USA > Illinois > DuPage County > History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical) > Part 58
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Flora and Charles. He is farming 150 acres of well-improved land belonging to his father. His wife is a member of the Congregational Church. He votes the Republican ticket. His father is noted as one of the early Aboli- tionists.
JOSEPH WORLEY, farmer, P. O. Naper- ville, was born February 21, 1832, in Alsace, Germany; is a son of Antona and Mary (Herstel) Worley, who came here in 1853, settling in Lisle Township, where they both died, having been blessed with four children
-Joseph, Sophia, Lizzie, and one deceased. Mr. Worley attended school some in his na- tive country. Came to this country in 1849, and engaged for eleven years in a brewery at Naperville. Was married, in 1855, to Lizzie Schmitt, the result being six children-Will- iam, Andrew, Mary, Frank, Henry and Lib- bie. He settled on his present farm of 180 acres in 1869, which is well improved, and the attainment of his own labors. The fam- ily are members of the Catholic Church. He votes the Republican ticket.
YORK TOWNSHIP.
GEORGE H. ATWATER, Utopia, was who contributed much toward its advance- ment and settlement, was Gerry Bates, who came here in 1842, and purchased the section of land upon which the town of Elmhurst now stands. He was born August 24, 1800, in Chesterfield, Mass., son of Benjamin Bates, whose ancestors were of English origin. Our subject removed with his father in 1808, to Geauga County, Ohio, but in 1842, removed to this locality as above stated, and soon after making his purchase, built Cottage Hill Hotel. A few years after, he engaged in merchan- dising, and was made Postmaster, the first one in the township, and held the office up to the time of his death-a period of about thirty years. His death occurred July 29, 1878. He was twice married-first, to Ada- line Hovey, who bore him several children. His last wife yet survives him, and resides on born in Broome County, N. Y., February 19, 1826; his father, Jesse Atwater, was born March 7, 1784, in the State of Connecticut, son of Jesse, a Revolutionary soldier. The mother of our subject was Lucretia Martin. The Atwaters came West in 1834, and settled in this county. Jesse died in 1866, and his wife in 1868. They were the parents of eight children-William, Olive, George H., Rachel, Ann, Betsey, Rebecca and Benjamin. William Olive and Rebecca are dead. Jesse Atwater was a good citizen and was much esteemed. His successor on the homestead, his son George H., has constantly resided here since his father located the claim. July 14, 1849, he married Phebe Willig, a native of Penn- sylvania, born September 9, 1831, daughter of Henry and Mercy Ann (Abbott) Willig; he died May 8, 1882. Mr. Atwater has two | the homestead; her maiden name was Georgia children-Alfred and Almeda. Alfred mar- ried Ada Stevens, and has two children. Almeda married Jones M. Clapp, of Marengo, McHenry County. Mr. Atwater has 146 acres of fine land.
GERRY BATES (deceased). Prominent among the early arrivals of Elmhurst of one
S. Smith, a native of South Waterboro, Me. She, with three children-Frederick H., Ada- line and Charles, resides at the "Willows," the name of the family residence. Fred H is now practicing medicine in Bensenville, in Addison Township, this county, and is get- ting into a fine practice; be received his lit-
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erary education at the University of Chicago, and graduated at Rush Medical College Feb- ruary 21, 1878. After the death of his father, he became Postmaster, and held the office un - til his resignation. In August, 1881, he was associated with Dr. J. M. Zahn, of Elgin. in the practice of medicine, which copartner- ship was dissolved in May, 1882, when he lo- cated at Bensenville. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Harlem Lodge, No. 540.
