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 62
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 62
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In 1855 Mr. Maynard's parents came west, but only lived here a short time, the mother dying in 1858. aged sixty-nine years, and the father return- ing to Oswego County, N. Y., where he died, in
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1879, at the age of eighty-seven years. The fol- lowing children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Abra- ham Maynard: James W., Phillip (who died when but a few months old), George D., Henry, Mary (who died when fourteen years old), Edwin, Etta, Charles. Of these James W. and George D. volunteered in the army of the Union and served their full time, and were honorably discharged. James W. married Elizabeth Trinkle, and they are living in Crawford County, Iowa; Henry married Julia Lane, and has a farm adjoining his brother, James W., in same State; George D. married Elizabeth Hix, and is living in Nebraska: Edwin married Helen Wright, and is living on his father's farm in Hampshire; Etta married Solon Dow, and is living in Hampshire: Charles is at home with his parents. Mr. Maynard has held the office of school director, and in politics supports the Republican party.
OSEPH M. BORDEN, the subject of this memoir, one of the highly respected citizens of Dundee, possessing a character of irre- proachable integrity, is owner of the most extensive lumber and coal yards in the place. He is a native of the State of New York, having first seen the light of the day in the city of Cazenovia, No- vember 8, 1838. He came to Dundee with his parents in 1854. His paternal grandparents removed from Rhode Island to New York, in the year 1809, when the father of Joseph M. was a lad of ten years, and in this State passed the remainder of their lives. The maternal grandfather was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was killed in the battle of Sackett's Harbor. The Borden family are of French descent, the ancestry having emigrated to this country from France some time prior to the American Revolution.
Thomas F. Borden, the father of Joseph M., was a carpenter, a trade he followed until advanc- ing years and failing health caused him to retire from active labor, and in 1872 he moved to Elgin, where he resided until there passing to his eternal home January 6, 1887, at the age of eighty-nine years. The preceding year, his beloved and faith- ful wife, Susan E. Borden, a woman possessing rare spiritual gifts, had gone to her reward, when
aged seventy-nine. Thomas F. Borden was a man of superior intelligence and mental vigor, intensely interested in politics, an ardent advocate of free- dom for the slave, and, together with Gerrit Smith, took an active part in the abolition speeches of that day; a man of strong convictions, a consistent Christian, and a member of the Congregational Church. His family consisted of nine children, two by his first marriage, and seven by his second. Four of the latter still survive, of whom Joseph M. is the eldest, in whose educational advantages, though limited (he having but three months in the year in which to attend the common school), were excellently improved. When quite young, he be- gan learning the trade of his father, which he skill- fully followed for some years, when he concluded to invest in the enterprise of manufacturing brooms in the city of Chicago; some time later he engaged in the same business in Dundee (also raising broom corn for his own manufacturing), until he met with a reverse in the burning of Holden's Hall, in which his works were located. With true courage he began again, carrying on contract building in connection with manufacturing for sev- eral years. In 1870 he formed a partnership with J. H. Hodgess, and they purchased the lumber yard of E. H. Turner & Bros., of Chicago, situ- ated in Dundee. This partnership existed until 1883, when, by mutual consent, it was dissolved, Mr. Hodgess withdrawing; since that time Mr. Borden has alone continued the business, which has increased with his good reputation, being to-day one of the most thriving institutions in the county. In connection with his trade in lumber and coal, Mr. Borden sells large quantities of feed for the stock of the surrounding dairy country, owning a large elevator and several ware- houses. At the breaking out of the Rebellion he enlisted in the Seventh Illinois Infantry, and pro- ceeded at once to Fort Holt, Ky., where the regi- ment spent the winter. He was in the battle of Pittsburg Landing and siege of Corinth, and was honorably discharged as a first-class musician (in which capacity he had enlisted), in 1862, when by an act of Congress all regimental bands were dis. charged.
Returning to his home, Mr. Borden married, in
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1864, Mary E. Mills, of Buffalo, N. Y., a lady of varied accomplishments, who at that time was en- gaged in teaching in one of the schools of Dundee. Six children (four of whom are now living) com- prised their family. Those deceased are Charles J., who died February 20, 1869, aged three and one half years, and Bertha M., who died March 6, 1886, aged eighteen years; those yet living are Stella L., Mina S., Josephine C. and Clara B. In politics, Mr. Borden has always been a Republican, casting his first ballot for John C. Fremont. He has been supervisor of his town four years, and has also filled nearly all the minor offices of the town; he is a Knight Templar, and a member of the G. A. R.
