History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 125

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 125

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OTIS L. CHAPMAN.

Otis L. Chapman, carrying on farming and stock raising along lines of modern progress and improvement, has a valuable tract of land of one hundred and sixty acres, constituting the old Chapman homestead. It was upon this farm that he first opened his eyes to the light of day on the 29th of October, 1863. His father, Hiram W. Chapman, came to La Salle county in 1853 and in 1856 took up his abode upon the farm which is now occu- pied by his son. He broke and cleared the land and developed the farm, making it a good property. He was a native of East Bloomfield, Ontario county, New York, born January 16, 1824, while his father, Amassa Chapman, was a native of Hancock, Massachusetts, and repre- sented one of the old New England families. His birth occurred September 29, 1793, and he departed this life April 27, 1836. He married Miss Emily D. Cooley, who was born July 4, 1799, and passed away April 30, 1842. For many years they were residents of New York and both died in that state. Their son, Hiram W. Chapman, was reared in the Empire state and on the 23d of January, 1849, was united in marriage to Miss Ann E. Davis, a daugh-

ter of Cornelius Davis, a native of New England. Coming westward to Illinois, they established their home in La Salle county, where they continued to reside until called to their final rest, Mrs. Chapman passing away at the age of fifty-three years, while the death of Mr. Chapman occurred when he was seventy-four years of age. In their family were seven children, of whom four sons and a daughter reached years of maturity, namely : George H., who is living in Odell, Illinois ; Hosmer C., a resident of Miller township, La Salle county ; Della Lucina, who died in 1880, at the age of twenty-two years; Frank O., of Miller township; and Otis L.

In taking up the personal history of Otis L. Chapman we present to our readers the life record of one who is widely known in this county, having spent his entire life here. The common schools afforded him his educational privileges and he remained upon the old farm with his father until the latter's death, when he succeeded to a part of the homestead. He was early trained to the work of the fields, aided in plowing, planting and harvesting, so that he brought to his work broad practical experience when he started out in life on his own account. He has erected a neat, modern residence, heated with hot water and supplied with all up-to-date conveniences and accessories, He has also built a good granary and crib and has fenced and tiled his place. He has planted fruit and each year his orchards return good crops, while the fields yield bounteous harvests as the reward of the care and labor which he bestows upon them. He is a breeder and dealer in pure blood- ed shorthorn cattle and has a herd of eleven head with a fine male at its head. He is more particularly a stock farmer and is extensively and successfully engaged in the breeding and raising of live stock, being one of the leading representatives of this line of business in La Salle county.

Mr. Chapman was married in Grundy, Illinois, on the 15th of January, 1890, to Miss Martha Jane Hohenshell, a daughter of Daniel and Catherine (Waltz) Hohenshell. She was born in Grundy county, and was there reared. By her marriage she has become the mother of four children : William Henry, born February 23, 1891, who is with his father on the farm; Hiram Wesley, born March II, 1892; Della Catherine, born April 8, 1895 ; and Oscar Roy, born July 7, 1900.

Mr. Chapman is a member of the Yeoman Society, a fraternal order, and in politics he is a republican, keeping well informed on the ques- tions of the day and giving unfaltering support to the party. He has served on the school board

MR. AND MRS. O. L. CHAPMAN.

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but otherwise has held no public office, his time and attention being fully occupied with his busi- ness interests, which are now of an extensive and important character. He is one of the world's workers, always busy with his farm and its improvement, and as one of the respected and influential residents of Miller township he well deserves mention in this volume.

GUSTAVE HAZEMANN.

The enterprising town of Leland finds a worthy citizen in Gustave Hazemann, who is identified with the agricultural interests of La Salle county, owning several well improved farms in his lo- cality. He makes his home, however, in the vil- lage, where he has a neat residence, which was built in 1903. More than a half century has come and gone since he took up his abode in Illi- nois. His birthplace is in the far-off land of France, he first opening his eyes to the light of day in Alsace, July 18, 1835. His parents, Charles and Catherine (Coquelin) Hazemann, spent their entire lives in Alsace.

