Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 105

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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McHUGH, William F., of the McHugh Brothers Machine & Tool Company, with residence at No. 210 Rockton avenue, and place of business at No. 111 S. Water street, is one of the reliable business men of Rockford. He was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, April 7, 1886. There he attended the grade and high schools, being graduated from the latter. He then started to work as a cash boy in the dry goods store of H. & S. Pogue Company, remaining with this concern for three years. Having gained some knowledge of business methods. he began learn- ing the machinist trade with the Hall Safe & Lock Works, and was with them for some time, later working in several machine shops. In the spring of 1912 he came to Rockford and went with Barber & Coleman, remaining with that firm until the spring of 1913. At that time he and his brother founded their present business, which has been developed in a healthy and steady manner, and is now a very large and profitable one. They contract for and manu- facture special machinery, tools, dies, jigs and fixtures, and execute all kinds of jobbing work in their line.

On January 8, 1914, Mr. McHugh was mar- ried at Newport, Ky., to Ruth Weingartner of that place. Mr. and Mrs. McHugh have a son, William F., who was born October 31, 1914. Mr. McHugh belongs to St. Mary's Catholic Church. In politics he is independent, making his own selection of candidates. A man of trained skill, and excellent judgment, he has forged to the front, and today occupies an envi- able position among those in his line at Rock- ford.

McMAHON, Hugh, whose years of useful en- deavor are now crowned with well deserved ease, is one of the highly respected men of Rockford. He was born in County Armagh, Ireland, Jan- uary 6, 1846, a son of John and Ann (Mullen) McMahon. These parents had twelve children, but the only surviving one is Hugh. The father died in 1847, and in 1852 Hugh McMahon came to Rockford. His mother died in 1857, and he then went to live with a sister in Burritt Town-

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ship. There he worked on a farm and attended the district schools.

On August 5, 1862, Hugh McMahon enlisted in Company A, Ninetieth Illinois Volunteer In- fantry at Rockford for service during the Civil war, and was assigned to the Army of the Ten- nessee. During his long service he participated in twenty-six battles, including that of Mis- sionary Ridge. On November 26, 1864, he was made fourth sergeaut, and served as such uutil his honorable discharge June 5, 1865. Return- ing to Winnebago Couuty, after participating in the graud review at Washington, D. C., he spent eighteen months farming in Burritt Township, and then coming to Rockford was employed for a year in the gas house. He then was in a dray- ing business until appointed to carry the mail from the railroad to the postoffice. After some time he purchased a farm in Burritt Township and operated it uutil 1903, when he returned to Rockford and was appointed a rural free deliv- ery mail carrier, a positiou he held until Novem- ber 10, 1914, when he resigned, and since theu has lived retired at No. 318 Rockton avenue.

On February 28, 1868, Mr. McMahon married (first) Ellen Barns, born in County Kilkenny, Ireland. She died October 27, 1878, leaving the following children : John, who lives at Rock- ford; James, who lives at Seward, Ill .; and George P., who lives at Rockford. On April 15, 1880, Mr. McMahon married (second) Catherine E. Doyle, who died January 29, 1914. She was born in Ireland, a daughter of Timothy and Elizabeth Doyle, who came to Rockford in 1854. Mr. and Mrs. McMahou had two children, namely : Charles H., who lives with his father ; and Mary E., who was born December 17, 1882, died August 22, 1914. For eleven years she was an efficient public school teacher.

Mr. McMahon belongs to St. Mary's Catholic Church. He served as a justice of the peace for sixteen years in Burritt Township, being elected on the Democratic ticket. He belongs to the Catholic Order of Foresters, to the Knights of Columbus, aud to Nevius Post No. 1, G. A. R., and is as highly regarded in these organizations as he is by the public at large.

MEAD, Darius R. The Mead family is a well known one at Rockford, although the progenitor, Darius R. Mead was not a resident of the city, he passing away before his widow and children came here. However, as many of his qualities are inherited by his desceudants it is but proper that a record of his life appear in a work deal- ing with Winnebago County people. Darius R. Mead was born at Meadville, Pa., in December, 1832, a son of Darius and Sarah (Logne) Mead, natives of Connecticut who came to Meadville, Pa., which was named after the paternal grandfather, David Mead.

Darius R. Mead was a man of intelligence, and sterling worth. In young manhood he went to Galena, Ill., later moved to Chicago where he died in 1878. He was identified with the business life of Chicago from 1858 to 1878, a lumber merchant, holding large interests.

