USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside County, Illinois, from its earliest settlement to 1908, Vol. I > Part 69
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Mr. and Mrs. Wells have reared a family of children of whom they have every reason to be proud. In connection with his sons he owns ten hundred and fifty-five acres of the rich farming land of Illinois, lying in Whiteside and Ogle counties. His success is well merited, for it has come as the reward of earnest, persistent labor, and his cxample in this respect may well serve as a source of encouragment and inspiration to others, showing what may be accomplished when one has energy and perseverance. In politics Mr. Wells has always been a republican and has filled some local offices. He served for three years as road commissioner and for twenty-seven years was school direc- tor, while his son succeeds him in that position. He has always stood for advancement and improvement in public affairs and his aid and cooperation have ever been counted upon in advancing community interests.
CHARLES C. WELLS.
Charles C. Wells, now actively identified with the business interests of Malvern, was born in Carroll county. Illinois, October 20, 1861, but was rcared upon the old home farm in Whiteside county. He is a son of John Wells, of whom mention is made above. Early in life he aided to some extent in carrying on the home farm and later engaged in drilling wells and operating a threshing machine in Whiteside and Carroll counties. Withdrawing from
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these lines of activity, he has for the past five years conducted a general store at Malvern, where he carries a good line of general merchandise and is meeting with success in its sale. His store is tastefully arranged and his reasonable prices and courtesy to his customers secure him a liberal patronage.
Charles C. Wells married Miss Nettie Zollers, of Genesee township, this county, and they have three children: Joshua, Irvin and Marjorie. Mr. Wells is a member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge at Morrison and of tlie Mystic Workers of Malvern. His political views accord with the principles of the republican party and he has served as town clerk of Clyde township for the past five years. He is now filling the position of school director and his official duties are discharged with a promptness and fidelity that make liis services very acceptable to the general public. He represents one of the old and prominent families of this part of the county and his record is a eredit to the untarnished family name.
YORK EDDY.
Among the names which are engraved deeply and ineffaceably upon the records of Whiteside county is the family name which is borne by the subject of this review. He has- been a resident of Illinois since the pioneer epoch in its history. The Indians had hardly been driven from their old hunting grounds in this section of the state when the Eddy family was established in Dupage county. The prairies were uncultivated, the forests uncut, the streams unbridged, and in fact the work of civilization and development had been scarcely begun.
York Eddy was less than four years of age at the time of the arrival of his parents in the middle west. He was born. September 5, 1831, in Oneida county, New York, a son of Augustus and Polly (MeKinster) Eddy, both of whom were natives of Oneida county, New York. Leaving the east in 1835, they made their way westward and settled about nineteen miles west of Chicago in Dupage county. Chicago had not at that time been incor- porated as a city and gave little evidence of the wonderful transformation which was to occur and make its growth one of the wonders of the world. The family shared in all of the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life in the establishment of a home upon the wild prairie, but they bore uncomplainingly the hardships incident to frontier settlement and in the course of years their farm became productive and brought them a comfortable competence. In 1854 they removed from Dupage to Whiteside county and their remaining days were passed in Erie township, where Augustus Eddy secured land and carried on a farm. The wife died July 8, 1862, when about sixty-five years of age, while his death occurred in November, 1889, when about eighty-two years of age. Their family numbered six children, but only two are now living, the elder being Lorenzo Eddy, of Harkin, Colorado.
As stated, York Eddy was less than four years of age when brought to Illinois by his parents, and thus he was reared upon the frontier, where in
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his boyhood days he occasionally saw Indians, while many kinds of wild animals and wild game were to be seen. His educational privileges in youth were limited owing to the unsettled condition of the country and as the years went by hc understood what it meant to break sod and develop a new farm, giving active assistance to his father in this work.
He was married on the 27th of January, 1853, in Dupage county, to Miss Louisa Newton, who was born in Clinton county, New York, October 1, 1833. Her father, Marshall Newton, was born September 7, 1792, in Shoreham, Vermont, and died in Erie, Illinois, February 24, 1876. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Hannah Jones, was also a native of Shoreham, born March 4, 1793, and her death occurred in Erie, October 5, 1870. In 1856 they came westward to Whiteside county, settling in Erie township, where their remaining days were passed, the father devoting his life here to the occupation of farming. In their family were six children, of whom three are yet living: Lucius, now a resident of Erie; Mrs. Eddy; and Emily, the wife of Henry Hamilton, of Iowa. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Eddy have been born ten children: Ai, who married Cora Wood and lives in Kansas; Seth, who wedded Cora Seger and is a resident farmer of Erie township, this county; Nellie, the wife of George Thompson, of Erie; Clar- ence; Mrs. Laura Pickering, of Wayne, Illinois; Seward, who married Eva Fritz and is living in Erie township; Lloyd, who wedded Minnie Pratt and makes his home in Tampico; Newell, who married Emma Sohrbeck and is living in Erie township; Danna, who married Minnie Scott and resides in Chicago; and Lottie M., the wife of Herbert Smith.
