USA > Illinois > DeKalb County > Past and present of DeKalb County, Illinois, Volume II > Part 53
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On the 29th of February, 1860, Mr. Alden was married to Miss Laura J. Sawyer, who was born in Massachusetts, March 13, 1843, and is a daugh- ter of Alfred and Margaret H. Sawyer, the former a native of the old Bay state and the latter of Scotland. In the Sawyer family were four chil- dren, of whom Mrs. Alden was the second in order of birth. By her marriage she has become the mother of two sons and two daughters: Henry. who died in infancy: Susie Dick, born in August.
PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
1862: Abbie Wood, born March 17, 1864; and Fred H., born April 22, 1868.
Mr. Alden exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the repub- lican party and has always been conversant with the questions and issues of the day. He belongs to the Congregational church and has been a lib- eral contributor to its support. That he is a man of irreproachable standing and business honor is due to his own labors and the methods he has followed in his business career. Without assist- ance or the aid of influential friends he has made steady progress and is today one of the wealthy men of the county. The methods which he has followed are such as will bear the closest inves- tigation and his probity stands as an unques- tioned fact in his career. He is indeed a splendid type of the American citizen, who has been guided by a sense of high moral responsibility and in- dividual obligation, and his genuine worth is recognized by all with whom he has come in con- tact. To know Philander M. Alden is to respect and honor him, and his record adds new luster to a family name which has figured prominently and honorably in the annals of American history since the first settlement was made on the shores of New England by our Pilgrim forefathers.
ELMER A. SOWERS.
Elmer A. Sowers, proprietor of the Redwood billiard parlor and a confectionery and cigar store in Genoa, is a native of this county, having been born on a farm two miles south of Genoa in Genoa township, April 20, 1878. He is a brother of George Sowers, whose sketch appears on another page of this volume.
Ilis father, Andrew J. Sowers, was born in Perrysville, Vermilion county, Indiana, in 1831, and was twelve years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Illinois in 1842, the family locating in De Kalb county, where Andrew J. Sowers grew to manhood upon a farm. Here he was married to Miss Judith Ann Brown, a native of Hope township. Montgomery county, New York, and a daughter of Jeremiah L. Brown, who came to Illinois from Maine. his native state, in 1837, and after living for one year in Peoria
county removed to De Kalb county in 1838, mak- ing his home here until his death, which occurred in 1882. She is a sister of D. S. Brown, who is represented elsewhere in this work.
After his marriage Andrew J. Sowers resided in Genoa township and in 1864 purchased two hun- dred and forty acres of land on the Sycamore road. where his father had settled on coming to the county in 1842. To the further improvement and cultivation of the farm he devoted his attention until 1893, when he removed to Genoa to live re- tired but died on the 7th of September of that year at the age of sixty-two. Ilis widow still sur- vives him at the age of seventy-two years and has a pleasant home in Genoa, where she is sur- rounded by a host of warm friends. In their family were eight children, of whom two died in infancy, the others being: Jeremiah William, who for the past four years has served as assessor of Genoa; George W .: Emma D., wife of A. D. Le Fevre, a resident of Zearing, Story county. Jowa : Jennie L., wife of A. A. Stiles, of Genoa: Eva M., wife of Fred P. Renn, of Genoa; and Ehmer A., of this review.
The last named is the youngest of the family and still makes his home with his mother. His early life was passed upon the farm, being fifteen years of age when they removed to Genoa. Hle had good school privileges and completed his edu- cation in the Genoa high school. For one year after laying aside his studies he engaged in clerk- ing, and then, in January. 1898, he opened a con- fectionery and cigar store. which he conducted for several years. fn 1903 he added pool and billiard tables and today has a first class establishment containing four tables of the Brunswick-Balke make. Ilis place is above criticism as he caters to the best citizens of Genoa and vicinity. For a time he did a large ice cream and soda water business but has since discontinued that depart- ment. For two years, from August 20, 1904. to August 20, 1906, he also conducted a billiard parlor at Woodstock, Illinois, and on the 15th of March, 1905, started the Blue Front cigar store at Elgin. which he carried on for one year and then sold to O. W. Andresen, thus operating the three establishments at once, but owing to the inconvenience arising from their widely different locations he sold out both these places, retaining only the one at Genoa. Besides his property here
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
he owns a farm of one hundred and sixty aeres in Story county, Iowa, which he recently purchased from his mother.
