USA > Illinois > Biographical and memorial edition of the Historical encyclopedia of Illinois > Part 74
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Daniel C. Mills was an infant when he was brought by his parents on their first trip to America, and was seven years old when he went back with them to England. There he received his early educational training, and after again coming to the United States, at the age of twelve years, he completed his studies in the common schools. He was reared among home influences that did much to direct his life along lines of honesty, thrift and integrity, and was brought up to the occupation of agriculturist. assisting his father and brothers from the time when he was able to grasp the plow-handles. He con- tinued to remain under the parental roof until reaching the age of twenty-three years, at which
time he decided to embark upon a career of his own, and accordingly purchased 160 acres of iand at Farm Ridge, LaSalle County. He im- proved this property, wade modern additions to its equipment, and erected substantial build- ings, which made his property one of the most valuable in this part of the county. From time to time he added to his land, until at the time of his retirement, in 1957, he was the owner of fr0 acres. Mr. Mills showed his energetic and progressive spirit on numerous occasions, and was the first to introduce Norman and Shire horses into this locality, at one time selling one of his teams for $750.00.
On November 3, 1855, Mr. Mills was married to Miss Eliza Hogaboom, who was born at Ottawa, Ill., daughter of Richard and Phoebe ( Farnsworth ) Hogalwom. Mr. Hogaboom, who came from New York to LaSalle County, III .. in 1829, was associated with Russell Kimball in building the first dam across the Illinois river at Marseilles, in 1830. His wife died in 1877, while he survived until May 9, 1897, passing away at the remarkable age of ninety-two years. Mr. and Mrs. Mills were the parents of the fol- lowing children : Charles C., an attorney, who died in 1904; Edward, who is a resident of Indiana ; Albert F., who is a farmer of LaSalle County ; Horace, who is a retired farmer living at Ottawa, Ill .: Abbie, who died at the age of eleven years; Alice, who is residing with her mother: Phoebe, who is the wife of George A. Forbes; Eliza, who is the wife of Arthur H. Black, of Farm Ridge; Rickard, who married Beulah M. Black, is an attorney ; and William, who is a resident of Ottawa, Ill.
Mr. Mills was a valued member of Occidental Lodge No. 40, F. & A. M., Ottawa Chapter No. 37, R. A. M., and Ottawa Commandery No. 10, K. T. He was a communicant of the Episcopal Church, to which Mrs. Mills and her children still belong, and in the faith of which he died May 2, 1905. His political belief was that of the Republican party. A man of fine personal appearance, his was a familiar figure on the streets of Ottawa, where his kindly, genial dis- position made and retained for him numerous friemls. He took a keen, personal interest in the welfare of his community and its people, and his influence was ever placed on the side of progress and advancement. His death was widely mourned, and caused a vacancy which was found hard to fill.
D. C. Mills
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JOHN IRVING WHITE.
Fifty years ago this country faced a mo- mentous crisis in its affairs. The Union was threatened with disruption; some of the most important states refused to acknowledge the government, and seceding, established an inde- pendent government of their own; foreign countries, ever ready to seize upon an oppor- tunity for personal advancement, stood ready to pounce upon the United States whenever they saw an opening. Under these conditions the country was in sore straits and it was not its statesmen that saved it; the stability was not assured by its men of wealth and position, but by the thousands of private sol- diers who flocked to the flag, and daily offered up their lives upon the bloody battle fields, or in southern swamps and languished in vile prisons. It was these brave boys in blue wbo stamped out the spirit of rebellion, and then, those who survived, coming back home, brought about a resumption of business and made pos- sible present conditions. The services rendered by these soldiers of the sixties, must not be forgotten. It took courage of no mean order to face belching cannon, and blood-maddened armies. It proved a patriotism beyond question to endure the dangers and hardships of war- fare, that must be honored appropriately as long as the stars and stripes float from every public building over this broad land. One of the men now numbered among the veterans, but who was once a soklier, is John Irving White, now living retired at Jacksonville.
