Portrait and biographical album of Knox county, Illinois, Part 113

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 113

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Mrs. Blakeslee still occupies the homestead with three of her children. Sarah H. resides in Maquon Township and is the relict of the late Thomas Fos- ter; Salmon is a practical and successful farmer, whose home is on section 32 in Salem Township. Those at home are Eli, Chauncey and Mary.

Mr. Blakeslee was Democratic in politics, and lib- eral in religious matters. He was one of the Direct- ors who hired a Miss Minerva Hart to teach school, and paid her one dollar per week; this was in the

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year 1837. The other two Directors were George Saunders and Ira Baker, of Fulton County. The pupils were eight in number, and Mr. B. boarded the teacher.

rank H. Case. Nature makes no mis- takes. She bestows upon man various gifts. She gives to one the penetrating, analytical mind that befits the thinker and sci- entist ; to another she spurs his ambition to deeds of martial prowess. She wraps the man- tle of prosy and dreamy philosophy about the form of another, and to a few she rises to her happiest mood and invests them with genial cordiality, win- some ways and large sympathies, and an open, frank countenance that bespeaks a welcome to all man- kind. You seem to see written across the face in such plain, unmistakable letters "that though you run you may read," " Nature's best effort," the true, genuine hotel-keeper. Such a man is the subject of the following sketch :

Frank H. Case was born in Rome, Oneida County, N. Y., Oct. 12, 1854. The family were thorough Yankees. His paternal grandfather, William Case, was a native of Vermont, whence he moved to Adams, in the northern part of New York, in 1806, and there died, in 1848. He took an active part in the War of 1812. His son, Henry C. Case, father of our sub- ject, was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., April 15, 1825. He was one of a family of four sons and six daughters, and soon after obtaining his majority he went to Watertown, N. Y., whence he removed to Rome, that State. There he engaged in the clothing business, from which he drifted into the boot and shoe trade. Removing from Rome to Utica, he opened the first boot and shoe manufactory in that city. His health failing him, he went to Henderson Harbor, in Northern New York, and there erected a summer resort, which he kept for a short time and which was destroyed by fire. His next move was to purchase the Cooper House, in Adams, N. Y., which he operated for several years, subsequently return- ing to Utica. In 188t, Henry C. Case leased the Brown Hotel, in Galesburg, and continued as genial " mine host " for five years. In December, 1885, he went to Rockford, and, becoming proprietor of the Holland House, he again entered upon the duties of

a landlord and is there resident at this time, ready, with a smile upon his countenance and a hearty shake of the hand, to welcome the traveling public.

Frank H. Case is the eldest of two sons, the off- spring of Henry C. and Sarah (Phillips) Case. He was educated in the schools of Utica, N. Y., and aft- er his graduation he assisted his father in his manu- factory. He soon became a commercial traveler and continued in that business until Dec. 1, 1885, when he assumed the management of the Brown Hotel, at Galesburg. He was united in marriage with Miss Josephine Buell, Sept. 12, 1883, and they have one daughter-Josephine Ida. Politically he is a stanch Democrat. He is an honored member of the Masonic fraternity. Mr. Case has wisely chosen the vocation he follows, for he is admirably adapted to the hotel business. He is affable, accommodating and pleasant to all. At the same time he possesses executive ability to that degree that the various de- partments of his business move along quietly, with- out a hitch or the least friction. But few men know how to keep a hotel, and Mr. Case of this notice is one of them.

imothy G. Hadley, an extensive farmer, re- siding in the city of Galesburg, was born at Brownfield, Me., Jan. 31, 1811. His par- ents are Dr. Samuel and Margaret (Gibson) Hadley, descendants of old colonial families. He married at Brownfield, and there reared five sons and four daughters. Dr. Hadley came from Maine into Knox County, in the year 1852, and set- tled in Sparta Township, where he died in the fall of 1864, at the age of So years. His widow lived until 1878, her life having begun with the present century. Her father, Timothy Gibson, was one of the men who, disguised as Indians, threw the tea overboard at Bos- ton harbor, on the night of Dec. 16, 1773, or, in other words, one of the " Boston tea party."

Timothy Hadley was reared on his father's farm and educated in the common schools of Maine. In 1835, he removed to Detroit, Mich., where he kept hotel a few years, coming thence into Illinois in 1 840 ; he thus won the name of pioneer. He spent four years in Shelby County, Ill., conducting a large mill- ing and distilling business. From that county he went to Chicago, where he remained eight years, en-

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gaged in running a livery stable and in speculations. He came to Galesburg in 1852, and since coming to Knox County has been a farmer, devoting considera- ble attention to the breeding of horses, of which he makes a specialty. His large farm lies contiguous to the city, and is one of the most valuable in the county.

