History of Lee County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., Part 74

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 74

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PIERCE & BARRINGER, druggists, are the gentlemanly proprietors of the Palace drug-store. The firm is composed of Philip S. Pierce and William H. Barringer. Mr. Pierce is an enterprising farmer and stock raiser. He was born in East Paw Paw, De Kalb county, October 8, 1847, and is the son of Charles, who settled near Paw Paw Grove in 1845. On February 20, 1869, Mr. Pierce was married to Miss Addie E. Barringer, daughter of John Barringer. He remained on his father's place until November 1874, when he came to the Nettleton farm, which he now owns. This is situated in Sec. 35, Willow Creek township, and comprises 145 acres of choice land, well improved. One of the principal improvements is the substantial barn, 30×50, with

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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

22-foot posts, erected the present season. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce have three children : William Evert, Mary A. and Philip U. The junior partner, William H. Barringer, is one of the young business men of whom Paw Paw is justly proud. He was born at Ross' Grove, De Kalb county, September 30, 1850, and the eldest of three children of John H. and Delia (Mulford) Barringer. Both of his parents died in the year 1854, when William was but four years old. His grand- mother Barringer took the three little orphans to her home in Paw Paw and brought them up. William was with her twelve years at this place, then eight years with her at East Paw Paw .. During these years he had made good use of his time both at school and on the farm in vacations. In 1874 they moved to a farm near Smith's Grove, and the following year he spent in Kansas. In the spring of 1881 he united in partnership with Mr. Pierce, as successors to the firm of Palmer & Stetler, in the drug business, the duties of which mainly devolve on Mr. Barringer.

ELIJAH SWARTHOUT, farmer, Paw Paw Grove, was born August 16, 1820, in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and son of Joshua and Elizabeth (Van Loon) Swarthout. The name Van Loon traces back to original settlers on the Hudson. His grandparents on his father's side were from Holland. Elijah was the oldest of a family of eleven children, and brought up on a farm of 200 acres, he naturally became inured to those habits essential to a good farmer. He was also counted good as a scholar for the time and place. He remained on the old homestead till he was twenty-eight. December 25, 1848, he was mar- ried to Sarah E. Brown, danghter of Solomon Brown, of the same place. In the spring of 1856 they emigrated to Illinois, and pur- chased ninety acres of the old Russell Town farm west of Paw Paw. This he sold in 1861, when he bought eighty acres in Sec. 6, and in 1870 another farm just west of the village, and in 1877 added to his real-estate acquisitions the fine property on Grummond street, where he now resides. He was in company with his son-in-law, James H. Thompson, five years, ending July 15, 1881. He was Methodistically inclined, in politics a democrat, and was a charter member of the Wyoming Grange. In 1880 a promising son, Frank M., died of con- sumption at the age of twenty-two. He has four children living : Catharine J., Mrs. James H. Thompson ; Clarrissa, Mrs. B. J. Wheel- er ; Rasselas, and Solomon Brown. His estimable wife died September 11, 1881, after a lingering illness of nearly a year.

W. C. RUNYAN, clerk, Paw Paw Grove, son of Joshua and Eliza- beth (Swisher) Runyan, was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, April 15, 1829, and with them moved to Lycoming county in 1833. In the spring of 1850 he, with his parents, moved to Northumberland

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county, where his father died in the fall of 1853. In October, 1854, he was married to Clara Mcknight, of Montour county, and the follow- ing spring they moved to Lee county. Here he rented land from time to time in different parts of the county. His wife died January 19, 1859. In the spring of 1860, at Meriden, Illinois, he was married to Mrs. Martha Litts, daughter of Abraham Rosenkrans, of Wyoming township. In the spring of 1863 he bought a farm near Franklin Grove, but sold it in the spring of 1866, and bought in Wyoming two miles south of Paw Paw. His health failing in 1871, he was com- pelled to desist from all labor. In April, 1873, he engaged in the mercantile business at Paw Paw, continuing till December 1879. In January, 1881, he commenced clerking for L. Potter & Co. From the age of eighteen Mr. Runyan was a member of the Baptist church. For the past five years he has held a prominent position in the Lee county Sabbath-school work. He has two daughters, Elizabeth C. and Lydia.

