USA > Illinois > DeKalb County > Past and present of DeKalb County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 49
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1
Hamit a Ellwood
AS. UR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATIONS,
·
. .
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
Joseph F. Glidden, recognizing the situation. in- vented what is today known the world over as the Glidden barb wire. Mr. Ellwood assisted in ob- taining patents and. forming a partnership with Mr. Glidden. became owner of a half interest in the invention. The business was established under somewhat trying circumstances, as people were loath to accept the new fencing material, but time proved its value and the trade rapidly increased. In 1876 Mr. Glidden sold his interest to the Wash- burn & Moen Manufacturing Company, of Massa- chusetts. and they together, after a litigation of some years, granted licenses to various factories. Through Mr. Ellwood's influence and foresight most of the underlying and first patents on barb wire and machinery for making the same, were combined together, enabling him, with the assist- ance of others, to build up one of the largest and most successful business enterprises in the history of this country. For forty years farming was carried on in this section of the United States with the same need of fencing material, yet not until the year mentioned did any one take ad- vantage of the opportunity to give to the world this most important invention. For a time Mr. Ellwood was associated in the manufacture of barb wire with J. F. Glidden and afterward with the Washburn & Moen Manufacturing Company, of Worcester, Massachusetts. This connection continued for some time but Mr. Ellwood later became sole owner and manager of the large man- ufacturing establishment at De Kalb, doing busi- ness under the firm name of the I. L. Ellwood Manufacturing Company. When he was asso- ciated with Mr. Glidden he was placed in charge of the business management of the firm and to Ins tact and business ability may be attributed in no small measure the success of the enterprise. From time to time improvements have been made. Countless objections were urged against the new fencing material but this was to be expected, for no successful invention ever came at once into general use. Its utility, however, was soon dem- onstrated and the sales increased rapidly after a time. The fencing began to be used not only by the farmers but by the railroads as well, and although the railroad corporations were loath at first to accept the invention, later thousands of miles of their roads were enclosed with barb wire fence. In order to turn out this material at a
lower cost it was seen that it was necessary to have automatic machinery, which was seenred through the efforts of Mr. Ellwood. This machine was made for the purpose of taking the raw wire from the coil. barb, twist and spool it ready for use, and in perfecting this invention more than one million dollars were spent, but the result was at length attained and one machine was able to do the work of eight men and do it more perfectly. The works of the I. L. Ellwood Manufacturing Com- pany grew to be very extensive and the mam- moth buildings were supplied with every device for perfect workmanship known to the business. While others engaged in the manufacturing of barb wire it is a widely recognized fact through- out the country that this industry owes its suc- cessful establishment to Mr. Ellwood. His pride in its success comes not from the pecuniary reward that it has brought to him but from the means it has afforded him for benefiting others.
Realizing that it would be an advantage to the increasing business affairs, Mr. Ellwood established a wire drawing plant at De Kalb. At about the same time he commenced the extensive manufac- ture of wire nails and woven wire fencing. These two departments have grown and have become large enterprises in the United States, also adding much to the manufacturing interests of the county. Mr. Ellwood has sold his interests in the De Kalb factories to the American Steel & Wire Company. which has since successfully conducted the same.
IIaving so successfully fought countless com- mercial battles, he turned his attention toward intellectual conquests. Recognizing the great need of a school for training teachers in the center of a locality containing the best high and graded schools of the state, Mr. Ellwood spent several months at Springfield and was largely responsible in 1895 in securing the passage of a bill through the legislature providing for the Northern Illinois State Normal School. He was made one of the trustees and assisted materially in locating this institution at De Kalb. He has taken great pride in the school, has officiated since its founding as one of its trustees and has helped it in financial and other ways. When the school was located here he had the I. L. Ellwood addition platted and built thereon several club houses and resi- dences for the accommodation of the school peo- ple. The addition was presented to his children
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
with the understanding that they would put down cement walks. a paved street, a sewer system and set out shade trees, making it one of the most ( sirable residence parts of the city. Through his efforts in this direction this addition has be- come one of the prides of De Kalb.
