USA > Illinois > Marshall County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 62
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 62
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Mr. and Mrs. Sucher were reared in the Lu- theran church, but are quite liberal in religious belief. Both have many friends in the county and the hospitality of the best homes is always accorded them. Mr. Sucher votes with the democ- racy, yet has ever been without political aspira- tion. He preferred during his active business life to concentrate his energies upon his farming in- terests, which, being carefully managed, brought to him a measure of prosperity that has made him one of the substantial citizens of Granville. His life should serve as a source of inspiration and encouragement to others, showing what may be accomplished by determined and earnest purpose.
J. O. WINSHIP.
J. O. Winship has devoted his entire life to farming, the occupation to which he was reared, and has found in this work ample opportunity for the exercise of industry and perseverence-his sal- ient characteristics. He resides on section 23, Senachwine township, and it was here. at the home of his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Read, that he was born, his mother staying with her parents while her husband, James M. Winship, was absent on a trip to California. Further men- tion of the parents is made upon another page of this work.
The natal day of our subject was July 21, 1852.
He spent his boyhood upon a farm in Bureau county until he reached the age of sixteen years, and his education was acquired in the district schools near his home, and by one year's attend- ance at the high school at Princton. He early became familiar with the work of plowing, plant- ing and harvesting, and continued to aid in the operation of the home farm until twenty-six years of age, when he purchased two hundred acres of land, where he now resides. It was then known as the Ike Wilson farm and the place was in a run-down condition. The fences were in a poor state of repair and the house was unfit to live in, but Mr. Winship's discernment was keen enough to know that the farm could be made a good one and he resolutely undertook the task of bringing it up to its present high state of cultivation and improvement. He has placed many hundred dol- lars' worth of tile upon it and the drainage has greatly enhanced its productiveness. He has also erected a large frame residence and commodious and substantial outbuildings that furnish ample shelter for grain and stock. He has one of the best farms in the township, lacking in none of the equipments and accessories of farm life in the twentieth century. He gives special attention to the raising of grain and the improvement of seed corn, and in this follows the methods brought about by scientific investigation and practical ex- perience. There is no better corn country in all America than is found in this section of Illinos. Soil and climatic conditions are everything that is needed and with proper rain and warm sun- shine the corn has ample opportunity to ripen be- fore the frosts. Statistics show that no better corn is produced in all of the world than is raised in this section of Illinois. By careful selection of the best ears of corn from strong stalks, Mr. Win- ship has improved his corn to a great extent and last year his crop yielded eighty-five bushels per acre.
Mr. Winship was married in 1878 to Miss Mary Frances Downey, a native of Peoria county. They have six children, all of whom are living: Walter W., who married Miss Minnie Putcamp, of Prince- ton, and lives in Senachwine township; Grace R., who is the wife of George Hughes and resides at Park Rapids, Minnesota; Ina Gertrude, who is now completing the four years' course in music at Oberlin, Ohio; J. Ivan F., at home; Amelia; and Hazel Ethel.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
Mr. Winship and his family are members of the Christian church, in the work of which they take an active and helpful part, contributing generous- ly to the support of the church and doing every- thing in their power to promote its growth and extend its influence. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and for fifteen years he has served as road commissioner and for a sim- ilar period has been township school treasurer. Those things which constitute public life in the community are of interest to him, and his labors have been effective and far-reaching in promoting the general welfare along material, intellectual and moral lines. He has a fine collection of In- dian relics and is greatly interested in the study of ethnology as represented by the Indian race. In his business life he has been found thoroughly reliable as well as industrious, he never being known to take advantage of another in any busi- ness transaction.
CHARLES N. NASH.
