USA > Illinois > Marshall County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 33
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 33
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A native of the Isle of Man, Mr. Monier was born May 1, 1834, his father being William Monier, Sr. The family is of French descent, the great-great-grandfather of our subject having been a native of France. William Monier, Sr., was born on the Isle of Man in 1800 and was a miller by trade but in his later years devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits. In 1850 he crossed the Atlantic to the new world with his family and set- tled upon a farm twenty miles west of Peoria. He started out in business life empty-handed but he and his family all worked together and soon ac- cumulated quite a little fortune. He crossed the
ever, required a longer time for them to come from New York to Peoria, Illinois, than it did to cross the ocean. They made the journey all the way by water, going from New York city to Albany by steamer, thencc by way of the Erie canal to Buf- falo, from Buffalo around the lakes to Chicago and then by canal to La Salle county and by way of the river to Peoria. They located at Brimfield, Illinois, where they remained for six years and then removed to Saratoga township, Marshall county, in 1857, settling at a place called Camp Grove. The wife and mother bore the maiden name of Jane Quaile and their family numbered five sons and three daughters: John, who died in Saratoga township in June, 1890, at the age of sixty-two years; Catherine, who became the wife John Ncil, and died in Marshall county, while Mr. Neil passed away in Peoria county, leaving one child who was named for his father and who died at the age of twenty-four years ; Anna, who died in 1851 at the age of eighteen years; Margaret, who married Patrick Collins and died in February, 1895; Thomas, living in Henry, Illinois ; James, formerly a resident of Emerson, Nebraska, but now in South Dakota; and Charles, living in Bosworth, Carroll county, Missouri. Upon the farm in Saratoga township the parents continued to reside until they departed this life, the mother passing away in May, 1884, while the father died on the 4th of November of the same year, both being more than ninety years of age. Their son John also died on that farm.
William Monier, of this review, was a youth of fifteen years when he accompanied his parents to America and after the family home was estab- lished in Peoria county he and his brother John began working as farm hands in that locality and, saving their money, purchased an eighty-acre tract of partially improved land on which was a small house. It was that house that was the family home until the spring of 1857, when they came to Marshall county, settling in Saratoga township, where all worked together for a year. William Monier, Jr., remained at home until he was twenty-eight years of age, when he started out in life on his own account, purchasing eighty acres of land near that of his brother John in Sara- toga township. From time to time he has added to his possessions until he now owns about four-
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tecn hundred acres of land, of which three hun- dred and twenty acres lies in Bureau county about two and a half miles from Broadmoor. His suc- cess has been the result of almost ceaseless toil and the accumulation of many years. In addition to his farm lands he has about forty head of high- bred Norman Percheron horses and he also owns a fourth interest in a full-blood Percheron stallion. He likewise has a fine herd of shorthorn cattle and is today one of the most prominent farmers and stock raisers of Marshall county. He has made extensive improvements upon his farm, in- cluding the erection of a beautiful and commodi- ous residence, together with all necessary outbuild- ings for the shelter of grain and stock. His land is richly cultivated and his life has certainly been a successful one, owing to his close application and his unremitting diligence. He has won many prizes on his exhibits of stock at the Wyoming fair, in which he has been interested from its inception.
Mr. Monier was married on the 25th of Decem- ber, 1860, to Miss Wilmina Doran, who was born at Frederickton Junction, New Brunswick, July 5, 1841. Her father, James Doran, was a native of Dublin, Ireland, and moved from the Emerald Isle to the Isle of Man, after which he crossed the Atlan- tic to Canada and thence came to Illinois in 1850. At one time he was the owner of four hundred and eighty acres of land, which he divided among his children. In politics he was a stalwart repub- lican. His birth occurred in 1813 and he passed away in 1893 at the age of eighty years. His wife bore the maiden name of Rebecca Maxwell and was born in County Tyrone, Ireland. Their marriage was celebrated at Frederickton Junction. After living for some years in Illinois they removed to Chase, Rice county, Kansas, where the death of the father occurred and the mother still makes her home there.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Doran were born the follow- ing named: Mary Jane, now living in Irwin county, Iowa ; John, who died in Nodaway county, Missouri ; Edward, a resident of Topeka, Kansas ; William, of Oklahoma; Margaret, of Nodaway county, Missouri; Thomas, who is living in Isa- belle, Barton county, Kansas; Andrew, who was a member of Company E, Eighty-sixth Illinois In- fantry, and died from a wound at Chattanooga, Tennessee; Robert, a twin brother of Andrew, now a resident of Henry, Illinois ; and Phebe, who is living in Stafford county, Kansas.
