USA > Illinois > Henry County > Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 16
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At that time the gold fever swept across the American continent, and, becoming infected with the " disease," he rented his place and went to California in search of gold. He did not mine any, but erected a hotel there, which he ran for about a year, when he sold it, and returned in the spring of 1852 to this State. In 1856 he sold his farm, and soon thereafter purchased another of 340 acres in Oxford and Ri- vola Townships. Part of Windsor village is located on his land in Mercer County. Mr. Hammond is engaged in general farming and stock-raising, and is meeting with success in his chosen vocation. He has a farm, the land of which is under an advanced state of cultivation, together with a good residence,
barn and outbuildings, and its appearance is indica- ยท tive of thrift, energy and economy on the part of the proprietor.
Mr. Hammond was married June 9, 1846, to Miss Sarah D. Edgar, a native of Kentucky. Six chil- dren have been born of their union,-Franklin J., Sarah E., William T., Lucinda T., James W. and Edgar T. Franklin J. married Mary C. Bridger; Sarah E. is the wife of James W. Bachus; William T. married Maud Blossom; and Lucinda is the wife of E. P. Turner.
Mr. Hammond, politically, affiliates with the Republican party, and is one of the respected and honored citizens of his township. He has done much for the building and improvement of Windsor. In addition to his possessions in this county, he has 600 acres of land in Kansas, 360 of which is under fence. He has been shipping cattle West to his farms in Butler County, that State. He has a hotel, the "Commercial House," and three private dwellings in Windsor village, Mercer County, this State, and his accumulation of this world's goods may be attributed to his own good judgment, indom- itable energy and perseverance.
S amuel I. Curry, residing at Woodhull, was born in Knox Township, Knox Co., Ill., Nov. 18, 1852. His parents were Isaiah B. and Mary (Vangilder) Curry, natives of Virginia and Indiana respectively, who came to this State in 1849 and 1844. They were married in 185 r, in Knox County, and the issue of their union was six children,-Samuel I., Sophia J., Morey J., David V., Estella and William B., all of whom are yet living.
The subject of this notice was united in marriage to Miss Ida M. Whitmore, March 13, 1876. She was the daughter of David and Eliza J. (Booher) Whitmore, of Clover Township, this county, and their union has been blessed with two daughters, Bessie M. and Jessie D; Sophia, second child in order of birth of the parents' family, married Henry Vail, a resident of Wataga, this State, and they have two children, William and Harry; Morey J. mar- ried Josie Henwood, and two children have been born of that union,-Ethel A. and Cleona P.
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Mr. Curry of this notice received a good English education at the Hedding College of Abingdon, Knox County. After leaving school he lived with his parents until he attained the age of 24 years, when he was married, and afterward worked on his father-in-law's land, in Clover Township, for eight years. At the expiration of that time he came to Woodhull, and engaged in the hardware and imple- ment business with his father-in-law, and has con- tinued in the same since Jan. 1, 1884. They are doing a successful and constantly increasing busi- ness, and by fair dealing are establishing a good trade at that point.
Politically, Mr. Curry is a believer in the tenets of the Democratic party. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Although a young man, Mr. Curry has obtained quite a promi- nence in the community in which he resides as a man of business, sterling worth and integrity.
ohn Billings. This gentleman, who is en- gaged in farming and in dealing in real estate, and resides on section 29, Oxford Township, is classed among the solid and sub- stantial men of his township. He is a native of New York State, where, in Washington County, he was born on the 22d of April, 1834. His parents, Elisha and Catherine (Perine) Billings, were likewise natives of the Empire State. Both passed their lives in that State, the former dying July 19, 1876, and the latter in October, 1878.
John Billings remained under the care and counsel of his father until he was 20 years of age, receiving quite a liberal education. After leaving home he went to Maryland, and later to Virginia, spending two years in those States, teaching school. He then returned home and attended school the following winter, and the next spring came West, and in June of the same year (1856) stopped at Eldora, Hardin Co., Iowa. Here he remained for six months, when he moved to Algona, Kossuth Co., Iowa, where he bought 171 acres of land, and also 160 acres in Franklin County. He remained in Iowa until December of 1858, when he came to Woodhull, this county, and engaged in the mercantile business. At this he was employed for two years, when his
store and stock were burned. He then secured another stock of goods, and conducted the business for one year longer, when he sold out and purchased the farm upon which he now resides, consisting at that time of 160 acres. Since then he has added to it 120 acres, and has also secured a quarter sec- tion in Martin Co., Minn.
