History of Henry County, Illinois, Volume II, Part 81

Author: Kiner, Henry L., 1851-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago : The Pioneer Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1138

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JOSEPHUS S. ELLINGSWORTH.

Josephus S. Ellingsworth dates his residence in Illinois from 1850 and in Henry county from 1863. He is now a retired farmer of Geneseo, deriving his income from his landed interests, for he is still the owner of a valuable farm property in Colona township. He was born in Worcester county, Maryland, October 15, 1844, and is one of the six children of William and Zepporah

MRS. ANSON CALKINS

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(Evans) Ellingsworth. His paternal grandfather, Jacob Ellingsworth, was a na- tive of Delaware, whence he removed to Maryland where he died. In his family were the following children :'Minus, Elizabeth, Jennie, Henry, Jacob and William. The maternal grandfather of Mr. Ellingsworth was William Evans, a native of Maryland and of Welsh descent. Both he and his wife, Mrs. Margaret Evans, died in Maryland. They had three daughters and two sons: William, James, Zepporah, Ellen and Nancy.

William Ellingsworth, the father of our subject, devoted his entire life to farming and in 1850 came to Illinois, settling in Rock Island county. The year 1863 witnessed his arrival in Henry county, at which time he took up his abode in Hanna township, where he purchased two hundred and forty acres of par- tially improved land. To that he added until his place comprised three hundred and twenty acres, but subsequently he sold the property and invested in one hundred and eighty acres in Loraine township. At length he sold that property and in his old age removed to Geneseo, where he died in 1886, having passed the eighty-fourth milestone on life's journey. For about twenty years he had sur- vived his wife, who passed away at the age of fifty-six years in the faith of the. Methodist church, of which she was a devoted member. They were the parents of four sons and two daughters: Jacob Henry, now deceased; Eliza, the wife of H. C. Bartlett; Elizabeth, the deceased wife of Jacob Smith; William J .; Jose- phus S .; and John L.

Josephus S. Ellingsworth was a little lad of but six summers when brought to Illinois by his parents and when a young man of nineteen years he came to Henry county. He was reared to the routine work of the farm, devoting the summer months to the labors of the field, while in the winter seasons he acquired his education in the district schools. He remained at home until he had attained his majority and then worked as a farm hand by the month for three years, after which he rented land which he cultivated for two years. In the meantime he carefully saved his earnings, after which he purchased one hundred and five acres of partially improved land in Hanna township. For a period he cultivated that property and then sold it and purchased three hundred and twenty acres in Colona township upon which he lived for ten years. This he still owns and from it derives a substantial annual income, but on the 4th of March, 1907, he put aside all the cares of the farm and removed to Geneseo where he purchased a fine home on Palace Row which he now occupies.

On the 13th of February, 1870, Mr. Ellingsworth was married to Mrs. Mary Hanna, the widow of Robert N. Hanna, and a daughter of Young and Lucy (Niver) Stokes. Mrs. Ellingsworth was born in Scott county, Iowa, and by her marriage has become the mother of five sons: Young Stokes, a farmer residing near Huron, South Dakota, married Lucy Burton and has one son, Allen R .; Robert died at the age of four years as the result of an accident; Joseph, a practicing physician of Watertown, Illinois, wedded May Evans; James Gar- field, a resident farmer of Hanna township, married Emma Gerstner; and Ar- chie M. is at home. Mrs. Ellingsworth had two children by her first marriage: Maude F., the wife of Edward M. Applegarth, and Frederick N., who resides in California.

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In his political views Mr. Ellingsworth is a republican who gives stalwart support to the principles of his party. His fellow townsmen, appreciating his public-spirited citizenship, have called him to several local offices, the duties of which he has discharged with promptness and fidelity. He was tax collector and assessor for a number of terms, was school director and supervisor for a number of years, and justice of the peace for seventeen years. He belongs to Clement Lodge, No. 680, A. F. & A. M., of Colona, and Riverside Lodge, I. O. O. F., while both he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. Their genuine worth is widely recognized by a wide circle of warm friends. Mr. Ellingsworth has lived in the county for forty-six years and during that period has achieved success which is the direct outcome of earnest, persist- ent labor and carefully formulated plans.

