Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 23

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 23

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Before his marriage John W. Arrowsmith pur- chased a farm near the old homestead of his father where he resided with his family until 1854. Hc then sold out and came overland to Illinois, their household goods being transported in wagons, also the provisions, and they camped and cooked by the wayside. After a journey of over two weeks they arrived in this county, and in due time Mr. A. purchased 250 acres of land in Empire Township, besides ninety in l'adua, four miles north of Leroy. Later he purchased another tract in Arrowsmith Township. He resided on his homestead in Padua Township, until his death, Jan. 11, 1885. Mrs. A. now lives in Leroy with her daughter, Maria. Her six children are located as follows: Ilannah,

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Mrs. Birney, is a resident of Seward County, Neb. ; Ross lives in Padua Township, McLean Co., Ill. : Elizabeth .J., Mrs. Wahls, lives in Empire Town- ship; Mary E., Mrs. Kellar, in Arrowsmith; John W. in Padua, and Maria in Leroy.

Mrs. Arrowsmith and her husband connected themselves with the Methodist Episcopal Church early in life of which they remained members for a period of over fifty years. In 1883, they cele- brated their golden wedding, at which were gath- ered a large number of relatives and friends, and which was made the occasion of general rejoicing because such worthy and excellent people were spared so long to live among the acquaintances which they had attached to them by their uniform kindness, of heart and blameless lives.

G EORGE HINSIIAW, JR., deccased, and latc of Bloomington Township, of which he was one of the pioncer settlers, was a native of Tennessce, born near the county seat of Overton County on the 26th of December, 1820, and de- parted this life Junc 12, 1874, at his home in the township of which he has been a resident for over fifty years. During this long period he had fully established himself in the confidence and respect of his fellow-citizens, and was a bright example of a useful and worthy life.

Mr. Hinshaw came with his parents from his na- tive State of Tennessee to McLean County, Ill., in 1827, when a child of seven years old. His father, also named George Hinshaw, was a native of the same State as his son, and was occupied in farming pursuits. He was one of the solid and substantial men who came North at that period in the history of the development of the new territory of Illinois, and assisted in opening a way for the advance of civilization. The country was then wild and un- broken, but he possessed the dauntless spirit of the pioneer settler of that day, and having set his hand to the plow, was not the one to turn back. His ancestors were of English Quaker stock, hard-work- ing and industrious people, of whom the represen- tatives in this country are not now numerous.

The parental household of our subject included seven children, of whom he was the youngest but one. The family is now almost extinct, and never having been very prolific, a few of the immediate relatives of our subject are the only representatives living.

Mr. Hinshaw of whom we write, after attaining to years of manhood, was married to Miss Polly M. Tolliver, July 3, 1848, near the western limits of the city of Bloomington. Mrs. Ilinshaw was the fifth child and fourth daughter of James and Eliz- abeth (Maxwell) Tolliver, and was born Dec. 21, 1828, in a pioneer log cabin of Bloomington, and has never lived more than five miles away from her birthplace. Her parents were natives of Ashe County, "N. C., where they were reared, and dur- ing early youth came with their respective parents to Indiana, where they were united in marriage after attaining to suitable agc. Their wedding oc- curred in Clay County, and after the birth of four children they made their preparations for a jour- ney to the farther West. Coming into McLean County, Ill., they setttled in Bloomington Town- ' ship on the farm 'of Mr. J. II. Rhodes, and in the log cabin where Mrs. Hinshaw first opened her eyes to the light of day and was reared to woman- hood.

Mr. Tolliver was successful in his western ven- ture, and as time passed he accumulated a large body of land lying in what is now the west end of the city of Bloomington, and which is the site of some of the best buildings crected there. This land, afterward laid out in town lots, was entered by Mr. Tolliver from the Government, and he paid for it at the rate of $1.25 per acre. It is now val- ued at hundreds of dollars per foot. This land he retained possession of until his death, which oc- curred April 20, 1848. He was a thorough busi- ness man, and an industrious, enterprising and re- liable citizen. In politics he was strongly Demo- cratic, and worked hard for the success of his party in this section. IIis wife, the mother of Mrs. Hin- shaw, is yet living, at the advanced age of eighty- seven years, and makes her home with her daugh- ter. She is still strong and active, and retains, to a remarkable degree, her mental and physical powers, and often relates in an interesting manner

RESIDENCE OF N.A . KAMPF, SEC. 7. MOUNT HOPE TP.

