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 65
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After the war was over Mr. Gaster returned to Galva, and once more entered upon the peaceful pursuits of life. He again engaged in milling, which he followed for some time, and in the winter of 1872 went into the grocery business, which he followed for about a year. In 1883, Feb. 27, he was appointed Postmaster at Galva by President Chester A. Arthur, which position he has held until the present time.
Mr. Gaster formed a matrimonial alliance Aug. 10, 1865, in Tiskilwa, Bureau Co., Ill., with Miss Amy A. Greeley, daughter of Moses P. Greeley, an old settler of Peoria County and also of Bureau County. Her father came to Bureau County in 1853, and died at Tiskilwa, Dec. 27, 1862.
The progenitors of the Greeley family were three brothers, who came from England. Horace Greeley claimed to be a descendant from one of the brothers, and the family to which the parents of Mrs. Gaster belonged descended from another of the three broth- ers. Mrs. Gaster was born May 25, 1841, in Buda, Bureau County, this State. Of her union with Mr. Gaster four children have been born,-Chloe M., Cora J., William and Nellie O.
Mr. and Mrs. Gaster are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically, he is a Republican, and socially a member of the G. A. R., of which organization he is Senior Vice Commander.
ames Fell, who is farming on section 5, Burns Township, was born in Scotland, May 22, 1832. When an ambitious young man of 20 years of age, he determined to come to the New World. After arriving on our shores he soon made his way to Stark Co., Ill. For four years he remained there, engaged in agricultural pursuits, when, in 1856, he came to Henry County and located in Cornwall Township.
Here he remained for six years, when we again find him in Stark County. For two years he made that place his home, when he was again attracted to Corn- wall, where he passed another two years. He then came to Burns Township, where he has since lived, and where he is the owner of 360 acres of land, all tillable. He has held several of the minor offices of the township, and is regarded as one of the solid, well-to-do men of Burns.
Mr. Fell was married while living in Cornwall Township, to Miss Hattie Campbell, a lady of Scotch ancestry, and who was born in Ross Co., Ohio, Jan. 22, 1841. Their marriage occurred on the 19th of October, 1858. James W., Walter A. and John C. are the names of their three children. Mrs. Fell is a member of the Free-Will Baptist Church, and po- litically Mr. Fell is a Republican.
oseph Morton. This gentleman is devoting his attention to general farming and the raising of stock upon section 2, Western Township. He is the son of Zalmuna and Clarissa (Moshall) Morton, who were natives respectively of Massachusetts and New Jersey. Both had, however, gone to Cincinnati, Ohio, previ- ous to their marriage, which event was celebrated about the year 1823. His father was a merchant and contractor, and after their marriage they lived at the Queen City for some years, when they moved to Butler Co., Ohio, and located at Middleton. In the autumn of 1848 the family canie to Adams Co., Ill., and settled upon a farm near Quincy, where they spent the remainder of their lives, both parents dying in 1854. They were interred at the cemetery at Columbus, Adams County. Three of the older brothers continued to reside in that county, two sis- ters in Henry County, and one near Greenfield, Iowa.
Joseph Morton lived at home with his parents, attending school at the Methodist Seminary and Presbyterian High School, then located at Quincy. At the age of 21 he began teaching school in Adams County, and followed the profession for nine years, when he turned his attention to farming, having during the meantime married, as he desired to " set- tle down " in life. Miss Margaret J. Cate, daughter
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of Joseph and Sarah J. (Wilson) Cate, was the lady of his choice. The ceremony took place at the resi- dence of Mr. Cate, near Hamilton, Hancock Co., Ill., on the 13th of October,11868. Mr. Cate and his wife were both natives of New Hampshire, and were early pioneers to Illinois, coming in 1837, and were married a year later. The former is deceased, and Mrs. Cate is living near Hamilton. Mrs. Morton was born near Quincy, Dec. 10, 1841. She resided at' home, attending the school at Quincy and at Hamilton, and began to teach when a young lady, which profession she followed until her marriage. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Morton has been blessed by eight children, one only of whom is deceased. Clarissa "Jennie " is the name of the eldest, and the others were born in the following order : George M., Clarence E., Lewella A., Margaret " Josie," Horatio H., Joseph R., and Henry A., deceased.
