Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 146

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 146

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).

EZEKIAH HORNEY, a well-known and re- speeted citizen, as well as a progressive and successful farmer and stock-raiser of Lex- ington Township, has for the last eighteen years been quite extensively occupied in the breed- ing of Norman horses. Mr. Horney was born near Jeffersonville, Fayette Co., Ohio, July 3, 1826. His father, Daniel Horney, was born in North Carolina, whence he accompanied his parents to Ohio at an early day and settled with them in Greene County. Our subject's grandfather, Will- iam Horney, was of English extraction, and his son Daniel, our subjeet's father, was a soldier in the War of 1812. Daniel Horney and Margaret Cala- way were united in marriage in Ohio. She was

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born in Maryland and was the daughter of John Calaway, who moved from that State to Ohio'in an carly day.

Of the union of Daniel Horney and Miss 'Cala - way the following children were born: Sarah, un- married: John married Naney Chaney ; Anna was married to Iredell Chaney; Mary is the wife of Ilarrison Janes; James married Elizabeth Fuel; Margaret died, when eleven years old; Daniel; Job; Hezekiah; William; Paris was a Captain in the late Civil War, and was taken prisoner and eonfined at Andersonville and actually starved to death in that foulest of foul prisons; David G. and one other died in infancy. The 'mother of these children died in August, 1855. The father died in the winter of '1866, having attained the vener- able age of eighty years.

Hezekiah Horney passed his boyhood days on his father's farm in Fayette County, Ohio, and attended the pioneer schools where he received his education. He remained with the okl folk until he had attained his majority, and when he was twenty-three years old he was married to Miss Sarah J. Gaff, daughter of David M. and Hannah (Moek) Gaff. of Greene County, Ohio, and in which county Miss Gaff was born. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania and was of Irish deseent. After marriage Mr. Horney located in Fayette County, Ohio, where he lived until the fall of 1853. Ile then eame to this county with his family and first settled in Blue Mound Township, living there until 1865; he then removed to his present farm . on seetion 29, Lexington Township. The farm contains 278 aeres of valuable and productive land and is under good eultivation.

In 1866 Mr. Horney began the breeding of Nor- man horses and has met with success in that under- taking, raising some of the finest animals in the county. Ile has taken the first premium at the St. Louis Fair and also the sweep stake at the Illinois State Fair. He has at the present writing thirty- one head of horses of this breed and has done muehl toward the introduction of this noble breed of horses throughout the county and State: Ile has disposed of some of his horses of his own raising for as high as $900.

Mr. and Mrs. Horney have had five children.

Melissa C. is the wife of William Craggett, of Lexington; Morgan M. was united in marriage with Miss Enuna Brooks; Emma J. married C. W. Heller; Edward C. married Macy Craggett, and James P. and Minnie Shelley became man and wife. Mr. Horney served as Road Commissioner of Lexington Township for about ten years. He has likewise held the office of Sehool Trustee. In polities he is a staneh Republiean. A fine litho- graphie view of the residence of Mr. Ilorney and somne of his fine stoek is shown on another page of this work.

6 D. HARTSON, a representative citizen of Bloomington, was born in Randolph, Me- Lean County, Nov. 16, 1836. His parents were James and Martha (Carr) Hartson, natives respectively of Ilamilton County, N. Y., and Wal- pole, Mass. James Hartson, when twenty-two years of age, eame West and settled in Waynesville, 111., where, in 1827, he opened the first store in De Witt County. Eight years later he removed to Randolph Township, MeLean County, and pur- chasing a traet of unimproved land from the Gov- ernment, opened up a farm which he occupied un- til his death in 1840. This was occasioned by a fall from a horse. The wife and mother died that same year. Of this family there were only two children and the subject of our sketeh is the only one now living. He was but four years old when he was left an orphan and went to live with his grandfather, Dr. Carr. The latter was one of the oldest settlers of MeLean County, eoming here in 1825. Young Hartson remained with his grand- father until he was twenty-three years old and was then, in 1859, married to Miss Elizabeth Mormon, of Ohio. After this marriage he returned to the homestead in Randolph Township, which had been the home of his father and mother, and which he occupied for two years. He then traded the farm for another, three miles further West, upon which he engaged principally in stock-raising. Here he gave his attention to the breeding of high-grade Durham cattle and Norman and Clydesdale horses. From there he removed to Bloomington, and since

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that time has been engaged with the pork-packing company of that city.

