Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Kane County, Part 150

Author:
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 950

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States. He was living in Chicago at the time of the great fire in 1871, but in 1883 returned to Batavia, where he was engaged in merchan- dising until 1889, when he retired from active business. Mr. Corning has held various munic- ipal offices in Batavia. He was married to Miss Susan Hughes, of Dexter, Mich.

E. K. W. CORNELL

EUGENIO K. W. CORNELL, Elgin, born at Galway, Saratoga County, N. Y., May 10, 1823. received his education in the public schools, and in 1846 he removed to Elgin, Ill., where he practiced dentistry four years. From 1850 to 1879 he was engaged in the dry-goods and furniture trade, being connected with the firms of Wilder & Cornell, the Mcclure Company, and Wait & Cornell during that time. He was assistant manager of the Elgin Packing Com- pany in 1879, and ten years later became man- ager, but retired in 1900. He is a Trustee of the Baptist church.

BYRON S. CORNWELL, farmer and stock- raiser, Lily Lake, Kane County, Ill., born in Herkimer County, N. Y., Dec. 22, 1852; came to Illinois with his parents in boyhood, and located in Kane County in 1872; purchased a farm from his father near Lily Lake station in 1890, where he now resides. He has been

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twice married, his first wife being Mariah Smith, who died in 1882, and in 1884 he mar- ried Maggie Hine.

JOHN H. CORY, physician and surgeon, Gen- eva, Ill., born in Springfield, Bradford County, Penn., Jan. 17, 1852; educated in the public schools of the Keystone State, Troy Academy and Elmira Academy ( Elmira, N. Y.) ; obtained his degree of medicine from the Eclectic Medi- cal College (New York City), graduating from that institution in the class of 1878; began practicing his profession at Springfield, Penn., in March, 1878, remaining until 1892, when he removed to Geneva, Ill., where he has since been a leading practitioner. He was married in 1882 to Miss Hattie O. Sweet, of Ulster, Bradford County, Penn.

BENJAMIN COX (deceased), farmer, Elgin, Ill., was born in Wilmot, N. H., Dec. 28, 1819, son of David and Lydia ( Bean) Cox, and was educated in the schools of his native State. When he was seventeen years old he accom- panied his parents to Ohio, but soon went to Lynn. Mass., where he learned the shoemaker's trade, which he followed for some time. In 1841 he came to Illinois, and purchased a tract of Government land, two miles west of Elgin. Turning his attention to farming, he added to his original purchase and developed a fine farm, which is still in possession of his family. In 1870 he retired from active farming and located in Elgin. For several years he served as Assessor for Elgin, and took a strong interest in local and political affairs. He was twice married, his first marriage being in 1841, with Miss Susan Bell, of Ohio. She died in 1884, leaving two daughters and one son, and the following year he married Mrs. Esther G. Marsh, widow of Mason M. Marsh, of Elgin. Mr. Cox died Dec. 6, 1901, while his widow still lives on the old homestead in Elgin.

CHARLES T. CRAFT, farmer, Burlington Township, Kane County, Ill., born in Lycoming County, Penn., Nov. 1, 1828; came west in 1847, locating in Campton Township, Kane County. where he spent seven years as a farm-hand; came to Burlington Township in 1854 and pur- chased 110 acres of land in Section 36, where he resided and was actively engaged in the management of his farm until 1896. Mr. Craft was married March 7, 1852, to Miss Katharine

Mckellar, who died Dec. 30, 1896, leaving four sons and two daughters who are still living, viz .: Edwin I., Charles E., George A., Daniel, Katharine (Mrs. McDonough) and Sarah (Mrs. Haygreen ) .

LEWIS C. CRANE, merchant, Batavia, Ill., born at La Porte, Ind., Feb. 19, 1850; removed to Batavia, Ill., in 1882, and engaged in the furniture and undertaking business in that city as junior member of the firm of Smith & Crane, now one of the oldest establishments of its kind in the Fox River Valley; has also been inter- ested for many years in the agricultural im- plement trade. He was married in 1882 to Miss Etta Smith, of Westville, Ind.