In 1872, four years after his marriage, Mr. Morton came from Geneseo Township, this county, where he had lived for three years, to Western Township, having puschased 160 acres of land in the year 1856 on section 2, where he has since lived and been a successful farmer. He also has another quarter- section of land, which is pretty well improved, in Republic Co., Kan. Both Mr. and Mrs. Morton are members of the Lutheran Church, and Mr. M. is Clerk and Treasurer of the congregation, and Clerk of the Board of his district.
amuel Pettit, a well known agriculturist of Annawan Township and an old pioneer of this section of the county, who resides on seetion 32, was born in Cambridgeshire, Eng., Jan. 7, 1821. He spent 11 years of service in the English army, and for six years was sta- tioned in Canada. However, quite early in the set- tlement of the fertile prairies of Henry County, he found his way here in 1855, and secured a quarter of section 32, of Annawan Township. At that time this was but partially improved. Here he has made his home ever since and developed his farm to a good state of cultivation.
While living in Canada, Mr. Pettit met and was married to Mrs. Sophronia Rohrer, a native of the Dominion. She was born July 15, 1820, and was
married April 8, 1855. They became the parents of eight children, a record of whom is given as follows : Priscilla Rohrer was born Feb. 17, 1841; Alveretta Rohrer, Jan. 8, 1853; Alfred W. Pettit, Aug. 8, 1853; David N., Sept. 25, 1854; Sarah E., July 29, 1856; Alvin A., March 1, 1858; John M., Jan. 6, 1860; Giles M., May 6, 1863. Alvin married Miss Eliza- beth Carter, June 1, 1881, and they have one child, Eslie A., born June 27, 1883. Mrs. Alvin Pettit was born Feb. 25, 1861. The family are members of the Baptist Church, and all of them are strongly imbued with the political sentiments of the Repub- lican party.
homas Reese, a farmer on section 29, Co- lona Township, has been a citizen of Henry County since 1856. He is a native of Caermarthen, Wales, and was born Sept. 26, 1835. His parents were natives of the same country, and their names were'Rollin and Lucy (Bowen) Reese.
Mr. Reese was reared to manhood on the farm o his father in the county of his nativity, and at the age of 14 he entered the mines in the vicinity and was employed in the Welsh collieries until 1854. In that year he came to the United States. He went to Ohio, where he obtained work in the coal mines, and remained there until 1856, the year in which he came to Henry County. He first engaged in coal- mining in the Aldrich mine in the township of Geneseo, where he operated three years, and at the end of that time he went to Coal Valley, and was similarly employed there until 1865. He had saved his earnings with the purpose of some time engaging in some other avenue of employ or in some other mode of life, and in the last year he bought a farm lying on sections 29 and 32. The place had a house on it and his family were its occupants until 1876. Mr. Reese had prospered in his agricultural opera- tions, and had meanwhile purchased the southeast quarter of section 29, on which a portion of his farm was already situated, and in the year named the household took possession of the house on the new farm. Mr. Reese is the proprietor of 320 acres of land, all in excellent condition, well fenced and with pasture for the supply of the stock on the place.
He has never married. His parents and several
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P
nities for accumulating anything by such means is meagre at all times, but especially so in pioneer times, when people had but very little money ; and the early settlers themselves were sturdy, vigorous and hard-working men. Mr. Parsons, however, must have saved a little, for we soon find him in this county, and the owner of 80 acres of land. He erected good buildings on his farm, which now com- prises 70 acres of good tillable land.
Shortly after he removed to Henry County, Mr. Parsons felt that the wisest course for him to pursue was to secure the advice, assistance and help of a good wife. This he found in the person of Miss Mary D. Carroll, the date of the wedding being Oct. 21, 1857, in Henry County. Mrs. Parsons is the daughter of Anthony W. and Belinda (Root) Carroll. The former was a native of Pennsylvania, while her mother was a Massachusetts lady. Her parents settled in Licking Co., Ohio, where her mother died May 27, 1865. Her father went West, and died at Olathe, Kan., April 27, 1822. Mrs. Parsons was the eldest of a large family, consisting of eight children, and was born in Muskingum Co., Ohio, April 2, 1827. She has been an active, enterprising lady in the community as well as an excellent wife. She has served her district in the capacity of School Director for two years. Both herself and husband are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
eonard H. Richards made his first pur- chase of land in Henry County in 1870. He was born in Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., April 11, 1836. He is the fourth son of John M. and Mary (Morfit) Richards. His father was born in the State of Vermont and his mother in Connecticut. They were among the earliest settlers in the State of New York and of the county where their son was born. The senior bought land in the dense timber, where he cleared a farm, and was its owner and occupant until he removed his family to Erie County, in the same State, in 1848. They con- tinued to live there until 1856, when they came to Illinois and located in Whiteside County. They settled in the vicinity of Leon, where the parents passed the remaining years of their lives. They died in 1866 and 1868 respectively.
