Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 21

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 21

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

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department and was only sixteen years old when he first engaged as mail agent.

After coming to MeLean County Mr. Bay was married to Miss Sarah Routt, in February, 1840. Mrs. Bay was a sister of ex-Gov. Routt, of Col- orado. She was born in Kentucky, but her par- rents dying when she was young, she came North to Illinois with her unele, with whom she lived un- til her marriage with our subjeet, and after beeom- ing the mother of two children, died on the 17th of March, 1844, a little more than four years after her marriage. One of the children is deceased. and the other, Sarah by name, is the widow of Edwin S. Walker, who was a nephew of the late .Judge David Davis; Cornelia died at the age of four years.

Mr. Bay was the second time married, in Warren County, Ill., Sept. 27, 1846, to Miss Alvina Bay, who was a native of Ohio and was born Jan. 26, 1828. This lady became the mother of ten children, and departed this life Nov. 6, 1882, at the age of fifty- four years. The children of Mr. Bay by his see- ond marriage were as follows: Manfred J., Lidia A. and William are married; Mary I. is deceased; Clara E. and Hattie are married; Fannie is de- ceased, and the remainder are at home-Edwin R., John S. and Charles E.

Mr. Bay married his present wife in Vermilion County, Ill., Sept. 11, 1884, the lady being Miss Mary F. Reid, of Champaign County, Ohio. She was born Dee. 6, 1859, and came to Vermilion County, Ill., while a young child, where she was reared and re- eeived her education. `She was one of the younger children of her parents' family, and at the age of sev - enteen became a teacher in the public schools, and was thus engaged in this township for some years before her marriage. She became the mother of one child, Ralph S., who died in infancy.

Mr. Bay has occupied a prominent position among his fellow-townsmen sinee coming to this lo- cality. He was Constable for twelve years and has served as Deputy Sheriff. Politieally he is a staneli Republican, and both our subjeet and wife are members in good standing of the Methodist Epis- copal Church.

The homestead of Mr. Bay is very pleasantly located, and his family are surrounded by all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. Their

home and its surroundings indicate the presence of cultivated taste and refinement, and they enjoy the highest respeet of their friends and associates.

ILLIAM M. BRIGIIT, importer and breeder of French draft horses, is also extensively engaged in the culture of small fruits, and is the occupant of a fine homestead in Normal, from which he dispenses a generous hospitality, and enjoys the association and friendship of the cultured people of this locality. Mr. Bright is a native of Lincoln County, Ky., and was born Oet. 23, 1835, his parents being John and Elizabeth (Morrison) Bright, natives of the same State, where they spent their entire lives and were finally laid peacefully away for their final rest. The parental family of our subjeet ineluded nine children, all of whom reaelied mature years, and seven are still living.

The subject of this history was next to the young- est of his parents' family, and was reared to farm- ing pursuits. After pursuing his primary studies in the common schools, he entered the academy at Stanford, Ky., and after completing a course in 1857, accompanied his brother-in-law, James Giv- ens, to Illinois. The two together purchased see- tion 2 of Normal Township, in this county, whieli they retained possession of until 1865. In the meantime young Bright had returned to his native State and remained there until 1861, when he came baek to McLean County, which has since been his . home. In the spring of 1866 he removed within the city limits of Normal, where he owns 100 aeres on three sides of the Soldier's Orphans' Home, be- sides forty aeres outside of the city. Until 1882 he gave his principal attention to the growing of small fruits, then, through the influence of his nephew, R. G. Bright, he imported four French draft mares, and has sinee devoted a large portion of his time to the breeding of horses. Before this, however, he had raised a number of Kentucky saddle horses, and already attained quite a reputa- tion in this line.

The subject of this sketch was married near Dan- ville, Ky., in 1864, to Miss Mary E. Bruee, who

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was born near that eity on the 2d of November, 1842, and was the daughter of Henry and Mary E. (Popc) Bruce. Of this union there were born seven children, of whom one son died at the age of five years, and six are now living. They were named respectively, John H., James G., Mary E., Bruce, Fannie M. and Reuben G.

