Portrait and biographical album of Knox county, Illinois, Part 94

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

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III. Vol. Inf. He shortly after left that regiment, and did effective work for the Government till near the close of the war. After the war Mr. Fowler located in Carthage, Ill., where he founded and published the Carthage Gazette, and conducted the same until 1870, a portion of which time he was also in the United States secret service. In 1871 he came to Galesburg, and purchased the Galesburg Daily Register, retiring from it in 1872. The Register was the only paper ever published in Galesburg contain- ing Associated Press dispatches. We next find him serving Galesburg as its City Marshal, which position he filled with credit until 1878, when he retired to accept his present position. Mr. Fowler was mar- ried at Macomb, Ill., to Jane E., the accomplished daughter of Van C. and Elizabeth (Randolph) Hampton. She is a lady of estimable attainments and comes of a long and worthy line of ancestors in McDonough County, the Hamptons and the Ran- dolphs being too well known to need genealogical tracing. Mr. and Mrs. Fowler had a family of one son and three daughters, the eldest of whom died in February, 1882. W. Harry is a young man of good attainments, served an apprenticeship in machinery and mechanism in the machine shops of the C., B. & Q. R. R., and now holds a good position in their shops. Rose E. and W. Fay, their daughters, are young ladies of accomplishments and reside at home. Mr. Fowler has always taken an active part in the encouragement of measures attending the city's growth and development.

He is an active Mason, having attained the degree of Knight Templar in Galesburg Commandery, No. 8. He is also a member of the G. A. R., belonging to James T. Shields Post, No. 45, and likewise is a member of the A. O. U. W. He held important positions in Odd Fellowship for many years.

rick Larson. Mr. Larson is one of the successful Swedish farmers on section 14, Walnut Grove Township. He is a self- made man in the fullest sense of the word, and was born in Helsingland, North Sweden, on June 4, 1837. His father, Erick, was born in the same country, but after the family's arrival in the United States, and while pushing westward, the

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father's decease occurred on Lake Michigan. Owing to the cholera, which had become an epidemic about that date, one son, Charles, and one daughter, Ingra, sickened and died. The family, however, managed to reach Chicago, Ill. Here the mother with her five remaining children, two sons and three daughters, made a short stay. Of these the subject of this his- tory was the youngest.

The mother of our subject, who is yet living, finally settled in Copley Township. She is in her 87th year, and resides with her daughter, Mrs. Martha Seiboldt. No sooner had the family settled, as just stated, than Mr. Larson, though then quite young, determined to make his own living and engaged in farming operations. In these he continued until the date of his marriage, March 31, 1861, in Copley Township, to Miss Mary E. Pitts, a native of Henry County, Ind., born Jan. 1, 1837. This lady was the daughter of William H. and Cynthia (Knight) Pitts, na- tives of North Carolina, but married in Henry County, where they had lived. The father was a shoemaker by calling, and moved from Henry County to Hamil- ton, Ind., when their daughter, Mrs. Larson, of this notice, was still young. She was the oldest but one of a family of nine children. In 1850 the family lo- cated in Copley Township, and three years later the parents went to Benton County, Iowa, where the father died, on Sept. 26, 1871, and the mother on Feb. 2, 1875. They were members of the United Brethren Church, the father being a Class Leader in that body for several years. Up to the date of her marriage Mrs. Larson remained at home, occupied with domestic work. By her happy union four chil- dren were born-Cynthia A., who resided at home up to the date of her decease, and who was the wife of L. W. Johnson, and died Jan. 21, 1881; George W., John H. and Emma J. still remain at home. Subsequent to their marriage they settled on an imn- proved farm in Copley Township, but later, in 1875, purchased 160 acres in the present township.

Both in farming and stock-raising Mr. Larson has had extraordinarily good luck, while his family is one of the most interesting in the district. Mrs. Lar- son's family record is as follows : Hannah J., married, but since deceased ; Sarah L., married and living in Rice County, Kan .; John W., who died in Anderson- ville prison ; William H., married and residing in Benton Co., Iowa ; George M., married; E. H., mar- ried, but whose wife is deceased, and A. E. and

Rachel I .. , married and living in Rice County, Kan. Mr. Erick Larson has been identified with the Re- publican party, of the principles of which he has al- ways been an earnest advocate.

ranklin Ogden, ex-merchant and retired farmer, son of Abraham and Keziah (Houghton) Ogden, natives respectively of Old and New England, was born in Oneida County, N. Y., July 25, 1808. Abraham Og- den came to America when he was 23 years of age ; settled in York State, where he farmed up to 1839, when he came to Illinois, and in Berwick Township, Warren County, spent the rest of his life, dying in 1845. The old man was a lover of American institutions, and in the War of 1812 served his adopted country faithfully as a soldier. He reared four sons and three daughters, Franklin being the second in order of birth.

