History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical), Part 39

Author: Blanchard, Rufus, 1821-1904
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & co.
Number of Pages: 544

USA > Illinois > DuPage County > History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical) > Part 39

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EDGAR G. CRANE, farmer, P. O. Eola, Ill., is a native of Naperville Township, Du Page Co., III. He was born in the year 1837, and is the third of seven children born to David and Catharine W. (Stolp) Crane, who were na- tives of Wayne County, N. Y. They came West in 1835, and settled on the present place, where he lived until his death, June 2, 1849. Mrs. Crane lived on the place a number of years, when she married Mr. Edgar Galloway, and moved to Wayne County, N. Y., where she now lives. Our subject was raised on the farm ; he received a common-school course of study. On becoming of age, he went by team to California, and lived there and in Oregon for seven years. He was principally engaged in mining. In 1866, he returned home, and, in the spring of 1867, went to Montana and mined for a year and a half; he then returned and bought out the heirs to the place. In January, 1869, he mar- ried Miss Salinda M. Griswold, a native of

Wayne County, N. Y. By the marriage there have been five children, of whom three are liv- ing-George S., Edith May and Charles F. He owns 243 aeres located on the west county line, three miles northeast of Aurora.

W. M. CRAMPTON, farmer, P. O. Naper- ville, is a native of Du Page County, Ill., born in the year 1844, and is the third of five ehil- dren born to Nathaniel and Lucy H. (Dudley) Crampton. Our subject was raised on the pres- ent place, and received a common-school and academie course of study. In 1862, he entered the Post Quartermaster's Department as elerk, and was located at Springfield, Mo. In 1864, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Illinois Infantry, Company D, and became Ser- geant of his company, and served until the close of the war, when he came home and occupied one of his father's farms, adjoining the present, and farmed there until 1873, when he went by railroad to California, and lived there for five years, during which time he was engaged as a elerk with the Central Pacific Railroad Com- pany, and located at Oakland and San Fran- eiseo, though he always lived in the latter place. He then returned East, and occupied the present place, where he has lived since. In 1869, he married Miss Minnie A. Kimball, a na- tive of Wisconsin ; she came to Naperville, III., with her parents. By the marriage, there are two children-Genevieve and Florence. Mr. Crampton is Republican in polities. In Janu- ary, 1882, he was elected President of the Du Page County Agricultural Society.

M. C. DUDLEY, attorney, Naperville, is a native of Oswego, N. Y., born October 7, 1820, and is the fifth of a family of nine children born to Asa and Levina (Olcott) Dudley, who were natives of Vermont and Connecticut. In May, 1839, he with his family, wife and five chil- dren, eame West and settled in Bloomingdale Township, where one of his married daughters, Mrs. Kent lived. He occupied a piece of land and took the elaim and bought of Government,

NAPERVILLE TOWNSHIP.

and farmed the same. Mrs. D. died in winter 1862-3, after which he lived with his children, and in 1868 died at the home of his daughter, near Norwood Park, in Cook County. He was aged eighty-three, and was one of the early County Collectors ; was a Baptist. Our sub- jeet was educated in New York, principally. He early began clerking in a general merchan- dise store. At first, when he came West, he assisted on the farm, and began teaching ; he then worked about two years in a store at Peoria, when he returned home and married Miss Lucinda Willey, a resident of Du Page County ; then entered a claim and followed farming until 1853, when he was elected County Clerk, and served until 1861. During the latter part of his term he, in company with David Hate, engaged in general merchandising in Naperville, firm of M. C. Dudley & Co., and continued until about 1868, when the business was closed up. In 1869, Mr. D. was elected County Judge, serving until 1873, since which time he has practiced his profession. During his terms of office, he read law, and was ad- mitted to practice. While County Judge, lie was appointed Master in Chancery. His busi- ness is principally in that and the County Court. He has had born to him five children, three of whom are dead, the other two, daugh- ters, are living, Ida and Eva. He is a Baptist and a Republican.

