USA > Illinois > Stark County > History of Stark County, Illinois, and its people : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 10
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through close application to his studies, pursued during the winter seasons in ungraded schools and in the Wyoming Seminary. ITis ancestors were of sturdy stock. His grandfather, Philip Myers, a soldier of Washington's army in the Revohitionary war, participated in the battles of Trenton and Princeton and endured the privations and sufferings at Valley Forge through the memorably severe winter of 1777. His grandmother, at the age of sixteen years, was in Fort Forty, near the field of battle, while the dreadful massaere of Wyo- ming was being carried on. This was on the 3d day of July, 1778. and she and her mother had a most narrow escape from death at the hands of the savages, whose tomahawk struck down many a settler of that region. In his early life Mr. Myers had frequent conversations with soldiers of the Revolutionary war, whose reminiscences and sto- ries of battles and of their escapes from death were very interesting and instructive. He had the misfortune to lose one brother in the Mexican war in 1848 and another in the Civil war at the battle before Richmond, Virginia.
On the 29th of March, 1853, Mr. Myers was united in marriage to Miss Martha A. Pettebone, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, and to them were born four children: Clara M., the wife of Z. T. Brown; Jane E., who became the wife of William B. Reed: Charles Albert, who is in the automobile business with the Peoria Anto Company; and Edwin L., an electrical engineer now with the Willard Storage Battery Company.
Within the past eighty years Mr. Myers has observed many won- derful changes in everything that man utilizes as material factors in his life. In his early days seience had not obtained control of elee- tricity and there were therefore no telegraphs, telephones, electric lights nor electrie vehicles. He learned to write at a night school, using a goose quill pen and home-made ink on foolscap paper, sitting by the light of a tallow eandle which often burned his fingers when he was snuffing it. Changes of every kind have occurred.
In recounting some of the ineidents of the early days, Mr. Myers says: "I took a trip in the spring of 1852, three years previous to settling here permanently, mostly for observation. My journey was made by railroad to Buffalo, by lake to Cleveland, by railroad to Cincinnati, by steamboat down the Ohio and up the Mississippi rivers to Muscatine and thence on horseback for several days over the prairies of Iowa. I had never before seen a prairie and could not help exclaiming. 'How grand! How glorious" Those thousands phis thousands of acres of rich alluvial soil were waiting the coming of the farmer. Nobody wanted it even at seventy-five eents per aere, at
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which priee I bought a few hundred acres near Iowa City with govern- ment seript. In returning I rode in a lumber wagon from the Missis- sippi to the Illinois river, took steamboat to La Salle and thence traveled by packet boat on the Illinois and Michigan canal into Chieago and by railroad to Pennsylvania. There was not a railroad anywhere west of Ohio that I could see or hear of except the Southern Michigan, extending eastward from Chicago. As to that wagon ride: I desired to go to Chicago by way of Wyoming, Illinois, and being at New Boston, I fortimately found John Atherton, who was living just south of Toulon and was going my way. His wife and daughter were with him, but they readily consented that I go with them. Mr. and Mrs. Atherton sat on straight-back, splint-seated chairs, while the daughter and I sat upon a board seat a few feet from them. We all enjoyed the ride, and I mention this to say that those same two ehairs may now be seen among the relics of the long ago, deposited in the old log cabin that stands upon the courthouse grounds in Toulon. I found Chieago a eity built in the mud. The surface was level and I was told that it was seven feet above the lake, but it didn't look so high. There were no paved streets except in the central part of the eity, and these were made of planks just loose enough to spurt the liquid mnd over everything that ran over them. The population was thirty-two thou- sand seven hundred and forty, being less than half that of Peoria at this time." In business life Mr. Myers has had varied experience. He taught school in Pennsylvania in 1848 and still has in his possession the teacher's certificate granted him at the time. After removing to Illinois in 1855 he also taught winter months in Toulon and in neigh- boring distriets. It affords him great pleasure when he oeeasionally meets his old students and, in some cases, his students' children and grown up grandchildren. For twelve years Mr. Myers engaged in the nursery business near Toulon, raising fruit and ornamental trees. In 1871, when the Peoria & Roek Island Railroad was built, he began the grain business and on the 1st of August shipped out the first ear load. IIe erected an elevator with a storage capacity of ten thousand bushels and for shipping five thousand bushels, which fully supplied require- ments at that time. This business was condneted for fourteen years, after which Mr. Myers spent four years as an employe in the govern- ment internal revenue service at Peoria, in which eity he resided for eighteen years. There he was engaged in the produee commission business and in other lines, and in 1903 he resumed his residence in Toulon.
