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 46
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The daughter was married to Mr. McKibbons, Sept. 14, 1846, in the town of Derry, in Scotland. He was a native of Lanarkshire, Scotland, and was born in 1827. In his native country he was a coal miner by vocation, and operated in that line of busi- ness aoout 25 years. In 1851 they emigrated to the United States. After landing at the port of New York, they went thence to the summit of the Alle- ghany Mountains, where the husband was similarly occupied in coal mining.
They were there resident until their removal to Illinois, in 1856. They made their first location at Carbon Cliff, in the county of Rock Island, where they remained but two months. They went thence to Minersville, in the same county, and there Mr. McKibbons operated as a miner two years. Then they went to Mineral Creek, and lived there about three years, after which lapse of time they returned to Minersville and continued to live there two years. In 1865 they settled in the township of Atkinson.
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Mr. McKibbons at first bought 40 acres of land, and by later purchase increased his property to 160 acres, on which his family are still resident. He died on his homestead in August, 1873. He was a Catholic in religious principle, and in politics a Democrat, as are his ,sons.
Mrs. McKibbons has borne II children: Mary was born July 5, 1847 ; Henry, Jan. 24, 1849; Mar- garet, Nov. 9, 1851 ; Robert, May 2, 1854 ; William A., April 11, 1856; Robert A. (second), March 2, 1858; Sophia, Nov. 22, 1860; Sarah, May 7, 1863; Anne E., April 17, 1864 ; John, Nov. 30, 1867 ; Jen- nie, Dec. 9, 1870. The death of the first Robert oc- curred in the year in which he was born. Sophia died May 9, 1885. Sarah died in infancy. Mrs. McKibbons is giving considerable attention to the improvement of the stock on the place, and shows some fine samples of Durham cattle and Clydesdale and Norman horses. She was in her youth a Pres- byterian in her religious connection.
E. Stoneberg, residing on section 2, Wel- ler Township, where he follows the occu- pation of a farmer, is a native of Sweden, having been born in that country, Oct. 31, 1835. In 1846, realizing that better induce- inents were offered in the United States for the accumulation of a competency, or at least to procure a home for himself and family, he concluded to emigrate here. Accordingly, the same year he set sail for this, the land of greatest promise, and ar- rived in this county in 1847, settling with the Swedish Colony at Bishop Hill.
In 1857, Mr. Stoneberg left the Colony at Bishop Hill and worked out on a farm by. the month for a short time. In 1859 he went to Missouri and was there employed by the Hannibal & St. Jo Railroad for something over two years, and in 1861 again re- turned to Bishop Hill and has continued to reside in the county since that date. Mr. Stoneberg, by good judgment, energetic effort, perseverance, and assisted by his good helpmeet, succeeded in securing a suffi- ciency to enable him to become the proprietor of 440 acres of land in this county, the major portion of which is tillable. He has erected a good resi- dence on his farm, together with barn and neces-
sary outbuildings, and his place presents the appear- ance of a well-to-do farmer, whose accumulations are the outgrowth of his own laborious toil and energy.
Dec. 22, 1864, Mr. Stoneberg formed a matrimo- nial alliance, in Knoxville, this State, with Miss Eleanor Swanson, who was born Sept. 3, 1834, a native of Sweden. Of their union six children have been born,-Emma M., Mary A., Carrie H. and Charles E. Amanda J. and John F. are deceased.
Mr. Stoneberg has held the office of School Di- rector and Overseer of Highways, and in his political views is independent. His parents, John and Betsey Stoneberg, reside on the farm with their son, the subject of this notice.
zri Hellyer, a farmer on section 2, Geneseo Township, was born in Bucks Co., Pa., Jan. 7, 1817. He has lived in the county since 1865. John and Annie (Jones) Hellyer, his parents, were both of Pennsylvania origin. In 1823 they moved with their family to Columbi- ana Co., Ohio. There their children grew to ma- turity, and the sons were trained in a complete knowledge of agriculture. In 1836 another transfer of the household was made, to Canada. A location was made in the part known as the Wellington Dis- trict. Mr. Hellyer remained there two years before he married Elizabeth Clemens. She was born in the Dominion, and their union in marriage took place Jan. 9, 1838. After that event Mr. Hellyer bought a tract of timber on which he made a clearing and built a log house. This was their home until two years later. In 1840 the husband bought a house in the village of New Hope, now known as Estelle. He sold his farm and engaged in teaming in the village, to which the family removed. They remained there until 1851, when they came to Illinois and located in Whiteside County, where Mr. Hellyer was a renter until 1865.
