Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 21

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 850

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 21

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illiam K. Wight, general farmer and pro- prietor of the Groveland Creamery, resid- siding on section 13, Andover Township, was born in Lake Co., Ohio, Feb. 25, 1833. His father, John Wight, a native of Canada and of New England ancestry, was a mechanic and builder, and came to Ohio at an early day, where he married Sarah A. Ballard, who was born in the State of New York, of New England parent- age. They came West in 1855, settling in Cam- bridge Township, where William had come a year previous. His mother died some years ago, in this township, in February, 1875 and his father is yet living, residing in Cambridge, aged 76 years.

Mr. Wight, our subject, was educated in Lake . Co., Ohio, and came West when he arrived at the age of majority, purchasing land at once in Lynn Township, this county, and began to make improve- ments. Subsequently, he returned to Ohio and entered the Kingsville Academy, where he completed his education in 1858. Returning to this State, he began teaching and farming, which occupation he followed for some time.

He enlisted in the United States volunteer army, Aug. 22, 1862, in Co. H, 112th Regt. Ill. Vol. Inf., being under the command of Col. Henderson, and Gens. Burnside and Scofield. He therefore partici- pated in the battle of Franklin, Tenn., and siege of Knoxville, and was wounded at Kelly's Ford, Jan. 28, 1864, by a gunshot from the enemy, the ball striking the shin of his left leg. After lying in the hospital at Knoxville for some time, and visiting home and friends on a furlough, he went to the hos- pital at Quincy, where he was honorably discharged, June 22, 1865.

He then returned home, but, being unable to fol- low any business requiring heavy manual labor, he taught school about 20 terms. In 1868, he pur- chased the farm where he now lives, consisting at one time of 225 acres. He afterward sold 125, and

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bought in Buffalo Co., Neb., a half section of im- proved land, and 800 acres of good unimproved land in Keith County, same State. His home in this county is well improved. In. 1880 he established a creamery, with a capacity of 1,000 pounds of butter per day. In this line he is now operating exten- sively and with characteristic success. He is also a skillful farmer, taking great interest in every point of excellence in his methods of management. He has been honored by his fellow citizens with the offices of Road Commissioner and Township Collector. He is a Republican, a member of the G. A. R., and also of the Congregational Church, in which he holds the offices of Deacon and Sunday-school Superintendent.

Mr. Wight was united in the bonds of matrimony, Oct. 13, 1858, in Livingston Co., N. Y., with Miss Sophia, daughter of Elias H. and Elizabeth (Gay- lord) Eastman, natives of the States of New York and Connecticut respectively. Her mother died in New York State when she (Mrs. W.) was but a small child, and her father, after residing with his children a number of years, finally died in this State. Mrs. W. was born in Livingston Co., N. Y .. Dec. 3, 1841, and has become the mother of eight children, six of whom are living, namely: Louis A., born Oct. 4, 1860; Lucien E., March 5, 1862 ; May A., May 4, 1865, and died April 26, 1883; Guy V., born June 29, 1870; A. Earl, Nov. 14, 1871; Clar- ence C., Dec. 30, 1876; W. Herald, Aug. 2, 1878; and Edward E., who died when 13 months old. Mis. W. attended school at the academy of Kings- ville, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, and is a member of the Congregational Church.

kenry Hand, of Hanna Township, is a pio- neer of Henry County of 1840. He was born in the State of New_York, June 20, 1817. His parents were pioneers of Livingston County, in that State, where his father bought a considerable tract of timber land, and, after clearing about 60 acres, found that no clear title could be obtained, and, in 1825, when the son was eight years of age, the parents with II children started for Ohio, which was then the frontier of civilization. They traveled to the "Far West," as it was called, in a wagon drawn by two yokes of oxen, taking with them all their household belong-

ings and maintaining the regular routine of their domestic arrangements on the way, cooking and living the lives of "campers" while on their long journey. In those days time was a smaller consid- eration than money, and, besides, there were no facilities for public travel. "Times change, and men change with them."

They settled in Huron County, in the Buckeye State, where the father bought a farm and erected a frame house, and proceeded to improve a home- stead. There he died, about six years later, his demise occurring Dec. 6, 1831, at the age of 52. An older son assumed the management of the farm, and Mr. Hand was an inmate of the parental home until he reached his 2Ist year, when he came to Illinois, and bought land in McDonough County, where he arrived in 1837. Moses T. Hand, his brother, had preceded him, and he made his home with him on his farm, which was situated on the line of Warren County. He erected fencing around 40 acres, and after he had broken up 25 acres he sold his claim. That was accomplished in 1859, and in the year ensuing he came to the county where he has since lived, and at once located on what was then re- corded as town 18 in range 2, and is now Hanna Township. In the fall of the same year he was married to Valeria Brittain, who was born in White Co., Ill.

