Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 104

Author: Chapman brothers, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman brothers
Number of Pages: 1222

USA > Illinois > McLean County > Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 104

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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McLEAN COUNTY.

400 miles. traveling in an Indian eanoe made in one piece from a eedar tree, his companions being three men and an Indian guide. After returning to Vietoria he proceeded to San Francisco, and then to Tueson, Ariz., where he engaged in contraet- ing and building about one year. Thenee he pro- eeeded to Mexico and built a forty-stamp-mill for the Coborea Mining Company, which oeeupied about five months. After his return to Tueson he started eastward to Chicago, which he reached in September, 1881. He there engaged in speeulating on the Board of Trade, and then, in company with his brother, N. B. Ream, who is a prominent mem- ber of the Board of Trade, purchased 960 acres of land in Gridley Township.

In January, 1882, Mr. Ream loeated with his family upon the farm which he and his brother had purchased, which is now operated by both brothers, and is furnished with all the machinery and ap- plianees required by a first-elass agriculturist. They have added to their original purchase until they now have 1,440 aeres, all in one body, with' one of the finest set of frame' buildings in the eounty. Their attention is principally devoted to stoek-raising, in which they started with a herd of about 600 head of cattle. Their operations in- ereased until one winter they purchased 50,000 bushels of eorn for feeding. They now devote the most of their attention to raising and buying heavy draft horses. They have one of the finest Freneh Percheron stallions in the county, which weighs 2,040 pounds, a magnificent animal and a model of symmetry, beauty and strength. In this business they give employment to five men, and have made for themselves a reputation second to none in the State in this department of agriculture. In 1886 they raised 12,000 bushels of oats. Their land is drained extensively with tile, ineluding about fifty-seven miles; the outlets are 16 and 18 ineh, and the water from them forms a ereek, which is known as Turkey Creek. The farm is well watered with five large wells, which are fed from inexhaustible springs. For the purpose of raising water there are three windmills, by which all the farm buildings are supplied with this indispen- sable element. Mr. Ream is constantly adding val- uable improvements to the farm, and it is now

valued at $100,000, and stoeked with $28,000 worth of horses.

The marriage of Cleon C. Ream and Miss Bell I., daughter of Isaae and Julia A. (Kemp) Young, was celebrated in Chenoa Township, on the 13th of April, 1883. Mrs. R. was born in Money Creek Township, Aug. 18, 1862, and her parents were na- tives of Illinois and Ohio, respectively. Of this un- ion there have been born three children; the two older were named George Y. and Grover C. Mr. Ream belongs to no secret organization. Politi- eally he inelines to Democratie principles, while so- eially and as a business man he ranks among the representative citizens of MeLean County.

J. HANCOCK, a successful dealer in groeer- ies, queensware, ete., established his present prosperous business in Heyworth in Novem- ber, 1885. He carries a elean and well se- leeted stock, and by his courteous manners and square dealing has built up a thriving trade which is steadily on the inerease. He was formerly en- gaged in farming in Downs Township, where he still owns a finely improved farm of 160 acres on section 9, township 21, 3 east. Mr. Hancoek pur- chased his farm homestead in 1855, and since that time has made it his residence. He purchased the land from the Government, and was the first who comineneed its improvement. He has brought it to a good state of eultivation, and has a fine set of farm buildings which are both tasteful and sub- stantial.