Mr. Richards came to Illinois on his own account when 18. He rented a farm in Cook County in the township of Lyons. He operated there two years, and in 1856 came to Whiteside County. . He was a farmer there until the second year of the Civil War. August 14 he enlisted in Co. D, 75th Ill. Vol. Inf., and continued in the military service of the United States until the war was ended. He was a partici- pant in the battles of Mission Ridge, Buzzard's Roost, Dalton, Kenesaw Mountain, Lookout Moun- tain and Nashville. He received an honorable dis- charge June 12, 1865. On being mustered out he returned to Whiteside County, and continued to operate there until the year that has been mentioned as that in which he came to the township of York- town. He made a purchase of land on section 3, where he has since prosecuted his farming projects. He is engaged in what is known as mixed husbandry and is also occupied in rearing horses and cattle.
Mr. Richards was married Sept. 26, 1861, to Hor- tensia Sabin. She was born in Portage Co., Ohio, Sept. 7, 1843. Otis W. and Stella M. are the names of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Richards.
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ichard Williamson, a farmer on section 6, in the townshipof Munson, came to Henry County in 1856. He was born in the township of Kingwood, in Hunterdon Co., N. J., Aug. 4, 1817. His parents, Derrick and Catharine (Lafler) Williamson, were born in the same State, and were residents of the same town- ship until he was 14, when they removed to Amwell Township, in that part of Hunterdon County which has since been set off to Mercer County. That was his home through the remaining years of his minor- ity, and he was reared on the homestead estate. He became his own master at the age of 19, and he readily obtained employment in the neighborhood, where he had lived long enough to become well known.
Sept. 13, 1845, he was married to Amanda P. Quick. She was born in the township of Hopewell, in (then) Hunterdon County, and is the daughter of Joseph and Phebe (Primmer) Quick. The day of her birth was Jan. 29, 1825. The young couple rented a farm in Mercer County, and were farmers there until their removal to Illinois, in the year which
J. L. Jennings
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has been mentioned. Mr. Williamson bought 122 acres of land in Munson Township, for which he paid $15 per acre. It was located on the section on which he has since lived, and was in an uncultivated condition. He erected a farm house, and entered with the greatest vigor into the work of improve- ment. All of the estate is now under cultivation, and is all fenced. Many trees have been set out of several kinds, and the place is a fair manifestation of the good judgment and industrious perseverance of the proprietor.
The family of Mr. Williamson comprises two children. Calvin J. was born in Hopewell Town- ship, in Mercer Co., N. J., Oct. 26, 1847. He mar- ried Sarah McCarthy, and they have two children,- Lillie and Laura C. Sallie was born in the same township, Oct. 7, 1856, and she is the wife of Jacob Winans, who is also a native of the same State. They live in the township of Cambridge, in Henry County.
The parents belong to the Presbyterian Church.
illiam Roberts, farmer, section 16, Burns Township. In the year 1833 there jour- neyed westward from New York in the the old mode of conveyance a family headed by Michael Roberts. He and his wife, who was formerly Miss Minerva Atchison, had six children at that time, the youngest of whom, or the next to the youngest rather, was William. This infant grew up to be William Roberts, the gentle- man whose name heads this biography. He was born in Monroe Co., N. Y., Nov 5, 1831. His parents stopped for a time in Peoria Co., Ill., but soon moved into Fulton County, where they lived and were well known for a number of years. In 1854 they came into Henry County and settled upon a piece of land in Burns Township, where the family have since made their home. Mr. Roberts has a nice farm here of 12 1 acres, all of which is tillable. He has erected fine farm buildings, and is looked upon as an enterprising farmer. His parents, Michael and Minerva (Atchison) Roberts, were also natives of Monroe Co., N. Y., and William was the sixth of a family of 12 children born to them, and at the time they moved West he was but two years old.
While living in Fulton County, Mr. Roberts and Miss Esther Green were united in marriage. This important event in their lives occurred Dec. 30, 1852. The lady was born in Niagara Co., N. Y., on Christmas Day of 1837, and is a daughter of William and Esther (Atchison) Green, also natives of the Empire State, and the second of their four children. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts have had six children, name- ly : Ida I., Emma L., Frank E., Eimer E., Laura V. and Roscoe. Ida and Frank are deceased.
