Portrait and bigraphical album of Livingston County, Ill. : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and biographies , Part 113

Author: Chapman Brothers (Chicago) publisher
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman brothers
Number of Pages: 1208

USA > Illinois > Livingston County > Portrait and bigraphical album of Livingston County, Ill. : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and biographies > Part 113

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SAAC P. McDOWELL, President of the First 1 National Bank of Fairbury, and one of the leading men of Livingston County, was born on the 17th of Angust, 1824, in Seioto County. Ohio. and is the son of John and Elizabeth ( Price) McDowell. the former a native of Woodford County. Ky .. and the latter of Chillicothe, Ohio. The father was born on the Ist of January, 1792, and died on the 16th of January. 1843, in the State of Indiana. he having moved to Montgomery County in that State in 1828. He was a farmer by occupation, and for many years filled the office of Justice of the Peace, and other township offices. Ile and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he was a Steward, and his dwelling was a place of worship for some years before church buildings had been established in that section of country.

The mother was born on the 30th of October. 179%. and died on the 10th of October. 1880, in Fairbry. IN. There were nine children : Jackson died at the age of twenty-two: Sarah A., Isaac P., Oliver P., Nelson S., Mary E .. James M., John V. and William H. 11. The latter was born in March,

1840, during the Harrison campaign, which ae- eouts doubtless for his name.

1saae P. McDowell was married, June 10. 1855. to Miss Jane Russell, born in Pickaway County. Ohio, in 1834. She is the daughter of William and Elizabeth (McArthur) Russell. Her father came from Virginia in early times, and settled in Ohio, where the capital of the State, Columbus. now stands. Mr. McDowell came to Illinois in 1850, and located four miles north of Fairbury, where he remained three years and then went to Pontiac. in which place be built the first business house of any consequence. which was occupied by the firm of Ladd. McDowell & McGregor, which they filled with goods to the amount of $20,000. Theirs were the first goods shipped on the Chicago & Alton Railroad to Pontiac, after it was finished through in June, 1854. Mr. McDowell remained in the firm two years, when he disposed of bis in- terest and returned to his farm, where he remained until the spring of 1864, when he came to Fair- bury and joined his brother, Nelson S. MeDowell, in the dry-goods business, continuing in this busi- ness for four years, and in the spring of 1872 es- tablished the First National Bank of Fairbury, with a capital of $50,000, of which bank he has continu - ously hekt the Presidency.

Mr. and Mrs. MeDowell have had six children. five of whom are living: Lillian died in infancy ; Thomas S. O., Elmer E., John V., Eva and Lura. Thomas S. O. MeDowell was elected Cashier of the First National Bank when in his nineteenth year, being the youngest National Bank Cashier in the United States: he has occupied that position ten years. Elmer E. was Assistant Cashier of this bank for three years, and on the Ist of May, 1886, became a Director and Cashier of the First Na- tional Bank at Fairbury, Neb., the county seat of Jefferson County, in which bank the MeDowell family have an interest, his brother, John V., taking his place in the Illinois bank. Thomas S. O. mar- ried in 1882, Miss Rose Cook, born in Richmond, Ind., in 1862, and has one child, Rose Lenore, now twenty months old. Thomas S. O. has been City Treasurer for a number of years, also one of the Allermen for several years, and is now City Clerk. Mrs. McDowell is the daughter of an old-time resi-

- Ly's

FARM RESIDENCE OF J. H. FRY, SEC. 4 , LONG' POINT TP.

SCALES.

RESIDENCE OF ANTON GSCHWENDTNER , SEC. 17, OWEGO TP.

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dent and representative family of Richmond. Ind., and a woman of refinement and education.

Isaac P. MeDowell and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has been a Steward for many years. At the age of six- teen he engaged in teaching, and continued for thir- teen years. his brothers and sisters all going to school to him. He is an ardent Republican, and in 1867-68 purchased the Fairbury Journal to keep it from falling into the hands of the Democrats, and when the right man came along he sold it, to be published as a Republican paper in the future.

