USA > Illinois > Kane County > History of Kane County, Ill. Volume II > Part 80
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unto them : Nannie and Florence E. The latter is now three years old and one of the brightest and most engaging little girls in Kane county.
Here behold an exemplification of the best type of American citizenship- a man severely tried by adversity and triumphing over it all, daunted by 110 danger, yielding to no difficulty and deterred by no obstacle, but always working out his own advancement and bearing his full share of the responsi- bilities and duties of life, and making, in addition, substantial contributions to the welfare, the progress and the enduring good of his fellowmen at all times and in every place. And he has his reward in the peace and comfort which surround him as he looks forward calmly to the evening of his day and continues his usefulness toward the benignant sunset that awaits him.
ORLANDO L. YOUNG.
Orlando L. Young, who, for fifteen years, has been a motorman and is now connected with the Aurora, Elgin & Chicago Interurban Railway, was born in Bristol township, Kendall county, Illinois, May 14, 1855. His paternal grandparents were Philip and Cornelia (Miller) Young, the former born September 15, 1799, and the latter November 16, 1800. They were married at Johnstown, New York, March 1, 1819, and later they settled on land which is now included in the beautiful Riverview Park near Aurora. They reared a family of eleven children and the father died November 25, 1885, while the mother passed away August 11, 1879.
James Young, the father of our subject, was born November 7, 1823, in Johnstown, New York, and, having arrived at years of maturity, he married Miss Phoebe Keck, who was likewise a native of Johnstown, born February 16, 1827. Their marriage was celebrated March 15, 1849, and they became the parents of four children: Orlando L .; Nancy A .. who is living at Montgomery, Illinois; Frank A., deceased; and Edna C., the wife of F. H. Vaughn, of Montgomery. The death of the father occurred April 7, 1892, while his wife, surviving him for more than thirteen years, passed away August 20, 1905.
In the public schools of Montgomery, Orlando L. Young pursued his education and assisted his father in the work of the home farm, there con- tinuing until twenty-seven years of age. On the 28th of December, 1881, he was united in marriage to Miss Kate Kinney, who was born at Little Rock, Kendall county, January 2, 1863. Her father, Patrick Kinney, was a native of County Longford, Ireland, and came to the United States about 1830, while in 1834 he took up his abode in Kane county, Illinois. He was a mason by trade and assisted in building many of the public and private structures in Aurora. He married Catherine Gavney, a native of County Meath, Ireland, who came to the United States with her mother, Mrs. Ann Kearnan Gavney, a widow, and settled at Schenectady, New York. Catherine Gavney was born April 17, 1840, and in 1854 became a resident of Aurora. Here on the 11th of September, 1857, she gave her hand in
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marriage to Patrick Kinney. She is still living in Aurora, and she comes of a family noted for longevity, her mother having passed away in 1891 at the advanced age of ninety-six years. The death of Mr. Kinney occurred in Aurora, June 10, 1882. Mrs. Young was but an infant when her parents removed to Aurora and here she attended the West Aurora schools. Her brothers and sisters were as follows: Anna, wife of John Morrison, a resident of Benkelman, Nebraska; John, who is living in Burke, Idaho; Mary, the deceased wife of John Quinlivan; Elizabeth and Margaret, who are residents of Aurora; Edward C., who makes his home in Sugar Grove township, this county ; and William P. and George T., who are yet residents of Aurora.
Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Orlando Young took up their abode upon a farm in Sugar Grove township, where they lived for one year, and in February, 1883, they removed to Hastings, Nebraska, where they carried on general agricultural pursuits for three years. In March, 1886. they returned to Kane county, and since that time have made their home in Aurora. For fifteen years Mr. Young has been engaged as a motorman on the Aurora electric car lines and the Aurora, Elgin & Chicago Inter- urban Railway. He is still connected with the latter and is regarded by the company as a most efficient and faithful employe.
On the IIth of June, 1883, a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Young, to whom they gave the name Florence Edith. Her birthplace was near Hastings, Nebraska, and she pursued her education in and was graduated from the West Aurora high school in June, 1900. She also attended the DeKalb Normal School for one year and has since been engaged in teaching, being now employed for the fourth year in the east side school at Geneva, Illinois. In 1906 Mr. Young purchased an acre of ground on the west side of the Fox river and overlooking that stream, and here he erected a fine residence. It is located on the Aurora and Elgin electric car line, just beyond the north limits of the city, and fine oak trees surround the house, rendering it most attractive in its appearance. In politics Mr. Young is independent, voting for men and measures rather than for party, while socially he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America. Both he and his wife prefer the quiet and enjoyment of home life to any active participation in public events, but their good qualities have won for them favorable regard wherever they are known. Mr. Young is a worthy citizen of the county and whatever success he has achieved is attributable entirely to his own efforts.
