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 125

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 125

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The parents of our subject removed from Indi- ana to Marshall County, this State, in the year above mentioned. and in 1866 took up their abode in Saunemin Township, where the father carried on farming, to which he had been accustomed all his life. The wife and mother died six years after this removal. and not long afterward the father disposed of his property, and now makes his home with his son. Winfield S. The parental household included ten children, of whom seven survive, and are re- corded as follows: James is in Dakota: George in Nebraska Township. this county : Sarah is the wife of C. P. Guyes. of Evansville. Ind. ; Mary, Mrs. G. W. Langford. is a resident of Eylar; Anna is the wife of George Moles, of Sannemin Township; Isabella married George Paulmer, and they are resi- dlent- of California: Winfield S. is the youngest of the family living. Richard Ruston has been quite prominent in public affairs, serving as Road Super- visor and otherwise lending his aid to the enter- prises calculated to build up the township and de- velop its resources. The land upon which he had first located had received but little cultivation, but by the exercise of industry and perseverance he succeeded in transforming it into a valuable farm. He is now in the eightieth year of his age, and may comfort himself with the reflection that his course has been such as to gain him the esteem of all who know him.

Our subject came to this county with his father in 1866. and was then a young man twenty years of age. He had been fairly educated in the dis- triet schools, and was naturally bright, industrious and enterprising. Like his father before him he took kindly to the employments of farin life, and at this age was well fitted to begin business for him- -elf. He had already begun to lay his plans for the future. and his highest ambition wa- to secure for Inm-elf a comfortable home, and become a respected and n eful member of society. On the 9th of Janu- ary. 1869. he took one of the most important steps toward the accomplishment of his hopes, being united in marriage with Mi-, Emma Moulds. Mrs.

Ruston was born in England, and crossed the At- lantie with her parents at an early age. They lo- cated in Marshall County, Ill., and it was there that our subject made the acquaintance of his future wife. Of this union there have been born four children, of whom but two survive, namely, Mary J., the wife of Samuel W. Headley, and Clara B., who remains at home with her parents.

Since the purchase of his present homestead Mr. Ruston has effected good improvements, and the land is remarkably fertile, having been assisted to this condition by 1,300 rods of tiling, which has fitted it for the production of the choicest crops of Central Illinois. The homestead is pleasantly lo- cated, and together with its surroundings forms an extremely pleasant spot for the eye to linger upon. Mr. Ruston is usually entirely employed in looking after his farming interests, and has steadily declined becoming an office-holder. He keeps himself weh posted, however, upon political matters, and gives his support to the Greenback party. He believes in the establishment of religious and educational institutions, and no man gives more readily accord- ing to his means to encourage the enterprises in- angurated for the good of society and the elevation of the people. He has not seen fit to connect him- self with any religions organization, but Mrs. Rus- ton is an active member of the Christian Church.

AMES H. NICHOLS is a man of varied ex- periences in many parts of the country, and different lines of business, and it would be difficult to name any occupation in which he could not make himself useful. He is now giving his attention to farming, and is meeting with that remarkable success which he deserves. The space required to record the detailed events of his life is cheerfully given. He was born May 31, 1836, in Columbia County. N. Y., and is the son of George and Polly P. (Knickerbocker) Nichols. He lived at home until he was ten years of age, at which time his mother died and his father became blind.

In the spring of 1848 Mr. Nichols began work for a man named Holderman, at Hoklerman's Grove, Kendall Co., Ill., receiving a compen-

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sation of $5 per month, while the highest wages paid to men at that time was but $8 per month. After herding cattle for one year he worked at odd jobs for two years for his board and clothing, and then through the influence of some stage drivers he seeured the position of post boy for carrying the mail from Ottawa to Oswego, Peoria and Bloom- ington, by the way of Pontiac and Indian Grove. and continued in that work three years. Mean- while he was also employed as a driver on the canal, and as teamster on the railroad. Hle after- ward engaged in farm labor by the month, until 1855, and in 1856 he went to Nebraska by stage, where he engaged in mail carrying. rafting logs on the Missouri River, and transferring between Coun- eil Bluffs and Omaha for a man named Douglas HIare. In the fall of 1856 he returned to LaSalle County, and during the following winter he had a severe attack of lung fever, which greatly pros- trated him. In the spring of 1857 he went to Galesburg. and attended school three terms, at the close of which he seenred a certificate and taught school in the winter, doing various kinds of work in the summer. In the summer of 1858 he attended Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College in Chicago, and in the fall of that year he went to lowa and en- gaged in stage driving for the winter between Des Moines and Iowa City. In the following spring he went to the southern part of the State, where he worked for the Burlington & Missouri Railroad, and in the fall of 1859 he went to Memphis, Tenn., and worked upon the railroad between that city and Huntsville, Ala. In 1860 he went to Little Rock, Ark., for the purpose of driving a stage to Califor- nia, but was taken sick and had to return to Men- phis, where he engaged in bus driving for Patterson Bros. In 1860, on account of the threatening political outlook, he returned to Illinois, where he taught school until in the spring of 1861.

