USA > Illinois > Marshall County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 50
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 50
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
Isaac Cecil was twice married, his first wife being killed by lightning in Hennepin. On the 20th of November, 1842, he wedded Amanda Zenor, who was born February 27, 1823, and passed away February 10, 1895. They became the parents of eight children, of whom four died in infancy, the others being Jasper Stephen, who was born September 21, 1854, and is now working in the car shops at Plattsmouth, Nebraska ; Isaac, who was born September 17, 1857, and is a boiler- maker at Plattsmouth; and Anna, who was born October 15, 1864, and is now the wife of Virgil Mullis, of Plattsmouth. .
Jasper Cecil, reared under the parental roof, spent his early life in Hennepin and in Peru, re- turning to the latter city in 1862 when in his eighteenth year. He has since made his home here. His education was acquired in the public schools and he learned the blacksmith's trade un- der the direction of his father, since which time he has followed that pursuit, becoming an expert workman. He has lived a life of industry and enterprise and whatever success he has achieved is attributable entirely to his own efforts. Never ambitious to attain wealth he has, however, pro- vided a comfortable living for his family and has taken time to enjoy life and its social relations.
In 1866 Mr. Cecil was married to Miss Jennie Mullin, a native of Ohio and a daughter of Joseph Mullin, one of the early settlers of Putnam county. They now have a beautiful home in the southern part of the city which was erected by Mr. Cecil and is always kept in a state of good repair, be- ing one of the attractive residences here. Two children have been born of this marriage: Mar- zella, who is the widow of F. B. Neal and lived in Peoria until her husband's death, May 19, 1906, but is now making her home in Hennepin ; and Florence, now the wife of John P. Church, proprietor of the Cecil Hotel of Hennepin, by
MR. AND MRS. JASPER CECIL.
397
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
whom she has two interesting children, Cecil and Jennie.
Mr. Cecil is regarded as one of the prominent representatives of the republican party in Henne- pin. He served for several years on the village board and always worked faithfully and inde- fatigably for improvements which have benefited the city. He was a member of the board at the time the artesian well was dug and was termed the father of the project, so zealously did he labor for its adoption. He served for the second year as president of the board, a place which he filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to his con- stituents. In the fall of 1906 he was the candi- date for county sheriff on the republican ticket and was elected by a large majority. He deserves this honor at the hands of his fellow citizens, for he has always been most loyal to the public good and has contributed in substantial measure to the improvement and progress of the county.
JAMES N. BENNINGTON.
In pioneer times a resident of this portion of Illinois, James N. Bennington has been an inter- ested witness of the progress that has been carried forward by the pioneer settlers and the later resi- dents of the county and at all times has borne his full share in the work of general improvement and advancement. He has intimate knowledge of events which have shaped the history of the county, and his memory constitutes a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present. His life record therefore cannot fail to prove a source of interest to our readers, many of whom he claims among his friends. Born in what is now Peoria county, between Peoria and Washing- ton, Illinois, his natal day was September 22, 1831. His father, Thomas Bennington, was born August 22, 1803, in Boone county, Kentucky, near Big Bone lake. He became a farmer by occupa- tion, and, removing to Illinois in pioneer times, he lived for a period in Peoria county and afterward took up his abode in a pioneer cabin which stood upon the farm which is now the home and prop- erty of his son James. Here he owned two hun- dred and forty acres of good land, which he con- verted into productive fields through methods which showed him to be one of the progressive farmers of his day. His political support was given to the republican party at the polls, but he was not an active politician as regards office seek-
ing. His religious faith was indicated by his membership in the Christian church. In early manhood he wedded Cynthia Mason, who was born December 11, 1807. She too was a member of the Christian church. Their marriage, which was cel- ebrated March 5, 1829, was blessed with ten chil- dren. Parthena B., who was born February 6, 1830, and is now deceased; James, of this review ; Nancy Jane, who was born March 22, 1834, and has passed away; Margaret, who was born June 22, 1836, and is deceased; John F., who was born December 27, 1834, and has departed this life, William, born November 7, 1840; Cynthia Ann, born May 2, 1842, and is now deceased; Louisa ; Mary, who died in Portland, Oregon; and Martha, who completed the family.
