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 50
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 50
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The marriage of Mr. Sprague took place No- vember 25, 1869, and united him with Miss Alice C. Killmer, who was born in Dupage Town- ship, her father, Reuben W. Killmer, having been one of the pioneers of the township. They are the parents. of three children now living, namely: Hattie M., a graduate of the Joliet high school and an accomplished young lady; Mabel, who is a student in the Joliet schools; and Thomas K.
Though reared in the Democratic faith, Mr. Sprague has not allied himself with any party, but maintains independent views and votes for the best man. For one year he served as assessor of Dupage Township, and for five terms he served as town clerk. He was made a Mason in Lock- port Lodge, No. 538, A. F. & A. M., in 1872, and is now connected with Mount Joliet Lodge. With his family he holds membership in the Presbyterian Church, and he has officiated as one of the trustees of the congregation.
Simeon Woodruff
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
419
SIMEON WOODRUFF.
IMEON WOODRUFF was born in Water- town, N. Y., October 21, 1833, a son of Luther and Sarah (Kyes) Woodruff, who were also natives of that city. "His paternal grandfather, Simeon Woodruff, was born in Con- necticut and settled on a farm near Watertown, where he died at eighty years of age. The ma- ternal grandfather, Aaron Kyes, also a native of Connecticut, settled in New York, where he fol- lowed farm pursuits and also engaged in the cooper's trade. In 1845 Luther Woodruff brought his family to Illinois and settled on the southwest quarter of section 2, Joliet Township, now ad- joining the city limits. He died in Joliet in 1891, when eighty-seven years of age. His wife died in this city in 1887, when seventy-five. They had two children, Simeon and Mary F., the lat- ter of whom married C. H. Nichols, of Joliet.
After coming to Illinois our subject resided on the home farm until 1859. In the spring of that year he left for Pike's Peak, determining to seek his fortune in the gold fields of the mountain regions. He outfitted with ox-teams and crossed the Missouri at St. Joe, thence took the Platte route across the plains. As he proceeded farther he met large numbers of people returning, dis- couraged and disappointed, having met with hard luck in their efforts to find gold. He and his friends were therefore drawn from their original intentions and decided to pursue their way to California. The five men, with three yoke of cattle and six months' provisions, went up the Sweetwater route, crossed the mountains to
Downeyville, Cal., reaching that place after a four months' trip from St. Joe, and at once began placer mining.
At the time of the Civil war Mr. Woodruff was still in California. In 1864 he enlisted for tliree years (or during the war) in Company K, Seventh California Infantry, and was sent from Presidio to Arizona, where his company was stationed at Fort MeDowell. They located the site and erected the first adobe buildings there, being the first soldiers in that part of the ter- ritory; this fort was inspected by General Mc- Dowell while they were there. They remained there until April, 1866, when they were relieved by regulars and went back to San Francisco, where they were mustered out of the service. Mr. Woodruff then resumed mining. He re- mained in California until 1875, when, after an absence of sixteen years, he returned to Illinois. This journey was made in a manner far different from the first one. Then, he liad traveled with ox-teams; now, he came via the railroad, enjoying all of the conveniences of rapid travel and attend- ing comforts. When he arrived in Will County he engaged in farming at the old homestead, and continued there until 1888, when he embarked in the real-estate business in Joliet. He has been interested in the laying out of subdivisions to the city. Woodruff & Nichols and Fuller & Wood- ruff laid out subdivisions from his father's home- stead, the latter firm platting eighty acres on section 23. Mack, Woodruff & Cowles platted eighty-five acres on section 26, and Fuller &
21
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Woodruff laid out the Forest park addition of forty acres, giving two and one-half acres for the site of the Forest park school. He has personally laid out Dewey Bluffs, comprising thirty acres. With his sister he gave the site for the Windsor wire mill. Few residents of Joliet are more familiar than he with the real-estate business; he is thoroughly posted concerning values and has conducted his enterprises in a manner indicating good ability on his part.
From the organization of the Republican party in 1856, when he cast his first presidential vote for John C. Freinont, Mr. Woodruff has been a supporter of the Republican party and believes firmly in its platform and principles. Frater- nally he is connected with the Patriotic Order Sons of America. He was married in Milwau- kee, Wis., to Miss Eunice W. Whitney, who was born in New York and accompanied her parents to Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Woodruff reside on Macomber avenue.
