USA > Illinois > Marshall County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 27
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 27
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
199
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
before coming to America and upon reaching the United States settled in the state of New York. The father, a farmer by occupation, came to Illi- nois in 1872, locating in La Salle county, Illi- nois, where he and his wife are now living. He is retired from business cares, however, and they make their home in the village of Harding. They have seven living children, five sons and two daughters: Mrs. Anna Goodman, a widow; James, at home; Mary, the wife of Charles H. Ostrand, superintendent of the Kelvyn Grove school, of Chicago, which position he has occupied for about fifteen years; Daniel H .; Joseph W., who is engaged in the hardware business in Earl- ville; Robert, an attorney at law of Denver, Colo- rado, and a teacher in a law school of that city; and William, a farmer.
Judge Gregg was educated in the country schools and in the Northwestern Normal School at Geneseo, from which he was graduated with the class of 1887. He then engaged in teaching for several years in the district schools and also in the city schools of Chicago. He spent six terms in one school and was a capable educator, impart- ing clearly and readily to others the knowledge that he had acquired. In April, 1898, he came to Wenona and entered the law office of J. H. Jackson, with whom he pursued his preliminary reading. Subsequently he took a law course in Kent College of Law at Chicago, from which he was graduated in June, 1902. A month prior to that time he successfully passed the examination that secured his admission to the bar and after entering upon the practice of law he soon secured a good clientele and also obtained a good clientage in the real-estate and insurance business. With the exception of the first year of his residence in Wenona he has continuously held office since lo- cating here. When twenty-one years of age he was elected town clerk and justice of the peace, filling those offices in a republican township. When he had been in Wenoma for a year he was elected police magistrate, from which office he re- signed a year later. He was then elected mayor of Wenona and gave to the city a public-spirited, practical and progressive administration. In 1902 he was chosen county judge and is now a candi- date for re-election. On the bench he has made a most creditable record as one whose decisions are strictly fair and impartial and are moreover based upon a thorough knowledge of the law and
precedent and a correct application of legal prin- ciples to the points in issue.
Judge Gregg was married on the 3d of March, 1903, to Miss Martha Missal, a native of Wenona and of German descent. They now have one son, Neal Ellsworth, born May 7, 1905. The judge is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to both the lodge and chapter. He has made many warm friends in Wenona among both the repub- cans and democrats, for he has a nature that transcends partisan prejudice and recognizes char- acter, nobility and worth. Community interests elicit his deep attention and if he regards a move- ment as beneficial he does not hesitate to give it his hearty support and endorsement. His at- tention is thus given to fraternal, social and muni- cipal interests and yet his time is most largely devoted to his profession and his business inter- ests, and at the bar he has gained a leading place that brought to him a large clientele and has now gained for him judicial honors.
E. OLIVE COFFMAN.
E. Olive Coffman, who is conducting a photo- graphic gallery in Henry and has attained supe- rior skill in the line of her art, was born near Rutland, Marshall county. Her father, the Rev. J. P. Coffman, was formerly a teacher and Metho- dist Episcopal minister, but is now giving his at- tention to the occupation of farming. He is a native of Ohio and when six years of age was brought to Illinois by his father, John Coffman, the family thus being established in this part of the state at an early day. Having arrived at years of maturity J. P. Coffman was married to Miss Ellen P. Gray, a native of Marshall county, and they now have nine children, six daughters and three sons: E. Olive; John D., who is living on a farm in Iowa; J. P., who is also engaged in farming in Iowa; Ethel and Elsie, both deceased; William G., living on the home farm; Teresa A., Mary S. and Grace E., all of whom are at home and are attending school.
E. Olive Coffman was a student in the district - schools of Marshall county and continued her studies in the South Lacon school. After putting aside her text-books she carried the mail on the route between Sparland and La Prairie Center, but ambitious for further education she subse- quently became a student in the Western Normal School at Bushnell, Illinois. Later she engaged
200
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
in teaching for one year in Livingston county and on the 28th of July, 1902, she purchased a photo- graphic gallery at Lacon, where she conducted business until the 1st of November, 1905, when she came to Henry. Here she established her gal- lery and has secured a liberal patronage because of her skill and ability in the line of her chosen art. She is a member of the National Photo- graphic Association of America and she secured at St. Louis a photographer's diploma from F. W. Guerin. She is thoroughly informed concern- ing the latest improved methods known to the photographic art and has a splendidly equipped studio. Socially in Henry she is prominent and she belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church.
