USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside County, Illinois, from its earliest settlement to 1908, Vol. II > Part 42
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ment of the city and here in 1857 he opened a grocery store at No. 13 West Third street, and for fifty consecutive years was an active, energetie and honorable merchant of the eity. His life history forms an integral chapter in the commercial development of Sterling. There was not a single esoteric phase in his career. His business methods were honorably conducted and he won his success in legitimate lines of trade. Politically he was a life- long democrat but he never sought nor desired office, preferring to give his undivided attention to the grocery business, in which he won success by reason of his elose application.
Mr. Kannaly was married to Miss Annie Broderick and they had four children, a son and three daughters, of whom John and Ellen Kannaly are now living. The parents were members of the Catholic church. The mother died about 1869 and the father afterward married again, his second union being with Catharine Kearney, by whoin he had nine children, seven sons and two daughters, of whom seven are yet living: Michael, a resident of Chicago; William, of Sterling; Cornelius, living in Tucson, Arizona; Vin- cent, of Chicago; Leo, also of Arizona; and Mary and Lucile, both of this city.
Mr. Kannaly survived his second wife, dying in April, 1907, at the age of seventy-ninc years. He was one of the prominent, respected and influ- ential men of Sterling, well known throughout the entire county, partieu- larly among the old settlers. His patrons came to him from a radius of over twenty miles and those who gave him their trade in the early days of his business career continued as his customers. He was well informed concern- ing the development and progress of the county and was much interested in what was accomplished here. He was even tempered, possessed a kindly, genial disposition and was seldom ruffled or out of humor. His sterling traits thus won him a host of friends who always remained true to him . while he lived and have cherished his memory since he departed this life.
Of his children, his son John became his successor and still continues in the grocery business. He married Miss Margaret Rourk, a daughter of Timothy and Winifred (Carney) Rourk, by whom he has five children, Edward, John, Charles, Harris and Winifred. The other son, Michael Kan- naly, married a Miss Bremner, of Chicago.
THEODORE FRANK.
Theodore Frank, who is engaged in the raising and feeding of stock in connection with general agricultural pursuits, his home being in Mont- morency township, was born in Whiteside county, Illinois, February 23, 1858, his parents being James and Fannie (Lengerfelter) Frank, both of whom were natives of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. In the year 1854 they removed westward to Illinois, journeying a part of the way by stage and driving across the country with private conveyance the remainder of the distance. They located in Sterling and the father worked for three years by
. MR. AND MRS. THEODORE FRANK
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
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the month at farm labor. He afterward rented land for ten years and during that period his economy and industry enabled him to acquire the capital which permitted his purchase of two hundred acres of land on section 28, Montmorency township, in 1866. As the years passed he prospered and added to his possessions from time to time until at his death he owned seven hundred and twenty acres of valuable land in Whiteside county. His death occurred in March, 1900, and his wife also passed away in this county. In their family were two sons and a daughter, Theodore being the eldest. Jacob Frank is now a resident of Rock Falls, Illinois, while the daughter, Mary, is deceased.
No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of farm life for Theodore Frank in his boyhood and youth. When not busy with his text-books as a pupil in the public schools, he was largely engaged in the work of the fields, continuing with his father until he attained his majority, when he began earning his own living by working as a farm hand by the month. Desiring, however, that his labors should more directly benefit him- self, he rented land from his father for a year. This was his start and grad- ually he has made progress in the business world, his success resulting from his close application, unfaltering diligence and good business discernment. He has made judicious investments in property until he is now the owner of over four hundred-acres of land in Montmorency township, together with a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Ellis county, Kansas. Here the fields bring forth good crops and in the autumn golden harvests are garnered. In the pastures, too, are found good grades. of stock, which he raises and feeds for the market, and thus both branches of his business are proving good sources of remuneration.
In his early manhood Mr. Frank was married to Miss Laura Armstrong, of Franklin county, Indiana, who was one of the twelve children of James and Hannah Armstrong. Six children graced this marriage: Pearl, now the wife of M. J. Zeigler, living in Whiteside county; Fannie, the wife of Elmer Compton, a resident of Rock Falls; Charles, deceased; Mary, who is a gradu- ate of the Sterling Business College and resides at home; Gertrude, also a graduate of that school; and Ray H., at home.
