USA > Illinois > Will County > Past and present of Will County, Illinois, V. 2 > Part 4
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Then returning to the west he became assistant in St. Mary's parish in Joliet, where he remained for six years, and on the death of Father Power of St. Patrick's he was assigned to his present pastorate on the 29th of January, 1886. This is one of the oldest Catholics churches of Illinois and Father Dunne has in his possession the records of the congregation extending from its organiza- tion to the present time. At the time he assumed charge of St. Patrick's the church edifice was in a dilapidated condition and the work of the church in its various departments was by no means at an ideal state. With marked energy and zeal he took up the work and in the remodeling of the
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church his father proved most helpful. It was the latter's pride that the last work he ever did was the fitting of a house for the worship of God. A slate roof was put on and other improvements made. The church building has a frontage of four hundred feet on Hickory and three hundred feet on Broadway.
In connection with the church is conducted St. Patrick's parochial school, which was established by Father Dunne and now occupies a modern building that was erected at a cost of thirty thon- sand dollars. It contains six large schoolrooms and a commodious hall and has an attendance of more than three hundred pupils. The building is heated by steam and lighted by electricity and the school is in charge of the Ladies of Loretto, under whose supervision the pupils are given a tho- rough education in all of the common branches of grammar school grades. One of the most notable events in the history of St. Patrick's church was the celebration of its golden jubilee in 1889, on which occasion pontifical high mass was cele- brated by Bishop Burke, of Cheyenne, and Arch- bishop Riordan, of San Francisco, delivered the jubilee sermon. The various departments of the church are now in excellent working condition and the labors of Father Dunne have proved a most potent element in the growth and upbuilding of Catholicism in Joliet. He is a learned and able man, commanding the respect of people of all denominations, and his influence has indeed worked for righteousness among his own parish- ioners.
BENJAMIN K. WHITE.
Although a resident of Joliet for only a few years, Benjamin K. White was well known here. He came to the city on the 1st of May, 1867, and resided here until his death, which occurred six years later. A native of Reading, Pennsylvania. he was a son of Lewis and Melvina (Watson) White, who were likewise natives of the Key- stone state, spending their earlier years in Phila- phia and that vicinity. Lewis White was there engaged in all kinds of railroad work until 1870. when he came to the middle west, settling in Wil- mington, Illinois. He was afterward connected
with railroad work in this part of the state until his demise.
Benjamin K. White acquired his education in the public schools of Pennsylvania and when a young man he began to learn the trade of car- riage-trimming, which he followed for a brief period in Philadelphia. He then turned his at- tention to railroad work and was employed in various ways in that great department of indns- trial activity until 1867. At that time his brother-in-law, Jacob A. Henry, was engaged in railroad contracting in Joliet and vicinity, and through his influence Mr. White came to this city and entered the employ of Mr. Henry. The rail- roads were then being built through Joliet and there was much demand for labor here. Mr. White, therefore, engaged in all kinds of railroad work, acting as foreman of the track men and as superintendent of construction. Later he accepted a position as conductor on the Chicago & Alton Railroad and was soon transferred to the south division of that road, running as a conductor be- tween Alton and St. Louis for two years but he found that the climate did not agree with him and he returned to Joliet much impaired in health. He never recovered and passed away in 1873.
Mr. White had been married in Whitehouse, New York, to Miss Ella A. Henry, a native of Henderson county. New Jersey, born October 31, 1836, and a daughter of Joseph and Nancy Henry. They were both natives of the east and always resided there, her father being a prominent and wealthy business man. Several of their chil- dren, however, came to the west and located in Joliet, including Jacob A. Henry, who for many years has been president of the Will County Na- tional Bank and is still at the head of that insti- tution. All of the members of the family that came to Joliet prospered in business life here. Unto Mr. and Mrs. White were born a daughter and son: Annie, now the wife of Alexander Stearns, who was engaged in the coal, ice and live- stock business until recently but is now suffering from ill health, he and his wife making their home with her mother, Mrs. White: and Joseph H., who holds a good position as bookkeeper in the rolling mills at Joliet.
