USA > Illinois > Iroquois County > Past and present of Iroquois County, Illinois > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
Major Peters' identification with the interests. upbuilding and progress of Watseka dates from April. 1860, at which time he became interested in the hardware trade in this city in partnership with Alexander Archibald, but he did not find the business congenial and in the course of a year disposed of his interest to his partner. In the spring of 1807 he opened the first book and stationery store in Watseka and from the he- ginning success attended the new venture. He conducted the business until November, 1870.
15
IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS
when he sold out to Henry 11. Alter, who had been in his employ as a salesman for more than a decade. Major Peters had met with a goodly measure of success while conducting his mer- cantile interests and in the meantime he extended his operations into the field of journalism, as- suming control of the Iroquois Times in De- cember. 1872. He remained in charge of the paper for eighteen months and then sold out. but again became owner in June, 1878, conduct- ing it ably and successfully until January 1, 1891, when he again disposed of his interest. Ile gained for the Times a widespread and enviable reputation, making it one of the leading papers of this part of the state, and its editorials were ever read with interest and did much toward molding public thought and action. He has ever been recognized as a fearless champion of what- ever he has believed to be right and moreover has ever stood for reform, progress and improve- ment, while community interests have found in him a stalwart champion. His has been a potent influence in political circles and the stalwart hon- esty of his character has been found in his flexi- ble adherence to principles in which he has be- lieved, even though greater personal honors and popularity could have been gained in other ways. When the republican party was formed to pre- vent the further extension of slavery and became the champion of the Union cause, he advocated its purposes and its principles and supported it by his ballot. At the time of the liberal move- ment of 1872 he followed the lead of Horace Greeley and other eminent republicans in oppo- sition to the leaders of the old party and in that year was nominated for clerk of the circuit court of Iroquois county and received the endorse- ment of the democrats. AAlthough defeated it was a defeat which amounted almost to a vic- tory because of the largely reduced republican majority. In 1875 he was called by the vote of his fellow citizens to the office of mayor of Wat- seka and gave such a practical. businesslike and public-spirited administration that in October. 1877. he was re-elected to fill out the unexpired term of the Hon. Franklin Blades, who had re- signed to accept elevation to the circuit bench. In August. 1878. Major Peters was made the nominee of the national party for the office of representative to the Illinois legislature and in
November following was elected by a very flat- tering majority. As a member of the house he gave thoughtful and earnest consideration to users question which came up for settlement and was connected with considerable important con- structive legislation. In 188; he was the dento- cratic candidate for state senator and in INK, was that party's candidate for congress, but his district is strongly republican and although he received a complimentary vote was not elected. He has never caused, however, to evert a strong and widely felt influence in political affare and was chairman of the Iroquois county democratic central committee in the campaign of 1881, which resulted in the election of Grover cleveland.
Major l'eters has never ceased to feel a great interest in military affairs and was largely in- strumental in organizing the first militia com- pany of Iroquois county in May, 187 ;. He was honored with election to the captaincy and when under the military code of the state the various companies were organized into regiments and battalions, the Watscka Rifles were designated as Company A. Ninth Battalion, Illinois National Guards, and Captain Peters was elected to com- mand the battalion by the line officers who met at Champaign, October so, 1877. for that pur- pore, thus gaining the later title of colonel, by which he is often called.
Of various fraternal and civic organizations Colonel Peters has Been a valued and prominent member. He is identified with Williams post. No. 25. G. A. R .. which he joined on the 28th of August, 1867. He was its first adistant and has many times filled the office of commander. He belongs to the Illinois Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion and has been a member of the Society of the Army of the Cum- berland since its organization. He is a past chancellor commander of Mon Ami lodge. No. 231. K. P., and is prominent in Iroquois lodge, No. 74. 1. 00. 00. F., and in Iroquois encampment. No. St, representing both organizations in the grand bodies of the fraternity. He holds wem- bership in Watseka lodge, No. 1080, Knights of Honor, of which he is a past dictator, and has represented the local organization in the grand lodge of the state, while in 1880 he repre- sented Hlinois in the supreme lodge of the United States. He also belongs to Watscka lodge. No.