DANIEL F. CRICHTON, farmer, Dundee Township, Kane County, born near Glasgow, Scotland, Jan. 8, 1847, son of James and Bethia (Frew) Crichton; came with his parents to Dundee, Ill., in 1848, and grew up on his father's farm, and obtained his education in the public schools and Elgin Academy; has been engaged in dairy farming since early manhood, and is the owner of the farm on which his father settled in 1848; has held local offices and is now (1903) a School Trustee; married in 1881 Miss Jessie Flemming, and their living children are: Bethia, Dora, Archie and Ray. mond. A daughter, Jessie, died in 1893.

JAMES CRICHTON (deceased), pioneer far- mer, Dundee Township, Kane County, born in Airdrie, near Glasgow, Scotland, in 1812, became superintendent of a colliery in early life, and in 1848 removed to the United States. Having come to Kane County, Ill., he bought a farm three miles northwest of the village of Dundee, on which he lived ten years, when he pur- chased what is still known as the Crichton homestead, two miles southwest of Algon- quin, where he died in 1SSS. Like most of the pioneers of that early day, he began without means and had the usual struggle with pover- ty, but when he died was the owner of 300 acres of exceedingly choice land. In 1840 he married Bethia Frew, who was also born near Glasgow, and who died some years before her husband, leaving five sons and four daughters. all of whom but one were living in 1903. James Crichton had four brothers and four sisters, all pioneer settlers of Kane County. The brothers were: William, John, Robert and

HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY. 769

Niel, and the sisters, Mrs. A. Archibald, Sr., Mrs. D. Clarkson, Sr., Mrs., Robert Griffith, and Mrs. R. Todd, Sr.

JOHN CRICHTON, pioneer farmer, Dundee Township, Kane County, born in Airdrie, near Glasgow, Scotland, Feb. 9, 1811; in 1846 mar- ried Miss Margaret Forest, born at Woodhall, near Glasgow, and shortly afterward sailed for the United States. They were on the ocean two months, and landing at New York, came direct to Dundee, Kane County, where he pur- chased from the Government a tract of land three and a half miles northwest of Dundee, became known as the John Crichton home- stead. In later years he added to the originai tract, and became very extensively interested in land, ranking among the largest land-owners of the county. He was thrifty and sagacious, and both kind-hearted and high-minded. Three of his children grew to maturity. Mrs. Charles H. Eatinger and Mrs. William H. Ervin are still living in 1903, both residing near the old Crich- ton homestead.

WILLIAM CRICHTON (deceased), pioneer farmer of Dundee Township, Kane County, born near Glasgow, Scotland, in 1821; came to the United States in 1842, locating on a farm near Dundee, Ill., where he lived tor forty-five years and then removed to Dundee, where he died Dec. 7, 1900. He was married in 1848 to Grace Todd, also a native of Scotland.

ALBERT H. CRIPPS, retired farmer, Bur- lington Township, Kane County, born in Cecil County, Md., Jan. 26, 1831; came to Burlington Township in 1845; began farming operations for himself in 1856, and was actively identi- fied with the agricultural interests of Burling- ton Township until 1900. Mr. Cripps was first married March 29, 1859, to Isabel Parthon, who died in April, 1882, leaving one son and four daughters. On January, 7, 1889, he mar- ried his second wife, Addie Buck, of Carpenters- ville.

DAVID P. CROSBY, proprietor of a livery and sales-stable, Elburn, Kane County, was born in Kaneville Township, Kane County, the son of James and Susan ( Shaw) Crosby. He received his education from the district schools and the Elburn high school. His first business was farming, but in 1890 he engaged in team-

ing in Chicago, where he continued until 1894, when he returned to Kane County. In 1902 he started a livery stable in Elburn. He was married Jan. 1, 1890 to Miss Catherine John- son, and of this union one son and two daugh- ters were born, one daugliter now being de- ceased. The family belong to the Catholic church.

