History of Whiteside County, Illinois, from its earliest settlement to 1908, Vol. II, Part 35

Author: Davis, William W
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago : Pioneer Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 882

USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside County, Illinois, from its earliest settlement to 1908, Vol. II > Part 35

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Mr. and Mrs. McDowell are earnest Christian people and devoted mem- bers of tlie Presbyterian church. His political allegiance is given to the re- publican party, and he is entitled to membership in the Grand Army of the Republic, by reason of the fact that he served with the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers. He enlisted August 6, 1862, becoming a member of Company D, with which he served for one year. He participated in the battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancel- lorsville, Shepardstown' and various skirmishes and while at the front was a faithful defender of the Union cause. He now owns a fine home in Sterling at No. 311 Seventh avenue, where he is living in well earned ease. His life

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record proves what may be accomplished by determination and persistent effort when guided by sound judgment. His life history is another illustra- tion of the fact that success is not the result of genius, as held by many, but is the outcome of clear judgment, experience and determined purpose.

WILLIAM ANNAN.

There have been no startling or exciting chapters in the life history of William Annan, but the thoughtful student will find therein lessons that may be profitably followed. He is accounted an enterprising and reliable business man and a worthy citizen and as such enjoys the esteem and con- fidence of his fellow townsmen.

He was born near Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1848, and was the second in order of birth in the family of William and Elizabeth (Murray) Annan, who were likewise natives of Scotland. The father, who was born in Aberdeen, became a machinist and a successful man in the business world. On coming to the United States on the 4th of July, 1849, he proceeded at once to White- side . county, Illinois, but soon afterward located in Jacobstown, Illinois, where he assisted in building a mill. He afterward took up his abode at Unionville, where in connection with John A. Robertson he built a stone mill, which is still standing and is operated by his son William. In 1868 he purchased Mr. Robertson's interest in the mill and employed a practical miller to operate the plant, while he managed its business affairs. He died in 1893 at the age of sixty-three years, while his wife, surviving until Feb- ruary, 1903, passed away at the age of eighty-seven years. Both were con- sistent members of the Presbyterian church and enjoyed in large measure the friendship of those with whom they came in contact. Their family numbered two sons and two daughters, namely: Barbara, who became the wife of Edwin St. John, an agriculturist of Dakota, and died at the age of sixty-one years; William, of this review; Catherine, who makes her home in Unionville and has attained the age of fifty-five; and James, who departed this life at Atlanta, Georgia, when he was twenty-one years of age.

William Annan was reared in Unionville and attended the village schools, also pursuing his studies in the Davenport Commercial College. He learned the trade of a machinist under the direction of his father and from the age of twenty-one years has worked in the mill, becoming proprietor upon the mother's death. In early life he thoroughly acquainted himself with the business, and his enterprise and diligence constitute the basis of the desirable success which he is now enjoying. Hc manufactures an excel- lent quality of flour and finds a ready sale on the market for his product.

In 1876 Mr. Annan was united in marriage to Miss Marian Ely, who was born in the state of New York in 1852. Her parents settled in De Kalb county, Illinois, at an early day, taking up their abode upon a farm, which remained their place of residence until they were called to their final home. Mr. and Mrs. Annan have five children: Frank W., a railroad conductor,

ANNAN MILL, UNIONVILLE

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WILLIAM ANNAN

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

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who resides in Chicago and has one child; George, at home; Floyd J., who resides in Morrison and also has one child; Le Roy M., who is employed by the Santa Fe Railroad Company in Independence, Kansas; and Mary, at home.

Mrs. Annan is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Annan belongs to the Fraternal Tribunes. He is quite well known as a local leader in the ranks of the republican party and his fellow townsmen, reeog- nizing his worth and ability, have frequently called him to public office. He is now township clerk of Union Grove township, having first been elected to the office in 1885, since which time he has been the incumbent-a service of almost twenty-three years. His long connection with the office stands in incontrovertible proof of his fidelity and his capability in the discharge of his duties. He is also township treasurer and has filled this position sinee 1893. In everything pertaining to the welfare of the community he is deeply interested and his cooperation ean always be counted upon to further any movement for the benefit of the publie. In business affairs, too, he has been thoroughly reliable and trustworthy and in Whiteside county his is an honored name.