Mrs. Myers died January 23, 1884, and on the Ist of July, 1886, Mr. Myers was married to Miss Iantha Braee, of Elmira, Illinois.
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Financially Mr. Myers has never been burdened with wealth, neither has he been strieken with poverty. Politically he is a democrat. On the 6th day of November. 1848, twelve days after he beeame of legal age, he east his first vote at a presidential election. He has voted seventeen times for president of the United States, which is one more than half the total number of those elections held sinee the formation of the government. Mr. Myers regards good health as the greatest of life's blessings. With temperate habits, good appetite, daily phys- ieal and mental exereise he has maintained his health and is now enjoying the passing days of his eighty-ninth year.
R. Y. LACKIE.
The student of history eannot carry his investigations far into the records of Stark county without learning of the elose and prominent connection of the Lackie family with those activities and interests which have led to the development and upbuilding of this section of the state. For fifty years R. Y. Laekic has made his home here and there is no important chapter in the history of the county with which he is not familiar. It was on seetion 7, Oseeola township, that Mr. Lackie was born on the 10th of May, 1866, his parents being John and Sarah (Fall) Lackie. The father was born in West Barnet, Vermont, and the mother's birth oceurred in Marietta, Ohio. They were married, however, in this county and spent their remaining days on their farm on seetion 7, Osceola township, Mr. Laekie here passing away in 1894, while his wife died in 1904. He was a prominent and influential citizen of the community not only beeause of his successful activity as a farmer but also by reason of his publie-spirited interest in the welfare of the distriet and state. That his fellow townsmen had the utmost confidence in his ability and in his devotion to the public good is shown by the faet that for twenty-five or thirty years he filled the office of eounty supervisor and for two terms he represented his district in the state legislature, having been elected to the office on the republiean ticket. He was also a prominent member of the Masonie fraternity, in which he attained high rank.
R. Y. Laekie obtained his edneation in the distriet schools near his father's home, in the publie sehools of Bradford and also in Geneseo, Illinois. He continued to assist his father in the cultivation of the home farm until the latter's death and then took over the business. He now owns one hundred and sixty aeres on seetion 7, Oseeola town-
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ship, together with forty acres in Elmira township, all of which he operates. For some time he engaged in the breeding of thoroughbred cattle and is now raising graded stock. This branch of his business is proving important and profitable. He confines his attention closely to his business, and his unfaltering enterprise and unabating energy have been strong elements in his growing success.
In Mareh, 1890, Mr. Lackie was married to Miss Anna P. Bus- well, and to them were born two children. Harry M. and Charles Burton. The elder son is a graduate of the Bradford high school and of the Iowa State Agricultural College at Ames, Iowa, while Cornell College of Iowa conferred upon him the Master's degree. He is now successfully engaged in teaching animal husbandry in the Iowa State Agricultural College. The younger son is assisting his father on the farm.
Mr. Lackie gives his political allegianee to the republican party and keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day, but does not seek nor desire publie office. His life has been pre-eminently that of an active business man. for he finds that the cultivation and management of his farm require all of his time and attention, and in the control of his agricultural interests he is meeting with substantial success.
MRS. MARY R. REDFIELD.