There our subject was reared to the age of nineteen years, during which time he enjoyed fair school advantages in his native language. In 1855 he came to the United States attracted by the broader opportunities and better business ad- vantages of the new world. His destination was Leland, Illinois, for he had friends living here. Entering upon his business career he worked at farm labor for eight years, beginning at ten dol- lars per month, his wages, however, being in- creased consecutively to twelve, thirteen and fif- teen dollars per month. From his earnings he saved capital sufficient to enable him to invest in land and he bought eighty acres near Leland in 1863. Through the added stimulus of cultivat- ing a farm of his own he began to develop and improve this property, whereon he built a good house and barn, transforming his place into a productive and well kept farm. He has bought more land from time to time and now owns one hundred and sixty acres in the home place and a second farm of one hundred and thirty-eight acres adjoining, so that he has nearly three hun- dred acres in one body. This does not, however, by any means represent his entire land holdings, which aggregate nearly nine hundred acres. This amount is divided into a number of very valuable farms, all of which are situated in the vicinity of Leland and are very rich farming properties, the soil being alluvial and responding readily to the care and labor that is bestowed upon it.

Mr. Hazemann was married in La Salle county, March 23, 1864, to Miss Sophia Claude, also a native of Alsace, France, and a daughter of Henry T. and Sophia Harriet (Loux) Claude, who came to America in 1844 and located at Somonauk, De Kalb county, Illinois, where they lived for many years. The mother died in 1851, and the father, long surviving her, passed away at Leland in 1899, at the advanced age of ninety- two years.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hazemann were born thir- teen children, of whom two died in infancy, while three sons and eight daughters reached years of maturity, namely: Edward, now a farmer of Adams township, was married June 27, 1895, to Anna Beck, a daughter of Henry and Margaret (Graf) Beck, of Leland, La Salle county, and they had three children, Claude B., Margaret A. and Verne E., aged ten, eight and four years, respectively. George, also a farmer of Adams township, was married January 22, 1902, to Lizzie Gunther, a daughter of William and Caroline (Frank) Gunther, of Somonauk, and they have a little daughter, Luella A., aged two years. Arthur, who is also engaged in agri- cultural pursuits in Adams township, was mar- ried January 6, 1897, to Emma Von Ohlen, a daughter of Henry and Caroline (Likert) Von Ohlen, of Somonauk, Illinois, and they have two daughters, Allene Mae and Ione Myrtle, aged eight and five respectively. The daughters of our subject are Josephine, Emma, Mary, Ada- line, Martha, Ella, Amanda and Lilian, and of this number Emma, Mary, Ella, Martha, Amanda and Lilian are all graduates of the Leland high school, and Mary, who has now taught in this county for nine years, attended the State Nor- mal two years. Adaline was married February 16, 1898, to Fred Beck, a son of Henry and Margaret Beck, and they have one child, Fred Vivian, aged four years. Martha was married December 7, 1904, to Rev. Wiley O. Bellamy, who was born in Knoxville, Iowa, and is a son of Samuel K. and Acasina (Manford) Bellamy. His father was a native of Indiana and from that state removed to Knoxville, Iowa, where he died in 1881. The mother is still living in the old home at that place. Rev. Bellamy was graduated from the high school of Knoxville in 1885 and a business collge the following year. He next entered the Northwestern University, Chicago, and completed the course at the Gar- rett Biblical Institute in 1900. He was ordained to the ministry in 1898. In 1901 he was mar- ried in Ontario, Canada, and by that union had one child, Jean, now four years old. His first wife having died, he married Martha Hazemann. Their only child died in infancy. Ella and

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Lilian Hazemann were graduated from Mercy Hospital, Chicago, and are now trained nurses of that city. Amanda is teaching school in De Kalb county, having formerly attended the Nor- mal School there for two years.

Politically Mr. Hazemann is a republican, voting with the party yet never seeking office. He and his wife were reared in the Lutheran church but his children are members of the Methodist church. He commenced life a poor boy, having no capital, and at farm labor made a start in the world. He is today one of the most extensive landowners in the county, having for many years been a most active and diligent farmer, cautious in making investments, so that his losses have been very light and his gains have been steady. He is recognized as a far- seeing financier and successful business man and deserves much credit for what he has accom- plished, his life record being another illustra- tion of the fact that in this country where ef- fort is not hampered by caste or class the rewards of labor are sure.

MRS. CLARA FRENCH.

