USA > Illinois > Marshall County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 45
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 45
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At the time he joined the army Mr. Averill was learning the blacksmith's trade, which he com- pleted after his return from the war. He then followed the business for thirty-seven and a half ycars. Ten years ago he secured a small stock of hardware, investing a capital not over eighty dol- lars. Today he carries a complete line of hard- warc, tools and tinware, his stock being worth at least three thousand dollars. He has enlarged his store room from time to time but now finds it hardly adequate for the increased linc of goods which he carries. His trade has constantly grown and his business is today very profitable. He is now treasurer and one of the stockholders of the Mutual Telephone Company and is collector and agent for the National Co-operative Burial Asso- ciation.
In 1870 Mr. Averill was married to Miss Helena Deck, a native of Pennsylvania and a daughter of Adam Deck, deceased, who came to Hennepin in 1848. Mr. and Mrs. Averill now have one daughter, Nancy Florence, who was ed- ucated in the Hennepin schools and for four years held a position in the office of the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw Railroad at Peoria. She is now at home with her parents and gives music lessons, being a fine musician. She is also a seamstress of acknowledged ability.
Mr. Averill, since age conferred upon him the right of franchise, has been a supporter of the republican party and has served as city alderman and as city clerk. Few men in this part of the state have a wider acquaintance or are more favorably known than Orange A. Averill, who was
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born in the city which is yet his home and which has been his place of residence throughout the greater part of his life. He relates many inter- esting reminiscences of pioneer times. He tells that on one occasion, when the family were living upon the farm in Bureau county, the year 1849 being memorable for the highest water ever known, a man running a mill-one of the oldest in the county-saw something coming down stream. He called the settlers together and with pike poles they succeeded in landing a Mississippi catfish that had come down from above and was making its way to the Illinois river. They took it ashore, two men over six feet tall carrying it on their shoulders with a pole through the gills, and the tail of the fish dragged on the ground. It weighed about one hundred and forty pounds. Mr. Aver- ill's memory compasses the period when the great majority of the homes were log cabins and when the work of clearing and developing the land had scarcely been begun. The years have wrought many changes, and he rejoices in what has been accomplished and at all times has borne his full share in the work of progress in his community.
ORRIN FRISBEY.
When the tocsin of war sounded and men from all walks of life responded to the country's call in order to aid in the preservation of the Union Mr. Frisbey was among the number and is there- fore now classed with the honored veterans of the Civil war. He is, moreover, one who has made steady progress in the business world and al- though he started out in life empty-handed he is now the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of excellent farming land in Steuben township. He was born on the canal about twenty-four miles south of Cleveland, Ohio, May 4, 1840, and is one of the three children of Russell M. and Rosa- linda (Johnson) Frisbey. The father was born in Middletown, Vermont, in 1812, and the moth- er's birth occurred there on the 4th of June of the same year. They were married in 1831 and in 1843 came to Illinois. Mr. Frisbey was a far- mer and prospered in his undertakings, owning at the time of his death three hundred and twenty acres of rich and valuable land. He also operated a coal drift for about fifteen years and thus added materially to his income. He voted with the re- publican party and was unfaltering in his support of its principles. He died in 1898, while his wife
passed away in 1887. She was a very devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Of their children Edwin married Rachel J. Osborne and lives in this township, while Louis died at the age of fourteen years.
Orrin Frisbey, the other member of the family, was only about three years old when brought by his parents to Marshall county. His childhood days were accordingly passed in Steuben township and he attended the Central district school. In his youth he aided in the work of the home farm and in 1861, on attaining his majority, he started out in life on his own account, having but one horse. His patriotic spirit was aroused by the continued attempt of the south to overthrow the Union and on the 14th of August, 1862, he joined the boys in blue of Company E, Eighty-sixth Illi- nois Infantry, with which he served continuously until honorably discharged in Washington, D. C., June 6, 1865. He participated in about thirty battles but was never wounded, although he was often in the thickest of the fight and displayed marked bravery on many a battle-field. Since his return from the war he has given his attention to general agricultural pursuits and he spent the years 1877-79 farming on contract for Mr. Greno in Ellsworth county, Kansas. He has made steady progress in his business life, being now the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of rich and prod- uctive land on sections 15, 16 and 18, Steuben township.
