History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical), Part 41

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 41

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).

NAPERVILLE TOWNSHIP.

and traded with the Indians till the fall of 1833, then went to Fox River and took a claim a mile above Aurora, but owing to the Indians claim- ing the land he abandoned it, and removed to Montgomery County, Ill., where he took a claim and where he afterward died. Our subjeet's mother, daughter of John and Polly (Taylor) Stevens, came to Naperville with her parents about the year 1832, where they took a claim and afterward conducted a hotel. John Stevens was born in Rindge, N. H., September 2, 1785, removed when quite young with his parents to Hartland, Vt., where he afterward married Miss Polly Taylor, a native of that place-born April 23, 1786. lle moved to Enosburg, Vt., thence in 1832 to Naperville, Ill., where he bought a elaim and afterward ran a hotel there. He died May 3, 1862. During his life he had worked at his trade-carpentering-farmed and engaged in the hotel business. His wife, our subject's grandmother, died January 23, 1873. Of their eight children, three are now living. Our subject's mother, after the death of his father, returned to her father's place near Naperville, where she lived until January, 1844, when she married Mr. Hiram Fowler, a native of Berk- shire County, Mass., born in 1798, came to this vieinity in 1833, and bought a claim three miles from Naperville, which he occupied a number of years, then retired from active life, and is now living in the town of Naperville. The sub- ject of this sketch was raised in Naperville, re- ceived an ordinary education in the common schools, and at the age of eighteen years he was apprenticed to the harness-maker's trade, at which he served three years. He soon after opened a shop in Naperville, where he followed his trade. In May, 1861, he was appointed police, which position he held until 1863, when he was commissioned as recruiting officer for the Seventeenth Illinois Cavalry. He raised twenty-eight men, joined his regiment at St. Charles, was appointed Second Lieutenant of Company H January 22, 1864, and promoted

to the rank of First Lieutenant August 8, 1865. Company H, Seventeenth Illinois Cavalry, was organized by Capt. L. C. Matlack January 22, 1864, at St. Charles, Ill. Our subject served as guard for prisoners at Alton, III., thence went to Glasgow, Mo., and served in guerrilla warfare ; joined Gen. Ewing's army in defense of Jefferson City ; engaged in the fights at Independence and Osage, Mo .; was on the forty-three days' march, for which the command received the thanks of the Missouri Legislature; was present at the surrender of the rebel Gen. Jeff Thompson at Chalk Bluff, Ark. ; served on the Kansas frontier, and marched to the relief of Gen. Dodge, who was endangered by the In- dians, and was discharged at Camp Butler, Springfield, Ill., December 21, 1865. After the war he returned to Naperville, and engaged in the harness-making business until 1873 or 1874, when his shop was destroyed by fire. He was appointed police on his return from the army, and also served as Deputy Sheriff eight years. In 1858, he married Miss Marie Vosburg, a native of Milwaukee, Wis. They have had three children, two of whom are living-Arthur W. and Edward S .; Louie L. was killed on a train at Riverside, Ill. Upon the organization of the Naperville Light Guards, Company K, Third Regiment Illinois Infantry, in 1877, Mr. Laird was appointed Second Lieutenant, and is now serving his second term as Captain of the company.

NORMAN LENT, blacksmith, Naperville, was born in Bradford County, Penn., June 17, 1826, son of Egbert and Polly (Stocking ) Lent. Egbert Lent, born in Peekskill, N. Y .; was a carpenter and wagon-maker by trade, and died about the year 1847; his wife, born in Binghamton, N. Y., is now living with her daughter in lowa, and is eighty years of age; of their eleven children, ten are still living. Subject received but a limited education ; at the age of thirteen moved with his parents to Onondaga County, N. Y., and when nineteen

BIOGRAPHICAL:

years old was apprenticed to the blacksmith trade ; served four years, and then worked at his trade as journeyman two years. In 1851, be came to Illinois, worked at his trade in St. Charles for one year, and March 2, 1852, came to Naperville, where he worked as journeyman three years. He then went into partnership with Willard & Loomis, but after one year withdrew from the firm, and has since carried on business on his own account. He married on July 4, 1848, Miss Caroline M. Richmond, a native of Vernon, Oneida Co., N. Y. From this marriage eleven children have been born, of whom seven are living, viz., Elgin E., Edwin W. and George W., all engaged in the black- smithing business in Correctionville, Woodbury Co., Iowa ; Emma J. (wife of Mr. Thompson, a farmer of Cherokee, Iowa), Lillian, Walter and Minnie, at home. Mr. Lent is a Republican.

