History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical), Part 50

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 50

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DOWNER'S GROVE TOWNSHIP.

1840, her husband planted the apple seed from which their fine orchard has sprung. They brought many shrubs with them from New York, which, with their increase, adorn the landscape around. The beautiful maples that lie adjacent to her residenee were planted there early by her husband, who took them from Downer's Grove. Mrs. D. is an active member of the Baptist Church of Downer's Grove. She was a teacher of a Bible class for many years at York Center. A few months ago, she was thrown from a carriage and badly bruised about the face, but with her ever-enduring pa- tience. she has borne all, and has recovered. Now, being advanced in years, possessed of a competency of this world's goods, enjoying reasonably good health, she has retired from the toils and labors accompanying rural pur- suits, and is making her home in Hinsdale, We have only mentioned a few of the leading events that have made up the life of Mrs. D. and her companion, and to enlarge on what we have said would be unnecessary ; we will say, however, that she takes a deep interest in the benevolent enterprises of hier neighborhood and her duty is her greatest pleasure, as was also her deceased eonsort.

MRS. HANNAH DREHER, farmer, P. O. Lemont, Will County, widow of Israel Dreher, was born December 30, 1827, daughter of Andrew and Esther (Foust) Kimmel, who had twelve children -- George, Hannah, Dan- iel, John, Hetty, Maria, Jacob, Andrew, Lewis, Sallie, and two deceased. The par- ents are both dead. Mrs. Dreher, our sub- ject, was married, December 12, 1846, to Is- rael Dreher, whose parents were Daniel and Mary M. (Huntsinger) Dreher, who, like his wife's parents, had twelve children. The old gentleman is dead, but the old lady, now over ninety years of age, is living in Penn- sylvania, hale and hearty for her great age. Mrs. Dreher bore her husband eight children,

six of whom are living-Violet, Mrs. Fey; Elizabeth, Mrs. Steigerwalt; Silas K., in Iowa; Titus, married to Mary Oldfield, at home; Mary and Esther. July 12, 1870, Mr. Dreher died, and was buried at Naper- ville. Settled their farm in 1864. It con- sists of 120 aeres, well improved. Albert Fey, the husband of Violet, and Frank Steig- erwalt, husband of Elizabeth, were in the late war in defense of the Union.

JOHN W. DIXON, farmer, P. O. Down- er's Grove, was born March 25, 1843, in this county, where he has ever since resided. His parents, Robert and Mary E. (Wilson) Dixon, natives of Ireland, emigrated to New York in 1833, thence to this county in the same year. They had eight children, viz., Henry, James, Robert, Jane, Catharine, Charles, John W. and Mary. Subject's father was Justice of the Peace for many years; he was an Old-Line Abolitionist; four of his sons, Henry, James, Robert and Charles, fought for their country in the late civil war. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Church. Our subject received his education in the early schools of his native township. He was married, in 1868, to May L., daugh- ter of Emerson and Cynthia Osgood Gleason, natives of Massachusetts, and early settlers of this county; she was one of six children, viz., Watson, Stella, Emeroy, May, Ella and Eu- gene; her parents were Baptists. From this union four children have been born, viz., Maude, Eugenia, May and Estella. He has 100 acres of finely improved land, part of which he inherited, the remainder being ac- cumulated by his own labors. The build- ings cost about $2,500. He makes a special- ty of eattle, and is also engaged in the dairy business. He is an active member of the Methodist Church; his wife belongs to the Baptist Church.

