History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical), Part 53

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 53

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PROF. J. K. RASSWEILER, Principal of Downer's Grove Schools. He is a native of Millersburg, Dauphin Co., Penn., born September 10, 1853; his parents, J. Philip and Anna D. (Haesler) Rassweiler, are represen- tatives of that nationality to which the United States is indebted for very many thousands of her most prosperous citizens and substan- tial men of worth and merit, being born in Hanover, Germany. J. Philip Rassweiler was born April 18, 1812; emigrated to Amer- ica in 1825, and afterward settled perma- nently in Stephenson County, Ill. His parents not being in affinent circumstances, our subject worked on the farm during the summers, thus laying the foundation of his present energy, and, in the winters, when farm labor was not to be obtained, he applied himself to mental

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improvement, with eminent success. Hisschool days began in the country, and, when at a rea- sonable age. he entered an academy at Cedar- ville, Stephenson County, where he advanced very rapidly; he set his mind for a thorough education, and his parents were unable to help him, so he devised every means in his power to be able to reach the target. He became qualified to teach in the country schools at the age of fifteen, and took advan- tage of that vocation, teaching in the winters and attending college in the summers. He entered the Western College, at Naperville, in 1870, where he graduated in 1876, with high honors. During the period of six years that he was receiving instructions at the last- mentioned institution, he taught terms of school at Mendota and Fullersburg, He was employed at the Downer's Grove Schools in 1876, a position his education and abilities peculiarly qualify him to fill. He has taken those schools from a mere primary grade, and has set them upon a foundation ranking among the best in this country. At Streator, Ill., September 15, 1876, he married Mary E. Beringer, born in Menominee Falls, Wis., April 24, 1854. daughter of Mahlon D. and Caroline K. (Wambold) Beringer, natives of Pennsylvania; he died February 16, 1859; she was born July 23, 1833. Mrs. Rass- weiler's father was a member of the Evan- gelical Church. Her mother was again mar- ried to a Rev. J. Miller, of the Evangelical Church. Mr. R.'s union has blessed him with two children, viz., Lula Winifred and Ralph Edmund. He and wife are active members of the Evangelical Church at Na- · perville. He is now Village Trustee. Being averse to office, he has not been an office- seeker, He is, however, now a candidate for Superintendent of Schools of Du Page County, a position he will probably get before this sketch is in print.

MRS. NANCY S. ROTE, Downer's Grove, was born August 29, 1830, in Lower Canada; her father, Daniel Roberts, was born in New Hampshire, and her mother, Lucy (Clark) Roberts, in Lower Canada; they came here in 1845, settling in the Cass neighborhood. Subject attended school but a short time in the country, but afterward entered a select school at Naperville, where she remained quite awhile. She was married, in 1848, to Luke S. Kimball, and from this union two children were born, viz., Edward D. and Clara M., wife of Mr. Dawe, a Methodist minister; she died May 28, 1881, leaving three children-Ida M., E. Raymond and Charles. Mr. Kimball was educated at Mt. Morris, Ogle County, this State; was a class- mate of ex.Gov. J. L. Beveridge; studied law in Chicago and practiced in Hennepin, Putnam County; his death occurred February 13, 1852, from drowning, in attempting to rescue some men from a boat which was frozen in the ice. Mrs. Rote then came to this county, and, in 1857, was married to Richard Rote, native of Columbia County, N. Y., and by this marriage was blessed with six children-Eva V., Esther H., Mabel G., Ada E., Berton H. and Ernest D. Mr. Rote died April 29, 1879; was a member of the M. E. Church at Cass, to which denomination the subject now belongs. In September, 1881, Mrs. Rote came to Downer's Grove. In 1882, she sold her eighty acres of well-improved land at $65 per acre, and is living retired.

