Portrait and biographical album of Warren County, Illinois : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 39

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 39


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As already stated, William Edwards was a young man of not 20 years of age when he bid adieu to the shores of his native Isle, to seek a new home in America. He found a location in Ohio, where he re- mained for about two years, when, in August, 1852, he came West to the fertile prairies of the Military Tract, which were being then opened up by the Peoria & Oquawka, the Northern Cross and the Mili- tary Tract Railways. He found a desirable location in Warren County, where he has since been a resi- dent. He is the owner of 240 acres of well improved land, on sections 34 and 35, of Hale Township.


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WARREN COUNTY.


Upon this he erected a fine set of farm buildings and entered vigorously and energetically upon the task of its cultivation and improvement, until at present it presents the appearance of thrift and energy. A view of the residence and farm buildings of the homestead, are represented in the pictorial depart- ment of this work on page 404.


Mr. E. generally votes the Republican ticket, and with his sister, advocates the doctrines of the Church of England.


gr. J. Lee, one of the well-known and suc- cessful physicians of Roseville village, Warren County, this State, is a native of Kentucky, where he was born in the year 1818, and is a son of Stephen and Elizabeth (McDonald) Lee, natives respectively of East Tennessee and Virginia. The Lee family of this sketch are of the same family of whom Gen. Robert Lee, the famous General in the late Confederacy was a member. They trace their ancestry back to the tinie of Charles II., of England, one of whom married a daughter of that monarch. They came to Virginia at an early day and their descendants composed many men of note and prominence in the history of that State, and the father of the Doctor was a full cousin of Gen. Robert E. Lee.


The parents of Dr. Lee came to Illinois in 1827 and located in Morgan County, where they bought a considerable body of land and remained in the State of Illinois until their death. At that time no settlers had ventured farther north than Morgan County, and even in that section there were but a few fami- lies. Many of the pioneers, who finally located in Northern Illinois, stopped for a year or two in Mor- gan County, as a few men, like the elder Lee, had moved there at a very early day and had raised crops and thus made provisions for the incoming pioneer. Stephen Lee had a family of six children, as follows: Thomas, Joseph, Nancy, Stephen, Wil- liam and John.


The Doctor is the second son of the family, and spent the first 25 years of his life under the protec- tion of his parents He attended the customary


common district schools, where he received a fair. education, and at the age of 16 years, while engaged in farming, he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Charles Chandler, of Cass Co. He also read with Dr. Schooley, of the same county. He finally became a faithful student of Rush Medical College, Chicago. He was in the drug business several years at Virginia, Ill., and since 1864 has been in active practice at Roseville. He is thus one of the oldest physicians in the place and has as his associate coun- sel, Drs. Webster and Crawford, of Monmouth.


Politically, the Doctor is identified with the Re- publican party and religiously he and his wife are members of the Congregational Church. He has been quite successful both in his practice and in his ac- cumulaations and to-day owns a good farm of 160 acres near Hancock Station, Pottawatamie Co., Iowa, and has a fine residence, with office attached, at Roseville.


His first marriage was with Miss Sarah Eliza Campbell, a daughter of Judge P. W. Campbell of Mason County, this State, on April 11, 1842, her 19th birthday. She died Feb. 10, 1845, leaving two sons, Stephen W. and Joseph N. Stephen W., was a student and graduate of Rush Medical College; practiced medicine in Chicago abont 14 years ; died* Feb. 22, 1880, of an injury received while in the army, aged 36 years. He was a soldier in the Sec- ond Ill. Cav. Joseph N. Lee is farming in Wash- ington Territory at present, and has been in the territory for the past five years.


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The Doctor was married to Miss Minerva Gord- ley, his present wife, in March, 1858.


ohn Edward Paine is the Supervisor of Sumner Township, in the current year (1885). He is a member of the agricultu- ral class of Warren County, and is located on section 27. He was born in Lake Co., Ohio, Oct. 2, 1834. Heis the son of Charles Henry Paine, who was born in Cayuga Co., N. Y., Feb. 13, 1788, and was a soldier in the war of 1812. The latter is the son of Gen. Edward Paine, who was a settler in Ohio when it was still a territory. He


