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 81
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 81
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N ELSON WOLCOTT. This gentleman was born in Sandisfield, Mass., January 4. 1806, and is the son of William Wolcott, who by trade was a joiner and cabinet- maker, and was interested in a tannery, clothing works and woolen manufactory. He was born in Wethersfield, Conn., June 13, 1774, and died in
1843. His wife, whose maiden name was Huldah Deming, was born October 24, 1781, in Lenox, Mass.
When a young man Nelson Wolcott removed to Greigsville, Livingston Co., N. Y., where he was employed as a clerk in the mercantile estab- lishment of his brother, Newton Wolcott, for two years. In 1828 he entered into partnership with his brother, and took charge of a store at North China, in Genesee County, where he continued in business until 1839, when, with his then partner, N. E. Mars- ton, under the firm name of Wolcott & Marston, he made an arrangement with a New York house to open a dry goods store in Buffalo. The New York house failing, they bargained their goods to a merchant in Indiana, and they were shipped to Michigan City, where Mr. Wolcott went to take the security offered and deliver the goods; but not finding the security satisfactory, he declined to deliver them, and the result was they were taken to Goshen, Elkhart Co., Ind., where the partners continued the business under the charge of Mr. Marston until 1844, when they dissolved partnership, and Mr. Wolcott sold his interest to that gentleman, In 1847 Mr. Wolcott again en- gaged in merchandising at Attica, N. Y., contin- uing there until 1856; then removed to Batavia, Ill., where he continued the business until 1862.
September 2, 1835, Mr. Wolcott married Alvina Wright, who was born in Middleburg, Genesee Co., N. Y., March 27, 1809, and de- scended from English ancestry. Eight children were born to them-Ellen H., Robert N., Henry K., Laurens W., Mary L., Seymour A., William A. and Frank N. - all now living.
During his residence at North China, the township was divided, and the town of Java was formed, the name of the postoffice being changed from "North China " to "East Java," Mr. Wolcott then being postmaster. He was chosen to several more or less important offices, being elected the first town clerk upon the division of the town, and the first county clerk upon the division of Genesee County, and the form- ation of Wyoming County, in 1841. After the expiration of his term of office as county clerk, he was urged by his friends to accept the nomina-
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tion of member of the assembly, when a nomination at that time by the party to which he belonged was virtually an election, but he declined the honor. Adopting in early life the principles of the Whig party, upon the organization of the Republican party, he naturally followed their lead. He says he was born anti-slavery, and on several occasions aided those who were escaping from slavery to freedom on the " underground railroad." He is a deacon in the Congregational Church. In the more than four score years Mr. Wolcott has lived he has had a varied experience, and has found many opportunities to be of great usefulness to his fellow men.
A LBERT A. FITTS, M. D., one of the rising young medical practitioners of the county, is a native of New York, born April 5, 1853, a son of Nelson A. and Maria D. (Whitney) Fitts, the former of whom, an architect and build- er by occupation, was born in Massachusetts, March 9, 1829; the latter was born in New York, July 15, 1830. Nelson A. Fitts served in the War of the Rebellion, having enlisted, in 1861, in Company B, N. Y. H. A., and served during the war.
Dr. Fitts entered the medical department of Howard University, Washington, D. C., in 1874, where he completed his course, and graduated in March, 1878. Following this he located for a time at Falls Church, Va., and then entered the Freedman's Hospital at Washington, D. C., where he had practiced previous to his graduation. In the fall of 1878 he was appointed physician for the Irondale Mining Company, of West Virginia, soon however, returning to Batavia where he has since resided, engaged in the practice of his profession.
January 1, 1881, the Doctor married Nellie V. Whitney, born at Naperville, Ill., August 26, 1861, daughter of William M. and Luvilla (Clark) Whit- ney, New Yorkers, who came to Illinois in 1856, the former of whom was county clerk of Du Page County, and State Senator from that district, two terms; at present he is chief bookkeeper for the asylum at Kankakee, Ill. He and his wife are the parents of two children; Albert W., born January
25, 1882, and Helen L., born November 15, 1884. In politics Dr. Fitts is a Democrat. He is a mem- ber of the school board; of Lodge No. 404, F. & A. M., and P. G. of Rock City Lodge, No. 718.
YMAN J. PATCHIN is a native of Michi- gan, born at Spring Lake, June 25, 1855, son of James M. and Julia (Murphy) Pat- chin, the former a native of Vermont, and the latter of Canada. James M. Patchin came to Michigan when that State was comparatively a wilderness, and became proprietor of one of the first sawmills in Grand Haven, where he died in June, 1884, in his eighty-first year.
