USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside County, Illinois, from its earliest settlement to 1908, Vol. I > Part 51
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On the 12th of March, 1890, Mr. McWhorter was married to Miss Ara- bella M. Beale, a daughter of Jacob M. and Margaret (Sturtz) Beale. The paternal grandfather was Nicholas Beale, a native of Pennsylvania; who wedded Mary . Hardin and followed the occupation of farming as a life work. . He died when past middle life, having reared a large family. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. McWhorter was John Sturtz, a native of Pennsylvania and a farmer by occupation. He married Rebecca Beale, who survived her husband for several years and lived to an advanced age. The parents of Mrs. McWhorter were natives of Somerset county, Pennsylvania: The father was a farmer during the greater part of his life and afterward conducted a general store near Ursina in Somerset county, Pennsylvania. He was a soldier of the Civil war, serving throughout the period of hostilities. He died in Ohio at the age of seventy-three years, while his wife died in 1879, when more than forty-nine years of age. They were Lutheran in religious faith. In their family were two sons and five daughters, as follows: Calvin L .; Charles H .; Mary J., the wife of Thomas Costello; Elizabeth, the wife of William Martz; Martha L., the wife of Charles L. Walker; Arabella, the wife of William L. McWhorter; Amanda L., who died at the age of two years. Calvin was killed in a railroad accident when not quite twenty-one years of age.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. McWhorter were born three children: Margaret L., Pauline and Alden Lynn. Of these Pauline dicd at the age of six months and Alden L. at the age of thirteen months. The parents are members of St. John's Lutheran church and Mr. McWhorter belongs to the Modern Woodmen
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of America. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and wherever le sees an opportunity to advance community interests or to promote the general welfare he eagerly embraces it. In his business career he has so labored as to win gratifying success and is thus enabled to spend the evening of life in well earned retirement from further labor.
J. H. MOSHER, M. D.
Dr. J. H. Mosher deserves mention among those whose lives have been eminently successful by reason of their own labors and intelligently directed energy. He is engaged in the practice of medicine at Prophetstown and at the same time is one of the most extensive landowners of this part of the state, hav- ing two thousand acres of income property, including some of the best farm land of Whiteside county. . He was born near Frankfort, Herkimer county, New York, April 26, 1840. The Mosher family is of English descent and traces its connection with American interests from the time of the burning of Saybrook, Connecticut, by the Indians. The parents of Dr. Mosher were George F. and Elizabeth (Tienan) Mosher, the former a native of Maine and the latter of New York city. Both died in Oswego county, New York, however. Their family numbered seven children: George R., who was a well-known merchant and wealthy business man of Oswego county, New York, who died several years ago; William, who passed away in the same county ; J. H., of this review; John E., who is connected with copper mines in Ari- zona; Hamilton A., who is living in Oswego county, New York; Elizabeth, who died in Herkimer county, New York; and Katherine, whose death oc- curred in Oswego county, that state.
Dr. Mosher was reared upon a farm to the age of thirteen years and re- mained with his parents in Oswego county, New York, through the period of his boyhood and youth. His time was divided between the work of the home farm and the duties of the schoolroom and his early education was sup- plemented by study in the academy in the village of Mexico. He left the cast in 1863 and with his brother John E. went to California, where he cn- gaged in teaching, as principal of the school at Eureka, California, for three years. On the expiration of that period he made his way to New York city and entered the Bellevue Hospital Medical College. Later he continued his preparation for the profession as a student in the Long Island College Hos- pital from which he received his degree in 1867.
