USA > Illinois > Henry County > History of Henry County, Illinois, Volume II > Part 23
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115
Dr. Antes was reared in the place of his nativity and after acquiring his early education in the common schools of Canandaigua attended Williams Col- lege. He supplemented his literary training by the study of dentistry and was graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Dentistry in Philadelphia. He then located for practice in Canandaigua, New York, but thinking to find still better business opportunities in the middle west, he came to Geneseo in 1864 and has since been in active practice here. He has always maintained a well equipped office, keeping up with the latest improvements known to the profession. His perusal of scientific journals has made him acquainted with the best thought of the dental fraternity and with the work which is being done by its leading representatives. He posesses inventive and mechanical genius of superior order and has invented and perfected a number of practical dental tools, which have a design and finish that only a genius and skilled mechanic can give. He has ever held to high ideals in his professional labors, giving to his patients the benefit
222
HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY
of conscientious service, while in all of his work he has closely conformed to a high standard of professional ethics.
In September, 1864, Dr. Antes was married to Miss Helen Pratt, who was born at Livonia, Livingston county, New York, and is a daughter of George and Sarah Pratt, likewise natives of that state. Dr. and Mrs. Antes hold member- ship in the Congregational church and are loyal to its teachings and generous in its support. Politically he is a republican. His home on College avenue and First street is one of the nice residences of the city, attractive in all that makes for comfort and for hospitality. Mrs. Antes belongs to the Daughters of the American Revolution. Like her husband, she possesses a social nature and de- lights in entertaining her many friends in her own home. Dr. Antes possesses marked artistic skill and ability as well as mechanical genius and has done most artistic work in oil, many of his paintings showing superior merit. His nature is one of innate refinement, to which have been added embellishments of educa- tion and culture. His keen intellectuality and laudable ambition have long since carried him beyond mediocrity, and he stands among those citizens of whom the community has just reason to be proud.
DAVID B. WRIGHT.
Journalism in Cambridge has a representative in David B. Wright, the editor and publisher of the Henry County Advocate. He was born in Detroit, Michi- gan, May 31, 1870, and is the only child of Albert and Ellen (Colquitt) Wright, who were natives of Illinois and Michigan respectively. The former was a son of Albert Wright, Sr., who removed from New York to Illinois about 1840, settling at Mount Pulaski. He had previously had experience as a hotel propri- etor and in his new location became host of the Mount Pulaski House, which he continued to manage until his death, while his wife conducted it for many years afterward. The maternal grandfather was William Colquitt, a Canadian by birth and of French descent. For many years he lived near Detroit, Michigan, where he followed the occupation of farming.
Albert Wright, the father of D. B. Wright, engaged principally in the lumber business and'spent much of his life in Chicago, although when a young man he was a resident of Mount Pulaski, Illinois. At the time of the Civil war he be- longed to the Fifty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry serving throughout the entire period of hostilities in which he did active, and oftentimes hazardous, duty as a scout. He participated in the engagements of Altoona Pass, Missionary Ridge, Gettysburg, Shiloh, the Wilderness and many other of the hard-fought battles of the war. When hostilities had ceased he turned his attention to the lumber trade with which he was connected in large measure up to the time of his death in 1895. His widow still survives him and lives with her son David in Cambridge.
David B. Wright spent the greater part of his youth in Chicago and at- tended its public schools, while by study at home in the evenings he also largely supplemented his early educational privileges. When only thirteen years of age
223
HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY
he began learning the printer's trade, which he has since followed. He became an expert workman in that line and in 1892 established a job printing office in Chicago, continuing in business there until 1908, when he came to Cambridge and began the publication of the Henry County Advocate, an independent paper. He has succeeded in securing a large circulation and the list of his patrons is constantly increasing. He has conducted a general job printing business and turns out excellent work in that department.
On the 23d of November, 1891, Mr. Wright was united in marriage to Miss Minnie M. King, a daughter of William and Catharine (Cavanaugh) King. Mrs. Wright was born and reared in Chicago while her father was a native of the Isle of Man and her mother of the state of Michigan. Three children have blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Wright : P. Bert, Elmer R., and Inda Ruth. The parents are church members and are known as cooperant factors in many measures relative to the public good. Although following the printing business as a boy, Mr. Wright has for a number of years engaged in preaching as an evangelist and has been a contributor to various papers and magazines for sev- eral years. His has been an active and useful life, for he entered the business world at the age of thirteen, printing his first paper at that time.