Mr. and Mrs. Hartson became the parents of five children, of whom the record is as follows: Martha, Mrs. Douglas Rust, has three children-Emery A., Ethel and William-and they live in Ida County, Iowa, where Mr. R. is engaged in mercantile pur- suits. The other children at home are: William H., Anie M., Sarah and Thomas J. Mrs. Eliza- beth Ilartson departed this life in 1870, and for his second wife Mr. H., in 1875, married Miss Sarah Richardson, of Illinois. This lady died in 1879.

On the 5th of October. 1881, our subject was united in marriage with Miss Clara Bunn. Mrs. H. is a native of Tazewell County, Ill., and the daugh- ter of James C. and Amanda (Smith) Bunn, na- tives respectively of Ohio and Kentucky. Mr. B. came to Illinois in about 1840, and settled in Washington, Tazewell County, where he engaged as a contractor and builder. Thence, in 1882, he re- moved to Peoria and still follows his former business. Ilis family included six children, viz., Clara, Mrs. Hartson; Gaines W., Dora, Edgar, Forrest and Hattie.

Politically Mr. Hartson is a stanch adherent of the Democratie party. Religiously he is a member of the Christian Church, and socially, a K. of P. He is a straightforward business man, a worthy citizen, and enjoys in a marked degree the esteem of his fellow-citizens.

ENRY BUTLER, a resident of Cheney's Greve Township, and one of her wide-awake and prominent citizens, owns and occupies a good homestead on section 3, where he is devoting his attention to farming and stock- raising. He has been a resident of the Prairie State since 1856, and occupied his present farm since the fall of 1874. He has distinguished him- self as a thorough business man and a good citizen, and has contributed his full quota toward the de- velopment and progress of his township.

Mr. Butler was born in Lexington, Greene Co., N. Y., Dee. 16, 1833. and is the son of Jonathan and Lovina (Schemmerhorn) Butler, natives of

the same county. Jonathan Butler was born in 1806, followed the trade of a carpenter and mnill- wright and also carried on farming, and departed this life at his homestead in' 1882. He was Demo- eratie in polities, and with his wife closely adhered to the doctrines of the Old-School Baptist Church. The mother of our subjeet was born in 1808, and died in New York State in 1871. The nine chil- dren were as follows: Charles, the eldest, was mar- ried and lives in California; Darwin went to Cali- fornia in 1849, where he still lives; Henry, of our sketch, was the third son; Rensselear married Miss Catherine Ford and settled on the old homestead; Annetta, Mrs. Henry Lasher, lives in New York ; Sarah became the wife of James Phelps, and lives in Washington, D. C .; Mr. Phelps is the foreign correspondent at Washington ; Lonisa, Mrs. Hiram Angle, lives in llunter, N. Y .; Eugenia married Richard Cox, of England, and they are living in Denver, Col .; Flora married Phillip Turner, of Brooklyn, N. Y.

