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 64

Author:
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Beers, Leggett & Co.
Number of Pages: 1040

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 64
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 64

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mr. Phelps was born February 11, 1845, in Chenango County, N. Y., a son of Pliny M. and Almira (White) Phelps, the former of whom was born in Chenango County, N. Y., October 12, 1818, and the latter in Otsego County, N. Y., April 15, 1818. They purchased and settled on 280 acres of land, one mile and a quarter east of Kaneville Village, in October 1861, with their family of seven children. Pliny M. Phelps died March 8, 1868; his widow still survives and resides with her two children, John T. and Estella A., in

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Geneva. The names of their children, eight in number, in order of their age are Archer B., Herbert, Lyman E., Agnes I., George, John T., Estella A. and Ella B. Of these Herbert died before the family came to Kane County.

Archer B. was reared and educated in New York State, came to Kaneville Township with his father's family in 1861, and now owns the old homestead mentioned above. He was married January 26, 1869, to Maria E. Hartwell, a native of New York State, born November 13, 1849, daughter of C. W. and Elizabeth (Wells) Hartwell, the former a native of New York and the latter of Connecticut, who settled in Sugar Grove Town- ship, Kane County (now of Courtland, De Kalb County), with two children-a son, named Henry, and the present Mrs. Maria E. Phelps, then a lit- tle girl. Mr. and Mrs. Archer B. Phelps have a family of six children: Pliny L., Archer L., Jen- nie L, Willard E., Alice I. and Clinton H.

Mr. Phelps is one of the substantial citizens and successful farmers of Kaneville, universally respected and esteemed as one of its best inhabit- ants. In politics he is a Republican; in religious matters, liberal.

E BEN FOSS, a retired farmer, now living in Elgin City, has been a resident of Kane County since 1839, having come with his father, Eben Foss, Sr., who took up a claim to a tract of land in Campton Township, locating upon it with his family the same year. This land Eben Foss, Sr., improved and occupied until his death. Mary Webster Foss, the mother of our subject, died when he was but five years of age. On both sides the family were descended from patriotic revolutionary ancestors.

Eben Foss, whose name heads this sketchi, was born in Grafton County, N. H., June 10, 1822, and on attaining his majority took up a claim to a tract of land which he improved and operated as a farm, and for many years he was one of the most active citizens and forehanded farmers of the county, continuing in that vocation until 1884, when he retired from active work and removed to his present residence in Elgin.

Mr. Foss was married in 1847 to Mrs. Emily C. Cleveland, nee Ravlin, a native of Chautauqua County, N. Y. [The Ravlin family are more par. ticularly described in the sketch of N. N. Ravlin. ] To Mr. and Mrs. Foss were born two daughters: Hattie L., now Mrs. J. A. Daniels, and Mary E., now Mrs. J. H. Williams-all of Elgin. After a married life of thirty-eight years the wife and mother died in 1885, and lies at rest in the Elgin Cemetery. She was a woman of strong religious convictions, a member of the Baptist Church; a true wife and loving mothier, she was mourned not only by her own family, but by a large circle of acquaintances.

J OHN W. RANSTEAD was born in Plato Township, Kane County, Ill., June 14, 1843. His father, John Ranstead, a native of New Hampshire, born in the year 1803, grew to manhood in his native State, and in 1837 came west, to Kane County, Ill. Taking up a claim in Plato Township, he settled thereon, began its improvement and here resided until 1840, when he returned to the East, and was united in marriage with Miss Mercy B. West, a native of the State of Vermont, born there in 1813.

The young couple at once came to their home in Kane County, and became known among its early pioneer families. John Ranstead was a man of sterling merit, and soon became prominent in his district. He was a man of more than ordinary ability, and in 1853 was elected on the Democratic ticket to represent this district in the State Legis- lature. He died February 8, 1868. His widow still resides on the old homestead in Plato Town- ship, with her daughter, Mrs. Sarah A. Britton.

John W. Ranstead was educated at the Elgin Academy, and when sixteen years of age entered Lombard University, at Galesburg, Ill., where he completed the full course. Having decided upon the legal profession, he, in 1864, entered the law department of the University of Michigan, from which he graduated in 1866. Returning to his home, he spent the next two years with his parents, assisting them on the farm during the summer, and teaching in district schools during the winter.

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KANE COUNTY.

