USA > Illinois > Marshall County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 64
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 64
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TOM W. ENDSLEY.
Tom W. Endsley, proprietor of the Camp House at Henry, was born in Magnolia township, Mar- shall county, November 6, 1878, and is a son of Frank M. and Jennie May (Coulter) Endsley. The father was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and died in the year 1903. He was a grain broker and carried on business on an extensive scale. He was also a great lover of horses and usually owned some fine specimens of the noble steed. His po- litical allegiance was given to the republican party and all who knew him respected him for his gen- uine worth. He held friendship inviolable and was ever loyal to the interests which he espoused and the cause which he represented. Unto him and his wife were born four children: Tom W .; Earl, who is train dispatcher for the Iowa Cen- tral Railroad at Peoria; Edna, who died at the age of four years; and Frank.
Tom W. Endsley, whose name introduces this record, acquired his early education in the public school of Henry, and for four years was a student
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in the Peoria night schools. Whatever success he has achieved in life is due entirely to his own efforts. During the greater part of his business career he has been connected with hotel interests. He spent four and a half years in the Grand Hotel at Jacksonville, Illinois, and on the 22d of May, 1906, came to the Camp House at Henry, of which he is now the popular proprietor. In man- ner ever courteous and genial, he is well qualified for the duties which devolve upon him in this connection and he always makes friends wherever he goes. He belongs to the Fraternal Order of Eagles, holding membership in Jacksonville lodge, No. 509, and in his political affiliation is inde- pendent, voting for men and measures rather than for party.
MONS OLSON.
Mons Olson, who is successfully engaged in farming in La Salle county on the line between that and Putnam county, was born in Denmark, December 3, 1839, and there spent the days of his boyhood and youth, his time and attention being devoted to agricultural pursuits. Ambitious to try his fortune in America, he crossed the Atlantic in 1857 on a sailing vessel and after a voyage of eight weeks landed on the shores of the new world. He came directly to Illinois and located in the vicinity of Granville, where he had rela- tives living, and in this locality he has since made his home.
He was employed on a farm until President Lincoln's call for volunteers at the outbreak of the Civil war and on the 11th of August, 1862, he offered his services to his adopted country, be- coming a member of Company B, One Hundred and Fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, as a pri- vate. He participated in all of the engagements in which his company and regiment took part and was with Sherman on the march to the sea. Dur- ing the siege of Atlanta he was wounded, but still able to remain on duty, but at Bentonville, North Carolina, he received a gunshot wound in the thigh March 19, 1865, and on board a vessel was taken to New York city, being later transferred to the hospital at Davis Island, where he remained for some time. While there he learned that the war had ended and on the 8th of June he was honorably discharged, returning to Granville, Illi- nois, but for four years he suffered from his wound, which never healed, but continued a run-
ning sore. When the bullet was removed, thir- teen years afterward, another bullet was also taken from his thigh. Whether he was wounded in two places or that was a part of the same bul- let is unknown. He has now wholly recovered and suffers no inconvenience from his wound, though he receives a pension of twelve dollars per month.
Throughout his active business life Mr. Olson has carried on farming and his first purchase of land consisted of eighty-three acres three miles east of Granville, just over the line in La Salle county. He lived upon that place until 1895, when he purchased sixty-five acres adjoining which had been improved by C. M. Chase, and here he has a good home surrounded by substantial out- buildings and well cultivated fields. His farm now comprises one hundred and forty-eight acres, which is all under a high state of cultivation with the exception of about six acres, which is now crossed by the Granville & Oglesby branch of the St. Paul Railroad.
On the 11th of May, 1871, Mr. Olson was. united in marriage to Miss Mary Leech, a na- tive of Putnam county, and to them have been born five children, all of whom are still living, as follows: Jennie Z., now the wife of J. O. Tay- lor, living in Springfield, Illinois; Harry L., liv- · ing on a farm near Earlham, Iowa; Joseph N., who is with his brother in Iowa; and Edwin J. and Anna May, both at home.
