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 90

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 90

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Mr. Walter Chapman is quite active in politics and uniformly votes the Republican ticket. He is serving his first term as a member of the School Board in Cayuga, being the youngest man ever elected to the position in this city. In 1885, he took a commercial course in the college at Valpa-

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raiso, Ind., and thus prepared himself for the business which he had chosen as his future voca- tion.

ILLIAM GINGERICH. Central Illinois, in common with many other sections of the great West. is much indebted for its devel- opment and cultivation to the enterprise and in- dustry of the thrifty German citizens. Among these the subject of this history occupies a promi- nent position. He is in the prime of life and in the midst of his usefulness, and has already acquired a fine property and a beautiful homestead of 160 acres on section 32. Hlis operations have been char- acterized by sound good sense, while he has taken advantage of modern methods and the latest im- proved machinery in the cultivation of the soil and bringing about the improvements with which he is surrounded, and which stand as a silent monument of his industry and forethought.

Our subject was born and spent the first few years of his life in Kur-llessen, Germany, not far from the beautiful valley of the Rhine, where the cool climate and fertile soil afford the purest air to breathe and the best elements for building up the human frame. His birth took place April 14, 1842, and he was the only child of his father, John Gin- gerich, by his first wife, Magdalene Otto; the mother died when her son was three years of age. The father subsequently married again, and in 1851 the family immigrated to the United States, William being then a boy nine years of age. They spent a year in the State of Maryland and then came to Illinois, locating in Putnam County, where the father followed blacksmithing until resting from his earthly labor -. his death taking place Feb. 4, 1885. He had been married three times, and by his second marriage there were two children, who died in in- fancy. By the third marriage there were no chil- dren. The last wife had a child by her former husband. whose name is Mary Forcht, but she has adopted the name of her step-father, and is known a> Mary Gingerich.

Young Gingerich was reared to manhood in Put- nam County, and made good use of his time while permitted to attend the common school. During

the late war he enlisted. Jan. 1, 1864, in Company B. 64th llinois Infantry, and participated in the siege of Atlanta, where he was wounded in both arms by the explosion of a shell, and still carries one of the balls. He was sent to the hospital at Rome. Ga., where he remained about thirty days, and then went home on a furlough. Subsequently he returned to Springfield and was detailed to the Veteran Reserve Corps at Rock Island, where he remained until the close of the war, and received his honorable discharge at Springfield, July 20, 1865. Ile was thereafter employed at farming until his marriage.

The lady who has been the close companion and best friend of our subjeet for a period of over twenty years, was in her girlhood Miss Emma Krausbaner, and was married on the 21st of April, 1867. She is a native of the same Provinee as her husband, and was born Nov. 27, 1839. She was the second child in a family of six born to Carl W. and Jo- hanna (Schoettler) Krausbauer, natives of the same locality and of pure German ancestry. The par- ents spent their lives in their native home, and are now deceased. Mr. Carl W. Krausbaner was a teacher in the public schools in his native home, and was Assistant Principal for the long period of fifty years in the same school. He was also organist in the German Reformed Church for the same num- ber of years. This is an honor to which but few men can lay claim.

The union of our subject and his wife was blessed by the birth of four children. whose record is as follows: The eldest son, Otto John, died March 19, 1883, when fifteen years of age; he was a promis- ing young man, the favorite alike of old and young, and had commeneed a career which held out great promises for the future ; his death was a great blow to his stricken parents. Willie Frederick, born Jan. 7, 1870; Carl Oscar, Nov. 9, 1871, and Louis Julius, Aug. 20, 1873, are at home with their parents.

Shortly after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Gin- gerich came to this county, and located upon the land which they now occupy. They began house- keeping in a modest way, while Mr. G. proceeded industriously with the cultivation and improvement of his purchase, and in due time received the re- ward of his industry. The fields are beautifully

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laid off with hedge fences, and divided into 40-acre lots. The lowlands have been drained with tile. and there is now a good residence and all the other buildings required by the progressive agriculturist. Mr. G., with the exception of four years spent in the grain and coal business at Chatsworth, has been a continuous resident here, and is widely and favor- ably known by the citizens of this locality. He keeps good cattle and horses, the latter Norman and Clydesdale, of which he has some fine speci- mens.

