Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 117

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 117

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in Lawndale Township, this eounty ; Jaeob resides in Lexington; Mary lives in Iowa; William is a farmer of Anderson County, Kan .; Martha beeamne the wife of Jacob Hiser (no relative) ; George W., of our sketch; Francis is in Lexington, and the mother resides here, still a bright and aetive old lady, and a member of the Baptist Church.

Mr. Hiser of our sketeh was thirteen years of age when his parents eame to MeLean County. He received a common-school education, and when twenty years of age entered the store of S. R. Clag- gett as elerk, where he remained six months, and then took a similar position for the firm of Goddard & MeCurdy, dealers in lumber, sash, eoal, etc., and remained in this business for four years, eontin- uing after it had changed hands. In 1868 he be- eame elerk for George W. Knotts, hardware mer- ehant, and the following year was admitted to part- nership, and they continued in business one year under the firm name of Knotts & Hiser, when our subjeet sold out his interest to his partner and resumed his former position as elerk, where he remained for the following four years, dur- ing which time the business twiee changed lands. In 1874 he returned to Mr. Claggett, with whom he remained until 1878, and after one more year was employed as elerk for Carnahan & Poole. He then purchased a farin one inile south- west of town, which he operated about three years and then sold out. In January, 1882, he formed a partnership with J. B. Breneman, and they engaged in the hardware trade at Knotts' old stand until July, 1886, when they dissolved on aeeount of the failing health of Mr. B.

Mr. Hiser put up his present business house in 1882. It is a briek building, 24x66 feet in area and two stories in height. He keeps a general stoek of hardware and farm implements, and has been uniformly sueeessful in his business operations.

Our subjeet was married on the 27th of October, 1864, to Miss Ella R., eldest daughter of John and Margaret Popejoy, of Lexington Township, who were formerly from Ohio. Of this union there have been born four children, two sons and two daugh- ters-Claude L., Dotta L., Orrin L. and Maidie L. Both daughters are deceased. Mr. Hiser was elected Supervision of Lexington Township in 1879, and

James Smith

Geo Gregory

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served four years in sueeession. Ile was a stoek- holder, Director and Viee President of the First National Bank of Lexington, and belongs to the G. A. R., in which he served as Adjutant and Quartermaster for some time. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hiser are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Lexington.

During the progress of the late war Mr. Hiser, in June, 1862, enlisted in Co. G, 68th Ill. Vol. Inf., for three months, and was sent with his eomrades to Alexandria, where he was stationed during the seeond battle of Bull Run. After serving four monthis he was mustered out at Springfield, Ill.

AMES SMITH. Engaged in farming on see- tion 13, Money Creek Township, is an off- spring of Sylvester and Catherine (Daily) Smith, who is a well-to-do farmer, and a most highly esteemed eitizen. The parents of our subject, after their marriage, settled about thirty miles north of Toronto, Ont. There the father worked at his trade, that of a carpenter, and was thus employed until he was aeeidentally killed by the falling of briek upon him while he was assist- ing in the ereetion of a building. His wife also died in that vieinity. They had three children, and only one lived to attain the age of maturity.

James Smith was born about thirty miles north of Toronto, Ont., Nov. 10, 1837, and when about two and a half years old was orphaned by the death of his father. He was then taken by a fam- ily in that neighborhood with whom he lived until he was a lad of twelve or fourteen years. At that early age in life lie began to do for himself by working at different occupations in the neighbor- hood, and continued thus to labor until twenty years of his life had passed. In the summer of 1858 he sailed on the lake, and during the latter part of that year eame to this county. Loeating in Money Creek Township, he worked out by the month and was thus occupied until the breaking out of the late Civil War.

In January, 1862, our subjeet enlisted in Co. K, 26th Ill. Vol. Inf., and served his country faith- fully and well for two years in that regiment. In

February, 1864, he re-enlisted in the same com- pany and continued in the service of the Union until the elose of the war, when he was mustered out and returned to Money Creek Township. At the battle of Bentonville, N. C., he received a wound in the left arm while bearing the colors of his regiment. He was promoted from private to Sergeant, and then Color Bearer of the regiment. The same bullet that wounded him, struek a small pass-book which he had in his pocket, and glaneing off, left its bloody mark aeross his breast, but did no further damage than that referred to. Mr. Smith was a member of the 15th Army Corps, eom- manded by Gen. John A. Logan, and accompanied Sherman in his famous mareh from Atlanta to the sea.

