USA > Illinois > Kane County > Commemorative portrait and biographical record of Kane and Kendall Counties, Ill. : containing full page portraits and biographicalsketches of prominent and representative citizens of Kane and Kendall Counties, together with portraits and biographies of the presidents of the United States > Part 41
USA > Illinois > Kendall County > Commemorative portrait and biographical record of Kane and Kendall Counties, Ill. : containing full page portraits and biographicalsketches of prominent and representative citizens of Kane and Kendall Counties, together with portraits and biographies of the presidents of the United States > Part 41
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OSEPH INGHAM. The father of this gen- tleman, Samuel S. Ingham, was one of the early settlers in Sugar Grove Township. He was born in Oneida County, N. Y., May 24, 1801, where he grew to manhood, and where he acquired prominence, being for some time colonel of a New York State militia regiment. In 1839 he emigrated west, and settled in Sugar Grove Town- ship, Kane County, where he became a prominent and influential citizen, and a leading farmer, also serving his township in a public capacity for many years, as assessor, and in other local offices. He died March 17, 1864, and was buried in West Au- rora Cemetery. His father was Capt. Joseph In- gham, who was a native of Bermuda Island, but for many years a resident of the State of New York, where he had a large tract of the land which had been granted to Baron Steuben for his services in the War of the Revolution, which tract he after- ward owned.
Joseph Ingham was among the first white chil- dren who claimed Kane County as their native place, having been born in Sugar Grove Township, October 18, 1839. He was reared to the occupa- tion of a farmer, and in 1861 responded to his country's call for troops, enlisting in the Thirty- sixth Illinois Cavalry, and serving for nearly four years, being promoted to the rank of sergeant. During his term of service he was in the battles of Pea Ridge, Corinth, Iuka, Mission Ridge, the siege of Vicksburg, was in the Department of the Gulf after the taking of Atlanta, and in numerous
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skirmishes. At the close of the war he returned to Sugar Grove Township, where he and his brother John jointly own the home farm of 336 acres of fine land on Section 14.
November 3, 1869, Mr. Ingham was married to Elizabeth J. Stickland, born in Aurora, Sep- tember 28, 1840, a daughter of George Stickland, who was born February 14, 1816, in Wedmore, Somersetshire, England, and came to the United States in 1830. At Schenectady, N. Y., Mr. Stickland learned the wagon maker's trade, at the completion of which he moved to Chicago, Ill., subsequently locating at Aurora, where he carried on that business. He afterward settled in the township of Richland, Chickasaw Co., Iowa, where he died.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Ingham have four chil- dren: Samuel S., Sarah E., Millie and Mary. Mr. Ingham is a substantial citizen of the township, and is widely known as a worthy son of Kane County. He has held several local offices, road commissioner, assessor for five years, etc. In his political convictions he is a Republican.
R ODNEY P. MC DOLE. This gentleman was born in Chemung County, N. Y., April 5, 1836, and is the son of Thomas and Hannah (Ennis) McDole, both natives of the same county. Thomas McDole died in the town of Erin, Chemung County, in 1844, having followed farming during his life, and his wife, who was born in Cayuta (now Schuyler) County, July 16, 1804, died in 1842.
Rodney P. McDole came to Kane County, Ill., in 1852. July 11, 1866, he married Roxey A. · Miner, who was born in Kaneville Township, April 19, 1840, and their children are Minnie M., born in Pierceville, De Kalb Co., Ill., and Cora B., born in Aurora, Ill. At the age of twenty years Mr. McDole engaged in school teaching, his first venture being in the old cement schoolhouse in his own district. His experience as a teacher was acquired in the counties of De Kalb, Menard and Cass. He has been fortunate in acquiring earthly possessions, and his pleasant home on Sec- tion 3, in the township of Sugar Grove, is sur-
rounded by a fine farm of 315 acres, where he fol- lows general farming pursuits. While taking re- quisite interest in the affairs of his township, he has not been a seeker for official position, his exper- ience having been confined to two terms as path - master, and several years as school director. Polit- ically he is an upholder of Republican principles, and an adherent of the Republican party. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
R USSELL WARREN LEE. Kane County can boast of many well-to-do and success- ful farmers, merchants and business men who have acquired a sufficiency of this world's goods through their own exertions, and not by being the recipients of any legacy. Among this number is Russell W. Lee, who at present re- sides on and conducts his large and valuable farm in Kaneville Township, of which he has been a resident since 1844. He was born at Middletown, Conn., June 20, 1822, a son of Asahel Lee, a na- tive of Middlesex County, Conn., a carpenter and house builder by trade, and a farmer by occupa- tion, who had six children: Sophronia, Sherman G., Russell W., Dwight F., Henry A. and Daniel, all deceased except Russell W. and Daniel, the latter a farmer in Middletown, Conn. Elijah Lee, the grandfather of Russell W., was one of the early settlers of Middlesex County, Conn.