RESIDENCE OF NICHOLAS MAURER, SEC . 10 , DANVERS TP.

RESIDENCE OF SAML . Y. EWING , SEC . 17. MOUNT HOPE TP.

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many incidents of her girlhood and the after years which followed during the time of the early settle- ment of the Prairie State.

Mr. Hinshaw was a man of more than ordinary intelligence and ability, and kept himself well posted in regard to matters of general interest. Fc was well informed, an extensive reader, and took an active part in local politics, being a zeal- ous worker for the success of the Democratic party. In business affairs he was a skillful manager, shrewd, and keenly observant of what was going on around him, and exercised good judgment in his money transactions. Since the death of her husband Mrs. Hinshaw has managed the large business interests left upon her hands in a highly intelligent and suc- cessful manner. She comes of a good family, was carefully reared and cducated, and eminently fitted to be the companion of her husband. She owns 240 acres, which constitutes the present homestead, and also eleven acres within the limits of Normal, this county. Belonging to the estate there is also a tract of land comprising 1,200 acres near Baxter Springs, Cherokee Co., Kan. ; they also own a three- story business house at No. 108 West Front street, Bloomington. The family residence is a tasteful structure, comfortable and convenient in all its ap- pointments, and the barns and out-buildings cor- respond in every respect to the dwelling. The children were carefully reared and educated, and are of invaluable aid to their mother in the man- agement of the large interests for which she holds herself responsible. Mrs. Hinshaw has a family of four children, three sons and one daughter; Ida became the wife of Dr. Hull; the sous-Ezra, Toby and Rolla-remain at home assisting their mother.

A RCHIBALD CAMPBELL, who is dc- scended from an honorable line of Scotch anecstry, was born in the Land of the This- tle in 1826, and came with his parents to America two ycars afterward. In about 1840 he became a resident of Illinois, and until within the last three years was actively engaged in agrieult- nral pursuits. He is now a resident of Blooming- ton, where he owns and occupies a good residence

which was erected at a cost of $3,100. Hc has been intimately identified with the industrial and agri- eultural interests of McLean County for the last forty ycars, and is held in the highest respcet by the citizens among whom he has moved with an honest and upright purpose and a blameless life.

The parents of our subject were Archibald and Elizabeth (Shields) Campbell, also natives of Scot- land. After coming to America, they stopped in Pittsburgh for eighteen months, and then went into Jessamine County, Ky., and were residents of Lex- ington for eight years following. They then moved to MeLean County, locating in Orendorff settlement, where they remained one year, and thence removed to Old Town Township, where the father purchased 200 acres of land at first and sub- sequently added 300. Here he remained until the close of his life, cultivating the soil and beautifying the homestead, and was buried on a portion of land over which he had walked for so many years. He was Justice of the Peace for many years and an El- der in the Baptist Church, of which his wife was also a devoted member. The record of their four sons is as follows : John is a merchant of MeLcan County, and all the other brothers are residents here.

The subject of this history remained with his parents until twenty-four years old, assisting in the labors of the farm and receiving a practical cduea- tion. He then purchased forty acres of land which he paid for before his marriage, afterward making further purchases, first of eighty and then of 120 acres, and then his father left him eighty acres. To this he afterward added sixty acres, and lias also 160 acres ncar Farmington City, and eighty near Amboy, Lee County.

Mr. Campbell was married, in 1851, to Miss Mary E. Twining, a native of Pennsylvania, born June 2, 1833, and the daughter of Thomas Twining, a native of the same Statc. Of this union there were born seven children, three now living, and the rec- ord is as follows: Mary B., Mrs. Wagner, was born Feb. 21, 1852, and is the mother of five children- Charles F., Gracie (deceased), Abbic J., Edna, and an infant unnamed; Sarah E., Mrs. Gregory, was born Dec. 19, 1856, and has two children-Ella M. and Goldie E .; Thomas A. was born May. 2, 1859,

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and married Miss Mary Nogel; they have two chil- dren-Howard and Elnora; Franklin E., born Dee. 9, 1861, died Oct. 13, 1886; Howard A., born Aug. 2, 1864, died Jan. 31, 1882; Charles E., born Oet. 23, 1867. is attending college at Bloomington ; Nel- lie A., born May 24, 1871, is at home with her parents.

