USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside County, Illinois, from its earliest settlement to 1908, Vol. II > Part 53
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After the removal of the family to the northwest W. H. Harrison spent four years on a farm, one year in the mines and one year in a sawmill. He then returned to the United States, making his way baek to Morrison, after which he seeured farm labor in Whiteside county and thus provided for
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his support for a number of years. In the fall of 1878 he took up his abode in Tampico, where he has since made his home. Here he began merchan- dising in connection with T. B. Davis under the firm style of Davis & Har- rison. The partnership continucd for a year and a half, after which Mr. Harrison purchased Mr. Davis' interest and has since been alone, conducting the store under his own name. For the conduct of his business he occupies a two-story brick building, a portion of which he erected. He utilizes the entire building in the conduct of his store, carrying a large and well selected line of general. goods and receiving a liberal patronage in recognition of his straightforward business methods, his reasonable prices and his efforts to please his customers.
In 1882 Mr. Harrison was united in marriage to Miss Sadie Glassburn, a native. of Tampico township and a daughter of Thomas and Mary E. (Varian) Glassburn, who were natives of Gallia county, Ohio, and came to Illinois in 1856, retaining their residence in Whiteside county until called to their final home. The father followed farming for many years and later took up his abode in the village of Tampico. He was born in 1832 and died in 1900, while his wife, whose birth occurred in 1833, passed away in 1898. They had two daughters, the elder being Mary, who is now living with Mr. and Mrs. Harrison. She served as postmistress of Tampico under the two administrations of President Cleveland. Mrs. Harrison engaged in teach- ing school prior to her marriage and her influence has always been on the side of culture and improvement. Both Mr. and Mrs. Harrison are well known in this county and have an extensive circle of friends, who entertain for them warm regard, while the hospitality of the best homes is cordially extended them.
CAPTAIN LOYD H. DILLON.
In the history of the citizens of Whiteside county who did valiant ser- vice for their country in the Civil war and were ever loyal in matters of local advancement and national progress, it is imperative that mention be made of Captain Loyd H. Dillon, who in response to the country's first call for aid joined the army and with the exception of a brief period between the terms of his first and second enlistment was continuously at the front. Throughout his entire life he manifested the same spirit of loyalty in citizenship, while as a business man, as a friend and in the relations of the home he displayed all those sterling traits which in every land and clime awaken respect and re- gard.
Captain Dillon was born in Zanesville, Ohio, December 18, 1839, his parents being Loyd and Margaret A. (Culbertson) Dillon, who were also na- tives of Ohio. The Dillon family was established in the Buckeye state dur- ing the pioneer epoch in its history by his grandparents, John and Edith Dil- lon, who removed from Maryland to Zanesville, where the grandfather became an active factor in the business development and in the promotion of public interests. In the course of years he was joined by his son, Loyd Dillon, Sr.,
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LOYD H. DILLON
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who was equally successful in business life. Unto Loyd and Margaret A. Dillon were born five children: Mary, the wife of David Law, of Dixon, Illinois; Loyd H .; Washington M., a resident of Sterling; Moses, now living in New York city; and Ella, who died young.
Captain Loyd H. Dillon spent the first fourteen years of his life in his native city. He was but seven years old at the time of his father's death. His education was acquired in the public schools and in the school of ex- perience he gained many valuable lessons as the years passed by. Financial conditions rendering it imperative that he provide for his own support, about 1854 he went to Iowa City, Iowa, where he joined his cousin, Charles Dillon. Soon afterward he secured farm work in that locality and there re- mained until he attained his majority, gaining a livelihood by his labors in the fields.
