Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I, Part 103

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Church, Charles A., 1857-
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 724

USA > Illinois > Winnebago County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I > Part 103

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STEPHENSON, Benjamin, pioneer and early politician, came to Illinois from Kentucky in 1809, and was appointed the first Sheriff of Randolph County by Governor Edwards under the Territorial Government; afterwards served

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as a Colonel of Illinois militia during the War of 1812; represented Illinois Territory as Delegate in Congress, 1814-16, and, on his retirement from Congress, became Register of the Land Office at Edwardsville, finally dying at Edwardsville-Col. James W. (Stephenson), a son of the preceding, was a soldier during the Black Hawk War, after- wards became a prominent politician in the north- western part of the State, served as Register of the Land Office at Galena and, in 1838, received the Democratic nomination for Governor, but withdrew before the election.

STEPHENSON, (Dr.) Benjamin Franklin, physician and soldier, was born in Wayne County, Ill., Oct. 30, 1822, and accompanied his parents, in 1825, to Sangamon County, where the family settled. His early educational advantages were meager, and lie did not study his profession (medicine) until after reaching his majority, graduating from Rush Medical College, Chicago, in 1850. He began practice at Petersburg, but, in April, 1862, was mustered into the volunteer 'army as Surgeon of the Fourteenth Illinois Infantry. After a little over two years service he was mustered out in June, 1864, when he took up his residence in Springfield, and, for a year, was engaged in the drug business there. In 1865 he resumed professional practice. He lacked tenac- ity of purpose, however, was indifferent to money, and always willing to give his own services and orders for medicine to the poor. Hence, his prac- tice was not lucrative. He was one of the leaders in the organization of the Grand Army of the Republic (which see), in connection with which he is most widely known; but his services in its cause failed to receive, during his lifetime, the recognition which they deserved, nor did the organization promptly flourish, as he had hoped. He finally returned with his family to Peters- burg. Died, at Rock Creek, Menard, County, Ill., August 30, 1871.

STEPHENSON COUNTY, a northwestern county, with an area of 573 square miles. The soil is rich, productive and well timbered. Fruit- culture and stock-raising are among the chief industries. Not until 1827 did the aborigines quit the locality, and the county was organized, ten years later, and named for Gen. Benjamin Stephenson. A man named Kirker, who had been in the employment of Colonel Gratiot as a lead-miner, near Galena, is said to have built the first cabin within the present limits of what was called Burr Oak Grove, and set himself up as an Indian-trader in 1826, but only remained a short time. He was followed, the next year, by Oliver

W. Kellogg, who took Kirker's place, built a more pretentious dwelling and became the first permanent. settler. Later came William Wad- dams, the Montagues, Baker, Kilpatrick, Preston, the Goddards, and others whose names are linked with the county's early history. The first house in Freeport was built by William Baker. Organi- zation was effected in 1837, the total poll being eighty-four votes. The earliest teacher was Nel- son Martin, who is said to have taught a school of some twelve pupils, in a house which stood on the site of the present city of Freeport. Popula- tion (1890), 31,338; (1900), 34,933; (1910), 36, 821.

STERLING, a flourishing city on the nortli bank of Rock River, in Whiteside County, 109 miles west of Chicago, 29 miles east of Clinton, Iowa, and 52 miles east-northeast of Rock Island. It has ample railway facilities, furnished by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, the Sterling & Peoria, and the Chicago & Northwestern Rail- roads. It contains fourteen churches, an opera house, high and grade schools, Carnegie library, Government postoffice building, three banks, electric street and interurban car lines, electric and gas lighting, water-works, paved streets and sidewalks, fire department and four newspaper offices, two issuing daily editions. It has fine water-power, and is an important manufacturing center, its works turning out agricultural imple- ments, carriages, paper, barbed-wire, school furni- ture, burial caskets, pumps, sash, doors, etc. It also has the Sterling Iron Works, besides foundries and machine shops. The river here flows through charming scenery. Pop. (1900), 6,309; (1910), 7,467.

