USA > Illinois > Bureau County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 46
USA > Illinois > Marshall County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 46
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 46
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To Mr. and Mrs. Collins nine children were born-Thomas, Charles, James, John, Eddie, Sadie, Anna, Lottie and Della. Of this number Thomas married Miss Mary Odell, daughter of William Odell, of Steuben township, and now resides on a farm near Lawn Ridge; Anna is the wife of H. T. Webber, of La Prairie township. while the rest yet remain at home. The wife and mother died February 27, 1895, loved and respected by all. and was buried in the La Prairie cemetery.
Mr. Collins has never identified himself with any religious organization, but has contributed to those in his vicinity. The golden rule has been his life motto and therefore he has avoided all strife, never having in his entire life had a law suit. A friend of education, he has given more or less of his time to educational matters and has served more than twenty years as a member of the school board and is at present occupying that position. As a friend and neighbor no one has a better reputation than Patrick Collins, of La Prairie township.
H ENSON D. BONHAM is a representative of one of the pioneer families of Marshall county and is one of the leading farmers of the county. His residence is on section 36, White- field township, while his farm, consisting of two hundred and ten acres, lies in both sections 35 and 36. He is a native of Pickaway county, Ohio, born June 30, 1831. His father, Captain
Warford Bonham, was born in Maryland, near the Potomac river, while his mother, Rebecca (Mason) Bonham, was a native of New Jersey. At the age of twenty years his father removed to Ohio from Washington county, Pennsylvania, and his mother from her native home at the age of eighteen years. In that new country they be- came acquainted and were married in Ross county. For ten years he worked for one man in a still, finally purchasing it, and also ran a hotel on the main pike road, which was the regular stopping place for the stage coaches.
Shortly after the commencement of hostilities between this country and Great Britain in 1812 Warford Bonham raised a company and served until the close of the war, with the rank of cap- tain. Returning home, he remained in Ross county until about 1824, when he removed with his family to Pickaway county, where they re- sided for about ten years. At that time there was considerable emigration to Illinois, and he determined to try his fortunes in that new coun- try. On coming to this state they first made their home in Tazewell county, where they re- mained one winter, but, not liking the location; in April, 1835, the captain removed with his family to Marshall county and entered a tract of government land in Whitefield township, which now comprises a part of the farm on which our subject now resides. This land was secured at the government price of one dollar and a quar- ter per acre.
At the time of his removal here Captain Bon- ham had about eighteen hundred dollars in money, together with a good supply of stock. The family consisted of father, mother and ninc children, among them being two married daugh- ters with their husbands-James Tanquary and John S. Hoskins. The latter settled on land ad- joining, in Steuben township. James Tanquary was the father of Cornelius and Addison Tan- quary, who are now prominent citizens of Steu- ben township.
On the farm on which he originally settled in Whitefield township, Captain Bonham spent the remainder of his life, passing peacefully away
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July 23, 1869,at the ripe age of eighty-eight years. His remains were interred in the family burial ground on the home farm, a plat of ground set off by himself for that purpose. There his wife, who died February 17, 1858, at the age of sixty- eight years, was also interred, and side by side they lie at rest, waiting the resurrection morn.
The tract of land secured by Captain Bonham comprised about one thousand acres, which he extensively improved, and as his children went out from the old home he gave them such assist- ance as seemed best or as they were entitled to. In this way he administered on his own estate, and in a more satisfactory way, the division as made being perfectly satisfactory to every mem- ber of the family. Everything was perfectly har- monious, there being no dissatisfaction expressed by any one. The old homestead was given to our subject, with whom he made his home the last years of his life.
In early life Captain Bonham was politically a whig, the principles of the party being dear to him, and its great leaders-Webster and Clay -revered. A liberty-loving man, when the whig party ceased to exist, he identified himself with the new republican party and voted its ticket and advocated its principles to the end. His interest in political affairs never wavered, and, while never an office seeker, he was duly honored by his fellow citizens in a number of local offices. For about twenty years he was justice of the peace and was well known throughout the county as Squire Warford Bonham.
