History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 39

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 39

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

258

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

known simply as business men. Their success was founded on untiring labor, careful atten- tion to every interest and right living. Honesty, democracy and simplicity were their watchwords. Their word was better than most men's bonds and they were proud that it was so. The death of John Stuart is the passing away of a repre- sentative of all that was best in this class and La Salle suffers a distinct loss by his going."

ALFRED IRA HARTSHORN.

On the roll of La Salle county's pioneers we find the name of this gentleman, who since an early period in the development of this section of the state has been a resident of the county and has borne an important part in the work of up- building and progress. In mercantile circles and agricultural lines he has not only won individual success, but has also advanced the general wel- fare, and at all times has commanded the respect and esteem of his fellowmen by reason of his up- right and honorable life. Mr. Hartshorn is a representative of one of the oldest American families, for his ancestry in the new world can be traced back to 1633, when a representative of the family came from England, taking up his abode in Connecticut. Oliver Hartshorn was a Revo- lutionary soldier and valiantly aided in the cause of American independence. He was born No- vember 1, 1760, and his wife, whose maiden name was Pettengill, was born May 2, 1759. They were farming people, who reared sons and daugh- ters named Oliver, Royal, Ira, Asa, Mrs. Cla- rissa Armstrong, Miranda, Sophronia, wife of John White, and Eliza.

Of this family Ira Hartshorn was the father of our subject. He was born in Lisbon, New Lon- don county, Connecticut, June 3. 1793, and died in La Salle county, Illinois, September 27, 1859. He served for a short time in the war of 1812 in his native state and was connected with business affairs in New York as a merchant and hotel pro- prietor, and also as the manager of a stage route. On February 4. 1818, he was united in marriage to Joanna Burnham, a native of Lisbon, Connec- ticut, who was born July 30, 1796. They lo- cated in Cazenovia, Madison county, New York. but a year or so later removed to Lebanon, that state. In 1836 Mr. Hartshorn made a prospect- ing tour through the west and in 1837 brought his family to Illinois. He was first a resident of Joliet, where he secured employment in a saw- mill, but in 1837 he bought one hundred and six- ty acres of land from his wife's sister, Hannah Burnham, who had entered it from the govern-

ment in 1833. He converted this into a fine farm, making his home there for two decades, and it is now the property of his son Alfred. Mr. Hartshorn died at the age of sixty-six from dis- ease contracted that year while on a prospecting tour at Pike's Peak. His wife was a lady of strong character and many virtues. She re-

mained on the old homestead until 1866 and aft- erward lived with her children until her death, which occurred February 14, 1875. In his polit- ical views Mr. Hartshorn was a democrat in early life but after his removal to Illinois became a sup- porter of the freesoil party. He was well known to the pioneer settlers of La Salle county and per- formed an important part in transforming its wild prairie land into a tract of rich fertility. Ira and Joanna (Burnham) Hartshorn became the parents of nine children : Joshua Perkins, who was born December 10, 1818, became a resident of Cass county, Iowa, and died in 1902. Eras- mus Darwin, born June 4, 1821, died in 1898 in California. Alfred I. is the next in order of

birth. Pliny, born August 26, 1825, is living near La Salle. Calvert, born July 25, 1827, is a resident of Onarga, Illinois. Mary, born March I, 1830, is the widow of Eli Strawn and resides in Chicago. Lucy, who was born March 17, 1832, is the widow of A. M. Niles and lives in Aurora, Nebraska. Lydia, born November 28, 1835, is the wife of R. V. Downing, of David City, Nebraska. Charles Bishop, born June 23, 1838, died at Shiloh, Tennessee, during the civil war, while serving as a member of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry. Of these children the youngest was born in La Salle county, the others having been born in New York.

Alfred Ira Hartshorn is a native of the Empire state, his birth having occurred in Lebanon, Mad- ison county, on the 22d of May, 1823. He came with his father's family to La Salle county in 1837, when fourteen years of age and there have been few residents of the county who have lived longer within its borders than he. His educa- tional advantages were limited but in 1840 he spent about six months as a student in an ad- vanced school in Princeton, Illinois, paying his way by the expenditure of his savings from the proceeds of farm work, at which he was employed in 1838-9. În 1841 he and two brothers secured a claim of canal land, which was subsequently purchased at a sale of canal lands and is still the property of him whose name introduces this re- view. By other acquisitions from time to time Mr. Hartshorn became the possessor of much property, principally farming land, the total ag- gregating one thousand and four acres, all in La Salle county. His old homestead embraces five hundred and sixty acres, all in one body. In

HENRY TAYLOR JR CHICAGO

Hartsborn.

