Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 77

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

USA > Illinois > Winnebago County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II > Part 77

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

long companionship being severed by her death, October 23, 1905.

Mr. Cowen is a Republican, and served as town clerk for nine years, as supervisor for ten years, and for thirty years was on the village board of Rockton, and for two of those years was its president. The Odd Fellows and Nevius Post No. 1, G. A. R. hold his membership.

COX, Henry, formerly a resident of Rockford, and a man who possessed sterling traits of char- acter that made him an influential factor wher- ever found, was born at Bentley, Hantshire, England, July 10, 1836, a son of James and Rebecca (Milan) Cox who died in England. Henry Cox came to Rockford in 1857, having lost his mother when he was only eight years old. After residing a year in Rockford, he went back to England and spent a year in his native place. In 1859 he once more came to Rockford and began working for Moses Bart- lett in his grist and flour mill, remaining with him for many years. He was then with the firm of Chick & Cox, as junior member, in the flour business. Subsequently he traveled for the Bart- letts and in the later years of his life was traveling salesman for Johnston Bros. Company of Milwaukee, and while on one of his trips for this firm, met with an accident which confined him to his bed for three weeks, and then com- plications set in and he died March 29, 1897. He served as a member of Company No. 1 of the Rockford Volunteer Fire Department, and was a reliable man in every respect. Fraternally he belonged to the Masons and Odd Fellows of Rockford. The Christian Union Church of Rock- ford held his membership.

On July 10, 1862, Mr. Cox was united in mar- riage with Ann Rew, who was born in Somerset- shire, England, September 29, 1837, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Gould) Rew both of whom died in England. Mrs. Cox came to the United States in 1857, and made her home with her half brother, John Lake, of Rockford, until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Cox became the parents of the following children: Alice, who is Mrs. H. W. Kauffman of Rockford; Minnie, who is the widow of A. S. Ellsworth of Chicago; Edith R .; Harry V .; Grace, who died at the age of nine years; Joseph R., Olive B. and Herbert, who are residents of Rockford. Mrs. Cox helped to make the flag that was presented to Col. Ellsworth, the early martyr of the Civil war. She owns a handsome resi- dence on Penfield place and is highly respected at Rockford.

COY, Robert Edwin, M. D. The late Dr. Robert Edwin Coy was a physician who not only gained the confidence of his patients because of his skill as a practitioner, but also won the respect of his community through his many excellent qualities as a man. For years he was a familiar figure in Winnebago County, and a potent factor in the life of Rockford. A native son of the county, he was born in Guilford Township, July 10, 1848. His father, William Coy, was born in England,

1030

HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

but came to the United States in young manhood, and after locating in Winnebago County met his future wife, Isabella Ziebach, a native of Penn- sylvania. After their marriage they located in Guilford Township.

Growing up on his father's farm, Robert E. Coy in boyhood attended the public schools of his district, and later took a course in a com- mercial college, following which he traveled for a time in the interests of an agricultural im- plement firm and acted as a bookkeeper for a lumber company. Later he began the study of medicine, entering what was then the Chicago Medical College, but is now the Northwestern Medical College, in 1891, being graduated there- from. Returning to Winnebago County, he en- tered upon a general practice at Rockford, and so continued until his death, November 21, 1905.

On May 16, 1894, Dr. Coy was married to Etta M. Swezey, a native of Winnebago County, and a daughter of A. J. and Malinda (Bruner) Swezcy. Dr. and Mrs. Coy became the parents of a daughter, Isabella Mary, who was born February 25, 1905. Dr. Coy was elected town- ship assessor of Guilford Township, and held other offices, and was faithful to all trusts re- posed in him. A strong temperance man, he upheld his principles whenever he thought it necessary, and no doubt influenced many to follow his example.

CRAIG, Abbie Jewett. The county superintend- ent of schools, Abbie Jewett Craig, is a native of Winnebago County, a genuine "Winnebago." Born and reared on a farm, taught by parents who "walked and talked with Nature" to con- sider the "tilling of the soil," the noblest of all occupations, Mrs. Craig has an inherent love for country life which lent enthusiasm to her work as a country school teacher and inspires her work as county superintendent of schools.

Abbie Jewett Craig was the youngest of six children born to John Randolph and Elizabeth Gilmour Jewett at Harrison, Winnebago County, Ill. The two sisters, Clara and Ella, passed away in early womanhood ; one brother, John R. Jewett. lives in Nebraska ; another, George L. Jewett, makes his home in Rockford; and the third, Robert Burns Jewett, resides on the home- stead at Harrison.