At the age of seventeen Lyman J. Patchin entered school at Kenosha, Wis., and, returning to Michigan, became a drug clerk. In 1879 he lo- cated at Batavia, where he served a clerkship with M. M. Kinne, and in 1880, with Hamilton E. Vin- cent, established a drug and jewelry business, of which Mr. Patchin assumed exclusive control.
May 1, 1881, he married Miss Ida May Updike, a native of Batavia, born January 23, 1860, a daughter of William Updike, of Batavia, whose biography appears elsewhere. Two children have blessed this union: Ethel M., born April 7, 1882, and Hazel C., born May 24, 1886. Mr. Patchin is a member of Rock City Lodge, No. 718, I. O. O. F. In politics he is a Republican.
RANCIS K. GEORGE, another of the pros- perous sons of the Green Mountain State, was born in Strafford, Orange County, December 31, 1819. His parents, Ebenezer and Betsy (Kibling) George, were natives of New Hampshire, whence they moved to Vermont at an early day. Francis K. had very limited school advantages (not more so than what were secured by other boys of his time), and, learning the wool card- ing and cloth dressing trade, worked at the same at various times as apprentice and journeyman. At the age of twenty-four he commenced farming, and in 1864 came to Illinois, where he settled down to agriculture near Batavia. In 1866 he
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moved into the village, and here he carried on insurance and real estate business for nineteen years. In 1877 he and his sons established their present bakery and grocery.
March 14, 1844, Mr. George married Edna Williams, also a native of Strafford, Vt., born December 31, 1822, a daughter of 'Squire and Harriet (Chamberlain) Williams, early settlers of Vermont. Mr. and Mrs. George have been blessed with three children: Stillman K., now in Kansas; Adella, now Mrs. C. S. Conde, of Batavia, and Frank E., in business with his father in Batavia. The mother died November 26, 1882, an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which Mr. George is trustee. Republican in poli- tics, our subject has held the position of assessor and town clerk.
R J. PATTERSON, M. D., of Batavia, is of the sixth generation of the New Eng- land Pattersons, whose founder in America was Andrew Patterson, who sailed from Leith, Scotland, September 5, 1685, in the ship " Henry and Francis," and landed at Perth-Amboy, N. J., December, 18, 1685, and, in July follow- ing, walked from thence to Stratford, Conn., where he arrived July 18, 1686, and settled.
Dr. R. J. Patterson is a native of Berkshire County, Mass., and was born in the year 1817. He graduated at the Berkshire Medical College in the year 1842, and soon after received an appoint- ment on the medical staff of the Ohio Lunatic Asylum, at Columbus, Ohio, where he served the State for the term of five years. He was then ap- pointed medical superintendent of the Indiana State Hospital for the Insane, at Indianapolis, which office he held for the term of five years. Subsequently he filled for five years the office of medical superintendent of the Iowa State Hospital for the Insane. For twenty years past, from 1867 to 1887, he has been proprietor and medical super- intendent of Bellevue Place, a hospital for the in- sane of the private class, located in the town of Batavia, Kane Co., Ill. Thus, nearly all of his professional life has been devoted to the treatment of mental and nervous diseases. During seven
years of his connection with Bellevue Place he held also the professorship of medical jurispru- dence in the Chicago Medical College.
The main building of Bellevue Place, whose founder is Dr. Patterson, is a massive, permanently built stone structure with halls 100 feet long by ยท twelve feet wide, and spacious rooms for the ac- commodation of patients. The views from the building are pleasant and extended, ranging up and down the valley of Fox River toward Geneva and St. Charles, north, and Aurora, south. The grounds, which embrace twenty acres, are private, quiet, and pleasantly shaded with evergreens and elms. Connected with this institution are greenhouses, covering 40,000 square feet, with wide walks and ample sitting space, where patients may ramble at leisure in sunshine, and protected from the cold of winter. Nervous invalids, who are not insane, and those who occupy a border land between un- doubted insanity and doubtful sanity, may here find needed rest, freedom from care, generous diet, healthful recreations, and all appliances for cura- tive treatment. Incurable patients, who, for want of room, cannot gain admission to State hospitals, or those whose friends may prefer a less public place for them, may here find every essential com- fort, and all needed care.
