Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 63

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 63

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In connection with it there are six lots, this being in bloek 137, and he also has six lots in block 135.

The marriage of our subjeet occurred June 25, 1840. Mrs. C. before her marriage was Miss Mir- anda Buckles, and she was born Aug, 25, 1825, in White County, Ill. Her father, Abraham Buckles, was a native of Kentucky, and her grandfather, John Buckles, was one of the pioneers of McLean County and spent the last years of his life in Em- pire Township, where also his son, Abraham Buckles, the father of Mrs. C., died. His wife, formerly Miss Mary Williams, departed this life in Empire Township.

The household eircle of Mr. and Mrs. Collins was completed by the birth of seventeen children, as follows: John A. is a resident of Empire Town- ship; Andrew J. lives in Monroe County, Mo .; Sarah E., the wife of Thomas Phillips, is a resident of Jefferson County, Mo. ; Miranda P., Mrs. George W. Johnson, lives in Downs Township; Mahala L. marricd George Mayberry, and they live in Gage County, Neb .; Clarissa Bell became the wife of John Vanhohenstien, and is a resident of Paxton, Ford Co., Ill; Barbara F., Mrs. Alvin Carr, lives in Downs Township, this eounty; Rosetta lives at home with her parents; Mary A., the third child, was born Jan. 29, 1848, and died April 20, 1879; Tabitha J., born March 31, 1849, died July 20, 1880; Americus E., boru May 31, 1850, died in March, 1882; William R., born March 26, 1855, died Mareh 25, 1864; Alfaretta, born Feb. 26, 1857, died Jan. 20, 1880; Ira, born Nov. 3, 1860, died March 24, 1862; George E., born Oct. 12, 1862, died Aug. 16, 1863; two died in infaney unnamed.

Mr. and Mrs. C. and all but two children. are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which our subjeet joined in 1838, and his wife in 1841. Mr. Collins has been Steward and Class-Leader thirty-cight years, and has contributed liberally and eheerefully to the support of the church at this place. The church edifice, called Pleasant Hill Chapel, was built on his farm in Downs Township in 1865; serviees were held in his own house prior to the building of the ehureh.

For many years Mrs. Collins cooked by a fire- place and her wash-tub was a trough dug out of a log by Mr. Collins; he also made the wash-board.

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The farm implements were the old-fashioned wooden mold board plow, and the harrow was likewise homemade. Wolves and deer eame near enough to be distinetly seen by the inmates of the eabin. The family, in common with their brother pioneers, distinetly remember the winter of 1836, whieli was unusually severe and opened with a violent change of weather. Mr. C. had just returned from a rabbit hunt at the time. Iee covered the ground so that his horses refused to travel, and for days he was obliged to carry eorn three-quarters of a mile to feed his stoek. Ile then thought that as soon as he could travel he would leave the country never to return, but eireumstances would not perinit of this, and he does not now regret that he was compelled to stay.

To sueh men as Robert Collins is MeLean Coun- ty indebted for the present proud position which she holds in the Prairie State. The energy and . perseveranee of the old pioneers can seareely be realized by the people of the present day who are surrounded by all the conveniences and comforts of modern life. Too much eredit eannot be given to those old heroes, who, with their lives in their lands, as it were, made a pathway through the forests and prepared the prairies for a prosperous civilization. Mr. Collins east his first presidential vote for Van Buren in 1840 and since that has been a full-fledged Demoerat.

As an honored pioneer of MeLean County, and an esteemed and worthy eitizen of Le Roy, the publishers are pleased to present the portrait of Mr. Collins in this connection. That of his wife is also given as a fitting aecompanying pieture.

J OHN NICKERSON, who first opened his eyes to the light on a farm south of the eity linits of Bloomington, Ill., on the 16th of March, 1839, is now a prominent and sue- eessful farmer and stoek-raiser of Martin Town- ship. He is the son of Albert R. and Ellen (Cook) Niekerson, natives respectively of Maryland and Ohio. The former removed from his native State with his parents to this county in 1834. The fa- ther of Mrs. Niekerson died in Ohio when she was a young child, and she came to this eounty with

her mother. After their marriage, Albert Nieker- son and his young wife first located in Missouri, where they lived five years and then returned to MeLean County, where Mr. Niekerson engaged in farming, in Randolph Township, and where he de- parted this life in November, 1886, in the seventy- sixth year of his age. The'wife and mother is still living, is a resident of Heyworth, and has now ar- rived at a good old age. The parental household ineluded ten ehildren, seven sons and three daugh- ters, six now living. Of these, our subjeet, John, was the eldest.