Mr. Olson and his family are members of the Granville Congregational church and the family is one of prominence in the community where they reside. He is now building a nice residence in Granville, where in the near future he ex- pects to remove and live retired from active labor. He is one of the ten Danes who enlisted from the vicinity of Granville during the dark days of the Civil war and only five of the number returned when hostilities had ceased. He is patriotic and loyal to the interests of his adopted country and is honored wherever known.
LARS MATSON.
Lars Matson carries on farming on a tract of choice land of three hundred acres just outside the corporation limits of Granville. His life record began in Sweden on the 12th of .June, 1862. His father, Mathias Olson, was a farmer in Sweden and died when his son Lars was but fourteen years of age. The mother, Mrs. Carrie
LARS MATSON AND FAMILY.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MARSHALL AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.
Olson, died when the son was twenty years of age, and in the meantime he had come to America. Following his father's death, however, he re- mained at home for some time and took care of his mother until 1880, when he resolved to seck a fortune in the new world and crossed the At- lantic to the United States. Like the majority of the emigrants from Europe, he was in limited financial circumstances, having barely enough to pay his passage to America. He journeyed into the interior of the country, his destination being Putnam county, and. here he began work on the farm of A. W. Hopkins at a wage of ten dollars per month. He could not speak a word of English at the time and in order to familiarize himself with the language spoken in this country he at- tended the country school one winter. For four years he remained in the employ of Mr. Hopkins and his wages were increased after he had ac- quainted himself with the English tongue and the methods of work in this country. Saving his earn- ings, he at length was enabled to purchase teams and tools and through the succeeding fourteen years he was engaged actively in the operation of rented land in Granville township. He worked al- most incessantly, managed his interests with ability and owing to the careful direction of his labors and his unfaltering perseverance he prospered in his undertakings. Seven years ago he purchased two hundred acres of land where he now resides, for which he paid seventy dollars per acre. Later he bought one hundred acres more, an improved farm which has comfortable buildings upon it, and here he is engaged in general agricultural pursuits and stock-raising. The land is well adapted for the latter purpose and he makes the raising of hogs his principal source of income, his specialty being · the Poland China breed. In this work he has been quite successful and is now one of the more prosperous farmers of Granville township.
About nineteen years ago Mr. Matson was united in marriage to Miss Mary Johnson, who was born in the same neighborhood in Sweden in which her husband's birth occurred, and they were schoolmates there in childhood days. She came to America about three years prior to her marriage and has become the mother of nine children: Nelson J., Arthur W., Anna K., John A., Oscar L., Edna M., Lawrence D. and George W., who are still living; and one deceased.
Although reared in the faith of the Swedish
Evangelical Lutheran church, Mr. Matson is a zealous and devoted member of the Congregational church in Granville. He has voted the prohibi- tion ticket for years and is strictly temperate, liv- ing a life in harmony with high principles and ethics. He follows closely those lines of conduct which work for upright character and honorable manhood and his wife is in hearty sympathy with him in all this and is likewise a member of the church. Mr. Matson is now serving for the third year as school director and has the keenest appre- ciation for the value of education. Since coming to America he has learned to read and write the English language and in conversation displays a mastery of the tongue which is surprising for one uneducated in the English language. He keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day, political and otherwise. Such a life record should serve as a source of inspiration and en- couragement to others, showing what may be ac- complished when one has determination, energy and laudable ambition.
JAMES FOSTER.
Among the native sons of Marshall county who have had no reason to change their place of resi- dence, but have found here ample opportunity for the exercise of business ability and enterprise, is numbered James Foster, whose birth occurred in Roberts township, December 15, 1858, and now resides on section 24 of the same township. He represents one of the old pioneer families here, his father, Joshua Foster, having come to Mar- shall county, Illinois, in 1841. He was born near New London, Ohio, March 21, 1821, and in 1836 became a resident of Fulton county, Illinois, the family home being established near Fairview. At an early day he drove cattle across the country to the markets with his father and he shared in the hardships and privations of pioneer life. In busi- ness affairs he prospered and became the owner of eight hundred acres of valuable land, which he shared with his children.
