Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 115

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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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

to the village of Harrison, where Mr. Richards kept a store, and about 1857 moved to Owen Township and purchased land in the south- west part of the township, where both parents died, the father January 16, 1890, and the mother February 17, 1891. They had seven sons and seven daughters, of whom Dr. Daniel C. Richards is the oldest and the only one now living.

In the year 1859 Daniel C. Richards went to Niles, Mich., where he attended Mrs. Brown's Select School and taught school there himself for a short time, but in 1860 returned to Rock- ford, Ill., and had charge of a school in Harri- son Township. He spent the year 1861 and the early part of 1862 at Durand, where he at- tended Prof. Taylor's Academy. On June 30, 1862, he enlisted in Company D, Seventy-first Illinois Volunteer Infantry, being mustered into the service July 22, 1862, for 100 days. His company was assigned to service at the arsenal at Mound City, and in October, 1862, when Doctor Richards was given his honorable dis- charge, he returned to Rockford and in 1863 hired out in the quartermaster's department. He arrived at Stone River three days after the awful battle at that place, and was subsequently in different departments, handling supplies for the Army of the Cumberland. Starting at a salary of $25 per month, he made himself so valuable to his employers that when he finished he was receiving $150 per month. After the surrender of General Lee and the subsequent close of the war. Doctor Richards went to Saint Louis, Mo., where he was married October 25, 1865, to Hannah P. Houck, who was born in Madison County, Ill., a daughter of Ross and Lucinda A. (Gunderman) Houck, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Vir- ginia.

After their marriage Dr. and Mrs. Richards went to Clarksville, Tenn., the Doctor still em- ploved in the quartermaster's department. After Lee's surrender they went to Macoupin County, Ill., and then to Montgomery County, Ill., where Doctor Richards went to work breaking up raw prairie land belonging to his father-in-law. He farmed there until April, 1889, and during this time he served fifteen years as clerk and Sun- day school superintendent of Prairie Grove Baptist church. Then he moved to Owen Township, Winnebago County, and later bought out the interests in his father's old home, and in 1902 moved to Rockford, although he still owns the homestead, a tract of 135 acres which is being conducted by his son.

Dr. Richards entered the field of healing in 1900, when. on November 10, he began a course at the Chicago School of Psychology; on May 6, 1902, he went to the National School of Oste- opathy ; on July 24, 1902, to the Golden Cross . wife, Mr. Richardson married a Mrs. Tubbs, Eye, Ear and Throat Institute; November 15, 1902, he took a course in Nevada, Mo., and November 18, 1902, he entered the Institute of Physicians and Surgeons of New York. Since that time he has attended the American Col- lege of Sciences, Philadelphia, and the National

School of Magnetic Healing, at Carrollton, Mo. He commenced practice at Durand and in the vicinity, but in 1902 established himself in an office at Rockford, on the corner of East State and Madison streets, but on May 17 of the same year, moved to his present place, No. 321 East State street, where he maintains an en- tire flat for his office and living apartments. He has built up a large and representative practice and has some remarkable cures to his credit.

Dr. and Mrs. Richards have one son, Frank Claud, now of Owen Township, Winnebago County. He married Elizabeth Pederson, and has four children : Hattie Lillian, Frederick, Mabel and Ray. Dr. and Mrs. Richards are members of the State Street Baptist Church. A Republican in politics, he has held public office at various times, and while living in Mont- gomery County, Ill., served two terms as a jus- tice of the peace in Pitman Township and for twelve years was clerk of the school board. He was one of the first to organize the Grange in that section and there was fonnded the first council of county Granges, of which Dr. Rich- ards was secretary and purchasing agent for many years. He is a member of Nevius Post No. 1. Grand Army of the Republic, and Lodge No. 51, Modern Woodmen of America.

Mrs. Richards was born June 14, 1839, and like her husband is still bright and active and in full possession of all her faculties. She at- tended Rockford College as a young woman. In 1860, when she joined the Baptist church, she was baptized in Rock River by the Rev- erend Mitchell. She belongs to the Woman's Relief Corps of the Grand Army of the Re- public, and is a member of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, in which she has been an active worker.

