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 60

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 60

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For one year after marriage Mr. Bamber engaged in farming, and for two years afterward followed

various pursuits, when he resumed farming in 1870. on the ground where the village of Benson now stands. In the fall of 1871 he assisted in platting that town, and in the same year purchased forty aeres of ground on section 26, Minonk Town- ship, Woodford County, to which he moved in the spring of 1872. lle continued to live on this land for eleven years, and then sold it and bought his present farm.

Mr. and Mrs. Bamber are the parents of nine chil- dren, as follows: William Edward, born in Wash- ington, Ill., Nov. 19, 1869; Robert J., born at Benson, Ill., Ang. 11, 1871 ; John F., at Benson, Dec. 27, 1872; Charles S., in Minonk Township, Woodford County, May 28, 1874; Della M .. born Oct. 20, 1875, died March 25, 1876; Jennie B., born Oct. 23, 1878; Orpha W., Dec. 17, 1881, in Minonk Township, Woodford County; Minnie Orah E., Dec. 12, 1882: Pearl A., in Waldo Township, Sept. 13, 1984.

Mr. Bamber takes a prominent part in the affairs of his township, and is the encourager and sup- porter of every measure having for its objeet the advancement of education and morality. He started in life without means of his own, and his present possessions are the result of his own industry and good management. Aside from the ordinary pur- suits of agriculture he gives considerable attention to stock-raising, in which he has been quite suc- cessful.

OHN LONG has been a respected resident of Dwight Township since the spring of 1869. In his history we have an illustra- tion of one of the most intelligent and observant of the sons of Erin, who, from the "land of great possibilities" has watched with deep inter- est the struggle of his countrymen and possesses a good knowledge of the varions events which have taken place since they began to agitate the question of their freedom. The Irish-American citizen has taken kindly to the institutions of this country, and there are few great publie works, canals, railroads or buildings, in which their industry has not been utilized and where they have not proved them- selves eminently ingenious and reliable. This per-

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haps accounts for the almost universal sympathy which Americans feel for struggling Ireland, and to which they often give voice in both public and private.

Mr. Long was born in the city of Dublin, in 1833, of parents more than ordinarily intelligent but who could only bestow upon him a common-school edu- cation. The boy, however, made the best of his opportunities, and eagerly devoured everything which came within his reach in the shape of in- structive reading. The old traditions of his coun- try had for him an especial interest, and he believes, with thousands of others, that the dawn of a better day for Ireland is not far off. He remained upon his native soil until reaching manhood. and when twenty-two years of age was married to Miss Ann O'Brien, of Mead, and for their wedding tour they embarked upon a sailing-vessel bound for America.

Our subject and his bride, after a safe voyage of forty-five days, landed in the city of New York, and a month later started for the West, locating first in LaSalle County, this State. From that time until the spring of 1869. Mr. Long was em- ployed at various work, principally mining, and in the meantime had accumulated a snug little sum of money. He now determined to change his ocen- pation and location, and coming to this county wisely invested his capital in a tract of land which is now included in his present homestead. This was but slightly improved, with rude buildings, and only a part of the land under cultivation. Mr. Long has affected a marked change in the con- dition of things, having now a home comfortable in all respects, a goodly assortment of farm machin- ery, with horses and cattle in good condition, and everything about the homestead creditable to the industry of its proprietor.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Long. eight in number, were named respectively, Peter, Richard, John, Michael, Christopher, Mary, Catherine and Julia. The eldest son, Peter, married Miss Mar- garet O'Connor, and is engaged in a wiremill in Joliet. The remaining ones are at home with their parents. Our subject upon becoming a naturalized citizen identified himself with the Republican party, and in religious matters, with his excellent wife and their children, closely adheres to the

Catholic faith of his fathers. No man is more up- right and honorable in his business transactions, and consequently none is more respected by his neighbors.

