History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 126

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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PETER M. CAMPBELL.

Peter M. Campbell, who is extensively en- gaged in the ice business in Ottawa, having de- veloped an enterprise of considerable proportions that makes him one of the substantial citizens of La Salle county, was born near Paisley, On- tario, Canada, June 23, 1862. He is a son of John F. and Mary (McGilvary) Campbell, who were natives of Scotland. In 1852 the father crossed the Atlantic to Canada, where he re- mained until his removal to Earlville, Illinois, in 1879. He is now making his home with his son Peter. His wife died March 7, 1881, in her forty-fifth year. They were married in Toronto, Canada, and became the parents of seven chil- dren, four sons and three daughters, of whom three are now living, namely : Peter M .; Charles W .; Mary, who is the wife of Dr. Frank J. Gaste- low, of Prophetstown, Illinois. The father was a farmer by occupation, following that pursuit in Canada and Illinois until his retirement from business life. In religious faith he is a Baptist.

Peter M. Campbell pursued his education in the public schools and was seventeen years of age when the family removed to Earlville, Illi-

nois. He lived in that locality for about twenty years and at the age of twenty-three was mar- ried, the lady of his choice being Miss Sylvia M. Hathaway, whom he wedded November 18, 1885. She was born in Cheshire, Massachusetts, in 1860, a daughter of Lorenzo and Almira (Cain) Hathaway, both of whom were natives of the old Bay state, but died in Illinois. They came to this state in 1862 and were respected residents of La Salle county until called to their final rest. The father was a carpenter by trade, although he devoted much of his life to farm- ing, which pursuit he followed in De Kalb county. He died when a comparatively young man in the faith of the Baptist church, of which he was. an earnest member. In his family were three children : Lucy, who died in early woman- hood; Emma J., who is the widow of George Edgerton and makes her home in Earlville; and Mrs. Campbell.

Following his marriage Mr. Campbell en- gaged in farming until 1902 and was enterpris- ing, practical and progressive in his methods of agriculture. In 1903 he turned his attention to the ice business, in which he has since continued. He has shipped ice each year until the winter of 1905-6, when the weather was so mild that he had to purchase ice to supply the trade. He usually packs between nine and ten thousand tons of ice each year. He has secured a liberal patronage in this direction and is recognized as a thoroughly reliable business man.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have been born four children : Harold R., Myron H., Mary and John. Mr. Campbell belongs to Occidental lodge, No. 40, A. F. & A. M .; Shabbona chapter, No. 37, R. A. M .; and Ottawa commandery, No. 10, K. T., while both he and his wife are members of the chapter of the Eastern Star, No. 270. His political allegiance is given to the republican party, but he has never sought or desired office, preferring to give his undivided attention to his business affairs, in which he has met with signal success as the years have gone by.

AUGUST FUNFSINN.

August Funfsinn, a weathy farmer and grain buyer living in a fine country home on sec- tion 31, Troy Grove township, and owning and operating a grain elevator at Fitchmore station on the same section, was born in Luxemburg, Prussia, Germany, and came with his parents to America in June, 1850. He is a son of Henry and Catherine Funfsinn, both of whom were na-

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tives of Prussia and the mother is still living at the advanced age of over seventy-seven years, but the father passed away about fourteen years ago. The parents were representatives of what is known as the middle class of Prussia.

