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 43

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 43

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fect and profitable cultivation, and he devotes large attention to the cultivation of imported horses, fine cattle, hogs and sheep. In the latter line he has some very valnable animals, among which are some Shropshires that cost $75 per pair.

The subject of this biography was born in Switz- erland County, Ind., on the 27th of May, 1833, and is the son of Joseph and Sarah (Nelson) Kelso. The father was born in the State of New York, and when a child went to Indiana, where he was reared upon a farm, performing such work as he was able to, and giving as much time as possible to at- tendance at the public schools. He was married in Indiana, in 1828 or 1829, to Sarah Nelson, and to them were born three children while residing in that State. In 1834 he migrated to Illinois and located in Washington, Tazewell County, where he purchased land in a raw state and began farming. The home place consisted of 320 acres, on which he resided until his death, which event occurred on the 27th or 28th of October. 1884. He was a man of large stature, five feet ten inches in height, and weighed 225 pounds. He was of an amiable tem- perament, a good neighbor, a kind and generous father and husband, and his death was a great loss to the community. The mother was born in Indi- ana on the 25th of December, 1811, and she yet survives. Eleven children were born unto them : Robert married Miss Emily J. Brown ; Charles died in infancy ; John; David died in infancy; Jane married Isaac MeDonald : William died in infaney ; Joseph married Mary J. Messinger, and died in 1880; Willson married Elizabeth Day; Sarah and Eliza died in childhood, and Matilda married S. II. Payne.

Mr. Kelso was married to Miss Melissa E. A. Messinger on the 14th of March, 1861, the cere- mony being performed by the Rev. Dr. Reed, of the Universalist Church of Peoria. She was born in Tazewell County, Ill .. on the 14th of February, 1841, and is the danghter of Eli and Ruth A. ( Mc- Coy ) Messinger. Her father was born in Vermont on the 28th of February, 1815, and learned the trade of a millwright, which occupation he fol- lowed for many years. He came to Illinois in the year 1834, and located in Tazewell County, where he worked at his trade. He was married in 1839,

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and his wife died in the spring of 1857. She was born in Tennessee on the 15th of April, 1820, from which State her parents moved to Kentucky, then to Indiana, and in 1834 to Illinois, in which State her death occurred, in the town of Washington. She was a zealous member of the Christian Church, and died in the full realization of that faith. Of the ten children born to them but two are living- Mary J. and the wife of the subject of this sketch.

Mr. and Mrs. Kelso have had the following- named children: Eloise: Mary A., deceased ; Ed- gar L .: Sarah L .: Maggie M., deceased: Fred M .. deceased : Dudley F .: Claude L., deceased, and John R. Mr. Kelso is a member of the National Democratic party, and heartily endorses the doc- trines enunciated by that party through its State and National platforms since he became a voter.

AMES KING. Those who are engaged in work- for the elevation and improvement of mankind are called humanitarians, and well they deserve the name. Men who are en- graged in improving the qualities of domestic animals. that are intended to draw and carry burdens, or those which the Creator intended for the sustenance of mankind. are engaged in a work of a kindred nature. for thereby the condition of man is improved. The propagation of perfect animal- for the various pur- pres they are intended to subserve is a business calling for intelligence and a fine sense of the econo- mie- and purposes of nature. Such a man i- James King. one of the representative stock-growers of Livingston County, who is located on section 33. Indian Grove Town-hip.

Mr. King was born in Kent, England. in 1817. and came to America along with his family in 1851. They landed at New York City, whence they pro- ceeded to Buffalo, but soon removed to Chicago. where they remained until 1867. he devoting hi- energie- and business talent to transactions in stock. In the year last above named Mr. King moved to Livingston County, and located in the town of Fair- bury, where he engaged for ten years in the Inmber business. He then sold out that business and moved onto his farm, which consists of 240 acres of very

fertile land. where he has engaged largely in raising a high grade of horses, cattle and hogs, and has met with remarkable success.

Mr. King was married in 1861 to Lucy (Todd) Ketteringham, a native of England. They have had born to them seven children, two of whom died in infancy, while the survivors are George. Mary. Benjamin. Lucy and Maria. By his first wife, who died in London in 1848. there were four children. Ili- present wife is an active member of the First Baptist Church.

