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 97

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 97
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 97

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).

mer preceding his graduation he entered the Union army, was appointed acting assistant-surgeon United States army, at the military prison known during the Rebellion as Camp Douglas, at Chi- cago, remaining there until 1865, when he was made surgeon of the Sixth Regiment United States Infantry, and ordered to Denver, Colo., where he served as medical director upon the staff of Gen. Upton for about a year and a half, when he was mustered out at Fort Kearney, Neb., and honorably discharged. Returning to Kendall County, he located at Oswego, and has been in active practice here since. He was married at Bristol, in 1850, to Miss Caroline Elizabeth, daughter of Reuben Hunt, Esq., of Bristol. Mrs. Lester died in Jan- uary, 1884, leaving two sons and four daughters, of whom Frances is the wife of Robert Bristol, of Chicago; Lizzie is the wife of Charles B. Smith, of Oswego; Fred W. is a physician in Bristol, Ill. ; William A. is a physician in Onalaska, Wis .; Mary Kate is a teacher in the schools of Elgin, Ill., and Alice is the wife of Hubert Ladd, of Rising City, Neb. Dr. Lester has always been a close student of his profession. He is a member of the Fox River Medical Association, State Medi- cal Society and American Medical Association. He has contributed valuable articles to medical journals. His long and useful carcer in this coun- ty has won him the esteem and respect of the med- ical fraternity and the public at large.

HARLES L. ROBERTS. Adjoining the village of Oswego is the pleasant residence of this gentleman, surrounded by upward of 300 acres of fertile and valuable land that he owns and intelligently operates as a stock and grain farm. The Roberts family name has long been prominently and honorably identified with Oswego and vicinity, the parents of Charles L. having located there in 1842, where they purchased quantities of land, a part of which is included in the farm above mentioned. These pioneers were named Samuel and Phœbe (Smith) Roberts, whose progenitors were of Welsh and English origin, re- spectively, and early settlers in New Jersey, and in Orange County, N. Y., during colonial days.

Q. B. Learn

907

KENDALL COUNTY.

Samuel Roberts was an active and energetic busi- ness man, and for years was busily employed as a contractor, building railroads and canals in the Eastern States, and after his arrival at Oswego, in 1842, was similarly engaged for several years, and as a contractor, assisting in building the first railroads ever operated west or northwest from Chicago, notably the Chicago & North-Western. Samuel Roberts died, aged seventy-five years, in August, 1865; his wife died, aged seventy-four, in October, 1867. They had the following named children: James S., Samuel T., Abigail, Amanda, Mary, John C., Ellen, Charles L, George, Jane, Phobe and Andrew J. Charles L. Roberts was born at Hackensack, N. J., June 4, 1822, where, when a youth, he was trained to mercantile pur- suits as an apprenticed clerk in a general store at Newark, N. J., and afterward followed the same business in New York City, where, August 1, 1842, he was married to Miss Mary Bunn, born at Sussex, March 6, 1826, and a daughter of John and Ellen (Wartendyke) Bunn, whose ancestors were early settlers in Sussex County, N. J. In the summer of 1843 Mr. Roberts came west, bringing with him his young wife and one child, a son, and lo- cated on the land where he now resides, and engaged in farming. In his vicinity and among all who knew him he is highly esteemed, is public- spirited, and has served his neighbors and town- ship in various local offices of trust, such as mem- ber of the school board, etc. In political matters he has always been a Democrat, and during the great Civil War he was an ardent Union man through- out the contest, actively assisting the Union cause by means of his influence; was prominently effi- cient in securing the enlistment of soldiers for the Union army, and in other ways took an active part. Mr. Roberts is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows fraternities, and has served his lodges at different times as delegate to State and National conventions. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts have had a family of six sons and one daughter, all but the eldest being born in Illinois. Their names in the order of birth are John B., born July 6, 1843; Samuel, born September 23, 1845; Charles, born May 2, 1848; J. W., born September 18, 1852; Marietta, born April 19, 1857; William, born July

22, 1849; George, born April 22, 185], and died August 31, 1865.

0 TIS LATHAM. There are many substan- tial citizens in Kendall County deserving of especial mention in this work, and among them is Mr. Otis Latham, who came to Little Rock Township in 1847. He was born May 10, 1827, in Warren County, N. Y., son of Thomas and Esther Tift Latham, of English and Scotch antecedents, respectively.

