USA > Illinois > McHenry County > History of McHenry County, Illinois, Volume II > Part 37
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Clifford E. Sherman attended the local schools and was reared on the farm. When he was twenty-one years old, he had to assume the responsibilities of conducting the farm. Since then he has made ex- tensive improvements. At his father's death he inherited eighty acres, and later bought the shares of the other heirs, and made the farm into a dairy one. Still later, he sold some of his original farm, added his uncle's farm of 120 acres, and now has about 250 acres, all in one body. The original farm of his uncle is now operated by a tenant, Mr. Sherman being a partner in the stock business the tenant carries on, for the second farm is also a dairy one. Mr. Sherman has concentrated on farming, but in the midst of his other duties has found time to serve as a director of the Sherman School district.
Mr. Sherman was united in marriage with Laura Grace Thomas, a daughter of Julius and Lucy (Hobart) Thomas, of Greenwood Town- ship, where Mrs. Sherman was reared. Mrs. Thomas, now a widow, lives at Woodstock. Mr. and Mrs. Sherman have two sons, namely: Lester Thomas Sherman, who was born November 2, 1896; and Edwin Earl, who was born November 2, 1913. Lester was graduated from the MeHenry High School, and is now assisting his father with the farm. Mr. Sherman is a Universalist. He supports the Free Soil Improve- ment Association to which he belongs.
EDWARD D. SHURTLEFF.
Edward D. Shurtleff, member of the lower house of the State Assembly, and one of the leading attorneys of MeHenry County, has long been engaged in practice at Marengo. He was born in DeKalb County, Ill., September 19, 1863, a son of Alfred J. and Mary F. (Higby) Shurtleff, who had three children. Alfred J. Shurtleff was born in Stanstead, Quebec, Canada, October 14, 1827, and when he was eleven years old he came to DeKalb County, Ill., leaving it for Marengo in 1870, and he resided in the latter city until his death, June S, 1895.
Edward D. Shurtleff attended the schools of DeKalb County and the
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Marengo High School, and later Oberlin College, and after three years in the latter institution, entered the office of A. B. Coon, of Marengo, where he studied law. Going to South Dakota, he was admitted to the bar of that state in 1885, and upon his return to Illinois was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1894, immediately thereafter entering upon a praetiec at Marengo. A strong Republican, he has been very active in politics, serving Marengo as mayor from 1894 to 1896, and again from 1899 to 1901, and from 1895 up to and including 1899 he was supervisor of Marengo Township. From 1901 he has been the representative of his distriet in the lower house of the State Assembly, and has taken an active part in securing some very excellent legislation. Fraternally he is a Mason, an Odd Fellow, Knight of Pythias and a Woodman, and has advanced to the Knight Templar degree in the first-named order.
On June 25, 1890, Mr. Shurtleff was married to Miss Elizabeth H. Sisson, a daughter of Allan Sisson, and a member of a prominent pioneer family of McHenry County. Mr. and Mrs. Shurtleff have the following children: Maurice E., who was born September 16, 1892; and Helen E., who was born August 11, 1899. The family all attend the Presbyterian church. Both as an attorney and publie official, Mr. Shurtleff has made an enviable record, and his fellow citizens are proud of him and of what he has accomplished.
ROSS D. SILL.
Ross D. Sill, representative of the Standard Oil Company at Hebron, and one of the sueeessful men of MeHenry County, owns 180 aeres of very valuable land in Hebron Township. He was born at Richmond, Ill., in July, 1864, one of the five children of John and Mary ( Reed) Sill. John Sill was born in England in 1840, and in young man- hood came to the United States, and after a stop at Chicago eame to MeHenry County, locating at Riebmond, where he rounded out his useful life, being actively engaged in farming for many years. His death occurred in 1909, and his widow died that same year.
Ross D. Sill was reared at Richmond, and attended its schools. After reaching his majority he learned buttermaking, and for sixteen years was engaged in manufacturing butter. He then moved to Hebron, where for some years he was superintendent of the pumping station, resigning to accept his present position with the Standard Oil Company.
In 1889 Mr. Sill was united in marriage to Miss Nellie A. Andrews,
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a daughter of Steven J. Andrews, of Hebron. Mr. and Mrs. Sill have a daughter, Sybil A., who was born August 17, 1899, Their other daughter, Beulah, is deceased. The family belong to the Baptist church. Mr. Sill belongs to Waupin (Wis.) Lodge, A. F. & A. M. In 1918 Mr. Sill was elected a trustee of Hebron Township. The beautiful family residence at Hebron is owned by Mr. Sill, and here the family welcome their many friends, and are the center of a charming social cirele.