Johu Niekerson passed his boyhood days on the farm, and began his edueation in a log sehool-house in Randolph Township. He remained under the home roof until reaching his majority, and was not quite twenty-one years old when he was married to Miss Julia A., daughter of Willis Willhoite, of this county. After their marriage the young peo- ple remained on the old homestead for a short time, then removed to their present farm on seetion 28, Martin Township. This embraees a fine body of land 240 aeres in extent, all improved and under a good state of eultivation. In addition to the homestead, he has an interest in another traet of land embracing 1,340 aeres. The farm is well sup- plied with the best grades of domestic animals, but Mr. Niekerson has made a specialty of the l'oland- China hog, and has been remarkably sueeessful in this branehi of business, which has yielded him a fine ineome from the start. He put up his hand- some and convenient dwelling in 1885, in the rear of which is a fine barn and all other necessary out- buildings. The homestead in all its appointments forms one of the most attractive-spots in the land- seape of this seetion, and is observed with admira- tion by the passing traveler, the fine grove adja- eent to the residence adding greatly to its other attractions.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Niekerson, six in number, are as follows: Mary C., who became the wife of Milton Sharpless, and has four children; Luella, the wife of John Arnold, of 'Fairbury, Ill .; Ida, at home; William H., James H. and Georgia E. The parents and all the children are connected with the Christian Church, of which they are regu- lar attendants, and to the support of which Mr.

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Nickerson contributes liberally and cheerfully. Politically our subject is a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, and has a genuine admiration for President Cleveland, and the manner in which he is conducting National affairs.

SAAC B. JACKSON, a representative citizen of Padua Township, and a valued member of the community, is pleasantly located on section 28, where he has resided for over thirty-five years. His farm comprises 128 acres of valuable land, under a good state of cultivation, and supplied with a good set of frame buildings. Mr. Jackson is a native of the Old Dominion, born in Fauquier County in 1824. His father, William, was a native of the same State, a tailor by trade, and served as a soldier in the War of 1812. He descended from Welsh ancestry, and met and marricd a Virginia lady, Miss Elizabeth Bishop. They settled in Lou- doun County, Va., for a few years, and thence re- moved to Fauquier County, where our subject was born and reared, being the ninth of eleven chil- dren which completed the household circle. Of these, five arc sons. Six of the children are living, one in Missouri and five in Illinois. The latter are all residents of McLean County.

Isaac B. Jackson was seven years of age when his parents removed to Ohio, where they settled in Warren County. In 1841 they came to Illinois, locating in Empire Township, this county, which remained the home of the parents the remainder of their days. The mother departed this life in 1847, and the father two years later, in 1849, both being quite aged. Our subject remained under the par- ental roof until he reached his majority, and as- sisted his father in the duties around the home- stcad. On the 12th of November, 1846, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Elizabeth C. (Bran- naman) Dawson, who was born in Augusta County, Va., March 2, 1823. She was the second daughter of David and Mary (Haldiman) Brannaman, also natives of Virginia, and of German descent. They came North in 1837, and the father purchased 240 acres of land in Padua Township, this county, which was then mostly in timber. There both par-

ents died, the father in 1846, and the inother twen- ty-four years later, in 1870, the latter having ar- rived at the age of seventy-four years.

Mrs. Jackson remained with her parents until her first marriage, of which there was born one child, a daughter, Calista, now the wife of Henry Grim, who resides in Gibson, Ford Co., Ill. Of her marriage with our subject there were born eight children, onc of whom died in 1876 at the age of twenty-four years., Mary became the wife of John M. Newman and resides in Padua Town- ship on a farm; I. Newton married Miss Lina Gates, and lives in Topeka, Kan .; Charlie married Miss Emma Hoysradt and lives in Bloomington Township; George W. is at home with his parents; Alpheus married Miss Lillic J. Dunlap, and is farm- ing in Padua Township; Ella and Lucy are at home. Mrs. Jackson and her daughters are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Sump- town. Mr. Jackson is a Republican in politics, and has served as Township Trustec and Assessor for three or four years.

