USA > Illinois > Kendall County > Genealogical and biographical record of Kendall and Will Counties, Illinois : containing biographies of well known citizens of the past and present > Part 44
USA > Illinois > Will County > Genealogical and biographical record of Kendall and Will Counties, Illinois : containing biographies of well known citizens of the past and present > Part 44
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The second son, George, also gave his life in defense of his country, dying in Camp Butler, at Springfield, Ill., in the fall of 1864; Amanda, the third child, is the wife of Matthias Carter, of LaMar, Mo .; Martha married Charles Brimhall and died in Shaler, Iowa, in 1896, leaving two children, William and Lucy; Charles E. is a well-known farmer of Big Grove Township, and Ezra B., of Fox Township, Kendall County; Seth C., Jr., the subject of this sketch, was sev- enth in order of birth; William C. died at New- ark in 1897, leaving a wife and two children, Clara and Nina; Frederick A. is a business man of Newark; Flavius J. (second) is a hardware merchant of Newark, whose sketch appears in this volume; Mary J. is the wife of Andrew Sco- field, of Big Grove Township (see Scofield) ; and Lucy was born October 9, 1867, and died January 25, 1882.
On the old homestead he now occupies, Seth C. Sleezer, Jr., was born June 20, 1856. He was educated in common schools and Fowler's In- stitute, of Newark. On attaining his majority, in company with his brother Charles, he took charge of the home farm.
February 17, 1881, he married Arrissa Ser- geant, daughter of Horton W. and Mary J. (Sleezer) Sergeant, of Belvidere, Ill. After his marriage he rented the George Nichols farin near Millbrook, Fox Township. Soon, however, he bought the old homestead and returned to his birthplace. Since then he has sold some of the land and bought other adjoining property, his ob- ject being to improve the shape of the farm. He has followed general farming and stock-raising. In politics he isindependent. For some years he has been a director and trustee of schools.
On the tenth anniversary of their marriage Mr. Sleezer's first wife was buried in the Newark cemetery. She was born in New York, April 28, 1858, and died February 15, 1891. The only child born of their union, Frank W., was born
February 12, 1885, and is now a student in the Newark high school.
January 25, 1893, Mr. Sleezer married Clara H., daughter of George W. and Almira (Benton) Burlew, natives of New York. Mrs. Sleezer was fourth in a family of six daughters, and was six years of age when her father died in the army. She was born and reared in Tioga County, N. Y., and came to Illinois some time after her older sisters had settled here. The sisters taught school in Kendall and adjoining counties. After a time Mrs. Sleezer came with her mother to Newark, where she followed dressmaking, and then be- came postmistress of Newark, continuing in the office until her marriage. She is the mother of two children: Lucile B. and S.Covell Sleezer.
RED GORDON PALMER. Foremost among the progressive, wide-awake and prosperous agriculturists of Kendall County stands Fred G. Palmer. For the past thirty-five years he has dwelt upon his finely improved homestead in Bristol Township, in a well-built two-story brick house, heated by the hot-water system and equipped with all modern con- veniences and many of the luxuries of this time.
A grandson of Moses and a son of Gordon Palmer, our subject comes of an old and respected New York family. Gordon Palmer was born in Remsen, Oneida County, N. Y., September 16, 1S11, and in his early manhood was engaged in teaming to Albany and New York City. In 1852 he came to Illinois by way of the great lakes and at first located in the town of Newark, Kendall County, where he conducted a meat market for two years. Then turning liis attention to farnl- ing, and having become the owner of a homestead near Millbrook, he was actively occupied in the cultivation of the place until 1865, when he moved to Bristol Township, where his death oc- curred, May 18, 1873. He was broad-minded and liberal in all of his views, and was greatly interested in the establishment of good schools in hislocality. From the organization of the Re- publican party he ardently supported its platform and nominees, and in religious matters favored
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the Universalist doctrine. He chose for a wife came to Mr. Palmer, whose career hitherto had Betsy E. Kelly, a native of the town of Edwards, been remarkably prosperous. A fine barn, con- taining fifty-five tons of hay, three thousand bushels of grain and other products of the season, was destroyed by fire caused by lightning, the corn-cribs and adjacent buildings also falling a prey to the element. Mr. Palmer promptly re- built his barn and other farm buildings, and again is meeting with success in his enterprises.
