Portrait and biographical album of Knox county, Illinois, Part 112

Author: Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo and Chicago; Chapman Brothers, pub
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical publishing company
Number of Pages: 1130

USA > Illinois > Knox County > Portrait and biographical album of Knox county, Illinois > Part 112

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Mr. Myers was married in Vermilion County, to Sarah Johns, who was a native of Clinton County, Ohio, and to them have been born ten children, eight living, as follows : Abraham, Richard, Franklin, Da- vid, Douglas, Charlie, Adeline and Nancy E. John and Hannah R. are deceased.

Mr. Myers is a useful member of society, is some- what interested in educational matters, and while liv- ing in Haw Creek was School Director and Road Commissioner. Politically he identifies himself with the Democratic party, supporting the doctrines of thatorganization and casting his vote with it. He has watched the varying shades of political differences and the movements of national affairs for a long time, as he voted first for Andrew Jackson.

ouis Palmquist. Among the more promi- nent business men and leading citizens of Knoxville is found the gentleman whose biography is herein briefly recorded. He is engaged in the furniture and undertaking busi- ness, and has secured a good patronage and the esteem and confidence of the community of which he is a member.

Mr. Palmquist was born in Sweden, Oct. 2, 1834, and grew to manhood in his native country. He was trained in the public schools, where he received his early education, and which he attended till he at- tained the age of 14 years. At this time reverses of fortune compelled the young boy to depend upon his own exertions for maintenance. Believing that if he could not do as he would, he must do as he could, he engaged with a gardener, intending to learn this call- ing, and so faithfully did he devote his attention to the business in hand, and so minutely did he follow the directions of his employer, that he soon became very proficient in the art. He followed this occupation till 1856, when he emigated to America, sailing from Guttenberg, Sweden, in the month of May. The voyage proved an unfortunate one for the young emigrant, who was shipwrecked off the coast of New- foundland, and 55 of the ship's 61 passengers were lost at sea. The cause of this disaster was the heavy

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overhanging fogs, which prevented a clear survey of the ocean, and at midnight the ship encountered rocks and was dashed to pieces upon them. As she went down, the pumps and the hard-working crew having been employed in vain, young Palmquist and two others as a last resort climbed into the rigging and so were saved, as a fragment of the vessel drifted about. In the morning these survivors were discov- ered and taken on a fishing smack, which landed them in New York City in the month of July.

From this section of the country Mr. Palmquist set his face toward the setting sun, and in the hearty and honest belief that " the gods help those who help themselves," engaged with O. B. Judson, an enter- prising furniture manufacturer of Galesburg. With him he served an apprenticeship for three years, after which he worked in the same shop until the year 1861, when he came to Knoxville, and with his brother, Peter, as associate partner, engaged in the manufacture of furniture and coffins. They opened a salesroom in connection with this, and received a fair amount of patronage from the people of the sur- rounding country, continuing their partnership until a few months before his brother's death, in 1876, since which time he has conducted the business alone. The connubial relations of Mr. Palmquist and his wife, Carrie (Nelson) Palmquist, also a native of Swe- den, in which country she was born Sept. 12, 1838, and whom he married Sept. 15, 1860, have been of the most agreeable and congenial character. Their happiness has been made more perfect by the ad- vent of six children, whose names are as follows : Charlie, Will, Ada, Amanda, Hulda and Anna. The family is well known and highly respected; the father and mother worship in the Lutheran Church. Mr. Palmquist is actively interested in public affairs, and in politics is a Republican.

saac Jones, foreman of the coppersmith shop of the C., B. & Q. R. R. Co., at Gales- burg, was born in Chester, Cheshire Co, England, Aug. 27, 1844. He is the son of Robert and Elizabeth (Davis) Jones, who re- moved to Wolverhampton, where the subject of our sketch was reared and educated.

At the age of 14 years, Isaac Jones became ap-

prenticed to learn the coppersmith's trade, and com- pleted the same in his 20th year. He then followed this vocation in Wolverhampton for four years, and in 1868 he set sail for the United States, coming directly West, where he spent a short time in the city of Chicago, subsequently coming to Galesburg, where he accepted the position which he has since so creditably filled.

The gentleman of whom we write was married at Galesburg, to Mrs. Hannah Elliott (nee Barry), who has borne hini three children-two sons, Isaac and Robert, and a daughter, Maggie, who died in infancy.

