Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 60

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 60

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

Mr. and Mrs. Grayson have no children of their own, but adopted a nieee, Miss Nora C. Rigdon, a bright and interesting girl of about fourteen years.

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Mr. and Mrs. G. are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Saybrook, of which our subject is a Trustee, and has contributed liberally toward its support. He has been President of the City Conn- cil for about six years, and served as School Trustee three years.

During the progress of the Rebellion Mr. Gray- son enlisted as a Union soldier in the 10th Ken- tueky Cavalry, serving one year, during which time he participated in several general engagements, and was taken prisoner at the battle of Mt. Sterling. His exchange, however, was effeeted six weeks aft- erward; he then returned to his command. Mr. G. was Fourth Sergeant of his company. Previous to enlisting in the volunteer army he had been iden- tified with the Home Gnards of Fleming County. He has always been a stanch Republiean in polities. A lithographie view of Mr. Grayson's residenee is shown on another page.

Le YMAN FERRE, a capitalist of Blooming- ton, whose portrait is shown on the oppo- site page, is one of its most highly respeet- ed eitizens, and one to whom its intelligent people in- variably turn in all matters affeeting its general interests. His has been a busy and industrious life, upon which he can look back with satisfaction as having done a great work among the business and industrial interests of his adopted State, and eon- tributed in a large measure to her wealth and pros- perity.

Mr. Ferre was born in Springfield, Mass., in 1821. His father, Solomon Ferre, was also a native of the Bay State and a descendant of ancestors who eame from the South of France and settled in this eoun- try at an early period in its history. His father, Solomon Ferre, married Miss Margaret Rumrill, of Springfield, Mass., who descended from English stock, and whose father's people were among those who first settled in Massachusetts. Solomon Ferre was a shoemaker by trade, and beeame one of the most skillful manufacturers in that locality, his busi- ness operations extending eventually over a large territory. He was a man of great energy and force of character, his perseverance being proverbial,

seldom abandoning anything which he undertook. Ile continued in business in Springfield, Mass., for inany years and there spent the remainder of his days. The parental household ineluded eight children, five sons and thirce danghters, only two of whom survive, our subject and his brother Good- man, now a resident of Bloomington. He was born in January, 1806, and was for many years a manu- facturer of carriages and wagons in this eity.

Lyman Ferre was the seventh ehild of his parents' family. He passed his boyhood in his native State, and in later years went to Western New York. From there. in 1840, he turned his steps westward, coming into Bloomington, a stranger without means or friends. He was willing to work at whatever his hands could find to do, and this, with his strong arms and honesty of purpose, soon secured for him the friendship of all honest men. He was variously employed until the fall of 1850, when, the gold ex- eitment being. at its height, he resolved to travel across the plains to California .. He had saved what he could of his earnings and had a small amount of capital when starting for the Paeifie slope. After arriving in Sacramento he sought the mining dis- triets, and spent the following year searching for the yellow ore. This not proving as remunerative as he hoped, he determined to make a change and began to buy eattle, for which he exehanged a por- tion of gold dust. Some of these he allowed to run on the range and fatten on the grass, then sold to freighters at a good price. After sufficient ex- perience in this manner of living he coneluded to return within the bounds of eivilization, and started for the old eamping-grounds in Illinois, via the Isthmus of Panama to New Orleans, thence by steamer to St. Lonis where, after arriving, the erew were not allowed to land under twenty-four hours on aeeount of eholera. After finally reaching terra firma, our subject made his way to Pekin and thenee . to Bloomington.

Here, in 1852, Mr. Ferre opened up a carriage and wagon shop, and engaged in the manufacture of all kinds of road vehicles. His energy, industry and good judgment soon placed him on the, high road to prosperity, and it was not long before he was enabled to provide twenty men with employ- ment. Ilis first shops were located on the.eorner

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of Front and Center streets. In August, 1856, the stoek and building were destroyed by fire and Mr. Ferre lost heavily. He did not sit down to mourn, however, but immediately ereeted some eheap sheds, and getting together stoek and tools, commeneed again. He continued in this manner for two years, meeting with sueeess, and then commeneed build- ing a briek strueture which was to be three stories in height, eovering an area of 22x66 feet. Into this he removed soon after its completion. His manufactures inereasing steadily in numbers and quality, he was then obliged to put up another building of the same size in which to accommodate his extensive business. This he occupied until 1876, and then put up the strueture now familiarly known as the post-office bloek, which is three stories in height, and 44x85 feet. The first floor of this is oeeupied by the post-office and the third floor is devoted to the use of the Masons. Besides these buildings and other valuable eity property he is the proprietor of a good farm, and is a large stoek- holder in the People's Bank of Bloomington, with which he has been connected sinee its organization.

