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 123

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 123

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John Christmann was born in 1815. in loch- stetten. Germany, where he received a good com- mon school education, and learned the rudiments of farming, remaining till twenty-one years of age,

when, in the year 1866, he came to this country and began farming. In 1879 he married Miss Barbara, daughter of George S. Burger, of Grundy County, Ill .. formerly a resident of Germany. To them have been born fonr bright and intelligent children : Lonie J., George M., Margaret E. and Fred L. In 1878 Mr. Christmann bought the farm on which he is now located, consisting of 160 acres of land, located near Dwight. and on which he is pleasantly situated and comfortably surrounded.

Through his own efforts. cordially seconded by those of his wife, Mr. Christmann has accumulated a handsome property, which is not only valuable bnt affords him the means of making an excellent livelihood for himself and those dependent upon him. In political matters Mr. Christmann aets with the Democratic party, but not from selfish motives, as he has never been a seeker after otlice. Ou account of his ability and interest in educational matters he has been chosen a member of the School Board of Dwight Township. He and his wife are both members of the Lutheran Church, and are active participants in the affairs of the congrega- tion to which they belong. He is a sturdy, good citizen, meriting and receiving the esteem and re- spect of his neighbors.

AMITEL S. ROGERS, proprietor and offi- ciating as mine host of the Fairbury House, located at the corner of Walnut and Fourth streets, purchased this property in 1868, and after his location here was at onee recognized as a valuable accession to the community. He is a gentleman of good family, possesses the quality of sound common sense, and seems finely adapted to his chosen ealling.

Our subject was born in the town of Peru, Clin- ton Co., N. Y., Feb. 8, 1821, and is the son of James and Sarah ( Keese) Rogers, who were among the most worthy members of the Society of Friends. James Rogers first saw light in the town made illus. trious by the birth, in 1790, of the great States- man, Daniel Webster, Marshfield, Mass., and in

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early manhood followed farming for a number of 14, 1854, and they became the parents of two chil- dren-Henry f. and Mabel. Henry IL., a studious and intelligent youth, was graduated from the Na- val Academy at Annapolis, Md., but, ou account years. Later he interested himself in mercantile pursuits, and traveled in the interests of a Boston iron foundry, selling plows. Hle first introduced into the States of Maine, Vermont and New Hamp- , of the attacks of sea-sickness which he invariably shire the cast-iron plow, which was the first inno- experienced on the water. was obliged to abandon the profession which he had hoped to follow in life. He then entered the Medical School at Ann Arbor, Mich .. where he remained two years, after which he spent two years in teaching, and then entered the Medical School at Louisville, Ky., where he was graduated. He commenced the practice of medi- cine near Bloomington, Ill., but finding it uncon- genial to his tastes, he resumed teaching, and is now Principal of the school at Iligliland Park, Cook County. Mabel, a bright and intelligent young lady, was graduated from the Fairbury High School and completed her studies at the Wesleyan College at Bloomington. The mother of these children de- parted this life at her home in Fairbury, Nov. 17. 1870, and her remains were laid to rest in the cem- etery at that place. vation over the old wooden implement with which the agriculturists of New England laboriousty turned the sod. Ile subsequently eame to the West, and spent his last years at Fairbury, Ill., his death taking place about 1868. While in Massa- chusetts and upon retiring from his position as a traveling salesman, he purchased hotel property, and at a cost of $100 put up a sign which was simply lettered " The Boston Hotel. J. Rogers." Upon going to Augusta, Me., he was first identi- fied with the Attean Land Association, and super- intended the manufacture of lumber which, with logs, he rafted down the River Kennebec to market at Bath. He then engaged in merchandising in Augusta and invested a considerable sum of money in 600 acres of land in Kennebec County. He re- mained in that region until the spring of 1862, and then came to this county, after which he lived mostly retired from active labor.

Samuel S. Rogers completed his education in the schools of Boston, Mass., and remained in the city, employed at clerking for several years. He then located in Augusta, Me., and entering into partner- ship with his brother-in-law, John J. Fuller, under the firm name of Fuller & Rogers, carried on for ten years following a prosperous trade in groceries. They sold out in 1860, and our subject came to Fairbury, where he was engaged as salesman and accountant for about ten years. He then engaged in the hardware business with Henry Kingman, un- der the firm name of Kingman & Rogers, until 1876, when he sold out to take possession of his hotel, the Fairbury House, which is considered the best hotel in this part of the country, and those who put up there once invariably return to it if they can by any means. make it convenient to do so. Mine host gives the utmost attention to the comfort of his guests, and the house is kept up in a first-class manner.

