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 40
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Mr. Bothwell was united in marriage at the resi- dence of the bride's parents, to Miss Florence D., daughter of the late Mahlon B. and Amelia L. (Davenport) Lloyde, natives of Bucks Co., Pa., and New York State respectively. Both parents came West before they were married, locating in Morris- town, this county, Dec. 30, 18 -. Their marriage was the first solemnized at Morristown. After that event they moved to Western Township, this county, where they resided until their deaths. Mr. Bothwell, after his marriage to Miss Lloyd, remained on her father's homestead three years, engaged in its culti- vation, and afterward received from his father-in-law 80 acres of land. By good judgment, energetic effort and the active co-operation of his good help-meet, he has added to his original purchase until he at pres- ent is the proprietor of 306 acres of land, all in an advanced state of cultivation, and also an undivided interest in 200 acres of the old homestead. He has erected one of the best residences in the township, and is one of the progressive and energetic farmers and stock-raisers of the county.
Mr. and Mrs. Bothwell are the parents of 13 chil- dren, four of whom are deceased. The record is as follows : Ada F. was born May 30, 1868; Herbert
L., Feb. 24, 1874; Amelia, Oct. 16, 1875; Esther, May 24, 1878; Lizzie M., Aug. 10, 1879; Elwood M., March 24, 1881; Arthur, Dec. 11, 1882; William, Jan. 8, 1884, and Clarence L., March 23, 1885; Laura, born Nov. 24, 1859, and died Sept. 19, 1870 ; Mary, born April 7, 1872, and died Sept. 4, 1873; May, born April 9, 1871, and died Aug. 7, 187 1, and Leonard, born June 30, 1877, and died July 19, 1877.
Mr. Bothwell has been Assessor and Collector of his township.
Politically, he is a believer in and a supporter of the principles of the Republican party, and socially he is a member of the G. A. R. and the A. O. U. W.
john Fleming, a retired farmer resident in the city of Geneseo, is one of the most es- teemed citizens of Henry County. He has been an inhabitant of the county since 1855, and has made a record second to that of no other man who has been identified with the general interests within that time.
He is a native of the township of Redbank, in Armstrong Co., Pa., and became by a division of his native county, a citizen of Clarion County. He was born May 14, 1818, and is the son of John and Sarah (Everett) Fleming. He is a farmer by birth, inheri- tance and training, and passed all his life previous to his removal to Henry County on a farm.
He settled on sections 28 and 29, in the township of Cornwall, when he came to this county, beginning with a purchase of 120 acres of land. As he ad- vanced in prosperity he made additional purchases, until he is now the owner of 510 acres. The entire tract is in excellent farming condition. Mr. Fleming remained a resident on section 28, Cornwall Town- ship, until January, 1879, when he removed to Geneseo.
Mr. Fleming arrived at the period when he was under obligations to assume the duties of citizenship in 1841. The political world was then in a transi- tion state, and although he was a Democrat by in- heritance, he held to Free-Soil principles. On the organization of the Republican party he accepted the issues of that element, and has since given them his hearty support. During his residence in Cornwall
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he was often called to discharge the duties of re- sponsible official positions, all of which proved his probity of character and fitness for the transaction of the business pertaining to the interests of the general public. He served as Assessor, Collector, Justice, Highway Commissioner and in the various school offices. At the time of the war he was made custodian of the war fund, and was intrusted with the charge of a large sum of money without being required to give bonds. About $14,000 was raised to avoid the draft, which was anticipated, and Mr. Fleming exerted all his influence to fill the quota. It was his opinion that the money should not be dis- bursed, but his judgment was overruled and the funds were devoted to the purpose for which they were raised, although the men who were enlisted in readiness to a call were never summoned to the field.
Mr. Fleming was married in the county in which he was born, Dec. 25, 1845, to Mary A. Johnson. She was born in Center Co., Pa., and is the daughter of William and Ann Johnson. Three children were born to them before their removal to Illinois. Sarah A. is the wife of Robert Pritchard, of Henry County. William _married Nellie" Benedict, and they are the managers of the homestead. Mary married S. M. Reynolds, of Davenport, Iowa. Elmira, the first child born to them in Illinois, died in childhood. Isabella lives with her parents. Mr. Fleming and the members of his family belong to the Presbyterian Church.
hineas M. Jefferds, a prominent farmer and stockman of the township of Atkinson, is a resident on section 13, where he is the manager of a fine farm, which contains 840 acres. He is also proprietor of that property, in company with Charles Dunham, of Gen- eseo. They are interested in breeding fast horses, and exhibit about 40 animals of excellent claims for speed on the road and as trotters. They are the owners of a standard stallion,-sire, " General Knox," and dam, the celebrated " Old Drew." The pedigree is justly noted as among the best of Eastern
stock, and is favorably regarded in the sporting circles, which are considered authority in Maine and in other New England States. The other stock on the farm of Messrs. Jefferds & Dunham includes thoroughbred Short-horn cattle.
