History of Lee County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., Part 51

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 51

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EBEN H. JOHNSON, farmer, Palmyra, one of the oldest settlers of the township, was born in Chenango county, New York, July 3, 1810, and was the son of Seth and Mary (Hough) Johnson. His father was engaged in farming and died in Chenango county. Mr. Johnson re- sided in his native county until he was twenty-eight years of age, but in the fall of 1838, having just been married, he started for Illinois, conveying his wife and household goods in wagons and occupying five weeks in the journey. He located in Palmyra township, buying a squatter's claim for $1,000 in addition to the government price of $1 per acre. He soon after purchased another claim, paying $10 per acre for it. He has been a continuous resident of the township from the time of his arrival. Mr. Johnson was married August 13, 1838, to Miss Sarah Johnson, a resident of Broome county, New York, and the

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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

result of this union has been seven children, five of whom are still living, as follows : Thomas H., born in Lee county May 23, 1839, now residing in Colorado and a member of the legislature of that state ; Jane A., born in Lee county December 5, 1844, residing with her parents ; Ralph E., born January 22, 1846, residing in Palmyra ; Will- iam H., born August 27, 1851, residing in Palmyra; Marcus M., born August 15, 1855, also residing in Palmyra; Mary J., born March 20, 1841, married William Swigart, of Palmyra, and died June 3, 1875 ; Theodore, born May 27, 1848, was murdered in Nebraska, in Angust 1870. Mr. Johnson has always been an active and earnest republican since the formation of that party ; has held the office of supervisor and several other local positions; and he and his wife, who has been for nearly half a century his faithful companion and friend, are enjoying in a serene old age the esteem and affection of their many neighbors and friends. Both Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church.

CHARLES A. MARTIN, farmer, Palmyra, was born in Sandwich, New Hampshire, August 11, 1830, and was the son of William and Elizabeth (Hill) Martin. His father was a farmer and removed to Pal myra township in 1836 and engaged in farming upon the land which his son now occupies, where he died in 1844. Mr. Martin was brought up and educated in Palmyra township, and when he grew to manhood he engaged in farming, which he still continues. He was married in October 1852, to Miss Anna Tilton, danghter of Lorenzo and Ruth (Brown) Tilton, and they have six children living: William M., aged twenty-eight, residing in Nebraska; Edward E., aged twenty-six, also living in Nebraska; George C., aged twenty-four; Fannie R., aged twenty-one; Adelaide, aged seventeen ; and Winifred, aged eight, all of whom reside at home. Mr. Martin is a republican in political sen- timent and attends the Congregational church.

AMOS GOODWIN, farmer, Palmyra, was born in Oswego county, New York, August 29, 1827; and was the son of Benjamin C. and Rosanna (Shoemaker) Goodwin. His parents removed to Bradford county, Pennsylvania, when he was about four years of age, and fol- lowed the occupation of a farmer until the fall of 1852, at which time the family moved to Lee county, Illinois, and purchased a farm in the vicinity of Dixon, but resided in the town for a number of years. In 1873 Mr. Goodwin removed to Grand Detour and remained there about four years, after which he purchased a farm in Palmyra township, upon which he still resides. Mr. Goodwin was first married in the fall of 1861, to Miss Susan G. Dixon, a granddaughter of Father Dixon. She died September 15, 1878, leaving two children : James P. Good- win, born February 18, 1863, and Isaac B. Goodwin, born September

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13, 1865. He was again married in November 1879, to Mrs. Mary C. Huston, of Dixon, and they have one child, Mary, aged one year. Mr. Goodwin is a republican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

