Portrait and biographical album of DeKalb County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 33

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 33

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education of the type which underlies the training of every inan who pursues a course of professional study in Canada, and where he was a pupil until 21 years old. In 1866, Dr. Spiers matriculated at the Toronto University, where he completed the pre- scribed curriculum of study under the stringent regu- lations of that celebrated institution, noted for the inflexible regimen exercised in preparing its students for their profession. The course of medical reading is extended over a period of four years, and Dr. Spiers devoted the vacational interims to office study and desultory practice.

His marriage to Sarah E. Tremain took place Oct. 5, 1870, in Halton County. She was born April 20, 1852, in the Province of Ontario, and is the daughter of James and Jane (Biggar) Tremain. Her father was a merchant and died in February, 1865. Her mother's death occurred about 1858. Mrs. Spiers was a child of tender years when her mother died, and lived with her father until his demise, then enter- "ing the household of her maternal aunt, the wife of George Marlatt, a farmer and a native of Ontario. She was carefully educated in the grammar schools of her native province. Of her union with Dr. Spiers she has become the mother of four children. One child died in infancy. Susan M. died when she was two years and nine months old. Rebecca M. and Bessie G., twins, were born Aug. 12, 1879.

After marriage, Dr. Spiers removed to Watervliet, Berrien Co., Mich., and there established his business as a medical practioner, in which he was engaged at that point three years. He came thence to Wheaton, Du Page Co., Ill., and after practicing there two years came, in June, 1875, to Kirkland, and at once 3 began his practice, in which he has met with un- qualified success and popularity. He is the owner of an elegant home at Kirkland. In political pref- erences he is a Republican and has officiated one term as Village Trustee.

kon. Miles Beach Castle, a leading and prominent citizen of Sandwich, was born Aug. 13, 1826, in Albany, N. Y. He is a member of the third generation from Gideon Castle, one of three brothers who came from England about the year 1700. The two elder settled respectively in Geneva, N. Y., and in Pennsyl-

vania, while the third located in Amenia, Dutchess Co., N. Y., where he became an extensive landholder, owning at one time vast tracts of land, including 10,000 acres in New York State. His son Gideon became prominent in the colonial history of the United States, and was a staff officer with General Washington, filling the position of Commissary with the rank of Captain, when the Commander-in-chief was in New York and vicinity, during the progress of the struggle for independence. He died at 98 years of age, after becoming the father of five sons. Elijah, the third in order of birth, was the father of Mr. Castle of this sketch. He inherited from the estate of his father a farm valued at $10,000, located in Dutchess County, N. Y., which he afterward sold, removing to the city of Albany, N. Y., investing his capital in a general business. He married Deborah Beach, of Dutchess County, and to them five chil- dren were born, three of whom, with the parents, in- habit the mystic realms of the land of the hereafter. One daughter, Cynthia, widow of James W. Bishop, resides at Little Falls, Herkimer Co., N. Y.

Mr. Castle passed the years of his minority in attendance at school, in the varied duties of the farm and in other avenues of labor, finally entering the excellent educational institution at Jonesville, in Northern New York, then an academy of celebrity, where he was graduated about the time of attaining his majority. He soon became a salesman in a dry- goods store at Glens Falls, N. Y., where he remained in the capacity of clerk and afterwards as general manager, until the autumn of 1855, except a briet term when he was at Warrensburg, N. Y. He then fulfilled a determination to come West and proceeded to Chicago. He passed the ensuing winter in that city, and in the spring of 1856 opened a lumber yard at Sandwich, Ill. During the same year he organized the Sandwich Bank, and he has retained his interest in and connection with both enterprises without in- termission. In the latter he is associated with his nephew, Capt. F. S. Mosher. About 1870 Mr. Castle founded the Kendall County Bank, at Yorkville, Kendall County, and is still its chief official, his as- sociate and the cashier of the institution being Mr. M. E. Cornell. In 1878, in connection with his son, J. B. Castle, he established the Sandwich Argus, a journalistic enterprise which has met with unquali- fied success. In the various business ventures in which Mr. Castle has e.nbarked, he has met with

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unvarying prosperity, and his success in his under- takings has come to be considered phenomenal in results, a condition which has arisen from the exer- cise of judgment and forethought, and the effort at the outset to embark only in such undertakings as promised to meet universal need. As a banker Mr. Castle has operated nearly 30 years, and is one of the oldest in the State in length of service in that business. During the financial crises of 1855, '57, '60, '61, '73 and later his bank has in no instance re- fused a check or closed its doors.