RICHARDSON, Charles H., who is now living at Roscoe, Ill., retired from his former agricul- tural pursuits, stands very high in the estima- tion of his community. He was born in New York state, January 8, 1834, a son of Benja- min and Mary Ann (Welch) Richardson, The father was born in New York state, a son of Benjamin Richardson a manufacturer of tools and stump-pulling machinery. After his mar- riage, the father of Charles H. Richardson came to Illinois and settled at Roscoe, entering sixty acres from the government, on which he erected a log house and occupied it for fifteen years, later replacing it with one of cement. After some years he went to West Haven, Conn., and there died in 1877, aged seventy- three years. His first wife died in the old log house at Roscoe. He later married Catherine Meeks, who also died at Roscoe. For his third who died in West Haven, Conn., and after the deatlı of Mr. Richardson was interred beside him in Connecticut.

Growing up at Roscoe, C. H. Richardson attended its schools, and developed into a farmer. After his retirement in 1911, he settled

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

in the town of Roscoe. He was quite a hunter in the early days, and once killed a bear in his father's corn field. He saw Indians almost every day during the time when the Red Man still roamed over Winnebago County.

When he was twenty-five years old, Charles H. Richardson was married to Mary V. Grea- gory, who died at Roscoe. For his second wife he married Mary Tubbs, who died in Connec- ticut. She was the mother of his three daugh- ters : Ella, Minnie and Lillie. His third wife was Margaret McAffee, a daughter of John and Adeline ( Alden ) McAffee. Mr. and Mrs. Richardson have two children, namely : Minnie, who lives in Youngstown, Ohio; and Lillie, who is Mrs. Milo Horak and lives in Des Moines, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. McAffee, parents of Mrs. Richardson, were born in Pennsylvania but moved to Illinois about the year 1839. They were married at Byron, Ill. At one time they owned a part of the old Lovejoy farm in Harlem Township, but in 1860 they sold this and bought a farm of 120 acres north of Ros- coe.

RICHARDSON, Lionel W., formerly a business man of Roscoe, Ill., and one of the men who played an important part in the early history of Winnebago County, was born at Johnstown, N. Y., January 17, 1828, a son of Benjamin and Judith (Mason) Richardson. Benjamin Richard- son was born at Spencer, Mass., February 24, 1782, where his wife was born, February 9, 1790, and they were there married. They moved to Johnstown, N. Y., and spent some time at that place. Mr. Richardson died at Fulton- ville, N. Y., December 20, 1838. His widow in 1844 went back to Massachusetts, and two years later, in 1846, came to Roscoe, Winnebago County. Some time later she went to Nebraska, but died January 14, 1878, at Genoa, Ill.

Lionel W. Richardson spent his boyhood in New York state, where he received such educa- tional training as was offered by the schools of his neighborhood. On February 1, 1853, he started west, and located at Roscoe, Ill., where he later invented the Diamond plow, and still later began to manufacture this implement at Rockford.

In 1854 Mr. Richardson went to Worcester, Mass., and there was married to Miss Maria L. Jones, a daughter of John and Sylvia (Day) Jones, and returned to Roscoe with his wife. She passed away here September 4, 1881. On February 1, 1883, he was married (second) at Chicago, to Mrs. Isabella (Jones) Richardson, a niece of his first wife, and she survives, mak- ing her home at Roscoe.

In addition to his other activities, Mr. Rich- ardson was engaged in an elevator business until he was burned out, and also dealt in stock. He was a partner of W. H. Gregory in the manufacture of plows, this association con- tinuing until 1878, when he sold to go into oper- ating his elevator. He bought the oldest resi- dence at Roscoe, and rebuilt it, making it a very comfortable home. He was a Republican

in politics in early manhood, but did not desire public honors, but at death was a Prohibitionist. A man of natural genius, he also knew how to take advantage of opportunities as they were presented, and in many ways exerted a strong influence on the affairs of his neighborhood. He was a self-made man and always was a close student.

RICHINGS, Charles H., page 646. '

RICKER, Ephraim G., was born in Boston, Mass., March 14, 1829. While yet a child his parents moved to Biddeford, Me., where he grew to manhood. In 1851 he came to Rockford, after a short stay he went to Memphis, Tenn., but soon returned to this city, coming by boat as far as Galena, Ill., thence by team to his destination. He began clerking in a hardware store and later was engaged in various callings. He at one time was elected constable on the Republican ticket, and was returned to that office several terms. He also served as deputy sheriff. He belonged to Rockford Lodge of Masons No. 102, A. F. and A. M., being the old- est member of this organization at the time of his death.