AMES H. FRY, the owner of 251 acres of land on seetion 3, Long Point Township, of which 195 are under an excellent state of cultivation, is engaged in farming and also in stock-raising. He is a native of Illinois, being born in Warsaw, Dee. 19, 1849, and is the son of Solomon and Sarah (House) Fry, natives of Penn- sylvania and Connecticut respectively. The grand- father was Jacob Fry; the grandmother, Sarah Fry, was the daughter of George House. a native of En- gland. Solomon Fry, the father, now resides in Carthage, Mo., and is a brickmason by trade. He was a soldier in the late war, being a member of the 78th Illinois Infantry, in which he served three years. To Solomon and Sarah Fry were born four children-J. H., Harriett, Mary and William. Mary was born on the 27th of September, 1853, and now resides in Nebraska; she is the wife of Samuel Cox, who is a farmer, and they have a family of seven children. William was born on the 13th of May, 1856, and now resides in Streator; he married Georgia Buckley, and they have three children. Harriet was born on the 3d of November, 1861, and died on the 19th of January, 1863. After the death of the mother of onr subjeet the father mar- ried Ellen Polite, of Ohio, on the 30th of April, 1857. By this union there were three children : Richard, born March 15, 1858, died in infancy; Sarah Isabella, born March 19, 1860, married John Rankin, a farmer and stock-raiser, and lives in Missouri : she is the mother of three children, one of whom is deceased. Alva, born April 16, 1862,

died when one week old. The mother died at the birth of this child. Afterward Solomon Fry mar- ried Nancy Polite, a sister of his second wife, and to them were born Orpha B., March 29, 1866; Charlotte, Nov. 15, 1868; Olive, born March 4, 1872, died Dec. 22, 1875: Martin B., born Oct. 19, 1875; Charlie and Carl.

The subject of our sketch remained at home un- til the breaking out of the war, at which time his father entered the service and he went out to earn his own living. Mr. Fry was married, on the 23d of January, 1873, to Sarah Elizabeth Buckley, who was born on the 16th of May. 1852, in New Jersey. She is the daughter of Joel T. and Melinda ( Wil- son) Buekley, who were natives of New Jersey, and were the parents of the following-named children : Abner W., born May 6. 1845, was a member of Company F, 104th Illinois Infantry, in which he served for nearly three years; he was taken pris- oner at Hartsville, Ala., and died from overheat and typhoid fever, Jan. 27. 1863. Mary J., born Jan. 14, 1848, married James Paul, and is a physi- cian by profession, having been graduated at the Rush Medical College of Chicago; Margaret, born March 3, 1850, was educated in the schools at Galesburg, and has been engaged in school teach- ing; Sarah Elizabeth is the wife of our subjeet; George, born in 1854, died in 1855; Georgie was born March 7, 1856, and is now the wife of. Will- iam Fry ; Elsie B., born Nov. 5, 1858. is the wife of Fred Furguson, who is the Superintendent of the Streator Water-Works; Jessie, born June 29, 1860, is now attending Rush Medical College; Hattie, born May 14, 1863, is teaching school at Streator; Wendell Stonder is an adopted son in this family, who was born on the 4th of May, 1871, and adopted in 1872. Ile is living at home and attending the - High School.

To Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Fry bave been born three children: Renelda T., Nov. 12, 1873; Ora L., Dec. 6, 1875, and Adessa V., Sept. 11, 1877. Mr. Fry's farm is one of the finest in Long Point Township, and of the 251 acres of which it consists, 195 are under cultivation. The farm is enclosed by sub- stantial board fences, and the residence and barns are commodious and convenient. A view of the homestead is to be seen on an adjoining page. Mr.

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Fry is largely engaged in buying and selling, in addition to the raising of stock. He is considered one of the wide-awake business men of Long Point Township, and as such enjoys the confidence of the people. He is a member of the Republican party, which he gives a liberal support at all times. His excellent wife is connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which she evinces a lively interest. Both as citizens and neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Fry enjoy the respect and esteem of the en- tire community.

NTON GSCHWENDTNER. Few stop to think of the dangers which beset, and the hardships which have to be encountered by the people who were born in foreign coun- tries, and emigrated to the United States before the transportation lines were provided with the im- mense and commodious ships which ply between the two continents to-day. In crossing the ocean from the home of his youth to the land where he was to dwell in his after life, the subject of this sketch was out of sight of land sixty-three days, and the dreari- ness, as well as the danger. of over two months on the ocean. can be imagined. But he was willing to endure all these privations that he might obtain a home for himself in this country.

The subject of this sketch is a prominent farmer and stock-raiser on section 17, Owego Township, and is a native of Bavaria, Germany. He was born on the Ist of July, 1833, and remained in his na- tive country until he was twenty-five years of age, and secured a good education in his native language. In 1858 he took passage for America in a sailing- vessel at Bremen, and after a rough voyage of sixty-three days, landed at the city of Baltimore, and very soon afterward journeyed to the West, where he spent most of the time up to 1865 in La- Salle County. In that year he located in Living- -ton County, and settled on section 9 of Owego Township, where he lived until 1885, in which year he removed to hi- present farm, which consists of 303 acres of good land on section 17. When he landed in the United States he had about $75 in money, but by closely husbanding that amount un-

til he procured employment, he managed to escape without ever being bankrupt. llis aceumulations have been slow but sure.