E VELYN L. STARKS. Of all the pioneer families of Kane County, probably none is better known or more respected than the one of whom Mr. E. L. Starks is a representa- tive. He is a son of Evelyn R. and Saloma (Gage) Starks, and first saw the light in Rutland Town- ship, Kane Co., Ill., in the year 1847. His father, a native of Rutland, Vt., labored at farm work until twenty-two years of age, when he re- moved to Kane County, and entered, in 1835, a claim of a tract of wild land.
He was the first settler in the township to which he gave the name of Rutland, after his old home in Vermont. Some two years later he returned to his native land, and claimed in marriage Esther Doty, a native of New York State. They settled on their land, and there resided until 1840, when Mrs. Starks passed from earth in her twenty-second year, and in 1845 Mr. Starks took for his second wife, Saloma Gage, daughter of Solomon and Marian (Guernsey) Gage. She was born in Wyo- ming County, N. Y., and for ten years was a teacher in her native State. Afterward she removed to Kane County, and for one year taught in an old log schoolhouse, where the village of Hampshire now stands, in Hampshire Township. Evelyn R. Starks was foremost in the affairs of his township, and received the confidence which he deserved by being chosen first supervisor. He was a self-made man, one who built the ladder by which he climbed to the high position of esteem which he occupied.
His family consisted of six children-all sons: Evelyn L., Milton G., Frank A., John W., Willie and William H. Some twenty-five years previous to his decease he became broken in health, owing to the hardships and privations of the pioneer life he had endured, and in 1880 he passed away from earth to his reward. His life had been a useful one, and no lapse of time can cause his name to be forgotten in the history of his county. He was a member of the Methodist denomination, in politics a stanch Republican, much interested in the emancipation of slaves. Mrs. Starks still resides on the old homestead with her son, Evelyn L.
E. L. Starks has never removed from the home place which he now owns. His education was obtained in the common schools, and at twenty- two he was married to Helen M. Weed, daughter of Elisha and Julia (Hartman) Weed, of Hamp- shire Township, Kane County. She was born in Indiana, whence she came with her parents to Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Starks have had two children: Mabel A., born in 1878, and an infant, deceased. Mr. Starks is a Republican, and has filled the office of highway commissioner. He is a man of considerable executive ability; a member of Lodge 443, F. & A. M.
E DWIN W. WHELPLEY was born in Che- nango County, N. Y., February 25, 1830. His parents, John M. and Maria (Terwilli- ger) Whelpley, natives of that State, came west in 1837, and located in Cook County for one year; then removed to Batavia, Kane County, where they remained also one year; then again visited Cook County, but only stayed there an- other year. Locating at last in Du Page County. they there pursued their chosen vocation, that of farming, until the spring of 1857, when they came to Hampshire, where the father and son together bought a farm of 200 acres. The mother died in Hampshire, in April, 1868, at the age of sixty-six years, and the father passed away at Elgin, in May, 1885, aged seventy eight years, after a use- ful and valuable life.
In his early life Edvin W. obtained a limited education at the public schools, and when thirty-
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nine years of age he bought his father's interest in the farm, which, until recently retiring from active work, he conducted alone. This farm, which en- joys a fine location near the village, and is within the corporation, he has rented, keeping only a few acres for his own private use. Mr. Whelpley was prominent among the men who worked hard to get the railroad company to run their line near their village, and gave considerable land away for that purpose, also a good deal of money, often leaving his duty in the field to attend to the work of having the road run through the town.
May 27. 1868, he was married to Elizabeth Terwilliger, a native of Greene, Chenango Co., N. Y., where she was born October 1, 1833, her parents being Jacob and Deborah (Carmen) Ter- williger, natives of New York; the mother died in Cook County, Ill., in 1838, at the age of thirty- two years, and the father in Iowa, in 1864, aged seventy years. Mr. Whelpley held the office of town trustee three years. and town clerk two years. He has always voted the Republican ticket. Religiously, he is a close adherent of the doctrine of Spiritualism. Three years ago he built a handsome residence on his farm where he and his worthy wife are now enjoying the afternoon of life.
