Portrait and biographical album of DeKalb County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 47

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 47

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Besides cereal productions, Mr. Pooler deals to a considerable extent in stock. He raises from 100 to 125 head of hogs annually, besides about 20 head of cattle and as many of calves, and disposes of some 30 head of cattle each year. He is one of those men whose possessions came not by inherit- ance, but by honest, industrious labor, coupled with energetic determination and good judgment; and in the enjoyment of a competency he has the consola- tion of having accumulated it himself, together with the helpmeet he chose for his life companion.

Mr. Pooler was united in marriage March 25, 1851, to Miss Elizabeth A., daughter of Daniel and Mary (Patten) Roof. Her father was born Aug. 15, 1803, in Montgomery Co., N. Y., in which county her mother was also born Aug. 14, 1803, and both of whom are yet living in the same county. Her father followed the trade of a wheelwright until a short time ago. Mrs. Pooler was born Feb. 5, 1833, in Minden, Montgomery Co., N. Y., and resided with her parents, assisting in the household duties and attending the common schools until her marriage.

Mr. and Mrs. Pooler were the parents of five chil- dren living and one deceased. The living are,-, Charles H., born Nov. 7, 1856, in Addison, Steuben Co., N. Y .; Willie E., born Oct. 30, 1861, in Afton Township; Evron E., born Jan. 16, 1863, in Afton Township; and Everett E., twin brother of Evron E .; May M., born May 1, 1873. One child, Hattie C., born Feb. 26, 1858, in Afton Township, died May 8, 1884, on the home farm. She was married Jan. 18, 1881, to Charles Noble. March 2, 1881, she and her husband moved to Lake City, Calhoun Co., Iowa, where the husband worked at his trade, that of a carpenter. She contracted consumption, and the dreadful disease increased in its different stages so rapidly that she seemed to realize her days of pleas- ure and happiness on earth were almost closed, and thus realizing, she, on Aug. 6, 1883, returned to the

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home of her nativity, the old farm home on section 14, to die in the arms of father and mother. Her sufferings were pitiful to behold, but were endured by that fortitude which characterized her entire life, and of a daughter and wife whose consolation was that she had lived a good life, had fought the good fight and was prepared for the hereafter. The dis- ease had reduced her almost to skin and bones, and for two months she had to be lifted in and out of her bed, and at last, on the 8th of May, 1884, with a smile of satisfaction on her countenance, she closed her eyes in death, and the dutiful daughter, the lov- ing wife, kind friend and Christian woman's soul had passed into eternity.

When Mr. Pooler first came to Afton Township, the roads extended zigzag over the broad prairies ; there were no fences save one now and then enclos- 'ing a farm house ; yet he had great faith in the fu- ture of the country and energetically battled against all obstacles, determined to establish a home for him- self and family. How well he has succeeded, with the co-operation of his good wife, the thrifty condi- tion of his farm and possessions will testify.

As a gentleman worthy of recognition in the his- tory of the county, and an example of what resolu- tion, accompanied by energy and determination, can do and has accomplished, we deem it a pleasure to present the portrait of the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this notice.

erbert H. Hopkins, member of the firm of Gurler Bros. & Co., who are conducting the business relations and manufactures of the " creamery " at Hinckley, was born July 2, 1861, at Chesterfield, N. H., and is the son of R. Henry and Ellen (Newton) Hopkins, natives respectively of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. After the marriage of his parents they settled in the Granite State and there spent their lives.

Mr. Hopkins is the third of their six children. He spent all his school days in the common schools, and was a resident of New Hampshire until the spring of 1880, when he came to the village of De Kalb, and obtained employment in the creamery at that place, operating there two years in that capacity. He re-

mained there a year longer, and was engaged in the manufacture of butter-tubs. In the spring of 1884 he came to Hinckley and assumed charge of the creamery belonging to Gurler Bros. & Co., becoming a partner therein. He is a Republican in political connections and belief, and belongs to the Order of Odd Fellows.

Mr. Hopkins was married March 14, 1883, in De Kalb, to Frances C. Geiser. She was born Dec. 3, 1861, in the State of New York.

ndrew H. Johnson, general farmer, section 29, Milan Township, was born Jan 27, 1830, in Stananger, Norway. His father, Henry Johnson, was a farmer in that country and married Melinda Pierson. The latter died in September, 1883; the death of the former occurred some years earlier.

