Portrait and biographical album of DeKalb County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 35

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 35

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A braham D. Graves, farmer and stockman, section 30, Franklin Township, was born in the town of Guilford, Piscataquis Co., Maine, April 25, 1826. His father, Nathaniel Graves, was born in 1801, near Scituate, Mass., and is still living, in Green Co., Iowa. He is of mixed Scotch and English extraction, and of New England parentage. He was a farmer and came West in 1845, making a location in De Kalb County, before its township organization. About 1874 he be- came a resident of Iowa. Anna J. (Young) Graves, the mother, was born Dec. 1, 1803, in Lewiston, Maine. She was the child of a clergyman, who fol- lowed that calling during the last 20 years of his life in his native State. The mother of Mr. Graves died at Wall Lake, Iowa, Aug. 10, 1882, being nearly 79 years of age. She was the mother of four sons and five daughters. One of the former and two of the latter are deceased (1885). Mr. Graves is the oldest child; Andrew died at Guilford, Me .; Julia- L. lives in Green Co., Iowa; J. H. resides at Wall Lake, Iowa; Augusta A. is a resident at Marysville, Kan .; Elvira J. died in infancy, at Parkman, Me .; Vesta A. lives at Creston, Ogle Co,, Ill .; Hannah died at Wall Lake, Iowa; N. Frank is a resident at West- moreland, Kan.

Mr. Graves was under the supervision of his par-

ents in his native State, where he attended the public schools until 18 years of age, when he entered the village academy at Foxcroft, Me. The next year his father came West and settled in a section now in- cluded in Ogle County, and situated contiguous to De Kalb County, before the organization of the latter into townships. He became a teacher during the winter seasons, having charge of schools in De Kalb and Boone Counties 13 successive winters. During the summers intervening he engaged vigorously in breaking up prairie, several hundred acres lying within Ogle and De Kalb Counties being first placed in tillable condition by him.

Mr. Graves was married April 13, 1850, in Frank- lin Township to Salina L. Churchill. The parents of Mrs. Graves, Oliver and Pantha L. (Andrews) Churchill, were natives of Vermont and of New England ancestry. They removed to Cattaraugus County in the State of New York, where the daughter was born, May 3, 1831. She was 12 years of age when, in 1844, she accompanied her parents to De Kalb County, where they were among the earliest of the pioneer settlers in Franklin Township. Her father became an extensive land-holder, and re- mained a resident of the township during the re- mainder of his life, a period of nearly 40 years, and died in September, 1882. Her mother was killed July 4, 1850, by a stroke of lightning. Mr. and Mrs. Graves have been the parents of eight children. Eva S. was born Jan. 7, 1852, and was married April 6, 1870, to Milton D. Patten, a farmer of South Grove Township. Pantha L. was born Oct. 12, 1854, and died Sept. 6, 1855. Fred was born July 7, 1856, and was married Feb. 21, 1883, to Jennie Wallace. He is a practicing physician at Rockford, Ill. He was graduated at Bennett Medical College in Chicago, in 1881. Charles S. was born Jan. 18, 1862, and is a student at Evanston College, where he is pursuing a course of classical study preparatory to the study of law. He was a graduate of the High School at Sycamore in 1882. Nathaniel A., born July 5, 1864, is a student at Bennett Medical College. Amos C. was born Feb. 10, 1867 ; Bertie E. was born Aug. 27, 1872; John, born Jan. 12, 1875, died March 13, 1875.

Mr. and Mrs. Graves have been residents of Franklin Township during their entire married lives with the exception of a single year. The homestead includes 160 acres of excellent land in a high state

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of cultivation. Mr. Graves is a Republican of a de- cided type, and has officiated in the several local positions of importance in his township. He has been Assessor, and has served seven years as Town- ship Clerk, and has discharged the duties of Treas- urer 15 years. He is a Steward of the Methodist Church society, of which he and his wife have long been members.

ames R. Graham, farmer, residing on sec- tion 11, Mayfield Township, is a son of Robert and Louisa (Parker) Graham, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of New York. They were married and settled in Kentucky, whence they moved to this State in 1835. They remained at Ottawa, La Salle Coun- ty, this State, during the winter of that year, and in the spring of 1836 came to this county and settled in Mayfield Township. His father followed farming as a vocation in the township mentioned until his death, which event occurred March 7, 1860. Two children were born of their union, namely, Sarah Elizabeth and James R. The former died in 1860, aged 30 years.

