USA > Illinois > Bureau County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 5
USA > Illinois > Marshall County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 5
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 5
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While serving as sheriff of the county the most delicate and difficult duty Mr. Lenz was
called upon to perform was in connection with the strike of the coal miners in 1894. To protect the property, and incidentally the lives of many persons, in his official capacity, he had to assume control of the coal mines of the county, and for that purpose he had constantly employed for over one month from twenty-five to one hundred men as deputies, sworn to assist in keeping the peace. During the strike the deputies came into collision with the miners but once, and that was at Wenona. No special damage was done. The militia was called for at Toluca, but fortunately their services were not needed and the order was countermanded.
On May 6, 1893, Mr. Lenz was united in mar- riage with Miss Minnie Lenz. One child has come to bless their home, to whom has been given the name of Charles.
Mr. and Mrs. Lenz are members of the German Lutheran church, Lacon, and are held in the highest esteem in the social circles of the city. Few men are better known, or who have more warm personal friends than the subject of this sketch, whose lifework bids fair to bring him other and higher honors in the future.
J JOHN WARFIELD, deceased, who resided in Princeton township, was for many years a conspicuous figure in Bureau county. He was the object of respect by young and old, and he was greeted with affection and esteem by one and all, and in his declining days he enjoyed the reward of a well ordered life and one in which he had exerted himself to do good to those around him. He was a native of Maryland, born January 26, 1810, and was a son of Wil- liam and Martha (Bye) Warfield, also natives of the same state. His paternal grandfather, Philip Warfield, was of English descent, whose ances- tors were numbered among the early settlers of Maryland. The maternal grandfather of our subject was Jonathan Bye, who died at the age of eiglity-five years, and whose family were members of the Society of Friends. William Warfield spent his entire life in his native State, where his death occurred when our subject was
JOHN WARFIELD.
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but six months old. After his death his widow became the wife of Jacob Halloway, who re- moved to what is now known as Belmont coun- ty, Ohio, where her death occurred in 1866. By her first marriage she had three children: Mary, deceased; Maria, now the wife of Joseph Walker, by whom she has five children, and is now a resi- dent of Belmont county, Ohio, and is in her eighty-ninth year; and John, of this sketch. All of the children by the second union are now deceased.
Mr. Warfield, of this review, was reared on the farm of his stepfather, and at the age of twenty-two years began merchandising, going for his first stock of goods to Baltimore, Mary- land. He first crossed the Alleghany mountains on horseback and his later trips were made by stage coach. While he purchased his first stock of goods in Baltimore, he usually obtained his supplies from Philadelphia. While on one of his early trips he saw the engine which was after- ward on exhibition at the World's Fair in Chi- cago in 1893, which he visited. Opening his store at Uniontown, Ohio, he conducted the same for fourteen years, during which time he was very successful and succeeded in accumu- lating his first few thousand dollars. He re- moved from Uniontown to Bridgeport, Ohio, where he engaged in the wholesale grocery busi- ness for the following ten years. While residing in that city he was president of the Belmont branch of the State Bank of Ohio, a position which he filled for nine years, the bank success- fully, by his good management, passing through the panic of 1837.
In 1835, while still residing in Belmont coun- ty, Ohio, Mr. Warfield was united in marriage with Miss Lydia E. Smith, a native of Penn- sylvania, and a daughter of Elias Smith, and they became the parents of five children, as fol- lows: William, now residing in Quincy, Illinois; Andrew, of Clinton, Iowa; Jacob H., who died in 1890; Eliza Jane, at home; and Wilson R., of Des Moines, Iowa. Mrs. Warfield died May I, 1851, and in 1852 Mr. Warfield wedded Re- becca Wilson, a native of St. Clairsville, Ohio,
who died in 1887. To them was born one daugh- ter, Lydia Emma, now the wife of Volney S. Cooper, of Princeton. Rebecca Wilson was the daughter of Stephen and Amy (Smith) Wilson. Mr. Wilson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, and was a member of the Society of Friends. Amy, his wife, was a native of Penn- sylvania, in which state she was reared.
