Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Kane County, Part 165

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

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THOMAS MEREDITH, SR. ( deceased ) , pioneer, Aurora, Ill .; born in 1812 in Montgom- eryshire, Wales, where he was reared, educated and married, his wife being Miss Sarah Thomas. In 1843 he came to Illinois, locating in Kane County, where he purchased several thousand acres of land. Much of this land he sold to desirable parties, and soon surrounded his home with fine neighbors, putting Big Rock Town- ship in the front as an advanced and progres- sive community. For some thirty years he carried on extensive farming operations, and was widely known as a man of character and ability. His death occurred suddenly at Mana- tee, Fla., in 1882. Mr. Meredith was known in Wales as a strong protestant against the tith- ing system of that country, and he did much to start a sentiment that has since assumed large proportions. The title to some of the lands which he purchased in his native country dated back to William the Conqueror. In Illi- nois he became associated with the anti-slavery movement, and bore himself stoutly in defense of human rights. For many years he was a warm personal friend of the Hon. John Went- worth, of Chicago, and a regular contributor to his paper, the "Chicago Democrat." Although deeply interested in politics, he steadfastly re- fused to accept any office.

THOMAS MEREDITH (deceased), merchant, Batavia, Ill .; born at the "Park," Montgomery- shire, North Wales, May 24, 1835; came with his parents to Illinois in 1843. The father settled in Big Rock Township, Kane County, where he acquired a large tract of land. The son grew to manhood on the farm, receiving his education at the Aurora Seminary and the Ba- tavia Institute. After leaving the Institute he taught school in Batavia for a year, and then engaged in the hardware trade in the same city until 1879, when he disposed of his goods to his brother. That year he was elected County Clerk of Kane County, a position he held two terms. During his earlier life he had been called to several local positions, and took an active part in politics and public affairs. He was one of the earliest and stoutest friends of the present United States Senator, A. J. Hopkins, and did much to further his aspira- tions. During the Civil War he served one year in the regimental band of the Forty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and in after years was associated with veteran organizations in Batavia and Chicago. At the time of his death, Feb. 28, 1888, he was Master of Batavia Lodge, No. 404, A. F. & A. M., and had attained the Thirty-second Degree in Masonry. He was mar- ried March 1, 1857, to Miss Harriet M. Kemp, daughter of Milo M. and Julia ( Root) Kemp, her parents being among the older settlers of Ba- tavia, where they settled in the fall of 1837.

WYNN MEREDITH, electrical engineer, San Francisco, Cal., was born in Big Rock Town- ship, Kane County, Ill., March 12, 1864, the youngest son of Thomas Meredith, Sr .. and ac- quired his education in the public schools of his native county and at the University of Illi- nois. After leaving the University, in con- pany with Edward Frazier, he installed the first commercial incandescent electric-lighting plant in Aurora, and was the first electrician of the Aurora Street Railway Company, after its electrical equipment in 1890. Two years later he was called to Chicago to take the position of Assistant Superintendent of Electricity at the World's Fair, and when it closed was ap- pointed Superintendent of Electricity at the San Francisco Mid-Winter Fair. Since then he has resided in San Francisco, and has super- intended the construction of seven great plants for the transmission of electric power gen- erated by water power. The most famous of

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these-probably also the most noted of the world-is the Yuba River plant, which carries electricity to San Francisco two hundred miles away. Mr. Meredithi was engaged in 1903 in equipping a plant costing $2,000,000, at Van- couver, B. C. He is the inventor of several valuable electrical appliances, and is a man of much note in the engineering world. His wife was Miss Marie Haeni, of Aurora, before her marriage.

EDWARD MERRILL, farmer, Batavia Town- ship, Kane County; born in Cambridgeshire, England, May 2, 1861; reared and educated in his native country, and was trained to farming; came to Kane County, Ill., in 1881, locating near Batavia, where he has since been successfully engaged in dairy farming. He was married in 1883 to Miss Navern Kirchen, of Cambridge- shire, England.

FRANK W. MERRILL.

FRANK W. MERRILL, farmer and stock- raiser, Kaneville, Kane County, born Feb. 28, 1853, in Grafton County, N. H., son of Thomas W. and Harriet T. Merrill, came with his parents to Kane County, where he was edu- cated in the public schools. He began farming when a young man, and added to it a creamery business on the death of his brother in 1890. The creamery he sold in 1891. He is also in-

terested as President and Director in the El- burn Coal and Lumber Company. He is a Re- publican, and has been School Director for the last six years. Religiously he is associated with the Baptist church, of which he has long been a faithful and devoted member. Mr. Mer- rill was married March 20, 1882, to Addie J. Lovell, daughter of Sherman and Eliza ( El- liot) Lovell. To this marriage have come a son and a daughter. Mr. Merrill has served four years as a member of the Farmers' Na- tional Congress, and having been appointed to a four years' membership is now entitled to life membership.

