Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 8th ed., Part 31

Author: Calumet Book & Engraving Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Chicago : Calumet Book and Engraving Co.
Number of Pages: 930

USA > Illinois > Cook County > Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 8th ed. > Part 31

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The last-named was born at Pompey, New York, July 16, 1817. His early boyhood was passed upon a farm, the time being varied with attendance at the country school and one or two terms at a select school. In the seventeenth year of his age he turned his back upon his home and early associations, determined to seek his fortune in the western wilds of Michigan, a point which seemed as remote at that time as China or Japan are to the people of Chicago at the present day. With all his possessions packed in a small hand satchel, he made the journey from Syracuse to Buffalo by way of the Erie Canal. At the latter city he met a former school-mate, whose

hospitable reception served to alleviate the pangs of homesickness which he had begun to feel, and permitted him to continue the journey with a cheerful heart. The steamer "Daniel Webster" bore him from Buffalo to Detroit, whence he traveled by stage to Saline, Michigan, a frontier town, in which his uncle, Thomas H. Marsh, was engaged in the practice of law. At the lat- ter's suggestion he determined to fit himself for that profession, but in the mean time was obliged to become a clerk in a general store in order to earn a livelihood. He spent several years in that way, pursuing his legal studies by night, and at odd intervals, often burning his tallow candle or dip until 3 o'clock in the morning. Once each year during her lifetime, he made the journey to New York to visit his mother. In 1843 he was admitted to the bar at Ann Arbor, and for a num- ber of years thereafter he was engaged in legal practice in that city and the adjacent towns, re- taining his residence at Saline. He was subse- quently employed by mercantile houses in New York City to attend to their legal business through the West, his operations extending to several States.

In 1863 he located in Chicago, where he has ever since been engaged in general practice. His first office was on Randolph Street, and at the time of the city's destruction by fire, eight years after his arrival, his place of business was at No. 87 Washington Street. At that time he had an elegant residence on the lake shore, at Whitney Street (now Walton Place), which, with its con- tents, was also destroyed. He and his family barely escaped with a horse and buggy, taking such few articles as they could carry and fifteen dollars in cash. Driving to the country on the north-west side of the city, they encamped on the prairie for the first night, amid thousands of other homeless refugees. Many victims of that awful holocaust who had less reason to feel discouraged than Mr. Humphreville, gave up in despair, but though then past fifty years of age, he set res- olutely about the task of retrieving his fortunes and providing a home for his family. In a few days lie secured the use of a building at the cor- ner of Green and Van Buren Streets, which served

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DELOS HULL.

for a time the double purpose of office and resi- dence, the office portion being shared with several other attorneys. Old and new clients began to seek his services, and a prosperous practice was soon established. Since May 27, 1881, his home. has been at River Forest, and for twelve years past he has served as police magistrate of that village. The high regard in which he is held by members of his profession and the uniform fair- ness of his decisions cause many cases to be brought to his court for adjudication from all parts of the city and county.

Mr. Huinphreville was married December 31, 1843, at Saline, Michigan, to Miss Ann Eliza Oliphant, a native of Barnegat, New Jersey. She died in April, 1846, leaving one daughter, Anna Eugenia, now the wife of R. M. Van Ars- dale, of New York City. Mr. Humphreville was again married, July 16, 1848, the bride being Mary Ann Gurley, daughter of Dr. Royal and Sally (Post) Gurley, of Saline, Michigan. This lady was born in Ontario County, Michigan, and died at River Forest, Illinois, June 20, 1885, aged nearly fifty-two years. She bore her hus-

band five sons, named respectively, James Royal, Torrence Liberty, Erasmus Darwin, Gurley Mc- Clellan and Louie D. The second son is engaged in business at Fondis, Elbert County, Colorado, and all the others reside in Cook County.

Mr. Humphreville has always been a consistent Democrat. He cast his first Presidential vote for Martin Van Buren in 1840, and recalls many in- teresting reminiscences of that famous "hard cider" campaign. He was postmaster at Saline, Michigan, for eight years or more, receiving his official commission from President Tyler. Mr. Humphreville also served several terms as Cir- cuit Court Commissioner in Washtenaw County, Michigan. In 1885 he was appointed postmaster at River Forest by President Cleveland, holding that office until its consolidation, four years later, with the Oak Park office. Though nearly eighty years of age, he is still as sprightly and active as most men of forty or fifty. The dignified and honorable course which he has always pursued, whether acting in an official capacity or in that of a private citizen, causes him to be universally . esteemed.