SAMUEL LONG, farmer, P. O. Naperville, is a native of Lehigh County, Penn., and was born in the year 1819. His father was a miller, and Samuel was brought up to the business until he became sixteen years of age, when he began working at farming, and on becoming seventeen he apprentieed to tailoring, and served for four years ; he then worked as a journeyman for a number of years, and about 1843 came to Illinois, and settled in Naperville, and worked on the farm. In 1848, he married Miss Martha Nitz, a native of Lehigh County, Penn., who came to this county with her par- ents about the same time he came. The fol- lowing year after his marriage, he began work at his trade in Naperville, opened a shop, and, a year later, in company with Mr. Weaver, he opened a clothing store, he buying Mr. Wea- ver's interest a few years later, and conducted the business until 1863, when he sold out and bought the present place where he has lived since. By the marriage there have been four- teen children, eleven of whom are living. He is Republican, and is a member of the Evan- gelical association for upward of forty years.

He owns 158 acres located six miles southwest of Naperville. and four and one-half miles southeast of Aurora.

FREDERICK LONG, furniture and under- taker. Naperville, is a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, born in 1837. In 1853, he came to America and stopped with his brother in Chi- cago, who had come to the country previously, and the same year he hired on a farm near Wheeling, remaining one and one-half years. In 1856, he came to Naperville and apprenticed to the cabinet trade with Mr. Butts and served for three years, then worked as journeyman for two years longer. He then began on his own account, opening a shop on the south side of the river and doing business in a small way, putting in all his time, and in 1866 he bought his present location and built the buildings, and has conducted the business sinee ; has one building 100 feet deep, two stories, and in the spring of 1882 he added two stories, 22x40-now doing a business of over $12,000. In the spring of 1861 he married Miss Amelia Beidelman, a native of Illinois. They have one adopted son whom they took when but sis weeks of age. Is a Republican.

GEORGE MARTIN, farmer, P. O. Naper- ville, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the year 1826, only child of George and Elizabeth (Christie) Martin, who were natives of Scotland. George Martin, Sr., was engaged in the grain business, running vessels between the Baltie and Black Seas to ports in England and Scot- land. In 1833, the family came to America, and in June of that year, stopped with Mark Beaubien in the old pioneer hotel, Soginnash, of Chicago. From this point, Messrs. Martin & Christie started on a prospeeting tour to Ottawa, and returned via the Naper settlement, where Mr. Martin bought a claim of Capt. Joseph Naper, having thirty aeres feneed and broken ; the unimproved portion included all the land desired, west of the river, there being no settlers there then. The family occupied

NAPERVILLE TOWNSHIP.

the claim in Angust, living in a log house until spring, when they occupied their new frame house, which was the first frame house in what now constitutes Du Page County. Mr. George Martin, Sr .. improved aud lived on the farm until his death in 1841 ; his wife also remained on the old homestead until her death in 1872. Both were life-long members of the Presbyte- rian Church, and were active and liberal in their support to its cause. He was a man of fine edneation; a Liberal in his native land, he joined the Liberal party in his new home, and lived enjoying the respect and confidence of all who knew him. George Martin, Jr., came with his parents, and has always lived on the old homestead. He received the advantages of the district and select schools of his vicinity, and, in addition to the management of his farm- ing interest, has been identified. first in the mercantile business in Naperville, and. later, in company with the Hon. J. G. Wright, estab- lished the Producers' Bank of Martin Wright. He has also engaged himself in laying out several additions to Naperville. which in- clude all that portion of the city lying south and west of the river. He is at present en- gaged in the manufacture of brick and drain tile on his place, which has grown to be an ex- tensive business, his works being the largest in the State. Mr. Martin also owns a fine stone quarry, located on his farm, which, though not fully developed, gives ample proof of an inex- haustible supply of the finest of building stone. In 1834, Mr. Martin married Miss Sibelia Rid- dler. a daughter of the Rev. Alexander Rid- dler. of Peoria. There are four children- Elizabeth. Kittie, George and Carric.

