USA > Illinois > Grundy County > History of Grundy County, Illinois > Part 41
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BIOGRAPHICAL:
school we ever attended, especially in the study of arithmetic. In 1841, we taught our first school at Hollenbeck's Grove, in Kendall County. Hon. George M. Hollenbeck, James L. Haymond and others How living were among our pupils. In April, 1842, we came to Morris on foot and alone-as the girl went to get mar- ried-big with expectations. We were to keep books for the Emperor, Bill Armstrong, for our board, and literally chaw old Blackstone. We failed, on account of typhoid fever, and left him in August for our mother's farm in La Salle County. We then entered Granville Academy and prepared to enter Illinois College in Sep- tember, 1844. But trying to carry the studies of freshman and sophomore together, we broke down in health and returned home in July, 1845, and opened a select school in Mechanic's Hall, in Ottawa, which we sold out to Mr. Hamp- den, and returned to Morris in October of that year, and have remained here ever since.
Immediately on our return, we opened a gen- eral store in the southwest room of the Grundy Hotel, then standing, but was burnt down in 1851 and the Hopkins House erected on the spot. We then built what is the main part of Dr. Hand's residence, in 1846, for a store and post office. There were two other small stocks of goods here, which we purchased and united with our other stock. In the early part of that year, we were appointed Postmaster of Morris, under Polk's administration, and was suc- ceeded by C. H. Gould, under Taylor's admin- istration. December 22, 1846, we married Miss Mary J. Borbidge, of Pittsburgh, Penn., a highly-accomplished and elegant lady, who died of consumption in 1862, leaving three sons-Charles D., Elwood and William E .- all of whom survive and are married. In the Mexican war, we raised a company, and were elected Captain, but the quota being full be- fore our report reached the Governor, hence our company was not received, and we did not go a-soldiering. Owing to a too free use of
our name on other people's paper and official bonds, we were forced to the wall financially in 1849, and were elected a Justice of the Peace but did not like the business. We had lots to do, but never had a heart for badgering and brow-beating. In the spring of 1850, we were elected Supervisor of Morris. In the winter of 1851-52, we went to Springfield to get relief on a Collector's bond, and succeeded. While there, we got a position in the State Auditor's office, and selected the lands of the Illinois Central Railroad, and under the dictation of Gov. Bissell and Robert Rantoul, Jr., we drew the charter of that road, forever securing to the State 7 per cent of the gross earnings of said railroad. We also drew the charter of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad, and when its construction was begun, in the spring of 1852, we secured the position of Assistant Engineer, and ran the transit line from Joliet to Ottawa, and the bench levels over the same line, and also the level from Tiskilwa to Gene- seo. Receiving the offer of better wages on the survey of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, we resigned our position on the Rock Island Railroad and accepted the other, and reported to Capt. Whittle at Gales- burg for duty. We run experimental levels on that road until we found they had no money in their treasury, when we quit and came home. We then entered the store of Judge Hopkins as general manager and book- keeper, where we remained until the spring of 1853, when we called the attention of Judge Hynds (County Judge) to the necessity of selecting the swamp lands of the county under the act of Congress of September 28, 1850. and was appointed to survey and select the swamp lands of the county. Under this ap- pointment, we surveyed and selected the swamp lands at the salary of $3 per day, " to be in full for all expenses of whatsoever kind." says the law. Our team and driver cost $2 per day, while the law allowed but $1. We
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MORRIS CITY AND TOWNSHIP.
