History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 48

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 the meantime, on the 5th of October, 1871, Mr. Hunter was married to Miss Olive H. Rotramel, and in April, I873, they removed to Elk county, Kansas, where he secured a claim on the Osage Indian lands. He remained there until driven out by the drought and grasshoppers in the fall of 1874, when he returned to Jefferson county, Illinois, where he carried on general agricultural pursuits until 1881. He taught school during the winter and in April, 1881, embarked in busi- ness at Bellerive, entering into partnership with L. D. Davenport for the handling of lumber, grain, agricultural implements, etc. This rela- tionship was maintained until 1886, when Mr. Hunter formed a partnership with B. P. An-

W. H. HUNTER.

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drews and opened a retail lumber yard at Pax- ton, Ford county, Illinois, continuing in business there until 1896, when he withdrew from the partnership and established a lumber business at Sidell, Vermilion county, Illinois, on the Ist of March. He was thus identified with the trade interests of that town until March 26, 1898, when he purchased the John Stuart lumber yard at La Salle, Illinois, and on the 5th of April removed to the city in which he yet makes his home. His business has increased rapidly until the volume of trade is three times greater than it was in the beginning of his connection with business life in La Salle. The reason for this is found in the enterprise, activity, keen business discernment and unques- tioned honesty of Mr. Hunter, whose present enviable position in trade circles is due entirely to his own efforts. In addition to his commercial interests he has invested extensively in lands in Wharton county, Texas.

As before stated, Mr. Hunter was married October 5, 1871, to Miss Olive H. Rotramel, a daughter of David and Mary (Meyers) Ro- tramel. Three sons have been born of this mar- riage, of whom two have passed away: David Harrison, who was born March 5, 1873, and died October 16, 1878; and Fred Henry, who was born March 7, 1875, and died at La Salle, December 1, 1900. The surviving son, Clyde Harvey, born December 5, 1883, is now a student in Wisconsin University.

In his political views Mr. Hunter has always been a stalwart republican and has been called to various local offices. He served as assessor for three terms in Moore's Prairie township, Jeffer- son county, Illinois, from 1876 until 1878 inclu- sive. He was census enumerator in 1880 and was president of the village board of Bellerive, Illi- nois, in 1883 and again in 1885. In 1890 he was president of the board of education of Paxton, Illinois, and was alderman of that city in 1894-5. It will thus be seen in the various localities where he has resided he has been called to public office by his fellow townsmen who recognized his worth and ability and that he has been an influ- ential factor in political circles is indicated by the fact that he was a member of the Jefferson county central committee from 1878 until 1886 and secretary of the Ford county republican cen- tral committee from 1892 until 1894. He be- came a member of the Grand Army post, No. 696, at Bellerive, Illinois, of which he was com- mander. He was also commander of Paxton post, No. 387, G. A. R., in 1888 and commander of Carter post, No. 267, in 1904. He joined the Masonic fraternity at Bellerive in March, 1873, was afterward a member of Paxton lodge, No. 416, A. F. & A. M., and is now affiliated with

Acacia lodge, No. 67, at La Salle. He acted as senior warden of the Bellerive lodge and he is a member of St. John's commandery at Peru, Illi- nois. In 1886, at Paxton, he became a Modern Woodmen and is now a member of the Deer Park camp at La Salle. He joined the Odd Fellows at Knobnoster, Missouri, in 1869, was noble grand of D. P. Wilbanks lodge in Illinois in 1872; and noble grand of Paxton lodge, No. 418, I. O. O. F., in 1895. Since May, 1878, he has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In 1893 he was elected to the presidency of the Illinois Lumber Dealers' Association and served on the board of directors until 1905. In that year he was chosen vice president and in 1906 was again elected president, which posi- tion he is now filling. No further comment con- cerning the character of Mr. Hunter seems neces- sary when we take into consideration the many official positions which have been bestowed upon him in political, fraternal and business circles. He is a man of tenacious purpose, of strong, positive ideas, whose positions is never an equiv- ocal one, who stands firmly for what he believes and whose judgment is usually regarded as sound, while his influence has been a potent ele- ment for good in the line of material, intellectual, political and moral progress.