16
PAST AND PRESENT OF
#16, A. F. & A. M., and Watseka chapter. No. 114. R. A. M. He was likewise connected with the Illinois Press Association while a member of the journalistic fraternity, with which he i.c- came connected in 1874.
Since disposing of his journalistic interests Major Peters has returned to that line of trade in which he was formerly engaged and is now conducting business as a book and stationery merchant at Watseka. He has contributed to the material improvement of the city through the erection of the Times building in 1884 and in various ways has been one of the promoters of the business life of the town and with those in- terests which work for civic virtue and civic pride.
Fortunate in his home life, Colonel Peters was happily married on the 19th of June. 1867. at Sycamore, Illinois, to Miss Clara M. Lyon, who was born in Ontario county. New York, and is a daughter of Oliver and Matilda ( Hills ) Lyon. Mrs. Peters, whose natural culture and refine- ment, combined with her opportunities for edu- cational advancement, have made her a most es- teemed lady, presides with gracious and warm hearted hospitality over their home, which is always open for the reception of their many friends. They have one son, Arthur Van Lisle, who was born May 10. 1886, and until death claimed her Mrs. Roberts was a member of the household.
Major Peters is broad gauged and liberal in all his views, political, religious and social. In other words, he looks at life in its momentous phases from every possible standpoint and does not form a speedy or biased judgment. Yet when once he has determined upon a course that he believes to be right neither fear nor favor can swerve him therefrom. Ile is a man of action rather than theory. While others might argue and debate he has gone to work and demon- strated. He has aided in pushing forward the wheels of progress in Watseka and this part of the state. Through the whole course of his ca- reer the prime spirit that has prompted all of his actions seems to have been improvement and advancement. The idea and intent of leaving whatever he has touched better than he found it. and this even when his personal gain might often have been better advanced by an opposite
course, has been dominant with him. He is a man whose true character, to be rightly under- stood, must be studied beneath the surface and. thus examined, the unselfish and commendable purpose and object of his life becomes apparent and in fact unquestionable. It is usual that under the pressure of adversity and the stimulus of op- position the best and strongest in men are brought forth and developed and while the hardships of his carly life were many, thereby was awakened in him a laudable desire for something better. and this spirit has been manifest throughout his entire career.
O. F. MORGAN.
O. F. Morgan, a practitioner at the Watseka bar, with broad and comprehensive knowledge of the science of law, as is demonstrated by the able manner in which he has handled important litigated interests, was born in White county. Indiana. September 11, 1859. a son of David S. and Magdalene L. (Layman ) Morgan, the for- mer a native of Ohio and the latter of Indiana. The father was a farmer by occupation and after many years devoted to agricultural pursuits passed away on the 22d of November. 1903. at the age of seventy-one years. Ilis family num- bered two sons and a daughter, of whom Orlando M. Morgan died when thirty-five years of age. but the daughter. Magdalene L., is still living.
O. F. Morgan, the eldest of this family, was educated in the public schools and at Purdue University, in Indiana, where he completed his more specifically literary education. In 1879 his parents removed to Kansas and he took up the study of law in that state under the direction of the firm of Fierce & Kline, of Rush county. After thorough and careful preliminary read- ing he was admitted to the bar in 1884 and en- tered at once upon practice in Rush county. where he remained for five years. In 1889 he located for practice at Covington, Fountain county, Indiana, and in February. 1892, he re- moved to Watseka, being admitted to practice in Illinois by the supreme court in 1893. The fol- lowing year he formed a partnership with David .A. Orchaugh. At that time Mr. Morgan was
O. F. MORGAN.
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
not in active practice but was associate editor of the Iroquois Times and the Kankakee Sun. The firm of Morgan & Orebaugh, however, was estab- lished and had a continuous and prosperous exist- ence mil 1003, when Mr. Orebaugh became connected with the law department of the Inter- national Harvester Company, and Mr. Morgan has since been alone. His success at the bar come soon because his equipment was unusually good. lle has broad and accurate knowledge of the principles of jurisprudence, is logical in his deductions and sound in his reasoning. In the application of a legal principle to a contested point he is seldom, if ever, at error and in pre- senting his cause he martials the points in evi- dence with the precision of a military command- er, giving to each its due weight and prominence. vet never losing sight of the important point upon which the decision in every case finally turns. He has thus gained a large and distinct- ively representative clientage that has connected him with the most important litigation tried in the courts of his district during the past decade.