did the work and never asked for extra pay. Illinois, I. O. O. F., and in 1857, Grand Repre- sentative to the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the United States for two years. In the fall of 1861, we were elected without opposition a delegate from La Salle, Livingston and Grun- 1 dy to the State Constitutional Convention of 1862. In 1863, we were elected to the State Legislature from Grundy and Will without op- position, and, in 1872, from Gundy, Kendall and De Kalb without opposition, and were placed on the Judiciary, Railroad and Judicial Department Committees. At this session, the statutes were revised, in which we took an active part. We were the author of several important laws now in force, among which are the jury law, county court law and escheat law, besides materially amending the criminal code and the road and bridge law. Admitted to practice law by the Supreme Court of Illi- nois February 3, 1865, and by the United States Court June 3, 1868. we entered into a law partnership with B. Olin (now Judge of the County Court of Will County) in 1865, which lasted five years. On the 25th of Aug- ust, 1863, we married our second wife, Malina J. Eldredge, at Plano, Ill. From this connec- tion, we have two sons-Frank, aged sixteen, Perry, aged eight years. In 1876, we were appointed Master in Chancery, and, in 1877, Trustee of the Illinois Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary, which position we still hold. In 1870, we were elected to the School Board, and served seven years. During that time, the present fine stone building was erected. We took an active part in building this school- house as Clerk of the Board of Education and agent to negotiate the school bonds. We have spent much time and considerable money in developing the geology of Grundy County, and as the result we have a fine collection, especially in fossil botany. We deposited for safe keeping a carload of fossil trees, or their impressions upon the shale overlying the coal, We then prepared and procured its passage by the Legislature a special law authorizing the sale of these swamp lands without draining them, and, being appointed to make sale, we sold them in 1865 for the sum of $23,724.92, and collected from General Government for cash sales made between the passage of the act September 28, 1850, and time of selection in 1853, 81,700, all of which was paid into the county treasury, making a total of $25,424.92 realized from the so-called swamp lands of the county, with a claim on the General Govern- ment for some thirteen thousand acres of land entered by individuals by land warrants after the act of 1850, and before their selection in 1853. These swamp lands were selected in the wettest season we have had for a quarter of a century, hence the selections and confirmations were very large. We were the first Supervisor of the town of Morris, and again held that otlice in 1853, when we were elected County Clerk. Our parents were Dem- oeratic, and we followed their prejudice politi- cally and became the same, casting our first vote for Polk, in 1844; Cass, in 1848 ; Pierce, in 1852; Buchanan, in 1856; Douglas, in 1860; McClellan, in 1864, and was on the electoral ticket for Seymour in 1868 ; Greeley- ized in 1872 ; for Tilden, in 1876, and Han- cock, in 1880. We were re-elected County Clerk in 1857, although Buchanan received but 600 votes to Fremont's 900 in 1856. When Fort Sumter, was attacked by the Confeder- ates in April, 1861, we made the first war speech of the county, and, as Chairman of the Committee on Resolutions, we introduced the first resolutions denouncing secession and in favor of coercion. We were offered the Colonelcy of the Sixty-fifth Illinois Regiment by Gov. Yates, but, owing to the very delicate health of our better half, we were compelled to stay at home. In the fall of 1854, we were elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of ; in the new State House at Springfield some
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BIOGRAPHICAL:
eight years ago, while our home cabinet at the Academy of Sciences in Morris is large and valuable. Tiring of the hard labor required in collecting geological specimens, we have more recently directed our investigation to Indian history, legends, traditions, customs, habits and social relations, occasionally scrib- bling poetry-a habit we contracted (when we went to see our girl) in our youth, the greater portion of which has been published in the local papers here and at Ottawa. Our last effort, entitled.
A CHILD'S INQUIRY AND MOTHER'S REPLY.
(Suggested by the question of our little son Perry when some five years of age, to his mother, " What is heaven, mother ?")
CHILD. Tell me, mother, what is heaven ? A mysterious retreat, Where our sins will be forgiven, And the angels we shall meet ?
MOTHIER.
Yes, my child, it is the dwelling Of our Savior and the bless'd,
" Where the wicked cease from troubling, And the weary are at rest."
CHILD.
Is its beauty in the clothing Of the brilliant colored sky ? And beyond that is there nothing Of more awful majesty?
MOTIIER.
No, my child, that beauteous elothing Are but curtains round the throne
Of our Father, ever-living. Of the Godhead-Three in Ore.
CHILD.
Is the sun in glory shining. Mighty monarch of the day? Or our Father kindly smiling On ITis people hereaway ?
MOTHER.
He's the agent sent from heaven To bring light and life to earth ;
To inaugurate creation,
And give vegetation birth.
CHILD.
And the moon, whose silent gleaming Silvers every house and tree-
Is't the Savior's visage beaming Fondly on mortality?
MOTHER.
No. my child, 'tis but the emblem Of His precious love and care For the faithful little children Of His vineyard everywhere.
CHILD.
And the stars, which silent creeping, Spring each night to glorious birth,
Are they angels' eyes a-peeping At the dwellers of the earth?
MOTHER.
Oh, no, my child, each shining star The heavenly skies unfurl,
Though distant from this world afar, Is another living world.
CHILD.
Then where is heaven, mother dear? Where is this heaven of love, If not within the starry sphere, Nor in the skies above?
MOTHER.
Heaven, my child, is everywhere; On land and sea, field and grove; Pervades creation, fills the air- Ileaven, indeed, is only love. -P. A. Armstrong.