G. ELMER MESSMORE.

This is the age of the young man, for the present generation, profiting by the experience of their forbears, are forging ahead and occupying the best positions everywhere. There is so much competition that each business line must be pushed to the utmost and new blood, youthful vigor is required to stand the strain. One of the young business men of Kewanee, who is proving how suc- cessful a man can become before he has much more than passed the quarter of a century milestone, is G. Elmer Messmore, who was born here, November 15, 1882, a son of George W. and Mary E. (Miller) Messmore. The father, who was a native of Ohio, came to Kewanee in 1852 and for a number of years was a farmer of this locality but is now living retired. Further mention of him will be found elsewhere in this work.

The education of G. Elmer Messmore was secured in the country schools and the Geneseo Collegiate Institute. Until 1902 he was engaged in farming with his father but always felt that his abilities lay in the direction of a strictly busi- ness career and in that year he entered the employ of M. Roth as bookeeper and remained with him until April, 1909, when he bought an interest in the Home Tea Company and is now secretary and treasurer of the concern, John P. Thomas being the president. The company handles tea, coffee, china and pack- age groceries and is in a flourishing condition that promises a prosperous future. The character of the men composing the company is such as to guar- antee strict integrity of dealing and superiority of stock, and the people of Ke- wanee recognize this and are according the concern an excellent patronage. In addition to his interest in the Home Tea Company, Mr. Messmore is a director of the Kewanee Fair Association and he also devotes some of his time to the affairs of the Commercial Club, being one of its directors.

· On July 23, 1905, occurred the marriage of Mr. Messmore and Miss Edith Besett, of Wyoming, Illinois, a daughter of Hiram and Eliza Besett. One child has been born of this marriage, Meredith Elmer.

The political affiliations of Mr. Messmore are with the republican party, but as yet his business duties have prevented his accepting any public fa-

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vors. Fraternally he is an Elk and belongs to the Improved Order of Red Men, of which he is chief of records, and also to the Tribe of Ben Hur. Exceedingly energetic, he goes into anything heart and soul and achieves success. For this reason he is very often called upon to take charge of various enterprises and has become very well known throughout Henry county, where his life has been spent.

HENRY L. KINER.

Geneseo and Henry county know Henry L. Kiner as a representative citizen who, through forty years of his connection with the city, has displayed marked devotion to the general welfare as a public-spirited citizen. Throughout the county he is known as a journalist and writer who has won more than passing notice as a contributor to leading magazines. Mr. Kiner has reached the fifty- eighth milestone on life's journey, his birth having occurred on the Ist of Feb- ruary, 1851, at the foot of Mount Nemo in Schafer's Valley, Perry county, Pennsylvania. His parents, William and Margaret (Calhoun) Kiner, were also natives of the Keystone state.

The founder of the Kiner family in America settled on the James river in Virginia in 1625 and a large monument was there erected to his memory which may be seen to this day. He came to the new world from Germany and in later generations branches of the family took root in other states. Jacob Kiner, the grandfather of Henry L. Kiner, was a native of Pennsylvania where, in early manhood, he followed the occupation of farming. He married Jane Dill, and they moved westward to Illinois in 1854, but the broad prairies, then compara- tively uninhabited, brought to this mountain-bred couple a feeling of loneliness and they returned to Pennsylvania, spending their last days in Perry county, near Harrisburg, where both died at an advanced age. Jacob Kiner was a famous rifle shot and served in the War of 1812 with the rank of captain.

William Kiner, one of a large family of children, was reared in Pennsyl- vania, where he learned and followed the blacksmith's trade. After attaining his majority he married Margaret Calhoun, a daughter of John Calhoun, who was born in Pennsylvania and was of Irish descent, his ancestors coming to this country from County Tyrone, Ireland, at which time settlement was made in Perry county, Pennsylvania. John Calhoun was a carpenter by trade, being closely associated with building interests in the community in which he lived. He wedded Peggy Ann Dill, and they reared a good-sized family at their home in Schafer's Valley, where they passed away when well advanced in years.