After coming into this State Mr. Butler located first in Tonica, La Salle County, where he re- mained until March, 1874. In the meantime he had been united in marriage with Miss Augusta E. Thompson, on the 8th of February, 1861. Mrs. Thompson was born in New York, July 18, 1843. She is the daughter of Nathan and Ann Eliza (Pet- itt) Thompson, and her mother was the daughter of Rev. Petitt, of the Old-School Baptist Church, who preached in one parish for a period of fifty- two years. There were only two chidren in Na -. than Thompson's family, Mrs Butler and her brother James E., who married Miss Margaret Shel- ton, a native of Ohio, and now lives in Gibson City, this State.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Butler, eight in num- ber, are Mellia C., Alvero E., Charles F., Annetta, Gussie H., Ida M., Hugh and Bessie Leona. Mel- lia C. became the wife of Wallace Zook, now de- ceased; she has one child, a son, Frank, and they reside in Winfield, Kan. After coming to this county Mr. Butler first purchased 160 acres of land, to which he has since added eighty more, and in addition to general agriculture is engaged quite extensively in the breeding of fine stock. In this latter department he intends to increase his facili-

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ties, together with the grade and breed. Ile has some fine roadsters of the Morgan stock. Mr. But- ler has been very successful in raising hogs, and as a feeder and shipper has realized a fine income.

Mr. Butler is Democratic in politics, and has held the various offices of his township. Socially he be- longs to the K. of P. at Saybrook. Mrs. Butler is a member of the United Brethren Church.

The grandfather of Mrs. 'Butler, John Thomp- son. was born on the Atlantic Ocean while his par- ents were crossing from their native Ireland to the United States. He descended from excellent an- cestry, his forefathers having been large land-own- ers in Ireland. He settled in New York, where he became prominent in public matters and was Jus- tice of the Peace for many years.

The homestead of our subject is finely' located and comprises, besides his fertile and valuable land, a good frame barn and all necessary out-buildings, a view of which is shown in this ALBUM. Mr. B. and his family are surrounded by all the comforts of life, and enjoy the esteem of all who know them.

M. FUNK, President of the First National Bank of Bloomington, is a native of MeLean County, and was born June 1, 1832. His parents were Isaac and Cassandra (Sharp) Funk, natives respectively of Kentucky and Mary- land. Isaac Funk, with his parents, Adam and Nancy (Moore) Funk, removed to Ohio when he was a child three years of age, and located in Fay- ette County. There they engaged in farming and stock-raising, and became prominent and influen- tial citizens. Both were of German ancestry, whose families settled in Pennsylvania, where Adam and Nancy Funk were born. Their son Isaac, who was born Nov. 17, 1797, was reared on the farm, received a limited education in the pioneer schools, and remained in Ohio until the fall of 1823. He then turned his face toward the prairies of Illinois, and located in what subsequently became Funk's Grove Township, in McLean County, ar- riving here on the 15th of May, 1824. Ile was ac- companied by his brother Absalom, who was ten years his senior, and William Brock. There were

only a few settlers in this county at the time, and facilities for boarding werc extremely limited. These pioneers, being single men, joined together and put up a small log house' in the edge of the grove, which latter contained about 2,000 acres of heavy timber, principally burr. red and white oak and black walnut.

The two brothers took up a tract of land and jointly engaged in its improvement and cultiva- tation, working together until 1840, when Absalom, desiring to go to Chicago, sold his interest to Isaac, who then had 20,000 acres in one body. He also had 5,000 acres in the eastern part of the county and became the largest stock. grower in this sec- tion.

In 1826 Isaac Funk was married, at Peoria, to Miss Cassandra Sharp, and they became the parents of ten children, nine of whom are still living: George W., who resides in Bloomington and is a Director of the First National Bank; Jacob, Presi- dent of the State National Bank of Bloomington, resides in Mt. Hope Township, where he superin- tends the operations of his farm, a large part of which is devoted to the raising of finc stock; our subject was the third son; Lafayette is a mem- ber of the Illinois Legislature from the 28th Sena- torial District; his home is in Funk's Grove Town- ship, where he has a farm devoted largely to stock- raising; Francis Marion, also a farmer and stock- raiser, is located in Bloomington Township; Ben- jamin F. resides in Bloomington, and is also pro- prietor of a fine farin and valuable stock; Absalom is a resident of Bloomington and engaged in farm- ing and stock-raising; Isaac has a fine farm estate in Funk's Grove Township; Sarah, Mrs. Kerick, is the wife of an extensive farmer and stoek-raiser of Funk's Grove Township.