He was born at Greenville, Bond County, Ill., son of James and Mary (Denney) White. he born in Rutherford County, N. C., in 1797, and she born in Lincoln County, N. C., in 1798. They were married about 1822, in Bond County, both families having come to Illinois between 1816 and 1818. The White family history runs that Lieutenant Thomas White, a Revolutionary soldier, and James Denney both fought during the great struggle with Great Britain. The ancestry on the White side was Scotch, and on the Denney side was Irish. The founders of both families settled first at Chester, Pa., where Thomas White was born about 1750. James White was an elder in the Presbyterian Church, and active in promoting its good work. He was a Whig in politics, later becoming a Re- publican. He and his wife had children as fol- lows: Robert O., who was a surveyor of Illi- nois and Texas, died several years ago; Mary
Jane, who married James Black of Moultrie County ; Sprague, who was teacher of Bond County when he died; Denney, who was a farmer and cotton grower of Texas; John I .; and Margaret Isabelle, wbo married John Wafer, Texas.
John I. White spent his boyhood in Bond County working on his father's farm, but when he was eighteen years old he began teaching school. He earned the money to take him through Greenville Academy. In August, 1862, he received a life State certificate and teacher's diploma from Dr. Bateman. In October, 1855, he had come to Jersey County as a teacher, and with the exception of his war service, has spent many useful years in this locality. Until 1868, he taught in Jersey County, being principal of the ffamilton primary free school, and made a distinguished record for himself in this con- nection.
On September 29, 1864, Mr. White was mar- ried to Sarah J. Smith, daughter of E. M. and Susan ( Herriott) Smith, both natives of New Jersey, who came to Illinois in 1837, where their daughter was born on their Jersey County farm, two miles east of Jerseyville. There Mrs. White died November 5, 1911, and was laid to rest on the farm upon which she grew to useful womanhood. Mr. and Mrs. White had two sons: Charles S., ex-county judge, and an attorney-at-law, and J. Irving who owns the old home farm.
On August 12, 1862, Mr. White enlisted for service during the Civil war, in Company C, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Illinois Vol- unteer Infantry, and was attached to the Army of the Tennessee. Mr. White was an orderly leading the retreat to Memphis and was taken sick on the forced march, and laid up in the hospital for four months. Owing to this, he was honorably discharged June 10, 1863, at St. Louis, and returned home. He has never recovered from the effects of that terrible ex- perience, but has bravely endured his sufferings. and felt that he only did his duty in enlisting to defend his country. Upon his return home he took charge of his school work, until 186S. and then went on the Smith farm. This he operated for many years, his son, J. Irving. succeeding him. Mr. White is a stockholder and director of the National Bank of Jersey- ville, and for thirty years has been treasurer of the Jersey County Mutual Fire Insurance
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Company. In earlier years he was active in the Republican party, but has never cared for public office. For many years, he has been a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church. In spite of the disabilities coming of his war experience, Mr. White has accomplished much in his life. He was more than ordinarily suc- cessful as a public instructor, winning the af- fection of his pupils as well as improving their minds, and as a farmer he reaped generously from his efforts. He and his beloved wife brought up their sous properly, and she lived to see them develop into fine men of whom both
she and their father were very proud. Living now retired from his former activities. MIr. White can look back with pleasure upon a well spent life, knowing that he did at all times his full duty, and never sought to evade responsi- bilities, but wiet them like a brave and com- petent man. The lessons taught by the life of such a man are many and important, and the rising generation may well profit by his exam- ple. Mr. White is absolutely a self-made man. Starting with nothing, he arose to affluence from his own efforts.
GEORGE W. NESBITT.
George W. Nesbitt, M. D., who stands high in the medical profession in DeKalb County, ably sustains the professional reputation attaching to the name which was earned by his father, the late Dr. George W. Nesbitt, and was born at Sycamore, Ill., March 13, 1809, a son of George W. and Mary H. (Davis) Nesbitt. George W. Nesbitt, Sr., was born at Attica, N. Y., August 20, 1837, and died at Sycamore, Ill., April 29, 1894, at that time being mayor of the city. His parents were Henry and Elinor ( Smith) Nesbitt, the former of whom was born in County Cavan. Ireland, and died in June, 1883. The latter was born at Argyle, Washington County. N. Y., and died in 1862. George W. Nesbitt the elder was reared on his father's farm and attended the public schools and later an institution at Alex- andria, N. Y., called the Geneva and Wyoming Seminary, from which he was graduated with honors. In search of a promising business open- ing he came west and taught school at Genoa, Ill., for one winter and then joined a survey- ing party on the Red River of the North in Min- nesota, and, as his travels led him, taught school in several states. Finally he decided to study law and began his reading in the office of Hon. Charles Kellum, of Sycamore, Ill., but later for- sook this profession for medicine and in 1860 began the study of that science under Dr. H. II. Rice of Randolph County, Ill. One year later he returned to Alexandria. N. Y., where he con- tinued his medical studies under H. B. Miller, and subsequently attended lectures at the Buf- falo Medical College, from which he was grad- uated February 21, 1865. He began practice in Buffalo and in association with Dr. G. W. Mc- Cray opened a wholesale drug store there.
