Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 137

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 137

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).

Mr. and Mrs. Fulton are members in good stand- ing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which our subjeet was formerly Steward for fifteen years, and is now Trustee. He has served as School Director, Road Commissioner and Assessor, and in polities easts his vote in support of the principles of the Republican party.

AMUEL C. WARE, Postmaster of Towan- da, has been a resident of MeLean County sinee 1863, to which he came from Rich- mond, Ky., with his family. He was born in Massachusetts, Dee. 9, 1810, being the son of Jason and Jemima (Cowell) Ware, natives of Wrentham, Mass. The parental family consisted of five children, two sons and three daughters-Mar- tha, Harriet, Leander, Angenette and Samuel C.

Our subjeet was the youngest of the family, and was about fourteen years old when he left his na- tive town and went to Woreester, where he learned

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the trade of eabinet-maker. When twenty-one years of age he went to Providenee, R. I., and re- mained there until he was thirty-five. Thenee he proceeded to Cineinnati, Ohio, and after two years to Richmond, Ky., where he taught singing and day sehool for about ten years, and followed his trade as opportunity afforded until 1863. In June of that year he came to this eounty, settling soon afterward in Towanda, and has been a resident of this village sinee that time. . He at first engaged in earpentering and farming, which he followed until 1873, and was then appointed Postmaster, which position he has sinee held.

Mr. Ware was married in Richmond, Ky., April 29, 1839, to Miss Sarah J. Millen, daughter of Frederick Millen, whose family ineluded six eliil- dren : Samuel F. is Supreme Judge of the United States; Sarah J., Amelia, William, Mary and An- geline. Mrs. Ware was born in Richmond, Ky., Feb. 2, 1818. Of her marriage with our subjeet there have been born eight children-William F., Martha, Leander M., Samuel M., Amanda, Stephen W., Angenette and Edward. They have a pleas- ant home in Towanda, and number among their friends and acquaintances the most eultured people of the eity. . Mr. Ware has served as Township Clerk` and Poliee Magistrate, and in politics is a staneh Republican. The parents and all their ehil- dren are members of the Presbyterian Church, of which Mr. Ware has been an Elder for many years.

h ENRY F. HAWLEY, Assistant Superin- tendent of the Chieago Division of the C. & A. R. R., is an honored resident of Bloomington, having his home at the eor- ner of Lueust and East streets. He is a native of Chittenden County, Vt., and was born in October, 1835, being the son of Don C. and Mary (French) Hawley, also natives of the Green Mountain State. Don Hawley was engaged in farming until 1853, when he emigrated West, and loeating in Chieago beeame extensively engaged as a eontraetor, and was Street Commissioner on the South Side for a

number of years. He departed. this life in 1863. The mother died in Michigan in May, 1886.

The Hawley family deseended from Welsh an -. eestry, and the father of our subjeet inherited in a marked degree the substantial qualities of his an- eestors. He was Republiean in polities, and be- longed to the I. O. O. F. He exerted a good in- fluenee upon all who knew him, and was universally respected for his integrity and kindness of heart. The family of Don Hawley ineluded four children, .one now deceased. Henry F. was the eldest; Sarah, Mrs. Lewis, is a resident of Kansas City; Lueius L. is connected with the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Montana Railroad.

The subjeet of this history remained under the parental roof until seventeen years of age, and completed a praetieal education in the village academy. While with his parents he assisted in the labors of the farm, and after coming to Chi- eago was employed for a short time as elerk in a retail store, and then in a wholesale house until 1857. He then beeame brakeman on the C., B. & Q. R. R., where he continued two years and was promoted to eonduetor. The war then eoming on, he enlisted in the 89th Illinois Infantry for three years, and marehed with his regiment to the seene of eonfliet. He was taken prisoner at Cassville, Ģa., and put in the Miller stoekade, which greatly resembled Andersonville prison in its horrors and suffering. After remaining a eaptive forty-two days he was liberated by a "Yankee" triek, and this being near the elose of the war he received his discharge and returned North. Coming to Gales- burg he again engaged on the C., B. & Q. R. R. as eonduetor, and from that went into the Superin- tendent's office as Trainmaster, continuing until ' 1873. Thenee he was transferred to Aurora, and afterward to Chieago. ,

In December, 1874, Mr. Hawley went into the employ of the M. C. R. R. as Trainmaster at De- troit, whenee he was transferred to Michigan City, to take charge of the Western Division of the same road, where he remained three and one-half years. From there he went to Jackson, Mich., and had charge of the ear serviee two years. He aeeepted his present position with the C. & A. R. R. in Sep- tember, 1880, and has eharge of from 200 to 250

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inen. IIe possesses a large fund of information in regard to railroad matters and is well fitted for his responsible duties.