On the 23d of April, 1843, Joshua Foster was united in marriage to Miss Betsy Brumsey, who was born near Elizabeth City, North Carolina, August 8, 1825, and they became the parents of eight children, namely: Benjamin, who is repre- sented on another page of this volume; Edward, who died March 12, 1881; Lewis J., who is en-
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gaged in farming in Iowa; Albert, a retired farm- er living at Saunemin, Livingston county, Illinois ; George, a retired farmer of Evans township; James, of this review; Walter, who is also repre- sented elsewhere in this work; and Wilbur S., a resident of Saunemin. After a useful and well spent life the father died May 3, 1895, honored and respected by all who knew him. In politics he was a Jacksonian democrat.
At the usual age James Foster entered the Fair- view school in Roberts township, where he pur- sued his education, and in 1880, when a young man of twenty-two years, he started out in life on his own account. He has prospered in his work and has so carefully conducted his farming inter- ests that his labors have brought to him a measure of success now enabling him to live retired. He owns one hundred and sixty acres of good land in Roberts township and the farm annually returns to him a gratifying income.
JOHN NAUMANN.
John Naumann, one of the largest landowners of Putnam county, is living upon a finely im- proved farm on section 23, Granville township. He started in business life here as a farm hand, working by the month for the usual wage that was paid at that time .. Gradually he has advanced in his business career, and through his frugality, in- dustry and careful investment he has become one of the prosperous men of the county, with exten- sive realty holdings.
Mr. Naumann was born in Hesse-Cassel, Ger- many, July 7, 1848. His parents were Henry and Margaret (Ott) Naumann, both of whom passed away in Germany several years ago. The father was owner of a farm, but, as was the custom in that country, lived in the village. His son, John, spent his boyhood days under the parental roof and attended the village schools until fifteen years of age, when in 1863 he emigrated to America, taking passage at Bremen on a sailing vessel which was six weeks in completing that voyage. Mr. Naumann was influenced to come to America by the fact that his sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Brontz, both now deceased, were then living in Putnam county. On the journey to the new world he was accompanied by his brother, Tobias, now living in Mount Palatine, Illinois, and a sister, who has since departed this life.
Mr. Naumann began work on the farm belong- ing to his brother-in-law and for two years was employed by Joseph Rhinhart, an early settler of the county. He also spent one season in the em- ploy of John Whitaker and for three years worked for Joel Hopkins. All during this time he lived economically and thus saved enough money to pur- chase teams, after which he rented land from Mr. Hopkins and farmed thereon for seven years. Again he practiced economy and industry in order to make further advancement in his business life, and in 1879 he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land, whereon he has since resided. Upon the place were poor improvements, including an old house and barn, both were in rather dilap- idated condition. He now has a good frame resi- dence, a substantial barn, granaries and corn eribs and, in fact, none of the accessories of a model farm property are lacking. He has been very suc- cessful in his work of tilling the soil and has added to his possessions until he now owns five eighty. acre tracts of land in Granville township and three hundred and twenty-four acres in La Salle county. The secret of his success lies not in an+ fortunate combination of circumstances, but .. due to the fact that he has worked persistently and earnestly. and his unremitting toil has brought to him his prosperity.
In 1872 Mr. Naumann was married to Miss Katie E. Pletch, a native of Germany, who came to America with her brothers in early woman- hood. Six children have been born of this mar- riage, of whom two died in infancy, while four are still living: Fred, who resides on one of his father's farms in Granville township; Theodore, who is upon his father's farm in La Salle county ; and Henry and John, both at home.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Naumann were reared in the Lutheran church and they hold membership in the church of that denomination on the county line. In politics he is a republican, but has never aspired to office. He served, however, as school director for several years. In manner he is plain and unassuming, entirely free from pride and os- tentation, yet a degree of pride would be pardon- able in consideration of his successful business career. Although a man of nearly sixty years, he looks ten or fifteen years younger and gives little indication of the hard work that he has done. All who know of his record, however, rec- ognize that he has been a most energetic, hard
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working man and that to this is due his present prosperity.