The marriage of Darius R. Mead and Abigail C. Spare took place at Galena, Ill. She was born at Galena in 1837, a daughter of James and Ruth (Titcomb) Spare, natives of Boston, Mass., who became pioneers of Galena, Ill. Mrs. Mead was graduated iu the first class sent out from Rockford College, in 1854. Her death occurred February 1, 1915. Mr. and Mrs. Mead became the parents of the following children : F. W. Mead, Tucson, Arizona ; Hattie L., who is Mrs. Leon P. Sykes of Wilmette, Ill., Ruth Titcomb, who lives at Rockford ; Marian I., who is Mrs. R. J. Sensor of Rockford ; D. Ray Mead, who also lives in Rockford; Gertrude, who is Mrs. Dr. D. E. Waterbury of Chicago; and George Wilson, who lives at Grand Rapids, Wis.

MELLEN, Charles H., whose connection with Winnebago Couuty was of such a nature as to entitle him to a prominent place in a history of this section, was of Scotch-Irish descent and he inherited many of the sterling characteristics of these nations. His great-grandfather, Jere- miah Melleu, came to the American colonies in 1750, settling at Conway, N. H., where he en- gaged in farming, residing there until his death. Jeremiah Mellen, Jr., grandfather of Charles H. Mellen, who in 1821 settled at Mottville, Onon- daga County, N. Y., became an extensive manu- facturer of woolens at that place, and there lived until his death at the age of sixty-three years. He was a captain of militia. He married Eliza- beth Lindsey, and they had eight children, four sons and four daughters, all of whom grew to maturity.

Erastus Mellen, son of Jeremiah Mellen, Jr., and father of Charles H. Melleu, was born in New Hampshire in 1800, and became a prosper- ous farmer of Cayuga County, N. Y. In 1874 he came to Winnebago County, Ill., and lived in re- tirement at Winnebago until his death in 1890, when he was ninety years old. He married Sarah Mandeville, who was born in Cayuga County, N. Y., who bore him seven children. A sketch of Erastus Mellen and his wife is to be found elsewhere in this work.

Charles H. Mellen, the third child of Erastus and Sarah (Mandeville) Mellen, was born in Cayuga County, N. Y., December 11, 1829, and there grew to manhood. In 1854 he came to Winnebago County, and for the following three or four years he rented land from his cousin, John Waldron, in Rockford Township. He then settled at Creston, Ogle County, Ill .. and pur- chased about 200 acres of prairie land upon which he placed all the improvements, including the buildings. This he sold in 1876 and then located at Winnebago, where he embarked in a drug business as a member of the firm of Grip- pen & Mellen. Withiu two years he again pur- chased a farm, one of eighty acres, near the village of Winnebago, and selling his drug busi- ness, moved on that property. He developed it into a mnodel place and it continued to be his home until he retired. In 1900, however, he moved back to Winnebago, where he died Febru- ary 19, 1912, aged eighty-three years. In the

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

meanwhile, in 1878, he had bought 640 acres of land in Nebraska, and this property is now owned by his children.

Charles H. Mellen was married September 25, 1859, to Annis St. John, who was born at Brutus, Cayuga County, N. Y., May 12, 1840. She was a daughter of Lorston and Mary Ann (Pollock) St. John, natives of New York and Connecticut, respectively, and pioneers of Ogle County, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Mellen became the parents of three children : Elmer E .; Elida, who is the wife of Harry B. Jilson, of Rockford ; and Clarence W., who is the publisher of the Winnebago Reflector, a weekly newspaper. Mr. Mellen was a pro- gressive and public spirited man in his day, and an active member and supporter of the Presby- terian church. In politics he was a staunch Republican.

MELLEN, Clark, who is living retired at Win- nebago, is of Scotch lineage, three brothers, Jeremiah, David and another whose name is unknown, having come to the American colonies in 1750, from Scotland. The youngest brother was killed soon after arrival, so that his name has been lost. The name was originally spelled "MacMillin," but was changed to Mellen about 1800. David settled at Boston, Mass. Jeremiah is the progenitor of the branch that settled at Conway, Mass., residing there until his death about 1800. His son, Jeremiah, grandfather of Clark Mellen, located at Mottville, Onondago County, N. Y., in 1821, where he engaged in the manufacture of clothing. He was also a captain of militia and lived at Mottville until his death in 1828, at the age of sixty-three years. He had six children who grew to maturity, namely : Lucius, Erastus, Jeremiah, Elbridge G., Chloe and Nancy. Both daughters died in young womanhood of typhoid fever, while the sons all lived to be old men. The wife of Jere- miah Mellen was Elizabeth Lindsey.

