USA > Illinois > Ogle County > Mount Morris > Mount Morris : past and present, an illustrated history of the village of Mount Morris, Ogle County, Illinois > Part 5
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GEORGE FOUKE died April 19, 1900, aged 951/2 years, after living in Mount Morris for 55 years. He was born in Shepherdstown, Va., Sept. 29, 1804. He was a shoemaker by trade and came to Mount Morris in 1846. Before coming west he married Elizabeth Harmison who died in 1888, after which he lived with his adopted daughter, Mrs. H. J. Farwell.
WILLIAM J. FOUKE was born April 6, 1828, at Shepherdstown, Va., and came to Ogle County in 1846. He was a shoe- maker by trade. He served during the Civil War in Co. H, 34th Illinois Infantry. In 1865, he married Sarah Sheets and they had five children. He died Nov. 28, 1900, aged nearly 73 years.
ORVILLE N. ADAMS of Galena opened a general store in Mount Morris about 1850, known as the Adams Cheap Store, and after several years he took in Prof. D. J. Pinckney as a partner. After a year the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Adams departed to other fields.
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
DR. JOHN McCOSH, father of the well- known Mount Morris family of that name, was of Scotch ancestry. He was a graduate of the Philadelphia Medical Col- lege and practiced for some years before coming to Mount Morris in 1864, and he continued his practice here until his death in 1883, aged 60 years. He married Elizabeth Snowberger and they had nine children as follows: James, David S., John, Winfield Scott, George B., Benja- min and Sarah (twins), Susan (Mrs. Chas. Sharer) and Lucia (Mrs. Milo Maltbie).
SAMUEL BRENTS opened the second store of any importance in Mount Morris in 1843. It was a general store and was located in a small brick building which stood on the northeast corner of Wesley and Front St., which was later replaced by the large brick building known as the Seibert Block. Mr. Brents sold out to S. M. Hitt and F. G. Petrie.
DR. JAMES J. BEATTY was the first physician in Mount Morris, locating here in the early forties. He had an extensive practice and covered considerable terri- tory on horseback. He was once caught in a prairie fire and both horse and rid- er were terribly burned. Dr. Beatty re- covered but the horse died. A few years later he started for the California gold fields but was taken sick and died on the prairie.
JAMES CLARK built the first hotel in Mount Morris in the early forties. This was a brick building which stood on the corner of Wesley and Main Sts., where the Wishard Building now stands. After running this tavern for a short time, un- der the name of the "New York House,' he returned to his farm at Washington Grove and rented his tavern to Mr. Brayton.
WILLIAM S. BLAIR, who was pro- prietor of the Blair Hotel in Mount Mor- ris in the early fifties, was born in Craw- ford County, Pa., May 31, 1816, and came to Ogle County in 1837. He opened the hotel in the spring of 1851 in the brick building on the corner of McKendrie and Bangs St., and continued to operate it un- til about 1880. The Mount Morris Gazette of July 3, 1851, contained the following notice: "This house has been recently erected and opened by the proprietor, Mr. Wm. Blair, in Mount Morris with a view to the accommodation of the traveling public, where he is at all times prepared to minister to the wants of those who may favor him with their patronage. His table will be supplied with the best the market affords and the other arrange- ments of the house shall be such as will give satisfaction to all. He can also offer good stabling with a good supply of oats, corn and hay for horses." In 1838, Mr. Blair married Jeannette Locke Blair and they had four children: Mercy A., Sam- uel R., Mary H., and Florence W. (Mrs. Geo. B. McCosh). Mr. Blair passed away in 1890.
S. N. BEAUBEIN conducted a harness and saddle business in Mount Morris in 1851, in the house formerly occupied by W. S. Blair. He was also prepared to do carriage trimming.
DR. WILLIAM T. SPEAKER was one of the early physicians in Mount Morris. He was born in Leaf River Township, June 12, 1851, and was the son of Noah and Catherine (Garvin) Speaker. He attended Rock River Seminary and graduated from the Chicago Medical College in 1878. He practiced in Mount Morris from 1878 to 1887 and then moved to Manson, Iowa, where he died May 2, 1918. Dr. Speaker married Inez E. Beecher in 1878, and they had four children as follows: Clifford B., married May Marquart; Faith, married Chas. I. Jackson; Ethel, married Louis M. Potter; Lelia, married Chester W. Duncan.
