USA > Illinois > McHenry County > History of McHenry County, Illinois, Volume II > Part 45
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survived him although so many years his senior. Mr. Schaffner was a very well-educated man, special attention having been paid to his musical training, and his wife was also a musician. Fraternally he was a Mason. Mrs. Schaffner died October 10, 1910, when eighty years of age. They had two children, namely: Amelia, who is Mrs. Weltzien; and Anna, who is the widow of William F. Mead of Marengo.
SPENCER C. WERNHAM.
Spencer C. Wernham, M. D., one of the leading physicians and sur- geons of McHenry County, is engaged in a general practice at Marengo. He was born in New York City September 21, 1846, one of the five children of James and Marguerite (MeKenzie) Wernham. James Wernham was born in New York, and died in 1878.
Doctor Wernham attended the common and high schools and Cooper Institute of New York City, and then took a course at Rush Medical College, Chicago, from which he was graduated in the spring of 1874. Immediately thereafter, he located at Marengo, where he has since remained, building up a large and luerative practice. He belongs to the county, state and national medical societies, and also to the Amer- jean Association of Railroad Surgeons. At one time he was coroner of MeHenry County, and he is now local surgeon for the Northwestern Railroad, and the Elgin and Belvidere Electric Railroad, having been with the former for twenty years, and the latter since its organization.
In 1872 Doctor Wernham was married to Miss Emma L. Titus, a daughter of William Titus, a pioneer of MeHenry County, and they have the following children : Dr. James I., who is practicing in Wyoming; George, who is a traveling salesman, lives in Wisconsin; Emma W., who is the wife of Frank MeCarthy, a lawyer of Elgin, Ill., and Spencer C., who lives at Marengo. Doctor Wernham and his family belong to the Presbyterian church. In politics he is a Republican. Fraternally he belongs to the Masons and Modern Woodmen of America. For some years he has been on the school board and has also served in the city council. A public-spirited man, he has given his community valuable service, and is justly numbered among the most representative men of this section.
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HYDE WEST, M. D.
Hyde West, M. D., F. A. C. S., is numbered among the leading physicians and surgeons of MeHenry County, and is now engaged in an active practice at Woodstock, his offices being in the State Bank Building. Doctor West was born at Louisville, Ky., May 16, 1885, one of the two children of his parents, Isaac and Bella (Marsh) West, natives of Penn- sylvania and Mississippi.
Doctor West was reared in Virginia, and attended school, and was graduated from the Richmond College at Richmond, Va. Going to Iowa, he took up the study of medicine at the University of Iowa, and later became a student of Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago, from which he was graduated in 1911. Following his graduation he did hospital work in several of the Chicago hospitals, and having thus carefully prepared himself, he entered upon the practice of his profession, spending a year in general practice at Taylorville, Il., and then settled at Woodstock, buying the practice of Dr. J. E. Guy, and also the Wood- stock Hospital, which he operated until 1914 when he sold it to the Woodstock Public Hospital Association. Doctor West filled out the unexpired term of Doctor Guy as city health official. Professionally he belongs to the Mellenry County Medical Society, the Illinois State Medical Society, the American Medical Association, the Illinois State Homeopathie Society, the American Institute of Homeopathy; and was secretary of the MeHenry County Medical Society in 1917 and 1918, and its president in 1919. Doctor West was made a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons in October, 1921. At the sixty-third annual session of the Illinois Homeopathic Medical Association, held during the week of May S-14, 1921, Dr. Hyde West of Woodstock was elected second vice president of the organization. Fraternally he main- tains membership with St. Mark's Lodge No. 63, A. F. & A. M., Wood- stock Chapter No. 36, R. A. M .; Calvary Commandery No. 25, K. T .; Woodstock Chapter No. 63, O. E. S .; and Woodstock Lodge No. 1043, B. P. O. E.
On September 9, 1912, Doctor West was married to Miss Ida May Wobig, of Clinton, Wis. Doctor and Mrs. West reside at No. 329 Dean Street, Woodstock. They belong to the First Baptist Church of Woodstock. Politically he is a Democrat. Thoroughly abreast of the times, Doctor West is generally recognized as an honor to his profession and community, and one of the most representative men of MeHenry County.
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MAHLON E. WETER.
Mahlon E. Weter, one of the highly respected citizens and retired farmers of Ilebron, has long been recognized as being one of the repre- sentative men of MeHenry County. He was born in New York state, January 14, 1837, one of five children born to his parents, Palmer and Jane (Palmer) Weter, natives of New York state, where the father was born in 1811. He died in 1904, having been a farmer all of his active life.
