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 56

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 56

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Mr. Brown is a native of the Empire State, and was born near the town of Camillus Sept. 7, 1840. His parents, Jolm and Rebecca (Conklin) Brown, were natives of Scotland and New York State respectively, the father born in 1810, and the mother in 1820: the latter died at her home in New York in the spring of 1852. John Brown emigrated to America in 1832, and located in New 1 York, where he lived until the spring of 1856, when he came to Illinois and settled in Peoria County, whence he removed to Livingston in 1868. He engaged in farming, and is spending his last years at the homestead in this township. Their family included seven children, namely, Margaret, Joseph, George, John, Shadrach, Robert and James. Two of the brothers during the late war enlisted in an Illinois regiment. Shadrach was killed in the en- gagement at Mission Ridge, while John contracted an incurable malady, and died after coming home- Another one was wonuded at Kennesaw Mountain but recovered.

Mr. Brown became familiar with farm pursuits at an early age, and was perfectly content with the pursuits and enjoyments of a country life. His chief ambition was to secure a farm of his own, and another, the establishment of a home with a con- genial companion. On the 24th of October, 1865, he was accordingly united in marriage with Miss Emily, daughter of William and Sarah Archdale, of English extraction. She was born Nov. 16, 1844, and by her marriage with our subject became the mother of eight children, namely, William, Alice, Charles, Joseph, Eddie, Florence, and two who died in infancy, named James and George.

Mr. Brown soon after the outbreak of the late war joined his brothers in the struggle for the pres- ervation of the Union, enlisting in the 122d New York Infantry, and serving as a private in Com- pany H for a period of three years. He was pres- ent at the battles of Gettysburg and Antietam, and went down the Shenandoah Valley with the army of Gen. Sheridan. Ile was under fire upon three

different occasions at Fredericksburg, and was also present at the battles of the Wilderness and Win- chester, and met the enemy in various other minor - engagements and skirmishes. He was remarkably fortunate, escaping wounds, capture and serious illness, and at the close of the war received his honorable discharge, on the 3d of July, 1865.

M ARQUIS D. SPENCE, one of the best known and most highly respected farmers and stock-raisers of Livingston County, resides on section 4, Belle Prairie Town- ship. It was on the farm where he now lives that he was born, and the date of the event was June 29, 1856. The residence of his parents at that time was a roughly constructed log house, which was re- placed some years ago by a modern residence. The parents were Williamson and Mary (Darnell) Spence. The father came to Illinois in 1831, and the mother, who was born in Kentucky, came in 1830, and both were among the very earliest set- tlers of Livingston County.

Mr. Spence, being a native of Livingston County, passed all his boyhood days here, and availed him- self of all the opportunities presented for obtaining an education in the common schools. After this he attended the select schools of Fairbnry for two years, and then spent two years at the Eureka Col- lege, at Eureka, Ill., at the end of which time his health became impaired and he was compelled to abandon the school-room and travel for the benefit of his health. With this end in view he made a journey to Leadville, Col., and other places in the far West, crossing the plains twice in the year 1876. In 1880 he found it necessary to again engage in travel, and repeated his trip across the plains, this time by train, at which time he pre-empted 160 acres of land, which he afterward sold to good ad- vantage. In the fall of 1880 he returned home and settled on the old homestead, and for the next three years, jointly with his brother Malachi M., managed the farm. At the end of that time the brothers divided the land and its appurtenances, of which Marquis took 240 acres, which he has since continued to cultivate, and is now also largely en-

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gaged in raising horses of the Hambletonian breed and Hamlet-Denmark saddle and roadster stoek, and is also extensively engaged in the breeding of fine cattle. He has in his herd at this time two Short-horn cows of the purest blood that can be ob- tained. He also has cighty head of pure-blooded Cotswold sheep. He takes great interest and dis- plays much enterprise in the breeding of stock. in which line of business he has already obtained an enviable reputation. He has attained that position among the leading breeders of this section of the State of which a much older man might justly be proud. It may also be mentioned in this eonnec- tion that no other portion of the great Northwest has made equal progress in the breeding of blooded stock with this portion of the Prairie State. Here we find some of the most magnificent specimens of horses, cattle, sheep and swine to be seen anywhere in the United States. More real benefit has been conferred upon the entire country by the enterpris- ing men who have taken such a deep interest in this business than most people realize. They de- serve the highest commendation for elevating the grade of the animals that we work, as well as those we use for meat, and no one of the younger men is worthy of more praise than the subject of this sketch. We present a view of his home and sur- roundings, as well as a picture of one of his line horses.