The subject of this history was born in Mont- gomery County, Tenn., April 6, 1819. His father, Elijalı Haneock, was a saddler by trade, and the son of Lloyd Hancock, who descended from pure English aneestry. Lloyd Haneock came to the United States when a young man and settled in Virginia, where he afterward made his home. He was married to Miss Mary Reeves, and they reared a family of five children, three sons and two dauglı- ters. Later in life the children went to Tennessee and the parents to Charleston, S. C., where they both died, being over seventy years of age. Their son Elijah, the father of our subjeet, was the third

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McLEAN COUNTY.

ehild of the family, and before his marriage went to Montgomery County, Tenn. There he became acquainted with Miss Elizabeth Ross, a native of Stewart County, that State, whose parents were of Irish birth and aneestry. This lady became the wife of Elijah Haneoek in 1818, and was subse- quently the mother of our subjeet. Their house- hold included six children, four sons and two daughters, of whom J. J. was the eldest. One of the sons and two daughters are now deeeased. Those living besides our subjeet are Franeis, a farmer of Dyer County, Tenn .; R. R., who is farm- ing in Labette County, Kan., and Mrs Malony Starr, of Bloomington, Ill.

Mr. Haneoek of our sketeh remained in Middle Tennessee until twenty years old, when he went to Kentucky and settled in Christian County. He had served an apprenticeship at the saddlery trade under the instruction of his father, and followed this in Kentucky until the fall of 1848. He eame North to Woodford County, Ill., and there pur- chased a farin which he operated for a few years, then sold out and eame to MeLean County. Be- sides his grocery stoek and his farin he is also the owner of village property, and is in possession of enough by which he will be generously provided for in old age.

Mr. Hancock was married in Christian County, Ky., Sept. 1, 1842, to Miss Mildred Harvey, a na- tive of that county, where she was born March 22, 1821. Her parents were Joel and Franees (Harvey) Harvey, natives respectively of Alabama and Geor- gia. Their home was upon a farm, where the fa- ther was engaged in the pursuit of agriculture, and lie died in Christian County about 1858. The inother subsequently eame to Eureka, Ill., and died there at the home of one of her daughters. Mr. and Mrs. Haneoek have beeome the parents of eleven ehildren, eight now living, and the record is as follows: Pinkney married Miss Maggie Baeon, and resides on a farm in De Witt County, Ill .; Eu- dora B. became the wife of Carter Sweeney, and they live on the farm of our subject in Downs Township; Lafayette H. is a farmer of Chautauqua County, Kan., and married Miss Wilson of that State; Fannie beeame the wife of John Livingston, and resides in Heyworth; James C. married Miss

Aliee Lutz, and they also reside on the farm in Downs Township; J. H. is engaged in business in Dyer County, Tenn. ; he married Miss Aliee Han- eoek; W. E. is his father's elerk in the store at Heyworth; Rosa is attending sehool and lives with her parents. The mother of these children died at her home in Heyworth, Sept. 12, 1882. She, with lier husband, was a member of the Christian Chureh.

Mr. Haneock, for his second wife, married Mrs. Rebeeea (Home) Yerkes, on the 15th of Septem- ber, 1885. Mrs. Rebeeea Haneoek was born near Philadelphia, Pa., and there lived to womanhood, soon afterward coming to Woodford County, Ill. In this latter plaee she was married to her first hus- band, by whom she became the mother of four ehildren-Edwin, Lillie, Charles and Albert, all grown, to mature years and taking eare of them- selves. The first husband of Mrs. Haneoek died in Jersey County, Ill., in 1870. She is also eonneeted with the Christian Church. In polities Mr. H. is a solid Republican, and has held the offiees of Col- leetor, Assessor, and Commissioner of Highways, and is at this time President of the Board of Edu- eation of Heyworth School District, also President of the Board of Trustees of the village of Hey- worth.

ONATHAN B. WARLOW, one of the hon- ored pioneers of the Prairie State, is now a prosperous farmer and stoek-breeder of Danvers Township, having a valuable home- stead on seetion 36. Mr. Warlow was born in Northampton, Mass., June 27, 1814, and removed with his parents to Oneida County, N. Y., when a child of three years old. He is the son of Benja- min and Elizabeth (Bond) Warlow, and while in his native State, when a child of perhaps two or three years old, was stolen from home by the In- dians. At the end of three days he was returned to his parents by a squaw who said that " the young pappoose ery too much," and she was glad to deliver him again to his parents. The latter shortly after- ward removed to New York City, where the father worked at his trade, as a tailor. As young Benja-

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MCLEAN COUNTY.

min grew to manhood he served seven years and six months in the boot and shoe business, and when seventeen years old went to Piekaway County, Ohio, where he lived two years. Then, in 1834, he re- moved to Illinois and located in MeLean County, which remained his home until his decease, on the 5th of September, 1864, at the age of seventy-nine years, he having been born Feb. 2, 1785. Hle was a useful eitizen and a member in good standing of the Christian Church.

