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 137
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LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
condition. with no improvements whatever. Mr. ()'Neill's first care was to provide a shelter for him- -elf and his wife, and he put up a modest dwelling. A- time passed on other improvements were added. and our subject purchased eighty acres more, so that he now has 2 10 aeres, all under a high state of cultivation. The residence is a neat and substan- tial structure, and the barus and out-buildings are in keeping with the thrift and intelligence of the proprietor. The homestead is convenient to a school, market and church, and the town of Cam- pus is only a short distance off.
To Mr. and Mrs. O'Neill there were born seven children, of whom four are living, namely : Catherine, James Henry, John T. and William Patrick. Cath- erine was born Feb. 22, 1859, and is the wife of Peter Handley, a prosperous farmer of Seward County, Neb .. and the mother of two children. .lames II. was born April 3, 1861, and married Miss Catherine Milligan, Feb. 14, 1887; they are living in Broughton Township. John T. was born June 15. 1864. and makes his home with his father, as also, does William P., who was born June 3, 1867. Mr -. Johanna O'Neill departed this life at her home in Broughton Township Dec. 14, 1881. She was a lady of many excellent qualities, a faithful wife and mother, and greatly respected by her neighbors.
Our subjert after becoming a naturalized citizen, identified himself with the Democratic party, but is a strong protectionist. He cast his first Presiden- tial vote for the lamented Stephen A. Douglas, but had it not been for Dr. Burchard's "three R's" in 1 >> 1. he would have voted for Blaine, the Repub- liran nominee for the Presidency. Mr. O'Neill kreps himself well posted upon State and National affair-, and entertains decided views upon all ques- tions of general interest. This quality, however, i- one be inherited from his ancestors, and one of which he need by no means be ashamed. His ma- ternal grandfather, John Palmer, an Irishman by birth and parentage, served in his native country in the War of 179x, and was just as fearless in the ex- pre-sion of his sentiments and his honest convic- tion- a- i- his grand-on. our subject. The old gen- tleman was held a prisoner for some time on ae- count of his political principles and from accounts there is no doubt that when liberated he was just
as courageous as before in disseminating his honest convictions.
Mr. O'Neill came to this county when its schools and churches were being established, and in accord- ance with his belief in the necessity of thorough education, contributed liberally to the enterprises set on foot in this direction. donating land for a building site when men who were wealthier re- fused. He has been almost continuously since that time a School Director, giving his services cheer- fully for a period of thirty years or more. He has carried his precepts into practice by giving to his own children excellent advantages, preparing them to enter the business and social world upon an equal footing with the intelligent people around them. Mr. O'Neill was reared in the doctrines of the Catholic Church, and was the first person of this denomination to settle in this part of Livingston County. He was confirmed by Archbishop Murray, of Dublin, when a lad ten years of age, and all his life he has loyally adhered to the religion of his forefathers. There are few men' represented in this work whose careers have been marked by greater attainments, according to their advantages, or who have exercised their influence with better results.
R OSS DEALBERT GREGG, who is one of the latest acquisitions to citizenship in Round Grove Township, was born in Mag- nolia, Putnam Co., Ill., Jan. 2, 1861. His parents were William M. and Ann M. (Calloway) Gregg, who were natives of Pennsylvania and Ken- tucky respectively. Their household consisted of three children, of whom our subject was the second child. and he was six years old when the father died at Ann Arbor, Mich. The mother afterward mar- ried II. J. Oakes, and they reside in Sunbury Town . ship. During his boyhood, and up to eighteen years of age, our subject lived in the village of Magnolia, where he attended the common schools regularly, and obtained a good education. In the spring of 1869 he came to Sunbury Township. Liv- ingston County, where he was engaged in agricult- ural pursuits until the spring of 1887, when he | sold his farm, and purchased 160 acres on section
Mary Sfrance
Min. Spence
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LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
22, Round Grove Township. This farm, a view of which is presented on another page, is one of the most eligibly situated in the township, and under the intelligent manipulation of Mr. Gregg will no doubt be made very productive and remunerative.