Mrs. Monier came to Illinois with her parents in 1850 when a little maiden of nine summers, the family home being established in Marshall county. They made the journey from Chicago by canal to La Salle and thence to Lacon by way of the river. After a short time, however, they re- moved from Lacon to the farm which is now owned by Mr. Monier on section 6, Steuben town- ship. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Monier have been born seven children: Charles, who married Mina Smith and has three children; Edward, who wed- ded Clara Casey ; Anna, Alice, Thomas, John and Halsey, all at home.
In his political affiliation Mr. Monier is a stal- wart republican, having given his support to the party since casting his ballot for Lincoln in 1860. He has been road commissioner for three years and school director for thirty years, serving at the present time. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist church and are most highly es- teemed people. He has lived at peace with all men and in his business life has never taken advantage of the necessities of a fellowman in any business transaction but has placed his dependence upon the safe and substantial qualities of untiring labor and careful management. It has been through his judicious investment and his unceasing toil that he has won a most gratifying measure of success and become one of the large land owners of the county.
REV. GUSTAF ERIKSON.
Rev. Gustaf Erikson, minister of the Bethany Lutheran church at Wenona, was born at Stora Tuna, Falulan, Sweden, June 12, 1867, his pa- rents being Erick Hanson and Anna (Johnson) Hanson, who were natives of Sweden. The father was a farmer by occupation and both he and his wife died in their native land. They had five children, three daughters and two sons.
Rev. Gustaf Erikson was educated in the pub- lic schools of Sweden and was reared to the work of the farm. In 1888 he sailed for America, landing at New York and there passing through the famous Castle Garden. He went to Negaunee, Michigan, where he worked in a sawmill for several months and afterward removed to Repub- lic, Michigan, where he was employed in the cre mines for about a year. On the expiration of that period he proceeded to Rock Island, Illinois, having determined to enter the ministry, and in that city he matriculated in Augustana College,
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where he pursued the regular theological course, being ordained in Moline, Illinois, in June, 1897. He immediately came to Wenona, Illinois, where he has since had charge of the Bethany Lutheran church and here he has done a splendid work, building up a large congregation, the member- ship now numbering about three hundred and fifty, this being a growth of two hundred during his pastorate, for the church numbered only one hundred and fifty at the time of his arrival. The attendance at the Sunday-school has also largely grown, there being now more than one hundred children. Mr. Erikson has made many friends in this section of the state. He has also conducted a small church at Streator, one at Granville and another at Utica, to all of which he gives his personal care and supervision. His life is a very busy one, devoted to the welfare of mankind and the dissemination of the truths of the gospel. In Wenona the congregation owns a good house of worship and also a handsome parsonage. Mr. Erikson in connection with his other church work publishes a small Swedish magazine, the Betania Hemmet, which has a circulation of about fifteen hundred copies among his parishioners. It is pub- lished in the Index office at Wenona.
On the 27th of April, 1898, was celebrated the marriage of Rev. Erikson and Miss Marie Ede, a native of Rock Island, Illinois. She is of much assistance to him in the work of the church and among his parishioners. Of firm purpose and of unfaltering zeal, giving his life for the benefit of his fellowmen, Rev. Erikson has accomplished a great and good work in Wenona and in this part of the state.
JOSEPH CALEY.
