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 65
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 65
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M RS. EVALINE M. BOARDMAN was born at Unadilla, N. Y., April 9, 1844, daughter of Joseph and Louisa (Wilde) Burrows. Her father, a blacksmith by trade, came to Illinois with his family when Evaline M. was but two years of age, and carried on his business at Dixon, subsequently removing to Sterling, and still later to Rock Island County. August 11, 1856, Mrs. Burrows died, and Mr. Burrows afterward married Mrs. Ellen Carey; he now resides in Iowa, aged seventy-six years. The Wildes and Burrowses, of whom Mrs. Boardman is a descendant, are old and respected families of New York, and, during the Revolutionary War, took an active part in that struggle, in the Con- tinental army.
Mrs. Boardman received a good education, and
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for five years was a successful and popular teacher. July 22, 1869, she was married to William Board- man, who was born in England, June 27, 1831, and to this union one child, Maud, was born May 16, 1875.
Mrs. Boardman is now the popular proprietor of the " Elburn House," situated just opposite the railroad depot in Elburn Village. She is pains- taking, and treats her guests courteously. Her apartments are neat and clean, her table being always well supplied with the choicest viands, and the traveler will at all times find comfortable accommodations at this hotel.
JULLER A. BOWDISH, farmer, of Black- berry Township, was born in the State of New York, September 7, 1833. [For his parentage, see sketch of Perry Bowdish, his brother.] March 3, 1862, he married Miss Melinda Acers, who was born July 12, 1839, in Blackberry Township, on the place where she now lives. Her parents were J. Gordon and Eliza (Rowley) Acers. Mr. and Mrs. Bowdish are the parents of two sons: Gordon A., a graduate of Michigan University, and Elbridge S .- both at home.
Mr. Bowdish is a Republican, and, officially, has been a member of two boards. In 1849 he came to Illinois with his parents, who settled in Blackberry Township, this county. He is now proprietor of a fine stock and grain farm of 297 acres, situated about four miles south of Elburn.
G EORGE W. ROBINSON, an active, rising young merchant of Elburn, was born in Virgil Township, Kane Co., Ill., August 18, 1851, son of William H. and Miriam (Pattee) Robinson, the former a native of West- minster, Vt., born January 14, 1806, and the latter of Thornton, N. H., born June 14, 1810. They were married in 1831, and in 1838 came west, and, settling in Virgil Township, this county where Mr. Robinson had purchased a claim, here resided until their death. The mother died March 22, 1866, and the father September
1, 1872, both respected members of the Baptist Church, in which Mr. Robinson was a deacon for several years. He was the first justice of the peace in Virgil Township, and was for several years treasurer and coroner. In their family were eight children, namely: William W. and George M. (now deceased), Martha J. (now Mrs. J. P. Harndon, of Nevada, Iowa), Ellen M. (now Mrs. R. R. Kimble, also of Nevada, Iowa), Alfred Alonzo and Addie (deceased), George W., Miriam L. (now the wife of B. G. Richmond, of Elburn). The mother of this family dying, the father married Louisa Burbank, now living with one of her sons in Michigan.
October 3, 1877, the subject of this sketch married Emma F. Kendall, who was born in Blackberry Township, March 2, 1857. Her par- ents were L. D. and Mary Kendall, who came to Illinois at a very early day, and were among the first settlers of Blackberry Township, where they resided until their death. In politics, Mr. Rob- inson is a Republican. He has held several offices, and is at present a member of the town board. Since 1884 he has been in business at Elburn, a member of the firm of Richmond & Robinson, dealers in agricultural implements, grain and coal. Mr. Robinson has in his posses- sion a family record extending back to 1680, when one of his progenitors, George Robinson, came to America from Scotland.
M ILO GEORGE was a native of the Green Mountain State, born in Strafford, Orange County, October 4, 1817, a son of Eben- ezer and Betsy (Kibling) George. In 1852 he came to Kane County, and settled in Blackberry Township, having purchased a farm on Section 26, where he resided until 1883, in which year he retired from active life, he and his much- respected wife having secured an ample compe- tence by joint industry and economy.
May 4, 1842, Mr. George married Achsa Boyce, a native of Springfield, N. H., born March 27, 1823. Her father was a native of London- derry, N. H., born in 1788, and died June 17, 1974, having enjoyed a pension for service in the
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War of 1812. Her mother was born in 1792, and died January 1, 1884. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. George: Mary E. (born August 13, 1843, wife of J. W. Snook, of Black- berry Township), Cora (born August 11, 1847, wife of George W. Catlin, of Creston, Iowa, ) and Alice M. (born September 1, 1861, wife of Fred- erick Humiston, of Big Rock Township). In poli- tics Mr. George was a Republican. He died May 31, 1887.