G EORGE A. TRYNER, of the Bloomington Pork Packing Company, is a representative citizen of Bloomington, and intimately identified with its business and industrial interests. The headquarters of this company arc on the I. B. & W. R. R., corner of Gridley street, where they are transacting an extensive business with profit . and success. Mr. Tryner is also connected with the firm of Tryner & Richardson, cigar manufact- urers, located on East Front street, and delights in nothing more than to have his head and hands full of business. Our subject was born in New York City, Nov. 13, 1836, and is the son of George F. and Elizabeth (Roberts) Tryner, natives of En- gland. George F. Tryner emigrated to America in 1833, locating in New York City, and was there engaged in merchant tailoring for eleven years fol- lowing. He then began in the clothing and furnish- ing business and was thus occupied until 1857. Subsequently lie came to Salem, Ill., and after a residence there of twenty years removed to Bloom- ington and followed mercantile business until his

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death, which occurred in 1879. The parental fam- ily included five children, three now living-George A .; Alice, Mrs. Rawson, of Bloomington, and James, engaged in the jewelry trade in Colorado. The mother died in 1848, at Perth Amboy, N. J. She was a member of the Baptist Church and her hus- band of the Presbyterian.

George A. Tryner gradnated at Perth Amboy Seminary in New Jersey and commenced book- keeping in New York City. He came with his parents in 1857. to Salem, Ill., and there began farming. This he abandoned after three years, when he secured a elerkship in Salem and was thus occupied until his enlistment in the army, during the late Civil War. He became a member of Co. G, 21st Ill. Vol. Inf., was commissioned Sergeant, and after six months was on detached service with the Adjutant-General's department for three years and two months. He participated with his com- rades in the battles of Stone River and Chickamau- gua, and was with Sherman in his march as far as Atlanta, at which time his term of service expired.

After retiring from the armny Mr. Tryner en- gaged in business one year at Chattanooga, Tenn., and in 1866 went to St. Louis, Mo., where he eu- gaged in the drug business. After six months lie sold out and came to Bloomington and was engaged in the grocery trade for a period of eight years. He then began building the packing-house in 1873, and has since had charge of the books and finances. The company gives employment to about seventy- five inen in Bloomington and has three men on the road. In 1879 Mr. Tryner formed a partner- ship with Mr. Richardson, and under the firm name of Tryner & Richardson they have transacted a good business in cigars and tobacco, giving em- ployment to about thirty men.

The marriage of George A. Tryner and Miss Jennie Dunham was celebrated in 1864. Mrs. Tryner was born in Perth Amboy, N. J., her par- ents being Edmund and Clarissa (Ross) Dunham, natives of the same State. Of her marriage with our subject there were born three children, two only living-Alice and Ethel. Mr. Tryner is one of the energetie and enterprising men of this section who have so materially aided in its growth and develop- ment. He has held various local offices, is now a

member of the Board of Supervisors, the City Board of Education, Director of the Third National Bank, and a stockholder in the Bloomington Build- ing and Loan Association, being also one of the Di- reetors of the latter. He was an unsuccessful can- didate for Mayor in 1868.

Mr. Tryner has beeu largely interested in the purchase and sale of Kansas lands. As may he supposed he carries a level head to be able to mall- age successfully his various interests, and he is uni- formly successful. In polities our subject affili- ates with the Republican party, and is a 32d Degree Mason. He also belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the G. A. R. The handsome and substantial family residence is located at No. 504 East Front street, where our subject and his amiable lady dis- pense a fine hospitality to hosts of friends.

AMES T. HULL, a native of the Old Do- minion, came to Illinois in the spring of 1864, and since that time has been a worthy resi- dent of the Prairie State. He was born in Hampshire County, W. Va., June 16, 1843, and is the son of Stephen and Catherine (Utta) Hull, both natives of Virginia. The father was a Whig in poli- ties, and a farmer by occupation. He died at his home in West Virginia in about 1862, when seventy- five years of age. The mother died in April, 1884, in Iowa. Their four children were Benjamin, John HI., Ann G. and James T. By a former marriage Stephen Hull became the father of six-Elmira, Polly, Eliza J., Naney, William and Betsey.

The subject of this history was reared under the parental roof and received a good common-school education. During the late war he served as a soldier in Co. K, 9th Ill. Vol. Cav., being with the army ten months. He gained a good insight into the hardships of a soldier's life, but received no wounds. After returning from the army he pur- chased eighty acres of land in De Witt County, which he sold in 1879 and removed to this county. Here he has now 120 acres, finely enltivated, and supplied with all conveniences for the business to which of late years he has turned his attention, the breeding of Norman and Clydesdale horses. In

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this he has been very successful, his stables contain- ing some of the finest animals in this part of the State. He also owns sixty aeres in De Witt County, III.