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GEORGE BARBER, farmer, P. O. Lom- bard, was born in Benson, Rutland Co., Vt., November 18, 1818, second son of Joel and Laura (Cleveland) Barber, he born in Rutland County, Vt., she in Hampton, Washington Co., N. Y. Joel Barber was a son of William Baber, one of the first settlers in Rutland County, Vt., who had to keep his family in the fort at Ticonderoga, N. Y., for shelter while he was making a settlement in Benson, Vt., and who had seven children-William, Robert, James, Joel. Sallie, Polly and Eu- nice. Joel Barber's wife, Laura Cleveland, was a daughter of Josiah Cleveland, who was thrice married, Mrs. Joel Barber being one of the children of the first marriage. The Clevelands were Methodists, the Barbers Bap- tists and Congregationalists. Joel Barber had eight children-William C., George, Gilbert, Carlyle, Margaret A., Lucy, Anna E. and Betsey, who died in infancy. Our subject left home to push his own fortunes at the age of twenty-two, having but little edu- cational advantages. In the spring of 1844, he started West; arrived in Chicago June 15, that year, and came to this county, having then about $70. In the fall of 1843, he mar- ried Maria Root, a native of Rutland County, Vt., daughter of Martin and Abigail (Stearns) Root, he born March 14, 1785, died Febru- ary 18, 1865, she born January 23, 17SS, died in York Township, this county. March 2, 1873. Martin Root's wife, Abigail Stearns,
was a daughter of a Revolutionary soldier, who was with Washington at Valley Forge. The Root family came to this county in the fall of 1843. Martin Root had a family of eight children. Mr. Barber, when he first came to this county, rented land in Lisle Township; then bought forty-eight acres in Downer's Grove, where he remained several years, then sold out and moved to Lisle Township. and after remaining there about four years, came to his present place in 1860, bought 140 acres of land, at $20 an acre, and has since remained here; he bought this farm from Horace Brooks, who settled it. Mr. and Mrs. Barber have had three children-Josiah C., Lucy M. and George F., who died March 3, 1866, aged seven- teen years. Mr. Barber has followed farm- ing since he located here, and has also been agent for Kirby's mowers and reap- ers; he has been Assesser and Supervis- or; was formerly a Whig, now a Republican.
HENRY BUCHHOLZ, farmer, P. O. Elm- hurst, resides on Section 1; his residence is situated on the northeast corner of the township. He was born November 5, 1846, in the Kingdom of Hanover, and came to this country with his parents when but two years of age. His father, Henry, was born October, 1810, and married Minnie Beckmann, daugh- ter of Fred Beckmann, and by her two chil- dren were born-Henry and Louisa. Louisa married Henry Kemman, of La Grange. The paternal grandfather of our subject was also named Henry; he never came to this country. The father of Henry came here in the spring of 1848, and purchased the farm upon which he remained until his death. in March, 1868; his wife yet survives him, and resides in Proviso; she married Henry Avers. October 1, 1873, our subject married Caroline, born March 12, 1849, in this township, and is the second daughter of Fred Fisher, one of the
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early settlers of the county. Mr. Buchholz has two children-Albert Henry and Carl Fred; he has about 200 acres of land under excellent improvement.
MELVIN J. BALLOU, railroad conduc- tor, Lombard. The popular and well-known conductor of the Omaha Express was born in the Empire State, St. Lawrence County. Oc- tober 5, 1845, son of Philander and Abigail (Stearns) Ballou. The paternal grandsire of Melvin J. lived to be eighty-six years of age. James F. Stearns his mother's fa- ther, lived to be also four-score years. The father of M. J. was a farmer and yet resides in St. Lawrence County, N. Y. He raised nine children, six sons and three daughters. Melvin was brought up on the farm, and, while yet in his teens, he volunteered in Company G, Sixtieth New York Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. After the war, he returned home; soon after, however, he came West, to Du Page County, first, to Turner Junction, and, in 1867, he began railroading and worked his way up, and in due time was placed in charge of a train as conductor, and, for thirteen years, has been serving in this capacity, his run being the Omaha Express on the Chicago & North-Western Railroad, running from Chicago to Clinton, Iowa; his efficiency as a railroad man and his known fidelity have se- cured him one of the best runs on the line. He resides at Lombard, having a little home of his own, a wife and two children-Eva F. and Ashley Melvin; his wife Fannie was born in Milton Township, daughter of M. W. Murray, one of the old residents of Du Page. Mr. Ballou is a Republican and a member of the Masonic order. He has three brothers in this State, all of whom are railroad men- Henry, Hector and Louis. Henry resides at Blue Island, and is passenger conductor; Hector at Danville; is conductor of freight
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train; Louis S. resides at Watseka, is pas- senger conductor. He has one brother- Charles, a farmer, who lives near Mears, Mich.
