USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside County, Illinois, from its earliest settlement to 1908, Vol. I > Part 62
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The marriage of Mr. Wetherbee to Miss Margaret L. Penrose was eele- brated in Sterling township, October 5, 1865. The lady was born May 26, 1840, in Belmont, Ohio, and is a daughter of Mark and Harriet (Jones) Pen-
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rose, who were natives of Pennsylvania and England respectively. The year 1844 witnessed their arrival in Sterling township, where the mother died February 17, 1848, while the father has also passed away. Their family numbered six children: Robert F., William M., Margaret L., Rachel C., Ed- win J. and Harrict. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wetherbee were born four children : Mary P., who is living at home; Ella D., who died March 26, 1904; Charles Earle, an architect in Sterling; and Harriet Addic, the wife of Clarence C. Johnson, who is assistant superintendent of the American District Telegraph and in charge of nearly half of the western offices.
Mr. Wetherbee, although approaching the limit of years allotted to man by the psalmist, is still strong and vigorous in mind and body. Like all broad- minded and public-spirited men, he is intensely interested in the history of his county and in all that has been accomplished during the long period of his residence here. Few men have more intimate knowledge of the events which form its annals and he relates in most entertaining way the story of pioneer life. He has lived to see the cabin home replaced by large, commodious and substantial farm residences, the prairies and woodland converted into beauti- ful and productive farms and the hamlets and villages grow into thriving towns and cities, while churches, schools, business interests and all the cvi- dences of a modern civilization have been introduced. At all times he has kept abreast with the trend of modern progress, not only in agricultural lines but also in his interest in the issues and questions of the day which are shap- ing national as well as local history. He is one of Whiteside county's most es- teenied and honored citizens and no record of this section of the state would be complete without mention of the Wetherbec family.
Taking an active part in political affairs, he has been called upon to serve as road commissioner for six years and as supervisor of Sterling township for thirteen ycars, resigning the latter office when clected to the legislature in November; 1902. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonic order. At the present time he is engaged in preparing a book describing his life in the army, . the facts being taken from a diary which he kept during his service and in which he wrote of his experience every day.
ANDREW THOMAS GLASSBURN.
Andrew Thomas Glassburn is cashier of the Bank of Tampico, the only one in the village, and while his father, John W. Glassburn, retains the presidency, the son is the manager of the business, which is one of profit to the community as well as to the owners. In tracing the early history of the Glassburns, we note that John Glassburn, grandfather of our subject. was a native of Virginia and in his boyhood days went with his parents to Ohio, where he met and married Miss Sarah Ann Fce, a native of Vinton county, that state. In later years they removed to Whiteside county, Illinois, and John Glassburn purchased a farm about six miles southeast of Tampico, becoming owner of this property in the '80s. He made it his home through-
MR. AND MRS. J. W. GLASSBURN
LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA
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out his remaining days and passed away when about sixty-seven years of age, while his wife died at the advanced age of eighty-two years. In their family were six children: David, Thomas, John, Albert, Sally Ann and Mary, all of whom were farming people, but John W. is the only one now living.
For many years John W. Glassburn has figured as one of the prominent and influential residents of Tampico and this part of the county, success- fully controlling constantly increasing business interests, and now in the evening of life living retired in the enjoyment of well-earned ease. His birth occurred in Springfield township, Gallia county, Ohio, June 26, 1834, and there he resided on the home farm with his parents until he attained his majority, when he resolved to see something of the world and find better business opportunities elsewhere if possible. In the meantime he acquired his education in the district school, he and his brother riding several miles on horseback in order to pursue their studies. Later a little log schoolhouse was built nearer their home and John W. Glassburn had the privilege of attending school from two to two and a half months in the winter seasons. In the school of experience, however, he has learned many valuable lessons, and reading and observation, coupled with an observing eye and retentive memory, have constantly broadened his knowledge and increased his effec- tiveness as a factor in the business world. As a boy of nineteen years he came to Whiteside county to look over the country and for a time worked for a man on the Fox river. Later he hired out to Jacob Black, proprietor of a gristmill at Milford, with whom he continued through the winter. Pleased with the country, Mr. Glassburn purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land from Mr. Black, or rather made arrangements for the purchase, as he , had no money. He then returned to his old home in Ohio and induced his father to come out and buy the farm of one hundred and sixty acres upon which he is now living, for the village of Tampico has been built upon this . farm.
