USA > Illinois > McHenry County > History of McHenry County, Illinois : together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns : educational, religious, civil, military, and political history : portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, also a condensed History of Illinois > Part 61
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John Pervey was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1810, and when fourteen years of age came to the United States and remained in New York City a year. He subsequently worked in Utica, Rome, and Ithaca, N. Y., as a farm hand and on the Erie Canal. In 1843 he came to Illinois and when he reached Crystal Lake, had a cash capital of 10 cents. He sawed wood in payment for lodgings for himself and wife the first night they were in Mc- Henry County. He entered the land where his house now stands, on section 13, Grafton Township, and made a dugout, in which they lived till the land was pre-empted. After entering his land he went to the Mississippi River and worked on the boats to earn
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the money with which to get started. He then returned, bought a yoke of oxen and a cow and went to work. He has been industrious and a good manager and now owns 440 acres of choice land, well improved. He was married in the fall of 1842, to Mary Mountain. They have had ten children, eight of whom are living-Mary A., William, Thomas, Charles, Henry, John, Ellen and Maggie.
John F. Randall was born near Toronto, Canada West, May 27, 1836, the ninth of ten children of Joseph and Eleanor (Fowler) Randall, natives of Orange County, N. Y. His father moved to Canada in 1825, and in 1838 to Detroit, Mich., and in 1840 to Kane County, Ill. At that time the country was sparsely settled, their nearest neighbor, save the family that came with them, being two miles distant. Our subject attended school in the old-fashioned log-cabin school-house, and subsequently taught one term in the same house. He remained at home till twenty-two years of age; then carried on a farm three years on shares. He has been a successful farmer and now owns 186 acres of well-improved land. He was married Oct. 6, 1862, to Esther A. Huntington, a native of Coral Township, born June 3, 1840, a daughter of Calvin Hunt. ington. But one of their three children is living-Lida E., born June 3, 1867. Mr. and Mrs. Randall are members of the Method- ist Episcopal church.
Henry Sinnett was born in Amsterdam, Montgomery Co., N. Y., Nov. 12, 1828, a son of James Sinnett, who was a native of France. In 1853 he came West and located in Algonquin Town- ship, McHenry County, where he followed farming five years. He then moved to Kane County, and two years later to Cook County, where he remained twelve years. In 1872 he came again to McHenry County and located in Grafton Township. He has been very successful and now owns a fine farm of 240 acres well improved, and considerable property in Huntley. In 1883 he gave up the care of the farm to younger hands, and now lives a quiet, retired life in the village. He is a quiet, unassuming man, of temperate habits. He is serving his third term as Highway Commissioner of Grafton Township. March 8, 1850, he was married to Jane E. Van Wormer, a native of New York, a daughter of John Van Wormer. Five of their six children are living- William, James A., Anna, wife of M. D. Hadley; Alice, wife of G. C. Duff, and Kittie.
Caleb M. Smith, deceased, was a native of Grafton Township, born May 28, 1842, a son of Thomas Smith, of Huntley. He was
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reared on the farm, and received a good common-school education. After the outbreak of the Rebellion, he enlisted in Company I, Fifty-second Illinois Infantry, but his health failed and he was discharged seven months after his enlistment. He was an invalid for many years and died from the effects of disease contracted while in the army. He was married May 24, 1863, to Virginia Hnd- son, a daughter of William and Martha (Beck) Hudson, her father a native of Staffordshire, England, and her mother of the Isle of Man. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith were born three children-Ethel, Mabel and William. Ethel married Edmond Hayes, and resides in Chicago, Ill. Mrs. Smith's only brother, Joseph Hudson, was killed by a snow slide at Alpine, Col., in January, 1879, while prospecting for gold. His body laid under the snow three months. He was the first miner at Alpine, and had located a number of mines. He enlisted in the war of the Rebellion in Company K, Forty-second Illinois Infantry, and was subsequently transferred to the Forty-eight Regiment and commissioned First Lieutenant. He was wounded at the battle of Mission Ridge. Mrs mith's only sister is Mrs. Dr. Stevens, of La Porte, Ind.