N. Y., and their wedding took place March 5, 1843. Of their children, the eldest-born, Dr. I. F. Palmer, resides in Onarga, Ill .; Mrs. A. A. Young and Mrs. Harriet A. Nichols live in Bristol Township; Mrs. Lyman Austin is a citi- zen of New York state; Daniel is engaged in farming in Bristol Township; and Mrs. William Healy and Mrs. Arthur Healy live in Aurora.
Fred G. Palmer was born upon his parents' homestead in Fox Township, Kendall County, , October 29, 1855. When he was seventeen years of age his father died and it became necessary for him to assume a share of the care of the farm. With his brother, Dan Palmer, he continued to operate the home place until 1887, when he bought out the other heirs, and has since con- ducted the farm independently. His father bought the farm in 1864 and occupied it the fol- lowing year. The associations of three and a half decades render this locality very dear to Mr. Palmer, and though he may some day retire from the management of the farm he still prefers to remain here. In England he would be styled a "gentleman farmer," for he employs two men the year round and hires other laborers when ull- usual tasks are on hand. That he is a kind and just employer may be inferred from the fact that one of his assistants in the farm-work, who died in 1899, had been in his employ eighteen years- a record rarely equalled.
The farm, comprising two hundred and forty- two acres, is well adapted to the raising of live stock, and a stream of clear running water pass- ing through the place is one of its chief recom- mendations. Mr. Palmer gives special attention to the dairy business and his cattle are of a high grade, chiefly Short-horns and Jerseys. By means of a separator the cream is removed from the milk and his butter finds a ready sale among some of the leading families in Chicago. Shropshire sheep and Poland-China swine are kept on this farm, and the owner is quite interested in the poultry business, as fifteen hundred eggs are set each year and large numbers of fowls are raised for the markets. In 1899 a stroke of ill fortune
On the 2nd of September, 1885, the marriage of Mr. Palmer and Miss Josie A. Ballard, of Alpena, Mich., was solemnized. He is not an aspirant to public positions, and, with one exception, lias de- clined to fill offices. He acted as road-master for eight years, and for some time has been a stockholder in the Kendall County Fair Associa- tion. Politically he votes for the measures and men of the Republican party.
EVI SHULTS. Among the retired capital- ists of Plano is numbered Levi Shults, whose family has been prominently associated with the early and later history of Kendall County. His tastefully furnished modern home is beauti- fully situated, being on east Main street, com- manding a fine view of this region.
Josiah J., father of Levi Shults, was born in the state of New York, and in 1858 came to the west, taking up his abode in Little Rock, Ken- dall County. He purchased two hundred and forty acres of land from a Mr. Buck and at once proceeded to make improvements upon the place. The log cabin upon the farm was commonly known as a hotel in those days, and many a stranger or business man from a distance was entertained under its hospitable roof. A number of acres of the homestead had been broken for crops, but very few improvements, otherwise, had been made. At first the new owner raised wheat, chiefly, but later he was also successful in dealing in live-stock. At the end of the first decade he supplanted the old log "hotel" with a substantial frame building, and as the years passed he invested in adjacent farm lands. Fi- nally he sold out and removed to another home-
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stead, where he dwelt until 1878, and then, re- tiring, went to Plano and passed the rest of his life, some ten years, in this place. He had previ- ously erected two store buildings here, and care- fully looked after his possessions until shortly before his demise. At one time lie possessed sev- eral lots in Chicago. Politically a Democrat, he was appointed as postmaster at Little Rock and served as such for a number of years to the satis- faction of all. He also served as a justice of the peace for a period. He was connected with the Lutheran Church. The first marriage of J. J. Shults took place in Montgomery County, N. Y., and the only child of that union, Jeremiah, is now deceased. By a second marriage Mr. Shults had two sons, Jefferson and Joel, the latter now operating the old homestead in Little Rock, Ill., and the former a farmer of Missouri. For a third wife the father chose Elizabeth Loucks, and their four children are named, respectively: Anna Margaret, now the wife of Hannibal Doty, of Aurora; Julia, deceased; Levi; and Amanda, wife of William Shults, of Aurora. The mother, now in her eighty-fifth year, is a resident of Aurora.