In 1853 Mr. Ricker married Elizabeth C. Lewis, daughter of Edmund Lewis, at Lynn, Mass., where she was born in October, 1830. They were the parents . of four children that are now living : Emerson E. Ricker, who mar- ried Stella Warren, resides in Rockford; Etta, who married Charles Agge, resides in Haver- hill, Mass .; Myrtie, who married Capt. James A. Ruggles, U. S. A., lives now at . New Rochelle, N. Y., and Minnie, who married Samuel Hollis, resides in Chicago. There were ten other children, who died in childhood. Mr. Ricker made his home, prior to his death, which occurred January 11, 1916, with his daughter, Mrs. Hollis. His burial was at Rockford.

RIDER, J. G., president of The J. G. Rider Pen Co., with office and factory located at No. 2600 W. State street, Rockford, has been successful in placing upon the market and making popular an invention of his own. He was born on a farm near Leroy, N. Y., April 4, 1869, a son of Ebenezer and Fannie W. (Hovey) Rider. The father was born in the same locality as his son, and the mother was born near Rochester, N. Y. In addition to farming, the father was inventive and interested in various patent rights, so that the son possibly inherited some of his genius. For a time Ebenezer Rider operated a farm he had bought near Huntley, Ill., but later returned to Leroy, where he bought and operated his father's farm, and there died in 1882, aged fifty-six years. In politics he was a Republican, fraternally was an Odd Fellow, and in religious faith was a Presbyterian. His widow survives, being now seventy-nine years old.

J. G. Rider lived on the homestead until thir- teen years old, when he went to Bergen, N. Y., and became a clerk in a mercantile establish- ment, at the same time attending school when

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

occasion offered. After the death of his father he came to Rockford with his mother and fam- ily and found employment with the W. F. & John Barnes Company, where he remained for three years. He then became an instructor in a busi- ness college and so continued for eighteen months, when he went on the road as a salesman for the Diamond Ink Company of Milwaukee, Wis., and also sold fountain pens. and so con- tinued for fifteen years. During this period he experimented with fountain pens and invented the Rider Perfection fountain pen, which of- fered superior advantages to anything then on the market. After succeeding in producing a superior product he patented it, and in 1903 organized The J. G. Rider Pen Co., of which he is president. He has just completed a new, self-filling pen, which reduces the number of parts in the mechanism from five to one and gives equal efficiency, and he has applied for a patent. He is also the inventor of the Brush- well paste bottle, which has come into such gen- eral use, and he is constantly working to secure improvements on utilitarian articles, having nat- ural inventive genius along this line.

In 1889 Mr. Rider married Miss Lucy E. Robbins, a daughter of Elder Robbins of Kane- ville, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Rider have had the fol- lowing children : Lucille E., who died at the age of three years; Clea M., who died at the age of six and one-half years; and H. Kenneth, J. Merle, Theodore Bruce and Roselle D.

Mr. Rider is an active member of the State Street Baptist Church. Politically he has always been independent, believing that party lines are too narrow to meet the public needs. Corinne Rider-Kelsey, the famous singer, is a sister.

RIDGLEY, Edward. Few men who risked life and limb during the Civil war, to preserve the integrity of the Union, fail to look back with pride upon their service as soldiers, and it is only just and right that their bravery and loy- alty be appropriately recognized. Rockford numbers among its substantial citizens old sol- diers who, in the years that followed the mighty conflict, proved themselves equally desirable as private citizens. One of these veterans and business men of the city is Edward Ridgley. He was born at Chambersburg, Pa., August 26, 1846, a son of Richard and Ellen (O'Neil) Ridgley, natives of Maryland and Pennsylvania. The father was a moulder by trade. He went to Pennsylvania and there married, and died in that state in 1873. The mother passed away in 1890.

Until he was twenty years old, Edward Ridgley remained at home, and then went to Chicago, where he worked at his trade of a plasterer, which he learned in Baltimore, Md., and remained there until 1866. In that year he came to Rockford, where he has since re- mained with the exception of three years, between 1871 and 1874, which he spent at Chi- cago. Upon his return to Rockford he resumed his trade and later entered into a contracting business which has been developed into a very

flourishing one. In June, 1863, Mr. Ridgley enlisted for service during the Civil war, at Chambersburg, Pa., in Company I, Twenty-first Pennsylvania Cavalry, and was assigned to the Shenandoah Valley and did scout duty there and in different parts of Virginia. He participated in a number of engagements and skirmishes. Mr. Ridgley received his honorable discharge in March, 1864, and returned to his Pennsylvania home, where he remained until he left for a more western location.

