USA > Illinois > Will County > Past and present of Will County, Illinois, V. 2 > Part 34
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GEORGE COSGROVE.
George Cosgrove, a well known citizen and prominent contractor of Peotone, was born near Kingston, Canada, in 1855, and is a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Barnes) Cosgrove, both natives of the north of Ireland. In 1837 the father came to the United States, but after spend-
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ing a short time in Chicago located near King- ston, Canada, in 1838. His last years, however, were spent in Manitoba, where he died in 1900 when in his eighty-seventh year. He was a farmer by occupation, was an Orangeman and a faithful member of the Presbyterian church, to which his wife also belonged. She also died in 1900, at the age of eighty-two years, only ten days after her husband's death.
George Cosgrove is the third son and seventh child in a family of ten children. His boyhood was passed upon a farm and his education was acquired in the country schools. At the age of fourteen years he was apprenticed to a blacksmith and spent five years in learning the trade, at which he then worked for one year in Toronto and other places. In 1849 he went to Chicago, where he spent a year working as a carriage black- smith. During that time he contracted ague and was advised to go to the country. By the merest chance he stopped at Peotone in the fall of 1880 and after working a couple of months in the coun- try took charge of the Peter Schlauder blacksmith shop, where he remained seven years, doing the carriage iron work by the piece. During the fol- lowing year he worked in the shop of Snyder & Arnold and in 1889 opened a blacksmith shop of his own, conducting it until 1901, when he was forced to abandon that occupation on account of a broken leg. On retiring from that business he began contracting and building, his first con- tract being the Peotone public school building, which cost fourteen thousand dollars. He has since done considerable stone work throughout the country, building twenty-seven bridges, and in 1904 erected the Immanuel church at Peotone, costing twenty-two thousand dollars. He built the public school at Monee at a cost of ten thou- sand dollars and in 1906 received the contract for building bridges and culverts on the Chicago Southern Electric road between Monee and Peo- tone at eight thousand dollars and the same year laid two thousand dollars' worth of cement walks in Monee. In addition to his other business Mr. Cosgrove fattens and ships cattle and is the owner of a good farm of one hundred and twenty acres and a fine residence adjoining the corporation lim- its of Peotone on the west.
In 1882 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Cosgrove and Miss Allen Frances Armstrong, who
was born near Hazeville, Canada, in 1866. Her father, who is now deceased, was a life-long resi- dent of Canada, and her mother is still living there at the age of eighty-five years. Mr. and Mrs. Cosgrove have four children, namely: Eliza- beth, Ella, William and Harold.
Mr. Cosgrove is a charter member of Green Tree lodge, No. 14, M. W. A., of Peotone, and is independent in politics. He has been called upon to serve as trustee of the village and as one of the prominent and influential citizens of the com- munity he takes an active interest in public af- fairs. At the early age of thirteen years he re- ceived a second class certificate which entitled him to teach school at the age of eighteen, but he never followed that profession. In business af- fairs he has prospered through his own capable management and untiring industry has become quite well-to-do.
THOMAS F. RYAN.
Thomas F. Ryan, for forty-five years a resident of Lockport, the monuments of his business ac- tivity and skill and enterprise being seen in many of the most substantial structures here, is a native of Ireland, and in his youth learned the carpenter's trade, with which he was familiar at the time of his emigration to America, at the age of seventeen years. He arrived in Lockport in 1861, and two years later his father came to America, remaining here until his death in 1878.
Thomas F. Ryan, after living in Lockport for some time learned the boat builder's trade, and in connection with his brother John built canal boats. In 1890 he entered the field of commercial" activity, under the firm name of Ryan & Sullivan, as dealer in lumber and coal, at the same time conducting an extensive contracting business, building many prominent business blocks and resi- dences. Since 1894 Thomas F. Ryan has been alone in the same business, which has increased in cach department to large and profitable propor- tions and from a humble and almost penniless employe he has worked his way steadily upward to a prominent place as a representative of the industrial and commercial interests of the city.
THOMAS F. RYAN.
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On the 1st of January, 1822, Mr. Ryan was married to Miss Catherine O'Connor, of Chicago. They had seven children: Lawrence P .. Philip C .. Nellie J., Anna L., Thomas F., Marie L., and Margaret E., who died at the age of twenty-three vcars.