Levi Shults, born in Stone Arabia, Montgoni- ery County, N. Y., February 21, 1853, was five years old when his family removed to the Prairie state, and when he was old enough he commenced attending the district schools. Later he pursued his studies in the Aurora Seminary for one win- ter. Reared to the duties of a farm, he gradually assumed more and more of the cares of the old homestead, and when his father decided to re- nounce all of his active responsibilities in the . necticut, and later he was a farmer in New York actual labor of the farm and retired to Plano, state. the young man stepped into his place. The The father of tlte last-named, Archibald Sears, noted in the pioneer days of this county, was born February 23, 1802, in Putnam County, N. Y., and for his time possessed an exceptional education, as he was a successful teacher and a competent surveyor. For a period he was en- gaged in merchandising, and in 1836 started for the west, going by way of the canal and great lakes. After prospecting throughout this region he concluded that he could not find better land for farming purposes than that in Kendall Coun- ty. He settled on section 13, and there built a log- farm, which is four and a-half miles from Plano, comprises two hundred and twenty .six acres, and, after he had made a good start in business, our subject invested his capital, from time to time, in real estate, chiefly in residences and business property in Plano. For a number of years he devoted his chief attention to the raising of wheat and corn and dealt extensively in live stock. In 1887 he rented his farm land and be- came a citizen of Plano, where he has since made his home.
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Politically Mr. Shults is a Democrat, and fre- quently he has attended county conventions as a delegate. Fraternally he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. For a companion and helpmate in life's journey Mr. Shults chose Charlotte Gorton, daughter of Levi Gorton, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. Three children blessed the marriage of our sub- ject and wife, namely: Edwin J., a resident of Chicago; Lena B. and Albert Lester.
AMES MORRIS SEARS. For nearly three score and ten years the Sears family, to which the subject of this article belongs, have been intimately identified with the development of Kendall County. He was born March 2, 1838, in the same district where he now resides, Little Rock Township, and his entire life has been passed in this immediate locality.
The family is of English descent, and though they have been residents of America for many generations, it is not known exactly when they close this land as a home. Major Thomas Sears, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a native of Massachusetts, and when the war of the Revo- lution broke out he was living in New York City. He participated in some of the campaigns of that conflict with the mother country, and won his title by gallant service. James Sears, the grand- father of James M., was born and reared in Con-
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house. He located one section of land, situated on the banks of the Little Rock Creek, and in 1842, when there was a land sale, he bought the six hundred and forty acres. He made a specialty of raising wheat and swine, as better prices were realized on these products than on any other farm produce at that early day, and it was nec- essary to hanl things to Chicago, as the railroad was not constructed until long afterwards. There being great demands for surveyors, Mr. Sears found plenty of employment as such, and laid out farms and roads and did general government sur- veying throughout this portion of the state. In this way he was enabled to pay for his large land- ed estates and to make necessary improvements. He was the first supervisor of this township after its organization, and continued to fill that office for several years. He also served as a justice of the peace and as county surveyor. In 1866 he retired from active life, and for twenty years dwelt in the town of Sandwich. His last years were spent in Plano, where his death occurred in November, 1893.
The first marriage of Archibald Sears took place in the Empire state in June, 1833, his choice being Miss Susan Hadden. She was a native of the same county as her husband, a daughter of Morris and Sarah (Nelson) Hadden, both natives of New York. Of their seven chil- dren, only the subject of this article survives. The wife died when this son was young, and on the 23d of August, 1850, the father married Mrs. Rachel Smith, daughter of David T. and Char- lotte (Tarbox) Carver. Six children were born. to this union, all of whom are living, namely. Charles M., Albert H. and Sherman S. Sears, Mary E. Henning, Alice M. Mather and Ada A. Miller.
James M. Sears attended the schools of this district in his youth, the old building standing upon the same site in the present town of Plano as the one now in its place. He was trained in the routine work of the homestead, and when he was about twenty-two years old started out upon his own account. At first he carried on a farm of one hundred and six acres, and when he was able to invest in cattle and hogs he commenced
raising and feeding them for the markets. He has been particularly successful in the live-stock business, and whenever he has realized from the sales he has invested a portion of the proceeds in land. He now owns about fifteen hundred acres of fine farm land situated in this township, besides some in Nebraska. In 1898 he removed to Plano on account of his wife's failing health, and in 1900 purchased two hundred and forty acres on the western border of the town, a portion being within the corporation limits.
Politically Mr. Sears is a true-blue Republican. He served as a supervisor here two years, and for twenty years officiated as a member of the local school board.