James R. Graham is the only surviving child of his father's family, and was born in Campbell Co., Ky., Dec. 1, 1832. He was but three years of age when his parents came to this county, and resided with them in Mayfield Township until his father's death. His years of minority were passed on the farm and attending the common schools. On the death of his father he became owner of the old homestead by inheritance. It consists of 200 acres of land on sections 11 and 14, Mayfield Township,' most of which is in a good tillable condition. Mr. Graham is considered one of the progressive farniers of his township. He keeps about 45 head of cattle and six horses, and fattens from 30 to 50 head of hogs yearly.

Politically he is a Republican, and has held the office of Highway Commissioner and School Di- rector.

Mr. Graham has been twice inarried. His first wife was a Miss Mary E. Loossey, and their union occurred in Campbell Co., Ky., Jan. 24, 1856. She was a daughter of Stephen and Sarah (Richardson)

Loossey, parents of six children, namely : Mary E., Lucinda, Nancy, William, James and Lydia. Mary E:, wife of Mr. Graham, was born in Kentucky in 1839, and was the mother of one child, Mary E., only issue of their union. She is now the wife of Winfield Divine, resident of Sycamore. Mrs. Gra- ham died in Mayfield Township, Feb. 28, 1857, and Mr. Graham was again married, in Kingston Town- ship, Jan. 12, 1858, to Miss Nancy Stilwell. She was a daughter of Joseph and Martha (Barrackman) Stilwell, natives of Kentucky, in which State they resided until their death. They were the parents of eight children, namely : Mary A., John W., William, Eliza, Catherine J., Nancy, Robert and James.

Nancy Graham was born in Campbell Co., Ky., Nov. 23, 1830, and is the mother of six children by Mr. G. They were born as follows: Lorenzo, Rob- ert, Charles W., Carrie B., Jennie A, and William H., and are all living except Lorenzo, who died in in- fancy.

ugh McQueen, farmer, section 29, South Grove Township, was born July 29, 1829, in the Scottish Lowlands, at a place about 12 miles from Ayr, where Robert Burns was born. His father died when he was between three and four years old, and when 10 years old he was thrown upon his own resources for self-main- tenance. He received a fair education through the aid of his friends and the energetic application of his own energies, and he operated as a farm laborer in his own country, being thus engaged until his mar- riage.

He was married June 7, 1847, in Ayrshire, to Jane Mckenzie. She was born June 25, 1827, and is the daughter of John and Ellen (Key) Mckenzie. Mr. and Mrs. McQueen have had 10 children, three of whom are deceased. Those who are living are John, Hugh, Jr., Mary, Ellen (2d), Frank, Jane and Will- iam A. Ellen is the wife of Fred Vodden, a farmer of South Grove Township. Jane, Elizabeth and Ellen are the names of those who are not living.

After his marriage Mr. McQueen engaged in the brick and tile trade in his native country, and was interested in that business about 20 years. In August, 1867, he came to America with his family and landed at the port of New York. After a very

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brief delay they proceeded to De Kalb County, where the parents of Mrs. McQueen had settled some years before.

In 1871 Mr. McQueen purchased 160 acres of land, and he has increased his estate by later addi- tions until he is now the proprietor of 480 acres of land, situated at three different points. He is specially engaged in raising Short-Horn and Durham cattle, and is ranked among the leading operators in that line in the county. Formerly he, bred the Berkshire swine to a considerable extent, but is now giving his' attention to. raising swine of the Poland variety.

Mr. McQueen is an ardent Republican in politics, and with his wife is a member of the Scotch Presby- terian Church. The parents of Mrs. McQueen are deceased.

ohn N. McDowell, farmer, section 25, Franklin Township, was born in the same township in De Kalb County, on section 12, Oct. 18, 1840. His parents, John and Martha (Biddle) McDowell, were born respect- ively in Pennsylvania and Tennessee. Both came to De Kalb County in early life and were mar- ried here. They have since resided on a farm in Franklin Township, where the son was born. Both are still living, at the ages of 72 and 66 years.

Mr. McDowell was brought up at home, attended the common schools in boyhood and in youth went to the seminary at Wheaton, Du Page Co., Ill. At the age of 21 years he began his independent ex- istence as a farmer on a piece of land deeded to him by his father. This he afterwards sold, and in 1864 purchased 90 acres in another part of the same township, on which he had a brief residence, and went thence to South Grove Township, settling on 160 acres of land on section II, on which he resided eight years. He returned afterward to his native township, and later proceeded to Missouri, whence he came back two years afterward to his former home. He has since resided on 180 acres of land situated near Kirkland village, owned by his mother and aunt. He is a Democrat in political principles.