Samuel Sprague was born in New York State, Dec. 26, 1797. He was reared on a farm in Jefferson County, N. Y., and after reaching manhood moved to Oswego County, N. Y., where, Dec. 29, 1819, he married Rachel, daughter of William Skelton. In 1843 he moved to McHenry County, where he engaged in farming till his death, June 1, 1853. He was a soldier in the war of 1812 and his widow now receives a pension. To Mr. and Mrs. Sprague were born nine children; five are living-William, Betsey, Sophia Livonia and Jennie. Thomas, Abner, Smith and Mary are deceased. William married Eliza Otis, and has three children- Julia, Lois and Otis. Thomas was a lake Captain several years. He married Mary M. Wolaver and had three children-Abner, Arah and Fred. Betsey married Fred M. Wolaver and has had ten children, five of whom are living-Frank, Dora, Edwin, Ernest and Myra. Sophia married Mason Hill and had eight children, six of whom are living-Ira, Ella, Jesse, Ernest, Emma and Caddie. Livonia married Jacob Wolaver, and has five children -Ethel, Elba, Herbert, Claud and Floyd. Smith married Theresa Dilley and left one son-Edgar. Mary married Sanford Haight and had seven children, three of whom are living- Cynthia, William and Charles. Jennie married Oris Mason and has three children-Harry, May Gertrude and Charles.
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James G. Templeton was born in Shelby County, Ind., March 12, 1825, a son of Isaac and Rhoda (Gregory) Templeton, his father a native of Barbour County, W. Va. He was reared on a pioneer farm in Indiana and received only a limited education, attending school in the log-cabin school-house. In 1834 the family moved to Warren County, Ind. In 1853 Mr. Templeton moved to McHenry County, Ill., and located in Coral Township, but in 1870 moved to Huntley, and, until 1876, was engaged in the hardware and furniture business. Since the latter date he has lived rather retired, only superintending his farm. Mr. Templeton was married July 14, 1850, to Martha J., daughter of Thomas Johnson. To them were born six children, but two of whom are living-Bayard T. and Belle. One daughter, Emma B., died at the age of thirteen years, and a son, Roy, died at the age of eleven years. Mrs. Templeton died Aug. 6, 1869. March 11, 1875, Mr. Templeton married Mrs. Theresa Sprague, widow of Smith Sprague, and daughter of Houston Dilley. She has one child- Edgar Sprague. Mr. Templeton is a Free Thinker and a member of the Liberal Leaguc. Mrs. Templeton's grandparents, Jonathan and Mary Dilley, have lived together since April, 1819, and are now aged eiglity-eight and eighty-four years. Mr. Templeton's father was heir to a portion of an estate of slaves, and being an Abolitionist went to Virginia to take steps to free them and in- duce the other heirs to do the same. He was driven from the plantation with orders to never make the attempt again.
John Weltzein was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, Dec. 4, 1848. His father, Charles Weltzein, brought his family o America in 1858 and located in Barrington, Cook Co., Ill., where he re- mained till 1860 when he came to McHenry County. John Welt- zein attended school in his native country and a short time in America, but the most of his English education he has acquired by his contact with business men and reading. After reaching man- hood he followed farming three years and then began the manufact- ure of butter and cheese. He has been very successful, and now owns a half interest in five cheese factories in McHenry County. Ambitious and energetic, he is ever ready to assist in any project of benefit, either to himself or the community at large. He was married Aug. 1, 1869, to Alice E. Bowen, a native of Oswego County, N. Y. They have had six children; but four are living- Minnie, Lottie, Myrtle and Frank. Mrs. Weltzein's father was killed at the battle of Perryville in the war of the Rebellion.
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HISTORY OF MO HENRY COUNTY.
