History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 95

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 95

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).

Mr. Knowles was married in 1885 to Miss Mae Stormont, who was born in Ottawa in 1865. They have become the parents of one son, Fred- erick S., who is a native of this city and is now thirteen years of age. Mrs. Knowles is an earnest and helpful member of the Methodist church. Mr. Knowles gives his political alle- giance to the republican party, while fraternally he is connected with the Masons, having taken the degrees of the lodge and chapter, also of Ottawa commandery, of the consitory, in which he has attained the thirty-second degree, and the Mystic Shrine. As a business man he is alert and enterprising and has earned for him- self a splendid reputation by reason of his re- liability and determination.

MANLEY B. HASKELL.

Manley B. Haskell was born in Ottawa, November 24, 1852, his parents being William and Martha A. (Batchelor) Haskell. The fa- ther was born in Bolton, Massachusetts, in 1815, and the mother in Homer, Cortland county, New York, September 22, 1822. He came to Otta- wa, Illinois, in the fall of 1836, locating in Otta- wa, where he resided until 1865. He was at first engaged in general merchandising and after- ward built the Exchange mill and the City mill, conducting those business enterprises under the partnership name of Haskell & Sample. They also built one of the first foundries in Ottawa and established a tannery, and thus Mr. Haskel! was closely associated with the industrial en- terprises of his adopted county. He was num- bered among the pioneer residents of Ottawa and through the establishment and promotion of a number of business interests contributed in large and substantial measure to the growth and prog-

ress of his adopted city. He died in Streator in 1872, and his widow, still surviving, is now making her home in Kansas City, Kansas. They were married at the home of her father in Free- dom township, La Salle county, September 22, 1842, and unto them were born three sons and two daughters, Mary, the eldest, died in infancy ; William W., who was born in Ottawa, Febru- ary 6, 1846, is now residing in Kansas City, Kansas, and is a practical business man of rare judgment, far-sightedness, integrity and capaci- ty for organization. He has an excellent record in Illinois and Kansas for creating and organiz- ing practical movements. He was educated in Ottawa and learned the jeweler's trade. In 1867 he located in Wyandotte, Kansas, and in 1869 returned to Ottawa, where he engaged in the jewelry business as a partner of the man with whom he had learned his trade. He re- sided in Streator from 1871 until 1886 and then returned to Wyandotte, now Kansas City, Kan- sas. In Streator he organized a company to build and operate a bottle works, of which com- pany he was president for three years. He was also alderman of Streator. Upon returning to Kansas City he embarked in the hardware busi- ness, in which he has since continued, and has done considerable real-estate dealing, laying out the Mount Pleasant addition. He served as state grain inspector in Kansas from April I, 1891, until April 1, 1893, has been president of the board of trade and is president of the Mid- land Fire Insurance Company and the National Publishers Association. He was appointed the first state grain inspector of Kansas and upon him devolved the duty of organizing the depart- ment. Ellen A. Haskell, the third member of the family, married O. K. Serviss, a business man of Kansas City, Kansas. Charles, born March 9, 1851, is living in Glasgow, Missouri. Man- ley B. is the youngest of the family. The father was a whig in his political affiliation and was a member of the city council of Ottawa.

Manley B. Haskell was reared in his native city and educated in the public schools, and when twenty years of age, in 1872, began working for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company as station agent. . He spent two years in that business, after which he learned the jeweler's trade in 1874. Subsequently he was

a train dispatcher for a year, and in June, 1881, he turned his attention to the hardware and real- estate business in Wyandotte, Kansas, in part- nership with his elder brother. This business is

still being conducted by the brother, and Mr. Haskell of this review is still a partner.

On the 15th of June, 1880, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Haskell and Miss Helen A.

