Portrait and biographical album of Warren County, Illinois : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 34

Author:
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 794

USA > Illinois > Warren County > Portrait and biographical album of Warren County, Illinois : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 34

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In 1853, in company with Gen. A. C. Harding and Judge Ivory Quinby, Mr. Hardin built the rail- road from Burlington to Knoxville, and, after com- pleting and operating it for about six months, they sold it to the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail- road Company. They took the contract originally to build and equip the road, that is, to make the bed, bridges, tie and iron it and to put in side-tracks, for $13,500 per mile. They carried out the contract, which seems a remarkably low figure, but the rail- road company failing to furnish the money to them as per estimates agreed upon, a second arrangement was entered into, by which the railroad company furnished the iron at the rate of $5,000 per mile, ex- cept the bottom division of seven and a half miles, which the contractors built at a cost of $18,400 per mile. Messrs. Hardin & Co .. knowing the route be- forehand that the road would take, purchased such tracts of land as were desirable for town sites, and thereby made considerable money by the laying out of towns and the sale of lots, and also on the land they owned lying adjacent to the town. They laid out the South Addition to the city of Monmouth, and were also the founders of the towns of Kirkwood and Riggsville. The above comprises the railroad

experience of Mr. Hardin, which important enter- prise gave to the county its first eastern and western outlet.

In 1860, Mr. Hardin and sons purchased a large hardware stock in Monmouth, and engaged in mer- chandising, which, under the firm style of C. Hardin & Sons, they conducted for seven years. After that Mr. Hardin established three banks, one at Dodge Center, one at Wasseca, Minn., in 1873, and the other at Eldora, Iowa, in 1877. The business of the banks was carried on by his sons and sons-in-law. Mr. Hardin has recently sold the bank at Dodge Center, and his sons have returned to this county to assist in looking after their father's interests. The other banks are managed by J. D. K. Smith and A. P. Jamison, his sons-in-law. Mr. Hardin was one of the organizers of the Monmouth National Bank, in 1870; was Vice-President and Director until the bank was sold to George F. Harding and others, in 1874. In January, 1875, Mr. H., with his brother Harry G., and others, organized the Second National Bank of Monmouth. With this bank he has since been identified as President and Director. Almost immediately upon its organization, the bank attained prominence in financial circles, which it has ever maintained. This is largely due to the liberal yet conservative manner in which its business is trans- acted.

In addition to his other large enterprises, Mr. Hardin has for many years carried on farming upon an extensive scale, and at this writing he farms over 2,000 acres in this county, besides 3,000 acres in Iowa and 3,000 acres in Minnesota. The principal part of his farming is devoted to stock raising and feeding. It may be here stated, however, that the foundation of his fortune was laid by judicious in- vestments in real estate. He has borne an honora- ble part in aiding to build up the city of Monmouth, and several handsome and substantial blocks owe their erection to his enterprise. Since the founda- tion of Monmouth College, he has been a member of the Board of Trustees, and has been actively and prominently identified with its success and growth.

Mr. Hardin was married in the city of Chicago, Aug. 27, 1840, to Miss Harriet A. Gordon, a native of Richfield Springs, Otsego Co., N. Y. She was a daughter of Samuel S. and Rebecca (Lee) Gordon. Her father was a native of Connecticut, where he was born Dec. 13, 1783. His grandparents, Alex-

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ander Gordon, and Jane, his wife, left Ireland and arrived in Boston, Mass .. in 1719. They subse- quently settled in the colony of Connecticut. They were both of Scotch-Irish parentage, and brought with them to this country five children. To them belong the credit of establishing that branch of the family in the United States and which has since be- come quite numerous. In religious belief, they were Presbyterians. The wife and mother, Jane Gordon, died May 14, 1774, and Alexander Gordon, the pioneer, died July 27, 1774, at the advanced age of 103 years, both of their deaths taking place at their home in Connecticut. One of the sons of Al- exander, John Gordon, was married to Janet Carr, March 30, 1732, and they had a family of four chil- dren, of whom Samuel S. was the second child. His father, John Gordon, died in 1797, and his widow survived until her 82d year.