Mr. Jefferds was born in Maine, Aug. 30, 1826. Alpheus Jefferds, his father, was born in York Co., Maine, and married Rebecca Gerrish, a native of the same part of the Pine-Tree State. Their marriage took place in 1825. Both are now deceased. At the age of 20 Mr. Jefferds entered the military ser- vice of the United States as a soldier of the Mexican War. He enlisted in December, 1846, in Co A, First Reg. Mass. Vol. Inf., under Capt. Edward Webster. He was in the service through the entire course of that struggle, and received an honorable discharge at Boston, July 19, 1848.
He was one of the earliest to make his way to California after the discovery of gold there in 1849, and he went by water to the Isthmus. He crossed it on foot, and sailed thence to San Francisco, reach- ing the Golden State in. 1850, in the first month of spring. After passing two years in the mines, he returned in 1852 to the East, traveling via the Nica- ragua route. He reached his native State in July.
True to the instincts of the spirit which character- izes every genuine American citizen, he again cast his fate with that of the throng who rushed to de- fend the integrity of the national flag. He enlisted in the Civil War in 1862, and was commissioned Cap- tain of Co. B, in the 20th Maine Vol. Inf., and Was at once sent to the front. The strain from the forced march to reach the field of Antietam, and the ex- posure in camp, produced rheumatism, which dis- abled him, and he was honorably discharged in De- cember, 1862.
After his return to his native place, Mr. Jefferds was active in the administration of public affairs, and he served in the Legislative Assembly of Maine in the term of 1868-9. He was a member of the State Board of Agriculture six years.
In October, 1878, he came to Illinois. In the same year, in company with Mr. Dunham, he bought a half interest in the farm now owned by himself and Mr. Dunham, and has since been the resident man- ager thereon.
He was married Oct. 27, 1852, to Cleora E. Cham- berlain. Her parents, Samuel and Abigail (Tucker) Chamberlain, were both natives of Worcester Co.,
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Mass. Mrs. Jefferds was born in Maine, May 15, 1827. She has borne no children. Mr. Jefferds is independent in political action, and both himself and wife are Unitarians in religious views.
lof Johnson, deceased, was born Jan. 30, 1820, in Soderala, Gefle, Sweden. He is a son of John and Martha Olson. Olof re- tained his father's first name as his surname, that being customary in his native country. John Olson, father of the subject of this no- tice, had five children. He was a well-to-do farmer in the old country, and belonged to the older and most respectable families of his community, having lived on the old family homestead for more than a century. The homestead was known as “ Rosen- wall," and was one-half a Swedish mile from Soder- ham.
Olof Johnson received a primary education in his native country. He emigrated to this country with a part of the Bishop Hill Colony, consisting of some 600 or 700, who located in this county. Previ- ous to his emigration to this country, he was married to Miss Christina Johnson, Nov. 3, 1843. She was born Feb. 4, 1819, and is yet living. She was a daughter of John and Catherina (Swanson) Johnson, both na- tives of Sweden. The name of their home was " Norbynn," in the same parish that the Olson family lived. She and her husband came to this country in 1846, arriving in New York in December of that year, on board the good ship Caroline, a Swedish vessel having 200 passengers on board. They came direct to Bishop Hill, where they shared all the ups and downs through which the Colony passed, and aided very materially in establishing the Colony at that place. Mr. Johnson was the one who piloted them across the country. He was one of the seven Trustees of the Colony and principal business man- ager and financier. They came by the way of the canal and around the lakes. Many children died on the trip across the ocean, and among them a little daughter of Mrs. Johnson's-Martha, aged nine months. From Chicago many walked on foot to Bishop Hill, some 50 in number, and among them Mrs. Christina Johnson. They first lived in tents, even during the winter, and during the summer fol-
lowing erected sod houses. They finally built the Colonial building during the second summer, and the families had one or two rooms assigned them, ac- cording to their size. In 1861, Mr. Johnson re- moved with his family to Galva, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred July 18, 1870.