In 1866, Dr. Nesbitt sold his interest in the drug store and once more turned his eyes to-
ward Illinois, traveling by lake and canal to Pittsburgh and down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to St. Louis, and from there came to Sycamore on horseback and located here per- manently. He became one of the solid and sub- stantial men of Sycamore, an eminent physician and a valuable and honored citizen. While he had not had the advantages of modern medical discovery to guide him, he possessed a wide knowledge of medical science and frequently was invited to lecture before the Illinois State Medical Society and the American Med- ical Society and for two years served as vice- president of the former body. He was a valued contributor to medical literature. Dr. Nesbitt was a man of genial presence and possessed a large measure of what might be terined Irish wit, which, with other characteristics, he was proud to have inherited from his father, In memory of whom he named his ranch in Kansas, "Bally Haise," in honor of his father's birth- place in Ireland. For some years, Dr. Nesbitt was interested in breeding blooded stock in Kansas.
A pleasant story is told of Dr. Nesbitt, illus- trating the fluency of his speech when occasion offered, which occurred in his early days at Sycamore. He happened to be standing in front of a local business house when he noticed the delivery of a case of military uniforms, a sur- plus from the Civil war, designed for sale. Mounting the box, as a joke, Dr. Nesbitt de- livered so patriotic an address that the auction- ing off of the uniforms was a matter of but a short time and doubtless in many an attic in DeKalb County today may be found one of these suits, which in the future may perplex descend- ants to identify the ancestor who wore it. It is said that Dr. Nesbitt made such an impres-
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sion as a salesman that he was immediately offered a remunerative offer to go on the road in that capacity.
Dr. Nesbitt was married June 23, 1864, at Buf- falo, N. Y., to Miss Mary H. Davis, a native of Chippewa, Canada. Of their three children, George W. and John B. survive, one dying young. Dr. Nesbitt was identified with the Masonic fraternity.
George W. Nesbitt, Jr., was educated first in the public schools and later attended the Uni- versity of Illinois. On April 22, 1892, he was graduated from the Chicago Medical College and joined his father in medical practice. He is
now in partnership with his brother, John B. Nesbitt, and the firm is very successful. John B. Nesbitt was born at Sycamore, January 31, 1873, and was graduated from the Chicago Med- ical College, now a part of the Northwestern University, in June, 1897. Dr. George W. Nes- bitt was married August 16, 1894, to Miss Cora C. Whittemore, a daughter of Captain Henry C. Whittemore. He is independent in politics. Pro- fessionally, he is progressive and thoroughly in- formed and belongs to the DeKalb Medical So- ciety, the Illinois Medical Society and the Amer- ican Medical Association. In Masonry he is widely known and belongs to the Mystic Shrine.
FRANKLIN JAY HANCHETT.
Franklin Jay Hanchett was born November 11, 1850, at Beloit, Wis., a son of James H. and Caroline ( Hickox) Hanchett, natives of New York State. The immediate family are direct descendants of old Puritan stock who came to America from County Essex, England.