ILAS I. PARKER, a well-known citizen of Channahon, was born in Franklin County, Vt., November 14, 1841, a son of Charles C. and Elizabeth (DeMeritt) Parker. He was one of eight children, all but one of whom are still living, viz .: Emily M., wife of George Knapp, of North Menominee, Wis .; Samuel D. E., a stockman of Deadwood, S. Dak .; Ann Jeannette, of Menominee, Wis .; Silas I .; Orin, a farmer of Connersville, Wis. George S., who is engaged in agricultural pursuits at the same place; and Genevieve, of Menominee. The father was born in Montgomery, Vt., September 5, 1814, and the mother was born in New Hampshire, November 7, 1813. The former learned the carpenter's trade in youth. In 1843 he removed to Wiscon- sin and settled in Jefferson County, where he fol- lowed his trade. In 1858 he removed to a farm he had purchased some years before, and there he remained until his sons had grown to man- hood and left home. About 1870 he sold the
place and settled in Aztalan. In 1877 he re- moved to Dunn County and purchased one hun- dred and sixty acres of land, where he remained until his death, March 31, 1881. His politics were Republican. For some years he served as collector of his township. He was an active worker in the Methodist Church, where he long served as a class-leader, and also took an interest in the Sunday-school. His wife was a daughter of Davis and Abigail (Emerson) DeMeritt.
At the outbreak of the Civil war our subject became an enthusiastic adherent of the Union. August 29, 1862, he enlisted in Company B, Fifth Wisconsin Infantry, and went as a recruit to his regiment, which he joined on the battle- field of Antietam. He took part in that battle and later was at Fredericksburg. In the battle of Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863, he was wounded and left for dead on the field. However, he was found to be still alive and was taken to the field hospital, where he remained a week. Then, with others, he was taken to Washington and placed in the Campbell hospital. Afterward his father took him home, he having been given a thirty- days' furlough. At the expiration of the time he went to Camp Randall hospital at Madison, Wis., where he was honorably discharged from the service October 27, 1863.
Upon receiving his discharge, Mr. Parker re- turned home. As soon as he was able he began to work at the wagon-maker's trade, opening a shop and hiring an expert workman, from whom he learned the.trade. He also engaged with his father in the saw-mill and threshing business. In the summer of 1866 he went to Fort Larned, Kans., and worked as a carpenter in the govern- ment employ. March 14, 1869, he married Melinda S. Knapp, and afterward worked for a few months in Kansas. On his return east he settled in Will County, Ill., and for nine years farmed his father-in-law's farm. In 1879 he re- moved to Missouri and bought a farm in Miller County, but after a year rented his place and en- gaged in contracting and building in Eldon, also carried on a lumber business and a flour and feed store. In 1890 he sold his farm and in the spring of the next year returned to Channahon, where
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
he has sinee resided. Of recent years he has given his attention principally to farming, al- though he has also to some extent engaged in earpentering. In polities he is a Republican. He and his wife are both active workers in the Methodist Church and he holds the office of trustee in the same. He is a member of Burden Post No. 494, G. A. R., in which he is officer of the day. He and his wife had but one ehild, a daughter, Almira E., who was born June 29, 1874, but died in infancy.
Mrs. Parker is a daughter of Dr. Ira O. and Almira (Joslyn) Knapp, the former one of the earliest settlers of this seetion. He was born in Barre, Vt., February 12, 1810. In 1833 he graduated in medicine. On the 14th of July of the same year he married Miss Joslyn, after which he and his bride started for the west, ar- riving in Will County in October. During their trip they stopped one night in Chieago and slept in the first frame house ever built in that town. On reaching Will County they spent a few days with the doetor's unele in Plainfield, thenee eame to Channahon. He was the first physician in this part of the county and his professional ealls eame from far and near, but the large amount of night work and the long drives soon told on his health, and about 1848 he gave up his praetice. He then settled on a farm which he had bought shortly after his arrival in the county. Here lie spent his remaining years. His integrity and benevoleniee won him the esteem and love of all who knew him. In polities he was a Whig, then a Republican, and finally a Prohibitionist. He was an enthusiastie worker for good govern- ment, but was not an office seeker. In 1844 Governor Ford appointed him justice of the peace, which position he filled for some years. He was a prominent worker in the Methodist Church, in which for years he was trustee and steward. He was one of five persons to form the first elass in Channahon and was the last of the five to depart this life. He passed away Jan- uary 6, 1894. His parents, Mason and Nabby ('Tryon) Knapp, were probably natives of Ver- mont. The former was born February 2, 1785, and died October 17, 1871; the latter was born
August 20, 1788, and died June 7, 1862. Mason Knapp enlisted in the war of 1812, but never took part in any engagement; he was marehing to the engagement at Plattsburg when the war closed. In 1852 he and his wife came to Illinois, where they 'spent their remaining years with their son.