His leading characteristic was the disposition that he possessed for making large financial transactions. He was liberal and charitable and public-spirited. During the war he contributed freely for recruiting soldiers. He also read law in Rock Island for the benefit he would derive from it in his business, and also for the purpose of perfecting his English. In 185 I he was appointed Notary Public, and for sev- eral years was a member of the Galva Town Board. He traveled over nearly all the United States in the interest of the Colony, and in 1849 returned to his native country, Sweden, where he raised upward of $6,000 for the benefit of the Colony at Bishop Hill. He was a stockholder and director of the American Central (now Galva & Keithsburg Railroad), and aided in the construction of the Central Military Tract (now the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail- road). He was connected with a paper published in Galva in the interest of Bishop Hill, and with the Swedish American, published in Chicago.
While in Sweden, Mr. Johnson was a member of the Lutheran Church, but on coming to this country joined no Church, but worshiped with the people of the Colony. Prior to the first election of Abraham Lincoln, he took no interest in politics, but ever since that time has voted with the Republican party. His first three children died in infancy. Three are now living,-Olivia, Christina and Lillie Valnora. Chris- tina is the wife of Peter Larson, and they have two children,-Ernest Olof and Rollin.
S H. Lay, of the township of Munson, a farmer on section 22, has been a citizen of Henry County since 1864. He is a native of the State of New York, and was born in Cayuga County, June 22, 1820. When he was still in infancy, about two years old, his mother died, and at the age of six he was wholly orphaned by the death of his father.
Before the demise of his mother his father had
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removed with his family to Nunda. After the death of his father he was placed in the care of a guar- dian, to whose charge he was assigned by his father before he died. That gentleman resided in Man- chester, Ontario County, in the Empire State, and the boy remained there until he was 1 1 years of age. He then went to live with a man named George Redfield, in the same place, and he continued under his care until he was 16, in Manchester. In that year Mr. Redfield removed to Michigan, and settled in Cass County. Mr. Lay there grew to the age of manhood. The first event of his life of much im- portance was his marriage. He was joined in mat- rimony to Hannah Sophia Wood about the time he came of age. She is a native of the State where she was married, and was born in Camden, Oneida County. Mr. Lay bought a farm in Cass County, and was its owner and occupant until his removal to Illinois, as has been stated. On coming to Henry County he bought 168 acres of land, located on sec- tion 32 in the same township, where he has since been a citizen, and is still its occupant. The farm is all improved.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Lay are recorded as follows : Phineas, a farmer, lives in Grand Forks Co., D. T .; Louisa is married to R. E. Whipple, and lives at Hillsdale, Hillsdale Co., Mich .; George E. is a lawyer of Grand Forks, Dak .; Julia is the wife of John Dangle, of Peoria, Ill .; Lovdy lives at home.
aniel F. Zimmerman, furniture dealer and undertaker at Geneseo, established his business at that place in 1861. He lost his factory and machinery by fire in 1869, and, as he was wholly without insurance, the loss was total, He at once rebuilt, and his affairs were once more in a prosperous condition when, in 1872, his store and stock were burned, and he was again a heavy loser! Notwithstanding the fact that he sustained a loss of $4,000 above the in- surance, he was soon in running order again, and he has since prosecuted his affairs with the success his energy and indomitable perseverance deserves. The value of his stock of furniture is estimated at $8,000, and in the line of undertaking he keeps all articles and appurtenances common to the best institutions of the kind. He is the owner of two hearses.
Mr. Zimmerman was born in Wurtemberg, Ger- many, Sept. 21, 1833, and is the son of Daniel and Magdalena (Lappel) Zimmerman. His father was a cabinet-maker, and instructed his son in a complete and practical knowledge of the business.
He came from his native land to America in 1854, first establishing his business at Chillicothe, Ohio, and operated there about a year. He went thence to Chicago in 1855, and passed a year in work at his trade in that city. In 1856 he went to St. Louis, Mo., and very soon after to Galena, in this State. In the spring of 1857 he proceeded to Davenport, Iowa, and passed the time until 186t in the pursuit of his business at that place, at Rock Island and at Mo- line. In November of the year named he came to Geneseo, and at once interested himself in the es- tablishment of his affairs in the lines in which he has operated, as has been stated. The building in which he carries on his transactions is 82 x 26 feet on the ground and two stories in height. The structure is of brick, and the extent of his relations require the assistance of nine men. He is also the owner of a store-house constructed of brick, 28 x 77 feet in extent, and two stories high. The stock of Mr. Zimmerman is large and well assorted.