Mr. Ilull was married in De Witt County, on the 25th of January, 1866, to Miss Mary E., daughter of Peter J. and Naney (Clagg) Sutton, natives re- speetively of Kentucky and Ohio. Mr. Sutton was born Aug. 14, 1816, and died in De Witt County on the 23d of February, 1885. He was Republican in politics, and a gentleman universally respected for his exeellent traits of character. The wife and mother, who was born Oet. 20, 1817, is still living, and a member of the Christian Church. She was married to Peter J. Sutton on the 2d of June, 1839. Their seven children were, William C., Mary E., George R., Johnson P., Jonathan J., Henry C. and Malinda J. The eldest brother of Mrs. Hull. Will- iam C., served as a soldier in Co. B, 187th Ill. Vol. Inf., and died in 1864, at Knoxville, Tenn. Her youngest brother, Henry Clay, died of typhoid fever, in 1873, when eighteen years of age.

Of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Hull, Clara B. became the wife of William Hinthorn, and lives in Gibson City ; Ella N., May, William L. and Charles H. are at home with their parents; Bertie died when five months old, and Lulu in early infaney. Mr. IIull is Republiean in polities and a strong temper- anee man. Both he and his wife are members in · good standing of the Christian Church.

OIIN B. SAVAGE, one of the self-made men of Le Roy, possesses a remarkable busi- ness talent and delights in trading and mer- chandising. He is active and energetie and an excellent judge of lands, live-stoek and dry- goods. His talents extend in all directions wherever a trade may be effected. Mr. Savage was born in Tusearawas County, Ohio, Feb. 10, 1844, being the son of Whalen and Jane (MeCulloni) Savage. The father of our subjeet died in Tusearawas County in about 1850. The mother then married John C. West, and now lives in Taylor County, Iowa.

The subject of this history is one of a family of seven children born to his parents, six of whom

are still living. Sarah, Mrs. MeGee, is a resident of Harrison County, Ohio; James, and Ann, Mrs. West, live in Taylor County, Iowa; Mary, Mrs. Whitmer, lives in Corning, lowa; John B., our sub- jeet, was the sixth, and Jacob lives in Taylor Coun- ty, Iowa. John B. Savage was but six years of age when his father died. In 1858 his mother with four of her children came to this State and county and settled in what is now Downs Township. The mother and her two daughters kept house for Den- ton Young, Sr., on his farm, and there our subjeet was also engaged breaking prairie. The second marriage of the mother oeeurred in the fall of that year, and John B. made his home with her two or three years afterward. He then commeneed to 'work on a farm by the month at a salary of $20, and was employed by one man seven years. After this he became manager of the farm and had. a share of the produce, and then married and located on a rented farm, where he remained three years, and in the meantime served as Tax Colleetor in Downs Township. In 1872 he moved into West Township, upon a farin which his wife had inherited from her grandfather, IIenry West. Two years later he went to Le Roy and took charge of a flour- mill, which he operated two years and then returned

1 to his own farm. He was then employed by the firm of Barnum & Keenan, to buy grain at Sabina, being the first grain dealer in that place and the first Postmaster in what was then Monarch. He also served six years as Justice of the Peace. In 1882 he returned to Le Roy and purchased a half interest in the dry-goods business of James Kimler, which he eondueted in company with A. Whittaker eight months. He then purchased the interest of his partner and after operating one year sold out, and a few months later opened a elothing store. This he also disposed of after one year, and engaged in the real-estate and loan business. In the fall of 1886 he traded a piece of land for a stoek of goods, and his business now is to close out these in the most profitable manner that lie can. His real-estate transactions extend throughout Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Kansas.

Mr. Savage was married, Oet. 1, 1868, to Miss Sarah L. Grumbaugh, who was born in Empire Township, and is the daughter of Montgomery and

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Mary (West) Crumbaugh. (See sketch of H. W. Crumbaugh.) Of this union there have been born two children-Herbert and Annie. During the late war Mr. Savage served with the three months' men in Co. G, 68th Ill. Vol. Inf. He is a member of the G. A. R., Thomas Riddle Post No. 230, at Le Roy, and in all respects is a representative eitizen * who has attained a good position by the exercise of his own talent and industry.

HOMAS J. NORTH, of Cheney's Grove Township, has been a resident of this State since the spring of 1860, when he came into MeLean County from Indiana and was employed as a farm laborer for the following seven years. He saved what he could of his earnings, and in that year purchased forty aeres of prairie land where he established a modest, but comfortable home for his little family.

