History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 109

Author: Hoffman, U. J. (Urias John), b. 1855
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1286

USA > Illinois > LaSalle County > History of La Salle County, Illinois > Part 109

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In politics Mr. Thurston is an earnest repub- lican, who has served for many years as school director, the cause of education finding in him a warm and stalwart friend. He is now serving for his second term as supervisor of the town- ship and is proving a most capable officer. A man of liberal education, of upright principles, and progressive spirit, he occupies an enviable place in the respect of his fellowmen by reason of his loyal citizenship and his genuine personal worth.

CHARLES SEIPP.

Charles Seipp, prospering in his undertakings as a farmer and stock-raiser, is a worthy repre- sentative of a well known German family of La Salle county. His home is on section 27, Rich- land township, where he owns a farm of eighty acres, which is finely improved. In his farming operations he displays practical methods pro- ductive of desirable results. He was born June 26, 1875, in this county, and is a son of Conrad Seipp, a retired farmer residing in Streator, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. His early education was acquired in the district schools and he continued his studies in the Brothers school at La Salle. He was reared to the occu- pation of farming, early becoming familiar with

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all of the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist, for when a young lad he took his place in the fields and followed the plow, or aided in the harvesting of the crops. He has en- gaged in farming on his own account for the past eight years and success has attended his ef- forts.

Mr. Seipp was married in this county to Miss Christina Dietrick, who was born in this county in 1873 and is a daughter of Anthony and Mar- garet (Eyrich) Dietrick, the latter now residing in Eagle township. Her father, however, died in September, 1900, when more than sixty years of age. He came to this county fifty years ago from Germany, his birth having occurred in Ba- den, that country. In America he followed farm- ing with success and at his death was the owner of one hundred acres of rich and productive land. Mrs. Siepp is one of seven children, five daughters and two sons, namely: Ida, the widow of Henry Loeback, who resides upon the home farm; Traca, who is now in St. Louis, Missouri ; Theodore, who is married and lives at Kangley ; Edward, at home; Mrs. Seipp; Matilda and El- nora, both at home.

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Seipp has been blessed with two daughters, who were born in Richland township: Hildegard, born October 22, 1898; and Helen, born June 16, 1903. The family are members of the German Catholic church of Richland township, and socially Mr. Seipp is connected with the Mystic Workers, be- longing to lodge No. 144, at Lostant. Politically he is independent and while neglectful of no duty of citizenship he does not take an active part in political work, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs, which are making him one of the prosperous agriculturists of his community.

GUSTAVUS A. CLARK.

Gustavus A. Clark, living on section 2, Dayton township, owns a good farm, but is renting most of his land while practically he lives retired. He was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, in 1833. His father, Windsor O. Clark, was born in New York, September 17, 1808, and was a son of a soldier of the war of 1812 who died from disease contracted in the army. He was one of a large family and at his father's death, being left in limited financial resources, he was bound out to a family, with whom he lived upon a farm in New York until he had attained his majority. He married Miss Lois Green, who was born in

New York, May 29, 1813, and was a daughter of Caleb and Mary (Oakes) Green. The grand- mother of Mrs. Lois Clark lived to the advanced age of one hundred and eight years. Her father, Caleb Green, who was born in New York, April 22, 1792, died July 13, 1840, in Ohio, while his wife, who was born August 31, 1793, passed away on the 15th of September, 1881. She was the eldest of a family of twelve children and her brother, Leander L. Oakes, who was born Jan- uary 24, 1825, now makes his home in Nebraska.