ELIPHALET READ.
Six decades have been added to the cycle of the centuries since the Read family was founded in Kane county by Joshua Read, who brought his family, consisting of wife and ten children, to northern Illinois in 1838. Eliphalet Read was then a man of about thirty years. He was born May 23, 1808, in Westmoreland county, New Brunswick. He acquired a good
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English education in his youth and throughout his life devoted his energies to general farming. He also bought and sold grain, and was very successful in his business undertakings. When the family came to Kane county Eliphalet Read walked to Freeport to attend the first land sale and there secured three thousand acres which became the property of his father, his brothers and himself. He early became familiar with the arduous task of developing new land and as the years went by brought his fields under a very high state of cultivation. so that large crops were annually gathered and from their sale he secured a good income. He was progressive, too, in his methods of farming and secured all of the improved machinery which invention placed upon the market. As a grain dealer he was also prosperous and his reputation in business circles was unassailable.
Mr. Read was married three times. In 1840 he was united in marriage to Malinda Meyers, a daughter of Charles Meyers, of Canada. They became the parents of three children : Roxanna, Charles Chapelle and Hannah Jane. The mother died at the birth of her younger daughter. and later Eliphalet Read was again married. his second union being with Margaret Crabtree, a daughter of Mary and Richard Crabtree, of Virgil township. There were four children by this marriage: Malinda, deceased; Marian and Richard, twins, the latter deceased ; and Henry C. The death of Mrs. Mar- garet Read occurred about 1858 and on the 10th of August, 1860, was cele- brated the marriage of Mr. Read and Miss Celestia McClanathan, daughter of Seth and Caroline (Kinsley) McClanathan, of Jamestown, New York. The children of the third marriage are: Caroline and Seth, twins, but the latter died when ten days old; Elizabeth, deceased; and Eloise.
In his political views Mr. Read was a stalwart republican and always kept well informed on the questions and issues of the day. He served as a member of the school board and the cause of education found in him a warm and stalwart friend. Like the others of the family he, too, was a member of the Baptist church and his life, upright and honorable in every particular, won for him the confidence and good will of all with whom he came in contact.
EDWIN KEMP MEREDITH.
Edwin Kemp Meredith, deceased, was one of the leading citizens of Batavia, Illinois, where his entire life was spent. He was born in that city on the 24th of May, 1860, a son of Thomas and Harriet (Kemp) Meredith. His father was a native of Wales, born at the Park in Montgomeryshire, May 24. 1835, and was a son of Thomas Meredith, Sr. Coming to this coun- try, the father was engaged in merchandising in Batavia and he was prominently identified with public affairs, serving as town clerk for three terms, as a member of the board of trustees and president of the same for one term. He filled the office of justice of the peace for four years, and was supervisor for the same length of time, his official duties always being
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capably and satisfactorily discharged. In his family were but two children, the younger being Julia, now the wife of Gilbert D. Kendall, who is engaged in the brokerage business in Chicago.
Edwin K. Meredith, the only son, acquired his education in the public schools of Batavia, which he attended during his boyhood and youth. After leaving school he became an electrician and engineer and in 1889 was ap- pointed superintendent of the electric light and water plant of Batavia, which position he held up to the time of his death. In 1903 he was also made superintendent of motive power for the Batavia Supply Company and was regarded as one of the best qualified engineers in his part of the country. He also possessed considerable inventive genius, and was the inventor of several electrical and mechanical devices of much value.
In 1887 Mr. Meredith was united in marriage to Miss Mary Anderson, and to them were born two children, Rena and Thomas, who still survive him. He died on the 12th of March, 1907, at his home in Batavia, leav- ing many friends as well as his immediate family to mourn his loss, for he was popular with all classes, and those who knew him from boyhood were numbered among his stanchest friends.
THOMAS B. KIRBY.
Thomas B. Kirby, one of the most extensive dairymen and farmers of Elgin township and also president of the Kirby Equipment Company of Chi- cago, was born in Troy, New York, 1853. His parents, Peter and Charlotte (Bernard) Kirby, who were both natives of England, emigrated to Amer- ica about 1848. The father was a mechanic and stove mounter and was quite successful after coming to this country. The year 1869 witnessed his removal westward and he settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan, subsequently taking up his abode in Adrian, Michigan, where he died in 1883. His family numbered eight children, as follows: Edward, of Knoxville; Char- lotte, the widow of B. J. Stark, of Toledo, Ohio; Esther, deceased; John, who resides in Dayton, Ohio; Eliza, the wife of C. J. Hunt, of Chicago; Thomas B., of this review; Emma, the wife of James Lyons, of Toledo, Ohio; and George P., likewise of Toledo, Ohio.