When five years of age Otis removed, with his parents, who, with a colony, migrated to St. Clair County, Mich., in 1832. He is the third son in a family of nine children, whose names, in the order of their ages, are William, Joseph, Sarah, Otis, Alice, Edwin, Mary, Henry and Elmina. Of these William and Henry served in the Civil War, and were killed-the former at Nashville, Tenn., and the latter at Franklin, Tenn. Joseph reared a family, and died of cholera morbus in Michigan, where the family settled. Sarah mar- ried Edward Hextell; Alice married Alonzo Sly- field; Mary married Moses Carlton; all of the above mentioned settled in St. Clair County, Mich. Edwin removed to Jasper County, Iowa; Elmina married a Mr. Foster, and first located in Big Rock, Ill., finally returning to Michigan, where she died. Otis, the subject of this memoir, was brought up by his grandfather, and at the age of twenty left his grandfather's roof to embark for himself, with nothing save a firm resolution, good health, willing hands and a stout heart. He thus began his career, and, going to Chicago, he hired to Josiah Atwood, to learn the carpenter's trade. After familiarizing himself with the de- tails of the business he worked as journeyman for two years, afterward as a contractor and build- er, and erected several residences and other build- ings that adorn Little Rock Township. Decem- ber 31, 1851, he married Phebe Henning, who was born July 11, 1831, in Petersburg, Rensse- laer Co., N. Y., daughter of Cornelius Henning, one of the pioneers of Little Rock Township. The year after Mr. Latham's marriage, he purchased 153 acres of land at $10 per acre, in Section 15,

908

KENDALL COUNTY.

Little Rock Township. After three and one-half years' residence on this place he removed to Plano, where he lived four years, and then returned to the farm, remaining there until 1867, when he again removed to Plano, where he has since resided. During this time he has both carried on his farm and worked at his trade, but of late years has been retired. His farm, on Section 15, he rents, and his farm of fifty-one acres, adjoining Plano, he carries on himself; having a nice residence thereon, where, with his amiable wife, he is spending the afternoon of his life in peace and contentment. Mr. and Mrs. Latham are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Plano. They have one child, M. Jennie, who resides on the home farm, Section 15, wife of W. M. Gale, by whom she has four children, viz. : Gertie, Cornell, Cornelius H. and Otis M.

E PHRAIM DE GROFF is a descendant of John De Groff, a Hollander, who immigrat- ed to this country and settled in Dutchess County, N. Y. His family of children was a large one, the youngest of whom was Evart De- Groff, the grandfather of Ephraim. Evart married Esther Bush, who bore him five children, two of whom grew to full life: John E. and Maria. The latter married William Stoughenburg and lived in Dutchess County, but he and his family came west and settled in La Salle County, Ill., where he died. John E. was the father of Ephraim De Groff. The former was born in Dutchess County, October 16, 1787. In 1812 he married Mary Stoughen- burg, who was born January 2, 1792. She was a daughter of William Stoughenburg, whose wife was a Miss Conklin. John E. De Groff was a soldier in the War of 1812, having enlisted in the army soon after his marriage. He became a farm- er in his native county, where he died in Septem- ber, 1846. His widow lived until May, 1885. Their children were four sons and three daughters: Ann E., Hester J., Caroline, William S., Eph- raim, Jacob and John R. The brothers Ephraim and John R. came west, the former settling in Kendall County, the latter in Bureau County, Ill. Ephraim is a native of Hyde Park Township,

Dutchess Co., N. Y., born April 27, 1821. He re- mained at home until his father's death. Septem - ber 12, 1848, he married Anna H. Kipp, a native of the same place, born September 16, 1824. She is the eldest daughter of Reuben and Phebe Stringham Kipp, both also natives of Dutchess County. Anna H. Kipp's paternal grandfather was Abraham Kipp, who had married Catherine Quinby. Phebe was a daughter of Thomas and Sarah Frost Stringham. The Stringhams and Quinbys were noted for their longevity. After Ephraim De Groff's marriage he was engaged in farming in his native county, continuing thus em- ployed until 1857, when he immigrated to Illinois, arriving in Little Rock Township, this county, in June of that year, and purchased the farm on which he now resides. The deed to him for the land bears the date of December 31, 1857, and de- scribes 120 acres in Section 5. He has resided on this land since the purchase to the present time. Mr. and Mrs. De Groff have two children: Eli and Mary; the latter married G. Edwin Jay. In 1886 Mr. De Groff retired from active labor, and his farm is managed by his children. He has long been one of the prominent, influential farmers of the County, has served some time as a school di- rector and as roadmaster, and is a Republican in politics. He is one of the successful men in the main affairs of life, and is ever ready to say that much of this is due to his good wife, the mother of his children.