The wife of Dr. Knapp was a daughter of Luke and Lydia (Graves) Joslyn, and was born January 26, 1810, at Waitsfield, Vt. To her · marriage the following-named children were born: George L., born July 8, 1834, now of North Menominee, Wis .; Orin S., born October 14, 1836, now engaged in the saw-mill business at Loveland, Colo .; Melinda S., born August 24, 1838; Solon, born January 6, 1842, now a sales- man at Emerson, Ala .; Lydia J., born March 14, 1845, and died October 11, 1846; and Lydia J. (2d), born January 22, 1847, and died Oetober 21, 1847. There was also an adopted daughter, Sarah M. Goss, who is now the wife of James Barry, of Elk Grove, S. Dak.
D HARLES A. McKENNA, manager of the Caton stock farm in Plainfield Township, has been with Judge J. D. Caton and his son since he was eighteen years of age. Begin- ning in the employ of the judge, he proved hin- self to be diligent, faithful and energetie, and was given increased responsibilities as he grew older. Sinee 1885 he has had the management of the Caton farm of thirteen hundred and fifty aeres, which is the largest farm in the state that has nothing but tillable land. Under preceding man- agers efforts had been made to introduee satis- faetory drainage, but all failed. Under his su- pervision, however, tiling was proved to be thor- oughily practieable, and one hundred and fifty miles of tiling were laid. Water is furnished by an artesian well twenty-five hundred and fifty feet deep. Sinee the death of Judge Caton, in July, 1895, Mr. McKenna has been retained as mana- ger for the judge's son, Arthur J. Caton, of Chi-
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
cago. As the latter visits the place only once or twice a year, the entire responsibility of the work lies with the manager, and to him may be attributed the fine improvements noticeable on the property, and the fact that the farm turns in to the owner a large annual revenue.
A portion of the land is devoted to the raising of farm products. About twenty-three thousand bushels of corn are sold annually, while the oats, averaging twenty-five thousand bushels, are used for feed. A specialty is made of stock-raising, . in which department of agriculture Mr. McKenna has shown unusual judgment and intelligence. There are on the place about two hundred and fifty head of horses, many of which are fine trot- ters; also one hundred head of cattle, some of these being of the very finest grades; and about four hundred and fifty hogs, the specialty being the Poland-China breed. To assist in the man- agement of the place, from eighteen to twenty- five men are hired. There are seven houses on the farm and sixteen barns, besides other substan- tial farm buildings, and steam engine, thresher, corn sheller, etc. During the harvest season six binders are operated.
Politically Mr. McKenna has never identified himself with any party, but maintains independ- ence in opinions and views. His attention has been so closely given to his farm work that he has no leisure for official positions, and although twice nominated for the office of supervisor, he declined to accept the nominations. Fraternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America. By his marriage, in 1885, to Miss Nora Dunford, of Ottawa, Ill., he has seven children: William, Anna, John, Laura, Cather- ine, Margaret and Mary.
EV. F. S. SUSTERSIC, who was the first and has been the only pastor of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church of Joliet, came to this city in May, 1891, with instructions from the bishop to organize a congregation of his fel-
low-countrymen. He at once gathered together those of the Catholic faith, bought a lot on Chi- cago street, and erected a handsome stone edi- fice, which was dedicated in October of the same year. In 1895 he built St. Joseph's school in the same block, an institution that now has four rooms, with two hundred pupils, to whom instruc- tion is given in English and in the Slovenic lan- guage, the Sisters of St. Francis being in charge of the work. In 1898 a neat parsonage was com- pleted, and during the same year a place on Scott street was bought for the Sisters of St. Francis who are in charge of the school. The bodies of the dead are laid to rest in a cemetery of five acres at Washington Heights, which was bought in 1894 and is known as St. Joseph's cemetery. The congregation of the church numbers two hundred families, representing two nationalities, Slovenians and Croatians, the first-named largely preponderating. Among the societies are the Children of St. Mary, the Ladies' Altar Society, and four Slovenian and one Croatian benevolent society. This is also the headquarters of the Slovenic Catholic Union of the United States, the secretary and treasurer residing here.
