USA > Illinois > Marshall County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 20
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 20
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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
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1.13 Fort
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service, naturally caused his opinions to carry weight in the councils of his party and made him a recognized leader in Illinois political circles.
The stress of business or politics was never so great with Robert Fort as to shut out from his life the friends of his earlier years-and only a great nature is steadfast. It was those who knew him best that appreciated to the fullest extent the kind- ness of his heart. His efforts in behalf of others were prompted by the simple joy of doing good. He valued so-called "society" at its true wortlı and found his companionship among the men of master minds who are concerned with the weighty. serious problems of life and yet delight in all that is joyous and ennobling. He was of that type of men who "listen to babes and sages, birds and stars, with open heart," learning the lessons of life from all. He attended the Episcopalian church but his religion, knowing no barriers of creed or dogma, found exemplification in the helpful spirit which he bore toward all. There was not an in- dividual too humble or obscure to arouse his in- terest or awaken his sympathy and receive his assistance if such were needed. He passed away after a very brief illness, in Springfield, May 21 1904, at the age of thirty-seven years. There are those who win honor and fame, who command respect, who receive admiration-but there are few men who are uniformly beloved; but the con- sensus of public opinion concerning Robert Boal Fort was that "he was one of the few young men who were beloved by all." One of his most dis- tinguishing 'traits was his kindness of heart and generosity to his home people. He was one of those fascinating characters who throw around them much of the sunshine of life. Those who knew him best delighted to honor him and he was worthy of all honor.
CHARLES A. CAMP.
When the history of business activity and com- mercial prosperity in Henry is written the name of Charles A. Camp will find honored place on its pages. He is the vice president of the Henry National Bank and a capitalist whose business ability has been manifest in the successful con- duct of various important enterprises which have felt the stimulus of his co-operation or benefited by his wise counsel and keen discrimination. A
native of Henry, he was born June 29, 1856, and is a son of Abner and Eliza A. (Ham) Camp. The father was born in New York and in early manhood became a resident of Henry, Illinois, where in 1853 he was united in marriage to Miss Eliza A. Ham, whose birth occurred in Dover, New Hampshire, April 27, 1817. Her parents were Titus and Nancy (Purse) Ham, natives of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, respectively. Mrs. Camp's parental grandfather was one of the heroes of the Revolutionary war, while her father, Titus Ham, was a valiant soldier of the war of 1812. By occupation he was a farmer and he had a wide and favorable acquaintance in Dover, where for many years he resided, both he and his wife passing away there. In their family were eight children, two sons and six daughters, which number included Mrs. Camp. Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Abner Camp began their domestic life in Henry and for some years he engaged in business as a carpenter and con- tractor, while from 1870 until 1876 he con- ducted a hotel at Henry. His political support was given to the republican party and he was one of its stanch advocates and also a great temper- ance worker, his life being characterized by an unfaltering fidelity to those principles and rules of conduct which work for honorable. manhood. He died in the year 1888 and was survived by his wife until 1900. They had but two children : Charles A. and Clara Belle.
In the public schools of Henry, Charles A. Camp acquired his more specifically literary edu- cation and later pursued a commercial course at Grand Prairie Seminary, from which he was grad- uated. Following his return home. he spent two years in the dry goods business of E. H. Hutch- ins and six months with Peter Wykoff. He then took charge of the Camp House, of which he was proprietor for twenty-five years, making this the leading hotel of Henry. He introduced many modern improvements, including a bath house where hot sulphur baths could be enjoyed. He made his hotel a first-class hostelry in every re- spect and he continued active in its management for many years, or until he retired to devote his energies to other business interests. Upon the organization of the Henry National Bank in 1904 he was elected its vice president and has since served in that capacity. The other officers are:
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J. W. Watercott, president; P. R. Philips, cash- ier; and B. A. Hoyle, assistant cashier. These gentlemen, together with Frank Yanochowski, A. G. Humphrey, A. Stickle and V. O. Turner, con- stitute the board of directors. The bank, during an existence of two years, has gained a most cred- itable place in financial circles and is conducting an extensive and gradually developing general banking business. In addition to his other in- terests Mr. Camp is joint owner with E. S. Ster- ritt of the Henry Telephone company.