March 14, 1872, Mr. Gregg was married to Miss Mary Brooker, who was born in Cleveland, Ohio, Nov. 20, 1854. She is the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Halferry) Brooker, the former of whom was born in the county of Kent, England, on the 6th of June, 1821, and the latter in Hesse-Cassel, Germany, on the 19th of April, 1825. Mr. Brooker was in the employ of the United States Govern- ment for eight years, during which time he engaged in the building of forts, and for a considerable time was General Government contractor. Since be- coming a citizen of Illinois, he has been engaged in farming. Ile first settled in Sunbury Township in the fall of 1857, where he was residing at the time of his death, which occurred on the 28th of Sep- tember, 1884. His widow still survives. They had a family of ten children, of whom Mrs. Gregg was the fourth in order of birth.
In their new home in Round Grove Township, Mr. and Mrs. Gregg are surrounding themselves with all the comforts of life. The farm which they have purchased is one susceptible of great improve- ments, and can be converted into one of the most comfortable homesteads in the township. Mr. Gregg is a Republican in politics.
W SPENCE. One can get an idea of the lapse of time since the subject of this sketch settled in Livingston County, when it is remembered that he was the first groom and his wife the first bride of the county, and that their par- ents were about the first white people to settle in the county. They have witnessed its growth from a condition of utter wildness to one of the most populous and best cultivated counties in the State. Mr. Spence is now a retired farmer and lives on section 4, Belle Prairie Township.
Our subject was born on the 12th of July, 1814, in Madison County, Ky., and is the son of Malachi and Courteney Ann (Hubbard) Spence, natives of
North Carolina and Maryland respectively. The mother died in 1817, and the father remained a widower until his death on the 1st of June, 1847, in Livingston County, at the age of eighty years. He had the advantages of only a limited education, and in politics he was a Democrat. There were born to them nine children-Lacada, Sarah, James, Mary, Rebecca, Kezialı, Carrie, our subject, and one who died in infancy.
Mr. Spence was reared on a farm, and spent all the time that he could in attending the primitive schools of that day, which were taught in log school- houses, there being no better school buildings until long after Mr. Spence had attained to manhood. He remained at home with his parents until he reached the age of twenty-two, when he was mar- ried to Miss Mary Darnall, on the 4th of June, 1837, by the Rev. John Darnell, of the Baptist Church. She was born on the 18th of September, 1820, in Boone County, Ky., and came with her parents to Illinois in 1830. Her father, Mr. V. M. Darnall, was snow bound in the winter of 1830-31 at Mack- inaw, McLean County, where he had gone to obtain provisions for the family. On account of the ex- traordinary snow drifts on the prairie, he was com- pelled to remain away from his family for five days with the full knowledge that they were suffering for food. His is credited with being the first family to settle in Livingston County, and they suffered ter- rible hardships and privations, the relation of which would seem incredible to the people who are now living in comfort and plenty in this county. To Mr. and Mrs. Spence were born five children : Courteney A. R., who married John M. Darnall, who died in the army in 1864; Melvina F. E., now Mrs. Allen Bentley ; Martin M., who married Jennie Darnall: Mary E., who became the wife of D. C. Avery, and Marcus D., who married Miss Cora Myers, and is a prominent farmer and stock-raiser of this county.
Mr. Spence accompanied his parents when they arrived in Illinois on the 15th of October, 1831. Ile began life for himself withont capital and with- out land. The first house in which he lived was 16x18 feet in dimensions, construeted of roughly hewed logs, with a plank floor, and his first purchase of real estate was eighty acres of Government land.
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LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
As the years went by and the country became bet- ter populated, he became more prosperous, and from time to time added a few acre- to his original pur- chase, so that his farm now consists of 320 acres of land. all of which is cultivated to the best advan- tage. Mr. and Mrs. Spenee can be truly designated a- the pioneers of Livingston County, for they have the honor of enjoying the distinction of being the first couple married in the county. The halt century which has just closed shows the wisdom of the choice on the part of cach, for during that long period they have lived together as man and wife happily and contentedly, sharing alike their joy> and sorrows. Mr. Spence has been a life-long Dem- oerat, and has lived to see hi- party again in power. after having no voice in the Government for over twenty 'years. Mrs. Spence is a member of the Baptist Church, regular in her attendance, and de- voted in her loyalty.
It is with pleasure we present on a preceding page of this volume portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Spence, worthy pioneer- of Livingston County.