He had not yet attained the age of twenty-one when in response to the country's need he enlisted for three months' service with the First Iowa Infan- try. The first guns of the war were fired on the 12th of April. Six days later Captain Dillon offered his aid to the government and was mustered into the United States service at Keokuk, Iowa, May 14, 1861. He had watched with interest the progress of events in the south and resolved that if a blow was struck to overthrow the Union he would strike one in its defense. He had studied the questions of secession and slavery, was an abolitionist in principle and had the earnest hope of seeing the slave trade done away with through the processes of war-if war was to be declared. Once while plowing in the field he was interrupted by three men who were hunting a negro fugutive and they tried to make him tell where the man was. This he could not or would not do, but was compelled to assist in the hunt as they told him he was liable to arrest if he knew anything of the negro's whereabouts. Later, looking up the law on the subject, he found it to be correct and determined therefore to be one who would help to abolish it. Thus it was, that fired with patriotism and a desire to aid the oppressed people of the south, he joined the army and when the smoke from Fort Sumter's guns had scarcely cleared away, with his regiment he went to the front and while participating in the en- gagement at Wilson's Creek, Missouri, on the 10th of August, 1861, sustained a gunshot wound in the leg. On the 25th of that month by reason of the expiration of his term of service, lic was honorably discharged, but the ques- tion of the Union's preservation was still an open one, and soon after- ward he again donned the blue uniform, re-cnlisted at Iowa City with the Fourth Iowa Cavalry. He was made sergeant of his company and promotion to the second lieutenancy came on the 1st of February, 1863. On the 15th of May, 1865, he was commissioned captain of Company I, and thus commanded the company until the close of the war. Hc participated in many import- ant engagements leading up to the final victory which crowned the Union arms, including the entire Atlanta campaign. At Guntown, Mississippi, he was shot through the lungs, He was never deterred by the lack of interest or loyalty from the performance of any military duty, whether on the lonely picket linc or on the firing line, and after the close of hostilities was mustered out at Atlanta, Georgia. August 8, 1865.
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With a most creditable military record Captain Dillon returned to Iowa City and soon afterward took the initial step in what proved to be a most. happy domestic life by lis marriage on the 28th of September, 1865, at Pcoria, Illinois, to Miss Ruth E. Rees, a daughter of Jacob and Thamasin (Lupton) Rees and a native of Berkeley county, Virginia. Her birth occur- red February 16, 1841, and she remained in the place of hier nativity until fif- teen years of age, when in 1856 she came west with her parents. Her paternal grandfather, Jacob Rees, also a native of Virginia, followed.the occupation of farming. He married Ruth Simmons, and both lived to an advanced age: Their family numbered three children. The ancestry of the Rees family can be traced back in Virginia to 1734 and the original American settlers were of Welsh parentage. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Dillon were Jonalı and Martha (Sidwell) Lupton, who were of English lineage and their only child was Thamasin Lupton, who in the Old Dominion became the wife of Jacob Rees. As stated, they removed westward to Illinois, settling at Elkhorn Grove, in Ogle county, where Mr. Rees engaged in farming, but was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, his death occurring four years later, when he was forty-six years of age. His widow afterward removed to Sterling and subsequently went south to live with a daughter, Mrs. Jennie S. McGuire, at whose home she passed away October 6, 1897, at the age of seventy-nine years.
The marriage of Captain and Mrs. Dillon was blessed with eight chil- dren, of whom four are now living, Mary R., Edith S., Loyd, R. and J. Rees Dillon. The daughters are at home and Mary is a teacher in the Central public school of Sterling. The sons are conducting a ranch near Bixby, in Butte county, South Dakota. The elder son, Loyd R., married Miss Anna Dris- coll, of Vale, South Dakota, and they have one daughter, M. Ruth. .
Following his marriage, Captain Dillon engaged in farming until 1872, when he took up his abode in Sterling. Here he engaged in the milling busi- ness, organizing the Dillon Milling Company, which conducted a successful and extensive enterprise in that linc. In his business interests Captain Dillon was practical, energetic and determined. He brooked no obstacles that could be overcome by unfaltering perseverance and honorable labor and in all of his business career maintained a high standard of commercial cthics. He thus enjoyed in a large measure the confidence and trust of those with whom he had association or dealings and at the same time through his intensc and well directed activity won a gratifying measure of success. He continued as one of the leading representatives of industrial interests at Sterling up to the time of his death, which occurred on the 18th of June, 1898, when he was fifty-nine years of age. He was laid to rest with military honors in Riverside cemetery, the funeral services being conducted by William Robinson Post, G. A. R., of which he was a valued and prominent member. He also belonged to the Modern Woodmen Camp and other fraternal organizations. His politi- cal allegience was unfalteringly given to the republican party, yet he never sought nor desired office as a reward for party fealty. He belonged to the Presbyterian church and his life was in harmony with his professions. His religious faith guided him in all of his relations with his fellowmen, making him considerate in his treatment and in his opinions of others, while justice
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and truth beeame salient features of his character. He did not seek to figure prominently in any publie light but day after day faithfully did his duty and thus contributed his sharc to the world's work and progress.
