The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois, Part 54

Author: Clarke S. J. Publishing Company
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 624

USA > Illinois > Bureau County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 54
USA > Illinois > Marshall County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 54
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 54

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

W ILLIAM C. DRAKE was engaged in the earlier years of his life in agricultural pur- suits, but is now retired from active labor, and occupies a pleasant home in Princeton. He was born in Knox county, Ohio, November 26, 1821. and is a son of William Y. and Jane (Carey) Drake, both natives of New Jersey, where they were married. In 1808 they emigrated to Jef- ferson county, Ohio, and later went to Knox county, locating upon a farm. The father had learned the blacksmith's trade, and his expe- rience rendered him a very useful man in the neighborhood in those early times. On coming west he located in Princeton township, Bureau county, where he began the improvement of a farm. He was very fortunate in his location, settlingamong the Hampshire-Massachusetts ccl- ony, which was composed of a very intelligent. industrious and worthy class of people. There his death occurred May 31, 1852, at the age of eighty-one ycars. He was a hard-working, en- terprising citizen, who gave his entire attention to his business interests and cared nothing for

424

THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

public office. His wife, who was born in 1775. died in December, 1849. Their marriage was celebrated in Morris county, New Jersey, in 1791, and both held membership in the Presby- terian church. Of their thirteen children, eleven grew to years of maturity and two are still liv- ing. the sister of our subject being Mrs. Rachel Stocker. Another sister, Ann, who was born in New Jersey in 1804, became the wife of Robert Murphey, and died in March, 1896, at the ad- vanced age of ninety-one years.

William C. Drake early became familiar with the duties that fall to the lot of the agriculturist, and Bureau county has been the scene of his farming operations. Although he is now living retired, he still owns a quarter section of land near Britt, Hancock county, Iowa. He served as school director in his district, but has ever de- clined to fill other political positions.

On the 9th of September, 1874, Mr. Drake was married, the lady of his choice being Mrs. Adelia E. Langworthy, daughter of Oliver and Eliza- beth (Jeremiah) Perkins, both of whom were na- tives of Vermont, and are now deceased. Mrs. Drake was also born in the Green mountain state, but was reared at Saratoga Springs, New York, where her father was general manager in a large shoe store, many workmen being under his supervision. In the fall of 1836 he came to Bureau county, having previously purchased a quarter section of land in Arispe township, on which his death occurred three years later at the age of fifty-five. His wife died in the same town- ship in 1864, at the age of seventy-four years. In their family were seven children, namely: Sid- ney, who died in 1893, at the age of seventy-six years; Mrs. Drake: Alice, widow of Ephriam Fellows; Nancy, widow of George Sisler; Caro- line, widow of Mr. Thorpe: Susan, wife of Thom- as Courser, and one who died in early life.

By her former marriage, Mrs. Drake became the mother of seven children-Oliver, Lewis, Charles, Adelia, Clara, Edward, who married Miss Hoffman, and resides in Chicago, and Ag- nes E. The last named took a course at the free kindergarten training school, now the regular

department of the Armour institute of Chicago, where she graduated in 1888, and is now teach- ing in a kindergarten. For several years she has successfully engaged in teaching in Princeton and elsewhere, and has always given general satisfaction.

Mr. and Mrs. Drake are both consistent mem- bers of the Congregational church, and have many friends throughout the community. Since the organization of the party he has been a stal- wart republican, and is a public-spirited, progres- sive citizen.

A NTON WALTER. Many of the most en- terprising and prosperous farmers of Ru- reau county have come from the land beyond the sea, and especially is this true of the many who have left their home in the German empire and sought homes in this land of freedom. Among these quite a prominent figure is the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch, and who makes his home on section 2, Ohio township.

Mr. Walter was born in Germany in 1833, and is a son of Mathias and Catherine (Schwerel) Walter, who were also natives of the same coun- try and crossed the Atlantic to America in 1866, taking up their residence upon the farm which is now the home of our subject. There the father engaged in farming until called to his final rest. In the schools of the fatherland Anton Walter obtained his education, continuing his studies un- til fourteen years of age, when he began working in a vineyard, where he was employed until he accompanied his parents to the new world in 1866. He also located in Ohio township, Bu- reau county, Illinois, where he now owns a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres and is num- bered among the solid and prosperous agricul- turists of the community.