James N. Bennington spent his childhood days upon a farm in the same locality in which he now lives, having been brought by his parents to Put- nam county in his early childhood days. He pur- sued his education in the Belle Plain district school, conning his lessons while seated upon a slab bench in a log schoolhouse. He now has in his pos- session one of the slabs which was used in the stick chimney and which is a mute reminder of the early days and the methods of instruction which were followed in that early schoolroom. In his youth he broke many acres of wild prairie and performed other arduous work in connection with the development of a new farm. There were many deer in the county and wolves were quite numerous in his boyhood days. He remained under the parental roof up to the time of his marriage. Dur- ing the Civil war he was drafted for service and went to Peoria in 1862, but it was not necessary that he should go to the front. Throughout his entire business career he has carried on general agricultural pursuits, and is now the owner of two hundred and eighty acres in Bennington and Belle Plain townships. His home is a beautiful residence situated at the western boundary of a little village called Belle Plain.
On the 6th of May, 1858, occurred the mar- riage of James N. Bennington and Miss Amanda Hollenback, who was born in Ohio, June 13, 1838, a daughter of Harrison and Margaret Hollenback. Her father lost his life at the hand of an as- sassin in 1847. Her mother, who was born in Perry county, Ohio, November 26, 1815, died at Dana, Illinois, July 10, 1895. She became the wife, of Harrison Hollenback March 31, 1835,
398
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
and removing to Illinois, located in Woodford county near the town of Belle Plain. In the family were five children: Mrs. Mary Weaver, who died in 1864; Mrs. Amanda Bennington; Daniel; Samuel, who died in 1878; and Mrs. Rebecca Rickey. The mother, Mrs. Hollenback, spent the last twenty years of her life in Roanoke, Illinois. She was for many years a devoted mem- ber of the Methodist church and an earnest Chris- tion woman, while her good traits of heart and mind endeared her to all with whom she came in contact.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Bennington has been blessed with two sons and three daughters. Sam- uel F., the eldest, born March 22, 1859, is now engaged in farming in Bennington township. He wedded Maggie Nelson and they have five chil- dren, two sons and three daughters. Flora E. Benson, born August 29, 1861, is the wife of C. M. McChesney, who is living near Packwood, Iowa. Mary S., born December 6, 1865, is the wife of Arthur Hayden, a resident of Jacksonville, Illinois. James F., born May 7, 1868, died No- vember 23, 1871. Ida, born April 20, 1870, is the wife of C. A. Burnham, living in Ashton, Lee county, Illinois. The parents are a most estimable couple, having the warm regard and admiration of all who know them. They are members of the Christian church and their lives are in harmony with its teachings. Considerate of the rights and privileges of others, of kindly spirit and generous disposition, they have gained the confidence and good will of all with whom they have been asso- ciated. Mr. Bennington is a republican in his political views but has never been an office seeker, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs, which have been well directed and have brought him a goodly measure of usc- cess.
JOHN TURNBULL.
John Turnbull, a representative of the agricul- tural interests of La Prairie township, his farmi comprising two hundred and ninety-three acres of well improved land on section 21, was born in this township in 1861 and is a son of Robert and Mary (Smith) Turnbull, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. Upon the old home farm John Turnbull was rearcd and the district schools afforded him his early education, which was supplemented by a course of study in Brown's
Business College at Peoria. He entered business life on his own account in 1884 and has always engaged in general agricultural pursuits and stock- raising. That he has prospered is indicated by the fact that he is now the owner of two hundred and ninety-three acres of well improved land. Upon his place are good buildings that in turn are surrounded by richly tilled fields, and every- thing about the farm is indicative of the spirit of thrift and enterprise displayed by the owner, who not only carefully cultivates his fields, but is also a successful breeder of full blooded Hereford cat- tle, having at the head of his herd a fine bull, Soldier Boy, which he purchased of Gudgell & Simpson, of Independence, Missouri, and which bears the register number 228527. Mr. Turnbull makes a specialty of the business of feeding cattle and hogs, and always has fine stock upon his place, for which he secured a ready sale on the market. He is likewise president of the Mutual Fire In- surance Company of La Prairie township.