In early life Mr. White gave his political al- legianee to the democracy but afterward became a stalwart republican. He was reared in the Pres-
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byterian faith and lived a life of uprightness, his many excellent traits of character gaining for him an enviable place in public regard. Mrs. White, although now alnost seventy years of age, is still very active and energetic and takes care of her household duties. She owns a nice residence at No. 121 Second avenue, where she and her children reside, and she also has other property on Second avenue, which she rents.
NIAL N. OSBURN.
Nial Nye Osburn, who has now advanced far on life's journey. has had in many respects a most eventful career and in former years was one of the largest wheat raisers of this part of the state. His life history embraces pioneer experiences in the far west, even before the period of mining ex- citement in California and goes down through the later decades of modern development and im- provement, keeping him in touch with the agri- cultural progress of Will and Grundy counties and making him in the course of years, as the re- sult of his well directed efforts, one of the wealthy farmers of northern Illinois. He was born in Athens, Ohio, November 19, 1819, and pursued his education in the schools of Mansfield, Ohio. His parents were Joseph and Mary (Gildersleeve) Osburn, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Scotland. The father, who was a farmer by occupation, spent much of his life in Ohio and met death in a runaway accident. His wife, who was a member of the Baptist church, also died in the Buckeye state. They were the parents of three children but Nial N. Osburn, the second son, is the only one now living.
Reared in the state of his nativity, Mr. Osburn of this review lived in Lancaster, Ohio, for a number of years and made his way to the middle west in April, 1841, stopping first in Iowa. In the spring of 1843 he started overland with ox teams for Oregon, being a member of the first caravan that made the trip. When the party arrived at Fort Hall. Mr. Osburn continued on his way to- ward the Sunset state, traveling on horseback. He swam many rivers on the trip and thirty-one times he has thus crossed the South Platte river.
Nine times he has crossed the continent and has been a witness of the evolution of travel from the days of the old ox train to the period of the mod- ern Pullman coach. On that first journey he en- dured the hardships and privations incident to such a trip, arriving at Oregon on the 1st of Octo- ber. 1843. There he remained until the spring of 1842, engaged in mining, after which he returned to Pennsylvania, where he spent the winter. In the spring of 1848 he left Pittsburg by boat for St. Louis, Missouri, and proceeded down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and thence up the Missouri river to St. Joseph, Missouri, from which point he started on an overland trip to California in the spring of 1849. On the return trip he left Cali- fornia by boat, crossed the isthmus of Panama by way of the Nicarangua route on foot, and thence proceeded by steamer to New Orleans and on to Havana, where he spent one day. He then made his way to Cincinnati by way of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers and on to Pittsburg, whence he proceeded to Philadelphia. There he had his gold converted into coin at the United States mint, after which he went to New York city, but the middle west attracted him with its advantageous opportunities and he again turned his face toward the setting sun, proceeding as far as Chicago.
From that city he came to Florence township, Will county, in the spring of 1850. He first pur- chased four hundred and thirty-two acres of land and later he bought seven hundred and twenty acres near Star Grove. Subsequently he made purchase of thirty-nine hundred acres of land known as the Goose Lake farm in Grundy county, making the purchase with government scrip. He thus carried on farming on an extensive scale, bringing his land under a high state of cultivation and making many improvements thereon. He erected some forty buildings in all, including four- teen dwellings and a large number of barns. He also sank twelve artesian wells. In 1860 he raised over fifteen thousand bushels of wheat on his land. becoming one of the most extensive wheat pro- ducers of the state. Thus he carried on his farm- ing operations on a mammoth scale for a long period, being one of the leading representatives of agricultural life in this great state. He has since given much of his Illinois land to his chil- dren but he still owns two sections in Kansas and a fine farm in Wilmington township, Will county,
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together with two hundred and eighty acres of during the early days of mining development in coal land.