INCENT SELLER LOVELL was a native of Foulbridge Farm, Yorkshire, England, born in 1810, and died in Elgin in 1852. His father, Vincent Lovell, settled in Whitestown, Oneida Co., N. Y., in 1825. He was a farmer, and his children were reared to follow the same pursuits. It was here that Vincent S. met and married Lucy, daughter of Daniel and Charity (Kingsley) Smith. The latter were de- scendants of early settlers in Berkshire County, Mass., and Columbia County, N. Y., respectively.
In 1836 Mr. Lovell removed to the West, and located in Chicago, where he embarked in mer- cantile trade. While there he had become ac- quainted with the beautiful Fox River country, and purchased a farm near Elgin. In 1844 he removed to the town of Elgin, and from that time until his death he was a citizen of the same. He was conspicuous for his intelligence and public spirit.
He was elected the town's first clerk, and served well in forming the new organization. He was one of the projectors of the Elgin Academy, of which institution he was trustee. He left as sur- vivors a widow and two sons.
Mrs. Lucy Lovell was born in Whitestown, Oneida Co., N. Y., where she was married in 1841, and whence she accompanied her husband to Chicago, and later to Elgin. In early life she was a popular teacher in Elgin. where, for many years, she taught a select school; and she is still a resident of the city. Her sons are Edward Coultas Lovell, now county judge of Kane County, and Vincent Smith Lovell, now mayor of the city of Elgin.
APTAIN C WILLIAM WARNER. This gentleman is a grandson of Gen. War- ner, the first pioneer to cross the Tusca- rawas River, coming from Pennsylvania, where he had been engaged in the iron trade. The General was a man of considerable capital, and, intending to open up the country west of that river, brought everything along needed for con- ducting a farm on a large scale, but after living there a few years he died from over-exertion when still a young man. His widow survived him until 1856, dying at the age of seventy years. Mr. Warner traces his ancestry back to the family of Warners who were found on the banks of the Schuylkill River, when William Penn first went to that famous place.
William was born in Stark County, Ohio, October 5, 1829, son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Fetters) Warner, who were natives of Pennsyl- vania, and early settlers in that county. In May, 1854, William Warner came to Hampshire, and six months later brought his parents to the same place; they located on the farm adjoining their son's, and here lived very useful lives, the father dying July 2, 1887, aged eighty-one years; the mother is still living on the farm with lier grandson, George. In October, 1852, the subject of this biographical memoir married Catherine Har- ney, a native of Wicklow, Ireland, and daughter of Patrick Harney. also an early settler in Ohio. By this marriage two children were born: Mary
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E., who married George W. Sloan, and is living in Hampshire; and George O., married to Mary E. Lloyd, and living on the old homestead with his grandmother, Warner. This wife died June 11, 1855, and was buried in Hampshire, and April 8, 1856, Mr. Warner married Sally A. Dick- son, a native of Oswego County, N. Y., born October 28, 1835. Six children were the result of this marriage, as follows: Alice L., who died at Bosqueville, McLennan Co., Tex., August 5, 1882; Jessie J., married to Austin S. Brown, now living in Pocahontas County, Iowa; Francis M .; Will- iam T .; Willis M., and Albert C.
William Warner enlisted, August 7, 1862, in the town of Hampshire, Kane Co., Ill., was mustered into the State and United States service, for three years, as second lieutenant, September 5. 1862; he was afterward promoted to first lieu- tenant, then to captain, of Company C, One Hun- dred and Twenty-seventh Illinois Infantry. He served with his company in the following engage- ments: Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, Black Bayou, Champion Hills, Vicksburgh, Jackson, Mis- sion Ridge, Knoxville, Snake Creek, Resaca, Dallas, Big Shanty, Kenesaw, Nickajack Creek and At- lanta. August 11, 1864, he was ordered to re- port to Gen. William T. Sherman for duty at headquarters, Military Division of the Mississippi, Nashville, Tenn. Taking charge of all engineer- ing property in said division, Capt. Warner assisted very materially in constructing the de- fences in and around Nashville, prior to the bat- tle of Nashville, successfully laying a pontoon bridge across the Cumberland River, within the city limits, and maintaining it as long as it was necessary to pass troops, and to supply trains, thousands in number. In January, 1865, Capt. Warner was made a quartermaster and disbursing officer. and ordered to remove Gen. Sherman's headquarters from Nashville to Savannah, Ga., via New York and the ocean; here he met Gen. Sherman after his famous march through Georgia. and followed him to New Berne, N. C., thence to Raleigh, 'same State; he then returned to More- head City, and by the ocean and Chesapeake Bay to Alexandria. Va .; here he established Gen. Sherman's headquarters in the field, awaiting the
latter's army, coming via Richmond, Va. During the march of the Eastern army at the grand review, the Captain was engaged in perfecting the details for the grand march of the Western army, serving as a staff officer of Gen. Sherman. After the grand review he was ordered to remove head- quarters to St. Louis, Mo., after which the Cap- tain remained in the service until April 9, 1866, . when, at his own request, he was mustered out, having served three years and seven months, eighteen months of the time upon the personal staff of Gen. William T. Sherman.