Our subject, politically, votes independently, aiming to support the men whom he considers best qualified to serve the interests of the people. So- cially he belongs to the Masonic fraternity and the G. A. R., while in his religious views he is a Men- nonite. His estimable wife belongs to the Ger- man Reformed Church, but attends the Presbyte- rian Church at Chatsworth, there being no church of their own denomination. Mr. Gingerich is at present Township School Treasurer, which office he has filled very creditably for six years.

R OLAND PERSELS, of the firm of Persels & Shelly, general merchants at Emington, came to Illinois when a lad seven years of age, and has been a resident of the State since that time. The family first settled in Grundy. a short distance sonth of the town of Gardner. where the father engaged in farming, and whence he removed in the spring of 1859 to a farm on see- tion 3, in Broughton Township, this county. Here he continued farming for eighteen years, and then retired from active labor and took up his residence at Gardner, where he now resides. The mother died at her home in Broughton, this county, Jan. 23, 1877.

The subject of this biography was born in Wayne County, N. Y., Feb. 10, 1849, and is the son of Isaac and Clarissa (Bosworth) Persels, natives re- spectively of New York and Massachusetts, who removed from the Empire State in 1856. After the death of his first wife Isaac C. Persels was mar- ried to Mrs. Mary Blake, who is still living and a resident of Gardner, Ill. The parental household

included nine children, the fruits of the first mar- riage; of these six are living, namely: Henry, a resident of Binghamton, N. Y .: Samuel, of Ne- braska; Cynthia J., the wife of Amos Hertz, of Broughton Township; Roland, of Emington ; Mary R., Mrs. Charles Correll, of Kansas, and Herbert, also a resident of that State. The father of our subject is a man of good business capacity, a stanch Republican. politically, and a member in good standing of the Baptist Church, of which he has been Deacon several years. He has served as Road Commissioner and Township Treasurer, and been otherwise identified with local interests. He started in life practically without means, and by his industry acquired a good property, so that in his declining years he is enabled to live in ease and comfort. He came to this county during the es- tablishment of its educational and religious insti- tutions, and contributed liberally of his time and means to the various enterprises set on foot to ad- vance the interests of the people in this direction. The old residents have learned to appreciate him at his true value, and the younger ones regard him with the respect and confidence due the honored pioneers whose labors assisted so greatly in build- ing up the institutions the benefits of which they now enjoy.

Roland Persels remained with his parents until reaching manhood, receiving a good education in the common schools, and becoming familiar with the various employments of the farm. Ile began early in life to form his plans for the future. and with the view of establishing a permanent home, was married, on the 19th of October, 1871, to Miss Laura A. Clover, who was born in Grundy County, Ill., Feb. 16, 1849. After marriage they settled in Broughton Township. this county, and in 1887 Mr. P. embarked in his present business, as a general merchant. In 1871 he purchased eighty acres of land in Broughton Township, the cultivation of which he has superintended with excellent judg- ment and good results, it being now one of the most valuable farms in that section, provided with good buildings and all the necessary machinery, with a fair assortment of live stock.

The wife of our subject is the daughter of John M. Clover, who was born in Pennsylvania, July

LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

25. 1794, and emigrated to Grundy County, Ill., in November, 1845, from Indiana, where he had spent a few years after leaving his native State. Mr. Clover was married three times, and was the father of a large family of children, of whom eleven are living -Amos. Gesettas, Philip, Lot, Alfred. Elliot, Ma- nietta. Laura A .. Almaretta, Seth and John. Amos, of Gardner, Ill .. has been State Representative: Philip is a resident of this county, and Lot of Ne- braska; Gesettas is Postmistress of Gardner; Al- fred, Elliot, Marietta, the wife of George Ellis, Al- maretta. the wife of Heber Pitcher, Seth and John are all residents of Kansas. Mr. Clover was a prominent man in his township, being Postmaster of Clarion before Grundy County was organized, and served as such a number of years. He repre- sented his township in the County Board of Super- visors, and took an active part in political and church matters. He was always an encourager of education. and there were few enterprises in Grundy County with which he was not connected during its early settlement. The death of Mr. Clover oc- curred May 7, 1854. The mother of Mrs. Persels was formerly Miss Martha M. Lewis.

