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 66

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 66

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Our subject first settled in Cortland County, N.

Y., where he bought a farm. Here he remained six years, and then left the farm and became a day laborer again; after three years of wandering he rented a farm in Chautauqua County, N. Y., which he managed for five years. He then bought a farm, and after working it for three years, sold it and moved to Ilinois. In 1866 he settled on section 27, where he lived on a rented farm for two years. He then bought forty acres of this land, and has resided on this traet ever since. He has added to the farm forty acres, which is all the land he owns, having given the balance to his children. He is the father of four children, all of whom are living: Oscar, born April 30, 1848; Arthur Eugene, Oct. 4, 1858; Mary Ella, June 30, 1855; Dora Ellen, Sept. 17, 1862. In 1875 Oscar married Alice Palmer, and lives near his father's homestead; Eu- gene married Ella Pearson, of Trinidad, Las Ani- mas Co., Col., where they now reside; he is a civil engineer and a graduate of Cornell University. Mary married John A. Cross, and they live in Da- kota, where he is engaged in farming; Dora is with her sister in Colorado. The parents took great pride in giving each of their children a good education, and each of them have taught school. Mr. Beardsley and his son Oscar jointly manage the farm, the active management being in the son's hands.

Mr. Beardsley was elected Justice of the Peace and served five years, and has also served as Road Overseer, but has never sought office. He is not very active in political affairs, but votes the Re- publican ticket. He is an independent thinker and reasoner, and is a strong advocate of any canse he esponses.

It is with pleasure we present the portrait of Mr. Beardsley in connection with this brief sketch, as being that of a worthy and representative member of the farming community of Esmen Township.

P HILIP K. HILTON is one of Livingston .County's prominent and highly respected citizens, and has met with success in his chosen vocation in life. He resides on his country estate of 315 acres of excellent land, free from encumbrances, on section 30, Sunbury Town-

564

LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

ship. He was born in Delaware County, N. Y .. May 25, 1820, and is the son of John V. and Anna (Grummon) Hilton, natives of New York. The paternal grandparents. William P. and Martha Ilil- ton. were also natives of that State, and the grand- father was a Revolutionary soldier, serving through the entire war. He was a physician by profession, and spent his declining years in the town of Blen- heim, Schoharie Co., N. Y. The father of our sub- ject was a farmer, and moved to Warren County, Pa., in 1830, going by canal to Buffalo, and mak- ing the balance of the journey overland. Twelve years later he came to Illinois, and settled in Liv- ingston County, on Wolf Creek, where he remained for several years, his death occurring in October, 1864. lle was a soldier in the War of 1812, for which a pension was granted him, the certificate bearing the date on which he died.

The subject of this sketch was reared to farm life, and received his education in the common schools. Five or six years after his father settled in Pennsylvania, our subject left home to do for him- self, starting away without any money. his entire possessions consisting of twelve pounds of maple sugar and a small surplus of clothing which he car- ried in a bundle. At Columbus, Pa., he sold the sugar for money to pay his fare to Erie, Pa., where he shipped on board a schooner, and worked for two months. In 1836 he took a trip through Michi- gan, but returned to Pennsylvania. In 1837 he went to Grand Haven, Mich., where he engaged in a sawmill, and there had a severe spell of sickness. In the same year he went to Will County, Ill., and shortly afterward came to Livingston County, where he made his home with a brother on Mud Creek. This county has been his home since that time. Soon after coming here he worked on the Michigan Canal at and near Joliet for three years. At that time the settlements through this section of Illinois were located along the creek. The Indians had all disappeared. but the country was yet wild and un- broken, and there were plenty of wolves, deer, tur- keys and prairie chickens. He spent a season in Vermilion and LaSalle Counties engaged in saw- milling. In 1842 he went to Iowa, and thence to New Orleans with a flatboat loaded with corn. On the return up the river the boat was blown up, and

several men were lost. Mr. Hilton had his face and hands badly scalded. In the fall of that year he returned to Iowa, and reached his home in Living- ston County in the winter. The following year he engaged at farming, and later on farmed on shares at Babcock's Grove. At this time he hauled wheat to Chicago, and sokl it at fifty cents per bushel, and frequently hauled corn across the prairie, which was fed to the hogs that were being driven to Chicago. During these trips he was much exposed to the weather, and one time became belated, and had to remain out all night, surrounded by wolves, and was nearly frozen to death before reaching a house. It had rained until he became wet, and then sud- denly turned cold and froze his clothing. Two or three years later he returned to the neighborhood of Mud Creek.

