Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 100

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Rogers, Thomas H; Moffet, Hugh R; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Muncell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 972

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years. His next change was to Snohomish County, Wash., and from there he went to Buckley, Kings County, Wash., and worked in the shingle mills there, and also did some farm- ing. Once more he returned to Carroll County, Iowa. His wife had died and he desired to place his children with his parents. He then traveled about considerably, principally in Indi- ana .. In 1901 he came to Rockford and worked in the Emerson Agricultural plant for a year, and then was engaged in carpenter work for eighteen months. In 1903 Mr. Levi moved on seven acres of land in South Rockford. At that time he erected the first greenhouse and now has 12,500 feet of glass in his greenhouses and raises plants and vegetables. He cultivates the re- mainder of his land as a market garden, and has also platted part of his land in city lots.

Mr. Levi was married (first) in January, 1883, at Council Bluffs, Iowa, to Sadie Rock. She was born in Delaware County, Ind., in December, 1859. Their children were as fol- lows : Edwin, who was born September 20, 1884, lives at Belvidere, Ill., married (first) Maud Clark who died in a short time, and he married (second) Clara Manthey and they have a daughter, Ellen, born Mareh 7, 1916; Lorena, who was born January 12, 1890, lives at home. Arnold, who was born November 6, 1894, lives at Belvidere, Ill., and Eva, who was born November 12, 1896, is at home. Mrs. Levi died June 14, 1897, at Buckley, Wash. On July 3, 1902, Mr. Levi married (second) Rose Hadsall, born in South Riley Township, McHenry County, Ill., February 25, 1868, a daughter of Edwin and Lydia (Dailey) Hadsall, he born in Luzerne County, Pa., March 4, 1814, a son of Amos Hadsall, and she born in the same county, February 27, 1823. In 1846 they drove over- land with a team, bringing their three small children with them, to McHenry County, Ill., where they bought forty acres of land from the government, at $1.25 per acre. Mr. Hadsall also homesteaded 160 acres of land, and was one of the earliest settlers in that section. Mr. and Mrs. Hadsall reared eleven children, Mrs. Levi being the tenth in order of birth. Mrs. Hadsall died September 8, 1877, while Mr. Hadsall died June 15, 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Levi have one daughter, Lydia Ellen, who was born September 10, 1903. They have an adopted son, Morris H., who was born October 30, 1912. Early in life Mr. Levi was a Presbyterian.

LEWIS, Fay, whose energies have been ex- pended, and whose reputation has been widely established in the handling at wholesale of cigars, while his natural charitable disposi- tion has led him into many philanthropic en- deavors, was born at Rockford, March 28, 1857. He was the eldest of a family of five children, two sons and three daughters, born to Charles F. and Frances (Wheelock) Lewis who located at Rockford in 1850. The father was a pioneer of Rockford and a member of the firm of Vaughn & Lewis, general merchants, which was established in 1852.

Fay Lewis was still under twenty when he entered the employ of a cigar dealer at No. 314 WV. State street in 1875, and he displayed so much activity and business ability as a clerk, that the year following, he was able to enlist suffi- cient capital to purchase the store, and thus laid the foundation for a subsequent business career that was marked by uninterrupted and deserved success. As his brothers, C. Herbert and Harry Lewis reached manhood, Fay Lewis took them into partnership, and they shared in the prosperity of the steadily extending trade at the original location. Later their success pre- pared them to embark in the wholesale trade in cigars and manufactured tobacco, and the wide extent of their operations made it desir- able to turn the firin into an Illinois corporation, which was done under the name of Fay Lewis & Bros. Co., which is still continued. As years rolled on the company found it desirable to erect a new building with modern facilities for han- dling the ever-increasing volume of business, on the site of the original frame structure. Still later a branch office was established at Milwau- kee, Wis., and in the fall of 1906, the principal offices and warerooms were removed to the Cream City, a branch office and ample stock being maintained at Rockford to supply the trade in this city and some fifty towns in the surrounding section. The Fay Lewis & Bros. Co. covers thoroughly by means of a staff of high class salesmen, the states of Wisconsin and Illinois, outside of Cook County, and is con- stantly enlarging its scope and improving its service. It now requires seven figures to express its annual volume of wholesale business, and the company also conducts a number of retail stores whose equipment and stock challenge the admiration of consumers of tobacco.

Fay Lewis has always found relaxation from business cares in humane and charitable work. He has been a student of sociology and penology and has contributed largely of his time and resources to countless movements for the better- ment of social conditions. He has been an officer of the Winnebago County branch of the Illinois Humane Society since its organization, more than thirty years ago, and is treasurer of the Anti-Capital Punishment Society of Amer- ica. In kindly service to those in need Mr. Lewis finds the one to him unfailing joy of life.