JAMES CROSBY, retired farmer, Elburn, Kane County, was born May 27, 1835, in County Meath, Ireland, and came to the United States in 1854. He spent two years in New York, and in 1856 made his way to Kane County, Ill., where he found employment for a time on a farm, after which he bought a farm for himself in the Township of Kaneville, two and a half miles southwest of Elburn. In 1894 he retired from active business and moved into Elburn to pass his remaining years in well deserved rest and retirement. For eight years he served his district as School Director. Mr. Crosby is a member of the Elburn Catholic church. In 1862 he was married to Miss Susan Shaw, and of this union nine children have been born-four sons and five daughters.

DARWIN D. CULVER, physician and sur- geon, Aurora, Ill., was born in Byron, Fond du Lac County, Wis., April 6, 1868, where he was reared on a farm, and educated in the public schools, finishing at the State Normal, Normal, 111. With Dr. O. B. Stanard as his preceptor, he read medicine at Sandwich, 11I., and took a full course at the Homeopathic Medical College, Chicago, from which he grad- uated in April, 1894. Immediately after the completion of his college work he began prac- tice at Plano, Ill., where he remained three years, and then removed to Aurora, where he has since gained professional prominence. From 1898 to 1901 he was lecturer on the sub- ject of nervous physiology in Dunham Medical College of Chicago, and was later tendered the professorship of anatomy in the Chicago Home- opathic Medical College, which he declined. He is a member of the Illinois Homeopathie Soci- ety, and is a contributor to medical journals In 1894 he married Miss Mary Potter, of La- Salle County, Ill.

ELISHA E. CURTIS, retired railway conduc- tor, Geneva, Kane County, Ill., born in Ham- burg. Spalding County, Ga., Jan. 10, 1844, son

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of Silas W. and Emma ( Morgan) Curtis. Both his parents were reared in old Stockbridge, Berkshire County, Mass., the father being of English and the mother of Welch extraction. When Elisha E. was five years of age, his father's family, having been temporarily lo- cated in Georgia, returned to Massachusetts for a brief stay, and in the spring of 1850 came from the latter State to Kane County, Ill. His father had previously visited Illinois in the '40s, and in 1849 purchased a farm between Geneva and Batavia on what is now known as Batavia Avenue. The family established their home on this farm in the pioneer days, and here the elder Mr. Curtis died in 1892, his wife surviving until 1897. Before his death Mr. Curtis had subdivided his farm, and some of the most attractive country homes of Kane County have been built on this land. Elisha E. Curtis grew to manhood in Geneva, where he obtained his education. In 1861 he enlisted in the Fifty-second Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry for service in the War of the Rebel- lion, and was mustered out with his regiment at Louisville, Ky., in July, 1865, after serving his country valiantly for nearly four years. Re- turning to Illinois after the close of the war, he was employed by his father in the coal and lumber trade and conduct of the farm until 1879, when he entered the employ of the Chi- cago & North-Western Railroad, with which he remained until 1895. During most of the time he was employed by the railroad company he lived in Chicago, but since the death of his father, he has occupied the old homestead in Geneva. He is a member of the order of Rail- way Conductors, Mr. Curtis was married in 1888 to Miss Elizabeth Carey, daughter of Ed- ward Carey of West Chicago.

RICHARD DALE, farmer, Big Rock, 111., born in County Durham, England, July 28, 1824; came with his parents to America ill 1852, and came to Kane County, Ill., in the same year, where he lived with his parents on a farm in Big Rock Township; married Miss Ann Summers, who died in 1891.