In the city of Ljubljana, province of Krain, Austria, Father Sustersic was born January 21, 1864, a son of Casper and Jennie (Pecnik) Sus- tersic, natives of the same place and members of very old families of the province. His father, a farmer, owned the estate, " Bobencek," and died there at sixty-three years. Of their six children three are living, Father Sustersic being the eld- est. When six years of age he began to attend school and at twelve he entered the gymnasium, where he completed his classical studies. When eighteen he entered the seminary at Ljubljana, the capital of Krain, where he studied philoso- phy and theology for four years. In 1886, at twenty-two years of age, he was ordained to the priesthood. Owing to the fact that he was under the stipulated age for admission to orders, it re- quired a special dispensation from Pope Leo to make his ordination valid. He was ordained in St. Nicholas Cathedral at Ljubljana (or Laibach, as called in German) by Bishop (now Cardinal) Missia. For two years he was assistant pastor
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
in the church at Smlednik and for three years he was stationed at Litija, from which place he came to the United States in 1891. Learning that many of his countrymen were in Joliet and had no priest of their mother tongue, and that Archbishop Feehan was desirous of securing a Slav priest, he at once secured the permission of his bishop to come to this city, and has since ac- complished a gratifying work in bringing together and organizing a church of his own people. In all of liis labors he has the hearty co-operation of his parishioners, who place the utmost confidence in his judgment and have learned to esteem him very highly as pastor and priest.
M OSES G. DEMMOND. Connected promi- nently with the early history of this coun- ty is the name of Mr. Demmond. When he first came to Joliet, having made the long jour- ney from the east via canal, lakes and wagon, it was in 1839, when the surroundings were those of the remote frontier. He has seen the develop- ment of the county from its primeval condition into a populous and wealthy region, and in the attainment of this result he has himself been 110 unimportant factor. His name occupies an 11011- orable place among the industrious pioneers who did much for the upbuilding of this part of Illinois.
The Demmonds are an old family of New Eng- land, descended from Scotch ancestors. The grandfather of Mr. Demmond, who was the son of a Revolutionary soldier, was born in New York and removed from there to Worcester County, Mass., where he died. The father, Charles, also a native of New York, came west in 1839, arriving in Joliet on the Ioth of July, ac- companied by his family. He had traveled by wagon to Albany, thence by the Erie canal to Buffalo, from there on a steamer "Great Wester," to Chicago and thence by wagon to Joliet, the trip taking three weeks. By trade a builder, he followed contracting here until his death, in1 1869,
at the age of sixty-eight years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Rebecca Holden, was born in Massachusetts and died in Joliet, in 1885, when eiglity-two years of age. They were the parents of seven children, viz .: Mrs. Harriet Wilcox, who died in California; William C., of Joliet; Darwin D., who lives in Chicago; Moses G., of Joliet; F. E. and S. M., of Chicago; and Mary Rebecca, who is married and resides in Chicago.
The subject of this sketch was born in Rut- land, Mass., July 1, 1831. Almost his entire life has been passed in the west and his education was acquired in western schools, which at that time were crude and inferior. At an early age he acquired, under his father, a good knowledge of carpentering. In 1850-51 he acted as chain- man and flagman for a corps of surveyors on the Rock Island Railroad, and when the road was completed here he went to Iowa as rodman on the Muscatine branch. Returning to Joliet he married and afterward engaged in clerking, later for two years worked at carpentering with his father, and then settled upon Redmill farm, which he operated for his father-in-law, Henry D. Higinbotham. After a time he removed to Twelve Mile Grove, where he continued agri- cultural pursnits. In 1864 he moved into Joliet, where he took charge of the business interests of H. N. Higinbotham, of Chicago, superintend- ing the management of his fifteen hundred acres of land in this county. He continued to act in this capacity until 1893, when illness obliged him in a measure to lay aside business cares. From 1890 to 1898 he resided on the old Higin- botham farm, but since the latter year has made his home at No. 1004 Cass street, Joliet.