After the war he returned to Hampshire, and resumed farming, remaining there until 1882, when he moved to Texas and engaged in sheep raising, only remaining a short time on account of the loss of his family, both his wife and daughter dying; the former died February 10, 1885, and is buried in Erath County. Since then he has lived in Hamp- shire. During this time he has served the town as assessor and supervisor, one term each, and has been much engaged on the school board.
J OHN MC DONOUGH, one of the early settlers of Kane County, and a prominent, influen- tial citizen, was born June 1, 1826, in Markerfelt, near Belfast, Ireland, and is the son of John and Rachel (Holdon) McDonough, who brought him to America when he was but four years of age, and settled in Lower Canada. Here John remained until his eighteenth birthday. when he went to Vermont, in which State he worked at farming until 1848, and then, with his brother, pro- ceeded across the country to the West, arriving. October 5, of that year, at Burlington, Ill., where he worked five years for farmers, on wages. The first year he bought forty acres, to which he added until he found himself owner of 120 acres.
His parents came west about two years after he did, and settled on his place, which they worked for him until his marriage, November 20, 1853, the bride being Miss Louisa Hamilton, of Ohio, daughter of John Hamilton. To this union one child, William, was born January 10, 1855, who married Ella Seacord, of Sycamore, October 6, 1882. They now live in Virgil Township, engaged
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in farming. After his marriage our subject removed to his farm, where his wife passed away March 7. 1857; he then married, October 15, 1859, Harriet Barber, a native of Lower Canada, born July 22, 1827, daughter of Lahira and Annis Bar- ber, who were early settlers in this county. Three children blessed this second marriage, viz: Luella (born July 26. 1860; married December 20, 1884, to Ed. Crips, and now living in Burlington, Ill.), Heman E. (born May 3, 1862; married April 13, 1886, to Eldora Craft, and now on his father's farm in Burlington), and Stella A. (born June 7, 1864, at home).
Mr. McDonough retired from farm work in 1886, and removed to Hampshire, where he is comfortably settled in a pleasant cottage, just out- side the business part of town. His farm, which has increased to 200 acres. is managed by his son, Heman E. Politically, Mr. McDonough is a Repub- lican, and has served as road commissioner, school director and school trustee. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are both ardent workers in the temperance cause, being members of the W. C. T. U., as is also their daughter. Stella A.
C HAUNCEY BROWN LYON was born in Leicester, Worcester Co., Mass., July 4, 1822, his parents being Charles B. and Silence (Barton) Lyon, descendants of early pioneers in that State. The son developing when very young a strong taste for music, his parents gave him opportunities of gratifying it; he spent some years in the best schools, and under the care of good teachers. When he reached his majority he embarked in mercantile pursuits, opening a boot and shoe store in his native State. In 1855 he came with his family to Illinois, located in Elgin, and engaged in the boot and shoe business with his brother. Subsequently selling his inter- est in the business to his brother, he moved to Wisconsin, and eight years later he returned to Chicago and formed a business agency with the well-known music house of Lyon & Healy, where he is now to be found. He travels mostly in Illinois and Wisconsin in the interest of the firm,
and has become widely known in his line in the West.
Mr. Lyon was married in New Haven, Conn., to Mary Rowe, daughter of Capt. Eli and Statira (Rowe) Farran, descendants of old colonial fam- ilies in that State. To this union was born one daughter, Fannie Virginia, now the wife of Thomas S. Lovell, of Chicago, and one son, John Jarvis, who died in 1872, aged nineteen years and three months.