Having thus qualified for the practice of medicine and surgery, Dr. Mosher came to Prophetstown, arriving in the month of October following his graduation. He at once opened an office for general practice and throughout. the intervening years has been accorded a liberal patronage. From 1871 until 1890 he conducted a drug store where he now has his office. He built the pres- ent business block and after carrying on the drug store with success for about. nineteen years he disposed of his stock of goods, retaining only his office room here. While he is widely recognized as an able physician and is accorded an extensive patronage, he has not confined his attention exclusively to his pro-
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fessional duties but has become recognized as an active business man in other lines. In connection with S. G. Baldwin he built the first brick block in this village in 1871. It was not built as a partnership affair, but by arrangements they erected the two buildings side by side at the same time. Dr. Mosher has always been interested to a greater or less extent in real estate since attaining his majority. He bought property in California and in 1873 made his first investment in farm land in Illinois, becoming owner of a half section in Whiteside county. He has since increased his holdings from time to time until he now has about two thousand acres, all lying in this county with ex- ception of a tract of two hundred and forty acres in Iowa which has been in his possession for thirty-one years. He does not buy property for speculation but always improves it and retains it as a source of income. All of the land is cultivated and in the placing of his investments and in the supervision of his landed interests he shows sound judgment and keen discernment. He also owns town property and in connection with his brother Hamilton owns a cottage in the Thousand Islands, where he spends the summer seasons.
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In 1871 Dr. Mosher was united in marriage to Miss Florence Warner, who was born in 1853, daughter of A. J. Warner. Mrs. Mosher died in 1890, leaving two children: Maude, who was born in 1873 and died in 1894, at the age of twenty-one years; and George, who was born in 1878 and is now a physician of Chicago, associated, as assistant, with E. Fletcher Ingals, a spe- cialist of Rush Medical College in the treatment of diseases of the chest, nose and throat. He is a graduate of the Madison University, of the Chicago Uni- versity and the Rush Medical College, receiving the Doctor of Philosophy degree from the first named, the Bachelor of Science degree from the Chicago University, and his professional degrec from Rush Medical College. In 1894 Dr. J. H. Mosher was again married, his second union being with Nellie M. Barnes, a native of Turner Junction, now West Chicago. She came to White- side county at the age of thirteen years with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles C. Barnes, of Morrison. Onc son has been born of the second mar- riage, James B., now twelve years of age.
While Dr. Mosher has led a most busy and useful life in connection with his professional duties and his extensive business interests, he is also well known as a leader in the ranks of the republican party in this county. He was a delegate to the republican national convention when U. S. Grant was defeated for the third nomination. He has frequently been a delegate to the district and state conventions and his opinions carry weight in the local coun- cils of his party. He has been active in educational affairs, serving on the board of education of Prophetstown since 1876 with the exception of one year and acting as president of the board throughout the entire period. He assisted largely in erecting the present school building and does everything in his power to further the cause of public instruction. He has served on the town board and for a long period has been its president, thus taking an active and helpful part in the management of community interests. He was also a member of the board of pension examiners for four years, beginning in 1891, his appointment coming to him unsolicited. Fraternally he is connected with Masons and holds membership with the Knight Templar Commandery of
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Sterling. He belongs to the State Medical Society and keeps in interested touch with the advancement of the profession although during the last six years he has confined his attention to office practice.
When ambition is satisfied every ultimate aim accomplished, satiety fol- lows, effort languishes and industry becomes futile. It is the man who is not satisfied with present conditions who delights in doing, who finds pleasure in cxerting his powers and in solving intricate problems that becomes a forceful factor in the world's development. From early youth Dr. Mosher has been one of the world's workers and his success, so great as to seem almost magical, is attributable entirely to his own labors. There have been difficulties and ob- stacles in his path but he has overcome these by determined purpose and laudable endeavor, and by unfaltering industry, integrity and wise investment has gradually advanced to the goal of prosperity.
LEANDER SMITH.
Leander Smith, now deccased, was for many years a well known banker of, Morrison and one of the most prominent business men of northern Illinois. His business interests, wide in scope and important in character, brought to him notable success and at the same time proved a factor in the rapid and substantial development of the localities in which he operated. He arrived in Whiteside county in 1856 and was identified with its interests until his demise. He was born February 10, 1819, at Templeton, Massachusetts, and was descended from Puritan ancestry. The early home of the family was at Ipswich, Massachusetts, but Nathan and Nancy (Lampson) Smith, the parents of our subject, were both born at Mount Vernon, New Hampshire, the former in 1777 and the latter in 1782. They had but two sons, Nathan and Leander. The father, a woolen manufacturer and farmer, removed to Templeton, Massachusetts, in an early day and in 1838 took up his abode at Royalston, where he died in 1849, while his wife passed away there in 1854.
