Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 119

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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On January 25, 1865, Mr. Sherer enlisted in Company D, Eleventh Illinois Volunteer Cavalry for service during the Civil war, and was at Memphis and LaGrange and in Mississippi doing guard duty and for patriotic purposes. Robert G. Ingersoll was the first colonel of the regi- ment. Mr. Sherer was discharged at Memphis, September 30, 1865, and returned to Rockford where he resumed his business occupation. While associated with the printing business, he established the Rockford Furniture Journal and conducted it for eighteen months, and then sold to a.company which now is the Furniture Jour- nal Company of Chicago. While in the office, Mr. Sherer invented and manufactured a type adjustifier or copper which is now universally used for spacing type.

On February 14, 1877, Mr. Sherer was married

to Anna B. Spalding, born at Byron, Ill., a daughter of Asa G. and Susan B. (Welding) Spalding, natives of Pennsylvania, where he was born August 10, 1809, and she January 27, 1813. They married in Pennsylvania, and in 1835 came to Byron, Ogle County, Ill. Mr. Spalding was the first postmaster and justice of the peace at Byron. In 1855 he came to Rock- ford, and died here April 21, 1893. His wife died in this city November 16, 1891. The Spald- ing family is of English descent, and Mrs. Sher- er's paternal grandfather, Harry Spalding, was a colonel in the Revolutionary war, and the family was otherwise represented in that great struggle. Mr. and Mrs. Spalding had the fol- lowing children : Lemira, who was born in 1835, died in 1839 ; Frances I, who is deceased ; Sarah, who is Mrs. W. A. Daniells, of Rockford; Ed- ward B., who is of Sioux City, Iowa ; James D., who died April 4, 1913; and Mrs. Sherer, who is the youngest. There were no children born to Mr. and Mrs. Sherer. Mrs. Sherer is a member of the First Baptist Church of Rockford and is active in its many good works. Mr. Sherer is a Republican, and served as supervisor for four years of Rockford, and was on its board of edu- cation for six years, and in the city health de- partment for three years. Nevius Post No. 1, G. A. R. holds his membership.

SHERMAN FAMILY, The. The name Sherman originated in the North of Germany, transferred to the vicinity of London by the Anglo-Saxon emigration, thence to Dedham, Essex County, England, and thence again to New England, where it has become numerous and widely dif- fused. In the year 1634, Samuel and John, his brother, and John a first cousin, came out of Dedham, in the County of Essex, in England. Samuel married Sarah Mitchel in America, who came over with him. They settled at Stratford, in Connecticut. The two Johns settled in Water- town, in Massachusetts. The motto on the coat of arms of Sherman is-"Conquer Death by Virtue."

Samuel Sherman came to America in the ship "Elizabeth," from Ipswich, leaving in April and landing in Boston, Mass., in June, 1634.

Linus Sherman, eldest son of Daniel and Jemima (Crofut) Sherman, born August 20, 1776, married Artemisia Curtis November 6, 1800. He was a man of marked intellectual ability as student and teacher, of a delicate or- ganization, a hopeful temperament, possessed a powerful memory and was a fine singer. He lived on his farm on Chestnut Hill in Zoar, New- town, Conn., but was too delicate to work it. Was a public school teacher and teacher of vocal music. Died of typhoid fever in September, 1823.

Artemisia (Curtis) Sherman was born May 5, 1778, and lived in Newtown, a very great reader, especially of the Bible. She died in Bethany at the home of her daughter, Hannah Sherman Prince, in 1846; buried in Zoar Cemetery, New- town County. She was the mother of seven chil- dren.

David Sherman, only son of Linus and Arte-

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misia (Curtis) Sherman, was born in Newtown, Conn., March 24, 1804, married Elmira (Pearl) in Guilderland, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Willey) Pearl of Albany Connty, N. Y., October 23, 1831, where for twenty-one years he superin- tended a woolen factory. He invented felt cloth while in a factory at Danbury, Connecticut. He purchased a farm and lived on it two years, con- tinning his work in the factory and hiring his farming done, nntil the spring of 1851, when he emigrated with his family to Illinois, locating on Rock River near Rockford and engaged in farm- ing. In February, 1852, he entered government land in Rock Island Connty near Port Byron, building thereon a comfortable frame house and otherwise improving it, doing the greater portion of the work himself.