He was married in Flora Township, Boone Co., Ill., to Evaline Newton, who became his wife March 28, 1861. She was born June 20, 1844, in the State

of New York, and is the daughter of William and Margaret (Tuttle) Newton. Her parents were farm- ers and natives of New York. She came with her parents to Boone Co., Ill., when a child of four years, and there acquired a district-school education. Mr. and Mrs. McDowell have had nine children,-Adel- bert, William, Clayton, Fred, Porter, Paul, Edgar and Ivan (twins) and John.

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heodore D. Driscoll, farmer, section II, South Grove Township, was born April 5, 1838, on the farm on which he now resides. His parents, William and Margaret (Losier) Driscoll, were the first settlers in South Grove Township. They were born respectively in Ohio and Pennsylvania. They made a homestead claim of 150 acres of land in 1836, previous to the Government survey, and it was the first claim made in the township by permanent settlers. Their expe- riences were the same as those so often repeated, -- no neighbors, supplies obtainable only from remote points, the nearest mill being at Ottawa, 50 miles distant, where they were obliged to make their way with an ox team. The family included eight chil- dren.

Mr. Driscoll was the seventh child, and was only three years of age when the death of his father oc- curred. He continued to live with his mother until he was of age, and obtained a practical common- school education. In 1859 he became the proprietor of the homestead, and has had charge of the com- fort and welfare of his mother since he was qualified by age and circumstances for the duty. He is the owner at present of 430 acres, all under cultivation, supplied with a good residence and one of the larg- est and most convenient barns in De Kalb County. Mr. Driscoll is skilled in the rearing of stock and annually fattens a large number of cattle and hogs for market. He is a loyal and zealous Republican, any has held various local township offices.

He was married Jan. 6, 1876, to Harriet A. Tin- dall, and they have four children,-Jesse, Elizabeth J., Harriet L. and Arthur. Jesse and Mary (Barber) Tindall, the parents of Mrs. Driscoll, were natives of New Jersey and New York, and came to this county about 1842. She was born in South Grove Town-

UNIVERSITY OF

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ILL

John Hatch

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ship Jan. 21, 1843. She was reared in this county and was well educated, becoming a teacher and fol- lowing that profession until her marriage.

Mr. Driscoll was the first white child born in the township; his wife was born at an early period in its history.

illiam Carpenter, farmer, section 16, May- field Township, is a son of John and Joanna Carpenter, natives of New York and Massachusetts. They were the parents of 11 children, namely: John, Elizabeth, Delinda, Harriet, Ira, Mary, William, Elias, Charles, Joanna and Alexander.

William Carpenter, subject of this biographical notice, was born in Schoharie Co., N. Y., March 26, 1813. His father was a blacksmith, which trade William learned and followed, contributing his earn- ings toward the support of the family until 23 years of age. On account of his father's limited means and large family to support, William was unable to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the com- mon schools, and received only such education as a determined mind could acquire from home study and parental assistance.

He worked at his trade, after leaving home, for about a year and a half in his native State, and then went to Portage Co., Ohio, where he continued to follow his trade until 1848.

In the fall of the latter year, Mr. C. came to this county, traveling the entire distance with a team of horses and occupying 17 days. He was accom- panied by his wife and two children, and on his ar- rival here purchased 80 acres of school lands on section 16, Mayfield Township, on which he settled and at present resides. He now has 86 acres, all of which is in a good tillable condition.

Mr. Carpenter was united in marriage, Feb. 12, 1835, in Delaware Co., N. Y., to Miss Clarissa C. Whitely. Four years later, in 1839, his wife died, and Jan. 12, 1840, in Portage Co., Ohio, he was a second time married to Miss Mary S. Frost. She is a daughter of Levi and Elizabeth (Slocum) Frost, natives of Massachusetts and Connecticut respect- ively. They came to this county in 1851, and after residing here about three years removed to Iowa, where, in Floyd County, July 21, 1865, her father

died. Her mother then returned to this county and died in Mayfield Township, Feb. 23, 1870. They were the parents of 10 children, namely, John S., Eliza W., Mary S., Levi, Jr., Laura G., Amos B., Delia P., Oliver D., James M. and Edmond E.

Mrs. Carpenter was born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., March 26, 1814. She was the mother of two children by Mr. Carpenter, namely, Mary C., born Nov. 2, 1840, and William D., born Nov. 3, 1843. Mrs. C. died in Portage Co., Ohio, Nov. 3, 1843, and Mr. Carpenter was a third time married Jan. 1, 1844, in Portage County. The lady of his choice was Miss Laura G. Frost, a sister of his former wife. She was born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., April 12, 1818.

