USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside county, Illinois, from its first settlement to the present time, with numerous Biographical and Family Sketches > Part 51
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ROBERT GETTY was born in Washington county, New York, in 1810. He came to Portland in 1835, and settled near Sharon, in the vicinity of the county line. His death occurred in 1864. He married Miss Eliza Elliott, and after her death was married to Miss Agnes Mead. Children : Frances Maria, who married H. Fletcher, and lives at Brooklyn, N. Y .; Ann Eliza, who married Henry Slade, and, after his decease, P. C. Langdon, and also lives in Brooklyn, N. Y .; Agnes, who married Orlando Wells, and resides in Geneseo, Illinois; Luella Jane, who is a deaf mute teacher in the State Asylum at Jacksonville, Illinois; Kate, who resides in Geneseo.
JOHN BAXTER was born in Barnstable, Massachusetts, in 1800, and was Captain of a schooner on the Providence and Philadelphia line until 1835, when he came to Portland and purchased a claim of Alexander Seely. Upon con- eluding his purchase he returned for his family, and brought them on in No- vember, 1835, remaining at the cabin of J. W. Stakes, near Prophetstown, until the next spring, when he moved to his farm on the Dutch bottoms, also keeping a store near Sharon, in 1847 or 1848. In 1855 he went to Genesco, Henry county, where he now resides. Mr. Baxter married Miss Esther Howe, in 1825. Mr. and Mrs. Baxter had thirteen children, nine of whom are living : John, who married Miss Melvina Andrews, and lives in New York; Amos, who mar- ried Miss Minerva Emery, and lives in Portland; Esther, who married Samuel
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Dennison, and lives in Moline; Louisa, who married Andrew Crawford, and lives in Chicago; Azula, who married Hiram Fogg, and lives in Moline; Angusta, who married Chas. W. Perrin, and lives in Geneseo. Hiram lives in Iowa; Sa- mantha in Chicago, and George W. in New York, and are unmarried.
ALPHONZO BROOKS was born in Onondaga county, New York, in 1812, and came to Du Page county, Illinois, in 1833, and to Portland, Whiteside county, in 1835. His family came in the spring of 1836. He lived for six years on what is now known as the Wallingford farm, and and after that near Spring Hill where he kept a public house for twenty-two years. He has been Super- visor, Town Clerk, and Justice of the Peace, of the township, and also Post- master. He is still living. Mr. Brooks has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Eliza Teats, and his second, Mrs. Mary Whitcomb, whom he married in 1872. The children are : Benjamin F., who married Miss Mary Lanphere, and lives in Portland; Alice, who married Jacob Shetters, and lives in Iowa; Marion, who married Miss Eliza Woodside, and lives in Iowa; and Rose E. who married James Parks, and lives in Iowa.
WILLIAM H. CUSHMAN settled in Portland in 1835. It is not certain where he was born, some claiming that he came from Virginia, while Mr. Burke says that he came from Vermont, and that he served as a soldier in the war of 1812. He sold his farm in Portland in 1837 to Nathanial Norton, tak- ing a new claim near by, where he lived several years, and then went to Oregon. He married Miss Betsey Barnett, the children of the marriage being : Daniel; Polly, who married Simeon Chaffee, and after his death, Mr. Morehouse; Wal- lace; Flavie, whomarried Chauncey Rowe; Halloway; John; Madore, who married Miss Hattie Coburn, and David C., all of whom live in Oregon, and Narcissa, who married John Kane, and lives in Iowa.
JOY H. AVERY came to Portland in 1835, and made the first claim on the Dutch bottom. He died in 1838, and in 1839 his claim was sold to Martin Reis, Jacob Schuck, and Rudolph Urick.
