USA > Illinois > Lee County > History of Lee County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc. > Part 40
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his marriage, the first in the village of Amboy, he settled in Racine, Wisconsin, where he at once became under-sheriff of the county, and was in this position three years. Returning to this city in May, 1858, he was employed in the car shops from that time until his death, which occurred suddenly December 10, 1874. Mr. Bartlett was received into the fellowship of the Adventist church in 1859, became a leading mem- ber of the society, and was respected by all the community. He was a nephew of Olney, the geographer. Mrs. Bartlett was the mother of one child by her first marriage. This died in infancy. By the second two sons were born to her: William E., died in infancy, and Frank Eugene.
REV. DANIEL S. CLARK, Amboy, was born of Puritan stock in Ellington, Connecticut, January 25, 1822. While yet young his parents, David and Sarah (Bartlett) Clark, moved to West Woodstock, where he learned the carpenter's trade, and in 1846 was married to Miss Nancy M. Vinton, of North Woodstock. With his young wife he went to Southbridge and lived four years, and then moved to Racine, Wisconsin, for three years. While working at his trade in Chicago he was employed by the Illinois Central Railroad Company to put up buildings on their line of road, and in the autumn of 1853 he reached Amboy, where he superintended the wood-work on the railroad build- ings at this place. He afterward built a planing-mill and dealt in lum- ber here; but in 1859 he took leave of this business and of his trade and began as a regular exhorter in the Second Advent Christian church, and in 1860 was ordained at Binghamton to preach. Prior to this time Mr. Clark had been a Baptist and a Methodist, and had displayed great zeal and activity in labors to suppress the sale and use of intox- icating stimulants. He preached for the Adventist society at Amboy several years ; he was located at Sparland, Illinois, fifteen months; at Sparta, Wisconsin, two years; at Putnam and Dennisonville, Con- necticut, a year and a half; at Scituate, Rhode Island, one year ; at Boston and Plymouth, Massachusetts, one year; and in July, 1880, he returned to his old home in this city, and is now ministering to a church at Brodhead, Wisconsin. Mrs. Clark's great-grandfather Leach was a veteran of the war of the revolution. She was formerly a com- municant in the Baptist church, but has since united with the church to which her husband belongs.
WILLIAM N. FASOLDT, deceased, was a native of Germany, where he was born April 5, 1825. He was a jeweler, and emigrated to Amer- ica about 1850. He lived in Albany, New York, three years, and then at South Bend, Indiana, where he married Miss Pauline Bower. In 1864 he came to Amboy, and set up in the jewelry business. He was once burnt out, besides having a fire in his new brick hall erected in
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
1871. In this last year Mr. Fasoldt retired from the jewelry business, and died June 6, 1880, at the age of fifty-five years, two months and one day. His remains lie in Prairie Repose cemetery. He had three children by his first marriage : Mary, now Mrs. Christ. Vogel, living at Storm Lake, Iowa; Edward, whose whereabouts have been un- known for nine years, and Anna M. Mr. Fasoldt's wife died in March, 1865, and he married Miss Rena Teal January 17, 1868. She was born November 12, 1844, and was the daughter of Charles and Marga- ret (Scholbar) Teal. Her parents came to America from Germany in 1847, arriving at Lee Center in May, having come all the way to Chi- cago by water, and the remainder of the journey by country teams which had been to market. The family settled a mile north of Lee Center. The father died September 22, 1860, aged fifty-four, and the mother June 11, 1880, at the age of sixty-seven years. They are buried in the Lee Center cemetery. Mrs. Fasoldt is a member of the First Congregational church of Amboy.
MARTIN MAUS emigrated from Germany in 1850, when twenty- four years old. He lived in Chicago till 1854, when he came to Am- boy, where he married Miss Christina Teal, who has borne him four children : Charles, Rena, Sophia, and Henry. He has been in the harness business twenty-seven years altogether, and in the trade for himself eighteen years.