In 1874 Mr. Sears married Emily L. Cox, a daughter of John and Mary Cox, who came to this vicinity from New York state in 1844. Seven children blessed the union of our subject and wife, namely: Susan, who died in 1895; Delbert J., who is a student in a business college in Chi- cago; Archibald G., who died in 1898, while at- tending school in Chicago; Ora F., Bessie M., Louis A. and Ruth M. The devoted wife and mother was summoned to the silent land January 16, 1898, and her loss is deeply felt in the com- munity and by the hosts of friends to whom she had endeared herself by many lovely traits of character revealed in her daily life.
ULIAN RUMSEY STEWARD, who is a member of the firm of Steward Brothers, bankers, owners of large landed estates and a multitude of paying investments, is one of the best known citizens of Plano and Kendall County, and doubtless inherited his marked talents as a financier and business man from his father, Lewis Steward, who is represented else- where in this volume.
Julian R. Steward was born in this county February 9, 1864. He obtained a liberal educa- tion in the public schools, and when a mere boy learned his first lessons in practical business affairs under the instruction of his father. Long before he reached his majority he had given proof
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of his native ability, and when his senior was summoned to the silent land the son assumed many of the duties and responsibilities pertain- ing to his great possessions. He has acted in the capacity of an agent, his mother having been appointed an administrator of the estate. He has charge of the renting of forty-five hundred acres of fine farm-lands, the tenants on the thirty farms being carefully chosen and reliable. He also supervises the numerous other enterprises, including two manufacturing plants, four busi- ness blocks; the Plano Hotel, which is one of the finest, outside of Chicago, in the northern part of Illinois; saw-mills and grist-mills and about a score of residences. The water-power at Plano is controlled by the Steward estate, the town be- ing supplied with water from a plant established by Lewis Steward and donated to the city, with a reservation for power from surplus water.
In September, 1897, J. R. Steward, in com- pany with his younger brother, W. Deering Steward, embarked in the banking business, establishing the thriving Steward Brothers Bank, of Plano, and when E. L. Henning failed they purchased the bank fixtures, and in 1900, when his business block was sold, the firm became the owners of the same. In partnership with his three brothers our subject bought the Plano Elec- tric Light Plant, of which he now is serving as president. He also is serving in the same capa- city with the Plano Improvement & Manufac- turing Company. He has reduced his entire business affairs to a fine system, for otherwise he could not attend to all of his varied enter- prises.
Thoughi, like his father before him, Mr. Stew- ard is a stanch Democrat, he has not been de- sirous of public preferment, but frequently has been obliged to yield to the urgent demands of the people. In the spring of 1898 he was elected supervisor of this county, to his genuine surprise. His father had occupied the same office just thirty-five years before, but, as the Republicans in this county are in a majority of perhaps six to one and had elected their own candidates during this long period, he had consented to allow his name to be used as a figure-head on the Demo-
cratic ticket, not realizing to the full the weight of his name to a far-sighted, discriminating pub- lic. At the close of his term he declined the proposition to make him his own successor, al- though an indorsement was offered by the Repub- lican party, as the demands of his business re- quire his whole time and attention. However, during his service he succeeded in getting nu- merous reforms instituted and energetically car- ried out the people's wishes in several enter- prises. He lias acted as a member of the school board and is a director of the Plano Library Association. Socially he is a director in the Blackhawk Club, and belongs to the Merrimac Club also.
On the 6th of July, 1887, Mr. Steward married Miss Lillian Sibley, daughter of Jolin Sibley, of Sandwich, Il1. They have one child, named, in honor of his maternal grandfather, John Sibley.
ILLIAM GRIMWOOD. Born in Buck- shall, Suffolk, England, January 27, 1817, William Grimwood, a retired citizen of Bristol Township, Kendall County, is one of the venerable residents of this portion of Illinois. For nearly three score years he has made his home in this immediate locality, and during this long period he has done everything within his power to increase the prosperity which has gradually become the lot of our fortunate citizens.
Isaac Grimwood, father of our subject, resided in his native country, England, until 1824, when he sailed to America, and after a tedious journey of forty-two days arrived in New York City. He settled at Albany, and lived there for twelve years, when, yielding to the pioneer spirit which had possession of him, he came to Illinois and took up forty acres of land in Bristol Township, Kendall County. His wife, whose maiden name had been Susan Cooper, and who likewise was a native of England, died in 1841. The father was summoned to the home above in 1852, and of the twelve children of this sterling couple only two survive, William and a sister. The father was a member of the Baptist Church, and in politics was a Whig.