BIOGRAPHICAL:

JAMES DREW, farmer, P. O. Cass, was born in England November 3, 1828, son of Thomas an { Rosamond (Jacobs) Drew, na- tives of England; the former came to Du Page County in 1853, and the latter in 1854. Six of their children are now living. The father died March 13, 1864, and is buried at Cass; the mother makes her home with the subject, James Drew. The latter, although a well-informed man, is entirely self-educat- ed, with the exception of some private in- struction rendered by Rev. Lyman. At ten years of age, Mr. Drew commenced for him- self. He attended to stock and engaged in numerous kinds of work until he became twenty years of age, when he came to Illinois in company with Mrs. Wells, then Mrs. Pitcher), Mr. Rooke and daughter Sarah, and Jonathan Clark. Mr. Drew was em- ployed on different farms until 1853, when he married Maria Rooke and settled on the farm of D. H. Naramore, where he remained until 1867, when his wife died; she had borne him eight children, of whom five are living- Rosamond, now Mrs. Loughlin, Jonathan, James, Anna and Arthur. He then went to Chicago and worked at carpentering until 1870, when he married Mrs. Anna Palmer, born August 24, 1831, daughter of Robert and Martha Bean, natives of England. At this time, Mr. Drew settled on his present farm of 140 acres, which belonged to his wife. The result of this second union is two children, viz., Fannie M. and Thomas. Mr. and Mrs. Drew are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Cass. He votes the Democratic ticket. Mrs. Wells, by her first husband, Thomas Palmer, had four children, of whom two are living- Harry B. and Annie E.

AZEL DORATHY, Justice of the Peace, Hinsdale, was born October 19, 1822, in Pierrepont, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y .; is a

son of Joseph and Jerusha (Hatch) Dorathy, natives of Massachusetts, and the parents of eleven children, six of whom survive-Eu- nice, Mary, Charles, Jerusha, Lucinda, Azel. Mr. Dorathy attended school in the country, and for awhile in an academy. At the age of eighteen years, he began clerking at Pots- dam, N. Y., at from $12 to $25 per month, for about five years, when he engaged in gen- eral merchandising for himself at that vil- lage. In 1854, he entered the real estate business at Chicago, which he continued for twenty years, a part of the time with success, and also sustained some losses. In 1874, he had mostly retired, on account of ill health. Was married, in 1859, to Mariam Dewey, a native of Potsdam, N. Y., the result being one daughter, Kate, deceased; his wife is also deceased. In 1881, he was elected Po- lice Magistrate of Hinsdale, which position he still holds, and is distinguished as a very efficient officer. He is a stanch Republican.

WILLIAM DAVEY, farmer, P. O. Le- mont, Cook County, was born in England March 7, 1825. His parents, John and Catharine (Pomplin) Davey, came to New York in 1855, thence to Downer's Grove in 1858, where they farmed until 1868, when they went to Iowa, where his mother died September 13, 1881; his father still survives; their children were ten in number, seven living. Mr. Davey attended school in Eu- rope, and was a policeman two years in Lon- don. He came to New York in 1852, and worked on a farm at $130 per year. In 1857,. he came to Illinois and rented land of Ben- jamin Prentiss. He married, in 1858, Mary A. Dodge. Her parents, Sceva and Ruhama, came here single; her father died in 1870, and her mother in 1860; they had eleven children. Mr. and Mrs. Davey are the par- ents of nine children-Carrie B., who grad- uated at Downer's Grove High School, and

DOWNER'S GROVE TOWNSHIP.

is among the leading teachers of the county; Alice C., Mary E., George W., John S., Ed- ward, Charlie, Laura and Elvira. Mr. Davey has been School Director. He had three brothers in the late war, who returned unin- jured. He has twenty-three acres of fine timber, worth about $100 per acre, which has been made by his own labor; he is at present farming on John Oldfield's farm. Himself, wife and daughter, Carrie B., are active mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Cass.

