USA > Illinois > DuPage County > History of Du Page County, Illinois 1876 > Part 13
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ROBERT Y. BENJAMIN,
of Wayne, born July 7, 1808, in Franklin county, Ohio. His grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier. In the early part of the war, while home on a furlough, his father, mother, aunt and himself were massacred by Indians, while his wife and seven children were made prisoners and held for eight years ; and strange to say, all were liberated without further loss of life. Daniel, the father of Robert Y., was one of the prisoners. Feb- ruary 25, 1826, Robert Y. married Miss Nancy Grove, of Hopkins county, Ky.
May 9th, 1834, after visiting Kane county and other localities, he finally settled on his present homestead. He buried his first wife, Nancy, March 19, 1860, leav- ing six sons and two daughters. On the 26th day of April, 1867, he married his second and present wife, Mrs. Celestine Stansberry.
CHARLES B. BLODGETT,
born in Downer's Grove, April 16th, 1840, and still resides in the home of his birth. His father, Israel P. Blodgett, was born in Hampshire county, Mass., March 4th, 1797 ; in 1820 he married Miss Avice Dodge, of Belchertown, Mass., and worked with his father at the blacksmith trade until 1830, when he came to Peoria, Ill. In 1831 he returned for his family, and removed them to DuPage Township, Will county, Ill., where he resided on the farm now owned by Abner Royce. In 1836 he again moved, this time to DuPage county, and settled on the farm now owned by C. B. For several years Mr. I. P. Blodgett worked at his trade, and has
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
the reputation of making the first plow which would scour in prairie soil.
He was always in full accord and sympathy with the old Abolition party, and a co-laborer with Lovejoy, Burr and others, in liberating slaves and assisting them to escape, and was always foremost in building school houses, churches, and everything which tended to elevate his fellow man.
Mr. I. P. Blodgett died in November, 1861, at the age of sixty-four years. Of his children, Henry William is now U. S. Judge Northern District of Illinois ; Israel P., jr., now a farmer of Lisle Township, this county ; A. Z., ticket agent N. W. R. R., Waukegan, Ill. ; E. A., druggist, Warrensburg, Mo .; W. H., lawyer, St. Louis, Mo. ; C. B., farmer, on the old homestead. Mrs. Avice Blodgett, widow of I. P. Blodgett, still lives on the old homestead with her son Charles. She is now eighty years old, and enjoys fair health.
J. F. PIERCE,
farmer, came to Illinois in 1835 and settled three miles east of Naperville. In 1847 he married Sarah Blank, of Wayne Township. By this union he had eight chil- dren. Mr. Pierce has always been one of our foremost citizens.
HIRAM H. CODY
was born at Vernon Centre, Oneida County, New York, June 11th, 1827.
His education was thorough, and pursued with the view of entering the legal profession. He removed to Illinois with his father's family in 1843, living at Lis-
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bon, in Kendall County, one year, and then removing to Bloomingdale, in this county, where his father still lives. Was elected County Clerk in 1847, and in August of that year removed to Naperville, where he has since resided. Was admitted to practice law in June, 1851, and at the close of his official term in 1852, declined a re-election and commenced the practice of his profession. Ten years later, in 1861, he was elected County Judge by an almost unanimous vote of the people of his county, without distinction of party, and in 1869 was elected delegate to the Constitutional Convention, at an election controlled by our local issues, with which politics had nothing to do. In this convention he was chair- man of the important Committee of Revision and Adjustment. These offices did not essentially interfere with the practice of his profession, which continued uninterruptedly until September, 1874, when he was elected to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of the Hon. S. Wilcox, in the office of Judge of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, composed of the counties of Kane, Kendall and DuPage. In politics he has ranked as a Democrat, though the Clerkship was the only office he ever held by the vote of a political party. He has taken no active part in mere party politics for a number of years, and since his election as Judge has entirely withdrawn from participation therein.
He was married Dec. 31st, 1846, to Philomelia E., daughter of Parker Sedgwick, M. D., formerly of Oneida county, N. Y., but since 1843 a resident of this county, until his decease. Mr. and Mrs. Cody have been active and prominent members of the Congrega-
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY
tional Church. They have five sons and four daughters, constituting a most interesting, intelligent and promis- ing family. The eldest son, Hiram S., is pursuing his studies with a view of entering the chosen profession of his father, and the second son, Sherman P., is develop- ing business talents that promise success.