Following his return from the Pacific coast Mr. Osburn was married, September 22, 1853, to Miss Sarah E. Steadman, who was born April 22, 1832, at Cornwallis, Kings county, Nova Scotia, and died January 11, 1889. They were married in Florence township, Will county, where Mrs. Osburn had previously engaged in teaching school. She was a daughter of Daniel and Henrietta A. (Gilmore) Steadman. Her father, who was born in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, November 17, 1802, died at Star Grove, Will county, Illinois, June 6, 1850, while his wife, who was born September 15, 1808, at Horton, Nova Scotia, died November 26, 1884, at Wilmington. They were married in Horton, May 5, 1829, and became the parents of eight children but only two are now living : Nancy M., the wife of John Campbell, a resident of Wilmington; and Dr. Charles E. Steadman, who is living in Junction City, Kansas. Mr Steadman removed from Nova Scotia to South Boston with his family in 1844. He was .a car- penter and joiner by trade and thus provided for the support of wife and children. In 1850 he came to Illinois, settling at. Star Grove, Will county, but was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, for his death occurred six weeks later. He was a well read man, of more than ordinary intellectual force and literary taste, and he wrote a number of poems. He held membership in the Presbyterian church and gave his political al- legiance to the whig party.
Mr. and Mrs. Osburn spent their married life upon a farm in Will county until 1870, when they removed to Lawrence, Kansas, but five years later they returned to Will county and Mr. Osburn now lives in Wilmington. Five children were born unto them: William, horn October 3, 1854 : Samuel E., December 24. 1856: Mary, July 14, 1859 : Lucinda G., July 17, 1861 ; and Charles S., October 18, 1867. Extended mention of William and Charles Osburn is made on another page of this work. Mr. Osburn cast his first presidential vote for General William Henry Harrison and was a supporter of the whig party until its dissolution, when he joined the ranks of the new republican party. His life history if written in detail would prove a most interesting study, giving a correct picture of frontier experiences in the far west
Oregon and in California. He was for years one of the most prominent representatives of agri- cultural interests in Illinois, and the rest which he is now enoying is the well merited reward of his close and unremitting attention to business. In all his undertakings he has been reliable as well as accurate and systematic, so that his name has ever been an honored one in business circles.
HON. G. D. A. PARKS.
Hon. G. D. A. Parks, deceased, who was one of the most distinguished lawyers practicing at the bar of northern Illinois, also wielding a wide in- fluence in public affairs, came to Will county in pioneer times. He lived in Illinois through the formative period in its history and left the im- press of his individuality upon public thought and action which shaped the policy of the county and of this portion of the state.
Born in Bristol, Ontario county, New York, his natal day was September 17, 1817, and his parents were Joel M. and Bathsheba (Walker) Parks, the latter the youngest daughter of William Gooding, of Ontario county, New York. The father, Joel M. Parks, was born October 18, 1990, in West Stockbridge, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, while his wife was born March 25, 1799, in Bristol, Ontario county, New York, and died at Lockport, April 25, 1850. Juliet Louisa Parks, a sister of Joel M. Parks, was born at Bristol, September 16, 1819, and departed this life May 6, 1900. She was the mother of Captain James G. Elwood, mention of whom is made elsewhere in this vol- une. Another sister, Clarinda Parks, was born at Lockport. Niagara county, New York, March 22. 1823, became the wife of Captain N. L. Haw- ley, of Lockport, Illinois, and died at Chicago, March 27, 1890. A brother, William G. Parks, was born at Lockport, New York, April 9, 1825. He was a member of Company B, One Hundredth Illinois Infantry, commanded by Captain Elwood. He was killed at the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, June 23, 1864, thus laying down his life on the altar of the Union. Another sister, Maria Jose- phine Parks, was born at Lockport, New York,
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October 7, 1831, became the wife of George R. MacGregor and died at Joliet, February 1, 1904.
