Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, Volume 1899, Part 79

Author: La Salle Book Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : La Salle Book Co.
Number of Pages: 910

USA > Illinois > Cook County > Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, Volume 1899 > Part 79

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543

L. C. CLARK.

LYMAN C. CLARK.

YMAN C. CLARK is one of the leading and prominent business men of Turner, where he has made his home since 1870. During the years which have since passed, he has con- tinuously engaged in the insurance business. He was born June 10, 1833, in Darien, Genesee County, N. Y., and is a son of Henry S. and Deb- orah R. (Carpenter) Clark. The paternal grand- father, Joshua Clark, was a Revolutionary soldier and served under Gens. Washington and Green. He was a native of Rhode Island, and after his re- moval to New York he took up several hundred acres of land. Throughout his life he followed farming as a livelihood. A prominent and influ- ential citizen, lie was honored with the office of Justice of the Peace for over forty years. His death occurred in the Empire State at the ad- vanced age of eighty-seven. In his family were thirteen children, twelve of whom grew to mature years. The maternal grandfather of our subject, James Carpenter, was a native of Connecticut, and his entire life was spent in that State, where he died at an advanced age.

Henry S. Clark was born in Rhode Island, and became a contractor and builder of New York. He also engaged in painting, and his death was the result of his being poisoned by paint, in 1855, at the age of sixty-two years. His wife, who was born in Connecticut, died in the Empire State in1 1881, at the age of eighty-four. Both were members of the Baptist Church, and the father was a local preacher of that denomina- tion. He served as a soldier in the War of 1812, and his widow received a pension on that account. In their family were four sons and five daugliters, of whom the following are now living: Henry H .; Lyman C .; Lorinda E., wife of William Waldron1,

of Trenton, Canada; and Susan M., wife of Albert Blackman, of Erie County, N. Y. Two brothers lost their lives during the late war. Jerome was killed at Bentonville, N. C., and Dennis died at home from injuries received in the service.

We now take up the personal history of our subject, who was reared in the State of his nativ- ity, and in the common schools of the neighbor- hood acquired a good English education. When about fourteen years of age, he began learning the trade of carriage-maker, which he followed continuously until 1865. The following year he emigrated westward and took up his residence in Davenport, Iowa, where he embarked in the life- insurance business. In 1870 he came to Turner, where he has since devoted his time and energies to the same pursuit with good success.

On the 18th of September, 1855, Mr. Clark was united in marriage with Miss Laura E. Babcock, daughter of Rev. R. and Lucinda (Gilbert) Bab- cock, the former a native of Massachusetts, and the latter of New York. Seven children have been born of this union, two sons and five daugh- ters. Altie Florence is the wife of C. E. Norris, of Turner, by whom she has four children: Charles H., Carroll W., Ernest L. and Florence. Clar- ence Henry, deceased, was a twin brother of Altie Florence. Clara Louise, Henrietta and Charles Herbert are all deceased. Ella Laura is the wife of E. B. Holmes, of Turner; and Lulu Pauline completes the family.

The parents are both members of the Method- ist Episcopal Church and take a most active part in church and benevolent work. Mr. Clark has been Steward of the church for thirty-seven con- secutive years, and has also served as Trustee and Class-leader for many years. He is now Su-

544

E. H. CASTLE.

perintendent of the Sunday-school, which is mak- ing good progress under his able management. He has also been prominently identified with tem- perance work. In politics, he is a Republican, and socially is connected with Amity Lodge No. 472, A. F. & A. M .; Doric Chapter No. 166, R. A. M .; and Siloam Commandery No. 54, of Oak Park. He and his wife are both members of the Order of the Eastern Star. Mr. Clark has a good

home and other town property in Turner, and is numbered among the valued and representative citizens of this community. He has lived an up- right, honorable life, and his career is one well worthy of emulation. He has the confidence and high regard of all with whom lie has been brought in contact, and it is with pleasure that we present to our readers this record of his life.

EDWARD HERRICK CASTLE.

DWARD HERRICK CASTLE. To the Dutchess County, which manufactured flour for student of human progress, or the youth who seeks an example worthy of his emulation, the history of this successful inan offers especially interesting features. His career has been full of adventure and excitement, and yet the experi- ences of his life have made his mind philosophical and his heart sympathetic. When he was born, the nation was young and still almost an experi- ment, so that men were not encouraged to ven- ture into strange fields of action. He has lived to see the American nation become one of the great- est of the earth; and now, in his old age, he re- joices that he has been permitted to witness the triumph of the institutions of liberty.

