History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical), Part 46

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

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and farming in Milton Township ; Catherine E., now Mrs. Beebe, of Milton Township. Mr. Hadley first voted in 1848, was anti-Slavery

-- and Republican since organization of party. (In 1848 he voted for the Whig candidate.) He is a Wesleyan Methodist ; been a member since 1844.

ELIAS JEWELL (deceased), was a native of Connecticut. He was born June 22, 1791. While yet a child, his parents moved to New York, where they followed farming. He was married, February 26, 1815, to Harriet Howe, and after the marriage settled on a farm, where they lived until about 1825, when they went to Canada, and he worked at the building of the Welland Canal, and a few years later they moved to Michigan, where he farmed and con- ducted a brickyard near Detroit. While here, Mrs. Jewell returned to Canada on business, and died while away. In 1833, he married Miss Cynthia Whitney, a native of Detroit, Mich., born in the year 1808 ; her father, Solo- mon B. Whitney, was a Sergeant Major under Gen. Hull, at Detroit, during the war of 1812. In 1838, they came to Illinois, and made a claim to the present place, where he lived until his death in 1858. Mrs. Jewell is living on the old homestead. By the first marriage there were five children, of whom but one is living, viz., Elias. By the second marriage there were no children. Mr. Jewell was a soldier in the war of 1812.

ELIAS JEWELL, JR., farmer, P. O. Naper- ville, is a native of Canada, born June 11, 1827, and is the only surviving child of Elias Jewell, Sr., deceased. Ile was raised on the farm and received a common-school education. March 11, 1849, he married Miss Sabra A. Winchell, a native of Lake County, Ohio. She came to Du Page County, Ill., with her parents in 1844 or 1845. After the marriage, he ocen- pied an SO-aere farm his father gave him, and farmed on his own account, and has lived on the place ever since, except a short residence

MILTON TOWNSHIP.

in Michigan and Chicago. By the marriage there have been six children, of whom five sous are living. In 1860, Mr. Jewell began as a traveling salesman for the McCormick Reaper Company, and the next year engaged with the Chicago branch of Messrs. D. M. Osborn & Co., manufacturers of reapers and mowers, and continued with them for fifteen years. During the past seven years he has worked on short engagements for different companies, his health not permitting regular engagements. He owns 110 acres, located one and a half miles north- east of. Wheaton.

O. F. JOHNSON, lumber merchant, Chicago, P. O. Prospect Park, is a native of Vermont, born in the year 1838, son of William J. and Harriet (French) Johnson, who moved to Erie, Penn., at an early day, thence to Ohio, thence to Lockport, Ill., and thence to Du Page Coun- ty, in 1839, locating on a claim he bought in the southeastern part of Milton Township. A year or two later, they went to Chicago and kept the New York House. and in the spring of 1844 came to Prospect Park. Our subject lived at home until he was seventeen. He then began as a brakeman on the North Western Rail- road, where he remained about seven years, quitting as a conductor. He then engaged as conductor, for two years, on the Chicago, Bur- lington & Quincy. He then engaged as man- ager of a lumber camp in Michigan, conducting two mills, etc., where he remained until 1863. He then conducted a lumber yard at Prospect Park for three years. Ife then took charge of the Lumber Department of Goss & Phillips Manu- facturing Company, of Chicago, where he re- mained for seven years. Ile then opened in the lumber commission business for Johnson & Gibbs, 248 South Water street, and has re- ' mained since. He has always kept his home in Prospect Park. He married in 1864 to Miss Emily Churchill, a native of Du Page County, Ill. He enlisted in Company E, Eighth Illinois Cavalry, and remained with the com-

mand about three months, when he was dis- charged, owing to ill health. He has had six children, five living. Republican.

HORACE JAYNE, carpenter and agricult- ural implements, is a native of Wyoming Co., Penn., born in the year 1823, and was raised on the farm. His father carried on the farm, and was also engaged in the lumber business, and Horace assisted his father both on the farm and in his business, living at home until he was twenty-three. Ile then worked at farm- ing and carpentering in the neighborhood until 1849, when he came West and located at Rock- ford, Ill., where he worked at carpenter work until 1860. He then came to Du Page County, III., and located on a farm he bought two miles west of Wheaton, and farmed for fourteen years. He then sold his farm and came to Wheaton, where he engaged in the hardware business, which he continued about three years, when he sold out and retired from active busi- ness. In 1847, he married Miss Lucy M. Robinson, a native of Susquehanna County, Penn. She died in Wheaton, Ill., in 1878. They had seven children, five of whom are liv- ing. July 27, 1879, he married, in Pennsyl- vania, Elzina (Brown) Corey, of Susquehanna County, that State. After the marriage, they came to Wheaton, and have lived here since.

