USA > Illinois > Peoria County > Portrait and biographical album of Peoria County, Illinois : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 113
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The lady with whom Judge Lawrence James was · united in marriage, is an educated and refined woman, whose character fits her to make of his home the place of rest which he desires, and to stand side by side with her husband in the high social circles which they frequent. She is a daugli- ter of Judge William Kellogg. one of the most able jurists of the State. who for many years served as a Member of Congress. She made many friends as
Miss Paulina Kellogg, and since her marriage has but added to the circle. She is the mother of two children, William Kellogg and Laura Boyd.
The political affiliation of the Hon. Lawrence W. James has been with the Democratic party. He is identified with the lower Masonic bodies and the Knights Templar, as well as with the Royal Ar- canum, in which he has served as Grand Orator and Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. The fam- ily attend the Episcopal Church.
12 ENRY C. YOUNG, M. D., of Kickapoo Village, has gained a wide reputation as a successful and skillful physician. and stands among the leading members of his profes- sion in this part of the State. The Doctor is also connected with the mining interests of Illinois, he and W. T. Whitney having formed the Edwards Coal Company for the purpose of working the riel deposit of that substance found three miles from Edwards, where their office is located.
Our subject is a descendant of sterling New Eng- land ancestry. His father, George Young. and his mother, whose maiden name was Ann R. Perkins. were born in Dover. N. H. The latter departed this life in Brooklyn. N. Y .. February 21, 1890. The father of our subject is still living. He was a machinist by trade. but subsequently entered into the mercantile business, and has now retired on an ample competency.
The subject of this biographical review was the eldest of a family of four children, three sons and one daughter, and he was born in Dover N. II., May 19. 1846. He was reared to the age of four- teen in his native city, and laid the foundation of a liberal education in the public schools. At that age he went to Lawrence, Mass .. where he made his home until 1867. Full of life and energy, this spirited young man determined to try his fortunes in this great Western State, as Illinois was then con- sidcred. He began life in his new home in Peoria County, by teaching school, and was thus engaged very successfully until 1874. In the meantime be had taken up the study of medicine with Dr. J. II.
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Wilkinson, formerly of Kickapoo, now of Peoria. Ile subsequently attended the Chicago Medical Col- lege for one year, and in 1874-75 was a student in the university of the city of New York, from which he was graduated with honor in the spring of 1875. He immediately returned to his adopted State, and established himself at Kickapoo as a successor of his old instructor, Dr. Wilkinson.
The Doctor is well read in all the modern medi- cal works, keeping pace with all the valuable medi- eal discoveries of the day, and by devotion to his professional duties, and the success that has fol- lowed his treatment of difficult diseases, he has built up a large and lucrative practice. And, what is better,he has made many fast friends among those whom he first approached as a physician, and is sure of a warm welcome in many a household where his healing presence has stayed the hand of death, or his tender, considerate sympathy has softened a bereavement.
The Doctor possesses a decided talent for busi- ness, and outside his professional duties is also en- gaged, as before mentioned, in coal mining, in company with W. T. Whitney, and from this enter- prise he derives a handsome income.
November 2, 1875, Dr. Young was united in marriage with Miss Eliza Turner, and to them have come three children : Anne E., who died at the age of six months; Clarence W., and Etta M. Mrs. Young is the daughter of James and Elizabeth (Rowe) Turner, and was born in Devonshire, Eng- land, August 21, 1850. IIer mother died in Kick- apoo, but her father is still living. Our subject is a member of the Peoria City Medical Society, and holds the office of Pension Surgeon by appoint- ment.
S IEBELD REENTS, came from the German Fatherland less than a quarter of a century ago, arriving in this county with no capi- tal other than his clear brain, steady nerve and brawny muscle, and is now one of the sub- stantial members of the farming community that comprises the enterprising township of Rosefield.
Mr. Reents was born August 27, 1842, in Esens, in the Province of Hanover, Germany. His parents John and Alsta ( Rickelfrentz) Reents, were also of German origin and his father was a farmer and the proprietor of a saloon. They had eleven children, of whom the following is recorded: Rickelfrentz died leaving a family ; George died leaving a fam- ily; Teite died in Peoria leaving one daughter, and her husband is also deceased; Wubke died in Ger- many, leaving a husband and three children; her sons are living in the United States; Gesche is mar- ried and lives in this county, and has a family of four daughters; Henry, a resident of Peoria, has one daughter and two sons; Siebeld is the subject of this writing.