M. DICKINSON, a retired farmer, now owns and oceupies a handsome residence at No. 1417 North Main street, Bloomington. Ile is a native of the Prairie State, having, been born in Pike County, Oet. 29, 1842. His par- ents were Eliada and Lois B. (Fancher) Diekinson natives of Marlborough, Conn., the father born in 1810, and the mother in 1812. They were mar- ricd in their native State, where the elder Dickin- son was employed in a brass bell foundry, and they remained in New England until 1831. They then emigrated to the West, and the father of our subject purchased 500 acres of Government land in Pike County, this State. Ile first put up a log house, in which all the children, except the young- est, were born. The family lived on the farm un- til 1856, and then moved into the town of Perry, where the father engaged in mercantile business until 1861. He then purchased 200 acres of land in Sangamon County, near Springfield, and engaged there in farming three years. In 1865 he pur- chased 400 acres in this county, which he occupied until 1877, and then removed to Leroy, where he now lives in ease and comfort, retired from active business. The wife and inother departed this life in 1864. Their three children were Sarah A., now Mrs. I. P. Cook, of Le Roy ; D. M., our subjeet, and Mary 'T., Mrs. J. C. Williams, of Blanchard, lowa. The father of our subject is Republiean in politics, and religiously inelines to Unitarian doetrines.

The subject of this biography was reared on his father's farm in Pike County, and still remembers it as it was before being relieved from its original condition. It was then covered with a thiek growth of brush and trees, and he recolleets cutting this and driving cattle through to break it down. Ilis pri- mary studies were conducted in a log cabin with

punelieon floor, and seats made of slabs, with round pins for legs. He continued to work on the farm and attend school during the winter seasons until 1856. Ile was studious and interested in his books, and being bright and observant, received a useful and practical education. After graduating froni the log cabin he attended the public school in Perry for two years, and officiated as clerk in his father's store during the intervals from study. Two years later he entered the college at Quincy, Ill., where he pursued the study of English and Ger- man for one year, then eommeneed teaching in Pike County, and followed the same until the breaking out of the war.

Mr. Dickinson then enlisted in Co. B, 99th 111. Vol. Inf., being engaged in the service three years and one month, and participating in the battles of Ilartsville, Mo., Magnolia Hill, Port Gibson, Ray- mond, Miss., Jackson, both before and after the siege, Champion Hills, Black River Bridge, tlie siege of Vicksburg, lasting from the 19th of May until the 3d of July, the Banks expedition up the Red River, the capture of Ft. Esperanzo, Tex., and of Spanish Fort, Blakesley and Mobile, besides many minor engagements. IIc received but one wound during the campaign, and that at Magnolia Ilill. The ball struek his poeket-knife, breaking botlı sides of the handle off, and bending the frame into the shape of the letter "E," and glaneing off struek him in the groin and lodged in the butt end of his musket. At Jackson, Miss., a eanister ball passed through his hat, slightly grazing the top of his head.

After receiving an honorable discharge at tlie elose of the war Mr. Diekinson came to MeLean County, and with what money he had saved and a loan from his father he pureliased a farm of 240 aeres in West Township. To this he afterward added eighty aeres. It is all prairie and is now finely improved with a liandsome and substantial residenee, good barns, and all necessary out-build- ings. Mr. D. labored industriously and persever- ingly, and was universally eoneeded to be one of the leading farmers of this seetion. He still owns the farm property. He formerly was quite exten- sively engaged in the raising of grain and eattle, but the farm is now principally devoted to grain.

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Mr. D. oeeupied it until 1882, then purchased his present place in Bloomington for the sum of $4,000.

The marriage of Mr. Diekinson and Miss M. I. Williams was celebrated at the home of the bride's parents, Feb. 28, 1867. Mrs. D. is a native of In- diana, being the daughter of John and Amanda (Bush) Williams, natives of Jamestown, the same State. The parental family ineluded ten eliildren, six now living : Mrs. L. Wileox, Mrs. D. M. Diek- inson, JJames M., Mrs. Joseph Tailor, Mrs. Frank Dunean and Charles W.

Our subject and his wife have three children- Clara L., Melvina and Eliada. Mr. D. is a Repub- liean in polities, and an honored member of the G. A. R. Ile has been Treasurer, Town Clerk. School Director and Commissioner of Ilighways, and in other respeets has assisted in the growth and pros- perity of Bloomington Township. He is an active member of the Unitarian Church, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

0 LIVER II. P. ORENDORFF. There are yet living a few of the early settlers of MeLean County, among the first of whom was' the family whose history we purpose briefly to relate in this personal notice of the oldest member now liv- ing. Mr. Orendorff has been a resident of Bloom- ington 'Township sinee.1823, having come here on the 2d day of May of that year. He was the third in order of birth of eight sons and five daugliters, and his father, William, was born in Georgia, March 26, 1792. His grandfather, Christopher, is supposed to have been a native of Virginia, and was of German ancestry and parentage. The his- tory of the family in the United States dates back prior to the Revolutionary War. Christopher Or- endorff was a farmer and miller by oeeupation, and removed from his native State to Illinois, where he permanently loeated after having been a citizen of several other States of the Union. Ile died in Lo- gan County at the age of sixty-five years.