CAPT. M. E. JONES, carpenter and house mover, is a native of Rutland County, Vt., born in the year 1830; was raised on the farm, receiving a common school education; his father, Ephraim Jones, was a wagon-maker, and the Captain early began to labor with his father. When seventeen years of age, he began peddling jewelry, and a year later went West, stopping in Niagara County, N. Y., and Medina County, Ohio, finally reaching Chicago, where he worked about four years, during which time he married Miss Sarah Reece, who died there about two years after the marriage. The only child died when seven years of age. In 1858, Capt. Jones came to Du Page Page County

BIOGRAPIIICAL:

and located at Danby, now Prospect Park, and worked at his trade. August 5, 1861, he en- listed in the Eighth Illinois Regiment Cavalry, Company E, and served until the close of the war. He entered his company a private, and was elected First Duty Sergeant; was several times promoted, coming home as Captain of his company, and now, may it be told for the benefit of history, that while placing his men on pickett at Gettysburg, about fifteen minutes of 4 A. M., Capt. Jones took a carbine of his Sergeant, Levi S. Shafer, and fired at the advancing enemy, the first shot in that mighty battle. From the army he returned to Wheaton, and, except a few months, lived there until 1872, when he went to Colorado and engaged in the stock business, returning again to Wheaton in 1877, and has lived here since. September 1, 1864, in camp near Washington, D. C., he married Miss Elvira N. Meacham, a native of Benson, Rutland Co., Vt. She had come to Du Page County, Ill., with her parents in 1854.

DANIEL KELLEY, farmer, P. O. Wheaton, is a native of Rutland Co., Vt., born in the year 1818. On becoming seventeen, he began teach- ing public school in the winter, teaching in all three terms. He also was was a shepherd, having charge of his father's flock; when he was twenty-six years of age, he came West by the water route, and purchased and occupied his present place, where he has lived ever since, located two miles due north of Wheaton. He soon began the sheep business in the West, and early placed some fine merinos on his place, and has carried on the business on a large scale ever since, having as high as 2,600 head at one time. In 1846, he married Miss Mary E. Huls, a native of New York. She came to St. Charles, Ills., with her parents. She had eleven chil- dren, nine of whom are living. He first voted for Harrison, and has been Republican since the organization of the party. He has been a member of the Baptist Church for the past thirty years. On coming to Du Page County, he had

$602, and has owned over 1,400 acres of land here, but has lately sold portions to his chil- dren and others. He was President of the Wool Growers' Association of the State of Illi- nois, by virtue of which office he also became Delegate to the National Convention. He was the first President of the Northern Illinois Wool Growers' Association and is now Vice President of the State Association.

A. D. KELLEY, Sutcliffe & Kelley, grain, lumber and agricultural implement deal- ers, Wheaton, is a native of Milton Town - ship, Du Page Co., Ill., and was born June 30, 1849 ; was raised on his father's farm, and re- ceived a common school education, living at home until the fall of 1872, when he married Miss Callie A. Smith, a native of Walworth County, Wis. After the marriage, they settled on a farm that he bought in Kane County one mile west of St. Charles, where they lived for seven years. He then sold out his farm and moved to Wheaton. when he engaged in his present business, and has conducted ever since. By the marriage there have been three children born, of whom one is living-Raymond Albert.

JUDSON A. KELLEY, farmer, P. O. Whea- ton, Ill., is a native of Milton Townshlp, Du Page Co., and was born on his father's farm in the ycar 1858, and in addition to a common school course, attended Wheaton College for a year or two. February 15, 1882, he married Miss Lillian A. Taylor, a native of Wisconsin. After the marriage, they located on the present place, which he bought of Mr. J. L. Bennett, and consists of fifteen acres, located one and three-fourth miles north of Wheaton, Mr. Kelley is Republican in politics.

