USA > Illinois > Ford County > History of Ford County, Illinois : from its earliest settlement to 1908, Vol. II > Part 15
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Mr. McClure returned home with a most ereditable military record and resumed the pursuits of civil life, purchasing sixty acres of land at Danvers in MeLean county, where he resided until 1868, when he bought three hundred and twenty acres in Ford county. This farm is still in his possession but it does not represent his entire property holdings, for he now owns ten hundred and forty acres in Manitoba, Canada, which is cultivated by his son. In this county he raises Galloway cattle on an extensive scale, also Shropshire sheep, and his live-stock interests constitute an effective factor in his success.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. McClure have been born the following named sons and daughters: Elliott, who died in early childhood; Frank, a resident farmer of Gibson; Alice C., now the wife of Charles Foster, who is living in Canada and is operating Mr. McClure's land in connection with his brother- in-law, J. H. MeClure; Ora D., who is chief engineer and electrician at the Cleveland Cliff Iron Company at Ishpeming, Michigan, and is a graduate of the Illinois University of the class of 1891 as a mechanical engineer, after which he pursued post-graduate work in electrical and civil engineering; Clyde B., a civil engineer who is now deceased ; Nell T., living at home, who was formerly a teacher in the Gibson high school and assistant principal of the graded schools ; J. II., who is engaged in cultivating his father's land in Canada; and Mrs. Susan J. Snyder, now living in Wisconsin. The wife and mother died May 17, 1894, and her loss was deeply deplored by many friends who esteemed her for her genuine qualities of heart and mind.
Mr. McClure is a member of the Presbyterian church and of Lott Camp, G. A. R. His political support is given to the republican party and he has
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served as collector, while for fifteen years he was school trustee. He built the first gravel road in the county, demonstrating to his neighbors the advantage of such a highway. He has always stood for that which is progressive in citizenship and which tends to promote the material welfare of the community, and his labors have been a source of benefit to town and county, at the same time bringing to him the substantial and gratifying reward of earnest effort.
O. K. BOSHELL.
The confidence and trust reposed in O. K. Boshell by his fellow townsmen is indicated by the fact that he is now serving for the fourth term as supervisor of Peach Orchard township. Here, on section 14, he owns and operates a good farm, comprising one hundred and sixty acres of land, much of which has been reclaimed by him, and the extent of the labor and improvements he has placed upon it is indicated by the fact that while it was worth but eight dollars per acre when it came into his possession, it is today valued at two hundred dollars per acre.
Mr. Boshell is a native son of Illinois, his birth having occurred in Magnolia, Putnam county, September 2, 1848, but when he was only three years of age he was taken to Hope township, La Salle county, by his parents, Richard and Mary (Dikes) Boshell, who were natives of Manchester, England, the former born in 1809 and the latter in 1811. They were reared in that country and in 1831 Mrs. Boshell crossed the Atlantic to Pennsylvania, while Mr. Boshell arrived in this country in 1832. They located in Delaware and on leaving the east took up their abode in Richmond, Indiana. In the spring of 1838 they east in their lot with the early settlers of Putnam county and aided in extending the frontier by reclaiming the wild land for purposes of cultiva- tion and improvement. They continued residents of that county until about 1851, when they took up their abode in La Salle county, where for a long period the father was identified with general agricultural pursuits. He there died when lacking but two months of eighty years, after which his widow came to Ford county and lived with her son, O. K. Boshell, at whose home she passed away at the age of eighty-four years. They were consistent and devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church, living earnest and faithful Christian lives. Mr. Boshell gave his political allegiance to the republican party but was not an active worker in its ranks, preferring to concentrate his time and energies
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upon his business pursuits. In the family of this worthy couple were eleven children, but only four reached years of maturity: James, deceased; Mrs. Katharine A. Phillips, deceased; John W., now living in La Salle county; and O. K., of this review.
