USA > Illinois > Lee County > History of Lee County, Illinois, Volume II > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31
This is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for generations on library shelves before it was carefully scanned by Google as part of a project to make the world's books discoverable online.
It has survived long enough for the copyright to expire and the book to enter the public domain. A public domain book is one that was never subject to copyright or whose legal copyright term has expired. Whether a book is in the public domain may vary country to country. Public domain books are our gateways to the past, representing a wealth of history, culture and knowledge that's often difficult to discover.
Marks, notations and other marginalia present in the original volume will appear in this file - a reminder of this book's long journey from the publisher to a library and finally to you.
Usage guidelines
Google is proud to partner with libraries to digitize public domain materials and make them widely accessible. Public domain books belong to the public and we are merely their custodians. Nevertheless, this work is expensive, so in order to keep providing this resource, we have taken steps to prevent abuse by commercial parties, including placing technical restrictions on automated querying.
We also ask that you:
+ Make non-commercial use of the files We designed Google Book Search for use by individuals, and we request that you use these files for personal, non-commercial purposes.
+ Refrain from automated querying Do not send automated queries of any sort to Google's system: If you are conducting research on machine translation, optical character recognition or other areas where access to a large amount of text is helpful, please contact us. We encourage the use of public domain materials for these purposes and may be able to help.
+ Maintain attribution The Google "watermark" you see on each file is essential for informing people about this project and helping them find additional materials through Google Book Search. Please do not remove it.
+ Keep it legal Whatever your use, remember that you are responsible for ensuring that what you are doing is legal. Do not assume that just because we believe a book is in the public domain for users in the United States, that the work is also in the public domain for users in other countries. Whether a book is still in copyright varies from country to country, and we can't offer guidance on whether any specific use of any specific book is allowed. Please do not assume that a book's appearance in Google Book Search means it can be used in any manner anywhere in the world. Copyright infringement liability can be quite severe.
About Google Book Search
Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web at http://books.google.com/
3 2044 019 963 644
!
US 26802.10
-
The gift of
CHARLES ELLIOTT PERKINS
HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY
1
1
I
I
I
.
-
0
HISTORY 11
OF
LEE COUNTY
ILLINOIS
By FRANK E. STEVENS
79T
1.7
ILLUSTRATED
VOLUME II
CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1914 17
US 268 02 .10
HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY AUG 29 1910 LMAM. ES ELLIUI PERKINS MEMORIAL COLLECTION
1 !
1
i
JASON C. AYRES
-
.
BIOGRAPHICAL
JASON C. AYRES.
Jason C. Ayres of Dixon was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, August 22, 1835. He is a son of Colonel Sylvanus and Anna (Bean) Ayres and on both sides is descended from old fam- ilies of New England founded by adventurous colonists from the mother country in early colonial days. Both his grandfathers were revolutionary soldiers and his father served in the war of 1812. His father was a native of Massachusetts and his mother of Saratoga, New York. They settled first in Herkimer county and afterwards removed to St. Lawrence county, New York, where they resided for several years. In 1836 the family moved to Indi- ana and settled on lands owned by them north of Fort Wayne, which was then a village, to make a home, in what was then an entirely new and undeveloped country. Upon the death of the father, some four years later, the widow with her family returned to Buffalo, New York, where Jason C. Ayres passed his boyhood days and acquired his early education in the schools of that city. He moved to Chicago in 1854 and in December of that year he visited Dixon for the first time, traveling by rail to Rochelle, Illi- nois, which was then the terminus of the Dixon Air Line, now the Chicago and Northwestern Railway and from thence by stage to Dixon. In March, 1855 he located in Dixon, to which place the railroad had then been completed and has since resided here. He engaged in the real-estate business as a junior partner in the firm of J. Crawford and Company, operating in the northwestern states in the location, purchase and sale of government lands. The partnership was dissolved in 1863 and Mr. Ayres continued the business alone, and in connection therewith he held the office of city clerk and treasurer for some twenty years. In the mean- time he took up the study of law and was admitted to the bar in 1870 but has since continued to give the greater part of his time and attention to real-estate and financial operations. He was one of the original stockholders and organizers of the Dixon National
5
6
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
Bank and has been president of the bank for more than thirty years.