Mahlon E. Weter was reared on his father's farm in New York state, and attended the common schools of his neighborhood. In IS46 he came west to Wisconsin, and located in Hebron Township, on the line between Wisconsin and Illinois, where until 1901, he was engaged in farming. For fifteen years, he was also engaged in manufacturing butter, his plant being located on his farm. In 1904, he retired, moved to Hebron, and has since made it his place of residence.
On March 30, 1859, Mr. Weter was married to Miss Cordelia Mickle, a daughter of John and Polly (Nutt) Mickle. Mr. and Mrs. Weter became the parents of three sons and three daughters, namely: Emma, who married Howard Carneau; David, who married Minnie Brandow; Eva, who married Edward Ledger; Albert, who married Lottie Clawson; Palmer, who married Esther Swingle; and Alice, who is at home. The family all belong to the Presbyterian church. In politics Mr. Weter is a Republican, but he has not cared to enter public life. While engaged in farming, he was recognized as an expert in his line, and since living in retirement, he has proven his worth as a citizen by the interest he has taken in local affairs.
HENRY F. WHARTON.
IIenry F. Wharton, cashier of the Bank of Ringwood, is also inter- ested in the firm of Bradley & Wharton, proprietors of the Ringwood Garage and sole agents for the Crowelkart car. He was born at Edge- wood, Ill., January 8, 1SS1, one of the eight children of Richard G. and Anna (Durre) Wharton, the former of whom is a practical engineer, and a resident of Woodstock, where he and his wife are held in high esteem.
Henry F. Wharton attended the common and high schools of Edge- wood, and when he was seventeen years old, he began clerking for a merchant of his home town. After two years, he found employment
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in the counting room of the Bank of Ringwood, where he remained for five years, going thence to Decatur, Ill., as assistant cashier of the Rail- way Exchange Bank. Ilis next connection was with the Kleyemer Lumber Company of Bridgeport, Ill., as manager, and he continued there for three years, when he went to Gary, Ind., and spent three years as superintendent of the Illinois Lumber Company, leaving it to become manager of the Watson Lumber Company. Mr. Wharton left the last named concern to accept his present position in 1916. As before stated, he is in the automobile business as well, and also acts as secretary of the local Milk Association of Ringwood so that his time is pretty well occupied, but he finds opportunity to take an interest in politics as a loval Democrat, serves the school board as clerk, and has been active in securing a new school building. He is a Mason and Modern Wood- man.
Mr. Wharton was married to Miss Myrtle T. Berry, a daughter of Charles Berry, and they have one daughter, Doris, who was born May 9, 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Wharton belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. They are very popular socially, and have many friends all over the county.
CHRISTY G. WHEELER. Page 150.
HARRY E. WHISTON.
Harry E. Whiston, proprietor of the modern garage and machine shop at No. 126 Washington street, Woodstock, is recognized as one of the responsible young business men of McHenry County. He was born at Crystal Lake, Ill., August 7, 1889, a son of Frank E. and Lizzie M. (Wheeler) Whiston, who had three children, Charley P. and Harry E., of this county, and Myrtle A., of Dinuba, Cal. Frank E. Whiston for many years was engaged in farming in McHenry County, Ill., and on their ranch in Nottoway County, Va. Returning to McHenry County the latter part of 1905, he passed away here on January 31, 1916. His wife, Mrs. Lizzie M. Whiston, passed away at Dinuba, Cal., on May 31, 1919.
Harry E. Whiston attended the public schools at Ridgefield, Ill., and Blackstone, Va., and returned to MeHenry County with his parents in 1905. He learned the trade of a mechanic and followed it until he
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became an expert. For the past fourteen years he has been connected with his line of endeavor at Woodstock, and embarked in his present undertaking in 1915, enlarging his business in response to the demands of his patronage. He carries a large stock of supplies and tools, and gives employment to two men.
On June 26, 1912, Mr. Whiston was married to Miss Ida M. Giertz, a daughter of Fred Giertz. Mr. and Mrs. Whiston attend the Methodist Episcopal Church. His political convictions make him a Democrat, but aside from voting for the candidates of his party, he has not taken any part in public affairs. He belongs to the Loyal Order of Moose and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
FRANK WHITE.