A Democrat until 1880, since then Mr. Dem- mond has affiliated with the Republican party. For two years eachı he served as alderman from the first ward and police constable, also hield the office of superintendent of streets of Joliet inder Mayor W. A. Steele. During his residence in Wilton Township he was collector for two years and constable for a year. In the days when the street cars of Joliet were operated by mule power, he held the office of superintendent of the street
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
railway, continuing for two years until the road changed hands. In religious belief he is a Uni- versalist, and fraternally holds membership with Matteson Lodge No. 175, A. F. & A. M.
At the old Higinbotham home on Cass street, March 18, 1856, occurred the marriage of Mr. Demmond and Miss Ann Eliza Higinbotham, who was born in this county, a daughter of the late Henry D., and sister of Harlow N. Higin- botham, of Chicago. They are the parents of six children, namely: Henry C., who is a con- stable in Joliet; Frank E., a tailor in this city; Mrs. Ella A. Park, of Joliet; Mrs. Mary Pasold and Mrs. Myra Porter (twins), the latter living in Kankakee; and Moses G., Jr., who is con- nected with the Fox Steel Company.
ASPER V. CUTLER, who since 1867 has owned and occupied a farm in Homer Town- ship, was born in Burlington, Vt., April 25, 1825, a son of Lyman M. and Lucy (Hamilton) Cutler, natives of Connecticut and Vermont re- spectively. His father moved to Vermont when a young man, and from there went to Madison County, N. Y., thence to Erie County, Ohio, and in 1846 settled in Chicago, where he died in 1851, at sixty-one years of age. In the various locali- ties where he resided he did much toward clear- ing and improving farm land, and at the same time he conducted a tanning business on a small scale. In politics he was a " rock-ribbed " Dem- ocrat, ever true to party principles. He married a daughter of David Hamilton, for years a suc- cessful farmer in Vermont. Mrs. Lucy Cutler died January 19, 1880, when eighty-one years of age. Of her eight children, five grew to matur- ity, viz .: Lyman G., who was born September 12, 1820, and died in Chicago, May 19, 1858; Edmund S., who was born April 14, 1823, and is now living in Denver, Colo .; Jasper Y .; Azro C., of Joliet, who was born September 13, 1827; and Lucy Ann, who was born October 25, 1830, and died July 16, 1852.
When the family moved from Vermont to New York our subject was two years of age. He was reared in New York and Ohio, and received a comnion-school education. With his brother, Lyman G., in 1844 he left Ohio and drove with a team to Peoria, Ill., where an uncle resided. In that city he was taken ill and was unable to engage in work of any kind for about six months. After partially regaining his health he secured employment in caring for horses in a stage stable. In July of the same year he took a stage-team and drove the stages through his section of Illi- nois, continuing with the same company for six years, meantime making a number of trips from St. Louis to Chicago. His next position was in a lumber-yard owned by Foss & Bros., in Chica- go, where he was employed for two years. Through the influence of his employer, Mr. Foss, he was elected a constable for the city of Chicago, and he also served as deputy sheriff under Will- iam L. Church. For some years afterward, until 1860, he was a member of the Chicago police force, in which he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. When he first became connected with the force it had but twelve officers. At the time of the riot in Chicago, April 21, 1855, he was in the thickest of the fight and bore himself with such courage and fidelity that, in grateful appreciation of his services at the time, the citi- zens of Chicago afterward presented him with a gold medal.
In 1860 Mr. Cutler resigned as a police officer in order to accept a position with the government as steamboat inspector at the Chicago custom- house, where he remained until 1866. During the Civil war, being already in the government employ, he was ineligible to army service, but his loyalty to our country and his anxiety for the success of the Union cause led him to employ a substitute to enlist in his stead. In 1867 he re- moved from Chicago to this county, and pur- chased ninety acres in Homer Township, where he has since followed general farm pursuits. Here, as in Chicago, he has been interested in local matters. He has always been stanch in his allegiance to Republican principles, voting the straight ticket at every election. In the office of
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
highway commissioner he rendered efficient serv- ice. A friend of the public schools, he served as director for years, meantime promoting the cause of education in his locality. He was one of the organizers of the Homer Mutual Fire Insurance Company, of which he was a director for years, and the welfare of which he still has deeply at heart.
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