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 88
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In 1868 President Johnson appointed him Chief Justice of Utah, and from that time to 1870 he pre- sided with ability and to the entire satisfaction of the Bar of that Territory and credit to himself; but, differing somewhat with General Grant as to the Executive's right to dictate to the Judiciary, he, in August of 1870, resigned and came home. Judge "Wilson has always been characteristic for his public spirit, and in his profession occupies a high stand- point. For several years he was president of the Kewanee Manufacturing Company, and was one of the three men who organized the Anderson Steam Heater Company, now known as the Haxtun Steam Heater Company.
He is a Republican of the most pronounced type, a speaker of rare force and ability, fully abreast with the times in all public affairs, and is strongly spoken of as the probable successor of General T. J. Hen- derson in Congress.
Judge Wilson was married at Wrentham, Mass., Jan. 20, 1850, to Miss Maria N. Benham, a native of Vermont, and has had born to him seven children : Jennie M., Abbie E., Mrs. S. P. Samuelson, of New Windsor, Ill .; Laura M., Charles E., Cora A., George F. and Edward H.
P. Taylor, M. D., of Woodhull, one of the most successful practicing physicians on the eye, was born July 1, 1834, in the State of Pennsylvania. His parents, Michael and Sally (Persing) Taylor, were natives also of that State, but removed from there to Morrow Co., Ohio, in 1844, and in 1851 came West, settling in Monmouth, Warren Co., Ill. In 1852, they removed to Clover Township, this county, where the senior
Taylor is yet a resident. Mrs. Taylor died here in 1875.
Dr. Taylor, by his own efforts in private study, at- tained a thorough education. In 1861, he com- menced to study medicine in Carlisle, Clinton Co., Ill., and in 1864 graduated at the St. Louis Medical College. Immediately after he was appointed Acting Assistant Surgeon in the U. S. Navy, for 18 months, holding the position of a staff officer until the close of the war. The Doctor is a fine oculist, having made the study and treatment of the eye a specialty. He is also the proprietor of a drug store in the vil- lage of Woodhull, in which place he has been a resi- dent since the war closed. He has just completed a fine residence in the village, at a cost of $3,000.
He is also the proprietor of 120 acres of land in Clover Township, this county, and a half section in Kansas. He is a Democrat in his political principles, is a member of the G. A. R., and, though not a mem- ber of any religious denomination, is liberal to all sects and especially to all the public enterprises tend- ing to the comfort or improvement of humanity.
Mr. Taylor was married in 1865 to Miss Ellen Russell, a native of St. Louis, Mo., and their five children are,-Porter E., Sophie M., Sallie B., Mollie and Eddy D.
illiam Arnett, a farmer on section 6, Lo- raine Township, is one of the most prom- inent agriculturists in Henry County. He is the seventh son of Lewis and Clara Ar- nett, and was born in Warren Co., Pa., May 3, 1831. His parents removed to Henry County when he was six years of age. They settled in the township of Loraine and there he grew to the estate of manhood, attending the common schools and working on the farm after he arrived at a suitable age. He lived with his parents until he was 20 years of age, and after that he was in the family of his brother Joseph one year.
In 1832, he started for California in company with a party numbering 84 persons, with a train of ox teams. They started on the 19th of April, and reached Albany, in Oregon, on the first day of Sep- tember following. The first work in which Mr. Ar- nett was engaged was in splitting rails on a ranch,
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and he then obtained a situation as cook on a ranch, for which service he received five dollars a day. Finding that he could earn more - money splitting rails by the job, he abandoned the vocation of cook for that of the latter, and worked in the employ of the same man. Late in the fall of that year he went to California and engaged in mining at the place known as "Sailors' Diggins," where the first gold was discovered by Marshall in 1848, who recently died in the extremest poverty (in 1885). After spending three months in that business without success, and with the only result of his having spent all his money, he returned to Oregon. Arriving there, he inter- ested himself in the management of a ferry across the Kalapoo River, which he continued to operate six weeks. At the end of that time his brother joined him, and they returned to California. There they engaged in the business of packing goods from Cres- cent City to the various mining camps in the moun- tains, their transportation trains being composed of mules. In this they were occupied until the early spring of 1857.
In that season they sailed from San Francisco for home across the Isthmus, coming thence to the city of New York. On his arrival at home Mr. Ar- nett bought 30 yokes of oxen and engaged in break- ing prairie. In the autumn of the same year he bought 250 acres of land in a part of Loraine Town- ship, on the south half of section 6, township 18, range 4. The place had scarcely known the hand of improvement and the proprietor has placed it all in excellent condition. He has made additional pur- chases until he has 373 acres, on the same section. Mr. Arnett is a skillful farmer, and in addition to general farming he raises a large amount of finely graded stock.