C. B. PROVINS, M. D.

Dr. C. B. Provins, who was engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery in Ottawa, was born in Greensboro, Fayette county, Pennsyl- vania, February 28, 1853, and died June 9, 1906. He supplemented his preliminary education by an academic course in his native city and afterward entered Jefferson College, a Baptist school, from which he was graduated with the class of 1868. Thinking that the west offered better opportuni- ties for rapid advancement in a business career, he made his way to Illinois and for several years successfully engaged in teaching school in La Salle county. He then turned his attention to the study of medicine with Dr. Dyer, of this city, as his preceptor and his college training was received in Rush Medical College of Chicago, of which he was an alumnus of the class of 1882. Dr. Provins was very successful as a practitioner because his equipment was unusually good and because he had given undivided attention to the duties that devolved upon him in this connection. He kept abreast with modern thought in his pro- fession through his membership in the city, county and state medical societies. He served as health officer of the city of Ottawa and he pursued a special course of study at the Ophthalmic and

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Aural Institute of New York city, since which time in his practice he made a specialty of the treatment of diseases of the eye and ear, although he was still engaged in general practice.

Dr. Provins was married to Miss Maude Moody, who was born in Ottawa, La Salle county, and they had two sons : Clarence P., who is an assistant superintendent of schools in the Philippine Islands; and Carl M., a musician and piano tuner connected with the firm of Thompsons Sons in Chicago. Dr. Provins had attained high rank in Masonry, having taken the degrees of the chapter and commandery. He had gained a creditable position in professional cir- cles because of his thorough understanding of the principles of the science of medicine, his humanitarian spirit and keen analytical power, which enabled him to readily and correctly diag- nose a case.

MARTIN KEIM.

Martin Keim, now living retired in Ottawa, his success being attributable to his well directed ef- forts, enterprise and diligence, was born on the River Rhine, in Germany, in 1836, and spent the first twenty-one years of his life in the land of his nativity. He acquired his education there but , in early manhood determined to seek a home in the new world and test the reports of business opportunities and advantages which he had re- ceived. Accordingly in 1857 be bade adieu to friends and native land and took passage on a sailing vessel, which after a voyage of twenty- eight days dropped anchor in the harbor of New York city. Immediately afterward he started for the interior of the country, making his way to Wisconsin, where he lived until 1859, when he removed to Ottawa, where he has since resided. He is a cooper by trade and followed that busi- ness both before and after the Civil war, but when his adopted country was endangered through the attempt at secession in the south he espoused the cause of the Union and in 1861 enlisted in the army as a member of Company I, Twenty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry under Captain Reed. He served for three years in Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, his regiment being first under command of General Rosen- crans, while later it was attached to the army of General Sherman. Mr. Keim participated in many important engagements that led up to the final triumph of the Union arms, including the battles of Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga, Or- chard Knob, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Rowan, Dallas and Kenesaw Mountain and was mustered out at Chicago. At the battle

of Chickamauga the regiment lost two color bearers and Mr. Keim carried the colors from the field. He was a brave and loyal soldier, never faltering in the performance of any task assigned him and he returned home with a most creditable military record.

Mr. Keim lost his eyesight through his serv- ice in the war and in 1866 retired from his trade. He then became proprietor of a boarding house, which he conducted successfully for many years but retired from active business in 1900 and is now living in well earned ease. He owns two good business blocks in Ottawa which are well situated and return to him a gratifying in- come. In 1866, Mr. Keim was united in mar- riage to Miss Lizzie Gebauer, who was born in Germany and in her early girlhood days was brought to America by her parents, who lo- cated near Streator and spent their remaining days there. Mr. and Mrs. Keim have become the parents of five sons and a daughter and with the exception of one son all are yet living, namely: Gustaf, who makes his home in Otta- wa; Adam, also of this city; George, a cigar manufacturer of Kewanee, Illinois; Hammond, of Ottawa : and Emma, who is living at home.

Mr. Keim gives his political allegiance to the republican party, which he has ardently supported since he became a naturalized American citizen. He is a member of Lessing lodge, No. 326, I. O. O. F., in which he has served as noble grand and he is also connected with the Turners. He stands as a splendid representative of the Ger- man-American element in our citizenship and has led a life of activity and usefulness, while his loyalty to his adopted country has ever been above question.

PROFESSOR SETH S. WILLIS.

