History of Whiteside County, Illinois, from its earliest settlement to 1908, Vol. II, Part 65

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 65

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Mrs. Wonser preserved her mental faeulties in a remarkable degree and was always poetic iu her expression. Her crced of life was "To be good and

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to do good," and this found daily exemplification in her relations with those. with whom she came in contact. There were no physicians here when she ar- rived, and for twenty years she devoted many hours to attending the sick, and. practiced medicine both before and after a regular physician had located in · Erie. She responded to sick calls which took her a distance of over a thousand miles from home, going to South Carolina to administer to a woman who was. ill there, and who under her treatment recovered. For the last twenty-eight. years of her life, however, Mrs. Wonser was crippled owing to a fall, and was forced to use crutches. Although so well advanced in years, she largely kept in touch with the trend of modern thought and progress, was well in- formed, and a good writer. She is said to have been the oldest lady living. in Whiteside county, and not a person residing in the village of Erie today was here at the time of her arrival. No history of the county would be com- plete without mention of Mr. and Mrs. Wonscr. She did much good in the world, possessing a . kindly, sympathizing spirit, which always responded quickly to the call of those in need.

HENRY CLAY ALLEN.

Henry Clay Allen, carrying on general farming on section 11, Lyndon township, is also well known in business circles as the vice president of the Mount Pleasant Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Morrison, of which he was a director for five years. His life record began on the 15th of June, 1868, near Manteno, Kankakee county, Illinois, and in the following spring was brought to Whiteside county by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Marion Allen. The father was a native of Cattaraugus county, New York, born in the town of Erie, October 30, 1835, his parents being George W. and Sophronia (Besse) Allen. The grandfather, George W. Allen, was born in Skaneateles, New York, October 22, 1801, and was a son of Ethan Allen. In the county of his nativity he was reared to manhood and there married Sophronia Besse in 1825. She was born in Westmoreland county, New York, March 11, 1802. After his marriage, George W. Allen bought a tract of land at Wales, New York, situated in the Holland purchase, on which he resided until 1844, when he sold out and came to Illinois, covering the entire distance with two covered wagons drawn by four horses, bringing with him his family and household goods. He made a location in DuPage county, but in 1846 re- moved to Kankakee county, settling in the town of Rockville. There with a soldier's warrant he located one hundred and sixty acres, on which he built a frame house and barn and made the usual improvements. In 1868 he sold the place for forty-five dollars per acre. He continued farming until his death, July 21, 1884. His first wife died in Kankakee county in 1850, and on the 4th of August, 1853, he wedded Mary Ann Kearns. By his first mar- riage he had five children, including Francis M. Allen, the others being Al- bert; Sarah Ann, the wife of L. G. Tubbs; Seymour J .; and Mandane, the wife of Milton Bloom. By the second marriage there were two children,

H. C. ALLEN

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Ethan G. and Ada, the latter the wife of W. E. Freeman. In 1869 George W. Allen came to Whiteside county and settled on what is now section 4, Lyndon township. Associated with his son, A. B. Allen, he afterwards pur- chased five hundred and forty-seven acres on sections 4, 9 and 16, Lyndon township, most of which was already improved.

Francis M. Allen was nine years of age when the family removed west- ward to Kankakee county, Illinois, where he spent the days of his boyhood and youth. He was married August 5, 1858, to Miss Melvina Mann, who was born in Richland county, Ohio, October 8, 1840, and was a daughter of Alexander and Maria (Bumpus) Mann, who during the early girlhood of Mrs. Allen removed westward to Kankakce county. Following their marriage, Francis M. Allen and his wife assisted his parents on the homestead farm until 1869, when they took up their abode in Lyndon township, Whiteside county. There he purchased a farm on section 9, and eventually became the owner of two hundred and sixty-five acres of rich land. For many years he carried on general agricultural pursuits, being recognized as one of the sub- stantial and enterprising farmers of the county. He died February 12, 1899. In politics he was a republican, but never sought nor desired the honors nor emoluments of political life. His widow still survives him and makes her home with her children. They had threc sons and a daughter: Roderick D., now living in Lyndon township; Rhoda M., the wife of William Hunt, of Galt; Henry C., of this review; Ralph I., who is living in Lyndon.

