History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 62

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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today. He is well known in Ottawa and through- out the county as a man of tried integrity and worth, having the confidence and esteem of all with whom he has come in contact. His business interests have been capably managed and his life record proves that prosperity and an honored name may be won simultaneously.

JOHN D. KINNEGAR.

John D. Kinnegar, a wealthy farmer living in a fine home on section II, Waltham township, was born in Macomb county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1833, and removed to Illinois sixty years ago. He made the journey westward after his father's death and in order to provide for his own support worked by the month as a farm hand. He was ambitious and frugal and from his earnings he saved the money with which he . purchased a team and otherwise gained a start in life. At length, when his capital justified the purchase of land, he bought forty acres in Wal- tham township and invested in the farm on which he now resides. As the years have passed and his financial resources have increased he has added to his property from time to time until he now owns eight eighty-acre tracts of fine farming land in Waltham township. This is productive and valuable and returns golden harvests for the care and labor bestowed upon it. Mr. Kin- negar also owns a farm near Wahoo, Nebraska, having thus placed his money in the safest of all investments-real estate.

Mr. Kinnegar was united in marriage to Miss Catharine McHugh, a daughter of Valentine and Maggie McHugh, but Mrs. Kinnegar is now deceased. They became the parents of nine children, James, John, Mary, Chartine, Charles, Valentine, Elizabeth, Margaret and Letitia. all of whom are now living, with the exception of James, and are still residents of La Salle county. Mr. Kinnegar and his family are members of the Catholic church, belonging to St. Mary's church at Utica. His political allegiance is given to the democracy and he keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day without seek- ing or desiring public office.

His farm, while large, is in an excellent state of cultivation and improvement and he still gives his personal supervision to the work although he is now seventy-three years of age. His is one of the most respected German families of La Salle county. He contributes his success to his sobriety and indefatigable energy combined with the general development of the country. He has lived to see Waltham township converted from

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a grass-grown prairie into a splendid agricultural district with richly developed farms that yield excellent returns to the owners.

No obstacle or difficulty has been allowed to bar his path if it could be overcome by deter- mined, earnest and honorable purpose and his close application to business has been a safe foundation upon which he has builded the super- structure of his prosperity.

RICHARD WOLFE.

Richard Wolfe, who is engaged extensively in breeding and handling Percheron horses, is num- bered among the leading stockmen of La Salle county. He has given his attention to this business for the past thirty years and follows general farming as well, having a good place on section 33, Eagle township. He was born in County Kerry, Ireland, in 1846, and with his parents came to Ottawa, Illinois, in 1848, when a child of but two years. He is a son of Richard and Mary (Foley) Wolfe, who located in Otta- wa and the following year, 1849, took up their abode upon a farm southwest of the city in Deer Park township. There Mr. Wolfe carried on gen- eral agricultural pursuits until 1858, when he re- moved to Waltham township, where he purchased a farm which now belongs to a Mr. Wylie. Sub- sequently he sold that property and removed to Dimmick township, where he bought a farm. spending his remaining days thereon. His wife died in Waltham township and he passed away in 1868, at the age of seventy-five years. In their family were six sons and threc daughters, of which number four are now living: Edward, a resident of Iowa : Pat, who is now living retired in Ottawa, Illinois ; Richard, of this review ; and Mrs. O'Donnell, who is living in Wallace township.

In taking up the personal history of Richard Wolfe, whose name introduces this record, we present to our readers an account of one who has spent almost his entire life in La Salle county. Here he was reared to manhood and acquired his education in the common schools. He early be- came familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist and has always fol- lowed farming, starting out upon an independent venture in 1867 or 1868. He purchased the present home farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 33. Eagle township, and after- ward bought the old Pat Barton farm of eighty acres on section 32, of the same township. Sub- sequently he bought for his son, Richard, the Maher farm to the north, so that the family

now owns altogether four hundred acres of very rich and valuable land in Eagle township. Much of this has been brought under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Wolfe has made all of the im- provements upon the home place, has set out all of the trees, which add so much to the attractive appearance as well as value of the farm, has built a fine, large residence and various outbuildings necessary for the shelter of grain and stock. His success is due to diligent effort and strict atten- tion to business. He has been very prosperous, especially in breeding and handling Percheron horses, and in this connection is widely known, having bred some of the best stock produced in this part of the state.

