USA > Illinois > LaSalle County > Biographical and genealogical record of La Salle County, Illinois. Volume I > Part 20
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On the 5th of May, 1893, the marriage of John H. Anderson and Miss Emily Anderson was celebrated in Streator. Mrs. Anderson, who is of Swedish parentage, and was not even in the remotest degree related to our subject, is a lady of good education and refinement, and, like her husband, has numerous friends in this city.
WILLIAM E. WILLIAMSON.
William E. Williamson, of Miller township, LaSalle county, is one of the leading agriculturists of this county, where he enjoys an extended acquaintance, having grown from infancy to manhood here. His parents were Endre and Christena (Gunnerson) Williamson, both natives of Nor- way, who moved to Miller township, where our subject was born Feb- ruary 4, 1852. Endre Williamson was born February 5, 1827, and was educated in the Norwegian schools. He came to America in the year 1849, and was married in this country to Miss Christena Gunnerson, who was born in Norway, March 25, 1832. He located in this county and purchased some land, where he engaged in farming and reared his family to honorable manhood and womanhood. Eight children blessed their home, namely: William E., the subject of this biography; Cordelia Knutson; Martin E .; Milton C .; George F .; Albert; Theodore H., who farms the homestead; and Helen Hoganson, deceased. The living children are all residents of this vicinity except George F., who resides at Rankin, Vermillion county, Illi- nois. The father died February 7, 1876, and the mother passed away Au- gust 5, 1899.
William E. Williamson received his education in the public school, and at the same time improved his spare moments by assisting his father . with the farm work. He has always shown a remarkable aptitude for this industry, and when he arrived at manhood he purchased a farm of one hun- dred and forty-three acres in this township, where he has since made his home. He is a careful business man and his land shows that brain as well
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as brawn has been applied in its cultivation. He was married December 12, 1878, to Miss Sallie O. Sampson, a native of this county, and a daughter of S. K. Sampson, who was born in Norway. Seven children have been born to them-Mamie, Silas, Charlotte, Ethel, Ernest and two who died in infancy. Mr. Williamson is a strong Democrat, and has held a number of township offices, being at present school treasurer and town clerk of the township. Himself and family are members of the Church of the Latter Day Saints, and are most estimable people, greatly respected.
WILLIAM JOSEPH HORN.
Located on a fine farm in Otter Creek township, LaSalle county, Illi- nois, near the town of Streator, we find the subject of this sketch, William Joseph Horn, son of John Horn, deceased, for many years a prominent and influential citizen of the county.
John Horn was born in Germany in 1833, and in early life came to this country. With the exception of some six years, when he worked at the carpenter's trade, he spent his life in agricultural pursuits. In 1852 he made the overland journey to California, experiencing the usual hardships and privations incident to a trip across the plains at that day. Being a successful hunter, he killed a considerable amount of game on the way. At the end of a year spent in California he returned east, making the journey by the isthmus route. In LaSalle county, Illinois, he acquired a large farm, comprising six hundred and fifty acres, on which he built a commo- dious residence, large barns, etc., and on which are several groves. He chose for his wife Miss Theresa Burgall, a native of Alsace, France, a young woman well educated in both the French and German languages. To them were born ten children, eight of whom grew to adult age. They are as follows: William Joseph, whose name initiates this review; Frances M. Johnson; George Henry, of Otter Creek township, LaSalle county; Mary A. Schlachter, of Streator, Illinois: Neal, of Otter Creek township; Lizzie R. and Katie B. Kuhn, of Grand Rapids township, LaSalle county; and Sarah, of Streator, Illinois. The two deceased were James and Amelia. The mother of these children is still living, but their father died in February, 1892, at the age of fifty-nine years. He was a member of the I. O. O. F., and gave his support politically to the Republican party.
William Joseph Horn was born in the township in which he now lives, January 28, 1861 ; was reared on his father's farm and educated in the pub- lic schools near his home. At the age of twenty-four he left home and went to Comanche county, Kansas, where he resided eight years, engaged in
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the stock business. At the death of his father he returned home and took charge of the home farm, and has carried on its operations ever since.
Mr. Horn was married, at the age of twenty-nine years, at Cold Water, Comanche county, Kansas, to Miss Nora E. Kollar, who was born and educated at South Bend, Indiana, daughter of David and Elizabeth Kollar, now residents of Oklahoma. Mrs. Horn is one of seven children-Delia Merrill, Joseph, Franklin, Horace, Nora E., Clara Barber and Almira Pierce. Mr. and Mrs. Horn have four sons-Leon G., John David, Frank- lin Elmer and James Foster.