S. P. AVERY, attorney, Morris, was born in Kendall County. Ill., January 13, 1850; son of S. K. Avery, a native of Oneida County, N. Y., born in 1810. a farmer by occupation; he was born, raised and lived on the same farm in New York till 1847, then came to Illinois that fall, and in the spring of 1848, purchased a farm in Kendall County, where he lived till the time of his death, which occurred December 15, 1880. He was a prominent nurseryman and fruit- grower, during the latter part of his life in Illi- nois. His wife, Asenath (Wilder) Avery, was born at Verona, N. Y., December 16, 1814, and married S. K. Avery, January 20, 1836.
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MORRIS CITY AND TOWNSHIP.
They moved to Kendall County, Ill., in 1847, where Mrs. Avery died November 26, 1874. They raised seven children, six of whom are now living, five sons, of which subject is the fourth, and one daughter. Subject was edu- cated at the common schools of Kendall Coun- ty, and at Fowler Institute at Newark; he read law two years in Rochester, N. Y., with Jesse Shepard, then one and a half years in Chicago with A. W. Windett. Mr. Avery was ad. mitted to the bar in June, 1876, came to Morris September 13, 1876, and began the practice of his profession; there he has con- tinued since. Mr. Avery was married. in Ladd- onia, Mo., March 10, 1882, to Kate Wilder, born October 20, 1856, daughter of Judge B. H. Wilder, of Audrain County, Mo. Mrs. Avery is a member of the Baptist Church. Subject was with Judge C. Grant, Register in Bank- ruptey, from December, 1877, to January, 1881, when Judge Grant died; from that time, sub- jeet has been Acting Register. Mr. Avery is a Republican.
GEORGE BAUM, clothier, Morris, was born in Germany January 20, 1828; son of George Baum, who was born and raised in Germany, and also died there. Subject emigrated to the United States in 1853, landing in New York City on the 16th of August. He was educated in the common schools of Germany, and when twenty-one years of age was put into the regu- lar army, by a law of that country, which com- pelled all able-bodied young men, to serve six years. Our subject, by good deportment while in the service, was enabled to procure a recom- mendation from the principal officers over him, which gave him an honorable release two years prior to the expiration of the time for which he had enlisted. From the date of his landing in the United States in 1853 to 1856, he oc- cupied his time principally in laboring as a farm hand in the States of Connecticut and New Jersey, having had but a meager supply of means when he landed. After reaching
Morris on the 4th of April, 1856, he began as before in laboring at any kind of work that presented itself, by which he could earn fair wages, and continued in this way some seven or eight years. Ile. and his brother Henry then began in the saloon business, which he followed until 1877. September 1 of that year, he began the clothing business on his own responsibility, and at present is thus engaged, and doing a satisfactory business. He has been Alderman in Morris for seven years, and has been Director for several years for the Cemetery Association. Mr. Baum was married, in Germany, in June, 1853, just before starting for this country, to Elizabeth Keiser. They have raised three children to maturity and lost two sons, one dying in infancy and the other in his thirteenth year. Those living are one son, Henry, and two daughters, viz., Eliza (wife of John Schobert) and Annie. Mr. Baum and wife are members of the Lutheran Church, and he is a member of the I. O. O. F. Mr. Baum owns a handsome and commodious two-story briek residence in Morris, good store-room, a tenement house, and some vacant lots; he is a Democrat.
HENRY BAUM, dry goods and millinery, Morris, was born in New Jersey April 4, 1855, son of George Baum, whose sketch appears in another part of this work. There were three sons, of whom our subject is the eldest, and the only one living, and two daughters. Henry was educated principally at the public schools of Morris, and took a commercial course at Bryant & Stratton's College of Chicago, grad- uating in that course in the spring of 1872. He began business by elerking in the dry goods establishment of L. F. Beach & Co., of Morris, remaining there nearly two years, then in part- nership with Mr. Schobert opened a similar store in 1874, the firm name being Baum & Schobert. This firm continued together till 1881, at which time they divided, and since each of them has run a separate store. Mr.
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BIOGRAPHICAL:
Henry Baum is a member of the Masonie order at this place, has taken all the degrees of lodge and chapter, and will likely go through the commandery at an early date. Subjeet has one of the finest stores in the city, and does a good business. He owns a block of tenement houses near the High School building in Mor- ris, and a couple of vacant lots on Main street ; he is also interested in several mines in Colorado, prominent among them is the one owned by the Grundy Mining Com- pany.