The subject of our sketch received a fair common- school education in New York State; grew to man- hood on a farm, came to Illinois in 1840, and lived in Warren County until 1865. At Berwick, in that county, he was for some years engaged in mercantile business, at which, augmented by the products of the farm, he accumulated a considerable fortune. In the spring of 1866 he removed to Galesburg, where he has since been engaged in the manufacture of com- position stone. Before the war Mr. Ogden was a Whig; in fact, it may be said that he was an active politician, for we find that he was a political speaker of more than local reputation. When the Whig party expired, or was swallowed up by other parties, he identified himself with the Republican party, which he has since given his ablest support. For more than 50 years Mr. Ogden has been a member of the Baptist Church; 30 years of the time a Deacon, and the proudest thing to be said of him is, that through his whole life (and he has seen more than three- quarters of a century) his acts have been consistent with his professions.

At Rome, N. Y., Oct. 11, 1832, Mr. Ogden was married to Miss Jane Briggs, who died at Berwick, about the year 1848, leaving five children, after having buried two, Analucia and Joseph, who died in infancy. Of the others, Franklin D. is a farmer in Warren County ; Eliza Jane died in 1853, at the

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINA'S

CCollinson

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age of 18 years ; Allen B. died in 1853, at the age of 14 years; James also died in 1853, at the age of II years, and Albert is a citizen of Colorado.

Aug. 2, 1850, Mr. Ogden united with his second wife, Mrs. Cynthia Whiting, nee Richardson, in Gene- see, N. Y. She lived but a short time, and died at Berwick, in Warren County, Aug. 29, 1850. Mr. Ogden found his third wife in the person of Mrs. Sarah Jane Baker, nee Pollock, and to her he was married at Berwick, May 26, 1853. Mrs. Ogden was a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Robert and Margaret (Hurley) Pollock. Her first husband, Mr. S. W. Baker, was a professional educator in his life- time. Her only child, George W. Baker, died near Berwick, Aug. 4, 1853, at the age of three and one- half years.

G harles Collinson. Among the large land- holders and successful and well-to-do farmers of Knox County, prominently stands the name of him whose short biograph- ical notice we give, accon,panied by his por- trait. He is at present engaged in the prose- cution of his life-long vocation on his fine farm of 280 acres on section 31, Lynn Township, and is meeting with far more than ordinary success as a tiller of the soil. He is the proprietor of Walnut Creek Creamery, and manufactures a large amount of fine creamery butter. He has been engaged in the business since 1880. He is the son of Thomas Collinson, whose native home was beyond the At- lantic, in Yorkshire, England, and who was of pure English blood. The father of our subject was reared on a farm in the mother country, and at the age of nine years began to earn his own livelihood. He was married in his native shire to Hannah Codlin, who was also a native of Yorkshire, and there reared to womanhood. While yet a resident of that shire, two children, sons, were born to them, our subject being the elder, and the date of his birth May 14, 1826.

The father and mother, together with their two sons, emigrated to the United States, and immedi- ately made settlement in Wilkesbarre, Luzerne Co., Pa. After their arrival in this country three more children were born ; three children are living. The mother died in Wilkesbarre, Pa , when Charles was

but 12 years of age. . The father was again married in Luzerne County, to a lady of French extraction, Louisa Mathias, who was born and reared to woman- hood in France, coming to the United States and locating in Luzerne County when a young lady. She yet survives and is living with her younger daughter, Mrs. Thomas McClure, in Lynn Township. The father of our subject died in Lynn Township, Jan. 28, 1881, at the age of 82. He came to Illinois in 1852, bringing his family with him, six boys and two girls, Charles being the eldest. He had been a fairly successful farmer, and at the date of his de- mise was possessed of a considerable property. In politics he was a Democrat.

Charles Collinson, after accompanying his parents to this county, continued to reside with them on the parental homestead, assisting by his labors in the maintenance of the family until 19 years of age. He worked five years in the coal mines in the Wyoming Valley, Pa., and vicinity.