Judge Cody's long residence in the county, his active, useful and prominent connection with public affairs, and his devotion to the interests of this people ever since his majority, entitles his name to a place in this history, and his eminent services to perpetual recognition. The appreciation in which he is held was well evinced at the time of his election to the office he now holds. Sup- ported by the most substantial citizens, without distinc- tion of party, he received a majority in every town in the county, and in the three south towns constituting his home, out of one thousand and twenty-one votes there were but fourteen scattering ballots not given for him. The character of the positions he has held is a sufficient test of his ability, and the substantially unan- imous endorsement of an intelligent people, among whom he has lived for over thirty years, speaks in unmistaka- ble language of his merit and standing where he is best known.
EDMOND E. PAGE,
born in New Hampshire in 1824; moved to Illinois in 1838, and settled in DuPage county in 1844; is one of the leading and most energetic men of the town of Lisle. He entered the U. S. service as sergeant, in Co. K, 13th Illinois Volunteers, in 1861; bore an honorable record and was mustered out as 1st lieutenant with his regiment.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
LUTHER BARTLETT
is a native of Conway, Mass. ; located on his present homestead in 1843, with his wife, and engaged in sheep and wool growing. Mr. B. is an enterprising and highly respected farmer. In politics he is a Democrat. His sons and daughters are married, and constitute part of the solid families of the State.
MRS. PHEBE SAYER,
relict of Henry B. Sayer, natives of Orange county, N. Y., settled in DuPage county in 1840, and continued to reside on their farm until December, 1874. Mr. Sayer died at the age of sixty years. Four sons and four daughters reside yet in the county, and with the excep- tion of one son and one daughter are married and sur- rounded by every comfort, and blessed with many sons and daughters.
R. HI. LAKE,
born in Duchess county, N. Y. ; removed to this county with his family in 1846, and settled on his homestead, where he resided until 1875, when he moved to St. Charles, and lives as a retired farmer.
L. W. LAKE,
son of R. W. Lake, now resides on his father's home- stead.
R. GORHAM,
born in Duchess county, N. Y., in 1830 ; removed to DuPage county in 1852, and settled on his present homestead. In 1855 he married Miss Adelia V. Reed. of this county. by which marriage he has one son and four daughters.
14
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
DANIEL DUNHAM,
born in Erie county, N. Y. ; moved to Illinois in 1853. In November of the same year he married Miss Olive Hathaway, of DuPage county, by whom he has four daughters. He is one of the most energetic and prom- inent citizens of the county ; an honorable, affable and whole-souled gentleman. Mr. Dunham, in connection with his brother Mark, is among the most extensive importers of Norman horses in the United States.
PATRICK SCOTT
settled in DuPage county in 1835. He is an enterpris- ing citizen of Wayne Township, and has six sons and three daughters.
CYRUS H. MEACHAM,
born in Oswego county, N. Y., in the year 1810, and removed to Illinois in 1837; settled in Bloomingdale Township, on section 22, and for thirty years conducted a farm of six hundred acres. In 1868 he sold his farm and removed to Oak Park, where he still resides. Mr. Meacham has been twice married, and has five daugh- ters, two of whom are married. Mr. Meacham has always been one of our most useful, active and energetic citizens, and has often been called upon by his neighbors and friends to occupy positions of trust, and always met the expectations of the most sanguine.
ROBERT N. MURRAY,
born in Washington county, N. Y., July 26th, 1815 ; removed with his parents to Northern Ohio, and remained with them until July, 1831, when he came to Naper- ville, following an Indian trail. In January, 1842, he
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
married Louisa C., daughter of John Sargent. He has two children, a son and daughter. Mr. Murray, in 1843, was elected to the office of School Commissioner, and in 1844 Sheriff of the county, and has held several other important positions in the county, all of which he filled with honor and ability. In 1851 he was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court, and has continued in active practice. In 1857 he removed to Kankakee, and held several important positions, being at one time elected Mayor of the city. In 1868 he returned to Naperville.