Politically Mr. Sowers is identified with the re- publican party, but has never sought or desired public office, preferring to devote his time and attention to his business interests. lle is a mem- her of Genoa lodge, No. 288. A. F. & A. M .. in which he has passed through all of the chairs except that of worshipful master. He also belongs to Sycamore chapter and commandery and has the distinction of being the youngest Shriner in Genoa. holding membership in Tebald Temple at Rockford. He is a wide-awake. energetie young business man and well merits the high esteem in which he is held.
MARTIN DODGE.
Martin Dodge was born in Mt. Holly, Vermont. June 6. 1824, and was the seventh and youngest child of Abram and Elsa ( Cook) Dodge. His brothers and sisters were Thomas, Daniel. Hannaa. Lonisa and two sisters who died in infancy. The ancestry of these two families dates to colonial tiays, having emigrated from England. The Dodge family was of Scotch and English descent, the Cook purely English, the former settling in New York state, the latter in Rhode Island.
The fathers of Abram Dodge and Elsa Cook Dodge were Revolutionary soldiers. After the war was over Daniel Cook. the father of Mr :. Dodge, removed from Rhode Island and settled in Mt. Ilolly. Vermont. His three daughters were motherless and were with relatives. By a second marriage a son and daughter were born. The three daughters were later Mrs. Dodge, Mrs. Wing, and Mrs. Lec. The last two settled at Andover. New York. Mrs. Lee's granddaughter. Miss Alice Bundy was one of the hundred musicians selected to make a tour of Europe and be entertained by the organists of the cathedrals of those countries. Miss Bundy was at the time principal of music at Beaver Dam Seminary and land visited at dif- ferent times the Dodge families at De Kalb.
When the British sailed into New York a family of Van Waylands who had .migrated from Hol- land and established there ves 'n business on
Long Island moved up the Hudson and settled. They had for neighbors a Dodge family who had also found themselves too near to the British. Van Wayland had married a wealthy Holland lady by the name of Rathburn. To them was born a daughter Hannah, who married Daniel Dodge, one of the sons of their neighbor. The early mar- ried life of this brave and truly noble woman was troublous. Mr. Dodge as a soldier was doing spe- eial service, requiring courage, discreetness and a knowledge of the country through which the eu- emy's army would pass. She reared her numerous family under difficulties during these years. The writer's knowledge is from Martin Dodge, telling the stories of these times, for he was but a baby boy when his grandmother Dodge. then a widow. became an inmate of his father's home and he easily became her favorite grandchild and until he was a man and her death occurred at ninety- seven years of age he was ever a willing listener to the incidents on which her memory dwelt.
One daughter married an Ellison from Massa- chusetts. removed to Canada, another became the wife of a Methodist minister of northern New York. Thomas settled in St. Lawrence county and Edmond remained near Utica. Two emi- grated to lowa, one to Wisconsin, one settled near Chicago, Illinois, when it was but a village. and Abram and his wife for five years of their early married life lived in Canada, where their son Thomas was born, but when it looked as though he might have to take up arms against his own country he fled hurriedly. going directly to Mrs. Dodge's father's home at Mt. Holly, Vermont. There were two log houses on the farm and they occupied one until a good commodious house was built some years later. Thus the Cook became the Dodge homestead. Mr. Dodge buying a tract of land adjoining. Daniel Cook had a brother. one of the Merchant Marine, with his port of entry at Salem. Massachusetts, being a merchant of Boston. He helped to found the Salem Museum and his portrait in oil has a place of honor upon its walls.
The Dodge home in Vermont was one of com- fort and large hospitality and the family was one of the oldest in town. Thomas, Hannah and Louisa were teachers in the schools in Vermont. Louisa's death occurred when she was but twenty- sven years of age and brought a cloud that shud-
Martin Dodge
THE NEW YORK L STARYI
NUATIONS.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
owed the home for years. Grandmother Dodge died two years later.
Martin Dodge was married December 13, 1854, to Miss Maria Priest, daughter of Ethan and Eunice (Dowley) Priest. Her father was one of the wealthy farmers of the town, a very intell ;- gent man. Both the Priest and Dowley families were among the prominent ones of the town and have remained so to the present time.