On September 9, 1886, in Lacon, Illinois, oc- curred the marriage of Mr. Turnbull and Miss Clara Noel, who was born in Ogle county, Illinois, July 21, 1863, and was educated in Mount Morris College. She is a daughter of M. F. Noel, whose birth occurred in Adams county, Pennsylvania, in 1834. He was a shoemaker by trade and in 1855, when a young man of twenty-one years, came to Illinois. In his political views he was a democrat. He married Margaret Householder, who was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, in 1837, and who came to Illinois in 1845, her edu- cation being largely acquired in Ogle county. In 1856 she gave her hand in marriage to Mr. Noel and in 1881 they removed to Marshall county, settling at Lacon, where he engaged in the shoe business. In their family were four children: Mrs. M. M. Mallery, of Pontiac, Illinois; Mrs. Nettie Cleveland, who is living in Aurora, Illi- nois ; John, a resident of Lacon; and Mrs. Turn- bull.
Mr. and Mrs. Turnbull began their domestic life upon a farm and have always been interested in general agricultural pursuits. Their home has been blessed with three children: Robert N., An- drew and Lawrence, all of whom are under the parental roof. Mrs. Turnbull is a member of the United Presbyterian church and is a most estima- ble lady, possessing many good traits of heart and mind. Mr. Turnbull votes with the republican
399
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
party and has served as assessor for two years and filled other local offices. He, too, is a member of the United Presbyterian church and his influence is ever given on the side of right, progress and improvement. Having always lived in this part of the state, he is widely known and his salient characteristics are such as have gained him rank with the worthy, influential and prosperous resi- dents of La Prairie township.
JOHN E. MONAHAN.
John E. Monahan, who throughout his entire life has followed the occupation of farming and now owns and operates the old family homestead comprising two hundred and ninety-two and a half acres of land in Belle Plain township, Marshall county, was born in 1870. His father, Edward Monahan, was a native of Ireland and when a young man crossed the Atlantic to the new world, hoping that he might provide a better home in this country than he could secure on the Emerald isle. He came alone and worked first for John Wire, while later he took up his abode in Belle Plain township and eventually became the owner of four hundred and twenty-seven acres of valu- able land, on which he carried on general farm- ing and stock-raising. His political allegiance was given to the democracy and he was a com- municant of the Catholic church. His wife, Mrs. Bridget Monahan, was also a native of the Em- erald isle and came to America with her parents, who settled in Lacon, Illinois, and soon afterward located on Crow creek, Richland township. She too was a communicant of the Catholic church. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Monahan were born eleven children: Mary, who is now the wife of James Donley and resides in Bureau county; Anna, who is acting as housekeeper for her brother John; Charles, who wedded Mary Welsh and is living at Minonk; Katie, who married John Schaell; John E., of this review; Martin, who has passed away; Ella, the wife of William Manley of Min- onk; Lizzie, the wife of John Mertall, who is liv- ing in Bureau county; Tressie, the wife of Ed Harney, of Bradford, Illinois; Rosa, who is a school teacher and makes her home with her brother John; and Veronica, who is a milliner.
John E. Monahan spent his childhood days where he now resides and aided more and more largely in the work of the fields as his age and strength permitted. He attended the Sulphur
Springs school through the winter months when the work of the farm was practically over for the year and in the summer seasons aided in the task of plowing, planting and harvesting. He has always continued upon the old homestead, which he yet owns and which comprises two hundred and ninety-two and a half acres of land. His political allegiance is given to the democracy and he keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day, although he never seeks or desires office. He , is a very devout member of the Catholic church, contributes generously to its support and rejoices in its growth and progress. In his business affairs he shows keen discrimination and thorough un- derstanding of the work to which he gives his time and energies and has a well improved farm property which shows in its splendid appearance the care and labor which has been bestowed upon it for many years.
PETER WEST.