The Jewett family in America was founded by Maximilian and Joseph Jewett who with their wives and children sailed from Hull in the ship "John of London" with a body of Puritans under the leadership of Ezekiel Rogers in the autumn of 1638 and reached Boston, December 31, 1638. In the spring of 1639 they settled at Rowley, Mass., where they became men of affairs. Max- imilian and Joseph Jewett were sous of Edward Jewett, clothier, Bradford, Yorkshire, England. In the country graveyard at Rowley, where niue generations of Jewetts repose, may be seen a fitting memorial to the two brothers from whom the most of the Jewetts in America are de- scended.

Mrs. Craig's father, John Randolph Jewett, came to Winnebago County from Genesee

County, N. Y., in 1838. He became an intimate friend of Stephen Mack with whom he worked for a time at Rockton, building the first bridge that ever spanned Rock River. Mr. Jewett took up land on the bank of the Pecatonica River near the present village of Harrison. After several uusuccessful attempts to construct a permanent dam across the river to operate his sawmill, he gave up milling and devoted his entire attention to farming. Her mother, Elizabeth Gilmour Jewett, a native of Kentucky of Scotch descent on the father's side aud a Virginian on the mother's side, came to this county in the early forties. After living at Roscoe for a time Mrs. Jewett's step-father, Richard H. Smith, moved his family to Harrison where she met and afterwards married Mr. Jewett. Mrs. Jewett was one of the pioneer school teachers, having taught school iu a log cabin south of Harrison in what is now known as the Young's district. Mr. Jewett was a man of sterling qualities, esteemed by his fellow townsmen and widely known in the county. Mrs. Jewett ever took an active part in community life and was beloved for her ready sympathy and good works.

Handicapped by a delicate physique which pre- vented her from attending school away from home, Abbie Jewett Craig was, iu a sense, self educated, studying with private teachers both before and after her marriage, and having the assistance of parents who thoroughly appreciated books and who owned a modest library of the best authors. While a pupil in the Harrison school Mrs. Craig won the highest honors in the township for scholarship, aud was given a life scholarship to Becker's Business College, for specimens of school work exhibited at the county fair. At the age of sixteen she received a teacher's certificate and became a public school teacher. Shortly afterwards she was granted a first grade certificate, one of the two held by teachers in the northern part of the county at that time. A number of years ago Mrs. Craig took work at the DeKalb State Normal School.

In 1885 Abbie Jewett was united in marriage to Robert Burns Craig, at the Jewett home in Harrison. Mr. Craig came to Harrison from Camden, N. Y., in 1880. His father, a Scotch- man, was killed in action beside the Rappahan- nock River during the Civil war. Mr. Craig studied law in the office of Frost and McEvoy and was admitted to the bar in 1889. He prac- ticed law for a time in Rockford where he made many warm friends who still remember "Bob" Craig most kindly. He was a member of the Rockford Rifles for a number of years and at the time of his discharge from the militia, a few months before his death in 1898, he was a mem- ber of the Colonel's staff.

Two daughters, were born to Mr. and Mrs. Craig: Elizabeth and Ruth H. Beth passed away at four years of age; Ruth H. graduated from the Rockford High school in the class of '15 and is now attending college.

Mrs. Craig taught a few summer terms in the country schools before her marriage and after marrying taught a part of the time until the

1031

HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

spring of 1891 when for about ten years she devoted her time to family duties. Her hus- band's death throwing her upon her own re- sources for the support of herself and infant daughter, she again entered the teaching pro- fession. For six years she taught the Shirland school during which time the school attracted considerable attention through the "Annual Re- port of Winnebago County Schools." A collec- tion of work from the school-during that time including hand work and the first articles of sewing done in a one room school in the county, made no small part of the educational exhibit from Winnebago County at the St. Louis World's Fair. Leaving Shirland Mrs. Craig spent three years teaching in the graded school at South Beloit, the last year as assistant principal. In the fall of 1911 she entered the Rockford schools and for two years was given special work, at times acting as assistant principal and principal of the ward schools.

At the September session of the county board of supervisors in 1913. Abbie Jewett Craig was selected to fill the vacancy in the office of county superintendent of schools, a selection which the people of the county endorsed at the polls in November, 1914, by electing her to the position for four years by a large majority.

Mrs. Craig has established an excellent record for faithful, devoted and capable service and has secured the cooperation and confidence of- her fellow-workers in the cause of education.