Thomas B. Kirby acquired a common-school education in the place of his nativity and commenced life on his own account in 1863, when but ten years of age. His first position was as check boy in a dry goods store, where he continued until sixteen years old, gradually winning promotion as he demonstrated his capability and faithfulness. He then removed to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he secured employment with the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway, being thus engaged for four years, when he made his way to Adrian, Michigan, entered the railway shops and learned car building. This line of business claimed his attention from that time until 1900. Between the years 1880 and 1890 he was master car builder for the Lake Shore Railway Company, but in the latter year resigned, accept-
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ing a position with the Armours as superintendent of building and main- tenance of cars and serving in that capacity until April, 1900. He then gave his attention to the lines of business with which he is now connected, being widely recognized as one of the most extensive and successful dairymen and agriculturists of the county. He is president of the Kirby Equipment Company, of Chicago, and in the conduct of his interests has gained a measure of prosperity that entitles him to prominent mention among the substantial and enterprising citizens of the community. In November. 1901, he purchased two hundred and forty-five acres of land in Elgin township. known as the Stone farin, Isaac Stone having entered the land from the government about 1834.
On the 2d of June, 1875, Mr. Kirby was joined in wedlock to Miss Annie E. Anderson, a daughter of Samuel M. and Barbara (Henson) Anderson, of Adrian, Michigan, who were natives of New York and Eng- land respectively. The Anderson family came originally from England and in this country carried on agricultural pursuits in the state of New York. The parents of Mrs. Kirby had ten children, namely: Mary, the widow of Charles M. Health, of Adrian, Michigan; Helen, the deceased wife of Melvin Soper; Hannah, the deceased wife of Charles Ordeorn; Josiah, who has also passed away ; James, of Adrian, Michigan; Annie E. ; William, of Adrian. Michigan; and three who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Kirby have three children : Bessie H., the wife of H. A. Bowles; Annie E., the wife of William Teal, of Chicago; and Charlotte M.
Mr. Kirby gives stalwart support to the republican party, while fratern- ally he is connected with the Mystic Star Lodge, A. F. & A. M .; Englewood Chapter, No. 76, R. A. M .; and Englewood Commandery, No. 59, K. T. His life has been one of continuous activity, in which has been accorded due recognition of labor and today he is numbered among the substantial citizens of his county.
PERCIVAL M. WAITE.
This gentleman, who is the present supervisor of Sugar Grove township, has had a somewhat varied and interesting career. He was born near Water- town, Jefferson county, New York, and is the son of Hiram and Laura (Ormsby) Waite. The mother died in New York, and in 1854, when the son was ten years old, he accompanied his father to Michigan, where they lived six years, removing to Waterman, Illinois in 1860. Mr. Waite recol- lects many incidents of his early migrations from the east to the then distant and unsettled west. The trip from his childhood home to Michigan was made by railroad, but the subsequent one from Michigan to Illinois was made in wagons, over a country rough and unbroken with roads in places, and with many difficulties and obstacles to trouble travelers and render their progress wearisome and excessively trying. Even much of the journey that was made by rail was through a very thinly peopled country which still bore the impress
P. M. WAITE
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of the savage, and gave no sign that it had ever hearkened to the voice of civilized life.
With his wife Mr. Waite removed from Waterman to Cowley county, Kansas, where he entered one hundred and sixty acres of gov- ernment land which had just been vacated by the Osage Indians. Selling this in 1882, he removed to Sugar Grove, Kane county. Illinois. His father died in 1906. when he was eighty-three years of age. The son began his scholastic training in the public schools of his native state and continued and completed it in those of Michigan and Illinois. Being earnestly devoted to his country and the preservation of the Union, he enlisted in 1864 in Company M, Ninth Illinois Cavalry, under command of Colonel Harper, and served to the end of the war, about a year and a half in all. He saw hard service and faced death on the gory field of Nashville and in other engagements, but escaped without injury and was mustered out of the service at Montgomery, Alabama, in 1865. Returning then to the pursuits of peace- ful industry, he once more took his place among the producers, and labored as faithfully to develop and improve the country as he had fought to defend it.