Mr. Hadley has won his way in the world, work- ing against many drawbacks. He began without a dollar, accumulated considerable property, all of which was destroyed by fire, in Shelby County, bringing him down to the very beginning, but he as- sumed an undaunted front, and perseverance with a fixed purpose has again raised him to independence, and he has reason to believe in the saying, "The gods help those who help themselves."

He has been twice married, first in Chicago, in 1844, to Miss Mary Ann Read, a native of Pennsyl- vania, who died in Sparta Township, in this county, leaving one child, a daughter-Frances M., who be- came the wife of Joseph Harrington. His second al- liance was celebrated at Galesburg in 1865, with Mrs. Emily A. Young, nee Gordon. She was the daughter of John A. and Mary A. (Gordon) Gordon, both na- tives of New York. Both moved to Canada and were married ; there Mrs. Hadley was born Jan. 9, 1838. Mr. H. is the eldest of a family of four children, two daughters and two sons, all of whom are now living : Cinderella Gordon became the wife of Robert Chap- pell and lives in Galesburg. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Hadley, Bertha W. Hadley, is a stu- dent at the Conservatory of Music at Oberlin, Ohio. Mr. Hadley votes the Republican ticket.

S heldon W. Allen. It would be very dif- ficult to find in Galesburg, or its vicinity, a gentleman with whom the community is better acquainted or in whose estimation its interests stand higher than Mr. S. W. Allen, of this sketch. He was born Sept. 29, 1808, in Augusta, Oneida Co., N. Y., and came from his native place directly to Knox County, in 1837. The only mode of conveyance he employed was a one- horse wagon, in which he was accompanied by his wife and child. In starting West his objective point was Log City, and here he settled for some time. He

was among the first and most prominent men of the colony which first founded that city.

After remaining three years in this location, Mr. Allen proceeded to Galesburg, which he decided to make his home. He was the first regular butcher in Knox County, and, we ought to have stated, was the first to engage in that business at Log City. In Galesburg he continued in this calling for several years, but since 1865 has lived mostly in retirement. Though now quite advanced in years, he still may be numbered among the most active men of Galesburg, although his health is far from good. He is the owner of several fine tracts of land outside that city and scattered through Knox County. In the city he owns some valuable property.

Mr. Allen was married in Augusta Centre, Oneida Co., N. Y., Jan. 15, 1835, to Fidelia Leach, an esti- mable lady and a native of New York, who was born Nov. 28, 1813. By her union with Mr. Allen, eight children were born-James S., Sheldon O., Albert H., Henry A., Norman T., Chester E., Mary F. and John S. James S. resides in Galesburg, and is oc- cupied in farming; Sheldon O. (see sketch); Albert H. resides in Galesburg and is Chief Engineer of the Fire Department; Henry A. lives in Russell, Kan., and is farming; Norman T. is a very prominent preacher of the Methodist Episcopal persuasion and is at present stationed at Wataga; Chester E. is a member of the police force in Galesburg and has charge of the calaboose; Mary F. is the wife of John Wycoff and resides at Canton, Ill .; John S. re- sides in Keithsburg, Ill., where he is engaged in suc- cessfully practicing medicine ; he also has a good drug business.

Mrs. Allen, the first wife of our subject, died on the 22d of November, 1855. He was married the second time in Galesburg, in the month of January, 1858, to Nancy Shaver. She was the daughter of David and Nancy (Grove) Shaver, natives of Vir- ginia. They emigrated from that State to Ohio about 1808. In the year 1834, they again turned West- ward and settled in La Salle County, this State, where they died; the father in 1846, the mother in 1869. Mrs. Allen was the eleventh child of a fam- ily of 12 children, nine of whom reached the age of maturity. The following are their names: Cyrus, Harvey G., David K., Josiah ; Rebecca, who became the wife of John Snelling; Jackson R .; Barbara, who married Joseph Miller; Nancy A., the wife of our

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subject ; and Catharine K., who married John K. Spencer. All are well-to-do farmers except J. R., who is in the tile business in Ottawa, Ill. Mrs. A. came to Galesburg in 1856. By this second marriage seven children were born-Frank, Lida K., Fred R. and Ida D. Frank resides in Streator, Ill., where he follows the profession of architect; Lida K. is the wife of George Stuckey and resides in Chicago ; Fred R. is engaged in cattle-dealing and mining speculations on the Pacific coast, and Miss Ida Allen is attending Knox Seminary.