A. F. FOSTER, retired mechanic and farmer, Downer's Grove, was born in Middle- town, Conn., October 17, 1815, son of Chancy and Sallie (Atkins) Foster, natives of Con- necticut, he born May 14, 1783, she Septem- ber 25, 1785. Chancy Foster, subject's fa- ther, served as private in the war of 1812. They had seven children- Eliza (deceased), Oliver, Giles (deceased), Sallie, A. F., Wal- ter and Lydia. At the age of fifteen, was bound apprentice to the carpenter's trade, and, after serving three years, went to Can- ada. In 1835, he came to Will County, Ill. Married, on July 16, 1839, Nancy Adams, who has born him eight children-William, a farmer in Kendall County, Ill .; Ellen, married Edward Vial, living in Iowa; Emma, married Frank Miller; Eugene, married Ger- tie Bettles, lives in town; Albert, married Susie Bean, lives at Mt. Carroll, Ill .; Jonas, married Fannie Reynolds, living in Iowa; George, in Mt. Carroll, Ill .; and Harry, at home. Mrs. Foster is a daughter of Jonas and Olivia (Seeley) Adams; he, a native of Massachusetts, born April 8, 1777, was a Lieutenant in the war of 1812, now deceased; she, also deceased, was born in Vermont April 7, 1799; they were the parents of five children. Mr. Foster, after his marriage, settled in Plainfield, Will Co., Ill .; in 1845, bought eighty acres of Government land,

which he sold in 1849, and soon after bought some town lots in Downer's Grove, this .county, where he has since resided. He built the first Methodist Church in Downer's Grove, and was influential in raising sub- scriptions and keeping the church free from debt. He enlisted in Company B, One Hun- dred and Fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was disabled at Frankfort. Himself and wife are members of the Methodist Church. He voted the Democratic ticket till the elec- tion of Lincoln, since which time he has been a supporter of the Republican party.

JOHN FLEMING, farmer, P. O. Gower, was born in 1827, in Ireland, and is the son of Richard and Ann (Moran) Fleming, who came here in 1837 and settled in Will County, where the father worked on the Illi- nois & Michigan Canal. Subject's father died in 1837. His mother died in 1870, and was buried in the Catholic Cemetery at Cass. Mr. Fleming was able to obtain but little education. When quite young, he hired out. at a few pennies per day. By frugality and industry, he and a brother were at last ena- bled to purchase some ox teams, with which they broke prairie for the public, and soon were able to purchase a home. December 26, 1851, Mr. Fleming bought eighty acres of land of the Illinois & Michigan Canal Company. This he has added to until now he has 187 acres of well-improved land, upon which he has erected buildings worth about $2,000. In 1853, he married Bridget Maloney, a daughter of Michael and Bridget Maloney, natives of Ireland, who were among the early settlers of this county. Mr. Maloney died many years ago, but Mrs. Fleming's mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Fleming have eight children-Ellen, Richard, James, John, Ann, Thomas, Bridget and Michael. The entire family are members of the Catholic Church. Mr. Fleming came to Du Page

BIOGRAPHICAL:

County May 10, 1842, since which time he has been engaged in farming. He is an ac- tive temperance man.

THOMAS FLEMING, farmer, P. O. Gower, was born in Ireland February 1, 1801. His educational advantages were limited. He came to this country and settled in Illi- nois in 1837. He married Hannah Welch, and soon after settled on his present farm of 120 acres. Mr. and Mrs. Fleming have had twelve children, seven of whom are liv- ing; they are John, Elizabeth, Michael, Han- nah, James, Ellen and William. When Mr. Fleming first came to this county, he con- structed a log cabin, in which he lived, and was obliged to bring the necessaries of life from Chicago with ox teams. He worked on the Erie Canal for a short time, also on the Illinois & Michigan Canal. He now has a fine home as a result of his hard labor.

VICTOR FREDENHAGEN, farmer, P. O. Downer's Grove, was born June 11, 1832, in Mecklenburg, Germany; is a son of Victor and Paulina (Jurgens) Fredenhagen, who came to Du Page County, Ill., in 1855. Our subject received his early education, at his father's house, a Professor being employed by the father. In 1843, subject entered col- lege; after five years, he graduated, and en- gaged on a farm of 1,200 acres, where for three years he was " sub-boss," and where he learned farming in a scientific manner. He then remained with his father until 1851, when he, in company with E. Napp, came to Cleveland, Ohio, where they worked at farm- ing until 1852, when Mr. Fredenhagen made a prospective trip through Illinois and Iowa, which resulted in his coming, with Daniel Cook, to Du Page County, Ill. Here they rented a farm, which our subject soon had entire charge of. In the fall of 1853, he bought 480 acres of land, with money fur- nished by his father; to this the latter after-