Erastus Mellen, son of Jeremiah and father of Clark Mellen, prior to his retirement in 1865, was for many years a prominent agriculturist of Cayuga County, N. Y. In 1874 he came to Winnebago County, Ill., and here resided until his death in 1890, when ninety years old. He married Sarah Mandeville, who bore him eight children, namely: Clark; Augustine, deceased ; Charles, deceased, who came from Cayuga County, N. Y., to Winnebago County, and located first at Creston, Ogle County, in 1854, being there engaged in farming until 1876, when he became a druggist at Winnebago, two years later going to Nebraska, where he spent three years. On his return he purchased 700 acres of land, selling it at a profit, and then bought eighty acres in Winnebago Township, near the village of that name, there living until he retired in 1900 to move to Winnebago, and there died, February 19, 1912, aged eighty-three years; Mary; Eliza ; Adoniram Judson, who settled in Ogle County, Ill., in 1857, and there farmed until he came to Winnebago Township, this county, to con- tinue farming until his retirement in 1902, at which time he located in the village of Winne-

bago, that continuing his home until March, 1908, when he went to Rockford, and there died in 1908, aged seventy-three years; William, who was a farmer of Ogle County, was killed at the battle of Kenesaw Mountain during the Civil war; Albert A,, who was born in Cayuga County, N. Y., November 12, 1843, and for two years was engaged in a grocery business at Palmyra, N. Y., but came to Winnebago County in 1868, spending four years on a farm in Winne- bago Township, owned by his brother, and for two years he was with his father in the village of the same name, when he embarked in a hard- ware business with W. H. Patton, and conducted it for two years, but in the fall of 1878 located at Fairmount, Neb., and engaged in a hardware business until 1888, when he went to Eureka Springs and spent fifteen years in Arkansas, on account of ill health, since which time he has made his home at Winnebago, although he makes occasional trips to these springs for treatment.

Clark Mellen was born in Onondago County, N. Y., March 14, 1825. For four months during the Civil war he served as a member of the Ninety-third New York Volunteer Infantry. In 1875 he located at Manchester, Iowa, and em- barked in a creamery business, operating seven creameries for eighteen months, in partnership with John Stewart. At the Centennial at Phila- delphia, in 1876, this firm took first prize for their product, receiving a gold and bronze medal, and diploma for the best butter made in the United States. Mr. Mellen has these medals and diploma, and regards them as among his most valued possessions. In 1877 he erected at Winne- bago the first creamery in Illinois, and he con- tinued to operate this and other creameries up to the time of his retirement in 1894, having as a partner during sixteen years, Marcus Swan. Prior to coming west, he was a canvasser and lumberman, so has had a varied experience.

In 1857 Mr. Mellen was married to Betsey Ann McNeal, who died three years later. He is one of the oldest residents of Winnebago, and bids fair to reach the century mark, He is most highly respected and no history of Winne- bago County would be complete without his record.

MELLEN, Elmer E., a prominent merchant of Winnebago, Ill., and senior member of the firm of Mellen & Armstrong, grocers, was born at Rochelle, Ogle County, Ill., July 19, 1862, a son of Charles H. and Annis (St. John) Mellen, be- ing of the fifth generation from Jeremiah Mel- len, the progenitor of this branch of the family in America. Charles H. Mellen was born in Cayuga County, N. Y., December 11, 1829. In 1859 he was married to Annis St. John, who was born at Brutus, Cayuga County, N. Y., May 12, 1840.

Elmer E. Mellen grew to manhood in Ogle and Winnebago counties, having accompanied his parents to the latter in 1876. He secured his education in the district schools of Ogle County and the high school of the village of

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Winnebago. He has been a resident of Winne- bago ever since, his business career beginning when he engaged as a clerk for M. M. Swan, a grocer of Winnebago. After eight years of gro- cery experience with this employer, Mr. Mellen embarked in business for himself with Mr. Arm- strong, and these partners conduct a thoroughly modern store in every respect.

On February 22, 1894, Mr. Mellen was married to Minnie A. Riley, a daughter of William and Charlotte (Milnes) Riley, natives of England and pioneers of Winnebago Township, where they settled in 1849. By this marriage there were three children, namely : Mabeth E., Bernice S. and Charles Sumner.

Mr. Mellen is popular as a merchant, com- manding the confidence and respect of the community in general because of his uprightness and square dealing. He owns and occupies a beautiful residence on Main street. The Meth- odist church holds his membership. Fraternally he is a member of Winnebago Lodge No. 745, A. F. & A. M. In politics he is a Republican.