G ILBERT L. HEADLEY. Livingston County contains among her citizens many men who have had a hard struggle in life, and been dependent entirely upon their own resources for whatever of success they have attained. Among these is the subject of this sketch, who owns and resides upon a 150-acre farm on section 6, in Saunemin Township. Ile began life a poor boy, having none of the advantages which fall to even the poorest of the present day, and it is creditable to him to say that he has attained a measure of suc- cess much above the average. Mr. Headley is a native of Ohio, and was born in Trumbull County on the 22d of January, 1834. He is a son of Amos and Experience (Lindley) Headley, and comes from English descent. In the family of his parents there were twelve children, of whom our subject is the sixth in their order of birth. At the age of sixteen years he was thrown upon his own resources, and began working in Pennsylvania on a salary of $6 per month, and continued at this place for one year. Being compelled to work the greater portion of the time in order to support himself he was denied those advantages, limited though they were, that other boys of that day were afforded for obtaining an education. In 1855 he came to Illi- nois and settled in LaSalle County, and resided there until 1870, in which year he came to Liv- ingston County, and settled on the farm he now owns, in Saunemin Township. This farm consists of 150 acres of as good land as may be found in Livingston County.

On the 29th of November. 1863, Mr. Headley was married to Miss Persis S. Thompson, of La- Salle County, Ill. She is a native of Vermont, and was born in Windsor County, that State, on the 14th of June, 1847. She is the daughter of John W. and Sarah E. (Leonard) Thompson, both natives of Vermont. In her tenth year she accom- panied her parents when they emigrated from Ver- mont to Illinois, and settled in LaSalle County.

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ller mother died in that county in 1868, and the father now resides in the State of Kansas. To her parents were born four children, of whom three survive : Rachel B., wife of Clay Burgess, of Kan- sas City, Mo. : Laura V., wife of Robert Ilaverfield, of Larned, Kan., and Mrs. Headley. Her parents were pioneers in LaSalle County, Ill., and assisted materially in opening and improving that county. Her father has been for many years an ardent member of the Congregational Church.

To Mr. and Mrs. Headley have been born eight children : Laura, born Aug. 22, 1864; Emma, born May 7. 1866, wife of Albert Schnurr, of Union Township, this county ; Benjamin F., born Nov. 20, 1867 : Samuel, born Sept. 11, 1869, and now resides in Sannemin Township; Neota, born May 22, 1872; Cephas, born Sept. 11. 1874; Vietor, born July 4, 1877. and Luther, born Feb. 6, 1880. Mr. Ilead- ley is a Democrat in politics and gives the men and measures of his party a cordial support. Ile has served as Director of his school district, in which capacity he gave perfect satisfaction to his constituents.

ELSON G. BENNETT, the leading furni- ture dealer and undertaker of Sannemin, al- though comparatively young in years, con- trots a lucrative trade of probably $5,000 per an- num, which he established in 1883. His business house occupies an area of 28x68 feet, and two floors are utilized in the storing of his finely assorted stock of merchandise, which ineludes queensware, glass- ware, organs and sewing-machines.

In glancing at the details of the business of our subject, we are not surprised to find that he was born among the wide-awake and ingenious Yankees of New England. Ile first opened his eyes to the light May 3. 1849, in Litchfield County, Conn. Ilis parents, William and Sarah ( Bronson ) Bennett, were natives of the same locality, and descended from excellent English ancestry, from whom they inherited those reliable and substantial traits of character which constituted them honest men and good citizen. About three years after the birth of our subject, his parents determined upon a change of location, and after due preparation, he started

with their little family on an overland journey to the great West. They came within the boundaries of the young Prairie State, and located in LaSalle County during its earliest settlement, upon a tract of land in Farm Ridge Township, and about two years later moved to Deer Park Township. The death of the father occurred in 1856, when he was in the sixtieth year of his age. The mother, al- though now a resident of Normal, still retains the old homestead in LaSalle County.

The parental household of our subject included nine children, eight of whom are living, and the record is as follows: Diana became the wife of Rev. A. S. Calkins, engaged in the ministry at Normal, Ill. ; Isaac, George A. and Henry F. are carrying on farming in LaSalle County ; Charles F. is in Cali- fornia; Edgar in Mendota, and Edwin in Marshall County, Iowa. Nelson G., our subject, was reared on the homestead in LaSalle County, and being the youngest of the family, escaped many of the sterner duties and privations of pioneer life. He received a good education in the schools which were later organized under competent teachers, and remained a member of his father's household until his mar- riage. The maiden of his choice, Miss Hattie A. Tront, was one of the most attractive young ladies in Deer Park Township, and the wedding was cele- brated at the home of his brother Edwin. Oct. 15, 1876.