In December. 1893. Mr. Morgan was united in marriage with Miss Lonise V. Barnhouse, a daughter of Henry and Harriet N. (Straight) Barnhouse, of Ironton, Missouri, who, however, were natives of Virginia. They have two chil- dren. Berwyn E. and Harriet M. Morgan.
Mr. Morgan is a Mason and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. His political allegiance is given to the democracy. He served for one term as county superintendent of schools in Rush county, Kansas, and in Watseka he has filled the offices of alderman and city attorney. He enjoys the popularity which comes to these generous spirits who are ever genial and affable. while in his profession he has gained recogni- tion, and he is ranked among the foremost rep- Presentatives of the bar in Iroquois county.
·
E. C. AND S. L. VANDERPOORTEN.
The name of Vanderpoorten is an honored one in commercial circles in Iroquois county and F. C. Vanderpoorten of this review has made a creditable record as a financier in both private life and public service. At the present time he
is at the head of the Martinfon Bank, which has had a successful existence of four years. Born in Chiton, Iroquois county, March q. 187. he is a son of Joseph Vande poorten, a native of Bel gium, who in 1854 crossed the Atlantic to You York. The following year he became a resident of thebanse township, Iroquois county, Union. and for many years was closely as stated with agricultural interests. In tuyo he was elected county treasurer and served for four years dur- ing which time he made his home in the county scat. He then returned to his farm, comprising two hundred and forty acres in Chebanse town- ship, but in 1807 removed to Watseka, at which place Mrs. Vanderpoorten died July 3. 1900. She bore the maiden name of Amelia Bunker and was born in Canada. They became the parents of six children, of whom three are living.
E. C. Vanderpoorten supplemented his pre- liminary education by study in Onarga Seminary and through the periods of vacation and after the completion of his school days he worked on the home farm for some time. He was afterward employed as clerk in a store and also had charge of a creamery wagon. Following his father's election to the office of county treasurer he filled the position of deputy for four years and upon his retirement engaged in the abstract business in Watseka until the 1st of May, 1903, when he came to Martinton and entered the banking busi- ness. The Martinton Bank was established in 1902 by R. F. Cummings, Thomas McSorley and J. A. Armfield. On the ist of December of that year the bark was sold to Vanderpoorten Broth- ers and at the present writing its officers are E. C. Vanderpoorten, president : S. 1. Vanderpoor- ten. cashier : and J. N. Vanderpoorten, assistant cashier. The institution is capitalized for ten thousand dollars and they do a general banking and exchange business and are also fire insur- ance agent -.
E. C. Vanderpoorten was married in Chebanse. in 1805, to Miss Jennie Franklin, who was born in that city in 1871. They now have two chil- dren, Ruby and Franklin. Mr. Vanderpoorten is a democrat in his political views, while his fra- ternal affiliation is with the Masons, the Old Fellows and the Modern Woodmen.
S. 1. Vanderpoorten was born in Clifton, this counts. November o. 1874, and was educated in
20
PAST AND PRESENT OF
Watseka and in the Northern Indiana Normal at Valparaiso. After completing his education he entered the office of his brother, assisting him in the abstract business until 1897, when he engaged in the shoe business in Watseka for three years. He then sold out, came to Martinton and has since been interested in banking here as a mem- ber of the firm of Vanderpoorten Brothers. S. I. Vanderpoorten was married to Miss Florence Meinhard, who was born in Gilman, Illinois, in October. 1884, and they have one son, Leland.
