Portrait and biographical album of DeKalb County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 29

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 888

USA > Illinois > DeKalb County > Portrait and biographical album of DeKalb County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 29

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In December, 1874, he went with his wife and two . youngest children to California, where he spent a year and visited most of the noted places of interest.

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He wrote from there a series of descriptive letters, which were published in the Sycamore papers.

In 1876 Mr. Dean purchased about 20 acres, formerly a portion of the estate of Dr. Page, and in- cluded within the city limits. This tract he sub- divided and platted, and it is now known as " Dean's Addition." His present residence is included in it, and comprises a square containing nearly two and a half acres of land. It is an attractive and valuable location.

Mr. Dean is liberal and tolerant in religious opin- ion. He attends the services of the Universalist. Church, but contributes generously to the mainten- ance of other denominational bodies.

Mr. Dean and his wife became the parents of five children, four of whom are now living: Delia mar- ried Joshua Siglin; Ann B. is the wife of A. R. Court ; Mary A. married B. F. Whipple; Arthur married Fannie Beckler, Feb. 3, 1879. To each child Mr. Dean gave a fine farm, on which he built handsome, spacious houses ; and they are settled near him. There are six grandchildren, the son and two daughters having each two sons. Ira Dean, the old- est son of Mr. Dean, was born in August, 1844. He enlisted Feb. 1, 1864, in Co. L, 17th Ill. Cav. He was stationed for a time at Fort Riley, Kansas, dur- ing the Indian disturbances. His last communica- tion to his friends was dated in August, 1865, and he was heard from through his comrades about the date of the expiration of the period of his enlistment in November, 1865, since which his parents have no def- inite information concerning him, and it is supposed that he is dead. Mrs. Dean died April 26, 1883, after an illlness of nearly a year's duration of cancer- ous tumor of the stomach.

charles Miner, hardware merchant at Kirk- land, was born Feb. 8, 1854, in the town- ship of Franklin, and is the son of Daniel and Eliza J. (Ives) Miner, for 'an extended ac- count of whom see sketch of I. N. Miner. Previous to the age of 18 years he remained at home, attending the district school and working on the farm. In 1872 he began his career of independ- ent manhood and became a farm laborer, spending two winters in school, securing a good business edu-

cation. In 1880 he established his mercantile enter- prise at Kirkland and obtained a stock of hardware sundries worth $2,500. His relations in his trade are increasing, and he is gradually placing his business on a par with similar establishments in De Kalb County.

He was married Oct. 20, 1877, to Mary E. Allison, and they are the parents of one child, Eva. Mrs. Miner is the daughter of James and Margaret (Wood) Allison. Her parents are resident on a farm in Franklin Township, where they were among the earliest of the pioneer settlers of that portion of De Kalb County. She was reared at home until she was 14 years of age, and previous to that time was a pupil in the district school. She was then sent to the col- lege at Belvidere.

Mr. Miner is a Republican in political opinion and has served as a member of the Village Council.

on. Hiram Loucks, retired farmer and ex- Representative of the Seventeenth District of Illinois, was born April 26, 1823, in Sharon Township, Schoharie Co., N. Y., and is the son of Abram and Elizabeth (Ten Eyck) Loucks. He was reared on a farm and com- pleted his education in the Oneida Academy. He was married in May, 1848, to Amanda Vosburg, a native of the State of New York. Of their union seven children were born. Abram is deceased. Imo- gene is the wife of William Ray, editor of the Shab- bona (De Kalb County) Express. Nelson is a farmer in Champagne Co., Ill. Ann is the wife of Henry A. Severy, a farmer and stockman of Somonauk Town- ship. James is a farmer of Victor Township in De Kalb County. Henry is a hardware merchant in' Erie, Whiteside Co., Ill. Josephine is deceased. Their mother died Jan. 15, 1868, in Victor Township. Mr. Loucks was. a second time married June 29, 1876, in Geneseo, Henry Co., Ill., to Mrs. Anna M. (Shailer) Smith. She was born June 28, 1835, in Richfield, Ohio.

In the fall of 1857 the family settled in Victor Township, De Kalb County, where Mr. Loucks bought a farm comprising 200 acres of land. The proprietor continued the personal management of the property until the fall of 1879, when he placed the

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farm under the management of his son James, who is making a specialty of dairying thereon and has a fine herd of thoroughbred and graded Holstein cat- tle. The place also maintains and fattens for market about 80 hogs yearly. Mr. Loucks and his sons own also 320 acres of land in O'Brien Co., Iowa, and 200 acres in Champagne Co., Ill., and under excellent improvement. While a resident of Victor Township he was prominent in local affairs, and officiated in all the local positions of trust and responsibility.

