History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 113

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

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THOMAS J. CRAWFORD.

Thomas J. Crawford, well known as a farmer and stockman of La Salle county, is engaged in raising horses, hogs and cattle and owns and operates his farm of two hundred and eighty acres on section 27, Eagle township, with twenty acres on section 15. He operates eighty acres additional and he likewise owns a half section in Kearny county, Kansas. Realizing that earnest, persistent work is the basis of all suc- cess, he has continued his efforts in most ener- getic manner and has placed upon the market splendid crops and fine stock.

Mr. Crawford was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, March 20, 1834, his parents being John and Mary (Sprout) Crawford. The mother is still residing in Streator and in No- vember, 1905, attained the age of ninety years. Mr. Crawford, however, passed away March 12, 1890, at the age of eighty-one years. Both were natives of Pennsylvania, born in Fayette and Washington counties respectively. The great-grandfather, James Crawford, was from England and was the first of the family to come to America. His descendants have largely fol- lowed the occupation of farming and it was to that pursuit that John Crawford, father of our subject, devoted his energies during the years of his residence in the Keystone state, where he remained until 1865, when he came to La Salle county. Here he retired from active busi- ness and made his home until his death, en- joying in rest and quiet the fruits of his former toil. His wife was also a representative of one of the old Pennsylvania families and unto them were born eleven children, of whom Thomas J. is the eldest. Four of the number are now liv- ing. The others are Mrs. Catherine Young, Mrs. Ellen Worrell and Wilson Crawford, of Kangley.

The other member of the family is Thomas J. Crawford of this review, who was reared near Fredericktown on the Monongahela river in Pennsylvania. He practically had no educational advantages, for the family were then in very limited circumstances and it was necessary that

he aid in the operation of the home farm in his early youth. He has made his own way in life from the age of fifteen years and has also contributed to the support of his father's family.

On the IIth of June, 1853, he won a companion and helpmate for life's journey, being married in' Washington county, Pennsylvania, to Miss Amanda Noble, who was born in Washington county, October 20, 1835. The young couple began their domestic life upon a farm there and Mr. Crawford also worked by the month as a farm hand in the employ of others until he came to Illinois in the fall of 1864. On the 29th of September of that year he took up his abode in Bruce township, La Salle county, and leased a farm for five years. He next bought ten acres of land just north of Streator and with his brother operated a coal mine on that site for thirteen years, being thus closely as- sociated with the development of the rich coal fields of this section of Illinois. In 1869 he purchased one hundred and four acres of land, constituting a part of his present fine farm, to which he has since added and which he has operated continuously for thirty-seven years. He is an energetic agriculturist and has brought his fields under a high state of cultivation, while as a stockman he is well known, having engaged quite extensively in raising horses, cattle and hogs. This branch of his business has likewise proved profitable to him and as the years have gone by he has added continually to his income until he has long since been rated among the substantial residents of this part of the state. His life has altogether been a very busy one and yet he has traveled considerably in the west and southwest.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Crawford have been born rine children, of whom seven are living. Lu- cinda, now a widow residing with her father, has two children, Cora and Albert Moran. The former married a Mr. Mitchell and has three children, Amos, Alma and Albert. William Wil- son, the second member of the Crawford family, died in infancy. Louisa died in Bruce township when about eight years of age. Silas married Miss Katie Courtney and owns and operates a farm on section 28, Eagle township and in connection with his brother-in-law, John Hays, he operates his father's farm of two hundred and eighty acres. Unto him and his wife have been born sixteen children, of whom eleven are living, namely : Mary, who married Louis Raush, has a son, Joseph E., of Staunton, Illi- nois ; Bridget, who married Mr. Connell and has a son, Vincey ; Lucy ; Robert; Frank; Catherine ; Margaret; Alice; Glenn; Thomas; and Bea- trice. Irene is the wife of Samuel Bute, a resi-