B RADFORD G. RICHMOND, a member of the firm of Richmond & Robinson, is one of the energetic, wide-awake merchants of Elburn. He was born in Campton Town- ship, Kane County, April 19, 1850, son of Moses C. and Susan H. (Garfield) Richmond, both natives of Vermont, and of the old Puritan stock. The parents were married in 1846, the father hav- ing two years previously taken up land in Camp- ton Township; at the time of his death, Decem- ber 30, 1886, they resided at Lafox, Ill. The father was a zealous abolitionist, and when Brad- ford G. was a young boy he would often assist in the escape of slaves. The mother is still living at Elburn.
March 6, 1872, Mr. Richmond married May L. Robinson, born in Virgil Township, Kane County, Marclı 2, 1854. To this union have been born two children, Nellie M., born May 18, 1874, and Maud M., born June 19, 1878. Mr. Rich- mond is a Republican in politics; he is a Master Mason.
SAAC KRUM, one of the prominent merchants of Elburn, was born in the State of New York, December 29, 1830, son of William H. and Polly (Van Luvan) Krum, also natives of New York. When he was twelve years of age his par- ents removed from Ulster County, N. Y., to Tioga County, same State, where they were engaged in farming until the father's death, which occurred in 1868, the mother dying one year later. The father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and received from the Government a land warrant for 160 acres.
Isaac is the seventh in a family of nine chil- dren, and is the only one living in the West. At the age of eighteen years he began work as a farm hand, and in 1853 came to Geneva, Ill., where for five years he worked at the carpenter's trade. After this he followed farming several years, and in 1870 entered into partnership with his brother in the hardware business, at Geneva. Two years later he came to Elburn, where he established a trade in hardware, which he still continues.
In 1855 Mr. Krum was married to Sarah Mil- ler, born in Ohio in 1832, and a daughter of John R. and Christine Miller, who came to Illinois and located at Geneva. Later they commenced farm- ing at Kaneville, and remained there until their decease. Mr. and Mrs. Krum have one child- Della M., born April 14, 1868. Mrs. Krum is a respected member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is prominent in those philanthropic enterprises which are generally prosecuted by women. Mr. Krum has been president of the school board six years, is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and has been treasurer of his lodge several years.
P ETER H. JOHNSON, a pioneer and hon- ored citizen of Blackberry Township, is one of the few men now living who may be called links connecting the events of nearly one hundred years ago with the present. He was a compatriot and school-fellow of the famed Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, and an acquaint- ance of the great Frenchman, La Fayette, and of Gen. Jackson, the last two of whom he met in the lodge room as a brother Mason. His first presidential vote was cast for Jackson, and at every presidential election since that time he has voted for the Democratic nominee.
He was born April 30, 1798, on Staten Island, N. Y., a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Hough- wout) Johnson, both natives of Staten Island, where they were married July 28, 1795. When he was about twenty-one years of age, he became acquainted with the Governor of New York, Dan- iel D. Tompkins, who advised him to purchase land at Tompkinsville, N. Y. Following this
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advice, he located at that place in 1819, pur- chased land, and also a water front of 500 feet on New York Bay, and opened a store for the sale of boots, shoes and clothing. He subsequently erected several buildings, and he may be consid- ered one of the founders of Tompkinsville, having laid out and named many of its streets, more especially Broadway and Swan Street. He con- tinued his business and residence at this place for ten or twelve years; then sold his water front to Vanderbilt and Moran for $9,000, and removed to West New Brighton, Staten Island, where he was largely interested in real estate, and in the building up of the town. He donated the land for and laid out the street called Broadway and Division Avenue, from Broadway to Columbia Avenue, in that town, on which have since been erected some elegant and costly buildings.
Mr. Johnson was married in 1821 to Miss Ann Bogart, a native of Staten Island, born in the year 1800. By this union there were nine children, as follows: John B., a druggist at Mound City, Kas. : Eliza Ann. now widow of John Bodine, of Staten Island; Teresa, now Mrs. Joseph H. May- borne, of Geneva, Ill .; Sarah M. (deceased), who married W. H. Decker, now also deceased; Louisa, now Mrs. L. E. Reed, of St. Paul, Minn .; Peter, a resident of Waconda, Ill .; Harrietta, widow of J. K. Anthony, now living at Mound City, Kas. ; Nicholas H., of Blackberry Township; and Albert (deceased).
