USA > Illinois > Bureau County > Past and present of Bureau County, Illinois : together with biographical sketches of many of its prominent and leading citizens and illustrious dead > Part 22
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On the 15th of December. 1850. James Curtis was married to Miss Helen Maria Stevenson, who lived in Adans county, about ten miles east of Quincy. She was born in Carroll county. Mary- land, February 2, 1831, a daughter of Basil D. and Henrietta (Wells) Stevenson, who came with their family to Illinois in 183 ;. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Curtis were born six children: Clifton. now of Davenport, lowa: Harmon F .: Jessie May, the wife of Clayton C. Pervier, of Bureau county ; Charles Edgar, living on the home farm : Helen Maria, who died at the age of nineteen years, and Carrie Belle, the widow of Bradford Reed Battey, of Tiskilwa. The mother passed away November 0, 1811, and on the 9th of January. 18:8. James M. Curtis married Miss Maria C. Rice, of Han- nibal, Oswego county. New York. There was one son of this union, Robert Rice Curtis. In the spring of 1851 the father located upon his land, bringing with him to the county a capital of two hundred and fifty dollars. He built a small house of lumber. most of which was saved at Stephens mill, and he occupied his first dw. ling until dur- ing the period of the Civil war. when he ererted the residence now standing on the place. There
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he engaged in general farming and feeding stock, and his farin today is one of the best cultivated properties of Concord township. Ile resided con- tinnously in that township from 1851, and be- came one of the extensive landholders, owning one thousand acres of fine land in Concord township and seven hundred acres in Gold township. He rose from a humble financial position until he was one of the wealthy citizens of the county, and the most envious could not grudge him his success, so honorably was it won. A republican in his po- litical views, he served for nine years as super- visor of Concord township, and was actively and helpfully interested in many progressive public movements. He was a member of the Unitarian church of Sheffield and a man who merited and enjoyed the highest respect of all with whom he came in contact, so that his death, which occurred in July, 1902, was the occasion of deep and wide- spread regret. His record, however, compassed al- most four score years, and his life was one of use- fulness, activity and honor.
Harmon E. Curtis, educated in the schools of Sheffield, remained at home until 1886, his time and energies being devoted to farming. He then went to Union county, Iowa, where he remained for two years, after which he was engaged in the lumber business for five years at Arcadia, Nebras- ka. The succeeding two and a half years were passed as a lumber merchant at North Platte, Ne- braska, and, returning to Arcadia, he was engaged in the banking business there for a year. In 1895 he again took up his abode at Sheffield, where he remained until his removal to Tiskilwa in 1899, when he purchased the lumber yard of B. R. Bat- tey and has since been accounted one of the leading business men of this town. He deals in lumber, lath, doors, windows, shingles, line and cement, as well as hard and soft coal, and is conducting an extensive and profitable business, having now a liberal patronage. He also owns two hundred and twenty acres of land in Concord township and personally gives his supervision to the operation of the farm.
Mr. Curtis was married in 1878 to Miss Jennie Moore, of Sheffield, a daughter of D. G. Moore, an old settler of Bureau county, now living with Mr. Curtis. They have two children: Mark D., twenty-six years of age, who married Clara Booth, of Sheffield, and lives in Tiskilwa with his father, and Claudia, twenty-four years of age, the wife of Claude I. Ring, a mail carrier of Tiskilwa.
Mr. Curtis is a stalwart advocate of republican principles, but has never consented to hold office. He belongs to Ames lodge, No. 155, 1. F. & A. M., of Tiskilwa, also the Odd Fellows society and the Modern Woodnien camp of Sheffield, while in Tiskilwa he is identified with the Domestic Guild and the Eastern Star. and both he and his wife have taken the Rebekah degree in Odd Fel- lowship. They have a very wide and favorable
acquaintance, not only in Tiskilwa, but in other parts of the county, and are valued representatives of the community. In an analyzation of his char- acter it will be seen that enterprise is perhaps Mr. Curtis' dominant trait, and he is a prominent busi- ness man who has found that success is ambition's answer.
THOMAS E. WOOD.