Mr. Jones is a skilled workman, and, although coming a stranger to our shores, has through his pro- fessional ability and persistent industry secured for himself a worthy place among his fellow-craftsmen, and a high position with the corporation which he represents.

R. Hardy, of Abingdon, was born in the county of Brant, Canada, about 80 miles northwest of Buffalo, N. Y. The county of his birth probably has more fine stock than any other in Canada, and it was there that our subject had his first experience in handling and raising cattle, which was on his father's farm. When a young man he left home and took up his residence in Michigan, where he lived for about 15 years and then removed to St. Augustine, Knox County, Ill., and engaged in the mercantile business. Five years later he sold out and removed to Abingdon. While on one of his visits to Canada he first saw some Gal- loway cattle, that were recently imported. He was struck with their appearance and the manner in which they withstood the cold climate of Canada, as compared with the best horned cattle, and the im- pression made on his mind has never been eradi- cated. He was not satisfied until he had provided himself with some of the breed, and has found that they even exceed his expectation in " rustling "qual- ities, and that they are the cattle which will, in time, be in more demand than any other. They mature early and make excellent beef from the time they are six months old to the age of three years. The hide of the three-year-old steer will weigh from 30 to 40 lb. more than our common cattle, thus giving him an additional overcoat, as it were, which on a cold

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night will be highly appreciated. Their beef is beau- tifully marbled. The Short-horn cattle have proved the best to cross with, as they appear to be most sus- ceptible to an infusion of new blood and produce robust, well-coated, beefy cattle, with 90 per cent of them polled and black, maturing early, and can be made ripe for the block at an early age.

After corresponding and reading the history of the cattle, our subject decided to be the champion of that breed, and, in connection with Mr. Parker, was the first to bring them to Indian Point Township and among the first to introduce them into the State of Illinois.

Mr. R. A. Parker, who consented to join our sub- ject in raising this breed of cattle, was from Ken- tucky, and a region of the State noted for its blue grass and cattle. He was a gentleman who had a life experience in cattle, and was an adept at hand- ling and breeding, and a judicious and careful feeder. They commenced in a small way and in a little over four years their herd numbers about 75 head and is composed mostly of cows and heifers. They look for a rapid increase in their sales, which prevent them from becoming overstocked.

The following is the pedigree of some of the stock owned by Parker & Hardy, as shown by the Ameri- can and Scotch Herd-books: Imp. Prince Jumbo, 1141, at the head of the herd. Sire, Scottish Bor- der, No. 667. Dam, Kate, No. 538. Sire, Black Prince of Drumlanrig, No. 546. Dam, Llythia, of Drumlanrig, No. 1307. Sire, Knowsley, No. 1279. Dam, Beauty, of Fallow Wheat, No. 2767. Prince Jumbo's pedigree, extended, shows 31 prize winning animals, and the prizes repeated on the same animals amount to upward of 150, many of them being Royal. Scottish Border (669) was used successfully in the herds of the Earl of Galloway, Mr. Routh- ledge Elrig and Mr. Cuninigam Tarbercoch, and very few Galloways have enjoyed a higher reputation As a sire, his produce combines substance and quality in an uncommon degree. His sire was the match- less bull, Black Prince of Drumlanrig, 546 Scottish Border's dam was Llythia of Drumlantig, 1307, once first, once second and twice third at shows at the Highland Society. Her dam, Miss Magill, 1 302, re- ceived the first prize at the International show at London, in 1862, and she traces back to the oldest strains in the Duke of Buccleuch's magnificent herd. Black Prince of Drumlanrig, 546, was the most dis-

tinguished Galloway bull for 20 years. He was easily first at all the national and other leading shows, and was never vanquished in a long show career. His produce have been so distinguished that at one of the largest expositions of Galloways ever seen, at Dum- frees Union. in 1883, about 70 per cent of the prize- winners were his descendants and 900 guineas was re- fused for him when he was upward of 11 years old. The Duke of Buccleuch's name will thus live as long as the Galloway cattle endure, and when the fertile fields of Illinois become blackened with these horn - less beauties, the name of the Duke of Buccleuch, the pioneer breeder of improved Galloways, will be- come a household word in the home of stockmen all over our land. Prince Jumbo cannot fail to be the prince of breeders, as there is nothing back of him but prize winners, and he either breeds after him- self or some of his ancestry, and in either case the results will be gratifying.

