USA > Illinois > Grundy County > History of Grundy County, Illinois > Part 61
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J., born August 27, 1879. George T., Mr. Dix's eldest sou, born January 21, 1865, drowned by falling into a tub of water in October, 1866. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Verona.
THOMAS B. GRANBY, farmer, P. O. Ve- rona, is a native of Greene County, N. Y .; born September 10, 1840, son of James A. and Eliza A. Granby, our subject being the eldest of a family of eight children. His parents came to this county in 1855, from New York ; his mother, Eliza A. (Carter) Granby, died in Grun- dy County in the fall of 1877 ; his father died December 23, 1879. Mr. Granby was educat- ed in his native State. He enlisted August 10. 1862. in Company D, Seventy-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and participated in the Vieksburg campaign, under Grant. in 1862, and in the seige of Vicksburg in 1863 ; battle of Raymond, Miss .; Champion Hills ; Black River Bridge ; Fort Hill (charge) ; Franklin. Tenn., where he was captured November 30. 1864, by Gen. Hood's force and held in Ander- sonville and other prisons until March 10, 1865, and was then paroled and in August was mus. tered ont at Springfield, Ill. Hle married No- vember 10, 1872, Miss Mary E. Cooper, daugh- ter of William Cooper. She was born in Indi- ana July 12, 1816. They have one son-Ed- gar 1., born in Grundy County, August 16. 1873. Mr. Granby owns 100 acres of improved land ; eighty acres in Section 10 of Vienna, and twenty acres in Section 29 of Norman Town- ship. Ile is a Republican.
HENRY G. GORHAM, farmer and grain merchant, Wauponsee, is a native of Putnam County, Ill., born November 5, 1848, son of Gardner T. and Elizabeth A. Gorham, who set- tled in this county in 1849. Ilis mother is a daughter of Jesse and Jane Newport, who set- tled in Vienna Township in 1834. Mr. Gorham was educated in the common schools of Grundy County, and, at the Lombard University of Galesburg, Ills. Ile was married. November 6.
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1878, to Miss Clara Lord, daughter of L. M. Lord, of Morris. She was born in Kendall County, Ill., November 7, 1852. They have one daughter, Mabel, born in Grundy County December 31, 1870. Mr. Gorham is engaged in the grain trade at Hill Park, and has con- trol of the Gorham estate, consisting of 860 acres of farm land in Section 1 of Vienna Town- ship, and Section 6. of Mazon Township. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Morris Commandery. His father, who was a native of New York, born in 1804, died in Grundy County October 1, 1872.
AARON HARFORD, Verona, is a son of Harry and Maria (Tyler) Harford, was born in South Salem, Westchester Co .. N. Y., July 2, 1822, and was raised and received the elements of English education in his native State. His mother and President John Tyler were first cousins; she died in San Francisco, Cal., March 10, 1881, in her eighty-eighth year; his father, Harry Harford, died in the same city December 25, 1874; he was a soldier through the war of 1812, and was in his ninetieth year at the time of his death. Our subject came to Ilinois with his father, and located four miles east of Lisbon, in Kendall County, coming the entire distance from the Hudson River with a team. Here he remained with his father until twenty-four years old, at which time, November 1, 1847, he married Miss Francis Dewey, daughter of John and Mary Dewey, born in Ketton, Rutlandshire, Eng., December 4, 1825, and came to the United States with her parents when about eleven years old. They settled at Wauponsee Grove, in Grundy County, on the farm now oc- cupied by A. Newport, in the spring of 1839, being among the pioneers of Grundy County. Mr. Harford began life for himself by settling in Vienna Township, where he now lives on land then owned by his wife's father (Dewey). His taxes for first year were about 75 cents; he now owns a tract of land consisting of 620 acres in Sections 14 and 23, of Vienna Town-
ship. They have had a family of seven children, three of whom are dead : Cornelia D., born August 9, 1848; married, April 8, 1872, to Mr. Edwin C. Slosson, of Vienna Township; Mary, born February 4, 1850, died June 4, 1851; Fannie M., born November 24. 1852; married, March 28, 1877, to James Mulvanie; Frederick, born September 27, 1854; married to Clara Pomeroy, April 4, 1876; Addison, born March 14, 1857, died May 25, 1875; Olive, born July 7, 1861; died June 7, 1870, and Ellen, born April 12, 1864. Mr. Harford has for many years been an extensive stock-raiser, but of late years has turned his attention to blooded horses, having first introduced the English draft, Norman and Clydesdale breeds into the county. Politically, he was formerly what was known as an aboli- tionist; was a Republican during the war, and at present an Independent Greenbacker.
