USA > Illinois > Marshall County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 39
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 39
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
William Hufnagel is the owner of a valuable farming property comprising a tract of one hun- dred and nine acres and another of one hundred and nineteen acres in Whitefield township, Mar- shall county, while in Bureau county he owns one hundred and five acres. He is a progressive and energetic business man and is now very pleasant- ly located on section 6, Whitefield township. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 29, 1854, his parents being John and Mary
(Draubert) Hufnagel, both of whom were na- tives of Germany. The father was born in Wur- temberg and on leaving the land of his nativity and crossing the Atlantic to the new world in his boyhood days he became a resident of Pennsyl- vania. There he was reared and in Philadelphia he wedded Miss Mary Draubert. While in the east he followed the carpenter's trade and also engaged in merchandising, conducting a store for the purchase and sale of butter, eggs and other commodities. Hoping to enjoy still better oppor- tunities in the middle west, however, and think- ing that he would here obtain superior advantages whereby to provide for his family, he came to Illi- nois in 1860 and turned his attention to farming, settling upon a tract of land in Whitefield town- ship. For long years thereafter he was actively and successfully connected with farming pursuits, but is now living retired in Bradford. His wife has passed away. In their family were five chil- dren: Aaron, who is a farmer living in Stark county, Illinois, not far from Bradford; Charles, who is engaged in farming and gardening in Bu- reau county, Illinois; William, of this review; Joseph, who is raising farm and garden produce in Bureau county; and Daniel, who is engaged in carpentering in Bradford.
In the days of his boyhood and youth William Hufnagel was a pupil in the district school at Whitefield Corners and when not busy with his text-books he was occupied with the labors of the field, working on the home farm from early boy- hood days. He was a lad of only six years when he accompanied his parents to Illinois and he was therefore reared upon the old family homestead in Whitefield township. He has never sought to change his occupation, being content to devote his time and energies to agricultural pursuits, finding therein ample opportunity for the exercise of his native talents and for the acquirement of success. His holdings now comprise three hun- dred and thirty-three acres of rich and productive land, of which one hundred and five acres is sit- uated in Bureau county and the remainder in Whitefield township, Marshall county, although it is divided into two tracts. The home place is on section 6 and is a well improved farm, lacking in none of the accessories and conveniences of a model farm property of the twentieth century.
In 1880 Mr. Hufnagel was married to Miss Louisa Kopp, of Henry county, Illinois, whose
314
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
father, Christopher Kopp, was a merchant there. Mr. and Mrs. Hufnagel now have four children : Albert, who at the age of twenty-one years is en- gaged in farming; Annie, seventeen years of age; Henry, fifteen years of age, now assisting in the work of the home farm ; and Laura, a little maiden of four summers.
Mr. Hufnagel votes with the democracy, but does not consider himself bound by party ties and at local elections frequently casts an inde- pendent ballot. He has served as path master, . but is not a politician in the sense of office seek- ing, as he prefers to give undivided attention to his business affairs, which have been carefully conducted, so that in the long years of his resi- dence in this county he has gained .the confidence and good will of his fellowmen and won many friendships in the circle of his acquaintance.
ELLISON G. WOOD.
Ellison G. Wood, proprietor of the Maple Lawn farm, situated on section 36, Whitefield township, is one of the progressive and represent- ative agriculturists of Marshall county. He was born in Fulton county, Illinois, on the 7th of March, 1850. His father, Thomas Wood, was a native of Virginia and became one of the pioneer settlers of this state, journeying westward to Illi- nois with an ox team in 1830. He settled upon a farm in Fulton county, casting in his lot with the early residents of that portion of the state and aiding in reclaiming it from the domain of the red man and converting it into the uses of civiliza- tion. He devoted the remainder of his life to farming in that locality and died at the age of forty-eight years. His wife, Rachel Flowers Wood, passed away about twenty-six years ago. In their family were thirteen children, but only four are now living, namely: F. B., a resident farmer of Fulton county, Illinois; Laura V., who is the widow of George W. Emerick and resides in Hen- ry ; Casper, who is living a retired life in Henry ; and Ellison G.