STEVENS, Bradford K., ex-Congressman, was born at Boscawen (afterwards Webster), N. H., Jan. 3, 1813. After attending schools in New Hampshire and at Montreal, he entered Dart- mouth College, graduating therefrom in 1835. During the six years following, he devoted him- self to teaching, at Hopkinsville, Ky., and New York City. In 1843 he removed to Bureau County, Ill., where he became a merchant and farmer. In 1868 he was chairman of the Board of Supervisors, and, in 1870, was elected to Con- gress, as an Independent Democrat, for the Fifth District.

STEVENSON, Adlai E., ex-Vice-President of the United States, was born in Christian County, Ky., Oct. 23, 1835. In 1852 he removed with his parents to Bloomington, McLean County, Ill., where the family settled; was educated at the Illinois Wesleyan University and at Centre Col- lege, Ky., was admitted to the bar in 1858 and began practice at Metamora, Woodford County,

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where he was Master in Chancery, 1861-65, and State's Attorney, 1865-69. In 1864 he was candi- date for Presidential Elector on the Democratic ticket. In 1869 he returned to Bloomington, where he has since resided. In 1874, and again in 1876, lie was an unsuccessful candidate of his party for Congress, but was elected as a Green- back Democrat in 1878, though defeated in 1880 and 1882. In 1877 he was appointed by President Hayes a member of the Board of Visitors to West Point. During the first administration of President Cleveland (1885-89) he was First Assist- ant Postmaster General; was a member of the National Democratic Conventions of 1884 and 1892, being Chairman of the Illinois delegation the latter year. In 1892 he received his party's nomination for the Vice-Presidency, and was elected to that office, serving until 1897. Since retiring from office he has resumed his residence at Bloomington.

STEWARD, Lewis, manufacturer and former Congressman, was born in Wayne County, Pa., Nov. 20, 1824, and received a common school education. At the age of 14 lie accompanied his parents to Kendall County, Ill., where he after- wards resided, being engaged in farming and the manufacture of agricultural implements at Plano. He studied law but never practiced. In 1876 he was an unsuccessful candidate for Gov- ernor on the Democratic ticket, being defeated by Shelby M. Cullom. In 1890 the Democrats of the Eighth Illinois District elected him to Con- gress. In 1892 he was again a candidate, but was defeated by his Republican opponent, Robert A. Childs, by the narrow margin of 27 votes, and, in 1894, was again defeated, this time being pitted against Albert J. Hopkins. Mr. Steward died at his home at Plano, August 26, 1896.

STEWARDSON, a town of Shelby County, at the intersection of the Toledo, St. Louis & Kall- sas City Railway with the Altamont branch of the Wabash, 12 miles southeast of Shelbyville; is in a grain and lumber region; has a bank and a weekly paper. Pop. (1900), 677; (1910), 720.

STICKNEY, William H., pioneer lawyer, was born in Baltimore, Md., Nov. 9, 1809, studied law and was admitted to the bar at Cincinnati in 1831, and, in Illinois in 1834, being at that time a resident of Shawneetown; was elected State's Attorney by the Legislature, in 1839, for the cir- cuit embracing some fourteen counties in the southern and southeastern part of the State; for a time also, about 1835-36, officiated as editor of "The Gallatin Democrat," and "The Illinois Advertiser," published at Shawneetown. In 1846

Mr. Stickney was elected to the lower branch of the General Assembly from Gallatin County, and, twenty-eight years later-having come to Chi- cago in 1848-to the same body from Cook County, serving in the somewhat famous Twenty- ninth Assembly. He also held the office of Police Justice for some thirteen years, from 1860 onward. He lived to an advanced age, dying in Chicago, Feb. 14, 1898, being at the time the oldest surviving member of the Chicago bar.