J. F. METZ. farmer, P. O. Naperville, is a native of Du Page County, III .. born in the year 1849, and is the fourth of seven children born to Adam and Elizabeth (Knapp) Metz, who were natives of Germany and Warren County, Penn. He came to America with his par- ents when he was but one year of age; they

settled in Buffalo, N. Y. When he became of age, he came to Illinois and worked on the canal, and about 1840 married and began farming, renting the first few years; he then bought a place of the Government, and in 1849 went to California, overland, with a company from this vicinity. He was gone three years, and was engaged in mining; returning, he oc- cupied his place, which he had bought of the Government, and farmed there until 1875, when he removed to Naperville, where he died in March, 1879. Mrs. Metz is living at the old home in Naperville. Our subject was raised on the farm, and received a common-school education. In 1870, he married Miss Mary Grove, a native of Cumberland County, Penn .; she came to Du Page County, Ill., with her parents in 1865. By the marriage, there have been six children, of whom five are living- Edna. Emery A., Arthur A., Sherman G. and Elsie MI. He owns 1043 acres located one a half miles southwest of Naperville. He is Re- publican in politics.

E. MUSSELMAN, grain dealer. Naperville, is a native of Northampton County, Penn., born in 1816, and lived in his native county until 1847. His father was a weaver. Our sub- ject learned the carpenter's trade, and followed the same during the summers and teaching school during the winters. He was apprenticed when seventeen years of age, and served with his employer six or seven years. He received a district school education, and was fond of books, studying the higher branches at home. At about the age of twenty-one, he began teach- ing. which he did during the winters for some ten years. In 1839. he married Miss Catharine Hilliard, a native of Pennsylvania, who died January 31, 1882; they had eight children, six living. In 1847, the came to Du Page County. and settled at Naperville, and engaged at his trade for a number of years in this and Will Counties, and then about 1855 became a minis- ter of the Evangelical Association, traveling in

BIOGRAAPICAL:

the interest of the Association for fifteen years. He then located at Naperville, and worked at his trade of carpenter for several years. Dur- ing the past five years has been engaged in his present business, buying and shipping grain and dealing in coal. He is now Justice of the Peace, an office he formerly held in Will County.

JOSEPH MEANS, deceased, was a native of Pennsylvania, born near Pittsburgh in the year 1795, and was raised a farmer, and in the year 1834 came West to Illinois, and made a claim to the present place, which he began im- proving and cultivating. In 1840, he married Miss Mary Vaughan, a native of Vermont; she died in 1853. In 1855, he married Miss Abia Vaughan, a sister of the first wife, and a native of Vermont, by which marriage there were born four children, two of whom are living-Archibald and Nancy. Mr. Means died on the old homestead in 1872. Mrs. Means has lived on the homestead sinee.

LEVI MANBECK, gardener, Naperville, is a nativeof Berks County, Penn., was born in 1820, and was raised to farming, receiving a common school education. In 1847, he came to Du Page County and farmed, and teamed in the meantime to Chicago, always making his home in Naper- ville. In January, 1847, he married Miss Han- nah Hoy, a native of Schuylkill County, Penn., from which union have been born two children: Mrs. Ida Haffe, residing near Freeport, Ill., and Celia, at home. He is a member of the Evan- gelical Church and a Republican.

PHILIP ORCUTT, contractor, builder and undertaker, Naperville, was born in Mont- gomery County, N. Y., in that portion sinee annexed to Hamilton County, that State, De- cember 12, 1819 ; was raised on the farm, and received a limited education in the common schools. His father was a carpenter, and from him subject learned the trade at home ; he also acquired the shoemaking trade, working at the latter during the winter and at carpen-

tering in the summer seasons for fifteen years. In 18-44. he came to Illinois, where he stayed with his brother Daniel, and farmed and worked at carpentering. In 1846, he married Laura Gates, a native of New York, who came to Illinois with her parents at an early date : she died November 15. 1859, leaving four children, viz., John P., merchant and Deputy Postmaster at Gilman, Ill. ; Thomas (in Iowa) ; Frank, Assistant Cashier in post office, Chicago ; Fred, at home. After his marriage, Mr. Oreutt bought a piece of land one and a quarter miles west of Naperville, on which he lived till about the year 1855, when he moved to Naperville and there engaged in the lumber business. also contracting and building. About the year 1859 he discontinued the lumber business. In the fall of 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Ninth Illinois Cavalry, and remained in service three years, his regiment operating in the West with Grant's army. He returned to Naperville in 1864; afterward worked in North Carolina, where he assisted in the construction of seven bridgey over the Neuse River ; returned to Naperville in 1865, where he has since followed contracting and building. His second wife, Anna Ingalls, whom he married December 11, 1868, is a native of New York, and came to Illinois, with her parents, when a child ; she has borne him two children, of whom one is living, viz., Daniel. Mr. Orcutt is a Republican.

