USA > Illinois > Henry County > History of Henry County, Illinois, Volume II > Part 60
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William R. Reherd has spent his entire life in Henry county, his youthful days being passed upon his father's farm, where he early became familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. He mastered the preliminary branches of study in the district schools and afterward attended the Collegiate Institute, subsequent to which time he engaged in teaching for five or six years. He was then engaged in the newspaper business for several years as owner and pub- lisher of the Henry County Arena and, after purchasing the Geneseo News, con-
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solidated the two papers, which he conducted until 1904. He then sold out, and turned his attention to the study of law, to which he devoted three years. In December, 1907, he purchased the law library and office fixtures of his brother Harry, who had died in October, 1907, and since that time Mr. Reherd has been preparing himself for the bar.
In June, 1903, Mr. Reherd was married to Miss Belle Fleming, who was born in Cornwall township, Henry county, and is a daughter of John and Mary (John- son) Fleming. Both Mr. and Mrs. Reherd are members of the Presbyterian church, their lives being in consistent harmony with its principles. Politically Mr. Reherd is a democrat. That many of his stanchest friends are numbered among those who have known him from his boyhood to the present time is an indication that his has been an honorable, upright life and one worthy of the esteem in which he is uniformly held.
DAVID T. DICKEY.
On the roll of Henry county's honored dead is inscribed the name of David T. Dickey, who was for a long period closely identified with the agricultural in- terests of Cornwall township. He was born in Grayson county, Kentucky, De- cember 19, 1835, his parents being Samuel A. and Elizabeth A. (Cooper) Dickey. The former was a native of Oxford, Pennsylvania, his birth having there oc- curred August 18, 1802, and when a young man he went to Louisville, Kentucky, where he met and wedded Miss Elizabeth Cooper, the marriage ceremony having been performed August 16, 1832. She was also of Pennsylvanian nativity, having been born in Washington county, that state, September 22, 1801, and had gone to Kentucky with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Dickey lived in the latter state until 1851, when Mr. Dickey, Sr., removed his family to Fulton county, Illinois, where he secured some farm land. In 1855 he came to Henry county, locating in Corn- wall township, where he followed farming with good success and, as he saw op- portunity, invested in real estate, until at one time he owned several hundred acres here. He lived in Cornwall township for more than a score of years and then re- moved to Kewanee, where his death occurred June 12, 1892, when he lacked but a few months of reaching the ninetieth milestone of life. On his father's side he was descended from a line of Presbyterian ministers and to that faith always gave unfaltering allegiance. His wife also lived to a ripe old age, although she died several years before him, her demise having occurred July 16, 1887.
David T. Dickey was reared in the county of his birth, upon a farm which was in the vicinity of the Mammoth cave, and his preparation for life was derived al- most entirely in the hard school of experience, for he had none of the educa- tional advantages enjoyed by youths today. He accompanied his parents when they came to Illinois and assisted in cultivating the home farm in this county. Later, in 1861, he married and purchased from his father eighty acres on section 35, Cornwall township, to which he added subsequently the eighty acres adjoin- ing. Then, as his financial resources increased, he bought the one hundred and sixty acres on which his widow now lives, a well improved farm on section 27,
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of this township, and continued to add to his landholdings from time to time until he owned five hundred acres. He spent two years in Iowa, where he had se- cured some property, and three years in Nebraska, but the remainder of his life was passed in Cornwall township. His life was one of continuous activity, he had enjoyed few advantages when a boy, but through indomitable energy, ten- acity of purpose and loyalty to high ideals of manhood he attained a conspicuous success which placed him among the substantial men of Henry county. He was always closely identified with its interests and at all times ready to lend his aid to any movement to benefit this section of the country or contribute to its won- derful development.