736

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

Evans, who was born in Ancona, Livingston county, Illinois, March 2, 1857. Her father was Dr. Edwin Evans, who was born in New Dur- ham, Greene county, New York, October 6, 1821, and as a son of the Rev. William and Harriet (Linsley) Evans, the former a Presbyterian min- ister. After acquiring an academic education Dr. Evans devoted two years to a college course at Homer, New York, and began preparation for his chosen profession at Owasso, New York. He pursued a course of lectures at Geneva, New York, and afterward in the medical department of the University of New York, from which he was graduated in 1846 with the M. D. degree. He located for practice in Walden, New York, where he remained until 1851, when he came to Illinois, and for four years thereafter followed farming in La Salle county. He then removed to Ancona, where for eight years he engaged in active practice of medicine and later turned his attention to merchandising in Pontiac, where he also speculated in live stock until 1868. That year witnessed his removal to Streator, where he again resumed the practice of medicine and also speculated in town property. In 1872 he re- tired practically from his profession, devoting his entire attention to dealing in real estate and building business houses on Main street. In later years he attended to no business save the collection of his rents. In 1880 he was one of the incorporators of the Streator Window Glass Company, serving as its president until June, 1884, when he resigned. In 1882 he was one of the incorporators and stockholders of the Union National Bank of Streator, and various enterprises thus felt the impetus and stimulus of his co-operation and keen business discern- ment. He belonged to the Illinois State His- torical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and took an active interest in both geology and paleontology, mak- ing a specialty of the latter and occasionally reading papers before different societies on spe- cial subjects. In his later years he made an- nual trips to the different parts of the American continent not only for the improvement of his health, but also for amusement and to gratify his penchant for gathering fossils and geological specimens. He visited all the principal points of interest in the Rocky mountains, including Yellowstone Park and examining rocks and fos- sils in all of the southern states and Canada, collecting a large cabinet of paleontological and zoological specimens. In 1849 Dr. Evans mar- ried Jessie S. Capron, who was born in Walden, Orange county, New York, April 27, 1831, a daughter of Seth M. Capron, a prominent woolen manufacturer of that place. The death of Dr.

Evans occurred May 5, 1889, and his wife sur- vived until March 24, 1901.

Since the death of Dr. Evans Mr. Haskell has given his time and supervision to the estate, which was a large one and has called for close attention and discriminating business ability. Otherwise he leads a retired life. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Haskell were born two children: Al- bert C., born in Wyandotte, Kansas, November 26, 1881, died June 25, 1882. Helen A., born September 27, 1883, was married September 17, 1904, to Arthur H. Shav, and lives in Streator. Theirs is one of the finest homes of the city filled with a splendid collection of works of art. Mrs. Haskell was a member of the Callere Club and to the Daughters of the American Revolu- tion. She also belongs to the Presbyterian church, of which she is an active worker, and Mr. Haskell is connected with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, while his political allegiance is given to the republican party. Both Mr. and Mrs. Haskell occupy prominent posi- tions in social circles, while their own beautiful home is celebrated for its generous and warm- hearted hospitality, being the center of many delightful and esthetic social functions.

GEORGE GEE.

George Gee, who, having retired from active business life, is now residing at Tonica in the enjoyment of well earned rest, dates his residence in La Salle county from the 19th of April, 1849, and is therefore one of its pioneer settlers. He was in limited financial circumstances at the time of his arrival and worked at farm labor for about five years. Today he is the owner of valu- able farm property, including three hundred and sixty-eight acres of land in Eden and Hope town- ships, besides a half section of land in Wright county. Iowa. Mr. Gee was born fifteen miles from Liverpool in Lancastershire, England, in 1821, a son of William and Jane (Grundy) Gee, who were likewise natives of Lancastershire and there died. The father was a weaver by trade. In the family were eleven children, of whom only three are now living: George, of this review : William, who resides at East Lynn, Illinois ; and Jane Gee, living in Lancastershire, England.

George Gee had but limited educational advan- tages or other opportunities of a very helpful nature. He may well be called a self-made man, having gained his success entirely through his own efforts. Thinking to enjoy better business opportunities in the new world than he could hope to secure in his native country, he made

MRS. GEORGE GEE.

GEORGE GEE.

