USA > Illinois > McHenry County > History of McHenry County, Illinois, Volume II > Part 26
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731
HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
WILLIAM A. McCONNELL.
William A. McConnell, now deceased, was one of the pioneers of MeHenry County, became a heavy landowner of Richmond Township, and was intimately associated with its progress. He was born in Penn- sylvania, was there reared, and came to McHenry County in 1837. The first settler to locate a claim in Richmond Township, he secured one on section S, on which he erected a log cabin, 16x18 feet.
Having thus provided a home for his bride, Mr. McConnell returned to Pennsylvania, and was married there in 1838, to Elizabeth Bodine. Returning with his wife, Mr. McConnell began to improve his land. For fifteen years the primitive log cabin served as a home, but it was then replaced by a frame residence, located across the street from the cabin. In 1872, a more commodious residence was erected on the site of the cabin, and there William McConnell d'ed October 9, 1887, his wife passing away six months later. They were survived by three sons, namely: Abraham B., John and George, sketches of whom appear else- where in this work.
William A. McConnell was one of the most influential men of his generation. During the administration of President Van Buren, he was appointed postmaster of Richmond, and served for six years, the post office being in the log cabin on his farm. He was associate judge of McHenry County for sixteen years and in 1844, he was elected county commissioner and served in that office until the adoption of township organization, when he was made a justice of the peace for Richmond Township and held that office for thirty-five years. He was appointed a judge of election in 1840 and served as such for several years. Mr. McConnell was a member of the first state legislature convened under the new constitution, and served as a member of the board of equali- zation one term, and as supervisor of Richmond Township for several years, and for one term was chairman of the board. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was one of the organizers of the church of that donomination in Richmond. Not only did he serve faithfully and well in every office, but he reared his three sons to be as upright and capable as he, and they, too, have made their influence felt in the history of MeHenry County, so that today the name of McConnell stands for the highest standards of American manhood and good citizenship.
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
WILLIAM S. McCONNELL.
William S. McConnell, vice-president of the Woodstock State Bank, and owner of considerable McHenry County farm land, has long been one of the leading residents of Woodstock, which he has served in several official capacities. He was born in MeHenry County, Ill., August 1, 1870, a son of Abram B. and Harriet S. (Potter) McConnell, who had six children, three of whom grew to maturity. Abram B. McConnell was born at Richmond, Ill. IIe moved to Dorr Township in 1862, and died February 13, 1905, in Woodstock.
After going to the schools of his native county, McConnell attended the University of Michigan, and was graduated from its legal department in 1894 with the degree of LL. B., and was admitted to the bar soon thereafter. Since attaining to maturity, he has been interested in agricultural matters, and owns 300 acres of valuable land. A Republican, he has served as treasurer of MeHenry County from 1906 to 1910, has been township supervisor, and in March, 1911, he was appointed by President Taft. postmaster of Woodstock, and held that office until November, 1915. On November, 1918, he was again elected County Treasurer.
On June 15, 1897, Mr. MeConnell was married to Miss Susan St. Clair, a daughter of Israel St. Clair, and they have six children, namely: Harold S., Margaret, John W., Robert, William S., Jr., and Mary. Harold S., who served during the Great War in the Thirty-third Division, enlisted on June 22, 1916, before he was eighteen years of age. He was honorably discharged April 25, 1919. Mr. McConnell and his family belong to the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a Mason, Odd Fellow and Elk, and is active in all these orders. Few men stand any higher in public esteem than does Mr. McConnell, and his success has been earned through honorable actions and praiseworthy industry.
THEODORE B. McCORMICK.
Rev. Theodore B. McCormick, administrator of St. Mary's Catholic Church at Huntley, was born in Philadelphia, Penn., October 1, 1865. He was graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in ISS2, and from Niagara University in 18S4, and was ordained in St. Vincent's Seminary, Germantown, Philadelphia, June 28, 1891. For some years
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IHISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
he was professor in St. John's College of Brooklyn, N. Y., and Niagara University. For four years he labored in the pine forests of New Jersey, Trenton Diocese, and then eame to the Rockford Diocese, November 17, 1909, where he continues to work in the smaller towns.
REV. MARTIN J. MCEVOY.
