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 42
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148
E DSON L. WILDER, who is one of the most independent and enterprising of farmers and stock-raisers. located on section 19, in Waldo Township, was born in Oswego County, N. Y., on the 15th of August, 1840. His father was born in Townsend Township, Windham Co., Vt., on the 13th of March, 1809, and received a fair common-school education. The grandfather, Natt Wilder, was born in Massachusetts July 9, 1784, and died Aug. 24, 1839. The grandmother, Polly (Warner) Wilder, was born JJune 30, 1783, and died April 10, 1852. The great-grandfather, Joshua Wilder, was a tanner by trade, which he followed in Vermont. He reared a family of twelve chil- dren, and previous to his death he worked in a hay field with five generations of his descendants.
At the age of nine years Mr. Wilder's father accompanied the grandfather, Natt Wilder, from his farm in Vermont, and settled in Oswego County,
LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
N. Y. At the age of eighteen he began to learn the trade of a carpenter, and after working at that occupation for about two years, met with an acci- dent which unfitted him for manual labor, and the following winter he taught school. After this be worked at his trade a portion of the time as jour- neyman, and then as a contractor. On the 9th of February, 1835, he was married to Susan Titus, daughter of P. T. and Martha ( Barnum) Titus. Before he was married he had purchased a house and lot in Washingtonville, where the parents be- gan housekeeping, and where the subject of our sketch was born. In 1837 the father began deal- ing in a general stock of merchandise, and fol- lowed that business for about. three years, after which he resumed work at his trade, In 1856 he sold out in New York, and moved to Peoria County. Ill., where he again engaged at his trade, leaving the sons to do the farming. He is the father of four living children : Marshall DeForrest, Malcom Dunois, Edson Llewellyn and Mary Alice. It is worthy of note that though they had been married fifty-two years, there had never been a death in the family. The mother was born in Oswego County, N. Y., Jan. 29, 1811, and was reared on a farm until eighten years of age, when her parents moved to Washingtonville, where she was married and lived until the removal West in 1856. In Peoria County the father was Justice of the Peace a number of years, and in Waldo Town- ship, this county, he held the same office for a number of years, and was also Supervisor for eleven years. The parents are now both quite aged, and live in Waldo Township with their sons, all of whom are settled on the same section.
The father of our subject is the eldest in a fam- ily of five children : Polly, born July 15, 1811, died unmarried : Loren, born Nov. 11, 1813, mar- ried Mary Hanson, has three children, and lives in Medina Township, Peoria Co., Il .; Laura, born July 16, 1815, married Rufus Salisbury, has one child, and lives in Oswego County, N. Y .; Mar- shall, who was born Feb. 28, 1818, married Emma F. Green. and died Nov. 7, 1848, leaving two chil- dren. Mr. Wilder's mother is the sixth in a fam- ily of nine children, as follows: Sarah A., born March 21, 1800, married Jonathan Newton, and ; our subject. Alexander W. was born Sept. 13,
had twelve children, two of whom were in the Union army; Treat, born in December, 1803, mar- ried Roxana Lester, and died leaving one child; Lucinda married Elisha Stevens, and died leaving five children : Betsy, born Feb. 12, 1807, married David Ames, has six children, and lives in New York ; Amos Barnum, born May 18, 1808, married Sophia Fitch, has one child and lives in Michigan : Susan is the mother of our subject; Anson, born Jan. 22, 1814, married Nancy Spencer, had nine children, and lives in Minnesota; Hannah, born July 29, 1817, married Robert McAdam, died and left one child; Martha, born March 1, 1820, mar- ried Alfred Welsh, has several children, and lives in Michigan.
The subject of this sketch was reared in the lit- tle village of Washingtonville until he was sixteen years of age, during which time he received a good common-school education. In 1856 he came with his parents to Illinois and located in Peoria County, where the father rented ground for the boys to farm. Ilere they remained farming in partnership, part of the time on rented land and afterward on ground which they purchased, until 1864, when they sold their interest there, and in 1 865 joined in buying 256 acres of land in Living- ston County. Mr. Wilder continued farming op- erations with his brothers until 1880, when the firm was dissolved by mutual consent, and since that time he has carried on the business himself on a farm of 160 acres, which is partly tiled and un- der a good state of cultivation.