The regiment in which Mr. Smith so valiantly served, as the history of the late eivil strife will al- ways show, saw mueh hard and dangerous service. We cannot in this brief sketeh rehearse the daring deeds of its men, their loyal saerifiees and heroie achievements, but all the experiences of the war were theirs. Could they be told, they would speak of early reverses, sad disappointments, gloomy for- bodings for the future, of siekness in eamp and hospital, fearful suspense, of midnight marches, of deadly ambuseades, of labor in trenehes, and dreary and enforeed idleness in eamp; of eseapes, of wounds, of imprisonments in foul dens, on the dead line, and of death-of all the horrors of fratrieidal war. But they would speak too, of privations willingly endured, dangers voluntarily ineurred, eeaseless labor gladly undergone, risks daringly as- sumed, and death most ehivalrously encountered; of dashiug assaults, of well contested fields, of the enemies' retreat, and of countless vietories. They would speak of disaster, but also of sueeess; of doubt, but yet of undying hope; of transient de- feats, but still of final and enduring vietory.

After Mr. Smith returned from the army, for a time he was unable to do manual labor, and en- gaged in buying and trading stoek. He then rented land, and for two years farmed in this man- ner, at the expiration of which time he was enabled to buy a place iu Blue Mound Township. He lived on this place for thirteen years, and then, in the fall, of 1880, moved baek to, Money Creek

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Township, where he has been continuously oeeu- pied in farming and stoek-raising, and is the owner of 300 aeres of valuable land, and is meeting with signal suecess in his enterprises.

Mr. Smith was married in Bloomington, Ill., Dee. 7, 1865, to Miss Martha E., daughter of Lemuel and Naney (Mullen) Biggs. Her father was born in Philadelphia and her mother in Ohio. They were married in this eounty and subsequently set- tled in Money Creek Township, where he died May 8, 1860. She survives at an advanced age, and re- sides in Money Creek Township. Six sons and five daughters were born to them, and Mrs. Smith was the eighth in order of birth. She was born in Money Creek Township, Nov. 1, 1847, and has borne our subjeet three ehildren-Sylvester, Josiah and Andrew. Sylvester died in infaney, and the other children are living at home.

Mr. Smith has held the office of School Director of his township, and in polities is a stanch Repub- liean. Socially he belongs to the G. A. R., and holds fellowship with Lexington Post No. 240. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Aecompanying this sketeh is a portrait of Mr. Smith.

G EORGE GREGORY. A splendid illustra - tion of what may be aecomplished in this country by an honest, hard-working, ener- getie and enterprising man is given in the record of the life of George Gregory. He is a prosperous and prominent farmer of Normal Township, and is pleasantly located on seetion 23. His farm eom- prises 400 aeres of valuable land, which is einbel- lished with fine improvements, the result of his own industry and enterprise. The family residenee is a model of convenience and comfort. He has good barns and out-buildings, all the applianees for the shelter of stoek and the storiug of grass, valua- ble farın implements and the entire paraphernalia of a first-elass country seat. Besides general agrieult- ure Mr. Gregory is giving much attention to the raising of fine stoek, in which department he has built up an enviable reputation. Besides his farm property he owns valuable real estate in the city of

Bloomington and in all respeets is one of the rep- resentative citizens of the wealthy eounty of Me- Lean.

George Gregory was born in Derby, England, Dee. 17, 1826. He was fairly edueated in the eom- mon sehools of his native country and served an apprenticeship at the blaeksmith's trade. At the age of twenty-one years he sailed for the United States, landing in New York City, whenee he at onee pro- eeeded to the State of Illinois. He first located at La Salle, stopping from June until October with a brother who preceded him to this country three years. This brother died at Bloomington in about 1878.

In the fall of 1848, the year of his arrival here, young Gregory proceeded South to Mobile, Ala., where he followed his trade and also steamboating between Mobile and New Orleans. Three years later he returned to Illinois and engaged in the blacksmith business at Pekin. After a short time however, he removed to Bloomington, where he became an employe of the Reaper Manufacturing Company. In 1852 he became a partner in the plow factory of Bunn & Ellsworth, the firm style becoming Bunn, Ellsworth & Co., afterward Brokaw, Ellsworth & Co., and later, Brokaw & Gregory. He remained a partner, until 1882, when he withdrew from the business. He has oeeupied his present homestead about fifteen years and while in the plow business went to town daily. He eom- meneed life poor in poeket and did not accumulate mueh until he engaged in the manufacture of plows, which business proved remarkably sueeessful.