SETH CHURCHILL, Lombard, was born in Vermont May 25, 1805, and is a son of Winslow and Mercy (Dodge) Churchill, na- tives of Vermont, Winslow Churchill having been born in Rutland, that State. The Churchill family came to this country from England in the Mayflower; the Dodge family came from Scotland. Winslow Churchill and family came to this county in June, 1834, having landed in Chicago on the 5th of that month, came, to Babcock Grove, now Pros- pect Park, where some of the family still re- side, took a claim eight years before the land was surveyed, paying $1.25 per acre for 160 acres. Winslow Churchill settled on the banks of the Du Page River, where he died, aged seventy-seven years, eight months and eight days; his wife died at the advanced age of eighty-eight years; they had the fol- lowing children: William, who came West about the year 1840, died in Wisconsin, aged eighty-one years; Malinda, who married Syl- vester Ketcham, died in Michigan; Christina, in this county, has been twice married, her first husband, Erastus Ketcham, died, leaving one son, Erastus; her second husband, David Christian, also decoased, left two sons- Wesley and William C. Lorana, who came with her parents from New York, married John D. Ackerman, and had five sons-Seth, the subject of this sketch; Major, living in Jeddo, N. Y. ; Betsey, living in Cook County, wife of Samuel Mahoffy; Winslow, in Down- er's Grove, this county; Amanda, died when young; Isaac B., in Milton Township, this county, and Hiram, who went to California and has never since been heard of. The sub- ject of this sketch lived on his first purchase of land until March, 1854, when he came to
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Lombard, having previously, however, spent one year in Chicago. August 9, 1828, he was married to Roxana Ward, of Jordan, N. Y., by Rev. M. Fuller. Mrs. Churchill was a daughter of Elijah Ward, who had a large family; she died March 12, 1872, aged sixty- four years one month and twenty-one days, leaving five children -Mary J., born January 8, 1830; Horace, December 9, 1831; Myron, April 23, 1834, Emily R., August 17, 1838, and William H., July 17, 1840 Horace started for California via the overland route; was at Fort Laramie May 9, 1852, and has never since been heard from: Myron died December 25, 1876; he had two sons, War- ren and Orville. Emily resides at Prospeet Park, wife of Oscar Johnson. William H. resides in Iowa. December 10, 1874, Mr. Churchill married Eliza Young, born August 23, 1849, in Oberholm, Germany, daughter of Adam and Elizabeth Young, who came here about 1852; the latter died in August, 1852. By this union they have one child -Jessie. Mr. Churchill has a fine farm of 420 acres of land; he has been a church member for forty years; his father was formerly a Congregationalist; later, a mem- ber of the M. E. Church, to which he be- longed at his death.
