USA > Illinois > McHenry County > History of McHenry County, Illinois, Volume II > Part 39
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46
GEORGE STANFORD.
George Stanford, now deceased, was one of the most important lay members of the Presbyterian Church in McHenry County, having served
871
HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
as Sunday-school teacher and superintendent, trustee and elder, and as a representative of the church at presbytery, synod and general assembly. He was a strict observer of church discipline and exacted the same observance from his family. No levity was permitted in his household, especially on Sunday. He was thoroughly posted on religious matters, knew the bible as few men do today, and was a fearless advocate of its truths as he translated them.
George Stanford was born at Uckfield, England, January 2, 1833. On October 14, 1855, he was married at London, England, to Sarah Elphick, and in 1868 they came to the United States, and after spending a couple of years at Chicago, moved to Marengo, after the Chicago fire in October, 1871. Mrs. Stanford died April 14, 1902, aged sixty-five years. Their children were as follows: Susan Maria, who married Frank Rowe of Lee Park, Nebr., is deceased; Frederick, who was a traveling salesman, died at Chicago; Fannie, who was her father's housekeeper, died unmarried; Arthur Henry, who was a tailor of Warsaw, Ind .; Kate Helen, who was in a store for ten years; Jane, who was a teacher for ten years at Marengo, and twelve years at Woodstock, became very well-known as an educator in primary work, and used to be called upon to demonstrate her methods before county institutes, but gave up her calling to return and minister to her father; George, who is a farmer of Naper, Nebr .; Charles, who is deceased, is written of at length else- where in this work; Richard V., who lives at home, is an operator of the interurban railroad; and Elizabeth Beatrice, who married F. H. Rehbock of Fort Worth, Tex.
While living at Chicago, George Stanford worked at the tailor trade, and when he came to Marengo, it was with the intention of opening a tailor shop, but was astonished to find already here his wife's people, who had left Chicago on account of the fire, and so he and R. M. Patrick joined forces, and Mr. Stanford established a tailoring department in Mr. Patrick's store. Some years later Mr. Stanford bought a store of his own and conducted it until his health compelled him to dispose of it. In the meanwhile he had bought a farm one mile south of Marengo, and for some time used to walk back and forth to his work. After his retirement, he and Mrs. Stanford returned to England to visit their old home, but he found that his residence in America had made it impossible for him to endure the restrictions abroad, and he returned glad of his citizenship in the New World. He became a Democrat, but never sought official recognition. Although reared in the Church of England, he connected himself, while at Chicago with Rev. Dr. Goodwin's church
872
HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
and he thenceforward was firm in the creed of the Presbyterian faith. Mr. Stanford and Rev. John Hutchinson were warm friends and earnest in their discussion of the bible, the latter appreciating Mr. Stanford's deep knowledge of religious truths, which was more profound than that of many clergymen. Mr. Stanford died in 1912, and the funeral services were held in the Presbyterian Church.
As a contemporary writing of him said in part: "He was most cour- teous in manner, dignified and commanding in personal appearance. A noble type of a perfect gentleman. A man of surpassing strength of character and of wide influence in and around our city. A wise, gifted, noble-hearted man. A father worshipped, a wise counsellor, a leader moving toward the right under God's guidance, a wonderful biblical student, knowing the bible from Genesis to Revelations and teaching the very secret of God's truths was his joy and scope of vision. Such a mighty oak has fallen and all his church and city are in mourning for they loved him."
CARL W. STENGER.
Carl W. Stenger, cashier of the West MeHenry State Bank, and vice president and director of the Cary State Bank, is one of the leading financiers of MeHenry County, and a man widely known and universally respected. He was born at Stevens Point, Wis., April 16, 1883, one of the nine children of George and Margaret (July) Stenger. George Stenger was born in New York state, where he learned the trade of a butcher. He later moved to Stevens Point, Wis., and still later to Green Bay, Wis., where he still resides.