The question as to how to breed polled cattle is often propounded, and while interviewing Messrs. Parker & Hardy, we obtained the following information on that point : Select a thoroughbred bull, with high pointed poll, well sunken where the horns should be. Never select a high-horned cow, as it is found that more of their progeny have horns or scurs as a rule than any others. A low, short, crooked or crumpled horn will breed the most polled calves, and nearly as many as a low-polled cow. Jerseys are noted next to the Short-horns as breeding more polled calves than any other breed of horned cattle, if crossed with the above described bull. A Galloway will breed more blacks than any other breed in crossing, as their get is almost universally black and polled, with only an occasional exception.

Of the origin of the Galloways, in a recent article a Scotch writer traces their genealogy to long before the Christian era, introducing them into Britain with the Gauls, into the district in the southwest of Scot- land. We read of polled cattle appearing in South America among horned ones, probably a throwing back to a remote polled cross. In a survey of the reign of Alexander III, 1249, a compiled history of Scotland refers to the black cattle. We have fre- quent mention of their early establishment and rec- ognition. The agricultural reports of Scotland, 1794-5, say: The Galloway breed of black polled cattle is universally known and admired. Thus the Galloways are the old ranch cattle of Britain, and

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while the ancient trails are fenced and tilled, and the drives long a thing of the past, the cattle still retain those hardy and impressive traits which especially fit them for the hardy outdoor life to which cattle are subjected in all parts of America.

Their long ancestry of the same fixed type is what gives them their great prepotency, a wonder to many modern breeders, since crossing a thoroughbred Gal- loway bull with any breed of horned cattle gives a very large percentage-fully 98 per cent-of black polled calves. They are the largest and most typi- cal breed of Scotch polled cattle, and, with the ex- ception of the West Highlander, the only existing breed of superior beef-producing quality that still retains its aboriginal coat of long, rich, warm hair. In their character as a superior beef-producing cattle, they have been so long and favorably known to the English epicure that for many years the "Scots " have commanded two cents per pound more in En- glish markets than other breeds. As " Scots " have often. also, been included the West Highland cattle, as likewise the Angus.

A typical Galloway, with his bright, expressive countenance, his trim, symmetrical body, his glossy, black coat, long, brushy tail and perfect feet, is an attractive and interesting animal. He has rather a large head without the slightest trace of horns or scurs ; high frontal bone, with rounded crown ; large, clear, prominent eyes; ears moderate in length and broad, pointing upward and forward, and full of long, silky hair; neck rather short, clean, and fitting well into the shoulders, the top in line with the back in the female, and in the male naturally rising with age. A long, round body, well-ribbed home, shoulders wide above ; breast full and deep, plenty of room for lungs ; large through the heart, denoting a good circulation of blood, hence one of the reasons for their ability to stand the severe weather of our extreme winters ; heavy hind quarters, small hock bones. The whole body round like a barrel, set on short, muscular legs with clean, fine bone; the hind legs straighter than those of other breeds, and squarely fleshed right down to the hock. He is clad in a coat of short, black fur, through which in autumn a coat of hair four or five inches long protrudes. In the spring the long hair is shed, leaving only the mossy undercoat until the following autumn, when they again begin growing their overcoats. This long, wavy hair- shaggy almost-and thick mossy undercoat is an im-

portant point, in cold weather retaining warmth, and on wet days throwing off the rain. Another impor- tant point is their light weight of bone as compared with other breeds. They are lively, active and spir- ited, having the instinct of self-preservation well de- veloped. They will be found even in extreme weather hunting the old grass of the pastures, and eating quite undisturbed by the cold and storm when other cattle will not venture from shelter.