RIPLEY STAUFFER.

Ripley Stauffer, a resident farmer of Jordan township, living on see- tion 23, where he is carrying on the work of the fields in practical and progressive manner, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, June 13, 1839, his parents being John and Elizabeth (Ripley) Stauffer, who were also natives of Lancaster county and deseendants of the pioneer Dutch families that settled in the rich farming valleys of Lancaster county. The father was married twice, and by his first wife had the following children : Ainos, Simon, Rudolph, John, Emanuel, Mrs. Becca Landis, Catherine, Leah and Susan. The father died in 1852, when more than seventy years of age. Mrs. Stauffer, the mother, was married twice, and by her first husband, William Rummel, had three children: Christina; William, de- ceased, and John.

Ripley Stauffer is the only child of the parents' second marriage. At the age of ten years he commenced to battle with the world, working at dif- ferent places until eighteen years of age, when he entered upon an appren- ticeship to the carpenter's trade with his cousin, Zachariah Witmer, in his native town. Three years later he was employed as a journeyman there. He was married October 16, 1882, to Mary Ann Hess, daughter of Michael and Mary M. (Eshleman) Hess, natives of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, who in 1868 came to Whiteside county and settled in Jordan township, where they spent their remaining days. Mrs. Stauffer was among the eldest of twelve children: Benjamin, deceased; Zachariah and Jeremiah, twins, living in Whiteside county; Jacob, residing in Kansas; Ely, of Ster- ling; Emanuel, who lives in Jordan township; Emeline, the wife of HI.

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Mellinger, who resides in this part of the county; Michacl, a gold secker, who died in Alaska; Susan, the wife of Jacob Trouth, of Jordan township; Ephraim, who is extensively engaged in contracting in Dixon, Illinois; and Theodore, who is in charge of the correspondence schools at Scranton, Penn- sylvania, and lives at Elgin, Illinois. Mrs. Stauffer was born in Manor township. Lancaster county, March 19, 1843, and was reared and educated in Concstoga township of that county. By her marriage she has become the mother of three children, but Lizzie, the eldest, died July 24, 1885, at the age of twenty-two years. Susic is at home, and William is a resident of Stewart, Lee county.

The family home is on section 23, Jordan township, and is a well im- proved farm, indicating the careful supervision and practical methods of the owner, who has lived a life of activity and enterprise and is today numbered among the successful, leading farmers of the community.

It will be interesting in this connection to note something of the history of Michael E. Hess, whose experiences in the northwest are proof of the fact that "Truth is stranger than fiction." He was one of the pioneer gold hunters of Alaska and had some- wonderful adventures. He left his home in Sterling in 1876 and after a number of years spent in the western part of the United States he went to Alaska, where he worked as a gold miner for eight years. He was only a youth of eighteen when he left home. Hcar- ing flattering descriptions of the Yukon country, he decided, after careful deliberation, to go there, and in May, 1886, started in a canoe from Juneau, Alaska, bound for the Yukon river. His course carried him through Lynn's Channel to Chilkoot, which he reached in three days. There he met a Mr. Everets, who had been sent by General Miles to make surveys of the White and Copper river countries. Finding that their roads were the same, they decided to travel together, starting from Chilkoot May 13. They stopped over night at Haines Mission and the next night reached Chilkoot Pass, camping at a point known as the head of canoe navigation. On the 15th they reached "The Stone Houses" at the foot of the mountain, where they were delayed for five days by storms and fogs. The fogs finally lifting, they started at midnight with some Indians whom they had met at this place and by four o'clock the following afternoon had reached Shallow lake, tired and nearly worn out, the distance traveled being about twenty miles over a very rough road. Mr. Hess rejoiced that he had reached the waters that flow into the noble Yukon, a task which he had desired to accomplish for several years. They camped at the head of the lake that night and the next morning began building a raft. The following night they crossed the lake, a favorable wind making it easy sailing, and there they found good boat timber. They waited to whipsaw lumber and the boat was finished by June 30. Having launched the boat at the head of the second lake, they started on the 1st of July with a fair wind and crossed in two days, the distance being thirty-five miles. Passing through Moos Narrows, they entered Tarkoo lake, which they crossed in two days, although it was not more than twenty-nine miles long, but the head winds were against them. Passing out of this lake down four miles of river, they entered Mud lake,