He is a Republican of decided type, and his sa- gacity, intelligence and discrimination have received due recognition at the hands of the local political element which he has served long and well. In 1872 he was elected to the Senate of Illinois and served through the short term, and in 1874 was re-elected to the long term, serving a. period of six consecutive years. In 1878 he declined a proffered re-election to give his private business the attention demanded by his interests. While a member of the Legislature, he was conspicuous in his exertions for and advocacy of what is designated " radical legislation," and the passage of "the Married Woman's Bill," which pro- vided for the protection of the property rights of women, was mainly due to his instrumentality. He officiated as Chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, having charge, on the part of the Senate, of the Executive Mansion and the new State House at Springfield. Among many other measures for the public interests, Mr. Castle intro- duced and effected the passage of the first bill for protecting fish interests in the State of Illinois. He has been a member of the Republican State Central Committee, and a member of the two last Republican State Conventions, in each of which he acted on the Platform Committees and proved an efficient factor in the specific business of those bodies. He has been for several years and still is Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Illinois State Equal Suffrage Association. He belongs to the State Press Association and the Press Club of Chicago. Mr. Castle is a Royal Arch Mason, belonging to the Chapter at Sandwich. His literary abilities are of a versatile and acceptable character, and he gained wide-spread and appreciative comniendation through the merits of a poem he delivered at Springfield on the occasion of the laying of the corner-stone of the new State House in 1868. The private library of

Mr. Castle comprises a large and valuable selection of publications of the best quality.

Mr. Castle was united in marriage to Freelove Kinney Hubbard, at Sandwich, Ill., by Rev. L. P. Crawford, in January, 1859. She was a daughter of Hon. Asa Kinney, formerly State Senator in Califor- nia, and an adopted daughter of her uncle, John Hubbard. Mrs. Castle was a descendant of the branch of the same family of Grinells as those of New York city, her ancestors being English Knights. She was educated at Knox College, Galesburg, Ill., and is a woman of rare mental powers,-one of those whose judgments is rarely at fault upon any question. Three children have been born to them, as follows : John B., Aug. 13, 1859; Louisa R., Jan. 21, 1861 ; Grace Frederika, July, 1868. John B. is assistant cashier in the bank and owns one-half of the busi- ness of the Argus, of which he is local editor.

illiam B. McDowell, attorney-at-law, res- ident at Kirkland, Franklin Township, was born Oct. 15, 1842, on section I in the township where he has since lived. He is the son of John and Martha (Riddle) Mc- Dowell, of whom a detailed account is given on another page. Mr. McDowell was brought up on the farm of his father and attended the common school in the vicinity of his parents' home. When he was 15 years of age he entered the college at Wheaton, Du Page Co., Ill., where he pursued a course of study three years. He has all his life possessed extraordi- nary skill in penmanship and drawing, and while at Wheaton was engaged in teaching both branches. At 19 years of age he became the arbitrator of his own fortunes, and after leaving school worked on a farm summers and taught penmanship winters. He met with much success in the latter occupation, and passed several years in alternate teaching and farm labor. Afterward he devoted his time wholly to farm labor for a few years, and finally became general agent for the sale of the machines manufactured by McCormick & Co. He operated in their interests one year and then entered the law office of J. L. Pratt, of Sycamore. In 1879 he was admitted to the Bar of Illinois, and practiced in company with Mr. Pratt for a short time. Subsequently he went to

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Leadville, Col., where he entered into an association with Hon. Mr. Hemmingway, and continued the practice of his profession nearly two years. The death of his brother caused his return to his native State, and he located for a brief season at Sycamore, but eventually fixed his residence and business at Kirkland. One of the earliest pieces of work which he was called on to perform was the drafting of the ordinances of Kirkland, which was a superb speci- men of chirography and elicited much admiration. The law business of Mr. McDowell has continued to increase until he is now in the enjoyment of a solid reputation as an attorney in the various Courts in which he is called to practice.

On the admission of the ordinances of Kirkland in 1883 he was made President of the village. He has always been interested in fine and valuable horses, and has made exhibits of fine animals at the county fairs. He is the owner of an interest in four mining claims at Leadville, Col.