Peter West, who owns a half interest in valu- able land holdings aggregating six hundred and fifty-eight acres, is located on section 11, Lacon township, and is there carefully conducting his farming interests. He was born near Spring Bay, Woodford county, Illinois, in 1885. His father, James West, was born in Illinois in 1868 and made his home on the farm now owned and occu- pied by our subject and which was formerly the property of Nicholas Snyder, the maternal grand- father of Peter West. The father and mother of the latter both died prior to the death of Nich- olas Snyder and when the grandfather passed away he left his farm to his two grandsons, Peter and Willie West, the latter being a minor. Mr. Snyder was born in 1837 and died in 1900. He was a very active, enterprising and prosperous man and at his death he owned nineteen hundred acres of valuable land beside property in Spring Bay, Illinois, comprising several lots and houses. He had two children: Mrs. Anna West and Emma Snyder. The elder was born at Spring Bay in 1869 and died on the 28th of May, 1895, leaving three children: Mrs. Emma Thompson, whose husband is engaged in farming in Lacon town- ship, Marshall county ; Peter; and Willie.
In taking up the personal history of Peter West we present to our readers the life record of one of the most enterprising young farmers of the
400
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
county. He acquired his education at the South Lacon school and in 1901 began farming on his own account, operating the land which was left to him and his brother by their grandfather. The place comprises six hundred and fifty-eight acres and is very valuable and productive, so that Mr. West is very comfortably situated in life. On the 5th of May, 1901, he wedded Miss Stella Dalrymple, who was born in Marshall county, Illi- nois, in 1884, a daughter of Charles Dalrymple, a farmer of Hopewell township. Their children are Pearley and Howard. Mr. West votes with the democracy, but does not seek nor desire pub- lic office, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs, which he is now capably conducting and which claim his entire time and attention.
DAVID R. BLACKWELL.
The farming interests, which are the chief source of revenue in Marshall county, as well as in other districts in Illinois, find a worthy repre- sentative in David R. Blackwell, who owns and operates an excellent tract of land on section 16, Steuben township. He is one of the native sons of Illinois and is imbued with the spirit of enter- prise and progress which have been the dominant factors in the substantial and rapid upbuilding of the state. His birth occurred in Mount Ver- non on the 3d of July, 1848. His father, the Rev. David Blackwell, was born in Kentucky and for many years devoted his life to the work of the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal church. He became a member of the Illinois conference and at one time was pastor of the Methodist church at Lacon. He died near Mount Vernon when forty years of age, his son and namesake being then but two weeks old. His wife bore the maiden name of Lucinda Watkins and was born in Ohio. Following her husband's death she and her two children went to live with his brother's family near Mount Vernon. Her elder son is William R. Blackwell, now a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mrs. Blackwell and her chil- dren made their home with her husband's broth- er's family for about four and a half years and then removed to Marshall county, where she had formerly resided. She afterward became the wife of James Tanquary, who gave a home to the two fatherless boys and bestowed upon them a father's care and attention. The elder, William R. Black-
well, was graduated from Wesleyan University at Bloomington, Illinois, and at the age of twenty- eight began teaching the gospel as a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, since which time he has become well known in connection with Christian work in northern Illinois.
David R. Blackwell was reared to manhood upon the farm of his stepfather and attended school at Bethel, completing his education, however, at Sparland. He remained with Mr. Tanquary un- til twenty-one years of age, when he began farm- ing on his own account, spending one year near Wenona. He then rented a farm near Pontiac, Livingston county, where he resided for one year, after which he went to Adair county, Iowa, but on account of failing health returned to Illinois and located in Steuben township upon his father- in-law's place. He later purchased the property and resided thereon for fourteen years, when he sold out and bought the farm which is now his place of residence on section 16, Steuben township. Here he has one hundred and sixty acres of ex- cellent farm land which yields to him large har- vests in return for the care and labor he bestows upon the fields.