On the 4th of April, 1861, Mr. Dickey wedded Miss Eliza Peterson, who was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, September 18, 1836, a daughter of Amos and Lydia (Ridle) Peterson. She was nine years of age when her father died and eleven when her widowed mother brought her seven children to Illinois and settled upon a small piece of land given to her by her father, who was then living in Fulton county. Mrs. Peterson was a woman of great courage and ability, for not only did she manage the little farm profitably, but she reared her family, the oldest of whom was only twelve when she came to this state, and gave them all a good education. Five of the children became teachers, and one son, Clinton, en- listed in the One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He served about three years and although he participated in many important battles was never wounded nor taken captive. After her children were grown Mrs. Peterson married Almer Hoig and lived in Monmouth, Illinois, until her husband's death, after which she made her home with Mrs. Dickey during the rest of her life. She was about ninety-five years of age when called to her final rest.
Mr. and Mrs. Dickey had three children. Alice Addie died in infancy and a sketch of Arthur J. appears elsewhere in this work. Grace Lillian was born Sep- tember 4, 1866. She received a good education, being a graduate of the North- western Normal School of Geneseo of the class of 1886, and taught for one year in the school near her home. On the 2d of October, 1888, she gave her hand in marriage to Edgar Loren Macomber, who had come to Henry county in 1886. He was born in southern Ohio, May 29, 1865, a son of Jonas P. and Sarah (Mc- Millen) Macomber. The former was born in Gallion county, Ohio, January 13, 1840, and the latter, also a native of Ohio, was born January 17, 1834. Jonas P. Macomber enlisted in the Sixtieth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, becom- ing a member of Company K, on the 10th of August, 1862. He was in a number of important battles during the war, including the engagements at Winchester, the battle of Shenandoah valley, Antietam and Bolivar. In the last named he was taken a prisoner and held for nine weeks. He was then exchanged and immediately rejoined his regiment, serving thereafter to the close of the war. He was hon- orably discharged at Alexandria, Virginia, December 18, 1865. He was married September 24, 1859, to Miss Sarah C. McMillen, a native of Ohio. They had five children, of whom two were living, Samuel, a resident of Columbus, Ohio; and Laurin of Atkinson, Illinois; Myra, Louisa and Jonas have all passed away. The mother, who was commonly and affectionately called Aunt Sarah through- out the neighborhood, was a life-long Christian, uniting with the church when seventeen years of age. She held membership in the Free Baptist church at the
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time of her death, which occurred May 11, 1901. The father, Jonas Macomber, still resides at Benton, Ohio.
Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Macomber have one daughter, Lillian Dickey, who was born April 17, 1893. She received a diploma for eighth-grade work and is now a sophomore in the Geneseo high school.
Mr. Dickey was a stanch republican in his political views, and while never re- miss in any of the duties of citizenship was not an aspirant for public office. At the time the Free Will Baptist church of Cornwall became the Liberty Union Con- gregational church he and his wife became members of it, and he was loyal to its teachings to the time of his death, October 14, 1903. His was an earnest and con- sistent Christian life, characterized by stern integrity and honesty of purpose, and he left to his family the priceless heritage of a good name, for his record was not sullied by any unworthy or questionable act.
SMITH HADSALL.
That the life history of Smith Hadsall is a record of success is due to the per- sistent effort and intelligently directed industry which he has displayed through the many years of his connection with the business interests of Burns township. One of Henry county's native sons, he was born in Burns township on the 12th of September, 1860, a son of James S. and Melinda Hadsall, extended mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. No event of special importance came to vary the routine of life for him during the period of his boyhood and youth, which were spent on his father's farm in this township, and the district schools near his home afforded him his early educational privileges, while amid the busy activities of rural life he learned lessons concerning the value of industry, energy, integrity and perseverance. In January, 1878, he went to Kewanee, where he secured employment in the shops of the Haxtun Heater Company, with whom he remained for five years. At the expiration of that period he returned to his father's farm and assisted him in the cultivation of his fields for about four years, and then, in the fall of 1886, desiring that his efforts should more directly benefit himself, he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres located on the northwest quarter of section 27, to the further development of which he has since directed his ener- gies. By reason of his careful management he has brought his fields under a high state of cultivation, while as he has prospered he has made many improvements upon the place. He has erected all new buildings, including a comfortable and attractive residence and substantial and commodious barns and outbuildings, has thoroughly tiled the land, has installed a telephone and all other modern conven- iences which go to make up a model farm, and today his ranks among the most valuable and desirable properties in the district. He also owns another tract of five acres located on section 24, all fine timber land. In addition to general farming he gives considerable attention to the raising and feeding of stock, making a specialty of Chester White hogs, while he also raises some shorthorn cattle and
MRS . DAVID T. DICKEY
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a number of high grade horses each year. His stock interests, which have reached most creditable proportions, are an important branch of his business affairs and form a most gratifying source of remuneration.