261

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

1854 he rented his farm and engaged in the coal trade, shipping the first carload of coal that was sent on the Illinois Central Railroad from La Salle, which fact is of interest from an historical point of view. He continued in that business successfully until 1860, when he returned to his farm and devoted himself to agriculture and stock-raising. Progressive methods characterize the management of the place and the neatness and thrift which pervades the home farm is an indi- cation of the careful supervision of the owner.

Although in his eighty-fourth year he has never given up an active interest in his business and his industry is remarkable for a man of his years, being always found at the helm when his affairs require unusual management. He possesses the energy and activity of a much younger man.

Mr. Hartshorn has been three times married. On the Ist of January, 1849, he wedded Miss Teressa Culver, a native of New York, who died in 1850, leaving one child that died in infancy. On the ioth of December, 1856, he married Amelia A. Dean, a native of Connecticut, and a daughter of Alfred Dean. She died in Novem- ber, 1869, leaving three children : George A .; Frederick P .; and Teressa, wife of Charles L. Diesterweg, of La Salle. February 17, 1897. Mr. Hartshorn was again married, Miss Mary Wat- son, native of Lancastershire, England, becoming his wife, and they have a son, Asa, born Decem- ber 14, 1898.

George A. Hartshorn, the eldest son, is num- bered among the native residents of La Salle county, his birth having occurred here in October, 1857. He acquired a high-school education in the town of La Salle and then pursued a commercial course in Bryant & Stratton Business College, of Chicago. Since attaining his majority he has devoted his energies to the operation of the Hartshorn homestead in Waltham township and is one of the enterprising and progressive agri- culturists of the community. He was married July 5, 1885, to Miss Minnie Mitchell, daughter of William Mitchell, and they now have five in- teresting children, Amelia, Ira, Floyd, Walter and Minnetta. In his political views George Hartshorn is a stalwart democrat and has several times been honored with local positions of trust and responsibility. The first township office he held was that of school trustee, in which ca- pacity he served for fifteen years. He has also filled the position of justice of the peace and town collector and in the spring of 1896 he was elected supervisor to succeed the Hon. John Wylie. He also acted as a member and chair- man of the county asylum committee on the board of supervisors and exercised his official prerogative to support all measures and move-

ments which are calculated to benefit the entire community. He is known as a valued citizen and progressive young business man and in La Salle county has many warm friends.

In his political views Alfred I. Hartshorn has been a life-long democrat, loyal to his party and holding its traditions sacred, but from the finan- cial principles of that branch of the party which advocates a free coinage of silver he is a dis- senter. He has been one of the prominent gold democrats of this part of the state and in 1896 was a delegate to a convention at Chicago, which led to the national convention at Indianapolis that nominated Hon. John M. Palmer for the presidency on the sound-money platform. Though he has always been actuated by motives purely patriotic and borne an active part in public affairs, he has never sought political preferment or ac. cepted any political office. His ability as a man of affairs is of a high order and his advice has often been sought in matters involving very im- portant interests.

DAVID J. PRICE.

David J. Price was born April 17, 1832, in Franklin county, Indiana, a son of Henry and Sarah (Wolfe) Price. The father was born in 1799 in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and in 1828 removed westward to Indiana. His wife, also a native of Washington county, was of German descent, while he came of Welsh lineage, the families, however, in America, hav- ing been established in the new world prior to the Revolutionary war. Throughout his busi- ness career Henry Price followed the occupation of farming, making his home in Indiana until his death in 1855. His wife long survived him, passing away in Ottawa in 1876, while on a visit at the home of her daughter, Mrs. M. M. Childs, who now resides in Morris, this state. Their children were: Mrs. Childs, who is now seventy-nine years of age; Nancy, who died in Indiana in girlhood when sixteen years of age; Mrs. Emma L. Kimble, widow of Major Kim- ble, who was a soldier of the Mexican war and major of the Civil war and enlisted at In- dianapolis, her home being now in Chicago : Da- vid, of this review : and Dr. Jacob W. Price, who died January 8, 1906, at his home in Burlington, Iowa. He was a pioneer of that state, going to Iowa about 1867. He was born in Indiana in 1833 and served in the Civil war as a member of a Kentucky regiment. Removing to Burling- ton, he was there engaged in the drug business. He married Miss Mary A. Favor, and their son,