Mr. Spence is an ardent member of the Masonic fraternity, and affiliates with the Tarbolton Lodge No. 357. The family do not have any active church connections, but they are in sympathy with all movements of a moral or religious character. In politics Mr. S. acts with the Democratic party, to which he demonstrates his loyalty without seck- ing office at its hands, Mr. Spence's excellent ed- ncation and the experience growing out of travel make him a valuable member of the community, and he is looked upon as a man of sound judgment. and the wisdom of his arguments is seldom dis- puted.

Mr. Spence was married, on the Ist of January, 1×83, to Miss Cora B. Myers, who was born on the 16th of April, 1861, in McLean County, IN., and is the daughter of John F. and Sarah (Birdsall) My- ers, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. The

father of Mrs. Spence is an accomplished musi- eian, and endowed with remarkable literary talent, and has written many poems which have been widely published. He now resides in Indian Grove Township, where he is a wealthy and respected farmer, and is largely engaged in growing fine stock. There has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Spence one child, Marquis Meurl, whose birth oc- curred Oct. 31, 1887.

S TEPHEN HERR settled on a quarter sec- tion of land in Fayette Township in the spring of 1869, and commenced in earnest the building up of a permanent home- stead. His land was in a wild and uncultivated state, and he realized that it would require the out- lay of years of labor and thousands of dollars to bring into existence the home which he had pict- ured in his mind, and of which he determined he would yet become possessor. He is one of the happy few who have been permitted to realize in a. large measure the fruition of his hopes and plans. He is now the owner of 320 broad acres, lying on sections 8 and 18, and with their neat and substan- tial building>, the fine assortment of live stock and the various modern improvements, constitutes one of the most desirable spots in Livingston County. Mr. II. for the last ten years has been giving his at- tention principally to the purchase and sale of grain, in which he has become largely interested and from which he realizes annually a handsome profit.

The early home of our subject was on the other side of the Atlantic, in the Province of Baden, Germany, where his birth took place Dec. 9, 1842. Ifis parents, Sebastian and Josephine (Stukle) Herr, were also of German birth and parentage, and traced their ancestry back for several generations. Sebastian Ilerr was a stonemason by occupation, which he followed until retiring from active labor. lle emigrated to the United States when a young man, going to Tazewell County, Ill., in 1856, where he was joined by his wife and family four years later. The parents were married in their na- tive Province in November, 1839, and are now res- idents of Tazewell County, Ill. Like his father

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RESIDENCE OF STEPHEN HERR , SEC. 18. FAYETTE TOWNSHIP.

HARRY. 42.

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RESIDENCE OF M.D. SPENCE, SEC. 4. BELLE PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP.

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before him. he is connected with the German-Cath- olie Church. Grandfather Ilerr was a miller by trade, and spent his entire life on his native soil.

The parental household of our subject included Stephen, Theresa, Hermann and Bertha, all of whom are married and settled in comfortable homes of their own. Stephen remained under the home roof until the spring of 1863. and then began the estab- lishment of a home which is viewed to-day by the admiring traveler, and is a silent monument of the thrift and industry of the proprietor. In 1865, the prospect being favorable as to his ability to support a family, Mr. Herr was married to Miss Ilarriet Wageman, a native of the Province of Bavaria, Germany. The event occurred on the 8th of August. Her parents emigrated to America in early life and located in Tazewell County, where the father is still living, the mother dying June 14, 1873. Our subject and his wife have a family of six children, namely : Katie, Johnnie, Mary, Emma, Frank and Eddie, the eldest twenty years old and the youngest three years. They are all at home with their parents.

As is naturally to be expected Mr. Herr has been prominent in all matters of importance connected with the affairs of his township, having served as School Director and Trustee, still occupying the latter office, and has also officiated as Road Com- missioner. He has watched with interest the im- provements which have been effected on the face of the country since he settled here, and has con- tributed in no small measure to the importance and prosperity of Fayette Township. Among the il- Justrations given in this volume may be found that of Mr. Herr's residence.