Mr. Hand has obtained from the Legislature of the State the right to establish .and operate a ferry across Rock River from Cleveland, and he was en- gaged in its management for a year. In the spring of 1841 he commenced farming on land which he rented on section 20 of the township named. As soon as the land lying north of the Indian boundary came into market Mr. Hand entered 97 acres situ- ated on sections 28 and 33 of what is now Hanna Township, and he also bought a tract lying adjoin- ing that had been entered previously and on which there had been built a double log cabin. This was the home of his family nine years, and he then bought a farm on section 32 of Hanna Township. The new estate was wholly unimproved, and the proprietor at once commenced to build a brick house and a frame barn, and as soon as the place had been put in suitable condition for occupancy the family took possession of it, and it has since been the homestead. The location is very attractive, there being a natural grove in the immediate vicinity

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of the house. Mr. hand was then in a position to pursue his agricultural purposes according to his inclinations, and he entered with vigor into the work of reclaiming the prairie, using a breaking plow which cut 30 inches, and was drawn through the obdurate soil by seven yokes of oxen, and the work of placing the broad acres in a condition of ad- vanced improvement was soon accomplished.

Mrs. Hand died March 2, 1849, leaving two chil- dren : Sarah J. married Henry C. Brown, and they reside at Kidder, Mo .; Olive is the wife of P. O. Miles, residing four miles from Wyanet, Bureau Co., Ill. Mr. Hand was a second time married, in 1850, to Mary, daughter of John P. and Nancy (Dockery) Hanna. She died Jan. 9, 1881, and left two chil- dren. The Hon. John P. Hand, of Cambridge, who is present Judge of Henry County, and of whom a personal sketch is given on another page of this work, is her oldest son. Henry Hand is the mana- ger of the home estate. The latter was born Oct. 16, 1863, and married Maggie, daughter of John and Agnes (Owen) Searl. They have one child, who is named Mary A.

Mr. Hand, the father, has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since 1841. Mrs. H. was a member of the same religious denomination.

R. Loyd, who is prominently identified with the farming interests of Oxford Township, residing on section 19, is a native of Washington Co., Va. His parents, John F. and Elizabeth (Robinson) Loyd, were also natives of Virginia, and were living in that State at the time of the birth of their son, of whom we write, which occurred April 28, 1835. In 1852, his parents came West to Indiana, where they purchased a farm, upon which his father lived until his death, which occurred in 1869. Mrs. Loyd at present resides with her son, Samuel C., in Missouri.

The subject of this narrative remained at home until 19 years of age, assisting his parents on the farm and attending the schools of his neighborhood. The four years following his departure from home were spent in working out by the month. In 1857, having accumulated a little means, he bought a team and rented a farm in Indiana, which he worked for some time. Upon the breaking out of the Re-

bellion, he joined Co. B, 30th Ind. Vol. Inf., and was engaged in his first battle at Pulaski, Tenn., and while participating in his fourth battle, he re- ceived a shot which took off the first and second fingers of his right hand. He, however, remained in the service until the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged. He soon found his way to Illinois, where, in 1865, in Mercer County, he pur- chased 40 acres of land. He subsequently added to this 105 acres, and remained there for seven years. He then disposed of his property there and came into Oxford Township, this county, and lo- cated on a 159-acre farm, on section 19. To this he has since added 130 acres adjoining. Politically, he is a member of the Democratic party.

Mr. Loyd was married to Miss Harriet Dubre in 1859. She was a native of Indiana. The seven children who have been born to them bear the fol- lowing names. Eva J., Frances F. (deceased), Mary A., Oscar C., Emma M., Maud B. and James A.

ohn F. Nowers, banker at Atkinson, was born in the State of New York, Jan. 20, 1837. He is the son of Thomas Nowers, of whom an account is presented with the sketch of Thomas Nowers, Jr., which may be found elsewhere in this work. The family came West in 1849 and he accompanied the other members. They made a location at Pre- emption in Mercer County and there he was occupied as an assistant to his father on the farm. His first independent employment was in the capacity of agent for the agricultural machin- ery of Cyrus H. McCormick, in whose interest he was employed three years. In 1857 he came to this county, where he has since been identified with its prominent business interests. In 1881 the banking enterprise in which he is now interested was estab- lished.

