History of Lee County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., Part 22

Author: Hill, H.H. (Chicago) pbl
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, H.H. Hill
Number of Pages: 910

USA > Illinois > Lee County > History of Lee County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc. > Part 22

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).

GEORGE W. J. BROWN, physician, Dixon, was born in Greensboro, Pennsylvania, in 1846, and is the son of John C. and Elizabeth (Hop- ton) Brown. His father was a glass manufacturer and farmer. Both parents are still living on a farm near Greensboro. He was brought up and received his early education at the public and select schools of the vicinity, and afterward pursued a course of study at the Greene academy. He then taught school for several terms, the first one when only fifteen years of age. In 1865 begun the study of medicine with Dr. G. W. John, of Stewartstown, Virginia, reading with him until the fall of 1867, when he went to Philadelphia and began a regular course of medical study at the Pennsylvania and Blockney hospitals and university, graduating in the spring of 1869. He then took charge of his preceptor's practice at Stewartstown, Virginia, and remained a year. In 1870 he removed to Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, and continued the practice of medicine and surgery there until 1877, when he sold out his good will to Dr. J. Ernest Meiers, of Washington, D.C., and re- moved to Illinois. He matriculated at the Hahnemann Medical College, in Chicago, taking a course and graduating from the above named col- lege in the spring of 1878. In the same year he succeeded to the prac- tice of Dr. J. A. Steele, of Dixon, of the firm of Steele & Blackman, and remained a partner of Dr. Blackman for two years. In 1880 he opened an office alone in front rooms over Petersberger's clothing store on Main street, where he continues to practice his profession. Dr. Brown was married in 1872, to Miss Maggie M. Miller, of Meyersdale, Penn- sylvania, and has two children, Charles L., aged seven years, and Edna Florence, aged four years. Dr. Brown is a republican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

WILLIAM H. GODFREY, Dixon, was born in western New York in

226

HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

1826, and is the son of Charles and Harriet (Horton) Godfrey. He received his education at Geneva, New York, where he resided until he was twenty-four years of age. His health failing he removed to Gloucester, Virginia, where he purchased a plantation and engaged in farming for the space of five years, after which he came to Dixon and purchased the flouring-mill then owned and operated by Brooks & Daly. In the following year he purchased a half interest in the water- power, which he still retains. He soon after built a second mill, which was subsequently burned and never rebuilt. In 1860 he sold a half interest in the mill to John Becker, and shortly afterward sold the remaining interest to Nathan Underwood. Since that time Mr. God- frey has been principally engaged in looking after his real-estate inter- ests in Dixon and vicinity, he being a large land owner. Mr. Godfrey was married at Geneva, New York, in 1849, to Miss Catharine J. Du- gan, a native of New York city, but at that time a resident of Geneva. They have four children. Politically Mr. Godfrey's affiliations are democratic, and he is a member of the Presbyterian church.

OLIVER EVERETT, physician, Dixon, was born September 12, 1811, at Worthington, Massachusetts. His parents were James and Phebe (Clark) Everett. When he was eight years of age his father's family removed to Cummington, Massachusetts, where he attended school for some years, after which he entered Berkshire medical school, con- nected with Williams College, at Williamstown, Massachusetts, gradu- ating in 1836. Having determined to make his home in the then dis- tant State of Illinois, in September, 1836, he arrived at Dixon, where he decided to locate. He at once engaged in the practice of his profes- sion, which he has since continued uninterruptedly and with eminent success. At the time of his arrival there was no medical practitioner at Dixon, though a Dr. Forrest, a native of Kentucky, had made that point his headquarters for about a year, but had gone away a short time prior to Dr. Everett's arrival, and the latter is not only the first physician who permanently located in Dixon, but has also resided there for a longer continuous period than any person now living. Dr. Everett was elected mayor of Dixon in 1863, and served his fellow- citizens in that capacity to the satisfaction of all. He took consider- able interest in the establishment of the northern insane asylum located at Elgin, and was a member of the first board of trustees of that institution, serving from 1869 to 1873. The doctor takes a great interest in scientific matters generally, and has a remarkably fine col- lection of specimens in various departments of natural history. Polit- ically he has been a firm supporter of the principles of the republican party from its organization. Dr. Everett was first married in 1838, to Miss Emily Everett, at Princeton, Illinois. Her death occurred a

227

DIXON TOWNSHIP.

few years later. He was again married in 1846, to Miss Bessie Law, of Dixon, who died May 4, 1881. Three children resulted from this union : Dr. Wm. L. Everett, who died in October 1873, aged twenty- four years ; Dr. J. M. Everett, who is now a partner with his father in the practice of medicine, and a daughter, who is the wife of W. N. Johnson, Esq., a well known citizen of Dixon.