He was married in May, 1861 to Lavina.C., daughter of Dr. John S. Crawford of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Ayres passed away September 21, 1907, survived by one daughter, Mrs. Anna A. Dement, widow of Lewmon D. Dement of Dixon, who with her daughters, Carmen L. and Rosanna V. De- ment reside with her father in the old home,-her other daughter, Esther A. Dement, having been united in marriage with Morgan Lloyd Davies of Chicago and residing in that city.
In politics Mr. Ayres has always been a republican, casting his first vote for electors for John C. Fremont, and has taken an active interest in political measures and efforts for party success, but has never sought office or any political preferment or reward. Fraternally he is a Mason, a member of Friendship Lodge, No. 7, one of the oldest lodges in the state, and of Nachusa Chapter, of Dixon Commandery, K. T., and of Freeport Consistory, A. A. S. R. thirty-second degree. Mr. Ayres is widely and favorably known as an active and efficient business man and a public-spirited and influential citizen.
:
EDWARD H. BREWSTER.
The passing years have chronicled the continuous advancement of Edward H. Brewster. He was admitted to the bar in 1892 and to practice in the supreme court of the United States in 1898. Today he is one of the leading representatives of the legal fraternity in Dixon.
Mr. Brewster was born September 20, 1865, in Marion town- ship, this county, his parents being Elbridge G. and Edee (Keyes) Brewster, both of whom were natives of Maine. Removing west- ward to Illinois in 1852, they settled in Livingston county and afterward came to Lee county, first establishing their home near Amboy but afterward taking up their abode in Marion township in 1863. There the father followed farming for a time but afterward removed to Cordova, Rock Island county.
Mr. Brewster there attended the public schools in the winter months but spent the summer seasons on a farm in Lee county. At the age of seventeen years he located permanently in this county and engaged in teaching school for five years. He divided his earn-
7
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
ings with his parents and utilized his half in meeting the expenses of a course in the Northern Illinois Normal School at Dixon. His attention was devoted to literary branches and he was graduated in 1888. As his health was somewhat impaired at that time he started, with his brother Charles W., down the Mississippi river in a row boat from Cordova, Illinois, to the gulf of Mexico hoping the outdoor life and exercise would prove beneficial. This hope was realized and in the spring of 1889 he returned to the north. He made his home with his parents but accepted a position as principal of the schools at Prairieville, Illinois, in 1889-90. At the end of the school year he went to Dixon, intent upon studying law. He had refused good positions as a teacher and in so doing looked beyond the exigencies of the moment to the possibilities and opportunities of the future. He arrived at Dixon with a cash capital of sixty- five dollars-all that he possessed-and took up bachelor quarters with a companion. He read law in the office of A. C. Bardwell, who directed his reading for two years. In the meantime he also pur- sued a law course in the Northern Illinois College of Law and was graduated with the class of 1892. The same year he opened an office in Dixon. In 1896 he was elected state's attorney for Lee county and served for four years, refusing to again be a candidate. He felt that his practice and other business interests demanded his entire attention.
Year by year he has achieved success which has been well earned. He is today regarded as one of the able and successful members of the Lee county bar, and may truly be said to be a self- made man, owing his education and his progress very largely to his own efforts. Aside from his practice he has various other business interests. He is a stockholder in the Dixon National Bank and a director in the Reynolds Wire Company of Dixon. He is likewise counsel for the Reynolds Wire Company and also for the Sandusky Portland Cement Company of Dixon. He takes a lively interest in the nomination and election of honest and capable officials. Although not a politician in the usually accepted sense of the term, he has been active in various republican county and state con- ventions and his opinions carry weight in party councils. His fraternal relations are indicated by his membership in Friendship Lodge, No. 7, A. F. & A. M., and also in Dixon Lodge, No. 779. B. P. O. E.
Mr. Brewster is also well known as a progressive farmer, having given close study to the scientific phases of crop production. He operates a farm of four hundred and eighty acres which he and
8
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
his brother own and he also oversees and attends to more than seven hundred acres owned by his wife, the last being devoted solely to the production of live stock for the Chicago market. In the management and control of the two properties Mr. Brewster displays thorough knowledge, not only of the ordinary phases of the business, but also of the great principles which underlie all agriculture.