Washington Whittemore is a great-grandson of Nathaniel, grand. son of Nathaniel,and son of Prescott Whittemore. His grandfather was born July 4, 1741, and had a family of six children-Joseph and Martha (twins, born Feb. 1, 1771), Nathaniel, Calvin, Asa and Pres- cott. Prescott was born in Lancaster, Mass., July 28, 1787, and married Lucy R. Geer, of Worcester, Mass., Oct. 14, 1811. They had a family of thirteen children, all of whom lived to maturity, and five of whom are living-Washington; Ebenezer S., a graduate of Harvard College, and now attorney of the canal across Cape Cod; Nathaniel, of Aurora, Ill .; Benjamin, of Sacramento County, Cal., and Volney S., of Beatrice, Neb. The deceased are-Asa D., Edward H., Harriet A., George P., Charles H., Mary, Lucy E. and Julia M. Washington Whittemore was born in Cheshire County, N. H., Oct. 10, 1823. In 1838 his parents came with ten children to Illinois. They started in May and brought all their goods in two wagons-were over six weeks in making the journey. They remained in Aurora three months and then came to McHenry County and settled in Grafton Township, on the farm now owned by Mr. Whittemore. He has been a very successful farmer and stock-raiser and now owns 500 acres of fine land, all well improved. He has in his possession nine patents for as many tracts of land issued by the Government on parchment and signed by the Presi- dent. He has two wind engines on his farm, one of which pumps water, grinds feed, saws wood, shells corn and grinds edged tools. Mr. Whittemore was married Dec. 11, 1855, to Susan Perry, dangh ter of Col. Jason B. Perry, of New Hampshire, a relative of Com- modore Perry. They have had four children-Willis P., Myron W., Charles B., and a deceased daughter, Hattie M. Mr. Whitte- more has held the office of School Trustee seventeen years. He has always been a strong anti-slavery man and tells some interest- ing stories of the time when slavery was one of the vital subjects of the day. His uncle,-Walker(his mother's sister's husband), was General Harrison's Aid-de-Camp at the battle of Tippecanoe. Thinking that there was danger he would not lie down, and when all the rest were asleep he heard the Indians approaching the camp, and beat the reveille, roused the soldiers and thus saved them from a disastrous defeat. Mr. Whittemore has been an active worker in every thing that tends to the advancement of the county. He is a prominent member of the Pioneer Society, and is often called upon to deliver an address at their meetings. We quote an extract from one given at the meeting of 1884: 42
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668 HISTORY OF MC HENRY COUNTY.
"Upward of forty-six years ago, while a boy in my teens, I first stepped upon the soil of Illinois. I journeyed with my father's family from beyond the Connecticut, which occupied nearly seven weeks. Then these vast prairies had but here and there a solitary cabin where now we find a busy population filling the warehouse and granary with the ingathering crops of so fertile a soil. Where now these old settlers meet the deer and wolf roamed at pleasure. Where was Chicago then? Down, down in the mud, with no prospects of a great and grand future. Now, scarcely thir- teen years since her great conflagration, she stands rebuilded with increased splendor and magnificence. Since those early times our State has become a vast network of railroads, which extend beyond the plains to yonder briny deep, carrying the products of both soil and mines to supply the wants of the world. What else has trans- pired since our advent in Illinois? The chains of slavery have been unriveted and 4,000,000 of human beings have gone free; but at what a fearful cost ! Two millions of fair youths and strong men went forth to battle, many to return never more, their blood to drench the Southern soil, and their bones to bleach on distant fields, or fill unknown graves. What will forty-six years more develop? Will navigation of the air be an established fact? What has been accomplished in the past half century is but a promise of what is to come. * * * Friends, old settlers and new, when our last farewells are said, may bright angels hover around us to waft our spirits home !"
James Williams was born in Cardiganshire, Wales, Feb. 15, 1819, a son of David Williams, a native of the same country. He attended the common schools in his native country and in 1838 came to America, and located in Madison County, N. Y., where he engaged in farming till 1850. He then came to McHenry County, Ill., where he has since resided. Mr. Williams is a self-made man. He started in life with no means, and when he landed in America was $25 in debt. He has been energetic and industrious and has accumulated a good property. Since 1877 he has lived retired from the active life of the farm, and is living in Huntley. He is a member of the Congregational church and has been a Deacon for twenty-five years. He is an uncompromising temperance man and a prohibitionist. He was married May 7, 1838, to Catharine Jen- kins, a native of Wales, a daughter of John Jenkins, who came to America in 1838, and died in Jefferson County, Wis., Aug. 5, 1884, aged ninety-four years. Mr. and Mrs. Williams had a family of
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ten children; but six are living-Mary J., Lydia A., Ellen E., David M., Walter W. and Edgar J. Mrs. Williams died Feb. 20, 1863. June 27, 1865, Mr. Williams married Jemima Morgan, daughter of Daniel Morgan, who came from Wales to America in 1863.
Thomas Williams was born in Cardiganshire, Wales, Feb. 14 1821, a son of David Williams. Hc came to America in 1849 and lived one year in Madison County, N. Y. In 1850 he came with his brother James to McHenry County, and settled in Coral Township. He has been a successful man in his business pursuits, and has accumulated his property by his own industry and business integrity, $30 being the only assistance he ever had. He owns a fine farm of 180 acres in McHenry County, and another of 320 acres in Adams County, Neb. In the spring of 1882 he retired from active farm life and moved to Huntley. Mr. Williams was married Sept. 18, 1877, to Mrs. Susan Marsh, widow of Nelson B. Marsh.