Frank White, one of the best-known and most successful Holstein- cattle breeders of the country, is proprietor of the Groveland Stock Farm of Dorr Township, located two miles southeast of Woodstock. He was born in LaSalle County, Ill., August 11, 1863, a son of John White of Virginia, who came to Illinois by way of the Ohio and Illinois rivers as far as Varney, and then settled on a farm in Marshall County, on which there was a log cabin. Later he went to LaSalle County, where he died at the age of eighty-eight years.
Frank White was reared on the farm and attended the country schools. He naturally engaged in farming, having been brought up to that work, and after experimenting with other strains concluded that he obtained better results from the Holstein cattle, and buying his herd, he continued to breed and exhibited at the state fairs of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Ken- tucky, and the National Stock Shows at Chicago, and followed this business, taking many first class honors, and having over 750 ribbons in the four years of showing, besides two silver cups. His exhibits usually consisted of eighteen to twenty head. Although he disposed of his magnificent herd recently, he still owns the old show cow, Lady Ona Hildred, now nineteen years old, that was with every herd he showed. Her son, Groveland Inka Hildred is another famous Holstein, and with a sister, were first in thirty-two shows. The bull was finally. sold in 1914, to Dickinson of Lake Geneva. In 1913 Mr. White ex- hibited at North Randall, Ohio, and the State Fair at Columbus, Ohio; the Indianapolis State Fair; the State Fair at Louisville, Ky .; the one at Memphis, Tenn .; the Illinois State Fair; the one at Waterloo, Iowa;
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
the Dairy Cattle Congress Show, and the National Dairy Show at Chicago, winning honors at each exhibit. In the four year old he took cash prizes amounting to $15,000, and one of his cows passed through all these shows. Since 1913, he has continued his breeding and held annual sales, the last one having been held January 28, 1919, when he disposed of forty head, and this closed a partnership with his only son, which had continued for eight years.
The Groveland Stock Farm, comprising 30612 acres was named for Groveland Township, LaSalle County, Ill. On it Mr. White erected a new house on another portion of the farm in addition to the original one. In addition to breeding his famous herd, Mr. White has also been interested in the breeding of Poland-China hogs.
Mr. White was married to Dora E. Yohe, and they have one child, Roy L. While Mr. White was occupied with showing his cattle, Mrs. White managed the farm and raised cattle. Roy L. White was in partnership with his father, but after the latter's retirement from the breeding of cattle, the young man went with the model farm known as the Orange Judd farm, owned by the Prairie Farmer, operating its dairy department. Still later he moved to Waterloo, Iowa, and is now in the employ of the Lowden Company. He married Detha Wade, and they have two children, Madeline and Robert L.
For three years Frank White served as a township supervisor while living in Iowa, but aside from that office, has not entered public life, preferring to work for his community as a private citizen. He holds membership in the Christian church. Woodstock Camp, M. W. A., with which he is affiliated, gives him fraternal association. His reputa- tion as a breeder of Holstein cattle is national, and although he now purposes to lead a less active life, it is doubtful if he will ever lose interest in the exhibitions of stock, at which in the past his product received so many honors.
DELBERT A. WHITING.
Delbert A. Whiting, one of the prosperous agriculturalists of McHenry County, owns a finely developed farm in McHenry Township, two and one-half miles west of McHenry, and one and one-fourth miles south of Ringwood. IIe was born on the old Whiting farm, one-half mile west of his present property, October 30, 1850, a son of Freeman and Lucy (Smith) Whiting. Freeman Whiting was born January 8, 1822, and he died September 13, 1915, while his wife died September 26, 1912. Their children were as follows: Delbert A., whose name heads this review;
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Laura L., who married Richard Thompson, lives in Nunda Township; Lillian C., who married C. W. Harrison, lives at North Crystal Lake; and Abbie, who is Mrs. Frank E. Martin, lives on the Oak Wood Farm of MeHenry Township.