In 1868 he opened a law office in Elgin, and has since been actively engaged in his profession as one of the leading lawyers of the county. From 1873 until 1882 he occupied the bench as Judge of the County Court of Kane County. In 1867, at Galesburg, Ill., he married Miss Eugenia A. Fuller, born at Troy, Mo., in January, 1843, a daughter of Rev. J. P. and Adeline (Cady) Fuller, who were natives of Connecticut, and who came to Peoria, Ill., in 1835. Her father was one of the old pioneer Universalist preachers, his district ex- tending from Peoria to Galena, and he would travel from place to place on horseback. To Mr. and Mrs. Ranstead has been given one child, Nettie M., born August 15, 1876. Mr. Ranstead is president of the Home National Bank at Elgin. In politics he is Democratic.

0 RSON S. MC ALLISTER is. conspicuous among the influential citizens of Hampshire, and prominent as a successful business man. He is senior partner in the firm of McAllis- ter, Backus & Co., hay and coal merchants, and is known as a prompt, energetic and enterprising business inan generally. He was born in Essex County, N. Y., August 31, 1848, his parents be- ing Sylvester and Mercy (Munger) McAllister, natives of Vermont, who removed to New York previous to his birth, where they engaged in farm- ing until 1861, when they came west and settled in Dundee Township, Kane County, where they bought a farm.

From the time Mr. McAllister was old enough to work he assisted on his father's farm in such duties as he could perform in summer, attending the district school in winter; thus he obtained his education. At the age of eighteen years, wishing to learn some other business, he paid his father $200 for his time, and engaged to learn the sash and blind trade at Elgin. After working a short time he bought an interest in the firm, which he held for five years. Two years of this time he worked his father's farm; then came to Hamp- shire and began farming for himself. His place is situated on Sections 3, 4 and 5, comprising 582 acres of land and a fine stock and dairy farm, well

stocked with fine graded cattle. Here he remained until five years ago, at which time, having large business interests in town, he removed with his family to the village, where he still resides. Be- sides his large hay and coal trade, Mr. McAllister is engaged in dairying, buying from the farmers of the surrounding country, and shipping to Chi- cago. He is also largely interested in Western lands, doing considerable business in the sale of Minnesota land. He has served his town as road commissioner three years, and for the past six years has held the office of supervisor. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., Hampshire Lodge, No. 730, and A. F. & A. M., No. 443. In politics he is a Re- publican.

September 7, 1869, Mr. McAllister was married to Maria Mann, daughter of Leonard Mann, a na- tive of Kane County. Two children were born of this marriage: Edwin V. and Luella M. Mrs. Maria McAllister passed from this earth December 29, 1872, aged twenty-three years, and was buried at Dundee. September 15, 1874, Mr. McAllister married Eugenia Williams, of Hampshire, daugh- ter of S. K. Williams, and three children have been born to them, as follows: Effie R., Ruby P. and Anna R. Mr. McAllister is ever ready to aid all benevolent and charitable projects.

M RS. CATHERINE DENNEY. One of the old pioneers of the county who have gone before to pilot the way to "the better land," leaving behind honored names to posterity, was Major Denney, who was born at Man- lius, N. Y., in 1807, and closed his eyes in death in Big Rock Township, Kane County, in 1886. He was a son of Hugh (a farmer) and Hannah Denney, also natives of Manlius. As far back as the genealogy of the family can be traced thie Denneys were natives of New York State. Major Denney learned the trade of a cooper when a boy, at the same time securing a good common-school education, after completing which he engaged in the cooper business in New York State. March 25, 1835, he married Catherine Millett, a native of New York, and a daughter of Alexander and Cath- erine (Rosecrans) Millett, the former of whom was

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a farmer, miller and cooper in New York State. To this union were born twelve children, nine of whom are still living: Cornelia, wife of Edwin Godfrey, in Kaneville, Ill .; Emma (widow of Menzo Gammett), in Chicago; Major, a resident of Kane County; Harriet (wife of Orlando Wood- ward, in Big Rock Township; and Harrison (mar- ried), Mervin, Laura, Ida (wife of Levi Davis) and Charles, all in Big Rock Village. Mr. Den- ney came to Illinois in 1841, purchased from the Government 240 acres of land on Section 3, Big Rock Township, and commenced farming, carry- ing on, for a few years at first, his trade in connec- tion therewith. In 1857 he bought 240 acres in Iowa, which he improved, and thereafter spent his time equally between the two farms. At his death he left to his family 290 acres in Big Rock Town- ship, and the 240 in Iowa. Mr. Denney came to Kane County when there was not a market nearer than Chicago, but bravely did he overcome the privations and hardships which surrounded him, and handsomely was he repaid. Politically, in early days he was a Whig, in later days a Repub- lican. He was a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. His widow is now living a retired life in Big Rock Village with three of her sons, the homestead being rented. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