DELOS HULL.

12 ELOS HULL, one of the most patriotic and public-spirited citizens of Oak Park, was born at Lafayette, Onondaga County, New York, April 12, 1842. Heisa son of Edward H. Hull and Maria Van Valkenburgh, the former of whom was born at Truxton, Cortland County, New York, November 1, 1806, and died at Lombard, Illinois, May 22, 1878. He learned his father's trade, that of miller, and afterwards en- gaged in mercantile business at De Ruyter, New York. Later he read law with A. Scott Sloan, since a judge of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin, and also with H. C. Miner, at De Ruyter, New

York. In 1852 he headed a company of sixteen emigrants who went to California by way of the isthmus. There he engaged in mining for two years, and afterwards operated a grist mill at San Jose, an enterprise which proved quite remunera- tive. In the spring of 1856 he returned to New York, and the next fall came to Illinois, making his home at Lombard, where he practiced law during the remainder of his life. He filled a number of public offices in Du Page County, in- cluding those of district attorney, clerk of the circuit court and county recorder.

The ancestry of this family has been traced to

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DELOS HULL.

Tristram Hull, who came from Hull, England, in 1632, and settled on Nantucket Island. He was a sea-faring man and commanded a merchant ves- sel. He and his people were Quakers and suf- fered their share of the persecution which was accorded to their sect in those days. One of his female relatives was burned at the stake for "her- esy" on the public square of Boston. John Hull, one of the descendants of Tristram Hull, laid out the city of Hudson, New York, at which place his son, George, the father of Edward Hull, was born in 1787. George Hull died at Oak Park in 1886, lacking only six months of being one hun- dred years old. His mother, whose maiden name was Anna Haight, reached the age of ninety-four years. Sallie Barnard, who became the wife of George Hull, was the daughter of a sea captain, who was a relative of Benjamin Franklin. Her mother's maiden name was Myrick.

Mrs. Maria Hull was born at Canaan, Colum- bia County, New York, in August, 1812. The names of her parents were Lambert Van Valken- burgh and Freelove Aylesworth. Mr. Van Valk- enburgh was a scion of one of the Knickerbocker families, and became a prominent farmer near Lockport, Niagara County, New York, where he settled about 1820. Mrs. Hull is now living at Oak Park, having reached the venerable age of eighty-five years. She is the mother of five sons and one daughter who survived the period of childhood. Of these, George Henry and Frank- lin are now deceased; Thomas M. is a well-known citizen of Wheaton, Illinois; Dewitt C., who served two years in Company D, Seventeenth New York Cavalry, died in July, 1865, from disease contracted in the service; Delos is a twin brother of the last-named; and Sally J. is the widow of Liberty Jones, and now resides at Oak Park.

Delos Hull was six years old when the family removed to De Ruyter, New York, where he at- tended the public schools and the Seventh Day Baptist Seminary. In June, 1858, he came to Lombard, Illinois, and continued his studies for a time. His first business experience was acquired as clerk in a general store in Lombard, and in 1860 he began teaching in the country schools

near that village. The next spring he became a bookkeeper in the first steam laundry opened in Chicago, but abandoned that occupation to go to the defense of his country, enlisting on the 20th of August, 1861, in Company H, Eighth Regi- ment Illinois Cavalry, known as Farnsworth's Black Abolition Regiment. He served in the Ar- my of the Potomac during his entire service, being in almost constant activity until July 21, 1865, when he was honorably discharged. He partici- pated in nearly all of the engagements of that arıny, including many cavalry fights and a num- ber of general battles, among which may be men- tioned Williamsburgh, Fredericksburg, Antietam, Gettysburg, South Mountain, and the Seven Days' Campaign in the Wilderness. The next morning after the battle of South Mountain his regiment was sent out to Boonesboro to reconnoiter, and unexpectedly encountered a force of four thousand Confederates, which they defeated in a hand to hand fight, by the use of seven-shooting carbines, which had then just been introduced, and took the enemy considerably by surprise. It was in this conflict Mr. Hull was struck by a spent ball, which was stopped by a diary in his pocket, but escaped serious injury throughout, which seems almost miraculous, considering the many dangers to which he was exposed.