The parents of our subject died on the same day, Jan. 29, 1865, at the residence of their son D. M., aged sixty-seven and sixty-four years respectively, and were buried in one grave at Funk's Grovc. Isaac Funk was a Representative to the General Assembly of Illinois in 1840, and Supervisor of lis township for a number of years. He also was a Senator in the State Legislature of the counties of McLean, De Witt, Macon and Piatt, being first elected to fill out the unexpired term of Richard J.

RESIDENCE OF H. P. HAZLE , ONE HALF MILE EAST OF MC. LEAN . ILLS .

RESIDENCE OF JOHN W. KERSHAW, SEC. 21., DOWNS TOWNSHIP.

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Oglesby who had resigned to enter the army. Mr. Funk was re-elected in 1862, as Senator, which po- sition he occupied at the time of his death. Mr. and Mrs. F. were worthy members of the Method- ist Episcopal Chureli, and the name of Isaae Funk became familiar throughout the State as the en- courager and supporter of every measure ealeu- lated to advanee the interests of this seetion so- cially, educationally, religiously and politieally.

The subject of this history was reared to farm- ing pursuits, and received a practical education in "the pioneer schools of MeLean County. Hle re- mained under the parental roof until twenty-five years of age and then, coming to Bloomington, en- gaged in the dry-goods trade with William Temple for seven years. He then sold his interest to his partner and engaged in farming and stoek-raising until 1873. From the first he displayed unusual business talent, and had made rapid strides in the confidenee and respect of the citizens of the eounty. During the year last mentioned he was elected President of the First National Bank of Blooming- ton, which position he now holds, and this bank, under his management, has beeome one of the solid institutions of the State. Besides other important trusts reposed in him he has been State Trustee for the Soldiers' Orphans' Home at Normal sinee 1877, and Supervisor of Bloomington Township sinee. 1874. He is a stoekholder in the First National Bank of Shelbyville, Ill., and holds a like interest in the Gas Company, and is also stoekholder and Director of the Walton Plow Works of Blooming- ton. In polities he is a staneh Republiean, and socially belongs to the Masonie Lodge of Bloom- ington.

Mr. Funk was married, April 16, 1857, to Miss Elizabeth Richardson, who was born in Indiana but eame to MeLean County with her parents when a child three years of age. She is a daugh- ter of Samuel T. and Mary (Welsh) Richardson, natives respectively of New York and Pennsylva- nia, who after their marriage emigrated to Illinois, and were among the pioneers of MeLean County. They entered a traet of land here and opened up a farm, upon whichi they passed the remainder of their lives. Of this marriage there were born only two children-Belle, now Mrs. II. M. Rollins, of St.

Paul, her husband being engaged in commission business, and Isaae L., at home. The family resi- denee is a handsome structure, finely located at No. 110 East Chestnut street, Bloomington, where our subjeet and his family extend a generous hos- pitality to a host of friends. Besides his eity property Mr. Funk owns 2,400 aeres of land in Funk's Grove and Dale Townships, which consti- tutes a magnificent estate, and is devoted mostly to the breeding of fine stoek.

OHN W. KERSIIAW, one of the wealthiest and most extensive land-holders of Downs Township, is the possessor of 518 aeres, which constitutes his home farm, and which is located on seetions 21 and 28. Ile also owns 300 aeres of valuable land in Empire Township, which is highly improved. He has other valuable property in MeLean County which he has amassed by the exercise of his excellent business talent and industry. His family residenee is a handsome modern structure, beautifully located, and is the resort of a host of warin friends and acquaintances. In addition to general farming, Mr. Kershaw has of late years given much attention to the raising of fine stock, Short-horn eattle and Poland-China hogs, and in this business has been remarkably successful. He has been the architect of his own fortune, and presents a fine example to the ambi- tious youth of to-day, of what may be aecomplished by having a steady purpose in view, and baeked by untiring industry and good judgment.

