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 52
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THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
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Cilli Broughton
DE KALB COUNTY.
489
Ill. Caroline M. is the widow of Wm. H. Wise (see sketch). Mary E. married M. M. Townsend, M. D. Mathew B. died June 10, 1869, at Belvidere. Mary (Hovey) Calkins, second wife of Asa M. Calkins, died in May, 1882, at Palmyra, N. Y.
hauncey W. Broughton, farmer & stock- raiser, residing on the northeast quarter of section 31, Afton Township, and owning about 900 acres of land on sections 30, 31 and 32, was born in Pepperell, Middlesex Co., Mass., July 22, 1817. He is a son of Will- iam and Ruth (Winters) Broughton, both of whom died in Ashburnham, Worcester Co., Mass., his father when he was 42 years old and his mother about 1870.
After the death of his father, which occurred when Mr. Broughton was about 13 years of age, he went to live with an uncle, John Conant, in Brandon, Rut- land Co., Vt. His uncle's business was diversified. He was the owner of a blast furnace, was a merchant, and later followed the milling business. Mr. Brough- ton lived with him, receiving the advantages afforded by the common schools, until he attained majority. On arriving at that age he received $150 and two suits of clothes from his uncle, and went forth to fight the battles of adversity alone. He worked in his uncle's mill for a while by the month, and then engaged in the woolen business, in which he was in- terested for about a year, after which he engaged in the marble business and remained in that about a year. He accumulated nothing in either line of work.
Mr. Broughton, at this period in his life's history, took the " Western fever " (a " disease " he is glad existed at that time), and sold out his possessions in Vermont and came to this State in 1884. He located in Kaneville, Kane County, and purchased 200 acres of land from the Government, which he soon after increased by a purchase of 40 acres of timbered land from Mr. A. Churchill and has in- creased it to 700 acres. He had great faith in the future development of the country and the conse- quent enhanced value of his land, and entered at once upon its improvement. He built a small frame house, and in 1845 replaced it with a more comforta-
ble and commodious building and continued to reside on and improve his land for about nine years. The Western fever still clung to him and he sold his pos- sessions and moved to Fayette Co., Iowa, where he bought land and remained from May, 1854, to March, 1855. During the latter month he returned to this county, intending to remain a short time and then move to Kansas. The report of cholera existing in that (then) Territory induced him to change his mind, and he purchased a half section of land on sections 30, 31 and 32, Afton Township, this county, on which he has resided ever since. He has one of the larg- est farms in that township, and conducts it in a thorough, systematic and practical manner. He has about three-fourths of his land under subjugation, a fine frame residence, large barn and good, commo- dious out-buildings. He has this present year (1885) 120 acres of corn and a large crop of oats and grass. He keeps about 100 head of cattle, and this year has 200 head of hogs, besides 25 head of horses.
Mr. Broughton was married May 3, 1843, to Miss Mary, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Richards) Churchill. She died May 4, 1860, on the farm where Mr. B. now resides, leaving one child, C. Preston, born Feb. 23, 1844, in Brandon, Vt., and at present a resident of Jackson Co., Mo. Mr. Broughton was a second time married Jan. 30, 1861, to Miss Caro- line C. Churchill, a sister of his first wife. She died on the farm in Afton Township, May 29, 1871, leav- ing three children, two having departed this life pre- vious to her death. Their children were Ella, born Jan. 26, 1865 ; Wm. A., born Feb. 19, 1863, and died Jan. 6, 1866; May, born May 7, 1867; Judson K., born April 2, 1869, and died Oct. 26, same year; and Ben, born May 25, 1871.
Mr. Broughton was again married March 25, 1875, to Miss Belle, daughter of Charles and Mary A. Beers. Her father died Sept 25, 1877, aged 80 years, and her mother is living with a daughter, Mrs. Chan- dler, at De Kalb, and was born Jan. 9, 1808.
Two children constitute the issue of the last union, namely: Charles B., born June 18, 1877, and Chauncey W., Jr., born Sept. 10, 1879, both in this county.
Mr. Broughton has been Supervisor of his town- ship four terms, and while a resident of Kane County Was Assessor two terms. He is truly one of the
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representative and practical men of the county. Commencing life with $150 and " two suits of clothes," he has, through his own good judgment and perse- verance, procured a competency, and in his home content sits in the lap of plenty while success smiles at the trials of the past.