In the district schools of the county of his na- tivity Ellison G. Wood mastered the common branches of English learning and through the summer months he worked upon the home farm, early becoming thoroughly conversant with the best methods of tilling the soil and raising the crops adapted to the climate. After leaving the
old home farm he removed to Chillicothe, Illinois, where he established and conducted a livery busi- ness for nine years. On the expiration of that period he removed to a farm in Whitefield town- ship, where he lived for four years, and six years ago he came to his present place on section 36, Whitefield township, known as the Maple Lawn farm. Here he is carefully conducting general agricultural pursuits and he has eighty-four acres of rich and productive land, which is now well cultivated and brings forth good crops. There are many modern equipments and improvements upon the farm and the neat and thrifty appear- ance of the place is indicative of the careful su- pervision of the owner.
In 1884 Mr. Wood was married to Miss Belle Maxwell, a native of Fulton county, Illinois, born near Canton. Her father was George Maxwell, a farmer of that locality. Mr. and Mrs. Wood have become the parents of a son and two daughters: Grace, who is now nineteen years of age, and will graduate in 1907; Clyde, eighteen years of age, who assists in the operation of the home farm; and Hazel, thirteen years of age, now attending school. Mr. Wood is an advocate of the principles of democracy, but at local elections where no is- sue is involved he regards only the capability of the candidate for the faithful discharge of the business of town or county and casts an independ- ent ballot. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church and is a man well worthy the esteem which is uniformly tendered him. He also merits the success which has come to him, for it is the direct reward of his earnest labor guided by sound judgment and characterized by unswerving busi- ness integrity.
JAMES H. TAGGART.
James H. Taggart, who has been a prominent factor in agricultural and commercial circles in central Illinois, has resided in Wenona since the spring of 1895 and was formerly connected with the grain trade. He was born in St. Clairsville, Belmont county, Ohio, September 9, 1839, his parents being John and Nancy (Roberts) Taggart, the former also a native of Belmont county, while the latter was born in Canada and was reared in the faith of the Society of Friends or Quakers. The paternal grandfather, James Taggart, was a soldier of the Revolutionary war and the family
315
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
was established in Ohio at an early day. The an- nam county, Illinois, where he engaged in farm- cestors in America came originally from Ireland. ing until 1882. He then became a resident of Long Point, Livingston county, Illinois, where he engaged in the grain, lumber and live stock busi- ness, continuing therein until 1893. During the two succeeding years he was not connected with any business enterprise, but in the spring of 1895 again engaged in the grain trade, this time at Wenona, where he has since resided. He rebuilt the elevator which is now owned by his son, H. M. Taggart, and is equipped with all modern con- veniences. Mr. Taggart owns a half section of land two. miles from Wenona and his has been a most active business life, in which his close appli- cation and keen discernment have been salient features. The great-grandfather, John Taggart, was born in the north of Ireland and became the founder of the family in the new world. Rev. William Tag- gart was a minister of the United Presbyterian church and for sixty-two years engaged in preach- ing the gospel. He attended a theological semi- nary in New York, journeying from St. Clairs- ville, Ohio, to the Empire state on horseback in order to pursue his studies there. He was a most highly educated man for his day, a deep thinker, logical reasoner, and he lived to be eighty-four years of age. He was one of a family of four brothers, the others being James, Joseph and Isaac Taggart, all of whom followed the occupation of farming.
In the maternal line Mr. Taggart of this re- view is descended from Welch ancestry, tracing the line back to Ezekiel Roberts, who was born in Wales and came to this country when a boy. He was a farmer by occupation and for a few years lived in Canada, but afterward settled in Ohio, and his son John came to Henry about 1847.
