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 55

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 55

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The maternal grandparents of our subject were of stanch Pennsylvanian stock, honest and reliable people, who figured as worthy members of the community, and made for themselves and their chil- dren a desirable and worthy name. The mother of Mrs. Ramsay was a native of North Carolina, and her father of Ohio.

M RS. CHLOE C. BARTLETT, of Fairbury, is the widow of the late Dr. Cicero C. Bartlett, formerly a practicing physician, but who later in life took up farming pur- suits which he followed for a number of years suc- cessfully. He spent his last days in Indian Grove Township, where his death took place on the 5th of March, 1883, when he was fifty-six years old, his birth having occurred Dec. 4, 1826.

Dr. Bartlett was a native of Hamilton County, Ohio, where he spent his childhood and youth, and commenced the study of medicine under the in- struction of his uncle, W. H. Bartlett, M. D., of Butler. Subsequently he entered the Columbus

(Ohio) Medical College, from which he was gradu- ated in 1852, and on the 13th of April, that same year, he was united in marriage with Miss Chloe C. Beach. Mrs. Bartlett was born in Madison County, Ohio, Sept. 17, 1831, and is the daughter of Dr. Lorenzo and Edith (Bull) Beach, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of New York State. Dr. Beach was born in 1798, and died in Angust, 1878. The mother was born in 1805, and departed hence several years previous to the death of her husband, her decease occurring in 1874. They were the parents of four children-James, Thomas, Chloe and Ilester.

Dr. and Mrs. Bartlett after their marriage com- menced life together in a modest dwelling at Dills- boro, Ind., whence they removed, in 1855, to this county, and Dr. B. opened up a farm, where he cultivated the soil two years, then took up his resi- dence in the town of Fairbnry and engaged in gen- eral merchandising, including extensive transactions in grain. About 1870 he instituted the private bank which was afterward familiarly known under the firm name of Bartlett, Beach & Dominy. On account of failing health, however, Dr. Bartlett was obliged to retire from active business, and spent the last four or five years of his life at home retired from active labor.

Dr. Bartlett was public-spirited and liberal, and did much toward building up the town of Fairbury, being foremost in those enterprises calculated for the progress and welfare of its people. The great ambition of his life was to provide a handsome and comfortable home for his family, which he was per- mitted to accomplish. The fine residence now oc- cupied by his widow is as much an or ket to the residence portion of the city as it is a credit to him who projected it. It is pleasantly located on Walnut street. and both within and without gives evidence of cultivated tastes and ample means. The grounds comprise half an acre, finely laid out and planted with choice shade trees and shrubbery. The carriage-barn stands in the rear and all the ap- purtenances of the homestead combine to give it an air of comfort and plenty, which is extremely pleasant to the eye. As a husband, father and member of society, Dr. Bartlett presented in his whole career the character of a man whose example

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was eminently worthy of imitation. He had iden- tified himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church early in life and remained a consistent member un- til his death. Ile was mourned as the useful and valued citizen whose loss it is is difficult to replace. He filled the various township offices, the duties of which he discharged with conscientious fidelity, and in polities uniformly voted the Republican tieket.

Dr. and Mrs. Bartlett became the parents of six children, two of whom died in infancy. Edith, the eldest daughter, is the wife of Elmer Lewis, of Fairbury, who is engaged as a commercial traveler ; Albert C. married Miss Emma MeDowell, and re- sides in Fairbury ; Emma, Mrs. Hiatt B. Taylor, is a resident of Ohio: Harry remains at home with his mother. Mrs. Bartlett is a member of the Pres- byterian Church and a lady highly respected in her community.

E ,DWIN R. LUCAS, one of the most skillful farmers and stock-raisers of Amity Town- ship. is a gentleman in the prime of life and in the midst of his usefulness. His has been a varied and interesting career, a part of which was devoted to the service of his country during the late war. Upon retiring from army life he returned to hi- native State. and took up the farming operations which had been interrupted by the terrors of the Rebellion, and since that time has given most of hi- attention to the improvement and embellish- ment of hi- property. This comprises eighty acres of finely cultivated land on section 19, which he thoroughly drained with tile, and which yields in abundance the choicest erops of the Prairie State. Mr. L. has proved himself public-spirited and lib- eral, improving his opportunity to encourage en- lightenment and education as carried on in the schools in his township, in connection with which he has served a- Director for several years. Ile votes the straight Democratic ticket, and though no office -- reker is serving his second term as Road Commissioner. Although not identified with any religious organization, he is honest and upright in his transactions. a good neighbor, a kind man in his family. and universally popular with his associ-

ates. Ile keeps himself thoroughly posted upon current events, and is interesting to converse with.