The raising of grain and the raising of stock, however, have not absorbed Mr. Hadsall's entire attention, for he has found time to direct his energies along other channels, making his a very busy and active life. Each year since 1882 he has operated a thresher, corn sheller and baler, having a complete outfit in these lines, and by reason of his long connection with this line of activity and the excellent character of his labor, he now holds the greater part of this business in his locality. His first five years in this connection were spent in Iowa. He was also engaged in the carpentry business for about seven years. Public-spirited in his citizenship, he is interested in all matters which have for their object the progress and upbuilding of the community, and has cooperated in many measures for the general improve- ment. He is a director and also local lineman for the Henry County Telephone Company, and is also a director in the Farmers Mutual Insurance Company. The latter organization commenced business on the 9th of July, 1875, and is made up entirely of and controlled by leading farmers of six townships in Henry county, namely, Kewanee, Galva, Burns, Cornwall, Wethersfield and Annawan. In the conduct of his various business affairs he has manifested sound judgment, close application and unfaltering industry, qualities which have proved salient elements in the gratifying measure of success which he today enjoys, while perseverance. diligence and integrity have constituted the guiding posts of his life, bringing him to the honorable position which he now occupies among the successful, substantial anl valued citizens of Henry county.
It was on the 2d of May, 1883, in Kewanee, that Mr. Hadsall was united in marriage to Miss Julia A. Zeigler, a daughter of Gottlieb and Marie (Hoffman) Zeigler, both natives of Hamburg, Germany, who came to Illinois, locating in Kewanee, early in the '50s. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hadsall have been born four children, namely : S. D., who is engaged in business for himself in Galesburg; Cleora Melinda, the wife of William Kramer, operating the old Hadsall home- stead; Clara T., fourteen years of age, who is attending high school in Kewanee; and Ruby Genevieve, a little maid of six years who is attending common school.
Although the affairs of an exceedingly busy and active life make heavy demands upon his time and attention, Mr. Hadsall nevertheless takes time to keep up his interest in things municipal, and is a public-spirited citizen, always taking an active part in all local affairs. In his political views he is a stalwart republican, and while he has no desire for preferment along political lines, yet his fellow citizens, recognizing his ability and worth, have called him to fill various public offices, the duties of which he has performed in an efficient and highly satisfactory manner. For three years he served as township assessor, was assistant postmaster of Hawley, Burns township, for a period of four years, and for three years served as school director, the cause of education finding in him a stanch champion. He is also popular in fraternal circles, holding membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Kewanee, which organization he joined when twenty-one years of age, and is likewise identified with the Modern Woodmen of America, also of that city. He is a representative of that class of citizens whose lives are con- spicuous for ability, diligence and determination, and success has come to him as
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the legitimate and logical result of intelligence and well directed labor. He has lived his life to good purpose, recognizing and utilizing each opportunity as it has come to him, while the methods which he has ever pursued have been such as inspired the trust, confidence and good will of all with whom he has been associated.
SOLOMON E. EDGERTON.
In the twilight of their lives Solomon E. Edgerton and his wife find nothing in looking back over their married relation of sixty years to regret, for, while there have been privations and sorrows, the joys have far outbalanced them and they set an example of marital confidence and love equaled by very few in the country. Solomon E. Edgerton, now living retired at Woodhull, was born November 6, 1818, in Essex county, New York, a son of Jacob and Mary (Stoddard) Edgerton. The family is descended from Lord Edgerton, royal keeper of the seals. The founder of the family in this country first settled in Connecticut but later removed to Vermont, from which state Jacob Edgerton removed with his family to Essex county, New York.
