USA > Illinois > Bureau County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall, Putnam and Stark Counties, Illinois > Part 68
USA > Illinois > Marshall County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall, Putnam and Stark Counties, Illinois > Part 68
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall, Putnam and Stark Counties, Illinois > Part 68
USA > Illinois > Stark County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall, Putnam and Stark Counties, Illinois > Part 68
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Mr. Finley, of this review, is the oldest in the family of eleven children, seven sons and
A. J. FINLEY.
MRS. A. J. FINLEY.
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four daughters, who with one exception reached man and womanhood. The others are William P., who was killed while in the Union service during the civil war; Priscilla Jane, wife of Peter Lane, of Wyoming, Stark county; John L., who is married and resides in Dodge City, Ford county, Kansas; Robert M., a retired farmer of Hiawatha, Kansas; Mary E., wife of C. L. Lane, of Perry, Iowa; Albert P., a resident of Cawker City, Kansas; James E., a resident of Panora, Iowa; Caroline R., widow of William McCumber, of Afton, Iowa; and Willis O., a resident of Cawker City, Kansas.
Amidst the scenes of frontier life in Illinois Andrew J. Finley spent the days of his boy- hood and youth, aiding his father in the ardu- ous task of developing a new farm, and re- maining with him until reaching manhood. He is almost, wholly self-educated, as his early opportunities along that line were rather lim- ited, but by reading and study he has become a well-informed man, and in early life success- fully engaged in teaching.
On the 6th of October, 1850, in Stark county, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Finley and Miss Margaret Jane Carter, a native of Ash- land county, Ohio, who came to this county in childhood and was here reared and edu- cated. Her father, William Carter, was one of the first settlers of this locality, arriving here in 1838. Mr. and Mrs. Finley have nine chil- dren and have lost two, namely: Belle F., now the wife of M. K. Bryte, a business man of Shenandoah, Iowa; John L., who is mar- ried and is engaged in the practice of law in St. Francis, Kansas; William J., a business man of Northboro, Iowa; M. Della, wife of W. C. Berry, of South Dakota; Ella B., who had superior educational privileges and is now a proficient high school teacher of Shenandoah, Iowa; Walter B., who married Nora Alder- 27
man, of Toulon, and is engaged in farming on the old homestead; Oscar E., who pursued his studies in the common schools and Toulon academy, and is also a graduate of the Quincy business college; Maggie C., wife of Martin White, a farmer of Peoria county, Illinois; and Daisy N., who is a graduate of the Toulon academy and is now at home. Since early childhood their granddaughter, Fay Berry, has been an inmate of their household, and is the: joy and pet of all.
For four years after his marriage Mr. Finley operated rented land, and then purchased one hundred and sixty acres of prairie and forty acres of timber land, on which he built a small frame house, which forms a part of his pres- ent commodious and attractive residence. Be- sides his home farm of one hundred and sixty acres in West Jersey township, he is now the owner of four other tracts aggregating five hundred and eighty-five acres, about three hundred acres of which is in Peoria county. Although he started out in life for himself empty-handed, he has steadily worked his way upward until to-day he is numbered among the most substantial and prosperous citizens of the community, the result of close applica- tion to business and excellent management as well as untiring industry.
Originally, Mr. Finley was a democrat in politics, but on the organization of the repub- lican party in 1856, joined its ranks, and of late years he supported the men and measures of the prohibition party. He has always taken an active and commendable interest in public affairs, has served as a delegate to many coun- ty and district conventions, and has faithfully served his fellow citizens in the capacity of commissioner of highways, justice of the peace of West Jersey township, and tax collector, being the first to hold that office in Essex township. He also was a member of the
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school board for a number of years, and he has ever proved a prompt and efficient officer. Religiously both he and his estimable wife are consistent members of the Methodist Episco- pal church. As a representative man of the county and a pioneer settler he stands pre- eminent, and his public-spiritedness and enter- prise are proverbial. He therefore certainly deserves an honored place in the history of Stark county's leading and prominent citizens.
W TILLIAM A. McINTOSH, a leading and prominent agriculturist of West Jersey township, has spent his entire life in Stark county, his birth occurring February 2, 1861, on the farm which is still his home. It is a well improved place on section 34, and is culti- vated in such a manner as to reflect great credit upon the owner, who is acknowledged to be one of the most skillful and progressive farmers of the community.