CHRISTIAN BENSON was born in Gottenburg, Sweden, in 1805, and came to this country in 1820 with Capt. Benoni Cook, of Providence, Rhode Island, as a sailor. He was employed in 1822 on the Robert Fulton, one of the first suc- cessful steamboats then running between New York and Providence. He soon became a pilot, and for years followed the business on that route. Hell Gate was as familiar to him as a straight path, and the storms of Point Judith had no more terror for him thanan April shower. Becoming tired of the water, he came West with his old comrade Capt. Baxter, and arrived at Dixon late in November, 1835. In company with Smith Rowe, they started out on the prairie for Portland, and when on the road to Prophetstown Mr. Benson got into a slough, and in trying to extricate himself became thoroughly wet, and it being cold both of his feet were frozen, so that he was obliged to remain at Mr. Stakes' cabin five weeks. He settled first on the bottom, but afterwards built on the high land. In 1849, he went to California, where he remained two years, and then returned, and is still living with his only son, Benoni C., near Spring Hill. His children are : Emily, who married James Bryant, and lives in Portland, and Benoni C., who first married Miss Ammisetta Martin, and after her death, Miss Susan Bulger, and lives in Portland.
DANIEL BLAISDELL was born in Vermont, in 1778, and came to Portland in 1836, settling on the place now owned by his son Mason. He was one of the first County Commissioners elected in 1839, and was a man of excellent judg- ment, and very highly respected. He died in 1855. He had two children, Mason, who married Miss Alzina Rowe, and lives in Portland, and Caroline, wife of Daniel F. Cole, who also lives in Portland.
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LEVI FULLER, SR., was born in Connecticut, in 1793. He married Miss Betsey Martin, and came to Portland, in 1836. His large family of seven sons and three daughters have all been identified with the history of the town. He died in 1849, but his widow is still living near Spring Hill at the ripe age of 85. The children have been : Rachel, wife of John Timmerman, living in Portland; Edmund, who married Miss Maria Turner, and is now dead; Levi, Jr., who married Miss Melissa Fuller, and lives in Erie; John, who married Miss Almira Lanphere, and lives in Portland; George, who married Miss Chloe Marvel, and lives in Nebraska; Horace, who married Miss Purleyetta Taylor, and lives in Iowa; Eliza, who married George Richardson, and is now dead; Lucinda, wife of Clark Lanphere, living in Portland; and James M. and Benjamin, both of whom are dead.
ROBERT THOMPSON was born in the county of Monahan, Ireland, in 1801. He was married to Miss Lydia Graham, in 1824, and came to the United States in 1830. He made a settlement in Portland in June, 1836, loeating where he now lives. He was a carpenter by trade, and in 1837 built the Atkins house (now Richard Arey's) in Coloma. He is a thorough and practical farmer, and has, with his sons. introduced some fine blooded stock into the township. His children are all settled near him, and are as follows : Mary, who married Wm. Besse, and lives in Portland; Richard, who married Miss Lavina Williams, and resides in Portland; William, who married Miss Laura Fay, and lives in Bureau county; Elizabeth, who married J. R. Berry; Robert, who married Miss Lydia Fairhurst, John, who married Miss Celestia Herman, and all reside in Portland; Hiram, who is unmarried, and also resides in Portland.
JOHN SMITH LOGAN was born in Yates county, New York, in 1815. He came to Portland in 1836, and settled about a mile west of Spring Hill. It would be hard to find a single enterprise in his neighborhood, that has not re- ceived his aid and encouragement. The year after his arrival he greatly assisted in building the first school house in the township, and, in 1841, to his efforts in a great measure was due the erection of the first and only church in the town. As Justice of the Peace, Town Clerk, Assessor, and in other town offices, he has served the people, and always with satisfaction. In 1876, he sold his farm and purchased a home in Prophetstown, where he now resides. In the year 1844 he married Miss Elizabeth Warren, who died in 1863. In 1865 he was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary Ashton. The children of Mr. Logan are : Ilerman, who served as a volunteer in the 34th Illinois regiment, and now resides in Nebraska; George E., who was a volunteer in the 140th Illinois regiment, and also resides in Nebraska; Addis G., and Robert E., who reside in Portland.