Some time subsequent to their marriage Mr. and Mrs. William Kiner re- moved westward with their family, taking up their abode in Ottawa, Lasalle county, Illinois, on the present site of the Clifton Hotel, on the bank of the Fox river, in 1854. Subsequently they took up their abode in Otter Creek township in that county, where Mr. Kiner engaged in farming and continued to work at his trade. In 1864 he removed to Grundy county, Illinois, where he died in 1865 at the age of thirty-eight years. His widow long survived him, passing away in Geneseo in 1900, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. Both were mem-

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bers of the Methodist church, and were consistent Christian people who enjoyed the respect of all with whom they came in contact. They were parents of two sons, the younger being Samuel R. Kiner, who died in Washington, D. C., where he had been in the employ of the government for a quarter of a century.

Henry L. Kiner, the older brother, was but three years of age when his parents removed to Lasalle county, where he was reared until 1864, after which he resided in Grundy county for five years, or until 1869, when he came to Geneseo, where he has since made his home. While spending his youthful days on his father's farm he attended the district school and later benefited by academical instruction in Farm Ridge Seminary, in Lasalle county, Illinois. He made his initial step in the business world as an apprentice in the drug store of J. B. Moderwell in Geneseo in 1869, and continued in the drug trade until 1874. In January of that year he formed a partnership with John Christian and estab- lished the Henry County News, the business association continuing for four years, when Mr. Kiner purchased Mr. Christian's interest in the plant and changed the name of the paper to the Geneseo News, which he continued to edit and publish for twenty-four years longer. Mr. Kiner established an envi- able reputation by his editorial pen, his writings being widely quoted throughout the United States. They are characterized by a whimsical and humorous style which, nevertheless, enforces the truth of fact which he intends to convey. For a number of years he has also been a contributor to several of the popular and leading magazines of the country, and is today one of the best known men in Henry county, his mental activity constituting a far-reaching influence.

Aside from the field of journalism Mr. Kiner has done effective work in the line of municipal progress, having been elected to serve four terms as mayor of the city of Geneseo, his last term expiring in April, 1909, when he retired from office as he had entered it-with the confidence and good will of the great major- ity, having given to the city during four terms a businesslike administration characterized by needed reform and substantial progress.

On the 7th of June, 1881, Mr. Kiner was married in St. Louis to Miss June Howard, a daughter of Abel and Mary Ella (Hopple) Howard. They have two children: Henry Clyde, a student in the civil engineering department of the University of Illinois, and Howard Dickens, attending the Geneseo high school. Mrs. Kiner holds membership in the Congregational church, and his political allegiance has been given to the republican party. Because of his business activity, his official service, his social qualities and his unfaltering devotion to the general good, he has become widely known, while in Geneseo and Henry county those who do not call him friend would scarcely figure in the census.

GEORGE W. MESSMORE.

George W. Messmore, one of the substantial retired farmers of Wethersfield, who after years of patient endeavor and successful effort is now enjoying well earned repose, is a native of Ohio, having been born in Wayne county, that state, in 1842, a son of Jacob and Margaret Messmore. The father was a

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farmer, who came to Henry county, Illinois, in 1852 and bought a farm in Kewanee township, thus establishing the Messmore family in this locality, which remained his home until his demise.

In the days when George W. Messmore grew up in Kewanee township, the educational advantages offered were limited and of a poor quality but he made the most of his advantages and has never ceased to add to his store of knowl- edge. He farmed for his father until he attained to his majority and for eleven years thereafter, when he bought eighty acres for himself. Subsequently he added forty acres to his property and still later thirty-six acres. After making some improvements, Mr. Messmore sold this farm and bought his homestead of one hundred and ten acres, to which he added seventy acres, and this property he and his son farmed until 1902, when he felt that he deserved some rest and 50 sold out and retired to Wethersfield.

In January, 1864, Mr. Messmore married Miss Mary E. Miller, who was born in Peru, Illinois, a daughter of William and Rachel H. (Hall) Miller, farming people. One son, G. Elmer, was born of this union. Mr. Messmore is a man of simple tastes, a lover of his home and one who has never sought office. He is connected with the United Brethren church and is a firm believer in the faith of that denomination. All his life he has sought to do his duty by his family and his community in his own, quiet way, and his success in life can easily be attributed to his unflinching honesty and his careful attention to his work whatever it might be. It is such men as he who constitute the real backbone of the nation and make it what it is today, the most powerful and wealthy in the world.

ERNST SCHLUNZEN.

