  realized  the  proper  moment  has  come,  that 
the  present  and  not  the  future  holds  his  oppor- 
tunity. The  man  who  makes  use  of  the  Now  and 
not  the  To  Be  is  the  one  who  passes  on  the  high- 
way of  life  others  who  started  out  ahead  of  him 
and  reaches  the  goal  of  prosperity  far  in  advance 
of  them.  It  is  this  quality  in  Mr.  Cutler  that  has 
made  him  a  leader  in  the  business  world,  and  won 
him  an  enviable  name  in  connection  with  indus- 
trial interests  that  is  widelv  known. 


L.  ^^^  cle\'eland. 


L.  W.  Cleveland,  one  of  the  honored  pioneer 
residents  of  the  county,  was  born  in  Allegany 
county.  New  York,  October  5,  1824,  and  came 
here  with  his  father,  Sylvester  Cleveland,  in  the 
fall  of  1838,  being  then  a  youth  of  fifteen  years. 
His  father  was  born  in  Vermont  and  when  a 
young  man  removed  to  the  Empire  state,  taking 
up  his  abode  in  Allegany  county,   and  married 


Miss  Lydia  Seavey.  After  removing  to  Illinois, 
where  his  wife  joined  him  in  1840,  he  devoted 
his  attention  mainly  to  farming  and  settled  upon 
the  present  home  property  of  our  subject,  where 
he  erected  a  dwelling  of  which  he  took  posses- 
sion on  the  1st  of  Alarch,  1841.  This  continued 
to  be  his  home  until  his  death,  in  1862.  His  wife 
continued  to  carry  on  the  farm  with  her  son  un- 
til her  death  in  1871.  The  family  consisted  of 
three  children,  of  whom  two  daughters  are  now 
deceased.  Sophronia  was  the  wife  of  X'elson  Kin- 
ney, and  they  removed  from  New  York  to  this 
county  in  1840.  but  afterward  removed  to  Pierce 
countv.  Wiscniisin.  where  they  both  died.  Phile 
Ann.  wife  of  Isaac  \'an  Slyke,  removed  to  Ne- 
braska with  her  family,  where  her  death  occurred 
some  years  ago. 

Few  residents  of  this  county  are  more  familiar 
with  its  pioneer  history  than  L.  \\'.  Cleveland, 
who  found  here  at  the  time  of  his  arrival  broad 
prairies  covered  with  their  natives  grasses  and 
the  uncut  forests  which  bordered  the  streams. 
Few  roads  had  been  made,  and  there  were  many 
sloughs  which  occasioned  great  difficulty  to  the 
traveler  driving  across  the  country  in  his  wagon 
or  carriage. 

Mr.  Cleveland  was  married  in  1855  to  ]\Iiss  Al- 
vira  Burbank,  who  died  in  1882.  Mrs.  Cleveland 
was  also  a  native  of  New  York,  being  born  in 
Cattaraugus  county,  March  12,  1834,  and  came 
to  Illinois  with  her  parents  in  1837.  They  also 
settled  in  \\'innel)ago  county,  where  the  families 
were  neighbors  for  many  years.  Unto  Mr.  and 
^Irs.  Cleveland  were  born  eight  children,  three 
sons  and  five  daughters,  all  of  whom  are  living 
and  married.  Mr.  Cleveland  has  now  passed  the 
eightv-first  milestone  on  life's  journey,  and  as 
a  venerable  citizen  and  pioneer  settler  is  espe- 
ciallv  wortliv  of  mention  in  this  volume. 


S.  J.  CASWELL,  M.  D. 

Dr.  S.  J.  Caswell,  proprietor  of  the  Caswell 
Pharmacy  of  Rockford,  is  a  native  American 
though  his  birth  occurred  in  Bangkok,  Siam,  in 
1847,  while  his  parents.  Rev.  Jegse  and  Anna  ^ 
(Hemenway)  Cas\yell,  were  engaged  in  mission- 
ary work  in  that  far-of?  land.  They  were  natives 
of  A^ermont  and  represented  old  and  prominent 
families  of  ^Massachusetts.  In  the  paternal  line 
the  ancestry  could  be  traced  back  to  Thomas  Cas- 
well. Sr..  who  came  to  Massachusetts  in  1635, 
while  later  generations  came  from  \'emiont,  fol- 
lowing the  Revokitionarjr  war.  The  family  was 
represented  in  the  struggle  for  independence  by 
one  hundred  and  twenty-three  members,  and  the 
great-grandfather  enlisted  four  different  times 
for  service  in  behalf  of  the  cause  of  independence. 


782 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    CuUNTY. 


Rev.  Jesse  Caswell,  a  minister  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church,  ilcterniining  to  devote  his  life  to 
labor  in  the  missionary  field,  was  sent  to  Siam  by 
the  American  board  of  commissioners  for  foreign 
missions  and  spent  nine  years  in  that  country. 
While  there  he  was  the  instructor  of  the  father  of 
the  present  king  of  Siam.  He  died  in  Bangkok  in 
1848.  a  year  after  the  birth  of  S.  J.  Caswell,  who 
was  the  youngest  of  four  children,  three  of  whom 
were  then  living.  The  mother  came  with  her 
children  to  .\merica  and  devoted  her  remaining 
days  to  the  education  and  rearing  of  the  little  ones 
who  were  left  to  her  care.  Her  parents  removed 
to  Grand  Detour,  Ogle  county.  Illinois,  and  she, 
too,  brought  her  family  to  this  state,  living  in 
Ogle  county  until  called  to  her  final  rest  in  1890. 
She  was  a  most  devoted  and  loving  mother,  count- 
ing no  personal  sacrifice  on  her  part  too  great  if 
it  would  promote  the  welfare  of  her  children. 

Dr.  Caswell  is  now  the  only  living  rejiresenta- 
tive  of  the  family.  He  jnirsued  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  Beloit.  Wisconsin,  and  Rock- 
ford,  Illinois,  and  afterward  entered  the  Chicago 
Medical  College,  wherein  he  pursued  a  full  course, 
and  was  graduated  wnth  the  class  of  1868.  He 
never  engaged  in  practice,  however,  but  has  de- 
voted his  attention  almost  entirely  to  the  drug 
business.  In  1862  he  secured  a  clerkship  in  a  drug 
store,  where  he  gained  his  first  experience  in  that 
line,  alternating  this  with  his  general  school  work. 
He  completed  his  medical  education  in  1868,  and 
for  the  succeeding  three  years  was  engaged  in  the 
drug  business  in  Rockford.  In  1871  he  formed 
a  partnership  with  William  Worthington  under 
the  firm  name  of  Worthington  &  Caswell,  the  re- 
lation being  maintained  until  1876.  when  the  jun- 
ior partner  sold  his  interest.  In  the  succeeding 
spring  he  went  to  Moline  and  from  that  time  until 
1881  was  assistant  postmaster  there.  In  the  latter 
year  he  returned  to  Rockford  and  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  Charles  Sabin.  a  druggist,  with  whom  he 
continued  for  four  years.  In  April,  1885,  he  pur- 
chased a  half  interest  in  the  drug  store  at  No.  323 
West  State  street,  this  business  being  conducted 
under  the  firm  name  of  Hayes  &  Caswell  until 
1901,  when  by  jjurchase  Mr.  Caswell  became  sole 
pruprietor  and  has  since  conducted  what  is  known 
as  the  Caswell  Pharmacy.  This  is  a  paying  busi- 
ness, yielding  a  good  return  upon  the  inve.stment. 
The  store  is  attractive  in  its  apjx-arancc  because 
of  its  tastefid  arrangement  and  Dr.  Caswell  by  his 
long  experience  in  the  drug  business  and  the 
knowledge  which  he  ac(|uired  in  the  study  of 
medicine  is  particularly  well  (|ualified  for  the  con- 
duct of  such  an  estal)lishnient.  His  business  meth- 
ods, too,  are  in  conformity  with  commercial  ethics, 
and  he  is  now  enjoying  a  very  liberal  patronage. 

In  iSTx)  Dr.  Caswell  was  married  to  Miss  F.liza 
Thomas,  a  daughter  of  the  late  Dr.  .\lden  Thomas, 
of  Rockford.     They  became  the  parents  of  four 


children,  but  the  first  two  died  in  infancy.  Lewis 
F.  married  Miss  Ermine  Waddell,  of  Columbus, 
Georgia,  and  is  a  stenographer  in  the  government 
employ  under  Commissioner  James  Garfield.  Ed- 
ward J.  married  Miss  Bessie  Conklin,  of  Rock- 
ford, and  is  engaged  in  farming  near  Grand  Rap- 
ids, Wisconsin.  The  mother  of  these  children  died 
in  189S.  and  in  May,  1905.  the  Doctor  married 
Mrs.  Nellie  Rose  Waugh,  of  Rockford. 

Dr.  Caswell  has  long  been  a  resident  of  Rock- 
ford and  a  representative  of  its  business  affairs, 
and  as  a  citizen  and  merchant  merits  the  high  re- 
gard that  is  uniformly  extended  to  him.  He  is  the 
pioneer  druggist  of  the  city,  having  Ix'cn  actively 
engaged  in  business  for  over  a  third  of  a  century. 
He  is  a  great  student  and  has  one  of  the  finest 
libraries  in  northern  Illinois,  comprising  some  two 
thousand  volumes  of  valuable  works,  largely  sci- 
entific, particularly  works  on  ethnology  and  an- 
tiquities. His  books  have  been  his  inse|jarable 
com])anions  through  life  and  he  has  Ix-come  quite 
an  authority  and  an  acknowledged  enthusiast  in 
lihilately  and  numismatics,  having  been  a  col- 
lector of  stamps  and  coins  for  thirty-five  years,  as 
he  started  his  collection  in  1870. 


RANSOM  BEECHER. 

Ransom  lieecher.  a  retired  farmer,  living  on 
section  13.  Winnebago  township,  was  born  Janu- 
ary 22.  1 82 1,  in  Washington  county.  New  York, 
the  family  home  lying  between  Lake  Champlain 
and  Lake  George.  His  parents  were  Isaac  and 
.Minerva  ((iorhani)  Beecher.  who  came  to  Illi- 
nois in  1846,  settling  in  Kendall  county,  where 
the  father  secured  government  land  and  engaged 
in  larniing.  Their  home  was  near  Oswego,  twen- 
ty miles  from  Joliet  and  fifteen  miles  from  Au- 
rora. The  father.  Ransom  Beecher.  and  his 
brothers  all  took  claims.  They  Ijecame  pioneer 
settlers  of  the  community,  living  there  when  the 
homes  were  widely  scattered.  They  did  teaming 
to  Chicago,  hauling  their  wheat  to  that  market, 
and  in  Kendall  county  they  remained  for  seven 
years,  when  in  1853  they  all  removed  to  Winne- 
bago county,  with  the  exception  of  Daniel.  Isaac 
Beecher  and  his  wife  afterward  left  Illinois  and 
took  up  their  abode  in  York.  Nebraska,  where 
they  resided  up  to  the  time  of  their  death.  Isaac 
Beecher  ])assed  away  in  1883.  at  the  age  of 
eighty-four  years,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Connecticut  in  the  fall  of  I7<)9,  while  his  wife 
died  in  1891,  when  more  than  ninety-one  years  of 
age.  Both  were  representatives  of  old  New  Eng- 
land families,  for  the  grandfather  of  our  subject 
went  from  Connecticut  to  \^ermont  in  1807,  when 
the  section  of  the  country  in  which  he  settled 
was  new  and  unim])roved.  and  the  Gorhams  had 


.MR.  AND  AIRS.  RANSOM  BEECHER. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


785 


located  in  the  same  state  several  years  before. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Isaac  Beecher  were  the  parents  of 
three  sons  and  a  daughter,  of  whom  Ransom  is 
the  eldest.  Charles,  who  resided  in  the  village 
of  Winnebago,  worked  in  a  wagon  shop  there 
with  Isaac  Johns  for  some  time.  He  afterward 
went  to  Nebraska,  where  he  followed  his  trade 
for  a  number  of  years,  but  about  five  years  ago 
he  removed  to  Pasadena,  California,  where  he 
now  makes  his  home.  He  has  reached  the  age  of 
eighty-one  years.  Betsy  died  in  York,  Nebraska, 
about  seven  years  ago.  Daniel  I.  was  a  resident 
of  Kendall  county,  Ilhnois,  until  about  1854, 
when  he  went  south  into  Mississippi,  where  he 
purchased  a  place.  Later,  however,  he  removed 
to  Arkansas,  where  he  resided  upon  a  farm  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  March,  1905,  when 
he  was  seventy-six  years  of  age. 

Ransom  Beecher  spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood 
and  youth  in  his  parents'  home  in  the  east,  and 
with  the  family  came  to  Illinois  in  1846,  being 
at  that  time  about  twenty-five  years  of  age.  As 
before  stated,  he  secured  a  claim  and  was  engaged 
in  general  agricultural  pursuits  in  Kendall  coun- 
ty until  his  removal  to  this  county  in  1853.  As 
a  companion  and  helpmate  for  life's  journey  he 
chose  Miss  Sarah  A.  Drake,  who  was  born  and 
reared  in  Rutland  county,  Vermont,  and  was  a 
daughter  of  Julius  and  Sarah  (Tomlinson) 
Drake.  Her  brother  came  to  Illinois  with  the 
Beecher  family,  but  soon  afterward  located  in 
Michigan,  where  he  resided  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  a  number  of  years  ago.  Mrs.  Beecher 
was  one  of  a  large  family  of  children,  but  she  and 
her  sister,  Mrs.  Julia  O.  Thomas,  are  the  only 
ones  now  living.  She  passed  the  eighty-fourth 
anniversarv  of  her  birth  in  June,  1905.  Unto  ]Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Beecher  were  born  three  children.  The 
son,  Edgar  W.,  served  during  the  Civil  war  with 
the  Illinois  troops,  and  later  located  near  Wind- 
sor, Missouri,  where  he  died  about  twenty  years 
ago.  Inez  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  Speaker,  of  Manson, 
Iowa,  and  they  have  four  children :  Clifford,  a 
civil  engineer  by  profession,  is  now  in  the  em- 
ploy of  a  large  company ;  Faith,  Lelia  and  Ethel, 
all  at  home.  Editha  married  George  Hollenbeck, 
a  farmer  residing  on  section  13,  Winnebago 
township,  and  thev  have  four  children :  William 
R.,  Frank  A.,  Effie  and  Altha.  Of  these  William 
R.  married  Jennie  jMcLeash,  and  has  recently 
bought  his  grandfather's  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres.  He  has  five  children :  Ransom 
B.,  Lila  M.,  Thelma  B.,  Norma  B.  and  Charles 
W.,  all  at  home. 

Politically  Mr.  Beecher  is  a  republican,  inter- 
ested in  the  success  of  his  party.  He  has  served 
in  local  township  offices  and  as  school  director, 
and  has  ever  been  actively  interested  in  matters 
pertaining  to  the  public  progress,  giving  his  aid 
to  manv  movements  for  the  general  good.     He 


has  now  passed  the  eighty-fourth  milestone  on 
life's  journey,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  among  the 
most  venerable  residents  of  the  county.  They 
have  long  traveled  life's  journey  together,  shar- 
ing with  each  other  the  joys  and  sorrows,  the  ad- 
versity and  prosperity  which  checker  the  careers 
of  all'. 


RICHARD  J.  PRICE. 

Richard  J.  Price,  who  is  serving  for  the  third 
term  as  road  commissioner  in  Guilford  township, 
where  for  many  years  he  has  followed  the  occu- 
pation of  farming,  owning  and  operating  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  of  land  on  sections  14,  15  and 
22,  was  born  in  this  township  near  his  present 
home  in  1856,  his  father  being  David  Price,  who 
came  to  this  county  in  the  same  year  in  which 
the  son  Richard  was  born.  The  father  was  a  na- 
tive of  Montgomeryshire,  Wales,  born  in  183 1, 
and  in  that  country  he  was  reared  to  manhood. 
He  came  to  America  in  1850,  settling  first  in 
Oneida  county.  New  York,  where  he  remained 
until  coming  to  Winnebago  county.  He  pur- 
chased a  farm  in  Guilford  township  and  for  many 
years  successfully  carried  on  general  agricultural 
pursuits,  but  in  1894  retired  from  business  life 
and  took  up  his  abode  in  Rockford.  He  owns  a 
fine  home  on  Jackson  street  and  is  enjoying  the 
comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life  by  rea- 
son of  his  activity  in  former  years.  He  espoused 
his  country's  cause  during  the  Civil  war,  loyally 
defending  the  Union,  and  in  days  of  peace  he  has 
been  equally  loyal,  serving  in  a  number  of  local 
offices.  It  was  on  the  9th  of  August,  1862,  that  he 
was  enrolled  as  a  member  of  Company  D,  Seven- 
ty-fourth Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  He  served 
for  three  years  or  during  the  war  and  on  the  loth 
of  June,  1865,  at  Nashville,  Tennessee,  he  was 
honorably  discharged,  being  mustered  out  in  ac- 
cordance with  instructions  from  the  war  depart- 
ment, dated  May  29,  1865.  He  served  under  Cap- 
tain H.  H.  Thatch  and  Colonel  Jason  Marsh  in 
the  First  Brigade,  Second  Division,  Fourth  Army 
Corps  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  He  par- 
ticipated in  the  following  battles :  Perryville, 
Kentucky,  October  8.  1862 ;  Stone  River,  Decem- 
ber 31,  1862,  and  the  first  two  days  of  January, 
1863 :  Chickamauga,  Georgia,  September  19  and 
20,  1863 ;  Lookout  Mountain,  Tennessee,  Novem- 
ber 24,  1863  :  Mission  Ridge,  November  25,  1863  ; 
Buzzard's  Roost,  Georgia,  February  27.  1864; 
Resaca,  May  13-16,  1864;  Adairsvil'le,  May  17, 
1864;  Dallas,  May  25-June  4,  1864;  Kenesaw 
Mountain,  June  9-30,  1864;  Peach  Tree  Creek, 
July  20,  1864 ;  Moy  Creek,  August  5-6,  1864 ;  the 
siege  of  Atlanta,  from  the  22d  of  July  to  the  2d 
of  September,  1864;  Jonesboro,  August  31st  and 
September  i,   1864;  Lovejoy  Station,  September 


786 


PAST     AND    PRESFAT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


2-6,  1864;  Franklin,  Xovcnibcr  29  and  30,  1864; 
Savannah,  December  10  and  11,  1864;  Avcrys- 
boro,  March  16.  1865:  Rentonvillc,  Marcli  19, 
1865.  He  was  captured  at  Stone  River  in  the 
battle  of  Murfreesboro  and  was  imj^risoned  at 
Libby  prison  ami  Castle  Thunder  at  Richmond 
for  six  weeks.  For  about  two  weeks  he  was  de- 
tailed to  guard  cattle  at  Chattanooga,  but  with  the 
exception  of  these  brief  periods  was  always  on 
active  duty.  On  the  loth  of  June,  1865,  he  re- 
ceived an  honora))Ie  discharge  and  with  a  most 
creditable  military  record,  returned  to  his  home. 

David  Price  was  married  twice.  In  Oneida 
county,  New  York,  he  wedded  Miss  Winifred 
Jones,  also  a  native  of  Wales,  bom  in  1830.  She 
came  to  America  when  about  twenty  years  of  age 
and  died  upon  the  home  farm  in  Guilford  town- 
ship, September  9,  1884.  at  the  age  of  fifty-four 
years.  There  were  nine  children  Ixirn  of  that 
marriage  :  Richard  J.,  who  died  in  infancy  :  R.  J., 
of  this  review  :  Edward  and  David,  who  died  in 
infancy  ;  Margaret,  who  became  the  wife  of  C.  W. 
Dempsey,  of  Guilford  township,  and  died  in  New 
Milford  in  1889.  leaving  a  daughter,  Mabel,  who 
married  Wallace  Forsythe  and  resides  in  ( niilfnrd 
township,  while  Mr.  Demp.sey  al.so  makes  his 
home  in  the  same  township :  Eleanor,  residing  in 
Guilford  townshi]) :  Mary,  who  was  a  teacher  and 
died  in  early  womanb(X)(l ;  Fanny,  who  was  mar- 
ried in  i()02  to  Carl  Mclin  and  resides  in  Moline. 
Illinois;  and  Frank  IL.  who  is  engaged  with  the 
R.,  R.  &  I.  Railroad  as  conductor,  making  his 
headquarters  at  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  .-\fter  losing 
his  first  wife  Mr.  Price  married  Mrs.  Jane  Jones, 
nee  Roberts,  who  was  born  in  Montgomeryshire, 
\\\'des.  in  1830.  and  came  to  .Xmcrica  in  1856.  lo- 
cating first  in  Oneida  county.  New  York,  where 
she  resided  seven  years.  She  came  to  \^^innebago 
county  in  1863.  ^Tr.  Jones  was  engaged  in  well- 
digging  and  died  here  November  7,  1891,  at  the 
age  of  sixty-three  years.  Mr.  ancl  Mrs.  Jones 
were  the  parents  of  eleven  children,  nine  of  whom 
yet  survive  and  are  residents  of  Rockford  and 
vicinity. 

Richard  J.  Price  spent  his  boyhood  days  on  the 
old  home  farm,  where  he  has  resided  continuously 
with  the  exception  of  seven  years  spent  in  South 
Dakota.  .Xt  rme  time  he  owned  considerable  land 
in  that  state.  He  has  always  followed  the  occupa- 
tion of  farming  and  is  to-day  the  ownier  of  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land,  which  is  very 
productive  and  valuable,  on  sections  14,  15  and 
22,  Guilford  township.  This  constitutes  an  excel- 
lent fariu,  which  is  well  improved  and  in  its  neat 
appearance  indicates  the  careful  supervision  of  the 
owner. 

Richard  J.  Price  was  married  in  1880  to  Miss 
Clara  V.  Teachout,  a  native  of  Rockford  and  a 
daughter  of  Gilbert  and  Melissa  Teachout,  early 


residents  of  this  county.  The  father  died  about 
thirty-nine  years  ago  when  a  young  man.  He  was 
a  cooper  by  trade  and  was  employed  by  Levi 
Rhodes  &  Company.  Mrs.  Price  was  one  of  four 
children,  the  others  l)eing  Mrs.  Hattie  M.  Weeks, 
a  resident  of  Tullahoma.  Tennessee ;  Frederick 
D.,  living  in  Tullahoma;  and  Will,  who  is  an  en- 
gineer of  the  fire  department  in  Toledo,  Ohio.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Price  have  become  the  parents  of  three 
children :  Cora  May,  who  died  in  Dakota  at  the 
age  of  six  years ;  Zaidee  E.,  the  wife  of  Peter 
Ralston,  of  Guilford  towniship  and  the  mother  of 
one  son.  Norman  Richard  ;  and  Herbert  H.,  who 
is  attending  the  Rockford  Business  College. 

Mr.  Price  is  a  member  of  the  Grange,  with 
which  he  has  been  connected  for  twenty-four 
years.  He  belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen  camp 
of  Rockford  and  in  his  political  views  has  always 
been  a  republican.  He  served  as  tax  collector  for 
two  terms  and  is  now  filling  the  office  of  road 
commissioner  for  the  third  term,  and  in  matters 
])ertaining  to  general  progress  and  improvement 
he  is  deeply  and  helpfully  interested,  giving  his 
suport  to  every  measure  which  he  deems  will  ben- 
efit the  conimimitv. 


II,  V.  matiii-:r. 

H.  F.  Mather,  who  devotes  his  time  and 
energies  to  farming  on  section  13,  Guilford  town- 
ship, owning  and  cultivating  a  tract  of  land  of 
one  hundred  acres,  situated  on  that  section  and 
on  section  18.  was  only  nine  months  old  when 
brought  to  this  county,  in  October.  1838,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  I'lurlington,  New  York. 
His  iiarents  were  .\lfred  P.  and  Celona  (Or- 
cutt)  Mather,  who  located  in  Rockford  town- 
ship, where  they  resided  until  called  to  their 
final  rest,  the  father's  death  occurring  June  5, 
ii>oi,  when  he  had  reached  the  very  advanced 
age  of  ninety-four  years  and  six  months,  while 
his  wife  died  February  14,  1879.  at  the  age  of 
seventy-three  years.  Both  were  natives  of  New 
York  and  the  family  is  of  F.nglish  litieage.  They 
became  the  parents  of  four  children:  Elizabeth, 
who  married  William  Foss  and  died  at  their 
home  in  Wisconsin  in  it/32;  .Mfrcd  P..  of  Rock- 
ford. who  was  a  sho])man  and  worked  for  Mr. 
Manny  and  al.so  for  Emerson  for  about  forty 
years ;  Celona,  the  widow  of  J.  T.  Spencer,  resid- 
ing in  Pomeroy,  Iowa ;  and  H.  F..  of  this  review. 

H.  F.  Mather  was  reared  in  this  county,  at- 
tending its  common  schools,  and  he  has  always 
followed  farming.  In  his  youth  he  became 
familiar  with  the  best  methods  of  clearing  and 
cultivating  the  fields  and  caring  for  the  stock 
and  he  has  never  sought  other  occupation,  but 


MR.  AND  MRS.  H.  F.  M.VTHER. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


789 


in  the  control  of  his  agricultural  interests  has 
met  with  well  merited  success.  His  farm  com- 
prises one  hundred  acres  of  land,  partly  on  sec- 
tion 13  and  partly  on  section  18,  Guilford  town- 
ship, and  his  Jiome  is  directly  opposite  the  sani- 
tarium. 

Mr.  Mather  was  married  to  ^liss  Alary  E. 
Cook,  who  came  to  Illinois  in  her  childhood 
days.  She  was  born  in  ]\Iaryland  and  is  a 
daughter  of  John  Warfield,  who  settled  in 
Whiteside  county,  Illinois,  where  he  followed  the 
occupation  of  farming,  while  later  he  took  up 
his  abode  in  Rockford.  Mrs.  Mather  died  in 
July,  1903,  at  the  age  of  fifty-nine  years,  leaving 
two  daughters,  both  born  in  Rockford,  namely  ; 
Mary  C.  who  is  now  the  wife  of  William  Dirch 
and  resides  upon  the  home  farm ;  and  Lillie  E., 
who  is  the  wife  of  George  Easton,  their  home 
being  in  Jewell  county,  Kansas. 

At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Mather, 
responding  to  his  country's  call  for  aid,  enlisted 
in  1862  as  a  member  of  Company  D,  Seventy- 
fourth  Illinois  Infantry,  with  which  he  remained 
for  about  a  year  and  a  half,  serving  as  a  private 
soldier  under  General  Buell.  He  is  now  a  mem- 
ber of  Nevius  post,  G.  A.  R.,  and  thus  main- 
tains pleasant  relations  with  his  old  army  com- 
rades. He  was  at  one  time  a  member  of  the 
Order  of  United  Workmen  and  his  political  sup- 
port has  always  been  given  to  the  republican 
partv.  He  has  served  twenty-one  years  as  com- 
missioner of  highways,  but  he  has  never  sought 
or  desired  office,  preferring  to  give  his  undivided 
attention  to  his  business  affairs,  in  which  he 
has  met  with  signal  success.  For  sixty-five  years 
he  has  lived  in  \\^innebago  county  and  few  set- 
tlers have  longer  resided  within  its  borders.  He 
is  therefore  numbered  among  the  pioneers  and 
while  he  has  never  sought  to  figure  in  any 
public  light,  nevertheless  his  worth  has  made  him 
a  valued  citizen  of  his  community  along  agri- 
cultural  lines. 


HON.  C.  HARRY  WOOLSEY. 

The  life  of  Hon.  C.  Harry  Woolsey  is  another 
illustration  of  the  fact  that  a  man  is  not  born  to 
public  honor  or  office  and  that  success  does  not 
depend  upon  environment  for  through  well  direct- 
ed labor  he  has  gained  an  enviable  position  in 
business  circles  of  Rockford  and  through  devotion 
to  the  general  good  and  fitness  for  leadership  he 
has  become  a  prominent  representative  of  the  dem- 
ocratic party  in  this  portion  of  the  state,  being 
now  a  member  of  the  state  central  committee. 

Mr.  Woolsey  is  a  native  of  England,  his  birth 

having  occurred  in  Worthing,  Norfolk,  December 

25.  1854.    His  parents.  Clare  and  Elizabeth  ]\Ian- 

ship  nVarnes)  Woolsev,  brought  their  familv  to 

46 


the  United  States  in  1862,  locating  in  Rockford, 
where  the  father  was  engaged  in  the  milling  busi- 
ness and  other  operations  for  a  number  of  years. 
He  died  in  1890  in  this  city,  having  for  five  years 
survived  his  wife,  who  passed  away  in  1885. 
They  were  the  parents  of  eight  sons  and  five 
daughters,  and  three  of  the  sons  now  reside  in 
Rockford. 

C.  Harry  Woolsey  was  a  youth  of  seven  years 
when  brought  by  his  parents  to  the  new  world  and 
his  education  was  pursued  in  the  public  schools 
of  this  city.  Putting  aside  his  text-books,  he  en- 
tered upon  his  business  career  as  a  messenger  for 
the  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company  at  the 
age  of  twelve  years  and  studied  telegraphy  and 
became  an  operator.  He  was  only  fifteen  years  of 
age  when  placed  in  charge  of  the  telegraph  office 
at  Neenah,  Wisconsin.  He  continued  in  the  rail- 
way service  altogether  for  sixteen  years,  spending 
the  greater  part  of  that  time  in  the  employ  of  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railroad  Company.  He 
was  cashier  in  the  Rockford  office  and  ticket  agent 
at  Winona,  Minnesota,  and  was  chief  clerk  in  the 
office  of  the  Fremont,  Elkhorn  &  Missouri  Val- 
ley Railway  Company,  at  Missouri  Valley,  Iowa. 
On  leaving  the  railway  service  in  1887  he  re- 
turned to  Rockford  and  in  1889  he  became  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  Skandia  Furniture  Com- 
pany, of  which  he  was  secretary  for  two  years. 
Being  a  lover  of  flowers,  he  built  a  small  green- 
house in  1898  and  has  since  conducted  business  as 
a  florist.  His  patronage  is  constantly  increasing, 
demanding  greater  facilities  for  carrying  on  the 
business  until  now  he  has  five  large  greenhouses 
in  addition  to  an  extensive  salesroom.  The  green- 
houses are  heated  by  warm  water  and  are  thor- 
oughly equipped  for  the  care  of  the  most  rare  and 
delicate  flowers.  His  sales  are  continually  increas- 
ing and  the  output  annually  brings  to  him  a  very 
gratifying  financial  income. 

Prominent  politically  as  an  advocate  of  demo- 
cratic principles  and  a  worker  in  the  interests  of 
the  party,  Mr.  Woolsey  was  in  1890  elected  a 
member  of  the  city  council  from  the  first  ward, 
and  for  four  years  acted  in  that  capacity.  In  1903 
he  was  again  elected  a  member  of  the  citv  coun- 
cil and  is  the  present  incumbent  in  the  office.  In 
the  campaign  of  1894  he  was  elected  to  the  state 
legislature  on  the  democratic  ticket  and  while  a 
member  of  the  house  served  on  several  important 
committees.  His  interest  in  the  welfare  of  Rock- 
ford has  been  manifest  in  the  tangible  support 
which  as  an  alderman  he  has  given  to  measures 
for  the  general  good,  his  labors  proving  of  direct 
and  practical  benefit. 

In  1877  Mr.  Woolsey  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Lina  Cora  Howes,  of  Rockford,  in  which 
city  she  was  born  and  reared  and  acquired  her 
education.    She  is  a  daughter  of  the  late  Phineas 


/flO 


PAST    AXD     PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


Howes,  a  Iiig^hly  respected  citizen,  and  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  XV'innebajjo  county,  who  came  here  in 
iS.V)  from  Xew  York  and  died  in  1894. 

Her  mother  was  Maria  P.arnuni.  who  came  to 
Rockford  in  iS3t).  and  died  in  tliis  city  December 
10.  1877.  She  was  a  distant  relative  of  P.  T.  llar- 
niim.  the  .ijreat  showman.  Mrs.  Woolsey  is  an 
accomplislied  lady  ])residing  in  a  ho.spitable  man- 
ner over  her  ])leasant  home  in  which  she 
was  born  in  1857,  at  1055  East  State 
street.  .Mr.  and  Mrs.  Woolsey  are  the  parents  of 
four  children:  Marie  Knapp  and  Earl  J.,  both 
deceased  :  l-"lla  lieth.  at  home  :  and  Ral])h  1  larry,  a 
student  in  the  Rockford  high  school. 