74I

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

his way to America in 1849, crossing the Atlan- , lector of geological, nautical and other interest- tic on a sailing vessel which after a voyage of ing specimens and has a very fine collection suit- able arranged in cabinets. This has all been secured through the efforts of Mr. Gee and it is one of the finest and the largest private collec- tions in this part of the country. He is a man of broad knowledge, fond of scientific research, and aside from his business life he has made rapid and substantial advance along many lines of education. In his business he has overcome difficulties and obstacles in his path and worked his way steadily upward to successful comple- tion. His residence in this county covers almost sixty years and as one of its pioneer settlers he has been closely associated with its work and upbuilding and has ever been an interested wit- ness of the changes which time and man have wrought. eight weeks dropped anchor in the harbor of New Orleans. He afterward sailed up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers to La Salle, Illinois, in com- pany with Robert Saddleton and his wife, who purchased eighty acres of land, as did Mr. Gee, who was allowed to pay for his tract by his labor, · thus getting a start. He worked as a farm hand by the month for five years and then invested his earnings, becoming owner of forty acres, for which he paid six dollars per acre. This same tract today is now worth about two hundred dollars per acre. With this as a nucleus he has added to his possessions as the years have gone by until he is now the owner of three hundred and sixty-eight acres in this county, in Eden and Hope townships, and has also purchased a half section in Wright county, lowa.

Mr. Gee was married in England, March 21, 1847, to Miss Lovina Anderton, who died in 1877, at the age of fifty years, leaving six chil- dren: William, who resides in Storm Lake, Iowa, and is married and follows farming ; Jane, the wife of George Packard, of Gage county, Ne- braska; John, of Lincoln, Nebraska, who is en- gaged in the cattle business and who was mar- ried but has lost his wife: Mrs. Mary Ellen Rice, who died in Nebraska about ten years ago ; Anna, the wife of Edward Reeves, living in Saline county, Nebraska; Nancy, the wife of Charles Morris, who is an architect and builder of Valley Center, Kansas.

After losing his first wife Mr. Gee was mar- ried in Tonica December 26, 1880, to Miss Ara- bell Morris, who was born in Harrison county, Ohio, a daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Hood) Morris, the latter a daughter of Na- thaniel Hood, an old resident of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Gee's parents both died in Ohio. Her father was a cooper and wood-worker by trade and thus provided for his family, which numbered twelve children, nine of whom are still living, being scattered in differ- ent portions of the United States. This number includes Mrs. Gee, who came to Illinois in 1876 with relatives and has resided here continuously since. By this marriage there is one daughter. Eva M., who was graduated in the spring of 1906 from the high school at Tonica at the age of eighteen years.

Mr. Gee has always supported the republican party, having firm faith in its principles as most conducive to good government. He has served as commissioner of highways and also as school ·director for several years. In religious views he and his family are Methodists, belonging to the church at Tonica. He has always been a col-

GEORGE T. LOVE, M. D.

Dr. George T. Love, practicing successfully in Dana with intimate and accurate knowledge of the principles of the medical science as demon - strated by the excellent results which attend his efforts for the alleviation of human suffering, is a native of Gallatin, Tennessee. He was born February 4. 1873. the eldest child of the mar- riage of Hugh E. and Mary (Myers) Love, who are also natives of Gallatin, where they have spent their entire lives. The father has for many years been engaged in merchandising and has served as one of the trustees of his county. In the family are four children, the younger members being Charles T., a practicing dentist of Gallatin : Hugh O., who is living on the home farm ; and Hattie E., still under the parental roof.

Dr. Love acquired his preliminary education in the district schools and continued his literary studies in Gallatin Male Seminary. Choosing the practice of medicine as a life work, he began reading under the direction of Dr. L. Miller Woodson, of Gallatin, and subsequently became a student in the Hospital College of Medicine at Louisville, Kentucky. He was graduated in the class of 1897 and began practice in his home town, where he remained for three years, when he came to Dana, where he has since continued. He has been very successful here and has a prac- tice that is both large and lucrative. He has recently built a new office building which is fully equipped with all modern accessories to facilitate his professional labor. He belongs to the Coun- ty Medical Society, the North Central Medical Society and the Illinois State Medical Associa- tion and keeps in constant touch with the prog- ress that is continually being made by the pro-

742

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

fession as investigation, experience and research heighten knowledge and promote efficiency among the members of the medical fraternity. Socially he is connected with the Knights of Pythias and that he is one of its representative members is indicated by the fact that he has filled all of its chairs. Socially as well as pro- fessionally he is prominent and has a wide cir- cle of friends in Dana.

JOSEPH C. KUHN.