THOMAS W. MERRILL.

THOMAS W. MERRILL ( deceased), formerly of Kaneville, Ill., was born in 1825, in Thorn- ton, Grafton County, N. H., and came to Kane County, Ill., at an early day, where, during his lifetime, he was a man of more than local im- portance. For seven years he was a School Di- rector, and also Township Trustee for a num- ber of years. In 1848 he married Harriet Thorn- ton, who was a daughter of W. S. and M. ( Walker) Thornton. They came to Kane County in 1854. They had a family of two sons and four daughters, of whom one boy and two girls are now dead. Mrs. Merrill's father, Wil- liam S. Thornton, was grandson of Matthew Thornton, who was one of the signers of the

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HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.

"Declaration of Independence" in 1776. Mr. Merrill died Jan. 9, 1887, and his widow, July 12, 1893.

CHARLES J. METZNER.

CHARLES J. METZNER ( deceased ), law- yer, Aurora, Ill., was born in 1834, in Dresden. Germany, where he grew to manhood and re- ceived a college education. While still a young man he came to the United States, and for a time lived in Erie, Penn., but accompanied the family to Wisconsin, where he learned a trade. When he settled in Aurora, it was with the in- tention of engaging in manufacturing, and he gave his attention to manual labor until he met with an accident that confined him to his room for several months. After his recovery he read law with Judge B. F. Parks, and was admitted to the bar in Aurora. For some time Judge Parks and Mr. Metzner were associated together in their practice, but after that, except for a short time, Mr. Metzner was alone in his prac- tice for the rest of his life. For eight years he was State's Attorney, but with this exception held no official position, preferring to devote his entire time to his professional labors. He died in 1876, at the age of forty-two years, rec- ognized alike by his contemporaries at the bar and the general public as one of the leading lawyers in this part of the State. An ardent Republican, he took an active part in various

campaigns, speaking in both English and Ger- man. In the Presidential campaign of 1872 he made nearly one hundred speeches in nine dif- ferent States. In 1861 he married Miss Susan Pinney, daughter of Columbus Pinney, a pioneer settler of Aurora. Their children are Carl E. and Arthur W., of Chicago, and Mrs. Wil- liam H. Holmes, of Aurora.

ALBERT W. MIGHELL (deceased), son of Ezekiel and Lucinda (Todd) Mighell, was born at Dryden, Tompkins County, N. Y., July 30, 1832, and came with his parents to Illinois in early childhood and grew to manhood in Sugar Grove Township, Kane County. The environ- ments of his youth were those of the pioneers, and his education was obtained in the old-time country schools. He engaged in farming in early manhood, and followed that occupation until 1870, when he removed to Aurora, where he passed the remainder of his lite. During the later years of his life he was not engaged in business other than the care of his estate. He died May 23, 1896. In 1863 he married El- len Curry, daughter of Thomas Curry, who settled in Sugar Grove Township in 1853. Mrs. Mighell was born at Peekskill. N. Y., and lived there until she was fifteen years of age. She survives her husband and still resides in Au- rora. Their living children are: lda, of Chi- cago; Lee, of Aurora; Wynn, of Sugar Grove, and Jessie, of Aurora. The eldest of the chil- dren, Mrs. Olive ( Mighell ) Powers, wife of Rev. P. W. Powers, of Elburn, died in 1899.

EZEKIEL MIGHELL (deceased), pioneer settler; born in Rutland County. Vt., Dec. 24. 1799; reared on a farm in his native State. and followed agricultural pursuits in that lo- cality until about 1831, when he removed to Tompkins County, N. Y., where he resided un- til 1837; came to Illinois in the latter year, making the entire trip-except from Buffalo to Detroit-by wagon. He first settled near the site of Plano, Ill., and a year later removed to Sugar Grove Township, Kane County. This was before the public lands came into market but Mr. Mighell purchased a land claim and later acquired title from the Government. He was one of the first to bring lands under cul- tivation in this region, and became a large land owner and a remarkably successful agricul- turist. He was a pioneer of excellent character, carrying great influence among his contempo-

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HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.

