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 43
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Mr. Harrison celebrated Independence Day, 1866, by wedding Mrs. Lucinda Dodds, nee Rich- ardson. Mrs. Harrison, whose portrait appears in connection with this sketch, is deserving of special mention on account of her eminent success as a bee-keeper and a writer on the management of the honey-making insects. For some years she has edited the bee department of the Prairie Farmer, being likewise a member of the staff of a British agricultural journal. The A, B, C, of Bee Cul- ture has this to say of her: "Among women no bee-keeper is more widely known than Mrs. Lucinda Harrison. Born in Coshocton County, Ohio, No- vemher 21, 1831, she came in 1836 to Peoria County, Ill., her parents. Alpheus Richardson and wife, being pioneer settlers. Public schools were at that time undeveloped and educational advan- tages few, but her parents gave her the best to be had in private schools. Her brother, Sanford, was a member of the first class which was graduated from Knox College, and she then spent a year at an academy taught by him at Granville, Ill. She tanght school from time to time until 1855, when she married Robert Dodds, a prosperous farmer of Woodford County, who died two years later, leav- ing her a widow at twenty-five."
Mrs. Harrison thus describes her entrance into the ranks of an apiarist: " In 1871, while perusing the reports of the Department of Agriculture, I came across a flowery essay on bee culture from the graceful pen of Mrs. Ellen S. Tupper. 1 caught the bee fever so badly that I could hardly survive until the spring, when I purchased two colonies of Italians from the late Adam Grimm, of Jefferson, Wis. The bees were in eight-frame L
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hives, and we still continue to use hives exactly similar to those; then; purchased. _ I bought the bees without my husband's knowledge, knowing full well; that he would forbid me if he knew it, and many were the curtain lectures I received for purchasing such troublesome stock. One reason for his hostility was that I kept continually pulling the hives to pieces to see what 'the bees were at and kept them on the warpath. Our home is on three city lots, and at the time 1 commenced bee- keeping our trees and vines[wereįjust comingtinto bearing. and Mr. Harrison enjoyed very much being out amongthis pets, and occasionally had an escort of scolding bees. Meeting with opposition made me all the more 'determined to succeed. 1
never wavered in my fixed determination to know all there was to be known about honey bees, and I was too inquisitive, prying into their domestic relations, which made them so very irritable."
It'is credited to Mrs. Harrison that she has written more than any woman in the world on the subject of bees, as opening up a new industry for women. Iler writings have been extensively published in Great Britain and on the Continent, as well as in Australia and the South Sea Islands. Her articles have been translated into French, German, Italian, and probably other tongues. , Mrs. Harrison is a strong, vigorous and advanced thinker, and is a be- liever in the rights and privileges of women. IJer contributions in literature embrace not only articles on bee culture, but likewise on horticulture. ller first writings appeared in the Germantown Tele. graph of Philadelphia, and Coleman's Rural World. of St. Louis.
The perseverance of Mrs. Harrison was rewarded, her husband's opposition ceased, and he himself became interested in the bees, helping to care for them, declaring that he believed it would add ten years to his life. For a number of years her apiary has contained about one hundred colonies. She is prevented from doing as much as she otherwise would by ill-health and family cares, for although childless, she has been a mother to several orphan children. She is best known as a writer, her many contributions to the press being marked with vigor and originality, with a blunt candor that assures one of her sincerity. She credits bee-keeping with making her life more enjoyable by opening up a a new world, and making her more observing of plants and flowers, with which, we may add, her home is quite surrounded.
Mr. Ilarrison is a Democrat in politics, as he ex- presses it. "dyed in the wool." his fealty to party not permitting his suffrage in behalf of a relative. He and his wife now have with them an adopted daughter, Kate, and a niece. Lucy Simonton, the
last grandchild born to Lucy and Alpheus Rich- ardson.
The Harrisons now scattered abroad throughout the United States, trace their genealogy back to a common parent, two of whose sons, Thomas and Richard, came to America during the early Colo- nial settlement by¿ Pilgrims. They first sought?a home on the coast of Connecticut, but one of them growing dissatisfied, moved on to New Jersey. Harrisons numbering perhaps two thousand souls are of this stock. Five hundred of the name and family sat together at a re- union held at Orange, N. J., in 1875. At a similar re-union held at Branford, Conn., the year previous, three or four hundred were present. President Harrison is of this; family, as was, of course, the General and President of 1840.