John Zenk was born in Bavaria, Germany, Sept. 29, 1822, a son of John Zenk. He came to the United States in 1859, land- ing at Baltimore. The next day he started for Milwaukee, Wis., where he remained three months. He then moved to Kane County, Ill., and remained there ten years, and in 1869 moved to McHenry County, and settled in Grafton Township. His occupa- ion has been that of a farmer, with which he now combines dairy- ing. He makes a specialty of raising broom corn, and manufact- ures the brooms on his farm. Hc furnishes the Elgin Watch Factory with 1,500 barrels of broom-corn pith annually. Mr. Zenk has 160 acres of land, all well'improved. He was married in Ger- many, in May, 1849, to Margaret, daughter of John Leicht. They have had sixteen children; eleven are living-Peter, George, John, Johannah, Nicholas and Johann (twins), William, Zachariah, Pankratz, Katie and Michael. George married Mary, daughter of Patrick Connelly, and has two children-Albert and Frank. Johannah married George Weidner and has two children-Mag- gie and John. Mr. Zenk and his family are members of the Catholic church.
CHAPTER XXI.
GREENWOOD TOWNSHIP.
NAME OF TOWNSHIP .- LOCATION .- TOPOGRAPHY .- ORGANIZATION. - OFFICERS .- FIRST SETTLERS .- EARLY EVENTS .- SOHOOL STATIS- TICS .- POSTOFFICE .- RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS .- NORWEGIANS. - GERMANS .- PRESBYTERIANS .- BAPTISTS .- CEMETERIES. - SAW AND GRIST MILLS .- BUTTER AND CHEESE FACTORIES .- GREENWOOD VILLAGE .- BUSINESS DIRECTORY. - BIOGRAPHICAL.
C. M. Goodsell had the honor of giving this township its name. At a meeting of the citizens for the purpose of naming the town- ship, the name was proposed by Mr. Goodsell, and afterward confirmed by J. N. Barber, who at that time was Township Trustee. Greenwood is one of the four central townships of the county; bounded on the north by Hebron, on the west by Hartland, on the south by Dorr, and on the east by McHenry, being township 45, range 7, east of third principal meridian.
TOPOGRAPHY.
Greenwood Township, like the most of the townships of McHenry County, cannot be excelled for rich soil and surface features. No pleasanter landscape picture was ever beheld than is presented to the eye of the person riding over the township of Greenwood. The land is gently rolling, the farms are under a fine state of cultiva- tion, and the residences indicate thrift and prosperity on every hand. To a stranger the township presents the appearance of being chiefly prairie land, so completely have the lands been cleared of timber. The western portion of the township and along the Nippersink in early day, was heavily timbered, but at present only second growth timber is to be found. The Nippersink, which courses its way across the northern portion of the township, affords many water privileges to those who live in that vicinity.
ORGANIZATION.
In 1850 Greenwood became an organized township, and the first (670)
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election was held in April of the same year, at which time the following officers were elected : J. N. Barber, Supervisor; G. T. Barrows, Clerk; Wm. Willis, Assessor; H. J. Willis, S. Baldwin and Geo. Weller, Commissioners of Highways. The following are the present officers : Geo. Garrison, Supervisor; W. E. Wire, Clerk; C. N. Willis, Collector; M. J. Wright, Assessor; G. E. Adams, Constable; S. Baldwin and Wm. Given, Justices of the Peace; A. ; C. Thompson, Burton Wright and Geo. Soudericker, Commissioners of Highways.
Henry Weston, who located in the township in 1833, is said to be the first settler. But little is known of him. He was an Englishman and came to Greenwood with his wife's sister, Miss Ann McQninn, for whom Queen Ann Prairie was named, she being the first white woman who ever kept house in Greenwood Township. Shortly after Mr. Weston's arrival his wife joined them. She died a few years after coming here and was among the first buried in Green- wood Cemetery. Mr. Weston married Miss Watson soon after and this is said to be the first marriage that ever took place in the township. Some claim that Arestide Stevens and Charity Boon were the first couple married, but upon the best authority we can find upon the matter we are persuaded to believe that they were not. The first marriage recorded on the county records is Charles Frame to Miss Mary Dufield, on the 1st day of February, 1838, ceremony being performed by Rev. Joel Wheeler. Following Mr. Weston came the three Stone brothers, Alden, Almon and William. Then came Lewis Boon, Henry Westerman, Elijah Slaflon and James Watson; these all made their claims in 1837.