Mr. Gregory was married in 1856, to Miss Fran- ees A., the daughter of Zachariah and W. B. (Shan- non) Lawrence, of Bloomington. Mrs. Gregory was born at MeConnelsville, Ohio, and eame with her parents to Illinois when but a babe. By her union with our subjeet she has become the mother of five sons: William E., a farmer of Normal; Edwin L., farming in Buffalo County, Neb., and Harry, Clyde and Richard, at home.

In polities Mr. Gregory is Republiean, and al- though having an intelligent interest in all matters relative to the publie welfare, takes no part in poli- ties further than to attend the polls and east his ballot. Mrs. Gregory was reared an Episcopalian,

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but has been a member of the Christian Church for thirty-nine years and at the present time is eon- neeted with the ehureh at Normal.

The portrait of Mr. Gregory, which is given in connection with this brief outline of his life, shows the features of a sturdy and fair-minded man and a most excellent citizen.

W ILLIAM FOWLER. The Fowler family eame from Wales to this country previous to the Revolutionary War. They located in New Hampshire, where one of the first represen- tatives-Lemuel-remained until he became en- gaged in assisting the Colonies in their struggle for liberty. He was by trade a blacksmith, and after his retirement from the army, located in Hillsboro County, N. H., where he spent the re- mainder of his days. He was married to an Ameri- ean lady and they became the parents of five chil- dren, of whom the father of our subjeet, Lemuel Fowler, Jr., was the eldest.

Lemuel Fowler, Jr., was born in Newbury, N. H., and remained under the parental roof until he became a young man. He followed the sea for several years and afterward engaged in farming pursuits. For the latter purpose he located in the interior of the Old Granite State and in that viein- ity was married to Miss Sarah S. Swett, who was a native of the same State and of Irish deseent. They reared a family of ten children, in the mean- time removing to Ohio, where the youngest child was born. Of this family, William, our subjeet, was the fifth in order of birth. The family located in Marietta in 1819, having been preceded by the eldest son, Royal, one year before. They remained there, however, only a short time when they re- moved to Morgan County, and afterward to Noble County. Both counties were then very thinly settled and the facilities for market very poor. The father of our subjeet settled upon a traet of wild land which he succeeded in transforming into a fine farm. At one time he possessed a large amount of property, but lost it all on account of going seenrity for his friends. He was a public- spirited man, a good eitizen and valued member

of the community. IIe established a comfortable home in Noble County, and there, with his wife, spent the remainder of his days.

The subject of this history received only the education furnished the sons of the early pioneers in a new country. He was poor in purse when married, as was also the maiden of his choiee, but both had been trained to habits of industry and were willing to work and hope for the result. They were married in Noble County, Ohio, on the 14th of December, 1826, the bride being Miss Mary Hutchins. She was born in Lineoln County, Me., in 1804, and remained in her native State un- til nine years of age. Her parents then came to Noble County, Ohio, it being then ealled Morgan. They settled in a timber traet and after years of hard labor succeeded in opening a good farm and establishing a comfortable home. Mrs. Fowler was trained to spin and weave and made the eloth for many a suit of elothes.

Upon the marriage of our subjeet and his wife, they resolved to " pull together." Mr. F. made boots and shoes during the winter evenings, and in the daytime worked at whatever he could find to do. In summer he manufactured salt from wells which contained water impregnated with this min- eral. After boiling great quantities of the water he obtained a little of the commodity so necessary as an ingredient of food. After a few years of this ineessant and laborious toil, during which he and his wife had saved every penny they could spare, he found himself possessed of sufficient means to purchase 100 aeres of land. This proved the turning point in his life, as upon it he found an oil well which proved of great value and en- abled him to sell his farm for the sum of $40,- 000. With this sum in his poeket he then started for the West and arrived in this vieinity in April, 1865. He purchased 400 acres of land in Randolph Township, and for several years labored industri- ously and sueeeeded in bringing it to a high state ; of eultivation. Of this he now has but 240 aeres, having given the balance to his children. Of late years he has given much attention to the raising of fine stock, in which he has been uniformly sue- cessful as in all his other undertakings.

There were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fowler ten

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children, two sons and eight daughters. Of these both the sons and thrce daughters are deeeased. The parents celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of their wedding on the 14th of December, 1886, at which there were present about 120 grand and great-grandehildren and one great-great-grandehild.