F. G. KIMBALL, farming, P. O. Wheaton, is a native of Washington County, Vt., born Sept. 9, 1825, fifth child in a family of eleven " children born to the Rev. William Kimball, who married Miss Lovisa Lathrop. They were natives of Vermont ; married there, and came West in 1836, coming by the water route, and

MILTON TOWNSHIP.

bought a claim in what is now Wayne Town- ship, Du Page Co., Ill., where they farmed for about three years, when the family moved to Aurora, where Mr. Kimball preached in Kane and Du Page Counties for some thirty years, when he retired from the active ministry, hav- ing returned to Wheaton, Du Page County, where he died in 1869. Mrs. Kimball died two years previous, in Wheaton. Our subject lived at home until he was twenty years of age ; he received in all only about nine months' study in the district schools. He followed farming until about 1850, when he engaged as a clerk in the general merchandise business at Turner Junc- tion, continuing there about ten years. He then traveled for some five years, and in 1865, in company with Mr. M. Smith, engaged in the mercantile business in Wheaton, they con- tinuing in business some seven years, when they dissolved, and Mr. Kimball engaged in farming, and a few years later he again en- gaged in mercantile business, but owing to ill- health, he soon gave up his business and re- turned to farming, which he has continued since, locating on his present place, which con- sists of thirty acres, located one mile southwest from Wheaton. In 1866, he married Miss Mary E. Barnes, a native of Michigan, and living at Mendota, Ill., at time of her marriage. By the marriage there have been three children, two of whom are living, viz., Frank Grant Kimball, Ida May Kimball. Mr. Kimball has held the office of Collector and Road Commissioner in Winfield Township, and Supervisor in Milton Township. He first voted for John P. Hale ; was anti-slavery and Republican since the or- ganization of party. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for about twelve years.

L. E. LANDON, retired farmer. is a native of Whitestown, Oneida Co., N. Y., born No- vember 19, 1809, second child of a family of five children born to Joseph and Sarah Wood Landon. They were natives of Connectieut and

New York; he moved to Whitestown. N. Y., at an early day, and there married Miss Wood, daughter of Deacon Wood of the Congrega- tional Church of that place. Joseph Landon, at the time of L. E.'s birth, was engaged in a saw-mill, and Salter moved to Wales' Paper- mill and bought rags and sold paper for same, and thence to a farm; and, about the year 1820, he moved to Oswego Village (now city), he carrying the mail from Utica to Oswego, his being the first four-horse stage ever driven through that route; his wife died in Oswego in March, 1825; he married again to Mrs. Huldah, widow of Samuel Farnham, by whom he has. one child, a son; he moved to Hannibal, and thence to Marcellus, where his second wife died ; he married again, and lived in that vicinity until his death. Our subject lived at home until he was about twenty-two or twenty-three years of age; he received a common school education. In 1825, he married Miss Hul- dah M. Farnham, in Oswego, N. Y .; she was a native of Canada, where her parents re- sided on a farm forty-five miles northeast of Kingston, she being on a visit to her aunt's, at Oswego, N. Y .. at the time of her marriage, after which they lived on a farm for about a year and a half, and then went to Upper Canada, where they lived also about a year and a half. In January, 1838, they drove by sleigh to Mar- cellus, N. Y., and, gathering some effects, they started on February 22d of that year for Illi- nois, sleighing to Cleveland and thence by wheels to Addison Township, Du Page County, where his brother lived, and soon after arriving he bought a claim located in Section 12, Bloom- ingdale Township, and occupied the same, where he lived until about 1857 or 1858; he then moved to Section 14, where he lived until the fall of 1867, when he moved to Wheaton, and has lived here since. By the marriage there were five children, four of whom are living, three daughters and one son; all married. The son, A. S., merchant in Wheaton; Laura A.

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Gates, in Bloomingdale; Hattie M. Beach, of St. Joe, Mo .; Sarah E. Mann, of Geneva, Il1.

W. H. LUTHER, station agent, Northwest- ern Railroad and dealer in grain, coal and feed, of the firm of Luther & Newton, Prospect Park, is a native of Springfield, Mass., and was born in the year 1846. In 1854, the family came West to Rockford, Ill., where they now reside. W. HI. Luther, Sr., was a manufacturer of cotton and woolen goods in the East, and after coming West, followed farming. Our sub- ject received a common school education. In 1864, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Illinois Regiment Infantry, Com- pany A, and served one year. After his re- turn from the army, he engaged in farming, which he continued about five years. He then became station agent at Winnebago, Ill., and in 1874 he became agent here at Prospect Park. In 1877, in company with E. C. Marks, en- gaged in the coal and feed business, and three years later, Mr. Marks sold his interest in the business to Mr. W. C. Newton. Mr. Luther married Miss F. A. Copeland, daughter of Dr. Copeland, of Winnebago. By the marriage there are two children, viz., Flora L. and Paul G. Republican in politics. Clerk of the Board of Trustees and the School Board of Prospect Park.