Bellevue Place, under the immediate care of Dr. Patterson, has been arranged and fitted with special reference to the best care and treatment of patients whose friends prefer an institution of the private class which is designed to combine the comforts of a rural, quiet home with such treat- ment as ample experience and able counsel can suggest.
HARLES W. SHUMWAY is a native of Granville, N. Y., born September 9, 1827, son of Duty and Eunice (Kinney) Shumway. His early years were spent on a farm. When old enough he left the farm and learned the tinner's trade. Coming to Batavia in 1849, he engaged in the hardware business, in which he continued until selling out in 1872. The same year he associated himself with A. N. Merrill, built the foundry on the Island, and is doing a
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general foundry business. In 1875, Mr. Merrill having retired from business, Charles Osgood became a partner, and remained so until his death, in 1887. The present firm is Shumway & Bishop.
January 25, 1865, Mr. Shumway married Mrs. Mary D. Brown, a native of Whitehall, N. Y., born March 12, 1839, daughter of John W. and Desire (Millard) Wood, who came to Illinois when Mrs. Shumway was a child. Seven children were born to them, four of whom are living: Horatio G., born October 3, 1865, at present draughtsman in the office of the U. S. Wind Engine & Pump Co., Batavia; Lizzie M., born April 19, 1870; Nellie, born March 6, 1877; and Robert M., born April 7, 1878.
H ENRY B. BARTHOLOMEW. This gen- tleman is a son of Bishop Bartholomew, a native of New York and a farmer by occu- pation, who settled in Du Page County, Ill., in 1837, and removed in 1883 to Batavia, where he is now living in retirement. His wife, Asenath (McFarren) Bartholomew, was also born in New York.
Henry B. Bartholomew was born at Naperville, Du Page Co., Ill., December 6, 1852, and in 1870 entered the lumber business at Batavia, in com- pany with John W. Hugett. A few months later he established a business of his own, upon a capi- tal of $3,000. This amount has increased until, at the present time, he has between $8, 000 and $9,000 invested. In 1879 Mr. Bartholomew married Ida J. Vough, a native of Aurora, and they have two children, Mertie D, and Harry B. Mr. Bartholo- mew filled the office of commissioner of highways for two years. He is a Republican in politics, and a member of Rock City Lodge, No. 718, I. O. O. F .. Batavia.
W ILLIAM MARSHALL. This represent- ative and progressive farmer of St. Charles Township, owner of the valua- ble and attractive property known as "Railroad Avenue Farm," containing 188 acres of well-improved land, lying in Sections 19 and
30, is a native of Nottinghamshire, England, born at North Clifton, on the banks of the picturesque river Trent, April 21, 1821. Immigrating to America, he landed at New York, May 28, 1848, and immediately came west to Chicago, all the way from Liverpool by water, arriving in the town of St. Charles, Ill., June 15, the same year. In England Mr. Marshall had learned the trade of an iron worker, having served a seven years' appren- ticeship at same, and this business he followed in St. Charles for four years after arrival, or until the spring of 1852, when he sold out there, and commenced agricultural pursuits on his farm. Mr. Marshall's relations all followed him to this country, a few at a time, his father, mother, three brothers and four sisters, (three of the latter mar- ried three brothers, Edward, John and William Lawrence, all owners of good farms in Burlington Township, Kane Co.).
In England, in 1843, Mr. Marshall married Miss Sarah Harpham, a native of Headon, Eng- land, born March 21, 1820, and their union has been blessed with nine children, five of whom- four daughters (all married to farmers) and one son-are yet living, as follows: Jane, the wife of Richard Cook, the owner of a good farm in Virgil Township (have six children); Mary Ann, wife of Joseph Kirk, who owns a good farm in East St. Charles (have eight children); Elizabeth, wife of Charles Shaver (own a 100-acre farm adjoining that of Mr. Marshall, on the east; have one child): Adaliza, wife of Truman Albee (have two children, and at present reside in Chicago); William H., the son, who is single, lives at home with his parents, and is engaged in the sale of buggies, wagons, etc., also in introducing the Parks & Marshall "Anti-goring Horn Tips " and the Engell & Hop- kins (of Belvidere, Ill.,) " Patent Adjustable Farm Gate," for the sale of which latter article his father has the patent right for Kane County. By all who have seen or have it in use this is freely conceded to be the best farm gate ever introduced, eclipsing and superseding all predecessors. Mr. William Marshall and Mr. N. E. Parks, under the firm name of Parks & Marshall. St. Charles, Ill., are the inventors of the revolving "Anti-goring Horn Tips " for cattle, a simple, perfect. cheap
n/ Marshall.
