History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 117

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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In 1896 Mr. McDonnell was married to Miss Molly De Lanty, who was born in Allen town- ship, La Salle county, and is a daughter of Marshall De Lanty, who was a farmer of Allen township, and died about five years ago. Her mother is still living and is now with Mr. and Mrs. McDonnell. In his political views Mr. McDonnell has always been an earnest demo- crat and for one year served as school director but takes no active part in politics as an office seeker, preferring to devote his time and ener- gies to his farming interests, in which he is meeting with signal success. He is a member of the Catholic church of Ottawa and his wife and her people are also communicants.

WILLIAM P. WARREN.

Among the representative citizens and leading farmers of Serena township, La Salle county, none perhaps is better known or more highly respected than the subject of our sketch, Wil- liam Perry Warren. Mr. Warren is a son of one of the early pioneers of La Salle county, Nathan Warren. Nathan Warren was born in the state of Maine, in the year 1806, a son of Samuel Warren, also a native of the state; emigrated

to New York state with his parents when a child, and in 1836, accompanied by his family, came west to Illinois, making the journey hither by wagon, spending a month en route and land- ing in safety at his destination, Serena town- ship, La Salle county, October 20. He bought land from the government, on section 8, and here improved a farm and reared his family. Con- sidering the many obstacles he had to encounter incident to life in a new locality while he im- proved and cultivated his farm and supplied the wants of a family, his success was remarkable. He had little or no advantages for obtaining an education in his youth, and it was not until he was at the head of a family that he learned to read and write, then being taught to do so by his wife. Later in life a great reader, well informed on the topics of the day, and possess- ing a strong individuality, he became a potent factor in the pioneer locality. On all political matters he entertained decided views. The Mor- gan incident made him a radical anti-Mason man and the slavery question found him on the side of the most intense abolitionists. When the re- publican party was organized he identified him- self with it and became one of the leading re- publicans in Serena township, while from time to time he served in various official capacities, always promoting the best interests of the public.

In every sense of the word he was a Christian gentleman, and was a member of the old "close communion" Baptist church. He died in Serena in 1886. Of his family we record that his first wife, whose maiden name was Lydia Baxter, was the daughter of Connecticut parents. She died in 1846. Subsequently he married Maria Lester. The children of the first marriage were named William P., Fannie M. and Lucien L. The daughter is married and lives in Ottawa, Illinois, and the son Lucien is a resident of Galesburg, this state. There were four daughters by the second marriage, all now deceased, namely: Laura and Emily; Mary, the wife of Almon Bristol; and Florence, wife of Elmer Perkins.

Returning now to the immediate subject of this sketch, William P. Warren, we find that he was born in Madison county, New York, June 28. 1828, and was eight years old when he accompanied his parents to Illinois. In the pio- neer school of the locality in which they settled he received his early training. He relates an incident of his experiences as a schoolboy calcu- lated to undeceive the modern youth as to the actual conditions under which the pioneer boys and girls of the west were educated. Many of the early schools were kept in dwellings that had been abandoned or for any reason were unoccu-

W. P. WARREN.

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pied, and in this instance a double log house was being used by the school. One night it rained and some roaming cattle took shelter on the porch connecting the two buildings. One of the animals found the leather latch-string and be- gan chewing it, which caused the door to open, and in walked the cows and took possession of the schoolroom. Books were scattered about the room and there were other evidences that cattle were not the tidiest housekeepers in the world. The puncheon floor had a passage through to the cellar and one of the cows found its way thither, where it was found by our subject the next morning when he went to school. The children of the beginning of the twentieth century are scarcely able to imagine that very many such incidents, and even more laughable ones, actually occurred where now are to be found modern and greatly superior accommodations and appliances for their instruction.

