History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 64

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 64

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).

cattle, Poland China hogs and Oxford Down sheep and has some very fine stock upon his place. He is secretary of the La Salle County Hereford Breeders Association, which position he has occupied since its organization in 1901. This society was formed for promoting the inter- ests of breeders of Hereford cattle.

William H. Watts was married in this county to Miss Laura Hodgson, who died, however, a year later, leaving a little son, Warren A., who still makes his home with his father and is now attending college. For his second wife Mr. Watts chose Rosa Brown, of Livingston county, Illinois, who was born in La Salle county near the city of La Salle, a daughter of Thomas Brown, who died in 1883, while his wife passed away in 1892. He followed farming in La Salle county for a number of years and then purchased a farm in Livingston county, upon which he took up his abode. Mr. and Mrs. Watts have six children : Mabel, Georgia, Olive, Blanche, Joseph and Arthur, all at home. They also lost a daughter, Maud, who died when about a year old.

Mr. Watts has practically made all of the improvements upon his farm and now has a valuable property equipped with all modern ac- cessories and conveniences. His political al- legiance is given to the democracy where national issues are involved, but at local elections he casts an independent ballot. Socially he is con- nected with the Masonic lodge and chapter, also the commandery at Ottawa and with the Modern Woodman camp. His religious faith is that of the Congregational church. Having spent his entire life in this county, he is widely known and is regarded as one of the most prominent representatives of stock-raising interests, keeping only high grade stock and conducting a business which is now large and profitable. He has always stood for improvement in the grades of stock and in this way has done much for the county.

WILLIAM FRULAND.

William Fruland is now living a retired life in Sheridan, but for over a half century was one of the active and prosperous farmers of Miller township. He was numbered among the first settlers and dates his residence in the county from 1837. He was born in Norway in 1835. ITis father, Nels Fruland, also a native of that country, was there reared and educated and having reached adult age wedded Anna Williams. In 1837 he came to the United States, making his way at once to Illinois, and about 1840 he

47I

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

located in La Salle county, settling in Miller township, where he purchased new land and opened up a farm of eighty acres. He later bought more land to the extent of two hundred and forty acres and has since developed an excellent property. He raised his family thereon and con- tinued to make his home there until called to his final rest, passing away about 1886, when seven- ty-seven years of age. His wife also died upon the old homestead, having reached the very advanced age of nearly ninety-seven years. In the family were five children: Mrs. Barbara Johnson, a widow, residing in Miller ; Lars, who is a retired farmer of Newark, Illinois; William, of this review; Christie, the wife of John Norwick, of Miller township; and Lizzie, who married Mar- tin Johnson, but both she and her husband are now deceased.

William Fruland spent the days of his boy- hood and youth in Miller township, acquiring a common-school education, but his advantages i11 that direction were somewhat meagre owing to the primitive condition of the schools of that period and to the fact that his services were needed in the development of the home farm. He remained with his father until twenty-five years of age and was married in Miller town- ship on the 15th of January, 1863, to Miss Emily Rosdail, who was born in this county and was here reared. Her father was Ovee Rosdail, one of the first Norwegian residents of this part of the state. He was seventeen years of age when in 1825 he crossed the Atlantic on a sloop and sought a home in the middle west, aiding in founding the Norwegian colony which has been an important element in the develop- ment and reclamation of this part of the state. Following his marriage Mr. Fruland lo- cated on a farm of eighty acres in Miller town- ship. His father gave him forty acres and he bought an adjoining forty acres, from which tract he developed an excellent farm lying on section 8, Miller township. Subsequently he bought more land, securing one hundred and seven acres in an improved farm. He then culti- vated both places and as his financial resources were still further increased he again invested in land, becoming owner of one hundred and thirty- five acres which he rented to Bert Nelson, his son-in-law. He built a neat house of two stories and also built two good barns, corn cribs, sheds and other necessary buildings upon his place. He likewise set out fruit, fenced and tiled his farm and altogether converted it into a valuable prop- erty, hardly surpassed in the county in its equip- ments and improvements. There he continued actively in the work of tiling the soil until 1905, when he left his son, William O., upon the