On the 9th of April, 1848, Mr. Hilton was mar- ried to Matilda S. Longnecker, daughter of Ileze- kiah and Polly A. (Crouch) Longnecker, natives of Pennsylvania and Kentucky respectively. After marriage Mr. Hilton settled in Esmen Township, and began farming in earnest. Ile lived in the edge of the timber, and cultivated the prairie ad- jacent. Two years after marriage he took up a claim of 160 acres, and began improving it by building a log house and cultivating the land. Ile entered this land by 40-acre lots, during the sum- mer time being engaged in breaking prairie to ob- tain money for the support of his family, and to pay for the entry of the land. After this he bought an 80-acre tract, and through enterprise and good management, has been able to increase the farm to 315 acres, of which eighty acres is well covered with timber. He remained on this farm without inter- mission until his wife died in 1857, leaving one child. She was a member of the United Brethren Church, and a lady of many excellent traits of character.

After the death of his wife, Mr. Hilton remained on the farm until 1865, and then spent considerable time in travel through Michigan and Canada. He went to Niagara Falls, and thence to Schoharie, N. Y., afterward traveling in Pennsylvania, and re- turning home by Chieago. Accompanied by his son, he went overland to Iowa in 1873, and then by team to Denver, Col., visiting all the parks,

565

LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

springs, and mountain scenery in that State. In 1874 he went to Boulder and spent the winter in teaming to the camps. On his trip to the West he went alone, and was the first to cross the plains after the Indian outbreak of 1874. At Boulder he sold his outfit and went to California, stopping at San Francisco, from which place he went by steamer to San Pedro and Los Angeles. From there he went by rail and stage-coach to San Jose, traveling in one day 116 miles by stage ; thence he went to Santa Cruz, and from there to see the big trees. He measured one tree which was sixty feet in circum- ference. He spent several months in travel in Cali- fornia, returning to San Francisco and back to Den- ver by rail. On the return trip he stopped at Salt Lake City, and attended a Mormon Church, and heard music made by the great organ in Brigham Young's Temple. He returned to this county in the fall of 1875.

Mr. Hilton's farm being rented until September, 1876, he concluded to again indulge his propensity for travel, and started East, visiting Chicago. Niag- ara Falls and Albany, and thence to New York City by boat. He spent eight days at the Centen- nial Exposition in Philadelphia, and from there went to Washington, where he visited the grave of the Father of his Country at Mt. Vernon. Thence by the way of Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Detroit, he went into the pineries of Michigan, to visit his brother, Alanson V. Hilton, now deceased. IIe re- turned to his home in Illinois in the spring of 1876, and in the spring of 1877 he started West again. going by the way of Yankton, and by river to Ft. Pierre, and with teams overland to Deadwood. He engaged in mining twenty-five miles west of Dead- wood, at Bear Gulch, for one season, and was fairly successful. While here the Indians were trou- blesome, and they were compelled to break camp and move out. He then went by team to Chey- enne, and thence by rail to Denver, returning home by the way of St. Louis. In 1884 he made a trip to Iowa, and was in a railway collision near Des Moines, where one was killed and one wounded. After traveling nearly all over the East and the West, he returned to the farm and began to culti- vate it himself, which he has continued to do since. In 1885 he was disabled by nearly severing one of

his feet with an ax. Since then he has made a trip to Denver for his health, and remained there five months. He partially recovered and returned home by the way of Iowa.

Mr. Ililton is not very active in politics, but votes the Democratic ticket. He was the only one in Sunbury Township who voted the straight Demo- cratie ticket while the war was in progress. He is a member of the Royal Arch Masons, and united with the Masonic fraternity in 1858. He became an Odd Fellow in 1876, of which he has remained a member in high standing ever since. IIe has been a member of the Grand Lodge for two years as a representative, and attended the Grand Lodge of the State of Colorado in Denver. Mr. Hilton's extensive travel has made him a man familiar with nearly all sections of the country, and he is possessed of a valuable fund of knowledge on general subjects besides.

We take pleasure in presenting on an adjoining page a portrait of Mr. Hilton.

OHN H. BECKER, one of the most highly esteemed citizens in Chatsworth Township, resides near the town limits, where he owns eight acres of land and a handsome and con- venient residence, with the out-buildings required by the suburban dweller. In another portion of the township he has a quarter section, the cultivation of which he superintends and from the proceeds of which he enjoys a handsome income. He is one of the self-made men of Livingston County, who came from across the Atlantic hoping to better himself both socially and financially, arriving here with but $15 in his pocket. He is now the owner of a good property, which he has accumulated by hard work and the exercise of the strictest economy.