HENRY BAUM, SR., saloon, Morris, was born in Lanchroeden, Saxe-Weimar, Germany, October 26, 1834. He was raised and educated in his native country, receiving special training in music. He served three years as apprentice in general masonry. Came to the United States in the fall of 1857, by way of New Orleans. Settled in Morris, where he engaged at his trade, combined with music-teaching, for eight- een months. In 1859, he went to Louisville, Ky., and gave musical instruction, working at his trade, meantime, for one year. Afterward, made a specialty of music, going south with a troupe, and located in Baton Rouge, La., until the breaking-out of the war in 1861, when he returned to Morris, and enlisted in the Thirty- fourth Illinois Volunteers as a member of the regiment band. Served until the band was discharged in 1862. Since his discharge, he has been engaged in keeping a saloon, located on Washington street. He was married, Janu- ary 14, 1864, to Miss Elizabeth Zeermann. She is a native of Frickenfelt, Bavarian Rheinfels, Germany, born May 16, 1844. They have two children buried and two living-Louise, born in Morris December 9, 1864, died January 31, 1873 ; Henry B., born January 27, 1865, died September 13, 1873 ; Willie L., born May 11, 1866; and Birdie, born November 23, 1874. Subject is a member of I. O. O. F., and a Re- publican. Residence on corner of Washington and Cedar streets, Morris, Ill.
HENRY BURRELL, miner, Morris, is the oldest of three sons of Arehie Burrell, of Scot- land, and was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Sep- tember 30. 1843. When he was nine years old, his parents removed to the United States, and located in Chicago, where his father died of cholera in 1853. In the fall of 1854, his mother and the three sons eame to Morris, Grundy Co., Ill. Here the subject and brothers were employed variously for some years by their uncle, Alexander Telfer, a coal merchant. As soon as old enough, they began digging in the mines for support for themselves and mother. At this time (1866), our subject formed a partnership with others, under the firm name of H. Burrell & Co. He is now alone in the coal trade. The mines are one and one-half miles northeast of Morris, between the railroad and the eanal. He is also asso- ciated with A. W. Telfer in brick-making. The Burrell heirs have a tract of 317 acres of land, which the subject is farming. He was married, May 31, 1870, to Miss Maggie West, then of Morris. She was born in Scotland June 17, 1851. They have a family of four children- two sons and two daughters-Mary E., born May 19, 1871 ; Lizzie T., April 4, 1874 ; Henry A., September 19, 1877, and William O., August 29, 1880. Mr. Burrell is a member of the A., F. & A. M. and of the I. O. O. F .; polities, Republican.
ALEXANDER BURRELL, collier, Morris, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, January 14, 1850. Ile came with his parents to the United States in 1852, and settled in Chicago. There his father, Archie Burrell, died in 1853. In 1834, his mother, Eliza Burrell, and family, consisting of three sons, removed to Morris, Grundy County, where they have sinee lived. Subject was married, April 8, 1879, to Miss Abbie Kiersted, daughter of George H. Kier- sted, one of the pioneers of Grundy County. They have two children-George, born Janu- ary 2, 1880, and Alexander, born February 26,
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MORRIS CITY AND TOWNSHIP.
1881. Mr. Burrell is a member of the firm of Gould, Buchanan & Burrell, coal-miners. They have two shafts, situated near the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad, within the city limits ; office on Liberty street. Mr. Burrell is a Re- publican.
JOHN BROWN, druggist, Morris, was born in England September 1, 1825, son of Will- iam Brown, who was born in England about 1785. He was a soldier in the English Army the greater portion of his lite, and died in 1864. His wife was Margaret (Blease) Brown. The parents had eight children born to them and raised six to maturity-three sons, of which subject is the third, and three daughters. Sub- ject emigrated to the United States in 1851, and settled in this county, where he has lived since. He was educated in the common schools of England, where he began life in the drug business. When he first came to Illinois, he engaged in farming for about fifteen years, and then engaged again in the drug business, and has followed it since. Mr. Brown has been Supervisor for Au Sable Township, and School Director for Morris, besides filling other minor ottices not necessary to mention. Ile bought the hotel known as the Hopkins House, in Morris, in 1875. and ran the hotel business there, in connection with his other affairs, for about five years. He then sold the hotel, and gave his entire attention to his present busi- ness. Mr. Brown was married, in England, in 1850, to Ann (Brown) Brown. She was born in 1826. They have nine children, four sons and five daughters. Subject owns a comforta- ble residence in Morris, and a good store build- ing ; carries a large stock and has a very satis- factory trade. He is a Republican.
GEORGE F. BROWN, grain dealer, Morris, was born June 6, 1828, in Madison County, N. Y. In the year 1830, his father removed to the State of Ohio, where he lived eleven years. In 1841. he again moved, and lived two years in Wisconsin. In 1843, he located in Chicago,
where he embarked in the mercantile business for eleven years. He then, in 1854, went to Freeport, where he is still engaged in business. George F. was educated principally at Norwalk, Ohio, and Chicago, Ill. In April, 1855, he came to Morris, Grundy Co., Ill., where he has since done an extensive business in grain and
lumber. On the 15th day of October, 1855. he was married to Miss Emma Heald, of Free- port, Ill. She was born in Darien, N. Y., on the Ist day of April, 1832, and came to Illinois in 1853. She is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Their family consists of six children, only two of whom are living -Anna II., Emma, George P., Everett R., Isabella G. and Georgie. Mr. Brown is a stanch Republican, and has held several responsible offices in the city and county.
