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 124

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 124

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Mr. Reed. upon entering the army, had not only left his property, but a wife and family, he having been married. Feb. 10, 1852, to Mis- Catherine Veatch. Mrs. Reed. like her husband. was born in Ohio, in 1837. and of their union were born six children, namely : Amos W .. Melissa; John, who died in infancy; Sarah. Robert W. and Inis Ida. The wife and mother departed this life at her home. Feb. 22. 1866. She was a lady of great personal worth. and a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Reed was again married, Ang. 4. 1867. to Mr -. Mary L. Moorhead, who be- came the mother of three children: Albert .l., who was born May 2. 1868: Minnie (. May 12. 1871. and George W .. Ang. 15. 1873. This lady died on the foth of February. 1876, aged thirty-two years and thirteen day -.

The present wife of our subject. to whom he was married Off. 11. 1976, was formerly Miss Doma A. Ortman, a lady of fermate ancestry, who was born in Germany. in February. 1x56. Her parents, lo-

-eph and Dora (Hartman) Ortman, emigrated to America in 1862. locating in Rook's Creek Town- ship. where the father engaged in farming, but only lived two years after crossing the Atlantic: the mother is living near Chatsworth. By this mar- ringe Mr. Reed became the father of three children : Joseph G., who was born Feb, 10, 1879; Mande, Feb. 28, 1881, and Laura E .. JJan. 24, 1887.

F6 ATHIER HAGAN, the Pastor of St. Pat- rick's Church, Chatsworth, was born in Hol- land, Oct. 27. 1834, and was educated for the priesthood at the University of Louvain in Belgium, one of the most noted institutions of learning in the world. and was in a class of 975 students. He was ordained as a priest in July. 1868, at Malines, Belgium, and three months after graduating emigrated to the United States, where he was first stationed at the cathedral at Louisville, Ky .. subsequently becoming pastor of St. Joseph's German Church, Louisville.

In 1874 the subject of this sketch took charge of St. Louis' Church at Henderson, Ky., and from there he came to Bishop Spaulding's diocese, in Illinois, when in March, 1881, he was appointed to the charge at Chatsworth and also otliciated through his assistant at Piper City, Forest and Cullom. The church at Chatsworth was built in 1864, and was dedicated on the 17th of March, 1865, to St. Pat- rick, by Rev. Thomas Roy, President of St. Vistenr's College, Kankakee. The church is a frame building costing about $4.000, and was crected under the pastor, Rev. John A. Fanning, of Fairbury. It was made an independent mission July 22. 1867, when Rev. Roy was succeeded by Rev. L. Moyihan.

In 1883 Father Hagan built St. Patrick's Acad- amy at Chatsworth, at which six sisters are em- ployed in teaching. The building cost over $10.000, and the average attendance is ninety students. Under Father Hagan's administration' all the-prop- erty connected with the church has been materially improved. He has reserved grounds adjoining the academy on which to ereet a brick church building, the construction of which will soon be begun. When he came to Chatsworth the church was badly

ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH, ACADEMY AND PASTORAL RESIDENCE, CHATSWORTH, ILL. REV. FATHER HAGEN. PASTOR.

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in debt, but by advancing $5,000 himself the debt was liquidated and the academy and parsonage were built, and now Father Hagan offers $5,000 toward the erection of a new brick church. The church at Chatsworth receives as much service as any in the larger cities, there being on each Sunday Mass twice, two sermons, vespers, benediction and special instruction. Under his immediate charge and whose spiritual welfare he guards, there are 150 families at Chatsworth, 75 at Piper City, 95 at Cullom and 15 at Forest.

Father Hagan is much beloved by all the men- bers of his various congregations, over whom he wields a most beneficent influence. He is a man of broad and progressive ideas, and his life is wrapt up in the prosperity and progress of his church.

A view of St. Patrick's Church, Academy and the Pastor's residence, is presented in this work.

G EORGE B. GRAY, one of the prominent men in political and church matters and public affairs of Livingston County, is a farmer, stock raiser and dealer on section 18. Rook's Creek Township. Ile is the son of Walter and Eliza (Calvert) Gray, and was born on the 3d of October, 1834, in Genesee County, N. Y. He was married, on the 19th of November, 1857, to Martha A. Boynton, who was born in Gaines, Orleans Co., N. Y .. on the 16th of June, 1835. and is the daughter of John and Mary R. ( Baker) Boynton.