Mr. McDowell is a decided Democrat in political opinion, and has officiated as Township Clerk. He is present Village Attorney (1885). In addition to his extensive legal business he represents several home and foreign insurance companies. In 1872 he was made a member of the Masonic Order, and be- longs to Dement Lodge, No. 515, at Kirkland.

on. Stephen B. Stinson, attorney at Sand- wich, was born Oct. 3, 1825, in Boston, Mass., and he is the youngest of four children of his parents, Maj. Andrew H. and Mary Stin- son. The death of the father when he was but four years old, followed by that of his mother seven years later, brought into activity the traits of character which have distinguished his progenitors, the Scotch-Irish, from whom he descended in both lines.

In the lapse of years and in the conversions of terms which arise in succeeding generations, there is danger of the race style of "Scotch-Irish " losing its distinctive signification, and it is not even now clearly understood that the combination only indi- cates the fact that the people referred to were es- sentially Scotch, and Ireland had been but a

temporary abiding place, as the assimilation was so slight as to be but nominal. In 1619 an emigration of people from Scotland to the North of Ireland took place for the purpose of escape from the persecution of the Scottish " kirk " under King James, only to find themselves subjected to regulations more bur- densome, which they endured with growing discon- tent for an exact century. In 1719, a colony of 16 families emigrated to New Hampshire and formed the nucleus of Londonderry, who were followed by others of the same ancestral origin. To the intoler- ance of the ruling religious element of Scotland and the North of Ireland in the 17th and 18th centuries, is our own nationality indebted for one of its most inflexible and unswerving elements of probity and uprightness, enhanced beyond estimate in value to a composite nationality like ours, by sturdy, physical strength and hardihood, and inborn and inbred fru- gality, thrift and industry; and though the natural limitation of family continuance is a trait of the Scotch-Irish, in their characteristics they are still the types of their indomitable ancestors. The men pre- serve their splendid physique, their courage and per- severance, and the women their piety, native wit and strength of character, which, transmitted to their sons, has re-appeared in radiant luster, polished and refined under the influences and privileges afforded by our form of government. To the colonization of Londonderry the United States is indebted for the in- troduction of the cultivation of flax and the use of the linen spinning wheel, and also the cultivation of the Irish potato, which Sir Walter Raleigh had taken from South America to Europe 150 years before. Archibald Stark, from whom Starkstown was named and the father of " Molly Stark's" husband, General John Stark, the hero of Bennington, and the grand- parents of Horace Greeley, were members of the same company. General Stark was the cousin of Mary Stinson, the mother of Judge Stinson.

Ten years after the first settlement at London- derry, John Stinson and his wife Mary, and a consid- erable number of his friends and relatives, emigrated to that place from Londonderry, Ireland. From two of their sons-William and Samuel-descended the line represented by Judge Stinson, the latter being his great-grandfather in the paternal line of descent. William Stinson was his grandfather in his mother's line. The brothers removed, on attaining independ- ent manhood, to a point farther north known as the

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"Masonian Grant of the Province of New Hamp- shire." To fulfill the provisions of the " grant," it was necessary to occupy the allotments of land, and Will- iam Stinson was, in 1751-2, one of the three found- jers of Starkstown, now Dunbarton, N. H., where he lived for a time alone in a log cabin while making his "clearing." While living thus he had a clergyinan for a guest, and in lieu of a table set forth the hospi- talities of his house on an inverted basket. The cler- ical visitor solicited the divine interposition in behalf of the " basket " and store of his host. The petition Bwas amply fulfilled, as Mr. S. reached competency. He was born in Ireland March 15, 1725, and died Aug. 21, 1803. His wife, Agnes, nee Caldwell, was born in June, 1734, and their marriage took place March 26, 1754. Mary, wife of Andrew H. Stinson, was the youngest of their 12 children, and was born Jan. 25, 1782. Captain William Stinson was a de- Decided character. He became an extensive land- holder and the annual productions of his estate comprised large crops of corn, wheat and rye. His observation had led him to a discovery of the fact that the average prices of these grains were about 50 cents for corn, 75 cents for rye and a dollar for wheat, and in accordance with his idea of equity, which he accorded with the same rigidity with which he en- forced his own claims, he held his crops whenever ruling rates fell below his average, building addi- tional storehouses if necessary. When the prices went above his standard he would accept no more than the rate he himself fixed, and he would only sell to the poor for their own use. He came to be styled in all the region where he lived as the " poor man's friend."* Samuel Stinson, son of Samuel Stin- Sson above mentioned, removed in early manhood to Nova Scotia, where he was married, and where his son Andrew H. was born, Dec. 25, 1789. During the boyhood of the latter the family removed to" Dun- barton, where Samuel Stinson died. , After his mar- riage, Maj. A. H. Stinson resided for a time at Hop- kinton, N. H., and than went to Boston, Mass., where he was extensively engaged in the manufac- ture of carriages for several years, and later he be- came interested in the manufacture of lumber in the State of Maine. He died March 22, 1829, at Hop- kinton, N. H. Mary Stinson, his wife, died May 21, 1837.