FRED HARFORD, farmer, Vienna, is a son of Aaron and Frances Harford, was born in Grundy County September 27, 1854, and edu- cated in the schools of this county. He mar- ried, at Benton Harbor, Mich., April 4, 1876, Miss Clara A. Pomeroy, daughter of Alexander and Hannah E. Pomeroy. She was born in Portage Connty, Ohio; was educated at Niles, Mich., and Morris, III., and taught school dur- ing twelve years, from 1864 to 1876, principally in Grundy County, where she enjoys an envi- able reputation as a teacher. They have two children : Leland F., born February 15, 1878, died February 23, 1878, and Aaron C., born September 5, 1880. Mr. Harford now owns a farm consisting of 240 acres of valuable land; 160 acres in Section 13, and eighty aeres in Section 13 of Vienna Township; his residence is situated two and a half miles northeast from Verona. In polities, he is a Greenbacker, and has served his township officially.
CHARLES A. HILL, farmer, P. O. Wan- ponsee, is a native of New Hampshire, born September 18, 1836; son of Capt. Alfred and Ann (Lea) Hill. He is a descendant of Peter
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Ilill, one of the passengers of the Mayflower in 1620. His father, Capt. Alfred Hill, was a sea- man, being a captain from the time he was twenty-one years old until the time of his death, which occurred at the wreck of the steamship Rhode Island, when four days out from New York, bound for San Francisco, Cal. Ilis mother's ancestry dates back to the no- bility of England. She was lost at sea in the wreck of the steamship Home, seven miles off the coast of Charleston, S. C, her husband sav- ing his life on this occasion by swimming ashore. Subject was raised in Oneida County, N. Y., by his grandparents (Lea). He married at Verona. Oneida County, N. Y., March 5, 1856, Miss Sarah E. Overocker, daughter of Jacob E. and Betsey Overocker. She was born in New York January 8, 1832. They have a family of three children-Annie L., born Octo- ber 20, 1860, married to E. W. Overocker No- vember 11. 1878; Clara .A., born August 18, 1867, and Ada B., born July 20, 1869. Mr. Ilill came to Grundy County in March, 1859, and Las since been a resident of the county. Since 1866. he has lived in Vienna Township, where he owns a farm of 160 acres in Sections 2 and 11, his residence being Hill's Park Sta- tion. Mrs. Ilill is a member of the Congrega- tional Church of Wauponsee Grove.
JOSEPH HUTCHINGS, farmer, P. O. Ve- rona, is a native of Lincolnshire, Eng., born October 26, 1827 ; son of William and Mary Hutchings, and was raised and educated in the old country. He came to the United States in 1851, and located in the State of New York for four years, engaged in farming. In the fall of 1855, he came to Illinois and settled in Nor- man Township, Grundy County, where he lived six years. In the winter of 1861, he bought a farm of Anron Harford, in Vienna Township, upon which he has lived since. He now owns a farm of 320 acres of improved land in See- tions 11 and 14, valued at $50 per acre, bis residence being two and a half miles north of
Verona. He married in Buffalo, N. Y., No- vember -1, 1855, Miss Bridget Clark, of Ireland. born December 25, 1833. They have a family of five children, one of whom is dead-Francis M., born November 1. 1856; Mary E., born September 29, 1859 ; Margaret W., born Feb- ruary 9, 1863, died December 6, 1881 ; John J., born April 27, 1866, and James W., born January 1, 1871. They are members of the Catholic Church of Highland. He is a Demo- crat.