Mr. Loucks was nominated at the Republican Convention held in the fall of 1879, at Yorkville, Kendall County, to represent the Seventeenth Dis- trict in the Legislature of Illinois. He received the election and soon after removed to the village of Somonauk, where he resided until the spring of 1884, the date of his removal to Sandwich. He was an able and efficient member of the State Assembly and served on the following Committees: Public Char- ities, Highways, County Organizations, and Fish and Game. Since the expiration of his term as Repre- sentative he has devoted his attention to the im- provement of his lands in Iowa.

rofessor David M. Gibbs, resident at Ge- noa, was born May 8, 1839, in Otsego Co., K N. Y. His father, Alanson Gibbs, was a native of Massachusetts and married Sophronia Main, a lady born in the State of New York. They remained in Otsego County until 1845, when they settled in Franklin Township in De Kalb County, and are still residing there. Their children are named, Eustacia V., Alanson D., Benjamin S., David M., Parker T., Mercy M. and Ammi.

Professor Gibbs is the third son of his parents and was a lad of six years when they transferred their family and interests to De Kalb County. . In boy- hood and youth he was a pupil in the common schools, and in 1867 entered the State Normal School at Normal, Ill., and was a student at that in- stitution more than two years. On completing his course of preparation, he entered upon the business which he has made the vocation of his life, having charge of the schools at Rosamond, Christian Co., Ill., retaining the position seven years. In 1877 he came to Genoa, and assumed the management of the

Genoa graded school and has since conducted its affairs. It comprises four departments and 120 pupils constitute the average attendance.

Professor Gibbs is an avowed prohibitionist, though he is otherwise a Republican. In the fall of 1864 he was drafted into the Union Army and was assigned to the 30th Ill. Vol. Inf., serving until the termination of hostilities,. His command was in the March to the Sea, through Georgia and the Carolinas, and Professor Gibbs encountered all the varied ex- . periences of that famous campaign. After obtaining his discharge at Springfield, Ill., he returned to Boone Co., Ill., and resumed his former occupation.

His marriage to Julia A. Slatar occurred Jan. I, 1861, at Belvidere, Boone County. She was born June 5, 1842, in Chenango County, N. Y., and is the daughter of Joseph and Sally (Silvius) Slatar, the former of whom was a native of Chenango County, and the latter of Northampton Co., Pa. The father died in Chenango County, when the daughter was a child of five years, and the mother afterwards married U. S. Hollenbeck, and settled in the township of Spring, in Boone County. She died Oct. 13, 1880, at Genoa, having resided with her daughter, Mrs. Gibbs, for three years. Mr. Hollenbeck died April 8, 1877. Mrs. Gibbs is the youngest (living) of six children, the other five being Lydia, Almon, Louisa and Oscar J .; one child died in infancy. Mrs. Gibbs was carefully educated in the common schools of Boone County, and became a student in the Normal School at the same time as her husband, with whom she has been associated 15 years as teacher.

Among the truly typical men of the county, one who is worthy to appear among the list of prominent and representative men, is Prof. Gibbs; and we take pleasure in presenting his portrait in this ALBUM as a companion to the portraits of the leading citizens represented in this manner. The portrait is engraved from a photograph taken in 1877.

S idney P. Harrington, resident at Kirkland, was formerly a farmer of prominence in the township of Franklin, of which he has been a citizen since 1840. In that year he purchased 40 acres of land on section 20, and immediately interested himself with vigorous energy in its improvement, with the ultimate purpose

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of constructing a home and establishing a perma- nent citizenship. He was one of the first settlers in the township, and steadily but surely advanced in prosperity, and added to his possessions until he was the owner of 310 acres of valuable land, which he redeemed from its natural condition. He realized all' the hardships and perplexities to which the set- tlers of that period were subjected, hauling his grain to Chicago, the nearest market, and selling it at three shillings a bushel, and encountering (and overcom- ing) other obstacles thrown in his way by existing circumstances.

Politically he was a Whig in the days of his early manhood, and since the inception and organization of the Republican party he has been a steady adherent to its principles and issues. He passed many years of his active life in local official positions, serving in minor offices, three terms as Justice of the Peace, and three terms each as Township Trustee and Treasurer. He also served 14 years as Postmaster. Mr. Harrington is living in retirement at Kirkland, in the enjoyment of the comfort earned by a life of effort and usefulness.