While he was a self-educated man, having had little opportunity for an education, either in pub- lic or private schools, he was a great student and well versed in general history and current events of the day. He was very fond of good reading, especially of a theological nature, and was well versed in the Bible. For many years he was a member of the Christian church, being converted under the preaching of Alexander Campbell. He was never bigoted in church matters, although a warm supporter of the church. The same right to hold and advocate his religious views he was willing to concede to others. In a discussion of
religion or politics he could hold his own with the best. As a republican he was an earnest supporter of Lincoln during the war and was a great admirer of that pure and honest statesman.
Of the children born to Warford and Rebecca Bonham, George is now residing in Chicago, at the age of eighty-four years; Henson D. is our subject; Mary Ann is now the widow of Henry Hoskins, and resides in Sparland; Eliza is the widow of John S. Hoskins, who came to Mar- shall county with the family, and some years ago removed to Iowa and later to Nebraska; War- ford died in June, 1894, and his son, Harrison R., lives on the old farm, which was a part of the original homestead.
Squire Bonham was a resident of Marshall county for more than a third of a century. He was a well-preserved man, physically and men- tally, and had the happy faculty of making friends, which friendship was always maintained. His death was a sad loss to the community, and few persons were more generally mourned as they passed on to the other shore.
Henson D. Bonham, of whom we now write, was but four years of age when his parents lo- cated in Marshall county. On the old farm where he now resides he grew to manhood and faithfully served his parents until after he at- tained his majority. His education was obtained in the public schools, his attendance being usu- . ally limited to the winter months of each year. As he grew to manhood he determined to fol- low as his life work the calling of his father, that of a farmer, and to that end bent all his energies, so that when called upon to leave the parental home he would be fully equipped for the battle of life.
On the 14th of October, 1852, Mr. Bonham and Miss Luana Swift were united in marriage. Six children came to bless their union-Alice R., at home; Roscoe Le Roy, an employe of the Great Northern railroad at St. Paul, Minnesota ; Millard Fillmore, who was a storekeeper for the Iron Range railroad, and died February 11, 1893. at Two Harbor, Minnesota: Carrie M., wife of Frank E. Duncan, of Des Moines, Iowa; Emily
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N., book-keeper and stenographer in the office of F. E. Duncan, at Des Moines; and Lillie, who died at the age of eight months. Each of the children have received liberal educations and have been well equipped for life. For four years, or from the time he was seventeen until he was twenty-one years of age, Millard was en- gaged in teaching in the public schools. He then entered railroad employ and was so engaged at the time of his death.
Immediately after his marriage Mr. Bonham commenced farming on his own responsibility. In due time his father let him have one hundred and sixty acres of the old homestead, on which he has continued to reside. From the other heirs he purchased fifty acres, giving him a nice farm of two hundred and ten acres. This he has ever kept under a good state of cultivation and his improvements have kept pace with the times.
Politically Mr. Bonham is a stanch republican, the principles of the party being born and bred in the bone. He has never sought office, but has shown his interest in the party by attending the primaries and local conventions and serving on township committees. For thirty years he has been an Odd Fellow and has passed all the chairs in both subordinate lodge and encampment. He has served the local bodies as a delegate to the Grand lodge and grand encampment. He is now chief patriarch of the encampment at Sparland. A strong temperance advocate, he is decidedly in favor of the total annihilation of the liquor traffic. An almost life long resident of the county, having spent some sixty-one years within its bor- ders, he is well and favorably known throughout its length and breadth.
E DWARD R. VIRDEN, who for eighteen years was president of the Farmers' Na- tional bank, has made an enviable record as one of the leading and enterprising citizens of Prince- ton. He was born in Norwich, Muskingum county, Ohio, March 23, 1836, and is the son of Jerome and Sarah (Fleming) Virden, both of whom were natives of Ohio.
Jerome Virden was for years engaged in the
shoe business in his native state, but later be- came a contractor on the Baltimore & Ohio rail- road, doing work along the hills near the Ohio river. On the completion of that work he re- moved with his family by team to Mount Pleas- ant, lowa, where he and his wife died many years ago.