Mr. Frisbey was married to Miss Mary Stephen- son, who was born in Dunnville, Canada, March 10, 1846. In her early girlhood, however, she was brought to Illinois and was reared in Wood- ford county until the removal of the family to Steuben township, Marshall county, where she has since lived. After her marriage her parents moved to New Jersey, where her father died. Her father, James Stephenson, was born near New Castle, England, November 4, 1812, and was an engineer and a school teacher, following the lat- ter profession for several years. He was married in 1841 in Chippewa, Canada, to Miss Maria Mer- riam, who was born in Otsego county, New York, in 1817, and was four years old when her people removed to Canada. In 1850 Mr. and Mrs. Ste- phenson came to Illinois, settling in Woodtord county, and in March, 1864, removed to Marshall county. In 1866 they became residents of New Jersey, where Mr. Stephenson died in 1869. His
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widow and her younger children then returned to Steuben township, Marshall county, Illinois. In politics Mr. Stephenson was a stalwart re- publican, giving unfaltering support to the party. His wife was a member of the Methodist church. Their children were: Mrs. Clara Tarbell, who lived in Chicago and died August 28, 1905, at the age of sixty-one years; Mary, now Mrs. Frisbey ; Joe, a carpenter by trade, living in Des Moines, Iowa ; Mrs. Ellen Riddle, who is living on a farm in La Prairie township, Marshall county ; Andrew, who wedded Julia Root and is professor of history in De Pauw College in Green Castle, Indiana; Mrs. Caroline Dunlap, residing in Spar- land; Maria, the wife of Edwin Root, of Des Moines, Iowa; and Alice, who died in infancy.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Frisbey have been born five children : W. S., who was drowned while in bath- ing in Wisconsin, at which time he was in the employ of G. A. Ogle, a publisher of Chicago; James, who died when about six years old and who had a twin brother who lived but a short time; R. M., who married Jessie Dunn and is en- gaged in the drug business in Mattoon, Illinois ; and Clara L., the wife of Vernie Ketchum, a farmer of Whitefield township, Marshall county.
Mr. Frisbey has been an unfaltering advocate of the republican party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise and he keeps well in- formed on questions and issues of the day, yet has never been an office seeker, preferring to con- centrate his energies upon his business affairs, in which he has met with gratifying success.
OTTO WEBER.
Otto Weber, who is successfully operating the Hegeler farm on section 19, Hennepin township, consisting of two hundred and forty acres, is a native of Hesse, Germany, born on the 13th of March, 1853, and was nineteen years of age when he crossed the Atlantic to become a resident of the new world. Loeating in Putnam county, Illinois, he went to work by the month on a farm north of Granville, where he was in the employ of John Brenneman for three years. On the expiration of that period he rented a farm and has engaged in agricultural pursuits on his own account ever since. He has lived upon his present place for about twenty years and has met with excellent suc- cess in his farming operations. He recently pur-
chased a large farm in Missouri but does not ex- pect to remove to that state, being satisfied with Illinois as a place of residence.
In the family of Mr. Weber are four children, namely: Walter, Blanch, Max and Burt. Mr. Weber was reared in the Catholic faith, but is not connected with any church at the present time. Politically he is independent, supporting the men and measures that he believes calculated to promote the best interests of the country. He takes a commendable interest in public affairs and is a man highly respected and esteemed by all who know him.
MRS. ALVINA SCHUMACHER.
Mrs. Alvina Schumacher owns and occupies an excellent farm on section 2, Richland township, Marshall county. She was born in Germany, in 1863, and her parents were likewise natives of Germany .- The father, who was born in 1826, died in that country in 1897, and the mother is still living there at the age of seventy-one years. In the family were seven daughters, two of whom are yet residents of the fatherland, while all are still living.