Mr. Rogers, while a resident of Augusta, was united in marriage with Miss Louisa Norris. July

Mr. Rogers was a second time married, March 26, 1872, to Mrs. Caroline A. (Straight) Mattoon, who was born in Chautauqua County, N. Y., Feb. 18, 1836, and is the daughter of Arby P. and Phi- lena (Simmons) Straight, natives of Washington County, N. Y. Both parents were born in 1803, and are still living, the father a hale and intelligent old gentleman, and the mother possessing much of the activity of her early life. Mr. Straight fol- lowed the occupation of a farmer, and the parental household included twelve children, namely : Em- ily A., now Mrs. N. C. Johnson; Mary, Mrs. James H. Odell ; Alonzo A., Levi F., David E., Rufus C .. Caroline A., William J., Hiram J., Milton 11., Le- ander L., and one who died in infancy unnamed.

Mrs. Rogers received her early education in the little log school-house near her home in Chautau- qua County, N. Y., and was first married in 1857, her husband being Franklin A. Mattoon, who died in 1861. Her two children by this marriage were Mary and F. Glenn. Mary is now Mrs. William M. Butler, of Cairo, Ill., and the mother of one child, a son, Comfort. Mr. Butler was graduated from the Law School of Albany, N. Y .. and is now State's Attorney of Alexander County, Ill. F.

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Glenn is located at Hancock. Dak., where he has been employed in farming and teaching during the last seven year -.

Mrs. Caroline A. Roger- was a teacher in the High School of Fairbury for a period of ten years, and a lady greatly beloved for her rare virtues and amiability. Her daughter Mary possesses the lov- able traits of her mother, and like her. became a teacher, in which profession she was engaged six years before her marriage.

Our subject, politically, is a Republican of the first water. and although not connected with any church organization, is one of the stanehest friends of morality and education. Mrs. Rogers is a Meth- odist, and an active member of the church at Fair- bury. Ill.

O.SEPII PROESEL. Of the natives of the German Empire the Bavarians stand as an industrious, frugal and intelligent people. Their country is situated favorably for the production of hardly men and women, such as only mountainon- countries can produce. The climate of Bavaria, not withstanding the mountainous typog- raphy of the country. i- temperate and exceed- ingly -alubrious, and has a tendency to produce robustness. The people of the country districts are agriculturi-ts and cattle raisers, and are very thor- ough in the cultivation of the soil. Public instruc- tion is somewhat more limited in Bavaria than in wane of the other German States, but upon the whole the people are intelligent and fairly well edu-

The subject of this sketch, who is a farmer on sec- tion 30 of Pontiac Township. is a native of Bavaria, where he was born on the 15th of June, 1827, and is the son of George and Magdalene Proesel, both of German nativity. He received all the advan- tages of a common-school education possible in his Native land. and in hi- eighteenth year accompanied hi- parent- when they emigrated to America. Pas- -age was taken at Bremen on a sailing-vessel, and atter a tempestuous voyage of sixty-two days they landed in New York City. Thence they secured

passage on a boat up the Hudson River to Albany. and from there took an Erie Canal boat to Buffalo. requiring two weeks to make the trip from New York to that place. From the latter city they took passage by way of the Great Lakes to ('hieago, which they reached in ten days, and settled in Niles Township. Cook County, where the father died in August. 1884: the mother still reside> in Cook County, IH.

The subject of this sketch remained in Cook County until 1864. in which year he came to Liv- ingston County, where he located in Owego Town- ship, and remained there until the fall of 1869, when he removed to his present farm on section 30, Pontiac Township. He was married, on the 1st of May, 1849, to Miss Margaret Alles. a native of Germany, and at that time a resident of Cook County. Her parents were Wendell and Margaret ( Wagner) Alles, both natives of Germany, who emigrated to America about the year 1834, and a few years later settled in Cook County. With their family of seven children they landed in New York and remained two years in that city, where the father was employed at his trade of blacksmithing. In 1836 they started for Chicago, going by the Hudson River and the Erie Canal to Buffalo, and thence hy the Lakes in a vessel to Chicago, where they arrived in four weeks. Mr. Alles with his family settled seventeen miles north of the city on what was then known as Gross Point, but at a later day was named New Drear, and was the first Ger- man settler in that part of Cook County. He built the first log Catholic Church, and is buried with his wife on the grounds where the Church stood. He was an industrious, enterprising man, and ae- cumulated a good property.