Mr. Billings and Miss Mattie E. Horn were united in marriage December, 1859. The following nine children have been born to them: John W., Mar- shall N., Emily C., Henry M., Burton B., Roy H., Pearl A., Lillian A. and Bessie A. Mr. Billings, politically, is an independent. Socially, he belongs to the Masonic Order, and is looked upon as one of the representative men of Oxford Township.
D. Harkness, one of the energetic and progressive farmers of Oxford Township, where on section 32 he resides, was born in New York, April 14, 1819. The parents of Mr. Harkness, William G. and Fannie (Hig- gins) Harkness, were natives of Massachusetts and Connecticut respectively. They moved to Ohio in 1835 and settled at Clyde, Sandusky County, where they purchased a small place. The father was a physician and followed the practice of his pro- fession in Ohio until his death.
D. D. Harkness, whose sketch we write, was an inmate of the parental home until 30 years of age. He received a good common-school education, and was employed, on obtaining a suitable age, in his father's office, together with that of clerking in a dry- goods store. In 1849 he engaged in the grocery business, and was thus occupied until 1855, when he sold out and came to this State. On arrival here he purchased 220 acres of land, located on section 32, Oxford Township, on which he settled and has continued to reside until the present time. He has been successful through life, and has a good farm, the appearance of which is indicative of a life of effort combined with that of good judgment and per- severance.
Mr. Harkness was united in marriage with Miss Amanda S. Alexander, a native of Ohio, in 1847. Of their union six children have been born,-Dela- van, Arthur J., Jennie, Eva, Prescott and Laura.
J. W. Hoorn
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Politically, Mr. H. is independent. He has held the office of Commissioner of Highways, and carries on general farming, together with that of stock-raising, and is meeting with success in his chosen vocation.
ohn W. Horn, a retired farmer, residing on section 30, Clover Township, is a native of England, in which country he was born May 1, 1813. At seven years of age Mr. Horn was bound out to Thomas Cox by his mother, and remained with him two years. The first year he was to receive one penny per day, and the second year was to have three " happence " per day. He then left Mr. Cox and worked with a widow lady for two-pence per day for the first year and three-pence per day for the second year. He afterwards was a laborer for another farmer, from whom he received four-pence a day for one year, af- ter which he engaged to learn a trade, that of wagon- making and blacksmithing. He engaged to learn these trades when he was 12 years of age, and worked at the same four years, when he worked for another gentleman one year at mechanical labor.
At this period in his life's history, realizing that the United States offered better facilities for the ac- cumulation of property than his mother country, he shipped as a sailor and came here. On arrival in this country, with only 18 pence in his pocket and nothing but the clothes on his back, he concluded to remain and establish a home. He went by vessel to Maine, and from Maine shipped to New York, where he engaged in sawing timber for ships, which occupation he continued for two months. He next went to Kingston on the Hudson, and from there on a canal-boat to Honesdale, Wayne Co., Pa., where he worked on a tannery as a carpenter for one year. He next went to New York, where he was engaged in building another tannery, at Neversink Falls, Sul- livan County, that State, and was there occupied for one year. His next remove was to Greene County, that State, where he worked as a carpenter and builder on a church, and where he was engaged for a year. During the following year, in the same county, he took a job of building a church, which he finished, and the following winter attended school, then being 22 years of age. From that county he
went to Ohio, stopped at Cleveland and there en- gaged in the carpenter's trade, at which he continued for six months. From Cleveland he went to Mau- mee City, where he was employed as foreman in the erection of buildings, and had some 40 men working under him. He erected a block of buildings, five stories in height and covering the entire block, upon which job he was occupied for four years. Leaving the latter place, Mr. Horn came to Chicago, the date of his arrival in that city being 1839. Upon his arrival there he helped erect a large building on Water Street, which he completed during the same year of his coming there, and then went to Galesburg, Knox County, this State. On arrival in Galesburg, he engaged in the cabinet-making business, and worked at it during the winter of 1839. In the spring of 1840 he engaged in the erection of houses in Knox County, taking contracts for the same, and followed that business for ten years, until 1850. He erected the first church in Galesburg, and the largest that has ever been erected in that city.