LOUIS R. PHILLIPS.
Louis R. Phillips, cashier of the Henry Na- tional Bank, whose business capacity, executive force and personal popularity are strong ele- ments in the success of this institution, was born in Columbus, Ohio, on the 10th of January, 1864. His father, John M. Phillips, was a farmer by occupation and for many years car- ried on the work of tilling the soil, but is now living retired at Deer Creek, Illinois. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Sarah Reed, is a native of Ohio and unto them have been born eleven children, of whom ten are yet living.
Louis R. Phillips was only two years of age when brought by his parents from the Buckeye state to Illinois, the family home being established in Woodford county, where he acquired his pre- liminary education in the district schools. He afterward profited by the advantages of a course in Eureka College at Eureka, Illinois, and for six years he engaged in teaching school, spending one year of that time in Woodford county and five years in Nebraska. Retiring from that pro- fession, he turned his attention to general mer- chandising, which he followed for six years, and subsequently he became one of the organizers of the First National Bank at Chillicothe, Illinois, with which institution he was connected for five years. On the expiration of that period he re- moved to Henry in 1904 and became cashier of the Henry National Bank, which is regarded as one of the safe and reliable financial institutions of this part of the state. His previous experience had given him a thorough knowledge of general
banking business and he was thus well qualified to take up the duties which now devolve upon him in his present business connection. Always courteous in his treatment of the patrons of the institution and willing to grant a favor whenever possible, lie at the same time is never neglectful of the interests of the bank and has contributed in substantial measure to its success.
In 1890 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Phillips and Miss Mary M. Belsly, of Deer Creek, Illinois. They now have four children, all of whom are in school, namely: Clarence A., Mary Magdalene, Helen G., and Louis B.
In his political views Mr. Phillips is an inde- pendent republican, who while indorsing the principles of the party frequently casts an inde- pendent ballot at local elections. He is a mem- ber of Henry lodge, No. 119, A. F. & A. M., and is also connected with the Knights of Pyth- ias lodge at Chillicothe, while his religious faith is indicated by his membership in and co-opera- tion with the work of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a typical representative of that class of alert, enterprising business men who are pushing forward the wheels of progress and accomplishing results through unfaltering dili- gence and energy.
LOUIS BOGNER.
Louis Bogner, who is engaged in general farm- ing on section 20, Whitefield township, was born in Peoria county, Illinois, March 21, 1866, and is a son of Louis and Gertrude (Weber) Bogner, both of whom were natives of Germany. They came to the United States, however, in early life and were married in this country. The father de- voted his attention and energies to general farm- ing for many years but is now living retired, mak- ing his home in Henry.
Louis Bogner accompanied his parents on their removal from Peoria county to Marshall county and his education was acquired in the district schools of Whitefield township, where his father carried on general farming. He was reared on the old home place and there remained until his marriage, which was celebrated seventeen years ago, the lady of his choice being Miss Gertrude Schwarz, also of Whitefield township. Four chil- dren have been born unto them: Bertha and Conrad, who are attending school; Leonard and
LOUIS R. PHILLIPS.
203
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
Harold, at home. Mr. Bogner has served as a school director and the cause of education finds in him a warm friend, who does all in his power to promote the interests of public education through the employment of good teachers and the raising of the standard of the schools. He votes with the democracy and believes its principles most conducive to good government. His religious faith is that of the Catholic church, in which he was reared. Throughout his business life he has carried on general farming and now has one hundred and sixty-five acres under cultivation. He and his father own eighty acres of land in another part of the county. Nowhere in all this wide country is land more rich and productive than are the farms of Marshall county and Mr. Bogner annually harvests good crops as the re- ward for the care and labor which he bestows upon the fields. His place is neat and thrifty in ap- pearance, indicating his careful supervision and progressive methods.