Our subject is interested in the First Presbyterian Church, in Galesburg, of which he is a very promi- nent, active member. For many years he has been prominent in that body and is looked up to as one of its foremost sympathizers. He is a Republican in politics and by his intellectual foresight has often proved a directing help when the party's interests most needed it. On questions of public policy and political morality his judgment seldom, if at all, errs. Through his efficient efforts, questions affecting the good of Galesburg have on more occasions than one received special attention.

hauncy Sill Colton, deceased. The subject of this biography, who has gone to his rest after a long, active, honest life, may be truthfully called one of the great men of Knox County. Born in 1800, he had com- pleted a large part of a century, and had trodden the path of duty incident to that life with so much innate manhood and goodness that the light of his memory is reflected or. the waiting hearts of those left behind, and the eyes that seek to peer into the future see him as he was, great, because he was good, and waiting ears catch the refrain, " It is well with my soul."

Our subject was born in Springfield, Pa., Sept. 21, 1800. He was the son of Justin and Abigail (Sill) Colton. Tl.ey removed to Massachusetts and fol- lowed farming as an occupation while Chauncy was still young. Justin, his father, was the son of Gad Colton, of English ancestry ; the latter was a farmer and a soldier in the Revolutionary War.

The subject of this brief history was educated at

Munson, Mass., and came to Illinois in June, 1836, locating on the site of Galesburg, where he erected the first store and dwelling-house. He continued dealing in general merchandise 17 or 18 years, and, associating his sons with him in the business, it was known for ten years as C. S. Colton & Sons. He was a prominent figure in the community and was intimately associated with the C., B. & Q. R. R., not only with its management, but with its beginning and growth, and he lived to see it cover 5,000 miles of territory.

He was Director of the First National Bank and also an organizer of the Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank, and was its first President. He was a Direct- or of the C., B. & Q. R. R. and a Trustee of Knox College, and labored faithfully in the founding and growth of the Congregational Church; in short, to all good enterprises he gave his ablest efforts and was strong in his power to achieve the right.

Mr. Colton was united in marriage Jan. 5, 1826, with Miss Emily H., daughter of Samuel McLana- than, of Sangerville, Me. They were the parents of five children, one of whom died in childhood. They were named Harriet S. (Mrs. J. H. Noteware), Sarah M., Francis and John B. In 1862 the latter assisted in the formation of the 83d Ill. Reg. and was subse- quently Quartermaster, which he resigned on ac- count of illness. He was a leading man in Gales- burg at the time of its founding, and for many years after; and to do Mr. Colton justice would require far greater space than this biography admits.

At Mr. Colton's death expressions of sympathy from numerous men whose names are an honor to any county, leading men in educational matters and affairs of the public, came to the bereaved family. Not only were they couched in terms of respect, but they were filled with that tenderness and affection which only came from an honest regard. There sur- vive him his daughters, Mrs. Harriet S. Noteware and Miss Sarah Colton, besides his sons, John B. and Hon. Francis Colton. Our subject was an unostenta- tious man, quiet in his tastes, and previous to 1848 was a Democrat ; since then a Free-Soiler and after- ward a Republican. He was of strong will and clear and logical intellect, and stood like a prop to all or- ganizations for good. In short our subject had proved the truth that, " "l'is only noble to be good," and had held himself answerable to God and his

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own conscience with "duty " his watchword, while with strong hands he upheld college and church, and those who knew him rejoice to feel that " he builded better than he knew."

M. Kimber, conductor of the C., B. & Q. R. R., resident of Galesburg, was born in Portage County, Wis., Aug. 24, 1851. His father, Fredrick F. Kimber, is a native of En- gland, and his mother, whose maiden name was Clarke, was born in the State of Ohio. They reared two sons, the subject of this sketch be- ing the eldest. He spent 20 years upon a farm in Lake County, Ill., whither his parents removed from the Badger State in 1853.