LIDDELL, Leslie J. After varied business ex- periences in other sections, Leslie J. Liddell located in Rockton Township this county where he has developed into one of the best agricultur- alists in this section. He was born in Owen Township, March 19, 1881, a son of George and Maria (Bruster) Liddell, natives of Devonshire and Lancashire, England. They were mar- ried at Freeport, Ill. The father was an engi- neer on the Northwestern Railroad, but soon after his marriage, located in Owen Township, Winnebago County, where he farmed until he retired to Rockford in 1905, selling his farm to a son, and here he now resides at No. 610

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

Woodlawn avenue. The mother died July 5,

1912.

Leslie J. Liddell attended the public schools of his township aud the Rockford Business Col- lege. He was one of the following family born to his parents: Brewster H., who resides at Rockford : Walter W., who resides at Rock- ton; Isabel, who is Mrs. Arthur McDougall of Burrit Township; Elizabeth, who is Mrs. Wil- liam Nichols of Owen Township; George C., who resides in Owen Township; Leslie J .; and Roy H., who resides in Owen Township.

When he was nineteen years old Leslie J. Liddell began traveling for the purpose of building grain elevators in the northwest. Later he established himself in a livery business at Foxhome, Minn., but eight mouths later sold it and returned to Wiunebago County, and farmed his father's homestead for five years. Then he went to Wyudmere, No. Dak., and was in a livery business there for two years, but sold, and came to the farm his mother owned in Rockton Township, consisting of 212 acres, on which he still resides, carrying on general farming and stock raising.

On October 12, 1906, Mr. Liddell was married to Mabel G. Kelley, born at Waterloo, Iowa, March 16, 1889, a daughter of James and Minnie (Nesbit) Kelley of the same place. Mr. and Mrs. Liddell have no children. In politics Mr. Liddell is a Democrat, but he has not cared for public office.

LIDDLE FAMILY, The. It is natural for people to have a desire to know something of the ancestors of pioneer families and from whence they came. George Liddle, one of the early settlers of Winnebago County, arrived in Rockford, III., August 27, 1851, when Rockford was a hamlet. His father Was born at Allen's Head. County Durham, England, April 6, 1788. In 1820 he emigrated to North America, locat- ing in Quebec and Ontario provinces, Canada, and returned to his native land in 1825. The fol- lowiug year he was united in marriage to Jane Clay of Bishop Aukland, County Durham, England, He rented Whole-house farm twenty- five years, at Walsingham, County Durham. They reared twelve children. On April 21, 1851, he once more turned to the new world and set sail on the Forest City, arriving in New York City June 4 of the same year, joining Thomas and Matthew, who had come the year before, at Gen. Wadworth's place, Geneseo, N. Y., where they remained until the autumn. Matthew, being a civil engineer. took charge of a large force of men and drained the low lands of the meadows of the great farm that extended seventeen miles. In the autumn of 1851 the whole family came west to Rockford, before there was a railroad. As there was no bridge they forded the Indian's "Rocky Ford," whence came the name Rockford. During the summer of 1852 the Chicago, Rockford, Freeport and Galena Railroad was built as far west as East Rockford. Upon its completion the elder George went into the draying business, having the record

of being Rockford's first drayman. In 1854 he bought a farm one mile north of Latham Park, where he died October 6, 1855. Jane Clay Liddle, his wife, died at Owen, January S, 1874.

Of the twelve children, eight were boys, and all became locomotive engineers, Thomas Liddle was born April 6, 1827, and railroaded until his father's death, having the distinction of driving the first locomotive across Rock River, over the new bridge at Rockford, on an early April morn- ing in 1853. He subsequently bought a farm in Oweu Township, and there he was united in marriage to Minerva Chapman, April 6, 1862. Their children were as follows: Jed, Ada and Arden. Thomas died on his farm May 17, 1904. John and Mary Liddle, twins, were born October 31, 1828. Jolm married Mary Sharp at Ironton, Ohio, and to them were born twelve children. He was a veteran railroad engineer, having run thirty-niue years when he was killed in a wreck, November 17, 1878. His twin sister, Mary, died September 3, 1829.