On the 18th of January, 1895, Mr. Frank was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Eliza Christie, who was the mother of four children by her first marriage, namely: Guy Christie, who is living in Whiteside county ; Frances, the wife of Robert Pollock, of this county; Mabel, the wife of Laurence Church; and Myrtle, the wife of Howard Church. All are living in Whiteside county. The mother of these children was born in 1850 and was one of a family of seven children. She supplemented her early education by study in the Oswego (N. Y.) Seminary, from which she was graduated and for seven years she engaged in teaching school. She came to Whiteside county with her parents in 1852 and has lived here continuously since with the exception of the three years spent in college in New York. She is a lady of culture and refinement, who throughout her entire life has had keen appre- ciation for the value and benefits of education. Her father taught the first school in Jordan township, this county, in 1852 and was closely associated
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with the early educational interests. He died, however, in 1864, while his wife, long surviving him, passed away in 1907. Unto the second marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Frank has been born a daughter, Elizabeth, at home.
Mr. Frank is a member of the Mystic Workers and politically is a demo- crat. He is serving at the present writing, in 1908, as supervisor of Mont- morency township, has been school director for fifteen years and was road commissioner for eighteen years. Both he and his wife hold membership in the Baptist church and are interested in its growth and the extension of its influence. Mr. Frank has spent his entire life in Whiteside county and his wife has lived here continuously from the age of two years, so that they are both well known. They are people of many friends and well deserve classi- fication with the pioneer settlers, having for a half century been witnesses of the growth and progress that has been made here as the county has emerged from frontier conditions and taken on all of the evidences of a modern and progressive civilization.
1
GEORGE H. KUSTES.
George H. Kustes, one of the leading agriculturists of Fulton township, was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on the 9th of March, 1854, his parents being George H. and Sarah (Kane) Kustes, natives of Germany and Ireland, respectively, who emigrated to America prior to their marriage, about the year 1848. The father first crossed the Atlantic to the new world, landing at New Orleans with a capital of but fifty cents. He worked his way up the river to Louisville, Kentucky, where he met and married Miss Sarah Kane, and in the year 1862 they came to Whiteside county, Illinois. In the fall of 1862 Mr. Kustes rented a farm in Ustick township, but in the fall of 1863 purchased a tract of land in Carroll county, Illinois, to which he removed his family, and on which he made his home until about 1888, when he pur- chased a residence in Fulton and retired from active labor. About the year 1878, however, he had bought a farm in Fulton township, on which George H. Kustes of this review kept bachelor's hall for a time. Though starting out in life in the United States empty-handed, the father won a gratifying meas- ure of prosperity as the years went by, gaining a competence through the exercise of unremitting industry and capable business management in the conduct of his agricultural interests. He passed away December 2, 1891, leaving a wife and six children to mourn his loss, Mrs. Kustes surviving her husband until March 7, 1907, when she, too, was called to her final rest. The record of the children is as follows: George H., of this review; William, of Clyde township; Frank, of Fulton; John, who resides in Thomson, Carroll county ; and Hannah and Mary, both of whom live in Fulton.
George H. Kustes supplemented the education which he acquired in the public schools of Carroll county by a winter's term in the Northern Illinois College. When he had attained his majority he started out in life on his own account, hiring out to his father as a farm hand until 1880. For two
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years afterward he operated a farm which he rented from his father, and then became the owner of a traet of eighty acres, though he remained on his father's land until the latter's death, in 1891, when he inherited the portion of the estate on which he resided, owning now altogether two hun- dred aeres of rieh and productive farming land. Hè paid thirty dollars an acre for the first land which he bought, but his entire holdings are now easily wortlı one hundred dollars an aere, owing to the highly eultivated con- dition of the land and the many improvements he has placed upon it. He has a good residence, all necessary outbuildings, and in fact his place is lacking in none of the equipments of a model farming property of the twentieth century. He is recognized as one of the enterprising and pros- perous agriculturists of his community, whose indefatigable industry and untiring energy is the basis of his present sueeess.