E. H. Castle was born in Amenia, Dutchess County, N. Y., on the 5th of August, 1811, and is now nearing the completion of his eighty-third year. His great-grandfather, Gideon Castle, was one of the early Colonists who came from Eng- land. A brother went to Virginia, while another accompanied him to New York. Gideon, son of Gideon Castle, who lived to the age of ninety- six years, occupied an honorable place in his- tory as a member of Gen. Washington's per- sonal staff. He was with the immortal eon1- mander through the Revolutionary War as Com- missary of Subsistence. He owned a mill in

the Continental army. After the treaty of peace he removed to Amenia, where his son, William Castle, father of the subject of this biography, passed his life. His farm was situated about two miles from the village of Amenia, and here Ed- ward H. Castle grew up to be a strong and hearty youth, full of ambition. He longed to go to sea and visit strange lands, and to make his fortune in the world. However, he remained upon his father's farın until about ten years of age, attend- ing the small school in the vicinity. He after- ward attended Dr. Taylor's academy in Cortland County, but his restless disposition soon drove him to sea, and he shipped on a bark bound for a distant port. After a voyage of many months, he returned to find his mother dead and the house- hold in mourning.

This seems to have been a turning-point in Mr. Castle's life. The death of his dear mother af- fected him deeply. He had started out into the world full of youth's bright hopes, and this sud- den bereavement was a severe blow. He had not been permitted to close the dying eyes of his best friend on earth, or receive her last blessing. He determined to honor her memory by making something of himself. In deference to his father's earnest wish, he consented to enter the office of

545

E. H. CASTLE.

his father's attorney, Samuel Perkins, and take up the study of law. He studied faithfully two years, until an attack of measles resulted in a partial loss of his eyesight. He had long been convinced that he was not calculated to make a lawyer, and on being relieved from his studies, he began to look about for an opportunity to enter a business life, much to his father's disappoint- ment. His subsequent fortune shows the wisdom of his choice.

Soon after attaining his majority, on the· Ist of September, 1832, Mr. Castle started out from his father's home in Freetown, Cortland County, whither he had moved from Dutchess County. He traveled on foot over a lonely road to Carbon- dale, Pa., one hundred miles distant. At Car- bondale, Deacon Hodgden had a force of men and horses employed in hauling coal from the mines to the canal. Young Castle applied to him for employment, and was offered $14 per month and board. He stipulated, however, for what he proved to be worth at the end of three months, a unique plan, which was accepted by the Deacon with alacrity. Before the day of settlement came around, Castle was foreman and was paid $40 per month. By gradual increase his salary soon rose to $100 per month, and he shortly bought out his employer, giving in payment his personal note, which was promptly paid when due.

After three years of business, Mr. Castle en- tered into partnership with Stephen Clark, and the firm carried on a large lumber trade and opened a general store. They also secured through attorneys the lease of the Fall Brook coal mines for ninety-nine years, and added mining to their lumbering and mercantile business. Mr. Castle finally became sole owner by purchasing his part- ner's interest, and continued to prosper until his store and stock were destroyed by fire in 1838.

The year previous to that last above mentioned had brought reports to Mr. Castle's Pennsyl- vania home of the wonderful village on the shore of Lake Michigan, under the shadow of Ft. Dear- born. During that year this village began to be a thriving business center, and streets were opened a far west along the main river as the north and sou:n branches. A paper was established by

John Calhoun, of New York, and was making the prospective advantages of the town knowil. Although he had been very successful in Carbon- dale, Mr. Castle felt that the growing West of- fered him greater advantages than he had hith- erto enjoyed. He purchased a stock of goods in Philadelphia, which was transported by the only method then known-by wagon-over the mom1- tains to Pittsburgh. Here he added iron, nails, and the heavy goods manufactured at Pittsburgh, and chartered a steamer to carry his stock, with which he proceeded down the Ohio and up the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers to Peru. Here he decided to open business, and soon after started another store at Joliet, having added to his stock at St. Louis on the way up. In a short time, Mr. Castle went into partnership with Gov. Mat- terson and Hiram Blanchard, in a contract for excavating a part of the Illinois & Michigan Canal.