Mr. Wilder was married, on the 11th of April, 1872, to Miss Jane Watson, daughter of Alexan- der and Isabella ( Ironsides) Watson, of Waldo Township. She was born in Aberdeenshire, Scot- land, July 25, 1846, and came to this country with her mother and step-father, when abont twenty-five years of age. IIer father died in Scotland when she was about fourteen years of age, and after- ward her mother married Thomas Kirktou, by whom she had one son, John Kirkton, who married Carrie Nethercott, and lives in Waldo Township. Mrs. Wilder is the eldest of three children, born of the first marriage. Isabella was born Dec. 7, 1852, and married Malcom Wilder, a brother of
389
LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
1868, and lives in Waldo Township. To Mr. and Mrs. Wilder four children have been born, as fol- lows: Loren, Jan. 21, 1873; Edson A., July 29, 1874; George W., Sept. 8, 1877, and Frances Jean- ette, April 24, 1887.
Mr. Wilder is a Democrat and comes of Demo- eratie stock on his father's side. He is not con- nected with any church. His parents were promi- nent Congregationalists in New York, but on ae- count of there being no congregation here they united with the Presbyterians at El Paso. Mrs. Wilder belongs to the Congregational Church, but for the same reason attends the Presbyterian Church. They are both active members of soci- ety, and whatever is undertaken for the benefit of the community in which they live, is heartily sup- ported by them.
OHN F. OVERHOLT, of the town of Read- ing, in Reading Township, has followed the profession of school teaching for the past twenty-five years, but is now retired from its active duties. lle was born in Fayette County, Pa., on the Ist of May, 1842, and is the son of Jacob D. and Mary F. (Freed) Overholt, natives of Pennsylvania, where the father was born in Bucks County, in 1804, and the mother in Fayette County, in 1813. To them were born the following chil- ‹Iren : Elizabeth, born in 1831, married William II. Lemminberger, a stone-entter, and by him had five children, one of whom is dead; the husband died in 1883. Henry, born in 1834. died in childhood; Martin, born in 1837, married Lizzie Patterson, of Reading Township, had two children, and lived in Streator, where he was engaged in merchandising; he died in 1877. John F. is the subject of this sketch ; Abraham, born in 1843, enlisted in Company E, 155th Pennsylvania Infantry, and died at Sharps- burg, Md., after serving one year; Mary, born in 1846, died at the age of seven; Annie E., born in July, 1849, was married in 1872 to Joseph R. Laughrey, superintendent of one of the coal-works at Dawson, Pa .; she has four children. Joseph, born in 1852, now resides in Dakota; he married
-
Albina Piersol, and had one child, who, with the mother, died of typhoid fever; Sarah, born in 1855, died in infancy. The grandparents of our subject were Jacob Overholt and Elizabeth Detwiler, natives of Pennsylvania, and the mother was Mary F. Freed, daughter of llenry and Barbara (Newcomber) Freed, also natives of Pennsylvania.
Mr. John F. Overholt, our subject, spent his youth and early manhood in Pennsylvania, where he engaged in work upon the farm and clerking in a store, and during the time secured a good educa- tion in the common and Normal schools of West- moreland County. He came from that State to Illinois in the year 1861, at the age of nineteen. For twenty-five years he taught school without intermission, during the winter seasons, also engag- ing in merchandising in Pontiac, and for five years conducted a drug business.
On the 7th of November, 1867, Mr. Overholt was married to Mary E. Mathis, of Reading, who was born on the 29th of November, 1846. She is the daughter of Jeremiah and Helen (MeKinney) Mathis, a reeord of whose family is as follows: Maggie married George Wolverton, and died at the birth of their second child, in 1861 ; Rbnhamie mar- ried George Wolverton, and had three children; her husband is now deceased; Charles married, and is engaged at hotel-keeping at Bartells, in the In- dian Territory; Mary E. is the wife of our subjeet; Seymour, born March 30, 1848, resides in Streator and is a carpenter by occupation; he married Carrie Fogler, and they have had six children, one of whom is dead. Oliver, a farmer in Kansas, mar- ried Miss Ellie Allen, and they have had five chil- dren, one of whom is dead; Lucien, porter for a wholesale house in Peoria, married Mary Pope, and they have one ehild; Carrie died aged four years.
Mr. Overholt is a Republican in politics, and has held numerous publie positions, among which are Town Clerk, Justice of the Peace, Township Col- leetor, and for a number of years he was Notary Public. He discharged the duties of all the po- sitions with credit to himself, and to the satisfaction of the people. In his chosen profession he has been longer engaged continuously than any other man in the township, except one. It is a profession in which he has always taken much pride, and
390
LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
through it he has gained a good knowledge of human nature. He has displayed much energy in studying the most modern methods of teaching, and has kept well abreast of the times in the se- lection of text books.
