Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 54

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 54

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).

The parents of our subjeet located in Virginia after their marriage, and the father died thicre in 1859. Seven years later the mother, with her family of seven ehildren, emigrated West, and eom- ing into MeLean County, Ill,, settled in Lexington

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Township. There the mother is yet living . and there our subjeet learned his trade of blacksmith, serving his apprenticeship under the instruction of his unele, E. C. Blake. After working five years for his board, elothes, and $150 in money, he de- eided to set up in business for himself. He first located in Martin Township in about 1866, and the following fall came to Ileyworth, where he worked as a "jour" for about three years. In 1872 he beeame associated with his present partner, and they have sinee operated together harmoniously and successfully. Mr. Peters has a reeord as a shoe setter on horses which is seldom equaled or ex- eelled. In the space of eight hours he lias set and finished up ninety-six shoes, and in all departments of his business is equally skillful and expeditious. Ile has been industrious and made a wise invest- ment of his profits. Besides his half interest in their large shop he also has eighty aeres of land located on seetions 34 and 17, and also has a nice village property.

Mr. Peters was married in Bloomington, Ill., Aug. 23, 1871, to Miss M. E. Slagel, who was born in Pendleton County, Va., Sept. 12, 1853. Mrs. Peters eame West with her parents while yet an infant, and they first located in Coles County, tlfis State, whence they removed to Randolph Township, this county. Of this marriage there is one child only, a son-Ilerbert J. Mr. P. is a member and chorister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In polities he is a Democrat and has been a Councilman' in the village government. Mrs. Peters is an amiable and accomplished lady, finely educated, being a graduate of Wesleyan University in both elassies and inusie.

W ILLIAM HI. II. ADAMS, President of the Illinois Wesleyan University, at Blooming- ton, is a native of this State, having been born in Effingham County, Mareh 30, 1840. He is the son of Christopher B. and Sarah (Gannaway) Adams, and is deseended from English aneestry, the Adams family being a branch of that from which President John Q. Adams sprang. The grandfather of our subjeet, Eli Adams, of London,

Madison Co., Ohio, was one of the early settlers of the Buekeye State. The Gannaway family settled in Virginia two centuries ago. One of the most prominent representatives in this country was John Gannaway, the maternal grandfather of our sub- jeet, who was an extensive slaveholder and carried on a large plantation in the Old Dominion. Dur- ing the early years of his life he removed to Illi- nois, where he liberated his slaves and departed this life at the advanced age of eighty-six years. Eli Adams married the daughter of Christopher Beeks, who emigrated from England during the Revolutionary War, enlisted in the service of the eolonies, and fell at the battle of Bunker IIill. Ilis son, Christopher B., the father of our subjeet, was born in Xenia, Ohio, and was principally reared in Madison County, whenee he emigrated to Illinois in 1837. IIe was married the following year to Miss Sarah Gannaway, and they became the par- ents of six ehildren.

President Adams was reared principally in Coles County, this State, and entered upon his primary education in the pioneer sehools eondueted in the log cabin. After having attained sufficient prog- ress, he entered the Northwestern University, at Evanston, Ill. He began his theologieal eourse at Garrett Biblieal Institute, Evanston, and was li- eensed to preach when a mere youth of seventeen years, being placed in charge of North Avenue Church, at Chieago, Ill., a position which he held during the last two years of his eollege eourse. Soon after graduating, in 1870, he joined the Illi- nois Conference, his first appointment being at Monticello for two years, and was then sent to Clinton, Ill., whenee after three years he was ealled to Wesleyan University, and in 1875 beeame its President and the sueeessor to Bishop Fallows, now of Chicago.

Dr. Adams was united in marriage in 1867, with Miss Hannah Coneklin, of Plymouth, Ohio, and they became the parents of four children, three daughters and one son-Lula May, Grace, Charles C. and Katie.

During the late war Dr. Adams enlisted as a pri- vate in the Union service in Co. A, 111th Ill. Vol. Inf., and in 1863 he was promoted First Lieutenant and served as sneh until near the expiration of his

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term of enlistment, when he was brevetted, first as Captain and afterward as Major of the regiment. As Captain he commanded the 4th Battery, U. S. Artillery. Previous to this, however, he drilled the first 2,000 colored troops, formed them into companies, and turned them over to the serv- ice. His commission as Major was signed by Presi- dent Lincoln. He was stationed for a time at Columbus, Ky., whenee he went to Mobile, and from there to Little Rock, Ark. He was in the battle at Nashville, Tenn., under Gen. Thomas, and took part in several minor engagements against Gen. Forrest. He resigned his commission July 4, 1865, and returning to Evanston completed his college course. Early in life he identified himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is a member in good standing of the Masonie fraternity.