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EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES
BRAYTON & BAKER, consisting of a partnership of F. B. Brayton and Elias Baker, conducted a general store in the fifties and handled a general line of dry goods, hardware, groceries, drugs, paints, etc. They were extensive advertisers in the early Mount Morris newspapers. The Dec. 1, 1858, issue of the Independent Watchman announced the dissolution of the firm.
DR. BENJ. G. STEPHENS, one of the earliest practicing physicians in Mount Morris, was born in Cornwall, England, June 22, 1827, and located in Mount Mor- ris in 1841. He was a graduate of Rush Medical College in 1850 and located in Mount Morris to begin his practice. His office was over Wood & Petrie's store. He was very prominent in civic affairs; was connected with the early Mount Morris newspapers, and served as president of the village board of trustees in the sev- enties. In 1870, he married Florence Hov- erland, and they had four children: Fan- ny, Mary E., George and Hugh. Dr. Stephens died in 1879 and for many years Mrs. Stephens was a teacher in the pub- lic school. She passed away in 1930.
DR. DAVID NEWCOMER was a promi- nent physician in Mount Morris for near- ly 30 years. He was the son of Daniel and Barbara (Stone) Newcomer and was born July 26, 1830, near Greencastle, Pa. He graduated from the Jefferson Medical College in 1859, and began the practice of medicine at Upton, Pa., until 1862, when he joined the army in the Civil War as surgeon of the 26th Pennsylvania Infan- try. After the war he located for six years at Martinsburg, W.Va., and came to Mount Morris in 1871, where he practiced medicine for nearly thirty years. He mar- ried Mary Shelly Funk in 1851, and they had six children: Mary K. (Mrs. W. W. Solenberger), Barbara A. (Mrs. J. W. Thomas), David W., Harry C. and two children that died in infancy. Dr. New- comer died Oct. 19, 1900, aged 70 years.
DR. J. B. MOATS, son of John W. and Rebecca Moats, was born in Mount Mor- ris Township, Oct. 2, 1863, and died in Kansas City in February, 1934, aged 70 years. He graduated from the dental de- partment of Iowa State University in 1891, and began the practice of dentistry in Mount Morris and continued for a num- ber of years until he moved to Kansas City. He married Grace Swingley, daugh- ter of Benj. Swingley. Two sons, Ollie and Fred, were born. The mother died in 1897, and Mr. Moats was again married in 1899 to Isadore Rinehart.
WOOD PETRIE, a partnership of Enoch Wood and Frederick G. Petrie, con- ducted a general store in Mount Morris in the early fifties. They handled dry goods, hardware, groceries and books. The Mount Morris Gazette of July 3, 1851, an- nounced the dissolution of the firm and that the business would be continued by Enoch Wood at the old stand.
HENRY FROST announced in the Mount Morris Gazette of July 3, 1851, that he had selected Mount Morris as his fu- ture residence and that he was prepared to make pumps of the very best kind upon the shortest notice.
J. K. FROST announced in the July 3, 1851, issue of the Mount Morris Gazette that he had opened a new grocery store in the room formerly occupied by Clark & Misner where he was constantly receiv- ing from Peru groceries of every descrip- tion.
JOHN GRAHAM informed the citizens of Mount Morris in the Mount Morris Gazette of July 3, 1851, that he had opened a shop on Main Street, next door to his residence, where he was prepared to manufacture chairs of various descrip- tions and of the best and most substan- tial materials.
UNIVERSITY OF ILINOIS LIBRARY
52
W'm.Stewart
A.C.Lookabaugh
C.E.Price
G.H.Whitman
W.H.Jackson
J.D.Miller
fred frederickson
J.Strock'
C.C.Crowell
Levi R. Bear
GROUP OF MEN who were in business in Mount Morris in 1900. Of this group, all have passed away (in 1937) except Fred Frederickson and J. D. Miller.
MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
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ARE
.W. BRAYTON
STARTZMAN,
WM,H.MILLER
1€
H.W.NEFF
CALL . R.A.W.WINGERT
W.A.NEWCOMER_ID
AR BINKLEY
HENRY. H. CLEVIDENCE
GROUP OF MOUNT MORRIS BUSINESS MEN who were prominent in the affairs of the village about the year 1900. All of these men have passed away.
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EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES
H.C. CLARK
F
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
JOHN R. DEPPEN was born at Reading, Pa., March 17, 1831, and died Feb. 17, 1908, aged nearly 77 years. He lived in Mount Morris for a number of years and in about 1880 built the town's first opera house, where he also opened a grocery store and bakery. This building later be- came the furniture establishment of Wm. H. Miller, and is now used for band quar- ters. Mrs. Deppen died in 1907. They had one son, Geo. W. Deppen.
WM. LITTLE & SON advertised in 1851 that they had secured a large supply of seasoned lumber and were prepared to carry on a wagon-making business; also that they had a blacksmith shop in con- nection with their business. They were located on East Main St. Mr. Little moved his family to Mount Morris from Colum- bus City, Iowa, in 1846.
DR. E. W. MYERS inserted a business card in the Mount Morris Gazette of 1851 in which he stated "Having selected Mount Morris as my future residence, would respectfully tender my profession- al services to the citizens of Mount Mor- ris and the adjacent country." His office was at his residence on Main St.
WOOD, PETRIE & BRYANT adver- tised stoves, and all kinds of tin, copper and sheet iron ware in the Mount Mor- ris Gazette in January, 1851.
DR. ISENHART advertised in July, 1852, that he could be found at his residence in Mount Morris and was prepared to perform all needful operations in the line of dentistry.
PETRIE & FARWELL (Frederick G. Petrie and H. J. Farwell) advertised in July, 1852, that they were receiving new goods in their store formerly occupied by Wood & Petrie. They carried dry goods, hardware, clothing, paints and groceries.
BRAYTON, BAKER & PETRIE rented an old sawmill located on Pine Creek in 1853 about a mile below the dam, and fitted it up for the manufacture of lin- seed oil. This work they continued for about two years, turning out about two barrels of oil per day. Later they erected a new mill south of town on the farm of Jacob Hilger. This was a large two-story structure with a stone basement. A saw- mill was added, which was operated by a steam engine. This enterprise was oper- ated for about 20 years under the super- vision of Jacob Hilger. During this time, Ernest W. Brayton, son of F. B. Brayton, a lad of about 10 years, was killed by coming in contact with the rapidly-re- volving saw. The business later became unprofitable and the building was moved to Oregon.
J. D. HAYS & CO. advertised the Mount Morris Machine Shop in June, 1857, and were ready to do machine work in wood, iron or leather and general re- pair work. Many years later "Uncle Jim- mie" Hays had a little shop back of his old home, just north of the Lutheran Church.
SAMUEL P. MUMMA died October 17, 1912, aged 68 years. He was the son of Daniel S. and Naomi Mumma, and was born in Pine Creek Township, October 4, 1844. He attended the country school and Rock River Seminary. On leaving the farm in 1871, Mr. Mumma opened the first meat market in Mount Morris, and con- tinued in that business for nine years, then sold out and devoted the rest of his life to the grain and stock business, part of the time in partnership with Henry H. Clevidence. On Feb. 22, 1870, he was unit- ed in marriage to Louisa Swingley, and they had four children, Willis, Edgar, Mrs. Oliver Watts and Mrs. Clinton Miller.
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EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES
HOTEL ROHRER
111
HOTEL ROHRER as it appeared shortly after it was built in 1894 by Chas. Rohrer. Note the town pump in the foreground and the unpaved street. The shed-like building and house to the west were the office and home of John Weller.
THIS PICTURE of the good old horse and buggy days was taken in 1895 before the advent of the auto, looking south on Wesley Ave. Note the many horse-drawn vehicles at the right and the old plank sidewalk in front of the stores.