WALTER MCL. WADSWORTH, undertaker, Dixon, was born in Hart- ford, Connecticut, in 1811, and is the son of Richard and Ann (McLean) Wadsworth. His parents removed to Canandaigua, New York, in 1812, where they resided about ten years, when they went to Buffalo, New York, and here the subject of our sketch received his education. After leaving school he learned the cabinet-making trade, which he followed for several years. When about thirty-five years of age Mr. Wadsworth removed to Three Rivers, Michigan, and carried on the furniture business for two years after which he returned to Livonia, New York. He resided there about four years, when he re- moved to Rochester, New York, and after a two years' residence in that city came west and located at Dixon in 1854, when he engaged in furniture business, which he followed until 1861, when he sold out and was appointed United States internal revenue collector for the distriet, which position he occupied for eight years. His health being impaired by being so closely confined to office work, he resigned the position of collector and for three years acted as agent for Fairbanks' scales. He then became engaged in the undertaking business, which he still conducts. Mr. Wadsworth was married in 1834, to Miss Emily Benjamin, at Brantford, Canada. Mr. and Mrs. Wadsworth, after nearly half a century of wedded life, vie in energy and activity with their neighbors of a later generation. They have one child, Mrs. Anna Wadsworth Worthington, who was born at Livonia, New York, and she also has one child, Walter E. Worthington, who was born November 13, 1866. Mr. Wadsworth has always been a republican, and he and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

JAMES B. POMEROY, merchant, Dixon, was born in Cuyahoga county, Ohio, in 1840. His parents were Ebenezer and Mary A. (Bronson) Pomeroy. Soon after his birth his parents removed to Kenosha, Wisconsin, where they resided until the death of his father in 1876, his mother having died in 1867. He was educated at Keno- sha, and when twenty years of age removed to Dixon and engaged in the fruit business, which he continued until 1876, and then went into the grocery trade. At the organization of the Dixon national bank in 1871 Mr. Pomeroy was elected a director by the stockholders and was subsequently elected vice-president by the board of directors, which position he still holds. He is also one of the most prominent members

228

HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

of the Masonic fraternity, being at present high priest of the chapter of Royal Arch Masons, and eminent commander of Knights Templar. Mr. Pomeroy is an active republican, a member of the Episcopal church, and as yet has not assumed the duties and responsibilities of the married state.

OSCAR F. AYRES, insurance agent, Dixon, was born in 1809, in Orange county, New York, and is the son of Benjamin F. and Christiana (Minthorn) Ayres, and is of Scotch and German ancestry. His father was a farmer and his son assisted him on the farm and at- tended the schools in the vicinity until he reached his twenty-first year, when he removed to Albany, New York, and followed the busi- ness of a merchant tailor. In 1831 he went to Fabius, Onondaga county, New York, conducting the same business. In 1839 removed to Dixon, and in 1844 engaged in the dry-goods trade and continued in it for thirty years. Before coming to Dixon he was a licensed min- ister of the Methodist Episcopal church. He received his first ordination about 1845, and his ordination as elder two or three years after. Dur- ing all the years since that time he has filled the pulpit at various places near to Dixon, officiated at funerals and marriages, and for many years was called upon to fill any vacancy occurring in neighboring localities. For the past seven years Mr. Ayres has been engaged in the fire insurance business, and in 1871 made a trip to the Pacific coast for the purpose of placing stock for the Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Company, which he succeeded in doing. Mr. Ayres was married in 1831, to Miss Hannah M. Birdsall, who is still living. They have two sons and fonr daughters, and on the 1st of March, 1881, Mr. and Mrs. Ayres celebrated their golden wedding, surrounded by their children and grandchildren.

MARK DORNAN, farmer, Dixon, was born in Ireland, in 1816. His parents were Mark and Alice (Carey) Dornan. In 1836 Mr. Dornan came to America, and after a short stay in the east came to Lee county in 1837, and located upon land in Dixon township, which still forms a portion of his present farm. He has now 240 acres of productive and valuable land, which he leaves to the general care and management of his son James. Mr. Dornan was married in 1843, to Miss Alice Cray- craft, who died in July 1880, and there are five children living : James, John and Susanna, who reside with their father, and Francis and Mark, who reside upon their father's farm, but have homes of their own, both being married.