Mr. Wolfe was married in this county to Miss Kate Maher, a daughter of Bart Maher, who was one of the oldest settlers of the county and passed away in July, 1904, at the age of seventy-four years. He came to this locality in pioneer times, cast in his lot with the early settlers and aided in the progress and substantial improvement of his locality. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe have been born the following named: Richard, Jr., who at the age of thirty-two years is associated with his father in his farming and stock-raising operations ; Charles, twenty-nine years of age, who is bookkeeper in the electric light plant in El Paso, Texas; Bart, who is a graduate of the Streator high school and at the age of nineteen years is assisting in the operation of the home farm; Mamie ; and Eveline, now in school.

In politics Mr. Wolfe is a democrat but is somewhat independent in his political affiliation and views. He does not consider himself bound by party ties and often votes without regard to the political faith of the candidate in local offices where no issue is involved. He has con- tinually refused to hold office himself, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs, in which he has met with signal success. In his religious views he and his family are Catholics and are identified with Rev. Father Egan's parish. Since starting out in life upon his own account he has made steady advancement, overcoming all difficulties and obstacles in his path and working steadily toward the goal of prosperity.

ROBERT FAIRBAIRN.

After many years of activity spent as a miner and coal operator Robert Fairbairn is now living retired in the enjoyment of well earned rest in Streator. He was born in Glenton, Northum- berlandshire, England. April 20, 1836, his par- ents being Thomas and Eleanor (Lee) Fair-

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bairn. The father was a native of Scotland and was a farmer by occupation. Both he and his wife were members of the Scotch Presbyterian church. His death occurred in England in 1871, when he was seventy-three years of age, while his wife, who was born at Glenton in Northumberland county, died in 1856, at the age of fifty-six years. In their family were eleven children, nine sons and two daughters, but only two are now living, Robert and Andrew, the latter a resident of England.

Robert Fairbairn acquired his education in the public schools of his native country and became identified with mining interests in that land. At- tracted by the broader business possibilities and opportunities of the new world, he came to America in 1870 as a passenger on a steamer which dropped anchor in the harbor of New York. He thence proceeded westward by rail to Marshall county, Illinois, settling five miles west of Henry, where he and his brother Joseph purchased a brick house and nineteen acres of land. They began mining coal in the bluffs on this land and continued the business for three years. In 1873 they sold out and came to Streator, working in what was known as shaft No. I. The brother abandoned mining and re- moved to Iowa, where he spent one year as a

farmer. He afterward returned to La Salle county, however, and became boss in the Pekin mine, where he lost his life through an accident in the shaft in 1876. Robert Fairbairn con- tinued to engage in mining until 1892, when he organized the Acme Coal Company in connection with James Condren and Edward Atkinson. In 1897, Mr. Condren withdrew from the company, but Mr. Atkinson is still its superintendent. Mr. Fairbairn's son Thomas is now president of the company, and Mr. Fairbairn of this review is yet financially interested therein, but is now living a retired life, having put aside active business cares several years ago to enjoy in well earned rest the fruits of his former toil.

Mr. Fairbairn was married at Morpeth, Eng- land, May 2, 1860, to Miss Elizabeth Mennem, who was born in England, December 7, 1839, a daughter of James and Mary (Nickels) Mennem, both of whom were natives of Northumberland, England. Her father, who was a miner in that country, where he spent his entire life, died in 1864 in his sixty-third year, while his wife sur- vived him until 1887 and passed away in her eighty-seventh year. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In their fam- ily were seven children, of whom the following are now living: John, who resides in Seatonville, Bureau county, Illinois; James, living in La Salle, Illinois ; Ellen, a resident of England ; and

Mrs. Fairbairn. Unto our subject and his wife have been born nine children, six of whom yet survive, namely: Eleanor; Mary; Thomas, who is president of the Acme Coal Company ; Cicely ; Robert J., who is secretary and treasurer of the Acme Coal Company; and Joseph W., who is weighman for the company.