JACOB MARTIN, deceased, Palmyra, was born in Sandwich, New Hampshire, December 29, 1806. His parents were Jacob and Mary (Tyler) Martin. He was brought up and educated and carried on a farm near Sandwich until 1836, when he moved to Lee county and settled on the farm in Palmyra township which he occupied at the time of his death, which occurred quite suddenly on Monday, August 29, 1881, in his seventy-fifth year. Mr. Martin was one of the earliest settlers of Palmyra, and his death makes still another gap in the fast thinning ranks of those brave and hardy pioneers who have made this fertile and beautiful section to "blossom like the rose," but who are rapidly passing away, and all of whom will soon, in the course of nature, be numbered with the dead, leaving behind them, however, many affec- tionate remembrances and fragrant memories. He was first married April 26, 1844, to Miss Margaret Curtis. As the result of this union there are three children living : Helen, aged twenty-nine, and Howard, aged twenty-seven, residing at the old homestead, and Josephine, aged twenty-eight, who is married to Thomas Morgan, and now resides in Missouri. The second marriage of Mr. Martin occurred May 5, 1856, when he was united to Miss Belle Drynan, who survives him, and by whom he had six children : Lillian, aged twenty-four; Emretta, aged twenty-two ; Lizzie, aged eighteen ; Franklin R., aged sixteen ; Charles L., aged eleven, and Tyler E., aged six ; all of whom reside at home.

MATTHIAS SCHICK, farmer, Palmyra, was born in Bavaria, Germany, on November 9, 1813, and was the son of John and Salma (Prout) Schick. He was educated in Germany, where he also learned the blacksmith's trade. When he was eighteen years of age he came to America and worked at his trade for several years in Berks county, Pennsylvania. From there he went to Philadelphia, where he re- . mained until 1842, when he moved to Palmyra township and settled on the farm which he at present occupies. Mr. Schick was married at Philadelphia on July 10, to Miss Elizabeth Obrist, who died April 18, 1875. Seven children were the result of this union, of whom five survive : Matthias A., aged forty-one; Charles P., aged thirty, and George W., aged twenty-seven, all of whom reside in Whitesides county, Illinois ; Anna E., aged thirty-nine, married to J. J. Burger, and a resident of Palmyra township; William H., aged 24, and resides in Chicago. Emanuel, born in Lee county, October 26, 1845, enlisted in the 34th reg. Ill. Vols. on February 28, 1864, and died at Vining Station, Georgia, August 7, 1864, from disease contracted in the service.

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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

Theodore L. was born in Lee county, May 20, 1849. He graduated from the law department of Ann Arbor University in the class of 1871, after which he moved to Brownsville, Nebraska, and engaged in the practice of his profession. In the fall of 1880 he was elected a mem- ber of the legislature of his state, and died of fever on August 9, 1881, after a lingering illness. He was a young man of much promise, and had just started on a career which gave every indication of being pros- perous and honorable. On August 20, 1877, Mr. Schick was united in marriage to Mrs. Rachel Hotchkiss. In political sentiment Mr. Schick is a thorough republican, and is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church.

JOHN L. LORD, manufacturer and farmer, Palmyra, was born at Hopkinton, New Hampshire, June 10, and is the son of John and Achsel (Cary) Lord. His father was a blacksmith, and removed to Lee county in 1838, where he died February 7, 1874. Mr. Lord came to the State of Illinois with his parents, and received his education at the schools of Dixon and vicinity. His father at first set- tled in Dixon in 1838, and followed his trade there, but three years later he removed to Palmyra and engaged in the manufacture of wagons and carriages. After leaving school Mr. Lord learned the blacksmith's trade and worked for his father until 1850, at which time he purchased the property, and has since carried on the business with much success. He has also been engaged in farming for many years, com- mencing with seven acres of land, which he has now increased to about 250. Mr. Lord was married June 17, 1851, to Miss Mary L. Warriner, a daughter of Moses M. and Oriel (Smith) Warriner, who also settled in Lee county in 1838. They have six surviving children, the eldest being Augustus W., born March 3, 1852, and now residing in Iowa ; Paul G., born December 31, 1853; John P., born April 17, 1860; Mary E., born December 18, 1863; Fredrick, born February 12, 1869 ; Grace, born September 26, 1872, all of whom reside at home. In his political views Mr. Lord is strongly republican, and has twice been elected to the office of supervisor.