FRANK SILLIMAN.
Frank Silliman, one of the representative men of Seneca Township, was born in this township, two miles cast of Franklinville, September 18, 1856, a son of Stiles and Martha (Burnside) Silliman, natives of Otsego County, N. Y., where they were married. In 1848 they came to Illinois to join her brother, Thomas Burnside, who had located in Seneca Township, some four or five years previously, and rounded out his life on the farm he had secured. Stiles Silliman bought a farm in Seneca Township about 1852, and died on it at the age of eighty-two years, on December 3, 1906, his wife having passed away October 4, 1905, aged eighty-seven years. The Silliman family originated in Con- nectieut. On the maternal side of the house, Stiles Silliman was con- nected with the Brewer family, of Holland origin. The Burnside family traces back to English and Scotch stock. Stiles Silliman was a road commissioner and a school director, being elected on the Democratic tieket. He was one of the original members of the Woodstock Camp, M. W. A. The children of Stiles Silliman and his wife were as follows: Ella, who married Charles Foote, removed to Nebraska, where she died at the age of thirty-seven years; Irene, who is Mrs. A. L. Beam of Dorr Township; Frank, whose name heads this review; and George, who left the farm twenty-five years ago, is a wholesale grocer of Elgin, III.
Frank Silliman grew up on the farm, helping to dig stones and perform all the tedious work ineident to developing a wild farm. On January 30, 1883 Mr. Silliman was married to Allene Foote, a daughter of Hooker and Emeline (Eastman) Foote, who was brought to Seneca Township at the age of ten years, from Pleasant Prairie, Wis. Mr Foote was born in Madison County, N. Y., and Mrs. Foote in Otsego County, N. Y. The Foote family was founded in the New World during the Colonial period, representatives of it first locating in Connecticut, and going
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thenee to New York. Both Mr. and Mrs. Foote were taken by their parents to Kenosha, Wis., when small, and were reared in that state. After their marriage, they kept a hotel at Pleasant Prairie for some years.
Frank Silliman and his wife became the parents of the following children: Harry, who is on the old farm, married Ora Jackett, and has three children, Stanley, Mildred and Ethel; Eva, who is Mrs. Fred Eppel, lives near MeHenry; and Vellie, who is at home, was graduated from the Woodstock High School and then engaged for some years in teaching school in Seneca Township. For four years she was secretary of the MeHenry County Sunday School Association, which was organized sixty years ago. In 1905 Mr. Silliman became interested in the teach- ings of Dr. Alexander Dowie, but now attends the Methodist Episcopal church at Franklinville. Mrs. Silliman has been a member of the Ladies' Aid Society of Seneca Township for thirty-five years. For fifteen years Mr. Silliman served as school treasurer and was township collector for many years, handling between $7,500 to $8,000 annually.
WILLIAM S. SINCERBOX.
William S. Sincerbox, superintendent of the Bowman Dairy Company plant at Hartland, is a member of a prominent New York family, and a man widely and favorably known. He was born in Dutchess County, N. Y., December 7, 1866, one of the six children of Egbert and Sarah (Pierce) Sineerbox. Egbert Sincerbox was a native of New York state, and was a carpenter by trade. His death occurred when William S. Sincerbox was eleven years old.
William S. Sincerbox attended the local schools of his native county, and, when he was seventeen years old, he entered the milk and dairy business, and has devoted his life to it. In 1888 he located at Carpenter- ville, Ill., to work in the Borden Condensed Milk plant, as pan operator, and remained there until 1893. In the latter year he was offered a position as manager of the Chemung plant, owned at that time by the Great Western Condensed Milk Company, and accepted, and worked there for two years. In 1902 he went back to the Borden Company, and assisted in building their Woodstock plant, of which he was superin- tendent for twelve years. In 1914 he went to work for the Bowman Dairy Company, assisting in the building of the Cary Station, Lake
James ON Minigate
LillianWingate
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Geneva and Hartland plants. He is stationed at this time as superin- tendent of the Bowman plant at Hartland. The capacity of the latter plant is 45,000 pounds of milk daily, and it is recognized by the state inspectors as being the best equipped in the country, the percentage given by them being 9812%.