Charles N. Nash, a prosperous and worthy. farmer residing on section 35, Hennepin town- ship, was born November 17, 1859, on the old family homestead about a mile cast of where he now lives. The Nash family trace their geneal- ogy back to a very early date and have in book form the ancestral record through many genera- tions. The subject of this review is the eldest child of Martin Nash, who was born in Morgan county, Illinois, in 1830, and who in 1835 was brought to Putnam county by his father, Stephen Nash, so that the family became identified with the interests of this portion of the state in early pioneer times. Martin Nash was reared amid the wild scenes and environments of frontier life, spending his youth upon his father's farm. His educational privileges were little superior to those afforded by the ordinary common school of the early day, but by reading and observation he greatly broadened his knowledge, becoming a well informed man. He devoted his life to farming and for many years lived in a log house, but the years chronicled his progress in a business way, owing to his untiring industry and capable man- agement. He left an estate of over three hundred acres of valuable land, all of which had been ac- quired through his own efforts. When seventeen years of age he became a member of the Union Grove Presbyterian church in Granville and in
1874 he aided in organizing and became one o1. the charter members of the Congregational church in Hennepin. His political allegiance was given to the republican party, and he took an active in- terest in politics, always keeping well informed on questions and issues of the day. For about thirty-five years he served as school director and the cause of education had in him a stalwart cham- pion, whose labors in its behalf were far-reaching and beneficial. In his later years he retired from active business cares and removed to Hennepin, where he died in 1896, suffering during the last three years from a stroke of paralysis.
Martin Nash was married twice. In 1859 he wedded Miss Charlotte Noble, a native of Ohio, who died in 1872, leaving four children: Charles N., of this review ; Leonard W., who is living on a part of the old homestead; Harriet B., who is the widow of Enos Colvin; and Mrs. Nellie Winter- sheid, a resident of Tinley, Iowa. In 1874 Mr. Nash was again married, his second union being with Sarah J. Mead, a native of New York, whose parents came to this county in her girlhood days. She now lives in Hennepin.
Charles N. Nash pursued his education by at- tending the district schools for a short time and also spent a brief period in the schools of Henne- pin. Prior to his marriage he went to Dakota and pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of land, but at the end of about twelveyears he had to sell the property in order to raise money to secure medical aid for his wife. Her health was very poor and in spite of the best medical assist- ance that could be secured and the loving care of husband and family she passed away after a mar- ried life of nine years. In her maidenhood she was Miss Anna J. Sutcliffe, a daugher of Samuel Sutcliffe, also deceased. She was born in this county and by her marriage became the mother of one child, Charlotte E., a bright little maiden of eleven summers. Subsequently Mr. Nash mar- ried Miss Jessie Sutcliffe, a sister of his first wife, and they have one child, Samuel S., who was two years of age in March, 1906.
The home farm of the family comprises ninety- seven and a half acres of good land on section 35, Hennepin township, on which are substantial buildings for the shelter of grain and stock, to- gether with a comfortable residence. This farm was left to Mr. Nash by his father, and he has made many modern improvements upon it, while
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
the work of the fields is facilitated through the use of modern farm machinery. He carries on general agricultural pursuits and fears not that laborious attention to business which is so neces- sary an element in success. He belongs to the Congregational church of Hennepin and for nine years has been identified with the Old Fellows society. He is now serving for his second year as school director and in his political views is a republican, but has little aspiration for office, as the claims made upon his time and attention by his farm work are numerous and he prefers to capably manage those interests rather than to dis- sipate his energies over a broad field of activity.
CHARLES M. CHASE.
Charles M. Chase owns and operates a good farm of one hundred and sixty-four acres, which is pleasantly located about a quarter of a mile east of the village of Granville. He was born in New Hampshire, May 21, 1849, and is a son of J. P. and Suah B. (Brown) Chase, both of whom were natives of New Hampshire. When their son Charles was a little lad of six years they came from New England to Illinois and settled upon a farm in Bureau county, near Arlington. Three years later the father sold that property and for several years cultivated rented land in La Salle county. In 1860, however, he removed to Liv- ingston county, where he purehased a farm near Dwight, there residing until his death. His wife died upon the old homestead there in 1896, while Mr. Chase passed away in the fall of 1905, at the ripe old age of eighty-eight years. In the family of this worthy couple there were thirteen children, four of whom are yet living, as follows : J. R., who resides on the old homestead farm in Livingston county ; George, who is located near the old home- stead; Josiah, who makes his home in Oshkosh, Wisconsin ; and Charles M., of this review.