April 21, 1861, Mr. Nichols responded to the first call for troops, and enlisted in the United States service for three months, being assigned to Com- pany I, 11th Illinois Infantry, under Capt. W. L. Gibson, a soldier of the Mexican War. The com- pany was mustered in at Springfield. and made its first regimental camp at Villa Ridge in Pulaski County ; it was mustered out at Bird's Point, Mo.,

on the 9th of Angust. 1861. During this term of service Mr. Nichols' health had become impaired, which prevented his re-enlistment at that time. and in 1862 he engaged in corn buying for Olmstead & Co., of Ottawa. In 1863 he followed boating on the Illinois & Michigan Canal, when in April, 1864, he entered the Quartermaster's employ at St. Louis, and was sent to Chattanooga. Tenn., where he was discharged. At Nashville, Tenn., he had a similar experience, and returning to Illinois, he en- gaged in work upon the canal until 1865, teaching during the winter months until 1875. In January of that year he removed to McDowell. Livingston County. and on the 21st of May following he oc- cupied the house in which he now lives, having built it while residing at MeDowell.

George Nichols, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Dutchess County, N. Y., on the 18th of March. 1813. lle was the son of David Nichols, who was born in 1760, and died in 1844. in Columbia County. N. Y. He had been married four times, and his family included seventeen chil- dren. Early in his youth George Nichols left Columbia County, and went to Slocum Hollow. Pa., where he lived for three years, and then to the old homestead in Columbia County. In the settle- ment of their father's estate he and his brother ex- changed some angry words which caused their sep- aration, and he never heard from any of them after he came to Illinois. The journey to this State from lJudson, N. Y., was made by water to Chicago, and overland to LaSalle County. On the 27th of April, 1846, his wife died and he was soon afterward mar- ried to Hannah Marsh, a widow. This marriage was very disastrous, for it caused dissensions in the family, which resulted in litigation to such an ex- tent that his property was sokl at Sheriff's sale. Ile died on the 3d of January, 1856, and was buried by the side of his first wife, at Danway, LaSalle County.

The first wife of George Nichols was Polly Knickerbocker, daughter of Benjamin and Lettie Knickerbocker, the former born in Dutchess County. N. Y., of Dutch ancestry. While engaged in a seufile he was killed at the age of forty-eight years. while his wife died in Afton. Wis., at the age of eighty-eight. They were the parents of eight chil-

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dren-Milton, Nelson, Jonas. James. Cornelia. Polly. Caroline and Helen. Caroline was the wife of Marqu's Piester, of Ottawa, and mother of twelve children. Helen wa- the wife of James Kilmer, who lives in Afton, Wi -. Polly, the mother of our sub- ject. died on the 27th of April, 1846. of lung fever. she was the mother of two children, the other being Joseph T .. who was born on the 27th of April, 1840, and was six years old when his mother died. lle drifted around the world until fourteen years of age, when he went to live with A. D. Butterfield, one of the pioneers of LaSalle County, who now lives near Marseille-, Ill., at the age of eighty -- even years. and is a hale old gentlemen. Joseph T. lived with him until of age, and in May, 1861, enlisted in Company K. 39th Illinois Infantry, which regi- ment was known as the Yates Phalanx, and served until January. 1864. when he re-enlisted for three years more, or during the war. He was in every engagement in which the regiment took part, and received a wound on the 2d of April. 1865, in the battle of Petersburg, in which the 39th Regiment was selected to storm the fort. which it did with the loss of three-fourths of the men in killed and wounded. After the battle he was taken to Fortress Monroe, where he died of gangrene on the 20th of May. 1>65. and was buried in the Government cemetery at that place.