- -
OHN W. KLYVER, merchant, Postmaster. Station and Express Agent at Rughy in Owego Township, has established his perma- nent home many miles from the place of his birth, as he first opened his eyes to the light, May 2. 1841. in the Kingdom of Denmark. 1le is a gentleman of excellent education, and more than ordinary ability, having been carefully reared, and completing his studies in the university at Jonstrup. one of the best educational institutes in Denmark at that time. Subsequently he engaged as a teacher in his native country, and afterward became a soldier in the Danish army during the war between Prussia and Denmark. He participated in several important battle- and was once slightly wounded.
Our subject is the son of Frederick and Christina Klyver, also natives of Denmark, where the father -pent hi- life and where his remains now lie at rest. The mother is still living in her native country. At the close of his military services John W. desirous of a career which he had no hopes of entering upon in his native country, resolved to emigrate to the New World. Bidding adieu to his friends and the playmates of his childhood, he embarked on a sail- ing-vessel at Hamburg. and after a tedious voyage of forty-three days, set foot upon American soil. He first located in Long Branch. N. J., whence he started two months later for the West and was em- ployed for two and one-half years at Joliet. Subse- quently he went South, where he spent four years, and removed to Livingston County in the fall of 1878. He farmed for a time on rented land and tinally engaged in merchandising at Rugby. having purchased the stock of Joseph Royle, and since that time has conducted a successful trade. lle has pur-ned those methods which have secured him the confidence and esteem of the community, and he imber- among his friends and patrons the very best people of Owego Township.
While a resident of Chicago, Mr. Klyver was united in marriage with Mis- Maria Ericksen, the wedding taking place on the 20th of December, 1877. at the home of the bride in that city. Mr. K. and his bride located at once in Dwight, and in due time became the parents of a son, William, whose birth took place Sept. 27, 1880, and who still remains the only child. Mr. Klyver took possession of his farm property in Owego Township in 1886. It includes 130 acres of fertile land with all the necessary farm buildings, a goodly assortment of live stock and all the other accessories of prosperous country life. It is free from incumbrance, and considering the fact that Mr. K. came to this county with a cash capital of but $6, he will not be blamed if he views the re- sult of his labors with considerable pride and satis- faction. After becoming a naturalized citizen he identified himself with the Republican party, whose principles he still maintains.
Mr. K. is a member of Sullivan Center Lodge No. 738. A. F. & A. M., of Saunemin, Livingston Co., Ill. He is connected with the Danish Lutheran Church, and is the supporter of those enterprises calculated to benefit the people at large both morally and intel- lectually.
OHN WILKEY, the subject of this sketch, and his wife, are both natives of England, where they spent the greater portion of their lives, only becoming citizens of this coun- try about seventeen years ago, since which time they have had no occasion to regret their change of place of residence. Mr. Wilkey is now perma- nently located as a farmer and stock-raiser on sec- tion 29, Waldo Township. He was born in Charles Township, Devonshire, England, on the 27th of Feb- ruary, 1845, and is the son of John and Mary (King- don) Wilkey, who were the parents of nine chil- dren, of whom our subject was the second. George died in England, and the others came to this coun- try. James married, but his wife died, leaving three children ; he resides in El Paso. Mary, Mrs. George Gibbs, has six children, and lives in Waldo Township; Charles is married, has one child, and lives in Benson, Woodford County; Elizabeth, Mrs. John Skinner, has five children, and lives
-
"THE PARK" RESIDENCE OF NATHAN HURT, FOREST, ILL.
BULLAR
PAIN
LATH + SHINGLES MOULDING
CAND OIL
BARBEDWIRS
LIME
NAILS
CEMENT
PUMP
MODELSAND
SCALE
HARD COAL
J.T.BULLARD.
RESIDENCE AND LUMBER YARD OF J. T. BULLARD, CHATSWORTH, ILL.
393
LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
in Woodford County : Henry is married. has one child, and lives in Benson. Woodford County. Thomas is unmarried and lives in Waldo; Emma, Mrs. James Parkhurst, has two children, and lives in Benson, Woodford County. Mr. Wil- key's parents came to America in 1879; the mother was born on the 9th of January, 1821. and died on the 10th of January, 1887. The father was born in 1814, and is now residing with his children at the age of seventy-three years.