When but thirteen years of age, Mr. Russell W. Lee purchased his time, until twenty-one, of his father, for $500, and when he had reached his majority, in addition to the sum paid for his time, he had saved over $400. In 1844 he set out for Illinois, and arrived in Chicago with $384 (having paid $52 passage money), and forthwith repaired to Kane County, where he bought 160 acres of Government land, which he set about improving, and the same is now in a high state of cultivation, having thereon a substantial residence with corres- ponding outbuildings, etc. For several winters after his arrival here Mr. Lee taught school.
In 1848 he returned east, and in April of that year was united in marriage with Sophronia C. Spen- cer, a native of Connecticut, daughter of Jehosa- phat Spencer, also a native of that State, who fol-
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lowed farming and sehool teaching. His father, David Speneer, a farmer and blacksmith, was a captain in the Connectieut Militia. In June, after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Lee returned to Kaneville Township. They were the parents of five children: Isabella W., Mary Ann, Grace R., Warren S. and Brainard A. Mary Ann died at her home during school vacation, having taken a full elassieal course, and would have graduated the following term.
From his first settlement Mr. Lee has been prominent in its affairs, socially, finaneially and politically. As early as 1845 he was asked to, and did, serve the township as its eonstable; in 1849 he was elected justice of the peace, and was continuously re-elected until he had served eight years in that office; from 1854 to 1856, and in 1860, he served as supervisor; in 1864-65 as assess or; he also served as commissioner of highways eighteen years; he took an aetive interest in the improvement of the roads, and it was through his efforts that the first appropriation was ob- tained for building bridges in the township. Prominent in promoting the cause of education, he was for sixteen years president of the township board of sehool directors; he was also eleeted and served one term as poormaster. In addition to having secured the confidenee and respeet of his fellow citizens in more than an ordinary degree, Mr. Lee has accumulated a substantial fortune, and in all respeets is a thoroughly representative citizen of the county. Politieally he is a Demo- crat, and, in whatever relation duty calls a good citizen to aet, he is always to be found.
OHN C. KEEFE. Among the best known and oldest settlers of Kane County is this gentleman, who owns a fine stoek, grain and dairy farm comprising 400 aeres. He was born in New Brunswick November 9, 1835, a son of Patriek Keefe, who settled in 1845 on the land now owned and occupied by his son, bringing his family with him. Patrick Keefe was born in County Meath, Ireland, in February, 1802; his wife, Mary (Cullin) Keefe, a native of the same place, died in 1855. He (Patriek) eame to
Kane County from New Brunswiek, where he had been engaged in the lumber business, and was the father of four children, two of whom are de- ceased; he died December 25, 1884, in Kane County.
John C. Keefe has been a farmer in Virgil Township ever sinee his arrival here, and has been adding to his property continually. He married, in 1872, Miss Annie Meehan, born in McHenry County, Ill., March 19, 1849, daughter of John and Mary Meehan, also of MeHenry County. Mr. and Mrs. Keefe's family consists of three children: George Preston, born September 8, 1873; John Lester, born January 19, 1882; Virgil T., born June 5, 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Keefe are highly respected members of the Catholic Church. He has always supported the Republiean party, and for twelve years has served as road commissioner.
0 SCAR B. KNICKERBOCKER. Among the eitizens of Aurora who will long be re- membered for the good they accomplished, and the prominent positions they occupied during life, perhaps no one is more deserving of the best efforts of the biographer than the lamented gentleman whose name appears above. Osear. B. Kniekerboeker was born August 25, 1837, in Rhinebeek, Dutehess Co., N. Y., and in his younger days attended the publie schools at Albany. At the age of twelve years he removed with his father's family to Lansingburg, N. Y. There in the office of the Democrat, in 1851, he received his first lessons in the art of printing, subsequently adding to the knowledge there obtained by filling a position in the Albany Evening Journal office, while Thurlow Weed was editor, with George Dawson and Fred Seward as assistants. A broader field of usefulness appearing to open in the West, the young printer removed to Illinois in 1855, and for a short time worked on his father's farm near Earlville. In the summer and winter of 1856, he taught sehool in that village, and in the spring of 1857 eame to Aurora, becoming a citizen of the place on the day of its first municipal election. He obtained employment in the printing office of J. W. Randall, and on the 30th of September, in the same
O, B. Knickerbocker
PHOTO BY D. C. PRATT.