In a history of La Fayette it is imperative that mention be made of Mrs. Mary R. Redfield, who from her early childhood has here resided and is numbered among the prominent pioneer women of Stark county. She was brought to this eounty in her infaney. her birth having occurred in Cleveland, Ohio, May 10, 1836. Her father, John White, was a native of Massachusetts, in which state he was reared to manhood. He was married in Providence, Rhode Island. to Miss Amelia Manning, a native of Pennsylvania, and in the year 1824 they left New England, removing westward to Ohio. They took up their abode upon a farm near Cleveland and while there residing two of their children were born. In 1836 they came to Illinois, making their way direet to Stark county, at which time they settled on a traet of land adjacent to the present town site of La Fayette. Mr. White built thereon a little log house, in which the family lived for a number of years, meeting all of the experiences, hardships and privations of pioneer life. There were also many pleasures to be enjoyed. for at
MRS. MARY R. REDFIELD
LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS J .. CARA
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that time there was a spirit of friendliness and helpfulness which is perhaps not as prevalent at the present time. Mr. White was the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land, which he developed and improved, and he also bought and owned other traets, making judicious investments as his financial resources increased. IIe reared his children upon the home place and there spent his last days, passing away at the age of fifty-three years. His wife survived him for several years.
Mrs. Redfield was reared in La Fayette and is indebted to the publie school system for her educational opportunities. In early life she took up the profession of teaching, which she followed for two terms, but her hand was sought in marriage by Benjamin F. Smith. and in 1855 she became his wife. For a number of years he carried on farming in Stark county, devoting his energies to general agri- cultural pursuits until 1865. Although in poor health, he was drafted into the army and sent to the east, but because of his physical condi- tion was sent to the hospital in Philadelphia, where he died on the 22d of June of that year. He left four children: Frank, a railroad man now residing in St. Joseph, Missouri; Amelia, who died in 1910: Carrie May, the wife of Timothy Bailey, living in the state of Wash- ington: and Jessie, the wife of John Tielow, a farmer of Goshen township.
On the 12th of September, 1867, Mrs. Smith became the wife of Gilbert Redfield, in La Fayette, and they established their home upon a farm near the town, Mr. Redfield being there engaged in the cultivation of the soil for several years. At length they lost their resi- denee by fire, at which time they established their home in the village and Mr. Redfield afterward lived retired until his death, which occurred in 1905. He reached the very advaneed age of eighty years and was one of the venerable citizens of the community, honored and respected by all who knew him.
To Mr. and Mrs. Redfield were born a son and daughter: Arthur, who is now an undertaker and funeral director of Speneer, Iowa: and Mary A., the wife of E. F. Jones, who is one of the publie officials of the state of Washington and has an office in the capitol at Olympia.
Mrs. Redfield is a member of the Woman's Relief Corps and of the Universalist church and is identified with its various auxiliary soeieties. She is today one of the oldest residents of Goshen town- ship and Stark county in years of continuous connection therewith. More than three-quarters of a century have passed since she was brought to this county and she is therefore familiar with almost its Vol. II- 7
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entire history. She is still quite active and her hearing and eyesight are but slightly impaired. She possesses a very retentive memory and relates many interesting incidents of the early days when Stark county was a pioneer district, in which the work of settlement and improvement was thus being commeneed. She has witnessed the many changes that have occurred as pioneer homes have been replaced by modern residences, as candles have given way to kerosene lamps, and these in turn to the gas and electric light. She has seen the build- ing of railroads, the introduction of the telegraph and telephone throughout the state, and her long residence in this county has made her familiar with almost every point of its history.
JAMES HOLGATE.
James Holgate resided in Stark county from 1833 until his death in 1886 and became one of the leading farmers of Penn township. Through untiring industry and the practice of thrift he gained finan- cial independence and passed his last years in Wyoming. He served for a considerable period as county judge and also represented his district in the legislature. IFis birth occurred in Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, on the 26th of July, 1804, and he was a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Sheets) Holgate. His paternal grandfather was a native of England and established the family in the United States.