He was a master mechanic, understood mech- anism in all its manifold branches and conld build anything he undertook. In 1854 he sold his farm and moved to Toronto, Clinton Connty, Iowa, where he died October 12, 1854, from typhoid fever at the age of fifty years. He was a lover of home and children, temperate in his mode of life, laborions in his application to busi- ness or the pursuit of knowledge. Mnsic was his favorite recreation, playing the violin and finte. His widow, Elmira Pearl Sherman, was born November 15, 1813, in Guilderland, Albany County, N. Y. Their children were : Mary Elmira, born December 5, 1832, died April, 1835, in Troy, N. Y. ; Hannah Lovina, born October 4, 1835, in Troy, N. Y .; William Pearl, born Febrn- ary 15, 1837, in Newtown, Conn .; James Linus, born April 11, 1839, in Guilderland, N. Y .; Dan- iel, born April, 1842, died Jnne, 1842; Mary Pearl, born May 11, 1845, Guilderland, N. Y .; Frances Anna, born May 29, 1847, Guilderland, N. Y .; Phebe Etta, born in Guilderland, N. Y .; Sarah Elizabeth, born in Port Byron, Rock Island Connty, Ill., December 3, 1852, died Octo- ber 3, 1854, in Toronto, Clinton County, Iowa. The mother of these children died at Windham, Portage County, Ohio, February 8, 1911. Her burial was in the West Greenville Cemetery.

William Pearl Sherman, son of Daniel and Elmira (Pearl) Sherman, was born in Newtown, Conn., February 15, 1837, married Margaret Ann, danghter of John and Priscilla (Worden) Yates, of Wappinger's Falls, N. Y., October 28, 1860, at Beloit, Wis. Place of residence, Quincy, Ill .; occupation, a commercial traveler. William P. Sherman was a Union soldier in the war of the Rebellion. He enlisted in the United States army August 7, 1862, as a private at Rockford, Ill. He assisted in recruiting Company E, Seventy-fonrth Illinois Volnnteer Infantry and was elected first sergeant and was mnstered into service in Angust, 1862. Col. Jason March commanded the regiment, which was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland, nnder the command of General Rosecrans; the Seventy-fifth brigaded with the Ninety-second Illinois, and the Twenty-second Indiana, Colonel Post commanding. In pursuit of the enemy, the first battle was Chapel Hill, near Nolansburg. Ky. ; second battle. Stone River, near Murfreesboro, Tenn., where Bragg's army

was enconntered and participated in one of the severest and hardest fought battles of the war. William B. Sherman was discharged on surgeon's certificate of disability, May 7, 1863.

James Linus Sherman, son of Daniel and Elmira . (Pearl) Sherman, was born in Guilder- land, Albany Connty, N. Y., April 11, 1839, a farmer of Rockford, Ill., married Emily Alice, daughter of John and Rachel (Biggers) Hold- ridge, November 24, 1870. He entered the Union army September, 1862, in the Seventy-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served with said regiment in the Army of the Cumberland until December 29, 1862; was discharged on account of disability. In 1861 he received from the Secretary of War an appointment as second lien- tenant in the Sixty-eighth United States Colored Infantry, commanded by Col. J. B. Jones ; pro- moted to first lientenant September 19, 1864, and

to captain of Company G, said regiment, October 21, 1865. The Sixty-eighth Colored regiment was a part of the First Division of colored troops, commanded by Gen. J. P. Hawkins and assigned to the Sixteenth Army Corps, under command of Maj. Gen. A. J. Smith, with the various expedi- tions of this command in Tennessee and Missis- sippi, until Febrnary, 1865, when the Sixty-eighth was transferred to the Army of the Gulf, taking an active part in the siege of Mobile, Ala., and the capturing of Fort Blakely, Ala., April 9, 1865. He served continnonsly with said regiment to the close of the war, being among the last to be mnstered ont at New Orleans, La., February 5, 1866.

SHUMWAY, Mrs. Hannah Lovina (Sherman), one of the honored residents of Winnebago Connty. is living at Rockford. She was born at Fort Schuyler, now Troy, N. Y., October 4, 1835, a dangliter of Daniel Sherman, who died about 1854 when fifty-two years old. His wife died when seventy-six years old. They had the following children : Hannah Lovina, William Pearl, James Linus, Mary Pearl, Frances Anna, Daniel, and. Sarah, who died in infancy, and Phoebe Etta, who died at the age of five years. Mr. and Mrs. Sherman moved to Winnebago Connty in 1851, renting a farm on Rock River, bnt a year later moved to Rock Island County, near Port Byron, where they pre-empted a farm from the government and remained a year. They then went to Clinton County, Iowa, where Mr. Sherman died, and the mother and children were separated soon thereafter.