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.owned the site of the city of Painesville, which per- petuates his name. He purchased a considerable tract of land when he located in what was Lake County, after the municipal divisions had been made. He improved a farm, on which he lived until his death, at the age of 96. He was a Captain in the Revolutionary War, under immediate command of Gen. Washington. After the war he was commis- * sioned General of the State Militia in Ohio. His son, the father of Mr. Paine, of this account, was reared in Lake and married in Portage Co., Ohio. Parthenia Mason became his wife May 19, 1817. She was born Sept. 7, 1798, in Connecticut. She was aunt to the wife of the lamented President Garfield, consequently Mrs. Garfield and Mr. Paine are first cousins. Mr. Garfield and his wife were at Mrs. Paine's residence visiting. He arrived there several days before the memorable battle of Bull Run. Upon receiving the news of the battle, his feelings were so worked up he could not continue his visit any longer; so Mr. Paine took him with a team to Monmouth, in order to catch the first train to take him to Ohio. As soon as he could make the neces- sary arrangements, he then enlisted.


After their marriage, John Edward Paine and his wife reu oved to Portage County, in the Buckeye State, and located on a timber tract, where the pro- prietor improved a farm. After a term of years they returned to Lake County, where they continued to reside until 1835. They removed in that year to In- diana, where they passed a year, in Porter County. In 1836 they came to Warren County. The family at the time included five children. The trip hither was made by the conveyance commonly used by the emigrants of that period and their method of manage- ment was also the same, and consisted of domestic ar- rangements of about the same character as they were accustomed to at home, with the different surround- ings of a house and home on wheels and the lack of locality, as every morning, noon and night found them in a new place. It should have been stated that Mr. Paine had inade the selection of his loca- tion on a previous visit to the county, and after tak- ing possession he resided there until his death. A log cabin,' belonging to Mr. Rockwell (see sketch), stood adjacent, and Mr. Paine rented it for the shel- ter of his family through the first winter after their arrival. During the winter season, Mr. Paine made haste to build his own house, which was of hewn


logs. It was double, and well adapted to the comfort of the household of that period. He made the first im- provement on the place in the spring of 1837. After getting settled, he gave his undivided attention to the work of improvement, and soon put his entire acre- age in valuable condition. His life continued until Warren County was in a well developed and prosper- ous condition. His death transpired April 5, 1859. His wife died Jan. 27, 1877. Following is the brief history of their children : Emmeline died at the age of three years; Amanda lives at Monmouth and is the wife of R. A. Gibson; Emily became the wife of Nathaniel Brownlee, and is his survivor; Lucretia married F. H. Merrill, and they live in Fulton Co .; Charles H. is a resident of Washington Territory ; the subscriber is the next in order of birth; Eliza Arabella is married to C. M. Rogers, of Hale Town- ship.


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Mr. Paine arrived in Warren County on his sec- ond birthday. After attending the common schools until he had somewhat advanced toward the period of his youth, he passed one winter attending school at Galesburg. July 26, 1862, he enlisted in Co., B, 83d Ill. Vol. Inf., and remained in the military ser- vice until the war closed. ' His command was sta- tioned for a long time at Fort Donelson, and while there on duty repulsed an attack from a force of Rebels of greatly surpassing numbers. Mr. Paine received an honorable discharge with the regiment in June, 1865. He returned to the homestead of his parents, which is his property, and on which he has since resided. The farm of which he is the owner contains 630 acres. It is under excellent improve- ments and is exceptional in the manner in which it is watered. 'Two never-failing streams flow through it, and it is also well supplied with a growth of natu- ral timber. The latter is situated on the banks of Cedar Creek. The farm residence is of brick and the other buildings are frame structures.


Ann E. Turnbull became the wife of Mr. Paine May 17, 1860. She is the daughter of David and Nan- cy (Mitchel) Turnbull. Her birth took place March 13, 1835, in Warren County. Nine of their children are living-Olive P., John M., Mary E. (who is the wife of Delavan Frantz, a citizen of Monmouth), Wil- liam T., Nancy M., Charles H., Anna Belle, Freder- ick C., Frank M. £ David, the seventh child, was born June 22, 1871, and died Oct. 14, 1875. Mr. Paine is an Elder in the United Presbyterian Church.


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UNIVERSI."


A.g. Rockwell


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WARREN COUNTY.


His wife is a member of the same denomination. Politically, Mr. Paine is a believer in the principles of the Republican party.


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acob Baldwin, who, in his 78th year, is passing the evening of his life' in quiet re- tirement on his little farm of 83 acres, on section 17, Tompkins Township, is a native of York State, having been born in Fishkill, on the Hudson, Dutchess Co., N. Y., Dec. 25, 1807, and was consequently a Christmas gift to his parents, Elisha and Jemima (Ryder) Baldwin, natives of that State.


