USA > Illinois > Macon County > Decatur > Past and present of the City of Decatur and Macon County, Illinois > Part 91
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Unto Mr. and Mrs. Tomlinson were born
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the following children : Mary, who was born in Walla Walla, Washington, and is now the wife of William Riley, a farmer of South Macon township: Rachel, who was born in Illinois and is now living with her aunt, Mrs. John Bradley, in Huntsville, Alabama; John B., who was born in Illinois and is now nine- teen years of age: Agnes, who was born in Nebraska, and is now seventeen; Ella, who was born in Kansas and is fourteen years okl; Frank, who was born in Kansas and is eleven years of age; and Thomas, who was born in Illinois and is seven years old. With excep- tion of the two oldest all are at home with their parents and the family is one of promi- nence in the community where they reside.
OTTO C. ADAMS.
Among the younger representatives of the legal profession in Macon county none stands higher than the gentleman whose name intro- duces this review. His prominence is by no means measured by his years for he has al- ready attained a success that many an older practitioner might well envy.
Mr. Adams was born in Neosho county, Kansas, in 1872, and being reared upon his father's farm he assisted in the labors of field and meadow during his boyhood and youth. In 1881 the family went to l'iatt coun- ty, Illinois, where the father engaged in farm- ing for several years and then removed to Cerro Gordo, this state, where he and his wife now reside.
Otto C. Adams attended the Central Nor- mal School at Danville, Indiana, and later en- tered the State University at Champaign, Ill- inois, where he took up the study of law and was graduated in the class of 1900. He then came to Decattir and entered the law office of C. C. Le Forgee and by assisting that gentle- man in several important cases he gained a good practical knowledge of the profession which he has chosen as a life work. On his
admission to the bar he began practice, open- ing an office of his own in the Millikin block, where he is still located, and he is already doing a good business.
Mr. Adams has always taken a very active part in politics. He is also a great supporter of labor unions, being a member of the Sta- tionary Engineers' Union, and he does all within his power to promote the interests of the laboring classes. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity and is one of the promi- nent young men of Decatur.
EZRA W. CROW.
One of the leading business men of Blue Mound is Ezra W. Crow, a well known grain dealer. He has won sticcess by his well di- rected, energetic efforts and the prosperity that has come to him is certainly well merited. Ile stands high in public esteem and is thor- oughly interested in whatever tends to promote the moral, intellectual and material welfare of the community.
Mr. Crow claims Ohio as his native state, his birth having occurred in New London, Iluron county, on the 19th of November, 1850. His parents were John T. and Elizabeth Crow, farming people. The family came to Illinois in 1857 and in the common schools of Macon county our subject acquired a good practical education. Ile early became familiar with the duties which fall to the lot of the agri- culturist and continued to follow farming until 1881, when he removed to Blue Mound, where he has since made his home. During his resi- dence here he has been engaged in the grain business and has met with success in this un- dertaking.
On the 18th of February, 1874, Mr. Crow was united in marriage to Miss Nancy J. De Atley, and to them have been born nine chil- dren, of whom two sons are now deceased, those living being Myrtle M., Grace, Eva E., Charles F., Oliver L., Earl and Roy. Two of
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the sons are now married, Charles having wedded Bell Howard, and Oliver L. married Ida Kester.
Religiously Mr. Crow is a member of the Christian church, and politically is identified with the Republican party. He takes an ac- tive interest in public affairs and for eight years efficiently filled the office of tax collector. In all the relations of life he has been found true to any trust reposed in him and he wel! merits the respect so freely accorded him by his fellow citizens.
JOSEPH T. TUCKER.
Joseph T. Tucker, who resides on section 17, Illini township, is successfully engaged in general farming and stock-raising. He was born on the farm where he now makes his home, January 25, 1872, a son of J. C. and Emma (Ferree) Tucker, of whom extended mention is made in the sketch of Cyrus J. Tucker on another page of this volume.
Our subject attended school in Warrens- burg and completed the course at the age of eigliteen years. He began his business career as a clerk in the store of G. W. Thompson, at that place, where he was employed for fif- teen months, and at the end of that time com- menced farming on his father's old homestead on section 17, Illini township, where he was born. He operates three hundred and twenty acres, employing one man all the year round and others as they are needed. Wheat has been his specialty, devoting from forty to eighty acres each year to that crop. In con- nection with general farming he is engaged in the fattening of cattle for market, mostly the white faced breed, and he also handles about a carload of hogs annually. He has previously bought the stock which he has fat- tened for market but is now contemplating raising his own cattle.