F6 RANCIS W. STEWART, from early boy- hood bred to farming pursuits, is the sub- jeet of a history which in its main points is as follows: He was born in Putnam County, this State, May 6, 1858. and is the son of Stephen and Agnes E. (White) Stewart, also natives of Illinois, and both now deceased. The mother had been in ill- health for some months and was taken South to Flor- idla, where her death took place in 1861. Stephen

Stewart survived his wife twenty years, his death occurring at the home of Dr. I. T. Stewart in Pe- oria in January, 1881.

Our subject was but a child two years of age at the time of his mother's death, and had accompanied her to the South. He was brought back soon after- ward, and was reared to manhood on his father's farm. The latter was of Scotch-Irish ancestry and followed agriculture his entire life. He owned a fine tract of land in Putnam County, and became quite prominent as a successful stock-raiser. He was a native of Bond County, Ill., and had been a resident of Putnam County since 1832. In 1878 he removed from Putnam to Livingston County. Although mostly engrossed with his farming operations he was a conscientious sup- porter of Republican principles, and with his wife and family, belonged to the Congregational Church. The household circle was completed by the birth of three children, of whom our subject is the only remaining member, one babe having died in in- fancy, and their little son, Willie, when ten years of age.

Mr. Stewart remained a member of his father's housebold until 1876, acquiring his early educa- tion in the district school, and later entering the college at Jacksonville, Ill., from which, after a course of five years, he was graduated June 6, 1881. Ile then returned to this county, where he has sinee been engaged in farming and stock-rais- ing. Ile is the owner of 625 acres in Forest Town- ship, a part of which he rents and the balance is devoted to his stock operations, which include mostly graded cattle with a sprinkling of excellent common stock, the heads of each herd being all thoroughbred. This property lies not far from the village limits, within which Mr. Stewart took up his residence in 1881. He has one of the most desirable homes in the village, the handsome resi- dence being finished and furnished in modern style and all its surroundings in keeping with the habits of a gentleman of intelligence and means.

Mr. Stewart was married in October, 1881, to Miss Jennie T. McVay, who was born in Ohio, Nov. 27, 1859. Mrs. S. is the daughter of Rev. Homer and Harriet (Thompson) MeVay, natives of Scot- land and Ohio respectively, and now residents of

LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

Urbana. this State, where the father officiates as a minister of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have one child, a son, Homer Willis, born July 18. 1886. They spent the winter of 1882-83 in Florida, visiting the principal cities of the Southeast. and the grave of the mother of Mr. Stewart, at Milton.

Our subjeet. although not thirty years of age, has a fine start in life. and possessing natural busi- ness capacities and great energy of character, is bound to succeed financially, while his excellent personal qualities commend him to his fellow-citi- zens as one who in time will justly become prom- inent among the various interests identitied with the welfare of the people.

NDREW J. BRADBURY is a representa- tive young farmer of section 30, Avoca Township, and is a native of Massachu- setts, where he was born on the 8th of May, 1845. He is the son of Joseph S. (deceased) and Mary M. Bradbury. natives of the States of New Hampshire and Massachusetts respectively. The former's paternal ancestors are of English, while the latter is of French-English deseent. Of the twelve children born to his parents, five survive-Charles W .. Andrew J., Jennie L., Benjamin F. and George R. When the subject of this sketch was three years of age, he accompanied his parents when they emigrated to West Virginia, where they resided for two year-, and then came to Peoria County, III. In that county they resided until the spring of 1868, when they came to Livingston County and settled in Eppard's Point Township, where the father died in the year 1880. The mother still survives and is living on the old homestead. While the father was a citizen of Eppard's Point, he took great interest in all matters pertaining to the development of his township and county. Ile had the e-teem and confidence of all who knew him, and it may truly be said that in his death the county lost one of her best citizens and most pub- lic-spirited men.

