USA > Illinois > Will County > Past and present of Will County, Illinois, V. 2 > Part 48
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Mr. Jones is a native of Canada. He was born in Barnstone, November 16, 1834. his parents being Wesley and AAbigail (Barnes) Jones. The Jones family is of Welsh descent and the more immediate progenitors of our subject were natives of New England. His grandfather, Wesley Jones, was born in Vermont, whence he removed to Connecti- cut, in which state his son Wesley, the father of our subject, was born in 1800. The same year the elder Jones removed to Canada, making a settle- ment in Barnstone township, County Standstead. He owned and operated a large farm, and the son was reared amid rural surroundings. He learned the trade of a blacksmith, following it in Canada until 1837, when he removed to Arcadia, Wayne county, New York, and in that town continued his occupation several years. In 1844 he came to Will county, Illinois, locating in Homer township, where he sojourned but a year ere removing to Or- land township, Cook county. There he purchased and improved an eighty-acre farm, upon which he resided until his death in 1880. engaged in the peaceful vocation of a farmer.
The mother of our subject was Abigail, daughter of William Barnes, and was born in Hillsboro, Massachusetts. Her father, who had previously kept a hotel in Boston, removed to Barnstone, Canada, during her early life and engaged in farming there. The homes of grandfather Jones and grandfather Barnes were but a miile apart, and when, in 1882, our subject revisited his birthplace, he was able from the description given him to locate both places. Grandfather Barnes and his wife were brought to Illinois in 1854, and both died at the home of his father. Mrs. Wesley Jones was the mother of six children, he of whom we write being the youngest. Cyrus died in New York; Wesley is now living in Wetmore, Kansas; William is farming in Frankfort township, this county ; Wright lives in Portland, Oregon ; Abigail, Mrs. Cross, lives in Wetmore, Kansas. The mother passed away in Mokena in 1881, at the ad- vanced age of eighty years.
When a youth of about three years Noble Jones was taken by his parents from Canada to Arcadia, New York, and for several years thereafter he en- joyed the privilege of attending the common schools. He was a youth of ten at the time of tho
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removal to Illinois but the trip is well remembered by him, including the ride on the canal to Buffalo and on a steamer to Chicago. The city which is now the scene of his labors presented an uninvit- ing appearance when the family reached it, con- sisting as it did of a few unpretentious dwellings and places of business, around which stretched the low ground, which well deserved the name of mud hole. From Chicago the family came to Will county with teams but after a year spent here Cook county became the home of the Jones family, after which Noble Jones was obliged to walk three miles to school. He was a student in one of the old- time school houses with its slab benches and puncheon floor and the school was conducted on the subscription plan. When still but a young lad Mr. Jones was trained to the work of the home farm and when thirteen years of age he began driving a breaking team, consisting of seven yoke of oxen. Three years later he found work as a teamster for the Rock Island Railroad Company, which was then putting its line in Mokena. He received a dollar and a quarter per day for himself and team, a day's work being twelve hours.
In the spring of 1852, when eighteen years of age, Noble Jones and his brother Wright rigged up a mule team and started to California. Making their way to Council Bluffs. they joined eighteen others in a caravan which traveled along the north bank of the Platte river to Fort Laramie, thence along the North Platte, taking Sublet's Cut-off, and thence through the South Pass to the Golden state. Three times the train was attacked by the Pawnees, who were very hostile at that time, and all considered it wonderful that they escaped being massacred. At Loupe Fork and the two following camping places only the bold front they presented to the savages prevented so dire a catastrophe. As their own animals were wild, and gunshots would have stampeded them, they did not dare to shoot, but depended upon their appearance of preparation and fearlessness, which fortunately proved suffi- cient to save their lives. The only weapon pos- sessed by our subject during these trying scenes was a long range rifle.