·Mr. Hawley was married in October, 1865, to Miss Marietta Chapman of Conneetieut, who was born in 1844, and is the daugliter of Joshua P. and Jane (Hyde) Chapman. Our subjeet and his wife have one ehild, a daughter, Meta C.

D E WITT R. GOOCH, a wealthy and pros- perous fariner of Belleflower Township, has .been a resident of the Prairie State sinee the spring of 1858. IIe is the possessor of a fine homestead, pleasantly located on seetion 9, and is surrounded by all the comforts of life. He may be properly numbered among those intel- ligent and enterprising men who have assisted in bringing MeLean County to its present proud po- sition, and made it, the home of the best elass of people, noted for their intelligenee, and as eitizens worthy and valuable.

The subject of this history was born in New York City Sept. 17, 1841. His father, Thomas Gooch, was born in Boston, Mass., and his grand- father, also a native of the Bay State, enlisted as a soldier in the War of 1812, and died in the service. Thomas Gooch was reared to manhood in his na- tive eity, and received a good education in its publie sehools. When of suitable age he eom- meneed learning the cabinet-maker's trade, but from 1825 to 1835 held the position of book-keeper for the inereantile firm of Viles, Atkinson & Co. In the year last named he removed to New York City to take a similar position with Hayes, Dorr & Co., importers of dry-goods. Ile was in their employ and that of their suceessors, Allen, Hazen & Co., until after the breaking out of the war, and remained a resident of New York City and suburbs until his death, which oeeurred in 1869.

The mother of our subjeet, who before her mar- riage was Miss Lydia C. Roulstone, was also born in Boston, Mass., and departed this life in the eity of Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1851. Three or four children belonging to the parental household grew to ma-

ture years; only one married. Thomas R. died in 1876, at Dorehester, Mass .; De Witt R. was the seeond ehild; Caroline F. lives in Delavan, Taze- well Co., Ill. Thomas Gooeh contraeted a second marriage, and of that union there is one son living, Camille D., a resident of Brooklyn, N. Y.

Mr. Gooeh of this notice was a child two years of age when his parents removed from New York City to Brooklyn. Eight years later they moved to West Farms which is now ineluded in New York City, and remained there until 1858. There young De Witt attended sehool quite steadily, and being naturally intelligent and fond of his books gained a good insight into his studies at an early age. Before he had completed his education he suffered greatly from ill-health and was obliged to abandon his studies. Coming West, aeeompan- ied by a friend, he located in Tazewell County, where he engaged in outdoor work on a farm un- til the spring of 1860. He then rented and engaged in farming for himself until the summer of 1862. The Civil War being then in progress he enlisted in Co. B, 73d Ill. Vol. Inf., with which he served until Mareh following, when his health began to fail and lie was sent to the hospital. In August, 1863, he was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps, from which he received his honorable dis- eharge the following November. Mr. G. . was in several engagements, among which we mention Perryville and Stone River.

After receiving his discharge he then returned to New York City, visited three months among liis old friends and acquaintances, and thenee eame baek West. He was soon afterward married, in Tazewell County, and settled down on a farm owned by his wife two miles east of Delavan, where he lived until 1885. He then sold out and eame into this eounty and purchased the place in Belleflower Township which he now owns and oe- eupies. Here he has a tasteful and comfortable farm residenee, with a good barn and all necessary out-buildings, and is industriously engaged in rais- ing grain and stoek.

The marriage of our subjeet to Miss Rosetta Rathmell took place in Delavan, Feb. 14, 1864. Mrs. G. is the daughter of James Rathmell, who was born in Pennsylvania. Iler grandfather, Jolin

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Rathmell, was widely and favorably known in the Keystone State, where he followed milling and was one of its most substantial eitizens. His son James removed from his native State to Tazewell County, Ill., when a young man, and was among the earli- est settlers there. He was there married to Miss Mary Ann Moseley, who was born in that eounty. Her grandfather, John Arthur Moseley, a native of Kentucky, settled in Tazewell County about 1826, took up a traet of Government land and improved three or four farms. Later he removed to Logan County, and died in 1858. His wife, before her marriage, was Miss Delilah Barker, also a native of Kentucky. She is still living, having arrived at the advanced age of eighty-six years, and resides with her daughter, Mrs. A. W. Ball, in Tazewell County. She has been a eripple for the last twenty- eiglit years or more, but her mind is still active and vigorous, and she remembers well the many ineidents connected with pioneer life. The parents of Mrs. Gooeh died when she was quite young and she was reared by her grandmother. Of her union with our subjeet there have been born fonr ehildren -Arthur Franeis, De Witt R., Jr., Oliver C. and Maude C. Mr. and Mrs. Gooch are Universalists in religious belief, and politieally he is independent.