Carl W. Stenger attended the schools of his native place, and after being graduated from its high school, he took a commercial course at the Green Bay (Wis.) Business College. When only seventeen years old he entered the employ of the Citizens National Bank of Green Bay, Wis., as collector, remaining there for five years, during which time he rose to be paying teller. Mr. Stenger was then offered his present position, which he accepted, and has since made West MeHenry his place of residence. When the Cary State Bank of Cary, INI., was organ- ized, Mr. Stenger was one of its promoters, and he has since continued its vice president, and one of its directors. Ile was state treasurer of the Illinois State Council of the Knights of Columbus, representing 50,000 members for a two-year term from May 10, 1916, to May 10,
873
IHISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
1918. During the Liberty Loan drives, Mr. Stenger was county chair- man for the first, second, third and fourth ones, and was very active in putting McHenry County "over the top." His politics are Demo- cratic.
September 6, 1905, Mr. Stenger was married to Miss Sadie M. Richards, a daughter of Mrs. Mary Richards of Iron Mountain, Mich- igan, and they have the following children: Margaret M., Richard Carl, George F., Lucile M., Carl W., Jr., and Grace L. The family all belong to the Catholic Church. In addition to being a Knight of Columbus, Mr. Stenger belongs to the Modern Woodmen, Catholic Order of Forest- ers, and the Mystic Workers of the World. He is rightly numbered among the leading men of McHenry County, and is very prominent in every respect.
L. CLATES STEPHENS.
L. Clates Stephens, superintendent of Division E, of the Public Service Company of Northern Illinois, is one of the most capable and efficient men in the service of this concern, whose personal popularity is even greater than his position, so that he is able to obtain results through friendship that might otherwise be difficult to secure. He was born at Galesburg, Ill., September 1, 1881, one of the two children of his parents, Lorenzo and May (Cast) Stephens. Lorenzo Stephens was born in Knox County, III., and he became a successful building contractor. His death occurred in 1898.
L. Clates Stephens attended the common and high schools and was graduated from both. Deciding upon a business career, he was con- nected with the mercantile line for a time, and then entered the employ of his present company as a solicitor in the Oak Park district. So capable did he prove himself that he was made superintendent for his company at Park Ridge, and in February, 1910, was sent to Crystal Lake as superintendent of a district covering seventeen towns and one sub-branch office, the latter being at Barrington, Ill. He has forty- five persons under his supervision.
On June 6, 1910, Mr. Stephens was married to Miss Josephine Fricke, a daughter of Dr. G. H. Fricke of Park Ridge, one of the eminent men of his locality. Mr. and Mrs. Stephens have two children, namely : Catherine M. and John W. The family belong to the Congregational church.
874
HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
BURTON A. STEVENS.
Burton A. Stevens, of Burton Township, was born on part of his present farm in this township, which was named in his honor by his father, who served the township for two years as supervisor, and was one of the influential men of MeHenry County and prominent in the early history of this section. The mother of Burton A. Stevens survived her husband and died at Lodi, Wis., aged eighty-six years. Their children were as follows: Oscar, who died in Iowa when eighty-two years of age; Warren, who died in California, was a wealthy wheat grower; Azor, who is now living in California; Clara, who died at Lodi, Wis .; Henry, who is living in Oregon; Marion, who died in Washington; Lafayette, who was a miner and explorer, was married, had a family, and died in the state of Washington; and Harriet Cordelia, who is Mrs. Henry Walter, lives at Murray, Iowa.
Burton A. Stevens owns the homestead comprising 412 aeres, a portion of which is over the line in Lake County, but his buildings lie in MeHenry County. For fifty years he has lived in his present loca- tion, his farm extending in one direction for two and one-quarter miles. An oak tree standing in the yard where he was born was about to be sold some years ago. He entered protest, offering to pay two or three times the offered price, but the owner refused to sell. This old landmark was later struck by lightning and is now destroyed. Mr. Stevens' buildings are nearly one-half a mile from the public road. The barn, 32x96 feet, with 26 feet posts, is well suited to the dairying purposes for which it is used. The full basement is arranged for stabling. This farm is one of the best for all-around general farming in northern Illinois.