Like his brother, S. I. Vanderpoorten is a MIa- son and both are prominent in fraternal circles and public life. standing as champions of many interests which have direct bearing upon the gen- eral welfare. In connection with his other in- terests S. I. Vanderpoorten owns a half section of land in Minnesota. The Vanderpoorten Brothers have not confined their attention alone to one line but have extended their efforts into various fields of activity which have resulted in direct benefit to their locality as well as to them- selves. They organized the Martinton Build- ing & Loan Association in April 1903, with John Euchner, Thomas McSorley, Oliver Bunker, Ernest Treischel, Octave Tatro and Thomas W. Mayo as directors. The last named is secretary of the concern, which has proved a strong ele- ment in building operations and the improve- ment of property in Martinton. In January, 1906, S. I. Vanderpoorten was elected secretary. In 1903 the Local Telephone Company was formed with J. L. Shaw as president, E. C. Van- derpoorten, secretary ; S. I. Vanderpoorten, treasurer ; and L. II. Baron, manager ; and the local office of the company is in the bank. They have an exchange at Chebanse, Clifton, Ashkum and Pittwood, and are connected with the Cen- tral Union long distance service. This company has a capital stock of ten thousand dollars. Van- derpoorten Brothers are also owners of one hundred and thirty acres of land on section 16 and one hundred and twenty acres on section 17, Martinton township. They are most alert and energetic business men and the wise system of in- dustrial economics which they have followed, combined with their unfaltering perseverance and diligence, has brought to them a gratifying meas- ure of prosperity. Moreover their interests are of such a character that the community has been
directly benefited thereby. They have never sought to acquire wealth through the inflation of the values but have depended upon judicious investment and the promotion of legitimate busi- ness concerns, and along these lines have gained a gratifying measure of prosperity and won an honorable name.
WILLIAM P. PIERSON.
The name of William P. Pierson is so closely associated with the growth and upbuilding of Onarga that no history of Iroquois county would be complete without extended mention of his life. He was the first merchant of the city- when it was a little crossroads village, and for many years business interests here felt the stim- ulus of his enterprise, energy and sound judg- ment. His co-operation has been an active fac- tor in many measures and movements that have proven of direct and permanent good here, and the beauty of the city has been largely enhanced by the trees which he caused to be planted along its highways, transforming it into a veritable grove. Moreover he is the oldest resident of Onarga and the most honored-honored by rea- son of his years, his success and his strong traits of character, which have ever been such as to command respect and admiration.
His life record began in Leroy, Genesce county, New York. December 8, 1811, and he has therefore passed the ninety-fifth anniversary of his birth. He comes of English ancestry and the first of the family to emigrate to the new world was the Rev. Abraham Pierson, who ar- rived on the shores of New England in 1639. He was a graduate of Cambridge University, Eng- land, and he labored as a minister of the gospel at Southampton, Long Island, and at Bradford, Connecticut. Mr. Pierson of this review is a descendant in the seventh generation of the Rev. Abraham Pierson, who was among the first to sow the seeds of Christianity and civilization in the new world, and who was the founder of Newark, New Jersey. Abraham Pierson, second, was the first president of Yale College, while Abraham Pierson, third, was for forty years
€
The I Piensow.
OF THE ITY C .- TELWOOLS
23
IROQUOIS COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
justice of the peace at Killingworth, Connecti- cut.
Philo Pierson, father of our subejet, died when Is son William was only nine years of age. In the family were six children, of whom William was the eldest and is the only one now living. At the age of fourteen years he plowed one hundred acres of land with oxen in order to aid in the support of his mother and younger broth- ers and sisters. His mother, who bore the maiden name of Lucretia Buell, was born in Kil- lingworth, Connecticut, in 1792, and was a daughter of Asa Buell, who served in the Revolu- tionary war with the rank of captain, while Philo Pierson and his three brothers were sol- diers of the war of 1812.
Reared to manhood in his native state William P. Pierson was provided with liberal educational advantages, coming from a family of intellectual worth, who valued rightly the opportunities of mental development. In 1833 he became a stu- dent in the University of Vermont and although his course there was not continuons he was graduated from that institution with the class of 1839. lle worked his own way through col- lege,-thus showing the elemental strength of his character and giving evidence of the land- able ambition which was to secure substantial successes for him in later life. After complet- ing his collegiate course he went to Kentucky and there took up the study of law, heing admit- ted to the bar in due course of time and success- fully practicing in that state for some years. Ilis legal knowledge also proved to him a step- ping-stone from which he climbed upward, as it enabled him to carefully direct his business af- fairs in later years. From Kentucky he came to the north, and in order to recuperate his health, which was then somewhat impaired. he settled upon a farm, near Fairfield, lowa, which he op- erated for a few years.
