Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 49

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 49

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clonis, but he was also especially well read in history and versed in the Belgic, English, French, Greek and Latin languages.

Mrs. Van Landschoot is the daughter of John Ver- ner Vincent and Anna Catharine (Hall) Holliet. Her father was born in Hanover, Germany, Feb. 15, 1818. The wife and mother was born in the same country, Dec. 17, 1812, and died Dec. 7, 1882, at Geneseo, Ill. Their marriage occurred in Richmond, Ind., Feb. 13, 1839, and they were the parents of eight children, viz .: Mary C., Lucinda S., James G., Mary Jane, Mary Josephine, Henry, Eliza and Maria Theresa. Mrs. Van Landschoot is a Catholic in re- ligious belief, as were also all the family except her mother, who was a Lutheran.

eter Westerlund. Among the many

Swedes residing in Henry County, the sub- ject of this sketch is prominent. He is an extensive farmer and stock-raiser, living on the north half of section 25, Western Township. He was born in the parish of Hasela, in Gefleborgs Lan, Aug. 10, 1839. His father, Erick, was a native of the same State, and by occupation a farmer. He was married to Miss Elizabeth Johnson, daughter of a Swedish farmer, and to them were born nine children, Peter being the youngest. Four of the number are still living. Andrew H., a resi- dent of Sweden, is a brother. He was formerly a custom-house officer, but is now on the retired list, and is pensioned by the Swedish Government. Jo- nas is a successful farmer of Lynn Township, this county ; Mrs. Margaret Stolt is a sister and resides in Crawford Co., Iowa; Erick resides in Osco Township.

Peter Westerlund was educated in America, being only 11 years of age when his parents came to our shores. While they were on their voyage across the Atlantic, the mother and youngest daughter died, and their bodies were consigned to the deep. The father and the five remaining children came to An- dover, this county, arriving here in November, 1850, experiencing many hardships on the route. After their arrival here, Peter's father hired him out to a farmer near Galesburg, for four years, but at the end

Lewis Shearer

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of two years, he left his place and returned home. On the 17th of February, 1863, in Andover Town- ship, he was married to Miss Elnora C. S. Hultman, who was born in Sweden, and came to America alone, then nineteen years of age. The five children born to them are named in the following record : Oscar William is the cashier in the bank of Orion ; John A., Melinda, Luther R., and Peter E. reside at home.

In 1865, Mr. W. purchased his first 80 acres of land, on section 25, being a part of his present farm ; since then he has increased its borders, until it now includes an entire half section, which is all admir- ably improved. He is not only one of the successful farmers of the township, but ranks among the lead- ing agriculturists of the county. The land, when he first began to work upon it, was in its native wild- ness, but by hard labor and a watchful care and shrewd management, he has developed it to a high state. The family are members of the Lutheran Evangelical Church, of which Mr. W. is Trustee ; and he has held all the other offices of the society. He has also held some of the township offices.

ames Greenlee, deceased, was a pioneer of Henry County, in 1856. He was born in Rockbridge Co., Va., April 14, 1813. His parents were members of the agricultural class, and he was reared on the farm of his father there and in Ohio, whither the family removed while he was still in early youth. He was a resident of the Buckeye State until the year named as that in which he came to Illinois, and which was that in which he located in Henry County. He set- tled in the township of Munson, where he became the owner of an entire section of land, and which is still included in his undivided estate, with the ex- ception of one "40."

He was married Aug. 22, 1867, in Munson Town- ship, to Gustafva L., daughter of Swan Walin. She was born in Sweden, and came to the United States in 1866.

Mr. Greenlee died March 29, 1884. He was a Republican in political sentiment, and was a mem-

ber of the Presbyterian Church. He was a prom- inent citizen as an agriculturist, and so ordered his life that he was the recipient of the esteem and re- spect of his fellow-men.

ewis Shearer. One of the well known and prominent men of the county, as well as one of the large land owners, is Mr. Lewis Shearer, of Cornwall Township, whose por- trait is given upon the opposite page. He is a son of James Shearer, a native of Saratoga County, N. Y., where Lewis was born, Oct. 16, 1817. He continued to reside with his parents, attending school and working on the farm, until he reached his majority.