Mr.  Woolsey  is  accorded  rank  with  the  leading 
citizens  of  Rockford.  He  is  one  of  the  live  men 
of  the  day.  active,  energetic  and  enterprising.  The 
march  of  improvement  and  progress  is  accelerated 
day  by  day  and  each  successive  moment  seems  to 
demand  of  men  a  broader  intelligence  and  a  great^ 
er  discernment.  With  a  realization  of  this,  ^Ir. 
Woolsey  has  im])roved  his  opportunities  and  qual- 
ified himself  to  meet  existing  conditions  in  the 
business  and  political  world  and  in  both  has  won 
for  him.self  an  enviable  place.  He  is  secretary  of 
Rockford  Lodge,  No.  102,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  has 
filled  various  chairs  in  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
lodge,  of  which  he  has  been  a  member  for  thirty 
years,  and  also  belongs  to  the  Modern  AX'oodnxn 
of  .Xmerica.  He  and  his  family  are  all  active 
members  of  the  Christian  Union  church  and  he 
has  served  as  a  trustee  of  the  same  for  several 
vears. 


TII.M)  W.  E\"AN"S. 


Thad  W.  Evans,  who  carries  on  general  farm- 
iu"!  on  section  13.  Xew  Milford  townsiiip.  having 
here  a  tract  of  land  f)f  eiglity  acres,  was  born  in 
this  townshi]).  May  2-j.  1872.  his  jiarents  being 
Thomas  W.  and  Caroline  (Crill)  Evans.  The_\ 
were  early  residents  of  (  )ijle  count\-.  and  were 
natives  of  Oneida  county.  Xew  York,  coming  to 
the  west  when  young  people.  The  father  devoted 
his  energies  to  farming  and  thus  provided  for  his 
famih.  ac(|uiring  an  estate  of  about  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars.  His  death  occurred  I'ebniary  19, 
1899.  His  first  wife,  Mrs.  Caroline  (Crill)  Evans, 
died  in  1874.  and  he  subse<|ueiuly  married  Laura 
E.  Lewis,  of  Xew  ^'ork.  K\  the  first  marriage 
there  were  six  children  who  reached  adult  age 
an<l  one  by  the  second,  while  the  other  mem- 
bers of  the  family  tlied  in  infancy.  Jemiie  became 
the  wife  of  W.  P.  Hotelling  and  died  in  Rock- 
ford about  eighteen  or  tweiUy  years  ago,  leav- 
invT  a  tiaughter.  Rapha.  who  married  a  Mr. 
Munch  and  resides  in  the  west.  Pielle  is  the  wife 
of   R.    M.    I'.arross.   who   is   living   near  Garden 


Prairie,  in  McHenry  county,  Illinois,  and  they 
have  four  children,  liert,  Evans.  .Xora  and  Lucy. 
John  O.  Evans,  who  is  now  following  farming  in 
.Vew  .Milford  township,  married  h'lora  Bander 
and  they  have  four  children,  Thomas,  Georgia, 
r.crnice  and  John.  Jean  Paul  EvatLS.  owning  a 
farm  in  (  )gle  county,  was  married  to  Miss  Alice 
l"rench.  and  they  have  four  children:  Lois.  Paul, 
Harvey  and  Howard.  Henrietta  is  the  wife  of 
J.  C.  Thomjjson.  a  resident  farmer  of  Xew  Mil- 
ford township.  Thad  W.  is  the  next  of  the  fam- 
ilv.  Lois  is  the  wife  of  I'rank  Denel.  a  resident 
of  Rockford. 

Thad  W.  I'lvans  was  reared  in  the  county  where 
his  birth  occurred,  and  throughout  his  business 
career  he  has  carried  on  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits. I  le  now  has  eighty  acres  of  land  known  as 
the  Waugh  farm,  and  devotes  his  time  to  the 
tilling  of  the  soil  and  the  raising  of  cro])s.  There 
are  good  buildings  upon  his  ])lace.  and  altogether 
he  has  a  finely  improved  tract  of  land,  con.stitut- 
ing  one  of  the  best  farm  properties  of  the  neigh- 
borhood. 

Mr.  Evans  was  married  (  )ctobcr  2},.  i8c)5,  at 
.Salem.  Wisconsin,  to  Miss  Minnie  French,  who 
wos  born  in  .\ntioch.  Lake  county.  Illinois,  and  is 
a  daughter  of  John  French,  who  came  in  his  boy- 
hood days  from  the  Empire  state  to  the  west,  and 
was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Illinois.  Mrs. 
I'>ans  died  February  17,  1901,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-six  years,  leaving  a  daughter.  Jeanette 
-Maude,  now  six  years  of  age. 

l'oliticall\  Mr.  Evans  has  always  been  a  re- 
publican and  that  belief  has  ever  been  the  politi- 
cal faith  of  the  family.  He  belongs  to  New  Mil- 
ford camp,  .Xo.  419.  M.  W.  .\.,  of  New  Milford, 
and  also  to  camp  Xo.  26  of  the  Home  Fraternal 
League  of  Xew  .Milford.  His  business  afl'airs  are 
capably  conducted,  and  in  all  of  his  work  he  fol- 
lows a  definite  i^lan  of  action.  Both  his  syste- 
matic labors  and  diligence  are  liringing  him  to 
the  goal  of  success  toward  which  each  man  turns 
his  face  as  he  starts  out  in  a  business  life. 


GEORGE  PF.\XST1FL. 

.\mong  the  German-.\merican  citizens  who 
have  contributed  to  the  substantial  im|)rovement 
and  development  of  Winnebago  county  was  num- 
bered George  Pfanstiel.  for  through  a  long  period 
he  was  an  active  factor  in  business  life  in  Rock- 
ford. and  at  his  death  he  left  behind  many  friends 
who  held  him  in  high  regard  and  greatly  re- 
gretted his  loss.  .\  native  of  Prussia,  he  was  born 
September  24.  1831.  His  father.  Millet  Pfan- 
steil.  always  remained  a  resident  of  ( iermany 
and  departed  this  life  in  his  native  land  at  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


791 


age  of  seventy-one  years.  He  had  always  fol- 
lowed farniing-.  His  widow  has  also  passed 
away.  Their  son  Casper,  coming  to  America 
soon  after  the  arrival  of  George  Pfanstiel,  took 
up  his  abode  in  Rockford  and  has  also  departed 
this  life,  but  his  widow  and  children  still  reside 
in  this  city. 

In  the  schools  of  his  native  land  George  Pfan- 
stiel pursued  his  education,  spending  his  boyhood 
davs  on  his  father's  farm.  In  i860,  however,  he 
sailed  for  America,  taking  passage  at  Bremen  on 
a  sailing  vessel  which  weighed  anchor  on  the  17th 
of  November.  He  landed  at  New  York,  and  for 
a  year  and  a  half  was  there  employed  in  various 
ways.  He  scorned  no  labor  that  would  yield 
him  an  honest  employment,  but  thinking  that  he 
might  do  still  better  elsewhere  he  went  to  Cin- 
cinnati, (  )hi(),  and  subsequentlv  came  lo  Rock- 
ford.  \'arious  undertakings  claimed  his  time 
and  energies  in  this  city.  He  was  first  engaged 
in  the  livery  business  for  a  luunber  of  vears,  and 
afterward  owned  a  brewery.  He  likewise  bought 
and  sold  real  estate,  dealing  in  citv  propertv  un- 
til his  retirement.  He  also  owned  a  farm,  and 
his  property  was  the  visible  evidence  of  his  great 
activity  and  well  directed  efforts  in  business  life. 

.\fter  coming  to  Rockford  I\Ir.  Pfanstiel  was 
united  in  marriage  to  ^Irs.  H.  C.  Charlotte 
Groneman,  who  was  bom  in  Berlin.  German)-, 
^lay  17,  1829,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Christian 
and  Louisa  (Loudwig)  Brieger.  Her  parents 
were  also  natives  of  Prusssia.  and  her  father 
was  a  miller  by  trade,  following  that  occupation 
until  his  death  at  the  age  of  fifty-five  years.  His 
wife  passed  away  when  onl\-  thirty-two  years  of 
age.  Both  were  members  of  the  Lutheran  church. 
The  grandfather.  Christian  J.  Brieger,  served  as 
a  soldier  under  Napoleon  Bonaparte.  Mrs. 
Pfanstiel  was  the  first  of  the  family  to  come  to 
-\merica.  She  obtained  a  good  education  in  her 
native  country,  and  in  1856  crossed  the  Atlantic 
alone  from  Bremen  to  New  \'ork  city,  spending 
some  months  in  the  latter  place.  She  arrived  in 
Rockford  early  in  the  year  1857,  ^"^1  the  follow- 
ing year  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Theodore 
Groneman,  a  native  of  Hamburg,  Germany,  who 
became  a  resident  of  tlie  new  world  in  t85C).  He 
was  a  cabinet-maker  by  trade  and  for  three  years 
after  his  marriage  was  thus  employed.  He  then 
embarked  in  the  funiture  business  in  connection 
w  ith  A.  C.  Burpee,  that  relation  being  maintained 
for  twelve  years.  In  politics  he  was  a  democrat 
and  a  member  of  the  Germania  Society  and  of 
the  Lutheran  church.  He  died  in  1871,  at  the  age 
of  forty-four  years.  After  ten  years'  residence  in 
this  countrv  Mr.  Groneman  and  wife  went  back 
to  Germanv  on  a  visit,  and  spent  three  months 
verv  enjovablv,  returning  on  the  saute  vessel,  the 
A\'estphalia.      Following   the    death    of    her    first 


husband  Airs.  Groneman  became  the  wife  of  JNIr. 
Pfanstiel.  and  they  made  their  home  in  Rockford, 
where  they  had  many  friends  among  the  German- 
.Vmerican  citizens.  Having  no  children  of  their 
own.  they  reared  Aliss  Helgren,  now  Mrs.  Au- 
gust Pfanstiel.  of  Rockford.  For  several  years 
^liss  Charlotte  Beissert  has  resided  with  Mrs. 
Pfanstiel,  who  is  her  great-aunt,  and  they  now 
occupy  the  old  Groneman  homestead  at  No.  518 
North  Third  street,  where  Mrs.  Pfanstiel  has 
lived  for  thirt\-five  years.  She  also  owns  other 
valuable  property  in  Rockford  and  a  fine  farm 
of  forty  acres  near  Pecatonica. 

Air.  Pfanstiel  continued  a  resident  of  Rock- 
ford up  to  the  time  of  his  demise,  which  occurred 
Alay  23,  ic;oi.  In  his  political  views  he  was  an 
earnest  republican,  and  never  faltered  in  his  ad- 
vocacy of  any  measure  which  he  believed  to  be 
for  the  general  good.  His  religious  views  ac- 
corded with  the  teachings  of  the  Lutheran  church, 
of  which  both  he  and  his  wife  were  devoted 
members.  Coming  to  America  with  little  capital, 
he  advanced  steadily  in  his  business  career,  win- 
ning success  through  close  application,  keen  busi- 
ness discernment  and  unflagging  perserverance. 
As  the  years  passed  he  was  enabled  to  add  an- 
nually to  his  savings  until  with  a  comfortable 
competence  he  retired  to  private  life,  spending 
his  last  years  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  fruits  of  his 
former  toil.  He  became  well  known  here,  and 
enjoyed  in  large  measure  the  friendship  of  many 
of  the  German-.American  citizens  of  Rockford. 


MOSES  WTLLIAM  GLEASON. 

One  of  the  most  active  and  energetic  of  the 
earl}-  pioneers  who  located  permanently  in  what 
is  now  Winnebago  county  was  M.  W.  Gleason,  of 
Guilford  township.  His  birth  occurred  at  Wil- 
liamstown.  Massachusetts,  September  15,  1814. 
and  he  was  the  second  son  of  Jesse  and  Alary 
Gleason.  He.  with  his  brother  Chase,  arrived 
in  the  early  spring  of  1836,  selected  land  and  in 
conformity  of  the  times  "made  a  claim,"  receiv- 
ing a  deed  therefor  when  the  United  States 
governn-ient  first  opened  a  land  office  at  (lalena, 
Illinois. 

^^'illiam  had  learned  the  trade  of  blacksmith 
in  I'lennington.  \'ermont,  therefore  his  forge  and 
anvil  were  a  part  of  the  "furniture"  in  this  hur- 
riedly built  log  cabin,  being  the  first  and  only 
blacksmith  shop  for  many  miles  around.  Some 
of  his  customers  came  long  distances,  often  re- 
quiring two  days  for  the  trip.  He  soon  had  many 
friends  among  the  Indians,  who  were  delighted 
with  the  new  idea  of  having  their  ponies  "shod" 
and   their    hunting   im]:)lemeiUs    in    better    shape. 


792 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO     COUXTY. 


They  soon  became  very  free  to  come  to  him  tor 
aid  in  (hfferent  ways  and  manifested  their  grati- 
tnde  in  LTenerons  j^ifts  of  venison,  tish.  etc.  W'lien 
the  tribe  of  Pottawattamie  decided  to  move,  a  son 
of  their  chief  wislied  to  remain  with  tlie  black- 
smith, bnt  his  father  would  not  consent. 

The  brotliers  Iniilt  a  more  commodious  resi- 
dence and  sent  east  for  their  father  and  famih'. 
wlui  arrived  durinsj  tlie  summer  of  iS^j.  In  this 
( ileason  home  relijjious  services  were  frequently 
Iield.  and  at  one  of  these  meetings  in  June,  iS_^8. 
the  first  Sunday  school  was  arranged  for.  the 
first  superintendent  being  elected  one  week  later. 
The  mother  and  two  sisters  were  among  the  first 
teachers.  This  Sunday  school  has  an  interest- 
ing Instorx .  and  is  now  known  as  "Pioneer 
Union"  Sunday  school,  and  is  in  a  flourishing 
condition. 

William  Glcason  made  the  molds  in  which  the 
first  bricks  were  shaped  in  this  vicinity,  and  in 
1840  erected  a  brick  residence,  then  considered 
a  fine  house.  In  1842  all  was  ready  and  he  re- 
turned for  his  waiting  bride.  Miss  Eunice  .\.  Gil- 
bert, of  Pownal.  X'ermont.  She  was  called  to  her 
higher  home  in  1852.  leaving  three  daughters 
wlio  are  yet  living:  Mrs.  ¥.  S.  DuP>ois.  Mrs.  J. 
H.  Potter  and  Mrs.  Job  .Mexander. 

.\side  from  nis  trade  and  agricultural  innsuits 
.Mr.  Glcason  engaged  (|uite  extensively  in  sheep 
husbandry,  which  he  made  jirofitable.  .-Ml  who 
knew  him  felt  the  influence  of  his  cheerful,  help- 
ful dis|)osition  :  he  was  active  in  all  work  for  the 
public  benefit  and  especially  interested  in  the  wel- 
fare of  young  men  ;  often  sought  for  in  cases  of 
illness;  and  had  the  ha|)|)y  faculty  of  knowing 
the  best  thing  to  do  at  the  right  time.  He  was 
very  fond  of  nnisic  anfl  sincerely  ])atriotic.  fol- 
lowing the  ])racticc  of  reading,  or  having  read, 
the  Declaration  of  lnde|)endence  every  l-'ourth  of 
July.  lie  never  sought  ])ublic  office,  but  served 
in  the  capacity  of  su])ervisor  of  Guilford  town- 
ship several  years :  al.so  as  school  trustee.  The 
last  twenty-one  years  of  his  life  he  was  elected 
as  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  was  chosen  admin- 
istrator of  several  estates.  One  of  his  mottoes 
was  "Aim  to  leave  the  world  better  for  your  be- 
ing in  it."  When  he  was  called  from  his  earthly 
existence  .\pril  22.  i88_^.  every  one  who  knew  him 
felt  that  tiiev  had  lost  a  true  friend. 


CHARLES  MORGAN. 

In  the  history  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Win- 
nebago cotmty  Charles  Morgan  deserves  men- 
tion for  he  took  up  his  abode  here  about  1840. 
upon  a  farm  in  Pccatonica  townsiiip.  The 
traveler  of  to-day  viewing  the  splendid  improve- 
ments of  Rockford   and   the   fine   farins  of  the 


surn>un<ling  district  can  scarcely  realize  the 
conditions  which  then  existed,  much  of  the  land 
being  still  wild  and  unim|)roved  and  covered 
with  the  long  ])rairie  grasses.  Rockford,  too, 
was  but  a  little  village  and  where  now  are  seen 
thriving  towns  there  was  often  not  a  single  house 
to  indicate  that  the  future  years  would  bring 
a  settlement  of  importance  to  that  point.  Mr. 
.Morgan  was  born  in  Ballinasloe,  Ireland.  His 
parents  always  made  their  home  in  that  country 
until  1833  and  have  now  jiassed  away.  The 
son  was  a  young  lad  when  he  left  home,  sailing 
for  the  new  world.  He  landed  at  New  York 
city  and  secured  a  position  in  a  book-publishing 
house.  That  he  was  faithful,  capable  and  ener- 
getic is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  remained 
in  the  employ  of  one  conijiany  for  eight  years. 
Mrs.  .Morgan  now  has  in  her  possession  a  num- 
ber of  old  books  and  I'.ibles  that  were  printed 
bv  that  house  when  Mr.  .Morgan  worked  there 
(luring  the  early  period  of  his  residence  in 
America.  Thinking  that  he  would  have  still 
better  business  o])])ortunities  in  the  middle  west 
he  made  his  way  to  Winnebago  county  in  1840, 
and  settled  upon  a  tract  of  land  in  Pccatonica 
tcnvnship.  where  he  carried  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits.  He  was  married  in  this 
countv  to  Miss  P.arhara  Kinghorn,  a  native  of 
Scotland,  and  a  daugiiter  of  William  and  .\gnes 
I  Darling  I  Kinghorn.  both  natives  of  that  coun- 
lr\ .  They  came  to  .America  about  1835.  making 
their  way  direct  to  Winnebago  county,  where 
the  father  purchased  land  in  Burritt  township, 
devoted  his  attention  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil 
until  his  life's  labors  were  ended  in  death.  His 
wife  also  passed  away  on  the  old  homestead. 
Two  of  their  children  are  still  residing  upon 
farms   in    I'lurritt    township. 

I'ollowing  his  marriage  Mr.  Morgan  con- 
tinued to  carry  on  general  farming  in  Pccaton- 
ica township  for  several  years  and  then  pur- 
cha.sed  land  on  the  old  state  road  in  this  coun- 
ty, where  he  made  his  home  for  twelve  years, 
annually  harvesting  good  crops  as  a  result  of 
the  care  and  labor  he  bestowed  upon  the  fields. 
He  then  removed  to  the  city  of  Rockford  in 
i8rH),  purchasing  ])roperty  in  the  southern  ])art 
of  the  town  and  there  he  lived  retired  until  his 
death,  wliich  occurred  on  the  22d  of  August, 
1887.  He  had  come  to  .\merica  empty-handed, 
l)ut  he  overcame  all  difficulties  and  obstacles  in 
his  i)ath  and  worked  his  way  steadily  upward 
to  success.  He  knew  no  such  word  as  fail,  for 
such  a  word  does  not  find  a  place  in  the  vocabu- 
lary of  men  of  enterprise,  strong  purpose  and 
sound  judgment. 

Mr.  Morgftn  voted  with  the  re|)ublican  party, 
but  was  without  ])olitical  aspiration  for  himself. 
He  held  membership  in  the  Court  Street  Meth- 


CHARLES  :M0RGAX. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUXTY. 


795 


odist  Episcopal  churcli.  wliich  he  joined  more 
than  a  half-century  ago,  and  he  took  a  very 
active  and  helpful  part  in  church  work,  belong- 
ing; to  both  the  liible  and  Missionary  Societies, 
and  did  everything  in  his  power  to  advance  the 
cause  of  Christianity  and  extend  its  influence 
as  a  moving  force  for  the  betterment  of  man- 
kind. He  left  at  his  death  a  good  farm  and  val- 
uable property  in  South  Rockford,  which  was 
the  visible  evidence  of  his  life  of  thrift  and  in- 
dustry, but  moreover,  he  left  to  his  widow  the 
priceless  heritage  of  an  untarnished  name.  There 
is  always  something  of  interest  approaching  to 
the  romantic  in  the  history  of  a  young  lad  who 
leaves  a  foreign  lanrl  to  establish  a  home  in 
America  and  without  the  aid  of  influential 
friends  or  capital,  works  his  way  from  a  hum- 
ble position  to  one  of  affluence,  commanding  at 
the  same  time  the  trust  and  confidence  of  those 
with  whom  he  is  associated.  Such  was  the  his- 
tory of  Charles  ^Morgan.  Since  her  husband's 
death  Mrs.  .Morgan  has  sold  most  of  the  prop- 
erty, but  now  owns  a  nice  residence  at  1045  Mul- 
berry street,  where  she  makes  her  home.  She 
has  lived  in  the  county  through  many  decades 
and  is  one  of  its  worthy  pioneer  women. 


GEORGE  W.   TAXA'FATXE. 

George  W.  Janvevine,  deceased,  who  was  well 
known  in  \N'innebago  county  and  likewise  in  the 
city  of  Reloit,  where  his  last  da\'s  were  passed, 
was  born  in  Exeter,  New  Hampshire,  in  1825, 
and  his  death  occurred  in  1875.  He  pursued  his 
education  in  the  east,  and  entering  business  life 
became  identified  with  mercantile  interests  in 
Lawrence,  Massachusetts.  He  was  living  in  New 
England  at  the  time  of  his  marriage,  which  was 
celebrated  in  185 1,  Miss  Eunice  Greenleaf  be- 
comins;  his  wife.  She  was  likewise  a  native  of 
.\\\v  Ham])shire  and  was  a  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Abigail   (Davis)   Greenleaf. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Janvevine  removed  from  Law- 
rence, Massachusetts,  to  the  middle  west,  set- 
tling first  at  Sugar  River.  Wisconsin,  where  he 
followed  farming  for  some  time  and  then  took  up 
his  abode  in  Beloit.  where  he  established  a  meat 
market,  conducting  it  successfully  for  several 
vears.  He  next  turned  his  attention  to  the  hotel 
lousiness  there,  and  was  proprietor  of  the  Bush- 
nell  House,  later  called  the  Goodwin  Hotel.  Aft- 
erward he  again  resumed  business  as  a  dealer  in 
meats  in  Beloit,  and  in  that  enterprise  was  very 
successful.  He  was  thus  engaged  during  the 
period  of  the  Civil  war,  and  owing  to  his  capable 
management  and  the  careful  husbanding  of  his 
resources  he  became  enabled  to  invest  in  real 
estate,  purchasing  valuable  land  in  Rockton  town- 


ship, Winnebago  county,  where  he  became  owner 
of  two  hundred  and  fifty  acres.  iMillowing  the 
period  of  the  Civil  war  he  made  his  home  on  the 
farm  in  Rockton.  where  he  lived  for  ten  vears, 
devoting  his  time  and  energies  to  agricultural 
pursuits,  during  which  period  there  was  a  marked 
transformation  wrought  in  the  appearance  of  the 
place  for  his  fields  were  highly  cultivated  under 
his  supervision  and  good  improvements  were 
added.  He  was  a  man  of  resourceful  business 
ability,  and  carried  forward  to  successful  comple- 
tion whatever  he  undertook.  He  lived  upon  the 
farm  until  1873.  when  having  gained  a  verv  de- 
sirable competence  he  retired  to  private  life,  pur- 
chasing a  residence  on  Fourth  street  in  Beloit, 
where  his  widow  now  lives.  He  remained  here 
only  two  years,  however,  when  death  claimed  him. 
He  was  a  man  of  forceful  individuality,  well  fitted 
for  leadership,  and  his  fellow  townsmen  recog- 
nizing his  worth  and  ability  called  him  to  the 
office  of  city  marshal  of  Beloit.  He  was  fearless 
in  the  discharge  of  his  duty,  and  on  one  occasion 
while  attempting  to  make  an  arrest  he  was  hit 
on  the  head  bv  a  stone,  which  caused  his  death. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Janvevine  were  the  parents  of 
seven  children,  of  whom  six  are  living:  Ida  E. : 
Fred,  who  married  Margaret  Shay ;  Jennie,  the 
wife  of  Alonzo  Aldrich.  bv  whom  she  has  one 
child.  Laura  J. :  Harry ;  Hattie.  who  married 
Stewart  Mellick  and  has  two  children.  Harry  and 
Rolland  :  Joseph,  who  wedded  Josephine  Brenton 
and  has  one  son.  Brenton. 

Mr.  Janvevine"s  study  of  the  political  issues 
and  questions  of  the  day  led  him  to  give  his  sup- 
port to  the  republican  party  for  he  believed  that 
it  contained  the  best  elements  of  good  govern- 
ment. He  belonged  to  the  Independent  Order 
of  ( )dd  Fellows  and  his  life  was  in  harmony  with 
the  high  principles  which  form  the  basis  of  that 
organization.  His  was  a  very  successful  career, 
owins:  to  his  capable  management  and  unfalter- 
ing diligence.  He  was  popular  with  his  fellow 
citizens,  owing  to  his  excellent  personal  traits 
of  character,  and  his  loss  was  deeply  regreted. 
Pie  was  taken  away  in  the  prime  of  life,  being 
only  fifty  years  of  age  when  his  life  was  sacri- 
ficed to  dutv. 


PHINEAS  HOWES. 


It  has  been  customary  to  speak  of  men  who 
have  raised  themselves  to  honorable  stations  in 
life  without  the  aid  of  wealth  or  influential 
friends  as  "self-made."  Such  a  one  is  our  sub- 
ject, who  started  out  in  life  with  nothing  but  his 
strong  hands  and  his  determination  to  succeed, 
and  that  his  desire  has  been  accomplished  is  noted 
bv  the  fact  that  he  was  one  of  the  most  promi- 
nent and   progressive   citizens   of   Rockford.      In 


-(>() 


PAST     AM)     i'Ri:M-\l     Ul'     W  J  XX  liBAGO     COUXTY. 


his  life  we  find  an  excellent  example  for  young 
men  just  embarking  in  the  field  of  activity,  show- 
ini,"^  what  may  be  gained  by  honesty,  prudence  and 
industry.  In  his  youth  he  enjoyed  a  few  advan- 
tages but  relied  solely  upon  his  efforts,  and  his 
conduct  to  win  for  him  success,  not  in  the  sense  of 
accumulating  wealth,  but  in  doing  good  to  otliers, 
in  serving  others  well  and  in  winning  their  re- 
s]iect. 

The  original  of  this  sketch  was  one  of  the  |)io- 
neers  of  kockford.  lie  was  born  in  the  town  of 
Southeast.  Putnam  county.  New  York,  .Se])tem- 
ber  2-:,.  1S17.  His  father.  Job  Howes,  was  born 
in  Southeast.  Putnam  county.  New  York,  in  1762, 
of  early  luiglisb  ancestry,  and  died  in  18,^2.  The 
latter  named  gentleman  alwavs  followed  ai^ricul- 
tural  purs'iits  and  spent  his  last  years  in  I'uinam 
county.  Xew  ^'llrk.  The  maiden  name  of  the 
mother  of  our  subject  was  Elizabeth  Eggleston. 
who  departed  this  life  in  1864  in  the  above  named 
county. 

Phineas  Howes  was  reared  and  educated  in  his 
native  town,  and  when  seventeen  years  of  age 
entered  u])on  an  a|)|irenticeship  of  three  years  at 
the  car|)enter's  and  joiner's  trade.  He  was  then 
eni])loyed  as  a  "jour"  an<l  remained  in  the  Em- 
pire state  until  i83<;,  when  he  came  to  the  Prairie 
state  by  way  of  the  most  expeditious  route  at  that 
time,  sailing  up  the  Hudson  river  to  .\lbany, 
thence  ou  the  I'>ie  canal  to  I'uffalo,  where  he 
embarked  on  a  lake  steamer,  which  conveyed  him 
to  Chicago,  l-'rom  that  then  small  city  of  but  a 
few  thousand  ])co|)le.  Mr.  Howes  was  given  the 
])ermission  to  ride  with  a  gentleman  who  was 
coming  to  Rockford  and  landed  in  this  city  in 
l83(j  with  but  twenl\-five  cents  in  his  ])ocket. 

Rockfnrd  was  at  that  lime  a  very  small  place, 
the  surrounding  country  being  owned  by  the  gov- 
ernment, and  deer  and  other  wild  game  being 
very  |)lentiful.  Mr.  Howes  was  very  desirous  to 
secure  work  and  better  his  condition  in  life,  and 
soon  foun<l  employment  at  his  trade.  I'eing  very 
industrious  and  economical,  he  saved  a  portion  of 
his  meager  earnings  and  was  soon  enabled  to 
purchase  a  lot  in  the  village  and  claim  a  trad  of 
government  land  located  in  what  is  now  Cherry 
N'alley  township.  \\'hen  the  land  came  into  mar- 
ket he.  with  others,  started  with  a  team  of  horses 
aufl  a  wagon  to  the  land  office  at  Cialena.  They 
provided  themselves  with  provisions  and  cooking 
utensils.  cam|)ing  out  and  |)reparing  their  meals 
on  the  way. 

In  the  fall  of  1839  ^[r.  Howes  erected  the  first 
frame  house  ever  built  in  Rockford.  This  struc- 
ture is  still  standing  on  I'ast  State  street.  Our 
subject  worked  at  his  tra<le  for  a  few  vears  then 
engaged  in  the  lumber  business  with  John  Lake, 
the  partnership  coulinuing  about  fifteen  years. 
After  that  his  attention  "i^  '''ii'lly  emf)loyed  in 


looking  after  his  private  interests,  and  he  was 
one  of  the  wealtlu'  and  prominent  residents  of 
the  city. 

Miss  Maria  I'.arnum  became  the  wife  of  our 
subject  in  (  )ctober.  1831).  Mrs.  Howes  was  born 
in  Danbury.  I'airfield  county.  Connecticut,  in 
i'ebruary.  181 1.  and  was  the  daughter  of  Daniel 
and  Lorana  I'arnum.  further  reference  to  whom 
will  be  found  in  the  .sketch  of  I).  If.  liarnum. 
1  lie  ceremony  which  made  them  one  was  solem- 
nized at  the  home  of  Miss  I'larnum  in  Cherry 
X'allev  townslii]).  and  their  wedding  tri])  consisted 
(jf  a  ride  with  a  pair  of  o.xen  in  a  wagon  from 
Cherrv  \'alley  to  Rockford.  They  commenced 
housekeeping  in  the  dwelling  above  mentioned 
before  the  <loors  and  windows  were  put  in.  and 
all  their  furniture  was  home-made.  Mr.  Howes 
was  very  prosperous,  and  soon  built  a  larger  and 
more  commodious  dwelling,  in  which  they  reside(l 
fur  many  years.  Mrs.  Howes  departed  this  life 
December  10.  1877.  .She  was  the  mother  of  three 
ciiildren.  namely:  I'lllen  C.  deceased,  who  was 
llu-  wife  of  Charles  Chamberlain:  Herbert  H.. 
will  I  (lied  at  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  in  1S88.  aged 
iJn'rty-five  years;  and  Cora,  the  wife  of  C.  iiarry 
\\'oolscy,  by  whom  she  has  had  four  children : 
Marie  K..  who  died  in  1902:  Earl  J.,  who  died  in 
1882;  Ella  P.eth  and  R.nlph  Harrv.  both  living  at 
home. 

He  of  whom  we  write  cast  his  first  ])residential 
vote  for  -Vndrew  Tackson  and  ever  sympathized 
w  itli  the  democratic  ])arly.  He  was  a  man  who 
combined  strictness  of  moral  principles  with  en- 
ergy and  decision  of  character,  lie  made  jirofit- 
able  investments,  became  interested  in  remunera- 
tive enterprises,  won  honorable  success  in  busi- 
ness and  secured  a  comiietency  as  a  product  of 
personal  industry  and  good  judgment  put  forth 
in  a  field  wisely  selected.  He  was,  when  in  his 
]irime,  a  careful  business  man,  ever  adhering  to 
the  dictates  of  his  conscience  in  matters  both  of 
))nblic  and  private  nature. 