WILLIAM H. HALE, passenger conductor, Amboy, was born in Harmony township, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, March 15, 1838. In 1845 his parents, Alva and Clara (Root) Hale, removed to Lee county, and settled at Temperance Hill, in China township. About 1855 they changed their home to Sublette township, where Mrs. Hale died, in January 1879, aged seventy-six years, and Mr. Hale in May 1881, at the age of eighty-five. The subject of this sketch went to railroading on the Central in 1857, and in May, 1861, enlisted in Co. C, 13th Ill. reg. He was severely wounded in the right knee by a fragment of shell at Chickasaw Bayou, December 29, 1862. After the fall of Vicksburg he was detailed for service in the quartermaster's department, where he passed the remainder of his term, except two months at the close, and was mustered out at Springfield, Illinois, June 18, 1864. On his return he resumed the position of baggage- man, which he vacated at the outbreak of the war, and in two years was promoted to conductor. He was married June 5, 1867, to Miss Letitia W. Wicks, of Davenport, Iowa. She was born February 22, 1849. Their son, Henry V., is ten years of age, and their adopted daughter, Louie, nine. Mr. and Mrs. Hale are members of the Episco- pal church. He is an Odd-Fellow, a Mason, a Knight of Pythias, belongs to the American Legion of Honor, and Bethany Commandery,
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No. 28, Mendota, of which he has been eminent commander two years. This commandery presented Mr. Hale an elegant sword in 1880. Mr. Hale's father was remarkable for his good health. He was never so sick as to need an attendant, and his last illness was only of a few hours' duration. He died of heart disease, greatly respected by a numerous acquaintance.
JOHN M. BLOCHER, retired, Amboy, was born January 8, 1804, in the kingdom of Wurtemburg, Germany. He learned the carpenter's trade, and in 1824 went to France and followed that business seven years, at 18 cents per day in summer and 10 cents per day in winter. Returning to Germany in 1831, he emigrated to America and lived in Connecticut nine years, working as a farm laborer most of the time. On April 9, 1838, he was married to Miss Hannah S. Schafer, who was born October 20, 1813. In 1841 he moved to Bradford county, Pennsylvania, and settled in the woods, where he cleared a farm and lived until 1849. He then came to Illinois and made a home a mile and a half north of Amboy, on the farm now owned by Henry C. Shaw's heirs. In 1868 he sold this property and moved to Amboy. Mr. Blocher united with the Congregational church in Connecticut in 1837, and Mrs. Bolcher in 1839. Three of their children are now members of the same church. Mr. Blocher and his wife assisted to or- ganize the Congregational church of Amboy, and they and Mr. and Mrs. John C. Church are the only surviving original members of this society. Mr. Blocher has given his active support to the temperance cause in every practicable way. He belonged to the first division of the Sons of Temperance ever in existence here; this was organized at Binghamton, but moved to Amboy as soon as Farwell Hall was ready for occupancy. He has been a republican since the party was formed, and during the war was connected with the Union League. Mr. and Mrs. Blocher are the parents of nine children, as follows: John G. (dead), Mary E., wife of Newton Campbell, living in Dakota ; William L. (dead), Hannah S., now Mrs. Thomas Coster, living in Dakota; John G., William L. (dead), Henry S., Rebecca B., wife of Curtis Bridgman ; and Agnes B., born December 16, 1851, wife of Joseph Blackman, to whom she was married December 22, 1873. Mr. Blackman is a native of England, where he was born June 21, 1845 ; his parents, John and Mary Blackman, who reside three miles above Dixon, emigrated to this country in 1850, and about 1856 settled in Lee county. He has been on the railroad sixteen years; seven years as fireman, and the remainder as engineer, and all the time in the employ of the Central company. Mr. and Mrs. Blackman have one son, Henry J., born October 6, 1874. She has belonged
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
to the Baptist church since the age of fourteen. He is a Mason, and a member of the Engineers' Brotherhood.
OSCAR SPANGLER, confectioner, Amboy, was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, in 1842. In 1857 he moved with his parents, Benjamin and Lydia (Bell) Spangler, to Lee county, and made a home in Marion township, where his father died November 12, 1880. Mr. Spangler volunteered in June, 1862, in Co. K, 69th Ill. reg., for six months, and served his time. In the fall of 1863 he began on the Central railroad and followed it as fireman two years, and then was given a locomotive to run. He continued as engineer until June 29, 1876, when he met with a disaster which nearly cost him his life. Two cars, one empty, the other loaded, were let out of the switch, in some manner, at Baileyville, and ran down the track in the direc- tion of Freeport, crossed the Yellow Creek bridge, and ascended the grade on the other side as far as their momentum would propel them, and had reversed their motion and were coming back toward the creek, and were within fifty yards of the bridge, when Mr. Spang- ler's train of thirty-two cars struck them. The time was midnight, and the weather warm, rainy, and a little foggy. The engine and twenty-six cars were totally wrecked. A tramp sleeping in one of the wild cars was killed. Mr. Spangler's fireman was seriously injured, and he himself still worse ; so that he was two years recovering, and was on crutches that length of time; in fact he has not recovered, and never will, entire soundness. In December, 1876, he opened a cigar and confectionery store and restaurant in Amboy, and is at present engaged in that business. He is an Odd-Fellow and a republican. He was first married July 2, 1866, to Miss S. A. Shew, who bore two children, Harriet and Joseph, and died January 29, 1878. His second marriage was November 27, 1879, with Miss E. M. Foskey. She is a Congregationalist.
