Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 97

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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After the death of his first wife, Mr. Kerr conducted his father's farm for two years and then mnoved to Roscoe, where he resided for one summer. In November, 1873, he moved to Rock- ford and engaged in the painting business, and followed this vocation for thirty years, retiring therefrom when appointed to his present position as custodian of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Building at Rockford, where is located G. L. Nevius Post, of the Grand Army of the Republic, of which he was chaplain for nine years. Mr. Kerr is a Republican in his political views, and in 1866 was elected collector of Har- lem Township. He is affiliated with Trinity Lutheran Church. Mr. Kerr is widely known in fraternal circles, having joined the Masons at Roscoe, Ill., in 1865. He served as junior warden and worshipful master and for four years as senior deacon, and then transferred to Rockford Lodge No. 102, of which he has been for three years senior deacon. He belongs also to Arthur Lodge No. 31, Knights of Pythias, at Rockford, of which he has been prelate and chancellor commander, and to Rockford Camp No. 51, Modern Woodmen of America.

KESSLER, Frank Peter, now deceased, but for many years a man of prominence in his commu- nity, and an honored employe of the Illinois Central Railroad, is well remembered by many people of Rockford. He was a native son of the city, born October 20, 1869, a son of Henry and Delia (Davis) (Devoe) Kessler. The father was born in Pennsylvania, and the mother in Oswego, N. Y., in 1842. The paternal grandpar- ents were of Pennsylvania birth and the mater- nal grandparents, Harvey K. and Maria (Miller) Davis, were of Oswego, N. Y. Prior to her mar- riage with Henry Kessler, the mother of Frank Peter Kessler was married at Warren, N. Y., October 12, 1856, to George Devoe, and they had one son, William, who resides at No. 4 Stanley

street, Rockford. Mr. Devoe died at Utica, N. Y., and in 1865 his widow came to Rockford, where, on July 10, 1867, she married Henry Kessler, a blacksmith, who is still living at Rockford. They had one son, Frank Peter Kessler.

After he had finished his course in the public schools of Rockford, Frank Peter Kessler began working in the freight office of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, becoming yardmaster. Later he became a brakeman, and then con- ductor for the Illinois Central Railroad, and was acting in the latter capacity at the time of his death, November 25, 1911. The road had no more efficient or conscientious man, and his serv- ices were highly appreciated.

On February 17, 1892, Mr. Kessler was inar- ried to Nora Curn, born in County Waterford, Ireland, a daughter of Edward and Mary (Tobin) Curn, who died in Ireland. Mrs. Kessler came to the United States in 1881, locat- ing at South Wayne, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. Kessler became the parents of the following children : Edward and Charles, who are at home; Marie, who is Mrs. Charles Alberts, of Rockford; and Mildred. Mrs. Kessler and her children live in a beautiful home at No. 1237 S. Winnebago street. Mr. Kessler was a Republican. He belonged to the B. of R. T. He was a Catholic and lived up to his faith in his everyday life.

KEYE, William Charles, a prosperous grocer at No. 813 W. State street, has one of the most inviting and sanitary establishments of its kind at Rockford. He was born in North Stafford- shire, England, January 6, 1869, a son of Charles and Anna A. (Ash) Keye, natives of the same place as their son. The father was a landscape gardener, and also sold shrubbery for different firms, and dealt in nursery stock of all kinds. In young manhood he was an athlete and won many honors in track events, but died in 1888, aged forty-four years. The mother had died some time prior to that date, of typhoid fever.

William Charles Keye was reared and edu- cated in England and there learned the manu- facture of fancy tile for flooring, and followed this work until he was twenty-three years old. In 1892 he left England for the United States with his brother R. E. Keye, and the brothers located in Harlem Township, this county, where William Charles Keye first worked as a farm hand for a short time, but soon came to Rock- ford, where he worked at whatever came to his land, carriage painting for a short time, then at handling butter, eggs and cream, and then sold real estate. From 1899 to 1913 he was located at No. 112 N. First street in a butter, egg and cream business. On December 31, 1913, he opened his present store at No. 813 W. State street, where he carries a full and varied line of staple and fancy groceries, specializing in butter, eggs, milk and cream. His store is one of the most modern and complete in the city, and his business is a large and profitable one. His political proclivities make him a Progress- ive. Mr. Keye is not the only one of his name in the county, for he has one brother, R. E. Keye,

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

who conducts a store on the East Side. Another brother, Thomas H. Keye, lived on a farm in Harlem Township, where he died in March, 1916. These three industrious, intelligent men made the best of their opportunities, and the survivors are correctly included among the rep- resentative men of Winnebago County.