The early boyhood and youth of O. K. Boshell were passed in Hope town- ship, La Salle county, upon the old homestead farm, and when not busy in acquiring an education in the district schools he devoted his time to the work of the fields. In 1874 he came to Ford county, where he remained until the spring of 1877, when he returned to La Salle county and there spent the succeeding ten years. In 1887 he again came to Ford county and took up his abode upon his present farm, which he purchased from the Illinois Central Railroad in 1867, comprising one hundred and sixty acres on section 14, Peach Orchard township. It was largely swamp land when he took possession there being only about seventy or eighty acres that could be farmed, but he has since drained the land, laying many rods of tiling and thus rendering the fields rich and productive. He has also placed many substantial improve- ments upon the farm and today it is an excellent property, indicating in its well kept appearance the careful supervision and practical methods of the owner, whose labors have transformed it from a comparatively worthless property which he purchased for eight dollars per acre into a splendidly developed traet that is today valued at two hundred dollars per acre.
As companion and helpmate for life's journey Mr. Boshell, in 1869, chose Miss Jane Bothwell, who was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1852, and came to La Salle county with her parents about 1863. She is a daughter of William and Mary (Burritt) Bothwell, natives of County Antrim, Ireland, whencc they crossed the ocean to Canada after their marriage and are now residents of La Salle county, both being about eighty years of age. They had seven children. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Boshell have been born six children: Dr. II. N. Boshell, a practicing physician of Melvin; Henry L., at home; Marietta, who is a milliner, of Crowley, Louisiana; Mary Wilma, the wife of Shelby Powell, of Peach Orchard township; Georgiana May and Vera Jane, both at home.
Mr. Boshell was formerly an earnest republican and was elected on that ticket to the office of supervisor in 1893 and in 1895 was reelected as the republican candidate. In 1901 he was chosen to the same office on the people's tieket and reelected in 1907, so he is now serving for the fourth term of two years in that office. IIe has been road commissioner for six years, has been school trustee and is now serving for the second term as school trustee. The
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cause of education finds in him a stalwart friend and one who is ever loyal to its interests. He belongs to Melvin Lodge, No. 179, K. P .; and Melvin Lodge, No. 811, A. F. & A. M., while his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church indicates the guiding principles of his life. In business affairs he has always been notably prompt, energetic and trustworthy and by honorable methods has achieved the success. which he is now enjoying.
GEORGE BONNEN.
George Bonnen, who carries on general farming in Dix township, his home being on section 20, has practically put all of the improvements upon this place and the farm therefore in its well kept appearance is the visible proof of his life of unfaltering industry. He was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1860, and is a brother of Harry Bonnen, who is mentioned on another page of this volume in connection with whose sketch is given an account of his parents, who in 1867 brought their family to the United States as passengers on an American vessel called America. They arrived on the 14th of October, 1867, and soon afterward started for Petersburg, Menard county, Illinois, where the father secured land and engaged in farming.
Through the period of his boyhood and youth George Bonnen remained upon the home farm and assisted his father in its development and improve- ment until the father's demise. Ile then began working for himself. He was twenty-six years of age when he left home, he and his brother II. HI. hav- ing previously operated the home place for the mother. On the 15th of November, 1892, he won a companion and helpmate for life's journey by his marriage to Miss Elizabeth Huston, a daughter of John Huston, who is also represented elsewhere in this work. Mrs. Bonnen attended the distriet schools until fourteen years of age, when she became a student in Chatsworth Convent and is a lady of culture and literary attainment. £ Mr. Bonnen had supple- mented his district-school education by a course in the Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso, which institution he entered when about twenty-one years of age.
Following his marriage he lived for one year on the old homestead and then bought eighty acres of land of Mr. Harris in Dix township, a part of the old Brassfield section. For this he paid forty-three and a half dollars per .
acre. Later he bought fifty-five acres adjoining this on the south and paid
MR. AND MRS. GEORGE BONNEN
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for it eighty dollars per acre. He now owns one hundred and thirty-five aeres in Dix township, constituting a valuable and productive farm and his property interests also include two hundred aeres in South Dakota. The Illinois Cen- tral Railroad touches his Dix township farm at the northeast corner and the place is conveniently located not far from Guthrie. It is now well improved, owing to the unremitting labor of Mr. Bonnen, who has erected here substantial buildings, providing ample shelter for grain and stock. He has also secured the latest improved machinery to facilitate the work of the fields and he annually gathers good harvests as a reward of the intelligence which he dis- plays in the planting and cultivation of his erops.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Bonnen have been born seven childen: George Edwin, who was born on the 5th of January, 1894; Clarence Alfred, born April 5, 1896; Charles Henry, born February 16, 1898; Genevieve Bertha, whose birth occurred January 26, 1900; Edna Josephine, who was born February 14, 1902; Evelyn Gertrude, born March 27, 1904; and Mary Frances, who was born May 13, 1906. All are still under the parental roof.