In 1842 Mr. Johnson, with his wife and family, removed to Illinois, where he purchased the south half of Section 10, eighty acres of the southeast quarter of Section 9, and 125 acres of the northwest quarter of Section 15, Blackberry Township, making a total of 525 acres. On this land he at once erected a house, hauling the tim- ber used in its construction by team from Chicago. In this residence he has lived with his family to the present time. He has been identified with the best interests of the township for forty-five years, and has served the public in several offices of honor and trust. Before coming west he had served as justice of the peace on Staten Island, as a captain of artillery, and as ensign in the Rich- mond County Guards. He was a resident of New
York City during the War of 1812, and helped to fortify Brooklyn on several occasions.
The good wife who had accompanied him to Illinois, and had been a true helpmeet and com- panion for forty-six years, passed to her last long sleep December 8, 1867. She was an earnest member of the Episcopal Church, an affection- ate wife and mother and an estimable woman, and was sadly missed by her family and friends. "Uncle Peter," as he is now familiarly called, was married a second time, April 21, 1870, to Mrs. F. B. Morehouse, who was born at Fow- lerville, N. Y., February 10, 1827, a daughter of Augustus and Rhoda Weller, who were farmers at that place, but were formerly from Pittsfield, Mass. They witnessed the burning of Buffalo, N. Y., by the British, during the War of 1812.
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are happily circum- stanced, still residing at the old homestead in Blackberry Township, a beautiful location, situ- ated on the highest point in the township, afford- ing a magnificent view of the surrounding country. Upon the farm is an old Indian burying ground, in which is interred the son of the noted chief "Big Thunder." The house itself contains many interesting relics collected during the early man- hood of the owner. Among them is an old-fash- ioned clock, which he has had in his possession for over sixty years; portraits of Napoleon, Washı- ington, Gen. Scott, Gov. Daniel D. Tompkins, the table used by the latter-all once owned by Gov. Tompkins and purchased by "Uncle Peter" at an auction of the Governor's effects, in 1819.
W ASHINGTON H. GAUNT. In English history, the name Gaunt is associated more or less with heroic deeds in the bat- tles fought for national independence, centuries ago; and the name is not uncommon in Nottinghamshire, where lived the ancestors of the subject of this memoir. Washington H. Gaunt was born in Blackberry Township, Kane County, December 4, 1851, a son of Henry and Millicent (Pouley) Gaunt, natives of Nottingham. England, who came to America in 1847, locating; in Phila- delphia for a short time. They then came west,
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and purchased a farm in Blackberry Township, this county, where they commenced agriculture. Henry Gaunt also bought and shipped stock, being one of the first shippers from this region. Here he resided until his death, which occurred September 28, 1880. His widow survives, and is a resident of Elburn, now in the sixty-eighth year of her age.
Washington H. Gaunt, the fourth in a family of six children, received a good education, and for a time engaged in teaching. In 1872 he went to St. Louis and took a course in book-keeping and telegraphy at the Metropolitan Business College. Returning to Elburn, he was appointed there assistant station agent and telegrapher by the Chicago & North-Western Railroad Company. After serving in this capacity about two years, and spending one season at home on the farm, he entered the store of L. R. Reed & Sons as clerk, and, eighteen months later, purchased Mr. Reed's interest, continuing the business with C. A. Reed, a son of L. R. Reed. About three years after- ward the firm name was changed to Gaunt & Cline, and, four years after that, to the present style of Gaunt & Co.
December 22. 1880, Mr. Gaunt married Nellie Kendall, who was born at Elburn, Ill., June 23, 1859, daughter of Lorenzo D. and Mary S. (Bur- roughs) Kendall, natives of Chio, and pioneers of Illinois. Her father died in January, 1868, and her mother in April, 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Gaunt have had one child, Myrl A., who was born March 3, 1885. Mr. Gaunt is a Republican, and has been a member of the town board.
C EUGENE MORRILL, of Elburn, is a native of Kaneville Township, Kane Co., Ill., born May 18, 1850. His parents, Sam- uel M. and Emily S. (Stearns) Morrill, were natives of Strafford, Vt., and of Ellisburgh, N. Y., respectively, who emigrated before their marriage to Illinois, in pioneer times. They were married in 1849, resided upon a farm, which he purchased in Kaneville Township, sold it, removed to Iowa, and two years later returned to this county, settling in Blackberry Township; in 1859 they moved to
Elburn, where they still reside. They are now near the age of sixty years.