On the 12th of October, 1898, Mr. Tucker was united in marriage to Miss Bessie I.
Batchelder who was born August 16, 1874, and is a daughter of J. J. and Mary (Thorn- dike) Batchelder. She completed the scien- tific course at Knox College and was graduated in 1895. Mr. and Mrs. Tucker have a little daughter, Ruth E., born February 17, 1901. They are active and prominent members of the Congregational church of Illini township. Socially he is a member of Dove Lodge, No. 600, I. O. O. F., in which he is past grand, and politically he is identified with the Demo- cratic party. He has been a delegate to the county conventions of his party, has served as town clerk two years, and is now serving his second term as road commissioner. He is a wide-awake, energetic and progressive young man and takes a commendable interest in public affairs, as every true American citi- zen should.
GEORGE W. BETZER.
George W. Betzer, whose valuable landed interests have come to him as the reward of a life of earnest labor and unfaltering perse- verance, is now practically living a retired life in Decatur, but for many years was a leading agriculturist of Macon county. His home is now at No. 956 WV. Pugh street. He repre- sents one of the pioneer families of the coun- ty, established here when land was wild, the prairies uncultivated and the work of improve- ment scarcely begun. That was in 1841 when Mr. Betzer was an infant of less than a year. The Indians still lived in the neighborhood and wild game of many kinds was plentiful.
Mr. Betzer was born in Ross county, Ohio, January 22, 1841, a son of Benjamin and Rebecca (Long) Betzer, both of whom were natives of the Buckeye state. The paternal grandfather, Anthony Betzer, was of Irish descent, his father having been born on the Emerald Isle. The former followed farming and spent his entire life in Pickaway county, Ohio. Benjamin Betzer, the father of our subject. was born in Pickaway county and
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after attaining adult age determined to make but afterward removed to Kansas, where he the cultivation of the soil his life work. He remained until 1895, when he came to Macon county, Illinois, settling in Friends Creek township. For several years he was there en- gaged in farming but now resides in Indiana. resided upon a farm in the county of his nativ- ity until 1841, when he removed westward, his destination being Macon county, Illinois, -then a frontier district. Securing a tract of land in Whitmore township, he there engaged in general farming until his death, which oc- curred about 1882, while his wife passed away in the same township in 1884. They were the parents of nine children, of whom five are yet living, as follows: Mary Jane, the wife of John Likens, a resident farmer of Oakley township, Macon county; Anthony, who re- sides upon a part of the old homestead in Whitmore township; Henry II., who is liv- ing in Missouri; George W., the subject of this sketch; and William V., whose home is in Britten. South Dakota. Those deceased are Elizabeth, Maria, Sarah and Peter.
George W. Betzer had but limited school privileges, pursuing studies in Whitmore town- ship, in one of the primitive school houses-a log structure with a dirt floor, paper windows and split log benches. His training at farm labor, however, was not meager as he carly took his place behind the plow and continued to assist his father upon the old homestead up to the time of his marriage. He first wedded Miss Catherine Coleman, also a native of Pickaway county, Ohio, and a daughter of John Coleman, who from early pioncer days in this county until his death, was a farmer here. Mr. Betzer lost his first wife July 12, 1898. They were the parents of four chil- dren : Louis E., who married Lena Griffin and resides on the old home farm in Whitmore township; Francis Carl, who wedded Lilly Crothers and also resides on the home place ; Alfred J., who is a conductor on a street car in St. Louis, Missouri; and Chester A., on the home farm. For his second wife Mr. Bet- zer chose Miss Daisy Kinney, a daughter of William and Jennie (Holt) Kinney. Her father was a native of North Carolina and there spent his early manhood upon a farm,
After his first marriage Mr. Betzer resided upon the home farm until the Civil war be- gan, when his patriotic spirit was aroused and he enlisted in Company A, Forty-first Regi- ment of Illinois Volunteers under Captain John Il. Nail and Colonel Isaac C. Pugh, of Decatur. His company took part in the en- gagements at Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and Shiloh, and while in the last named, on the 6th of April, 1862, Mr. Betzer was wounded by a bullet in his right leg and was badly in- jured. He lay in bed in Savannah for twenty- nine days and was then taken to Cincinnati for treatment. Some time later he was sent to Camp Denison, Ohio, where he was under the doctor's care until he received an honorable discharge on the 28th of September, 1862, and was then sent home.