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dent of Ottawa, and they have eight children : Elmira, who married John Newberry and has three children, Cora Irene, John Albert and Bir- die Ruth; Thomas; Albert; Bedelia; Edward ; Ethel; Samuel; and Herbert. Amanda Almira is the wife of Louis Martin, residing on the A. B. Moon farm in Eagle township, and they have six children : Silas, Zelma, Willie, Grace, Louis and Arthur. Charles wedded Mary Shimkoik and resides on section 15, Eagle township. They have one child, Waunita. Dora is the wife of Ernest Peters, a resident of Streator, and has three children: Isaac, Edna and Vera. Bedelia is the wife of John Hays, who resides upon Mr. Crawford's farm and operates a portion of it. They have two children, Walter and Alfred. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Crawford now have eight great-grandchildren.

Mr. Crawford has placed all of the improve- ments upon his fine home farm. He is a pro- gressive citizen and is always ready to aid in the advancement of measures or movements re- lating to the welfare of the community and its material, intellectual and moral progress. Po- litically he is an independent democrat and has served as school director. He is now serving for his second term as highway commissioner. For some years he was a member of the Mod- ern Woodmen of America. A review of his life and an analyzation of his work shows that as the architect of his own fortunes he has builded wisely and well. He was ambitious for success and he achieved it at the cost of earnest, self-denying labor, and now he is possessed of valuable property which supplies him in the evening of life with the comforts that go to make life worth living. Moreover he has sus- tained an unassailable reputation for business integrity as the years have gone by and his worth is recognized by all with whom he has had busi- ness or social relations.

PATRICK McGRATH.

Patrick McGrath resides on section II, Wal- lace township, on land on which his father set- tled in the early days of the county. He was born upon this farm, November 16, 1862, a son of James McGrath, who was a native of Ireland, and came to America when twenty-four years of age. He landed at New York in the spring of 1840 and spent a year and a half in the Empire state, after which he traveled on foot from Troy, New York, to Kane county, Illinois, in company with a companion. He lived at the latter place for a year and a half, after which he came to

Dayton township, now Wallace township, La Salle county, and invested the money he had saved in forty acres of government land on section II. In later years the township was divided and his farm was in that section which became Wallace township. After living in the county for four years, during which time he had made considerable improvement on his farm, Mr. McGrath sought a companion and helpmate for life's journey and was married to Miss Ellen Slengsby, who was also a native of County Tipperary, Ireland, where her husband was born. She had come to America about six months prior to her marriage, making the jour- ney with her father, William Slengsby. Mrs. McGrath continued to reside upon the old homestead farm until her death, which occurred in 1875, when she was fifty-five years of age. James McGrath departed this life in January, 1901, at the age of eighty-seven years. He was a man of robust constitution and great physical endurance and possessed, moreover, a strong will. Though he often met with misfortunes and difficulties incident to pioneer life he never became discouraged and gave up but worked on persistently year after year and eventually success rewarded his efforts, so that he was one of the wealthy farmers of his township, own- ing at the time of his death nearly six hundred acres of very valuable land. Before he was mar- ried, and while he was attempting to get a start in the world, he had forty acres of wheat in the stack and about forty tons of hay. One day while assisting a neighbor to erect a dwelling a prairie fire destroyed his wheat and hay, and his little cabin and barn was all that he had left. Instead of giving way to discouragement over his loss, which was very great, he resolutely set to work to retrieve his possessions and as the years advanced his untiring diligence and judi- cious investments made him one of the prosper- ous residents of his community. He built the first dwelling on his farm, a small frame struc- ture and nine years later he built a more com- modious home which still stands.

In the family of Mr. and Mrs. James Mc- Grath were six children, all of whom are yet living, namely: William, a resident of Ottawa; James, traveling salesman representing a Chi- cago house; Maria, who is living in Ottawa; Patrick, of this review; Allen, who lives with his sister in Ottawa; and Philip, also of the county seat.