In taking up the personal history of Charles M. Chase we present to our readers thic record of one who is widely known in this part of Putnam county. As stated, he was but six years of age when his parents left the old Granite state and came to Illinois. He was reared under the pa- rental roof, being early trained to habits of in- dustry and economy, as he assisted his father in the work of the fields. When there was a respite from the active duties of the farm he attended the district schools, acquiring there a fair English
education. At the age of twenty-five he left home and was married to Miss Isa Weymouth, a native of Vermont, who at the time of lier marriage was making her home with an uncle, Charles E. Bar- nard, of Putnam county, who is mentioned on another page of this volume.
Throughout his entire life Mr. Chase has car- ried on general agricultural pursuits. His first purchase of land made him owner of a tract of sixty-five aeres located in La Salle county on the meridian line. He there resided until 1895, when he purchased and removed to his present farm in Granville township, Putnam county, comprising one · hundred and sixty-four acres of good land which is under a high state of cultivation. It is known as the French farm and is pleasantly lo- cated about a quarter of a mile east of the village of Granville. Everything about the place pre- sents a well kept appearance and the fields are care- fully tilled, bringing forth good harvests. In ad- dition to this work, Mr. Chase deals quite exten- sively in cattle, buying, feeding and selling as high as four carloads per year. This is therefore an important branch of his business and brings to him a good ineome. He is an excellent judge of stock and therefore makes judicious purehases and profitable sales. He also owns land in Wis- consin near Oshkosh and has recently returned from that locality, where he visited his brother.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Chase have been born threc sons : Warren W., Frank W. and Joe W., all of whom are at home and assist their father in the work of the farm and the care of the stock. Mr. Chase and his family hold membership in the Con- gregational ehurch at Granville, and he is, in poli- tics a republiean, with prohibition tendencies, sometimes voting for the prohibition candidates. He is a large man, of genial disposition, affable manner and kindly nature, who wins friends wherever he goes and is quite popular with those with whom he has come in contact. His business interests have been carefully eonducted and have made him a prosperous farmer.
JOHN HIRSCHY.
John Hirschy is the owner of a farming prop- erty of one hundred and forty acres on section 36, Granville township, and his entire life has been devoted to general agricultural pursuits, while in his work he has displayed those sterling traits which are essential to a successful business career
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
and which win the confidence and respect of one's fellowmen. A native son of Granville towship, he was born November 11, 1853.
His father, Michael Hirschy, was born in Lor- raine, France, November 27, 1815, and came to America with his parents in early life, settling in the state of New York. After reaching man- hood he made his way westward to Chicago, where he engaged in carpentering and contract- ing. He was married in 1850 to Miss Jacobine Holly, who was born in Germany, December 23, 1829. In the year of their marriage they re- moved to Putnam county, and Mr. Hirschy's first purchase of land was a tract of forty acres, on which a log house had been built. Soon after- ward he erected a frame dwelling there, and as the years passed became a successful farmer, add- ing to his original holdings until at his death he left an estate of three hundred acres. He was a member of the Mennonite church of Granville, which he assisted in organizing, and was deeply interested in the moral development of the com- munity as well as in intellectual and material progress. He died upon his farm in Granville township in 1888. His wife survived until 1893, when she, too, passed away. In their family were five children, three sons and two daughters, of whom John is the eldest. The others are as fol- lows: Emma E., who is now living in Indiana; Helen, the wife of Oscar Wonder, living in In- diana; William M., who for a number of years was a grain merchant at Spring Valley, Illinois, and is now a commercial traveler for the Chicago Board of Trade; and Ernest, who is conducting a prosperous business as a druggist at Kewanee, Illinois.