Mr. Becker was born in the Province of Olden- burg, Germany, in the city of Jever. July 6, 1825. He was reared in the agricultural districts and re- mained near his birthplace until the spring of 1853, and until twenty-eight years of age. The labors of many years had been quite unsatisfactory in their results and he determined upon a change of loca- tion. Embarking on a sailing-vessel at Bremen, he

LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

with quite a company of his fellow countrymen bound for different places, set sail for the New World, and after a voyage of six weeks landed in New Orleans. A few days later he proceeded up the river to St. Louis, Mo .. and thence to Peoria in this State. From there he went into Woodford County. where he engaged in farming, and in due time made the acquaintance of his future wife, Miss Matha M. Williams, to whom he was married in the spring of 1858.

Mrs. Becker was born in the Kingdom of Han- over, and came to the United States with her mother. brother and sister about 1857. Her father had died in the old country. Our subject after his marriage came to Livingston County and located with his bride near Pontiac. where he engaged in farming. and from there he removed some years later to Charlotte Township, and occupied the farm which he now owns until 1882. He then abandoned active labor and took possession of his present home- stead. where he is passing his later years in the ease and comfort to which he is amply entitled.

To Mr. and Mrs. Becker there were born only two children: Christian J., an enterprising young farmer of Charlotte Township, whose biography will be found elsewhere in this work; and Manno M., the wife of Henry M. Flas-ner, a resident of Char- lotte Township. Mr. Becker, after becoming a naturalized citizen, identified himself with the Re- publican party. to which he >till closely adheres. Ile and hi- excellent wife are members in good stand- ing of the Evangelical Church, and are held in the highest respect by the residents of Chatsworth and vicinity. Mr. Becker's only sister. Amma. i> the wife of Carl Sigert, and lives in Chatsworth.

ILLIAM BLAIN, who is not only an ex- tensive farmer and stock-grower on section 31. but a prominent man in all the affair- of Pleasant Ridge Township, was born in Orange County. N. Y .. on the 30th of September, 1821. He is the son of Abia and Fannie ( Baird) Blain, both natives of New York. The father was born in 1799. aud died on the 23d of September, 1817. When Mr. Abia Blain was a young man he was ap-

prenticed to a wagon-maker in Newburg. and served for three years. After the expiration of his apprenticeship he opened a shop of his own at War- wick. where he remained for six years. From there he went to Butler, Wayne Co., N. Y., where he re- mained until his death. He was a prominent mem- her in the Presbyterian Church and belonged to the Democratie party. The mother was born in 1800, and at the time of the writing of this sketch, in 1887, is still living, and enjoys fairly good health. She has been a widow since 1847, and has resided with our subject in Pleasant Ridge Township. She is the mother of seven children, William, our sub- ject. being the oldest; Sarah is the wife of Ilemy Lovejoy; Mary E. died Dee. 10, 1836, aged ten years, four months and thirteen days: Cynthia mar- ried George B. Holland, and died Feb. 17, 1870; Paulina was born May 27, 1832, and died Jan. 5, 1842: Christina, born in October, 1835, married William Zeck. and died Jan. 19, 1866: Abia M., born July 15, 1838, died Jan. 18, 1847.

William Blain, the subject of our sketch. was mar- ried to Mary Il. Center, a native of the State of New York, on the 30th of September, 1851. She was born July 13. 1832, and is the daughter of Nathaniel and Mary (Dewey) Center, natives of New York State. Her father was born on the 15th of December. 1793, and died at the age of fifty-six years; he was a farmer by occupation, and through industry and good management-accumulated large property interests. The mother was born on the 9th of December, 1805, and died on the 10th of August, 1884, in LaSalle County. Ill. They were the parents of the following children: Helen, born July 13, 1832; Hallet C., born Dec. 26, 1833; John, born May 11, 1836: Dow D .. born Ang. 8, 1838: Eliza B., born May 12, 1841, and Harriet J., born Feb. 12, 1845. All these children are still living. To Mr. and Mrs. Blain have been born four chil- dren; Theron, Ang. 30, 1853; lda W., Nov. 14. 1855; Nathaniel A., Nov. 18, 1859, and Fannie M., born Feb. 20, 1865, and died on the 6th of Novem- ber. 1867.