When he was 17 years of age the family moved from Eastern New York and located in Liv- ingston County, same State, where Lewis remained until he was about 22 years of age. He then con- cluded to move still further West, and came to Tip- pecanoe County, Ind., and settled near the famous battle-ground where General Harrison routed Te- cumseh. While living here he married Miss Per- melia Burget, March 14, 1843. He remained in Indiana until Nov. 22, 1850, when he came to Henry County. During the following March he bought 320 acres of land where he now resides, on section 18, of Cornwall Township, and on the 22d day of that month moved upon the farm. Though no favorable circumstances surrounded him at the beginning of his business career, he has so managed that to-day he is the owner of 694 acres of good farming land, and is one of the most influential and highly re- spected citizens of this part of the county. His land is beautifully located and is watered by spring creeks which run almost through the center of his farm north and south. Upon his home farm he has erected a splendid two-story brick dwelling and has good equipments for carrying on mixed farming.

Mr. Shearer has taken more than ordinary promi- nence in the local affairs of his township, and has been brought into considerable notice as a public- spirited citizen and one of safe and sound judgment in the general affairs of the county. He was the first Supervisor elected from Cornwall, and for 18 years

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since, has represented that district in the Board of Supervisors. He has also served as Town Treas- urer for nine years In his political affiliations he is connected with the Republican party. Both he and his wife are members of the Christian Church. They are the parents of six children, as follows: Sarah, Mary Ann, Norman and Lewis R., are living. Bruce, who was killed by the fall of a horse in July, 1867, and Albert J., who died in 1872.

sel H. Talcott, deceased, was an early set- tler in Henry County and a pioneer of the State of Illinois. He was a native of the State of New York, and was 35 years of age when he came, in 1839, to Rock Island Coun- ty, from northern Ohio, whither he had re- moved in 1828. In 1844, he removed to Rock River, and four years later he established " Talcott's Ferry," in the township of Zuma, which he conducted from that side of the river until 1857, when he crossed the river into Hanna Township. He was a resident there about 20 years, his death occurring Feb. 9, 1876.

He was born in Fairfield, Herkimer Co., N. Y., March 15, 1804. The family of which he was a descendant was prominent in New England, where his immediate ancestors originated and whence his father removed to the Empire State.

Mr. Talcott was married to Jane M. Thayer, at Rome, in Herkimer County, Aug. 15, 1823. They went to the State of Ohio to seek wider privileges in a new region, and in May, 1839, located, as has been stated, in the township of Hampton, in Rock Island County. In 1844 he bought a farm in Zuma Town- ship and became prominent in his relations to the community of the county through the interest he took in the development and progress of the affairs of Western Illinois. He was given to experiments in agriculture, and his fruit orchard was a model in variety and was a proof of the possibilities in that line on the course of the river. After his removal to Henry County he was the same in his interest in the general welfare. He served as Justice of the Peace a number of years. Up to the time of his death his habits were those of an industrious and useful citi- zen. He was a man of most correct morals and was

never addicted to the use of intoxicants or of to- bacco.

His first wife, to whom he was married in the State of New York, bore him five children. Dr. Edwin Talcott, a practicing physician of Spring Hill, Whiteside County, is the oldest; Electa is deceased ; Dexter is a resident of Sharon, Ill .; Catherine is the widow of M. A. Stickney and lives at Greenfield, Iowa. Mrs. Jane M. Talcott died in Hampton, in April, 1841. Mr. Talcott was married, at Rock Island, Dec. 3, 1841, to Mrs. Minerva Newton. She was the widow of William Newton and was in maiden life Miss Shaw. She was born in the vicin- ity of Stockholm, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. By her first marriage she was the mother of a son,-Horatio, who died when eight years old. To Mr. Talcott she bore three children : William H. married Martha Edwards and is a resident of the State of Nebraska ; Lucy is the wife of Henry L. Angell, of Geneseo, who is represented in this work; Mary M. is the wife of F. R. Timmerman, of Spring Hill, Whiteside Co., Ill.

euben McFarland, general farmer and stock-raiser, section 1, Andover Township, was born in Coshocton Co., Ohio, Oct. 15, 1826. His father, John, ¿a farmer, and his mother, nee Hannah Fowles, were natives of Pennsylvania, and were married at Mifflin, Lancaster Co., Pa. After the birth of one child,- Elizabeth, now deceased,-they removed to Ohio, and resided there until 1853, when the family, then consisting of three children, emigrated westward.