Alexander McIntosh, the grandfather of our subject, was born on the Atlantic, while his parents were en route from their old home in Scotland to America, and he became an early settler of Stark county, Ohio, where he reared his family. About 1852 or 1853 he drove through with teams to Illinois, locating on the farm in Stark county where our subject now resides. His son, John H. McIntosh, the fa- ther of our subject, was born in Stark county, Ohio, June 21, 1832, and accompanied his parents on their removal to Illinois, but later returned to his native state, where he married Sarah A. Chaddock, whose birth also occurred in Stark county, Ohio. He brought his bride at once to Illinois, and their entire married life was passed on the farm where their son now resides, the father giving his time and at- tention to agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred March 7, 1882, when he had reached the age of fifty years. An influential
and prominent man of the county, he was called upon to fill numerous local positions of honor and trust, and had the esteem and con- fidence of all who knew him. He lived peace- ably with his neighbors, having never had a lawsuit in his life, and his death was widely and sincerely mourned. His remains were in- terred in the West Jersey cemetery, where a monument has been erected to his memory. Mrs. McIntosh still survives her husband, and resides on the old home place at the age of sixty-three years, well preserved and active.
Of the three children born to this worthy couple, William A. McIntosh is the only one now living. He early became familiar with agricultural pursuits upon the home farm, and his literary training was obtained in the dis- trict schools of the neighborhood. After the death of his father he took charge of the farm, upon which he has made some substantial and useful improvements, and besides the home place owns another farm of eighty acres on section 33, adjoining, thus making a tract of three hundred and twenty acres, now under a high state of cultivation.
In Davenport, Iowa, May 27, 1889, Mr. McIntosh was united in marriage with Miss Mary W. Matthews, who was born in Peoria county, Illinois, but was mostly reared and educated in Kansas. Her father, Whitfield Matthews, was a native of Stark county, Illi- nois, and at an early day went to Kansas, but is now a resident of Portland, Oregon. Three children bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. McIntosh, namely: John H., Ruth L. and Helen M.
On attaining his majority, Mr. McIntosh cast his first presidential vote for James G. Blaine in 1884, and has since been identified with the republican party, but as his farming operations claim his entire time, he gives but little attention to political affairs aside from
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doing his duty at the polls. He is a member of the society of Modern Woodmen, No. 1441, of West Jersey. Frank, open-hearted and hospitable people, he and his wife have many warm friends throughout the county, and by all who know them are held in the highest regard.
J JAMES MONROE THOMAS has for over sixty-three years been connected with the history of Stark county, and few, if any, have done more for its up-building. He has been the champion of every movement designed to promote the general welfare, a supporter of every enterprise for the public good, and has materially aided in the advancement of all so- cial, industrial, educational and moral interests.
Mr. Thomas was born in Kingston, Wyo- ming Valley, Pennsylvania, October 1, 1822, and is a son of General Samuel and Marcia ( Pettibone ) Thomas. The latter was a daughter of Oliver Pettibone, of Wyoming Valley, and all her uncles on the paternal side were killed in the horrible massacre at Wyo- ming during the Revolutionary war.
General Thomas was a native of Vermont, and during the war of 1812 was commander at Erie when Commodore Perry's fleet was being constructed. On its completion Perry asked the General if any of his men wished to join the naval forces, and the latter told all who wished to do so to step three paces forward. Enough did so to man the fleet, among them being James Bird, who so distinguished him- self in that war.
When hostilities had ceased General Thomas took up his residence in Kingston, Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania, where he had charge of the military forces of the northeast division of that state. In 1833 he was sent west to pay for lands purchased of the Indians, and in that year reached Chicago. He afterward rode all
over the Black Hawk purchase, and at Peoria purchased property in what was then Putnam county, but is now Stark county, on which he later laid out the village of Wyoming. Here he spent the remainder of his days, dying in 1879, at the advanced age of ninety-three years, and was laid to rest in the cemetery at Wyo- ming, which he had given to the town. He owned several thousands of acres of land in this vicinity, and was actively identified with the progress and development made in this region. While a resident of Pennsylvania he served for two terms as a member of the state legislature, and for one term was also a mem- ber of the assembly in Illinois. In the former state he had engaged in merchandising, and here also followed that pursuit for a short time, and operated a sawmill which he erected on Spoon river, in Stark county. He was always a stalwart democrat in politics, and was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church. His name was a synonym for honor- able business dealing ; he was always men- tioned as one of the invaluable citizens of the state, and on the rolls of Stark county's most honored pioneers his name should be found among the foremost.