Mr. Horn is a member in good standing of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights of Pythias. Politically he is a Republican.
JAMES R. HUNT.
James R. Hunt, proprietor of the Spring Hill Dairy, Ottawa, Illinois, has been in business here for over twenty-seven years. He purchased the dairy from Samuel Dickerman, keeps over fifty head of cows, and has a large sale for his products-pure milk and cream.
Mr. Hunt was born January 25, 1847, in the Sandwich Islands, where his father, Rev. T. Dwight Hunt, was a missionary. His father was a native of Rochester, N. Y., was educated at Yale college, and was for many years a minister of the gospel, a power for good wherever his influ- ence was felt. For seven years he was located in California, doing evangel- istic work. He died in New York at the advanced age of seventy-four years. His wife's death occurred some years previous to his. She was a native of Newark, New Jersey, where they were married, her maiden name being Mary Hedges.
The first eight years of James R. Hunt's life were spent in California. The next move the family made was to New York, and from there he went to Marquette county, Wisconsin, locating near Portage City. Thus his boyhood experience was diversified, being passed in the far west, the east and in the middle northern state of Wisconsin. When he was twenty-one years of age he was united in marriage to Miss Evelyn M. Bangs, a daugh- ter of Alba Bangs, of Oxford, Wisconsin. The fruit of their union is seven children, whose names in order of birth are as follows: William B., a missionary in Korea, who was educated at Lake Forest University at Lake Forest, Illinois, and Princeton Seminary, at Princeton, New Jersey; Mary C., the wife of Robert Evans, a missionary in China; Henry H., educated at Wooster University, at Wooster, Ohio, and is now a resident of Moline, Illinois; and Charlotte, Laura L., Gertrude M., and J. Raymond, at home.
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Mr. Hunt is a public-spirited man, interested in educational matters and all that tends to promote the general welfare of his community. For years he has been a member of the school board. He is politically a Re- publican and religiously a Presbyterian. He joined the Presbyterian church in Oxford, Wisconsin, and he has remained a consistent church member, regularly attending services.
ALLEN S. GUM.
Allen S. Gum, now living retired at his old home adjoining the town of Marseilles, LaSalle county, is a native of Rockingham county, Virginia, his birth having occurred upon the plantation owned by his father, August 25, 1832. The latter, Norton Gum, as well as his father, Captain James Gum, were likewise natives of Rockingham county. The mother of our subject was Sarah, daughter of Joseph Shoup, who was of German ancestry. In 1836 Norton Gum concluded to try his fortunes in the west, and coming to LaSalle county he located not far from Streator. Two years later his death occurred, and subsequently his widow became the wife of William Richey, who owned a small farm adjoining the limits of Marseilles. One daughter was born of this union, namely, Harriet Richey. After the death of the senior Mr. Richey his widow went to Indiana and made her home with a daughter until her deatlı. The children of Norton Gum and his wife Sarah, nee Shoup, were: Catherine and Harvey, both of whom died at the age of five years; Steven M., who married Anna Harris; Serena P., who, on September 20, 1838, married John Richey; Diana, who became the wife of Amasa G. Cook; St. Clair, who married Julia E. Reniff; Joseph S., who mar- ried Cornelia Bradford; John, who married Ada Wilson; Allen S., who mar- ried Abby J. Mullen; and Harriet, who became the wife of Charles Van Auher.
As he was but four years of age when his parents removed to this county, Allen S. Gum has but few. associations or memories of any other home, and has consequently been identified entirely with the welfare of this section. Until he was seventeen years of age he resided with his mother on the farm near Marseilles, his time being spent largely in the local schools, where he gained a liberal education.