On the 20th of February, 1882, Mr. Kustes was united in marriage to Miss Ellen Flannery, of Fulton township, Whiteside county, a daughter of Patrick and Catherine (Coffee) Flannery, natives of Ireland. They came to Whiteside eounty in quite an early day and reared their family here. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Kustes have been born six ehildren: Thomas H., Sarah C., Mary E., William P., Margaret Ann and John E.
Mr. Kustes gives his politieal allegianee to the democratic party, and in 1900 was elected amember of the board of highway eommissioners, of which he is now serving as treasurer. Since his election as school director in 1888 he has also acted as clerk of the sehool board, discharging his various offieial duties in a prompt and capable manner. Fraternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen, the Mystic Workers and is also a charter member of Patriek Feehan Couneil, No. 890, Knights of Columbus, and treasurer of that body. He and his family are all members of the Catholic church, and in the community where they reside have won the warm regard and esteem of all with whom they have come in contaet.
J. W. FELDMAN.
J. W. Feldman, engaged in farming and in the raising and feeding of stock, resides on seetion 28, Mount Pleasant township, and the fine improve- ments on his place of two hundred and thirty acres are largely his work, indieating a life of well direeted activity and enterprise. It was upon this farın that his birth occurred November 4, 1866, his parents being John G. and Sophia (Wineman) Feldman, who are now residents of Chicago. The father was born in Helmsheim, Baden, Germany, October 11, 1835, and came to America when eighteen years of age, making his way to Fulton, Illinois. Hc worked in that vieinity for two years, starting in life not only empty-handed, but also handieapped by a small indebtedness-for he had borrowed the money with whieh to come to Ameriea. He went from Ful- ton to Clyde township, where he worked by the month as a farm hand for three years, after which he spent a year in the employ of C. P. Emery.
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He next rented that farm for a year, subsequent to which time he purchased eighty acres of his present farm. The land had been broken by Eli Upton, one of the old pioneers of the county, but was then owned by Mr. Jackson. He further developed and improved it and erected a house and the outbuild- ings that furnished shelter for grain and stock. After some time John G. Feldman purchased forty acres to the north and two hundred and fourteen acres in Union Grove township, which he later sold. He also purchased eighty acres more adjoining the homestead; one hundred and ninety-three acres of the Embry farm; eighty acres of the Jackson farm; and eighty acres of the Cramer farm. He has since sold some of this but still owns over three hundred acres in Mount Pleasant township. In his farming operations he has been very successful and in his later years, with large financial resources at his command, he has traveled extensively, spending much of the year 1907 in California, although he and his wife are now living in Chicago. Mrs. Feldman is also a native of Germany, having been born in Baden, Febru- ary 2, 1845. She became a resident of Putnam county, Ohio, when four- teen years of age and there worked by the month for two or three years, after which she came to Whiteside county, with the Marshall family, with whom she made her home up to the time of her marriage.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Feldman were born seven children: J. W., whose name introduces this record; Ina, the wife of F. Hahn, of West Chicago; Bertha, the wife of E. N. Hamm, of Los Angeles, California; Carl, who is living in San Jose, California; Frank, a resident of Sterling; John, who resides on a farm in Mount Pleasant township; and Artemus, a plumber of Morrison.
In taking up the personal history of J. W. Feldman we present to our readers the life record of one who is widely and favorably known in this locality, having spent his entire life in Mount Pleasant township with the exception of six years. For four years he was engaged in the meat business at Aurora, Illinois, at Morrison and at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. With that ex- ception he has always devoted his attention to general farming and stock- raising and is recognized as an excellent judge of stock, being seldom, if ever, mistaken as to the value of a farm animal. In his pastures are found good grades of stock, while the fields indicate his careful supervision and promise golden harvests.
On the 6th of March, 1888, Mr. Feldman was united in marriage to Miss Minnie E. Thomas, who was born in Mount Pleasant township, Scp- tember 20, 1869, a daughter of G. W. Thomas, one of the early residents of Whiteside county. Mr. and Mrs. Feldman have three children, all of whom were born in Union Grove township: Alice, James and Joseph, all now in high school. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church, in which Mrs. Feldman holds membership.