The subject of this sketch was reared as a farmer, and has followed that occupation during his life. On account of the surroundings during his boy- hood days he received but a limited education. At the age of twenty-three years he came to America, landing at New York City, where he remained for two years, engaged in work by the month. At the end of that time he returned to England for the purpose of marrying. On the 8th of March, 1870, he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Web- ber, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Cuttland) Webber, of Devonshire. He and his wife then came to America, and at once proceeded to El Paso, Ill., where he engaged in work by the month for three years. He then purchased a team and oper- ated a rented farm of eighty acres. At the end of nine years he had accumulated sufficient means to purchase a farm of his own, and he invested in eighty acres, upon which he now lives, adding to it in 1887 forty acres more on the same section. 'This land he has put under an excellent state of cultiva- tion and has made marked improvements upon it. To Mr. and Mrs. Wilkey have been born three children, as follows: George Henry, Jan. 17. 1872; Annie, July 10, 1875; and Ida, Jan. 22, 1882.
Mrs. Wilkey was born Ang. 23, 1849, and re- ceived a good common-school education. Her par- ents remained in England, where her mother is still living; the father is dead. Mrs. Wilkey is the fourth in a family of five living children; Jane, Mrs. James Grant, has several children, and lives in Devonshire, England; Edward is married, has five children, and lives in Devonshire: Philip is married, has four children, and lives in Devonshire: Richard is married, has five children, and lives in El Paso, Ill.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilkey deserve much credit for the
rapidity with which they have accumulated property since they became residents of this country. They came from families noted for their thrift and en- terprise in England, and have well maintained the reputation in this country that had been gained by their parents in the old. They are comfortably sit- uated and pleasantly surrounded at their home in Waldo Township, and the circle of friends which they have gathered around them is both pleasant and large.
ATIIAN HURT, proprietor of 302 acres of fine farming land, lives just outside the limits of Forest, where he has built a snug homestead in keeping with his reputation as a gen- tleman of cultivated tastes and ample means. Ile is principally engaged as a live-stock dealer, his transactions extending over a large area of territory, and in this department of agriculture he has been uniformly successful. Ile is highly esteemed in both social and business circles as one of the men who have assisted in developing the resources of Livingston County, and building up its reputation as a progressive and intelligent community.
Mr. Hurt was born in Garrard County, Ky., April 5, 1848, and his parents, Elvin and Eliza .J. (Bur- ton) Hurt, were also natives of the same county. They remained in that section until 1858, when they removed to Morgan County, Ind. The father, while visiting his former home in Kentucky, two years later, was seized with an illness which soon terminated his life, and he was laid to rest in his na- tive soil. The mother continued to reside in Indi- ana, where her death took place at the homestead in 1876. Of the five children included in the family circle, Cyrns and Sarah are deceased, while Robert and William are residents of Morgan County, Ind., and engaged in farming.
Nathan Hurt was a lad of ten years when his father's family removed from Kentucky to Indiana. IIe had always been distinguished as a bright and ambitious boy, thoughtful beyond his years, and upon the outbreak of the late war, watched with in- tense interest the contest between the opposing arm- ies. In March, 1863, although but fifteen years of age, he succeeded in being accepted as a Union
LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
soldier, and to his great joy was permitted to enlist in C'o. B. I-t Indiana Heavy Artillery. He marched bravely to the scene of conflict. and with his regi- ment participated in the battles of Ft. Blakesley and spanish Fort, after which the regiment was ordered to Baton Rouge, La .. and joined the Red River expedition. At Spanish Fort young Hurt was wounded by a piece of shell, which disabled him for a short time, but he recovered in time to partici- pate in the joyful congratulations of the North at the return of peace.
After receiving his honorable discharge from the army, Mr. Hurt repaired to Tuscola, Ill., and en- gaged in farming with his brothers Cyrus and Robert. where he continued until 1872. During the last year of his residence there, he was also interested in the restaurant known as the Lopp & Hurt Res- taurant. Ile thence crossed the Mississippi and visited the mining district- of Colorado, where he had invested a sum of money, and also visited New Mexico, returning to Illinois in February, 1878. During 1877 he was engaged in general merchandise at Ouray. Col .. and from thenee he came to lli- nois. Not long after, in February, 1878, he took up his residence in Forest Township, where he pur- chased land, and has since given his attention to agricultural pursuits and live stock. llis farm is thoroughly improved and supplied with good build- ings and machinery. His homestead was a legacy left him by his uncle, the late Allan A. Burton, who was favorably known throughout this section of country, and comprises sixty-two acres, forming one of the handsomest dwelling-places in that region.