He was born July 20, 1809, in Shaftsbury, Ben- nington Co., Vt. His father, Phineas Harrington, was a native of Connecticut, and went in early life to Vermont, where he married. His wife was born in Rhode Island. She was the mother of three chil- dren at the time of her death, and 10 children were born of his second marriage, while the family resided in Vermont. Four of his children still survive. Mrs. Phebe Green lives in Iowa, and is 71 years old. Whipple Harrington is a bachelor, aged 73 years, and lives in Erie Co., N. Y. Mrs. Aurilla Wait is also a resident of that county, and is 79 years old. Five children, who are now deceased, died in infancy, besides one who attained to advanced age. The father died in February, 1844, in Erie Co., N. Y., whither he removed from Vermont in 1827, and was 84 years old. The mother died in 1848, at the resi- dence of her son in Franklin Township, at the age of 71 years.

Mr. Harrington was 19 years of age when he accompanied his parents to Erie Co., N. Y., where he was a resident 13 years, and came thence to the township of which he has since been a citizen. He was married in the State of New York, June 28, 1833, to Polly Hicks. She was born April 6, 1806,

in Chautauqua Co., N. Y., and was brought up and educated principally in Massachusetts. She became the mother of eight children. Hiram, the oldest, died from disease contracted in the army while a soldier in the civil war. Henry H. and Mary I. died in Franklin Township. Mercy L., Mary, Whipple A. (see sketch), Sidney P., Jr., and Samuel H. are the names of the survivors. The mother died Dec. 20, 1880, universally lamented in the community of which she had been so long a leading and honored member.

eorge W. L. Brown, farmer, section 26, Genoa Township, is a native of Cook Co., Ill., where he was born April 19, 1848. His father, Schuyler Brown, was a native of New York, and married Mary A. Youngs, a native of Canada. The family settled in Cook - County about 1830, where the parents resided until the fall of 1868, the date of their removal to Iowa, where the father is still living. The mother died in Iowa in March, 1869. They had nine children, all of whom survived infancy with one exception. Wil- liam, Horace, Lewis and Peter are dead. They were named Charles, William S., George W. L., Horace, Lewis, Peter W. and Alexander.

Mr. Brown obtained a good common-school edu- cation, and at 16 years of age entered the Army of the United States, enrolling in the 39th Ill. Vol. Inf., and was in the service until July 29, 1865. In the siege of Petersburg, Va., April 2, 1865, he sustained a gunshot wound in the left thigh, which kept him from active military life during the remainder of the war.

In 1866 he came to De Kalb County, and in 1876 became the owner by purchase of 121 acres of land in Genoa Township/which has all been placed under improvement. Mr. Brown has been continuously a resident of this township, with the exception of three years, when he was a resident of Iowa.

He was married in the township of Genoa, Oct. 14, 1869, to Margaret J. Vote, and they have been the parents of five children,-Charles E., Clara P., Maggie M., George W. L., Jr., and Charles F. The oldest born child died when four months old. Mrs. Brown was born Feb. 7, 1849, in Seneca Co., Ohio,

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and is the daughter of John and Mary A. (Karn) Vote. The children born to her parents were 10 in number, Elizabeth, Mary A., John, Anna M., Susan, William, Jacob, Margaret J., Charles and Franklin. The parents were of German nationality.

Mr. Brown is a believer in and an adherent of the principles of the Republican party. He is interested in school matters, and has officiated as School Di- rector.

elson Delavergne, farmer, section 20, Franklin Township, is the son of William and Catherine (Overacker) Delavergne, and was born in Brownville Township, Jeffer- son Co., N. Y., Dec. 23, 1836. His parents were natives of Herkimer Co., N. Y., and were respectively of French and German parentage. They belonged to the agricultural class in their native State, and resumed that occupation after their re- moval to Illinois in 1868. They located in the town- ship of Flora, in Boone County, where the father still resides, aged 88 years. The mother died on the homestead in 1869, when 63 years of age. Their family included four sons and four daughters, all yet surviving save two of the latter.

The subject of this sketch was a pupil in the com- mon schools of his native county until he was 19 years of age, when he embarked in his struggle with the world, becoming a farm' laborer. In 1855 he came to Franklin Township, where his skill and energy obtained for him plenty of employment, and where he operated in the same capacity until he entered the army of the United States. He enlisted Sept. 9, 1861, from Belvidere, Boone Co., Ill., in Co. I, 37th Ill. Vol. Inf., which was under the command of Ranson Kennicutt, of Chicago. After some ser- vice in Missouri the regiment was ordered to Arkan- sas, where it took part in the battle of Pea Ridge. . It was next involved in the siege of Vicksburg, where it was in daily action for four weeks. In the summer of 1863, while the regiment was stationed at New Orleans, Mr. Delavergne had a long and severe attack of intermittent fever, after which he obtained a furlough of 60 days. On rejoining his reginient he was sent to New Orleans and went thence to Browns- ville, Texas, where he was assigned to duty in heavy

artillery, and while there his period of enlistment ex- pired. He obtained honorable discharge at Chicago, Oct. 6, 1864. He returned to Franklin Township, where he resumed his former work as a farm assistant.