Mr. Bonnen is a Lutheran in religious faith, while his wife is a communi- cant of the Catholic church. £ He also belongs to the Modern Woodmen Camp at Guthrie and he votes with the democracy. £ He was but seven years of age at the time of the emigration to the new world and although born across the water he is thoroughly American in spirit and interests and most loyal in his devotion to the stars and stripes.
ONNO ARENDS.
Onno Arends is the owner of valuable farming property in Peach Orchard township, his home being on section 4. He was born in Peoria, Illinois, Sep- tember 15, 1857, a son of George O. and Henrietta (Athen) Arends, who were natives of Ostfriesland, Germany. The father came to Illinois in the '40s, settling at Peoria, where he was married. His wife died there when her son Onno was about four years of age and later the father returned to Germany where he married again. In his business life he met with prosperity and at his death left an estate of five hundred acres of rich and valuable land in Peach Orchard township, including the home place, constituting the northwest quar- ter of section 4. Almost his entire life was devoted to agricultural pursuits but he spent his last five years in Melvin. He was one of the pioneers of this
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section of the county, coming here when the country was largely wild and un- improved. The railroad was not built, the village of Melvin was not then founded and Chatsworth and Paxton were his nearest markets. He aided largely in the material development and substantial progress of his community and died in Melvin, May 20, 1900, at the age of seventy years, respected by all who knew him. By his first marriage he had three children : Onno, Henry and one who died in infancy. By his second marriage there were eight chil- dren, of whom six are yet living.
When ten years of age Onno Arends came with his father to Peach Or- chard township and has since resided upon section 4. He has one hundred and sixty acres on this section, eighty acres on section 3, and one hundred and sixty acres on section 5, making a total of four hundred acres of valuable land. All his possessions have been acquired through his own afforts. Ile never received assistance from any one but placed his dependence upon the safe substantial qualities of energy and determination. Today he is the owner of two farms and two good sets of buildings and those upon the home place have been erected by him. He conducted his place as a stock farm for a mumber of years, successfully raising stock for the market. Whatever he undertakes he carries forward to successful completion and holds to high ideals concerning the best methods of carrying on agricultural pursuits.
On the 9th of June, 1883, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Arends and Miss Elizabeth Fisher, of Norden Friesland, Germany, born May 19, 1861. She came to Melvin in 1882, in company with a sister and brother-in-law and has since resided in Ford county. Her parents, John and Anna ( Arends) Fisher, both died in Germany before she came to the United States. In their family were eight children. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Onno Arends were born the following children : Dina, the wife of Henry Merle, who is living upon her father's farm and by whom she has one child, Helen; Ida; Mary; George; Anna; Alma; Lillian ; Gilbert; and Laura. Two children are deceased : Ann- etta, who died at the age of seven years ; and Emma, who died in infancy.
Mr. Arends has always been interested in the welfare of the community and has given active and helpful support to many measures and move- ments of the public good. For the past twenty-eight years he has been a school director of district No. 59 and the cause of education finds in him a stalwart champion. He is now serving for the second term as highway com- missioner. In polities he is a republican and has always voted that tieket. HIe belongs to the German Methodist Episcopal church of Melvin, is one of the trustees and is active in Sunday school work, for the past twenty-five years
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serving as treasurer of the Sunday school. His life has been guided by high and honorable principles and his fellowmen have naught to say against his business integrity nor the honesty of his methods in any relation of life.
EARL STEDMAN.