Rev. Martin J. McEvoy, pastor of St. Patrick's parish, McHenry, and of St. Joseph's Catholic church of Richmond, is one of the scholarly men of his faith stationed in MeHenry County. He was born at Joliet, Ill., April 12, 1880, one of the seven children of John and Johanna (Bolgar) MeEvoy, the former of whom was also born at Joliet, and was a steam fitter by trade. He and his wife reside with their son at the parish house at McHenry. The paternal grandfather at one time served as circuit clerk of Will County, Ill., and with his brothers built and managed the old woolen mill in Joliet, which supplied the government during the Civil War with army blankets and woolen eloth of all kinds. They were among the most prominent business men in Joliet in those days. The maternal great-grand-unele was ordained a priest in 1817, and was the first priest of the Catholic faith to be so ordained in what was then the diocese of Boston.
Rev. Father McEvoy attended the common and high schools of Joliet, and the Jesuit College at Chicago, from which he was graduated in 1902 with the degree of A. B. In September, 1902, he entered St. Mary's Seminary at Baltimore, Md., and a year later the degree of A. M. was conferred upon him by the Chieago College. In 1906 he was graduated from Saint Mary's Seminary with the degree of S. T. B., and he was ordained to the priesthood on December 15 of that year at the Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago, Ill., by the Most Rev. James E. Quigley, Bishop of Chicago. Father MeEvoy was first stationed as assistant priest at St. Mary's church at Rockford, Ill., from whence he went to take charge of St. Peter's church at South Beloit, Ill., leaving it for his present parish, August 1, 1915. The present church edifiee was erected in 1865 at a cost of $8,000, and the affairs are in a flourishing condition. Plans are under way for the erection of a new church at an estimated cost of $75,000, W. B. Vander Meer of Rockford, architect. Father MeEvoy is a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus.
734
HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY HENRY MCLEAN.
Page 136.
JAMES E. MCKAY.
James E. MeKay, one of the substantial business men of Algonquin, formerly owned and operated a machine shop, under the firm name of MeKay & Kruschel, but is now connected with the American Ironing Machine Company. Mr. Mckay was born in Wyoming, on Decem- ber 27, 1878, a son of James F. and Minnie (Dahn) MeKay, the former of whom is deceased. A sketch of James F. McKay appears elsewhere in this work.
James E. McKay attended the common schools of his native place, and learned the trade of a blacksmith, following it until 1908, when he established his present business, conducting it alone until 1917, at which time he organized the firm of Mckay & Kruschel.
Mr. McKay was married to Miss Charlotte Danielson, a daughter of Frank Danielson. Mr. and Mrs. McKay have the following children: Lura, who was born in 1907; Frank D., who was born in 1910; and James E., who was born in 1912. Mr. MeKay belongs to the Masonic order, the Woodmen of the World and the Royal Neighbors. In politics he is a Republican. Having a practical knowledge of his work, Mr. McKay is able to render expert service, and his trade is a large one which shows a healthy annual increase. Several years ago Mr. Mckay met with an automobile accident and his injuries were such as to forbid his continuing his heavy work, so he sold his interest in his machine shop and went with his present company.
JAMES F. MCKAY.
James F. MeKay, now deceased, formerly one of the honored resi- dents of Algonquin, was for many years engaged in operating a loco- motive as engineer, and was also president of the Algonquin Mutual Insurance Company. He was born in Scotland, November 29, 1845, and died at Algonquin, April 13, 1916. Coming to Algonquin in 1866,
A. & Street
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
. for the subsequent half a century, he made that village his home with the exception of a period when he was a locomotive engineer on the Union Pacific Railroad, operating out of Laramie, Wyo.
On October 16, 1874, Mr. McKay was married to Minnie Dahn, who survives him and lives on North Main Street, Algonquin. Mr. and Mrs. McKay became the parents of four children, three of whom survive, namely: Thomas and Andrew, both of whom live at Chicago, Ill .; James Edward, who lives at Algonquin; and George, who died at Lara- mie, Wyo., in ISS7. Mr. McKay left two sisters, namely: Mrs. Bartels, who lives at Woodstock; and Mrs. Brough, who lives at Chicago; and two brothers, Thomas and Andrew, both of whom live at Chicago. Mr. McKay belonged to Algonquin Camp No. 490, Modern Woodmen of America, and was an honorary member of the Brotherhood of Loco- motive Engineers. During the many years he served as engineer, Mr. McKay proved his worth, and was recognized as one of the most faithful and reliable men on the road.
JOHN F. MCLAUGHLIN.
John F. Mclaughlin, manager of the Ringwood Branch of the Bowman Dairy Company, is one of the progressive business men of MeHenry County. He was born in this county, in 1870, one of the eight children of Thomas Mclaughlin and his wife. Thomas MeLaugh- lin was born in Ireland, but came to the United States in young man- hood, locating in McHenry County, where he died in 1870.