Ere many years the farmers of the Eastern and Middle States must turn their attention to something that will yield a better profit than raising grade cattle for market. A demand for thoroughbred animals has already been created, and they are being freely used to improve the stock of the Western ranch. The polled Galloway is peculiarly fitted for this branch of cattle industry, and wherever introduced has proved and will continue to prove the favorite of the Western stockmen. Ex-Gov. Routt, says in Field and Farm, that in the grand round-up, in 1886, of cattle of the State, not a dead carcass of a Galloway or Angus was found. They are the hardy brutes of this West- ern country ; he believes a Galloway would outlive a buffalo in a long continued storm,

The question is often asked the owners of black cattle why it is, if they are so good, that we have never heard of them before. If they were so valu- able, why were they not brought over before, etc. ? The large, bony Scotch overran Northern Ireland and drove out or conquered the Irish, and married their women and settled up that part of Ireland. In their removal to that country they took their cattle with them. They were at the time hornless, and many of them reds and brindles ; even at that early day many were black. The great fire of London took place in 1616 ; the farmers largely lived in London and tilled their land in the country; these benevo- lent Scotch-Irish sent over their black Galloways in large numbers, and presented them to the impover- ished farmers. The House of Lords soon after passed a bill prohibiting the importation of any more black and hornless cattle into England, and com- pelled the farmer to put sheep upon his farm in- stead of the comely blacks. Thus they were at an early period of their history barred from competing with the cattle of England. Had they been allowed a foothold on the shores of England, it is not im- probable that they would to-day be more numerous than any breed of cattle on earth.

LICHARY OF THE

Dala Blakeslee

Lydia B. Blakeslee

LIBRARY OF THE

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Messrs. Parker & Hardy have invested a large sum of money in their magnificent herd. Their breeding cows are of the best families, and of un- questioned purity of blood. They are of a fixed type of the improved Galloways. A bull is half of the herd, because he is the sire of all the young members of the herd, and in Prince Jumbo they have everything to be desired, as prominent breeders have remarked that they firmly believed that Prince Jumbo was the best animal of the breed between the two oceans, as well as the best breeder. We would advise parties wishing to start a herd to first see what there is in their own county, as the best families are brought almost to their doors. In starting a herd it is highly important that you should start with the right sorts. If the first is bred right, they will remain the same; and if bred from poor ancestors, the results will be anything but encouraging. Laying the foun- dation of a herd can be likened to the laying of a foundation of a house. They should. both be right to endure. We present in this ALBUM a view of their place, showing some of their magnificent cattle, among them Prince Jumbo (1141).

ala Blakeslee, deceased. The subject of this biographical notice, whose portrait, with that of his excellent wife, who sur- vives him, we present on the preceding pages, was one of the most widely respected and best known citizens of Knox County. He was a resident of Salem Township, and up to the date of his demise was one of its most useful members of society. He was a pioneer in this section of the country, coming to Illinois in June, 1834, thus ex- periencing the hardships incident to that day and all of the triumphs to which those early settlers look back, at the present day, with deep satisfaction.

Mr. Blakeslee was born in Plymouth, Conn , Jan 14, 1805. His father, also by name Sala Blakeslee, was a native of the same State, and his grandfather, Asher Blakeslee, was of Welsh ancestry and Ameri- can birth, who likewise claimed Connecticut as his native State. Our subject was a model in his chosen field of labor, agriculture, and was systematic and

accurate as a business man He shirked no duty, was a kind friend and good neighbor, and left the world with the comfortable assurance that his life had been a fair success.

Sala Blakeslee, Sr., was by occupation a blacksmith, at which branch of business he continued until 1817. In September of that year he emigrated to the Far West. His family consisted of his wife and six chil- dren, three sons and three daughters. Two of these had preceded them several years. He loaded the household goods and traveled by wagon, drawn by oxen, while the family occupied a one-horse vehicle. In this primitive way they continued their journey, which occupied from September 2 to October 9. At this time they entered the State of Ohio, settling in Ashtabula County, where they purchased timber land. Their location is now included in the city limits of Ashtabula. Continuing at his trade, he in- structed his sons in the clearing of the farm, and by unflagging industry a home was erected, in which he continued to reside until his death.

Our subject was the youngest son of the family and grew to manhood in Ohio. He assisted his father in agricultural pursuits, continuing with him until of age. Arriving at the state of manhood, he rented a brother's farm, and engaged in labor for himself. His marriage took place Jan. 10, 1830, to Lydia B. Pearce, who was born in Grafton, N. H., July 23, 1803 She was the daughter of Earl and Betsey (Maranville) Pearce, both natives of New Hampshire. Mr. and Mrs. Blakeslee continued to live in Ohio for the space of four years, and June 2, 1834, started for Illinois, filled with the enterprise that commands new effort in a new country. Com- ing by stage as far as Wellsville, Ohio, they com- pleted their journey by the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, landing at Oquawka, Ill., June 17 of the same year. The following day they employed a man to take them with an ox team as far as Mon- mouth. At that point Mrs. B., with two small chil- dren, remained, while her husband went on foot across the trackless prairie in search of a brother-in- law living in Fulton County. Night came upon him before he completed his journey, but, passing the night in a cabin at the invitation of the owner, he the next morning resumed his march and succeeded in reaching his destination. His next move was to return for his family, when he located in Fulton County. There they spent the summer and in Sep-