He, of whom we write, came to this country with his brother llenry in June, 1867, and located in Peoria, where he worked at the trade of a carpenter. His boyhood and youth were passed on a farm and he had a natural liking for agricultural pursuits; in 1870 we find him adopting the calling to which he had been bred. He then purchased one hundred and ninety-six acres of his present farm, which he im- proved into one of the finest estates in its vicinity. He has since added eighty acres, mostly valuable coal land. ITis farm is finely stocked with cattle, horses and hogs of a high grade, as he makes a specialty of stock-raising to which his land is well adapted. A view of his well-improved homestead is an additional feature of interest to this volume. On September 19, 1868, Mr. Reents was united in marriage to Anna Elizabeth Menssen, a native of the town of Ordorf. Hanover, Germany, where she was born August 28, 1846. She is a daughter of Jurgen and Anna S. ( Alts) Menssen, who were also of German hirth and antecedents. They were the parents of nine children, of whom five are living, George, Anna E., Johanna, and two girls in Ger- many, Mary and Maggie-both of whom are mar- ried and have families. George was a soldier and took part in the German War. In the month of June, 1867. Mrs. Reents and her sister came to the United States and settled in Peoria, they being the first of the family' to come to this country. Her happy marriage with our subject has been blessed to them by the birth of eight children as follows: George, John, Henry, Anna S., Angust, Anton and
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Sibert. John died when one year old and one died unnamed.
Mr. Reents and his good wife are members in high standing of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the conduct of their every day lives shows them to be sincere and devoted Christians. Their neighbors find in them kind, true and steadfast friends, who are never appealed to in vain for sympathy or help in the hour of trial, and all honor and respect is accorded to them. Mr. Reents pos- sesses those excellent characteristics that commend a man to the confidence of his fellow-citizens, he being truthful, honest and fair-minded, and con- ducts his affairs with the strictest regard for the rights of others. His public spirit is creditable, and as Road Commissioner, which position he has held for four terms, he has donc good work for the township.
G ILBERT HATIJAWAY. No name is more honored or more worthy of reverence among those of the noble pioneers of Peoria County, by whose labors it was established on a firm foundation of enduring prosperity, than that of this gentleman, who has played an important part in the agricultural, political and religious de- velopment of Jubilee Township, and so of the county. In his work he was much prospered, ac- cumulating a goodly amount of property, and is now living retired in Farmington, Fulton County, where he is quietly and pleasantly passing the de- clining years of a life well spent in all that goes to make a true man and a good citizen.
Our subject was born July 27, 1818, about sixty miles from the Canada line in the wilds of Somer- set (now Franklin) County, Me., the place of his birth Kingsfield Township, which was named in honor of Maine's first Governor. King, who bought a very large tract of land in the northern part of the State, which was divided up into three towns- Concord, Lexington and Kingsfield. The llatha- ways eame from England, and Deacon Hathaway is a direct descendant of one Col. Ebenezer Hatha- way, who was sent to this country by the English
Government in charge of one of the English troops in one of the Colonial wars. He settled at Assonet. Mass., and there reared a family. He did good service as an officer in the French and Indian War. His son Gilbert was born at Assonet, and as a middle-aged man removed to Oxford County, Me., and was among the pioneer settlers of Livermore. Ile was accompanied hither by his wife and thirteen children, of whom our subject's father is the eighth in order of birth.
Luther Hathaway, the father of our subject, married, in Oxford County, Miss Clarissa W. Hinds, a native of Massachusetts, who was taken to Maine by her parents, who were of Scotch descent. The father of our subject followed farming in Maine for several years, but finally removed to Peoria County with his family and was a pioneer settler of Brim- field Township. In after years he and his wife lived retired in Brimfield Village, where she died in 1870, at the age of eighty years. She had always been a consistent Christian, as had her husband. After her death he lived at times with our subject and at times with the twin sister of our subject, Mrs. Preston, of Fulton County, in whose home he died August 14, 1876, rounding out a long life of eighty-six years, seven months and fourteen days.