Mrs. Schumacher spent her girlhood days in her parents' home and was there trained to the duties of the household, so that she was well qualified to take charge of a home of her own at the time of her marriage to Ernest Schumacher. Her hus- band was also a native of Germany, born in 1847, and came to América when ten years of age. Their wedding was celebrated in 1885 and they removed to the farm on section 2, Richland town- ship, where the widow now resides. Their entire married life was spent upon this farm and Mr. Schumacher continuously engaged in its cultiva- tion and development, his labors making his fields very productive, while his progressive spirit prompted him to place many valuable improve- ments upon the farm in the way of substantial buildings and good machinery. He continued actively in farm work until 1901, when he was called to his final rest.
Mr. Schumacher was twice married, his first wife being Julia Clark, by whom he had two children, Adolph and Ernest, both of whom were reared by his second wife. Unto the second mar- riage have been born five children: Walter, who is living in Wenona, Illinois, where he is en- gaged in the grain business; Gerhardt, who is
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.
living at home and operates the farm in connec- tion with his brother George, who is the third member of the family; and Alma and Irvin, who are also under the parental roof. Mr. Schu- macher was a faithful member of the German Lutheran church, to which Mrs. Schumacher also belongs. He left to his family a good property of one hundred and seventy acres and this is one of the attractive farms of the community, lacking in none of the equipments and accessories of a model farm property of the twentieth century. Mrs. Schumacher has lived here continuously since her marriage in 1885 and is well known in the neigh- borhood as a lady worthy of the highest regard of friends and neighbors.
HENRY M. STOUFFER.
Henry M. Stouffer is one of the most venerable and one of the most respected citizens of Henne- pin and Putnam county. He is still- an active man, and although he has passed the eighty-fourth anniversary of his birth, in spirit and interest seems yet in his prime. He was born in Juniata county, Pennsylvania, September 29, 1822, and many a man of but half his years has not his sprightliness nor energy. His parents were John and Nancy (Markley) Stouffer, and the father was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, about the year 1800, and died in Juniata county in 1865, when sixty-five years of age. He was a carpenter by trade and followed that pursuit throughout his entire business life. His wife, also a native of the Keystone state, died about a year after her hus- band's death, when sixty-four years of age. In their family were eleven children, of whom three died in infancy, while eight reached adult age. For over fifty years there was not a death in the fam- ily. Six of the number are yet living.
Henry M. Stouffer is the eldest of the surviving members of the family. His educational privileges were very meager, for when he was only twelve years of age he began earning his own living, learning the printer's trade, at which he worked for four years. He walked from Lebanon, Penn- sylvania, to Reading, that state, and obtained em- ployment in one of the largest printing offices in Philadelphia, but when he had worked there for only ten days he became disgusted and returned home, telling his father that he must either teach him the carpenter's trade or give him an educa- tion. Not being able to afford his son the school
advantages desired, nor wishing him to learn the carpenter's trade, the father advised him to master some other pursuit, and for the next four years he devoted his energies to the silversmith's trade and became an adept at making and repairing clocks and watches. He also learned to make levels and all kinds of delicate instruments used by surgeons. Deciding to become a teacher, he took up the study of arithmetic and grammar, passed a creditable examination and then began teaching.
While thus engaged Mr. Stouffer was married, and after teaching for about four years he decided to study medicine. Accordingly he entered the Physio-Medical College at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1850, but soon his funds were exhausted and he had to return to teaching in order to get money to complete his medical course. While again busy in the schoolroom he came to the conclusion that the medical profession was overcrowded, there being four physicians in his little town of four or five hundred people. He continued to study and teach, however, until 1870, when he came to Hen- nepin. His uncle, David Markley, had engaged in the hardware business in Hennepin, having the first store of the kind in the town, and a brother of our subject was employed in the tinner's de- partment of this store. The uncle died, and at the solicitation of his brother Mr. Stouffer came to Hennepin and took charge of the business in 1870. The next year the family came, and he has since made his home in this town. He con- tinued in the hardware business for about seven years and then sold out, after which he again engaged in teaching school for several years in Putnam county. He has always been an indus- trious man and has accumulated a goodly compe- tence. He owns a nice home and four lots in Hennepin, also a good farm of eighty acres two miles north of the town. Until three years ago he did a great deal of work on his piece of ground in the city and had fine gardens, but he now rents this property. He works, however, from five until eight o'clock each morning, and by no means leads an idle or useless life.