ALBERT HOLLENBECK, farmer, P. t). Verona, is a son of Abram and Jane A. Hol- Jenbeek, and is a native of Dutchess County, V. Y., born August 22. 1815. His parents came to Illinois and settled in Vienna Town- ship, Grundy County. His father, Abram Hol- lenbeck, was born in New York June 23, 1809, and died in Vienna Township, Grundy County, October 10, 1854. His mother is now living in Morris, wife of William HI. Curtis, one of the pioneers of the county. Mr. Hollenbeck is the third of a family of five children. He received the elements of an English education in Grundy County, and January 1, 1880, married Miss Imogene Reed, of La Salle County, Ill .. born in Freedom Township, La Salle County, July 5. 1860. They have a son-Marion A., born in this county December 6, 1880. Mr. Hollenbeck now owns a farm of 130 acres of land in Sec- tion 18 of Vienna Township, besides control- ling a farin of 190 acres in Sections 17 and 18, owned by William H. Curtis. His residence is seven miles southeast from Seneca and five miles northwest from Verona. Mr. Hollenbeck is among the substantial farmers of Vienna Township. In politics, he is Republican, and he is a member of the Central Committee. His mother, Jane A. Hinchman, was born in New York February 13, 1817, and was married to Abram Hollenbeck Jannary 15, 1835.
M. G. HAYMOND, farmer, P. O. Waupon- see, is a native of Shelby County, Ind., born November 9, 1836; son of William and Anna
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Haymond, he a native of Virginia, she of Ken- ucky. When subject was only one year old, his parents removed to Illinois, and settled in Ken- dall County in 1837, where he received his educa- tion principally. He came to this county in 1855, and in 1864 bought a farm in Section 2 of Vienna Township. Here he still lives owning a farm of 122 acres of valnable land with splendid improvements, situated on the west side of Section 2, the land being worth $60 per aere. He was married in Grundy County Oc- tober 10, 1861, to Miss Eliza M. Pangburn, daughter of Moses Pangburn, of Wauponsee Township, she was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., September 22, 1841. They have a fam- ily of two children, one living-Freddie, born in Grundy County December 25, 1865, died May 10, 1866, and Katie May born in this coun- ty February 24, 1868.
J. W. MARTIN, Verona, was born in Brown County, Ohio, November 7, 1840; son of Ben- jamin M. and Elizabeth Martin. When he was six years old, his parents removed to Illinois in 1846, and settled in La Salle County, where they lived about ten years, engaged in farming. They then removed to Highland Township, Grundy County, where his father died in Sep- tember, 1866. His mother now lives in Dwight, Livingston Co., Ill., aged seventy years. Mr. Martin enlisted Angust 15, 1862, in Company D, One Hundred and Twenty seventh III. Vol. Infantry (Capt. Chandler), in which he served during the war, and was discharged at Washing- ton in June, 1865. He participated in the siege of Vieksburg, and was with Sherman through his entire career. He married, March 7, 1877, Miss Emily J. Crozier, daughter of Christo- pher Crozier, of Grundy County; born in Ross County, Ohio, May 18, 1846. They have a family of five children-Carrie J., born in Grundy County January 13, 1868; Ira L., born in Grundy County May 14, 1869; Early Will- iam, born in Grundy County February 9, 1871; Nellie, born in Grundy County July 8, 1876,
and Maud, born in Grundy County Jannary 13, 1881. Mr. Martin has a farm of 160 acres of improved farm land in Section 18, of Highland Township. He is now engaged in mercantile business in the village of Verona, and owns two store-rooms stocked with a general stock. He came here in the spring of 1876. In poli- tics, he is a Republican.