Mrs. Bennett is the daughter of Hiram and Vi- anna Trout, who were natives of Ohio and Missouri, and are now residents of Andersonville County, Kan. Their household included nine children, and Hattie A. was born in Wisconsin in 1850. Mr. and Mrs. B. after their marriage, came to this county and located on a farm four and one-half miles south of Forest, where they remained three years and until the removal to Saunemin. Here Mr. Bennett. in partnership with Mr. A. Cording, put up the first business house of any importance after the village was laid out. Together they purchased a stock of general hardware and groceries, including a goodly assortment of farm implements, and car- ried on business about 'eighteen months. Mr. B. then withdrew and established his present business, which was first located where the drug-store of Benkma & Dow now stands. In the summer of

RESIDENCE OF JOHN G. LOCKNER, SEC. 5. GERMANVILLE TOWNSHIP.

RESIDENCE OF A . A. MAJOR, SEC. 35. FOREST TOWNSHIP.

RESIDENCE OF J. W. JENNINGS , SEG. 34, PLEASANT RIDGETOWNSHIP.

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1886 he moved to his present quarters, which af- ford more room and better facilities.

The family residence of our subject is pleasantly located and he and his amiable lady are the valued members of an extremely pleasant and cultivated social circle. Their only child, Daisy E., was born Ang. 8. 1887. Mr. B., politically, is a stanch Re- publican, and with his wife is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Socially, he be- longs to the I. O. O. F. at Saunemin. He is con- tributing his full share to the business interests of the town, and has made himself quite valuable both as a citizen and business man.

UDGE BILLINGS P. BABCOCK, one of the earliest settlers of Livingston County, first came to this State in 1847, after having finished his legal education and been admit- ted to practice in the courts of New York, his native State. He did not remain here, however, upon his first trip, but returned the following year and purchased a large acreage of beautiful rolling prairie, which was designated as the Grove property, so named on account of a natural growth of forest trees, which afterward received the name of its purchaser, and was considered one of the most beautiful spots in the State of Illinois. His nearest neighbor was then four miles distant, and the Bloomington & Chicago State Road running by was traveled by State officers, and merchants going to Chicago, and was a great thoroughfare for cattle- drovers in autumn, who in this manner transported thousands of head each year. Judge Babcock since that time has been prominent in the affairs of this locality and the leader in most of the enter- prises which have brought it to its present status. He, with two Associate Justices as County Com- missioners, built the first truss bridge over the Vermilion River at Pontiac, and the brick court- house, which was destroyed by fire in 1874. Both were substantial improvements and a much greater undertaking for those times than the iron bridge and beautiful court-house of the present, with the later facilities for construction.

Our subject is a native of Oneida County, N.

Y., and was born March 29, 1814. He is the son of Dr. Charles and Nancy (Pratt) Babcock, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of New York. The family is of English descent, and its first representative in this country was John Bab- cock, who emigrated in the early part of the seven- teenth century, settling in one of the New England States. Col. Babcock, of Revolutionary fame, was a direct ancestor of our subject, and the father of the latter participated in the War of 1812 as a surgeon, and was stationed at Sackett's Harbor. After the war he settled at New Hartford Village, Oneida Co., N. Y., where he followed his practice successfully and attained to a high position among his medical brethren. lle was several times elected President of the Oneida County Medical Society, which was one of the most prominent in the State, and there were few who possessed his knowledge of materia medica in its various departments. He spent his last years in Oneida County, where his death took place in 1850. The parental family in- cluded three children, of whom only two survive -Billings P. and his sister Mary C., the wife of Henry G. Abbott, of Utica, N. Y.