On reaching manhood Mr. Warren continued in the occupation in which he had been reared, that of farming, and settled down to it in earnest after his return from the Pacific coast, whither he went in quest of gold. It was March 20, 1850, that he started for California. This jour- ney he made across the plains by caravan, and after five months of weary travel he landed in "Hangtown," now Placerville, California, where he began work as a prospector. While he did not, in the language of the miner "strike it rich," in the course of two years he got enough of the shining metal together to pay for a large piece of the land he now owns. He returned home by the way of the Nicaragua route, purchased the partial swamp that is now so well improved and so tillable, and has been a successful farmer ever since. The prairies of Illinois in their wild state were full of "rattlers" and it was a contin- uous battle between the snake and the settler as to supremacy. The ground was rife with them in the spring, the fields were overrun with them in summer and the meadows were guarded by them in the autumn. While stacking wheat on a chilly day one season these pests (having secreted there for warmth) would fall out of the bundles upon Mr. Warren's head or be thrown from the load by his father to be killed by the son, and on that particular day he killed twenty. He says he never let a snake get away that he saw, heard or smelled.

Mr. Warren has ever been a republican in poli- tics, interested in the success of his party and the general good of his township and county. He has filled the offices of deputy county surveyor, which business he acquired while acting as assist- ant for Surveyor Brumback many years ago. He makes plans for bridges and other structures

requiring the services of a civil engineer, and has acquired an excellent reputation for his work in this line.

During the latter part of the Civil war Mr. Warren was in the Union army ten months ; was stationed at Mobile, Alabama, as a member of the Forty-seventh Illinois Infantry; and saw the surrender of Fort Blakely. At the close of the war he received an honorable discharge and returned to his home.

At the age of twenty-six years Mr. Warren was united in marriage to Miss Delia A., daugh- ter of Samuel Flint, of Ohio. She died March 7, 1893. To this union we record the birth of these children, namely : Marion A., the eldest ; Horace, who married Lyda Roe; Geneva (deceased), who was the wife of John Woolsey ; Lewis E., who married Helga Holmba; Harry, at home; and Sherman, who is married and resides in Iowa. In 1894 Mr. Warren married a second wife Mrs. Louise Granteer, nee Dann, of Pennsylvania birth.

JOHN A. ALBERT.

John A. Albert, a farmer and stock-raiser, whose place of one hundred and twenty acres constitutes a well improved farm on section 26, Vermillion township, was born in Preble county, Ohio, April 30, 1855. His parents were Charles and Martha (Homan) Albert. The father was a native of Germany and when a young man came to America, settling in Ohio, where he suc- cessfully followed farming until his death, which occurred in the early 'gos, when he was seventy- six years of age. He first married Elizabeth King, a native of Ohio, who died leaving two sons: W. H. Albert, proprietor of a restaurant in Indiana; and Charles W., a farmer of Eagle township. For his second wife he chose Miss Martha Homan, who died in 1873, leaving four sons and four daughters, two of whom reside in La Salle county, John and Mrs. Annie Carter, the widow of Charles Carter, her home being at Grand Ridge.

John A. Albert was reared in Ohio to the age of nineteen years and then came to La Salle county, Illinois, where he worked for his brother Charles for eight or nine years. In 1890 he bought his present farm, which he has improved and he is now engaged in raising Norman horses and Duroc Jersey hogs, and his live-stock in- terests are a very important branch of his busi- ness. He has been very successful since coming to La Salle county and his prosperity is the direct reward of earnest, persistent labor, while

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in business affairs his judgment is sound and reliable. His land is a fertile tract on section 26, Vermillion township, of one hundred and twenty acres and the fields are well tilled, good crops being annually harvested. Mr. Albert has been married twice. He first wedded Miss Emma Lathrop, who died June 18, 1893, at the age of thirty-five years, leaving one daughter, Nettie M., now at home. His present wife bore the maiden name of Iva V. Huss and is a daugh- ter of Benjamin Huss, of Vermillion township, and by this marriage there are three children : Charles, who is nine years of age; Cora B., five years of age; and Louis D., who was born March 26, 1906.

Politically Mr. Albert is a republican and for three years he served as commissioner of Ver- million township. He has been a school director for twelve or thirteen years and the cause of education finds in him a warm and stalwart friend. Coming to La Salle county in early manhood, the entire period of his business career has been passed here and through the improve- ment of the advantages and opportunities which the county offers to her citizens, he has worked his way upward, his life standing in exemplifica- tion of the fact that persistent, honorable labor when guided by sound judgment is always sure of its reward.

ANDREW J. HOFFMAN.