WILLIAM PETERSON, Verona, was born in Ross County, Ohio, August 6, 1816, where he was raised on a farm, and educated in South Salem Academy. He followed the pro- fession of teaching for fifteen years, principally in Ross County. He was married March 13, 1843, in Ross County to Miss Louisa Fearrell, born April 23, 1820, daughter of James and Elizabeth Fearrell, of Ohio. They came to III- inois and settled in Wauponsee Grove, Grundy County, in the fall of 1853. He remained there for three years, then sold his farm and moved to Vienna Township, where henow owns a farm of 320 acres of improved land in Section 35, of Vienna Township, valued at $50 per acre, on which he is engaged in stock-raising. They have a family of three sons-Hamilton C., the eldest, was born in Ross County, Ohio, Janu- ary 13, 1844. His first official work was that of teacher; he afterward entered the army, and served through the war; was then commissioned Second Lientenant in the regular army, sub- sequently promoted to First Lieutenant, and after serving four years resigned to engage in the practice of law. He died at Laredo, Tex., in April, 1878. John H., the second son, was born in Ross County, Ohio, December 25, 1846, and is now living in Verona. The young- est son, Rufus A., was born in Highland Coun- ty, Ohio, February, 1849. Mr. and Mrs. Pe- terson are members of the Presbyterian Church of Verona. He is a Republican. Their resi- dence is situated one mile south of Verona.
JAMES REARDON, farmer, P. O. Wan- ponsee, is a native of Franklin County, N. Y., born March 11, 1834, son of William and
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Catharine Reardon, who were born in Ireland ; his father died in Morris, this county, and his mother, Catharine (Curtis) Reardon, died in Au Sable Township, this county. Subject came with his parents to Illinois in 1851. They settled in Grundy County and remained until their death. Mr. Reardon received the ele- ments of an English education principally in York State; he was married, November 12, 1856, in Grundy County to Miss Sarah A. Cryder, daughter of Israel and Elizabeth Cryder ; she was born in Pennsylvania Novem- ber 13. 1837. Mr. Reardon began life for himself in the town of An Sable, where he lived about eight years ; he then sokdl his farm and removed to Saratoga Township, where he followed farming for one year, when he sold out and moved to Morris where he resided three years. Since then he has lived in Vienna Township, where he has a farm of eighty acres of improved land in Section 2. his residence being ten miles southwest from Morris, and one mile west from Wauponsee Station. He engages in general farming on his place which is valued at 860 per acre. He is a supporter of the Republican party.
WILLIAM RANSLEY, farmer, P. O. Verona, is a native of the county of Kent, Parish of Frindsbury, England, born February 22, 1817, sou of William and Sarah Ransley, of Eng- land, and was raised and educated in his native country. September 17, 1854, he landed at New York City, and remained in New York until January, 1855, then came to Illinois and settled in Grundy County, February 7, 1855, he located in Vienna Township, where he now owns a farm of 290 acres of improved land in- cluding four dwelling houses in Section 26 of Vienna Township, the land being valued at $55 per acre. Ilis residence is situated one-half mile north of Verona. He was married No- vember 19, 1869, in Milton, Ulster Co., N. Y., to Miss Dinah Susans, born at Gravesend, Eng- land, in 1844. They have a family of three
children -William, born in Grundy County, August 28. 1870; Beatrice, born in Grundy County June 2, 1872, and Frank, born in Grundy County March 17, 1875. Mr. Rans- ley has crossed the ocean five times ; first on the Yorktown, thirty-eight days ; second, City of Antwerp, eleven days ; third. City of Brook- lyn, ten days ; fourth, City of Brooklyn, teu days ; fifth, City of Richmond, ten days. lle is a supporter of the Republican party.
NICHOLAS AND DANIEL RAGAN, farm ers. l'. O. Verona, are sons of Timothy and Bridget Ragan, of Ireland. Daniel was born in Grundy County August 31. 1849 ; Nicholas also was born in Grundy County April 5, 1853. Their father. Timothy Ragan, assisted in the construction of the canal and was one of the early settlers of this county ; he died in Grun- dy County in April. 1853. They first settled in Erienna Township, where they lived until 1867, when the family consisting of Nicholas, Daniel, their mother and one sister, removed to Vienna Township. Their sister, Fannie, was born in La Salle County March 7. 1848, and was married, February 27, 1870. to Mr. John Fitzpatrick, who died in Grundy County Sep- tember 21. 1873. Mrs. Fitzpatrick has a daughter Mary A., born in Grundy County November 27, 1870. The brothers have a farm of eighty aeres in Section 3.1. of Vienna Town- ship, and eighty acres in Section 3. of High- land Township, including two dwelling houses, their present residence being situated one mile southwest from Verona. The land is valued at $50 per acre. They are all members of the Catholic Church of Highland Township. Daniel Ragan is Assessor for Vienna Township. They are engaged in stock-raising and general husbandry ; in polities, they are Independent.