STILES, Isaac Newton, lawyer and soldier, born at Suffield, Conn., July 16, 1833; was ad- mitted to the bar at Lafayette, Ind., in 1855, became Prosecuting Attorney, a member of the Legislature and an effective speaker in the Fre- mont campaign of 1856; enlisted as a private sol- dier at the beginning of the war, went to the field as Adjutant, was captured at Malvern Hill, and, after six weeks' confinement in Libby prison, exchanged and returned to duty; was promoted Major, Lieutenant-Colonel and Colonel, and brevetted Brigadier-General for meritorious service. After the war he practiced his profes- sion in Chicago, though almost totally blind. Died, Jan. 18, 1895.

STILLMAN, Stephen, first State Senator from Sangamon County, Ill., was a native of Massachu- setts who came, with his widowed mother, to Sangamon County in 1820, and settled near Williamsville, where he became the first Post- master in the first postoffice in the State north of the Sangamon River. In 1822, Mr. Stillman was elected as the first State Senator from Sangamon County, serving four years, and, at his first session, being one of the opponents of the pro-slavery Convention resolution. He died, in Peoria, some- where between 1835 and 1840. -

STILLMAN VALLEY, village in Ogle County, on Chicago Great Western and the Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul Railways; site of first battle Black Hawk War; has graded schools, creameries, a bank and a newspaper. Pop. about 400.

STITES, Samuel, pioneer, was born near Mount Bethel, Somerset County, N. J., Oct. 31, 1776; died, August 16, 1839, on his farm, which subsequently became the site of the city of Tren- ton, in Clinton County, Ill. He was descended from John Stites, M.D., who was born in Eng- land in 1595, emigrated to America, and died at Hempstead, L. I., in 1717, at the age of 122 years. The family removed to New Jersey in the latter part of the seventeenth century. Samuel was a cousin of Benjamin Stites, the first white man to settle within the present limits of Cincinnati, and various members of the family were prominent in

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the settlement of the upper Ohio Valley as early as 1788. Samuel Stites married, Sept. 14, 1794, Martha Martin, daughter of Ephraim Martin, and grand-daughter of Col. Ephraim Martin, both soldiers of the New Jersey line during the Revo- lutionary War-with the last named of whom he had (in connection with John Cleves Symmes) been intimately associated in the purchase and settlement of the Miami Valley. In 1800 he removed to Hamilton County, Ohio, in 1803 to Greene County, and, in 1818, in company with his son-in-law. Anthony Wayne Casad, to St. Clair County, Ill., settling near Union Grove. Later, he removed to O'Fallon, and, still later, to Clinton County. He left a large family, several members of which became prominent pioneers in the movements toward Minnesota and Kansas.

STOLBRAND, Carlos John Mueller, soldier, was born in Sweden, May 11, 1821; at the age of 18, enlisted in the Royal Artillery of his native land, serving through the campaign of Schleswig- Holstein (1848); came to the United States soon after, and, in 1861, enlisted in the first battalion of Illinois Light Artillery, finally becoming Chief of Artillery under Gen. John A. Logan. When the latter became commander of the Fifteenth Army Corps, Col. Stolbrand was placed at the head of the artillery brigade; in February, 1865, was made Brigadier-General, and mustered out in January, 1866. After the war he went South, and was Secretary of the South Carolina Consti- tutional Convention of 1868. The same year he was a delegate to the Republican National Con- vention at Chicago, and a Presidential Elector. He was an inventor and patented various im- provements in steam engines and boilers; was also Superintendent of Public Buildings at Charleston, S. C., under President Harrison. Died, at Charleston, Feb. 3, 1894.

STONE, Daniel, early lawyer and legislator, was a native of Vermont and graduate of Middle- bury College; became a member of the Spring- field (Ill.) bar in 1833, and, in 1836, was elected to the General Assembly-being one of the cele- brated "Long Nine" from Sangamon County, and joining Abraham Lincoln in his protest against a series of pro-slavery resolutions which had been adopted by the House. In 1837 he was a Circuit Court Judge and, being assigned to the north- western part of the State, removed to Galena, but was legislated out of office, when he left the State, dying a few years later, in Essex County, N. J.