Mr. Lyon and family are greatly esteemed by the people, generally, of Elgin, and they have long been welcome guests in the city's social cir- cles. In 1870 he was complimented by the Old Folks' Society, of Elgin, of which he was con- ductor, with a cane, which he still has. It was presented as an expression of respect and good- will toward him, by the society, a sentiment which is entertained by all his acquaintances.
H N. SHERMAN. In a comfortable home, situated in one of the most pleasant parts of Dundee Village, two brothers, H. N. and Sidney Sherman, reside. They are men of whom all speak in highest terms as honest citizens, whose word is as good as their bond,
H. N. Sherman was born in Franklin County, Vt., in 1822. He remained on his father's farm until about twenty years of age, and there, having devoted much time to the study of building and architecture, began to labor in that work. His education previously had been that of the common schools, but he was a studious youth, and made the most of it. His life-work, chiefly, had been that of carpenter and superintendent of buildings, until some two years ago, when he withdrew from hard labor to spend more easily the remaining years of his life. During his active life he did much to build up and improve his town, being, in 1878, the superintendent of the new school building. then being erected. In 1880 he, with his brother, left their farm to live in the village, and since have resided in Dundee. His ancestors were natives of Connecticut, having come in the colonial times. In the Revolution the maternal grandfather was a soldier, and served all through that great struggle.
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In 1832, at the advanced age of seventy-five years, he passed from earth. His widow survived him until 1849, when, aged ninety years, she too rested from life's cares. The mother of the subject of this biography is the only living representative of their union, and she, now a woman of eighty-eight years, makes her home with her two sons. She was born March 17, 1799.
Stanley Sherman, father of H. N., was born in Connecticut, January 17, 1797. At twenty-two years of age he married Nancy Beardsley. They remained in Vermont until 1844, then came to Kane County, and purchased a farm, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying in 1873, aged seventy-six years. Their home was cheered by the advent of seven children, five of whom are still living, three in Kane County.
P AUL EIFERT, although one of the young business men of Elgin, is highly regarded in financial circles. By his honorable and industrious business career he has long since gained that best part of a young man's capital -the entire confidence of those with whom his bus- iness has brought him in contact. He is a native of Germany, born in Rebgeshain, Hesse-Darm- stadt, September 16, 1851, and is a son of John David and Elizabetha (Kimpel) Eifert. When he had reached the age of fifteen years he left his home and friends in Germany, and sailed for America, his destination being Springfield, Ill., where were located three brothers and one sister, who had preceded him, and to which point he proceeded direct. He began to learn the trade of trunk maker, and going afterward to Toledo, Ohio, he there completed his trade. Then he was employed in different places, including nearly all the Western or Middle States. In 1875 he located his permanent home in Elgin, coming to the city from Fort Wayne, Ind. He worked as a journey- man four years, and in 1879 embarked in business for himself, combining harness making with that of the manufacture of trunks. He is now (March, 1888.) engaged in the book, stationery and toy bus- iness, having bought out the stock, trade and good- will of August Pfeng. in Elgin.
February 1, 1877, Mr. Eifert was married at Virden, Ill., to Adeline Whittler, and to them were born two sons: Ernest Paul and Charles Henry, latter of whom died when four months old. The mother of these children dying, Mr. Eifert married, November 30, 1882, Mrs. Mary E. Heideman, nee Richmann. By this marriage have been born one son and one daughter-Paul Fred- erick and Blanche Adeline. The family attend worship at the Baptist Church. They are well esteemed in the social life of Elgin.
(AMES WINNE. This prominent citizen and retired farmer of Huntley, McHenry Co., Ill., has been a resident of Elgin City since 1882, in which year he retired from farming, to which up to that time he had devoted all the years of his mature manhood. He was born in Glen, Montgomery Co., N. Y., January 23, 1819, son of James and Jemima (Van Cise) Winne, both of Catskill, N. Y., and of Holland-Dutch descent. their ancestry being among the first immigrants to the shores of the Hudson.
James Winne, whose name heads this sketch, remained with his parents until twenty-one years of age, in the meantime acquiring a fair educa- tion, and was appointed as clerk to collector of tolls on the Erie Canal, a position he served in for some time. In 1843 he came to Illinois, by way of the lakes to Chicago, and in June purchased an improved farm of 315 acres, since increased to about 695 acres, in Huntley, McHenry Co., Ill. Onto this land he immediately moved with his young wife, living at first in a log-house which, as years rolled round, was followed by a modern and substantial residence and outbuildings, all the work of his own hands or brain.
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