raries; his fairness, good judgment and right- mindedness often causing him to be selected as an arbitrator in settling differences which arose between those living in the community. In the early stages of the slavery controversy he took an uncompromising stand in favor of its abolishment, and was long known as one of three abolitionists in Sugar Grove Township. About 1870 he removed to Aurora, where he died in 1884. His wife was Lucinda Todd before her marriage, and was born in Vermont, in the same county as her husband and belonged to a family who also settled in Kane County at an early date. Of the six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Mighell only Silas H., of Sugar Grove, and Franklin P., of Aurora, are living in 1903

LEE MIGHELL, son of Albert W. and Ellen (Curry) Mighell, was born in Sugar Grove Township, Kane County, Dec. 1, 1870; educated in the public schools of Aurora and at the University of Michigan ( Ann Arbor), grad uating from the latter institution in the class of 1892; graduated from Kent Law College (Chicago) in 1893, and was admitted to the bar the same year; has since practiced in Au- rora, and has served as Assistant State's At- torney. He was married in 1902 to Miss Ger- trude Edwards, of Adrian, Mich.

SILAS H. MIGHELL, pioneer settler, Sugar Grove Township, Kane County, Ill., was born in Rutland County, Vt., Dec. 12, 1829, son of Ezekiel Mighell; came with his parents to Illi- nois in 1837, and grew up among the pioneers of Sugar Grove Township. He engaged in farm- ing in his early manhood, and has since fol- lowed that vocation; has lived in the neighbor- hood in which he was brought up for sixty-six years and is the oldest of the early settlers in Sugar Grove, now living in that township. He was married in 1854 to Miss Delaney Calkins, of Aurora, and their living children are Mrs. Emma D. Egglington, of Aurora: Mrs. Fannie L. Potter, of Sugar Grove, and Dr. Ina ( Mighell) Pierce, of Chicago.

HERMAN MILBACHER, physician and sur- geon, Aurora, Ill., obtained his professional education in the Universities at Munich, Ba- varia, and at Vienna, Austria, and was grad- uated from the University of Munich in 1881, receiving his degree in medicine from that in- stitution. The following year he passed at the

University of Vienna, attending clinics and pur- suing a post-graduate course. In 1882 he came to the United States and began practice in New York City as House Physician in the German Hospital. In the fall of the latter year he came west and established his home in Au- rora, Ill., where he engaged in general prac- tice, which he continued uninterruptedly to the present time (1903). Dr. Milbacher soon took rank among the leading practitioners of North- ern Illinois, and his practice has constantly in- creased as the years have gone by. He is a member of the Aurora Free Public Library Board, and has taken an active interest in the upbuilding of that institution.

ALEXANDER C. MILLER.

ALEXANDER C. MILLER, banker and man- ufacturer, Aurora, was born in Marion County. Ohio, Jan. 24, 1852, and was educated in the schools of his native county. In 1873 he came to Aurora to take a position as train dispatcher on the Burlington Road, which he held until Jan. 1, 1902. He resigned from the service of the company to engage in a manufacturing business in Aurora and Chicago. In December, 1902, in company with others, he organized the Aurora Trust and Savings Bank, of which he is President. In January, 1880, Mr. Miller mar- ried Julia Ann Austin, daughter of Job Austin. of Kendall County.

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HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.

CHAS. A. MILLER, attorney, St. Charles, Ill., was born in Dundee, Scotland, in January, 1842, son of Jamies and Isabella Miller, who were also born in Scotland. The year of his birth Mr. Miller was brought to America by his parents, who immediately located St. Charles, Kane County. Here the subject of this sketch received his educational training in the public schools, and has been a continu- ous resident of St. Charles since his parents located in the village in 1842. On November 8. 1870, Mr. Miller was married to Miss Marion E. Tuck, who was born at Brentwood, N. H., and is now deceased. The children of this union are Marian I., Charles A., Jessie I., Fred- erick G., Helen Mar, Warren and Clarron. In political sentiment Mr. Miller is a Republican and served his fellow-citizens as a member of the Board of Supervisors for St. Charles Town- ship for seven years (1875-82), being Chair- man of the Board during three years of his in- cumbency; was also Circuit Clerk and Recorder of Kane County eight years (1884-92), and Clerk of the Circuit Court from 1892 to 1896. In religious belief Mr. Miller is a Congregation- alist, and fraternally belongs to the Masonic Order, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Grand Army of the Republic.