John F. MeLaughlin was reared upon a farm, and attended the common and high schools of his locality. He was engaged in farming until he was eighteen years old, when he became interested in a milk and dairy products business, and in 1890 became connected with his present company, with which he rose until he is now in charge of its Ringwood plant, which has a daily capacity of 60,000 pounds of milk. The officers of the company are as follows: Johnston R. Bowman, president; D. B. Peck, vice-president; Robert A. Bowman, treasurer; and E. M. Bowman, secretary. The main offices of the company are at Nos. 140-158 W. Ontario Street, Chicago, Ill. The Ringwood plant gives employment to twenty-seven people. It was organized in 1907, when the Bowman Dairy Company bought the co-operative Farmers' Company.
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
In 1904, Mr. Mclaughlin was married to Miss Julia A. Noble, a daughter of Major Noble, and a member of one of the oldest families of MeHenry County. Mr. and Mrs. Laughlin have had two daughters: Mary, who died aged four years, and Julia E., who was born January 20, 1913. Mr. Mclaughlin is a Catholic. He is a Democrat but bas never entered public life, confining his efforts in that direction to giving his hearty and unqualified support to all measures calculated to prove beneficial to his community.
HENRY McMILLAN.
Henry McMillan, one of the native sons of MeHenry County, and a successful farmer of Nunda Township, was born on the old McMillan farm, in Nunda Township, just east of tlie one he now owns, March 21, 1SS2. His father, Andrew T. MeMillan, was also born in Nunda Town- ship, a son of Samuel McMillan. Samuel McMillan was born in the state of New York, where he was married to Jane Ann Wilson, and in 1836 they came to Illinois, settling in Nunda Township, and entering 160 acres of land. There they both died.
Andrew T. McMillan was reared in Nunda Township, where he was married to Marian A. Wicker, a native of Vermont, a daughter of Benjamin Wicker. They had the following children: Emma, Charles and Benny, deceased; Henry, Frank Ray; and Earl. Andrew T. Mc- Millan was a farmer and owned eighty acres of land, on which Henry McMillan now lives, and sixty-eight acres across the road which was the homestead. He was a Republican, but not active in politics. His death occurred when he was sixty-eight years old.
Henry MeMillan attended the district schools and learned to be a practical farmer under his father's instruction. On July 2, 1903, Mr. McMillan was married to Bessie C. Hoffman, who died May 29, 1916, leaving her family desolate, for hers was a noble, Christian character, and she was beloved by them and the whole neighborhood. Mr. and Mrs. MeMillan had the following children: Eva and Neva, twins; Mark; Glenn; Vera and Nellie, all of whom are at home. Mr. McMillan belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, and his wife belonged to the Royal Neighbors.
737
HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
CYRUS L. MEAD.
Cyrus L. Mead, now deceased, was one of the retired farmers of Hebron, and at his death, owned a fine farm of eighty-six acres of 'and within the corporate limits of the city. At one time he was prominent in the agricultural circles of the county. He was born in Oswego Coun- ty, N. Y., August 13, 1827, one of the ten children of Jeremiah and Anna (Cline) Mead. Jeremiah Mead was born in Massachusetts, but moved to Oswego County, N. Y. in 1814, and lived there until his death in the early seventies, being engaged all of his active life in farming.
Cyrus L. Mead moved to Wayne County, N. Y., in 1848, and from there to McHenry County, Ill., in 1853, and unt l his retirement in 1882, was actively engaged in cultivating his farm land. He was a Republican, and served as a member of the school board for twenty-two years, and for five years was a member of the board of commissioners.
January 25, 1856, Mr. Mead was married to Miss Finette A. Carmen, a daughter of Sidney Carmen of New York, a Quaker in his religious belief. Mr. and Mrs. Mead had five children, namely: Anna A., who is mentioned below; Charles, Henry, Darwin and Luella, all of whom are deceased.
Anna C. Mead was married first to George P. Goddard, who is deceased, and they had a son, Henry A., who was born August 10, 1880, and died January 6, 1918, having married in 1910, Miss Nellie Peele, who bore him a son, Henry A. Goddard. Mrs. Anna C. Goddard was later married to Ellis F. Hewes who was born in Cook County, Ill., July 12, 1851. Henry Mead, son of Cyrus L. Mead, married Mary McCau'ey and had one daughter, Luella A. Mead, and she married Harry Behnke, now deceased, and they had one daughter, Luella M. Behnke. The Mead and Hewes families belong to the Methodist Epis- copal church, and are well known in it and in other circles throughout the county, where Mr. Mead was recognized as one of the most repre- sentative of its pioneers. During his long residence here he saw many changes take place, and bore his part in many of them, his influence being always directed toward those which promised to prove beneficial to his community.