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and thence proceeded down Sixty-Mile river until coming to a canyon, around which they had to paek the outfit for about a mile, while Mr. Hess took the responsibility of running the boat through the canyon. Reloading at its foot, they continued down some very rough water to the White Horse Rapids, and after careful survey, to see if a boat passage was possible, Mr. Hess and Mr. Everets finally ran the rapids in safety with the entire cargo. The canon is three miles long and were it not for the rapids steamers could approach within thirty-five miles of the coast waters at Chilkoot after entering the Yukon river at Bering Sea. Procceding on their way, they came to Lake Labarge and entered Lewis river, floating down the stream for a number of days, when one morning they were surprised to sec three white men standing on the bank. They proved to be Messrs. Boswell, Franklin and Matson, who were waiting for the waters to lower so they could engage in mining on a bar in the river. They had been making from nine to ten dollars per day and Mr. Hess arranged to work with them, while Mr. Everets continued on his journey. They worked out a bar in about twelve days, realizing five hundred and cight dollars in gold, which was the first gold taken from the Yukon river by mining. Leaving his three companions, Mr. Hess started down the Lewis river and after a few days met some Indians, who tried to explain that a steamer was coming up to trade with them, but he did not believe a steamer could run up that far and so continued alone on his journey until he met the steamer three days later. He hailed the boat and succeeded in getting on board and the steamer continued up the river until reaching the Indian camp, where they traded with the Indians. Mr. Hess next went down the river to Fort Reliance, where he remained for the winter and met his former mining companions. Their supply of food was limited and they could only get four hundred pounds of Indian flour each, which had to last a year with what rabbits they could cateh. The winter passed tediously, broken only by an occasional moose hunt. In the spring of 1885 Mr. Robinson of the party, having become disgusted, started down the Yukon to leave Alaska. Mr. Hess and two companions started with hand sleds from Fort Reliance for the White river region, leav- ing Boswell and Frazier to prospect Stewart river. The White river expe- dition did not prove very successful and Mr. Hess and Mr. Matson then took a trip across the country to Tanana river, one of the largest tributaries of the Yukon. Their success was little better there and on the 9th of May, 1885, they started across the Cascade mountains, taking seventeen days for the trip. Their supply of meat being exhausted, they had to recross, but found a shorter road and made the return trip to the White river in seven days. Floating down the river on a raft, they reached Fort Reliance after an absence of two months with only twenty-five pounds of flour each. This was the summer in which the Stewart river diggings were discovered by their former associates, who at one time took out from one hundred to one hun- dred and fifty dollars per day. Mr. Hess did not learn of their success, however, until the spring of 1886. From Fort Robinson he and his com- panions drifted down the river to Fort Grant, where they decided to await the arrival of the yearly steamer, which reached that point August 14. They