Mr. Fairbairn gives his political allegiance to the republican party and has served as road com- missioner and supervisor of the township. He belongs to the Goodwill church and has led an act- ive, useful and honorable life in which earnest labor has been crowned with success. He has realized the hope that led him to America, for in this country, where opportunity is unhampered by caste or class, he has worked his way upward and is now in possession of a handsome com- petence attained through earnest labor.

SIMEON C. HILTABRAND.

Nature seems to have intended that man should enjoy a period of rest and relaxation in the evening of life. In youth, full of energy, am- bition and determination, he takes up the work of the world and in later years his labors are guided by his sound judgment, resulting from experience, so that if he is honest in his pur- pose and persistent in his endeavors he may se- cure a competence that will relieve him in later years of the more arduous toil and responsibili- ties. Such has been the life of Mr. Hiltabrand, who, now at the age of eighty years, is living re- tired in Tonica.

He was born September 13, 1826, in Tennessee about thirty miles north of Nashville, his par- ents being George and Elizabeth (Gunn) Hilta- brand. The father was a native of North Caro- lina, born June 18, 1799, and was of German de- scent. The paternal grandfather was Conrad Hiltabrand, whose father was a native of Ger- many. Leaving North Carolina, Conrad Hilta- brand removed to Tennessee, where he resided up to the time of his death, his attention being given to farming operations and also to the op- eration of a sawmill in the latter state. When about nineteen or twenty years of age George Hiltabrand went to Tennessee, becoming a resi- dent of Robinson county, where his father and the family afterward settled. He resided there until the fall of 1828. He then became a resi- dent of Tazewell county, Illinois, where he ar- rived in the month of October. Spending the winter there, in the spring of 1829 he removed with his family to Putnam county, Illinois, and they with his uncle's people constituted the sec- ond white family in that section. They set-

SIMEON C. HILTABRAND

MRS - SIMEON C . HILTABRAND

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PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

tled in what is known as the ox bow district, the town of Magnolia being located on the long branch of the bow. The Hiltabrand family, how- ever, settled on the north or short bow, which is formed by the timber into the form of an ox bow. Soon afterward other families began to arrive and settle on the north branch and thus the work of development and civilization was begun. George Hiltabrand settled upon a claim there, which he afterward purchased from the government when the land came into the market. Indians were encamped and lived. not more than a mile and a quarter from his home and every evidence of wild frontier life was to be seen in this district. For a short time, probably a month, Mr. Hiltabrand served as a ranger and together with the other settlers he as- sisted in building a stockade and a block house or fort for defense against the Indians at the out- break of the Black Hawk war. He remained in the fort for several weeks but continued work on his farm and there resided until 1870, when he was called to his final rest. He had secured large land holdings, purchasing four eighty-acre tracts direct from the government and after- ward securing several hundred acres by pur- chase from others, his property being ultimately divided among his children. He displayed ex- cellent business capacity and sound judgment and his investments were judiciously placed. He held a number of local offices, although not ac- tive in politics, his political preferment coming to him in recognition of his good qualities and loyalty in citizenship on the part of his fellow- men. He married Miss Elizabeth Gunn, who was born in North Carolina and became a resi- dent of Tennessee when about nine years of age. The wedding was celebrated in that state and following the removal of the family to Illinois Mrs. Hiltabrand resided upon the farm in Put- nam county until her death, which occurred No- vember 24, 1881. She was a daughter of Dan- iel Gunn, also a native of North Carolina, who became a resident of Illinois in the fall of 1829, settling on a claim in Putnam county, where he lived until his demise. They were of Welsh descent. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. George Hiltabrand were ten children who arrived at years of maturity, but only four are now living : Benjamin F., of Tonica ; Mrs. Melissa Ebner, of Tonica ; George, of Henry, Marshall county, Illi- nois ; and Simeon.

When only two years of age Simeon C. Hilta- brand was brought by his parents from Ten- nessee to this state and was reared in Putnam county, remaining upon the home farm there un- til he had attained his majority. He then be- gan farming on his own account, sowing wheat

on the 13th of September, 1847,-his twenty- first birthday. He rented land from his fa- ther, who later gave him one hundred and sixty acres, which he improved, residing thereon for almost forty-six years. That farm covered the southwest quarter of section 4 in Hope town- ship, La Salle county. Several years ago Mr. Hiltabrand sold this farm to a young man, L. Albert Deobald, who had been reared by Mr. and Mrs. Hiltabrand from the age of eleven years. In his business affairs Mr. Hiltabrand has been very successful and now owns several farms lying in Vermillion, Hope and Eden townships, about eight hundred acres in all. He also has a fine home in Tonica and his property interests are the visible evidence of a life of thrift and en- ergy, of business integrity and honorable purpose.