Jacob Baldwin, the gentleman whose name ap- pears at the head of this biographical notice, remain- ed with his parents until three years after he had attained his majority, in the meantime attending the common schools and assisting his father in the labors on the farm. Arriving at the age named, he bid adieu to his father and mother, and went forth into the cold and unfriendly world to do for himself. He purchased land and for five years followed the call- ing of a farmer, when he sold this place and pur- chased another farm of 200 acres, in Cayuga County, his native State, on which he located and for 18 years was actively and laboriously occupied in its cultivation and improvement. He then sold his landed interests in York State and in 1858 came to . this State, and for two years followed. his chosen av- _ ocation, on rented land, in Tompkins Township, this county. At the expiration of this time he bought 83 acres on section 17, where he is living to day, retired from the active labors of a vocation he has followed more or less all his life.


On the 10th day of January, 1833, Mr. Baldwin was married to the lady of his choice, Miss Abigail Brigg, a native of York State and a daughter of Elias and Catherine (Campbell) Brigg, natives of Dutchess County, N. Y., where her father followed agricul- tural pursuits. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Bald- win, 13 children have been born, whose names are, Elias B., Elisha J., Philetus R., Charlotte J., Frances J., Oscar, Charles H., Nora A., George W., Hattie M. and Elmer R. Daniel P., the sixth child in or-


der of birth, was a veteran in the late war, and was shot on the breast-works at Resaca, from which wound he died. Nine of the children named are married and Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin have 26 grand- children and one great grandchild.


Mr. Baldwin, in politics, is a Greenbacker. He is one of the leading citizens of his township and is re- spected for his straightforward, manly dealings with his fellow men. His wife has been a consistent member of the Baptist Church for 40 years. Sarah M. Baldwin, the seventh child in order of birth of the children of Mr. and Mrs. B., died at the age of one year and six months. Of their children, three boys were soldiers in the war for the Union and in fighting for which, as we have already stated, one gave up his life.


lbert J. Rockwell, deceased, was the son of one of the earliest pioneers of the town- ship of Sumner, and passed the remainder of his life, after the removal of his parents to Warren County, in that township. He was prominent in his business relations, combining the vocations of merchant and farmer, the latter oc- cupying the greater portion of his life.


He was born in Ashtabula Co., Ohio, Jan. 16, 1823, and the eldest child of his parents, his father being the lineal descendant of a Rockwell who came to this country in 1630. The subject of this notice was nine years of age when he came to Warren County. (An account of the lives of the parents is presented in connection with the personal narration of Mr. A. H. Rockwell, to be found on another page of this work.) Our subject was a pupil in the com- mon schools of Ohio while his family were there res- ident, and when a High School was established in Hendersonville, Knox Co., Ill., he attended it ar.d thus acquired a good and thorough education. His father was engaged in a multitude of business rela- tions, and the son early developed unusual ability as a book-keeper and clerk in the store. In 1855 he opened a store on his own account at Denny, and was extensively engaged in business pursuits until 1865. Himself and his brother bought the family


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homestead, which they divided not long after their purchase. Retiring at this period from mercantile life, he devoted his attention to farming exclusively for the remainder of his days. His death occurred July 22, 1882. His remains rest in the old Rock- well burying ground situated on the homestead re- purchased by himself and brother. At the time of his death he was the proprietor of a farm of 200 acres.


Politically, Mr. Rockwell was a Democrat. He was connected by membership with no religious de- nomination, but was a regular attendant on the ser- vices of the Church to which his wife belonged. Always prominent in his interest and connection . . with whatever seemed to promise good to the com- munity, he entered heartily into the prosecution of all such enterprises. The deceased took a great interest in the projected railroad through Sumner Township, and lost heavily in his investment in a scheme which unfortunately proved unavailable.


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· Mr. Rockwell was married twice. His first wife, nee Mary J. Craig, was born in Ohio, and died Jan. 28, 1848. Their only child died in infancy. He was again married to Helen M. Burnett, Feb. 12, 1856. She was born in Washington Co., N. Y., May 23, 1833, and is the daughter of John and Lucina (Tefft) Burnett. They were natives of Ver- mont and New York respectively. The grandfather of Mrs. Rockwell, on the father's side, was a native of Scotland, and born about the year 1770. He emigrated to this country about 1788, and settled in Bennington Co., Vt. When the father of Mrs. Rockwell was six years of age, the family moved to Washington Co., N. Y. Mrs. Rockwell's grand- mother on her mother's side was of English origin. Her parents, on coming to this country, settled in Connecticut, whence they also afterward emigrated to Washington Co., N. Y., where the mother of Mrs. Rockwell was born in 1802. The father of Mrs. Rockwell was known among his large circle of ac- quaintances as Capt. John Burnett, which title he acquired in the early times when " general training- day " was an institution.