In 1856 Hannah Lovina ' Sherman was mar- ried to Robert B. Holdridge, whom she had known since 1851. He came to Rockford, Ill., from New York with his parents, in 1849. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Holdridge: Francis Horn, who was born Oct- ober 31, 1856, died November 29, 1878; Ella Pearl, who was born November 19, 1860, died in August, 1913; and Charles George, who was born June 10, 1863, married Anna Norton of East Bloomfield, N. Y., December 27, 1898, who died nineteen months later. On November 26, 1884, Mrs. Holdridge was married to R. B. Shnm-

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way. They had no children. Mr. Shumway was born May 25, 1835, at Oberlin, Ohio, a son of David S. and Sallie (Greeley) Shumway. The mother of Mr. Shumway was a cousin of Horace Greeley, and was born in Vermont, February 8, 1806, while the father of Mr. Shumway was born in Vermont, March 27, 1803. They were married November 20, 1825, and came to Illi- nois in 1828. By trade he was a carpenter. They settled in Winnebago County, near Kish- waukee on Rock River, May 29, 1836. R. B. Shumway was a widower when he married Mrs. Holdridge, his first wife, Sarah (Hall) Shum- way, having died in 1883. They had had five children as follows: Alva E., who was born January 1, 1859 ; Carrie F., who was born March 17, 1860, married John McEvoy, and both are deceased ; Hattie M., who was born December 2, 1861, married William Homer of Indian- apolis, Ind., and died leaving one child, Beulah ; Nora J., who was born August 11, 1863, mar- ried George Graham, and is living on a farm in New Milford Township, has three children ; Minnie C., born April 17, 1869, married Arthur Ericson and resides at Rockford; and Harry E., born September 1, 1874, conducted a gen- eral store at Monroe Center, Ill., but is now engaged with Charles Jackson in a real estate business at Rockford.

Mr. Shumway lived all his life since he was one year old in New Milford and vicinity. While residing in New Milford he held the office of treasurer of the Farmers Mutual Insur- ance Company, which position he retained from 1875 until death. He was elected assessor of New Milford in 1873, and held that position un- til 1910 when he was forced to resign on account of failing health. For fifteen years he was clerk of the board of school trustees of New Milford and also held position of treasurer of the school board.

When a small boy his father secured the contract to deliver the mail from Beloit, Wis., to Dixon, Ill. It was Mr. Shumway's semi- weekly task to take the mail from the home to Westfield Corners. He made the trip on horseback, having to ford the river and in the spring and fall when the water was high the lad swam the horse across. He saw the county develop from the time of the battle of Still- man's Run and Black Hawk almost to the present. He was a sufferer from Bright's disease and passed away December 31, 1911.

SHERRATT, John Hall, who, during his life- time was one of the most prominent citizens of Rockford, serving the city as one of its most effective mayors, was a native of Winnebago County. He was born in Burrit Township, April 12, 1845, a son of Thomas and Lydia (Holmes) Sherratt. His parents were natives of England who came to the United States young, both settling in Pennsylvania, where they were married. Soon thereafter they came to Winnebago County, Ill., and lived on a farm they purchased until 1848, when they moved to

Rockford, and there the father embarked in a saddle and harness business.

John Hall Sherratt was educated in the local schools of his native township and the Rock- ford High school. In 1862 he enlisted in the company raised by the Young Men's Christian Association, which became a part of the Seventy- fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and he served during the Civil war and in the army after- wards until 1866. He was provost marshal at Huntsville, Ala., on the staff of General Grier- son. Being pleased with the climate and local- ity, he bought a plantation after his period of service expired, and spent several years in that section. Returning to Rockford, Ill., he became agent for the Rockford Insurance Company, hav- ing charge of the business of that concern for the state of Illinois. Later he went in with the Forest City Insurance Company, and be- came its secretary and later its president, serv- ing in the latter capacity for a quarter of a century. He was also president of the Third National Bank of Rockford for ten years, hold- ing that office at the time of his death, March 15, 1906. His popularity and sound business sense made him the logical people's candidate for mayor when it was decided to place a busi- ness man in the executive chair, and his subse- quent election and administration proved that the faith his fellow citizens placed in him was justified. Mr. Sherratt belonged to the Illinois Post of the Loyal Legion, and was senior vice commander at the time of his death. Nevius Post No. 1, G. A. R., also held his membership. For many years he was a member of the board of trustees of the Winnebago County Home for the Aged, acting as such when death claimed him, and he was also president of the Army & Navy League during the Spanish-American war.