In the spring of 1839, Mr. Castle became a resident of Chicago, arriving on the Ist of May, having previously disposed of his mercantile bus- iness at Peru and Joliet. He opened a store in an unfinished building at the corner of Lake and Wells Streets, so far out of the then business cen- tre that his venture was considered risky by many. The business soon grew to be profitable, however, and Mr. Castle shortly became a pioneer in what has since proved one of the greatest glories of the western metropolis-the grain trade. Although the modern grain elevator was then unknown, he handled in one year 100,000 bushels, shipping by lake and canal to New York.

With his usual business foresight, Mr. Castle early secured large tracts of land, entering one tract of swamp lands in the Illinois Valley, en1- bracing six hundred acres, at ten cents per acre. Many derided him for buying this worthless land, but he, with others, secured the passage of a drainage act by the State Legislature, and within ten years after its purchase he sold portions of it for $50 per acre. Mr. Castle also opened a dairy farın at Wheeling, and found a ready market for the product of his fifty cows in the city.

Navigation seemed natural to Mr. Castle, and we find him engaged in the Mississippi River

546

E. H. CASTLE.

trade for seven winters, exchanging tlie products of the St. Louis markets for those of New Or- leans. At one time he sailed the fine steamer "Alonzo Child." He secured a tract of two hu11- dred acres of land in Washington County, Tex., and several years of his life were spent in making a beautiful plantation of this land.

In November, 1849, Capt. Castle bade farewell to his Chicago friends and set out for the newly- discovered gold fields of California. Proceeding down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, he accepted the position of mate on the "Florida," and set sail for Chagres. Crossing the Isthmus, he found at Panama the good ship "Unicorn," of the Aspinwall Line, and was tendered its com- mand by the owner. On account of the crowded condition of the port, it was found impossible to carry all who wished to go, and a plot was made by some of the disappointed ones to murder Capt. Stout, but the plot was overheard by Capt. Castle and a friend, and was frustrated. With a crew of one hundred and thirty men and seven hun- dred passengers, Capt. Castle set sail for San Francisco, stopping on the way at Acapulco to secure as much provisions, cattle and coal as could be procured. January 5, 1850, found them in San Francisco without accident. Among all the hordes found there, one desire seemed para- mount-gold. Fabulous prices were paid for all the necessaries of life, and the most fortunate were those who discreetly remained in town and sold merchandise. Capt. Castle was one of these. He plied a small steamer, the "Eldorado," be- tween San Francisco and Sacramento, and opened a store in the latter city. On the 5th of Feb- ruary, 1850, he opened a hotel, called the Illinois House, in San Francisco, which at once did a thriving business. He also purchased, or secured the consignment of, over four hundred cargoes, and operated a very extensive warehouse trade.

Being admonished by failing health to return home, Capt. Castle sailed on the steamer "Col- umbus" for Panama in the fall of 1851. The sea voyage and careful nursing which he received from the ship's matron soon inade him compara- tively well. During the voyage, lie was sent for by a Mr. Saltpaugh, who had noticed that Capt.

Castle was a Mason. Mr. Saltpaugh was dying with cholera, and confided to Capt. Castle's care his money ($1,200) to be delivered to Mrs. Salt- paugh at Port Gibson, N. Y. The captain of the vessel claimed the custody of this money un' der a United States law, but Capt. Castle said: "I promised that mat, who was a brother Mason, to deliver the money to his widow, and you can only secure it from my dead body." The matter was not pressed any further, and Capt. Castle subsequently had the pleasure of delivering the money to its rightful owner. By steamer "Fal- con" to Cuba, and "Ohio" to New York, Capt. Castle was once more united with his wife and daughter, who met him in New York, and the meeting was a joyful one.

Soon after his return to Chicago, Capt. Castle was appointed Western Agent of the Erie Rail- road, and administered its affairs for four years, largely increasing its traffic, and at the same time he dealt more or less in city property, with profit to himself. During most of this period he acted as General Agent for the entire Mississippi Val- ley. After retiring from the railroad agency, Mr. Castle engaged in the real-estate business on a large scale, in partnership with Lewis W. Clark, which continued until the death of Mr. Clark, after which Mr. Castle continued alone.