Hearing of the advantages offered by the new world, for they had friends in this country who sent back favorable reports concerning business opportunities, Henry Funfsinn determined to se- cure his fortune in the United States and with his family started for Illinois. The voyage across the Atlantic was made in a sailing vessel and lasted for more than two months, during which time they encountered some severe weather. Eventually, however, they landed safely in New York city and traveled westward by water to Chicago and thence by canal to La Salle. From that city they drove north by wagon and for a time boarded in a house which stood on the farm upon which August Funfsinn now resides. When a brief period had passed, however, the father purchased eighty acres of land on sec- tion 30, Troy Grove township, where his widow is now living. He had very limited capital when viewed from the standpoint of the multi-million- aires of the present day but was in very com- fortable circumstances for one of that period, having money sufficient to enable him to secure a farm and gain a start in the new world. He built a frame house sixteen by twenty-four feet, a story and a half in height, still standing. It was considered in those days a mansion on the prairies of La Salle county, where there were still many sod houses and rude pioneer cabins. The unimproved condition of the country is in- dicated by the fact that many times wolves and deer approached closely to their home and it was not a difficult thing to have a dish of venison upon the pioneer board. August Funfsinn re- members herding cattle-of which his father had not 'a few-on the plains south of his farm, for at that time the land was unclaimed, the tract being all open prairie. The eighty acres of land which the father prchased was wild and unculti- vated. He broke the sod with ox teams, even plow- ing his first crop of corn with one ox. Most of his crop, however, consisted of oats and spring wheat. At that time there were no fences and but few trees in this part of La Salle county, but the seeds of improvement were beng planted and in due time brought forth rich fruit. The father had served as a sergeant in the Prussian army and after that was superintendent of a silver mine near Luxemburg. In America his entire time and attention were devoted to agri- cultural pursuits and he became one of the sub- stantial farmers of this community, developing a good tract of land and establishing a fine home.

It was upon the old family homestead that August Funfsinn was reared to manhood, ac- quiring his early education in an old log school- house such as was common at that time. Later a frame schoolhouse was built near his home. During the early years the family knew the real inconveniences and difficulties of pioneer life, but as time passed by the father prospered in his undertakings and was enabled to add many modern comforts to the home. As his financial resources increased he invested more and more largely in land until he owned over four hun- dred acres of good farm land in Troy Grove township at the time of his death. He had also built a modern home and was known in the neighborhood as one of the best farmers. The family numbered eight children, three sons and five daughters, and August Funfsinn was only four years of age at the time of the emigration to the new world. He has therefore practically spent his entire life in this county and shared with the family in all the incidents and experiences which come to those who locate on the frontier. When not busy with his text-books his time was largely given to the work of the fields and he lived at home up to the time of his marriage.

It was in 1870 that August Funfsinn was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary Schneider, a sister of John Schneider, a prominent farmer, who lived north of the Funfsinn home, but died about fourteen years ago. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Funfsinn have been born seven chil- dren: Catherine, the wife of Conrad Klein, a resident of this county; Anna, the wife of Jo- seph Schmidt, living in Iowa; Henry, who mar- ried Minnie Schwendeman and resides in Bureau county, Illinois; Rosa, who married William Bovey and lives near Waterloo in Benton county, Iowa ; John, who is married and resides in Plym- outh county, Iowa; Margaret, the wife of Albert Schwindeman, of Troy Grove township; and Agnes, at home. For his second wife Mr. Funf- sinn chose Miss Frances Atzert, a native of La Salle county, and they have three children, Lou- ise, Leo and Joseph, all at home.

When August Funfsinn started out in life on his own account he received some assistance from his father, but largely owes his success entirely to his own efforts and is recognized as a man of good business ability, executive force and keen sagacity. He now has large land holdings, including his present homestead prop- erty of three hundred and twenty-five acres on section 31. This is improved with a fine country residence, large and commodious and supplied with all modern equipments as well as tasteful furnishings. It stands in the midst of a well kept lawn and is a most attractive country place.

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He also has three hundred and thirty-one acres of land in Plymouth and Black Hawk counties, Iowa, which has been improved by him. He has tiled the farms, devoting his land mostly to the raising of grain, but he has also fed cattle and hogs. Most of his time, however, has been given to raising and buying grain and in both branches of the business he is very successful, producing large crops and also meeting with prosperity as a grain-dealer. At one time he was a partner of William Walyer in the elevator business at Coulton, a small station in Troy Grove township, but later selling out there he built the elevator at Fitchmore station, where he is now conduct- ing a large grain trade, furnishing a market for many local producers. He is a man of diligence and enterprise, who brings to his business not only untiring industry but also sound judgment and clear foresight and thus, owing to his capa- ble direction, his business interests have been at- tended with a gratifying measure of success, his life showing what can be accomplished by the careful manipulation of business conditions and indefatigable energy.