On the 11th of August, 1872, Mr. Blackwell was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca Hoskins, who was born in Steuben township, January 10, 1853, and is a daughter of John and Eliza (Bonham) Hoskins. Her father was a native of Pickaway county, Ohio, and following his marriage, which was celebrated there, he started for Illinois in company with his wife's parents, Warford and Rebecca (Mason) Bonham. The Bonhams settled in Whitefield township, three miles north of Spar- land, while Mr. Hoskins took up his abode in the bottom land and later removed to the prairie. He died in 1879, while his widow removed to Iowa to be with her children and later to Ne- braska, where her death occurred August 21, 1904, at the advanced age of ninety-one years.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Blackwell have been born eight children: William, born in 1873, who at- tended the Western Normal College at Bushnell, Illinois, in 1896 and for two years was a student in the University of Wisconsin in the summer sessions, afterward became a student in Morning- side College at Sioux City, Iowa, graduated with the degree of bachelor of philosophy in 1905. He is at this writing, in 1906, a professor in the col- lege at Lemars, Iowa. Edson, born in 1876, is
401
PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
now engaged in farming in Steuben township and married Stella Suft. Lillian, born in 1878, is the wife of Arthur Kehelenbach, a resident farmer of Steuben township. Lucinda is the wife of Christie Reynolds, of Denver, Colorado. Leslie, born in 1883, died in 1900. Rolland, born in 1885, James Quinn, in 1887, and Fred, in 1890, are all at home. The family are members of the Bethel Methodist Episcopal church, in which Mr. Black- well has held office, while his political views are in accord with the principles of the republican party. Almost his entire life has been spent in this portion of the state and he is one who, through the natural advantages offered by Illinois and through the utilization of its business opportuni- ties, has worked his way upward and is now a prosperous farmer with one hundred and sixty acres of valuable land to show as proof of his life of industry and thrift.
MATTHEW VAN PETTEN.
Matthew Van Petten is the owner of a beautiful home in Washburn, together with fine farming property situated on the boundary line between Woodford and Marshall counties. For many years he was actively associated with general agricultural pursuits, but now, leaving the work of the farm to others, is living retired, surrounded by many of the comforts and luxuries that go to make life worth living. His birth occurred in Cayuga county, New York, August 5, 1846. His father, Peter Van Petten, was also a native of the Em- pire state and was a cabinet-maker and contractor. Thinking to enjoy better business opportunities in the middle west, he came to Illinois and in 1850 settled at Lawn Ridge, purchasing land in Marshall county. He was for some years there- after actively engaged in agricultural pursuits out at length retired from active life and removed to Kansas, spending his last days with his son Solomon in Peabody, that state. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Naomi Rosette Van Petten, died when her son Matthew was only six months old. The father afterward wedded Martha Van Auken, who died in Marshall county, Illinois. There were eight children by the second marriage, five sons and three daughters, namely: Solomon, Veder, Robert, Seward, Floyd, Eleanor, Naomi and Ruby.
Matthew Van Petten acquired his preliminary education in the district schools and was after-
ward a student in the high schools of Toulon and Lacon. He devoted twenty years of his life to teaching and became widely recognized as a most capable and successful educator, doing much to promote the interests of public instruction in this part of the state. He taught in Peoria, Stark, Marshall and La Salle counties and also in Kansas, imparting with clearness and readiness to others the knowledge that he had acquired and stimulating his pupils to put forth strong and effective effort in mastering those branches of learning which constitute a most excellent prepa- ration for life's practical and responsible duties. In 1876 he settled upon a farm in La Prairie township, but has spent most of his life in Belle Plain township. In 1880 he purchased an excel- lent tract of land in the latter township and con- tinued to engage actively in farming thereon un- til March, 1905, when he retired to his beautiful home in Washburn, Illinois. He still owns two excellent farms, comprising two hundred and sixty-five acres of land in Belle Plain township, lying on the boundary line between Woodford and Marshall counties. He employs a man to take charge of and operate these farms and he derives therefrom a good income.
Mr. Van Petten was married on the 22d of June, 1876, to Miss Lucy Remley, of Marshall county, Illinois. They were married in Woodford county, however, and they now occupy a most beautiful residence in Washburn. It is the center of a cultured society circle, as well as being one of the most attractive homes of this part of the county. Washburn is a most beautiful little town of one thousand inhabitants, celebrated for its lovely homes and its air of culture, and Mr. and Mrs. Van Petten are accorded a leading social position here.
Mr. Van Petten belongs to the Masonic fra- ternity, having been initiated into the lodge at Rutland, while he now affiliates with Washburn lodge. His political allegiance is given to the re- publican party and he keeps well informed on the great questions which divide the two leading politi- cal organizations. He has served as road commis- sioner and assessor of Belle Plain township and is now assessor of Richland township. He was elected to this office on the republican ticket, al- though the democracy is the stronger party in this locality. This fact is certainly indicative of his personal popularity and the confidence reposed
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.