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and durable device for preventing the animals from goring each other, easily put on the horns or taken off.
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall are members of the Free Methodist Church, in which he is steward, and of the board of trustees of which he is president. He is a Republican-Prohibitionist, politically, and has served as overseer of the pub- lic highways in the town of St. Charles. Mr. Marshall is one of those men who have achieved success by strict application of business principles, combined with industry and economy.
The new Minnesota & Northwestern Railroad runs through Mr. Marshall's farm, crossing Rail- road Avenue near his house, and it is expected that in the near future the railroad company will establish a milk shipping station at the crossing. The north forty or fifty acres of the farm are finely adapted for pleasure or picnic grounds, being covered with delightful, shady groves, steep hills and beautiful plateaus, also a fine lake of clear crystal water, covering several acres, and three never-failing springs of pure water, with pipes all laid so as to form hydrants. These grounds are free for religious gatherings, Sabbath- school picnics, etc., but not for whisky or beer parties.
E J. PARKER was born at Whitehall, Wash- ington Co., N. Y., March 27, 1837, son of Edward W. and Mary (Carpenter) Parker, the former a banker. At the age of twelve he (E. J.) entered Granville Academy, and when fourteen, the family having removed to St. Albans, Vt., he entered the academy there, from which he graduated in 1853. After that he removed to Saratoga Springs, where he served some three years in the drug store of Dr. George H. Fish, as clerk, and then, in 1856, came to Chicago. Here he engaged with J. H. Reid & Co., owners at that time of the leading drug store of the city.
In 1857 Mr. Parker came to Batavia, and es- tablished, with a Mr. Wright, a drug business, under the firm name of Wright & Parker, in which he remained until 1869; then, in 1870, he moved to Nevada, Iowa, and engaged in the banking busi-
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ness. Returning to Batavia in 1873, he entered the employ of the U. S. Wind Engine & Pump Com- pany. September 18, 1862, Mr. Parker married Helen S. Webster, a native of Batavia, born June 10, 1841, daughter of William and Juliet (Town) Webster. In politics Mr. Parker is a Republican, and has served in civil office several times.
W ILLIS L. GRIMES. Alexander Grimes, the father of Willis L., was born in Lin- den, Genesee Co., N. Y., March 20, 1826, and his name in after years became familiar as household words in his Illinois home and its vicinity. He located at Elgin in 1840, but subsequently returned to New York, and entered Madison University, which he attended until within a year of his time to graduate. In November, 1852, he began learning the profession of dentistry, a calling at which he continued for a number of years. He was afterward engaged in the wood business, cutting off and selling thousands of cords to the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company, and also followed farming. He became most prominently known as the successful manager of excursions, which were inaugurated during a number of years in the interest of the Baptist Church at Batavia, of which he was a member The interest taken in these excursions and their uniformly successful issue were due entirely to the vim and energy which Capt. Grimes brought to his aid in their management, and it will be many days before the society which reaped the benefit from them will forget the worthy man and his work in its interest.
Alexander Grimes married H. Malvina Love- land, who was born at Hamilton, N. Y., April 12, 1830, the marriage occurring at the latter place November 4, 1852. Mr. Grimes held numerous offices in the gift of his townsmen, including school director, marshal, highway commissioner, etc. In 1864 he was nominated Democratic representative for the Illinois State Legislature. He recruited a company in 1864, of which he was elected captain, for the One Hundred and Forty-first Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, the company receiving the letter "B," and serving from May 5 to Octo-
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ber 10, in the hundred days' service. His earthly labors ended November 26, 1883, but his memory will long survive.
Willis L. Grimes was born in Batavia, Ill., August 20, 1854, and the place has always been his home. He received his education at the East Side public school in Batavia. At the age of six- teen years he found employment with the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company, being weighmaster and assistant ticket agent for a year and a half at East Batavia. He was then trans- ferred to West Batavia, also as assistant ticket agent and baggage master for the same road; he was afterward agent at South Ottawa and La Grange, Ill. Leaving the employ of the railroad company in 1875, he found employment at home, clerking for different firms, which occupation he followed until March, 1886, with the exception of three years engaged in farming.
