USA > Illinois > DeKalb County > Past and present of DeKalb County, Illinois, Volume II > Part 61
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his stock-raising interests constitute an important branch of his business.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Carbaugh have been born five children : Charles F., born December 22, 1877; William E., October 12, 1879; Lewis D., Febru- ary 24. 1881; Elmer L., March 12, 1883; and Ralph A., March 8, 1891. The first two and the last are now deceased. Mr. Carbaugh is a repub- lean, who has voted the ticket since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He belongs to the Knights of the Globe lodge at De Kalb, and he and his wife are supporters of the Methodist Epis- copal church, usually attending its services.
CHARLES AUGUST SWANSON.
Charles August Swanson, foreman of the ma- chinery department for the American Steel & Wire Company, was born in Sweden on the 25th of January, 1860. His father, Swan Johnson, died when the son was only two and a half years of age. Ile was an only child and when nine years of age he came with his mother to the United States, a location being made in De Kalb. Here he was reared and the public schools afforded him his educational privileges. As a boy he worked on farms, herding cattle and doing other such labor as age and strength permitted. He remained upon the farm until his eighteenth year, when he secured employment in the Haish barb wire fac- tory in De Kalb. After a brief period, however, he accepted a position with the Superior Barb Wire Company, the Ellwoods being then owners of the plant, which is now a part of the plant of the American Steel & Wire Company. For some time Mr. Swanson operated one of the barb wire ma- chines. Later he was advanced, becoming a re- pairer of the machines, and when the upper mills were built he was placed in the machine depart- ment, where he gradually worked his way upward, being made foreman of the machinery department of the mill in 1900, since which time he has ac- veptably filled that important position. He is a skilled mechanic. well qualified for the work which claims his attention, his advancement in the busi- ness world having come in recognition of his in- dividual merit and fidelity.
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In politics Mr. Swanson is a stalwart republican and keeps well informed on the questions and is- snes of the day. Ile is a member of the Lutheran church and his life has been actuated by high and honorable principles. He was married on the 6th of June. 1890, to Miss Sophia A. Anderson, a daughter of Anders Gustav Anderson and a sister of Anderson Brothers, well known and prominent merchants of the city. Mr. and Mrs. Swanson now have one child. Ruth Caroline, born January 3, 1896.
ALBERT SHURTLEFF.
Albert Shurtleff, one of the well known men of De Kalb county. who has resided within its borders from an early day and for many years has been a resident of Genoa, was born in Stanstead, Lower Canada. July 25. 1824. His father, David Shurt- leff. was a native of the state of New Hampshire and a son of Ichabod Shurtleff. one of the pioneer residents of the Granite state. whence he removed at a later date to Canada. David Shurtleff was icared in that country. but was married in Ver- mont to Miss Ruth Snapp, a native of the Green Mountain state. In Canada he followed the occu- pation of farming for a number of years and later removed to Massachusetts, where he resided for four years, after which he came to Illinois in 1838. settling in De Kalb county. Hle had pre- viously visited the state and selected a location. Here he opened up a farm and reared his younger children, remaining a resident of the county until called to the home beyond. He had served as a soldier in the war of 1812. His wife survived him for a few years.
Albert Shurtleff was one of five brothers and the second in order of birth. He has one brother, Ephraim Shurtleff, living in Sycamore, and these two are the only survivors of the family. Albert Shurtleff was a youth of fourteen years when he accompanied his parents to Illinois. His school privileges were limited, so that he is almost wholly a self-educated man. He worked on the farm through the period of his youth and as opportunity offered he attended the public schools. His two brothers, Ephraim Shurtleff and General Giles
Wahlo Shurtleff, were both teachers. The latter studied for the ministry. was educated at Oberlin College in Ohio and became a member of the faculty of that institution, devoting his entire life to educational work. On the 22d of April, 1861. he enlisted in the Union army for three months' service and was elected a captain in the Seventh Regiment of Ohio Volunteers after he had re-enlisted for three years' service on the 19th of June. 1861. He was captured in battle, but was exchanged October 2, 1862. His valor and meritorious service won him promotion from time to time and at the close of the war he was brev- etted brigadier general of United States volunteers March 16. 1865. After being honorably dis- charged he returned to Oberlin and continued in school work there until 1887. His death occurred May 19. 1904. Hle had been married at Arm- strong. Ohio, December 24, 1864, to Miss Mary E. Burton, a resident of Oberlin.