In 1862 was consummated the marriage of Mr. Walter and Miss Sophia Conrad, also a native of Germany, but whose family became residents of Bureau county. Her brother, Peter J. Conrad, is one of the leading citizens of Ohio township. Seven children were born of this union, as fol- lows: Mary, Peter, Anton. Frederick, Lizzie,

425

THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Henry and Katie. The three oldest sons are all married. Peter is the manager of his uncle's, Peter J. Conrad, business at Mendota, Illinois, and Anton is the manager of his large stock farm and horse barn at the village of Ohio. The family is one of prominence and highly respected.

In politics Mr. Walter has always been a demo- crat since becoming an American citizen, but at present favors the party which represents sound money. He and his family are devout members of the Roman Catholic church. Pub- lic-spirited to a great degree, he takes quite an interest in every measure which is calculated to benefit the community, or to accrue to the good of society in general.

A LLEN HORTON, who resides on section 8. Macon township, Bureau county, Illinois, has been a resident of the county for more than half a century. He is a native of Bedford coun- ty, Pennsylvania, born near the village of Ston- erstown. The place of his birth is known in that locality as Broadtop, a branch of the Allegheny mountains. He was born December 31, 1819, and was second in the family of eight children, of whom three are now living, our subject being the eldest. Carey T. resides at Austin, Texas, with his son, who is a contractor and builder of iron bridges. Politically he is a republican, and is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal -church. Septimus resides in Nemaha county, Kansas, and is an agriculturist. Politically he is a democrat. Both Septimus and Carey were sol- diers during the war of the rebellion and served three years.

Septimus Horton, the father of our subject, was also a native of Bedford county, Pennsyl- vania, born November II, 1795, and died May 20, 1831. His wife was born April 9, 1794, and died March 31, 1881. The father was reared to the trade of a blacksmith, but made farming his chief avocation. He was a Jacksonian demo- crat, and cast his last vote for Andrew Jackson. He emigrated to Ohio, in October, 1822, locat- ing in Highland county, near Hillsboro. There he remained until his death, which took place on

the farm of ex-Governor Trimble. The mother, Welthy Foster Horton, was also a native of Penn- sylvania, and lived to the good old age of eighty- seven, dying at the home of her son Allen.

Allen Horton was but two years of age when his parents emigrated to Ohio. The trip was made overland by wagon and required four weeks. He remained with his parents until nine- teen years of age, when hic returned to his old home in Pennsylvania, and there remained a lit- tle more than one year. While in Pennsylvania he commenced to learn the trade of a carpenter and joiner and followed that occupation after his return to his Ohio home. In 1840 he again re- turned to Pennsylvania, and there remained but a short time. His educational advantages were limited, the log schoolhouse in which he obtained his primary education being but sixteen feet square, the logs of which it was constructed be- ing round, the chinks being daubed with mud. It was heated by an old-fashioned fire-place, the chimney of which was constructed of mud and sticks. The windows were made by cutting out a portion of two logs and inserting an eight by ten paper card for glass. These were in the rear of the room where the big boys and girls sat to write. The last schoolhouse where he at- tended school was of brick, and thirty by forty feet, and was a radical change and great im- provement over the first.

On the 22d of December, 1842, in Licking county, Ohio, Mr. Horton married Miss Maggie Zink, also a native of Bedford county, Pennsyl- vania. By this union eight children were born. only three of whom are now living-Septimus I., who resides in Santa Cruz, California, and who has spent almost his entire life in railroading. He was a soldier during the rebellion, and served about one year. He was one of the guards placed to watch the body of the lamented Lincoln after the assassination. He married Miss Anna A. Dolan, and four children grace their union. Po- litically he is a republican. Alice C. is the wife of William Crisman, Jr., who is a son of William Crisman, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. Addie is the wife of John W. McClain,

426

THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

and for a time they were residents of Kansas, but are now residing on the old homestead. Mrs. Horton was born January 13, 1820, and was the fifth in a family of thirteen children, born to Sam- uel and Catherine (Hanniwalt) Zink. Of the family only five are now living -- James is a black- smith by trade and a farmer by occupation, who resides in Knobnoster, Missouri: Mrs. Horton is next in order of birth; George is a retired farm- er residing in Buda, Illinois; Hannah is the wife of John H. Robinson, a farmer residing near Tiskilwa, Bureau county; William L. is a farmer residing in Greenwood county, Kansas. Samuel Zink was a native of Pennsylvania and was a wagonmaker by trade. In 1844 he came west, locating in Fulton county, Illinois, where he remained two years and then came to Bureau county. Both himself and wife died in this coun- ty and their remains were interred in Bunker Hill cemetery.