When Benjamin Warlow decided upon a removal from New York he paeked his household goods into two wagons and proceeded to the Erie Canal, where he was to wait for a letter from his brother which should determine his final destination. After wait- ing four or five days and receiving no tidings, he set up a stiek on the gronnd, determining that if it fell toward New York City he would go there, or otherwise would come West. The stick toppled over to the westward and he at onee announced his decision to his wife. In less than half an hour he had loaded his goods onto a canal-boat and started for Ohio. Going into Geanga County they landed in Fairport, and thence proceeded to Painesville, and after a few months came to Illinois. The mother of our subject was born Nov. 26, 1786, and departed this life Feb. 24, 1874, thus being eighty- eight years old at the time of her death. The pa- rental family consisted of seven children, one of whom died in infancy. Those surviving are: Jona- than B., William C., Sarepta E., Richard A., La Fayette and Bond W.

Jonathan B. Warlow spent his earlier years un- der the parental roof and after arriving at years of ' manhood was married to Miss Catharine B. Hay, the ceremony taking place Nov. 15, 1838. Mrs. W. was born in Kentucky on the 3d of January, 1812, and was the daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Finley) Hay, her mother coming of the old Puritan stock, and the family consisting of eight children- John, Jennie, Marey, Mary, Susan, Catharine, Rachel and George.

Of this union of Mr. and Mrs. Warlow there were born: Elizabeth B., who married a Mr. Skeen, and resides in Reno County, Kan .; John W., who died at the age of seven years; Mary M., who married Jesse Branaird, and lives in Kansas; Susan E., who

died when six months old; Celia J., who married George L. Johnson, and resides in Danvers; George L. lives in Cass County, Ill., and is praetieing law ; Adelpha P. B., who married George B. Rowell, and lives at Fresno City, Cal., and Ada K., who was married to Harvey Abbott, Dee. 24, 1878, and lives on the old homestead. The mother of these chil- dren died on the 21st of June, 1885, her disease being cancer of the stomach. She had been a great sufferer and was paralyzed for nearly two weeks before her death. With our subjeet, she was a member of the Christian Church, with which they united in 1837, sustaining a meinbership in that denomination of forty-five years.

Mr. Warlow came to MeLean County in 1834, and at onee located in Danvers Township, where he purchased 240 aeres wbieh now constitutes the family homestead. In addition to this he owns 260 aeres two and one-half miles south in Allin Town- ship, and 240 aeres near Hutchinson, Kan. He has made a speciality of sheep-raising and has pur- chased fine specimens at a large price. He is now retired from active labor and is enjoying the fruits of early toil and self-sacrifice, having by good judgment and wise management obtained a com- peteney. He has been a prominent and useful citi- zen of the community, was Superintendent of the Sunday-school for a number of years, and also a Deaeon in his ehureh. He identified himself with the Masonie fraternity in 1876, and is now a mnem- ber of Danvers Lodge No. 742, of which he has been Chaplain for several years.

OHN T. IIILL, one of the well-to-do and high- ly respected farmers of Dry Grove Township, owns and occupies a comfortable homestead on seetion 36, where he is successfully en- gaged in general farming and stoek-raising. Ile is a native of Orange County, N. C., where he was born on the 22d of March, 1814, being the son of William and Damaris (Colverd) Hill, both natives of Maryland. The father, who was a farmer by oeeupation, was a prominent man in his community, deeply religious, and a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as was also his wife.