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
IRA W. WINGERT died February 20, 1912, aged 53 years. He was born June 12, 1859, near Franklin Grove. He came to Mount Morris in the fall of 1881 and clerked for three years in Daniel Win- gert's grocery. Then he worked for four years in a similar capacity for H. C. Clark and later entered into partnership with Mr. Clark in the lumber and coal business as Clark & Wingert. A. E. Clevi- dence later took Mr. Clark's place in the partnership and the firm name was changed to Wingert & Clevidence, which continued until the death of Mr. Win- gert in 1912. On October 15, 1885, he mar- ried Clara Clevidence, and one daughter, Maurine, was born to them.
WILLIAM HEDGES advertised in the Mount Morris Gazette in January, 1851, that he was prepared to carry on the coopering business in all its branches, making and repairing meat tubs, water buckets, lard kegs, barrel churns, etc. He also advertised the Mount Morris Nursery, located a half mile south of town.
PEYTON SKINNER died June 2, 1897, aged nearly 82 years. He was born in Loudin County, Va., August 3, 1815, and came to Mount Morris in April, 1854. He was one of Mount Morris's pioneer busi- ness men and conducted a boot and shoe shop here from 1854 until two years prior to his death. In 1837, he married Miss Leander Fletcher, and four sons and eight daughters were born to them. Only two children survived the father, F. F. Skinner and Mrs. Eugene King. Mr. Skinner was a member of the Methodist Church and of the Masonic fraternity.
EDWARD DAVIS conducted a confec- tionery business in 1856, largely patron- ized by students of Rock River Seminary.
ATCHISON 2 CLEMS conducted a clothing store in Mount Morris in 1856, but no information is available as to the individuals connected with this firm.
D. S. AND S. H. COFFMAN, who pur- chased the general store of Petrie & Far- well, advertised in 1857 a full line of dry goods, shoes, clothing, hardware and groceries.
JONATHAN MUMMA built the first hotel on the site of the present Kable Inn in the year 1854. He named it the Eldo- rado House and he kept boarders, princi- pally students of Rock River Seminary, until 1858. He also opened a store in a room in the same building at the same time. He sold the hotel to J. M. Webb and the store to Potter & Webb.
WILLIAM H. MILLER, son of Upton and Maria (Davis) Miller, was born in Washington County, Md., July 23, 1850, and died in Mount Morris, August 22, 1927, aged 77 years. He was the oldest of six children and the family came to Mount Morris in 1857. He attended the schools of Mount Morris, including Rock River Seminary. He worked with his father in the furniture and undertaking business and took a special course in em- balming. The father retired in 1892 and the subject of this sketch continued the business until the time of his death. For many years he was the only undertaker in Mount Morris and had charge of hun- dreds of funerals of Mount Morris peo- ple. He was secretary of the local Odd Fellows lodge for over 25 years, and served the community for many years as town clerk, village treasurer and school treasurer. In 1878, he married Mary Ellen Wallace, and they had three children. Mrs. Maude Crawford, Mrs. Edith Alter, and Mrs. Florence Saunders. The mother died in 1924 and the three children have also passed away.
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EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES
WALTER WOLFE was in the bakery and confectionery business in Mount Morris for several years beginning in 1899. He later moved to Oklahoma where he was killed in a railroad accident in 1916.
DR. J. NEWCOMER, physician and sur- geon, inserted his business card in the Northwestern Republican of June 13, 1857, stating that he was located on Main Street in the office formerly occupied by Dr. Stephens.
ARTHUR M. NEWCOMER died August 21, 1914, aged 66 years. He was the son of Andrew and Eliza Newcomer and was born in Mount Morris April 3, 1848. He spent his entire life in Mount Morris and died in the same block in which he was born. He attended our public school and Rock River Seminary. He worked at his trade of plasterer for about 15 years and for many years, beginning in 1885, was in the grocery business in Mount Morris with his brother, William. He held a number of offices in Mount Morris, in- cluding tax collector, justice of the peace, village clerk, member of the village board of trustees, and member of the board of education. In 1875, Mr. Newcomer mar- ried Laura J. Shank, and they had two children, Howard and Edna.