Although there are no better American citizens, Mr. King is a typical Englishman. and is as proud as one em well be of the place of his nativity. lle is an enthusiast in whatever he becomes interested, and especially is this true of his attachment for the Ancient Order of Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is both a member of the Blue Lodge and a Knight Templar. He has thoroughly studied and digested the teachings and doctrines of this frater- nity of fraternities, and is thoroughly devoted to its teaching>. Like many enthusiastic Masons he be- Jieves that if one lives up to the teachings and re- quirements of this order he is about as good a Christian as he well can be, for once a Mason, the belief in a God is acknowledged in the most solemn manner, and the requirements of Masonry, if ob- served to the letter, must make a man approach as nearly to perfection as it is possible for Innanity to attain. So thoroughly impregnated is Mr. King with the idea that a thoroughly good Mason is a thoroughly good Christian that he considers his lodge room his religious temple. Mr. King is a member of the Democratie party.

OHN CORRIGAN, a reputable farmer on section 22, Amity Township, was born in the county of Cavan, Ireland, Dec. 25, 1833, and is the son of Patrick and Alice (Conly) Corrigan, natives of the same county ; the former's parents were Peter and Honore (Dillon) Corrigan, natives of Monahan County, Ireland. Patrick, the father of John, our subject, died in the parish of Dringoon. Cavan Co., Ireland, on the 27th of March, 1849. He was noted for his devotion to

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his family and his country, and his devoutness as a Catholic. Alice Corrigan, his widow, came to America in 1865, and located in Aurora, Ill., where she remained until two years before her death, which occurred on the 10th of January, 1885, at her home in Cornell, Livingston County, and her remains were taken to Aurora for interment. She left four children, as well as a host of friends, to mourn her death. Like her husband she was a de- vout member of the Catholic Church.

The brothers and sisters of John Corrigan were : James, who married Ann Hughes, of County Cavan, Ireland, and died in 1859; Alice married Samuel Jeno, and they emigrated to Scotland; Mar- garet married Archie B. McGinnis, and they also went to Scotland; Peter came to America about the year 1856, landing at New York City, at which place he enlisted in a New York regiment and served during the war. He was taken prisoner and confined in Libby Prison for eight months, when in 1864 he was exchanged and returned to his regi- ment. He was again captured at the battle of An- tietam, and was this time sent to Andersonville Prison, where he died. In the order of birth John, the subject of this sketch, stands next; Ilugh came to America in 1864, and lives at Ottawa; James was killed in an accident on the 2d of July, 1881, at Aurora, leaving a wife and four children ; Eugene, now a resident of Macon County, Mo., is engaged in agricultural pursuits, and is the father of five children living, while three are dead; Michael mar- ried Mary Ann Nolan, of Aurora, and lives at Bloomington, Ill. ; they have had five children, four living and one dead ; Maggie was born in 1848, and died in Aurora in 1868, at twenty years of age.

Mr. John Corrigan was married, in May, 1863, to Miss Jemima Dunlap, at Naperville, Ill., by Rev. Father Fisher, and they have been blessed with eight children : Peter was born Feb. 21, 1864, and mar- ried Miss Foley Feb. 23, 1887; they reside in Am- ity Township; Eugene was born March 23, 1866, and is living at home with his parents; Mary E. was born on the 29th of August, 1867, received a High School education, and devotes her time to teaching ; Hugh was born on the 24th of May, 1869, is en- gaged at work upon the farm and attends school in the winter; Alice was born April 21, 1871, and

died at the age of ten months and twenty-one days; James was born Oct. 25, 1873; Alice, born Sept. 12, 1875, and Maggie, June 12, 1878.

The parents of Mrs. John Corrigan were Wilson and Letitia Dunlap, who have long since passed away, the father dying in the fall of 1872, and the mother on the 15th of October, 1848. Both were members of the Protestant Church. They became the parents of the following-named children : Ellen, who married James Richy, of Belfast: her husband is a manufacturer of boots and shoes, and they have a large family. Jane is the wife of John Camp- bell, who was on the police force of Ballybar, Ire- land; their children, seven in all, came to America. Mr. Campbell died in Ireland some time after the departure of the children for this country. William enlisted in Her Majesty's service when about eight- een years of age, and sailed for the West Indies, and from there to the Island of Malta, where he served on guard duty, and after his honorable dis- charge, from there to America: Wilson now lives in Ireland: Sanderson came to America when quite young, and after living here for four years returned to Ireland, and the last time heard from he was in Australia; Mary Ann came to America, and mar- ried Winslow Highland, of Plainfield, III., and now lives in La Grange, Ill. : she has an interest in a 220-acre farm near Plainfield, also lands in Kansas, and town property, and is making good use of her fortune: Hugh lives in Ireland, and has a family : Jemima, the wife of the subject of this sketch, was born April 10, 1840; James died in America three years after landing, in about the year 1849; Mary married Michael McBreen, and died leaving a hus- band and six children. All that is known of Rosa is that she came to America and was married to a Rochester man, whose name is unknown to the family.