Our subject, a native of this State, was born in Vermilion County Feb. 27, 1844. His parents, John H. and Sally (Smith) Lueas, were natives re- speetively of Ohio and Pennsylvania. John Lucas came to Illinois with his parents in 1831, when a lad thirteen years of age, and remained in Vermilion County until the fall of 1855. He had in the mean- time been married, and now with his family re- moved across the Mississippi into Davis County, Mo., but not liking the country came back to Illinois and located in Amity Township, this county, where he still resides. The mother of our subject departed this life at her home in Vermilion County when Edwin R. was a young child. His father subse- quently married Miss Elizabeth Bixler. Of the first marriage there were born four children-Pres- ton, Levina, John B., and Edwin R., our subject. John B. yieldled up his life as a sacrifice during the late war, dying after a lingering illness in the hospital at Bowling Green, Ky., in December, 1862. Of the second marriage of John Lucas there were born Bruce, Steward, Nettie, Agnes and Delia.

Edwin R. Lueas was a youth of but seven- teen years upon the breaking out of the Rebellion, and at once experienced an intense desire to assist in whipping the Confederates. He was considered inuch too young to enlist at that time, but he woukl not abandon the idea, and in August, 1862, became a member of Company A, 129th Illinois, and served until the elose of the war in June, 1865. Upon being mustered into service the regiment remained at Pontiac, whence it was ordered to Louisville, Ky., and became a portion of the 38th Brigade of the 12th Division, under the command of Maj. Gen. Gilbert. Soon afterward they were de- tailed to pursue the rebel General, Bragg, and his troops who were threatening the city of Louisville, Ky. This duty accomplished our subject, with some of his comrades, was stationed as guard along the river and around Bowling Green, and to harrass the guerrillas. Afterward, marching to the southeast, he participated in the battle of Resaca, Ga., which resulted in victory for the Union forces. After sev- eral engagements and skirmishes he found himself before the city of Atlanta, which, after a siege of

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six weeks, was surrendered by the enemy, and the Union army took possession. Our subject was one of those who crawled up to the ramparts at night, and from his concealment in a ditch conversed withi some of the "Johnnies" while they also lay in hid- ing. Young Lucas shortly afterward, while assist- ing some of his comrades in hauling a log, was greatly injured on account of over exertion as his Lientenant, who was helping to hold the other end, was disabled by a bullet, which left the main weight on Edwin. The latter, with his usual persistence, determined to carry his end, and strained himself to a serious extent. However, by good care of him- self, he recovered from this. At Atlanta seventeen of his brave comrades yielded up their lives before the log defense was made. Our subjeet subse- quently entered Milledgeville, and was afterward at Ft. Hardy, which was erected during the troubles of 1812. On the 16th of December, 1864, after making a charge on the enemy at Aversboro, they retired a short distance, and Mr. Lucas with a com- rade picked up a pine log which they contemplated carrying a short distance for the purpose of using for defense. While returning for their guns the log was fully occupied by their comrades, so there was no room for themselves. His companion proposed that they should go for another, although the ene- my's balls were flying thick around them, and al- though Mr. Lucas considered it a suicidal move. which it proved to be, for his comrade received a bullet in the heart and died in the arms of Mr. L. This is only a specimen of the dangers which they endured, and which they bore heroically for sake of the end to be gained. After many other hairbreadth escapes news came of the surrender of Gen. Lee, and not long afterward our subject received his honorable discharge and returned home.