Leander Smith remained upon the home farm until sixteen years of age, when he became a student in the academy at Ipswich, Massachusetts, and acquired a good education. At seventeen years of age he taught school, following the profession for six years. In the meantime he took up the study of medicine, matriculating in the medical department of Dartmouth College, from which he was graduated in 1842, at the age of twenty-three years. He practiced his profession successfully for three years at Richmond, Vermont, and thence went to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, where the lumber resources of the district were being developed. He located at Elkland and from 1845 until 1853 was identified with various interests in the county. His professional skill won him a large and lucrative practice and his energy and keen business insight proved strong elements in the success that attended other business ventures. He became successfully engaged in the lumber business and was also connected with mercantile projects of considerable proportion.
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Attracted by the reports concerning the gold discoverics on the Pacific coast, in March, 1849, he started for California, participating in the life of the state at the time when the present capital city was but a village of tents and San Francisco contained only a few houses. There was no well organ- ized government and many desperate and criminal characters were found in that region, drawn thither by the opportunities afforded for carrying on their depredations. Mr. Smith engaged in prospecting on the north fork of the American river for a year and rendered efficient aid to the administration of measures to secure protection to the people. He met with good success during the year of his residence in California and in 1850 returned to Pennsylvania, where he resumed his former duties and business connection. He afterward went to Vinton, Iowa, where in 1853 he opened an office for the practice of his profession, also becoming an active factor in the general business life of the place. He owned a large tract of government land upon which he platted a part of the town.
After a year he removed to Lyons, Iowa, and was identified with its professional and commercial interests until 1856, when he arrived in Fulton, Whiteside county, Illinois. He was a man of keen business discernment, readily recognizing and utilizing opportunities, and here he devoted his time to financial projects and enterprises and was also engaged extensively in the manufacture and sale of lumber for ten years. He also purchased large tracts of government land in Wisconsin and Minnesota, from which he cut the timber and then sold the land to those who wished to become permanent settlers. In 1856 he established the banking house of Smith, Root & Com- pany, owning a controlling interest therein until 1864, in which year the financial institution of L. Smith & Company was established at Morrison. The following year it was converted into the First National Bank, of which . Mr. Smith became president and A. J. Jackson cashier. In 1876 Mr. Smith took up his abode in Morrison and two years later founded the banking house of Smith & Mackay, an institution which soon took rank with the leading financial enterprises of this part of the state. Mr. Smith was also interested in the real-estate business and owned and assisted in the improvement of two thousand acres of land in Whiteside county, besides several thousand acres in Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Minnesota. He was considered to be the financial head of Whiteside county and he belonged to that class of typical American citizens who in advancing individual interests also contribute to the public welfare.
'In August, 1843, at Richmond, New Hampshire, Leander Smith wedded Miss Elizabeth Parkhurst, a daughter of Dr. John Parkhurst, of that place. Her death occurred at Elkland, Pennsylvania, January 31, 1851, and on the 2d of May, 1855, Mr. Smith wedded Miss Dolly A. Allen, a native of Cort- land, New York. They became the parents of six children, Alice, Anna E., Frank L., Lewis W., Edward A. and Harry W. The mother was a daughter of Edward Allen, a granddaughter of Joseph Allen, a soldier of the Revolu- tionary war, and a great-granddaughter of Zebulon Allen, who was the first 1
lieutenant in the Colonial army in the struggle for independence. One of the sons of Leander and Dolly A. (Allen) Smith, Frank L., was born June 26,
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1861, at Fulton, Illinois, and attended the public schools and the University at Champaign. At the age of twenty he entered his father's bank as cashier and remained in that position until his death, which occurred at Pasadena, California, in February, 1887. He married Gertrude Thatcher, a daughter of W. H. Thatcher, a pioneer of this county. He made his home in Sterling and for many years was county treasurer, but now resides in Morrison. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Frank L. Smith was celebrated in 1886 and his death occurred the following year.