On coming to Henry County he at first rented land in Geneseo Township, and passed three years operating in that method. He went thence to the township of Yorktown, where he passed three years. In 1869 he bought a farm on section II in the town- ship in which he has since labored as a farmer. He has made additional purchases until he is the owner
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of 240 acres of excellent land in good condition for profitable farming.
The children of the family are two in number. Amos is a citizen of Shelby Co., Iowa. Emeline is the wife of Elias Zimmer, of the same place.
illiam Seibel, confectioner and baker at Geneseo, was born in Hessen, Germany, April 22, 1830. His parents, Adam and Elizabeth (Seitz) Seibel, were natives of the same province in which he was born. He passed the years of his childhood and youth in the manner common in his country, where the laws dispose of the time of the youth, and on arriv- ing at a suitable age he was apprenticed to learn the trade of a baker. He served three years and ob- tained a thorough understanding of the details of the business, and in 1849, at the age of 19, he came to the United States. He was on the ocean 40 days, the voyage being greatly lengthened by a storm. He landed at the port of New York and passed but one day in the great city. He went at once to Phila- delphia, where he passed the entire summer. In the same fall he went to New Orleans. From that time he traveled through various States and also in Texas and the Territories. He finally located in Booneville, Mo. After a brief stay there he went to Paris in the same State and there established his business. While there, he was married to Anna E. Wade. She is the oldest daughter of L. B. Wade, a prominent citizen of Madison, Mo. Their marriage took place in the fall of 1854.
Mr. Seibel continued to conduct his affairs in Paris for another year, and in the fall of 1855 he re- moved to Glasgow, near Paris, in Missouri. He remained there until 1857, when he came to Gene- seo to make a permanent settlement. Practically, he has since been a resident of that place, but has been temporarily located one year at Rock Island, where he managed a hotel for that length of time. This was during the late war.
On his arrival in Geneseo in 1865, he founded a bakery. He has also been interested in the grain trade and in the sale of liquor. He has been pros- perous in all his investments and has accumulated a handsome property. He has erected four stores and
several dwellings. He was the builder and is still half-owner of the building called the Keystone Block at Geneseo. He has been prominently identified with the growth and improvement of the place where he is a resident, and is recognized as one of its most enterprising citizens. He is the senior partner of the firm of Seibel & Limle, confectioners and bakers.
Mr. and Mrs. Seibel have had two daughters. Julia is the wife of Christian Limle, the business partner of her father. Alice Ruth, the younger daughter, died Dec. 7, 1857. Lena Wade is their adopted daughter. She was received into the family in childhood and is at present a young lady. She receives the regard of a member of the family in very truth. Mr. Seibel united with the Christian Church at the age of 15 and received the ordinance of bap- tism from Elder Henry Thomas, then located at Paris, Mo.
In 1875 Mr. Seibel revisited the land of his na- tivity and went to several of the most noted places in that country. He returned to the United States in the same year.
He is a Democrat in political connection. He has been active in the general and local interests of his party, and has been present at the National Democratic Conventions for the past 16 years. In 1872 he was a Delegate by proxy to the Convention at Baltimore.
He has taken a warm interest in educational mat- ters and has been for a long term of years the presid- ing official in the Teutonia Society and of the German Schools. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., in which he has passed the chief official positions.
homas J. McHenry, a native of Phenix Township, resident on section 15, is the oldest surviving son of George and Lucinda (Council) McHenry. He is a native citizen of Illinois, having been born in White County, Sept. 16, 1830. When he was seven years old his parents moved thence to Henry County and set- tled on a farm. He grew to manhood under the care and guidance of his parents, and was brought up to follow the calling to which his father and his other ancestors had devoted their lives.
Within the second year of the contest between the
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two sections of this country, Mr. McHenry entered the military service. He enlisted, Aug. 20, 1862, in Co. K, 112th Ill. Vol. Inf., under Capt. E. H. Col- cord. He was discharged, June 20, 1865, at Greens- boro, N. C. His discharge papers gave ample testimony of the quality of the service he rendered during the period in which he was soldier. He was in the East Tennessee campaign under General Burnside in the fall and winter of 1863, and in the following May his command was assigned to that of General Sherman, and the summer of 1864 he passed in the Georgia campaign. He was a partici- pant in ten general engagements and 30 skirmishes. In the fall and winter of 1864 he was in the Tennes- see campaign with General Thomas, and in the spring of 1865 was assigned to the command of Gen. T. M. Schofield. The battles inscribed on his pa- pers are Knoxville, Bean's Station, Dandridge, Brandy Creek, Kelley's Ford, Columbia, Franklin, Nashville, Fort Anderson, Wilmington and Greens- boro, N. C. He enjoyed the privilege of one furlough while his time of enlistment was unexpired. At Burnt Hickory he was taken ill and was granted a furlough. On his way he stopped at Nashville, where he found his brother Charles, who was in the hospital, suffering from the effects of a severe wound, and the two brothers returned to their homes to- gether.