Six of the children who constitute the issue of Mr. Rockwell's second marriage are living. Fannie F. is the wife of John Whitman, who is settled in Page Co., Iowa, where he is a school-teacher. The other children are John, James, Albert, Archie and Ada G,, and reside at home.


Mrs. Rockwell is a member of the United Presby - terian Church. She is a resident on the homestead. The many friends of her late husband will be pleased to find, on another page, an excellent portrait of the deceased.


ohn Rogers is one of the farmers of War- ren County who, from a small beginning, has made a competency by the application of the industry and perseverance which is his heritage as a foreigner and one who is born into the world with a proclivity to make the most of such resources as fall to the common lot of mankind.


He is a resident on section 2, Spring Grove Town- ship, and is the owner of a fine farm of 200 acres .. He was born June 24, 1825, in the County Roscom- mon, Ireland. His mother, Catherine, died when he was 17 years of age, and in the succeeding year his father, Michael, married again. When he was [8] years old he went to Yorkshire, England, and was there employed as a farm hand until 1850, when he] came to America. In November of that year he sailed from the port of Liverpool for the United States. The vessel was wrecked and was driven to the Bermudas. Mr: Rogers finally reached New York, after a passage of 13 weeks and three days. The severity of the weather and the exposure of the passengers on the wreck caused the death of many, but his good health and powers of endurance ena- bled him to survive all, and he landed in a compara- tively uninjured condition. He went to Orange Co., New York, where he had an older brother, who was the only member of his family, besides himself, who came to the United States. He remained there until 1855, when he came to Keithsburg, Ill., where he had some friends, and was there employed in a ware- house for William Gale. He came thence to Warren County, in , 1858, where he located on the farm on which he has continued to reside ever since. He had bought 160 acres of land in Mercer County, and paid for it, but, as it subsequently appeared, the party had no legal power to sell it, and in conse- quence Mr. Rogers lost both his money and land.


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He, therefore, had to start anew again. In 1851 he came here, and has been 35 years in the West. Po- litically, he has always been a Democrat and has steadily voted for that party. He is engaged in raising Short-horn stock, and is an accomplished leader in that line of cattle. Before he came to Spring Grove Township, he had bought 60 acres of land, of which 30 acres were under the plow at the time of his purchase. His success has enabled him to make further purchases, until he is now the owner of a good farm, as mentioned above. He has also become the owner of 200 acres, situated seven miles west of the place on which he lives, and parts of which lie respectively in Warren and in Mercer Counties.


The marriage of Mr. Rogers to Mary Murphy took place Dec. 26, 1853. She was born in Ireland. She _was living in Orange County, New York, at the time of her marriage. To them have been born six chil- dren. Charles is the leading merchant in Little York, Warren County, and is represented by a sketch on another page. He married Maggie McNamara, and they have two children. William resides in Sumner Township, and is a farmer. He married Miss Hannah McNamara. John is a partner in the store with his brother at Little York. Kate is the wife of Bartholomew McNamara, of Sumner Town- ship; they have two children. Mary and Ann are. the names of the two unmarried children.


ames Simmons, a goodly land owner in Greenbush Township, residing upon sec- tion 2, was born in Warren County, Ky., Aug. 10, 1809. He is a son of William Sim- mons, a native of Virginia, who was born in 1775, and who died in 1865, at the venerable age of 90 years. The father was united in marriage with Miss Esther Stice, in 1798. She was born in 1779, in South Carolina, and died in 1855. Their union was blessed with the birth of 13 children, who were named Peter, Martin, Betsey, James, Charles, Sarah, Lucinda, John, Roley, Susan, Herbert, Nancy and William.


James Simmons formed a matrimonial alliance


with Miss Melinda Jennings, Dec. 9, 1838. She was born in 1819, in Indiana, and has borne her husband ten children-Elizabeth, born in 1842 ; Sarah E., in 1844; Samantha J., in 1846; Nancy M., in 1848; William E., in 1851, and died May 12, 1884; Eliza E., born in 1855; Thomas J., in 1857; Ida M., in 1860; James E., in 1863. Mr. Simmons, of this no- tice, when quite young, moved with his parents to Howard County, Mo., where, after a residence of one year, he removed to Boone County, that State. After living there about eight years, his father moved. to this State, and located near Jacksonville. From that point he subsequently moved to Iowa, where he died in the year stated. Mr. Simmons is the proprietor of 373 acres of land, located on section 2, Greenbush Township, and where he resides, passing the sunset of his life in the occupation which he has followed so many years, but from the active labors of which he is retired.