GREGOR THOMPSON was born in Den- mark, July 17, 1860, and died in Mount Morris, Jan. 7, 1935, aged 741/2 years. He came to America from Denmark when 21 years of age and located in Mount Morris in 1887. For a period of nearly 40 years, he conducted a tailoring establishment, and in 1893 he erected the building at the northeast corner of Wesley Ave. and Main St. He was a talented musician and was a prominent member of the local Masonic lodge. In 1916, he married Miss Mary Thomas, and they had two children, Har- riet and a son who died in infancy.
H. I. LITTLE & CO. advertised in 1857 that they were prepared to manufacture buggies and wagons for one or two horses and for one or two seats on short notice. They were also prepared to do all kinds of blacksmithing and horseshoeing. This was a partnership between H. I. Little, Wm. Little and J. A. Knodle.
H. F. & A. NEWCOMER advertised in 1857 that they had on hand a full line of furniture in their store a few doors east of Brayton & Baker's on Front Street. They also stated: "We are also prepared to make coffins at the shortest notice and attend with hearse.'
GEORGE TOMS conducted a barber shop in Mount Morris for a period including 1900, after which he located elsewhere. He was the son of John Toms, a resident of Mount Morris.
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
ROBERT C. McCREDIE came to Mount Morris in the nineties and purchased the local creamery from Campbell & McMas- ter. During his ownership, the building burned to the ground but was rebuilt. He finally moved with his family to Sun- nyside, Wash.
JOSEPH S. NYE conducted the first hardware store of any importance in Mount Morris. In 1857, he bought the tin shop and hardware end of the business of Brayton & Baker, and for its accommo- dation built the brick building on the corner of Wesley and Front Sts., now oc- cupied by Hough's Hardware. He con- ducted the business for ten years and finally moved the stock to Lanark. He was the son of Mrs. Harriet Nye and was born in Dover, England. He came to Mount Morris in 1853 with his brother, John H. Nye. See picture on page 376.
A. POPE advertised the Ogle County Book Store in the June 13, 1857, issue of the Northwestern Republican. He handled school books, stationery and maps.
POTTER & WEBB advertised in the Northwestern Republican of June 18, 1857, a full line of dry goods and gro- ceries, at the store on the corner of Wes- ley Ave. and Center Street, formerly oc- cupied by Jonathan Mumma.
JOHN LONG advertised a new confec- tionery store in the Dec. 1, 1858, issue of the Independent Watchman. He handled confectionery, fruits, cigars, chewing to- bacco, etc. He was located under the Brayton & Baker Building, opposite Fouke's grocery store.
DR. J. S. VAUGHAN, dentist, had an office at Blair's Hotel in Mount Morris in 1858.
H. N. RYAN inserted a business card in the Dec. 1, 1858, issue of the Independ- ent Watchman, announcing his profession as attornery-at-law, notary public and insurance agent.
JOHN P. HAND was a partner of F. B. Brayton in the drug business in the early seventies. Later he became a well-known lawyer and was appointed to the Supreme Court of Illinois.
DR. THOMAS WINSTON, physician and surgeon, inserted his business card in the Dec. 1, 1858, issue of the Independ- ent Watchman. His office was with Dr. Francis A. McNeill in Brayton & Baker's new building. He served as surgeon with the 92nd Ill. Inf. during the Civil War.