In May, 1873, Mr. Ridgley was married at Arlington Heights, Ill., to Mary Wehrli, born at Wheeling, Cook County, Ill., a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Wehrli) Wehrli, natives of Switzerland. Mr. and Mrs. Ridgley became the parents of the following children: Mary Ellen, who is Mrs. George Wheat, of Rockford ; Edna, who is at home; Frank R., who resides at Rock- ford; and Irma, who is at home. Mr. Ridgley belongs to Winnebago Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 31, and Nevius Post No. 1. G. A. R., of which he has been commander since January, 1914. In the spring of 1898, Mr. Ridgley raised Company D, Twelfth Provisional Regiment of Illinois, for service during the Spanish-American war, Hon. Charles Fuller, ex-congressman, of Belvidere, Ill., being colonel of the regiment. This regiment was not required, but held itself in readiness in case it was needed.

RISBERG, E. B., junior member of the firm of Clark & Risberg, retail and wholesale grain dealers, located at No. 610 Seventh street, Rock- ford, is one of the substantial business men of Rockford. He has risen to his present position through his own efforts, unaided by influential friends or favors of fortune. He was born at Minneapolis, Minn., April 20, 1893, a son of Nels and Oline (Hanson) Risberg.

Nels Risberg was born in Sweden and his wife was born in Norway, and they were married in Sweden. Early in life he learned the tailor- ing trade, and when he came with his wife to the United States he first found employment at this trade at LaCrosse, Wis., and soon after his arrival established himself as a merchant tailor. Later selling his business at LaCrosse, he went to Minneapolis, Minn., where he was engaged in merchant tailoring for a year, but then went back to LaCrosse, where once more he estab- lished himself as a merchant tailor, and con- tinued in that business there until his death, April 28, 1906, when he was sixty-three years old. His widow survives and lives at LaCrosse. In politics Mr. Risberg was a Republican. He belonged to the Norwegian Lutheran Church.

E. B. Risberg was educated in the public schools of LaCrosse, Wis., and learned the black- smithing trade, which he followed for four years. He then entered the Bradley Polytech- nic Institute. at Peoria, Ill., and continued there for two years, when he returned to La- Crosse and engaged with the Trane Company, plumbers, and was there for a short period. Mr. Risberg then took a position with the Shan- non & Mott Company, dealers in flour, of Des

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

Moines, Iowa, and was with this concern until they retired from business. On November 9, 1914, he associated himself with A. W. Clark, in a grain and brokerage business, at No. 610 Seventh street, where they are enjoying a very prosperous trade. They handle grain and feed, butter and eggs at both retail and wholesale, and are now the wholesale dealers of Downey's Delight Oleomargarine. Mr. Risberg is a Re- publican and is a director of the Seventh Street Business Men's Association and belongs to the Knights of Pythias. He is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church.

RISBERG, William F. The business interests of Rockford are so many and so varied in char- acter that ample range is provided here for the exercise of talents of all kinds, and men achieve a prosperity in this city that might not have been theirs elsewhere. One who is deserving of special mention in a work of this class is Wil- liam F. Risberg, whose operations as a shoe merchant have brought him into notice as one of Rockford's successful business men. He was born at Altona, Ill., December 21, 1882, a son of J. P. and Anna (Aspergren) Risberg.

After a boyhood spent at Rockford, W. F. Risberg accepted a position with the Forbes Foundry Company, prior to that having com- pleted his course in the city public schools. For three years he remained with this company and then went with the Love Manufacturing Com- pany foundry, and was there for seven years. The following year he was with the Illinois Sewing Machine Company, receiving $18 per week for his services. Mr. Risberg then became clerk for the E. & W. Shoe Store, and continued with it for seven years. He had, during all this period, proven himself a man of his word, cap- able and industrious, and so when he decided to establish himself in a shoe business, he found no difficulty in securing credit, and no one who trusted him had any reason to regret such ac- tion, for from the start Mr. Risberg was success- ful and met every obligation honorably and promptly. He is now the proprietor of one of the finest shoe stores in Rockford and numbers among his customers the very best and most particular people of the city. His establishment is conveniently located at No. 317 Seventh street. His present prosperity is the outgrowth of his own, unaided efforts, and his success is an encouragement to others to follow his example.

On July 19, 1900, Mr. Risberg was married to Miss Lillian Kuopprath, a daughter of Con- rad Kuopprath of Kingston, Ill. They have two children, Clenna B. and William F., Jr.