Mr. Stouffer was converted and became a Chris- tian in 1840, at that time identifying himself with the United Brethren church. He soon afterward left the church, however, and has not joined any other denomination, yet has always been a great student of the Bible, and often puzzles able min-
MR. AND MRS. H. M. STOUFFER.
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isters and teachers in the churches through his comprehensive understanding of the Seriptures. He attends the Methodist Episcopal church and teaches a elass in the Sunday-school. lIe prefers to be judged by his life, not by any professions that he may make, and at all times he has walked in the way of uprightness and of peace.
Mr. Stouffer was married in 1846 to Miss Susan Moltz, who was born in Pennsylvania and was six inonths her husband's senior. She lived to be seventy-two years of age and passed away at their home in Hennepin. They were the parents of six children : Ann, now the wife of Henry Maxwell, a resident of Sparland, Illinois; John W., who married a daughter of William Allen, and lives in Hennepin ; Marion, the wife of Jason Rauch, who is living near Lincoln, Nebraska; Sadie J., at home; Mrs. Emma Hoffman, who died at Boulder Colorado; and George W., who married Edith Johnson and lives at Princeton, Illinois.
Mr. Stouffer certainly deserves great eredit for what he has accomplished in life. He is now a man of broad general information and strong . started out with nothing, but instead of eapital mentality. His knowledge has been acquired he possessed energy, determination and resolute purpose and as the result of his careful eonduet of his business interests and his unfaltering dili- genee he is today the owner of one hundred and sixty-seven aeres of good land about a mile and a half north of Laeon. His farm is well eulti- vated and has upon it good buildings and other substantial improvements. solely through his study in his leisure hours, through observation and experience. He is also a fine penman and once gained a first prize in a penmanship eontest in Pennsylvania. For three years he preached for the Protestant Methodist congregation at Spring Valley, often going to that place on skates on the iee. Few theologians are better informed coneerning the Bible, and many of them have much less knowledge of the subjeet than Mr. Stouffer. In his life he ex- em plifies his faith and belief, being upright and honorable at all times and straightforward in all of his relations with his fellowmen. In polities he has always been a republican, and he twiee served as justiee of the peaee. In his business affairs he has manifested the diligence and per- severanee whieli are always essential elements to prosperity.
HENRY C. CROOKS.
Henry C. Crooks and owns and operates a farın of one hundred and sixty-seven acres which is pleasantly located on section 24, Laeon township, about a mile and a half north of Lacon. A native of Maryland, he was born in 1845, and is a son of Richard and Maria (Sowers) Crooks, who are also natives of that state, the father having been
born in 1816 and the mother in 1820. Mr. Crooks was a blacksmith by trade and devoted his time and attention to that work during the greater part of his life. He died in 1892, having long survived his wife, who passed away in 1866. They were the parents of nine children, the brothers and sisters of our subject being Mrs. Catherine Musgrove, who is living in Maryland; George, who was born in 1849 and died in 1886; Winfield, who was born in 1852; Amanda, a resident of How- ard county, Maryland; Anna, who is living in the same county ; Susanna, who died in 1891; Robert, who died in infancy; and Mrs. Sarah Yater, liv- ing in Baltimore, Maryland.
Henry C. Crooks spent his childhood and youth in the state of his nativity and was twenty-four years of age when he eame to Illinois, first lo- cating in Marshall county. He has always fol- lowed farming and worked by the month as a farm hand for two years, when he resolved that his labors should more directly benefit himself and began farming on his own account. He
In 1871, in Hopewell township, Marshall county, Mr. Crooks was married to Miss Delia Westbrook, who was born near Rome, in Adams county, Ohio, in 1851, a daughter of J. R. and Elizabeth Westbrook. The other members of her parents' family were Albert, who married Sadie Cole and is now engaged in farming in Gentry county, Missouri ; Lina, the wife of William Hall, a resident farmer of the same county; Joseph, who married Rose Collier and lives in Lineoln- ville, Marion county, Kansas; Jennie, the wife of James Jordan, a real-estate dealer at Los Angeles, California; and William, who married Benena Cox and is farming at Rush Springs, Indian Ter- ritory.