Mrs. Clara French, living in Ottawa, is one of the representative business women of the county, with large and important interests which she capably controls. She has a very wide and fa- vorable acquaintance in the county and while her property and invested interests make heavy claim upon her time she nevertheless finds opportuni- ties to take an active and helpful interest in church and other work for the moral progress of the community. She represents one of the prominent pioneer families of La Salle county, her parents being Mr. and Mrs. David Strawn, who located here when the work of development and progress had scarcely been begun. They cast in their lot with the settlers upon the frontier and lived amid the environments and surroundings which are common in pioneer settlements, sharing in the conditions and experiences which such en- vironment brings. Mr. Strawn, recognizing the opportunity for advancement, as a public-spirited citizen aided in those measures and movements instituted for the general good and lived to see the wild land transformed into rich farms, while here and there towns and villages sprang up and all of the industrial and commercial interests of the older east were introduced to add to the pros- perity of the county. Mr. Strawn always stood for good citizenship and for general progress and deserves mention among the honored early resi- dents of La Salle county.

Mrs. French was born in this county and was one of a family of several children. Her sis- ter, Theodosia Strawn, who was born December IO, 1845, became the wife of J. W. Ebersol and died March 1, 1906, at Hot Springs, Arkansas. Mr. and Mrs. Ebersol first settled on a farm in South Ottawa and afterward removed to Strawn, Illinois, whence they went to Chicago about fif- teen years ago. At her death Mrs. Ebersol left a husband and daughter, Mrs. Alice Ebersol Sabin, of Chicago. Susan Strawn married John Porter and both are now deceased. The other members of the Strawn family are: Mrs. Bertha Morgan, of Lincoln, Nebraska; Mrs. Clara S. French and Mrs. A. P. La Clair, both of Ottawa ; Mrs. Cora Belle Cornwall, of Chicago; W. D. Strawn, of Ottawa; and Herman Strawn, of Chicago.

On the Ioth of June, 1875, Clara S. Strawn gave her hand in marriage to Melvin D. Lincoln, who was a merchant at Buckley, Illinois. He was a son of Horace and Lavancha (Campbell) Lincoln, who removed from Chautauqua coun- ty, New York, to Illinois. The death of Melvin D. Lincoln occurred June 16, 1880, and he left one daughter, Leila B. Lincoln, now residing in Ottawa. In 1885 Mrs. Clara S. Lincoln married John M. French, who was born in Barry, Ver- mont, July 27, 1836, and passed away in Ottawa, March 19, 1897, at the age of sixty years. The name of French was established in New England about the latter part of the seventeenth century and from this ancestry John M. French was descended. One of his ancestors, Bartholomew French, served in the Revolutionary war, at which time he was a resident of Massachusetts. His name appears as that of a private on a pay abstract of Captain Ezekiel Knowlton's company and Colonel Dike's regiment, the document bear- ing date, Dorchester, Massachusetts, November 20, 1776. The name also appears in the certifi- cate as one having received bounty from the town of Athol for having enlisted for three years and this paper is dated at Athol, June 3, 1781, under resolve December 2, 1780, and is signed by Wil- liam M. Olin, secretary of state. The father was Micah French, also a n England. native of New

John M. French was reared in the place of his nativity and supplemented his early educational privileges at Barry, Vermont. He came to Otta- wa in 1882 and here opened a hat and men's fur- nishing goods store and for some time thereafter was actively identified with business interests here. Unto the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. French were born two children, Edith Clara and John Melvin, both of whom are at home with their mother.

Clara, & French.

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Since her husband's death Mrs. French has controlled important and extensive business in- terests and is a lady of excellent executive force, keen discernment and correct judgment. She is capable of controlling large enterprises and has extensive property holdings. Intricate business propositions she readily comprehends and solves and in matters of judgment is seldom, if ever, at error. Notwithstanding her many and import- ant business duties Mrs. French finds time to take an active and helpful interest in church and be- nevolent work and to manifest those truly woman- ly traits of character which everywhere command respect and homage. While not giving her time to society interests she nevertheless has a hos- pitable home, where a cordial welcome is ever ex- tended to her many friends. Her home is a beautiful residence in Ottawa located at No. 326 East Pearl street. She and her family attend the Congregational church and Mrs. French holds membership with the Daughters of the American Revolution. As one of the native daughters of this county she has long resided within its bor- ders, watching its growth and development and as the years have passed by the circle of her friends has become almost co-extensive with the circle of her acquaintance.