On April 8, 1894, Mr. Sincerbox was married to Miss Hattie Belshaw, born June 18, 1873, at Clifton, IHl. She is a daughter of Hobart and Angelene (Davis) Belshaw, of Kane County. Mr. and Mrs. Sincerbox have two children, namely: Elva A., who was born December 3, 1898; and Hobart I., who was born June 21, 1902. The family belong to the Congregational church. He politically is a Republican and fraternally maintains connections with Belvidere Lodge No. 28, I. O. O. F., and the Woodmen of the World. An experienced dairyman, he is giving his company and the people of this district expert service, and this is proven by the high standing of his plant. Mrs. Sincerbox is a member of the Daughters of Rebecca and the Woman's Relief Corps.
JAMES H. SLATER.
James H. Slater, manager of the Borden's Farm Products Company, Inc., at Ridgefield, is one of the leading dairymen of McHenry County, and one who thoroughly understands his business from start to finish. He was born in New York state, January 4, 1856, one of the six children of William H. and Evelyn (Sharp) Slater. William H. Slater was a native of New York state, but is now living at Allentown, Pa. By trade he is a harnessmaker.
Growing up in his native state, James H. Slater attended its common schools, and learned the trade of a harnessmaker from his father, but after working at it until 1882, he left it to become connected with his present company, first as an inspector and then, in 1907, he was made manager of the Hampshire plant, which he built and installed in that same year, and he remained in charge of it until 1913, when he was placed in charge of the plant at Ridgefield. The Ridgefield plant was built in 1907, and has a capacity of 30,000 pounds daily. Mr. Slater is ably assisted by his bookkeeper, Daniel W. Fitzgerald. In politics Mr. Slater is a Republican, but he has never desired public honors. Frater- nally, he is a Knight of Pythias. Energetic, experienced and capable, Mr. Slater has brought his plant up to a high state of efficiency and at
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the same time won for himself a personal regard which is sincere and widespread.
FRANK C. SLAVIN.
Frank C. Slavin, mayor of Hebron, and vice-president of the Hebron Bank, has done much to promote the welfare of his community, and add to the prestige of the financial institution with which he is connected. He was born at Lake Geneva, Wis., January 19, 1868, one of nine children born to Matthew A. and Anna (Coffee) Slavin. Matthew A. Slavin was born in Ireland, but came to the United States in 1849, and for seven years thereafter was engaged in farming in the vicinity of Albany, N. Y. He then came West and was at Lake Geneva, Wis., until 1887, at which time he moved to Hebron Township, remaining here until his death in 1905.
Frank C. Slavin was brought to Hebron Township by his parents, and was here taught farming and completed his schooling. All of his mature years he has been interested in farming, and owns 653 acres of land in Hebron Township, and 444 acres in another part of the county. In addition to carrying on these extensive agricultural operations, Mr. Slavin is a member of the grain firm of Slavin, Aylward and Randall, of Hebron; of the furniture firm of Slavin, Eastman & Pieree, of Woodstock; and for the past fifteen years he has been president and manager of the Grove Creamery Company. For some years he has been a member of the Elgin Board of Trade. As a Republican he has taken an active part in politics, and in 1910 he was appointed to fill out the term of Levi Nichols, mayor of Hebron. In the fall of that year he was elected to the office and has since been re-elected several times. Under his businesslike administration Hebron has greatly prospered and many improvements have been inaugurated and carried out.
Mr. Slavin was married to Miss Nellie Powers, a daughter of Michael Powers, of Troy, Wis., and she died in 1910, leaving two children, namely: Florence E. and Francis J., both of whom are at home. Mr. Slavin was married (second) to Mrs. Helen (Stratton) Watkins, and they have one son, Jean M., and one daughter, Helen Elaine. The family belong to the Catholic church. It is but seldom that any man is successful along so many lines, but Mr. Slavin has never known failure, and he is not only prosperous in a marked degree but he is popular as
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well, and is held in the highest esteem all over the county where he is exceptionally well known.
JAMES H. SLAVIN. Page 40.
JOHN G. SLAVIN.
John G. Slavin, now deceased, was one of the best farmers Hebron Township ever produced, and his widow still lives on the farm which is located two miles south of Hebron. He was born March 23, IS51, and died September 8, 1892, when but forty-one years of age. On April 23, 1884, he was married at Hartland, to Mary Halloran, a daughter of Patrick and Joannah (McGrath) Halloran, natives of County Clare and County Kilkenny, Ireland, and came to Alden in 1853 and 1855 respec- tively, and were married in 1856, living in Alden Township the rest of their lives, he passing away at the age of sixty-seven, and she at the age of sixty-three, although she survived him. Their old farm is owned by their son, Thomas Halloran. They were devout members of St. Patrick's Catholic Church of Hartland Township.