EDWARD ELDRIDGE, farmer, P. O. Utopia. This gentleman came to Du Page County May 29, 1835, making his first set- tlement in York Township, where he has since lived. He was born November 16, 1803, in Albany County, N. Y. He was the seventh child and fifth son of a family of eleven children. His father was Benedict Eldridge, a native of Cape Cod. Benedict Eldridge married Rhoda Chevalier, and her children, who grew up, were Richard, Zenas, Hannah, Doreas, George, Edward, Mary, Lydia and Louis. In May, 1835, Edward came West to Du Page County, and the
same year went north to Section 14, where he made a claim, which he afterward purchased. located thereon, and has since been a resident of the same. July 10, 1836, he married Ra- chel B. Atwater, who was born January 8, 1815, in Broome County, N. Y., daughter of Jesse Atwater, one of the early settlers of this township. Mr. Eldridge has had five chil- dren born, four living-Rhoda, wife of Frank Filer, she died June 1, 1882; Lazetta, mar- ried Charles B. Townsend; Benedict J .; Mar- tha, wife of Charles G. Howell; Rebecca. wife of Walter S. Price. Mr. Eldridge is now nearly fourscore years of age; has been a resident of the township forty-seven years, and is yet in good health. Not a member of any church; in politics, Democratie.
GEORGE FULLER, farmer, P. O. Uto pia, was born March 6, 1815, in the town of Lisle, Broome Co., N. Y., son of Jacob W. Fuller, who came to this county in 1836, and died at Fullersburg June 5, 1867; he was a blacksmith. Jacob W. married Candace Sul- livan, who bore him thirteen children, all of whom grew up save one. George remained on the farm until twenty-three years of age; he learned the trade of his father, which he followed for several years, but finally gave his entire attention to farming. In 1850, he located where he now lives. He was the first Assessor of York Township, and has subse- quently refilled the same position. He has served as Township Treasurer for fourteen years. He was married. December 31, 1841, to Cynthia M. Talmadge, a native of New York, daughter of John Talmadge; she died September 15, 1851. July 12, 1853, he mar- ried Polly Davis, daughter of Nelson Davis; she bore him three children-Lorin, Sarah and Mary, all deceased; she died in 1863, February 12. December 31, 1864. he mar- ried his present wife, Lydia A., who was born in this township; her parents were
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Louis and Harriet (Clark) Eldridge. Four children were born-Lorin, Sarah, Mary J. and Willie N., all deceased. Mr. Fuller has about 300 acres of land; is in very easy and comfortable circumstances, and is spending his declining years in happiness and content- ment.
FRED J. T. FISCHER, physician, Elm- hurst, was born in Du Page County on the homestead farm, in Addison Township, July 30, 1842, and was the second son of Henry D. and Maria Franzen (Fischer). Fred J. T. was brought up on the farm, where he remained until June, 1861, when he enlisted as private in Company B, Thirty- third Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served three years and three months; during that time, he participated in every battle in which his company was engaged, some of the most prominent being Cache River, Ark., Bolivar Bend, Miss., Champion Hills, Miss., seige of Vicksburg, Jackson, Miss., and Fort Esperanza, Texas. Soon after his return home from service, he was elected County Clerk, and served three years, when he resigned in order to complete his education. He entered Oberlin College, and graduated in 1874, receiving the highest honors of his class, consisting of thirty mem- bers, and being elected Greek orator of the class; he received the degrees of A. B., A. M., as well as M. D. He also took a three years' course at the famous Heidelberg University, Germany, and, upon his return, engaged in practice at Cincinnati, Ohio, until the spring of 1879, when, on account of the death of his father-in-law, Diedrich Struckmann, he re- turned to Elmhurst. Since that time, he has been engaged in the practice of his profes- sion here. September 27, 1874, he married Martha S., daughter of Diedrich Struckmann and Caroline Korthauer. Mr. Struckmann came to this country in 1844; he was a carpenter
and builder by trade; he was a successful business man and accumulated a handsome competence for his family; he died in 1879. (See sketch of Mr. Struckmann and portrait appears in this work.) The Doctor has one son-Walter D. He is a stanch Republi- can and a member of the Evangelical Church.