Deacon Hathaway was reared in the woods of Maine, amid pleasant scenes, and one of his first recollections is of the beautiful golden sunsets over Mt. Abram. He was one of a family of eight chil- dren, named as follows: Boadicea, Edwin B., Gil- bert and Tryphena (twins) Christopher Columbus, lIannah, Salome E., and George W. He was edu- cated in the common schools of his native State aud was brought up to habits of industry on a farm by his worthy parents. In his youth he was greatly interested in reading an account of the Black Hawk War, and from its description obtained a good idea of the State of Illinois and was fired with the am- bitious desire to try life on its wild prairies. His mother did not wish him to leave home, thinking him too young, and then, too, his eldest brother, Edwin, had gone from them, sailing away on the ocean, and had settled in South Carolina some years before, and his family had lost all trace of him. Gilbert's parents seeing that he was still very de- sirous to go westward, decided that his father should
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visit Illinois to see the country and find out whether the Indians had left the State and whether it was habitable. Consequently he started for the Far West in 1837, and after his arrival in Illinois wrote to his family stating that everything was all right.
Mr. Hathaway says, with reference to his father's coming here, "We were poor as poverty, and father had to go to Massachusetts to borrow money to come out with." Our subject started for his des- tination May 10, 1838, with but $11 in his pocket. He traveled with two families, who were going to Jackson County, Mich., and he drove one team to help pay his way. When he arrived in Jackson County, Mich., his money was all gone and he was in debt besides. With characteristic honesty lie stayed there until he had earned money to repay his indebtedness, working on a farm for three months, it taking two months to obtain the re- quired sum. He then started on his way and went as far as his money would earry him, which was not a great distance, as in his ignorance he had ac- cepted in payment for his work paper money which was called in local parlance, "shinplasters," which was not lawful currency only in the immediate neighborhood of where it was manufactured. So when he had traveled some distance lie found his money was useless, and when he arrived at St. Jo- seph he was obliged to go to work again. For ten days he was employed in a stable as hostler. A boat was just then being repaired at St. Joseph, which plied between that place and Chicago, and Mr. Hathaway engaged as fireman on board to save the expense of his passage, and received besides sixty-two and one-half cents per day for his work. Arriving at Chicago he found a dirty village built among the sloughs and swamps, with no indication of its present size and importance as the second city in population in this country. He paid for having his trunk or chest taken to Peoria from there, and he started on foot for this county. He. subsequently took passage on a river boat to Peo- ria, and when he landed there had just eighteen and three-fourth cents in his pocket. From there he walked out to a friend who lived in Trivoli Town- ship, Peoria County.
Mr. Hathaway and his father worked hard, earning money enough to send home for the mother and the
rest of the children the next year. Our subject began work at $10 a month to buy a farm for his father and mother. He performed much pioneer labor, and by unceasing industry finally established a home of his own and became well-to-do. For many years he owned a valuable and highly im- proved farm of one hundred and forty acres in Jubilee Township. He was an able and practical business man and dealt a good deal in real estate, and in that way became quite wealthy. In the month of September, 1883, he gave up active busi- ness as a farmer and removed to his present com- fortable,commodious home in Farmington, of which he is still a highly respected citizen.
In 1850 Deacon Hathaway was married to Mrs. Maria Willard, daughter of Levi and Barbara (Stearns) Sabin, natives of Vermont. At the time of her marriage with our subject she was the widow of Alpheus Willard, to whom she had been married in Vermont in 1825. They were pioneer settlers of Brimfield, Peoria County, coming here in 1838. By that marriage she became the mother of the following children: Isaac, who died in in- fancy ; William A., Frances M., Cynthia A., Henry C., Lot S., and Abbie R. William died in 1865, leaving a wife and two children-Frank A. and Mary B .; Frances is the wife of George P. Burt, a retired carpenter of Galva, and they have four children-Frank H., Theresa W., Flora M., Sophia S .; Cynthia died at the age of fifteen years ; Henry, a prominent citizen and merchant of Pittsburg, Kan., married Miss Ellen Moore, and they have two children-Lavon and Alice; Lot, a real-estate dealer at Seattle, Wash., married Ellen Davidson, and they have two children-May G. and Lee A. Lot S. Willard was a Major on McPherson's staff during the Civil War. Abbic is the wife of Albert Mar- shall, a well-to-do farmer of Jubilee Township, and they have eight children-Birdie A., Cora, Ernest W., William A. Harry E., Janie M., Nellie M. and Stella R.