E. L. BARTLETT, musician, Morris, was born in New York September 19, 1821. When he was twelve years old, his father moved to Western New York, where he worked a farm three years. Our subject entered Hamilton College in 1839, from where he graduated in 1843. He was married October 26, 1843, to Miss Rachel A Conklin, daughter of C. J. Conklin, now living with his daughter, Mrs. Bartlett, in Morris. In July, 1844, they set- tled in Lisbon, Kendall County, where Mr. Bartlett was for five years Principal of the Long Grove Academy, after which he taught one year in Oswego, Kendall County ; he was also called to the Principalship of the Plainfield Academy, of Will County, just then erected, at which place he taught three years. Mr. Bart- lett looks with pride upon many of his former pupils, now filling very honorable positions. In 1854, he purchased a farm in Saratoga Township, upon which he lived ten years. At this period of his history, he enlisted in Com- pany G, One Hundred and Forty-six Illinois Volunteers, as Musician, in lentzleman's West- ern Division Band, serving till the close of the war. Returning home, he sold his farm and
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BIOGRAPHICAL:
settled in Morris, where he has since lived. He owns a store building on Washington street, where for some years he conducted a music store. Their family numbers ten children- Napoleon B., born in 1846, killed November 11, 1864, at the battle of Duvall's Bluff ; Fran- cis E., born in 1848, is a merchant in Morris ; Leroy, born in 1850, is a merchant in Chicago ; Arabella, born in 1852, and died December 28, 1874 ; Jessie, born in 1854, married to William J. Davis, of Chicago ; Josephine, born in 1856 ; Lincoln, born in 1859; Sherman, died in in- fancy ; and Stella, born in 1869. Mr. Bartlett has attained an enviable reputation as a musi- cian, having traveled over Illinois and Iowa with a concert company composed of his own family.
JOHN BUCK, coal and tile, Morris, was born in Cork, Ireland, February 1, 1827. When he was three years old, his parents moved to Canada, where he was raised and educated. He came to Illinois in 1849, and to Grundy Connty in 1850, where he purchased a tract of land of about nineteen acres in the northwest part of the city of Morris, on which he now lives, engaged in the manufacture of drain-tile ; he also operates a coal bank on the same site. Ile was married, December 3, 1861, to Miss Isa- bella McMinn, of Pennsylvania. She was born November 20, 1832, and died December 29, 1862. Our subject was again married, March 16, 1865, to Miss Susanna Hutchins, of Mor- ris. She was born in Canada September 24, 1843. They have seven children, one of whom is the result of the first marriage-John T., born December 22, 1862. The children of the seeond marriage are George II., born January 6, 1866 ; Herbert E., born March 10, 1867 ; William F., born November 10, 1869 ; Richard R., born April 29, 1873 ; Mary E., born Novem- ber 16, 1874 ; and Martha, born January 9, 1882. The family residence is on Lincoln street. Mr. and Mrs. Buck are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Morris.
OTIS BAKER, livery, Morris, was born in Orleans County, N. Y., June 11, 1834, and edu- cated in the common schools of New York. He was married, June 2, 1855, to Miss Sarah D. Gregory, who was born in New York Janu- ary 20, 1835. In the fall of 1856, they came to Grundy County, Ill., and settled in Morris, but soon after bought an eighty-acre farm, four miles north of Morris, where they lived until 1866, when they sold their farm and bought another in the same township (Sara- toga), where they remained ten years. In 1876, our subject moved to the town of Morris and engaged for two or three years in the dairy business, since which time he has kept a farm- ers' feed yard. The family consists of two daughters-Minnie G., born February 26, 1857; married, December 1, 1881, to Charles W. Pot- ter, of New York; and Hattie M., born March 24, 1868. Mr. and Mrs. Baker and their oldest daughter are members of the Congregational Church. Mr. Baker is a Republican, and has been repeatedly elected to offices of trust in the community, in which he has lived. His mother, Laura Baker, is a native of Bristol, Vt., born March 16, 1799, and is now living with her daughter, in Milwaukee, Wis .; his father, Otis Baker. was born in Massachusetts November 10, 1795, and died in Orleans Coun- ty, N. Y., September 23, 1879.
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