TOHX  MrLEE. 


John  ATcLee.  wdiose  workmanship  is  seen  in 
a  number  of  fine  ]iublic  buildings  and  residences 
in  Rockford.  is  a  native  son  of  this  city,  born 
March  ft.  ]}iCi-.  His  father.  John  Mcl.ee.  was 
a  native  of  Ireland,  and  in  1848  came  to  the 
Ignited  States,  establishing  his  home  in  Rock- 
ford. then  a  small  town.  He  was  a  well-to-do 
farmer,  and  owned  two  Inmdred  and  forty  acres 
of  lancl  in  P>ooiie  county,  but  is  now  living  re- 
tired in  Rockford  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty 
years.  A  commimicant  of  the  Catholic  church, 
a  democrat  in  i>olitics.  a  man  with  strict  reijard 


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JOHN  McLEE. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBA(;0     COUNTY. 


799 


for  the  hio-luT  ctliics  of  life,  he  stands  high  in 
the  regard  of  friends  and  neighbors.  Benevo- 
lent and  charitable,  he  is  both  liberal  in  his 
views  and  in  his  donations  to  the  unfortimate 
ones  of  life.  Tie  married  Bridget  Seaver,  also 
a  native  of  the  lunerald  isle,  from  which  conn- 
try  she  came  to  America  with  her  husband.  She. 
too,  was  a  member  of  the  Catholic  church,  and 
she  died  in  T899,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years. 
In  the  family  were  eight  children,  of  whom  five 
are    living. 

John  AIcLee,  the  seventh  in  order  of  birth, 
was  a  public  school  student  of  Rockford.  He 
was  reared  upon  his  father's  farm,  but  thinking 
to  tind  other  pursuits  more  congenial  than  the 
work  of  the  fields,  at  the  age  of  seventeen  vears 
he  began  learning  the  carpenter's  trade,  and  has 
since  been  identified  with  building  operations 
here.  Sixteen  years  ago  he  began  contracting, 
and  many  public  buildings  and  fine  residences  are 
evidences  of  his  handiwork,  and  are  also  attract- 
ive features  in  the  city,  noted  for  its  beautiful 
homes  and  excellent  business  blocks. 

In  1893  Mr.  ]\IcLee  was  married  to  Miss  Marv 
Tynan,  a  daughter  of  Patrick  Tynan,  who  was 
born  on  a  farm  in  Boone  countv,  Illinois.  Thev 
now  have  three  children,  Jennie.  Bernard  and 
Frances.  The  parents  hold  membership  in  St. 
Mary's  Catholic  church,  and  Mr.  JNlcLee  is  a 
member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  camp,  and  also 
has  membership  relations  with  the  Mystic  Work- 
ers, Fraternal  Tribunes  and  Knights  of  Colum- 
bus, while  his  political  endorsement  is  given  to 
the  republican  party.  He  is  yet  a  comparatively 
young  man.  and  his  life  is  in  harmonv  with  the 
spirit  of  enterprise  and  advancement  which  are 
dominant  factors  in  the  middle  west. 


FRANK  E.  PEARSON. 

Frank  E.  Pearson,  a  native  of  Rockford,  has 
seen  no  reason  to  change  his  place  of  residence, 
finding  ample  opportunity  for  the  exercise  of  his 
talents  and  powers  in  business  circles  of  this  city. 
He  is  now  serving  for  the  fourth  year  as  superin- 
tendent for  the  Rockford  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, and  his  connection  with  the  company  covers 
altogether  twelve  years.  Mr.  Pearson  was  born 
here  in  1862,  his  parents  being  Ola  and  Sarah 
Pearson,  who  came  to  Rockford  in  1855.  The 
father,  who  was  among  the  early  Swedish  settlers 
of  this  city,  was  an  iron  molder  by  trade  and  was 
at  one  time  in  the  employ  of  John  P.  Manny  & 
Companv.  .Subsequently  when  his  labors  had 
brought  to  him  sufficient  capital  to  permit  of  his 
investment  in  real  estate  he  became  the  owner  of 
a  farm  situated  in  Franklin  township,  two  and  a 
half  miles  north  of  Kirkland,  and  thereafter  was 


one  of  the  enterprising  agriculturists  of  his  com- 
munity. He  died  in  1899,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
eight  years,  and  is  still  survived  by  his  wife,  who 
is  yet  a  resident  of  Rockford.  In  the  family  were 
the  following  named :  Henry,  who  is  residing  on 
the  homestead  farm  :  ;\Irs.  O.  Carlson  and  Mrs. 
Charles  Krans,  who  are  residing  in  Winnebago 
county ;  Lawrence,  who  is  a  bookkeeper  in  the 
employ  of  the  Co-operative  Furniture  Company 
of  Rockford  :  and  Alfred,  who  is  chief  engineer  in 
a  large  manufacturing  plant  in  Chicago. 

Frank  E.  Pearson  was  reared  and  educated  in 
Rockford,  attending  the  public  schools  here,  the 
days  of  his  bo\-hood  and  youth  being  passed  in 
the  usual  manner  of  lads  of  the  period.  He  began 
earning  his  own  living  as  a  farm  hand,  but  for 
twelve  years  has  been  a  representative  of  the 
Rockford  Manufacturing  Company.  His  indus- 
try, capability  and  close  application  won  him 
ready  recognition  in  successive  promotions  here, 
and  for  the  past  four  years  he  has  been  superin- 
tendent of  the  plant,  having  under  his  direction 
sixty-five  workmen.  He  is  well  qualified  for  the 
position,  having  become  thoroughly  familiar  with 
the  business  in  every  detail,  and  as  a  practical 
workman  who  understands  each  department  of 
the  trade.  His  long  connection  with  the  house, 
too,  is  unmistakable  evidence  of  his  loyalty  to 
those  whom  he  represents. 

In  1895  ■^f'"-  T^earson  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Mary  C.  Peterson,  a  daughter  of  H.  F. 
Peterson,  who  is  one  of  the  oldest  stone-mason 
contractors  of  this  city.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pearson 
now  have  two  sons  and  a  daughter,  all  born  in 
Rockford :  Irving,  Raymond  and  Eva  Marie, 
aged  respectively  eight,  four  and  two  years.  The 
parents  are  members  of  the  First  Lutheran  church 
and  Mr.  Pearson  is  a  republican  in  his  political 
views.  L'pon  that  ticket  he  was  elected  to  the  city 
council  in  the  spring  of  1898  and  served  for  seven 
years  in  the  most  acceptable  and  faithful  manner 
as  a  member  of  the  board  of  aldermen,  retiring  in 
1905.  He  belongs  to  Modern  Woodmen  camp. 
No.  51.  of  Rockford,  and  he  is  now  one  of  its 
officers.  Too  progressive  and  enterprising  to  long 
occupv  a  subordinate  position  in  business  circles, 
he  has  gradually  worked  his  way  upward  until  he 
is  now  well  known  as  a  representative  of  manu- 
facturing interests  in  Rockford  and  at  the  same 
time  his  public  spirit  classes  him  as  a  representa- 
tive of  the  best  citizenship. 


DAVID  H.  ELLIS. 


There  have  come  to  Rockford  many  citizens 
who  in  former  years  were  the  promoters  of  agri- 
cultural development  and  progress  in  this  county 
and  who  bv  well  directed  labor  and  careful  man- 


80D 


■AST     AXD     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


agemciit  have  become  possessors  of  means  that 
enable  them  to  live  retired  in  the  enjoyment  of  the 
frnits  of  their  fonner  toil.  To  this  class  belongs 
Mr.  Ellis,  who  now  makes  his  home  at  No.  414 
Chestnut  street,  Rockfonl.  He  was  born  in  Can- 
ada, October  7,  1838.  his  parents  being  l>ivid  and 
Maria  (  Spencer)  Ellis,  both  of  whom  wore  na- 
tives of  the  Dominion  and  were  of  English  de- 
scent. The  father  followed  the  occiijiation  of 
farming  in  order  to  provide  for  his  family,  which 
numbered  ten  cliildrcn.  eight  of  whom  were  living 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  while  three  yet  survive: 
Hannah,  the  widow  of  Herman  Kingsbury  and 
now  living  in  Rockfonl;  Ceorge.  a  hlacksmith, 
residing  at  Ri.ckton:and  David  11. 

W  hile  living  in  Canada  the  father  engaged  in 
the  oiKTation  of  his  farm  and  in  1846  he  came 
to  Winnebago  county,  Illinois,  still  a  pioneer  dis- 
trict. The  homes  of  the  settlers  were  widely  scat- 
tered and  few  roads  had  been  laid  out,  but  for 
miles  one  could  ride  over  the  prairies  without 
coming  to  a  fence  or  building  to  impede  progress. 
.Much  of  the  land  was  still  in  possession  of  the 
government  and  Mr.  Ellis  entered  a  claim  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Owen  township. 
Upon  this  place  he  built  a  one-story  frame  resi- 
dence of  three  rooms,  which  is  still  standing,  a 
mute  witness  of  the  many  events  which  have  oc- 
curred to  shape  the  history  of  this  portion  of  the 
state.  .\t  the  time  that  house  was  built  it  was 
considered  a  model  i)roperty.  Mr.  Ellis  continued 
to  carry  on  agricultural  jiursuits  there  mitil  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1850,  when  he  was  forty- 
eight  years  of  age,  and  resulted  from  the  contrac- 
tion of  a  lieavy  cold.  He  liad  prospered  in  his 
miflertakings  here,  althougli  his  residence  was  of 
comparatively  lirief  duration.  He  brought  with 
him  some  horses  from  Canada.  l)ut  otherwise  his 
possessions  were  quite  limited,  but  securing  his 
land  at  the  government  price,  he  soon  developed 
what  has  become  a  valuable  farm  property. 

David  H.  Ellis  was  a  youtli  of  eight  years  when 
the  family  removed  to  Illinois.  His  mother  re- 
mained u|)on  the  home  farm  for  two  vears  after 
her  husband's  deatli  and  then  rented  land.  Mr. 
Ellis  of  this  review  was  thirteen  years  of  age  at 
the  time  of  her  demise.  He  lived  with  his  broth- 
er-in-law. James  \'.  Conklin.  who  followed  farm- 
ing in  Owen  and  Harrison  townships  until  twen- 
tv-one  vears  of  age,  when  he  turned  his  attention 
to  farming  on  his  own  account,  and  when  twenty- 
two  years  of  age  he  was  married,  in  iS6(j.  to 
.\manda  Ihirbank.  who  was  born  in  Harrison 
township  and  was  a  daughter  of  Eli  Rurbank.  a 
native  of  .S])ringfield.  Massaclnisetts.  born  Ocl<i- 
ber  C).  1801,  and  a  son  of  V.Wu  I'.urbauk.  HaviiiL: 
arrived  at  years  of  maturity.  E.li  Rurbank  w.is 
united  in  marriage  to  .\nn  Woodle,  who  was  liorn 
December  26,  1809.  in  Delaware,  and  in  1836  he 


came  west  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Harrison  town- 
ship, Winnebago  county.  If  one  could  have  a 
])icture  of  the  county  at  that  time  it  would  [present 
broad  prairies  uncultivated,  timber  tracts  uncut, 
rivers  and  streams  unbridged  and  little  to  note  an 
advancing  civilization,  for  only  here  and  there  had 
settlements  been  made  on  the  j)rairies  or  in  the 
wooded  districts,  the  work  of  im]:)rovement  lying 
largely  in  the  future.  .Mr.  I'.urbank  entered  gov- 
ernment land  and  began  the  develo])ment  of  a 
farm,  recognizing  the  sjilcndid  opportunities  which 
Illinois  afforded  to  the  agriculturist.  Later  Ann 
Woodle  came  to  this  state  and  they  were  married 
in  Rock  county.  Wisconsin.  They  took  up  their 
abode  in  Harrison  townshi]),  and  as  the  years 
passed  the  evidences  of  pioneer  life  on  their  farm 
were  re])laccd  by  those  of  an  advanced  civilization. 
'i1ie\  had  seven  children:  John.  .Mvira  and  Clar- 
issa, all  <leceased  :  Cordon:  Mrs.  Ellis:  Joel,  who 
is  living'  in  Ri>ckford  :  and  Thomas,  who  Ins  been 
in  the  fire  department  for  seventeen  years  in  this 
city.  -Mr.  Ilurbank  long  remained  a  resident  of 
the  comity,  honored  as  one  of  its  first  settlers  and 
as  the  promoter  of  interests  which  proved  of  value 
in  the  substantial  dcveloi)ment  of  this  part  of  the 
state.  He  died  in  .\pril.  1892.  at  the  age  of  ninety 
years.  His  political  faith  was  that  of  the  repub- 
lican party,  and  his  religions  belief  that  of  the 
I.'nited  Presbyterian  church. 

David  H.  Ellis,  responding  to  his  country's  call 
for  aid.  enlisted  on  the  1st  of  .\ugust.  18A2.  as  a 
nienilier  of  C<"impany  .V.  Seventv-fourth  Illinois 
Infantry,  with  which  he  served  until  October, 
1864.  He  (participated  in  the  battles  of  Perry- 
ville.  Stone  River.  Crab  Orchard.  Franklin  and 
.Stevenson.  He  was  in  four  diflferent  hospital- 
while  with  the  army  and  was  discharged  in  Louis- 
ville. Kentucky,  returning  to  his  home  on  the 
26th  of  October.  1864. 

When  his  military  service  was  ended  Mr.  Ellis 
engatjed  in  farming  near  Rocktim  for  a  year,  after 
which  he  purchased  land  in  Owen  township, 
where  he  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  for 
Iwentv  years.  He  first  bought  forty-four  acres  of 
land,  then  eighty  acres  and  still  later  one  hundre<l 
and  thirty  acres,  thus  making  judicious  invest- 
ment in  land  as  his  financial  resources  ]3ermitted. 
His  labors  were  practical,  progressive  and  profit- 
able, and  as  a  farmer  he  ranked  among  those 
who,  readily  tmderstanding  the  value  of  industry 
and  perseverance,  so  direct  their  labors  as  to  make 
the  fields  of  most  value  in  the  production  of  splen- 
did crops. 

.\fter  farming  for  more  than  two  decades  Mr. 
Ellis  came  to  Rockford  in  1881  and  enibarked  in 
the  imiilement  business,  in  which  he  continued  for 
two  vears.  Subsequently  he  removed  to  Rock 
Rapids.  Iowa,  where  he  was  in  the  implement 
business  for  i\vc  years,  and  on  the  expiration  of 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


80 1 


that  period  he  came  to  Rockford,  where  he  has 
since  Hved,  now  enjoying  a  rest  from  further 
business  cares,  his  well  earned  competency  supply- 
ing him  with  the  necessities  and  the  comforts  of 
life. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ellis  have  two  children :  Etta, 
the  wife  of  M.  H.  McBarnes,  by  whom  she  has 
two  children.  Floy  and  Ola ;  and  Bert,  of  Rock- 
ford,  who  has  two  children,  Florence  and  Ralph. 
Mr.  Ellis  is  a  republican  and  served  as  deputy 
sheriff  of  the  county  for  three  years.  He  belongs 
to  Nevius  post.  No.  i,  G.  A.  R.,  and  takes  pleasure 
in  the  camp  fires  and  in  the  fraternal  relations  with 
his  old  army  comrades.  He  now  owns  and  occu- 
pies a  fine  brick  residence  at  No.  414  Chestnut 
street. 


GEORGE  :\I.  KEYT. 


George  M.  Keyt,  the  senior  member  of  the  firm 
of  Keyt  &  Son,  proprietors  of  what  is  the  finest 
livery  barn  in  the  northwest,  was  born  in  Piqua, 
Ohio,  in  1842.  His  father,  James  Keyt,  was  a 
native  of  New  Jersey  and,  learning  the  stone-ma- 
son's trade  in  early  life,  eventually  became  a  con- 
tractor in  that  line.  He  married  Miss  Laura  Mof- 
fett,  who  was  the  first  white  child  born  in  Piqua, 
•Ohio.  Her  father  was  stolen  by  Indians  in  Ken- 
tucky, who  kept  him  in  their  possession  for  four 
years,  for  the  family  home  was  then  in  the  midst 
of  a  frontier  district  and  the  red  men  had  not  been 
forced  to  leave  their  old  hunting  grounds  for  new 
reservations  farther  west. 

In  the  year  1857  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keyt  removed 
with  their  family  from  the  Buckeye  state  to  Illi- 
nois, settling  in  Rockford,  and  he  became  one  of 
the  most  extensive  contractors  and  builders  west 
of  Chicago.  The  firm  of  James  &  D.  Keyt  built 
the  old  stone  church  (the  Second  Congregational) 
and  James  Keyt  was  the  builder  of  the  Presby- 
terian church  and  many  other  important  structures 
of  this  city.  In  fact,  evidences  of  his  skill  and 
ability  are  still  seen  in  many  of  the  old  and  sub- 
stantial buildings  of  Rockford.  His  early  politi- 
cal allegiance  was  given  to  the  whig  party,  and 
when  new  issues  arose  before  the  people  and  gave 
rise  to  the  new  republican  party  he  joined  its 
ranks.  He  was  a  man  of  firm  purpose,  unfalter- 
ing in  support  of  his  opinions,  and  with  his  wife 
he  attended  the  services  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  In  the  family  were  six  children,  of  whom 
three  are  residents  of  Rockford,  namely :  George 
M.,  ]\Iarv  J.  and  Mrs.  Margaret  Lockwood,  the 
last  named  living  on  North  Main  street.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keyt  have  now  passed  away. 

George  M.  Kevt  was  educated  in  the  schools  of 
Ohio  until  the  removal  of  the  family  to  Rockford, 
after  which  he  continued  his  studies  here.  His 
entrance  into  business  life  was  as  a  plumber  and 


he  was  employed  at  that  trade  until  after  the  inau- 
guration of  the  Civil  war,  when  he  responded  to 
the  country's  call,  enlisting  on  the  15th  of  July, 
1861,  as  a  member  of  Company  G,  Sixth  Wiscon- 
sin Infantry.  He  went  to  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  in 
order  to  join  the  army  and  for  three  years  was 
with  his  regiment  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
during  which  period  he  participated  in  the  battles 
of  Gainesville,  second  Bull  Run,  South  Mountain, 
.\ntietam,  Fredericksburg,  Chancellorsville,  Get- 
tysburg and  Mine  Run,  whereby  he  demonstrated 
his  loyalty  to  the  Union  cause.  He  suffered  from 
smallpox  and  was  in  the  hospital  for  a  time  and 
he  also  had  a  sun  stroke,  from  which  he  has  never 
entirely  recovered.  When  the  war  was  over  he 
was  honorably  discharged  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

The  country  no  longer  needing  his  aid,  Mr. 
Keyt  then  returned  to  Rockford.  where  for  some 
years  he  continued  in  the  plumbing  business,  while 
later  he  gave  his  attention  to  the  sale  of  reapers  ' 
and  mowers  for  the  John  P.  Manny  Company  for 
two  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
began  buying  and  selling  horses  and  became  the 
most  extensive  shipper  of  this  city.  It  was  a 
logical  step  therefore  for  him  to  enter  the  livery 
business  and  in  1883  he  opened  a  stable  in  con- 
nection with  his  dealing  in  horses.  In  1891  he 
built  his  present  barn  and  is  now  one  of  the  old- 
est liverymen  of  the  city.  At  the  present  time  he 
is  associated  with  his  son,  and  they  have  a  splen- 
didly equipped  livery  barn  at  Nos.  218  and  220 
Wyman  street,  the  establishment  scarcely  being 
equaled  throughout  the  entire  northwest.  The 
barn  is  built  of  brick,  three  stories  in  height,  and 
is  fifty  by  one  hundred  feet.  On  the  ground  floor 
seventy-four  horses  are  stabled,  and  he  has  a 
splendid  assortment  of  runabouts,  buggies,  car- 
riages, hacks  and  other  vehicles,  which  make  him 
the  leading  liveryman  of  Rockford.  He  also  has 
a  fine  office,  and  the  firm  have  luiilt  up  a  splendid 
business  and  are  justly  regarded  as  the  leaders  in 
their  line  here. 

On  the  nth  of  June,  1865,  was  celebrated  the 
marriage  of  Mr.  Keyt  and  Miss  Caroline  Smith 
Plainer,  a  native  of  Little  Falls,  New  York,  and 
a  daughter  of  George  Platner.  Her  father  was 
a  stock-buyer  and  also  conducted  a  meat  market, 
and  in  the  year  1856  he  came  to  Rockford  with 
his  family  and  continued  in  the  same  line  of  busi- 
ness here,  conducting  a  good  meat  market  for  a 
number  of  years.  Both  he  and  his  wife  departed 
this  life  in  Rockford.  In  their  family  were  ten 
children.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keyt  have  but  one  child, 
Ferdinand  P.,  who  was  educated  in  the  city 
schools  of  Rockford  and  is  now  his  father's  part- 
ner in  the  livery  business.  He  married  Harriet 
Lawless,  a  native  of  Rockford,  and  they  reside 
at  No.  512  Market  street,  while  George  M.  Keyt 
and  his  wife  make  their  home  at  No.  315  North 


Hoj 


AST     AXD     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COIXTY. 


Horsmaii.  wlicri.'  Ik-  nwiis  a  fine  resilience.  He 
is  likewise  the  owner  of  the  livery  barn,  so  that  his 
property  interests  are  quite  valuable.  Hi.s  frater- 
nal relations  connect  hini  with  the  Grand  .\rmy 
of  the  Republic,  the  Masons  and  the  Home  Fra- 
ternal Leaijuc.  while  his  political  views  have  en- 
rolled him  in  republican  ranks,  liotli  he  and  his 
wife  attend  the  I'reshvterian  church,  and  in  the 
years  of  their  married  life  Mr.  Keyt  has  found  a 
faithful  companion  and  hel])niate  in  his  wife.  In 
their  early  married  life  their  financial  resources 
were  (juitc  limited,  but  as  the  years  have  jjone  by 
this  has  changed  and  Mr.  Keyt  has  made  steady 
progress  toward  the  goal  of  ])ros])crity. 


OSCAR  F.  HALSFY 


Oscar  F.  Halsey.  who  has  pas.scd  the  sevenly- 
,  eighth  milestone  on  life's  journey,  was  born  in 
.\ew  York  city.  May  29.  1827.  His  parents  were 
Samuel  1'.  and  Mary  (W'vgant)  Halsey,  the 
father  a  native  of  Sag  Harbor.  New  York,  and 
the  miither  of  Marlboro.  I'lster  county,  that 
state.  The  mother  died  when  their  son  Oscar 
was  only  three  months  old  and  the  father  after- 
wards removed  with  his  family  to  L'lster  county. 
He  was  born  .\ugust  15.  1801.  and  he  remained  a 
resident  of  the  Empire  .state  until  within  eleven 
years  of  his  death,  when  he  removed  from  Ulster 
county  to  Winnebago  county,  Illinois,  in  order 
to  make  his  home  with  his  son  ( ).scar,  his  death 
occurring  in  Seward  when  he  had  reached  the 
advanced  age  of  ninety-two  years  and  nine 
months.  He  was  a  mason  by  trade  and  through 
many  years  followed  that  pursuit. 

The  ancestry  of  Mr.  Halsey,  however,  can  be 
traced  still  farther  back.  His  gra!idfath<T.  Jesse 
Halsey.  was  born  on  Long  Island,  where  he  lived 
until  his  death.  becomiTig  a  sea  captain.  The  early 
ancestors  came  from  England  to  .\merica.  locat- 
ing in  Fioston.  Massachusetts,  at  an  early  period 
in  colonial  history. 

Oscar  F.  Halsey  spent  his  boyhood  days  in  his 
father's  home,  remaining  at  Marlboro,  New  York, 
tuitil  1848.  .\ttracted  by  the  <>pi)ortimities  of  the 
great  and  growing  west  he  came  to  Wiimebago 
county  tiiat  year  and  for  two  years  thereafter 
made  his  home  at  Roscoe.  He  was  employed  as 
a  farm  hand  by  the  month,  breaking  the  prairie 
with  (>x-teams  and  jierforming  other  arduous 
labor  incirlent  to  ilevelopment  of  new  land. 
.Anxious  to  have  a  home  of  his  own  he  entered 
nne  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  from  the 
government  in  Seward  township  in  184Q,  and. 
breaking  the  wihl  ])rairie  with  ox-teams,  he 
planted  his  grain  and  in  due  course  of  time 
tiatlured  grnid  harvests.  .\s  there  were  no  rail- 
roads he  hauled  his  wheal  to  Chicago,  where  it 
was  markilei!  .-niil  he  perfnniierl  otluT  ■service  .-md 


underwent  such  ex|)eriences  as  were  common  on 
the  frontier.  L'jxm  his  farm  he  placed  all  of  the 
improveiuents  and  equipments  that  are  found 
upon  a  model  farm  i>roperty  of  the  jiresent  day 
and  he  carried  on  his  work  in  a  practical,  pro- 
gressive manner  that  brought  good  financial  re- 
turn. I'or  many  years  he  was  actively  engaged 
in  farming  but  now  renting  his  land  he  lives  re- 
tired in  Seward. 

(  )n  the  5th  of  May,  1855.  Mr.  Halsey  was  mar- 
ried to  .Miss  Lydia  .\.  Hawkins,  a  daughter  of 
Jiinathan  Hawkins  and  a  native  of  New  York. 
.Mrs.  Halsey  was  born  in  (  )vid.  Seneca  county, 
.\ew  ^'nrk.  March  4,  1827,  and  died  in  Seward 
township.  November  18,  1884.  Five  children 
were  born  unto  .Mr.  and  Mrs.  Halsey,  of 
whom  four  are  now  living:  William  H.  S..  who 
is  a  resident  farmer  of  Seward  township  and  is 
married  and  has  three  children :  Mary  E..  at 
home:  .\nna  M..  who  is  married  and  living  in 
Rockford  :  and  Samuel  P.,  principal  of  the  Sew- 
ard school.  Xancy  L..  who  was  the  fourth  mem- 
ber of  the  family,  is  now  deceased. 

Mr.  Halsey  exercises  his  right  of  franchise  in 
support  of  the  reiiublican  jiarty  and  its  ])rinciples 
and  belongs  to  the  Congregational  church.  He 
was  familiar  with  pioneer  experiences  when  \\'in- 
nebago  county  was  a  frontier  district  and  through 
an  active  agricultural  life  has  gained  a  handsome" 
comi)etence  as  a  reward  for  his  labors,  so  that 
now  in  the  evening  of  his  days  he  is  enabled  to 
enjov  the  rest  that  has  been  honorably  earned 
and  is  richh    deserved. 


C(  )1.(  )XFL  CIIRI.ST(  )1M1I:R  M.  P.R.VZEE. 

A  distinguished  niilitarx  service,  a  successful 
career  as  a  lawyer  and  ])rominent  connection  with 
nianv  of  the  movements  which  contributed  to 
Rocklord's  welfare  and  ]>rogress  well  entitled 
Colonel  1 '.razee  to  rank  as  one  of  the  leading  and 
intluential  residents  of  this  city.  lie  left  the  im- 
]>ress  of  his  individuality  u])on  its  judicial  records 
and  its  ])ublic  life  and  came  to  be  honored  wher- 
ever known  and  most  of  all  where  best  known, 
lie  was  a  native  of  Lock]iort.  Xew  York,  born 
March  10.  1832,  and  when  twenty-six  years  of 
a<je  became  a  resident  of  Winnebago  county, 
llis  jjarents  were  .\ndrew  and  Sarah  (Wash- 
burn) Pirazee,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the 
state  of  Xew  York,  where  the  father  followed  the 
occni)ation  of  farnung  in  the  vicinity  of  Lock- 
|)r)rt,  making  his  home  there  until  called  to  his 
final  rest.     His  wife  also  died  in  that  locality. 

Colonel  1 '.razee  ac(|uired  his  earlv  education  in 
the  common  schools  of  I.ockport.  Xew  "S'ork.  and 
continued  his  studies  in  Wilson.  Xew  York,  where 
he  entered  the  collegiate  institute.  .Sometime  aft- 
<r\\ard  he  returned  to  his  native  townshi]),  where 


MR.  AND  MRS.  O.  F.  HALSEY. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


805 


he  entered  upon  the  study  of  law  under  the  direc- 
tion of  his  brother,  who  was  a  practicing  attor- 
ney there.  Colonel  P.razee  continued  his  reading 
until  1856,  when  he  joined  an  engineering  corps 
who  were  coming  to  the  west.  He  made  his  way 
to  Iowa,  where  he  remained  with  the  corps  in 
survey  and  other  work  for  two  years,  and  in  1858, 
as  before  stated,  he  arrived  in  Rockford.  Here 
he  resumed  his  legal  studies  in  the  office  of  Miller 
&  Taylor,  well  known  attorneys  here  at  that  time, 
and  after  reading  for  a  year  he  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1859  and  entered  at  once  upon  active 
practice.  The  favorable  opinion  which  the  public 
passed  upon  him  at  the  outset  of  his  career  was 
in  no  degree  put  aside  or  modified  as  time  went 
l.iy,  but  on  the  contrary  was  strengthened  by  the 
able  manner  in  which  he  handled  his  cases  and 
his  fidelity  to  the  interests  of  his  clients.  He  has 
been  spoken  of  as  one  of  the  most  aggressive  ad- 
vocates who  have  ever  practiced  at  the  bar  of  Win- 
nebago county.  lie  was  notable  because  of  the 
careful  manner  in  which  he  prepared  his  cases, 
and  for  the  clear  and  forcible  way  in  which  he 
jjresented  his  cause  before  court  or  jury,  never 
failing  to  make  a  strong  impression  and  seldom 
failing  to  gain  the  verdict  desired.  In  i860  he 
was  elected  city  attorney  and  was  holding  that 
office  when  the  Civil  war  broke  out. 

His  patriotic  sj^irit  being  aroused  b}'  the  at- 
tempt of  the  south  to  overthrow  the  Union,  Mr. 
Brazee  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  C,  Sev- 
cntv-fourth  Illinois  Infantry,  under  Captain  Sloan 
and  Colonel  Marsh,  but  before  leaving  Rockford 
in  December,  1862,  he  was  elected  first  lieutenant 
and  was  placed  in  command  of  the  pioneer  bri- 
gade of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  in  Septem- 
ber, 1863.  He  received  a  captain's  commission 
and  was  assigned  to  duty  on  General  Rosecran's 
stafif  as  assistant  quartermaster  of  the  Army  of 
the  Cumberland,  and  held  that  position  until  he 
was  mustered  out  in  January.  1864,  on  account 
of  ill  health.  He  was  in  the  engagements  of 
Champion  Hill  and  Stone  River  as  well  as  many 
others  of  less  importance.  Later  he  served  as 
colonel  of  the  National  Guards  for  ten  years,  and 
was  holding  that  rank  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

Following  his  return  from  the  war  Colonel  Bra- 
zee  resumed  the  practice  of  law  in  Rockford  and 
was  accorded  a  large  and  distinctively  representa- 
tive clientage.  He  had  an  office  over  the  Winne- 
bago National  Bank,  and  was  retained  on  either 
the  defense  or  prosecution  in  almost  every  case 
of  importance  that  came  up  in  his  district.  In 
fact  his  practice  was  so  extensive  and  his  work 
so  arduous  in  connection  with  his  preparation  of 
cases  that  it  undermined  his  health,  and  after  an 
illness  of  three  months  he  passed  away  on  the 
6th  of  September,  1886. 