F. A. ROGERS, postal clerk on Chicago & Dubuque mail route, Downer's Grove. Mr. Rogers, of whom we write, is a native of St. Lawrence County, N. Y .; is a brother of Capt. T. A. Rogers, whose sketch, together with that of his father, appears elsewhere. He had the advantage of the district schools, and a graded one at Somonauk, De Kalb County, this State. He spent his younger

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days on his father's farm. He enlisted, in 1861, in Company E, I. C. A. V., and served the cause of his country for three years; was in about fifty battles and skirmishes. among which were those of the Potomac campaign. On his return from the war, he engaged prin- cipally in farming until October 3, 1880, when he was commissioned postal clerk on the Chicago & Dubuque mail route, in which position he has proven an efficient officer, having scarcely made a single mistake in the transfer of mail, the labor of which is de- pendent entirely upon the memory of hun- dreds of officers, their locality and mail route. He was married, September 6. 1866, to Mary A. Plummer, a daughter of Benjamin and Amelia (Thomas) Plummer, of Hinsdale, which union blessed him with four children, viz., Minnie A., born July 7, 1867; Mamie E., born July 15, 1869; Charlie L., born Au- gust 24, 1870; and Elbert A., born August 3, 1879. Mr. Rogers has been Collector of Downer's Grove Township for three years. In 1880, he took the census of said township. Is a charter member of Hinsdale Lodge, No. 649, A., F. & A. M., and has been Past Mas- ter of the same. He votes the Republican ticket. In June, 1880, he bought eighty-five acres where he now lives, in Downer's Grove Township, and here his family remains On this farm stands an old log cabin that was erected about the year 1834, by Horace Al- drich, who for many years at this place kept the only hotel on the old plank road between Brush Hills and Naperville. It was in this building that the Rogers family slept the first night they were in Du Page County. The old well of forty-five years still furnishes as pure water as it did when the merry traveler of those olden times tied his ox team, that he might bend over the old oaken bucket to quench his thirst. A portion of the old nur- sery once cultivated by Mr. Aldrich can be

seen here, adjacent to the old structures. This hotel was known as Prospect Hill, and recently a large number of receipts were found about the old building bearing such a postmark. They were receipts for board bills that were probably never paid. Mr. Rogers has the patents for his present farm, which were signed by J. K. Polk.

CAPT. T. S. ROGERS, meat market, Chi- eago, P. O. Downer's Grove, was born August 30, 1831, in St. Lawrence County, N. Y .; is a son of Joseph I. and Caroline A. (Smith) Rogers. The father was born January 12. 1802, in Herkimer County, N. Y., and the mother on April 15, 1812, in West Spring- field, Mass. The family came to this county in 1844, and bought land where P. S. Cossitt now lives. Here the father died November 18, 1863; the mother is living in Downer's Grove. Our subject attended school in a log cabin which stood on the old Goodenough farm, receiving instruction from Amanda Forbes. He taught school some during his life, in Milton Township, Lisle, and at Brush Hill. He has run a threshing machine and driven ox teams. Was married, December 13, 1855, to Helen M. Stanley, a sister of L. W. Stanley, whose sketch appears elsewhere; she was born February 6, 1833; she has blessed her husband with two children, both of whom are deceased. In 1860, he was elected Sheriff of Du Page County. He en- listed, before his term of office closed, in Company B. One Hundred and Fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was elected Captain in July, 1862, and served till the fall of 1864. On his return from the war, he taught school in Downer's Grove, and in 1866 he engaged in the meat business at Chicago, which he continues. He has a beautiful residence in Downer's Grove, and goes to and from his business each day. He has been President of the Board of Trustees of Downer's Grove

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since its organization; was Township Super- visor one term, and has some other small offices. Mention of the Rogers family will be found elsewhere.