The common schools of Illinois afforded our sub- ject opportunity for a fair education, and in 1875 he began work for the "Q." as train brakeman. At the end of 23 months the company placed him in charge of a train as conductor, and here he has since been found. He was married at Clayton, this State, May 15, 1876, to Miss Emma Thompson ; the one child born to them is named Harry Francis. Mr. Kimber is one of the most popular members of the Order of Railway Conductors, as he is also of the I. O. O. F.

eorge A. Tryon was born in Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., April 5, 1826. At the age of nine years his parents, Eber and Maria (Barber) Tryon, removed to Nor- thern Ohio, and located on a farm, where he remained until 1852. He then came to this State, and after stopping temporarily at several dif- ferent points in the State, finally located permanently in Galesburg, and in. 1854 engaged in the lumber trade

Mr. Tryon was married July 27, 1857, to Miss Julia L., daughter of Charles and Lorinda Whiting, of Lake County, Ohio. Two children, Louise and Fred. G., and two adopted children, Estelle M. and James W., constitute his family.

In 1867 he started a branch lumber-yard at Abing- don, and in 1879 transferred his business in Gales- burg to this point. He is proprietor of Cherry Grove-

Farm, consisting of 600 acres in Cedar Township, giving special attention to the raising of stock. He was the first to introduce thoroughbred Hereford cattle into Knox County. He has at present a herd of 25 thoroughbreds and about 100 grades.

Mr. Tryon in religion is a Presbyterian, in poli- tics a Republican, in temperance a Prohibitionist.

illiam M. Combs. Standing on section 36 of Chestnut Township may be seen the home of the subject of whom this personal sketch is written. He is an honest and re- liable citizen, whose landed possessions in- clude 112 acres and who does a general farm business.

Our subject was born in Highland County, Ohio, April 19, 1824. His father was Robert W. Combs and his mother Martha (Parker) Combs, the former being born in Virginia in the year 1796, and the lat- ter in Pennsylvania in 1797. She passed from earth May 4, 1863, in Fulton County. Her husband still survives, and they were the parents of ten children, namely : Cynthia A., Mary A., James P., William W., Zur M., Cary A., Andrew J., John M. and Mar- tha J.

Mr. Combs came to Illinois in 1835 and located in Fulton County, this State, where he remained for 18 years. He then moved to California, then to Ore- gon, and finally to Washington Territory; and after an absence of 16 years returned to Knox County and settled down for the remainder of his life.

In 1874, March 18, he united in marriage with Miss Sarah C. Timmons, a native of Knox County, born April 8, 1849, and who is the daughter of Stephen and Lucinda Timmons, natives of Ohio. Mrs. Combs' father was born Feb. 14, 1814, and is still living, and her mother, born Jan. 8, 1817, died in December, 1862, in Fulton County. She was the mother of ten children, to wit : Andrew J., Peter S., Annie, Thomas, Mary E. and Martha J., twins, Sarah C., Margaret E., Joseph N. and George W.

In politics Mr. Combs is a Republican.

Mr. Combs tells with considerable interest and merriment the story of his Western trip. It seems he started overland for the Pacific Slope in 1852, driving an ox team. The journey consumed five

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months and nine days, but they had no trouble with the red men of the forest. He worked in the mines three years and was engaged in packing over the mountains, and eventually he acquired a fair compe- tency, and, what was still better, good health. Mr. Combs is of Irish and German extraction and his wife is of Scotch and German ancestry.

R M. Campbell. Among those solid and substantial men who figured in the found- ing of Wataga village and purchased land upon which they marked the boundaries and located their homes was R. M. Campbell, of Sparta Township, who came to Illinois in 1856 and purchased a house and lot at that village. Although not one of the earliest settlers, he was one of those men who figured actively in making im- provements and watching the growth of the place, purchasing 60 acres of land in the corporation, for which he paid $60 per acre, exchanging his house and lot in partial payment. On this land bought by him there was a coal-mine, which had previously been worked, but without success.

R. M. Campbell, believing in the old adage "Nothing ventured, nothing had," against the advice of many doubters re-opened the coal-mine, and to his delight and the surprise of the people in that vicinity, it proved the best yielding and most fruitful mine in that section of the country. It was a real bonanza to its purchaser, and to his introductory purchase he has since added 621/2 acres on section 15 and 40 acres on section 22. He has 25 town lots, three stores, two tenant-houses, besides owning three stores in Galesburg on Prairie street, one ten- ant-house in the east part of town, besides a half interest in a house and lot near the Commercial Hotel.

