Portrait and biographical album of Warren County, Illinois : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 67

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 67

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He was married to Miss Isabella Lane, March 25 of that year. They located on the family home- stead, and remained in Huntingdon County until their removal to Warren County, as has been related. She was the daughter of James and Martha (Steele) Lane. She was born in Huntingdon Co., Pa., Oct. 15, 1824. Her parents on her father's side were English, and on her mother's side of Scotch-Irish origin. She is the ninth in order of birth of ten children, viz., Mary, Samuel M., Eliza, Eleanor, William A., James R., Martha J., Isabella and Franklin H. One child died in infancy. Samuel, Eliza and Martha J. are deceased. Franklin H. was

LIBRARY OI THE UNIVERSITY of ILLINOIS

Portu Phelps

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a General in the late Civil War, and is now living in Huntingdon, Pa.

Mr. and Mrs. Porter have had II children. Nine are still living. Sarah J. and Etta M. are the two eldest. Minerva is married to James Milligan, of Mercer County. James L and John C. are pros- perous farmers in Cedar Co., Iowa. Clara is a well- known and popular teacher in the public schools. The other survivors are Frank, Warren J. and Pearl. Ada, the seventh child, was born Sept. 4, 1857, and died June 19, 1883. She was well educated, and at the time of her death was engaged in teaching. Mar- tha J., the second child, died in infancy.

Mr. and Mrs. Porter have always taken a deep interest in educational matters, and provided liber- ally for the mental training of their children. They sent them to the academy in Monmouth, and to the college at Dixon.

The parents are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Porter votes the straight Democratic ticket.

orter Phelps, one of the pioneers of War- ren County, was born in Madison Co., N. Y., April 14, 1804, and died at his resi- dence in Lenox Township, four miles east of Monmouth, Sept. 20, 1885. He was married to Mary Ellen Rees, in Peterboro, N. Y., March 29, 1826. She was born in Cazenovia, Mad- ison Co., that State, May 23, 1805, and died at the family residence July 26, 1884.

The name of Phelps is very old, being found at Gloucestershire, England, as far back as the compi- lation of the Dooms Day Book of William the Con- querer. Porter Phelps traces his ancestry back in an unbroken and honorable chain to James Phelps, who was born in Tewksbury, England, about 1530. His grandson, William Phelps, was born at that place in August, 1599, and came to America, landing at South Boston, then Hull, May 30, 1630, but soon after set- tled at Dorchester. He moved to Windsor, Conn., in 1635, and was conspicuous in the settlement of that State, filling many influential positions. Capt. Tim- othy Phelps, his son, was born at Windsor, Sept. I, 1639, and married Mary Griswold, May 19, 1661. He had a son, Timothy, born also at Windsor, Nov. 1, 1662. He married Martha Crow, Nov. 4, 1686,

and removed to Hebron, Conn., in 1690. He also had a son Timothy, who was born at Hebron, June 29, 1692, who was married to Hannah Calkins, July 29, 17 14. They, too, had a son named Timothy, also born at Hebron, June 29, 1718. He was mar- ried to Hannah Northam, Sept. 16, 1742. To them was born a son, at Hebron, whom they named Sam- uel; the date of his birth was Sept. 2, 1759. He was married to Lydia Porter, Dec. 18, 1785. They were the parents of Porter Phelps, the subject of this sketch, and had moved to Madison Co., N. Y., pre- vious to his birth. Samuel Phelps, and also two of his brothers, were soldiers in the Revolutionary War and the former, while prostrated with fever, was held upon his horse to enable himto escape when New York was evacuated by the Americans.

Lydia Porter, the mother of Porter Phelps, and for whom he was named, was descended from John Por- ter, who was born in 1590, in Kenilworth, Warwick- shire, England, at Wraxhall Abbey, the ancient seat of the family, where many of the name are interred. He was descended, in the 12th genera- tion, from William De LaPorte, a Norman knight, who came over in the train of William the Conquerer, at the time of the Norman Conquest, in 1066, as can still be seen upon the rolls' of Battle Abbey, his name being transformed to Porter. John Porter, with his wife and children, were among the first to penetrate the wilderness of Connecticut, settling. at Windsor, Conn., in 1635, the very year William Phelps arrived there. There he died, April 22, 1648. Their son, John Porter, was born in 1618. About 1650, he married Mary Stanley, daughter of Thomas Stanley, who came from London in 1635 and was one of the original proprietors of Hartford, Conn. They had a son, John, born Jan. 3, 1651; he married Joanna Gaylord, and settled in Windsor, Conn. Of their 12 children, David was born Oct. 3, 1685, and on Jan. 3, 1707, married Anna Phelps, daughter of Captain Timothy Phelps, above mentioned. They had seven children. Their youngest son, Increase Porter, born Feb. 26,1722, married Mary Niles, May 15, 1750. Their youngest daughter, Lydia Porter, born about 1765, married Samuel Phelps Dec. 18, 1785, as above stated. She was a sister of Rev. David Porter, D. D., a celebrated Presbyterian Divine, of New York, and grandfather of Prof. Porter, of Yale College.