Thomas E. Wood, a manufacturer of ice cream, with a factory in Princeton and one at Earlville, La Salle county, Illinois, is numbered among the native sons of this state, his birth having occurred in Boone county on the 15th of March, 1844. His father, Jacob A. Wood, was born in Canada, and became a citizen of the United States through the constitutional amendment of 1848. lle was a blacksmith by trade, and for many years followed that pursuit in MeHenry county, Illinois.
Thomas E. Wood lived in his native county until March, 1892, when he came to Princeton, where he has since resided. HEis education was acquired in the public schools, and in his youth he learned the blacksmith's trade, which he followed to the age of twenty-six years, after which he devoted fifteen years to general farming. He met with fair success in that undertaking, and on selling his farm he turned his attention to the creamery business as representative of the Elgin Creamery Company. Seeking a still broader field of labor, and one that he believed would prove more advan- tageous to him, he came to Princeton in the fall of 1891 and built an ice cream plant. In March, 1892, he removed to this city, and has been op- erating his plant since that time. In the spring of 1905 he further extended the scope of his labors by the establishment of a plant in Earlville, Illi- nois, and he is now conducting an extensive and profitable trade. He makes shipments to various parts of the county, and his output covers a large territory. Ilis extensive trade is indicative of the excellent quality of his product, and he justly merits the success which is attending his efforts in this direction.
On November 10, 1869, Mr. Wood was married to Miss Isabelle Sinton, of MeHenry county, Illi- nois, who was born in 1844. Her parents were of Irish descent, and members of the Society of Friends. In 1832 they located in Mellenry coun- ty, where they took up government land and con- tinned to make their home throughout the remain- der of their lives, dying in 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Wood now have one son, Frank E., who is a painter and contractor in Grinnell, Iowa. He married Miss Nellie Morris, of Grinnell, and they have one child, Wilbur.
Mr. Wood is well known in political circles as an advocate of republican principles, and in 1899 and 1900 he represented the third ward of Princeton on the board of aldermen. He belongs to Peace lodge. No. 128. I. O. O. F., in which he has passed
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all of the chairs and in the work of which he takes a very active and helpful part. He is also a leading member in the encampment, and is past grand patriarch. He has assisted in initiating more members into the lodge than any other man in Bureau county, and his identification with Odd Fellowship dates from 1886, when he joined Big Thunder lodge, No. 28, of Belvidere, Boone coun- ty, Illinois. He also joined the encampment, the canton of Kewanee and the Rebekah lodge at Bel- videre, and he is deeply interested in this frater- nity and its growth and the accomplishment of its purposes. He is popular with its representatives in this part of the state, and in business eireles he has made for himself an enviable name.
MAX PAUL SEIBEL.
Among the citizens of Burean county whose la- bors have directly and largely benefited the village of Manlius is numbered Max Paul Seibel, cashier of the First State Bank of Manlius and treasurer of the New Bedford Creamery Company. He also laid out an addition to the village, whereon are found the best business houses and finest residence section, and while promoting his individnal inter- ests he has also contributed largely to general prog- ress and prosperity.
Born in Manlius township, April 8, 1869, he is a son of J. Jacob Seibel, deceased, who was born in Breidenstein in the archduchy of Hesse, Ger- many, November 23, 1816. He attended school the required number of years and then assisted his father on the farm. However, after the day's work was done he would walk to the adjoining village and attend the drawing school. While yet a young man he learned engineering and for some time fol- lowed that business in his native country. In 1850 he came to the United States, but being unable to speak English he found it impossible to secure a situation as an engineer in this country and for some time was employed as a carpenter in Ohio and later in St. Louis. He then went to California, attracted by the discovery of gold on the Pacific coast, and after a successful year in the mines re- turned to "the states" by way of the isthmus route. He remained in Pennsylvania for a short time and was there married to Miss Priscilla P. Follet, who was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, March 1, 1828. The wedding was celebrated Feb- ruary 9, 1852, after which they came immediately to Bureau county, where Mr. Seibel first purchased one hundred and sixty aeres of land in Manlius township, which he began to improve. Few inen possessed more energy or stronger determination to win success in life, and hands and brain were constantly at work. During the war, when it was difficult to employ labor. he began inventing and experimenting on labor-saving machines and was the first to begin building harvesters to carry bind- ers. He made them work successfully on his farm,
but it was hard to introduce new machines and be- fore this could be accomplished others had pat- terned after him and reaped the benefit of his genius, so that in the enterprise, instead of making money, he lost between thirty and forty thousand dollars and finally the engine and machinery were put into the plant of the Buda Manufacturing Company and after the failure of that company the machinery was sold and Mr. Seibel's estate re- ceived nothing. Ile was, however, successful as a farmer and stock-raiser and at the time of his death owned sixteen hundred acres of land in Bu- reau county. He and his son Frank were both killed in a railroad collision at Englewood, when on their way to Chicago with stock, March 11, 1880.