In the spring of 1844 Mr. Horton came to Bureau county in company with John and George Zink, and it required about three weeks to make the trip. After prospecting for a time he finally concluded to settle in Macon township. When he first landed he was eleven dollars worse off than nothing, but had plenty of the good old Pennsylvania grit, and determined that he would succeed in life. The first work he did was in Fulton county, Illinois, where he engaged in the erection of a carding mill. He remained there for about two years and in the summer of 1844 John Zink went back east for his father's family, and then returned accompanied also by the wife of Mr. Horton. In April, 1847, Mr. and Mrs. Horton moved to French Grove, near Sheffield. and there rented a farm of Fitzyou Cummings. After locating there, Mr. Horton was ready to do any work which would give him an honest living. At the time of his locating here, neither the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, nor the Rock Island roads were surveyed. The present thriv- ing towns of Buda, Sheffield and Neponset were unknown, and Princeton was but a small village with but three stores. They were building the first court house when Mr. Horton came to the

county, much of the lumber used in its con- struction being hauled from Chicago.

It was about 1851 when Mr. Horton purchased the one hundred and sixty acres on section 5, in Macon township, at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. The land was entirely unim- proved, and his brother, Septimus, agreed to break the north half of it. The first house erect- ed was a log cabin on the southeast quarter of section 5, and when the first survey of the Chi- cago, Burlington & Quincy railroad was made the line went through the corner of the house. The house was afterward moved to the present site, on the northeast quarter of section 8, and was converted into a barn.

Commencing life in Bureau county a poor man, Mr. Horton has been unusually successful and is numbered among the most substantial farmers of Macon township. On his arrival here almost the entire township was an unbroken wilderness. Wild game of all kinds was abund- ant and Mr. Horton has seen as many as twen- ty-three deer in one herd, and often the wolves made the night hideous. The Indians now and then came into the country and at one time quite a camp of them located near the present village of Sheffield. While in camp they were visited by Mrs. Horton and her brother, Samuel, who wit- nessed them cooking their supper. The town- ship of Macon was not organized until April. 1851, the first election being held at the cabin of Mr. Horton and he was the first person elect- ed supervisor of the township. After the or- ganization of the township it was proposed to give it the name of Jefferson, but learning that there was already a township by that name, Mr. Horton suggested that of Macon. At that time there was no school organized, and four congres- sional townships held their election at French Grove. There was no church nearer than Prince- ton and services were often held at neighbors' houses. Originally, Mr. Horton was an old line whig and cast his first presidential vote for Hen- ry Clay. At heart he was a strong abolitionist. and at the birth of the republican party he cast his presidential vote for General John C. Fre-

427

THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

mont. Since that time he has voted for every presidential candidate of that party. He remem- bers with pleasure and describes in a graphic manner the campaign of 1840, when "Tippecanoe and Tyler too" were the candidates. He was one of a Tippecanoe club of three hundred who went in wagons and on horseback to Wilmington, Clinton county, Ohio, to attend a great meeting during that campaign. In addition to serving as supervisor of the township, Mr. Horton was road commissioner for years and laid out most of the roads in the township. He is a firm friend of the public schools and has been a member of the school board for a number of years. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which body his wife is also a member and both are held in the highest estcem, not only in Ma- con, but throughout Bureau county, and it is with pleasure that we present this biography to the readers of the Biographical Record of Bu- reau county.

N IMROD F. BROWN. This gentleman, who spent his early manhood in active busi- ness, and mainly in agricultural pursuits, is now living retired in Wenona. A man of great en- ergy and more than ordinary business capacity, his success in life has been largely due to his own efforts, and the sound judgment by which he has been enabled to make wise investments and take good advantage of his resources.

