Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 124

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 124

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).

Our subject was united in marriage with Nancy J. McKee, in July, 1864. She is a daughter of James W. McKee, and by her union with our sub-

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ject has become the mother of six children, four daughters and two sons-Maggie C., James H., George W., Nellie, Bessie F. and Josie R. Mr. McCraeken served as Postmaster of Selma under the administration of President Lincoln for six years, and is one of the foremost and prominent men of that plaec. In polities he is and always has been a staneh Republican.

L EVIN P. SCROGIN, a prominent and suc- cessful farmer and business man of Lexing- ton, first opened his cyes to light near Paris, Bourbon Co., Ky., on the 30th of March, 1823. His father, John Scrogin, was born in Maryland, and his mother, formerly Miss Patsey Mills, was a native of Virginia. John Scrogin was a farmer by occupation. and of Scotch parentage and ancestry, with an admixture of the German. John Serogin went to Kentucky when a young man, and from there emigrated to Morgan County, Ill., with his family, in the fall of 1828, and located upon what is now the site of Jacksonville, where he died about two years later.

Our subjeet was one of a family of two sons and two daughters, only two of whom survived-our subject, and his youngest sister, who is now a resi- dent of Chico, Butte Co., Cal. He was but six years of age at the time of his father's death. He remained with his sister and attended the pioncer schools, and after becoming of suitable age was employed by Jacob Strawn, the then " eattle king " of Illinois, in looking after his herds on the prairie, remaining with him two years, and was then oecu- pied in driving stock.

Mr. Scrogin was married in 1848, to Miss Sarah E. Holmes, who was born in Morgan County, Ill., and was the daughter of Peris Holmes, of that county. Her mother was formerly Miss Lois Sweet, who with her parents were numbered among the pioncers of Morgau County. Mr. Holmes was born in Connecticut and his wife in New York. After his marriage our subjeet located in this county, on his present farm in Lexington Township, which consisted of 523 aeres, and for which he paid $1,000, which at that day was considered a high price.

It is now one of the finest farms in the township, and has doubled its first value many times. To this Mr. S. subsequently added until he is now the owner of 870 acres, all in one body. It is well feneed and highly cultivated with a substantial and handsome residence and two good barns. Of late years he has given much attention to the eattle trade, of which he ships annually large numbers to the markets of the East, and which has yielded him a handsome income. His herd now averages ninety head, and lie raises from ten to twenty calves cvery year. Ile also deals in Norman horses, and the sc- cret of his great success is that he has been enabled to do business on his own capital, and has been en- abled to meet his obligations promptly and without embarrassment.

Mr. Serogin has been largely identified with the business and agricultural interests of this section since he began business on his own account, and has contributed his full quota to the wealth and prosperity of McLean County. He was one of the stockholders of the bank of J. C. Mahan & Co., at , Lexington, with which he was connected for four- teen years and until it was closed, and owns the building in which the National Bank is now carried on.

The family of our subjeet consisted of nine ehil- dren, of whom five are still living: Arthur J., Austin H., Carrie E., Charlie P. and Emma L .; the others died in infancy. Both parents and children are members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Scrogin has served as Justice of the Peace, and in all re- spects is an esteemed and valued citizen.

R EINHIOLD GRAFF, a prosperous and wide- awake grocer of Bloomington, is located on the corner of East Grove street, where he Dis conducting his business in an intelligent and successful manner. He is a native of the Ger- man Empire, having been born in Ifalle, on the Saale River, Prussia, May 15, 1840. He came to America with his mother, Amelia (Krapfft) Graff, in 1852, his father, Ferdinand Graff, having died in Germany. Mrs. Graff with her five children, crossed the ocean, landing in the city of New York, whencc they proceeded to Buffalo, thence to Chi-

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cago and from there by eanal to LaSalle, Ill. They afterward went to Peoria, whenee they came to Bloomington by wagon, and settled on a farm near Old Town, which remained the home of the family for sixteen years.

The subject of this history received a limited ed- ueation, being but -eleven years of age when he eame to America, and sinee whiel time his eduea- tion has been the result, principally, of his own ex- ertions. He remained upon the farm of his mother umtil twenty-five years old, then entered the store of Ollis Evans & Co., with whom he remained two years as elerk, and until they sold out, when he oe- cupied the same position with their successors for' seven years. In 1879 Mr. Graff engaged in the groeery business on his own aeeount. He eom- meneed on a small seale and was sueeessful from the start. As his business inereased lie was obliged to enlarge his stoek and for this purpose put up a good building 30x45 feet in area, and two stories in height, and in which he keeps a full assortment of everything required in his line.