We find by the records that John Porter, who first

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came to America, was a man of distinction and pos- sessed of large property for those times. He was a man of fine appearance and intrusted with positions of importance. A long list of names may be traced among his descendants, as well as among those of William Phelps, who came over about the same time, who were distinguished in the various learned pro- fessions and walks of life, throughout the country. The ancestors of Mary Ellen (Rees) Phelps canie from Glamorganshire, South Wales, tracing their de- scent from old and distinguished stock.

In 1835 Porter Phelps, with his family, started West, traveling the entire distance to this point in a wagon drawn by horses. They were 69 days in reaching Eugene, Ind., where they spent the winter. The following spring they came to Knoxville, Ill., where Mr. Phelps was taken sick and was carried in a wagon to Monmouth to be doctored, there being no desirable physician, if any at all, in Knoxville. His wife, with heroism born of devotion, remained at Knoxville to care for their little ones, and from time to time rode on horseback to Monmouth to see her husband. He stopped while sick at the house of Daniel McNeil, which was situated on East Broad- way, about where the residence of Rev. Dr. McDill now stands. This was then almost the only resi- dence in Monmouth. There was an old log house where court was held. The judge and attorneys who traveled in those times almost, if not quite, from Springfield to Galena on horseback or by stages, stopped at the McNeil hostelry. Those were the days when Douglas, Browning, Richardson, Baker, McDougall, Lincoln, Walker, Butterfield and other great men of that day rode the circuit. There were mighty men in this wilderness, even then, whose ability has never been surpassed.

In the spring of 1837 Mr. Phelps, with his family, moved to Roseville Township, where he improved a small farm. In 1844 he moved to the vicinity of Berwick, and in the spring of the following year took possession of the place where himself and wite both died. They reared a family of eight children, one daughter, Mary Gertrude, a lovely girl, dying in 1847. She was greatly beloved and is still reniem- bered by those who knew her. Their youngest son, Kenneth Graham, died in 1876, a few years after graduating from Monmouth College in the classical department, and when nearly ready to be ordained

a minister of the United Presbyterian Church. He was a young man of great promise and most lovable character, whom to have known was but to love. We cannot forbear copy ing from the beautiful tribute to hiin of his class-mate, Miss Mary J. Howard : "Six years ago there left this port a sailor lad, whom to know was to love, to name was to praise. Just as he pulled away from the shore, his strength began to fail; the little.bark rocked on the waves awhile, and then the angel came down the sunbeam-stairs and carried him upward and away. To day you may go out on the wharves of a village, that lieth cold and still and there you may trace in the rolling grass the form of an upturned boat. Six years ago he left this dear, old college-port, the subject of his farewell speech, 'A King.' One thing he said we will not forget- ' For all bright things there is a resurrection.' One year ago, on the same day on which a group of boys and girls were starting out to sea, he was mounting the steps on the other shore, to stand forever in the presence of ' A King. ' Of the soft, brown hair, the large gray eyes, so full of truth ; the warm, firm hand, we can only say, ' For all bright things there is a Resurrection. '"

Samuel David Phelps, eldest son of Porter Phelps, lives upon the old homestead, with his three children -Gertrude, Garrett Kirk and Rees. His wife was Jane E. Lockwood, now deceased, and the daughter of Sheldon and Parthenia Lockwood, who were among the earliest pioneers of Warren County. They came from New York and settled about ten miles south of Monmouth, prior to the Black Hawk War. DeWitt Phelps, the second son, lives southeast of Kirkwood, in this county, and Delos P. Phelps at Monmouth, sketches of whom appear elsewhere in this volume. Ralph Gurley Phelps is a prominent lawyer at Atlantic, Iowa. Ellen Porter and Annie E. reside with their brother upon the old homestead. They are cultured and intelligent women, with great love of literature and poetry and both write more or less for the press.