JAMES ROWE was born in Steuben county, New York, in 1803, and settled in Portland in 1836, making a elaim one and one half miles west of Spring Hill, where he opened a fine farm upon which he resided until his death in 1871. He was a good eitizen, a man of clear judgment, and his death was universally re- gretted. He was twice married, his first wife being Mary Ann Huff, and his second wife Hannah Avery. Children : Algina, who married Mason Blaisdell, and lives in Portland; John S., who married Miss Naney Briggs, and resides in Kansas; Elizabeth, who married Clover Laird, and also resides in Kansas; Van Rensselaer, who married Miss Jane Brooks, and lives in Portland; William Al- mont, and Lewis Edward, are unmarried, and also live in Portland.
GUY RAY was born in Berkshire county, Mass., in 1806. In the year 1835 he came West by canal and the lakes to Chicago, where he purchased a horse, and proceeded to explore the country. On his ronte he stopped at Dixon, and from thence went to Rock Island where there were but three log cabins at the time. As he returned he stopped at Prophetstown, and at that place found the
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only white settlers between Rock Island and Dixon. Being pleased with the vicinity he made a claim one mile south of Portland Village, and contracted for the building of a log house. He then went back for his family, and in the fol- lowing June brought them to Portland. On his arrival he found himself without . a shelter, as the party with whom he had contracted to build a house had failed to perform his agreement. Not dismayed he went to work in the heat of the summer, and cut logs on Indian island, floating them down the river, and built himself a double log house. On the 10th of September, 1836, his wife died, being the first adult death in the township. He brought a few goods with him when he came in June, which he sold in his house, thus becoming the first store keeper in the town. Mr. Ray was interested in the construction of the race from Lyndon across the bend, upon which a mill was erected, but the enterprise proved a failure. His farm was one of the best managed in the town, and his stock equal to the best in the county. He was the first County Clerk of Whiteside county, being elected in 1839. He also filled the office of School Treasurer of the township for a number of years. In 1876 he moved to Vinton, Benton county, Iowa, where he now resides. Mr. Ray was married three times, first to Elizabeth Harmon, second, to Samantha Harmon, and third, to Louisa Pomeroy. The children are, Emma, wife of Homer Slate, living in Henry county, Illinois; Camilla, wife of Rev. Mr. Dalzell, living in Baltimore, and Frank, and Elizabeth, living in Vinton, Iowa.
HIRAM HARMON was a native of Berkshire county. Massachusetts, and came to Portland with Guy Ray. He was a wagon maker by trade, and was probably the first in the county. He was interested in the Lyndon mill race, and lost all he had at that time. On leaving Portland he went to Round Grove, in Hopkins township, where he lived for several years, and then went to Fenton, and built a saw mill on Rock creek. Mr. Harmon was County Com- missioner for some time, and in 1860 was Supervisor of Fenton township. In 1858 he was struck by lightning, from which he did not recover for a number of years. He is now residing in Colorado.
RODERICK M. BESSE was born in Oneida county, New York, in 1816, and came to Portland in 1836, locating his farm adjoining that of his brother, P. B. Besse. He was Justice of the Peace, and Assessor of Portland township for several terms. He married Miss Marietta Green, in 1855, and is now living in the village of Prophetstown.
JEDUTHAN SEELY, SR., was born in Washington county, New York, in 1778 and moved to Cayuga county, New York, in 1802, thence to Genesce county, in 1807, and thence to Cattaraugus county, in the same State, in 1823. Iu 1836 he came West with his son, Ebenezer, and settled in Portland. In the fall he was attacked with the prevailing disease, bilious fever, and sent for Dr. Max- well, a newly arrived physician, who, thinking bleeding was necessary, tried the experiment, and his patient died in less than an hour, at the age of fifty-eight years. Mr. Secly married Miss Sally Gibbs, and their children have been, Ebenezer, Horacc, Jeduthan, Jr., Norman B., Alexander J., and Mary E., all of whom came West, and are further mentioned in this History. Mrs. Seely moved soon after her husband's death to Jones county, Iowa, where she lived with her son, Norman B., until 1841, when she died.