Mr. Graff was married, in 1866, to Miss Marga- ret Leiser, of Bloomington, and they have three ehildren-Albert W., Benjamin F. and Anna Bell. The family residenee is pleasantly located, and our subjeet and his family enjoy the association of a large number of friends. Mr. Graff is a member of the I. O. O. F., holding fellowship with Lodge No. 305, Bloomington, and also belongs to the - Turner Society of that plaee.

The mother of our subjeet is still living and makes her home in Wilson County, Kan. She is now over eighty-one years of age, but is hale and hearty, and in the enjoyment of all her faeulties.

AMES M. MCGINNIS, one of the prosper- ous and progressive farmers of Lawndale Township, is pleasantly located on seetion 16, on the farm of which he took possession in the spring of 1884. His homestead ineludes 120 aeres of valuable laud, upon which he has ereeted a first-elass set of farm buildings, which bear fair comparison with any in the county. He is in all respeets a valuable eitizen, and by his en-

ergy and enterprise has already proved himself an important factor in the agricultural interests of Lawndale Township.

Mr. MeGinnis was born in Parke County, Ind., July 26, 1824, being the son of John and Elizabeth (Wolf) MeGinnis, the father a native of Tennessee and the mother of New Jersey, of Irish and Hol- land-Duteh deseent, respectively. They came into Butler County, Ohio, soon after their marriage, where they lived about three years, and thence re- moved to Parke County, Ind. The father was en- gaged in farming and teaching alternately. They lived in Indiana until in November, 1834, and thenee removed into Tazewell County, this State, settling uear Groveland, where they spent the re- mainder of their days, the father dying in Febru- ary, 1869, and the mother April 5, 1881. Their family consisted of nine children, as follows: George I., deceased; Temperanee, Jantes M., John F., Naney and Martha, deceased; Mary A., Andrew J. and Kizzie.

Mr. MeGinnis was a boy of ten years when his parents removed into Tazewell County. They made the trip overland with horses and wagons. Ile was reared on his father's farin and remained under the parental roof until he was thirty-three years old. He was then married and continued to live in Tazewell County until the spring of 1859, when he took a trip overland to California, the journey consuming about five months. He re- mained on the Paeifie Slope two years following. .and engaged in mining, with fair sueeess. After- ward he took up his home in Nevada with his fam- ily, where he lived twenty-three years, coming to this eounty in the summer of 1884. His home- stead consists of 120 aeres on seetion 13, Lawndale Township.

The subject of this history was inarried in Meta- mora, Woodford Co., Ill., Mareh 7, 1858, to Miss Patienee J. Nesmith, daughter of Cyrus A. and Marinda (Hurlbut) Nesmith. Her father, a native of Antrim, N. H., was born in 1801, and her mother in Ontario, in 1810. After marriage they located in Medina County, Ohio, where Mr. N. pursued the oeeupation of a farmer. In 1847 they left the Buekeye State for the prairies of Illinois, arriving in Peoria County in November. They

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lived there until the spring of 1849, then removed to Metamora, Woodford County, and in 1877, to Washington, Ill., where Mr. N. died in January, 1884. The mother still survives, and makes her home in the latter place. Their seven children were Arthur E., Patience J., Milton W., Mary A., George W., John D. and Charles L. Arthur E. is deecased; Milton resides in Nebraska; Mary is the wife of E. S. Corpe, of Lawndale Township; George and John are deceased, and Charles L. resides in Washington, Ill.

Mrs. MeGinnis was born in Medina County, Ohio, Sept. 24, 1835. She received careful par- ental training, a good common-school education, and remained with her parents until her marriage. Mrs. MeGinnis taught school a number of years, and also taught the first publie sehool in Lyon County. Nev., it being the first publie sehool taught in the State. This was in 1862. , Of her union with our subject there has been born but one ehild, who died in infancy. Mr. McGinnis, while a resi- dent of Nevada, was honored with various offices, having been County Commissioner for eight years and was Sehool Trustee for seventeen years, and is highly respected as a business man and a eitizen. Hle is a member of the Masonie fraternity, and politieally an active Republican. A handsome lithographie view of Mr. MeGinnis' residence is shown on another page.