STONE, Horatio O., pioneer, was born in Ontario (now Monroe) County, N. Y., Jan. 2,

1811; in boyhood learned the trade of shoemaker, and later acted as overseer of laborers on the Lackawanna Canal. In 1831, having located in Wayne County, Mich., he was drafted for the Black Hawk War, serving twenty-two days under Gen. Jacob Brown. In January, 1835, he came to Chicago and, having made a fortunate specu- lation in real estate in that early day, a few months later entered upon the grocery and pro- vision trade, which he afterwards extended to grain; finally giving his chief attention to real estate, in which he was remarkably successful, leaving a large fortune at his death, which occurred in Chicago, June 20, 1877.

STONE, (Rev.) Luther, Baptist clergyman, was born in the town of Oxford, Worcester County, Mass., Sept. 26, 1815, and spent his boy- hood on a farm. After acquiring a common school education, he prepared for college at Lei- cester Academy, and, in 1835, entered Brown University, graduating in the class of 1839. He then spent three years at the Theological Insti- tute at Newton, Mass .; was ordained to the ministry at Oxford, in 1843, but, coming west the next year, entered upon evangelical work in Rock Island, Davenport, Burlington and neigh- boring towns. Later, he was pastor of the First Baptist Church at Rockford, Ill. In 1847 Mr. Stone came to Chicago and established "The Watchman of the Prairies," which survives to- day under the name of "The Standard," and has become the leading Baptist organ in the West. After six years of editorial work, he took up evangelistic work in Chicago, among the poor and criminal classes. During the Civil War he conducted religious services at Camp Douglas, Soldiers' Rest and the Marine Hospital. He was associated in the conduct and promotion of many educational and charitable institutions. He did much for the First Baptist Church of Chicago, and, during the latter years of his life, was attached to the Iinmanuel Baptist Church, which he labored to establish. Died, in July, 1890.

STONE, Melville E., journalist, banker, Man- ager of Associated Press, born at Hudson, Ill., August 18, 1848. Coming to Chicago in 1860, he graduated from the local high school in 1867, and, in 1870, acquired the sole proprietorship of a foundry and machine shop. Finding himself without resources after the great fire of 1871, he embarked in journalism, rising, through the suc- cessive grades of reporter, city editor, assistant editor and Washington correspondent, to the position of editor-in-chief of his own journal.

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He was connected with various Chicago dailies between 1871 and 1875, and, on Christmas Day of the latter year, issued the first number of "The Chicago Daily News." He gradually disposed of his interest in this journal, entirely severing his connection therewith in 1888. Since that date he has been engaged in banking in the city of Chicago, and is also General Manager of the Associated Press.

STONE, Samuel, philanthropist, was born at Chesterfield, Mass., Dec. 6, 1798; left an orphan at seven years of age, after a short term in Lei- cester Academy, and several years in a wholesale store in Boston, at the age of 19 removed to Rochester, N. Y., to take charge of interests in the "Holland Purchase," belonging to his father's estate; in 1843-49, was a resident of 'Detroit and interested in some of the early railroad enter- prises centering there, but the latter year re- moved to Milwaukee, being there associated with Ezra Cornell in telegraph construction. In 1859 he became a citizen of Chicago, where he was one of the founders of the Chicago Historical Society, and a liberal patron of many enterprises of a public and benevolent character. Died, May 4, 1876.

STOCKTON, a village of Jo Daviess County, on the Chicago Great Western R.R. Pop. (1910), 1,096.

STONINGTON, a village of Christian County; on the Wabash Railroad in a farming and coal mining district. Pop. (1910), 1,118.