The name of Kuhn is well known in Grand Rapids township, where its representatives have been found through many years and during the entire period they have stood for good citizen- ship and for progress in material lines, con- tributing especially to the agricultural develop- ment of the county. Joseph C. Kuhn, whose name introduces this review, was born in De Kalb county, Illinois, in 1869. His father, John Kuhn, was a native of Germany, born in 1833, and in 1864, when about thirty-one years of age, he became a resident of Grand Rapids township. At the time of his arrival here he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of prairie land, to which he has added from time to time as his financial resources have increased until he now has large landed holdings, his possessions aggre- gating eight hundred acres. His land is valuable and he derives therefrom a very gratifying in- come. He has now retired from active busi- ness cares to enjoy the rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves. He votes with the democracy but is without ambition for office. His religious faith is that of the Catholic church, to which his wife also belonged. Mrs. Kuhn bore the maiden name of Margaret Neusbaum and was also born in Germany. She died in the year 1881. In their family were the following named: John, who wedded Maggie McCor- mick and is living in Brookfield township; Frank, who married Lois Messiner and resides in Marseilles; Joseph C., of this review; Oliver, who married Bridget Graham and is living upon the old farm; Chris, who wedded Maggie Smith and makes his home in Grand Rapids township ; Marie, the wife of Peter Slagutter, a resident farmer of Grand Rapids township; and Agnes, the wife of Frank Geiger, also living in Grand Rapids township.

Joseph C. Kuhn has always been a resident of Illinois, spending the greater part of his life in La Salle county. Here he was reared to the occupation of farming, early becoming familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot

of the agriculturist, while in the public schools he acquired his education. He worked by the month for three years for his father and then began farming on his own account on section 36, Grand Rapids township. Here he has since carried on general agricultural pursuits and has a well improved property.

In 1895. Joseph C. Kuhn was united in mar- riage to Miss Caroline Lyon, who was born in the southern part of the state and in her early girlhood days came to this county, where she acquired her education in the public schools. Her father, Samuel Lyon, was born in Jersey county, Illinois, and married Alice Twombly, who was born near Jerseyville, this state. She was a faithful member of the Baptist church and her death occurred in 1889. Mr. Lyon, however, is still living and is now forty-seven years of age. They had four children: Roy, deceased ; Caro- line; Earl ; and Charles, who is also deceased.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Kuhn hold membership in the Catholic church and his study of the political questions and issues of the day has led him to give his support to the democracy but he has never sought office as a reward for party fealty. He has followed farming on his own account since his marriage and is living on the old homestead, which is neat and thrifty in appearance and thus indicates the careful super- vision which he bestows upon it.

EMRA H. STRAIT.

Emra H. Strait, who for many years was identified with agricultural interests in La Salle county, was born in Allegany county, New York, April 15, 1841. He spent the first sixteen years of his life in New York, and then came with his parents to Illinois, settling at Northville. When the Civil war broke out Emra H. Strait en- listed in August, 1861, as a member of Company F, Thirty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served fifty-one months. He was wounded sev- eral times and yet suffers from the effects of his service.

On March 17, 1867, Emra H. Strait was mar- ried to Miss Matilda M. Ruger, who was born in Serena township, May 12, 1848. Four chil- dren grace this marriage. Charles G., who is married and living near Clarion, Iowa; Burton E., who married Miss Harriett Suehr, Septem- ber 28, 1904; Mary E .; and Adeline F., the wife of H. T. Swift, assistant county superintendent of schools. Three are graduates of the Ottawa. high school, Burton E. graduating in 1893. He later took a course in the Chicago College of

743

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

Pharmacy, but gave up this profession for his present one of farming and managing his father's farm on shares. He is an enterprising and pro- gressive business man, meeting with success in the capable management of his agricultural interests.

In 1870 Emra H. Strait bought his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Dayton township, where he and his wife reside. The farm was unimproved at that time but they at once began its cultivation and development, have erected a large frame residence and commodious barns. Altogether he has a beautiful home, the place being numbered among the best improved farms of the county. He has laid ten miles of tile, thus draining the land and rendering it very productive. In 1881 he purchased eighty acres across the road, built a modern house in 1904, where his son Burton and family reside.

In politics E. H. Strait is a republican, recog- nized as a leading politician in his town. He has served as school director and road commissioner, although not an aspirant to any office. He be- longs to the Grand Army post at Ottawa, and maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades in that way. He and his wife live retired at the old home, after many years of active toil, enabled to enjoy the comforts and luxuries of life as the result of former enterprise.

FREMONT C. BLANDIN.