Politically, Mr. Carpenter is a Republican. He has held the office of School Director and Commis- sioner of Highways.

ohn Hatch, farmer, section 21, De Kalb Township, was born May 15, 1817, in Ot- sego Co., N. Y., and is the son of Sylvanus and Edith (Gardner) Hatch, who were also born in the Empire State. They removed to Jefferson County when their son was two years of age, and he passed his life in that county, chiefly engaged in teaming, until his removal to Aurora, Ill., in 1855. He continued to reside in Aurora and in that vicinity until 1862, where he was engaged in farming, when he purchased 90 acres of land in De Kalb County, where he has since resided and con- ducted his agricultural projects. He keeps 20 milch cows and raises a very fine grade of horses. His entire acreage is under advanced cultivation.

Mr. Hatch is a Republican in political preference and has held several local official positions. His marriage to Irena Willey took place in Jefferson Co., N. Y., Dec. 17, 1838; and one child, Mary P., was - born to them Sept. 17, 1850. He has also raised five children, which he has taken from various poor farms. Mrs. Hatch was born Aug. 24, 1815, in Jefferson County, and she is the daughter of Eleazer and Wealthy (Marsh) Willey, who were both natives of Oneida Co., N. Y.

Among the numerous portraits given in this ALBUM way be found that of Mr. Hatch. This portrait was made from a photograph taken in 1885.

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eneral Everell Fletcher Dutton, Presi- dent of the Sycamore National Bank, was born Jan. 4, 1838, in Charlestown, N. H., and is the second child of William P. and Lucinda J. (Blood) Dutton. The former was born Oct. 1, 1817, and was reared under the New England regime for the training of farmers' sons,- common-school education and agricultural labor. He was married in 1835 and was a farmer in the Granite State until 1844, the date of his removal with his family to St. Charles, Kane Co., Ill., whence he went to Dupage County, and subsequently, in 1846, to Sycamore, De Kalb County, where he was a resident until the spring of 1857. He conducted the affairs of the Sycamore House several years, after which he was appointed Deputy Sheriff under Morris Walrod, and succeeded to the same incumbency under E. P. Young and Joseph F. Glidden, during which periods he was practically chief official. In 1854 he established a commercial business at Syca- more, and later admitted E. H. Barnes as a partner. Political events and national affairs generally at the time when he reached manhood were of a charac- ter which tended to awaken every latent principle of patriotism and sense of justice and right that might be slumbering within a man's consciousness. He was a born and bred Democrat of the Jackson school, and, true to the element with which he had drifted up to 1856, he had accepted the issues of the party without question. Always fearless in the expression of his sentiments, his ardor was rewarded by his appointment as Postmaster at Sycamore. Early in 1856 he went to Kansas, rooted and grounded in the belief that the free-State element was the very head and front of anarchy and treason, and confidently anticipating that the results of his investigation of existing conditions would redound materially to the prestige of the Democratic party. To a man of his temperament, the outrages he witnessed could bear but one significance, and he returned to Sycamore a declared free-State man. His intrepid denunciations of the operations of the border ruffians cost him his political head, and in consonance with his instincts he removed his interests to Kansas, in February, 1857. He located at Stanton (then Lykins) County, and engaged in farming. Within a year he was elected

the first Treasurer of his county, and served two years. In 1859 he was a member of the Constitu- tional Convention at Wyandotte, and was a factor in framing the Constitution of the State. In 1861 he was elected Sheriff of the county, the name of which had been changed to Miami, and he removed to Paola, where he resided until 1873. He was re- elected Sheriff in 1863. He was conspicuous in Kansas history during the war, was the leader of the citizens whose determined attitude averted the fate of Lawrence from Paola in 1863, and he acted as aid to the Governor.

In 1873 he returned to Illinois and again engaged in farming. He moved again to Paola in 1876, where he operated for a time as a business man and is now retired from active life. The mother of Gen. Dutton was born Jan. 18, 1818, and died at Syca- more June 15, 1875. Emma, the oldest child of William P. Dutton and his wife, married Aaron K. Stiles, now of Chicago, President of the Van De- poele Electric Light Company, and who is extensively interested in the manufacture of barbed wire. Charles E. is a printer in San Francisco, Cal. Joel W. died at Sycamore Feb. 3, 1855, when he was 11 years old.

General Dutton was a lad of eight years when his parents located at Sycamore, and during the 11 years that intervened before their removal to Kansas, he passed the time as an assistant in his father's store and in the postoffice, meanwhile attending the com- mon school, finishing his education by a year of study at Mt. Morris Seminary and a similar period at Beloit College, Wis. He went with his parents in Febru- ary, 1857, to Kansas, where he passed nearly two years in unremitting toil on an unbroken prairie farm, varying his days of labor in driving four yoke of oxen breaking the soil, by splitting rails and other work requiring proportionate outlay of physical effort. In the fall of 1858 he returned to Sycamore to enter upon the duties of Deputy County Clerk, under A. K. Stiles, and held that incumbency until April, 1861.