He is one of the many citizens of Henry County who are wholly self-made and who give unmistakable proof of the material which has developed the pres- ent splendid agricultural condition of the county.
Mr. Arnett was married Jan. 30, 1859, to Maria Brittain, of Henry County, she being the daughter of Jerome Brittain. The children are Elsie, who mar-, ried William Chambers, now living in Ida Co., Iowa Emma, Nettie, Eva and Leonard. Mrs. Arnett died Dec. 20, 1876.
Mr. Arnett was married Nov. 30, 1880, to Josie Kempster, of Whiteside Co., Ill. By this marriage there is one child-Howard,
mil F. Speigel, who follows the occupation of a farmer and resides 'on section 10, Wethersfield Township, was born in Ger- many, May 20, 1852. He emigrated to the United States with his parents, Frederick and Minnie Speigel, when he was nine years of age. The mother of Mr. Speigel of this sketch is de- ceased, and his father is yet living in Kewanee.
Emil Speigel was the rith child in order of birth of a family of [4 children. He lived at home until he was 14 years of age, after which he worked out for about four years, and then removed to Iowa. On arriving in that State he purchased a farm, and was occupied two years in its cultivation and im- provement, when he returned to this county and purchased 155 acres of land in Wethersfield Town- ship, and on which he has resided until the present time. The major portion of his land is under an advanced state of cultivation, and he is meeting with success in his chosen vocation-agriculture.
Mr. Speigel was married in Kewanee; Nov. 17, 1875, to Miss Mary, daughter of Frederick and Fred- ericka Gunther. (See sketch of F. Gunther). Mrs. Speigel was born in Wethersfield Township, Jan. 6, 1857, and they are the parents of two children : William, Edward and George. Politically, Mr. S. affiliates with the Democratic party.
ohn P. Clarke, residing on section 10 Lynn Township, where he is engaged in farming and stock-raising, was born in what was Then Berlin (now Swedona), Mercer Co. Ill., July 14, 1844. For history of his parents, see sketch of Wm. Clarke in another part of this work.
John P. Clarke remained on the paternal home- stead, receiving an education in the schools at Mi- lan, Rock Island County, his parents having removed to that city when he was a small child. He also at- tended school at Andover, after his parents had set- tled in Lynn Township, this county, and completed his education in a graded school at Orion. He con- tinued to reside with his parents, working on the farm, and prior to his majority spent some six years
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in clerking at Milan and Rock Island city. He was united in marriage March 20, 1879, with Miss Emma A. Wilkinson, daughter of John A. and Mar- tha (Fuller) Wilkinson, natives of New York. The parents, prior to their marriage, had removed from the latter State to Hebron, Jefferson Co., Wis., where they were married, and where Mrs. Clarke, wife of John P. of this notice, was born Sept. 14, 1856. Her father died at that place about five years after her marriage. Her mother was afterward married again, to Melvin W. Davis, and in 1869 came with him to Rock Island County, where they now reside, and where Mrs. Clarke's step-father is acting as ex- press messenger for the American Express Company. Mrs. Clarke was educated in the district schools of Wisconsin, and the High School at Rock Island city, and resided with her mother till her marriage.
Mr. and Mrs. Clarke are the parents of one child, Harry W., born April 22, 1881. She is a member of the Baptist Church of Rock Island city, where she was organist for four years. John P. Clarke was the eldest of a family of five children. He has for some time had control of the entire homestead, con- sisting of 325 acres, most of which is in an advanced state of cultivation. In his chosen vocation, agri- culture, he has met with signal success. Politically, he is identified with the Democratic party.
rederick E. Gresser, merchant at Atkin- son, is a native of Germany, as were his parents. He is the son of John and Bar- bara H. (Kachel) Gresser, and the family emi- grated to the United States in 1851. They remained in the State of New York, where they landed, six years. In 1857 they came to Henry County. The elder Gresser bought a farm, on which he operated some years, and is now living in com- fortable retirement. The parents of Mr. Gresser of this sketch were married in 1842, and he is the first- born of the family. His birth occurrred in the coun- try whence he came, and he was but eight when the transfer of the household to a new country took place. He completed the term of his minority un- der the parental roof, and his first important step was his marriage. He was united in the bonds of matri- mony with Christina Dannenfelser. She was born
Oct. 28, 1868, in this State. She has been the moth- er of five children : Edwin S., Albert G., Clarence E. and John C., born in the summer of 1885, are living. Maude C., the third child in order of birth, died in 1881.