In 1886 Mr. Ryan with a number of prominent Lockport business men organized the Lockport Loan and Homestead Association, of which he was vice president until 1902, at which time he was selected as its president. He was a member of St. Denis Catholic church and his political allegiance was given to the democracy. He was for two or three terms a trustee of the village, was one time chairman of its board and also a member of the board of education at the time of his death. He came to America with but limited capital and encountered many difficulties and oh- stacles in his path, but a resolute purpose and unfaltering energy enabled him to overcome these, while his business interests have increased in scope as the years have gone by until he is today remem- bered as one of the foremost representatives of Lockport.
Thomas F. Ryan died February 15, 1902, at the age of sixty-four years. The business is continued under the name of the Ryan Lumber & Coal Com- pany.
R. J. CARRIER.
R. J. Carrier, president of the Carrier-Low Company, manufacturers of paper boxes, conduct- ing an extensive and profitable business at Rock- dale, has been a resident of Joliet since 1905. He was born in St. Johns, Michigan, in 1872, a son of Cassius M. and Addie A. (Allen) Carrier, of an old Michigan family. The father was active in politics in his county and served as sheriff and in other offices. Both he and his wife are now deceased.
Reared in the place of his nativity and edu- cated in the public schools there, R. J. Carrier afterward went to Denver, where he attended the high school. Later he was a student in night schools in Chicago, studying law for four years, after which he was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1894, but never practiced, although his knowl-
edge of the law has been of decided benefit to him in his business life. During that time he was secretary, treasurer and manager of the Howe & Davison Company, paper box manufacturers, with whom he was connected for twelve years, when he resigned his position and organized his present business in February, 1904, under the name of the Carrier-Low Company. The business was capitalized for forty thousand dollars, with R. J. Carrier as president; William Gibson, secre- tary: and J. W. Low, treasurer and superinten- dent. The firm was organized for the purpose of manufacturing folding boxes. which are made from boxboard. The factory is equipped with the latest improved machinery and they have the largest glueing department in the country. The main building is seventy-five by one hundred feet and two stories in height, built of brick. There is also a boiler and engine room forty feet square and they employ one hundred workmen in the manufacture of paper boxes for cercals, matches and other goods, which they supply by contract to the firms, their trade extending from coast to coast. This has become a very extensive and im- portant industry, their capacity being now five hundred boxes per day. The plant was first opened at Chicago, but was removed to Rockdale a year ago. From the beginning the enterprise has proved profitable and in the three years of its existence an extensive trade has been developed.
Mr. Carrier was married to Miss Gertrude A. Howe, of Chicago, a daughter of W. B. Howe, the pioneer inventor of folding paper boxes for crack- ers, best known in connection with his inven- tion of the Uneeda Biscuit boxes. He died about six years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Carrier have two children : Phylip H., six years of age : and Ade- laide H., two years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Carrier resided for some time at Hinsdale, but are now building a fine residence in Joliet.
Mr. Carrier gives his political support to the republican party. He has attained high rank in Masonry and now holds membership with the blue lodge, chapter, commandery and Mystic Shrine, belonging to Medinah Temple of Chicago. He is a member of the Union League Club of Joliet and of the Golf Club, and he and his wife hold membership in the Congregational church. He is recognized as a progressive business man, a valued addition to the manufacturing circles of Joliet,
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and his comparatively recently established enter- prise is now one of the flourishing industrial in- terests of the city.
JOHN CHARLES HOTHAN, D. D. S.
Dentistry is unique among the professions in that it demands three distinct elements for sue- cess-a mechanical skill and ingenuity, a com- prehensive understanding of the principles of the science of dentistry and a business capacity equal to the management of the financial interests. In all of these qualities Dr. Hothan is well equipped and is now enjoying a good practice in Crete. He was born at St. John's, Lake county, Indiana, February 22, 1878.