In political preferences Mr. Zimmerman is a Democrat, and in religious views he claims the privi- lege of forming his own opinions, and accords to every other man the same right.
He was married at Rock Island, Sept. 3, 1859, to Kunigunde Tresel, and they have four children, namely : Emma, who is the wife of Julius Hanson, of Geneseo ; Julia, Fred C. and William G. are the three youngest children. Mrs. Zimmerman is a native of Bavaria, and is a member of the Lutheran Church.
ames S. Hadsall. In connection with his agricultural pursuits, Mr. Hadsall is also engaged in carpentering and building. His farm, which is located on section 34 of Burns Township, was entered by him in 1852. He did not, however, move upon it until 1856. He was born in Luzerne Co. Pa., Sept. 26, 1822. There he lived until his removal to this county, where he was also engaged in farming and mechan- ical work. Early in life he learned the carpenter's
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trade, which he has followed, in connection with his farming interests, until the present time. . He has fine farm buildings, all of which he has erected him- self.
While living in Luzerne County, Mr. Hadsall and Miss Malinda Brace were united in marriage. The ceremony was performed Jan. 13, 1848. Mrs. H. was born in that county, on the same day of the month of 1827. The number of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. H. is six,- Medora, Anna, Henry, Smith, and two who died in infancy. Henry met his death by falling from a building; Medora died when one year old, and Anna is the wife of Edgar Kemerling and resides in Nebraska. Smith is also married and resides in Burns Township. His wife was Julia Zeigler.
Mr. H. has held the office of Justice of the Peace for four years, Highway Commissioner for several years, as well as other positions of trust in the town- ship. He was appointed Postmaster of Hawley office June 16, 1879, and has filled the position since. On the 18th of May, 1864, he enlisted in the 134th Ill. Vol. Inf. and served for six months. He is a member of the Julius A. Pratt Post, 143, of the G. A. R. Politically, he is a Republican. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity.
homas Greene, of the firni of F. H. Greene & Co., at Geneseo, was born in Cortland Co., N. Y., and is the son of Henry and Sally Greene. His birth occurred Dec. 18, 1823, and he was reared to manhood in the place where he was born. At a suitable age he acquired a practical understanding of the trade of a carpenter, at which he passed his time until he came to Illinois. He was married before leaving his native State to Julia, daughter of Ora Graves. She was born in the vicinity of the city of Rochester, N. Y., and was married in 1853.
On coming to Illinois they located at Prophets- town, in Whiteside County, and there Mr. Green was interested in the business of farming, until he came to Geneseo in the winter of 1865. While they were residents of Prophetstown two children were born to them. . Helen is the wife of Charles Youngs, and they live at Geneseo.
Frank H. Greene, son of Thomas Greene, whose
sketch is presented above, was born in Prophetstown, Whiteside Co., Ill., May 28, 1857. He passed eight years in the employ of E. P. Van Valkenburg, a former merchant of Geneseo, and later in that of J. H. C. Peterson & Sons, with whom he operated three years. In 1882 he established the grocery business in which he is at present engaged. He was at first associated with Frank Trauger, and that con- nection continued until February, 1855, when the firm style became as recorded above, his father pur- chasing an interest.
In political opinion Mr. Greene is a Republican. He is the owner of 80 acres of land in Edford Town- ship.
Imer E. Fitch, the editor and proprietor of the Galva News, was born Aug. 13, 1846, in Trumbull Co., Ohio. He is the son of George and Deborah (Boleyn) Fitch, natives of Connecticut. The former was born in Norwalk, and died in Trumbull Co., Ohio, in 1848. The father of our subject was in early life a teacher, but the latter years of his life were devoted to farming. He was married twice, and the father of five chil- dren, viz .: Jane, Martin B., Alice A., George W. and the subject of this sketch. His mother, 13 years after the decease of her husband, was married to O. W. Hageman, and now resides at Elgin, Iowa.
