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 68

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 68

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Among the sons of David and Lydia Winsor was Daniel, the father of our subject. He was born at his father's farm near Sterling, Conn., Dec. 5, 1794, and was the eldest of the children. He continued under the home roof, becoming familiar with all the employments of farm life, and was a youth of eighteen years at the death of his father. He then became manager of the farm and discharged his responsible duties with rare good judgment. He remained the support and counselor of his widowed mother for ten years following, when he was mar- ried to Miss Sallie Westcott, of Coventry, R. I. This lady was the daughter of Silas and Annie (Wicks) Westcott, and after her marriage repaired to the homestead of her husband, where they con- tinned five years. Mr. Winsor then purchased the farm adjoining, where he resided for a period of thirty years, and after the death of his wife came to the home of his son, our subject, where he spent his last days, his death occurring April 30, 1878. His life had been characterized by great energy and industry, and he was widely and favorably

known as a quiet aud inoffensive citizen, ever at- tentive to the call of duty, a kind neighbor and friend, and one who always had in mind the welfare and comfort of his family. The family included nine children, named respectively, Annie, l'hebe, Horace W., Lydia, Lucy, Christopher, David, Lucy (2d) and Thomas, all born in Sterling, Conn. Of these two are living and residents of Livingston County.

llorace W. Winsor was born at the old homestead, Oct. 14, 1822. In common with his brothers and sisters he received a fair education in the public schools, and learned the trade of a shoemaker, at which he worked seven years in Worcester County, Mass. Before reaching his twenty-third year he was married, April 7, 1845, to Miss Sabra, daughter of John A. and Polly (Barbar) Gallup. The parents of Mrs. W. were descendants of an old Puritan family, which is further referred to in the biogra- phies of Orrin and Daniel Gallup, found elsewhere in this volume.

Our subject after his marriage assumed the man- agement of his father's farm, where he continued four years. Then, desirons of seeing something of the great West, he came to Illinois and purchased a farm near Waltham. LaSalle County, which he operated fourteen years. and from which he re- moved to his present homestead. llere, as else- where, he has been distinguished, like his fore- father-, for his thorough-going industry, by the exercise of which he has built up one of the most desirable homesteads in this section, and is espec- ially noticeable for his strict integrity and blameless character. Politically he is a straight Republican, and, with his excellent wife, a member in good standing of the Congregational Church.

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Winsor was made glad by the birth of three children, two daughters and a son. The eldest, Emily A., in 1868 became the wife of Samuel McCord, a prosperous farmer of Audrain County, Mo. ; Herbert E., a youth of more than ordinary intellect, perfected himself in the study of law, was graduated from Hillsdale College, and is now a practicing attorney in Mar- shall. Mich. He married Miss Mary Eldridge, of Dwight; they occupy a pleasant home and enjoy the society of a large circle of refined and culti-

LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

vated people. Helen M. Winsor is the wife of James Almy. manager of a store of general mer- chandise at Glendive, Mont. Mr. and Mrs. Win- sor are thus left alone, but are frequently cheered by visits from the children, who find that there is no place like home."

OLIN PATTERSON, who operates 155 acres of rented land near Streator, is also the owner of thirty-three acres of highly im- proved land at Long Point, twenty-two acres of which is devoted to the growing of small fruits. while the balance is in pasture. Mr. Patter- son also makes a specialty of hog-raising, a busi- ne -- of which he has a good understanding and which usually yields him a handsome income.

Mr. Patterson has been a resident of the Prairie State since 1863. llis childhood was spent in Washington County, Southwestern Pennsylvania. where his birth took place June 14, 1835. Ilis par- ents. Samuel and Eliza ( Hellum) Patterson, were also natives of the Keystone State, the former born Feb. 16. 1810, and the latter March 6. 1811, in Pennsylvania. They were reared in homes adja- rent. and became husband and wife in 1828.