Mr. Johnson is the fourth son of 11 children born to his parents, and was sent to the public schools, where he obtained a fair education. In 1854 he came to America, accompanied by his younger brother, Henry. They first located in Ottawa, La Salle Co., Ill., where Mr. Johnson of this sketch spent three years as a farm assistant. He was married in La Salle County, town of Mission, Oct. 19, 1857, to Sarah, daughter of Ole and Caroline (Benn) Baker. She is the younger of two children and was born in Norway, Jan. 27, 1841. At the date of her parents' removal to America she was 18 months old. They first settled in Wisconsin, where her father died when she was about three years of age. Her mother transferred her residence to La Salle County, where she died about the time Mrs. Johnson attained to the age of 11 years. The latter was cared for by an aunt subsequent to the loss of her mother. By her marriage to Mr. Johnson she is the mother of eight children,-Henry W., Caroline, Melinda, Ole, James E., Emma J. and Aaron C. One child is not living.

Mr. Johnson left La Salle County four years after his marriage, and went to Kendall County, there purchased a farm and lived on it three years, after which he purchased 80 acres of land in Milan Town- ship, where he established and has maintained his homestead. To his original purchase he has added

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80 acres on the same section, and 85 acres on sec- tion 31 in the same township, constituting a superb farm, which is under the best improvements, and supplied with modern farm fixtures. Politically he he is a hearty, enthusiastic Republican, and has held several local offices.

illiam Jackson, dealer in general mer- chandise at the village of Shabbona, was one of the earliest merchants at that place. He was born in Schenectady, N. Y., Feb. I, 1845, and is the son of William and Eliza M. Jackson. He received a common-school education, and came to Illinois in 1864, locating at Shabbona Grove, where he engaged in clerking about three years. He then began business as a manu- facturer of and dealer in boots and shoes, which he continued up to 1870, when he sold out and followed clerking. In November, 1872, he formed a partner- ship with his brother, A. S., in a general store at Shabbona village, under the firm name of A. S. & Wm. Jackson. Theirs was the first store building at the present business center of the village. One year afterward they sold out, and the following spring Mr. Jackson resumed business alone. March 3, 1877, the building and stock was destroyed by fire, and he resumed business May 22, 1877, the line of trade consisting of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, hats, caps and notions.

Mr. Jackson was married at Shabbona Grove, June 18, 1873, to Miss Addie Hotchkiss, a daughter of Nelson and Harriet Hotchkiss, who was born near Geneva, Kane Co., Ill.

dwin R. Colby, Supervisor of Milan Town- ship, resident on section 33, was born Aug. 10, 1823, in . Oswego, N. Y. His father, Daniel D. Colby, was a native of Onon- daga County, in the same State, and descended from New England parentage and from stock originally of English origin. His grandfather was a participant in the war of the Revolution, in which he received a wound that crippled him for life. He died in the State of New York. Daniel Colby fixed

his residence in Oswego when he was 19 years of age, and was a resident there during the remainder of his life, which terminated when he was 82 years of age, in June, 1883. The mother of Edwin R. Colby was, Elizabeth Singer, and was a sister of Isaac M. Singer, of sewing-machine notoriety. She was born in New York and was of German parentage. The Singer family were mechanics as far back as the 17th century, the father, I. M. Singer, being a mill- wright. The inventive genius has been transmitted to some members of every generation since, and all are skillful in the use of tools.

Mr. Colby is one of 14 children born to his par- ents, ten sons and four daughters. Twelve reached adult age, and ten yet survive. Mr. Colby is the third child in order of birth, and he resided at home until he was 17 years of age. He had learned the trade of cooper of a man who had been employed by his father in that business, and at the age named he set himself about the task of earning an independent living. He turned his knowledge of the business of coopering to good advantage and followed it as a vocation for 16 years, alternating in the prosecution of general farming.

He was married in 1854 to Catherine Simmons, who was born about 1824, in Connecticut, and was a farmer's daughter. Her parents removed to Oswego, where she was reared and educated. She became the mother of four children: Calvert C. married Frances Griswold and resides at Rockford, Ill., where he is employed as a moulder. Albert J. married Nettie Steele. He is also a moulder and pursues that business at Rockford. Olive married Peter Cofield, a farmer in Shabbona Township. Eliza is the wife of William Shambo, a teacher in the town- ship of Milan. The mother died in November, 1850, in the State of New York. She was a judicious mother, an exemplary wife, and was generally es- teemed. A few years after her death Mr. Colby re- moved to Shiawassee Co., Mich., and located on a small farm, where he pursued his trade of cooper about three years. In May, 1861, he came to Illi- nois and located in the township of Shabbona. He was married there in June, 1863, to Mrs. Deborah (Simpson) Collins. She was born in 1828, in Orleans Co., N. Y. She came to Illinois after her marriage. Following are the names of the children of the sec- ond marriage : Sherman T., Eddie R., Abraham A., Lovina and Nellie.