On November 24, 1869, Mr. Stevens was married to Frances Stevens, a daughter of Peter Stevens, a sketch of whom is given elsewhere in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Burton A. Stevens have three children, namely: Clara, who for some years was a teacher in MeHenry County ; Chester, who operates the home farm, located in Burton Township; and Cora, who was a teacher in Wisconsin, died at the end of her first term. She was a remarkably intelligent girl, and her loss was deeply deplored. Chester Stevens married Alice Thompson, born in MeHenry County, their children being, Lucy and Burton A. For two years Chester has been operating the farm, and carries on dairying extensively, turning out during 1919, 700 pounds of milk daily from his fine herd of Holstein cattle of high grade. In former years his father handled sheep exten- sively. Burton A. Stevens is a Republican and a strong temperance
875
IHISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
man. For seventeen years he assessed Burton Township. He is one of the oldest members of Richmond Lodge, A. F. & A. M., which he joined over fifty years ago. For a number of years he has also been connected with the local Woodman camp. For three years Mr. Stevens was secretary of the Spring Grove Butter factory. He also taught school, and for one term taught the school at Spring Grove. Mr. Stevens is one of the best-known men in this locality, and his family is one which has done more than its share in the development of the region in and about MeHenry County.
FRANK E. STEVENS.
Frank E. Stevens, proprietor of the Steven Acre Farm of Coral Township, resides on his fine property six miles west of Huntley. He was born in Allegheny County, N. Y., April 27, 1852, a son of Chauncey and Esther A. (Crossman) Stevens, both of whom were born in New York, where the father died. His father, grandfather of Frank A. Stevens, was a soldier in the American Revolution. In 1850 Chauncey Stevens came to Illinois, and remained until after the close of the Civil War on a farm in DeKalb County, then going to Bremer County, Iowa, and spent about four years on a farm. In 1870 he located in McHenry County, buying the farm of 181 acres now owned by his son, Frank E., which had been entered from the government by Walter Warner. He conducted it for about eight years and then retired, dying in 1882, aged seventy years. ITis widow survived him for some years. Their children were as follows: Wells J., who enlisted for service during the Civil War in the Illinois Light Artillery, became a sergeant and was honorably discharged, following which he went to California, and is now living retired in San Benito County, although for years was a ranchman and owned 1,000 acres of land; Lucretia, who is Mrs. William Ward, also resides in San Benito County, Cal .; Emily, who married Alonzo Peak, lives in the vicinity of Coral village; and Frank E.
Frank E. Stevens was reared on the home place, and in 1878 took over the homestead, which he now owns. It now contains 201 acres of land, and on it he has erected a fine barn, 34x168 feet, of which the base- ment is devoted to stabling, and a wood stave silo. The house has been added to and rebuilt several times, and is comfortable and commodious. Mr. Stevens carries on dairying, milking thirty cows of the Holstein
876
HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
strain. Some years ago he named his property the Steven Acre Farm. When he first came into possession of this farm there were a number of ponds upon it, but with commendable foresight Mr. Stevens began to . drain these waste spaces, and now has redeemed land which hitherto was worthless, the crops from these fields being exceptionally heavy. A Republican, Mr. Stevens has served Coral Township for fifteen years as supervisor, and has been on the school board for years. He belongs to Union Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and Marengo Chapter, R. A. M.
On April 4, 1878, Mr. Stevens was married to Rose Barber of Riley Township, a sister of Amory Barber, former supervisor of that township, who also held that office for fifteen years. Mrs. Stevens was born in New York about 1852, and taught school in McHenry County for several years prior to her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens have had the following children born to them: Lucia, who is Mrs. Roy J. DeMott of Chicago, her husband being a physician of that city, and she was a graduate of the State University and a teacher of some note; Ernest, who attended the State University, is associated with his father in the conduct of the farm, and is unmarried; Grace, who was graduated from the State University, taught domestic science in the State Agricultural College of Michigan, and later at the University of Illinois, until her father compelled her to retire, and she is now at home, having been very active in the war work of her neighborhood during the World War; and Mary, who is at home.
WILLIAM P. STEVENS.
William P. Stevens, postmaster of Richmond, and one of the repre- sentatives of the best interests of MeHenry County, is a native son of Lake County, Ill., having been born there May 12, 1847. His father, Peter Stevens, was born in Vermont, but came west to Illinois in 1844, locating first in Lake County, but in 1856, came to MeHenry County, where he died in 1881. He- married Elizabeth Dar, and she died in 1868, they having had eleven children.
