Portrait and biographical album of Warren County, Illinois : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 46

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 46

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WARREN COUNTY.

stock. He was the occupant of the farm in North Henderson Township until 1879, when he sold out and came to Alexis. He bought a suitable residence, which has since been his abode. It is located in that part of Alexis which is situated in Suez Town- ship, Mercer Co. Mr. Bruington is still the proprie- tor of 390 acres in North Henderson Township and also of 50 acres in Kelly Township, in Warren County. His acreage is all in first-class condition for farming, and he rents a part of the land; the re- mainder is stocked and continues under his manage- ment. He belongs to the I. O. O. F., Alexis Lodge, No. 526. He and his wife are members of the Pres- byterian Church.

His marriage to Nannie Johnston occurred July 13, 1872. Mrs. Bruington was born in Breckenridge Co., Ky., March 30, 1854, and is the daughter of P. W: and Martha (Hayes) Johnston. Her parents were natives of Virginia. On the paternal side she is of English origin. The grandfather came to this country at an early day and settled in Virginia. On the maternal side she comes from old Virginia stock. Blanche and Walter are the names of the children that have been born of her marriage to Mr. Bruing- ton. Blanche was born July 22, 1872; Walter was born Aug. 30, 1878.

illiam E. Porter, a member of that well known and highly respected pioneer tam- ily of which Joshua Porter was the head. was born Sept. 16, 1839, and is the third child of Joshua and Mary (Tinkham) Porter, of whoin a sketch is given elsewhere in this volume. William F. was born in what is now Spring Grove Township, where his parents had located as early as 1835. They came from New York, but were both natives of Vermont. They were of the agri- cultural class and were highly esteemed residents of Spring Grove Township until their deaths.

William E. received his early education in the dis- trict schools of the locality where his parents resided. When not attending school, his boyhood days were spent in assisting his father in his farm work. He first set out in life on his own account upon arriving at the age of 21. His father then gave him a farm

of 80 acres. He subsequently inherited 40 acres more. He now has a well improved farm of 128 acres, which is one among the best farms in Spring Grove Township.

Upon the 21st of July; 1867, Mr. Porter was mar- ried to Martha E., daughter of Paul and Maria Hahn. They were residents of Knox County, Ill., where Mrs. Porter was born. Her father was of German parentage and her mother a native of Ken- tucky. As the fruits of their union, Mr. Porter and wife had born to them three daughters-Altha May, Edna L. and Kate E. Mrs. Porter died at her res- idence, May 13, 1874. In politics, Mr. Porter has always been a believer in and supporter of the prin- ciples promulgated by the Democratic party.

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ohn Hodgson, one of the prominent young business men of Warren County, carrying on the trade of a merchant in Larchland, is a son of George and Margaret (McKinn) Hodg- son, natives respectively of England and Scot- land. They settled in the latter country, where they died. Their family consisted of eight children, John, our subject, being the sixth in order of birth.

John Hodgson was born in Scotland, on the 21st of June, 1843, and when about 14 years of age came to Canada and there remained about two months. He next came to Buffalo, N. Y., and a year later to Henderson County, this State, remaining in the latter place until his enlistment in the army, which occurred in September, 1861, in Co. K, 36th Ill. Vol. Inf. He served three years without receiving any serious in- juries. Upon his return from the war he located in Warren County and immediately engaged in agricul- tural pursuits, which he continued for about eight years, when he bought out the stock of general merch indise where he is at present located, in com- pany with John M. Young, the latter gentleman sell- ing out his interest in 1877; and Mr. Hodgson at present conducts the entire business. He has an excellent trade and it is constantly increasing. Mr. H. has been Postmaster of Larchland for nearly II years.

His first marriage was celebrated on the 24th of December, 1865, in Monmouth, the other contract-

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WARREN COUNTY.

ing party being Mary F. Stormont. They became the parents of one child, who died in infancy, and Mrs. Hodgson's demise occurred near Kirkwood about ten months after her marriage. Mr. Hodgson was again married Sept 5, 1872, near Kirkwood, to Ella S. Moore, who was born in Warren County, Dec. 23, 1845. Of the latter union nine children have been born-Robert R., Horace J., Margie M., Ada M., Minnie E., John, Willie, George and one who died in infancy. Mr. H. has been Township Clerk, Justice of the Peace and held other minor offices within the gift of the people of the community in which he resides. Himself and wife are members of the Methodist Protestant Church, and politically Mr. H. affiliates with the Prohibition party.