262

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

Henry B., is now serving in the United States navy as an engineer. One daughter of the fam- ily died in early womanhood. Joel B. resides in Franklin county, Indiana, and after many years' connection with farming, in which he met with success, is now living retired. Maria married Dr. Hamer, of Illinois, and they resided in Den- ver, Colorado. Mrs. Josephine P. Evans, a widow, is living in Chicago. Martha died in early wom- anhood. Herman and William died in infancy. Charles A., the youngest of the family, who was engaged in the drug business, died in Denver, Colorado, June 29, 1892.

David J. Price, whose name introduces this record, spent the years of his boyhood and youth in the state of his nativity, being reared upon the old home farm. He was educated in the public schools, in a seminary and at Brookfield College, and resided in Indiana until 1857, when he came to Illinois, after which he devoted four or five years to farming in Marshall county. In 1864 he purchased a farm near Ottawa and was for eighteen years thereafter engaged in its opera- tion and improvement, being recognized as one of the enterprising agriculturists of the com- munity, his labors being attended with gratifying success.

In the meantime Mr. Price lost his first wife, who bore the maiden name of Rachel J. John- son and who died in 1879. In 1883 he removed to Ottawa, where he has since made his home and he was married in that year to Mrs. Anna Hossack Richardson, the widow of Capron Rich- ardson. a grain merchant of Ottawa, who died in this city in 1868, leaving four children, one of whom, Mrs. Hans Gulbranson, resides in this city. The others were: Mrs. Fannie N. Jones, a widow, living in Chicago; Mrs. Susan R. Mc- Dougall, now in Canada; and John C. Richard- son, who is living in Fostoria, Ohio. Mr. Price had three children by his first marriage, of whom two daughters are deceased. The son, Horace R., now lives in Los Banos, California, where he is engaged in business as a contractor and builder. On the 17th of May, 1905, the Price family held a reunion of the seven surviving members, whose combined ages are over five hun- dred years. It was held in Morris, Illinois, at the home of Mrs. Childs and was a most en- joyable occasion to all the participants.

Mr. Price is a pioneer horticulturist of La Salle county and has devoted his attention to fruit-raising since taking up his abode in Ottawa. He is regarded as an authority on matters re- lating to horticulture and has been extremely suc- cessful in this business. In politics he has al- ways been a republican since the organization

of the party and previous to that time was a whig, casting his first presidential vote for Henry Clay. When eighteen years of age he joined the Methodist church, of which he has since been a loyal member, while his wife is a member of the Baptist church. Mrs. Price has three photo- graphs, each representing four generations, start- ing with her great-grandmother, while the third picture includes her own great-grandchildren. Mr. Price has two grandchildren, a boy and a girl, Shirley P. and Helen M. Scott.

Almost a half century has passed since Mr. Price came to Illinois, and for more than four decades he has lived in La Salle county, where he is known and honored by reason of his genuine personal worth, his business activity, his honesty and his close adherence to high principles. He has never sought to figure prominently in public affairs, content to 'do his duty as a private citizen and yet he has manifested in his life record many sterling traits of character, which are worthy of emulation and which have won him the good will and trust of his fellowmen.

CAPTAIN SIDNEY R. BLANCHARD.