Spending his boyhood days in his parents' home, G. D. A. Parks acquired his early education under the instruction of private tutors. Subsequently he attended Lewiston Academy at New York, where he mastered the common and higher mathe- matical branches and also some of the classics. At the early age of fifteen years he entered upon the study of law at Lockport, New York, and in 1837. when twenty years of age, he went to New York city, where he continued preparation for the bar, being admitted to practice in the courts of New York in 1841, after successfully passing the required examination. He entered upon the active practice of his profession in New York city. At- tracted by the growing opportunities of the middle west, Mr. Parks left his native state and made his way to Lockport, Illinois, establishing a law office and entering upon active practice in that place in 1843. For a time he was also editor of the Lock- port Telegraph. Will county was still in the period of its pioneer development. It was natural that a man of his mental capacity and strength of character should become a leader in public life and as early as 1844 he was appointed master in chancery for Will county, filling the position, how- ever, for only a few months. In 1845, there be- ing a great depression in the law, as in all other business, and his health demanding a more active, out-of-door life. Mr. Parks accepted a position with the engineering corps of the Illinois and Michigan canal and continued until the completion of the enterprise in the spring of 1848. The following year he was again called to public office, being elected county judge of Will county, which caused his removal to Joliet, where in partnership with his brother-in-law, Hon. N. D. Elwood. he resumed the practice of his profession, soon securing an extensive and growing clientage. Mr. Elwood was an experienced business.man of very extensive acquaintance and to his untiring energy the firm owe a large share of its success and reputation. After his death, which occurred in 1861. Mr. Parks acted for several years as attorney for the Chicago & Rock Island, the Chicago & Mississippi and the Joliet & Northern Indiana Railroad Com- panies. Devotedly attached to his profession, sys- tematic and methodical in habit, sober and dis- creet in judgment, calm in temper, diligent in re-
search, conscientious in the discharge of every duty, courteous and kind in demeanor and inflex- ibly just on all occasions, he became recognized as one of the most able members of the bar and these qualities also enabled him to take first rank among those who have sat upon the bench in Will county, and made him the conservator of that justice which is the safeguard of individual liberty and happiness and the defense of our national institu- tions. His reported opinions show a thorough mastery of the questions involved, a rare sin- plicity of style and an admirable terseness and clearness in the statement of the principles upon which the opinions rest.
His course during the momentous epoch in the country's history preceding the Civil war, also show forth the strength of the man and his fidelity to any cause which he believed to be right. He was ever fearless in defense of his honest convic- tions and in 1848 he joined the freesoil movement and made a canvass of his district. In 1850, after the consummation of the memorable compromises of that year and the dissolution of this party into its original elements, he resumed his relations with the democracy, with which he remained iden- tified until the repeal of the Missouri compromise in 1854. He then again withdrew, making a strong anti-Nebraska speech at Lockport within a week after the introduction of that measure by Judge Douglas. Ile was nominated for represent- ative from the forty-fifth district, comprising Du- page, Will. Kankakee and Iroquois counties, and was elected. In February, 1855, the general as- sembly took up the task of electing a United States senator and Mr. Parks gave his support to Abraham Lincoln until it became certain that the Springfield lawyer could not command the requisite number of votes for election, after which Mr. Parks steadily supported Lyman Trumbull, who was elected on the tenth ballot. In 1853 he received appointment from Governor Matteson as one of the directors of the institution for the deaf and dumb and continued in that position for several years. In 1856 senatorial honors were conferred upon him by the sixth district, com- prising Will. Kendall. Kankakee and Iroquois counties. In 1864 he was made a member of the board of visitors of the naval academy. then at Newport, Rhode Island, and in the same year he received appointment from Governor Yates as
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one of the commissioners of the penitentiary at his home on Scott street, supervising, however, Joliet, in which capacity he served for a year. his various real-estate interests.
Throughout the period of the war Mr. Parks was a stalwart champion of the Union cause. He delivered many addresses and patriotie speeches and did everything in his power to uphold the administration at Washington. A merited honor and one in which he took just pride was his selec- tion for three succeeding years, 1863, 1864 and 1865, to deliver the address to the citizens of Wilmington upon the celebration of the birth of the nation. He was ever an earnest and elo- quent speaker, presenting his ideas with clearness, logic and force, and while he knew well how to employ the art of rhetorie it never enshrouded the great truths which he presented. His earnest be- lief in the doctrines which he promulgated none doubted. He never measured his speeches by the rule of public policy if clear statement and truth had to be sacrified by so doing. In 1872, having identified himself with the political movement originated at Cincinnati. he was nominated on the liberal republican ticket for congress from his dis- triet ; but sharing the by no means uncommon fate of his liberal confreres, was defeated by the regular republican candidate, Mr. Corwin. He remained to the last an advocate of republican principles, although of a somewhat conservative type. He did not consider himself bound by party ties but supported unfalteringly those measures and movements which he deemed would work for the good of county, state or nation.