On the 14th of June, 1855, John W. Glassburn was married to Miss Olive Johnston, whose birth occurred in Gallia county, Ohio, January 10, 1836. The marriage was celebrated in their native state and in the fall of 1856 they journeyed across the country from Ohio to Illinois, making the trip in a wagon after the primitive manner of travel of those days. Mr. Glassburn then set the cover off the lumber wagon and used it as a shelter until he could build a house. The place was two miles north of Yorktown. It was not the farm which his father had purchased, but he lived there for two years, or until he broke the land and made some improvements upon the present farm. Since the spring of 1861 he has lived continuously upon the farm which his father purchased. The first building erected was a gran- ary and he occupied it as a dwelling until a frame house was crccted. He continued to occupy that dwelling for a number of years, when it was moved away and replaced by his present fine brick residence in 1887. Mr. Glass- burn carried on general farming until the railroad was built through in 1871, when he platted the town of Tampico. He gave his entire attention to the work for a year and then engaged in the grain and stock business, shipping 'grain and stock from Tampico. That venture proved successful
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and he continued in the grain and stock business for about thirty years, meeting with prosperity. In 1882 he, with W. W. Craddock, established a private bank to accommodate the people of the vicinity, but for a time re- garded banking as a side issue. This continued until March 1, 1885, when Mr. Craddock retired from the bank and A. T. Glassburn purchased his inter- ests. About 1882 he built his present bank building and made a separate business of his banking interests. This was the first and is today the only bank in the village. Mr. Glassburn is still its president, but several years ago turned over the active management to his son Thomas, and admitted his son Fred to a partnership in the grain trade. He has always engaged to a greater or less extent in real-estate operations, buying and selling land on quite an extensive scale and eventually becoming the owner of fourtecn hun- dred acres in one body west of the town. It was known as the Lawndale farm, and in addition to this property he had several smaller tracts of land. Hc has since disposed of much of his realty, however, although he is still the owner of two good farms. He has also erected a number of dwellings and business houses in Tampico and has thus contributed in substantial measure to the welfare and improvement of the village.
John W. Glassburn gave his early political support to the democracy, but voted for Abraham Lincoln and other candidates of the republican party and is now a prohibitionist in political principle. He casts an independent ballot, however, as the prohibition party often has no ticket in the field. His fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, have frequently called him to office. He has been president of the town board for many years and would have filled other offices to which his fellow townsmen would have elected him had he not declined to do so. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church, but is not aggressively sectarian, and on the contrary no good work done in the name of charity or religion solicits his aid in vain. He has given lots to all of the different denominations represented in Tampico and has assisted all in building their churches. He likewise gave the lots for the school grounds and has taken a deep and helpful interest in the cause of education, advocating the employment of good teachers and the constant improvement of the school system. As a member of the school board he has done effective work in this regard, and as a private citizen he is continually laboring for the interests of the community along lines of material improve- ment. He is a prominent Mason, holding membership in the lodge, the chapter and the commandery.
In 1905 Mr. Glassburn was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the 21st of September of that year. She was a lady of many excellent traits of heart and mind, and her death was deeply deplored by many friends. The family numbered six children: A. Thomas, who is cashier of the bank; Jennie E., the wife of Glenn Reeve, of Denver, Colo- rado; May, the wife of Silas Hovey, of Independence, Iowa; John E., who died at the age of fifteen years; Fred E., who died at the age of twenty-seven years; and Ina, who died in infancy.