WILLIAM MERRELL, senior partner in the firm of Merrell & Co., Paw Paw Grove, was born November 29, 1829, in Canton, Hartford county, Connecticut. His parents were Capt. Alanson and Lucy L. (Mills) Merrell, and his grandfather was a revolutionary soldier. After the usual schooling, supplemented by a term at East Hampton, Massa- chusetts, he was married, November 28, 1848, to Louisa A. Daniels, of Canton, and in 1851 moved to Steuben county, New York, where he followed farming and lumbering. Volunteering in 1862, he was mustered in as 1st lieutenant of Co. D, 141st reg. New York Inf .; was promoted to the captaincy in July 1863; to the office of major in 1864; was acting-colonel under Sherman on the march to the sea, the campaign of the Carolinas, and the final march to Washington, where he was mustered out. He was in about fifteen general engagements and skirmishes, including Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, Resaca, New Hope Church,-a hard battle at arms' length, -and Kennesaw Mountain. For one hundred days was either in engagements or under fire on the skirmish line. Of the entire regiment, when it came out of the noted battle of Peach Tree creek, there remained to report for duty only Capt. Merrell, a Capt. Baldwin and one lieutenant, of all the field and line officers, and but sixty-one privates. Moving west in 1866, he farmed four years in Lake county and five years near East Paw Paw, when, in 1875, entered into copartnership with John Edwards and Henry Goodyear under the firm name Wm. Merrell & Co., and engaged in general merchandising at West Paw Paw. The next year this firm erected the Centennial block. In 1878 Mr. Merrell sold his interest to Goodyear and moved to Kansas; returned the following year and renewed possession of the farm he had previously sold ; in the fall of 1880 united in copartnership with P. N. Edwards and Will-

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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

iam Siglin, under the firm name William Merrell & Co. Mr. and Mrs. Merrell have three children : Henry William, Viola Louise, and Frank Warren. The entire family united with the Methodist Episco- pal church in 1866. Frank is now taking a college and theological course at Evanston, Illinois. Like most soldiers, Mr. Merrell is repub- lican.

HENRY H. HARRINGTON, justice of the peace of the town of Wyo- ming, and dealer in groceries, crockery, china and glassware, Paw Paw Grove, youngest son of Amasa and Annie (Arnold) Harrington, was born at Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence county, New York, February 9, 1841, and with the family moved to Paw Paw in fall of 1843. Till fourteen he was subject to a lung difficulty that confined him at home, hence his primary education was received from his mother. But this was necessarily quite limited, so much so that at the age of sixteen, on entering the intermediate department of Prof. Perrin's school at Paw Paw, he for the first time studied arithmetic, geography, and grammar. His progress was rapid, however, for at the end of two years he was appointed as teacher in the department which he had first entered, at the same time continuing his studies in the high school department. Meanwhile his health had rapidly improved till at the date alluded to he was strong and rugged. He taught school in Lee and Ogle coun- ties most of the time till 1865, then went to Chicago and graduated at Eastman's Commercial College. He followed teaching and writing in law and in abstract offices in Ogle county till the fall of 1869, when he went to Ohio and was married to Amelia R. Hosmer, of Parkman, . Geauga county, New York, daughter of Sylvester B. and Mary (Fos- ter) Hosmer (deceased). Here he remained six years on his wife's farm. In 1875 he moved to Paw Paw and purchased the store and dwelling-house combined, which he has since occupied. He joined the Methodist Episcopal church in the winter of 1876, under the pas- torate of Rev. J. Hartman, since which time he has been a consistent member and church-laborer, holding the office of recording steward and secretary of the board of trustees. He was elected justice of the peace in 1877 and reelected in 1881. He is a republican and a Mason, and a strong advocate of temperance. The three children are Mary Maud Anna, Madge Amelia, and Hosmer Hartman.