In 1850, Mr. Horn went to California, and on his arrival in the Golden State he was taken sick. On convalescing he engaged in the carpenter's trade, and received for his labor the sum of $8 per day, and remained in Portland, Oregon, four months. He then went to Salem, same State, where he was en- gaged in the same business nine months, and while there erected a Methodist church. From that place he went 400 miles overland to the gold fields of Northern California, where he remained for two and a half years. In 1853, Mr. Horn returned to Gales- burg and engaged in building bridges for the Chi- cago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, and erected 17 bridges for that company in the limited time of 115 days. In 1855, Mr. Horn purchased 320 acres of land in Clover Township, this county, on which he located and engaged actively and energetically in its cultivation and improvement, and on which he has since resided. The farm is located near the village of Woodhull, and in fact the western part of that village is located on his land.
Mr. Horn has been a widower for the last eight years. Politically, he is a believer in and supporter of the principles of the Republican party, and re- ligiously is a member of the Congregational Church. He has held different offices within the gift of the people of the community in which he resides, and is
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one of those gentlemen respected for their straight- forward and manly dealings with their fellow men. A portrait of him is of course given in connection with this sketch, on a page just preceding.
oshua C. Edwards, residing on section 24, Andover Township, is engaged in breeding improved live stock and general farming, his specialties being Short-horn cattle, Cots- wold sheep, Poland-China swine and Ply- mouth Rock fowls. He takes special interest in all the improved breeds of farm stock.
Mr. Edwards was born near Parkesburg, Chester Co., Pa., July 15, 1832. . His father was a native of the same county. The progenitors of the Edwards family in America were William Edwards and two brothers, who first came to the shores of America on the 5th of May, 1682, from the parish of Cracy, near Cardiff, Wales. The family of William and his de- scendants have since been directly connected with the history of the Quakers of Eastern Pennsylvania, and the land upon which this branch of the Edwards family first settled is still held by the descendants of William Edwards. The parents of our subject, Zenas P. and Mary Edwards, moved to Ohio in 1839, settling in the timber near what is now the city of Alliance, Stark County, where they still live.
Joshua C. Edwards lived at home with his parents until he was 18 years of age, when he was inden- tured for the term of three years, to S. C. Taylor, at Salem, Ohio, to learn the machinists' trade. After serving his full term as an apprentice, he was ap- pointed foreman of the works of S. C. Taylor, which position he held until December, 1855, when he came West; attended Knox College, at Galesburg, Ill., one year. Worked at Rock Island, Ill., and Washington, Iowa, at his trade, and in 1858 settled in Cambridge. Commenced farming in 1860, and in 1866 bought the land on section 24 where he now resides.
On Jan. 31, 1861, Mr. Edwards was married, in Andover Township, to Mrs. Lucy B. Edwards, nee Soule, daughter of Capt. Alfred and Harriet B. Soule, of South Freeport, Minn. Mrs. Edwards was born Dec. 15, 1831. She is the mother of a daughter by her first husband, Dr. O. H. Edwards. Mary L., the
daughter referred to, resides with Mr. Edwards. The present family consists of five sons-Zenas P., Jose S., Alfred, Clement C. and Ralph R. Harriet B. died in infancy.
In 1880 Mr. Edwards suffered the misfortune of losing a large cattle barn and all his crops, by a tor- nado and hailstorm. He has met many obstacles and reverses, but with commendable energy has sur- mounted difficulties and has accumulated a compe- tency. He now has 225 acres of land, well improved, with a good residence, commodious barns and other out-buildings. He is one of the progressive, enter- prising men of the county, and believes in keeping posted upon the issues of the day, as well as to pro- vide good literature for his family. He has a large library and takes regularly a large list of newspapers and magazines adapted to the use of the different members of his family. He has served several terms as Justice of the Peace and Road Commissioner of his township, and has served as School Director 24 years; was also an active and efficient officer of the Henry County Agricultural Society for 22 years. Politically, he is a strong and active Republican.
ames H. Cree. One of the wealthy repre- sentative gentlemen of Oxford Township, Henry County, is Mr. James H. Cree, a retired farmer of Alpha village, where he is at present residing. He was born in Ohio, in the year 1816, on the 31st of May, and is a son of Robert and Ellen (Barkley) Cree, natives of Pennsylvania and Kentucky respectively. The sub- ject of this notice remained at home until 22 years of age, assisting in the labors of the farm, and alter- nating his labors thereon with attendance at the district schools, where he received a fair education. After leaving home he engaged in the occupation of a farmer, which he continued for 20 years. In 1858 he sold his farm and came to Oxford Town- ship, where he made a purchase of 80 acres on sec- tion 13. On the latter he resided for 23 years, in the meantime putting it under excellent cultiva- tion, and of which he made one of the best farms in the township. He next bought a house and three lots in Alpha village, which he has made his home, residing there ever since.