As a representative and self-inade man of the county, as a man whose good judgment and ener- getic determination conquered all obstacles that stood between him and success, and as a respected and honored citizen of the county, we are pleased to give a portrait of Mr. Broughton in this work.
onathan Stevens, deceased, formerly a farmer on section 3, Shabbona Township, and section 34, Milan Township, was born in Scipio, Cayuga Co., N. Y., in 1815; moved to Monroe Co., Mich., in boyhood; learned the millwright's trade, at which he worked in vari- ous places for a number of years; and then purchased a farm near Adrian, Mich., which he carried on until 1851, when he removed to La Salle County, this State. 'In that county he bought a farm and con- ducted it till 1857, when he finally came to this county and purchased a farm on the line between Shabbona and Milan Townships, on sections 3 and 34. He built liis house in Shabbona Township, within a few feet of the line. He subsequently increased the area of his landed estate to 500 acres, and continued in agricultural pursuits thereon until the time of his death, which occurred Dec. 9, 1874.
Mr. Stevens was twice married. First, in his na- tive county, he married Miss Ann R. Fisher, who died within a year afterward; secondly, in Chicago, Ill , May 23, 1863, Mrs. Lucy G., widow of Henry O. Osborne and daughter of Samuel and Electa (Newton) Newcomb, who was born in the town of . Thetford, Orange Co., Vt., and removed with her parents to Livingston Co., N. Y., when 12 years of age. She was first married in the town of York, N. Y., April 19, 1840, to Henry O. Osborne, and they resided at Perry, Wyoming Co., N. Y., where Mr. O. was engaged in hotel-keeping. They subsequently removed to Michigan, locating first in Almont, La- peer County, and afterward at Mt. Clemens, Macomb County. In 1855 they came to this State and settled
at Leland, La Salle County, where he died, Jan. 7, 1861. He was a native of Brixworth, Northampton- shire, England. Mrs. Osborne continued to reside at Leland until her marriage to Mr. Stevens, May 23, 1863.
Mr. S., while a resident of Shabbona, held various local offices, as Commissioner of Highways, etc. He was a zealous worker for the interest of the Baptist Church, was at the head of the building committee when the present church edifice was built at Shab- bona, and contributed liberally to clear the society of debt. He devoted himself so energetically to the cause of the Church in his later years that he seri- ously impaired his health. He was very generally highly esteemed as a public-spirited, worthy citizen. He never had any children. His wife survives him, and designs in making the old homestead in Shab- bona Township her future home.
ufus Harrington, farmer, section 12, Squaw Grove Township, has been a resident of his homestead in that township 35 years, having settled on a tract of land in 1850 which he bought in 1848, the year in which he came hither from his native State. His original purchase included 200 acres, but he has disposed of all but 40 acres in Squaw Grove Town- ship and 40 acres in Kane Co., Ill.
He was born Sept. 1, 1809, in Pittsfield, Otsego Co., N. Y., and is the son of Jacob and Polly (Spen- cer) Harrington, natives of New England. They had five children, all of whom lived to mature years. They were named Lydia, Job, Rufus, Huldah and Clarissa A. Their mother, Mrs. Harrington, died when Rufus was six years old, and he lived from that time until he was 12 years of age with a man who was a miller by trade. As soon as he was old enough he became a farm assistant, and was in the employment of different individuals until he was 16 years of age. In 1825 he began to learn the busi- ness of chair-making and painting, serving an ap- prenticeship of three years, and following it nearly 20 years as a vocation. He received $48 a year while learning his trade, and board, and he clothed himself. He came to De Kalb County in Septem- ber, 1848. He has held the offices of Township
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Clerk and Commissioner of Highways, and is a Re- publican.
He was married Feb. 25, 1833, in New Berlin, Chenango Co., N. Y., to Eliza Welch, and they had five children, four only of whom grew to advanced life. One died in infancy. Those who survived were named George, Blin, Jesse and Buel S. Blin became a soldier in the 127th Ill. Vol. Inf. and was killed May 19, 1863, at the battle of Vicksburg. Mrs. Harrington was born July 8, 1813, in New Ber- lin and is the daughter of Vine and Polly (Tyler) Welch. Her parents were born in the State of New York and had eight children : Calista, Vine, Polly, Eliza, Sarah and Ebenezer lived to mature life. Two died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Harrington have been members of the Baptist Church since 1834.
coleman Olmsted, deceased, was born in Wilton, Fairfield Co., Conn., April 9, 1792. He is a son of David and Rebecca (Jackson) Olmsted. About 1814 he removed to Tioga Co., N. Y., near what is now called Odessa, and was a pioneer of that county. He learned the trade of blacksmith and followed it in Tioga County until 1838.