EBEN DANFORD ( deceased), manufacturer, Geneva, Ill., was born near Concord, N. H., March 23, 1814, and served an apprenticeship to the machinist trade at Lowell, Mass. Later he was employed by the Adams Printing Press Manufacturing Company, at Boston, and the

Hudson River Locomotive Company, at Pough- keepsie, N. Y., until 1839. That year he came to Geneva, Ill., where he erected a machine shop. He invented a mowing machine and the Dan- ford super-heated steam-generator. He married Parmelia A. Howard, daughter of David and Ella (Irwin) Howard, pioneer settlers of Aurora, where he died in, 1894.

RALPH DANFORD (deceased), manufac- turer, Geneva, Ill., was born in Geneva, Ill., March 6, 1854, and died in Lockport, Ill., Sept. 19, 1896. He was a son of Eben and Parmelia (Harvard) Danford, his father in his lifetime being one of the noted inventors of Illinois. Ralph Danford secured his education in the Geneva schools, and began working with his father when only sixteen years of age. Later he became a druggist in Geneva, and continued in that business until 1895. During that year he sold out and removed to Lockport, where he spent his last year. In 1886 he married Miss Sarah Denney, of Aurora.

BENJAMIN DANFORTH, retired manufac- turer, Batavia, Ill., born in Sheffield, West Rid- ing of Yorkshire, England, Aug. 1, 1825: grew to manhood and received his educational train- ing in his native country, and in 1847 was married to Miss Sarah Hardcastle; came to the United States in 1850 and first established his home in Chicago; removed to Batavia the fol- lowing year, where he engaged in the manufac- ture of horse-shoe nails, a trade he had learned in England; later engaged in the manufacture of nails by machinery and operated a machine shop until he retired from business in 1901. Mr. Danforth always possessed a fondness for music and is noted locally as an accomplished vocalist. Mrs. Danforth died in Batavia in 1894. They reared a large family of children, four of whom were living in 1903.

FREDERIC H. DANIELS, physician, Ba- tavia, Ill., was born Aug. 22, 1855, at Union, Me., graduated at Bowdoin College in his native State, after which he served ten years on the medical staff of the Worcester Lunatic Hospi- tal, Worcester, Mass., occupying the position of Assistant Superintendent, and for ten years later serving as Superintendent of the Bellevue Place Sanitarium at Batavia, Ill. Dr. Daniels was married Nov. 6, 1896, to Addie Stimpson, of Maine.

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HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.

JONATHAN S. DAUBERMAN, farmer and stock-raiser, Kaneville, Ill., born June 11, 1850. in Center County, Penn., and when quite young was brought by his parents to Kane County, 111., where he was educated in the public schools. He began farming with his father, and in 1872 started for himself on a portion of the old homestead. He has been very suc. cessful, and now owns a farm of 550 acres. In March, 1872, he was married to Mary E. Merrill, by whom he has had three children, two boys and one girl.

JOSEPHUS DAVENPORT, farmer, Batavia Township, Kane County, was born in Downers Grove, March 30, 1845, the only son of Deborah Swarthout and Theron Davenport, who were born in Seneca County, N. Y., in 1823, and at this writing (1903) are living in South Dakota. In 1846, Theron Davenport and his family moved to Aurora, and shortly after to a farm in Sugar Grove Township, five miles from Aurora. Here Josephus grew to manhood. His memory goes back to the time when there were no fenced roads leading to Aurora, now a city of 30,000. As there were no school houses in the town, school was held in a gravel barn, horses occupying one end of the structure. He had fair school advantages, having attended the Aurora High School and Jennings Semin- ary of that place. He has never aspircd to any political position, but has been a life-long Re- publican. He is a farmer pure and simple. Through industry and frugality he was, in 1878, enabled to purchase the old homestead, where he now resides. He has a choice farm con- sisting of 224 acres, and the best farm build- ings in his neighborhood. He also owns a large tract of land in South Dakota. Mr. Davenport has been twice married; first, in January, 1868, to M. Louise Bodine, of Aurora, to whom was born Nina Louise, now the wife of Elmer E. Given, of Huron, S. D. The second marriage was celebrated June 22, 1876, with Miss Helen I. Niles, of Sugar Grove, who is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Davenport attend the Methodist church at Batavia, and are counted among the substantial people of the vicinity.