Mr. Campbell was born in Ireland in 1836, and his parents were James and Elizabeth Gillmore Camp- bell. They were descendants of the Scotch and boasted a long line of lineage of which they were justly proud. At the age of 16, our subject, with all the aspirations and dreams of youth, emigrated to America to seek his fortune. On reaching Balti- more, Md., he tarried for a brief space of time in that city, and in 1857 came to the State of Illinois and

settled in Wataga, as previously stated. For two years he labored by the day, but, " There is a tide in the affairs of men, that, taken at its flood, leads on to fortune," and our subject, being possessed of keen foresight and much financial ability, made the pur- chase previously mentioned and a life competency, all at one stroke.

He was married in June, 1863, to Miss Catherine Dolan, who proved an active helpmate and a con- genial life companion, and to them were given two children, both of them now living, by name George and Lizzie.

Mr. Campbell, as before shown, is distinguished as one of the largest owners of real estate and as one of the most able business men in this part of the country. He takes considerable interest in politics, and supports the doctrines of the Republican party. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias in Galesburg.

.harles A. Hinckley is a farmer on section I, Galesburg Township, and was born Jan. 23, 1825, in Delaware County, N. Y., and came to Illinois in 1845. His father, Alfred, was a native of New York and born Dec. 6, 1799, in Albany County. In 1846, July of that year, he came to Illinois and located in Knox County. He married, in Delaware County, N. Y., Miss Eliza Stanley, on the 23d day of March, 1824. She was a native of Cork, Ireland, where she was born in 1797, but came to the United States when she was only two years old. The name of her paternal parent was John Stanley. In principle he was a Liberator in the old country, and on account of his views found it almost impossible to remain at home. He therefore resolved on coming to America, where he knew every liberal principle received the assent of its people. He was married to Miss Rol- lins. His passage across the Atlantic (in those days a tedious one) was accompanied by many hardships. For several days they were in constant fear of the vessel being lost.

Mrs. Stanley, the grandmother of our subject, was so affrighted that she locked two of her daughters in a wooden chest, while yet alive, so that if the vessel happened to go down their bodies would, in some measure, be protected from the sharks. Their lives

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were, however, all saved. Mrs. Hinckley, the mother of our subject, died March 3. 1874, in Galesburg. Had she lived to the 23d day of March, i. e., 20 days longer, she would have celebrated her golden wedding. This had already been arranged by her children, but they were doomed to disappointment. This good lady was a member of the Baptist Church, to which she had belonged for 21 years. Her husband still survives her.

Mr. Charles Hinckley, the eldest son of Mr. Hinckley, was married March 17, 1861, to Miss Clar- issa N. Root. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Kingsbury, of the Baptist Church. She was born in 1831, on the 22d of November, in Oneida County, N. Y. Her parents were Riley and Lavinia (Butler) Root, both natives of New York. Her father was born Aug. 29, 1795, and died Feb. 24, 1870. Her mother's birth took place April 9, 1803, and her de- mise on June 25, 1834. By the marriage there were five children, two of whom were twins. These latter died in their infancy, also the youngest ; of those sur- viving, Dency E. was born Dec. 9, 1823 ; Clarissa N., Nov. 22, 1831. The brothers and sisters of Charles A. Hinckley are Mary E., George W., William S., Francis E. and Harriet A.

The paternal parent of Mrs. Hinckley came to Illinois in 1836, and located in Knox County. His children accompanied the colony that settled in Galesburg in that year. He soon followed in their footsteps, but arrived at the township before them. Their journey was commenced at Oneida County, N. Y., and they proceeded in a canal boat down the Ohio River, up the Mississippi, and from there up the Illinois until they reached the mouth of Copperas Creek, in Fulton County; from here they made their · way by land to Log City. Riley Root helped to build the first house in Galesburg. He was an excellent mechanic, and an inventor, whose name still exists in the old patent-right records at Washington. Among his inventions was that of a machine to clear railroad tracks of snow, also a process for clarifying sorghum-cane juice, which was considered the great- est invention of the day. His invention for leveling railroad tracks was also patented. Among other things he made a fine-toned violin, which he afterward sold in Galesburg to a prominent musician.

In connection with this notice it must not be omit- ted to state that in early times the father of Mrs.

Hinckley, in his first efforts to gain success, cut out millstones in his own house and erected a horse mill for grind corn. This mill was used by the settlers of Knox County, and was the earliest among those known before water or steam mills. The early set- tlers were taught by experience to seek his aid in scores of useful projects.

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Portrait and biographical album of Knox county, Illinois, Part 113

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