The gentleman whose name heads this sketch, the eldest of a family of nine children, acquired a good education, engaged in teaching for several years, served a clerkship for Gaunt & Cline and Gaunt & Reed, at Elburn, and in January, 1879, was appointed cashier of the bank at this place, a position he has creditably filled to the present time. He was married April 7, 1883, to Anna S. Hughes, who was born at Lemon, Penn., Septem- ber 5, 1861, a daughter of William and Miranda (Smales) Hughes. Her father was a native of England, and her mother of Pennsylvania: they reside at Crow Lake, Dak. Mr. and Mrs. Morrill have two children-Miranda M., born March 20, 1SS5, and William S., boru December 30, 1886.
The parents are not members of any church, but take an active part in the support of all relig- ious, educational, and other philanthropic insti- tutions in their community. Mr. Morrill is a Republican, and has served the township and vil- lage as clerk for five and six years, respectively; is a member of the Masonic order, being secretary of his lodge, and is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He is agent for several of the most reliable Eastern insurance companies.
W. SNOOK, a prominent, representative citizen and farmer, residing on Section 26, Blackberry Township, is a native of Onon- daga County, N. Y., and a son of John and Matilda (Bosla) Snook, who were of German de- scent, and also natives of the Empire State, where they resided until their death. Of their family of six sons and two daughters, the subject of this biography is the first child. He first came to Illinois in 1845, when about sixteen years of age, and possessed of but little except youth, energy and perseverance. Going industriously to work on a.farm, he acquired in a few years sufficient ineans to purchase the farm of nearly 200 acres, where he now resides. He has attained an ad- vanced position as an honored citizen, thorough farmer and business man. He has been selected by the citizens to fill various offices of honor and
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trust, representing his township on the board of supervisors at the present time. Politically, he is a Republican, in religion, a Universalist, and socially, a Freemason. He is of that class of men generally termed self-made; and whatever he has acquired or accomplished worthy of praise has been the result of his own labor. Mr. Snook has been married twice, and his second wife, with whom he was united in 1860, was M. E. George, born in 1843 in Orange County, Vt .; they have one child living, Mattie, born July 24, 1863, and now wife of Frank Seavey, of Blackberry Township.
OHN W. SWAIN, a representative and suc- cessful farmer and stock dealer, of Blackberry Township, was born in Saratoga, N. Y., December 22, 1832, a son of Marquis De Lafayette and Amy M. (Miller) Swain. His father, a native of the Empire State, and a trader on the canal, died in 1834; his mother, also a native of that State, afterward married Horace Willis, and they came to Illinois in June, 1844, settling in Blackberry Township, where they purchased a claim in Sections 6 and 7, which they set about to improve. Here, May 23, 1879, Mrs. Willis died, her husband having died some years previously. They were members of the Baptist Church, leaders in all benevolent work, and friends of the poor.
In September, 1861. John W. Swain enlisted in Company I, Eighth Illinois Cavalry, mustered into service on the 18th of that month, sent to Washington, and thence went into winter quar- ters at Alexandria, Va. After the battle of Bull Run he was taken sick on the Rappahannock River, and sent to the hospital, where he lay suf- fering for months. He was honorably discharged in August, 1862, returned home, and engaged in hay packing, dealing in agricultural produce, and coal and live stock, as a member of the firm of Willis & Swain. In the spring of 1885 he sold his interest in the warehouse, invested in land in Kan- sas and Iowa, and stocked his Kansas farm with 260 head of cattle. He also owns a fine stock and grain farm of 200 acres a half mile from Elburn.
November 24, 1868, Mr. Swain married Miss Sophia Platt, born in Blackberry Township, August
14, 1841, daughter of Samuel and Nancy (McNair) Platt, who were among the early settlers of Kane County. Mr. Platt was the first justice of the peace, and supervisor of Blackberry Township. [For a sketch of their lives, see that of Nancy Platt.] The father died April 13, 1850. The mother still lives, at the age of seventy-four years. Although not inembers of any church, Mr. and Mrs. Swain are interested in all benevolent works. He has been president of the town council for four years, and was township treasurer for ten years; has held several official positions in the lodge of I. O. O. F., and is past commander of Roger Bell Post, G. A. R. Politically, he is a Republican. Mrs. Swain has devoted some time to the study of art, and has succeeded, in a measure promising at no distant day to place her in the front rank of amateurs, her taste being of a refined order, and her skill fully capable of portraying her ideas of imagery.
M ILTON S. CLINE. Among the most re- spected and useful citizens of Elburn is Mr. Cline, the postmaster of the village. He was born in the State of New York, April 4, 1837. His father, Henry Cline, a farmer and merchant, was born in 1804, and died in 1875. His mother was born in 1813, and died in 1846. Both were natives of Herkimer County, N. Y.