J. A. JAMISON.
J. A. Jamison earries on general farming on seetions 5 and 32, Prophets- town township, where he owns one hundred and ninety-five acres of land ad- joining the corporation limits of the village of Prophetstown. He is a na- tive son of the neighboring state of Indiana, his birth having occurred in Franklin county, October 31, 1845. His parents were Thomas and Sarah (Smith) Jamison, natives of Delaware and of Pennsylvania, respectively. The father, taking up the study of medicine in early life, became a physician and successfully followed his profession for a number of years. His wife was a school teacher in early womanhood prior to her marriage, which was celebrated in Indiana. They lived for a time in Franklin county, but subse- quently removed to Union county, when the son was but a small child. Here the father died in 1855. The family came to Illinois in 1859, settling in Lee county, which remained their place of residence for many years. The mother died in 1887, and is survived by four of her five children, but one daughter, Emma, has passed away. The others are: W. A., who is living in Rock Falls; Rebceea, the wife of Daniel Swartz, of this state; J. A., of this review, living in Prophetstown ; and J. Q., whose home is in Iowa.
Reared under the parental roof, J. A. Jamison obtained his education in the public schools and remained with his mother until twenty-nine years of age. He was then married to Miss Elizabeth Over, who was born in Frank- lin county, Pennsylvania, in 1854, a daughter of Henry and Catherine (Feighner) Over, who arrived in Illinois about 1858 and established their home in Whiteside county. Her father dicd in 1899, but the mother still survives and resides with her children. Their family numbered four chil- dren, namely: Mrs. Jamison ;. W. H., who is a resident of Chicago; J. F., who inakes his home in California; and Blanche, the wife of W. M. Tenny- son, who resides in Louisiana.
Following his marriage, Mr. Jamison turned his attention to farming in Montmorency township, where he carried on general agricultural pursuits until 1881. In that year he took up his abode in Sterling, where he resided for one year, after which he rented a farm in Prophetstown township. A year later he again removed to Sterling, but when another twelve months had been spent in that eity, he came back to Prophetstown township and pur- chased a farm on sections 5 and 32. It has since been his place of residence, and its further development and improvement have elaimed his time and energies. He here has one hundred and ninety-five acres of land which is very rich and fertile. It lics adjacent to the village of Prophetstown, and no finer location can be found in the entire township. The soil responds readily to the cultivation and large erops are annually gathered and constitute a
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marketable commodity, bringing to the owner a very gratifying financial reward. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Jamison were born six children, but the eldest died in infancy, the others being: T. F., who is acting as cashier in the Citizens' Bank, at Prophetstown; Alfred O., who is engaged in teaching school; John C., who is at home; and Laura and Edith, also under the pa- rental roof.
Mr. Jamison votes with the republican party, his political preferment being always in that line. He keeps well informed on the questions and is- sues of the day, as every true American citizen should do, but his ambition is not in the line of office seeking. On the contrary he considers the pursuits of private life as abundantly worthy his best efforts, and to his labors he owes his advancement. From early youth he has been one of the world's workers, and his fine farm, with its splendid improvements, is the visible evi- dence of a well spent life. In this part of the state, where he has lived from early boyhood, he has a wide acquaintance, and the fact that his stanchest friends are those who have known him for many years, is an indication that his record has at all times been a creditable one.
MRS. MARY J. COCKING.
Mrs, Mary J. Coeking, well known in Whiteside county, where her entire life has been passed, is interested in an estate of two hundred and sixty-two aeres on sections 21, 22 and 27, Erie township. This constitutes a valuable farming property, from which a good ineome is annually derived. Her birth occurred here in 1837, her parents being John S. and Rachel (Sher) Rowe. Both her father and mother were natives of the state of New York and came to Illinois at an early epoch in the development of Whiteside county. Her father entered land from the government in this county and began the development of a new farm, for not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement made upon the place when it came into his possession. In course of time his labors had converted the place into a rich and pro- ductive tract of land, from which he annually gathered good harvests. The family were living herc at the time of the memorable tornado of 1848-a most severe windstorm which blew his house and barns to pieces, killing two sons of the family and blowing Mrs. Coeking, then a little child, out of her sister's arms, so that she sustained injuries from which she never fully re- covered.