Andrew Thomas Glassburn, whose name introduces this record, . was born in Springfield township, Gallia county, Ohio, October 4, 1856, and was
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therefore only a few months old when brought by his parents to Whiteside county in January, 1857. Here he has lived continuously since-an inter- ested witness of the changes that have occurred, bearing his full share in the progress that has been wrought as the county has kept pace with modern civilization. His youth was spent as that of most farm boys and he attended the common schools until 1875. He then entered his father's grain office in the capacity of clerk and in 1879 was admitted to a partnership under the firm style of J. W. Glassburn & Son. This business relation was maintained until March 1, 1885, when he became connected with the bank, giving up his interest in the grain business and becoming sole owner of the Bank of Tampieo in 1887. Although his father is nominally president, he has been the active manager for the past twenty years, his official designation being that of cashier. He has developed the bank in accordance with the growth of the village and surrounding district and the institution has become a valued enterprise in this locality.
On the 10th of September, 1878, Mr. Glassburn was married to Miss Minnie V. Smith, a native of this county and a daughter of A. M. and Laura Smith. The mother is now deceased and for the past twelve years the father has lived with Mr. and Mrs. Glassburn. There are now two sons in the family: Asa Clyde, who is acting as cashier of the bank; and Vernon Lynn, who is a student in Phillips Academy at Andover, Massachusetts.
Mr. and Mrs. Glassburn are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in the work of which they take an active and helpful part, doing all in their power to promote its progress. Mr. Glassburn has for the past fifteen years been superintendent of the Sunday school and is also a member of the church board of trustees. His political views were formerly in accord with the principles of democraey, but during the past ten years he has announced his belief in the principles of the prohibition party, but casts an independent local ballot. He has been a member of the village board for a number of years and its president for some time. While in office his course was char- acterized by the utmost devotion to the general good and in every relation of life he is known as a man reliable, enterprising and progressive. The fact that his staunchest friends are among those who have known him from his boyhood to the present is an indication that his has been a most honorable career.
CHARLES DETRA.
The attractiveness of Whiteside county as a place of residence finds proof in the fact that many of her native sons have remained within her borders and in the utilization of the opportunities which she offers have found chance for orderly progression in the business world and have gathered substantial benefits as the result of their labors. To this class belongs Charles Detra, who was born in Jordan township, February 1, 1864. He is a son of William and Margaret (Fry) Detra. The father is now residing at Malvern, at the age of
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almost eighty-two years, but, the mother died January 21, 1902, at the age of seventy-two years. They came to Whiteside county in February, 1858, from Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, settling in Jordan township. Thirteen years later they removed to Clyde township and Mr. Detra still owns a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, which is now operated by his son Charles. He had practically nothing to begin life with when he came to this county. His wife had cleven hundred dollars in gold, received from her father, John S. Fry, who came to Illinois at the same time from Pennsylvania. Mr. Fry invested in land in Genesce and Jordan townships and through careful man- agement and judicious investments acquired wealth as the years rolled on. He was closely associated with agricultural interests here until his demise, which occurred when cighty-nine years of age.
Diligently and persistently .William Detra carried on his farm work year af- ter year and the success which he achieved was attributable entirely to his own well directed labor and capable management. He now derives a good income from his farm, which enables him, in his declining days, to enjoy many of the comforts and luxuries of life which were denied him in earlier years. His early political allegiance was given to the whig party, which he supported until its dissolution, when he joined the ranks of the new republican party and has since loyally followed its banners. He has never cared for nor accepted office yet has not been remiss in the duties of citizenship in giving his cn- dorsement and support to many movements for the public good. He is a member of the Brethren church, and high and honorable principles have been his guide through life.
In his family were the following children, the eldest being Rebecca, now the wife of Josephi Willard Murry, a painter and paper-hanger of the village of Malvern. The others are: Mary, who is living with her father; John, a resident of Malvern; William, who resides near Clarksville, in Butler county, Iowa; George, who is also living in the same locality; Ira, a farmer of Albany, this county ; Charles, whose name introduces this review ; and Malin, who makes his home at Hooppole, Henry county, Illinois. They also lost three children : Frank, who died at the age of fourteen years; Joseph, who died at the age of two years; and Edward, who died at the age of five months. ,
Charles Detra in early boyhood attended the district schools and after- ward spent one year as a student in the Northern Indiana Normal College, at Valparaiso. He was early trained to the work of the home farm and has largely followed that occupation through his active business life. He has continuously cultivated the old homestead farm for the past fourteen years and has brought the land under a high state of improvement. In all of his methods he is practical and keeps in touch with the most advanced ideas of progressive agriculture.