Two sons came to this county and settled at Cam- bridge, but Reuben, who had previously married, went to Louisa Co., Iowa, and located near Black Hawk. After a short residence there, he came here and purchased a house and lot in Cambridge, and for a year followed the trade of carpenter, which he had learned when a young man, in Holmes Co., Ohio. The first farm owned by Mr. McFarland was a tract of 80 acres in Osco Township, this county, which he purchased about 1856. After following farming there until 1881, he sold out and settled upon a farm of 78 acres where he at present resides, and which he had bought; before his removal there.

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He is a progressive, enterprising and industrious ag- riculturist. In his politics he is decisively indenti- fied with the Democratic party, is influential in his political opinions, and as a citizen every way. He and his family are zealous members of the Christian Church.

Mr. McFarland celebrated his marriage in Holmes Co., Ohio, to which place his parents had moved when he was but a boy. Dec. 20, 1849, he wedded Miss Sarah Sheldon, who was born Feb. 18, 1830, at Zanesville, Ohio. Her father, Thomas Sheldon, was a native of the State of New York, and his mother, nee Huldah Tharp, was born in New Jersey. Her parents were married in the latter State, and after- ward settled on a farm in Holmes Co., Ohio, where her mother died in 1854; and her father died in Hardin Co., Iowa, in 1872. Mr. and Mrs. McF. have had 14 children, half of whom are now dead. The living are John E. (married), William I., Thomas, Reuben E., Emery W., Hayden and Her- bert L. William and Thomas completed their edu- cation at the commercial schools at Davenport, Ia. The names of the deceased are Loretta, Flora R., Hannah, Sarah (who died after her marriage), Frank, Minnie B. and Burtie.

illiam G. Hawkins, a retired farmer and dealer in stock at Geneseo, was born in Providence Co., R. I., Dec. 15, 1827. His parents, Stephen and Abbie (Walden) Haw- kins, are natives of the same State and are still living, aged respectively 93 and 85. The families of both are remarkable for tenacity of life.

Mr. Hawkins was reared to manhood and to an age when he entered upon the course of active busi- ness life, in his native town, and he became inter- ested in the dairy line of farming. He was married there to Mercy M. Wilcox. She is the daughter of parents who were both born in that State, and were of English extraction by birth. Their names were John and Sarah (Whitford) Wilcox.

In March, 1859, Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins came to Illinois and located in McLean County. There Mr. Hawkins engaged extensively in agriculture until 1866, the year of his removal to Henry County. During their residence there one child was born to

them, who died in infancy. He was named Byron. Mr. Hawkins has extended his agricultural relations until he is the owner of three farms in Champaign County, which comprise 600 acres, all being under advanced cultivation. He has besides 160 acres of valuable land in Lancaster County, near the city of Lincoln, Neb. Since his removal to Geneseo, he has conducted a prosperous business in the sale of agricultural implements and in traffic in stock.

In the early days of his political connection, he was a Whig, but he cherished Free-Soil principles and became a Republican when that party was organized. He has filled the office of Alderman at Geneseo two years.

yron H. Dilenbeck, a farmer of Edford Township, has been a resident of Henry County since 1855, a period of exactly 30 years. He is a prosperous farmer and a useful citizen. He was born in Le Ray, Jeffer- son Co., N. Y., March 6, 1840, and is the sec- ond son of Abraham and Barbara (Petre) Dilenbeck. He passed his youth after the manner in which the children of farmers commonly do, attending school and in rendering such assistance as he could on the farm. The family came to Henry County in 1855, and he was an inmate of the paternal home until he became the head of a household himself.

His marriage to Sarah C. Spickler took place in January, 1864. She was born in the city of Lancas- ter, Pa., April 26, 1843. After their marriage they located on the old homestead, which was situated on the southwest quarter of section 15, in Edford Town- ship. A few weeks later Mr. Dilenbeck sold his family estate and bought the northeast quarter of section 23, which he owned and occupied until 1878. In that year he again sold and purchased the south- east quarter of the same section, on which he lived until 1881. He then rented the place and bought a home in the city of Geneseo. He removed there in the same year and was a resident for three years. In 1884 he returned to the farm, and has since con- tinued its management. The place is in creditable condition and well supplied with farm appurten- ances.