Mr. Murray has, by hard work and economy, become quite wealthy, and with his large fortune spends his declining years in comparative ease.
Politically he is a Democrat, and has for several years been conceded the position of chairman of all Democratic gatherings within the village of Naperville. He was a warm personal friend of Stephen A. Douglas, whom he always supported with that energy and enthusiasm of which few men are capable.
SHERMAN P. SEDGWICK, M. D.,
was born in Westmoreland, Oneida county, N. Y., in February, 1822. His father, Parker Sedgwick, an eminent physician of large experience and an extended practice, appreciating the value of education, began early to provide him instruction of the best character. At the age of fifteen he attended Cazenovia Seminary, where he for two years, 1837 and 1838, earnestly devo- ted himself to his studies.
The year 1839 was spent by him in teaching a select school. In his eighteenth year he began the study of
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
medicine, attending lectures at Geneva Medical College. In the year 1843 he married Etherlenda D. Pendleton, and in the year following they moved to Bloomingdale, DuPage county, Illinois, where he immediately engaged! in the practice of his profession, which he has success- fully followed until the present time.
In 1863, he was appointed Commissioner of the State of Illinois, to go to the field and receive the soldiers' pay. The following year he was elected a member of the General Assembly, by a very flattering vote ; but by reason of a severe sickness was compelled to resign this office before entering upon its active duties ; a mat- ter about which, on his own account, he had no regrets, as his nomination to the position was made without his previous knowledge. He removed from Bloomingdale to Wheaton in 1866, in both of which places he was for several years engaged in the mercantile business. In 1874 he was elected Professor of Diseases of the Heart, Throat and Lungs in Bennett Medical College, at Chi- cago, Illinois, and is still a popular Professor in that flourishing medical institution.
He is now living with his third wife, a sister of his second (who died in 1858, at Bloomingdale, in this Co.); these sis- ters being daughters of Hiram Cody, of that place. He has two daughters, the eldest now the wife of George B. Vastine, postmaster at Wheaton, and the other, a lovely daughter of fifteen years, is the joy and sunlight of her father's house. In religion the Doctor is a Baptist, and he is a very active and influential member of the Repub- lican party, in which he has always preferred being a high private rather than to hold official position.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Though his superior qualifications for almost any office have often directed public attention to him, he has per- sisted in accepting none of them that would interfere with his business pursuits, and professional duties. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace over twenty years, since his first election thereto in 1849. He has also been a member of the Board of Supervisors and President of the Village of Wheaton. Dr. Sedgwick may, with great propriety, be placed in the front rank of the names of our worthiest and most useful citizens.
HENRY F. VALLETTE
was born Nov. 1st, 1821, in Berkshire County, Mass., and moved to this county with his father in 1838, Was educated in Stockbridge and Mt. Morris Academies. Commenced the study of law in 1848 and was admitted to the bar in 1851, and since that time, with the excep- tion of the time spent by him in the army, has been in continuous practice. In 1849 he was elected to the office of County Treasurer and held the office for two terms, of four years each. In 1862 he entered the United States military service as Lieutenant-Colonel of the 105th Ill. Vol., and was a kind and considerate officer. In 1867 he removed from Naperville to Wheaton, since which time he has followed his profession in Chicago.
HON. LEWIS ELLSWORTH
deserves prominent place and more extended notice than we can give in these pages. He was born in New Hamp- shire July 22d, 1805, and spent his childhood and youth, receiving a good common school education, in that State and Vermont. Prior to his majority he learned the
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
tailor's trade and removed to Troy, N. Y., in 1826, when two years later, in May, 1828, he commenced business as a merchant tailor and conducted. the same very suc- cessfully, both as to profits and popularity. In 1836, before Horace Greeley had given the advice which has since become so familiar as connected with his name, Mr. Ellsworth joined the throng of those who "go west " and came to Chicago and Naperville-the two import- ant places in this region at that time. He was enchanted with the beauty of these prairies, and in June of the last mentioned year, purchased the place where he now resides. The purchase at that date was, of course, only what to the early settlers was familiarly known as a " squatter's claim." He returned east, and coming out again in the spring of 1837, erected a comfortable house upon his " claim," to which he removed his family the same season, arriving with them on the third day of October, since which time he has been a permanent resi- dent of Naperville. In addition to extensive farming operations, he conducted a successful country store dur- ing the first eleven years of his residence, after which he established upon his place here the famous DuPage County Nurseries, so well known throughout the entire northwest. Mr. Ellsworth's connection with this busi- ness, as well as with the State Agricultural Society, of which he has held the office of president, has probably made his name more widely known than that of any of our earlier settlers. A full notice of his useful and hon- orable connection and labors with and in behalf of the agricultural and horticultural interests of the west would fill a volume of larger size than this history. He has
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
held many positions of honor, trust and distinction, among which may be mentioned that of Revenue Col- lector of this district, the appointment to which he received from his personal friend, the lamented Lincoln. Aside from postmasters, he shares with Judge Drum- mond (the best judicial officer in the northwest) the honor of being the two only federal officers appointed by the President, resident in this county during their official terms.