It is impossible for the present generation to real- ize the hardships and privations endured by the pio- neers. Porter Phelps was always an influential man in his neighborhood and was the Supervisor of his township from the date of township organization until the year 1864. He was retiring in his disposition and put forward others rather than

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himself. In politics, he was always a consistent Democrat, and his five sons were of the same faith. Perhaps there is no better way to close this brief mention of the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Porter Phelps than by copying from the notices of their deaths, as published in the county papers.

"Mary Ellen Phelps, daughter of David and Ann (Smith) Rees, being a woman of intellectual and re- fined tastes, it required strong effort to make her home in the then new country. The decision once made, her unusual intellectual and physical strength was exerted that the new abode might be a success, and especially that her children might be deprived as little as possible of the superior educational ad- vantages of an older country. To the very last she retained her interest in public events, literature, history and poetry, keeping a daily record, and lay- ing down her pen only with her life. A consistent Christian, she made a profession of faith at the age of 14, uniting with the First Presbyterian Church (Dr. Aiken's), of Utica, New York. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church of this place almost from its organization until 1858, and at the time of her death, and for many years previously, a member of the Second United Presbyterian Church of Mon- mouth. The mother of eight children, six, with her husband, survive her. Although her health had been very precarious for some time, she was not confined to her room, and was sitting at the breakfast table when the summons came. Without a struggle or a word, in a moment's time, she departed.

" Of no distemper, of no blast she died, But fell like antunm fruit that mellowed long, E'en wondered at because she dropped no sooner ; Fate seemed to wind for three and half score years, Yet, swiftly ran she on ten summers more, Till. like a clock, worn out with eating time, The wheels of weary life at last stood still.",

"Porter Phelps at his death had attained to more than eleven years beyond the three score and ten al- lotted as the life of man. He was descended in di- rect line, by both paternal and maternal ancestry, from those stern, hardy, conscientious, liberty-loving pioneers, who settled New England in the early part of the 17th century, when America was a wilder- ness. He, himself, was a pioneer, coming West from New York in 1835. Reaching Knox County, Ill., in 1836, he came to Warren County in 1837, where he has since continuously resided, and for more than 40

of the last years at his home, four miles east of Mon- mouth. Since his residence here he has witnessed this country change from uninhabited prairie and woodland to cultivated fields and cities enriched with a superior civilization.

Mrs. Mary Ellen Phelps, a noble help-meet, worthy such a husband, with whom he lived for more than 58 years, died July 26, 1884, and for her he grieved constantly to the day of his death. They reared a family of eight children, six of whom sur- vive them.

" Porter Phelps inherited the characteristics of his ancestors. He possessed a keen sense of justice, a discriminating judgment that suffered few errors, a passionate love of liberty, home and country, and a conscientioushess which was the mainspring of all his actions. Although physically weak, he was a man of great personal courage. A look of his eye, when aroused, not unfrequently quelled opposition and overawed su; erior strength. His will was in- domitable. His firmness and tenacity of purpose, when satisfied he was right, knew no such thing as change. His reading, intelligence, love of books, learning, poetry and eloquence, were remarkable ; and, had he chosen such a career, there had been no position in civil life he would not have adorned. To these stronger characteristics he added feelings ten- der and true, friendships warm, sincere and endur- ing. His soul was full of pathos. Many a time, in reading a touching poem or narration, the tears would start, the lip tremble, and the voice break with emotion.

"The spirituality of his nature was very great. From early life he had been a sincere and devoted Christian. His faith looked up to Calvary, undim- med by doubt or fear. He joined the Presbyterian Church when 21 years old, and from 22 was ruling elder at Stockbridge and Addison, N. Y., and Knox- ville, Ill. He was one of the earliest members of the Presbyterian Church of Monmouth, an elder therein for many years, and when he died was a member of the Second United Presbyterian Church of this city. But a few weeks before his death, he was noticed reading in his Bible, the tears streaming down his cheeks. The page showed it was of the agony of our Saviour in the garden of Gethsemane. Still later and but a few days before his death, from near the window beside which he sat, he tock his bible, found

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the 23d Psalm and read aloud in feeble yet confi- dent voice : 'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.' Here he stopped, and after turning his book from side to side, said he could not see. His sight had failed him. This was the last verse he ever read.