Professor Seth S. Willis, manager and director of the Willis Orchestra, which for the past thirty years has furnished all the opera music in Ottawa, and who for thirty-five years has been a teacher of dancing and also of violin music, was born in Niagara county, New York, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Cox) Willis, na- tives of Vermont and New Jersey respectively and of Puritan ancestry. The father was of English lineage, while the mother was of Ger- man descent. John Willis served in the war of 1812, while his father was a soldier of the Revo- lutionary war. While living in the east John Willis served at one time as deputy sheriff of Niagara county but was not particularly active in politics in Illinois, although he filled the office

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of constable for two terms. He preferred rather to give his time and energies to his business in- terests and lived in Farm Ridge until his death, which occurred about 1870, while his wife passed away about 1872 or 1873. Both had been pre- viously married before their marriage to each other and Professor Willis was the only child of the second union.

He was about fifteen years of age, when, in 1857, he came from the Empire state to Ottawa. He went to Starved Rock with some relatives who were living on what is now known as the Colonel Hipp place and for a year or two, being then but a boy, spent much of his time in hunting. Game was very plentiful and prairie chickens could be shot at short distances from the house. At that time there was an immense grain business car- ried on at Ottawa, which was the main shipping point for all the grain producing territory tribu- tary to this city. Later Professor Willis went to Farm Ridge, where his parents conducted a boarding house, accommodating students of the seminary, which was then a prominent educa- tion institution of this section. He had attended school to some extent in New York and he also studied by himself at Farm Ridge and was largely his own instructor in music.

He continued at Farm Ridge until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when, in the spring of 1862, he responded to the country's call for aid and enlisted in Ford's cavalry, Cushman's brig- ade. He went direct to Corinth, Mississippi, and his company was escort to General Grant from Pittsburg Landing to Corinth. He was con- nected with the Western Army Cavalry service and after being injured by a fall from his horse, was sent to a hospital and was there discharged after two years' service because of disability oc- casioned by his fall. He was permanently dis- abled by that accident and has never been able to do any great manual labor, yet enjoys fair general health.

When the war was over Professor Willis took up his abode in Ottawa and has since been a prominent factor in musical circles of the city. For years he has been at the head of the best orchestra of this part of the state and is a fine performer on the violin. He is still manager and director of what is known as the Willis Orchestra, which has furnished all the opera music for the past thirty years. He has also been a teacher of dancing for the past thirty-five years and now has more than eighty pupils.

Professor Willis was married to Miss Juanita Morgan, who was born in La Salle county and is a representative of one of its old pioneer fam- ilies. She is also descended from colonial an-

cestry and is a Daughter of the American Revo- lution. In politics Professor Willis has always been a stanch republican, standing firmly by the party which was the main support of the Union in the Civil war and which has always been the party of reform and progress. Socially he is connected with the Grand Army of the Repub- lic and the family are members of the Congre- gational church. Their home is at No. 634 Illi- nois avenue. Professor Willis has been a resi- dent of the county for almost a half century and has watched its development through a long period, for when he came here it was still largely a wild region, in which there were many evi- dences of frontier life. He has long been known in the city where he makes his home and in musical circles as a prominent factor.

FREDERICK A. SHERWOOD.

Frederick A. Sherwood, deceased, whose en- terprise and activity made him one of the most valued citizens of Ottawa, while his public spirit and genuine personal worth caused his death to be deeply deplored by all who knew him, was born in Red Hook, Dutchess county, New York, in 1837. The days of his boyhood and youth were passed in the state of his nativity and in 1857 he went from New York to Centralia, Illi- nois, where he located for a short time, and from there he came to Ottawa, where he made his home until the time of his death. During much of this time he was engaged in the banking busi- ness, though he retired from that field of finan- cial operations for fifteen years. Later, how- ever, he established a private and savings bank in 1887 and continued as an active representa- tive of the financial interests of the county until his demise. He was a man of resourceful busi- ness ability and keen insight into intricate busi- ness problems and he carried forward to suc- cessful completion whatever he undertook. The word fail had no place in his vocabulary and in investigating the causes which led to his suc- cess it will be found that strong purpose, indom- itable energy and unfaltering honesty were his salient characteristics. In early life he studied law, but while he never engaged in the practice of the profession his knowledge thereof proved to be of great value in conducting his individual business interests. As his financial resources in- creased he made extensive, judicious and profit- able investments in real estate and was the owner of the Opera House and the Opera House block in Ottawa, together with the north half of the

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Rosecranz-Sherwood block on the west side of La Salle street. In addition to this his residence, which is one of the finest in the city, was sit- uated on the north bluff and its attractive style of architecture was supplemented by its rich and tasteful furnishings.