S ILAS WAY was born in Lyndon, Vt., Jan- nary 13, 1817, visited Kane County, Ill., in 1837, and in 1844 located at St. Charles, where he soon after, with a capital of $150, engaged in mercantile business, in which he con- tinued for eight or ten years. February 26, 1854, he married Mary M. Buckley, who was born in Bridgeport, Conn., October 26, 1820. They had one child, Ella M., born May 29, 1856. Mrs. Way died April 29, 1879. The daughter married George H. Kerr, with whom she is now living at Kansas City, Mo. In 1856 Mr. Way removed from St. Charles to Batavia, which has since been his home. Here he invested his capital of $1,000 in a mercan- tile venture, and continued in business until 1860. He subsequently took up bee culture, his original apiary consisting of a single swarm. He has paid great attention to the work, and, at the time these

notes were taken, was the possessor of 100 swarms. Mr. Way is a Democrat in politics. He has wit- nessed remarkable changes and wondrous growth and development in the Fox River Valley since his first acquaintance therewith.

ONATHAN TEFFT is one of the wealthy and prominent farmers of Elgin Township, noted for his thrift, public spirit and integrity. He was born in Lebanon, Madison Co., N. Y., January 23, 1817, the son of Jonathan and Eliza- beth (Collins) Tefft. The family came to Illinois in 1835, before the land was surveyed, built a log. house east of Elgin, in what is now Hanover Town- ship, Cook County, and lived on a claim of 210 acres until 1837; then moved to what is now called the old homestead farm of 260 acres. Mr. Tefft, Sr., died January 26, 1866, in the city of Elgin, and Mrs. Tefft died August 24, 1856, on the farm in Elgin Township.

Jonathan Tefft was reared on his father's farm, and received such education as could in those early days be had at the district schools. He and his brother purchased, in 1839, a claim of 250 acres of their father, and, after deeding and dividing with his brother, Jonathan sold his part, 108 acres, to Smith Harford, in about 1844; then he and his brother carried on a meat market in Elgin, from 1846 to 1850. In the latter year he purchased 150 acres of land (which, when he purchased the homestead, he sold to his brother), part of which was in Cook County, adding thirty-six acres to it January 14, 1865. March 2, 1865, he purchased his father's homestead of 260 acres, of which 208 acres lie in Cook County and fifty-two in Section 36, Elgin Township, and has since added to it forty-seven acres in the same section. Here he made his home, and engaged extensively and suc- cessfully in sheep raising, at one time having over 600 head. Of late years Mr. Tefft has turned his attention to dairying, milking sixty cows. His herd consists of nearly 100 head of full blood and high grade Holsteins. The farm is in a high state of cultivation, with the best improve- ments, well drained and watered, having two wind- mills, one with tank and trough arranged to act automatically; a large brick residence, modern

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KANE COUNTY.

finish, costing $4,800; four barns, one dairy barn, 36x98 feet, eighteen feet posts and basement, one forty feet square, another for hay, and a large tool house; also carriage house 22x30; everything being built in good style. He has been three years assistant supervisor, and for fifteen years was high- way commissioner. For twenty-eight years he has been a Master Mason, and at present he is a mem- ber of Clintonville Lodge, No. 511; is a mem- ber of the Board of Trade, and Illinois Holstein Breeders' Association; a stanch and consistent Re- publican, thankful for the benefit the party has been to the community, himself included.

April 8, 1841, Mr. Tefft was married to Delinda West, a native of New York, daughter of Isaac West, of Kane County. The issue of this union was five children, three of whom died in early in- fancy. The surviving children are Jennie, resid- ing with her parents, and Frank, who has worked the farm for several years, and who married Minnie, daughter of John Cook (deceased), late of Cook County.

W ILLIAM O'DONOVAN, one of the lead- ing representative farmers of this section, is now retired and enjoying life in the village of Elburn. He is the owner of a fine stock, grain and dairy farm of 180 acres in Kaneville Township, one mile and a half southwest. of town. He came to Illinois from Long Island in 1856. In the spring of that year he went to Iowa in search of land, traveling on foot from Dubuque to Fort Dodge, where he bought a farm of 320 acres. After remaining in Fort Dodge a short time he started on foot for Illinois, making the journey in this primitive manner as far as Waterloo, Iowa, where he took the stage. On this trip he experienced all the dangers and privations incident to traveling in a frontier country. where roads and bridges were nearly unknown. On his return he worked one season as a farın hand, rented a farm in Blackberry Township for some years, and then purchased a tract on Sections 12 and 1. which he occupied until 1879, when he removed to the village of Elburn, where he owns a fine residence.