CHARLES A. BECKER, deceased, Palmyra, was born in Prussia in 1810. He was educated in that country and also learned the watch- making trade, but when twenty years of age came to America to avoid serving in the Prussian army. After working at his trade in various cities for a number of years he finally located at Dixon in 1839, where he remained for several years. Having purchased a farm in Palmyra township he gave up business and engaged in farming, which he con- tinned until his death in 1859. Mr. Becker was married at Reading, Pennsylvania, on the 2d of December 1833, to Miss Mary Kessler, who still survives him. Twelve children resulted from the marriage, eight

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PALMYRA TOWNSHIP.

of whom are still living. Mary B., born August 28, 1834, is the wife of James L. McGinnis, of Palmyra; Sarah, born May 7, 1839, is mar- ried to William Bryner, and resides in Pennsylvania ; Julia, born May 10, is married to C. A. Kaufman, and resides in Nebraska ; Cecilia, born October 10, 1844, is married to Patrick Hall, and also resides in Nebraska ; Francis, born November 19, 1846 ; Fanny, born April 4, 1851: Panlina, born November 1, 1853, and Lizzie, born August 21, 1856, reside at the old homestead at Palmyra. Charles, who is the eldest son, and who was born September 20, 1837, enlisted in 1861 in the 13th Ill. Vols., and was mortally wounded at Vicksburg on the 28th of December 1862, and died January 8, 1863.

WILLIAM MYERS, farmer, Palmyra, was born in Ohio, September 9, 1809, and is the son of John and Naney (Hopkins) Myers. When he was eight years of age his father removed to Philadelphia and remained there about nine years, after which they located near Cincinnati, and lived there for three years. They then came to Illinois, and settled near Pekin, Tazewell county, in 1830, and in 1836 came to Lee county and engaged in farming in Palmyra township. At the time of the Black Hawk war Mr. Myers enlisted as a volunteer under Col. Strain, of Marshall county, and served until the close of the war. With this exception Mr. Myers has been continuously engaged in farming ever since he grew to manhood. Mr. Myers was married in 1826, to Miss Phebe Hull, daughter of Capt. Hull, of Buffalo Grove, who died October 25, 1873. Eight children resulted from this union, three sons and five danghters. Two sons and two daughters are residents of Iowa, two more daughters live in Nebraska, and the remaining daughter resides at Buffalo Grove, Ogle county, Illinois. The third son, Andrew Jackson Myers, now lives upon the old homestead. He is a native of Palmyra township, having been born there March 11, 1842, and acquired his education at the neighboring schools. When arrived at maturity he engaged in farming, and has continued to follow that occupation up to the present time. He was married December 25, 1865, to Miss Julia Kintner, daughter of the late William Kintner, of Palmyra, and they have three children living : Minnie, aged fourteen ; Phebe, aged eleven, and Hattie, aged five years. Mr. Myers' political proclivities are with the democratic party.

EDWIN B. CHASE, farmer, Palmyra, was born in Columbia county, New York, November 26, 1810, and is the son of Benjamin and Phebe (Barnard) Chase. His father was a farmer and a native of Massa- chusetts, and died in the fall of 1871. When Mr. Chase was seven years of age his parents removed to western New York, where his father purchased a farm, and here Mr. Chase was brought up and acquired his education. When grown to manhood he engaged in

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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

farming, and followed this vocation until 1856, when he removed to Palmyra township, Lee county, where he purchased a farm, and with the exception of some three or four years has since continued to reside. Mr. Chase was married in Wayne county, New York, in 1833, to Miss Elizabeth Rushmore, a native of Westchester county, New York. They have five children living, the eldest of whom, Reuben B., was born in 1836, and has resided in California since 1860; Adeline S., born in 1839, was married in 1864, to H. C. Peek, now sheriff of Ogle county ; William D., born in 1845, resides in Palmyra and is by profession a teacher; Edwin B., jr., born in 1855, is a resident of Seward, Nebraska ; John R., born in 1859, resides with his parents. The second son of Mr. Chase, Arthur W., born in 1842, enlisted in August, 1862, in the 92d Ill. Vols., and during his term of service contracted a lung com- plaint, which finally terminated in his death June 5, 1879. Mr. Chase has been an active member of the republican party from the time of its organization.