T. H. STETLER, physician and surgeon, Paw Paw Grove, son of John Stetler, was born at Wilkesbarre, Luzerne county, Penn- sylvania, August 6, 1847. The district school, high school and acad- emy each in turn contributed to his literary education till the fall of 1867, when he came west to Malugin's Grove, Illinois. Taught school that winter at Adrian's school-house, the next winter at the Ed- monds school-house, and the next three years at the Grove. He now

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began the study of materia medica and chemistry with view to fitting for the medical profession, and in the fall of 1872, in company with Dr. Palmer, engaged in the drug business. He sold out in the spring of 1874, and in the fall began taking lectures at the Chicago Medical College ; graduating there March 21, 1876, he settled down in the practice of medicine at Paw Paw. That one so young should think to compete for a share of the practice in a place where inefficiency and quackery would never be tolerated, and with physicians of age, experi- ence and established reputation, is evidence of his confidence in the genuineness of his qualifications, and his practice, already quite exten- sive, shows that the people are partakers of that confidence. Decem- ber 31, 1870, he was married to his estimable wife, Libbie Rosencrans, youngest daughter of Abram and Elizabeth Rosencrans, who has contributed largely to his success in life. Dr. Stetler was raised a Mason in Brooklyn Lodge in 1870, and became a member of Corinth- ian Lodge, No. 205, in 1873. He is now secretary of this lodge. In 1873 he was made a Royal Arch Mason in Rochelle Chapter. The doctor is a communicant in the Presbyterian church of Paw Paw, and superintendent of the Sabbath-school. He is a man of decidedly republican views, and an earnest worker in the party.

GEORGE T. NOE, farmer, Steward, son of Cummings Noe, was born on the farm at present owned by B. F. Ellsworth, formerly the early homestead of his parents, May 21, 1855. He attended the district schools of the neighborhood, and finished his studies in the Western College in Lynn county, Iowa. On March 5, 1878, he was married to Mrs. Caroline Yetter, daughter of Gotleib Hochstrasser. These parents have two children : Eda Levilla and Mary Martha. Mrs. Noe is a member of the Evangelical church, and Mr. Noe belongs to the United Brethren, and is a republican.

B. J. WHEELER, proprietor of Oak Grove Creamery and Cheese Factory, Paw Paw Grove, was born near Bangor, Maine, May 14, 1837. His parents, Jacob and Martha (Drake) Wheeler, had their home three miles from the nearest school-house, and bears being nu- merous in that region young Wheeler was prevented from receiving early instruction in the schools. About 1845 the family came west and settled at Nauvoo, in this state, and a few years later removed to Paw Paw Grove, where the subject of this notice attended the South Side High School one year. His father in 1851 purchased from John Pelcher 100 acres of land, the same on which his creamery is now sit- uated. This finally passed from his father's ownership, and several times changed hands until it was at last bought by Mr. Wheeler. In 1856 our subject went to Minnesota, and was engaged three years in farming, peddling, and other pursuits. In 1859, having returned to

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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