COL. EBENEZER SEELY was born in Cayuga county, New York, in 1802, and married Miss Dolly Maynard, in 1824. He moved with his father to Cat- taraugus county, New York, in 1823, where he successfully engaged in farming and lumbering. In the summer of 1834 he concluded to explore the new West, and first went to Michigan where he expected to find his brothers Norman B. and Alexander J., but upon ascertaining that they had pushed on farther west
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followed them to Dixon's ferry, and thence to Prophetstown, arriving at the latter place, September 24, 1834. The next day he made a claim where he now lives. His health not being good he soon after started for his New York home, but upon arriving at John Dixon's he was so much worse that he was compelled to remain there for three months. He pursued his journey immediately upon his recovery, and arriving at home sold his farm, and mill property, and with a raft of lumber started down the Alleghany river. His father and mother, John Reed, wife and child, and Henry Brewer, wife and three children, accompanied him and his family on the raft, with all their household goods. Ile sold his lumber at Louisville, and took a steamer for St. Louis, and thence to Rock Island, where he arrived on the 4th of June, 1835. By dint of great persever- ance he procured a team to take his family to his new home, and then returning to Rock Island chartered a small ferry boat, loaded it with his effects, and started up the river. When he had got within sixteen miles of his desti- nation, he fortunately found some teams to take his goods to Portland. He had brought provisions for a year's supply for his family, but he was not the man to refuse to feed the stranger, or share with his neighbor, and as there was considerable immigration that fall his supply soon became exhausted. St. Louis was the best market for provisions, and Col. Seely, in conjunction with his neighbors, William Hill, Marvin Frary, N. G. Reynolds, and Asa Crook, sent Capt. Dix to that place with $1,300 to purchase the needed supplies. Capt. Dix was robbed of the money on his journey, and then there was nothing to do but go to Knox county, to which place Col. Seely and Mr. Frary started with teams to purchase wheat, pork, etc. By the time they had bought the wheat, fanned it in the primitive style to which they were compelled to resort, taken it to the mill and had it ground, and had procured their pork, and other articles, winter was upon them. The creeks and small rivers were freezing up, the sloughs would not bear a team, thereby entailing great hardship in getting home. Col. Seely's house always furnished a shelter for the newly arrived settler until he could build a cabin for himself, and the hospitality shown by him and his amiable wife will be long remembered. He has always been held in high esti- mation by his fellow townsmen, and when the land came into market in 1843, was selected to enter all the lands around Portland village, and re-deed to the owners of the different claims and lots, a duty which he performed to the ut- most satisfaction of all. This delicate and important duty was only entrusted in the different townships to men upon whose integrity a full reliance could be placed. Col. Seely is now in the seventy-fifth year of his age, and still in the possession of all his faculties. At the annual gathering of the old settlers, at Hamilton's Grove, he is the one most eagerly sought for to relate the incidents and reminiscences of pioneer life, and much of the success of these meetings are due to his genial presence. John Reed, who came with him, remained in Portland for a time, and then went to Missouri, where he is still living. Henry Brewer stayed only a year or two, and then settled in Sterling. He was the father of Ald. George W. Brewer, of that city. Mrs. Seely died January 6, 1874, aged 72 years. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Secly have been: Solomon M., who married Miss Rachael E. Leland, was in trade at Portland for several years, afterwards went to California, and upon his return engaged in business in Sterling, and was for a time proprietor of the Wallace House, in that city, and is now residing in Jones county, Iowa; David B., who first married Miss Jane Maynard, and after her death, Miss Franees Adams, and died in 1874; Sarah G., wife of Alexander M. Hetfield, living in Portland; Andrew J., who married Miss Armina Williams, and is a farmer in Portland, and has been Assessor of the township for the past three years; Martin V., who first married
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Miss Almina Maynard, and after her death, Miss Kate Keeler-has been engaged in farming, and stock raising in Portland, was President of the Whiteside county Agricultural Society for several years, and now resides in Prophetstown where he owns a fine hotel, known as the Seely House; Caroline, wife of S. H. Beards- lee, living at Clam Lake, Michigan; and Jane A., wife of A. B. Crosby, living at New York city.