ELI H. DITZLER, Naperville, of the firm of Ditzler & Hosler, dealers in general mer- chandise, was born in Stark County, Ohio, in 1841, second child of a family of four born to Jonathan and Esther (Alspaugh) Ditzler, natives of Pennsylvania. Jonathan Ditzler, who was a carpenter by trade, removed with his family to this county in 1844 or 1845, and settled in Naperville, where he followed his trade until his death, which occurred September 18, 1880. His wife is still living on the old homestead. Our subjeet received a fair education, and at the age of fifteen engaged as clerk in the gen-

eral store of W. Scott & Co., where he remained until 1861. In that year, he enlisted in Com- pany E, Eighth Illinois Cavalry. Heserved three years, during which time he participated in the battles of Beverly Ford, Rappahannock Station, Fair Oaks. Gettysburg, Boonesboro, and all the other engagements in which his regiment took part. During his last year of service, he was detailed as Orderly to Gen. Chapman. In Oc- tober, 1864, he returned to Naperville and re- sumed his former occupation until February, 1867, when he formed a partnership with Joseph Hilligas in a general merchandising business. In 1870, Mr. Hilligas sold his in- terest in the business to Alvin Scott, who, in 1873, sold to Mr. Hosler, the business being since condueted under the firm name of Ditzler & Hosler. In the spring of 1882, he was ap- pointed Treasurer of Lisle Township; has served as Village Treasurer for some time. In 1870, he married Celia A. Babcock, a native of Ohio, and at the time of her marriage a res- ident of Cook County. III., who has borne him six children, viz .: Hugh W., H. Ione, Wenona A., Guy E., Lyman B., J. Elmo and Bell Eloise. Mr. Ditzler is a Republican, and polled his first vote while in the army.

XAVIER DRENDEL, farmer, P. O. Naper- ville, is a native of Alsace, France, now Ger- many, and was born in the year 1829. He was brought up a farmer, and received a common school education. He came to the United States of America in the year 1846 with his parents, Xavier and Theresa (Rhode) Drendel ; they were natives of France, and settled in Milton Township, Du Page Co., III., and they lived there a number of years, and then moved to a farm near by, located in Lisle Township. where he died February 15, 1872. Mrs. Dren- del owns the old homestead in Lisle, and lives with her son-in-law, Mr. Swartz. Our subject was seventeen years of age when his folks came to the United States of America ; he lived at home with his parents until he was twenty-

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five years of age, when he went to California and lived there two years ; he followed mining, and met with fair success ; he went via Pana- ma, and returned by the Niearagua ronte. In the fall of 1857, he married Miss Elizabeth Winkler, a native of Alsace, France ; she came to the United States of America with her parents in 1845, and settled in Will County, Ill. By the marriage there have been eight children, seven of whom are living, four boys and three girls. After his marriage, he lived on the old homestead, and in 1869 came to his present place, and has lived there since. He owns 200 acres of land located two miles west of Naper- ville. He is a Democrat.

R. H. DICKINSON, farmer, P. O. Naper- ville, is a native of Otsego County, N. Y., born in the year 1834; he was raised on the farm and received a common school education, and taught a short period, on becoming of age. He began business on his own account as news man, and two years later he became Deputy Route Agent on the Syracuse, Binghamton & New York Railroad, which position he held until 1861, when he enlisted in the Twenty- seventh New York Volunteer Infantry, Com- pany D, and served two years. He was in the first battle of Bull Run and Gaine's Mills. After his first year's service he was detailed as Mail Agent under Gen. Slocum. After he was mus- tered ont, he remained with the command as News Agent a number of months. He returned home and engaged with the United States Ex- press Company and resided in Binghamton, and in the spring of 1868 came West prospect- ing, and in August following located on his present place. In 1863, he married Miss Edna R. Bennett, a native of Broome County, N. Y. They have two children-Lewis E. and Lee A. He owns 100 aeres located on the railroad, two miles west of Naperville.