Mr. Lucas resumed his old life and farm labors in Amity Township, and in due time began to make arrangements for a home of his own. One of the first steps toward this was his marriage, on the 10th of April, 1870, to Miss Martha A. Conwell, which took place at the home of the bride. Mrs. Lucas is the daughter of John and Nancy (Carlisle) Con- well, natives of Ohio. She was born in Zanesville, that State, in 1847, and was deprived by death of her father's care when a small girl. She remained

with her mother a few years and then removed to McLean County, where onr subject made her ac- quaintance. . Mrs. Conwell, now Mrs. Dean, subse- quently removed to Kansas where she now resides, and is remarkably well preserved for an aged lady. She is sixty-nine years old and has the same glossy, black hair as in her youth, with a trace of gray. Mrs. Lucas has one sister and two brothers: David C., who is married and lives in Missouri; Sarah E., the wife of G. W. Simpson, residing near Bloomington, and the mother of four boys; and Stephen W., who resides in Atchison County, Mo., is married and the father of one child.

To Mr. and Mrs. Lucas there have been born nine children, three of whom have been laid away to their long sleep. Of the six remaining the rec- ord is as follows: Amy, the eldest daughter, was born Oct. 2, 1872, and is now an interesting maiden of fifteen summers, pursning her studies in the dis- triet schools; Viota G. and Viola (twins), were born April 19, 1875, and are also attending school; Lillic L. was born Sept. 13, 1877; Edwin II., Jan. 28, 1880, and Jessie Ross, Sept. 5, 1886. The deceased were Jasper H., who was born Jan. 28, 1871, and clied Oct. 22, 1872 ; Justin, born March 5, 1882, lived bnt a day, and Myrtle May, born July 9, 1883, died October 22 following.

6 HOMAS Y. BROWN, of the firm of J. E. Brown & Co., bankers at Chatsworth, Ill., is numbered among the pioneers of Livingston County, as his settlement dates from May, 1855, when he first settled iu what is now Germantown Township. He is a native of Jefferson County, N. Y., and was born on the 15th of November, 1810, being a descendant of George Brown, who emi- grated from England in the early settlement of America. The father, Henry Brown, was born in 1786, in Bucks County, Pa., but when only four- teen years of age he accompanied his parents to the Black River Country of New York, in 1799, where he grew to manhood, and became one of the successful farmers of Jefferson County. He died in April, 1868. The mother, Sally ( Brown) Brown, was also born in Bucks County, Pa., and moved

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with her parents to New York, where she was mar- ried to Henry Brown, and they had five children : Lysander 11., a lawyer by profession, residing at Ogdensburg, N. Y .: Thomas Y .; Loretta, who died at the age of two years; George M., who was an iron founder at Carthage, N. Y., and died at the age of fifty-two. and Sarah, who married Alexander Brown and lives in Jefferson County, N. Y. The mother died in 1818, at the age of twenty-eight years. Ilis father lived a widower for fifty years. From the fact that the mother died of consumption, it was predicted that the children would all die young, but not a death occurred among them for fifty years after her demise.

T. Y. Brown was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools, never having the advan- tage of an academical or college course. In 1837 he was married to Miss Mary A. Everett, who was born at Sackett's llarbor, N. Y., in December, 1818. and in connection with his father conducted a dairy farm of 800 acres and 100 cows until 1855, at which time he came to Illinois and purchased 1.200 acres of land in what is now known as Ger- mantown Township, for which he paid $5 per acre. This land be improved and resided upon until 1870, when he removed into the village of Chatsworth to retire from active business. In 1885 he associated himself with his son, Jacob E. Brown, and suc- ceeded C. A. Wilson & Co. as bankers. To each of his three children he gave a good farm of 150 acres, and has since disposed of the remainder of his land, and invested his capital in banking. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been married for over half a century, and have three children: Jacob E .; Sarah A., the wife of J. C. Shear, and Mary F., the wife of Joel R. Strawn. Mr. Brown's first vote was cast for Andrew Jackson, and he affiliated with the Democratic party until 1864, when he voted for Abraham Lincoln, and has since supported the Re- publican ticket. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are both highly esteemed by the people who have the pleas- ure of their acquaintance, and have one of the most pleasant homes in the county of Livingston. They are hospitable people, and take great delight in en- tertaining their friends. Mr. Brown and his wife boarded the fated excursion train which was wrecked near Chatsworth, on the 10th of August,

1887; they entered one of the forward cars, and after the train left the depot passed back to a sleeper. They had just entered and closed the door of the first sleeper, when the crash came, and all the cars in front were wrecked. Eighty persons were fatally injured, and hundreds of others were badly hurt, but Mr. and Mrs. Brown escaped with- out injury.