He was married March 4, 1869, to Hannah E. Losee. She was born in the township of Wilton, Niagara Co., N. Y., and is the daughter of Morgan and Hannah M. (Forbes) Losee. ' (See sketch of M. Losee.) Her mother died at her birth Dec. 22, 1837, and the daughter was brought up by her grandpar- ents. until the second marriage of her father. She came to Franklin Township in 1842, with her par- ents. For three years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Delavergne resided on section 28, of Franklin Township, but in 1872 they removed to the home- stead of Mr. Losee, which they have since managed. Mr. D. is a Republican in political sentiment and has held the minor local offices of his township.

harles D. Patch, of the grocery and pro- vision house of Rowe, Norris & Patch, at Sycamore, was born Dec. 25, 1855, in Northumberland Co., Pa. He is the son of Sa- lathiel C. and Margaret A. (Watson) Patch. The former was born Aug. 17, 1812, in New- ark, N. J. The latter is a native of Pennsylvania, and was born March 7, 1831. Both are still living at Sycamore.

Mr. Patch is the only child of his parents. He passed the years of his minority on the homestead farm. After he Was 21 years old he taught school during two winters in his native State, and in the spring of 1877 came to Sycamore. He entered the store of which he is now one of the proprietors and acted two years in the capacity of clerk.

In September, 1879, he entered the Law Depart- ment of the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, where he studied one term. Returning to Sycamore, he assumed editorial charge of the Daily Free Press during the Presidential campaign of 1880, continu- ing in that avenue of business until. November. In April, 1881, he again entered employment in the provision house of which he is a member, as a sales- man, and operated in that capacity until April, 1883, when he bought a third interest in the stock. It is valued at an average of $6,000.

Mr. Patch was married June 1, 1881, in McGregor,

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Iowa, to Rosa B., daughter of Seymour and Laurinda Chilson. She was born east of Cortland, in De Kalb County, and died Dec. 23, 1881, six months after marriage.

Mr. Patch has been for some time the regular cor- respondent of the Chicago Inter-Ocean, and has a decided taste and ability for newspaper work.

dward H. Wilcox, farmer, resident at Ge- noa, was born May 11, 1860, in Dade Co., Mo. He is the son of E. S. and Sarah (Clark) Wilcox, and his parents were natives respectively of New York and Vermont. After their marriage they settled in Geneva, Ill., and subsequently removed to the State of Missouri. On the advent of the rebellion they were obliged to re- turn North, and they settled at Elgin, Kane Co., Ill., where the mother died in 1861. Mr. Wilcox, senior, afterwards located at Genoa, where he remained until 1881, the date of his removal to his present residence at Springfield, Mo. They had three chil- dren,-Eva, Sarah and Edward H.

The death of the mother occurred when the latter was about a year old, and he was adopted by his aunt, Mrs. Cornelia A. Hill, who filled a mother's place until her death, when he was nine years of age, and he became again an inmate of his father's home. His earlier education was obtained at the common school, and at the age of 13 years he was sent to the academy at Sugar Grove, Kane Co., Ill., where he was a student during the terms of one year. He passed the next two years in travel, and entered Lombard University at Galesburg. After nearly three years of study at that institution, he was obliged to suspend his intellectual labors because of failing health. Change of scene and employment were imperative, and he went to Colorado and passed two years on the plains herding cattle, receiving from the rude mode of life necessarily entailed the benefit he sought. Returning to Genoa, he was married Aug. 10, 1881, to Virginia M. Crocker. She was born March 24, 1860, in the township of Genoa, and is the daughter of Alvero A. and Susannah Crocker. Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox have one child, Ellery V., born Dec. 16, 1883.