The Judge was reared to manhood in his native county, where he pursued his early studies and distinguished himself as a pupil fond of his books and anxious to excel. When eighteen years old he entered Hamilton College in his native county, and studied two years, then entered the senior class of Union College at Schenectady, from which he was graduated one year later. He commenced read- ing law with the celebrated firm of Noyes & Tracey of Utica, and was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the State in 1835, while at the same time passing his examination successfully for admission to practice in the Court of Chancery. He entered upon his professional duties at New Hartford, but owing to ill-health was obliged to abandon for a time his chosen profession and engage in active out-door exercise. About this time he emigrated westward, and obtained his first view of Livingston County, where he deter- mined to establish a permanent home. After mak- ing his second trip to the West and taking possession of the land which he had purchased, he commenced dealing in stock, making sheep a specialty, and

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greatly increasing the wool product of this section of country. He invested his surplus capital in ad- ditional land, and in all his undertakings was remark- ably successful. He was elected Judge of the County Court in 1852, the duties of which office he discharged in an efficient manner three years, and then resigned in order to attend to personal matters of importance.

A mail route from Wilmington to Pontiac was opened soon after the arrival of Judge Babcock in this locality, and through his exertions a post-office was established at the Grove for the accommodation of the settlers on the Mazon. Our subject was appointed Postmaster, and was the means of bring- ing about other measures which added greatly to the building up of the community and encouraged immigration. He cast his first Presidential vote for Ilenry Clay. and at the organization of the Republican party became one of its most cordial supporters, and still gives to it his vote and in- fluence.

W ILLIAM M. GREGORY is one of the prom- ising young men of Amity Township, where he owns sixty aeres of land on section 29. He comes of English stock which has been noted for several generations for intelligence and morality. Having been born in 1865 he now comes upon the -tage of action at a time when the country is nearly in its zenith of progress and improvement, and necessarily he does not have to contend with the trial- and tribulations which were met at every step by the pioneer settlers of Illinois. Instead of the crude and unwieldly implements of the farm of the early days, he finds the work of the agriculturist now performed ahnost wholly by the most perfect ma- chinery the ingenuity of man has been able to pro- duce. With such machinery as they now nse as farming accessories Mr. Gregory can accomplish as much now as five men could in the days of the wooden moldboard plow.

In writing this sketch of one of Amity Township's coming men it is not amis- to say that he is a native of this township, and was born where he now lives on the 26th of February, 1865, and is the son of Thomas J. and Ellen Gregory, natives of England.

Mrs. Gregory was the daughter of Henry and Eliza- beth ( Moss) Holsworth, who were natives of Lan- castershire, England. Elizabeth Holsworth died on the 4th of March. 1861. Thomas Gregory, the father of our subjeet, was born in England on the 18th of November, 1827, and died on the 4th of February, 1886. Ile was married to Ellen Hols- worth, a native of England, on the 18th of July, 1847, and came to America in April, 1855, landing at. New York. Soon after they went to Chicago, remaining one month, and from Chicago to Living- ston County. He was a Protestant Methodist min- ister, and labored as such for over thirty years. HIe devoted altogether about forty years to the min- istry. He was in the Union army for about eleven months as a member of Company C, 129th Illinois Infantry, and was discharged on account of disability ineurred while serving as a cook in the hospital. To Thomas J. and Ellen Gregory were born ten chil- dren: Elizabeth Am, born in England in 1849, married William Ellis, and has two children; they are located in Butler County, Kan, and their post- office address is El Dorado. Thomas Gregory was born in 1847, and died when four years of age in England ; Thomas John was born in 1849, and died in England when eleven months and two weeks old; Richard was born in 1851, and when nearly five years old died in England; Thomas John married Miss Julia Louderbeck, has three children living and one dead, and resides in Livingston County; Philip Wilbur, born March 4, 1859, married Elizabeth Campbell, has two children, and is a farmer of Amity Township: Charles Henry, born June 27, 1863, mar- ried Olive Widdifield, and is a farmer in Amity Township; James Abram. born May 16, 1862, was graduated at Keokuk, Iowa: he married Marcella Boyer, and is a practicing physician at Chatsworth. William Morris Gregory is the subject of this sketch. llis land is under a high state of cultivation and is very productive. It is very eligibly located, being near churches, schools and markets.

Politically, Mr. Gregory is a stanch Republican, and by the members of that party is considered one of the active workers. When a boy he received a good education, and is now a great reader, and is very food of books and newspapers. He is pro- gressive in all his ideas and very liberal minded.

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He is a young man who is very popular with all his acquaintances, and takes a leading position in the affairs of his township.