Patrick McGrath has continuously resided upon the old home farm. At the usual age he entered the district schools and acquired a good common-school education. He worked in the fields through the summer months and as the

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years passed by gained practical knowledge of farming, so that he was well qualified to take charge of a farm of his own. He now owns one hundred and sixty acres of the old homestead, which constitutes a well improved and valuable farm, which he keeps under a high state of cultivation, carrying on general agricultural pur- suits there. He is public-spirited and liberal in regard to matters pertaining to the general wel- fare and politically he is a democrat, while reli- giously he is connected with the Catholic church. For twelve years he served as school director. His father was a man of limited education but realized the value of mental discipline and did more than any other man to help organize the schools of his township. He donated land and furnished money until it could be paid back out of the tax fund for the home district. He got up a petition, traveling on foot through the township to get support, and certainly deserves much credit as the promoter of the public-school system of his locality.

JOSEPH KOPF.

Joseph Kopf, active and prominent in business circles and an influential factor in political and fraternal circles as well, is now secretary of the Streator German Building Associa- tion and secretary and treasurer of The Loup Valley Land Company, dealing in Custer county (Nebraska) lands. Born in Baden, Germany, on the 19th of Novem- ber. 1852, he is a son of Joseph and Caroline (Beck) Kopf, who were likewise natives of Ger- many. The father died in 1888, at the age of eighty-five years, while his wife passed away in 1874, at the age of fifty-one years. They always remained residents of their native land, where Joseph Kopf, Sr., followed the blacksmith's trade in order to provide for his family, which num- bered five children, four sons and one daughter. The sons, John, Joseph, William and Herman, all reached adult age.

Joseph Kopf largely acquired his education in his native country and when a young man of eighteen years sailed for the new world, at - tracted by the broader business opportunities and better business advantages afforded in this coun- try. He landed at New York city in 1870 and went to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. While in the fatherland he had learned the barber's trade, which he afterward followed in the Keystone state for three years and during that period he also attended night school, thus acquiring a knowledge of the English tongue and at the

same time making advancement in general learn- ing. From Pennsylvania he removed to Chicago in 1873, where he continued work at the barber's trade for three years and in 1876 he came to Streator, where he followed the same line of busi- ness for about a decade. On the expiration of that period he established a meat market, which he conducted successfully for seven years, or un- til 1893, when he became one of the large stock- holders of the Streator German Building Asso- ciation and was elected secretary, which office he has since filled, contributing in substantial measure to the successful conduct of this enter- prise, which has been not only a source of income and profit to the stockholders but also a valua- ble factor in the improvement of the city through furnishing loans to many members, who are thus enabled to build homes of their own. He is like- wise secretary and treasurer of The Loup Val- ley Land Company, with home office in Streator, but owning and controlling lands in Custer coun- ty, Nebraska.

Mr. Kopf's activity has not been confined to personal business interests but has been extended to many fields, wherein his usefulness and execu- tive capacity have been recognized to the benefit of the town and county which he represents. Hon- ored with various public offices, he served as tax collector of Bruce township in 1891 and 1892 and was assistant supervisor of the township from 1893 until 1897. In 1895 he was elected mayor of Streator and during his two years' term gave to the city a businesslike and progressive admin- istration. His political allegiance is given the democracy but as an office holder he places the general good before partisanship and labors with public-spirited disinterestedness for the general good, putting forth effective and far-reaching in- fluence for the welfare of the community at large.

Mr. Kopf has been married three times. He first wedded Martha Berge and unto them was born one daughter, Anna, who is now the wife of August E. Walling and resides in Los Angeles, California. Following the death of the mother Mr. Kopf wedded Miss Mary Hess and they had three children : Catherine, Mamie and Jessie. The second wife of Mr. Kopf died on the 8th of October, 1896, and on the IIth of November, 1897, he married Alvina Zilm in Marshall coun- ty, Illinois. She was born in that county, Sep- tember 9. 1860, a daughter of William and Min- nie (Riegemberger) Zilm. Her father came to this country in early life, locating in Marshall county, Illinois, where he followed the occupa- tion of farming, his life's labors being ended in death June 2, 1906, when he was seventy-three years of age. His widow still survives and yet

JOSEPH KOPF.

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PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

makes her home in Marshall county. In their family were nine children, of whom eight are now living, Mrs. Kopf being the second in order of birth. By the third marriage there is one daugh- ter, Josephine.