Of Mr. Ellsworth's family, consisting of his wife, two sons and a daughter, his estimable wife and accomplished daughter have gone before him to the "better land." His eldest son, with his family, live near their father's residence, and the younger brother, with his family, are residents of Denver, Colorado, where he is extensively engaged in business.
As to Mr. Ellsworth's personal characteristics, it can be said of him, with entire truthfulness and without exaggeration, that as a warm-hearted man of tender sympathies and active benevolence, as a kind neighbor, a faithful friend, and a public-spirited citizen full of generous impulses, he has few equals and no superiors. Time is gently working silver lines in his hair, and his increasing years are calling his attention to "the good time coming" (for he has the Christian's faith), when he and his will all be gathered "where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest."
WILLARD SCOTT,
whose steel plate engraving we present as the frontis- piece of this volume, is entitled to the credit of being the first white male settler upon the DuPage river who
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
is now living in this county. Bailey Hobson, now deceased, was the first settler within what is now DuPage county, but Mr. Scott was living on the river, just south of the present county line, a year before Mr. Hobson came to the State. Mr. Scott, with his father's family, landed at Gros' Point, now Evanston, ten miles north of Chicago, on the 26th day of October, 1826, and helped to build a sort of improved wigwam, which was to shel- ter the pioneers of what is now one of the richest and most densely populated portions of the western hemis- phere. He was born at Unadilla, Otsego county, N. Y., April 20th, 1808, and on July 21st, 1829, he married Caroline Hawley, a daughter of Pierce Hawley, of Hol- derman's Grove, who had moved there with his family in 1825. Mr. and Mrs. Scott and their children are the only representatives of those families now living in this county. Mr. Scott moved to the village of Naper- ville in the spring of 1838, at which place his father had previously located, and built the Naperville Hotel, of which for eight years he was proprietor. He then entered into the mercantile business, and established the firm of Willard Scott & Co., the oldest firm in the State of Illinois, and one of the oldest in the Northwest. For twenty years he remained at the head of this house, and then retired, and was succeeded'by his son, Willard Scott, jr., who continued the business under the firm name. This house not only has the good will and lib- eral patronage of Naperville and surrounding country, but in business circles it commands that respect and confidence which can only be secured after years expe- rience in business, conducted with energy upon princi-
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ples founded on a high sense of honor and personal integrity.
Mr. Willard Scott has been President, at different times of two banks, and is at present engaged as a pri- vate banker at Naperville.
It is due the readers of this history that we should now give a more extended sketch of the life of Mr. Scott, and we feel assured that it will read more like romance than a true, but inadequate, biography of one who is held in high esteem, not only as the first settler of the DuPage river, but a man of sterling integrity, kind disposition, and who pre-eminently possesses all those qualities which should hold him in veneration.
Willard Scott moved from New York with his father, Stephen J. Scott, whose name appears prominently in the fore part of this history, when eight years old. His education was confined to such as he could gather at the common school of those days, and for a short time under a private tutor in mathematics.
He was anxious to become a sailor, and succeed his father as commander of a ship, but his mother, realizing the dangers of a seafaring life, successfully entreated him to abandon his project. In 1825 he moved with his father from Maryland for the then far west, having no definite point in view. They traveled by team through Pennsylvania and New York to Buffalo. At this point his father took a sailboat for Detroit, Michigan, and Wil- lard, being the oldest, took charge of the balance of the family and traveled overland through Canada for the same point.