Our subject is the youngest in the family of two sons and five daughters, and is the only one now living. He was about twelve years of age when he accompanied his parents on their emigration to Illinois, and in the rude school- houses of the frontier settlements he completed his literary education which was begun in Pennsylvania, here attending the schools of Wyoming and also at Peoria. He is naturally gifted as a mechanic, and though he never served an apprenticeship to any trade, he has successfully followed several. He built the first threshing-machine ever constructed in the county, and also the first thresher and cleaner ever used in this section. As
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a contractor and builder he has erected about fifty houses in Wyoming and vicinity as well as a number in Peoria; also built a large flouring-mill, which was the first steam mill in the county, and a steam sawmill in the same locality.
On the 22d of December, 1847, Mr. Thomas married Miss Ellen R. White, of Peoria, a daughter of Isaac and Nancy (Morrison) White. Five sons were born to them, name- ly: Frank, a prominent lawyer of Wyoming; Payne Pettibone, a farmer living near that place; Samuel, who was killed by a railroad train near Little Rock, Arkansas, September 26, 1896, and was buried in that state; James M., the popular postmaster of Wyoming; and Isaac, who died at the age of seven years.
Mr. Thomas cast his first presidential vote for James K. Polk in 1844, and has since been an ardent democrat in politics. Through Pierce's administration he served as post- master of Wyoming and again during Presi- dent Cleveland's first term, which office was held by his brother several years, and a cousin for some time. In an early day he also filled various township offices with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents. Since 1842 he has been an active and consist- ent member of the Methodist Episcopal church and has contributed liberally to the erection of several houses of worship, sawing the tim- ber for the first Methodist Episcopal church in Wyoming, which is now Payne's opera- house. He is one of the prominent and repre- sentative citizens of the place, and well de- serves the high regard in which he is held.
W TELDON REAGAN, a substantial and progressive farmer and stock-raiser, re- siding on section 30, Penn township, Stark county, was born in Fayette county, Pennsyl-
vania, June 9, 1836, a son of James and Rachel (Shaffer) Reagan, who were Americans by birth. The father was born in Ohio, but his father, Weldon Reagan, was a native of Ireland, whither his ancestors had removed from Scot- land at an early day. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and also in the war of 1812, where he fought by the side of his son, James, the father of our subject.
James Reagan was reared in southern Ohio, where he secured a good education, and for somne time engaged in teaching. Subsequently he went to Pennsylvania, where he was mar- ried, and engaged in farming until coming to Illinois, in 1851. At Pittsburg he loaded his goods on a boat and went down the Ohio river to Cairo, up the Mississippi to St. Louis, and up the Illinois to Copperas Creek landing. He first located at Canton, Fulton county, where he spent a year, after which he operated rented land until 1856, when he removed to Jasper county, Iowa. There he purchased a farm, on which he spent his remaining days, surviving his wife about twelve years. Of their sixteen children our subject is the fourth in order of birth. Nine grew to years of maturity and eight are still living. They were all born be- fore the emigration of the family to Illinois, and, with the exception of our subject, ac- companied their parents on their removal to Iowa.
Weldon Reagan acquired the most of his education after coming to this state. Here he found employment the very day of his arrival, and until twenty years of age worked at a number of different places, his wages going toward the support of the family. His father then allowed him to keep half of what he earned on account of his faithfulness. Until he had attained his majority he attended school during the winter season for one term, walking to Canton, a distance of two and a half miles;
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but he was ambitious to obtain a good educa- tion, as he early learned that knowledge is the key with which the poor boy can open the storehouse of the world and cull its choicest fruits.
