USA > Illinois > DuPage County > History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical) > Part 60
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died leaving two children-Charles C., now a resident of Little Rock, Ark .; and Mary B., who resides in Chicago, wife of Gen. Will- iam E. Strong. In 1873, Mr. Ogden located on his summer residence, known as " Clover Lawn," in Elmhurst, where he died ; his wife yet occupies the same during the sum- mer months, when not traveling, and her winters are passed in New York City. She has three children-Anna S., William B. and Brernon. Is a member of the Episcopal Church.
C. W. PLUMMER, farmer, P. O. Utopia, was born December 20, 1821, in Erie County, N. Y. He was a son of Caleb and Polly (Webster) Plummer. Caleb Webster died in 1840. To him were born the following chil-
dren: Sally, Polly, William, Benjamin. Nancy. Maria, Philura and Charles W., who was the youngest of the family. Our subject came to this county in 184S, and, the year following, began breaking land on Section 15, where his land was located, and, in 1850, built a house, and has since been a resident of the township, and upon the same farm, which contains 120 acres. Before leaving New York. September 17, 1848, he married Mary Townsend, who was born in Erie County February 25, 1829. in Concord. Her parents were Gilbert W. Townsend and Esther DEIDRICH STRUCKMANN was born in Landesbergen, on the River Weser, province of Hanover, Germany, on the 29th of Novem- ber, 1818. After acquiring a common-school education, such as his poor parents could afford to give him. he devoted himself to the carpenter's profession, at which he worked faithfully till he proved himself as a good workman and mechanic, then traveling to Twitchell. Gilbert W. was born in Erie County, N. Y., February 12, 1812; Esther was born in Athol, Mass .. October 11, 1811, The Townsend family came to York Township from New York in 1856, locating on Section 15. In 1874, Mr. and Mrs. Townsend re- moved to Oak Park, where they now reside. Mr. and Mrs. Plummer have two children- Henry M. and Mrs. Mary E. Philips. Henry , some extent in Holland and other parts of married Lovina Kernan: they have one child, Chester Henry, born May 7, 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Plummer are Protestant Metho- dists.
ARTHUR ROBINSON, cheese-maker. Utopia. the enterprising proprietor of the cheese factory at Utopia, in this township, who was born in Derbyshire, England, July 6, 1854, son of William Robinson and his wife, Catharine Palmer, Our subject received his instruction as a practical cheese-maker in his native country. having worked in the first cheese factory that was run on the American system. He came to this country in March. 1875. Previous to his coming here, he worked two years in a factory in Otsego County, N. Y. He came to Will County, this State, where he started a factory at Frank- fort, which was operated by the farmers, where he continued about two years and a half. In the fall of 1877. he came to Dn Page County, and engaged in the commission bus- iness in Chicago. The factory is at what is called Utopia, this township. In Jan- nary, 1882, he started a new factory in Downer's Grove Township, which is prom- ising good results. Mr. Robinson has proven himself to be a man of thorough bus- iness principles, and given entire satisfaction to his patrons. In August, 1880, he was married to Amelia, daughter of Henry Baethke, of Proviso, Cook County, and has one child.
Europe. Being a man of great enterprising spirit, he concluded to leave his Fatherland. and chose America for his future field of la- bor. Mr. Struckmann emigrated to New York
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and put up sixteen churches, some of which are very large and costly structures. He helped to form the Addison Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company, for which he acted as agent for over twenty years. In 1875. he went to Europe to visit his old home, and re- turned after an absence of about three months. In 1877, he erected a large Ger- man seminary at Elmhurst, valued at $25, - 000, being as nice a structure as can be found between Chicago and Elgin. Mr. Struckmann was a ceaseless toiler for business, a self- made man, and his name will long be remem- bered as one of the leading and best business men of Du Page County. Through his great enterprise and good calculations, he accumu- lated a large amount of property. comparing well with any man's standing in the county who built himself from nothing upward. and being the founder of his own fortune. He died at his home in Elmhurst May 4, 1879.