On reaching manhood James Holgate removed to Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, where he learned the miller's trade, but subsequently he turned his attention to the manufacture of woolen goods and still later, in 1829, established a store at Kingston, Pennsylvania. In 1833 he disposed of that business and removed westward to Stark county, Illinois, purchasing eighty acres three miles northeast of Wyoming, in Penn township. He at once began the improvement of his place and brought it to a high state of cultivation. He found farming profitable and as his resources increased invested in additional land, becoming in time the owner of five hundred and forty acres. He owed his sueeess solely to his hard work and careful management and was very thorough and painstaking in all that he did. In 1875 he removed to Wyoming, where he resided until his death in 1886. He was chosen the first county judge and held that office for eight years, making a record of efficient and conscientious service in that capacity. He was also justice of the peace for some time, represented his district in the state legislature and was elected to other offices of trust. He dis-
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charged his duties with such serupulous regard for the public welfare that there was never the slightest doubt of his integrity.
Mr. Holgate was married in April, 1827. to Miss Sylvina Trux, of Troy, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, who passed away on the farm in Stark county in November, 1872. To them were born twelve chil- dren, namely: Jacob, who died in Oregon: Maria, who married John Snare and died in this eounty : George, who died in infaney : Elizabeth, the deceased wife of William P. Buswell: Erastus, who died in Oregon; Charles, a resident of Manhattan, Montana; Mary Ann, who married Calvin Hart and resides in Nebraska; Harriet, the deceased wife of E. Gharett: J. R., a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; William, an aceount of whose life is given on another page of this work : Martha, who died in girlhood : and Reuben, deceased.
Mr. Holgate was a lifelong democrat and did everything in his power to promote the success of that party at the polls. At one time he belonged to the Methodist church, of which his wife was a member from girlhood until her death. They were among the early settlers of the county and their many sterling qualities gained them the sincere respect of all who knew them, while those who were closely associated with them held them in warm personal regard.
JOIIN WESLEY RIST.
John Wesley Rist, who owns ten aeres adjoining Toulon. gives some time to the cultivation of his land but devotes the greater part of his attention to weaving rugs and carpets and to the operation of his cleaning plant. IIe was born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, on the 18th of October, 1853, a son of Martin and Elizabeth (Myers) Rist, both natives of Pennsylvania. In 1857 or 1858 the family removed to Stark county, Illinois, and located in Toulon township, where the father purchased one hundred and sixty aeres of raw prairie land. In a comparatively short time he had brought his place under cultivation and as the years passed he continued to improve it. He also purchased other land, and at the time of his death owned three Imindred and sixty aeres. His first wife, the mother of our subject, died many years ago, and he afterward married Mrs. Elizabeth Morris, who also preceded him in death. Ile passed away in Toulon in 1909. He gave his political allegiance to the republican party for some time but later became identified with the prohibition party. He
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never used liquor or tobacco in any form, and all of his sons have followed his excellent example. His religious faith, which was that of the Methodist church, guided his life, and he was one of the most influential members of the local church. Three sons and a daughter were born to his first marriage, and a daughter and a son to his second, namely: John Wesley; Ervin, who died in childhood; Franklin, who is a Methodist minister and is located in Kansas: Sarah Ann, the wife of Joseph Chase, of Toulon: Onetta, who married Mardo Leitch and resides in Iowa; and Benjamin, who is a Methodist minister stationed near Chicago, Illinois.
John W. Rist was reared upon the home farm and followed agricultural pursuits for a number of years although he never found farming very congenial. For five years he resided in Spring Hill, Warren county, Iowa, and subsequently returned to Stark county and operated the homestead for some time. In 1904 he purchased ten acres adjoining Toulon, where he has since lived. He does a little farming but devotes the greater part of his time to other pursuits. He is an expert weaver of rugs and carpets and has no difficulty in find- ing a sale for his work. He also has a plant for cleaning rugs and carpets and as he is much interested in mechanics and industrial pro- cesses of various kinds he finds this phase of his activity very con- genial. Everything that he does is well done, and his work yields him a good ineome.
Mr. Rist was married in 1879 to Miss Alice M. Goodale, a native of this county and a daughter of Gustavus Goodale, an early settler here. To this union have been born eight children, namely: Charles, a farmer of Toulon township, who married a Miss Massie, by whom he has three children; Winfred James, a resident of Burt. Iowa, who married Miss Emma Winans, by whom he has two children: Martin G., a farmer of Alberta, Canada, who married Miss Lillian Clay- baugh and had four children, but two died in infancy; Avery M., of Carthage. South Dakota, who wedded Miss Gertrude Jones, by whom he has two children: Elsie, the wife of Harley Rhodes, a farmer of Goshen township, by whom she has two children: Clara, who married Walter Knapp, of Toulon township, by whom she has four children: Frank. a resident of Galva, who married Miss Ada Greenwood, by whom he has four children: and Gelila. at home.