S. W. MOFFATT, retired farmer, is a native of Orange County, N. Y., born March 1, 1818. He was raised on a farm until he was about sixteen years of age. He received a common and select school course of study. On becom- ing sixteen, he began teaching, and continued to teach for about five years. He then came West to Aurora, Ill., where he taught school and assisted his brother-in-law on the farm until the spring of 1842, when he came to Du Page County and stopped with his brother-in- law, who had moved to Wayne Township ; and, in the winter following, he taught school near where the town of Bartlett now stands. The schoolhouse was an old pioneer one, of logs --

stick chimney, puncheon floor, etc., etc .- and the teacher received two steers, valued at $36, for three months' services. He continued his home with his brother-in-law, teaching winters and assisting on the farm, about one year, when he went East to Orange County, N. Y., where he taught his former school ; and in the spring of 1844 he married Miss Harriet Elizabeth Sayer, a native of Orange County, N. Y. The same spring, they came to Wayne Township, Du Page Co., Ill., where they purchased a farm and lived on the same until about 1863. He then rented his place and moved to Elgin, returning to his farm the year following ; and about one year later he sold his farm and moved to Wheaton, where he has lived since. While in Wayne Township, he served two terms each in the offices of Town Clerk and Supervisor ; while in Wheaton he has been in the Council for a number of years, and now serving as President of the Board for the fifth term. In former years he was a Whig, and Republican since the organization of the party. Is a mem- ber of the Congregational Church since his coming to the county. By the marriage there were five children, two of whom are living ---- William S., shorthand correspondent, Chicago, and Harrict E., at home.

HON. F. H. MATHER, farmer, is a native of Benson, Rutland Co., Vt., born in the year 1819. His father, Demas, was a farmer, and also kept hotel. He and his wife, Miss Clarissa C. Ingraham, were natives of Connecticut. They married there and moved to Vermont, where they lived until their death. Our subject was raised on the farm ; received a common-school education. In 1842, he married Miss Rhode E. Meacham, a native of his native town. After marriage, they came West, by line boat to Buf- falo, thence on the old Illinois steamer to Chi- cago, thence to Milton Township, Du Page Co., Ill., where Mrs. Mather had a brother living. They bought a farm and began farming, which business he followed until about 1860, when he

MILTON TOWNSHIP.

came to Wheaton, where he has since lived. While on the farm, he also engaged in the stock and wool business, buying, and shipping to Chi- cago and New York, and has carried on his farms and conducted the wool and stock busi- ness ever since. In 1869, he went to Colorado and bought wool, and in 1872 the family moved there, and they carried on a stock ranch, re- maining on the same for thirteen months. when they returned to Wheaton. Mr. Mather has been Supervisor of Milton Township for three years ; has also served on the Town Council. In the fall of 1860, he was elected, on the Re- publican ticket, a member of the State Legis- lature, and served two years, during which time he actively engaged himself to have passed a bill he presented for the removal of the county seat from Naperville to Wheaton. The bill passed the House, but was defeated in the Sen- ate, and the war coming on, no further action was taken until 1866, when the bill passed. By the marriage there has been one child-Minnie, now Mrs. Sanders. Mr. Mather was an Old-Line Whig, and became Republican upon the organ- ization of the party; is a member of the Con- gregational Church.

J. R. McCHESNEY, merchant, of J. R. MeC. & Co., Prospect Park, Ill., is a native of New- ark, N. J., born June 18, 1828. His parents, Rev. James and Matilda (Davis) McChesney, were natives of Ireland and New York; he is a Congregational minister. In 1846, they moved to Chicago, and one year later pre-empted 160 acres in Schaumberg Township, Cook Co., Ill., where they lived until about 1854, when they sold the land and moved to Prospect Park. Our subject lived with his parents until about 1853, when, about fourteen years of age, he be- gan work in an ornamental iron works, and worked there about four years. In 1854, he married, at Hanover, Cook County, Miss Eliza- beth Leatherman, a native of Indiana; they have four children, two of whom are living. After the marriage, he farmed a few years. In

1862, he formed a partnership and engaged in the general store business in Danby, now Pros- peet Park. In 1864, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty-first Illinois Volunteer In- fantry Regiment, Company II, and served abont five months; he entered as a private and re- turned as Second Lieutenant of his company; he then sold out his store business and engaged in buying and shipping grain, which he con- tinued for several years; he then moved to El- gin and conducted the grain business there in company with Mr. George Sawin for three years, then returned to Prospect Park and engaged in the lumber business for Mr. Huff, and about 1872 he engaged in his present business, and for a term served as Postmaster. August 1, 1882, Mr. MeC. was elected President of the Village of Prospect Park, it being the first elec- tion under corporation.