In 1881 Mr. Camp was married to Miss Ella S. Leech, a native of Hennepin, Illinois. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Camp was born a son, Ivan C., whose birth occurred in 1882, and who died in 1887.
In his political views Mr. Camp is a repub- lican, prominent in the ranks of his party in Mar- shall county. He has served as postmaster of Henry under appointment of Theodore Roosevelt since 1903 and was for two years mayor of Henry, having previously served twice as alderman. He gave to the city as its chief executive officer a bus- iness-like, practical and progressive administra- tion and it was during his rule that the system of cement sidewalks were installed and a curb line was established. He was chairman of the waterworks and finance committees at the time of the installment of the waterworks. He recog- nizes individual responsibility in citizenship and has always stood for opposition to misrule in mu- nicipal affairs and is a well known champion of those practical movements which produce direct result in public progress and which also look beyond the exigencies of the moment to the pos- sibilities of the future.
WILLIAM HENRY BELL.
William Henry Bell, who owns, operates and occupies an excellent farm of eighty acres in Henry township, was born in England, January 21, 1862, and when only six months of age was brought to America by his parents, who settled in Stark county, Illinois, near Bradford. The father, James Bell, was likewise a native of Eng- land and the year 1862 witnessed his arrival in the new world. He settled on a farm with his brother and there carried on general agricultural pursuits for many years, his diligence and enter- prise bringing to him a goodly measure of pros-
perity. His political allegiance was given to the republican party. While living in his native country he had been identified with the Episcopal church and in the new world he became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. His death oc- curred May 16, 1906, and he had long survived his wife, who passed away in 1872 at the age of thirty-seven years. She bore the maiden name of Mary Ann Dodd and was also a native of Eng- land. In the family of this worthy couple were nine children, of whom four are now living: Robinson Bell, who is a farmer residing in Al- berta, Canada; Abram Bell, a machinist whose home is near Lincoln, Nebraska; Mrs. John Clift, whose husband is a farmer near Buda Springs, Kansas; and William Henry.
Brought to the United States in his infancy, William Henry Bell has spent almost his entire life in Illinois. His early education was acquired in the district schools of Henry township and he afterward attended Henry College, thus being equipped by a liberal education for life's prac- tical and responsible duties. He was reared to the work of the farm, early becoming familiar with the task of cultivating the fields and caring for the stock. He remained upon the old home- stead until twenty-one years of age, when he rented his present farm from Robinson Bell, an uncle, and eventually came into possession of this place, which comprises eighty acres of rich and arable land in Henry township, all under cultiva- tion. He is likewise interested in stock raising, which constitutes an important branch of his business. He now has a well-improved place and has recently erected a fine barn on his farm. None of the accessories and equipments of a model farm are lacking and the latest improved machin- ery facilitates the work of the fields.
In 1886 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Bell and Miss Mary Anne Flynn, of Peru, Illi- nois, and unto them were born two children: James Robinson, who died at the age of two years; and Mamie, who is seventeen years of age and was graduated from the Henry high school with the class of 1906. The parents are consist- ent and faithful members of the Methodist Epis- copal church. Mr. Bell is a republican and is in- terested in politics, keeping well informed on the questions of the day and doing whatever he can to promote the growth and insure the success of
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his party. He has served as school trustee and as school director for a number of years and the cause of education finds in him a warm and stal- wart friend. His efforts in behalf of public prog- ress have been far-reaching and beneficial and while he has won success in his farming opera- tions he has also found time to aid in public af- fairs.
OTIS MONTGOMERY.
Otis Montgomery, editor and proprietor of the Wenona Index, is a typical representative of the spirit of modern progress and advancement mani- fest in the field of journalism and has made of the Index a paper most creditable to the city and section of the state to whose interests and up- building it is devoted. Born in Mason City, Illinois, on the 16th of May, 1868, Mr. Mont- gomery is a son of Jesse C. and Catharine (Scott) Montgomery, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Pennsylvania. The parents came to Illinois at an early day and settled in Mason county. The father was a brick mason by trade and followed that pursuit for a half century, or until the time of his death, which occurred in 1904. His widow is still living and resides in Petersburg, Illinois. In their family were six children, three of whom survive: Ellen, the wife of J. N. Onstott, of Petersburg; John B., who is living in Minonk, Illinois; and Otis.