HENRY SHAWBACK.

Henry Shawback, the oldest resident of Rich- land township, where for many years he has been engaged in farming and stock-raising, is located on section 22, where he owns a valuable farm. He has five hundred and ninety-seven acres lying in the immediate vicinity of his resi- dence. He has lived in La Salle county since the 17th of July, 1847, having come from Ger- many to the new world. He was born in Albungan, Kurhrhassan, Germany, July 29. 1835, his parents being John Powell and Chris- tina (Mincher) Shawback, who came to the United States with their son Henry and were residents of La Salle county until called to their final rest. The father was born in Albungan, Kurhrhassan, Germany. October 15. 1803, and passed away August 20. 1884, while his wife, who was born September 22, 1807, died Novem- ber 18, 1891. In their family were seven chil- dren, of whom Henry Shawback is the eldest. The others are: Nicholas, who was born Feb- ruary 15. 1838, and died February 4, 1892: Christina, who died in Germany at the age of three years; Martha, who died in Germany in childhood; Edward, who was born February 17, 1844, and became a member of Company E. Forty-fourth Regiment of Illinois Volunteers. his death occuring in Andersonville prison June 6, 1864, when he was only twenty years, three

months and nineteen days of age, his life thus being given as a sacrifice on the altar of the Union; Henry G., who died in this county at the age of two years; and one child who was born in the winter of 1848 and died in infancy.

Henry Shawback was a lad of about eleven and a half years when he came with his parents to the United States. He had attended school in his native country and he also spent three winter seasons as a student in the public schools of La Salle county. During the war he cared for his parents and afterward started out in life on his own account, entering upon an independent business venture in 1864. He re- ceived the quarter section of land on which he makes his home from his father, but all of his other possessions have been acquired entirely through his own labors and he is now one of the extensive landholders of the community. He has made all of the improvements upon his farm and as the years have gone by has carried on general agricultural pursuits, bringing his land under a high state of cultivation, so that the fields are very productive and his property is valuable. He always borrowed money to buy the different farms that he has purchased and because of his prompt and ready payments he has thus established a splendid credit, which he enjoys at Streator and also at Chicago and elsewhere as well as in his home neighborhood. He is thoroughly reliable and trustworthy in all of his business transactions and has never been known to take advantage of the necessities of his fellowmen in any business affair.

MIr. Shawback was married in this county to Miss Fredrika Grivy, who was born May 10, 1842, in Felagen, Prussia, and died October 2, 1901. She was a daughter of William and Wil- helmina Grivy, both of whom were natives of Germany, the former born February 14, 1810, and the latter December 19. 1811. They came to this country about 1846, settling in Penn- sylvania, and later William Grivy removed with his family to La Salle county, arriving in 1850. He resided first in Vermillion township and afterward in Richland township, where he and his wife spent their remaining days, his death occurring April 20, 1894, while his wife died December 19, 1900.

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Shawback has been blessed with ten children, six of whom are living: Rebecca, who died February 8, 1861, at the age of twenty-one days; Christina, who died September 19, 1863, when but thirteen days old; Edmund, who was born February 4, 1862, and died on the 2d of June of the same year ; Lydia, who died in infancy; William, who is a widower and has five children and resides at

MR. AND MRS. HENRY SHAWBACK.

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home; John P., who is married and has seven children and resides upon one of his father's farms; Sarah W .; Caroline Christina; Reuben H .; and Lydia.

In his political views Mr. Shawback has always been a republican since the formation of the party. He has served for eighteen years as commission, fifteen years of that time being con- secutive, and the fact that he has been again and again called to this office is incontrovertible proof of his fidelity in the position and the con- fidence reposed in him by his fellowmen, for he has been elected on the republican ticket in a township having a normal democratic majority. His religious views are indicated by his member- ship in the Evangelical Association of America. He has resided in this part of the county for nearly six decades and is one of its oldest set- tlers. From boyhood times to the present he has aided in the work of general improvement and development and as the years have gone by he has made a splendid record as a man of excellent business ability, of progressive citi- zenship and of genuine personal worth. He is esteemed by all who know him and most largely where he is best known.