Illinois, he set out immediately for California, and engaged in mining in Plumas county. After three years' steady employment at this busi- ness he went to freighting supplies from Marysville to Humboldt val- ley, a distance of 300 miles, forty being across a desert. Prices charged for everything seem incredible. Potatoes sold at the mines for $15 per bushel, and Mr. Wheeler received $8.40 for the hauling. For hay to feed his team over night he paid at one time $90. The transporting of one load brought him $1,800. Once just before reaching the end of his route an axle broke and he had to go forward to get it repaired. This occupied half an hour and cost $20. When he returned he got three Indians to help him change his load, in which were fifteen pounds of fish-hooks, and $1,800 of county scrip in a small yeast can. After resuming his way he missed his hooks and scrip, and returning to the river where about 100 Indians were encamped, was not able to per- snade them to give up the plunder. He subsequently obtained a re- issue of the scrip. He remained in California four years, and on his return purchased the farm on which he is now living. Here he en- gaged in farming, trading, shipping stock, and making brick. On January 1, 1873, he was married to Clara Swarthout, daughter of Elijah and Elizabeth Swarthout, of Paw Paw. In 1874 he bought the grist-mill at the grove, and in 1877 traded it to Frank Nickey for the store now owned by George Lindsey, and the stock of hardware which 'it contained. The latter he sold to H. M. Wilson in July, 1879, and the same year took a trip with his family through Idaho, Utah and California, consuming four months in this journey. A drive of 300 miles behind a mule team was included in their experiences. If it was tedious it did not wholly fail of being ludicrous. Mrs. Wheeler says the mules were exasperatingly slow, unless the driver was drunk. She was the only lady passenger among fourteen men. The bottle of ex- hilarating fluid never went dry, and her thoughtful fellow-travelers proffered it with religious constancy whenever it went around. Mr. Wheeler erected the Oak Grove Creamery and Cheese Factory in 1880. This represents an industry of prime importance in Wyoming town- ship, and by his enterprise he has added not a little to the material prosperity and consideration of the community. He is a republican and an Odd-Fellow. Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler have had three children : Addie Kyle, Frank, and one " over the river."

A. G. FOWLER, farmer, Paw Paw Grove, eldest son of Noalı and Polly (Whitaker) Fowler, was born at Cambridge, New York, March 3, 1826. The most of his schooling was obtained in the three last winters of his minority, and he made so good use of his meager privi- leges, and such progress in his studies, that he qualified himself to be a teacher and was employed in that capacity three years. In 1851 he

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spent six months in the State of Virginia. In the summer of 1853 he came to Illinois and settled at West Aurora, and had his home in that vicinity six years. Being a man of large ingenuity, to whom the use of tools is a natural gift, he worked successively in the sash factory, reaper shop, and as a carpenter on the depot and other buildings of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad. This road was constructed to Mendota the year of his arrival. While living here he was married, February 19, 1856, to Nancy B. Deuel, of his native town of Cam- bridge. From Aurora Mr. Fowler moved to Waterman, De Kalb county, where he lived six years farming and holding office. He was constable four years and collector two terms. In the spring of 1865 he came to South Paw Paw, and the next year occupied his present farm. He has 40 acres whose productiveness is recognized as consid- erably above the average. Deacon Fowler is a leading fruit-grower in this part of the country. He is a consistent and prominent member of the Baptist church of Paw Paw, and has filled the office of deacon nearly a dozen years. Politically he was first a "silver gray " whig, whatever that may have been, and is now a supporter of republican principles. Mr. and Mrs. Fowler have three children, Mary, Isaac L., and Lois, all at home.

JESSE BRITTAIN, deceased, was a man of a limited education, eco- nomical in his habits and possessed of a marked degree of energy. His untiring industry and good management resulted in a competence for himself and a considerable estate for his heirs. He was born August 8, 1808, in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania. In early manhood he was employed mainly in lumbering. In 1829 he was married to Miss Margaret Lemons, of Muncie, in the same state. In 1840 he moved to Beaver, on the Ohio below Pittsburgh, returning in 1843. He built himself a saw-mill and followed lumbering till the summer of 1850, when he came west and settled at Cottage Hill, in Wyoming township. Here he resided till his death, in 1875. His widow, after a happy com- panionship of nearly fifty years, is with his son, John T., on the old homestead. The following were the children : Charles W., John T., Lavina, Sarah (deceased), George (killed at the battle of Perrysville, October 8, 1862), and Zebreth, now farming at Raceburg, on the Sol- omon river, in Kansas. The eldest son, Charles, was always fond of travel, and gratified this taste in a large measure. He joined Col. As- pinwall's company, which built the Panama railroad, and from the isthmus went to San Francisco in 1851. He worked in the diggings until the discovery of gold in Australia, in 1854, when he repaired to that distant land, and during his travels visited Van Dieman's land and most of the islands in the Pacific ocean. He returned to Cali- fornia and went to work again in the mines. When Montana began