It was on the 18th of April, 1828, in New York, that Windsor O. Clark and Lois Green were married. They afterward removed to Ash- tabula county, Ohio, where Mr. Clark purchased a farm, making his home . thereon until 1848, when he came to La Salle county, IlInois. Here he purchased one hundred and twenty-five acres of land, upon which his son, Gustavus, now re- sides. About sixty acres of the land had been broken and a crop of wheat put in and a frame house had been built. It had not been plastered, however, at that time and the family lived up- stairs while plastering was being done down- stairs and then when that task was accomplished they occupied the rooms on the lower floor while those on the upper floor were being finished. As Windsor Clark was in only moderate financial circumstances the family because of this had to endure many of the hardships incident to life on the frontier. He put forth earnest and persistent effort, however, to develop his farm and as the years passed his financial resources increased. Though he had but a limited education he was a good reader and writer and was a man of sound practical judgment, who learned many valuable lessons in the school of experience. Both he and his wife lived upon the old home farm until they were called to their final rest and enjoyed the respect and esteem of all who knew them. Mr. Clark was a democrat in his political views and though he never held nor desired office he took an active interest in elections and did all in his power to secure democratic successes. He was a Universalist in religious faith and while living in Ohio was a member of the church choir.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Clark were born six chil- dren, all of whom are yet living, namely: Gus- tavus A., of this review; Mary T., who was born April 7, 1836, and is the wife of Jerry Hess, a resident of Woodberry, Illinois ; Augustus N., who was born June II, 1839, and is now liv- ing in Platte county, Nebraska; Darwin I., who was born February 25, 1841, and resides in Port- land, Oregon; George L., who was born October 25, 1845, and resides in Marseilles, Illinois ; and

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Ferdinand F., who was born May 22, 1851, and is living in Platte county, Nebraska.

Gustavus A. Clark spent the first fifteen years of his life in the county of his nativity and then accompanied his parents on their removal to Illi- nois. He remained upon the home farm with his parents until twenty-six years of age, when he started out in life on his own account, renting land in Wallace township, which he began to farm and improve. He started in a very humble way, having little money, a team and a few tools, but he possessed determination and energy and these are an excellent substitute for capital. Just after the war closed he went to Grundy county, Illinois, where he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land, residing thereon for twelve years. He afterward returned to La Salle county and purchased his father's old homestead, upon which he has since resided. It is located on sec. tion 2, Dayton township, and for a number of years he continued active in its cultivation and management, but now rents the land, although he still lives upon the farm and gives to it general supervision.

On the 20th of November, 1860, Mr. Clark was united in marriage to Miss Addie Smith, who was born in a wigwam in Indiana, on the 7th of November, 1835. Her parents, Norman . and Elizabeth Smith, are both deceased. They be- came residents of La Salle county in 1833, and the father, who was a miller by trade, worked in several mills in the county. Subsequently he engaged in general farming. Mrs. Clark was the eldest of their five children, the others being Mrs. Mary E. Marvin, who died in Kansas ; Nor- man H., who is living in Bloomington, Illinois; George R., also a resident of Kansas ; and Alfred E., who died in Florida. Mrs. Clark taught school for several years in La Salle county and was a capable teacher. She received much of her instruction from her father, who was blind for three years and who instructed her orally in such work as she needed to qualify her for the teacher's profession. She also attended the Cortland County Academy of New York.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Clark have been born four children who died in infancy. They have one living son, Willis A., who was born Septem- ber 19, 1861, and attended the district schools of Grundy county. Later he became a student in the normal school at Morris, Illinois, and for three winter seasons engaged in teaching. He lives upon the place which his father purchased in Grundy county and together they have added one hundred and twenty acres to the original tract of one hundred and twenty acres, so that he is now operating two hundred and forty acres there. He married Miss Lizzie Rawling,

of Freedom township, La Salle county, and they have three children: Roger H., Lester M. and Maynard E.

Mr. Clark has led a very busy, active and use- ful life and though he started out empty-handed he has prospered as the years have gone by, his frugality and diligence constituting the secret of his success. In his political views he is a dem- ocrat and has served as assessor, collector and highway commissioner, discharging the duties of these offices with promptness and fidelity. His wife is an intelligent woman and an entertaining conversationalist and both are held in high es- teem and their pleasant home is justly celebrated for its warm-hearted and pleasing hospitality.

GEORGE STASELL.

George Stasell is the owner of valuable farm- ing property, comprising two hundred and eighty acres in Otter Creek township near Streator. He was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, January 4, 1859, his parents being Gerhard and Eva (Schubert) Stasell. The father was born in Frankfort, Germany, and died in 1900, at the age of sixty-eight years, while his wife was born in the fatherland and passed away in 1873, at the age of thirty-seven. They were married in Penn- sylvania and became the parents of seventeen children : Dora, George, Lizzie, Gerhard, Fred- erick, Annie, William, Henry, John, Gustavus, Louis, Emma, Philip, Catherine, Isabella, Charles and Walter. It was in the year 1856 that the father arrived in America, locating in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and later he turned his attention to general agricultural pursuits in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, being one of the pioneer agriculturists of that locality. He came to Illi- nois in 1899 to visit his children and passed away here. He was a member of the German Lu- theran church and his political allegiance was given to the republican party. George Stasell spent the days of his boyhood and youth in the state of his nativity, acquiring his education in the public schools. In his seventeenth year, thinking to enjoy better business opportunities in the middle west, he went to Missouri, where he spent three years, and then came to La Salle county, Illinois. He worked for Gus Bencken- dorf and then for Fred Benckendorf as a farm hand for three years each. On the expiration of that period he started out in life on his own ac- count and at the present time is engaged in farm- ing, having two hundred and eighty acres of fine land which he has brought under a high state of cultivation. The place is splendidly improved