The paternal grandparents of our subject were William and Annie (Cook) Patterson, also natives of Pennsylvania. Their son Samuel, like his father, followed farming as an oceupation, and spent his entire life in his native State, his death taking place July 15, 1852. The household of Samuel and Eliza Patterson included a large family of children. Their eldest son. William, came to Illinois in 1852, and is now farming in LaSalle County : Thomas died in Pennsylvania when three years of age: Julia Ann was married in Washington County, Pa .. to Newton Curry, and became the mother of five children, of whom but two are now living; they came to Illinois in 1855, and subsequently moved to Kan-as, where the death of both took place. Jolm. of our sketch. was the fourth child : Charle- H., during the late war, enlisted as a I'nion soldier in the 101th Regiment, and died in the hospital at St. Louis in 1863, of consumption, brought about by exposure and hardship: Stephen 11., married and

the father of three children, is carrying on farming and stock-raising in Reading Township, this county ; Louis died in Pennsylvania when two years old. and Maria at the age of five; Susan J., the wife of Eben Hurton, is a resident with her husband of LaSalle County, and the mother of one son; Sam- uel, Jr., is a prominent farmer and stock-raiser of LaSalle County, and makes a specialty of English draft horses; Eliza was born July 15, 1852, on the day her mother died, and is now deceased. Sam- uel Patterson was subsequently married to Miss Julia Ann Hellum in 1858, and of this union there were born the. following children : Andrew J., who died when about fifteen years of age in this county : Sarah B., Mrs. Charles Howell, of Long Point, and Frederick, also a resident of Long Point, where he is engaged in laying tile.

John Patterson left his native State about 1863, and took up his residence in LaSalle County, Ill., where he engaged in teaming. While a resident of LaSalle County he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Brooks, and settling in that county be- came the father of a large family of children, re- corded as follows: Charles is carrying on teaming at Long Point; Eliza is the wife of A. J. Long, who is farming in Pike Township; Rosa died in September, 1873, when three years of age, and Ste- phen in 1875, at the same age; Samuel and Martin continue at home with their parents; Ora died when two years of age; Mary when two weeks old; Will- iam and Ralph, the two youngest sons, remain on the homestead. The residence is located in Read- ing Township, and the land which Mr. Patterson cultivates aside from his own property, is located on section 3. He is wide-awake and enterprising, and politically, a stanch adherent of the Democratic party. In 1876 he served as Assessor of Reading Township, but gives little attention to polities, pre- ferring to confine himself to his business interests.

0 LIVER P. VERRY, Odell Township. This gentleman is the proprietor of a good farm on section 8, and is the central figure of a history more then ordinarily interesting. It is not long since he passed his fifty-sixth birthday, and he is an excellent representative of the result of good

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LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

habits and correct principles, and one who has made the most of his opportunities in life. After a Va- ried career during his younger years, three years of which time was spent as a soldier in the Union army, he located permanently in this county, where for the last twenty-one years he has been success- fully engaged in farming and stock-raising, and is numbered among its most valued citizens. Ile set his mark high in the beginning of life, and resolved to earn the good-will and respect of his fellowmen, which he long ago attained, and fully realizes the truth of the theory that a life well spent brings its own reward.

Mr. Verry is a native of the Prairie State, his birth having taken place near Jacksonville, Mor- gan County, June 26, 1831. He was the youngest of a family of eight children born to William C. and Lucinda (Horton) Verry, natives of Massa- chusetts, who spent their entire lives in the agrieult- ural districts. William Verry was a resident of Taunton until 1820, then started overland for the West, and after a three months' journey landed at a point near Jacksonville, where he entered a tract of Government land, upon which he proceeded to build up a permanent home, and where he remained until his death, which occurred in 1877. Although quite well advanced in years, his life would prob- ably have been prolonged still further had it not been for an injury which he received in 1865, by being thrown from a horse. From this shock his system never recovered. He was born in 1795, and was consequently about eighty-two years of age at the time of his death. The mother contin- ued on the homestead in Morgan County, where her decease took place in 1880.

Our subject, a farmer's boy, spent his early life mostly in the fields, receiving a limited education in the distriet schools. Upon reaching his majority he repaired to Sangamon County, and engaged in farming on rented land near Waverly. After thus gaining a start in life, and making his arrangements for a future habitation, he took unto himself a wife and helpmeet in Miss Anna Leonard, their wedding taking place at the home of the bride in Pennsyl- vania, Oct. 9. 1854. This lady is a native of Penn- sylvania, where her parents still live. Mr. and Mrs. Verry after their marriage located in Mc-

Lean County, where our subject had purchased a quarter section of partly improved land, where he engaged in farming and stock-raising until the spring of 1861.