ames S. Ryner, a resident on section 21, Spring Grove Township, became an inhab- itant of Warren County in 1838, when he was ten years of age. Jacob Ryner, his father, was born in Montgomery Co., Pa., where he married Rachel Spencer, In the paternal line the family is of German origin and on the other side it is of English extraction. The grandfather of Jacob Ryner was born in Germany. The wife of the latter was a daughter of a Revolutionary soldier. In 1829, Jacob Ryner removed with his wife and children to the State of New York. He passed four years in the State trying to find what he considered a suitable place for a permanent location, and event- ually removed to Lorain Co., Ohio. The family re- mained there until 1838, when the transfer to Warren County was made. The elder Ryner was well-to-do and he came to Illinois with a couple of two-horse teams and two wagons, and they journeyed all the intervening distance with their aid. They drove a small red cow which supplied the necessary ac- companiment to the corn mush which formed the principal part of the daily bill of fare. After a jour- ney lasting nearly two months they arrived in War- ren County. The father at first rented land of Ban- nister Gates, in Monmouth Tp., and in this manner continued to operate three years. In 1841 he bought a farm of a man named Talbot which was located on

section t in the same township. This was the home- stead until the death of the father, when 80 acres had been improved. The mother is still living. She has borne rt children, nine of whom still survive : Spencer resides in Alexis. Daniel is a citizen of Wayne Co., Iowa. Josiah lives in Cold Brook Town- ship. Jonathan is a resident of Clinton Co., Iowa .. Emmeline married Ethan Cox, of Independence, Ore- gon. James S. is the next in order of birth. Henry lives in Clinton Co., Iowa. Jacob resides on the homestead. Eliza is married to Edward Morrow, of Nebraska. About the year 1845, the parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Ryner, went to Philadelphia on a visit. They journeyed with their own team, making the entire trip with horses and a lumber wagon. They started in August and returned to their home in Warren County in November of the same year.

Mr. Ryner, of this sketch, was in the first year of his life when his parents removed to New York, and was a small lad when the transfer of the family was made to Ohio. After their reinoval to Warren County he remained with them until 1852, when he joined a 1 party whose purpose it was to cross the country to the Pacific coast. He drove an ox-team to Oregon,

and arrived there after five months of travel. He remained there two years, and during the time was engaged in farming. In 1854 he started for another overland journey with packed mult across the plains toward the scenes of his early childhood.

Sept. 14, 1854, he was married to Mary E. Wal- lace. She was born in Kentucky. After their mar- riage they located in Cold Brook Township. They maintained a residence there for 12 years when they sold their property preparatory to a removal to Monmouth Township. Mr. Ryner bought a farnı there on which he was the resident owner two years. He sold out again and went to Iowa and bought a farm in Wayne County. After a residence of six years in the Hawkeye State he returned for a per- manent location to Warren County. He bought a farm of satisfactory location, upon which he is now living. It is in good agricultural condition and is well supplied with farm buildings.

Mr. Ryner's wife died in July, 1859, leaving two sons, George and Charles. He was subsequently married, Oct. 29, 1859, to Mary E. Gordon, the daughter of William S. and Anna (Wilson) Gordon. The former was a native of Washington Co., Ky., and a son of Rev. Joel and Nancy Gordon. Rev.

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WARREN COUNTY.

Joel Gordon was a native of Scotland, and at a very early day emigrated to the United States, and settled in Kentucky, where he lived until his death. He was a minister of the Baptist Church, yet was the owner of slaves. He reared a large family, and his son, William S., became a planter. He married and reared a family of ten children, of whom Mrs. Ryner was the fourth child. All of the children are living, married, and have families. The following is the record. Elizabeth J., wife of William White, of Stark Co., Ill .; Joel W. lives in Oregon ; Nancy A., wife of George Taylor, of Harrison Co., Mo .; Carrie, wife of James Bryner ; Lucinda B., wife of John Gowings, of Burke Co., Iowa ;. Melinda, married Milton Bryner, of Warren Co., Ill .; Harriet is the wife of Peter Conniff, a resident of Ford Co., Ill .; Joseph lives in Benton Co., Iowa, and John near Youngstown, this County.