Mary IIalloran was born on her parents' farm, and for six years prior to her marriage was engaged in teaching, being for four years in charge of one school, and for the other two years at the Hartland school. John G. Slavin came to McHenry County in company with his brother Matt and a sister, Anna, now Mrs. E. Vanderharr, and they went into partner- ship and conducted the farm now owned by Mrs. Slavin. After four years Matt Slavin moved on an adjoining farm, and he died in April, 1893, when less than forty.
There are 240 acres in the farm owned by John G. Slavin, and here he carried on dairying, which is continued by Mrs. Slavin's sons. They have rebuilt and enlarged the house, built a barn and two silos, and have every equipment necessary for dairy farming. Some sixty acres of the farm have been redeemed by the construction of the drainage district, and Mrs. Slavin has kept all of the original acreage. This farm is one of the best on the road between Hebron and Woodstock, and it is operated
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with skill and profit. Mrs. Slavin continues her connection with St. Patrick's Catholic church of Hartland Township, some seven miles from her home, where the remains of her father lie buried.
Mr. and Mrs. Slavin were the parents of the following children: Matthew; Mary, who is Mrs. Daniel Shields, lives on their farm in Hebron Township; Howard, who lives on the home farm; John, who also lives on the home farm. Matthew, who owns 200 acres adjoining the homestead, is operating it. He married Mary Moren, of Chicago, and their children are as follows: James, Marian, Ruth, Matthew and Edward. Howard married Agnes Gleason and they have one daughter, Helen. Mary has three sons, John, Edward and Daniel.
JOHN C. SMALL.
John C. Small, formerly one of the successful general farmers and dairymen of Nunda Township, owns his farm of eighty acres of land on section 17, and since April, 1920, has been a resident of Crystal Lake. He was born in Franklin County, Pa., January 18, 1861, a son of Daniel and Catherine (Clingston) Small, natives of Pennsylvania. Daniel Small was a farmer of Pennsylvania, who lived to be seventy-seven years old, and his wife lived to be seventy-eight years old.
John C. Small was reared on his father's farm and attended the common schools of Pennsylvania. When he was sixteen years old he came to Illinois and settled at Sterling, where for twenty years he was engaged in a stock business, shipping from that point and Dixon, III. In 1913 he came to MeHenry County and bought the Charles Daggert farm in Algonquin Township, but after a year moved to Crystal Lake, and with W. G. Sparawk conducted an auto and implement business for two years. In 1916 he bought his farm in Nunda Township, and carried on general farming and dairying, and his is a very well improved place. This farm is located about three and one-half miles north of Crystal Lake.
John C. Small was married (first) to Perdeda Butler, and they had two children, namely: Forrest and Glenn. After her death, Mr. Small was married (second) to Mrs. Grace (Weygert) Veith, now deceased, a widow with one daughter, Margaret. Mr. Veith came to Illinois when young and became a prosperous farmer of Lee County. Mr. Small married (third) Mrs. Maude Smith, who has one daughter, Verna.
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DAVID T. SMILEY.
David T. Smiley, former county judge of McHenry County, is one of the most prominent members of the bench of this part of the state of Illinois, and has served in several capacities. He was born in Ireland, February 10, 1860, one of the ten children of Robert and Mary (Temple- ton) Smiley, of whom five survive. Robert Smiley was born in Ireland, and came to the United States in April, 1873, locating in MelIenry County, and there he resided until 1875, when he returned to Ireland and died in 1SS1. His wife survived him until 1895, when she too died.
David T. Smiley was reared in MeHenry County, and after studying in the public schools, took a course in the university at Valparaiso, Ind., from which he was graduated in 1887. Returning to MeHenry County, he entered the office of Charles P. Barnes at Woodstock, and there completed his legal studies, and was admitted to the bar in 1SSS, following which he entered upon a general practice in that city, forming a partnership with his preceptor, which continued for fifteen months. Upon its dissolution, he began practicing alone, so continuing until his election to the bench as county judge in November, 1906, to which office he declined a renomination in 1918, as he preferred to return to the practice of the law. While on the bench he also discharged the duties of probate judge.
Judge Smiley was married to Miss Elizabeth C. Hendricks, a daughter of John Hendricks. The only son of Judge and Mrs. Smiley, Lionel D., was graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana, Ill., and in 1917, he enlisted in the United States army, for service during the World War. Judge Smiley belongs to the Masons, Odd Fellows, and the Eastern Star, and has held office in all these fraternities. He and his family belong to the Presbyterian church, in which he is an elder. In addition to the services rendered as a member of the bench, Judge Smiley has distinguished himself as an attorney, and for twenty-two years was counsel for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, and for eighteen years held the same office with the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad.