Matthew Liddle was born June 30, 1830. and received a college education in England. There was a law there at that time that when a man had seven sons, any one of them could have a free college education, and Matthew was given the advantage of this opportunity. Matthew and Thomas were the forerunners of the Liddle family to America, sailing one year before, in April. 1849. on the ship Corsica. They suffered shipwreck off the coast of New Foundland at Cape Ray, the ship being dashed to pieces on the rocks. The survivors were rescued by fisher- men, and they afterward took passage to New York City. and thence to Geneseo, where the family joined them the following year. In the spring of 1854 Matthew was employed to do some work for President James K. Polk, survey- ing a race and erecting a flour mill at Polktown. After one year with the Polks he was taken sick, and died October 20. 1855, and was buried in the President's private lot there, where his remains still repose.

Hannah and Margaret Liddle, twins, were horn October 12, 1831. Hannah married Robert Minns. a veteran railroad man. and to them were born five children, She died at Sharp's Creek, Kans., February 3. 1902. Margaret married Joseph Mueller and died at Free- port, Ill., December 4, 1855. George Liddle was born September 1, 1833. William Liddle was born February 14, 1835. He was married to Hannah Melton, and they had nine children. William was a pioneer railroad man and subse- quently he purchased a farm at Latham Park, Owen Township. Winnebago County. He retired from the farm and nnrchased a home in Rock- ton. where he resided until his death, which occurred Mar 18, 1916. Jane Liddle was born June 30, 1856. She was married to Robert Minns. and died March 27. 1854. Joseph Liddle was born November 9. 1840, and was a soldier in the Civil war. enlisting May 24, 1861. in Com- pany C. Fifteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered out May 25, 1864. In 1866 he crossed overland to California, later became a cattleman in Nevada, and there he died May 18,

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

1886. He was united in marriage to Maggie Dison at Fulton, Ill. To this union were born six children. Joseph was once sheriff of White Pine County, Nev. Mary Ann Liddle was

born May 15, 1838, She was Hamilton united in marriage to H. Broadie, No- veniber 11, 1861, a veteran engineer. He was a thirty-second degree Mason. He and his wife had one son, J. E. Broadie, Rockford's veteran groceryman. Mrs. Broadie dicd at Rock- ford January 3, 1911.

Samuel Liddle was born March 4, 1843. At the age of eighteen years he enlisted for service in the Civil war, in the First Artillery, Battery E, at Chicago, Ill., August 13, 1862, As a veteran he re-enlisted in the First Light Artillery, May 19, 1865, and was mustered out June 2, 1865. He was made lieutenant for meritorious action on the field of battle. He went overland to the western gold fields in 1866. Samuel was married to Lizzie A. Knight and to them were born three children. He served the territory of Nevada as county commissioner for two terms; county treasurer two terms; territorial representative two terms ; as a civil engineer, professor of chem- istry and metallurgy, and for eighteen years was superintendent of large mining concerns, engi- neering many other mining enterprises, and was made mayor of Hamilton in its prosperous days. His death occurred at San Francisco, July 5, 1889.

James Liddle, the youngest, was born May 20, 1846. He learned the machinist trade in the Northwestern Railroad shops at Rockford. At the age of twenty years he joined his brothers Joseph and "Samuel, in their trip to Montana, Nevada and California, making up the caravan at Omaha, Neb. On the plains the Indians were troublesome. the party being attacked many times. James displayed a wonderful strategy in Indian warfare. and distinguished himself as a leader against the Indians. These three broth- ers went into the cattle business on a large scale, and employed many cowboys to look after their herds. When the Indians stole and stam- peded the cattle at any location, they had to be rounded up and punished. Ou many occasions James was selected as the leader for this work. In 1876 when General Custer was killed in Mon- tana. the commanding officer of the U. S. troops in Montana sought William Cody and James Liddle, and they joined the regular army and both were commissioned colonels, and fought the Indians for two years on the Little Big Horn and Yellowstone rivers, until the savages begged for peace. He served as sheriff of White Pine County, Nevada. James married Maria Edwards. He subsequently bought a large ranch at El Paso. where he lived a retired life and died July 3. 1907.

In the spring of 1852 the business life of George Liddle hegan as a fireman with the Chicago, Rockford, Freeport and Galena Railroad, when the road had reached East Rockford. In the spring of 1853 the bridge was completed, and he was the fireman during the famous midnight crossing of Rock River with the first locomotive that was taken across the rippling rock. Two