When Dr. Adams first came to Bloomington he had received no information of the honor about to be conferred upon him. Wesleyan University was then in debt about $60,000, but under his wise and efficient management, the most of this has been liquidated, and it now has an endowment of $85,000. In 1886 there were 670 students enrolled, and its course of study is considered the most thorough and efficient of any institution in the State.' Dr. Adams has proved himself equally able as an in- struetor and an executive, and is rightly regarded as one of the pillars of an institution in which the intelligent people of MeLean County are vitally interested.

E W. TILLOTSON, of the firm of Tillotson & Fell, engaged in the real-estate and insur- ancé business, also examiners of abstracts and titles, with their office at the northwest eorner of the court-house, Bloomington, is a native of Delaware County, N. Y. Mr. Tillotson was born Feb. 28, 1847, and is the son of Napoleon and Annie (Quackenbush) Tillotson, natives of New York. There the father was extensively . engaged in farming, and followed that calling with suecess until his death, which event oceurred in 1850. Six children were born of the parental union: Julia, who became the wife of L. A. Bodine, and lives in Wellsburg, Pa .; Lucy, now Mrs. Lloyd, of Bloss-

burg, Pa .; Mary. Mrs. Drake, of Almira, N. Y .; James K., residing at Toledo, Ohio; E. W., our subject, and Ahnira, who became Mrs. Dr. Gam- mond, and is residing at Corning, N. Y. The mother survives her husband, and is yet residing in Blossburg, Pa.

E. W. Tillotson followed the labor common to a farmer's son on his father's farm until he was seven- teen years old, receiving his primary education in the common schools. In 1864 he went to Chicago, and for three years occupied his time in the insur- ance business. He then accepted the position of State Agent for the North American Life Insur- ance Company for Iowa, and moving to Burling- ton, that State, he made it his home until 1870.

Mr. Tillotson was united in marriage with Miss Cecelia N. Copp, Oct. 14, 1870. She was a daughter of Nathaniel and Fanny (Foster) Copp, and a na- tive of Fredonia, N. Y. Her father, during his younger years, was engaged in mercantile pursuits, but later in life occupied his time in loeating and developing mines in Nevada, and died in San Fran- eiseo in 1880. Ile had a family of nine children, four of whom are living; Fleta, Mrs. Stahl, of Bloomington; Andrew J., a manufacturer of furni- ture at Chicago; Cecelia N., Mrs. Tillotson, and Frank P., a wholesale grocer of San Francisco, Cal.

After the marriage of our subject he returned to Chicago aud accepted the position as General Agent for the Western States of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of Chicago, and held that po- sition for one year. In 1871 he moved to Bloom- ington, this State, and purchased the insurance business of T. J. Bunn, and in 1874 obtained the financial ageney of the Massachusetts Mutual Life In- suranee Company of Springfield, Mass. During the year 1875, Mr. M. C. Wait became associated with our subject as an equal partner, and the firm name beeame Tillotson & Wait. This relationship con- tinued until March 1, 1879, when Mr. H. C. Fell purchased Mr. Wait's interest, and the firm name was changed to Tillotson. & Fell. The new firm purchased the abstract books of Mr. Larrimore, and in 1880 the firm became agents for Seliroder's Opera House, and in 1882 took charge of the Dur- ley Theater, which they still conduct.

In addition to the other branches of business

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enumerated Mr. Tillotson is engaged in the raising of fine trotting stoek, and is owner of Ripton, 2977 of IIambletonian stoek. IIe had the management of the MeLean Fair grounds during the year 1886. Ilis residenee is on Franklin avenue, at the corner of Second street and Normal avenue. In polities he is Republican, and in religion Presbyterian, and is in all respeets one of the foremost citizens of MeLean County.

E LIJAH C. BLISS, formerly a prosperous farmer of MeLean County, is now living in ease and retirement in his pleasant home in Bloomington. His earlier years were passed in in- dustrious and honorable toil, during which he built up for himself a reputation as an honest man and a good eitizen. He comes of exeellent New England parentage and was born in Bristol County, Mass., Nov. 27, 1822. His parents were Elijah and Sarah (Perry) Bliss, also of Massaebusetts, and engaged in agricultural pursuits their entire lives. The bousehold cirele ineluded eleven children, six now living, viz., William II., Frances, Cornelius, Zenus, Marshall and Elijah C.