Mrs. Crooks acquired her education in the schools of Ohio and eame with her parents to Illinois in 1865, the family home being estab- lished in Woodford county, whenee they removed to Marshall county in 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Crooks
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have no children of their own, but have an adopted son, Perry, now sixteen years of age. Mrs. Crooks belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Crooks is fraternally connected with the Odd Fellows. Since coming to Illinois he has made steady progress in his business career and each for- ward step has been carefully and thoughtfully made. There have been few mistakes in his busi- ness life and on the contrary he has displayed a kcen discernment and ready recognition of op- portunity whereby he has won a gratifying meas- ure of success.
AUGUSTUS GARRETT.
Augustus Garrett has been an active factor in public life in Steuben township and for a num- ber of years was actively engaged in general farming there on scction 17, but in the fall of 1906 removed to Lacon, where he is now living a retired life. He was born in Steuben township in 1859. His father, Amasa Garrett, was one Amasa Garrett was married at Lacon, Feb- ruary 20, 1848, to Miss Sarah A. Orr, who was of the best known, most honored and most pop- ular residents of this portion of the state and . born in Maryland, a daughter of James and his long service as justice of the peace led him to be always known by the title of squire. His birth occurred in Washington county, Ohio, April 14, 1818, and his father, who was of French ancestry, was a pioneer of that state. In 1836 the family removed to Bureau county, lo- cating in that section which was then a part of Putnam county and subsequently the father took up his abode at Bulbona Grove near the present village of Wyanet in Bureau county.
In early life Amasa Garrett began trading in furs and continued in that business for a num- ber of years, but later engaged in buying and shipping cattle, which were largely sent to the Chicago markets. He also became an agent for the location and sale of land lying in the mili- tary tract of Illinois and, making the subject of titles a study, became a recognized authority on this subject. His operations extended over a radius of forty miles and within that distance he invested in military lands, owning at one time about one thousand acres. When these lands were mostly disposed of by the government he turned his attention to his farming interests and confined his attention to the cultivation of the soil and raising stock. He raised cattle and hogs of high grades and became one of the most ex- tensive farmers of Steuben township and Mar-
shall county. Although he started out in life without capital, dependent entirely upon his own resources and business ability, he owned at the time of his death about one thousand acres. He drove cattle across the country to Chicago and shipped to St. Louis by way of the river. His political support was given to the democracy and for many years he served as justice of the peace, while for sixteen years he was supervisor from Steuben township, his long continued service be- ing indicative of the confidence and trust re- posed in him by his fellow townsmen. A great admirer of Stephen A. Douglas, he followed the fortunes of that statesman until his death and served as a delegate in the Baltimore convention which nominated Douglas for the presidency. He was usually a delegate to the district, county and state conventions and his opinions carried weight and influence, often proving a decisive factor in the setttlement of political questions.
Sarah (Ramsey) Orr, both natives of Maryland, whence they removed to Marshall county, Illi- nois, when their daughter was eight years of age. Mr. Orr, who was a farmer, entered land a mile and a half from the village of Lacon in Lacon township and proceeded to improve the farm, which in course of time became one of the best cultivated tracts of land in the county. Mrs. Garrett was one of the younger members of a family of six children and as a bride she went with her husband to a farm in the Bethel neigh- borhood of Marshall county, which he had pur- chased. There they resided for twelve years, after which they removed to Steuben township, where they reared their family of five chil- dren. James O., the oldest, who for some time was in the government employ and was one of the famous "101" in the Springfield legislature, is now living in Peoria, Illinois; Josephine be- came the wife of Samuel McFarland and both died, leaving two children. Augustus is the next of the family. Clara is deceased, and Alli- son is a retired farmer living in Sparland.
Augustus Garrett spent his childhood days in Steuben township and attended the Senachwine district school prior to entering the Sparland high school, where he remained as a student for three years. His education completed, he turned
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