John Taggart, father of our subject, was a farmer by occupation and spent his entire life in Belmont county, Ohio, where his wife also lived from the time of the emigration from Canada until her demise. They were the parents of four sons and three daughters, namely: Joseph R., who for forty-five years was a resident of Mar- shall county, but now lives in Petersburg, Florida; Atwell M., deceased; James H., of this review; Mary A., the wife of Hugh Morrison, of St. Clairs- ville, Ohio; Lydia A., the wife of James Darrow, of Bellaire, Ohio; Wilson S., who resides at Long Beach, California; and Agnes D., who died in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In taking up the personal history of James H. Taggart we present to our readers the life record of one who is widely and favorably known in this portion of Illinois. He was reared in Belmont county, Ohio, and was educated in the district schools. In January, 1864, accompanied by his wife, he journeyed westward, thinking to enjoy better business opportunities in this portion of the country, and located in Lacon, Illinois, where he conducted a woodyard until the fall of 1868. He then settled on a farm three miles west of We- nona, where he remained for three years, and on the expiration of that period he removed to Put-
On the 3d of December, 1863, was celebrated the marriage of James H. Taggart and Miss Jose- phine L. Murdaugh, a native of Ohio, by whom he has four children: Luella, the wife of T. C. Colehour, a resident of Toluca, Illinois ; Maud R., the wife of Oscar Wheeler, who resides at Long Point, Illinois ; Harry M .; and Fred L. Mr. and Mrs. Taggart are members of the Presbyterian church and he has been active in the upbuilding of this section of the country, endorsing and co-oper- ating in many measures which have had direct bearing upon the welfare and improvement of this part of the state. Moreover, his business interests have largely been of a character that have contributed to general progress and he be- longs to that class of representative American men who, while advancing individual interests, also promote the public prosperity. Wherever known his name is a synonym for business probity and energy and for progressive citizenship.
ANTON GRESSER.
Anton Gresser, deceased, who at different times was connected with agricultural and commercial interests in Marshall county and in Henry, was born in Bavaria, Germany, on the 10th of March, 1835, and died January 31, 1901. He came to the United States in 1855, when a young man of twenty years and located near Mount Palatine, Illinois, where he began working as a farm hand by the month. Subsequently he returned to his native country, where he spent the succeeding year, and then again came to America, taking up his abode in Henry. Here he was engaged in busi- ness until about fifteen years prior to his death
775 316
14
3
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
and was an enterprising, energetic man. He was also the owner of a farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres near the corporation line of Henry and this returned to him a good annual incomc.
On January 3, 1864, Mr. Gresser was married to Apolona Umbs, who was born in Prussia, June 22, 1847. When she was only nine weeks old her parents, Nicholas and Margaret Umbs, emi- grated to the United States and settled upon a farm in Wisconsin, where they spent their remain- ing days, the father becoming a well-to-do citizen of that locality. In their family were four chil- dren : Louis, who now resides in Wisconsin ; John, who is a resident of Idaho; Agnes, the wife of John Wisner, also of Wisconsin; and Apolona, who became the wife of our subject. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gresser were born four children: Katie, now the wife of John Peterman, who is living rc- tired in Henry; Abbie, who died at the age of three and a half years; Henry, who is also living in the city of Henry; and Joseph, who makes his home therc.
Mr. Gresser was a member of St. Mary's Cath- olic church and his political allegiance was given to the democracy, but he never sought or desired public office, preferring to concentrate his ener- gies upon his business affairs, which, being capa- bly conducted, brought to him a goodly measure of success and enabled him to leave his family in comfortable financial circumstances when he was called to his final rest. He never had occasion to regret his determination to seek a home in America, for here he found favorable business conditions, which he improved, and he also gained many warm friends in the locality where he re- sided. He passed away when about sixty-six years of agc. Since that time Mrs. Gresser has sold the farm which he owned and she makes her home in Henry. She, too, is a member of the Catholic church.
ARTHUR L. TURNER.
Arthur L. Turner is serving for the second term as president of the school board. Activity and enterprise in former years have enabled him to live retired now from active business cares and his time and energies are largely given to the public service, the community recognizing in him a val- ued citizen. He was born in Hopetown, La Salle county, Illinois, March 22, 1856, and is a son of
Benjamin F. and Hannah L. (Miller) Turner. The former was born on the 24th of July, 1826, near Zanesville, Muskingum county, Ohio, and his parents were Clem and Dorcas (Snyder) Turner, the former a native of Delaware and the latter of West Virginia. They were among the early set- tlers of Muskingum county, where the father en- gaged in farming and there both died.