FRED L. SMITH.
Centuries ago the Greek philosopher, Epicharmus, said: "Earn thy reward; the gods give naught to sloth," and the truth of this admonition has been verified in all the ages which have since run their course. Early realizing this fact, Fred L. Smith resolutely set himself to the task of working his own way upward through diligence and perseverance, with the result that he is now proprietor of one of the leading shoe stores of Geneseo, having a trade that is constantly increasing. He was born in Lafayette, Illinois, June 22, 1862, and comes of an old southern family. His paternal grandfather was a native of Tennessee and became one of the earliest settlers of southern Illinois, taking up his abode at Joliet, where he was a trader. He died when just past middle life, while his wife reached old age. They were the parents of five children, including William Smith, the father of Fred L. Smith. He, too, was a native of Tennessee and became a Methodist minister, connected during the greater part of his pastorate with the Rock River conference. He married Miss Lydia Harrington, a daughter of Mark T. Harrington, who was a native of Vermont and a farmer by occupa- tion. Coming to the middle west, he cast in his lot with the pioneer residents of Geneseo, owning and cultivating a farm on the south edge of the town. He died here when more than ninety years of age and his wife had also traveled far on life's journey when called to her final rest. They were the parents of six children, including Lydia Harrington who, as stated, became the wife of the Rev. William Smith. In his church work the father of our subject was a man of wide information, his consecration and zeal making him a strong creature in the denomination. He passed away in 1890 and is still survived by his widow. They were the parents of six children, three sons and three daughters : Lucretia
224
HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY
F., the wife of Joseph H. Simmons, of Rochester, New York; Lucy J., the wife of John Dunkle, residing near Los Angeles, California; Mary L., the wife of W. B. Foster, of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Charles W., of Rockford, Illinois; Mark B., of Los Angeles, California ; and Fred L.
Fred L. Smith was a lad of eleven years when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Geneseo. His educational privileges were those afforded by the public-school system of the state, and later he engaged in bookkeeping for the Edward McCulloch Lumber Company at Little River, Kansas. He was next employed by the firm of Fain & Shock, of Sterling, Kansas, and was engaged in the shoe business in Lawrence, Kansas, for a year. He next went to West Su- perior, Wisconsin, where he engaged in bookkeeping for the Wentworth Heating Company and by the same company was sent to Great Falls, Montana. There he embarked in the same line of business for himself, continuing in the north until 1902, when he returned to Geneseo. The following year he invested his capital in a stock of shoes and now has one of the best equipped shoe stores of the city, carrying a large line of goods, for which he finds a ready sale owing to his reasonable prices, his fair dealing and his earnest efforts to please his patrons.
On the 10th of April, 1895, Mr. Smith was married to Miss Emma E. Wilson, a native of Geneseo and a daughter of I. N. Wilson, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this work. They have become parents of four children: Maurine, Wilson, Florence and Laurel. Mr. and Mrs. Smith attend the Presbyterian church, and Mr. Smith gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He does not seek nor desire office yet is never remiss in the duties of citizenship and is a cooperant factor in many measures for the public good. He and his family reside on East Park street, and their home is noted for its warm-hearted and generous hospitality. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith are widely known here and are greatly esteemed. In his business life Mr. Smith has made steady progress, utilizing each opportunity that has come to hand and at all times conforming to a high standard of commercial ethics.
GEORGE H. RIVENBURGH.