To Mr. and Mrs. Proesel have been born five chil- dren, recorded as follows: George J. lives at Gales- burg, Ill .; Mary is the wife of Henry Graber, of Pontiac: Catherine is the wife of E. F. Schultz, of Pontiac; John W. lives in Champaign, and William J. at home. Mr. Proesel owns 153 acres of good Imid, which is under a high state of cultivation. In political matters he is very independent and has not lately affiliated with either of the old party organ- izations. He has held several responsible official positions, including three terms or nine years as

Sincerely Yours C. C. Shaun

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LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

Sehool Dircetor in Pontiac Township, and Assessor one term and School Director one term in Owego Township. He is a devoted member of the Roman Catholic Church, while he and his wife oceupy an enviable position in society by which they are sur- rounded. A view of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Proesel is shown elsewhere in this work.

ON. CHRISTOPHER C. STRAWN, of the firm of Strawn & Patton, attorneys-at-law, Pontiac, is one of the notable men of Illi- nois. His legal experience embraces a pe- riod of nearly twenty-five years, during which time he has been the conservator of important interests and has had an opportunity of developing his nat- ural talent in the field to which he seems remarka- bly adapted. He is a man of general eulture, and has a fine and discriminating taste in literature, and this, together with his marked legal talent, places him in the front rank, not only of his profession, but in the refined social circles, where he is a gen- eral favorite. He presents a finely developed man- hood, being in the prime of life and of fine per- sonal appearance. In political cireles, although un- restrained by party lines and nearly gaining the appellation of an Independent, his leanings are strongly toward Republican principles.

Mr. Strawn is a native of LaSalle County, this State, and was born in Ottawa, Ang. 22, 1841. The Strawn family for nearly a century has been noted throughout the West, where its members have been largely engaged as farmers and stock-breeders, and have possessed robust health, fine constitutions and great integrity in their business transactions. The parents of Christopher C., Eli and Eleanor ( Broad- dns) Strawn, were natives respectively of Ohio and Virginia. Ilis paternal grandparents, Jeremiah and Hannah (Boncher) Strawn. were natives of Penn- sylvania, as was also the great-grandfather, Isaialı, who was of Seotch aneestry. Almost without ex- ception the members of the family were agrieult- urists and stock-raisers for several generations. The mother of our subject was the daughter of Lunsford Broaddus, who for many years conducted a tobacco plantation in Virginia, which was worked by slaves. He was a man of much philanthrophy,

and being convinced that the "peculiar institution" was radically wrong, liberated his slaves and re- moved to the free North, taking up his location in Laeon, Marshall County, thi- State. Here he ear- ried on general farming extensively, and spent the remainder of his life, his death taking place in 1865.

Jeremiah Strawn removed from his native State to Illinois in 1830, settling in Putnam County, and engaged largely in farming. During the Black Hawk War he officiated as Quartermaster, and abont 1857 removed to Ottawa, where he lived retired from active labor until his death in 1883. Ile had three brothers who also settled in Illinois. These were, JJacob, who went to Morgan County; John, who settled in Marshall County, and Joel, in LaSalle County. All were extensive stockmen and far- mers, and all reared large families and became prominent in the counties where they lived.

Eli, the father of our subjeet. settled in Ottawa when comparatively young in years, and like the other men of his family, also engaged in farming and stock-raising until resting from his earthly la- bors, his death taking place in 1887. The wife and mother had preceded her husband to the silent land about thirty-six years before. her death taking place in 1861. Of their six children, Louisa died in in- fancy ; Christopher C., our subject, was next in or- der of birth; Franklin settled on the other side of the Mississippi, and is one of the prominent stock- men of Kansas; Martha, Mrs. Barry, is residing in Chicago; Nancy, Mrs. Thompson, is the wife of a prominent business man of Lacon, Marshall County : Henry is engaged extensively as a horse dealer in Kansas, and Douglas, who died when a yonth. Eli Strawn, like his brothers, secured wealth and prom- inence, and held the varions local offices, represent- ing his township in the Board of Supervisors, and was frequently called to positions of trust and re- sponsibility. He was Republican in polities, and with his estimable wife. a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Christopher C. Strawn spent his boyhood upon his father's farm, near the city of Ottawa, pursuing his studies in the common sehools until a youth of eigliteen years. He then entered the Northwestern University at Evanston. In 1860 he left this in-