Since he was brought by his parents to Whiteside county in the spring of 1869, Henry C. Allen has continuously made his home in Lyndon town- ship and was reared to the occupation of farming, which he has continued to make his life work. At the usual age he became a pupil in the common schools and eventually studied in Elliott's Business College, at Burlington, Iowa. In carly manhood he operated his father's farm for about five years, and with the money saved from his earnings he purchased a farm that now belongs to his brother Ralph. On selling it he returned to the old home place, where he lived for a year and in 1899 he purchased his present farm, comprising two hundred and five acres on section 11, Lyndon township. He has made many of the improvements here, and is now engaged in general farming with excellent success. Everything about the place is kept in good condition, and the latest improved machinery is used to facilitate the work of the fields. Year by year he gathers good crops, which find a ready sale on the market and his success is thus annually augmented. He is also well known as vice president of the Mount Pleasant Mutual Fire Insurance Com- pany of Morrison and was one of its direetors for five years.

On the 12th of March, 1891, Mr. Allen was married to Miss Stella Wilser, a native of Lyndon township, born January 1, 1868. She is a daugh- ter of Henry and Margaret (Roc) Wilser, the former a native of Pennsyl- vania and the latter of Ohio. Her parents are now residents of Lyndon town- ship. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Allen has been blessed with four children, Frank E., Margaret M., Marion and Elsic May.

Mr. Allen is well known as a stalwart advocate of the republican party, whose position is never an equivocal one concerning political measures or

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other interests of vital importance. He has been honored by his fellow towns- men with some local offices, and has served for thirteen years as highway commissioner, while his present term will continue him in the office for two years more. He was also a school director for a number of years in both dis- tricts in which he lived. He stands for general improvement and progress in educational as well as agricultural lines and anything relating to the welfare of the community is sure to receive his endorsement and his active co-opera- tion. He has been a resident of the county for almost forty years and is well known to many of its citizens as a man of sterling worth and commendable characteristics.

J. T. NICEWONGER.

J. T. Nicewonger, a farmer and stock man of Garden Plain township, was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, January 23, 1851, his parents being Joseph and Margaret (Hull) Nicewonger. The ancestors of the family came to America at an early day and settled in Pennsylvania. The Hull family came from England also at an early period in the develop- ment of the new world. Joseph Nicewonger engaged in freighting between Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore, Maryland, prior to the days of rail- road transportation, and was a man of prominence and influence in his com- munity, cooperating in many movements for the public good. At one time he was colonel of the home guards. After his marriage he still continued to drive what was then called a line team, and transported goods from one point to another, becoming well known along the route which he followed. After some years spent in freighting he purchased a farm in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and turned his attention to general agricultural pursuits. He dicd in 1869, at the age of sixty-eight years, while his wife survived until 1892, and passed away at the age of seventy-six. They had a large family of children : Levi, who is deceased, while his family resides near Stockton, California; Daniel, who died leaving his family in Albany, while one son is `now living in Belvidere, South Dakota; Jane, the wife of Samuel Fry, of Latrobe, Pennsylvania; Catherine, who has passed away; Jacob T., who is deceased, while his family resides near Greensburg, Pennsylvania; Josephine, who is the widow of John Hitchcock, of Stockton, California; Rebecca, the deceased wife of James Herington; M. Hayes, living in Stockton, California; Sina, the wife of William Rexroad, of Newton, Kansas; John, of this review; George, deceased, while his widow resides near Stockton, California; Mar- garet, who was the twin sister of George, and is the widow of George Van Nest, of Hampton, Iowa; and Samucl C., who is residing in San Francisco, California. Following her husband's death, Mrs. Nicewonger removed with the family to Rock Island county, Illinois, in 1871, and located at Hillsdale. She remained there, however, for only a year and a half, and then came to Whiteside county with her son, J. T. Nicewonger, the eldest of the family. They established their home in Garden Plain township, and the subject of

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this review worked for his brother, Daniel, on a farm. The latter was one of the carly settlers of the county, locating here immediately after the Civil war.