Albert Shurtleff remained upon the home farm until after he had attained his majority. His mar- riage was celebrated in Sycamore, Illinois, on the 16th of December. 1852, the lady of his choice be- ing Miss Clarissa Rich, who was a native of Ver- mont. but reared in Kane county, Illinois. Her father. Elijah Rich, was likewise born in the Green Mountain state and was there married, but, removing to the west. became one of the early settlers of Kane county. Mrs. Shurtleff died in Genoa, August . 1906, deeply regretted by all who knew her, for she had many good traits of heart and mind. ller sister. Mrs. Venelia Arnold. is the wife of Elijah Arnold and now resides with Mr. Shurtleff.
For four years after his marriage Mr. Shurtleff engaged in farming in Kane county and then re- moved to Genoa township, where he purchased a tract of land, which he cultivated for several years. Later he sold that property and removed to South Dakota, where he bought a farm, owning about one thousand acres of land in that state. He has since sold a portion of this, but still retains a half sec- tion, which is a well improved and valuable farm property. He made his home theron until 1899. when he returned to Genoa and built a good resi- dence, in which he now resides.
Politically Mr. Shurtleff was originally an abo- litionist. casting his first presidential vote for James A. Birney. He voted for John C. Fremont,
MR. AND MRS. ALBERT SHURTLEFF.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.
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the first republican candidate, eagerly giving his support to the new party, which was formed to pre- vent the further extension of slavery. He has sup- ported cach presidential nominee of the party since that time with one exception, but he has neither sought nor held office. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at . Genoa, to which Mrs. Shurtleff also belonged. A useful and active life has brought Mr. Shurtleff to a venerated old age. One of the tragedies of the world is an old age which does not command respect by reason of the life that has been led. Mr. Shurtleff, how- ever, has been honorable in his relations with his fellowmen and straightforward in business, and his many good qualities have gained for him the con- fidence, esteem and trust of those with whom he has been associated.
FRED EUGENE GRAVES, M. D.
Dr. Fred Eugene Graves, who since 1893 has engaged in the practice of medicine in Hinckley. was born in Franklin township; De Kalb county. on the 7th of July, 1856. His father, Abraham D. Graves, is a native of Maine, horn in 1826, and is now living in Franklin township at the advanced age of eighty-one years. He came to Illinois in 1850 and settled on a farm in De Kalb county near where he now resides, having spent almost a half century in this locality. In agri- cultural pursuits he has met with a gratifying measure of success and is looked upon as a good business man of stalwart purpose and unfaltering energy. For some years he was engaged in breed- ing and raising of thoroughbred Ayrshire cattle. Some years ago, however, he retired from active business life. although he still lives on the farm. He holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has served as steward and in other offices for many years. In polities he has ever been an earnest republican and for twenty years was township treasurer. Ile married Salina Lucretia Churchill, who was born in the state of New York in 1832 and is still living. She came to Illinois with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Churchill, who arrived in this state about 1833. the year following the Black Hawk war, and settled in Franklin township, De Kalb county.
She was therefore reared amid the wild scenes of the frontier and her memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present. She. too. is a devoted member of the Methodist church. By her marriage she became the mother of eight children : Eva S., who is the wife of Milton D. Patten, a mechanic of Chicago; P'antha L., who died in infancy ; Fred E .; Charles S .. a practicing lawyer of Chicago; Nathanier A., a physician of Chicago; Amos C., who is engaged in the practice of medicine in Portland, Oregon : Bert E., a telegraph operator on the Chicago. Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, living at Ontario- ville, Illinois ; and John, who died in infancy.