In 1859 Mr. G. was married to Magdalena Brulek, who was also a native of Germany, and they have had eight children: Josephine. wife of Frederick Wright, of Chicago; George, Joseph, Frank, Anton, Ludwig, Emma and Lena.

Mr. and Mrs. Gschwendtner are members of the Catholic Church, but in his sentiments he is liberally inclined to both church and State. For the past twelve years he has served as School Director, and is at present serving as one of the School Trustees of Owego Township, and in these capacities has had an opportunity, which he has improved, of demon- strating how genuine a friend he is to educational interests, for he has liberally devoted his time and his money to that canse. In 1869 he gratified a long entertained desire to revisit Germany, and spent several months in Europe, during which time he visited England, France, and nearly all of the more important German States, returning in the spring of 1870, well satisfied that he had received full value for the money expended on the trip. In making his tour through that portion of Europe visited, he traveled deliberately, and visited all the points of interest to the intelligent tourist. IIe sus- tains very pleasant relations with the people by whom he is surrounded, and on account of his lib- erality and fairness in all matters is highly es- teemed.

It is with pleasure we present on an aecompany- ing page a view of the handsome home of Mr. Gschwendtner.

EREMIAH CLAY, who enjoys a fine reputa. tion for enterprise and popularity, is a farmer and stock-raiser on section 8, Odell Town- ship. He was born in Mifflin County, Pa., on the 10th of January, 1840, and was the eldest child in a family of twelve horn to Christopher and Rebecca (Lyter) Clay, who were also natives of Pennsylvania, where they were engaged in farming. The parents are both dead, the mother dying on the 10th of September, 1881, and the father on the

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21st of September, 1883, in Madison Township, Branch Co., Mich., where they settled in 1850. The father was a stanch Republican and during his whole life was active in politics. They were both members of the German Reformed Church, and were earnest Christian people during their entire lives. Their first church connections were as mem- bers of the Lutheran denomination.

Mr. Clay was reared to farm life and educated in the common schools. At an early age he worked away from home but made his home with his par- ents until twenty-four years of age. when he went to learn the trade of a carpenter, giving special at- tention to the details of house and barn building. and remained at this occupation three years. On the 10th of June, 1869, he was married to Miss Sarah A. llarris, who was born in Burr Oak Town- ship, St. Joseph Co., Mich., on the 3d of May, 1850, and was the second child in a family of five born to Harvey and Sarah (Stark) Harris, who were natives of New York, but early settlers of Michigan, locating there several years prior to 1840, at a time when the State was almost uninhabited by whites, and was a wilderness of forests. Mr. and Mrs. Clay first settled on a rented farm in St. Joseph County, where they remained one year, and then removed with Mrs. Clay's parents to Liv- ingston County, Ill., where they arrived on the 18th of March, 1870. Her parents bought the farm Mr. and Mrs. Clay now reside upon, consisting of eighty acres, and they all joined in cultivating it for the first two years. Mr. Clay then moved a short distance west and remained one year, and then north, where he remained on rented farms for two years. He then returned to his present residence' and upon the death of Mr. Harris purchased the farm from the widow, upon which he has since re- sided. He has materially added to the capacity of the house, and during the past year has erected a very commodious barn. He has improved the land and is engaged in stock-raising, his products inelud- ing Durham cattle, Norman and Golddust horses and Poland hogs.

Mr. and Mrs. Clay became the parents of three children, namely : Frank, who was born on the 16th of May, 1871; Flora Belle, who was born on the 30th of May, 1875, and died on the 28th of July; 1

1876; and George, who was born on the 31st of Au- gust, 1879. In January, 1887, they adopted Addie Belle ( Parker) Clay, born on the 9th of August, 1878, in Branch County, Mich., whose mother's maiden name was lIelen Shaw. Mr. Clay has served as Com- missioner of Highways and Road Overseer. In poli- ties he is a member of the Republican party, and takes quite an active interest, being a member of the County Central Committee and nearly always a dele- gate to the nominating conventions. He is a mem- ber of the 1. O. O. F., in which he occupies an exalted position. having risen to the highest ranks in the lodge at Pontiac; he is also a member of Odell Lodge No. 464; and a member of the Masonic Lodge at Odell as well as of the Independent Order of Mutual Aid, and from these bodies frequently goes as a delegate to the Grand Lodges. He is a very ardent secret society man, and to whatever order he belongs he contributes liberally of his time and means.