Delbert A. Whiting was reared on the homestead, and sent to the district schools. When he was twenty-four years old, he was married to Ellen Sutton, a daughter of Philip Sutton, also a native of MeHenry County. For thirty years after his marriage, Mr. Whiting operated 360 acres of his father's original farm, and then purchased his present property, his sons assuming the operation of the Whiting place. When Freeman Whiting died, Delbert A. Whiting bought 160 acres of the old Smith farm at Smith's Corners, which is one of the finest in the county, and was originally prairie land. There is still a nice body of timber on the place. The home farm of Delbert A. Whiting comprises twenty acres, and its buildings were erected by a Mr. Bishop to whom the land was given by Freeman Whiting. All of them are large, modernized and adapted for their several purposes. Mr. Whiting has added a silo, and has everything in splendid condition. Since moving on this property he has taken things easier, leaving the management of his large farm to his son, Clarence. Mr. and Mrs. Whiting became the parents of the following children: William, who is at home; Edwin, who rents another portion of the old Smith farm that originally comprised 700 acres, but is now cut up into three farms, two of which are at Smith's Corners, three-quarters of a mile from Ringwood; Louis, who is a farmer of Colo- rado; Edith, who is Mrs. Edwin Hayes of Aberdeen, S. D .; Clarence, who is operating his father's large farm; Harold, who is connected with the Bowman Dairy Company at Ringwood; Annetta, who married P. N. Musser, an insurance agent at Elgin, Ill .; Raymond, who lives at Lake Geneva, Wis .; and Earl, who as a member of the infantry depart- ment of the National Army, was prepared for active service at Camp Gordon, but did not reach France on account of the signing of the Armistice; Mariam and Eleanor, both of whom are at home. A Repub- lican in his political views, Delbert A. Whiting has never cared for public preferment, but has exerted his influence as a private citizen. Mrs. Whiting and the children are members of the Catholic church.
THOMAS WHITSON.
Thomas Whitson, who for a number of years was associated with the business life of Woodstock, is remembered as one of the leading
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merchants of MeHenry County, and a man who always took a prom- inent part in civic affairs. He was born on Long Island, N. Y., in 1831, and died at Woodstock, in October, 1884. He came of old American stock, his ancestors having settled in New Amsterdam, N. Y. long prior to the American Revolution, upon their arrival in this country to which they had fled from the Old World to escape religious persecution. The parents of Thomas Whitson, Joseph and Hannah (Smith) Whitson, had eight children.
In 1833 Thomas Whitson was married at Boston, Mass. to Hannah P. Boutelle, who died in January, 1882, leaving six children, namely: Mrs. Julia Thompson, Edwin, Emily, William H., Ida and George. Coming West in 1844, Mr. Whitson first located at Waukegan, but ten years later came to Woodstock, and established himself as a hardware merchant. This store was later conducted by his son Edwin, and be- came one of the most reliable in the county. Mr. Whitson owned a fine farm of eighty acres, and a beautiful home near the fair grounds. For several years he served as a member of the Woodstock City Council, and never lost his interest in local affairs.
WILLIAM H. WHITSON.
William H. Whitson, one of the oldest merchants of Woodstock, handles a full and complete line of hardware, and controls a trade that is very satisfactory. He was born at Woodstock, August 28, 1850, and is one of fourteen children born to Thomas and Ilannah P. (Bonyten) Whitson. Thomas Whitson was born in the state of New York, and there he was reared and learned the trade of a tinsmith. In 1850 he came to McHenry County, locating at Woodstock, where he lived until his death in 1887. His wife died in 1882.
William H. Whitson was reared at Woodstock, and attended its excellent schools, being graduated from its high school. He learned the trade of a tinsmith from his father, and worked at it until he established his present business, which has been expanded until he carries a stock valued at $8,000.
Mr. Whitson was married to Miss Mabel M. Richards, a daughter of Rudolph Richards of Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Whitson have two children, namely: Inez G., who is the wife of Edward Klam; and Edwin H., who has been connected for many years with the lithograph company of Murray & Co., although during the World War, he was in the service of
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IHISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
the United States government. A Republican, Mr. Whitson east his first presidential vote for U. S. Grant in 1872. He served in the city council of Woodstock for six years, and has also been its fire marshal. For forty years he has been a Mason. A man of the highest personal integrity, Mr. Whitson is justly accounted one of the leading men of his community and county.
JOHN P. WICKHAM.