WENTWORTH W. WHEELER was a prominent figure in business circles in Mount Morris for many years. He was the son of T. A. and Abbie (Whitcomb) Wheeler and was born Sept. 6, 1847, at St. Charles, Ill. He attended the public schools of St. Charles and, when 18 years of age, enlisted in the 141st Ill. Volun- teers. After the war, he assisted his fath- er on his farm and lumber yard. He came to Mount Morris in 1870 and engaged in the implement business and later clerked for Sprecher & Clevidence. In 1881, he and his brother-in-law, John H. Swing- ley, moved to Kansas City and engaged in the coal and feed business. He returned to Mount Morris in 1899 and bought an interest in the Sprecher & Wheeler Dry Goods Co. In 1905 he bought the O. S. Watts grocery, later selling a half in- terest to Thos. Watts. In 1908, he returned to Kansas City where he associated with the Townley Metal & Hardware Co. until he retired in 1922. He died at his home in Kansas City, Aug. 18, 1924. Mr. Wheeler married Luella M. Sharer in 1874 and they had one daughter, Anna. After Mr. Wheeler's death, Mrs. Wheeler and Miss Anna returned to Mount Morris where Mrs. Wheeler died Jan. 27, 1930.
EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES
LUMBER COA
THIS IS THE WAY the corner of Wesley Ave. and Emily St. looked about the year 1900 when Baker & Coffman used these buildings for a lumber yard. Buser & Mumma, contractors and builders, also used this as their headquarters. The building on the corner is still standing but all of the other buildings were torn down to make way for the building of homes.
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
JOSEPH T. BAKER died June 20, 1905, aged 621/2 years. He was born in Pine Creek Township in 1842, three years after his parents arrived from Martinsburg, W.Va., in 1839. He spent his boyhood days in Pine Creek Township, and in 1862, he enlisted in Co. K, 69th Illinois Infantry. at Polo and served 100 days. He drifted around for a number of years in various occupations, including a number of years at Falls City, Nebr. He returned to Mount Morris in 1893 and in 1895 went into the lumber and coal business with N. E. Buser and later with Frank Coffman. Mr. Baker was married twice, first to Anna Herbert, to whom five children were born, Jasper and Alma and three who died young. He married a second time to Mrs. Julia Lester.
GEORGE H. RINER came to Mount Morris in 1873 and operated as a carpen- ter and builder. Later he formed partner- ship with H. C. Clark under the firm name of Riner & Clark, and they operated a lumber yard which was purchased from Philip Sprecher. Mr. Riner was born in Berkeley County, West Va.
ELIJAH LOTT was engaged in the mercantile business in Mount Morris from 1872 to 1875. He also engaged in farming. He was born in Danville, Pa., in 1806.
S. A. SHRINER opened a harness shop in Mount Morris in November, 1898, coming here from Dixon, and continued for sev- eral years.
CHAS. U. NIMAN conducted a livery stable in Mount Morris, having purchased the business of John H. Miller in 1899. Later he engaged in farming in the vicin- ity of Mount Morris and near Grandview, Wash. He was the son of Samuel and Sarah (Weller) Niman and was born in Pine Creek Township, Nov. 17, 1868. In 1900, he married Minnie M. Kable, and they have five children: Hale K., Dorothy E., Donald O., Roger C., and Ruth M. Mr. Niman is employed as janitor at the Kable plant.
J. M. SMITH, associated with a Mr. Prickard, started a hardware store in Mount Morris in 1870. Mr. Prickard re- tired from the business and Mr. Smith continued until about 1878 when he sold out to I. B. Kinne.
WILLIAM H. BULL established a gro- cery business in 1875 in the brick build- ing opposite the present township hall. After a few years he sold out to Benjamin Rine, who in turn sold to Holly Clark and Ira Wingert.
FRANK COFFMAN died May 22, 1918, aged 49 years. He was born in Pine Creek Township, May 5, 1869, and was the son of John C. and Mary (Welty) Coffman. He attended the local public school and Mount Morris College. In January, 1898, he married Grace McCoy, and they estab- lished their home in Mount Morris, where Mr. Coffman engaged in the building ma- terial and fuel business in partnership with Joseph T. Baker, under the firm name of Baker & Coffman. Two children were born to them, Eugene and Hugh.
EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES
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THE MOUNT MORRIS CREAMERY as it appeared about the year 1900. This creamery did a thriving business for many years. It was owned and operated for a number of years by Wm. H. Jackson, who sold to Robert C. McCredie. The building was burned to the ground several years after this picture was taken. Part of the walls of the ice house at the right are still standing, just at the south edge of town.
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