USA > Illinois > Bureau County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 58
USA > Illinois > Marshall County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 58
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 58
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Politically, Mr. Kendall is an old Jackson democrat, with which party he has been identi- fied since casting his first vote, but has never been an aspirant for office or political honors, preferring to give his exclusive attention to his law practice. However, all worthy enterprises calculated to promote the welfare of his county and state received his hearty endorsement, and he is numbered among the honored old settlers and the valued and influential citizens of the community, with whose interests he has been identified for so many years.
P ETER J. CONRAD, one of the most wide- awake and progressive business men of Bu- reau county, who for many years has been identi- fied with the agricultural and commercial inter- ests of Ohio township, was born on the 24th of September, 1855, at Biidesheim, Bingen on the
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Rhine, Germany, of which country, his parents, Peter and Anna M. (Wendel) Conrad, were also natives. The father, who was a business man and farmer, there died at the age of fifty-two years.
In May, 1866, with her family the mother crossed the Atlantic, and became a resident of Ohio township, Bureau county, Illinois, where she purchased an improved farm of two hundred sixteen acres. She was a woman of more than ordinary business capacity, conducting her affairs intelligently and with great skill, and be- came widely and favorably known throughout the community. From girlhood she was a de- vout member of the Catholic church, to which her husband also belonged. Her death occurred in the village of Ohio, March 17, 1888, at the age of seventy-five years.
Our subject is the youngest of a family of eleven children, only three of whom grew to ma- ture years. Sophia, wife of Antone Walter, lives on the old homestead farm. Fred was for some time a leading merchant of Ohio. In connection with our subject, and under the firm name of Conrad Brothers; he established a general store in 1871, which they successfully conducted. He was an honest, industrious man, whose word was considered as good as his bond, and gave to the store a well-deserved reputation for fair dealing, which it still carries. He was an important fac- tor in the business circles of the village, and had the respect and confidence of all who knew him. He was born in Germany, August 12, 1848, ac- companied his mother on her removal to the new world, and at Sublette, Illinois, in 1874, was united in marriage with Miss Kate Koehler. They had no children, and he died March 18, 1893.
At the country schools, Peter J. Conrad ac- quired his education, and at the age of fourteen years began clerking in a store at Amboy, Illi- nois, where he remained for two years, at the end of which time he embarked in mercantile pur- suits in company with his brother in the village of Ohio. Out of respect for the latter he still retains the name of Conrad Brothers, though he
is sole owner of the business. His double store is well stocked with a fine grade of general mer- chandise, and he enjoys an extensive trade, which is justly merited. Robert Spencer is full man- ager and has four clerks under him.
Mr. Conrad is also interested in general farm- ing and stock raising, having one of the largest stock farms in this part of the county, which comprises five hundred eighty-five acres of well- improved land, stocked with an excellent grade of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. This farm is managed by Anton Walter, Jr. He also owns his good store buildings in the village of Ohio and is the senior partner of the firm of Conrad, Baumgartner company of Mendota, who carry a full and complete line of stoves and hardware and do an excellent business in plumbing and tin- smithing. This establishment is managed by P. J. Walter of Mendota.
Mr. Conrad is one of the leading business men of Bureau county, whose prosperity cannot be attributed to a combination of lucky circum- stances, but has risen from energy, enterprise, integrity and intellectual effort well directed. His business has been conducted on the strictest principles of honesty. On political questions he votes independently, favoring whom he consid- ered the best man rather than the party. Relig- iously he is a Catholic, and socially holds mem- bership in the Knights of Pythias fraternity.
W ATSON FREEMAN LAWTON. To a student of biography there is nothing more interesting than to examine the life history of a self-made man and to detect the elements of character which have enabled him to pass on the highway of life many who at the outset of their careers were more advantageously equipped or endowed. The subject of this review has through his own exertions attained an honorable position and marked prestige among the repre- sentative men of Bureau county, and with signal consistency it may be said that he is the architect of his own fortunes. He is prominently identi- fied with the agricultural interests of the county, and is a leading resident of Sheffield.
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Mr. Lawton was born December 29, 1828, at Wilmington, Windham county, Vermont, and is the son of Israel and Melissa (Freeman) Law- ton, also natives of the Green Mountain state, where their parents, who were born in Massachu- setts, had located before the Revolutionary war, in which Israel Lawton and his father partici- pated. Our subject is one of a family of seven children, three of whom are still living.
Upon a farm in his native state, Mr. Lawton spent the days of his boyhood and youth, and in 1852, emigrated to Illinois, where he had old friends living at Perkins Grove, Clarion town- ship, in Bureau county. He had no definite thought of remaining and his father supposed that he would be back in a few weeks, but in that township he purchased one hundred sixty acres of land, at six dollars and a quarter per acre, which claim had been partly fenced. At that time his capital consisted of two hundred and fifty dollars which he had earned and this he in- vested, going in debt for the remainder. Here he has since made his home, but the winter of 1852-53 he spent in the east.
Again returning to Vermont, Mr. Lawton was there married January 30, 1856, at Wilmington, to Miss Carrie Estabrook, who was born in the same house where his birth occurred, and whom he had always known. They now have two chil- dren-Alice, the wife of Henry Howard, a farmer of Sheffield, and Edwin Watson, who is associ- ated in business with his father.