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and is equipped with all modern accessories and everything about the farm is kept in excellent condition, showing the careful supervision and practical methods of the owner.

Mr. Stasell was married March 9, 1886, to Miss Amelia Benckendorf, a native of Bruce town- ship and a daughter of Frederick Benckendorf, one of the venerable farmers of Otter Creek township, whose life record is given on another page of this work. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Stasell have been born three children: Henry, Lillian F. and Esther.

Mr. Stasell has served as township collector for two years and is interested in community affairs to the extent of giving hearty and loyal co-operation to many movements which have di- rect bearing upon the welfare and progress of the community. He has always voted with the republican party and is unfaltering in his alle- giance to its principles. His church relationship is with the Evangelical Association. Viewed from a business standpoint his life has been very successful, as he started out empty-handed, work- ing at farm labor until his arrival in the middle west. Making good use of his opportunities, he is today a prosperous agriculturist with good business prospects.

FREDERICK M. MILLER.

Frederick M. Miller has the distinction of be- ing the oldest man in active business in Illinois. He is a capitalist and money loaner, who in former years was actively engaged in farming but now devotes his attention to the supervision of his business affairs and investments. Old age is not necessarily a synonym of weakness. It need not suggest as a matter of course idle- ness or want of occupation. On the contrary there is an old age which grows stronger men- tally with the passing years and gives out of its rich stores of wisdom and experience. Such is the record of Frederick M. Miller, who still superintends important business interests and is well known throughout La Salle county in connection with the loaning of money. No his- tory of the county would be complete without the life record of this venerable man, who is still an active and honored factor in business circles.

He was born in Middletown, Connecticut, in 1808. and bids fair to become a centenarian-a hope which his many friends entertain. His parents were Thomas and Mary (Lamb) Miller. His paternal grandfather, Stephen Miller, was a soldier of the Revolutionary war and Silas Winans, the grandfather of his present wife, was

also one of the heroes of that struggle for Amer- ican independence and was a personal friend of General Washington, from whose flask he drank brandy. Frederick Miller's memory compasses the period of America's wonderful development. He remembers the Minute Men of the war of 1812, his uncle, Stephen Miller, having been one of the number. In his youth Ohio was con- sidered the very western border of civilization and trips to Pennsylvania were made on horse- back, for it was before the era of railroad travel. In his youth he made his way to the west, as it was then called, settling in Berkshire county, Massachusetts, and for many years he was a resident of that locality.

It was in the spring of 1854 that Frederick M. Miller came to Illinois. He was then in quite limited financial circumstances as com- pared with his condition at the present time, his capital justifying the purchase of only eighty acres of land, which then sold at a low figure. Later, however, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres situated about two miles west of Men- dota. He retained the ownership of that prop- erty for a few years and then sold it for three times what he originally paid for it. There were no trees or roads in Mendota at that time and during the villagehood of the now flourishing city he took up his abode there, becoming one of its early and enterprising business men. He turned his attention to buying corn and hogs and he also loaned money. In all of his busi- ness affairs he has been very successful, being seldom, if ever, at error in matters of business judgment. He has speculated in Nebraska and other western lands and property and he still loans money in the west. He has money loaned in Seattle, Washington, and in Oregon, and he owns three hundred and twenty acres of land in South Dakota. He has traveled quite exten- sively through the west and the south, both for business and for pleasure, and has an intimate knowledge of the country, its possibilities and the values of property in various sections.

