History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources, Part 104

Author: Beckwith, H. W. (Hiram Williams), 1833-1903
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1180

USA > Illinois > Iroquois County > History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources > Part 104

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).

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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

Thomas A., born May 30, 1875. Mr. Yates has lived here to see the steady growth and prosperity of this county.

Thomas Maggee (deceased), was born near Columbia, in the state of South Carolina, October 7, 1818. He lived with his parents until sev- enteen years of age, and assisted them as becomes a dutiful son. His father was a cotton-planter, and having acquired a thorough knowledge of this branch of agriculture, Thomas went to Alabama and for two years superintended there a cotton plantation. He then spent a year in traveling through the south with a view of finding a suitable place for settling permanently, but not being satisfied with the outlook went north, and finally concluded to try Champaign county, Illinois. Here he became interested in a stage line running from Danville to Pekin, and for three years devoted himself to staging. He next went into the stock business and continued at this for two years. This brings us up to the year 1842, when he married Miss Mary E. Brewer, of Champaign, and removed to Ottawa. The Illinois & Michigan canal was in course of construction at that time, and he engaged in building locks and dams, but he only spent one year at this, when he moved to Chicago, where he lived four years. He next located at Georgetown, Vermilion county, and in 1854 came to Iroquois and settled upon the land which he occupied at the time of his death. His first wife died in 1848. He was married the second time to Miss Mary A. Douglass, of Indiana, December 31, 1851. He has been treasurer of liis town- ship for twenty-five years, and for ten years las represented his town upon the board of supervisors ; he has also been assessor and held otlier minor offices. He was the agent of George C. Tallman, of Brooklyn, New York, up to the time that Mr. Tallman sold his lands to Dr. R. B. M. Wilson, and has probably sold more land to actual settlers than any other man that ever lived in the county. Politically Mr. Maggee was a democrat, and for many years was a member of the county cen- tral committee. He was not an aspirant for office or honors, but a plain, straightforward gentleman, always ready to do his duty wherever placed. These peculiar habits and qualities pointed him out as a lead- ing citizen, and while he was averse to putting himself forward for official trust or honor, he was frequently called upon to serve the peo- ple in a public capacity. He was really the organizer of Martinton township, and was the first supervisor for four years in succession from 1855 to 1860. He was again elected supervisor in 1874, and continued to hold the office up to the time of his death. He was put forward by his friends as democratic candidate for county treasurer in the fall of 1867, when the republican majority ran all the way from 1,500 to 2,000 ; and though he did not make any canvass of the county, yet he

Thor Anlagen.

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

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MARTINTON TOWNSHIP.

came within 450 votes of being elected, or, in other words, ran ahead of his ticket about 1,000 votes. A change of only 225 ballots would have placed him in the responsible position of county treasurer, an office that he would have filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to the people of both parties. The death of this excellent man, which occurred at his residence, in Martinton township, Friday evening, Feb- ruary 6, 1880, is most keenly felt by the people of Martinton, where he was best known ; but not alone by these is his sudden demise lamented, but by everybody in the county whose sympathy is worth having,- the intelligent people who have known of his public services to the county. His confrères upon the board of supervisors especially will miss him, and deplore the decrees of nature which made it necessary for him to be taken from their midst. He was a model man and citi- zen, honest and conscientious, faithful to his trusts, charitable to the faults of others, one that commanded the respect and esteem of his fellow men. It is indeed a sad task to chronicle the death of such an one, and yet what a blessing the memory of such a man is! By his death a wife was deprived of an honored and faithful husband and pro- tector, and seven children (five sons and two daughters) of a worthy parent. He was buried on Sunday, February 8, in the private family cemetery, about a quarter of a mile distant from his late residence. The funeral was a very large one. The services were conducted by Rev. J. M. Hoober, of Waldron. Mr. Maggee's estate comprises 600 acres.