CUNNINGHAM, Benjamin F., for a number of years was a prosperous farmer of Winnebago County. He was born at Petersboro, N. H., Feb- ruary 3, 1820, a son of James and Sarah (Cun- ningham) Cunningham. These parents in May, 1839, came to Winnebago County, Ill., and en- tered land from the governmnet in Rockford Township, where they lived until the early '50s, retiring then and moving to Rockford.

Benjamin F. Cunningham was educated in the academy of his native place and came to Win- nebago County a short time before his parents. Until two years after his marriage, he resided with them, then purchased a farm near Center- ville where he lived for three years, then spent one winter in Rockford, and then bought a farm of eighty acres on the state road, four miles west of Rockford, but after three years sold it and bought a residence at Rockford, where he lived until 1858. He then went to California by water, and back, running a stage for his brother. He was gone two years, then he traded his city property for a farm near Peca- tonica, this county, and it continued his home until 1868, and in the spring of 1869 this house was built. In that year he sold and came back to Rockford, but within a year he bought another farm, seventy acres, just one-half a mile south of Rockford. There he carried on general farm- ing although for a number of years he was an invalid, and in the fall of 1870 he returned to California for his health, but in the fall of 1871 returned to Rockford. From 1872 to 1879 he again went to California and with his

brother in Nevada City, Cal., again staged and carried mail and passengers. His death oc- curred in June, 19, 1900, since which time his widow has resided on the farm, although she rents out her cultivated land.

On March 14, 1844, Mr. Cunningham was mar- ried to Clarissa Jane Mandeville, born April 1, 1822, in Genesee County, N. Y., a daughter of Michael and Elsie Ann (Corey) Mandeville. The former was born at Cornwell-on-the-Hudson, N. Y., and the latter was also born in New York. There were several brothers by the name of Corey, and one, Alonzo Corey, owned 1,700 acres of land along the banks of Rock River just south of Rockford, with an island of several acres. Mr. Mandeville was a soldier during the War of 1812. In 1839 the family came to Winnebago County, locating on land they entered from the government. Mr. and Mrs. Mandeville had the following children : Henry N., who is deceased ; Stephen, who died at the age of four years ; Clarissa Jane; Courtland, who died in 1912; Horton, who died in 1909; Harriet P., who is the widow of John Gilbert and resides at Fort Wayne, Ind .; and Edward W., who lives at Santa Barbara, Cal. Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham had one daughter, Jennie E., who lives with her mother.

Mr. Cunningham was affiliated with the Chris- tian Union Church. He held several county and township offices, and was a man of probity and uprightness. Mrs. Cunningham is a remark- able lady, possessed of all her faculties and re- members innumerable interesting events of the early days in Winnebago County. She recalls the trip to Illinois by water to Toledo and from there here by trains. Rockford was a small village then. She learned to card and spin when a girl. She celebrated her ninety-fourth birth- day, April 1, 1916, a memorable occasion on which she received presents and congratulations from many friends.

CUNNINGHAM, Isaac N., page 646.

CUNNINGHAM, Samuel, page 658.

CUNNINGHAM, Willard, page 658.

CURREN, Thomas F. The rapid growth of Rockford has developed great activity in all building lines, and given an outlet for the abilities and business tastes of some of the city's most representative men. One of those who has held contracts for some of the finest residences of the city, is Thomas F. Curren, con- tractor and builder, of No. 1127 Peach street. He was born at Marengo, Ill., December 2, 1860, a son of Richard and Katherine ( Care) Curren, natives of Ireland. They came to the United States when young, and were married in McHenry County, going to live on a farm in that county at that time,

Thomas F. Curren was reared on this farm and educated in the country schools of his neighborhood. Until he was eighteen years old, he worked on his father's farm, and then began

1032

HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

learning the carpenter's trade. In 1891 he came to Rockford, and in 1895 began working for W. H. Cook, and continued with him until 1907, when Mr. Curren branched out as a con- tractor and builder, confining his operations to residential work. He has recently completed two $12,000 residences on Garfield avenue for an important realty firm of Rockford, and has held contracts for twelve other residences for this same firm, and for twenty-seven other resi- dences as well. He employes an average of six men and is recognized as one of the most skillful and reliable builders in the city.

In 1892 Mr. Curren was married to May B. Wells who was born in McHenry County, and they have had two children : Nina A. and Margie L.