HOWARD MILLER, educator and editor, Elgin, was born at Lewisburg, Penn., where he was educated in private schools, received the honorary degree of Master of Arts from Mount Morris College, and the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from McPherson College. He taught in private schools during his earlier manhood, for several years was Professor of English Lit- erature at McPherson College, and later was identified with railroad management. In 1900 he established "The Inglenook." a magazine published under the authority of the Brethren church at Elgin, and has been its editor to the present time (1903), For several years prior to 1900 he was engaged in the service of the Mexican Government, spending his time in that country. His purely literary work, in addition to his journalistic labors, has covered a wide field.

JACOB MILLER, retired manufacturer. Au- rora, Kane County, Ill .; born in Hessen, Ger- many, Dec. 3, 1826; grew to years of maturity at Frankfort-on-the-Main, where he also re- ceived his educational training and learned the

piano-maker's trade, at which he was employed during his early manhood. In 1854 he came to the United States, establishing his home in El- gin, where he engaged in the manufacture of cigars, being one of the pioneers in this line in Illinois, and at the present time (1904) the oldest cigar-maker in the State. Mr. Miller conducted a small but successful trade in El- gin for a short time, and later opened another store at Aurora, but in 1857 removed his en- tire stock to the latter city, where, within a few years, he built up an extensive cigar-man- ufacturing business, which extended through- out Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. His factory was one of the largest and most widely known in the West for many years prior to 1897, when he retired from active business life other than attending to his realty interests and other in- vestments. For several years Mr. Miller owned a large farm in DeKalb County, Ill., and took much pride in its management. Coming to this country when the question of slavery was the dominating issue in American politics, he be- came identified with the Republican party, and has voted the Republican ticket for more than forty years. In 1855 he married Miss Sophia Busse, who was born and brought up in Ger- many.

JOHN S. MILLER, merchant and stock-feeder, Sugar Grove, Ill .; born at Becket, Mass., March 20, 1847, a son of Frank and Mary ( Russell) Miller, was reared and educated in his native State, where he was trained to farming. When he engaged in business for himself, he went into a store at South Hadley Falls, which he conducted for about six years, at the end of that period selling out and removing to Illinois. In 1876 he established a general store at Sugar Grove, Kane County, a village just laid out, and had for his partner Thomas Judd, one of the first settlers of Sugar Grove Township. Their first store building was a cabin, but after about a year they dissolved partnership, and Mr. Miller erected a new building, in which he has continued the mercantile business up to the present time (1904). Mr. Miller has also dealt extensively in live stock, and in 1898, in connection with Frank Catlin, organ- ized the firm of Miller & Catlin, which soon be- came noted as one of the largest sheep-feeding firms in Northern Illinois, having brought from the South and West, in one year, more than 20,000 head of sheep, which they fattened for

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HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.

market. Mr. Miller is a large land renter and carries on extensive farming operations. He has served as Treasurer of the town of Sugar Grove, and has filled other local positions. In 1875 he married Mary E. Hale, daughter of Stephen B. Hale, of Deerfield, Mass. Their children are: Stephen B., Mrs. Annie Miller Lye, Mrs. Hattie Miller Catlin, John E. and Frank-all of Sugar Grove.

JOHN S. MILLER, M. D., physician and sur- geon, Aurora, Ill., was born near Freeport, Ill., in 1858; was educated in the State University of Missouri, receiving his medical degree from that institution in 1879, and from the American Medical College, in St. Louis, the following year. Subsequently he attended clinics at va- rious times in the larger cities of the United States and Europe, taking in the course of his study special instruction in osteopathy. For several years he practiced in Iowa, filling for a time the chair of Children's Diseases in the Medical Department of Drake University, at Des Moines. After this Dr. Miller went to Hel- ena, Mont., where for some years he was en- gaged in banking, mining and other enterprises. In 1898 he returned to Illinois, and resumed the practice of his profession at Aurora, where he has since gained celebrity through his mod- ern methods of practice, and his scientific use of the most approved mechanical aids to sur- gery and medicine. He married Miss Abbie M. Kellogg, of Iowa. His children are Zula E., Stella A., McKinley (a daughter), Merrill A., Edith, John S., Jr., and Sarah K.

IRA MINARD (deceased), merchant, St. Charles, Ill .; born at Rockingham, Vt., Nov. 11, 1809; came to Chicago, Sept. 3, 1833, and to St. Charles, Kane County, in 1834, building the first dam and mill and establishing the first store in that village; elected to the State Senate in 1842; married in 1834 to Sarah P. Wheeler. Mr. Minard died Jan. 22, 1876; his wife surviving him until March 30, 1893. Three of Mr. and Mrs. Minard's children are now living-George W., Charles I. and Mrs. Helen Barber.