GEORGE L. KLOSTERMANN, farmer, Palmyra, is a native of Germany, where he was born March 29, 1845. He is the son of Ernest H. and Alma Klostermann, both of whom are still living in Palmyra. They came to America when Mr. Klostermann was but a few months old, and coming directly to Lee county they located near Prairieville, and have ever since resided in that vicinity. For the past fourteen years Mr. Klostermann has been engaged in farming on his own account, and now owns a fine property near the line of Whitesides county. He was married March 12, 1869, to Miss Rebecca C. Lamken, a resident of Pal- myra, and they have four children living : Ernest H., aged eleven ; Julia F., aged nine; Eddie G., aged four, and Herbert, aged nearly two years. Mr. Klostermann is a republican, and a member of the Lutheran church.

GEORGE RICKERT, farmer, Palmyra, was born in Dutchess county, New York, on July 20, 1822. He is the son of John and Elizabeth (Plattner) Rickert. Both of his parents were born, lived and died in the State of New York. Mr. Rickert in his early youth removed to Dela- ware county, New York, and when old enough engaged in farming, which he continued until 1852, when he went to Ulster county, New York, and followed steamboating for about a year, after which he returned to Delaware county. In 1855 he came west, and settled in Palmyra township, where he resided for eight years, with the exception of a few months spent in Colorado. In 1863 he removed to Whitesides county, but in 1871 returned to Lee county, and has since resided on his farm in the town of Palmyra. Mr. Rickert was married in the State of New York on January 1, 1844, to Miss Phebe Bennett, a resident of Greene county, that state, and they have two children : Emma, born in

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1851, and the wife of F. F. Klostermann, of Palmyra township, and Mathias, born in 1853, and now a resident of Iowa. In his political views Mr. Rickert is in full accord with the republican party, and he and his family are members of the Lutheran church.

JOHN F. STAGER, farmer, Palmyra, was born in the State of Penn- sylvania, on July 21, 1832, and is the son of John and Sarah (Fensler) Stager. His father is a farmer, and still lives in Pennsylvania, and fol- lows that oceupation. His mother died about a year since. Mr. Sta- ger was nineteen years of age when he left his native state, and having learned the trade of a carpenter he came to Stephenson county, Illinois, and for the next five years worked at his trade most of the time in that county. About 1856 he came to Dixon, and about a year later settled in Palmyra, and since that time has built most of the first-class build- ings erected in the township. For the past seventeen years he has also been engaged in farming, and for the past few years has followed that pursuit exclusively. He was married on December 27, 1859, to Miss Harriet A. Seavey, the daughter of Jesse and Sarah J. (Norris) Seavey. Mr. Stager has three children : Lillian G., born February 5, 1862; John G., born September 16, 1868, and Lloyd, born March 28, 1880. Politically Mr. Stager is a member of the republican party.