WILLIAM ROBBINS, real estate, Hins- dale, was born July 20, 1824, in Oswego County, N. Y .; is a son of John and Polly (Furguson) Robbins, the former a native of Keene, N. H., and the latter of Albany, N. Y. They came to McHenry County, Ill., in 1844, and died there. Our subject attended school in the country, and afterward graduated at the Rensselaer Academy, at Mexico, N. Y. He then tanght district schools in New York and in Illinois. to which latter State he came with his parents. Soon after his arrival in this State, he entered a dry goods store as clerk, where he continued until 1850, when he went with several ethers to California, and mined one winter. The following spring, he engaged in general merchandising, under the firm name of Bull, Baker & Robbins, at San Francisco, Red Bluffs and Shasta. They were successful, and, after six years, sold out, and began banking at San Francisco. This they continued successfully for four years, when Mr. Robbins withdrew and came to Chicago. In a short time, he invested his ample means in real estate, to which he has sinee given his personal attention. He was the founder of Hinsdale, where his beautiful residence now stands. He has about eight hundred acres of land in and around Hins- dale, and some in Cook County; has an office in Chicago, to which he goes each day. In 1855, Mr. Robbins married Marie Steele, who blessed him with three children-Isabel, Mrs. William H. Knight; John S., engaged in the J. I. Case Plow Manufacturing Company at Racine, Wis. ; and George R., chief clerk fer Col. Forsythe, railroad official of Chicago. Mr. Robbins is a member of the Congrega- tional Church at Hinsdale. In August, 1882,

Mrs. Robbins was thrown from her buggy by a runaway horse, and almost instantly killed.

DAVID ROTH, farmer, P. O. Hinsdale, was born May 25, 1811, in Delaware County, N. Y .; is the son of Edward and Mary (Close) Reth; the father died in 1815, and the mother never remarried. In 1835, she came to Bu- reau County, Ill., where our subject engaged in farming and driving ox teams to and from Chicago. In 1842, he married Nancy Phelps, the result of the union being eleven children: Serena G., Mary, Porter, Charlie, Marshall, Frank, Myram, Frances, Norman Hyram, and Laura. They remained in Bureau County till 1865, at which time our subject bought land near Brush Hills. Here they remained until 1866, when they located in Hinsdale, where they have since remained, with the exception of four years which they spent in Iewa. Solo- mon and Leonard, brothers of our subjeet, were in the Back Hawk war. Mr Roth was first a Democrat, then a Republican, and now is a member of the Greenback party, of which he is an enthusiastic advocate.

JOSIAH RICHARDS, butcher, Downer's Grove, was born in Will County, III .. Sep- tember 6, 1837. His parents, John A. and Lucy P. (Peet) Richards-the former born in New Hampshire October 31, 1803, the latter in Vermont April 24, 1804, came to Will County, Ill., in 1835, thence to this county in 1836, where they still reside. Of their five children, four are now living, viz., Josiah, Louisa, Ellen and Emily. Subject received his education in the country schools; also at- tended the school at Naperville two terms; worked on the farm till he was twenty-one years of age, then began life for himself. In 1875, he engaged in the butcher business with Mr. Naramore, at Dewner's Grove, where he has since been engaged in that business, and doing a good trade. He owns 231 acres of well-improved land, in Lisle Township, this

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connty ; has filled the offices of Constable and Road Commissioner. He is a supporter of the Republican party.