Our subjeet was reared to farming pursuits, and remained under the parental roof until twenty-two years of age, receiving careful home training and · a common-school education. After leaving home he learned the earpenter's trade, at which he worked in his native State until 1851. He then came to Illinois, and loeating in Jacksonville followed his trade there for five years. Ile then purchased a farm, which he cultivated and oeeupied for four years, when he sold out and came to MeLean County, becoming a resident here in 1861. He purchased 120 aeres of land in Blue Mound Town- ship, upon which he lived and labored until 1883, then purebased the five aeres in Bloomington wbere he now lives, and wbieh constitutes a pleasant and commodious home.

The marriage of our subjeet with Miss Lucy A. Ilarmon took place at St. Louis, Mo., in 1852. Mrs. Bliss is a native of Connectient, and the daughter of Phineas and Mary (Grosvenor) Harmon, natives of the same State. IIer father was also a builder

and contractor, and died in Suffield, Conn., in 1833. The mother is still living at the advanced age of ninety years, and makes her home in Bloomington. Of their three eliildren only two are living-Luey A., Mrs. Bliss, and Sarah G., Mrs. C. E. Reed, of Bloomington. Mr. and Mrs. Bliss are the parents of two children: Herbert E. married Miss Sadie Owens, and has one ehild-Emery; Leonard HI. is at home; Zenus F. Moody, Governor of Oregon, is a step-brother of Mrs. Bliss.

Our subjeet is a strong Prohibitionist, and with his wife, a member in good standing of the Pres- byterian Cbureh. He has been School Director 'and occupied other prominent positions in his township. He is in all respeets a representative eitizen, and a eredit to the county whiel has been his home for so many years.

S. DEPEW, builder and contraetor at Bloomington, has been a resident of the Prairie State since 1835, when, a child of three years, he came to this eounty with his parents. He was born in Indiana, Aug. 12, 1832, and is the son 'of James and Judah (Hill) DePew, natives respectively of Virginia and North Carolina.

James DePew removed from his native State, to Indiana wben sixteen years of age, and remained a resident of that State until April, 1835. IIe then eame to Illinois, and settling soutlr of Bloomington Grove, engaged in farming pursuits for a period of over thirty years. In 1866 he abandoned aetive labor, and is now living a retired life in the city of Bloomington. The parental family consisted of six children, two now living, W. S. and James Albert, the latter a resident of Missouri. The mother died a few years after coming to Illinois, in 1846. James DePew is a Republican in polities, and bas been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church sinee 1824, bis wife also having been eon- neeted with the same.

The subject of this history spent his younger days in school until eighteen years old, and then learned the trade of cabinet-making, which he followed for eight years. He then became a ear- penter and joiner, and in 1863 eommeneed as a

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contractor and builder, and was soon giving em- ployment to from three to six men. He has fol- lowed this continuously up to the present, and has been very sueeessful in his business transactions.

Mr. DePew was married on the 4th of June, 1854, to Miss Fannie M. Sehaum, who was born in Indi- ana, and was the daughter of Jacob P. Schaum, who came to Illinois in 1849, and settling in Bloomington, engaged in the hatter's trade. His family ineluded six children, five now living : Fan- nie M. is the wife of our subjeet; Henry L. is a resident of Lawrenee, Kan .; Henrietta, Mrs. West, of Bloomington; John J., of St. Paul, and Rosella, Mrs. Worthsmith.

Of the union of our subjeet and his wife were born four children : James P. married Miss Hesser, and they have three children-Mabel, Ethel M. and Earle R .; Ida M., Mrs. Heafer, is the mother of three eliildren-Stella P., Edgar M. and Roseoe C .; Etta M. married Mark D. Drum, and William E. is at home. Our subjeet and his wife and children are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he has been Class-Leader four years. The family residence is pleasantly lo- eated at No. 803 West Olive street, and their friends and associates are numbered among the best residents of the eity. Mr. DePew is Republican in polities, and a valued factor in the business and industrial interests of the eity. His office is located at No. 218 South Main Street.

OHN TALLON, an industrious and enter- prising farmer and stoek-raiser of Mt. Hope Township, is what may properly be called a self-made man. He eommeneed life at the foot of the ladder, and by the exercise of his own native energy and perseveranee has climbed up to a good position among his fellowmen. The worldly goods of which he is possessed have been aeeumu- lated by the work of his lands and the sweat of his brow, and the confidenee and esteem in which he is held by his fellow-citizens are the result of his straightforward business transactions and upright course in life.

The subject of this history is a native of West-

morelandshire, England, and was born Aug. 17, 1833, his parents being Thomas and Rebecca (Jaek- son) Tallon. The father was a blacksmith, of sub- stantial English aneestry and parentage, and fol- lowed his trade all his life in his native England, spending his last days in Laneashire. The subjeet of our sketeh was but two years old when his par- ents removed to Lancashire, where they lived for ten years, and then returned to Westmoreland, where their son grew to manhood. At an early age he commeneed working with his father in the blacksmith-shop, where he remained for three years, and subsequently engaged in agricultural pursuits. When he was sixteen years old he received $30 per year for his services, and a few years later his wages were raised to $100 a year and board.