JOHN "G. FLECK, farmer, Dixon, was born in Huntington county, Pennsylvania, in 1816, and is the son of Henry and Catherine (Raney) Fleck. His father was a farmer, and after leaving school Mr. Fleck followed the same occupation in Huntington county, until

229

DIXON TOWNSHIP.

he arrived at the age of forty years, when he came west and located upon his present farm in Dixon township, Lee county, Illinois. He has 80 acres of fine land under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Fleek was married in February 1839, to Miss Naney Buck, in Pennsylvania. She was a daughter of Abram Buck, Esq., who came west and settled in Ogle county in 1848. A family of six children was the result of this union, four of whom are still living: Sarah, born in 1846, mar- ried Ira S. Fleek, and is now living at Bunker Hill, Kansas; Horace, born in 1853, is now a member of the firm of Fleck & Robinson, at Dixon ; Mary and Ella M., both of whom reside with their parents; Alice, born in 1844 and died in 1865; Alma J., born in 1864 and died June 13, 1881. The recent death of their youngest daughter, just budding into womanhood, has inflicted a wound upon the hearts of the bereaved parents which only those who have suffered a similar loss can estimate. Mr. Fleek is independent in polities, though he generally aets with the republicans, and is a member of the Evangelical Luth- eran church.

WILLIAM W. WATERS, pump manufacturer, Dixon, was born in 1851, at Gloversville, New York, and is the son of George and Eliza (Winter) Waters. His father followed the business of a tanner and glover, and in 1855 removed to Illinois and settled at Ashton, Lee county, since which time he has principally been engaged in farming. W. W. Waters was brought up and educated at Ashton, and left home in November, 1871, going to Amboy to learn the cabinet-making trade. He remained there for three years and a half, after which he removed to Rock Falls, Whitesides county, where he was employed by the Keystone Burial Case Company for a year and a half. He then came to Dixon and engaged in his present business in connection with two partners under the title of the Dixon Pump Company. The bus- iness is now carried on by Mr. Waters and Mr. George W. Knox, who lately purchased the interest of Mr. Louis Merriman. Mr. Waters was married on September 9, 1879, to Miss Ida M. Mills, daughter of Clin- ton D. and Mary (Stanley) Mills, of Ashton. Mr. Waters is a repub- lican, and a member of the Presbyterian church.

ORVILLE B. BLACKMAN, physician, Dixon, was born in Hillsboro, Illinois, on August 30, 1851, and is the son of George and Hannah J. (Paisley) Blackman. His father was a carriage manufacturer, and died at Hillsboro in 1858. His mother is still living and resides at Hills- boro. During his earlier years Dr. Blackman attended the academy in his native place, but when eleven years of age went to work in a woolen factory, where he continued for six years. He then reentered school, where he continued for three years, and at the same time com- meneed the study of medicine, reading with Dr. Fields, of Hillsboro.

230

HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

He next taught school for about a year at Irving, Illinois, after which he went to Chicago and attended a course of lectures at Hahnemann Medical College, graduating March 3, 1873. Removed to Dixon in May 1873, and entered upon the practice of his profession. After a year he formed a partnership with Dr. J. A. Steele, which continned for four years and a half, until the removal of Dr. Steele, after which he formed a partnership with Dr. G. W. I. Brown, which lasted for two years, and was then dissolved, since which time he has practiced alone. Dr. Blackman was united in marriage to Miss Lucretia S. Cress, of Hillsboro, on March 3, 1874, and has three children: Gertie, aged six; George, aged four; Cress, aged three. Dr. Blackburn is a thorough republican, and has been a member of the Evangelical Luth- eran church for over thirteen years.

JAMES ANDREW HAWLEY, county clerk and banker, Dixon, is a na- tive of New York, being born in Monroe county, that state, on August 20, 1830, and is the son of James and Sarah (Stratton) Hawley. His father was born in Connecticut, in 1791, and was the son of Stephen Hawley, of English ancestors. During the acquirement of his education, when a youth, he attended the Monroe Academy, and the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary. From 1848 to 1851 he devoted his time to school teaching, after which he accepted a clerkship in the publishing house of Wanzear, Beardsley & Co., remaining with that firm until 1855, when he became general agent for Messrs. A. S. Barnes & Co., and also Ivison, Phinney & Co., book publishers of New York city. Dur- ing this time he became familiar with the west, and traveled through Illinois looking after the interests of the above firms. In 1858 he set- tled in Dixon and opened a book store, which he disposed of in 1861. He officiated for two years as commissioner of public schools. He has filled the office of county clerk for Lee county for the last twenty years, being successively reelected from his first election in 1861. He served as school director for a period of ten years, being first elected in 1863; and was for a number of years the president of that board. For several years he was a member of the board of directors of the Lee county na- tional bank of Dixon, prior to 1878, when he became connected with the Dixon national bank, acting as president until April 24, when he was elected cashier, which responsible relation he still holds. He is well known as a prominent Mason, and has not only ascended through its sublime mysteries, but has occupied the highest official positions in the state departments of this ancient order. In 1871 he was elected Grand High Priest of the Royal Arch Chapter of the state; in 1873 and 1874 he was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the State of Illi- nois, and in 1874 was Grand Commander of Knights Templar for said state. On June 20, 1855, Mr. Hawley was united in marriage to Miss