MEYERS, John. The fact that the majority of people find, in raising a suitable monument over the grave of a departed loved one, some allevia- tion of their grief and proof of their respect for his memory, has led a number of expert men, with artistic ideas, to engage in the business of providing these monuments. One of them at Rockford, who is a recognized leader in his line, is John Meyers.

Mr. Meyers was born in Bavaria, Germany, November 23, 1845, and was there educated and taught the stone cutting and stone polishing trade. His parents died in Germany, but he came to the United States in 1867. He stopped at St. Charles, Ill., until 1872, there learning to cut and polish marble. In January, 1872, he went to Chicago and worked there until March, 1874, when he came to Rockford and worked here for Mr. Trigg for thirteen years. He was then with the Illinois Central Railroad for a year cutting stone for use in its bridge con- struction work. Mr. Meyers then started into his present business at No. 113 S. Madison street., where he has since remained. He enjoys a large patronage, and his work is generally admitted to be very artistic and appropriate.

In March, 1867, before he left Germany, Mr. Meyers was married to Walburga Sier, born in Germany, and they became the parents of the following children : John, Annie, Lizzie and Charles, who are all deceased; Lillie, who is Mrs. Port DeLong, of Rockford; Mamie, who is Mrs. John Chanson, of Rockford; Anthony, of Rockford, who married Esther Carlson; and Rose and Minnie, who are both deceased. Mr. Meyers attends the Lutheran church. In poli- tics he is independent. He belongs to Social Lodge No. 140, I. O. O. F., and Rockford Lodge No. 67, Owls, and the Rockford Germania Soci- ety, of which he has been a trustee for a number of years. A man of trained experience, Mr. Meyers understands his work thoroughly, and

has honestly earned the position he holds among his business associates.

MILLER, Anson S., page 661.

MILLER, August. Rockford numbers among its most reliable citizens many men who came from Sweden, and locating in this city, or its vicinity, have developed into citizens of reliability and responsibility. One of these men is August Miller, proprietor of the finest shoe store on Seventh street. He was born in Smolan, Sweden, March 27, 1863, a son of Johannas and Christi- ana (Lydeg) Miller. The father was born and educated at Smolan, where he became a stone mason and later a contractor. In 1881 he left his native land, locating after his 'arrival in the United States in Iowa, where he followed his trade at different points. Later he went to Lake County, Mich., where he became identified with the lumber interests and continued his opera- tions there for three years. Later he returned to his native land and there died in 1906. The mother survives and makes her home in Sweden. She came to Rockford in 1910, to visit her rela- tives, but returned to Sweden, preferring that land to this.

August Miller came to the United States in 1881, having spent his years previously at Smolan, where he was educated. He lived in Iowa after coming to this country, being a stone- mason for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad for a year, then went to Lake County, Mich., and was engaged with W. D. Wing & Co., who were operating large sawmills and clearing timber land. So competent was he that he was made foreman of a gang building roads through forests so as to handle the output of timber. He remained with this firm for seven years, and then went to Manistee, Mich., where he engaged in a shoe business with his brothers-in-law, forming the G. A. Johnson Shoe Co., and they operated this business for two years. Mr. Miller then came to Rockford and in 1909, with A. W. Norbeck, engaged in a shoe business of which he later became sole proprietor, and he continues to conduct the store alone.

In 1886 Mr. Miller married Miss Anna M. Johnson, a daughter of F. L. Johnson, of Lake County, Mich. Mrs. Miller is of Swedish de- scent. Mr. Miller belongs to the Swedish Mis- sion Church and has been its treasurer for eleven years.

MILLER, Cyrus F., page 662.

MILLER, Henry Herbert, once a well known agriculturalist in Winnebago County, is now de- ceased, having passed away after a useful life. He was cut off in the midst of his activities, but, althoughi his span of life was comparatively brief, he did his duty as he saw it, and exerted a strong influence for good in his community. His operations were carried on in Guilford Township. He was born at Berlin, Germany, June 20, 1868, a son of August Miller,

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In 1888 Henry H. Miller came to Winnebago County and rented land until 1901, when he bought 196 acres of land in Guilford Township. The place was partly improved at that time. and he worked hard to add to its value. He passed away December 5, 1908. Since his death his widow has rented all but a few acres which she cultivates as a garden.