M ATTHIAS KAMPF, deceased, was a na- tive of Madison County, Ohio, and born Jan. 7, 1826. His parents, Henry and Polly (Travers) Kampf, were natives of Westmoreland County, Pa., and were of Pennsyl- vania-Duteh deseent. The childhood of Matthias Kampf was spent in his native township, the dis- triet sehools furnishing his edueation, and in which he improved every opportunity for aequiring use- ful.knowledge. When nineteen years of age lie started out for himself in life, eoming first to this State, where he taught two terms in a distriet school in Logan County, where the eity of Lineoln now stands, then returning eastward to Ohio, he employed his winters in teaching, and the balance of the year as a farm laborer. While in that State he was married, on the 9th of March, 1848, to Miss Naney A. Paugh, who was born in Madison County, that State, Nov. 14, 1829. Her parents, Henry

and Jane (Bradley) Paugh, were also natives of the same county.

After their marriage our subjeet and his wife re- sided two years in Ohio, where Mr. Kampf still pursued his profession as a teacher during the win- ter, and farmed during the summer until he started for Illinois, in the fall of 1850. After reaching Tazewell County, they located on the edge of Ilit- tle's Grove, about two and one-half miles west of the present homestead of the family. Two years later Mr. Kampf took possession of a forty-aere traet of railroad land on seetion 7, in Mt. Hope Township, MeLean County, where he continued to reside during the remainder of his life. He was naturally industrious and enterprising, and became prosperous, adding from time to time to his first purchase, until he was the owner of 250 acres of excellent farming land in the counties of Tazewell and MeLean. After a protraeted illness, he closed his eyes upon the seenes of his earthily labors on the 24th of June, 1874.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Kampf are re- corded as follows: Polly Jane, born Feb. 7, 1851, died June 28, 1880; Mary Alma, born Aug. 28, 1855, died July 8, 1876; David Henry, born June 20, 1857, died July 7, 1880; Hannah Belle, born Aug. 3, 1859, died Dee. 6, 1874; Sarah A., born Nov. 17, 1861, and Matthias, Oet. 27, 1863. Sarah A., on the 18th of Jannary, 1883, became the wife of Mr. James M. Murphy, a sketch of whom will be found elsewhere in this volume. Sinee the death of her husband, Mrs. Kampf has added to the estate which he left, by the purchase of 120 aeres. She is a consistent member of the Christian Church, with which she became eonueeted in 1877. Mr. Kampf's belief was that, of a Universalist. His sympathies, politieally, were with the Republican party, with which he uniformly cast his vote. A view of the homestead, iu whose improvement he delighted to spend his time, will be found on an- other page.

ISAAC E. FUNK, son of one of the earliest pio- neers of the Prairie State, was born in Funk's Grove Township, Feb. 10, 1843, and is eonse- quently now a gentleman in the prime of life, pos- sessing the full energy of his youth, and perform-

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ing his part as a valued citizen and useful mem- ber of society. He is located on a good farın in Belleflower Township, which is supplied with the necessary farm buildings, the grounds around the residence being ornamented with fruit and shade trees, and presenting in all respects a comfortable homestead.

Our subject's father, John Funk, was a native of Ohio, and his father was also named John. The great- · great-grandfather of Isaac E., Adam Funk, a native of Germany, emigrated to America with his father when a lad six years old, settling in Pennsylvania, where he was reared, and in due time established a home and family ties of his own. His son John came to MeLean County at an early period in the history of this section, and licre spent the last year's of his life. Here also the father of our subject grew to manliood, in Funk's Grove Township, and was married here to Miss Bettie Houghain. She was a native of Ohio, and daughter of Isaac and Annie (Gordan) Hougham. John Funk and wife remained residents of this county until the father's ? death in Allin Township in 1847.

The parents of our subject, John and Bettie (Hougham) Funk, were widely and favorably known throughout this section, and the mother was especially noted for her kindness of heart and ready sympathy with the afflicted and distressed. Their names are licld in kindly remembrance by a large eirele of friends whom they made during tlicir long residence here. Of their five children, two only are now living-Elizabeth Ann, who be- came the wife of James C. Finley, of Kansas, and our subject. Mrs. Funk was a second time mar- ricd, to John Finley, in 1853, and lives in Kansas.