On the 2th of January, 1859, Mr. Ellwood was united in marriage to Miss Harriet Miller. at the home of William A. Miller, of De Kalb. Unto them were born four sons and three dangh- ters. as follows : William L. : Mrs. Harriet Mayo ; Mrs. Mary Lewis: Mrs. Jessie Ray. of Denver, Colorado ; and E. Perry Ellwood. Two sons died in infancy and Mrs. Lewis, the wife of John Ji. Lewis, mentioned elsewhere in this work, has also passed away. The eldest son. William L., was for several years engaged in importing and breeding French draft horses, making annnal trips to France and personally attending to the purchase and selection of his stock. He has entire charge of the Ellwood stock farms, located in the vicinity of De Kalb and containing thirty-four hundred acres of land all in a high state of culti- ration and supplied with all the modern improve- ments for stock-raising. In addition to the De Kalb county farms Mr. Ellwood has four hun- dred thousand acres of land in Texas that is rapidly developing and becoming yearly more valuable.
Politically Mr. Ellwood has always been an earnest republican and is thoroughly informed concerning the questions and issues of the day. le has always been a liberal contributor to canı- raign funds and his influence has always been sought in political matters. On the 5th of June, 1902, he was made a member of the railroad and warehouse commission of Illinois and served for four years. He was on the staff of Governor Tanner and of Governor Yates and by reason of this service received the title of colonel.
Colonel Ellwood has for years maintained a hospitable home at De Kalb, where he has en- tertained many of the leading personages of the state and nation. His residence is located in the midst of large and well kept grounds. There is a deer park in connection and the conservatory contains a rare collection of plant life. Mrs. Ell- wood is an enthusiastic collector of rare and inter- esting objects and has established a museum in which the trophies of her travels and research are
safely displayed. The Ellwoods also maintain a splendid home at Palatka, Florida, and pass the winter months in the south.
A contemporary biographer has spoken of him as a man of fine personal appearance and command- ing presence. and one whose ambition has been te acquit himself of life's anties honorably before all men. to improve his capabilities and to become of use in the world,-and this he has certainly done. He is today recognized as one of the most promi- nent men that the middle west has produced. Strong in his honor and his good name, strong in his ability to plan and perform, unfaltering in support of the principles which he has formulated to govern his life, he has achieved what may well be termed a brilliant success. The mere acquisition of wealth is an asset which counts comparatively little after all. but when it is accompanied by sterling traits of character the record is one which may well elicit admiration and respect and consti- tute an example well worthy of emulation.
Colonel Ellwood is a man that wealth cannot spoil and the associations of early pioneer days are thedearest tohim. In the generous acts that he per- forms, which are many, he is reticent and the world will never know the abundance of his good works. As a speaker he is forceful, but he cannot give his characteristic energy to a cause unless he believes in the justice of the sentiments he utters. No man is held in higher esteem in this part of our state and his friends have mentioned him promi- nently for congressman and governor. but his as- pirations do not lie in that direction. Wherever he is known he is admired for his social life, his love of home and friends and neighbors. The city of De Kalb, his home for half a century, can testify to the good work he has done in building up a community that shall rise up in days to come and call his memory blessed.
JAMES B. POGUE.
Prominent among the business men of De Kalb county is James B. Pogue, cashier of the Hinckley State Bank and senior member of the firm of Pogue & Son. dealers in coal and lumber. He possesses untiring energy, is quick of percep- tion. forms his plans readily and is determined in
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
their execution, and his close application to busi- ness and his excellent management have brought to him the prosperity which is today his.
A native of Illinois, Mr. Pogue was born on a farm near Oswego in Kendall county, March 28. 1858, and is a son of Matthew J. and Sarah E. (Gibson) Pogue, who were born in Ohio and were married in Hillsboro, that state in 1856. Coming to Illinois, the father purchased one hun- dred acres of land in Kendall county and for some years devoted his time and attention to agricultur- al pursuits, but in 1874 removed to Oswego and embarked in the coal and lumber business, which he carried on until 1901 under the firm name of J. M. Pogue & Sons.
James B. Pogue was reared and educated in his native county and on starting out in life for him- self was employed as a drug elerk in Oswego for two years. In 1849 he joined his father in busi- ness as a member of the firm of M. J. Pogue & Sons and in 1884 bought out the business chang- ing the name to the Pogne Brothers Lumber Com- pany. They also opened an office at Hinckley and now have yards both at Paw Paw and Water- man in addition to those already established. Our subject has not confined his attention alone to this enterprise but in 1901 became interested in the banking business, becoming cashier of the Hinckley State Bank, which is now occupying an elegant new building, thoroughly up-to-date in its appointments. The bank is now in a prosper- ous condition. doing a large amount of business and it has always followed a safe, conservative policy that has won the confidence of the public and secured for it a liberal patronage. Mr. Pogue is also secretary of the Hinckley Grain Company. a stock company, which was organized in 1907 and has an elevator at Hinckley with a capacity of one hundred thousand bushels.