JAMES H. PRESTON, county superintendent of schools, Amboy, was born at Rochester, New York, June 3, 1820, and was the son of James and Mary (Gorham) Preston. He was reared a farmer, trained to hard work, and educated in the common schools, in which he received thorough practical English mental training. In the East his principal occupation was farming, but he taught fourteen winters in succession in district schools. On May 16, 1845, he was married to Miss Nancy Ann Maydole, who was born in 1824. Their five children were named as follows: Albert W. (dead), Frances (dead), Addie, Charles F., and Bertie. On June 22, 1854, Mr. Preston arrived with his family from New York, and located in Marion township, on railroad land at $2.50 per acre. Leaving his family on the farm, the following season he went to Binghamton and took control of the Union store, as agent, and con-
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ducted the business until its affairs were wound up in the spring of 1857. He farmed from that time till 1865. In that year he was elected county superintendent of schools, and served two terms of four years each ; in 1873 he ran as an independent candidate against a re- publican and a "granger " nominee, but was distanced in the race by the former. But in 1877 he recovered the position, and at the present time is discharging its duties. Since 1865 his residence has been in Amboy, and he is serving his second year as alderman. In Marion township he was justice of the peace and assessor. He is a republican, and has taken a lively interest in political and other matters of public concern, and since 1858 has attended every political convention of im- portance held in the county. Near the close of the war his son Albert (now deceased) enlisted in the 140th Ill. Vols. for 100 days, and did military service for five months in Missouri and Tennessee. Mr. Pres- ton's ancestors came to Massachusetts in colonial times (from Ireland, it is supposed). His grandfather Preston was a soldier of the revolu- tion, and his father was called into service in the last war with Great Britain, and was marching on Plattsburg when that battle was fought. His maternal ancestors were sea-faring people, engaged in the whale fishery, and lived at Nantucket.
COL. GEORGE RYON, physician and surgeon, Amboy, was born in Pennsylvania, June 5, 1827. His great-grandfather, John Ryon, was an Irishman, and emigrated to New England ; his grandfather, who bore the same name, was a revolutionary soldier, who fought through the whole war. Col. Ryon passed his early life on his father's farm, and when he began on his own account entered the medical profession. He studied first with Dr. Isaac Ives, and next with Wheeler & Holden, of Kendall county ; and after two courses of lectures at Rush Medical College, Chicago, graduated in 1851. He located in practice at Paw Paw, in this county, in 1850; in 1856 he commenced the study of law and was admitted to the bar two years after; but he did not quit his medical practice, as he found it impossible to shake off his old patrons. In 1860 he was elected by the republican party to the gen- eral assembly as representative from Lee and Whitesides counties, and was a member when the war broke out. He served one term at that time; and in August, 1862, he raised Co. K, 75th Ill. Vols., and on the organization of the regiment was elected colonel. Within eight days after leaving Dixon his command participated in the battle of Perry- ville. Owing to failing health he was obliged to resign, which he did about the beginning of 1863. In 1866 he was again elected to the leg- islature from this county. In 1869 he removed to Amboy, and started a private bank; in 1873 he discontinued this business and settled in Streator, where he incorporated the Streator Coal Company with a
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capital of $200,000. On his removal to Chicago in 1876 he resumed the practice of medicine, and has since continued it. He returned to Amboy in 1879 to reside. In 1852 he took. Miss Ruth Ann Ives in marriage, and by her has an only daughter, Carrie S., who graduated at the Chicago University, at the age of nineteen, in a four-years course, and did not lose a day from her classes in the whole time.