On the 29th of March, 1855, Mr. Hiltabrand was married in Caledonia to Miss Hannah A. Funk, who was born in Marshall county, Illi- nois, her natal day being September 6, 1838. She was reared, however, in Putnam not far from where she was born. Her parents were Joseph and Margaret (Wigfall) Funk, who came from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her father was of German descent and her mother was of Welsh and Scotch lineage. Mr. and Mrs. Funk came to Illinois in 1837. He made the trip in the spring and in the fall of that year was joined by his wife after he had made preparations for a home in the west. He was a wheelwright and followed that trade for a number of years. Later he bought a farm near Caledonia, where he re- sided for many years, or until his wife's death, which occurred May 16, 1881, when she was almost sixty-six years of age. Mr. Funk after- ward made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Hilta- brand on the farm in Hope township for seven- teen years, or until his own demise, which oc- curred April 2, 1898, when he was in his nine- tieth year. He was born in Pennsylvania in March, 1809. Mrs. Hiltabrand was one of nine children, of whom three died in infancy, the others being Hannah A., the wife of our subject; Jo- seph, who resides in La Salle; Catherine, the wife of M. B. Kays, of Tonica; George, of To- nica ; Mrs. Mary Ryan, who died several years ago; and Frank, who is residing on the home farm at Caledonia.

Mr. and Mrs. Hiltabrand have had no chil- dren of their own, but have reared three: Mrs. Julia Lambert, of Tonica; Mrs. Maud (Gunn) Hiltabrand; and L. Albert Deobald, of Hope township. All have married into the Hiltabrand family, wedding relatives of our subject and his wife.

Politically Mr. Hiltabrand is a democrat. He has served as school trustee and in other local

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offices. He and his wife are members of the "old Baptist church" and upon his farm he has built a church in which services have been held for the past fifteen years. A reunion of the numerous members of the Hiltabrand is held every fall at the church built by Uncle Simeon, by which name Mr. Hiltabrand is affectionately called by his many relatives and friends. Look- ing back over the past one cannot fail to be impressed with the success which he has achieved in the course of a long and active life, know- ing that he started out empty-handed; but more than that, one cannot fail to note the honorable methods he has ever followed and the upright life which he has lived-the proof of which is found in the esteem and confidence which are uniformly accorded him by young and old, rich and poor. He is widely known and all who know him respect him.

Mr. Hiltabrand can relate many interesting incidents of life on the frontier. In 1831 was the last time any male Indians visited the lo- cality in which he lived, there being two who called at his father's house and on entering left their guns outside. The taller of the two wore a large silver coin, about the size of a Mexican dollar, in his nose. The following fall an old squaw and her son, about eighteen years of age, stopped at the house for something to eat, and our subject's mother gave her a large piece of bread which had been baked in a skil- let that is still in possession of Mr. Hiltabrand. The squaw divided the bread with her son. She was wearing a stove-pipe hat which she had probably found or which had been taken from some captive. Another relic of pioneer days be- longing to Mr. Hiltabrand is a bed spread, which was carded, spun and woven by his mother in the summer of 1826 and which is still in use, being but little worn after so many years. His only clock was purchased fifty-one years ago, and still keeps good time. Mrs. Hiltabrand has her mother's wedding veil, which is of the finest of white silk and is highly prized by her.

IV. WALLACE WATTS. .

W. Wallace Watts, an agriculturist and stock- man residing on section 28, South Ottawa town- ship, where he owns and operates two hundred and sixty acres of land, lying partly on section 33, was born in this township in 1865. His father, Philip C. Watts, is also engaged in gen- eral farming and stock-raising and makes his home on section 20 of the same township. He

owns three farms in this county, containing about six hundred acres of land, and for more than a half century he resided on section 28, South Ottawa township, on the farm now occupied by his son Wallace. He was born in Devonshire, England, June 24, 1822, his parents being Glenn and Betsy (Challacombe) Watts, who spent their entire lives in England. The latter was descended from ancestors who went with Wil- - liam the Conqueror from Normandy to England. The youngest brother of Philip C. Watts resides upon the old home farm in Devonshire.