In the spring of the year named he moved with his family to this State and located in La Salle County. He remained there until the spring of 1841, when he removed to Shabbona Township and entered Govern- ment land. He also purchased a half section of the Reservation. His title was uncertain, and to perfect the same he was compelled to pay for his land three times. In 1846 he moved to Ottawa, La Salle Co., this State, and for several years lived on a farm. In 1872 he went to Missouri, was unfortunate in his business ventures, lost heavily and returned to his son's, D. D. Olmsted, where he died, June 5, 1881.
Mr. Olmsted was twice married. His first alliance was with Miss Clara Duchey, in 1811. Of this union six children were born : George, Jan. 19, 1816; Re- becca, July 5, 1818, and died in 1849; John D., July 7, 1820; Daniel D., June 21, 1822; Jane, Aug. 28, 1824 ; Clara, Nov. 5, 1826.
Mrs. Olmsted died July 14, 1828, and Nov. 4 of that year Mr. Olmsted was united in marriage
with Mrs. Hannah Bedient. Four children were the issue of their union, namely : Clara M., born Aug. 6, 1829; Samuel B., Jan. 24, 1831 ; Hannah, Sept. 9, 1833; Mary, Aug. 11, 1846.
rrin M. Norton, farmer, section 2, Squaw Grove Township, was born Nov. 27, 1825, in Geauga Co., Ohio. He is the son of Robert and Lovisa (Monroe) Norton, who were born respectively in Vermont and Connecticut, and were of Scotch descent. Their children were Orrin M. and Orry T. (twins) and Mary Jane. The family removed to Kane Co., Ill., about 1837, and some years later made a permanent residence in the township of Squaw Grove. The senior Norton died April 11, 1849; the mother's demise took place Jan. 1, 1877.
Mr. Norton has been a resident of the township since his parents removed here, and he is the owner of a fine house, a farm of 305 acres, under advanced improvements, well stocked and supplied with neces- sary and suitable farm buildings. Mr. Norton is a Republican and has held the office of School Di- rector.
He was married Dec. 25, 1853, in Geneva, Kane Co., Ill., to Jemima Drake, and they have had two children,-Charles M. and Alice. Alice died Nov. 16, 1863. Mrs. Norton was born Aug. 10, 1835, in Allegany Co., N. Y., and is the daughter of Ede and Hannah (Seavey) Drake, natives of New England, who were the parents of nine children,-George, William, Ede, Laura, Arvilla, Rosina, Betsey, Salina and Jemima.
avid C. Hoag, farmer, section 20, Paw Paw Township, where he owns and occupies 81 acres of land, was born in Johnstown, Montgomery Co., N. Y., July 1, 1829, and when six years of age his parents, Abram and Nancy (Lamb) Hoag, moved with him to Ber- rien Co., Mich., where he was brought up, in agricult ural pursuits.
April 3, 1851, he married Miss Clarissa, daughter of Jeremiah and. Phebe A. (Long) Ketcham. She
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DE KALB COUNTY.
was born on Long Island, Dec. 3, 1831. The chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. H. comprise two sons and five daughters, viz .: Frank A., born Jan. 29, 1855, mar- ried Harriet Atherton and lives in Paw Paw Town- ship; Jennie M., born July 3, 1857, is the wife of Or- lando B. Woodward, of the same township ; Celia C., born Oct. 20, 1859, is the wife of Lewis P. Woods, of Lee Co., Ill .; John C., born Sept. 30, 1862, is living at his parental home ; Martha M., born June 11, 1866, is the wife of John Butterfield, of State Center, Iowa; Carrie B. was born June 11, 1868; and Bertha A., Nov. 9, 1870.
Mr. Hoag removed to Kingston, this county, in 1851, and engaged in farming there until 1856, when he changed his residence to Paw Paw Township, set- tling upon section 29. In April, 1865, he removed to his present farm on section 20. He has held va- rious local offices, having served as Township Col- lector three terms, Road Commissioner three years, etc., etc. He is a pronounced Prohibitionist. For 12 years his was the only Prohibition vote cast in his town, but in the last Presidential campaign he was re-enforced by six others. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church of South Paw Paw.
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enry A. Sanderson, farmer, section 29, Milan Township, is the owner of 60 acres of the undivided estate which was once a portion of his father's homestead, and he is also the proprietor of 80 acres of land on section 20. The entire amount in both tracts is under ex- cellent improvement. He is the son of Sander H. and Anna (Morland) Sanderson. His father was born March 12, 1825, in Norway, and came to the United States in 1843. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace about 10 years, and other minor offices. He has also been in the mercantile busi- ness,at Lee, Lee County, for about three years : the firm name was S. Sanderson & Son. He died Dec. I, 1881. His wife, Anna Sanderson, was born May 5, 1832, and died Nov. 24, 1881.