Mr. Betzer then took charge of the old home farm which his father had secured and which he now owns. There he engaged in general farming for over sixty years. For the past fifteen years he has traveled quite extensively, visiting many points of scenic and of historic interest in this country and lic intends to visit Europe in the near future. In 1901 he decided to retire from farm work and removed to Decatur, but indolence and idleness are utterly foreign to his nature and he could not be con- tent to remain entirely without business in- terests so he purchased two acres of land near his present residence and engages to some ex- tent in gardening. His landed possessions are extensive and valuable. He still owns the old Betzer homestead, of three hundred and sev- enty-nine acres on sections 12 and 13. Whit- more township: one hundred and sixty acres in Pocahontas county, Jowa, which he rents and his nice home in Decatur.
For twenty years Mr. Betzer was a member of the school board in Whitmore township
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and was also commissioner there for several years. He takes a very active interest in politics and has always voted the Republican ticket, while his social relations connect him with the Grand Army of the Republic. If his personal recollection of people and events in Macon county were recorded it would be a picture of the county from pioneer times to the pres- ent and a history of its development to its splendid state of progress from a frontier dis- trict, often visited by the Indians. Through six decades his was an active and honorable business career and his success was most worthily won.
WALDEMAR F. HILVETY.
Starting out in life in Illinois as a farm hand when but seventeen years of age, Mr. Hilvety has steadily progressed until he is now accounted one of the men of affluence of the city of Decatur, where at the present time he is living retired, the fruits of his former earn- est and persistent toil supplying him with all the necessities and many of the luxuries of life. His home is at No. 1801 N. Edward street, and he first came to Macon county in 1873, although huis residence here has not been continuons.
Mr. Hilvety was born in Breslau, Prussia, September 7. 1840, and is a son of Felix Gabriel Hilvety, who, though of French de- scent, was born in Troppan, Austria, on the 24th of November, 1814. In early life the father went to Germany and was married in Niebusch, Prussia, November 28, 1837, to Sophia Caroline Ernestine Adelheid Beyrich, whose birth occurred in Wrietzen, Prussia, May 16, 1817. Abont 1847 the family came to America and located in New Jersey, where the father, who was a draftsman by occupa- tion, spent the greater part of his life, al- though he traveled quite extensively in dif- ferent cities of the east, working at his pro- fession. He is now deceased. A brother of
our subject, Victor F. Hilvety, is now a re- tired farmer and a near neighbor of Walde- mar Hilvety. He came to Macon county in 1872 and was married to Miss Frances MI. McKinnie, a cousin of his brother's wife. At the time of the Civil war Victor Hilvety loy- ally served the country as a Union soldier. Throughout his residence in Macon county he has followed farming until the last few years when, removing to Decatur, he put aside business cares and responsibilities and is now living retired.
In the schools of his native state Waldemar Hilvety pursued his studies but his educational privileges were somewhat limited as it was necessary that he begin to earn his own living at an early age. He was only seventeen years of age when he came to Illinois, arriving in November. 1857. Making his way to Spring- field he secured a position as a farm laborer near that city, and in the summer months worked in the fields while in the winter sea- sons he attended the public schools, desirous of gaining more advanced knowledge. He there remained for two years and then began farming on his own account, renting a tract of land in Springfield township, Sangamon county, on which he continued to live during his stay in that county.
Mr. Hilvety was married there February 23. 1865 to Miss Mary McKinnie, a native of that county, born November 27, 1841, and a daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Jones ) Mc- Kinnie, who were native of Kentucky and Vir- ginia, respectively. Her father was an early settler of Sangamon county and engaged in farming in Springfield township until his death. Mr. and Mrs. Hilvety began their domestic life upon the rented farm and there continued to reside until 1873. when they re- moved to Macon county, settling on a farm on section 2, Whitmore township, where Mr. Hilvety carried on agricultural pursuits for nineteen years. He placed his field under a high state of cultivation and annually har- vested good crops as the result of his labors.
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Removing to Piatt county, he purchased a tract of land in Cerro Gordo township and was there engaged in general farming for ten years. On the expiration of that period he came to Decatur and purchased his present residence, which he and his wife have since occupied, enjoying a well earned rest.