Mr. Gresser was interested in. farming for some years, and owned a tract of land on section 10 in the township of Atkinson. But he sold the place and in- vested the proceeds in the business in which he has since been operating. * He is doing a general mer- cantile business, and trades in dry goods, groceries and clothing. He is officiating as Commissior. er of the Highway, and is serving his fourth year in that capacity. He is a Republican in political preference.
ohn H. Taylor, residing on section 7, Wethersfield Township, is one of the pros- perous and energetic farmers of Henry County, and was born in Philadelphia, Pa., April 8, 1829. He is a son of Thomas and Ellen (Wright) Taylor, also natives of Penn- sylvania, where the father died. The mother's de- mise occurred in Wethersfield Township.
John H. was the eldest in his father's family which consisted of eight children, and remained under the influence of his parents until he reached early man- hood, in the meantime having attended the district schools where he received a fair education. Upon reaching his 21st year he engaged to work by the month, continuing to do so for two years, when, in the spring of 1852, he came to Henry County and purchased a farm in Wethersfield Township, where he has since resided. Upon his farm, which is val- uable and tillable land, he has erected a good sub- stantial residence, good buildings, etc., and has now in his possession 477 acres of land, 100 of which is located in Iowa.
Mr. Taylor was married in Stark Co., Ill., in Nov. 1853, to Miss Deborah Barrett, who was born in Put- nam Co., N. Y., April 28, 1833. Mr. and Mrs. Tay- lor have become the.parents of four children: Mary. E., Albert C., Frank and James G. Mary E. is the wife of Benj. Glyde and they reside in Iowa ; Albert C. was united in marriage with Miss May Glyde Feb. 18, 1879, and they reside in Wethersfield Town- ship ; Frank was married to Miss Addie Glyde Sept.
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21, 1881, who died Sept. 10, 1883 ; and he formed a second matrimonial alliance, with Miss Edna Morton, the date of their marriage being July, 1884 and they reside in Nebraska; James G. resides at home with his parents.
Mr. Taylor has held the office of Highway Com- missioner for 18 years, School Director the same length of time, and other minor offices of his town- ship. Religiously, they are members of the Congre- gational Church, of which Mr. T. is a Trustee, and politically he affiliates with the Republican party.
illiam H. Blish, engaged as a farmer in Wethersfield Township, where he is resid- ing, was born in Hartford Co., Conn., May 25, 1812. He lived in Connecticut until 1837, when he emigrated West, thinking to better his condition financially, where he lo- cated in Wethersfield Township, making his home here ever since.
Mr. Blish was united in marriage in Connecticut, Jan. 25, 1836, with Eliza Hollister, and of their un- ion have been born seven children the following being the record : Charles, Helen, John, Adelaide, Prudence, Rhoda and Addie. Mrs. Blish died in Wethersfield, Nov. 18, 1858, and Mr. Blish was again married, in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., April 17, 1860, to Hannah Gage. Of the latter union there has been born four children,-Maggie, William H., Jr., Hannah E. and Belle G.
Mr. B. has held the office of County Treasurer twice, Justice of the Peace for many years, Supervi- sor and most of the offices in the gift of the people of his township. Politically, Mr. B. is identified with the Democratic party.
illiam Lilley, who has been for more than four decades a factor in the de- velopment of Henry County, has resided in Kewanee Township since 1843-the year in which he became a citizen of the State of Illinois. He was born in the parish of Oldham near Manchester, England, Jan. 22, 1817. William Lilley, his father, was a woolen manufacturer in his
native land, and married there, about the year 1810. Betsey Lilley, his wife, was connected with several well-known families of wealth and standing in Eng- land.
William Lilley, Sr., sailed for the American Con- tinent with his wife and three children, July 11, 1818, in the "Susannah," of London, from Liverpool. A landing at St. John, N. B., was effected, and the family removed thence to Boston, where they arrived September 8, following. After a short residence in Massachusetts, Mr. Lillie became one of a stock company who built the first cotton mill in that State, at Andover. He was one of the managers of the establishment until his removal to Sherbrooke, L. C., where he and his wife died. He was born Feb. 7, 1786, and his demise occurred Oct. 1, 1829. His wife was born Feb. 13, 1784, and died Nov. 18, 1832. Their children were: Mary, Ralph, Sarah, William, Charles, John and George ; William and Charles are the only survivors. The latter is a resident of Lowell, Mass., and is a mechanic and manufacturer of repute and prominence.
