Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 56

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 56

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Henry Eger

Sarrah Egen

HENRY COUNTY.

467

in Clover Township, on section 7, 320 acres in Bar- ton Co., Kan., and 320 acres in Rush County, same State. We see from the number of acres of land owned by Mr. Shetler, that he is one of the largest land-owners, not only of his township, but in the county. Leaving home a poor boy, and having none to aid him in his financial operations, we may truth- fully say that his accumulations of property were at- tributable to his good judgment, energy and economy, and not to the assistance of friends and relatives.

Mr. Shetler was married March 11, 1869, to Miss Nancy J. Knox, a native of Pennsylvania. Their union has been blessed by the birth of five children, Edith M., William E., Fred C., Minerva G. and Laura B. Politically, Mr. Shetler is identified with the supporters of the Democratic party. Socially, he belongs to the I. O. O. F.

rancis H. Eyer, a farmer of the township of Annawan, is located on section 22, where he owns 240 acres of land in ad- vanced cultivation. He was born April 14, 1823, in Clear Creek Township, Warren Co., Ohio. His father, Francis H. Eyer, was born in 1760, in Germany, and in the year 1812 was mar- ried to Mary Nuble. She was born in 1764, in Rockingham Co., W. Va. Their marriage took place in Warren Co., Ohio, whither the elder Eyer went on coming to America. The deaths of the parents occurred respectively March 4, 1823, and Sept. 10, 1824, in the county where their marriage occurred. They had seven children, named Margaret, Mary, Christena, Catherine, Sarah, Francis H. and Nancy. Christena and Nancy are deceased ; Margaret lives in Madison Co., Ind .; Sarah lives in Warren Co., Ohio; Catherine is also resident of Warren Co., Ohio.

Mr. Eyer removed from the latter county to Henry County in 1857. He was previously married to Matilda F. Patton, their union in the bonds of mat- rimony taking place April 18, 1841. She died in Sept., 1850, in Warren County, after having borne three children,-William J., George W. and Sarah J. In 1851 Mr. Eyer was again married to Sarah Blinn, who is a native of Warren Co., Ohio, and was born June 20, 1831. The record of the births of their children is as follows : Mary E., Oct. 16, 1853; -

Annie L., Feb. 26, 1866; Charles E., April 24, 1868 ; and Jessie A., May 8, 1870. The family to which Mrs. Eyer belongs is of German origin. Her father, Daniel Blinn, was born in Ohio in 1802, and he married Elizabeth Fry on the 25th of May, 1829. She died Feb. 22, 1882, aged nearly 73 years.

The farm of Mr. Eyer is fitted with all necessary fixtures, including buildings and other appurtenances for successful agriculture. His cattle are chiefly thoroughbred, and consist of five Holsteins and a number of Short-horns ; his horses are Norman and English Draft. Mrs. Eyer is the owner of 146 acres of land in good condition for profitable operations.

Mr. Eyer is a Republican in political faith and connections, and in religious views is an adherent of the Church of the United Brethren. Mr. and Mrs. Eyer well represent that large class of well-to-do and prosperous farmers which we find in Henry County. Honesty, industry and good will toward all are prominent characteristics of these people. None hold a more worthy and honored place in the coun- try's record, and we present full-page portraits of each in connection with this sketch.

eorge Rummell, formerly an agriculturist of Henry County, is a resident of Geneseo. He has been a citizen of the county since the spring of 1852, and has been identified with its development for a third of a century. He was born in New Philadelphia, Ohio, Sept. II, 1819. His parents belonged to the farming class, and he was reared at home on the farm. At 19 he determined to learn a trade, and accordingly served the necessary time as a blacksmith. He made that his business for 14 years.

On coming to Henry County he settled on section 31, in the township of Atkinson. The land of which he became the possessor is situated in the townships of Cornwall, Atkinson and Geneseo, and comprises 310 acres. He was engaged in its management un- til his removal to the city of Geneseo, which trans- pired in 1873. He retains the ownership of his estate, but is not in active business. He has given considerable attention to the advancement of educa- tional affairs, and has served a number of terms as School Director. In political faith he is a Democrat. Mr. Rummell was married at New Philadelphia,

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HENRY COUNTY.

Ohio, in 1842, to Elizabeth, daughter of George and Christian Noel. She was a native of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Rummell had two children, both of whom were born in Ohio. Louisa, the youngest, died when 14 years old.

