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 85
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 85
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Maggie E. is the wife of Mr. Sleezer, and Sadie A., the youngest of the family, since she was sixteen years of age, has taught in the public schools of Illinois, Colorado and lowa, and for five years was a teacher in the public schools of Millington.
OSEPH ECCLES, who is one of the enter- prising and reliable farmers of Bristol Town- ship, Kendall Comity, was born in this township January 27, 1860. His father, James Eccles, one of the honored pioneers of the coun- . ty, was born in Dunganen, Ireland, July 12, 1820, and came to America at eighteen years of age, settling in Pennsylvania, where he married Miss Maria Salsburg. As early as 1849 he came to Kendall County, and for a time was employed by a Mr. Pearce, for whom he had worked in the east. Later, however, lie began farming for him- self. Being a practical, energetic man, lie soon got a start and acquired considerable property. On section 7, at the time he purchased his farmi, stood a small house, and this he afterward re- modeled and enlarged, making it practically a new residence. He also put up the barns on the farm. In addition to the raising of farm pro- duce, he devoted some attention to the stock busi- ness, raising cattle, hogs and sheep. Through his wise judgment and industry he acquired one thousand acres of land, some of which was under the plow and the remainder used for the pastur- age of liis stock.
Public affairs received his earnest attention. He was a stanch Republican and always voted with his party. For fifteen years he held the of- fice of highway commissioner, in which position he materially advanced the interests of his com- munity by opening up new roads and improving the old ones. Some seven years before he died he retired from farm labors and removed to York- ville, where he died November 22, 1894. His body is interred in the Oak Grove Cemetery, near Bristol.
Of eleven children comprising the family of James Eccles, the subject of this sketch is the youngest. His education was begun in the pub-
lic schools of Kendall County and completed in the Illinois State Normal School. On the retire- ment of his father from active farming he became the manager of the homestead, and when his father died he retained the property. He now operates two hundred and sixty acres, on which he engages in mixed farming. On his place may be seen some fine stock, including Jersey cattle, Shropshire sheep and hogs. He is a hard-work- ing man, whose aim has been to place his land under good cultivation and to make it one of the best farms in the township. Although he has little leisure to devote to politics, he keeps posted concerning national problems, is a stanch Republican, has been a delegate to county con- ventions of his party, and is serving his fourth year as a highway commissioner, an office that his father so ably filled years ago. Fraternally lie is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America. He was united in marriage, May 3. 1892, with Miss Alice A. Greenacre, by whom he has one child, Mabel Alice.
12 ANIEL ROLLINS BALLOU. As a type of honorable, upright manhood, the life of Mr. Ballou is worthy of recognition. In many respects he was not an ordinary man. Pos- sessing superior ability, with a large fund of en- ergy and determination, he was fitted to assume the responsibilities of business and successfully cope with the hardships and adversities that beset one in life. His public spirit was a recognized and prominent trait of his character. He fa- vored measures for the benefit of Kendall Coun- ty, where for so many years he made his home. In a broader way he also identified himself with enterprises of a nature beneficial to the state, and at the time of his death was serving as state warehouse commissioner and also as president of the board of trustees at the insane asylum at Jacksonville.
A son of Rollins and Charlotte ( Phelps) Bal- lou, our subject was born in Cortland County, N. Y., November 29, 1837. He grew to man- hood on his father's farm, and received his pri- mary education in public schools, afterward at-
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
tending the Metropolitan College in Buffalo, N. Y. In 1855 he settled in Sandwich, Ill., where he was for some years agent of the Chicago, Bur- lington & Quincy Railroad.
At the opening of the Civil war, when a call was made for three months' volunteers, he enlist- ed in the Union army, joining Company H, Tenth Illinois Infantry. From the ranks he was soon raised to be a sergeant. At the end of his time he re-enlisted for three years, and later served as lieutenant until he was commissioned captain. With the army of the west he served in Ken- tucky, Georgia and Tennessee until the last of the war, when, owing to sickness, he resigned his commission and was honorably discharged. As an officer he was greatly esteemed. On his re- turn home he recuperated for a time and then re- sumed work as station agent. Two years later he resigned and removed to Kendall County, set- tling on section 14, Fox Township, where his widow still lives. Here he operated three hun- dred and seventy-five acres of land, engaging extensively in the stock business, using for that purpose all the grain that he raised. His special- ties were Shorthorn cattle, Shropshire sheep, Poland-China swine and heavy draft horses. Having running water and plenty of shade on his farm, he was excellently situated for stock- raising, and these aids, with his energy and good judgment as prime factors, enabled him to suc- cessfully conduct the business through many years.