In  April  of  1861,  Colonel  Brazee  was  married 
to  ;\Iiss  Lydia  Holmes,  of  Rockford,  who  died  in 

47 


1883,  leaving  four  children:  Mary  Elizabeth,  re- 
siding in  Chicago ;  Kate  L..  living  in  Minneapo- 
lis, Minnesota  ;  Caroline  L..  the  wife  of  F.  C. 
Goodspeed.  a  business  man  of  Chicago ;  and  Mar- 
tin Holmes,  who  married  Clara  Harbaugh  and  is 
a  pressman  and  machinist  living  at  524  Division 
street,  Rockford.  In  1884  Colonel  Brazee  was 
again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Aliss 
Caroline  Potter,  a  native  of  New  York,  and  a 
daughter  of  Joel  B.  I'otter.  Her  father  was  born 
in  .Sherman  township,  Fairfield  county,  Connecti- 
cut, July  25,  1810,  and  died  in  Rockford,  No- 
vember 30,  1880.  His  parents  were  William  C. 
and  .\nna  ( Hubble )  Potter,  who  removed  from 
Connecticut  to  Orleans  county.  New  York,  about 
1826,  the  father  following  the  occupation  of  farm- 
ing throughout  his  entire  business  career.  Both 
held  membershij)  in  the  Congregational  church  in 
New  England,  but  became  Presbyterians  in  New 
York,  and  their  exemplary  lives  commended  them 
to  the  confidence,  trust  and  friendship  of  those 
with  whom  they  were  associated.  Mr.  Potter 
passed  away  when  more  than  eighty  years  of  age 
and  his  wife  was  more  than  seventy  years  of  age 
when  her  death  occurred. 

Jciel  r..  Potter  supplemented  his  early  educa- 
tional privileges  by  a  collegiate  course  and  pre- 
pared to  enter  the  Presbyterian  ministry,  but  fail- 
ing health  interfered  and  led  him  to  seek  another 
field  of  labor.  He  became  a  pioneer  merchant  of 
Rockford.  settling  in  this  city  in  1839,  and  he  also 
became  identified  with  the  agricultural  pursuits 
of  the  county.  Some  years  later  he  purchased  a 
drug  store  on  East  State  street,  and  in  partner- 
ship with  J,  F.  Harding  was  closelv  connected 
with  mercantile  interests.  The  enterprise  was  at- 
tended with  success,  but  soon  after  the  death  of 
Mr.  Harding,  which  occurred  in  1867,  Mr.  Pot- 
ter withdrew  from  business  life  and  lived  retired 
in  the  enjoyment  of  a  well  earned  ease.  He  was 
a  public-spirited  man,  giving  helpful  co-opera- 
tion to  many  interests  that  benefited  the  county 
aside  from  his  activity  in  business,  which  con- 
tributed in  large  measure  to  the  commercial  pros- 
perity of  Rockford.  His  political  views  accorded 
with  republican  principles  and  he  alwaj-s  stood 
strong  in  support  of  whatever  he  believed  to  be 
right.  Two  brothers  of  Mr.  Potter  also  became 
pioneer  residents  of  the  county,  their  arrival  ante- 
dating that  of  Joel  B.  Potter.  Herman  B.  car- 
ried on  farming  near  Rockford,  while  Eleazer 
Hubble  was  a  merchant  of  the  city,  and  then  in 
1839  Joel  Potter  came  to  add  his  forces  to  the 
business  activity  of  Winnebago  county. 

In  July,  1836,  Joel  B.  Potter  was  married  to 
Miss  Adaline  Lathrop.  who  was  born  in  Ver- 
mont, May  18,  1813,  a  daughter  of  Adgate  and 
Martha  (Moss)  Lathrop,  who  in  early  life  re- 
moved from  their  native  state  of  Connecticut  to 
Vermont,  where  they  were  inarried.    Mr.  Lathrop 


.StX. 


PAST     AND     FRl'SENT     Ol"     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


was  a  carpenter  and  joiner  by  trade  and  in  con- 
nection with  building  operations  be  also  success- 
fully followed  farming.  In  i8i6  he  removed 
with  bis  family  to  Genesee  county.  New  York, 
where  be  i)asse(l  away  at  tlie  age  of  seventy-five, 
while  liis  wife  survived  him  until  eighty  years  of 
age.  In  religious  faith  they  were  i3aptists  and 
were  earnest,  consistent  Christian  people  who  en- 
joyed the  high  regard  of  all  who  knew  them. 
Mrs.  Potter  was  one  of  ten  children  and  by  her 
marriage  became  the  mother  of  seven  children, 
of  whom  two  died  in  infancy,  while  Mrs.  .Mary 
\\illis  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years. 
Those  still  living  are :  Caroline  A.,  now  Mrs. 
H razee ;  Harriet  J.,  who  is  the  widow  of  J.  F. 
Harding,  at  one  time  her  father's  partner  and 
now  resides  in  St.  Joseph,  Missouri;  1"" ranees  L.. 
who  for  many  years  was  a  prominent  educator 
and  a  well  known  teacher  in  the  high  schools  of 
Chicago;  and  Laura  J.,  who  is  the  wife  of  Ed- 
ward S.  Gregory,  a  wholesale  and  retail  dealer 
in  sanitarv  goods  and  heating  apparatus  in  Rock- 
ford. 

.Mr.  and  Mrs.  Potter  were  devoted  members  of 
tlie  Westminster  Presbyterian  church  and  its 
teachings  permeated  their  lives  and  molded  their 
relations  to  their  fellowmen.  Mr.  Potter  passed 
away  in  Rockford.  November  30,  1880,  and  was 
survived  for  almost  twenty-three  years  by  his 
wife,  who  died  in  this  city  in  September.  1903.  at 
the  advanced  age  of  ninety  years. 

Colonel  I'ra/.ee  was  a  very  stanch  republican 
in  politics  and  took  an  active  and  helpful  interest 
in  the  work  of  the  party.  He  belonged  to  Nevius 
post.  No.  I,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Rockford.  to  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity  and  in  the  .Masonic 
order  attained  the  thirty-second  degree  of  the 
Scottish  rite.  He  attended  regularly  the  serv- 
ices of  the  Second  Congregational  church,  of 
which  his  wife  was  a  member.  For  twenty-two 
years  be  resided  in  Rockford  save  for  the  period 
spent  in  the  Civil  war  and  throughout  the  city 
and  wherever  known  be  was  honored  for  bis  ca- 
pability as  a  lawyer  and  his  record  as  a  man 
and  citizen. 

Following  her  husband's  death  Mrs.  P.razee 
reared  his  four  children,  to  whom  she  displayed 
all  of  a  mother's  love  and  devotion.  She  is  a 
lady  fif  superior  culture  and  refinement,  having 
been  provided  with  excellent  educational  privi- 
leges in  her  girlhood  days,  while  for  many  years 
she  was  a  successful  teacher.  She  taught  in  the 
colleges  of  Rockford  for  a  long  ])erio<l.  also  in 
.•^t.  Josei)b.  Missouri,  for  five  years,  conducted 
j)rivate  classes  in  her  home  and  has  also  been  a 
leader  in  many  classes  of  different  clubs  of  the 
city.  She  is  very  prominent  socially  and  is  a  rec- 
ognized leader  in  philanthropic  and  lienevolent 
work  and  in  intellectual  research  and  for  some 
vears  has  Ikcu  the  leader  of  the  Outlook  Club,  one 


of  the  largest  organizations  oi  the  kind  in  Rock- 
ford. It  is  composed  of  a  innnber  of  the  promi- 
nent women  of  the  city  and  under  the  guidance 
of  .Mrs.  Brazee  the  club  has  been  a  success.  Its 
course  of  study  has  been  very  broad,  covering  art, 
science  and  literature  in  the  past  as  well  as  the 
present  age.  Mrs.  Brazee  now  resides  in  an  at- 
tractive home  at  No.  314  South  Second  street, 
where  she  is  living  with  her  sister,  and  she  also 
owns  the  old  Potter  home  on  Oak  street. 


IK  )l',AkT   I.  j(  illNS(  >X. 

llobart  I.  Johnson,  deceased,  was  one  of  the 
]Moneer  settlers  of  Winnel)ago  county,  having 
taken  up  his  abode  here  in  1852.  He  was  a  na- 
tive of  Catskill,  New  York,  born  .\ugust  21. 
1827,  and  bis  parents  are  also  natives  of  the  lun- 
])ire  state,  the  father  being  jirojirietor  of  a  hotel 
in  Catskill  until  1842.  when  with  his  family  he 
removed  to  the  west,  making  the  journey  by 
wagon.  They  settled  in  Kankakee.  Illinois,  but 
had  not  resided  there  long  before  the  father  and 
mother  were  taken  ill  with  fever  and  both  died 
there. 

Tlobart  I.  Johnson  afterward  returned  east  ti.- 
his  native  county,  and  during  his  residence  there 
was  married  to  Miss  Charlotte  L.  Johns: in.  a 
native  of  Southingt(jn.  Comiecticut.  and  a 
daughter  of  Carmi  and  Merab  Johnson,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Sonthington  Her  father 
was  a  well-to-<lo  farmer  there,  and  he  served  his 
country  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 
-Mrs.  Johnson  can  trace  here  ancestry  back  to 
the  vear  1635.  when  the  representatives  of  the 
name  came  from  London.  I'jigland.  to  the  new 
world.  Most  of  the  family  have  since  lived  at 
what  is  still  known  as  the  old  Johnson  houK-- 
slead  in  Connecticut.  There  were  eight  children 
born  unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson,  of  whom  five 
are  now  living,  as  follows:  Charles  F..  George 
R..  Wesley  I..  Ira  C.  and  Edwin  IT.  Those  de- 
ceased are  Emma.  Eunice  and  Merab. 

I'ollowing  his  marriage  Mr.  Johnson  resided 
in  the  states  of  New  York  and  Connecticut,  re- 
maining in  the  east  until  1851).  when  be  again 
came  to  Illinois,  settling  in  \\'innebago  county. 
He  purchased  a  farm  in  Rockford  township, 
three  miles  west  of  the  city  of  Rockford.  and 
from  time  to  time  he  added  to  his  realty  hold- 
ings until  the  farm  comprised  four  hundred 
acres.  He  called  it  the  Whig  Hill  farm,  and  it 
is  still  known  by  that  name.  Here  be  engaged 
in  general  agricultural  pursuits  until  1880,  when 
he  removed  to  the  city  of  Rockford.  where  he 
lived  retired  until  1887.  In  that  year  on  ac- 
count of  ill  health  he  weiU  to  the  Pacific  coast. 
acconi]ianied  by  his   family,  and  located  in   Los 


HOBART  I.  JOHNSON. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


809 


Angeles.  California,  where  he  resided  until  1892. 
when  he  returned  to  Rockford.  and  here  again 
lived  retired  luitil  his  death,  which  occurred 
April  7.  1902,  in  the  house  which  his  widow  yet 
occupies.  Mr.  Johnson  was  never  an  office 
seeker,  but  was  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  re- 
publican part}",  as  are  all  of  his  sons,  and  later 
voted  with  the  prohibition  party.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Court  Street  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  to  which  his  widow  also  belongs.  His 
life  was  largely  passed  in  the  quiet  pursuits  of 
the  farm,  but  through  the  faithful  performance 
of  each  day's  duties  as  they  came  to  him  he  de- 
veloped a  character  worthy  of  emulation,  lie 
was  widely  known  among  his  friends  as  a->  iiji- 
right,  honorable  Christian  man,  doing  many 
deeds  of  kindness,  and  all  with  whom  he  was 
associated  respected  him  for  his  genuine  worth. 
Mrs.  Johnson  owns  a  nice  residence  at  No.  507 
North  Winnebago  street,  where  she  and  lier 
son,  Wesley,  reside.  She  has  been  in  ill  health 
since  her  husband's  death,  and  her  son  returned 
from  California  to  make  his  home  with  her.  She 
and  her  children  still  own  the  Whig  Hill  farm 
of  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  very  rich 
farming  land,  which  is  three  miles  west  of  Rock- 
ford,  and  upon  his  place  two  of  the  sons  are  liv- 
ing. 


GEORGE  M.  HAINES,  M.  D. 

Dr.  George  ^I.  Haines,  who  in  the  practice  of 
his  profession  in  Dnrand,  has  attained  a  patron- 
age such  as  is  only  accorded  in  recognition  of 
tlinrongh  preparation  and  capability,  was  born  in 
Greensboro  township.  Orleans  county,  \'ermont, 
September  9,  1846.  his  parents  being  Moses  and 
Deborah  W.  (Clark)  Haines.  The  ancestor. 
Deacon  Samuel  Haines,  sailed  from  Bristol,  Eng- 
land, in  1635,  intending  to  join  the  Plymouth 
colony,  but  the  ship  was  driven  north  by  storms 
and  wrecked  on  the  coast  of  Maine,  near  where 
the  city  of  Bristol  now  stands.  The  survivors 
made  their  way  through  the  forest  to  their  orig- 
inal point  of  destination,  but  lieing  pleased  with 
the  country  at  the  mouth  of  the  Piscataqua  riA-er, 
a  portion  of  them,  \lr.  Haines  among  the  num- 
ber, returned  to  that  point  three  years  later,  1638, 
and  founded  the  settlement  at  the  ]3resent  site  of 
Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire. 

The  grandfather  of  Dr.  Haines  went  to  \'er- 
mont  in  1795.  settling  at  Orleans  county,  and  he 
died  there  in  1856,  at  the  very  advanced  age  of 
eightv-two  years.  His  son,  Moses  Haines,  was 
born  in  Orleans  county,  and  upon  the  farm  which 
he  made  his  home  throughout  his  entire  life  his 
son  Dr.  Haines  was  also  born.  On  the  old  farm 
the  father  died  in  the  year  1896,  at  the  age  of 
seventv-four  A-ears,  while  his  wife  passed  away  in 


1882,  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven  years.  They  were 
the  parents  of  five  children,  all  of  whom  reached 
adult  age,  namely :  Abigail  D.,  who  was  born 
in  1844,  and  died  in  December,  1902 ;  George  M. ; 
Cephas  Clark,  who  was  born  in  1848,  and  is  now 
living  at  Lakeport,  New  Hampshire :  Sumner 
Caleb,  who  was  born  in  1850  and  died  in  1886; 
and  Alma  J.,  born  m  1852,  who  became  the  wife 
of  Austin  Rich  and  lives  in  Glover,  Vermont. 

Dr.  Haines  attended  school  in  r)rleans  county 
and  was  also  a  student  in  the  academy  at  Glover 
called  the  Orleans  Liberal  Institute,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1866.  He 
afterward  engaged  in  teaching  school  for  a  vear, 
but  regarded  that  merely  as  an  initial  step  to 
other  professional  labor,  and  in  1867  he  entered 
upon  the  stud\'  of  medicine  at  A^ermont  Univer- 
sity, where  he  remained  for  one  vear.  He  after- 
ward spent  two  years  at  Columbia  College  in 
New  York  city  and  was  graduated  with  the  class 
of  1870. 

Dr.  Haines  located  for  practice  in  Greensboro. 
\>rmont,  and  for  three  years  was  a  member  of 
the  profession  there.  He  afterward  spent  four 
years  in  Orford,  New  Hampshire,  and  in  1877 
came  to  Durand,  Winnebago  county,  where  he 
jiracticed  until  1885.  He  then  traveled  for  two 
years  and  upon  his  return  to  Durand  again  en- 
tered upon  the  active  work  of  his  profession.  He 
is  a  general  practitioner,  well  informed  concern- 
ing the  n.iost  advanced  methods  followed  by  his 
fraternity,  and  his  capability  has  secured  him  a 
very  liberal  patronage,  while  his  strict  conformity 
to  the  ethics  of  the  profession  has  gained  him  the 
high  regard  of  his  brethren  of  the  medical  fra- 
ternity. He  now  belongs  to  the  Winnebago 
County,  Illinois  State,  Stephenson  County  and 
Wisconsin  Central  Medical  Societies  and  also 
the  American  Medical  .Association. 

Dr.  Haines  was  married  in  1870  to  Miss  Oc- 
tavia  L.  Goodrich,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  A.  and 
( 'ctavia  .\.  (Wright)  Goodrich,  of  Greensboro, 
\'ermont.  and  they  became  the  parents  of  five 
children,  of  wlioiu  three  are  deceased:  Mary  L., 
who  died  in  1875,  at  the  age  of  two  years ;  Emma 
L.,  who  died  in  1897,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years:  and  Fred  G.,  who  was  born  in  1880  and 
died  in  March,  1881,  One  son,  George  C,  born 
in  1884,  is  now  a  student  in  Beloit  College  of 
Wisconsin,  and  intends  to  enter  upon  the  study 
of  medicine.  Helen  W.,  born  in  1885,  is  both 
studying  and  teaching  music  in  Dnrand. 

Dr.  Haines  is  a  member  of  Durand  lodge.  No. 
302,  A.  F.  &  .\.  M.,  and  he  likewise  belongs  to 
Shawbenee  lodge.  No.  146,  I.  O.  O.  F.  He  held 
membership  in  the  Congregational  church  of  Or- 
ford, New  Hampshire,  and  in  his  political  views 
he  has  always  been  a  stanch  republican.  Inter- 
ested in  the  welfare  and  progress  of  his  town 
he  has  been  called  to  serve  in  positions  of  public 


Sio 


PAST    AND     PRESF.XT    OF    WIXXEBAGO     COUXTY. 


trust,  and  lias  been  president  of  the  villa^f  lioard 
fur  three  years  and  has  since  been  re-elected  for 
the  fourth  term.  IVominent  socially,  profession- 
ally and  politically,  he  is  justly  nunilx're(l  anionic 
the  re])resentative  citizens  of  Dnrand. 


GIDFOX  1'..  I'F.RRV. 


Ciidcon  F>.  Perry,  deceased,  was  horn  in  the 
town  of  Lee,  ( )neida  counlw  .\e\v  York.  .May 
31,  1829,  his  parents  bcinjj  Freeman  and  Han- 
nah (Peckham)  Perry.  The  father  was  a  civil 
enjjineer  and  surveyed  a  lartrc  portion  of  western 
Xew  York  at  a  time  when  that  was  a  new  and 
unimproved  district.  He  was  horn  in  Rhode  Isl- 
and was  a  cousin  of  (  Miver  11.  Perry,  the  hero 
of  I.akc  Erie.  Poth  lie  and  his  wife  died  in 
(  >neida  county. 

(iiileon  n.  Perry  obtained  his  education  in 
I'tica,  Xew  York,  where  he  was  reared.  Ilr 
tauj^ht  school  there  for  many  years  and  was  a 
most  sucessful  educator.  He  came  of  an  ances- 
try devoted  to  professional  life  and  his  lines  of 
life  were  cast  in  harmony  therewith  in  early 
years.  Later  he  came  to  the  middle  west,  settlins; 
in  WiiinebaLTo  county,  where  lie  devoted  his  at- 
tention to  ajjriculuue.  which  (ieorjje  \\'ashin.ij- 
ton  said  was  "the  most  useful  and  the  most  hon- 
orable occupation  of  man."  It  was  in  the  year 
1855  that  he  arrived  in  this  county,  settlinij  in 
Shirland  township,  where  he  purchased  land,  be- 
coming; owner  of  about  two  hundred  and  twenty 
acns.  Later  he  sold  a  part  of  this  but  the  estate 
now  embraces  one  Inmdred  and  forty  acres, 
which  are  cultivated  by  his  son.  Frank  D. 
I'erry.  After  comiiifj  to  this  county  he  cnga;4:ed 
in  teaching  school  for  several  vvii'ter  terms,  while 
tlie  summer  months  were  devoted  to  general  a.rri 
cultural  pursuits.  He  was  thus  one  of  the  early 
educators  of  the  community  and  his  intluence  was 
ever  given  on  the  side  of  intelleclual  develoijuieiit 
as  well  as  material  and  moral  progress. 

Mr.  I'erry  was  first  married  in  1855  to  Miss 
b'Uen  Waid,  of  Xew  Y(jrk,  who  died  in  iSfio, 
leaving  two  children :  Charles  \\'..  who  is  re- 
siding on  a  farm  in  Shirland  township:  and  .Al- 
bert (i.,  of  Winnebago  township.  In  1863  Mr, 
Perry  married  Miss  Kizzie  tilcason  of  this 
C(»unty  and  formerly  of  Wellsville,  ( )hio.  To 
them  was  born  a  son,  I'rank  I).,  who  lives  on  the 
old  homestead. 

Mr.  Perry  was  a  reimblican  in  his  political 
views  and  was  called  to  several  local  offices  bv  his 
fellow  townsmen,  who  recognized  his  worth  and 
ability.  His  life  was  at  all  times  honorable  aii<l 
ui)right  and  while  he  never  sought  to  figure 
prominently  before  the  public  he  commanded  the 
esteem  of  all  with  whoTii  he  was  associated,     lie 


passed  away  -Ma\  8,  njo2.  and  is  still  survived 
by  his  wife,  who  resides  upon  the  old  home  farm. 

I'rank  I).  Perrry,  the  youngest  son  of  the  fam- 
ily, was  reared  here.  ])ursuing  his  education  in 
the  common  schools  and  in  Beloit.  Like  his  an- 
cestors, he  has  devoted  a  part  of  his  time  to  pro- 
fessional labors,  having  taught  for  six  or  seven 
years  in  this  county,  and  his  ability  to  impart 
clearly  and  readdy  to  others  the  knowledge  that 
he  had  accpiired  made  him  a  capable  educator. 
He  is  now  engaged  in  operating  the  home  farm, 
com])rising  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land 
which  is  rich  and  i)roductive  and  which  in  its 
excellent  a])pearance  gives  proof  of  his  capable 
management  and  thorough  understanding  of  the 
work. 

1-rank  I).  IV-ny  was  married  in  .Miss  Dora 
.Moslicr.  of  Jaiu'sville.  Wisconsin,  whose  i)eo])le 
were  early  residents  there.  Her  grandmother 
was  one  of  tin.  ])ioiieer  settlers  of  that  jjlace  and 
died  there  recently  at  the  age  of  ninety-one  \ears. 
Mr.  Perry  has  fraternal  relations  with  the  C"ourt 
of  Honor  and  attends  the  Metlimlist  l'"piscop;il 
church. 


pF.'ri:u  11.  I'Ai.Mi-.R. 


Peter  11.  Palnier.  superinteiidenl  and  designer 
of  the  Rockford  Mantel  Com])an\',  was  born 
An^il  ?;  1861.  in  We'^ter.  (lottland,  Sweden,  a 
son  of  .\ndrew  and  X'^elly  (Bowman)  Palmer. 
Thev  are  now  residing  in  Rockford  and  have  a 
dauu'liler  and  five  sons  here,  of  whom  Teeter  IT. 
is  the  eldest:  Paul  !•"..  the  second  of  the  family, 
is  married  and  is  now  connected  with  the  Royal 
Mantel  Company:  Frank  E.  is  eni|)loye(l  by  the 
I'ichiller  Piqno  Company,  of  Oregon.  Illinois : 
.Aaron  J-  is  with  the  X^orthern  Electric  Manufac- 
turing Company,  of  .Madison,  Wisconsin:  Carrie 
1).  is  married  and  resides  at  home:  and  Sinion  E. 
is  a  resident  of  .Madison,  Wisconsin. 

When  in  his  twenty-first  year  Peter  H.  Pal- 
mer came  to  the  Cnited  .States,  sailing  from  (iot- 
tenburg  in  1881  and  landing;  at  Boston.  .Since 
that  time  the  other  members  of  the  famih'  fol- 
lowed him  to  the  new  world  and  locate<l  in  Rock- 
ford. Learning  the  cabinet-maker's  trade  in 
early  life,  he  became  a  skilled  workman  and  for 
seven  years  was  em])loyed  by  the  l.'nion  Furni- 
ture Com|ianv  of  this  citv  and  afterward  was 
connected  with  the  Standard  l''urniture  Com- 
l)any,  one  of  the  leading  industrial  enterprises 
here.  He  wis  both  vice  president  and  super- 
inteiu'cnt  of  that  concern,  with  which  he  con- 
tinued in  active  connection  until  I'ehruary  I, 
1898,  since  which  time  he  has  been  with  the 
Rockford  Mantel  Company  as  superintendent 
and  desi  tner.  and  his  excellent  work  in  the  latter 
department  is  indicated  by  the  fine  mantels  which 
the  house  annually  places  u|)on  the  market. 


PAST     A\D     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


8ii 


Mr.  Palmer  was  married  to  Aliss  .\manda  O. 
Swanseii,  who  was  born  in  Sweden  near  the  old 
home  of  her  husband,  in  October,  1862,  and  when 
twent}-  years  of  age  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  1882, 
living-  at  times  in  Belvidere  and  in  Rockford. 
Illinois.  Her  parents  died  in  Sweden  but  her 
sister  Emma  came  to  this  countrv  and  is  now  the 
wife  of  Jo'm  C  (  'shorn,  who  is  in  the  employ  of 
the  Mechanics'  Furniture  Company.  Mrs.  Pal- 
mer died  March  20,  1896,  at  the  age  of  thirty- 
four  years,  leaving  three  children.  Rachel,  Ebba 
and  Mandus.  On  the  12th  of  July,  1901,  Mr, 
Palmer  wedded  Clara  ().  Anderson,  who  was 
born  in  this  county  near  Pecatonica,  her  father 
being  C.  O.  Anderson,  wiio  is  now  living  retired 
in  Pecatonica.  They  have  one  son,  Carl  Andrew, 
now  a  year  old. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Palmer  are  members  of  the 
Swedish  Baptist  church,  of  which  he  is  a  trustee. 
He  belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen  camjj.  No. 
51,  and  is  independent  in  politics,  devoting  all  his 
energies  to  his  business  interests.  He  is  one  of 
the  best  known  Swedish  residents  of  Rockford. 
having  made  a  creditable  record  for  ability  and 
commercial  integrity  and  his  life  is  an  example 
of  what  may  be  accomplished  in  a  land  unham- 
pered by  caste  or  class. 


FLOYD  SAHTH. 


Floyd  Smith,  who  after  many  years'  connection 
with  agricultural  pursuits  is  now  enjoying  a  well 
earned  rest  at  his  pleasant  home  at  No.  2004 
Green  street  in  Rockford,  belongs  to  that  large 
and  valued  portion  of  the  citizenship  of  Winne- 
bago county  that  New  York  has  furnished,  for 
his  birth  occurred  in  Tompkins  county  of  the 
Empire  state  on  the  2d  of  July,  1843.  His  par- 
ents were  Belden  C.  and  Sarah  (Mettler)  Smith, 
the  former  a  native  of  Tompkins  coimty.  New 
York,  born  April  \Q.  1 81 1,  while  the  mother  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania.  November  20,  1819.  Belden 
C.  Smith  was  reared  to  the  occupation  of  farm- 
ing and  made  it  his  life  work.  In  1852  he  dis- 
posed of  his  interests  in  the  Empire  state  and  re- 
moved to  Ohio,  where  he  purchased  a  farm,  and 
when  he  again  sold  out  he  made  his  way  to  Win- 
nebago county,  Illinois,  settling  in  Harrison 
township,  where,  in  1865,  he  purchased  eighty- 
six  acres  of  land.  He  remained  there  for  some 
time  and  then  removed  to  Aurora.  Illinois,  wdiere 
he  died  October  26.  t88.S,  his  wife  surviving  until 
December  23,  1892.  Their  daughter,  Anna  W.. 
is  now  the  wife  of  E.  T.  Bradley,  of  Aberdeen. 
Washington. 

Floyci  Smith,  the  only  son  and  his  sister's  sen- 
ior, was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  the 
home  district  and  also  the  public  schools  of  Rock- 


ford and  in  his  youth  he  became  familiar  with 
the  labors  of  field  and  meadow,  w^orking  on  his 
father's  farm  until  1862,  when  at  the  age  of 
nineteen  years  he  responded  to  his  country's  call 
for  aid,  enlisting  in  Company  F,  Seventy-fourth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  He  served  until  Oc- 
tober 29,  1864,  when  he  was  honorably  discharged 
on  account  of  disabilit}'.  During  his  service  he 
was  in  the  .\rmy  of  the  Cumberland  and  partici- 
pated in  the  battles  of  Perryville.  Tullahoma, 
Chattanooga.  Stone  River  and  many  other  en- 
gagements, and  he  was  discharged  at  Camp  But- 
ler. Springfield,  returning  to  his  home  with  a 
creditable  military  record  because  of  his  imfalter- 
ing  loyalty  to  the  cause  which  he  espoused  and 
his  prompt  and  faithful  performance  of  every 
soldier  duty. 

Returning  to  ^^'innehago  county,  Mr.  Smith 
began  farming  on  his  own  account  and  soon  aft- 
erward purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land  on  sections  15  and  22.  Harrison  township, 
which  property  is  still  in  his  possession.  Year 
after  vear  he  carried  on  the  work  of  the  fields 
and  his  labors  were  resultant  factors  in  the  de- 
velopment of  one  of  the  best  farm  properties  of 
the  comnnmitv.  In  i8q8  he  retired  from  agricul- 
tural life  and  removed  to  Rockford.  where  he 
purchased  the  home  which  he  now^  owns,  having 
a  beautiful  residence  that  stands  in  the  midst  of 
a  block  of  ground.  The  lawn  is  beautifully  shaded 
with  fine  trees  and  there  is  a  solendid  barn  and 
other  equipments  on  the  place.  He  also  purchased 
seven  acres  of  land  on  the  south  side  of  School 
street  in  Rockford.  which  is  very  valuable,  and 
this  he  still  owns  in  connection  with  his  farm. 
\\niile  living  in  the  countrv  he  was  extensively 
interested  in  the  dairy  business,  which  proved  to 
him  very  profitable. 

In  Tune,  18S1,  Mr.  Smith  was  married  to 
Martha  E.  Graham,  whose  birth  occurred  in 
Rockton  township,  this  county,  AIa\-  14.  i860, 
her  parents  being  Henry  and  Eleanor  (Foster) 
Graham.  Her  father  was  born  in  Pennsylvania, 
while  her  mother  w-as  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  in 
1850  thev  removed  to  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  where 
thev  lived  for  sime  time,  j\Ir.  Graham  working- 
there  at  his  trade  of  plastering.  Subsequentlv  he 
took  up  his  abode  in  Rockton  township,  where 
he  Durchased  a  farm  of  two  hundred  acres,  on 
which  he  spent  his  remaining  davs,  his  death  oc- 
curring in  189.S.  His  w-idoiv  still  survives  and 
is  now  living  with  her  daughter  Mrs.  Haughey. 
This  worthv  couole  were  the  parents  of  three 
sons  and  five  daughters :  A.  Foster,  who  is  living 
in  Rockton  township :  Airs.  Smith  :  Airs.  Mar- 
garet Ruhl.  a  resident  of  Des  Aloines.  Iowa  ;  Mrs. 
Rachel  Keaele,  of  Cedarville,  Illinois:  Alatthew, 
"•ho  died  Tulv  28,  t8qo;  Jennie,  the  wife  of  Dr. 
Haughev.  living  at  No.  208  South  Second  street. 


8i. 


I'AST     AND     PRESENT    OF    WINXEBAGO    COUXTY. 


Rockford ;  Harry,  who  resides  on  the  old  home 
farm  in  Rockton  township;  and  Mrs.  Lncv  File, 
of  Rochelle.  Illinois. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  are  the  parents  of  three 
daughters:  Martha,  the  wife  of  h'rank  liain- 
bridgrc  who  resides  on  a  fami  in  Rockton  town- 
ship and  bv  whom  she  has  two  children,  Stanley 
and  Sidney  :  Elizabeth,  who  makes  her  home  with 
her  parents  and  is  coiniected  with  the  .American 
Insurance  Company ;  and  Eleanor,  at  home. 

Mr.  Smith  votes  witli  tlic  rcimblican  ])arty  and 
is  rej^arded  as  a  capable  leader  in  the  local  ranks. 
He  served  as  supervisor  of  his  township  for  five 
years,  was  township  trustee  for  fifteen  years  and 
school  director  for  about  twelve  years  and  in  all 
these  positions  he  discharpfed  his  duties  in  a  man- 
ner creditable  to  himself  and  satisfactory  to  his 
constituents.  He  was  formerly  identified  with 
Harrison  camp.  M.  W.  .A.,  of  which  he  served  as 
clerk  for  seven  years  but  now  affiliates  with  the 
camp  in  Rockford.  He  likewise  belon.ijs  to  Xev- 
ius  post.  Xo.  I,  G.  A.  R..  the  oldest  orgfanization 
of  the  Grand  Army  in  the  country,  never  failint;- 
to  hold  its  rcg-ular  meetings  since  its  establishment 
in  1866.  They  meet  three  times  each  month  and 
have  the  finest  memorial  hall  in  the  country  for 
old  soldiers.  Since  he  came  to  Rockford  Mr. 
Smith  has  been  appointed  commissioner  of 
thistles  for  Rockford  township,  which  position 
he  filled  for  two  years.  He  and  his  wife  hold 
membership  in  the  Congregational  churcli.  Mr. 
Smith  is  a  .self-made  man  in  the  best  sense  of  that 
temi.  honest  and  ui)riglit,  and  respected  bv  all 
who  know  him. 


cii.\kLi-:s  n.  dow. 