Upon the return of peace he was employed for about one year by the American Express Compa- ny in Chicago, and in the fall of 1866 he went to Lockport, New York, where he was in the employ of his uncle, D. A. Van Valkenburgh. Two years later he returned to' Lombard and engaged in farmning and dairying. But he was of too active and enterprising a spirit to be long contented in that occupation. In the fall of 1870 he became assistant bookkeeper in the Chicago office of the Weed Sewing Machine Company, and soon after took charge of its city business. One year later he became the state agent of that concern for Min- nesota, making his headquarters at St. Paul. He afterwards traveled for three years as special rep- resentative of the company, and about 1876 start- ed an independent city agency in Chicago in company with J. W. Kettlestrings. He subse- quently became traveling representative of tlie

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A. H. PRESTON.

clothing house of Charles P. Kellogg & Company, which connection was continued until his appoint- ment, June 1, 1889, to the office of postmaster at Oak Park, a position which he held until April, 1894. During the previous year he had purchased the coal business of Johnston & Company, at that village, to which he has since devoted most of his time and attention. Under his management the trade has grown to considerable proportions, and besides doing an extensive retail business, which employs a number of inen and teams, a wholesale office was established in Chicago, May 1, 1897. He is also president of the Oak Park Business Men's Association.

December 31, 1868, Mr. Hull was married, at Oak Park, Illinois, to Amelia E. Whaples, daugh- ter of Reuben Whaples, one of the pioneers of

northern Illinois. Of three children born to this union, two sons died in infancy, the only survivor being a daughter, Mabel L., now the wife of George Sinden, of Oak Park. Mr. Hull is a member of the First Congregational Church of Oak Park; and, being naturally of a social and genial nature, has affiliated with a num- ber of fraternal organizations, among which may be mentioned the Masonic order, the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, Grand Army of the Republic, and the Royal League. Hehas al- ways been a stanch Republican, but has never filled any elective office. Embodying the phys- ical vigor and unswerving devotion to principle which distinguished many of his progenitors, lie commands the respect and admiration of all with whom he comes in contact.

AUGUSTUS H. PRESTON.

UGUSTUS HITCHCOCK PRESTON en- joys the unique distinction of being the old- est locomotive engineer (measured in years of continuons service) whose headquarters is Chicago. He has been in the railway train serv- ice for about forty-five years, and since 1855 has been employed as an engineer on the lines now in- cluded in the Chicago & Northwestern system. During all this time he has never lost a whole month nor been suspended for any cause. He has covered in all about 2,200,000 miles, and though by the rules of the company he was entitled to retire on a pension several years since, he is still hale and hearty, and continues to cover his daily route with the regularity of clock-work.

Mr. Preston was born at Atwater, Ohio, De- cember 1, 1831, the names of his parents being Justus and Sina (Hall) Preston. The ancestors of Justus Preston were among the colonial emigrants who came from England and settled in this coun-

try in 1635. He was born near Meriden, Con- necticut, where his father died about ten years subsequent to his birth. The boy learned the trade of wheel-wright, and during the War of 1812 spent about three months in military service, being employed in defense of the New England coast. He subsequently removed to Atwater, Ohio, and followed his trade there for a number of years. Thence he removed his family and ef- fects with ox-teams to Illinois in 1837.

He settled at Sycamore, DeKalb County, near which place he bought a large tract of land from the United States Government and engaged in farming. He was a natural mechanic, and made most of his agricultural implements, besides erecting his farm buildings. His first house at this place, which was built of logs and roofed with split shingles, did not contain a single nail. He died June 2, 1847, at the age of fifty-three years. He was a man of simple tastes, who concerned

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A. H. PRESTON.

himself but little with public affairs. He was married at Meriden, Connecticut, to Lodema Brockett, who died at Atwater, Ohio, about 1827, leaving one son, Jared, a farmer now residing at Genoa, Illinois. Mr. Preston's second wife was a Miss Hall, of Wallingford, Connecticut, to whom he was united January 18, 1829. She died Feb- ruary 26, 1869, at the age of sixty-seven years. She was the mother of six children, as follows: Henry, who died at Genoa, Illinois, in February, 1868, in the thirty-eighth year of his age; Au- gustus H .; Charles; George; Norman and Eliza- beth, Mrs. De Witt Greene. The last-named lives in Chicago, the two youngest sons live at Sycamore, and Charles at Genoa, Illinois.