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Mr. Colby resided in Shabbona Township and car- ried on a farm there eight years. At the end of that time he sold his place and purchased the estate he now owns in Milan Township. To this he has since added 80 acres, and the entire estate is now under excellent cultivation and improvements, with good farm buildings and fine grades of stock. He is a Republican and has, discharged the obligations of most of the township offices.

ohn S. Sebree, deceased, a former resident of the township of Squaw Grove and one of the earliest permanent settlers of De Kalb County, was born Aug. 22, 1808, in Virginia. In early life he spent some time in teaming and in boating on the Mississippi River. He was married Dec. 11, 1831, in Indiana, to Sarah J. Bateman. She was born Feb. 7, 1812, and is the daughter of William and Elizabeth (O'Blonus) Bate- man, and was the second of four children born to her parents. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Sebree settled in Floyd Co., Ind.

In the fall of 1834 he started with his wife and one child for Illinois, making the journey to De Kalb County with a team and driving a cow. On the way Mr. Sebree worked for a time near Bloomington, Ill., picking corn on shares, for which he returned in January. Reaching Squaw Grove Township, he locat- ed a 300 acres of land, on which he built a shanty that had a roof of basswood bark, the same as that used by the Indians in building their wigwams. Their shanty had a fire-place built of sticks and mud, and the floor was covered with hay. This caught fire on one occasion, but did no damage save the fear of utter ruin to the establishment. They occupied this shanty two weeks, and Mr. Sebree built a log house which was far more comfortable. He cut the first hay in the township. When he reached the place where he located his land, the second- growth of the prairie grass was fresh and still green and made excellent hay, which was in immediate demand for their horses and cows.

After settling his wife and child as well as he could, Mr. Sebree returned to Bloomington for the corn he had earned,-going away about the first of January and did not return until the last of February, follow-

ing. Mrs. Sebree was alone with her son and a small boy nearly two months. She prepared the corn from which her bread was made by pounding it, in a wooden mortar made by a hole in the top of a stump, with an iron wedge. The family lived 12 years in the log house, in which they kept a sort of hotel, . as there was no other place for prospectors and land- lookers to obtain necessary accommodations. Fre- quently the floor of the little log house was covered with the sleeping forms of tired travelers. In 1842 Mr. Sebree built a frame house which is still stand- ing near the village of Hinckley, and in which she resides. She is 74 years of age, and is the general manager of a farm of 222 acres. She is uncommonly vigorous and never required the attendance of a physician until the winter of 1884-5. Her five chil- dren are married. William M., Matilda J., James H., Mary A. and Ellen.

The father died April 29, 1873. At the date of his removal to De Kalb County, he was in very straitened circumstances. At the date of his death he owned about 620 acres of land.

W. Tyrrell, senior editor and publisher of the De Kalb Review, was born in Kalama- zoo, Mich., Nov. 12, 1840. His parents returned to Chautauqua County, N. Y., and resided at Quincy, Fredonia, and other points in the county until 1850, when they took a boat at Dunkirk and came West, landing at Racine, Wis. Moving further on, the family settled in the town of Magnolia, Rock Co., Wis., shifting locations as cir- cumstances dictated, to different portions of the county. In 1853 or '54 the impulse to move on to- wards the western "jumping-off place " again seized the head of the family (Manlius Tyrrell), and, with a yoke of steers hitched to a doubtful vehicle called a wagon, out of which an orthodox prairie schooner was improvised, a start was made for Iowa. -

There is in the life of every boy some one event which occupies a niche in the memory a little more prominent than any other. This trip to Iowa, rather with than in the " prairie schooner," rises up, even now, in the mind of the subject of this sketch, like a tolerably good-sized mountain, fraught as it was with circumstances which might have tempted the patience

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of Job or tried the " sand " of an Alexander. Mak- ing their way through clouds of mosquitoes, storms of rain, across swollen streams, up and down hills little and big, encountering mishaps of various kinds, with those faithful steers, the Hawkeye State was finally reached. The now rich, prohibition and always patriotic State of Iowa had the honor of receiving the Tyrrell family at McGregor-on-the-Mississippi, noted for its one street and no lightning rods, the high bluffs on either side of the solitary street absorbing all the electric fluid which old Jove has to spare in that neighborhood. The journey was continued on from McGregor until their destination, West Union, the county seat of Fayette County, was reached in safety, the steers discharged and paterfamilias set to work at blacksmithing, the will-o'-the-wisp, fortune, still moving on, moving on still westward, with the now travel-begrimed star of empire.