Mr. Miller has been married twice. He first wedded Hester M. Eggleson and unto them were born four children but the first two are now deceased. The others are Lydia J. Hartley and Mrs. Addie Anderson. After losing his first wife Mr. Miller was married in eastern New York to Miss Charlotte M. Ambler, a daughter of Silas and Tamma (Winans) Ambler. There was one son of this marriage, Fred S. Miller, who was born in 1863 and died in 1900. He was edu- cated in the Mendota high school and in Dixon College and following the completion of his course in the latter institution he secured a sit- uation in the office of the Chicago, Burlington &

F. M. MILLER.

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Quincy Railroad Company in Chicago. He was a young man of excellent business capacity and enterprise and his loss to his parents came as an irreparable blow. He enjoyed the regard and friendship of all with whom he came in con- tact and his death was deeply deplored by those who knew him.

Mr. Miller has now resided in La Salle county for more than half a century and is one of the best known men within its borders because of his long residence here, the extent and impor- tance of his business interests and his venerable age, although one who sees him in his office controlling his business interests, managing his affairs with keen sagacity and with marked alert- ness and enterprise, would take him to be a much young man. His is certainly a remarkable rec- ord and one worthy of perpetuation on the pages of the history of his adopted county.

WILLIAM H. MORRISON.

William H. Morrison, engaged in general farming and the breeding of Norman horses in Otter Creek township, was born at Fall River, Massachusetts, March 27, 1846, and has been a resident of La Salle county since 1848, in which year his parents, James and Mary (Burns) Mor- rison, natives of Glasgow, Scotland, removed from New England to Illinois. Reared under the parental roof, he obtained a common-school education and assisted in farm labor, so that with good preliminary training he started out in life for himself equipped by practical experience for the duties that devolved upon him when he under- took farming on his own account. When he at- tained his majority he began an independent busi- ness career and later purchased eighty acres of land, to which he has since added an additional tract of eighty acres, so that he now has an ex- cellent farm of one hundred and sixty acres pleasantly located in Otter Creek township. There is a good house upon this place and many other improvements and accessories. He con- tinued to actively engage in general farming until 1894, when he turned his attention to the breeding of fine Percheron and Norman horses, keeping full blooded animals and having on hand at all times for sale fine specimens of the stock. He is the owner of Nig, as fine a Perch- eron horse as can be found in the state of Illi- nois, recorded in the American Stud book as No. 26533. As a breeder he is well known and has conducted a profitable business, producing on his farm some of the finest horses to be found in the northern part of the state.

In 1866, Mr. Morrison was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Kiner, who was born in Ottawa and is a daughter of Jeremiah and Sarah Ann (Hoppel) Kiner, both of whom were natives of Perry county, Pennsylvania. They were married in that state and came to Ottawa in the early '40s, casting -in their lot with the pioneer resi- dents of the county and Mr. Kiner, who was a cooper by trade, was thus early identified with industrial interests. He engaged in the manu- facture of barrels in Ottawa for a number of years and subsequently removed to Otter Creek township, settling on section 4, where he engaged in farming. Subsequently he removed to Mar- seilles, purchasing a farm near the town, where he carried on general agricultural pursuits and was also engaged in the hardware and dry-goods business. He was a prominent business man here for a number of years and afterward went to Kansas, settling near Clay Center, where he purchased a half section of land, on which he carried on farming up to the time of his death. He passed away November 21, 1883. Mr. Kiner was at all times a dignified, courteous man, kindly in his demeanor and a true gentleman of the old school. He prospered in his undertak- ings and the most envious could not grudge him his success, so well was it won and so worthily used. He was not unmindful of the poor, but gave of his means freely to those in need, and his generous spirit was one of his strong traits of character. His life was peaceful and happy and he won the respect of all who knew him. In early manhood he wedded Sarah Ann Hoppel, who was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, March 29, 1823, and who was indeed a faithful companion and helpmate to him on life's journey, their mutual love and confidence increasing as the years went by. She died in Kansas at the age of seventy-three years. In their family were thirtecn children, of whom twelve are now living : Elizabeth, the wife of John H. Powers, a prom- inent resident of Nebraska; Susan, the wife of M. H. Crider, a resident of Otter Creek town- ship; Samuel H .: William O .; Mrs. Mary Ann Morrison : Sarah J .; George W .; John F. ; James B .; Clara M. ; Lillian B. ; and Mina M.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Morrison have been born two daughters and a son: Rilla, George B. and Birdie. The son was married, October 19, 1891, to Miss Gussie Benckendorf and is living near the old homestead. He is a very industrious young farmer and has two hundred acres of fine land, on which he has recently erccted a hand- some and attractive farm residence. For the past ten years he has served as school director. Mr. Morrison votes with the democracy and is in sympathy with the principles and purposes of

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the party but has never cared for public office, preferring to devote his time and energies to his business affairs, in which he has met with signal success, his life record proving the force and value of enterprise and industry as effective fac- tors in business circles.