In 1854 York Eddy removed to Whiteside county and settled on sec- tion 2, Erie township. Here he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land, which was destitute of all improvements save that a little house had . been erected thereon. Indians called there often and there were many evi- dences of pioneer life to be found in. the county. The railroads had not been built and the settlers had to haul their grain long distances to market and to mill. With characteristic energy Mr. Eddy took up the work of tilling the soil and caring for the farm, and as the years passcd he brought his fields under cultivation and from the sale of his harvests derived a grati- fying annual income. As his financial resources increased he added to his property and is now the owner of four hundred and ten acres of rich and productive land in his farm, while in the village of Erie he has two acres, upon which his residence stands. Having retired from the farm, he now makes his home in the town and from his property he yet derives a sub- stantial income. For many years he carefully conducted the work of the fields and as time passed he accumulated a comfortable competence which now makes possible his present rest from labor.
In politics he is a republican, but without aspiration for office. He and his wife have been members of the Baptist church for a great many years, have been interested in its work and have supported various measures for the material, intellectual and moral progress of the community. Mr. Eddy has intimate knowledge of the history of northern Illinois in its development from pioneer times to the present, his memory forming a connecting link
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between the primitive past and the latter day progress and development. He can relate many interesting incidents of early time when there were no large houses upon the farms, the homes of the settlers being mostly log cabins. The work of the fields, too, was done by hand and the scythe and the ox-teams were familiar features of the fields. All this has changed and as invention brought new and improved machinery Mr. Eddy kept up with the progress of the times, being quick to adopt any machinery or measure that would promote farming interests. His energy and diligence consti- tute the basis of his success and his honorable dealing brought to him the unqualified respect of all.
FRANK HEFLEBOWER.
There is nothing in the life history of the average business man to attract the reader in search of a sensational chapter but the history of each sub- stantial citizen who is energetic, faithful and reliable in business life and loyal in his devotion to the public good, contains lessons which may well be heeded by the younger generation. Frank Heflebower has made for himself a creditable position in the business world and liis labors as cashier of the State Bank of Sterling, are now proving a valued element in its successful con- trol. He was born in Polo, Illinois, October 27, 1865, his parents being John and Annie (Cookus) Hcflebower, who were natives of West Virginia. The paternal grandfather, Daniel Heflebower, was born in Virginia and was a planter and slave owner of an early day. He died in 1865 at the age of sixty-five years. He was of German descent and was twice marricd.
The ten children born of the first union included John Heflebower, who was reared to agricultural pursuits and' has devoted his entire life to general farming. Removing westward in 1860, he settled in Ogle county, Illinois, where he still resides. He wedded Miss Annie Cookus, a daughter of Jacob Cookus, who was born in Old Dominion and was of German lineage. Her father made milling his life work and died from an accident prior to the Civil war. His wife was twice marricd, her first husband being a Mr. Sny- der. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cookus were born eight children. Unto Mr. and Mrs. John Heflebower were born four sons and two daughters, namely: Charles W., who has passed away; George C., of Cam- eron, Missouri; Frank, of this review; Margaret Virginia, the wife of Sam- uel Fahrney, of Ogle county, Illinois; Mary M., wife of Howard Irvin, also of Ogle county; and Joseph A., who resides in that county.
Frank Hcflebower was reared in Ogle county, Illinois, remaining in Polo until ten years ago, after which his youth was spent on a farm. He at- tended the public and high schools of Polo and when lie ceased to be a stu- dent became a teacher, following that profession for several years. He be- came a recognized factor in the public life and while teaching school made the assessment in Polo for five years, from 1892 until 1898. In the fall of the latter year he was elected treasurer of the county, entering upon the duties.