The train arrived in Sacramento seventy-three days after leaving Council Bluffs, and Mr. Jones found work upon a farm, beginning his labors at seventy-five dollars per month and receiving one hundred and twenty-five dollars before he ahan-
doned them. His only experience in mining was during three days, when he was visiting in the mountains. After remaining on the slope two years Mr. Jones returned by way of the Nicaraugua route, the steamer "Sierra Nevada" carrying him from San Francisco to the isthmus, and the "Star of the West" being his home during the Atlantic voyage. The last named vessel was the first boat fired at Charleston during the late war. Mr. Jones was working on a farm six miles from Sacramento when that city was burned and also when it was "drowned" by the overflow of the Sacramento river.
Mr. Jones completed his journey from New York to Mokena by rail, the road to the latter place having been finished in his absence. For a short time he carried on his father's place, then bought eighty acres of raw land in Frankfort township, upon which he broke ground, made various im- provements and settled down to farming. He de- voted himself to that vocation two years, meeting with an ordinary degree of success, and he then built a steam mill in Mokena, and for two years engaged in flour and saw milling as a member of the firm of Cross & Jones. This venture did not prove successful, but on the contrary swallowed up all the previous earnings of Mr. Jones, and he therefore abandoned it for another field of labor.
In 1858 Mr. C. Rowley engaged our subject to go with him to Pike's Peak, Colorado, to start and carry on a sawmill, agreeing to pay him fifty dol- lars per month for his services. When the two arrived at Atchison, Kansas, Mr. Rowley con- cluded to start the business on the Missouri river at that point instead of going to the destination which they had had in view. Mr. Jones therefore became superintendent of the sawmill at Atchison, having charge of the sawing and rafting of logs and every other detail of the business. He was joined by his wife and child, and continued to re- side in the Garden state until 1863, when he re- turned to Ilinois. For twelve months he carried on his father's farm and then, taking up his abode in Mokena, he began buying grain and shipping it to Chicago. During the next two years he was fairly successful, and he then opened an establish- ment for the sale of agricultural implements.
The new venture of Mr. Jones proved to be one in which his good judgment and business tact found room, and during the next twelve years he
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made money. He closed out his large trade at the right time, in 1878, and, going to Chicago, engaged in the commission business and seeured a member- ship on the board of trade. So successful have been his operations that his name has become well known to all who are interested in the working of the board. His son and son-in-law are with him as assistants, and six other men are employed by him in his office. He has an attractive and commodi- ous home in Mokena, which in its furnishings in- dicates the cultured taste of the inmates and pre- sents many evidences of wealth and refinement.
On the 25th of July, 1855, Mr. Jones was united in marriage to Miss Clarissa B. Farley, who was born in Solon, New York, January 13, 1833. Her father, Benjamin Farley, was an early settler of Lockport, Illinois, where he followed the carpen- ter's trade. Mrs. Jones was early left an orphan and provided for her own support by teaching. She was educated in Indiana and in that state be- gan her married life as a resident of the town of West Creek. Forty-eight years she traveled life's journey with Mr. Jones and was then ealled to her final rest on the anniversary of her wedding, July 25, 1903. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, took great interest in its work and was a most estimable lady, her efforts proving an element in the growth and advancement of the organization with which she was connected.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Jones were born six chil- dren. Edward S., who is in the commission grain business in Chicago with his father, married Car- rie Knapp, a daughter of Christian Knapp, of Mokena, and unto them were born five children: Walter V., Edward S., Edna B., Hazel and Carrie. Emma is the wife of Walter Metcalf, a resident of Normal Park, Cook county, and they have two children, Edward Noble and Jerome. Belle is the wife of Jerome P. Stevens, a retired money loaner of Mokena, and they have two children, Mary and Arthur. Bertha is the wife of Fred W. Phelps, of the Joliet Stove Works, and they have one son, Norman. Charles H., the first born of the family, died in 1877 at the age of twenty years. The other member of the family is also deceased.
Mr. Jones was president of the board of trustees at Mokena for three years and then resigned the office. In 1856 he cast a presidential ballot for John C. Fremont and since that date has been an active supporter of the republican party. He pos-
sesses agreeable manners, a jovial and friendly na- ture and is one of those fortunate men who when business hours are over can thoroughly enjoy the comforts and luxuries by which they are sur- rounded and the many pleasures which their abundant means can procure.
JOHN KIRMAN.