Samuel S. Gordon, father of Mrs. Hardin, the wife of the subject of this notice, was by trade a clothier, and when he grew to manhood he moved to and settled in Otsego Co., N. Y. There he became acquainted with and married Rebecca Lee, their wedding taking place about 1807. She was of Eng- lish descent. Her parents were John and Anna Lee, and they were also residents in early life of Connecticut; afterwards removed to Otsego Co., N. Y., where Mrs. Gordon resided until her death, which took place about the year 1853. Mr. Gordon scbsequently came to this county and lived with Mr. and Mrs. Hardin, at whose home he died, Dec. 1, 1873, at the venerable age of 90 years. Two other children of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon had previously moved to this State,-John L. Gordon and N. Maria, wife of Brainard Root. They are dead and both buried at Monmouth. Mary Ann, the other child, died in Michigan, and is also buried at Monmouth. This branch of the Lee family first settled in East- ern New York, and subsequently removed to the western part of the same State. Mr. and Mrs. Gor- don had a family of eight children, three sons and five daughters, of whom Mrs. Hardin was the fifth child in order of birth, and the only children now living are Mrs. Hardin and a brother, Daniel B. Gordon, of Oswego, N. Y.

As the fruits of the above union, Mr. Hardin and wife had born to them six children. Arzelia, wife of A. P. Jamison, resident of Wasseca, Minn; Delavan S., who was married to Mary E. Parsons, a native of

Northamptonshire, England, and is residing in Mon- mouth; Nina is the wife of J. D. K. Smith, and their home is in Eldora, Iowa; Chancy Dewit married Clara V. Smith, of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa ; Jennie be- came the wife of Frank Brownell, and they reside in Granville, N. Y .; Dewane died in infancy. The two sons are managing Mr. H.'s farms in this county and are also partners with their father and sons-in- law in the banking business in Iowa and Minnesota, which is conducted under the name of C. Hardin & Sons.

Since 1840, Mr. Hardin and wife have been mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. During the late war, Mr. Hardin was a staunch Union man. His son Delavan S. was a soldier for about a year. Mr. Hardin's success in life may be attributed to his careful, conservative and methodical manner of do- ing things. His judgment on business and financial matters is regarded by his friends as being eminently sound, and he ranks as not only among the most prominent successful business men of Warren County, but also in this part of the State.

Perhaps the portrait of no other man in Warren County will be looked upon with more interest, or be more appropriate in this ALBUM, than that of Mr. Chancy Hardin, which the publishers take pleasure in giving in connection with this sketch.

illiam P. Jones, owner of 165 acres of ex- cellent farm land, on section 22, Swan Township, and one of the earliest pioneers of Warren County, was born in Kentucey, Nov. 11, 1810. He was a son of Elijah Jones, born in Old Virginia, who married Miss Sarah Hamrock, about the year 1801, the ceremony taking place in North Carolina. She was born in Virginia, in 1777, and of their union seven children were born : Susanna, born in 1802; Wyley, in 1804; Margaret, in 1809; William P., in 1810; Jessie, in 1812; John, in 1814; and Elizabeth, in 1816. Mrs. Jones, mother of our subject, died in Illinois, in 1857, the father in 1833, in Kentucky.

William P. Jones, of whom we write, was married in 1829, to Miss Adora Strode, who was born in

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1810, in Kentucky, the ceremony being performed by the Rev. [William Whitman. Of their union nine children have been born, namely: Mary A., born April 19, 1830; Sarah A., April 15, 1833 ; Cynthia A., Jan. 24, 1834 ; Elijah, Jan. 29, 1836; Elizabeth, Sept. ] 8, 1838; Catherina, Oct. 12, 1841 ; Angelina, Sept. 6, 1845 ; William, May 4, 1848; and Peter, Nov. 7, 1850. Only five of the children still sur- vive. Mrs. Jones, wife of our subject, died April 7, 1877.

William P. Jones came to Illinois in 1835, and first located in Greenbush Township. He is a thor- oughly informed, practical agriculturist, having pur- sued that avocation nearly all his life, and has been abundantly blessed with prosperity, which invariably is the reward of the industrious and intelligent tiller of the soil. In political opinion, Mr. Jones is a Democrat, having voted for " Hickory " Jackson. He is a member of the Baptist Church, of which denom- ination his wife was also a member. Mr. Jones is now living with one of his sons, Peter B., who mar- ried Miss Ellen Threlkeld, Feb. 6, 1878. They have become the parents of five children,-Mary Grace, Inez A., Glen A., Frank M. and Wilford.

avid Duffield, a successful farmer, owning a valuable farm, located on section 14, Berwick Township, was born Dec. 30, 1837, in McHenry County, this State. His father, Nathan Duffield, was a native of Vir- ginia, where he was born, in 1817. He was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth P. Duffield, a farmer's daughter, of Virginia, and in which State she was born, in 1820, and who bore him ten children, and departed this life in 1878. Their children were named David, Caroline, Jeru- sha, John, Thomas M., Martha, Charles, Nathan, Jane and Alice. The father died Dec. 9, 1885.