In 1848 Mr. Parks was married to Miss Lu- cretia S. Story, a daughter of Samuel and Cath- erine Story, of Moscow, New York. She was born in 1824 and died in Joliet, in 1893, while her mother passed away October 24, 1881, at the ad- vanced age of eighty-six years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Parks were born a son and daughter, but the latter. Kate W., born in Joliet, November 29, 1853, died in infancy. The son. Samuel S. Parks, now a wealthy resident of Joliet, was born at Lockport. Illinois, November 14, 1848. He was reared in this county, attended the public schools and after- ward became a student in the naval school at An- napolis. Maryland. Returning to Joliet, he en- tered his father's law office, giving attention to the real-estate department of the business. Since his father's death he has lived practically retired at
The death of Mr. Parks occurred at Joliet, December 28, 1895, at the age of seventy-eight years. His religious faith was bound by no creeds or dogmas and yet there are few men who main- tain a higher standard of human conduct. The literary taste which he developed in his youth re- mained with him throughout life and was height- ened by his broad reading of ancient and content- poraneous literature. He was also a fluent writer, frequently contributing to papers and magazines, and upon the speaker's platform displayed superior oratorical power. His mind was enriched with the thoughts of master minds of all ages and he had the ability to assimilate that which he read. Few lawyers have made a more lasting impression upon the bar of northern Illinois, both for legal ability of a high order and for the individuality of a personal character which impresses itself upon a community.
GEORGE WOODRUFF.
George Woodruff, numbered among the younger representatives of financial interests in Joliet, is president of the First National Bank and also a member of the Will county bar, but uses his law knowledge simply for the interests of the bank. lle was born in this city May 25, 1881, and is a son of Frederick W. and Nellie ( Davis) Woodruff. Entering the public schools at the usual age he passed through successive grades until he had completed the high school course, after which he matriculated in the University of Michigan and later he won the degree of Bachelor of Law from Yale University. He was admitted to the bar in Connecticut and also in Illinois in 1903 but has confined his practice to the business of the bank. He entered the bank while still but a boy in order to thoroughly familiarize himself with the business in every department, and when he had completed his college course in 1903 he entered the institution as assistant cashier. In addition to his law course in Yale he was a student in the Sheffield Seientifie School where he studied bank- ing and finance. When he finished his studies in finance he was offered a government position but
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declined and, returning to Joliet, entered the First National Bank, serving as assistant cashier until 1904, when he was elected vice-president, and in January, 1907, he was elected president to succeed his father. Mr. Woodruff is the youngest national bank president in the United States.
He has traveled abroad through various coun- tries, studying foreign exchange and foreign bank- ing, particularly in London and Paris, and few men have more intimate, accurate or practical knowledge of the banking business in all of its departments than he. He gives his entire atten- tion to the business and is the active force in its successful management. Socially he is interested in the leading organizations and clubs of Joliet and is serving officially in a number of them, being a popular young man with wide and favor- able acquaintance.
MORTIMER A. FLACK.
Mortimer A. Flack, deceased, was a representa- tive of a pioneer family of Will county, established here in 1845. He was born in Essex county, New York, May 25, 1825, and was a son of John J. and Elizabeth (Nelson) Flack. The father was born in Washington county, New York, May 10, 1799, and on the 24th of December, 1818, he married Miss Nelson who was also a native of Washington county, born December 15, 1799. In 1819 they removed to Essex county, New York, where Mr. Flack was engaged extensively in farming and in the manufacture of lumber and iron. He was also a large dealer in horses, cattle, sheep and hogs and the extent and importance of his business interests made him one of the representative eiti- zens of the county. He was for many years an officer in the court there and figured prominently in public life. In 1844 he purchased large tracts of land in this part of Illinois and the following year removed with his family to Joliet, soon after- ward settling on a large farm two miles southeast of the city, where he spent his remaining days. He also had property interests in Joliet and in Chicago and in control of his business interests met with a gratifying measure of prosperity. He served as an officer of the court in Will county and was in other ways identified with public interests.
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