Jacob Lyman, farmer and stock-raiser, Pittwood, son of Samuel Lyman, came to this county in 1837 from Stark county, Ohio, where lie was born, January 24, 1832. His father settled in Middleport township, but afterward bought a farm in Sec. 25, T. 28, R. 13, in Martinton township. Jacob lived with his parents as long as they both lived, taking care of them as became a dutiful son. He is now living on and owns the old homestead, a farm of 182 acres, and is engaged in farming and stock-raising. He lived here and grew up with the country, witnessing its change from a habitation of deer and other wild animals to the highly improved state we find it in now, with railroads and towns, pastures and fields of golden grain. Septem- ber 26, 1867, he married Miss Catherine A. Gibson, of Indiana, born January 1, 1846. They had two children : Mary E. and Martha. May.

Souverian P. Frigon, farmer and stock-raiser, Beaverville, is a son of Simon Frigon, and was born December 25, 1850, near Montreal, Canada. At about five years of age, with his parents he came to Iro- quois county, Illinois, and settled in Beaver township, where he lived

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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

with his parents, engaged in farming and going to school in early youth. In his seventeenth year he began teaching school, which lie followed four years. September 19, 1871, he married Miss Hercelia Dionne, who was born in Iroquois county, Jannary 24, 1855. He lias three children : Neld A., Melissa M. and Lucian J. April 11, 1872, he bought the farm on which he now lives, and engaged in farming and stock-raising, in which business he is still engaged. He now owns 235 acres of land, all earned by his own industry and close attention to business, managing his farm in a way that reflects credit on its pro- prietor.

Absalom O. Edison, farmer, Martinton, is a native of Ontario, Can- ada, and was born November 25, 1830. In 1839, with his parents le went to Chicago, where they remained two years, lie, in the mean- time, attending school. He then went to McHenry county, where lie remained until 1850 going to school, and served an apprenticeship in a machine-shop. He was then two years engaged on the Mississippi river as an engineer and pilot. Afterward he went to Sparta, Wis- consin, and engaged in building and the manufacture of building material until 1856. He then removed to Iroquois county, Illinois, and after a short stay went to Nebraska, where he engaged to Major & Russell as wagon-master, carrying supplies to western forts, making one trip to Fort Laramie. He however soon returned to Iroquois county, Illinois, and permanently located in Martinton (Old Martin- burg) and engaged in farming. In November, 1862, he married Miss Emily J. Homes, a native of New York. He has two children : Cyrus H. and Libbie S. He has filled the position of justice of the peace since 1868, and township assessor since 1873; highway commissioner since 1873; constable since 1875; school director since 1867 ; and school trustee since 1874.

Victor Peltier, postmaster, collector and justice of the peace, Mar- tinton, is a native of Canada, and was born January 9, 1832. He lived with his parents till 1846, and in the same parish till 1850, en- gaged in farming in early youth. In 1850 he came to Illinois, and engaged in farming as a day laborer till 1853, when lie went to Aus- tralia, and after an absence of three years, returned to Illinois, and settled in Iroquois county. He bought an interest in a farm, and engaged in farming till 1862. He thien sold his interest in the farm and again bought land in Martinton, Iroquois county, Illinois. March 12, 1862, he married Miss Flora Fancher, a native of Canada. They have eight children living : Victor E., Peter S., Adonis E., Madoza D., Eglantine F., Joseph H., Orton S. and Norris J. He has filled the position of justice of the peace since 1866 ; township collector since 1864;

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MARTINTON TOWNSHIP.

school treasurer since 1862; notary public since 1874 ; postmaster since 1875 ; and village clerk since the village has been organized. In 1861 he went to Pike's Peak in search of gold, and not being successful in that enterprise, he returned the same year. He now lives at his neat little 'liome in Martinton.