PETER NORTHROP, retired, is a native of Cayuga County, N. Y., born in the year 1818. At the age of sixteen he engaged as a clerk in a general store in Oswego County, N. Y., and followed elerking, principally, until 1836, when he took a trip West prospecting, visiting Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, etc. He returned East, and in 1837 engaged in business for himself at Jordan, in Onondaga County, N. Y., where he remained until 1841, when he came West and settled on a farm which he bought in Addison Township, where he remained four years, and where he was a Justice of the Peace. He then sold his farm and engaged in merchandising in Addison Village; continued until 1852, when he was elected Circuit Clerk and went to Na- perville (then the county seat), and he lived there four years. He then came to Wheaton, and built a steam and grist mill which he con- ducted until 1859, when it was destroyed by fire. Ile then went to Chicago and engaged in the grain business two years, thenee to his land in Addison Township, where he remained till 1865 ; then he came to Wheaton, and in com- pany with Mr. H. B. Hills engaged in mercan-

BIOGRAPHICAL:

tile business. They continued until 1875, when he went to a farm he had at Turner Junction, where he remained until October, 1881, when he came to Wheaton and has lived here since. He married Miss Mariell Kinney, a native of Oswego County, N. Y. She came to Du Page County with her parents. She died in 1862. His present wife was Miss S. B. Eastman, a native of Illinois. They had seven children- six living. Was, in an early day, a Democrat, but has been a Republican since the organiza- tion of that party. Mr. Northrop was elected one of the Associate Justices, and, on forma- tion of the Board of Supervisors, he was elected Supervisor of his township.

FRANCIS OTT, farmer, P. O. Wheaton, Ill., was born in Germany in the year 1816, and was raised on a farm. At the age of sixteen, he apprenticed to shoemaking, and, in 1837, he came to the United States of America, and lived two years in the State of New York, working at his trade. He then came West by the water route to Chicago. He then came out in the country to work, and worked in this part of the State on the farm and canal, or cutting wood until 1841. He then went to Naperville, where he worked at his trade. He also went to school a few months. He then went to live with his brother, who was farming in Milton Township, and soon after he took up a claim and improved it, and later he sold his place and bought the present, which contains 250 acres, located one and a quarter miles east of Wheaton. In 1847, he married Miss Anna M. Werner, a native of Germany. She came to the United States of America with her parents when she was young ; she died in September, 1877. They had seven children, six of whom are living. Mr. Ott has held the office of Road Commissioner and Assessor of his Township. Also the school office of Director. He has been a Democrat in politics, but of late is rather independent, going for the best men.

REV. FATHER DE LA PORTE was born in Burgsteinfurt, Province of Westphalia, Prus- sia, May 11, 1841. His father, Francis M. de la Porte was a Frenchman, though born in Santa Cruz, W. I., in 1797, and when five years of age moved to Europe, locating in Germany, where he afterward became the Inspector of Forests, a position he held for fifty-five years. Our subject was raised in his native village until he was seventeen years of age, when he went to Munster and prepared for the ministry, attending the college there, from which he graduated in August, 1862. He then studied philosophy during a short term. and returning home made his preparations to come to America, arriving in Chicago, Ill., in October, 1863, where he completed his course of study in the St. Mary's Seminary of the Lake, and was ordained to the priesthood April 7, 1866, by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Duggan, and was assigned Professor of Latin in the St. Mary's Seminary. A few months later, he was ap- pointed pastor of the St. Peter's Church at Naperville, Ill. The large church there was only partly finished, and had quite a heavy debt, but by his energy Father de la Porte dis- charged the debt, built a parsonage and finished the church in a most elegant manner, remain- ing in Naperville until in November, 1878, when, owing to his health, which was much impaired by reason of his labors in behalf of his church, he left Naperville, where he had made many warm friends, and went to Wiscon- sin and became a professor in the Normal School in St. Francis, and one year later he removed to Chicago, where he became Assistant Priest of St. Anthony's Church, in which posi- tion he continued for two years, and, in April, was appointed pastor of the St. Michael's Church of Wheaton.

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History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical), Part 46

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