Dr. Graves of this review was reared to farm life and was a distriet-school student in his early boyhood. He afterward attended a high school at Wheatland, lowa, and also the high school in Sveamore, and subsequently he engaged in teach- ing for three years. During that period, when not occupied with the duties of the schoolroom, he devoted his time to reading medicine in the office and under the direction of Dr. R. B. Spiers of Kirkland, Illinois, and in 1879 he matriculated in Bennett Eclectic Medical College of Chicago, in which he completed a two years' course. In March, 1881, he began the practice of his profession at Chicago Heights, where he spent two years, and later practiced for four years at Rockford, Illinois. He then went to King's Station, where he con- tinued for about six years, and in 1893 came to Hinckley, where he has been eminently successful in his chosen field of labor. He pursued a course in orificial surgery in the Chicago Homeopathic College and has ever been a close student of the science of medicine, keeping in touch with the on- ward march of the profession through his reading and investigation. He is also a member of the State and National Medical Association.
On the 21st of February, 1883. Dr. Graves was married to Miss Jeanne Maria Wallace, who was born at Arlington Heights, Chicago, in 1858 and is a daughter of S. W. Wallace, who was a wagon- maker and belonged to a pioneer family of Cook county. In 1884 Mr. Wallace moved to Rockford. Illinois, where he and Mrs. Wallace still make their home. Dr. and Mrs. Graves have three children : Jeanne Frances, who was graduated from the Northwestern University in the class of 1906 and is now principal of the high school at Genoa, Illi-
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nois: Edwin ('., who is a graduate of Lake Forest Academy of the class of 1906. and is now in the main office of the Chicago, Burlington & Quiney Railroad at Chicago; and Ruth, at home. The Doctor and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he belongs to various fra- ternal organizations, including the Masons, the Modern Woodmen of America. the Knights of Pythias and the Mystic Workers. His political support is given to the republican party. He has made steady and gratifying progress since he en- tered upon the practice of medicine and is now according a very extensive patronage, which indi- rates his high standing in his section of the county.
J. C. HOLDERNESS.
J. C. Holderness, who owns a fine residence in De Kalb and is pleasantly sitnated in life, was born in Canada. May 10. 1846. Ilis father. Thomas Holderness. was born on the ocean while his parents were crossing the Atlantic to Canada. He was reared to manhood in that country. and was married there, after which he brought his fam- ily to Illinois in the early 50s. He settled in Malta township. De Kalb county, and there fol- lowed the occupation of farming until his death. lle was twice married and by his first union had four children, of whom the subject of this review was the third in order of birth. By his second marriage there were six children, four sons and two daughters, of whom five still survive and all are residents of Colorado.
.I. C. Holderness spent his youth in his father's home, being brought to De Kalb county when a little lad. He was therefore reared in this locality and at the time of the Civil war, when but seven- teen years of age, he enlisted in 1863 as a member of Company C. Seventeenth Ilinois Cavalry. His services were largely against the bushwhackers in the state of Missouri and he was wounded in a battle at Wilson ('reek. The troops traveled over- land from St. Joseph, Missouri, to St. Louis, Mis- souri, twice. and Mr. Holderness remained at the front doing his full duty as a soldier until the war was over when, with a creditable milifary record. he returned home. He followed farming in De Kalb county for two years and went to Colo-
rado in 1861. driving overland the entire way. At length he reached Denver where he remained one year, after which he returned to De Kalb and en- gaged in farming.
In 1815. Mr. Holderness was married to Miss Catherine Bray, who was born in Aurora, Ili- nois, March 4, 1848. Her parents were natives of Ireland and when young people became residents of Aurora, where they were married. They lived there until the father's death, which occurred in 1899. The mother still survives and is now living with Mrs. Holderness. By her marriage she had seven children. four sons and three daughters. I'nto our subject and his wife have been born four children : Grace M., who was born January 22. 1877. attended the De Kalb high school and is now employed by the Central Union Telegraph Company; Aline Bray, who was born September 21. 1885, and is the wife of John Yelte and lives in Chicago; James T., born April 20, 1890, and ('layton Lay. born September 12, 1893, who are both at home.
Mr. Holderness supports the republican party and has held the office of school director for sev- eral terms. He is now desk sergeant on the police force of De Kalb. He and his family attend the Methodist Episcopal church and enjoy a pleasant home at No. 147 Evans avenue, which he owns. The family are much esteemed in the city where they live, and Mr. Holderness has always stood for public progress and improvement, giving his co- operation in many movements and measures which were intended for the publie good.