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to excite notice he was attracted there by the supposed inducements of that fresh field of discovery, and when last heard from was on his way to Alaska. John, too, seems to have had a love of change and inci- dent, but this partook quite largely of the business character. At the age of twenty-one he left New York, April 5, 1854, for California via Aspinwall and Panama and landed in San Francisco May 1; followed mining and prospecting for mines for twelve years, mostly in the coun- ties of Mariposa, Stanislaus, Tuolnmne and Klamath. He took part in several of the mining excitements, particularly the Silver Mountain and Frazer river mines in British Columbia in the year 1858. He re- sided a short time at Victoria, on Van Couver's island, located at Hum- boldt bay in California, and followed ranching from 1866 to 1870, when he returned by rail. In his individual enterprises he was usually suc- cessful, but he lost heavily at times by stock company investments. He now resides on the homestead at Cottage Hill, and owns a 160- acre farm in Viola.

CHARLES PIERCE, farmer and stock raiser, Paw Paw Grove, was born in Pennsylvania, February 3, 1813, followed the business of moulder in a foundry some years at Kingston, Pennsylvania, came west to Paw Paw township, arriving September 17, 1845, and moved to Wyoming November 15, 1856. He has erected several buildings, and is now the owner of several farms. He resides on the "Bogus " Gates place, but a few rods from the site of the old pioneer cabin of David A. Town, built in 1834. He has been twice married ; his first wife was a Goodwin ; by her he had three children : Thomas J., born August 16, 1836 ; John, born September 15, 1838, and George S., born Jannary 22, 1841. On February 10, 1842, he was married to Cath- arine Sine; they have six children : Everett, born March 28, 1843, Emma S., May 17, 1845, Philip S., October 8, 1847, Mary A., Novem- ber 11, 1850, Florence, December 29, 1852, Maria O., June 16, 1855. Philip owns a good farm in Willow Creek township, and is partner in the firm of Pierce & Barringer, at Paw Paw.

JAMES H. THOMPSON, dealer in general merchandise, Paw Paw, is the son of William and Nancy (Harding) Thompson, and was born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, April 8, 1843. His father died when James was but four years old. When eight years of age he came with his mother to Paw Paw, and was educated in the graded school of the three Paw Paws. In 1855 his mother married John Colvill, with whom James has remained to this date, except when in the service of his conntry. He enlisted in 1862, in Co. K, 75th reg. Ill. Vols., under Capt. Geo. Ryan, and during his three years' service was never ont of the rebel confederacy. He was in action at Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga, and Lookout Mountain, and while on a reconnoissance at

Ger. M. Berkley

THE NEW YORK

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Tunnel Hill, February 25, 1864, a singular accident befell him. At the top of Rocky Face Ridge, a tree a foot through was shot off at the height of forty feet and fell with terrible force upon him, crushing his musket in three pieces and almost fatally wounding him. Fortunately he recovered and was with his regiment on the Atlanta campaign. Being a clerkly penman he was detailed to a clerical position in the inspector-general's office. A testimonial from Capt. Nelson G. Franklin, acting assistant inspector general, speaks in unequivocal terms of Mr. Thompson. It is dated at Nashville, June 12, 1865, and says, "He has performed his duties in my office satisfactorily, and. though complicated and arduous as the work has been, he has gained for himself an excellent name as a business man, and won the unbounded respect of all with whom he has had official relations." On his return from the army he farmed awhile, and in 1869 united in copartnership with Mr. Colvill. In 1875 they sold out to William Merrell & Co., and Mr. Thompson moved onto his farm, which he had purchased two years before from Isaac Harding. In the fall he took charge of the clothing store here owned by Metz & Jackson, of Amboy, and in the spring of 1876 engaged in business for himself in the Col- vill building. He is one of the school trustees of the town of Wyo- ming, has served as collector, has been at the head of most of the republican movements, and at the present time is a member of the Lee county central committee. He has been repeatedly solicited to accept a nomination for county office, but his business preventing he has con- stantly declined. He is a member of Anchor Lodge, I.O.O.F. On March 28, 1867, he was married to Miss Catharine J. Swarthont, eldest daughter of Elijah J. Swarthout, of Paw Paw.