MRS. ELIZA F. SMART. farmer, P. O. Cass. Elisha Smart, husband of Mrs. Eliza F. Smart, was born in England February 10, 1816. His parents, Joseph and Mary (Brice) Smart, natives of England, came to America in 1825 settled in Monroe County, N. Y., where their thirteen children grew up, and came here in 1844. Mr. Smart worked by the year at $35; spent a few months at the cooper's trade, and, at the age of twenty, bought a farm of 100 acres in New York. He married, in 1835, Eliza, daughter of Joshua aud Mary (Camach) Fell. Her father died September 25, 1846, and her mother March 24, 1861; they were Methodists. Mr. Smart remained three years on his farm in New York, then sold out and came to Illinois, taking four weeks en route, and settled on fifty acres of land. Mr. and Mrs. Smart united with the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1839, Mrs. Smart being the oldest mem- ber of that church now at this place. In 1853, Mr. Smart went to the California gold fields, where he remained abont seven years, and was somewhat successful. Mrs. Smart bought seventy acres of land, the present farm, while her husband was in California, which his earnings and the produce of the farm soon placed clear of debt. Eight children were born to them, all living- Mary. Mrs. George Price; Wesley, married Lucy Ahlo; Caroline, Mrs. Thomas Leonard; Fannie E., Mrs. Amenzo Gilbert; Jerome, married Lyde Ahle; Cecilia, Mrs. Peter War- den; Ann M., Mrs. John Warden; and Jose- phine, Mrs. Martin Madden. Wesley was in Company B, Thirty-third Illinois Volun- teer Infantry, three years.

SYLVESTER SMART, farmer, P. O. Cass, was born December 12, 1841, in the village

of Cass, this county. His father, William, was born in 180S, in Bedfordshire, England, and his mother, Mary (Fell) Smart, was born July 4, 1817, in Lincolnshire, England. They were both single when they came to America, and were married in 1839, and from this union five children were born, viz., S. R., William H., George E., Albert and Mary E. Subject's father settled in this county, in what is now Cass, and died December 26, 1876; his wife, subject's mother, lives with her son Henry, and is hale and hearty. Sub- ject received his education in the common schools, and, when eighteen years old, went to New York on a visit; while there, attend- ed an academy at Rushford, N. Y., and, on his return home, resumed farming. At the age of twenty-two, he rented land of his father and began farming for himself. He married, March 4, 1868, Editha, daughter of Welcome D. and Sarah (Spaulding) Morton, natives of Pennsylvania and New York, re- spectively, now residents of Vinton, Iowa, and parents of nino children, three living. viz., Editha (Mrs. Smart), Denison and Lucy. Mrs. Smart was born in this county March 3, 1847. She and her husband are the par- ents of four children, viz., Blanche, born March 24, 1870, in Illinois; Ida, born May 12, 1872, in Jefferson County, Iowa; Gerrit S., born February 13, 1874, in Jefferson County, Iowa, died February 12, 1880, with scarlet fever; William D., born October 18, 1876. in Iowa. In 1869, Mr. Smart bought a farm in Jefferson County, Iowa, and in the spring of 1870 removed to that State, where he remained until 1876, when he returned to the old homestead. While in Iowa, Mr. Smart was very successful. having secured two fine farms and improved them, making them worth about $6,000. A railroad is now in progress which will make the farms very valuable. One farm has a fine brick house

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and all necessary buildings. The other farm has new frame buildings, of first-class mate- rial. This amount of valuable property has been obtained by his own labors. While in Iowa, Mr. Smart bought cattle at Chicago and fed them on his farm. He is making a specialty of fine cattle. He has 180 acres under very fine improvement, where he now resides, in Section 33. Himself and wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Cass, in which he is Steward; they attend Sunday school.

G. E. SMART, farmer, P. O. Lemont, Cook County, a brother of S. R. Smart, whose sketch appears elsewhere, and was born October 7, 1847, in this township. He attended school as much as was convenient, and worked on his father's farm. He mar- ried, December 25, 1877, Esther, daughter of John and Louisa Hall. Her parents came here in 1870; her father died March 27, 1882; of their twelve children, three are living, viz., Thomas H., Eliza and Esther M. Mr. and Mrs. Smart have two children-Kittie L., born June 30, 1879; and Jennie M., born June 20, 1881. They have 138 acres of well-im- proved land. Mrs. Smart was born January 2, 1854; she is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Cass. Mr. Smart is very successful in farming.