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of the office in Deeember and filling the position with eredit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents for four years. The next two years were largely passed in travel. In the fall of 1905 he arrived in Sterling and organ- ized the Sterling State Bank, in association with R. G. Shumway. The bank was capitalized for fifty thousand dollars and has prospered from the first, a constantly inereasing business being eondueted. It is located at the southeast corner of Fourth and Loeust streets and is supplied with all modern equip- ments, being thoroughly first elass in every partieular. The first president was N. G. Van Sant, who was re-elected to that offiee, while the viee president is Charles E. Windom, and Mr. Heflebower is the eashier. The last named also owns an elevator at Sterling and buys and sells grain. He is likewise interested in the eoal trade in partnership with Alfred Weeks, the firm style being the Weeks Coal Company. He is continually alert for good business opportunities and displays a sound judgment that makes his opinions of value in the eommereial world.
On the 12th of September, 1904, Mr. Heflebower was married to Miss Rilla Heller, a daughter of John and Emma (Lanee) Heller. Mrs. Heflebower is a member of the Methodist ehureh and is prominent in the social eireles of the eity. She taught school for seven years in early womanhood and after- ward attended the Northwestern University at Evanston, from which she was graduated in the spring of 1904, being a pupil in eloeution under Professor Cumnoek. Mr. and Mrs. Heflebower reside at No. 405 Second avenue. Polit- ieally he is a republican and his interest in polities is that of a publie-spirited eitizen who desires above all things the general welfare. He is straightforward and reliable in all his business .interests and his opinions are regarded as sound eoneerning eommereial and finaneial interests.
NICHOLAS G. VAN SANT.
Nieliolas G. Van Sant, one of Illinois' native sons, is well known in Sterling as a banker, business man, lawyer and eitizen who eooperates in many measures that have direet bearing upon the welfare, progress and upbuilding of the community. While giving close and earnest attention to his business and professional interests, he has yet found time to devote to those interests which work for the uplifting of humanity, and is partieularly well known as an exponent of the temperance eause and of the work of the Young Men's Christian Association. His natal day was November 22, 1846, and the place of his birth Roek Island, Illinois.
His great-grandfather, John Van Sant, was born in New Jersey and was one of the heroes of the Revolutionary war. After his military experienee he engaged in boating and ship-building and reached the very venerable age of ninety-four years. His wife was Mrs. Rebeeea Van Sant. IIis paternal grandfather, Nieholas Van Sant, lived at Lower Bank, New Jersey, and when death elaimed him his grave was there made. He was of Holland Duteh deseent and was a boat-builder by trade. His business interests, however,
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were interrupted by his service as a soldier in the war of 1812. He died when more than ninety years of age and his wife, Mrs. Mercy Van Sant, was also over ninety years of age at the time of her demise. Their family num- bered twelve or thirteen children.
John Wesley Van Sant, father of our subject, was born in New Jersey, there acquired his education and became a ship carpenter. He was likewise connected with steamboat interests and in 1837, coming to Illinois, settled on the banks of the Mississippi river, where he lived for sixty-five years. He made his home at Rock Island from 1837 until 1860 and then removed to Le Claire, Iowa, where he spent his remaining days, passing away in 1903, when he was ninety-three years of age. His wife survived him until March, 1905, and died in her ninety-fourth year. She was a daughter of Elias Anderson, a native of New Jersey, who came of a race of sailors, but who identified his interests with agricultural pursuits, owning a large plantation and a number of slaves. He died in New Jersey at an advanced age, while his wife, Mrs. Penelope Anderson, passed away when more than ninety years of age.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. John W. Van Sant were born four sons and two daughters, of whom four are yet living: Adam C., who is conducting a com- mercial college at Omaha, Nebraska; Hester A., the wife of Captain Thomas Harris, of the Seventh Missouri Cavalry, now at Los Angeles, California; Samuel R., who was president of the Johnson-Van Sant Mortgage Company, of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Nicholas G., of Sterling.
In taking up the personal history of Nicholas G. Van Sant we present to our readers the life record of one who is widely and favorably known. He lived in Rock Island until he had attained his majority, attending the public schools there and later continuing his studies in Knox College, at Galesburg, Illinois, prior to entering Cornell College, at Mount Vernon, Iowa. He was graduated from the last named in 1870 and thus by liberal educational advantages was well fitted for life's practical and responsible duties. In the meantime, however, he had had military experience as a soldier of the Civil war, enlisting in 1863 as a member of Company A, Ninth Illinois Cavalry, with which he served for two years. He was in the battles of Guntown, Tupelo, Old Town Creek, Pontatock and the last battle of Nash- ville. He served as a private, ever loyal to the cause which he espoused and after the war he resumed his education.