On December 13, 1873, Mr. Sherratt was mar- ried to Harriet Wight, born at Rockford, a daughter of James M. and Harriett (Barnum) Wight, natives of Huntington, Mass., and Dan- bury, Conn. Mr. Wight left a law school in New York state to come to Rockford in 1838, and was joined the year later by his brother, Ambrose Wight. James Wight was recognized as the most highly educated lawyer of his times in Winnebago County. At the time of his death Mr. Wight was the attorney for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad at Rockford. He never abandoned his studies and reading so that he was a very well read and informed man not only in his profession but outside of it. His death occurred December 5, 1877. Mrs. Wight came to Rockford in 1839, being then a school girl. She died in 1852. There was one son born to Mr. and Mrs. Sherratt. Mrs. Sherratt attends the Congregational Church. She is a dame of the Loyal Legion, of Chicago, and is a member of the Woman's Club, the Monday Club, the Eighty-four Club, and is a trustee of Rockford College and the Winnebago County Home for the Aged, and of Rockford Hospital, being a lady of broad sympathies and many charities.

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SHERWOOD, Charles Morton. One of the men who while living was regarded as one of Rock- ford's substantial meu and desirable citizens was the late Charles M. Sherwood. He was born in Dutchess County, N. Y., May 25, 1834, a son of Captain and Salome Sherwood. Captaiu Sher- wood was born in New York State, as was his ' wife. They were married and moved to Living- stou County, N. Y., when Charles was two years old. After a residence at that point for ten years another change was made and removal was accomplished to Galesburg, Kalamazoo County, Mich. After a stay of two years, the family went back to Livingston County, N. Y., where the parents died, and Charles went to live with a sister at Rush, in that county. There he grew to manhood and began working for a rail- road, thus continuing until he was twenty-one years old. He then returned to his sister's home, but left for Rochester, N. Y., in company with his sister and brother-in-law, the two, men em- barking in the hotel business. Still later, Mr. Sherwood went into the hotel business for him- self at Geneseo, N. Y., but in three years sold it, and went first to Rochester, N. Y., for one year, and later to Springfield, Ill. In the fall of 1865; he located at Rockford, and became a commer- cial traveler first for himself, and afterward for the Bell-Conrad Company of Chicago, so con- tinuing for fifteen years, until 1885, when he re- tired on account of poor health. He was a suf- ferer for twenty-five years, and was not actively engaged in any business until his death, which occurred April 3, 1912.

On November 15, 1860, Mr. Sherwood was mar- ried to Miss Elizabeth Terwilliger, a daughter of Abram Terwilliger. Mrs. Sherwood died at Rockford, Ill., in May, 1885. In September, 1886, Mr. Sherwood married her sister, Margaret, who, with her son, Orin S. Rugg, had made their home with them for five years. Mrs. Sherwood still resides at the home, No, 622 Mulberry street, Rockford. Mrs. Margaret Sherwood was mar- ried (first) to Orin P. Rugg, who was born at Saratoga Springs, N. Y. During the Civil War he enlisted in the Seventy-seventh New York Volunteer Infantry, and was killed at the battle of Spottsylvania Courthouse, while in command of the regiment, May 12, 1864. He and his wife had one child-Orin S. Rugg. The latter mar- ried Louise Sealy, a daughter of George Sealy, and they have two children Margaret and Laura. Mr. Rugg is connected with the Nelson Knitting Company of Rockford, On February 8, 1912, Mrs. Sherwood fell, breaking her hip, and was in the hospital at the time of Mr. Sherwood's death, and was not able to attend the funeral. Mr. Sher- wood was a member of the Christian Union Church. Fraternally he was a Mason, while his political convictions caused him to support the Republican party. A man of unswerving integ- rity, he honored his community, and left behind him a name that is remembered with respect.

SHORES, Floyd H., superintendent of meters in the service department of the city water works of Rockford, with residence at No. 219 Adams street, is one of the efficient men in the

employ of the city. He was born at Rockford, November 3, 1883, a son of Milton H. and Cath- erine (Garey ) Shores.

The educational training of Mr. Shores was obtained at Rockford, and after leaving school, he worked iu various of the plants in the city, learning the trade of a machiuist with the Emer- son & Burson Company, being with this concern for four years. In 1903 he began reading meters for the city water works, and was made foreman in 1911, and is now superintendent of his de- partment and one of the most valued of the city employes.

On September 14, 1905, Mr. Shores was mar- ried to Mary Hanson who was born at Rockford. Mr. Shores belongs to the Odd Fellows and the Court of Honor. He attends the Lutheran Church. In politics he is independent. Mr. Shores has installed all the meters in the city, about 11.000, and the service he has and is ren- dering, is of great moment to the city. Faithful, expert and capable, Mr. Shores has fairly won the esteem in which he is held and at the same time placed the people under a debt to him.