in 1841. but, having no means whatever, he immediately looked for employment, and worked for several years at Sandy Hook, building light-houses, etc. After working here awhile, he was taken sick, which, for a time, consumed all his earnings. In the fall of 1844, he came to Illinois, settling in Addi- son Township, Du Page County, the country being at that time all one open prairie. Here a number of his friends and countrymen had settled previous to him, and, having "Excel- sior " for his motto, he made himself useful wherever he could obtain work, for low wages. and, after several years. gradually worked himself up as a master of his calling, and, through his ability, his cheerful disposition and straightforwardness, and also his honest and upright character. he rapidly made friends, and gained the entire confidence of all he came in contact with. In 1848. he was married to Caroline Korthauer, which marriage was blessed with three children, one son and two daughters, the youngest HENRY G. STRUCKMANN, only son of Deidrich Struckmann, deceased, was born at Addison, Du Page Co., Ill., January 8, 1849. He received a good school education, attend- ing some good colleges, and always took much interest in learning. He intended to be a draughtsman, and worked in a Chicago architect's office for some time, but was obliged to go into other business on account of weak eyesight. At the age of eighteen, he devoted himself to the milling trade, and, after five years' experience commenced bus- iness for himself at Vernon Mills, Lake Co., Ill .. where he owns a large mill property, and is carrying on a very successful business there. He is also acting as Justice of the Peace there, and is now serving his second term. September 26. 1875. Mr. Struckmann was married to Bertha Rotermund, daughter of Frederick and Wilhelmine Rotermund, liv- daughter, Caroline, dying at Wheaton in 1871, while preparing herself for teacher at college. He steadily increased his reputa- tion as a builder, and continually had to have more men in order to erect the many buildings which he had contracted for. Whatever building had to be done within many miles of where he lived, he seemed to be their choice, as he acted for them as contract- or, builder and architect. Owing to his clear head and sound judgment. he was generally successful in all his undertakings, and when- ever he would meet with misfortune. he would show a ceaseless spirit in overcoming it. In whatever capacity he served, he would fill it with honor and ability. Besides his professional abilities, he was also a very good real estate speculator, in which he was also very successful. He erected almost every building in the vicinity of where he lived, ' ing near Bensonville. Du Page Co., Ill., and
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two children have blessed this union-Laura and Arthur.
GEORGE SAWIN, attorney at law, Elm- hurst, is one of the leading lawyers in Du Page County. He was born in Boston, Mass., April 14, 1834. His ancestors four genera- tions back came from the North of Ireland. His parents were John and Charlotte (Lash) Sawin. About the time of his majority, he began the study of law in the office of Hon. George S. Hilliard, remaining there nearly two years, and, from close application and confinement. his health became impaired, and he concluded to try traveling, so he ac- cordingly accepted a position offered by L. L. & W. H. Mills as general collector and ad- juster of accounts. remaining in their employ three years, also working in the same capacity for Stacy & Thomas one year. He then en- tered the law office of James P. Root, and was admitted to the bar, and first associated in practice with John Mattoeks, then with Hon. Gilbert S. Walker, and with Chase & Munson. In November. 1861, he enlisted in the Fifty-eighth Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, and was commissioned First Lieuten- ant and assigned to the Quartermaster's de- partment. where he remained until after the battle of Shiloh, when he was assigned to the staff of Gen. Sweeney. He served until the close of the war, and came out with the rank of Major. During his term of service, he participated in the battle of Ft. Donelson, Shi- loh, Corinth, Iuka, Meridian, on Price's raid in Missouri, Pleasant IFill, and at Nashville. He escaped unscathed, yet had three horses
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1 shot from under him. Upon his return home, he resumed the practice of his profession. No- vember 13, 1855, he married Miss Carrie L., who was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., daughter of Elijah and Charlotte (Broekway) Rust. This marriage has been crowned with the birth of three children-George, Robert
L. and Gertrude B. George died aged one year; Robert L., at the age of nine: Gertrude B. resides at Ridgeland. in Cook County, wife of Morton L. Marks. Mr. Sawin located at Elmhurst in July, 1870, where he has since resided, at "Clover Lawn." Mr. Saw- in is one of the Trustees of the town, and is a member of the Episcopal Church. Is an honored member of the A., F. & A. M., and, since November. 1881, has been Eminent Commander of Siloam Commandery at Oak Park.
J. R. STRICKLAND, farmer, P. O. Utopia, born June 28, 1822, in Broome County, N. Y. His father's name was Ebenezer Strick- land, who served in the war of 1812; he married Mary Mack, and by her had fourteen children, of whom John Rogers, our subject. was the eighth in order of birth. The Stricklands came to Du Page County in 1839, and located where Mr. Hesterman now re- sides. Ebenezer removed to Iowa in 1866, and there died. John R. was brought up to farming, but went to Chicago, where he worked a short time. In August, 1847, he married Cirinthia Barns, born in Berkshire County, Mass .. daughter of James and Tem- perance (Childs) Barus, who came West in 1840. In 1848. Mr. Strickland located where he now lives, purchasing 120 acres of land, upon which there were no improvements. His wife died March, 1878. March 4. 1880, he married Mrs. Maria Cavanangh, a native of Du Page County, daughter of Patrick Mulnix, who was an early settler. Mr. Strickland has been identified with the Meth- odist Episcopal Church for thirty years.