OSEPH S. BABCOCK, deceased, was a na- tive of Steuben County, N. Y., and was born on the 26th of June, 1828, the son of Joseph and Phobe Babcock. His paternal ancestors were of English descent, while those on the mater- nal side were French, and were among the IIugue- nots who left Europe to escape religious persecu- tion. Joseph Babcock grew to manhood in his na- tive county and State, and was educated at Lima Seminary, New York. His carly days were spent on a farm, and when he was in his twenty-sixth year he engaged in the mercantile business in New York City, and continued in that business for sev- eral years. In about the year 1857 he removed his entire stock of merchandise to Pontiac, the ob- ject of his removal being to improve his health. He also had extensive money interests in this lo- cality. Ile was one of the pioncer merchants of Pontiac, and independently of that business was an extensive money lender. He remained in business in Pontiac for five or six years, but owing to con- tinued bad health was obliged to remove to his farm, one and one-half miles northwest of the town, where he remained until his death, which oc- curred on the 6th of July, 1870.

On the Ist of December, 1861, Mr. B. was married to Mary O. Norton, a native of Farmington. Me., and daughter of Hon. Samuel and Mary (Norcross) Nor- ton : her father a native of Martha's Vineyard, and her mother of Farmington, Me. In 1861 her par- ents came to Pontiac, where they spent the remain- der of their lives. To Mr. and Mrs. Babcock were born three children-Stanton, deceased; May and Stanton (2d). Mr. Babcock died on the 6th of July, 1870, respected by all who knew him, leav- ing a large circle of friends and relatives to mourn their loss. He was a kind and loving father and hus- band, and of unquestioned honor and integrity in business affairs. In his demise the county lost one of her best citizens, and the community a valued member. His remains were interred in the ceme-

tery at Pontiac. The widow and two children sur- vive him, and reside on the farm, which is one of the best improved in the county. They are lead- ing members of society.

Mr. Babcock was a Republican in politics, and was closely identified with all the important move- ments of that party in his county. He was one of the original founders of the Baptist Church in Pon- tiac, and always contributed liberally of his means for the support of that denomination, while he al- ways favored every movement for the benefit of so- ciety and the improvement of the county.

Ebben Norton, the grandfather of Mrs. Babcock, represented Kennebec County in the Legislature of Massachusetts when Maine was yet a province, and in the year 1843 Samuel B. Norton, her father, was a member of the Maine Legislature. He had al- ways been in public life, and for a considerable time served as Treasurer of Franklin County, Me.

E DMUND T. METZ, the leading insurance and real-estate agent of Odell, was born while his parents were residents of Will- iamsburg, Pa., Dec. 29, 1848. He was the fourth child of Peter and Angeline (Johnson) Metz, who were also natives of the Keystone State, and a sketch of whom appears on another page. Edmund T. was reared to farm life and received his educa- tion in the district schools, making his home with his parents until twenty-three years of age.

Mr. Metz when first starting out for himself, his parents having come to this State in 1860, opened a general store in Odell and associated himself in partnership with William Vaughn. They continued together five years, the firm being dissolved by the death of Mr. Vaughn. The business was then closed out, and Mr. Metz embarked in the insurance busi- ness in company with his brother William, who at that time was practicing law at Odell. They con- tinued together until the spring of 1885, when Will- iam withdrew and Edmund T. has since carried on the business alone, and conducts also a real-estate, and the largest insurance agency in the city.

Mr. Metz was married rather late in life, Oct. 12, 1882, to Miss Birdie Losee, a native of Dwight,

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this county. and born Jan. 9. 1863. Mrs. Metz was the youngest child of her parents. whose family included three sons and four daughters. Her father was a native of New York, whence he came to Illi- nois during the early settlement of Livingston County. and where he first engaged in general mer- chandising. He became quite prominent in public affairs and was elected Justice of the Peace. Finally he abandoned trade, and in connection with his office carried on a thriving business as a collector. He is now deceased. llis wife, formerly Miss Lydia Miller, was also a native of the Empire State, and is now living in Dwight.

Mr. Metz, after becoming a voting citizen, iden- tified himself with the Democratic party, although he meddles very little with political matters. His estimable lady is a member in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. With a song home on Prairie avenne they are fond of those matters which conduce to the growth of the intellect, and enjoy the esteem of a large circle of friends.

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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 60

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