KIEGEL, J. H., proprietor of the Kiegel grocery store, at No. 429 S. Winnebago street, one of the leading grocery and provision establishments of this part of Rockford, is one of the sound, re- liable men of the county. He was born at Rock- port, Spencer County, Ind., April 6, 1882, a son of Michael and Catherine (Miller) Kiegel, na- tives of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Spencer County, Ind. The father was brought to Spencer County, Ind., by his parents, and the family there se- cured government land, on which a log house was built. The grandparents passed away on this farm which they had considerably improved. The father was educated in Spencer County, Ind., and there married. He rented land for a number of years, but eventually bought his present farm, where he and the mother are now living. In politics he is a Democrat. The Roman Catholic Church holds their membership.

J. H. Kiegel spent his boyhood in his native county, and lived there until he was twenty- three years old, but at that time he went to Owensboro, Ky., and was with the Kentucky Buggy Company for three years, gaining a knowledge of business conditions. For the fol- lowing year Mr. Kiegel was with the carriage works at Huntingburg, Ind., and then went to Chicago where he was employed by Durgard & Kasper, wholesale grocers. After a year with this concern he went to Freeport, Ill., and worked in the carriage factory there for a year, and then came to Rockford. From May 6, 1910, to August 24, 1914, Mr. Kiegel was in the employ of the Emerson-Brantingham Company, but on the latter date he bought the grocery business of Kauffmay Bros., on S. Winnebago street, and has since continued to conduct it as a first class establishment, and his trade is a large and constantly increasing one.

On July 15, 1913, Mr. Kiegel was married to Miss Sue Gunnar, born March 27, 1SSS, who died February 29, 1916, and was buried in the Catholic cemetery. She was a daughter of Charles E. and Sue (Murphy) Gunnar, formerly of Madison, Wis., but now of Rockford. Her father was born in England, and her mother at Madison, Wis. Mrs. Kiegel left one son, Albert C., born Dec. 22, 1915.

KILBURN, Benjamin, page 649.

KILBURN, S. A., whose operations as an elec- trical contractor are of such wide scope that he is a well-known man in his profession, not only at Rockford, but throughout a wide con- tiguous territory, is located at No. 514 W. State street. He was born February 18, 1858, a son of Milton and Adeline (Parker) Kilburn. The parents were born at Keene, N. H., where they

were married, but came west in 1836, locating at Rockford. Here the father purchased land, im- proved it to some extent and lived upon it until his death in 1863, when he was fifty-eight years old. This farm was located three miles north- west of Rockford and comprised a half section of land. The mother lived until aged eighty- three years, dying in 1898, After the death of the father, the mother sold the farm and moved to Rockford. While residing in New Hampshire, the father was a druggist. After he came to Rockford Township he developed into a man of prominence and was the first justice of the peace in that township.

S. A. Kilburn grew up in his native place, and after completing a course at Prof. Louns- burrg's academy, he accepted a position with the American Express Company, and remained with that concern for five years. Desiring to better his condition, he then went with the Central Union Telephone Company as an electrician, and rendered them efficient service for twelve years. Later he became manager for the Union Tele- phone Company at Dixon, and after a connec- tion that lasted six years, he came to Rockford. In addition to severing his business relations when he left Dixon, Mr. Kilburn regretted the llecessity of resigning from the Dixon band, of which he was a highly valued member. Upon coming to Rockford he began taking contracts for electrical work, his place of business being first in the Second National Bank building, but later he was on Chestnut street, and still later he came to his present location, where he has built up a valuable patronage, and is a recog- nized expert in his profession.

In 1898 Mr. Kilburn was married to Lillie Guthrie, a daughter of John and Rachel Guthrie, of Dixon, Ill. Mr. Kilburn belongs to the Mod- ern Woodmen of America and stands well in that order. In politics he is a Republican. A man of trained skill, he understands the require- ments of his business, and his connections make it possible for him to execute his contracts in a manner highly satisfactory to all concerned.