HORACE G. SEELY was born in Cayuga county, New York, in 1804, and started for Illinois in company with his brother Jeduthan and family, and his sister, Mrs. Marvin Frary, late in the fall of 1835, but could get no further than Quincy, Illinois, on account of the cold weather and ice. They remained all winter at a camp meeting ground, three miles from Quincy, and arrived at Port- land in March. He resided at Portland for a few years, and then went to Jones county, Iowa, where he is still living, hale and hearty, at seventy-three years of age. He married Miss Bethsheba Milk.
LEWIS ARNETT was a native of Alsace, France, and born in 1791. He came to the United States in 1827, settling first at Rochester, New York, and then in Warren county, Pennsylvania, and came to Portland in 1837, making a claim on the county line in section 35. He died in 1868. Mr. Arnett married Miss Clara Sheddick. Their children have been: Lewis, now dead; Jacob, who married Miss Charlotte Summers, and lives in Geneseo, Henry county; Mary, wife of Samuel Cogswell, living in Pennsylvania; Anthony, who married Miss Mary Ann Graham, and lives in Colorado; Catharine, wife of David Heller, living in Henry county; Joseph, whose first wife was Miss Martha Warren, and second Miss Marietta Butzen; Philip, now dead; Susan, who married Simeon Heller, and is now dead; William, who married Miss Maria Britton, and lives in Henry county; George, who married Miss Margaret Severance, and lives in Henry county; Samuel, who married Miss Catherine Urick, and lives in Henry county; and John, unmarried, who also lives in Henry county.
JOB DODGE was born in Montpelier, Vermont, in 1819, and came to Port- land in 1838. He first engaged in mercantile business and pork packing, in Portland and Prophetstown, and continued in that line until 1848, when he be- came a plow manufacturer at Peru, Illinois, which business he has followed to the present time. His residence is at Philadelphia. He had only one child, Virginia, who died in childhood. He was married in 1841 to Miss Mary E. Warner.
JACOB ARNETT was born in Elstein, France, in 1815, and came with his father to the United States in 1827. When coming West he stopped for a short time in Joliet, Will county, Illinois, and came to Portland in 1836, making his elaim on section 35. He became early noted for his untiring industry, and trading habits. He would dig ditches, put up fences, or work at haying and harvesting as far as Como, and take his pay in stock, or in anything he could after- wards barter, and in a few years accumulated a good property. When the Cal- ifornia excitement broke out, it was an easy matter for him to fit out fine teams, and go with the adventurers to the land of gold. He used his teams to paying advantage while there, and when he was pretty well supplied with the precious metal returned to his home in Portland. He retired from farming some years ago, and moved to Geneseo, Ilenry county, where he is extensively engaged in dealing in agricultural implements. He married Miss Charlotte Summers in 1842, their children being: Lewis C., who married Miss Sarah Rose, and lives in Portland; Samuel J., who married Miss Eliza Grozenburg, and lived in Geneseo; Phillip S., who married Miss Eliza Wagner, and lives in Portland; Mary, wife of Andrew Smith, living in Henry county; Albert, who married Miss Cella Parker,
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and lives in Portland; Clara, wife of Abram Rapp, living in Henry county; and Oletta, who lives in Geneseo, Henry county.