David Duffield, subject of this biographical notice, has passed the years of his life that are gone in ag- ricultural pursuits. He was reared on a farm and acquired an education in the common schools of his native State. Nov. 5, 1869, he was united in mar- riage with Miss Lydia A. Stafford, in Otsego Co., N.

Y. She was born July 13, 1844. Of their union three children have been born, namely : Lalla E., born June 14, 1872; Arlie S., born Nov. 26, 1875 ; and Cyrus A., born Sept. 26, 1881.

The parents of Mrs. Duffield, S. P. and Sarah (Smith) Stafford, were born in New York, in 1815 and 1818, respectively. They had five children,- Maria, born 1841; Lydia A., in 1844; Joseph, in 1847 ; Amanda, in 1853; and Sarah, in 1861. Mr. Duffield is at present pleasantly situated on 80 acres of good farm land, located on section 14, Berwick Township, which he owns, and is active engaged in his chosen vocation. He has been Township Col- lector for a number of years and School Director for quite a long time. Politically, he is a Jefferson- ian Democrat. Mrs. Duffield is a member of the Christian Church.

100 enry Charles Parsons, a former citizen of the township of Sumner, was born in Fletcher, Vt., in 1820, and was the son of Elder and Charlotte Parsons. In his early youth his mother was removed by death and he became an inmate of the household of a man named George Buck, with whom he passed the re- maining years of his minority. He was brought up with a thorough knowledge of farming, and received such education as the common schools of that day afforded.

The first prominent event of his adult life was his marriage to Abigail Buck, who became his wife Dec. 25, 1846. She was the daughter of Murray and Polly (Thorp) Buck and her parents were natives of the Green Mountain State. In the maternal line of descent she was of Connecticut origin. Before mar- riage Mr. Parsons had bought a small farm in Buck Hollow, in Franklin Co., Vt., which became the home of himself and his bride. After living on the place two years, the sold out and came to Warren County, arriving in 1848. Their route of travel was via Lake Champlain, Champlain Canal and Erie Canal to Buffalo, and thence by the lakes to Chicago. In that city Mr. Parsons bought a pair of horses and set forth for his point of destination. One of the horses sickened and died on the road. The father

LIPS?

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RESIDENCE OF A. J. RITCHEY , SEC. 2., SPRING GROVE TOWNSHIP.

RESIDENCE OF M. B. RAY, SEC., 26. LENOX TOWNSHIP.

RESIDENCE OF A. A. CHAPMAN, SEC., 35. SPRING GROVE TOWN SHIP,

WARREN COUNTY.

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traded the remaining animal for another span and successfully compled the journey. He located in Hale Township on the farm owned by Murray Buck. After two years he bought 160 acres of land on sec- tion 33, in the same township. At first he built a small frame house, of which his family took posses- sion, and then he turned his attention to the work of improving his land. Two years later the house was burned with all its contents. A good and substan- tial brick house replaced the primitive structure of the pioneer and was his home during the remaining years of his earthly course. He made subsequent purchases of land and at the time of his death was the owner of 240 acres, finely stocked and furnished with modern farming implements of the most ap- proved patterns. His demise took place Nov. 16, 1869. He was a Republican and a practical tem- perance man. Six of the children of which he and his wife became the parents are living. Wealthy is married to Marion Harrison of Sumner Township. Mary is the wife of William Morrison. They settled at Atlantic, Iowa. Horace resides on the homestead. Henry and Grant are also residents thereon. Pearl is the youngest.

lexander A. Chapman, a farmer on sec- tion 35, in the township of Spring Grove, like so many of the first settlers in this part of the United States, is the descendant of a family of New England origin. Ashbel Chap- man, his grandfather, was born in the section of this country first settled in the days of the Pil- grims, and removed thence to Cayuga Co., N. Y., in the beginning of the present century. At that period the Empire State was in its infancy, the greater por- tion of it still covered with the primeval forest. The tract on which the elder Chapman located was in the same condition as when his ancestors landed upon the bleak Massachusetts coast nearly two centuries below. He went sturdily at the work of clearing the the wilderness, and in due time had reclaimed a suf- ficient spot of ground and erected the first homestead. The, then, nearest point was the Mohawk River, some 150 miles distant. With the breaking out of the dif- ficulties engendered by the second struggle between

this country and England, our pioneer turned from his axe and plow to assist in the settlement of his rights and to aid in the defense of what had been secured by his forefathers. He continued to reside in New York till about 1836, when he removed to Ohio, locating in Summit County, where he passed to his rest at the ripe age of 80 years.