Earl Stedman is one of the well known citizens of Ford county, greatly esteemed by a large circle of friends. He was born in the state of New York, October 18, 1862, his parents being Nelson and Harriet Stedman, who were likewise natives of the Empire state. The father followed trapping there for several years and in 1864 came with his family to the middle west, establishing his home in La Salle county, Illinois, where he rented and cultivated land for about twelve years. During this period he carefully saved his earnings and, removing to Ford county, he invested his capital in two hundred and forty acres of land in the pan handle. Throughout the period of his residence in Illinois he carried on general agricultural pursuits and his life of diligence and activity brought him a well merited competence. He died December 26, 1892, having for four years survived his wife, who passed away in 1888. In their family were eight children, namely : Emma, now deceased; Earl, of this review; John, who is living in Kansas City, Missouri; Mary, who has also departed this life; James, a resident of Piper City; Helen, the wife of Louis Stoffem of the state of Washington; Nora, the wife of Austin Hanson, of Ford county; and Henry, who is living in Pella township.
Earl Stedman, whose name introduces this record, was but two years of age when his parents came to Illinois and was a youth of fourteen at the time of the removal to Ford county. His education was acquired in the common schools and when not busy with his text-books he assisted in the work of the home farm, early becoming familiar with all the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. Ile remained with his father until twenty-five years of age, and then, with his father's assistance, purchased a farm on section 10. Pella township, where he carried on general agricultural pursuits for five years. On the expiration of that period he rented his farm and removed to Piper City, where he engaged in general merchandising. For eight years he conducted his store and then sold out. In his commercial pursuits he has prospered, hav- ing enjoyed a large trade during his connection with the business life of Piper
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City. After disposing of his store he lived retired for three years but indolence and idleness are utterly foreign to his nature and, feeling that he would be more content with some business interest and duty, he took a rural mail route and has been in charge for eight years, delivering the mail in an automobile. He also derives a good income from three hundred and twenty acres of land which he owns in South Dakota.
In 1890 Mr. Stedman was married to Miss Josie Fortier, who was born in Iroquois county, Illinois, and was one of a family of twelve children. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Stedman have been born five children: Lurline, John. Blanche, Gertrude and Mary, all yet at home.
The parents are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are much esteemed in the community where they reside. Mr. Stedman gives unfaltering allegiance to the republican party, which he has supported since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He served as a school director for several years and is also a member of Piper City lodge. No. 608. A. F. & A. M., the Odd Fellows lodge, No. 471, and the Woodmen camp, No. 718. Ile is loyal to the teachings of these orders and throughout his life has ever recognized individual responsibility. His friends-and they are many- know him to be a man of high principles and stalwart purposes and throughout the community in which .he lives he commands the respect and confidence of those with whom he has come in contact.
DANIEL MOUDY.
Daniel Moudy, formerly identified with agricultural interests in Button township but now living retired in Paxton, is yet one of the extensive landowners of the county, whose holdings comprise over eight hundred aeres. Throughout his business career he has displayed excellent executive force, keen discernment and the unflagging industry which lead to success and, moreover, his path has never been strewn with the wreck of other men's fortunes.
A native of Indiana, he was born in Vermilion county, February 4, 1836, his parents being Peter and Elizabeth (Herring) Mondy, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Pennsylvania. The Mondy family was established in Butler county, Ohio, in 1805 and there Peter Moudy remained until 1835, when he removed to western Indiana. Hle afterward crossed the border into
MR. AND MRS. DANIEL MOUDY
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Vermilion county, Illinois, where he settled in 1855 and made his home for twenty years or until his death in 1875, when he was seventy-one years of age. He was accounted one of the most snecessful farmers of his community, manag- ing his business interests so ably that he seemed to have acquired at any one point of his career the possibility of successful accomplishment at that point. His family numbered twelve children, seven of whom grew to maturity : Hannah .J., the widow of Frank MeGinnis, of Warren county, Indiana; Mary A., the widow of Elisha Rodgers and a resident of Warren county; Margaret, the deceased wife of William Waits, of Vermilion county, Illinois; Daniel, of this review ; Rosa, the deceased wife of William Martin, of Vermilion county, Illinois ; Emily, the widow of Robert N. Atherton, of Danville, Illinois; and Jacob, a farmer of Patton township, Ford county. The mother passed away in 1886.