SETH WADHAMS, general business, Elmhurst, President of the Washington Ice Company of Chicago, is a resident of Elin- hurst and has been identified with the State since 1835. He was born October 29, 1812, in Litchfield County, Conn., son of David
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Wadhams, born March 4, 1769, and died in 1829. The mother of our subject was Phebe Collins, who bore her husband sixteen chil- dren, all of whom grew to maturity, but only four of whom are now living -- Phebe, Mrs. Roswell Carter, of Chicago; Mortimer, in Rochester, N. Y .: Carleton, in South Bend, Ind .; and our subject, Seth, who left home at the age of nineteen and clerked for about three years in dry goods store at Rochester, N. Y .. after which he decided to cast his fort- unes with the then wild State of Illinois, and came first to Vandalia, Fayette County, but did not remain there long, coming, in July of the same year, to Chicago, which, at that time, had less than one thousand inhabitants; yet. as small as the place was, Mr. Wadhams grasped the idea readily that Chicago was destined to become a great city. Turned his attention at whatever he could do; worked in harvest at 75 cents per day and boarded him- self; afterward clerked for Norton & Case in Chicago, and, subsequently, for Ryerson & Blakeley, dealers in hardware. While in their employ, he sold the first piece of bar iron ever sold in Chicago. Afterward, he took an interest in foundry and machine shop with
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H. P. Moses, and remained about three years, and then went into the ice business in Chicago, which business he has built up from a capital of a few thousand, until it now has become one of the largest in the city, and, in fact, in the West. In 1868, he began improving the place he now owns, which is called " White Birch," and it is one of the most desirable residences in the State. In January, 1849, he was married to Elizabeth McKenney, a native of Hartford, Conn., daughter of David McKenney. Her grandmother was a Wal- cott, which was one of the old and substan- tial families in early time. She died sud- denly, at her home, Sunday, July 9, 1882. and was buried in Graceland Cemetery. Mr. Wadhams has no children living: had one child, Dana T., which died aged six and a half years. He has property of great value in Chicago, and is yet actively engaged in business. Though now having attained nearly his threescore years and ten, he pos- sesses all the vigor of mind and body that is usually seen in men of forty. In politics and religion, he has taken but little interest, yet he was the first Assessor of personal prop- erty in the county.
WINFIELD TOWNSHIP.
G. J. ATCHERSON, retired, P. O. Turner, is a native of Rockingham, Vt. He was born in the year 1825, and was raised on the farm. He received a limited common-school edu- cation. At the age of thirteen, his father diod, and he worked with his brother till he became of age. He then began peddling, and traveled by wagon in that line for nine years, selling tinware the first year, and dry ` goods and notions thereafter. He then came . West and rented a farm on Salt Creek, Du Page County, Ill., and the next year, he
moved to Turner Junction and engaged in buying hides,"furs and wool. He also kept a boarding house, and, about three years la- ter, he added the boot and shoe business. About 1870, he began dealing exclusively in hides and fur. Sinco the spring of 1881, he has retired from active business. Politi- cally, he was formerly a Free-Soiler, and Re- publican since the organization of the party. He has held the office of Poor Master, and has served as Supervisor of Winfield Town- ship for three years. In 1855, he married
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Mrs. Mary Ann Bolles, formerly Miss Wea- ver, a native of Rockingham, Vt. They have no children. By her first marriage there were three children, two living -- Charles E. Bolles, now living in Oak Park, Ill .; and Delia I. Davis, living in Windsor, Vt.
WILLIAM ADAMSON, deceased, was born in Yorkshire, England, in the year 1818. He lived in his native land until he was twenty-five years of age. He worked at mining, and in 1841 married Miss Harriet Squires, a native of Yorkshire. In 1843, they came to America, in company with Mrs. Squires, her son and daughters, and bought a farm one mile south of Turner and lived there. About 1860, Mrs. Squires and her son went to Kansas, where she died soon after. Mr. Adamson died in 1876, on the farm, and Mrs. Adamson lived there until 1879, when she came to Turner. By the marriage there were twelve children, of whom three are living-William, on homestead; Mrs. Sarah A. Pernel. living in this county; Mary E., at home.