As a Republican, Mr. Ballou was active in local affairs. He served as delegate to many con- ventions, and for several terms was supervisor of his township. He was identified with the Ma- sonic order from the time he was old enough to become a member, and was a charter member of Sandwich Chapter No. 107, R. A. M. In the support of the church at Millington he was lib- eral, and also aided others when called upon. Personally he was a man of very genial disposi- tion, a great lover of children, and fond of hav- ing his house filled with young folks, his chil- dren's friends and playmates, whose presence lie seemed to enjoy as much as they enjoyed his hospitality.
June 18, 1865, Mr. Ballou married Mary L., eldest daughter of Thomas Finnie. Two sons blessed their union. The older, Jay Finnie, is married, and with his brother operates the home place. The younger, Burt Phelps, lives with his mother. For five years after Mr. Ballou's death the family rented the farm, but the sons, becom - ing old enough to assume its management, took up the work which their father had once super- intended.
In his capacity of commissioner Mr. Ballou had charge of building the iron bridge at Milling- ton, and it was while in the discharge of this duty that he accidentally fell from an abutment of the bridge and was killed, February 14, 1884. His sudden death was a great shock to the com- munity, and all united in mourning the loss of so excellent a citizen. After the last tribute of re- spect had been given him by associates and ac- quaintances, his body was interred in the Mil- lington-Newark Cemetery.
ON. CHARLES THOMPSON CHERRY. To the majority of the people in Kendall County, Mr. Cherry is best known through his able service in the state legislature and his prominence in local ranks of the Republican party. The principles and aims of the Republican party have ever been near to his heart, and anything that seems in opposition to them meets his frank condemnation. Honoring the party, he has in turn been by it honored in his election to the leg- islature. He is a man of public spirit, hence en- deavors to promote the welfare of his county. It was in 1890 that he was first elected assembly- man. He served in the Thirty-seventh, Thirty- eighth and Forty-first sessions, and April 26, 1900, was nominated by acclamation to succeed him- self. The convention at which he was nomi- nated was the shortest on record, lasting only seven and one-half minutes, with not a speech made. This fact in itself goes to show that his popularity is great and his record as a legislator irreproachable. During the Forty-first session he introduced three bills, two of which had been
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previously introduced, but lost. One of these provided for uniform fees for recording, etc., in in the county clerk's office. Another gave police powers to the officers of fair associations, when outside incorporated cities or towns. The third bill was to protect the people from campers and other itinerants that might settle in a neighbor- hood, the bill forbidding such parties to camp more than twelve hours in any one township. During the Thirty-seventh session he endeavored to get a bill passed to regulate the stock yards, but the opposing influence was too powerful. With that exception, however, he has been exceptionally successful in getting his bills placed on the statute books and made laws.
In the house in Na-au-say Township where he now lives, Mr. Cherry was born February 20, 1858. His father, Moses Cherry, came from Buffalo, N. Y., to Illinois in 1854 and bought land in Na-au-say Township, paying $27 an acre for timber land, although he could have bought government land two miles south. After settling here hic was prospered, adding to his possessions until he owned thirty-two hundred acres at the time of his death, February 4, 1870. In Toronto, Canada, he married Sarah A. Mills, who died April 27, 1881. Of their fourteen chil- dren, the following survive: Hamilton and Moses, of Na-au-say Township; John W., who lives in Oswego and is employed in the revenue office in Chicago; Charles T .; Mrs. C. B. Fisher, of Aurora; Mrs. J. S. Williams, of Hyde Park; Mrs. William M. Clow, of Wheatland Town- ship, Will County; and Mrs. E. W. Faxon, of Plano.
The education of our subject was acquired in district schools, Waldo Academy at Geneseo and Jennings Seminary, Aurora. When he was sev- enteen his brother Robert, who had been con- ducting the home farm, died, and he then came home from school and took his brother's place on the farm. He has since engaged in raising and fecding cattle, also has a flock of from sixty to seventy-five sheep. In hogs his specialty is the registered Poland-China. He is a man thor- oughly informed in every detail of the stock business, hence able to conduct it successfully.