The last named is indebted to the public-school system of Mason City for the educational privi- leges which he enjoyed. He pursued his studies until he attained the age of fourteen years, when he entered upon his business career as an appren- tice in the office of the Petersburg (Illinois) Democrat, where he remained for two years. He then returned to his native city, where he was employed at newspaper work and also in other offices in different parts of the state, including Peoria and Chicago. He came to Wenona on the 14th of February, 1887, and entered the employ of the Wenona Index, with which he was con- nected until the 1st of January, 1898. He then established the Pantagraph, which he published until the 1st of July of the same year, when he purchased the Index and consolidated the two of- fices, giving to the name of the publication the Wenona Index. He has since advanced it to its present high standard, making it one of the best
newspapers in this part of Illinois. He also has one of the best equipped job offices in this section of the country, having the latest facilities and most improved presses in order to carry on the work. He now owns a Cottrell press and a Chandler & Price Gordon job press, both of which are run by gasoline. He is prepared to do all kinds of job work and has quite an extensive pa- tronage in that department. The Index is pub- lished weekly and has a circulation of one thou- sand copies. Mr. Montgomery employs four or five people all of the time and gives to every de- partment of the work his personal supervision. Everything is kept up to a high standard and the business is continually increasing. He de- votes his whole time and attention to his news- paper and office business, which has long since become a profitable source of income.
On the 23d of June, 1892, Mr. Montgomery was married to Miss Jeannette Kahn, of Wenona, and unto them has been born a daughter, Hester. The parents are members of the Presbyterian church and Mr. Montgomery affiliates with the Modern Woodmen of America.
CHARLES L. KLEIN.
Charles L. Klein, who carries on general agri- cultural pursuits on section 28, Whitefield town- ship, is one of the native sons of Illinois, his birth having occurred near Henry, in Marshall county, July 4, 1863. He comes of German line- age, his father, William Klein, having been a na- tive of Prussia, Germany. He made his way to the United States in the early '50s and continued his journey into the interior of the country, set- tling at Lacon, where he resided for a period and then removed to the vicinity of Henry. He car- ried on general farming in Henry township, but died about eighteen years ago. In early man- hood he married Gertrude Petz, who was also a native of Germany, in which country their wed- ding was celebrated. She died about twenty-five years ago. Unto them have been born six chil- dren: Adolph, who is now living retired in Hen- ry; Peter W., who carries on farming in Iowa; Michael, Katherine and William, all of whom are now deceased; and Charles L., of this review.
In his father's home Charles L. Klein spent the days of his boyhood and youth and at the
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usual age began his education in the district schools. He afterward attended the schools of Henry and acquired a good education to fit him for life's practical and responsible duties. Dur- ing the periods of vacation and after putting aside his text books he worked upon the home farm until his father retired. He then began farming on his own account and has been carrying on gen- eral agricultural pursuits in his own interests for twenty-two years. He leases four hundred and forty acres of land on section 28, Whitefield township, and his fields are well tilled. He owns eighty acres of land in Kansas and one hundred and sixty acres in Nebraska. In his business transactions he has never been known to take advantage of the necessities of his fellowmen, but has made a straightforward, honorable business record that commends him to the confidence and good will of all concerned. He now carries on farming quite extensively and is accounted one of the leading representatives of agricultural in- terests in his part of the county.
In 1885 Mr. Klein was married to Miss Mary S. Heinrich, a native of Henry and a daughter of Charles Heinrich. This union has been blessed with ten children: Daniel, who is now living on the home farm; Cora; Minnie; May Ella; Leo; Walter; Lena; Charles; Leslie; and Lillian. The family circle yet remains unbroken by the hand of death and all are still under the parental roof.