In 1818, Mr. Hanchett's grandfather, Joseph Hanchett. came to Detroit, Mich., and some few years later went to Coldwater, Mich., helping to found that town and building the first house there. Joseph Hanchett had served in the War of 1812 and held the rank of captain. James Henry Hanchett, the son of this early pioneer and the father of Franklin J., removed to Beloit, Wis., in 1840 and there became engaged as a building contractor. He is said to have been the first to build a dam for the purpose of running a paper mill. Along with his other interests James II. Hanchett, together with his intimate friends, a Mr. Talcott, of Roscoe, Wis., and Lucius Fisher, of Beloit, undertook to construct the roadbed of the Beloit division of the Racine and Missis- sippi Railroad, afterwards known as the Mil- waukee & St. Paul. None of these three men had enough cash to enable them to purchase the needed supplies, and, as Mr. Hanchett was the only one whose property was in shape to raise money on. he cheerfully mortgaged his home on School street. along with much of his other property, and put the amount thus raised into the work in hand. When completed the road was very unpopular with the farmers and finally went into bankruptcy. Mr. Hanchett lost all he had, even his health, which may have suffered from the depression or may have been undermined by exposure. However this may be, he followed his son, George Hanchett. in the "western exodus," taking the overland route
for Colorado in the later '50s. At the end of several years of mining, he gained ownership of some very valuable claims. He negotiated for the sale of his mines to some New York people, and had started east with the purpose of com- pleting the transaction when death overtook him. The claims he owned at the time of his death were of very considerable value, but his family lost the benefit of most of this property through the inexperience of those left in charge.
Franklin Jay Hanchett was one of ten chil- dren. Their names are as follows: George W .; Augusta (Mrs. Warren Hodgdon), of Beloit, Wis .; Charles Henry, who married Marion Dawker, a daughter of Judge Dawker; Imogene L. (Mrs. A. Sylvester Cobb) ; Franklin Jay ; Louis James, who married Elmira See, later Jennie Stewart; Frederick Beebe, who married Adele Ward, of Aurora, Ill .; Caroline; and Warren W., who married Marion Dunning.
Franklin Jay Hanchett received his early schooling in Beloit, but came to Chicago when he was seventeen years old and there started his business career, very unostentatiously, tak- ing willingly, such work as offered. After hold- ing several relatively unimportant positions, he entered the employ of the Wheeler & Fisher Paper Company. Frank C. Wheeler of the firm soon came to take a deep personal interest in young Hanchett and gave him the opportunity of starting in business for himself, first selling paper, and later, with his brothers, establishing the Hanchett Paper Company, which was later formally incorporated under that name. The original offices were at the corner of LaSalle and Lake streets, Chicago, but were later moved to their present location at No. 200 N. La Salle street. Mr. Hanchett sold his interest in the
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Hanchett Paper Company in 1906, to his younger brother, L. J. Hanchett, and retired from active connection. The brothers had previously estab- lished a factory, devoted to the manufacture of veneers, butter-bowls, baskets, etc., at Holland, Mich. On his retirement Mr. Hanchett retained his interests here.
It is a matter of note that none of the family stepped out of the pure English strain in marriage until Frank Hanchett was united with Miss Julia Franier, of French Cana- dian birth, August 20, 1875. She died August 20, 1884. On April 28, 1892, Mr. Hanchett was united in marriage with Miss Emma Davis, a daughter of James Henry and Hannah
(Dean) Davis, the latter directly descended from: Anneke Jaus, of Trinity Church property fame. One son, Jay Emmet, was born of the first marriage. Mr. Hanchett was very domestic in his tastes and habits. In his home he sev- ere! himself from his business and gave him- self wholly to his loved ones. . He found his recreation largely in his interest in horses. Mr. Hanchett was a Blue Lodge Mason. He was reared in the faith of the Methodist church, anal, though in later years he did not attend religious services with any regularity, his rev- erence for things divine was most profound, and the conduct of his life well exemplified the teachings of the "Golden Itie."
FREDERICK WILKENING.
The business interests of a place like Chicago Heights, situated as it is in such close proximity to a city of the size of Chicago, are bound to be important, and interwoven with those of its ad- jacent municipality. This importance has not been brought about without the intelligent co- operation of the business men of the place, who have united with far-reaching results. One of these men who has had and is still exerting a strong influence upon the business life and advancement of Chicago Heights. is Frederick Wilkening, vice president of the First National Bank, and president of the Real Estate Ex- change of this city, whose faith in the future of the place, and his willingness to operate for its advancement, have proven strong factors in its growth. Mr. Wilkening was born at Crete, Ill., on the home farm just outside that city, in Will County, a son of John and Marie (Koller) Wilkening, whose history is given at length elsewhere in this work. They were most estimable Germans, who, on coming to this country, developed into substantial farming residents of Will County, and died full of years and honors, at the ages of eighty-six and eighty respectively. Seven of their nine children grew to maturity, all of them being a credit to their parents.