His paternal grandfather, Samuel Brown, was a native of New Jersey, but emigrated to Penn- sylvania at a very early day, crossing the Alle- ghany mountains on foot and settling in Fayette county, where he marked out the lines for his farm with a tomahawk. There he located in the timber and opened up a new farm, which he made his home until his death at the ripe old age of seventy-eight years. His wife bore the maiden name of Beulah Taylor.

In Fayette county, Pennsylvania, Charles Brown, the father of our subject, was born in 1800, was there reared upon a farm and obtained a fairly good common school education. On reaching man's estate he was united in marriage

with Miss Maria Forsythe, a native of the same county, born August 25, 1801, and a daughter of Jesse Forsythe who was of Irish lineage. After their marriage they settled upon a part of the old Brown homestead, but in the spring of 1842 emigrated to Illinois, and resided in Putnam county, within one mile of Magnolia, for five years. They then removed east of that village in La Salle county, where they continued to make their home until 1853, at which time they came to Wenona and here conducted the first hotel in the village. The father remained in that busi- ness until his death, which occurred in Novem- ber, 1856. His wife passed away in 1880, and they now sleep side by side in the Magnolia cemetery. She was a member of the Cumber- land Presbyterian church in Pennsylvania, but after coming to this state united with the Pres- byterian church, of which she was ever after- ward a faithful member. On coming to Illinois the family was in very limited circumstances, in fact the father had to borrow fifteen dollars at Hennepin with which to complete the journey, and at first rented a farm, but success crowned his efforts and he became quite well-to-do, al- though he was never in robust health.

The parental household included seven chil- dren, who were reared in Illinois, namely: John- son, now residing in Wenona: Mrs. Jane Judd, deceased; Joseph, who died in 1847: Nimrod F., of this sketch: Benjamin, living in Nebraska ; Mrs. Sarah Van Allen, of Osage township, La Salle county, Illinois, and Samuel, of Chicago.

The birth of our subject occurred on the old homestead farm in Fayette county, Pennsyl- vania, September 11, 1831. in a log house, and he was a lad of eleven years when brought by his parents to Illinois. He attended the district schools of Putnam and La Salle counties and re -- mained at home on the farm until he attained his majority.

On the 6th of December, 1855, was consum- mated the marriage of Mr. Brown and Miss Ma- tilda Judd, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Darnell) Judd, and sister of Benjamin Judd, of Wenona, whose sketch is given elsewhere in this

428

THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

volume. She was born upon her father's farm in Evans township, Marshall county, October 30, 1837, there grew to womanhood and was mar- ried. She attended the same school as her hus- band. Five children were born to them, as fol- lows: Alice and Fannie are now deceased; Al- meda is the wife of George Cahoon, of Wenona, and they have one son, Guy; May is the wife of Chase Wells, of Nokomis, Illinois, by whom she has one son, Emil; Benton also lives in No- komis. All of the children were given good edu- cational advantages, the son being a graduate of the Wenona high school, and were well fitted for the responsible duties of life.

After his marriage, Mr. Brown located on the north end of the Judd farm, where he erected a house and there continued to live until 1864, when he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Osage township, La Salle county. Al- though the land had been broken, he had to fence the same, plant trees and erect the buildings. The farm comprises one of the best quarter sec- tions in the township, consisting of prairie land, and lies one and a half miles east of Wenona. The place is all well tiled and three and a half miles of hedge fence have been set out. Besides the excellent dwelling. Mr. Brown built the first octagonal barn in the locality, at a cost of thir- ty-five hundred dollars. He devoted his time to general farming and stock raising, for fifteen years making a specialty of draft Englishshire horses, which usually took the premiums at the fairs where they were exhibited. Since Septem- ber, 1890, he has rented his farm and makes his home in Wenona. He votes as his sentiments and beliefs dictate with the democratic party, served as assessor and road commissioner in Osage township and justly ranks among the most highly respected and honored citizens of the com- munity where he has so long made his home.