The lady who presides with grace and dignity over the home of our subject, and to whom he was married Jan. 11, 1885, was formerly Mrs. Lydia (Franci-) Burton, daughter of John and Margaret ( Ros-) Francis. of Forest. She was born in Ohio, May 19. 1>53, and of her mion with our subject there is one child, a son. Edgar Burton, born April 17. 1886. Mr. furt wa- reared in the doctrines of the Christian Church. of which his parents were prominent and worthy member-, and with which he has been connected since 1861. Mrs. H. belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church at Forest. As intelligent and well-educated people, they enjoy the society of the best residents of Forest and vicinity. .
In our pictorial department of this ALBUM, we present a view of Mr. Hurt's residence and sur- roundings.
AIRUS THAYER BULLARD, dealer in lun- ber, fuel, paints, oils, etc .. at Chatsworth, is one of the old and substantial business men of the place. He is a native of Bethel, Windsor Co., Vt., where he was born on the 24th of July, 1828. His ancestors emigrated from En- gland, several generations back, and settled in New England. Mr. Bullard's father, Andes T. Bullard, was born in Francistown, N. Il., is still living, and has been a minister in the Methodist Episco- pal Church for fifty-seven years. He is now eighty- four years of age, and exceedingly well preserved. The mother, Lydia Lincoln, a third cousin of Pres- ident Lincoln, was born in New Hampshire, and died in 1875 at the age of seventy-seven years. They had four children, two boys and two girls, one boy dying at the age of fifteen years. The three living are: Rachel, wife of Thomas H. Hyde, who resides in Lincoln, Neb. ; Lucinda, Mrs. Bailey F. Adams, of Randolph, Vt .; and J. T., the subject of this sketch, who is the eldest of the children.
Mr. Bullard availed himself of all the opportuni- ties afforded in his youth for a common-school edu- cation, and at the age of nineteen years he left home and clerked in a store at Hadley Falls, Mass. One year later he went to Boston, and entering the employ of a man who had a collecting agency, he engaged in collecting delinquent subscriptions for various newspapers in the Eastern States. In this capacity he served until 1853, when he accompanied his uncle, Benjamin Lincoln, to Illinois, and for several years resided in Chicago, where he learned the business of inspecting and dealing in lumber. In 1860 he moved to Paxton, where he owned a lumber-yard for three months, and then moved to Lodi, where he remained until 1864. He then re- turned to Chicago and became a member of the firm of J. Il. Walker & Co., dealers in hides. In August. 1865, he went to Fairbury, where he carried on the lumber trade until 1869, and then came to Chats- worth and established his present business, which he has conducted on an extensive scale. He also
395
LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
owns a lumber-yard at Cullom, and is a member of the firm of J. T. Bullard & Co., at Saunemin, this eounty.
Mr. Bullard has been twee married; the first time in 1855 to Mrs. Jane Sweetland, who was born in Wallingford, Vt. She died in February, 1864, at Lodi, Ill., leaving one son, Willie C. In May. 1865, he was married to Miss Mary F. Adams, of Randolph, Vt., near which place she was born. Of this marriage five children have been born, two of whom are living-Josephine and John T. Mr. Bul- lard is a Democrat, and has held various local of- fices, serving as School Treasurer for twelve years. He is an intelligent member of the Masonie frater- nity, being a leading member of the Blue Lodge and a Knight . Templar. He was made a Master Mason in DeWitt Clinton Lodge, at Northfield, Vt., in 1852, and has served as Master of Chats- worth Lodge No. 539, and as Eminent Com- mander of St. Paul Commandery No. 34, Knights Templar, Fairbury, Ill. In his home surroundings Mr. Bullard is happily situated. His family is one of marked intelligence, and have had the advantage of refining influences. The residence they occupy and its surroundings is the most conspicuous in Chatsworth. Mr. Bullard is a genial, wide-awake man, who looks always on the sunny side of life, and enjoys his meals and a facetious story with equal relish.
On an adjoining page will be found a view of Mr. Bullard's handsome residenee and his business property.
OHN KELSO. When intelligently carried on, the business of stoek-raising has many pleasant features, besides being exceedingly remunerative, and it is in this line of busi- ness that a large proportion of the farmers of eer- tain seetions of Illinois have become wealthy. This is true of the gentleman who is hereby sketched, whose stock farm is located on section 18, in Indian Grove Township. Mr. Kelso came to Livingston County in March, 1867, where he pur- chased 240 acres of land, and began earnestly the work of improving the same. It is now under per-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.