William P. Stevens attended the local schools, and was reared on a farm. When he was twenty-one years old, he began teaching school, and continued in the educational field until 1872. In that year he went west to Seattle, Wash., and spent two years, and upon his return to McHenry County, resumed his farming operations. An active Demo-
William & Garder
Josephina E. Gander
877
HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
erat all his life, he was appointed postmaster of Richmond by President Wilson, and continues to hold that important office, and under his wise administration, its affairs are in excellent condition.
On April 7, 1881, Mr. Stevens was married to Miss Sarah Richardson, a daughter of Robert Richardson, and they have three children, namely: Viletta M., Mildred R., and Lucy E. Mr. Stevens belongs to Richmond Lodge No. 143, A. F. & A. M. A man of sterling character, he is held in the highest esteem by all who know him.
THOMAS JOHN STEVENSON.
Thomas John Stevenson, who resides in Dunham Township, six and one-half miles southwest of Harvard, has been associated with much of the constructive work of this locality. He was born near Buffalo, N. Y., May 1, 1845, a son of Anchrom and Jane (Lattimer) Stevenson, both natives of County Armagh, Ireland, where they were married. On May 1, 1840, they came to the United States, and spent some time in New York state, coming to Illinois in 1845, by way of the Great Lakes to Chicago. Hugh Marshall, an old friend in Ireland, had located in 1844 near Belvidere, Ill., and Mr. Stevenson joined him. By his advice, Mr. Stevenson secured government land, in the timber, upon which he erected a log house, and began to clear off the trees, and soon was able to put in enough of a crop to enable him to live. In time, he made of it a valuable farm, and he died on it in April, 1897, aged eighty-seven years, having spent fifty-two years on this farm. His wife had died five years before, aged eighty-two years. There were 240 acres in all in his farm, and he was the head of his household as long as he lived. He devoted his life to his own business and never wanted to hold office. His children were as follows: James, who died at the age of seventy-five years, had served during the Civil War in the Ninety-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, one-half of his company having been raised in Chemung Township; David, who lived for many years at Pittsburgh, Pa., where he died, was chief clerk of the Pennsylvania Railroad in that city; Thomas John, whose name heads this review; and Hugh, who is an attorney at Capron, Ill., took a legal course at Chicago.
Thomas John Stevenson has continued to live on the homestead. He attended the Stone School, built about 1850, and still in use. He assisted his father in clearing off the farm, and broke the land with four
878
HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
or five yoke of oxen, and dug ditches for draining it, in fact more than bore his part in putting it in its present high state of cultivation. By drainage, he has reclaimed forty acres of overflowed land, on which he has since raised sixty bushels of barley per acre. Devoting considerable attention to dairying, he keeps from twenty to twenty-five cows, but he also does general farming. His residence, about three-quarters of a mile off the road, is reached by a private road he built himself. This house was erected in 1854, while the barn was built in 1866, and both are in good condition. Both he and his father found in the Republican party their political ideals.
When Mr. Stevenson was thirty-five years of age he was united in marriage with Christina Bierlein of Chicago, and they became the parents of the following children: Anchrom C .; Lancing C .; Anna B., who lives at Arlington Heights, Ill., is a teacher; and Genevieve, who is a teacher at St. Charles, Ill. Both the daughters attended the DeKalb Normal School, and Anna B. taught for a time in the old Stone School of her home district, where she and her father before her, had attended. Since she was graduated from the normal school, she has been connected with the schools of Arlington Heights. The sons attended the Stone School, and they are both at home. Both were in the first draft, but were so classified that neither saw service. They are unmarried, and in partnership with their father in working the farm. Like him they vote the Republican ticket.
The Stevenson family is closely identified with the history of the Presbyterian church at Harvard, the elder Anchrom Stevenson being one of its founders, and all of the family belong to it. The three genera- tions of Stevenson belong to the Masonic lodge at Harvard. It would be difficult to find a finer or more representative family than this one in McHenry or other counties of this part of the state, and the name has long stood for integrity and uprightness of no mean order.
EDWARD M. STEWART.
Edward M. Stewart, sole proprietor of the Nippersink Garage, and sole agent for the Ford cars at Richmond, also handles farm machinery, and is one of the leading business men of his seetion of MeHenry County. He was born in Hebron Township, October 9, 1870, a son of John
879
HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
Stewart, a native of New York, who came to MeHenry County at an early day, and became a prosperous farmer.