W TILLIAM H. STONER is one of the lead- ing agriculturists and self-made men of Bureau county, residing upon the farm on sec- tion 5. Princeton township, where the family lo- cated on coming to Bureau county in 1858 from

the keystone state. His father, Frederick Stoner, was born in Pennsylvania, March 5, 1810, and is descended from one of three brothers, who came from Germany to America, one locating in York county, another in Dauphin county, and the third in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. In Cumberland county, that state, the father mar- ried Catharine Swarts, who was there born in 1823, and there they made their home upon a farm until emigrating to Illinois in 1858. In their family were twelve children-Mrs. Mary Ann Fetrow, Ephraim, Emanuel, William H., Daniel Webster, Samuel, Susanna and Jacob, liv- ing; Andrew, Angeline, Benjamin and Freder- ick, deceased. The mother's death occurred in 1860, and the father, who long survived her, died in 1892. She was a member of the English Luth- eran church, and he was a good Christian man, a great bible reader, but not a member of any re- ligious denomination, though he gave liberally to the church. He served as school director in his district. Two of the sons, Ephraim and Emanuel, were soldiers of the union army in the civil war.

In Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, William H. Stoner was born March 26, 1841, and ac- companied his parents on their removal to Illi- nois. His educational privileges were meager, but his training at farm work was not so limited, and from the age of nine years until twenty-eight he gave the benefit of his services to his father.

March 10, 1867, was performed a wedding ceremony which united the destinies of Mr. Ston- er and Miss Leah Rupert, who was born in York county, Pennsylvania, August 21, 1846, and is a daughter of Andrew and Lydia Rupert, who on coming to Illinois in 1866, settled at Mendota. The mother is deceased, but the father is still living. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Stoner, as follows: Irena, wife of Pe- ter Maas, of Princeton, by whom she has two children, Gertrude and Howard; Ida M., wife of James Tarbotten, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : Rosie, deceased; Clara C., Myrta V., William H., and Frederick A., all at home.

Upon his marriage, Mr. Stoner took his bride

429

THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

to the old home farm, where they have since re- sided with the exception of thirteen years, most of which time was passed in Bureau county, but from 1885 to 1889, they were residents of Lee county. The farm here, of one hundred and twenty-two acres. is all well improved and under a high state of cultivation, our subject devoting himself exclusively to general farming. The place is the old Epperson farm, the first to be settled by white people in Bureau county, and the corn crib, which still stands upon it, is built of the timbers of the old house. Through the farm goes a stream called Epperson run, which, during the thirty-six years it has been under the observation of our subject, was never dry until the summer of 1895, when it was without water for two months.

Both Mr. Stoner and his wife are members of the English Lutheran church, in which he is serving as deacon, and in political affairs he votes independent of party ties. His straightforward methods of doing business and his value as a member of the community, have gained for him a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, who have watched his career with interest and are not slow to acknowledge that he is deserving of all the good that has fallen to him.

EFFERSON DURLEY, clerk of the circuit

court of Putnam county, Illinois, has filled that position continuously since 1876. He was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, about ten miles south of Springfield, December 7, 1822. His father, Jehu Durley, was a native of South Carolina and was of English descent, the family it is supposed coming from Durleyville, a little · town in the north of England. His mother, Jane (Rankin) Durley, was a native of North Carolina, of Scotch descent. Jehu Durley and Jane Rankin were married in South Carolina, and emigrated to Illinois in 1818, the year in which the state was admitted to the Union. They were both members of the Scotch Presbyterian or Seceders' church, and lived the strict lives of those connected with that body.

The subject of this sketch was reared upon

the home farm and received a limited education in the old subscription schools. His father died in 1840, and two years later, at the age of twenty, he went to the Galena lead mines, where he re- mained two years engaged in trading and pros- pecting. In 1844 he came to Putnam county and located on a farm two miles from Hennepin. His mother came from Sangamon county about this time and they united their forces in the cul- tivation of the farm. On the 24th of December. 1846, he was united in marriage with Miss Elea- nor Seaton, who came from Indiana with her parents at the age of eight years. By this union were five children-Leslie, who is an attorney by profession, is now with the Northeastern rail- road at Boston, in charge of their warehouses ; Rosalie is deputy circuit clerk and has charge of the abstract department; Frances is the widow of W. S. Lamb, of Sheldon, Iowa; Helena is the wife of George F. Stanton, county treasurer of Putnam county, and Anna, who died at the age of thirty-three years.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois, Part 54

Author: Clarke S. J. Publishing Company Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 624

Author: Clarke S. J. Publishing Company
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 624