Mr. and Mrs. Fowler have been eonneeted with the Methodist Episcopal Church for the past forty years and have built up for themselves a record of good and useful lives, filled with kindly and gener- ous deeds. Mr. Fowler, in politics, is a staneh Re- publiean and uniformly easts his vote in support of the principles of this party.

G EORGE W. WIIITE, Supervisor of Towanda Township, and one of the large land-owners of that distriet, as well as one of its sueeess- ful farmers and respected and prominent eitizens, resides on seetion 10. He is the son of George C. and Julia A. (Noel) White, who were born in. York State and Ohio respectively, the former of German and the latter of Seotch ancestry. The parents of our subjeet after their marriage, settled in Clarke County, Ohio, whenee they removed to Tippecanoe County, Ind., and taking up their resi- denee at Lafayette, made that their home until 1850. In October of that year they came to this county and located in Towanda Township, where the father beeame quite an extensive farmer. He eontinned to reside in that township for several years and then removed to Blue Mound Township, and there lived for about seven years. His good wife departed this life in Towanda Township in March, 1864, and after her demise he spent his time at the homes of his children and at present resides in Lawndale Township, having attained the venerable age of eighty-three years. He became the father of twelve children, namely : Mary, Eliza, Harriett, Rachel, Malinda, William, John, Ellen, George W., Adeline, Edward and Frank. Mary is the wife of John M. King, and they live in Anehor Township; Eliza married Nelson Jones, and they are living in Towanda Township; Harriett and Ly- man Williams were united in marriage, and he is a farmer of Lawndale Township; Rachel is the widow

of Sanford Miller and resides in Bloomington ; Ma- linda beeame the wife of John Abbott, a farmer of Lawndale Township, and William married a Miss Donovan, and is engaged in farming in Blue Mound Township; John married a Miss Hamilton, and they reside in Lawndale Township; Ellen is the wife of Aaron Conger, a farmer of Blue Mound Township; the next in order of birth is our subject; Adeline and William Myers beeame man and wife, and are living in Lawndale Township; Edward is engaged in business in Bloomington ; Frank married a Miss Williams and they reside in Kansas.

The subject of this notice was born while his par- ents were living in Tippecanoe County, Ind. His birth oeeurred Aug. 19, 1842, and when eight years of age he came with his parents to this eounty. His primary education was received in the common sehools, which was supplemented by a course of study at Wesleyan University, Bloomington. He remained at home until he attained his majority, but when quite young began the handling of stoek on his own account. He has been a resident of Towanda Township sinee 1850, and from that time until the present has been engaged exclusively in agricultural pursuits and in the raising and import- ing of stoek, and in both departments has met with more than ordinary sueeess. Mr. W. has on hand at present twelve imported and full-blood Norman horses and some sixty head of high grades.

The first purchase of land that our subjeet made consisted of eighty acres and was located in To- wanda Township. He has sinee added to the same by subsequent purchases until he now owns 400 acres in Towanda Township and 120 aeres in Lex- ington Township. He has ereeted a residenee of modern architecture upon his place, which adds greatly to its beauty, and is one of the finest farm homes, not only of Towanda Township, but of Me- Lean Connty, and it is with pleasure that we pre- sent a view of it in this work.

In 1863 our subject met with a serious accident which resulted in the loss of his left hand. He was in the field husking eorn and having his shotgun with him, fired it at a hawk, when the gun burst and so mutilated his hand that he was compelled to have it amputated.

The marriage of Mr. White took place in Lexing-

SCALES

FORERUNNER

RESIDENCE OF HARMON HEFNER , BREEDER OF NORMAN HORSES. SEC. 14. MONEY CREEK TOWNSHIP.

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RESIDENCE OF GEO. W. WHITE, IMPORTER & BREEDER OF NORMAN HORSES, SEC.10. TOWANDA TOWNSHIP.