For fifty-six years George H. Rivenburgh has been a resident of Henry county and since 1907 has made his home in Geneseo, where he is living retired after long years of active connection with the farming interests of this part of the state. He has comprehensive knowledge of the history of the county in that he has been an eye witness of many of the changes which have occurred while in many instances he has been an active participant in events which have had bearing upon its annals. He was born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, May 18, 1845, and is a son of Hiram and Mary (Burdick) Rivenburgh, the for- mer a native of New York and the latter of the Keystone state. The paternal grandparents were Peter and Ruth Rivenburgh, natives of Pennsylvania. The maternal grandfather was Billings Burdick, a native of Connecticut, whence he removed to Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and there followed the occupa-
MR. AND MRS. G. H. RIVENBURGH
227
HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY
tion of farming. He wedded Mary Cottrell and both lived to an advanced age. They had nine children but only one survives-Emeline, the widow of John Barker and a resident of Geneseo. Billings Burdick was the son of Billings Burdick, Sr., who came from France with Marquis de Lafayette, served as a soldier of the Revolutionary war and afterward settled in Connecticut. Hiram Rivenburgh, the father, always followed the occupation of farming as a life work and came to Henry county, Illinois, in 1853, at which time he took up his abode in Osco township, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of school land. He was an enterprising, energetic and successful business man and as he prospered in his undertakings he added to his farm lands until his possessions aggregated six hundred acres. For about forty-five years he re- mained in this county and then removed to Peabody, Kansas, where he died at the age of seventy-five years. His wife survived him and passed away at the age of eighty-four years. Mr. Rivenburgh was a member of the Presbyterian church, while his wife was an equally consistent Christian in her relation to the Baptist church. Their family numbered four sons and one daughter, Sophia, the wife of Philip Weidlein, of Kansas City, Missouri; George H., of Geneseo; Clark, dceased; Le Grand, of Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Hiram, who is living in Peabody, Kansas.
George H. Rivenburgh was only eight years of age at the time of the arrival of the family in Henry county and the experiences of farm life early became familiar to him as his youth was passed in the routine work of the fields and in the acquirement of an education in the district schools. He re- mained at home until he had attained his majority and then located upon a tract of land of his own comprising eighty acres. This he improved and to it added eighty acres but later sold that property and made investment in two hundred and eighty acres in Scott county, Iowa, and fifty acres a mile east of Geneseo. Through the years of his active connection with agricultural interests he fol- lowed progressive methods of farming, carefully tilling the soil, rotating his crops and using the latest improved machinery for the plowing, planting and harvesting. Thus as the years passed he won substantial success, and in De- cember, 1907, with a handsome competence acquired through his own labors he retired from active life.
Mr. Rivenburgh was married May 5, 1872, to Miss Almira Newton, a daugh- ter of Zarah and Julia (Rivenburgh) Newton, who were natives of Pennsylva- nia and New York, respectively. The former was a son of Benjamin Newton, a native of Connecticut and a farmer by occupation. He married Sarah Covey and they had one son. After her death Mr. Newton married again and had a large family by the second union. He died at an advanced age. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. George H. Rivenburgh was John Rivenburgh, who spent the greater part of his life in Pennsylvania and carried on agricultural pur- suits. He married Nellie Dougherty, and both died when well advanced in years. They had four children including Julia, who became Mrs. Newton. It was in the year 1844 that Mr. and Mrs. Zarah Newton removed to Stark county, Illinois, where they spent their remaining days, the former dying at the age of eighty-three years and the latter when seventy-four years of age. Of the eleven children born unto them six reached years of maturity, namely: William; Ade-
228
HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY
line, the wife of Henry Hitchcock, of Nebraska; Sarah, the wife of Andrew Jackson, of Greeley, Colorado; Nellie, the wife of Cornelius Horn, also of Greeley; Almira, the wife of George H. Rivenburgh; and Wilmot, who lives near Toulon, Stark county, Illinois.
The mariage of Mr. and Mrs. Rivenburgh has been blessed with four sons and one daughter : Nettie is the wife of Charles S. Young, of Geneseo, and they have two children-Worling R. and Annette; Ward, who is the United States Express agent in Geneseo, married Elsie Rice and they have one son, Charles Henry ; Scott, died when ten months old; and Ralph died in infancy as did the first born. Mr. and Mrs. Rivenburgh are members of the Congregational church, and Mr. Rivenburgh gives his political allegiance to the prohibition party. He is an advocate of temperance and morality and in fact of all that is just and right in man's relations with his fellowmen. He stands for truth, for reform and progress and in his own life measures up to the highest standards of honorable manhood.