H. L. PEASLEE, retired, Naperville, is a native of Burlington, Vt .. born 1810, second child born to Robert and Amanda Loomis Peaslee, natives of New Hampshire and Ver- mont. Our subject engaged as clerk in the mercantile business in his native town at about the age of sixteen, and elerked until he was nineteen or twenty, when he took a position as teller in the bank of Burlington, where he re- mained about two years. He then, in company with his brother-in-law, Amos W. Butler, en- gaged in the mercantile business, conducting a general store, until about 1834-35. In May, 1836,

NAPERVILLE TOWNSHIP.

he and wife came West to Chicago, where he had relatives. Harmon & Loomis having es- tablished a store in Naperville about 1835, our subject took charge of it, which he conducted until 1841, when, owing to sickness in his family, he returned to Vermont, where he re- mained two years; then came to Chicago and assisted Mr. Harmon in wholesale grocery for several years. In 1845, he came to Naperville, where he and Mr. Loomis engaged in general merchandising, continuing about ten years, when the business was sold to Mr. Yount. He then, in company with others, established a deposit bank, known as the Producers' Bank, with which he was connected about three years. He then engaged in merchandising, with the object of establishing his son, Luther L., in business ; and soon after, his son enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifth Illinois Infantry, he holding the office of Second Lieutenant, and served through, with his command, to Atlanta, where he resigned and came home, owing to the failure of his father's health. Our subject continued the business a few years after his son went into the army, and then sold out, and has lived retired ever since, excepting a few years which he devoted to the management of Mr. Loomis' business, during the latter's trip to Europe. Upon the organization of the eoun- ty, he was made Coroner and Justice of the Peace. In July, 1831, he married Miss Amelia M. Butler, at the latter's home in Essex, Vt. They have had five children-three living- Luther L., of Chicago ; Horace H., merchant at Naperville, and Harriet L., now Mrs. W. H. Moore, of l'eru, Ill. Mrs. Peaslee was a dangh- ter of Roswell Butler and Ruth Wardner. He was a merchant and lumberman, and previous to our subject's moving West, Mrs. Peaslee came West and lived with her daughter twenty- two years, and died here in Naperville about the year 1868.

H. H. PEASLEE, proprieter of Du Page County Cash Store, Naperville, is a native of

this county, born in Naperville in August, 1846, son of H. L. Peaslee. Subject was raised in his native village, where he received a fair edu- cation. His father was a merchant, and H. H. was early trained in mercantile business, be- ginning when quite young, and assisting his father until the latter closed ont his business. In 1865, he went to Chicago, engaged as clerk with King, Harmon & Co., wholesale dry goods, etc., and in 1868 went to Chelsea, Iowa, opened a hardware store on his own account, and re- mained in business there till 1869, when he sold out to his partner, and returned to Naperville. Thence he went to Memphis, Tenn., where he engaged as collector for an ice company ; the same year he entered the retail store of Field, Leiter & Co., Chicago, as elerk, and at the end of the first year was given charge of a depart- ment, and soon after became a general sales- man, having charge of the woolen department. in which he was assisted by seven salesmen. In 1874, owing to ill health, oecasioned by overwork, he resigned his position with Field, Leiter & Co., visited Colorado for a few months, and in 1875 came to Naperville, where he has since been engaged in his present business. In 1873, he married Nellie Threadgold, daughter of Capt. Theadgold, a seafaring man ; she was born in the East Indies ; sailed with her father till she was fifteen years of age, then settled in Jeresy City, where she was educated ; she and her married sisters moved to Chicago, where she resided at the time of her marriage. From this union two children have been born, of whom one is living, viz., Henry L.

WILLIAM PIERCE, farmer, P. O. Aurora, Ill., is a native of England, born in the county of Kent in the year 1817, eldest of eight chil- dren born to William and Ruth (Stephenson) Pierce, who were natives of Kent and Notting- hamshire, England. Ile was raised on the farm, and when about sixteen years of age he entered the army and remained a soldier until about the year 1817, having served for nine years,