Our subject spent his boyhood and youth in his Ohio home. In 1854, in company with his parents, he went to Mount Pleasant, Iowa, but one year later came to Princeton on a visit to his uncle, B. Laird, a druggist of the place, and here concluded to remain. Securing a situation as a clerk in the hardware store of A. S. & E. C. Chapman, he continued in their employ for about six years, thoroughly mastering the busi- ness. He commenced low and worked up until he held the most responsible position in the establishment, having for a time the entire charge of the store, the only one of the kind in the county, and doing an extensive business.
The war for the union was now in progress, and in 1862 he enlisted in the one hundred day service, Company A, Sixty-ninth regiment, and was commissioned lieutenant. Completing his service, he returned home, but again, in 1864, he raised a company at Princeton, which became Company A, One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, of which he was commissioned captain. The regiment was mus- tered into service at Peoria in June, 1862, and saw service in Missouri and Kentucky, follow- ing General Price, who had been making a raid through those states.
Captain Virden was usually in command of his company, but was detailed to carry dis- patches from Cairo to New Orleans. The dis- patches were in cipher from President Lincoln to General Canby. He went down the river, making four or five trips, and running great risks from guerillas, who from the river banks were watching the favorable opportunity of do- ing up a Yankee. He escaped all harm, how- ver, and served out his time of enlistment, after which he returned home, having been mustered out in November, 1864.
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Previous to entering the service Captain Vir- den, in 1862, engaged in the hardware trade in the north end of Princeton, and on his return rc-engaged in the trade, in which he actively con- tinued until 1876. After six years' clerkship he had saved onc thousand dollars, which he in- vested in the business. For the first three years the business was conducted under the firm name of Richardson Brothers & Virden, and the three succeeding years as Shugart & Virden, after which time he was sole proprietor until he sold out in 1876.
The hardware business of Mr. Virden was a large and profitable one. In 1872 he was burned out, his entire stock being consumed by fire, with a loss of over ten thousand dollars, with but little insurance. He was not disheartened, but set to work, collected his bills and soon retrieved his loss. During this time he erected the large brick building now occupied by Priestly Hard- ware company.
In 1876 Captain Virden and Captain Clark Grey purchased a controlling interest in the Farmers' National bank, which had been or- ganized a year or two previously. He was elected president and Captain Grey cashier. The capital stock of the concern, which was then fifty thou- sand dollars, was soon afterward increased to seventy-five thousand dollars, and later to one hundred and ten thousand dollars. The business of the bank under the wise and conservative man- agement of Captain Virden grew steadily until it had the largest capital and surplus and indi- vidual deposits of any bank in Bureau or adjoin- ing counties. The dividends of the bank had about paid back the original stock when Captain Virden, in 1894, surrendered the presidency and its stock was worth two hundred. The deposits were some two hundred and fifty thousand dol- lars, with surplus and undivided profits of ninety thousand dollars.
For eighteen years Captain Virden gave his attention almost wholly to the bank, but giving some attention to loaning money on real estate in Kansas and Nebraska and making some in- vestments there from time to time. He now owns
between five thousand and six thousand acres in those states, together with about three hundred acres in Bureau county. He has never indulged in any speculation, but has confined himself to legitimate trade and banking. He has made ex- tensive improvements in Princeton, and recently erected a fine hall, the finest in the city.
In politics Mr. Virden has been a loyal and uncompromising republican during his entire life, having received his political training under Owen Lovejoy. He lacked a few months of being of legal age when Fremont ran for the presidency as the first candidate of the newly organized republican party, and therefore did not have the satisfaction of casting his vote for the "Pathfinder," but has since at every succceding election voted his party tickct. His first vote for congressman was in 1860 for Thomas J. Hender- son, who so long and ably served his district. Since 1860 he has been a delegate in nearly every convention of his party.
Mr. Virden was married April 26, 1861, to Miss Anna Thompson, of Cambridge, Ohio. They were school children together and the youthful attachment was strengthened as the years went by, and as soon as he felt somewhat settled in life he went to Ohio to claim his bride. Returning immediately after marriage, they have since made Princeton their home, and have now traveled life's journey together for more than thirty-five years. Mrs. Virden is a devout mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is happy in giving her time and talents to the va- rious lines of church work, including the Sunday school. In everything she takes a leading and active part, and is recognized as a leader by all her associates.