Captain Sidney R. Blanchard, attorney-at- law and master in chancery at Ottawa, is a native son of the state of Illinois, who has directed his professional labors to the acquirement of suc- cess and prominence. He was here born August 3. 1855, and is a son of Judge Charles Blanch- ard, whose life record forms an integral chapter in the history of jurisprudence in his district. The son pursued his education in the public schools during the incumbency of Professor Thomas Clark as principal and he entered busi- ness life as an employe of the National City Bank, where he remained from 1872 until 1875. In the latter year he secured a situation in the freight house of the Rock Island Railroad Com- pany at Des Moines, Iowa, and the following year, having determined to devote his attention and energies to a professional career, he took up the study of law under the direction of his fa- ther, Judge Blanchard, and after diligent pre- liminary reading was admitted to the bar in Sep- tember, 1878. He then joined his father in practice and they continned together in conduct- ing important litigated interests until the election of Judge Blanchard to the circuit bench in 1884. As a lawyer Captain Blanchard was quite success- ful and established a lucrative business for a young man but he abandoned the law in 1877 and turned his attention to clay manufacturing interests, with which he was closely associated until 1893, thus

263

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

representing one of the important productive in- dustries of the county. He was also appointed superintendent of the United Glass Company and served for one year, at the end of which time the works were shut down. In the fall of 1894 he succeeded Captain Fullerton as master in chancery, which position he has since filled and his service-capable and efficient in the highest degree-has now covered a period of twelve con . secutive years.

Captain Blanchard has made a splendid mili- tary record and is recognized throughout the en- tire country by those who are authority on mili- tary matters to be one of the most competentt of- ficers in the state service. His connection with the National Guard began in August, 1877, and he was elected captain in command of the local organization now legally designated as Company C. Third Infantry, on April 26, 1881, and has been continued in that grade in command of the same organization by successive re-elections until the present term. He served in that capacity in the war with Spain. An excellent disciplinarian and drill master, he has moreover enjoyed the full confidence and respect of the troops. In mu- nicipal affairs he has also been deeply interested and served as a member of the Ottawa volunteer fire department for seven years and was captain of the Undine Hose Company. He also served as alderman of the sixth ward for six years and exercises his official prerogatives in support of practical improvement, giving his support to many measures in the council which work for the material benefit of Ottawa. He actively interests himself in public affairs and partici- pates earnestly in every effort to propagate a spirit of patriotism and of loyalty to American institutions.

JOSEPH A. HAMPSON.

Joseph A. Hampson, a farmer residing at No. 302 East Van Buren street in Ottawa, was born "in Pennsylvania, in 1856, his parents being John B. and Ruth ( Bane) Hampton. The father, a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania, was born March 16, 1815, and is a son of Daniel and a grandson of Joseph Hampson, the former a native of New Jersey. Joseph Hampson and his wife, who bore the maiden name of Miss Hazen, were the parents of three children, Lydia, Harriet and Daniel. The last named was a youth of seven years when the family removed from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, where he was reared and educated. As a companion and helpmate for life's journey he chose Miss Mary Biddle, a native of New Jersey and a daughter of Timothy Bid-

dle of that state. This marriage was blessed with nine children, four sons and five daughters, namely : John B., Catherine, Lucinda, Hannah, Ezekiel, Wiley, Mary, Nancy and Thomas. The father died at the age of fifty-six years while the mother passed away when seventy-six years of age. In early life they were members of the 'Methodist Episcopal church but subsequently joined the Cumberland Presbyterian church and Daniel Hampson served as one of its elders for a number of years.

John B. Hampson is the only surviving mem- ber of this family. He was married in 1838 to Miss Ruth Bane, who was born in Pennsylvania, October 12, 1816, the place of her nativity being in Washington county. Her parents, George and Rhoda (Clutter) Bane, were also natives of that county. Mr. and Mrs. John B. Hampson became the parents of four children. Anna is the wife of Joseph Berkhimer, a retired farmer residing in Corbin, Kansas, and she has four children. Jennie M., became the wife of William Oller, a contractor and died in Little Washington, Penn- sylvania, leaving three children. John E., re- siding on the old farm that his father purchased in Farm Ridge township, this county, married Mary Eliza Walley, a daughter of Samuel Wal- ley, one of the early settlers here and they have seven children. Joseph A. completes the family. The parents are both living and are vet enjoying good health, although the father has reached the age of ninety-one years and the mother of ninety vears. They have been married for sixty-nine years.