To the sketch of Mr. and Mrs. Lovell Harrison we add a brief account of the life of Alphens Rich- ardson, the father of Mrs. Harrison and one of Peoria's pioneer settlers. He was born in Somers, Conn., July 30, 1803. In 1815 he accompanied his parents to Ohio, and there helped to subdne the rugged soil, cut down the heavy timber, plant fruit trees, and secure a home for himself and parents. On the 5th of September, 1824, he was united in marriage with Lucy Cone, a native of South Wilbraham, Mass .. where she was born De- cember G. 1807. Her father. Jared Cone, crossed the Alleghany Mountains with his effects in wagons and settled in Muskingum County. Ohio, in 1816. They were anxious to be in the neighborhood of the Rich- ardsons, whom they had known in the East. In the spring of 1836, having heard much of the prairies of Illinois, Mr. Richardson emigrated to Peoria, making the journey hither by steamer down the Ohio and up the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers.
At that time the family of Mr. Richardson con- sisted of himself, his wife and four children. After they located in Peoria three more children were horn to them, the youngest dying in infancy, and Alpheus, Jr., in early childhood. The eldest son, Sanford. was graduated from Knox College, Galesburg, and afterward studied theology in New York. He was sent by the American Board of Foreign Missions as a missionary to Turkey, where he served ably and efficiently for twenty-four years. Ill-health compelled him to return home in 1880, and in 1886 he was called hence. The other son, E. D. Richardson, served with credit during the Civil War, rising to the rank of Captain. At the close of the war he settled at Vicksburg, where he died in 1877. Of the three daughters Mrs. Harrison, the noted @ apicultural writer, is the sole survivor. The eldest daughter, Mrs. Juliette Shepard, died at her home in Granville,
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Ill., in 1881. She was a woman of great energy, faithful, and efficient as a Christian and temperance worker, as well as of great industry in the daily walks of life.
After Mr. Richardson settled in Peoria he taught schools for several seasons, at various points in the county during the winter months, farming in the summer. Ile held various municipal offices, and finally opened and for several years conducted a farmer's hotel, acquiring a competence in the busi- ness. He was noted for his great kindliness of heart and for his unswerving honesty and integrity. Mr. Richardson was one of that class of men who give character and stability to a community, and teach by their example the lesson of good citizen- ship. He died in April, 1865, beloved and respected by all who knew him.
C ALEB WHITTEMORE is a noble type of the intelligent. straightforward, enterprising na- tives of New England who have borne so important a part in the upbuilding of this county, and for the space of half a century he has repre. sented its industrial interests as a gunsmith and a whitesmith and is still actively engaged in the latter branch in the city of Peoria, where he has always resided ever since he came to this State fifty years ago. For the last thirty years, he has been stationed where he is at present, and the Whitte- more repair-shop is a well-known landmark in the neighborhood.
Our subject was born in Connecticut, August 24, 1817, to Daniel and Sarah (Corbin) Whittemore, natives respectively of Massachusetts and Con- necticut. The Whittemores are of Scoteh origin, our subject's great-grandfather, having come from from Scotland, he heing one of the historical three brothers that play so conspicuous a part in the early genealogical accounts of so many New England families, these brothers locating in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Daniel Whitte-
more was a man of much mechanical ingenuity and was a wheelwright, millwright, carpenter and joiner. He was a life-long resident of Connecticut, dying September 3, 1870, at the venerable age of seventy- nine years, five months and ten days. Ile came of a long-lived race and we here note the remarkable fact that his grandfather lived to be one hundred and fifteen years of age, and when ninety years old, renewed his youth in so far as that nature then furnished.him with a new set of teeth.