JOHN JOHNSON.
John Johnson. a veteran of the Civil war, was born in Sweden, March 21, 1820, and is now a resident of Malta. For many years he carried on general agricultural pursuit- in De Kalb county but for some time has lived retired, having justly earned the rest which he is now enjoying. His parent- were John and Nellie Johnson, also natives of Sweden, in which country they lived and died.
In his native land Mr. Johnson of this review was reared to manhood. He acquired a common- school education and remained a resident of Sweden until 1854. when he felt that he could
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better his financial condition in the new world and sailed for America, arriving in New York on the 11th of August of that year. There he remained for three months and in the fall of the same ycar came to De Kalb county, settling in De Kalb township. Here he worked for the Northwestern Railroad Company until after the outbreak of the Civil war. He noted the progress of events, re- alized that the war was to be no mere holiday affair, and in August, 1862, offered his services to the government. enrolling as a member of Com- pany K, One Hundred and Fifth Illinois Volun- teer Infantry. He served under Captain Austin and Colonel Dustin and was with Sherman on the celebrated march to the sea and in all of the im- portant engagements of that campaign. serving faithfully until the cessation of hostilities, when he was honorably discharged at Washington, D. C., after the grand review in which he took part. He had demonstrated his loyalty on many a southern battlefield, never faltering in the performance of any duty whether upon the lonely picket line or upon the firing line.
Returning to De Kalb county, Mr. Johnson again entered the service of the Northwestern Rail- way Company, with which he was connected for ten years. During that time he carefully saved his carnings and invested in eighty acres of land which he improved as opportunity offered. In 1875 he took up his abode upon the farm, began fencing and tilling the land, and for twenty years he toiled in that way, bringing the fields under a. high state of cultivation and annually gathering therefrom rich harvests. As the years passed by he prospered in his undertakings and when he had secured a handsome competence he put aside the more active work of the farm in 1896 and removed to Malta, where he purchased four lots and built thereon a fine residence. At the age of eighty-seven years he is now living retired and his former an- tivity and enterprise have enabled him in the eve- ning of life to have around him many comforts and luxuries. His son, C. O. Johnson, is operating the home farm in Malta township.
In the year 1866 Mr. Johnson was married to Mrs. Mary Ann Johnson, the widow of Alexander Johnson. She is a native of Norway, born Octo- ber 3, 1840, and when twelve years of age accom- panied her parents on their removal to De Kalb county, Illinois, where her father died in March,
1855, her mother long surviving, passing away October 8, 1890. By her first marriage Mrs. Johnson had one child, who died soon after her second marriage. By this union there are four sons : C. O., Louis, Frank and Amos. Louis has purchased a farm of eighty acres in Milan town- ship, where he now lives.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are members of the Lutheran church and they were married by a min- ister of that denomination in Chicago. Mr. John- son is a member of the Grand Army post, No. 124, and has taken much delight in meeting with his old army comrades and in recalling, around the campfires, the scenes of an arduous military ex- perience. Since 1865 he has drawn a pension in recognition of the aid which he rendered his adopted country. Wherever known he is respected His worth is not a matter of pretense but is based upon an upright, honorable character, and whether as a soldier, a private eitizen or a business man, he has so lived that in his old age he receives the veneration and respect which should ever be ac- corded those of advanced years.
ALFRED WESTERBERG.
Sweden has furnished to De Kalb many of its representative business men. A prominent lec- turer has said, "Sweden is the home of the honest man," and of this statement the historian is re- minded in compiling the life records of many of the Swedish-American residents of this city, who are well known for their energy and reliability, proving important factors in the business life of the city. To this class belongs Alfred Westerberg, who was born in Sweden. February 20, 1849. and is the survivor of the two children whose parents were John and Anna (Saxtrom) Westerberg. Fred, the deceased son, was a sea captain in the English navy.