In 1868 Leander Smith again visited California and noted with interest the many changes that had occurred in business conditions, in the govern- ment and in the social and moral life of the city. He belonged to the Masonic fraternity and was a Baptist in religious belief, in which connection he accorded to all the right to their individual opinions. He gave his political allegiance to Jeffersonian democracy until 1848, when he cast his ballot for Martin Van Buren, the presidential candidate of the free-soil party. From 1856 until his death he was one of the stalwart advocates of the republican party, and was deeply interested in its success and growth. While at Fulton he was elected to represent the district in the state legislature from 1862 until 1864 and while a member of the house served on the committee on banks, corporations, state institutions and others of less importance. He also intro- · duced a number of important bills, including the one for the building of the Rockford, Rock Island & St. Louis Railroad, now a part of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy system. He filled the office of city councilman in Ful- ton for a number of years, was also city treasurer and for a time was alder- man at Morrison. In all of these official positions his labors were marked by a singleness of purpose that never left room for question as to his loyalty or his patriotism. On the organization of the college of northern Illinois at Fulton he became a member of its board of trustees and served as its treasurer until his death, having entire charge of the endowment fund. He died August 7, 1889, and Whiteside county lost one of its most distinguished citi- zens-a man whom to know was to respect and honor and who, though eminently successful in business life, ever followed methods which were above reproach or suspicion.
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EDWARD BEHRENS.
Edward Behrens, whose business career was ever active, honorable and upright, left to his family, at his death, an untarnished name. He was born in Oldenburg, Germany, August 30, 1850, and was a son of Frederick and Rinsty (Wilms) Behrens, also natives of Germany. In their family were two children, one of whom died in infancy. After losing his first wife the father married again and there were two children of that union: Bernard, who died when a young man; and August, who lives in Montmorency town- ship, this county. In 1866 the father came to America with his second wife and settled in Whiteside county, Illinois, near Dinsmoor. A few years later
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he bought a farm in Montmorency township, comprising one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he brought under a high state of cultivation, suc- cessfully carrying on the work of the fields for many years. He was born February 27, 1819, and died April 6, 1891, at the age of seventy-two years, having for some time survived his second wife.
Edward Behrens acquired a good education in the schools of Germany, manifesting special aptitude in his studies, and for one season he was a student in an English school in this country. He was reared on his father's farm, making his home with his parents until he attained his majority, although he occasionally worked out by the month. He was a youth of fifteen years when the family crossed the Atlantic to the new world and for forty-years was a resident of Whiteside county and an interested witness of the events which have shaped its policy and formulated its history.
On the 2d of May, 1878, Mr. Behrens was married to Miss Catharine Bon- gartz, a daughter of Wilhelm and Gertrude (Evan) Bongartz. Mrs. Behrens was born at Cologne, Germany, and came to America with her widowed mother and two brothers in 1870, after the French war, her father having died in Germany when she was six years of age. The death of her mother occurred in Sterling in 1890 when she was about seventy-two years of age. The family numbered two sons and four daughters: Elizabeth, the widow of Adam Hut- ton, of Sterling; Maria, the widow of Martin Roff, of Chicago; Frank Bon- gartz, who makes his home in Sterling; Agnes, the deceased wife of Robert Babelick, her death occurring in Germany; Mrs. Behrens; and Henry Bon- gartz, who lives in Sterling. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Behrens were born three sons, but all died in infancy.
Following his marriage Mr. Behrens worked for a time in the wire mill in Sterling and subsequently bought a farm of eighty acres in Montmorency township. There he lived for seven years and afterward bought another farm of forty acres. Subsequently he disposed of both of those places and invested in one hundred and fifty-six acres in Montmorency township but removed to Sterling, where he established a coal business. After his father's death Edward Behrens became administrator of the estate and, withdrawing from the coal trade, took up his abode upon his father's farm, which he con- ducted for a year. He then sold his interest in the place to his brother and became a dealer in agricultural implements at Rock Falls in partnership with Jacob Hoffman under the firm style of Hoffman & Bchrens. They continued together for several years with good success, after which Mr. Behrens retired. During all this time he retaincd the ownership of his farm of one hundred and sixty acres -but since his death Mrs. Behrens has sold it to his brother August.