JACOB BARTSH. farmer, P. O. Geneva, is a native of Baden, Germany. He was born in the year 1812. He was raised a farmer, and received a common-school edu- cation. In 1832, he came to America, and first stopped at Lithopolis, Ohio, and worked at a hotel, and in 1834 he went to New Lan- caster, and the following year he joined a circus and traveled with them for four years, and then hired as coachman in Cincinnati, and lived there about seven years. During the latter part of the time, he kept a livery stable, and then went to farming in Shelby County, Ohio, where he lived a number of years. He then, in 1850, came to Du Page County, and bought eighty-five acres in Win- field Township, finally getting 230 acres. While in Cincinnati, he married Ragena Har- mon. a native of Alsace, France. She died
here in Du Page County, and was buried at Geneva. They had nine children, of whom four are living. About four years after the death of his first wife, he married Mrs. Fogt. She lived in Shelby County, Ohio. They have one child, Julia. He sold his farm to his son-in-law and moved to Geneva.
HENRY BRADLEY, grain-dealer, Turner, is a native of Berkshire County, Mass. He was born in the year 1834, and is seventh of twelve children born to Ebenezer and Abi- gail (Sturges) Bradley. They were natives of Massachusetts. They married there, and came West in 1847 and settled on a farm lo- cated on the line between Du Page and Kane Counties, Ill., three miles west of Turner Junction, where they now live, at the ad- vanced ages of eighty-seven and eighty-four respectively, both in good health, body and mind. Our subject was raised on the farm, and received a common-school education. At the age of nineteen, he began working on his own account, with his brothers on the farm, and, some three years later, he engaged, in partnership with Mr. Fowler, of Batavia, in the lumber business, and continued in the business four or five years, and soon after came to Turner Junction, where he engaged in the grain business and shipping stock, which he has continued since. He is a Re- publican in politics. In 1359, he married Miss Mary Lathrop, a native of Massachu- setts. By the marriage there are four chil- dren -- Clarence, Fannie. Grace and David. DARIUS BARTHOLOMEW, farmer, P. O. Batavia, is a native of Du Page County, Ill. He was born in 1844, and is the second of five children born to Bishop and Almina Jones Bartholomew, who are spoken of else- where in this work. Mr. Bartholomew was raised on the farm and received a common- school education. In August, 1862, he en- listed in the One Hundred and Fifth Regi-
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ment Illinois Infantry, Company D, and came by team and lake, and made a claim to served until the close of the war. He was with the command at the battle of Resaca, Atlanta campaign. the march to the sea, and the other engagements of the regiment. From the army he returned home and farmed the home farm on the shares until 1871. when he married Miss Hannah E. Lehman, a native of Pennsylvania. She came to Du Page County, Ill .. with her parents. After the marriage, he bought and occupied his present place, which contains 136 acres, lo- cated three miles east of Batavia. By the marriage there are two children-Arlind E. and Walton H. He is Republican in politics.
THOMAS BROWN, farming, P. O. Tur- ner, is a native of England. He was born in the year 1812. In 1831, he came to America and located in Schenectady County, N. Y., where he worked on the farm until 1842. He then worked a year in Onondaga County. In 1843. he came West by the lakes. He first stopped a few weeks at Bata- via. He then bought forty acres of the Gov- ernment here in Winfield Township, and rented a farm adjoining. and he has farmed ever since. He now owns 110 acres, located adjoining the village of Turner. In 1834, he married Miss Cornelia M. Van Valken- burg, a native of New York. By the mar- riage there have been seven children, of whom three are living. He is a Republican. He has held the office of Highway Commis- sioner. The three children living are Will- iam H., mining in Montana; Mary, at home; Mark, on a cattle ranch in Montana.
D. C. BROWN, farming, P. O. Warren- ville, is a native of Wayne County. N. Y. He was born in the year 1834, and is the eld- est of nine children born to James and Annie (Crane) Brown. They were natives of New York, and married there January 10, 1833, and came West in the fall of 1836. They
the present place. Shedied here on the farm in 1858. He married a Mrs. Scofield, May 9, 1858. They moved to Wheaton in 1868, and he died there in 1879. She is living there at present. They had one child, George Brown. Our subject has always lived on the old homestead. He received a com- mon-school education, and, at the age of six- teen, he took the management of the farm, and, in 1868, he bought the same. In 1857, he married Miss Louisa Bean, a native of Ohio. They have four children. He is a Republican; has served two terms as Road Commissioner, and has been School Director for nearly thirty years. He owns 175 acres, located three miles west of Warrenville.