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stitution to attend the Law School, at Albany. N. Y .. but in February following was called home on account of the serious illness of his mother, and which illness resulted in her death. After the du- ties attendant upon this sad interval, he commenced reading law in the office of Wallace & Dickey. where he continued until the outbreak of the Re- bellion. In April, under the first call for troops, he enlisted in the three-months service, from La- Salle County, in Company I, 11th Illinois Infantry, with which he served his time, and then, anxious to pursue his chosen profession, returned home and resumed his studies in the office of Arrington & Dent, of Chicago.

Young Strawn was admitted to the bar in Jann- ary. 1563, not long after reaching his majority. He entered upon the practice of his profession in Chi- eago, continued there until 1864, and the year fol- lowing practiced in Ottawa. He then removed to Omaha. Neb .. and was there also a year. In 1867 he located in Pontiac, and soon afterward was ap- pointeil by Gov. Palmer to the office of State's At- torney for the old Twentieth Judicial Circuit, to fill a vacancy. The duties of this office he dis- charged with great energy and ability. He has -ince that time been steadily rising in the profes- sion, and now rank- among the foremost lawyers of Illinois. Of late years he has won much credit and a fine income in the management of large real es- tate interests in the Circuit Court of LaSalle County and in the Supreme Court of the State. In the pur- suance of difficult and intricate litigation he has been successful where the majority would have failed. on account of his peculiar faculty for ferret- ing ont every fact and circumstance attending each transaction which would benefit his side of the case. It i- this persistence. together with his general knowledge of common law and his remarkable mem- ory. that have given him such signal success. The extent of hi- business transactions necessitated the ofx-ning by Mr. Strawn of an office in the city of Chicago, and in connection with his partner, Mr. G. W. Patton. a very promising and rapidly rising lawyer of Pontiac. he attends to at constantly in- creating amount of professional business at both citie -. At rare interval- Mr. Strawu has turned aside for a tilt in politics, but has seldom worked

well in party harness, being too independent to please the machine politicians.

In 1878 Mr. S. was a candidate for Congress on the Greenback ticket, against Col. Greenbury L. Fort (Republican ) and Thomas M. Shaw (Democrat). The Republican majority in this distriet heretofore had been about 3,500. Mr. Strawn made a very strong canvass, having reduced the Republican ma- jority to a minority in this district. Col. Fort, however, received a plurality of the votes cast, and was therefore elected. This ripple upon the cur- rent of his life had comparatively little effect upon Mr. Strawn. and he pursued the even tenor of his way with his law practice, successfully and thor- oughly as before. He has been City Attorney of Pontiac many times, and was attorney for the Board of Supervisors for a period of fourteen years. The firm has now the law business of the Chicago & Alton, the Illinois Central and the Atchison, To- peka & Santa Fe Railroad Companies.

The lady who for the last twenty-five years has presided with grace and dignity over the home of our subject, and to whom he was married in Chi- cago in 1863, was formerly Miss Clara F., daughter of Maj. John B. Bourvain, late of that city. He served in the army of the First Napoleon as one of his bodyguard, and was with him during the re- treat from Moscow and in the last fatal battle, that of Waterloo. To Mr. and Mrs. Strawn there have been born four children, of whom only two are liv- ing-Louis F. and Roseoe B.

Hon. C. C. Strawn stands high in the legal pro- fession of Illinois, but better than all, he is regarded as an honest man. conscientious in his labors, and as a citizen, a man generally interested in the wel- fare of his community, and it is with pleasure that we present his portrait in this volume.

OIIN HARRIS. Livingston County con_ tains among her citizens quite a number who were born in England, and chose to avail themselves of the opportunities this country affords for becoming ample land-holders. Of these we give with pleasure a biographical sketch of Mr. Harris, who is a representative farmer and stock-

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raiser of Saunemin Township. Our subject was born in Devonshire, England, in the spring of 1849, and is the son of William and Mary Harris, both natives of England.