JESSE SLAWSON was born in Oneida county, New York, in 1809, and came to Portland in 1836. He was a carpenter by trade, and also followed farming near Spring Hill, while he was a resident of Portland. He now lives in Nebraska. Mr. Slawson married Miss Rachael M. Fuller, in 1833. Their children are: Andrew, who married Miss Catharine Joice, and lives in Missouri; Jesse D., who married Miss Lucy Kinney, and lives in Nebraska; Charles H., who mar- ried Miss Lydia Briggs, and lives in Kansas; Earl B., who married Miss Cor- delia Brown, and lives in Nebraska; Howard F., who married Miss Mary Hep- worth, and lives in New York; Seth H., who married Miss Jennie Patch, and lives in Portland; and Mary L., wife of Merritt Clifton, living in Portland.
AMos YOUNG was born in Madison county, New York, in 1815, and settled in Portland in 1836. In 1864 he moved to Iowa. He married Miss Sophia East, and their two children, Gertrude, and Joseph, reside in Iowa.
WALTER YOUNG was born in Madison county, New York, in 1816, and came to Portland in 1838. He afterwards went to California, and was successful in his operations, and since his return farmed near Spring Hill, for some time, and then moved to Geneseo, Henry county. He married Miss Laura Morrill, who died in Geneseo, in March, 1877. The children, Luella, Mary L., and Chas. W., are residing with Mr. Young in Geneseo.
ALDEN TULLER was born in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1812. He came to Illinois first in 1833, and settled in Joliet, Will county, where he remained until May, 1835, when he came to Portland, and made a claim adjoining Spring Hill. He lived in Portland until about 1854, when he moved to Prophetstown and purchased a farm on Jackson street, upon which he now resides. He mar- ried Miss Harriet M. Fuller in 1837. Their children have been : Albert, who married Miss Nellie Whitcraft, and lives in Kansas; Helen, who married Charles Hummeston, and is now dead; Ernest and Wilbur, who live in Prophetstown; and Agnes, now dead.
SAMUEL HALL came with Col. Seely in 1836, and settled near Simeon Fuller's place. He died in 1844 or 1845. He had three children-Andrew, Eliza, and Marietta.
EPHRAIM SUMMERS came in 1836, and lived for a few years in Portland. He was a blacksmith, and is now living in Fulton.
SMITH HURD was born in Bennington, Vermont, in 1786, and came to Port- land in 1839. He married Miss Fanny Booth in 1806. Their children have been : Horace H., who married Miss Lydia Winters; he was a good mechanic, and invented the grater cider-mill; he came to Portland in 1837, and settled near Spring Hill; his children were, Adliza, wife of William Booth, now living in Prophetstown, and Henry, who married Miss Metta Smith, and is now a resi- dent of Nebraska. Reuben, who first married Miss Clarissa Carr, and, after her death, Miss Polly Ann Sprague; he is the inventor of Hurd's hog-tamer, and wagon and car brake, etc. Harriet B., who married Henry R. Stone, and is now dead; Moses, who married Miss Mary A. McClaughry, and lives in Oregon; Mary A., who married Sydney Martin, and is now dead; June E. wife of Rev. Mr. Buck, living in Oregon; and Hester ( .. , wife of William P. Tabor, living in Portland.
DANIEL F. COLE was born in Montgomery county, New York, in 1816, and at an early age moved to Erie county, New York. In 1837 he came to Portland, and made a claim where he now lives. He married Miss Caroline Blaisdell in 1839. Their children have been : Almon, a practicing lawyer in Macomb, Illinois, and Nettie, now dead. Mr. Cole was elected County Commissioner in
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1849, and has held the office of Supervisor of the township for several terms, and Justice of the Peace for twenty years.
HORACE B. COLE was born in Erie county, New York, in 1821, and came to Portland in 1840. His first occupation at his new home was teaching school. He has filled various township offices to the satisfaction of the people, and is now living on his farm. Mr. Cole married Miss Belinda Brewer in 1850. Their children are : Hugh Wallace, Tibbie, and Frederick.
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