In 1884 Mr. Pogue was united in marriage to Miss Anna J. Shepard. daughter of J. C. and Hannah S. (Farley) Shepard, of Kendall county. Two children bless this union. Mabel E. and Ralph J., both at home. The republican party has always found in Mr. Pogne a stanch supporter of its principles and for the long period of twenty- three years he has most acceptably filled the office of town clerk of Hinckley. As a publie spirited and enterprising man he has been prominently identified with the upbuilding of the town during
his residence here and never withholds his support from any measure which he believes will prove of public benent. As a business man he stands de- servedly high in the esteem of his fellow citizens and he has the confidence and respect of all with whom he is brought in contact either in commer- cial or social relations.
JOHN R. CHATFIELD.
John R. Chatfield. engaged in the grocery busi- ness at Sycamore as a partner in the firm of Sivwright & Chatfield. was born in De Kalb county in 1849, his parents being John and Julia Ann ( Holmes) Chatfield. The father arrived in this county in 1841. He was born in London, Eng- land, in 1801, and for seven years sailed before the mast. finally becoming first mate. For three years he was on a whaler. When thirty years of age he took passage on a sailing vessel which weighed anchor at Liverpool and dropped anchor in the harbor of New York. Several years later he made his way westward to Chicago and soon afterward purchased a claim in what is now Syca- more township, De Kalb county, Illinois. Event- ually he became the owner of a well developed farm of three hundred and forty-three acres. all of which is now owned by our subject with the exception of a sixty acre tract. With character- istic energy the father began to transform the raw prairie into well cultivated fields, adding modern improvements and continuing the work of develop- ing his place up to the time of his death. which occurred in March, 1890. He was well known as a successful farmer and stock-raiser. His politi- cal allegiance was given to the republican party, of which he was a stalwart advocate.
ITis wife was born in the state of New York in 1818 and in early girlhood was taken to Erie, Pennsylvania. Her father, a paper manufacturer for some time in Meadville. Pennsylvania. after- ward removed to Chicago and later to St. Charles, Illinois, where he took charge of the Butler paper mill as foreman, continuing in that position up to the time of his death in 1845. John Chatfield and Julia Ann Holmes were married in St. Charles. after they took up their abode in a little log cabin on the claim, living in true pioneer
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style in the early days, but as the years passed enjoying the comforts which were secured through the enterprise and efforts of Mr. Chatfield. He was a man of scholarly attaiments, being a grad- uate of Yale College and spoke fluently French. Greek. Italian and Latin. He belonged to that class of representattive men who infused into the upbuilding of the middle west the culture and learning of the older east as well as the business ability. and thus transformed the western wilder- ness into a district justly noted for its intellectual prowess and accomplishments. Both Mr. and Mrs. Chatfield passed away in the city of Sycamore. the latter dying in 1887.
John R. Chatfield, their only child. remained upon the home farm until his mother's death in 1887, after which he took up his abode in the city of Sycamore, where he engaged in clerking in a grocery store. Today he is owner of a half inter- est in the same store and as a member of the firm of Sivwright & Chatfield is accounted one of the enterprising merchants of the city. They carry a large and carefully selected line of goods. and the tasteful arrangement of their store with mod- erate prices and fair dealing have secured to the firm a very gratifying and liberal patronage. Mr. Chatfield leases the farm and derives therefrom a good income.
In Sycamore was celebrated the marriage of John R. Chatfield and Miss Clarinda Phelps, who was born in De Kalb county. Illinois. in 1859. a daughter of Samuel Phelps. an early resident of the county, who remained here until his death, which occurred in 1882 when he was about sixty- eight years of age. Ile sailed for nine years on the Great Lakes. rising from cabin boy to first mate. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Dorcas Campbell. survived him until 1894 and died at the age of seventy-two years. They came to the middle west from the vicinity of Syracuse, New York. and for some years after their arrival Mr. Phelps engaged in the cultivation of rented land but afterward bought a farm in Sycamore township and there made his home until he was called to his final rest. He took an active and helpful part in the early pioneer development of this portion of the state and was well known as a frontier settler. The Phelps family numbered eleven children. Those still living are: Mrs. Alonzo Gordon. of Kane county. Illinois; Mrs.