.Mr. and Mrs. Persels became the parents of four children, of whom two are living, Burdett and Ar- thur. now residents of Emington. The two eldest, Luella and Ray, died at the ages of three months and two and one-half years respectively. Mr. Per- sels. politically, is a stanch Republican, and has served some time as School Director. Hle and his wife are members in good standing of the Congre- gational Church at Emington. Mrs. Persels is a lauly of good education and much intelligence, and taught in the public schools of both Grundy and Living-ton Counties for five years before her mar- riage.

minello

E ZRA HACK, one of the youngest members of the farming community on the east line of Livingston County, occupies the home established by his father many years ago and which is pleasantly located on section 25, Sullivan Town- ship. Here he gives his attention principally to stock-raising, although carrying on general farm- ing with excellent results. He is conspicuous for

his enterprise and industry, and the prospects are that before many years he will be, like his father before him, one of the leading men of this section.

Our subject was the fifth child in a family of six born to Frederick and Martha ( Knorr) Hack, na- tives of Germany, who came to this county many years ago, and taking up their residence in Sullivan Township are spending the remainder of their days in Cullom. The father of our subject brought with hin; to the United States the simple and sub- stantial traits of character for which his ancestry had been noted; and was recognized in this com- munity as a straightforward business man, consci- entious in his dealings with his neighbors, and one who was content to remain in the place which Na- ture had assigned him, gathering from the fields each year the reward of his industry, while he built up a good home and surrounded his family with all the comforts of life.

Our subject continued under the home roof until after reaching his majority. Ilis father had ac- quired sufficient land to supply all his boys with steady work, and they remained with him until starting out for themselves. Ezra, on the 24th of September, 1881, was married, in Sullivan Town- ship, to Miss Anna Keck, who was born in Butler County, Pa., Jan. 20, 1862, and was the fourth in a family of nine children, the offspring of Andrew and Kate (Vogel) Keck, who were also of German birth and parentage. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Ilack continued on the home farm, which included 160 acres of valuable land in a good state of cultivation. Of this he owns eighty acres, and keeps graded Norman horses, Durham cattle and Poland-China swine. Ile takes pride in his success as a stock-raiser, and is in the habit of carrying off the blue ribbons at the various fairs of Central Illinois.

Mr. Hack has very little to do with politics, but when called upon to signify his choice at the gen- eral elections, votes the straight Republican ticket. He is now holding the office of School Director the second term, and with his estimable lady is a mem- ber in good standing of the Lutheran Church. Ile is the encourager of those enterprises calculated to advance the moral and intellectual welfare of the community, and takes pride in contributing his

RESIDENCE OF W. E. MORRIS, SEC. 5, DWIGHT TOWNSHIP.

RESIDENCE OF JOSEPH PROESEL, SEC. 30, PONTIAC TOWNSHIP.

RESIDENCE OF JEREMIAH SULLIVAN, SEC. 13, SUNBURY TOWNSHIP.

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quota to its agricultural and social interests. His little family group includes three children, born as follows: John Reuben, June 26, 1882 ; Emma Katie, April 28, 1884, and Iva Elizabeth, May 28, 1886.

OHN W. JENNINGS, who is superintend- ing the excellent 200-acre Jennings Farm, in Pleasant Ridge Township, is one of the most enterprising and energetic young agricult- urists and stock-raisers of Livingston County. In his stock operations he makes a specialty of hogs, which he prepares for the Chicago market, where the products of this farm have gained a distinct reputation. The Jennings Farm is located on sec- tion 34, which is one of the best sections of Pleas- ant Ridge Township, if not of the county.