He is connected with the Knights of Pythias, at- tends the Presbyterian Church, and in Masonry has membership in Raven Lodge No. 303, A. F. & A. M., and the Order of the Eastern Star. December 31, 1879, he married Emma B. Clark, daughter of Henry A. Clark, who came from Hartford, Conn., to Kendall County in a very early day. Mr. and Mrs. Cherry have one son, Clifford A. The family occupies the old home- stead, which is one of the landmarks of the town- ship. The frame for the building was shipped from Buffalo via the lakes to Chicago and hauled from there by ox-team. The siding is of black walnut, cut on the ground. The house is large, substantial and comfortable, apparently little the worse for its long use.
2 OAH EVANS, a retired farmer and stock- raiser of Kendall County, is the oldest liv- ing resident of Little Rock Township. It is signally appropriate, therefore, that some men- tion of his life and work should be made in this volume. He descends from Welsh ancestry. His father, David Evans, was born in Ashe County, N. C., and in boyhood became a blacksmith and wagon-maker, and, indeed, an "all-around" me- chanic. In those days it was necessary for the wagon-maker to manufacture every part of the wagon, which made the task far more difficult and tedious than at the present time. Finally, he decided to seek a home in the north. He made a wagon which he covered with cloth and in this "prairie schooner," in the fall of 1832, with four horses, he made the long trip to Illi- nois. After a journey of forty-two days he ar- rived at Magnolia during the latter part of De- cember. The Black Hawk war was about over and the few pioneers of Illinois were resuming their heavy task of clearing and opening farms. He spent the winter in Magnolia and in the spring of 1833 came to what is now Kendall County, settling on the place where our subject now lives. Its contrast in appearance, then and now, cannot be imagined. Not a furrow liad been turned in the sod. In its original primeval
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
condition of nature, the broad acres lay, waiting all of his dealings he proved himself industrious, for the one to come who should dig out the wealth imprisoned in the rich sod. Perhaps the task was less easy than that of seeking for gold in western mines, but the returns were more cer- tain. The pioneer settled down in this lonely place and took up the battle of life, far away from his old home. On the knoll just south of the present residence he built a log house. He then began to get the land in condition to cul- tivate. The first year he broke five acres. Each year he continued the task of breaking the fresh prairie. He also built a log shop and did black- smithing and wagon repairing for people who passed by looking for a location, or for those who had already settled in the county. Tlie wheat that he raised he hauled, via ox-team, to Chicago, spending four days on the way. Each autumn he killed and dressed large numbers of hogs and hauled them to market. When the land was placed on the market he secured a title to his claim, and when the land was surveyed, he had four hundred and sixty-three acres. In the summer of 1842 he returned to North Caro- lina, hoping to regain his health, which had be- come poor. However, the trip did not help him and he returned to Illinois, where he died in 1844. By his marriage to Betsey Hoppus, of North Carolina, he had four children, but Noah is the only one now living. He was born in Ashe County, N. C., January 23, 1828, and was a small child when the family settled in Kendall County. He recalls the long trip from North Carolina, and remembers that he slept almost every night in a tent they took with them. As soon as he was large enough he helped his father with the work, and was especially helpful in hauling water from the springs for use in the house. Later he was given work of more re- sponsibility. Frequently he hauled produce to Chicago, driving an ox-team. He cut grain with a cradle and bound it by hand, doing a great deal of hard work in those pioneer days.
Upon the division of the estate Mr. Evans re- ceived the old homestead, which has never been out of the family. He made a specialty of the stock business, and bought and fed cattle. In
persevering and upright, a useful member of the farming community, which is the bone and sinew of our nation's prosperity. For some years he has been retired from active labors, but still su- perintends the management of his property. June 18, 1852, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Swift, who came from New York in 1843. She died February 9, 1894, leaving five children, viz .: Lodoskia, wife of Dr. J. C. San- derson, of Chicago; Leonora, who is married and lives in Bristol Township; Estella, whose hus- band, F. A. Ryther, is with the Deering Har- vester Company in Chicago; Juelle, wife of George S. Faxon, of Plano; and Frank L., who operates the home place.