Mrs. Ryner was born Aug. 4, 1838, in McDonough Co., Ill., where her parents moved several years be- fore and settled on a farm. Her father and mother were both members of the Christian Church. In politics the former was a Whig in early life, but later became a Republican. He subsequently moved to Cold Brook Township, this county, where his death occurred in the autumn of 1859. His widow now lives with her daughter, Mrs. Carrie Bryner, a twin sister of Mrs. Ryner, at Mt. Auburn, Iowa. Nellie, Eugene, Laura and Ollie are the names of the chil- dren of the household of Mr. and Mrs. Ryner. Nel - lie married Adamson Shriver, and lives in Wayne Co., Iowa. They have one son, Carl. Mr. and Mrs. Ryner are members of the Christian Church at Gerlaw, and in politics Mr. R. is a staunch Demo- crat.

urney Jones. Among the energetic and successful farmers of Warren County, is Mr. Furney Jones, who resides on section 34, Tompkins Township. He was born in Washington Co., Virginia, on the 13th of April, 1846, his parents being Calvin and Re- becca (McQuown) Jones, natives of the same county and State as their son. They came to the State of Illinois and settled in Henderson County, in 1854, where they rented land, on which they remained, cultivating and improving the same for four years. They then came to Tompkins Township, this county,

where, in 1860, he purchased 80 acres on section 26, which, after living on for six years, he sold and bought land on section 34, to the amount of 160 acres, where they still reside.

Furney Jones, our subject, has always resided with his parents, and now owns 120 acres of the original purchase, and also has 80 acres in Ellison Township. He has all of his land in an advanced state of cultivation, and is well equipped with farm implements. Mr. Jones was married in 1877, to Miss Ellen J., a native of Pennsylvania, and daughter of Peter and Henrietta M. (Habliston) Mundorff. They were natives of the Keystone State, and are at pres- ent settled in Tompkins Township, having come to Illinois in 1858. Mr. and Mrs. Jones' family com- prises four children, Calvin O., Roscoe D., Henrietta and Fanny O.

Politically, Mr. Jones is a Republican, and belongs, with his wife, to the Methodist Protestant Church. He has served his township as Assessor and School Director, and is one of Warren County's most sub- stantial and leading men.

r. A. G. Vanhoorebeke, one of the most extensive and widely known importers of French draft horses in America, as well as a distinguished breeder of the famous Bou- lonnais horses, and a veterinarian of wide repu - tation, is a native of France. He was born at Ghent, capital of the French Flanders, Sept. 23, 1808. His father, Lucas Pierre Vanhoorebeke, was for over a half century Receiver of Revenues and Customs for the French Government in Bel- gium, and afterward held the same position some years under the Belgium Government.

The Vanhoorebeke family is one of the oldest in Belgium. They can trace their genealogy back to the 13th century, and many of its members have held honorable positions under the Belgium Govern- ment. Ferdinand Vanhooreheke, brother of Dr. A. G, was a distinguished and most honored lawyer at the court of appeal at Ghent, Belgium, and his cousin, Emile Vanhoorebeke, was also a lawyer and member of the Belgium cabinet in capacity of Secre- taty of Public Works till the time of his death, in 1870. Several of the Vanhoorebeke family yet oc- cupy honorable and confidential positions.

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Dr. Adolph Gustav Vanhoorebeke was second in the `family of four sons, and at the institutions of learning in his native country received a thorough education in the French and Flemish languages. At the age of 25 he entered the renowned Veterinary College of Utrecht, Holland. From that institution he graduated with distinguished honors in 1831, and immediately afterward entered the French army as a veterinary surgeon, in which capacity he faithfully and honorably served his country for ten consecu- tive years. During this period of his life he traveled all over Continental Europe and carefully studied all the various breeds of horses known to that part of the globe.

In 1841, he quit the army and located in Antwerp, Belgium, where, for the space of nearly 20 years, he practiced his profession with marked success, and at the same time gave special attention to the heavy equine stocks that are bred in the Netherlands and in Northern France. But being a liberal in his re- ligious notions, Dr. Vanhoorebeke became a victim of pious persecution, and having been arrested for expressing views antagonistic to the dominant Bel- giac theology, he resolved to go where he could breathe the air of freedom and enjoy the right of free speech. It was in the year 1860 Dr. Vanhoorebeke sailed from Europe to the United States and settled in Illinois. Here, in the very heart of the virgin West, he found an ample field for the employment of his rare attainments in veterinary science and his thorough knowledge of the horses of Europe. Throughout a broad area of rich and rapidly grow- ing country, he had not a single competitor, nor has he to this day. His splendid abilities, his varied experience were, at all points of the compass, in supreme request. It was not long, however, till the growing demand for powerful freight teams in this country literally compelled him to subordinate the practice of his chosen profession to the work of an importer, and in 1865 he brought from France the premium draft stallions Hercules and Lucifer. The former of these was a Boulonnais of bay livery; the latter was an Anglo-Boulonnais of black livery. Both of them had brilliant reputations as breeders in Europe, and they have fully maintained it in Amer- ica. To the Doctor, therefore, rightfully and un- questionably belongs the honor of being the first importer who ever brought heavy horses directly from France to Illinois. J. W. Edwards, who was a