H. A. COMBS.
H. A. Combs was formerly actively and successfully identified with the agri- cultural interests of Henry county for many years, owning a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Osco township, but in January, 1909, he put aside the active work of the fields and has since made his home on Washington street in the vil- lage of Osco. His birth occurred in Osco township, this county, on the 17th of September, 1868, his parents being A. J. and Louise (Ringold) Combs, the former a native of Chillicothe, Ohio, and the latter of Pennsylvania. The year 1866 witnessed the arrival of A. J. Combs in Henry county, this state, and here he carried on general agricultural pursuits until called to his final rest in Febru- ary , 1897, his remains being interred in Osco township. His widow still survives and now makes her home in Cambridge, Illinois. Mr. Combs of this review is the eldest of three children, his brothers being as follows: Edward, a resident of Osco township, and Joseph, living in Cambridge township.
H. A. Combs obtained his education in the country schools and after putting aside his text-books continued to assist his father in the work of the home farm until he had attained his majority and was married. He was afterward engaged in the operation of a rented farm in Osco township for five and a half years, on the expiration of which period he purchased a tract of one hundred and sixty acres in that township, to the cultivation and improvement of which he devoted his time and energies until January, 1909. He then left the farm, which, however, is still in his possession, and took up his abode in the village of Osco, purchas- ing a commodious and attractive residence on Washington street. He is an expert machinist and has a shop on his home place, where he repairs engines, does plumbing and gas-pipe work, sets up windmills, pumps, etc. Alert, energetic and enterprising, he has won a gratifying measure of prosperity in the conduct of his interests and has long been numbered among the substantial and repre- sentative citizens of the community.
229
HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY
In 1889 Mr. Combs was joined in wedlock to Miss Carrie Hartley, who was born in Grundy county, Illinois, on the 25th of October, 1870, her parents being J. S. E. and Rose (Butterfield) Hartley. The father, whose birth occurred in Malta, Morgan county, Ohio, in 1839, removed to Grundy county, Illinois, when a young man of twenty years and there turned his attention to agricultural pur- suits. His wife, who was born in New Milford, Susquehanna county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1847, passed away on the 28th of July, 1901, and lies buried in Gardner, Grundy county, this state. At the time of the Civil war J. S. E. Hartley enlisted for service in the Union army as a member of Company D, One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he remained throughout the entire period of hostilities. He went with Sherman on the march to the sea and when the war was ended received an honorable discharge, returning to Grundy county, where he still makes his home. His political allegiance is un- falteringly given to the republican party.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Combs have been born four children, as follows: Irene Louise, whose birth occurred September 6, 1890; Margaret Anna, who first opened her eyes to the light of day on the Ist of August, 1895; Hartley William, born April 7, 1904; and Roy Henry, whose natal day was February 10, 1907. All of the children are natives of Osco township and are still under the parental roof.
Where national questions and issues are involved Mr. Combs votes for the men and measures of the republican party but at local elections casts an inde- pendent ballot, supporting the candidate whom he believes best qualified. He is now serving his third term in the position of constable and is also special deputy game warden. Fraternally he is identified with the Odd Fellows, the Yeomen and Rebekah Lodge, his wife being also a member of the last named and a Royal Neighbor. She is likewise a devoted and consistent member of the Episcopal church. Mr. Combs derives much pleasure from his automobile and, owing to his well directed and untiring industry in former years, is now enabled to enjoy many of the comforts and luxuries of life. He has always lived within the bor- ders of this county and that his career has ever been an upright and honorable one is indicated by the fact that the associates of his boyhood and youth are still num- bered among his stanchest friends.
JAMES NELSON CUMMINGS.