John Niccwonger acquired his education largely in Pennsylvania, and attended school for a year and a half after coming to this county. He was in his brother's employ for two and a half years, and early learned the value of untiring industry and unfaltering diligence. He was married January 22, 1874. and purchased a farm in Union Grove township, where he resided until 1885, when he removed to the Garden Plain district and rented land for eleven years. In 1890 he purchased the place upon which he now re- sides, comprising one hundred and twenty acres of improved land, for which he paid fifty dollars an acre. This property is today worth one hundred and twenty-five dollars per acre, owing to the natural rise in value, but more to his cultivation and the many improvements he has placed upon it. In its midst stands a substantial residence, and there are also good barns and sheds. He did not move to this place until 1896, since which time he has made it one of the most delightful farms of Whiteside county. In addition to tilling the soil, Mr. Nicewonger makes a specialty of raising fine Duroe Jersey hogs, and has won a number of prizes upon them when exhibiting them at the county fairs. For a number of years he has also been breeding draft horses, and has gained the reputation of raising some of the finest horses of this brecd in the western portion of Whiteside county. He has gained various bluc ribbons on his stoek at the Whiteside county fairs, held in Morrison, and in 1907 won the prize for three-year-olds with a stallion called Charley, with white markings. He is now nearly four years old, weighs sixteen hundred pounds, and stands sixteen and a half hands high. He is of Percheron stock and will be one of the finest stallions in this section of the state when fully grown. Mr. Nieewonger is also the owner of some of the finest mares of the county. IIc takes special pride in his stock, as well as in the products of the fields, and in both branches of production has only the best grades.

Mr. Nicewonger was married in 1874 to Miss Lovicia O. Van Ncst. The first Van Nest who came to America was Peter Peterson Van Nest, who arrived from Holland in 1647 and settled in New Jersey. His son, George Van Nest, was the father of Abraham Van Nest, and the latter had a son, John Van Nest. His son was John Van Nest, second. John Van Nest, second son of John and Dinah Van Nest, was born September 12, 1767, and dicd February 28, 1822. He married Ida Bergan, March 13, 1794. Her birth occurred November 22, 1775, and she passed away October 12, 1852. They were the parents of ten children: Eliza, John Bergan, Abraham, George, Dinah, Christopher, Sarah Bergan, Peter Bergan, Moriah and Cath- crine.

Peter Bergan Van Nest, born March 11, 1812, was the father of Mrs. Nicewonger. He came to Whiteside county in 1837, located in Albany and there engaged in blacksmithing until 1853, when he removed to a farm in Garden Plain township, where he resided until his death, May 21, 1885. He was married in Albany, December 18, 1842, to Nancy Olds, a daughter of Cheney and Anna (Walker) Olds. Her father came from Massachusetts to this county in 1838 and followed the shoemaker's trade in Albany. When

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Mrs. Van Nest became a resident of that place there were only twelve fami- lies living in Albany, and the Indians in the surrounding country were far more numerous than the white settlers. This was Black Hawk's favorite hunt- ing ground, and the Indians were loathe to leave this region. Mrs. Van Nest experienced all of the hardships and privations of pioneer life, but lived to see many changes in the county erc she was called to her final rest, No- vember 25, 1887, when sixty-three years of age. They were both members of the Congregational church, of which Mr. Van Nest was deacon for many years. Their family numbered ten children, eight of whom reached years of maturity, namely: George D., who is now deceased, while his family resides in Hampton, Iowa; Henry B., of Peabody, Kansas; Ida E., the deceased wife of Herbert Simpson; Lovicia O., now Mrs. Nicewonger; Sarah E., the wife of James Coyne, of Garden Plain; Walter C., of Albany; Willis W., of Lyons, Iowa; and John F., of Albany.

Mr. and Mrs. Nicewonger were the parents of three children: Nancy M., the wife of Clarence Sweet, of Garden Plain township; Maude L., the wife of Jesse Slaymaker, of Newton township; and Ida V., at home. The parents are members of the Presbyterian church of Garden Plain, of which Mr. Nice- wonger has served as elder for eighteen years, and as Sunday-school superin- tendent for fifteen years, while in 1905 he was delegate from the Rock River presbytery to the general assembly at Des Moines, Iowa. His wife is equally interested in church work with him, and they do all in their power to pro- mote the various church activities, while in their lives they exemplify their religious faith in the close adherence to the teachings of their denomination. Mr. Nicewonger is also greatly interested in politics, and is a stalwart re- publican who keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day, and upon all subjects pertaining to the public welfare. He is honored and respected by all who know him for his many excellent traits of character, his kindly actions and his upright purposes, and his many friends will re- ccive with pleasure this record of his career.