JOSEPH CLARK.
Joseph Clark dates his residence in Illinois from 1854 and has lived in Saratoga township, Marshall county, for fifty-one years. Few of its residents have longer remained within its bor- ders and none has made a more creditable record as an honorable and upright farmer. He was born in Berkeley county, West Virginia, about four miles from Martinsburg, on the 25th of July, 1844, and was a lad of eleven years when he left Ohio and came with his parents, William and Jane (Harper) Clark, to Illinois. Seven years before they had removed from West Virginia, to Ohio, where they lived until they started for Illinois, driving across the country. They resided in Whitefield township, Marshall county, for a year and in 1856 removed to Saratoga township, settling upon a farm about three quarters of a mile from the present home of Joseph Clark. The father there secured forty acres of land, for which he paid fifty dollars down and went in debt fifty dollars. Later he added another forty acres to his farm and paid for that tract two thousand dollars. He continued to make his home thereon until his death, which occurred in 1878 when he was sixty-six years of age, while his wife
passed away on that farm in August, 1892, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. They had four children: Mary, who is now living in Hen- ry, Illinois; Robert, a farmer of York county, Ne- braska; Joseph; and Thomas, who was the bridge tender at Henry, but is now deceased.
Joseph Clark was reared to farm life, spending the days of his boyhood and youth in his parents' home. After reaching his majority he began threshing but still remained a member of his father's household. Ambitious to own a farm of his own, he saved his earnings and at length made purchase of eighty acres of land in the eastern part of Saratoga township, whereon he resided for seven years, when he removed to his present place of residence, which was formerly the old home- stead of his father-in-law, Thomas Doyle. He now has one hundred and sixty acres of land, on which he has made many valuable and useful im- provements. In fact his is one of the best farms of the locality, equipped with all modern acces- sories and conveniences.
On the 29th of October, 1874, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Clark to Miss Matilda Doyle, who was born in Saratoga township on the first farm owned by her father in Illinois and has spent her entire life here. This marriage has been blessed with a most interesting and beautiful little daughter, who was born in Saratoga township on the 31st of May, 1897, and to whom they gave the name of Jennie Eliza Clark. The day of her birth was a most bitterly cold one, memorable in the history of the county as a day on which all of the fruit was killed owing to the excessive frost. The little daughter is a very bright, intelligent girl, now in the fifth grade in the Doyle school. She is the light and life of the household, of cheerful, joyous disposition and obedient nature, never having to be told the second time to do anything. In addition to her school work she is receiving instruction in piano music and she is always among the best in her classes at school.
Mr. and Mrs. Clark occupy an enviable social position and have a very large circle of friends. Politically he is a stalwart republican but with- out aspiration for office. Fraternally he is con- nected with Sparland lodge, No. 441, A. F. & A. M., and both he and his wife are members of the Eastern Star. He takes great interest in the work of the craft and is one of its exemplary rep- resentatives.
204
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
FRANK LAFAYETTE DAWSON.
Frank Lafayette Dawson, who is engaged in general farming in Whitefield township, is one of Marshall county's native sons, born on the 27th of November, 1876. His father, Clark Daw- son, was a native of Pennsylvania and in early life came to the middle west, settling in Putnam county, Illinois, upon a farm. There he resided up to the time of his death, which occurred in April, 1903. He wedded Miss Mary Jane Ray- mond, a native of Connecticut, who now survives him and lives in Henry. In their family were five children : Fred, a resident of Henry; Frank L., of this review ; Mrs. Martha Schimmel, a wid- ow, living in Henry; Ed Dawson, a farmer of Henry township; and one who died in infancy .. At the usual age Frank Lafayette Dawson began his education in the district schools of Henry township and he was reared to farm life, early becoming familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. He has always carried on general agricultural pursuits and is now engaged in cultivating one hundred and sixty acres of land which produces good crops, owing to the care and labor that he be- stows upon the fields. He keeps everything about the place in neat and thrifty condition and a glance serves to indicate to the passer by his care- ful supervision and progressive methods.