Immediately after their marriage they went to

Waco, Texas, where Mr. Wilcox became interested in a machine shop and foundry, in which he operated about 18 months. In 1883 he was compelled to sus- pend his relations in that direction on account of his health. He owned there a sheep ranch, with a herd numbering about 1,000 head, which he sold. He still retains his ownership in the machine shop. He owns 172 acres of well improved land in Genoa and Kingston Townships. In political opinions and ac- tion Mr. Wilcox is fully committed to the interests of the Republican party. He is still a very young man, but unusually well qualified to conduct his relations with the world in the most creditable manner, pos- sessing fine powers of perception and observation, and a knowledge of the world at large, which he has obtained in his extensive travels, including nearly every State and Territory of the Union.

ames R. Kirk, dealer in stock and general farmer, resident on section 25, Franklin Township, was born Dec. 8, 1853, on sec- tion 22 of the township of which he has been, a resident all his life. He is the son of Wil- liam T. and Louisa (Riddle) Kirk, whose sketch is on other pages of this volume. Until he was 17 years of age he was engaged in alternate labor on the home farm and in acquiring an elementary edu- cation, and at that age he entered the college at Be- loit, Wis., where he studied two years, and went thence to the academy at Evanston, where, in 1874, he completed a course of collegiate study. On his return to his native township he became an inde- pendent farmer on 240 acres of land, living one year with a tenant on the place. He was married Feb. 28, 1877, to Mary E. Chamberlain. She was born Dec. 19, 1854, and is the daughter of Henry and Sarah (Hart) Chamberlain. Her parents belonged to the farming class in the State of New York, and were of New England origin. They settled in Boone Co., Ill., where the father died, in 1875. The mother is still living, at Belvidere. Mrs. Kirk obtained a good common-school education, and afterwards be- came a student in the schools of higher grade in Belvidere. Later she entered the college at Mt. Carroll, where she was graduated in 1875. She was

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engaged a short time previous to her marriage in teaching.

Mr. Kirk is a most decided Republican, and is a prominent farmer and trader in stock in his native township. He is rated as one of the substantial citi- zens of the county, and is prominent and popular.

ector H. Coleman, a farmer on section I, Mayfield Township, was born in Orange Co., N. Y., March 11, 1837. His parents, John and Phebe (Ketcham) Coleman, were na- tives of the same county; the former_was born Nov. 8, 1791, and the latter Aug. 25, 1805. His father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and died in Orange County, Nov. 9, 1859. Mrs. Coleman re- sides with her son Hector. There were 15 children in his father's family, 13 of whom grew up, namely : Sarah A., Abigail, Mary, Nathan, Horton, George, John, Martha, Harrison, Hiram, Charles, Hector H. and Eugene. Antoinette and Josephine died in infancy.

Mr. H. H. Coleman, of this sketch, lived in Orange County till 1875, engaged in agricultural pursuits. In October of that year he emigrated West and set- tled in Mayfield Township, where he is now a resident. He has held the offices of Overseer of Highways and School Director. In politics he is independent.

He was married in Mayfield Township, Nov. 30, 1861, to Miss Mary R., daughter of Harrison and Mary (Hall) Mackey. (See sketch of H. Mackey.) She was born in Orange Co., N. Y., May 19, 1836 and is the mother of one child, H. Mackey, born Feb. 19, 1863.

aleb Olmstead, a retired farmer, residing at Genva, is a pioneer settler in De Kalb County, whither he came in 1846, and bought 80 acres of land on section 16, in the township of Genoa. He was born Oct. 3, 1810, in Davenport, Delaware Co., N. Y., his parents, Anson and Charity (Wilbur) Olmstead, being also natives of the same State, in which they mar- ried and settled. John, Hiram, Caleb, William,

Drias, Walter, Catherine, Thene, Melinda, Lydia A. and Electa are the names of their children.

Mr. Olmstead was a resident of his native county until his removal to Genoa Township, where he has been the proprietor of various tracts of land variously located. He removed to the village of Genoa in February, 1877, and has since participated very little in the cares of active business life. Politically he is a Republican.

His marriage to Samantha Wager occurred Oct. 9, 1831, in Delaware Co., N. Y., and they have been the parents of 11 children,-Andrew H., Albert A., Sophronia, Chester, Lester S., Caroline, Mary H., Henry N., Emmeline, Ella and Emmer. Chester and Ella are deceased. Mrs. Olmstead was born May 2, 1814, in Delaware Co., N. Y., and is a daugh- ter of Cornelius and Mehitable (Bates) Wager. The biographical notes of Andrew H., Albert A. and Henry N. Olmstead may be found elsewhere in this volume.

Karry Martin, a pioneer of De Kalb County, resident at Sycamore, was born Aug. 17, 1807, in Chelsea, Orange Co., Vt. His par- ents, John and Rachel (Bliss) Martin, were born in Lebanon, N. H. They became pioneers in

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Portrait and biographical album of DeKalb County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 29

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros. Number of Pages: 888

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 888