Orson C. Chapman, his son, married Rebecca Gifford, a native of the State of New York. He was born Feb. 26, 1801, previous to the removal of the family to Cayuga County. After marriage he oper- ated there as a business man until 1834, when he removed thence to Oswego County, in the same State, where he passed about ten years, and remov- ing later to Ohio, where he settled in the same por- tion of the State first chosen by his father, viz. ; Sun- mit County. After continuing there six years he returned to Oswego. In 1866 he made another transfer of his home and interests to Noble Co., Ind., where his demise took place in 1871. His wife, the mother of the subject of this biography, still survives him. They were the parents of 12 children. 1

Alexander A. Chapman is the fourth child of his parents and was born in the town of Sennett, in Cayuga Co., N. Y., Oct. 19, 1833. In 1856 he sev- ered his connections with the parental home and came to Warren County. He obtained employment as a farm hand and continued to work out until he finally chose a partner for life. His marriage to Ann M. Buck occurred Dec. 15, 1858. The parents of his wife, Norman and Maria Buck, were natives of Vermont, who had become settlers in this county in 1848. Mrs. Chapman was born in Loraine Co,, Ohio, Nov. 5, 1834. After his union he settled in Spring Grove Township, on the farm on which he has ever since made his home. This property for- merly belonged to the father of Mrs, Chapman and then contained only 80 acres improved land, 60 acres of which was under cultivation. There was then only a small frame house on the place. The whole tract of 320 acres owned by Mr. Chapman in- cludes the east half of the southeast part of section 35, and the west half of the southwest quarter of section 36. The place is improved with handsome, modern buildings, and with a fine lawn. A good idea of the homestead will be obtained from the accom- panying illustration. It is justly considered one of the most attractive homes in the county.

The children of the household are three in num-

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ber, two sons and one daughter. Norman Ward, the eldest, is a civil engineer, now pursuing his profes- sion in Nebraska. Isa and Frank reside at home, where they are receiving the benefits of a thorough education. In politics. the representative man, whose career we have outlined, is a staunch supporter of the principles of the Republican party, to which he has adhered since its organization.

r. M. B. Ray, one of the large land- owners of Lenox Township, a gentleman of more than ordinary executive ability and a successful farmer, residing on section 26, Lenox Township, is the son of Garland and Sarah (Lee) Ray, natives of Kentucky.

His parents came to this county in 1835, and will consequently take rank among its pioneer settlers. They located in Roseville Township, where they continued to reside for about a year, when they re- moved to Lenox Township, where they lived until their death, the decease of Mr. Ray's mother taking place Feb. 24, 1868, and that of his father April 12, 1881. Their children were ten in number, namely : Amelia A., Harriet E., Henrietta M., James W., M. B., Eletha, Clarinda J., Julia A., Susan A. and Nancy Elizabeth.

The gentleman whose name stands at the head of this notice was born in Edmonson Co., Ky., Feb. 6, 1828, and had reached the age of nine years when he came with his parents to this county, where he has continued to reside until the present time. Mr. Ray may be said to have followed the vocation of an agriculturist from childhood, as he was brought up to that occupation and has made it the pursuit of his life. He is at present the owner of over 1,200 acres in this county, all of which, with the exception of 30 acres of timberland, is under an advanced state of cultivation, and with the exception of 210 acres in Roseville Township is all situated in Lenox Town- ship. He keeps upon his home farm, which com- prises 500 acres, about 100 head of cattle, 20 head of horses and colts, and fattens about roo head of hogs annually. What of this world's goods he may

possess, and the same, as will be readily seen is not small, has been accumulated through his own in- domitable energy, pluck and good judgment.

The marriage of Mr. Ray, which occurred in Lenox Township, Seyt. 5, 1850, when Miss Nancy C. Ray became his wife, has been blessed by the birth of ten children. Mrs. Ray is the daughter of John and Sarah Ray, natives of Kentucky. Their children are Richard H., Emeline, Laura J., Letitia, John L., Theodosia, Mary, Hiram, Hattie and Mar- tha. Martha is deceased; Richard resides in Lenox Township; Emeline is the wife of Tilford Rice and resides in Lenox Township; Laura J. married John Chapman, who resides in Iowa; Letitia became the wife of William Ken, also a resident of Iowa; John L. lives in Lenox Township; Theodosia married William Parrish, also a resident of Lenox Township; Mary was united in marriage with Theo. C. Alexan- der, who is a farmer in Lenox Township; Hiram is also residing in Lenox Township; Hattie became the wife of Martin Landon, who is a farmer in Ber-" wick Township.

Mr. Ray has held the office of Highway Commis- 1 sioner and Overseer of Highways. In politics, he casts his vote with the Democratic party. Himself and wife both belong to the Missionary Baptist Church.