Socially Mr. Feldman is identified with the Masons of Morrison and both he and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star. Hc is serving on the board of directors of the high school and is a public- spirited man, interested in progressive education and in all matters pertain- ing to the welfare and upbuilding of his community. He has always kept
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in touch with the trend of modern thought and in his life work has em- bodied the spirit of progressive agriculture and in his business affairs has displayed sound judgment. There have been many people in the world who have held the idea that farining was an easy matter and that any one could follow that pursuit; that all necessary to be done was to plow the land and plant the seed. The erroneousness of such an idea has been proved in many an experiment. It requires as sound judgment, as clear discrimina- tion and as marked enterprise to win prosperity in the development of the fields as in any industrial or commercial pursuit and it is because of his pos- session of these requisite qualities that Mr. Feldman has gained a place among the substantial farmers of Mount Pleasant township.
HIRAM SHERWELL HAWK.
Hiram Sherwell Hawk, a retired farmer, who for many years was closely associated with the agricultural development of the community, still de- rives the greater part of his income from his valuable landed interests in Newton township, is a native of Pennsylvania, his birth having occurred in Westmoreland county, April 28, 1850. His father, Daniel F. Hawk, also a native of that county, was of German descent. The family, however, was established in America in colonial days and was represented in the patriot army in the Revolutionary war. Daniel F. Hawk was a distiller by trade and followed that pursuit in early life, but eventually turned his attention to farming. The year 1857 witnessed his arrival in Illinois and during the succeeding year he lived in Rock Island county, coming to Whiteside county in March, 1858, at which time he settled in Newton township, where he purchased a farm that is now owned by his son-in-law, Francis M. Thomas. Upon that place he continued in the cultivation of the cereals best adapted to soil and climate, carefully and successfully cultivating his farm until his death, which occurred in February, 1877, when he was seventy-six years of age. In early manhood he wedded Harriet L. Martin, who was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and was of German-Irish descent. Her father was George W. Martin, who served as a soldier of the war of 1812 and was captain of the Home Guards. He followed farming and both he and his wife died in Pennsylvania. Mrs. Martin was a member of the Presbyterian church. Their daughter Harriet became the wife of Daniel F. Hawk, and long surviving him, died in 1899, at the age of seventy-six years. They were members of the Presbyterian church and their lives were in harmony with their professions. They enjoyed the warm regard of friends and neighbors and Mr. Hawk was recognized as a man of sterling worth, although retiring in disposition. He was strong in his convictions of right and wrong and never faltered in a course which his judgment and conscience sanctioned. His political views werc in harmony with the prin- ciples of the democracy and in early life he served for several years as sheriff while living in Pennsylvania.
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Hiram S. Hawk was the fifth in order of birth in a family of eleven children, and was reared upon the home farm, being eight years of age when he aecompanied his parents on their removal westward from Penn- sylvania to Whiteside eounty. He attended the country sehools and through- out his business life followed farming, early being trained to the work of the fields, while assisting in the development of the home farm during vaea- tion periods. He resided upon a farm in Newton township from his boy- hood until 1904, when he retired from aetive business life, removing to Morrison, where he now resides. Here he owns two hundred and eleven acres of land on seetions 23 and 24, Newton township, and the property returns him a good annual ineome. While personally engaged in the eon- duet of the farm he brought his fields under a high state of eultivation and annually gathered rich and abundant harvests as a reward for his labor. .