Here the family lived, or "stayed," as the case may be, until the breaking out of the Rebellion. Young Tyrrell meantime had apprenticed himself to a printer by the name of Gharkey, who published The Fayette County Pioneer, a thorough "Dough- face," pro-slavery paper, and was at work in this "print shop " when the terrible war broke out. Tyr- rell was an " Abolitionist " at heart and was so called by Boss Gharkey, but a self-professed Republican, and " Union " to the back-bone. So, after the ap- palling news came flashing across the country that Fort Sumter had been fired upon by the hot-headed sons of South Carolina, he, with numerous other young fellows not yet old enough to vote, rushed off to the war with blood in his eye and a firm resolve in his heart " never, no, never! to give up until the last armed foe expired!" He served three years in Co. F, 9th Iowa Regt. Vol. Inf., commanded by Col. Vandever, of Dubuque, and participated in the vari- ous campaigns with his regiment, notable among which were the battles of Pea Ridge in Northwestern Arkansas, the siege of Vicksburg, the battle (?) of Lookout Mountain, and the many other minor battles and skirmishes in which the regiment - was engaged. At Pea Ridge Lieut. Neff was shot down by his side at the first fire from the Confederates.

But Tyrrell was glad to get back home as soon as his "commission " expired, and not more than two- thirds of the foe had yet been accommodating enough to expire. Knowing that Grant and Sherman and Sheridan and good, brave and noble old "Pap"

Thomas would be left to worry the "rebs " awhile longer, he left the service without a pang or a wound to draw a pension on and came back to the old paths of peace and soft bread.

Returning to Iowa and finding the "girl he left behind him " enjoying a state of double blessed- ness, he soon left the State and again turned up in Wisconsin, which, when he left it, was the " Badger State," but found on his return that the " badgers " had all gone West or to the war.

The " printing habit"-which never entirely for- sakes a man when it has once thoroughly fastened itself upon him-returned to torment Tyrrell. Find- ing a situation open to him in Brodhead, Green County, in The Independent office, he entered that office and worked there for I. F. Mack, Jr., now editor and publisher of the Sandusky (O.) Register, for four or five years. E. O. Kimberly and Tyrrell then purchased the Independent plant and published the paper together some nine months, when, in con- sequence of a rupture in the Republican ranks at the county seat (Monroe), a new paper was wanted in that place in opposition to the Sentinel, which had had the temerity to oppose the " regular " nominee for State Senator. Great things were promised by the politicians, and Tyrrell sold out his magnificent in- terests and prospects in the Brodhead paper and went to Monroe and started the Green County Re- publican, with A. W. Potter as partner, a man who knew as little about the publishing business as the most fastidious could wish. While indulging in the laudable enterprise of running a paper for spite, Tyrrell took in another partner,-Mrs. Sarah Akin, nee Gray,-of St. Charles, Ill. This last partnership, for a wonder, has never been dissolved! Potter, a' nervous little body, soon found that the new paper was not a bonanza of formidable proportions, and pro- posed a dissolution. With Potter to propose was to dispose, and so Tyrrell went out of the new paper in a blaze of financial im pecuniosity !

Again farewell to Wisconsin! Hail, Illinois! Tak- ing his life partner along, Tyrrell found himself, in 1870, located at St. Charles, Kane Co., Ill. He soon found employment with S. L. Taylor in the Geneva Republican office, where he worked about a year. Meantime Mr. Taylor had established the St. Charles Transcript, but no sooner having it started than an opportunity presented itself to establish a new paper in Elgin. He went there and started The Advocate,

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D. W. Tyrrell and Charles Archer taking his Geneva and St. Charles papers off his hands. These papers Tyrrell & Archer published for about a year, when the " granger " craze broke loose and H. N. Wheeler, the noted crank who promulgated the infamous sen- timent in the Quincy (Ill.) Herald that "Garfield was no better than the man who shot him," con- ceived the brilliant enterprise of publishing a granger paper. With this in view, Wheeler and one Mc- Master proposed to Tyrrell to sell out to them, threatening at the same time to "start" another paper if their proposition to buy was not acceded to. Tyrrell was bulldozed out and "swindled into the bargain." Wheeler & McMaster gave T. a contract in writing to pay his portion of the debts against the firm of Tyrrell & Archer, but after they got pos- session of the concern they flatly refused to make their contract good. A year or two afterwards Tyr- rell sued Wheeler & McMaster and brought suit against them in the Kane County Circuit Court, and obtained judgment against them, which judgment stands against them to this day.