Mr. Gray came to Rook's Creek Township on the 22d of March, 1858, and first purchased a half ser- tion of land to which he afterward added another half section, on a portion of which Graymont, which was named in his honor, now stands; he also owns an interest in a stock ranch in Montana. Mr. Gray and his wife were in the railroad wreck at Chats- worth, on the 10th of Angust, 1887, the details of which shocked the world, but with the exception of a great nervous shock to Mrs. Gray, neither re- ceived serious injury.

Mr. Gray's father was a native of Scotland, where he was born in November, 1779, and came to this country with his parents, George and Agnes Gray,

when about two and one-half years old. They located in Livingston County, N. Y., where the father followed the occupation of a farmer. The grandfather had six sons and three daughters, who were named as follows: William. John, Andrew, Walter, Michael, George, Margaret, Ann and Bet- sey. William married, and dying, left three sons and four daughters; John married, and died leav- ing a son and daughter; Andrew married, and at his death lett two sons-Abraham and George: Walter was the father of the subject of this sketch : Michael married and is deceased, leaving four sons and two daughters; George was born in 1810, mar- ried Jane Charlton, a native of New York, and they now live in Lyndoch, Norfolk Co., Ontario, Canada, where they have seven children-Thomas, Adam, George. Agnes, Ellen, Jennie and Margaret. Mar- garet married Daniel Christie, and dying left two children-George and Margaret; Ann married Adam Charlton, to whom she bore a family of four sons and four daughters-John, Ellen, George, Amie, Thomas, Margaret, William and Agnes; she is now deceased. Betsey married Lewis Tuttle, and at her death left six children-Henry, Agnes, Mar- garet, Charlotte, Elizabeth and George.

The parental family of our subject included eight children, who were named as follows : William, Louisa. Margaret, George B., Robert, Margaret (2d), Agnes and Euphemia. William was born Nov. 22, 1827, and was married three times, hi- first wife be- ing Delia Fuller, who became the mother of two children-Clarence and Scott. The second wife. Hannah Clark. had also two children. William and Clara, and the third wife, Mary Sinclair, had two children. Clara and John; William now lives in Orleans County. N. Y., and is the proprietor of a foundry and machine shop. Louisa, Mrs. Owen D. Phelps, has no children, and lives in Orleans County, N. Y .: Margaret died in infancy ; George B., the subject of this sketch, has one daughter, Nellie A. Gray, who was born on the 9th of September. 1862, married Clark E. Legg, and now lives in Pontiac; Robert married Hattie E. Coleman, has two chil- dren, Walter and Libbie, and lives in Orleans Coun- ty, N. Y .: Margaret married John Mallett. has one child, Watson G., and lives in Orleans County, N. Y .; Agnes married Rowley Gay, and died June 4.

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1856, leaving no children : Euphemia married Lewis Swift, has five children. and lives in Orleans County. N. Y.

While living in New York. Mr. Gray obtained a common-school education, working nine months in the year on the farm. and attending school three months during the winter, providing he could be spared from work on the farm. Before coming to Illinois, he engaged in a limited way in buying and shipping stock, and in that manner succeeded in ac- cumulating about $1,500, which enabled him to make a fair -tart in life for himself. Mr. Gray is a believer in the doctrines advocated by the Repub- liean party, and at different times has been re- warded by that party with various offices, including one term as Commissioner of Highways, two terms as Supervisor, and two terms in the State Legisla- thre. In 1876 he was nominated as the Republican candidate in the Eighteenth Senatorial District, and was elected by an overwhelming majority. Hay- ing served his constituents so faithfully and intelli- gently, he was re-elected in 1878 by a majority, which atte-ted the appreciation the people had for hi- work in the Senate. He was the author of the senate Bill. 583. known as the Cockle Burr Bill, which became a law, and has been of incalculable benefit to the entire population of the State. He was also the author of several other important bills, which became laws. He was Chairman of Commit tee on Public Buildings and Grounds, and was also a member of other committees. Mr. Gray was reared in the Presbyterian faith of the good old Scotch belief, of which he is a living representa- tive.