Deacon Hathaway's life career has been directed by energy, perseverance, stability of character and good business habits, combined with honorable and conscientious dealings, and his course furnishes an excellent example to the young men who are just starting out in the world to seek fortune's favors.
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Ile enjoys a high personal standing throughout the county, where the most busy years of his life were passed, and is held, in "consideration wherever known. While a resident of Jubilee Township he was very prominent in its public affairs and was for a long time one of its most valued officials." He represented the township as a member of the County Board of Supervisors two years. He was Assessor five years, Collector four years, and School Treasurer for twenty-seven consecutive years. No man has done more to forward the religious inter- ests of his community than the Deacon. He helped build every church in Brimfield, except the Catho- lie, and officiated as Deacon in the Baptist Church of that place several years. He has also acted in that capacity in the church of that denomination in Farmington. He has a creditable record as a Republican, he being a firm ally of that party. Be- fore its organization he was a Whig, and he has voted for the following Presidents: Gen. W. H. Harrison in [840, well remembering the log-cabin craze; Fremont, in 1856; Lincoln, in 1860 and 1864; Grant, in 1868 and 1872; Hlayes, in 1876: Garfield, in 1880; Blaine, in 1884; Harrison, in 1888. Though Mr. Hathaway is strongly in favor of temperance he is not a third party man.
F6 RANKLIN GRIGGS. Connected promi- nently with the pioneer history of Illinois, is the name of George Griggs, our subject's father, and also that of James Harker, his grand- father on the maternal side, who emigrated from New York, and coming West, settled in the State of Illinois, where Mapleton now stands. After two years they removed to Jones' Prairie (it should have been called Griggs' Prairie since they were the first settlers there). The father, after reaching his fifty-sixth year, died in 1850. He was well adapted to the pioneer's life, being a tall muscular man with a powerful frame, and considered by many to be the strongest man in Peoria County. He was born in Cayuga County, N. Y., and was en- gaged at one time in towing canal boats on North River, and the Erie Canal.
Our subject's mother, who previous to her mar- riage, was Miss Sarah Harker, was a native of New Jersey, and her father, James Harker, was also born in New Jersey, and there Sarah grew to wo- manhood. They moved to Cayuga County by wagon. At that time Chicago was only an Indian eamp, and they persuaded the Indians to take them across some of the rivers in a canoe. The Indians were quite plentiful at that time, but after the Black Hawk War were seen no more.
The subject of our sketch was born in Cayuga County, August 5, 1826, and he retains a vivid remembrance of all that transpired in the eventful journey above mentioned. His father was one of the early settlers who employed a teacher for his children, and the subject of our sketch received a fairly good education. The country was very wild, deer were found in abundance, wild turkeys were plentiful, and different kinds of snakes were a common sight. The prairie grass was very thick, and the wild prairie flowers grew in abundance.
The subject of our sketch when nineteen years of age, went to Wisconsin, and there engaged in working in a brick-yard, and for several years con- tinued to make his home in that State, though he changed to several different points, and engaged in several occupations. But tired of his wanderings, he returned home, and in the spring of 1848, was married to Miss Deborah Largent. daughter of James Largent, who was born in the State of Vir- ginia. Her mother, who previous to her marriage was Miss Sarah Boxwell, was also a Virginian, and her grandfather, Robert Boxwell. was in the Revo- lutionary War. Her parents came to Illinois about 1837, and settled in Peoria County. They had ten children.
Mr. and Mrs. Griggs after their marriage settled in Timber Township, Peoria County, and there con- tinued to reside nntil 1883, at which date they re- · moved to Farmington. To them have been born seven children, viz .: Lizzie, widow of Harvey Hand; Sarah, the wife of Martin Frank; Wallace; Amanda, wife of Charles Fahnestock; Rachael, wife of John Mattox; Susan, the wife of Charles Boul- ton; and Douglas, who died when only four years of age.
Mr. Griggs suffered from ill-health, and at one
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time made a trip through California and Nebraska, hoping to receive great benefit from the same. His wife merits unlimited praise for the active part she has taken in the management of their affairs, and for the constant devotion with which she has cared for her family. Both Mr. and Mrs. Griggs are ex- tremely popular in their neighborhood, and much respected.