Mr. Verry was subsequently occupied at farming until in July, 1862, and then feeling that he could no longer restrain his patriotic impulses, enlisted in Company A, 117th Illinois Infantry, and after a brief stay at Camp Butler, Springfield, was detailed with his regiment to Memphis, Tenn. After fifteen months on guard duty at that point, they were sent by boat to Vicksburg. and from there marched to Meridian, Miss., where they met the enemy in sev- eral skirmishes, tore up the railroad tracks in that vieinity, and then returned to Vicksburg.

Not long afterward they went out with the Red River expedition to join the command of Gen. Banks, where at Pleasant Hill our subject first inet the enemy in open combat. They returned fighting all the way back to Mississippi, and after meeting the enemy at different points and tearing up more railroad tracks, they were detailed to St. Louis, to keep the rebel General, Price, out of the city. They worked over the country in the Iron Mountain regions, and afterward took part in the battles of Nashville and Ft. Blakesley, the latter the last battle of the Civil War, which was fought April 14, and which is often designated as the " battle of Mobile." The regiment was mustered out at Springfield, Ill., on the 6th of July, 1865. Mr. Verry was particularly fortunate, and after a three years' service came home without a scratch.

Our subject at the expiration of his army life, returned to McLean County, and having sold his farm while in the service, located on rented land. In 1867 he came to this county and purchased an unimproved tract of eighty acres. Upon this there were no buildings, and he began in earnest the es- tablishment of a permanent home. His industry and frugality were in due time rewarded, and he gradually brought about the improvements which are observed to-day with admiration by the passer- by, and stand as a fine illustration of the energy with which Mr. Verry pursued the object in view.

Mr. V. has met with adversity, however, his first great affliction being the death of his excellent and amiable wife, who had shared with him his first

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LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

trials and labors, and had exemplified the most at- tractive qualities possessed by woman. Of this faithful counselor her family were bereft on the 20th of September. 1869. Her two children, Wal- ter O. and Lillian A., were then quite young. The former is now mining in Colorado, and Lillian is teaching in McLean County. Mrs. Verry was highly educated, and was also a teacher before her marriage. She was for many years a member of the Baptist Church, and labored for its prosperity. Iler name is held in tender remembrance by her family and friends and the community who had learned to look upon her as one of its brightest lights.

The present wife of our subjeet, to whom he was married Jan. 9. 1879, was formerly Mrs. Julia C. (Butterfield) Lewis, daughter of A. D. Butterfield, and widow of William A. Lewis. She was born in LaSalle County. Aug. 2, 1843, where her father was one of the earliest pioneers, and assisted in lay- ing out the county into townships. The parents of Mrs. Verry spent their last years in LaSalle County, the father dying Sept. 15, 1887, and the mother in 1871. Of this marriage of our subjeet there have been born two children-Claude, born Feb. 8. 1880. and Earl, July 25, 1885. Mr. V. has served as School Director most of the time since coming to Odell Township, and although not par- tieularly active in politics, uniformly votes the Re- publican ticket, and stoutly upholds the principles of his party.

040.

B ENJAMIN HIERONYMUS. No man in the community where he so long resided made a brighter record or was more highly esteemed than Mr. Hieronymus, of whom we give the following sketch : Ile was a native of Ken- tucky. and was born on the 13th of January, 1818, his parents being William and Elvira (Darnell) Hieronymus. both natives of Virginia. The great- grandfather of William came from Germany in the year 1765, and settled near the Blue Ridge Mount- ain- in Virginia, and in 1804 moved to Kentucky, where he died in 1831. The genealogy of this fam- ily has been traced back many centuries, and it is found that the tree began in Germany in the year

330, the first of the stock being a minister who died in the year 420, at the age of ninety years. Ilis name was Sophronius Eusebius Hieronymus. Benjamin came from this aneient family, and pos- sessed many of the characteristics of his ancestors. Ile came to Logan County in 1828 with his parents, and endured all the privations and hardships of the settlers of those days. In 1839 he came to Liv- ingston County and purchased land, where he be- came one of the leading farmers of the county. IIe augmented his estate until his farm consisted of 600 acres of most excellent land. He was an en- terprising man, and devoted his energies largely to stock-growing, making a specialty of fine colts. He was a consistent member of the Christian Church for many years. He was a strictly honest and con- scientious man, and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. Ilis death occurred on the 31st of December, 1885, and his loss to the community was keenly felt and duly mourned.