Mr -. Gray's maternal grandparents were Fra Baker and Polly Burbank. the former born in Con- nertient. and the latter in Williamstown, Mass .. about 1775. Her father, John Boynton. was born on the 8th of October. 1797, in Vermont, and was at first a farmer, but afterward engaged in the mer- cantile business. Her mother was born on the 20th of September. 1797, at Williamstown, Mass .. and is still living at her daughter's house, at the Gray homestead in Livingston County; she is in her ninety-first year. When a child, Mrs. Gray's mother moved with her parents to Vermont, and afterward to New York, where she was married in 1828 to

John Boynton, and they resided there until 1858. when they removed to llinois, where they made their home with Mrs. Gray, and the old gentleman died in 1860. Mrs. Boynton's brothers, Ezra. Dan- iel and Elisha Baker, served in the War of 1812. Daniel was taken prisoner near Kingston by the British, kept nearly a year, and was starved nearly to death. but was finally exchanged; Ezra was in the battle of Plattsburg, and commanded a gun manned by eight men, the first shot from which cut down the British colors, and killed Commodore Downing. He was on Commodore McDonald's vessel, and relates that when entering the battle the Commodore knelt, and with uncovered head prayed for success, which, as all the world knows, was granted them. Mrs. Boynton's sisters, all of whom are dead, were recorded as follows: Elvira married Eliho Thomas, and had five children; Mary mar- ried John Boynton, and had three children : Maria married Elizer Goodrich, and had six children; Emily and Loraine died when about reaching wo- manhood; Marcia married Lorenzo Thayer. and left four or five children; Sarah died unmarried, and Asenith married Levi Hale, and left four or five children.

Mrs. Gray's paternal grandfather, John Boynton, Sr., was born in Vermont, and marrying Mary Smedley, in Cornwell, became the father of nine sons and two daughters, as follows: Daniel married, and left two or more children; William married Hannah Gunn. and left eight children : David mar- ried, and left six children: Heury married Abigail Barton. left seven children, two of whom fought on the Confederate side in the war of the Rebellion, one losing his life: Jeremiah married Mary Leavitt, and left six children. two of whom were in the I'nion army ; Olive married Simeon Clark, and left three children ; Joel married Fannie Rockwell, and left three children: Smedley died at the age of twenty-two years; John, who was the father of Mrs. Gray ; Polly married Albert Rogers : Zerah mar- ried Parmelia Buss, and left five children: Wallace J. married Genett Stephenson ; B. F. married Sarah Petrie ; Parmelia died in 1870: Daniel married Mary Burkbart, they have three children; Arethusa was born in 1845, and lived in Livingston County.

John H. Boynton, Mrs. Gray's brother, was born

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on the 15th of June, 1830, married Mrs. Naomi Childs, and they have two children, George A. and Myra A., and reside in Jackson, Mich .; Julia L., her sister, was born on the 7th of May, 1832, and died on the 16th of January, 1858.

6 HOMAS E. SHAW. a pioneer of 1857, set- tled with his parents in Avoca Township a short time before attaining his majority. His early life bad been spent in Tippecanoe County, Ind., where he was born Dec. 29, 1837. He is the son of Aaron and Sarah Shaw, natives of New Jersey, the former born Oct. 12, 1800, and the latter March 3, 1799. After the birth of five children. they came to the West, where their house- hold was enlarged until they had a family of eight children. Of these, there are now surviving, Ra- chel, the wife of John Bennett; Priscilla, the widow of James H. Burdick, who died in the Union serv- ice during the late war: James W., of Champaign County, Ill .; Elsie, the wife of Daniel McClain, of Streator, 11l., and Thomas E.

The parents of our subject were among the ear- liest settlers of Tippecanoe County, and were resi- dents of Fairfield, in that county, for a period of over twenty years. The father was engaged in farming during his entire life, and both parents spent their last years in Avoca Township, this county, the mother passing away on the 23d of May, 1870, and the father Jan. 21, 1887. They were members of the Society of Friends, and car- ried out in their lives and characters the peculiar and excellent doctrines of that unobtrusive seet. Mr. Shaw was widely and favorably known through- out this section, and was noted for his sterling in- tegrity, being above a mean or dishonest action.

Onr subject spent his childhood and youth under the parental roof, receiving a limited education, but being carefully trained to habits of industry and principles of honor. When the late Civil War called for the enlistment of volunteers, our subject cheerfully responded, and Ang. 8, 1862, became a member of Company E, 129th Illinois Infantry, in which he was promoted Corporal, and with which

he continued until the close of the struggle. His regiment was assigned to the Army of the Cumber- land. and he participated in many of its important battles, being in the engagements at Resaca, New Hope Church, Peachtree Creek, and the siege of Atlanta. Ile joined Sherman's march to the sea, and fought at Bentonville, besides meeting the enemy in various minor engagements and skir- mislies. Ile endured with patience the hardships and privations of life in the army, and fortunately escaped sickness, wounds and imprisonment. After the surrender of Johnson's army, he received his honorable discharge, and was mustered out on the 8th of June. 1865. at Washington. D. C. The pri- vate soldiers comprised a vast proportion of those who made great sacrifices and whose sufferings will never be fully known. Those who have returned to private life, and now pursue the even tenor of their way as quiet and law-abiding citizens, are de- serving of equal honor with those who perhaps suffered more, and whose remains repose in un- marked graves.