The Wilsons were early pioneers of Illinois, and were prominently identified with the history of Bureau county. Stephen Wilson was post- master for a long time and also held the office of justice of the peace. In politics he was first a whig and later a republican. He departed this life in March, 1872, and was followed by his widow in 1890. Mrs. Rebecca Warfield was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was prominently known for her kind, genial nature, her charities and her earnest, efficient church work. For his third wife Mr. Warfield chose Mrs. Jane (Pennington) Bellan- gee, whom he married in 1889, and who lived but two years after her marriage to him.
In 1856 Mr. Warfield came to Bureau county, and located on section 9, Princeton town- ship, where he engaged in farming and also invested a considerable amount in lands, which he later sold, using his capital in other ways. He subsequently removed to Quincy, Illinois, where he spent five and a half years, after which he returned to his home in Princeton township.
In early life Mr. Warfield was politically a whig, casting his first presidential vote in 1832, for Henry Clay. He continued to support that party until its dissolution, after which he became a republican, with which party he affiliated dur- ing the remainder of his life. While a resident of Uniontown, Ohio, he filled the position of post- master, the only office of honor or profit that he ever held, caring nothing for political prefer- ment. Starting in life unaided and working at farming during his youth, he lived honestly and economically; was industriously inclined, ambi- tious and healthy, and became by judicious man- agement the possessor of a handsome compe- tence which enabled him to spend his declining
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years in ease and retirement. For over forty years he was a consistent member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church, and in all the relations of life was upright and honorable. His death occurred August 4, 1896, and was a sad blow not only to the family but to friends. Mr. War- field was a man of fine intellect, broad-minded, yet modest and reserved withal. He was of genial nature, gentle and pure in character, and a devoted husband and father. He had a kind word for all and was a most interesting com- panion, not only to the old, but to the young, holding in an eminent degree the respect, con- fidence and love of kindred and a large circle of friends left to mourn his loss.
D ANIEL NEEDHAM BLOOD, now de- ceased, was for more than forty years one of the leading and most highly respected citizens of Henry, Marshall county, Illinois. He was a native of New Hampshire, born at Hollis, July 7, 1813, and was a son of Joseph P. and Rachel (Needham) Blood. His father was a contractor and stone-mason by trade, and when Daniel was but five or six years of age, removed with his family to Boston, Massachusetts, and later to Rochester, New York, where he was a contractor in the construction of the locks on the Erie Canal. There our subject spent his youth and secured a fair education in the public schools of the city.
In early manhood, Mr. Blood removed to Vic- tor, New York, where he engaged in farm work, and was there married January 1, 1838, with Miss Salome Root, a native of that village. For eight years the young couple lived at Victor, and there three children were born to them. In 1845 he made a trip to Illinois, with the view of lo- cating should he be pleased with the country. This visit satisfied him that in this grand state the poor man, who was industriously inclined, had a rare opportunity for bettering his condi- tion in life. He therefore determined to re- move here, and so, in 1846, with his wife and three children, he moved to Farmington, Illinois, where he joined his brother, James Blood, in the manufacture of plows. This brother, when
the news came of the discovery of gold in our newly acquired possession, California, was at- tacked with the gold fever, and was among the first in 1849 to go to the new Eldorado. He returned in 1851, and organized a company, which included several members of the family, again took up his westward march, and is yet liv- ing in Santa Barbara, California.
Our subject continued in the manufacture of plows but a short time, and then purchased a flouring mill in Fulton county, which he oper- ated until 1851, when he removed to Henry, Illi- nois, and here engaged in the hardware business for three years. He then purchased a small farm about two miles northwest of the village, to which he added by subsequent purchase, mak- ing a farm of over two hundred acres, on which he made extensive improvements. This farm for the succeeding thirty-four years was his home, and here his children grew to manhood and womanhood, and from which they went out to pursue their various callings in life.
Mr. Blood was a thorough and practical farm- er, confining himself to no special feature of farm work, but carrying on a diversified farming. He was quite successful in stock raising, and made some money in that line. In addition to his home farm he invested somewhat in other lands, and also engaged to a limited extent in trading and speculating. At the time of his death he was the owner of considerable land and personal property, and was considered among the well-to- do and prosperous men of Marshall county.