JAMES MCCUTCHEON.
James McCutcheon, of Hennepin, was born in Ireland, December 27, 1859. He was reared and educated by an uncle, attending school until eigh- teen years of age, when he became an active assist- ant to his uncle, who was engaged in merchan- dising. Mr. Mccutcheon was thus employed until he attained his majority, when he emigrated to America the first of April, 1881, and secured employment as clerk in the office of the Lake Shore Railroad, where he remained for five years. He was afterward for eleven years with the firm of Harrington & King, working in iron and per- forating metals. As a representative of that firm he acted as shipping clerk and won promotion until he became assistant superintendent. Four and a half years ago he came to Hennepin with the intention of remaining but a year, but since his arrival he has been an active factor in the material improvement of the village. He has re- modeled the residence of his mother-in-law, Mrs. Trerwiler, and has erected the brick building wherein he carries on business at the present time. .
It was seventeen years ago that James Mc- Cutcheon was united in marriage to Miss Mary Trerwiler and they have one child.
The time and energies of Mr. Mccutcheon are now largely given to the development of what promises to be one of the most important indus- trial enterprises of this part of the state. On the 6th of July, 1906, he began working on plans for the organization of a company to build a factory for the manufacture of brick and at a recent date this company has been incorporated under the state laws for the manufacture of building brick, the firm name being the Sand, Lime & Brick Company. In this enterprise James Mccutcheon is associated with Charles Rembe and Meyer Greisheim, both of Lincoln, Illinois, as in- corporators. The business has been capitalized for twenty-five thousand dollars and the stock is all subscribed. A meeting will soon be held in Peoria, where the main office is to be located, and the election of officers will then take place. At present they have three sites in view for a loca- tion. Mr. Mccutcheon had an expert from Chi- cago inspect a location four and a half. miles
northwest of Hennepin and he claimed that they had an unlimited supply of sand of just the right quality for making brick. Samples have been made of three different grades of brick and the result has been a fine, smooth quality of building brick which stands every form of test that can be made. It can be thrown into a furnace and when red hot put into cold water with no bad ef- fects and will stand equally well freezing and thawing. The plant is to be built after the pat- tern of one which is being successfully operated in Savannah, Georgia, and is to be put up, equipped and furnished by the American Sand Lime Brick Company, of Chicago. The sand will be taken from a high embankment and when screened passed to a rotary drier. The fine gravel left over after the screening process will find ready market for gravel roofing. The lime used is to be shipped from Quincy, Illinois, and is to be hydrated in cylinders used for hardening the brick. This lime after hydrating can be stored and kept for twenty years and it will find market where lime is needed for any purpose. The sand and lime when mixed passes to a four-mold brick press with a capacity of twenty thousand brick daily. From the presses the brick are con- veyed on stcel cars to a hardening cylinder, each car holding one thousand brick. This cylinder is seventy-eight inches in diameter and sixty-six and a half feet in length. From the cylinder the brick will be placed on cars ready for shipment. A plant of this nature is in operation at Anderson, Indiana, but none in this state. Mr. Mccutcheon has every reason to be highly elated over the pros- pects for the new industry and it is due to his efforts that the present progress has been made in the business. He is a man of much push and energy, who forms his plans readily and is de- termined in their execution, and these qualities promise well for a successful future to the new enterprise.
JOHN STANLEY SPARLING.
On the old homestead of the Sparling family which was settled in pioneer days John Stanley Sparling was born December 10, 1853, his birth- place being the third house which was built upon that farm. He was a son of George Sparling and a brother of George E. Sparling, who are men- tioned elsewhere in this work, in which connec-
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tion the family history is given. With the ex- He felt that advancement in his native country ception of two years spent in Iowa he has always made his home in this county and he owns a farm of one hundred and forty acres, of which he pur- chased one hundred acres from his father, who gave him the remaining forty. He was educated in the country schools and in early life mastered the work of plowing, planting and harvesting in the fields upon the old homestead, so that. prac- tical experience well qualified him to engage in farming. on his own account after he had arrived at man's estate.'