Mr. and Mrs. R. are members of the Free-Will Baptist Church, and in political sentiment Mr. Rob- erts is inclined toward the Republican party.
ohn L. Jennings. In 1850 Mr. Levi Jen- nings, who was a native of Virginia, came with his family to Henry County. Among his children was a lad ten years of age, who has since become a prominent and active cit- izen of the county. The name of this lad was John L. Jennings, who to-day resides upon section 7 of Burns Township, and owns a magnificent farm of 320 acres. The wife of Levi Jennings was Susan H., nee Shepherd, a native of Ohio.
John L., as might be expected, during the early years of his life enjoyed only meager advantages for an education. He was, however, permitted to attend the Lombard University at Galesburg, and at the the age of 20 started out to earn his own livelihood. He engaged in agricultural pursuits principally, and has been a resident here since 1850, when he came to Henry County, as above stated. He is the owner and proprietor of 320 acres of good tillable land, hav- ing built upon the same fine buildings, and he is regarded as one of the leading and enterprising farmers of Burns Township.
Mr. Jennings was first married at Toulon, Stark Co., Ill., in September of 1860, to Mary J. Collins. His second marriage occurred at Princeton, Ill., in August, 1867, to Mary J. Beck. Jan. 28, 1875, he was married to his present wife, Sarah E. Oliver. He is the father of two children, John L., Jr., and Roy F. Aug. 15, 1862, when President Lincoln called for more troops, Mr. Jennings enlisted in Co. H, 112th Ill. Vol. Inf., and served his country brave- ly for three years. He served as Color Sergeant of the regiment, and at the battle of Knoxville, Tenn.,
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Nov., 1863, he was wounded in the thigh, and at the battle of Eutaw Creek, Ga., received a wound in the right leg, and at the battle of Franklin. Tenn., Nov. 30, 1864, he was again a victim of a rebel missile, receiving a wound in the stomach. Mr. Jennings is a member of the G. A. R., and is identified with A. Dunn Post, of Cambridge. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and politically, has been identified with the Republican party, but is now a Free-Trader.
R oyal G. Crouch came to the township of Atkinson, where he is an agriculturist, in in 1878. He has a farm of 160 acres on section 16, where he is pursuing his plans with the success his industry and good man- agement deserve. He was born March 2, 1831, in the State of Vermont, and his property gives evidence that he has inherited the practical judgment and thrifty habits which characterize the stock in which he had his origin. When he reached the age of 20 he learned the trade of a brick and plaster ma- son. He served his apprenticeship in Rutland, Vt., and after passing three years in that place he went to Troy, N. Y., and was occupied there one year in the same vocation. He came thence to Henry
County and worked at the same business in Gene- seo, where he operated as a contractor and took jobs. In the year 1878 he bought a farm of 160 acres in Atkinson Township and has been a resident there since. He is a Republican in his political views.
The marriage of Mr. Crouch and Mary E. Hunt was celebrated Jan. 1, 1855. They have had five children. Mary Edna was born June 1, 1856; George H., Sept. 10, 1857; Herbert R., July 25, 1862; David W., April 9, 1859; Merritt G., Nov. 17, 1874. Mrs. Crouch was born in Vermont Oct. 15, 1835. She is a Congregationalist in religious views.
illiam Sherrard, proprietor of 168 acres of good farm land, located on section 36, Osco Township, where he follows the vo- cation of an agriculturist, is one of the suc- cessful farmers as well as the respected citizens of Henry County. The parents of Mr. Sherrard, whose name stands at the head of this sketch, were David and Elizabeth (Gilbert) Sherrard, natives of Pennsylvania and Scotland respectively.
They were married and settled in Pennsylvania, and subsequently emigrated to Mercer County, this State, in 1853, where they resided until their deaths.
The gentleman of whom we write was the second child in order of birth in a family of seven children, and was born in Franklin Co., Pa., Dec. 12, 1812. At the age of 18, he was apprenticed for three years to learn the blacksmith's trade, and followed the same for three years, after which he engaged in farming. He first purchased a farm in Lawrence Co., Pa., on which he resided and cultivated until 1865. In the spring of that year he came to this county and bought 168 acres of land in Osco Town- ship. On this land he located with his family and entered vigorously and energetically upon its im- provement and cultivation, and has continued to re- side thereon until the present time, meeting with success in his chosen vocation, agriculture. His farm presents the appearance of energy, and is in- dicative of what may be accomplished by one pos- sessed of the push and energy of its proprietor.