W II. CONRAD. A large number of the residents of Dwight Township are scions of old Pennsylvania families who descended from English. German and Irish ancestry, and came to this country in the Colonial days. The subject of this sketch, who is now largely engaged as a lum- ber dealer in Dwight, is the grandson of Henry Conrad, who emigrated from Germany late in 1700. Bi- mother joined him in the voyage, but died on the ocean and was committed to a watery grave. The son located at Woodstock, Shenandoah Co., Va .. where he engaged at hotel-keeping and buteli- ering. And continued in that locality for a period of twenty year -. He became thoroughly American- ized. imbibing the patriotic principles of the Colon- ist-, and served as a soldier in the War of 1812.
Among the sons of Henry Conrad was William. who became the father of our subject. He was horn at Woodstock. Va .. in 1797, and early in life learned the trade of a wagon-maker, which he fol- lowed many years in Lancaster County, of which he became a resident when twenty-four years of age.
He married Miss Rebecca, daughter of William Hoster, of Berks County, Pa., and they became the parents of fourteen children, of whom the following are living, namely: John, Jacob, Hemy and W. Il. Five years ago Benjamin crossed the Missis- sippi, and when last heard from was in Montana. The daughters were Mary, who married John Faust, of California : Elizabeth, who became the wife of Henry Ditterline, of Lancaster County, Pa. ; Catherine. the wife of Tillman Steininger, of DuPage County, Ill. ; Ann, who married Peter Good, of Livingston County; Barbara, the wife of John Klughard, of this county ; and Margaret, who married William Snyder, of Kankakee County. William Conrad eame to Kankakee County, Ill., in 1859, where he engaged in farming, but only lived until the fall of the following year: the mother is still living, and has now reached her eighty-fifth year. Both were members of the Evangelical Church. The father of our subject was quiet and nnostentatious in his habits, industrious and honest, and possessed all the qualities of a substantial and reliable citizen. ITe was energetie and industrious, and surrounded his family with all the comforts of life. In early man- hood he had identified himself with the old-line Whigs but later endorsed Republican principles.
W. Il. Conrad, the subject of our sketch, was born in Lancaster County, Pa., July 27. 1832, and spent his childhood and youth upon a farm, while in winter he pursued his studies at the district school. When eighteen years of age he commenced learning the carpenter's trade and continued a resi- dent of his native county until 1854. He then started for the West, and crossing the Father of Waters, located in Jackson County, lowa, where he worked at his trade three years. He met with sneh success that he decided he was entitled to spend a part of his earnings on a visit to his childhood's home and his old friends. Upon starting again for the West he stopped in DuPage County, Ill., a short time, and then became a resident of Joliet for one year. Subsequently he migrated to Chicago, and was employed at his trade in different places until 1863. In the spring of that year he set up in business for himself at Dwight, and in 1868 was in good condition financially to establish a home of his own. He was accordingly married to Miss
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LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
Mary, daughter of Simon and Margaret (Taylor) Winkler, of Dwight. The little household in due time was enlarged by the birth of two daughters- Lillie and Mary. The progress of Mr. Conrad was steadily onward, and in 1877, having a snug capi- tal, he put up a steam planing-mill and tub factory at Dwight, and engaged extensively in the manu- facture of barrels and butter-tubs. Upon abandon- ing this he engaged in the lumber business, in which he has since also been uniformly successful.
Mr. Conrad is now numbered among the prom- inent and reliable business men of the town, and with his family moves in the best society. Politi- cally, he has always been a Republican, and with his wife and daughters, is a member in good standing of the Evangelical Church. Miss Mary Conrad, who with her sister has been finely educated, is book-keeper for her father, and does her work in an expert and business-like manner.
Le EMUEL F. SHEPHERD. Prominent among the respected citizens and successful men of Livingston County, who have succeeded in life through their own energy and perseverance, is the gentleman of whom we write, who is at present residing on his fine farm of 320 acres in Saunemin Township.
Mr. Shepherd is a native of Montgomery County, Ohio, where he was born on the 2d of August, 1834, and is the son of John P. and Nancy E. Shepherd, natives of New Jersey and Virginia respectively. In the year 1836 he accompanied his parents when they emigrated to Illinois, and settled in Marshall County, where they were among the pioneer settlers. They remained in that county until 1872, when they moved to Minonk, Woodford County, where the mother resides; the father died in 1876. The latter, during his lifetime, served as Township Road Commissioner in Marshall County, and filled other important positions in the government of the township.