Charles  15.  Dow.  following  the  (iecu]iation  of 
farming  on  section  2.  Wimiebago  townshi]),  be- 
longs to  that  class  of  sidistantial  and  honored 
citizens  that  Scotland  has  furnished  to  this 
county.  His  l)irth  occurred  in  Edinburgh,  in  Sep- 
tember. 1848.  his  parents  being  Charles  and 
Mary  ( Rarklay )  Dow,  who.  crossinir  the  .At- 
lantic t<i  the  new  world,  established  their  home 
in  Wimiebago  county  in  the  sprinir  of  1840. 
They  settled  on  a  farm  now  owne<l  bv  L"harles 
I'l.  Dow  and  they  were  preceded  here  by  Daniel 
Dow.  an  uncle  of  our  subject,  who  arrived  at 
a  very  early  day  and  followed  shoemaking  and 
grain-buying  in  Rockford.  He  owned  a  verv 
extensive  tract  of  land  which  has  recently  been 
deeded  to  Charles  P..  Dow  and  bis  son  Daniel. 
This  i>lace  Cf)miirises  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  land  and  was  a  wild  and  unimproved 
tract  when  it  came  into  possession  of  the  uncle. 
Daniel  Dow,  who  about  1837  or  18^8  arrived  in 
Chicago.    Illinois,    there    remaining    until    1841. 


when  lie  came  to  Rockford.  Locating  in  the 
city  he  conducted  a  shoemaking  establishment 
and  although  he  secured  land  he  never  farmed, 
lie  was,  however,  one  of  the  well  known  busi- 
ness men  of  the  county  seat  and  at  his  death 
was  one  of  the  most  venerable  pioneers,  having 
continued  his  residence  in  Rockford  until  called 
to  his  final  rest  in  Xovember.  1903.  when  in  his 
ninety-sixth  year.  For  many  years  he  had  been 
a  grain-buyer  and  for  more  than  forty  years  had 
operated  on  tlie  Hoard  of  Trade,  being  a  very 
successful  speculator.  He  also  owned  the  store 
now  occupied  by  Mr.  Wheelock,  a  merchant  of 
Rockford.  and  of  this  property  his  grandson 
Daniel  is  now  trustee.  .V  notable  figure  in 
pioneer  times  and  through  the  period  of  later 
progress  and  development  he  deserves  mention 
among  the  founders  and  upbuilders  of  the  city, 
where  he  was  long  so  widel\'  and  favorablv 
known. 

Charles  Dow,  the  father  of  our  subject,  taking 
u|)  liis  abode  upt)n  the  land  which  his  brother 
Daniel  Jiad  entered,  carried  on  farming  here  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  the  spring  of  1865, 
when  he  was  about  fifty-eight  years  of  age. 
His  mother  afterward  rented  the  farm  and  re- 
moved to  South  Rockford.  where  she  died  in 
i8(;i.  when  about  seventy  years  of  age.  Both 
were  natives  of  Scotland,  t!ie  father  being  a 
Highlander,  born  in  Perthshire,  while  the 
mother's  birth  occurred  in.  the  city  of  Edinburgh. 
Coming  to  .\nierica,  Charles  Dow.  as  the  result 
of  his  study  of  the  jiolitical  issues  and  conditions 
of  the  country,  gave  a  stalwart  support  to  the 
re])ublican  party.  He  served  in  some  local  offices 
and  in  matters  of  citizenshi])  could  be  counted 
upon  to  support  progressive  measures  for  the 
general  good.  He  held  membership  in  the  Pres- 
byterian church  and  lived  an  honorable,  upright 
life.  In  the  family  were  three  sons  and  five 
daughters,  who  reached  adult  age,  but  only  two 
sons  and  two  daughters  are  now  living,  namely: 
Charles  ]'>.:  Mrs.  .'■1.  W.  Stanley,  of  Wyoming; 
William  1!.  Dow,  of  .Aberdeen.  South  Dakota, 
who  is  engaged  in  the  hardware  business  :  and 
Mrs.  J.  W.  Lake,  of  Jolict.  Illinois,  whose  hus- 
band is  a  railroad  man.  Those  deceased  are: 
.Mrs.  J.  .\..  D.  C"ore\-.  who  died  at  Cheyenne.  Wy- 
oming; Mrs.  Dr.  Sager,  who  died  in  Rockford; 
and  two  who  died  in  infancy. 

Charles  15.  Dow  was  reared  in  Winnebago 
County,  being  less  than  a  year  old  when  brought 
by  his  ])arents  to  .\merica.  Here  he  s|)ent  tin 
greater  ])art  of  his  life.  In  i8Af),  however,  he 
drove  ox-teams  across  the  ])lains  and  S])ent  three 
years  in  .Montana,  traveling  with  a  party  of 
which  Judge  P.ailcy  was  also  a  member.  He 
worked  in  liutte  City  in  the  sjiring  of  1867,  hav- 
ing previously  been  emi)loye(l  for  a  time  at  \'ir- 
ginia    Chv.      He    then    returned    to    this    countv 


MR.  AXD  MRS.  CHARLES  B.  DOW 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


815 


and  took  up  his  abode  upon  the  homestead  farm, 
which  he  later  purchased  from  the  estate  and 
upon  which  he  has  since  resided.  He  has  al- 
ways carried  on  general  agricultural  pursuits 
and  he  also  operates  a  dairy,  supplying  milk  to 
many  patrons  in  Rockford.  In  addition  to  the 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  the  home 
place  he  has  an  interest  in  the  two  hundred  and 
forty  acre  farm  in  liurritt  township,  which  was 
originally  entered  from  the  government  by  his 
uncle  Daniel.  He  has  a  finely  improved  farm. 
on  which  are  large  and  substantial  buildings,  ad- 
mirably situated,  and  his  home  is  only  about  four 
miles  west  of  Rockford  on  the  state  road. 

Mr.  Dow  was  married  in  this  county  to  Miss 
Emma  AI.  Tullock,  who  was  born  in  Burritt 
township,  in  1S50,  and  was  a  daughter  of  George 
and  Mary  A.  (  ^Nlilne)  Tullock,  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  the  county,  who  died  at  his  home  in 
( )wen  township  about  five  years  ago.  His  sons 
raise  a  large  amount  of  fruit,  including  the  well 
known  Tullock  strawberry',  and  they  have  a  wide 
reputation  as  successful  agriculturists.  Mrs. 
Dow  was  afforded  liberal  educational  privileges, 
being  graduated  from  the  Rockford  high  school, 
after  which  she  taught  for  three  years  where 
the  Lincoln  school  is  now  located.  She  was  a 
lady  of  superior  intellectual  culture  and  natural 
refinement  and  her  death,  which  occurred  June 
2().  1904,  when  she  was  fifty-four  years  of  age, 
was  deeply  regretted  b\-  man\-  friends  as  well  as 
her  immediate  family.  Unto  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Dow 
were  born  two  children,  Daniel  C.  and  E.  Myrtle, 
both  born  in  this  county.  The  daughter  is  yet 
at  home.  The  son  acts  as  trustee  of  the  Daniel 
Dow  estate  and  is  also  associated  with  his  father 
in  the  operation   of  large   farming  interests. 

Politically  Mr.  Dow  is  a  republican,  thor- 
oughly in  sympathy  with  the  principles  of  the 
party,  while  fraternally  he  is  connected  with 
the  ]\Iodern  W'oodmen  of  America.  As  almost 
his  entire  life  has  been  passed  in  this  county  he 
is  well  known  to  many  citizens  here  and  the 
cjualities  of  manhood  which  he  has  ever  displayed 
have  been  such  as  to  commend  him  to  the  con- 
fidence and  respect  of  all  with  whom  business  or 
social  relations  have  brought  liim  ill  contact. 


R.  C.  :\]ILLER. 


R.  C.  Miller,  superintendent  of  the  W'innebago 
countv  alms  house  and  poor  farm,  located  on  sec- 
tion I,  Rockford  township,  has  been  in  charge 
here  since  October,  1902.  He  has  lived  in  Win- 
nebago county  throughout  almost  his  entire  life, 
for,  although  he  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in  1852. 
he  was  brought  to  Illinois  before  he  had  com- 
pleted his  first  vear.    He  was  a  son  of  ]\I.  M.  and 


jiar}-  W.  (Compton)  Miller,  who  located  in 
Owen  township  in  1853.  They  were  farming  peo- 
ple and  remained  residents  of  Winnebago  county 
until  called  to  their  final  home.  Mr.  Aliller  of 
this  review  has  three  brothers  who  are  farming 
people  of  Rockton  township. 

He  was  reared  and  educated  in  Owen  town- 
ship, being  indebted  to  the  public-school  system 
for  the  mental  discipline  which  he  received.  After 
putting  aside  his  text-books  he  devoted  his  atten- 
tion to  farm  labor  and  carried  on  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits  until  about  seven  years  ago,  when 
he  began  to  give  his  undivided  attention  to  buying 
and  selling  stock.  He  still  owns,  however,  a  good 
farm  in  Shirland  township,  which  is  rented.  In 
October,  1902,  he  was  appointed  by  the  board  of 
county  supervisors  as  superintendent  of  the  Win- 
nebago county  alms  house.  The  present  building 
was  erected  in  T883  and  has  a  capacity  of  about 
one  hundred  inmates,  there  being  between  eighty 
and  eighty-five  there  at  the  present  time.  The 
farm  comprises  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres,  Iving 
on  section  I,  Rockford  township,  and  able-bodied 
inmates  of  the  place  assist  in  the  operation  of  the 
land.  The  buildings  are  thoroughly  up-to-date, 
supplied  with  all  modern  equipments,  and  in  fact 
this  is  one  of  the  model  alms  houses  of  the  state, 
each  occupant  having  a  separate  room.  General 
farming  is  carried  on,  while  six  acres  is  devoted 
to  gardening,  and  there  is  a  large  orchard  and 
much  small  fruit  upon  the  place.  Grain  and  stock 
are  raised  quite  extensively  and  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  cows  is  kept  to  furnish  butter  for  the  en- 
tire institution.  The  work  is  done  in  systematic, 
methodical  manner,  and  under  the  supervision  of 
IMr.  Miller  the  farm  is  a  paying  institution. 

'Sir.  Miller  was  united  in  marriage  in  1876  to 
Miss  E.  M.  Capron.  who  was  born  in  Canada  in 
1854.  and  is  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Mary 
(Scott)  Capron.  who  removed  to  Rock  county, 
Wisconsin,  in  1856,  settling  in  Beloit  township, 
where  the\-  made  their  home  during  the  greater 
part  of  the  time  until  they  departed  this  life.  The 
father  died  about  fourteen  years  ago,  while  his 
wife  passed  awav  eighteen  years  ago.  ]\Iost  of 
their  children  still  reside  in  Rock  county,  although 
some  live  elsewhere.  !\Trs.  ?i[iller  was  reared  in 
Rock  county,  making  her  home  there  up  to  the 
time  of  her  marriage.  By  this  union  four  children 
have  been  born,  all  natives  of  Winnebago  county: 
Arthur,  residing  on  a  fami  in  Shirland  township, 
who  married  Ethel  Zahm,  and  has  one  son.  Er- 
nest, now  two  years  of  age :  Myrtle,  the  wife  of 
Frederick  De  Berard,  a  resident  of  Colorado,  and 
the  mother  of  two  children,  Marie  and  Fayette : 
and  Iva  and  Favette.  both  residing-  at  home. 

Politically  Mr.  Miller  is  a  republican,  never 
faltering  in  support  of  the  party  since  age  gave 
him  the  right  of  franchise.  He  has  been  some- 
what prominent  in  local  political  circles  and  his 


8i6 


PAST     A\D     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


fellow  townsmen  in  recognition  of  his  wortli  and 
ability  have  conferred  upon  him  a  number  of  pub- 
lic offices.  He  served  as  supervisor  of  Shirland 
township  for  two  terms  and  for  nine  terms  as  its 
assessor  and  his  public  duties  were  disciiarged 
with  promptness  and  fidelity.  I'.olli  he  and  his 
wife  are  memljcrs  of  the  .Methodist  Episcopal 
i-lniiih  of  .'■^hirland. 


LORENZO  n.  CROW  1:1. 1.,  .Ik. 

Lorenzo  H.  Crowell.  Jr..  who  is  now  pr(i])rie- 
tor  of  a  greenhouse  in  ( )wen  township,  and  is 
one  of  the  re])resentative  young  business  men 
of  the  community,  was  born  in  this  township  on 
the  old  family  homestead.  December  14.  1884. 
Mis  father.  Lorenzo  H.  Crowell.  Sr.,  was  also 
born  on  the  old  homestead,  .\])ril  14.  1854.  and 
was  a  son  of  Ezekial  Crowell.  The  last  named 
was  horn  in  l'>erwick.  York  county.  Maine.  ( )c- 
tober  24.  1813.  and  died  in  his  seventy-third 
year.  .\t  the  age  of  ten  years  lie  left  home  on 
account  of  his  father's  death,  lie  was  the 
yoimgest  in  a  large  family  of  ten  children  and 
it  was  necessar\  that  he  start  out  and  earn  a 
living  for  himself.  ( )n  the  25th  of  December. 
1843,  he  was  married  to  Miss  llamiah  i'eters 
at  Lowell.  Massachusetts,  and  some  years  after- 
ward they  removed  to  Steubenville.  ( )hio.  where 
Mr.  Crowell  took  up  the  study  of  law  under 
Ivhvin  M.  Stanton.  He  was  afterward  admitted 
to  the  bar.  but  never  practiced  much,  and  re- 
turned again  to  the  east  to  resume  the  position 
of  weaver  in  one  of  the  large  woolen  mills.  In 
1851  he  came  to  Winnebago  county.  Illinois,  and 
|)urchased  a  fine  farm  in  (Jwen  townshi]).  where 
lie  resided  for  a  number  of  years,  successfully 
carrying  on  agricultural  pursuits  until  1861, 
when  he  took  u|)  his  a1)odc  in  Rockford.  there 
making  his  home  to  the  time  of  his  death.  Dur- 
ing the  Civil  war  he  carried  passengers  to  and 
from  the  old  camp  ground,  but  in  his  later  years 
he  lived  retired,  having  a  sufficient  income  to 
keep  him  withcjut  work.  He  was  an  honest,  up- 
rii^ht  man.  always  considerate  in  his  treatment 
of  others.  It  is  said  that  he  never  wronged  a 
single  individual  in  any  way.  He  was  regarded 
as  a  good  neighbor,  a  faithful  friend  and  a  de- 
voted husbanrl  aiul  father,  and  in  these  resjiects 
his  example  is  well  worthy  of  emulation.  In 
religimis  faith  he  was  a  S|iiritualisl.  with  a 
firm  belief  in  jjrogression  after  ilealh.  His  wife, 
who  was  born  in  I'.erwick  township,  ^'ork  coun- 
ty. Maine,  January  14.  1821,  long  survived  her 
hnsbanrl.  spending  her  last  years  in  the  home 
of  her  son,  .\.  E.  Crowell.  where  she  tlied  June 
7.  if)Oi.  She  had  been  married  on  Christmas 
day  of  1843  and  she  reached  the  advanced  age 
of  eiirhtv  vears.     She  was  a  ladv  of  stron<j  char- 


acter, possessed  of  many  c|ualities.  for  wliich 
she  will  be  long  remembered.  Her  love  for  the 
good,  the  true  and  the  beautiful  was  marked, 
whether  seen  in  nature,  man  or  God,  and  she 
delighted  in  flowers,  music  and  song,  which  she 
declared  were  food  to  her  soul.  Mr.  and  .Mrs. 
Crowell  were  the  parents  of  four  children,  of 
whom  the  eklest.  Henry  C.  became  a  soldier  of 
the  Twelfth  Illinois  Cavalry  and  died  in  1874 
from  disease  contracted  while  in  the  service. 
.Mejvin  dii-d  in  infancy,  while  the  surviving 
members  of  the  famil\-  are  Lorenzo  H..  Sr.,  who 
is  living  in  (  )wen  township,  and  .Mvin  E..  of 
Rockford.  a  well  known  ])ractitioner  of  law. 
who  has  been  prominent  in  puljlic  affairs. 

Lorenzo  11.  Crowell,  Sr..  born  .April  4.  1834. 
in  (  )wen  townshi]),  spent  the  first  eight  years  of 
his  life  on  his  father's  farm  and  then  accom- 
])anie(i  his  ]3arents  on  their  removal  to  Rock- 
ford. the  family  home  being  established  on  Fer- 
tru.son  street.  He  was  a  student  in  the  Rockford 
high  school,  which  he  entered  in  i86y.  complet- 
ing his  course  there  in  1872.  The  following 
year  he  taught  school  and  in  fact  followed  the 
])rofcssion  much  of  the  time  until  1878.  teaching 
at  Ciuilford.  Ihirritt.  (~)wen  Center.  Kislnvaukee 
and  other  places.  In  1878  he  began  farming  and 
stock-raising,  which  ])ursuits  he  followed  suc- 
cessfully until  i8()i,  when  he  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  horticultural  interests,  raising  cherries, 
ajjjiles  and  small  fruits.  In  recent  years  he  has 
given  no  attention  to  general  farming,  his  horti- 
cultural interests  claiming  his  undivided  atten- 
tion. I  le  also  l)uill  a  greenhouse  and  is  engaged 
in  the  cultivation  of  flowers.  .\t  one  time  he 
was  connected  wth  the  Good  Templars  society. 
He  is  indeijcndent  in  his  politicl  views.  suii])ort- 
ing  men  and  measures  rather  than  party. 

Lorenzo  H.  Crowell.  -Sr..  married  Miss  Luella 
I'hebe  .Strang,  who  was  born  May  13,  1854.  Tlic 
marriage  ceremony  was  performed  at  l!\ron, 
Illinois,  October  5,  1873.  by  the  Rev.  (ieorge 
(i.  Young.  Her  parents  were  Peter  and  Char- 
lotte (Morrisi  .'^trang.  Mr.  Strang  was  a  self- 
educated  man  and  entirely  self-made  regarding 
his  business  successes.  He  was  l)orn  in  Kings- 
ton, i'ennsyltania.  .\ugu.st  i,  1814,  and  in  1820 
he  accomiianied  his  jiarents  on  their  removal  to 
Newfield,  Tompkins  county.  New  York,  while  in 
1833  they  became  residents  of  Peru.  Ohio.  On 
the  3d  of  Se])teniber.  1843.  Peter  Strang  mar- 
ried Charlotte  ^lorris,  and  the  following  year 
the\'  removed  to  Piyron,  Illinois.  He  was  a  black- 
smith by  trade,  serving  an  apprenticeship  of 
seven  years  in  his  youth.  dnriTig  which  time  he 
received  no  comjiensation  for  his  services.  His 
)>eoi)le  were  very  ]>oor  and  he  had  to  help  them 
by  workini,'  at  home.  It  was  one  hundred  miles 
from  his  home  U<  the  place  where  he  learned  his 
trade  .•md   hi'  w,ilki-<l   tliat  distance  a   number  of 


LORENZO  H.  CROWELL,  JR. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


8i(j 


times,  dividing  his  time  between  blacksmithing 
and  farm  labor  at  his  father's  place.  Subsequent- 
ly he  engaged  in  blacksmithing  in  New  Orleans, 
being  there  during  a  yellow  fever  epidemic.  He 
made  his  first  visit  to  Illinois  in  1843,  traveling 
on  horseback,  and  in  the  spring  of  1844  he  took 
up  his  permanent  abode  here,  making  the  jour- 
ney by  team,  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  his 
parents.  He  then  opened  a  blacksmith  shop  at 
Byron,  doing  general  work  in  that  line,  also 
making  plows,  ironing  wagons  and  buggies  and 
also  doing  general  foundry  work  in  connection 
with  a  Mr.  Wood.  lie  was  an  excellent  me- 
chanic, being  able  to  execute  almost  anything 
with  tools,  and  in  fact  he  manufactured  the  nia- 
joritv  of  the  tools  which  he  used  in  blacksmith- 
ing. foimdry  work  and  as  a  locksmith.  About 
ten  years  prior  to  his  death  Mr.  Strang,  in  com- 
pany with  his  wife,  went  on  a  visit  to  South  Da- 
kota and  as  the  health  of  both  seemed  so  greatly 
improved,  they  decided  to  make  their  future 
home  there.  For  two  years  prior  to  his  death, 
however,  his  health  gradually  failed,  but  in  the 
latter  part  of  June,  1894,  he  felt  so  much  better 
that  he  determined  upon  making  a  visit  to  his 
old  home  in  Byron.  This  was  not  to  be,  how- 
ever, for  on  the  26th  of  that  month  he  passed 
away,  his  remains,  however,  being  brought  back 
to  Illinois  for  interment.  His  father  had  lived 
to  be  nearly  one  hundred  years  of  age  and  his 
mother  was  in  her  eightieth  year  at  the  time 
of  her  death.  Airs.  Strang,  the  wife  of  Peter 
Strang,  survived  her  husband.  She  was  born 
Februarv  9.  1828,  in  Jefferson  county.  New 
York,  and  with  her  parents  removed  to  Ohio  in 
1833.  There,  as  before  stated,  she  was  married 
and  the  following  year  she  came  with  her  hus- 
band to  Illinois.  Nine  children  were  born  unto 
them,  of  whom  five  sons  and  two  daughters  were 
living  at  the  time  of  the  mother's  death,  while 
one  son  and  one  daughter  died  in  infancy.  In 
18S5  "Sir.  and  ]\Irs.  Strang  removed  to  Canova, 
South  Dakota,  where  they  lived  until  the  death 
of  the  husband,  June  26,  1894,  after  which  the 
mother  made  her  home  with  her  son  Oliver  in 
Byron,  Illinois. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lorenzo  Crowell.  Sr.,  have  be- 
come the  parents  of  seven  children,  of  whom 
six  are  yet  living.  Bertha  L.,  born  June  26, 
1874,  is  the  wife  of  Clark  Burnett,  an  electrical 
engineer.  Alelvin  A.,  bom  May  15,  1876,  mar- 
ried Aliss  ]\Ivrtle  Smith,  by  whom  he  has  three 
children,  and  they  are  living  in  Owen  town- 
ship. George  H.  died  at  the  age  of  two  years. 
Rosetta  B.,  born  June  8.  1880.  is  the  wife  of 
Henrv  Nason,  of  Rockford,  and  they  have  four 
sons.  Lorenzo  H.  of  this  review  is  the  next  of 
the  family.  Olive  I.,  born  January  3,  1886,  is 
at  home.  Myrtle  \'..  born  December  23.  1888,  is 
also  with  her  parents. 


Lorenzo  H.  Crowell.  Jr.,  pursued  his  early 
education  in  the  public  schools  near  his  father's 
farm  and  also  continued  his  study  in  Rockford. 
He  has  likewise  taken  a  course  of  engineering  in 
the  International  Correspondence  School  of 
Scranton,  Pennsylvania.  At  the  age  of  sixteen 
years  he  rented  the  home  place,  where  he  fol- 
lowed farming  until  twenty  years  of  age.  He 
then  held  a  sale  of  stock,  after  which  he  began 
working  for  the  Rockford  Street  Railway  Com- 
pany as  conductor,  continuing  in  that  service  for 
about  a  year.  Pie  has  since  conducted  a  green- 
liouse,  carrying  on  business  with  good  success 
for  six  years,  and  his  sale  of  flowers  and  plants 
is  now  extensive,  making  his  business  a  profit- 
able one. 

Air.  Crowell  was  married  November  8,  1904, 
to  Aliss  Bertha  I.  Franklin,  a  daughter  of  George 
and  Emma  Franklin,  who  are  represented  else- 
where in  this  work.  The  young  couple  have  a 
wide  circle  of  warm  friends  in  the  communitv 
where  they  have  always  lived  and  he  is  justly 
regarded  as  one  of  the  leading  and  enterprising 
vonng  business  men. 


DANIEL  G.  SPAULDING. 

Daniel  G.  Spaulding,  born  in  Acworth.  New 
Hampshire,  November  25,  1839,  died  in  Rockford, 
April  9,  1902.  Death  often  claims  those  whom 
we  can  ill  afford  to  lose,  and  such  was  the  univer- 
sal feeling  when  D.'G.  Spaulding  was  called  from 
this  life.  He  had  figured  actively  and  honorably 
in  business  circles  and  public  aft'airs,  which  con- 
served the  progress  and  upbuilding  of  his  city 
and  county.  His  energy  and  enterprise  were  no 
immaterial  factor  in  the  sum  total  of  accomplish- 
ment in  Rockford,  and  as  one  who  has  aided  in 
framing  the  historj'  and  shaping  the  policy  of 
the  city  we  present  his  record  to  our  readers. 

He  was  a  son  of  Dr.  Nehemiah  and  Betsy 
(Hay ward)  Spaulding.  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  New  Hampshire,  where  the  father  prac- 
ticed his  profession  for  a  muuber  of  years.  In 
the  early  settlement  of  the  middle  west,  however, 
he  brought  his  family  to  the  Mississippi  valley, 
establishing  his  home  in  Nashua.  Iowa,  where  he 
continued  in  the  active  practice  of  medicine  and 
surgery  until  called  to  his  final  rest.  His  wife 
also  died  in  that  place. 

Daniel  G.  Spaulding  acquired  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  at  his  boyhood  home  and  be- 
came a  resident  of  Rockford  in  1857,  when  in  his 
eigliteenth  year.  He  was  then  a  }-oung  man.  seek- 
ing a  business  opportunity  that  would  prove  the 
path  to  success  and  he  filled  various  positions  in 
the  citv  until  after  the  inauguration  of  the  Civil 
war.     He  had  been  a  student  of  the  signs  of  the 


820 


I'Asr    WD    i'rilSEXt   of   wixxedago   couxty. 


times  aiul  noted  tlie  yrouiiig  unrest  and  discon- 
tent in  the  south  and  its  threatening  attitude  and 
resolved  if  war  came  to  strike  a  blow  in  defense 
of  the  L'nion.  Accordingly  he  joined  the  volun- 
teers from  Winnebago  county,  enlisting  as  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  I.  Seventy-fourth  Illinois  In- 
fantry, a  regiment  which  made  a  splendid  record. 
He  was  with  that  command  throughout  the  war, 
participating  in  the  greater  number  of  its  engage- 
ments, and  meritorious  conduct  won  him  promo 
tion  to  the  rank  of  first  lieutenant.  In  the  thickest 
of  the  fight  or  on  the  lonely  picket  line  he  was 
always  true  and  loyal  to  his  duty,  and  when  the 
war  was  ended  he  received  an  honorable  dis- 
charge. His  interest  in  military  affairs  caused 
him  then  to  join  the  regular  army,  which  he  did 
in  Chicago,  in  May.  1865.  again  being  commis- 
sioned first  lieutenant.  His  command  was  sent 
to  the  west,  where  he  remained  for  three  years, 
aiding  in  C|uelling  the  .Mormon  and  Indian  upris- 
ings,  which   occurred  about  that  time. 

When  discharged  from  the  regular  army  Mr. 
Spaulding  returned  to  Rock  ford  and  for  many 
years  was  closely  identified  with  its  commercial 
interests.  He  established  a  grocery  store  here,  in 
which  he  continued  for  many  years,  his  last  loca- 
tion being  at  State  and  Church  streets.  His  busi- 
ness record  was  unassailable,  being  in  strict  con- 
formity to  a  high  standard  of  mercantile  ethics, 
guided  by  upright  principles  and  characterized  by 
fair  and  just  treatment  of  all  his  ])atrons.  That 
he  enjoyed  the  full  confidence  of  those  with  whom 
business  relations  brought  him  in  contact  is  indi- 
cated by  the  fact  that  many  who  gave  him  their 
support  in  the  early  days  of  his  mercantile  life 
continued  as  his  patrons  to  the  end.  In  1892  he 
disposed  of  his  store  and  practically  lived  retired 
until  his  death,  giving  his  supervision  merely  to 
invested  interests.  He  was  also  at  one  time  in  the 
shoe  business  and  was  connected  with  other  enter- 
prises of  the  city.  He  dealt  to  a  greater  or  less 
extent  in  real  estate  and  it  has  been  said  that  there 
was  no  finer  judge  of  realty  values  in  the  city. 
His  undertakings  were  usually  successful  and  he 
found  that  pn>s])erity  is  ambition's  answer.  He 
closely  studied  the  business  situations  and  readily 
mastered  its  intricate  points,  after  which  he  so 
shaped  his  course  that  the  best  possible  results 
were  obtained.  Moreover,  there  was  naught  said 
of  his  business  integrity,  as  his  methods  would 
bear  the  closest  scrutiny. 

Mr.  Spaulding  was  twice  married.  In  1858  he 
wedded  Miss  Priscilla  Smith,  from  which  union 
one  son  survives,  George  D..  who  resides  at  Xo. 
1136  Xorth  Court  street,  although  he  spends 
much  of  his  time  upon  the  road  as  a  traveling 
salesman.  On  the  1st  of  January,  1872,  Mr. 
Spaulding  was  again  married,  at  which  date  Miss 
Sophia  Rannie  became  his  wife.  She  is  a  native 
of  Scotland  and  a  daughter  of  William  and  Giris- 


tina  Rannie.  who  were  also  born  in  that  country. 
Crossing  the  .\tlantic.  they  became  early  residents 
of  Rockford.  The  father,  who  was  a  stone-ma- 
son and  contractor,  folUnved  that  business  in  this 
city  throughout  his  remaining  days,  and  his  wife 
also  died  here.  .Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spaulding  became 
the  parents  of  a  daughter.  Louise  I!.,  who  has 
always  resided  with  her  mother. 

Mr.  Spaulding  always  manifested  a  public- 
spiritetl  interest  in  affairs  pertaining  to  the  wel- 
fare and  ])r<>gress  of  his  city  and  county  and  in 
])olitics  was  a  stanch  rei)ublican.  fimily  believing 
that  the  ])arty  ])latform  contained  the  best  ele- 
ments of  good  government.  He  therefore  labored 
to  extend  its  influence  and  insure  its  success  and 
ujion  that  ticket  was  called  to  several  local  offices. 
He  served  both  as  alderman  and  supervisor  in 
the  citv  and  exercised  his  official  prerogatives  in 
a  manner  that  gave  a  tangible  impetus  to  good 
citizenship  and  public  improvement.  He  was  a 
member  of  Ncvius  post.  Xo.  i.  G.  A.  R..  of  Rock- 
ford,  and  took  great  delight  in  meeting  with  his 
old  army  comrades,  seldom  being  absent  from  the 
camp  fire.  He  was  also  connected  with  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity  and  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge,  and 
in  his  life  exemjilified  the  beneficent  spirit  of  those 
organizations,  which  had  their  basic  elements  in 
mutual  helpfulness  and  brotherly  kindness.  For 
about  two  years  prior  to  his  death  he  was  in  ill 
health,  but  the  end  came  imexpcctedly.  he  passing 
away  in  the  early  morning  of  April  9,  1902. 
Expressions  of  regret  and  sorrow  were  made  by 
all  who  knew  him  in  business  relations,  through 
his  political  activity  or  within  the  closer  circle 
of  his  friendship.  He  had  a  wide  acquaintance 
and  conimandecl  the  respect  of  all.  while  many 
entertained  for  him  the  warmest  feelings  of  friend- 
ly regard  almost  approaching  to  that  of  brothcrli- 
ness,  for  while  he  was  successful  in  business  life, 
active  and  helpful  in  public  affairs  and  held  friend- 
ship inviolable,  his  best  traits  of  character  were 
reserved  for  his  own  family,  to  whom  he  was  a 
devoted  husband  and  father.  His  interests  cen- 
tered in  his  own  home  and  he  regarded  no  per- 
sonal sacrifice  on  his  part  too  great  if  it  would  pro- 
mote the  welfare  or  enhance  the  happiness  of  his 
wife  and  children.  He  never  .sought  the  promi- 
nence which  makes  one  known  far  beyond  the 
limits  of  his  home  locality,  but  in  the  city  and 
county  where  he  lived  and  labored  so  long  Mr. 
Spaulding  was  justly  accounted  one  of  its  most 
prominent  and  honored  citizens. 