Mr. Jennings was born in Tippecanoe County, Ind., May 1, 1856, and is the son of Solomon M. and Mary (Wheeler) Jennings, who were also na- tives of Indiana, and were married in 1848. The father died in Pleasant Ridge Township on the 21st of January, 1878. The mother was born April 18, 1833, and is still living; she is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The father was a carpenter by trade, but passed a great portion of his life engaged in farming. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which for many years he served as Class-Leader and Steward. Mr. Solomon M. Jennings was among the very first settlers in this township, having come here in 1863, and was always foremost in public enterprises, and held the office of School Director for a great many years. Ile was an active member of the Masonic fraternity, from which he received the sad rites of burial. To Mr. and Mrs. Jennings were born five children-Squire T., Sarah E., John W., Mary L. and Emma Z. Squire T. married Ada Booth; Sarah E. married H. H. Grafton, and resides at Manitou Springs, Col.

The subject of this sketch during his early boy- hood attended the common schools near where he lived, after which for two years he was a student at Onarga College, located at Onarga, Ill. After leaving college he returned home and engaged in work upon the farm. At the time of the writing

of this sketch he has the management of the home place, which is under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Jennings is engaged in stock-breeding on a large scale, and while making a specialty of hogs, also raises roadsters and draft horses of a superior quality. He finds a ready market for all the horses he produces, because of their excellent quality.

In politics Mr. Jennings affiliates with the Repub- lican party, which party is exactly his age, both having been born in 1856. The friends of both hope that it will be many years before they outlive their usefulness. The only office he has ever held is that of Pathmaster. In no sense is he an office- seeker, as his time is so thoroughly occupied with the cares and responsibilities of the farm that he could give little attention to discharging the duties of office.

As representative of the buildings in this section of country, we present on another page of this ALBUM a view of Mr. Jennings' residence.

Le EONARD HOWITT is an Englishman by birth, and came to America twenty years ago. lle settled permanently on the farm he now occupies on section 6, Saunemin Township, in the spring of 1880. This farm consists of eighty acres of good productive land, which lies so that it is easily drained. When Mr. Howitt arrived in this country he possessed about $100 in cash, which amount he husbanded so carefully that it afforded him an opportunity to gain a foothold. He has never relinquished his efforts, continuing all the time in the practice of economy, and the exercise of good judgment in his affairs, until he has fully succeeded in establishing himself comfortably and pleasantly.

Our subject was born in Cambridgeshire, one of the best known counties of England, principally by its being the seat of Cambridge University, which was founded at an uncertain period in the middle ages, while the town of Cambridge itself is of great antiquity, as it was destroyed by fire by the Danes as early as 871 and again in 1010. It has been the scene of events, civil and military, which have become matters of history. Of the an-

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cient castle built by William the Conqueror on the site of the Roman station only the gateway now remains. The shire, or county, of Cambridge is a rich agricultural region, and nearly all the smaller grains are produced in abundance. In this county near the city of Cambridge our subject was born on the 19th of February, 1842, and is the son of John and Mary Howitt, who were natives of En- gland. He resided in that country until he reached the years of manhood, receiving a good common- school education. In 1867 he concluded to come to the New World and try what fortune there might be in store for him here. Taking passage on a steamer bound for New York he made the voy- age and landed in the latter city ten days after starting. Ilaving already learned through corre- spondence of the many advantages offered by Illi- nois to agriculturists he came directly to this State. and has been a resident of Livingston County the greater part of the time since.

On the 3d of March, 1869, Mr. Howitt was mar- ried to Elizabeth Moulds, a native of Marshall County, and the daughter of John and Sarah (Howitt) Moulds. There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Howitt five children, whose names are given as follows : John P., Sarah J., Leslie W., Lou- emma, and George A., who is now dead. Mrs. Howitt departed this life on the 25th of March, 1880, leaving behind her a sorrowing husband and four motherless children. She was a lady of many excellent qualities, and her death was mourned by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

Mr. Ilowitt is a public-spirited citizen, and gives a cordial endorsement and support to all move- ments that are calculated to benefit the community. In politics he is an adherent of the Democratic faith, and contributes what ho can to the success of his party.