ILLIAM WALLACE SEARS, Postmaster of Chatsworth, and one of its well-known business men, came to the southeastern part of Livingston County when the ground now occupied by the village was comparatively va- cant. He located at El Paso in 1857, where he fol- lowed his trade of shoemaker and was the first rep- resentative of St. Crispin. In 1864, desirous of a change of occupation, he went into MeLean County, and located on a small tract of land, from which, however, he removed the next year to Chatsworth where he had already purchased. It was not long before he was acknowledged as one of the most val- ued citizens of the hamlet, which now began to assume the semblance of a village, and in 1866 he was elected Justice of the Peace, which office, with the exception of four years, he has held to the present time. In connection with this he has also carried on a thriving insurance business in connec- tion with collecting and dealing in real estate, In 1862-63 he was elected Supervisor of El Paso Township in Woodford County, and has held the same office in Livingston County several terms, and is the present incumbent. Politically he has always been a stanch supporter of the Democratic party. In a pleasant and attractive home his fam- ily consists of his estimable wife and the five chil- dren which have been spared to them out of a fam- ily of ten, the offspring of a congenial marriage. These latter are Frank, Barna, Libbie, Grace and Fannie,

Mr. Sears was born in Short Tract, near Portage, N. Y., April 21, 1828. lle is the scion of an ex- cellent old English family whose first represent- ative to the United States was the grandfather of our subject, who settled near Boston, Mass., and

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there reared a family among whom was Franklin, who became the father of William W. Franklin Sears left his native city when a young man, and emigrating to New York State, located in Living- ston County during its early settlement. lle fol- lowed the trade of a shoemaker, and became the possessor of a small tract of land which he eulti- vated in a moderate way, and where he spent the remainder of his life. His death took place in 1869, after he had attained his fourseore and four years. He had married in early manhood Miss Elizabeth Shadders, who was born in Hagerstown, Md., and removed with her parents to Livingston County, N. Y., when a child nine years of age. She became the wife of Franklin Sears about 1820, and they lived together for nearly half a century. She survived her husband scarcely a year, her death taking place in 1870, and her age being seventy-four. The parental household consisted of seven daughters and two sons. of whom four girls and the two boys attained their majority, and with the exception of our subject, continue to re- side in Livingston County, N. Y. Edward W. is a resident of Moscow: Elizabeth, Mrs. Harvey Ewart, of Groveland; Jane is the wife of Daniel T. Barnum, who is now ninety years of age; Julia married William Crawford, of Champaign County, Ill., returning to Moseow after becoming a widow ; Mary, Mrs. Bickford, is deceased.

Our subject was but a small boy when the fam- ily removed from Portage to Moseow, N. Y., where he pursued his studies in the Black School- house. Subsequently he learned shoemaking under the instruction of his father, which he followed in his native State until the fall of 1857. Ile then turned his steps westward, arriving in Woodford County on the 20th of October. His subsequent course we have already indicated. Ile has been prominent in local affairs, indentified with many of the important interests of Chatsworth, and is the man usually first called upon to endorse the meas- ures set on foot for the welfare of the community. At the time of the terrible railroad disaster at Chatsworth, he was foreman of the Coroner's jury which held the inquest over the bodies of seventy- four victims.

The wife of our subject was in her girlhood

Miss Margaret Poorman, a native of Waterloo, Seneea Co., N. Y., and born Dee. 9, 1832. Iler marriage with Mr. Sears was celebrated at the home Fof her parents in September, 1855. She is the daughter of Jacob and Isabel (Hogan) Poorman, and is the mother of the ten children heretofore mentioned. She accompanied her husband to this county and has stood bravely by his side in his difficulties, proving at all times his closest friend and counselor, and has contributed her share to- ward his prosperity.