Jacob Edgerton served as captain in the war of 1812 and gained considerable distinction by his bravery. In 1836 a colony of Essex county people started for Knox county, Illinois, but on the road Jacob Edgerton and his family found that they had relatives in Granger county, Ohio, and stopped to see them. For four years they all remained there with the exception of Solomon E. Edgerton, who after three years proceeded to Galesburg, Illinois, where he had relatives, reaching that place in the spring of 1836. At this time Galesburg was only a small, scatter- ing village, which had been established by the Essex county colony, and among them Mr. Edgerton found former acquaintances. His father having been a car- penter, Solomon E. Edgerton had learned to be "handy with the tools" and he found employment in building houses for the newly arriving inhabitants. For four- teen years he made Galesburg his home and there, April 6, 1842, he married Martha Belding, a daughter of Stephen J. and Martha (Stephens) Belding. The Beldings were from Vermont, the father being a native of Connecticut who had removed to Vermont, where the mother was born. Mrs. Edgerton's grandmother, Abigail (Greene) Stephens, was a sister of General Greene of Revolutionary fame.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Edgerton lived in Galesburg until 1855, when they removed to Henry county, settling on some new land four miles north of what is now Woodhull, where Mr. Edgerton began farming. He erected his own house and other necessary buildings. As an illustration of the values existing when he first came to Henry county the following incident is en- tertaining. Needing some corn for his horses, he went to the home of Peter Frantz, then sheriff of Knox county, who told him to go into the field and husk a dollar's worth, what he had asked for. Going back with what he thought was a fair equivalent for his money, Mr. Edgerton was ordered back to the field to fill his wagon. As this had a capacity of twenty-five bushels, he paid four cents a
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bushel for the corn. As a result of his first year's farming in Clover township, he had eighty hogs which he killed, dressed and sold at Geneseo for one dollar and a quarter per hundredweight. He continued living on his farm for twenty-eight years but December 30, 1879, moved his family to Woodhull, and since then he has lived retired although superintending his farming property.
Mr. and Mrs. Edgerton have had three daughters: Mary, who married Sid- ney Durton, of Mercer township; Ethel A., who is the widow of Tyrus Hurd; and Ida, who is the deceased wife of Manning Spooner, an attorney of Wooster, Ohio. Mrs. Hurd is a physician of Minneapolis and has a daughter Anna, who is also engaged in the practice of medicine. A grand-daughter, Miss Frances Spooner, has been admitted to the bar and is now living with her grandparents.
Mr. Edgerton is a republican but was formerly a whig, casting his first presi- dential vote for William Henry Harrison in 1840. He has always been active and interested in public matters and while living in Clover township served as a member of the board of education for years. The first school in his district was held in a room of his house before the schoolhouse was built. He worked on some of the most substantial buildings in Galesburg, erecting the first building of Knox College, which was burned soon after it was finished. Although he had only two dollars when he first reached Galesburg, he found work at once and soon was in comfortable circumstances. On April 6, 1909, Mr. and Mrs. Edgerton celebrated the sixty-seventh anniversary of their marriage and as this was an event of im- portance to the family and one that seldom occurs in the lives of any married couple, a large number of relatives and friends gathered to offer congratulations and to do honor to the noble old couple who have been central figures in Henry county for nearly the same length of time the Psalmist gives as the allotted life of a man. They have always been liberal to their neighbors, devoted to their children and proud of what they have accomplished. In sickness or in trouble these two have always been ready with sympathy and material help, and the people of Henry county never neglect an opportunity of showing them distinguished honor. Hand in hand they have braved the storms of life and are now enjoying the serenity that closes useful and well spent careers.
JULIUS N. WESTERLUND.
Julius N. Westerlund, an active and energetic agriculturist of Osco township, was born in the house where he now resides on the 17th of February, 1872, his parents being Erick and Christine (Anderson) Westerlund. He was reared on the home farm and obtained his early education in the country schools, while subse- quently he pursued his studies at Cambridge and later spent four years in Augus- tana College, completing the commercial course with the class of 1892. He was then engaged in the hardware business at Cambridge for about a year and a half, . on the expiration of which period he sold out and returned to the home farm. His time and energies have since been devoted to the cultivation of a farm of two hun- dred acres on section 28, belonging to his father, and under his careful supervision the land has become very productive and valuable, the well tilled fields annually
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yielding abundant harvests in return for the care and labor which he bestows upon them. He owns a quarter section of land in South Dakota and also has a one-fifth interest in three thousand six hundred acres in western Nebraska.