Mr. Cline is of German descent, and his ancestors served in the Revolution. His great- grandfather owned a part of the island known as Martha's Vineyard, but was driven off by the British. Mr. Cline's early boyhood days were spent at the parental home, and, besides receiving a common-school training, he took a course at Fair- child Seminary, New York. In 1860 he married Sarah M. Reed, a native of Jefferson County, N. Y., born in March, 1839, whose parents both died in her native State. Mr. and Mrs. Cline are the par- ents of four children: Harry M., at home; Libbie M., now Mrs. Walter Morris, of Elburn, Ill. ; John R., baggage-master on the Chicago & North - West- ern Railway, at Elburn, and Herbert W., assistant postmaster at Elburn.
Mr. Cline came to Illinois in 1869, and bought a farm in Campton Township, Kane County, on
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which he remained eight years. Selling this prop- erty, he came to Elburn, where, in partnership with Mr. Gaunt, under the firm name of Gaunt & Cline, he carried on for a time the dry goods busi- ness. Afterward he became proprietor of a tile- yard here, but subsequently sold this out to Sharp & Wilson, the present owners. Politically, Mr. Cline is a Democrat. He has served as clerk of the school board, and is now postmaster at Elburn. He is a member of the Masonic Order.
R USSEL BENTON, a farmer of Blackberry Township, came to Illinois in 1843, from Allegany County, N. Y., when his par- ents, Gilbert and Jemima Benton, settled in Blackberry Township, this county, upon a claim in Sections 25 and 30.
Russel Benton was born January 24, 1830, and November 27, 1852, he married Martha Acers, a daughter of John G. Acers [see sketch], who was born in Chautauqua County, N. Y., November 24, 1834. Their children are Ruba, now Mrs. Oscar Bowdish, of Kinsley, Kas .; Ada, now the wife of H. A. Butrick, of Sibley, Iowa; Gilbert and Mary, at home. For five years Mr. and Mrs. Benton re- sided in Batavia, to give their children better educa- tional advantages, and in 1885 they returned to their farm, which comprises 330 acres, located on Sec- tions 25 and 30, Blackberry Township. Mr. Ben- ton is a Democrat; an A. F. & A. M.
OHN K. WHITE. . The "Green Mountain State" has sent many of her representative sons to this county, who have been honored, industrious, well-to-do citizens, and one of them is the subject of this sketch. He was born in Vermont, November 30, 1832, a son of Amasa and Betsey (Dunton) White, natives also of that State. [See sketch of Joseph E. White].
John K. remained with his parents until he was thirty-four years of age, and February 27, 1868, he married Mrs. Mary Monroe, born in Ohio, November 22, 1831, daughter of John R. and Christine (Allspaugh) Miller. By this marriage there has been one child, Lucy B., born February
7, 1869. Mrs. White's parents came to Illinois in 1850, and purchased a farm in Kaneville Town- ship, where they resided until Mr. Miller's death, November 16, 1869. After her husband's death, Mrs. Miller made her home with her daughter, Mrs. White, at Lafox. Her death occurred at Maple Park, February 6, 1870, while visiting one of her children.
Mr. and Mrs. White began their married life upon a farm east of Lafox, near Mill Creek, where they resided until 1879. Selling this, they purchased a fine stock and grain farm in Campton Township, known as the "old Hackett place," where there was a dairy. Mr. White suffered a serious fall, which rendered him unfit for the duties of farm life, and he rented the place and removed to Elburn, where he now resides. Pub- licly, he has served as a member of the school board; in politics, he was a Whig in the days of that party, and since then has been a Republican.
AMES S. WATSON, M. D., a physician of Blackberry Township, is a gentleman of Scotch-German descent. He was born in New Jersey, October 10, 1851, son of Charles and Charlotte (Frace) Watson, the former born February 25, 1816, and the latter December 25, 1815. In 1853, the parents came to Kane County, Ill., and settled in Kaneville Township, where they yet reside on their farm.
James S. is the fifth' in a family of seven chil- dren, and remained at home with his parents until he was twenty-five years of age. His first busi- ness responsibility was teaching public schools; then he was a clerk for a time in Chicago; next he commenced studying medicine in the office of Dts. Pelton & Augustine, at Blackberry; and one year later he entered the University of Michigan, where he graduated in 1881. Crossing the Atlantic Ocean, he took a year's course at Edinburgh, and also spent some time in visiting the hospitals at Glasgow, Belfast, Dublin, Cork and London, at- tending lectures, etc.
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