DAVID FULLER, farmer, P. O. Fullers- burg, born March 28, 1825, in the town of Lisle, Broome Co., N. Y., son of Jacob W. Fuller, one of the pioneers of York Town- ship. David was a lad of eleven years when his father came to this township, and has been a resident of the same up to the present time. He was first married when twenty-six years of age, April 7, to Catharine, daughter of Philip Bohlander, one of the early settlers of Du Page County; she died March 28, 1870. Of this marriage the issue was three children. Angeline, now deceased, was the wife of George Coffin; Charles P. B. and Lydia L. are living. June 1, 1871, he mar- ried his present wife-Charlotte, a native of England, daughter of Thomas Evernden and Mary Ford, who came to the United States in 1855, and to this State ten years later. Nine children were born to Mr. Evernden, two sons and seven daughters - William, Thomas, Mary, Jennie, Charlotte, Esther, Kate, Annie and Birdie. Esther and Kittie deceased. Mr. Evernden died September 2, 1870; his wife Mary resides with her son Thomas, in Fulton County, III. William resides in this county, druggist at Hinsdale. By the last marriage, Mr. Fuller has one daughter-Elsie Bernice, born November 25, 1872. He resides on the farm his father set- tled (Section 27), which has never been out of the family name; he has 2083 acres and other interests in the county; he has traded successfully in real estate, and is of a me- chanical turn of mind.
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FRED GRAUE, miller, Fullersburg, was born January 25, 1819, in Landesbergen, in the Kingdom of Hanover, the third son of Frederick Graue and Lucie (Thürmau), to whom were born eight sons and one daugh- ter. The Graue family emigrated to the United States in 1833, arriving first in Albany County, N. Y. In May, the following year, came to Chicago. They remained at Chicago a short time, and, he the same summer, lo- cated in Addison Township, this county, at a grove which has since borne their name. Here Frederick, the father, died in 1837, his wife surviving him until 1866. Fred, the subject of these lines, remained with his fa- ther until of age, when he located on a piece of land near the homestead, upon which he lived until 1850; he then moved to the south- east corner of the township, on Section 36, where he, in company with William Asche, purchased a mill site and erected a saw-mill. After three years' association together in business, Mr. Graue bought the entire inter- est, and las since run it. In the summer of 1852, he built the brick mill, main building 45×28, three stories high and basement, put in two run of buhrs, and has since run the same, mostly on custom grinding. Mr. Graue bas been twice married-first, to Lonise Fischer, born in Hanover, daughter of Frederick Fischer; seven children were born of this marriage, five of whom lived to maturity- Caroline, wife of Fred Grage, of Addison Township; Louis and Fred E. are on farms in York Township; Emma resides in Port- land, Ore., wife of Harmon H. Kiessling; William, the youngest, remains yet at home. His second marriage was to Mrs. Henrietta Kiessling, whose maiden name was Korthaur. He has about 200 acres of land which he car- ries on, but gives his attention personally to his milling. He is a member of the Evan- gelical Lutheran Church.
EDWARD D. GRAUE, farmer, P. O. Elmhurst, is a son of Henry Graue, one of the early settlers of the township, and resides on the farm owned and settled by his father. Henry Graue was born April 23, 1826, in the same locality in the Kingdom of Hanover as were his brothers Fred, August and Lewis. Henry came here to York Township with his brothers, and made his purchase and engaged in farming, remaining here until his death, July 19. 1868. He was a good citizen, and a worthy member of the community. His wife was Louisa Krage. born near Hanover, in February, 1829, daughter of Fred Krage and Mary Stuenkel, which family came to Du Page in 1837. Two children are living. of a family of three, born to Henry Grane and wife -Edward D., our subject, and Louisa, who resides in this township, wife of Edward Rotermund. Edward D., who has taken his father's place and represents him on the home farm, was born April 13, 1848, and has now charge of the farm and resides with his mother. The farm, at his father's death, consisted of 360 acres. Mrs. Rotermund's portion taken out leaves 240 acres.