In the family were twelve children: Celia K .. who was born February 17, 1853, and married George W. Beggs, of Glidden, lowa; George E., who was born November 5, 1854, and married Eva MeNaughton; Chloe F., born November 15, 1856; Charles H., born October 25, 1858; Fred, who was born August 6, 1860, and died at the age of six months; Frank L., born November 21, 1861; Mark B., born November 27, 1863; Clark J., born October 8, 1865; Herman M., who was born Angust 30, 1867, and died in August, 1868; Max P .; Lilly M., who was born November 16, 1871, and died April 8, 1825; and Karl B., born April 30, 1875.
Max P. Seibel was educated in the common schools and in Elliott's Business College, at Bur- lington, Iowa, which he attended until 1888. He then returned to the home farm and managed the estate until the spring of 1899, when he was ap- pointed deputy county treasurer, entering upon the duties of the office on the 1st of July and serv- ing until February, 1902, when he resigned and organized the First State Bank of Manlius, of which he was elected cashier on the 21st of March, 1902, the bank opening for business on the 14th of June of the same year, with William C. Dale as president. The directors are William C. Dale, Max P. Seibel, F. J. Anderson, R. A. Lathrop and W. S. Rudiger. The records of the bank pre- sent a most ereditable showing, for the institu- tion has been attended with success from the be- ginning, under the able management of Mr. Sei- bel. In other lines of business he has also been active and other enterprises have felt the stimu- lus of his co-operation and energy. He was secre- tary of the New Bedford Creamery Company until 1899, when he resigned on becoming deputy county treasurer. At the present writing he is treasurer of the creamery company. The town of Manlius owes much to his efforts for its improve- ment, as he has laid out a fine addition, con- taining seventy-seven lots, on which are four of the best brick business houses in the town as well as the finest residence portion.
Mr. Seibel was married, Derember 1. 1892, to Miss Emma E. Nelson, a daughter of Peter and
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Ellen Nelson, farming people of Manlius town- ship. Three children were born to them, but Pearl James and another died in infancy and the mother died March 1, 1899, leaving a son, Glee Page, born September 11, 1893.
In politics Mr. Seibel is a republican and takes an active interest in party work, desiring the suc- cess and adoption of its principles. He filled the office of town clerk for eight years and all public trusts reposed in him have been faithfully dis- charged. Fraternally he is connected with the Odd Fellow's lodge at New Bedford, of which he is noble grand. His entire life has been passed in this county and his enterprise and energy have proven potent factors in the progress and up- building of this community and at the same time a source of gratifying revenue to himself. All who know him esteem him and those who come within the closer circle of friendship have for him the warmest personal regard.
RUBERT EUGENE WEBB.
Rubert Eugene Webb, a representative of the farming interests of Bureau county, is still living in Concord, his native township, where he was born April 12. 1872. Hle is a son of Frank D. and Augusta M. Webb. The father, a farmer by oc- cupation, came to Illinois in 1851, arriving at Buda on the 12th of October. Hle journeyed westward from his former home at Skowhegan. Maine, and here devoted his energies to general farming and stock-buying, becoming one of the leading business men of the community.
Rubert E. Webb acquired his education in the schools of Buda and has devoted his entire life to general agricultural pursuits. having received ample training in the work of the fields through the period of his boyhood and youth when not busy with his text books. The practical experi- ence which he thus gained has proved of immense value to him as he has managed his individual business interests. He now lives in Concord town- ship, where he operates one hundred and seventy- five aeres of land. constituting a well improved and valuable property. He is a breeder of Here- ford cattle and Poland China hogs.
Mr. Webb was united in marriage to Miss Grace Curtis Mosher, a daughter of B. IF. and Julia Mosher, of Buda, where the father is successfully engaged in merchandising. The wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Webb was celebrated on the 4th of March, 1896, and has been blessed with one son, Frank Daniel Webb, born March 12, 1900.