Augustus H. Preston spent most of his boy- hood upon his father's farm. While driving thence to Chicago in June, 1847, he saw a loco- motive for the first time in his life, near the pres- ent village of Oak Park. The following fall he came to the city and began to learn the black- smith trade, in the shop of Hollingsworth & Pierce, which stood on the east side of Canal Street, between Randolph and Lake Streets, west of which was then a long stretch of open prairie. In July, 1852, he began work on the Michigan Central Railroad, as a fireman, and on the 24th of June of the following year, entered the employ of the Chicago & Galena Union Railroad. Two years later he was promoted to the position of engineer, in which capacity he was first employed on a gravel train at Sterling, Illinois. For two years, beginning in 1857, he drew an accommo- dation train between that place and Fulton, hatıl- ing all the freight and passengers between those points. After this he was placed in charge of passenger trains between Chicago and Fulton, and since the consolidation of the road with the Chicago & Northwestern in 1864, has been al- most constantly employed on passenger trains. For several years he spent two weeks of each month drawing the pay-car over the entire sys- tem. From 1865 to 1890 he drew nearly all the special fast trains sent out over the road. In June, 1866, he hauled a special fast excursion train to Omaha and return, for the officials of the road, and two months later took a party of editors

to Omaha on another fast run. In June, 1876, he took the Jurrett & Palmer Special Fast Con- tinental Train from Chicago to Clinton, covering the distance of 140 miles in two hours and thirty minutes, stopping eight minutes for water. This was the fastest time made by the train on any di- vision between New York and San Francisco. In the period covered by the World's Fair Mr. Preston covered 96,000 miles and carried 100,000 passengers. During his connection with this system he has drawn material for the construction of about 150 miles of its lines, and for three months drew a passenger train between Clinton and Marshalltown, Iowa, when there was not a house along the route.

Mr. Preston was married September 8, 1856, to Eliza, daughter of Dorastus and Juliet (Saf- ford) Wright, of Elgin, Illinois. Mrs. Preston was born at Malone, New York, and came to Illinois with her parents in 1849. Her father, who was a carpenter by trade, was born at Fair- field, Vermont, and died at Nelson, Illinois, in 1864, aged sixty-six years, his remains being in- terred at Elgin. Both he and his wife were of English lineage, and sprang from some of the earliest Vermont families. Mrs. Juliet Wright died at Elgin in 1863, at the age of fifty-three years. She was born at Cambridge, Vermont, and was a daughter of Eric Safford, whose father, David Safford, served as an officer in the Con- tinental Army.

Mr. and Mrs. Preston are the parents of five children, of whom the following is the record: Frank D. is an engineer on the Chicago & North- western Railroad, living at Oak Park; Harry W., who lives at Danville, Illinois, holds a similar position on the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Rail- road; Juliet is the wife of C. H. Haight, of New York City; Percy C. is a fireman on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, residing at Elgin, Illi- nois; and Jessie M. is still with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Preston are communicants of Grace Church (Episcopal) of Oak Park, and the for- mer is a member of the Brotherhood of Loco- motive Engineers and of the Masonic order, be- ing identified with Harlem Lodge No. 540, and Cicero Chapter No. 180.

LIBRARY OF THE ONIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

WILLIAM BEYE

WILLIAM BEYE. .

215

WILLIAM BEYE.

ILLIAM BEYE. In the death of William Beye, which occurred at his home in Oak Park, April 10, 1897, Cook County lost a patriotic and exemplary citizen, and the city of Chicago lost an energetic and useful business man. Though an alien by birth, he was a thorough rep- resentative of American principles and senti- ments, and 110 citizen of the United States could have been more loyal to the traditions of this country.

He was born in Halle, Duchy of Brunswick, Germany, May 12, 1841. He was the son of Henry and Hannah (Bummer) Beye, his father's name being probably of French origin. Henry Beye was the proprietor of a stone quarry which furnished material for buildings. He died in Halle, in the fall of 1886, at the age of eighty-three years. He was a prominent citizen, interested in public affairs, of temperate habits, and a mem- ber of the Lutheran Church. Mrs. Hannah Beye died at the age of fifty-three years, in 1857, leaving four children, namely: Hannah (Mrs. Wiechert), former wife of C. Lember, who was killed near Stover, Missouri, soon after the Civil War commenced. (He was a Union soldier and was killed by a guerrilla.) Henry, who died Sep- tember 13, 1895, in Marshall County, Iowa, at the age of sixty years; William; and Fred, who still lives at the old homestead in Germany. Hen- ry Beye, senior, married a second time, having one daughter, now Mrs. Eiler, of Marslıall Count- ty, Iowa.