Mrs. Cocking spent her girlhood days under the parental roof, attended the publie schools of the neighborhood and was trained in the duties of the household, so that she was well qualified to take care of a home of her own when in 1868 she gave her hand in marriage to James Cocking, who was `born in England in 1821. His life record covered about seventy-three years and he devoted his time and.energies to general agricultural pursuits. He carne to America and, establishing his home in Whiteside county, secured land and carried on general farming. As the years passed he brought his
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fields under a rich state of cultivation and at his death left a valuable prop- erty, eomprising two hundred and sixty-two acres of land in Erie township, which is still in possession of the family. He died Mareh 2, 1894, and his death was deeply regretted by many friends as well as his immediate family.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cocking were born six children, five of whom are still living, namely: William J., now a resident of Oklahoma; Minnie, the wife of Thomas James; Mahala and Robert J., both at home; and Cora E., the wife of S. A. Adams, of Erie township. Mrs. Cocking still resides upon the old home farm which her husband developed and improved. She is well known in this county as one of its worthy pioneer women, being a repre- sentative of one of its oldest families, while for seventy-one years or through- out the entire period of her life, she has lived in this part of the state and been an interested witness of the changes that have occurred and the work that has been wrought in bringing the county up to its present state of de- velopment and improvement.
WILLIAM LANE.
William Lane is justly classed among the substantial agriculturists of Prophetstown township, for he is the owner of four hundred and thirty- nine acres of as fine land as can be found within the boundaries of White- side county. He is also worthy of mention in this volume from the faet that he is one of the few remaining veterans of the Civil war, where he was found as one of the loyal defenders of the Union.
Mr. Lane was born in Niles, Berrien county, Michigan, June 18, 1837, a son of Benjamin and Charity (Roper) Lane, both of whom were natives of the state of New York, the former born in Ulster county, June 5, 1804, while the mother's birth occurred in Cayuga county, September 18, 1809. From the Empire state the father removed with his family to Berrien county, Michigan, being numbered among its pioneer settlers. The father there took up a tract of government land, whereon he made his home for some time. His family numbered six children, of whom only two are now living, the sister of our subject being Mrs. Sarah A. Winchell, of Tampico. The wife and mother passed away in Michigan March 17, 1843, at the comparatively early age of thirty-four years. The father was married a second time, this union being with Mrs. Elizabeth F. Robinson, who died in 1878. In 1855 the father removed to Illinois, settling near Yorktown, in Henry county, where he had purchased land the previous year and there he made his home for a long period, but the last few years of his life were passed in the home of his son William, his death occurring October 14, 1886, when he had reached the very advanced age of eighty-two years.
William Lane spent the period of his boyhood and youth on the home- stead farm in Berrien county, Michigan, and his education was acquired in the common schools of Niles, that state. He was a youth of nineteen years at the time of his father's removal to Henry county, this state, and there he.
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remained during the succeeding six years, when, feeling that his first duty was to his country he enlisted for service in the Civil war, becoming a mem- ber of Company K, Fifty-seventh Illinois Infantry, enlisting on the 12th of May, 1862, for three years' service. He participated in many engagements, the most important of these being at Corinth, Town Creek, Resaca, and he was also a participant in the Atlanta campaign, was in the engagement at Bentonville, North Carolina, and was with Sherman on his celebrated march to the sea. He was wounded in the battle at Corinth but not so seriously as to become disabled for active service, nor did he ever lose any time on ae- count of sickness but was always found at his post of duty, being honorably discharged May 21, 1865.