The rich agricultural resources of Illinois have afforded to John Kirman the opportunities which he sought in the new world, for, coming from England, his native land, when a youth of eighteen years he has worked his way steadily upward from a poor boy to a position which ranks him among the leading agriculturists of Will county, owning a fine farm of three hundred acres in Lockport township.
Mr. Kirman was born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1855, and was there educated. In 1873 he emi- grated for the new world, taking passage on the steamer, Calabria, which was bound for New York. He was accompanied on the voyage by his parents, Thomas and Jane (Towsen) Kirman, who were likewise natives of England, the former born in 1830, while the lattter was born in 1824. The father followed farming throughout the period of his residence in the new world. He was a repub- lican in politics, and both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He died in DuPage township in 1904, while his widow still survives, and their daughter, Mrs. Lynn, is now living upon the old homestead in DuPage township.
Upon his arrival in New York, John Kirman immediately made his way to Joliet, Illinois, and after stopping there for a brief period, made his way to Wheatland township, near Plainfield, where lived an uncle, William Day, by whom he was employed at farm labor during the succeeding year. He afterward worked in Wheatland and DuPage townships, being employed for one year at twenty dollars per month. His father having rented land in Will county, the son then returned home and assisted in the operation of the home farm for a time, after which he started out upon an independent business career by renting a farm known as the old Colt place. That he has pros-
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pered in his venture is indicated by the fact that he today owns a valuable farm of three hundred acres, situated in Lockport township, the property being improved with good buildings and a nice home, which is supplied with all modern con- veniences and accessories. He is carrying on gen- eral farming, following the most practical and progressive methods in the cultivation of his fields. so that he is meeting with very gratifying success. In addition to his home farm he likewise owns a section of land in Montana. Mr. Kirman con- ducts a dairy and now milks thirty-five cows, hav- ing for the past two years sold milk in Joliet.
In 1887 ocenrred the marriage of Mr. Kirman and Miss Lillie Coby, a daughter of Chris Coby. now deceased, but who was a farmer of Lemont township, Cook county. Mrs. Kirman is a native of New York, born in 1861. and by her marriage has become the mother of nine children, Arthur, Martha. John. Zela. Frank, William, Thomas, Al- bert and Gertrude. Mr. Kirman holds member- ship with the Methodist Episcopal church, and his fraternal relations are with the Modern Woodmen of America.
Mr. Kirman may truly be termed a self-made man for started out in life in a strange country without capital. but through his industry and economy has steadily advanced as the years have gone by until he is numbered among the leading and influential citizens of Will county .. He and his family are well known and highly respected people, having a wide circle of warm friends.
ALANSON GOODING.
Alanson Gooding, carrying on farming opera- tions in Wesley township, where he owns and controls an excellent farm of two hundred and forty-six acres of rich land, was born in Canan- daigna, Ontario county, New York, April 13, 1835. ITis paternal grandparents were George and Nancy (Wilder) Gooding. The grandfather was a farmer by occupation and served as a sol- dier of the war of 1812. His son, George Good- ing, was born in Canandaigua, Ontario county, New York. October 18, 1802, and was reared to general agricultural pursuits, Throughout his entire life he carried on farming and stock-rais-
ing and in this business accumulated a fortune of seventy-five thousand dollars, but through his kindness to others, for whom he went security, he lost all. He was a prominent man in New York and was honored with various public offices. In 1856 he came west and with borrowed capital invested in land. He first purchased two hun- dred and eighty acres of land at twenty dollars per acre on section 6, Wesley township. He be- gan farming and stock-raising upon this tract and was again very prosperous, making judicious investments in property until he had extensive holdings, embracing nine hundred acres. All of this land was wild prairie and timber which he improved, converting it into richly tilled fields. He was seldom, if ever, at error in matters of business judgment, quickly noted and utilized an opportunity for judicious investment, and as the years passed by met with a measure of prosperity that placed him among the substantial residents of the county. He belonged to the Universalist church and in politics was known as a war demo- crat, believing in the prosecution of the war while upholding the principles of democracy.