On the 5th of February, 1902, Mr. Brewster was united in marriage to Miss Adessa Hughes, a daughter of the Hon. Charles H. and Hannah (Williams) Hughes. They now have two children, Hughes, born June 24, 1906, and Louise, born February 19, 1908. He makes his home in Dixon but spends the summers with his family at Hazelwood, a beautiful and historic spot near Dixon on the Rock river, a sketch of which appears elsewhere in this work. Mr. Brewster is a great lover of nature and enjoys outdoor life, so that he freely avails himself of the opportunity of spending the summer months in their attractive home, Hazelwood. His life record is a splendid illustration of the fact, that in this land oppor- tunity is open to all, unhampered by caste or class. Laudable ambition, energy and fair dealing have been the salient traits which have carried him to success in his professional and business career.
HENRY F. GEHANT.
Henry F. Gehant, president of the Henry F. Gehant Banking Company of West Brooklyn, has won for himself an enviable reputation in connection with financial interests not more by reason of his enterprise and progressive methods than by his straightforward, honorable dealing. Since 1866 he has made his home in Lee county and has therefore witnessed the growth and development of this section of the state for forty-seven years, taking an active part in bringing about its present prosperity since attaining man's estate. He was born near Mattoon, Illinois, May 4, 1863, and is a son of Laurent and Julia (Toullian) Gehant. The father came from France in 1854 and settled at Lee Center, where he worked in a stone quarry. He afterward purchased a farm in Shelby county, whereon he remained for ten years, return- ing to Lee county in 1866, at which time he purchased a tract of land in Brooklyn township, making his home thereon until his death, which occurred in 1897, when he had reached the age of
!
1
-
-
9
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
seventy-eight years. His wife survived until 1899 and passed away at the age of seventy-two years. They were laid to rest in the West Brooklyn cemetery.
Henry F. Gehant acquired his education in the public schools of West Brooklyn, which he attended to the age of eighteen years, from eight to thirteen weeks in the winter season being devoted to the mastery of his studies. Throughout the remainder of the year, or from the time of the early spring planting until the crops were harvested in the late autumn, he worked upon his father's farm, which he continued to develop and improve until he reached the age of twenty-four years. He purchased his first farm when twenty-two years of age and upon leaving the old homestead took up his abode upon that place-a tract of one hundred and sixty acres, in Viola township. The succeeding six years were devoted to its cultivation and improvement, after which he purchased a general mercantile establishment in West Brooklyn, carrying on that business for three years. He then sold out and established his present business in 1897. From the beginning the Henry F. Gehant Banking Company has enjoyed continuous prosperity. The banking business is carefully organized and conducted along lines of enterprise and progress and the reliability and trustworthiness of its business methods are known to all. In addition Mr. Gehant is president of the Farmers Elevator Company and is also the owner of valuable property in the county, including the old home- stead and a tract of seventy acres near the village of West Brooklyn.
On the 17th of October, 1888, at Sublette, Illinois, Mr. Gehant was married to Miss Eliza Py, a daughter of Sylvan and Mary Py. The father was a pioneer farmer who came to this county in 1848, settling in East Grove township. Both he and his wife have passed away and are laid to rest in the Catholic cemetery at Amboy. Mr. and Mrs. Gehant have become the parents of six children. Oliver, now cashier in his father's bank, was the first graduate of the West Brooklyn high school and is also a graduate of the Notre Dame University of Indiana, where he received a gold medal for having made the highest percentage in his studies among the graduates of that year. Julian is the wife of Joseph P. Soudgroth, a farmer of Viola township, and is a graduate of the West Brooklyn high school. Henry W., also a graduate of that school, is now a rural mail carrier and also assistant cashier with the Henry F. Gehant Banking Company. Mary and Albert are both high school pupils and Ruth is a student in the public schools.