JOHN ALLEN, mechanic, Paw Paw Grove, was born in Hartford, Maine, July 13, 1813. His grandfather, Thomas Allen, deserted the British army on the northern frontier in the time of the revolution, and had several dangerous escapes from capture, while under pursuit, by the red-coats. At one time his pursuers passed the house in which he was concealed, and at another crossed over the bridge beneath which he was hiding. Making his way to Machias, Maine, he took up his residence there, and was one of the first six residents in the place. He was chosen town clerk and singing teacher, and in course of time was called to other posts of influence and respectability. He reared a son, John Allen, who became the father of eight children. From the notes at command the writer is unable to mention more than three of these, John, Thomas and Benjamin, the first the subject of this sketch. The last two were for a long time in the service of presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, Thomas being employed by the two seven years. Among a number of presents bestowed upon 44

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these men by the elder Adams was a trunk which he had carried with him to Europe when abroad as a representative of the United States. This was a sacred souvenir of him whose lips of burning patriotism whispered at the portal of death the glorious words, " Independence forever." John Allen lived in Maine until he was eighteen ; he then went to Boston, and soon after embarked on the ocean and was en- gaged in sea-faring nearly eight years. After this he worked a year or two in a last factory in Boston, and in 1840 emigrated to Ohio and hired out to a Mr. Gunn, a man of Scotch lineage, to work on his farm. On July 25 he was married to his employer's daughter, Sophia Gunn. Three years afterward Mr. Allen returned to Boston with his family and went to work again in the last factory, where he continued to be employed ten years. In 1855 he moved west, settled in Willow Creek township, and farmed four years. He next brought his family to Paw Paw, where they have resided up to the present time. For awhile he was engaged in carpentering; then in 1860 he joined the rush to Pike's Peak, but soon returned without improving his fortune. In 1862, being forty-eight years of age and legally exempt from military duty, he nevertheless heard the call of father Abraham for three hundred thousand more, and not able to shut his heart to the appeal of his country in the crisis of her peril he enlisted in Capt. Cogswell's Independent Illinois Battery of Light Artillery, and was attached to the war-worn 15th Army Corps. The service bore heavily upon him, and it was not long till he was obliged to come home to reeruit his health. When he repaired again to the army he took with him his son Horace, who was mustered into the United States service at Springfield, in 1864. Taken suddenly ill once more, our subject was sent home to receive that care and nursing so sadly wanting in the army, and while there his son, only seventeen, was killed by the explosion of a caisson. His remains are interred at Huntsville, Ala- bama. Mr. Allen returned to his command, and served the remainder of his term of three years. During most of the time he was serving on detail as artificer. Having returned to civil pursuits, he nearly lost his life by falling thirty feet from a barn he was building to the ground. In 1870 Mr. and Mrs. Allen made public profession of re- ligion, and are now members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They have five living children, three of whom have also arrived at a saving knowledge of divine truth. T. T. Allen is in Kansas, Charles H. and Eugene are at Paw Paw, Weltha is married and living at Plano, and Eugenia is at home with her mother. Mr. Allen has twice been collector of Wyoming township. In 1877 he went into the manufacture of the Excelsior spring-bed bottom, and was agent for

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History of Lee County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., Part 74

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