The portrait of this esteemed gentleman, which we present in this connection, will be highly appre- ciated by his friends and neighbors. He was well known throughout the southern portion of the county, and doubtless had as many friends as any man within its borders.

Let us now refer to the estimable wife of our sub- jeet, who was married on the 19th of September, 1839, in Livingston County. At the time her parents settled in Indian Grove two tribes of Indians, the Pottawatomies and Kickapoos, numbering 400 souls, occupied that territory, and the name of their chief was Shaubina. Mrs. H. was twelve years of age when her parents eame among these tribes of Indians and took possession of land on which to make their future home. She was born in 1822 in Boone County, Ky., and is the daughter of Valentine M. and Rachel (Steers) Darnell, natives respectively of Virginia and Ohio. He came to Livingston County in 1830, and located in Indian Grove. At that time there were scarcely any settlements whatever of whites, the Indians being not yet wholly dispossessed of their lands by acts of Congress.

Mrs. Hieronymus is the mother of eight children, three of whom are living-William, Jasper and Elizabeth. Jasper married Miss Alvira Travis, and

B Hieronymus

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Elizabeth married Charles Westervelt, of Fairbury. Three died in infancy. and Martin and Emeline after reaching mature years. Mrs. Alvira M. Hier- onymus lives on the home place, located on section 4, Belle Prairie Township, and is surrounded with all the comforts of a rural home; she has been for many years a consistent member of the Christian Church, and is a most exemplary lady possessing rare and lovable traits of both heart and mind, and was a worthy companion of the noble husband who so long and faithfully walked by her side.

ANIEL GRAY. The man who made his advent into Illinois over fifty years ago, and has lived there continuously since, has witnessed great changes. Under his ob- servation the State has grown from a waste of wild prairie to a compactly settled commonwealth, whose farms are the best cultivated, most productive and most diversified in products of any in the Union. The great area of the State includes almost all va- rieties of climate, reaching from long winters which prevail in the region of the Great Lakes to the semi- tropical climate at the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, and this enables the growing of Northern and Southern crops within the boundary of a single State. Fifteen years ago the population of the territory extending from what is now the Wisconsin boundary line to the Ohio River was not much greater than that now contained by indi- vidual counties, so that the man who has lived in Illinois for fifty years can look retrospectively at great growths and wonderful developments. This is illustrated in our subject, a farmer and stock- grower on section 18, Belle Prairie Township, who was born in Morgan County, Ind., on the 13th of June, 1833, and became a resident of Illinois in 1834.

Daniel Gray is the son of Allen and Malinda Gray, natives of Tennessee and Kentucky respect- ively. The father was born in 1804, and was a farmer by occupation, and held very liberal views upon all theological questions, which he was able to present intelligently upon any and all occasions. For some years he was Supervisor of the township

in which he resided, and was Postmaster at Crow Meadows, Marshall County, under Fillmore, which office he held at the time of his death, in 1855. The mother was born in 1806 and died in 1877, and during her life was an ardent member of the Old-School Presbyterian Church. There were born to them nine children-James, William, John, Dan- iel, Joseph, Robert, Samuel, Elizabeth and Sarah.

Our subject's youth was spent upon the farm, and such education as he was able to obtain was by attendance upon the short terms of the common schools of those days. At the age of twenty-two years he was married to Miss Martha Richardson, on the 13th of September, 1855. She is a native of Huntingdonshire, England, and was born in 1836, coming to the United States when sixteen years of age with her parents, Thomas and Rachel Richardson, natives of England. The mother died some years ago, but the father still survives.

Mr. Gray was brought to Illinois in 1834 by his parents, with whom he remained and assisted in the work on the farm until he arrived at manhood. In 1881 he came to Livingston County and pur- chased 200 acres of fine land, to the farming of which he has devoted considerable of his time. Mr. and Mrs. Gray have had eleven children: Allen, who died in infancy; Robert married Miss Eliza- beth Ilaynes ; Laura married Henry Patton ; Thomas ; Ella married Plummer Coffman; Minnie died in childhood ; Charles died at the age of seven; Eben- ezer, Letitia, Jason and Stella, who are twins. Mr. Gray is a Democrat of the old Jacksonian school, but has never held any office except that of Col- lector, in Marshall County, for one year. Quite recently he sold his farm on section 18, Belle Prairie Township, and has purchased 160 acres on section 26, Saunemin Township.