Mr. and Mrs. C. are worthy members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church of Bloomington, and in poli- ties our subjeet is a staneh Republican. Ile was Sehool Trnstee while on a farm, and belonged to the Union League. No man in McLean County is held in higher respeet than our subjeet, and no lady is more worthy of esteem than his amiable and ex- eellent wife.

W ILLIAM J. BALDRIDGE, a prosperous farmer of White Oak Township. is located on seetion 23, where he has a comfortable homestead, and is surrounded by all the necessaries and many of the luxuries of life. He is a native of the Buckeye State, having been born in Adams County, Ohio, Oet. 13, 1839. His parents were William and Margaret (Kane) Baldridge, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania. The father was born in 1805, and is still living. Ile eame to Illinois in 1852, and purchased 120 aeres of land in White Oak Township, upon which he remained until 1858, and then retired from aetive labor and took up his residence in the village of Oak Grove. His wife, the mother of our subjeet, was born in 1806, and died at the home of her husband in White Oak Township, in August, 1867.

The parental family of our subjeet consisted of six children, the record of whom is as follows: Mary became the wife of William Ramsey, and makes her liome with her children, Mr. Ramsey be- ing deceased; Samuel married Miss Kirkpatrick; Martha is now Mrs. A. Hart; James W. married Miss Martha Johnson; William J., of this sketeli, was the fifth ehild; George T. married Miss Ilattie Ewins, now deceased; his second wife was Miss Amanda Leaeh.

The subject of this history was reared by his par- euts, and remained under the home roof until he

had attained his majority. He was married Nov. 21, 1867, to Miss Caroline Wright, who was born in Ohio, Feb. 6, 1848. Mrs. B. is the daughter of Samuel and Mary (Balas) Wright, both natives of Ohio, where the father died Nov. 13, 1876. The mother still survives, and is now living at Clienoa, this county. The household eirele was completed by the birth of eleven children, as follows: Mary J. was the eldest; Naney died when sixteen years of age; Samuel A. died in 1867, aged thirty-five years; William II. and Albert S. are residents of Mound City, Kan., the latter being Mayor; Sarah C., the twin sister of Albert, is living at Chenoa, this eounty ; Elizabeth A. died when a small ehild; John B. is living in Kansas; Martha died in in- faney ; Caroline is Mrs. Baldridge; James A. died when two years of age.

William J. Baldridge eamne to Illinois in the spring of 1852, being a lad of thirteen years. Ile received a fair education in the distriet sehools, and was reared to habits of industry and principles - of honor. Ile eommeneed early in life to lay his plans for the future, and was willing to work for his possessions. He is now the owner of 240 acres of fine land, and is an extensive breeder of fine horses, turning his attention mostly to Norman and Clydesdale stoek. His stables inelude four fine Morgan roadsters, which are models of enduranee and speed. As a stoek-breeder he has gained an enviable reputation in this vieinity, and has exer- eised admirable judgment in the management and eare of valuable animals.

Mr. Baldridge has been prominent in the affairs of the county sinee attaining to years of manhood. lle was elected Supervisor on the Republican tieket, in 1879, and has served the eounty in that capacity six terms. He has been Chairman of the committee on education, and has been the eneour- ager and supporter of every measure to advanee the prosperity and intelligence of the people of this seetion. He has held all the minor ofliees of White Oak Township, and is highly esteemed in the councils of his townsmen, for liis cool and teni- perate judgment and the general fund of informa- tion which assists him in determining questions of importance. In religious matters he has been no less aetive than in eivil affairs. Ile was reared in

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the Presbyterian Church, but is now connected with the Methodist, holding the ofliees of Trustee, Steward and Superintendent of the Sunday-Seliool.

During the progress of the late war Mr. Bald- ridge enlisted as a Union soldier in the 94th Regi- ment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, as a private, and participated in several general engagements. He was in the Western and Southern armies, and takes pride in the knowledge that he was never beaten in a raee with the rebels, never under arrest, never in the hospital and never wounded in battle. After serving three years he received his honorable dis- eharge, in 1865.

Mr. and 'Mrs. Baldridge became the parents of nine children, namely : Clarenee Myrtie, who died at the age of twelve years; Lueia, Iola, Mary Ma- bel, William C., Estella, who died in infaney ; Mar- garet; Edith who diedin infancy and John Carl. In polities Mr. Baldridge is Republican.