" He had been a great sufferer through the last months of his life from progressive paralysis, and in- ability to help himself was a great trial to his self- reliant and determined spirit. Yet, through all his sufferings he was ever patient and thoughtful of those who cared for him. His last hours were peace- ful and comparatively painless.

" In death his face was calm and beautiful. Faith and hope still sat upon his brow, though the light of his eye was quenched. His life had drawn to a close like the ending of that bright and beautiful autumn Sabbath. '

" How fine has the day been! how bright was the sun! How lovely and joyful the course that he run, Though he rose in a mist when his raee he begun, And there followed some droppings of rain ! But when the fair traveler's come to the west, His rays are all gold, his beauties are best .: He paints the sky gay as he sinks to his rest, And foretells a bright rising again.

Just such is the Christian; 'his courseshe begins Like the sun in a mist, when he mourns for his sins, And melts into tears; then he breaks; out and shines. And travels his heavenly way :

But when he eomnes nearer to finish his raee, Like a fine setting sun, he looks rieher in grace, And gives a sure hope, at the end of his days, Of rising in brighter array."

amuel W. Rodgers, one of the pioneers of Warren County, and at present (Octo- ber, 1885), of the firm of Glendening & Rodgers, dealers in wood, coal, hay, feed, etc., at Monmouth, was born near Hannibal, Mo., Oct. 12, 1832. His parents, Aleri and Mary (Davidson) Rodgers, were natives of Virginia, and of Scotch descent. They reared a family of five sons and three daughters, and buried two children in youth.

The senior Mr. Rodgers was a farmer by occupa- tion ; removed from Virginia to Missouri, probably in 1821; from there to Hale Township, in 1836,

where he died in 1863, about 74 years of age. His widow survived him until July 3, 1879, and was about 89 years of age when she died.

S. W. Rodgers was reared on the farm and edu- cated at the common schools. In 1882, he aban- doned agricultural pursuits, removed into town, and the following year entered into his present business arrangements. His first wife, to whom he was mar- ried in Hale Township, in 1854, died in 1874, leav- ing five children-Ida E. (Mrs. Horace Parsons), Jasper F., James A., deceased, John S. and Anna Mary.

February 28, 1878, Mr. Rodgers was again mar- ried in Mercer County, this State, to Mrs. Mary A. Finley, nee Cabeen, and their only child is named Isabelle C.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Rodgers are 'members of the Presbyterian Church.

on. John J. Glenn, the subject of the fol- lowing sketch, is one of the prominent jur- ists, not only of the Tenth Judicial District, but of the State of Illinois. He is a descend- ant from the hardy and vigorous Scotch-Irish stock, his ancestors being natives of the North of Ireland. They emigrated to America and settled in Maryland, where John Glenn, the father of Judge Glenn, was born in the year 1794. He was reared there, and in 1818 went to Ohio, and settled in Ashland County, where he followed the vocation of a farmer the remainder of his life, his death oc- curring in 1868. He had married Miss Anna John- son, a native of New Jersey, who died in May, 1841. Of this union, five children were born, three sons and two daughters. John J., one of the number, was born in Ashland Co., Ohio, March 2, 1831. The days of his youth, like those of most farmers' sons, were spent upon the farm, assisting his father during the summer months and in the winters attending the district schools. In the latter he received the rudi- ments of a good English education, and was thus prepared for an academic course, which he received in the Vermillion Institute, Haysville, Ohio. He was then fitted for college and accordingly entered

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the Miami University, which institution subsequently conferred upon him the degree of M. A.

After leaving college, our subject accepted a po- sition as teacher in the academy at Logansport, Ind. He lad, however, no intention of making teaching the profession of his life, for soon after his arrival at that city he commenced the study of law, in the office and under the direction of Hon. Daniel D. Pratt, then one of the leading lawyers and prom- inent in the counsels of the State and nation. Young Glenn labored diligently in the acquisition of legal lore, and two years later, at New Castle, that State, was admitted to the Bar. Immediately after his ad- mission, he went to Fort Wayne, opened an office and commenced the practice of his profession. He remained there until 1860, when, believing that suc- cess would sooner crown his efforts in newer and more western fields, he came to Illinois and located at Aledo. Here he remained for one year, whence he removed to Monmouth, which has since been his permanent abode. In his new field he soon met with success, and in the course of a few years es- tablished a large and remunerative practice.