Joseph Caley is identified with the development of the natural resources of Marshall county and is now operating in the coal fields, being a well known representative of the mining interests of Whitefield township. His home is on section 22 of that township and in this locality he has spent the greater part of his life. He was born in Staf- fordshire, England, on the 22d of February, 1843, and was a son of John Caley, also a native of Eng- land, whence he came to America about seven years prior to the arrival of his son Joseph. The year of his emigration was 1851 and he made his way into British America, where he accepted the position of foreman for the London Coal Com- pany. He afterward returned to the United States
and located midway between Lacon and Peoria, where he opened coal mines. Subsequently he re- moved to Marshall county and again was con- nected with the development of the rich coal fields of this part of the state. As soon as he took up his abode in this country he took out naturaliza- tion papers and was ever most loyal in his citizen- ship, being a stalwart champion of the institutions of our free republic. He was a prominent mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church and in its work took a most active and helpful part, while his life was characterized by his faithful following of its teachings. He died about twelve years ago at the age of seventy, having long survived his wife, who died when their son Joseph was only two and a half years of age.
The subject of this review is a self-educated and , a self-made man and an understanding of his in- tellectual progress and his advancement in the material things of life awakens admiration and "respect. He has, by reading, observation and ex- perience, continually broadened his knowledge and is today a well'informed man. Moreover, he has prospered in his business undertakings and he cer- tainly deserves much credit for what he has ac- complished. He came to America in 1858 when a youth of fifteen years and from that time to the present has been dependent upon his own re- sources. When the Civil war was in progress he felt that his duty to his country was paramount to all other interests and in 1862 he enlisted as a private, becoming a member of Company K, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, joining the regiment at Pontiac, although his enrollment was at Moline, Illinois. He then served until the close of the war and participated in many hotly contested and sanguinary engage- ments. He was wounded in the battle of Golds- boro, South Carolina, and he faced the rebel fire on many another battlefield, including Perryville, Stone River, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge and the siege of Atlanta. He had many narrow escapes from injury and death and it was on the 16th of March, 1865, that he sustained a wound.
When the country no longer needed his military aid Mr. Caley returned to the north and has since been a factor in the business life of this portion of the state. He now owns thirty-six acres of rich coal lands on which he has opened mines that are now being successfully operated and the out- put finds a ready sale on the market, bringing to
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him a merited and gratifying financial income.
On the 25th of December, 1867, Mr. Caley was united in marriage to Miss Augusta Owen, a lady of German birth. The wedding was celebrated in Roek Island county, Illinois, and unto them have been born nine children: Elizabeth Ann, who was born August 20, 1868, and is the wife of Dennis Farlin, a farmer of Kansas; John Frederick, who was born March 9, 1871, and died March 9, 1885; Augusta Owen, who was born July 7, 1872, and is the wife of Hiram Monier, who lives near Brad- ford, Illinois ; Tama Jane, who was born May 12, 1874, and is living in Kansas; Sarah Aliee, born October 1, 1876, and now deceased; Mary Joseph- ine, who was born June 18, 1879, and now the wife Clark C. Righthouse, a farmer residing near Brad- ford, Marshall eounty; Mrs. Clara Belle Motell, who was born Mareh 9, 1881, and lives south of Sparland; Joseph Sherman, who was born January 23, 1885, and died on the 9th of March of the same year; and Rosa Emma, who was born Oeto- ber 27, 1888, and is now the wife of Roy Rowe, living in Whitefield township. Mr. and Mrs. Caley have reared a family of whom they have every reason to be proud and have lived to see them become comfortably situated in life. In poli- ties Mr. Caley is independent and he has always been so busy that he has had no time to take part in political work. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and is as true and loyal in his duties of citizenship as when he followed the old flag upon southern battlefields. His is a most ereditable reeord and should serve as a source of emulation and encouragement to others, for start- ing out in life empty-handed when a young lad he soon came to a realization of the fact that suc- cess is the reward of enterprise and diligence and it has been along these lines that he has made ad- vancement, from a humble financial position to one of affluence.
JEROME HOWE.
Jerome Howe, banker and capitalist of Wenona, is too well known in Marshall county and Illinois to need special introduction to the readers of this volume. His business interests are so important and extensive as to make him a representative citi- zen of the state and his strict conformity to a higli standard of business ethics stands as an unques- tioned fact in his career. The secret of his suc- cess lies in his ready recognition and utilization
of opportunities, his quick solution of intricate business problems and his ready adaptability of the means at hand toward the accomplishment of desired ends. All this entitles Mr. Howe to prom- inent mention in the history of his county and moreover he is descended from an ancestry honor- able and distinguished.