years later he was made engineer. Mr. Liddle has the distinction of being the only living man that crossed on the first locomotive over Rock River. Until 1864 he was a locomotive driver, and during that time he handled the following engines, all of which burned wood : Black Hawk, Kehota, Waubansie Cloud, Ariel, Johnny Bull, Pioneer, Chicago, Maringo, Elgin Rockford, Pecatonica, Winnebago, Nevada, Freeport. Mr. Lildle ran the first train over the Beloit branch of the Northwestern Railroad. In the spring of 1864 he retired from the road and look up farming in the township of Owen. On October 23, 1861, he was united in marriage with Maria Brewster, at Freeport, Ill. To this union were born twelve. children, five of whom died in infancy. Those who survive are : Brew- ster H., of Rockton Township; Walter W., who lives at Rockton, married Rachel Gleasman, and they have four children; Isabelle M. (Lid- dle) McDougall, who has eight children; May E. (Liddle) Nicholls, who lives in Owen Town- ship, has four children; George C., Jr., who , married Ida Bondelid, has three children, and resides in Owen Township; Lesley J., who married Mabel Kelley, resides in Rockton Township; Roy H., who married Nora Bondelid, has two children, and resides in Owen Township. All the children are nicely located on farms. As time rolled on, the original farm was widened until it consisted of several tracts amounting to 500 acres.

Mr. and Mrs. Liddle retired from the farm to Woodlawn avenue, Rockford, in 1905. On July 5, 1911, Mrs. Liddle departed this life, and was laid to rest in Owen Center Cemetery. She was born September 21, 1842, at Tetney, Lincolnshire, England, and came to this country with her parents in 1854. Mr. Liddle and family are affil- iated with the Republican party, and he cast his vote for John C. Fremont, first Republican can- didate for president. In religious belief he was first connected with the Church of England, and later with the Methodist church. For sixty-five continuous years Mr. Liddle has lived in Winne- bago County, and has seen Rockford grow from a hamlet to a metropolis, and points with civic pride to the beautiful city with its great factories and beautiful residences and parks. Surely this pioneer family, more than many others, has known of the privations and hardships of braving the dangers of the seas, fever and ague, crossing the plains, deserts and mountains and at the hands of bands of savage Indians.

Brewster H. Liddle has for many years been collecting data for the family tree and submits the family coat-of-arms, of British origin, given to Thomas de Liddle of County Durham, 1642, for gallantry and defense of Gen. Newcastle, by the king. He was created a baron and chief. The coat-of-arms is in colors on parchment or vellum. Brewster H. Liddle, who is the family historian, is getting together everything obtainable in this country and abroad, with the intention of issuing it in book form. The tribe now numbering thou- sands originated in the Cheviot hills, on the line dividing Scotland and England. The family, or tribe. is traced back to the reign of Edward the Confessor, from 1041 to 1066. With the conquer-

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

ing of England in 1066 by William of Normandy, came the introduction of the French tongue and the idea of surnames, as there were none until then in Britian. The original name Liddle was taken from the Syrian and Welsh root, lyd, as- sembly of musical water, and dale, or modern dell, so the river was named Lyd-Dale and later Liddel. The tribe that located there was named after the river, Liddle, Liddel, or Liddell, all of the same tribe. There are many peers in Britain today bearing the name. For sixteen years it has been a custom to have an annual reunion of the Liddle family in America at the various homes. Of this family society, George Liddle has been honored by election as president each year. The sixteenth reunion is to take place on September 1, 1916, on the eighty- third birthday of George Liddle. For one of the meetings Mrs. Isabelle Maria (Liddle) Mc- Dougal wrote a poem and dedicated it to the family.

"Back amongst the hills and bracken Near the Liddel River and dale, In the pleasant Isle of Britain Sprang a race stalwart and hale.

"Sent they forth the strong forerunner To a country half unknown; Near the village of Rockford They laid the new family cornerstone.

"Then the locomotive whistle Called most of the boys away From the old stone house in Owen, And the girls seemed not to stay.

"In building up the country They have taken honest part ; Sent their soldiers when the strife came That tore in twain the nation's heart.

"There were new homes to be builded, And the family scattered wide; Some of roving disposition Went with the great western tide.

"Now this family has grown in numbers, And of late in unity, too ; Now we have this yearly meeting, Throbs the kinship strong and true.

"Most the old group have passed the portal, Numbered with the silent dead : Age upon the rest advancing. Yet there's never one gray head.

"There's a rosy tribe of infants. More and more each turning year : That the name of Liddel will moulder No one need have smallest fear."

LIDDLE, Jay I., a prosperous farmer of section 24, Owen Township, Winnebago County, was born in this county on the farm of his father, William Liddle. December 11. 1871, and has al- ways been one of the representative men of his locality. William Liddle was a native of Eng-

land, came to America in 1851, located at New York the first year and came to Rockford, Ill., in 1852. He was employed as a railroad engineer eight years.