In his early boyhood days Benjamin F. Turner lost his mother and was reared in the family of Judge Thomas Ijms, a prominent man of his time and judge of the county court of Muskingum county. In the district schools of Ohio Mr. Turner secured his education and was reared to farın work. He came to Illinois in 1845, arriving in Magnolia township, Putnam county, on the 4th of March, accompanying the late George Dent, and was there employed at farm labor until 1850. In that year he married Miss Hannah L. Miller, who was born at Steubenville, Ohio, January 16, 1830, and was a daughter of Abram and Jane (Porter) Miller, who in 1846 located on a farm two miles east of Magnolia. There they made their home for ten years, when they removed to Wenona, where they were numbered among the first settlers, and there spent their remaining days. Her father, who was a carpenter by trade, helped to erect many of the buildings in the village.
Six children came to bless the union of B. F. Turner and his worthy wife, namely: William E., born September 1, 1851; Martin M., December 8, 1853; Arthur L., March 22, 1856; Charles M., October 27, 1860; Hulda J., July 6, 1863; and Estella M., May 17, 1870. William Emery, who died December 15, 1881, had married Nellie Moon and they had two children, Guy Franklin, who graduated at the Abilene (Kansas) high school in 1895; and Harry. Abraham Martin married Ida Snider, by whom he has two children: Nellie and Cecil. Arthur Lee, who lives in Evans township, Marshall township, wedded Mary Work, of Weno- na, by whom he has three children: Benjamin F., Mary Maurine and Arthur Lynn Turner. He is now serving as supervisor of Evans township. Charles Marion, also of Evans township, married Lou Carrithers, and they have five children. Jen- nie is the wife of Clarence Axline, of Evans township, by whom she has seven children. Es- tella May, who completes the family, died April 14, 1883.
After his marriage Mr. Turner rented land in
317
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
Putnam county for six years, but in 1857 removed to a farm which he purchased on section 21, Evans township, three miles west of Wenona, and as it was all raw prairie land he at once began its improvement and development. He there con- tinued to make his home until 1884, when he laid aside active business cares and removed to Wenona, where his wife died on the 13th of November, 1892, and her remains were interred in the Wenona cemetery. She was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and took an active part in church work. On the 18th of March, 1896, Mr. Turner married Mrs. Hannah E. Seebree, nee Hendricks, of Bloomington. Mr. Turner was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and had served as trustee and steward of the same. His death occurred September 24, 1901. For many years he was an active member of the Good Templars society, and took a prominent part in promoting the temperance cause. He was an influential member of the republican party, and frequently served as delegate to its conventions, and was called upon by his fellow citizens to serve in several official positions of honor and trust. He was road commissioner in Evans township, was a member of the city council of Wenona from the third ward and served for many years as justice of the peace.
Arthur L. Turner, whose name introduces this record, was brought to Marshall county when only a year old and was reared on the old homestead farm on section 21, Evans township. When he had mastered the branches of learning taught in the district schools he continued his studies in the high school at Wenona and was afterward a student in Eureka college, where he completed his literary training in 1877. Subsequently he en- gaged in teaching for eight years and then, de- voting his entire time and attention to farming, he successfully carried on agricultural pursuits for about two decades. It was in 1883 that he located upon a farm on section 22, Evans township, com- prising one hundred and twenty acres of valuable land. He added many substantial improvements to the place and brought his fields under a high state of cultivation, so that he annually harvested good crops. As the years have passed by he has also added to his property until he now owns a half section of fine land pleasantly and conven- iently located about two and a half miles from Wenona. He remained upon the farm until Sep-
tember, 1902, when he removed to Wenona, where he now resides.
On the 26th of December, 1882, Mr. Turner was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary T. Work, who was born in Osage township, La Salle county, April 7, 1856, and is a daughter of James B. and Sarah A. (Miller) Work, both natives of Penn- sylvania, but who were married in Whiteside county, Illinois. Her father came to Marshall county in 1836, which was his home until the fall of 1855, when he moved to Osage township, La Salle county, locating upon a farm which he greatly improved. He had previously been mar- ried, having by the first union three sons: Albert, deceased; William, of the state of Washington; and James, of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Al- bert and William aided their country in the preservation of the Union during the Civil war. The father, who was a life-long member of the Presbyterian church, in which he served as elder for twenty-five years, died on the 7th of Septem- ber, 1880. He was deeply imbued with the doc- trines of abolitionism ; his home became a station on the underground railroad, and was one of three who formed the republican party in the locality where he made his home. He was quite an unassuming man, but took a very active part in matters pertaining to his party, and served as census enumerator in his township.