Mr. Blain came to Illinois in 1867, and purchased 240 acres of land in Pleasant Ridge Township, upon which he now resides. He also owns a snug little farm of seventy-nine acres in Ford County, Ill. His early

567

LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

education was obtained in the district schools, and by constant reading he has kept abreast of the times in the way of information about current events. Ilis political beliefs are in harmony with the principles of the Democratic party, and in such official positions as he has been placed he has discharged his trusts to the satisfaction of the people. In 1872 he was elected Supervisor for Pleasant Ridge Township, and served in that capacity for two years. lle takes a prominent part in the political. religions and busi- ne>> affairs of the township. He is a Trustee and an Elder of the Presbyterian Church at Fairbury, and for fifteen years has served as School Director. Ile is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has filled some of the principal chairs. In all respects he is a first-class citizen, a man who looks closely after his own business, and devote- but little time to the management of the business of other people.

OIIN T. MORTIMORE. No county in the great Prairie State can boast of such an ar- ray of intelligent agricultorists as Living- ston. Everywhere are evidences of thrift, wisdom and enterprise, and on section 33, Owego Township, is comfortably located the farm where one of Livingston County's good farmers is prose- cuting his chosen calling with success. This farm consists of eighty acres of finely cultivated land, with a tasteful and substantial farm building, a good barn, and all the accessories of the intelligent and progressive farmer, and here he spends his time as an industrious and law-abiding citizen, en- joying the respeet of his neighbors and fulfilling the obligations incident to his station as a substan- tial member of the community.

Mr. Mortimore is a native of Putnam County, Ill., and was born on the 8th of April, 1858. He is the son of Henry T. and Hannah J. Mortimore, of Pontiac, the father a native of New Jer- sey, and the mother being born in Rochester, N. Y. The parents were married in Putnam County in 1857, and have been blessed with four children, whose names are as follows: John T., Frank M., Ilarvy O. and Mary L. The settlement of the

parents in Livingston County occurred about twenty years ago, when they took up their resi- dence in Owego Township, where they remained until the spring of 1887, when they moved to Pontiac. where they now reside. They own 320 acres of land in Owego Township; upon which they spent twenty of the best years of their lives. The father has always been an ardent advocate of the principles of the Republican party, and his fellow- citizens of Owego Township chose him as their Trustee. The father and mother are both active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which the father was for many years a Trustee, and a leading man in the management of church affairs. for which he was admirably fitted, on account of his good judgment and ability to grasp all ques- tions as they presented themselves. During their long and active life both of the parents labored zealously for the improvement of their neighbors, as well as themselves, and now that they have retired from active life to spend their declin- ing years in the city of Pontiac, they carry with them the best wishes and kindest regards of all their old neighbors of Owego Township.

The parents of the subject of this sketch came to Livingston County when he was in the tenth year of his age, and his life from that period has been spent in this county, as a farmer boy, as a pupil in the common schools, and as a farmer after he reached the age of maturity. Ilis education is as thorough and complete as could be obtained in the schools of the day, but he has kept abreast of the thought of the day by constant reading of the current publica- tions.

Mr. Mortimore was married, on the 3d of Febru- ary, 1886, to Ida A. Ililtabrand, of Owego Town- ship, and one child has been born, upon whom they have conferred the name of Mytia J., its birth hay- ing occurred on the 20th of May, 1887. As stated above, Mr. Mortimore's farm consists of eighty acres, every aere of which is tillable, and is made availa- ble either in the production of annual crops or for grazing purposes. Mr. Mortimore, as was his father before him, is a Republican in politics, and is thor- oughly imbued with all the modern and progressive teachings of that party. He has served three years in the capacity of School Director, and in all edu-

LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

cational works he enters with the ardor and enthusiasm of young manhood. Mrs. Mortimore is a member of the Methodi-t Episcopal Church, in the affairs of which she takes an active interest.

OHN W. STEWART is one of the self-made men of Long Point Township, and is now engaged in farming on section 21. Ile was born Jan. 10. 1833, and is the son of John and Mary Elizabeth (Miller) Stewart, who were na- tives of Pennsylvania. The father died Oet. 9. 1858, at the age of seventy years, and the mother Jan. 2. 1867. To them were born the follow- ing-named children: Solomon, who was a steam- boat man on the Ohio River, and died from the ef. fects of an injury received in May, 1885, was married twice, and left a wife and children; JJohn- son is unmarried, and a farmer living near Monon- gahela City, Pa .: Washington, who died in 1884, married Sarah Billeter, and was the father of three children, one of whom is deceased; John W. is the subject of this sketch; David married, and after the decease of his wife he enlisted in the Union army, and died at the end of two years, leaving two children; William, who married Louisa Root, had six children, one of whom is deceased, and he died at Princeville, Peoria Co., Ill., in August, 1884; Harriet is now living with her brother in Pennsylvania; Joseph, who lives in Washington County. Pa .; Henry, who is married to Henrietta F. Borgordon, and lives in New Albany, Ind., and Mary, who is teaching school in Pennsylvania.