In his political views Mr. Webb is a stalwart republican, taking an active interest in the work of the party in both county and state, and his ef- forts have been an active factor in its local suc- cesses, while his opinions have carried weight in its councils. He has acted as school director for
nine years and township director for one yen. Ile is a prominent member of Buda lodge, No 339, A. F. & A. M., at Buda, in which he has served as both junior and senior deacon and a- junior warden. He is thoroughly in sympathy with the teachings and tenets of the craft and is recognized as one of the prominent representatives of its local lodge.
BENJAMIN F. WILLIAMS.
Benjamin F. Williams, deceased, was well known in trade circles in Sheffield and Bureau county as an extensive dealer in grain. He was a self-made man who met with excellent success in his undertakings, being far-sighted and posses- sing good business judgment. His life record be- gan in New Jersey on the 29th of June, 1827. and in his youth he accompanied his parents on their removal to Ohio, being engaged in merchan- dising at MeDonaldsville, that state, for a time. There he was married at the age of twenty-three years to Miss Margaret C. Palmer, the wedding being celebrated November 12, 1850. Mrs. Wil- liams was born in Hagerstown, Maryland. Septem- ber 2. 1832, but was only two years old when she accompanied her parents on their removal to Ohio, where she was reared. At the age of seven- ty-four years she is still hale and hearty and is an active member of the Unitarian church.
In 1852 Mr. Williams removed to the Hoosier state and for four years was engaged in merchan- dising at Lakesville, Indiana. At the end of that period, thinking to enjoy better business oppor- tunities west of the Mississippi, he made his way by wagon to Iowa, and passing through Sheffield, Illinois, while en route for that state, he noted with interest the prospects of the little town. After two years spent in lowa he returned to Sheffield and for several years dealt extensively in furs, which he bought of the Indians through- out the state. He also engaged in the boot and shoe business for a few years and then entered the grain trade, which he conducted continuously and successfully up to the time of his demisc. which occurred on the ?? d of December, 1894. Through his operations in grain he furnished a good market for the producers in this section of the state and he made largo shipments. so that his commercial interests brought him a good finan- eial income.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Williams were born four children : Leora A., the wife of Henry W. Booth, a merchant of Sheffield: May Arabella, the wife of William W. Dewey, a merchant of Henry: Lila, who resides at home with her mother: and Benjamin S., a grain merchant of Sheffield, who succeeded his father in business.
On the 10th of August, 1865, Benjamin F. Wil- liams was made a Mason in Ames lodge, No. 112. of Sheffield, and became one of the most valur ?
ByWilliams
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members of the fraternity in this community. He took a deep interest in the work of the eratt and was in thorough sympathy with its principles and teachings. In all of his business relations he was found reliable and trustworthy, never tak- ing advantage of the necessities of his fellowmen in any business transaction. He stood, too, for good citizenship and for public progre-s in com- munity affairs and his co-operation could always be counted upon for the furtherance of any movement that promised to prove of value to Sheffield and Bureau county. In his social rela- tions he also manifested commendable traits of character, so that his death was the occasion of wide spread and uniform regret.
WILLIAM H. MEYER.
William H. Meyer is one of the progressive and prominent farmers of Clarion township, own- ing a valuable traet of land splendidly equipped with all modern improvements. His residence stands in the midst of a beautiful grove of shade trees which he planted. There is a natural gas well on the place which supplies the house with heat and light, and with telephone connection and free mail delivery there are none of the ad- vantages of city life which are lacking, while those of a rural existence are likewise enjoyed.
Mr. Meyer was bom in Clarion township, De- cember 2, 1851, his parents being John F. and Barbara (Geuther) Meyer, both of whom were natives of Germany. The father's birth occur- red at Ililla in Westphalia, Germany, October 25, 1819. In the year 1844 he became a resident of Charleston, South Carolina, and in 1842 removed to La Moille, Illinois, where he engaged in farm- ing. In 1849 he purchased what is now known as the old home-tead on which his daughter, Mrs. Kroton, with her family, now resides. There were four sons and one daughter: William HI. ; John C., now in Spring Hill, Whiteside county, Illinois ; Henry A., of Erie, Illinois; Herman, a resident farmer of Clarion township; and Mrs. H. Kroton, who occupies the old homestead. The father died October 2, 1903, while the mother's death occurred June 24, 1866. He had continued actively in farm life up to the time of his demise.