GEORGE PLETSCH.

George Pletsch, living on a farm of two hun- dred and sixty-eight acres on section 36, Eden township, is devoting his time and energies to general agricultural pursuits and stock-raising, making a specialty of the raising of draft horses and of feeding cattle. Somewhat extensive in its dimensions, the farm is a valuable property, care- fully improved and supplied with modern con- veniences and equipments. Mr. Pletsch is a worthy representative of the German-American element in the citizenship of La Salle county. He was born in Hessen, Germany, October 29, 1863, his parents being George and Annie (Stau- bus) Pletsch, who came to the United States about 1884, locating in Putnam county, Illinois. The mother is still living, her home being in Granville, but the father died in 1900, at the age of seventy-three years. He was a farmer by occupation, following that pursuit during his residence in Germany. In the family were four sons and four daughters, all of whom are living, namely: Fred; John ; Conrad ; Mrs. Lizzie Wir- sing, of Arkansas; Mrs. Tina Wege, of Eden township, La Salle county ; and Mary and Elsie, who are residing in Putnam county, Illinois.

George Pletsch, the other member of the fam- ily, attended school in Germany and also in this

country, coming to the United States in 1882. He landed at New York on the 15th of March of that year and, making his way at once from the seaboard into the interior of the country, he located in Putnam county, where he began work by the month as a farm hand. He was em- ployed in that way for about ten years and saving his earnings was at length enabled to invest in land, purchasing his present farm in 1899 at one hundred dollars per acre. The prop- erty today would bring almost double that price. He had previously owned eighty acres near La Salle, which he sold when he bought his pres- ent home property. The farm is finely improved, all of the modern equipments being there found. There are substantial buildings in the midst of well tilled fields and good crops are annually harvested. He raises the cereals best adapted to soil and climate and in addition thereto he car- ries on farming and stock-raising, making a specialty of draft horses and feeding cattle.

Pleasantly situated in his home life, Mr. Pletsch was married in this county to Miss Helen Linker, a daughter of Philip Linker, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. They have become the parents of two sons and a daughter : Ernest and Karl, aged respectively thirteen and nine years ; and Katie, seven years of age. The sons were born in Putnam county and the daughter upon the home farm in Eden township, La Salle county, and all are still under the parental roof.

Mr. Pletsch is a republican, whose study and investigation of the questions and issues of the day has led him to give a stalwart support to that party. Fraternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America at Tonica and his religious views are in harmony with the teachings of the Lutheran church of Eden township, of which he is a member. He did not make a mis- take in seeking the new world as a place of resi- dence and of business operation, for in this coun- try his carefully directed labors and diligence have brought him to the goal of success and he is now numbered among the substantial resi- dents of this community, having gained a very desirable competence.

JACKSON CHAMBERLIN.

Jackson Chamberlin, a farmer and stock-raiser, now serving as supervisor of Vermillion town- ship, lives on section 28 and owns a farm of two hundred and eighty acres lying on sections 27 and 15 of the same township. A half cen- tury has passed since he became a resident of this county, where he arrived in the fall of

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1855, locating in Vermillion township and pur- chasing a farm. As the years have passed he has added thereto until he has reached his present acreage.

He was born in Washington county, Penn- sylvania, December 27, 1840, his parents being Arthur and Eliza (Horn) Chamberlin, who came to La Salle county in 1855, and were residents of Vermillion township until called to their final rest. The father died in 1863, at the age of forty-five years, and the mother in 1903, when about eighty-six years of age. Arthur Chamberlin was a native of Pennsylvania but his father was born in Ireland, whence he came to America in the eighteenth century, settling in the Keystone state, where he followed farming, his death there occurring when he had reached a' ven- erable age. He was three times married, and a son of his first marriage was a soldier in the war of 1812, after which he removed to Wiscon- sin, where he died. In the family of Arthur and Eliza Chamberlin were eight children, all of whom came to this county : Daniel, de- ceased ; Sarah, the deceased wife of Jerry Stude- baker ; Jackson ; Emily L. ; Mrs. Martha Lewis, residing in southwestern Nebraska; David, who is married and resides upon a farm in Eagle township ; Hulda, wife of William Peck, of Ver- million township; Mrs. Mary A. Cover, who died in Fulton county, Illinois ; and Mrs. Susan Cart- wright, living in Nebraska.