Selden S. Peebles, farmer and stock-raiser, Martinton, was born in Lewis county, New York, February 18, 1832, and lived there with his parents till twelve years of age. He then, in company with his parents, came to Illinois, and settled in McHenry county, where he lived at home engaged in farming and attending school till eighteen years old. In 1852, with an ox team, he started from McHenry county for Cali- fornia via the plains, stopping one week in Salt Lake City to visit the Mormons, and arrived in Hangtown, California, September 17, of the same year, and at once engaged in mining. During his stay in Cali- fornia he engaged in mercantile business, as well as mining, making it a success, and at one time sent money enough back to his father (as a present) in Illinois to buy 160 acres of land, and in the spring of 1857 returned home by the way of the Istlimus, crossing the same by rail- road, from Panama to Aspinwall, and arrived in Iroquois county, Illinois, April 19, of the same year, and engaged in farming and stock- raising in Martinton township, where he now lives following the same business. November 14, 1863, he married Miss Saralı J. Arnie, who was born in Winchester county, Indiana, May 24, 1840. He has six children living : Thomas W., Mabel, Florence, Chillus G., Earl and Reuben. He has filled the office of school trustee the last twenty years, highway commissioner six years, and school director many years. He owns 120 acres of land all earned by his own industry and close attention to business. .

Charles F. Peirce, farmer and stock-raiser, Martinton, was born March 2, 1857, and is the son of Abial and Mary E. Peirce. His home is now at the old homestead farm, a place of 280 acres, which is now under his management. His taste is, however, rather for a mer- cantile life, for whichi his ability and education well fit him. He was married, April 12, 1879, to Miss Clara E. Goodfellow, who was born January 13, 1864, and is a native of Iroquois county. In his posses- sion is the genealogical history of his family, from which the following quotation is made. We quote only from his father's birth, though the genealogy is complete as far back as the year 1623. Abial Peirce, No. 1,448, was born February 12, 1826; was married, April 15, 1856, to Mary E. Peirce, cousin, No.1, 451. He enlisted in the late war, August 21, 1862, as a private in Co. B, 32d reg. Iowa Inf .; appointed corpo- ral, April .8, 1863, and sergeant, July 26, 1864. He participated in

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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

ten battles. At Nashville, Tennessee, December 15, 1864, he was wounded, and was honorably discharged August 24, 1865. They had : 1,877, Charles T., born March 2, 1857; 1,878, Harriet, born March 27, 1859; 1,879, Mary, born July 13, 1860 ; 1,880, Ella, born January 30,. 1863 ; 1,881, Abial, born May 14, 1868. Two children have been born to them since the completion of the record.

Joseph Johnson, farmer and stock-raiser, Beaverville, is a native of Ohio, and was born December 5, 1819. He lived with his parents, farming and attending school, till about the age of twenty-one. De- cember 24, 1840, he married Miss Mary A. Cranston, who was born August 13, 1824, and is a native of Ohio. In the autumn of 1849 lie went to Bloomington, Illinois, and in the spring of 1850 removed to Clinton, De Witt county, Illinois, where he purchased the Union Hotel, and followed that business four years. At the same time he aided in the construction of the Illinois Central. railroad. He then returned to his old home in Ohio, and engaged in farming and stock-raising till April, 1858, when he removed to Iroquois county, Illinois, and bought a farm on section 11, town 28, range 12, in Martinton town- ship, and actively engaged in farming and stock-raising, in which busi- ness he is now engaged. He owns 480 acres of land, with the finest residence in Martinton township, all earned by his own industry and close application to business. He has eight children living : John B., Peleg P., Lewis C., Lydia E., Charles L., Adelia L., Mary A. and Joseph W.

John Scoon, farmer, Watseka, was born at Roxburghshire, on the Tweed, Scotland, in 1812, where his younger days were spent. He came to Allegany county, thence to Livingston county, New York, where he was engaged in farming. He removed to Illinois in 1856, remaining a few years at Twelve-mile Grove, and then came to his present residence. Of twelve children only four survive : James, lives in Iroquois township; William and Walter, reside in Kansas ; and Lemuel, resides at home with his parents. John served three years in the 113th regiment, after which he returned home and married Miss Lucy Buchanan, and died soon after. Ira, who was also a soldier, during the war died from the effects of a disease contracted while in the . service. Mary married Jonathan Lyman, and is dead. Eleanor (Mrs. Jones), Euphemy J. and Minerva are also dead. Mr. Scoon has always been a farmer.