Mr. Sparling was married in 1875 to Miss Charlotte Sparling, a daughter of James Spar- ling and a distant relative of the family. Her mother became the third wife of our subject's father and now lives in Henry. Mr. and Mrs. John S. Sparling have two sons, James A. and George J. The former, who married Miss Nellie Martin, is living in Putnam and is a rural mail carrier. George J. resides in Kewanee, Illinois, and is a boiler-maker. He married a daughter of O. P. Carroll, of Putnam.
Mr. Sparling has a good farm and a portion of his land is leased to fishing parties, from which source he derives a good income. Mr. and Mrs. Sparling have held membership in the Methodist Episcopal church for many years. For thirteen years he has been connected with the Modern Woodmen and is a director of Putnam camp. He is also a member of the Yeomen of Amer- ica, of Henry. He belongs. to one of the old and prominent pioneer families of the county and has · spent almost his entire life within its borders, so that he has a wide acquaintance here.
ANDREW L. ANDERSON. 1
Andrew L. Anderson, a prosperous and enter- prising farmer on section 20, Granville township, is a native of Abbekos, Sweden, born October 7, 1854. His father, who bore the same name, was a fisherman of that town but is now deceased. The mother, however, still lives at the old home in Sweden.
Andrew Anderson spent his boyhood days in his native village and went with his father on his fishing trips, not for pastime but for the pur- pose of earning a living. He was a young man in his twentieth year when he came to America.
would be slow and desired to enjoy the broader business opportunities of the new world. Making his way into the interior of the country he se- cured employment as a farm hand in Putnam county upon the farm of A. D. Fisher, who now lives near Granville. For three and a half years he remained and then returned to his old home in Sweden, when he again took up his abode in Putnam county and he worked for two and a half years more at farm labor, and then in company with his brother-in-law, rented land and engaged in farming on his own account. A year subse- quent he removed to La Salle county and rented a farm of Joel Hopkins just over the Putnam county line, continuing to operate that tract of land for ten years, in which period he saved his earnings, thus accumulating a competence that enabled him to purchase a farm for himself. In 1895 he bought the place that is now known as the John Foley farm, comprising one hundred and eighty-seven and a half acres of land. It was an improved farm, thus the farm was under cul- tivation and it had some buildings upon it but they were old and the house was burned down three years before. Mr. Anderson built a new residence, has built a new barn and has laid many rods of tiling to the value of several hundred dol- lars, thus draining and enriching his land. In other ways he has improved the farm until it is today a valuable property and brings forth rich crops of the cereals best adapted to soil and cli- mate. All that he has has been won through his own persistency of purpose and careful manage- ment and he is now successfully carrying on gen- eral farming, raising both stock and grain.
Mr. Anderson has found a most able assistant and helpmate in his wife, to whom he was mar- ried December 7, 1880. She bore the maiden name of Ingrid Matson, a native of Sweden. She is a sister of Lars Matson, who is living near Granville, and of whom mention is made else- where in this volume. She came to this country with her husband in 1877, after he had made a trip to the old world. Eleven children have been born of their marriage, of whom three died in infancy, while the eldest son, Anton, died at the age of twenty-one years. Those still living are: Elmer, who married Edith Nelson and is living on the Harper farm in Granville township; Her- man, who is clerking in the Hopkins Bank in
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Granville; Nelson, Mildred, Carl, Bertha and Or- ville, all at home.
Mr. Anderson was reared in the faith of the Lutheran church but is now a member of the Con- gregational church at Granville. He votes. with the republican party and is well informned on the great political questions, thus being able to sup- port his position by intelligent argument. For two terms he served as school director but public office has had no attraction for him. He is a stanchi advocate of the cause of temperance, which he supports both by precept and example, and his life is an honorable and upright one in harmony with his. professions, being characterized by un- faltering fidelity to the principles which work for righteousness and for the good of the community.
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