Mr. Hilvety has always taken a deep and commendable interest in politics-as every true American citizen should do-and has kept well informed on the questions of the day. lle is a stanch Republican and in early life knew Abraham Lincoln and was a Sun- day school classmate of Robert Lincoln, in the Second Presbyterian church of Spring- field. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hilvety hold mem- bership in the First Presbyterian church of Decatur and are deeply interested in the prog- ress and upbuilding of the organization. In his business undertakings Mr. Ililvety has pros- pered. When a young man he realized that there is no royal road to wealth and that the acquisition of a competence is always the result of some one's labor. In his case the labor has been his own, and his energy, determination and honorable dealing have been salient fea- tures in his prosperity.
CHARLES H. DEETZ.
Charles Il. Deetz is a well known con- tractor of Decatur and evidences of his handi- work are seen in some of the fine buildings of this city. lle was born in Cumberland, Maryland, on the 20th of July, 1849, and comes of one of the oldl families of Pennsyl- vania, his paternal grandfather. Thomas Deetz, having been a native of Chambersburg, thai state. Ile had six children : Margaret, who is the wife of Robert Laney; Samuel; Catherine, who is the wife of James McCol- loch: Mary, the wife of John W. Morris; John, who was a sokhier in the Mexican war and died from the effects of his wounds in 1862; and Belle, the wife of William Peck.
AH are now deceased. Sammel Deetz, the father of our subject, was born in Maryland and there spent his entire life engaged in busi- ness as a contractor and builder. lle erected many of the best buildings in the city of Cumberland and continued in active connection with that work there until the time of his death, which occurred when he was fifty-six years of age. In early manhood he had wedded Rachel Beltz, also a native of Mary- land and a daughter of Adam Beltz, who spent his early life in Bedford county, Penn- sylvania, in a locality known as Harmon's Bottoms. He afterward removed to North Carolina, where he lived the life of a planter and later he became a resident of Maryland. It was in the last named state that his daugh- ter Rachel was reared and married.
In a private school Charles 11. Deetz began his education and advanced to academic work, pursuing his studies in an academy until he attained the age of sixteen years, when he started out upon his business career. He be- gan to learn the mason's trade with his father and with him continued until 1880, during which time he mastered the business, becoming an expert workman. lle assisted in the erec- tion of some of the largest and best buildings in his native town. The father died in 1880 and in that year Charles H. Deetz received an appointment as a clerk in the postoffice in Cumberland, where he remained until May, 1883. when he severed the business connections that bound him to his native city and sought a home in Decatur, believing that he might have better opportunities in the west. Hle worked at his trade in this city for two years, being employed first as a brick-layer and then he began contracting and building on his own account in 1885. Since that time many im- portant contracts have been awarded him and he has erected many fine and substantial build- ings in Decatur, including the Pugh street school buikling, the north addition to the high school building, the F. B. Tait building, the Deck building and many of the best residences
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here. He has a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the builder's art and the mechanical principles which underlie construc- tion and his practical knowledge enables him to direct in a capable manner the efforts of those whom he employs. His business has now reached such extensive proportions that it is very profitable and Mr. Deetz is recog- nized as one of the leaders in this line of activity in the city.
In February, 1870, was celebrated the mar- riage of Charles H. Deetz and Miss Maggie Yantz, of Cumberland, Maryland. Their happy married life was of short duration for she died in 1874, leaving two children, Chaun- cey H. and Edward E. For his second wife Mr. Deetz chose Miss Mary E. Turner, a daughter of Thomas and Margaret ( Faro) Turner, of Cumberland, Maryland. Their children are Samuel F., Ruth, Irene M., Ber- tha I. and Guy W.
Mr. Deetz votes with the Republican party, with which he has long been identified, having firm faith in its principles and in their ulti- mate adoption for the good of the country. He is a member of Decatur Post, of the Fra- ternal Army and is a man of generous im- pulses, whose kindly spirit, beneficences and genial disposition have gained for him the respect, confidence, good will and warm friend- ship of many. He has been in the fullest sense the architect of his own fortunes and that he stands to-day among the prosperous citizens of Decatur is another proof of the saying that success is not a matter of genius, but the out- come of clear judgment and experience.
CHARLES C. LEFORGEE.