farm and purchased a residence in Sheridan, where he now resides.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Fruland have been born seven children, of whom six are living : Mrs. Gertrude Erickson, a widow, who lives in Ottawa and has four daughters ; Arthur, a farmer of Mis- sion township, who owns a good tract of land and has two daughters ; Nels, who owns and cultivates a farm of two hundred and eleven acres in Grundy county and has three sons, Walter, Chester and Nelson; Anna, who is the wife of Bert Nelson, residing upon one of her father's farms and by whom she has one child, Vida; Ida, the wife of Silas Classon, a farmer of Miller township, hav- ing one hundred and seven acres of land and who is married and has a daughter, Verna ; Wil- liam O., who is operating the old home place and is married and has one son. Mr. and Mrs. Fru- land also lost a daughter, Grace, who died when twenty-six years of age.

Politically Mr. Fruland is a republican and has done effective service for the schools as an able member of the school board through a num- ber of years. He and his wife were reared in the Lutheran faith and are members of that church. He has resided in La Salle county from his youth to the present time and owes his success to his own efforts and the assistance of his esti- mable wife, who has indeed been a faithful companion and helpmate to him on life's jour- ney for forty-three years. Both have witnessed much of the growth and development of the county and Mr. Fruland has never been found wanting when his services have been in demand to aid in any public measure that has tended to promote the county's welfare. Both he and his wife are held in the highest esteem and his well directed energy and intense business activity have brought him the competence that he is now enjoying and which enables him to live a retired life surrounded by the comforts and many of the luxuries which go to make life worth living.

ALLEN STEVEN.

Allen Steven, who at the age of seventy-seven years is living retired from active business in Ottawa, dates his residence in the county from 1857, at which time he took up his abode in what was then Bruce township but is now a part of Allen township. For many years thereafter he devoted his energies to general agricultural pur- suits and still the owner of a farming prop- erty of four hundred acres. He came to Illi - nois from Canada, but his birth occurred in Scot- land near Glasgow, September 6, 1829. his par-

472

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

ents being James and Janet (McGaun) Steven, who were likewise natives of Scotland and in the year 1831 crossed the Atlantic to Canada in a sailing vessel, locating in Huntington county, They remained there throughout the residue of their days, the father's death occurring in 1883, while the mother passed away in 1878. They had both attained a very venerable age, James Steven being a centenarian at the time of his de- mise. In their family were nine children, of whom one son, Robert, came to La Salle county, while two of the sons, now deceased, were resi- dents of Dupage county, Illinois.

Allen Steven was only about two years old when his parents left the land of hills and heather and came to the new world. He was reared in Canada, the family home, however, being on the border of New York state. He engaged in farm- ing for himself in that country and was married there July 6, 1853, to Miss Margaret Spink, who was born in Canada, January 13, 1835, her par- ents being John and Mary (Fleming) Spink, both of whom died in Canada, the former in 1862 and the latter in 1867. They, too, were natives of Scotland and Mrs. Steven was one of a large family, but only four of the number are now liv- ing. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Steven have been born nine children; James, who is residing in St. Louis, Missouri; Mrs. Mary Crane, who makes her home in Brooklyn, New York; John, who died at the age of twenty-three years; Nettie, a twin sister of John and the wife of Judge O. N. Carter, of Chicago ; T. G., a merchant of Chicago; Mrs. Margaret E. Stevenson, of Ottawa; two who died in infancy; and Jean C., who is the wife of R. I. Gregg and resides in Denver, Col- orado.

The year 1857 witnessed the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Steven in La Salle county, at which time they located in what is now Allen township. Mr. Steven purchased a farm and for thirty-four years thereafter devoted his time and energies to general agricultural pursuits, tilling the soil un- ti! 1891, when he removed to Ottawa, where he has since made his home. His carefully directed business interests brought to him a desirable suc- cess and he is still owner of his farm of four hundred acres which he purchased in 1857 and which he now leases. It is well improved and he secures therefrom a good income, though when it came into his possession not a furrow has been turned upon the tract. His political al- legiance has been given to the republican party since he took out his naturalization papers. He has served as supervisor for three years and is now filling the office of justice of the peace for a second term. His religious views accord with the teachings of the Congregational church, to

which his wife also belongs. He is a man of firm purpose, always true to his honest convic- tions and his well managed business interests have made it possible for him now to enjoy a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves.