In 1858, Mr. Castle turned his attention to rail- road construction, and secured, after much ef- fort, a charter from the State of Missouri for a road from Canton to the Missouri River, a distance of two hundred miles. The people along the line promptly subscribed for double the stock, and he had completed about fifty miles of track when the outbreak of the Civil War stopped all operations and caused him a heavy loss. The rebel, Gen. Greene, drove Capt. Castle and his men from the State and seized all the stores, iron and cars, valued at about $2,000,000. Nearly all of Capt. Castle's force was composed of single men, who were loyal to the Union, and when he asked them to join the Union army they responded almost to a man. Chartering a steamer, he took them to St. Louis, where they were accepted by Maj .- Gen. Fremont, and Mr. Castle was made a colonel on Fremont's staff. Col. Castle was made

547

E H. CASTLE.

Superintendent of Railroads for the Western De- partment, comprising twenty-seven lines, with headquarters at St. Louis. By his arrangement, various lines centering there were connected, and a vast amount of delay and expense thus saved to the Government. He prepared a uniform scale of freight rates, which was accepted by Congress and known as the Castle Rates. He and his faith- fil men were kept busy in repairing the damage to bridges and grades by the rebels, who well knew that the success of the Union troops was much enhanced by rapid transportation.

A warm friendship sprang up between Col. Castle and his brave commander, which contin- ted as long as both of them were permitted to live. When Gen. Fremont was ordered to Vir- ginia, Col. Castle accompanied him and was em- ployed in bridge-building. He had bridges and wagons for their transportation built in Pitts- burgh, and because of his presence everywhere in preparing a way to cross rivers on pontoon bridges, the soldiers dubbed him "Col. Pontoon."

After Sheridan's famous raid up the Shenan- doah River, Col. Castle was summoned to Wash- ington by President Lincoln, for whom he per- formed some special services, and received the thanks of the President and Congress. After the surrender of Vicksburg, Col. Castle contracted to furnish Gen. Grant's army with twenty-eight thousand tons of ice, which was done with con- siderable difficulty on account of the fall of water in the Mississippi, necessitating the employment of railroad transportation a part of the way, and re-shipment by boat at Cairo. When the ice was delivered at Vicksburg, Gen. Grant thanked Col. Castle with tears in his eyes, and the town was illuminated. Col. Castle was sent by the Presi- dent to confer with Gen. Banks at New Orleans concerning the contemplated Red River expedi- tion, but Banks spurned the advice of Col. Castle, who showed him the disaster that was sure to re- sult from his plans, and the result proved the wis- dom of Col. Castle's conclusions, based upon his long experience in travel and navigation. In the spring of 1865, he again entered the real-estate business, with office on La Salle Street, in which he continued to be successful. About two years

later lie experienced religion, and devoted much of his time to the cause of the Master, with tell- ing effect among his neighbors and friends.

Col. Castle's first wife, Miss Caroline E. John- son, of Norwich, Conn., was a woman of deep piety and many beautiful graces. He first met her in Carbondale, Pa., and after a married life of thirteen years she was called to her reward in heaven. His present wife, Mrs. Emeline Castle, was born in Pittston, Luzerne County, Pa., in 1818. She is descended from Quaker ancestors, and married Wells Bennett, of Wilkes Barre, Pa., for her first husband, with whom she came to Illinois more than fifty years ago. She was one of the pioneers of Methodism in northern Illi- nois.

Col. Castle has been for over fifty years a Free Mason, and more than forty years a Master Mason. He believes the society has led him to high and noble resolves, and has contributed more than $25,000 to the benefit of the order. He is the only surviving charter member of Cambrian Lodge No. 58, I. O. O. F., of Carbondale, to which he has been a liberal contributor.

As a member of the Chicago Union Veteran Club, he has taken a deep interest in the welfare of old soldiers. His great pleasure now, how- ever, is the Mission on West Lake Street, near Garfield Park, which is now known as the Garfield Park Methodist Church. It was his interest in this mission which led him to sever his connec- tion with the Park Avenue Methodist Church two years ago, in order to devote more time to mis- sion work. He is one of the supporting mem- bers of the Lake Street Mission.

At the present time, Col. Castle is actively en- gaged in business, and attends to his large inter- ests witlı a regularity remarkable for one of his great age. His large hall at the corner of Lake and Paulina Streets is occupied by the Salvation Army, and a good work is being accomplished by this, the greatest corps in the world.

And now, as the long and eventful career draws to a close, Col. Castle looks back over the many years of struggle and strife with a tranquil mind. Having done the best that he could, he leaves the rest with his God. His life is well worth the

548

E. D. PARMELEE.

study of any young man. His is a character of true nobility, formed by years of honest labor and lionorable dealings with his fellow-men. No dif- ficulty was so great that it could not be overcome, and 110 path so rough that could not be made smootlı. He can well say to the young, with Bryant:

"So live, that when thy summons comes to join The innumerable caravan that moves To that mysterious realm where each shall take His chamber in the silent halls of death,

Thou go uot, like the quarry slave at night, Scourged to his dungeon; but sustained and soothed By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams."