Marcus was born in Tuscarawas Co., Ohio, and came to Henry County with his father. He was reared on the farm in Atkinson Township, and was married in the sanie township in November, 1863, to Eliza J., daughter of John Gaines. She is a native of the State of Illinois. Their children comprise two sons and three daughters, and are named J. Arthur, Ethel, Bessie, Harry and Hattie. The two last are twins. The mother and three older children are members of the Presbyterian Church.

Until 1870 Mr. Rummell, the younger, was occu- pied in farming in the vicinity of Geneseo. In that year he engaged in the business in which he is at present operating. He is a dealer in musical mer- chandise, and is a resident of Geneseo.

ohn Jacob Gottsche, one of the prosper- ous citizens of the township of Hanna, is an excellent sample of what is meant by a self-made man. He inherited only the fate common to the class to which he belonged by birth in his native land, in which there was the inevitable struggle for existence without the smallest hope or chance to advance either in fame or fortune. The laws of Germany provide for the dis- posal of the time of a boy, but make no provision for him to enter the competitive struggle for ad- vacement which is the birthright of every human creature. He landed in the United States in 1854, and was the possessor of $40 wherewith to begin his life in a strange land. He is now (1885) the propri- etor of 240 acres of land, and while all credit is due to his efforts, good sense and energy, fairness entitles the "good wife " to her share of the honors. The children have added their assistance, and the worthy family rejoice in the results to which they have all contributed.

Mr. Gottsche was born June 18, 1812, in Holstein, Germany, and from the age of 6 to 16 he went to school principally. He then worked on a farm until 1854, when he sailed for the United States, He

passed 42 days on the ocean, and landed at the port of New York. He came with little delay to Chicago, and there engaged to go to the territory known to the laboring class as the Michigan Pineries. He passed a winter there, and worked during the ensuing sum- mer in a saw-mill. He came then to Moline and ob- tained employ in the same capacity. He was frugal and economical, and saved his earnings, and in 1860 made his first purchase of land. He bought at the outset but 20 acres, which were situated on section 3 of Hanna Township. Three years before he be- gan farming on land which he rented, and all the property he owned was a cow and a pair of oxen. His estate lies on sections 3, 9 and Io, in Hanna Township. The stock on the place includes eight milch cows, a number of young cattle and ten horses.

The marriage of Mr. Gottsche to Catherine Korb took place in 1857. Their children are four in num- ber; John is the oldest; Katie married Eugene Da- vis, and they live in Edford Township; Maggie mar- ried George Taylor, a farmer of Geneseo Township; and Henry is the youngest. Mrs. Gottsche is a na- tive of Hamburg, Germany. The family are mem- bers of the Lutheran Church.

H. Taylor, of Geneseo, was born Oct. 28, 1844, in Windham Co., Vt., and is the son 000 of Alfred and Martha (Hammond) Taylor. The parents were of New England origin, and were natives of Vermont. In 1854 they came to Illinois and located in Geneseo.

Mr Taylor was united in marriage to Ella H. Hume, at Geneseo, Jan. 30, 1873. She was born in Moline, Ill., and is the only daughter of S. T. Hume, M. D. Their two children are named Maurice H. and Louisa M. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are connected in membership with the Congregational Church. In politics Mr. Taylor is a radical Republican.

On arriving at the time when he desired to engage in business, Mr. Taylor chose the mercantile,in which he was interested until 1880, at which time he re- moved to Grinnell, Iowa, where he purchased 560 acres of land in the immediate vicinity of Grinnell and engaged in agricultural pursuits, and operated there until the cyclone of 1882, at which time he re-

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HENRY COUNTY.

turned to Geneseo. He still retains his property at Grinnell. On coming hither he embarked in the grain business, and became the successor of Messrs. Lawbaugh & Dillenbeck, one of the oldest firms in the county, and who were among the pioneer grain dealers at Geneseo. Mr. Taylor is the proprietor of the elevator, and has added a feed-mill to its ca- pacity. He is also interested in the sale of hard and soft coal. The capacity of the elevator is 65,000 bushels, and in good crop years Mr. Taylor handles from 200,000 to 300,000 bushels of grain. Steam power is employed, and a corn-sheller is connected with the establishment which has a capacity of 5,000 bushels per day.