D. S. RENNE, hardware. Verona, is a son of Justin and Maria Renne, formerly of New York State. He was born in Dutchess County. N. Y., October 27, 1845. The fifth of a family of seven children : he received the elements of
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an English education in his native county, and engaged in farming until 1875, when he was employed as station agent of the Chicago, Pekin & South-Western Railroad, in which office he remained five years. In September, 1881, he associated himself with D. Beal in the hardware. stove and implement trade, on Di- vision street, Verona, where they keep on hand an extensive stock of general hardware. Mr. Renne was married, February 16, 1879, to Miss Anna M. Ryder, born in Ottawa, Ill., Feb- ruary 4, 1857, daughter of Jolin and Adelia Ryder, of this connty. Mr. Renne is a mem- ber of the Masonic fraternity ; in politics, he is a Democrat. The biography of his parents appears elsewhere in this work.
HARRIS SMALL, retired, Verona, is a na- tive of Somerset County, Me., born May 24, 1817. son of Nathan and Susan Small. He was raised and educated in his native State. He married, November 29, 1838, Miss Sophrona Lombard, born in Somerset County. Me., Feb- ruary 19, 1819, daughter of Nathaniel and Abigail Lombard, of Maine. He came to Illi- nois in 1854, and settled in Grundy County, Highland Township, where they lived until the spring of 1877, when he retired from farm life and moved to Verona, where he now lives. They rent their farm of eighty acres in Section 12, of Highland Township. They have a family of eight children, five of whom are still living: Franklin S .. born September 26, 1839, died Feb- rnary 19, 1842; Daniel, born May 27, 1841, died June 13, 1842; Wilson, born January 1, 1843; Emily J., born February 15. 1844; Shep- herd D., born Jannary 6, 1846; Livona, born May 19. 1848; Millard F., born July 31, 1850, and Ellen M., born May 9, 1857. All except the last named were born in Maine; Ellen M. was born in Grundy County; Livona died Jan- uary 25, 1878. Mrs. Small is a member of the Congregational Church of Verona. When Mr. Small came to Grundy County, Highland Town- ship had about twelve voters.
AARON SMALL, mechanic, Verona, is a son of Alvin and Anna Small, formerly of Maine, and was born October 6, 1837. in Athens County, Me. His parents moved to Illinois when he was about six years old; settled for about one year in Kane County; thence moved to Highland Township, Grundy County. where his father is still living, in his seventy-ninth year; his mother, Anna (Stephens) Small, born in Maine, died in Highland Township, Grundy County. November 22, 1858. Mr. Small was raised and educated in Grundy County; began learning the trade of a black- smith when eighteen years of age. and has fol- lowed that business ever since. For six years, he has been manufacturing wagons and bug- gies, and handling farm implements in the vil- lage of Verona. He married, June 6, 1860, Miss Sarah Hart, daughter of Rev. William and Jane Hart. She was born in Delaware County, Penn. They have a family of four children, two sons and two daughters-Ella, born in Gardner, Grundy County, April 11, 1862, mar- ried to Walter Ward, of Grundy County; Will- iam A., born in Grundy County, February 8. 1865; Verdett, born in Grundy County, August 19, 1867, and Lola. born in Grundy County, December 7, 1873. Mr. Small is a member of the Masonie fraternity (Knights Templar). He owns forty acres of improved farm land in Sec- tion 1 of Highland Township, valued at $50 per acre, and also owns the shops and residence in Verona, Grundy County. In politics, he is Re- publican. Mrs. Small's parents are now living in Mazon Township.