William Orendorff, the father of our subject, when a young man removed, from Georgia to North Carolina and thenee to Tennessee. Later he went

into Kentucky, and at the age of nineteen years was married to Miss Sarah Nichols, who became the mother of three children, two sons and one daugh- ter. While still a young woman she departed this life in the State of Kentucky. Mr. O. was the sec- ond time married, after coming to Illinois, to Miss Lovina Sayles, a native of the State of Tennessee, and who became the mother of five children, of whom our subjeet is the eldest son and seeond child. William Orendorff came to Illinois in 1816, loeating in St. Clair, whenee he removed to Me- Lean County in 1823, and settled in Bloomington Township. There were then but very few white people in this region, the family of Mr. O. being the second one to make settlement in the township, and here the mother of our subjeet died on the 9th of November, 1831.

The third wife of William Orendorff was Miss Susan Ogden, to whom he was married in this county in 1834. This lady became the mother of two children, a son and daughter, and died in 1844. William Orendorff married his fourth wife, Miss Naomi Able, on his sixty-seeond birthday, and of this union there were born four children, all of whom are yet living. There was a difference of fifty-four years between the birth of his first and last child. He and his last wife are now both de- eeased. Ile was born March 26, 1792, and died May 12, 1869. Mrs. Naomi Orendorff survived him only two years, dying in 1871. He was the father of fourteen children, seven of whom are yet living. William Orendorff was a man of more than ordinary ability, and became prominent in the af- fairs of his adopted township and eounty. After eoming to this loeality he was appointed Justice of the Peace, and had jurisdiction over a large portion of this State while it was yet a Territory, and upon the organization of the county and township he held the various local offices.

The subject of this history lived with his father until he was twenty-two years of age. His brother, John Lewis, was the first male ehild born in Bloom- ington Township, his birth occurring Jan. 20, 1826. After our subjeet had attained his majority he was married at the home of the bride's parents in this township, to Miss Sarah L. S. Hendricks, daughter of John and Jane (Brittin) Hendricks.

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MCLEAN. COUNTY.

Mrs. O. was born in McLean County, July 24, 1831, and remained under the parental roof until her marriage. Her father was a Virginian by birth, and a direct lineal deseendant of President Taylor. His daughter Elizabeth, the eldest sister of Mrs. O., was the first white ehild born in McLean County; her birth occurring on the 3d of May, 1823. The family history was interesting and eventful, and one whiel its later descendants may peruse with pride and satisfaction.

Jolin Hendrieks and Jane Brittin were united in marriage in Champaign County, Ohio, and settling upon a farm in that eounty remained for some years, when they decided upon a removal further West. Accordingly, in 1821, they set out over- land for the Prairie, State, arriving here in the fall of the year, and spending the first winter near the growing village of Springfield. Early in the spring they set out for their final destination, McLean County, and established a home on seetion 27, in Bloomington Township, upon which they remained until they elosed their eyes to the scenes of earth. The father died Jan. 15, 1838, and the mother Dec. 17, 1856.

Mr. and Mrs. Hendricks were devoted Christians and prominently eonneeted with the Methodist . Episcopal Church. They were extremely hospitable and -charitable, and their doors were always open for the weary, whether stranger or neighbor. They were generous to a fault, and would rob themselves to contribute to the comfort of others. Their home was the place of meeting for the Methodist Episeo- pał congregation for a number of years, and the father was a Class-Leader in that denomination for a long period. This excellent and worthy pair were known throughout the county as Unele John and Aunt Jane IIendrieks. Mr. H. was a staneh Whig in polities and died before the old party was aban- doned.

Mrs. Orendorff's birth oceurred on section 27, in this township, July 24, 1831. When but in her seventh year her father died and she was reared by her mother, with whom she remained until her mar- riage. By lier union with our subject she became the mother of two children: Mary J., the wife of William M. Cox, a farmer of Bloomington Town- ship, and George P., who married Miss Ceatta IIol- 1

lis, and is at present residing on his father's farm.

Mr. and Mrs. O. are connected with the Christian Church of Bloomington Township. Our subject has held the offices of his township, and was once a can- didate for Sheriff. Hc onee received a fine silver spoon which was given as a prize to the oldest set- tler who should be present at the Logan County Fair, held in Atlanta. Each county had three rep- resentatives, Mr. O. being the oldest one present.