When he had graduated from Cornell College Mr. Van Sant turned his attention to the boat business in connection with his father on the Mississippi river. After two years, however, he sold out and removed to Rock Falls, Whiteside county, where he conducted a lumber business for a number of years. On the expiration of that period he disposed of his yard and entered the law department of the John B. Stetson University at Deland, Florida, where he carefully pursued his studies for two years. He next entered the law department of the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, and was grad- uated in June, 1905. In October of the same year he was admitted to the bar and at once opened an office in Sterling, where he has since continued in practice. Although one of the more recent additions to the Whiteside county
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bar he is well qualified for the profession and in his trial of causes has shown clear reasoning and logical deductions, together with correct application of legal principles. He is, moreover, well known in financial eireles as president of the State Bank of Sterling, which was organized in 1905, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars and has done a large business from the start. He is thus recognized as a leading factor in financial circles of Ster- ling, founding his business upon a safe, substantial basis and pursuing a conservative policy that wins uniform confidence and gains a liberal pat- ronage. He is also identified with the Johnson-Van Sant Mortgage Com- pany, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and in business matters his judgment is sound and reliable.
On the 17th of November, 1870, Mr. Van Sant was married to Miss Ella A. Golder, a daughter of Joseph and Prudence (Goodrich) Golder. They are pleasantly located at No. 601 Second avenue, and the hospitality of their honie is much enjoyed by their many warm friends. /
Politically Mr. Van Sant is an earnest republican but without aspiration for office. He maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades through his inembership in Will Robinson Post, No. 274, G. A. R., and is also an exemplary representative of Rock River Lodge, No. 612, A. F. & A. M. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he is serving on the official board. He has been particularly prominent in his work for local option and is a strong prohibitionist. He regards intem- perance as one of the greatest evils of the country and puts forth every effort in his power to check its course, further indicating his views upon the sub- jeet by his ballot, giving loyal support to the prohibition party. He is one of the most earnest and able workers in the local Young Men's Christian Association and, moreover, has lectured for the organization: His influence is always found on the side of right, reform, truth, justice and progress, and his position upon any question of vital moment is never an equivocal onc. His interest in the welfare of the city along material, intellectual, social and moral lines is manifest in many tangible ways, and in citizenship he displays the same spirit of loyalty which characterized him when as a boy soldier he fought for the defense of the Union. In fact he stands loyally and courageously in support of every cause or movement which he believes to be right, and the principles which have governed his life are those which work for honorable manhood.
JEREMIAH V. MCCARTY.
Jeremiah V. McCarty, conducting a successful business as a hardware merchant at Rock Falls, was born June 22, 1842, in London, England, his parents being Dennis and Johanna (Cochlan) MeCarty, both of whom were natives of Ireland. The paternal grandparents emigrated from Ireland to America in 1855, settling near LaCrosse, Wisconsin, where they spent their remaining days. The mother of our subject died when the son was three
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years of age and in 1849 the father married Margaret Barry, also a native of the Emerald isle. They resided in London for twenty years and in 1850 erossed the Atlantie to the new world, remaining, however, for about a year in New England. They then continued on their westward way to MeHenry county, Illinois, living for a time near Harvard, and about a year later they took up their abode near Elgin. In 1853 they became residents of Peea- tonica, Winnebago county, Illinois, where they resided until 1856, when they again spent a year in Elgin. In June, 1856, they removed to Lee county and in 1857 to Whiteside county, taking up their abode on a farm northeast of Round Grove, the place being known as the Heeker farm, in Hopkins township. There they lived until 1870, then removing to Sterling, and the father's death oeeurred in that city on the 3d of October, 1871. Five ehil- dren were born unto him and his wife: Jeremiah V., of this review; Kate, who was married in 1872 to M. B. Fitzgerald, a contractor of Sterling; Mary; the wife of James Fitzgerald, also a contractor of Sterling; Ella, the wife of James Ballou, a meehanie of Chicago; and Fannie, the wife of James Wood, of Chicago.