R EUBEN OUTRAM, saddler and harness- maker, shoemaker and repairer at Long Point, is a native of the county of Kent, England, and was raised in the town of Sevenoaks. He is the son of James and Sarah (Gunner) Outram, and his father was the son of William Outram. The subject of this sketch re- mained in England until he was twenty years of age. He was edueated in the National schools of his native county, which are supported by legacies and endowments principally, the law requiring the pupil to pay one penny per week, which is equiva- lent to two cents of American money. The schools at Sevenoaks furnished all the books and other school equipments. Sevenoaks stands on high ground amidst fine and varied scenery, and is in the midst of several populous villages. It de- rives its name from seven oak trees which have long since disappeared, but are now represented by other trees about one mile distant on the Turn- bridge road. The name was given in ancient times. The place possesses many attractions for the inva- lid and the tourist. It has a spacious church, and a grammar school founded in the fifteenth cent- nry. It has a population of about 5,000. The county of Kent, in which Sevenoaks is located; forms the southeastern extremity of Great Britain, having on the north the Thames and the North Sea, on the southeast the straits of Dover, and on the south Sussex and the English Channel. The products of Kent are more varied than in any other county in England, and generally superior in

LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

quality. Wheat, barley and other grain, turnips, hops and clover. are of the finest growths ; cherry, plum and filbert orchards are extensive. Agricult- ure is in an advanced state. The estates are small, owing to the Saxon custom here still maintained, by which the lands of the father dying intestate are divided among all the sons alike. Kent was the first established Kingdom of the Saxon Hep- tarchy. The parents of the subject of this sketch emigrated to the United States in 1873, and he accompanied them.

Reuben Outram was married to Sarah Ann Grove on the 18th of October, 1876; she is the daughter of Richard and Sarah (Smith) Grove, who were na- tives of England. To them have been born five children-Alice Maud, Reuben Edward, Grace Beatrice, Alfred James and Lucy Ann. Mr. Out- ram first lived in DuPage County, and from there removed to Streator, where he remained one month only, and in March, 1876, moved to Long Point, where he owns ten lots, on one of which is located his business house. He is a man of considerable business ability, is a splendid workman, and has the reputation of being a square man in his business transactions, and is much respected by all the people who know him.

h EMAN MILTON BANGS, druggist, and also proprietor of a book-store at Chats- worth, is numbered among the successful business men of the town and a man who has been the architect of his own fortune. He commenced business in a modest manner in 1867 and his progress, though perhaps slow at first, was sure. and he is now plainly on the wave of pros- perity. lle possesses good business capacities, has made it a point to live within his income, and may be properly classed as a model business man and citizen.

Mr. Bangs. in common with many other substan- tial residents of the southeastern part of Living- ston County, migrated from St. Lawrence County, N. Y., where his birth took place in the town of llammond, Aug. 10, 1847. His parents, Heman and Almira (Phillips) Bangs, removed with their

young family from the Empire State to Sheboygan, Wis., and later to Lake County, Ill., where our sub- ject pursued his early studies and subsequently en- tered the academy at Waukegan, Ill., where he took a thorough course and completed his educa- tion. Upon attaining his majority and starting out for himself, he engaged as clerk in a drug-store and availed himself of all the information within his reach in order to become posted in this important branch of business. In 1866 he associated himself in business with his brother, Edward A., in the drug and grocery business. This partnership was dissolved in 1876, and our subject established him- self in the drug business at Flora, Ill., whence he came to Chatsworth a year later and engaged in the sale of drugs, medicines and notions, which he has since carried on successfully. Ten months later he added a stock of books, and from the two depart- ments of trade enjoys a comfortable income. IIe has been quite prominent, in local affairs, serving as Chairman of the Livingston County Republican Central Committee, besides holding other offices, and socially belongs to the Masonic fraternity, be- ing Secretary of Chatsworth Lodge No. 539. It is scarcely necessary to state that he votes the straight Republican ticket.

The wife of onr subject, to whom he was mar- ried Jan. 16, 1873, was in her girlhood Miss Tilla A. Brown, who was born in Fredonia, N. Y., Aug. 19, 1854, and is the daughter of William D. C. and Mary (Plank) Brown, who are still residents of the Empire State. This marriage has resulted in the birth of two children-Clarence M. and Mabel Ithia. The latter was taken from the home circle by death at the tender age of four years and three months.

OSEPH BROWN, located on section 19, in Pleasant Ridge Township, owns and occu- pies 160 acres of valuable land which he purchased in November, 1882. A large part of his time and attention is given to the breed- ing of fine stock, including Norman horses and Short-horn cattle. Although in the prime of life he has long been identified with the educational and

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business interests of his township, holding its vari- ous offices, and is largely interested in the mainten- ance of schools and all other enterprises calculated to promote the canse of education and benefit the people generally.

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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 55

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