* For many of these particulars in reference to Capt. Wm. Stinson we are indebted to " Stark's History of Dunbarton, N. H."

Stephen B. Stinson inherited from his parents only opportunity and a disposition to struggle to place himself at least above mediocrity. The necessities which he found upon him were twofold. His appe- tite for knowledge was as insatiate and impelling as the needs of his physical nature. Between the ages of 11 and 16 years he had only the advantages of the public schools of the winter seasons, and he passed the remainders of those years in farm labor. But he mastered the entire curriculum of English study in those studious winter terms of common school, and was fitted for teaching. He entered upon the duties of a pedagogue as a stepping stone to a collegiate course, and his earnings, coupled with temporary assistance (afterward fully repaid), enabled him to pursue a classical course of two years at the academy at Hopkinton, N. H. In 1844 he matricu- lated at Dartmouth College, Hanover, N. H., where several members of his family of the generation which preceded him had been educated, and was graduated with honor in July, 1848, in a class of 50 members, among whom were Hon. J. W. Patterson, afterward United States Senator from New Hampshire, and Rev. James C. Beecher, the youngest son of Dr. Lyman Beecher.

Judge Stinson was hardly 22 years of age when he finished his educational career, and he availed him- self of the first. opportunity which presented for activity and became a teacher in an academy at Thetford, Vt., whence he went after a brief time to the office of Hon. J. D. Willard, of Troy, N. Y., with whom as a preceptor and in whose office relations he enjoyed exceptional advantages. He was admitted to the Bar at Albany, N. Y., in December, 1850.

In 1851 he came to Kendall Co., Ill., where he operated about five years as a farmer, removing in 1856 to Sandwich, in De Kalb County, where he has since practiced his profession.

His marriage to Mary C. Bull took place June 7, 1852, in the city of New York, and they are the par- ents of one son and three daughters. Mary A., born July 26, 1855, is the wife of Charles H. Adams, M. D., of Marseilles, Ill .; Hester B., born April 14, 1857, and Frances J., born Oct. 8, 1860, are next in order of birth. Charles L., born Aug. 22, 1862, married Mary. E. Jones and is in business at Marseilles. Lizzie, born March 21, 1853, died April 19, 1858. Mrs. Stinson was born at Easton, Washington Co.,

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N. Y., Feb. 17, 1833, and is the daughter of Isaac and Hester (Kittell) Bull. She is of mixed descent, being of English lineage on the father's side, and Holland Dutch in the maternal line.

In his profession Judge Stinson is a judicious and safe counselor, is thoroughly read in jurisprudence, and since his establishment of his business in De Kalb County his prosperous practice is sufficient evidence of the general estimate in which he is held. As a citizen he is favorably known in the interest and consideration he never fails to bestow on matters per- taining to the well-being of the people of whom he is one, and he has discharged all his obligations in local official, educational and religious matters in the method which has characterized his career. He has officiated several years as President of the Board of Education, and as City Attorney of Sandwich, and in 1861 represented Kane and De Kalb Counties in the State Constitutional Convention at Springfield, in which capacity he performed efficient service. He served about three years as Assistant United States Revenue Assessor for the same counties. In July, 1882, he was appointed by the Governor to fill the residue of an unexpired term as County Judge of De Kalb County, a vacancy having occurred by the resignation of Hon. G. S. Robinson. In November following he was elected to the same office for a full term of four years. He was compelled by ill health to resign the Judgeship in February, 1883, to the great regret of the people who had an abiding belief in his fitness and competency for the position. He has acted undeviatingly with the Republican party from the outset of his political career, and is an earnest adherent of the principles and issues of that party. Judge Stinson is one of the original mem- bers of the Congregational Church at Sandwich, and has been for inany years a Deacon and Trustee in the Society. He has cherished his interest in edu- cational matters from the days of his early strug- gles to obtain what he considered a degree of knowledge sufficient to enable him to undertake his share of the world's work understandingly. The cost and effort necessary to the accomplishment of his collegiate course, with the gratification conse- quent upon a comprehensive, classical and scientific education, has kept alive his tastes in those direc- tions, and he has maintained his reading of Greek and Latin far beyond the custom of busy profes- sional men who have not passed their lives in

·teaching. He has also acquired a considerable ac- quaintance with several modern languages. In addition, he has kept pace with the world of lit- erature, and, from his powers of criticism and as- similation, has a fund of useful and profitable information, which renders him a valuable accessory to social circles.