The marriage of Mr. Sherrard took place in Law- rence Co., Pa., and the lady selected to accompany him through the trials of the future was Miss Eliza- beth, the accomplished daughter of Samuel and Mary (Hazen) Baldwin, natives of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Sherrard was born in Lawrence Co., Pa., July 18, 1817, and has borne her husband 12 children, namely : Joseph R., S. Theo, David S., Sarah, John C., Lou, George W., Gilbert L. and James F. are the living, and William, James and an infant are de- ceased. Joseph R. resides in Pennsylvania; S. Theo is a resident of Iowa ; and David S. lives in Kansas; Sarah became the wife of James M. Wel- ton, who resides in Osco Township; John C. is liv- ing in Cambridge Township; Lou is the wife of Merritt Welton, a resident of Iowa; George W. re- sides at home with his father; and Gilbert L. is living in Kansas, while James F. resides in Ohio.
Mrs. Sherrard died in Osco Township, April 14, 1865, and Mr. Sherrard was again married, in Penn- sylvania, in October, 1869, to Angeline Cunningham, a native of Pennsylvania. She died in Osco Town- ship, July 2, 1881, and Mr. Sherwood formed a third matrimonial alliance, in Munson Township, this county, Nov. 24, 1883, with Mrs. Barbara Walker, widow of David Walker, who was killed July 24, 1881, by a team running away with a reaper. He was in the act of unhitching the horses, when they
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started to run, throwing him on the machine, which caused his death.
Mr. Sherrard and wife are members of the Presby- terian Church, as likewise was Mr. S.'s second wife, his first wife having been a member of the Baptist Church. Politically, Mr. Sherrard is a believer in and a supporter of the principles advocated by the Republican party.
obert W. Wolever. As early as 1837, John E. Wolever, the father of our subject, came from New York to Illinois, and eventually became one of the prominent pioneers of Henry County. John E. was born in Warren Co., N. Y., Oct. 2, 1809, and on coming to Illinois located at Rochester, Peoria County, at the place now known as Elmore. He lived here for a number of years, and in 1852 came north, and found a location at Geneseo, where, how- ever, he only remained for about six months, when he removed to Galva. The railroad was just being built through this place, and considerable induce- ments were held out to him to start a hotel. This he did, and opened the Galva House, which he con- ducted with some success for three years, when he sold out his hotel interests, and made some other im- provements in the village. He remained in Galva until the spring of 1860, when he sold his property there, and bought 166 acres on sections 4 and 5 of Cornwall Township. It was at the time slightly im- proved, but he made large additions in the way of improvements, and brought it to a high state of culti- vation. In 1834 he married Miss Margaret Hul- sizer, who was born March 4, 1819. Her death oc- curred on the 8th of May, 1880, his demise being on the 4th of October, 1844, leaving a splendid record as a pioneer and worthy citizen.
Robert W. Wolever, who is farming on section 4, of Cornwall Township, was born while his parents were living in Peoria County, the date of his birth being Nov. 23, 1844. He remained with his parents until he gained his majority, with the exception of the time spent in the army. The President kept calling for troops, and although Robert was but 16 years of age, yet he was determined to shoulder the musket. He joined Co. H, 57th Ill. Vol. Inf., under Capt.
Robbins, of Bureau County, and was mustered in at Camp Douglas, Chicago, Dec. 26, 1861. During the following winter, Feb. 10, 1862, his regiment started for Fort Donelson, and he participated in that fight. He then proceeded to Pittsburg Landing, and took part in the battle of Shiloh, where the 57th lost very heavily. He also took part in the siege of Cor- inth, and remained in that place until Nov. 12, 1863, when he was ordered to Middle Tennessee, and as- signed to garrison duty, while Sherman was prepar- ing his campaign to Atlanta. He served in the At- lanta campaign, and engaged in all its eventful battles. He then did garrison duty at Rome, Ga., and in June, 1864, was in the battle of Altoona. On Dec. 26, of that year, he was discharged at Savan- nah, Ga., and was mustered out at Chicago, June 10, 1865.
Shortly after his return home, Mr. Wolever was married to Miss Mahala Fry, daughter of Abraham and Margaret Fry, pioneers of Henry County. Their wedding occurred Oct. 21, 1865. Mrs. Wolever be- came the mother of one child, Cora, who was born Aug. 9, 1866. In less than a year, May 23, 1867, the mother died. Mr. Wolever subsequently mar- ried Miss Rosena Foster. Their wedding occurred on the 23d of September, 1868. Four children have been born to them, as follows : Eletha, May 9, 1869; Lotta, Aug. 5, 1871 ; Calvin F., June 16, 1875, and Lucy, May 26, 1881.
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