co-operator with James A. Perry, made, in 1868, the second importation from France to Illinois, which importation consisted of Success and French Emp- eror. The latter animal soon died and Mark W. Dunham is the present owner of the former.

E. Dillon & Co. made the third importation from France to Illinois, and Mark W. Dunham, in 1872, made the fourth importation from France to Illinois.

It will thus be seen that it is certainly meet that Dr. Vanhoorebeke should have been the pioneer im- porter and breeder of French draught horses in Suckerdom; for it is perfectly safe to say that he knows vastly more about those animals than any other horseman in the United States. For nearly 50 straightforward years, he made a close, intelli- gent study of the powerful equine motors of France and the Netherlands, right in the regions where they originated, and where the very best specimens of then have always been produced. He published several books on the subject, having in view the im- provement of this useful breed of horses, and has without any doubt been one of the most active con- tributors to the desired result. Any man at all acquainted with the history of French heavy horses knows that the most excellent of them are ever to be found in Bologne and French Flanders. So say Moll, Magne, Gayot, Lefour, and all other standard authorities of France. Dr. Vanhoorebeke, being himself a French veterinarian, who always ranked in Europe with the great authors just named, and hav- ing an experimental knowledge of more than half a century's careful observation and comparison in the field of French horse production may, without egotism, claim to be a full head and shoulders above all other men in America, who are now or ever have been engaged in the introduction of the draught blood of France into the United States, and his residence in Illinois is an honor to the State.

While yet he was at New Boston, he imported, in 1868, Brilliant, a Boulonnais bay ; Pakolet, a Bou- lounnais bay; ard Leon, a Boulonnais gray. All these were prize breeders in France, having received both first and second premiums of the French Gov- ernment.

In 1869, he moved to Monmouth, where he soon obtained the confidence of the best men of that section of the country, who seeing the usefulness of his enterprise patronized his work. Here he en- tered fully upon that career of importing and breed-

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WARREN COUNTY.

ing which will constitute one of the brightest and most indelible pages of the agricultural history of the West. Almost every year since he located in Mon- mouth he has made an importation from France, having brought the last one in 1880. It has ever been his motto not to excel in numbers but in qual- ity. That motto he has abundantly verified. He has never dazzled the American eye with his scores or his hundreds at one draw, but he has imported to the United States more horses that have stood A No. 1 in France than have all his competitors put together. Of the 85 stallions (all either pure Bou- lonnais or Belgium Boulonnais) which he has brought over, every one of them was a prize animal-most of them first-prize animals-in the land of their na- tivity. Many of his imported horses were awarded prizes at the great expositions of Paris, 1878, Lon- don, 1879; Amsterdam, 1883, and Antwerp in 1885. These horses were the very cream of the Boulonnais (the horses of Bologne), and the Boulonnais are the very cream of French draught animals, if the ac- knowledged equine standards of France may be pre- sumed to know anything upon the subject.

Dr. Vanhoorebeke has now 40 head of his cele- brated horses at his beautiful place in the environs of Monmouth. Since engaging as an importer of these aniu als, he has crossed the Atlantic Ocean 49 timnes.

He was first married in his native country, when about 35 years of age, to Hortense Adelaide Wouwer- mans, who died in 1855, leaving four children, one of whom, a son, has since died; another, a daughter, is in Europe, and two are now living in the United States. At Kingston, Mo., the Doctor was again married, Aug. 18, 1866, to Mmle. Henriette Biart, a highly educated and accomplished young lady, native of Belgium, and daughter of French parents. Their three children are named respectively, Adolphe, Florence and Alida. Adolphe has been attending school in France for the past four years, but is now a student at Monmouth College.

