USA > Illinois > Bureau County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall, Putnam and Stark Counties, Illinois > Part 69
USA > Illinois > Marshall County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall, Putnam and Stark Counties, Illinois > Part 69
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall, Putnam and Stark Counties, Illinois > Part 69
USA > Illinois > Stark County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall, Putnam and Stark Counties, Illinois > Part 69
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JOHN E. PRATZ, an industrious and thrifty J agriculturist, resides on section 27, West Jersey township, Stark county, where he owns and operates a farm of two hundred and eighty acres of rich and arable land. He is honored
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and respected by the entire community, who look upon him as one of their most wide-awake farmers and model citizens, who has ever given his liberal support to all worthy enterprises for the good of his native county.
Upon an adjoining farm Mr. Pratz was born on the 7th of February, 1850, the oldest son and fourth in order of birth in the family of four sons and four daughters of Jonathan Pratz, for years a prominent and representative farmer of Stark county, but now living retired, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. After attending the common schools for some time, our subject entered Abingdon College, where he completed his education and then returned home, assisting his father in the operation of the farm until he attained his majority. In 1872 he located in the northern part of West Jersey township, where he suc- cessfully engaged in agricultural pursuits for three years, and then purchased eighty acres of his present fine farm, which to-day is one of the most desirable and highly improved places in the community. . He also owns one hundred thirty-seven acres of timber land, one hundred acres of which lies in Peoria county.
On the 6th of March, 1873, in Stark county, was performed a wedding ceremony which united Mr. Pratz and Miss Anna E. Griffin, a native of Warren county, Illinois, of which her father, David Griffin, of Ohio, was an early set- tler. Later he removed to McDonough county, and for some time made his home in West Jer- sey township, Stark county, where Mrs. Pratz was principally reared and educated, being a schoolmate of her husband. Her father has for some years been a resident of Page county, Iowa, and is now living retired in Northboro. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Pratz, but one died in infancy, and Winifred at the age of three years, so that Vannie Laura is the only one now living. She is an accom-
plished young lady, still attending the home school.
In 1872 Mr. Pratz cast his first presidential ballot for General Grant, and has since given his unwavering support to the men and meas- ures of the republican party. As a warm friend of public education, he has efficiently served as a member of the school board for sixteen con- secutive years, but has usually refused to ac- cept official positions, preferring to give his undivided attention to the interests of his fam- ily and business affairs, which have prospered under his skillful management. His estimable wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and, although he holds membership in the Christian church, he attends services with her, and contributes to the support of both organizations. In connection with general farming, Mr. Pratz is extensively interested in buying, feeding and dealing in live stock, feed- ing several car-loads himself, and shipping annually from one hundred and fifty to three hundred loads. As a business man of more than ordinary capacity, and straightforward and honorable in all his dealings, he has met with excellent success in his undertakings and to-day ranks among the most substantial and reliable citizens of West Jersey township.
J UDGE W. W. WRIGHT .- In the legal profession, which embraces some of the finest minds of the nation, it is difficult to win a name and place of prominence. Many aspire to it, but do not reach it. In commercial life one may start out on a more advanced plane than others. He may enter into a business already established and carry it forward, but in the legal profession one must commence at the beginning and work his way up by ability, gaining his reputation and success by merit. If victory's laurel be placed upon his brow, it is because he has led in the race. To the suc-
W. W. WRIGHT.
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cessful and prominent lawyers of Stark county belongs our subject, who for many years has served as county judge.
Judge Wright was born in Fulton county, Illinois, September 10, 1842, and is the son of Captain W. W. Wright, whose birth occurred on the 3d of April, 1820, in New Hampshire. It was in 1835 that the father came west and settled on a farm near Canton, Illinois, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1851, when he removed with his family to Stark county. In the fall of 1862 he enlisted as a private in Company F, One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, but was elected captain at Peoria when General Hen- derson was made colonel, and served under several generals, including Burnsides. With his command he participated in a number of engagements in Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia, and at the battle of Resaca was wounded in the right shoulder by grape shot, on the 14th of May, 1864. He was carried from the field, and as soon as possible was taken to Nashville, but this required over a day, and he died at that place June 24. He was a man of excellent qualities, and for many years served as deacon of the Congregational church of Toulon. As a pioneer of Illinois he experienced all the hardships and privations incident to such a life, and always bore his part in the development and progress of his community.