Miss Barbary Snyder, a native of Virginia, was
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united in marriage with Mr. Cree, and they have raised three orphan children, taking them when very young-Margaret A. Copner, William A. Sny- der and Elizabeth A. Snyder. Margaret A. Copner became the wife of George Brewer, and they are the parents of four children : Effie J., Barbary, Williamn and Ira; William Snyder married Miss Ida Spivey, and one child, Elias, has been born to them; Eliza- beth Snyder married Robert Knox, and they have two children, viz. : Ora M. and Robert.
Mr. Cree is a Republican in his political views, and belongs with his wife to the Methodist Epis- copal Church. He has held the office of School Director in his township, and is a respected and reliable man of Henry County.
A W. Grant, one of the energetic and pro- gressive farmers of Oxford Township, re- siding on section 17, is a native of Sweden, having been born in that country July 9, 1840. He emigrated to the United States in 1864, when 24 years of age, and came almost di- rectly to Galesburg, Knox County, this State, where he worked out for three years. He received a com- mon-school education in his native country, and assisted on the farm of his parents, Jonas B. and Bristen (Olson) Grant, natives of Sweden, until they came to this country, they having emigrated at the same time as A. W., 1864, and settling in the same city, Galesburg.
In 1867, Mr. Grant rented a farm near Woodhull, Clover Township, Henry County, and was engaged in its cultivation for eight years. At the expiration of that time he purchased a farm consisting of 294 acres, and being located on the section where he at present resides. By energetic labor, good judgment and economy he has improved his property, until at the present time it is valued at $25,000. His farm presents the appearance of thrift and industrious la- bor, and is indicative of what may be accomplished by hard labor and perseverance.
Mr. Grant formed a matrimonial alliance with Miss Christina Peterson, in 1869. She was a native of Sweden and came to the United States in 1864. Six children have been born of their union,-Martin W., Adolph R., Edwin N., Oscar N., Luther E. and
Wolfred N. In politics Mr. Grant is independent Religiously, he and his wife, together with his chil- dren, are members of the Lutheran Church at Wind- sor. He is Road Commissioner of his district and also School Director.
In his vocation of life, agriculture, he has met with more than ordinary success, which is to be at- tributed not to chance, but to his hard labor and economy.
arshall Johnson, a farmer of section 33, Clover Township, was born Feb. 14, 1857, in the State of Massachusetts, and is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Holman) Johnson, natives respectively of Vermont and Massachusetts, who came to Illinois in 1859 and settled on section 23, the present homestead, comprising then a quarter of the section.
Mr. Johnson has always lived at home with his parents, receiving in his youth a common-school ed- ucation and working upon the farm; and when he arrived at the age of legal majority he received from his father 80 acres of land, as a present. To the present time he has had charge of the homestead, and is credited with being a careful and judicious manager and an industrious and economical laborer. As a citizen of the community his reputation is of the first order.
He married Miss Margaret Willis, a daughter of Dr. J. W. Willis, of Woodhull, in 1881. They have two children,-Stella and Elsie.
Mr. Johnson is a Republican in his political sen- timents, and he has served his township as Collector, in 1884.
illiam Rutledge, a respected citizen and progressive farmer of Oxford Township, residing on section 28, was born in West- moreland Co., Pa., Dec. 21, 1822, his par- ents being George and Elizabeth (Shaw) Rutledge, natives of Ireland, who came to this country in 1816, and whose family comprised seven children.