In 1868 he was united in marriage with Miss Laura Anne Paul, of Kane county. this state. They have two children; a daughter, Laura, who is the wife of Ira Judd, an esteemed citizen of Aurora, and a son, Don L., who is serving the government as a railway mail clerk. Both are graduates of the Sugar Grove high school, and are widely and favorably known in Kane county. After all the spice of his early experience in traveling, when that was a thing of momentous impressiveness, as it is not now, and all the incident and adventure of his military life, Mr. Waite is now living quietly on his farm in this county, faithfully performing his daily duties and attend- ing to every task and responsibility that belongs to him. He is held in high esteem as a good neighbor, a firm and reliable friend, and an excellent citizen. always foremost in all good works for the advancement of the county and its people, and standing firmly by what he believes to be right on all occasions, a wise, a useful and an upright man, and a thoroughly representative one in his community.
JOHN ELLIOTT.
In the history of the well-known residents of Kane county, mention should be made of John Elliott, one of the old settlers and native citizens. He was born April 10. 1842. in the log cabin on the east bank of the Fox river just a few rods from the site of his present home. His father, William T. Elliott, was the second person to make claim to land in the immediate vicinity of Aurora. He secured his claim in June. 1834, becoming owner of three hundred acres on the east bank of the Fox river. His only predecessor in the locality was Joseph McCarty, who had made a claim in the preceding spring. William T. Elliott thus became one of the first residents of this part of Illi- nois, and continued one of its worthy and respected citizens for many years. He was born June 11. 1816. in Killingworth, Middlesex county, Connecticut,
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and was the son of William and Louisa (Lane) Elliott. the father born July 16, 1779. at Sturbridge, Massachusetts, while the mother was born at Killing- worth. Connecticut. November 29, 1792. They removed to Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, in 1815. and three years later became residents of New Bing- hamton, New York. It was while the family was residing there that William T. Elliott learned the blacksmith's trade, which he followed for several years at Union, Broome county, and at Big Flats in Chemung county, New York. On the 6th of June. 1834. he started by wagon for the west, proceeding to Seneca Lake, thus by boat to Buffalo, around the great lakes to Detroit, on by stage to Niles, Michigan, by steamboat to Chicago, and from that point walked the remaining distance to Aurora, where he arrived June 20. 1834. At that time he stayed on the farm which has since been the old family home- stead, and is now a part of the property of John Elliott. A year after his arrival William Elliott built a cabin, sixteen by twenty feet, of burr oak logs. On the 3d of August, 1835. he was married to Rebecca Pierce, a daughter of Elijah and Mary (Davis) Pierce, who came from Urbana, Ohio, but both died in Aurora. Although the marriage was opposed by the parents of the bride, the determination of the young couple was not to be frustrated. The ceremony was hastily performed by the village squire in the log house above referred to, and barely in time to escape the interference of the irate father of the bride who appeared on the scene. This was the first marriage ceremony performed in Kane county. A year later a daughter was born to them, who was called Emeline, and who was the first white girl born in the county. Mr. and Mrs. Elliott lived in true pioneer style, endur- ing all the hardships of pioneer life, but they never faltered in their ambition to secure a good home for themselves and their family. Ten children were born to them, of whom two died in infancy. The others are : Emeline, who was born August 5. 1836, and married Joseph Denny : Homer T., who was born 1838 and is living in Minneapolis, Minnesota ; Mary E., who was born March 17, 1840, and is the deceased wife of E. Denny ; John, of this review : Francis M., who was born April 5. 1844: William, who was born February 18, 1847, and resides at Riverside, California : Byron B., who was born April 18, 1850, and is now deceased; and Sarah L., who was born February 28. 1853, and is now Mrs. Walter Keck. of Aurora. Long before his death the father of this family divided his farm among his seven children, reserving the income for the support of himself and his wife during the remainder of their lives. He passed away May 15, 1894. while his wife died August 29, 1900. They had lived to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary, at the old homestead August 3. 1885. upon which occasion there were present seven of their children, and many grandchildren and friends. At that time there was presented to Mr. Elliott a genealogy, covering the history of the family for three hundred years, and tracing the line back to the Rev. P. Thatcher, a vicar in the parish of Queens Chapel. Somersetshire, England, from 1574 until 1624. A grandson of this P. Thatcher-the Rev. T. Thatcher -embarked from his native place for the new world April 6, 1635, and arrived at Boston on the 4th of May. He was the first pastor of the old South church of that city.
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William T. Elliott, father of our subject, was religiously inclined, and attended the first religious meeting held at Aurora. It was held at the home of Deacon Moffat, between LaSalle street and Lincoln avenue and nearly opposite the present Methodist Episcopal church. He hewed the logs for the first Congregational church erected in Aurora, and for many years was one of the board of trustees of that society. He also helped to build the first schoolhouse in Aurora, and ever manifested a helpful interest in education. He was a strong abolitionist and aided in the work of the underground rail- road, whereby many fugitive slaves were assisted on their way to Canada.