His father, William Hothan, is a native of Rothenberg, Germany, and is living upon a farm in Indiana at the age of seventy-one years. He came to the United States in 1852 and was em- ployed at farm labor by the month in the vi- cinity of Crete until 1858, when he invested in land, becoming owner of forty-four acres in Lake county, to which he has since added as his finan- cial resources have permitted until his acreage has been increased to one hundred and sixty. He is an enterprising agriculturist who carefully tills his fields and has brought his place under a high state of cultivation. His industry and careful management have also added to his prosperity. He belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran church, as does his wife, and for twenty years he has been one of the church officers. His public service covers four years as a drainage commissioner and his political affiliation is with the republican party. He married Wilhelmina Schultz, who was born in Frantzburg, Germany, and died in 1899, at the age of fifty-nine years. The year 1865 witnessed her arrival in the United States, at which time she located in Crete, and in September, 1866, she gave her hand in marriage to Mr. Hothan. They became parents of six children : Fred and Wil- liam, both deceased; Henry, who is living on the home farm : Theodore, a carpenter of Crete; John C., of this review ; and August, at home.
No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of farm life for Dr. Hothan in his boyhood and youth. He attended the distriet
schools and also the high school at Crown Point, Indiana, and to prepare for his chosen profession he entered the Chicago College of Dental Surg- ery in 1896, pursuing the regular three years course, after which he was graduated in the class of 1899. He then began the practice of his pro- fession at Crete and has been eminently success- ful in his chosen vocation. He also took a special course in clinical and didatic work and he is a member of the Illinois State Dental Association, the Northern Illinois Dental Society, the Chicago Odontographic Society and the alumni association of the Chicago College of Dental Surgery.
In 1904 Dr. Hothan was married to Miss Anna Braekman, who was born in Chicago and died in 1905, at the early age of twenty-six years. The Doctor votes with the republican party, but has had no time nor inelination for public office, for his attention is fully occupied with his profes- sional duties. He is well equipped for his ehosen work and his knowledge is broad and accurate, while his skill in the work of the laboratory and of the operating room is indicated by the liberal patronage now accorded him.
WILBUR B. DAVIS.
Wilbur B. Davis, who follows farming in Chan- nahon township, was born in that township, Aug- ust 22, 1860, and is one of the eight children of George B. and Olive (Comstock) Davis. He has two brothers and one sister still living, namely : George H., who was born September 9, 1850, and is now a resident of Chicago; Sadie, who was born April 18, 1853, and lives in Joliet ; and Oliver C., who was born April 12, 1857, and also makes his home in Joliet.
The father of this family was born in Sehoharie county, New York, May 7, 1821, and on the 12th of January, 1843, was married to Miss Olive Com- stock, whose birth occurred in Tompkins county, New York, January 8, 1824. For about sixteen years George B. Davis remained a resident of the Empire state and then accompanied his parents on their removal to Will county, Illinois, in 1837. settling in Channahon township, when this was still a frontier district, giving little promise of the development and progress was soon to
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transform it. He was a successful farmer and for many years was closely associated with agri- cultural interests. He died April :, 1901, having for a number of years survived his wife, who passed away November 12, 1891.
Upon the home farm Wilbur B. Davis was reared, early becoming familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. In 1828 he started out in life on his own acconnt as a farmer and is today the owner of a valuable tract of two hundred and forty acres of well im- proved land on section 16, Channahon township. In the midst of the farm stands a fine residence and substantial barns, together with other modern equipments and improvements. Everything about the place indicates his careful supervision and pro- gressive business methods, and he is well known as a leading agriculturist of the community.
On the 12th of October, 1882, Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Miss Harriet Sage, who is one of the five children of Elizur W. and Sabrina ( Eaton) Sage. She was also a niece of Russell Sage and was liberally remembered in the terms of his will. Her father, Elizur W. Sage, was born April 13, 1812, and died in February, 1884. He was first married September 18, 1834. to Miss Mary Willard, by whom he had several children, those still living being Mrs. Mary Jane Wignall, who was born October 16, 1837, and is now living in Vandervoort, Arkansas; Mrs. Emily Chadwick, who was born May 20, 1843, and lives in Odell, Illinois ; Elizur, who was born April 28, 1849, and resides in Rensselaer, Indiana; and Mrs. Leni Schoonmaker, who was born December 22, 1851, and lives in Crete, this county. After the death of his first wife the father of this family married Sabrina Eaton, a native of Vermont, who was born November 13, 1824, and is still living with a son in Channahon. Five children blessed this union, of whom four are still living; Harriet, the wife of our subject : Mrs. Helen S. Itolbrook, who was born February 25, 1862, and lives at Park Ridge, Illinois; Mrs. Fannie E. Crosler, who was born June 7, 1864, and is also a resident of Park Ridge; and Olin A., who was born January 5, 1871, and makes his home in Channahon town- ship, this county.