Jeremiah V. MeCarty spent the first eight years of his life in the land of his nativity and then accompanied his parents to the new world. He was with them on their various removals until the outbreak of the Civil war, when in 1861 the offered his services to the government and enlisted for three years in Company E, Thirty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was with the Army of the Cumberland during this time, save for a short period in 1862, when his regiment was sent to reinforce Grant's army at the battle of Shiloh, returning thenee to the department in Tennessee. At the battle of Shiloh Mr. McCarty was wounded twice. He was also in the siege of Corinth and in the battles of Stone River, Liberty Gap and Chieka- mauga, being the only member of his regiment who took part in'the last named engagement, for the Thirty-fourth Illinois had been detached to guard the bridge that erossed the river over which his eorps passed to drive Bragg out of Chickamauga. At this time Mr. MeCarty was made orderly of the brigade. He was also in the engagements of Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Buzzard's Roost, Resaea, Rome, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Jonesboro and the siege of Atlanta, being engaged in continual fight- ing for one hundred and twenty-eight days. He was only onee in the hos- pital, although he was many times exposed to the thiekest fire of the enemy. His bravery and loyalty were ever above question and after the battle of Chickamauga he received honorable mention. At Atlanta, Georgia, he was discharged September 17, 1864, by reason of the expiration of his term, and although he had been at the front for three years he was then but little past the twenty-first year of his life. No veteran of twice his years, however, was more fearless or more true to the old flag than was this soldier boy who faced the enemy in many of the most hotly contested engagements of the war.
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When mustered out Mr. MeCarty returned home and followed different pursuits in order to secure a livelihood, leaving the parental roof in 1866. In 1868 he began railroading between Sterling and Rock Island on the
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Rockford, Roek Island & St. Louis Railroad. For two years he was em- ployed as a locomotive engineer and during the sueeeeding thirteen years was engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company between Bradford, Ohio, and Chieago. For eleven years of that period he lived in Logansport, Indiana.
Mr. MeCarty was married in that eity April 22, 1875, to Miss Mary Amelia Cassidy, a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Kissinger) Cassidy, the former a native of Pennsylvania and a contraetor by oeeupation, who died in his home in Logansport, Indiana, in 1866. In addition to Mrs. MeCarty there were three other children: Ceeelia, who was born in Logans- port and who married James Shafer, a locomotive engineer; John M., also a native of Logansport; and William, general foreman of the roundhouse at Logansport, for the Pennsylvania Railway Company.
Mr. and Mrs. MeCarty have two children: Charles J., born in Logans- port, Indiana, September 29, 1876, was eight years of age when his parents came to Whiteside eounty and in 1894 was graduated front the Roek Falls · high school. He then took up the study of electrical engineering in the State University at Champaign, completing the four years' course. He is now a civil engineer in the employ of the Chieago, Burlington & Quiney Railroad Company and lives in Aurora, Illinois. He was for a time engaged with his father in the eoal business at Roek Falls. He married Miss Susan Niekelson, a resident of Aurora. Gertrude E., the younger ehild, married John Kadel, Jr., of Roek Falls, who is engaged in the hardware business with his father-in-law.
Following his marriage Mr. MeCarty continued to engage in railroading until 1881, when he resigned his position with the Pennsylvania Company and with his family returned to Roek Falls. Here he purchased the business interests of the Montague family and dealt in eoal, lime and building ma- terials on lot 6, bloek 4, River street, continuing there until 1898, when he sold out to the firm of Smith & Grater. He was then engaged in building operations until May, 1905, when he formed a partnership with his son-in- law, Mr. Kadel, in the hardware business, purchasing the stoek of Derbe- shier & Sons. They have sinee carried on the business and now have a well appointed store, in which they are receiving a liberal patronage in reeogni- tion of their reasonable priees, honorable methods and earnest desire to please their eustomers.
Mr. MeCarty suffers slightly from his old wounds but otherwise enjoys good health and is pleasantly situated socially and eommereially. He be- longs to the Modern Woodmen Camp and to the Grand Army of the Re- publie. He has several times served as commander of the latter and also as adjutant. He is likewise eonneeted with the Knights of Columbus. His politieal allegianee is given to the republican party and he was for one term a member of the board of trustees, while for five consecutive years he . served as assessor of the town. Aside from his business his interest eenters largely in the Grand Army of the Republie and he stands with the old guard whose faces are still set to the front. Many of his old army comrades have recently passed away. In all that he does he has been aetuated by the spirit
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of Commissioner Warner, of the pension department, who wrote, "As the setting sun shines on our faces as we mareh down the western slope of life to our last camp in the valley, let us go forward with the same unfaltering step as when in the days of the '60s we bore 'old glory'. to the front on many a hard fought battlefield nor furled it until vietory was won." Mr. McCarty has never deviated from a course that he believed to be right between his fellowmen and himself and there has been much of the spirit of the old sol- dier in all that he has done as year by year he has fought the battles of life and in the great majority of instanees has come out vietor in the strife.
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