ward added 160 acres. In 1855, our subject married Mary Lambe, a daughter of William and Mary Lambe, and soon after settled on the present farm of 324 acres, upon which Mr. Fredenhagen had previously erected a fine residence. They have seven children- Sophia (Mrs. Cawley), Victor, Edward A. (en- gaged with the Hill Standard Book Com- pany), Paulina, Augusta, Martin and Frank. From 1857 to 1872, our subject was engaged with other parties in the millinery business at Warrenville. He has been Supervisor, and was one term, in 1875, a member of the General Assembly of this State. He is at the present time Township Trustee, and a mem- ber of Hinsdale Lodge, No. 649, A., F. & A. M. He and family are Lutherans. He is a Democrat.

S. H FISH, inventor, Hinsdale, was born May 13, 1854, in Jefferson County, N. Y .; is a son of Edward and Jane (Barber) Fish, the former a native of Windham County, Vt., and the latter of Franklin County, Mass., she be- ing born December 18, 1815. The parents settled, at marriage, in Windham County, Vt., where they had four children, two of whom survive, viz., Mary J., Mrs. Gilbert Pierce, sewing machine agent, Boston, Mass .; and S. H., our subject. The father was a farmer and merchant in Boston, and died April 25, 1857; was a Methodist, to which denomination his consort now belongs. The mother came to this county in 1874, and is keeping house for her son, who has never married. Mr. Fish bought a lot and built on the same in Clarendon Hills in 1873. From childhood his active mind has been engaged on the subject of machinery, and he has already completed some valuable inventions. He is now just finishing a potato-planter, the efforts of three years' active labor. The me- chanical arrangement of this wonderful in- vention is complicated yet simple, and is the

DOWNER'S GROVE TOWNSHIP.

only complete planter in the world. Mr. Fish is very sanguine as to its success, and has several of the leading men of Chicago inter- ested in its completion. Success is certain, and, when once put into actual use, will be a fortune to the inventor.

FOX BROTHERS, merchants, Hinsdale. Charles, the senior member of this firm, was born in Vermont May 14, 1837; attended school in the country, and one term at Wheaton, and at the age of twenty he took the contract of carrying the mail from Brush Hill to Summit, Cook County, for $200 per year, making two trips each week. He then bought the stock and crop on a farm near Summit; afterward ran a hotel for nearly a year; was burnt out, and then engaged, in 1864, in the general merchandise business at Brush Hills (now Fullersburg) on his own account two years, then took in as partner Ben- jamin Fuller, who, after a year, withdrew. Hermon, Jr., member of the present firm, tak- ing his place. On Angust 17, 1875, they sold their building, and transferred their stock to Hinsdale, building at that time their present fine brick store, where they have since continued in business, keeping a gen- eral line of dry goods, notions, groceries, hardware, drugs, boots, shoes, etc. Charles was married, in 1861, on the day Lincoln was inaugurated, to Miss Betsey E., daughter of Benjamin Fuller; they have had three chil- dren, viz., William A .. Eva T. and Delner E. (deceased). He has been Township Clerk and Constable eight years; is a member of Hinsdale Lodge, No. 649, A., F. & A. M., and votes the Republican ticket. Hermon M., the junior member, was born in Vermont in 1843, son of Marvin and Amy Fox, natives of New York, and parents of ten children, five living. Hermen M. attended the common schools, and also one year at Manchester, Vt. When twenty-one years old, he enlisted in

Company L, Second Light Artillery Regi- ment, and served about one year. He taught school one winter, and then engaged with his brother in business. Married, Septem- ber 15, 1870, Phœbe, daughter of Lyman and Phœbe Babcock, natives of Ohio; the latter died when Mrs Fox was an infant. Mr. and Mrs. Fox are the parents of three chil- dren, one deceased-Estella H., Marvin and Edith E. (deceased). He votes the Repub- lican ticket. The parents of our subject are living in Hinsdale, at a ripe old age.