Mr. Nowers formed a matrimonial alliance with Lurena A. Wright, Feb. 3, 1863. She was born in the State of New York in 1839. They have no chil- dren. H. E. Wright, the father of Mrs. Nowers, was a native of the State of New York. Her mother was born in Massachusetts. They were born respectively in 1815 and 1818, and are still living, in Mercer Co., Ill. Their marriage took place in 1836, in the Empire

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State, and they are the parents of five daughters and a son. They were born in the following order: Mary M., Lorena A., Abbie G., George A., Harriet and Ella. The son is the only one who remains unmar- ried.

Mrs. Nowers is a member of the Congregational Church. The political preferences of Mr. Nowers are in accordance with the Republican party.

R ansom Harrington, real-estate and loan agent at Geneseo, has been a resident of Henry County since September, 1856. He came here in the previous autumn and made purchases of land. He was born at Hogans- burg, Franklin Co., N. Y., Feb. 18, 1822, and is the son of Amariah B. and Rebecca (Manning) Harrington. His mother was a native of Alburgh, Vt., and his father was born in Stanstead, Canada.

In 1837, the Patriot or Mckenzie's War broke out in Canada, and the troops of the United States sta- tioned at Sackett's Harbor were ordered to Fort Cov- ington on the border line between the Dominion and Franklin County, to aid in preserving the neutrality laws. At Ogdensburg they were fired on by the English soldiery on the supposition that they were reinforcements for the Patriots, and they were obliged to change their course and make their way to the fort across the land. This brought them to Hogans- burg. The sight of men in uniform awakened an enthusiasm in the mind of Mr. Harrington and the day after they left his native town he followed them, going on foot to Fort Covington. Arrived there, he attempted to enlist, but was told by the Captain that he must bring a certificate of permission from his parents, and he returned to his home where he went vigorously to work to secure the necessary document. With a boy's persistency and a small mixture of boy's strategy, he succeeded and went back in triumph. Oct. 13, 1837, he enlisted in the Regular Army, en- rolling in Co. K, English Regiment, U. S. I., under the command of Colonel, afterwards General Worth. The captain was W. R. Montgomery, of Reading, Pa., and he at once took an interest in the young re- cruit, which established friendship that never knew change or diminution.

Soon after his enlistment the regiment was sent

back to Sackett's Harbor and the command remained there until the spring of 1839. In the winter of 1838-9, Captain Montgomery and Mr. Harrington went to Canandaigua, N. Y., where they passed the winter in recruiting, and secured 102 men. In the spring they resumed duty at Sackett's Harbor, whence the command was ordered to Green Bay, Wis., and and the route thither was made by Buffalo and the Lakes. Soon after they went to Port Winnebago (now Portage) and participated in the removal of the Winnebago Indians to Iowa. The regiment pro- ceeded thence to Rock Island, where it remained through the excitement of the " payment " to the In- dians by the Government of the United States, and went thence to St. Louis.

The stay there was short, the command going next to New Orleans and crossing thence to Tampa Bay across the Gulf of Mexico. One incident during the stay at Tampa Bay illustrates the varieties that broke the monotony of events. The Seminole War was in progress and detailed duty was proportionately dangerous. On one occasion two attempts had been made to communicate with Fort King, a military post 100 miles distant, and had been frustrated by the Indians who had in each instance murdered three men. At dress parade, volunteers had been called for and Mr. Harrington and two others re- sponded. There was a reward of $500 for those who would accomplish the duty, which was to carry the mail to the Government employes at Fort King. As was afterwards learned the mail bags contained $27,000 to pay the men there. The party were de- layed by the death of the horse that Mr. Harrington rode, and a band of skirmishers, who found the ani- mal torn by buzzards, reported the whole party as murdered, and accordingly Captain Montgomery sent the tidings of the death of Mr. Harrington to his home. Later, the officer sent out scouts to seek for their remains and they met the successful volunteers on their return. The scouts had sacrificed several horses in their search. The regiment remained at Tampa Bay until 1842. Mr. Harrington was dis- charged after a service of five years, just in time to escape the Mexican War which followed soon after. He had gone into the military service for the money he could obtain in order to be able to aid his parents, and he returned to his home to find that his mother and a sister had died during his absence, and that only his father and two sisters were left. One brother

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had died previously. Jane A., his oldest sister, is now deceased, and Mary M. (Mrs. Luce), is liv- ing in the city of Lowell, Mass.