Mr. and Mrs. Corrigan emigrated to America, landing at New York on the 12th of May, 1863, after a voyage of four weeks and two days from Liverpool, encountering some very stormy weather. They now own a fine farm of 500 acres, 400 of which is under cultivation, and the balance good pasture land. Besides being a farmer on a large scale Mr. Corrigan is engaged in raising thorough- bred Short-horn Durham cattle, blooded horses and

LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

a high grade of hogs. The farm contains first-class buildings: the dwelling-house is nicely situated and comfortably surrounded. The family belong to the Catholic Church, and they are well liked by all who know them. Mr. Corrigan is a man who is always ready to help any enterprise having a ten- dency to benefit the members of the community individually or collectively, and is one who is able to give ample reasons for the faith that is in him.

OHN FIEATH SMITH (formerly spelled schmidt), is as the name indicates, of Ger- man ancestry, and is rated among the most thrifty and prosperous citizens of Nebraska Township, where he is carrying on general farming and stock-raising after the most approved methods. being supplied with good farm machinery and everything required for the intelligent prosecution of his chosen calling.

Our subjeet was born in the little Kingdom of Bavaria. Dec. 11, 1835, and is the son of John Peter and Margaret (Grampp) Schmidt, who were worthy representatives of a line of honest and in- dustrious people. Young John was placed in school at an early age, where he continued his studies several years and was then bound out to learn the cooper's trade. After completing this and working as a journeyman a year his parents decided that it would be best for him to seek his fort- une in America. He left his father's house on the 7th of October. 1853. and landed in New York City on November 11 following. Ile remained there about ten days waiting for news from his brother, then proceeded to Baltimore, where he secured employment at his trade, and ten days later his brother found him and took him to Cumberland, Md. Our subject here secured employment in a mill, then went into the employ of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co., for whom he worked five years, and obtained a good knowledge of machinery. The next two years were occupied in running a stationary engine in an establishment at Cumber- land. Md .. during which time he formed the acquaintance of Miss Margaret Wiesemmiller. who became his wife March 17, 1857. This lady was

the daughter of Jacob and Margaret ( Baer) Wie- senmiller, natives of Germany. The young people continued in Cumberland, Md., until March 10, 1860, when, having previously made their prepara- tions they started for the West, and coming into this State located in Long Point Township, where the father of our subject had preceded him two years. The latter was occupied as a farm laborer a year, then rented a tract of land and commenced opera- tions for himself.

Mr. Smith continued on rented land in Long Point Township four years, and had in the mean- time saved a sung little sum of money, which he now invested in forty acres on seetion 6, Nebraska Town- ship, where he has since been located. In due time he added to his first purchase until he became the owner of 160 acres. This he has thoroughly drained with tile, and has erected a good set of farm build- ings, the last structure which he huilt being a fine barn put up in 1886. lle keeps good stock and raises some of the best crops in the western part of Livingston County.

Upon becoming a voter. Mr. Smith identified himself with the Democratie party, and has held the varions township offices, being Supervisor five, and Road Commissioner two terms, besides serving as School Director from sixteen to eighteen years. Ile also filled the office of Constable a number of years. He was reared in the doctrines of the Lutheran Church. and confirmed when fourteen years of age. Of his marriage there were born ten children, six of whom are living. Matikla, the eklest daughter, was born in Maryland, Jan. 23, 1859, and died in this county Feb. 14, 1882 ; her remains were laid to rest in Mt. Zion Cemetery. Barbara was born in Liv- ingston County, Sept. 15, 1861, and died in May, 1869; Ellen Lavinia was born Jan. 26, 1864, and died Sept. 3. 1881; Magdalena E. was born Sept. 26, 1866; Adam Louis, March 10, 1869: Charlotte, June 22. 1872: Mary Christina. March 10, 1875: Oliver A .. Feb. 7, 1878. and Howard T., July 6, 1882.

The father of our subject was born May 1, 1805, and is still living, being a resident of Long Point Township. He is remarkably strong and healthy. and does not wear spectacles. The mother was horn Ang. 10, 1812, and they were married in 1828.