Cyrus L. Mead died May S, 1920, after an illness of five months, his daughter, Mrs. Anna C. Hewes, caring for him. He was buried in the Hebron Cemetery beside his wife and children. The daughter retains the house in which he died, which is on the site of the original farm house.
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HISTORY OF McHENRY COUNTY
EDWIN A. MEAD.
Edwin A. Mead, D. D. S., one of the leading dental surgeons of MeHenry County, is conducting a general practice at Hebron, but draws his patronage from all parts of the county. He was born at Richmond, Ill., June 15, 1877, one of the six children of Isaac N. and Marie (Benson) Mead. Isaac M. Mead was born in New York state, but came to MeHenry County in 1840, and located in Richmond, where he followed farming until his retirement, at which time he moved to Janesville, Wis., and is still residing there. During the Civil War, he served in the Union army for four years.
Doctor Mead attended the schools of Janesville, Wis., and then entered the College of Dental Surgery at Chicago, from which he was graduated in 1901. Immediately thereafter, he established himself in practice at Genoa Junction, where he remained a year, and then came to Hebron, and finding conditions to suit him, has since remained, build- ing up a very desirable trade. Doctor Mead owns the building in which his office is located, and which bears his name, he having erected it at a cost of $10,000, and he owns his residence at Hebron, and a summer home at Lake Geneva. His office is equipped with all modern appli- ances for the proper conduct of his work. For a period of five years, Doctor Mead served Hebron as postmaster, and also as a member of the village board, and he is a leader in the Republican party. In 1903, Doctor Mead was united in marriage with Miss Lora C. Hyde, a daugh- ter of William Hyde, and a member of a prominent family of Hebron. Doctor and Mrs. Mead are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. A Mason, Doctor Mead belongs to both the Blue Lodge and Chapter of that order. An excellent citizen, Doctor Mead has lived up to the highest conceptions of American manhood, and is recognized as a very valuable adjunct to his community.
OWEN G. MEAD.
Owen G. Mead, senior member of the popular grocery establishment of Mead & Charles, of Woodstock, is one of the city's enterprising busi- ness men, and a director of the Farmers' Exchange State Bank of Wood- stock. Ile was born at Woodstock, September 4, 1865, one of the five children of Charles and Rosina (Woodard) Mead, the former of whom was a carpenter and responsible man of Woodstock, who died in 1893.
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
Owen G. Mead attended the common and high schools of Woodstock, and his first business experience was gained as a clerk. For ten years he was engaged with several firms at Woodstock, and then in 1897, he formed his present partnership, and established the business, the firm has since continued. A full and complete line of fancy and staple groceries, to the amount of $12,000, is carried, and a very large annual business is done. In 1900, Mr. Mead was married to Miss Ida Eppel, a daughter of Frederick Eppel. Mr. and Mrs. Mead became the parents of twin sons, Fred L. and Edwin C., who were born in September, 1903. The family residence is at No. 446 Judd street, Woodstock. Mr. Mead is a Mason and also belongs to the Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen of the America. His social connections are with the County and Golf clubs. Not only did he serve as a member of the school board, but he has also been town elerk of Woodstock, and has been very capable in both offices. In 1915 he was made a director of the Farmers' Exchange State Bank of Woodstock, one of the sound financial institutions of the county. Mr. Mead and his family belong to the Presbyterian church, and he is prominent in it, as he is in every organization with which he is connected.
LUNA E. MENTCH.
Luna E. Mentch, of Cary, has had more to do with the political life and business activity of Cary than any other one inan, being almost continuously in an official position of one kind or another, and at times filling several. For fourteen years he has been the local banker, and for twenty-eight years, proprietor of the flourishing pickle factory of this place.