JOHN DRISSLER, grocer, Naperville, is a native of Lehigh County, Penn., born in 1813. His parents were poor and his education was

limited to one month's attendanee at the dis- triet school. When about twelve years of age, began working among his neighbors. When he became eighteen years of age, he appren- ticed to the blacksmith trade, at which he served two years and a half; then engaged in farming a few years, after which he followed teaming about ten years. In 1845, he came to Naperville, where he worked a farm on shares, and also engaged in teaming to Chicago. From 1851 to 1865, he was engaged in the furniture business. keeping also a stock of groceries, and in 1865 sold out the furniture stock, and en- gaged in the grocery business exclusively. In 1876, he sold out his business, and in 1880 opened his present place, where he has since been engaged in the grocery trade. In 1835, he married Mary Gilbert, a native of Pennsyl- vania, who died Mareh 8, 1872, leaving one child-William, now a member of the police force in Chicago. In May, 1874, he married Mrs. Mary Raisley, formerly Miss Mary Stucker a native of Pennsylvania. She is the mother of five children, one boy and four girts, by her first marriage. Mr. Drissler is an adherent of the Republican party.

GEORGE EHRHARDT, boots and shoes, Naperville, of the firm of Ehrhardt & Brother, dealers in boots and shoes, was born in Alsace, France, now Germany. He was apprenticed to the shoemaker's trade at the age of fifteen, and served three years. He then worked at his trade till twenty years of age, when he entered the French Army. While in the army, he worked at his trade for his regiment, remaining till 1852, when he emigrated to the United States. In the spring of 1853, he eame to Naperville, where he has since remained, en- gaged in the boot ane shoe business, in part- nership with his younger brother, Jacob, whose sketeh appears elsewhere in this work. In 1858, he married Louisa Kagler, a native of Alsace, France, now Germany, who has borne him two children-Julia and Carolina. Mr.

NAPERVILLE TOWNSHIP.

Ehrhardt is a Democrat and a member of the Lutheran Evangelical Church.

JACOB EHRHARDT, boots and shoes, is a native of Alsace, France, born in 1831. At the age of fifteen, he was apprenticed to the shoemaker's trade, at which he served three years. He then worked with his father until 1854. In that year, he emigrated to the United States, and joined his brother, George, in Na- perville, with whom, after working a few years at his trade, he entered into partnership in the boot and shoe business. In 1864, the brothers built a store in Naperville, where they have since carried on a retail boot and shoe busi- ness, doing a good trade. He married. in 1868, Mary Catherine Sturm, a native of Alsace. From this union three children have been born, viz .: Emilia, Minnie and Henry. Mr. Ehr- hardt has held the office of City Trustee. He is a Republican and a member of the Lutheran Evangelical Church.

JOHN EHRHARDT, of the firm of J. Ehr- hardt & Co., manufacturers and retail dealers in boots and shoes, is a native of Alsace, France (now Germany), born September 12, 1841. His father was a shoemaker, and subjeet learned that trade, beginning when fourteen years of age. In 1859, subject came to the United States, and settled in Naperville, where his brothers, who had preceded him, then lived. He worked at his trade with his brother till July, 1861, when he enlisted in Company C, Seventh Illinois Infantry, was chosen Corporal of his company, and remained in service until the close of the war. He participated in the engagements of Fort Donelson, Pittsburg Landing, Corinth, was in the Atlanta cam- paign, the "march to the sea" and through the Carolinas, and was with Gen. Corse at Ala- toona Pass. In 1865, he returned to Naper- ville, worked at his trade till 1873 ; then opened a shop and engaged in business, in company with Mr. Gushart. In 1867, he married Maria Nadelhoffer, who was born in Alsace and came

to the United States in 1860. They are the parents of two children, one of whom is liv- ing, viz., Maria S. Mr. Ehrhardt is a member of the German Lutheran Church. He is a Re- publiean.