Mr. Lane then returned to his home in Whiteside county, where he resumed the occupation of farming. His first purchase of land was eighty acres, which was still in a wild state, but he at onee undertook the task. of developing and improving this and has since added to his original purchase until he is now the owner of four hundred and thirty-nine aeres, located in Prophetstown township. He has placed many improvements on this prop- erty, including a good country residence and substantial outbuildings, while the land has been placed under a high state of cultivation, annually yielding abundant erops as a reward for the care and labor which he bestows upon it. In addition to carrying on general agricultural pursuits, he is also engaged in raising stock, making a specialty of hogs, of which he annually raises large numbers. He is enterprising in all that he does, keeping in touch with modern methods of agriculture, so that he is meeting with well de- served success.
Mr. Lane was married in Prophetstown, October 18, 1868, to Miss Eliza- beth Wroe, who was born in Virginia, March 11, 1852. Her parents were Benjamin and Matilda (Kennedy) Wroe, who were likewise natives of Vir- ginia, the former born July 18, 1807, while the birth of the latter occurred February 9, 1816. Removing from Virginia to this state, they established their home near Princeton, Bureau county, becoming pioneer settlers of that seetion of the state. Later they removed to Missouri, where the father died on the 30th of June, 1857, when he had reached the age of fifty years. After the death of the father the mother returned to Whiteside county, where she lived for a time and then went to Kansas, where her remaining days were spent, her death there occurring on the 4th of May, 1901, when she had reached the extreme old age of eighty-five years. Of their family of seven children only four are now living, namely: John W., who resides in Oregon ; James T., a resident of Missouri; Mrs. Grace M. Sweet, also a resi- dent of Oregon; and Elizabeth, now. Mrs. Lane.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Lane has been blessed with six children : Ida E., who is engaged in teaching school and lives at home; William C., of Prophetstown township, who wedded Fannie May Fee, by whom he has a son, Paul; Charles F., who wedded Bessie Templeton, by whom he has two daughters, Hazel and Gladys, and makes his home in Savannah, Illi- nois; Mary A., the wife of Clifton Naftzger, a resident of Prophetstown township; Grace, who is engaged in teaching school; and Nellie, at home.
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Mr. Lane cast his first presidential ballot in support of Abraham Lincoln and has supported every eandidate of the republican party since that time. He has served as school director for a number of ycars but aside from this has held no public offiee. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in the work of which they take an aetive and helpful interest, while with his old army comrades he maintains pleasant relations through his membership in the Grand Army of the Republic. He thoroughly enjoys home life and takes great pleasure in the society of his family and friends. His life is exemplary in all respects and he has ever supported those interests which are calculated to uplift and benefit humanity, while his own high moral worth is deserving of highest commendation.
FRANK BROWN.
Frank Brown, who follows general farming on section 22, Hume town- ship, was born in New York city, April 12, 1858, his parents being James and Catherine (Gaulropp) Brown. The father, whose birth oeeurred in Germany on the 7th of December, 1832, is still living on his farm on section 22, Hume township, having passed the seventy-fifth milestone on life's jour- ney. His wife. who was born November 12, 1836, in Germany, died on the old homestead in this eounty, January 2, 1908.
The father was only five years of age when brought by his parents to America in 1837, the family home being established in New York eity, where he acquired his education and learned the cabinet-maker's trade, which he followed in the metropolis for a number of years. It is rather unusual for a man city born and city bred to choose farm life but this course Mr. Brown pursued and it proved a wise one. In the year 1865 he came westward to Whiteside county and took up his abode upon a farm west of Roek Falls, which he rented. He continued to cultivate rented land until 1876, when with the money he had saved from his earnings he invested in eighty aeres of land on scetion 22, Hume township. Not long afterward he bought eighty aeres more and has since lived on that plaee, his labors transforming it into a productive and valuable farm, upon which are now seen many substantial improvements. In his work he has been energetic and practical as well as progressive and has gained well merited success. His wife came to Ameriea with her parents in 1851 and they, too, resided in New York city, where Catherine Gaulropp gave her hand in marriage to James Brown. Unto them were born ten children, as follows: Henry, a resident of Hume township; Frank, whose name introduces this record; Mrs. Amelia Heekman. a resident of Sterling; Mrs. Lizzie Gaffey, who resides in Hume township; John, also of Hume township; Mrs. Mary Pettit, who makes her home in Cordova, Illinois; George, who resides in Sterling; Joseph, who died at the age of twenty-six years; and two, who died in infaney.
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