He was married in Wilkesbarre, Pa., July 18, 1847, Miss Catherine A. Spare becoming his wife. She was born near Philadelphia, Aug. 18, 1824, and is the daughter of John and Catherine (Cline) Spare, na- tives of Pennsylvania and of Holland descent. Her father was a blacksmith, but after his marriage fol- lowed farming for a sustenance until his demise, which took place Jan. 2, 1865, in Wilkesbarre, Pa. His wife followed him to the land beyond 20 days later.

Mrs. Collinson was the third in order of birth of a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters, and continued to reside with her parents until her marriage. Of her union with Mr. Collinson 11 chil- dren have been born, one of whom is deceased. Thomas married Hannah Rawlins, and resides in Iowa, engaged in farming; John S. has a sketch in this work; Sarah married Ambrose King, a farmer of Victoria Township; Abraham married Margaret Mar- shall, and also lives in Victoria Township; Mary C. is the wife of C. S. King, a farmer of Crawford County, Kan .; Martha A. married J. C. Gray, a farmer of Lynn Township; C. Frederick follows the calling of a farmer in Victoria Township, and the maiden name of his wife was H. L. McDaniels ; Hannah M. became Mrs. D. C. McDowell; Samuel S. married Ada Strong, who died since the above was written, and is a farmer in Victoria Township; Luther M. is a farmer and resides at home. The

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deceased is Alice A., who died when about one year and two months old.

Mr. and Mrs. Collinsons are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has been Town- ship Assessor, and in politics votes with the Demo- cratic party. Mr. Collinson enlisted in September, 1 862, in Co. G, 89th Regt. Ill. Vol. Inf .; in the fall of 1863 he was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps, and served in the same until the close of the war, when he received an honorable discharge at Detroit, Mich., July 3, 1865. He was in numerous skirmishes, and early in the service received a sun- stroke, which prevented him from active duty.

dward H. Ware, an extensive farmer and stock raiser, residing on section 6, Salem Township, is a native of that township, and was born Jan. 6, 1862. His father, Will- iam Keys Ware, was born April 10, 1814, in In- diana County, Pa., and was the fourth son of Hugh Ware, who was of Scotch descent, and whose ancestry settled in the Valley of Virginia in the colonial days. His mother's maiden name was Re- becca Hanson, whose ancestors were Hollanders and settled in the colony, occupying territory in what is now the State of Delaware, long before the War of the Revolution. In 1817, his father left Pennsyl- vania with his family when his son, William K., was only three years old. He died in Highland County, Ohio, in the fall of the same year. After the death of her husband his mother settled on a small farm near Hillsboro, where with great effort she kept her children together until all were grown. William, being the youngest son, lived with his mother and worked on the farm for several years after he was grown, and owing to her limited means he was de- prived of a collegiate course, but acquired a good common-school education. Being ambitious to pro- cure distinction, he determined to study law, and about the year 1840 entered the law office of Judge Scott, at Hillsboro, where he remained two years, when he was admitted to the bar.

William Ware opened his first law office at West Union, Ohio, where he remained about a year. Not being very successful, he left there and went to Knoxville, Ill., where he opened his second office,

but, still failing to receive a fair practice, after an- other year's trial he returned to Ohio and selected a location at Upper Sandusky, where he made a fair beginning and accumulated considerable money.

After living in Illinois, the young attorney found Ohio a dull place and determined to return to the Prairie State. About this time a colony from Knox County was about to start for Oregon, and he joined this and in 1847 found himself in that far-off Territory, where he soon began to engage in farming. In 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill, Cal., and during the fall of that year, in company with a few others, he commenced mining, at what is now Placer- ville, where he took out considerable dust. This occupation proved too tedious, and an ounce a day too small a return, so he engaged to supply the miners with tools, groceries, flour and beef, the latter on a large scale. He procured a stock ranch in Butte County, and purchasing lean cattle from across the plains, took them to his ranch, where they soon became in good condition for beef. The supply of cattle from that source, however, became inadequate, and he then purchased of the Mexicans, in Lower California, large quantities of wild cattle, paying for them in gold-dust. While there he encountered many hairbreadth escapes from what often appeared imminent danger and possible death, but he was so fortunate that in 1852 he returned to his old home with $100,000, all accumulated by his own honest energy and effort. Being a man of strict integrity, Mr. Ware made it his first business to hunt up his old creditors and pay them, principal and interest, although they were all barred by the statute of limitation.