William Lilley, the subject of this narration, was reared in Massachusetts, and went to Canada about 1822 with his parents. After the death of his mother, which occurred three years after that of his father, he returned to the Bay State and located at Lowell. He passed ten years as an employee in the cotton mills in that place. The crowded condition of all avenues of business in the East seemed to pre- clude all possibility of his getting on in the world according to his ambitions, and he investigated the rumors of the possibilities afforded by the opening West.
In 1843 he came to Henry County, and after pros- pecting until she was satisfied of the comparative feasibility of various sections, he decided to locate in Kewanee Township. He selected a quarter of section 26, on which he located and began life in earnest. He engaged in the improvement of his property, and as his circumstances improved accord- ingly, he rapidly took position among the prosperous and prominent agriculturists of the country. His present possessions tell the story of his methods and habits. He is the owner of nearly 400 acres of ex- cellent land in Henry County, and his children hold among them about four times that acreage. He has about 100 head of horses and colts, and 20 head of cattle. He sends to market annually about 150
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hogs. The rearing of horses has been made a spe- cialty by Mr. Lilley, and his stables exhibit a fine and valuable collection of thoroughbred English Draft animals. In this business he has acquired an extended reputation, and his name is inseparably connected with the development and progress of the county.
Mr. Lilley was united in marriage, Nov. 1, 1843, to Harriet Huntly. They had six children : Helen, Mrs. Gilbert Morton, of Shenandoah, Iowa, was born Jan. 6, 1845 ; George, born Feb. 7, 1850, is a resi- dent of Brookings, D. T., where he is the President of the Dakota Agricultural College ; John, born Feb. 8, 1852, is a resident of Iowa; Charles, born Aug. 4, 1854, lives with his father: Laura, born Feb. 8, 1855, died Feb. 28, 1868. Mrs. Lilley was born Feb. 28, 1821, in Stanstead, Canada. Her ancestors . came to America in the Mayflower, and the most noted child of New England birth, Peregrine White, was her great-grandfather in the maternal line. She died at her home in Kewanee Township, Sept. 24, 1881, after a brief illness.
Mr. Lilley adds another name to the long and honorable list in Henry County who give substantial evidence of the value of industry, perseverance, thrift and good sense when applied to the resources of a section of country which require only intelligent, persistent effort and judgment to yield returns that amply fill the measure of a man's desires and prove the quality of his abilities.
100 on. William Lorenzo Wiley, residing at Galva, Illinois, was born in Saxton's River, Vermont, Nov. 10, 1820. The genealogy of the Wiley family is as follows: The great- grandfather of William L. Wiley, the subject of this notice, was born in Londonderry, N. H., in 1739, and died in 1777. He married Nancy Miller, and they had seven children : Samuel, Nancy, John, Polly, Robert, Susannah and Jonathan. The grand- father of William L., Robert Wiley, was born in Londonderry, N. H., Dec. 13, 1767. He married. Abigail Campbell in 1793, and they had eight chil- dren, as follows: John, William Campbell (father of William Lorenzo Wiley), Asenath, Ira, Rodney, Oren, Robert and Achsah. Robert Wiley died June 26,
1826, in Rockingham, Vt. The grandinother, Abi- gail Campbell, wife of Robert Wiley, died May, 1826.
The father of William L., William Campbell Wiley, was born in Rockingham, Vt., July 11, 1797, and died at the same place, May 18, 1878. He married Mary Perry, daughter of Gates and Mary Perry, of Rockingham, Vt., in 1818. She died at the same place, May 13, 1878. The mother of William L. Wiley was in direct line from Robert Fletcher, who came to this country from Yorkshire, England, in 1630, she being the eighth generation of the Fletcher family in this country, Mr. Wiley being the ninth generation. The Fletcher family have had their an- nual gatherings at Lowell, Mass., for many years. Daniel Webster married into the Fletcher family : hence the name of Fletcher Webster. The Harpers, of New York, also married into the Fletcher family. The descendants of the Fletcher family are numer- ous and widely scattered through the Union.
For several generations the ancestors of Mr. Wiley, of this sketch, have been prominent farmers of their native State. His own father was one of that num- ber. William L. attended a common district school until he was 14 years old, then for six years taught school during winter seasons. He attended acade- my in the fall of each year and worked on his father's farm during the remaining portion of the time. At the age of 2r he engaged in the wholesale of general merchandise at Saxton's River, Vt., under the firm name of Osgood & Wiley. He was married April 14, 1842, to Louise, daughter of Samuel and Crissa- na Bailey, of Saxton's River, Vt. The father of Mrs. Wiley, Samuel Bailey, died Sept., 1880. The mother of Mrs. Wiley was born Oct. 24, 1790, and died April 3, 1843.