James 11. Nichols was married on the 15th of August. 1865. to Miss Emeline Howland, who was born in Wayne County. N. Y .. in Ist, and was the daughter of Joseph T. and Lydia ( Harder) Howland. The parents came to Ottawa in October, 1-11. where they lived until 1855. when they moved to Grand Rapids. in the same county, now Fall River. and remained a short time, when they finally went to Marseille -. where they now reside. Uns feel Your children: Gilbert is married. has three children. and is a machinist living in Mar- seille -: bowling. the wife of the subject of this -ketel : Geoze who i married. has one child, and From section 11. Eppard' - Point Township, and There Milou. sho also is married. has three chil- dress. and lives on the old homstead in Fall River Township. Lacalle Comply.

To Mi. and Mrs. Nichol- there have been born three children. all of whom are at home Lydia A.,

Polly P. and Lena. Mr. Nichols is a Republican in polities, the principles of which party he earn- estly advocates. He is a member of Joseph Wood- ruff Post No. 281, G. A. R., at Marseille-, in which he takes a lively interest, though on account of the distance at which he lives he is necessarily irregular in his attendance.

G EORGE J. KEPPLINGER is one of the important factors in the business com- inunity of Dwight, where he is carrying on a lucrative trade in hardware, and enjoys the pat- ronage of the best people of that locality. Ile is essentially a self-made man, having arisen from a humble position in life to a good standing socially and financially. He began at the foot of the ladder without means or influence, and his present posses- sions are the result solely of his own industry and resolution.

The Kepplinger family is of German origin, and the father of our subject was born on the other side of the water, in 1818. Hle emigrated from the Fatherland in 1852. and coming directly to the West, located first in Racine, Wis., where, not being quite satisfied with his operations he staid but a month, and then started for Ilinois with a yoke of oxen and a wagon, accompanied by his wife and four children. He had purchased, while in Chicago, a soldier's claim for $150, and with this took up a quarter section of land in Grundy County, three miles from Dwight, this county. upon which he settled and still resides. There were then no houses upon the present site of Dwight, and the country around was a vast wilderness covered with high grass, over which deer and other wild game roamed unrestrained. The family were first made comfort- able in a rade shanty, and Mr. K., when ready to build, hauled his Immber from Morris, eighteen miles distant, with an ox-team. He frequently made the journey to that point by night so as to be early enough to cross the river on the ferry in the morning ahead of the crowd that had alway- gathered there anxious to make the passage. In common with the other pioncer- of that sec- tion he endured unnumbered hardships and priva-

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tions, but lived to see the country settled with an intelligent and industrious people, and the prairie slowly but surely transformed into grain-producing fields and comfortable homesteads. Ile and his estimable wife are both living and have arrived at an advanced age. The father is a stanch Denio- crat, politically, and both parents are devoted members of the Lutheran Church. The maiden name of the mother was Eva Kruge, a native of Germany and of German descent, and was born in 1814.

The subject of this biography is one of a family of four children, and was born in Germany in 1844. He was a lad eight years of age when his parents emigrated to the l'uited States, and going into a thinly settled country as they did, young George enjoyed but limited school advantages, though he was fond of reading and in this way picked up quite a fair education. lle learned the carpenter's trade early in life, at which he worked as a journeyman four years, and in 1876 took up his residence at Dwight, where with a limited cap- ital he started a small machine-shop. He was a natural mechanic and manufactured his own tools, among them a good lathe, which with other pieces similarly obtained, he still has in his possession. He labored under great difficulties, but his persist- ent and resolute spirit at length gained the victory. and in due time he was compelled to enlarge his facilities in order to meet his increasing patronage. Ile learned the business of a machinist without aid or instruction, and after erecting a shop for his iron work, put up next a structure within which to carry on his wood work, and afterward added a foundry. He was thus occupied until 1882, when he invested his surplus capital in a stock of general hardware, and now has one of the best appointed establishments of the kind in this county, carrying in addition a choice assortment of buggies, wagons and agricultural implements.

The lady who has presided over the housebokl of our subject for the last twenty year- became his wife on the 6th of October, 1867, and in her girl- hood was Miss Katie Klughard, of Grundy County. Of this nion there is one child only. a daughter. Lizzie, born Aug. 27. 1869. The family residence is a neat and substantial structure and pleasantly

located. Mr. Kepplinger and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church, and enjoy the friendship and confidence of a host of friends.