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year, became associated with Augustus Harman in the publication of the Aurora Beacon. A year later the Beacon and Republican were consolidated un- der the proprietorship of George S. Bangs and O. B. Knickerbocker. Mr. Bangs was appointed post- master at Aurora during the early part of Presi- dent Lincoln's administration, but retained his in- terest in the Beacon until 1866, when he sold it to Mr. John H. Hodder; and the firm of Knicker- bocker & Hodder, as then formed, continued in ex- istence nearly nineteen ycars.
Mr. Knickerbocker was a ready and forcible writer, wielding an apt pen with the vigor of a man thoroughly posted upon the topics treated by him, and with the tact which carried conviction along with the sentences which were put in type. He was an acknowledged leader among his breth- ren of the press, and the Beacon, in which he took great pride, was built up to a position of wide in- fluence, firm in its advocacy of the right, dignified and respectable, and in all respects worthy a place in every household. It has been said of him: "He was not a bitter partisan, and he always en- deavored to keep the Beacon from all extreme par- tisanship. He was conciliatory toward all men and toward all opinions; and yet when lie had made up his mind to what he thought was a right course, no ties of friendship, no views of party policy, no hope of patronage and no idea of expediency could swerve him from that course. Neither he nor the Beacon could be bought to support anybody or anything; he always kept himself and the paper frec to support any one or any course that he saw fit or deemcd right. His honesty and integrity were never questioned, and he has left to this community and to its rising generations the legacy of a character that is as strong as steel, and as true and bright as gold. He was a man among men, and a Christian gentleman."
In 1870-71 Mr. Knickerbocker was one of the secretaries of the Illinois State Senate. He was for over thirty years a member of the Baptist Church, and for thirteen years superintendent of the first Baptist Sunday-school in West Aurora, a position he occupied at the time of his death. February 26, 1885, he was appointed postmaster at Aurora, and the added cares of that office
brought upon him a burden of labor which in a few short weeks caused an attack of brain fever. He died May 8, 1885, after an illness of only four days. The place he had so long and so ably filled was vacant, and the event cast a gloom over the community. In life he was universally respected, and in death he was remembered by a great throng of people who united in doing honor to his mem- ory. The county and vicinity press paid the trib- ute duc him; the various religious societics of the city adopted resolutions of respect; the pastor who had known him so well was almost at a loss to find words by which to depict the sorrow of a host of friends, and all met upon a common plane to ful- fill the last duty toward the good man who had gone to his eternal reward. The funeral was con- ducted by the Knights Templar, of which he was a member. Nearly three years have elapsed since his decease, but his memory is yet fondly cherished by those who knew him and appreciated his worth. Mr. Knickerbocker was married at Lansingburg, N. Y., October 26, 1861, to Elizabeth R. Hitch- cock, who survives him and is yet a resident of Aurora. Mr. Knickerbocker's parents, brother and two sisters are also residents of the same city.
E ILMER D. SPENCER, a resident of Kane- ville Township, where he is engaged in agri cultural pursuits, was born in Kane County, Ill., December 5, 1862. He has always fol- lowed his present occupation, and is now, although yet a young man, one of the substantial and highly respected citizens of his vicinity. He is the son of James H. and Jennie (Thompson) Spencer. James H., son of Chauncy and Millie Spencer, both natives of New York State, was born in Oneida County, N. Y., November 14, 1838. He with his parents came to Will County, Ill., in 1846. Jennie (Thompson), born May 20, 1839, at Ottawa, was the daughter of Edward and Sarah (Fargue) Thompson. Edward Thompson was born in New York City, April 11, 1807, and Sarah, his wife, was born at New London, Conn., January 31, 1817. They were married January 26, 1834, living first at Ottawa, but soon removed to Sugar Grove, Ill. James H. Spencer and Jennie Thomp-
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son were married February 22, 1862. He engaged in agricultural pursuits, finally buying a farm in Kaneville Township, where he lived until his death by consumption August 21, 1880, after suffering for nearly fifteen years. His family consisted of Elmer D .; Frank T., born December 31, 1865, and died February 24, 1877; Millie E., born Sep- tember 13, 1867; and Hattie C., born February 13, 1874.