Hard labor is the most productive when united with thoughtful calculation. A good example of what a perfect union of thought, in- dustry and energy can do when concentrated upon a single object is to be seen in the life of LEWIS CLAPP. He came from Northampton, Massachusetts, as a member of the Northampton colony, and located at Princeton, Bureau county. They arrived on June 1, 1836, having been just a month on their journey. Some time in the summer Mr. Clapp was powerfully converted to religion, and though he never chose to become a member of any church, he was during the remainder of his life an exact, consistent christian, who never omitted to invoke the heavenly blessing at his table, or to bring his daily offering of prayer to the family altar. From his settlement here till 1846 he was a hard laborer at the plow and in the stock business, but at the same time was employing his reflections in a way to make his industry bring the most gain. From the last date during a period of twenty years he gradually withdrew his hand from rigid toil, until he became ex- clusively a money-lender, and this business engaged his whole atten- tion for the last ten years of his life. About 1852 he began operating in land, which was a lucrative business, and good fortune, made possible by good judgment, followed all his transactions. His land speculations lasted some five years. People to whom he lent money usually pros- pered ; not because they paid interest, but because he always calculated their ability to pay back the funds borrowed without impairment of the security, and noted the circumstances favorable or unfavorable to their doing so ; and if such consideration left him any question concerning the applicant he would fail to get money. This speaks not only a good deal for his judgment but very much also for his integrity. For twenty- five years he was a leading farmer and citizen of Lee county, and took a prominent part in all measures for the common welfare. As a matter of personal interest he was a member of the Grove Association, but in that he was recognized as a man of wise counsel. It was as a member of the Vigilance Committee, however, during the troubled times that the country was harrassed by the bandits, that he conspicuously dis- played his earnestness and enthusiasm in pursuit of evil-doers, and tlie maintenance of public order and security. It is interesting to know that he espoused the doctrines of the abolitionists with so much fervor that he threw open his house to those apostles of emancipation, Owen
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Lovejoy and Deacon Hannan, for them to preach in, when denomina- tional places of worship were closed in their faces. He went so much further as to put his principles into effect by operating on the under- ground railroad and delivering fugitive slaves in Canada, a place toward which they toiled with eager longing while their hearts burned with the ardent fires of liberty. His first marriage was in 1836, but his wife dying in 1839 he married again in 1840. His only son, Ozro W., was born in 1836. Mr. Clapp bought his first claim, N.W. ¿ Sec. 8, in Lee Center township. In 1837 he sold his corn crop for $1,000. In 1839 he built the first frame house in the eastern part of the county, and hauled his lumber from Chicago with ox-teams. Perfect system and aggressive enterprise characterized all he did, and he startled easy- going people by building at an early day a frame barn in the new set- tlement. He gave largely toward the construction of the Lee Center Academy, and had a lively appreciation of the benefits of popular education, and at last gave very striking proof of his faith.
WILLIAM E. IVES, attorney, Amboy, was born in Chautauqua county, New York, May 24, 1821. His father was a farmer and sur- veyor, and in 1834 emigrated with his family to Kendall county, Illi- nois. He was the first recorder of deeds in that county, and subse- quently was probate judge two successive terms. In 1854 he removed to Amboy, and died here March 18, 1864, aged seventy-five years. The subject of this sketch received an academic education, and in 1854 was admitted to the bar in Kendall county ; he came to Amboy the same year, and is now the only lawyer in the county who has practiced here since that date. Mr. Ives was mayor of Amboy from 1861 to 1865, and prosecuting attorney of Lee county between 1872 and 1876. Politically he is a republican, and he has belonged to the Baptist church since 1841. Mrs. Ives is a member of long standing in the same church. On December 8, 1841, he was married to Miss Susan Ryan. They have three living children : Charles E., Esther M. and James R. Charles is junior member of the law firm of W. E. Ives & Son. He served three months in 1862 in Co. K, 69th Ill. Vols., and re- enlisted in October 1864, in Co. G, 146th reg., and was mustered out the next July. James is a graduate from the Rochester University, of New York, and is a practicing attorney in Denver, Colorado.
CHARLES K. DIXON, train dispatcher Illinois Central railroad, Am- boy, youngest child of John and Matilda (Savage) Dixon, was born in 1846, in Grandy, Shefford county, Province of Quebec, Canada. He received a good English education in his native town. On May 24, 1861, he was mustered into the United States service, Co. H, 15th Ill. Inf., Capt. (afterward Gen.) John Pope. This regiment was brigaded with the 21st Ill., Col. U. S. Grant, the 6th and the 7th Missouri, one
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battalion of Col. Marshall's 1st Ill. Cav., and Capt. Mann's Missouri battery, the whole under command of Col. Grant. This was the first brigade of the first corps formed in the west. The corps was numbered 1st and transferred to Fremont's department, and went through his whole campaign. Mr. Dixon was at Springfield, Missouri, when Gen. Fremont was superseded by Gen. Hunter. He was moved from that state to Fort Donelson in time to participate in the brilliant and suc- cessful operations against that stronghold. He was next engaged at Shiloh, and was wounded in the hip early in the first day's action. This disability placed him on the non-effective force ninety days. He fought, subsequently, at Metamora, sometimes called "Hell on the Hatchie"; this engagement was followed by his service in the siege of Vicksburg, and then the second battle of Champion Hills, in which the 15th reg. was on the skirmish line. This service of Mr. Dixon's was interlarded with the usual complement of small fights. He was mus- tered ont at Springfield, Illinois, in August 1864. He at once secured employment on the Illinois Central railroad, and has continued with- out interruption to the present time. The last eleven years he has acted as train dispatcher ; prior to that he was operator. He is a mem- ber of Illinois Central Lodge, No. 178, A.F. and A.M .; Nathan Whit- ney Chapter, Franklin Grove; Dixon Commandery, No. 21; and in politics a republican.