letcher Van Auken, residing on section 28, Galva Township, was born July II, 1842, in Monroe Co., N. Y. The ances- tors of the Van Auken family, of which the subject of this sketch is a member, came from Holland and settled in Dutchess Co., N. Y., about 1836. They were members of a colony that were sent there by the Holland government, and a . portion of their posterity still reside there. Their descendants took an active part in the Revolution of the Colonies from the unjust government of the old country. The record shows that the grandfather, Aaron Van Auken, was a Revolutionary soldier, and, after the war, engaged in the occupation of a farmer in New York. He was married in that State, and died near Albany, as likewise did his wife, aged 102 years. They were the parents of three children, of whom Aaron, Jr., was the only son. He was born in 1800, in Albany Co., N. Y., and is yet living, in Knox County, this State, where he came in 1858. He was for a time Superintendent of a section of the Erie Canal, and held the office of Justice of the Peace, and likewise participated in the War of 1812, being in the engagement at Sackett's Harbor. He married Catherine Ostrander, a native of Lowell, who is still living, at the venerable age of 82 years. She bore him six children,-Calvin, Anna, Wesley, Martha, William Harrison and Fletcher.

Fletcher, the subject of our notice, was reared in Rochester, N. Y., where he received his early edu- cation. At the age of 17 years, he came to Knox

County, this State, in 1858, with his parents, and has continually been engaged in the occupation of a farmer ever since that time. He first purchased land in McLean County, which he farmed for two years, then sold it and bought in Woodford County, lived in the latter county four years, sold his land and then came to Galva Township, this county. On arriving here, he purchased 123 acres of the old Bonham homestead, the oldest settler in Galva Township, which is located on section 28, where he is at present residing. Previous to this he had lived from 1866 to 1876, one mile southwest of Galva, on a farm owned by his father.

Mr. Van Auken was married in Knox County, Oct. 18, 1863, to Miss Margaret A., daughter of Joseph Armstrong, a native of Durham Co., England. She has borne him three children, viz. : Frank, Unnie and Ermina. The latter died aged eight years. Mrs. Van Auken is a member of the Chris- tian Church. Politically, Mr. V. is a sympathizer with the principles of the Democratic party, and, socially, he is a member of the A. F. & A. M. be- longing to Galva Lodge, No. 243.

R oyal M. Wilcox, a farmer on section 20, Geneseo Township, has been a resident in Henry County since 1842. In that year he came to Geneseo to make the brick for the seminary building. He was the pioneer in in that line of business in the county. He is a native of the State of New York and was born in Bergen, Genesee County, May 30, 1816. He was the son of Titus and Sarah (Stafford) Wilcox. His father died when he was two years old, and not long after the second marriage of his mother placed him under the charge of a step-father. The reconstructed family went to Riga, in the same State, and there Mr. Wilcox passed the remaining years of his mi- nority. His step-father was a farmer and also a brick-maker, and he was instructed in both arts. When he was 21 he set out to operate in his own be- half and passed the few years next ensuing in the pursuits in which he had been trained. He found employ at different points in his native State until the year preceding that in which he came to Henry County. He spent a part of the year 1841 in Mich-

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HENRY COUNTY.

igan and came thence to Geneseo. He opened a brick-yard for the purpose that has been mentioned and was occupied in its management several years. In 1848 he bought a tract of land on section 20, in the same township, on which 30 acres had been placed under the plow. It was also fenced. In 1850 he built a frame house of ample dimensions, of which his family took possession, and the place has sinec constituted the homestead. Mr. Wilcox has devoted his entire time to his agricultural projects and has made all necessary and suitable improvements on his farm until it is in excellent condition. He gives much attention to stock-breeding. His marriage to Hannah Wright occurred April 6, 1847. Her birth took place in Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., Feb. 6, 1830, and her parents were John and Anna (Hunt) Wright. They were natives of the Empire State. Following is the account of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Wil- cox : George A. married Alice Batchelder and they reside at Logansport, Ind .; Frank D. married Lu Seymour and is a citizen of Elgin; Flora S. is the wife of Edwin C. Jones. They are residents of El- gin. Marion L., Jessie V., Royal P. and Lucy May are the names of the younger children, who are un- married. All the members of the family are con- nected with the Congregational Church. Politically, Mr. W. is a Republican.