Mr. McHenry was joined in marriage, Aug. 30, 1860, to Amanda Anderson. She was born Dec. 14, 1835, in La Salle Co., Ill. She is the daughter of William and Ann (Stadden) Anderson. Their chil- dren are named Luella A., Virgil J., Ada N., Francis I. and J. Arthur.
acob Shively, who is engaged as a general farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 3, Andover Township, was born in West Virginia, June 9, 1837, and is the son of Jacob and Catherine (Pickenpoe) Shively, both of German ancestry. They were married in Mo- nongalia Co., W. Va., and were prominent farmers in the community in which they resided, where they "took up" land which was entirely undeveloped and woods all around them, and by energy and in- dustry put the same under excellent cultivation and
mprovements. Here they resided until the demise of the father, which occurred March 4, 1869, at the advanced age of 82 years. The death of the mother occurred about 1875, on the home farm which her son Michael had taken charge of, she being 82 years of age.
Jacob, of whom we write, was the youngest of a family of nine children, three of whom were sons and six daughters, only five of the family surviving; he resided at home until he reached the age of 25 years, in the meantime receiving such educational training as the district schools afforded. At the above age, our subject was united in marriage with Miss Emily J., daughter of James C. and Mary (Shaver) Snider, on the 9th of January, 1862. Her. parents were farmers, the father a native of West Virginia, of Irish descent, and the mother of Penn- sylvania and of German ancestry. They were mar- ried in Monongalia County, that State, and after- ward came West, locating in Mercer Co., Ill., in the fall of 1869. Later they resided at Pre-emption, the same county, where they both died, at the residence of J. R. Snider, of that place, the father in the fall of 1883, and the mother one year later, both at an advanced age.
Mrs. Shively, of this notice, was reared on her. parents' farm in West Virginia, Monongalia County, where she had resided until her marriage. She and her husband have become the parents of nine chil- dren, as follows: Effa D., Mary G., James R., Laura A., Fannie B., Thornton P., Lida M., William R. and Gertrude. After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. S. re- sided on a farm in West Virginia until 1870, when in March of that year they came to Illinois, locating in Pre-emption, Mercer County, and remained at that place for a period of three years. They next came to Western Township, where Mr. Shively pur- chased a well improved farm of 142 acres, and re- sided upon it until 1876, when he sold out, and in the autumn of that year came to Andover and pur- chased the E. S. Roberts farm. This place, which is located upon ·section 3, consists of 173 acres, in an excellent state of cultivation. He and his family have lived there since, and have purchased 93 acres adjoining on section 2. Mr. Shively is an extensive dealer in live stock, buying, feeding and selling large numbers of cattle and swine. He is looked upon in the community as one of its leading and representa- tive agriculturists. The family are members of the
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Christian Church, and Mr. S. finds his political home with the Republican party.
As one of the representative agriculturists of Henry County, the publishers of this ALBUM take pleasure in presenting to their patrons a portrait of Mr. Shively accompanying this sketch.
ohn M. Houghton, station agent and Post- master at Nekoma, and one of the repre- sentative business men of that thriving little village, was born in Woodhull, this county, July 1, 1857. The education of Mr. Hough- ton was received in the district schools of his native county, where he has continued to reside all his life, excepting one year. He came to Nekoma in April, 1879, and took charge of the depot of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, and still continues to act in that capacity. In 1880 Mr. Houghton was appointed Postmaster of the village of Nekoma and yet holds that position.
His marriage took place in Kewanee, Ill., April 23, 1884. The lady selected to accompany him through the pleasant and stormy trials of the future was Miss Carrie V. Weir, a native of Clover Town- ship, this county, where she was born May 19, 1865. Their union has been blessed by the birth of one child,-Blanche B. Houghton.
Politically, Mr. H. is a believer in and a supporter of the principles advocated by the Republican party.