Mrs. Dodge for several years previous to her marriage was a successful teacher. Her grand- father Priest was a Revolutionary soldier. Three of her brothers were soldiers of the Civil war, all of Company I. Second Vermont Volunteers, one a first lieutenant. Her youngest brother. Rev. Henry Priest, is now dean of the Universalist University at Canton, New York, is a very active temperance worker and for many years was presi- dent of the university. Mrs. Dodge died August 22. 1861. and Mrs. AAbram Dodge had died two years previous. Hannah had ceased her teaching and now devoted herself to her father and brother. The father died in March, 1865, aged eighty-seven years, and the once thronged home seemed almost desolate. Martin then bought a home in the Via lage of Mechanicsville and leased his farm. which was one-half mile away. Typhoid fever, which was nearly fatal, left Mr. Dodge in a condition which required a change of climate. He went .o Canada, where his brother Daniel lived, staying with his nephew. Abram. Daniel's only son. While there he contracted for an extensive tract of wood land, but the parties failed to meet the appoint- ment and he was obliged to leave for Vermont be- fore closing the deal, expecting to do so later. Again a severe fever came to him and as soon as he was able to make the journey left in Septem- ber, 1871, for De Kalb, Illinois, where his brother Thomas resided. He returned November 1 and spent the winter in Vermont, but in June of 1872 started again for De Kalb, hunting the summer and fall for a location to settle, then buy- ing October ?, 1872, the L. Z. Parks property, now a part of the city of De Kalb. He spent the following winter in Connecticut and returned in April, 1873, to De Kalb, where he took possession of his recently purchased property.
In March, 1874. he again visited Vermont, where he was married April 8 to Miss Anna E. Chase, eighth child of Elijah and Tryphosa
( Blodgett ) Chase. She was born in MI. Holly. January 8, 1844, and had been a teacher in the public schools for fourteen years.
She was educated in the public and select schools of the state, with one term at the Mary Putnam select school at Orange, Massachusetts, where she went with her sister expecting to remain an in- definite time, but the death of this sister, Mrs. Parna Cheney, from typhoid fever caused the im- mediate return to her home. The children of this home were Parna, Joseph, Phillips, Ambrose, Sus- an, Anna, Edwin and Eugene, with two who died in infancy. Joseph was a manufacturer of chairs in East Templeton, Massachusetts : Phillips and Ambrose conducted a large flourishing business at Mechanicsville, Vermont ; Susan married Homy Dickerman of the same place. She died in Octo- ber, 1871, and three motherless ones lost a beauti- ful mother in form and character. Edwin die.i a soldier of the Civil war. Phillips and Ambros were also soldiers, the former a captain of Com !- pany A, Second Vermont Volunteers, and the lat- ter a sergeant in the Twenty-first Massachusetts Volunteers, under Burnside. Eugene was for years shipping clerk for his brother at Mechanicsville.
Joseph, Phillips and Eugene were not only ar- tive business men, but church workers, stewards of the Methodist Episcopal church, as was their father. Elijah Chase. The family were republi- cans, all the brothers being active politicians froid principle.
Ambrose is the genius of the family. being an inventor and pleasing writer of verse, a talent which he takes from the Peeks. Eugene's best church work has been his cultivated talent as a singer. Phillips served in both branches of the legislature of his state for several terms. One son survives him, George P. Chase, of Parkersburg. West Virginia, a graduate of the I'niversity of Pennsylvania, also of the Columbia Law School at Washington, D. C. He is an active republican and member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Ambrose lives at Somerville, Massachusetts, and Eugene at Hanover. Massachusetts.
Their father died in October. 1822. Mrs. Chase sold her home in Vermont and came in 1876 to reside with her daughter, Mrs. Martin Dodge at De Kalb, where she was much beloved by all. When she was eighty-seven years of age she re- turned to her birthplace at Deerfield. Massaclin-
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
setts, found the old home as it was when she was there in 180 ;. Only a few months before her own cousin had died. leaving it in possession of his daughter. She returned to De Kalb, but was not strong again, and passed from earth in Au- gust of the next year. Mr. Dodge seemed fatally ill at the time, but recovered to be around. but was never able to do active work again. and those nearest him could see how that once powerful physique was loosing constantly its vitality. More and more content did he become to sit and live over the past and there was much to live over. for though there had been sorrow there had been much that was true and beautiful gathered by the way.