Daniel Moudy pursued his education in the public schools of Vermilion county, Illinois, and of Warren county, Indiana. He came to Illinois with his father when nineteen years of age and Indians were still quite numerous in some parts of the state. Starting out in life on his own account, he was employed as a farm hand and later he cultivated rented land for some time. He likewise spent four months at railroad work on the construction of the Wabash line and thus in his early career manifested the perseverance and diligence which have constituted important factors in his later success.
Mr. Moudy secured a companion and helpmate for life's journey by his marriage, at the age of twenty-two years, to Miss Margaret Leneve, a daughter of Obadiah and Polly (Lemons) Leneve. Her father was born in Halifax county, Virginia, and her mother in Tennessee. The Leneve ancestor in America came to this country with General La Fayette and aided the Americans in their struggle for independence. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Leneve were born eight children, of whom three died in early life. The others were: Samuel, who in 1851 made the trip overland with an ox-team to Oregon and died in that state; Nancy, the deceased wife of William Montgomery, of this county; Margaret E., the deceased wife of Mr. Moudy; John M., who has also passed away ; and Rebecca J., the widow of Joseph Phillips, of Danville.
The marriage of Mr. Mondy was blessed with three children : William S., now a farmer of Chariton county, Missouri ; Emma J., deceased; and Rose E., the wife of Perry Clark, of Paxton. Mrs. Moudy died January 31, 1879, in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which she was a consistent and loyal member. On the 24th of March, 1880, Mr. Moudy was again married, his second union being with Miss Henrietta Campbell, a daughter of Obadiah and Margaret L. (Poyer) Campbell, natives of Pennsylvania. Her grand-
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father, James Campbell, accompanied his parents on their removal to Pennsyl- vania when he was fifteen years of age. They were among the early colonial settlers of the state and some members of the family served with the American army in the Revolutionary war. The Poyer family was also established in Pennsylvania at an early period in its development, probably about 1810. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Campbell were born nine children, all of whom reached adult age : Robert F., now deceased; Abram L., who has passed away, while his wife is now in Arizona, his daughter in Indiana and his son in Chicago; William A., who died leaving a widow and four children, who are residents of Paxton; Francis M., of Chicago; Josephine. deceased; Oscar L., who died leaving a widow and two children. who are residents of Paxton; Mrs. Henrietta Moudy; Louisa, the widow of John M. Swinford, of Rankin, Illinois, and the mother of three children ; and Lebritt, of Paxton. Mr. Campbell died February 17, 1885, while his wife passed away February 2, 1867. They were both earnest Christian people, Mr. Campbell belonging to the Presbyterian church and his wife to the Baptist church. For many years they remained residents of Ford county and enjoyed the highest esteem and good will of those who knew them. Mr. Campbell came to Ford county in 1851 and purchased two hundred acres of land of Joshua Trickle at what was known as Trickle's Grove, then a portion of Vermilion county, while Paxton was called Prairie City. Later it was known as Prospect City and at the time of Mr. Campbell's arrival here it contained only three houses. There were indeed but few residents in this part of the county, game of all kinds was plentiful and there were many evidences of pioneer life. The place which Mr. Campbell purchased was one of the two first improved places in the county. Supplies had to be hauled from Chicago, mostly with ox-teams and the settlers experienced many of the hardships and trials incident to the frontier. After being in the county a short time Campbell purchased from the railroad company a tract of eighty acres of land at two dollars and a half per acre. On his first purchase, the two hundred acres obtained from Mr. Trickle, the first schoolhouse of Ford county was erected it being a little structure twelve by fourteen feet, and therein quite a large number of those who are now numbered among the early settlers acquired at least a part of their education. Both Mr. Campbell and Mr. Moudy hauled their lumber for building purposes from Fountain, Covington county, Indiana, about one hundred miles, and Mr. Campbell, who was a carpenter, erected an addition to his double loghouse, which had been built by Mr. Trickle. This loghouse still stands as one of the landmarks of a period now long since passed and it was in that pioneer home that he reared his entire family.
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