A bram H. Follett, a farmer of Henry County, resident at Atkinson, is the owner of 80 acres of land in the township of Cornwall and also of the residence occupied by his family in the village of Atkinson. He was born April 30, 1808, in Rensselaer Co., N. Y. He had only the limited advantages of the dis- trict schools, and at the age of 17 he entered upon an apprenticeship to learn the trade of a tailor. Af- ter spending three years in the business, he went to Essex Co., N. Y. He was there married to Lorain E. Meacham, Feb. 1, 1829. She was born in East Poultney, Rutland Co., Vt., in the town where Hor- ace Greeley learned the art of printing in the news- paper office of A. Bliss. The father of Mrs. Follett, William Meacham, was born in Massachusetts and was the son of one of those who lost their lives at the battle of Bunker Hill. Mr. and Mrs. Follett are

the parents of four children now living. They have lost three by death. Mary Janette, was born Dec. 22, 1829; John M., March 18, 1832; William, March 28, 1834 (the latter was a soldier in the' Union army and was killed at the battle of Resaca, Ga.); Melville C., June 7, 1836 ; Sarah F., Oct. 30, 1838; Maria I., Aug. 16, 1841; Martha E., May 14, 1843. All three of the boys were in the Union army.

Mr. and Mrs. Follett are members of the Congre- gational Church. He is a Republican in his political connections.

saac D. Ruggles, a farmer of Geneseo Township, resident in the city of Geneseo, came to Henry County in 1856. He was born June 17, 1823, in Rutland, Vt. He re- presents one of the most prominent names in the business history of the East, as his father, Draper Ruggles, was the senior member of the firm of Ruggles, Nourse & Mason, the pioneer inanufac- turers of agricultural machinery on the American Continent. His mother, previous to her marriage, was named Nancy Corbett. His father removed to Worcester, Mass., when he, the son, was i2 years of age, and in the same year the business, which has been referred to, was established. The relations of the firm grew to extensive dimensions, and employed 300 hands.

As he attained to a suitable age, Mr. Ruggles acted as an assistant in the shops at Worcester, and also as a salesman in the ware-rooms in the city of Boston, and he was thus engaged until he was 18. He then carried out a resolution to try a seafaring life, and he became a sailor in the merchant service. He sailed from Boston to the East Indies, to the Mediterranean Sea, and to South America. He was in the ocean service about four years, and reached the position of second mate of a full-rigged ship. On relinquishing the idea of making a seaman's life the object of his ambition, he resumed his relations with the business of his father. He operated there until three years had expired, and then took charge of the homestead in Westborough, Mass., and was engaged in that line until 1852, when he went to Indiana. He there operated as a farmer, and also in the manufac- ture of farming implements three years.

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HENRY COUNTY.

In. 1855 he came to Geneseo. He bought a farm near the city of which he was the occupant three years, and he then sold the property and removed to Davenport, Iowa. After two years he returned to Geneseo, and purchased the estate he has since owned, and resided in the city. When the foundry firm of Hammond & White had been in operation about a year, Mr. Ruggles became an owner of a third interest by purchase, and the firm name was changed to Hammond, White & Co.

In political views, Mr. Ruggles coincides with the Republicans. He was formerly a Whig. He is tolerant in his religious proclivities, having been brought up to accept the creed of the Unitarians.

He was joined in marriage, by the Rev. Edward Everett Hale, with Catharine G. Crawford, at Wor- cester, Mass., in 1846. Mrs. Ruggles was born in Rockland, Me. Their children were born as fol- lows : Ella F. was born at Worcester, and is a resident at Geneseo ; Katie was born in Westborough, and is the wife of John Scott, a citizen of Chicago; the sons Henry and Edward were born in Indiana ; the former is in Chicago, and the latter married Clara Carl, and is the resident manager of his father's farm ; the two younger children were born in Geneseo; William married Martha Cressey, and is following the profession of a painter in the city of Chicago; and Emma is the wife of Charles C. Flint, of Chicago.

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ohn Henderson. This gentleman is largely identified with the farming interests of Henry County. His home farm is on sec- tion 15, of Oxford Township. He was born in Indiana Co., Pa., Sept. 9, 1831. Brice and Anna (Thomas) Henderson, his parents, were natives of the Keystone State and by occupation farmers. They passed their lives in their native State, and at the above mentioned vocation.

John received a good ordinary education at com- mon schools, and at the age of 20 bid farewell to the old home and embarked in life for himself. For five years he engaged in farming on shares. In 1856, he came to Illinois, and soon made a location at Orion, Henry County, where he worked out by the month until 1860. He then purchased the place where he is now living, which consisted of 80 acres at that

time. To this he has added 160 acres, and has erected a fine residence, built barn, set out orchards and shade-trees, built fences and improved his farm until it to-day ranks among the valuable estates of the county, being worth $15,000. Politically, Mr. H. is a Republican, and is recognized as one of the repre- sentative men of his community.