Ilis family were active members of the Metho- dist Episcopal church. He was truly Christian but had never connected himself with any churen and had been a republican from his youth. While loyal to his adopted state, he was ever turning in thought and word to his Green Mountain home. Ile was a man true to his convictions and nothing deterred him from doing what he considered right. He was a student through life and so un- pretentions that one who had been his companio.1 for years was surprised to know that he knew his Shakespeare well. and any quotation from it he could at once place where it belonged. But it was in the world of nature that he loved most to live. excepting always his home, to which he was en- tirely devoted. Birds were his pets, he knew their names. songs and habits a> he knew the habits of all animal life that he had studied or known. He would transplant new and to him strange bo- tanieal specimens that he found near his honte. brought there by railway traffic, to study the habits of those plants and know their names.
He was best known to people as a business man, best known to his friends as a social man. Only those coming in close contact with him in busi- ness know of his kindness, consideration and for- bearance. In his own town in Vermont he held for years in succession offices of trust given by the people. AAfter removing to De Kalb he was twice chosen alderman. but refused to give longer serv- ice. lle was a director of the First National Bank. He belonged to no secret or social organ .- zations. The only society he was ever known to join was the Young Men's Christian Association at Mechanicsville.
At Christmas, 1901. he was ailing with a heavy cold. It developed into pneumonia-medical skill was untiring in efforts to relieve. Devotion coubl not save. He passed away in the early morning of Jannary 3, 1902, and rests in a beautiful spot hal- lowed by the dust of many connected families, at Mechanicsville, Vermont.
(. E. Diekerman, a nephew of Mrs. Dodge. had been a member of the Dodge home, but had ae- cepted a position at Racine, Wisconsin. lle at once returned to De Kalb and has been an inmate of the home since the death of Mr. Dodge and is now of the firm of Pritchard & Dickerman. Ile has since married Miss Eula Thaver. Besides these Mrs. Dodge has two motherless children, Anna and Martin, children of her nephew Edwin Chase, who lived with Mr. and Mrs. Dodge for four years. taking the high-school course under John L. Corts.
Mrs. Dodge has made a study through life of ancestry. a study that Mr. Dodge cared little for. She can trace the eight lines of her great-grand- parents and take- pride in the fact that they have been factors in the peopling of this great west. All these lines reach back into colonial days.
Aquilla Chase settled with his brother Thomas in Hampton, New Hampshire. in 1639. Uniform tradition says they came from Cornwall, England. There is a direct line from him to the present generation. Rogers Chase and his wife, Sarah Walker, were the great-grandparents of Mrs. Dodge. Ile was a Revolutionary soldier during the entire war. The Walkers were of Irish descent. In 1641 Rev. Samuel Newman, with the larger portion of his congregation, settled at the head .. Narragansett bay, having purchased a tract of land eight miles square from a tribe of Wampanoagos
Widow Walker and her son Phillip were among the number, she being the second largest land- holder. At her death her son became her heir. His grave is marked and his home still standing. Ile was a soldier in King Phillip's war. making a personal gift of many pounds to aid in the carrying on of this war. He was a deacon in the church. A grand jury in 1655 took oath of fidel- ity in 1658. Tle left Rumford, Rhode Island, at an early age, for we find him prominent in what is now Attleboro, Massachusetts, in 1658. We have a direct line to this Phillip.
Ebenezer Chase, who married Clarissa Peck. was the oldest son of Rogers and Sarah ( Walker)
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
Chase. Joseph Peck first came from England and settled in Massachusetts in 1638; lived in Hing- ham in 1645, removing to Seekonk; was a towns- man in 1680 and representative to the general court of Massachusetts in 1200. His grandson, Jathnell Peck, lived in Rehobath-a man of large wealth and influence : representative to the general court in 1221-1931, and bought large properties and founded churches.
Henry, his son, lived at the homestead, but Solo- mon, son of Henry and the great-grandfather of Mrs. Dodge, married Anna Wheeler and settled in Royalston, Massachusetts, where he bought land and continually added to it. His daughter Cla- rasa married Ebenezer Chase. They were the par- ents to Elijah Chase, who was born in October, 1804, and the oldest of the family of six children. born to them at Royalston, Massachusetts. His father was the owner of several hundred acres of woodland and rested not day or night from de- stroying it to subdue the wilderness. This farm is today in the hands of a member of the Chase family, who is letting it again come into timber land.