Mrs. Vanhoorebeke was born at Antwerp, Jan. 28, 1849, and belongs also to a distinguished family whose several members occupy high and honorable positions. Mr. Constant Biart, the cousin of Mrs. A. G. Vanhoorebeke, is a learned lawyer, a Senator, and President of the alm houses and orphan asy- lums at Antwerp, Belgium, and is much honored ; and many of this family occupy in France and Bel-

gium places of honor and distinction. Mrs. Van- hoorebeke was the third in order of birth of a family of ten children. Her parents came to this country in 1864, and settled in Iowa, where they re- mained about a year. They then came to this State, and after a stay of two years moved to Kan- sas, where they remained one year and then re- turned to Europe. After remaining in the land of their nativity for a period of two years, they again set sail for America. Since then the family have resided in various places in this country, and at this writing (January, 1886) the father is in California with one of his sons, Victor, who is a surgeon in the regular army, but now on a leave of absence. Dr. Biart is a graduate of the St Louis Medical College. The mother of Mrs. Vanhoorebeke is of Holland ex- traction and is now living in Omaha with one of her daughters. Of the ten children born to Mr., and Mrs. Biart, four are deceased. Of the others, Celina married Herman Hoffman and resides in Leaven- worth, Kan .; Hortense married Joseph Haag, and. also lives at that place; Charlotte married Dr. Charles Biart and resides in Omaha; Henry is now living at Honolulu, Sandwich Islands.

Dr. Vanhoorebeke, as we see, is a believer in orig- nal qualities, and has in every circumstance applied this immutable principle.

The portrait of Dr. Vanhoorebeke, appearing on a preceding page, will be welcomed by the patrons of the Warren County ALBUM with as much satisfac- tion as the publishers experience in adding it to the unexceptional collection presented in this work.

dward L. Blodgett, a farmer of this county, having a good title to 280 acres of land, located on sections 4 and 9, Hale Township, where he resides and is engaged in its cultivation, was born in Orleans County, N. Y., Feb. 4, 1834. He received a common school education in Indiana, his parents having re- moved to that State when he was .but six years of age. In the latter State, Edward L. lived, labored and developed into manhood. One year after at- taining his majority, in 1856, he came to this State,

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locating in Henderson County, where he resided for upwards of a year, engaged in farming, then return- ed to Indiana. Two years he remained in the Hoos- ier State, and in the spring of 1860 came back to Illinois, this time locating in Warren County.

On coming to this county, Mr. Blodgett worked out for about four years, when he settled in Hale Township. He was a soldier in the late civil war, having enlisted Feb. 20, 1864, in the Tenth Ill. Vet. Inf., and served his country for about 18 months. He was engaged in all the battles in which his 'com- pany took part, participating in the grand review at Washington; was with Sherman in his march to the sea, and received an honorable discharge at the close of the war. He then returned to Warren County, and engaged in the vocation of agriculture, and has lived here following that occupation until the present time. The major portion of his land is under an advanced state of cultivation.

The marriage of Mr. Blodgett dates July 3, 1866, at which time, in Henderson County, Miss Dolly Vanwinkle became his wife. She was born in Jeffer- son Co., Iowa, and has borne her husband eight children, whose names are recorded as follows : Wilson M., Joseph R., Margaret, Mary B., Edward L., Clara, James A. and Emma.

Mrs. Blodgett is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and her husband politically is a be- liever in and a supporter of the principles advocated by the Republican party.

leri Rodgers Graham, M. D., a medical practitioner at Little York, was born in the township of Hale, in Warren County, Aug. 24, 1854. His parents are pioneers of the township where he was born, and are John R. and Mary (Rodgers) Graham.

Dr. Graham obtained a good common-school edu- cation as a foundation, in his boyhood, and after- wards attended Monmouth Academy one year. In 1878, he commenced the study of medicine under the preceptorship of the medical firm of Hamilton, Marshall & Holliday, at Monmouth. After leaving their office, he matriculated at Rush Medical College

in Chicago, and took his degree as M. D. at that institution in 1881.

He inaugurated his careeer as a physician and surgeon at Cameron, in his native county, and oper- ated there two years. Since 1883, he has prosecuted the business of his profession at Little York. He is building up a popular and prosperous practice, and his thorough preparation for the responsibilities of the calling to which he has devoted his life, is fast winning for him the confidence of a substantial pat- ronage.

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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 46

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

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