The mother of the judge, who bore the maiden name of Anne Matilda Creighton, was born in Ireland, March 29, 1820, and in 1838 accompanied her father to America. In Can- ton, Illinois, in 1840, was celebrated her mar- riage with Mr. Wright, whom she still sur- vives, now making her home in Chicago. Like her husband, she is also a faithful member of the Congregational church. In their family were eight children: Nathaniel W., who is
engaged in the manufacture of furniture in Connersville, Indiana; Judge W. W .; Curtis, a resident of Carthage, Missouri; Amelia A., wife of Robert H. McKeighan, of Lee's Sum- mit, Missouri; Robert C., a resident of Con- nersville, Indiana, and secretary and treasurer of the Cooley-Morrison Furniture company; Sophia L., who is with her mother in Chicago; Eliza M., wife of Miles Canaday, of Chicago; and John E., city editor of the Evening Post, of Chicago.
Judge Wright, like the other members of the family, was reared on the home farm near Toulon, his father having brought the family to Goshen township, Stark county, in March, 1851, and purchased a quarter section of land, which his wife still owns. In the high school of Galva the Judge acquired his education. In May, 1864, he enlisted in Company H, One Hundred Thirty-ninth Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, for one hundred days, but served for six months. For some time his company was stationed at Cairo, but also went to Missouri when Price threatened St. Louis and Jefferson City, and from the former place marched to the latter city. On returning to Cairo, they relieved a Wisconsin regiment, which went to the front, but our subject was soon detached as clerk in the military prison at that place, in which capacity he served until honorably dis- charged.
Returning to his home, Judge Wright began the study of law in Toulon under Hon. M. A. Fuller, was admitted to the bar in November, 1866, and at once began practice in that city. He has been very successful, is accounted one of the leading members of the bar in Stark county, and was early appointed master in chancery, which position he filled until elected county judge in 1873. He was one of the few republicans elected that year, owing to the farmers' movement, and received the second
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highest majority of the four county officers who were successful. He has since acceptably served as judge, with the exception of one term when induced by his friends to run for congress, but in the nomination was defeated by General P. S. Post by one vote. The judgeship he held from 1873 until 1886, and in 1890 was re-elected. He still continues to hold that responsible position, his present term not expiring until 1898. His ruling always being unbiased and fair, he has proved a most popular official, and has the respect and con- fidence of all who know him.
On the 19th of May, 1875, Judge Wright was united in marriage with Miss Mary H. Hopkins, a native of Putnam county, Illinois, where her parents, Joel W. and Sarah ( Har- rison ) Hopkins, made their home. A talented musician, she was a successful teacher in that art before her marriage. Four children blessed their union- Eleanor M. and William W., who are attending the academy of Toulon ; Mary, who died at the age of nine months ; and Helen, who is attending the public schools. Both the Judge and his wife are consistent members of the Congregational church, in which he is serving as deacon, and he is also a prominent member and chaplain of W. W. Wright Post, No. 327, G. A. R. He has ever taken quite an active interest in political affairs, and served as a delegate from his district to the national republican convention in 1884, at which time he cast his ballot for Hon. James G. Blaine. He not only stands high in the esteem of his professional brethren, but is held in the highest regard by all who know him.
E TUGENE B. LYON .- This gentleman re- sides on one of the best farms in Goshen township, which is a tract of two hundred acres of rich and fertile land conveniently located on section 23, one mile and a half west of
Toulon. He is a native of the Empire state, his birth occurring in Onondaga county, Oc- tober 11, 1841, and belongs to a family of English origin that was early founded in New York, where his grandfather, Ezra Lyon, spent his entire life, and served as a military officer during the old training days.