In Fairfield, lowa, Mr. Pierson formed the ac- quaintance of Miss Mary T. Condit, of Oswego. New York, a daughter of Rev. W. W. Condit. D. D., who for forty years was pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Oswego, and later went to lowa as a teacher in a seminary. The young couple were happily married April 18. 1853. and Mrs. Pierson proved a most loyal and devoted wife and companion to him through
many years, her assistance and encouragement often proving his inspiration. She was clock identified with church and Sunday-school work in Onarga, and organized the first Sunday school in the town with only four pupils, and holding the little meeting in her own home. The num- her of pupils, however, increased rapidly, and in time there were two hundred in attendance at the school which she established and of which she was long the guiding spirit. She was one of Onarga's devoted Christian ladies, was nutir- ing in her work for the moral development of the community and the influence of her life remains as a blessed benediction to many who knew her. The greatest sorrow that has ever come to Mr. Pierson was in the death of his wife December 30, 1800, after they had traveled life's journey together for thirty-seven years.
For about a year after their marriage Mr. Pierson was engaged in the limber business in Chicago, and with wonderful prescience he dis- cerned the possibilities for development in this section of the state and came to Onarga, June 22. 1854. arriving at what was then a little cross- roads village of four houses on the Illinois Cen- tral, which had then been completed to a point four miles south of Onarga. Here Mr. Pierson erected a business house and was the first mer- chant to make a permanent location in Onarga. He engaged in dealing in lumber, hardware and farm implements and was a very active and pro- gressive business man, following methods even in advance of his time. He practiced a most lib- eral advertising policy and soll goods in numer- ous towns in this section of the state. On one occasion, after extensively advertising, he soll three carloads of implements at Middleport, now Watseka, at a single sale. His trade constantly increased in volume and importance with the growth of the town and the settlement of the surrounding country, and his business became an extensive one, yickling him large profits. . man of resourceful ability, he was continually watchful of opportunities giving him wider scope, and thus he extended his efforts into vari- ous fields of activity. He laid out Pierson's ad- dition-a twenty-acre tract-to the town of Onarga and in other ways materially improved the city. He built a commodious and tasteful residence for his own home, and he set out hun-
2
24
PAST AND PRESENT OF
dreds of evergreen and forest trees, all through the city until it now has the appearance of a grove, while the trees, grown to large size, ai- ford ample shelter along the streets, and add much to Onarga's well deserving reputation of being one of the beautiful cities of Illinois. The erection of various buildings by Mr. Pierson has also been a source of Onarga's growth and improvement. He built the first brick busi- ness block in the city and continued actively in business until 1873, when with the substantial rewards of his previous labor, he retired to en- joy life amid the peace and prosperity which he had well earned. Never has he been known to take advantage of the necessities of his fel- lowmen in any business transaction, his success being won through close application, capable management and judicious investment.
Since retiring to private life Mr. Pierson has traveled extensively in Europe, both on the con- tinent and through Great Britain, visiting many places of historic, modern and scenic interest. In his home town he has figured prominently in connection with the work of upholding the polit- ical and legal status of the community and in promoting its intellectual and moral development. contributing liberally to the support of schools and churches. Politically he was formerly an old-line whig and upon the organization of the republican party in 1850 he joined its ranks and served as a delegate to the fourteenth na- tional convention. In 1860 he was a delegate to the convention which nominated Abraham Lin- com for the presidency, and he has taken an ac- tive part in various campaigns in support of the principles in which he believes, but has never aspired to office for himself. He and his wife were among the charter members and organizers of the First Presbyterian church of Onarga, and he is now the only survivor of those who assisted in its founding. He has helped to build three different Presbyterian churches in this city, the last one, erected in 1906, being a fine large. brick structure, which was completed and a pipe organ installed at a cost of twenty-five thousand dollars.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.