231

DIXON TOWNSHIP.

Mary A. Gardner, daughter of Dr. Charles and Mary Gardner, then of Dixon, Illinois. A family of five children resulted from the above marriage union, two daughters and three sons : Mary Angusta, Charles Gardner, Lloyd Robinson, George William and Lanra S. Charles G. has been deputy county clerk of Lee county since January 1878. He was born May 1, 1858, in the city of Dixon. In the fall of 1874 he entered college at Racine, Wisconsin, and in the winter of 1876 he en- tered Ann Arbor state university, Michigan. On returning home from the last-mentioned school he entered the county clerk's office and was subsequently appointed deputy as above stated.

WEBSTER W. WYNN, M.D., physician, Dixon, was born in Monroe county, New York, August 22, 1818. His parents were Jolin and Amanda (Grunendike) Wynn. He spent his early life on a farm, and commenced teaching school at the early age of sixteen, which pro- fession he followed for several years, devoting his spare time to the study of scientific branches preparatory to a medical course. Upon the organization of Genesee College, New York, he entered the first literary class formed, and remained in this school two years, when he entered the Buffalo Medical College, at Buffalo, New York, graduat- ing, after a three years' course, in the winter of 1855-6. After prac- ticing in the above city for a short time he removed to Dixon, Illinois, where he formed a partnership with Dr. N. W. Abbott, who in the following year removed to Chicago. Following the dissolution of this partnership Dr. Wynn continued the practice alone until Jannary 1865, when he formed a partnership with Henry E. Pain, M.D., who had recently removed from the east and settled in Dixon, which genial association has continued until the present time. He was appointed surgeon at the military post at Dixon during the war of the rebellion. On July 21, 1859, the doctor was united in marriage to Miss Frances E. Latham, daughter of George and Amanda E. Latham, formerly of Chenango county, New York, from which union resulted two children, George Wesley and Frankie, who died respectively October 23 and 31, 1862, and were followed by the mother to her final resting-place on December 29 of the same year. On September 25, 1866, the doctor was united in marriage to Miss Georgiana McKenney, of Dixon. This union was blessed with the birth of a sou, Hubart W., September 26, 1867, (deceased); Mary Frances, October 17, 1869, and Harriet, March 6, 1871.

CHARLES F. EMERSON, merchant, Dixon, was born in Castine, Maine, in 1828, and is the son of Henry and Nancy (Hutchings) Emerson. His father was a farmer and blacksmith, and resided in Castine up to the time of his death. Mr. Emerson was brought up and educated in his native town, and at the age of twenty went to sea in a vessel en-

232 1

HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

gaged in the coasting and West India trade. He followed this occu- pation until his twenty-seventh year, when he came west and located on a farm in South Dixon township. After farming nearly seven years, removed to Dixon, but did not engage in business until after the be- ginning of the late war, when he went south and served the govern- ment in different capacities for several years. He returned to Dixon in 1865, and a year later bought an interest in the lumber business of S. K. Upham, where he continued until 1875. Since then he has not been engaged in active business until recently, having again gone into the Inmber trade in company with Mr. George D. Laing. Mr. Emer- son was married at Boston, Massachusetts, in December 1855, to Miss Hannah E. Avery, daughter of John A. and Eliza Avery. Mr. Emer- son is a member of the republican party, and served as alderman of his ward from 1872 to 1874 inclusive.