E LIJAH C. FIELD, a native of New York, was born in Watertown, Jefferson County, April 13. 1833, but in every sense is a Western man, as he came with his parents to Illinois when but twelve years of age. He is the son of Bennett and Fanny (Wait) Field, the father a native of Vermont, the mother of New York. The parents came with their family to Illi- nois in 1845 and settled at Shabbona Grove, De- Kalb County, where the son grew to his majority on his father's farm, and in the meantime learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed until 1862, when he enlisted in Company K, One Hundred and Fifth Illinois Regiment, and was made com-

909

KENDALL COUNTY.

pany musician. The command was in the field until the close of the war. The war over, he was mustered out and returned home, and again went to work at carpentering. In 1867 he removed to Plano, and became employed in the manufac- tory of Marsh, Steward & Co., as a wood worker. In this capacity he remained the next three years, when he was promoted to foreman of this depart- ment, and held the position ten years. In the fall of 1880 he severed his connection with this com- pany, and removed to Nodaway County, Mo. After one year's residence in that place he returned to his old home, and purchased a farm in Little Rock Township. When the Plano Manufacturing Company was established, his services were sought by the company, who made him superintendent in the factory, where he had before seen so much serv- ice, a position he still retains. His skill as a workman, and his abilities as an executive officer, make him one of the valued employes in this great and prosperous concern, and to these good quali- ties are added energy and reliability of character that would make his place hard to fill. He has, however, continued to reside on his farm, and has carried it on without interruption.

May 28, 1857, he was united in marriage with Jane E., daughter of John and Elizabeth (Bently) Fritts, natives of New York, but who removed to Pennsylvania. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Field are Amasa E. and Elizabeth. The family are much esteemed for their personal worth.

H ORACE PHELPS COURTRIGHT, a native of Luzerne County, Penn., was born Au- gust 18, 1834. His parents came to Illi- nois in 1839, when he was in his fifth year, and located in Kendall County. They were farm- ers, and to this occupation the boy was trained, working hard and aiding in the support of the family until he was twenty-one. He then en- gaged as a clerk in Mr. Newton's store, in Newark, and worked there three years, when his employer sold the store, and the young clerk got the posi- tion of manager for the successor, and in this new employ remained until 1860, when he embarked in business, in Newark, for himself. His total

capital and savings, on a small salary, were $500. This amount he invested in a stock of ready-made clothing, but continued in that trade only for a short time. He next opened a drug store, con- ducting the same until the fall of 1864. September 14, of that year, he enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Forty-sixth Illinois Regiment, served until July 12, 1865, when he was honorably dis- charged, returned to Newark and engaged in the hardware business for three years. He then turned his attention to farming. In 1884 he sold his farm (near Newark) and removed to Plano, where he soon formed the grocery firm of Court- right & Son. This partnership was dissolved in 1887, when the stock was sold to the Cooperative Supply Company of Plano. Since this sale Mr. Courtright has mostly been retired from active labors, but still he assists his sons in business, and does considerable miscellaneous trading. The comfortable family residence is on the east side of the town, in a beautiful grove. October 22, 1858, Mr. Courtright and Phebe A. Cook were married. She is a native of Binghamton, N. Y., is a grad- uate of Oneida Conference Seminary, Cazenovia, N. Y., and is a lady of culture and refinement. She was a teacher in her native State, and also in Illinois. At this time she is president of the W. C. T. U., of Plano. She is the daughter of John A. and Emma P. (Field) Cook. John A. Cook was a native of New York, born June 27, 1812, and died in December, 1883. His widow was a native of Ticonderoga, N. Y., born December 16, 1816. They migrated to Illinois in 1863, and located in Big Grove Township, Kendall County. Their children are Mrs. Courtright, Maria E. and Mary E. To Mr. and Mrs. Courtright have been born two children: Alonzo E. and Harry M .; the former is married, and has one child, Horace, Jr. Mr. Courtright is a Republican in politics.

The father of H. P. Courtright was Cornelius L., who was born May 28, 1803, a son of John Courtright. The mother was Harriet, daughter of Benojah Baily. Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Court- right came to Illinois, from Pennsylvania, in a wagon, settled in Kendall County, purchased eighty acres of land, and engaged in farming. The good wife and mother died in 1850. He is

910

KENDALL COUNTY.

retired, and resides in Newark. They had a family of eleven children, six sons and five daughters, all of whom lived to full-grown life. Five of the sons were soldiers in the late war, and lived to return to their homes.