In April, 1892, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Dawson and Miss Anna Smith, a native of Whitefield township and a daughter of Elwood Smith, who follows farming in that township. This union has been blessed with five children : Raymond, Clyde and Lafayette, all in school; and Hattie and Myrtle. Mr. Dawson holds mem- bership with the Modern Woodmen of America, being affiliated with Whitefield camp, No. 1653. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church and votes with the republican party, but he has no aspiration for the honors nor emoluments of of- fice, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs, which are directed by sound judgment, supplementing broad practical experi- ence.
PRICE PURVIANCE.
Price Purviance resides on a farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres on section 33, Granville town- ship, where he has made his home continuously for sixty years. He was born in Jefferson county,
Ohio, June 5, 1830, his. parents being James and Margaret (Tipton) Purviance, the former born in Pennsylvania near Redstone, while the latter was a native of Maryland. The ancestry of the family is traced back to a remote period. They came of French lineage, being descended from a French count who was compelled to flee from France for trying to overthrow the government. He fled to Ireland and three of his descendants emigrated to America and settled on Long Island at a very early day, since which time represent- tives of the name have become widely scattered throughout the country.
James Purviance, the father, was reared as a member of the Friends or Quakers church, but on his marriage outside of the church lost his birth- right, although he always adhered to that faith. In 1846 Price Purviance and his brother made a trip on horseback from Ohio to Putnam county, each riding a horse and leading one, while the father and other members of the family came down the Ohio and up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers to Hall's Landing, whence they traveled by team and wagons to the farm upon which our subject now resides. The father was in excellent financial circumstances for those days and pur- chased one thousand acres of land. This he afterward divided among his children, one hundred and sixty acres of the old homestead and seventy- three and forty-hundredths acres of timber land falling to Price Purviance, who has always re- mained upon the home farm. After living for a number of years upon the farm the parents re- moved to Hennepin, where the father died at the age of seventy-five years. The mother, however died at the old home when living with our subject at the age of eighty-six years. In the family were twelve children, one of whom died in infancy in Ohio. The others reached adult age and eight are still living, but Price Purviance and his sister Mrs. Eliza J. Forristall, who keeps house for him, are the only ones in this county. A brother, Amos T. Purviance, was for forty-one years clerk of Put- nam county. The sister Eliza became the wife of James Forristall and they lived for many years in Bureau county, but later Mr. Forristall went to the west and became interested in mining at Leadville, Colorado, where he died about ten years ago. Since that time Mrs. Forristall has lived with her brother. She has three children, one of whom, a daughter, is at home with the mother.
1
Trice Surrance
REAL
/
4
1
4
209
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
The house in which Mr. Purviance lives is just as it was when built sixty years ago. The timber was gotten out and sawed near Washington, Tazewell® county, Illinois, and was hauled to the farm with ox teams. The ceilings of the rooms were made of pine lumber, which was hauled from Chicago by team, loads of wheat being taken to the market there, after which the lumber was hauled back. The weather boarding is of black walnut and the roof which now covers the structure is the third one which Mr. Purviance has assisted in laying. He has built a barn and corn crib which are very substantial in construction, iron bolts being used in joining the timbers. He also has upon his place a blacksmith shop where he does all kinds of iron work. The family, being in com- fortable financial circumstances, did not have to endure many of the hardships that fell to the lot of other pioneers, yet he recalls many interesting experiences of early days. Deer were plentiful and wolves were very numerous, so much so that in one night they had three hundred lambs killed upon their farm, while at another time seventy sheep were killed. On the trip of Mr. Purviance and his brother westward through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois they saw not a single railroad and on all hands were evidences to indicate that this was a frontier region.
Mr. Purviance gives his political allegiance to the republican party and for eighteen consecutive years was a school director. He attended the com- mon schools at a time when little was taught save the three "R's", but he has always been an advo- cate of good schools. He was quite proficient ir penmanship in early life and once received a prize for his excellent work in that line. He was also very proficient in arithmetic but gram- mar was not taught. However, he has become a well informed man, always reading broadly and thinking deeply and he has kept informed on questions of the day and the topics of current interest. He has in his home many valuable relics some of them being more than one hundred years old.