George Schroder, farmer and stock-raiser, Papineau, is a son of Frederick Schroder, and was born December 13, 1829, in Prussia. At the age of fourteen he began for himself, hiring out as a farm hand by the year, and so continued till the age of twenty-five. At that time

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MARTINTON TOWNSHIP.

his mind was turned toward the new world, and in 1854 he came to America and worked on a farm in Cook county, Illinois, till the spring of 1860, when he came to Iroquois county, Illinois, and engaged in farming, renting land for five years, after which he bought a farm of 120 acres in section 1, town 28, range 13, and permanently located in Martinton township, Iroquois county, Illinois, and engaged in farming and stock-raising. October 12, 1858, he married Miss Dorothy Schultz, who is a native of Prussia. They have three children : Minnie, Mary E. and George. His farm is well improved, well stocked and a sure evidence of his thrift and industry, and all earned by himself.

Warren Martin, farmer and stock-raiser, Martinton, son of Porter Martin, was born March 19, 1844, in Orange county, Vermont, where he lived with his parents, engaged in farming and attending school till the spring of 1861, when he came with them to Iroquois county, Illi- nois, and settled in Martinton township, and liere engaged in farming and stock-raising. April 1, 1865, he enlisted in Co. H., 58th Ill. Inf. Vol., and remained with his regiment till honorably discharged March 31, 1866. He was married to Miss Hattie L. Adams July 21, 1866. She is a native of New Hampshire, and was born July 14, 1850. They have six children : Hattie M., Helen A., Cora A., Lottie A., John L. and Warren Leroy. He is now actively engaged in stock- raising, dairying and farming. He owns 105 acres of land, but occu- pies a larger farm.

Barna Martin, station and express agent, Martinton, is a native of Vermont and son of Porter Martin. He was born June 11, 1842. His early youth was spent with his parents attending school. In the spring of 1861 he removed to Iroquois county, Illinois, and engaged in farming. September 11, 1864, he married Miss Alice A. Dutcher, who was born in McHenry county, Illinois, July 15, 1847. He re- moved to Chebanse in 1869 and engaged in the harness and saddlery business, which lie followed four years. He then removed to Martin- ton station and continued in the harness business for some time, but on account of his health being poor he gave that up and took the position of station and express agent on the Chicago & Eastern Illinois railroad at Martinton station. The station and township derived their names from his family name. He has four children living : Eva May, Abbie S., Guy M. and Frank E.

Frederick Schroder, farmer and stock-raiser, Papineau, was born in Prussia, May 8, 1842. His early youth was spent at school, three years of which was at college. In April, 1857, he left his native country and sailed for America, arriving in New York in May of the same year. He at once came to Cook county, and engaged as a farm hand

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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

to his brother, near Chicago, for four years. He then came to Martin- ton, where he continued in the same brother's employ for eight years. At that time he bought a farm, and fitted up a home for himself, and became engaged in farming and stock-raising. April 17, 1870, lie married Miss Catharine Landsman. She is a native of Germany, and was born July 16, 1851. They have five children living : John W., Louise M., Frank C., Emma F. and Hulda Matilda. He has now 290 acres of land in Sec. 1, T. 28, R. 13, all earned by his own industry and close application to business. He is now turning his attention to the raising of fine stock.

Joachim F. Schroder, farmer and stock-raiser, Papineau, is a son of Joachim Schroder, and is a native of Prussia. He was born October 10, 1825. His early yonth was spent at home with his parents. In 1854, a more than ordinary business and enterprising turn of mind led him to America, and after a stay of about two and a half years, he returned to his old home in Prussia, and was married, on January 16, 1857, to Miss Mary Zeggel, a native of Prussia, and the following April returned to the United States, and settled in Cook county, Illi- nois, where he rented a farm and engaged in farming, and so continued three years. He then came to Martinton, Iroquois county, Illinois, and again rented land ; continued farming and engaged in stock-rais- ing to great advantage, a great part of the country being unoccupied for some years following. In 1868 he bonglit the farm he had rented the last eight years, and has made his permanent home liere, and is still actively engaged in farming and stock-raising, making graded short-horns a specialty. He is turning his attention to stall-feeding stock on an improved plan that is somewhat after the old country prin- ciple. He now owns 260 acres of land in Sec. 1, T. 28, R. 13, all earned by his own industry and close attention to business. He has six children : Joachim H., Frederick William, Mary C., Amelia C. S., Caroline and Emma K.