HENRY D. GRAY, hardware, Lombard. This genial and wide-awake business man was born November 19, 1849, and is a de- scendant of the Graue family (pronounced Gray), who were among the earliest settlers. Henry D. was a son of Deidrick Graue and Louisa Flag. Deidrick Graue was the pio- neer of the family; he camo and settled in the south part of Addison as early as 1833; he purchased considerable amount of land, which he afterward divided out among his brothers, who settled near him; he died in 1879, in January; his wife yet survives him and resides on the homestead. The children born them were Henry D., August, Louisa, Regina and Albert, all of whom yet reside on the farm except H. D. and Louisa, who re-
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side in this town. Lonisa married Duncan Malcomb, a partner of Henry D., who was raised on the farm where he was born until he came to Lombard, in 1877, and engaged in the hardware and agricultural implement business. Prior to this, he was for some time engaged as auctioneer, which he has since followed, in connection with his other business. In 1879, he associated with him in business his brother-in-law, Mr. Malcomb. Since, the firm has been Gray & Malcomb. In politics, Republican; is unmarried, and a member of the A., F. & A. M., Wheaton Lodge. Mr. Gray is the "outside man " of the firm, attends to the canvassing and set- ting up the machinery. Malcomb attends to the store and tin-shop.
AUGUST GRAUE, store and farming, Elmhurst, was the youngest child born to Frederick Grane; he was born January 12, 1829, in the Kingdom of Hanover, and came with his parents to this State, arriving at the grove which bears the family name, June 9, 1834. August was but a child when he came here, and was brought up to farm labor, and has since that time given his time to agricultur- al pursuits. July 24, 1851, he married Caro- line Krage, daughter of Fred Krage, a native of Hanover; she died March 21, 1862, having borne four children -- Louisa, Henrietta, Mary and August. His last wife was Mrs. Louisa Stelling, and by her he has Caroline, Edward, Willie and Julius. After Mr. Grane married. he located on part of the homestead, and continued on the same a constant resident and been engaged in farming. He has 271 acres in this county, and 100 in Will County, this State. October, 1881, he left the farm and located in Elmhurst and engaged in mer- chandising, carrying on a general store -- dry goods, boots and shoes, groceries, notions, etc.
J. B. HULL, stock-dealer, Lombard. 1 Among the old-time residents of Lombard is
Joseph B. Hull, who descended from old English stock; his progenitors came to Con- necticut and there settled prior to the Revo- Intion. Joseph B. was born March 24, 1814, in Kinderhook, Columbia Co., N. Y., and removed with his parents to Cortland Coun- ty when six months old. His father, George Hull, was born in Dutchess County, N. Y., in June, 1786, son of Tiddman and Annie Hull. George Hull married Sarah, daughter of Jo- seph and Eunice Barnard. The family on both sides are remarkable for their longevity. Subject s father is yet living, in his ninety- sixth year; his wife died aged seventy-five; her mother. Ennice, died aged eighty-four. Tiddman lived to nearly a centenarian; his wife Annie died aged ninety-four. Joseph Barnard, from whom our subject was named, was a sea Captain, and followed the seas and was lost while on one of his voyages. To Tidd- man Hull and wife Annie were born seven children; those who lived to be grown were Penelope, Avis, Ruth. Annie. Amy, Solomon and George: now living, are George, the father of J. B., who resides in Madison County, Y. Y .; Avis resides in Brooklyn. To Joseph Barnard were born two children -Eliza, and Annie, the mother of J. B. Eliza married a man by the name of Hunt, and settled in Wisconsin. Our subject was raised a Quaker. To Geo. Hull and wife were born ten children; except the one who died in infancy, nine of them lived to many years past their maturity ere there was a death in the family; the first death of this number was at the age of forty-nine. The eldest was Edward; then, in order, came Judith, Joseph B., Lydia, Annie, Tiddman, Caroline and George M .; those deceased are Edward and Lydia. Eliza and Tiddman never came West. Caroline resides at Harvard. McHenry County, wife of Henry Benjamin. Annie and Judith reside at Oak Park; the
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