WILLIAM D. WEBSTER.
William D. Webster is a retired farmer of Sparland, largely deriving his income from his real-estate investments. He was born in Washing- ton county, New York, September 3, 1830, and
is a son of William and Sarah Ann (Northup) Webster. The father was born in Washington county, New York, and was a cousin of the re- nowned Daniel Webster. He followed farming as a life work and died in Allegany county, New York, at the venerable age of eighty-four years. His political support was given to the republican party. His wife, who was born in Hartford, Washington county, New York, died at the very advanced age of ninety-five years. In their fam- ily were three children: Relief, who married Alfred Chamberlin, who is living in Angelica, New York, at the age of eighty years and is a well preserved man; Norman, a resident of Alle- gany county, New York; and William D.
In the state of his nativity William D. Web- ster spent the days of his boyhood and youth, being reared upon his father's farm, while in the public schools he obtained his education. He continued a resident of the Empire state until twenty-six years of age, when he removed west- ward to Illinois, settling in Steuben township, Marshall county, where he followed farming. He has lived in this township for fifty-two years and has prospered in his undertakings, carefully conducting agricultural interests for a long period but now living retired. As his financial resources increased he made judicious investments in real estate and derives therefrom a good income. He owns now a house and three lots in Sparland and one hundred and sixty acres of land in Rush county, Kansas.
In 1857 Mr. Webster was united in marriage to Miss Ruth A. Fosdick, who was born in Belfast, New York, February 17, 1837. She is a daugh- ter of Aaron C. and Ollie B. (Moon) Fosdick, both of whom were natives of Washington coun- ty, New York, the former born in Hartford and the latter near Hartford. On removing to Illi- nois they settled first in Peoria county and after residing there for five years removed to Marshall county, taking up their abode about three and a half miles west of Sparland. Mr. Fosdick was the owner of six hundred acres of valuable land and was widely known as one of the leading and pros- perous agriculturists of his community. Both he and his wife were members of the Baptist church and in politics he was a stalwart republican. He always acted as a drummer in the republican cam- paigns and took great delight in political meet- ings, which he greatly enjoyed. He won many
210
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
friends wherever he went and was particularly prominent in political circles. The old drum which he carried in the campaigns is now in pos- session of Mr. Webster. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Fosdick were born the following named: Delphia E., now the wife of Le Roy Bolander, who is liv- ing in La Prairie township; Lillian B., the wife of Frank Martin, a resident of Butte, Montana, where he is bookkeeper in a copper mine; and Louis E., who married Augustine Faltot, of New York city, and lives in Sparland, where he is weighman at the Sparland coal shaft. Mrs. Webster, the other member of the family, ac- quired a good public-school education and has lived in this county for fifty-three years. Since the age of fifteen years she has been a devoted and faithful member of the Baptist church and is an earnest Christian woman, whose religion is manifest in her kindliness and generous qualities. Mr. Webster is a member of Sparland lodge, No. 441, A. F. & A. M., of Sparland, and his wife is connected with Eastern Star lodge, No. 227. They have traveled life's journey together for almost a half a century and both have been resi- dents of this county for more than fifty years, so that they are weil known and are certainly deserving of mention in this volume among the pioneer people.
BENJAMIN FOSTER.
Benjamin Foster, who, with the exception of a brief period of two years, has resided continuous- ly on his present farm on section 29, Evans town- ship, since 1872, was born in Hopewell township, Marshall county, Illinois, July 21, 1844. He is a son of Joshua Foster, who was born near Colum- bus, Ohio, March 21, 1821, and passed away on the 3d of May, 1895, at the venerable age of sev- enty-four years. He devoted his time and ener- gies to farming through a busy and useful life and in 1836 became a resident of Fulton county, Illinois, the family home being established near Fairview. At that early day he drove cattle across the country to the markets with his father. In the early '40s he came to Marshall county and cast in his lot with its pioneer settlers, aiding in its development from a wild prairie district into one of the rich agricultural sections of this great state. At the same time he prospered in his own business affairs and became the owner of extensive and
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.