The portrait of Judge Stinson is given on a pre- ceding page. His inflexibility in the conduct of his professional business, his spotless private life, the character of the services he has rendered in his several official capacities, will secure for the picture a hearty welcome from the entire patronage of the DE KALB COUNTY ALBUM, which would be signally incomplete without it. The photograph from which it was copied was taken in 1882.

ohn M. Schoonmaker, resident at Field- ing, is a farmer by vocation and an extens- ive buyer and shipper of stock. He was born in Hannibal Township, Oswego Co., N. Y., Aug. 16, 1827. John Schoonmaker, his father, was born in Flatbush, Kings Co., on Long Island. He went thence to Oswego County, where he was married to Julia Farnham, and was a resident of that county until his removal to De Kalb County in 1845. He then located at Hicks Mills in the township of Franklin, where he resided principally until his death, which took place in October, 1874, when he was 77 years of age. He was a blacksmith by occupation. The mother was a native of Shafts- bury, Bennington Co., Vt., and was of pure English extraction, tracing her lineage to the earliest settle- ment of the colonies. She was born about 1797 and died about 1849, in Franklin Township. Thie chil- dren were four in number and included three daugh- ters and a son.

Mr. Schoonmaker came to Illinois with his parents when he was 18 years of age. He was married Sept. 6, 1848, in Monroe Township, Ogle Co., Ill., to Nancy, daughter of John and Mary (Crill) Miller. They became the parents of five children. Alice is the wife of C. F. Meyer, a farmer of Franklin Town- ship. Elnora married B. A. Patten and resides at Silver Lake, Kan. George married Florence Ellis and lives on the Schoonmaker homestead, section 32,

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Franklin Township. Dora was born May 14, 1868,- and is completing a course of study at Aurora, Ill. Sylvester was born Sept. 27, 1859, and died March 10, 1862. Mrs. Schoonmaker was born Jan. 23, 1828, in Steuben Township, Oneida Co., N. Y., and when' 18 years of age came with her parents to Ogle Co., Ill. She is the ninth of twelve children.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Schoonmaker settled on a farm of 160 acres located on section 32, which they purchased from the Government. They were remote from the other settlers of the township, and the broad acres of their farm had never known the plow. The homestead now contains 250 acres, is in the best possible condition for successful farm- ing and is increased in value and appearance by most excellent farm buildings and a splendid resi- dence.

In 1879, Mr. Schoonmaker purchased a pleasant home in Fielding, whither he removed and has since engaged in the business stated.

He entered the army of the United States during the Rebellion, enlisting Aug. 7, 1862, in the 105th Reg. Ill. Vol. Inf., and went to the field under the command of Col. Dustin, of Sycamore. He was in action in the engagements at Resaca, Ringgold, Kenesaw Mountain, Marietta and in many others of greater or less importance. Thirty days after his enrollment he was made Sergeant of his. Company, and acted in that capacity until his transfer at Ma- rietta, Ga., to an official position in the 109th U. S. Regiment of colored troops. He brought the organ- ization to Louisville, Ky., where he was commis- sioned First Lieutenant, and the command was con- nected with the Army of the James. In October, 1864, Lieutenant Schoonmaker received orders from General Sheridan to put his men in line of battle, as the rebel General Early was threatening to occupy Martinsburg, which movement was succeeded Oct. 19 by "Sheridan's Ride " from Westchester to Cedar Creek, resulting in the destruction of the army of General Early. He was also in the engagements at Petersburg, which terminated in the surrender of General Lee, his troops doing effective service in the the skirmish line. After the collapse of the Rebellion his regiment was sent to Texas in the corps of Gen- eral Sheridan, where it was in service until the year following./ Mr. Schoonmaker was discharged March 12, 1866, at Louisville, Ky. During his absence

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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 33

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

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