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
At Detroit he met his father, who had preceded him about ten days, and started his goods by water for St. Joseph, Michigan. Travel by rail being then unknown, and by water slow and unreliable, it became necessary for some one to go across the country to meet and take charge of the goods.
Willard, then only eighteen years old, volunteered to undertake the hazardous journey, and in company with a man from Ohio, and a pack-horse to carry their goods, he started across the unknown wilderness, their only guide being blazed trees, but with numerous meandering Indian trails to mislead them. Their rations consisted of corn and potatoes, obtained from a French trapper and hunter, and such game as came within range of the unerring rifle of Willard. After a journey of two weeks, they arrived at St. Joseph, two days ahead of the boat.
About ten days after Willard left Detroit, his father, with the balance of the family, started on a trip around the lake, to the same point, in the "Sheldon," com- manded by Captain Sherwood ; going by way of a then small trading post, at which were located Dr. Alexander Wolcott, Indian Agent, John Kinzie, Agent of the American Fur Company, David Mckee, Government blacksmith, who still lives in a very feeble condition, in Aurora, Kane county, and a few Frenchmen and half- breeds in the employ of the Fur Company. The pre- vailing language was French and Indian. The name of this post was Chicago. Before arriving at this post the vessel passed close to land at several points, and Mr. Scott being anxious to secure a home, took in all advan- tages and disadvantages of each point presented, with that
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
keen sense and practical knowledge characteristic of the sturdy pioneer penetrating a new country. At Gros' Point, Mr. Scott was delighted with the beauty of the country and the apparent fertility of the soil, and upon arriving at St. Joseph, and finding no other point that seemed to satisfy him, he induced the captain to take him, his goods and Willard back across the lake to Gros' Point. Arriving at this point, Captain Sherwood and all hands landed and assisted the Scotts to build their wigwam, consisting of poles and blankets, after which the ship's crew went aboard, and left the pioneers comfortably sheltered for the time being.
At the breaking out of the Black Hawk War Willard Scott was in reality third chief of the Pottawattamie Indians; Caldwell was first chief, but Robinson, although second in position, was in reality the active chief of the tribe; he did all the executive work, called the coun- cils, represented the tribe in their relations with other tribes, and withal a man of more than ordinary ability. A son of this chief resided with Mr. Scott for several years, as one of his family. In 1832, the Pottawatta- mie and Sac tribes held a council at Big Woods, on the solicitation of the latter tribe, who were then at war with the whites, in order to induce the Pottawattamies to form an alliance with them against, as the Sacs claimed, their common enemy.
Mr. Scott, not by pursuing the more modern Indian pol- icy, but by unswerving integrity, which characterized all his dealings, backed by unflinching boldness, had obtained great power and influence over the two chiefs of the Pot- tawattamies, both of whom held him in high esteem,
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
whereby he was able to frustrate the designs of the Sacs, and at the close of the council Caldwell and Robinson were charged with cowardice, and their lives were threat- ened ; but they answered with boldness, saying, "That fighting the whites is like shooting into a flock of pig- eons, «for the flock would soon look as if none had been killed "; and said, " When we leave it will be putting up a stake, not knowing which way it would fall." Thus, through the influence of Willard Scott, in a great measure, the plans of the wily Sacs were frustrated, and the early settlers of DuPage county and vicinity were saved from the tomahawk and scalping knife of a cruel and relent- less enemy, who waged war against men, women and children alike. ·
Passing from his connection with the chiefs, we nar- rate a few of the most striking incidents in which Mr. Scott either acted alone or in conjunction with others, and we begin by giving a brief sketch of a raid made by the settlers against the enemy.
One of the many scouting parties started out July 4th. After a fatiguing day's march, the party arrived at AuSable Grove without the slightest opportunity to display their pent-up valor. Here they encamped for the night. After supper, in true military style, they gathered around the camp-fire, and John Naper became the oracle of the evening. His anecdotes and tales of adventurous deeds kept the whole party wide awake and in good cheer far into the night, when the meeting broke up, and deep sleep soon assumed the sovereignty of the camp. In the morning, breakfast was prepared, and after enjoying the repast, preparations were being
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