His wife, Hannah (Milton) Liddle, was also born in Devonshire, England, in 1848, and came to America in 1852 with her parents who located in Ridott, Stephenson County, Ill., and lived there until she was married to William Liddle in 1867. They came to the farm which they now own, one mile north of Latham Park, in Owen Township, and lived on and operated this farm until 1900, when they retired to Rockton, where they are now residing. William Liddle is a Republican, and both he and wife belong to the Methodist Church.

Jay I. Liddle was reared in Owen Township, and there educated. His first work was done on his father's farm, but after his marriage he rented land for two years, at Owen Center, Winnebago County, Ill. He then moved on the farm owned by his mother-in-law in Rockton Township and spent a year, when he bought his present farm of 180 acres, and has developed into one of the most successful farmers of his township.

In 1898 Mr. Liddle was married to Miss Maude Webber, a daughter of Thomas and Keturah (Piper) Webber, and they became the parents of three children, namely : Wilmer I., Francis C., and Margrete E. who died in 1910, aged six weeks. Mr. Webber was born in Der- onshire, England, but was brought to the United States early in life by his parents, who located south of Rockton, Ill., on what became the old Webber farın. He was educated in this neigh- borhood and when old enough engaged in farm- ing, so continuing until he died in 1889, aged fifty-four years, being one of Rockton's well known men and a heavy feeder and dealer in cattle. The mother of Mrs. Liddle was brought from Devonshire, England, where she was also born, in 1869, and they located at Rockton, near what is known as Carpenter Bridge. The ma- ternal grandparents conducted a farm until the grandfather's death in Burritt Township. The grandmother died in Rockton Township. Mr. and Mrs. Webber were married at Rockton, in 1871, and there Mrs. Webber died April 7, 1908.

LIDDLE, Walter W. It is almost entirely due to the efforts of the enterprising agriculturists of Winnebago County that this section has ad- vanced so materially along those lines connected with farming. and one who has done his part to bring about present results is Walter W. Liddle of Rockton Township. He was born in Owen Township. February 2S, 1867, a son of George and Maria (Bruster) Liddle, natives of Durham and Lincolnshire, England. They were married at Freeport, Ill. The father was an engineer on the Illinois Central Railroad, but left that occu- pation when he bought a farm in Owen Town- ship. This property he farmed for forty years, and about 1907 moved to Rockton where he lives retired at No. 610 Woodlawn avenue. The mother died in 1912. The children of the parents

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

were as follows : B. H., who lives at Rockford ; Walter W .; Belle, who is Mrs. A. P. Dugal of Burritt Township ; Elizabeth, who is Mrs. Wil- liam Nichols of Owen Township; George, Jr., who lives in Owen Township; Leslie, who re- sides in Rockton Township; and Roy, who lives in Owen Township.

Walter W. Liddle attended the schools in his district, and lived at home until 1894 when he went on one of his father's farms in Owen Township. In time he bought 210 acres of land, nearly all in the northern part of the village of Rockton. He remodeled all the buildings and made them thoroughly modern, and now has a valuable property. Mr. Liddle raises Duroc- Jersey hogs and percheron horses, all registered stock, and carries on general farming.

On February 14, 1894, Mr. Liddle was mar- ried to Pattie Gleason, born in Owen Township, a daughter of George and Sarah (Lake) Gleason, natives of Utica, N. Y. and Owen Township, re- spectively. Mr. and Mrs. Liddle have the fol- lowing children : Wayne, Lyle, Florence and Arlene. The family are Methodists. Mr. Liddle served as trustee of the village of Rockton for ten years, has been a cemetery trustee since 1911, a library trustee since 1912, assessor of Rockton Township since 1914, and in politics is a Repub- lican and active in his party. Fraternally he belongs to Rockton Lodge No. 74, A. F. & A. M., Rockton Chapter No. 190, R. A. M .; Rockford Camp No. 64, B. P. O. E. ; Rockton Camp, M. W. A., and Riverdale Grange, being master of the latter. Mrs. Liddle belongs to the Eastern Star, and she and Mr. Liddle stand very high socially in Rockton.

LIDDLE, William, Some of the men of Win- nebago County have divided their time between the soil and working in various lines that have called forth energies not utilized in agricultural employment, and of them one is William Liddle of Rockton. He was born in Durham County, England, February 14, 1835, a son of George and Jane (Clay) Liddle, who in the spring of 1851 came from Livingston County, N. Y. to Rockford, Ill., and bought land in Winnebago County and township, where they died.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 100

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Rogers, Thomas H; Moffet, Hugh R; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Chicago : Muncell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 972

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Rogers, Thomas H; Moffet, Hugh R; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Muncell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 972