A. HECKELMAN, the manager of the lum- ber and building material business for The J. T. Bullard's Lumber Company at Cullom, resides on section 23, Sullivan Township, and is a young man of good business qualities. full of energy and enterprise, and performs with thor- oughness whatever he may undertake. He was born in Sullivan Township on the 29th of October, 1862, and.is the only child of his parents, John and Susan (Harshbarger) Heckelman. His father is a native of Germany, and possesses all the sterling traits of that nationality. Ilis mother was born in Virginia. The paternal grandparents were George and Eve Catherine Heckelman, and the maternal grandparents were Joseph and Auna Harsbarger. The father of our subject was a cooper by trade, which he learned when in the old country, and came to the United States at about the age of twenty-three. After arriving in this country he followed his trade, first in the city of Joliet and afterward in Wilmington. Ile first began farming in Grundy County, and in 1857 purchased eighty acres of wild prairie land in Livingston County, and moved upon this farm in 1858. llere he began in earnest the work of im-

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provement. and in the course of a few years had made a most excellent farm. Afterward he added eighty acres near Cullom, which he improved and upon which he erected a good house and barn. He continued farming with considerable sueeess until his death, which occurred on the 28th of Novem- ber. 1875. The mother of our subject survived her husband. and lives on the farm near Cullom.

Mr. leckelman was reared to farm life, and in his early days learned the details in all its depart- ments. Ilis education was obtained in the district schools, and since he has grown to man's estate he has been a constant reader. lle engaged in the lumber business for J. T. Bullard in January, 1885, and has conducted it successfully ever since. Ile is peculiarly adapted to this business, and mani- fests considerable enthusiasm in it.

Mr. Heckelman was married in Augusta County, Va., on the 13th of May, 1886, to Nellie Lee Baker, who was born on the 13th of July, 1864, in that State. She is the second child in a family of three born to Isaac and Elizabeth (Crawn) Baker, both of whom are natives of Virginia. Almost im- mediately after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Heckel- man came to Illinois and settled where they now reside. Mrs. Heckelman is a member of the Ger- man Reformed Church, and takes an active interest in the affairs of the congregation to which she be- longs. Mr. and Mrs. Heckelman have gathered around them a large circle of friends, who manifest upon every occasion the love and esteem they bear them.

J OHN SMITH, one of the leading and pro- gressive Germans of this part of Livingstou County, engaged in farming and stock-rais- ing on section 32, Long Point Township, was born in Bavaria, Germany, on the 21st of Jan- vary, 1848. Hle is the son of Jobn P. and Marga- ret (Graump) Schmidt, who were natives of Ger- many, the former born on the 1st of May, 1805, and the latter on the 6th of August, 1812. The mother was the daughter of Erhardt and Elizabeth (Hohm) Graump; the father was the son of John

and Barbara (Reupdecker) Schmidt, who came to America in the spring of 1856.

To John P. and Margaret Schmidt were born a large family of children, as follows: Charlie was born Sept. 16, 1829, married Miss Hess, and has eight children: Ann was born Feb. 13, 1833, mar- ried Henry Schmidt, and they have a family of three children; Fiatt was born Dec. 11, 1836, mar- ried Margaret Wisemiller, and they have a family of six children: John M. was born July 25, 1839, married Rachel llengway, and they had a family of six children: Barbara was born July 28, 1842, married John Smith, and they have a family of nine children ; Henry was born Jan. 3, 1845, mar- ried Kate Weisenmiller, and they have a family of thirteen children; John, the subject of this sketch; George was born Oet. 15, 1851, and married Carrie Smith; Margaret was born May 12, 1855, and died on the 14th of March, 1882, Minnie was born May 10, 1858, and died Dec. 30, 1882. She was the wife of William Sours, and left one child, who was one week old when its mother died.

On the 14th of September, 1876, the subject of this sketch married Miss Annie, daughter of Will- iam and Winifred Roach. She and her parents are natives of Ireland. Her brothers and sisters are named as follows: Bridget, Mary, Winifred, John and Peter. Bridget was first married to M. Pheney, and after his death she married P. Garaherty, and died in 1883, leaving three children; Mary was married to G. Matherson, and they have three chil- dren; Winifred married J. Pheney, and lives in New Orleans; John is married, and has a family of eight children; Peter married Kate Catharay, and has seven children. To Mr. and Mrs. John Smith there have been born three boys and one girl, as follows: Mary Margaret was born March 4, 1878; Willie, March 27, 1881; George, April 3, 1886, and Arthur, Nov. 5, 1887.