Mrs.  Spaulding  and  her  daughter  retain  their 
residence  in  Rockford.  and  the  former  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  church,  while  the  latter  is 
a  comnnmicant  of  the  Episcopal  church,  and  takes 
great  interest  in  its  work.  She  is  a  graduate  of 
the  Rockford  high  school  and  was  also  a  student 
in  a  college  at  Elmira.  X'ew  York.  Both  Mrs. 
Spaulding  and   her   daughter  occupy   prominent 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


821 


and  enviable  positions  in  social  circles  here  and 
have  an  acquaintance  throughout  the  state  by  rea- 
son of  their  active  work  in  connection  with  the 
Woman's  Relief  Corps.  In  May,  1902,  Mrs. 
Spaulding-  was  elected  its  state  president  and  her 
daughter  state  secretary,  and  they  filled  those  of- 
fices for  a  year.  They  still  take  great  interest  in 
the  work  and  have  been  faithful  workers  in  many 
movements  for  charity  and  benevolence.  They 
own  a  beautiful  and  commodious  residence  at  No. 
404  North  Court  street,  and  although  they  spend 
much  time  in  travel,  they  consider  Rockford  their 
home. 


WILLIS  E.  SAWYER. 

^^'illis  E.  Sawyer  needs  no  introduction  to  the 
readers  of  this  volume,  for  he  is  one  of  the  most 
extensive  and  prominent  horse  dealers  of  Winne- 
bago county,  his  business  interests  bringing  him 
a  wide  acquaintance.  He  is.  moreover,  well  known 
in  political  circles  as  a  stalwart  republican  and 
his  opinions  carry  considerable  weight  in  the  local 
covuicils  of  the  party.  A  native  of  the  middle  west, 
he  seems  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  indomitable 
energy  and  enteiprise  which  have  been  the  strong 
forces  in  the  upbuilding  of  this  section  of  the 
country. 

He  was  born  February  9,  1846,  in  Lake  Gene- 
va, Wisconsin,  his  parents  being  Hiram  J.  and 
Lorella  (Baker)  Sawyer,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  Cattaraugus  county,  New  York.  The 
father  spent  the  early  part  of  his  life  in  the  east 
and  when  a  young  man  removed  westward  to  Wis- 
consin, where  he  remained  until  coming  to  Winne- 
bago county  in  1850.  His  genuine  worth,  fidel- 
ity to  duty  and  loyalty  in  citizenship  awakened  the 
attention  and  admiration  of  his  fellowmen,  who 
in  1863  called  him  to  the  office  of  sheriiif,  which 
position  he  filled  for  two  years — the  length  of  the 
term  at  that  time.  Later  he  was  elected  collector 
and  subsequently  acted  as  constable  for  many 
vears,  and  not  the  shadow  of  a  reflection  concern- 
ing his  capability  fell  upon  his  official  service. 
He  was  justly  recognized  as  one  of  the  county's 
prominent  and  influential  men,,  popular  with  many 
with  whom  he  had  come  in  contact  and  respected 
by  all  because  of  his  genuine  worth.  He  died  in 
1902,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-two  years.  In 
the  family  were  three  sons :  Willis  E. ;  D.  F. 
Sawver,  a  retired  clothing  merchant  of  Iowa  City, 
Iowa;  and  Hiram  E..  whose  death  occurred  on 
Mav   I.   1875. 

In  the  public  schools  Willis  E.  Sawyer  mas- 
tered the  elementary  branches  of  learning,  attend- 
ing first  at  Darien.  Wisconsin,  afterward  at  Emer- 
ald Grove.  Wisconsin,  and  still  later  in  Rockford 
township,  this  county,  but  when  the  Civil  war 
came  on  his  patriotic  nature  was  aroused  and  al- 

48 


though  but  fifteen  years  of  age  he  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany C,  Sixty-seventh  Regiment  of  Illinois  In- 
fantry, with  which  he  served  for  three  months  tni- 
der  Captain  H.  R.  Enoch.  On  account  of  ill 
health  he  was  discharged  for  disability  on  the  ex- 
piration of  that  period.  He  was  afterward  in  the 
government  employ  as  brigade  wagon  master  for 
two  years  and  three  months,  superintending  the 
handling  of  freight  and  supplies  for  the  army, 
hauling  freight  from  Nashville,  Chattanooga  and 
that  part  of  the  country  to  the  troops. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Sawyer  returned 
to  his  home  and  purchased  a  threshing  machine, 
which  he  operated  for  two  years.  At  the  end  of 
that  time  he  sold  the  machine  and  went  upon  the 
road  selling  Hamlin's  Wizard  Oil  for  three  years 
and  driving  a  four-horse  team  as  he  made  his 
trips  through  the  country.  Returning  to  Winne- 
bago count}',  he  spent  a  year  and  a  half  here  and 
then  again  started  out,  going  to  California  in 
1875.  For  six  years  he  was  in  the  livery  business 
on  the  coast,  being  the  first  white  man  to  let  out 
horses  in  Santa  Barbara  county.  He  went  from 
that  place  to  San  Francisco,  where  he  was  with  a 
transfer  company  for  six  months,  and  thence 
crossed  the  bay  to  Oakland,  where  he  drove  an 
eight-horse  team,  doing  heavy  hauling  for  nine 
months.  He  then  took  a  contract  to  handle  a  cir- 
cus, which  he  moved  from  place  to  place,  usmg 
fifty-four  horses  in  that  work.  Sometime  later 
he  disposed  of  all  his  business  interests  on  the 
coast  and  returned  to  Winnebago  county.  Here 
he  engaged  in  farming  for  four  years  near  Dur- 
and,  when  he  sold  his  land  and  came  to  Rockford, 
purchasing  a  carload  of  horses,  which  he  shipped 
to  Cooperstown,  North  Dakota.  He  has  since 
been  handling  horses,  and  he  conducted  a  livery 
and  hack  barn  for  two  and  a  half  years.  He  then 
bought  ground  on  Chestnut  and  Court  streets  and 
erected  a  large  livery  stable,  in  which  he  carried 
on  business  for  three  and  a  half  years,  but  sold 
out  in  1905.  He  is,  however,  one  of  the  most  ex- 
tensive horse  dealers  in  Winnebago  county,  han- 
dling a  larger  number  each  year  than  almost  any 
representative  of  the  trade. 

In  1 87 1  Mr.  Sawyer  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
E.  Blewfield,  a  native  of  New  York  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  Jacob  and  Rachel  Blewfield,  who  came  here 
during  the  early  girlhood  of  ^Irs.  Sawyer.  The 
mother  has  now  passed  away,  but  the  father  is  still 
living  at  the  advanced  age  of  eight3--seven  years 
and  is  one  of  the  best  known  old  gentlemen  on  the 
streets  of  Rockford. 

Mr.  Sawver  is  a  stalwart  republican,  quite 
prominent  in  the  local  ranks  of  the  party  and  in 
1894  he  was  elected  sheriff  for  a  term  of  four 
vears.  He  is  again  spoken  of  in  connection  with 
the  candidacy  for  that  office.  He  belongs  to  Nev- 
ius  post.  No'.  I,  G.  A.  R.,  to  the  Modern  Wood- 
men camp  and  to  Rockford  lodge,  No.  102,  A.  F. 


822 


PAST    AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


&  A.  .M..  all  of  Ruckford.  He  has  had  in  many 
respects  a  most  interesting  career,  in  which  excit- 
ing chapters  have  not  been  lackinsr,  these  being 
furnished  by  his  military  service  and  his  experi- 
ence in  the  far  west.  He  is  now  located  jiernia- 
ncntly  in  \\'innebago  county,  where  he  is  con- 
ducting a  prntitable  business. 


M.    ll.\.\ir.()R(i 


P.  M.  Haniborg  is  the  owner  of  a  farm  on 
section  35,  Roscoe  township,  improved  with 
a  good  set  of  Iniildings  and  modern  etiuipments. 
He  is  a  native  of  Sweden,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  that  country  in  1845.  His  father,  .Mun- 
son  .Anderson  died  when  his  son,  P.  M. 
Hamburg,  was  only  a  year  old.  while  the 
mnther  passed  away  when  the  son  was  but  six 
months  old.  In  conse(|uence  he  knows  very 
little  of  his  parents.  He  had  his  name  changed 
legallv  while  living  in  Kockford.  because  of 
others  of  the  same  name  in   that  city. 

Mr.  Hamborg  remained  a  resident  of  Sweden 
until  twenty-two  years  of  age  and  then  went  to 
Denmark,  where  he  spent  four  years,  following 
the  occupation  of  farming.  He  heard  favor- 
al)le  reports  concerning  the  new  world  and  its 
deve1oi>nient.  its  business  opi)ortunities  and  its 
advantages  and  thinking  that  he  might  profit  by 
a  rcmiival  to  the  United  States  he  crossed  the 
Atlantic  from  Denmark  about  1871.  For  two 
mnnths  he  worked  in  Pennsylvania  on  the  rail- 
road, after  which  he  removed  to  Michigan. 
where  he  secured  employment  in  the  iron  mines 
for  four  years.  On  the  exjiiration  of  that  period 
he  came  to  Winnebago  county,  making  his  way 
to  Rockford.  and  soon  afterward  he  accepted 
a  position  on  a  farm  near  that  city.  He  was 
thus  employed  tmtil  iiis  fliligence  and  frugality 
brought  to  him  a  cajiital  sutTicient  to  justify  his 
purcliase  of  land,  at  which  time  he  became  the 
owner  of  fifty  acres  in  Roscoe  township.  This 
was  the  nucleus  of  his  present  property.  He 
has  extended  the  boundaries  of  his  place  as 
opportmiity  has  offered  until  it  now  comprises 
one  hundred  and  five  acres.  He  works  the  en- 
tire tract  and  also  one  hundred  acres  which  he 
rents,  so  that  he  is  extensively  engaged  in  farm- 
ing pursuits.  His  land  is  productive  and  upon 
it  is  a  good  set  of  farm  buildings,  including  a 
comfortable  residence  and  all  the  outbuildings 
necessary   for  the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock. 

Mr.  Hamborg  was  marriefl  to  Miss  Tilda 
Evarstardt.  who  was  born  in  Sweden  and  died 
in  i88i  at  the  age  of  fifty-one  years,  leaving 
one  son  Peter.  For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Ham- 
borg chose  Sarah  Johnson,  also  a  native  of 
Sweden. 


In  his  polilieal  views  Mr.  Hamborg  is  a  re- 
publican, keeping  well  informed  on  the  ques- 
tions and  issues  of  the  day  and  is  thoroughly 
in  sympatiiv  with  the  .\merican  form  of  gov- 
ernment, lie  has  served  as  school  director  for 
the  past  nineteen  years  and  the  cause  of  edu- 
cation has  found  in  him  a  warm  friend.  At 
the  present  time  he  is  overseer  of  highways, 
which  position  he  has  filled  for  fifteen  years, 
his  long  continuance  in  the  office  indicating  that 
he  is  the  cham])ion  of  good  roads,  and  he  ])er- 
forms  his  public  duties  in  a  capable  manner. 
.Mr.  Hamborg  is  indeed  a  self-made  man  and 
deserves  all  of  the  praise  which  that  term  im- 
])lies.  I  le  came  to  Roscoe  with  very  little  money 
and  indeed  he  possesses  nothing  that  has  not 
been  gained  through  his  own  labors.  That  he 
has  worked  ])ersistently  and  energetically  there- 
fore is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  now  owns 
an  excellent  farm.  lie  is  well  liked  by  his 
neighbors  and  has  been  so  reliable  in  all  of  his 
business  transactions  that  one  is  reminded  of 
a  sentiment  of  a  ])rominent  traveler  and  lec- 
turer who  said  that  "Sweden  is  the  home  of 
the  honest   man." 


l-'K.WK  11.  KIM  r. ALL,  M.  D. 

The  true  measure  of  success  is  determined  by 
what  one  has  accomplished  and,  as  taken  in  con- 
tradistinction to  the  old  adage  that  a  prophet  is 
not  without  honor  save  in  his  own  country,  there 
is  i^articular  interest  attaching  to  the  career  of  the 
subject  of  this  review,  since  he  is  a  native  son 
of  the  place  where  he  has  passed  his  active  life 
and  so  directs  his  ability  and  eflforts  as  to  gain 
recognition  as  one  of  the  truly  representative 
members  of  the  medical  fraternity  of  Rockford. 
He  was  born  in  this  city,  July  13.  1855.  and  is  a 
son  of  Henry  P.  Kimball,  who  for  many  years 
figured  prominently  in  the  business  and  public 
life  of  the  city,  winning  the  respect  of  all  men  by 
his  close  adherence  to  manly  principles  as  well  as 
bv  his  success  in  business.  He  was  descended 
from  New  England  ancestry  and  displayerl  the 
thrift  and  industry  so  characteristic  of  the  north- 
eastern section  of  our  country.  He  died  at  Elgin, 
whither  he  had  gone  for  treatment  for  an  abscess 
on  the  brain,  passing  away  at  the  age  of  fifty-nine 
years. 

Dr.  Kimball,  reared  in  Rockford.  was  a  public 
school  student  here  until  he  had  passed  through 
successive  grades  and  completed  the  hi^h  school 
work,  after  which  he  entered  the  I'nivcrsity  of 
Michigan,  at  Ann  .\rlx)r.  of  which  he  is  a  gradu- 
ate of  the  class  of  1877.  Broad  literary  knowl- 
edge thus  served  as  an  excellent  foundation  upon 
which  to  rear  the  superstructure  of  professional 


p.  M.  HAMBORG. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEDAGO     COUNTY. 


825 


learning,  and  having  determined  upon  the  praetice 
of  medicine  as  a  life  work,  he  next  matricnlated  in 
the  Chicago  Medical  College  after  some  prelimi- 
nary reading  and  was  graduated  from  that  insti- 
tution in  1880.  Returning  to  Rockford,  he  opened 
his  office,  and  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  has  prac- 
ticed here  with  constantly  increasing  success, 
keeping  in  touch  with  the  marvelous  advance  of 
the  profession,  whose  methods  have  almost  been 
revolutionized  in  the  last  twenty  years  by  science 
and  invention.  While  engaging  in  an  extensive 
general  practice  Dr.  Kimball  has  informed  himself 
thoroughly  concerning  the  ideas  which  have  been 
advanced  by  the  leaders  in  the  profession  and  the 
knowledge  which  has  been  gleaned  through  expe- 
riment and  experience  and  in  the  application  of  his 
scientific  learning  to  the  practical  needs  of  the  pro- 
fession he  is  notably  correct  and  accurate.  He 
was  one  of  the  promoters  and  managers  of  the 
Rockford  City  Hospital  and  the  extent  and  im- 
portance of  his  private  practice  has  been  indicative 
of  the  consensus  of  public  opinion  regarding  his 
capabilities. 

In  January,  1881,  Dr.  Kimball  was  married  in 
Rockford  to  Aliss  Henrietta  T.  Kirk,  a  native  of 
this  city,  and  a  daughter  of  E.  A.  and  Rachel 
(Dennis)  Kirk,  the  former  a  native  of  Maryland 
and  the  latter  of  Canada.  When  a  young  man 
Mr.  Kirk  sought  a  home  in  the  then  wild,  but 
rapidly  developing,  west,  arriving  in  Winnebago 
county  in  the  latter  part  of  the  '30s.  Miss  Dennis 
came  about  the  same  time  and  they  were  married 
here,  living  for  many  years  upon  a  farm,  which 
in  its  excellent  improvements  indicated  the  careful 
supervision,  practical  methods  and  unremitting 
diligence  of  the  owner.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kirk  have 
both  passed  away,  as  have  all  of  their  three  chil- 
dren. Their  daughter  Josephine  became  the  wife 
of  Samuel  Kerr,  who  was  at  one  time  an  attorney 
and  alderman  of  Chicago. 

Dr.  Kimball's  first  wife  died  in  September, 
i8ij2,  and  in  July,  1895,  he  was  again  married,  his 
second  union  being  with  Gudren  M.  Tillisch,  who 
was  born  in  Bergen,  Norway,  but  has  spent  most 
of  her  life  in  \\'innebago  county.  By  this  union 
there  are  two  children:  Elizabeth,  aged  nine 
years  ;  and  Alice,  seven  years  of  age.  The  family 
home  is  at  No.  i2Q  First  street.  Politically  the 
Doctor  has  always  been  a  stanch  advocate  of  re- 
publican principles,  and  fraternally  he  is  identified 
with  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Modern  Wood- 
men of  America  and  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men. 


ROBERT  GREENLEE. 

Robert  Greenlee,  who  devotes  his  time  and  ener- 
gies to  general  agricultural  pursuits  on  section  22. 
Winnebago  township,  is  one  of  the  county's  native 


sons,  his  birtli  having  occurred  in  Guilford  town- 
ship on  the  23d  of  .March,  1866.  His  parents  were 
Robert  and  Marion  (  Montgomery)  Greenlee, 
early  residents  of  this  county,  who-  came  from 
Scotland  to  the  new  world.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  three  children :  James  C,  a  resident  fann- 
er of  Guilford  township;  Mrs.  Peter  Greenlee,  of 
Harlem  township ;  and  Robert. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of  our  sub- 
ject we  present  to  our  readers  the  life  record  of 
one  who  is  widely  and  favorably  known  in  Guil- 
ford and  Winnebago  townships  and  other  sections 
of  the  count}'.  He  was  reared  under  the  parental 
roof  in  his  native  township  and  is  indebted  to  the 
public-school  system  of  the  county  for  the  educa- 
tional privileges  he  enjoyed.  He  has  always  fol- 
lowed the  occupation  of  farming  and  is  now  living 
on  section  22.  \\'innebago  township,  where  he  has 
a  well  improved  tract  of  land,  in  the  midst  of 
which  stands  a  fine  home. 

Mr.  Greenlee  was  married  February  15,  1894, 
to  Miss  Nettie  Ralston,  of  Boone  county,  Illinois, 
a  daughter  of  Robert  Ralston,  an  early  resident  of 
the  Scotch  settlement  there.  She  was  born  Au- 
gust 8,  1865,  near  Argyle,  her  parents  being  Rob- 
ert and  Elizabeth  (Andrew)  Ralston,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Argyleshire,  Scotland,  and 
came  to  America  in  childhood  days  with  their  re- 
spective parents.  Robert  Ralston  settled  in  the 
Scotch  settlement  in  1841  and  remained  with  his 
parents  until  he  had  attained  his  majority.  He  is 
still  living  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years.  Mrs. 
Ralston  came  to  this  country  with  her  parents  in 
the  \ear  1840.  In  their  faniil\-  were  five  daugh- 
ters and  a  son  :  Jane,  the  wife  of  George  P.  Rals- 
ton, residing  upon  a  farm  at  Caledonia,  Illinois  ; 
?ilarv.  at  home ;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  George 
Brown,  a  resident  farmer  of  Guilford  township  : 
^Irs.  Greenlee:  John  A.,  who  resides  upon  and 
operates  the  home  farm,  and  who  married  Miss 
Agnes  Sillars  ;  ?\faggie  B.,  the  wife  of  J.  C.  Green- 
lee, a  resident  farmer  of  Guilford  township.  Mrs. 
Robert  Greenlee  was  reared  in  Boone  county  and 
attended  the  country  schools.  She  resided  at  home 
up  to  the  time  of  her  marriage,  when  she  went 
with  her  husband  to  his  farm  in  \^'innebago  town- 
ship. Thev  now  have  three  children,  all  born  on 
the  present  farm,  where  thev  have  lived  since  the 
spring  of  1804.  These  are:  Esther  E..  born 
Febriiarv  17,  1895;  Gladys  C,  born  April  10, 
1897;  and  Clark  M..  born  March  8,  1899.  They 
also  lost  a  daughter,  ?\Iarjora  J.,  who  was  born 
September  21.  1902,  and  died  January  ir,  1903. 

Mr.  Greenlee  supports  the  prohibition  party  by 
his  ballot,  for  it  embodies  his  views  on  the  tem- 
perance question.  Fraternally  he  is  connected 
with  the  Knights  of  the  Globe,  belonging  to  the 
camp  at  Winnebago,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  Winnebago  Presbyterian  church. 
They   are  people  of  genuine   worth,  true  to  the 


.S26 


rA>  I 


M)    i'Ki..si;.\ 


I  )i 


W  l.\.\lii;.\(.c)    cut  XT  Y. 


teacliings  of  the  clnircli.  and  throughoui  liis  en- 
tire life,  whether  in  business  t)r  social  relations, 
Mr.  Greenlee  has  exhibited  sterling  traits  m  ehar- 
acter  that  have  coniniended  him  to  the  confidence 
and  trust  of  all  with  whom  he  Ins  been  asso- 
ciated. 


THOMAS  .\l.  i:i.l.lS. 

Thomas  M.  Ellis,  general  munriger  of  the  Kock- 
ford  Interurban  Street  Railway  Coiujjanv.  was 
born  .\ugust  31,  1861,  in  Whitesboro.  .Vcw  York, 
his  parents  being  Thomas  and  Mary  (  D.ivis)  El- 
lis. The  family  is  of  Welsh  lineage  and  the  father 
with  his  ]iarents  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  .\mcrica 
from  the  little  rock-ribbed  country  of  Wales  dur- 
ing his  early  boyhood  days.  He  settled  at  Remson, 
New  York,  where  he  was  reared  to  the  occupa- 
tion of  farming  for  many  years.  When  a  young 
man  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  manufacture 
of  tubs  and  pails  at  Whitesboro  and  to  the  man- 
agement of  that  i)roductive  industry  gave  liis  time 
and  attention  for  many  years,  carrying  on  the 
business  with  constantly  growing  success  until 
alwut  1885,  when  he  retired  from  active  life.  His 
death  occurred  in  July.  1^03,  but  his  widow  is 
still  living  and  has  recently  ])aid  a  visit  to  her  son 
Thomas  in  Rockford.  They  were  the  parents  of 
four  children,  of  whom  one  died  in  infancy,  the 
others  being:  W.  C,  who  is  engaged  with  the 
Rockford  &  PVeeport  Railway  Comjjany  :  .\ellie 
-M.,  the  wife  of  W.  (].  Stone,  a  civil  engineer,  liv- 
ing at  Whitesboro.  New  York  :  and  Thomas  M. 

At  the  usual  age  Thomas  .M.  l-'llis  began  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  city 
and  subsc(|uently  entered  the  \\"hitesl)oro  Semi- 
nary, from  which  institution  be  was  graduated 
with  the  class  of  1870.  Having  com])lete(l  his 
education  he  then  joined  his  father  in  business, 
being  associated  with  him  for  ten  years  in  the 
manufacture  of  woodenware.  In  1887  he  became 
assistant  superintendent  of  the  I'lica  iJelt  Street 
Railway  Company,  acting  in  that  capacity  until 
i8«j2,  when  in  order  to  thoroughly  accpiaint  him- 
self with  the  electrical  department  of  the  business 
he  entered  the  service  of  the  (Jenerai  Electric 
Company,  of  Schenectady.  New  York,  continuing 
therewith  until  Kpr.  He  was  with  that  comj)any 
for  a  year  ami  in  i8(j2  he  came  to  Rockford  as 
superintendent  of  the  Rockford  Street  Railway 
Company.  He  is  now  general  manager  of  the 
Rockford  Interurban  Street  Railway  Company, 
with  lines  extending  from  this  place  to  janesville. 
Wisconsin,  and  to  I'.elvidere  and  Freeport.  Illi- 
nois. Mr.  Ellis  is  well  (|ualified  for  the  respon- 
sible duties  which  rest  upon  him  in  this  connec- 
tion, having  made  a  close  and  systematic  study  of 
the  various  departments  of  the  business.  He  is  a 
typical  citizen  of  the  middle  west,  alive  to  oppor- 


tunities and  ([uick  to  utilize  every  advantage 
which  arises  in  connection  with  his  business  inter- 
ests. An  interurban  railway  system  is  a  product 
of  the  age  and  an  intlication  of  the  spirit  of  the 
lin-.es.  when  acconimodation  and  rapiditv  charac- 
terize all  departments  of  business  activity. 

.Mr.  Ellis  is  constantly  studying  to  give  to  the 
public  a  superior  service,  knowing  that  in  this 
way  the  business  of  the  corporation  which  he  rep- 
resents will  be  increased. 

In  1 888  occurred  the  marriage  of  Thomas  M. 
l-^llis  and  .Miss  .Mary  Louise  Kelly,  of  Xew  Hart- 
fi>r(l.  .Xew  \'ork,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Kelly,  of 
that  jjlacc.  They  have  four  children — Bessie  May, 
.Milton,  W.  H.  and  Howard  D. — all  of  whom  are 
students  in  the  public  schools.  Mr.  Ellis  is  con- 
r.ected  with  the  iiencvolent  and  Protective  Order 
of  I'^lks  and  i)oIitically  is  a  republican,  but  while 
well  informed  on  the  cpiestions  and  issues  of  the 
day,  he  is  without  political  aspiration  for  him- 
self. In  citizenship  he  is  public-spirited  and  pro- 
gressive and  has  been  a  co-operant  factor  in  nianv 
movements  for  the  general  good  and  withal  is 
])ractical  in  his  ideas  of  business  advancement  and 
public  progress. 


|OIl.\   LAKE. 


John  Lake,  a  resident  of  Rockford,  who  for  six- 
ty-eight years  has  been  connected  with  the  busi- 
ness interests  of  Winnel)ago  county,  keeping  pace 
with  the  rai)id  commercial  and  industrial  develop- 
nunf,  is  of  English  birth  and  lineage.  He  was 
born  March  27.  1821,  on  the  P.lackford  farm  in 
Selworthy  parish,  Somerset  county,  England,  the 
farm  at  that  time  being  the  property  of  his  pater- 
nal grandfather,  who  was  a  farmer,  dairyman, 
miller,  malster  and  dealer  in  all  kinds  of  seeds. 
His  son.  William  Lake,  was  Iwrn  on  the  same 
farm  in  17()8.  and  he  died  when  his  son  John  was 
l)ut  six  months  old.  The  mother  afterward  mar- 
ried again  and  John  Lake  was  reared  by  his 
grandniotlier  on  the  old  home  fanu  where  his 
birth  occurred.  He  received  a  good  practical  edu- 
cation and  his  advantages  in  that  direction  were 
l)erhai)s  above  the  average,  but  otherwise  he  had 
no  assistance  for  the  journey  of  life  and  since  the 
age  of  fourteen  \ear".  has  been  dependent  upon  his 
own  resources  for  a  livelihood.  He  was  first  em- 
ployed as  a  farm  hand  and.  being  ambitious  to 
make  the  best  use  of  his  powers,  he  resolved  to 
try  his  fortune  in  America,  of  whose  advantages 
and  opportunities  he  had  heard  nuich.  He  was 
opposed  by  his  faiuily  when  he  suggested  the  idea 
to  them  in  May.  1836.  but  he  did  not  abandon  the 
plan  and  the  following  \ear  secured  the  consent 
of  his  ','rai;dparents. 

In  .May,  1837,  John  Lake,  then  but  sixteen 
years  of  age.  sailed  for  .\mcrica,  possessing  little 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


827 


save  a  strength  of  character  and  firm  determina- 
tion, which  have  proved  the  basic  elements  in  his 
later  success.  He  boarded  the  sailing  vessel  Sev- 
ern, carr3-ing  a  cargo  of  iron  to  Philadelphia,  and 
after  seven  weeks,  during  which  time  severe 
storms  and  heavy  seas  were  encountered,  he 
reached  the  American  port.  He  then  started  at 
once  for  Rockford,  Illinois,  with  the  intention  of 
joining  his  uncle  Thomas,  but  illness  detained  him 
at  Rockport,  a  small  town  on  the  Ohio  river,  and 
it  was  not  until  the  ist  of  December,  1837,  that 
he  reached  his  destination. 

Here  began  the  struggle  first  for  a  livelihood 
and  later  for  success,  and  from  farm  hand  to  com- 
mercial business  he  has  made  his  way,  occupying 
for  many  years  a  prominent  position  in  conntier- 
cial  and  financial  circles  in  his  adopted  city.  Dur- 
ing three  years  he  worked  at  farm  labor  and  then 
entered  upon  an  apprenticeship  to  Thomas 
Thatcher,  a  carpenter,  joiner  and  architect,  who 
paid  him  five  dollars  per  month  and  board.  He 
resolutely  set  to  work  to  master  the  business  and 
within  a  year  had  become  competent  enough  to 
accept  a  position  as  a  journeyman  and  soon  after- 
ward began  taking  contracts.  He  was  thus  con- 
nected with  building  operations  until  1853,  when 
he  turned  his  attention  to  the  lumber  trade  in 
partnership  with  P.  Howes,  conducting  a  yard 
where  the  East  Rockford,  Chicago  &  Northwest- 
ern passenger  station  is  now  located,  that  at  the 
time  being  the  terminus  of  the  Chicago  &  Galena 
Railroad.  When  the  railroad  was  extended  across 
the  river  in  1853  their  yard  was  removed  to  the 
west  side,  where  they  conducted  their  business  un- 
til 1856.  when  they  sold  out  to  Mr.  Freeman. 

Mr.  Lake  then  enjoyed  a  well  earned  vacation, 
making  a  trip,  in  November,  1856,  to  the  old  home 
which  he  had  left  nineteen  years  before.  Return- 
ing to  America  in  February.  1857,  he  resumed 
business  as  a  lumber  merchant  at  the  corner  of 
Third  and  State  streets,  in  Rockford,  and  in  1859 
he  sold  out  to  the  firm  of  Cook  &  Brother.  In 
partnership  with  Henry  Fisher  he  engaged  in  the 
lumber  business  on  the  west  side  from  1861  until 
1867,  when  he  once  more  disposed  of  his  interest 
and  again  went  abroad,  visiting  France,  Italy, 
Switzerland,  Germany,  Belgium,  Ireland  and 
Scotland,  as  well  as  his  naitive  England.  In  the 
fall  of  1867  he  returned  to  Rockford  and  in  1868 
he  entered  into  partnership  with  Seely  Perry, 
which  relation  was  terminated  after  five  years,  and 
through  the  succeeding  year  he  traveled  in  Europe 
and  twice  again  thereafter,  gaining  a  comprehen- 
sive knowledge  of  the  countries  upon  the  conti- 
nent. Since  1872  he  has  visited  California  seven 
dift'erent  times  and  has  spent  six  winters  in  that 
state,  gaining  the  experience  and  culture  which 
only  travel  brings. 

Other  business  and  public  interests  aside  from 
those  mentioned  have  claimed  his   attention  and 


have  profited  by  his  co-operation  and  business  sa- 
gacity. He  was  vice  president  of  the  Rockford 
Fire  Insurance  Company  from  1866  until  1886 
and  in  the  latter  year  was  chosen  president.  In 
1873  he  was  elected  alderman  of  Rockford  from 
the  Second  ward  and  during  a  service  of  ten  years 
in  the  city  council  exercised  his  official  preroga- 
tives in  support  of  many  progressive  measures,  his 
public  spirit  finding  tangible  evidence  in  the  sup- 
port which  he  gave  to  all  movements  that  he 
deemed  would  prove  beneficial  to  the  city.  Dur- 
ing a  part  of  that  decade  he  was  also  supervisor, 
and  in  1877  he  was  chairman  of  the  board  of  edu- 
cation. 