Thomas Blodgett first removed from Woburn, Massachusetts, to Lexington in 1699; was asses- sor in 1:10; and after the town was incorporated filled nearly every place of honor that could be given him. In 1:14 he was selectman and con- stantly succeeded himself and represented his town in general court. His sons were all soldiers and patriots. Timothy being a minuteman ar the battle of Lexington. He had married Milli- cont Perry and when her husband was awakened that memorable 19th of April and went out into the night to meet the British on the Lexington green, she arose, heated the brick oven and baked. so that if her husband and soldiers with him re- turned food in abundance would be awaiting them. Then when her work was done took her little chit- dren and started for the thick forest, where otneis had been hiding since before dawn. As she was crossing the street she heard the clatter of hoofs and two British officers were riding past. In her confusion she started to retrace her steps, whe 1 the one, who afterward proved to be General Gage. kindly said, "God bless you, we do not injure wom- en and children." They had ridden out a dis- tance to know how the battle was going. They moved to Wendol, afterward to Deerfield, where
they purchased a farm and reared a large family of children. The farm adjoining was owned by Waitstill Hawks and his wife, Anna Spofford Hawks, who were rearing a numerous family of boys and girls. Joseph, the son of Timothy Blodgett, married Thankful, the daughter of Waitstill and Anna Hawks, and lived for several years at the Blodgett home. There Tryphosa, the eighth child and the mother of Mrs. Dodge, was born and spent the first seven years of her life. There she visited in 1896.
The family history of the Hawks are closely in- terwoven with Colonial days. Colonel Hawks being the one chosen to redeem the captives taken to Canada after the Indian massacre at Deerfield. Several of the Hawks family were murdered in this massacre.
From the Hawks and Blodgett union went out sons and danghters to many states-North Car .- lina, Georgia, Arkansas, lowa, Illinois, Pennsyl- vania, Vermont and New Hampshire. Colonel Blodgett of Georgia, one of the heroes of the Semi- nole war, was a brother of Mrs. Elijah Chase and Colonel Brantley. a Confederate, killed during the Civil war, was a son of Benjamin Brantley and Susan Blodgett Brantley, a nephew of Mrs. Chase. Mrs. Tiffany, residing with her daughter, Mrs. IT. B. Gurler of De Kalb. is a niece of Mrs. Chase, who was a sister of the mother of Mrs. Tiffany.
John Spotford came from Yorkshire, England. in 1640. was the first settler of Georgetown. Massachusetts, and the progenitor of all the Spoi- fords in this country.
There has not been woven into this history names here and there of men high in church. school, state and nation, neither the many repre- senting the best in all professions, but families who have striven to do something worthy of their ancestry while endeavoring to fulfill the obliga- tions of citizens and kindred.
A. J. PLAPP.
1. J. Plapp, an enterprising farmer and stock- raiser, owns a well improved farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres, situated on section 4, Malta township. all of which has been acquired through his own industry and capable management of his business affairs. Mr. Plapp was born July 27,
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
1866, a son of J. F. and Elizabeth ( Lipp) Plapp. both of whom were natives of Wurtemberg, Ger- many, the former born June 29, 1816, and the latter September 25, 1820. The father emigrated to the new world in 1838, the trip across the Atlantic requiring forty-two days. Landing in Baltimore. he there remained for five months, be- ing employed at the meager sum of six dollars per month. From that city he made his way to Erie county, Pennsylvania, whence in 1844 he arrived in De Kalb county, Ilinois. He was first em- ployed here in assisting in the erection of Howard mill at Geneva and in various other ways until 1848, when he located on a farm, on section 24, Pierce town-hip. which he developed and im- proved, eventually becoming one of the substan- tial residents of that section of the state. Mrs. Plapp had come to America in 1832. and it was in De Kalb county that she was married to J. F. Plapp in 1850. She is still living at the very ad- vanced age of eighty-six years, but Mr. Plapp passed away January 25, 1885. Their family numbered twelve children, seven sons and tive daughters. but four of the number have passed away.
A. J. Plapp acquired his education in the com- mon schools during the winter months, while in the summer seasons he was trained to the duties of the fields, giving to his father valuable assist- ance during the period of his boyhood and youth. When starting out upon his own responsibility he chose as his work the occupation to which he had been reared and this has continued to be his work to the present time.
In 1891 Mr. Plapp established a home of his own by his marriage on the 5th of February of that year, to Miss Anna R. Hiner, who was born in Pierce township. De Kalb county. April 5, 1820. Her father was a native of Germany and when a young man came to America. locating on a farm in Pierce township, where he lived until his death, which occurred September 21. 1899. The mother. who was born in 1845, is still living on the old homestead farm. Their family numbered eleven children, of whom eight still survive.
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