William H. Meyer acquired his education in the publie schools of his native township and in the village school of La Moille. He was reared to the occupation of the farm and has always fol- lowed general agricultural pursuits with the ex- ception of a period of three years spent in a store in La Moille, from 1877 until 1880, and about three months passed as a elerk in a store in Juniata, Nebraska. He afterward engaged in farming for three seasons in Nebraska and later returned to Clarion township, settling on section 21, where he yet makes his home. He is actively engaged in farming and that his life
is one of industry and enterprise is indicated by the splendid appearance of his place. He is How the owner of one hundred and forty-one acres of fine land in the home farm, in addition to which he has three hundred and eighty-four acres in Nebraska and three hundred and twenty acres in Texas. Ile has here a beautiful residence which he built himself and the well kept lawn is adorned by many fine shade trees that were planted with his own hands. All of the build- ings upon the place are model and substantial structures and there is a twenty-six pound pres- sure gas well which supplies heat and light to the house. There is likewise telephone connec- tion with the surrounding towns and a daily mail delivery. The mode of living of the farmer today is in marked contrast to that of fifty years ago, when he who lived upon a farm was cut off from many of the advantages enjoyed by residents of the cities. There was also much hard manual labor in connection with the development of the fields, for nearly all of the work was done by hand. The improved machinery has revolution- ized all this and every equipment and convenience of city life may now be enjoyed by the farmer. Mr. Meyer, as a progressive citizen, has secured all of these advantages for his family and has now one of the model places of the county,
Happily married December 11, 188t, the year of his return to Illinois, Mr. Meyer chose as a companion and helpmate for life's journey Miss Mary C. Krooss, who was born in La Moille town- ship, June 14, 186;, and is a daughter of Henry and Sophia (Weigmann) Krooss, both of whom were natives of Germany, the former born in Bederkesa and the latter in Hanover. The pa- ternal grandfather was born in the same country October 30, 1195, and lived to be nearly ninety- seven years of age, dying on the 19th of July, 1892, in La Moille, while making his home with his son. He lived with a son in New York city from 1864 until 1812, but preferring country life he came to La Moille. When a youth of seventeen years he served as a soldier of the war of 1812 and throughout his entire life his sol- dierly bearing and carriage were manifest in marked degree. To the end he remained as erect as when he was in military training. Henry Krooss, father of Mrs. Meyer, came to the United States in 1861, landing in New York city, where for one year he engaged in clerking in his brother's store. He then came to the middle west and set- tled in Bureau county and engaged in farming. The following year he was joined by his wife and they lived with their family upon the farm for about three years. On the expiration of that period they removed to Mendota, Illinois, where they remained for a year and subsequently they took up their alody in La Moille, where Mr. Krooss purchased the brickyard which he ow ned and conducted up to the time of his death, pass- ing away November 5, 1886. His wife continued
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the business until her demise on the 1st of Oe- tober, 1901. In their family were two sons and two daughters: Mrs. Meyer; Ferdinand C. Krooss, now in Triumph, Minnesota; Mrs. Henri- etta F. Brown, living at Maple Park, Illinois; and Henry H., who occupies the old home at La Moille and is engaged in the conduct of the briekyard at one time owned by his father.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Meyer have been born four daughters: Alma Henrietta, born December 6, 1885; Eda Justina, July 4, 1887; Leola Cath- erina, April 14, 1890; and Renetta Marie, Novem- ber 16, 1891. The family circle yet remains un- broken, the daughters being still under the paren- tal roof. Mr. Meyer and his family are all mein- bers of the German Lutheran church and they are people of social prominence, occupying an enviable position in the community where they reside.
Politically Mr. Meyer is a stalwart republican and is entirely satisfied with the administration of the party. He has held the office of tax as- sessor for three years and for fifteen years was school director in Clarion township. His offi- eial duties have been discharged with promptness and fidelity and in all life's relations he is recog- nized as a inan of genuine personal worth, merit- ing the esteem which is so uniformly extended him. He represents one of the old and prominent families of the county and well deserves mention in this volume.
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