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MCLEAN COUNTY.

ton Township, April 6, 1870, and the lady selected as his life companion was Miss Flora A. Raridon. Her parents were J. S. and Martha (Evans) Raridon, natives of Indiana and of German ancestry. The parents were married in Morgan County, Ind., where they lived until the fall of 1858, when they came to this county and settled in Lexington Township, where the father was engaged in farming nntil 1878. He then removed to Livingston County, this State, where they at present reside. They had eleven children, viz. : Samuel, Flora A. (Mrs. White), Ella, Dane, Emma, Alice, Etta, Martin L., Daisy, Minnie and Ray. Samuel is married and living . in Ohio; Flora is the wife of our subject; Ella is the wife of Martin Doyle, and they live in Livings- ton County; Dane also lives in that county ; Emma is the wife of Price Jones, and they are residents of Towanda Township; Aliee married Alonzo Pierson, and they are living in Livingston County, and the remaining children are living with their parents in Livingston County. Mrs. White was born in Mor- gan County, Ind., March 11, 1855, and came with her parents to this county in 1858. She has borne our subjeet four children-Warren T., Emma G., Maude A. and Chloe.

Mr. White was elected Supervisor of Towanda Township in April, 1886, and is the present ineuni- bent of that office. He has held other minor offices in the township, and in polities is Republican. Mrs. White is. a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

ARMON HEFNER. Among the large land- owners aud stoek-raisers of Money Creek Township, the name of the subject of this notice deserves place. He resides on sec- tion 14, where he has 447¿ acres of land, all of which is under an advanced . state of cultivation, and where, in addition to its improvement, he is extensively engaged in the buying, raising and shipping of stock. The father of our subject, Peter Hefner, was born in Virginia, and his wife iu Ohio. A sketch of the former may be found else- where in this work. They had nine ehildreu, four of whom died in infancy, and five lived to attain

the age of man and womanhood, namely, Harmon, Mary, Adeline, John A. and George M. Mary is the wife of . J. P. Curry, and they are living at Lexington; Adeline and John A. Campbell were united in marriage and also reside at Lexington ; John A. is a farmer of Money Creek Township; George M. died in that township, July 4, 1877, when about twenty-five years old.

Harmon Hefner was the eldest of his parents' nine children, and was born in the township in which he is at present living, July 18, 1834. He was reared to farm labor, and received his education in the common schools, continuing to remain with the old folk until he attained his majority. He was then married, and settling in Money Creek Township, began to do for himself, and has made that his home all his life. He has a fine farm in that township, well improved and stoekcd, and is meeting with signal success in conducting his business. He 'keeps about 100 head of cattle and forty head of horses on his place; and fattens from 100 to 200 head of hogs annually for the market.

Harmon Hefner was married in the township of his nativity, Nov. 15, 1855, to Miss Isabelle Wood. She was a daughter of James and Frances (Hart) Wood, who after their marriage settled in Tennes- see, thence removed to Indiana, and after a resi- denee there of several years, in 1850, eame to this county and located at Lexington. Up to the time of his coming to this eounty, he had been engaged in farming, but on locating at Lexington, he em- barked in mereantile pursuits, which he followed at that place for several years, and then going baek to his first love, farming, he continued at that vo- eation until his death. His wife died in Money Creek Township, May 11, 1871, and he died in the same township Nov. 11, 1875. They had eleven children-Albert A., Rufus, James, Zebedee, Will- iam, Isaae, Mary, Isabelle, Doreas A., Robert C. and Noah A. Albert, James, William, Dorcas and Mary are deceased; Rufus is living at Lexington ; Zebedee is a retired farmer and also living at Lex- ington, and Isaae likewise makes that his home; Robert C. is at Girard, Kan., and Noah A. is a resident of Republie City, that State.

Mrs. Hefner was born in Putnam County, Ind., May 25, 1836, aud was fourteen years old when

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she accompanied her parents to this county, and continued to reside with them until her marriage. She has borne our subject five children, namely, William A., Alonzo C., James P., Della M. and Joseph F. William died in infancy; Alonzo mar- ried Miss Winnie Bush, and they are living in Moncy Creek Township; James married Carrie Carnahan, and is also a resident of Money Creek Township; Della is the wife of Charles C. Busby, and they are living in Gridley Township; Joseph is still an inmate of the parental household. Mr. Hefner has been Collector of his township several years, and also Sehool Director for a number of years. He and his wife are members of the United Brethren Church, and is politics he is a Demoerat.

In the illustrated department of this ALBUM mnay he found a view of the pleasant homestead of our subjeet.

W ILLIAM D. POWLEY, of the firm of W. D. Powley & Co. of Lexington, deals in stoves, hardware and tinware, and is car- rying on a satisfactory and profitable trade. Ile is numbered among the valued factors of the busi- ness community and is contributing his full share towards its prosperity and standing. Mr. Powley

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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 117

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