The seed sown in De Kalb County during the portentious period that preceded the tangible expres- sion of the culmination of Southern hate and fury in Charleston Harbor, yielded spontaneous harvest when the reverberations from the attacking guns at Sumter swept over the prairies, freshening under the vernal sun, and imparting hope to those who gloried in their possibilities, and to whom the beautiful acres

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within their ken typified their country,-their whole country. Its threatened dismemberment roused a desire for immediate action in the breasts of hun- dreds, and in less than a week the streets of Syca- more were patroled by crowds of volunteers with but a single thought,-the Nation's danger, and the necessity of intelligent preparation for duty in the exigency that seemed imminent. It is ludicrous, but no less true, that these self-constituted recruits for the military service of the United States, organized for preparation, and, in the lack of regulation arma- ment, pressed broom-sticks and hoe-handles into ser- vice as auxiliary to their purpose, and with these harmless representatives of legitimate weapons they engaged in the practice of mimic warfare. Presi- dent Lincoln made his first call for troops April 16, and two days later young Dutton enrolled his name, constituting himself a member of one of the two companies of volunteers from De Kalb County, who anticipated the action of the Governor and held themselves in readiness to answer a possible sum- mons. While red tape was adjusting its kinks, the volunteers proceeded with their preparations. One of the chiefest honors which rests upon the members of the two organizations that moved heaven and earth to obtain an opportunity to lay their lives on the shrine of a united government, is the singleness of purpose that constituted their motive. The or- organization to which private Dutton belonged was designated " Company F," and was assigned to the 13th Illinois Regiment, going to Dixon, Ill., under the leadership of Capt. Z. B. Mayo. The comple- tion of the organization of the company resulted in the election of Mr. Dutton as First Lieutenant, and he was mustered into the service of the State as the incumbent of that position May 10, 1861. The reg- iment was mustered into the United States service May 24 of the same year. June 16 it was sent to Caseyville, Ill., a town near St. Louis, Mo., where it was detailed for the surveillance of the rebel ele- ment of that city, moving forward to Rolla, Mo., July 6, following.

The " 13th Illinois " was the first Union regiment that crossed the Mississippi River into Missouri, where their presence accomplished much good in many directions. At Rolla, Aug. 13, Captain Mayo resigned his position, and was succeeded by Lieuten- ant Dutton. The regiment remained at Rolla until

Oct. 29, and, in addition to the routine of military duty, performed cavalry service, chasing guerrillas and bushwhackers. On the day named above the command joined the army of General Fremont at . Springfield, having marched 120 miles in four days and doing heavy skirmish work on the way. Gen- eral Fremont, noting the valor and discipline dis- played, assigned the regiment to an honorable posi- tion; but, being removed, his command was scattered to various points, the 13th returning to Rolla. The influence through which Fremont was subjected to such humiliation, or the purposes served thereby, will ever remain an unsatisfactory mystery to the members of his command. March 6, 1862, the reg- iment was ordered from Rolla to support General Curtis, and marched again to Springfield almost at the speed of "double quick," and thence to North- western Arkansas, joining the army of Curtis at Pea Ridge, averaging more than 25 miles' march daily. The command moved through Northern Arkansas, made a feint of attacking Little Rock, and accom- plished some lively skirmishing. It encountered the severer hardships of war in supplies being cut off, the men being compelled to live on parched corn and green whortleberries for several days. The forced march previous to and down the White River was one of the most terrible in the history of the the regiment. At first cold, insufficient food, inces- sant rain and dangers from the marauders who infested that region, made it a most dismal experi- ence, which became misery during the close of the march, the cold having changed to intense heat, and there being no water save in the cypress swamps, abounding in reptiles and filth, the wells being poi- soned or otherwise rendered unfit for use by the citizens as the troops approached. This expe- rience lasted more than three months; the regi- ment reached Helena, Ark., July 14, with half its numbers sick from the effects of hardship and privation. Captain Dutton was sent home on sick leave in August, and on the second of September, 1862, was made Major of the 105th Ill. Vol. Inf., which was raised in De Kalb and Du Page Counties, under the call " for 300,000 more." He was trans- ferred by special order of the Secretary of War to the latter command Sept. 22, and, eight days after, pro- ceeded to Louisville, Ky. Thenceforward, until the regiment joined the army of General Rosecrans near

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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 35

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

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