Mr. and Mrs. Davis have become the parents of four children: H. Ina, born October 19, 1883; Bertha M., May 25, 1889; Ralph W., November
30, 1890; and Rufus O., January 21, 1895. All are yet at home. In politics Mr. Davis is a re- publican and has served as school director, but otherwise has neither sought nor desired office, preferring to give his attention to his business af- fairs, which have brought him a goodly measure of success.
HON. ALBERT O. MARSHALL.
Hon. Albert O. Marshall, circuit judge, was born and bred upon a farm, his native town being New Lenox, Will county, Illinois. There he was born sixty-six years ago, his parents being George and Margaret A. ( Paddock) Marshall, both of whom were natives of Onondaga county, New York. Judge Marshall is also a grandson of Chester and Pamelia Marshall. and great-grand- son of Josiah and Keziah Marshall, natives of Con- necticut. His father went overland to California in 1849 and died on the way home in 1850. His mother is still living upon the old home farm in New Lenox, and enjoys good health for one of her age. The grandfather, Chester Marshall, was one of the pioneers of the township. to which district he removed with his family in 1833. For many years he figured as one of the most prominent and influential residents of that locality.
When Judge Marshall arrived at school age, he trudged to the old log school house and sat upon one of the rough benches while acquiring a good common-school education. At the age of nineteen years he entered Lombard University, at Gales- burg, Illinois, but soon after the Civil war was inaugurated and he gave up his studies in order to become a soldier. He was one of the first to enlist in defense of his country, joining Company A, Thirty-third Regiment, Illinois Volunteers- the regiment that was known as the famous Nor- mal regiment. He carried a musket as a private soldier for more than three years, participating in several important battles and sharing in the many hardships and privations that fall to the lot of a private in the army. He received his dis- charge October 11, 1864.
Soon afterward Judge Marshall became a stu- dent in the law department of the old Chicago University now the Law School of Northwestern
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University, from which he graduated in 1866. He has since been actively connected with the legal profession and for many years was regarded as one of the most able practitioners at the bar of Joliet, having a liberal patronage that connected him with the most important litigation tried in the courts of his district.
In 1874 Judge Marshall was elected to the state senate for a term of four years, where he served with distinguished ability, doing much active work in the committee rooms, where, as is well known, the greater part of the legislative work is accom- plished. In 1884 he published in book form a complete history of his life as a soldier, under the tile of "Army Life," the book having a large cir- culation. It is one of the most truthful and in- teresting stories of a private soldier's army life ever written. In 1894 he was elected judge of the county court, serving with marked ability until 1902. In the meantime he had been a mem- ber of the city school board, acting as its secre- tary for one year and as president for eleven years. When the township high school board was organized he was elected president of that board and superintended the building of the mag- nificent structure which is acknowledged as un- surpassed by any high school building in the west. Four years ago a fine large school building was erected at Sunnyside, east of the city, and was ap- propriately named the A. O. Marshall School.
In July, 1905, Judge Marshall was independent candidate for circuit judge to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Garnsey, and, though the district was largely republican, he defeated the regular republican candidate by a majority of over two thousand votes. He is now serving with emi- nent ability and giving the best of satisfaction as a judge.
GEORGE W. FLAGG.