KIMBALL, C. T. Some of the enterprising men of Winnebago County have proven by experiment that it pays them better to specialize along some certain line in agricultural endeavor than to devote themselves to a general farming business. Such a man is C. T. Kimball of Rockton Town- ship who is making a remarkable success of his pheasant farm. He was born at Madison, Wis., in 1858, a son of J. W. and Mary A. (Lamphere) Kimball, natives of Massachusetts and Vermont, respectively. He remained with his parents through boyhood and then went to Janesville, Wis., where he lived until 1897. In the mean- while he had attended the public schools of his neighborhood and began learning the moulder's trade when fourteen years old. He worked at this trade for eighteen years before he came to Rockford and continued in this city for five years. Mr. Kimball then went to Beloit, Wis., and began raising golden pheasants. Later he came to Rockton Township, this county and

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secured sixty-two and one-half acres of land. The beginning of this industry was twenty-six eggs of which he made two settings, and from them he secured seventeen chicks. Of these eleven lived, six being roosters. He now has forty pens, each one containing fonr hens and one rooster, and keeps on adding pens each year. It is impossible to supply the demand although each hen yields from eighty to one hundred eggs per season. These eggs sell for $18 per hundred.

Mr. Kimball was married at Janesville, Wis., to Mary E. James, and they have two children : Nellie E., who is Mrs. Wilson Rector of Marsh- field, Wis .; and Alice J., who is Mrs. J. J. Reed of Beloit, Wis. Mrs. Kimball died in 1908. Mr. Kimball belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America and to the Beavers. He is a man of un- tiring industry and original ideas and his success is opening up a new field for farmers in this locality.

KIMBALL, Henry P., page 705.

KINNEY, William M., a prosperous retired farmer of Durand, Ill., is one of the represen- tative men of Winnebago County. He was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, August 28, 1832, a son of Joseph and Sally ( Mathews) Kinney, the former born at Boston, Mass., in 1793, and the latter in the guard house at Wooster, Ohio, in 1797, while her mother was sheltered in the blockaded refuge for protection against the In- dians. Joseph Kinney walked the entire dis- tance from Boston to Wooster, Ohio, in 1812. He followed farming in Ohio, and lived in both Trumbull and Ashtabula counties, dying in the latter, December 2, 1850, being accidently killed by a falling tree while he and his son, William M., were cutting down trees. His wife died September 1. 1860.

On October 7, 1852, William M. Kinney was married to Barbara Huff, and September 20, 1854, they, with their son, Allison W., left Ohio with a team, joining a party of seven teams, and for four weeks were on the road to Elgin, Ill. There Mr. Kinney and his family left the party to join his brother at Portage, where they remained a year, working land on shares. The next move was made to Avon, Wis., and on April 16, 1856, he came to Laona Town- ship, Winnebago County, and for the following nine years rented land. On the way from Wis- consin Mr. Kinney lost a satchel containing clothing belonging to his wife and $60 in money, but was fortunate enough to recover it later on. In the fall of 1865 he went to Iowa with the idea of buying land, but not liking the country, returned to Laona Township and pur- chased forty acres of land at $16 per acre on which he paid $23 down which amount he realized from the sale of a sow. Later he bought twenty acres for $25 per acre, and still later invested in sixty acres more for $25 per acre. He had a log honse and log stable on his first land, but all the buildings now standing, as well as other improvements, have been built by him. He lived on his farm until March 2,

1901, when he retired and went to the village of Durand which has continued his home. His land is now worth over $115 per acre, which is a considerable advance upon the purchase price. When he first went to Laona Township the county was quite wild and the land covered with stumps and brush. There was not a house in the present village of Durand, and he drew the lumber for the first one built there, from Sugar River to Durand, and also the first load of wheat brought to the market, after the rail- road was built.

On July 23, 18SS, Mr. Kinney lost his first wife, who was the mother of six children, as follows: Allison W., who died August 29, 1913; Thankful Margaret, who was born in 1856, and died October 15, 1865; Mary Rosetta, who is the wife of J. A. Swale of Laona Township; Delmont L., who is of Laona Township; Bert E., who lives on the old homestead ; and Roy L., who is of Laona Township. On March 10, 1889, Mr. Kinney married (second) Mrs. Jane (Rice) Bullis, who lived in Wilbur, Neb., but who came to Laona Township with her sister in 1844.