On his return, his first move was to buy a farm in the town of Bombay, in his native county, to which he removed his father's family. The winter of 1843-4 he went to school.

The next event of importance in his life was his marriage to Martha E. Campbell, at Massena, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., Feb. 22, 1845. Mrs. Harring- ton was born March 7, 1827, in Rockingham, Vt., and she is the daughter of Hiram and Alvira (Low- ell) Campbell. After his marriage, Mr. Harrington engaged in farming in Bombay for a few years and then sold out. He removed to Moira in the same county, where he became interested in hotel-keeping. In 1852 he built a hotel in the same town, which he sold in the year he removed to Henry County.

When the Civil War convulsed the nation he be- came interested in its issues and enlisted. He en- rolled in Co. B, Ninth Ill. Cav., Sept. 19, 1861. On the organization of the company he was commis- sioned Second Lieutenant. Eight days later he was made First Lieutenant. He was promoted to rank of Captain on the field during the action at Helena, Ark., in the fall of 1862. The regiment left Chicago for the front, Feb. 18, 1862. It was assigned to the brigade of General Steele and to the 14th Army Corps, under General Curtis. The command was involved in the campaigns in Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. Mr. Harrington was in the most of the cavalry service in those regions dur- ing the time he was in the army. He resigned in May, 1863, on account of myopia, or nearness of sight, which rendered military service almost im- practicable.

On his return to Geneseo, he was appointed a special agent by the Provost Marshal of his Congres- sional District, and discharged the duties of the posi- tion until the close of the war.

In political faith, Mr. Harrington is a Republican, and has been since the organization of the party. Although he has been active in the conduct of local politics, he has never been an aspirant for official honors. He has acted as a delegate to Senatorial and Congressional Conventions and was an alternate to the National Republican Convention at Chicago in 1884.

In 1883 the feasibility of establishing the Normal

School at Geneseo was broached, and Mr. Harring- ton took an earnest interest in the question from the stand-point of a public-spirited citizen who saw, in a wholesome educational project, a permanent advant- age to the general interests. He was one of the most active in securing subscriptions for the repairs necessary to be made to the building, in which it was proposed to operate, and through his efforts, in addi- tion to those of others equally interested in the proj- ect, the needed funds were raised and the school made a certainty. He is one of the Trustees of the institution.

The interests of Mr. Harrington in real estate are extensive and include about 400 acres in Iowa, 2,700 in Kansas and 500 in Colorado. His business as a loan agent is also heavy. The Harrington residence at Geneseo is one of the finest structures in Henry County.

The record of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Har- rington is as follows: Clara P., born March 20, 1852, died Jan. 8, 1865; Wm. H., born Feb. 26, 1846, died Oct. 1, 1868; Henry G., born Feb. 18, 1848; Frank R., born Aug. 25, 1850; Fred A., born Jan. 8, 1866.

S. Henderson, a farmer and stock-raiser of section 28, Clover Township, was born in Fayette Co., Pa., April II, 1859, and his parents were Stewart and Eliza A. (Rumsey) Henderson, natives also of the Keystone State, who came to Illinois in 1874, settling on the present homestead of our subject. His father pur- chased 140 acres here and resided upon it until his death, which occurred on the 19th of September, 1881. He also bought 80 acres of land in Mercer County, this State, and a house and six lots in the village of Woodhull.

Mr. T. S. Henderson has always been an occu- pant of the family homestead. He received a com- mercial education, and graduated in penmanship and book-keeping at Burlington, Iowa, in 1880. He now owns half the homestead, and has the whole of it under his judicious and successful management. He also has half the 80 acres in Mercer Co., Ill., and 90 acres in Nebraska. As a farmer he carries on what is called " mixed husbandry," and he also deals in thoroughbred cattle. He is a Republican in his

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political views, is now acting as Path Master of his township, and is counted as one of the solid men of the county.