Lyman Ewings, also of Kane county; James. a veteran of the One Hundred and Fifth Illinois Infantry and now a retired farmer living in Rock- ford, Illinois : Benjamin, who is shipping clerk in the People's Furniture Store at Omaha, Nebraska; Mrs. Iliram Ewings and Mrs. Myron Corser. who are residents of Cherryvale. Kansas : Mrs. Nyron Black, of Arkansas City. Kansas ; and Mrs. J. O. Westlake. of Sycamore.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Chatfield has been born a son and daughter. Leslie JJ .. twenty-four years of age. now a member of the grocery firm, was mar- ried October 2. 1906, to Jennie Dee. of Rochelle. Illinois. Ethel, nineteen years of age, is a music teacher who is enjoying special advantages under the instruction of Professor Lowis. The family residence is a fine home which was erected in March. 1903. by Mr. Chatfield.
In løs political views he is a stalwart republican and fraternally has been connected with the Odd Fellows society since the 10th of October, 1876. Ile is now noble grand of Sycamore lodge and for the past twelve years has affiliated with the Modern Woodmen. also belonging to the Knights of the Globe and the Yeomen, while his wife is connected with the Rebekah degree of Odd Fel- lows. Both are esteemed as people of genuine worth, having a wide and favorable acquaintance in Sycamore and De Kalb county. and Mr. Chat- field is numbered among the carly settlers, for during fifty-eight years he has lived in this county, witnessing its growth and progress along lines which have brought it forth from pioneer condi- tions and secured for it all of the advantages and opportunities of an advanced civilization.
GENERAL DANIEL DUSTIN.
General Daniel Dustin, whose life. "grand in its simplicity." was one which conferred honor and dignity upon the city and state which were his home, lived for many years in Sycamore. Through- out Illinois, however. he was known and respected and his business life and military and political service characterized by all that is just and up- right gained for him a measure of trust. good will and love such as is accorded few men. He was born in Topsham. Orange county. Vermont.
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LENCX + 4JUNDATIONS.
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October 5, 1820, his parents being John Knight and Sallie (Thompson) Dustin. The father, a native of Atkinson, New Hampshire, was born January 24. 1784, while the mother's birth oc- curred in Newbury, Vermont, January 15, 1788. They were the parents of thirteen children, eight of whom reached adult age and were married. John K. Dustin, a farmer by occupation, died in Topsham, in August, 1858, having for many years survived his wife, who passed away there Decem- ber 14, 1829.
The Dustin family comes of Scotch and En- glish ancestry, the line being traced back to Thomas and Hannah Dustin, of Haverhill. Massa- chusetts, who were married in 1677. The latter was a daughter of Michael and Hannah Emerson. and was born at Haverhill. Massachusetts, Do- cember 23, 1651. She was the heroine of an ex- ploit famous in the early annals of New England. She was taken prisoner by the Indians in an at- tack on Haverhill, March 16, 1698, at which time her nurse and an infant were also captured, but the child was soon afterward killed. Mrs. Dustin was taken to an island in the Merrimae river, after- ward known as Dustin's Island, with twelve In- dians. One night, with the aid of the nurse and a white captive boy, she killed all the Indians when they were asleep, save a squaw and a boy who es- caped, returning thence to Ilaverhill with their scalps. Nathaniel Dustin, paternal grandfather of the General, was born September 8, 1756, and married Judith Knight, whose birth occurred May 2, 1756. He died March 3, 1815, his wife sur- viving until the 3d of June, 1842.