John W. Stewart was married on the 27th of September, 1860, to Rosalie A. Kenyon, daughter of John and Betsy (Maxson) Kenyon, natives of New York. To Mr. and Mrs. Kenyon were born the following children: Thomas J., born May 9, 1829, married three times, the names of his wives being Polly Church. of New York, Lucinda Allen, who bore him one child, and Hannah Maxson ; he now live- on a farm in Dakota. Maria, born in 1830, married Joel Hakes, of New York, who died July 16, 1886, leaving two children; Rosalie, wife of our subject, born Oct. 30, 1832; Betsy Angeline, born June 26, 1834, married Joseph Fuller, of New

York, has a family of five children. and now resides in Iowa; Loman K., born June 6, 1837, married Elizabeth Mason, has two children. and lives in Kan- sas; Mary AAlmeda, born Sept. 11, 1842, married Warren Lamphere, of New York, who died in 1881, leaving six children.

To Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have been born the fol- lowing-named children : Emma Louisa. July 28, 1861, now married to George Coleman, of Illinois, has two children ; George, born March 24, 1867. is a farmer; William Henry, born Jan. 25, 1870, is at home attending the common schools in which he is making good progress.

Mr. Stewart, the subject of this sketch, received a fair common-school education while he remained at home. At seventeen years of age he left home, and for three years was at work upon the river. and came to Livingston County in 1869, where he has remained most of the time since. He now own> 120 acres of land, eighty of which are on section 21, where he has spent $150 in tile ditching. and forty on section 22, all of which is under eul- tivation. Mr. Stewart's home is four miles from Long Point, his post-office.

Mr. and Mrs. Stewart are both members in good standing of the Methodist Church. Her parents were Seventh- Day Baptists. Mr. Stewart in polit- ical matters acts with the Republican party, to which he gives faithful adherence at all times and under all circunstances. Ile is a citizen who en- joys the confidence and esteem of all his neighbors.

ACOB E. BROWN, of the firm of J. E. Brown & Co., bankers, of Chatsworth, is the eldest of the family, and only son of Thomas Y. and Mary A. (Everett) Brown. He was born in Brownsville, Jefferson Co., N. Y., on the 29th of September, 1838, and received his educa- tion in the common schools and academy at Brownsville, N. Y. When not in school he assisted in the lighter duties around the farm, and also for a time clerked in a store. In 1856, when he was in his nineteenth year, his family moved to Living- ston County, Ill., and settled in Germanville

569

LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

Township. He assisted in the work on a farm until the winter of 1859, at which time Chatsworth sprang into existence, and he entered into the em- ploy of C. D. Brooks, Chatsworth's first merchant, Postmaster and Station Agent, as a clerk. In the spring of 1860 Mr. Brown returned to his home and took charge of his father's farm, which con- tained about 1,200 acres. In Angust, 1862, his bosom thrilling with patriotism, he offered his serv- ices to the Government as a soldier, which were accepted, and he was mustered in and assigned to Company M, 9th Illinois Cavalry. and served as a member of that company until May, 1865, when he was mustered out. Upon entering the army he joined the company at Helena, Ark., then under command of Gen. Steele. Ile was detailed under different commanders as a scout, and served in different portions of Arkansas. After the downfall of Little Rock, in the spring of 1863, the cavalry command was removed across. and up the Missis- sippi River to Memphis, Tenn., and placed under the command of Gen. Grierson. and during the following year he served as detail at the headquar- ters of that General and Gen. Hlatch, during the summer of 1864, doing like duty for Gen. Grier- son. Nov 19, 1864, he together with forty others, while on detached service, on Shoal Creek, near Florence, was taken prisoner, and was held by the rebels until April, 1865, a greater portion of the time being in the prison at Cahaba, Ala. When he was paroled, and while on parole, he was com- missioned Second Lieutenant, but being in very poor health he accepted a final discharge in May, and returned home. For one year he did but little, excepting that in the spring of 1866 he took a course at Eastman's Commercial College in Chi- cago. Then he returned to the farm and was a tiller of the soil until 1874, when he removed to Chats- worth, but his health being so precarious he gave but little attention to business for that year. In 1875 he was engaged as a clerk by the hardware firm of Hall & Crane, where he remained until 1877. In August of that year he accepted the posi- tion of book-keeper in the banking house of C. A. Wilson & Co., from which position he soon became cashier and served in that capacity until 1885, when he, as senior member of the firm of J. E.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 66

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