The history of Andrew J. Hoffman well de- serves place in the ranks of representative citi- zens of La Salle county. He was a man whom to know was to respect and honor. He had many good qualities, was straightforward in business, progressive in citizenship, considerate in his relations with his fellowmen, and thus furnished an example well worthy of emulation. He left behind him the priceless heritage of an untarnished name and his memory is yet en- shrined in the hearts of many who knew him and will be cherished by his friends and family for years to come. No death in the community has been more deeply deplored than that of Mr. Hoffman, whereby his acquaintances were de- prived of a faithful, loyal friend, while his chil- dren were robbed of the care of a loving father. his wife of the attention of a kind, loving and devoted husband. He was one of La Salle county's native sons, born upon his father's farm about 1841. In pioneer times his father, John Hoffman, came to La Salle county and for many years thereafter figured prominently in public affairs. He was born in Genoa, Cayuga county,

New York, May 23, 1806, a son of William and Nancy (Crawford) Hoffman. The grand- father was a native of Bucks county, Pennsyl- vania, and was of Swedish lineage. He served his country as a soldier in the Revolutionary war, entering the army as a drummer when quite young, and was present at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown. Following the establishment of American independence he set- tied in the state of New York, where he spent his remaining days, his death occurring at Au- rora, Cayuga county, in 1843, when he was eighty-six years of age. His first wife died in 1821 and he was married again.

In his youth John Hoffman was deprived of many of the advantages and opportunities which most boys receive. The limited financial cir- cumstances of the family forced him to com- mence life a poor boy and when only fifteen years of age he was apprenticed to learn the trade of wool-carding and cloth-dressing at Montville. After three years thus passed he was obliged to discontinue work at the trade for a time on account of an injury he had sustained. He then went to Auburn, New York, where he began to learn the saddler's trade, but his injurv proved detrimental in that work and after a month he invested the five dollars which he re- ceived for his services in trinkets and went upon the road as a peddler. This was at a time when much merchandise was sold in this way by itinerant merchants, who traveled from house to house. He made his home at Newtown, now Almira. New York. for many years, and worked at wool-carding and cloth-dressing at Southport near Newton. In 1825 he left the Empire state for Tioga county, Pennsylvania, where he was employed at farm labor for about two years. He next spent two years in farming in Orange county, New York, and in the fall of 1828 returned to Newtown. Soon afterward he engaged in peddling dry goods and tinware, which he continued until 1832, when he rented a saw and grist mill in partnership with Wil- liam Ecker.

On the 20th of February, 1833, John Hoffman was married to Miss Mary Ann Mann, whom he met while on the road as a peddler. She was born at Mansfield, Tioga county, Pennsyl- vania, July 27, 1815, a daughter of Asa Mann. They lived in Tioga county until May, 1838. when they became residents of Peru, La Salle county, Illinois, where they resided seventeen years. Mr. Hoffman first engaged in merchan- dising and in 1848 built the Hoffman House, which he conducted until 1854. He was also postmaster at Peru from 1841 until 1849. when he resigned. In the fall of 1854 he removed