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
The youth of William Grimwood was passed in Albany, where he obtained a good education for that day. In 1843 he came west to make a visit to his parents, who had located here, and, liking the country, the young man concluded to remain. He took up eighty acres of government land and later bought other property. Two years later he built a liouse on section 20-the same one in which he has dwelt ever since, and the lime used in its construction he was obliged to haul thirty-six miles. For the wheat which he produced he found the best market in Chicago, but on one occasion his experience was very dis- couraging and severe. He was overtaken by a driving snow-storm and his hands were frozen. The trip consumed nine days, on account of the weather, and because of his expenses, while nec- essarily storm-stayed, he found himself $5 in debt, and only had a jug of molasses to show for his long journey. He devoted his time for many years chiefly to the raising of grain, though he also found hay a profitable crop. By industry and well-applied efforts he made a good income and gave his children many advantages. Fifty- one years ago he brought from across the river some white-willow shoots and planted then around his house, and two of them are still stand- ing. The place is also embellished abundantly with maple and other trees planted by his hand.
The marriage of Mr. Grimwood and Seraph Salisbury, a native of Berkshire County, Mass., was celebrated in 1846. William H., their eldest child, is engaged in farming near Huntsville, Ala. Isaac O. is carrying on the old homestead formerly belonging to his father, and Joseph C. also is a farmer of this township. Newton S., an enterprising, promising young journalist, twenty-two years old, accompanied Prof. Donel-
son on a balloon trip, but the balloon collapsed and both were drowned. The body of the pro- fessor never was recovered, but the remains of the unfortunate young man were found. Lizzie, the only daughter, has entered the silent land, and the mother died in 1878.
Since the organization of the Republican party William Grimwood has been a stanch supporter of the same, and in this district he has served as a supervisor, school treasurer and school trustee. In the Baptist denomination he has been an im- portant member, aiding materially in its work and assisting in the building of the present church edifice. For the past few years he has acted in the office of deacon of his church and is looked up to and held in reverence by all who know him.
Isaac O. Grimwood, who now has the respon- sibility of the home farm, was born March 22, 1849, beneath the hospitable roof which now shelters his family. He spent seven years in Kankakee County, engaged in agriculture, but with this exception has passed his entire life here. He rented the place until 1882, when he purchased the farm, comprising two hundred and forty acres. He makes a specialty of raising live stock and grain, and by aid of a separator nia- chine he removes the cream from the milk, and finds a ready market for the product in Bristol. He keeps from fifteen to twenty cows, chiefly Jerseys. For the past eight years Mr. Grim- wood has been road commissioner. He is a Republican and belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America. January 18, 1882, he wedded Alice Grice, and to them were born: Ada, Sidney, Harlan and Philip (twins), Ralph and Maurice. Philip died at the age of fourteen months and Ralph was killed in an accident.
allen Planprends
Me Ellen Carpenter-
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
383
ALLEN P. CARPENTER.
A LLEN P. CARPENTER. Few of the resi- dents of the county stand higher, and none has warmer friends, than the subject of this sketch, a retired farmer of Channahon Township. In his active life he has gained the confidence and esteem always awarded integrity, honor and industry. From his youth he has been identified with the county's history. In October, 1853, he came to Joliet. A short time later he was employed to teach a four months' term of school in this city. He at once entered upon his duties. His position was one of great responsibility, requiring patience, intelligence and constant watchfulness. On his roll he had the names of one hundred and three pupils. At the expiration of his term the school board urged him to remain longer, but he had promised his father to return home and assist in the work during the spring and summer, so in March he went back east. However, in the fall he returned to Joliet, where he again taught school. In the spring of the next year he began to cultivate the farm in Channahon Township now owned by H. B. Por- ter, remaining there for three years. Later he spent two years in Troy Township. Following this he was associated for seven years with his brother, Henry S. Carpenter, in the grain and elevator business at Minooka Landing. In 1865 he purchased his present farm of one hundred and sixteen acres two miles north of the village of Channahon and the next year he removed to his new home. In conjunction with cultivating his land, for eight years he carried on a general merchandise, lumber and coal business. In 1875 he withdrew from the latter business and retired to his farm. From time to time he added to his
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