STOREY, Wilbur F., journalist and news- paper publisher, was born at Salisbury, Vt., Dec. 19, 1819. He began to learn the printer's trade at 12, and, before he was 19, was part owner of a Democratic paper called "The Herald," published at La Porte, Ind. Later, he either edited or con- trolled journals published at Mishawaka, Ind., and Jackson and Detroit, Mich. In January, 1861, he became the principal owner of "The Chicago Times," then the leading Democratic organ of Chicago. His paper soon came to be regarded as the organ of the anti-war party throughout the Northwest, and, in June, 1863, was suppressed by a military order issued by General Burnside, which was subsequently revoked by President Lincoln. The net result was an increase in "The Times' " notoriety and circulation. Other charges, of an equally grave nature, relating to its sources of income, its char- acter as a family newspaper, etc., were repeatedly made, but to all these Mr. Storey turned a deaf ear. He lost heavily in the fire of 1871, but, in 1872, appeared as the editor of "The Times," then destitute of political ties. About 1876 his

health began to decline. Medical aid failed to afford relief, and, in August, 1884, he was ad- judged to be of unsound mind, and his estate was `placed in the hands of a conservator. On the 27th of the following October (1884), he died at his home in Chicago.

STORRS, Emery Alexander, lawyer, was born at Hinsdale, Cattaraugus County, N. Y., August 12, 1835; began the study of law with his father, later pursued a legal course at Buffalo, and, in 1853, was admitted to the bar; spent two years (1857-59) in New York City, the latter year re- moving to Chicago, where he attained great prominence as an advocate at the bar, as well as an orator on other occasions. Politically a Republican, he took an active part in Presidential campaigns, being a delegate-at-large from Illinois to the National Republican Conventions of 1868, '72, and '80, and serving as one of the Vice-Presi- dents in 1872. Erratic in habits and a master of epigram and repartee, many of his speeches are quoted with relish and appreciation by those who were his contemporaries at the Chicago bar. Died suddenly, while in attendance on the Su- preme Court at Ottawa, Sept. 12, 1885.

STRAWN, Jacob, agriculturist and stock- dealer, born in Somerset County, Pa., May 30, 1800; removed to Licking County, Ohio, in 1817, and to Illinois, in 1831, settling four miles south- west of Jacksonville. He was one of the first to demonstrate the possibilities of Illinois as a live- stock state. Unpretentious and despising mere show, lie illustrated the virtues of industry, fru- gality and honesty. At his death -- which occurred August 23, 1865-he left an estate estimated in value at about $1,000,000, acquired by industry and business enterprise. He was a zealous Unionist during the war, at one time contributing $10,000 to the Christian Commission.

STREATOR, a city (laid out in 1868 and incor- porated in 1882) in the southern part of La Salle County, 93 miles southwest of Chicago; situated on the Vermilion River and a central point for five railroads. It is surrounded by a rich agri- cultural country, and is underlaid by coal seams (two of which are worked) and by shale and various clay products of value, adapted to the manufacture of fire and building-brick, drain- pipe, etc. The city is thoroughly modern, having gas, electric ligliting, street railways, water- works, a good fire-department, and a large, im- proved public park. Churches and schools are numerous, as are also fine public and private buildings. One of the chief industries is the manufacture of glass, including rolled-plate,

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window-glass, flint and Bohemian ware and glass bottles. Other successful industries are foundries and machine shops, flour mills, and clay working establishments. There are several banks, and three daily and weekly papers are published here. The estimated property valuation, in 1884, was $12,000,000. Streator boasts some handsome public buildings, especially the Government post- office and the Carnegie public library building, both of which have been erected within the past .

few years. Pop. (1890), 11,414; (1910), 14,253.