ADOLPH B. SMITH, M. D.
Adolph B. Smith, M. D., formerly of Woodstock, now a resident of Rockford, Ill., was one of the leading physicians of McHenry County.
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IIe was born at Oregon, Wis., February 13, 1879, one of two children of his parents, Eugene A. and Emma C. (Zook) Smith, the former of whom is a prosperous merchant of Brooklyn, Wis.
After graduating at the Oregon High School, and the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Smith matriculated at Rush Medical College, Chicago, from which he was graduated in 1906, following which he was an interne at the Cook County Hospital. He then established himself in practice at Chicago, and remained at that city until 1909, during that period being an assistant of Dr. C. W. Barrett. In 1909 be removed to Wood- stock, where he built up a large and valuable practice. He was a member of the MeHenry County Medical Society, and is a member of the Illinois State Medieal Society, the Tri-State Medieal Society, and the American Medical Association. For five years he served the city of Woodstock as city physician, and was always interested in improving the general sanitary conditions of his community. In polities he is a Republican.
In 1909 Doetor Smith was married to Olive B. Alexander, a daughter of John Alexander of Franklin, Ind., and a graduate of the Illinois Train- ing School for Nurses. Doctor and Mrs. Smith have two children, namely: Marjorie and Riehard E. Fraternally Doctor Smith belonged to St. Marks Lodge, A. F. and A. M., Woodstock Chapter, R. A. M. and to Calvary Commandery, Knights Templar. He and Mrs. Smith are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
ALFRED C. SMITH.
Alfred C. Smith, cashier of the First National Bank of Marengo, and one of the leading financiers and business men of MeHenry County, was born at Hampshire, Ill., January 20, 1883, one of the twelve children born to Vincent and Mary Smith. Vineent Smith was born in Germany, but came to the United States when eighteen years old, and here worked at the trade of blacksmithing he had learned in his own land. In 1861 he enlisted in the Union army in defense of his adopted country, and served throughout the Civil War, or until he was discharged in 1865. His death occurred in 1892.
Alfred C. Smith attended the common and high schools of his locality and then took a pharmaceutical course at the Northwestern University, from which he was graduated. For the subsequent six years he was engaged in the drug business at De Kalb, Ill., and then came to Marengo,
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where for two and one-half years he continued his drug business, and then, in 1911, he became identified with the First National Bank of Marengo as teller and bookkeeper, being promoted to be assistant cashier and later cashier. This bank is recognized to be the finest bank in Illinois outside of Chicago, and some of this prestige is due to the efforts of Mr. Smith and the carrying out of his policies.
In 1907 he was married to Miss Melissa Diteli, a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Ditch, of Polo, Ill. Mrs. Smith is librarian of the Marengo Free Library. In politics he is a Republican, and is now serving his second term as treasurer of the City of Marengo, and he is also on the school board.
BENJAMIN N. SMITH.
Page 139.
FRED NEWTON SMITH.
Fred Newton Smith, one of the enterprising farmers of Chemung Township, was born in the house he now occupies, May 27, 1867, a son of Seth P. Smith, and grandson of Shubal and Urania (Monroe) Smith. In the fall of 1844 the grandparents came to Illinois, and entered land from the government in Chemung Township, McHenry County, now owned by his grandson, Fred N. His son, Seth P., took the adjoining tract, and both engaged in farming. Shubal Smith died there August 24, 1858, having been born February 23, 1792, and his wife, born January 23, 1796, survived him and died February 15, 1871. Their children were as follows: Samuel P., who died in New York state in young man- hood; Seth P., who was born January 26, 1825, died September 1, 1872; James P., who died in Wisconsin; Sanford Zenus, who also died in Wis- consin; Chester C .; Selby K., who is a resident of Council Bluffs, Iowa; and Bradley Monroe, who was the youngest.
After the death of his father in 1858, Seth P. Smith bought the interest of his mother and the other heirs to the homestead, and she and her sons moved to Wisconsin, where all died. Shubal Smith was a Universalist and he organized a society and services were held at his
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home. Chester Smith, one of his sons, was one of the first teachers of the home district, but he was also a farmer. Later he and his brother, Bradley, went overland to California and later to Pike's Peak, and were partners in a grain and lumber business at Avoca, Iowa. Later he and his brother Selby became partners in an extensive farming enterprise in Iowa.
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