Joseph A. Hampson was a lad of nine years, when, in the fall of 1865, he accompanied his parents on their removal from Pennsylvania to Ottawa. The former spent the winter in the city and in the spring of 1866 the father purchased a tract of land in Farm Ridge township, upon which they took up their abode. The son ac- quired his early education in the common schools and afterward attended the Farm Ridge Seminary and spent two terms as a student in the Seminary at Lincoln, Logan county, Illinois. He began life for himself at the age of twenty-one years and has always devoted his energies to farming. In 1886 he bought a tract of land of one hundred and twenty acres in South Ottawa township and still owns this property, which is a well improved place. Here he raises corn and stock. He has nearly fifty head of cattle and many horses. He has been engaged quite extensively in feeding cattle and has also raised many hogs. In addi- tion to the original property he also owns a tract of three hundred and twenty acres in Sumner county. Kansas. On the Ist of August. 1905, he

264

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

removed from his farm to Ottawa, where he owns an attractive little home at No. 302 East Van Buren street. He does not owe a dollar in the world and his business record is certainly creditable and enviable. His business veracity has ever been above question and he has never been known to take advantage of the necessities of his fellowmen in any trade transaction. Close application and untiring industry have been the source of his success and he is still one of the leading and enterprising agriculturists of the county.

Mr. Hampson was married in September, 1881, to Miss Louisa Sesslar, a native of Ohio, born in 1856. She came to La Salle county at an early day with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bazzle Sess- lar and her father is now living in Ottawa. Mr. and Mrs. Hampson have become the parents of five sons : Bazzle M., who wedded Maud Crum- rine, and follows farming at Grand Ridge; Ar- thur, at home; John, who was graduated from the high school at Ottawa in June, 1906; Guy; and Howard.

Mr. Hampson is a republican and for twenty years has served as school director, the cause of education finding in him a warm friend, who regards the school system as one of the bul- warks of the nation and does everything in his power to advance the cause of public education. He is a member of Black Hawk camp, No. 3181, M. W. A., at Ottawa and also of the Fraternal Union of Ottawa. His wife is a member of the Presbyterian church and he is a member of the Men's Club of the church. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hampson are well known in this part of the county and enjoy the warm and favorable regard of all with whom they have been brought in contact.

FLOYD CLENDENEN, M. D.

Many accord to the medical profession the po- sition of the highest rank and responsibility in the field of business activity. It is a calling in which success must depend upon individual merit and the man who wins distinction necessarily pos- sesses strong intellectual force, energy and a keen perception and regard for the reponsibility which devolves upon him. Lacking in none of the requisite qualities of the able medical and surgical practitioner, Dr. Clendenen has become widely and favorably known during the years of his residence in La Salle.

A native of Virginia, he was born in 1837. His paternal grandfather, William Clendenen, was likewise born in the Old Dominion and was of Scotch-Irish descent, early representatives of

the name having settled in or near Richmond, Virginia, and aided in building the old log forts, where Charleston now stands, at the time of the Revolution. William Clendenen served as colonel in the United States army in the In- dian wars. The parents of the Doctor were Robert A. and Amanda ( Hinchman) Clenenen, the former a Virginian planter, who was the first sheriff of Logan county, Virginia, and also was first supervisor and assessor of the county of Boone. In his family were four sons who are yet living : Irving, a practicing physician ; George W., who is also a physician and estab- lished and organized the Mystic Order of the World : William; and Floyd.

When a youth of eleven years Dr. Floyd Clen- denen accompanied his parents on their removal to Michigan, where he acquired a common-school education and later attended Kalamazoo College. Early in 1859 he went to Denver, Colorado, at which time it was a sparsely settled town, but seeing no opportunity for business advancement he continued westward to California, making the overland trip. He resided in Nevada for a short time and later engaged in mining and other pur- suits for four years. He then crossed the isthmus upon the return trip and went again to Michigan. It was his intention to join the Twelfth Michi- gan Volunteers for active service in the Civil war but on account of his knowledge of medicine he was attached to the quartermaster's department as assistant surgeon, thus serving until the close of hostilities. Then on account of ill health he went to Montana, where he was greatly benefited, spending four years in that state, largely en- gaged in mining. He afterward took up the study of medicine under the direction of the late Dr. J. C. Fosdick, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and after- ward attended Bennett Medical College, of Chi- cago, where he pursued his studies through five sessions, receiving the degree of M. D. in Jan - uary, 1874.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 39

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