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The old people reside with their son in Long Point Township. John of our sketch was the third child in a family of eleven, of whom eight survive, and with two exceptions are all living in this State. During the late war Mr. S. served in the 77th Illi- nois Infantry, and with his two brothers experienced three years of army life. They were captured by the rebels at Ft. Taylor, and kept in prison thirteen months at „Shreveport, La. Mr. Smith met and shook hands with President Buchanan, and saw a let- ter written by him, and states that the autograph given as his in the ALBUMS published by the firm issuing this volume, is exactly like that which he saw at the close of President Buchanan's letter.

Mrs. Smith was the second child in a family of nine. Her brothers, Conrad and Frederick, served as soldiers in the Union army. The former was wounded at Fredericksburg, and obliged to have a limb amputated ; he died soon afterward in the hospi- tal at Washington, D. C. Frederick lived to re- turn home, and is now a resident of Maryland, hav- ing a wife and six children. Iler father was born in 1811, and died at his home in Maryland, in 1885, being seventy-four years of age. The mother was born in 1808, and is still living, making her home with her son in Cumberland, Md. They were of German birth and ancestry, and came to this country when their daughter, Mrs. S., was a child one year old.

EFFERY H. REED, a progressive young farmer of Amity Township, owns and occu- pies a neat and well-cultivated farm of eighty acres on section 19. He has been carefully reared and fairly educated, and is more than ordinarily intelligent, ambitious of keeping up with the moving spirits of the day, and in all re- spects a useful and valued member of his commu- nity. Ile has been School Director several terms, and forms one of the essential spokes in the wheel of progress, nothing pleasing him better than to as- sist in those enterprises creditable to his commu- nity, and which will insure its moral and industrial welfare.

Mr. Reed was born in Peoria County, Oct. 15,

1853, and spent his boyhood and youth under the parental roof, coming to this county in February, 1881. lle was married in Long Point Township, on the 25th of June, 1876, his bride being Miss Martha R. Colehour. Of this union there have been born two children: Benjamin Franklin was born July 29, 1878, and has commenced his edu- cation in the district school; Laurie Luvernia was born July 24, 1886, and is consequently yet a habe.

The parents of our subject, Erastus 'R. and Le- vira L. (Goodsell) Reed, were natives respectively of Ohio and New York State, and the father was a son of Aaron and Sarah (Goff) Reed. The mater- nal grandparents of our subject were Ilermann and Lura (Hitchcock) Goodsell. Grandfather Reed came from Ohio to Illinois in 1830, when his son Erastus was a child three years of age, and located near Chillicothe, in Peoria County. Here Erastus was reared to manhood, and married Miss Goodsell in 1850. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge of Chillicothe, Peoria Co., Ill. In 1879 they crossed the Mississippi and took up their residence on a farm in Jefferson County, Kan., where they now reside. The parental household included the following-named children : Foster was born Oct. 11, 1851, married Miss Charlotte Bland, and is the father of one child; he is farming in Peoria County. Jeffery Il., our subject; Milo, who was born in 1855, died when about six months old; Benton G. was born Aug. 23, 1860, and married Miss Millie Goodman, of Kansas, of which State he is now a resident, and is the father of one child; he is a civil engineer by profession, but is now engaged in farming. Hattie B. was born in July, 1862, and died in infancy ; Emma A., born Feb. 16, 1868, is living with her parents; she is an accomplished young lady and a graduate of the Valley Falls School of Music. Dorcas E., the youngest of the family, was born April 23, 1871, and became the wife of Henry Miller, a farmer of Jefferson County, Kan. The parents are members of the Baptist Church, with which our subject and his wife are also connected.

Mr. Reed votes the straight Democratic ticket, and belongs to the Good Templars of Peoria County. His farm operations are carried on after the most approved methods, and he makes a spec-

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ialty of stock-raising. The buildings are neat and substantial, and Mr. Reed is adding each year to the attractions of his farm as a home. and to its value as a fertile tract of land, producing some of the choicest crops of Central Illinois.

B ENJAMIN E. ROBINSON, dealer in real estate at Fairbury, has been a prominent citizen of Indian Grove Township for many years, and closely identified with the inter- ests of its people. He received but limited ad- vantages in his youth, and has attained to his pres- ent position by the exercise of his own natural abilities and common sense.

Mr. Robinson spent his early life in Franklin County, Ohio, where he was born May 24, 1837, on the homestead of his parents, William and Nancy (Hutson) Robinson, also natives of the Buckeye State. They were reared and married near the home of their childhood, beginning life together in 1832. Twenty-seven years later, in 1859, William Robinson and his family came to this State, and located first in MeLean County, where they re- mained until 1866. In the spring of that year the father of our subject disposed of his interests in Mc- Lean. and came to this county, where his decease occurred Feb. 6. 1887, when about eighty years old. his birth having occurred in 1807. The mother was born in 1812, and preceded her husband to the silent land in February, 1868. Of the nine children born of the parental household, two died in infancy. They were named respectively, Eleanor J., William II .. John II., Nathaniel, James V., Edward, David F., Thomas F., and Benjamin E., our subject. Of these, -ix were in the army during the Civil War; one of them, Edward, was but thirteen years of age when he enlisted.