Mr.  Lake  married  ]\Iiss  Almeda  AI.  Danley,  a 
daughter  of  Cornelius  and  Sarah  Danley,  of  Har- 
lem. Illinois,  on  the  nth  of  October,  1849,  and  of 
their  seven  children  three  died  in  infancy.  His 
first  wife  died  'Slay  5,  1893.  and  on  the  25th  of 
Alay,  1895,  li"^  ^^'^s  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs. 
Phoebe  E.  Benjamin,  widow  of  Willis  Benjamin 
and  a  sister  of  his  first  wife.  The  family  home  is 
at  No.  13 1 3  East  State  street,  and  the  social  posi- 
tion of  the  family  has  ever  been  one  of  prominence 
in  cultured  society  circles.  Fraternally  promi- 
nent in  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
Mr.  Lake  has  been  grand  master  of  the  grand 
lodge  of  the  state  and  for  six  consecutive  years 
was  representative  to  the  sovereign  grand  lodge  of 
the  United  States.  A  life  of  activity,  crowned 
with  honors  and  successes,  has  been  the  history  of 
John  Lake,  and  now  at  the  advanced  age  of  nearly 
"eighty-five  years  he  is  living  retired  from  active 
business  and  quietly  spending  his  last  days  in  the 
citv  which  witnessed  his  early  business  struggles 
and  which  rejoices  in  his  advancement  and  pros- 
peritv,  because  of  the  methods  which  he  has  ever 
followed  in  all  commercial  transactions. 


EDWARD  H.   ^lARSH. 

Edward  H.  Marsh,  who  is  engaged  in  the  prac- 
tice of  law  and  is  prominent  in  republican  circles 
in  ^^■innebago  county,  was  born  in  the  city  of 
Rockford,  December  6.  i860.  His  father,  John 
D.  Marsh,  was  a  successful  and  leading  farmer  of 
Winnebago  county.  He  was  born  in  New  York 
and  in  1856  came  to  Rockford.  where  he  entered 
the  employ  of  .A.  J.  Work  &  Company. 

Edward  FI.  Marsh  pursued  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  city,  passing  through 
successive  grades  until  he  had  completed  the 
high-school  course  with  the  class  of  1878.  Hav- 
ing determined  to  engage  in  the  practice  of  law 
asa  life  work  be  entered  the  University  of  Michi- 
gan at  .Ann  Arbor  and  was  graduated  from  the 
law  department  in  1882.  In  the  same  year  he 
was  adnntted  to  the  bar  and  began  practice.     He 


SjS 


PAST     AND     PRESENT    OF     WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


has  now  for  almost  a  quarter  of  a  century  been 
a  representative  of  tlic  legal  fraternity  of  liis  na- 
tive citv  and  has  a  pood  law  husiness  to  which  he 
is  conscientiously  devoted.  Mis  knowledge  of  the 
principles  of  juri.s|)rudence  and  his  capability  in 
handlings  important  litigated  interests  have  been 
the  means  of  securing  him  a  creditable  and  dis- 
tinctively representative  clientage. 

Mr.  Marsh  has  held  various  political  iiositions, 
being  first  called  to  office  as  justice  of  the  peace, 
in  which  capacity  he  served  for  four  years.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  board  of  super^nsors  for 
one  term  and  city  attorney  for  two  years,  wliilc 
in  iS<)S  he  was  a])nointed  master  in  chancery  bv 
Judge  (larver.  and  was  appointed  a  member  of 
the  state  board  of  ef|ualization  to  fill  a  vacancy 
occasioned  by  the  death  of  Cliarle«  A.  ^X'-ii-l-rs 
On  the  expiration  of  that  term  he  was  elected  to 
the  office,  which  position  he  is  now  filling,  A 
stanch  advocate  of  roiniblican  principles,  he  has 
served  on  the  republican  central  committee  of  his 
county,  and  has  labored  earncstlv  and  cflfectively 
for  the  success  of  the  party.  In  1898  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Lizzie  T..  Lewis,  of  Rockford.  and  in 
social  circles  of  the  city  they  occupy  an  enviable 
])osition. 


T(»I(X    \iri  I.Ml'.R 


John  Mutimer.  a  retired  farmer  and  gardener, 
residing  at  i2ck>  .South  Winnebago  street,  was 
liorn  in  Lincolnshire,  England,  .\pril  13,  1826, 
and  has  therefore  almost  reached  the  eighteenth 
milestone  on  life's  journey.  His  ]5arcnts  were 
Jeremiah  and  Frances  (Jacobs)  Mutimer,  the 
former  a  stock-buyer  of  Fnglaiid.  With  his  par- 
ents he  came  to  this  country  on  a  sailing  vessel 
in  1838,  being  at  that  time  a  youth  of  twelve 
years.  It  re(|uired  six  weeks  and  three  days  to 
comi)lete  the  voyage,  but  ultimately  anchor  was 
dr<ip)x'(l  in  the  harbor  of  Xew  York  and  the  fam- 
ily made  their  way  thence  to  .\msterdam.  that 
state.  There  the  father  worked  as  a  laborer  and 
in  1875  he  came  to  the  west,  settling  in  Rock- 
ford.  He  was  a  gardener  here  and  his  remain- 
ing days  were  passed  in  this  city,  where  his 
<lcath  occurred  at  the  age  of  eightv-eight  vears 
T'.oth  lie  and  liis  wife  were  in  London.  England, 
at  the  time  of  the  coronation  of  Queen  \'ictoria. 

John  Mutimer  largelv  acquired  his  education 
in  the  schools  of  New  York  state,  where  in  his 
youth  he  worked  on  a  farm  for  his  board  and 
clotlies  for  six  years  and  the  ))rivilege  of  attend- 
ing school  througli  the  winter  months.  He  after- 
ward secured  employment  in  factories  of  the  east. 
being  engaged  at  cari)ct-weaving  for  five  years. 
Later,  however,  he  resumed  work  as  a  farm 
hand  by  the  month  and  subse(|uently  started  out 
upon  an  active  business  venture  by  working  land 


on  the  shares,  being  thus  engaged  until  1875. 
when  he  came  to  Winnebago  county  and  located 
on  the  Kiskwaukee  road.  Here  he  |)urchased 
thirty-seven  and  a  half  acres  of  land  and  subse- 
quently he  bought  forty  acres  adjoining.  He 
also  leased  and  operated  other  land  but  subse- 
quently he  traded  his  land  for  city  property.  In 
1899  he  took  up  his  alxxle  in  Rockford,  where  he 
has  since  lived  retired. 

In  1858  Mr.  Mutimer  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Susan  Heigle.  of  .\msterdam.  New  York. 
They  have  become  the  ])arents  of  six  children : 
James  ^^^,  who  is  a  solicitor  and  collector  for 
the  .\.  L.  Hartlett  Cf>mpany,  of  Rockford,  mar- 
ried Esther  Lester,  and  after  her  death  wedded 
.Vda  Schafer,  of  this  city:  Lauren  Y.  married 
Jennie  Cooper  and  is  a  brass  molder,  residing  in 
Schenectady,  New  York  :  Fannie  is  the  w-ife  of 
Eugene  Lauglilin  and  resides  in  Rockford, 
where  he  is  engaged  in  the  coal  business :  and 
Petsy  R.  is  the  wife  of  Eugene  .Sailor,  a  livery- 
man of  Rockford.  The  wife  and  mother  died  in 
January,  1899,  ^"'1  '•'iter  in  the  year  Mr.  Mniimer 
was  married  to  Mary  .\.  Mutimer. 

He  owns  a  brick  fiat  building  and  two  lots  in 
Rockford,  and  his  wife  owns  the  home  where 
thev  reside  at  No,  1209  South  Winnebago  street. 
and  has  a  ilfe  lea.se  on  a  store  building.  Mr. 
.Mutimer  belongs  to  the  Grange.  For  many  years 
he  lived  a  life  of  persistent  and  earnest  toil.  His 
boyhood  days  were  fraught  with  nnich  hard  labor 
and  he  enjoyed  few  ])rivileges  and  advantages, 
but  he  jiossessed  a  strong  and  sturdy  character 
and  made  the  most  of  his  oi)i)ortunities  and  as 
the  years  passed  by  he  was  enabled  to  accumulate 
a  farm  property  and  now  with  a  comfortable 
competence  is  enabled  to  live  retired.  .Such  a 
history  should  serve  to  encourage  and  inspire 
others  who  are  forced  to  start  out  as  he  did 
rni])ty-handed. 


FLETCTIFR  COFFIN. 

I'letcher  Coffin,  whose  beautiful  home  in  Rock- 
ford, which  he  has  owned  and  occupied  since 
i8()V  '!*  ihe  visible  jiroof  of  his  life  of  energy  and 
enterprise  through  the  long  vears  of  an  active 
bi'siness  career,  was  born  in  Roscoe.  this  county. 
on  the  6th  of  November,  1841,  and  comes  of  an 
old  New  England  ancestry.  His  naternal  great- 
grandfather, born  in  New  England,  was  the  first 
of  the  name  to  leave  that  section  of  the  countrv. 
locating  in  Deerfield,  Herkimer  county.  New 
York,  where  in  the  midst  of  the  forest  he  opened 
up  a  farm,  upon  which  he  made  his  home  until 
his  death.  It  was  there  that  Isaac  Coffin,  the 
grandfather,  was  born  and  reared,  and  the  occu- 
pation which  claimed  his  labor  in  youth  continued 
to  be  his  life  work,  and   he  assisted  in  clearing 


JOHN  MUTIAIER. 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


831 


seven  different  farms  of  that  locality.  He  re- 
moved from  Herkimer  county  to  St.  Lawrence 
county  about  the  year  1839  and,  having  purchased 
a  tract  of  timber  land,  he  and  his  sons  began  cut- 
ting away  the  trees,  grubbing  out  the  stumps  and 
preparing  the  land  for  cultivation,  and  in  due 
course  of  time  abundant  harvests  were  gathered 
there.  He  had  wedded  Peggy  Patton,  whose  birth 
occurred  in  eastern  New  York  and  who  passed 
away  in  St.  Lawrence  county.  Her  father  was 
of  the  heroes  who  fought  for  the  independence 
of  the  nation  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 

Henderson  W.  Coffin,  a  son  of  Isaac  and  Pegg\' 
Cofifin,  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of  day  in 
Newport,  Herkimer  county,  New  York,  and  there 
he  spent  his  youth,  and  when  a  young  man  went 
to  Canada,  where  he  learned  the  trade  of  brick- 
making  under  the  direction  of  his  brother  Horace. 
On  leaving  the  Dominion  he  came  to  Illinois  and 
located  in  Winnebago  county  in  1838.  Here  he 
continued  in  the  employ  of  his  brother  for  a  time, 
but  later  engaged  in  farming  on  his  own  account. 
Subsequently  he  went  to  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  where 
he  established  a  brickyard,  but  previous  to  this 
time  he  had  become  the  owner  of  land  in  Burritt 
township.  Winnebago  county,  having  entered  a 
claim  from  the  government.  In  i860  he  took  up 
his  abode  thereon  and  after  cultivating  and  im- 
proving the  place  for  several  years  he  removed 
to  Winnebago  township,  where  he  purchased  a 
tract  of  land  that  was  his  home  until  his  life's 
labors  were  ended  in  death  in  !May,  1876.  He 
was  married  in  early  manhood  to  Miss  Mary  H. 
Kenear,  who  was  also  a  native  of  the  Empire 
state.  They  were  farming  people,  energetic  and 
diligent  in  business  aft'airs,  and  at  all  times  com- 
manded the  esteem  of  those  with  whom  they  came 
in  contact.  So  successful  was  Air.  Cofifin  in  his 
farming  operations  and  so  carefully  did  he  invest 
his  earnings  that  he  was  at  one  time  the  owner 
of  more  than  one  thousand  acres  of  land.  In  his 
family  were  eleven  children. 

Like  the  others  of  the  household  Fletcher  Coffin 
spent  his  boyhood  days  in  his  parents'  home,  ac- 
quiring a  public-school  education  and  aiding  in 
the  farm  work  as  his  age  and  strength  permitted. 
Throughout  his  active  business  career  he  contin- 
ued his  connection  with  agricultural  pursuits  and 
while  he  has  now  retired  from  business  life,  he 
is  still  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  seventy-five 
acres  of  valuable  and  productive  land,  lying  in 
Burritt  and  Pecatonica  townships.  While  on  the 
farm  he  was  also  interested  in  dairying  and  stock- 
raising,  together  with  the  cultivation  of  the  fields 
and  all  branches  of  his  business  proved  profitable, 
owing  to  his  keen  discernment,  marked  sagacity 
and  executive  force. 

On  the  22d  of  December,  1874,  Mr.  Cofifin  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Aliss  Harriet  Keeling,  who 
was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  July  11, 


1853,  her  parents  being  John  and  Elizabeth  (Tay- 
lor) Keeling,  the  former  born  near  Liverpool, 
England.  His  parents  were  William  and  Harriet 
Keeling,  the  former  a  tailor  by  trade.  On  coming 
to  America  he  settled  in  Philadelphia,  where  he 
engaged  in  tailoring  for  a  number  of  years,  but 
eventually  he  removed  to  Rockford,  where  he  re- 
sided up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  John  Keeling 
also  mastered  the  same  business  and  followed  it 
for  a  number  of  years  in  America,  but  eventually 
became  a  house  decorator  of  this  city.  His  wife 
was  likewise  a  native  of  England  and  a  daughter 
of  William  Taylor.  She  came  to  the  United 
States  with  a  brother  and  sister. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coffin  have  been  born  two 
children:  Gertrude  May,  who  was  educated  in 
the  Rockford  schools,  has  now  successfully  en- 
gaged in  teaching  for  ten  years,  while  Alta  Marie 
is  the  wife  of  Chester  Lane,  who  is  engaged  in 
the  insurance  business  in  Rockford.  In  1893  the 
family  left  the  farm  and  Mr.  Coffin  purchased 
his  beautiful  home  at  No.  442  Oakley  avenue, 
where  he  has  since  lived  a  retired  life.  In  its  rich 
and  tasteful  furnishings  this  home  indicates  the 
cultured  and  refined  taste  of  the  inmates  and  the 
members  of  the  household  occupy  a  prominent 
social  position. 

Mr.  Coffin  is  a  republican  in  his  political  views, 
strong  in  his  endorsement  of  the  principles  of  the 
party,  yet  has  never  been  an  aspirant  for  office. 
He  stands  to-day  as  a  splendid  example  of  what 
may  be  accomplished  in  the  business  world 
through  force  of  character  and  honorable  eft'ort, 
his  life  record  indicating  that  success  is  ambition's 
answer  and  also  showing  that  a  man  of  resolute 
will  and  determination,  although  unaided  by  in- 
herited wealth  or  influence,  can  win  simultaneous- 
ly for  himself  an  honored  name  and  notable  pros- 
perity. 


HENRY  H.  ^^'OOD. 


Henrv  H.  Wood,  extensively  and  successfully 
engaged  in  the  dairy  business  and  also  controlling 
farming  interests  in  the  vicinity  of  Pecatonica, 
was  born  October  22.  1853,  on  Prospect  Hill,  in 
Somervillc,  Afassachusetts.  It  was  in  the  door- 
vard  of  his  father's  home  (although  not  then  in 
possession  of  his  father)  that  the  first  American 
flag  was  raised.  He  traces  his  ancestry  back  to 
William  Wood,  who  came  from  England  and  set- 
tled in  Concord.  Massachusetts,  about  the  year 
1638.  He  died  in  167 1  at  the  age  of  eighty-nine 
years,  leaving  a  son  and  daughter,  Alichael  and 
Ruth. 

Michael  Wood,  the  son,  died  May  13.  1764, 
leaving  five  sons  and  one  daughter — Abraham. 
Isaac,  Thomson,   lacob.  John  and  Abigail. 


K^^ 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     iW     WIXXICP.AGO     COUNTY 


Jacob  Wood  died  October  6,  172.V  l<-:i\iiii; 
three  sons  and  three  daughters:  Jacol).  Mary. 
Epltraini,  Doreus.  Hannalt  and  Milhceiit,  and 
of  this  family  Ephraini.  who  ilied  .March  20,  1789, 
at  tlie  ajje  of  eijihty-eij^ht  years,  was  the  father 
of  E|)liraim  Wood,  Jr..  town  clerk  and  judjfe  of 
tile  court  of  common  ])leas.  wito  was  horn  .-Kujjjust 

1.  17.^.^.  and  died  .\pril  8.  1814.  at  the  at^e  of 
eifjhty-one  years.  His  wife,  Mary  Heahl  Wood. 
was  born  in  Concord  in  ( )ctober.  1758.  and  died 
July  13,  1807.  They  left  ten  children:  IXiniel. 
born  October  23.  1760:  Prisis.  horn  (  Ictober  j6. 
1762;  Stephen,  who  was  horn  October  10.  ijh^. 
and  died  I'ebrnary  2^.  1820;  Nathan,  wiio  was 
born  January  8.  1766,  and  died  .November  16. 
1810:  Hannah,  who  was  born  July  if).  1768.  and 
<lied  March  8.  17'H);  Ilaimah.  the  second  nf  the 
name,  who  was  born  I'ebruary  3,  1770,  and  died 
November  6,  1705;  Ephraim,  who  was  bnrn  ( )c- 
tober  7,  1773;  William,  who  was  born  June  10. 
1775,  and  died  .August  24,  1840:  Elijah,  who  was 
born  October  31,  1776,  and  died  February  11. 
1785:  and  John,  who  was  born  .\]jril  i,  1778.  .Ml 
of  this  family  were  born  in  Concord.  Judge 
Ephraim  Wood  was  a  great-grand  fatlier  of 
Henry   H.  Wood  of  this  review. 

His  son,  William  Wood,  horn  in  Concord.  June 
10.  1775.  married  Nancy  Wyrick.  of  Charleston. 
Massachusetts,  who  was  born  .May  3.  1780.  and 
was  married  October  iT),  1800,  in  Charleston, 
where  they  afterward  resided,  William  Wood  be- 
ing there  engaged  m  the  morocco  business.  They 
had  eight  children :  William,  born  September 
Z'^.  1801.  died  in  Portland.  November  25.  1870: 
Daniel  Parker,  horn  I'ebruary  17,  1803.  died  in 
Ilangor.  .Maip.e.  November  18.  1878;  .\nn  was 
born  October  15.  1804.     Mary  Hcald.  born  May 

2.  1806,  died  in  Charleston,  Massachusetts,  De- 
cember (j.  1873.  Edward  Wvrick.  born  .\pril  2^. 
1S08.  died  March  28.  1836.  Martha  Wyrick, 
burn  January  20.  1810.  died  October  13.  1812. 
Caroline  was  born  May  24.  181 1.  .-Mexandcr. 
born  November  30.  1812.  died  in  .'^omcrville. 
Massachusetts,  February  27.  1882.  The  mother 
of  this  family.  Nancy  Wood,  died  in  Charleston. 
.\ugust  22.  1814.  aged  thirty-four  years,  and  the 
father.  William  Wofxl.  afterward  married  Mary 
Pilsbury.  who  was  lK)rn  in  P.oston.  .\i)ril  i.  1779. 
an<l  by  whom  he  had  two  children:  (ieorge.  who 
was  lK>rn  ( )ctober  17.  1816.  and  died  September 
24,  1843:  and  Maria,  who  was  born  .\ugust  17, 
1824.  .Mrs.  Mary  Wood  died  in  Charleston.  No- 
vember 2y.  1852.  at  the  age  of  seventy-three 
years. 

.Mexander  Wood,  father  of  Henry  H.  Wood. 
was  l)orn  November  30,  181 2.  at  Charleston,  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  ilied  in  Somerville.  b"ebruary  27. 
1882.  He  was  in  the  boot  and  shoe  business  from 
1833  until  1870  antl  was  in  the  old  Penjamin 
Franklin   building  on   Hanover  street   in   Postim 


until  1862  or  i8()3,  wIkii  the  old  building  was 
lorn  down  and  a  new  structure  erected  in  its 
jilace.  He  then  removed  to  a  building  across  the 
street  at  No.  134  Hanover  street,  where  he  con- 
tinued in  business  until  1870,  when  he  retired  to 
jirivate  life.  1  ie  built  many  houses  in  Somerville 
which  he  sold  and  rented  and  he  also  did  a  rent- 
ing business  for  others.  He  was  thus  closely  iden- 
tified with  the  imi)rovement  of  the  city  through 
his  building  operations  and  was  well  known 
there.  He  also  served  as  justice  of  the  |)eace  and 
was  active  and  intUiential  in  public  affairs.  He 
was  married  at  Christ  cliureli  in  I'lusinn,  ()ctiil)cr 
H).  1837.  til  i'hoebe  .'-iinuliwick  \\'iiitmi)re.  and 
although  tliex  had  no  children  of  their  own.  they 
adopted  a  daughter,  Crace  .\(lelaide.  who  was 
hf)rn  September  12,  1846.  .Mrs.  I'hoebe  S.  Wood 
died  in  lioston.  and  .Mexander  \\'ood  afterward 
married  her  sister.  .Amelia  Hewer  Whitmore. 
November  28.  1850.  She  was  born  at  Ncwburv- 
port.  Massachusetts.  May  30.  1823.  and  is  now 
living  at  the  old  homestead  in  Somerville.  where 
she  has  resided  for  fifty-five  years.  There  were 
four  children  of  this  marriage.  .Mexandcr  Lovel. 
born  Octol)er  ii.  1851.  died  February  23.  1855. 
Henrv  Hunt  is  the  next  of  the  family.  Caroline 
1  nvel.  born  .Vugust  17.  1855.  was  married  to 
.Mfred  Seymour  Maynard  at  Somerville.  Massa- 
chusetts. November  25.  1875.  Katharine  ^\'al- 
ker.  born  February  3.  1861.  is  living  at  the  old 
hoipcstead  with  her  mother. 

Henry  H.  W'ood  pursued  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  town,  passing  through 
the  consecutive  grades  until  he  completed  the 
high  school  course.  He  then  entered  upon  his 
business  career  as  an  emplove  in  the  dry  goods 
house  of  Swetcrs.  Swan  &  Plodgett.  with  which 
he  continued  for  seven  vears  nnd  in  i**"  i  h'-  cni" 
to  Pccatonica.  where  he  embarked  in  the  produce 
and  grocerv  business.  coinluctin>j  his  store  n-'t'i 
a  fair  measure  of  success  for  ten  years.  In  1884 
he  turned  his  attention  to  the  creamery  business, 
in  which  he  remained  for  nbout  frur  vars.  after 
which  he  rented  the  building,  which  was  later  de- 
stroyiNl  by  fire.  Tn  1888  he  went  to  Long  P.ranch. 
New  Jersev.  where  he  sjicnt  one  year  in  connec- 
tion with  Mr.  Warren,  building  the  race  track 
there.  He  afterward  returned  to  lioston.  where 
1k'  engaged  in  the  milk  business  for  three  years 
and  on  the  expiration  of  that  period  lie  again 
came  to  Pccatonica.  where  he  has  since  resided 
and  hns  conducted  an  extensive  and  profitable 
dairy  business  upon  his  fine  farm  of  one  hundred 
acres,  which  adjoins  the  city  limits.  His  resi- 
dence, a  large  and  attractive  one.  built  in  modern 
style  of  architecture,  stands  upon  the  farm  and 
yet  is  within  the  city  limits.  Mr.  Wood  cares  for 
each  winter  about  one  hundred  head  of  slock,  in- 
cluding cattle,  sheep  and  horses.  Tn  addition  to 
his  home  projierty  he  owns  a  fine  tract  of  land  of 


PAST     AND     PRESExNT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


833 


one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  about  a  mile  and  a 
half  east  of  the  town,  which  he  rents.  His  busi- 
ness interests  are  capably  conducted  and  his  keen 
discernment  and  sound  judgment  ably  supplement 
his  indefatigable  energy. 

On  the  5th  of  October,  1876,  Mr.  Wood  was 
married  in  Pecatonica  to  Miss  Jennie  Roena  Sal- 
isbury, a  daughter  of  Francis  and  Jane   (Scott) 
Salisbury.      Her   father   was   born   in   Hamburg, 
Erie  county.  New  York,  August  2,  1823,  and  was 
a  son  of  Smith  and  Roena   (Parker)    Salisbury, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  New  York  and 
died  in  Hamburg,  that  state,  at  the  ages  of  forty 
and  seventy  years,  respectively.     On  both  the  pa- 
ternal and  maternal   sides  of  the  family  Francis 
Salisbury  was  descended  from  English  ancestry, 
four  brothers  of  the  name  coming  originally  to 
America.     Francis   Salisbury   remained   at  home 
until  nineteen  years  of  age,  assisting  his  father 
upon  the  farm,  and  then  went  to  Louisiana,  but 
did   not   remain   long   in   the   south,  being   called 
home  on  account  of  his  father's  death.     He,  how- 
ever, purchased  one  himdred  and  forty-four  acres 
of  Indian   land,  which  he  cleared  of  the  timber, 
and  in  a  few  years  a  plank  road  was  built  through 
his  land,  connecting  him  with  the  city  limits  of 
BufTalo.     He  later  sold  this  jiroperty  to  a  Catho- 
lic mission.     After  owning  that   farm  for  about 
two  years  Mr.  Salisbury  was  united  in  marriage 
at  Hamburg,  New  York,  November  11,  1845,  to 
Miss  Jane  Scott,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  ?ilar- 
tha   (Lindsey)    Scott,  who  were  of  Scotch-Irish 
descent.     In  1850  Mr.  Salisbury  came  to  Illinois, 
but  afterward  returned  to  New  York.    However, 
he  was  pleased  with  the  western  country  and  on 
the  15th  of  Alay,  1834.  he  bronjht  his  familv  to 
this  state,  becoming  a  pioneer  resident  of  Steph- 
enson county,  where  he  resided  until  1864.     He 
owned  there  about  eight  hundred  acres  of  valu- 
able  land.     In   the  year  mentioned   he  removed 
from  Stephenson  to  Winnebago  county  and  was 
here   extensively   engaged   in   buying   cattle   and 
grain.     In  fact,  he  figured  prominently  in  many 
business   enterprises   and   undertakings  and   con- 
tributed in  substantial  measure  to  the  upbuilding 
of  Pecatonica  and  his  part  of  the  county.     He 
built  the  old  Western  Union  Railroad,  now  a  part 
of  the  Chicago,  JNIilwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railroad 
from   Shirland  to  Davis  and  he  was  also  inter- 
ested in  oil  wells  for  a  number  of  years  in  Penn- 
sylvania.    ^^^^atever  he  undertook  he  carried  for- 
ward  on   an    extensive    scale.      At    one   time   he 
planted  two  hundred  acres  of  potatoes  and  this 
caused  him  to  be  known  by  the  sobriquet  of  Po- 
tato Salisbury.    His  crop  was  very  extensive  and 
he  gave  potatoes  to  all  who  would  come  and  dig 
them.     He  also  conducted  a  packing  business  in 
Pecatonica  at  one  time  and  was  in  the  hop  busi- 
ness.   He  was  likewise  proprietor  at  one  time  of 
the  largest  nursery  in  Winnebago  county  and  he 


owned  a  farm  of  twelve  hundred  acres  in  Iowa, 
which  he  afterward  divided  among  his  children. 
He  was  coiniected  with  Mr.  Wood  in  the  cream- 
ery business  and  was  proprietor  of  a  lumberj-ard 
in  Pecatonica  at  one  time,  while  in  connection 
with  his  son-in-law.  J.  W.  Harrenstein.  he  con- 
ducted a  mercantile  enterprise  here.  During  the 
last  twenty  years  of  his  life  he  was  a  great  suf- 
ferer from  rheumatism.  His  intense  and  well 
directed  activity  made  him  a  valued  factor  in  in- 
dustrial and  commercial  circles  and  his  labors 
contributed  substantially  to  the  upbuilding  of  the 
community.  In  politics  he  was  a  democrat,  sup- 
porting the  principles  as  advocated  by  Jefferson 
and  Jackson.  He  died  April  16.  1904.  when  in 
the  eighty-first  year  of  his  age.  and  his  wife 
passed  away  November  14,  1891.  Thev  were  the 
parents  of  eight  chiklren.  Mary,  born  February 
15,  1847,  became  the  wife  of  H.  M.  Cook,  a 
farmer  residing  in  Pecatonica  township.  Frances, 
born  June  8.  1848.  is  the  wife  of  J.  W.  Harren- 
.'^tein.  now  living  in  California.  Franklin  E.  was 
born  February  27,  1831.  Thomas  S.,  born  April 
-I.  1833,  <lied  on  the  iQth  of  September  following. 
Martha,  born  August  16,  1854.  died  Mav  26, 
1862.  Mrs.  Wood  was  born  fune  18,  1856.  Sarah 
was  born  November  20,  1858.  Douglas  was  born 
February  2,   t86i. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wood  have  been  born  two 
children.  Amelia  Whitmore,  born  July  29.  1877, 
is  the  wife  of  G.  R.  Owen,  a  resident  of  Kirk- 
land,  Illinois,  and  an  engineer  on  the  Illinois, 
Iowa  &•  Minnesota  Railroad.  Jennie  Scott,  born 
September  23.  187Q.  is  at  home.  l\Ir.  Wood 
has  served  as  a  member  of  the  town  board  and 
also  as  a  member  of  the  school  board.  The  fam- 
ih-  are  membe'-s  of  the  Congregational  church, 
and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  ^^^ood  and  his  daughter  are 
prominent  in  social  circles  of  the  citv. 


EDWIN   S.   GUEASMAN. 

The  business  interests  of  Rockton  find  an  active 
and  progressive  representative  in  Edwin  S.  Gleas- 
man.  who  is  dealing  in  agricultural  implements 
there.  He  was  born  in  Rockton  in  1867.  His 
paternal  a;randfathcr.  Godfred  Gleasman,  was  a 
native  of  Germany,  and  with  his  two  brothers, 
A'alentine  and  George,  was  killed  in  the  battle 
of  Antietam.  in  the  Civil  war,  the  explosion  of 
one  shell  causing  the  death  of  all  three.  In  the 
grandfather's  family  were  five  sons  and  three 
daughters,  of  whom  George  Gleasman  was  the 
second  son  and  fourth  child.  The  members  of  the 
familv  still  living  are:  Fred  and  Phillip,  both  of 
whom  are  residents  of  Rockton  ;  Lizzie,  the  wife 
of  J.    B.    Atwood,   of    Roscoe    township ;   Mrs. 


■^.^4 


PAST     AND     l'Ri:Si:XT     OF     \VI  \".\"i:i!AGO     COUNTY. 


Louisa  Faass,  living  in  Utica,  New  York ;  and 
Kate,  who  is  residing  in  Rome,  New  York. 
George  Gleasman,  tlie  father,  was  born  in  Syra- 
cuse, New  York.  June  30.  1840,  and  is  repre- 
sented elsewhere  in  this  work. 

lulwin  S.  (ileasman  spent  his  youth  in  (  )wen 
township  upon  the  old  homestead  farm,  where  he 
remained  until  twenty-three  years  of  age.  His 
education  was  acquired  in  the  district  schools, 
which  he  attended  through  the  winter  months  and 
in  the  summer  seasons  he  was  trained  to  the  active 
work  of  the  farm,  .\fter  reaching  man's  estate 
he  followed  farming  in  connection  with  his  father 
and  was  identified  with  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits until  i8<")o.  when  he  removed  to  the  village 
of  Rdckton.  where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in 
merchandising  as  a  dealer  in  agricultural  imple- 
ments and  kindred  supplies.  He  has  met  wnth 
nnich  success  in  the  conduct  of  his  store  here 
for  he  is  careful  in  making  his  purchases  and  is 
thus  enabled  to  realize  a  good  profit  on  his  sales. 
Moreover,  he  secures  a  desirable  patronage  by 
reason  of  business  principles  that  are  so  honor- 
able and  straightforward  as  to  require  no  dis- 
guise. 

On  the  26th  of  Fehruarv.  1S92.  Mr.  nicasman 
was  married  to  Miss  I.issie  Truman,  t  dau£:hter 
of  J.  C.  Truman.  They  have  two  children.  Maria 
H.  and  Ruth  T,.  Mr.  Gleasman  is  a  republican, 
has  served  as  highway  commissioner  of  Owen 
township  and  is  now  a  member  of  the  library 
committee.  He  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternitv. 
holding  membership  in  Rockton  lodge,  and  in 
the  Scottish  rite  he  has  attained  the  thirty-second 
degree.  He  is  also  connected  with  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  .Xmerica.  He  belongs  to  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  and  takes  quite  an  active 
and  helpful  part  in  its  work,  doing  all  in  his 
power  to  iiromote  its  growth  and  extend  its  in- 
fluence. Tn  his  life  record  he  displays  many  of 
the  sterling  characteristics  of  the  German  ances- 
trv  althorgh  he  is  distinctly  .American  in  thought, 
interests  and  feeling,  having  as  a  progressive  citi- 
zen contributed  to  the  welfare  of  his  community 
along  material  lines  and  at  the  same  time  has 
aided  in  upholding  its  political  and  legal  status. 