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then went up the Lewis river, where they could make five or six dollars per day, but as provisions were so high this did not prove a living wage. The next spring, hearing reports of the Stewart river discoveries, they started for that district, but found that others had reached there before them and se- cured the best diggings. Mr. Hess went to the head of the Stewart river that season and found, like in all other sections of the country, that gold was in every stream that he ever panned. He afterward floated down the river to its mouth, spending the winter at Fort Nelson, a new trading post built during the preceding summer. It was a hard winter and provisions were limited, but as he could not be content indoors Mr. Hess took a hunting trip and succeeded in killing three wolves and a lynx. With the arrival of March, 1887, came a rumor of rich diggings that had been found the previous fall on Forty-Mile creek, about one hundred and twenty iniles down the Yukon. Not having much confidence in the rumor, Mr. Hess concluded to wait until the river opened and float down in a boat. Building a boat, he followed his plan, and on arriving at Forty-Mile ereek took a claim and did about five hundred dollars' worth of work in trying to get some water for sluicing purposes. The attempt ended in almost complete failure, but he would not have given up had not the traders raised the price of provisions, charging seventeen dollars and a half per hundred for flour. Leaving there, Mr. Hess went to the Tanana country, where supplies were cheaper. On the way down he stopped at Porcupine river and aseended that stream one hundred and forty miles. There was some fine gold in its bed, but not enough to induce a man to work it very long. Owing to the enormous price of provisions and the shortness of the working season it was necessary to make at least ten dollars per day. Proceeding down the Yukon, he pros- pected on the way, finding a few bars paying from two to two and a half cents to the pan, which was a good yield. Reaching New Cloyette, situated on the Yukon eighteen miles below the mouth of the Tanana, it was now the first of September and Mr. Hess concluded to put in the winter there, having to build his own house. It was not considered a hard winter, the thermometer registering only forty-seven degrees below zero. On the 1st of April, 1888, he and a companion put their provisions on hand sleds and started on a summer's prospecting. They followed up the Yukon for about. a hundred miles until they came to a good-sized stream, up which they pro ceeded on the ice. The iee finally broke through, however, and they were compelled to build a boat. They immediately set to work whipsawing logs and with their boat continued up the stream, prospecting as they went, but not finding gold in sufficient quantities decided to turn back. They then proceeded twenty-five miles further up the Yukon to another tributary, but did not meet with better results there after exploring about seventy-five miles. They found, however, a tusk which was nine feet long and proved to be ivory, but was decomposed. They were now compelled to wait for a steamer to come up the river, as they were out of provisions and did not care to risk going through any more hardships than necessary. From the steamer they secured a fresh supply of food. About this time news was received that a white man had been killed by Indians, and they immediately formed a

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party and set out to avenge the crime, but lost a great deal of time in doing it. The Indian was guilty of a cold-blooded murder, according to his own confession, and had they neglected to punish the fellow their own lives would have been in danger.

Returning to the point where they left their goods, Mr. Hess and his com- panions loaded their provisions in the boat and drifted down the Yukon twen- ty-five miles to prospect on another creek but failed to find paying bars. By the 26th of September cold weather set in and they decided to hunt and secure a winter's supply of meat. They succeeded in killing a huge grizzly, the skin of which after being stretched and dried, measured nine feet. After packing this meat out of the mountains about four miles to where they could boat it down the river, they started for New Cloyette, which they reached on October 1st. The river was frozen over by the 26th of October and thus ended a hard summer's work without success, finding nothing to pay for it but hav- ing much experience, which forms a large part of the prospector's life. In March, 1888, they concluded to go up the Tanana river and loading their hand sleds with six hundred pounds of provisions and luggage they started from New Cloyette on the 4th of March, making their way up that stream as best they could. In gulch digging it required a man just one season to prospect a gulcli thoroughly on account of the frozen ground, so they decided to look for bar diggings. With many difficulties they traveled four hundred miles be- fore the ice broke up, May 13. By the latter part of June they had built a boat and proceeded one hundred and forty miles further up the river, where they found bars that yielded three cents to the pan, but they were not exten- sive enough to work. Becoming disgusted with the prospect they turned and floated down the river, prospecting some of the tributaries with like results. A little gold can be found in all parts of Alaska, but to find it in great quan- tities it is necessary to dig down to bed rock. They finally reached New Cloyette, after having been five hundred and forty miles up the Tanana. There Mr. Hess and his companions worked for an English missionary until the steamer arrived three weeks later and on the steamer they proceeded to Forty-mile creek, landing there the 20th of August. At this time they were much discouraged and intended leaving the interior and going to the coast, where they could perhaps find work, but a missionary asked them to build him a house and they remained and took the contract, receiving three dollars per day, which afforded them a bare living and nothing else. Flour was fif- teen dollars per hundred and there were few provisions in the locality. By the 1st of February, the house was finished and Mr. Hess with his sled went up Forty Mile creek to Franklin Gulch to visit some of the boys who were winter- ing there and returning to the post on the 27th of the same month. After a few days rest he again went to Franklin Gulch and during the summer engaged in gulch mining. Before leaving there in the fall of 1890, he took up a claim, which is believed to contain rich deposits, his intention being to re- turn and work it. He left there on the 1st of September, going up the river in a small bateau. It was necessary to pole the craft, making in this way only about twenty miles a day. There were heavy snows on the cascades when Mr. Hess and his companions crossed October 14. This, the Indians claimed,