Mr. Rist is a supporter of the prohibition party as he is firmly convinced that many of the problems of the day have their origin in the liquor traffic. He is also much opposed to the use of tobacco. believing it injurious to health. He and his family are all members of the Methodist church, and he is serving on the official board. His
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influence is always on the side of reform and righteousness, and there has never been the slightest question as to his integrity. He is well known and highly esteemed.
SAMUEL L. HANKS.
Samuel L. Hanks. one of the active and progressive men of Stark county, is engaged in the hardware and implement business at La Fay- ette, where for sixteen years he has conducted his store. There have been no spectacular phases in his career but the persistent purpose with which he has managed his interests and the sound judgment which he displays in the control of his agricultural affairs have brought him a gratifying measure of success. Numbered among Illinois' native sons, he was born in Albany. Whiteside county, July 16, 1864. His father, Sanmel S. Hanks, was born in Kentucky and was a son of Thomas Hanks, also a native of that state and a brother of Naney Hanks, who became the mother of Abraham Lincoln.
Samnel S. Hanks was reared in Kentneky and when a young man removed to Illinois, establishing his home in Whiteside county. He later followed boating on the Mississippi river and became a pilot, devoting many years to that life and being a well-known figure in connection with the navigation interests of the upper Mississippi. He was married in Henry county to Miss Hannah Stagg, a native of Ohio, who came to Illinois when a maiden of ten summers. Following his marriage Mr. Hanks continmed to act as a pilot on the Mississippi during his aetive life but is now living retired in Princeton, Iowa, enjoying a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves.
Samnel L. Hanks was reared in Seott county, lowa, from the age of three years and was edueated in the Princeton sehools. When a young man he went upon the river with his father and there learned the business of piloting. To that work he devoted eighteen years, continuing active in that field of labor until he reached the age of thirty-four. The year 1900 witnessed his arrival in La Fayette. at which time he purchased a half interest in a hardware store and thus became identified with the business interests of the town. Snecess attended him in this venture, and in 1903 he became sole proprietor of the business by the purchase of his partner's interest. He carries a large and well selected line of shelf and heavy hardware and farm implements, building up a good trade, his patronage increasing year hy year. He has ever recognized the fact that satisfied patrons are the
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best advertisement, and he has always made it his aim and purpose to please his customers in the line of goods carried and in the reasonable prices offered. He was also one of the promoters of the La Fayette State Bank and is a stockholder of the La Fayette Fair Association, which he aided in organizing. IIe is likewise connected with the La Fayette Hotel Company, which erected an eight thousand dollar hotel in the town. In business affairs he displays keen discrimination and readily diseriminates between the essential and the non-essential.
Mr. Hanks was married in Princeton, Iowa, October 26. 1898, to Miss Anna Schmalz, who was born and reared in that city, and by her marriage has beeome the mother of two children: Linian, who died in infaney ; and Elinor Collette, who died in her second year.
Mr. and Mrs. Ilanks are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he is serving on its board of trustees. IFe is a member of the Masonie lodge at La Fayette, of which he is the treasurer, and he and his wife are identified with the Eastern Star. IIe is likewise eon- nected with La Fayette Lodge. I. O. O. F., in which he has filled all of the chairs and is now a past grand, while in the Grand Lodge of the state he has twice represented the local organization. He and his wife are identified with the Rebekah degree. Their influence is always a feature in public progress and improvement in the community in which they live. Mr. Hanks has served for three terms as a member of the village board. and his aetive support of every movement and plan for the general good has been of great benefit to the town. IIe possesses many sterling traits of character. ineluding progressiveness and reliability in business, fidelity in citizenship and loyalty in friendship.
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