ALBERT W. DAVIS, farmer, Big Rock, Kane County, born Jan. 28, 1862, in DeKalb County, Ill., son of William and Ann (Whildin) Davis; was educated in the public schools and at the

Normal in Sugar Grove. He became a success. ful teacher, and for eighteen terms was em- ployed in the school room in his home district in Montgomery, and in Sugar Grove Normal. From 1891 to 1893 he taught school and car- ried on farming at the same time, but since that time has devoted his attention exclusively to his farm. He was Town Collector in 1895 and 1896, and since 1898 has been a member of the Republican Central Committee. Mr. Davis was married March 28, 1888, to Miss Elizabeth M, Darnell, a native of DeKalb Coun- ty. He is a member of the Baptist church, and is active in Sunday school work.

JOHN DAVIS, merchant, Batavia, Ill., born in DuPage County, Ill., Jan. 8, 1846; came to Batavia with his parents when eight years of age, and has since made his home in that city, having been connected with several different business enterprises during his residence here; has served as a member of the Batavia Board of Aldermen, Board of Education, and held other town offices. He was married in 1871 to Miss Mary Stanton, of Batavia.

L. J. DAVIS, dealer in hardware and agricul- tural implements, and postmaster, Big Rock, Kane County, born in Big Rock, Jan. 16, 1854, son of William and Ann ( Whildin) Davis; received his education in the public schools and at Aurora Seminary, where he spent one term. As a young man he began a general business, dealing in hardware and agricultural implements, which he has continued to the present time. Since Jan. 1, 1903, M. J. Whildin has been associated with him as a partner. They handle the Deering implements. Mr.

Davis has been Town Clerk for several years, Township Treasurer of the School Board, Town Collector, and is now serving his third term as postmaster. He is a Mason, also belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights of the Globe. He was married March 24, 1884, to Miss Ida Denny, and of this union have been born three children; two sons (both deceased) and one daughter, now living.

T. H. DAY, banker and manufacturer, Aurora, Ill., born in Otsego County, N. Y., Dec. 21, 1838; came west in 1861, locating in Aurora; has been identified with various manufacturing enter- prises in Aurora since 1880; served as Alder-

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man, and was a member of the Board of Edu- cation; married on March 9, 1870, to Miss Edith Russell, of Jersey City, N. J.

HARRY ADELBERT DEAN, Principal of Public Schools, Elburn, Ill., born at East Fox- borough, Mass., July 29, 1866; obtained his preparatory education in the public schools of his native State and Arcadia, Iowa, and later attended Cornell College (Mt. Vernon, Iowa) and the State Agricultural College ( Ames, Iowa) ; has been principal or the Elburn schools since 1893; married August 2, 1893, Eva E. Riplets.

HERMAN F. DEMMER, Aurora, ex-Sheriff of Kane County, was born in Germany, in 1849. His parents died while he was still very young, and his early boyhood was spent in Iowa and lilinois among strangers. In 1861 he came to Aurora, and for some time thereafter was in the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company. From 1870 to 1875 he served in the United States army, a portion of the time being engaged in the suppression of the Ku-Klux Klan, and the support of the officers of the Internal Revenue Department in Kentucky, and the remainder of the time doing duty on the frontier. He was on the military escort that accompanied Red Cloud to the Union Pacific Railroad on his way to Washing- ton, to make that treaty which he has since so faithfully kept. After leaving the army Mr. Demmer again entered the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Com- pany, where he was engaged several years. In 1886 he became a member of the Aurora police force, and in two years rose to the position of chief, which he filled for ten years and four months. In the fall of 1898 he was elected Sheriff of Kane County, serving a terin of four years. Since his retirement from that position he has been engaged in merchandising in Aurora. In 1903 he was a candidate for Mayor on the citizen's ticket. In 1881 he married Miss Alma Steele, who was born and reared in Aurora. They have five living children, all girls.