On the 25th of January, 1826, in Canandaigua. New York, George Gooding was united in mar- riage to Miss Achsah Reed, who was born in Hart- land, Connecticut, July 31, 1801. They traveled life's journey for more than a half century as man and wife. being separated by the death of Mr. Gooding November 23, 1883, while his wife died on Christmas day of 1884. They were the parents of seven children, of whom five are now living: Lucretia, the widow of Scott Case and a resident of Nebraska: Ovanda, the wife of M. Adams, who is living in Alta, Iowa; Alanson, of this review; Jeanette, the widow of Charles Jukes and a resident of Kankakee, Illinois; and George, who is living in Wesley township.
Alanson Gooding remained a resident of the cast through the period of his minority and when twenty-one years of age came with his par- ents to Illinois, the family home being established in Wesley township. For many years he was ex- teusively and successfully engaged in buying and shipping stock to the Chicago market, so con- tinning until 1891, when he withdrew from that department of business and concentrated his energies upon general farming. He had pur- chased two hundred and forty-six acres of land,
ALANSON GOODING.
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which he is cultivating today with hired help, and his farm is a well improved and valuable prop- erty, giving every evidence of careful supervision and an intimate and correct knowledge of the best methods of conducting farm work.
Mr. Gooding has been married twice. On the 20th of February, 1865, he wedded Miss Jenet Thompson, who was born in Wilmington in 1844 and died August 25, 1892. She was a daughter of Samuel and Christina Thompson, natives of Scotland, who came to Wilmington at an early date, her father being a pioneer blacksmith here. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gooding was born one son, George S., who married Lillian Wise and is now living in Idaho.
On the 14th of March, 1895, Mr. Gooding wedded Miss Nettie Smith, who was born in Lan- arkshire, Scotland, November 13, 1865, a daugh- ter of James and Jeanette (Cossar) Smith, who were natives of Greenock-on-the-Clyde. Her fath- er was a farmer in Scotland and on coming to the new world followed the same occupation in On- tario, Canada. He held membership in the Pres- byterian church and died April 25, 1906, at the age of sixty-five years, having for more than a decade survived his wife, who passed away in October, 1895. They had become residents of Ontario, Canada, in 1889. They were the par- ents of nine children : Robert, who married Helen Chambers and is living in Ontario, Canada : Mrs. Gooding: James, who wedded Mary Black and lives in Ontario, Canada; Mary, the wife of John Cooper, also of Ontario; Jessie, the wife of Oscar Case, who is living in Nebraska; Isabelle, a resi- dent of St. Catharines, Canada ; John, whose home is at Calgary, Alberta province, Canada ; Thomas ; and William. Unto the second marriage of Mr. Gooding was born one sou, Edward W., March 29, 1899.
The public service of Alanson Gooding has been of a helpful character and community in- terests have been advanced thereby. He was supervisor of Wilmington township from 1881 until 1890 and while holding that office served on the building committee at the time of the erection of the new courthouse at Joliet and was also instrumental in getting the appropriation for the soldiers' monument. He was mayor of the city of Wilmington for four years during the same period. He exercises his official preroga-
tives in support of every movement or measure that tended to promote reform, progress and im- provement and has always been the champion of local advancement. Fraternally he is connected with Wilmington lodge, A. F. & A. M., and Wil- mington chapter, No. 142, R. A. M., while his church association connects him with the Pres- byterian denomination. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and in all life's relations he stands for those things which work for upright manhood. for loyalty in citizenship and fidelity in friendship.
JAMES B. SPEER.