He was born in Carragane, Ireland, June 7,

1822, son of John and Honora (Connelly) O'Dono- van, natives of Ireland, who passed all their lives in that country. His father, who was the owner of three fine farms, died in 1840; his mother died in 1853. William, the third in order of birth in a family of ten children (four sons and six daugh- ters), received his education in the country schools. In 1853 he married Julia Lucy, a native of Cork. Ireland, born in 1820. The children of Mr. and Mrs. O'Donovan have been John, Michael, Catha- rine, Honora and Helena, all now deceased except the last mentioned, who was married in April, 1883, to D. W. Riordan, of Chicago, and is the mother of three children: Julia Marguerite, Sarah Alice and William John, of whom only the first named is living. Mr. Riordan is the inventor and patentee of the Riordan Refrigerator Car, be- sides several improvements pertaining to railroad appliances. In 1878 Mrs. O'Donovan passed to her eternal rest, a devout member of the Catholic Church, and greatly beloved by all who knew her. Mr. O'Donovan is a member of the Catholic Church, was formerly a Democrat, but now a Re- publican. Although over sixty-five years of age, he is remarkably strong and active. His success in life is a fair representation of what can be attained by industry and perseverance.

H ENRY E. STEARNS, a prominent farmer, is the owner of a productive tract of 125 acres in Section 12, Blackberry Township. He settled in that township in 1844. com- ing from New York State. He was born in Ver- mont, January 1, 1824. His parents, Henry and Emily (Church) Stearns, were both natives of the Green Mountain State, and came to Illinois in the year mentioned. The father died in Batavia Township, in April, 1878, aged eighty-three years, and the mother in January, 1884, aged seventy- nine. The progenitors of the Stearns families in America were three brothers, who came from Eng- land and settled in Vermont in the early days of American colonization.

On May 29, 1848, Henry E. Stearns married Miss Amanda M. Marks, who was born in New . York State, April 15, 1830, a daughter of James

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KANE COUNTY.

and Electa (Moffitt) Marks, of whom a record in given in the sketch of J. T. Marks. Mr. and Mrs. Stearns have had three children, two of whom died in infancy; Ella V. was born July 2, 1859. Polit- ically, Mr. Stearns is a Republican. He has served as collector, commissioner, and president of school board, etc., creditably. Hc was the first collector and constable of Blackberry. Township.

T HOMAS SOLOMON was born in Newlyn- East, Cornwall, England, August 11, 1820, and is a son of Thomas and Janette (Ben- nett) Solomon. Thomas quitted forever the land of his birth and the home and resting-place of his fathers, and sailed for the New World in 1847, impelled by the one, strong, grand idea of the possession of land, and the broad independence and manhood that may stand erect and unabashed in the presence of crowned kings, and feel that "a man's a man for a' that, and a' that." The deep conviction in his soul was that "the rank is but the guinea's stamp," and that in a land where all are sovereigns was God's chosen empire-where grew the sturdy sons of free men, real men.

In this abiding faith Mr. Solomon came to America, and first stopped in Chicago, where he remained until 1851, when, his attention being called to the rich and valuable lands of Kane County, he came and examined and bought a farm in Burlington Township (at first only purchasing fifty acres), and here he has made his home, toiling faithfully. To this he has added until now he owns 140 acres of as rich and finely improved land as there is in the township. It is all in a high state of cultivation, finely drained in every part, and on every hand are the necessary build- ings and conveniences for stock and the care of grain that are used by the thrifty farmer. From the hour of his arrival to the present Mr. Solomon has gained in material prosperity, and also in the knowledge and respeet of his neighbors, until now he has the undivided honor and esteem of all. In England, where social distinctions are so strongly drawn. his family belonged to the middle class, a respectable, hard-working people.

When fourteen years of age Thomas served an

apprenticeship to a shoemaker, and thoroughly learned the trade. When he had completed his term of service he was, by the assistance of friends, enabled to set up a shop on his own account, and, although still very young, he met with success from the day lie commenced for himself. He con- tinued in business in Newlyn-East until 1847, by which time he had accumulated enough to come to the New World, and bring his little family.