On the 28th of February, 1895, in Cambridge, Mr. Westerlund was united in marriage to Miss Etta A. Samuelson, a native of Osco township and a daughter of August and Tilda (Anderson) Samuelson. Unto them have been born six chil- dren, namely : Grace Almeda ; Franklin Dewey, who died at the age of nine years ; Wallace N .; Evangeline, Irene and Gilbert.
Politically Mr. Westerlund is a stanch republican, casting his first presidential ballot for William McKinley. He served as town clerk in 1893 and in 1907 was elected supervisor, which office he still holds, having been reelected in 1909. He was formerly a member of the purchasing committee and is now on the fuel com- mittee. Since 1892 he has been a member of the Modern Woodmen Camp, No. 2248, at Osco, in which he served as clerk for four years and as venerable consul for two years. He also attended the state camp at Decatur. Both he and his wife are devoted members of the Swedish Lutheran church at Andover and he is now acting as a teacher in the Sunday school. They have always made their home in this county and are widely and favorably known within its borders, having ever displayed those sterling traits of character which in every land and clime awaken regard and esteem.
VIRGIL McHENRY.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Virgil McHenry are descended from families who played no inconspicuous part in the early life of this county, and representatives of the family were valiant soldiers in the great conflict between the north and south. In times of peace their influence has been great for the development of the resources of this section of the state, and wherever known the family has been accorded great respect.
Virgil McHenry was born in Phenix township, February 23, 1863, and is a son of Thomas J. and Amanda (Anderson) McHenry. The father settled in that township in 1837 and there engaged in farming until he retired to the city of Gen- eseo. His life has been one of great activity and he has had many experiences, for he responded to the second call for troops during the Civil war. He saw three or four years of service and in the battle of Vicksburg was wounded. His wife was a daughter of William and Ann (Stadden) Anderson, both natives of Licking county, Ohio, where the birth of the former occurred in the year 1807 and that of the latter in the year following. In 1835 Mr. Anderson came to Illi- nois, settling in La Salle county, where he made his home until his death, which occurred in 1846. He was a farmer all his life and a stanch member of the Meth- odist church. His wife survived him more than half a century and when, in 1898, she too was taken from this world she was buried by him in the Dayton cemetery situated on the banks of Fox river in La Salle county. They were the parents of six children : Samantha, the widow of C. P. Browning, of Phenix township, and the mother of Orville, Lorette; Edward; Charles; Elizabeth, who is the wife of
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William Joles and lives in Colorado Springs; and Carrie. Elizabeth is the wife of George Anderson and lives in Montana ; Amanda is the wife of T. J. McHenry and is the mother of the subject of this sketch; Jane married J. F. Gibson and lives in Denton, Texas; W. S. is a resident of Abilene, Kansas; Lucy is the wife of James Lawrence, of Iroquois county, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Mc- Henry had six children, four of whom are living; Luella, who is the wife of Ben- jamin O'Breight, of Geneseo; Virgil, of this review; Ada, who married Robert Rose, of Geneseo; and Francis, who lives in Phenix township.
Virgil McHenry received his education in the district schools of Phenix town- ship and after his training was completed remained with his parents until he be- came of age, when he embarked in life for himself. For a number of years he rented land, on a small scale at first, later increasing his responsibilities as he felt able. In 1905 he purchased the land in Phenix township on which he now makes his home. It comprises two hundred and eighty acres, two hundred and forty of which lie on section 34 and the other forty on section 35. His fields are well suited to diversified farming, and he has also found them valuable as a feed- ing ground for stock. The farm is improved to a high degree as the result of his labors, for he erected the house and barns which are substantial structures and constructed in accordance with modern ideas.
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