He was prospered in his farming and business operations, and after a few years doubled his landed possessions, and in 1883 doubled again, so that he now has 160 aeres of land, which he has brought to a fine state of cultivation and upon which he lias erccted a handsome and substantial set of farm buildings. He is now engaged in the breeding of Norman draft horses in which he has been remarka- bly successful, and is acquiring quite a reputation in this department of agriculture. As a business man, citizen and neighbor, he is universally re- speeted, and his present condition, surrounded as he is by all the comforts of life, is only the just reward of his industry and integrity.

Mr. North was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, March 28, 1833, and is the son of Jonathan and Hannah (Reed) North, natives respectively of Vir- ginia and Ohio. Jonathan North was born in 1800, followed farming in his native State during his early life, and afterward removed to Indiana, where he departed this life in 1858. The mother was born in 1802, and died at the home of her husband, near La Fayette, Ind., in July, 1878. Of their children all are now deceased except our subject, Salem and Richard

Mr. North of this sketch was but six years of

age when his parents removed from his native State to Tippecanoe County, Ind. He remained there until 1860, in the meantime receiving a fair eduea- tion in the common schools and assisting his father on the farm. He was married in December, 1863, to Miss Priscilla Cornwell, who was born in Ken- tucky in 1842, and is the daughter of 'Thomas and Martha (Riggs) Cornwell. They were natives, re- speetively, of Kentucky and Maryland. Her fa- ther, a farmer by occupation, died in November, 1855, and the mother survived him more than twenty years, dying in 1876. The latter was a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their ten children were: Samuel, Louisa, John, James, Elizabeth, George, Thomas, Martha, Pris- cilla and Cinderella. Mr. and Mrs. North have had thirteen children, as follows: George, born Sept. 7, 1863, died July 16, 1868; Anna, born Feb. 9, 1865, died Nov. 5, 1885; James C., born Oct. 28, 1866, died April 14, 1884; Martha, born Feb. 17, 1869; Mary, born Feb. 26, 1870, died Aug. 25, 1883; William, born Nov. 17, 1871; Frankey S., born April 3, 1873, died Aug. 28, 1874; Magdalena, born Aug. 27, 1874; Elizabeth J., Jan. 16, 1877; Alice L., Oet. 12, 1878; Elmira, Sept. 10, 1880; Elmira had a twin brother who lived only four days, and Ivo, born Sept. 22, 1884.

W ILLIAM H. NEWTON, of Blue Mound Township, is the fourth child of Henry and Martha Newton, natives of Virginia. After marriage they removed to Kentucky, where the mother died. Henry Newton afterward, in 1844, came to Illinois, and took up his residence in Dale Township, this county, where he passed the remainder of his life. The parental household in- cluded thirteen children. William Newton ,was born in Henderson County, Ky., Jan. 23, 1818. He was reared to farming pursuits, and remained in his native State until about seventeen years old. He then started out for himself, and coming to Illinois located first in Hancock County, where he remained until 1844. He then came to this county and lived in Dale Township about four years. He afterward purchased 160 acres of land in Blue

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Mound Township, located on section 11, which he has improved and cultivated, and which has been his home since that time, although having parted with half of his original purchasc. Ile has been prospered in his undertaking, and is now retired from active labor.

The marriage of Mr. Newton and Miss Martha Routt took place in April, 1840, in the city of Ma- comb, McDonough Co., Ill. Mrs. N. comes of a good family, and is the sister of ex-Gov. Routt of Colorado. She was born in Kentucky in 1822, and of her union with our subject there have been six children, of whom the record is as fol- lows: Mary, who became the wife of William Russell, is a resident of Kansas; Alice, Mrs. Charles Speers, lives with her husband in Blue Mound Township, this county; Mattie became the wife of James Wilson, of Cooksville; John married Miss Julia Smith; Thomas married Miss Eliza Smith, and is a resident of Colorado; Richard married Miss Alice Grahanı, and lives in Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Newton are members in good standing of the Baptist Church of Towanda. Mr. N. is a Re- publican in politics, and has held the various minor offices of the township with credit to himself and satisfaction to all concerned.

OHN F. TRIMMER, importer and breeder of French draft horses, has been a resi- dent of Normal Township since 1886, when he purchased his present property, . erected a large barn, and made preparations to in- augurate the first stock farm in this part of the county. To this he brought a number of high- grade animals, and entered upon the business which has yielded him a handsome income, and in which he has established for himself an enviable reputa- tion among the stock-growers of the Prairie State.

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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 63

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