Elmer D. Spencer married Myrtie E., only child of Newton R. and Mary J. (Pendleton) Good- win, former of whom, a son of Hiram and Nancy Goodwin, was born in New York State in 1834. Hiram, son of Russell and Rutlı Goodwin, of En- glish descent, was born in Litchfield, Conn., in 1804, and Nancy (Jones), his wife, was born at Rexford Flats, N. Y., in 1802. They were mar- ried in 1829. Mary J. Pendleton was born in Oneida County, N. Y., in 1836. Her father, Ben- jamin Crandall Pendleton, was born in Connecti- cut in 1794. He served as colonel in the War of 1812. In 1817 he married Asenath Langworthy, born at Westerly, R. I., in 1795; they were both of English extraction. The Goodwin as well as the Pendleton family were among the first settlers of Bloomingdale, Du Page Co., Ill., where in 1856 Newton R. Goodwin and Mary J. Pendleton were married. They went immediately to Aurora, engaging in the hardware business. October 5, 1862, Myrtie E. was born to them. August 25, 1865, Newton R. Goodwin died of typhoid fever.
B. MC C. DAUBERMAN. The Dauber- mans, from whom this gentleman is de- scended, are of Pennsylvania stock, and mostly of Centre County, that State, where they have resided for generations, holding honora- ble positions in both civil and military capacities. John Dauberman, grandfather of the subject of this memoir, was born August 11, 1799, and died August 28, 1875. He married Catherine Swartz, who was born August 21, 1798, and died March 4, 1868. John Dauberman, the great-grandfather, was born June 5, 1771, and died February 28, 1853, and his wife Mary (Hafern) was born Novem-
ber 24, 1773, and died May 11, 1848. All of the foregoing were born in Centre County, Penn. The great-great-grandfather emigrated from Europe.
G. B. McC. Dauberman was born March 1,1862, to George S. and Annie (Harter) Dauberman; the former born in Potter Township, Centre Co., Penn., October 11, 1826, and died March 20, 1874; the latter born in Clinton County, Penn., in May, 1832, and died September 16, 1871. For a long time they were honored citizens of Kane County. George S. Dauberman was thrice married. first to Matilda Spangler, second to Annie Harter, and third to Lucy A. Wise, who survived him. The subject of this sketch was reared to agricultural pursuits, and in 1880 became a clerk in the store of J. H. Scott, where he served two years and nine months. Subsequently he embarked in business on his own account, opening a store at Kaneville, where he has built up a prosperous and substantial trade, carries a general stock, and is known as a thorough-going, enterprising and honorable mer- chant. In politics he is a Republican.
J OSIAH ANGUISH FINK, a resident of Kane- ville, a well-to-do retired farmer, a substan- tial and enterprising citizen, and owner of one of the most valuable farms in the town- ship, is a descendant of an old New York State family of German extraction. His great-grand- father, William Fink, a native of New York, had been a soldier in the French War; and his grand- father, John Fink, born in Mohawk Valley, N. Y., was a prominent farmer and justice of the peace, a soldier of the Revolutionary War.
Josiah A. Fink was born November 16, 1814, in Sullivan Township, Madison Co., N. Y., his parents being John I. and Nancy (Anguish) Fink, the former of whom, a farmer by occupation, served for a long period as adjutant in the New York State Militia.
Mr. Fink was reared to agricultural pursuits, which he followed exclusively until retiring from active life. In June, 1838, he led to the altar Nancy B. Norris, who bore him three children: John N. (deceased); Marilda A., wife of Azor
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Howard, of Milan, Ill .; and Nancy C., wife of Capt. Levi Wells, a coal and lumber dealer of Shabbona, Ill. The mother dying in September, 1843, Mr. Fink formed a matrimonial alliance, in 1844, with Mary A. Norris, a sister to his first wife, and by this marriage there were two children: Norris A., of Mount Vernon, Dak., and Frances (deceased). This wife died in 1858 in Kaneville Township, and in the following year our subject married Louisa Coy, a native of Chenango Co., N. Y., born in 1827. By this union there were three children: Frankie C., wife of William Fred- erick, of Kaneville; Marcia A. (deceased) and Junie A.
Mr. Fink in 1839 removed to Onondaga County, N. Y., where he resided until 1851, in which year he came to Illinois with his family, and located on his present place, which he had purchased. While in Onondaga County he was orderly sergeant and major in the New York State Militia. In politics he is a Republican, and has served his fellow citi- zens in various offices of trust- such as school di- rector, supervisor, etc. He is a consistent member of the Baptist Church.
q® EORGE HENRY BRITTON was born in Cheshire County, N. H., June 26, 1850. His grandparents were Stephen and Fanny Britton, of English descent, and his par- ents were Lewis F. and Mary Ellen (Paine) Brit- ton. His maternal grandparents were Zebadiah and Dolly (Dodge) Paine. Lewis F. Britton came to Illinois in 1854, and settled in McHenry County, where he bought land on which he lived nine years. In 1863 he removed to Kane County, continuing farming until 1882, when he retired to Elgin, where he now resides.