Emilia (Marquis) Shaw, farmer and stock-raiser, Donovan, was born in Darke county, Ohio, Jannary 7, 1821, where she lived with lier parents till the age of fourteen years. She then removed with her parents to Tippecanoe county, Indiana, and there remained with them till January 4, 1838, when she was married to Mr. Alfred Shaw, a native of Indiana. She then lived in Warren county, Indiana, till in 1866, when slie removed to Martinton township, Iroquois county, Illi- nois, her husband having died April 22, 1864. Here she bonghit a farm and engaged in farming and stock-raising. She was raised on a farm, and is thereby well posted in its management. She now owns 140 acres of land, and has eight children living : Moses F.,

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MARTINTON TOWNSHIP.

Melissa J., Edna A., Marietta, Diantha, Jesse A., Solomon P. and Charley O.

James W. Kennedy, farmer and stock-raiser, Donovan, was born in White county, Indiana, June 5, 1845. At the age of twelve years, his parents both having died, lie was obliged to take care of himself by working out and attending school till the spring of 1863. He then participated in the movement against the memorable Morgan raid, and Angust 8, 1863, enlisted in the 116th Ind. Inf. He was cut off from supplies in the winter of 1864, in east Tennessee, and suffered much hunger and hardship. He was discharged March 1, 1864, and again enlisted, October 18, 1864, in the 16th Ind. Light Artillery, and was stationed at Fort Corcoran, near Washington, and was discharged July 5, 1865, at Indianapolis, Indiana. February 28, 1867, he married Miss Edna A. Shaw. She was born in Indiana, October 1, 1845. In the autumn of 1867 he removed to Iroquois county, Illinois, and bought a farm in Martinton township, and permanently located and engaged in farming and stock-raising, which business he now follows. He owns now 100 acres of land, and has three children : Grace J., Theresa Cora and Bertha M.

Andrew Micholson, farmer and stock-raiser, Beaverville, was born in Denmark, January 8, 1830. His early youth was spent with his parents, engaged in farming and attending school till the age of twenty-two years, when he entered the Denmark Agricultural College, an institution under the authority of the king of that nation. He remained three years. He passed the examination after being there two years, and received the premium of $600 for good character, integ- rity and honor, whichi placed him in a standing in his country to be trusted with any amount of money, his premium certificate bearing the king's seal. January 5, 1855, he entered the Danish army, and was discharged June 15, 1856. He then engaged as superintendent on a large farm two and a half years, and afterward engaged in the dairy and mercantile business, and finally bought a farm for $3,200, and farmed till the war broke out between Prussia and Denmark, in April, 1864, when he was drafted in his country's service. After being discharged from service he was appointed by the king to fill a respon- sible office connected with the army, but he soon after sold his farm, and March 19, 1867, sailed for America, and settled in Iroquois county, Illinois. He engaged in farming in Chebanse township till 1874, when he removed to Beaver township, Iroquois county, Illinois. He bonglit 160 acres of land, and engaged there in farming and stock- raising. His farm is well improved, and reflects credit on its proprie- tor. February 24, 1859, he married Miss Mary F. L. Koed, who is a

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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

native of Denmark, and was born January 30, 1830. They have one child : Hans Adolph.