JOHN T. LAWRENCE, farmer, Palmyra, is a native of the island of Jamaica, West Indies, where he was born September 25, 1819, his parents being John T. and Julia (Ricketts) Lawrence. The first of the family to settle in America was Sir Henry Lawrence, who was presi- dent of Cromwell's council. After the death of the latter and the restoration of the Stuarts he came to this country and settled on Long Island. Some years later he removed to Jamaica and engaged in planting, but died soon after. Mr. Lawrence's father in his early life was an officer in the English navy, but on the death of his elder brother he succeeded to the estates in the West Indies. Upon the abolition of slavery in the British colonies he removed to the United States and died in the city of New York in 1847, leaving five children, three of whom are still living : James R. Lawrence, of New York city ; Mrs. General Ricketts, of Washington, D.C., and the subject of our sketch. The latter was educated at Columbia College grammar school, and also passed one year at West Point military academy. After leav- ing school he engaged in civil engineering for a short time, but in 1839 he came west and located upon the same farm where he now resides and where he has lived continuously for more than forty years. He was marred in 1845, to Miss Elizabeth Graham, a daughter of Capt. Hugh Graham, a very early settler. This union has rusulted in six children, all of whom are living : Julia, the eldest, is the wife of Harry Eldred and resides at Beardstown, Illinois; John T., jr., Elizabeth,

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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

Lilias, Mary and Fanny are all residing with their parents. Mr. Lawrence is a democrat and a member of the Episcopal church.

REV. CHRISTIAN B. THUMMEL, D.D. (deceased), Palmyra, was born in Germany in 1802, and after attending preliminary schools he entered the University of Halle in Prussia, in 1820, afterward gradu- ating from the University of Tubingen in Wurtemburg. He was licensed to preach the gospel in the spring of 1824, and ordained in 1826, soon after which he came to America. For about a year he was employed as a missionary, and in 1827 he was chosen professor of languages in Hartwick Seminary, which position he occupied until 1838, when he accepted a professorship in the Lutheran seminary at Lexington, South Carolina. In 1845 he removed to Prairieville, Illinois, where he resided until his death, which occurred May 24, 1881. For fifteen years before his death he held the position of secretary and treasurer of the Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Palmyra, and was universally esteemed and respected by all with whom he came in contact. Mr. Thummel was married May 17, 1837, in New York, to Miss Cathrine Lattin, who is still a resident of Palmyra. They had five children : Anson E., residing in Palmyra ; Charles, re- siding in Kansas; George, practicing law in Nebraska; Warren, also a lawyer in Iowa; and Cathrine, married to H. S. Fischer and living in Palmyra.

ANSON E. THUMMEL, eldest son of the above, was born in Lexing- ton, South Carolina, September 22, 1841, but removed with his parents when very young to Prairieville, Lee county, where he was brought up and educated. In August, 1861, he enlisted in the 34th Ill. Vols., and served with them for more than four years. He returned home in 1865 and soon after went to Iowa, where he engaged in farm- ing, but in about three years he returned to Palmyra township, where he has since been pursuing the same vocation. He was married December 25, 1868, to Miss Helen C. Powers, a daughter of Hon. Abijah Powers, of Palmyra. They have had six children, four of whom survive, the eldest being Lanra, aged twelve years; then Bertha, aged ten ; Blanche, aged eight, and Lloyd, aged two years. Mr. Thum- mel is a republican and a member of the Lutheran church.

ALFRED A. BEEDE, farmer, Palmyra, was born in Carroll county, New Hampshire, in July 1834, and is the son of Noah and Harriet' (Fellows) Beede. His father was a native of New Hampshire, and in his youth learned the trade of a shoemaker. He moved to Lee county in 1836 and settled in Palmyra township, and combined the occupations of farming and shoemaking until his death in February 1854. He married Harriet, daughter of Stephen N. Fellows, in Carroll county, New Hampshire, in 1827. She is still living and resides with her son

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in Palmyra. The latter was only two years of age at the time of his parents' removal to the west, and received his education in the neigh- boring schools, and when old enough engaged in farming, which pur- suit he still follows. Mr. Beede was married in October 1870, to Mrs. Elizabeth (Lawton) Diblenbeck, a resident of Palmyra, and they have a family of six children : Bertie, aged fourteen ; Hattie, aged ten ; Edward A., aged eight ; Frank A., aged six ; Charles, aged four, and Mary, aged two years. Mr. Beede is, and always has been, an earnest supporter of the republican party and its policy.