George W. Flagg, a worthy representative of an honored pioneer family of Will county, was born on the 25th of July, 1836, in Plainfield township, and continues to make his home in that locality, though at one time he spent about four years in the west. He is the sixth in order of birth in a family of eleven children, whose parents were
Reuben and Betsy (Kendall) Flagg. It was in 1830 that they emigrated from Vermont to Illinois, arriving at Walkers' Grove, Will county, in June of that year, when this region was wild and unim- proved, the Indians being far more numerous than the white settlers. The father took up a claim in what is now known as the Frazier woods and erected thereon a log cabin just across the river from Big Bluffs, where a part of a tribe of Potta- wattamie Indians were living until the Black Hawk war, their chief being Parto. Reuben Flagg dug the mill race for Walkers' second mill, for which work he received thirty dollars, and he hauled the lumber to build the first frame houses in Chicago, doing this with ox teams. When the family received news of the Indian uprising dur- ing the Black Hawk war they and their neighbors gathered at Fort Beggs, which was situated just south of what is now the village of Plainfield, re- maining there until they had built a stockade. A company of Scott's cavalry that was passing from Ottawa to Chicago then escorted those who had gathered there to Fort Dearborn. When peace was once more restored the Flagg family returned to their cabin home to find things just as they had left them, although the Indians had used the cabin in their absence. At that time the family consisted of father, mother, one son and two dangh- ters, one of these being Samantha E., who was the first white child born in Will county. She was born September 9, 1830, and died February 25, 1872. Other children were added to the family and three are still living, namely : George W., of this review ; William H., who resides on the old homestead in Plainfield township: and Mrs. Lucy N. Hedges, a resident of Bend, Oregon.
Amid frontier environments George W. Flagg grew to manhood, and he can relate many interest- ing incidents of those pioneer days. He acquired a good practical education in the early schools of the county, though they were much inferior to those of the present time, and as soon as old enough to be of any assistance he began to aid in the devel- opment and improvement of the farm. Through- out his active business life he has followed farming and stock-raising and has met with marked success in his undertakings, becoming the owner of six hundred and fifty acres of fine farming land in this county. He devotes considerable attention to the feeding of stock for the market and finds
MR. AND MRS. GEORGE W. FLAGG.
SAMANTHA E. FLAGG. First white child born in Will County.
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this a profitable source of income. For some years he has been the largest tax payer in Plainfield township.
In 1861, at the inauguration of the Civil war, Mr. Flagg entered the service of his country, first enlisting for three months as a member of the Plainfield Artillery and was stationed at Cairo, Illinois, assisting in blockading that place. Later he joined Company K, Eighth Illinois Cav- alry, which was sent to Virginia and during the winter of 1861-2 patrolled the city of Alexandria. Mr. Flagg was made first lientenant of his com- pany, but was discharged in 1862 on account of ill health. In 1812 he went west and was en- ployed as head stock foreman on ex-Governor Eaton's range in northern Colorado until 1876, when he resigned his position and returned to Plainfield.
On the 17th of September, 1861, Mr. Flagg was united in marriage to Miss Marada Colgrove, who was born in Wheatland township, May 22. 1842, and was the oldest of the five children born to Lester and Lucretia (Ingersoll) Colgrove. For over forty-five years they traveled life's journey together but the wife was called to her final rest October 21, 1905. Two sons were born to them. George K., the elder, wedded Miss Mary Needham and has three children, George, Fitzgerald and Marjorie. Jerome F. married Miss Luella Platt and they have two children, Alta and Lois. The sons now operate the farm for their father. He is connected with the Grand Army of the Republic and is a prominent member of the Will County Pioneer Association. During his long residence here he has become widely and favorably known and he stands high in public regard.
C. E. WOODRUFF.
On the pages of Joliet's business history the name of C. E. Woodruff stands conspicuously forth as that of one who has been prominent in ad- vancing commercial development in the city. He possesses the power of foresight which recognizes the resources of this region and has the executive ability and merit to marshal and put in working order the forces of progress, development and up- building as manifest in commercial and industrial
circles. Born in Watertown, New York, in 1859, he is a son of Charles T. Woodruff, whose birth occurred in Jefferson county, New York, and who lived to be eighty-two years of age. He owned a farm and in connection with agricultural interests engaged in the manufacture of brick. His brother. T. T. Woodruff, was the inventor of the Woodruff sleeping car and sold his patent to the Pullman Car Company. He was superintendent of the Pennsylvania railroads at the time he patented the car and Andrew Carnegie was telegraph operator in his office. Mr. Woodruff assisted Mr. Carnegie in securing one thousand shares of the stock in the company. The paternal grandfather was Simeon Woodruff, who married Rosa Adams, a grandniece of John Adams, the second president of the United States. The mother of C. E. Wood- muff bore the maiden name of Mary A. Clark and was a native of Jefferson county, New York.
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