ILLER HOTALING. Many of the old settlers have passed away, and from those who are living, in many cases, the mantle is falling upon younger and stronger shoul- ders. The subject of this history is the son of a farmer of New York State, who died there in May, 1881, namely. Richard Hotaling, the representative

LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

of a large family of that name, who were numbered among the most highly esteemed citizens of the Empire State. The mother is still living and has now passed her sixtieth birthday.

Mr. Hotaling was born July 80, 1851. His par- ents. Richard and Helen Hotaling, were natives of New York State, which for many years had been the home of his paternal grandfather, who served as a soldier in the War of 1812. His great-grand- father fought on the side of the Colonists in the Revolutionary War, and spent his last years in Coxsackie. N. Y. The brothers and sisters of ou subject comprised a large family, and those living are named respectively : Annie. Mrs. John Jacobs, of Ilazleton, Pa .; Augusta, Mrs. Harry Herr. of Athens, N. Y .; Adam, of Coxsackie, N. Y. : Allen, of Athens; William and Harry, of Cox- sackie; Mattie, Mr -. Orin Miller, of Windham, N. Y. : May, of Schneetady, and Miller, our subject. Jacob enlisted as a Union soldier in the late war, and is believed to have starved to death in Ander- sonville Prison. lle spent twenty-two months within that terrible stockade, and those who were so solicitous for his welfare can only imagine the sufferings he endured.

Our subject passed his boyhood and youth on the farm, coming to this State when a youth of seventeen years, and following the calling to which he had been accustomed in MeLean County about. four years. The latter part of this time he operated on rented land with fair results, and on the 24th of December, 1874, was united in marriage with Miss Flora, daughter of Lewis and Chloe (Chilson ) Pul- sifer, the former now deceased and the latter resid- ing at Fairbury. The young people began life in a modest dwelling. and became the parents of four bright children, namely : Lewis R., born Jan. 26, 1877; Philip M., July 24, 1878; Leah, Nov. 24, 1881, and Chloe H., March 16, 1884. Mrs. Hotal- ing departed this life Dec. 23, 1886.

The property of Mr. Hotaling includes ninety- five acres of good land located in Avoca Township, which yields in abundance the choicest crops of Central Illinois. Each year adds something to the value and attractiveness of his homestead, and he has been uniformly successful in his farming opera- tions. Politically. he votes with the Republicans,

and has served as School Director. About 1881 he identified himself with the Christian Church, in which he officiates as Superintendent of the Sunday- school and contributes according to his means to those enterprises calculated to promote the best in- terests of society.

ILLIAM COTTRELL, whose farm is lo- cated on Congressional section 2, Pleasant Ridge Township, but judicially in Sanne- min Township, is a Westerner by birth and life. He is a native of Michigan, and was born on the 23d of January, 1838. He is the son of John and Catherine Cottrell, both natives of Ohio. When in his seventh year, our subject lost his father by death, and shortly after that event he became a member of the household of John Arnold, of Knox County, Ill., who was a maternal uncle, and with whom he remained until his eighteenth year. In 1855 he came to Livingston County, of which he has since been a resident. He received but a lim- ited education in a district school, not having any of the advantages which are afforded boys and young men of to-day.

In August, 1862, Mr. Cottrell enlisted in Com- pany C, 129th Illinois Infantry, which regiment soon afterward became a part of the army under Gen. Sherman. He participated in the battle of Resaca, and was badly wounded in the battle of Peachtree Creek, receiving a fracture of the bone of the right arm, and for six months was confined in various hospitals. After recovering from his wounds he rejoined his regiment at Raleigh, N. C. After Lee had surrendered to Grant, his regiment proceeded to Washington by the way of Richmond, and participated in the grand review. 1le was dis- charged from the service at Washington in June, 1865, and immediately thereafter returned to Illi- nois.

On the 15th of February, 1872, Mr. Cottrell was married to Mary Blackmore, a native of Perry County, Ill., who was born on the 21st of Decem- ber, 1853. She is a daughter of Thomas and Jane Blackmore, the former being a native of England, and the latter of Virginia. Her parents came to

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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 68

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