HON. LEWIS ELLSWORTH, agriculturist, 1. O. Naperville, is a son of Nathan and Bet- sey B. (Palmer) Ellsworth. He was born at Walpole, N. H., July 22, 1805, and lived in his native State until his eighteenth year, when he moved to Rutland County, Vt., where he learned the tailor's trade. In 1827, he went to Troy, N. Y., and engaged in the merchant tailoring business. In 1836, be sold his business and made a trip West, buying an improved Govern- ment claim of some four or five hundred acres, and in 1837 he opened a general store in Na- perville. During this year, he also built a frame house on his land, and occupied the same with his family in October. In 1848, he sold his general store business, and in 1850 en- gaged in the nursery business, which he has con- ducted until the present time. In December, 1828, he married Miss Chloe M. Skinner, a na- tive of New Lebanon, N. Y. She died October 16, 1876. Of the five children, two are living. In 1839, Mr. Ellsworth was elected the first Probate Judge of Du Page County, and served four years. He is deeply concerned in the sub- jeet of agriculture, and from its earliest days in Illinois he has taken a leading part. He was one of the incorporators of the Union Agricult- ural Society (which was the first held in Northern Illinois) and subsequently became its Vice President and President. He was one of the organizers of the county society and also one of the constituent_ members of the State Agricultural Society organized at Springfield in 1853, and served as its President during the years 1859-60 ; also at present a member of the State Board of Agriculture.

WILLIAM FEY, farmer, P. O. Naperville, was born October 7, 1819, in Schuylkill County, Penn. ; is the son of Rudolph and Eve (Snyder)

BIOGRAPHICAL:

Fey. natives, the former the same county as the subjeet, and the latter Bucks County. They were the parents of five children, viz. : William, George, Joseph, Paul and Lewis. The father was a weaver by trade; the parents were Lutherans. Mr. Fey had some school advantages and has always been a farmer ; was married, in 1841, to Esther Iloy, the union re- sulting in eleven children, all of whom are liv- ing-Albert, Henry, William, Lydia (Mrs. Abert Rickert, who died December 11, 1877), Laura (Mrs. Charles Leffler), Elizabeth (Mrs. Henry Houser), Emma (Mrs. Joseph Good), George, Lewis, Morgan and Anna. Our sub- ject came to Illinois in 1854, settling at Naper- ville, and soon after rented a farm in Lisle Township. In 1855, he bought 145 acres, a part of his present farm of 251, on which he settled and has remained sinee. He started with scarcely anything but stout hands and a willing heart, having experienced many hard- ships in Pennsylvania. He has been no oflice seeker, yet has served in some of the smaller offices. Ile has always been a temperance ad- vocate, and has reared his large family without the use of coffee or tea. He nor none of his boys ever used tobacco, a very rare case indeed. The family are members of the Evan- gelieal Association at Naperville ; vote the Re- publiean tieket.

THOMAS FINLEY, dealer in ice, Naper- ville, was born in Massachusetts in 1822. Is the second ehild of a family of seven children born to Alexander and Elizabeth (MeCray) Fin- ley, natives of the North of Ireland. Alexander Finley, subject's father, came to the United States with his wife and one ehild about the year 1821, landed at Boston, Mass., and settled in Meadville, Penn. In 1839, eame to Naper- ville, where he followed farming, and died in 1856 ; his wife died in 1858. Subject received a common-school education, and lived with his parents on the farm till 1850, when he organ- ized a company of thirteen men, and went by

the overland route to California, where he re- mained four years engaged in mining. He then returned home, but soon after started on his second trip to California, taking with him forty- four horses, of which number he had but seven when he reached his destination, the rest hav- ing either died or been stolen on the way. After remaining in California three years en- gaged in mining, he returned home in 1857, bought a farm in York Township, this county, occupied it three years, then sold it and bought a place near Warrenville, this eounty, where he farmed for six years, then sold out and came to his present place, where he has since fol- lowed farming. In 1875, he built an ice-house, and has since been engaged in the ice business. In 1858, he married Mrs. Butterfield, formerly Miss Ann Bennett, a native of this eounty, her father being one of the pioneer settlers ; they have a family of three children-Charles H., Samuel A. and Frances. Mr. Finley is a supporter of the Democratic party.