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to Mendota township and settled on the south- east quarter of section 25, adding to his land holdings by subsequent purchase until he owned eight hundred acres. In politics he was always a stanch democrat, a recognized leader in the local ranks of the party, and he was chairman of the first board of supervisors of La Salle county, holding the office for two years. He was well acquainted with Lincoln, Douglas and other prominent and distinguished men of that time, and Douglas on more than one occasion spoke at receptions held at the home of Mr. Hoffman. Not only was Mr. Hoffman a leader in political circles and a very successful man in his business affairs, but also possessed a lit- erary nature and wrote a series of articles for the Mendota News published in 1875-6. He was perhaps the most wealthy and prominent farmer of his day here and exerted a wide influence over public thought and action. He died in April, 1891, and his wife is still living, now making her home with her daughter-in-law, Mrs. A. J. Hoffman, at the very advanced age of ninety-one years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. John Hoffman were born eleven children, all of whom were born in Peru or upon the home farm. Mary became the wife of Andrew Wisner and had three children, Jay, Ada and Loa. After losing her first husband she married Samuel Haight, and they have three children, Samuel J., Harry and Mabel Mcknight. Juliet C. is now Mrs. Wolff and resides in Chicago. She is a trained nurse and has been given charge of many difficult and important cases in and around Mendota. She was born in Peru and now makes her home with Mrs. Hoffman. Her children are: Andrew J., of Wichita, Kansas, who married Mertie Ray, a daughter of Albert and Katie Ray, of this county ; and Grover C., who is express- man and baggage master at Aurora. Mrs. Mar- cia R. Geraghty, also living in Chicago, has four children, John H., Mary Anna, Charles C. and Helen G. Charles C. Hoffman, living at Sheldon, Iowa, is married and has nine children : Mortimer ; Lillian ; Susan B. ; Elmer ; Mary Ann ; John; Marcia, deceased; Andrew J .; and Gil- letta C., who resides in Sheldon, Iowa. Asa M. died in Ottawa while serving as treasurer of La Salle county. His widow lives in Virginia and their children were: John R., who is a practic- ing physician at a Chicago hospital but lives in Ottawa; Mrs. Mabel S. Stoddard, of Chicago; Mrs. Eva Bradford, of Ottawa; William, Arthur and Lyle, living with their mother in Virginia ; and Rue, also of Chicago. Andrew J. is the next of the family. John B. is married, lives in Colo- rado and has a family of seven children: Fred B., Mrs. Ada Carnahan ; Mrs. Maud Swartout ;

Frank; Mrs. Jessie Cole; Carrie; and Asa. Phoebe A., the oldest of the family, became the wife of O. Beardsley and died, leaving three children, Adelina, John and Eva.

Andrew J. Hoffman was born on the old home- stead farm in La Salle county about three years after his father purchased it and there died of appendicitis October 20, 1905. He began his education in the country school near his home and later attended the east side high school in Mendota, while subsequently he was a student at Brown's Business College in Brighton. Dur- ing the periods of his vacation and after putting aside his text-books he was associated with his father in farming operations, but later was ap- pointed deputy county treasurer under Treasurer Raymond for a term of four years. On the ex- piration of that period, his brother, Asa Hoff - man, was elected treasurer and appointed An- drew J. Hoffman as his deputy, but the former died before he went into office, so that the lat- ter did not serve. He was very successful as a farmer and conducted a large and prosperous business, draining his land, placing it under a high state of cultivation and putting many im- provements thereon. He was a very successful stock-raiser and feeder and his operations as a stockman brought to him a most gratifying measure of prosperity. In all of his business dealings he was thoroughly reliable and enjoyed in large measure the confidence and esteem of his fellowmen.

While in Ottawa, on the 18th of October, 1887, Mr. Hoffman was united in marriage to Miss Edith M. Wing, a daughter of Charles E. and Susanna Wing, representatives of a promi- nent Ottawa family. Following his marriage Mr. Hoffman returned to this county and pur- chased the old homestead, comprising two hun- dred and forty acres of land. He at once un- dertook the task of placing it under cultivation and developing the fields, carrying on general farming on an extensive scale until his demise. He prospered in his undertakings because he possessed a resolute character and strong de- termination and would allow nothing to thwart his purpose if difficulties and obstacles could be overcome by honorable and determined effort.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman were born five children : Willard, Ethel G., Charles H., How- ard E. and Edith H., the last named being only two years of age at the time of her father's death, so that she was left without the loving care and attention of the father, little realizing her great loss.

Andrew J. Hoffman was a prominent and in- fluential factor in public life and on the 16th of June, 1905, was drawn for service on the fed-

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eral grand jury, acting as its foreman and con- tinuing on the jury for one hundred and four days. Later he was elected president of the League, a prominent organization of that jury, but would not accept. However, he did accept the office of vice president and acted in that capacity until his death. He well merited the honor that was conferred upon him in this con- nection, being a citizen of genuine public spirit and one who regarded no personal sacrifice as too great if it would enable him to promote the general welfare or contribute to the best inter- ests of town and county. He was a man of very kind and gentle disposition, was charitable and gave freely to the poor and needy. He was known as a man of firm convictions, unfaltering in his support of what he believed to be right, and in his political views he was a democrat, as was his father before him. He served for four years as supervisor, was also school director, township clerk and deputy county treasurer for four years. He was always honest and straight- forward in his business dealings, never being known to take advantage of the necessities of his fellowmen in any trade transaction, while in politics he utterly disregarded any underhand dealings and brought to bear in his political serv- ice and action the same principles of honesty and honor which characterized his business ca- reer and his private life. He had many friends because he was worthy of them. Emerson has said, "The way to win a friend is to be one," and the truth of this statement is verified in the life of Mr. Hoffman, who gave his friendship freely to those who were worthy of it and thus won many warm friendships in return. His death, which occurred upon the old homestead where he had always lived, was the occasion of deep and wide-spread regret, but while he has gone from among his fellow townsmen who had known him from his boyhood days his influence is yet felt as a potent factor for good and he will be remembered for years to come by those who knew him and were his associates.