At the age of twenty-one, Mr. Reagan be- gan operating a rented farm. He was mar- ried February 20, 1859, to Miss Sarah Loper, of Canton, Fulton county, Illinois, who was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, and is a daughter of Isaac and Charlotte (Gray) Loper, the former of German extraction. She had come with her parents to Illinois the year be- fore our subject's arrival. Their union was blessed by the birth of a daughter: Rena, born in 1860, and who married John E. Scott, and died in 1882, leaving a little son, Harley Earl Reagan Scott, who has made his home with his grandparents since infancy.
While gathering corn one fall soon after his marriage, Mr. Reagan was visited by the di- rectors of the district school, who asked him to take charge of the same for the winter term. Feeling himself qualified for the position and having a love for the work, he accepted and proved a most successful teacher. About the time of his marriage he traded for some wild prairie land in Penn township, Stark county, where he had located in 1857, and he now leased a tract adjoining, which he cultivated and also worked on his own place as he found opportunity. In 1862 he erected a small house upon his farm and there made his home for a time.
At the beginning of the civil war four of our subject's brothers entered the service, and it was the understanding that he should remain at home as he was the only one married, but in 1864 he was drafted and assigned to Com- pany H, Twelfth Illinois Infantry. From Springfield, Illinois, the regiment was sent to Nashville, with the intention of join-
ing Sherman's army, then to Chattanooga and thence to Cleveland, Tennessee, where the troops went into winter quarters. While there, Mr. Reagan with others was de- tailed to guard government property in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he remained about a month and then returned to Cleveland. From that place the regiment went by boat to Cincinnati and Pittsburg, and then on to More- head, North Carolina, where they shipped to Newbern, the same state. This was our sub- ject's first trip on the ocean and he was very seasick. From the latter place they went to Evans Mills, where they were assigned to a Rhode Island regiment for drill. A month later they were ordered to march to Kingston to take part in the battle. Upon this march, Mr. Reagan became ill, and his accoutrements were carried by his comrades, Mr. Fargo and Mr. McClement. Finally he fell by the way- side, where he lay for several hours, and when he had recovered he followed on into camp. Here Mr. Fargo insisted on his taking a little whiskey, which was the only time in his life that he ever tasted it except in medicine. Be- ing taken back to Newbern he lay in the hos- pital for one month and then rejoined his reg- iment at Raleigh, North Carolina, and re- mained on duty until after the surrender of General Johnston. Before going to the front his neighbors proposed loaning him money to buy a substitute, but he refused their offer as he felt it his duty to go. His interests at home, however, needed his attention, and there were efforts made by his friends at home to get a substitute, who did not appear until after Lee's surrender, and cost our subject over six hundred dollars. As the war was over, Mr. Reagan was honorably discharged and re- turned home.
Our subject's first purchase consisted of forty acres, which he sold and purchased eighty
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acres, where his family resided during the war. His soldier's experience had cost him dearly, compelling him to sell his farm, and on his re- turn he intended to go west, but finally pur- chased forty acres on which his residence is now located. It was then but little improved. Acre after acre was soon placed under the plow and as his financial resources increased he added to the original tract until he now has a fine farm of two hundred and twenty acres under a high state of cultivation and improved with an excellent residence and good barns and outbuildings.
Politically, Mr. Reagan's father was an old- line democrat, but our subject's oldest sister, who was a teacher by profession and exceed- ingly well read, heard the Lincoln and Doug- las debate, and on coming home said to our subject in the presence of their father that she was a Lincolnite. This started our subject to thinking, and on casting his first presidential ballot in 1860, he voted for the martyr presi- dent, and has ever since been a stalwart re- publican. Although he has never solicited of- fice, he has been called upon to fill a number of responsible positions, being collector, as- sessor, commissioner of highways, school trus- tee and school director for a number of years. In 1896 he was also elected supervisor of his township for one year, and has served as a del- egate to various conventions. Conscientious and earnest Christians, he and his estimable wife are active members of the Methodist Protestant church, and he has served as trus- tee since the church was organized at Pleasant Valley in 1868. He has also contributed to the building fund of five churches of that de- nomination, in this county, and also to build other churches in Wyoming and elsewhere and gives his support to all worthy objects which will in any way promote the moral, educa- tional or material welfare of the community.