Born in Mount Palatine, Putnam county, Illi- nois, August 1, 1848, he is a son of Peter and Arvilla (Park) Howe, natives of Vermont and Massachusetts, respectively, while the mother was a sister of the well known George Park. Her par- ents came to Illinois just a year prior to the Black Hawk war and settled in Pekin, Tazewell county. They were farming people and afterward took up their abode upon a farm near Pekin. At that time the country was full of Indians and it required great personal courage to settle alone in the forest and aid in the reclamation of the frontier for the purposes of civilization. However, bravery has ever been a distinguishing characteristic of the family. Various representatives of the name served as soldiers of the Revolutionary war and two were ranking officers. George S. Park, brother of Mrs. Arvilla Howe, served as state senator from Mis- souri and was a very prominent man. He was a soldier of the Mexican war and was the founder of the town of Parkville, Missouri-a few miles from Kansas City, although the latter place had not yet been established. He opened a trading post for dealing with the Indians to whom he traded a con- siderable amount of clothing (purchased from the government) for land. He became the owner of several thousand aeres of land in various states from Maine to Texas. He was in the latter state at the time of the massacre in the Alamo, when he and only one other soldier eseaped the butchery of the savage Mexican troops. He died at Magnolia, Putnam county, Illinois, after a most eventful eareer, distinguished by military service, political prominence and business suecesses.
The Howe family was established in the middle west about 1835 and Peter Howe, then a single man, went to St. Louis, where he worked at the mason's trade and also engaged in contraeting along that line. He remained for some time in that city and was the builder of Shurtleff College at Alton, Illinois, and also some of the first large brick buildings in St. Louis. A singular eoinci- dence in his life was the fact that he and Asa L. Hill started from Buffalo, New York, together and
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thus drove through to St. Louis. They made the journey in a sled, but carried with them some wagon wheels as a precaution lest the snow should melt and they would be unable to continue on run- ners. Atfer leaving St. Louis, Mr. Howe made his way up the river and when he had aecumulated a little money he went to Magnolia, Putnam county, Illinois, on a visit, and while there entered land-a quarter section at a time. He would chop and split enough posts in the winter to fence a quarter section in the summer. He finally settled at Mount Palatine, Illinois, and in the fall of 1859 removed to Wenona, where he retained his residence until called to his final home, November 11, 1888. His time was given to the supervision of his landed interest, which had beeome quite extensive, for as his financial resources increased and favorable opportunity offered he made investment in real estate. In antebellum days he was a strong abolitionist, advoeating the cause when it was very unpopular to do so. He was a warn personal friend of Abraham Lincoln, David Davis, Owen Lovejoy and other leaders in the ' political movements of that period and his interest in the negro question led him to found the Howe Institute at Memphis, Tennessee, and also the one at New Iberia, Louisiana, for the education of the colored people-both sehools still in existence and ยท doing well. His was a work of philanthropy and was thus of great benefit to the race. His wife died on the same day of his death, both being mur- dered. In the family were three daughters and two sons: Mrs. M. A. Ervin, of Galesburg, Illi- nois ; Mrs. L. J. Hodge, who died in 1889 ; Jerome; Charles ; and Ida E.
Edueated in Knox College, at Galesburg, Illi- nois, Jerome Howe afterward had the supervision of his father's farms for a number of years. In 1883 he joined his father and brother in the bank- ing business at Wenona and in 1889 he .purchased his brother's interest and has since been alone in . the ownership and conduct of the institution, which is recognized as one of the strongest finan- cial concerns in this state, having back of it val- uable real estate interests. A general banking business is carried on, of which his sons, Charles R. and Walter V., largely have charge, while Mr. Howe gives his attention principally to the super- vision of his extensive landed interest in New Mex- ico, Louisiana, Texas, Iowa, Illinois and other states. His business interests and investments are
found in so many parts of the country that he necessarily spends much of his time away from Wenona, in the supervision of his extensive busi- ness affairs. He is largely interested in the oil fields of Kansas and the oil refinery in Kansas City.