Caleb Whittemore, of whom we write was reared to mechanical pursuitsgand very early in life be- came self-supporting, as'at the age of nine and one- half years he was placed in a cotton factory, and was employed in cotton factories until he was nearly eighteen years old. He then went to South- bridge, Mass., to learn the trade of gunsmithing, and at the age of twenty-two, left New England for the West, shrewdly thinking that men of his calling would be in demand in a newly settled country. Ile arrived in Peoria May 17, 1840, and at once started in business as a gunsmith, and has hardly abandoned it yet, although after he had been here eight or nine years he took up whitesmithing in connection with it and gradually dropped gun- smithing. In the fifty years that he has been here he has had four different places for his work, but for the last thirty years has oceupied the same shop.
The encouragement, counsel and active assistance of a good wife have not been lacking to make our subject's life a success, as he was married April 7, 1811, to Miss Maria Russell, and for nearly half a century they have traveled life's road together and have shared its griefs and joys. Mrs. Whittemore comes of an old New England family, her parents, Smith Barrett and Roxanna (Alton) Russell having been born in Vermont and Connecticut respectively. Her father was a carpenter by occupation, and in 1836, removed with his family to Peoria, and be- came a pioneer of this section of the country. Our subject and wife have three children living, namely : Violetta, wife of James McSkimin; Mary Frances, wife of Philip B. Keeler. and William, who is with his father in business.
Mr. Whittemore is a man of superior intellect, possessing a clear active brain, and though mostly self -educated is a well informed man. He has a
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particular talent for mathematics, and the first win- ter after his marriage he took up the study of arithmetic and went through Smith's old arithmetic without any assistance, mastering its most intricate problems, and has to-day a better knowledge of mathematics than many a college graduate. Men living in Peoria who had college educations often came to Mr. Whittemore to ask his assistance in solving difficult sums. His personal character and standing in the community is of the highest, his long residence in this county bringing him an ex- tensive acquaintance and many tried and true friends who appreciate his manliness and genuine worth. As a good citizen should be, he is interested in the public weal of his country and is a sturdy advocate of the policy of the Republican party.
B ARNHART MEALS, well known as being connected with the Peoria Steel Plow Com- pany, has been associated with E. B. Pierce, its founder, since 1863. The plow works were established twenty years prior to this by Tobey & Anderson, which firm was succeeded by William Tobey & Co., who admitted Mr. Meals to a partnership in the business in 1861. lle be- came connected with the old firm in 1854, and in 1866 the firm name was changed to the St. Louis & Peoria Plow Company, remaining thus until 1873. It was then made the Peoria Steel Plow Company, and incorporated under the laws of Illi- nois.
Mr. Meals, from 1879 until April 17, 1884, offi- ciated as Superintendent of these works, and at that date they were destroyed by fire. He then, in company with Mr. Pierce, purchased the interest of the other partners, and they put up the present manufactory, which is located at the corner of Water and Walnut Streets. In addition to the ample warerooms at Peoria they have the same in St. Louis. The firm of William Tobey & Co. built the first warehouse in Kansas City, on the bottoms, where the business is still carried on.
The Peoria Steel P'low Works is the oldest man- ufacturing establishment in the city. Mr. Meals
has been connected with the enterprise for the long period of thirty-six years, and his partner, Mr. Pierce, has been with it for twenty-seven years. They have thus had ample opportunity to gain a thorough knowledge of the business, its require- ments and the best manner of conducting it. In addition to plows they manufacture harrows, rakes and all kinds of agricultural implements, giving employment at times to one hundred and twenty men. The straightforward manner in which the enterprise has been conducted has thoroughly es- tablshed it in the esteem and confidence of the business men and farmers throughout Illinois and adjoining States.
The subject of this biography, a native of Adams County, Pa., was born near Bendersville, Novem- ber 15, 1830, and is a son of Jacob B. and Eliza- beth (Jones) Meals, the former of whom is still living, is a resident of Pennsylvania, and has at- tained to the advanced age of eighty-seven years. The mother departed this life about 1864. The parental household included six children. .
Mr. Meals, of whom we write, was reared and educated in his native State, and when leaving school served a thorough apprenticeship at black- smithing. In 1854 he came to Illinois and found his first employment with the firm conducting the business in which he is now a leading partner and President of the company. This record is one of which he has reason to be proud. He learned wis- dom from the maxim that "A rolling stone gathers no moss," making a practical application of it with most admirable results. Commencing life without means, and dependent upon his own resources, he has by a course of thrift and industry, prudence and good management, become not only well-to-do financially, but has established himself in the esteem and confidence of his fellow-men.