A. LASSWELL, editor and proprietor of the Colfax Chronicle, published at Colfax, is a native of the Prairie State, having been born in Fulton County, May 22, 1861. Ile is the son of William and Mary E. (Lippy) Lasswell, natives respectively of Illinois and Penn- sylvania. His father is a farmer by oeeupation, and is now carrying on agriculture in Peoria Coun- ty, this State. The four children of the parental household were Aliee, George, William P. and our subjeet, John A. William Lasswell is Democratie in polities, and the mother of our subjeet is prom- inently identified with the Christian Church.

The subject of this biography spent his ehild- hood and youth on his father's farm, and when

sixteen years of age engaged to learn the printer's trade, at which he served four years. Ile then abandoned this temporarily and eommeneed rail- roading on the Illinois Central as brakeman and express messenger, which he followed for four years. Then in company with D. A. Creed lie es- tablished the Chronicle, at Colfax Village, on the 5th of June, 1886. This is a six-column folio, a spiey and independent sheet, and has already a good eirculation. Mr. Lasswell is a free and easy writer, and in the conduet of his paper gives abun- dant satisfaction to its patrons.

Our subjeet was married on the 4th of April, 1886, to Mrs. Grace H. Webster of Michigan, but who sinee a child has made her home in Woodford' County, this State, whenee her parents came and settled on a farm while she was quite young. She is the third of four children who completed the household eircle, and her parents now reside at El Paso. Mr. Lasswell belongs to the Demoeratie party, and oeeupies a good position in the editorial fraternity of this seetion.

R. NELSON LOAR, a prominent physician and surgeon of Bloomington, has his office at the intersection of Front and Lee streets, and enjoys an extensive and luerative praetiee. He is a native of Greene County, Pa., and was born April 1, 1840. His parents were Ja- cob and Maria (Nelson) Loar, natives of the same State, where his father carried on an extensive farm, but is now praetieally retired from active labor. His grandfather, John Loar, was a native of Mary- land, and married a lady from, Pennsylvania, in which latter State they settled and passed their last days in Greene County. Their son Jacob, the father of our subjeet, was a Justiee of the Peace for twenty years in Greene County, and was fre- quently called upon to administer upon large es- tates. He was a capable business man, intelligent and well educated, and possessed a large amomit of industry and enterprise. The parental family ineluded ten children, six now living, as follows : John remains in his native State of Pennsylvania;

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Nelson, our subject, is the second son; Margaret, Mrs. Allen, lives in Jasper County, Iowa, as does also Dr. George W .; Hester, Mrs. Gribben, lives in Greene County, Pa., and Anna, Mrs. Burns, lives in the same county.

Dr. Loar of our sketch, spent his younger days on his father's farm, and in attendance at the dis- trict school until he was about twenty-two years old. He then took a course of study at Mt. Pleas- ant College where he remained two years, and soon thereafter commenced the study of medicine. In November, 1864, he entered the Cincinnati- Medi- cal College, from which he graduated in 1867, and began his practice in Mt. Pleasant, Pa. After one year he turned his face westward, stopping for awhile in Knox County, Ohio, and then came to Bloomington, where he has continued practice since that time. He was successful from the start, and in due time purchased a house on West Wash- ington street, which he occupied with his family for twelve years. He then purchased two lots on Front street, and erected his present residence and office iu 1881. He also purchased ground at the corner of Jefferson and West streets, where he built a fine brick hotel 48x60 feet in area, two stories in height, and equipped with all modern improve- ments. This now yields him a handsome income, being conducted in a manner pleasing to both per- manent guests and travelers. The hotel is con- ducted by Mrs. M. A. Baird, on the European plan. . Dr. Loar was married, in 1866, to Miss Olive Rinehart, who was born in Knox County, Ohio, and was the daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Ewalt) Rinehart, natives respectively of New Jer- sey and Ohio. Her paternal grandfather was Chris- tian Rinehart, of New Jersey, and her maternal grandfather, John Ewalt, of Pennsylvania. Both gentlemen purchased large tracts of land near Mt. Vernon, Ohio, where they spent the last years of their life. Samuel Rinehart was also an extensive farmer, but is now retired from active labor. His family included ten children, eight now living, and the record is as follows: Sarah, Mrs. Bonnett, lives in this county ; Mary, Mrs. Rightmire, is in Potta- watomie County, Kan .; Christian D. is also in that State; Olive is the wife of our subject; Clem- entine, Mrs. Myers, lives in Knox County, Ohio;

Emeline, Mrs. Edwards, in Fredericktown, Ohio; William H., in California, and Frank E., in Knox County, Ohio.