STREET, Joseph M., pioneer and early politi- . cian, settled at Shawneetown about 1812, coniing from Kentucky, though believed to have been a native of Eastern Virginia. In 1827 he was a Brigadier-General of militia, and appears to have been prominent in the affairs of that section of . the State. His correspondence with Governor Edwards, about this time, shows him to have been a man of far more than ordinary education, with a good opinion of his merits and capabilities. He was a most persistent applicant for office, making urgent appeals to Governor Edwards, Henry Clay and other politicians in Kentucky, Virginia and Washington, on the ground of his poverty and large family. In 1827 he received the offer of the clerkship of the new county of Peoria, but, on visiting that region, was disgusted with the prospect; returning to Shawneetown, bought a farm in Sangamon County, but, before the close of the year, was appointed Indian Agent at Prairie du Chien. This was during the difficul- ties with the Winnebago Indians, upon which he made voluminous reports to the Secretary of War. Mr. Street was a son-in-law of Gen. Thomas Posey, a Revolutionary soldier, who was prominent in the early history of Indiana and its last Territorial Governor. (See Posey, (Gen.) Thomas.)

STREETER, Alson J., farmer and politician, was born in Rensselaer County, N. Y., in 1823; at the age of two years accompanied his father to Illinois, the family settling at Dixon, Lee County, He attended Knox College for three years, and, in 1849, went to California, where he spent two years in gold mining. Returning to Illinois, he purchased a farm of 240 acres near New Windsor, Mercer County, to which he has since added sev- eral thousand acres. In 1872 he was elected to the lower house of the Twenty-eighth General Assembly as a Democrat, but, in 1873, allied him- self with the Greenback party, whose candidate for Congress he was in 1878, and for Governor in 1880, when he received nearly 3,000 votes more than his party's Presidential nominee, in Illinois.

In 1884 he was elected State Senator by a coali- tion of Greenbackers and Democrats in the Twenty-fourth Senatorial District, but acted as an independent during his term. Died Nov. 24, 1901.

STRONG, William Emerson, soldier, was born at Granville, N. Y., in 1840; from 13 years of age, spent his early life in Wisconsin, studied law and was admitted to the bar at Racine in 1861. The same year he enlisted under the first call for troops, took part, as Captain of a Wisconsin Com- pany, in the first battle of Bull Run; was afterwards promoted and assigned to duty as Inspector-General in the West, participated in the Vicksburg and Atlanta campaigns, being finally advanced to the rank of Brigadier-Gen- eral. After some fifteen months spent in the position of Inspector-General of the Freedmen's Bureau (1865-66), he located in Chicago, and became connected with several important busi- ness enterprises, besides assisting, as an officer on the staff of Governor Cullom, in the organization of the Illinois National Guard. He was elected on the first Board of Directors of the World's Columbian Exposition, and, while making a tour of Europe in the interest of that enterprise, died, at Florence, Italy, April 10, 1891.

STUART, John Todd, lawyer and Congress- man, born near Lexington, Ky., Nov. 10, 1807 -- the son of Robert Stuart, a Presbyterian minister and Professor of Languages in Transylvania University, and related, on the maternal side, to the Todd family, of whom Mrs. Abraham Lincoln was a member. He graduated at Centre College, Danville, in 1826, and, after studying law, re- moved to Springfield, Ill., in 1828, and. began practice. In 1832 he was elected Representative in the General Assembly, re-elected in 1834, and, in 1836, defeated, as the Whig candidate for Con- gress, by Wm. L. May, though elected, two years later, over Stephen A. Douglas, and again in 1840. In 1837, Abraham Lincoln, who had been studying law under Mr. Stuart's advice and instruction, became his partner, the relation- ship continuing until 1841. He served in the State Senate, 1849-53, was the Bell-Everett candidate for Governor in 1860, and was elected to Congress, as a Democrat, for a third time, in 1862, but, in 1864, was defeated by Shelby M. Cullom, his former pupil. During the latter years of his life, Mr. Stuart was head of the law firm of Stuart, Edwards & Brown. Died, at Springfield, Nov. 28, 1885.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I, Part 103

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Church, Charles A., 1857- Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 724

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Church, Charles A., 1857-
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 724