June 1, 1881, Willis L. Grimes married Anna E. Shaw, who was born in Geneva, Ill., January 2, 1860, and they have had three children, Reba M., Effie Madge and Florence L. In April, 1885, Mr. Grimes was elected corporation clerk, holding the office one year, and on the 13th of January, 1886, he was appointed, by President Cleveland, postmaster of Batavia, his commission being dated March 12, 1886, for the term of four years. From an early age he has always taken an unusual inter- est in politics, and, as was his father before him, he is a stanch Democrat. He is a trustee of the Baptist Church and of the East Batavia Cemetery, also a member of the Sons of Veterans.
(AMES MAIR, a prominent boot and shoe dealer, was born in Devonshire, England, July 3, 1835, a son of James and Ann (Snow) Mair, the former of whom died when James was a child. In 1857 our subject came to America, landing at Quebec, whence he at once proceeded to Batavia, Ill. Here he worked at the bench for several years as a shoemaker, and in 1864 began business for himself.
April 9, 1860, he married Susan Buckingham, who was born in England, December 31, 1832, and five children have been given them: Thomas L.
born July 26, 1861; Elizabeth A., born March 22, 1863; William, born July 19, 1865; Clarissa S., born November 23, 1867; and James, Jr., born January 20, 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Mair are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he is a Republican, and has served as a member of the village board. Mr. Mair's success in life is a splendid example of what a man who begins at the bottom round of the ladder may accomplish by close application to business, coupled with economy and perseverance.
OSEPH H. WHIPPLE, a gentleman who has for many years been a familiar figure in cen- tral Kane County, was born in Springfield, Otsego Co., N. Y., December 12, 1815. His father, James Whipple, a native of Providence, R. I., at the age of eight years removed to New Hamnp- shire and made his home with a family named Craft. Not long afterward he located at Coopers- town, N. Y., and there engaged in farming.
On March 1, 1840, Joseph H. Whipple inarried Mary A. Durkee, a native of Hampton, Windham Co., Conn., and daughter of David M. Durkee, whose place of nativity was also in that State. One child, David M., was born to Mr. and Mrs. Whip- ple; he enlisted August 5, 1862, in Company E. Eighty-ninth Illinois Infantry (the famous " Rail- road Regiment " which was so badly cnt to pieces in the campaigns in Tennessee and Georgia), and served until the muster out of the command, June 10, 1865; he died in 1866.
Joseph H. Whipple came to Illinois, locating at Batavia, June 9, 1846, and after becoming settled in his new home engaged in various occupations. For six years his employment was threshing and teaming. In 1848 he was elected constable, an office he held for a number of years. From 1860 to 1862 he was deputy sheriff, and in the fall of 1863 was elected sheriff, continuing in that position two years. He subsequently engaged in the grist, saw and planing-mill business, and later for two years filled the position of county jailer under Sheriff Smith. He was interested more or less in the stone quarry business until 1877, since when he has been deputy sheriff and constable, holding
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the latter office at the present time. He served one term as commissioner of highways, and has also filled the position of village trustee in the Batavia corporation. In politics Mr. Whipple is a Republican.
W ILLIAM UPDIKE, of German and Hol- land-Dutch extraction, is a native of New Jersey, born in Somerset County, Novem- ber 21, 1828, son of Johnson and Eliza- beth (Williamson) Updike, the former of whom, a farmer by occupation, died when William was five years old. He (William) worked as a farm laborer, and learned the trade of painter while in his native place, and in 1850 he came to Kane County, set- tling near Geneva. Afterward he became foreman of the painting department of the U. S. Wind Engine & Pump Company of Batavia, and was also engaged at his trade with the Chicago & North- Western Railroad Co. Tiring of the brush, how- ever, Mr. Updike, in 1884, abandoned it for the cleaver, and embarked in his present West Side meat market business.
May 29, 1858, he married Mary M. Ketcham, a native of Pennsylvania, born April 13, 1842, whose parents were among the early pioneers of these parts, and to this union there is one child, Ida May, born January 23, 1860, wife of Lyman .J. Patchin, of Batavia, whose biography appears elsewhere. The mother died February 13, 1860. In politics Mr. Updike is a Democrat.
S PENCER JOHNSON. This gentleman is one of the old pioneer settlers of Kane County, having come here fifty years ago. He was born June 15, 1814, in Oneida County, N. Y., to Calvin and Honor (Preston) Johnson, natives of Connecticut, who moved to Oneida County, N. Y., where they located for a time, and afterward to Chautauqua County. The mother died when Spencer was five years old. The subject of this biographical memoir received a limited education, but had all the experiences of a farmer's boy. In 1835 he came to Ohio, locating near Cleveland, where he was engaged at various
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