The subject of this history was but four years old when his father died. Ile lived with his mother until he was fifteen and then started out to earn luis own living by working on a farm. He at first received $10 per month, which was afterward raised to $15. After the breaking out of the war lie enlisted as a Union soldicr, Oet. 27, 1862. in Co. A, 117th Ill. Vol. Inf., and served until the close of the war. He engaged with his comrades in thic battles of Ft. De Russy, Pleasant Hill, Nashville and Ft. Blakesley, and was in other minor engage- inents. He was transferred to the 33d Illinois In-

fantry, and was mustered out in October, 1865. After returning from the army Mr. Funk continued his labors by the month for a year, and then farmed on rented land until 1870, when he purchased his present homestead, which was then unimproved prairie.

Our subject was married, Dec. 24, 1867, to Miss Mary E. Jenkins, a native of Virginia, and born March 23, 1848. Her father, Henry Jenkins, a na- tive of the Old Dominion, was born in Madison County, whenec he emigrated to this county in 1850. The parents of Mrs. F. died when she was quite young. Her mother was formerly Miss Julia A. Price. Mr. and Mrs F. of this notice have seven children-Bettie L., Guy J., Lafayette, Min- nie M., Luey B., Isaac Logan and Charlie Delight. Julia A. dicd in the fourth year of her age. Mr. F. is Republican in politics.

G EORGE W. BLAND, who is industriously engaged in the prosecution of a calling upon which the wealth of the nation de- pends, and is meeting with success in his la- bors, came into the Prairie State and located in Champaign County in 1869. He lived there un- til 1885, and then took possession of his present homestead on section 35, Cheney's Grove Town- ship. His farm comprises one of the finest bodies of land in this section, and includes twenty aeres under a fine state of cultivation. He has a taste- ful and convenient residence, a good barn and all the out-buildings and machinery required by a first- class modern agriculturist.

Mr. Bland was born in Pendleton County, W. Va., April 25, 1836. His parents were Eli and Annic (Hager) Bland, natives of West Virginia, where the father died in 1862. The mother still survives, making her home in West Virginia, and is now sev- enty-seven years old, a stout and healthy old lady, who retains hier mental faculties as good as ever. Her ten children included eight sons and two daugh- rers-Miles H., William, Amos, Lucinda, George W., John W., Mary, Eli P., Jaines S. and Benja- min F.

The subject of this history remained in his na-

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tive State until he reached his majority, then de- eided to seek liis fortunes elsewhere. Going into Indiana he worked out by the month until twenty- four years old, and was then married to Miss Vir -. ginia Whitecotton. She was born in Virginia, July 6, 1843, and when six years of age removed with her parents to Montgomery County, Ind., where she was married to our subjeet, Oet. 30, 1861. Her parents were James and Catherine (Robinson) Whiteeotton, natives of the Old Dominion. Her fa- ther, born in 1792, served in the War of 1812, and after the termination of that eonfliet removed to Indiana, where he died, Dee. 19, 1855. The mother was born Oet. 30, 1808, accompanied her husband to Indiana and survived him about twenty- seven years, dying in Montgomery County, Ind., in 1882. Their sixteen children were as follows: Cornelius, Noah, Salem, Mordecai, Mary, James, William, Wayne, Zephaniah, Esau, Francis M., George, Jacob, Virginia, Lueinda and Isaac.

Mr. and Mrs. Bland have seven children-James, John W., William S., Mary C., Franklin, Manson and Annie J. Mr. Bland is Democratie in polities. During the late war he enlisted as a Union soldier in the 120th Indiana Infantry, serving eighteen months in Company C, in the meantime being pro- moted Orderly Sergeant. He participated in the battle of Resaca, Ga., and in the engagements at Peachtree Greek and Jouesboro. After going into Tennessee he was in the battles of Franklin and Nashville, escaping, however, without injury. After receiving his honorable discharge he resumed the peaceful pursuit of agriculture, in which he has sinee been engaged with fair sueeess. A litho- graphic view of Mr. Bland's residenee is shown elsewhere in this ALBUM.

J OHN HOWARD BURNHAM, of Bloom- ington, one of its well known and most highly respected citizens, is a native of Massachusetss, born at Essex, on the north side of Cape Ann, Oct. 31, 1834. His parents were of the old Puritan stoek, his father, John Burnham, being a deseendant of John Burnham who came to this country in" 1634, and located on

a farm which has descended from father to son for six generations. The mother of our subjeet was Saralı Choate Perkins, and on her mother's side a Choate, a sceond cousin to Rufus Choate, thie famous lawyer.