Peter S. DeWitt, farmer and stock-raiser, Martinton, came from the state of New York, at about the age of thirteen years. He was born September 11, 1849. His first business in Illinois was that of weighmaster and book-keeper for the Chicago & Wilmington Coal Company, at Braidwood, Illinois, where he continued till the age of nineteen. He then went to Iowa and there contracted to furnish ties for a portion of the Iowa Central railroad, and after completing his contract returned to Illinois, and in 1870 (having previously, in com- pany with his brother, bought a farm) engaged in farming and stock- raising. February 16, 1875, he married Miss Sarah M. Gray, who was born in Adams county, Illinois, October 9, 1855. In March, 1877, he removed to Iroquois county, Illinois, and bought a farm in Martinton township, and actively engaged in farming and breeding, and raising full-blooded Hereford cattle, having now the finest herd of that cele- brated stock in this county. He owns 280 acres of land, well improved. He has two children : Helen E. and Perry N.

BEAVER TOWNSHIP.

Beaver forms the northeastern corner of the county, and em- braces all of town 28, range 11 west of the 2d principal meridian, the fractional town range 10 west, and all there is in Iroquois county town 29, same ranges, making a parallelogram six and one-half miles wide along the Kankakee county line, and ten miles long along the Indiana line. The soil is fertile and deep along the southern and central portions, but that in the northern portion is much of it thin and rather flat. Nearly the entire township was originally prairie. The Beaver creek, here an inconsiderable stream, dry a greater por- tion of the year, had a narrow belt of oak timber along its northern bank half way across the town, and Bean Grove, near its southwest- ern corner, extended over into this town a little. The "Hubbard trace," known to all the inhabitants of eastern Illinois and western Indiana at an early day as the great highway of travel from Vin- cennes and all the Wabash valley to Chicago, ran nearly through the center of the township. It afterward became known as the state road, which gave the name to State street when it got to Chicago. Along this route, up to the building of railroads, travel passed be- tween the southern settlements and Chicago. Thither the early pioneer hauled his wheat and oats, returning loaded with salt and

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BEAVER TOWNSHIP.

the few commodities which could then be found in the city of the lake. At first return loads were not expected, as the salt was pro- cured at the Danville salt-works ; but very soon that was superseded by the product of Syracuse. Not much in the way of goods came from Chicago in those early days. Sugar was made at home, or its substitute, honey, was on nearly every pioneer table; ready-made clothing and boots and shoes were unknown. The farmer took his slaughtered hides to the local tan-yard, and made up the leather over home-made lasts, and the farmer's wife and daughters made up the cloth from wool of their own shearing. Furniture and coffins were made up in each village by the local cabinet-maker, while such things as brooms, baskets and all wooden-ware were made in the cabin ; tobacco was home grown. Thither, along this trace, the local dealers drove their hogs, cattle and turkeys to market. Along this · road every few miles were taverns for the entertainment of man and beast. The tavern in this township, long famous as the "Buck- horn," was the first one north of old Bunkum, and was built by James Heanan and Fred. Woods, probably in 1834. Heanan soon after went away, and Lewis Gumphrey came in and kept it until Joseph Donovan bought it in 1847. This stood near the present village of Donovan, and where Mr. James Donovan now resides. Just north of this the Joliet road forked off, and going in a north- western direction, crossed the Beaver at Rakestraw's. Van Kirk kept the tavern where the Chicago road crossed the Beaver, about six miles north of the " Buckhorn," and Heanan had one in the sand ridges beyond. John Bean kept the house at Bean Grove, on the Joliet road. His tavern was not an extensive one, and was built about 1832. It consisted of three log houses, each 16×18, one story high, standing in the shape of an L. They were roofed with rived clapboards, and the chimneys, standing outside of course, made of sticks well overlaid with mud mixed withi cut straw. The same material served to fill up the holes between the logs. The business of keeping public-house grew into monstrous dimensions until rail- road building ; and even up to 1860, it was not uncommon to count hundreds of teams a day in the fall. Not a tithe of them sought entertainment, however, for most of them went prepared to camp out. The township took its name from Beaver creek, and that from Beaver lake near by.

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History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources, Part 104

Author: Beckwith, H. W. (Hiram Williams), 1833-1903 Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co. Number of Pages: 1180

Author: Beckwith, H. W. (Hiram Williams), 1833-1903
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1180