G EORGE H. COX, of Bloomington, proprie- tor of the Hungarian Roller Mill, is one of the rising young men of the eity, and is rapidly attaining to a prominent position among its industrial interests. Mr. Cox was born in Dixfield, Oxford Co., Me., Nov. 22, 1848. His father, Thomas J. Cox, was a general merehant of Dix- field, and his mother, who before her marriage was Miss Almira Millett, was a native of Norway. Both are now deceased.

The subject of this history spent his boyhood in his native town, and there received his primary education. He soon afterward went to the city of Boston, Mass., and engaged as elerk in a store. In June, 1866, he started for the West, and landing in Bloomington, beeame book-keeper for his brother, Thomas J., who had preceded him to this loeality and had set up in business for himself. After five years thus oeeupied young Cox purchased a one- fourth interest in the Eagle Mills, and later a half interest. He then sold out and purchased thie Vienna Mills at Peoria, which he operated about five years, and until the property was destroyed by fire. This ealamity involved a loss of nearly $16,- 000, but was insured for a little over $12,000. Mr.

Cox then returned to Bloomington, and purehased the Union and Hungarian Mills, which he, remod- eled and enlarged, and put in a complete roller system. He is still operating these mills, the Union having been changed in name, being now known as the Crown Roller Mills, and which are located on the Illinois Central Railroad. 'The Hungarian Mills are on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, and to both are seeured the best of shipping facilities, having a capacity of 350 barrels in twenty-four hours. The grades upon leaving this point go to loeal points, and the mill feed to Philadelphia, and ineludes the best grades of flour sold in the States of Illinois, Indiana, Olio and Missouri. The lower grades are shipped to New York City for exporta- tion.

Mr. Cox was married, Sept. 1, 1872, to Miss Clara M. Bruner, of Bloomington, daughter of George Bruner, Esq. They have one ehild living, a son, Herman W .; a daughter, Lutie Dell, died when six years of age. Mr. Cox commenced business on a small eapital, but by energy and elose application has aeeumulated a handsome property. He is a praetieal and thorough business man, greatly re- speeted by his friends and associates, and is con- tributing his full share toward the prosperity of this seetion.

ENRY BEDELL, deceased, formerly oeeu- pied a prominent position among the ex- tensive landowners and successful stoek- raisers of Padua Township. He was born in Greene County, N. Y., May 9, 1806, and departed this life at his home in Padua Township, this eounty, Mareh 21, 1884. He was the son of Wil- liam Bedell, also a native of the Empire State, who spent his entire life in Greene County, where he fol- lowed agriculture for many years and then retired from aetive labor to enjoy the fruits of his early industry. He lived to an advanced age, dying in Athens, N. Y. The mother died when her son, Henry, was but a youth. Ile started out early in life to do for himself and after arriving to years of man- hood was united in marriage with Miss Deborah Searles, of New Baltimore Township, Greene County, N. Y., their wedding oeeuring on the 29th

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of January, 1840. Mrs. B. also was born in Greene County, N. Y., Aug. 29, 1814. After marriage the young people settled in their native county and there their seven children were born: Hannalı J. became the wife of George W. Bingham, a farmer of Blue Mound Township, this county ; William S. married Miss Cornelia A. Rowley, and is carrying on a farm in Padua Township; Caleb S., who mar- ried Miss Delia Brown, of Padua Township, owns and operates an eighty aere farm but lives upon the old homestead with his mother, cultivating also a part of this; Palmer, unmarried, is farming in Ne- braska; Lawrenee L. is located on a farm of fifty- three acres in Padua Township, having been mar- ried to Miss Estelle C. Fuller; Henry, Jr., married Miss Anna Horine, and is carrying on agrieulture on his own homestead of fifty-five acres in Padua Township; Philena C. married Andrew T. Dorland, and lives in Nebraska.

Mr. Bedell eame with his family to Padua Town- ship in 1861, and established a permanent home- stead upon which he remained until his death. The homestead consists of 320 aeres of finely cultivated land, a handsome and commodions residence and all the buildings necessary to the completion of a first-class, modern farm estate. Mr. B. was an active member of the Society of Friends and in polities a staneh Republican. Hle in all respects fulfilled the duties of a good citizen and assisted materially iu building up the business and agricultural interests of this seetion.

1799, and died in Bloomington, Aug. 25. 1851. The mother of our subject was born Nov. 2, 1794, and died in Bloomington.

Walter Barnard, Sr., was the third of a family of six children, five of whom lived to mature years, but only two of whom now survive, a son and daughter. Our subjeet was reared on a farmi with his parents, and there gained the experience which afterward fitted lim for successful operation in the pursuit of agriculture. Aside from general farming he was successfully engaged in buying and selling stoek, and his good judgment enabled liim to oper- ate successfully and profitably in this line. He was an upright business man, and a staneh adherent of the Republican party.