JOHN HOOK, farmer, Amboy, was born in Orino, seven miles above Bangor, Maine, October 16, 1814. He was the son of Aaron and Rhoda (Gibson) Hook, the former of whom was a native of New Hampshire, and the latter of Vermont. John and Humphrey Hook came from England early in the last century. The foriner was the great-grandfather of our subject, and settled in Massachusetts; the other, it is conjectured, went to the middle states. His maternal an- cestors emigrated from Scotland. His father and his uncle, John Hook, were drummers in the last war with Great Britain. His grandfather, John Hook, worked at ship-carpentry, and went upon the seas as cap- tain of a schooner. His father was a carpenter and joiner, and he worked with him at this trade as long as he lived in his native state. On July 29, 1836, he was married to Miss Matilda Berry, who was born in Livingston, York county, Maine, June 29, 1820. In 1839 they emigrated to Illinois, driving all the way with horse teams, except be- tween Buffalo and Detroit, where they were transported by the steamer Milwaukee, which came near swamping by having her side stove in against the wharf at Ashtabula. The journey was begun August 26, and ended when they arrived at La Moille, Bureau county, October 28. In February, 1840, they settled at Rocky Ford, where their home has been to the present date, though they twice moved away temporarily.
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When the removal from Maine was made, Mr. Hook's parents and his brother William came also; his brother Aaron had performed the jour- ney two years before and located in Bureau county. Where Mr. Hook built his house, on the ridge, was an old Indian camping-ground, on the trail which crossed at the Ford. The Indians came frequently and in large numbers, but when they found the paleface had taken their camp they occupied the knoll south of Mr. George Freeman's. After the stage route was established by Rocky Ford the station was at Mr. Hook's several years. The subject of this sketch began the practice of the botanic system of medicine before he left Maine, and continued it ten years after coming west. He lived in Peru from 1845 to 1847, laboring in this profession with success. The family was away from Rocky Ford from 1851 to 1853, living in Rock county, Wisconsin. They have been identified with the church of Latter Day Saints, of which Mrs. Hook is a member. Mr. Hook is an old-time democrat. They have had seven children, as follows: Hester Ann, wife of Walter Brown, of Spirit Lake, Iowa; Abigal Frances, now Mrs. S. J. Stone ; Sarah Elizabeth (dead), Charles Moroni, John Franklin, Hannah Jo- sephine, and Emma Eldina.
CHAUNCEY M. ROBBINS, farmer, Amboy, was born in Steuben county, New York, November 18, 1828. He was the fifth son in a family of eight children by Hosea and Laura P. (Merchant) Robbins. His great-grandfather Sackett, an Englishman, settled in Madison county, New York, anterior to the revolution. From George III he received a grant of land on the Mohawk river, one mile wide by twenty long. This was absorbed by Stephen Van Rensselaer in his immense possessions, and has been in litigation for the last sixty years. Truman Merchant, Mr. Robbins' maternal grandfather, served the cause of the colonies as a soldier in the war for independence. Mr. Robbins' father was a carpenter, and he worked with him at that trade until he became of age. In 1846 the senior Robbins visited Lee county and purchased the S.E. ¿ Sec. 17, and 40 acres of timber, in Amboy township; and in 1849 he brought his family here to make their future home. Both parents died in this township; the father April 20, 1852, and the mother December 26, 1859. Our subject returned east in 1850, re- mained three years, and then came back to Illinois; the winter of 1854-5 he spent again in New York; but the next spring found him in this state to remain. He has been engaged most of the time since in farming. In 1862 he bought his present farm of 80 acres, which is worth abont $4,000. He was married February 22, 1871, to Miss Angeline Perkins, by whom he has four children : William, Katie, Nelson (dead), and Stanley.
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