It was on the 10th of May, 1906, that Mr. Behrens passed away, when nearly fifty-six years of age. He belonged to St. John's Lutheran church, having been confirmed in the Lutheran faith at the age of fourteen years. He became a charter member of the organization of that denomination at Rock Falls and when he removed to Sterling transferred his membership here. He was a highly respected citizen, who in every relation of life was found true to his duties and to any trust reposed in him. He held membership with
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the Knights of the Globe and was president of the local organization at the time of his death. He served as a school director in Montmorency township and the cause of education ever found in him a warm friend. He was a manly man, who held to high ideals in citizenship and in business, while friendship with him was inviolable. Those who knew him entertained for him the warm- est regard in recognition of his genuine worth, and his death was the occasion of deep sorrow to many who had known him and had learned to appreciate his good qualities of heart and mind .. Mrs. Behrens still survives her hus- band and owns a good home at No. 310 Fourth avenue, where she now resides amid the many friends whom she has made in Sterling.
LOTT SOUTHARD PENNINGTON, M. D.
Man's worth in the world is determined by his usefulness-by what he has accomplished for his fellowmen-and he is certainly deserving of the greatest honor and regard whose efforts have been of the greatest benefit to his fellow citizens. Judged by this standard, Dr. Lott Southard Pennington could well be accounted one of the distinguished citizens of Sterling. His life was ever helpful in its nature whether as a physician, in other business lines or in the public service. He met, too, with a measure of success' that made him one of the leading landowners of Whiteside county and the strong determination, laudable purpose and unfaltering perseverance which he man- ifested constitute an example that is well worthy of emulation.
Dr. Pennington was born at Somerset, New Jersey, November 12, 1812, his parents being Elijah and Martha (Todd) Pennington, who were likewise natives of that state. The family numbered three sons and two daughters, but all are now deceased. Dr. Pennington acquired his early education at Somerville, Somerset county, New Jersey, attending a private academy there, while later he pursued his studies in an educational institution at Basking- ridge, New Jersey. His more specifically literary education was supplemented by preparation for the practice of medicine and surgery in New York city and in 1836 he came to the middle west, establishing his home in Jerseyville, Jersey county, Illinois, where he engaged in the active practice of medicine until 1839.
Through the following year he was a practitioner in Sterling and in 1840 he purchased a tract of land and turned his attention to general agri- cultural pursuits. In 1841 he began the cultivation of fruit and ornamental trees and in this connection did an important work, demonstrating the possi- bilities for horticultural development in the state. Gradually he built up a nursery business, in which he continued for fifteen years, having the second nursery in northern Illinois. He sent out only the best nursery stock and did much toward promoting the attractiveness of Illinois by reason of its fine orchards and the shade and ornamental trees used in adorning town, village and country seat. Along legitimate lincs he conducted his business, year after year adding to his profits and as his financial resources increased he made purchases of land from time to time until he was the owner of eight
Lors Pennington.
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hundred acres of as fine land as could be found in Illinois, all under cultiva- tion. Hc devoted the latter part of his life to scientific farming and kindred pursuits. He studied closely the conditions of soil and climate and plant food, made experiments and proved his theories to be practical ideas. Hc was not only interested in the conditions of the country as secu at the present time, but also in the study of geology-the construction of the earth's surface and those periods known in scientific parlance as the coal, glacial and other periods. He was always a student, carrying his investigations far and wide into various realms of knowledge. For many years he was a member of the State Horticultural Society and thoroughly informed himself concerning the cultivation of fruit, the soil required for its propagation and the climatic conditions necessary to bring it to perfection. He believed in progress and realized that there is no such thing as standing still-that one must either advance or go backward-and his coursc was ever forward. He was always willing to give a bit of advice or speak a word of encouragement when the opportune moment came and his broad scientific as well as practical knowl- edge made his counsel of recognized worth in the community.
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