Andrew J. Bradbury when a boy received a .

good district-school education, and with the ex- ception of a few years spent in the occupation of a carpenter. he has been engaged in farming all his life. On the 20th of February, 1872, he was mar- ried to Mis- Christina Watson, and they have had two children-Robert E., born on the 20 of Sep- tember, 1875, and James Franklin, on the 20th of July, 1877. Mr. Bradbury's farm consists of 108 aeres of well-improved land, on which he has con- structed all the buildings necessary for the com- fort of his family and domestic animals, and the care of the products of the farm. Ile has under- drained his land in such an admirable manner that every foot of it is available for cultivation. When Mr. Bradbury was twenty-one years of age, the time when he started in life for himself, his cash capital consisted of 83, but with that small begin- ning he went to work with a will, and the result can be seen by a visit to his excellent farm, and an inspection of the premises. In the fullest sense of the word he is a self-made man, a representative New Englander, coming from a class of people noted for their hardines-, their sterling worth and their indomitable energy. Mr. Bradbury is a Democrat in his political proclivities, to which party he confesses constant allegiance.

W ALTER S. RAMSAY, Postmaster at Long Point and dealer in general hardware, is the owner of good village property, be- sides an 80-acre traet of Kansas land which is partly improved and will in time be valuable. He was born in Montgomery County, Pa., Feb. 20, 1850, and came to Illinois with his parents when a little lad four years of age. They located in Peoria County during its early settlement, and the father now resides at Long Point with his son.

The parents of our subject, Thomas and Rebecca (Carnog) Ramsay, were also natives of Pennsyl- vania. and after coming to this State resided in Peoria County until the fall of 1867, when they took up their residence in Livingston. Walter S. pursned his studies in the common schools of Peoria County, and worked on the farm with his

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father until ill-health compelled him to abandon mannal labor. He then commenced teaching, which he followed in Livingston County five terms, and then engaged in the hardware business. On the 3d of Jannary, 1875, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Welsh, who was born May 25, 1854, and is the daughter of Jacob and Adela Welsh. natives of Ohio. She never looked upon her father's face, as her birth took place after his death. She is one of four children, namely, Henry, who died when an infant of eighteen months: Julia A., who now re- sides with her sister Mary; Robingney, a brick- mason of Stafford County, Kan .. and Mary, the wife of our subject.

Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay have three children : Flora M., born Aug. 6, 1876; Lillian A., June 2, 1878, and Thomas B., Aug. 8, 1884. Mr. Ramsey is Democratie in politics, and was appointed Post- master July 1, 1886. He has served as Township Collector two terms and the same length of time as Justice of the Peace. He has been Town Treas- urer since 1879, and was Town Clerk one year. He is a member in good standing of the Masonic fra- ternity, and as a man and citizen enjoys the respect of his community.

ENRY F. ANDREWS, a prosperous farmer on section 25, Waldo Township, was born in Fayette County, Pa., March 10, 1854. He is the son of Joseph and Sarah (Freel) Andrews, and is the second living child in a family of six, whose names are as follows: Mary, who is the only girl, was born in January, 1851 ; Henry F., our subject; John K., who was born June 7, 1856; Thomas, July 3, 1858 ; Joseph, Jan. 30, 1860 ; James, Jan. 31, 1863. These children all live in Waldo Township. Mr. Andrews' parents are natives of Pennsylvania, the former of Irish and the latter of German descent. The father was born in 1815, died on the 21st of March, 1879, and was buried in the Gridley Cemetery. The mother was born in 1825, and is still living in Waldo Township.

Mr. Andrews was reared on a farm, and assisted in such work as he could perform during his boy- hood days, while in the winter months, as was the

custom in those days, he attended the district schools. Ile accompanied his parents when they came to Illinois, when he was about fifteen years of age. They located in Waldo Township, where they purchased 160 acres of land, which llenry as- sisted in tilling until he was about twenty years of age, and then went out to work by the month for one summer. Ile then made an arrangement whereby he farmed forty acres, for the rent of which and the use of a team, he gave one-half of his crops; the next year he purchased a team and rented sixty acres of land.

On the 1st of October, 1876, the subject of this sketch was married to Miss Hattie E. Houghton, daughter of Thomas B. and Sarah (Jaunt) Hough- ton, of Gridley, Ill. His wife was born in Bloom- ington, Ill., on the 24th of August, 1856, whence her parents removed to Gridley when she was about five years of age, and at this place she was reared and received a fair common-school education. Her father was born Sept. 25, 1828, and was a native of Massachusetts, as was also her mother. who was born in July, 1828, and they were married in that State. The father was a blacksmith by occupation. In 1861 he became a soldier in the Union army, in which he served for a period of three years, during which time his health became very much impaired, and he died Nov. 5, 1869, and was buried in the Gridley burying-ground. The mother still sur- vives, and lives in Gridley.