Mr. Howe's first introduction to the "negro problem" came when a small boy. His father, a champion of abolition, kept a darkey over night. Mr. Howe had never before seen a member of the colored race and asked his mother why the man did not wash his face. He was also very much afraid of the man whose black would not wash off. He was reared in the faith of the republican party, formed to prevent the further extension of slavery, and has usually supported its candidates, but has never been active in political work, as his atten- tion has been fully occupied with his extensive business interests.
On the 5th of June, 1872, Mr. Howe was mar- ried to Miss Fannie Hall, a native of Pike county, Illinois, and they have two sons and two daugh- ters : Cora, wife of C. H. Pingrey, of Blooming- ton; Charles R., of Wenona; Walter V. and Char- lotte A. The family are members of the Presby- terian church and are welcome guests in the homes wliere culture and refinement are supreme, while their own home is the scene of many a delightful social function. Mr. Howe has always resided in the middle west and has ever been imbued with the spirit of enterprise and progress which has led to the rapid and substantial upbuilding of this see- tion of the country and while a man of wealth, he has allowed the accumulation of a fortune to affect in no degrec his relations with his friends of earlier years less forunate in the business world. He measures a man by character, not by posses- sions, and his own sterling worth has made him one of the most respected citizens of Marshall eounty.
WILLIAM HORROCKS.
William Horrocks is a self-made man and as the architect of his own fortunes he builded wisely and well. For a considerable period he was close- ly identified with agricultural and industrial in- terests in Whitefield township and was accounted one of its representative business men, but is now practically living retired, having turned over his business to his two youngest sons.
A native of England, Mr. Horrocks was born
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
in Lanarkshire on the 24th of November, 1830, and is a son of William N. and Margaret (Tis- dell) Horrocks, who were likewise natives of Eng- land, the mother having been born in Westmore- land county. Both are now deceased. In their family were eight children: John, James, George, Benjamin, William, Elizabeth, Mary and Isabella.
The boyhood days of William Horrocks passed without event of special importance to vary the routine of life for him. He was trained to habits of industry and economy and was educated in pri- vate schools and also took a course in music. Af- ter reaching manhood he gave careful considera- tion to the business outlook, weighing the chances for advancement in his native country with the opportunities of the new world and, deciding that the latter were more favorable, he came to the United States in 1852, landing in October. He had previously worked in his native country as a coal miner and after reaching the new world, his financial resources being so limited as to render immediate employment a necessity, he secured work in the coal mines and was thus engaged in several states in the Union. He became a resi- dent of Illinois in 1855 and took up his abode in Marshall county in 1865. The years witnessed his steady progress and he gradually advanced from a humble financial position until he had acquired capital sufficient to enable him to purchase land. He became the owner of one hundred and ten acres, constituting an excellent farm on section 6, Whitefield township. Here in connection with the tilling of the soil he also engaged extensively in raising hogs, which proved a profitable branch of his business. He likewise had good coal banks upon his place and was engaged successfully in mining, but now leaves the active management of his business affairs to his sons.
Mr. Horrocks was married a few years after his arrival in the new world, the lady of his choice be- ing Miss Frances Clarke, a native of Suffolk, Eng- land, whom he wedded on the 12th of November, 1856, in Peoria, Illinois. They became the par- ents of six children, of whom four are yet living: James, who is a mine overseer, residing at Farm- ington, Illinois ; John, who owns and operates a farm in Bureau county ; and Benjamin and Will- iam, who are living on the home place. They are now conducting the farm which is the property of their father and they also engage in raising hogs. They operate the coal banks and their mining in-
terests constitute no unimportant branch of their business.
Mr. Horrocks is a member of the New York In- stitute of Science and of English lodge of Odd Fellows. His political allegiance is given to the democracy and his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Episcopal church, in which he was reared. For many years his life was one of continuous activity and he was not denied the reward of labor. On the contrary he prospered as the years went by and at the same time he won the honored name which comes in recognition of a life characterized by trustworthiness and fair dealing. Mrs. Horrocks is a member of the Catholic church and is a lady of many estimable qualities, having a large circle of friends in Whitefield township.
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