MRS. SARAHI J. MILLER.

Mrs. Sarah J. Miller is a highly esteemed woman, making her home on a well-improved farm of eighty acres situated on section 21, Newton township. She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1854, a daughter of George and Elizabeth (Clough) Turner, who were natives of England and came to Ameriea at an early day, establishing their home in Philadelphia. The fa- ther, hoping to enjoy better business advantages in the west, brought his fam- ily to Illinois in 1853, making a location at Albany, Whiteside county. Sub- sequently lie purchased land in Newton township and was there engaged in general agricultural pursuits throughout his remaining days. Both the par- ents arc now deccased, the mother having passed away in 1904, while the father survived for only about a year, his death occurring in 1905. Their family numbered two daughters and a son: Sarah J., whose name introduces

MR. AND MRS. W. M. MILLER

LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URPANA

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this review; Anna E., the wife of Roy Booth, a resident of Newton township; and Robert A., who has passed away.

Sarah J. Turner, the eldest of her father's family, was but two years of age at the time of the parents' removal to Illinois. Her girlhood days were spent under the parental roof, during which time she aequired her education in the common sehools. Under her mother's instruction she was trained in the duties of the household, so that she was well qualified to take charge of a home of her own, when, in 1888 she gave her hand in marriage to William M. Miller, who was born and reared in Whiteside eounty. He was a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Thompson) Miller, both of whom were natives of Cum- berland county, Pennsylvania, whenee they removed to Whiteside county, the father entering government land in Newton township. The father was three times married and his son William M. was the sixth in order of birth in a fam- ily of seven children born of the second marriage, the record being as follows: Joseplı E., deceased; Sarah, who resides in Whiteside eounty; John N., also deceased; Mary J., a resident of Whiteside county ; S. T., a resident farmer of Newton township; William M., and Moses F., who has also passed away. Ex- tended mention of the family is made in connection with the sketeh of S. T. Miller on another page of this work.

William M. Miller was reared to agricultural life in Newton township, assisting his father in earrying on the work of the fields until the time of his marriage to Miss Sarah J. Turner. At that time he established his home upon a farm in Newton township, being engaged in general agricultural pursuits until the time of his demise, which oeeurred August 31, 1905. No man of this seetion of Whiteside eounty was ever more respeeted or more fully en- joyed the confidenee of the people than did Mr. Miller. He was a loyal friend, a kind husband and father and it is in his own household where his loss is most deeply felt.

By her marriage Mrs. Miller has become the mother of four children; the first two deeeased. The two surviving sons, Milo C. and Clyde E., are with their mother on the home farm, which comprises eighty aeres of well-im- proved land situated on seetion 21, Newton township. Mrs. Miller is a faithful and consistent member of the Presbyterian church and has many friends in Newton township, where from her infaney she has made her home.

EDWIN W. PAYNE.

Edwin W. Payne, an honored veteran of the Civil war, whose loyalty and valor was proven on southern battlefields and who, in all the sueeeeding years, has been equally faithful to his eountry and her interests, is now living amid pleasant surroundings in Morrison. He was born in Lebanon, New Hampshire, February 8, 1837. His father, William Payne, also a native of that place, eame of English aneestry, but the family was established on American soil at an early day in the colonization of the new world, the first

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representatives of the name in America settling on Cape Cod in 1639. Daniel Waters, one of the great grandfathers of our subject, was a member of two different regiments in the Revolutionary war, enlisting each time from Con- necticut. He was in the service altogether three years, was a lieutenant in Captain Ephraim Warren's Fifth Company on the Connecticut line.