Philip C. Watts came to this country in the spring of 1840, landing at Chicago on the 16th of June of that year. He was about seventeen years of age when he arrived in New York city in 1839. He remained in Genesee county, New York, with his mother's brother, John Challa- combe, and worked there for one man for five months at ten dollars per month. He was after- ward employed by a brother of Henry Ward Beecher, the noted divine. The following spring he came by water to the west, making the jour- ney around the lakes from Buffalo to 'Chicago, which was then a city of less than five thousand inhabitants. In the spring of 1840 he went on through to Alton, Illinois, and there met Abra- ham Lincoln, being in Alton at the time Lincoln and Shields crossed to Missouri to fight a duel on account of some alleged article which was supposedly published by Lincoln, but as history records, the trouble was settled amicably with- out resorting to the duel. When Philip Watts reached this country he had only a sovereign left and he was in quite limited financial circum- stances when he came to Illinois. He secured employment at the prison in Alton and later became a guard there in the employ of Colonel Buckmaster. The year 1844 witnessed his arrival in La Salle county, having hired to Francis Libbey, who had purchased the state rights of Illinois for the sale of a thresher separator for cleaning the chaff from the grain. The machines were manufactured at Alton by the firm of Anson & Emerson. Arriving in La Salle county on the Ist of July, 1844, Philip C. Watts formed a partnership with Francis Libbey in November of that year for disposing of the rights to use the machine and also for the sale of the machines. In 1845 he purchased the right in La Salle county south of Illinois river and in the fall of 1845 and for three years successfully engaged in threshing. He then sold out and purchased a small tract of land on section 33, South Ottawa township, which he still owns and has added to this from time to time until he has increased his holdings to his present acreage. Since 1844 he has made his home continuously in South Ottawa

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township, but he has traveled extensively in this country and has also made two trips abroad.

In early manhood Philip C. Watts was married to Miss Margaret Ann Brown, who was a sister of Mrs. Francis Libbey and was of German and Scotch descent. She came to La Salle county in 1830 and was a niece of Charlotte Hogaboom, who became the wife of Sheldon Bartholomew, this being the first marriage of a white couple in La Salle county. Mr. and Mrs. Watts traveled life's journey happily together for many years, when they were separated by the death of the wife in 1900. They lived together for almost fifty-three years and two of Mr. Watts' brothers and a sister all celebrated their golden weddings. Mr. and Mrs. Philip Watts reared nine children : C. B., who is a farmer residing at Earl, La Salle county ; Elizabeth Ann, now Mrs. Pound- stone, whose husband was formerly in the hard- ware business at Ottawa but is now residing at Los Angeles, California; Clara M., who after her mother's death acted as her father's house- keeper, but died in Chicago in March, 1906; Mrs. Henrietta Jones, who with her husband is residing with her father, while their sons are engaged in farming in Indiana; Mrs. Laura W. Gray, of Los Angeles, California; Lucy B., who died soon after the mother's death; Louise, the wife of W. N. Trumbo, of Peabody, Kansas : William Wallace, who is residing on the old home farm; Florence B., the wife of William Hollar, a farmer living at Peabody, Kansas. Mr. Watts has eighteen grandchildren and four great- grandchildren who are living.

In his political views Philip C. Watts has always been a republican, supporting the party in the early days when it was unpopular to be an advocate of its principles, and for many years he was a subscriber to the New York Tribune, published by Horace Greeley. He served for eight years as justice of the peace, was assessor two years and collector for one term in South Ottawa township. He was confirmed in the Episcopal church but has always been liberal in his religious views. Few men are more familiar with the early history of the county than Mr. Watts, who in the early days engaged in teaming to Chicago before the advent of rail- roads. He has always followed general farming and is still the owner of valuable lands, com- prising six hundred acres, which represents the fit utilization of the innate talent which is his. He has always made good use of his opportuni- ties and, prospering from year'to year, is now one of the substantial farmers of the county, still giving supervision to his property interests at the age of eighty-four years, although he leaves the active work of the farm to others.

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History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 62

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