ALMERON FORD, merchant, Fallers- burg, is a native of Oneida County, N. Y., born November 4, 1829, son of Orrin and Sally (Jones) Ford, natives of New York, and parents of five children-Frances, Almeron, Levi, Libbeus and Sarah E. (Mrs. Wylie). Orrin was born October 5, 1801, and died July 4, 1869; his wife was born December 9, 1805, and died July 17, 1856. Almeren attended the country schools, and also one term at an academy, and at the age of twenty- one began clerking in a country store, working for his board six months, afterward receiving $4 per month, and, after working six months at that rate, came to Chicago, arriving there with only $1.30 in his pocket. He left Chicago and went to Aurora, Ill., where he found his old employer, with whom he started for Iowa. His employer. however, bought land near Shabbona Grove, De Kalb Co., Ill., and Mr. Ford hired with him to work on the farm. He afterward engaged as clerk in the store of Mr. Sutherland, in Kan- kakee, Ill., where he remained four years, after which he bought 160 acres of raw prai- rie land, which, after farming two years, he sold. He then bought out Walter Vanvelzer, a merchant of Fullersburg, where he has since carried on business, doing a good trade in dry goods, notions, groceries, boots and shoes, etc., his being the only store in the

BIOGRAPHICAL:

place save one. He was married, in Kanka- kee, November 4, 1857, to Angeline Fuller, born in New York May 2. 1834; they have four children-Frank A., Leona B., Carrie B. and Arthur M. Mr. Ford has been Su pervisor, Justice of the Peace and School Director; is now, and has been for some time, Notary Public. He has good property on Lots 2 and 3 in this village, a lot at Western Springs, and four acres of timber in York Township, this county. He is a Democrat. J. R. FINCH, real estate, Hinsdale, was born in Sussex County, N. Y., March 16, 1820, son of John and Elizabeth[ (Crampton) Finch, natives of New Jersey. John Finch was of German and French descent, and served in the war of 1812; he died at the age of eighty-eight ; his wife was of English and Irish descent; they had eight children. J. R. received a limited education in his na- tive State, and was apprenticed to the car- penter's trade. At twenty-two years of age, he engaged as solicitor and peddler for Wheeler, France & Madden, a hardware and tinware firm, in whose employ he remained four years. In 1842, he married Maria M. Vliet, of Warren County, N. Y., who has borne him six children; those living are J. Warren, a stock farmer in Nebraska; Joseph R., a stock farmer in Smith County, Kan .; Emma A., Mrs. William Gillett; and Em- manuel C., at home. Mr. Finch engaged in mercantile business for a time, and afterward, with his wife and two children, went to Mil- ton, Rock Co., Wis., and bought forty acres of land, which, after eleven months, he sold at a profit of $300, which he invested in land warrants, and has since dealt in real estate. He located 300 acres in Wisconsin. which he exchanged for a hardware stock in Evansville, Wis., which he sold, and invested the pro- ceeds in land in Virginia, on which was after- ward built the town of Finchville. He has

dealt in property in Washington, Philadel- phia and Chicago, and now owns property to the amount of $60,000 or $70,000. He sus- tained but two actual losses in the whole course of his extensive transactions. He now resides in Hinsdale. His wife is a Meth- odist. He is a member of the A., F. & A. M.