A broad-minded man, Mr. Sherwood possessed the habits and tastes of a scholar. He always investigated everything that came to his notice with which he was in any way associated and he reviewed broadly the question of the day effecting the social and economic status of the country or the material, intellectual or moral progress of his city. Few men outside of public life had so intimate a knowledge of the questions of the day and few gave evidence of such genu- ine public spirit as did Mr. Sherwood, whose co-operation could be always counted upon to further any movement for the welfare or progress of the city. One of his strongest traits, however, was his freedom from ostentation or display. In fact he was reserved even to reti- cence and although his gifts were most liberal and generous they were usually bestowed with the request that no mention should be made of them. He never sought but one office and that was mayor of Ottawa, to which he was elected in 1889, serving for one term. He gave to the city a business-like administration, characterized by much that was beneficial along many lines. By reason of his capable management he not only met the expenses of city government but was also enabled to save considerable sums from its revenue, so that when he retired from office he left several thousand dollars in the city treas- ury. It was during his incumbency as chief executive that the electric light plant was in- stalled and when it was completed he had the money ready to pay for it. The lighting sys- tem must be regarded as his memorial to the city. Not long before his death he presented to Ottawa a fine fountain, which he placed in Washington Park. In a quiet way he aided vari- ous societies and charitable and benevolent insti- tutions and he subscribed liberally to the different churches in Ottawa.

Mr. Sherwood was married in 1878 to Miss Phebe A. Anthony, a daughter of John P. Anthony, one of the honored pioneer residents of the city. They became the parents of two sons. Frederick A., a graduate of Yale Col- lege, married Miss Mary Mann, of Germantown, Pennsylvania, by whom he has one son, Fred- erick A., Jr. They make their home in Phila- delphia. Pennsylvania, where Mr. Sherwood is engaged in business. The younger son. Everett A., is also a graduate of Yale College and is in business with his brother. The death of Mr.

Sherwood occurred November 28, 1897. Mrs. Sherwood still makes her home in Ottawa.

By the death of Mr. Sherwood the community sustained an irreparable loss and was deprived of the presence of one whom it had come to look upon as a guardian, benefactor and friend. Death often removes from our midst those whom we can ill afford to spare, whose lives have been all that is exemplary of the true and thereby really great citizens. Such a citizen was Mr. Sherwood, whose whole career, both business and private, served as a model to the young and as an inspiration to the aged. By his usefulness and general benevolence he created a memory whose perpetuity does not depend upon brick or stone but upon the spontaneous and freewill offering of a grateful and enlightened people. No citi- zen did more for Ottawa than he. His con- nection with the city's development and growth and with the work of improvement was largely instrumental in placing Ottawa in the proud position it today occupies. He was always pleas- ant and genial and his qualities as such arose from his kindly nature. His friendship was prized most by those who knew him best and his memory is cherished by the people of the city which was always dear to his heart and to which he largely gave his best efforts.

DUNCAN MCDOUGALL.

Duncan McDougall, attorney at law, who has made a specialty of real estate and corporation litigation and whose efforts have been of direct and immediate serviceableness in public affairs, was denied many of the usual advantages which most boys enjoy in their youth and his present position is attributed entirely to his close appli- cation and success. In no profession is there a career more open to talent than in that of the law and in no field of endeavor is there demanded a more careful preparation, a more thorough appreciation of the absolute ethics of life or of the underlying principles which form the basis of all human rights and privileges. Unflagging application, intuitive wisdom and a determination to fully utilize the means at hand are the con- comitants which insure personal success and pres- tige in this great profession which stands as the stern conservitor of justice ; and is one to which none should enter without a recognition of the obstacles to be overcome and the battles to be won. Possessing all the requisites of the able lawyer, Duncan McDougall has attained promi- nence at the Ottawa bar, where he is practicing as the senior member of the firm of McDougall

Anneau M Danger

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& Chapman. Although born in Lake county, Illinois, he has been a resident of La Salle county from early boyhood.