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tember of that year returned to Knox County, and moved into a building owned and occupied by James Milan, which stood on ground previously bought, on section 25, Maquon Township. The building was a double log structure and had been partly a smokehouse. Mr. Milan retained posses- sion of the main building, and Mr. Blakeslee used the smokehouse department for a dwelling until spring, and with much ingenuity succeeded in mak- ing it comfortable, among other things putting in a three-light window, carving the sash with his pocket- knife. During the year he purchased land from Mr. Milan, and also a claim on section 30, of township 9, now known as Salem. Later he entered the land at the Land-Office, at Quincy, Ill., and as early as 1837 erected a frame barn, which was the first frame building in the township. In the following year this barn was struck by lightning and burned, together with the entire crop of small grain, and a mow of "tip-top" hay, raised from seed brought with him when he came West-the first tame-grass seed in the county. In 1840 he built the struct- ure which is now standing. The lumber used was sawed at Littler's Creek, and the shingles made by hand.

At this place Mr. Blakeslee resided until 1842, having made his home in Maquon Township during the intervening year. He then erected a frame house on section 30 in Salem Township, which was his home up to the date of his death, Jan. 24, 1886. He left, to mourn his loss, a widow and five grown children, as follows : Eli A., Chauncey, Salmon, Sarah H. and Mary, who still resides at home.

Not only was Mr. Blakeslee a pioneer in the full sense of the word, but he set on foot and forwarded many movements for the good of the community at large. He took a deep and abiding interest in edu- cational matters, and organized the first school in Maquon Township, the building being on the old Milan farm. He furnished the logs to build the first school-house at Uniontown, doing fully one-half the work with his own hands. His interest in this school never lessened and he was for 50 years con- nected with it in the capacity of Director, an office held longer by him than any man known in this part of the country. His life had proved the truth that " the actions of the just smell sweet and blossom in the dust."

Mrs. Blakeslee came to Ohio at an early day, in

1811, when but a child. As already stated, she was the daughter of Earl Pearce and was born at Graf- ton, N. H., July 23, 1803. Her father came to Ohio with his wife and three children, all daughters, in company with his father-in-law, Charles Maranville, and settled at Conneaut. Charles Maranville, the grandfather of Lydia Pearce, was a descendant of John de Manville, or Maranville, the son of a French nobleman who came to America at an early day and settled in Massachusetts. He was a man well edu- cated and left a large family. Miss Pearce lost her mother while still young, and from this time forward made her own living. She was enabled to secure only a limited education, but became a methodical and experienced housekeeper. She was living in the family of Capt. Wood when he came to Michigan, and she accompanied them and continued to reside with them for two years .. Capt. Wood, having set- tled on the St. Clair River about 30 miles above Detroit, followed the occupation of a sailor, and in later years was interested in a prominent line of steamers. Mrs. Wood, thus left alone a good share of the time during the summer, with but few neigh- bors save French and Indians, at the end of two years returned on a visit to friends in the East, Miss Pearce accompanying her back to Conneaut, from which place she went to Ashtabula and made her home with a well-to-do farmer there. Miss Pearce had become a skillful housekeeper, and was very well versed in all the arts of cooking, spinning and weaving both wool and linen. This education had prepared' her for an early pioneer and adapted her for the duties of her future home in Illinois, enabling her to keep her family supplied with homespun clothing for their everyday wear, both of wool and linen, woolen blankets for her beds and linen for table-spreads and towels. She was in all a careful, economical, industrious wife, a good mother and a kind neighbor.

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Portrait and biographical album of Knox county, Illinois, Part 112

Author: Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo and Chicago; Chapman Brothers, pub Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical publishing company Number of Pages: 1130

Author: Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo and Chicago; Chapman Brothers, pub
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical publishing company
Number of Pages: 1130