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McLEAN COUNTY.

They were married in North Carolina and removed to Indiana in 1817, loeating in Orange County, where they remained until 1837, and then eame to MeLean County, where the father died on the 26th of Mareh, 1845, at the age of sixty-one years. The nine children who composed the parental family were: Jesse, who married Miss Lidia Millis; Eras- mus, who married Miss H. Fossett; Judith, who married James De Pew; William, who is now de- eeased; John W., who married Miss E. Kelley, and lives in Arkansas; Damaris, who died at the age of twenty-three years ; Pleasant M., who married Miss Mary J. Hodge, and is now in California, and Cal- ista, deeeased.

The subject of our sketeh was married in Bloomington on the 17th of August, 1843, to Miss Maria De Pew, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Risley, of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Hill was born in Orange County, Ind., April 27, 1823. She is of French and German extraetion, and the daughter of Isaae and Sallie (Vantress) De- Pew, natives respectively of Virginia and Ken- tueky. Isaae De Pew was born in August, 1795, and departed this life Aug. 5, 1840, in Dry Grove, aged forty-five years. He was a member and Class- Leader of the Methodist Episcopal Church for nine- teen years, and in all respeets a most worthy Chris- tian gentlemau. Ile was a farmer by occupation, and possessed more than ordinary abilities, being an extensive reader and well informed upon matters of general interest. The mother of Mrs. Hill was born in Lineoln (formerly Mereer) County, Ky., Aug. 15, 1800. She was married on the 28th of Mareh, 1819, in Indiana, where she remained with her family until April, 1835, when they all eame to MeLean County, Ill., and have sinee remained. The parental household ineluded six children, four now living, and of whom Mrs. Hill was the eldest; James married Miss S. Johnson, who died some years ago; Mary is the widow of Mr. Wade, and lives in Chieago; Bedford died in St. Louis, when twenty-one years of age; Margaret married Mr. Corman, who is now deceased; Henry died several years ago.

Mr. and Mrs. Ilill became the parents of six ehil- dren, as follows: Alonzo died in 1868, aged twen- ty-three years; Augustus married Miss Louisa

Moulton ; Heleu beeame the wife of J. C. Calhoun, of Bloomington; Bedford married Miss Hattie Har- rison ; William C. and Edward are unmarried.

The homestead of our subjeet embraces ninety acres of finely cultivated land, within two and one- half miles of the city of Bloomington. He is a law-abiding and valued member of society, and with his wife, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Chureh, with which he has been connected sinee twenty years of age. In polities he is a staneh Dem- oerat, and uniformly easts his vote in support of the principles of his party.

A view of the handsome farm residenee of Mr. Hill is shown on another page of this ALBUM.

AHIAL STRETCH, a prosperous and promi- nent farmer of Gridley Township, has a fine farm located on seetion 19, upon which he settled in about 1856. This consists of eighty aeres of valuable land, all improved and under a good state of eultivation. Ilis house and farm buildings are kept in good repair and his stoek and machinery indieate the oversight of an intelligent and thoroughi-going business man. Mr. Stretch has been a resident of MeLean County sinee a lad of seven years old, when he removed with his parents from Ohio, in which State he was born, Sept. 27, 1823. His parents were Jesse and Elizabeth (Van- Dolah) Streteh, natives of Pennsylvania, where they were reared and married. They afterward re- moved to Ohio, and from there to Illinois, settling in MeLean County in 1830. The father of our subjeet established a home in Money Creek Township, this county, where both parents died, the former in De- eember, 1853, and the latter on the 9th of May, 1869. Their fourteen children eomprised eight daughters and six sons, all of whom lived to mature years, and of whom our subjeet was the tenth in order of birth.