His father, John McDougall, was a splendid representative of the Scotch race and on coming to this county settled in Allen township, where he secured a tract of wild land. Few improve- ments had been made in his part of the county and to the southeast the unbroken prairie stretched way for a distance of ten miles, while the nearest schoolhouse was situated more than six miles to the northwest. With characteristic energy and determination the father began the improvement of a farm and was engaged in its cultivation when the Civil war was inaugurated. Feeling that he owed a duty to his country, he volunteered and became a private of Captain Strawn's company of the One Hundred and Fourth Illinois Infantry. He started for the front, leaving his eight young children to the care of the mother, and in the battle of Harts- ville, Tennessee, he gave his life in defense of the Union cause. This was the first engagement in which the regiment was under fire.

The mother found considerable difficulty in providing for her children, of whom Duncan McDougall was the third in order of birth. It became necessary to mortgage the farm of four hundred acres and she found it impossible to redeem it. It devolved upon the children to provide early for their own support and Duncan McDougall secured work as a farm hand, but feeling that there was little future before him in this connection, he abandoned the plow and on a hot afternoon in summer walked a distance of twenty-two miles to the city of Ottawa to seek other employment. His determination and ability enabled him the following day to enter upon a good position and after that time he never found it difficult to secure employment. He was for a time in the old agricultural imple- ment warehouse of Throop Brothers as a sales- man and, realizing the value of further educa- tional training, he pursued a business course and the following year acted as manager of the school. The next year he became assistant book- keeper and shipping clerk for the firm of Gilman, King & Hamilton. Mr. King insisted upon painstaking supervision of every detail of the business and the methodical habits thereby evolved have been one of the strong elements in Mr. McDougall's success in later years. He spent one year as bookkeeper and salesman in a general store and afterward went upon the road as a traveling salesman, but, ambitious to enter professional life, he made arrangements whereby he took up the study of law in the office and under the direction of the firm of Dickey, Boyle & Richolson. Major A. T. Cameron was later

his preceptor and in 1873 he was admitted to the bar, since which time he has been an active and able member of the legal fraternity of Ottawa. His value and capability were recog- nized by Mr. Cameron, who on the day following his admission to the bar offered him a partner- ship, which was accepted. In connection with his regular law practice Mr. Cameron carried on a very extensive claim business on behalf of soldiers and this brought Mr. McDougall into close and friendly relations with the veterans, whose interests he advocated with marked suc- cess. One claim, after being five times rejected by the commissioner of pensions and the secre- tary of the interior, was allowed as the result of a personal interview which Mr. McDougall obtained with the president.

The firm of Cameron & McDougall had a pros- perous existence until the removal of the senior partner to California in the fall of 1876. Mr. McDougall afterward practiced alone until the spring of 1888, when he entered upon his present connection as the senior partner of the firm of McDougall & Chapman. His success in a pro- fessional way affords the best evidence of his capabilities in this line. He is a strong advocate with the jury and concise in his appeals before the court. Much of the success which has attended him in his professional career is undoubtedly due to the fact that he will not permit himself to go into court with a case unless he has confidence in the justice of his client's cause. Basing his efforts on this principle, from which there are far too many lapses in profession- al ranks, it naturally follows that he seldom loses a case in whose support he is enlisted. His is a natural discrimination as to legal ethics and he is so thoroughly well read in the minutae of the law that he is able to base his arguments upon thorough knowledge of and familiarity with precedence and to present a case upon its merits, never failing to recognize the main point at issue and never neglecting to give a thorough prepara- tion. He is always courteous and considerate in his treatment of witnesses and he makes it a point to assist the court in arriving at a just decision by reason of his clear statements rather than to enshroud his cause with ambiguity. The firm of which he is the senior member has had a gratifying share of important litigation, especially along the lines of real estate and corporation law. Notable cases with which they have been connected are the Hosford estate at Minneapolis, Minnesota ; the Howe will case of Wenona, Illinois ; the litigation in this and other states growing out of the division of the Evangel- ical Association of North America better known as the Debs-Esher litigation and involving the legal title to many million of dollars' worth of

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History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 48

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