R EV. HENRY MINARD (deceased). The subject of this biography belonged to that class of pioneers in this Western country who had the courage to stand by their work under, oftentimes, the most trying circum- stances, and who have left a name and fame as great and noble as the country which they developed has become rich in the blessings which they brought with them. He was born near New Paltz, N. Y., September 22, 1813, and in early life demonstrated a strong disposition for work in the ministry of Christ. At the age of fourteen he became con- verted to the faith, and began his labors for the church as a class leader. At the age of sixteen he led two classes. Soon after he went to South Hol- low, N. Y., to apply himself to literary studies, and while there began his first ministerial work by assisting the Rev. Mr. Worthing, of that place. In 1837 he joined the Oneida Conference, was stationed at Amber, and held a great revival, 120 members joining the church. He after- ward held extensive revivals at Scipio, Slaterville and South Cortland, to each of which places he had been regularly appointed by the Confer- ence. In 1840 he formed a marital union with Miss Tirzah Cass, of Homer, N. Y., a lady of very estimable qualities, and to whose companion- ship may be attributed no small measure of his suc- cess in the ministerial work. The year after their marriage they joined the wife's parents in their journey to Illinois. Mr. Minard expected to be as- signed to the Rock River Conference, but, arriving after the Conference was closed, he was left with- out an appointment; he went to work, however, with a will, and assisted at revivals at Plainfield, Joliet, Aurora and Oswego, in which he had the satisfac- tion of seeing many converts come into the fold of the church. He afterward filled appointments at Ottawa, Joliet, St. Charles and Aurora. In 1851 he served on the Crete Mission, in 1852-53 at the

old Wheeling Circuit, and in 1854 at Pekin. That year he was appointed to Oswego. In 1856 he took no work, but supplied Plano. In 1857 he was at Dover and Malden, and in 1858 at Earlville.

In the following year he became superannuated, but filled several places afterward. His labors were marked by extensive revivals, and he was known and respected for his aggressive character against sin. During his early itinerancy in the West he preached oftentimes in barns, private houses and schoolhouses, and frequently rode through the inclement weather to fill an appoint- ment, where many times he found it necessary to spend more than he would receive while at some of his appointments. He passed away December 3, 1887, at Pittsburg, Kas., whither he had gone for his health, and his remains were brought home and buried, the funeral being attended by the Masonic and Odd Fellows' Societies, of both of which he had for years been an honored member. He had accumulated well of this world's goods, and in the parlance of the business man was rich; but he was as generous in his gifts as he was broad in his Christian and humane life. The beggar was never turned from his door without material aid and kind words of comfort. He was trustee of Jennings Seminary, and held other positions of trust in good institutions. He left some very wor- thy charitable donations. His wife, who survives, was always his closest counsel and companion.

OHN LEONARDY, the leading boot and shoe dealer in Kendall County, was born October 1, 1844, in Rhenish Prussia, the third son and fifth child of Anthony and Margaret (Kass) Leonardy. He commenced learning his trade in his native country, and immigrated to America in 1864, landing in Chicago, where he completed his apprenticeship, worked in the em- ploy of others, and clerked in a shoe store, there- by thoroughly making himself master of his chosen business.

He came to Plano in 1875, and for a time asso- ciated with him in partnership a Mr. Schmidtz (on the corner now occupied by Green & Jones), under the firm name of Leonardy & Schmidtz. They

He Minard-

PHOTO BY D. C. PRATT.

915

KENDALL COUNTY.

manufactured their own stock, but the firm was not of lengthy duration, and, after the dissolution, Mr. Leonardy continued the business alone one year in Sandwich, and then returned to Plano. In 1881 he added ready-made goods to his stock in trade, and he now keeps a full line of men's, women's and children's foot wear, which lie sells at bottom prices. In addition to his ready-made stock, Mr. Leonardy keeps a first class workman, and does custom and repair work to order.

Mr. Leonardy has been twice married-first, in 1875, to Lizzie A., daughter of Robert Hill, who died in 1879, leaving three children: Lulu M., born May 4, 1876; Clara E., born November 2, 1877; and Maud Tenney, born March 4, 1879. His present wife was Charlotte Schmidt, who was born in Baltimore, Md., July 8, 1856, daughter of W. P. and Mina (Wolf) Schmidt, the former a na- tive of Prussia, the latter of Oldenburg, Germany, and by her has two children: Rudolph P., born November 12, 1881, and William R., born July 21, 1883. Mr. Leonardy was the first of his father's family to come to America; his brother, Matthias, followed later, and joined the United States navy, lost his health, and died after his discharge. Our subject's father, one sister and youngest brother, came to the United States some years later. Mr. Leonardy is a member of "Sunbeam Lodge," No. 427, A. F. & A. M.