Mr. Sanderson is the oldest of 10 children, one of whom died in infancy. His birth occurred Oct. 14, 1851, in La Salle County, and he remained an in-
mate of his paternal home until the death of his father and mother, and has since continued there resident.
He was married Jan. 17, 1884, in York Township, Green Co., Wis., to Melinda Nessa. Mrs. Sanderson is the daughter of Nels and Isabella (Moland) Nessa. Her parents were born in Norway, where they were married, and in 1854 emigrated to the United States. Their daughter was born in Norway, Nov. 24, 1853. On first coming to America they fixed their residence in Green Co., Wis., and are still living in York Town-, ship. They have reared a family of eight children, of whom Mrs. Sanderson is third in order of birth, and three of her brothers and sisters are deceased.
Politically, Mr. Sanderson is a Republican, and both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church.
A braham V. Van Deusen, farmer, residing on and owner of 140 acres of land located on section 34, Shabbona Township, was born in Galway, Saratoga Co., N. Y., Dec. 13, 1831. He is a son of John B. and Sarah A. (Marquith) Van Deusen, respectively of Hol- land and French extraction.
His father's family moved to Clifton Park, in his native county, when Abraham was an infant, and in that place he spent his boyhood years, attending the public schools. Arriving at maturity he learned the carpenter's trade, and in April, 1857, came to this State and located in La Salle County. He worked at his trade in that county until October, the same year, and then came to this county and lived in Paw Paw until March, 1860, when he purchased the land on which he at present resides. It was in its original natural condition, and he engaged in the laborious task of improving and cultivating it. That his labors have accomplished the intended desire, to prepare a home for himself and family that would be a comfort to them in the future, the fine appearance and con- dition of his farm will testify.
Mr. Van Deusen was married in Crescent, Sarato- ga Co., N. Y., Sept. 6, 1854, to Miss Elizabeth, daugh- ter of David and Jane Ann (Wilbur) Steenburgh, of Holland and English extraction. She was born in Clifton Park, Saratoga Co., N. Y., Dec. 15, 1834. The issue of their union was one child, Ernest C.,
THE LIBRARY OF 16E UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
Charles alfred Bishop
DE KALB COUNTY.
495
born in Shabbona Township, June 4, 1869. They al- so have an adopted daughter, Alida M. Van Wert, born in Shabbona, April 22, 1872.
Mrs. Van Deusen joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1853, and continued a member of the same until 1865, when she joined the Seventh-Day Ad- ventists, her church being located at Serena, La Salle Co., Ill. Politically, Mr. Van Deusen has voted with the Republican party ever since its organization. It is worthy of remark that he uses neither intoxicating liquors of any kind, tea, coffee nor tobacco.
harles Alfred Bishop, whose portrait ap- pears on the opposite page, is a member of the law-firm of Jones & Bishop, of Sycamore, and was born Sept. 26, 1854. He is English in lineal descent, and his immedi- ate progenitors were natives of Nova Scotia. His paternal grandparents, Gordon and Elizabeth (Oakes) Bishop, were of pure Anglo-Saxon extraction and became the parents of seven children, born in the order following: Eunice A., Adolphus and Ed- ward G. (twins), James L., Mary E., Allen and Ainslie. The homestead estate was in the township of Horton in Kings Co., Nova Scotia, and a portion of it lay in the section known to all the nations of the earth through "Evangeline," Longfellow's exquisite poem, the provincial character and location- of which, as much as any other of his works, gave the author a Continential recognition, which event- uated in securing a place for his memorial bust in Westminster Abbey. The geographical location of the portion referred to is designated Grand Pre, and has become known to literature through the writings of several other authors of distinction, among them the author of Antony Brode, or the Boys of Grand Pre School.