In 1840 Mr. Ferre made the trip by wagon and horse-team from Springfield, Mass., to Bloomington, Ill., eamping out. In 1850 he made another over- land trip, from Bloomington to California, by horses to Salt Lake, thenee by ox-team the remain- der of the way. In the meantime he had made a round trip from Bloomington to the Genesee Val- ley, N. Y., eamping out both ways. He started out with a good team and wagon, a few provisions, and $12 in money, and made the journey on that amount to Western New York.

Mr. Ferre was united in marriage with Miss Jeanette E. Hayes, of Bloomington, in 1841. Mrs. F., like her husband, comes from New England, having been born in Connectieut in 1823. Of this union there have been three children, two daughters and one son: Ada died when about eighteen years of age; Belle is the wife of William G. Taylor, a prominent attorney of Cleveland, Ohio; the son, George, died in infaney. The residenee of our subjeet is a handsome and convenient struct- ure, finely finished and furnished, where Mr. F. and his family dispense a generous hospitality to seores of friends, embracing the most eultured people of

the city. Mr. Ferre is a member of Bloomington Lodge No. 43, A. F. & A. M., Chapter No. 24, and De Molay Commandery, and Chieago Consistory, having taken the 32d degree in Masonry. In, polities lie is a staneh Republican and has been sinee the organization of that party.

OSEPH A. PITTS, one of the most skillful and intelligent farners of Mt. Hope Town- ship, and a gentleman of more than ordinary eapaeity, is possessed of an exeellent eduea- tion, is an extensive reader, and keeps himself well posted in regard to the important questions of tlie day. He has made a science of his farming opera- tions, and while earrying on the tillage of the soil has at the same time cultivated his intelleet, and in this vicinity is looked upon as one eminently fitted to be a leader and counselor in the ordinary affairs of life.

Mr. Pitts is a native of Bristol County, Mass., and first opened his eyes to the liglit in the town of Dighton on the 14th of November, 1823. He comes from a line of excellent aneestry, his father having been Hon. Joseph Pitts, who was also · born in Dighton, Mass., on the 14th of July, 1794. His grandfather, Capt. George Pitts, of English anees- try, was a native of the same loeality, and of sub- stantial English aneestry. He was a ship earpeuter by trade, and at one time owned a vessel which operated in the merchant serviee. During tlie struggles of the colonies for their independence, he engaged in the Revolutionary War; when peace was declared, he returned home and died in his na- tive town of Dighton, on the 31st of October, 1839. He was an energetie business man, and established a store in Savannah, Ga., where he spent a part of each winter.

Joseph Pitts, the father of our subjeet, in early life learned the trade of a shoemaker, but aball- doned it after a short time. Thereafter he spent luis winters at his father's store in Savannah nutil 1833. Previous to this he had been appointed Colleetor of Customs by President Jackson for the Fall River Distriet, and served until the election of Gen. Taylor as President, when he returned to his

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home in Dighton. He was the owner of a small farm there, and afterward for some years devoted his tinic to the culture of his land. He served a number of years as Justice of the Peace, and rep- resented his district in the State Legislature for four term's. In 1868 he came to McLean County, Ill., and the following year engaged in the hard- ware trade, until 1874, when he retired from act- ive business, and lived with his son, our subject, until his death, which occurred Jan. 30, 1878.

The father of our subject was twice married, his first wife being Mrs. Elizabeth Slade, who was born in Somerset, Bristol Co., Mass., in March, 1795. She departed this life on the 20th of November, 1839, leaving two children: John, who was born May 20, 1820, became a sailor, and died at sea in 1843; Joseph A. is the subject of our sketch. The second wife of Joseph Pitts, Sr., was Miss Harriet Briggs, to whom he was married Nov. 25, 1840; she also was born in Dighton, Mass., Nov. 22, 1809, and after becoming the mother of one child, died Nov. 10, 1886. Her son, James K., now lives in Topeka, Kan., where he is engaged in the hardware business.