OHN H. SMITH is one of the older resi- dents of Plano, where he is engaged in the insurance and real estate business. He was born in Providence, N. Y., August 2, 1839. His father, Henry T., was a native of Saratoga County, N. Y., and a son of Harmon Smith, who was the earliest of the family in America of whom we have any authentic record. Henry T. followed the machinist's trade and was also a manufacturer of wooden ware, besides which for a time he carried on a dairy business. In 1853 he came west and settled upon a farm in the northwestern part of Little Rock Township, Kendall County. In 1860 he moved to Plano and for a time engaged in dairying, after which he took up merchandising. His next venture was in the tannery business, which he conducted for three years, then sold out and bought one hundred and sixty acres near Shabbona Grove, which he operated, at the same time carrying on an insurance agency. Upon selling the farm he moved to Earlville, but two years later returned to Plano, where he died April 16, 1880. In politics he was a Republican.
Having acquired a good education and a thor- ough knowledge of business affairs, John H. Smith, at the age of twenty-two years, took a clerkship with A. Steward, with whom he re-
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mained about six years, later clerking in his fa- ther's drug store for one and one-half years. Later he conducted a clothing and tailoring es- tablishment. In 1868, owing to failing eyesight and poor health, he disposed of his business and for a time did not engage in any enterprise. In 1873 he opened a real-estate and insurance office, in which business he is still engaged. Owing to his honest business methods he has acquired 'a name for fair dealing and lias the confidence of the people of his town and county. In 1893 he formed a partnership with his son, Ivan L. He does business in Kendall, LaSalle, DeKalb, Cook, Lee and Kane Counties. He has dealt extensively in city property and has done con- siderable building, including the erection of the brick building adjoining the hotel. By his mar- riage to Clara E. Steward he had eight children, six of whom are living.
AMUEL SEABURY WHITLOCK, who lias made his home in Na-au-say Township, Kendall County, since 1845, was born in Rutland County, Vt., March 30, 1832. His fa- ther, James, moved to Wayne County, N. Y., in 1836, and nine years later came, via the lakes and Chicago, to Kendall County, where he took up land on section 22, Na-au-say Township. Starting with one hundred and twenty acres he added to it later by purchase. Oxen were used in breaking the land, and his crops were sold in Chicago. He died here in 1876. Twice mar- ried, by his first wife he had one daughter, now deceased. By his second marriage he had nine children. Politically he was a Republican, and served as road commissioner and school director.
When the family settled in Illinois, S. S. Whitlock was thirteen years of age. He proved of great assistance to his father. Often he drove with grain to Chicago. He broke prairie land with four or five yoke of oxen, using an old wooden mould-board plow. His work was of the hardest kind, but he was industrious and persevering, and in time became prosperous. After he started out for himself lie bought eighty
acres near Dwight, but did not like the location, and traded it for a place in Na-au-say Town- ship, where he built a house and reared his fam- ily. In February, 1893, he sold his place and bought where lie now resides, on the main road from Yorkville to Plainfield. Here he farms eighty acres of land. He is a Republican in politics. February 18, 1857, he married Mary, daughter of Asa Jones. Of their seven children, all but two are still living.
ILLIAM HILL, county clerk of Kendall County, is a native of this county, and was born in the town of Kendall November 9, 1851. His father, Thomas, who is a pioneer of the county, having settled here in 1847, has been connected with the county clerk's office as deputy for twenty- five years and is a stalwart Repub- lican in political views. At the opening of the Civil war he enlisted in Company E, Thirty- sixth Illinois Infantry, and was assigned to the army of the Tennessee, which he joined in the south and with which he continued until the ex- piration of the war, a period of four years and three months. Among his most important en- gagements were the battles of Pea Ridge and Chattanooga. After coming to Kendall County he married Miss Emma Haigh. They are the parents of six children, all living, viz .: Will- iam; Sophia; Fred, a business man of Yorkville; Eva, wife of Charles Hobbs; Arthur, who is in the grocery business; and Nancy, assistant prin- cipal of the high school. The family are of the Episcopalian faith.