WESLEY FELL, farmer, P. O. Gower, was born in Cass, this county, October 24, 1861; son of Joshua and Emeline (Hewitt) Fell. His mother was born February 22, 1830, and is the daughter of Orsemus and Ida (Spaulding) Hewitt, natives of Ohio; she was one of nine children, six of whom are living. Mrs. Fell's mother was a school-teacher in her younger days, and attained her knowl- edge of arithmetic by ciphering on birch bark. She was also a very popular nurse among the sick. The grandfather, Spauld- ing, was a teacher of vocal music. The father of our subject is a brother of Mrs. Elijah Smart, wife of Elijah Smart, whose sketch is in this work. Mrs. Fell had, by her marriage with Joshua Fell, nine children, five of whom are living, viz., Alson, who is married to Susan Bonner, and is a farmer in Jasper County, Ind .; Anna; Carrie; Ed- gar, who is with his brother in Indiana; and Wesley, our subject, who attends to the old homestead. The farm now consists of eighty acres of well-improved land. The boys are as energetic a class of young men as can be found, and are fast accumulating means. Mrs. Fell, the mother of Wesley Fell, is a faithful member of the Methodist Church, in which denomination the children are deeply interested.

GEORGE FRENCH, blacksmith, Hins- dale, was born in Denmark June 21, 1844, son of George H. and Helena French, who had six children-Christ, Peter, Nelson, Han- nah, Christina and George H. Mr. French attended school eight months in each year

DOWNER'S GROVE TOWNSHIP.

until he was sixteen years old, when he be- gan learning the blacksmith's trade. He came to Du Page County in 1872, engaging on a farm in order to learn the English lan- guage. In 1875, he worked at his trade in Chicago, where he continued two years, and has since been doing a fine business here, making horseshoeing a specialty. He was married, in 1873, to Mary Hanson, a native of Denmark, and by her has one child, Hel- ena. He has two houses and lots in this place, worth about $3,000, the result of his own labors. Is a member of A. O. U. W. He attends the Congregational Church, and is one of our leading citizens. He is a Re- publican.

GIFFORD & BURTT, butchers, Hinsdale. Prominently identified among the leading firms of Hinsdale is that of Gifford & Burtt. Mr. J. A. Gifford, the senior member of the firm, was born September 24, 1834, in Benning- ton County, Vt., son of Ora and Olivia (Turner) Gifford, and was one of eight ehildren-Ly- man H., Samuel L., J. A., Lewis E., Sarah A . Lizzie H. and two deceased. Mr. Gifford attended school in the country and one term in a select school. In 1862, came to Brush Hills, Du Page County, where he engaged in farming and teaming. In 1868, began a meat market at Hinsdale, continuing about five years, and then entered a general store under the firm name of J. A. & Lewis E. Gifford. The latter was Postmaster. In 1873. Lewis E. died, and the business was closed. In 1877, our subjeet went into the meat market with C. A. Walker, who with- drew January 1, 1881, at which time E. A. Burtt, the junior member of the firm, stepped in. These gentlemen are doing a first-elass business, merited by their own personal at- tention. Mr. G. has never been married, and. with his sister, makes his home in an elegant little cottage in this place. He votes the

Democratie ticket. Mr. E. A. Burtt, the jun- ior member, was born April 28, 1834, in New Hampshire; son of Benjamin and Lucy (Wilson) Burtt, the former a native of Mas- sachusetts and the latter of New Hampshire. They were the parents of three children. viz., E. A., G. H. and Frederick, the latter dying when two years old. The father was a miller the most of his life. The parents were Congregationalists. E. A. attended school long enough to obtain a good business edneation. At the age of fourteen, he began learning the carpenter's trade, which he con- tinned until he was twenty-one years old, at which period he engaged for a lumber firm, at Potsdam, N. Y. In 1861, he withdrew from that business, and enlisted in Company E, New Hampshire Volunteer Sharp Shoot- ers, where he remained till 1862; he became disabled at that time by a wagon running over his ankle, but, as soon as able, he en- gaged as baggage master, brakeman and fore- man of the track-laying of the Coneord & Portsmouth Railroad. In 1871, he came to Hinsdale and farmed a short time with his brother, afterward working in Ohio. In two years, he returned to Hinsdale and engaged in butchering, until 1880, at which time he entered the partnership as mentioned above, and with Mr. Gifford he makes his home, having never married. He votes the Demo- eratic ticket.

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History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical), Part 50

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