On December 21, 1890, Mr. Miller was married to Mary Retzlaff, born in Guilford Township, a daughter of Charles and Hannah (Ollman) Retzlaff, natives of Germany, who came to Guilford Township and here bought a farm. The father died in 1906, and the mother resides on the homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Miller had the following children : Minnie, who is Mrs. William Lindell, of Owen Township, has these children : Harold, Clarence, Fay, Everett, Marion and Raymond ; Ruby, who married Roy Preston, re- ' sides in Owen Township; and May and Carl, who are at home. Mrs. Miller attended the Marsh School of Guilford Township, while Mr. Miller was educated in the schools of his native land. The Miller family is a well known one in Winnebago County, and its members are justly rated among the substantial people of this section.

MILLER, Horace, page 661.

MILLER, Orrin, page 662.

MILLER, William W., whose foresight and con- fidence in the future of Rockford led him to profit very materially, was during his mature years one of the substantial men of Winnebago County. He was born at Mt. Morris, Livingston County, N. Y., May 13, 1835, a son of Horace and Hannah (Clark) Miller, natives of Connecti- cut and the Mohawk Valley, N. Y. They were married in New York, and in 1837 came to Winnebago County, Ill., buying 1,000 acres of land in New Milford Township. The father started improving his land, having settled on his farm in 1839. A man of consequence, he served in the state legislature, and being a pioneer with advanced ideas he aided very ma- terially in advancing the county's interests.

In February, 1859, William W. Miller was married to Jennie Phillips, born at Plattsville, Wis., October 6, 1839, a daughter of Henry B. and Lucinda (Sloan) Phillips, natives of New York and Kentucky, respectively. The father went to Galena, Ill., in 1832, served as a soldier during the Black Hawk war, and was in the battle of Bad Axe when Black Hawk was cap- tured. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were married in Plattville, Wis. Their children were as fol- lows : Lonie P., who died at the age of four and one-half years; Charles Lester, who died at the age of two years; Ella G., who is Mrs. R. P. Whipple of Minneapolis, Minn. ; Elmer E., who died at the age of four and one-half years ; Mabelle J., who is Mrs. Fred Carrico of No. 713 Ashland avenue, Rockford, has two children : William and Elizabeth.

When his father divided his property up among

his children, William W. Miller received 250 acres as his share, and he conducted it for seven years, and then selling it, moved to the east part of Rockford and bought fourteen acres of land, which he divided into lots and sold or erected flat buildings upon them, the latter now being the property of Mrs. Miller. All of the other lots have modern residences on them. In addition, Mr. Miller owned several farms in different parts of Winnebago County, and over- saw them all. His death occurred December 29, 1907. During 1882 he served in the city council for the old Sixth Ward, and he was also a county supervisor, being a man of consequence. In politics he was a Republican. The Centennial Methodist Church held his membership, and he served it as steward for many years. Mrs. Miller is corresponding secretary of the Woman's Home Missionary Society of that church, and she also belongs to the Woman's Club of Rock- ford.

MITCHELL, John W., one of the most public- spirited citizens of Winnebago County, whose efforts have ever been directed towards a bet- terment of existing conditions and a general inoral uplift, resides at No. 124 Sunset avenue, Rockford. He was born at Clarksville, now Glen Gardner, N. J., January 6, 1844, a son of George A. and Lydia (Norcross) Mitchell of New Jersey.

John W. Mitchell attended the common schools of his native place. With other patriotic men of his day, he responded to his country's call for service in the Civil war, and enlisted in August, 1862, at Glen Gardner, N. J., for nine months' service in Company K, Thirty-first New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, and was assigned to guard duty at Washington, D. C. Later the regiment was transferred to the Army of the Potomac, and Mr. Mitchell participated in the battle of Fredericksburg, and that of Chancellorsville, after which the regiment started against Gen. Lee. On July 1, 1863, Mr. Mitchell was honorably discharged together with his two brothers who were in the same company.

Returning from the war, Mr. Mitchell re- mained at his old home until 1868, when he came to Winnebago County, and rented land for six years, then bought 193 acres, and also 100 acres adjoining in Ogle County, Ill. He farmed until 1891, when he moved to Winnebago and there he resided until 1907, when he came to Rock- ford, where he now lives retired. He owns a beautiful home on Sunset avenue.

On July 2, 1864, Mr. Mitchell married (first) Sarah A. Stryker, born in German Valley, Mor- ris County, N. J., a daughter of Peter and Mary (Rulleson) Stryker, of New Jersey, and they had the following children: Stryker P., who lives in Winnebago Township, married Ella Schoonmaker and they have three children, Homer, Ollie and John; Mary L., who married Robert Starnar of Dows, Wright County, Iowa, and they have one daughter, Otella, who married George Strowbridge, and they have three chil- dren, Starnar, Mitchell and an infant; Eliza-

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 105

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