Mr. Meals cast his first Presidential vote for Fillmore, and remains a stanch supporter of the Re- publican party. He has been a useful man in his community and prominent in local affairs, serving as City Treasurer, as a member of the Board of Supervisors, and as Poor Commissioner. Socially he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Ancient Free and Accepted Ma- sons, officiating as Master in the lodge of the latter
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yours Truly R.W. Baker M.D.
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for a period of nine years. He assisted in organ- izing the People's Loan and llomestead Associa- tion, of which he has been President a number of years. lle identified himself with the Congrega- tional Church in early manhood, and besides giv- ing to it a liberal support has officiated as Trustee and occupied other positions of trust and responsi- bility. The fact that he is highly spoken of by those who know him best is sufficient indication of his character.
Miss Mary C. Woodruff, a resident of Peoria, became the wife of our subject, July 18, 1865. This lady was born June 18, 1842, in Peoria, and is a daughter of George Woodruff and wife, na- tives of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively,. Of this union there have been born three children, two of whom-Harry and Charles -- are twins; they are now promising young business men of Peoria. having inherited largely the enterprise and energy of their honored father. Frankie died in infancy.
R OBERT WESLEY BAKER, M. D. AI- though this gentleman has still some dis- tance to travel before reaching the shady side of life, and is comparatively young in his profession also, he has a large practice in Peo- ria, a reputation second to none among his medical associates, and is looked upon with respect for his excellent personal character. pleasing social quali- ities and cultured mind. He is descended from respectable Kentucky families, and is himself a native of the State among whose professional men he enjoys so high a rank.
The parents of Dr. Baker, Squire and Elizabeth (Clark) Baker, came to the Prairie State, in 1832. from their native Blue Grass region. Their fam- ily consisted of thirteen children, of whom our subject was the seventh in order of birth. Eleven members of the family circle are now living, three sons being in Kansas, three in Southern Illinois, one in Washington, Tazewell County, and two daugh- ters in Woodford County. The father was a farmer, skillful, industrious and highly respected.
Dr. Baker was born in Washington, Tazewell
County, February 3, 1819, received his fundamen- tal instrnetion in the common schools of his na- tive county and completed his literary course in Eureka College. where he was a student two years. llis tastes having led him to choose the medical profession for his life-work, he entered Ruslı Medi- cal College, of Chicago, taking a thorough course, graduating in the class of 1879, and receiving the degree of M. D. The same spring he selected Peoria as the field of his future operations, coming to his new home with the determination to keep pace with the advancement of his chosen science, to exert all his powers in the work before him and mantain a high ideal as a practitioner.
Although no politician, Dr. Baker is always found ready to deposit his vote, which is a Demo- eratie one. His social and benevolent qualities, called ont as they constantly are by the demands of his profession, are not exhausted thereby, but find further expression through his membership with the Knights of Pythias, Ancient Order of United Workmen and Modern Woodmen.
In Miss Maria E. Anderson, daughter of Samuel HI. and Nancy C. Anderson, of Genoa, Neb., Dr. Baker found the qualities of mind, refinement and fine character which led him to desire her compan- ionship in his home. They were united in mar- riage on New Year's day, 1885, and lived happily together until the wife was called hence August 19, 1889. She had been a student at Eureka, and has been sincerely mourned by her former in- structors and fellow students, whose sympathy is extended to her bereaved family. She was the mother of two children only, Arthur E., who is now living in Nebraska with his grandparents, and Marie, who died when twenty-one days old.
A portrait of Dr. Baker is presented in connec- tion with this brief record of the most important events in his career.
OIIN SCOTT is the owner and occupant of a fine property on section 14, Timber Town- ship. lle was born on the same section August 15, 1847, reared on a farm, and was the recipient of the educational privileges of the
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common schools. Ilis home surroundings were favorable to the development of the better qualities of his nature and the instilling into his mind of sturdy principles. He remained under the parental roof until his marriage, April 21, 1870, when he rented a farm and set up his own household. In 1873 he made his first purchase of land, eighty acres, to which he has added until his landed estate now comprises four hundred and thirty acres. This has mostly been secured by his own efforts, being therefore a standing monument to his industry and good judgment. He raises all kinds of stock, as well as excellent crops.