CURTIS, Henry B., a prominent business man of Winnebago County, who is extensively en- gaged in buying wool and fur being an expert in his line, is conveniently located in the village of Roscoe. He was born at Beloit, Wis., October 22, 1849, a son of Dr. John and Roxanna (Wood) Curtis. Both parents were born in Maine, the mother at Blue Hill. Both died in Illinois. After being graduated from a medical college in his native state, Dr. John Curtis went to Wisconsin, and spent a short time at Beloit, but later moved to Roscoe, Winnebago County, Ill., where he practiced medicine for a number of years. He then bought 120 acres of land near Roscoe and operated it for fifteen years, but subsequently returned to the village of Ros- coe, and there continued to practice medicine until his death.

H. B. Curtis attended school at Harlem, Ill., and after his marriage, in 1873, spent two years on his father's homestead, following which he moved to Roscoe and began buying and shipping wool and fur, and has since continued in this line. He is an expert in the sorting of fur, which work he does during the winter for the W. F. Warner Company of St. Louis, Mo. Dur- ing his earlier business experience, he operated a meat market at Roscoe for a short time.

In 1873 Mr. Curtis was married to Miss Alice Ritcherson, a daughter of William M. and Lucy A, (Warner) Ritcherson, and they have one child, Rubie Curtis. She married Wyman Love- joy of Harlem Township. In politics Mr. Curtis is a Republican and has been village clerk for nine years and a school director five years. The Methodist Church holds his membership and re- ceives his generous support.

William M. Ritcherson, father of Mrs. Curtis, was horn at Spencer, Mass., September 3, 1820, and his wife was born at Lima, Conn., near Weathersfield, September 19, 1824. They were married February 12, 1850, at Roscoe, Ill., and there they lived and died. The paternal grand- father of Mrs. Curtis died in Massachusetts, and William M. Ritcherson came to Roscoe, Ill., in 1839, he then being nineteen years old, accom- panied by his brother Benjamin. Both were expert mechanics, and they opened at Roscoe a shop for the purpose of manufacturing the

Roscoe plow, an implement that later became known all over the country. Mr. Ritcherson brought the first sulky plow into Winnebago County. He was a man of means and enterprise and continued his manufacturing activities until he retired from business. In addition to his business interests he owned 160 acres of land near Roscoe.

CUTLER, Robert. Although only two months of his useful life were spent at Rockford, Robert Cutler left descendants who have contributed largely towards the development of this city and county, so that he deserves much more than pass- ing mention in a record of this character. Born in Lancastershire, England, in 1802, Robert Cut- ler lived in his native land until 1840, but in that year came to the United States, and landed at New York City with but twenty-five cents in his pocket. To the determined man this made but little difference, for he was willing and able to work, and he secured employment on the Erie Canal then in process of construction. As soon as he had enough money, which was during that same year, he came on as far as Chicago, when it was but a little village of muddy streets. The future metropolis did not attract him, so he came on to Rockford, but only remained a couple of months, moving on a farm in Boone County, Ill., that he entered, and on it he resided the remain- der of his life, dying there in 1894.

While living in Rockford, on January 1, 1841, Mr. Cutler was married to Mary (Payne) Kerley, born in Crocerton, England, in 1807, a widow who had three children, namely : Rhoda, Mrs. Freeman Biglow, is now deceased; David, who died at Rockford ; and Joseph, who died in Wash- ington. Mrs. Cutler died in 1874 in Rockford, Ill. They had the following children : Anna M., who is Mrs. William J. Wilson of Beloit, Wis .; William H., who lives on the old farm in Boone County, Ill .; Edward H., who died at Chicago; Caroline S., who married Charles Willson, an attorney of Belvidere, Ill., who moved to Rock- ford, but died within two years and his widow in 1876, returned to Boone County, Ill., but later came back to Rockford, where she still lives, having two children-Mary E., who is with her, and Robert H., who lives at Los Angeles, Cal., inarried Edith Penfield and has two children -- Janet and Robert; James H., who is on his father's old farm; Ida I., who is Mrs. James Blake of Wood River, Neb .; Mrs. Anna M. Wil- son, who is a widow, has two children-Delphine E. of Rockford and Florence of Beloit, Wis .; James H., who married Addie Marsden, has two children-Archie and Meda, who are at home; and Ida, I. has one son, Frank Blake of Idaho. All members of the Cutler family are doing well and are desirable additions to every community where they have seen fit to locate.