To Mr. and Mrs. Virden four children were born, one of whom, their only son, E. L., died at the age of seventeen years. The living are Nellie R., the wife of Charles Sapp, of Wyanet town- ship, Bureau county; Martha and Mary, twins. The former is now the wife of J. A. Brigham, of Princeton, while Mary is yet an inmate of her parents' home. All have been well educated in the high school at Princeton.
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Fraternally Mr. Virden is a Master Mason, being initiated into the order when but twenty- one years of age. Of late years he has not been active in lodge work, but believes in the princi- ples of the order. In educational work he has shown his interests by serving twelve years as a member of the board of education; in fact, in everything pertaining to the city's interest he has shown a willingness to do all in his power and evidences of it are seen on every hand.
I RWIN BORGER, one of the representative
and honored citizens of Bureau county, now serving as postmaster of Ladd, was born on the 17th of January, 1832, in Northampton county, Pennsylvania. His paternal great-grandfather. John Borger, was also a native of the same state, and at one time was held a captive by the Indians for six years. The family is of German origin. the founder coming to this country from Hesse.
The parents of our subject. Theobold and Lydia (Miller) Borger, spent their entire lives in the keystone state, only coming to Illinois on a visit in 1858. By trade the father was a black- smith, and in the early days often put on a horse shoe for six cents. He lived a quiet, industrious life, but by all who knew him was held in the highest esteem for his many excellent traits of character and sterling worth. He died in 1867, at the age of sixty-nine years, and his good wife passed away two years later at the age of sixty- nine. Both were consistent members of the German Reformed church. In their family were five children, namely: Ephraim, who married Elizabeth Metsker, is a blacksmith by trade, but is now blind and is living in Pennsylvania. Mary is the widow of Richmond McKee, and is living in Arlington, Bureau county. William married Teressa Schreiber, and is a blacksmith of Penn- sylvania. Pollie married Jacob Wooley, but both are now deceased. Irwin is the youngest.
Mr. Borger, whose name introduces this sketch, received a common school education and at an early age learned both blacksmithing and carpentering, being very handy with tools. On coming to Illinois in 1857 he located upon a
farm in Bureau county, three miles west of Ladd, where he remained one year, and then removed a half mile north of that village, purchasing eighty acres of land at twenty-five dollars per acre from King & Gibbons, of Pennsylvania, who owned considerable land here. He added to the original tract until he had about two hun- dred acres of rich and valuable land, but has since sold all with the exception of seventy-eight acres, which is underlaid with excellent coal. He also owns a section of land in Sheridan county, Kan- sas, and still has seventeen acres in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania. Besides his farm prop- erty, in connection with Walter Maze, of Peru, Illinois, Mr. Borger owns a good lumber yard at Ladd, Illinois. They carried a large stock, which was destroyed by fire on the night of May 4, 1896, their office, sheds and all being burned. The property was valued at eight thousand dol- lars, on which they carried an insurance of three thousand dollars, but settled with the company for twenty-four hundred and eighty-five dollars. They do an extensive business and have since replaced their stock.
In March, 1852, Mr. Borger was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Bush, who died in February, 1853, at the age of twenty-four years. On the 2nd of February, 1857, he was again mar- ried, in Pennsylvania, his second union being with Miss Emma Faust, who was born April 28, 1836, and is a daughter of Paul and Emily (Breinig) Faust, natives of Pennsylvania, and most excellent and worthy people. Mr. and Mrs. Borger have one daughter, Ida M., who married Oscar Combs. He died in 1882, leaving one son, Irwin W. Combs, and Ida has since married John R. Kinder, a resident of Ladd, by whom she has three children-Emma, Pearl and John.