William Payne, the father of our subject, followed the occupation of farming as a life work, and in 1838 arrived in Illinois, settling first in Jack- son county, where he devoted his energies to general farming until 1845. That year witnessed his arrival in Whiteside county, which was still largely an undeveloped district and rich in its natural resources yet awaiting the awakening touch of man to demonstrate its possibilities for agricultural de- velopment. He located in the town of Newton, where he entered a tract of land on section 14, securing his title from the government. Upon that place he turned the first furrows, and as the years passed he brought his fields under a high state of cultivation, gaining prosperity as the result of his unremitting diligence and well directed labor. `In 1873 he left the farm and removed to Morrison, where his remaining days were passed. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and a class leader for many years, while in the various departments of the church work he was actively and helpfully inter- ested. His political views in early life accorded with the principles of the whig party, and upon its dissolution he joined the ranks of the new repub- lican party. His fellow townsmen called him to the offices of justice of the peace and highway commissioner, and in both positions he was loyal to the trust reposcd in him.

William Payne was married to Miss Eliza Wells who, like her husband, was of English lineage and of Revolutionary stock. Her parents were Reu- ben and Polly (Swetland) Wells, the former a farmer of New Hampshire, in which state he died. The mother afterward came to Illinois with her son, Rev. Dennis Wells, a Methodist minister, and settled in Jackson county, this state. Her daughter, Mrs. Payne, was born in Lebanon, New Hampshire, in 1808, being a month older than her husband. His death occurred November 16, 1892, when he was in his eighty-fifth year, and his wife survived until 1895. They were the parents of seven sons, as follows: William A., for seventeen years a pilot on the Mississippi river, and also served as deputy county elerk of Whiteside county from 1873 until within a short time of his death, which occurred in 1902. Allen W. passed away when a youth of twelve years. Edwin W., whose name introduces this review, is the next in order of birth. Charles Adams passed away when a little lad of cight years. Lueien Augustine, who served for three years as a member of Company A, Thirty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, in the Civil war, is now commis- sioner of water and electric light at Hastings, Nebraska. Ira Arthur was also a soldier of the Civil war, serving as a member of Company F, Ninety-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry. At the age of twenty years he was given a ser- geant's warrant for meritorious service on the field of battle. He was killed at Missionary Ridge, November 25, 1883. George Howard died at the age of three years. Of this family William A. Payne served as a soldier of the Civil war, enlisting as a member of Company F, Ninety-third Illinois Volun-

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teer Infantry, in 1862. He became second lieutenant of his company, and was mustered out with the rank of captain, having served with that rank from the 29th of April, 1863, until the 5th of April, 1864. He took part in many important engagements and was always loyal to the cause which lie cspoused.

Edwin W. Payne was also a member of Company A, Thirty-fourth Illi- nois Volunteer Infantry, which went out from Sterling. He enlisted on the 25th of August, 1861, and served for three years, seven months and one day, being honorably discharged April 8, 1865, with the rank of sergeant. He was mustered out at Goldsboro, North Carolina, after having participated in the following engagements: Shiloh, Liberty Gap, Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain and Jonesboro. At the last named he lost his right arm by a musket ball wound, while getting into position to charge the enemy's works. He went into the military hospital at Atlanta and remained there from the 1st of September, 1864, until the 23d of October, after which he returned home, and again an amputation of the arm was rendered neces- sary from the fact that gangrene had set in. When he had sufficiently re- covered ho rejoined his regiment, and being refused a muster on the licuten- ant's commission, he took his discharge and returned home.

During the first summer after his return Mr. Payne engaged in selling Sherman's memoirs, and in October, 1865, he entered the county clerk's office, where he remained as deputy for four years. On the expiration of that period he was elected county clerk, and no higher testimonial of efficiency and capability can be given than the fact that. he was continued in office by re-election for twenty-five years. At his first elcetion, in 1869, there were only eleven votes in the whole county cast against him, and these were all in one township. In the administration of the duties of the office he was methodical, exaet and painstaking, and his efficient service won high en- comiums and unqualified commendation. In 1894 he retired from the posi- tion of county elerk and opened an office for the conduet of an insurance, loan and real-estate business, in which department of activity he has since continued with growing success. Since March, 1897, he has attended to all matters pertaining to taxation for the Chicago & North-Western Railroad Company in Illinois. For some years he owned farm lands in the county, but recently sold that property and now lives in a pleasant home in Morri- son.

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History of Whiteside County, Illinois, from its earliest settlement to 1908, Vol. II, Part 65

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