William K. Ware married Miss Priscilla Stark, daughter of Dr. Stark, an eminent physician at Fair- field, Jefferson County, Iowa, and soon settled on a large farm near what is now Summit, Knox Co., Ill., and engaged in farming and stock-raising with marked success a number of years. Soon after the railroad was completed, Mr. Ware laid out the vil- lage of Summit, which is located on his farm. He was extensively engaged in the breeding of fine stock, and also in the cultivation of the soil. His death occurred June 5, 1867. His widow still survives him and is now Mrs. J. W. Dieffendorf, residing at Peoria. The parental family numbered three chil- dren : William D. resides at Summit; Ida H. became the wife of James A. Penick, and resides in Chariton,

W. K. Stare

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Lucas County, Iowa; our subject was the youngest.

The father of our subject was tolerant in his relig- ious views, kind and benevolent to all, and was a fırın believer in the Christian religion. When in the enjoyment of domestic felicity and worldly pros- perity, he was suddenly taken away while engaged in branding young horses ; a pole with which he was controlling them gave way and struck him in the breast with such force that he died in a few hours. By this sad accident his wife was made a widow and his three small children orphans.

Of this family several brothers and sisters remain. His sister, Catherine Thomson, mother-in-law of Ex-Gov. Carey, of Kansas, resides in Leavenworth City ; another sister, B. McManas, lives at Ottumwa, Iowa; a brother, John H. Ware, is a banker at Bur- lington, Mo. The late Dr. J. C. Ware, of Fairfield, Iowa, was also a brother.

The subject of our sketch grew to manhood in his native State and received his early education in the district school, supplementing the same by an at- tendance of four terms at Hedding College, Abing- I don. After his mother's second marriage he removed to Iowa, and remained for two years in Lucas County. Subsequently he returned to Salem Township, and with the exception of that two years has remained upon the old homestead, a part of which he now owns.

The subject of this notice was married June 23, 1883, to Miss Sarah A. Sloan, daughter of Hon. John and Sarah (Allen) Sloan. She was born in Salem Township, December 18, 186r. She has borne her husband one child, a daughter, Jessie. Mr. Ware devotes much of his attention to the stock bus- iness, and has upon his farm, among other blooded stock, two magnificent imported Clydesdale stallions.

enry M. Sisson. The subject of this his- tory, Mr. Henry M. Sisson, is a prominent farmer on section 35, of Henderson Township. He first arrived in Knox County in September, 1842, coming from Oneida County, N. Y. Set- tling first in Galesburg, he lived there 13 years, and in the summer of 1855 removed to Hen- derson Township, his present home. He is almost

exclusively engaged in stock-raising, and in com- pany with his brother, William P., is the owner of a half-section of prime land. On the 29th of Septem- ber, 1829, he was born in Clinton, Oneida Co., N. Y., and resided there until he came to Galesburg. He received a good common-school education, and in addition, after locating in Galesburg, he attended the Academy belonging to Knox College.

He has been continuously engaged in agricultural pursuits and in fine-stock raising and has shown himself a competent judge in his chosen vocation. He was married in Chicago, Ill., on the 25th of De- cember, 1860, to Eliza J. Miller, who was a native of that city and born December 5, 1836. By this mar- riage this lady became the mother of nine children, of whom six are now living, viz .: Della A., Dora E., Frances O., Margaret M., Helen M. and Anna M. Our subject's parents were Pardon and Abbie (Mc- Call) Sisson, natives of Rhode Island and Connecti- cut respectively. They were married in Lebanon, Conn., Sept. 30, 1827, and settled in Oneida County (this being the second marriage of Mr. Sisson), and came to Galesburg in the year 1842. Henry Sisson's mother died on the 20th of February, 1873 and the elder Mr. Sisson's decease occurred on the 23d of November, 1860. The parents of Mrs. Henry Sisson were John and Jane A. (Crane) Miller, na- tives of Virginia and Vermont. They were married in Chicago, where Mrs. Miller died May 21, 1849. Mr. Miller first came to Galesburg in 1857, and died there January 22, 1858.