At an early age William Hill began to learn the printer's trade, starting in the business with Hon. John R. Marshall, with whom he continued for twenty years. Meantime he had become prominent in county politics, taking an interested part in politics and adhering to the Republican party, whose principles he has always maintained. It has always been his custom to attend conven- tions of the party in this county, but he has not identified himself with outside conventions, either congressional or state. In 1882 he was elected county treasurer, and on the expiration
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of his term four years later he was elected county clerk, and to this position he has been re-elected at each succeeding election.
Fraternally Mr. Hill is connected with Kendall Lodge No. 471, A. F. & A. M., in which he has gone through the various chairs. In 1874 he inarried Ella, daughter of Judge Benjamin Ric- ketson, who was county judge from 1853 to 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Hill have two daughters, Louise and Frances. The family are connected with the Baptist Church.
C OSEPH N. HARRIS, a farmer and dairy- man of Kendall Township, Kendall County, was born in Illinois April 9, 1833. His father, William, moved from Virginia to Ohio and settled in Licking County, but in 1832 came to Illinois, first settling in the southern part of Kendall County, but the Indians drove off his stock, stole his household goods and he was obliged to seek another location. Going to Plainfield, he soon went from there to Chicago, which then had about a half dozen houses. Next he went to Naperville, where he worked in a saw-mill for Joseph Naperville, who had laid out the town. Soon he had saved enough to buy a yoke of oxen. He then returned to Kendall County and started to make a homestead at Long Grove, where he took up three hundred acres and put up a log house. Wheat was his princi- pal product and Chicago his market. As soon as possible, he cleared more land and bought more oxen. He succeeded in getting two hundred and fifty acres broken. He assisted in building the first school house here, it being built of logs. In politics he was a Democrat. By his marriage to Rebecca Coombs, he had nine children, four of whom are living.
While the family were living in Naperville, our subject was born, and he was named Joseph Naperville in honor of his father's employer and friend. He remained with his father until he was twenty-one, after which he taught one term of school. Afterward he took charge of the home farm. After acquiring interests of his own, he still managed his father's property. In the fall of 1886 he removed to his present place, which,
being near town, is a convenient location for a dairy. He raises some grain and some hogs, but gives his attention largely to dairying, and milks from twenty to twenty-five cows. Politically he is a Democrat. He has filled a number of local offices and has been school treasurer for twenty years. In the Baptist Church he has held many offices, and for fourteen years officiated as Sunday-school superintendent. By his mar- riage to Elizabeth Mattock, he has five chil- dren: John, Ella, Belle, N. Benton and Ada R.
USTUS W. HOUSE, who is living retired in Seward Township, Kendall County, was born in Rome, Oneida County, N. Y., Sep- tember 3, 1823. His father, Chester House, brought his family to Illinois in 1833, coming via the lakes to Detroit, thence driving overland to Chicago. He reached that place in May, 1833. It had but one frame house at the time and its only hotel was a log building. Hearing from some hunters of a sulphur spring, he came to this place and bought a claim of one hundred and sixty acres which had been taken up by Hugh Walker. Ten acres had been broken. He put up a house of hewn logs 20x30. Almost daily Indians passed down the stream or followed the trail between the house and the AuSable River. The red men showed a desire to be friendly. With six yoke of oxen he proceeded to get his land in shape for cultivation. He had no neigli- bor between his place and Big Grove (west twelve miles) and Plainfield on the north. With him he brought to the west his old flint-lock gun that he had used in tlie war of 1812. This he used when wishing to start a fire, and when he was out of powder he had to go to Plainfield and get some before he could build a fire. Wheat and meat he hauled to Chicago, also large quan- tities of butter. After five years of residence in this county he died in 1838. At that time our subject was fourteen years of age, and he was obliged to assume the responsibilities of life and take up the work his father had left off. As the canal was then building he had a good market. He raised large quantities of potatoes, which he
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sold for seventy-five cents per bushel. Hecleared the farm of indebtedness and in time became prosperous. House's Grove is known all over the county and is a favorite resort for pic-nics. He continued to operate the farm until about four years ago, when he rented the land and has since lived in retirement. Politically he is a Republican. He has served as school trustee and road commissioner. For fifteen years or more he has been a trustee in the Congregational Church and he helped to build the new house of worship. March 9, 1854, he married Jane, daughter of Peter Van Dyke, who came to Ken- dall County in 1843.
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