BIOGRAPHICAL:

and fought with Wellington at the battle of Waterloo, was at the siege of Antwerp and the other battles of those days. In 1832, the fam- ily came to America, and located in Wayne County. N. Y., where he farmed, and in 1835 moved to Ohio, locating in Summit County, where he farmed until his death in the year 1875. She died in Ohio about the year 1850. Our subject was raised on the farm, and at the age of sixteen, was apprenticed to the black- smith trade. In 1839, came to Illinois, and worked at farming in Du Page County until the fall; he then began threshing in Kendall County, and in the spring of 1840. he worked at his trade on the Illinois and Michigan Canal until the fall of that year, when he came to Du Page County again and worked at farming, until the fall of 1842, when he went to Iowa, and worked at his trade in various places, and in the summer of 1843, he came here to his present place, which he bought at the land sale in the winter of 1842-43, and farmed here until the fall of 1844, when he went to Michigan and carried on the lumber business, and in the fall of 1845 he returned to bis farm. In 1848, he married Miss Susan Davis, a native of Ver- mont; she came to Du Page County with her parents when young; she died in 1849. He then followed his trade in Aurora until 1852, when he married Miss Margaret Regan, a native of Canada. She came to Anrora with her parents. In 1853, they came back to the farm and have lived here since. They had six children. two sons and four daughters. Mr. Pierce first voted for Martin Van Buren for President, and has been a Republican since organization of the party. He has 230 acres of land located on the line of Kane and Du Page Counties, four miles sontlieast of Aurora.

J. H. PAXTON, retired farmer, P. O. Eola, Ill., is a native of Maury County, Tenn., born in the year 1822, and is the sixth of twelve children born to Thompson and Cynthia (Potts) Paxton. They were natives of North Carolina,

he born January 23, 1783, and she January 16, 1790. They married March 6, 1816. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and fought under Gen. Jackson against the Creek Indians. IFis brother, James Paxton, was in the battle of New Orleans. They moved to Maury County, Tenn., soon after their marriage. He had a small farm and worked at his trade of cabinet- making, he carrying on a shop. They moved to Fountain County, Ind., about the year 1830, and he carried on farming on a large scale there until 1833. In 1832, he came to Illinois, and inade claim to a large track of land, probably over six hundred acres, and the next year brought his family and settled on the place in a log cabin. He was a colonizationist in his views on the negro question and a strong anti- slavery man, and voted the only vote in Cook County for James G. Birney, the anti-slavery candidate. Mr. Paxton kept a station of the Underground Railroad. and frequently assisted in effecting the escape of the slaves. His house was a place of publie worship and Sabbath school. He was a Presbyterian until the latter years of his life he joined the Christian Church. He died September 12, 1859, and his wife died March 19, 1853. Our subject lived with his parents until he was about twenty years of age. In addition to the district schools, he attended Granville Academy, Ill., he intending to prepare for college, but owing to his health he turned to farming after two years' attend- ance. He began working with his brother, in partnership, on the claim, and on coming to Illinois he farmed on his father's claim, and later went with his father and others and deeded the land. March 31, 1846, he married Miss Miranda Pitcher, a native of New York. She died in April, 1847. July 4, 1850, he married Miss Olive E. Fowler, a native of York Town- ship, Du Page County. January 27, 1869, he married Miss Sarah Ann Crosier, a native of New York. By the first marriage there was one child, since deceased. By the second mar-

NAPERVILLE TOWNSHIP.

riage there were seven children, six living. There are no children by the present marriage. After deeding his land, he followed farming until he was taken sick, and left the farm and lived for ten years in Aurora, and then came back to the old farm and has lived on the place since. During the past three years. he has been confined to the house, owing to an illness.

JAMES P. PAXTON, farmer, P. O. Eola, Ill., is a native of Fountain County, Ind. ; lie was born in the year 1831. His parents came to Du Page County, Ill., in 1835, and settled on the present place. Our subject was raised on the farm. He received a common school education, and at the age of nineteen took charge of his father's place and has managed the farm ever since. His father deeded him 180 acres, and after his death he paid the other heirs a sum of money. He bought some 200 aeres since. and has deeded a portion to his son. He now owns 280 acres located six miles north- east of Aurora. Mr. Paxton has been thrice married. His present wife was Miss Nettie M. Olmstead, a native of Canada. She moved with her parents to Kendall County, Ill., in 1856. They were married in Aurora, March 26, 1868. By the first wife there is one child living-Frederick E. By the present marriage there are four children-Nellie L., Edward S., J. Everette and Roy N. Mr. Paxton is a Re- publiean in politics. Ile has served as Asses- sor and School Director, and belongs to the Congregational Church. His first wife was Emeline MePherren, a native of Whitehall, N. Y., who came to Du Page County with her parents, who lived in Bloomingdale Town- ship. She was married July 5, 1856, and died October 31, 1859, aged twenty-six years.

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.

History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical), Part 41

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