Our subject remained at home with his parents until he attained to years of manhood, during which time he received careful training in the rudiments of farming, and also obtained a fair education in
the public schools. Ile has spent his entire life upon the farm, excepting about four years, during which time he was engaged in the livery business in Washburn. Woodford Co., III. On the 21st of February, 1857, Mr. Shepherd was married to Mary J. Gray, who was born on the 23d of June, 1835, in Marshall County, IH. She is the daughter of William and Catherine (Osborn) Gray, both of whom were Kentuckians by birth, and came to Illi- nois at an early day, settling in Marshall County. Of this union have been born six children, five of whom are living: John P. was born Nov. 4. 1858; William R., Dec. 12, 1861 ; Frank I., Oct. 7, 1865; Charles E., May 1, 1869; Isabelle C., July 6, 1871 ; and Jessie E., Jan. 2, 1875.
In March, 1876, Mr. Shepherd became a citizen of Livingston County, and purchased 320 acres of land in Saunemin Township. upon which he has since resided, and devoted his time to making sub- stantial improvements. That he has succeeded will be seen by examining the view of his home, which is shown in this volume. Mr. Shepherd has served as Road Commissioner for six years, and for many years in the capacity of School Director. In polities he votes and acts independently of either of the old organized parties, and votes for men whom he considers qualified to discharge the trusts con- ferred upon them honestly, regardless of what party they belong to. Mrs. Shepherd is a prominent member of the Christian Church, and devotes con- siderable time to the welfare of that organization.
F. CORBIN. One of the most commanding and picturesque homesteads in Sunbury Township is that occupied by our subject on section 29. Ile is a Virginian by birth, being born in Taylor County, that State, Oct. 5, 1843, and is the eldest of a family of nine children born to Oliver H. P. and Mary E. (Flowers) Corbin, natives of Harrison County. W. Va.
The paternal grandparents of our subject, Ander- son and Elizabeth (Haines) Corbin, were natives of Maryland and West Virginia respectively, the former of English descent. At the age of sixteen Mr. Corbin became a soldier in the Revolutionary
LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
army, in which also his father, Francis Corbin, was Quartermaster. The maternal grandparents, Jesse and Mary ( Lucas) Flowers, were natives of Virginia and also of English descent. The Flowers family was largely composed of professional men, several of them having become eminent in the practice of medicine, and in their day were nearly all prominent in politics. Jesse Flowers was a member of the Old Dominion Legislature, and upon the construction of the state of West Virginia, after the war, served as a member of the Legislature of that state. His father, John Flowers, lived in Pennsylvania.
The father of our subject was a carpenter by trade. but spent the greater portion of his life in the occupation of a farmer. Coming to Illinois in 185-1. he entered the land upon which our subject now re- -ides, and made it his home until 1870. when he rented the farm and went to Holden, Johnson Co., Mo., and spent a year and a half in looking over the country. While there his demise took place, and the family then returned to the old homestead in Livingston County, where the widow now resides with our subject.
Mr. Corbin has lived upon the farm all his life, and in early boyhood applied himself closely to fa- miliarizing himself with all the details of farm work, improving all the opportunities also that were avail- able for obtaining a good common-school education. At the age of twenty-two years he left home to care for himself. going to Holden, Mo., where his parents joined him some time afterward. While living here he became engaged for a time as baggage- master, and was also employed by the Western I'nion Telegraph Company. Upon the death of his father he settled up his affairs in Missouri, and re- turned with the widowed mother and children to the homestead in this county. Our subject's brothers and sister- were named as follows: John H., Jesse F., Florence, Edith, Mary E., Francis ML., Sarah J., Benjamin B. and Oliver H. P. Francis and Benjamin died in infancy ; Mary E. married L. F. Harvey, a farmer, and lived in Lincoln County, Mo., where she died leaving two children, one of whom died soon after, and the other, Mary E., was reared un- der the care of our subject and his mother; Edith married Oliver 11. P. Lowers, a native of Virginia, who i- engaged in farming and stock-raising on the
section south of the old homestead. Since Mr. Corbin's return to Livingston County he has con- ducted the affairs of the home farm success- fully, and besides cultivating crops has engaged considerably in stock-raising. The farm consists of 160 acres of land, all of which is under cultiva- tion, and the position of the farm is one of the most desirable in the township.