In the spring of 1851 William and Mary Harris emigrated to America, and immediately coming to Illinois, settled in LaSalle County. There they re- mained five years, and then came to Livingston County where they settled in Owego Township, and established for themselves a comfortable home, where they resided for several years. They then removed to Saunemin Township, where they pur- chased and lived on the farm now owned by Joshua Chesebro, and subsequently the father moved to Normal, Ill., where he now resides. The parents had a family of eight children, of whom six are now living-William T., Thomas Y., John, Mary. James and Wesley. The mother of these children died in February, 1869, and the father was married a second time, to Miss Mary Miller, who bore him one child, whom they named Nettie.

Our subject having come to Illinois when but two or three years of age, has virtually been a resi- dent of this State since he was old enough to re- member. While a boy he attended the common schools of this county, at which he received a very fair education. He early began to learn the de- tails of farm work, and has followed the occupation of a farmer all his life. On the 8th of January, 1870, Mr. Harris was married to Miss Mary Boyd, a native of Pennsylvania, who was born in Decem- ber, 1851. She is the daughter of Benjamin and Annie Boyd. who are both natives of Ireland, and now reside in Buffalo County. Neb. They have nine children living -- Benjamin, Mary, Alexander, Elizabeth, James, William, Thomas, Anna and John. Sadie is deceased, having died Ang. 9, 1887, aged nineteen years and six months. Six children have been the result of the marriage of Mr. Harris and Miss Boyd, and their names and dates of birth are as follows: John W. was born Dec. 18, 1870; Ben- jamin B., Dec. 21, 1872; Harry M., April 17, 1875; Annie J., Jan. 27, 1878; Arthur L., April 3, 1881, and Clarence L., Aug. 13. 1887.

Mr. Harris' farm consists of eighty acres of land which is very productive and easy of cultivation. He has constructed a good class of improvements

and been successful in all his undertakings. Ile and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has officiated as Steward and Trustee. Politically Mr. Harris is a Republican, regularly voting the ticket, and approves of the platforms adopted by that party. He has served the people of his school district to their satisfaction as a Director of Schools. lle and his wife are both highly esteemed members of society, and en- joy the respect of a large circle of friends and ac- quaintances.

W ILLIAM REED, an ex-soldier of the Union army, and now one of the most prosperous farmers of Pleasant Ridge Township, lo- cated on the land which he now occupies soon after the close of the late war. He has a farm of 157 aeres under a fine state of cultivation, and supplied with good buildings, while in addition to general agriculture, he has given considerable attention to the breeding of fine stock. He bears the reputation of being a useful and reliable citizen, straightfor- ward and enterprising, and has contributed his full share toward the building up of the township, em- bellishing it with one of the finest homesteads in the landscape.

Some of the finest people in the Mississippi Valley emigrated from the State of Ohio. Of this State our subject is a native, and born in Madi- son Township, Fairfield County, May 12, 1829. He is the son of Noah and Elizabeth (Stahl) Reed, who were born in Delaware, the father in 1803, and the mother a few years later. Noah Reed mi- grated to Ohio during the early settlement of Fair- field County, where he opened up a farm and was en- gaged in tilling the soil until called from his earthly labors, his death taking place in 1857. The mother had crossed over the river several years before, while a young woman. She was a lady greatly be- loved by her family and friends, and a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their children were named respectively : Samnel, Maria, Silas, Catherine, Josiah, John, Nehemiah, William, Eliza and Keziah.

William Reed came to Illinois in the spring of

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1855, when a young man twenty - six years of age. andI purchased forty acres of land in Pleasant Ridge Township, this county. He followed farming until after the outbreak of the late war, and although just beginning operations, which, if interrupted, would entail upon him great inconvenience and probable los, he could not stitle the voice of conscience and duty. and offered himself to the Union service, enlisting in Company E. 129th Ilinois Infantry. Hle wa- mustered in at Pontiac. Aug. 28. 1862. and served for three years. participating in all the prin- cipal battles of the southwest. and many of those in the southeast. They were first detailed to the latter section of country, where the regiment met the enemy at Resaca. Ga. They afterward went into camp at Nashville, and in October they were sent in pursuit of Bragg's retreating army. After the engagement- at Burnt Hickory and Buzzard's Roost, the company of which Mr. Reed was a member was detailed a- a part of the guard for the Chatta- Honga Railroad. Although suffering the ordinary trials and hardship- of army life. Mr. Reed fortu- Dately escaped serious illness, wounds and capture. and at the close of the war received his honorable discharge in the city of Washington, D. C .. on the sth of June. 1865.

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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 123

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