HENRY WAECHTER.

Henry Waechter, in former years connected with the commercial interests of Earlville as a grocer but now living retired, was born in Alsace, France, November 29, 1852. He was only four years of age at the time of his father's death and when a lad of seven years was left an orphan by the death of his mother. He then lived to some extent with relatives but practically was master of his own destiny from the time his mother died. His education was largely gained from reading and studying the bible in the common schools and he never attended any school after he was fourteen years of age.

Attracted by the business possibilities and op- portunities of the new world, he came to America in October, 1871, and for a time remained in Chicago. The next spring he came to Earlville and worked for one season on a farm. Fred Binder, a friend whom he had known in the old country, was located in Earlville. After working on a farm for one year, during which time he gained some knowledge of the English language, with which he was unfamiliar when he came to America, Mr. Waechter returned to Chicago, where he again spent a year. The succeeding

year he located again in Earlville and for eight years was employed in a pool and billard hall by a Mr. Hazel. In 1880 he bought a small stock of goods and for nine years conducted a store in the old Wallace block. He next pur- chased a store building across the street, put in a stock of groceries and crockery and conducted the enterprise with success until Christmas day of 1902, when he sold out to F. M. Edgett. He still owns the building, which has been remodeled and is known as the Waechter block. His con- nection with mercantile interests covered twenty- two years and his enterprise and diligence en- abled him to control a business that constantly grew in volume and importance. He had a liberal patronage and his business methods were such as neither sought nor required disguise. Because of his success as a merchant he was en- abled to purchase two hundred acres of choice land in Meriden township, which he still owns and which constitutes a valuable farming prop- erty. He likewise owns a beautiful home in the southern part of Earlville, where he has lived since his marriage.

It was on the 22d of May, 1879, that Mr. Waechter was united in marriage to Miss Haas, who was born in Pennsylvania and was a daugh- ter of Herman Haas, who for nearly forty years has been engaged in the jewelry business in Earl- ville, the family having long been a prominent one here. Mr. and Mrs. Waechter have become the parents of two children : Hilda, now the wife of Charles Davis, a hardware merchant of Earlville ; and Julius, who at the age of fifteen years, is at home.

Mr. Waechter was baptized and reared in the faith of the German Lutheran church but since taking up his abode in Earlville has not placed his membership in any church. He attends the meetings of different denominations and con- tributes to their support. In politics he is a dem- ocrat but has always objected to becoming a can- didate for office. Last spring, while in Chicago, he was elected a member of the board of educa- tion much against his wish but rather than cause the town to incur the expense of a new election he is now filling the place with credit. Frater- nally he has been connected with the Masons for ten years, has been a member of the Odd Fel- lows lodge since 1884 and has been identified with the Modern Woodmen camp since 1888. He is in hearty sympathy with the purposes and plans of these organizations and in his life ex- emplifies much of their beneficient spirit. He received a little financial aid from the old country but has made most of what he enjoys since then and as the years passed by he pros-

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The family is of English descent on his father's side, although John Hastings, one of the ances- tors of our subject, was a native of Ireland and became the founder of the family in the new world. Crossing the Atlantic to the United States he took up his abode in Harrison county, Ohio, in 1822 and there followed the occupation of farming, which had been his life work in his native country. He died when about seventy- two years of age. His brothers, Thomas and James, accompanied him to America, the former settling near Washington. Pennsylvania, while the latter became a resident of Jefferson county, Ohio.