Mr. Shaw after returning from the army, re- sumed the agricultural pursuits to which he had been accustomed from boyhood, mainly in Avoca Township. Ile returned, however, to Tippecanoe County, Ind., for a wife and helpmeet, this lady being Miss Ruth Cresse, to whom he was married Nov. 28. 1869. Mrs. Shaw was a native of the same county as her husband. and after becoming the mother of six children, departed this life at her home in Avoca Township, Feb. 11. 1887. She had suffered much from a lingering illness, which she bore with womanly fortitude and patience, and is held in tender remembrance by her affectionate family and scores of friends, as one who fulfilled her duties faithfully in life, and in whose death they sustained a great loss. Of their family there are now living. Fanny. Sarah. Mary and Aaron. Hay died when ten months old, and Bert at the age of three years.

The farm property of Mr. Shaw comprises 124 acres of good land, which has been brought to its present excellent state of cultivation principally by his own hand. He has neat and substantial build- ings, a good assortment of farm stock. and all the machinery required by the progressive agricultur-

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ist. Ile is a citizen generally interested in the wel- fare of his community, votes the straight Repub- livan ticket, and for several years has served as school Director, besides being Township Trustee two terms. He is identified with the G. A. R., be- inga member of Fairbury Post No. 75, at Fairbury.

R OBERT KAIN. a rising young farmer of Broughton Township. well-known and pop- ular among its people, owns 120 acres of good land on section 33. He is enterpris- ing and industrious, and has already a good start in life. the result of his own perseverance and in- du-try. lle was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in August, 1852, and is the son of Archibald and Martha ( Eaton) Kain, who were also of Irish birth and parentage. The parental household included five children. all of whom, with one exception, are residents of the I'nited States, namely : Rebecea, the wife of John Scott, of Jasper County, Ind. : Catherine, Mrs. JJames McAffery, of Barton County, Kan. : James, also of that county, and Robert. Arch- ibald remains a resident of Ireland. The mother died at her home in Round Grove in January, 1>74. while the father is still living, and a res- ident of this county.

Our subject remained with his parents in Ireland until a youth of seventeen years, and seeing little prospect of the advancement which he desired, so- cially and financially, decided upon seeking his fort- une upon this side of the Atlantic. He accord- ingly repaired to Liverpool, and taking passage on the steamer " Manhattan." bound for New York ( ity. arrived after a pleasant voyage of fourteen day -. The reputation of the State of Illinois had year- before extended to Ireland. many of whose son- had here found ample reward for their labors. Young Kain accordingly proceeded directly west- ward. and scoured employment as a farm laborer near Joliet, where he remained two year-, In 1871 he migrated to this county and rented a tract of land near the town of Cornell. which he operated about three years, and thener removed to the vi-

cinity of Odell, where he spent about the same length of time, and then came to Broughton Town- ship. of which he has since been a resident. lle operated for a few years as a renter, and in 1875 purchased the land which he has now brought to a good state of cultivation, and which he has trans- formed into a comfortable homestead.

Mr. Kain had parted with his parents with many regrets, and after a year's sojourn in this country, sent them and a sister the means wherewith to make the journey. They took up their location in Will County, where they lived several years, and thence came to Livingston, where the death of the mother occurred a few years later. Mr. Kain deserves great credit for the manner in which he performed his filial duties and the sacrifices which he made for the comfort of those connected with him by the closest ties of nature. He received a fair educa- tion in his native country, and being naturally bright and observing, is a gentleman of more than ordinary intelligence. He keeps himself well posted on matters of general interest, and in his farming operations avails himself of the most approved methods and common-sense machinery. For the last seven years, in connection with the ordinary operations of the farm, he has dealt largely in horses, buying and shipping to the Eastern markets. flis transactions have been carried on with excel- lent judgment, and yield annually a handsome profit.