WESLEY 0 MINER, merchant, Kane- ville, Kane County, Ill., born in Kane- ville, April 17, 1845, son of Amos and Amanda ( Rose) Miner, was educated in the local public schools, and began farming

for his father when twenty-three years old, on the farm which has since fallen to him by inheritance. He has since added several acres to it by purchase, and he continued its cultiva- tion until 1898, when he removed to the village of Kaneville. The following year he embarked upon a mercantile career, and in 1902 he built the first brick block, with modern improve- ments, that had been erected in Kaneville. He was married Oct. 1, 1867, to Miss Mary Hark- ness, by whom he has had six children-three sons and three daughters. Two of the girls are now deceased.

GEORGE H. MINIUM (deceased), farmer, Maple Park, Kane County, Ill., was born in Erie County, Penn., Jan. 25, 1833, the son of John and Maria ( Emerson ) Minium, and came with his parents to Kane County, Ill., in 1836, where he was reared on a farm in Kaneville Township. In 1852 he left the farm and went to California, where tor ten years he was en- gaged in freighting between Marysville and Sacramento. In 1862 he returned to his old home in Kane County, and for thirty years thereafter was engaged in farming. He held various local offices in Kaneville. He married Ellen A. Newton, of Sycamore, and died April 29, 1893.

MARGARET D. MITCHELL, M. D., physician and surgeon, Aurora, was born in Princeton, Ill., March 28, 1866, and graduated from the high school of that city in 1884. Under the preceptorship of Dr. Charles Spencer, of Plain- field, Ill., she began the study of medicine, en- tering Bennett Medical College, Chicago, in 1894, receiving her doctor's degree in 1897. Opening an office the same year in Aurora, she entered upon her professional labors with zeal and ability, and soon won an enviable stand- ing among her co-laborers. She is much inter- ested in surgery, and enjoys more than local distinction in that line of her profession in Northern Illinois. A capable business woman, her financial success has been somewhat com- mensurate with her large and growing practice. Thoroughly progressive and practical, she has kept abreast of all the latest developments of medical science, and plans a private hospital at Aurora at a very early day. Her home has been in Aurora since 1887, the year she became the wife of Dr. William F. Mitchell, who has long been a noted dentist of this city. In this

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State she has taken a prominent part in the work of the Rathbone Sisters, and in 1889 was elected Grand Chief of the Order for Illinois, being twice re-elected, and serving in all three years. At the present time she is Supreme Rep- resentative from Illinois in the Supreme Ses- sion of the Order for the United States.

E. B. MIX, banker, Aurora, Ill .; born in Au- rora, June 27, 1845; educated in the Aurora public schools; began working in the bank of Mix & Miller in boyhood; has been connected with the First National Bank of Aurora in va- rious capacities since 1875, being President of that institution at the present time (1903), a position he has held since 1899. Mr. Mix was married July 7, 1881, to Miss Fanny E. Wood- worth, of Aurora.

ALEXANDER B. MOORE (deceased ), Gell- eva., pioneer and banker, born in Clinton, N. Y., Aug. 8, 1818, was reared in his native State and completed his education in Hamilton Col- lege. When about twenty years of age he was sent by his older brother to Michigan to sell out a stock of goods, making the journey thither by wagon. After he had sold the goods and secured the money, which he carried in a belt around him, he took the steamer "Erie" for the East. The steamer burned to the water's edge, and Mr. Moore was rescued after being four hours in the water, sustaining himself on wreckage, About 1843 he came to Kane County. Ill., there taking an interest in the milling business, which he made his occupation for many years. Still later he was a member of the ship-building firm of Ballentine, Lawrence & Co., at Bay City, Mich. He was largely in- terested. and this business required much of his attention in later years. His home was continued at Geneva, where he died, March G, 1878. His widow, who was born March 30, 1821, in Batavia. N. Y., is still living in Geneva, which has been her home since 1846, with the exception of a brief residence in Bay City, Mich. She is an intelligent, refined and highly respected pioneer lady of Kane County.

EMERY T. MOORE, prominent real-estate operator, farmer and man of general affairs, Geneva, Ill., was born in Lisbon, Grundy County, Ill., May 18, 1870, the son of John B. and Lucy ( Sterling) Moore, and was educated in the public schools of Geneva, where his par-

ents located in 1878. Mr. Moore was trained to the life of a farmer, meanwhile preparing for a larger business career, so that when, in early manhood, he came into possession of the Bliss and Parkins farms, the improvements which he introduced in the management of these estates resulted in the winning of a nuni-

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Kane County, Part 165

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