In 1888, he determined to leave the farmn, and purchasing a residence in Henry, he removed to the village and practically lived a retired life. For two years he was a great sufferer from heart trouble, and death came to his relief July II, 1890, at the age of seventy-seven years and four days. His wife preceded him to the "land be- yond" some six weeks, so their separation was of but short duration.
To Mr. and Mrs. Blood six children were born, two of whom died in infancy. The living are William M., a farmer, now residing at White- wood, South Dakota; James A., a merchant of
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Santa Barbara, California; Mary L., of whom mention is made further on in this sketch, and Daniel N., a farmer, living near York, Nebraska.
In his political views from the organization of the party until his death, Daniel N. Blood was a thorough and consistent republican, and while really averse to holding official position, yet held several offices of a local character, the du- ties of which he discharged with conscientious fidelity. In later life neither himself nor wife were connected with any church, though favor- ing the work of the church and contributing of their means to both church and Sunday school. He was a great friend to education and gave freely toward the erection of the Henry Female seminary which stood on a part of his farm, and which was erected under the auspices of Rev. H. G. Pendleton, the first Congregational minister of Henry, and opened November 12, 1849. For some years the school was conducted by Rev. Pendleton as a boarding school for young ladies, having an attendance of about one hundred pu- pils. The first building was burned February 15, 1855, after which a more pretentious four- story brick was built, together with a handsome brick residence, the latter still standing. The first corps of teachers employed were from Mount Holyoke seminary. Until after the beginning of the war the school flourished, but it then began to decline, and that struggle proved its death blow. For some years school was conducted in the building by various parties, but without suc- cess, and it was finally passed into the hands of Mr. Blood, who, on being convinced no good would come of it, had the main building torn down.
Mr. Blood was a man of strong, positive character, and a most careful business man. He was loved in his home, and had many warm friends in the community where he so long re- sided.
Mary L. Blood, the only daughter of Daniel N. and Salome (Root) Blood who grew to wo- manhood, was born in Fulton county, Illinois, but removed with her parents to Marshall county in early childhood. Here she grew to lovely
womanhood, and in the Henry seminary re- ceived her literary education, which was, how- ever, finished in the Hyde Park seminary of Chicago. She remained with her parents until her marriage, June 11, 1873, with Captain Thomas Q. Hildebrant, a native of Ohio, who for ten years was a prominent attorney of Joliet, Illi- nois. Captain Hildebrant was a great admirer of the "Little Giant," Stephen A. Douglas, and in the presidential campaign of 1860, stumped the state for that eminent statesman, who was a candidate for the presidency. The "Little Giant" was, however, defeated, and Abraham Lincoln elected. The southern states which, in the event of such an occurrence, had threatened to secede, made good their threats as far as was in their power by passing acts of secession and the ap- peal to arms. Like his great leader, the pa- triotic blood of Mr. Hildebrant was fired and he determined to do all in his power to put down the rebellion and wipe out the insult to the old flag. At the first call to arms, he offered his services and raised a company, which became Company F, Twentieth Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, and at the head of his company he marched to the front. On account of ill-health he was compelled to resign after one year's ser- vice.
On leaving the service, Captain Hildebrant re- moved to Ohio, and as his old-time health was renewed, he determined again to enter the army. and became a member of the One Hundred and Forty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war, mainly on staff serv- ice. On one of the fields of battle, Captain Hildebrant lost his sword, which was a present to him by his old company. It was picked up by a rebel who sold it, and after having been used by a rebel officer, at the close of the war was taken to his home in Florida. A friend of Cap- tain Hildebrant, while traveling in that state, some twenty-three years after, saw the sword on which the name of the captain was engraved. recognized it, arranged with the soldier for its purchase and returned it to its owner, then resid-
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ing in Washington, D. C. It is now among the archives of the Grand Army post at Joliet, to which several of the original company belong.
Soon after their marriage, Captain and Mrs. Hildebrant removed to Cincinnati, where he en- , gaged in the practice of law until 1884, when they removed to Washington, D. C., where he re- sumed practice, making a specialty of practice before the court of claims, and where he attained great distinction as a successful advocate. He resided in Washington until his death, April 9. 1890. His death, however, occurred at Henry, at which place he was then visiting. His remains were laid to rest in the cemetery at Henry, which was laid out on land formerly owned by her father.
Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Hilde- brant has made her home in Henry. Until the death of her parents she lived with them, and since that time has resided in the house where they peacefully passed away. Mrs. Hildebrant is a woman of no ordinary ability, which has been recognized by those with whom she has been associated. She was one of the first wo- inen elected a member of the school board, and was secretary of the Henry school board for one year. A member of the Congregational church, she takes an active interest in all its work. She also belongs to various clubs, among them be- ing the Woman's club and the Chautauqua club, and her influence for good is felt in each.
C RAWFORD N. ONG, clerk of the circuit court of Marshall county, Illinois, is a na- tive of Putnam county, Illinois, born in Mag- nolia township, March 2, 1863. His father, Nathan Ong, was a merchant tailor and a busi- ness man in Magnolia. His life was mainly spent in Marshall and Putnam counties, coming here in 1842 when eighteen years old. His mar- riage with Miss Meriel Dorinda Myers occurred September 7, 1848 .. She is the daughter of David Myers, who came to this county in 1832, locat- ing in Roberts township, two and a half miles north of the present village of Varna, where he spent the remainder of his life. For many years
in connection with farming, he engaged in the nursery business, and many of the old orchards in Marshall and Putnam county came from his nursery. In the family were thirteen children, of whom Mrs. Ong is the only representative now living in the county. The old homestead is owned by the only living son, Hiram Myers, who makes his home in Galesburg, Illinois. Besides Mrs. Ong three daughters yet survive.
Nathan Ong, the father of our subject, was for some years engaged in the hotel business in Henry, Marshall county, being the landlord of the Paskell house. In 1850 he started overland for California, and arrived at his destination after six months of perils and hardships. The com- pany from his immediate neighborhood was com- prised of four men, his father, his two brothers- in-law, Joshua and David Myers, and himself. The return trip was made by sea, crossing the Isthmus of Panama, and landing at New York city, thence home by railroad.
In his family were six children, of whom three sons are now living. Ira M., now residing in Normal, Illinois, was four years county superin- tendent of schools in Marshall county, a position which he was eminently qualified to fill, and in which he gave good satisfaction to the people of the county. From his youth up he engaged in teaching in the public schools of his native coun- ty, but since 1894 has been engaged as principal in one of the ward schools of Bloomington, Illi- nois. Judson W., the second son, is at present engaged as a storekeeper in the internal revenue office at Peoria.
The subject of this sketch spent his childhood and youth in Roberts township, and at various times attended the country schools of the imme- diate vicinity in which the family lived, and later the village schools of Varna. When nineteen years of age for one term he engaged as a teacher in the country school, known as Shaw's Point school. Possessed of some musical skill, about this time he engaged as a musician with a comedy company then playing "one night stands" in the vicinity, but it did not take long to wean him of the desire to distinguish himself as a "barn storm-
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er," and he retired from the company, receiving nothing for his services but valuable experience, and for the next four years engaged in the paint- ing trade as a journeyman painter. This was a more profitable employment, even if not so dis- tinguished. Quitting this business, however, he engaged as a clerk in the clothing store of Messrs. Stire & Gell, at Lacon, where he re- mained until March, 1889 when he was appoint- ed deputy circuit clerk, under John B. Wright, with whom he remained until the expiration of Mr. Wright's term. The ability displayed as deputy secured him the nomination for the of- fice of circuit clerk on the democratic ticket, and he was triumphantly elected, being duly installed the first Monday in December, 1892. He has now served something over three years with en- tire satisfaction to the court and his constituents in general.
On the Ioth of May, 1894, Mr. Ong was unit- ed in marriage with Miss Marsa Thompson, a native of Lacon, a graduate of its high school, and a daughter of Samuel H. Thompson. One daughter has come to bless their union, Flor- ence, born September 4, 1895.