John Hirschy, whose name introduces this rec- ord, lived at home until twenty-one years of age and was educated in the common schools, while under his father's direction he received ample training in the work of plowing, planting and harvesting. On attaining his majority he began operating his father's land on the shares and later he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land, where he now lives, on section 36, Granville township. He has since further extended the boundaries of his farm, which today comprises one hundred and forty acres. The buildings upon the place stand as monuments to his thrift and enterprising spirit, having been erected by him. He has here a fine dwelling and good barns and
sheds, thus affording ample shelter to grain and stock.
In 1887 occurred the marriage of Mr. Hirschy and Miss Bertha Nafzinger, a native of Ger- many. They have one son, Walter, who is now living at home. The family are members of the Congregational church in Granville and Mr. Hirschy's political affiliation is with the republi- can party. He has served as school director and for the past eight years has been school treasurer. He is an enterprising agriculturist, active and diligent in his work and conservative in his busi- ness management. He possesses the strong will and resolute purpose that enables him to overcome the difficulties and obstacles that one always meets on the highroad to success, and as the years have gone by he has gained for himself a place among the substantial agriculturists of his native town- ship.
ISRAEL KOEHLER.
Israel Koehler is one of the most extensive landowners of Marshall county. His possessions, however, largely lie outside of the state, and in Henry he has been best known in connection with industrial interests, having for a long period en- gaged in the manufacture of carriages here. At the present writing he is practically living re- tired, merely giving his supervision to his in- vested interests.
Mr. Koehler was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, July 6, 1830. His father, John Koehler, was likewise a native of the Keystone state and was of German lineage. He became a prosperous fariner, devoting his life to general agricultural interests, and he died in 1871 at the age of seventy-one years. He held member- ship in the Lutheran church, and his political allegiance was given to the whig party until the organization of the new republican party, when he joined its ranks and supported its men and measures. His wife, who in her maidenhood was Sarah Seip, was also born in Northampton coun- ty, Pennsylvania, and was of Dutch descent. She held membership in the Lutheran church, and died in 1856 when about fifty-four years of age. Their family numbered eight children, of whom Israel is the fourth in order of birth. Five are yet living, although four of this number are still residents of Pennsylvania.
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MR. AND MRS. ISRAEL KOEHLER.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
Israel Koehler was reared upon a farm in the state of his nativity and acquired his education in the schools near his father's home. He came to Illinois in the spring of 1855, when a young man of twenty-five years and settled at Annawan, in Henry county, where he was employed as a cabinet-maker, remaining there for three years. In the fall of 1858 he came to Henry and em- barked in business on his own account as a man- ufacturer of carriages. He remained in business until 1890, or for a period of almost a third of a century, and for many years this was one of the leading industrial concerns of the city, its output finding a ready sale on the market because of the excellence of the product and the unsullied rep- utation of the house for business integrity. At length Mr. Koeller retired from manufacturing interests, and in the meantime he had invested largely in land and has since added to his realty holdings, until he has today between two and three thousand acres in Nebraska, Texas, Kan- sas, Iowa and South Dakota, of which two-thirds is under cultivation. This land has increased five-fold in value since he bought it, and Mr. Koehler's wealth is thus constantly growing, his capital being much more than sufficient to sup- ply him with the comforts and luxuries of life.
In 1853 occurred the marriage of Israel Koeh- ler and Miss Augusta C. Smith, who was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, a daugh- ter of George and Sally (Beck) Smith. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Koehler have been born three chil- dren, but Richard and James are both deceased. The daughter Luella married William H. Steber, and unto them have been born three children : Latha A., Milton Pearl and Augusta S.