Samuel Laten Lyon, the father of our sub- ject, was born April 5, 1818, in Fulton coun- ty, New York, where he grew to manhood and married Caroline Clark, a native of the same county, and a sister of Frederick and Joseph Clark, prominent manufacturers of Provi- dence, Rhode Island. For a time Mr. Lyon engaged in blacksmithing in Onondaga county, New York, where two of his children were born, and then returned to Fulton county, where he carried on the same business for a number of years. In 1854 he emigrated to Stark county, Illinois, first purchasing a small farm in Toulon township, which he began to improve and cultivate, but seven years later, sold out, and in 1861 moved to Toulon, where he worked at his trade and spent his remain- ing years, dying August 21, 1872. His wife survived him for some time, dying February 14, 1878, and both were buried in the Toulon cemetery, where suitable marble slabs mark their last resting place. In their family were two sons and four daughters, namely: Joseph- ine M., wife of Philip Templeton, of James- town, New York; Eugene B., of this sketch; Gertrude A., who married Herod Murnan and died at the age of twenty-two; Mary E., wife of Rev. J. C. Hart, minister of the Baptist church, now residing in Toulon; Jerry L., a teacher living at Grand Junction, Illinois; and Mary Dell, wife of Hamilton J. Rennick, a prominent lawyer of Toulon.
The first thirteen years of his life, Eugene B. Lyon spent in his native state, and in the village schools of Northville, Fulton county,
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began his education, which was completed after coming to Stark county by attending the district schools for a few months during the winter season. He was married in September, 1864, to Miss Mattie J. Cox, a native of Illi- nois, and a daughter of Enoch Cox, who came to this state at an early day from Ohio. They began their domestic life upon the old Lyon homestead, which Mr. Lyon rented for a time and then purchased, but in 1876 sold out and located on a farm a mile and a half from Toulon, operating one hundred and twenty acres until 1892.
While there residing he lost his wife, who passed away in June, 1878. As they had no children of their own they took to their home Ella Wandless, then three years old, and by them she was reared and educated. She is now the wife of P. B. Moore, of Montrose. Colorado. Mr. Lyon was again married in September, 1879, his second union being with Miss Hattie Newcomer, who was born in Penn- sylvania but was reared in Stark county, Illi- nois, where her father located at an early day, though on coming to the west .he first took up his residence in southern Illinois. She died December 24, 1888, leaving four children: Clyde L., who intends to graduate from the Toulon high school in 1897; and Bessie E., Clare H. and Bertha D., who are all attend- ing the home school.
On the Ist of March, 1891, Mr. Lyon wed- ded Mrs. Sarah C. Garrison, a daughter of Jonathan Pratz, a native of Pennsylvania, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this vol- ume. Mrs. Lyon was reared in West Jersey township, and on the 15th of March, 1866, gave her hand in marriage to Ephraim S. Gar- rison, a native of Ohio, who settled in Stark county on coming to Illinois. He was twice married, and died July 2, 1882. By her first marriage Mrs. Lyon has five children, namely:
Jesse L., a farmer of Nebraska, is married and has five children; Anna E., wife of Craig Headley, a farmer of Goshen township, Stark county, by whom she has four children; Rob- ert E., who is married and is engaged in farm- ing in Nebraska; Julia May, wife of Hiram H. Stockner, a farmer of Marshalltown, Iowa, by whom she has one child; and Emma Bells, who was married at the age of sixteen to John Ryder, a carpenter and joiner of Toulon.
Mr. Lyon generally casts his ballot in sup- port of the prohibition party, but in the fall of 1896 voted for William J. Bryan and free sil- ver. As an active and influential citizen, he has taken a prominent part in public affairs, for eight years acceptably served as constable of his township, was four times nominated by the democratic party as sheriff, but failed of election, as the county was strongly repub- lican, and as a friend of our public-school system he was a capable member of the school board for many years. For thirteen years he was connected with the Stark County Fair Association, serving as its superintendent for some time, and was actively identified with the Toulon Debating Society for a number of years. He and his wife are prominent and consistent members of the Christian church of Toulon, of which he has served as elder for some time. Of exemplary habits and the strictest integ- rity, he has made many warm friends during his long residence in Stark county, and well deserves the high regard in which he is uni- versally held.
A DAM G. FELL, junior member of the firm of Bradley & Fell, carriage-makers, of Toulon, is one of the most enterprising and en- ergetic young business men of Stark county, with whose interests he has always been iden- tified. He was born in Goshen township, July 6, 1868, a son of David and Helen (Jackson)
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Fell, natives of Scotland, who were married in Toulon and still live on a farm three miles north of that city, at the ages of fifty-two and fifty years, respectively. By occupation the father is a farmer and stock-buyer. Our sub- ject is the oldest in the family of nine children. the others being as follows: Thomas, at home; William, who is married and lives on the home farm; Jennie; Lizzie, who resides in Toulon; Mary; Louella, who died at the age of two years; Henry and Shubel.