EDWWRD  FRANCIS  CARTY. 

Edward  Francis  Carty  instituted  in  Rockford 
a  h\isiness  which,  constantly  growing  in  volume 
and  importance,  has  become  a  profitable  meat 
packing  industry.  A  native  of  Dubu(|ue.  Towa.  he 
was  liorn  in  1867.  a  son  of  Edward  Carty.  who 
removed  from  Oierrv  Valley  to  Dubur|ue.  Sub- 
sequently, however,  he  returned  to  his  old  home 
in  1870.  He  was  a  baker  by  trade  and  followerl 
that   pursuit   for   several   years.     His  death   oc- 


curred in  1 872.  In  his  family  were  four  chil- 
dren: J.  J.,  a  resident  of  Dixon,  Illinois,  who 
is  engaged  on  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  .St.  Paul 
railroail :  Elizabeth,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seven- 
teen years ;  and  Rose,  who  died  at  the  age  of  six- 
teen years.  The  mother  is  still  living  at  the  age 
of  seventy-two  years  and  makes  her  home  at  No 
1272  South  Church  street,  Rockford. 

Edward  F.  Carty  accompanied  his  ])arents  on 
their  removal  from  Cherry  Valley  and  there  at- 
tended the  public  schools  until  sixteen  years  of 
age.  when  he  entered  upon  his  business  career 
by  learning  the  butcher's  trade,  being  employed  in 
that  way  for  one  year  at  Cherry  \'alley.  Tn  1887 
he  entered  the  employ  of  the  .'>chmauss  Com|)any, 
with  whom  he  continued  for  seventeen  years, 
eventually  securing  advancement  and  recognition 
of  his  fidelity  and  capability  until  he  became  man- 
ager of  the  firm.  Ambitious  to  become  an  inde- 
liendent  factor  in  business  circles  that  his  labors 
might  more  directly  benefit  himself  he  organized 
a  comjiany  in  ir/).^.  becoming  associated  with 
Don  Dever.  Tom  Monnex  and  Henry  Bingham, 
under  the  name  of  The  Carty.  Dever  &  Monnex 
Company.  They  now  conduct  four  stores  at  No. 
321  West  St.ate  street.  518  East  State  street.  1003 
South  ;\lain  street  and  lofii  West  State  street, 
and  the  volume  of  their  business  is  constantly 
growing  until  it  represents  a  large  investment  and 
returns  a  very  gratifying  income  each  year.  At 
their  slaughter  house  they  have  twenty  acres  of 
land,  upon  which  thev  have  also  erected  a  cold 
storage  plant.  The\'  furnish  eniplovmcnt  to  thir- 
ty-five people  and  slaughter  one  hundred  head 
of  cattle  and  six  hundred  head  of  hogs  per  day. 
Thev  pack  hogs,  doing  both  a  wholesale  and  retail 
business,  and  are  represented  on  the  road  by  trav- 
eling salesmen.  The  business  was  incorporated  in 
March,  ifp?.  and  has  become  one  of  the  leading 
cnteriirises  of  this  character  in  Rockford. 

Mr.  Carty  lives  with  his  mother  at  No.  1272 
South  Church  street.  He  has  taken  an  active 
interest  in  the  aflfairs  of  the  city  and  in  1003  was 
elected  alderman  from  the  fifth  ward  upon  an  in- 
dependent ticket.  He  was  made  chairman  of  the 
committee  of  streets  and  alleys,  fire  and  water, 
the  purchasing  committee,  the  lease  committee 
and  the  sidewalk  committee,  and  he  exerci.ses  offi- 
cial jirerogatives  in  support  of  all  practical  meas- 
ures that  tend  to  advance  general  jirogress  and 
improvement.  He  belongs  to  St.  Mary's  Catholic 
church  and  holds  fraternal  relations  with  the 
Knights  of  Columbus,  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
the  Elks,  and  Kishwaukee  Tribe  of  Red  Men. 
Mr.  Carty  is  yet  a  >-oung  man  but  has  already 
attained  success  that  might  well  be  envied  by 
many  a  man  of  twice  his  vears.  He  has  wrought 
along  modern  business  lines,  watchful  of  every 
indication  pointing  to  advancement,  utilizing  each 


PAST     AND     PRESENT     OF     WINNEBAGO     COUNTY. 


835 


opportunity  that  has  presented  and  making  every 
forward  step  after  thoughtful  consideration.  His 
mistakes  therefore  have  been  few  and  his  prog- 
ress and  prosperity  are  assured. 


JOHN  VINCER. 

John  Vincer,  who  is  engaged  in  farming  and 
threshing,  his  home  being  on  section  10,  Cherry 
Valley  township,  was  born  in  London,  England,  in 
1846,  his  parents  being  Henry  and  Mary  (Pow- 
ell) Vincer,  both  of  whom  died  in  England,  the 
father  passing  away  in  1895  and  the  mother  in 
1898.  Both  were  about  sixty  years  of  age.  Mr. 
Vincer  was  a  wagon-maker  and  followed  that 
business  throughout  his  active  life  in  London. 
The  parents  reared  a  large  family,  including 
Elizabeth,  deceased ;  John :  Daniel,  who  is  em- 
ployed in  the  machine  shop  of  Harry  Dickerson 
in  Rockford ;  Harry,  who  is  in  business  in  Lon- 
don. England ;  Mary  Ann,  the  wife  of  William 
Jones,  also  of  England ;  Martha,  who  married 
William  Wiles,  a  brush-maker  residing  in  Eng- 
land ;  Harriet,  who  is  married  and  lives  in  that 
country,  where  her  husband  is  a  police  officer  ;  and 
three  children  who  died  in  early  life. 

John  Vincer  was  reared  in  the  land  of  his  na- 
tivity and  is  indebted  to  its  public-school  system 
for  the  educational  privileges  he  enjoyed.  He 
came  to  America  in  1870,  when  about  twenty- four 
years  of  age,  landing  at  Castle  Garden,  New  York. 
He  had  previously  learned  the  trade  of  an  engi- 
neer and  machinist  and  continuously  followed 
those  pursuits  until  the  last  thirteen  years.  Mak- 
ing his  way  to  Chicago,  he  remained  four  years 
in  that  city,  being  employed  as  engineer  in  the  H. 
P.  Robinson  flour  mills.  In  1875  he  came  to 
Rockford,  where  he  entered  the  employ  of  Gault 


&  Hill,  manufacturers  of  plows,  with  whom  he 
worked  as  a  machinist  for  six  months.  He  then 
went  to  Freeport  in  the  employ  of  J.  D.  Ester  & 
Company,  and  in  December,  1876,  he  entered  the 
service  of  the  Rockford  Watch  Company,  with 
which  he  was  connected  for  thirteen  years.  Since 
that  time  he  has  devoted  his  energies  to  farming 
and  threshing  and  is  now  the  owner  of  seventy- 
six  acres  of  land  on  section  10,  Cherry  Valley 
township,  near  the  station  of  Perryville.  This  is 
known  as  the  old  Perry  farm  and  in  connection 
with  the  tilling  of  the  soil  Mr.  Vincer  owns  and 
operates  a  threshing  machine,  carrying  on  busi- 
ness in  that  way  for  thirteen  years. 

Before  leaving  his  native  country  Mr.  Vincer 
was  married  in  London  to  Miss  Frances  Baggs, 
of  that  city,  who  came  to  America  a  few  months 
after  the  emigration  of  her  husband,  joining  him 
in  the  middle  west.  They  have  seven  children, 
who  are  still  living :  Henry,  a  resident  farmer  of 
Cherry  Valley  township ;  Benjamin,  who  follows 
farming  in  Boone  county ;  Fred,  who  is  working 
in  Cherry  Valley  township ;  Frank  and  William, 
at  home ;  Frances,  the  wife  of  F.  Hazelton,  who 
is  living  in  Flora  township,  Boone  county,  Illi- 
nois ;  and  Lillie,  the  wife  of  Charles  Wheeler,  also 
of  Flora  township.    They  also  lost  seven  children. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Vincer  has  been  a 
republican  throughout  his  naturalized  life  as  an 
American  citizen  and  his  religious  views  are  in 
accord  with  the  teachings  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church.  Starting  out  in  life  for  himself, 
with  few  educational  or  other  advantages  and  be- 
coming imbued  with  a  laudable  ambition  to  attain 
something  better  than  he  could  secure  in  his  own 
country,  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America, 
where  by  his  business  ability  and  fidelity  he  has 
gained  creditable  success  and  to-day  commands 
the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  entire  community  in 
which  he  lives. 


INDEX 


HISTORY  OF  WINNEBA(i<  )  C'Ol'NTY 


Geogi-aphical    Review 5 

Winnebagoes   and   Black  Hawk 

War    6 

First  Settler  in  County e 

First  Settlement  in  Rockford..  (j 

First  Settler  in  East   Rockford  7 

Pioneers  of  1S35-37 7 

Peeatonica    7 

Winnebago    8 

Cherry    Valley 9 

Durand     9 

New  ililford 10 

Rockton    10 

Roscoe    11 

Guilford    11 

Harrison    12 

Shirland    12 

Seward    12 

Harlem    13 

Burritt    13 

Owen     13 

Laona    13 

Organization  of  County 13 

First    Election 14 

County  Seat  Located  at  Winne- 
bago      15 

Early  Ferries  on  Rock  River.  .  Id 

Survey  of  State  Road 1(5 

Villiage    Christened    17 

First  Surveys 17 

Beginning  of   Methodism 17 

First  Marriages  and  Births.  ...  19 

County   Divided 19 

First  Tax  Levy 20 

Day  of  Small  Things 20 

Congregationalism    20 

First   Patriotic  Celebration....  22 

First  Terms  of  Circuit  Court..  '2? 

Stage   Coach 23 

Early   Hotels 24 

Three     Pioneer     Physicians     of 

1S3S   25 

Dr.  Haskell  and  First  Steamer.  25 

Pioneers   of   1S3S-9 27 

Trials  of  the  Pioneers 30 

Early  Homes  of  Rockford 31 

First  Baptist  Church 32 

Village    Incorporated 33 

Earlv  Lanrl   Sales 33 

Rockford    Cemeteries 34 

War  Over  County  Seat 35 

Notable   Secession   Movement .  .  37 

Rockford    Ooposes   Repudiation  3S 

Settlers  of  the  Early  Forties..  39 

First  County  Pairs.  .- 39 

Banditti  of  the  Frontier 40 

Robbery  of  McKennev  and  Mul- 

ford    43 


New    England    Unitarianism.  .  .  4i; 

Early  Elections 47 

The  Only  Slave  in  the  County.  4S 
Polish  Claims  Delay  Land   Pat- 
ents      4S 

First   Dam 51 

Postmasters  of  Rockford 52 

Universalist  Church   54 

First  Bridge 54 

First    Foundry 5(1 

New   England   Type 50 

River  and  Harbor  Convention.  58 
Constitutional     Convention     of 

1S48   58 

Galena  &  Chicago   Union   Rail- 
road     59 

Representative    Rockford     Citi- 
zen. 1842-50 62 

Departure  of  Mr.  Haight CI 

Gold  Hunters  of  '49 (U 

Emanuel  Church 64 

Township  Organization: 65 

Second  Congregational  Church.  66 
Incorporation  of  Rockford  as  a 

City    68 

Elections  of  1S52-53 69 

Early  Water  Power 70 

Famous  Manny-McCormick  Suit  71 
Emerson,    Lowell    and     Greeley 

Visit  Rockford 73 

Fragment  of  Political  Historv.  74 

Rockford  Settlers  1851-54 ".  .  74 

PMrst  Public  Library 77 

Wesleyan    Seminary 78 

Bayard   Taylor's   Tribute 78 

First  Fraternal   Orders 79 

Death  of  John  A.  Holland 79 

Murder  of  Sheriff  Taylor 79 

Execution  of  Countryman .SO 

Kenosha  &  Rockford  Railroad.  SO 

Early   Rockford   Mansion 81 

Winnebago  Supports  Fremont .  81 

Rockford  City  Greys 81 

In  Honor  of  Atlantic  Cable.  ...  81 

Census  of  1860 81 

Trial  of  Governor  Bebb 81 

Lincoln  Douglas    Debate 82 

Rockford  Settlers  1855-59 83 

War    Clouds 85 

Slory  of  the  Civil  W'ar 86 

First  War  Sermon 86 

Rockford  Zouaves 86 

First  War  Meeting 88 

Ellis   Rifles 88 

Captain  Ketcheson's  Company.  SS 

Death  of  Colonel  Ellsworth 88 

Death  of  Stephen  A.  Douglas.  .  89 


War  Sermons  by  Bishop  Simp- 
son        89 

Rev.     A.    H.     Conant    Becomes 

Chaplain    90 

Rockford   Rifles 90 

Washburne   Rifles 90 

Winnebago    Sharpshooters 90 

Cavalry   Company 90 

Other  Volunteers  of  '61 90 

Soldiers'  Aid  Society 91 

County   War  Appropriations...     91 
Fifteenth  at  Battle  of  Shiloh..      91 

Funeral  of  Colonel   Ellis 92 

Volunteers    for    Three    Months' 

Service    92 

Camp  Fuller 92 

Seventy-fourth    Regiment 93 

Death  of  Colonel   Nevius 93 

Mulligan  Guards 94 

Death  of  Colonel  Smith 95 

Resume    of    Record    of    VoUin- 

teers    96 

War  Bounty 96 

Prisoners  of  War 96 

Mrs.      Mary     Brainard,     Army 

Nurse    96 

Christian  Commission 96 

Naval    Service 96 

Sent  Eleven  Sons  to  War 96 

Cost  of  the  War 97 

End  of  War  Story 97 

Nevins  Post.  G.  A.  R 97 

Famous  Invitation  to  Jefferson 

Davis    97 

Fall  of  Courthouse 98 

The  Rifles  and  The  Greys 98 

Rockford's   Congressmen 99 

Winnebago     County     in     State 

Legislature    100 

J'.idicial    History 102 

Probate  and  County  Judges.  .  .  .   105 

Roster  of  County  Clerks 105 

Books     Written     by     Rockford 

People    106  > 

Rockford's  Furniture  Industry.   108 

Piano    Industry 110 

Rockford  College  for  Women..   Ill 
Rockford   Free  Public  Library.   lU 

Early  Rockford  Schools 117 

Free   Public   School    System...    IIS 
Fir=t    Consolidated     School    in 

Illinois    121 

District    School    Traveling    Li- 
braries        122 

District   School  Libraries 122 

Township      Graduation      Exer- 
cises     122 


83« 


•Asi    A.\i»    i'RKSi:\T   <  )i'   \\i\xi:i;a(;<  )   lolxty. 


Rofkford  Chautauqua  Assem- 
bly       122 

Rm'Ufonl  Street  Railway  and 
Interurban     Lines 123 

Memoriai   Hall 12r, 


Spanish   War   Velorans 

Insiiiutions  of  Philanthropy. 
Roster  of  Rockford  Mayors.  . 
RoeUford  Hanks  and  Bankers 
Newspapers  of   Rockford.... 


12.~>  Illinois.  Iowa  &  Minnesota  Rail- 

127  way    139 

130  Later   Eeelesiastiial    History.,.    14t) 

132  Musieal  Clubs  and  Musicians  of 

1 33  Rockford    14fi 


i;i(  K  .K.M'l  IK   AI. 


Abbott.  Thomas  J (W.') 

Abram.   Peter iiltl 

Alexander.    Job (121 

Allen,   rir.   L.   S (531 

Allen.  Richard  S 752 

Anders.  John,  Jr 41(i 

Andrew.  Ellis 395 

Andrew.   J.   J 692 

Andrew.    Roljert 43t; 

Andrews.   John 177 

Andrus.   Henry 252 

Andriis.  Dr.  S.  C 755 

Armstrong.  A.  R 29tl 

Atkinson.  GeorRe  R 3i>2 

Atwood.  A.   J ti41 

Atwood.    David 473 

Atwood.  J.  M 495 

Atwood.  P.  H 159 

Austin.  C.  E 191 

Babcork.  J.    H 307 

Bachelder.    Alonzo 7<i9 

Bailey.  Rufus  C 330 

Baker.  Henry  L 375 

Banks.  H.  0 156 

narlK>r.   .Mrs.   E.   M 461 

RarKren.   A.    K 543 

BarloRa.    Fred 683 

Barnes.   Joseph 543 

Barrett.  John 330 

Bartlett.    Moses 318 

Bander.  F.  M 392 

Beal.son.  David 327 

Beatson.  J.   \V 544 

Beecher,    Ransom 782 

Benoit.  Nelson  E 607 

Billmyer.   Dr.  E.  T 428 

Black.    John 317 

Blackman.  F.  L 745 

Blake.    H.    E 3.50 

Blakeman.  Benjamin 281 

Bloduett.  S.  K 507 

Bodine.   William 281 

Braddook.   Rev.   J.   S 478 

Brazee.  C.  M 802 

BrlKBs,  Chester  E 270 

BrisKS.  G.  F 569 

Brinkerhorr,  H.  M 251 

Broimhlon.  Dr.  Russell 162 

Brown.  E.   W 181 

Brown.  <;.  S 646 

Brown.  Horace 172 

Brown.  Thomas  H 361' 

Brown.    William 199' 

Brown.    William 328- 

Huclianan.  Thomas 534 

Bucklx-e.  T.   E 2fiO 

Bull.    Rol)ert 533 

Bnrch.  C.   R 487 

Burns.   Timothy   P 308 

Burn.-.    Toblau 528 

Burr.   W.   L 560 

Burrlti,   Rufus   H  i\r,-, 


Bur.son.   W.   W 166 

Hutler.  Dr.  T.  .\1 299 

Caldwell.   Dr.   William   S 324 

Campbell,  E.  0 698 

Campbell.  Frank  B 292 

Campbell.   Jeremiah 731 

Carlson,   John 432 

Carney.  Daniel 445 

Carpenter.    David 746 

Carroll.  John  C 515 

Carton.  James  H 211 

Cariv.    Edward    F 834 

Caswell.  Dr.  S.  J 781 

Catlin.   Dr.   E.    P 286 

Champ.  Frederick 155 

Chapin.   A.   R 673 

Chapi)ell.  .Mrs.  Delia  A 756 

Chase,   H.    B 765 

Church.  Charles  A 635 

Clark.   Charles    .M 610 

Clark.  Thomas  M 761 

Cleveland.    Hcrvey   S 302 

Cleveland.   L,    W 781 

Cleveland.  William  J 226 

Clikeman.   Miner 716 

Clinch.   Rev.    N.    B 770 

Clover.  C.   F 592 

Coffin.    Fletcher 828 

Colby.  G.   F 28(1 

Collier.   Alexander 65u 

Collins.  Anthonv 623 

Collins,   r.   A 588 

Collins.  O.  W 318 

Colton.  Robert 776 

Colvin.    Pa=chal 178 

Comly.   A.   L 671 

Cook.    Isaac 682 

C^)rwin.  M.   L 401 

Cosper.    Elias 565 

Cox.    Henry 527 

Coy.    Williatn 422 

Crandall.  Charles  F 500 

Crandall.  Oliver  A 746 

Crill.   .John   J 582 

Crill.  O.  F 266 

Crill,  William 186 

Crowell.  L.  H..  Jr 816 

Crowlev.    George   A 576 

Crumb.  R.  W 171 

Culhane.   Dr.  T.  H 472 

CumminRs.  O.  J 398 

Cutler.  A.  E 780 

I 

Dale.   L.   M 674 

Dales.   William 359 

Darrow.  Frank  E 271 

Davey.  J.  H..  Jr 377 

Davis.   Alva   B 351 

Davis.  EuKene  E 339 

Davis.  Jeremiah 252 

Decker.    T.    C 538 

De  La  Mater.  W.  J 161 

Denney,  T.   A  .  .  38t; 


Derwent.  T.  W 732 

de  Tissandier.  T.   L.   L 625 

Dickerman.  P.  B 620 

Dobson,    Daniel 365 

Doolittle.    P.   W 511 

Dow.  Charles  B 812 

Drohan.     Patrick 428 

Dunn.  E.  C 713 

Dunwell.    Dr.    Edward 580 

Eaton.   Prof.   W.   L 189 

Edie.  J.   P 678 

Edson.   Dr.   A.   J 602 

Ekeberg.   G.   E 750 

Ellis.   D.   H 799 

Ellis,   George  S 742 

Ellis.   T.   M 826 

Evans,  D.  W 225 

Evans.  Thad  W 790 

Falconer,  George 591 

Falconer,  Robert 396 

Fallon.    John 706 

Farnhani.  William  P 547 

Faulkner,    J.    W 360 

Ferguson.    Hugh 167 

Fitzgerald,    John 309 

Fitzpatrick.  Timothy 478 

Flagg.  George  W 412 

Flaghertv,  Rev.   J.   J 540 

Fraley.  John  M 709 

Franklin.  George 355 

French.   Irvin 576 

Fresse,   Mrs.   Margaret  L 190 

Fritz.  George  A 246 

Frost.   Arthur  H 537 

Frost.  Dr.   J.   H 677 

Fuller.   Charles 2.50 

Fuller.   Lemuel 196 

Fuller.  Levi  B 365 

Gardner,  Cassius  M 190 

Garner.    Frederick 465 

Garrett.  B.  H 177 

Garrett.  Will  N 376 

Garver.  Judge  J.  C 182 

Gibson.  James  A 719 

Gilniore.  Thomas 241 

Glawe.  Mrs.   Kate 418 

Gleasman.  E.   S 833 

Gleasnian.  George 408 

Glea-sman.    Valentine 438 

Glea-son.   Moses   W 791 

Glennev.    Thomas 448 

Glover.  Mrs.  G.  B 345 

Goldv,    B.    D 295 

Good  lander,    Daniel 64' 

Goodrich,  A.  W 467 

Gorhani.  Marnuis  L 222 

Graham,    A.   F 612 

Graves.  R.  W •J06 

Greenlee.    Hugh 323 

Greenlee.  Robert 825 

Gregorv.    L.    B 314 


PAST    AND    PRESENT    OF    WINNEBAGO    COUNTY. 


839 


Griffiths,    John 415 

Guilford,  E.  B 366 

Haines,    Frederick 245 

Haines,  Dr.  G.  M 809 

Hall,    Alfred 159 

Hall.  Charles  R 468 

Halley,  E.  R 334 

Halley.   William  A 388 

Halsey,    O.    F 802 

Hamborg,   P.  M 822 

Hardy,   J.   B 611 

Harris.  Elmer  E 291 

Hartley,   W.   L 672 

Hayward,   M.    W 575 

Helm,    Dr.   Clinton 256 

Henienway.  Calvin  A 550 

Herd,    Benjamin 290 

Herrick,  Leonard  E 504 

Herrick.  S.  H 488 

Hibbard,  John 175 

Hicks.  Mrs.  J.  B 512 

Higgins,    Charles   E 405 

Hildebrand.    Godfrey 737 

Hinkley,   James 779 

Hoffman,  Edward  J 378 

Holland.   H.   P 652 

Hopkins.  C.  H 527 

Howes,  Phineas 795 

Hunter,    Cyrus   L 495 

Hutohins,    John 533 

Irvine.   Joseph   \V 262 

Jackson.   Charles   E 715 

James.    Dr.    Katharine   E 537 

Janvevine,  O.  W 795 

Jenks.  Dr.   Solomon 392- 

Jewett.    Brittan 186 

Jewett.    Fred 771 

Jewett,   Robert  B 693 

Johns,  Richard 666 

Johns.  William 484 

Johnson,   Hobart    1 806 

Johnson,  James   H 737 

Johnson.  N.   P 60S 

Jones,   William   C 446 

Keating.    Michael   C 301 

Keeling.   Francis 165 

Keith,   Lewis 232 

Keith,  W.  H ^122 

Kevt.    George   M 801 

Kevt.  W.  R 7?4 

Kimliall.   Dr.   F.   H 82'! 

Kimball.  Henrv  P 603 

King,  George  E 725 

King.    J.    H 539 

Kinson,   Daniel ^32 

■KTiann.   Fred   N.  .  . 705 

Knisht.  B.  A 474 

Knowlton.  H.  W 210 

T.n   For°p.  John  T 750 

T  ake,    John S26 

T.ake,  l^wis  F 199 

T.qke     Thomas PO' 

T, arising,    A.    C 6i6 

T.arson.    August   W 397 

T,awtori.  ■"^   M •'^98 

T.pvino'S,  T^'frp.  Helen  V 63'> 

T  pvins-s    Thomas   G '^''0 

T.o-n-i<i.  Fai-  *  Bros.  Co ''"K 

T,iTirl«av.    John 6?6 

T.ofcrron.   "Or.    Emil f^"' 

I^ovejoy,  A.  J 736 


Lundvall,    C.    A 751 

Lyddon,  B.  R 594 

Ly ford,    Dudley 45S 

McCaughey,  W.  C 518 

McCulloch,    J.    A 529 

McEvoy.  Robert   G 286 

McLee,    John 796 

McMahon,  J.  F.  and  G.   P 256 

McMichael,    Hugh 259 

Maas,   Dr.   Elizabeth  C 681 

Mannix,   Thomas 407 

Manny,   John  P 649 

Markley,   Dr.   P.   L 741 

Marsh.  A.  A 457 

Marsh,  E.  H 827 

Marsh,  Russell 738 

Marston,   George   W 496 

Martin,  Dr.  C.  E 436 

Mather.  H.  F 786 

Merritt,   J.   B 724 

Meyer,    Robert 388 

Miller,   A.  B 604 

Miller,  Daniel  W 516 

Miller,   H.   J 195 

Miller.   R.   C 815 

Miller,  W.  H.  C 555 

Milne,    Alexander 446 

Milne,   Mrs.   Emily 624 

Miners.   Thomas   J 442 

Miners,    W.    H 407 

Moore,    Joseph 441 

Moore,  T.   B 779 

Morgan.   Charles 792 

Murphy,   Henry 457 

Murphy,  John  W 682 

Mutimer,    John 828 

Nelson,    John 192 

Nelson,  John  H 491 

Nemeth.    S.    A 662 

Newton,  P.   Z 572 

Noting,   L.    M 762 

Norton,   H.  L 735 

Norton,  M.   A 168 

O'Brien,    George 371 

Oliver,    Robert 382 

Packard.  C.   M 447 

Palmer,  Peter  H 810 

Parker,   George 290 

Parker.  J.   S 381 

Parsons.   N.    F 571 

Partridge.   Ella  E 517 

Patterson.  Fred  W 431 

Patterson.  James  M 540 

Pearson.    Frank   E 799 

Peats,  Frank  F 639 

Penniman.  Dr.  D.  B 313 

Pennoyer.   Oliver   A 561 

Perrv.   David 515 

Perrv.    G.    B 810 

Pettis.  George  L 503 

Pfanstiel.    George 790 

Phelps,  William 418 

Place,   John  R 662 

Pollard,  William 651 

Powell.  W.   A 308 

Pratt.   William   C 687 

Price,  Henry  W 272 

Price,  Richard  J 785 

Provoost.    James    A 435 

Ralston,  Alexander ?35 

Ralston,  J.  G 775 


Ralston,  Robert 427 

Ransom,  Dr.  P.  W 356 

Reddy,    Patrick 579 

Redington,   D.   B 601 

Regan,   Frank   S 771 

Rehm,   Jacob  A 261 

Reid,  James  M 684 

itevell,  Edwin  M 636 

Revnolds,   E.   D 660 

Reynolds,  P.  H 742 

Rhoades,    Levi 613 

Rhodes,   John   M 300  ■ 

Rice,    Allen 611 

Riley,  William 508 

Roberts,  C.  Jerome 597 

Rockwell,  F.  W 255 

Rogan,  M.  J 412 

Rogers,   Richard   W 587 

Roper.  George  S 229 

Rothwell.  William  A 709 

Sabin,  Dr.   H.  M 421 

Sample.   David 160- 

Sanborn.  George  W 549 

Sanders,  C.  W 324 

Sanford,   Albert 212 

Sanford.   G.    A 151 

Sarver.  W.  H 688 

Sawver,   W.   E 821 

Saylor.  J.  N 597        f 

Schmauss.     John 566  ^^ 

Schoonmaker.    David 250 

Schoonmaker,    John 697 

Schoonmaker,   W.    H 341 

Schureman.  D.  S 759 

Scott,    Daniel 530 

Searl,    John 342 

Seaverns.  G.  F 195 

Seek,   John   W 451 

Segur,    John 352 

Segurd.  Frank  0 276 

Seymour,    Samuel 402 

Shaw,  Dr.  W.  H 726 

Sheldon,  C.  W 656 

Shepardson.    Josiah 759, 

Sherman,  B.  C 349 

Shirley.   Lewis .  ■ 216 

Shirley.  Silas  W 661 

Shoudy,   Israel 548 

Shumway,  R.  B 630 

Simpson.    Robert 231 

Skinner.  J.  B 614 

Smith,   D.   A 468 

Smith,    Flovd 811 

Smith,  .T.  C 629 

Smith.   .Tames  M 285 

Smith,  Robert  M 508 

Smith,  William  G 455 

Sovereign,    Israel 209 

Sowle.  Dr.  C.  J 236 

Spaulding,  E.  C 466 

Spaulding,   Daniel   G 819 

Spottswood,   Miss   Mary  C 691 

Snottswood.    Robert 425 

St,  Mary's  Parish.  Pecatonica.  .   31'? 

Sterling.  Fred  E 766 

Stevens.  George ''I'' 

Stevens.    G.    A I'l 

Stevens.   Henry  W 33S 

Steward.  James ''3'' 

Stiles,  John  A 703 

Stone.   H.    W 'I'^l 

Stothard.   William S*"? 

Stott,    Uriah 70i 

Stover,    Emanuel 385 


M'- 


PAST    A\l)     I'KRSKXT    ( )!•'    \VINNFJ!A(;(J    COUNTY, 


Slurtevaiil,  1).  A ^-'J 

Sumner,    I.  S 2ii5 

Swartlioiil.  Isaar 32(l 

Swezey,   A.  .1  Till 

Taft.   G.    M 538 

Tanner.  S.  W 397 

Taylor.  Edward 282 

Taylor,  John  A 7t>2 

Terniohlen.    Henry 417 

Tel  low.    James    G C52 

Thomas,  Frank  E 3G1 

Thomi>son.  A.  \V 219 

Thompson.  N.   T 572 

Thompson.    William 2t;!i 

Thome.   A.   C 3it(! 

Todd.   Millon 391 

Toms.    Isaac 239 

Tousley.  \V.  H 271 

Turner.   P.   E 597 

Tvn'lMi-     \     H 593 


L'lrici,   Hi'ury liS8 

Utter,    Isaac 714 

Van  De  .Mark,  Jacob (;9 1 

Veness.  E.  J 17(i 

Vincer,   John 835 

Waldo.  H,  H 212 

Walker,   P.   R 310 

Wallace.  C.  A 455 

Wallace.  S.    W 221 

Wallis.  John 42(i 

Ware,    Edwin 492 

Warner,    F.   W 4(i2 

Warren,    Alpha 472 

Warren,    James    A 749 

Walking.  Will  E 570 

Walson.  John  S SCO 

Webber.  H.  A 452 

Webster.    Rienzi 483 

WpI  don .   S.   S <)55 


Wellington.  Thomas 249 

Welty,    Calvin 477 

Welty,  J.  J 55G 

Whitehead,   J.   B (;4o 

Wilkins.  S.  B 340 

Williams.   Girden  0 681 

WillouKhby,   F.   E 504 

Wills.    Charles 559 

Wilmarlh.  A.  B 524 

Wilmarlh,  John  S 614 

Wilson,  N.  P 372 

Winchester,  Thomas 20(; 

Wolven.  John  W 242 

Wood.   H.   H 831 

Woodward.   A.    W 723 

Woolsey.  C.   H 789 

Works.  C.  A 279 

Wrif,'ht.   Miles  0 772 

Wnnder.   George  J 34G 


H    9  8    89'""'' 


L    ^57 


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