Tyrrell, out of work and out of money, as a last resort started the St. Charles Independent, which, owing to a " plentiful lack " of patronage, soon died a natural death, after a struggle of about eight months, more or less, mourned by few and remem- bered by none except its one parent.

In April, 1875, Tyrrell received a proposition from L. H. Post, publisher of The De Kalb County News, to go to De Kalb and work for him. Post was then Post-Master. Tyrrell accepted the offer of work and moved there, working for Mr. P. about three years, when he was superseded in the News office by Geo. W. Taylor, of Sycamore. Tyrrell was again on his oars, with winter coming on and the cupboard bare. So he started a little daily, called it The Index, and managed to squeeze out a precarious living through the winter, working day and night like a Trojan to keep the wolf from howling around the door of the shanty.

Post didn't like the competition, and, becoming disgusted with Taylor, proposed to buy out the little daily and take its proprietor back into the News office. The arrangement was made, and Mr. Tyrrell remained with Post until The DeKalb County Chron- icle, Mr. Glidden's paper, opened its ponderous jaws and absorbed the News, body, soul and subscription

list. Mr. Tyrrell then tried to work for Rosette, the man of iron will who steers the Chronicle craft, but the water and oil of their respective compositions wouldn't mix, and so the foriner formed a patent combination with L. E. Tomblin, of the Genoa Sift- ings, resulting in the purchase of the De Kalb Re- view, established by S. L. Graham and H. L. Boies, of the Sycamore Republican, in February, 1883.

Tyrrell & Tomblin are still " running " the Review, having engineered it successfully through babyhood, with every prospect of raising it to an exalted posi- tion in the ranks of country journals, at $1 a year, if paid in advance!

ohn H. Bauder, merchant at Hinckley, has been in business at that place since 1875, and has been a resident of the State since 1869. He was born Sept. 10, 1847, in Mont- gomery Co., N. Y., and is a son of James and Catherine (Young) Bauder. His parents are natives of the State of New York, and are now resi- dent there. Their family comprised eight children.

The first 16 years of the life of Mr. Bauder were passed in home duties and in attendance at the com- mon school. In 1863 he went to Hammondsport, Steuben County, in the same State, and entered upon a clerkship. He operated in that capacity three years, and in 1869 engaged in a like employment at Aurora, Kane Co., Ill. He acted as a salesman in that city about six years. In 1875 he formed a partnership with Mr. Avery G. Case at Hinckley, and the firm of Case & Bauder prosecuted the rela- tions of a general mercantile enterprise one year, when the senior partner sold out and the firm style became thereby Meredith, Bauder & Co., the latter term representing a gentleman named Morgan. Messrs. Meredith and Morgan sold out 18 months · later to J. C. Coster, the firm name becoming Bauder & Coster. Their stock consists of well assorted merchandise suited to the local patronage, and their transactions annually amount to nearly $40,000.

The marriage of Mr. Bauder took place Sept. 13, 1876, at Hinckley, to Hattie M. Coster. (See sketch of J. C. Coster.) One child, Mabel C., has been born to them. Her birth occurred April 10, 1878.

Politically Mr. Bauder is independent in opinion.

William Leifheit

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He is a member of the Masonic Order, and belongs to Lodge 301, at Hinckley. He has held the follow- ing offices : Member of Board of Trustees for vil- lage of Hinckley, Township Clerk three terms, is present Village Treasurer, having held the office three years, and he has been Township Treasurer for the past six years.

on. Thomas S. Terry, deceased, was born at Enfield, Tompkins Co., N. Y., Jan. 25, 1819, and was the son of Erastus and Hannah (Scudder) Terry. Was educated in the public schools, and engaged in clerking and teaching until he enlisted in the regular army, March 28, 1841; was promoted Sergeant, served in Texas on the Mexican border, and received an hon- orable discharge March 26, 1846, having been in the service five years.

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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 47

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

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