Upon the home farm Adam G. Fell was reared to manhood, and in the schools of Tou- lon obtained a good, practical education. There he learned the carriage-maker's trade with Russell Carr, one of the finest and most com- petent workmen to be found in the county, and in September, 1895, purchased a half in- terest in the firm, which now does an exten- sive and profitable business under the style of Bradley & Fell. They repair buggies, wagons, sleds and sleighs, and do all kinds of trimming and upholstering, supplying the demands of several counties adjoining Stark. Their work being first-class, they have had an excellent patronage.
On the 27th of August, 1890, Mr. Fell was united in marriage with Miss Helen Church, a daughter of T. D. Church, who has re- sided on a farm at Goshen Center for many years. The father has now reached the age of fifty-two years, while his wife is fifty-four. In their family were nine children: Charles, who married Lydia Huff and resides on a farm in Iowa; Wallace, at home; Elmer, who mar- ried Jessie McCabe, of Pennsylvania; Tance; Mary; William, who married Neva Miner and lives on a farm in Goshen township; and Mrs. Fell. One child graces the union of our sub- ject and his wife,-Harold E., the joy and pride of the home.
Mr. Fell takes considerable interest in po-
litical affairs, always casting his ballot with the republican party, and he has acceptably served as commissioner of highways. Socially he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he is serving as vice- grand. Although young in years, he has won for himself a leading place in business circles, and has the confidence and regard of all who know him.
EDWIN SNARE .- Among the progressive and enterprising farmers and stock-raisers of Valley township, Stark county, there are few who are the peer of the subject of this biographical sketch. He is a native of the county, his birth having occurred in Penn town- ship on the 24th of April, 1849. His parents, John P. and Nancy (Kurfman) Schnere, were natives of Maryland and Pennsylvania, re- spectively, and were married in Huntingdon county of the latter state, where they made their home until their emigration to Illinois in 1847. With his wife and six children, the father drove across the country to Stark coun- ty, being six weeks in making the trip and camping out most of the time. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Penn township, and met with a fair degree of suc- cess in his undertaking, having at the time of his death four hundred acres of rich and val- uable land. In politics he was originally a Whig, and on the organization of the republi- can party in 1856 he became one of its ardent supporters, but was no office-seeker. He was an active and prominent member of the Meth- odist Protestant church, serving as class-leader for a number of years. He died in 1873 and was buried at Snareville cemetery, in Penn township, and the mother of our subject passed away in February, 1896, and was laid to rest by his side.
The father was twice married, his first wife
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being Esther Baker, who died in Pennsylvania, leaving six children. By the second union there were also six children, of whom two daughters died in infancy. The four sons all reached manhood and three are still living. Of these Cyrus Cooper, who made his home at Winnebago City, Minnesota, died about 1890 or 1891, and left two children; Reasy Scott, a resident of Penn township, Stark county, is married and has three children; Edwin is next in order of birth; and Albert, a resident of Mil- ford, Nebraska, is a graduate of the normal school at-Normal, Illinois, and is now princi- pal of the schools at Milford. He has also served as county superintendent of schools in Buffalo county, Nebraska. He is married and has two children.
The boyhood and youth of Edwin Snare were spent on the home farm, and in the dis- trict schools of the neighborhood he acquired his elementary education, which was supple- mented by a short course in the schools of Henry, Illinois. Soon after the civil war he began life on his own account, working by the month for others for about four years. Hav- ing secured a start in this way, he was then married, December 5, 1872, to Miss Nellie J. Brown, a native of Penn township and a daughter of Harlow and Harriet (Stofer) Brown. Three children have been born to them, but the two older, Edwin Leslie and Fannie Beulah, both died at the age of four months. Hallie Merle was born August 29, 1886, in the house where they still reside, and is a bright, studious boy.
For one year after his marriage, Mr. Snare rented land and then purchased eighty acres in Penn township, on which he lived for a few years. On disposing of that place he located on the farm where he still resides. It is a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of fertile and productive land and improved with excel-
lent buildings which stand as monuments to his thrift and enterprise. Since casting his first presidential vote for U. S. Grant in 1872, Mr. Snare has adhered to the principles of the re- publican party, and has served as a delegate to both the county and congressional conven- tions. He takes quite an active interest in ed- ucational affairs and has efficiently served as school director and school trustee for some time. Fraternally he is a charter member of Castleton Lodge, No. 553, I. O. O. F., in which he has filled all the chairs, and is past grand of his lodge, and also belongs to Mollie Stark Camp, No. 234, M. W. A. He is a pro- gressive, enterprising citizen and well deserves the high regard in which he is universally held.