HAMPTON L. STORY, pianos and organs, Hinsdale and Chicago. Mr. Story, of the firm of Story & Camp, was born in 1835, in Vermont; is a son of Andrew and Adaline (Reed) Story, natives of Vermont, and the parents of three children, the subject only surviving. The father was in the State Leg- islature in Vermont, and held many smaller positions; was a soldier in the war of 1812. Mr. Story attended school in the country, Cambridge, Bakersfield, Georgia and Fair- fax, all thriving towns of Vermont; at the latter, he completed his labors as a student,

and at the age of eighteen he applied him- self to teaching singing and day school in this and Kane Counties. In 1857, he went to Chase County, Kan., and pre-empted 160 acres of Government land, paying for it with : a land warrant received by his father for i services rendered in the war of 1812. In one year he returned to Burlington, Vt., where he engaged in the general musical in- strument business, continuing until 1868. In the meantime, however, he enlisted in Company C, Twelfth Vermont Militia. In 1868, he formed a partnership with Isaac N. Camp in the wholesale and retail piano and organ business, at Chicago, which firm, Story & Camp, has since existed. They have a large factory in Chicago, and branch business rooms in St. Louis, Des Moines, Kansas City and St. Paul, together with those in Chicago, representing a capital stock of $500,000. In 1868, while at Burlington, Vt., Mr. Story edited and published the Vermont Musical Journal, a work possessing efficient talent. They make a specialty of the celebrated Estey organs, Decker Bros., Haines Bros. and other makes of pianos. Their place of business is 188 and 190 State street. Mr. Story has been twice married, the first time being to Marian Fuller, by whom he had three children, viz., Edward H., Robert T. and Frank. His sec- ond marriage was in 1876, to Adella B. Ellis, which union has blessed him with Addie and James. His residence is located within the limits of Hinsdale, on twenty-one acres of fine land in this and Cook Counties; together with the buildings, is valued at $40,000; all of which, with other large possessions, is the result of his own energies. His wife is a member of the Episcopalian Church, and he is a Republican.

M. SUCHER, farmer, P. O. Ogden, Iowa, was born in France in August, 1811. His parents, George and Elizabeth (Kries) Sucher,

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were natives of France, where the latter died in 1819. Subject's father was again married to Margaret Knopf, who bore him three chil- dren By his marriage with Miss Kries, seven children were born, viz., Henry, George, Michael, Philip, Daniel, Jacob and Margaret. He came to Downer's Grove about 1852, where he died: he was a member of the Lutheran Church. Subject attended school but little; he came to New York on 1833, where he worked in succession on a canal, in a foundry, a distillery, a ship-lock, at butch- ering hogs and chopping wood, and at any- thing he could get to do. He also worked at splitting rails, digging up stumps and flail- ing out wheat, at from $3 to $8 per month. In 1837, he married Miss Catharine Wolf, a native of France, who had settled in New York. He remained in New York some time, then came to Illinois and bought 160 acres of land, at 10 shillings per acre. He has, by careful management, accumulated 240 acres of prairie and abont eighty acres of timber land in this county; he recently sold 240 acres at $80 per acre, as he intends to locate in Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Sucher are the par- ents of eleven children, viz., Michael (dead), Henry B., William L,. Michael (dead), Mar- garet E., George F., Samuel M., Charles R., Matilda, Walter and Edward B. Mr. Sucher has been Pathmaster and Town Commissioner two years. He and his wife are members of the German Methodist Church at Downer's Grove. He has three lots and good houses in Chicago, and a house and lot in Napers- ville. He makes a specialty of fine horses. J. W. SUCHER, blacksmith, Downer's Grove, was born in Shepherdsville, Bullitt Co., Ky., July 5, 1841, son of Philip and Emily (Hogan) Sucher. Philip Sucher, subject's father, who was born in Germany October 15, 1815, was a blacksmith by trade and a mem- ber of the Baptist Church; he had one sistor