JOHN J. DENNEY (deceased), pioneer, Sugar Grove, born in New York, and came to Sugar Grove Township, Kane County, about 1838, where he settled on land purchased from the Government, soon becoming one of the

noted pioneer farms of that region. The land on which he first settled continued to be his home until his death in 1871. Mr. Denney was twice Tax Collector, and held other local offices. His wife, born Nancy Snook, a native of New York, died in 1868. Their son, William H. Denney, was born on the family homestead in Sugar Grove Township, Sept. 3, 1840, and was educated in the old time district school. Trained to farming, he has followed that busi- ness all his lite. He became the owner of the paternal homestead, and lived in the house in which he was born until his death, March 27, 1888. In 1871 Mr. Denney married Miss Har- riet A. Senaka, a native of Rockford, Ill., who was reared in DeKalb County, and is still liv- ing in the old home. Her mother, who had lived to the extreme age of 99 years and seven months, died at Mrs. Denney's home in 1903. The living children of Mr. and Mrs. Denney are: Mrs. Lottie Danker, of Colorado; Clarence F., George E., Eddy R., and Lottie G., of Sugar Grove Township.

JOSEPH DENNEY, retired merchant, Aurora, Ill., was born in Kirby Moorside, Yorkshire, Eng., Feb. 15, 1828, where he grew to manhood, meanwhile learning the cabinet-maker's trade. In 1851 he came to the United States, and after stopping in Buffalo, N. Y., for a time, he located in Aurora, where he engaged in business as a manufacturer and dealer in furniture. The same year he was chosen village undertaker, and it is an interesting fact that, prior to his retirement from business in 1895, he had buried over 7,000 people. Atter he had been in the business for a time his brother William Denney hecame associated with him, and remained a member of the firm until his death in 1860. Later his brothers, Thomas, Hallifield and Eben- ezer Denney. entered into partnership with him under the firm name of Denney Brothers, one of the best known furniture and undertak- ing houses in Northern Illinois. Joseph Den- ney, the head of the firm. is probably the oldest undertaker in the Northwest. He is the oldest living member of the First Congregational church of Aurora, in which he has been an active worker for more than fifty years. In 1856 he married Miss Emeline Elliott, daughter of William T. Elliott, one of the first settlers of Kane County. She was the first white girl born in Kane County, and also the first in Aurora. The furniture house which Mr. Den-

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ney founded is now conducted by his brother under the old name, and has had a continuous history of fifty-two years, with a wide reputa- tion for honorable dealing.

EBENEZER DENNEY, now the head of the firm of Denney Brothers, furniture dealers, Au- rora, Ill., was born in Kirby Moorside, Aug. 15, 1840, came to the United States as a boy 13 years old, and grew to manhood in Aurora. In 1861 he enlisted in the Seventy-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry. His regiment saw service in the West, and Mr. Denney was for some time attached to the Staff of Gen. M. F. Force. At various times he was detached from his regi- ment to fill important positions, and was later appointed Second Lieutenant in the Fiftieth United States Regiment Colored Troops, in which rank he was mustered out in the spring of 1866, after nearly five years of continuous service. After the close of his military life he returned to Aurora, and joined his brother in the furniture business of which he is now the head. His connection with the house, which began with his arrival in this country, has covered a period of forty-eight years, and he is known as one of the oldest merchants now in business in Aurora, where he is also a Director of the Aurora National Bank. At the present time he is serving his third term as a member of the Aurora Board of Aldermen, and was City Treasurer during 1901 and 1902. He has also been Treasurer of the Township. Mr. Denney is a Mason and an Odd Fellow, and is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. His first marriage occurred in 1860 with Miss Mary Elliott, daughter of W. T. Elliott, who died ten months after her marriage. In 1865 Mr. Denney married Miss Mary Nix, of Raymond, Miss.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Kane County, Part 150

Author: Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 950

Author:
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 950