Our subject enlisted in the 95th Ohio Infantry as a private, and a few days afterward was promoted Second Lieutenant. He was assigned with his com- mail to the Army of the Tennessee, and they met the enemy fir-tat Richmond, Ky. Upon that oc- casion Mr. Robinson was captured, but paroled four days later, and took the field in November fol- lowing. He was present at the siege and capture

of Vicksburg, where he was wounded in the head, and subsequently, in Tennessee, was wounded in the leg. The next wound which he received was in the left arm, and he was a second time captured by the rebels, remaining their prisoner from June 10, 1864, until in March, 1865. For thirty days he experi- enced the horrors of Andersonville, and during the winter of 1865 was without shoes or stockings, go- ing barefoot. After leaving Andersonville he was taken to Macon, Ga., and thence to Charleston, S. C., where he was placed in the jail yard to hold the fire of the Union army. In 1864 he was promoted First Lieutenant, and was subsequently made Cap- tain, with which rank he was mustered out.

Capt. Robinson upon returning from the army, resumed farming in Indian Grove Township, this county, for a time, and then established a livery stable which he conducted about three years. In 1872 he was elected Sheriff of Livingston County, and served his term ereditably and to the satisfac- tion of the people, as was shown by his re-election in 1874, and again in 1876. In January, 1882, he was appointed Postmaster at Fairbury, and served until the change of administration resulted in a Demo- cratie successor. During the miner's strike at Braidwood in 1877, Capt. Robinson served as Captain of a regiment which assisted in quelling the riot. and occupied the rank of Colonel on the staff of Gov. Cullom and also Gov. Hamilton. Socially, he belongs to the A. F. & A. M., Fairbury Chapter No. 99, and St. Paul Commandery No. 34, and is Past Commander in the fraternity. In the 1. O. O. F. he is a member of Livingston Lodge No. 290, and St. Bernard Lodge No. 129, K. of P. He is also Past Commander in the G. A. R., Fairbury Post No. 75. Politically he is a decided Republican, and was a member of the State, and Chairman of the County Central Committee.

The marriage of Capt. Robinson and Miss Sarah E. Finch was celebrated at the Baptist parsonage at Bloomington by Rev. Ellis, March 27, 1867. Mrs. R. was born in Madison County, Ohio, in August, 1847, and is the daughter of John and Emily Finch, the former deceased. Mrs. Finch is living, and a resident of Madison County, Ohio. Of this mar- riage there were born three children, of whom but one is now living, a daughter, Lucy J., born Jan.

RESIDENCE OF PHILIP SHRIMPTON , SEC. 16 . DWIGHT TOWNSHIP.

RESIDENCE OF G. L. TAYLOR, SEC. 16. DWIGHT TOWNSHIP.

RESIDENCE OF R.L. HOLDRIDGE, SEC . 14. SAUNEMIN TOWNSHIP.

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24, 1868; Clare died in March, 1874, aged three years, and Charles in 1882. aged eight years. The family residence is pleasantly located on Elm street, and the Captain and his wife enjoy the friend- ship and esteem of a large proportion of the resi- dents of Fairbury.

OHN B. KING is one of the enterprising young agriculturists of Waldo Township, and is located on section 2, where, besides general farming, he engages in stock-raising. lle is a native of Illinois and was born near Hud- son, in McLean County, on the 12th of February, 1858, and is the son of Christian R. and Mary (Bechler) King. He is the third child in a family of twelve, all of whom are still living, their names being as follows: Phœbe, born April 9, 1853, mar- ried John Stride, has six children, and lives near Meadows, McLean County ; Joseph R., see sketch ; John B., our subject; Lena married Christian Ra. ber. is a widow with three children, and lives in Pike Township; Catherine, Mrs. Jacob Yardy, has five children, and lives in Waldo Township; Daniel B. married Lucy King, has one child, and lives in McLean County ; Mary, born Dec. 23, 1863, is un- married, and lives at home; Christian, born Dec. 21. 1864, married Katie Steinman, and lives in Waldo Township; David, born Dec. 27, 1866; Si- mon, in 1867, and Ellen, Oct. 19, 1868.

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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 43

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