The Hon. John Hastings, a son of John Hastings, the emigrant, and the father of Samuel Hastings of this review, was born in Inniskillen, Ireland, and was one of five children. In 1822 he came with his parents to America and for some time pursued his studies in a seminary in Mount Pleasant, Ohio, whereby he was qualified for teaching, which profession he followed for sev- eral years. Subsequent to his marriage he set- tled upon a farm given him by his father, but after a few years engaged in merchandising near Cadiz, Ohio, and in the new enterprise profited. He became not only a man of recognized buși- ness ability and success but also a factor in pub- lic life there and was honored by election to the state senate, where he served for two terms with credit to himself and satisfaction to his con- stituents. He also filled the office of justice of the peace, rendering decisions which were strictly fair and impartial and which "won him golden opinions from all sorts of people." In 1850 he was census enumerator and four years later he came to Illinois, settling in Mendota, where in connection with his son Samuel he engaged in the dry-goods and lumber business until his death, which occurred September 12, 1857, when he was fifty-three years of age. His wife, who in her maidenhood was Jane Knox, was born in Stribane, County Tyrone, Ireland. Her father, Samuel Knox, was born and reared in Scotland and became connected with agricultural pursuits, whereby he won prosperity. That his business reached mammoth proportions is indicated by the fact that he employed thirty servants. From 1817 he was a resident of Harrison county, Ohio, where he died at the age of seventy-six years, in the faith of the Presbyterian church, of which he was a devout member. He took an active part in church work, serving as elder for a number of years, and did everything in his power to promote moral progress and development. His daughter, Mrs. Jane Hastings, with her five brothers and sisters, was reared in the same be- lief, but in later years she became a Methodist,

to which church Mr. Hastings belonged. Her death occurred January 19, 1855, when she was in her fiftieth year, and Mr. Hastings passed away September 12, 1857, at the age of fifty- three.

Samuel Hastings, whose name introduces this review, is one of twelve children, seven of whom were sons. The family included the follow- ing: Mary Ann, deceased ; Jane, a resident of Mendota : Maria, deceased, who was the wife of S. Newton Barton, who died during the Civil war : Harry, of Lee county, Illinois ; and James, of Seattle, Washington. They were reared upon the paternal homestead in Harrison county, Ohio, and in the town where their father carried on business, and were provided with good educa- tional advantages. John Hastings, the eldest brother of our subject, was associated with him in business in an early day and died in Mendota, in 1858, at the age of thirty-two years.

Samuel Hastings began his education in the common school and afterwards received a thorough business training in the commercial college at Columbus, Ohio. In 1853 he came to Mendota, while upon an inspecting tour, and he has written the story of that initial trip to Illinois in a series of pioneer reminiscences which were published in one of the local papers and which constitute most interesting reading. On the trip he visited Homer. now Troy Grove, Men- dota and Kewanee, Illinois, and other points in this section of the state. He made the trip in company with his father and James Hastings and in their search for a location they took into consideration the qualities of soil and the abun- dance of coal to be secured. Samuel Hastings favored Kewanee, but his father and James Hastings were in favor of Mendota and he gave way to the majority opinion. In June, 1854, he took up his abode in the city which has since been his residence and was associated in the dry- goods business with his father until the latter's death. Later he accepted a clerkship in the em- ploy of W. T. Black under the firm name of W. T. Black & Company, with whom he was con- nected until 1867, when he withdrew from that house and entered as partner the firm of W. F. Corbus & Company, druggists of Mendota. In 1876 he purchased the interests of the senior partner and conducted the business alone for eighteen years. In 1894 the firm became Hast- ings & Wylie by the admission of Robert A. Wylie to the business, and in December, 1898. Mr. Hastings, after about forty-four years' active connection with commercial pursuits in Mendota, sold out and retired. He owns a valuable farm of eighty acres situated about ten miles north

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of the town and has other property and invest- ments, which yield good returns. Indolence and idleness are utterly foreign to his na- ture and he finds great contentment when he has some business duties. In 1865 he was first appointed and officially elected treasurer and secretary of the Mendota Cemetery Association, which was organized a number of years, while to him was left the task of systematizing the busi- ness. Mr. Hastings and his sister Miss Jane have adopted and reared three children, their nephews, Harry and Roy Wright, and their niece, Nellie Barton, who married F. K. Bastian.

At the time of the Civil war Mr. Hastings was an earnest worker in the Union League and his entire public career has been characterized by unfaltering loyalty to his country and her institutions. He exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the re- publican party and has stood for its principles throughout the passing years. He belongs to Mendota lodge, No. 176, A. F. & A. M .; Mendo- ta chapter, No. 79, R. A. M., and Bethany com- mandery, No. 28, K. T. Almost his entire life has been passed in this county and for more than a half century he has lived within its borders, his fellow citizens knowing him as a man of honor and genuine personal worth, worthy their respect, good will and confidence.

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History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 125

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