Our subjeet was married in Bloomington, on the 8th of April, 1860, to Miss Susan Lawrence. Mrs. B. is a native of Boone County, Ind., born Feb. 24, 1839. Her parents eame to Tazewell County, Ill., when she was about eight years of age, and located upon a farm, where the mother died. Her father, in the spring of 1885, came to MeLean County, which remained his home until his decease, whiel occurred on the 17th of July, 1885. He was a good man in every sense of the term, honest and indus- trious, and had a good influenee over all those with whom he associated. In polities lie was a stanel Democrat, and took an intelligent interest in all matters pertaining to the welfare of his community.

Mrs. Barnard was educated in Tazewell County,, and received careful parental training, remaining at home until she attained to womanhood, and after the death of her mother until the second marriage of her father. She then left home and supported herself until her marriage with our subjeet. She is a lady greatly esteemed in this vicinity, and is widely known for her kindness of heart and gener- ous womanly sympathies. Of her marriage with our subjeet there have been born three children, one of whom, Peter J., who was born June 10, 1864, died Sept. 26, 1865; Lydia M., born April 1, 1861, is the wife of Alex Robertson, and with her husband lives on the homestead of Mrs. B .; they have two children-Perl, B., born Nov. 8, 1878, and Alex, Jr., Aug. 30, 1881. Walter Barnard, Jr., is attending school, and makes his home with his

W ALTER BARNARD, SR., deceased, a rep- resentative eitizen of Bloomington Town- ship, within whose boundaries he had lived for a period of about thirty years, was a highly re- speeted member of society, and successful in liis farming and business pursuits. The subject of this history was born in MeLean County, near Heywortlı, Feb. 4, 1831, and departed this life in Bloomington Township. He was the son of Frederick and Mary (Canedy) Barnard, who came to this county as pioneer settlers, and passed thie greater part of their lives afterward in Blooming- ton City. Frederick Barnard was born March 6, , mother. Mrs. B., in her own right, possesses forty-

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seven aeres of valuable land besides the home which she occupies. She has been a member of the Chris- tian Church sinee seventeen years of age, and has carried out in her daily life and conversation the principles of true religion.

G USTAVE A. ENSENBERGER, one of the go-ahead men of Bloomington, is exteu- sively engaged in the retail furniture busi- ness, and has been a resident of this eity since the spring of 1868. Ile is a native of Bavaria, and was born Aug. 31, 1851. When he was two years old his parents, George and Catharine Ensenberger, emi- grated to America. After reaching New York City they proceeded to Vincennes, Ind., whenee, after a short time they removed to Aurora, the same State, where Gustave attended sehool. In 1868 George Ensenberger, with his family, moved to Bloomington, through the influence of Dr. Sehroeder, the expert hortieulturist of Bloomington, whose cireulars and advertisements had attracted his attention.

After arriving here young Gustave was em- ployed in the vineyard of Dr. S. a few months, and was then employed by the Bloomington Manu- facturing Company, with whom he learned the car- penter's trade and the fitting of sash, doors and blinds. With this company he remained eleven years, and having aceumulated quite a little eapi- tal, in the fall of 1879 went into the furniture busi- ness for himself in the building known as the Bee Hive store. Here he commeneed the manufacture of furniture on a small scale, at the same time doing a retail trade. He was prospered in his undertakings, and in due time his business bceame too large for the old store and he then removed to the Gridley Building, which he oeeupied until 1886, and then located in his present quarters, having purchased the building formerly owned by Harwood Bros. and which is one of the oldest business houses in the eity. He now carries on a general manufactur- ing business, to which he has added upholstery, and gives employment to seven or eight men. His building is 25x100 feet, and three stories in height with a basement under the whole. The wareroom

and shop is 31x100, the building running through from street to street. Mr. E. earries a large and well-selected stock, and besides his own manufaet- ure buys largely from other houses.

The subject of our sketeh was married, in 1878, to Miss Lizzie Reiseh, of Springfield, Ill., and they beeame the parents of three children-Frank G., Gustavus S. and Elnora S. Mr. and Mrs. E. are mein bers in good standing of St. Mary's (German) Catholic Church, and their attractive home is the resort of the first-class citizens of Bloomington.

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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 23

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