One of the prominent attorneys of Decatur is Charles C. LeForgee, whose history is in contradistinction to the old adage that a prophet is never without honor save in his own country, for in the city of his birth Mr. LeForgee has so directed his energies as to
gain recognition as a capable representative of his chosen calling. He was born in De- catur in 1867, his parents being Jesse and Julia A. E. LeForgee. The father, who is a prominent real estate dealer of this city, was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, on the Ist of January, 1833, and is a son of Ayers and Dorinda (Cassidy) LeForgee, who were like- wise natives of the Blue Grass state. The grandfather was a cabinet-maker by trade and died in the eighty-fourth year of his age. The great-grandfather of our subject was Abner LeForgee. Jesse LeForgee accompanied his parents on their removal from Fleming county to Illinois. Prior to this time he had acquired his education in a private school in Kentucky. Since 1856 he has resided continuously in this city and has been prominently and actively identified with its improvement and upbuild- ing, watching its growth from pioneer times down to the present. It is one of the best sections of the state and is noted for its varied and important industrial interests. In 1857 he was united in marriage to Miss Julia Small- wood, who was born, reared and educated in this city, a daughter of James M. and Ida Smallwood. Mr. and Mrs. LeForgee became the parents of two children. The daughter, Dorinda, is now the wife of John E. Patterson, a real-estate dealer of Decatur.
The only son is Charles C. LeForgee, who, having obtained his education in the public schools of Decatur, entered his father's office at the age of sixteen years and was thus initi- ated into the real estate business. He con- tinued with his father until almost twenty-one years of age, at which time he took up the study of law in the office and under the direc- tion of Judge William E. Nelson. Later he entered the Northwestern University at Evans- ton, Illinois, and was graduated on the com- pletion of the law course in 1889. Returning to his native city, he then opened an office here and has since continued in practice in Decatur. Professional advancement is proverbially slow and yet in a comparatively short time Mr.
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LeForgee obtained a practice which was notable both by reason of its extent and its character. He has been retained either as counsel for the defense or for the prosecution in a number of important cases, both civil and criminal, and is to-day recognized as one of the best trial lawyers in central Illinois. He masters his points in every particular and marshals the facts with military precision, being strong in argument, logical in his deduc- tions and clear in the presentation of his cases before judge or jury. It was in 1890 that he was admitted to the Decatur bar and in No- vember, 1895, was admitted to practice before the supreme court at Springfield.
Mr. LeForgee was united in marriage to Miss Isabel Vennigerholz, a daughter of Julius Il. and Isabel Vennigerholz. They now have two interesting children : Isabel Vallette and Charles G. In the city where his entire life has been passed Mr. LeForgee is well known and has gained for himself an enviable place at the bar. He possesses laudable ambition and strong determination to win success and he realizes that it must be gained through capa- bility and merit, for in no profession does advancement depend so largely upon the indi- vidual as in the law.
A. S. NESBITT, D. V. S.
Dr. A. S. Nesbitt has won success and prominence as a veterinary surgeon and is now practicing his profession in the city of Decatur. He was born in Texas township, Macon county, Illinois, on the 24th of June, 1867, and is a son of W. W. and Malissa ( Moore) Nesbitt. The father is a native of Ohio and in early life came to Macon county. The fam- ily is of German lineage. In the first part of his business career the father carried on car- pentering. At the time of the Civil war he responded to the country's call for aid, enlist- ing in the Union army as a member of the One Hundred and Seventh Illinois Volunteer
Regiment. He is now living in Maroa, this county.
Dr. Nesbitt pursued his literary education in the public schools and afterward entered upon the practice of veterinary surgery, having ac- quired considerable knowledge of the business, although he had not at that time been a student in any veterinary college. When two years had passed, desiring to still further perfect himself in this work by promoting his effi- ciency through a collegiate course, he entered the Chicago Veterinary College in the fall of 1892 and was graduated with the class of 1894. lle has always been an admirer of horses, having great love for the noble steed and it seems that nature intended that he should en- gage in this line of work, in which he has been very successful. Having completed all of the work that constitutes the curriculum as prescribed by the board of trustees of that school he passed an examination, graduating with honors. He then entered upon a coun- try practice in Maroa and his work there proved very lucrative and successful. After three years he accepted a position as assistant to the chair of theory and practice in Chicago Veterinary College in 1898, his excellent quali- fications enabling him to take this position. At the end of twelve months, however, he re- signed and resumed his country practice, which steadily grew in volume and importance, show- ing that his ability was recognized by the gen- eral public. He has still further perfected himself in the work by pursuing two courses in the science and art of orchotomy of crypt- orchids, pursuing one course in Minneapolis in 1803. after which he was given a diploma there. The first course was pursued at Saylor Springs, Illinois, in the practical demonstration of rigling castration and spaying, under the direction of Dr. F. M. Smith. In 1902 Dr. Nesbitt came to Decatur, locating in this city in the month of October and he now has a large professional business. He is a man of excellent judgment and very skillful in his practice. In 1887 the Doctor was united in
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