The parental family of Mrs. Andrews included the following-named children : Samuel E., who was born in June, 1852, aud at the age of five years ceased growing, at which time he was thirty-one inches in height and weighed but forty-one pounds. He remained at this stature and weight until he was twenty-eight years of age, when he began grow- ing again, and now weighs seventy-five pounds. For many years he traveled with the amusement troupe known as "Jack, the Giant Killer," and in that way assisted materially in the support of the family ; he now lives in Gridley. Benjamin F. was born in 1854, and died at the age of five years; Hattie E., the wife of the subject of this sketch, was born Ang. 24, 1856; Grace was born Dec. 27, 1858, married Frank Kent Oct. 1, 1876, and died Feb. 14, 1878, leaving one child, Bessie Grace, who

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LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

lives with her father in Gridley; Eva, born Sept. 26, 1860, married Fred W. Klein, Dec. 7, 1879, has two children. and lives in El Paso; Etta was born June 30. 1863, married Henry Killenbach, June 29, 1886. and has one child; Frederick B. was born Nov. 5, 1867, and is engaged as a telegraph oper- ator in New Mexico. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Andrews. Thomas Houghton, lived to be ninety-four years old, having been born on the 5th of June. 1792. in Massachusetts. He is said to have been the oldest man in MeLean County when he died. on the 5th of October, 1886. For the last twenty-five years of his life he was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. as is his wife, who survives him.

Since the marriage of Mr. Andrews he has con- tinued in the occupation of farming, and during the past six years has remained on the farm where he now resides, and for which he has a lease for four years longer. To Mr. and Mrs. Andrews have been born five children: Thomas J., on the 12th of August. 1877; Frank B .. Ang. 24, 1879: Sarah E., Oet. 14, 1881; Walter Lee, June 5. 1884, and Charles. Aug. 19, 1886. The children are all bright and perfectly healthy, and in them the parents take pardonable pride. Mr. and Mrs. Andrews occupy a good social standing among their neighbors, and thoroughly interest themselves in all movements for the benefit of the community in which they live.

OHN BUTLER. In the minds of a great many people the impression is lodged that railroad corporations employ inferior and un-killful men because they can secure that clas- of meu at wages less than skilled men will work for. This is an erroneous impression. Rail- road manager- are wi-e in their day and generation, and have learned by the saddest kind of experience that true economy in the management of a railroad demands the most competent and skilled employes in every department, particularly so far as the run- ning of trains and the management of the physical affairs of the railroad i- concerned. It can be said

truthfully. that no Western railroad management exercises greater care in the selection of men to carry out the details of its management than the Illinois Central Railroad. This is evidenced by a careful inspection of the personel of the present em- ployes of their road. one of whom is Mr. Butler, of Pontiac, the Roadmaster of that division.

Mr. Butler was born in 1832, in Ireland, and is the son of John and Margaret (Hlassett) Butler, natives of Ireland, who engaged in farming during life. and had a family of ten children, three of the sons coming to America, the subject of this sketch in 1849. Before coming to this country, he re- ceived three years' careful education in an Irish agricultural college. The first point at which he settled after arriving in America, was at Janesville, Wis., where he devoted two years to farming, and then went into the employ of the Chicago & Alton Railroad, commencing as a common laborer. Ile was so faithful and trustworthy that he was soon asked to take the position of section boss at Buck- ley, on the Illinois Central Railroad, Iroquois County, Ill., which he did, and passed from that grade to the position of Roadmaster, which place he has occupied for seventeen years.

Mr. Butler moved to Pontiac in 1880, and pur- chased a fine residence on Mills street, north of the court-house, where he now resides. He has also purchased a store building on Madison street, which yields him a good rental. In addition to his rail- road business, he is engaged in real-estate transac- tions, having bought and sold large amounts of farm land. Coming to this country when a young man, without money and without friends to lean upon, he has by his business capacity and close attention to whatever he might be engaged in, become one of the leading railroad men of the West.

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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 56

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