In August, 1862, Mr. Gum enlisted in the defense of the Union in Company C, Seventy-second Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry, un- der the command of Captain James (now of Chicago) and Colonel Star- ing. After being mustered into the service the young man proceeded with his regiment to Paducah, Kentucky, and was then ordered to join the Union
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forces in their memorable siege of the city of Vicksburg. After that great struggle he became ill and was sent to the hospital, but as soon as possible he rejoined his regiment and participated in a number of more or less im- portant engagements. Exposure and the general hardships of army life once more laid him low, and for weeks he was in the hospitals at Louisville, Kentucky, and Keokuk, Iowa. He was finally mustered out and given his honorable discharge. Returning to Marseilles, he purchased a tract of thirty acres near the town, and has sold off a portion of the land. There are large gravel and sand banks of this property, and for years the owner has derived a substantial income from this source, as the sand is desirable for building purposes, while the gravel is extensively employed in the construc- tion of graveled roads.
In his political convictions Mr. Gum is a Republican. Fraternally he is a member of the Joseph Woodruff Post, No. 281, Grand Army of the Republic.
In 1866 the marriage of Allen S. Gum and Miss Abby J. Mullen was celebrated in Ottawa. Four sons and two daughters have been born of this union, namely: Erasmus M., Harvey, George S., Charles Newcome, Kittie A., and Hazel Lillie. The three younger children are at home, and the elder ones are enterprising young men who are making their own way in the world, and reflect great credit upon their parents. Mrs. Gum is a daughter of William and Abby (Crane) Mullen, and was born and reared in the Buckeye state.
LUDWIG H. MAASS.
Ludwig Herman Maass, one of the well known, prosperous German- American farmers of South Ottawa township, LaSalle county, identified with this county since 1870, is a native of Prussia, Germany, born June 3, 1843, a son of Peter and Sophia (Schrader) Maass, who passed their entire lives in their native land. Ludwig H. attended school, according to the German custom, until he was fourteen, and was then put to a trade. He worked at his trade, that of tailor, until 1868, with the exception of time spent in the army. He served in the German army as a member of Gager Battalion, No. 2, Greifswald Pommern, for a period of twenty-two months, making an honorable record. In 1868 he sailed from Hamburg for New York, being eleven days in making the voyage, and from New York di- rected his way to Bourbon, Indiana, where he worked for six months. After that he spent some time in Chicago, and in 1870 came to LaSalle county, locating in Ottawa, where for ten years he worked for Fisk & Been, the leading tailors of that place, and five years for Mr. Steinmetz. At the
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end of this time he bought his farm, one hundred and forty-three acres of fine land, three miles and a half from Ottawa, well improved with good buildings, fences, etc., and conveniently arranged for successfully carrying on general farming.
Mr. Maass was married in Germany to Miss Maria Hannemann Jurg- ens, a daughter of Carl and Christena (Jurgens) Hannemann, natives of Germany. She was born November 8, 1844. Mr. and Mrs. Maass are the parents of five children, namely: Alma, wife of Martin Oleson, of Marseilles, Illinois, who has three children, one son and two daughters; Bertha, the wife of William Schuette, of Brookfield, Illinois; Otto J., who is married, has one daughter and is engaged in farming in Fall River town- ship, LaSalle county; and Hermann and Peter, at home.
Politically Mr. Maass is somewhat of an independent, but affiliates for the most part with the Democratic party. He favors education, religion and general reform, and has reared his family to occupy useful positions in society.
CHARLES W. LONG.
Lying along the public highway, two and three-quarters miles from Wedron and seven miles northeast of Ottawa, is the fine farm owned and occupied by Charles W. Long, one of the well-known and popular citizens of Rutland township, LaSalle county.
Mr. Long belongs to a family that has for many years been identified with this county, his grandfather, Christopher Long, having been one of its early pioneer settlers. Lewis Long, the father of Charles W., was born in LaSalle county in 1825. He was married to Miss Emily Barber, a native of New York state, and a daughter of L. E. Barber. The fruits of their union have been eight children, seven of whom are living at this writing, viz .: Eugene C., of LaSalle county; Emma F., wife of G. J. States, of this county; Charles W., whose name initiates this review; Ruth Inez, wife of George Finkle, who resides on the old Long homestead, near Marseilles; Bertha A., wife of F. Spencer, of Rutland township, LaSalle county; Lewis Walter, and Arthur F. The father of this family has long been recognized as one of the successful and substantial men of the county.
Charles W. Long was born on the old Long homestead, in Miller township, LaSalle county, Illinois, August 8, 1862. He was reared and educated in his native township, and from boyhood has devoted his ener- gies to farming. He has for some years past given no little attention to the stock business, making a specialty of raising a high grade of cattle. Politically he gives his support to the Republican party.