Mr. Dilenbeck entered the military service of the

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United States in the first year of the Civil War. He enlisted in Co. I, 112th Reg. Ill. Vol. Inf., and was in the field about nine months. At the end of that time he was discharged on account of disability and returned to his home.

He is an advocate of "temperance," having re- frained from the use of spirituous liquors and tobacco all his life.

To him and his wife three. children have been born, who are named Albert C., Elvine F. and Minnie V. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

eonard Sieben, Assessor of Phenix Town- ship, is a resident on section 28, of the same township. He was born in Hesse- Darmstadt, Germany, Feb. 15, 1844. His pa- rents, Joseph and Aboline Sieben, were also born in the same part of " Das Faderland." In 1852 the family removed to the United States, and the father made a location at first in Whiteside County. There they lived as renters until the death of the father. That event occurred Jan. 1, 1859. The death of the mother took place in Chicago a few months after coming to this country. Joseph Sieben was married again after the death of his first wife, and of the second marriage there was one child born. The first wife was the mother of seven children, all of whom are now living and are located as follows : John, the oldest, is a citizen of Loraine Township; Teresa is the wife of Henry H. Hanıman, of Osco Township; Valentine .is represented by a sketch in another part of this volume; Margaret is the wife of George Arnett, of whom a biographical notice is given elsewhere; Leonard is the next in order of birth; Henry lives in Montana ; Jacob also resides in that Territory.

Mr. Sieben was a lad of 13 when his father died, and he was under the necessity of undertaking the settlement of the question of taking care of himself without aid, either in the merits of the problem or in the fact that presented itself with convincing force. He first obtained employment as a farm assistant in the vicinity where he had lived, but he was occupied there only a brief period. In 1864 he set out for the territories, and he went to that part of Idaho which

is now named Montana. In company with three others he made the journey to the distant West over- land, and they traveled there in three months and seven days, landing at Virginia City.

He was first employed as a teamster and followed that occupation until the spring of 1866. He then bought a team and engaged in freighting goods be- tween Fort Benton and Virginia City, to the city of Helena and to other towns in the interior which were then the sites of the mining camps. He oper- ated in that line of business until the spring of 1870, when he went to Utah and there bought a herd of young cattle which he drove to Montana to sell. He devoted three years to the prosecution of that busi- ness and at the end of that time he settled in Meagher County, in Montana Territory, where he lived on a stock ranch until the fall of 1879. He then sold out and returned to the East, and soon after, in January, 1880, he bought a farm on section 28 in Phenix Township. This has since been his home and his field of operation as a farmer. He has improved the place and all its appurtenances and has one of the most desirable places in the township. Mr. Sieben affords a good illustration of what a life devoted to worthy effort may bring forth. With nothing to aid hini but a determination to make good use of his time in taking advantage of the opportuni- ties afforded in a free land, where his privileges were not restricted beyond those of any other class, he has made his way to a position, not only of comfort and ease, but to one of confidence and trust in the gift of his fellow-citizens. He was elected to the office of Assessor in 1884.

April 9, 1878, he was married to Sarah, daughter of Henry and Susan. (Henney) Hines. She was born in the township where she now lives. To her and her husband four children have been born, and they are named as follows : Olive, Sylvia, Ira and Erle.

r. Wilson W. Adams, a rising practitioner of Henry County, resident at Atkinson, won commenced his business career in the place where he is now operating in 1883. He is a native of the Dominion of Canada, and was born near the city of Kingston, Nov. 16, 1853. His parents, George C. and Harriet R. (Johnson) Adams came, when he was an infant of

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two years, to the States. His father was born in the State of New York, Jan. 31, 1826, and went to Canada when but a child. He was there engaged in the business of farming, and was married in 1848. The lady who became his wife was also a native of the Empire State. They had three children : Maria E. was born in 1850; the subject of this sketch is the second child in order of birth; George P. was born in August, 1860.

The family came to Henry County in 1855, and Dr. Adams commenced the acquisition of his ele- mentary education in the common schools of the place where his parents settled. He passed the in- tervals of school in farm labor. In 1873 he was sent to the college located in the town of Abingdon, Ill. He began teaching in 1872, and taught only winters during the period of eight years, meanwhile obtaining a slight knowledge of the principles of his profession by desultory reading. About 1880 he entered Rush Medical College at Chicago, where he passed three years in study. On the completion of his course he settled at Atkinson, and began the practice of the business for which he had fitted him- self. He is the owner of an excellent library and has a good office. He is an adherent of the school of allopathy, and is sure to obtain prominence as a physician. He is a Republican in his political senti- ments.