"Judge Glenn was justly recognized as standing in the front rank of attorneys in his Judicial Circuit. He possessed that kind of patient industry and care in the arrangement and preparation of his cases that made him intimately acquainted with their strong points, and these he was equally careful to impress upon Court or jury. In addition to the clearness and logic of his statements, they were always care- fully supported by decisions of the higher courts bearing upon the case. The natural result of such efforts was usually a verdict for his client. He soon earned for himself the reputation of being a careful, conscientious and painstaking lawyer, one who looked after the interests of his client and used all honor- ble means to secure him exact and equal justice. As an advocate, his appeals to the jury and to the Court were made to the reason and judgment rather than to the passions; and were not an endeavor to so be- cloud the intellect of his auditors, by sophistical reasoning, that the rightousness of the verdict was left in doubt when rendered.

In 1877, Mr. Glenn's ability as an attorney and his probity of character and worth as a man, received honorable and suitable recognition by his election to the Judgeship of the Tenth Judicial District, under

the new law that originated in the Appellate Court. In 1879, he was elected for the full term, and in 1885 was re-elected, without opposition, for a second full term.

The same characteristics that marked Mr. Glenn as a lawyer are equally prominent in him as a Judge upon the Bench. Painstaking and careful attention to the evidence, and an intelligent application of the law to the case, renders his decisions impregnable, and he has had but few reversals from the higher courts. Politically Judge Glenn has always been a staunch Republican.

On the- 12th of August, 1856, Judge Glenn was united in marriage with Miss Mary J. Magaw, daughter of William and Rachel (Paxton) Magaw, of Preble Co., Ohio. Five children have been born to them, who bear the following names: Anna R., J. McG., William M., Minnie E. and Addie M. The family are all members of the Presbyterian Church, of which Judge Glenn has been an Elder for many years.

rs. Mary E. Freeman, widow of B. F. Freeman, residing at Kirkwood, was born at Washington, Tazewell Co., this State, Feb. 5, 1842. She was united in marriage to B. F. Freeman, Jan. 1, 1865. B. F. Free- man, husband of the subject of this notice, was born in Mercer Co., this State, Nov. 29, 1835, and died June 15, 1876. His parents, Fauntleroy and Margaret E. (Brown) Freeman, were natives of Ken- tucky. They came to this State in 1834, and settled in Mercer County, where they remained a number of years, and where his father was engaged in the occu- pation of a farmer. Leaving the latter county they moved to Knox County, where they resided until their deaths, which occurred in 1844 and 1878, re- spectively.

B. F. Freeman remained an inmate of the parental household until November, 1868, having previous to attaining his majority acquired a good education in the district schools. After leaving home, he pur- chased a farm in Greenville Township, Henderson Co., of 160 acres, on which he located, with his fam- ily, and entered actively and energetically upon the

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task of its cultivation and improvement, and by a subsequent purchase increased the same about 160 acres, making his total landed interests some 320 acres, on which he lived and labored until his death.

He was married Jan. 1, 1865, to Miss Mary E. Riddle, and of their union four children are living, viz. : Fauntleroy, Alta M., Lloyd H. and Mary C. Mrs. Freeman has purchased a residence and lot in Kirkwood Village, and is residing there at present with her three children.

Her husband in political matters voted with the Republican party. He was a stockholder in the First National Bank at Kirkwood, and was a warm- hearted, generous, whole-souled gentleman, who was always ready to assist any good enterprise that was calculated to benefit the community in which he resided.

He died respected and honored by those who knew him, either socially or in business transactions.

eorge W. Brent is a prominent farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 18, Ellison Township, where he was born on . March the 4th, 1840. He is the youngest son of Kenner Brent, Sr., who was one of the first settlers in Ellison Township. (See sketch of Paul Brent.)

Our subject was reared on a farm and attended the schools in his township until he attained his ma- jority. On becoming of age he set out as a work- man on his father's farm for some time. His first purchase of land was 80 acres in Walnut Grove Township, Henderson Co., which was partly im- proved at the time of purchase. After making fur- ther improvements he added to his possessions a tract of 53 acres in Warren. County, where he now resides with his sisters, Virginia and Sarah, the for- mer born in Virginia three months before her parents came to Illinois ; Sarah was born in this county.

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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 67

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

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