CYRUS A. DAVIS, dealer in lumber, Dixon, was born in New Ipswich, New Hampshire, June 11, 1824, and is the son of Cyrus and Mary (Appleton) Davis, both of whom were born in the year 1800, and were of English ancestry. His parents removed to the west when he was about fifteen years of age, and located near Amboy, where his father engaged in farming. Mr. Davis followed farming for about fourteen years, when he returned to Massachusetts. He was soon after elected a member of the Massachusetts legislature, and among his .colleagues at this time were John A. Andrew, afterward known as the great war governor Caleb Cushing, and many others who have since fig- ured prominently in state and national politics. In September, 1858, he returned west to look after his interests in Lee county, and soon after engaged in the furniture business at Dixon, which he carried on for nearly two years, and then conducted the book and sta- tionery business for about the same length of time. For the past eleven years he has been dealing in coal and lumber, which business he still carries on. Mr. Davis was married in 1852, to Miss Sarah J. Holt, of Ashby, Massachusetts, and they have but one child, a daughter, born August 23, 1853, and married July 1, 1873, to S. S. Dodge, of Dixon. Mrs. Dodge was the first child born in the town of Amboy after its being laid out by the Illinois Central Railroad Company. Politically Mr. Davis is an ardent republican and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

HORACE PRESTON, farmer, Dixon, was born in 1819, at New Ips- wich, New Hampshire, and is the son of Jeremiah and Anna (Proc- tor) Preston. His father being a farmer, Horace spent his earlier life in working upon the farm and attending the neighboring schools. In 1839 he came west and located in Dixon, where he opened a blacksmith shop, he being the second person to open a shop of this kind in Dixon.

233

DIXON TOWNSHIP.

John Wilson was the first to engage in that business, but before the arrival of Mr. Preston he had given up his shop and was then building a hotel. Mr. Preston carried on blacksmithing for fourteen years, when he sold his shop and bought a farm near Dixon. After remain- ing on this place five years, he sold a portion and purchased another farm near Lee Center, to which he removed. About nine o'clock in the evening, June 3, 1859, Mr. Preston and his family having just retired, they were startled by a peculiar roaring sound similar to that cansed by a conflagration. Thinking the house in flames, Mr. Preston hur- ried to an adjoining room occupied by his two little daughters, and seizing one under each arm was just turning to escape when the whole roof of the house was torn off and Mr. Preston and his children were carried through the air a distance of eighty or ninety yards, where they landed unhurt, with the exception of a few bruises. Mrs. Preston, who had started downstairs carrying her infant, also escaped with her life, but the child was killed. The next morning dawned upon a scene of utter destruction. Everything in the track of the tornado had been completely demolished. Houses, barns and fences were swept away, crops were ruined, and trees were blown down. The same spot which the previous evening had been a prosperous and comfortable home was now a scene of desolation and ruin. A day or two after the passage of the cyclone Mr. Preston hauled seventy-five loads of débris from a small portion of his farm, consisting of not more than ten or fifteen acres. In the following year Mr. Preston sold this farm and again engaged in farming near Dixon, which he continued until the spring of 1880, when he removed into the city. Mr. Preston was married at Dixon in 1849, to Miss Jane Wood, and the result of this union has been three children, the eldest of whom is Ella, who is married and resides in Massachusetts ; Jennie who is married to William Packard, and residing in Dixon, and Clara who resides with her parents.

JACOB BRUBAKER, jr., merchant, Dixon, is a native of Pennsyl- vania, and was born in March 1844. His parents were Jacob and Lydia (Whitmen) Brubaker, who removed to Ogle county, Illinois, in 1848, where his father engaged in farming. In 1852 the family re- moved to Dixon, but in 1855 they returned to Ogle county. Mr. Brubaker left home in 1859, and went to Polo, Illinois, where he became a clerk in a dry-goods store, remaining there until September 1864, when he enlisted in the 92d Ill. Mounted Vols. He accompa- nied Sherman's army on their march to the sea, and after the sur- render of Johnston was mustered out of service in June 1865. He then returned to Polo, but in 1867 removed to Dixon, where he fol- lowed his former occupation until 1873, when he was employed by Becker & Underwood, with whom he remained until the spring of

234

HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

1880. He soon after associated himself with Capt. Dysart in the flour jobbing and grain business, which he still carries on. In December, 1865, Mr. Brubaker was married to Miss Sarah A., daughter of Isaiah and Clarissa Wilcox, of Buffalo Grove, who were among the first set- tlers in that locality. Mr. Brubaker has three children living: Nellie, aged fifteen ; George, aged eleven, and Sadie, aged three. Mr. Bru- baker is a republican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

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 Lee County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., Part 22

Author: Hill, H.H. (Chicago) pbl Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, H.H. Hill Number of Pages: 910

Author: Hill, H.H. (Chicago) pbl
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, H.H. Hill
Number of Pages: 910