Frederick Wilkening remained on the home- stead until he was fourteen years old, when he went to Chicago and obtained work clerking in a grocery store. Having thus gained a little experience, he went to work for his brother at Crete, and later purchased an interest in the mercantile house owned by this relative. In 1804. he became the sole proprietor, and oper- 1
ated the large business until 1SDS, when he found it necessary to sell on account of ill health. Acting upon bis physician's advice, he decided to enter a line of business that would keep him in the open air, and so coming to Chi- cago Heights. he engaged in handling realty, and writing insurance. His efforts met with success, and his business grew to such propor- tions that in 1907, he found it necessary to take a partner, although he retained the major por- tion of the stock. Always a man of broad ideas, Mr. Wilkening conceived the real estate exchange, which he founded and brought to its present efficiency, now being its president. This organization has aided materially in pro- tecting realty values and attracting to Chicago Heights the class of people the majority desire to become property owners, for it is the purpose to maintain the high standard of excellence early raised, and to secure only desirable rest- dents. With the growth of the place came the need for a reliable banking institution, and Mr. Wilkening was one of those who recognized the necessity of meeting this demand, and assisted in organizing the First National Bank of Chicago Heights, serving as one of the first board of directors of this institution. At pres- ent he is its vice president, and is actively in- terested in its management. This bank since its organization in 1906 has shown remarkable growth, and is rated as one of the sound finan- cial institutions of the state.
Mr. Wilkening married Barbara Goetz of Beecher, Ill .. and they have had six children : Arwin. Norbert. Frederick, Jr., Arthur, Walde- war and Francelia. Mr. Wilkening is a Demo-
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crat, although liberal in his views, and in the midst of his busy life, has found time to serve as school treasurer of Crete for a period of twelve or fourteen years, and also as a mem- ber of the school board. He and his family are important factors in the Lutheran church. giving it a liberal support. In spite of all he
has accomplished. Mr. Wilkening is a man of retiring disposition who is inclined to attribute his success to fortunate circumstances and to undervalue the service he has rendered his com- munity, but those who have watched his career know the true worth of the man and his deeds, and judge him accordingly.
GUSTAV WILKENING.
The men who have made a success of their life work, who have trodden paths they them- selves have blazed as they pushed onward through the thicket of financial difficulties, are the ones to whom the credit must be given for the development of the communities in which they have seen fit to locate. Theirs has been the toil and risk, and so they must be given a due meed of praise for what they have accom- plished. Every action, whether good or bad, has its direct influence upon the lives of those associated with the one who perpetrates such action, and he must be held accountable for the results. No man can live to himself alone, for each one is interdependent upon the other. Thus it is that a sound, reliable, energetic business man is such a valuable addition to a locality, and that the leading citizens will often offer heavy bonus to secure the presence of such a factor in their midst. Gustav Wilken- ing. merchant and manufacturer of Magic Sol- derine during his career in Will County, has proven himself a man who possesses just such desirable qualities. Mr. Wilkening was born at Beebe Grove, about two miles southeast of Crete, October 6, 1869, a son of John and Marie (Koller) Wilkening. These parents were natives of Germany who came at different times during 1845, to the United States, and located at Chicago, where in 1847 they married. This city continued to be their home till 1849, when they moved thirty miles south into Will County and took up land near Crete which was then many miles from any railroad, and on this land the father continued his agricultural opera- tions till advanced age caused him to coase from active work. He became a heavy land- owner, possessing three farms at one time, al- though he disposed of nearly all of his land holdings prior to his death. A self-made man, he succeeded way beyond his expectations, and died honored and respected at the age of eighty-six years. His wife lived to be eighty years old. Both were consistent members of the Evangelican Lutheran Trinity Church.
They were the parents of nine children, two of whom, John and Anna, died in childhood, the others being: Mary, who married John Brack- mamm, is deceased ; Heury, who is now a resi- dent of Crete; Conrad, who was a member of the State Assembly, was a very prominent man and a merchant of Crete, now deceased, pass- ing away at the age of forty years; Sophia, who is the widow of G. Heinrich; Caroline, who is the wife of Dr. O. Miessler of Crete ; Fred, who is a real estate dealer and banker of Chicago Heights, Ill., but resides in Crete, is mentioned at length elsewhere in this work ; and Gustav.
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