ONAS 1. HOWELL. A soug farm of 120 acres, pleasantly located on section 20, in Long Point Township, attracts the admira- tion of the passer-by on account of its finely cultivated fields, its neat and substantial buildings and its handsome array of fine stock. in which latter department of agriculture J. 1. Howell, the pro- prietor, has been especially successful. As a pub- lie-spirited man he has filled the positions of Con- -table three years and School Director several terms. He ha- uniformly manifested hi- interest in those enterprise- calculated to build up the com- munity, by putting his shoulder to the wheel of the car of progress and giving substantial aid and en- couragement to all good works and purposes.

The earliest recollections of our subject are of his home among the hills of Coshocton County. Ohio, where his birth took place Dec. 25, 18-11. and where he played as a boy. His parents, Will- iam and Catherine (Spicer) Howell, were natives respectively of Virginia and Ohio. The former was the son of John and Elizabeth ( Bonham) How- ell, native> of Virginia, and was born in 1806. Ile came to Illinois Oct. 26, 1856, landing in Marshall County, where he continued a year and four months and then came to this county, locating on seetion 20 in Long Point Town-hip, on the 8th of March. 1858. Hle commenced operation- on a tract of un- cultivated land, which in due time he converted into a good farm, and later successfully carried on stock-raising. Ile was married three times, the first to Miss Elizabeth Kinzie, the second to Miss Catherine Spicer, and the third to Mrs. Jane Whaley. who survives him and re-ides on the home farmn. Catherine, the mother of our subject, died April 25, 1880, aged sixty-two years, nine months and nine day -. The father departed thi- life Sept. 11. 1887. having, at the time of his death, reached the ad- vanced age of eighty year-, eight month- and eleven day -.

The children of William and Elizabeth Howell

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are recorded as follows: Ulysses was born Sept. 3. 1>2%, and died May 29. 1882; Isaae C. was born May 1. 1>31. and died Feb. 9, 1880; John W. was born Aug. 7. 1836, Of his union with Catherine Spicer were born Jonas 1., our subject, and Cather- ine, who was born in April. 1816, and is now Mrs. Harper. Most of the children are residents of this State.

Our subject was a youth of seventeen years when he came with his father's family to this county, and he remained with them and assisted in the cultiva- tion of the soil and keeping up the homestead nntil hi- marriage, which took place Nov. 16, 1864. ITis bride, Miss' lane E. Elliott, was born in Cale- donia, Putnam Co., Ill., and is the only child of Lynde and Jane ( Dyke>) Elliott, the former a na- tive of Norfolk, Va., and the latter of Manchester, England.

Mr .. and Mrs. Howell are the parents of one child only, a daughter, Wilmina, who came into the household on the 31-t of July, 1878, and is now a promising little girl of nine years. Both the fam- ilie- of our subject and his wife are largely repre- sented in this county and vicinity, and are uni- formly people of good standing and means, the men honest and good citizens and the women care- ful wives and mothers.

The other children of John and Elizabeth How- ell. the paternal grandparents of our subject, are recorded a- follow -: Gilmore, a resident of Law- rence Connty, this State, is married and has four children living: John, a resident of Coshocton County, Ohio, has a wife and eight children ; Betsy, the wife of Arthur MeBride, is the mother of eight children. and a resident of this State; Eliza, Mrs. Harvey Doney, is a resident of Greene County, Ind., and the mother of eight children; Rebecca wa- married and is now deceased.

b ON. JAMES H. FUNK. ex-Prosecuting At- torney of Livingston County, and a promi- not farmer of Union Township, was born in Fairfield County. Ohio, on the 15th of February. 1×12. and i- the oldest in a family of mine children born to Abraham and Margaret

(Hutchinson) Funk, natives of Virginia and Ohio respectively, of whom a sketch appears in this ALBUM.