Fremont C. Blandin, proprietor of a leading mercantile establishment in Rutland, is well known as a successful druggist and is also in- fluential as a leader of public thought and ac- tion. He was born in the city where he makes his home, his natal day being January 24, 1858. The ancestry of the family is traced back to an early epoch in the colonial history. One of the pioneer settlers of the territory, later known as the town of Brookline, Vermont, was John Blandin, who was born at Attleboro, Massachu- setts, in 1764 and was of French descent. He early identified himself with the general weal of the then new settlement in all of its various efforts for advancement, educational and relig- ious interests receiving his special fostering care. He early became a clerk in the Baptist church and in 1802 was, with his brother Lemick, or- dained as a deacon, which office he held through- out his remaining days, his life ending in 1835. In 1784 he was married to Sarah Gray at Brook- line and removed to an unbroken tract of land, which afterward became known as the Blandin farm, whereon he continued to reside until his

life's labors were ended in death. Eleven chil- dren were born of that union, ten of whom were married, reared families and became lead- ing and useful members of society. Mr. Blandin buried his first wife in 1821 and in 1823 he married Mrs. Sally Hubbell, nee Holden, of Westminster, Massachusetts, by whom he had three children. She survived Mr. Blandin and died at Wenona, Illinois, in 1855. Probably few families have exerted a broader or more salu- tary influence in molding the general welfare of this community than the family of John Blandin.

Charles W. Blandin, the twelfth member of the family and the first child of the second marriage, was born in Brookline, February 18, 1824. His mother's maiden name was Sally Holden and she was of Scotch and English parentage. Hav- ing arrived at years of maturity Charles W. Blandin was married to Miss Deborah A. John- son, of Elmira, New York, in 1850.

Tracing the ancestry of the family back to another line, we find that Richard Holden, a native of England, settled at Watertown in the western suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts, in 1634. The line of descent comes down through Stephen Holden, first and second, to Stephen Holden, third, who lived at Shirley, Massachu- setts, forty miles west of Boston. He married Sarah Wheelock and their two oldest sons were: Charles Holden, born in 1740; and Francis Holden, born in 1743. These brothers became pioneers of Westminster, Vermont, locating there about 1770. Charles Holden married Deborah Crawford, formerly of Wilbraham, Massachu- setts, and of Scotch ancestry. They became the parents of two daughters, Sally and Polly Holden. The latter, born March 29, 1794, was married about 1816 to Barnett W. Johnson, of Amsterdam, New York, and later of Southport, near Elmira. Among their children was Deb- orah Asenath Johnson, who became the wife of Charles W. Blandin in 1850. Mr. Blandin of this review has in his possession some curious and interesting relics which have been handed down from one generation to the succeeding one, He has a portion of a deed to Charles Holden of Westminster county, New York, now Ver- mont, from Josiah Willard dated 1772; also a mirror which once belonged to Governor Bradford, and was brought over in the May- flower; a piece of a silk wedding dress worn in Scotland during the religious uprising that occurred in the reign of Queen Elizabeth of England and Mary Queen of Scots, coming into possession of Mr. Blandin through the Crawford family. He likewise has a Bible printed in Hol- land Dutch in 1715 and inherited through suc- cessive generations of the Johnson family.

744

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

Charles W. Blandin, father of Fremont C. Blandin, was a druggist and established the first drug store in Rutland, Illinois, about 1864. The business has since been continued and is now conducted by his son Fremont, although at a new location. Charles Blandin first settled in La Salle county in 1855 and turned his attention to farming, which he followed until his removal to Rutland. He arrived in the month of May and located on one hundred and seventy acres of land north of Rutland. He broke ninety acres and in 1857 built his first house, which was a little structure sixteen feet square, boarded up and down. His only neighbors were George Dresser and S. L. Bangs. He continued to en- gage in farming until 1862, when he removed to Rutland and established a pleasant home, sur- rounded by shade and ornamental trees of his own planting. In 1863 he opened a drug store and for many years was one of the oldest drug- gists of the county. In politics an earnest re- publican, he served as treasurer of Groveland township for over twenty years and for a long period was prominent and influential in com- munity affairs, exercising considerable influence in shaping public policy. He likewise belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He died in the year 1893, at the age of seventy years, while his wife passed away in 1895, at the age of seventy-two years, and thus the county was deprived of two of its most honored and representative pioneer residents.

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 95

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