The cheerful, capable woman whom Mr. Scott won as his wife was Lucinda Maple, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Jones) Maple, who were among the earliest settlers of this county. She was born in Hollis Township, and reared to maturity in this section, acquiring a good education and much knowledge of domestic affairs. She is a member of the Baptist Church. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Scott consists of the following children: Lewis, Emma, Melvina, Lyda, Alva, Grover and Thurman. Mr. Scott is a Democrat in his political views, as would be surmised from the names of his youngest children.
Our subject is the eldest of the seven sons and one daughter born to Shadrach and Lucy Ann (Doon) Scott. The father was born in Montgom- ery County, Ky .. December 11, 1822, and came to Peoria County, Ill., with his parents in 1828. His education was received in the rude log cabin of those early times, into which light entered through greased paper windows, and where benches and desks were of the most primitive sort. He and the other male members of the family wore buckskin and homespun garments during the early years of their residence in this State. His parents had lo- cated on a soldier's claim of three hundred and twenty acres ou section 7, Timber Township, two years after they came hither, and in its develop- ment he assisted as he grew toward manhood. After his marriage he located in the same township where he still lives.
The grandparents of our subject were William L. and Africa (Lee) Scott, the latter a native of Rich - mond, Va., an l daughter of John Lee, a planter
and slaveholder. After having lived in Kentucky some years they removed to the vicinity of Terre Hante, Ind., where Mr. Scott farmed one season. His removal to this county was made with a one- horse wagon, and the first two years were spent where Mapleton now stands. He then entered the land secured through a soldier's claim he had pur- chased in Baltimore, residing there until Indians became troublesome, when he changed his residence to section 15, near Glasford. There he remained until his death in 1837. His father had come to America from Scotland. Of his eight children William, John, Shadrach L., Riley and Jane grew to maturity, all rearing families except John. The others died in infancy or childhood. Grandmother Scott survived her husband some ten years.
The household band of which our subject is a member included also, Martha. Mary, Seth, Lean- der, Walter. Lewis, George and Leonard. All were well educated, and several have engaged in the profession of teaching. Walter and Lewis are thus employed in Kansas, and Seth in his native State. Mary, the second daughter, is deceased.
OHN S. STEVENS, attorney-at-law, and at present senior member of the firm of Ste- vens & Horton, has for the past twenty-five years been a prominent member of the bar in Peoria. He has a fine literary and classical education, is entitled to write several initials after his name, and prior to his admission to the bar did some excellent work as a teacher. His character is a thoroughly honorable one. and for years he has been identified with church work. and manifested an interest in all that is for the good of the people. He has fairly earned the high reputation which has been bestowed upon him, and the sincere friendship of his many well-wishers.
The parents of our subject were Joshua and Abigail (Walker) Stevens, who lived in Bath, N. H .. where he was born, September 16, 1838. During his boyhood they removed to Hardwick, Vt .. which was his home until he reached man's estate. After pursuing his elementary studies he
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entered Dartmouth College, from which he was graduated with the degree of A. B. in the class of '62. The degree of M. A. was afterward conferred upon him by his Alma Mater. Ile came to Peoria in 1862, began teaching in the Peoria lligh School and reading law with Alexander McCoy. He was admitted to the bar in June, 1865, and at once formed a partnership with his former preceptor, which continued until Mr. McCoy went to Chicago, in 1871.
Mr. Stevens then formed a partnership with Judge McCulloch, the two practicing together until our subject was appointed Postmaster by President Grant. At the same time he had formed a legal connection with John S. Lee, which continued until the death of Mr. Lee in February, 1889. For four years previous to that date Mr. Horton had also been a member of the firm, and he and our subject have since continued the business. Mr. Stevens is now one of the four oldest attorneys in the city, and probably stands foremost in the sue- cess which has attended his labors. His whole time is given to the practice of his profession, and for the past fifteen years his business has largely been corporation work.
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