Mr. Klein is prominent and popular socially. He holds membership with the Modern Woodmen camp at Sparland and he belongs to the Catholic church. He is recognized as one of the leading representatives of democracy in this locality and in the spring of 1906 was appointed and after- ward elected supervisor of his township, while for several years he had held the office of col- lector, discharging his duties with promptness and fidelity. He is successful in his business in- terests and his labors have been carefully man- aged, so that he has produced the best possible results.
WILLIAM A. KAYS.
William A. Kays, a resident of Putnam county for more than a half century, was born in Indiana, September 2, 1828, a son of William Kays, a native of Kentucky, who came to Illinois in 1835,
locating in Knox county, where his subsequent years were passed. William Kays, Sr., the grand- father of our subject, lived for several years in Putnam county, dying at the home of his son Henry, near Magnolia.
William A. Kays. was a youth of only seven years when his parents removed from Indiana to Illinois, and his boyhood days were spent upon the home farm in Knox county, while in the country schools he acquired his early education and later attended a Presbyterian high school. When twen- ty-one years of age he became a factor in commer- cial life by establishing a grocery business, which he conducted at Saluda, Illinois, for about three years. Prior to this he made a trip to the west, traveling through Kansas, and slept one night in the home of John Brown, the noted abolition leader, who was then living between St. Louis and Kansas City. In 1850 Mr. Kays arrived in Putnam county in company with an uncle, Henry Kays, and in the succeeding winter made for him eleven thousand rails. He then rented land and engaged in farming on his own account, and when his labors had brought to him sufficient capital he made purchase of eighty acres of land, upon which he resided until about twelve years ago, when he sold out and bought one hundred acres where he now lives in Hennepin township. Throughout the period of his residence in this county he has car- ried on general agricultural pursuits, which he has found to be a profitable source of income, as his labors have been directed by sound judgment and characterized by unremitting diligence.
In 1850 Mr. Kays was married to Miss Olive Haley; a native of Putnam county, who died April 29, 1900. He later wedded Miss Nancy Mills, of Putnam county, who still survives. By the first marriage there were eight children: Ellen, now deceased; Mrs. Sarah Purviance, now living in Kansas; James B., of Missouri; Mrs. Amanda Burns, of Kansas; Alice, the wife of H. H. Ed- wards, of Hennepin township; William H., of Tonica, Illinois; Olive, the wife of J. B. Davis, of Peoria, this state; and Mary Belle, deceased. By the second marriage there is one son, Wesley Kays.
In early life Mr. Kays joined the Methodist Episcopal church, and has ever endeavored to fol- low closely the principles and precepts of Chris- tianity. For thirty-two years he has been secre- tary of the Mineral Springs Association, which
W. A. KAYS.
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holds a camp meeting at McNabb each year. He purchased the land for this purpose through an order of the conference of the Methodist Epis- copal church and held it until the association was able to repay him. He has always been very active in religious and political life. His first presiden- tial vote was cast for Franklin Pierce, and he has always been a stanch democrat where national is- sues are involved, yet at local elections often casts an independent ballot. He is now and has been for forty-seven years chairman of the democratic county central cominittee, and has done effective work in behalf of the party, being recognized as one of its leading representatives in this part of the state. He was also chairman of the central committee while living in Knox county, and was on the stage with Lincoln and Douglas when they held their joint debate in Galesburg.
His father enlisted and fought in the Mexican war, and at the time of the trouble with the Mormons in Illinois William A. Kays enlisted and served for four months with the company that fought Joseph Smith and compelled him to come to Peoria for trial and later to leave Illinois. At the time of the Civil war he drilled for three months, intending to join an Illinois regiment, but the troops were gone when he arrived at Gales- burg and he did not therefore have the oppor- tunity of going to the front. He has in his pos- session an adz used by a man of the name of Humiston in trying to find the stone tablets left by the Mormons. Mr. Kays has closely followed the golden rule, doing unto others as he would have them do unto him, and no man is spoken of in higher terms by his neighbors than the sub- ject of this review. He receives the respect and veneration which should ever be accorded to a man of his years whose life has been exemplary and whose principles have been most commendable.
WILLIAM EDWARD HAWTHORNE.