It will be seen that the Elliott family has figured more or less prominently in public affairs in various localities. William T. Elliott, father of John Elliott, was the second white man to settle in Aurora township, and at his death, May, 1884, when he was eighty-four years of age, Aurora lost its oldest pioneer. His wife, Mrs. Rebecca Elliott, was a most kind and courteous lady, and was greatly loved and admired by those who knew her well. Three of their sons, Homer, William and Byron Elliott, served as soldiers of the Civil war and were honorably discharged.
John Elliott is a worthy representative of one of the oldest and best known pioneer families of this part of the state. He was reared to farm life, and has always been successful in his business affairs, owning today valuable land and other property. On the 26th of December, 1866, he married Melvina L. Murphy, daughter of Owen J. and Emma (Chenoweth) Murphy. The Murphy family was founded in America by Patrick Murphy, who came from Wales. He served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war, was also in the Indian war at Point Pleasant, and was a friend of Cornstalk, the Shawnee war chief. John J. Murphy, the grandfather of Mrs. Elliott, was born in Nicholas county, West Virginia, January 5, 1790. He died April 14, 1853, while Patrick Murphy died in 1820. Owen J. Murphy, the father of Mrs. Elliott, was born in Braxton county, West Virginia, December 22, 1814. In company with his brother, Andrew, he left home October 3. 1838, went to Iowa and crossed the Mississippi river at Fort Madison, after which he spent ten days in visiting friends about fourteen miles west of the city. He then returned to Illinois on the 19th of November, 1838, located in McHenry county, having made the entire journey on horseback. He purchased the land-a squatter's claim-from Almon Stone, who sold two sections to the Murphy brothers for one hundred and fifty dollars. There was a log cabin built on the place, and about ten acres of the land had been broken. When the land came into market, the brothers bought only two hundred and forty acres. In addition to the one hundred dollars which they possessed. they were compelled to obtain a loan of two hundred and forty dollars, paying at the rate of twenty-five per cent interest. The brothers managed the farm in partnership for five years, and then divided it and Owen J. Murphy added to his property until he had two hundred and thirty-three acres. In 1842 he built a two-story frame house. The timbers were cut from native oak, and the lumber was hauled with teams from Chicago, a distance of fifty-two and three-quarter miles. This house was the pride of the owner as well as the surrounding country, for it was the first frame house on Queen Ann prairie.
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and the only one for many miles. It served as a guide in directing travelers. It still stands straight and strong, and the floor of oak is yet good and firm. but the brass knobs have been taken from the many paneled doors by relic hunters. In politics Mr. Murphy was originally a whig and voted for William Henry Harrison in 1840. He was also an ardent abolitionist and aided in the underground railroad ; but became a republican on the organization of that party. A stanch Methodist in religious faith, he was one of the founders and builders of the Methodist church in Queen Ann prairie, and always contributed liberally to its support. On the 11th of August. 1842, Mr. Murphy was married in West Virginia to Emma E. Chenoweth. She traced her ancestry back to John Chenoweth, a Welsh nobleman, born in 1652. He married Mary Calvert. a daughter of the third Lord Baltimore, and they came to America in 1680. Their son. Arthur, born in 1688, married Patience Crom- well. a daughter of William Cromwell, who was a brother of Oliver Cromwell. John Chenoweth, the second, a direct descendant of the Welsh nobleman, was born in 1755. more than a century after his illustrious ancestor, called "Revo- lutionary John." He enlisted in Colonel Muhlenburg's regiment and fought in the battle of Brandywine. It was his grand-daughter. Emma E. Cheno- weth. daughter of Robert and Edith (Skidmore) Chenoweth, who became the wife of Owen J. Murphy. Owen Murphy always lived on the farm and died there November 19. 1892, just fifty-four years from the time he came to Illinois. He was one of the respected and worthy representatives of farm- ing interest in the locality, and his name is inseparably associated with the pioneer history. His brother. Andrew, who came with him to McHenry county died July 24. 1908. at the age of ninety-two years, three months and twenty-one days. Mr. and Mrs. Murphy had seven children: Melissa .A .. who became the wife of William A. Sawyer and died in Golden. Colorado. January 28, 1873: Minerva B., who is the wife of J. E. Clapsattle and resides in Herndon, Iowa: Mrs. Elliott : Emma C., the wife of Thomas Charles. residing on the old homestead in McHenry county: Sarah E., the wife of W. H. B. Crow, of Idaho Falls, Idaho: Owen C., who is living in Calloway. Nebraska: and Ida B., the wife of R. D. Winters, of Lakeport. California.
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