The marriage of Robert Kain and Miss Martha Young was celebrated in Cornell, this county, on the 21st of September, 1871. Mrs. Kain was born in County Antrim, Ireland, Aug. 24, 1848, and is the daughter of JJames and Jane (Jamieson) Young, both now deceased. Mrs. K. emigrated to the United States in 1870, and has proved, both by natural capacities and disposition, a suitable com- panion of her husband, being a lady greatly re- spected for her many estimable qualities. Both are members in good standing of the Presbyterian Church, and Mr. Kain, politically, is a solid Repub- lican. The seven children who have been added to the household circle were born as follows: James Y., June 13. 1878; Robert, April 18, 1874; Jennie, Nov. 3, 1876; Mary, Nov. 3, 1878; Archibald, Ort. 18, 1881 ; Martha, Sept. 1, 1883, and Annie,

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RESIDENCE OF JOHN ODELL, SEC. 7. INDIAN GROVE TOWNSHIP.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

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Oet. 2, 1887. Mr. Kain has served as School Di- rector, and is always willing to lend a helping hand in every project tending to the general welfare of his adopted township.

OHN ODELL, one of the wealthy farmers and prominent citizens of Indian Grove Township, whose farm is located on section 7. is a native of the city of New York, where he was born on the 20th of November, 1831, and is the son of Peter and Elizabeth (Kilgour) Odell, natives respectively of New York and Virginia. The father died in 1866, and the mother in 1862; the latter was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The father was a farmer and shoemaker by occupation, and in 1839 removed to Chautau- qua, N. Y., where he purchased land and remained until his death. They were the parents of ten chil- dren, who bore the following names: James 11., Elizabeth, Harriet : John, the subject of this sketch ; Peter. Mary J., Sarah, Maria, George and Wash- ington.

John Odell was married to Laura A. Rice. in New York, in 1857, the Rev. William Ilusted, of the Baptist Church, officiating. This lady was born in Chautauqua County, N. Y., on the 15th of All- gust, 1833, and is the daughter of Irvin and Dia- dama (Bishop) Rice. Her father was born in the same county, in 1804, and died on the 26th of June, 1860 ; the mother died on the 16th of Sep- tember, 1847, at the age of forty-six years. They were members of the Baptist Church. After the death of the mother the father married his second wife, Miss Jane Crawford, and they connected themselves with the Seceders' Church. Ile was a shoemaker by trade, but at various periods of his life was engaged in the occupation of a farmer. He was the father of ten children, all of whom were born to the first wife. Of this family Moses mar- ried Esther Bliss: Eliza E., now Mrs. Perrine : Hor- ace married Fannie Nicholan; Sarah B. married Nimrod Perrine; Lucy M. married Aquilla Alben ; Joshua married Polly Montgomery : Laura A. mar- ried John Odell: Esther A. married James A. Smith. Mr. Odell became a citizen of the State of Illi-

nois in the fall of 1865, when he located in Indian Grove Township, and became the possessor of 160 acres of excellent land, which is under an advanced state of cultivation, and is worth $75 per acre. Some years ago he planted a magnificent grove of forest trees and a good orchard, and the latter has yielded bounteous crops of choice fruit. His dwelling is a model farm house, and his barns and out-building> are constructed with an eye to the economieal storing of grain and the comfort of stock. 1Je is an enthusiast in the matter of raising Short-horn cattle, and produces some of the finest herds of cattle in Livingston County.

In illustrating many of the farm homesteads of Livingston County, which is done in this volume, none present a more pleasing aspect than that of Mr. Odell, which is given in connection with this sketch. Comfort, even luxury, is evidenced on every hand. Some fine specimens from his stable of horses are also given as well as from his splendid herd of choice cattle.

In Mr. Odell are finely illustrated the advantages of a persevering and courageous nature. He be- gan life without a dollar, and through his own ef- forts has secured a comfortable home and a compe- tency which will stand him well in his old age, and make him independent. He is a true Democrat in every sense of the word, and shows his loyalty to his party by serving it upon any and all occasions.

In his domestic circle Mr. Odell is happily sit- uated. Ile and his wife are the parents of four in- teresting children, their names being Ella E., who married Jacob Pate : Mary E., Elmer II. and Nora L. The entire family are popular in the neighbor- hood in which they reside, and Mr. Odell is known throughout the county as a gentleman of fine impulses and integrity of character.

W INFIELD S. RUSTON, a prominent young farmer of Saunemin Township, owns 160 acres of good land on section 17. He is a native of Indiana, where he was born in Vanderburgh County, Dec. 1. 1846. His parents. Richard and Mary ( Westwood) Ruston, were of English birth and parentage, and innigrated to this country in

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their early youth, probably fifty years ago. The parents of each were among the early pioneers of Indiana, where Mr. and Mrs. Ruston remained until I$65.

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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 124

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