FLETCHER HUTTON, deceased, Palmyra, was born August 10, 1820, in Columbia county, Pennsylvania. His parents were William and Elizabeth (Bowman) Hutton. His father was a farmer, and moved to Illinois in 1838, and died in Whitesides county. Mr. Hutton acquired a common school education in the east, and after coming to Illinois commenced operations for himself by cutting wood and breaking prairie, and as his small savings accumulated he invested them in land. He finally settled upon a farm in Carroll county, Illinois, where he resided for about twenty years. He then moved to Lee county and bought a farm in Palmyra township, where he resided until his death on May 20, 1879. Mr. Hutton was married in 1866, to Mrs. Sarah J. (Drynan) Hutton, the widow of his younger brother Maurice Hutton, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1831, and who enlisted in the 24th Iowa Vols. in 1862; was taken prisoner at the battle of Cedar Creek in October 1863 ; was confined at Andersonville and other rebel prisons for nearly two years, and finally died, in March 1865, from exposure and starvation. He left two children : Ernest L., born in 1859, and Bert M., born in 1854. Fletcher Hutton left the following children : Alice A., aged fourteen ; William D., aged twelve ; Earl F., aged ten ; Leon E., aged eight; Walter C., aged six; and Lulu M., aged three years. Mrs. Hutton still resides in Palmyra, and manages her large farm besides looking after the physical and moral well-being of her children.

DAVID G. Book, farmer, Palmyra, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in March 1832, and is the son of John and Anna (Geist) Book. His mother died in the spring of the present year, but his father is still living and is a resident of Pennsylvania. He was brought up and educated in his native county, and when twenty-two years of age he came west and settled near Sterling, in Whitesides county, where he remained until about 1870, when he purchased his present farm, on which he has since resided. Mr. Book was married October 27, 1856, to Miss Mary A. Weaver, a resident of Whitesides county. They have nine children living, the eldest of whom is Aaron, born Angust 7, 1859 ; Leander, born May 13, 1861 ; Ann E., born December 6, 1862; Frank-

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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

lin, born March 4, 1864; Henry, born April 26, 1867; Mary A., born March 2, 1869; Edward, born November 15, 1873; Ida M., born Angust 17, 1875, and David G., born February 24, 1877. Mr. Book is a republican in political views.

ANTON HARMS (deceased), Palmyra, born in Oldenburg, Germany, in 1800, was the son of Frank and Helena (Strengan) Harms. He came to America in 1848, and settled in Palmyra township, Lee county, on the same farm on which his family now resides. He was first married in Germany, to Miss Anna H. Wieting, who died in 1848. Three chil- dren survive this marriage, none of whom now reside in Lee county. He was again married in the fall of 1851, to Miss Anna Hector, who is still living. This union resulted in a family of three boys and two girls : George A., aged twenty-nine, resides with his mother on the old homestead ; Anton W., aged twenty-seven, is married and lives in Pal- myra township, and is a farmer ; Theresa S., aged twenty-five, is married to Fred Jurgens, and is a resident of Sterling, Illinois; Augusta C., aged twenty-three, and Herman F., aged twenty-one, reside with their mother.

RALPH E. JOHNSON, farmer, Palmyra, was born in Palmyra town- ship on January 22, 1847, and is the son of Eben H. and Sarah (John- son) Johnson, of Palmyra. Mr. Johnson's whole life has been spent and his education received in his native town, and for a good many years he was engaged in farming, having a joint interest with his father and brothers, but about a year ago came into possession of the farm on which he now resides, and has since then farmed on his own account. Mr. Johnson was married March 10, 1875, to Miss Abbie Knox, and they have two children : Anna, born May 25, 1876, and Rena, born December 31, 1878. In his party affiliations Mr. Johnson has been a steadfast republican.

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History of Lee County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., Part 51

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