Our subject and his wife have become the par- ents of five children-Eva, Ira, Ada, Anna and Arthur: In politics Dr. Loar is a stanch Prohibi- tionist, and with his wife is a member in good standing of the Christian Church. Dr. Loar de- serves credit for the position he has won, not only as a physician and surgeon, but in having the con- fidence of the people whom he serves. As a phy- sician he is patient, constant, sympathetic, yet in the hour of extremity cool, calm and courageous, thus inspiring the sick with feelings of safety in being carried through the scenes of impending danger.

AMES OSBORN BARNARD. The name of James Osborn Barnard was familiar to all the pioneers of McLean County, and his history, from beginning to end, was full of interest. He was a remarkable man in many rc- spects, being from his earliest childhood of an act- ive, stirring disposition, inquisitive and acquisitive, always ready to make an honest penny at a trade, bearing losses and crosses cheerfully, and never discouraged under adverse circumstances.

Mr.' Barnard was born July 16, 1800, in States- ville, the county seat of Iredell County, N. C. He was the son of Francis and Jane (McCord) Barnard, the former of English-Quaker descent but Ameri- can born, and the latter, partially at least, of Irish ancestry. The paternal grandfather of James O., being a Quaker, did not take part in the Revolution- ary War, but his mother's father was a very differ- ent man. He was no Quaker, but on the contrary considered it his duty to harrass the British at every opportunity. He was not a regular soldier but was in every scrimmage in which he could find a chance to engage. The British took revenge by sacking his house, tearing everything to pieces, and driving off his live stock. Mr. McCord afterward made many of them pay with their lives for the de- struction of his property.

The early youth of James Barnard had been dis- tinguished by many social pleasures after the man-

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ner of the young men of that period, and he had learned to dance and play the violin, performing to audiences at home and elsewhere, for which he was paid small sums of money and which he in- vested, sometimes fortunately and sometimes other- wise. His business talents were conspicuous at an early age. Later his mind took a more serious turn and underwent a radical change. He abandoned his social pleasures and turned his attention more to religious matters, and sought to work a simi- lar change in the minds of his companians. In early youth he had been adverse to school but his natural habits of observation enabled him to transaet business in a very ereditable manner. When eighteen years of age he joined Briar Creek Baptist Church, and was baptized in the Yadkin River. His twenty-first birthday was celebrated by taking his gun to the same river, where he killed a deer, which was quite an event at that time as these animals were becoming scaree. After reach- ing his majority he entered school at Wilksboro, which, however, he attended bnt a short time as the teacher refused to give his pupils a holiday on Christmas.

Soon afterward young Barnard went to learn the saddler's trade which, however, he only followed a short time, and the family soon removed to Ten- nessee, where they rented a farm. In the meantime James engaged as a trader in salt and groeeries, do- ing his own teaming and meeting with fair snecess. Shortly afterward he revisited his native State and from thenee went into Alabama and afterward to Ohio and Indiana. Returning afterward to his home in Tennessee he was appointed Postmaster under Andrew Jackson, but resigned the office in 1829, to come to Illinois. In the meantime he had taken a load of provisions and live stoek to New Orleans, this trip and the return being filled in with many interesting incidents and hairbreadth eseapes. In his absence his father's house with all its contents was consumed by fire. The family soon afterward removed to Illinois, where they were joined by James O. The latter purchased 160 aeres of land near Dry Grove which, however, he did not take possession of until the following year. The city of Chicago was then only known as Ft. Dearborn, of which Mr. Barnard and some of his friends had

heard mneh but had never seen, and in company with two of his friends, each with an ox-team, they set out to find it. After reaching the fort and re- maining a short time they invested in a load of provisions and returned home.

On the 14th of September, 1837, Mr. Barnard was married to Miss Lydia Swallow, and they com- meneed housekeeping after the fashion of those days. Mr. B. became prominent in the affairs of the county before many years, and in 1834 was appointed Deputy Sheriff and Tax Collector, which positions he held for several years. He identified himself with the Masonie fraternity at Bloomington on the 18th of April, 1848, of whose principles he remained an admirer until his death, which oc- curred Oct. 17, 1873.