George Henry Britton was reared on the farm, and received his education in the public schools and the Elgin Academy. In 1868 he taught his first term of school, and for three years was em- ployed on the farm in the summer, and teaching school in the winter. Mr. Britton, who has always followed agricultural pursuits, now owns eighty- seven acres in his own name, and his wife 125 acres, making a total of 212 acres in the farm in
Plato Township. He has a dairy of sixty cows, and his place is well stocked with other cattle. For the last four years he has devoted special attention to the breeding of Holstein cattle for dairy purposes, of which he now has a fine herd. The farm is pleasantly situated, and is in a high state of cultivation.
April 7, 1870, Mr Britton married Sarah A. Ranstead, born August 23, 1851, a daughter of John and Mercy B. (West) Ranstead, former of whom, born in Westmoreland, Cheshire Co., N. H., February 18, 1803, came to Illinois in 1837, and settled in Plato Township, Kane County, being one of the first settlers in that section. Mr. Ranstead was a strong man both mentally and physically, well fitted for a pioneer, and had a large personal acquaintance. He was postmaster at Udina for a good many years; represented his district one term in the Legislature, and had con- siderable influence in political matters when the State was Democratic. He married, July 16, 1840, Mercy B. West, who was born in Strafford, Orange Co., Vt., July 14, 1812, and is still living on the old homestead with her daughter, Mrs. Britton. John Ranstead died February 8, 1868. The children of George Henry and Sarah A. Brit- ton are Orie Maud, born February 19, 1871; Winfred Warren, born March 12, 1873; John Ranstead and Jessamine Eugenia (twins), born February 22, 1877; Elsie Mabel, born March 19, 1880; Albert Lewis, born October 14, 1882; and Clyde Allen, born May 2, 1886.
L YDIA M. LAKIN is a native of Jay Town- ship, Essex County, N. Y., and was born August 27, 1844. Her father, William Jordan, married Sallie E. Torrence, nee Houghten, widow of Merrit Torrence, and they had seven children, of whom Lydia M. is the fourth. In 1855 they came to Illinois, and settled in Camp- ton Township, Kane County, where they engaged in farming. William Jordan died April 15, 1878. His widow is a lady of culture and refinement, and at her advanced age of seventy-five years retains her faculties well; she makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Lakin.
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Mrs. Lakin spent her early years with her parents, receiving such education as could be ob- tained at the district school. November 16, 1861, she became the wife of Ralph Clark, a farmer and resident of De Kalb County. To them were born four children, two of whom died in early childhood. The two living are Elmer L. Clark, of Virgil Township, and Carrie W., now Mrs. Fred Palmer, of Iowa. Elmer L. married Lottie L., a daughter of William Humphrey. Mr. Clark died at Maple Park, August 2, 1876, and April 6, 1877, Mrs. Clark became the wife of Calvin Lakin, a resident of Virgil Township. To them were born three children: Elbert C., Warren M. and Ira B.
Mr. Lakin was a man who stood high in the estimation of the public and his fellow-citizens. He was elected constable, and served as collector sev- eral years; also held the office of justice of the peace eight years. He was possessed of considerable property at the time of his death, which occurred March 18, 1885. Mrs. Lakin and her children reside in a pleasant home of 120 acres located on Section 18, the entire property being in good con- dition, under the supervision of the son, Elmer L. who has the kind of enterprise and industry that keeps him well abreast of the times. Fat cattle and splendid horses are grown on the farm, where everything is in perfect order. Mrs. Lakin leads an exemplary life, being a member of the Metli- odist Episcopal Church, at Maple Park, and her Christian influence is manifested in her children, her son being also a member of that body.
J OHN F. BURTON: This gentleman is en- titled to high rank among the many intel- ligent and public-spirited men of Plato Township, and his energy and enterprise are of the kind that tend to enrich any section of country in which such as he is to be found. He was born in Plato, Kane County, February 21, 1863. His father, William Burton, a Canadian, was one of the earliest settlers of Plato Town- ship, where he bought 240 acres on Section 25, and reared a family of nine children, of whom John F. is the fifth.
The subject of this memoir attended the public schools, where he obtained a fair English educa- tion, and, his father having retired, he assumed charge of the place, and now conducts a stock farm. Among his stock is an imported Cleveland Bay stallion, a horse of fine style and action, colts of fine grade, besides a good carriage team, and sev- eral good work horses. The farm is noted for its extensive improvements. its stock, good water and drainage, and is provided with a fine residence and commodious outbuildings. Mr. Burton is a Re- publican.
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