CAPT. L. B. CHURCH, retired, Turner, is a native of Wyoming County, N. Y. He was born in 1833, and is the fifth of ten chil- dren born to Lucas B. and Betsy (Patterson) Church, the latter an own cousin to Mrs. Bon- aparte. They were natives of Cayuga County, N. Y., and Colerain, Mass. They married in New York. He was engaged in the lumber business, having mills on the Genesee, and a yard in Rochester. The mills were de- stroyed by floods, and, in 1844, the family came West and settled in McHenry County, Ill., where they followed farming at Crystal Lake, where he died in 1849. She died there in 1878. Our subject lived at home until he became of age. He then began as agent for the stage company on the old Galena & Chi- cago Railroad, and in 1857 he became the proprietor of the Junction House. In 1862, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifth Regiment Illinois Infantry. He was made First Lieutenant, Company B, and served six months with his regiment. He was then de- tailed upon the staff of Gen. W. T. Ward, of Kentucky, and, a year later, was ordered to his regiment, and again detailed on the staff
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of Gen. E. A. Payne, and, a year later, was detailed on the staff of Gen. Saul Merideth, of Indiana, and, five months later, joined his regiment, being promoted to Captain of his company, joining the command at Roanoke, N. C. Returned home in June, 1865. He then became the traveling agent of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad for five years. He was then appointed one of the Assistant Supervisors of Illinois in the Inter- nal Revenue Department, and, about six months later, was relieved and appointed In- ternal Revenue Assessor for Montana, where he served until 1873, when he returned home and took his old position with the Lake Shore & Michigan Railroad, and, three years later, he was made General Western Passenger Agent of the Hoosac Tunnel Line, headquar- ters at Chicago, and remained with them un- til 1879, when, owing to ill health, he had to retire, and has since looked chiefly after his health. November 23, 1854, he married Miss Clara Haffey, a native of Schoharie County, N. Y. She lived at Franklinville, Ill., with her parents. He is Republican.
JAMES CONLEY, farmer, P. O. Turner, is a native of Tipperary County. Ireland. He was born in the year 1822, and was brought up on the farm, receiving a fair common-school education. In 1834, his par- ents came to America and settled in St. Lawrence County, N. Y. In 1839, Mr. James Conley came West to Illinois, and lo- cated with his brother in Livingston County. where he worked on the farm. In 1843, he married Miss Eliza Sutter, and, the next year, came to Du Page County, where he bought forty acres of land in Winfield Township, and has farmed in the vicinity ever since. During the past twelve years, he has also con- ducted the eating-stand at the depot in Tur- ner. By the marriage there are three chil- dren.
C. M. CLARK, dealer in lumber and coal, Turner, is a native of Canada. He was born in the year 1830. When two years of age; his parents removed to Syracuse, N. Y., where he was raised. He received a com- mon-school education. At the age of twenty, he began teaching public school in the vicin- ity of Syracuse, and taught for five or six years. In 1856, he came West, and taught school two winters in Wisconsin. He then taught four winters at Gary's Mills, in Du Page County, Ill., and five winters at Turner, after which he engaged in the lumber and coal business at Turner, and has continued same since. In 1859, he married Miss Ar- villa, daughter of the Rev. R. Currier. She was born in New Hampshire, and came to Turner with her parents. She died in 1865. They have had one child, viz., Charles D. Clark, now attending Wheaton College. In 1867, he married Miss Amanda E. Williams. She was born near Syracuse, N. Y., where, also, she was married. He is Republican in his politics. He has served as Town Clerk, Village Trustee, and a member of the School Board for the past twelve years, and has taken an active interest in securing efficiency to the school.
JUDGE THOMAS DRUMMOND, Win- field, was born October 16, 1809, at Bristol Mills, Lincoln Co., Me. His father, James Drummond, descended from a Scottish line; was a sailor, a farmer, and for many years. a legislator of his State. Young Drum- mond took his course through the common schools, the academies, to prepare him for college, and, at his majority he was a grad- uate of Old Bowdoin. His next three years were spent as a student in the law office of T. Dwight, of Philadelphia, whose father was President of Yale College. He was admitted to the bar in 1833, and, in 1835, made his professional start in life in Galena, Ill., and
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