The parents of Mr. Houghton, Lewis C. and Mary F. (Monroe) Houghton, reside in Woodhull, this county. The parents of Mrs. Houghton are Joseph and Margaret (Davis) Weir, and reside in Clover Township.
obert Henderson, one of the prominent farmers of Osco Township, residing on sec- tion 13, is a son of William and Ann (Mc- Connell) Henderson. natives of Pennsylvania. Robert was the fifth in order of birth of a family of eight children, and was born in But- ler Township, Dearborn Co., Ind., Dec. 19, 1829. He spent about ten years of his early life in his na- tive county, and when quite young removed to
Adams Co., Ill., afterwards returning to Dearborn County, and later again to Adams Co., Ill., where his parents died.
Robert lived at home until about 27 years of age. He then came to Henry County, in 1863, where he bought 143 acres, located on section 13, Osco Town- ship, where he has since resided. All his land is in good condition.
He was married in Adams Co., Ill., March 20, 1869, to Rebecca Morton, daughter of Zelmunna and Clarissa Morton, natives of Ohio. She was the fifth child of a family of six children and was born in Ohio, Sept. 25, 1840. Mr. and Mrs. H. are the parents of nine children,-James E., Robert R., Laura R., Anna E., George M., Charles A., Albert B., Maud M. and Ralph J. Mr. Henderson has held the position of Commissioner of Highways and other minor offices in his township. He adheres to the Democratic party in politics, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
terling Bennett has been a citizen of Henry County since 1856. He was born in Wilkesbarre, Luzerne Co., Pa., Oct. 24, 1830. He is the son of Thomas R. and Phebe (Smiley) Bennett, and in the paternal line of descent comes of patriotic stock, her grandfather, Rufus Bennett, having distinguished himself in the War of the Revolution, and was men- tioned in the history of the times and period in which he took an active part.
Mr. Bennett attained to the age of ·manhood in his native town, and after arriving at suitable age was variously employed. When he was 23 years of age he entered the service of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Corporation as an engineer. He operated in that capacity one summer.
On coming to Henry County he made his first location in the town of Western, and was there occu- pied in farming. In 1863 he bought a tract of wild land, which included the southwest 40 acres on sec- tion 14. Directly after his purchase he entered with energy into the work of improvement and put it all under the plow. In August, 1865, he bought the southeast quarter of section 23, in the township of Colona, which was also in an entirely uncultivated
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condition. Mr. Bennett bought a small frame house which he moved to the new farm, and of which his household took possession and established a home. Mr. Bennett at once commenced the improvement of a second farm, and the place is now in the finest condition for profitable farming. He has set out the varieties of trees common to the locality, and built an excellent type of farm structures. He is the owner of 320 acres, all lying in a solid body.
Mr. Bennett was married in June, 1857, to Eliza- beth Washburn, and they have had six children, as follows : Olive, who is now the wife of Porter Baker, of Smithfield, Jasper Co., Mo .; Mary, who married F. J. Golden, and is a resident of Barstow, in the county of Rock Island; Winfield Scott, who lives in Arizona; and Nathan W., Francis S. and Herbert D. are the names of the others. Mrs. Bennett is the daughter of N. W. Washburn, of whom a sketch is given.
ohn M. Kingdon, grain merchant at Ne- koma, Weller Township, this county, is a native of Devonshire, England, having been born there Jan. 10, 1847, and emigrated to this country with his parents when seven years old. On arrival in this country he lived in Pennsylvania four years, after which he came to Warren County, this State, where he resided for about seven years.
In 1865 Mr. Kingdon came to this county and settled in ·Weller Township, where he has resided ever since. In 1875 he located at Nekoma, where he has been engaged in handling grain until the present time, meeting with success.
The marriage of Mr. Kingdon took place in War- ren County, this State, Feb. 17, 1869. The lady chosen to accompany him through life's journey was Miss Fannie Bennett, a native of Columbia Co., N. Y. The issue of their union has been one child, -- Howard J. Mrs. Kingdon died in Iowa, March II, 1872, and Mr. Kingdon was a second time married, at Moline, Rock Island County, Dec. 1, 1879, to Miss Josephine Westburg, who was born at Bishop Hill, this county. Of the latter union three children have been born,-Forest H., Claude and Fred W,
Mr. Kingdon, socially, is a member of the Masonic Order and the Order of United Workmen of Amer- ica. Politically, his vote is always cast in the inter- est of the Republican party.
amuel Goembel, of Yorktown, was born March 12, 1850, in Tazewell Co., Ill., and is the second son of Jacob and Louisa (Luther) Goembel. His father was born in Hessen, Germany, then a dukedom but now a Prussian province. His birth occurred May 17, 1824, and the name of his parents were Sebas- tian and Annie (Schaeffer) Goembel.