On the 3d of October, 1877, Mr. Hawk was married to Miss Clara A. MeCall, a daughter of John B. and Elizabeth (Marshall) MeCall, and a native of Roek Island eounty, Illinois, born July 8, 1852. Her father eame to this state from Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in the early '50s and settled in Roek Island county, whenee he removed to Whiteside eounty in 1867, taking up his abode on a farm in Newton township. Both he and his wife are now deceased. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hawk have been born six children: Hugh M., who was born December 6, 1878, and wedded to Maud Miller, is on the old homestead farm; Lorena E., who was born July 24, 1880, is the wife of Charles Shearer, a farmer of Garden Plain town- ship, by whom she has one ehild, Hertha Isola; Maude Isola, who was born July 23, 1882, and is at home; John Henry, who was born in August, 1884, and is on the homestead farm; Annie Augusta, who was born June 15, 1891. and is attending school; and Ross Sherwell, who was born February 16, 1895, and died April 17, 1905, at the age of ten years. The parents are members of the Presbyterian ehureh and are mueh interested in its work. while to its support they contribute generously. Mr. Hawk is now serving as one of the elders of the church and for twenty years was a trustee of the church at Newton. Fraternally he is connected with the Mystie Workers and politieally is a republican. The eause of education has ever found in him a warm and stalwart friend and for twenty-four years he served as a school direetor in Newton township. He now lives in a comfortable home in Morrison, enjoying well earned rest, and the esteem and good will of his fellow-citizens is freely aecorded him.
THOMAS MCCORMICK.
On the 1st day of January, 1908, Thomas McCormiek reached the eighty- first milestone on life's journey and is respeeted as one of the representative and worthy eitizens of Sterling, where he is now living in retirement from business. He was born in Newcastle West, in County Limeriek, Ireland, January 1, 1827, and was one of a family of eight children, whose parents
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were James and Ellen (Maekasey) MeCormick, both of whom were natives of Ireland, as were their respective parents. The father followed the oecu- pation of farming in order to provide for his family and, attraeted by the favorable reports which he heard coneerning America and its opportunities, he sailed for the United States, settling in Wyoming county, New York. He died, however, after a brief period, passing away when sixty-two years of age. His wife died almost at the same time and they were buried on the same day. They held membership in the Catholic church. Of their family of seven sons and one daughter only two are now living: Thomas and William, the latter a resident of Deer Grove, Illinois.
Thomas MeCormiek spent the days of his boyhood and youth on the Emerald isle, being reared partly on a farm. He acquired a good public- school education and then took up the study of civil engineering. He came to America in 1847, when a young man of twenty years, settling first at Elmira, New York, where he was employed as a foreman on the New York & Erie Railroad. While in the east he also taught sehool in Montrose, Penn- sylvania, and in 1854 he arrived in Sterling, Illinois, being employed there as foreman on the construction of the Northwestern Railroad, the first trains being run over that road the following year. Turning his attention to agri- eultural pursuits, Mr. MeCormiek purchased a farm of eighty acres in Hahna- man township, on which he lived for a number of years, after which he removed to Hume township. There he purchased eighty aeres of land and subsequently bought another tract of one hundred and sixty acres, which he still owns, his landed possessions in Hume township aggregating two hun- dred and forty aeres. Year after year he earried on the work of the farm, bringing his fields into a high state of fertility and annually gathering and marketing good erops. Year after year he also saved something from his earnings until with a considerable competenee he removed to Sterling, in 1894, there to enjoy the fruits of his former toil.
In 1851 Mr. MeCormiek was married to Miss Catharine Murphy, a . . daughter of Morris and Catharine (Harnet) Murphy. Twelve children were born of that marriage, of whom nine are yet living. James, the eldest, a farmer of Harmon township, married Margaret Long and they have the following children: Edward, Mary, Ella, Agnes, Annie, Emma, William, Florence and Ceeil. Morris, a resident farmer of Hahnaman township, wedded Maria Higgins and has three children: John, Catharine and Mor- ris. John, living in Sterling, married Catharine Doyle and they have two ehildren : Ralph and Catharine. Timothy, whose home is in Hume town- ship, wedded Mary Doyle and they have three children: John, James and Paul. Ellen is the wife of Richard Long, of Harmon township, and has a son and three daughters: Thomas, Mary, Catharine and Helen. Mary, the next member of the father's family, lives upon the home farm. Mar- garet is the wife of John Burke and they have one son, Thomas. William wedded Mary Gagin and lives in Hume township. Hannah, the youngest of the family, is living with her sister Mary on the old homestead. The wife and mother, Mrs. Catharine A. MeCormick, died December 2, 1899, at the age of sixty-five years.
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