Mr. Corbin is quite active in politics, although he is not attached to either of the old political parties. In 1880 he was elected Supervisor for Sun- bury Township on the Independent ticket, and has held that office every year since without serious op- position. He has also served as Justice of the Peace for several years, and School Treasurer seven years. He is a member of the Odd Fellows, and recently joined the encampment at Pontiac. He is one of the live men of Sunbury Township, and makes his influence felt upon all occasions where the people of the township are interested or where their condition can be bettered.
As representative of the buildings of this section of country, we present on another page of this vol- nie a view of Mr. Corbin's residence and its sur- roundings.
EREMIAHI COLLINS. One of the finest farms in this section of country, both in the way of improvements and farm buildings, is the one occupied by the subject of this sketch, on section 25, Esmen Township. Mr. Collins was born in Miami County, Ohio, Jan. 22, 1831, and was the eldest child in a family of thir- teen born to Daniel and Nancy ( Penney) Collins, natives of Ohio and Virginia respectively. The paternal grandfather was Jeremiah Collins, a native of France, who was a Captain in the Revolutionary War under Gen. LaFayette. The maternal grand- father was James Penney, and his wife was a Miss Holmes, who was born in Ireland. The father of Mr. Collins was a blacksmith by trade, and came to Ottawa on the 16th of July, 1838, where he followed his trade for seven years and then engaged in farming. He made two trips to California, and now lives in Marseilles. Ill. ; the mother is dead.
Mr. Collins was reared to farm life and received his
RESIDENCE OF J . F . CORBIN , SEC . 29, SUNBURY TP.
RESIDENCE OF JEREMIAH COLLINS , SEC.25. ESMEN TP.
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LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
education at the common schools. At the age of twenty-one years, in 1852, he went to California by the overland route, in wagons drawn by oxen, and consumed six months on the journey. After mining and lumbering there for a little over three years, he became dissatisfied with the country and returned home by way of the Isthmus, riding, at that place, on the first railroad he ever saw. Soon after his return to the States he came to Ottawa, Ill., where he arrived on the 20th of November, 1855, and began farming, which occupation he followed for several years.
On the 5th of August, 1862, Mr. Collins enlisted in Company C, 88th Illinois Infantry, under Capt. George A. Sheridan, at Seneca, and was mustered into the service at Chicago, under Col. F. T. Sher- man. The regiment was first sent to Jeffersonville, Ind., opposite Louisville. Ky .. and soon afterward took part in the battle of Perryville, Ky. Mr. Collins was disabled by sickness, and was discharged at Gallatin, Tenn., Feb. 5, 1863, and for two years after was unable to perform any work.
On the 9th of December, 1855, Mr. Collins was married to Eliza J. Turner, who was born at Leeds, England, on the 6th of January, 1835. She was the daughter of George and Ann Turner, natives of England, who came to America at an early day, and settled at Dayton, LaSalle County, in 1841, where they spent their declining years. Mrs. Collins died Feb. 6, 1872, leaving a family of five children, who are recorded as follows: George D. was born JJan. 11, 1857; William E., JJune 2, 1858; Martha J., Dec. 3, 1859 ; Charles J., April 30, 1864; Warren R., May 1, 1866. Charles and Warren are unmarried and live at home : George married Mary Gunn and they reside in Esmen Township; Will- iam married Mary Mackinson, and lives on a farm in the same township; Martha married S. F. Slider, and lives on a farm in Owego Township. Mrs. Collins was a member of the Christian Church, and was a lady highly esteemed in the community.
Mr. Collins was a second time married, to Rachel Wilkerson, Oet. 20, 1872. She was born in Madison County, Ky., on the 21st of March. 1854, and was the fourth child in a family of nine born to John and Mary ( Bentley) Wilkerson, who are natives of Kentucky, and now reside in Lexington,
Ill. Immediately after this marriage Mr. and Mrs. Collins settled on the farm where they have ever since resided. They are the parents of four chil- dren, all of whom are living: Mary was born Dec. 19, 1873; Gracie M., May 18, 1877 ; John E., Sept. 29, 1878, and Sadie B., Feb. 10, 1885. Mr. Collins' first purchase of land was eighty acres, part of which was improved, in 1855, and soon thereafter he bought fifty acres more. This he sold, and com- ing to Livingston County in 1871 purchased 160 acres of improved land, to which he has since added eighty acres. In 1887 be built a commodious residence, which is nicely furnished throughout. On another page of this volume is shown a view of Mr. Collins' residence.
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