OHN WHEELER has been a prominent resi- dent of Kendall County for more than half a century. He is a native of Switzerland, born near Berne, February 12, 1815, and is the youngest of two sons born to Christian and Farina Lichtie Wheeler.

He was reared in the canton where he was born, and worked .in his brother's mill, which had been operated by liis father until his death, in 1823. John came to America when sixteen years old, in- duced to do so by his brother, Christian, who had preceded him and lived six years in Schoharie County, N. Y., where he was operating a mill. At Christian's death, his brother Jolin took charge of the mill and operated it on shares until May, 1835, when lie, with his wife (his brother's widow,

whom he married in New York, ) and her three chil- dren, came to Illinois, and, before the land sale of 1842, purchased for $400 a land claim of John Darnell. On this he has made his home since. He afterward purchased and added to his previous 256 acres the farm of Peter Cook, 141 acres, and also the farm of J. Cass, 70 acres. To Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler was born one child, Almira, who married Jacob Cass. Mrs. Cass died in 1871, leav- ing two children. Mr. Wheeler's present wife was Mrs. Lydia Zeller, who was born in Albany Coun- ty, N. Y., and came to Illinois with her parents in 1835. She is the second daughter of Nathaniel and Catharine (Cooking) Robbins. Her first hus- band was Joel Zeller, who came to Kendall Coun- ty in 1836. He died leaving a widow and two children: Alfred A. and Amelia, who is the wife of Charles M. Morris, of Plano. Mr. Wheeler has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for fifty years.

H ENRY H. MOSS was born in Little Rock Township, Kendall Co., Ill., on the west half of Section 6, September 16, 1854. His father, James Moss, is a native of Washington County, N. Y., born December 20, 1791; is now in his ninety-seventh year, and is a resident of Little Rock Village. His venerable companion, Sarah A. (Moore), is twenty years his junior. She also was born in New York, in 1812. In the ordinary count of life they were old people when they migrated to Illinois, and settled in Ken- dall County in 1854. Mr. Moss purchased a small farm in the northwest corner of the township, but all this land is now in De Kalb, and this division makes their residence just across the line in that county. They had seven children: James E., Charles M. (deceased), Henrietta (deceased), Hen- ry H., Sophia, Dexter M. and Sarah M. James E. and Dexter M. are residents of Scranton Township, Green Co., Iowa, farmers; Sophia is the wife of John R. Hill, and resides in the same place; Sarah M. is the widow of Bryan Greenman, of Chicago.

When Henry H. was fourteen years old he commenced for himself, and worked as a hand on

916

KENDALL COUNTY.

the Mulkey farm. He worked diligently and saved his money, and, March 6, 1878, married Martha J., the only child of James O. and Hannah (Quimby) Culver. Martha J. was born in the house in which she now lives, April 10, 1858. Her father was born in Windsor, Vt., October 24, 1822. Her mother was a native of Massachusetts-a daughter of William and Mary Quimby, the former born October 10, 1825, and died March 16, 1862; his widow married William Taylor, and resides in Plano. The parents of James O. Culver were Elislia and Margaret (Gould) Culver. His grand- father, for whom he was named, was James Cul- ver, who married Mollie Weaver. Thirteen chil- dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Elisha Culver, eleven of whom grew to maturity; three, Franklin, James O. and Philander, came west; Franklin and Philander came in June, 1836; James O. came later, and settled on Section 8, Little Rock Township, on the farm now occupied by H. H. Moss. In this farm are 187 acres. On this Mr. Moss is a success- ful farmer and stock raiser, making a specialty of horses, having a fine display of choice-bred Clydes- dales and hogs, his Poland-China hogs being of the blue ribbon grade.

In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Moss is one child, a bright and promising boy, named Harley, born March 30, 1880. The family worship at the Methodist Episcopal Churchi.

AUGUST SHOGER, proprietor of the only livery stable in Oswego Village, is the owner of one of the finest residences in the place (wherein he resides, and of which he was the builder), and a fine farm in Oswego Township. He is known as one of the active and wide- awake business men of the place, as well as one of the most substantial, financially. His large barn and stable, wherein he conducts his business, is well stocked with good horses and buggies and other fittings of all kinds for carrying on a first- class business, sufficient to supply all wants of the traveling public or of those in the vicinity. He is also a dealer in and carries a full line of agricultural implements. He is the son of Mich- ael and Mary Brunner Shoger (properly Schoger),

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 97

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