He came to America with his father and mother in 1834. They made their location in Tazewell County, this State, where they owned a farm, on which their children were reared. The son Jacob was married April 11, 1846, to Louisa Luther. She was born in Allegheny Co., Pa. They remained in Tazewell County until the fall of 1851, when they removed to Henry County. They located on sec- tion 30, where the father is still the owner of 93 acres of land. In the spring of 1875 the senior Goembel removed to Geneseo.
To him and his wife seven children were born : William S. married Laura Early, and they reside in Geneseo; Samuel is the son whose sketch is incor- porated with that of his father's; Jacob E. married Emma Rapp, and is a citizen of Yorktown; Peter married Christina Rapp, and they are residents of Geneseo ; Annie is the wife of Henry Glave, of Taze- well County; he lives in Washington; Lydia is the wife of Isaac Krimble, of Bureau County ; John E. is the youngest . Wilhelmina, born Dec. 15, 1858, died March 18, 1866; Lissa, born May 1, 1864, died March 18, 1866; their deaths took place on the same day. The parents are members of the Evan- gelical Association.
Samuel was less than two years of age when his parents came to Henry County. He had the train- ing in labor and education common to farmers' children at that period of the county's progress, growing up on the farm and attending the district school. In 1871 he was married to Rebecca Zinser. They have seven children. They are named Harry S., Franklin J., Sylvia C,, Lotta V., Mabel, Emery
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and Estella. In 1875 Mr. Goembel bought the homestead on which he grew up, and which is still his property. It contains 244 acres. It is devoted to the raising of stock and grain.
hristian G. Gierhart, of the township of Atkinson, is one of the citizens of Henry County who deserve that their names should be put on permanent record, on ac- count of the manner in which they have dis- charged the entire list of duties and obligations incumbent upon them as the sustainers of good government and wholesome conditions of society.
He is a native of Ohio and was born in Ashland County, April 17, 1824. Jonas Gierhart, his father, was a native of the State of Maryland, where he was born in 1796. He was married in 1812, to Susan Stough, a native of Pennsylvania. They had five sons and six daughters. They were born in the order in which their names appear here: Henry, Katy, Daniel B., Elizabeth, Christian G., Mary Ann, John S., Samuel, Susan and Eliza Jane. The young- est daughter was born when the mother was 5 1 years of age, and was named for a little girl who was born 12 years before and who lost her life from a painful accident in her early childhood. She was moving about the house after the manner of little children interested in the operations of her mother, who was busy preparing the evening meal and anticipating no harm to her child. She had made and removed from the fire a kettle of mush, into which the little one fell, thrusting her arms and breast into the boil- ing-hot substance. She was so severely burned that she lived but ten days! Jonas Gierhart died in 1876. The death of his wife took place in the same year on her birthday.
Mr. Gierhart, of this sketch, was married in De- cember, 1849, to Sarah A. Gray. Their children were born in the following order: Martha, Jane, Lovena, Susan, John, Ida, Joseph O. and Olive. The last named died in infancy. They are all mar- ried but the youngest son.
The farm of Mr. Gierhart contains 248 acres of first-class land situated on section 6. The place has two good dwellings. and a fine and valuable feature is an artificial fish-pond five feet in depth. It is sup-
plied with water by the wind-mill which is on the farm, and it has been one year in stock with German carp. The barn which has been erected by the pro- prietor of the estate is 70 x 80 feet in dimensions. The farm stock is of excellent grades of both cattle and horses, and includes a good drove of swine.
In his political relations and faith, Mr. Gierhart is a Democrat. He has been Justice of the Peace eight years, and acted in the capacity of Road Commis- sioner 12 years continuously. He has officiated 28 years as School Director.
Mr. Gierhart has the uncommon record of having twice served in the military history of his country. He enlisted in the Mexican War in June, 1846, and was in the service 13 months. He was enrolled in the Third Ohio Volunteers as a private, and was under fire at the battle of Buena Vista. He enlisted in Co. K, 112th Ill. Vol. in the Civil War, and on the organization of the command was made First Lieutenant. He was commissioned Sept. 20, 1862. He went to the front with his regiment, but the dis- ease which he had contracted in the former military experience disabled him for further duty as a soldier, and he received an honorable discharge in December following.
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