Mr. Koehler is a Lutheran in religious faith, while his wife holds membership in the Moravian church. He was formerly a republican in poli- tics and cast a vote for John C. Fremont and for Lincoln at each election. He also voted twice for Grant, but he is now independent in politics. He has served as a member of the city council, and his aid has been a valued factor in promoting the material progress and prosperity of the city in which he makes his home. The growth of every community depends upon its commercial and industrial activity, and in this connection Mr. Koehler has done important serv- ice for Henry. Moreover, he deserves much
credit for what he has accomplished, for his suc- cess is attributable entirely to his own labors. Without special pecuniary or family advantages or educational privileges at the outset of his career, he has steadily worked his way upward, and his diligence has constituted the key which has unlocked for him the portals of success.
MARTIN KING.
Among the citizens of Putnam county who in former years were actively identified with agricul- tural interests, but who are now living retired, is classed Martin King, who owns a well improved and valuable farm of two hundred and forty acres, a part of which is situated in Magnolia township and a portion in Roberts township, which is now being operated by his son, although the owner still continues his residence thereon.
Mr. King was born upon his present farm April 15, 1835, the farm being purchased by his paternal grandfather, James Shields, in 1833, from a man who had entered it from the government. His father, Silas King, was born in Kentucky, in 1805, a son of Peter King. He accompanied his father's family on their removal from the Blue Grass state to Indiana, where he remained for a time, and later made his way to Galena, Illinois, where he worked in the lead mines. He later returned to Indiana, where he was united in marriage to Miss Eveline Shields, and the young couple then took up their abode in Morgan county, that state, where they made their home for a time, and then made their way to a farm in Roberts township, Marshall county, which at that time was included in the district which now forms Putnam county, the fam- ily being one of the first to locate in that town- ship. They lived in the same house with James Shields for a time. Mr. King was a valued factor in the pioneer development of this portion of the state, making his home on different farms in the two counties during a long period. His wife died in 1838, leaving three children: Martin, of this review; James C., who wedded Mrs. Rebecca Knickerbocker, and both are now deceased; and Sarah, the widow of Henry Bagby, by whomn she has four children, Samuel P., James, Ida and Liz- zie. The father was married a second time to Mrs. Cundiff, who is now deceased, and by this mar- riage there were three children, but all of the number have been called to their final rest: Eve- line, who was the wife of Selathial Hallam, by
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
whom she had two children; Emma Hotalling and Eva Dial; Matilda, who was the wife of James Brown; and William. Two of the sons, James C. and William, were loyal defenders of the. Union cause during the Civil war. The father was a member of the Methodist church and took consid- erable interest in the educational affairs of his community, and at one time donated a log house which was used for a school building. His death occurred in February, 1898, and thus passed away one of the highly esteemed and worthy pioneers of this part of the state.
Martin King was reared in Marshall county, where he received his education in the district schools near his father's home. He early became familiar with all the duties which fall to the lot of the agriculturist, assisting his father in the operation of the home place until the latter's death. Upon starting out in life on his own re- sponsibility he operated rented land for two years, after which he purchased a small farm, which was in a wild state, and which he developed and culti- vated for a time. He then took up his abode on his father's old farm property in Evans township, which he operated for the succeeding two years. About that time the Civil war broke out and Mr. King, being drafted for service therein, was com- pelled to dispose of his farın in order to pay his conscription. His next purchase of land consisted of a tract of one hundred and sixty acres, lying east of the village of Varna, for which he assumed an indebtedness. It was wild and unimproved, but Mr. King at once took up his abode thercon and began to clear his land, after which he planted his crops, and in due course of time gathered rich harvests. He further improved his farm by the erection of substantial buildings and in course of years replaced his original home, which was a log shanty, by a more commodious frame residence, and on this place he continued to make his home for twenty-four years, having in the meantime made it a valuable property, owing to the improve- ments which he had made. He disposed of this property to Jacob Lenz and in 1889 removed to his present farm, where he has since continued to make his home, although he is now living in well earned ease, his farm being operated by his son. Mr. King was for many years engaged in general agricultural pursuits and stock-raising and as he prospered in his work and his financial resources were thereby increased, he added to his posses-
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