M ORELL SOUTHWICK. In the career of the gentleman whose name heads this biog- raphy, we have an illustration of one who was blessed with intelligent parents, and a good education. receiving careful home training and constantly stimulated to his best efforts, while he has continued to improve his opportunities in

life. That he took advantage of these fortunate surroundings is greatly to his credit, and that he has become a valued member of society is as much an advantage to that society as to himself. His early years were spent in the Empire State, his birth having taken place in the town of Junius, Seneca County, Nov. 5, 1840. From there he mi- grated when a young man, and is now one of the most valued residents of Odell Township, where he occupies a valuable farm with all modern improve- ments. To this he has given his time and atten- tion for the last five years, cultivating the soil after the most approved methods, and availing himself of the advantages of modern machinery by which he has produced some of the finest crops of this region.

The parents of our subject, Adin D. and Susan (Hunt) Southwick, were also natives of New York, and located in Seneca County after their marriage, building up a good homestead where the mother passed away several years ago. The father is still living there and the object of respect by all the people of that vicinity among whom he has lived so long and well. The paternal grandparents, David and Eunice Southwick, were natives of Pitts- field, Mass., and David held the commission of Major in the War of 1812, in which he served as a soldier from the beginning to the end. Afterward he took up a tract of land in Seneca County, N. Y., and spent his declining years on the farm where his son Adin D. now resides. The father of our subject was born on the farm where he now resides, and where he in turn reared and educated his chil- dren.

Morell Southwick, of our sketch, pursued his early studies in the same school-house which his father had attended when a boy, and like him spent his childhood and youth amid the quiet scenes of country life. He remained under the home roof until twenty-three years of age, and as one of the first important steps when starting out for himself in life, was united in marriage with Miss Mary Lu- fanni Angell, the wedding taking place at the home of the bride in Wayne County, N. Y., Oct. 21, 1863. Mrs. Southwick was born in Gayland, Wayne Co., N. Y., Ang. 11, 1844, and was the youngest daughter who reached maturity of Ethan

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LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

and Martha (Dudley) Angell, whose history ap- pears elsewhere in this work. After marriage the young people located on a farm in the township of Junius, and a year later Mr. S. resolved to seek his fortune in the oil regions of Pennsylvania. Not long afterward he was taken ill, and for a year was unable to labor or do any active business. In the fall of 1865 he visited a brother at Louisville, Ky., and from there went to Toledo, Ohio, where his sis- ter resided. Here he was joined by his wife, and in the fall of 1865, after a brief visit to Michigan, they came to this county, where Mr. Sonthwick farmed a year on rented land and then embarked in the lumber trade at Odell. It was now his in- tention to remain permanently, but a year later cir- cumstances changed his decision, and he traded his town property for a farm of 160 acres in Union Township, where he remained five years. He then rented his land and removed his household goods to Odell, where he spent the winter and returned East in the spring to visit his parents and friends. In the fall, upon starting for the West again, he was induced to go to Grand Rapids, Mich., where he became interested with a lumber company and re- mained until the following year. Then returning to Odell he embarked in the express business, which he continued four years and afterward engaged in general merchandising. Upon the dissolution of the firm with which he was engaged, he repaired to Emington, and for the year following purchased grain for the Ilossacks who were large dealers at that place and at Odell. The firm subsequently failed, and to Mr. Southwick was assigned the duty of straightening up their affairs. He was for two years following engaged in the grain business and merchandising, and his next removal was to the farm which he now occupies and which was pur- chased by his wife's father in 1880. Since taking possession of this he has bent its energies to its im- provement and cultivation, and has built up one of the most attractive homes in the township.

Mr. Southwick met with his first great affliction on the 26th of November, 1886, when death en- tered the home circle and the faithful and affection- ate wife and mother was taken from her sorrowing family. Mrs. Southwick was a lady who possessed all the womanly virtues, and carried out in her

daily life those sentiments of deep piety of which she was always the earnest defender. She was re- fined and cultured, and remarkably sensitive to right and wrong-as firm an advocate of the for- mer as she was strong in her resistance to the lat- ter. She was kind and generous as a friend and neighbor, and possessed that cheerful spirit which drew around her a large circle of warm friends. She was cut down in the midst of a bright and use. ful career, leaving her husband and three children to mourn their irreparable loss. Their eldest daughter, Lulu, was educated for the vocation of a teacher, which she had to abandon on account of the illness of her mother; Hattie is pursuing her studies at Odell, and Frank attends the district school.

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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 90

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