The only child of William L. and Louise Wiley, Walter Lorenzo Wiley, was born at Saxton's River, Vt., Jan. 6, 1844, and died at Galva, Ill., May 22, 1862. For several years previous to his death, he was a member of the First Baptist Church of Galva. Mrs. Wiley, wife of William L., was born at Saxton's River, Vt., May 31, 1821, and died at Galva, July II, 1862. She was one of the constituent members of the First Baptist Church of Galva, Ill.
Mr. Wiley married for his second wife Eunice B., daughter of Edson and Corintha Williams, of Galva, Ill. The issue of this marriage was two children, -- Jessie Louise, born at Galva, Feb. 18, 1868, and Walter Spencer, born at same place, March 29, 187 2,
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and died April 3, 1879. Mrs. Wiley was born Jan., 15, 1844, in Westmoreland, N. Y., and died at Gal- va, Ill., April 25, 1883. Mr. Wiley, after remaining in business at Saxton's River four years, his partner, Mr. Osgood, withdrew. Then, in company with his brothers, George R. and Henry C., continued the same business for six years. Part of this time he was Postmaster at Saxton's River. In 1850 Mr. Wiley removed to Waterville, Maine, and conducted the same business as the junior member of the firm of Locke & Wiley. In the fall of 185 1, he emigrated to Illinois and settled in Brimfield, where he engag- ed in the purchase of real estate. He purchased land in Henry County, and in 1854, in connection with his brothers and cousin, J. M. Wiley, came to Henry County and laid out the town of Galva, where he has since been engaged in real-estate business and banking. For about four years from the organ- ization of the First National Bank of Galva, in 1865, he was its President, but owing to excess of other business and ill health he resigned.
For many years Mr. Wiley engaged largely in the purchase and improvement of lands in Western Iowa, some 1,000 acres of which he still owns, but now more especially engaged as the cashier of the well known banking house of L. M. Yocum & Co., of Galva, Ill. He has always been a strong advocate of temperance, never having used ardent spirits or to- bacco. He has been a member of the Baptist Church for over fifty years.
In politics Mr. Wiley was formerly a Whig, but afterwards gave his influence and energies to the organization of the Republican party. He was one of the two delegates from the Fifth Illinois District in the convention, at Chicago, that nomina- ted General U. S. Grant for his first term as Presi- dent. For four years he was member of the State Board of Equalization, representing the same Dis- trict. For several years he was Director and Vice- President of the Peoria & Rock Island Railroad Company. He is a gentleman of sound judgment and good business qualifications. As a public man nothing can be said against him. He has ever been abreast of all public improvements and donated lib- erally of his means towards every laudable enter- prise in the community. His straightforward, manly dealings with his fellow man have earned for him the respect of the citizens of the town, as well as the dis- trict, who have honored him with their suffrages.
The father and mother of Mr. Wiley, says the Christian Watchman, of Boston, Mass., " were worthy members of the Baptist Church, Saxton's River, Vt., for 54 years. They were baptized Nov. 14, 1824, and were two of the oldest members of the Church at the time of their deaths. They led consistent Christian lives, donating liberally to buildings for public wor- ship and taking great pleasure in attending upon the ordinances of God's house. Their labors have ceased, and they have many friends as witnesses of their fidelity to the cause they so much loved. "
harles C. Blish, a distinguished farmer and breeder of thoroughbred cattle, and President of the First National Bank at Kewanee, Henry Co., Ill., was born at Glas- tonbury, Conn., May 26, 1820, and accom- panied his parents, Sylvester and Rhoda (Cheney) Blish, to Illinois when he was 17 years of age. (See biography of Col. S. Blish.) At the com- mon schools of New England he acquired a pretty thorough English education, and mastered the sci- ence of surveying. He was the first male teacher employed at Wethersfield, and probably taught the first winter school in this part of the county,-in the winter of 1840-1. From 1840 to 1844, he filled the office of Deputy County Surveyor, and from 1850 to 1854 was County Surveyor in chief. Farming and stock-breeding constitute the business in which he finds the greatest pleasure, and though President of a National Bank with $100,000 capital stock, as com- pared with his rural pursuits he finds the position irksome. (See history of the First National Bank of Kewanee, this volume.)
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