Socially Mr. Ong is a member of Lacon lodge, No. 291, K. P., has been chancellor commander for two terms, and has held other offices in that body, including its representative to the grand lodge two years. He is also a member of the Knights of Maccabees, a fraternal insurance so- ciety, in which he is very much interested. Mr. Ong is quite fond of outdoor sports, and has quite a reputation as a hunter and fisherman with the line and rod. As a citizen he is held in the high- est esteem by those with whom he is acquainted, and has ever shown himself enterprising and ready to do his share in every good work. To such men much of the prosperity of a community is due.
H ENRY FULLER, circuit clerk and ex-offi- cio recorder of Bureau county, is num- bered among those sterling citizens of Prince- ton who are true to the best interests of town, county, state and nation, and in a volume of
this character no one is more deserving of men- tion. He was born in New York city, December 6, 1852, and is a son of Ira E. and Kate (Withall) Fuller, the former a native of New Hampshire, and the latter of England. The father was a farmer of Illinois, to which state he removed in 1858, locating first at Princeton, but later re- turned east, and on again coming to this state settled in De Kalb county, where for about twen- ty years he engaged in agricultural pursuits. He died in 1885, at the age of seventy-three years. He was a Baptist in religious belief and quite prominent in church councils. His wife, who is still living, makes her home upon a farm at Rollo, De Kalb county, at the age of sixty-four years. Our subject is the oldest in their family of four children, the others being Belle, wife of Charles Whitman, of Baraboo, Wisconsin; Josie, who is with her mother, and Edgar, who operates the home farm.
Mr. Fuller, of this review, was educated at Princeton, being one of the pupils to be admit- ted to the high school when it was first opened. In 1877 he led to the marriage altar Miss Ella G. Whitver, a daughter of John and Mary Whit- ver, old residents of Bureau county, having come from Tuscarawas county, Ohio, in 1852. The parents are widely and favorably known and are numbered among the prominent residents of Walnut township. To our subject and his wife have been born four children, the joy and pride of the home, namely: Clarence, now deceased; Ira Edgar, Kate Darline and Gertrude Belle.
For a time Mr. Fuller engaged in farming on his own account, but his attention has mostly been given to official duties and merchandising. From 1879 to 1892 he was engaged in the mer- cantile business at Walnut Hill, Illinois. He has always taken a lively interest in political af- fairs, and held the office of clerk of his township for about ten years, also school treasurer for the same time. In fact, he has held public trusts for the past twenty years. In 1892 he was nominated and elected circuit clerk, was renominated by acclamation, there being no opposition, and is now acceptably filling that office, his present term
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expiring in December, 1896. He has given ex- cellent satisfaction to his constituency and all concerned as is evinced by his again being re- nominated to the same office and his election in 1896. He is in the prime of a vigorous manhood and has many years of usefulness before him ac- cording to life's expectancy. In politics he has always been an uncompromising republican, in favor of a high protective tariff, and is in every way a worthy and esteemed citizen. Socially he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America, while religiously his estimable wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
P ROFESSOR JACOB MILLER, at present engaged in the real estate, insurance and loan business in Princeton, Illinois, was for a number of years prominently connected with the educational interests of Bureau county. He was born in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, June 15, 1835, and is the youngest of the family of seven children born to Isaac and Mollie (Ferns- ler) Miller, also natives of the keystone state. By occupation the father was a farmer and drov- er, going to Ohio for stock, which he would re- tail to the farmers of Pennsylvania, who would feed them and then sell in the eastern markets. He was an upright, honorable man, widely and favorably known, and both himself and wife were members of the United Brethren church. He died instantly from an apoplectic stroke, August 12, 1868, and his wife some time later. They were of German extraction. Of the children, Henry, now deceased, married Eliza Landis, and followed farming in Pennsylvania; Mattie, de- ceased, was the wife of Philip Wolfersberger of Bureau county, Illinois; Christina, a resident of Annville, Pennsylvania, first married John Gas- ser, and after his death Jacob Bachman; Sarah is the widow of John Fernsler and lives in Ann- ville; Elizabeth is the second wife of Philip Wolfersberger, postmaster of North Princeton, and J. Frank, who married Emma Beshler, and now lives at Perrysburg, Pennsylvania, was major of the dashing Ninth Pennsylvania Volun- teer Cavalry in General Kilpatrick's command,
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