Mr. Kopf is well known in fraternal circles, belonging to Streator lodge, No. 607, A. F. & A. M .; and Streator chapter, No. 168, R. A. M. He was knighted in Ottawa commandery, No. 10, K. T., and demitted from that organization to be- come a charter member of Streator commandery, No. 70. He is likewise identified with Peoria consistory, in which he has attained the thirty- second degree of the Scottish Rite. He belongs to Beethoven lodge, No. 474, I. O. O. F., of which he is past noble grand, and at the present writ- ing he is serving as treasurer, which office he has filled for the past twenty years. He is also con- nected through' membership relations with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights and Ladies of Honor. Thus his energy and en- terprise have extended to various fields of activity, promoting progress along fraternal, business and political lines, in each of which his efforts have accomplished desired results, so that he is today numbered among the leading and influential resi- dents of Streator.

JOHN KERNS.

John Kerns, farmer and supervisor of Ophir township, is a native of County Sligo, Ireland, born in September, 1845. His father, Peter Kerns, was a farmer and stock-buyer on the Em- erald Isle and in early manhood wedded Mar- garet Conlon. In 1849 he came with his family to America and settled at Rochester, New York. where for three years he worked as a laborer. In 1852, thinking to enjoy better business oppor- tunities in the new and growing west, he came to La Salle county and for six months was employed at farm labor in Freedom township. The same year he purchased a farm of eighty acres on section 12, Ophir township. It was a tract of raw prairie on which were no build- ings, but he soon erected a house and barn and resided there for ten years, after which he pur- chased another farm, on which he made his home until his death at the age of seventy years. Following her husband's demise Mrs. Kerns removed to Ottawa, where she died at the age of eighty years. Mr. Kerns was a very poor man when he came to the United States but he was a hard worker and prospered. As the years passed he added to his financial resources and became the owner of four hundred acres of

very valuable land. In politics he was a demo- crat and his religious faith was indicated by his membership in the Catholic church.

In the family were ten children, all of whom reached adult age: Mary, the deceased wife of A. McManus, a resident of Nebraska ; Pat, who served as a soldier in the Fifty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the Civil war and died soon after its close; John, of this review ; Catherine and Bridget, who are both Sisters of Mercy in a hospital in Davenport, Iowa; Peter, deceased ; James W., a prominent republican liv- ing at Auburn, Nebraska, who has been a mem- ber of the state legislature; Thomas, residing on a farm in Ophir township; Charles, whose home is in Omaha, Nebraska ; and Alice, the de- ceased wife of T. O'Gorman, of Ottawa.

John Kerns was only about four years of age when the family came to America and was a youth of seven at the time of the removal to La Salle county. He attended the district schools to the age of fourteen years, when the necessity of providing for his own support forced him to lay aside his text-books. He remained at home until twenty-six years of age, leading a life of untiring industry upon the old home place. He began plowing when only nine years of age and when a young lad hauled grain to Ottawa with ox teams. When twenty-six years of age he purchased the interest of the other heirs in the home property and has resided thereon continu- ously since. The place was partially improved when it came into his possession and Mr. Kerns has since erected a fine commodious residence and good outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock. In fact all the modern equipments of a model farm are here found and the prop- erty is valuable. The place comprises three hun- dred and seven acres of land and is devoted to general farming and stock-raising. He feeds cattle quite extensively and is a successful breeder of Percheron horses.

At the age of twenty-eight years Mr. Kerns was married to Miss Mary E. Crawley, who was born in New York, a daughter of John Crawley, an early resident of Ophir township and a sister of John Crawley, Jr., who lives upon the old home farm. Mr. and Mrs. Kerns have become the parents of seven children: George F., a wholesale lumber merchant of Freeport, Illinois ; Mary and Thomas, both at home: Levi John and Lester James, twins, the former in busi- ness with his brother George in Freeport and the latter at home; and Stephen and Mabel, who are yet under the parental roof. The children have all been well educated, attending St. Bead's College in Peru, Illinois, and St. Xavier's Acad- emy at Ottawa.