REV. LAURITZ A. VIGNESS.

There. is perhaps no better criterion of the standing of a community than its educational in- stitutions, which indicate the intellectual status and progress of the people at large. In this connection as president of the Pleasant View Luther College, Rev. Vigness is well worthy of honorable mention in this volume, for he has been closely and prominently connected with the educational and moral interests of the city dur- ing the entire period of his residence here. It is a widely acknowledged fact that the most im- portant work to which a man can direct his ener- gies is that of teaching, whether it be from the pulpit, from the lecture platform, or from the schoolroom. Its primary object is ever the same -the development of one's latent powers that the duties of life may be bravely met and well performed. The intellectual and moral nature are so closely allied that it is difficult to instruct one without in a measure influencing the other and certainly the best results are accomplished when the work goes hand in hand. Christian instruction is having an influence over the world that few can estimate, for it is in youth that the life of a man is marked out, his future course decided and his choice as to the good or evil made. It is to this work of thus instructing the young that Rev. Vigness devotes his time, ener- gies and thought. A native of Minnesota, the ancestral history shows that he is descended from the Vikings of Norway. His father, Ole L. Vigness, was born in Finnoe, Norway. At twenty-three years of age, ambition to better his condition and see more of the world determined him to seek a home in America and in 1856 he crossed the Atlantic, making his way at once from the seaboard to Rock county, Wisconsin. Mr. Vigness soon afterward secured employment near Janesville, that state, and further made arrangements for having a home of his own by entering a claim from the government in Fill- more county, Minnesota, in 1859. Soon after- ward he began the development of the property, made substantial improvements thereon and transformed the land into productive fields. Three years thus passed, at the end of which time he felt that he was justified in establishing a

home of his own and rearing a family. He was then married to Miss Anna Hallum, also a native of Norway. They, became the parents of six children, of whom Lauritz A. Vigness is the eldest. The others are: Carl L., who is now County Superintendent in Burleigh county, North Dakota; Mary the wife of J. Stennes, of Milan, Minnesota; Inga, the wife of J. Johnson, of Milan; Emma, a teacher; and Edward, in charge of the old home farm.

Rev. Lauritz A. Vigness spent the first fifteen years of his life in his native county and in his school work he made rapid advancement and be- came imbued with the strong desire to acquire a college education, which hope was afterward realized when he entered the Marshall ( Wiscon- sin) Academy, where he remained for two years. He later spent four years in Augustana College at Canton, South Dakota, after which he spent a few months in classical studies in Dixon Col- lege at Dixon, Illinois, of which he is an alumnus of 1885. Thus with broad literary learning to serve as the foundation upon which to rear the superstructure of knowledge that would qualify him for the ministry he became a student in Augustana Theological Seminary in Beloit, Iowa. In 1886 he was elected professor of Latin and Greek in Augustana College, in which he re- mained and worked successfully until 1890, at which time he became a member of the faculty of the Highland Park University of Des Moines, Iowa, where as a teacher of the classics he spent four years and established his reputation as an able educator. On the expiration of that period he accepted the proffered presidency of the Jewell Lutheran College at Jewell, Hamilton county, Iowa, and later he was induced to be- come president of the Pleasant View Luther College since which time he has remained at the head of this institution, making it one of the strong educational centers of the Lutheran church in the entire middle west. The college has several distinct departments of study, includ- ing the scientific, literary, commercial, musical, parochial and classical. Each department is under the charge of competent instructors and the work done is very satisfactory, being charac- terized by throoughness as well as by consecutive advancement. Chapel exercises are a part of the daily routine and the moral development of the young is not neglected. The buildings are new and modern in every respect, heated by steam and lighted by gas and afford every possible comfort.

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History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 109

Author: Hoffman, U. J. (Urias John), b. 1855 Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1286

Author: Hoffman, U. J. (Urias John), b. 1855
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1286