JOSEPH S. FERRY, farmer, P. O. Aurora, Ill., is a native of Washington County, N. Y .; he was born in the year 1829, and is the young- est of three children born to Sylvanus and Roda (Wilson) Ferry ; they were natives of Massachusetts and New York. Hle was a tan- ner, and moved to New York when a young man, and married there. In the spring of 1835, they moved to Terre Haute, Ind., and oceupied a place belonging to his brother-in-law, and worked at his trade in the town. In 1838, they moved to Warrensville, in Du Page Co., Ill., and rented his brother-in-law's (Joseph Wilson's) place. The next year he bought a claim, and soon afterward Mr. Ferry died. The family continued on the place until about 1845, and Mrs. Ferry lived with her son thereafter until her death in 1879. Our subjeet was raised on the farm, and received but a limited course of study in the district schools. When he was sixteen years of age, he bought, with the help of his unele, fifty-three aeres of land, and, with

NAPERVILLE TOWNSHIP.

his mother and sister, occupied the place, which he farmed with a yoke of oxen. About 1850, he sold the place and bought 120 acres close by, and farmed it until 1868, when he moved to Aurora to obtain school facilities for his family, and lived there six years, during which time he built and sold property. He then came to his present place, and has lived here since. He owns 600 acres, which is divided into three ad- joining farms, located two and a half to three miles east of Aurora. In 1855, he married Miss Sophronia B. Kenyon, a native of Washington County, N. Y. She came to Du Page County, Ill., with her parents abont 1853. They have three children -Adelaide, Jennie and William. Mr. F. attributes his success to industry and economy. He is a Republican in politics.

in his faith until he came to Naperville, when he joined the Episcopalian Church, in the af- fairs of which he has taken an active interest

D. N. GROSS, merchant, Naperville, is a na- tive of this county, born in Lisle Township December 11, 1837, and is the sixth child of a family of seven born to George Conrad and Salome (Dather) Gross, natives of Bavaria, Germany, he born in Limberg, in July, 1796, she in Giersbach, July 13, 1804. George Con- rad Gross was married in his native land, May 28, 1825, where two of his children were born. In 1832, he, with his family, emigrated to the United States, and located in Pennsylvania, where he followed farming until 1835 ; then came to Illinois and settled on a farm in Lisle Township, this county, where he lived until 1844, when he moved to a farm in the town of Naperville, where he died in March, 1850. His widow, a number of years after his death, mar- ried Jacob Snibley, and lived in Lisle Town- ; ship until her death in May, 1864. Our subject began working for himself at the age of fifteen,