Mr. Kershaw is a native of this State, and was born in Williamson County, Sept. 11, 1838. His father, Joseph Kershaw, now deecased, settled in Downs Township in 1851, having taken up the last aere of land seeured by pre-emption from the Gov- . ernment. Joseph Kershaw was a native of Lan- eashire, England, where he was reared and learned the spinner's trade, commeneing to labor at the early age of twelve years. After arriving at years of manhood, he was married in his native shire to Miss Hannah Robinson, who was also born and reared in Laneshire, and there learned the weaver's trade. After the birth of one child, a daughter,

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Elizabeth, they resolved to emigrate to the United States. 'This was in 1834, and after reaching American"shores, they proceeded direetly to Illi- nois, settling first in Williamson County, but soon afterward removed to MeLean County, where the mother died in Mareh, 1858. The second wife of Joseph Kershaw, to whom he was married in Em- pire Township, was Miss Lueinda Gilmore.

Our subjeet remained under the home roof until his marriage, in Empire Township, in 1860, the lady of his choiee being Miss Emeline Buckles. She was born and reared in Empire Township, of which her grandfather "was the first settler, loeat- ing in what is yet known as Buekles' Grove. His son, Abraham, the father of Mrs. Kershaw, was married 'to Miss Mary Williams, and both he and his good wife are now deceased.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Kershaw lo- eated on their present homestead, which they have oeeupied sinee that time. They have " pulled to- gether;" the wife has labored side by side with her husband in the mutual effort to seeure a eompe- teney for their later years, and in this they have sueeeeded. The entire landed property of Mr. Kenshaw aggregates 818 aeres, which is drained with over 6,000 rods of tile from three to ten inches in diameter. His herd of eattle ineludes 150 head, and he feeds annually about that num- ber of hogs. Mr. Kershaw eommeneed life at the foot of the ladder. His first work was breaking prairie when twelve years old, with a team of five yoke of eattle. When married he eould boast of owning:$5 only, and gave $3;of that_to the min- ister who married them. His father gave him $15, with which he bought his outfit to eommenee house- keeping.

To our subjeet and his wife there have been born thirteen ehildren, three of whom died in in- fancy : Joseph married Miss Rosa Myers, and is farming in Empire Township; John W. married Miss Gertrude Dodds, of Saybrook, and lives in Empire Township; Cloa E. became the wife of Samuel R. Morton, and lives in Lamont, Cook Co., Ill .; Lizzie married John F. Weleh, of whom a sketeh is given in another part of this ALBUM; Burr, Lucinda, Robert, William C., Ruth E. and Sam- uel are at home with their parents, Mr. and Mrs.

Kershaw are prominently eonneeted with the United Brethren Chureh, and our subject politi- eally is eonneeted with the Democratic party. A handsome view of his residenee and pleasant home is shown on another page of this work.

W ILLIAM H. LOPER, "the village blaek- smith" of Weston, was born among the Ohio hills in Hamilton County, May 12,

1846. His father, John R. Loper, was a native of New Jersey, where he was born Jan. 6, 1821. He emigrated with his parents to Ohio when a young man, loeating first near the eity of Cineinnati. There the father, who also labored at the forge, loeated and lived for a number of years. In early manhood he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Cole, who was born in Ohio May 6, 1825 ; they re- moved further Westward to Indiana, settling near Lawrenceburg, where the father died in 1860. The parental household ineluded five children, of whom the record is as follows : Sarah, who became the wife of Rudolph Neff, is a resident of Kansas; William H., our subjeet, was the second born; Derostes M. resides in Freeport, Jaekson Co., Ind .; John R. is a resident of the same place; Emma, the wife of .Seott Burrows, lives with her husband in Dills- boro, Ind. The mother of our subjeet married a second time, her husband being Jacob Hoover, and of this marriage there were born two children- Rollie and Corda. Mrs. Hoover resides in Sparta, “Ind.