and four brothers, viz., Margaret, Michacl, Henry, Daniel and Jacob; he carried the mail from Downer's Grove to West Lyons, Lemont and Cass, in all, twenty-one years; he died October 26, 1877; his wife, born in Nashville, Tenn., March 8, 1818, also a mem- ber of the Baptist Church, now resides in Downer's Grove; she is one of a family of three chidren, all living; she is the mother of five children, viz., James, Jacob, Lewis, Sarah and Nettie. Mr. Sucher's great-uncle, Shank- lin, was in the war of 1812. The subject of this sketch learned the blacksmith's trade with his father; enlisted in Company K, Thirteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. Blanchard, and served three years; his brother Jacob also served in the same com- pany. He married, December 26, 1866, Mary C. Gager, born at Whitney's Point, Broome Co., N. Y., April 27, 1848, daughter of Am- brose S. and Amanda (Thurston) Gager; he, born in Binghamton, N. Y., June 15, 1812, died November 17, 1874; she, also native of New York State, born at Whitney's Point, Broome County, June 11, 1812. Mr. and Mrs. Sucher have been blessed with three children-Beulah E., Elvin N. and Lydia. Mrs. Sucher is one of a family of ten chil- dren, of whom eight are living -Anna, John T., C. M., J. R., Mary C. (Mrs. Sucher), Ly- dia M., Abbie and Ambrose S. Mr. Sucher owns a blacksmith shop, lot and dwelling; he works in his shop himself, and also employs two men; he does a general blacksmithing business. He is a charter member and Re- corder of Hinsdale Lodge, No. 182, A. O. U. W.

M. F. SAYLOR, carriage painting and trimming, harness making and repairing, musical instruments, etc., Downer's Grove, a native of Schuylkill County, Penn., born September 17, 1831, son of Jacob and Pris- cilla (Hoffman) Saylor, natives of Schuylkill County, Penn., and who were the parents of

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eleven children, nine of whom are living, viz., Morgan F. (subject), Thomas, Francis, Jeremiah, Alexander, Peter, Mary, Emma and Alice. Subject, after receiving his edu- cation, taught school for five winters. In 1856, he came with his family to Naperville, where he engaged in house-painting till 1860, then moved to Plainfield, and soon after to Joliet. In 1862. he enlisted in the Fifty- second Regimental Band as B flat cornet player, and, after one year's service, was dis- charged. In 1863, he returned to Pennsyl- vania and served three months in the militia; then became freight agent at Ashland, Penn., and, after holding that position a year, went to work in the Pennsylvania Central Car Works, where he had previously worked five years. In 1875, he came to Downer's Grove and engaged in carriage and house painting; in 1881, added the harness and musical in- strument business, and is doing a very good trade. Mr. Saylor has been twice married. In 1850, he married Anna E. Feger, who was killed at Joliet in 1872, by the explosion of a kerosene lamp; from this marriage six chil- dren were born, four of whom are living- Laura, Newton, Mary and Minnie. In 1874, he married Mrs. Margaret Freeman, daughter of Michael Sucher; from this marriage two children have been born, one of whom is liv- ing, Earl C. Mrs. Saylor had by her first husband two children, Edward and William. He is a Democrat, and himself and wife are members of the Baptist Church.

MICHAEL SHUMP, farmer, P. O. Down- er's Grove, was born in December, 1833, in Germany; is a son of Henry and Catharine (Sites) Shump, who reared a family of six children. Our subject had but little chance for education; worked on his father's farm until twenty-one years of age, when he began working out by the month. When he first came to this part of the country, he hunted

mink and other valuable fur-producing ani- mals, and thus paid for a small piece of land. In 1859, he married Susannah Herbert, a na- tive of Germany, and they settled where they are now located. They have eight children, viz., Henry, Mary, Amelia, Ella, Clara, John, Frank aud Lucy. Mr. Shump has 145g acres of the finest land in the township, well drained with tile; also has two fine orchards. Although averse to office. he has held some small offices: takes an interest in education and local improvements and enterprises. He and wife are Catholics.

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History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical), Part 53

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