J. L. BANE.

J. L. Bane, filling the office of probate clerk of La Salle county, has for a number of years figured quite prominently in political circles in this locality and his opinions are often a decisive element in the settlement of political questions. It is therefore meet that we present to our read- ers his life record, which began in West Vir- ginia on the 15th of June, 1866, his parents being Henry and Margaret Bane, who were natives of Virginia, and as his grandparents were born and reared in Pennsylvania he is thoroughly Amer- ican. He was reared to manhood in the state of his nativity, acquiring a good public-school educa- tion, and the year 1887 witnessed his arrival in La Salle county, at which time he took up his abode in the village of Rutland, where he was married June 14, 1890, to Miss Leila M. Jackson, a daughter of Hale P. and Elvina B. Jackson, who were of old New England stock.

Mr. Bane obtained employment in Rutland as a painter and was afterward a clerk for the Rutland Coal Company. His efficiency and ability won him promotion and he was made chief weighmaster, later becoming manager of the company's general store. In business affairs he has always been accurate, reliable and prompt, and these qualities win recognition when the choice of a candidate for public office is under consideration.

Since attaining his majority Mr. Bane has been interested in the questions and issues of the day and has given a loyal support to the repub- lican party. In 1894 he was nominated on the republican ticket for probate clerk and received a plurality of twenty-three hundred votes over his opponent. That he discharged his duties in a most capable manner highly satisfactory to his constituents is indicated by the fact that he was re-elected by an increased majority in 1898, and he is now filling the office for the third term. The business of this office has been conducted honestly and efficiently. Needed reforms have been effected, the books have been brought down to the present time and his successor need never fear the task of solving problems that have arisen through inefficiency or lack of close application.

Mr. Bane is perhaps equally well known in fraternal circles, being a member of all branches

J. L. BANE.

475

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

of the Knights of Pythias order, and at present lie is first lieutenant of Ottawa Company, No. 28. He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Eagles and the Mod- ern Woodmen of America, and is an exemplary representative of these different orders, which are based on mutual kindliness and helpfulness. Mr. Bane is a man of fine personal appearance. of social, genial nature and of unfailing courtesy whether in office or out of it. His residence in La Salle county covers almost twenty years, dur- ing which time he has become widely known, while the many sterling traits of his character have gained for him warm and lasting friend- ships. He has never been known to turn down a friend political or otherwise.

NATHANIEL MCINTYRE.

Nathaniel McIntyre, of Streator, Illinois, is the second son of Nathaniel and Jennie Hunter McIntyre, natives of Londonderry, Ireland, the former being highland Scotch and the latter low- land Scotch. Thus in this family were united two of the best strains of blood which have helped to make the British Empire one of the world's greatest powers. Five of the six children, in- cluding the subject of this sketch, who was born April 15, 1834, were born near Colerain, Ireland. With clear vision the father foresaw that the new world offered larger opportunity for his growing family, and so in 1840 he emigrated to and set- tled in New York, where he died soon after- wards, leaving the mother and her family of small children to make life's struggle in a land with whose conditions and people they were yet unac- quainted. Another move brought the family to Carbon county, Pennsylvania, and then in 1850 they removed to La Salle county, Illinois, where Nathaniel settled in Ottawa, while all the other members of the family settled in that part of the county now known as Allen township.

Mr. McIntyre was married to Ruth Killmar. of Watertown, New York, December 15, 1855. She died September 26, 1863. No children were born of this marriage.

January 3, 1865, he was married to Miss Della M. Howe, of Grundy county, Illinois. Of this union five children were born : Louise, Grace. Margaret, Arthur and Edward, all of whom are living.