10
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
In his political views Mr. Gehant is a democrat and upon the party ticket was elected to the office of township clerk, in which he served for two years. He has also been president of the village board for eight consecutive terms and has been supervisor of Brooklyn township for seven years. He has likewise been a mem- ber of the general assembly for two years and in all of these offices has been most faithful and loyal. The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church and Mr. Gehant belongs to the Catholic Order of Foresters. Laudable ambition has actuated him in all of his business career and he finds his greatest happiness in providing well for his family. What he undertakes he carries forward to successful completion, allowing no obstacles or difficul- ties to bar his path if they can be overcome by persistent and determined effort.
SYLVANUS COBB HAUSEN.
Sylvanus Cobb Hausen, who resided on section 3, China town- ship, was born in Maine, October 17, 1825, and died on his farm a mile west of Franklin Grove, January 17, 1912. He had long been a resident of this part of the state and was therefore well known, while his many substantial traits of character gained for him the respect and good-will of all. His parents were Charles and Mary Jane Hausen. His father, a native of Germany, came to the United States and took part in the Revolutionary war, act- ing as forage master in Washington's army. In the family were five sons: William Henry, Harrison, Charles, Sylvanus and Nor- man, but Charles is the only one now living. The two eldest came to Illinois in 1838, and Sylvanus C. Hausen arrived in the fall of 1840 in company with his brother Charles. The father had purchased a claim in Lee county which he afterward sold to the subject of this review.
Sylvanus C. Hausen was but fifteen years of age when he came to Illinois. Throughout the entire period of his residence in this state he was connected with agricultural pursuits. He bought from his father the claim which the latter secured from the gov- ernment and upon that place Sylvanus C. Hausen continued to engage in general farming until his death. He originally had one hundred and twenty acres in the old homestead, to which he after- ward added a tract of forty acres. He brought his farm to a
Sylvanus G. Hansen
TIP: " LEE COUNTY
i. fant is a democrat and upon 1 . i've of township clerk, in which i. . ... been president of the village and has been supervisor of He has Fiowise been a nt. :: . y ars and in all of these offer : To . religious faith of the family Mr. Cohant belongs to th. debie m. Leton has actual. d Min. ime time: a s greatest happiness is. undertakes he carries " { no chstacles or diffi. nl-
"come by persistent and
-
. And an section 3. China town. 1. 182 . and died on his farm: tuary 17, 1912. He had lear; state and was therefore wall .! traits of character gained for : . 8. Hi- parents were Charles adler, a native of Germany, came it !; the Revolutionary war, act- "us army. To the family were ·n, Charles, Sylvanus and Nor- How living. The two eldest this 0. Hausen arrived in the , Brother Charles. The father
.winty which he afterward sold to
. " years of age when he carne
; : od of his residence in this ritual pursuits. He bought De fetter seenmed from the gov . mis C. Hausen continued to Math. He originally had one
He bought his farm to a .it homestead, to which he after-
1
Sylvanus 6. Hansen
13
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
high state of cultivation and employed modern, progressive methods in its development and improvement. This did not cover the extent of his possessions, however, for from time to time he added to his holdings until he was the owner of about eight hun- dred acres in this county at the time of his demise. About 1908 he erected a large brick residence containing twelve rooms and he added many other substantial improvements to his place, includ- ing substantial barns and outbuildings adequate for the shelter of grain and stock.
In 1859 Mr. Hausen was united in marriage to Miss Sabrina Jane Fellows, who was born in Baldwinsville, New York, Septem- ber 30, 1839, a daughter of David and Harriet (Lobdell) Fellows, who were natives of Westford, New York. They removed from New York to Belvidere, Illinois, in the year 1855 and afterward went to Michigan, where their last days were passed. Mrs. Hausen was a young lady of sixteen years when she came to this state and remained in Belvidere until her marriage. To Mr. and Mrs. Hausen were born five children: Ida C., who is the widow of Frank Moulton and resides in Nachusa township; Charles Fred- erick, living in the same township; Lillian, the wife of Loren J. Townsend, of Charles City, Iowa; Grace, the wife of Simon D. Remley, of Franklin Grove; and May E., the wife of George W. Brown, who is living on the old homestead.
Mr. Hausen was named for a Universalist preacher, and it was the faith of that church that he followed throughout his life. In politics he was a democrat. He did not seek to figure promi- nently in any public connection being content to faithfully per- form his daily duties and enjoy the rewards which his labors brought to him. His life was a busy and useful one, and his was the first death which occurred upon the old homestead that his father had entered from the government many years before.