JAMES SEAMARKS, farmer, P. O. Verona, is a native of England, born in the county of Kent February 15, 1810; was raised on a farm and educated in England, and came to the United States in 1839, landing at New York City. He came over in the sailing vessel Que- bec. He first settled in Mahoning County. Ohio, where he lived for fifteen years. coming to Illinois in the spring of 1854, where he had
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previously bought land in Vienna Township. Grundy County. He still lives upon the same farm, which consists of 240 acres of splendid farming land, including three dwelling houses, situated in Section 27, the residence being three- quarters of a mile northwest from the village of Verona. The land is valued at $50 per acre. Mr. Scamarks was married, in England, May 22, 1835. to Miss Mary Ransley, of England, born September 4, 1814, and who died at their home in Vienna Township, December 21, 1881. They had a family of two children-Charlotte, born in England September 11. 1837; married, March 31, 1856, to Richard Hughes, of Eng- land, now living in Marseilles, Ill., and Fannie, born in England August 21, 1839, married, March 31, 1856, to Mr. Levi Barner-she died April 10, 1874, in Livingston County, leaving a family of eight children, three of whom are with their grandfather, Mr. Seamarks; Anna, born March 6, 1864: Fannie, born October 19, 1868; Frank, born October 10, 1870. Mr. S. also owns 240 acres in Livingston County, Ill., with two dwellings, also a dwelling house in Verona.
EDWIN C. SLOSSON, manufacturer, Verona, is a son of Rufus K. Slosson, M. D., and Han- nah G. (Brown) Slosson, and was born in Cayu- ga County, N. Y., February 25, 1843. In the spring of 1854, his parents came to Illinois, and settled in Vienna Township, Grundy Coun- ty, where our subject received the elements of an English education. He enlisted August 22. 1862, in Company C, Seventy-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, in which he served during the war and was discharged in Chicago in August, 1865. During his term of service he participated in the siege of Vicksburg, Jack son ; siege of Fort Blakely, where he was shot through both thighs. April 8, 1872, he married Cornelia D. Harford, daughter of Aaron and Frances Harford, of Vienna Township, born August 9, 1848. They then went to California where he engaged in the lumber trade for five
years, then returned to Grundy County, and has since been in Verona, engaged in man- ufacturing the "Slosson Cultivator." Ile is associated in business with his brother, Eu- gene Slosson. Mr. and Mrs. Slosson have one child now living, and have lost two- Vallie, born in Oregon February 2, 1873, died died in Grundy County August 25, 1880 ; Fannie May, born in Oregon August 11. 1875, died in Grundy County September 1. 1880, and Ellen, born in Grundy County, August 14, 1881. He is a Republican.
JOIIN C. SCHROEDER, farmer. P. O. Seneca, is a native of Mechlenburg-Schwerin, Germany, born October 8. 1830 ; raised and educated in Germany ; came to the United States in 1858 ; landed at New York City, and came immediately to Marseilles, Ill. He lived in La Salle County for about five years, then settled in Vienna Township. Grundy County. where he now owns 200 acres of valuable im- proved farm land in Section 4 ; residence three miles west from Wauponsee Station. Our sub- ject was married, in La Salle County, October 31, 1863, to Miss Mary Schroeder, daughter of Christian and Eva Schroeder, of Germany. She was born January 1, 1833 ; they have a family of five children, one dead -Wilhelmina, born born January 19, 1865 ; Caroline, December 19, 1869 ; Dorothea, April 29, 1872 ; Mary, February 17, 1875 ; also one son who died in infancy. The entire family are members of the German Lutheran Church. Mrs. Schroeder's father died in Grundy County, November 27, 1881. Her mother is now living with them in her seventy-third year. Mr. Schroeder is en- gaged in stock-raising and general husbandry.
JACOB STONER, farmer, P. O Verona, is a native of Cumberland County. Penn., born .Jan- uary 15, 1824 ; son of George and Mary Stoner, of Pennsylvania. In 1835, his parents removed to Summit County, Ohio, where subject resided until 1845, when he came West, spent some time in Illinois, and, until 1849, was traveling
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