After beeowning a resident of MeLean County Mr. Barnard erossed the Mississippi, visiting Iowa and Kansas, where he had a brother and daughter. After coming to Illinois he severed his eonneetion with the Baptists and became a member of the Christian Church. He was very eonseientious, de- liberate in forming his opinions, and adhered to them with great decision. He was of that magnetie temperament which attracted to him hosts of friends, and his record was that of a useful and honest citi- zen who performed his whole duty in assisting to build up the country around him, and by. his in- finence encouraged the march of emigration and the establishment of educational and religious in- stitutions.

1 OHN BERTELS is senior member of the firm of Bertels & Stoll, tile manufacturers of Lexington. The Lexington Tile Works, by which name this business is familiarly known, was established in the spring of 1883. The factory is one of the best of its kind in this part of the State and equipped with the latest improved ma- ehinery. The propelling power is a forty-horse power engine which was manufactured in Peoria by Niehołas Burr, and the capacity of the works is about 750,000 feet of tile annually. They have three kilns, each holding about 12,000 feet of four- inch tile. There is a constant home' demand for

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the produets of the factory and it will bear fair comparison with any in the West.

Mr. Bertels was formerly engaged in the manu- facture of brick, his yards being located in the south part of the town, and he furnished material for the construction of some of the most important buildings in and around Lexington. His systematic methods of doing business and his excellent per- sonal traits of character have gained him many friends in this vicinity and he is widely known as a valuable factor in the business and industrial in- terests of this part of MeLean County.

Our subjeet is a native of the German Empire and was born on a farm May 4, 1837. His father, Henry B. Bertels, also of German birth and an- eestry, and his mother, Lovisa Gravelok, were the parents of three children, two sons and one daugh- ter, our subject being the second born. They were all placed in school when six years of age and con- tinued for a number of years.

When fourteen years old our subject began to learn brick-making, serving an apprenticeship of three years. At the age of twenty he embarked upon the sailing-vessel "Von Stine," bound for New York City, and after a voyage of seven weeks ar- rived at his destination and at once set out for the West. After arriving in McLean County he was out of funds, but that did not frighten him as he had his strong hands and his willing and courageous spirit, and soon found employment with, a farmer, Jacob C. Mahan, where he remained for six years --- a good recommendation both for master and man. Here our subject was principally engaged cultivat- ing the soil in summer and feeding cattle during the winter. In the meantime he had been married to Miss Elizabeth Helmer, a native of his own . country and the daughter of John Helmer, also of German birth and ancestry. Mrs. B. eame to this country with her parents when a young girl. Mr. Bertels then removed into the town of Lexington, where he opened a briek-yard near where the C. & A. R. R. erosses Mackinaw Creek. He began in a modest way and was prospered in his undertaking, his business some years aggregating 1,500,000 briek annually, which he shipped to Chicago and other points. In 1871 he shipped 300,000 briek, for which he received $16 per thousand delivered in

the city. He continued his manufactory until 1883,- and then established the tile works which he now operates, their manufacture at present being mostly for home use.

Mr. Bertels, besides his town property, has a neat little farm of fifty-five acres, upon which is lo- cated his residence and where he uses four teams in carrying on its operations, and that of the factory. The family of our subjeet and his wife at present consists of three sons: August, now of Nebraska; Edward, a clerk in the store of J. C. Mahan in Lexington, and Benjamin, who does business with his father; one child died in infaney.

Mr. Bertels and his wife are members of the Catholic Church, and socially our subjeet belongs to McLean Lodge No. 206, I. O. O. F., and to the Encampment.

R EV. HENRY O. HOFFMAN, pastor of the Independent Church of Bloomington, is a native of Ohio, and was born in the village of Birmingham, Erie County, July 18, 1836. He is the son of Henry Hoffman, Esq., an attorney at law and Justice of the Peace, and his mother was, before her marriage, Miss Frances Reid, also a native of the Empire State. The Hoffmans were of German extraction, the grand- father, Peter H., having been a native of Pennsyl- vania. The Reids were of New England and of English deseent.

The father of our subject removed from Ohio to Indiana, when Henry of our sketch was about eleven years of age, and settled in Crawfordsville, where he followed merchandising, but subsequently removed to Montgomery County, where he died in 1882. The affectionate wife and mother had closed her eyes to earthly seenes while still a young woman, her husband surviving her thirty-five years. Their family ineluded five children, four sons and one daughter, all living.

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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 124

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