In 1861, Jan. 10, our subject was married to Miss Eliza Cox, a native of this State. To them have been born five children, four of whom are living and bear the following names: Frank, William T. S., Jennie and Fannie. Annie is deceased.

ra R. Wells, M. D., has been a practicing physican at Geneseo since 1860 and of the county since 1850. He was born Feb. 18, 1820, at Shawneetown, Ill., and is the son of Joel and Mary (Edwards) Wells. His father, Joel Wells, removed his family to Illinois in the last of its Territorial days and the same year in which it was made a State. The father was born Aug. 1, 1775, at Deerfield, Mass.

He was married in his native State May 8, 1797, and his wife was a descendant of the celebrated divine, Jonathan Edwards. She was born at Deer- field, Mass., Feb. 9, 1778. Soon after their marriage they removed to Windham Co., Vt., and were among the pioneers of the Green Mountain State. They went thence to the (then) village of Buffalo, whence they were driven by the burning of the place during the progress of the War of 1812, their entire per- sonal belongings being at that time destroyed. They went to Cincinnati, and were there residents until 1818, when they came to Illinois and located at Shawneetown in Gallatin County. In 1827 they moved to Galena, whither they traveled overland, crossing the Illinois River at the point where Peoria now stands, and where there was then only a single log house. An Indian ferryman took the party over the Rock River, crossing where Dixon is now lo- cated. After a stay of a year at Galena they went to Moline, where the family was the first to make a permanent settlement. The father died there Sept. 3, 1838. The mother's death transpired Dec. 4, 1846. At the time they located at Moline the family included four sons and three daughters.

HENRY COUNTY.

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Dr. Wells was a child of eight years when his parents settled in Moline. He received his primary education in the common school and in 1838, when he was 18 years old, he fulfilled a long-cherished in- tention to enter upon the study of medicine .and he began his reading in the office and under the pre- ceptorship of Dr. Gregory, of Rock Island. Subse- quently, he took a course of lectures at the Medical College at New Orleans and finished his studies at the University of the City of New York. He was graduated at the latter institution with the class of 1846, and received the authority of one of the most prominent of the medical colleges of this country to enter upon the career of a practitioner. He had es- tablished his business at Polo, in Ogle Co., Ill., in 1840, and after operating there two years he went to Missouri, where he remained seven years. While there he attended the University of the City of New York. After receiving his credentials as a Doctor of Medicine, he opened an office at Moline and prose- cuted the duties of his profession three years. In 1849 he went to California, and during his stay there of one year he practiced among the miners. He then came to Henry County and commenced the practice of his profession in Green River. He re- mained there ten years, and in 1860 came to Gen- eseo. Since the beginning of his relations as a physician and surgeon with the people of that place, he has had an uninterrupted career of success and has firmly established himself in the confidence of his patrons.

In political faith and connections he has been a Democrat since he began to vote. He has been County Supervisor two years, and has officiated one term as Mayor of Geneseo. He was Postmaster at Moline three years-from 1846 to 1849-and after his removal to Petersburg, Mo., he held the same position there five years. During the progress of the war he operated as Hospital Surgeon at Mound- City some time. He has been active in the interests of the Medical Societies of Iowa and Illinois, and has been the presiding officer of those bodies as well as a member of the American Medical Associa- tion. He has acted as County Physician 12 years.

Dr. Wells has been twice married. He became the husband of Susan L. Wells in October, 1840, at Rock Island. She was born in Massena, St. Law- rence Co., N. Y., and was the daughter of Elihu Wells. The issue of this marriage was five children,;

all of whom are living but one. George V. married Jennie McCurdy and they live in Chicago, where he is occupied in the business of a commission mer- chant. Helen is the wife of Geo. W. Baker, of Gen- eseo. They have four children : Phebe married Dr. H. T. Antes and is the mother of two children ; Joseph E. married Elizabeth Sheriff, of Geneseo, and they are residents of Galena. They have two chil- dren, both sons; Henry V. was killed by a runaway horse when he was seven years old. The mother died Jan. 13, 1857, and the second marriage of Dr. Wells to Martha J. Graham, took place at Rock Island, July 25, 1857. Two children have been born to them. Henry, the eldest, died when he was four years of age. Mary is a teacher by profession. Mrs. Wells is the daughter of Joseph and Phebe (Madison) Graham, and, in the maternal line of de- scent is a descendant of President Madison. She was born in Gainesville, N. Y. The family are com- municants of the Episcopal Church.

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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 56

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