EDWARD DAVID PARMELEE.

DWARD DAVID PARMELEE, city ticket agent at Chicago of the Chicago & North- western Railroad, claims New York as the State of his nativity, his birth having occurred in Aurora, Cayuga County, August 27, 1859. His parents were David L. and Jeannette Brown (Kimball) Parmelee. His father was born in Middlefield Centre, Otsego County, N. Y., and was a graduate of Hamilton College, of Clinton, N. Y. Later he served as Principal of the Cay- uga Lake Academy, and subsequently carried 011 a private bank in Aurora, N. Y., where he made his home until his death, which occurred in 1866, at the age of thirty-eight years. In politics, he was a Republican, and was connected with a num- ber of college societies. In religious belief, he was a Presbyterian, and lived an honorable, up- right life, which won him high regard. His wife was born in Chicago, and is a daughter of Mark Kimball, who was one of the pioneers of this city. Her birth occurred on Monroe Street, near the present office of the Adams Express Company, which locality was then one of the chief residence portions of the metropolis. The lake then ex- tended to Michigan Avenue.

In the Parmelee family were four children, but our subject is the only survivor. He had one sister, Fannie, who died in Canton, N. Y., about six years since, and the other two died in infancy. He was a lad of seven years when the family re- moved to Orange, N. J. Subsequently they took

up their residence in Adams, N. Y., where he at- tended Hungerford's Collegiate Institute, pu_su- ing a classical course of study. At the age of seventeen, just before completing the course, he came to Chicago, to accept a position as clerk in the General Baggage Agent's office of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. Since that time he has been with the same company, and has won promotion from time to time, until he has attained his present responsible position. He was first inade assistant depot ticket agent, and in 1884 was made assistant city ticket agent at the old of- fice in the Sherman House. Since 1887 he has filled his present position, and a large volume of business is transacted under his supervision and management.

Mr. Parmelee supports the principles of the Republican party, and was one of the original members of the Marquette Club. He served for several years on its board of directors, during which time it first nominated Benjamin Harrison for the Presidency. He is now a member of the Chicago Athletic Association, and is a cultured and accomplished gentleman, who has .gradually risen to his present responsible position by fidel- ity and strict attention to business. He merits and receives the confidence and good-will of the traveling public as well as that of his superior officers. A courteous and genial gentleman, he is well fitted for his position, which he is acceptably and creditably filling.

CHARLES ADAMS.

549

CHARLES ADAMS, M. D.

C x D HARLES ADAMS, M. D., one of the physi- cians of Chicago who have risen by their own unaided efforts to a conspicuous place among the medical practitioners of the city, is of English birth. He was born in Northamptonshire, Eng- land, on the 29th of May, 1847. His father, John Adams, was of a yeoman family, which for gen- erations had been engaged in agricultural pur- suits and stock-raising. His mother, Elizabeth (Clarke) Adams, was a daughter of a gentleman farmer of the same country.

At an early age the Doctor began his studies, and when a youth of ten he had completed the course in the grammar school at Wellingborough, in his native county. In 1856, his father bade adieu to Old England, and the fair fields, pretty leas and spreading elms that cause its scenery to be so long remembered, and, accompanied by his family, sailed for the United States. He settled in the then new and crude West, which years of patient effort are making to resemble, in its phys- ical features and in many of its institutions, the land of our forefathers. The Adams family first located in Milwaukee, where they remained until 1861, when they came to Chicago.

During that period, the Doctor spent the greater part of his time in school, but on moving to Chica- go he became book-keeper for his father, who was engaged in the live-stock business. There he continued until 1868. Much of his leisure time was devoted to study, and in this way he obtained a wide and varied knowledge. In connection with his general reading, he also took up the study of medicine, mastered various works on that science, and resolved to make the practice of the healing art his life work. He finally entered the office of Dr. J. S. Mitchell, and, after spending

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Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, Volume 1899, Part 79

Author: La Salle Book Company (Chicago, Ill.) Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : La Salle Book Co. Number of Pages: 910

Author: La Salle Book Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : La Salle Book Co.
Number of Pages: 910