Caldwell Lind, M. D., physician and sur- geon at Monmouth, is of German extrac- tion, and was born at Millersburg, Ohio, Dec. 16, 1849. His parents were natives of Pennsylvania and were married in Ohio, rear- ing five sons and three daughters. Two of the sons are physicians, one a jeweler, one a farmer, and ore is Supreme Recorder of the order of Chosen Friends, Indianapolis, Ind. Mrs. Linn, the mother, died in 1885, aged 68 years. The senior Mr. Linn is a farmer at or near Paint Valley, Ohio.


E. Caldwell Linn was reared upon a farm, alter- nating the seasons at farm labor and attendance at the comnion schools. At the age of 20 years he en- tered the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio; graduated in 1874, read medicine a while with Dr. W. S. Battles, of Shreve, Ohio, took a course of study and lectures at the Cincinnati (Ohio) College of Physicians and Surgeons, and finally, after one of the most thorough courses of preparatory study, graduated in the spring of 1878 from the Keokuk College of Physicians and Surgeons, as M. D.


He commenced practice at Hamilton, Ill., immedi- ately after leaving college, and at the end of a year, removed to Bowen, the same State, where he re-


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WARREN COUNTY.


mained two years. . From Bowen he returned to Hamilton, and was there connected with the River- side Infirmary as consulting physician for about a year, coming thence to Monmouth, in the autumn of 1881. Thoroughly conversant with the current liter- ature of his profession, experienced in therapeutics, conscientious in his practice, Dr. Linn merits and enjoys the full confidence of his patrons, who are numbered among the intelligent people of Warren Co. He is prominently identified with the various medi- cal associations, local and general, and without osten- tatious parade keeps himself abreast with the best of them.


The Doctor was married at Shreve, Ohio, Oct. 12, 1881, to Miss Louisa Seeberger, the accomplished daughter of A. A. Seeberger, Esq., now of Mon- mouth. Dr. Linn is the architect of his own fortune. The recipient of no gratuity, what he is, he has made himself; what he has, he has earned. Dr. Linn is a member and Elder of the United Presby- terian Church.


ohn Kelsey, residing on a good farm located on section 9, Swan Township, of which he is the owner, was born in War- ren Co., Ill., Jan. 3, 1840, and is the son of James Kelsey, a native of Kentucky, where he was born in 1806. The father came to Illi- nois in 1834, and first located in Sangamon County. He came to this county in 1836, and died here Aug. 29, 1844. Before coming to Warren County, the father of John Kelsey was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Vandeveer, in 1835. She was born in Indiana in 1815, and died in this county, Aug. 29, 1872. They were the parents of five children --- Mary J, Margaret Ann., John, William H. and Samuel, all of whom are living.


and died March 22, 1871; Mary, born March 6, 1872; Hershell, born Aug. 15, 1874, and died Nov. 15, 1876, and Nettie, born Jan. 27, 1878. The pa- rents of Mrs. Kelsey were William H. H. and Sarah (Hamilton) Day. Her father was born in Indiana, in 1817, and died one year after coming to this State, in 1853. He was married in 1837, and his wife was born in Indiana, in 1818, and died in this State, in 1876. The death of the former was caused by a cancer on the breast and he died after an illness of about one year. Their children were five in num -. ber-Amanda, Warren, Emily, Harriet and Mary F., all of whom are living and well-to-do in life.


.Mr. Kelsey, of this notice, has 140 acres of land under an advanced state of cultivation, located on sections 9 and 10, Swan Township, where he resides and is engaged in agricultural pursuits. In addition to the cultivation of his land, he is devoting consid- erable of his time and means to the raising of high grades of Short-horns, and his horses are from one- half to seven-eighths Norman. Mr. Kelsey is a mem- ber of the Baptist Church, and extremely liberal in his religious opinions, although a firm believer in the immortality of the soul. He is a just man, a kind father, a generous neighbor, and always willing to f aid in any enterprise that is calculated to benefit his fellow men or the community in which he lives. In politics, he is a believer in and supporter of the prin- ciples advocated by the Democratic party.




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