ROBERG, William B. Each year of civilization undoubtedly brings deeper appreciation of the artistic combined with the utilitarian, and more people demand that their surroundings express as much beauty as possible without the sacrifice of needful usefulness. Out of this demand has grown the manufacture and sale of arts and crafts furniture, and one of the men who is

finding the handling of this line of goods very profitable, is William B. Roberg of No. 221 E. State street, Rockford. He was born at Rockford, April 19, 1885, a son of William P. and Christine Roberg. William P. Roberg was born at Oland, Sweden, and there he married. He was a contractor in his native land before leaving it for the United States, in 1881, and after locating at Rockford, he continued as a contractor, and has executed the contracts that have produced some of the finest buildings in the city, both residences and business blocks. He is still engaged in this line. Although some- what prominent as a Republican, he has not entered public life as an official.

William B. Roberg grew up at Rockford, where he attended the grammar and high schools, and the Rockford Business College. Later he learned the carpenter trade with his fatlier and was engaged in a contracting busi- ness for eight years. He then went in with the D. R. Meade Co., furniture dealers on S. Main street, and continued this association for two and one-half years. Mr. Roberg then bought out the furniture business of K. Blankenberg at No. 221 E. State street, which he still owns and conducts. His furniture is noted for its artistic beauty, and his patrons increase in number, those who are appreciative going back to him, once they have dealt with him. Fraternally Mr. Roberg is an Elk.

ROBERTS, Charles Augustus, now living in honorable retirement at Rockford, was during earlier years one of the most industrious workers of the city, his activities being directed towards the furniture interests. He was born at East Lulworth, Dorsetshire, England, Decem- ber 29, 1844, a son of Moses and Frances (Lu- cas) Roberts, natives of England. The father died in England, and the mother later married Frederick Champ, and in 1854 they came to Rockford, where Mr. Champ became a moulder for Clark & Utter, and continued to work at that trade until 1882, when he retired. He died May 2, 1911. The mother died June 19, 1903. Mr. Champ was a sailor prior to coming to the United States, and was on the yacht Alarm that lost the cup to this country in the first yacht race ever run for international honors. This vacht had won every trophy, hence consid- erable interest was felt in this race, which took place August 22, 1851, for what was called the Royal Yacht Squadron Cup. The course of the race was around the Isle of Wight, and Queen Victoria and Prince Edward of Wales attended on the royal yacht. The American boat won by twenty minutes. There were fourteen boats entered.

Charles Agustus Roberts was the second child in the family of four children born to his par- ents, the others being: Henry G., who is de- ceased; Sarah A., who is the widow of Jesse B. Fay, resides at No. 724 N. First street, Rock- ford; and Frances, who is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Champ had two sons: Edwin, who is de- ceased; and George H., who lives at Logan,

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Utah. Brought up in England and at Rockford, Charles A. Roberts attended the common schools, and in 1862 began working on Winnebago County farms, so continuing for four years, when he transferred his attention to a manufacturing line and entered the sash, door and blind factory of La Point & Derwent, of Rockford, and re- mained with this firm for five years. He then worked for a season at Dixon, Ill., when, re- turning to Rockford, he erected a fine residence at No. 618 N. Second street. Mr. Roberts then began working for G. W. Bradley, in a sash, door and blind factory, and remained with him for eight years, then was employed in an agri- cultural implement business for W. A. Knowl- ton for thirteen months. He then became one of the original stockholders in the Co-operative Furniture Company, and worked in the machine department and on bench work some years, and for one year he was superintendent, remaining there in all eighteen years. Still later he became a stockholder in the Mechanics' Furniture Com- pany, and worked in its factory until 1910, when he retired from active business.

On January 31, 1872, Mr. Roberts was mar- ried to Maryette E. Newton, born August 27, 1844, at Canandaigua, N. Y., a daughter of Elias and Delia (Benham) Newton, born at Hopewell, N. Y., and in Dutchess County, N. Y. There are no children. Mr. Roberts was brought up in the faith of the Episcopal Church. While he is a Republican, he reserves the right to think and act independent of party lines when he sees fit to do so.

ROBERTSON, Thomas D., page 657.

ROBERTSON, William Taylor, president of the Winnebago National Bank of Rockford and one of the sound, conservative business men of Win- nebago County, has done as much if not more than any other man in this section to shape the financial policy of Rockford and the territory adjacent to it, and to establish the reliability of the business houses located therein. He was born at Rockford, Ill., February 22, 1850, a son of Thomas Duncan and Elizabeth Ann (Taylor) Robertson.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 115

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