Joseph A. Pitts was placed in school at an early age, and continued his studies uninterruptedly until he was fifteen years old. He was then apprenticcd to the blacksmith trade at Dighton, Mass., and after one year of service met with an accident which de- prived him of the sight of one eye, the ball having been pierced by a piece of steel which flew from the anvil. He suspended operations one ycar, then went back to his trade, this time at Mansfield, Mass., for two years, during which he completed his apprenticeship, and worked as a journeyman for the three years following. He then went to Taunton, where he was employed in the locomo- tive shop for a short time, and was afterward placed in charge of a stationary engine at Dighton, where he remained until 1849. Then, in company with twenty-five others, he purchased a sailing-vessel, organized a company, and on the 9th of March started for California, and while passing the Straits of Magellan, on the 26th of June, they were ship- wrecked and their vessel destroyed. The crew was picked up by a Boston brig, and taken to Callao, Peru, whence the American Minister sent them on

to San Francisco. Mr. Pitts there entered the mines, and spent one ycar searching for the yel- low orc, and then with the assistance of twenty-one mules, packed goods from the trading-posts to the mincs. He remained at the mines schling the goods, and his partner attended to the transportation. He was thus employed until February, 1852, and then started homeward via the Isthmus to New York, and thence by rail to Dighton.

On the 24th of March, 1852, Mr. Pitts was mar- ried to Mrs. Betsey V. Briggs (nee Peck), and on the 24th of May started for Chicago where he ex- pected to meet his partner from San Francisco. Their plan had been to purchase horses and take them across the plains, but his partner having been taken sick, the project was abandoned. Mr. Pitts then came to Bloomington to look at the country in that vicinity, and concluded that it would be a good place in which to locate. There was some Government land and a great many unimproved claims for sale at from $1.50 to $3 per acre, much of it being owned by Eastern parties. In June, Mr. Pitts returned to the East, and from parties there purchased 640 acres of land lying on scctions 27, 28, 33 and 34, of what is now Mt. Ilope Township, and in October he returned to McLean County, ac- companied by his wife.

The land which Mr. Pitts had purchased was un- improved, and he and his wife set up housekeep- ing in a rented dwelling, which they occupied for a year, Mr. Pitts in the meantime erecting a frame house 16x26 feet in dimensions, and hauling the lumber from Pekin, forty miles distant. In 1854, the residence being completed, Mr. Pitts and his wife moved into it on the 14th of March. Mr. Pitts then engaged vigorously in the improvement and cultivation of his land, and established the homestead which he at present owns and occupies. It is now all improved and supplied with good buildings. The first little house has given place to a handsome and commodious farm residence which, within and without, gives evidence of cultivated tastes and ample means. The barns and out-build- ings correspond with the residence, and the estate presents one of the most attractive spots in the landscape of the Mississippi Valley. It is espe- cially adapted to stock-raising, and to this Mr. Pitts

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has given considerable attention. The farm is well watered by Sugar Creek, a never-failing stream which passes through it. It is supplied with the requisite amount of timber, and adjacent to the residenee are orehards of fine fruit, and patehes of ehoiee shrubbery. He has continued to add to his farm estate until it now comprises 800 aeres.

Mr. Pitts was deprived of the partner of his youth, by death, on the 24th of November, 1867. They had beeome the parents of four children, as follows: John J. is a praetieing attorney of Bloom- ington; Elizabeth S. is an invalid and remains in her father's home; Lemira is the wife of Emmons Snow, of Mt. Hope Township; Augustus D. is en- gaged as elerk for a druggist of Brooklyn, N. Y. Mr. Pitts was the second time married, on the 16th of May, 1876, to Miss Augusta A. Starbuek, who was born in Cumberland County, Ill., in 1851. Of this union there have been born five children- Herbert A., Sarah A., Lewis E., Ralph L. and George W.

Mr. Pitts has always been Demoeratie in polities, and east his first presidential vote for James K. Polk. He is one of the representative men of Me- Lean County, and in all respeets is fulfilling the obligations of a man of influenee, and a valued eitizen. A fine lithographie view of the residenee of Mr. Pitts is shown elsewhere in this work.