John P. Wickham, for many years one of the leading farmers of MeHenry County and Wisconsin, is now living retired at Hebron. He was born August 2, 1856, a son of George Stephen and Fanny Wickham, the former of whom died in February, 1884, and the latter, March 1S, 1919, at Rockford, Hl., where she had resided for twenty years. George Stephen Wickham entered a farm from the government in the extreme northeastern part of Alden Township, which has been sold. He and his wife were very active in the Methodist Episcopal church at Hebron, he being a class leader, and much interested in the progress of his church. It was his custom to take his family to church each Sunday and keep them within the range of his eye and sometimes his hand, for he did not tolerate any levity during religious services. His children were as follows: Hiram, who died at Seattle, Wash., in June, 1915, having been a resident of that city for several years; George Stephen, who is living retired at Walworth, Wis .; John P., whose name heads this review; Royal S., who is also living at Walworth, Wis .; Homer, who left MeHenry County many years ago, died in New York City; Addie, who is the widow of F. B. Everett, lives at Columbus, Ohio; Charles A., who for ten years has lived at Rockford, Ill .; Fanny, who married R. W. Pool of Rockford, Ill., died in March, 1918; Joseph, who died at Wal- worth, Wis., in June, 1916; and Clinton, who died at Woodstock, in September, 1911.
John P. Wickham was married to Emma Ayers of Hebron, who died in April, 1882, leaving two children, namely: Flora A., who married Raymond F. Crane of Hebron, has one daughter, Cecil; and George, who died at the age of eleven years. On September 1, 1SS6, Mr. Wick- ham was married (second) to Hattie Pierce, a daughter of Lyman Pierce, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Wickham became the parents of one son and two daughters, namely: Clarence L., who died in 1918, aged twenty-nine years at Hebron, where he was a dealer in farm machinery, leaving a widow, Viola (Woods)
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Wickham; and Marie, who is the wife of Howard Billings of Woodstock, an employe of the Oliver Typewriter Company; and Lulu A., who was a teacher in Hebron Township and village prior to her marriage to Thomas R. Silvius, in the city auditor's office at Los Angeles, Cal. Mr. Wiekham's son Clarence was a Mason, and was buried by the Hebron Lodge with due ceremonies. John P. Wickham has followed farming for many years, but has maintained his home in the village. For several years he has been retired from the strenuous duties pertaining to agri- cultural life. He is a man who holds the confidence and respect of his associates. Fraternally he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.
ALBERT WILBRANDT.
Albert Wilbrandt, director of the Algonquin State Bank, and one of the most extensive shippers of live stock in McHenry County, owns 200 acres of choice land in Algonquin Township. He was born at Algonquin, February 22, 1867, a son of Christ and Mary (Gister) Wil- brandt. Christ Wilbrandt was born in Germany, but upon coming to the United States, he became naturalized, receiving his papers in 1865, and from then on, gave his adopted country a loyal service until his death which occurred at Algonquin in 1894. His wife passed away in 1890.
Albert Wilbrandt was reared on his father's farm, and attended the local schools. He learned the trade of a butcher, and followed it for many years, branching out into a stock dealer in later years. He does an annual business of $50,000. Since 1915, he has been a director of the State Bank of Algonquin.
In 1892 Mr. Wilbrandt was married to Miss Mary Calbow, a daughter of John Calbow, prominent in the history of Algonquin, and they have the following children: Arthur, Bennie, Albert, Louis, Anna and Louisa. They belong to the Lutheran Church. In politics Mr. Wilbrandt is a Republican and he served seven terms as alderman of Algonquin. His lifelong residence in Algonquin Township makes him fully aware of the standing of its people, and he is able to serve his bank and his community very effectively because of this knowledge, and his own excellent business judgment.
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WALTER H. WILBUR.
Walter H. Wilbur, president of the United State Bank of Crystal Lake, is one of the very prominent financiers of MeHenry County, and a man who deserves the success which has been accorded him. He was born at Rockford, Iowa, July 25, 1876, one of the six children born to Dr. E. W. and Sarah D. (Hoy) Wilbur. Doetor Wilbur was a leading physician and surgeon of Rockford, Iowa, and continued in practice until his removal to the Southwest in 1892. His death occurred March 6, 1917, but his wife survives.
Walter H. Wilbur attended the schools of Rockford, Iowa, and went from the high school to the state normal school of Arizona, from which he was graduated. He then entered the financial field, and from the time he was twenty years old to the present date, has been connected with banks in an official capacity. In 1915, when the Citizens State Bank of Crystal Lake was re-organized, he became its cashier, and the year following, he was made vice president of United State Bank of Crystal Lake. In January, 1919, he was elected its president. His connection with this institution gives it added prominence and stability, for his ability as a financier is well known and appreciated.
In 1915 Mr. Wilbur was married to Miss Kate (Griswold) Irish. Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur belong to the Congregational church. Taking as he does an intelligent interest in publie matters, Mr. Wilbur prefers to give his support to the men he deems best fitted for office, rather than be influenced by party affiliations.
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