Politically, Mr. Kinney is independent, al- though for many years he was a Republican. He served Laona Township as commissioner of highways for seven years, school director for nineteen years, and was elected a justice of the peace but did not qualify. He is a stock- holder in the Citizens State Bank of Durand, and a very substantial man in every respect.

KNAPP, Rev. Jacob, for many years was a be- loved minister of the gospel and will long be remembered by the people of Rockford. He was born in Otsego County, N. Y., where he attended school, later attending the University of Madi- son, at Hamilton, N. Y., from which he was graduated, having paid his own way through the institution. He resided with the dean of the university, and did chores in return for his room and board. In his early days he endured many hardships.

Early feeling the call to a religious life, he became an evangelist, and traveled from coast to coast, and it is related that he traveled on foot 300 miles with his luggage on his back. On one of his visits to San Francisco, Cal., he bought 20,000 acres of land for $1 per acre, and later, while attending to the details of the trans- action, sold the property for $2 per acre, so it is easily seen he was an excellent business man as well as minister of the gospel. At the same time he made $800 by exchanging the gold he had brought to pay for the land, for greenbacks possessed by other parties seeking to buy land.

Prior to making the memorable trip to San Francisco. Mr. Knapp was married to Miss Electa Payne. a daughter of Captain Payne, who was a gallant officer of the War of 1812. She died in 1883, aged seventy-four years. In 1846 Mr. Knapp came to Winnebago County, and secured 4,000 acres of land in Owen and Bur- ritt Townships, buying soldiers' warrants for seventy-five cents per acre. Later on he sold

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

some of this land, but reserved enough to give his children valuable farms.

At his death he left $10,000 to Madison Col- lege and $10,000 to home missions, and had a continual life membership free for all his male descendants.

After a life of usefulness, devoted largely to the ministry of the Baptist Church, Mr. Knapp died, in 1873, aged seventy-four years. The old- time traveling evangelist has passed with changed times but the good he accomplished can never be estimated. Mr. Knapp was one of the most eloquent of his kind and could sway great crowds, and led thousands to repentance. To the last he took a great interest in his work, and was always held in the highest esteem.

KNIGHT, Bradford A. The legal profession is one that brings fortli all that is most efficient in a man and develops his faculties and increas- es his knowledge of men and affairs. No attorney can hope to succeed who is not well educated and does not possess certain well known qual- ities, but if he does have these requisites, and a fair amount of industry, he can in this calling climb higher than in any other. One of the leading exponents of the legal fraternity of Winnebago County, is Bradford A. Knight, of Rockford, with office at No. 121 N. Church street, and residence at No. 206 Franklin Place. He was born in Ogle County, Ill., May 29, 1856, a son of Joshua A. and Achsah J. (Davis) Knight.

The father of Bradford A. Knight was a farmer who came to Ogle County, Illinois, from Jefferson County, New York, in 1852, and settled on a farm near Rochelle, Ogle County, Ill., where the father and mother continued to reside throughout their whole lifetime. The father died on the home farm in 1883 and the mother in 1913.

Bradford A. Knight attended the public schools of his home town and later the seminary of Mt. Morris, Illinois, and then matriculating in the law department of the University of Michigan, took the usual law course there and was graduated in that department in 1885.

In, September, 1884, Mr. Knight was married at White Rock, Ogle County, Illinois, to Kate F. Oakes, to whom eight children were born, three of whom. however, died in infancy. The five living children are as follows: William D., who is in the law business with his father ; Arthur J., who is soon to be connected with his father in the law business; Katharine, Alice G. and Dorothy M., all of whom are at home. Mr. and Mrs. Knight sent their eldest son William D. through an eight year course in the graded schools of Rockford, four year course in the Rockford High School, a four year course at Dartmouth College, and a three year law course at Harvard University. Arthur J. grad- uated in the same grade schools and High School at Rockford, and also took a four year course at Dartmouth College, and later graduated from the law department of Kent College, Chicago. The oldest daughter, Katharine Knight, took the

same course in Rockford schools as did her brothers and in the year 1916 graduated from the Northwestern University at Evanston. The daughters, Alice G. and Dorothy M. are being educated in like manner, it being the parents' intention to furnish each of them with a college education. They, respectively, are an intel- ligent family of young people and their progress is a source of much pleasure and pride to their parents.