ROBERT FREEMAN, retired, Naperville, was born in Meadville, Penn., February 21, 1809. He learned the trade of carpenter and joiner, and in 1833 moved to Chicago, where he followed his trade for ten years, after which he moved to his farm, located in Du Page and Will Counties, part of which he had bought as and lived with his brother. When seventeen early as 1837. He followed farming until , years old, he was apprenticed to the carpenter 1876, when he built his present elegant brick | and joiner trade, and served with the late John residence. Mr. Freeman has been thrice mar- Collins, of Naperville, three and one-half years, and, having learned his trade, worked with his employer until the breaking-out of the late war. In September, 1861, he enlisted in Com- pany E, Eighth Illinois Cavalry, was detailed as Orderly to Gen. Sumner, and served until Jnne 30, 1862, when he was wounded in the battle of White Oak Swamp, Va., and remained in the hospital in Baltimore until December 13, 1862, when he was discharged, the severity of his wound having necessitated the amputation of his foot. During his term of service, he par- ticipated in the engagements of Yorktown, Williamsburg, on the Chickahominy, Fair Oaks, Savage Station, being wounded the last day of the Seven Days' fight. Mr. Gross was an eye witness of the naval battle between the Merri- mac and the Monitor. On deing discharged, ried-in 1841, to Miss Adaline Bordman, a na- tive of New York ; she died September 10,! 1859; of their children, two are living- Mrs. Emma M. Wescott, of Naperville, and Eliza Jane Morris, of Keya Paha, Nebraska. He married, December 11, 1861. Miss C. J. Dewey, a native of New York ; she died March 14, 1866, leaving two children-Arthur R. and Ella C., living at home. The present Mrs. Freeman, formerly Mrs. Brown, is a na- tive of Du Page County, Ill .; her maiden name was Miss F. B. Wescott. By the present mar- riage there is one child-Jessie. Though not an office holder, Mr. Freeman has been an act- ive partisan, an Old-Line Whig, a strong anti- slavery man, and a Republican in politics. In 1820. he became a Presbyterian and continued

BIOGRAPHICAL:

he returned to Naperville. In 1863, was elected County Treasurer. Was elected to that office three terms, but, owing to the removal of the county seat, served but five years. In 1869, he received the appointment of Postmas- ter, which position he held until the spring of 1882, when he bought a mercantile business in Brownsville, Mo., which he conducts at the present time, though he still retains his resi- dence in Naperville. He married, January 4, 1864, Mary E. Dudley, a native of Lisle Town- ship, this county. They have five children- Berth i C., Cheeny C., Dean D., Mary S. and Fred A., and also living with the family, Ade- line M. Smith, an adopted child of Mrs. Dud- ley. Mrs. Gross' sister, now a missionary, will also become one of the family. Her mother, whose maiden name was Mary Barrows, organ- ized and taught the first public school in Chi- cago.

HOWARD H. GOODRICH, attorney, Na- perville, is a native of this connty, born in Lisle Township September 25, 1852, was raised on the farm, and attended the district schools till he was seventeen years of age, when he en- tered the Beloit, Wis., College, which he at- tended one year, then, upon the removal of the Northwestern College to Naperville, he entered . that institution, where he completed his classi- cal course, graduating in 1876 with the degree DAVID B. GIVLER, editor Clarion, Naper- ville, is a native of Ashland County, Ohio ; born November 20, 1841, and is the fifth in a family of seven children born to Solomon and Leah (Brown) Givler, They were natives of Lan- caster County, Penn .; he was a farmer and of M. A., and the honor of valedictorian of his class. After his graduation he taught dis- trict schools one term. In the spring of 1877, he began reading law with Judge H. H. Cody, and the same year attended the Union College of Law, Chicago ; in 1879, he passed an exam- moved to Ohio, settling on a farm in Wayne County ; thence to Ashland County, where they farmed until 1851 ; then came to Illinois, and settled on a farm in the vicinity of Naperville, where he lived until his death, in December, 1868. He took an active interest in polities, and was a Republican ; member of the Evan- gelical Church. Mrs. Givler is living in Na- ination by the Appellate Court, and was ad- mitted to the bar by the Supreme Court in ses- sion at Mount Vernon, Ill. In 1880, he received the degree of A. M. Began the practice of his profession at Naperville, and soon after entered into partnership with Samnel W. Smith, who however withdrew from the partnership Janu- uary 1, 1882, and went to lowa. Mr. Goodrich ; perville with her son, David B. Our subject

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History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical), Part 39

Author: Blanchard, Rufus, 1821-1904 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & co. Number of Pages: 544

Author: Blanchard, Rufus, 1821-1904
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & co.
Number of Pages: 544