Mr. H. M. Sisson has been elected several times to the office of Supervisor of his township, and has held other minor offices. The father of the present Mrs. Sisson was one of the early settlers of Chicago, and one of the first Trustees of the village of Chica- go. At that date the great bustling and enterpris- ing city of to-day was not yet a corporate city. The gentleman whose name heads this history is one of the Directors of the Galesburg National Bank, besides holding the office of President of the American Po- land-China Record Company. He is an extensive breeder of Short-horn cattle and Poland-China hogs, concerning which he is a recognized authority in Knox County.

In politics the Republican party can claim in Mr. Sisson a man who is always willing and ready to give his support to any measure or side with any princi- ple calculated to promote his country's interests.

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lbert A. Calkins. Prominent among the well-to-do farmers of Sparta Township, who came to this county away back in 1836, and who have continued to reside here until the present time, meeting with success in their chosen vocation, is the gentleman of whom these notes are written. He is at present residing on section 2, Sparta Township, being township 12 north, range 2 east of the 4th principal meridian, where is located his fine farm of 220 fertile acres, on which there are good and substantial improvements.

Mr. Calkins of this notice was born in Hillsdale, Columbia Co .. N. Y., June 1, 1808. His parents were Stephen (the sixth generation from Hugh) and Anna (Smith) Calkins, likewise natives of York State. The father of Stephen Calkins was a native of Connecticut, and his distant forefather, Hugh Calkins, born in Monmouthshire, England, in 1600, came from England to Massachusetts in the year 1640, and soon settled in Connecticut. From Hugh Calkins comes the Calkins family existing through- out different parts of the United States to-day. Stephen Calkins came to Illinois, in 1838, and set- tled in Henry County, where he purchased a farm, on which he located and there lived, engaged in that honorable calling until his death, in 1857; his wife had died in 1843.

The subject of this notice was an inmate of the parental household until he attained the age of 23 years. He received a common-school education and diligently assisted his father in the labors of the farm, and after leaving home engaged to learn the carpen- ter's trade. This he mastered and followed for sev- eral years, when he was employed as salesman, to travel throughout the Southern States, and was thus occupied for three years. In 1836, our subject came to this State and at once entered 180 acres of land on section 2, Sparta Township. Subsequently he increased his landed interests by an additional pur- chase of 40 acres. When he first came here the county was sparsely settled and the hand of civili- zation was hardly visible; indeed, there was not a white man who had settled upon the broad prairie one mile from the timber, all who had made settle- ment having selected the timber. It was at this date that the Underground Railroad was being operated,

and the subject of this notice at this day is not afraid to acknowledge that he was an active partici- pant. Mr. Calkins, on settling on the land which he originally entered, at once began its improvement and cultivation, and for 50 years has continued to reside thereon, having through his own exertions and labor brought it to the high state of cultivation and value that it occupies at this writing.

In 1837, one year after his arrival in this county, he concluded that he needed a helpmate to aid him iu the improvement of his home and to share in the successes which he was certain he saw in the near future. He consequently selected Miss L. M. Park as his companion. She was a native of Massachu- setts, and a daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Frink) Park, and bore her husband eight children, five only of whom are now living : Calvin, who mar- ried Elizabeth Berry and by whom he has had three children-Ella, Carrie and Ida ; Leonard took to wife Flora Snell, and their children are eight in number- Ernest, Hugh, Nellie, Rufus, Eli, Abigail, Rosa and Lois M .; Dwight was the next in order of birth ; Leroy married Fannie Reed, and they have one son --- Willis ; Fremont L. also became a married man, the maiden name of his wife being Helen R. Parker.

In politics Mr. Calkins is a Republican and has been one in sentiment ever since 1850. Being in- tensely Anti-slavery in sentiment, he left the Whig party on the passage of the Fugitive-Slave law, which he considered a disgrace to civilization. While in the midst of slavery he opposed it with tongue and pen. The following is a small specimen of what he left among the slaveholders and which he wrote in 1834:

Founded on oppression, Stigma to the Nation, Without shadow of Equity, Is held as a treasure For profit and pleasure, Ilot beds of all iniquity.

Mr. Calkins and his wife, who, when another year shall have rolled around, will have been man and wife for 50 years, will celebrate their golden wedding. They are true and consistent members of the Bap_ tist Church, and hand in hand have climbed the lad- der of difficulty until at last they are living in the enjoyment of a competency earned through honest toil. Mr. Calkins has held the office of School Di- rector, and to him belongs the honor of calling the first school meeting ever held in Sparta Town- ship, and he was the only one who attended that

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Portrait and biographical album of Knox county, Illinois, Part 94

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