Mr. Detra was married in Malvern on Christmas day of 1898 to Miss Mary Taylor, who was there born and was reared in Whiteside county. Her parents were William M. and Lizzie (Horning) Taylor, who reside in Mal- vern. Her father has engaged in buying stock for many years and is well known in this business connection. He has resided continuously in the county since his marriage, his wife having come to Whiteside county when
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a little girl from Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Detra have been born three children but the daughter, Mildred, died at the age of sixteen months. The two sons, Ralph Edwin and Charles Russel, are both living.
A part of the Detra home was built by John Horning, the grandfather of Mrs. Detra, and the first part of the house was built by Joseph Hiddleson. It is one of the old landmarks of the county and has been a mute witness of many changes that have occurred as the work of improvement has been carried forward, converting a wild and sparsely settled distriet into a region of rich fertility and large population.
In community affairs Mr. Detra has taken an active and influential part and is now serving as justice of the peace, in which position he has been - continued by re-election sinee the spring of 1898. He votes with the repub- lican party and, as every true American citizen should, keeps in touch with the political problems and issues of the day. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen camp and the Mystie Workers of Malvern and his wife is a mem- ber of the United Evangelieal church. The name of Detra has long figured conspicuously and honorably in connection with the agricultural interests here and the record of Charles Detra refleets further credit and honor upon the family name.
JAMES K. CHESTER.
. James K. Chester, one of the most influential and highly respected resi- dents of Sterling, is contributing in substantial measure to the commercial development and progress of the city through his mercantile interests as pro- prietor of a large dry-goods house. He belongs to that class of representative American men who by promoting individual success also contribute to the general welfare, and aside from any business connection he is recognized as a public-spirited and progressive citizen.
His birth oceurred in Henrietta, Ohio, March 6, 1843, his parents being Edwin and Mary E. (Porter) Chester, natives of Colehester, Connecticut, and Berkshire, Massachusetts, respectively. The family comes of English lineage but was founded in Connecticut at an early period in the colonization of the new world. The first of the name in this country was Samuel Chester, who came from England in 1665 and settled at New London. David Ches- ter resided at Colehester, where he eondueted a farm. He married Prudence Fox, who was more than ninety years of age at the time of her death, while he reached the very venerable age of ninety-six years.
In their family were seventeen children, ineluding Edwin Chester, who throughout the greater part of his life followed the oeeupation of farming. He also conducted a hotel in Henrietta, Ohio, when it was a station on the stage coach linc before the building of the Lake Shore Railroad. He mar- ried Miss Mary E. Porter, a daughter of Ebenezer Porter, who was a native of Berkshire county, Massachusetts, and of Irish deseent. Early in the '30s
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he removed westward to Ohio and took up a farm in Ridgeville township, Lorain county, where he spent his remaining days, living to be about ninety years of age. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Eunice Yale, was about sixty years of age at the time of her demise. Their daughter Mary, became the wife of Edwin Chester and they lived for many years in Ohio. There the wife died in 1857 at the age of forty-eight years. Edwin Chester, however, spent his last days in Sterling, passing away at the home of his son James in 1886 when eighty years of age. They were Congregationalists in religious faith and earnest, consistent Christian people. After losing his first wife Edwin Chester married again, his second union being with Abigail E. Bliss, who died in 1890 at the age of seventy-eight years. The children of his first marriage, seven in number, were as follows: Lucy Ann, deceased, was the wife of Osear H. Perry, of Brownhelm, Ohio; Albert Edward, who died in 1866, was a soldier of the Civil war and as captain commanded a company of the First Ohio Cavalry and was on staff duty to a considerable extent; Charles Fox Chester, who died in 1900 at Burlington, Iowa, spent nearly his entire life in the service of the United States Express Company ; Henry Whipple, of Bangor, Michigan, served for four years in the Civil war, becoming captain of Company H, Second Ohio Cavalry, and afterward lived for twelve years in Lawrence, Kansas, while for fourteen years he was treas- urer of the Chicago Theological Seminary; James K. is the next younger; Arthur Porter died in infancy; and Edwin Porter is now a business man of Grand Junction, Colorado.