R ICHARD F. SEABURY, one of the old set- tlers of Peoria, is now living retired from active labors, surrounded by the comforts of life, and blessed with the loving care of various members of his family and the esteem of many friends. He was born at New London, Conn., July 21, 1809, and is descended from reputable an- cestors. His grandfather, Bishop Samuel Seabury, was the first Bishop in America of the Protestant Episcopal Church, being obliged to go to Scotland for ordination.
The father of our subject was also a minister of the Gospel, he being the Rev. Charles Seabury, whose name is well known in the East, and who was born at Westchester, N. Y., and educated in New York City. During the latter part of his life he lived on Long Island, where he was gathered to his fathers. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Ann Saltanstoll, and was a Connecticut lady.
Our subjeet was educated in New York City and was then employed as clerk in a general store in Brookhaven, L. I. After acquiring a knowledge of commercial affairs. he began business for himself in New York, remaining there for some time. He removed to Peoria, thence to Fremont, where for some years he was engaged in mercantile pur- suits. In 1844 he changed his place of residence to Kickapoo, where he continued his former occu- pation, and receiving the appointment of Postmas- ter established the first offiee there. In 1866 he came to Peoria and for a time was associated with his son Charles in business, but soon retired.
Mr. Seabury was Supervisor in Kickapoo for many years and served one term in the same office after coming to Peoria. IJe is a man of intelli-
genee, well read and well informed. He and his wife belong to the Episcopal Church, in which he served as Vestryman or Warden during a long per- iod of years.
The chosen companion of our subject was Miss Catherine Eliza Russell, with whom he was united in marriage in Monticello, N. Y., June 15, 1836. Mrs. Seabury was born November 22, 1815, in the town in which her marriage took place, and is a daughter of John D. and Ann (Hardinbrook) Rus- sell. Her father was born in Connecticut and her mother in New York City. Mr. and Mrs. Seabury have eight children, named respectively, Lydia M., Charles, Samuel, Richard F., Jr., Mary A., Janette R., Catherine E., and Frances S. Charles and Rich- ard reside in Chicago; Catherine is the wife of Carl Stevens, her home being in Winona, Minn .; Samuel lives in Peoria and is the subject of a biographieal sketch included in this volume.
ACOB W. SLOUGH. This worthy member of the agricultural elass owns and oecnpies a well-improved and well-regulated estate in Kiekapoo Township, consisting of one hun- dred and sixty acres. He is the eldest son of Jacob and Ann E. (Saip) Slough and was born in Harris- burg, Pa .. April 22, 1829. His mother was a native of the kingdom of Saxony and his father was born in Lancaster City, Pa .. where the marriage of the two took place. They settled in the capital city soon after the War of 1812, during which Mr. Slongh had been a member of the volunteer force of the State and had taken part in the battle of Baltimore. In the fall of 1834, while our subject was still but a child, his parents came to this county and for many years thereafter made their home in Peoria. They spent the latter part of their lives in Richwood Township, where the mother died August 4, 1878, and the father, November 25. 1882. They had been engaged in hotel-keeping.
Our subjeet grew to manhood in Peoria and was educated in her public schools. Ile remained with his father until he was twenty-two years old when he started for California, overland. He first went
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to Oregon, then down into the Golden State, where he was engaged in mining more than four years. Returning to Peoria County, he located in Kicka- poo Township and gave his attention to tilling the soil. In 1858 he made another trip to California this time for the benefit of his health, and was ab- sent eight months. On his return he resumed farm- ing, living in Richwood Township until 1866, when he settled where he now resides.
October 1, 1857, Mr. Slough was married to Miss Elizabeth Fulton, daughter of Josiah Fulton, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. She was born in Richwood Township, April 13, 1836. Mr. and Mr. Slough are the parents of six children-William, George, May, Joseph, Emily, and Nellie. May is the wife of Elmer Peck and Emily married Chester Keach.
Mr. Slough has held the offices of Township Clerk and Collector in Richwood Township and was Assessor in Kickapoo Township four years. He has also been a School Director. He is a strong Republican and an active worker in political affairs. At present he is an Alternate on the Township Republican Committee. In 1880 and 1890 he was appointed census enumerator.
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