The paternal grandmother of our subjeet was a Goodhue. Mr. Burnham is quite proud of his an- eestry. Ile possesses the printed genealogy of the Burnham and Perkins families, and ean traee both sides back to their homes in England. He is quite antiquarian in his tastes, and a corresponding mem- ber of the Historical Society of Chicago. IIe wrote a history of Bloomington and Normal in 1879, and besides this has prepared quite a number of historical sketehes of other localities in this re- gion.

Mr. Burnham emigrated to Illinois in the fall of 1855, and for two years afterward lived at Barring- ton, Cook County, where he taught sehool two winters. In the spring of 1858 he came to Bloom- ington and entered upon a course of study in the Normal School, from which he graduated July 4, 1861. Then, the Rebellion being in progress, he entered the army in, August, as First Lieutenant of the Normal students, Co. A, in the 33d Regiment Ill. Vol. Inf. He was in the battle of Fredericks- town, Mo., Oct. 25, 1861, in the fight at Cotton Plant, or Cache River, Ark., July 7, 1862, and in several skirmishes. He was promoted Captain, Sept. 5, 1862. During that summer he was taken ill with malarial fever, eaused by exposure in the swamps along the bottom lands of the Mississippi, and was compelled to resign on aceount of disabil- ity, in April, 1863.

In the year following his retirement from tlie army, having lost none of his interest in the cause of education, he was appointed Superintendent of the Bloomington schools, and in July, 1864, be- came editor of the Pantagraph, occupying this po- sition nearly three years. He has also done eon- siderable literary work of a miscellaneous eharacter for the Pantagraph and other newspapers.

Capt. Burnham was united in marriage with Miss Almira S. Ives, on the 23d of January, 1866. Mrs. B. is the daughter of A. B. Ives, of Bloomington. She is an accomplished and highly respected lady, who has cultivated a natural talent for art, to such

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an extent, in faet, that the products of her brush liave quite an enviable reputation in local art eir- cles. Their beautiful home in this city is the re- sort of its most cultured and intelligent people, whose friendship and society they enjoy in a marked degree. Capt. Burnham, in 1867, became general contracting agent for an iron highway bridge com- pany, which position he now fills.

M RS. LYDIA A. SAUNDERS, a well-known and highly respected lady who has been a resident of West Township since 1866, oe- cupies a comfortable homestead on seetion 30. She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the 1st of January, 1825, and is the daughter of Henry R. Coleman, who was a native of Pennsylvania, born Oct. 29, 1803. Her paternal grandfather was a na- tive of Pennsylvania, and one of the pioneer set- tlers of Montgomery County, Ohio, where he elcared a farm from the wilderness, four miles from what became the site of the city of Dayton, and where he spent the last years of his life. Upon this farm Henry R. Coleman lived with his parents until he was twenty years of age, and then engaged in teaching school. In 1823 he went to Cincinnati, then an embryo eity, where he engaged in mer- chandising a short time, and whence he removed to Millville, Butler County. He pursued the same business there until 1849, when he joined the great caravan that was pushing toward the California gold fields. He choose his route via the Isthmus, and remained ou the Pacific Slope until 1852. In that year he returned as far East as Illinois, and coming into this county, purchased a tract of wild land on section 30 of what is now West Township, being one of the first settlers of that township. Ifere he improved a good farm and remained a res- dent until his death, which occurred in 1865. His wife before her marriage was Miss Rachel Watkins. She was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, accompanied her husband to Illinois, and died on the old homestead in West Township, in 1877. Of their nine children, cight grew to man and womanhood.

The subject of this liistory made her home with

her parents until her marriage with William A. Saunders, which occurred in 1844. Mr. Saunders was born in Maysville, Ky., Feb. 7, 1816, being the son of Clark Saunders, a native of Kentucky, who was a painter by trade and spent his entire life in his native city. William A. Saunders was raised at Maysville and there learned his trade of house and sign painting. He went to Ohio when a young man and carried ou business in Cineinnati for a period of twenty-five years. In September, 1866, he came to Illinois, and having bought out the interest of the heirs in the Coleman homestead, settled on the farm which remained his home until his death, March 12, 1881. He. was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, hav- ing assisted in the organization of the society at Mt. Olive and in the erection of the building. Mrs. Saunders is connected with the same church. Her father was a Presbyterian, and her mother a Meth- odist in belief.

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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 137

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