OSCAR D. F. CONKEY.

The deserved reward of a well spent life is an honored retirement from business, in which to enjoy the fruits of former toil. Today after a useful and beneficial career, O. D. F. Conkey is quietly living at his beautiful new home on Indiana avenue, Mendota, surrounded by the comfort that earnest labor has brought him. He is a prominent citizen of La Salle county, and is a man highly respected wherever known.

A native of New York, Mr. Conkey was born in Martinsburg, Lewis county, on the Ist of De- cember, 1821, and is a son of Colonel Adam and Elizabeth (Lee) Conkey, who were also born in the Empire state. The father, who was a farmer by occupation, spent the greater part of his life in Lewis county, and for many years made his home in Martinsburg. As a member of the New York state militia he rose to the rank of colonel and he also participated in the war of 1812. He died in 1884, at the advanced age of ninety-four years, having survived his wife about twenty years. She was a consistent and earnest Christian woman, holding member- ship in the Presbyterian church, and was the mother of eight children, four sons and four daughters, but half of the number died in early life. The others are Amanda M., wife of D. D. Guiles, of Wellington, Kansas; Oscar D. F., of this review; William F., of Iroquois, South Dakota; and Adelia M., wife of Thomas Wil- son, of Cleveland, Ohio. On the maternal side our subject is of English descent but the Con- keys came originally from Ireland, though sev- eral generations of the family have lived in this country. His grandfather, Silas Conkey, was a native of Massachusetts, but died in New York, his home being at Salem, Washington county, that state. He passed away in middle life but his wife lived to the extreme old age of ninety- five years. In their family were five sons and three daughters.

In the state of his nativity Oscar D. F. Conkey grew to manhood, attending the district schools near his home and later the Louisville Academy. At an early age he began earning his own living and the success that he has attained in life is due entirely to his own unaided efforts. He came west in 1843 and after spending one winter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he took up his residence in Batavia, Illinois, where he remained a year and a half. He next went to Massillon, Stark county, Ohio, where he operated a line of canal boats until the fall of 1853. Having prospered in his business affairs he came to Mendota, La Salle county, Illinois, in October that year and purchased two hundred and forty acres of wild land in Brooklyn township, Lee county, on which he built a house of five rooms but never made it his home. He took up his residence in Men- - dota, however, the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad being in course of construction at that time, and in 1854 returned to Ohio, where he bought several carloads of horses which he brought to this state for sale. In partnership with George McCormick, he opened the Peoples Cheap Store on Main street, Mendota, becoming one of the first merchants of the place and

O. D. F. CONKEY.

MRS. O. D. F. CONKEY.

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dealing in everything needed by the pioneers. He disposed of his interest in the store to B. W. Phillips in 1857 and then gave his attention to the buying and selling of grain and hogs. He erected the first elevator at Walnut in 1871, and in 1886 built an elevator at Triumph, Ophir township, where he did a good business. A man of good business ability, energetic and pro- gressive, he met with remarkable success in his undertakings and for some time shipped whole trainloads of ten or fifteen cars of grain. He was very fortunate in his investments and con- tinued to successfully engage in speculation until about fifteen years ago, when he retired from active business life. He still owns much valuable property, including over one thousand acres of land in La Salle and Lee counties, large tracts of improved land in Iowa ; two hundred and forty acres of coal land in Vinton county, Ohio, five houses in Mendota, besides large tracts of west- ern lands, being today one of the largest tax- payers in La Salle county.

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History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 117

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