Alfred Westerberg was fifteen years of age when he apprenticed himself to the machinist's trade. He finished his apprenticeship in his native coun- try and in 1868 came to the United States, landing at Boston after a voyage of twelve days. He made his way directly to Illinois and after two days spent in Chicago proceeded to St. Louis Missouri. For two years he lived somewhat of a
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roving life, visiting various localities. He went from St. Louis to Rock Island, thener to Memphis, Tennessee, afterward returned to Rock Island and later went to Wyoming. He then again made his way to Rock Island and on to St. Paul, Minnesota. but once more returned to the city which he seemed to regard more as his home. In 1×20 he located in Chicago and was employed as an engineer in the Union rolling mills. In ISIG he came to De Kalb, where he has since been located.
On his arrival here he sought and obtained em- ployment in the barb wire mills of Jacob Haish. Ilis removal to De Kalb was occasioned by luis desire to get into a smaller town where he might have a place in which to properly rear his two chil- dren. He left a position which paid him from one hundred dollar- to one hundred and thirty dollars per month and began work in De Kalb at a dollar and a half per day. His start here was a humble one but after the introduction of machines in the manufacture of barb wire opportunity opened up before him and from that time on his advancement has been rapel. The first machines were built by S. M. Steven- but ther only proved an minal stop. Mr. Westerberg's mechanical genius came into play and from that time on al! of the improvement- in the machinery in the Hai-h shop have been made by him. The machine- have been built here in the shops and if there has been any special machinery needed for a special purpose la has been called upon to furnish the same and within a short space of time has done so. For more than twenty years be has had charge of the machine shop and is one of the expert me- chanies of the western country.
Mr. Westerberg was married in Js23 in Miss Hulda Landstrom, a native of Sweden, who came to the I'nited States in 1869. By this marriage there are mne children : Edward and William, who are machinists of De Kalb: Frank, a machinist and sculptor of Joliet. Ilinoj -: Hubla. the wife of Wallace Hl. Hoskins, of New York city : Laura. the wife of G. W. Cheney. of De Kalb: Fred, a machinist of De Kalb: Lamener, who is employed in the signal department of the Northwestern Railway service in Wisconsin: and Anna and Ethel, who are attending the high school.
Mr. Westerberg is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church and a man of genuine personal worth who holds strictly to high ideals in his rela-
tions with his fellowmen. His political allegiance is given to the republican party. His success is well merited because honorably won and his name is known in industrial circles in De Kalb as that of a representative business man.
GEORGE W. SOWERS.
George W. Sovers, a well known business man and promment citizen of Genoa, was born on the 9th of April. Jais, in fienoa township, this county, and - a worthy representative of an old and honored family. His father. Andrew J. Powers, vas a native of Indiana, born in Perrysville, Ver- milion county. April 21. 1831. and was a son of William Sowers, who was born, reared and married in Pennsylvania. On coming west the latter first located in Indiana but in November, 1-13. re- moved to De Kalb county. Ilinois, becoming one of the first settlers of Genoa township. Here Andrew Sover- grew to manhood and married Mis- Judith Ann Brown, whose father, JJeremiah 1. Brown, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. was also a pioneer of this county. Throughout hi- active business life Mr. Sowers followed farm- ing. having purchased, in 1861, the land on which his father settled in JSf, but just prior to his death be removed to the village of Genoa, where he passed away on the 7th of September, 1893, at the age of sixty-two years. His widow still sur- vises him at the age of seventy-two years and makes her home in Genoa. Six of their right children are living. the other two having died in infancy.
George W. Powers passed his boyhood and youth ujwon the home farm and received a good practical education, attending the Genoa high school for a time. On arriving at man's estate he engaged in the livery business in Sycamore, where he built a barn on the site of the first courthouse, which he tore down. Later he removed to Kimball. South Dakota, where he engaged in the live-stock busi- nes for a time, shipping stock to both Chicago and Milwaukee. He subsequently turned his attention to real estate, which business he continued after his removal to Sioux City. Iowa, where he re- mained until 1895 and then returned to Illinois.
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For seven years he made his home in Elgin, where he continued to handle South Dakota land and town property, and he is still engaged in the real-estate business, having returned to Genoa in 1902. He has bought and sold a large amount of property in South Dakota and still owns about two thousand acres of land in that state. He often trades land for merchandise and is the owner of the Eureka Hotel, which is the only hotel in Genoa. He is a most enterprising business man and he has met with well deserved success in his undertakings.
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