Our subjeet was reared to farm life and self-edu- cated, never having gone to school more than seven- teen days in any one year. His youth and early manhood were spent in hard farm labor, while his evenings were devoted to his books until 1862, when he began to teach school in the winter and farm in the summer, pushing his studies systematic- ally all the time. In 1862 he risked the purchase of eighty acres of land, which he prepared to im- prove, and on the 15th of August of that year he was married to Elizabeth .I. Gibson, third child in a family of five born to Charles and Nancy (Shaw) Gibson, who were natives of Ireland, and afterward emigrated to America. Immediately after marriage they settled on their little farm in LaSalle County, where they lived together until July 3, 1865, when his excellent wife passed away, leaving him one child, a daughter, Lucinda Idella, who is now the wife of J. P. Gammon, a stock-dealer at Sundance, Wyo. Mrs. Funk was a member of the Congrega- tional Church, and a woman of sunny disposi- tion, and strong will power, connected with untiring energy. She was the joy of the household, and the social pride of society. Iler death left her sorrow- ing husband without counsel or support, and he soon afterward sold his farm and went to New York State.

On the 7th of November, 1866, Mr. Funk was married the second time, his choice being Emily J. Gardner, the third child in a family of six born to Benjamin and Lean ( Brownell) Gardner, who were natives of Vermont. She was born at Silver Creek, N. Y., on the 27th of May, 1839. Her father was a farmer and Inmber dealer, and was the son of Eleazer and Thankful (Chamberlain) Gardner, na- tives of Connecticut. Ile was a soldier in the War of 1812. On the mother's side the Brownells were of the family noted in the history of the late war on account of one of them at Alexandria, Va., killing Jackson, the murderer of Col. Ellsworth, of the Chicago Zouaves. Mr. Gardner was prominent as a Whig, and later as a Republican.

For the first year after his marriage Mr. Funk remained in the State of New York, and then

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returned west, locating in Livingston County, where he bought 120 acres of wild land. Here he put up a small house for the shelter of his family, and with the blue sky the only covering for his horse, he began life for the second time as a farmer. engaging in school teaching during the winter. Mrs. Funk also engaged at teaching to aid in mak- ing their start. During this time he devoted all his spare moments to the study of the law, intending ultimately to fit himself for that profession. He pursued these studies with his usual energy and perseverance, and on the 20th of May, 1871, he was admitted to the bar at an examination held in Ottawa, and then returned to his farm and pre- pared to close his business and enter actively into the profession. On the 26th of December, 1871, he moved to Odell and formed a partnership with A. P. Wright, for the practice of law. This firm continued until 1873, and then Mr. Wright with- drew, and later on left Odell and located in the city of Streator.

Mr. Funk continued the business in Odell, and in November, 1872, he was the successful candidate on the Republican ticket for the position of Prosecuting Attorney. Leaving his family at Odell he began the duties of the office, which he discharged for four years, and during the term he tried the Kearn's murder case, the Barrett and Shannon murder case, where he opposed the celebrated criminal lawyer. William O'Brien, and the celebrated Charlie Ross case that sprung up in Livingston County. This case brought him in contact with the Pinkerton force, and between them they drove the case to the wall. Mr. Funk then defended successfully the parties who were prosecuted for damages by the party accused of the abductions. These cases, with many others, won him the esteem of the bar, and the approval of the people of the county. During his practice he drew the first indictment under the dram shop act of 1872. and tried the first case un- der that law in the State, and also drew the first bill of assignment under the Insolvent Debtors' Aet of Illinois, During his term as Prosecuting Attorney he became the terror of all evil doers. In January, 1883, he found his health failing rapidly, and at onee moved to his farm in Union Township. Dur- ing his term of office he purchased land and was at

this time the possessor of 320 acres, He now owns 630 acres of land with fine improvements, and well stocked. Ile has a number of fine imported Nor- man horses, and is breeding the finest of young Norman stock, with which he is supplying the sur- rounding country. Ilis cattle are thoroughbred Short-horns, and no finer are found in this section of Livingston County,

Mr. and Mrs. Funk are active members of society, and as they justly deserve, are looked upon as being identified with all that is progressive in the com- munity, and only with that which is good and pure. They became the parents of three children. two of whom are living. Cynthia A., who was born on the 1st of October. 1867; Helen, who was born on the 4th of February, 1872, and died on the 7th of November. 1878, and Edna E., who was born on the 27th of March, 1878. Helen was accidentally burned by the explosion of a kerosene lamp, from which her death resulted; Cynthia is a book-keeper in St. Paul, Minn; Edna, the joy of the household, is with her parents at home. At the present time Mr. Funk is devoting his entire time to farming and stock- raising, and though not actively engaged in the political arena, is by no means retired from the field. His voice is frequently heard in the cause of Christianity, temperance and moral reform.

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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 125

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