SIEWENIE, John G., superintendent and vice president of the Rockford Pure Ice & Fuel Com- pany, with offices at No. 1015 School street, is one of the substantial business men of Rockford. He is rendering the city valuable service in furnishing its people with honest products and reliable service. He was born at Chicago, April 24, 1872, and there educated. He learned the machinist trade and followed it at the Charles Kaistner & Company plant, Chicago, and when lie left the employ of that company, he went into an ice business with his uncle, George Ruh, of Chicago, and so continued until 1910, when he came to Rockford and founded his present business. The Chicago business he and his uncle founded, became a part of the Knicker- bocker Ice Company, and for a time prior to his locating at Rockford, Mr. Siewenie operated that branch for the corporation. The Rockford business he founded, was but a small one in the beginning, and he had but three wagons. In 1911, he incorporated the business with a capital stock of $20,000, and in 1913 increased the stock to $30,000. The company have twelve wagons and control a large and valuable trade. Twenty men are employed.

Mr. Siewenie was married at Chicago, in 1895, to Anne Deutschmann, born in that city. Their children are as follows: John, Edna, Lorine, Myrtle and Glenn, all of whom are at home. He is a member of the Catholic Order of For- resters and the order of Owls. St. Mary's Cath- olic Church holds his membership, and receives his conscientious support. In politics he is in- dependent. Experienced in his line, Mr. Siewenie has been able to forge ahead, and his standing at Rockford in his line, is second to none.

SILL, Anna Peck, page 753.

SIMON, Glenn C., one of the most reliable and popular druggists of the West side, is con- veniently located at No. 319 W. State street,

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

Rockford. He was born at Lawler, Iowa, De- cember 8, 1887, a son of A. J. and Anna (Clap- ham) Simon. The father was also born at Lawler, while the mother was born at Little Turkey, Iowa. In early manhood the father was a stock broker at Woonsocket, S. Dak., but later engaged in a harness manufacturing busi- ness, and is now a manufacturer of cement and tile block silos and resides at Waukon, Iowa. In politics he is a Republican. The mother died in 1897, aged twenty-seven years.

Glenn C. Simon was reared and educated at Lawler and Waukon, Iowa, and when he was fifteen years old went to LaCrosse, Wis., where he took a commercial course. He later entered the Des Moines College of Pharmacy at Des Moines, Iowa, from which he was graduated. Following that he went to Cheyenne, Wyo., where he clerked in a drug store owned by A. E. Rodel, and later was with the Sun Drug Company, at Colorado Springs, Col. Still later he was with the Victor Pharmacy at Victor, Cal. He then went to Los Angeles, Cal., to engage with the Dean Drug Company, and upon leaving that concern, came to Rockford, and on July 1, 1914, embarked in his present business at No. 319 W. State street, his father being interested in the enterprise. Here he carries a full line of drugs and such goods as modern drug stores handle and has one of the finest establishments of its kind in the city.

On October 29, 1914, Mr. Simon was married to Miss Catherine Collins, at Waukon, Iowa, a daughter of T. J. and Mary (Gillespie) Collins of that place. Mr. and Mrs. Simon have one daughter, Marian, born December 13, 1915. Mr. Simon belongs to the Elks, the Order of the Moose and the Knights of Columbus. He is a young man of more than average ability and his long and varied experience makes him one oť the leading men in his profession in this section.

SKEYHAN, Fred F., whose drug store in the Stewart office building, is recognized as one of the best equipped and most reliable in Rock- ford, is one of the leading men in his pro- fession. He is a native of Rockford, born October 22. 1866, a son of Jeremiah and Cath- erine Skeyhan. The father, who was a carpen- ter by trade, moved to Rockford in 1864 and passed away in 1909 ; the mother died in 1911.

Fred F. Skeyhan was reared and primarily educated at Rockford, but later attended the Northwestern University, from which he was graduated in 1889. He then returned to Rock- ford and engaged with John R. Porter & Co., druggists, and held his position with them for fifteen years, having been with them prior to taking his collegiate course. In 1898 Mr. Skey- han embarked in his present business, being in the same location from the start, and he has here built up a fine business and is patronized by the best people in the city. This is strictly a prescription drug store and sells no patent medicine.

On November 6, 1896, Mr. Skeyhan was mar- ried to Miss Julia Code, a daughter of Joseph

Code of Rochelle, Ill., who was connected with the office force of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad at that point. Mr. and Mrs. Skeyhan have three children : Frederick, Cather- · ine and George. Mr. Skeyhan is a member of the order of Elks. An expert in his profession, he combines knowledge and experience with keen business judgment and an appreciation of the requirements of his customers, and his prosperity has been honorably earned.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 119

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