The parents of Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Lutheran and Catholic Churches respectively. In political matters, Mr. Smith acts with the Re- publican party, of which he is a faithful and enthu- siastic member. Ile now owns 320 acres of land, which is in a good state of cultivation, and con- tains first-class improvements, which have been made at an expense of $2,000. He now owns " Miroid,"

RESIDENCE OF LARS LEWIS, SEC. 7. BROUGHTON TOWNSHIP.

FARM RESIDENCE OF JOHN SMITH, SEC. 32. LONG POINT TOWNSHIP.

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a full-blooded Norman horse, which was imported at a considerable expense. In his farming and stock-raising operations, the latter including hogs and cattle as well as horses, he has been successful, and in both lines of business sets his standard of excellence high. He is one of the progressive Ger- man citizens of Long Point Township, and talks both his native and his adopted language fluently. He has endeared himself to the people of the sur- rounding country, among whom he numbers many warm and steadfast friends.

On an adjoining page of this volume will be found a view of Mr. Smith's residence.

Le ARS LEWIS, a representative farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 7, Brough- ton Township, is a native of Norway, where he was born Sept. 22, 1835. He is the son of O. K. and Ann M. Lewis, also natives of Norway, the former of whom is deceased. In 1841 he immi- grated with his parents to America, landing at New York, and going direct to Wisconsin, where the family resided four years, and then came to La- Salle County, IN., where our subject was reared to manhood. Ilis parents had nine children, of whom three survive, namely : O. H., Jacob S, and Lars.

The subject of this sketch received but a limited education, which he gained in the common schools of the county, and has been a life-long farmer. On the 5th of March, 1857, he was united in mar- riage with Miss Ann Olson, a native of Norway, where she was born June 14, 1835. She is the daughter of Austin and Carrie Olson, and immi- grated to America with her parents in 1842, first locating in Wisconsin, where they remained two years, and where her father died. The widow and her children then removed to LaSalle County, Ill., where the mother died Feb. 5, 1855.

To Mr. and Mrs. Lewis have been born ten chil- dren, as follows; Jesse E. was born Jan. 6, 1858; Benjamin C., April 5, 1859; Charles A., Oct. 27, 1862; Carrie M., Aug. 11, 1864; Andrew S .. Sept. Our subjeet was born in Washington County, Pa., July 23, 1824. and is the scion of a family widely and favorably known throughout that 3, 1866; Mary A .. March 11, 1869; Alyda L., April 16, 1871; Emma E., Oct. 21, 1873; William A., Oct. 12, 1876, and Zenas J., June 22, 1880. . region. Ilis paternal great-grandfather, Abraham

In 1875 Mr. Lewis with his family, came to Liv- ingston County and settled on his present farm, which consists of 320 acres of good land. which has been brought to a fine state of cultivation, and is one of the best farms in Broughton Township. It is well supplied with modern farm buildings, of which a view is shown elsewhere in this ALBUM.

Mr. and Mrs. Lewis are members of the Latter- Day Saints Church, while in politics Mr. Lewis is independent, having, however, prohibition tenden- cies. Although in no sense a politician, he keeps himself well informed on current events of the day, and the high regard and esteem in which he is held in the community where he lives, are evidenced by the fact that he has been called upon several times to fill local offices. He has served as Road Com- missioner several years, and has also filled the office of School Director. Ile is an active promoter of all social and political movements which have for their object the improvement of society.

6 HOMAS LIGGITT, a pioneer of Nevada Township. came to this section of country when only a small area bad been turned by the plowshare, and, with a few adventurous spirits scattered here and there, set about the establishment of a home in the wilderness. Ile had little to en- courage him at the start, being comparatively with- out means and obliged to operate under the disad- vantages of crude implements. a distant market, and all the other difficulties of life in a new country. In looking upon his sung homestead to-day, it woukl seem that he might be entirely satisfied with the result of his labors. He has a quarter section of linely cultivated land, with neat and substantial buildings, fruit and shade trees, modern farm machinery and a choice assortment of live stock. Aside from this he has also invested a snug sum of money in property across the Father of Waters in the State of Nebraska, where he owns 240 acres in Valley County, managed by his son Thomas.

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Portrait and bigraphical album of Livingston County, Ill. : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and biographies , Part 113

Author: Chapman Brothers (Chicago) publisher Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman brothers Number of Pages: 1208

Author: Chapman Brothers (Chicago) publisher
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman brothers
Number of Pages: 1208