A1 NDREW BRITTON, an honored and high- ly respected citizen of Bradford, has re- sided in this section of Illinois for almost half a century, arriving in pioneer days. The dif- ference between the past and the present can scarcely be realized even by those who were active participants in the development of the county. The present generation can have no conception of what was required by the early settlers in transforming the wilderness into the well-settled and highly-cultivated country which we to-day see. For many years Mr. Britton was actively identified with the progress and development of this region, but has now laid aside business cares and is enjoying a well- earned rest.
Mr. Britton was born March 20, 1811, in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Nathaniel and Hannah (Howell) Britton, who removed with their family to New York, where the father died of cancer two years later, in March, 1835, at the age of forty-eight years. He was a native of New Jersey and a farmer by occupation. He had two brothers, William and another who took part in the war
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of 1812. The mother of our subject died in 1865, at the age of eighty-six years. She was a daughter of William and Rebecca Howell. Her father served for seven years as a soldier under General Washington during the Revolu- tion, and, being an excellent horseman, drove a team much of the time. Soon after the close of the war he left his home in New Jersey and removed to Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in farming, and there died when over eighty years of age.
Our subject is the oldest in a family of seven children, of whom only three are now living. Jonathan died at the age of eleven years. William, who was twelve years younger than our subject, died at the age of seventy. Lavina became the wife of Daniel Miner and died at the age of seventy. Mrs. Anna Noble died in the '6os, at the age of about thirty. Rebecca is the wife of Uriah Wilson, of Cambridge, Illinois. Mrs. Mary Guilford makes her home in New York.
Mr. Britton, of this review, accompanied the family on their removal to New York, where he remained until 1839, when he came to Illi- nois, first locating in Richland county. Five years later he went to Mason county, where about the same length of time was passed. In 1851 he located in Milo township, Bureau county, where he began the improvement and cultivation of a farm of one hundred and sixty acres of valuable land, which he owned until March, 1895. For the past twenty years, however, he has lived retired in Bradford, en- joying the fruits of his former toil. He has . never cared for official preferment, but while living in the country held several school offices for many years.
In November, 1835, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Britton and Miss Eunice Ben- jamin, a native of Saratoga, New York, and a daughter of Joseph and Rebecca Benjamin,
who were eastern people by birth, and spent most of their lives in the Empire state. Her father, being bound out during his boyhood, served a seven-years apprenticeship to a trade.
Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Britton, of whom two died in infancy-Franklin and Joseph. Anzoletta, who resides on a farm in Dallas county, Iowa, is the widow of Darius Sutherland, and became the mother of four- teen children, of whom two are now deceased. Hannah married Washington Ferguson, who was born in June, 1823, and died March 6, 1888, and they had six children. Rebecca is the wife of Herman Wilcox, of Adel, Dallas county, Iowa, and they have one child. George W., a resident of Oklahoma, married Sarah Stever, and has thirteen children. Mary Ann is the wife of Henry Wilcox, a farmer of Iowa, by whom she has seven children. Sarah F., twin sister of Franklin, is the wife of L. H. Reed, a farmer of Milo township, Bureau county, and they had ten children, eight of whom are still living. Andrew J., a farmer and stock-raiser of Nebraska, married Edmonia Fisher, and has six children. Ira N., who was drowned at the age of thirty-three, while fishing in Raccoon river, July 4, 1888, left a widow, who was formerly Sarah Whipple, and seven children. Samuel H., a farmer of Iowa, mar- ried Anna Gudgel, who died in 1895, at the age of thirty-four, leaving four children. Two of the sons were Union soldiers during the Civil war. George W. enlisted in 1862, in Company E, Eighty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and his first engagement was the bat- tle of Perryville. During his three years' serv- ice he was with Sherman on the celebrated march to the sea, and took part in many hotly contested battles. Andrew J. enlisted in 1864, at the age of sixteen, but was in no important engagements.
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