Our subject was brought from Ohio to La Porte, Ind., in 1854, and in 1856 the family removed to Fayette Co., Iowa. He was educated primarily at the Upper Iowa University, located at Fayette, and completed his education at the Iowa University at Iowa City, at which he graduated in June, 1874. After he had accomplished this, the event of his early ambition, he went to Burlington, Iowa, where he was Principal of the West Hill School. A year later he came to Galva, and was engaged as Super- intendent of the Galva schools, which position he filled successfully for eight years. Desiring to re- tire from his profession, in April, 1833, he bought out the Galva News, a Republican organ which was established in 1879. Since then he has conducted that paper with credit to himself and satisfaction to its many readers.
Mr. Fitch was married at Decorah, Iowa, July 5, 1876, to Miss Rachel Helgesen, a native of Wiscon-
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sin, where she was born April 23, 1850, and is a daughter of Thomas Helgesen, a native of Norway. The three children born to them are George H., born June 5, 1877 ; Rachel L., Sept. 26, 1878; and Robert H., Jan. 17, 1881. Mrs. Fitch is a member of the Congregational Church. Mr. F. is a member of the G. A. R., having served faithfully during the late war. He enlisted at the age of 16, at West Union, Iowa, in the 38th Iowa Vol. Inf., Co. A, Aug. 13, 1862, and was honorably discharged Sept. 8, 1865. During the last year and a half of his service, he was detailed as a drummer. He participated in many of the important engagements of the war, among which are the siege and capture of Vicks- burg, Yazoo City and Fort Morgan, and the famous charge at Blakeley.
ust. Alfred Swanson. Among the numer- ous persons in Henry County bearing the name of Swanson, the subject of the fol- lowing biography is both a leading and a prominent one. His home is upon section 34, of Western Township, where his attention is given to farming and stock-raising. He was born in Linkoping Lan, Sweden, Sept. 16, 1839. His father, John Swanson, and his mother, Catherine Swanson, were natives of the same State, where they followed farming. In 1853, they came to America, with their family of seven children. They made their way to this county, and settled in Lynn Township, where they purchased 80 acres of Government land, upon which the elder Swanson lived until his death. (See sketch of J. V. Swanson )
Our subject was the youngest member of the family, and was given the advantages of the com- mon schools wherein to receive an education, and remained under the care of his parents, working on the farm, until his marriage. This event occurred on the 25th of January, 1869, at Andover, this county, when he was married to Miss Carolina C. Larson, daughter of Lewis J. and Mary C. (Munson) Lar- son, natives of the State of Kalmar Lan, Sweden, where they now reside, being by occupation farmers. Mrs. S. is the eldest of seven children in her parents' family, one of whom is deceased, and one sister and two brothers now living in the United States. She
came to this country with her eldest brother, John A., when 19 years of age, having been born Jan. 12, 1849. They stopped at Andover, where the follow- ing year she was married. To them have been born eight children, bearing the following names: Joseph E., Luther A., Sophia C., Alfred N., Amanda C., John P., Otto S. and Lida A., the latter being de- ceased.
After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. S. located on 160 acres of wild land on section 34, Western Town- ship. Here Mr. S. immediately began to make im- provements, and he now has it all under excellent cultivation, and well improved. He has been a prominent and progressive farmer, and is well known throughout the community. His name was origin- .ally Gus Alfred, but at the time of his enlistment in the army during the late Rebellion, he was induced to add to it the name Swanson, which he has since borne. On the 14th of August, 1862, he enlisted in Co. H, 112th Ill. Vol. Inf., and served in the Army of the West, and participated in all the active bat- tles of his regiment, being about 20 in number. Among these were Franklin, Nashville, Wilmington, N. C., Resaca, New Hope Church, Kenesaw Moun- tain, Atlanta and Columbia, Tenn. He was honor- ably discharged June 20, 1865, at Greenborough, N. C. He at once returned to Western Township, where he has since lived. Both himself and wife are members of the Swedish Lutheran Church at Orion. Politically, Mr. S. is a Republican, and has served his township as Collector.
obert W. Fleming, a successful farmer, a respected citizen of Henry County and the owner of 412 acres of tillable land in Osco Township, residing on section 35, is a son of John and Elizabeth (Mealman) Fleming, natives of Pennsylvania. John Fleming, father of the gentleman whose name appears at the beginning of this sketch, died in Pennsylvania, and his widow is at present residing in Missouri.
Their children were six in number, of whom Robert W., whose life sketch we give, was second in order of birth. He was born in Indiana Co., Pa., March 29, 1847. His education was acquired in the common schools and his years prior to the age of 18 were passed in his native State. At this age in life
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