Success at the bar lies before James Nelson Cummings, but those who know him and are familiar with his characteristics believe that it will not be a great while before he attains that success which is the goal of all laudable endeavor. He possesses energy, determination and comprehensive knowledge of the law and since beginning practice in June, 1908, has already won for himself favora- able criticism in the work which he has done in the courts. He was born in New York city, July 7, 1873, and was about six years of age when he became a resident of Custer county, Nebraska, arriving there in 1879. He attended the public schools in that locality and also the Lincoln Normal University at Lin-
230
HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY
coln, Nebraska, and in 1892 he took up the profession of teaching, which he followed in both country and city schools of Nebraska for eight years. In 1902 he came to Henry county and was here identified with educational interests, teaching for six years in district No. 50. All through this time he devoted his leisure hours to the study of law under the direction of C. K. Ladd, and in June, 1908, was admitted to the bar and at once entered upon active practice, fol- lowing his return to Kewanee in November, 1908. It is his purpose to make the general practice of law his life work, and to this end he carefully prepares his cases, examines the points in law and the precedents applicable thereto and is making substantial progress in his chosen profession.
On the 4th of March, 1900, Mr. Cummings was united in marriage to Miss Agnes Gibb, of Gibbon, Nebraska, and they have five children, Anna Lucile, Dorothy Alexandria, Eleanor, Rosalind and Lillian Leona. Mr. Cummings is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and his social qualities and genial disposition are such as win for him warm friendship and high regard.
HENRY R. OTT.
The various lines of merchandising are well represented in Geneseo, and con- nected with the commercial interests of the city is Henry R. Ott, a harness manu- facturer and dealer, who has lived within the borders of the county for more than a half century. He therefore needs no introduction to the readers of this volume who know him as a citizen of worth and a business man of ability and enterprise. He was born in Lake county, Illinois, October 26, 1849, and is one of the ten children of Casper and Mary Elizabeth (Trier) Ott, both of whom were natives of Germany. The former was a son of John Jacob Ott who spent the days of his youth and early manhood in Germany and then sought a home in the new world. He wedded Mary Urban and died six miles west of Highland Park, in Lake county, Illinois, at the venerable age of eighty-three years, while his wife had passed the eighty-fourth milestone on life's journey at the time of her de- mise. Their family included five sons and two daughters. The maternal grand- father of Mr. Ott, died in Lake county, Illinois, at the age of thirty years. His wife, Charlotte Segmueller in her maidenhood, also died in Lake county, when forty years of age. Their family numbered one son and three daughters.
Casper Ott, the father of Henry R. Ott, was a tailor by trade, becoming fa- miliar with that line of business in the land of his nativity. Crossing the Atlantic in 1831, he settled in Warren, Pennsylvania, and in 1837 removed to Lake county, Illinois, where he engaged in farming. He was for seventeen years identified with agricultural pursuits there, after which he removed to Henry county, Illi- nois, in 1854, and began farming in Loraine township, where he resided until 1871. In that year he took up his abode in Geneseo, where he continued to make his home until called to his final rest in 1876, when sixty-four years of age. His wife survived him until 1891 and passed away at the age of seventy-four years. They were earnest Christian people identified with the German Evangelical asso- sociation. In their family were six sons and four daughters but only four are
231
HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY
now living : Casper, who makes his home in Hooppole, Illinois ; Henry R .; Adolph ; and Sophia, the wife of Louis Sand, of Spokane, Washington.
Henry R. Ott was a little lad of four and a half years when his parents came to this county and upon the home farm he was reared, early becoming familiar with the work of the fields and also with the pleasures in which farm boys usually in- dulge. His early education, acquired in the district school, was supplemented by study in the Geneseo Seminary, and when seventeen years of age he began learn- ing the harness maker's trade, which he has followed continuously since. For the past twenty-nine years he has been in business for himself, conducting a well equipped shop and enjoying liberal trade.
On the 17th of April, 1872, Mr. Ott was married to Miss Catharine E. Wolf, who was born near Washington, Tazewell county, Illinois, while her parents were Jacob and Margaret (Schaeffer) Wolf, who were natives of Germany. Her father died in 1883, but her mother is still living, making her home with her daugh- ter in Hooppole, Illinois. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Ott was blessed with five children, but they lost the first two, Hermann Henry and Arthur, in in- fancy, while the third son, Ferrel Alonzo, was killed by the cars when thirteen and a half years of age. The youngest child, John Wesley, died at the age of nine years, so that the only surviving member of the family is Ethel M., now the wife of Albert J. Smith, a resident of Colorado, by whom she has four children : Catharine, Ferrel, Clarence and Dwight.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.