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October 18, 1888, Mr. Long married Miss Mary Etta Clark, of LaSalle county, daughter of Richard and Mary (Parr) Clark. They have two chil- dren-Harry L., born July 23, 1891; and Ethel Esther, born January 7, 1899.
FRANCIS A. FROST.
For more than half a century the Frost family to which the subject of this sketch belongs has been represented in Ottawa. S. L., the father of Francis A., was of English extraction, though New York state was the place of his birth. For some time he lived in Michigan, in which state he married Miss Onilla Shaw, and in 1847 they removed to Ottawa, coming the entire distance in a covered wagon. Mr. Frost was a ship carpenter by trade, but after becoming a citizen of this town he devoted himself to general carpentering. He died in California soon after the close of the civil war, and his wife lived to attain the age of three-score years. Both were devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Francis A. Frost was born in Three Rivers, Michigan, March 20, 1846, and is one of six children born to his parents. The others are Mrs. Josephine Toobs, of Ashtabula, Ohio; Agnes, wife of Judge E. Nugen, of Idaho; Fernando, a resident of California; Mrs. Belle Hulsey, who died in Ohio; and Edward, who died in Texas. The education of F. A. Frost was obtained in the public schools of Ottawa, and when the civil war broke out with the enthusiasm of youth he was determined to enlist as a soldier. He had his name enrolled as a private of Company I, One Hundred and Thirty- eighth Illinois Infantry. He served his time out in this regiment and then re-enlisted in Company A, Third Illinois Cavalry, under Captain Sanders. He made a good record as a soldier, and for years has been an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He also belongs to the K. of P., I. O. O. F., A. O. U. W., and other orders. He is a second lieutenant in the local branch of Knights of Pythias.
For a period of thirteen years Mr. Frost served most creditably as a member of the Ottawa police force, and in 1889 he entered the employ of the government as a mail carrier. This line of business he followed for four years and seven months, then resigned his position. In his political views he is a stalwart Republican, devoted to the interests of the party under whose beneficial and conservative policy this nation was reconstructed and made a power, as never before, among the nations of the world, subsequent to the great civil war.
Mr. Frost has been twice married. The wife of his youth was Miss Sarah C. Lightfoot, of this place, to whom he was wedded December 17,
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1867. She departed this life in 1872, leaving one child named Ora, who is now the wife of James Dick, of Joliet, Illinois. In 1874 Mr. Frost mar- ried Miss Eliza Kain, of Ottawa, who passed away in 1895. A son and a daughter were born to this union, namely: Agnes Delbridge, whose home is in South Ottawa; and Fernando, who is a painter Ly trade and engaged in his calling in this place.
FRANK GENTLEMAN.
LaSalle county has had no more useful, patriotic citizens among her inhabitants from the days when it was a wilderness to the present time than the family of which Frank Gentleman is a sterling representative. His paternal grandfather was a native of England, but at an early day in the his- tory of the United States transferred his allegiance to the land of the free, and was thenceforth a resident of the Green Mountain state.
William Gentleman, the father of our subject, was born in Orange county, Vermont, in 1805, and was reared to maturity there, receiving a liberal education for that day and place. In 1833 he determined that he would seek his fortune in the new west, and coming to Illinois located in Fall River township, a portion of which was heavily timbered at that time. Making a careful selection of land, he continued to dwell upon the prop- erty thus judiciously chosen until he was summoned to the home beyond, in 1893. He made good improvements upon his farm, and gave much attention to the raising of live stock, in which he was very successful. The unpretentious house which he occupied at first gave place to a substantial one of stone, and few better or more commodious farm houses are to be found in the county to-day than this one, now occupied by the subject of this review. The wife and mother, whose maiden name was Dorinda Har- den, also was a native of the Green Mountain state. Daisy, her elder daughter, is the wife of John E. Muir, of Fall River township. Willard, the eldest son, is a prominent attorney at law in Chicago; James, the pro- prietor of the St. Hubert Chop House in Chicago; Rena, who married C. D. Basore, who owns one of the finest fruit farms in LaSalle county.