Ernst Schlunzen, a farmer and stockman whose home is on section 13, Osco township, was born in Holstein, Germany, January 31, 1836, a son of Klaus Schlunzen. His mother died when he was but four years old and only the dimmest memories connect her with his life. He received a good education in his native land and at the age of seventeen began making his own living. He was early inspired with the desire to come to the United States, but out of re- gard to his father's wishes he remained in Germany until he was thirty-six, when the death of the latter made it possible for him to emigrate. In 1872 he embarked on a steamer, which took seventeen days to cross the ocean, and landed in New York with one hundred dollars in his pocket. He came to Illinois almost immediately and worked on different farms in Henry county. In two years he had saved enough to enable him to rent a tract of land and he forth- with wrote to the woman he had loved and courted in the old country to come here and marry him. For about twenty-four years he operated the Thomas Liken farm and then, in 1899, through diligence and economy, having accu- mulated a sufficient sum he made the first payment upon the farm on which he lives today. It is a tract of one hundred and forty acres, for which he paid sixty-two dollars an acre, and is now well improved. Mr. Schlunzen has re-

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modeled all the buildings and tiled the land, bringing the farm up-to-date in its conveniences.

In Geneseo, on the 6th of June, 1875, he married Miss Ida Schlunzen, who, although not a relative of her husband, was born in the same neighborhood. Four children have been born to them: Sophie, who married William Schiedel and lives in Fairfield, Iowa, the mother of four children; John H., who lives with his father at home; and Dorothea and Henry, who also live at home. Mrs. Schlunzen passed away September 8, 1897. Although a naturalized citizen of this republic Mr. Schlunzen has not seen fit to give his political influence to any one party, but retains his independence and takes a full view of the situation before he casts his vote. He has never sought public office.

GEORGE OTIS WITHROW.

George Otis Withrow, a farmer who has engaged extensively in rais- ing, feeding and shipping stock, lives at what is known as Valley Farm, on sec- tion I, Hanna township, and owns one hundred and sixty acres in addition on section 2. He was born November 4, 1870, in Phenix township, in the old brick house which was erected by his father, J. W. Withrow, whose sketch appears in another part of this volume. He was only six months old when his parents removed to the place which is now his home. Here he grew to manhood, re- ceiving a fair education in the public schools. Until he attained his majority he worked on the farm for his father, but when twenty-one years of age he assumed charge of a part of his father's land. For about a year after his marriage, which occurred in 1892, he lived in a little frame house on that part of the homestead and then removed to the main farm, which he managed until the fall of 1900. Then he bought the one hundred and sixty acres he now owns on section 2, Hanna township, and for six years made it his place of residence. During that period he made a number of important improvements, such as in 1901 building a fine barn and a little later putting up a corn crib, and doing other things of like character. In 1906 he returned to the home place, where he has since re- sided. Here he follows general farming but has given his attention particularly to the stock business, in which he has been very successful, shipping many head of fine cattle to market annually.

On the 21st of September, 1892, in Phenix township, Mr. Withrow was united in marriage to Miss Florence May Fuller, a native of Hanna township, and a daughter of T. Dexter and Josephine (Mann) Fuller. Five children have been born to them: Otis Dexter, Ethel Arvilla May, Charles Raymond, John Wesley and Albert Mann. The last did not survive the period of infancy.

Mr. Withrow is a republican in his political views, and has played no incon- siderable part in local affairs, for not only has he held several offices within the gift of the people, but while he has been a public servant numerous changes of moment have been inaugurated. After having served as road commissioner for one term he was made supervisor of the township. During his term the board employed an accountant to go over the county books, which led to the installa-

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tion of a new system of accounts, for though no intentional fraud was discov- ered there were several discrepancies and inaccuracies. While supervisor, Mr. Withrow was also a member of the educational commission and advocated the installation of a heating plant which his brother vigorously opposed. Upon the expiration of his term as supervisor he was appointed road commissioner, a position he holds to the present. In camp No. 40, M. W. A., Mr. Withrow finds relaxation from his daily cares in the congenial society of his friends, and in the Methodist Episcopal church, in which both he and his wife were reared, he finds the necessary spiritual guidance. A successful farmer and stockman, he is also a loyal friend and a good citizen, who enjoys the respect of his fellowmen.