We present a fine view of Mr. Ray's substantial homestead on page 368.

rlando Randall, a successful farmer and highly respected citizen of Warren County, owning 330 acres of land in Tompkins Township, and residing on section 16, is a na- tive of Chenango Co., N. Y., where he was born Jan. 28, 1827. The parents of Mr. Ran- dall-Roswell and Charlotte (Page) Randall, were natives of New Hampshire and Vermont respect- ively. After marriage, in 1849, they emigrated to this county, where the father became a citizen of Tompkins Township, locating on section 16, where he purchased 160 acres of land. The parents con- tinued to reside on their land in Tompkins Town- ship for 16 years, during which time the father was

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WARREN COUNTY.

laboriously engaged in its cultivation. At the ex- piration of that time, he, with his family moved into the village of Kirkwood, and there resided until the death of both heads of the household, which oc- curred in 1878 and 1879 respectively.

The gentleman whose name we place at the be- ginning of this biographical sketch, was an inmate of the parental household, until he became 28 years of age. He then, in 1856, purchased 80 acres of land on section 21, Tompkins Township, which, by subse- quent purchases, he increased to 330 acres of as good farm land as there is in the county. He is ac- tively engaged in the cultivation and improvement of his farm and is meeting with well merited success.

In 1855, Mr. Randall was united in marriage with Miss Melissa Hall, a native of Oneida Co., N. Y., and a daughter of Oliver and Rachel (Underhill) Hall. They have six children living, named Edgar H., Charles M., Allen C., Deliah R., Charlotte D., and Frank P. In politics, Mr. Randall votes with the Republican party. What of this world's goods he may possess, has been acquired through his own indomitable energy, perseverance and good judg- ment, coupled with the active co-operation of his good helpmeet, and is regarded he as one of the most substantial farmers of Tompkins Township.

B urton Godfrey, Road Commissioner, farm- er and stock-raiser, residing on section 27, Ellison Township, was born in Ross Co., Ohio, June 28, 1822. The father of Mr. Godfrey, Elisha Godfrey, was a native of Maryland, of New England parentage, and came to Ohio with his father and mother when a young man. The mother of Elisha died in Warren Co Ill., and his father in Ohio. Elisha married Miss Dorcas Hill, a native of Virginia. She came to Ohio with her parents when quite young and they both died in Ross County that State.,

The gentleman whose sketch we write, resided with his parents until his marriage, receiving the ad- vantages afforded by the common schools, and as- sisting in the maintenance of the family, by labor on the farm. His parents came to this State in 1857.

Burton Godfrey had preceded them, having arrived here in 1856, and settled in Ellison Township. His parents settled in Ellison, but after witnessing the ter- rible hurricane that passed through that village in the spring of 1858, returned to Ohio, where they resided five years and again returned to this county, where the father died in 1873, of heart disease. His wife, Burton's mother, soon afterward returned to Ohio, where, in 1881, she died.

Burton Godfrey is the second in order of birth of Il children. He lived with his parents in Ross Co., Ohio, until his marriage with Rebecca J. Penwell. She was born in the county where she was married, and was the daughter of an Ohio farmer. Their married life lasted for five years only, when the wife and mother died, leaving two children- Joseph M. and Mrs. Sarah Lozier. Mr. Godfrey was a second time married, in Pickaway Co., Ohio, April Ir, 1853, when Mrs. Sarah A. Graham, nee Grimes, became his wife. She was a daughter of Benjamin and Ruth (Chenoweth) Grimes, natives of Virginia and Ohio respectively, who were married in the latter State and where they both died. They were well-to-do people, loving and kind parents, obliging neighbors and respected by all who knew them. Mrs. Godfrey was the second in order of birth of a family of five children, born of the second marriage of her father, he having been married four times. The date of her birth was Aug. 16, 1824, and the place of her nativity Ross Co., Ohio. Slie was about ten years of age when her mother died, and afterward lived with her father and step-mother until her marriage to John W. Graham, a native of Pickaway Co .. Ohio, and a farmer by occupation. He died in that county June 14, 1847, leaving two children, Charles W. and Benjamin F., both of whom are married and engaged in farming-the former in Ellison Township and the latter in Iowa.

After the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey, they lived on a farm in Ohio from 1853 until 1856. On coming to this State Mr. Godfrey purchased 80 acres of land in this county on section 27, Ellison Town- ship, on which he located and where he has since lived. By energetic labor and economy he has added 240 acres to his original purchase, and is at present the proprietor of 320 acres of excellent farm land, under an advanced state of cultivation and ten acres of timber.

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Portrait and biographical album of Warren County, Illinois : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 34

Author: Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros. Number of Pages: 794

Author:
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 794