The homestead of Mr. Orendorff is pleasantly lo- cated on seetion 27, and he is surrounded by all the comforts of life. Ile has been engaged in ag- rieultural pursuits the greater part of his life, and has uniformly met with suceess, whieli is the re- ward of industry and perseverance.

R. E. K. CROTHERS, physician and sur- geon, optician and oeulist, of Blooming- ton, Ill., oeeupies a high position in the profession in this locality as a gentleman well versed in its intricacies and faithful in the dis- charge of his professional duties. Dr. Crothers is a native of Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson Co., Ohio, and was born Oet. 29, 1826. IIe is the son of Noble and Rachel (Brown) Crothers, natives of Pennsyl- vania, and his father followed the oeeupation of a farmer. They left Ohio in the spring of 1835, and coming to the Prairie State purchased a large tract of land in Putnam County, which they occupied for two years. Noble Crothers then sold out and returned to Ohio. After two years he came back to Illinois, and loeating in Fulton County, pur- ehased another traet of land, which he devoted to stoek-raising, and also engaged in buying and sell- ing, beeoming the leading stockinan of that county. He continued in this business until he retired from active labor, and departed this life on the 1st of March, 1880, having survived his wife over forty years, the death of the mother occurring in 1837, in Fulton County, Ill. The parental family in- eluded five children, who grew to mature years: Casaline M., Mrs. Parker, after having been a resi- dent of Fulton County for forty-nine years, re- moved to Chieago, and is now the inmate of the home of her son, Dr. Edwin S. Parker; she became

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the mother of four children: Dr. Jordan Parker, of Fulton, Ill .; Lonisa, Mrs. Jenkins, living near Vermont, Ill .; William, of Bloomington, and Dr. Edwin S., of Chicago. Rev. Warren B., who for thirty years was a Methodist preacher for the coun- ties of Knox, Fulton and McDonough, and is now in Washington Territory; Dr. William R., of Dela- van, is the leading physician and surgeon of Taze- well County; Vincent, now deceased, was a promi- nent stock-dealer of Fulton County, and after hav- ing been in a snow blockade near Chicago, and having exhausted himself in an effort to open the blockade, he died from exposure that night at Chi- cago.

Dr. Crothers of our sketeh spent his youth partly upon his father's farm and in attendance at school Imtil the summer of 1845, when he occupied him- self as a teacher for five months in the district sehool. In the fall of that year he commeneed the study of medicine with Dr. William H. Nance, of Vermont, Ill., and during the winter of 1847-48 at- tended medical leetures at St. Lonis. The winter following he went East, and took a course of study in the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, from which he graduated in 1850. He then eame directly to Bloomington and commenced the prac- tice of his profession, in which he has been eontin- nously engaged sinee that time, and is the oldest physician now living here and engaged in practice. He eommeneed with a capital of $10 in eash and his medieine box, and was a stranger to the people. The first month his expenses were $100 over his in- come, but the tables were soon turned and his pat- rons increased as time went by, so that he now has a practice extending over a radins of twenty miles in each direction. Sinee 1865 he has given cspecial attention to the treatment of the eye and ear, in which he has beeome very proficient. In the mean- time he attended another course at Philadelphia, devoted to the study of the eye and ear at Wills Hospital, and probably has had more experience in this direction than any of his colleagues in this lo- eality.

Dr. Crothers was married on the 1st of May, 1851, to Miss Maria L. DePew. Mrs. C. is a na- tive of Indianapolis, Ind., and the daughter of Elijah DePew, a prominent merchant and stock-

dealer of Bloomington. The Doctor and Mrs. C. have become the parents of four children: Noble E., a jeweler of Paxton, Ill .; Lulu, at home; E. K., Jr., also engaged in the jewelry business, and Rachel. In 1874 Mrs. Crothers commeneed the · study of medicine under the instruction of her hus- band, and three years later attended the Woman's College of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, and aft- erward the Woman's Medical College of Chicago. In the winter of 1882-83 she returned to Phila- delphia, and graduated in the elass of 1883, and is now the ackowledged leading lady physician of Central Illinois. They oeenpy a handsome and at- traetive home in the city of Bloomington, and are valued and useful members of society. The Doc- tor is Republiean in politics, and belongs to the MeLean County Medieal Society.

A. CREED, editor and publisher of the Heyworth Standard, is a resident of Bloomington, and the son of Austin G. and Minerva S. (Shannon) Creed, his mother being the daughter of Capt. Shannon. of Bloomington, now deceased. Austin G. Creed is a contractor and builder, and the parental household ineluded two children only, our subject and his brother Shannon.