Not being satisfied with his condition or pros- peets in his own country, Mr. Tallon resolved to seek the New World. In the meantime he had been married, and in April, 1855, accompanied by his wife, he set sail from Liverpool and landed at New Orleans on the 18th of May. They proceeded directly up the river to Pekin, Ill., reaching there two months from the day they sailed from Liver- pool. Upon arriving here he found himself pos- sessed of $9 in cash. He had an unele living in Pekin, who kindly employed him to plow eorn two or three days so that he might replenish his slender exchequer, and he subsequently procured a job in a briekyard at the munificent wages of seventy-five eents a day and board. He was thus occupied until August of that year, and then engaged in harvesting.

From this time until 1856, our subjeet worked industriously at whatever his hands could find to do, and in the spring of that year rented a farm in Tazewell County, which he occupied and cultivated until the fall of 1870. He then came to Mt. Hope Township, purchased eighty aeres of land on section 16, and has been a resident here since that time. He has been uniformly successful in his agricultural pursuits and business transactions, and subsequently added to his first purchase until he is now the pos- sessor of 360 aeres of some of the finest land in MeLean County. It is all enelosed and improved, a portion of it being devoted to pasture and grass. His stoek-raising operations have yielded him a handsome ineome, and he exhibits some of the fin-

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est animals to be found in this section of the Prairie State. In 1885 he revisited his native England and while there, in partnership with one of his neighbors, purchased four English draft stallions at a great price. They are magnificent animals, mod- cls of symmetry and beauty. Mr. T., understanding fully the care of such animals, will doubtless utilize them in producing some of the finest stock along the Mississippi Valley. He is a good judge of horses, and takes gennine pride in his skill as a breeder. One of the horses, named "What's Wanted," he keeps at his home farm; he is a mag- nificent black animal with a white stripe in face, and weighs 1,900 pounds.

The marriage of John Tallon and Miss Agnes Ellwood occurred on the 10th of March, 1855. Mrs. T. is also of English birth and parentage, her native place being Lancashire, near the early home of Mr. T. Of this union there have been born ten children, the record of whom is as follows: Mary E. became the wife of Andrew Lucas, and lives in Piatt County, Ill .; Christina R. married Charles Dillion, and lives in Nebraska ; Agnes J. is deceased ; Charles W. is a resident of Mt. Hope Township; Lillie J. became the wife of William Tyson, and lives in Mills County, Iowa; Margaret A. married Elmer Ethel, of Mt. Hope Township; Cora Idella, Ida L. and Abigail S. are at home with their par- ents; Georgiana is deceased.

Mr. Tallon is Democratic in politics, and takes an intelligent interest in local and general matters. He is well read and informed, and is the encourager and supporter of every project calculated to pro- mote the welfare of his county and community. A lithographie portrait of Mr. Tallon is shown in connection with this sketch.

LFRED B. BOZARTH, deceased, formerly a prosperous farmer and stock-raiser of Allin Township, located on section 26, was a worthy member of a well-known family, being the son of John and Cynthia (Taylor) Bo- zartlı. He was boru in Christian County, Ky., Feb. 25, 1837, and when a child of two years old was brought by his parents to McLean County,

where the father subsequently became the owner of 2,300 acres of land. He departed this life in 1859. The mother survived him for over twenty-five ycars, and dicd Jan. 6, 1887, when over eighty years of age. Their remains are interred in the old homestead cemetery, side by side, near where they first settled.

The subject of this history received a fair edu- cation in the common schools, and remained nnder the parental roof until he had attained his majority. He was then united in marriage with Miss Harriet Brooks, a native of this county, who was born May 7, 1840. Mr. Bozarth purchased 675 acres of val- uable land, and settled upou it with his family. He followed farming pursuits and stock-raising until 1871, and then, on account of failing licalth, abandoned active labor and removed into the vil- lage of Stanford; he died of consumption in 1872, while traveling for his health in Indiana. His re- mains were followed to the old home cemetery, and were laid to rest by the side of his parents. He was a good man in every sense of the word, and his name is held in kindly remembrance by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. Mr. Bozarth was a man of large stature, his height being six feet two inches, and his weight was over 200 pounds. His eyes and hair were black. He left a wife and six children to mourn their loss, and two of the latter have since joined himn in the other life. Their son, Charles J., now 'twenty-five years of age, is a resident of this county; Dora J. was born June 12, 1864, became the wife of H. L. Rus- missell, and lives in Stanford, this county ; Cynthia E. married Theodore Caullin, he was a farmer and stock-raiser of Greene County, Ohio; George Will- iam was born May 29, 1868; Albert W. and Alfred W. (twins) lived less than one year, dying in No- vember, 1871.