For ten years Nathaniel was employed as clerk and bookkeeper in the leading general store of his adopted city, and during this time he acquired a general knowledge of business and made a wide acquaintance with the early settlers of La Salle

and adjoining counties, Ottawa at that time be- ing one of the great trading centers of northern Illinois. Notwithstanding during this time he developed qualities and characteristics which would have guaranteed him a successful mercan- tile career, he longed for the broader outlook and greater freedom of agricultural pursuits. 1860 he put his purpose in operation by remov- ing to and settling upon a farm near the present village of Ransom, which he still owns. By his marked success as a practical farmer and stock- grower, he has fully demonstrated the wisdom of this choice.

On account of his natural taste for legal and business matters, coupled with his business ex- perience, Mr. McIntyre in his new home soon came to be recognized as a safe counselor touch- ing these matters, and from that time until his retirement from the farm, he was consulted more widely even than the leading lawyers of the county. To the safe and conservative charac- ter of his advice many men still living owe their success.

The years Mr. McIntyre spent in Ottawa were years of intense political thinking and acting. It was during these years the republican party was developed and became national. He entertained strong anti-slavery sentiments, and regarding this party as most likely to give effect to his convic- tions on this subject, he assisted in organizing it in La Salle county, and cast his first presi- dential vote for its first presidential candidate, John C. Fremont.

In his new home he was soon elected super- visor, and for many successive years was re- elected, and later for various periods he served in the same position. La Salle county is one of the largest in the state, and its business inter- ests were important and varied. For many years there was a group of unusually strong men in the board of supervisors, who dominated the business policies of the county, and Mr. McIn- tyre was one of the leaders in this group. He was a member of the board of supervisors when the new county asylum, as well as when the new county courthouse, was built. His services as chairman of various important committees, and particularly as a member of the building commit- tee when the new county asylum was built, as well as of the same committees when the new county courthouse was built, were valuable. To mem- bership in the latter committee lie was elected by an almost unanimous vote of the board. To the trend given the business affairs of the county by this group of men, the county owes the fact that it has never been much indebted.

For three especially important matters of gen- eral interest the public is indebted to the serv-

476

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

ices of Mr. McIntyre far beyond what is general- ly known and appreciated.

Allen township is the only township in the county which today owns its school lands. Other townships sold their school lands, and in large measure frittered away the proceeds in sup- plying the present wants when school lands brought "but a song," with little or no thought of the great future values of the lands or great fu- ture needs of the schools. Two efforts were made in the early days to sell the Allen township school lands. The first of these was defeated by the active opposition of John McDougall, a man ever watchful of public interest, who afterward gave his life in defense of his country. The second effort was defeated by Mr. McIntyre, who was the president of the board of trustees of schools when it was made. When the petition was pre- sented he took the responsibility of "pocketing" it, and refusing to present it to the county super- intendent of schools, knowing that the presenta- tion to that officer would result in the lands being ordered sold. He was threatened by interested parties with legal proceedings, but stood his ground and prevented the sale. The result is that the present income from the school lands and from the proceeds of a small portion of the school lands much more recently sold as village lots, goes far toward maintaining the public schools of the township.

Another important public service consisted in his preventing the township from becoming in- volved in liability upon railway aid bonds. Be- tween 1860 and 1870 the craze for railway build- ing was so strong that great numbers of munici- pal corporations voted "railway aid bonds" with- out so safeguarding the issue as to make it certain that the bonds would not be so issued as to create a legal liability thereon without the construction of the railway.

It was proposed to issue twen- ty thousand dollars, railway aid bonds to aid in the construction of the Kankakee & Pacific Railway, a road to be built from some point in Indiana to some point on the Mississippi river. At this time Mr. McIntyre was supervisor, and it was due to his care in preparing the call for and notices of the election that the bonds were voted upon such conditions that the township could not be required to issue the bonds until such time as the railroad should be "completed and operated," and it was due to his firmness in refusing to waive any of these conditions that the bonds were never issued. Every effort was made to have the bonds issued "to help in the con- struction of the road," but without avail. Bonds of other townships were issued and had to be paid notwithstanding the railroad was never built.