Frank Gentleman was born in Fall River township, February 25, 1866, and, being the youngest son, he remained with his parents on the home farm after some of the elder ones had embarked in the battle of life else- where. During the winter season he attended the district schools, and later the Ottawa grammar school. More and more he relieved his father of the cares and management of the homestead, until he was the practical head of affairs, and when death claimed his venerable parents he very naturally continued in his accustomed way of doing things. He has known
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no other home than this, his birthplace, now one of the most desirable farms in the township. Of late years he has given much attention to the raising of Norman horses, Short-horn cattle, and Poland-China hogs, keeping his farm thoroughly stocked with high grades. Business enterprise and well-directed talents are rapidly bringing him to the front ranks of the agriculturists and financiers of LaSalle county, and his future is one of great promise.
In political matters Mr. Gentleman is a stanch Democrat, taking an active interest in local elections and using his influence for the men who in his estimation are best qualified to carry out the wishes of the people. For two years he served as the assessor of this township, and in 1896 was hon- ored by being elected as the supervisor of this district. Upright and just, possessing worthy principles and a genuine desire to see the right triumph, he enjoys the good will and high opinion of every one who has the pleasure of his acquaintance.
THOMAS HOUGAS.
Miller township, LaSalle county, Illinois, includes among its best class of farmers a number of men who are of Norwegian descent, and who in- herit to a marked degree the characteristics which contribute to the success of that nationality.
Goodman Hougas, the father of Thomas Hougas, was born in Nor- way, and when a youth came to America and settled in Illinois. He was married in New York to Miss Julia Madland, and they became the parents of eleven children, of whom five are now living: Isabella, wife of O. Lewis; Thomas, the subject of this sketch; Daniel, of Pottawattamie county, Iowa; John, also of Iowa; and Caroline Bower, of Sheridan, Illinois. Three of their children died in infancy and three daughters after they were grown,- Elizabeth Lewis, Sarah Selle and Julia Richards. Both parents died in the prime of life,-the mother at the age of thirty-six years, the father in 1849, at the age of forty-nine. He was an elder in the Church of the Latter Day Saints.
Thomas Hougas was born in Rutland township, LaSalle county, Illi- nois, December 2, 1836, and was reared and educated in his native county. Thrift and industry were early instilled into him. Being left an orphan at an early age, he was thrown upon his own resources, and the success he has made in life is due to his own efforts. He has a farm of two hundred and seventy-nine acres on section 14, Miller township, which is highly culti- vated and improved with excellent buildings, the whole comprising a most desirable and model rural place.
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Mr. Hougas was married in 1858, in Miller township, to Miss Harriet Elizabeth Teal, a native of Dutchess county, New York, and a daughter of Edward Teal, an early settler of LaSalle county. The fruits of their union have been eleven children, the record of whom is as follows: Joseph; Daniel C .; Ida, wife of William Gallup; Nathan Alma; John B .; George A .; Charles M .; Susan May; Nathaniel, who died at the age of two years; Zenus Melvin, who died in infancy; and Emma Jane, who was the wife of Oliver Hayer, Jr., and died in 1897, at the age of thirty-nine years.
Mr. Hougas has long been identified with the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in which he is a minister of high stand- ing. Politically he is a Republican, and for fifteen or twenty years has been a member of the school board.
FREDERICK RICHARDS.
One of the most extensive land-owners in LaSalle county is Frederick Richards, whose possessions aggregate twenty-two hundred acres. The life history of such a man well deserves a place in this volume, for his example should serve as a source of inspiration to young men who are forced to enter upon a business career without capital. Strong determination, great diligence and unfaltering perseverance brought to Mr. Richards the splendid success which now crowns his efforts and which makes him one of the wealthy men of his adopted county.
A native of Prussia. Germany, he was born in September, 1828, and in the schools of the Fatherland he acquired his education, pursuing his studies until fourteen years of age. He then entered upon an apprenticeship to the cooper's trade, serving a four-year term, during which time he thoroughly mastered the business, becoming an expert workman. On the expiration of that period he came to America, believing that in the New World better opportunities and advantages were afforded young men than in the older countries of Europe. After a voyage of forty-seven days he landed in New York city, and thence proceeded to Illinois, making the journey by way of the canal to Buffalo, New York, and thence by the Great Lakes to Chicago. He completed the journey to Ottawa by the Illinois and Michigan canal, arriving at his destination in the summer. Soon afterward he secured em- ployment with a Mr. Hoffman, who was engaged in the coopering business, his work being to make pork and flour barrels and butter firkins. Engaged in that service, Mr. Richards spent two years in Eagle township, LaSalle county, and subsequently turned his attention to farming, devoting his
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