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PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

Mr. Kerns and his family are members of the Catholic church at Earlville. In politics a democrat since age conferred upon him the right of franchise, Mr. Kerns is recognized as one of the leaders in the local ranks of his party and is now serving his second term as super- visor. He has also held other offices. The fact that his township contains twice as many repub- licans as democrats and that upon the democratic ticket he has been twice elected supervisor is an indication of the capable manner in which he discharges his duties and of the confidence which the people repose in him. Almost his entire life has been spent in this county and he is most highly esteemed where best known.

REUBEN CRANDALL, JR.

No student of history can carry his investiga- tions far into the annals of La Salle county with- out learning of the close, intimate and honorable connection therewith of the Crandall family and no written record of the county would be com- plete without mention of those who bear this name. Reuben Crandall, great-grandfather of Montford Crandall, the representative of the family of the present generation, was born in Canterbury, Connecticut, and came alone to Illi- nois at a very early period in the settlement and development of La Salle county. He aided in subjugating the wilderness and extending the frontier. He entered from the government a tract of land of nearly one thousand acres in Troy Grove township, but a year later he re- turned to Connecticut, where he died. His widow, Mrs. Esther Crandall, and her family, together with her sister-in-law, Prentice Cran- dall, came on to Illinois and lived upon the farm which her husband had entered. Here they built a pioneer home and, being in limited financial circumstances, the struggle for existence was a hard one. The sister, Prentice Crandall, was a noted worker for the cause of abolition and established in Connecticut the first school in the world for teaching negroes. She carried for- ward the work in Illinois and later in Nebraska and was finally pensioned by the state of Con- necticut while living in the last mentioned state. She was a notable and historic character, whose influence has been a most important element in the nation as a beneficial factor for the colored race. The family of Reuben and Esther Cran- dall numbered six children: Reuben, Obadiah, Esther, May, Clarissa and Hulda.

Reuben Crandall, coming with his mother from New England to Illinois, was identified

with the pioneer development of this part of the state. He aided in the arduous task of develop- ing a new farm and worked persistently and energetically among pioneer surroundings in order to establish a home on the western frontier. Having arrived at the age of maturity he married Miss Amanda Smith, daughter of Argo Smith, and they became the parents of two children, Montford and Josephine. The latter married John Adams and resides in Mendota.

Montford. Crandall was born upon the old family homestead in this county, August 21, 1859, and was only five years of age when his father died. The family were left in limited financial circumstances, which necessitated that he early provide for his own support and through an active business career he has been connected with agricultural interests. Having but little to start with, he owes his success largely to his own enterprise and efforts and life of enterprise and activity is indicated by the fact that he is today the owner of two hundred and sixty acres of farm land in Troy Grove township, which is devoted to the general cultivation of cereals and also to stock-raising. He has been very suc- cessful as a grain-grower, annually harvesting large crops, for as he has studied the best methods of carrying on the work and his labors are attended with good results.

Mr. Crandall was united in marriage to Miss Clara Wixom, whose family history is given else- where in this work. They have become the par- ents of five children: Grace, now the wife of Harry Wright, who is in the employ of the gov- ernment ; Mary; Reuben; Ina; and Ruth. The two eldest have been students in the university at Champaign. The son, Reuben Crandall, was married in 1906 to Miss Daisy Phillips, whose father was of English descent and came from the east to Illinois, settling in Troy Grove town- ship. Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Crandall live upon the old Crandall homestead in Troy Grove town- ship and he is one of La Salle county's most progressive and enterprising young farmers, accomplishing what ever he undertakes and dis- playing strong determination and energy in his business life together with a reliability that has gained him warm regard.

In his political views Montford Crandall is a republican, who keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day. He is a Metho- dist in his religious faith and is now serving as trustee of the Mendota church. He also belongs to the Woodmen camp, No. 65, at Mendota and is justly regarded as an honest, respected citizen, and a worthy representative of one of the promi- nent old pioneer families. Four generations of the family have now been active and influential

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History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 113

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