The marriage of Dr. Adams to Jennie M. Holli- day occurred Dec. 26, 1877. They were married in Mercer Co., Ill. Mrs. Adams is a native of Illinois. They are still childless.

oseph Hammond, of Geneseo, became a prominent resident of Henry County in 1856. He made his first acquaintance with Western Illinois in 1854, when he came to this county and, associated with his brother, he bought 1,800 acres of land within its limits. The railroad was completed to the place that year, and the outlook of the adjacent region was favorable to business projects. On the incorporation of Gen- esen, he was made one of its first Board of Aldermen, and he was the second Mayor, serving consecutively three years. He has since officiated as Alderman several terms. He acted in the capacity of Chair-

man of the Board of Village Trustees two years be- fore the organization of the city. He has also been active in school affairs and has been School Trustee several years.

Mr. Hammond was born July 9, 1812, in Wards- boro, Windham Co., Vt., and is the son of Peter and Charlotte (Holbrook) Hammond. His father was in some respects the most remarkable individual in the history of Geneseo, and a detailed sketch of him has been placed on permanent record on these pages.

Mr. Hammond was a millwright and machinist in his native State, and after he came to Geneseo he devoted himself to the pursuit of a gunsmith. At that date an artisan of that craft was in demand for obvious reasons, and he made his business success- ful and prosperous.

His marriage to Polly Converse took place at Wardsboro, Vt., Jan. 23, 1834. Mrs. Hammond is the daughter of Joseph Converse, and she was born at Palmer, Mass. John Hammond, the only child born to Mr. and Mrs. Hammond, is a citizen of Geneseo. The parents are Unitarians in religious views.

Hr. Hammond was in the days of his early polit- ical preference a Henry Clay Whig, but on the es- tablishment of the Republican party he joined its ranks and has since been a faithful adherent of that element and aided as he could in support of its issues. He is a member of the Order of Masonry.

acob Jacobson, deceased, formerly a resi- dent of Weller Township, this county, was a native of Sweden, in which country he was born March 18, 1817. Mr. Jacobson spent his life on a farm in his native country until he attained the age of 29 years. He emigrated to this land of golden opportunity in 1846. and came directly to this county, locating at Bishop Hill. They came to the latter place from Chicago with teams, the women of the company riding, Mr. J. walking the entire distance. A Swedish colony was located at the place named, which Mr. Jacobson and family joined, and with whom they remained until its dissolution. Mr. Jacobson then engaged in general mercantile business with Swan Swanson,

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which partnership existed until 1873, when they- sold out.

In 1872 Mr. Jacobson was stricken with paralysis, from which he never fully recovered. He owned about 300 acres of land at the time of his death, the major portion of which was in an advanced state of cultivation. Mr. Jacobson's marriage occurred at Bishop Hill, this county, July 29, 1848, and the lady chosen as his helpmeet through life was Miss Helena Peterson. a native of Sweden, who came to this county and located at Bishop Hill at the same time Mr. Jacobson did. Their union was blessed with four children, only one of whom survived,- Jacob Jacobson, Jr. The demise of the three others occurred in infancy.

Mr. Jacobson was a member of the Methodist Church, of which denomination his wife is also a member. Politically, Mr. J. affiliates with the Re- publican party. He was Supervisor of his township, also Constable, and held other minor offices. His death occurred Dec. 15, 1883. His wife survives him, and resides on Weller Township.

esse Bolles, a manufacturer of boots and shoes at Orion and a Trustee of the vil- lage, was born in Thompson, Windham Co., Conn. His father, Dan Bolles, was a native of the same township, of New England ancestry and parentage, and of English de- scent. Jesse's grandfather, same name, was a native also of the " land of steady habits," was a shoemaker by vocation, and married, in that State, Hannah Nichols, a native of New England. They were con- siderably advanced in life when they settled in Thompson, Conn., where they passed the remainder of their days; the grandfather died at the age of 87 years, and the grandmother some years previous, at about the same age. The former had occupied the position of Steward at Brown University, in Provi- dence, R. I., and he also was for a time a resident of Woodstock, Conn.

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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 49

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