William Edward Hawthorne, editor and pro- prietor of the "Echo," at Granville, his native city, was born June 7, 1859. His ancestral, lineal and collateral branches have for various genera- tions been distinctly American and prior to that time was of English, Scotch and Irish line- age. Research into family records brings to light the fact that the Mayflower brought to America the progenitor of the Hawthorne family, of which
William Edward Hawthorne is a representative. In correspondence with Julian Hawthorne, son of Nathaniel Hawthorne, it is found that this Con- cord man of letters is a representative of another branch of the same family. There is also an Irish strain in the ancestry and when Mr. Hawthorne met the famous Irishman, Michael Davitt, who was then touring the United States, said to him in the course of conversation that he traced his ancestry back to the McFaddens, Davitt replied, "McFadden, McFadden, they'd throw no stones at ye in County Cork. The McFaddens are a great clan."
William Hawthorne, father of William Edward Hawthorne, and the fourth in the line of descent to bear that name, was a farmer by occupation and on removing to the middle west entered land from the government four miles southeast of Granville. He paid for this tract a dollar and a quarter per acre and today it is worth two hun- dred dollars per acre. He married Susan Findley, who died when their son, William E., was six years of age, after which the little lad spent four years with his grandmother, Mrs. Margaret (Haw- thorne) Moore, who was one of the early pioneer residents of Granville township. William Haw- thorne, Sr., was born in Ohio and was only three years of age when brought by his parents to Putnam county, Illinois. Following the loss of his first wife he married again and removed with his family to Normal, Illinois, where his son and namesake attended school for three or four years. The father then removed to Indiana and William Edward Hawthorne was upon the home farm in Porter county between the ages of twelve and twenty-one years. He attended the public schools and pursued a scientific course in the Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso. In early manhood he engaged in teaching school successively in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, after which he returned to Michigan. He was never graduated from any educational institution but has always been a student of men and litera- ture and his special text-books have been the Bible, Shakespeare and the American classics. These cer- tainly are sufficient to give a man broad knowl- edge and familiarity with the best that has been produced by the writers of the ages. His pur- suits in early life were similar to those of most boys who are reared upon a farm. He remembers of his stepmother requiring him to stay up most
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of the night studying the catechism. At the time of her second marriage she was the widow of a Presbyterian minister and was a most excellent and superior lady, to whom Mr. Hawthorne ascribes the credit for the cultivation of his taste for things of refinement. The desire for knowl- edge being awakened in him he improved his op- portunities for the acquirement of a broader edu- cation than the public schools afforded and he paid his tuition with money which he had himself earned, never receiving a dollar from any one ex- cept to return it when his labors as a teacher made the discharge of the financial obligations possible.
On attaining his majority Mr. Hawthorne went · to Michigan and worked for his elder brother in a grain elevator at Marengo. It was there that he taught his first school, and after his return to Indiana he engaged in teaching in that state for a year prior to his removal to Florid, Putnam county, Illinois. He afterward went to Vermont- ville, Michigan, where he held his first principal- ship for two years. He taught his last school at Essexville, Michigan, a suburb of Bay City. Each year during his experience as a teacher brought him an advance in salary, indicating his growing ability in the profession. In the fall of 1884 he took charge of a general store in Granville, Illi- nois, for H. Bateman and in the following autumn in connection with G. L. Brando lie established a hardware and grocery store in the building for- merly used as the Granville Academy. For fifteen years he was thus engaged in merchandising and retired from that line of activity two years after his election to the office of superintendent of schools in Putnam county, which office he occupied for eight years, during which time through his efforts, the standard of public instruction was greatly raised and the schools were placed upon an excellent working basis. He was also town clerk and postmaster while engaged in merchandising and likewise served as village treasurer and vil- lage clerk during that period. In 1901 he organ- ized the Granville Mercantile Company, conduct- ing the business for four years, and in 1903 he established the Granville "Echo," which was under the management of his brother-in-law, B. B. Blos- ser, until 1905, when Mr. Hawthorne abandoned the field of mercantile effort and took control of the "Echo" printing business, in which he has since continued.
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