Mr. Knight is independent in his political views. He is a member of the Court Street Methodist Church of Rockford, Illinois. In his law practice Mr. Knight is one of the most active practitioners at the Winnebago County bar, he having tried numerous cases in Winne- bago County Circuit Court and, also, in the adjoining counties. Mr. Knight tried the first tax title case won in the South Dakota Supreme Court. This case affected the title of property in South Dakota aggregating millions of dollars. In tax title cases Mr. Knight tried several cases in the Supreme Court of South Dakota. He has also tried and won several important cases in the Supreme Court of Illinois. He has the dis- tinction of receiving the largest attorney fee ever paid to date to any attorney of Winnebago County. The case was a complicated one involv- ing an ante-nuptial contract, and in which case his fee was upwards of $40,000. Mr. Knight has the largest private law library in northern Illinois, consisting of upwards of three thousand volumes.

Mr. Knight's activities have not been limited to his law practice, for, in addition thereto, he has been unusually active in business matters. He was the promoter, and, at the present time is an one-half owner and president of the Rock- ford Sand & Gravel Company, a prosperous con- cern of Rockford, Illinois. He organized and promoted the Skandia Furniture Company, the Rockford Desk and Furniture Company, the Climax Slide. and Table Company, the West End Street Railway Company and the West End Furniture Company, all corporations of Rock- ford, Ill. In addition to this, Mr. Knight has been very active in handling investments in real estate. He platted and later sold lands now in and about the City of Rockford, aggregating up- wards of one thousand acres. . He promoted and placed on the market that part of Rockford ;known as "West End," comprising 500 acres ; also B. A. Knight's Subdivision known as "Knightsville," comprising forty acres ; also B. A. Knight's Subdivision of the Waxham farm, com- prising 110 acres ; also B. A. Knight's Subdivi- sion of the Cutler farm, comprising 230 acres ; Rockford Sand and Gravel Company Subdivision, comprising 90 acres ; Rockford Sand and Gravel Company Second Subdivision, comprising 16 acres ; B. A. Knight's Subdivision of the Davey farm, comprising 85 acres ; B. A. Knight's North Main Street Subdivision and B. A. Knight's South Church Street Subdivision.

Mr. Knight has one of the finest residences in the City of Rockford, valued at $25,000. He is also owner of his own office building, worth up-

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wards of $20,000. Mr. Knight has accumulated property which at the present time is estimated to be worth upwards of $250,000. A man of broad vision, he has been able to spread his activities and as his character is forceful and his ability is commanding, he dominates every situation with which he is connected.

KNIGHT, Bradley J., attorney-at-law, with residence at No. 437 Hinkley avenue, Rockford, is one of the leading representatives of the legal profession of Winnebago County, and a man who has won distinction, although still a young man. He was born at Rochelle, Ill., August 17, 1887, a son of Bradley Jay and Mary Adeline Knight, the father being a farmer and stock- man, who was born in Ogle County, Ill. His people came from Herkimer County, N. Y., at an early day, and located in Ogle County, Ill. The Knight family had been founded in New York state in 1740. The mother's family was founded in Vermont in 1762 and she was a direct descendant of Capt. John House, who served in the Revolutionary war. When Mrs. Knight was two years old, her parents moved from Vermont to Wisconsin, where she was reared and educated.

Bradley Jay Knight was reared at and near Rochelle, and after studying in the public schools of that city, matriculated at the Univer- sity of Illinois. He took up the study of law at Rochelle in the office of Delos W. Baxter, and was admitted to the bar June 10. 1910. On July 1 of the same year he established himself at Rockford, and since that time has been en- gaged in the active practice of his profession, having been connected with some of the most important jurisprudence of the county, Mr. Knight gave his country the benefit of his serv- ices for a time as a member of Company H, I. N. G., of Rockford, from which he was hon- orably discharged in 1914. He is a stalwart Republican, and is at present a candidate for the office of state's attorney for Winnebago County, with the intention of coming before the people at the fall primaries of 1916, on the Republican ticket. Mr. Knight owns a modest number of real estate holdings in and near Rockford, and platted the Knight and Stacy's subdivision to the city of Rockford, and pro- cured electric lights for all sections around the subdivision, as well as in it. Rockford Lodge No. 166, A. F. & A. M., Forest City No. 590, O. E. S., the White Shrine of Jerusalem, and the order of Elks, all hold his membership and re- ceive his enthusiastic support.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 97

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