James B. Speer, who for many years figured prominently in connection with the business his- tory of Joliet, belonging to that class of repre- sentative American men who, in promoting indi- vidual success, also contribute to the general pros- perity, was born in Westmoreland county, Penn- sylvania. His parents were Dr. William Russell and Nancy (Denniston) Speer, the latter a native of Westmoreland and the former of Mercer county, that state. Dr. Speer acquired his education in the county of his nativity and subsequently took up the study of medicine, continuing his prepara- tion for the profession as a student in the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, from which he was graduated, receiving his certificate to practice. He then located in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, where he remained until 1869, when he removed to Joliet, where his son James was already living. On account of ill health Dr. Speer never resumed the active prac- tice of medicine in Joliet but lived retired here until his death, which occurred in June, 1881. His wife survived him for about four years and passed away in August, 1885. Of the children born unto Dr. and Mrs. Speer three are now living. James B., Harriet S. and Nannie L. The elder daughter is the widow of Dr. Milton Foster Hand, of Utica, New York, who was graduated from a dental college in the east and on coming to Illinios settled in Joliet, where he engaged in the practice of dentistry for many years. In 1888 on account of illness he withdrew from the profession
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and lived retired until called to his final rest. He passed away in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, April 20. 1891. and is still survived by Mrs. Hand, who now makes her home in Joliet, her sister Nannie residing with her at No. 112 Richards street.
James B. Speer at the usnal age entered the public schools of his native county, where he con- tinued his studies to the age of sixteen and he came to the middle west with his uncle. They settled in St. Louis, Missouri, and Mr. Speer ac- cepted a position as clerk in a dry-goods store. After a brief period thus passed he secured a better position as a clerk in a bank in that city, where he remained for a few years. In 1868 he took a contract for work on the Michigan Central canal and came direct to Joliet, that business occupying his time and energies for a few years. After com- pleting his work according to the terms of the contract he turned his attention to the business of qmarrying stone and later embarked in the grain trade in partnership with the firm of Carpenter & Marsh. They engaged in buying and shipping grain for several years, after which Mr. Speer be- came a member of the Chicago board of trade, with which he was identified for twelve years, making daily trips to the city and operating on the grain exchanges of the metropolis. At the same time he was interested in the bieyele manu- facturing business on Railroad street in Joliet. He established the enterprise but placed the man- agement in the hands of others although he con- tinued financially interested in the same for sev- eral years. Later he established the Joliet Novelty Works, in which he was interested for some time. In all his business undertakings he strove to at- tain the highest degree of perfection possible and made substantial advancement along financial lines.
Mr. Speer was married in Joliet to Miss Sallie Worrell, a daughter of Charles Worrell, a pio- neer merchant of this city, who was born in the sonth and came to Joliet in 1858. For a long period he conducted a dry-goods store on Jeffer- son street, retiring after twenty-five years' con- nection with commercial interests. Both he and his wife died in JJoliet and in their demise the community lost two of its representative people who in public regard and social life occupied an enviable position. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Speer have been born two children: Mrs. George A. Barr.
whose husband is one of the prominent druggists of Joliet ; and Genevieve, who is with her mother.
For a number of years Mr. and Mrs. Speer spent the winter months in the south, and eight years ago in a runaway accident Mr. Speer was thrown from the carriage and badly injured by the fall. He then returned to Will county and located upon a farm two miles south of Joliet, where they re- sided for a short time but the injuries which he has sustained had undermined his health and as he grew no better on the farm they returned to Joliet.
Mr. Speer is a republican in politics. He was quite successful in business life and owned much property here, for as his financial resources in- creased he made judicious investments in property. He possessed excellent executive ability and the happy faculty of judging men, and the causes which led to his success were to be found along the lines of well tried and old-time maxims. Honesty, fair dealing, perseverance and fidelity- all these he strictly enforced and adhered to, not only on his own part but also required the same qualities from his employes. Mrs. Speer and her daughter and also Mr. and Mrs. Barr reside at a beautiful home at No. 215 Sherman street and are prominent socially in the city.
WILLIAM C. HARTMAN.
William (. Hartman, the owner of a good farm of one hundred and eighty acres on section 25, ('rete township, is numbered among the native sons of Will county, his birth occurring in this township on the 13th of April, 1857. He is of German lineage, both his parents, John and Ellen Sophia (Behrens) Hartman, having been natives of Germany. In the year 1850. the father came to the I'nited States and settled in Cook county, Illi- nois, where he remained for a short time prior to coming to Crete township, Will county, Illinois. lle bought land on section 25 and began the de- velopment of the farm, which he continued to make his home until his death. He was industri- ous and frugal and in his undertakings met with a measure of success such as always rewards the labors of one who is persistent and energetic and
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