DAILEY, Leo C., proprietor of the Congress Confectionery Company at No. 203 W. State street, one of the most popular establishments of its kind on the West side, is one of the pros- perous and alert young business men of Rock- ford, He was born in Rock River Township,

Minsel Publishing Company

Ellen M. Starr

1033

HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

Stephenson County, Ill., February 24, 1885, a son of Edward and Mary (Bradley) Dailey. Edward Dailey and wife were born near Chicago, Ill., and they lett there for Stephenson County early in married life. There the father bought a farm and conducted it until 1890, when he died, aged fifty-five years, and the mother also died on the farm, in 1911, aged seventy-two years. In politics the father was a Democrat. He belonged to St. Patrick's Catholic Church.

Leo C. Dailey was reared on a farm, and at- tended the schools in his district, and the Peca- tonica High school, from which he was grad- uated in the class of 1904. For the following two years he taught school, and was then ap- pointed to a position in the Rockford postoffice and held it for eight years, on June 20, 1914, resigning it in order to establish his present business. Since then he has conducted a general confectionery and ice cream establishment, and serves light luncheons during the noon hour and in the evening, to meet a popular demand. It is his pride that the quality of his goods never varies from the uniform standard of excellence he established at the beginning, and he enjoys a large patronage.

On October 16, 1913, Mr. Dailey was married to Miss Alice Burke, a daughter of Michael and Mary Burke of No. 121 Oakley avenue. Mr. Dailey is essentially a self made man, and has had to work hard for all he possesses for he was the youngest of thirteen children and his parents could give him but little assistance. However, through good judgment and industry he has made a success of his undertakings, and he enjoys the confidence and esteem of all witli whom he is associated.

DALE, Lycurgus M., a member of the firm of Dale & Seaton, land agents at Pecatonica, who formerly was actively engaged in agricultural pursuits in Winnebago County, is a native of Livingston County, N. Y., and his birth occurred July 4, 1850. His parents were Thompson and Adelia (Satterly) Dale, also natives of the Empire state. The father came to Winnebago County with his family in 1856, and located one mile north of the town of Pecatonica where he lived for a year, and then removed to a farm about five miles northeast of the town, making liis home thereon for seven years. The next change took place when he moved to Elton, Ill., and there he lived until his death. By trade he was a cabinet-maker, and conducted a shop in New York state, where he manufactured fur- niture and coffins, all of the work then being done by hand. All of the furniture in his own home after his removal to Illinois was made by lıim, and he did some cabinet work for others, and also executed some jobs of painting al- though the greater part of his time was devoted to liis farming on rented land, and raised cattle, horses and hogs. During the last eight years of his life he was in poor health and it was. thought that he had been poisoned by the fumes from the paint he had used in painting. He held member- ship in the order of Odd Fellows, and favored

the teachings of the Baptist church. His poli- tics accorded with the Jeffersonian principles of democracy. He died September 20, 1870, at the age of fifty-four years. He and his wife had the following children: Dallas, who died in in- fancy ; Homer T., who is living at Carthage, Mo., is married and has one child; Philetus L., of Emporia, Kas .; Lycurgus M., who is the fourth of the family ; Lillie A., who died at the age of nine years three months and three days; Chauncy C., who died at the age of two years; Chancler Alexander, a twin brother of Chauncy C., who is a resident of Emporia, Kas., has his second wife and they have five living children ; and Perry, who died at the age of eighteen months.

Lycurgus M. Dale remained at home until nine years old when he began working, following the men mowing hay, his task being to turn it over. He thus worked all day long and for ten cents per day, and continued on the farm and by the time he was eleven years old he was receiving six dollars per month, and as his years increased, lie received still better wages. For thirteen summers he continued to work on farms, and in the winter. seasons he attended school until fifteen years old. The winter he was sixteen years old he and his brother, who was two years his senior, chopped 100 cords of wood. Through another winter he was engaged in teaming as well as wood chopping. When he was eighteen he went to Iowa, but soon returned to Illinois where he worked in a mill and as a farm hand, by the month, until he was twenty-five years old. At that time he began farming on shares and so continued for seven years. In 1882 he began buying and selling stock. He then went to Kansas and was engaged in various lines of business at Emporia for five and one-half years, when once more he returned to Illinois, and commenced farming on eighty acres of land in Winnebago County. In the spring of 1903 he bought of John D. Jackson, a fine home in Pecatonica, surrounded by five acres of land, and since then has been a land agent, and a member of the firm of Dale & Seaton, his part- ner being W. S. Seaton. The firm is doing an excellent business.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 77

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