Under President Cleveland's administration Mr. Borger was appointed postmaster of Ladd in 1888 and also served under President Har- rison. He still continues to fill that position, is prompt and faithful in the discharge of his duties, and his long retention in the office plainly indi- cates the satisfaction he has given. He has also
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
been called upon to fill other local positions of honor and trust, including those of collector of his township, pathmaster, school director and commissioner. He voted for both Lincoln and Grant, but is not bound by party ties, always casting his ballot in support of the man whom he thinks best qualified to fill the office. He and his estimable wife hold membership in the Reformed church. He is enterprising and progressive, al- ways keeping abreast with the times in every par- ticular, and is one of Bureau county's most valued and highly respected citizens.
O RIN T. COLLINS. Prominent among the substantial and enterprising farmers of Westfield township may be found the subject of this biographical sketch, whose home is situated on section 25, and who is considered one of the most industrious and worthy citizens of this part of Bureau county. He has made his home within its borders since 1855 and has therefore wit- nessed much of its growth and development.
He was born in Hartford county, Connecti- cut, January 3, 1823, in which state the family was founded at an early day in its history. His grandfather, Simeon Collins, was there born and died at the advanced age of ninety-two years. He had aided the colonies to throw off the yoke of British oppression, and for services rendered in the Revolutionary war received a pension from the government. Isaac Collins, the father of our subject, was born in Hartford county in 1793, there grew to manhood and married Sophia Treat, also a native of Connecticut. He followed the occupation of farming and black- smithing in that state, where his death occurred in 1838, at the age of forty-five.
Mr. Collins, whose name introduces this sketch, was one of a family of five children, and spent his early life in his native county. He was afforded excellent .educational privileges, and after attending the public schools en- tered South Glastonbury academy, where he remained for four years under the tutelage of Professor Elihu Barrett. He remained upon the home farm until after his father's death and con-
tinued to operate the same until 1855. In Hart- ford county he was married in 1846, the lady of his choice being Miss Charlotte Pitkin, who was there born, reared and educated, and a daughter of George Pitkin. Her family was one of the first to settle at East Hartford and she has in her possession a highly prized chair which has been in the family since 1765 and perhaps longer.
In 1855 our subject brought his family to Bu- reau county, locating first upon a rented farm in Lamoille township, but in 1858 purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Westfield township, his present valuable and highly pro- ductive farm. This he at once began to improve and cultivate and to-day it ranks among the best to be found in the locality.
Mr. Collins lost his wife, who passed away in May, 1878, at the age of fifty-five years, and lies buried in Hills cemetery, Bureau county, where a substantial monument marks her last resting place. To them were born five children, two sons and three daughters, all still living, namely: George P., a farmer of Sac county, Iowa; Lottie, wife of Amassa Rose, of Yates Cen- ter, Woods county, Kansas; Sophia, who is with her father; Charles P., who is engaged in farm- ing upon the old homestead; and Laura C., who is a stenographer of Chicago.
In 1878 Mr. Collins assisted in the organiza- tion of the Peru Farmers' Mutual Insurance company, of which he was elected its first presi- dent, and has continued to serve in that capacity since ; the company has grown from a small con- cern until it now represents eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars. It is one of the most reliable insurance companies of the state, has paid out several thousand dollars of insurance, every dollar as far as obligated without contro- versy, and for the success of the institution much credit is due its efficient president. He cast his first presidential vote for Hon. Henry Clay, the whig candidate, but since the first election of Abraham Lincoln he has been a stanch repub- lican, always supporting the principles of that party. He cares nothing for public office, pre- ferring to give his time and attention to his busi-
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ness interests. During his long residence in the county he has become both widely and favorably known and is numbered among the highly re- spected and representative citizens of the com- munity, while his honorable, straightforward life has gained him the friendship of those with whom he has come in contact either in a business or social way.
C HARLES L. V. PARKER, one of the sub- stantial and well-known citizens of Prince- ton, Illinois, has accomplished a satisfactory work as a farmer, and acquired a competency to live on in his declining years and has retired from business to make room for younger blood, re- quired in the active life of the agriculturist. He is also numbered among the early settlers of Bu- reau county, having been prominently identified with its interests since the fall of 1856-at which time he took up his residence within its borders.
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