Edward M. Stewart attended the local schools and moving to Richmond Township engaged in farming, being thus engaged for over a quarter of a century. He then moved to Richmond, and started his present business, and later took Mr. Richardson in as partner. Later he bought Mr. Richardson's interest, and has since continued alone. He owns his commodious garage, 48 x 162 fect, built of hollow tile, and carries a stock of $20,000. He holds the agency of the Ford cars for Richmond and Burton townships, and does a very large business in them and farm machinery, as well as in the repairing of automobiles and the handling of automobile accessories.
In 1895 Mr. Stewart was married to Miss Cora Cotting, a grand- daughter of Richmond's pioneer settler, C. G. Cotting. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have one son, Charles C., who is attending school. Mr. Stewart is a Mason. In politics he is a Republican. Both he and his wife belong to the Congregational church. A man of high principles and excellent business sense, he has been able to make a considerable material advanec, and win and hold the confidence and respect of his associates.
JOHN J. STEWART.
John J. Stewart, now living retired at Hebron, belongs to one of the most important families of McHenry County, is himself a dis- tinguished figure in the life of this section, having been associated with extensive agricultural interests, and industries, and was instrumental, with others, in organizing the drainage district of this region which has done so much to reclaim land that would otherwise be still lying useless, instead of yielding up magnificent erops. He is a son of Robert W. and Susan Ann (Ross) Stewart, the former dying in March, 1876, and the latter in 1896. They had the following children: Eunice Janc, who married Prentis Bowman, died in young womanhood; Mary, who married Thomas Charles, also died in young womanhood; Harry E. Stewart, is a farmer of Elmore, Minn., who has just refused $300 per acre for his land; and John J., whose name heads this review, who lived to maturity; Nellie, who died at the age of sixteen; and Charles and James, who died in infancy.
John J. Stewart owns 320 acres of land, a portion of the 900-acre
880
HISTORY OF McHENRY COUNTY
tract of his father, which is divided into two farms, now operated by his sons. He was engaged in conducting these farms until 1913 when he retired to Hebron, where he has a very pleasant home. After the death of his father Mr. Stewart succeeded to the former's interest in the Stewart cheese factory, he and William H. Stewart had organized, and he conducted it for several years. There are now about 100 cows on the two farms, of which about fifty are kept for dairy purposes. While he has served on the village and school boards he is not very active in politics, his father having taken much more interest in these affairs than he. Mr. Stewart helped to organize the drainage district and was one of the first commissioners, his associates being Charles Haw- thorne and Theodore Hamer. The ditch was built at a cost of $50,000, thus giving property owners an outlet which enables them to successfully tile their land and cultivate thousands of acres that formerly were covered with swamps. This project at first met with opposition from the reactionaries on account of the initial cost, requiring some effort on the part of the men broad-minded enough to see what the results would be, but they overcame this and their work stands as a monument to their public spirit and sound, common sense.
On September 22, 1880, Mr. Stewart was married to Frances E. Nichols, and they became the parents of the following children: Mary N., who married George Mathison, a farmer of Walworth County, Wis., has four children, Elizabeth Jean, Alice, George Stewart, and Dorothy May; Robert W., who married Beth Fellows, has the following chil- dren: Robert John, Fred Fellows, Frances May, Elsie and Charlotte Fellows; and Donald H., who married Dot Fellows, sister of Robert's wife, and their children are: May Elizabeth, who is known as Bettie, Ruth, Edith Georgia and John James. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart are both members of the Presbyterian church.
ROY J. STEWART.
Roy J. Stewart, sheriff of McHenry County, and one of the men who deserves more than passing mention on account of the valuable service he has rendered his community in aiding in the preservation of order, and the detection of criminal practices, is a native of the county, having been born within its confines, January 18, 1881. He is a son of Judson and Mary (Mayo) Stewart, who had nine children, of whom six survive.
.
881
HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
Judson Stewart was a farmer of MeHenry County, but now resides in San Diego, Cal., and was one of its substantial men.
Roy J. Stewart was reared and educated in this county, and after completing a common and high school course, he learned the trade of a barber, which he followed for three years. He then became identified with the Oliver Typewriter Company, and remained with that concern until his appointment as chief deputy sheriff. So competent did he prove that he was the logical candidate of the Republican party for sheriff in 1918, and was elected to that office on November 4, and is still serving.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.