Mrs. Turner is the oldest in the family of six children, the others being Grace G., Maggie, Liz- zie, Edward and Hattie P. She was educated in the Wenona high school and is a cultured, refined lady, who extends a hearty hospitality to their many friends. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Turner were born two sons and a daughter: Benjamin F., Mary Maurine and Arthur Lynn, but their eldest son was drowned on the 5th of June, 1905.
In politics Mr. Turner is a stalwart republican, who has taken an active interest in the work of the party and has frequently served as a delegate to the county, senatorial, congressional and state conventions. He has served as a member of the county central committee, has filled the office of township supervisor for fourteen years and has been chairman of the board. He is now serving for the second term as president of the Wenona school board and is a stalwart champion of the cause of public education, while his efforts in its behalf are of a practical and far-reaching nature. He is the secretary of the Farmers' Insurance
318
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
Company, which office he has filled for twenty- three years and he is identified with several fra- ternal organizations. He has been counsel of the Modern Woodmen camp at Wenona for several years and is president of the Yeomen. He takes an active interest in the growth and progress of the city and is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church, in which he is serving as steward. His wife is an earnest worker in the Presbyterian church and they are prominent socially, occupy- ing an enviable position in the circles where true worth and intelligence are received as the pass- ports into good society.
WILLIAM H. CASSON.
William H. Casson at one time an active and leading member of the Putnam county bar but now living retired in Hennepin, was born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, February 28, 1838, a son of Henry and Mary (Cock) Casson, both of whom were natives of England, the former born in 1807 and the latter in 1806. The father was a tailor by trade and after coming to the United States first located in Albany, New York. Sub- sequently, however, he removed to Pennsylvania and in 1848, when his son, William, was a youth of ten years, came to Hennepin, making the jour- ney in accord with the slow stages of water travel. They sailed down the Monongahela river to Pitts- burg and on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to the mouth of the Illinois, proceeding then up stream to Hennepin. Henry Casson worked at his trade here for a few years, after which he became post- master, acting in that capacity for a long period. About thirty years prior to his death, however, he retired from active life and made his home with his son, William, until he passed away at the ven- erable age of ninety-one years. His wife died in Hennepin in 1872. They were members of the Episcopalian church and Mr. Casson in ante bel- lum days was a stanch advocate of abolition prin- ciples, so that when the republican party was formed to prevent the further extension of slavery lie joined its ranks and remained one of its stal- wart champions until his demise. His educa- tional privileges in youth were limited to those of the common schools, but he became a well in- formed man, reading broadly and thinking deeply. JIc was once a candidate for the state legislature. His family numbered eight children, but William and his brother, Henry, are the only ones now liv-
ing. One child, who was born in England, died soon after coming to America. John R., deceased, was at one time circuit clerk of Vernon county, Wisconsin. Elizabeth B. became the wife of Wil- liam Eddy and lived in Hennepin. Both are now deceased. Henry Casson, the surviving brother, is now sergeant-at-arms of the lower house of con- gress. His home was in Madison, Wisconsin, where he served as secretary to several governors and was recognized as a prominent factor in polit- ical circles.
William H. Casson acquired a common-school education in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, and in Hennepin, Illinois, subsequent to the removal of the family to 1!is state when he was a youth of ten years. At the age of fourteen years he be- gan working as a farm hand and a year later secured employment in a store, where he remained for a few years. He became an influential factor in local politics and at the age of twenty-four years was elected circuit clerk of the county, act- ing in that capacity for eight years, his duties being discharged with marked promptness and fidelity. While in that office he took up the study of law under the late Judge T. M. Shaw and was admitted to the bar in 1868. For many years he was one of the prominent representatives of the legal fraternity in Putnam county and served for sixteen years in the office of state's attorney. In 1867 he was chosen master in chancery and continued to fill that position until about a year ago. He is now living retired, his investments being sufficient to bring to him a good income.
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.