MAJOR OBADIAH J. DOWNING.
Few men living today are more familiar with the history of the state than Major Obadiah J. Downing, of Dixon, now a venerable man of seventy-eight years. Although he has advanced far on life's journey and the snows of many winters have whitened his hair, the springtime of youth is in his heart. In spirit and in his interests he has never seemed to grow old and, keeping in touch
14
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
through wide reading with the world's progress, he converses most interestingly upon subjects of. vital moment to city, state and nation. Yet Major Downing was one of the supporters of Fremont in 1856 and was one of the earliest merchants of northern Illinois. His birth occurred at North Hempstead, Queens county, New York, in 1835 and he is descended from good old Revolutionary stock, his ancestors having been among the earliest settlers of the Empire state. The old colonial farmhouse which was the family homestead was the birthplace of his great-grandfather and of succeeding generations down to the present time. George Downing, the great- grandfather, spent his entire life in New Hampshire and was a soldier in the Continental army, serving under General Woodhull in the struggle for American independence.
After spending the first fifteen years of his life in Queens county, Long Island, New York, Major Downing made his way westward to Chicago to accept the position of clerk in the store of his uncle, Obadiah Jackson. That year the railroad was extended westward and Mr. Jackson, who was the proprietor of one of the leading wholesale houses of Chicago of that day, planned to extend his business by establishing branch stores. He carried a complete line of general merchandise and people came from a distance of one hundred and fifty miles to trade with him. In 1853 with the build- ing of the railroad he opened the first store in Kankakee, Illinois, and placed his nephew, Major Downing, in charge. The latter suc- cessfully managed the business until 1855, when with the building of the railroad to Warren, Jo Daviess county, Illinois, Mr. Jackson sent him there to open another store. A year later ill health com- pelled Major Downing to resign his position and he returned to New York, where he engaged in farming and took up the study of law.
At the beginning of the Civil war, however, he put aside all business and personal considerations and joined the first cavalry regiment organized for service in the Union army. On account of delay in effecting the full organization, however, it was organized as the Second New York Regiment of Cavalry and was attached to the army of the Potomac, in all of the battles of which Major Downing took an active part with the exception of the first battle of Bull Run. On the 2d of May, 1864, at Richmond, Virginia, he was captured and was not exchanged until the 22d of February, 1865, in the meantime suffering all of the hardships of southern prison life. When released he rejoined his regiment and as a member of the staff of General Custer served until the clown of the
15
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
war. About the 10th of April, 1865, he was detailed to Washington to deposit some flags and was in Ford's Theatre on the night of April 14th, when President Lincoln was shot, and went with the party that conveyed the president to his house across the street. Continuing in the capital until the close of hostilities, he there participated in the Grand Review, when thousands of victorious Union soldiers marched through the city, passing along the broad Pennsylvania avenue, over which hung a banner inscribed "The only debt which this country owes that she cannot pay is the debt which she owes her soldiers."
Our subject was commissioned lieutenant on his entrance into the army and was promoted to the ranks of captain and major. He was commissioned colonel by brevet toward the close of the war.
On the 5th of June, 1865, Major Downing was honorably dis- charged and after his return to the north was elected a member of the New York legislature for the years 1866 and 1867. He served for two terms and in the latter year again came to Illinois, locating at Dixon, where he began the manufacture of flax bagging at Dixon, this being the first flax tow bagging made in the United States. The factory which he occupied is still standing on the bank of Rock river. He conducted the business for two years and then sold out, turning his attention to agricultural pursuits, which he followed in both Lee and Kane counties, purchasing three hundred acres of land in Lee county and six hundred acres in Kane county. He resided in Kane county until 1876, when he returned to Dixon and here engaged in the agricultural implement business until 1877. He retired permanently from business cares in 1892 and has since lived in the enjoyment of a rest which he has truly earned and richly merits. He has made judicious investment of his capital, so that he derives a very gratifying annual income. He is one of the directors of the City National Bank and was also a director of the old Lee County Bank, having been elected in 1883.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.