The parents of Mrs. Bozarth were Albert and Elizabeth Brooks, natives of Kentucky. The date of the father's birth is not known, but the mother was born in 1806. After their marriage they came to Illinois, locating in this county in about 1837, and engaged in farming pursuits until the death of the father, which occurred about 1840. His wife, who still survives, is a resident of Stanford. , Their children were Harriet, Miles, George, William,

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Lucia and James. To the parents of our subject there were born the following ehildren : Louvina, April 3, 1829; Addison, March 1, 1830; Milton, Jan. 1, 1832; George, Jan. 9, 1834; Isabella, Feb. 9, 1835; Alfred, Feb. 25, 1837; Jolm, Jr., June 4, 1839; James, July 15, 1841 ; Josiah, born Jan. 28, 1843, enlisted as a soldier in the late war, and died in the army of smallpox in 1864; William was born Mareh 5, 1845; Robert, Oct. 23, 1847; Hettie, Aug. 3, 1850. When the funeral sermon of his grandmother was preached, George William handed the Bible to the minister, Rev. J. G. White.

A portrait of Mr. Bozarth is shown on a preced- ing page of this work.

OHN J. PEIRSON, a prosperons and well-to- do farmer of McLean County, residing on section 12, Old Town Township, is a son of Henry J. and Ann J. (Brown) Peirson, na- tives of New York, who, after a residence in Col- umbia County until 1857, eame and made settle- ment in Bloomington Township, this eounty. Dur- ing the winter of 1885 the parents removed to the thriving city of Bloomington, where they are at present residing in quiet retirement, having aeen- mulated a sufficieney to keep them during the re- , mainder of their lives. Of their five sons and one daugliter, John J. is the eldest.

Mr. Peirson of this notice was born in Columbia County, N. Y., Mareh 11, 1853, and was but four years of age when his parents brought him to this county. Here he received his edueation in the eommon sehools, and here he has lived and labored at his chosen vocation, farming, until the present time. Living with the old folk until he was twen- ty-one years old, he then engaged with his father as an equal partner in the product of the farm, which relationship eontinned until 1881. During that year he purehased 160 aeres of land located on seetion 12, Old Town Township, and on whielt traet he has since lived. He is now the owner of 240 aeres of valuable and productive land, and is meeting with more than ordinary success in the proseeution of his vocation.

Mr. Peirson was married in Old Town Township,

Oct. 28, 1875, to Gertrude C., daughter of Edwin and Saloma Loomis. She departed this life Sept. 26, 1876, in Bloomington Township. Mr. Peirson was again married, at Bloomington, Ill., Oct. 18, 1883, to Miss Annie K., daughter of Presley and Mary E. (Robinson) Saains, natives of Pennsylva- nia. Her parents settled in Fayette County, that State, after their marriage, and there the mother died. The father afterward, in 1868, came to this eonnty and settled in Towanda Township, where he died in 1877. Mrs. Peirson was the only child born to her parents, and first saw the light in Fay- ette County, Pa., April 3, 1864. Of her union with our subject two ehildren have been born : Nel- lie S., Oet. 7, 1884, and an infant daughter, March 2, 1887.

Mr. Peirson has held the office of Township Col- lector and also that of Seliool Director. Relig- iously he is a member of the Baptist and his wife of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he is Republican.

ICHAEL RUPP, of Danvers Township, lo- eated on section 4 in 1871, and has been a resident here sinee that time. He is a na- tive of the Buckeye State, having been born in Butler Connty, Ohio, in 1844. His parents, Christian and Phebe (Rober) Rupp, were natives of Germany, the father born in 1817, and the mother in 1820. Christian Rupp came to the United States in about 1831, locating first in Butler County, Olio, where he rented eighty aeres of land and carried on farming. He was married to the mother of our subject in 1841, and they resided in Ohio until 1858. They then removed westward to Illinois, and Mr. Rupp rented land until 1865. He then purchased 160 aeres, which he improved and eultivated, and which remained his home until his death, which oeeurred in 1877. The mother was afterward married to Joseph Augspurger, who died April 10, 1887, and she now lives in McLean County, Ill. Of her first marriage there were born six ehildren: Elizabeth who married Nicholas Stru- ber, and Christian, Joseph, Samnel and Michael;

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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 54

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