It was due to the work of Mr. McIntyre that the Chicago, Pekin & Southwestern (now a part of the Santa Fe system) Railroad was built upon the line which carried it across the school lands of Allen township, and secured the location of the station now known as Ransom at a central point on said school lands. In recognition of his services in this matter, the railway authorized him to locate and name the station, and Post- master General Jewell authorized him to name the postoffice and the first postmaster. He named the village and postoffice Ransom, in honor of Colonel Ransom of the Eleventh Regi- ment of Illinois Volunteers. In selecting the first postmistress he chose so wisely that the one chosen served without opposition until volun- tary retirement in 1905.

In so far as Mr. McIntyre has held public office it has not been as a result of any office seeking disposition, but merely in recognition of the principle that citizenship carries with it certain obligations which can only be discharged by pub- lic service. Greater political recognition has not infrequently been open to him, both elective and appointive, but he has had no inclination to ac- cept recognition in this line that would seriously interfere with the chosen business of his life.

Mr. McIntyre continued his work as an active farmer and stock-raiser until 1899, when he re- tired, and since then he has made his home in Streator. In the development and equipment of the' Carnegie public library of that city he has taken an active part and proven himself a most efficient member of its board of directors.

Mr. McIntyre still identifies himself with the republican party and adheres to the great princi- ples for which it has stood, but he holds party al- legiance more lightly than in former years. Like many other men who hold the interest of the state above the interest of the party, he insists as a condition of fealty to party candidates that they shall be men of the highest integrity and thor- oughly equipped for the duties of the office to be filled.

In private business Mr. McIntyre stands for integrity, and in public affairs he stands for the public weal regardless of personal interests.

SAMUEL C. WILEY.

Samuel C. Wiley was born in Somerset coun- ty, Maine, November II, 1833, his parents being Charles and Seraphina (Greenleaf) Wiley. The ancestry of the family is traced back to Scotland. The great-great-grandfather of Samuel C. Wiley removed to Ireland, where the great-grandfather

S. 6. Olay

479

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY ..

was born, and when this lad was about twelve years of age the family home was established in Massachusetts. Robert Wiley was the youngest seven sons and was born in Maine, where he was reared and married Hannah Charles, also a native of that state. Her parents came from Sweden. Charles Wiley, son of Robert Wiley, was born in Fryeburg, Maine, March 15, 1803, and wedded Seraphina Greenleaf, by whom he had five chil- dren. In 1844 he brought his family from Maine to La Salle county, Illinois, settling in Freedom township, where he secured a tract of land of one hundred and sixty acres, which he de- veloped with the aid of his sons. Thus at an early date the family was established in this sec- tion of the state and the family name has since been interwoven with the history of development and progress here. Charles Wiley died in 1875, and his wife passed away in 1896, in her eighty- sixth year. Her parents were English people who located in Maine in the early days.

Samuel C. Wiley was a youth of eleven years when he accompanied his parents on their re- moval to Illinois. His educational privileges were limited owing to the condition of the schools at that time, but reading and observa- tion have added largely to his knowledge, and in the school of experience he has learned many valuable lessons: His first purchase of land made him owner of two hundred and forty acres in Meriden township, which he developed, trans- forming it into a productive farm. For many years he was classed among the most successful agriculturists of this part of the state and added to his original holdings from time to time until he became the owner of five hundred acres of val- uable land. Retiring from the active work of the farm, he engaged in the lumber business about 1874 in partnership with W. E. Hapeman. This relation was maintained for eleven years, when he sold out to his partner and for about twenty years he was engaged in buying and ship- ping live stock in Earlville, where he conducted a good business. In 1858 he wedded Mary E. Thompson, a native of New York and a daugh- ter of Harvey I. Thompson, who removed from the Empire state to Christian county, Illinois, and afterward came to La Salle county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wiley were born eight children : Laura, who died at the age of two years; Carrie ; Mabel; Herbert C .; Gilbert; Ruth; Rosa, and George S. The death of Mrs. Wiley occurred in 1892, when she was in her fifty-second year, and Mr. Wiley continued to make his home in Earlville. He was a Knight Templar Mason, and politically a democrat. He served as super- visor of Earl and Meriden townships for a num- ber of years, and twice represented his district in

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 64

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