From the age of fourteen years Jackson Cham- berlin has lived in La Salle county, where he attended school. Through the periods of vaca- tion he was trained to the work on the farm and desiring no other occupation as a life work he has always devoted his energies to the tilling of the soil and has prospered in his farming operations. He is today the owner of a valuable property comprising two hundred and eighty acres of land situated on sections 27 and 15, Ver- million township. His farm is equipped with substantial buildings and everything necessary for the care and development of the fields, in- cluding the latest improved machinery. There are good fences and in the pastures are found high grades of stock. Mr. Chamberlin has made all of the fine improvements upon his farm and he also owns a good farm of eighty acres in Idaho, worth one hundred dollars per acre.

On February 2, 1874, occurred the marriage of Jackson Chamberlin and Miss Sarah Brierly, who was born in La Salle county and is a sister of Samuel Brierly, of Eagle township. She died August 20, 1885, at the age of thirty- six years, leaving two children, Almira and Ora O., both at home.

Politically Mr. Chamberlin is a democrat, sup- porting the party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He has served as school director for thirty-three consecutive years, being also clerk of the board until he recently re- signed. He is now serving his first term as supervisor. The cause of education profited by his active and helpful co-operation and in all mat- ters of citizenship he is progressive and public- spirited, his labors proving of direct benefit in the work of public progress. Fraternally he is connected with the Masonic lodge at Tonica and is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.

SAMUEL PLUMB.

Too often the idea of business success conveys the impression of close, unrelaxing attention on the part of employer and of continuous, uninter- rupted labor on the part of employe, permitting little or no thought of those personal interests relating to man's intellectual or moral progress. Maximum accomplishment with minimum out- lay of work and capital seems to be a dominant spirit in the business world today. It is re- freshing in the midst of such an outlook to pause and contemplate the life work and busi- ness record of such a man as Samuel Plumb. Successful in an eminent degree, he neverthe- less possessed the broad humanitarian spirit that recognized the rights of others and never was he known to take advantage of the necessities of his fellowmen in any business transaction. He won prosperity through judicious investment and through close application and at the same time shaped his course in conformity with a high standard of commercial ethics, manifesting at all times not only justice but the higher attribute of mercy. In the ancestral history of the family were displayed many sterling traits of character that won prominence for different representa- tives of the name in civic and military affairs and the same principles of honorable manhood which: work for righteousness and for eminence in pub- lic life were manifest by him in his business ca- reer and in his daily conduct with his fellowmen, although he did not seek to figure prominently in the public gaze.

It was in the year 1635 that John Plumb, of England, established his home in Weathersfield, Connecticut, as the first member of the family in the new world. The ancestry is traced back through continuous line in England to 1500, while record is found of the Plumbs in Normandy back to 1180 A. D., a number of wills being ex-

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tant which show the ancient lineage of the fam- ily even to the days of the reign of Henry II, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror. Only one of the children of John Plumb was born in America and there is no record of other mem- bers of the family save that of his son Samuel, who lived with him in Branford when he died in 1648. It was from this John Plumb and an- other who came in 1660 and left descendants that the American branch of the Plumb family sprang and from that time to the present the name has been honored in connection with those interests which work for the material progress and for the honor of the nation. Ebenezer Plumb, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of Massachusetts and was a member of the colonial army in the war for independence. He was usually known as Deacon Plumb from the fact that he long served as deacon in the old church at Stockbridge, Berkshire county, Massachu- setts, in the work of which he took a most active and helpful part.

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History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 126

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