H ENRY SWEAT is recognized as one of the most progressive and valued citizens of West Jersey township, Stark county, his home being on section 33, where he is suc- cessfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. A native of Illinois, he was born near Pittsfield, Pike county, May 12, 1843, but when not yet four years of age he was taken to Peoria county by his parents, Benjamin and Lydia (Stephenson) Sweat. For a time the father there operated a rented farm, and later turned his attention to the manufacture of brick. Removing to Knox county, he pur- chased a farm, on which he made his home for a number of years, and subsequently again engaged in brick-making at Elmore, Peoria county, where he purchased land and spent his remaining days.
Our subject was one of a family of four chil- dren, of whom Malissa J. married Robert Crawford, a Union soldier, who was killed at the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, leaving two daughters. His widow later married James Crawford, a brother of her former husband, by whom she had four children. He is now deceased, and she makes her home in Mur- dock, Nebraska. Aurilla married John E. Crawford, and, with their four children, they reside in Arcadia, Humboldt county, Cali- fornia. Mary C. is the wife of Paul Rager, a resident of Ashland, Nebraska, by whom she has six children. In his political affiliations the father was a democrat, and he served as collector for several years in both Millbrook township, Peoria county, and Truro township, Knox county, and was assessor many years. He was a consistent member of the Adventist church, and strongly advocated temperance principles. His death occurred January 23, 1888, when in his sixty-sixth year, long sur- viving his wife, who passed away in 1864.
The days of his boyhood and youth Henry
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Sweat passed upon the home farm, receiving his education in the common schools of the neighborhood, and remaining under the parent- al roof until he had attained his majority. On the 26th of March, 1863, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah A. Summerson, of Truro township, Knox county, who was born in Clinton county, Pennsylvania, and when six years old emigrated to Illinois with her par- ents, Francis and Lucinda (Stout) Summerson. They located upon a farm in Knox county, where Williamsfield now stands, and there Mrs. Sweat acquired a fair common-school education.
Soon after his marriage, Mr. Sweat re- moved to Peoria county, where he rented land for four years, and then purchased fifty-five acres in West Jersey township, Stark county, in 1869. In a log house standing upon that tract he made his home for a time, and as he later purchased twenty acres more he moved his dwelling to the latter place, where it is still standing, just south of Mr. Catton's coal bank. He added to his original purchase until he had one hundred acres; but after living there for four years he traded the place for land in Iowa, which he subsequently sold, investing the proceeds in one hundred and sixty-four acres in Millbrook township, Peoria county, Illinois. There he also made his home for four years, but at the end of that time re- moved to his present farm in West Jersey township, Stark county, at first buying one hundred and twenty acres. He has extended the boundaries of his farm until it now com- prises two hundred and eighty acres of rich and valuable land, well tiled and under a high state of cultivation.
In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Sweat are eleven children, namely: Howard Ulysses, born in Knox county, Illinois, January 17, 1865, resides at home; Jennie, born Novem-
ber 19, 1866, married Arthur Leigh, a resi- dent of West Jersey township, and has one child; Lucy, born October 2, 1868, is the wife of Russell White, of Millbrook township, Peoria county, and has two children; Dora, born May 10, 1871, is the wife of George B. Morris, of West Jersey township, and has three children; Fred E., born August 27, 1872, married Emma Wiley, and lives in Millbrook township, Peoria county; and Henry C., born February 2, 1875; Bert L., May 9, 1877; George, July 23, 1879; Zetta, April 23, 1883; Ray, November 27, 1886, and Ada, February 27, 1889, are all at home. The parents have just reason to be proud of their family of children, each of whom has received a fair common-school education, while some have attended higher institutions of learning. Two or three have also been suc- cessful teachers. It is rare, indeed, to find a family of eleven children, among whom there have been no deaths, and of whom it can be said that no one has a bad habit. None of the six sons use intoxicating drinks or tobacco in any form, thus following the example set by their worthy father and heeding the admoni- tions of a loving mother. Reared a democrat, Mr. Sweat cast his first presidential vote for McClellan, in 1864; but in 1868 cast his ballot for Grant, and has since been independent in politics. His fellow citizens, recognizing his worth and ability, have called upon him to serve as school director twelve years, school trustee nine years, and highway commissioner six years. He well deserves the high regard in which he is held, and has the friendship and confidence of all who know him.'
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