The subject of this history was only enabled to obtain a very limited edueation, and when about ten years old removed to Indiana. In February, 1862, and during the progress of the Civil War, although not yet fifteen years of age, he enlisted as a Union soldier, being enrolled as a drummer boy in Co. B, 52d Ind. Vol. Inf. He remained with the regiment until September following when he was discharged on aeeount of physical disability. He then re- turned home, but as soon as he recovered his health, he re-enlisted May 12, 1864, as a private in Co. I, 139th Ind. Vol. Inf., and served 100 days. He then went to Cineinnati, Ohio, intent upon serving his country until the close of the war. Ile there

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enlisted in Co. E, 187th Ohio Vol. Inf., in which he served until the victory of the Union armies no longer necessitated the use of soldiers. IIe participated with his comrades in the battles of Ft. Donelson, Shiloh and various minor engage- ments, and in all things strived to emulate the bravery of his comrades in enduring fatigue, priva- tion and other hardships connected with a soldier's life.

After his return from the army Mr. Loper re- turned to Lawrenceburg, Ind., and was employed ·as a farm hand until September, 1867. He then took up the blacksmith's trade, which he learned of Alva Barnes, after going back to Hamilton County, Ohio. He worked in that State and in Indiana at intervals until 1871. In March of the year follow- ing lie visited Chicago, whence he came into this county, and engaged as a journeyman in Chenoa. In June, 1872, he took a trip to Colorado, but soon returned and resumed his trade, following it until 1874. In April of that year he located at Weston, where we now find him one of the substantial and reliable citizens of the place.

Mr. Loper was married in this county, in 1873, to Miss Antoinette, daughter of Samuel and Ellen Powell, who was born Oet. 26, 1853. Of this ınar- riage there were four children: S. Ellen, born Nov. 14, 1874; Phebe, Nov. 8, 1877 ; Thomas Wil- bur, Nov. 9, 1882, and Elsie P., March 15, 1884. Mr. Loper is independent in polities and a firm believer in the Christian religion. He is connected with the Masonie fraternity as a member of Chenoa Lodge No. 292, and Chenoa Chapter No. 143. " A lithographie view of Mr. Loper's residence and shop is shown on another page in this ALBUM.

E DGAR BLAISDELL, one of McLean Coun- ty's numerous self-made men, is promi- nently identified with the industrial inter- ests of Weston, where he is engaged in the grain and lumber trade. He is a native of the Empire State, and was born in Washington County, N. Y., March 5, 1834. His parents were John and Sarah (Collins) Blaisdell, and he is one of a family of six children, all of whom lived to attain their ma-

jority, and two of whom, J. O. and Jane, are now deceased. Those surviving are, John C., & farmer of Washington County, N. Y .; Louisa, who re- sides at Saratoga Springs; Sarah, the wife of Jo- seph Leeret, of Syracuse, and our subjeet, Edgar, who was the youngest of the family.

Edgar Blaisdell passed his boyhood and youth upon his father's farm in New York, and received a common-school education. Ile remained under the home roof until 1855, then, having attained his majority, started West to seek his fortune. IIe first went to Walworth County, Wis., where he fol- lowed farming one season, and then went into Dane County, that State, where he remained until 1858; thenee he went to Columbia County, and was occupied as a grain dealer one year, after which he resumed farming in Dane County, in which he was occupied until the whole country was electrified by news of the attack on Ft. Sumter. Young Blaisdell then with all his patriotism aroused, at once enlisted as a soldier of the Union, being mustered into service with Co. K, 1st Wis. Vol. Inf., in which he served until August, 1861, under the first call for three months' troops. At the ex- piration of that time he returned to Dane County, Wis., and followed farming there until the spring of 1866. He then came to Illinois, first locating at Chenoa, this county, where he had charge of a lum- ber-yard one year, and then went to Chicago, serv- ing in the same capacity there one season. We next find him in his native State where he passed the following winter; coming back in the spring to Chenoa, he resumed his old occupation in the lum- ber trade. -

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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 146

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