Mr. Menteh was born at Oshkosh, Wis., in 1860, a son of Jacob and Sarah (James) Mentch, natives of Germany and Holland. The parents were married at Algonquin, to which she had come from New York when sixteen years old, with Silas Jaynes and family. The Jaynes family was one of the carly ones to settle in Algonquin Township, its members becoming heavy landowners. Silas Jaynes continued to live here until 1900, when he moved to Barrington, and died when nearly ninety. Sarah James continued to live in the Jaynes family until her marriage. Jacob Mentch had come from Germany to the United States in young manhood, first settling at Cuba, Kane County, Ill., and worked on a farm there and in McHenry County until his marriage, which
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
took place December 20, 1848, the ceremony being performed by Rev. W. E. Manley. Following his marriage, Mr. Mentch went to Oshkosh, Wis., and there enlisted in response to President Lincoln's first call for troops for the Civil War, in 1861, under Captain Sawyer, later United States senator from Wisconsin. He was honorably discharged a year later on account of disability, and returning home died three months later from disability incurred in the service, leaving a widow and seven children. She remained at Oshkosh, Wis., for a year, and then returned to Algonquin Township.
This brave mother kept her family together, with the exception of the eldest, who struek out for himself, and supported them by working among the families of Algonquin Township. These children were as follows: Morania, who served in the Civil War, enlisting from Wisconsin, later became a marine engineer on the Great Lakes, and died at the age of forty-five years; Abraham, who was also a marine engineer on the Great Lakes, died at Oshkosh, Wis., in 1916, aged forty-eight years; George, who died in young manhood; Isaac, who lives at Woodstock; Hiram, who left MeHenry County twenty-five years ago, died at Chi- cago, where he was a merchant; Luna E., whose name appears at the head of this review; and Lineys, who is foreman of the foundry depart- ment of the James A. Brady Foundry Company of Chicago. The de- voted mother of this family spent her last days at the home of her son Lineys at Chicago, where she died when fifty-two years old, deeply mourned by the family for whom she had done so much.
When Luna E. Mentch was eleven years old he went to live in the family of G. S. Frary and remained there until after he reached his majority, during that period attending the district school and the Dundee High School. Subsequently he took a teacher's course at the Illinois State Normal School at DeKalb, Ill., and was engaged in teach- ing for twelve years, first in the country schools, and later at Cary and Crystal Lake, and was very successful in the educational field, never lacking a school, and when he abandoned that calling, his action caused regret, for parents knew that under his capable and inspiring care their children were certain to develop in no slight degree.
Mr. Menteh was not satisfied with the opportunities of the school- room, and branched out into a commercial life, and his success has proven that he was right in taking this step. He opened the first meat market at Cary in ISSO, at a time when there were only five or six houses in the place, his first location being in a small building east of the post office, now used as a paint shop, and conducted it for two years,
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
when he disposed of it to M. B. Weaver. Beginning to handle realty, Mr. Mentch opened a real-estate office, and secured the agency of some of the leading insurance companies. In 1900 he opened the first bank of Cary, known as the Cary Exchange Bank, in the store now occupied by Hubka Bros., later on erecting the present bank building. When the Carey State Bank was organized, Mr. Mentch liquidated the Ex- change Bank, selling his building to the new institution, and devoting his time and attention to his real-estate and insurance business, which lad assumed large proportions. Later he diverted some of his attention to his pickle factory, which he had bought in 1889 from Goodwin & Frary. Mr. Mentch has handled a large amount of real estate, both rural and city, and at times owned several farms, operated for him by tenants. In the village of Cary he has erected more than one building, which he later sokl at a good figure.
A man of unusual capabilities, Mr. Mentch has always taken a very active part in civic affairs, being active in bringing about the incor- poration of the village of Cary, January 9, 1893, was its first president, and was re-elected to that office. Later he served in the same capacity for two terms more. For sixteen years he was supervisor of Algonquin Township, and for three years of that period presided over the board. For one term he was township collector, and member of the county board of review for four years. For thirty years he has been a member of the school board, his experience as an educator making his services of special value. He was village treasurer for two terms, served for the same length of time as police magistrate and is now a justice of the peace.
When Mr. Menteh was twenty-three years old he was married to Lila Kendrew of Algonquin Township, a daughter of William and Ellen Kendrew, farming people of Algonquin Township, both of whom are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Mentch have two children, namely: Vera, who married Charles T. Allen, assistant states attorney; a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work, has two children, Russell and Robert Allen; and Foy L., who is proprietor of the Cary Garage, married Pearl Lindsey, and has one son, Elburn. Mr. Mentch is an Odd Fellow, and has been very active in the local lodge for a quarter of a century, and for nine times has been sent by his lodge as a representative to the Grand Lodge. He is also a Mason, belonging to Crystal Lake Lodge, A. F. & A. M .; Woodstock Chapter, R. A. M .; Woodstock Commandery, K. T., and Medinah Temple, Mystic Shrine, of Chicago. Mr. Mentch is one of the most representative men of MeHenry County, and his
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