The subject of this sketeh was born at Berry- ville, Highland Co., Ohio, Aug. 10, 1858. He re- sided there with his parents until twelve years of age, and the family then removed to Hillsboro, where he attended school in the winter and worked on a farm during the summer season. Ile grad- nated from Hillsboro High Selool in the spring of 1868, and the following ycar removed with his parents to Chillicothe, Mo., where he taught school for several months, and then, having a desire to be a printer, entered the office of the Chillicothe Tribune to learn the trade. Ile served a full ap- prenticeship, and was afterward made local cditor of the Tribune, which position he held until his re- moval to Bloomington, where he arrived Nov. 25, 1874. He worked at the case in the Leader and other printing-offices in Bloomington until Deceni- ber, 1875, when he formed a partnership with Mr.

Jonathan Parle.

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McLEAN COUNTY.

F. M. Doxsee, and purchased the outfit of a job office, which they operated until the following June. They then removed to Ford County, and for six months were oeeupied in the printing of a Democratic eampaign paper. After the election they returned to Bloomington, and Mr. Creed, pur- ehasing the interest and stock of his partner, estab- lished the Democratic News, whieli he edited and published until the fall of 1879. He then sold out to Mr. L. L. Burr, who merged the paper into the Bulletin, the present Democratie organ. In 1880 Mr. Creed purchased another printing-office, and has since earried on a job and newspaper business.

Mr. Creed was married, Oet. 7, 1879, to Miss Jessie E. Stump, and of this union has been born one child, a daughter, . L. H. They oceupy a pleasant and attractive home at No. 715 South Water street.

E LDER JONATHAN PARK, whose por- trait is shown in connection with this sketch, is a pioneer of 1853, and a resident of sec- tion 26, Dale Township. He was born in Madison County, Ky., on the 14th of July, 1815. His fa- ther, Eli Park, was a native of North Carolina, and his grandfather, Ebenezer Park, who was born in Virginia, was of exeellent English aneestry, and re- moved from his native State to North Carolina when a young man. His father had died when he was a child, and after he beeame of suitable years he was apprentieed to learn the trade of a tailor. This, however, was unsuited to his taste, and he abandoned his trade, and going to North Carolina inarried, and engaged in farming pursuits. Dur- ing the early settlement of Kentucky hc removed his family there, it being before the day of earriage roads, and the journey was performed with paek- horses. This was about 1795. Ebenezer Park, after his arrival in Kentucky, purehased a tract of timber land in Madison County, eleared a farm from the wilderness, and established a comfortable home, where he remained until his deatlı, which oc- eurred at the advaneed age of ninety-three years. The maiden of his early ehoiee, to whom he was married soon after his arrival in North Carolina, was Miss Tabitha Mills. She accompanied her lius-

band to Kentucky, and died there in Madison County.

Eli Park, the son of Ebenezer and Tabitha (Mills) Park, and the father of our subject, was a little boy seven years old when his parents re- moved from North Carolina to Kentucky. He grew to manhood in the latter State, and was there mar- ried to Miss Winnifred Dillingham. He then pur- chased a traet of land in Madison County, and en- tering upon agricultural pursuits made that the . business of his life. He departed from the seenes of his earthly labors on the 6th of Deeember, 1858, at the age of seventy years, four months and twenty-seven days. His' wife had preceded her husband to the better land on the 19th of Deecm- ber, 1854, at, the age of fifty-nine years, three months and nine days. They were excellent and worthy people, and of their family of twelve eliil- dren they rearcd eleven to maturity, and instilled in them principles of virtue and honor.

Jonathan Park of our sketeh was the fourth ehild and third son of his parents. Free schools had not been established when he was a ehild, and his early education was received in the subscrip- tion schools of his native county. Fle was reared to habits of industry, and when not in sehool was engaged in the lighter duties around the homestead and made his home with his parents until he had attained his majority. He then started out in busi- ness for himself and rented a tract of land about ten miles from his old home, which he eultivated for two or three years, and then purehased a few aeres in Madison County. He there industriously engaged in farming pursuits, aud as time passed he added by degrees to his first purehase until he was the possessor of 120 acres. This he sold in 1853, and started North with his family, including his wife and six ehildren, for the prairies of Illinois. They made the journey overland and their outfit consisted of four horses and two wagons. They earried with them their household goods and pro- visions, eamped and eooked by the wayside, and slept in the wagons at night. After eighteen days of continuous travel they landed in MeLean County. Mr. Park had visited the State the previous fall, on horseback, but had not made any purehase of land, and after his arrival here with his family

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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 21

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