As they approached the period of manhood's estate in years and physical development, the twin brothers, Adolphus and Edward, assumed the man- agement of the homestead, and continued their joint operations until the marriage of Adolphus to Joanna Willett, daughter of George and Ann (Dunn) Willett. She died in 1861, leaving three sons,-Charles A., David A. and Franklin W. She was a lady of re- markable, amiable and lovely character, and though
she died young she lived long enough to impress the remembrance of her winning graces and equable sunny temperament indelibly on the memories of her friends. After her death, the husband and father turned his attention to mining and became largely interested in the Waverly and Joggins gold mines, situated respectively in the counties of Hali- fax and Lunenburg in Nova Scotia. In 1863 he mar- ried the sister of his deceased wife, Mary E. Willett, a lady of culture and refinement and an accom- plished and popular vocalist. Of the second mar- riage two children were born, namely, Ernest (now deceased) and Nellie May, born in February, 1875. Adolphus Bishop was born in 1822. He has been all his life in active business, and has operated ex- tensively for some years as a speculator in farm prod- uce, buying and shipping to New York, Boston and parts of the West Indies. Previous to 1867, the date of the "Confederation of the Provinces," he was a loyalist or Tory in political principle; subse- quently he was identified with the Anti-Confederate party. He is a man of prominence and ability and has been active in the local affairs of his county and township, having served several successive terms as a member of the Common Council of Kings County, representing the division known as "Ward Four." He has also been unremitting in his interest and efforts in behalf of the welfare and improvement of the locality where he has resided most of his life. He acted as Fish Commissioner under appointment from the Dominion Government from 1870 to 1875. In character, the father of Mr. Bishop of this sketch is a representative of the best type of men belonging to the class distinctly characterized as yeomanry. Honorable, upright, dignified and courteous, he has wielded all his life a palpable influence in his family and social circle. He reared his sons on the old- school plan, subjecting them to inflexible discipline tempered with judicious and considerate kindness, but never lapsing into indulgence. He is a man respected by all classes, and his home has always been the center of a broad and generous hospitality. The younger sons are business men in their native province. David is a merchant at Truro, and Frank- lin is a farmer in the township of Horton.
Mr. Bishop was early placed at school and receiv- ed a thorough preparatory education in the excellent schools of Kings County, which are of the same type throughout the confederated provinces of the
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Dominion. When he was 17 years of age he en- tered Acadia College at Wolfville, Nova Scotia, where he was a student until June, 1873, pursuing a literary and scientific course of study. In September of that year he went to Sackville, New Brunswick, to avail himself of the advantages of the Wesleyan College, and remained a student there until June, 1875, when he yielded to solicitation and accepted a position as Principal of the High School at Sackville, in which he officiated until May, 1878; then came to Illinois, to fill a more advantageous situation. An unavoidable delay of a few hours while en route occasioned the loss of a creditable and remunerative position in Kane County, and after a few days, de- liberation Mr. Bishop decided to proceed farther West, and made all necessary arrangements to that effect.
A chance visit to Sycamore changed all his plans and purposes, and he sought admission to the privi- leges of the various law offices at Sycamore, which he finally obtained in that of H. A. Jones, who re- ceived him for a prescribed period, pending the absence of a student to whom the opportunity had been promised. The latter failed to avail himself of his right, and Mr. Bishop continued his reading in the office of Mr. Jones. In June, 1880, he presented himself before the Appellate Court of Illinois_in ses- sion at Ottawa, for admission to the Bar. He passed an examination of unusual severity, ranking third in a class of 34 applicants.
Two years after entering the office Mr. Jones he became his associate, and the firm is now engaged in the prosecution of an extensive business which places it among the prominent law associations of De Kalb County. The cases which Messrs. Jones & Bishop are called to manage are largely of a civil character, including a fair share of criminal practice. Although Mr. Bishop is still a comparatively young lawyer, he has already earned a creditable reputa- tion as an advocate, and the natural traits of his character are such as to promise a steady and sub- stantial preferment in his profession. Cool, wary, imperturbable and gifted with discernment, he is fully sensible of the advantage of making haste slowly, realizing the force of the truism that " fools rush in where angels fear to tread," Believing that a man's worth to the world depends on the quality of his work therein, he strives to exercise a prudence
and judgment which will leave no necessity of re- trieval.
In addition to the business connections of his pro- fession, Mr. Bishop has farming interests in De Kalb County and Iowa. He has hitherto been too busy to become an aggressive politician, but from princi- ple adopts and supports the issues of the Republican party. He is a prominent member of the Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge No. 105 at Sycamore, and be- longs to the Ellwood Encampment, No. 173. He was a Delegate from the subordinate lodge at Syca- more to the School of Instruction held at Blooming- ton, III., under orders issued by the State Grand Lodge, when he obtained the `unwritten work of the order as theretofore changed by the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the United States, in order to communi- cate the same to the local lodge, a work which he accomplished in accordance with the obligations im- plied in his selection for the duty. He delivered the address of welcome at the 63d anniversary of the Order of Odd Fellows which was held at Syc- amore in 1882. He was elected a member of the Board of Education of Sycamore in the spring of 1882, and has since been connected with that body, of which he has officiated in the capacity of Secre- tary since 1884.
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