General Dustin spent the days of his boyhood and youth in his native county and after master- ing the common branches of learning in the sub- scription schools he attended the famous old acad- emy at Newbury, Vermont. Intending to make the practice of medicine his life work, he after- ward began study to that end in Topsham, con- tinning his reading at a later day in Corinth, Ver- mont. He also attended three full courses of lec- tures at. Dartmouth College. in Hanover. New Hampshire, at a time when Oliver Wendell Holmes was professor of anatomy there. Follow- ing his graduation on the 18th of November, 1846. Dr. Dustin located for the practice of his profes- sion in Corinth, and succeeded in gaining a good patronage there. During his residence in Corinth
he was married at Topsham, in 1846, to Miss Isa- belle Taplin, a daughter of Colonel Gouldsburn Taplin, of Corinth, Vermont. By this union there were three children : Emna, the wife of William Myers, of Carthage, Missouri : Electa, the wife of Walter Waterman, a grocer of Sycamore ; and Wil- liam G., who is editor of a paper at Dwight, Elli- nois, and also postmaster of that city. In August, 1850, a few months after Dr. Dustin left Vermont for the gold-fields of California. his wife died.
It was in the spring of 1850 that the Doctor, hoping to more readily acquire a competence than he could in following his profession, sailed from New York on the steamer Georgia, which weighed anchor on the 13th of March. A landing was made at Charleston, South Carolina, where a num- ber of slaves were brought aboard. This was his first glimpse of slavery as it then existed in the south, but the incident was one which he never forgot and it proved the foundation upon which rested his strong opposition to slavery in later years. From Charleston he went to Panama. crossed the isthmus, re-embarked and arrived at San Francisco in the middle of June, 1850. He traveled with several companions who formed a partnership. They took with them a dredging machine with which to wash the gold from sub- inerged bars, but sold the machine on their arriva! at a large profit.
Dr. Dustin went first to Benecia and subse- quently to Sacramento, entering upon the practice of his profession in the latter place .. Later he went to the mining region at Hangtown, where he engaged in the search for gold and finally drifted into the French corral in Nevada county. There he met the lady who afterward became his wife. they were married at Spring Valley, California. October 18, 1854. The lady bore the maiden name of Elmira Pauly, and was a native of Lebanon, Ohio, and a daughter of Aaron Pauly, also born in that state, while his father emigrated from western Germany to America in the early part of the rentury. Aaron Pauly wedded Lydia Birdsall, a native of Wilmington, Ohio, and a daughter of Daniel and Zada ( Hinman) Birdsall, their only child being Mrs. Dustin. Following her mother's death, her father married again and in 1849 went to California, where in 1852 he was joined by his second wife and his children. Aaron Pauly was a merchant tailor in Cincinnati. Ohio, but on the
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coast engaged in general merchandising until 1884, when he retired from business, his death occurring in San Diego, California, in 1890. By his second marriage Dr. Dustin had one child, Zada, now the wife of John C. Craft, cashier of the Bankers Na- tional Bank, of Chicago.
After locating in Nevada county. California. Dr. Dustin engaged in merchandising and in the prac- tive of his profession, his services, however. being more in demand in surgical cases than in the ad- ministration of medicine, owing to the lawlessness of the times. which caused many personal injuries through cutting and shooting. He also gave some attention to surface mining. which he followed with fair success. He likewise figured prominently in political affairs, and in 1855-56 represented Nevada county in the state legislature.
Feeling that he had sufficient experience in Cali- fornia life. Dr. Dustin determined to return to the east. but instead of going to his old home in New England he located in Sycamore. Illinois. where he became associated with J. E. and Chauncey Ellwood in the mercantile business. continuing with them until after the inauguration of hostili- ties between the north and south. From the time that he first saw slaves at Charleston until the outbreak of the war his sympathy with the op- pressed race had steadily grown. He believed. too. in the indivisibility of the Union and enlisted in the Eighth Illinois Cavalry. being commissoned captain by Governor Yates, January 3, 1862. to take rank from the 1st of September, 1861. In 1862 he was promoted major. ranking from the Sth of January of that year. In March his regi- ment joined in the general advance on Manassas under command of General Sumner and in the early spring of that year at four different times the Eighth Illinois Cavalry drove the enemy across the Rappahannock. The regiment also did im- portant service at Gaines Mill and Malvern Hill, the advance on the second occupying Malvern Hill and with Benson's Battery of the United States Artillery bore the brunt of the fight and brought up the rear of the retreating Union forces at Bar- rett's Ford and at Chickahominy. At the open- ing of the seven days' fight Major Dustin was in command of a squadron of the Eighth on the ex- treme right of the Union line and where the rebel troops first encountered the Union army. The first volley of musketry on the first day of that memor-
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