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had never occurred before so early in the year. The snow was two feet deep, making travel quite difficult, but Mr. Hess was able to pick up a pair of snow shoes, which assisted him greatly. He felt great joy at being once more on the south side of the mountains out of reach of the piratical methods of the. Alaska Commercial Company. In his travels over the country he had found two minerals which, it has been claimed, were never found together in the same district before-coal and gold. He found coal in big chunks, weighing- from fifteen to twenty pounds, deposited on gravel bars from which he washed one-half to three-fourths of a cent to the pan. . There are no definite accounts. of Mr. Hess in his further wanderings and search for gold from the time hc arrived on the coast, but it seems that he soon afterward returned into the interior and that he was finally successful in finding rich diggings. He had traveled thousands of miles up and down that wild and rugged country, had endured exposure and privations which pen can never fully describe, had suffered injustice, but with indomitable courage he toiled on toward the prize which all men seek. In the strange irony of fate, when he was about to. realize something for all these long and wearisome years of seeking he was. called from this life, his comrades finding him one morning in his cabin,. cold and still. He had reached the end of the trail and had at last crossed that great divide which separates man from immortality.

DAVID F. KAUFMAN.

David F. Kaufman, collector for the Singer Sewing Machine Company,. was. born in Sterling, September 20, 1852, his parents being Rudolph and Elizabeth (Stamn) Kaufman, both of whom were natives of Lancaster county,. Pennsylvania. In tracing back the ancestry it is found that the .paternal grandfather was also a native of the Keystone state but was of Swiss German descent. . He died in middle life and his wife, who in her maidenhood was- Miss Summey, afterward came to Sterling, where she passed away at an ad- vanced age. They had six sons and one daughter, all of whom are now deceased. This number included Rudolph Kaufman. The mother of our subject was a daughter of Peter Stamn, also a native of Pennsylvania and of Holland Dutch descent. She was one of a large family.

While living in. his native state Rudolph Kaufman learned and followed the wheelwright's trade. In '1849 he came to Illinois and settled in Sterling, while he purchased farms in Montmorency and in Sterling townships, buying- one hundred and twenty acres of land from the government. This was dur- ing the pioncer epoch in the history of the county, when all the countryside was largely wild and unimproved, giving little indication of the development which was soon to transform it into one of the rich agricultural districts of the state. The prairies were largely covered with the native grasses and con- siderable wild game could be had. The homes of the settlers were widely scattered and Mr. Kaufman would haul his grain to Chicago and bring back a supply of groceries and other goods from the stores of that city. After he:

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retired from agricultural life lie made his home with his son, David F., until his deatlı, which oeeurred in January, 1903, when he was in his eighty-ninth year, his birth having oeeurred in 1813. His wife died in January, 1871. Both were members of the Methodist church and were worthy, consistent Christian people. Mr. Kaufman, prompted by a spirit of patriotism, enlisted at the first call of Lineoln for seventy-five thousand men but was not aceepted on account of his age. At different times he served as town collector, assessor and commissioner and in community affairs he was deeply and helpfully in- terested, taking an active part in all that pertaincd to the public good. He was found reliable and trustworthy in every relation of life and commanded the confidenee and respect of his fellowmen.

David F. Kaufman was one of a family of six children and is the sec- ond of the three sons now living, his elder brother being Fred S. Kaufman, of Los Angeles, California; and his younger brother, Horace Greeley Kauf- man, also of Sterling. David F. Kaufman was reared under the parental roof and attended the distriet and publie schools. He early became familiar with farm labor but desiring to follow other pursuits, when a young man lie spent one year as a elerk in the hardware department of R. B. Whitmer's store. He then turned his attention to the sewing machine business and was in the employ of the Singer Company and the Wheeler & Wilson Company for over thirty years, spending twelve years of that time in their Chicago offices. He also spent two years in Galesburg, Illinois, and three years in Davenport, Iowa, but has always regarded Sterling as his home and has been closely asso- eiated with its interests, its upbuilding and its substantial development.

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History of Whiteside County, Illinois, from its earliest settlement to 1908, Vol. II, Part 35

Author: Davis, William W Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago : Pioneer Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 882

Author: Davis, William W
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago : Pioneer Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 882