OHN CARLYLE, widely and favorably known as the proprietor of Pleasant Park Farm, is one of the self-made men of the Prairie State, and has in all his operations distinguished himself as one of the most worthy representatives of his excellent Seottish aneestry. He was born in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, Feb. 18, 1822, on a farm named " Millbank," in the parish of St. Mungo. His father, Walter Carlyle, and his grand- father, John Carlyle, were natives of the same par- ish, the latter being a farmer and stock-raiser and a inan of note. He spent his entire life in his native parish. His son Walter was reared on the farm, and became an expert plowman, taking the prize at several county fairs. His fame beeame so great

that finally no one would compete with him, and he was then appointed one of the judges at these trials. He also spent his entire life in his native country. His wife, the mother of our subjeet, was formerly Miss Jeanette Bell, a native of his own parish, her father, Thomas Bell, being formerly the' owner of Millbank Farın. This lady also died in her native parish. The parental household ineluded six ehil- dren, of whom the subject of our sketch was the seeond, and the only one of the family who came to Ameriea.

John. Carlyle was reared to farming pursuits, and remained under the parental roof until 1855, when he married, rented land, and commeneed farming on his own aeeount. He operated thus for six years, and then, in May, 1861, started for the United States, aecompanied by his wife and three children. After a voyage of four weeks they landed in New York City, the head of the family possessing but a few dollars. They made no stay there, but pro- eeeded direetly westward to Illinois, and located in this eounty, where the husband and father was ein- ployed as a farm laborer at 50 eents per day. In 1862 he rented land in Funk's Grove Township, and his first erop of eorn yielded him 15 eents per bushel. He occupied that farin five years. Corn in the meantime had advaneed in priee till it was worth $1.10 in Bloomington. Mr. Carlyle, how- ever, had not confined his operations to grain grow- ing exelusively, but purchased ealves and fed them until, in 1867, he was possessed of a good herd of eattle. The most of these he sold at a good price, and with the proceeds purchased a traet of land in Belleflower Township, which ineluded the north half of seetion 25. There was a small frame house on the place, and in this the family lived for a time, and then Mr. C. ereeted a more commodious dwell- ing. He has also a good barn and other necessary out-buildings. From time to time he added to his landed possessions until finally he became the owner of 560 aeres of land, which he improved, and continued its eultivation until 1885, and then prae- tieally retired from aetive labor.

The marriage of our subjeet and Miss Mary Smith was celebrated at the birthplace of the bride, Linn Hall Farm, in the parish of Tundergarth, Dumfriesshire, Mareh 6, 1855. Mrs. Carlyle was

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born Feb. 7, 1827. Of this union there were born seven children, the record of whom is as follows: Ellen B., who married Robert Ritehie; Walter, who married Miss Edith Warner, and John, who married Miss Annie Smith, all live in Belleflower Township; Jane became the wife of Samuel Pol- loek, and they reside in Foosland, Champaign County, this State; Margaret died Oet. 10, 1864, in infaney ; Jemima died April 27, 1865, in infaney, and Mary J. M. died June 12, 1877, at the age of eleven years. Mrs. Mary Carlyle departed this life on the 17th of August, 1881, deeply mourned by her husband and a large eirele of friends. Mr. and Mrs. C. connected themselves with the United Presbyterian Church many years ago, our subjeet being one of the three who organized the Belle- flower Church, of which Rev. J. G. Fairley is the pastor. Politieally Mr. Carlyle is a staneh sup- porter of the Republican party.

HARLES E. BISHOP owns and oeeupies a beautiful farm of 160 acres finely located on section 29. Mr. Bishop is a native of MeLean County and was born and reared on the homestead of his father, where the latter first lo- eated after becoming a resident of the Prairie State. The birth of our subjeet occurred Jan. 23, 1841. IIis childhood and youth were spent after the man- ner of most farmers' boys until he had attained to years of manhood. He had received careful home training and a fair education in the distriet sehools. At this time, the war eoming on, he was one of the first to volunteer his serviees to aid in the preserva- tion of the Union. In common with hundreds of others he responded to the first eall for troops but family matters prevented his entering the serviee until August, 1862. Mr. Bishop enlisted in the 94th Ill. Vol. Inf., Co. B, under command of Capt. MeFarland. The regiment first proceeded to the southwest and fromn there to the Gulf States. Our subjeet was employed in detached serviee and eon- sequently did not come in direet eontaet with the enemy. Much of the time he was engaged in driv- ing the ambulanee, and at the battle of Prairie Grove, Ark., received the body of the first

Union man who was wounded at that point who had to be hauled away, and the first one shot outside the ranks. Our subjeet left his wagon and ran through the thiekest of the fight to reseue his com- rade. He also transported the first man who died, of Company A, to Rolla, Mo. Arrangements had been made by the company before leaving that the dead should be returned to their homes, and in aeeordanee with this our subjeet accompanied the body spoken of from Springfield to Rolla, Mo., a distance of 120 miles. In due time Mr. Bishop aeted as Orderly. He served bravely and faithfully until the elose of the war and was mustered out at Galveston, Tex., July 27, 1865. Before his enlistment his younger brother, William J., had entered the service, and at the battle of Jackson, Miss., was wounded by a gunshot which passed through his head from the side of the nose to the base of the brain. This wound, however, did not prove fatal. The vietim recovered, returned home, and is now Deputy Sheriff of this county.