Mr. Boon in making his claim took in many acres, including both prairie and timber. A Mr. McCollum, believing that he was entitled to a portion of it, erected a cabin on one side and proceeded to make himself at home. Boon took the law into his own hauds and demolished the cabin and even cut the logs in two. Meeting McCollum he accused him of jumping his claim and the inter- view resulted in a knock down in which Boon came off conqueror. The settlers took sides in the quarrel and McCollum and his hosts attacked the Boons and put them to flight. This unpleasant- ness resulted in a law suit, it being the first ever filed on the docket in McHenry County.
In 1837 came also George Weller, Amos Scofield, Daniel Cattle, Nathan Dufield. Following them came Jacob Eckert and his two sons Jacob and Henry, who are still residents of the county; Mr.
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Herdklotz with his two sons Michael and Peter J., who are still residents of the township. Eldod Taylor came with a family of several children. He remained but a few years when he moved West. Squire Baldwin came in 1839. O. J. and A. W. Murphy came about this time and are still residents of the township. These people located chiefly in the eastern portion of the town- ship. Among the noted early settlers of Greenwood was Neill Donnelly, who came from Ireland and for many years was among the most prominent and prosperous business men of the county; his death occurred recently. Lewis Boon came from Ohio and remained in the township till his death which occurred several years ago; his remains lie in the Greenwood Cemetery. Eldridge Boon, son of Lewis Boon, is said to be the first white child born in the township. His death occurred in 1838 and it is believed that he was the first person who died in the township, also the first person buried in Greenwood Cemetery.
EARLY EVENTS.
The first school was taught in 1843 by Miss Ann Tuttle in a private residence situated where Greenwood Village now stands.
The first school-house was built in 1845 on section 2. It is a frame building and is at present occupied by a private family.
These remote incidents are often disputed questions and it is difficult to arrive at correct conclusions; hence we will state that some claim the first school was taught by Miss Melinda Pease, of Crystal Lake, in a school-house erected on section 35, in the year 1843. There are now seven school-houses in the township. Value of school property, $4,950, with an annual salary paid to teachers of $1,322. There are in the township 297 children of a school age.
POSTOFFICE.
The first postoffice established in Greenwood Township was in the year 1850. It was kept in the store of Mr. C. M. Goodsell, Mr. Goodsell being the first Postmaster. The postoffice was named after the township and is still known as Greenwood postoffice. The second Postmaster was a Mr. Robbins who clerked for Mr. Goodsell, followed by Baker Martin, John M. Barber, Mrs. J. M. Barber, J. H. Garrison and D. W. Soper, the present incumbent.
RELIGIOUS.
The first religious services were held in a private house in the
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year 1840 by Rev. Hall, a Presbyterian minister from Geneva. For ten years afterward they continued to hold services at different houses in the neighborhood and in school-houses. The first house of worship was erected in 1848 on section 34, by the Methodist society. For many years it was used by a thriving society of about forty members, but finally was abandoned and in 1875 was torn down and hauled to Woodstock and converted into sheds to shelter the horses and vehicles of those who attend the Methodist church of that place.
There are in the township four houses of worship. The Nor- wegians built a good frame church in the north part of the town- ship several years ago. Their number as a society is quite large and they attend divine services quite regularly. Services invari- ably conducted in their own language, and in their old country style.
A German church is situated in the west portion of the town- ship. It is a frame building of considerable size and has been built many years. Their society is not extremely strong, though they hold meetings regularly.
The Presbyterians erected their house of worship in 1850. It is situated in the village of Greenwood, and will seat about 300 people. It is a frame building and compares well in appearance to other churches in this section of the country.
Rev. I. A. Hart, a native of New York State, stood at the head of the enterprise, and it was through his instrumentality that the church was built. Previous to the erection of the church Rev. Hart preached to the people in private and school houses, and was their pastor four years after the church was built. He is at present a resident of Wheaton, Ill., and has reached the advanced age of eighty years. He was succeeded at Greenwood by Rev. Thomp- son, who remained three years. After him came Rev. Downs, who remained one year. Rev. Clark then came and remained one year. These are substantially the preachers who have had the care of the Presbyterian church, though others have sup- plied the pulpit at intervals. For the past seven or eight years they have been almost forsaken by the ministry, seldom having any preaching. Their house of worship is occupied by the Method- ist denomination who together with the Baptist, occupied the house alternately with the Presbyterians several years after the house was built. The Presbyterian church was organized with about fi een members, among whom were James Stewart and wife,
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J. N. Barber and wife, G. T. Barrows and wife and F. W. Barlow and wife. Messrs. Stewart and Barber were the first Deacons chosen. A few years after their organization they became a flourish- ing body with a large membership, but the constant drain of removals and death thinned their ranks so they were compelled to disbandon.
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