PETER VOGLER.

For many years, until a serious accident made work impossible, Peter Vog- ler was one of the active farmers of Osco township. He was born in Rapids City, Rock Island county, Illinois, November 29, 1856, and was a son of George and Agnes (Sauers) Vogler, both natives of Germany. The father was born in 1821 and came to America when a very young man, settling in Rapids City, where for a time he followed the trade of a cooper, in which he was proficient, and then devoted himself to the cultivation of the soil. He died in 1898, while his wife, who had been born in 1830 lived until 1906, when she too passed away and was buried in the cemetery at Rapids City. They were members of the Catholic church and reared a family of ten children, eight of whom are living: Peter, of this sketch; Elizabeth, who is the wife of Leander Payer, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Gertrude, who married Jacob Scheib and lives in Rapids City; Mary, who is the wife of John Yost and also resides in Rapids City; George, who lives in Munson township, Henry county; Charles and Will, twins, the former a resident of Rapids City, the latter of East Moline, Illinois; and Cath- erine, who is the wife of Hal Adams, of Rapids City, Illinois.

Peter Vogler attended school in Rapids City and after completing his educa- tion remained with his parents until 1879, when he started in life for himself on a rented farm in Osco township, Henry county. On this he lived and worked until 1895, when he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in that township. As opportunity afforded he added to the improvements and was considered a very successful agriculturist and stockman until November 8, 1900, when he was the victim of a serious accident. While he was running a corn shredder he became entangled in the machinery and had both arms so badly lacerated that amputation , was necessary. This of course made active participation in the work of the farm impossible for him, but with the courage born of misfortune his wife and her children undertook to conduct the affairs at home. Circumstances prospered so well that in 1907 they were able to move to the city of Geneseo, taking up their residence in a comfortable house on Stewart street.

. On the 26th of August, 1878, Mr. Volger wedded Miss Mary Yost, who was born in Hampton township, Rock Island county, Illinois, in 1862. Her father, Solomon Yost, was born in Pennsylvania in 1829 or 1830, and came to Illinois

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in his early years. Here he followed farming until 1874, when he was killed in the woods by a tree falling upon him. His wife, who was Miss Marga- ret Weigant in her maidenhood, was born in 1837 and lives in the old house in Rock Island county in which all but one of her eight children were born. Five of these are now living: John, of Rapids City; Julia, the wife of DeWitt Cun- ningham, who lives in Kansas; Mary, now Mrs. Vogler; Rebecca, who, unmar- ried, lives with her mother; Eliza, who is the wife of Christian Wildermuth of Hampton township, Rock Island county.

Mr. and Mrs. Vogler have had seven children, four of whom are living: Glenn, born December 18, 1879, lives in Geneseo. He married Miss Emma Newman and they have one daughter, Viola. Bert, born August 9, 1881, is un- married and lives in Osco township. Margaret, born March 23, 1884, is the wife of Theo Schmall and lives on the father's place in Osco township with her brother Bert. Alice, born August 15, 1896, attends school in Geneseo.

Mr. Vogler has always been a stanch democrat in his political views, but has never sought office of any kind. Though so helpless that he can do nothing but read and travel from place to place he is yet cheerful in a high degree, being grateful that his life was spared to him. His wife and daughter have been such a comfort to him in his affliction. He can eat without assistance, for the fork can be fitted into his stump. Mrs. Vogler, who has borne her husband's mis- fortune with such fortitude, is a woman of great courage, ambition and will power. She is compelled to be in almost constant attendance upon him, but she too sets an example of patience and cheerfulness, virtues which are strongly in evidence in their little home.

ELMER WARREN SMITH.

Elmer Warren Smith, manager of the Kewanee Light & Power Company and one of the most progressive young business men of the city, is a product of the farm, having been born in Galva township, April 22, 1872, and reared upon his father's place. He is a son of Warren B. and Mira (Smith) Smith, farming people. The father died in 1900, but the mother survives and makes her home in Kewanee.

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History of Henry County, Illinois, Volume II, Part 81

Author: Kiner, Henry L., 1851- Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago : The Pioneer Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1138

Author: Kiner, Henry L., 1851-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago : The Pioneer Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1138