He was married Feb. 22, 1881, to Miss Maggie Sesslar, a native of Ottawa, La Salle Co., Ill., and they have two children-Della Luella and Gracie Jane. Mr. Henderson's mother also makes her home with him.

ames Glenn, of Colona Township, is a resi- dent on the same farm on which he settled a half century ago, which is situated on section 20 of what was then town 17. He is the oldest of the earliest settlers now living in the county, and he was the second man who took up his permanent abode within the limits of. Henry County. Dr. Thomas Baker preceded him by a few days, and at the time of the arrival of Mr. Glenn he was living in the wagon in which he had traveled. Mr. Glenn arrived in May, and within the same month he built 'a house, the very first which was erected for living purposes in the county. It was of the most primitive character, being con- structed entirely without nails or other means com- mon to the builder's art. It was constructed of poles and the roof was of clapboards. It had no floor of any kind save the earth. Mr. Glenn was the first man who turned the prairie soil of Henry County with a plow. The date of this event, as near as can be determined, was May 20, 1835, on the southeast quarter of section 17, in Colona Town- ship. His labors and trials were shared by his brother Thomas, who came with him, and they lived in their house without a door, as they had no facil- ities for making one; and the aperture by which they found ingress and egress in and out of their place of shelter was barred with rails to keep out cattle and the wild animals which were prowling about. They had frequent calls from travelers, who found welcome and entertainment at the humble abode. Their house may therefore be considered the pioneer tavern of Henry County. They occupied it but a year, as in the next spring they built a hewed-log house, 45 × 20 feet in dimensions; and as soon as the stages began to run their place was made a stage station. In the fall of the same year,

Thomas Glenn returned to Ohio and came back with the parents and two younger brothers,-John and Payton R.,- and they brought a pair of horses, whose value at that time can be estimated.

Mr. Glenn was born in Fayette Co., Ky., July 17, 1812, on the farm of Henry Clay at "Ashland," as the country place of the statesman was called. At the time of the birth of Mr. Glenn, his father was the manager of the estate. The latter, James Glenn, was born in Virginia, and he married Sarah Shoap- stall, who was a native of Pennsylvania. In 1816, the elder Glenn removed his family to Washington Co., Ky., where they lived four years. They then went to Ohio and resided some years in Clinton County. There the sons attained to mature life, and with it the ambition to make their way to a legitimate claim to the advantages rightfully belong- ing to the efforts and plans of manhood. Accord- ingly, Mr. Glenn set out from home in October, 1834, and operated for a few months on a trading boat on the Mississippi River. In the spring follow- ing he came to Henry County, as has been stated.

The second house which has been mentioned was the stage station of the Frink & Walker stages while they continued to run. Mr. Glenn was a single man when he came to Henry County. His father's death occurred in 1849. The demise of his mother occurred in 1851. Thomas died in 1841, of con- sumption; John died in 1852; Payton died in 1861; another brother-Jacob-died in 1882.

Mr. Glenn was married to Nancy Kincaid, Jan. 16, 1837. She was born in Green Co., Ill., and is the daugter of James and Polly (Saunders) Kincaid. Her parents were natives of Kentucky and came thence to Rock Island Co., Ill., in 1836. On the day of their arrival in Rock Island the only store in the place was destroyed by fire. After a residence of a few years in that county they went to Mercer County in this State. The father of Mrs. Glenn died at the residence of his son in Colona Township.

At the time of their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Glenn settled on the farm on section 20, and they have lived on the place 48 years (1885). They have six « hildren : William resides on section 31 of Colona Township; Mary A. is the wife of George Burke, of Western Township; John is deceased ; Eliza mar- ried Charles Hugh, and they are living in Dakota ; Ellen is the wife of Warren H. Stearns, who is a

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citizen of Leadville, Col .; Lucinda married Isaac Hanna, and they are living in Poweshiek Co., Iowa.

In 1877, Mr. Glenn built the elegant house in which his family now live, and it is, as it should be, one of the finest farm residences in the county. His farm is ranked as one of the best stock farms in the county. It contains 330 acres, and is in the best agricultural condition.

L. Clay. One of the prosperous and well- to-do farmers in Oxford Township is W. L. Clay, whose place of residence is on section 35. He was born 1831, in Chester, Windsor Co., Vt., and is a son of John L. and Louisa M. (Balch) Clay, who were natives of Vermont, and brought their family West, locating in Galesburg in 1840. At this place he resided on some land which the father had purchased three years previous to their coming West, and where he resided all the remaining years of his life, with the exception of eight years, which were spent in the city of Galesburg. He died on his farm in the year 1876; his widow still survives, living in Galesburg, at the advanced age of 82 years.

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Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 21

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 850

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 850