William Beye lived in his native country until he was fifteen years old, receiving a common- school education. In 1856 he came to the United States, locating in Elk Grove Township, Cook County, with his cousin, Louis Albright. He

spent the next few years in farm work, attending school in winter. In September, 1861, he en- listed in Company D, Eighth Illinois Cavalry, and was mustered out in the Army of the Poto- mac. After serving two and one-half years, he re-enlisted in the same company. He took part in the battles of Williamsburg and Fair Oaks, when Companies F and D acted as body guard of General Keyes throughout the seven-days fight. On the last day of this campaign, the troops on the James River were overtaken by a terrific thun- derstorm, and many of the men thought the last day of the world had come. On reaching Alex- andria, they were joined by Pope's returning army. The next fight was at South Mountain, where they met Allen Pinkerton, who brought news of the surrender of Harper's Ferry. During the week between South Mountain and Antietam, there was alınost constant fighting. His regi- ment held a bridge leading towards Sharpsburg, under fire of a Confederate battery. Mr. Beye took part in the review of the army by President Lincoln, soon after which General Burnside took command. After the battle of Fredericksburg they were sent further South, and guarded thie ex- treme left of the army during the following winter. In June, 1863, Mr. Beye was at Chancellorsville under General Hooker. During Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania, they came almost every day into active service.

On the second day of Gettysburg Mr. Beye was left a target for many rebel bullets, in an open field, having been separated from the rest of the company. Before the battle closed, liis regiment, with others, was sent to Boonesboro, to intercept the retreat of the enemy. They had constant figliting for a week, wlien Lee recrossed the Poto-

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A. A. KNAPP.

mac. After the battle of Gettysburg they were alternately driving and being driven, till the two armies confronted each other on the Rappahan- nock, in the second battle of Fredericksburg. In the spring of 1864 his brigade was employed in keeping the guerrillas in subjection in Lowdon Valley. During General Early's advance 11pon Washington, in the summer of 1864, they were employed in the defense of that city. From this time until Lee's surrender, their headquarters were at Fairfax Court House. They received the news of Lincoln's assassination about one o'clock on the inorning following its occurrence, with orders to guard all roads and ferries. The regiment acted as an escort at his funeral, soon after which they were sent by way of the Baltimore & Ohio Rail- road to Parkersburg, Virginia, thence down the Ohio River to Saint Louis, where they were mus- tered out.

Returning to Illinois, Mr. Beye attended the Elgin Academy one winter, then entered Bryant & Stratton's Business College, and obtained a sit- uation in the county treasurer's office, where he remained sixteen years. For twelve years he was left in complete charge, as assistant treasurer, 1111- der eight different heads of that department. His reliability in discharging the duties of that respon- sible position was so generally recognized that the bondsmen of each successive treasurer, during this time, required his retention in that place.

In the spring of 1883 Mr. Beye entered into partnership with James H. Heald, forming the grain and commission firm of William Beye & Company. In the following winter they were joined by J. C. Howell, the firm becoming Howell, Beye & Company, which firm continued to do business until 1889, when Mr. Beye withdrew and became a stockholder in the well-known McNeill & Higgins Company, wholesale grocers, and he was identified with it until his death. He was also to some extent interested in banking in the city.

In 1878 he was married to Miss Nellie C. Lom- bard, of Boston, Massachusetts, and they had eight children, who are still living, namely: Han- mah C .; Marian and William, junior, who are students at Oak Park High School; Cudworth, Howard, Edward Lawrence, Elizabeth and Hel- en J.

The family of William Beye has lived in Oak Park since 1884, and attends the Unity Church in that village. Mr. Beye was always a Republican in politics. He was a member of the Oak Park Club, which he served as president, and of Phil Sheridan Post, Grand Army of the Republic. For a number of years he was a member of the board of education in Oak Park.

After a very short illness Mr. Beye died, as above noted, at his home, No. 242 Maple Avenue, in Oak Park.

ALBERT A. KNAPP.

A LBERT ASA KNAPP, a well-known biisi- ness man of Oak Park, was born in the town of York, Du Page County, Illinois, January 20, 1852, and is a son of Asa Knapp, of whom an extended notice appears elsewhere in this volume. He spent his boyhood on his father's farm, and attended the district school. Later he became a

student at Wheaton College, and after completing his studies returned to the farm. From 1872 to 1882 he carried on a cotton plantation at Atliens, Alabama. In the latter year he again took 11p farming in Du Page County, which he continued until 1891, when he removed to Oak Park and opened a livery business. He is still engaged in

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Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 8th ed., Part 31

Author: Calumet Book & Engraving Company, Chicago Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Chicago : Calumet Book and Engraving Co. Number of Pages: 930

Author: Calumet Book & Engraving Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Chicago : Calumet Book and Engraving Co.
Number of Pages: 930