Mr. Streteh received careful home training from his excellent parents and as good an education as the sehools of those early days afforded. He eame into MeLean County with his parents in 1830. He remained under the home roof until he at- tained his majority, and was then united in marriage

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MCLEAN COUNTY.

with Miss Lueinda Van Buskirk, Dee. 22, 1844, the wedding oeeurring in Money Creek Township. Mrs. Streteh is a native of Ohio; of this union there were born four children, of whom the record is as follows: George W. is a resident of Towanda, Ill. ; Lafayette is at home; Mary J. became the wife of Jesse Covington and lives in Iowa; Elizabeth died when young. Mrs. Lucinda Streteh departed this life in Hudson Township, this eounty, Mareh 17, 1852.

The second marriage of Mr. S. oeeurred on the 27th of April, 1854, when he was united with Miss Mary A., daughter of Archibald and Hannah (Areher) Wilson, who were natives of Ohio, and of whom mention is made in the sketeh of Abraham Wilson elsewhere in this work. Mrs. S. was born in Lieking County, Ohio, Nov. 1, 1828. Of the second marriage of our subjeet there have been six children: Hannah O. became the wife of William Hiteh and resides in Gridley Township; Jesse A. is at home; Sarah W. married Edward Poehel and they live in Gridley Township; Louisa T. died July 28, 1886; Minnie M. is a teacher in Livingston County, this State ; Samuel P. died Oet. 8, 1876, when five years of age. Mr. Streteh has been prominent in the affairs of his township, and has been identified with its welfare and prosperity. Both our subjeet and his wife are worthy members of the United Brethren Church, and politically Mr. S. earnestly supports the principles of the Repub- liean party.

D ENTON YOUNG, one of the enterprising and self-made citizens of Le Roy, is pros- perously engaged as a elothing dealer, and carries on the leading establishment of this kind in the place. He is a native of Ohio and was born in Cadiz, Harrison County, Feb. 16, 1847. His father, Denton Young, Sr., was a native of the same State. was reared and mar- ried there, and owned and occupied a farm near Cadiz until 1851. Ile then sold out and started with his wife and eight children for the prairies of Illinois. The journey was made via the Ohio, Mississippi and Illinois Rivers to Peoria and thenee by land to Bloomington. Previous to this,

however, the father had visited the State and pur- ehased a farm of 110 aeres, a mile north of Bloom- ington, on the Towanda road. Upon his return in 1851, with his family, he learned that his house had been blown away. He was therefore compelled to rent a dwelling in Bloomington until he eould build on his own farm. This was soon accomplished, and the father of our subjeet engaged in farming and the purchase and sale of live stock, dealing in horses, hogs and eattle. This being before the days of railroads, he drove his hogs to Peoria and took his horses overland East. He occupied this farm until about the time the war broke out, and in the meantime also purchased 960 aeres west of Le Roy, in Downs Township. He continued to live near Bloomington, while his children settled on the farm in Downs Township.

In 1872 Denton Young, Sr., took a drove of young stoek to Bloomington, Neb., and purchasing a elaim kept his stoek there and remained until 1882, improving a farm and adding to the value of his purchase. He then sold out and removed to Clay Center, Kan., where he still lives, retired from aetive business. His first wife. and the mother of our subjeet, was Miss Malinda Baker, a native of Ohio, and they beeame the parents of eight children. Mrs. Malinda Young departed this life about 1857. For his second wife Denton Young. Sr., married Mrs. Rachel Short, the daughter of James Priee, a pioncer of MeLean County, and of this marriage were born two children.

Denton Young, Jr., was the sixth ehild and fifth son of the first marriage of his father, and. was but four years old when his parents removed from Ohio to Illinois. He attended school, as op- portunity afforded, usually in the winter season, and remained under the parental roof until eighteen years of age, assisting in the labors of the farm. He then entered Wesleyan College, where he ap- plied himself to a thorough course of study for one year, and then went West to Kansas, and with his brother-in-law, R. M. Frazier, engaged in the groeery trade at Manhattan. After a few montlis however, he returned to Le Roy, and was united in marriage with Miss Emma Barnett, and in a short time returned to Kansas with his bride, where he remained until the spring of 1867. He

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COLLI

M. J. HIRSCHFELD. DEL.

ST. MARIEN KIRCHE , BLOOMINGTON , ILLS.