At the elose of the war our subjeet returned home to Randolph Township, and on Jan. 11, 1866, was united in marriage with Miss Franees Lake, at Heyworth, this eounty. Mrs. B. was born in San- gamon County, Ill., Sept. 2, 1841, and from the time she was fifteen years of age was a resident of MeLean County. Her father, John Lake, a farmer, was a native of Virginia and removing to this county. departed this life in 1872. The mother, a native of Virginia, is still living in Heyworth at the advaneed age of sixty-seven years. Mrs. Bishop is a careful and systematic housewife and takes a pardonable pride in her handsome home, whose neatness and attractiveness within is due to her own refined tastes and industry. By her mar- riage with our subjeet she beeanie the mother of eleven ehildren, eight living, as follows: Netta, Edward, Albert, Frank, Ella, Jessie, Ora and Ethel.

The parental history of our subjeet is elosely identified with that of Randolph Township. His father, M. L. Bishop, who is now spending his last days in Heyworth, with the exeeption of a few years has been a resident of the county sinee 1841. In 1883 he made a trip to California. He at one time owned a large body of land in this township. The mother, formerly Miss Matilda J. MeRoberts,

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was of Scottish aneestry and parentage and is now deecased. The parental household included four children; William, whom we have hefore spoken of, shouldered his musket at seventeen years of age and went to fight for his country; Emeline, Mrs. Merryman, and Mary, Mrs. D. O. Myers, are now deeeased.

M RS. SARAH SLOANE. This lady is the widow of Ezra Sloane, and oeeupies the homestead which her husband established in 1854, in Danvers Township. Ezra Sloane was a native of Maryland and was born Oct. 18, 1816. He departed this life in the above- named township on the 5th of November, 1884. Mr. Sloane received his early education in his na- tive State, and remained there until twenty years old. Ile then removed westward to Pickaway County, Ohio, where in dne time he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Davidson, their wedding taking place in Marelı, 1840.

Mrs. Sarah (Davidson) Sloane was born in Picka- way County, Ohio, Sept. 26, 1816, where she spent the days of her childhood and youth. After her marriage to Ezra Sloane and the birth of four ehil- dren they emigrated to Illinois. Mr. S. purchased eighty acres of land in Danvers Township, this county, and in his subsequent farming and business transactions was greatly prospered. As time passed on he added to his aereage, and at the time of his death was the owner of 320 aeres of finely culti- vated land, with residenee, barns and out-buildings, of tasteful and substantial eharaeter. Mr. Sloane, after the war, took no part in politics, although he was well read and informed, and liberal in his po- litieal and religious views. He was a prominent and useful citizen, and contributed his full share toward the building up of the various interests of this section.

Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Sloane there were born four children, of whom one died unnamed and another, a daughter, Jane, died at the age of two years and five months; Magdalene, now Mrs. David R. Harris, lives in Danvers Township, and has two children-P. Eugenie and N. Maud; George N. was the youngest of the family, and was born May

16, 1852. Ile married Miss .Julia A. Smith, Feb. 15, 1877; his wife was born in Tazewell County. Aug. 1, 1855, and is the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Haybarger) Smith, natives respectively of Maryland and Illinois. Her parents were of German parentage, and are now among the wealthy families of Tazewell County. Mr. George Sloane is now largely engaged in the breeding of Short- horn eattle, of which he has a herd numbering sixty-three fine animals. He also operates in draft horses, of which he has some fine specimens. He is one of the promising citizens of this section, has held the offices of School Director and Deacon of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of which he has been a member for twenty years, and with which his wife and mother are also connected. He is Republican in politics, and thoroughly interested in everything tending to the welfare of his com- munity. He is the father of one ehild, Edwin, born Nov. 30, 1882.

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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 60

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