James K. Chester was reared in the place of his nativity and entered upon business as a clerk in a store at Oberlin, Ohio, in 1861. He remained there for seven years and became a member of the firm of Reamer, Hurl- burd & Company for one year. His education was acquired in the public schools of Oberlin and in the preparatory department of Oberlin College. In March, 1869, he came to Sterling, where he entered the dry-goods business in company with John F. Mills of the firm of Mills & Chester, afterward Ingersoll & Chester. Later they consolidated their stock with that of the Sterling Mercantile Company, but Mr. Chester soon sold his interest in that business and formed a partnership with C. A. Hobein of New York under the firm style of J. K. Chester & Company, which connection was maintained for five years. From 1886 until January, 1906, Mr. Chester conducted the business alone and in the latter year the J. K. Chester Company was organ- ized. The company has an elegant store and employs about thirty people in the sale of dry goods, carpets and ladies' furnishing goods. They occupy two floors and the basement of a fine store building and have a nost attract- ively appointed establishment. The business has been developed through the marked enterprise, diligence and progressiveness of James K. Chester, who is accounted one of the most wide-awake and energetic merchants of the city. He is also a director in the First National Bank and is a member of the Japanese Importing Company of Sterling. A man of resourceful business ability, he carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes and looks beyond the exigencies of the moment to the opportunities and pos- sibilities of the future.
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On the 11th of October, 1866, Mr. Chester was married to Miss Cynthia L. Ingersoll, a daughter of William H. and Sophia (May) Ingersoll. They have one child, Sophia, now the wife of J. A. Kilgour, of Sterling. Mr. and Mrs. Chester are prominent and valued members of the Congregational church, in the work of which they take a helpful part, while to its support they are generous contributors. Mr. Chester is serving as one of its deacons and as a member of the board of trustees and for about twenty-two years has been Sunday school superintendent. Although his business interests are extensive and make heavy demands upon his time he yet finds opportunity to aid in the promotion of those interests which look beyond commercialism to the intellectual and moral development of the racc. Politically he is a repub- lican, giving stanch allegiance to the party, yet without desire for office. He and his wife occupy a beautiful home at No. 809 West Third street, which he erected in 1879. While tastefully furnished, its most attractive feature is its warm hearted and cordial hospitality.
FRANK A. GRIMES. .
Frank A Grimes, manager for the Moses Dillon Company, dealers in lumber, grain, eoal and building materials in Sterling, is one of the native sons of Illinois and the spirit of enterprise and progress which have been the dominant factors in the upbuilding of the middle west have been continu- ously manifest in his business life. He was born at Gilman, Illinois, Novem- ber 26, 1870, and is one of the seven children of Newman and Helen M. (Kerns) Grimes, the former a native of Michigan and the latter of Illinois. The paternal grandfather was Charles Grimnes, who for some years lived in Michigan and afterward removed to this state, settling in Iroquois county, where lic earried ou farming near Gilman, dying there when past middle life. His son, Newman Grimes, was also a farmer by occupation and removed from Iroquois county to Whiteside county in 1871. He then took up his abode on a farm northeast of Sterling and two years later removed to a farm west of Sterling, where he owned and cultivated about one hundred and ninety acres of land, continuing to make his home thereon until his death, with the ex- ception of a few years spent in South Dakota. His wife still survives him. In their family were six sons and one daughter, namely: William T., who is living on a farm near Sterling; Alfred N., of Huntington, Indiana; Frank A .; Herbert R., who is located in Beloit, Wisconsin; Charles O., also living on a farm west of Sterling; Ernest E., who is now in Galt. Illinois; and Nellie M., with her mother on a farm west of Sterling.
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