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McLEAN COUNTY.

then returned to Le Roy and was variously en- gaged for the following six months, being a part of the time the clerk of his father-in-law, J. T. Barnett, who was engaged in mercantile business. Ile remained with the latter until the fall of 1873, and the following six months was engaged with Mr. Moorehouse, afterward with Mr. Keenan. He then established business for himself, in the old bank building, where he operated for two years, and then purchased the Sydney. Baker building on Main street, Le Roy.

In 1880 our subjeet purchased the block adjoin- ing the Baker building, known as the David Cheney Building, and enlarged his facilities for the trans- action of a steadily inereasing business. He now occupies two large storerooms, each 65x22 feet in area and is evidently on the high road to a compe- tency. In 1883, in company with Murray & Smith, Mr. Young put up the Opera Block. This block occupies an area of 80x22 feet, has a plate glass front, and is in all respcets one of the finest in the town.

Besides this property Mr. Young is also inter- csted in farm lands, he and his wife being the owners of eighty-two aeres adjoining the town plat. This little farm is well stocked with good grades of horses, cattle and hogs, and he employs a manager who carries on the farm operations in a successful manner, enabling him to derive from it a handsome income.

The wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Young was cele- brated Oet. 17, 1866. The parents of Mrs. Young were 'T. J. and Emelinc (Gibbs) Barnett, a sketch of whom will be found in another part of this work. Of this union there have been born three sous-Thomas Victor, Lynn and Bertram. Mr. Young is Republican in 'politics, and is in all re- speets fulfilling the obligations of a good citizen and a worthy member of society.

R EV. HILARY HOELSCHIER, Rector of St. Mary's German Catholic Church, is a gen- tleman highly respected in the city of Bloomington. He is gifted with talents of a high order and is one of the best educated men

in the county. Father Hoelselier was born in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, Oet. 14, 1857, and is the son of John and Elizabeth (Mitgoes) Hoelscher. When our subject was a child of two years of age they removed to Covington, Ky., where in the Ger- man schools of that eity he received his elementary education. Later he entered St. Francis College at Cincinnati, Ohio, at which he was graduated in 1875. Ile then entered the Franciscan Order, in which he prepared for the Priesthood, and was ordained Sept. 29, 1880. He was soon given charge of sev- eral congregations, the first of which was at St. Charles' Church, Carthage, Ohio, whence he was re- moved to St. John's in Middletown. He was after- ward assistant at St. George's at Cincinnati, and from there was sent to Bloomington, Ill., taking charge of St. Mary's Aug. 13, 1884. The parish under charge of Father Hoelseher is prospering and lie bids fair to become an important member of the Priesthood.

In reviewing the history of St. Mary's German Catholic Church we find that the first service in the German language held in the eity of Bloomington was in 1852. During that year three German Catholic families settled within the city limits. In 1867 this class of population liad so increased that it was deemed time to organize a congregation. This was done during the year mentioned and the first meeting was held in an old frame school-house which stood on the ground north of the present Irish Catholic Church. In 1869 the congregation had so increased that a permanent and larger meet- ing-place 'became a necessity. Previous to this seven lots had been secured on South Water street, and on the 31st of July of that year work was commenced on the frame of the present building. In due time the edifice was finished at a cost of $2,500. 'This edifiec answered all purposes until 1884, when owing to the steadily increasing throng of worshipers the congregation again began to feel the necessity for more room.

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Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 104

Author: Chapman brothers, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1887 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman brothers Number of Pages: 1222

Author: Chapman brothers, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman brothers
Number of Pages: 1222