When he arrived in Kane County he abandoned the shoemaker's trade, and became a farmer. Of course, in some respects, he at first labored under the disadvantages of the want of experience in the business, as well as the greater difference in farm- ing in this new country and in the Old World; but his quick eye and strong, natural sense soon advanced him in the new place, and it required but little observation and experience to place him side by side with leading farmers of the county. He is at present filling the office of magistrate; for fourteen years he has been elected to the office of school trustee; and was one term assessor of his township. While he has acted with the Republi- can party, his ambition has never led him into the scramble of politics-he is naturally too much of a farmer for that. A strong token of the estcem in which he is held by his neighbors, who know him best, is the fact that in 1865 he was drafted into the army, and his neighbors voluntarily united in procuring him a substitute. They said that in those dark and trying times they wanted the pres- ence of Mr. Solomon, his advice, aid and counsel in sustaining the country in its hour of great peril. This, it is apprehended, was an unusual compli- ment of neighbor to neighbor, carrying with it a far deeper meaning than is conveyed in any set terms of speech.

In April, 1845, Thomas Solomon and Emma Pierce were joined in marriage in their native country. She is the daughter of John and Anna (Polkinghorn) Pierce, former of whom was cap- tain of and operated a mine in Chace-Water, Corn- wall, England. They were very respectable and well-to-do people, and the family grew in the estcem of the community in which they were born. The names of the six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Solomon are, as follows, John Pierce (born Febru-

Thomas Solomon

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KANE COUNTY.

ary 24, 1846), Thomas H. (born September 12, 1849), William V. (born September 28, 1851, died May 1, 1856), Joseph (born October 6, 1854, now in Nebraska), Mary Jane (born August 13, 1856, now wife of Dr. Don Monran, a leading physician of Detroit), William L. (born Angust 29, 1869).

A few years ago Mr. Solomon retired from the hard labor of life to one of comparative ease and quiet. His intellect is unimpaired, and his days are cheery, bidding fair for years yet of usefulness. He has certainly earned the comfort and quiet enjoyment that have come to him after his long life of earnest toil. The best wishes of all who know the good old man and his companion attend them in their every future walk.

OHN GORDON ACERS, one of the oldest and most prosperous of Kane County's pio- meers, was born in Pageville, Elk Creek Township, Erie Co., Penn., July 13, 1802, of Irish and English descent. His parents were John and Melinda (Spear) Acers, the former a native of Massachusetts, and the latter of Vermont. They were married in New York, and afterward proceeded to Pennsylvania, where they located for a time. Seven years later they removed to Chau- tauqua County, N. Y., thence to Illinois in 1835, settling in Batavia Township. The mother died in 1862, and the father two years later, in the ninety-third year of his age.

John G. Acers, the subject of this biographical memoir, the second in a family of eight children, had no opportunity to attend school until after he was eleven years of age. May 6, 1824, he was married to Eliza Rowley, a native of Connecticut, born October 8, 1801, and they have had nine children: Mary. now Mrs. Harvey McNair, of Batavia Township; Martha, wife of Russell Ben- ton, of Blackberry Township; Melinda, now Mrs. F. A. Bowdish; Merenda, Charles Hendrick, Per- melia, Lucy A., John R. and Eliza are deceased. March 8, 1868, the mother of the family passed to her final rest, and was buried on the old home- stead. She was a respected member of the Chris- tian Church, and prominent wherever woman's work was called for.

In 1835 Mr. Acers was one of a company who came by land from New York to Illinois. He set- tled in Batavia Township, where he remained one season, then removed to Blackberry Township, where he took up a claim on Section 20. This was previous to the Government survey.

Mr. Acers had small educational advantages, but he improved his time much better than the youths of to-day. He has been all his life a great . reader, and, having a more than remarkably reten- tive memory, nothing was lost. He was ever familiar with all the questions of the day, polit- ical or otherwise. He has been until quite recently presiding officer or moderator at all town- ship elections; has held many of the town offices, such as supervisor, trustee, for a number of years assessor, and nearly always on the district school board, etc. He is a good mathematician, and a sound and logical reasoner. His maternal grand- parents were both English, His grandfather on his father's side was Irish, his grandmother Scotch. Politically, Mr. Acers affiliates with the Repub- lican party, but he cast his first vote for Daniel D. Tompkins, of New York, for governor, on the Democratic ticket, and was a very zealous aboli- tionist. He is still strong and active, and makes his home with his daughter, Mrs. F. A. Bowdish, of Blackberry Township.

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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 64

Author: Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Beers, Leggett & Co. Number of Pages: 1040

Author:
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Beers, Leggett & Co.
Number of Pages: 1040