William was the fourth child in order of birth of
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his parents' family, and went to Jefferson Co., Ohio, when ten years of age, where he was engaged in a bakery and confectionery establishment for seven and a half years. He then went back to Pennsyl- vania and engaged in boating on the Pennsylvania Canal, at which he was employed for 12 years. Leav- ing that occupation, he engaged in farming in West- moreland County, and followed that calling for eight years. His next move was to Oil Creek, where he was engaged in the oil works for two years, and then again returned to the farm in Westmoreland County, and followed that vocation for seven years longer. At the expiration of this time, in October, 1872, he came West to this State, and the next year after his arrival rented a farm, which he cultivated, and in fact continued to farm on rented land for nine years. In 1881 he purchased 160 acres of land, located on section 28, Oxford Township, on which he settled and has continued to reside until the present time, meeting with no small degree of success in his chosen vocation, agriculture. Mr. Rutledge was married in 1847, to Miss M. McCurdy, a native of Pennsylvania. Of their union seven children have been born, namely : Jennie, Eliza- beth, Elenora, Laura E., Georgiana, Rockwell F. and William.
Politically, Mr. Rutledge is a Prohibitionist. He, together with his wife and children, are members of the Baptist Church at Alpha. Mr. Rutledge is School Director, Path Master and Trustee in his township. His daughter, Jennie, is at present the wife of John Weible; Elizabeth married John Toze; Elenora was united in marriage with James West; Laura E. married L. F. Payton; Georgiana is the wife of Frank Freeman; and Rockwell formed a matrimonial union with Ella Jorden.
W. Johnson, a retired farmer residing upon section 33, Clover Township, was born Jan. 27, 1812, in the Green Mountain State. His father, Samuel Johnson, was a native of England, and was a manufacturer of woolen goods at Chester, Windsor Co., Vt .; and his mother, nee Lucy Olcott, was also a native of that State.
S. W. remained at his parental home until he was
22 years of age, receiving a fine education. Very early in life he was also trained in the principles and art of music, and at the age of 17 years he taught his first singing school; this vocation he fol- lowed as a business for a number of years. In 1858 he emigrated to the boundless West, settling on section 33, Clover Township, this county, where he purchased 160 acres of land, and which is now his home. Until within about two years he has been a teacher of vocal music. Mr. J. is a lively, social, companionable man, sincere and solid, and has been honored with a number of local offices in his township. He is a Republican.
He was married in 1840 to Miss Elizabeth Hol- man, a native of Millbury, Mass., and they have three children, viz .: Ida W., who married Nehemiah West, of Galesburg, Ill .; Marshall, who married Margaret Willis, of Woodhull; and Ruth A.
A xel Burgeson, a farmer of Lynn Township, came to the United States in 1849 with his mother and brother, his father having died in his native country when he (Axel) was eight years old. The mother brought her two children to Chicago, but Axel came direct to Andover in the fall of 1849 and set out to earn his own living. Coming to Andover when 16 years old, he commenced work for William Bellows at Orion, for the small remuneration of $3 per month. He then made his home for two years with Rev. Pills- bury, at Princeton, Ill., and then rented land for a year south of Andover, in this county. After work- ing as a common laborer in Knox County for two years, he returned to Andover, where he was mar- ried Nov. 15, 1854. His first purchase of land was in 1853, of 80 acres unimproved, which he set about cultivating and putting into a first-class condition for a comfortable home. At that point he has now 90 acres, well improved.
He was born in Central Sweden, Aug. 10, 1833, his father being Burg Lawson, a farmer. He was married Nov. 15, 1854, to Miss Caroline C. Ander son, who was born in Sweden, April 12, 1837, and was eight years of age when her parents came with her to this county. They are both now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Burgeson have had 12 children, five
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of whom are deceased. The living are Samuel D., born Dec. 28, 1856; Carrie, Aug. 23, 1860 ; Emily, March 26, 1862; Sarah, Sept. 26, 1863; Elmer J., Oct. 28, 1869; Edward R., March 8, 1873; and Charles A. N., May 26, 1876. Mr. and Mrs. B. are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. B. is a Republican in his political views.
erman H. Hillery, a farmer, carrying on his agricultural pursuits on section 24, Clover Township, was born Feb. 24, 1851, in Virginia. His parents were Joseph and Elizabeth (Sprouse) Hillery, natives respec- tively of Germany and Virginia. He was but 18 months old when his father died; and at the age of three years and five months he was taken for rearing and education by Philip Mauck; with him he remained until he was of age, being educated and brought up to farm labor.
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