The first year of his residence in Bureau county was a hard one for Mr. Lawton as he was ill much of the time. The next year he raised good crops, which he stored for two years as prices were so low, wheat bringing only thirty cents, corn ten cents and oats eight cents per bushel. but by keeping his products until 1854, the demand caused by the Crimean war raised prices and he received a dollar and thirty cents for wheat, sixty cents for shelled corn and thirty-five cents for oats, realizing about three thousand dollars in cash. In this way he got his start in life, and in 1854, removed to Sheffield, but retained his original farm until during the
civil war, when he sold the one hundred and sixty acres for which he had paid one thousand dollars for eight thousand.
On coming to Sheffield, Mr. Lawton opened a store, in connection with E. F. Pulsifer, now of Chicago. This was the same fall that the rail- road was completed to the place and three stores had been started the previous spring, belonging to Nash & Andrews, J. C. Niles and Carrell & Johnson. Our subject continued in the mercan- tile business until 1864, but during the hard times from 1857 until 1860, lost considerable through bad debts. This was when the wild cat cur- rency was in circulation and he received all kinds of money which he took to New York, when buying goods, and made about fifteeen per cent on all he handled. He was very careful in receiv- ing money, always using a bank detector which was published daily.
In 1864, Mr. Lawton formed a partnership with William Wilson under the firm name of Lawton & Wilson, and for eight years they con- ducted a general store, dealt in agricultural im- plements and engaged in shipping stock, the last being quite profitable and in all lines being very successful. In 1872 our subject began the oper- ation of a farm of eight hundred acres in Mineral township, two miles west of the village, but con- tinued to reside in the latter place, his farm being cultivated by hired help. He also began breed- ing stock and feeding cattle for the market, to which he has since devoted his attention, his son being his partner for the last seven years.
In connection with J. M. Curtis, of Sheffield, he purchased a tract of fifteen hundred acres in Gold township, Bureau county, on which are three sets of farm buildings, and about one sec- tion is used for pasturage. For this land he paid from three to fifteen dollars per acre, it being swamp land along the Winnebago slough, but since being drained it has become quite valuable and is worth forty dollars per acre. He also owns a half section of land in Woodson county, Kansas, and is a stockholder in the Citizens' Na- tional bank of Princeton. For his land he has paid as high as fifty-five dollars per acre.
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to the United States. Two of their children died in childhood, and four grew to mature years, namely: Eliza, wife of Charles Butterweck, of Hennepin; Bertha, wife of Theodore Holly, of Granville; Oscar, of this sketch; and Julius, a stock dealer of Peru, Illinois, and the owner of the old homestead.
Mr. Brennemann, whose name introduces this sketch, remained at home until twenty-five years of age, in company with his brother Julius oper- ating the farm. In partnership with Mr. Holly, his brother-in-law, he then engaged in the grocery business at Peru for six years. On the 30th of October, 1875, he was joined in wedlock with Miss Eliza Holly, who was born on a farm in Granville township, and is the daughter of Daniel Holly. Six children have been born to them- Paul, George, Lillian, Erna, Daniel and Elsie, all at home.
In 1882 Mr. Brennemann purchased his pres- ent farm of Dr. Vanderslete, which had pre- viously belonged to James Harrison, one of the old settlers of the county. He now has one hun- dred and eighty acres, for which he paid sixty dollars per acre, but has added to the original tract until he now owns about three hundred acres, comprising some of the best and most fer- tile land in the locality. He gives considerable attention to stock raising, having upon his place fine grades of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, and makes a specialty of Cottswold sheep, which have been quite profitable. He also feeds from one to two car loads of cattle annually. He is one of the most enterprising and prosperous farmers of Hennepin township, and he merits and receives the esteem and respect of all with whom he comes in contact either in a business or social way.
A. OPPENHEIM, who for over a quarter of a century has been numbered among the leading business men of Princeton, is a worthy representative of that country from which have come many of the best citizens of this free land. He is a native of Baden, Germany, born Decem- ber 31, 1845. In the fatherland he grew to man-
hood and received a fairly good education. Like all the youth of that land, he was reared to habits of industry, and spent some time at work in a manufacturing establishment.
As he approached man's estate the desire to better himself in life took possession of him, and the new world, across the broad Atlantic, opened before his view with its limitless opportunities for the enterprising and deserving, and he de- termined to emigrate to this favored country. Bidding good-by to family and friends, and tak- ing a steamer, in due time arrived at New York, from which place he proceeded directly to Bluff- ton, Indiana. He was now in his twentieth year, a poor boy in a strange land, but with that char- acteristic energy peculiar to his race, he deter- mined to achieve success. For about two years he was engaged in merchandising in Bluffton, but believing that a little further west the oppor- tunities would be more favorable, in 1868 he came to Princeton, and here secured employ- ment as a clerk with Mr. Dinham, with whom he remained five years, or until he embarked in his present business, as junior member of the firm of Bamberg & Company, dealers in ready-made clothing, gent's furnishing goods, etc. The busi- ness of the firm was quite extensive and con- stantly growing when Mr. Bamberg died. Soon after his death, Mr. Oppenheim purchased the interests of the heirs, since which time he has carried on the business alone in his own name, and with most gratifying success, securing a lib- eral share of the public patronage. His stock is the largest kept in any similar establishment in Princeton, and at all seasons he carries a full line of goods and of the best quality.
October 18. 1872, Mr. Oppenheim was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Winter, who was born in Peru, Illinois, and they have now two children-Edwin and Eva.
Fraternally, Mr. Oppenheim is a member of the Masonic order, holding membership in the blue lodge, chapter and commandery at Prince- ton. He is also a member of the uniformed rank of Knights of Pythias. Politically, he is repub- lican, and while never aspiring to office, yet takes
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a deep interest in everything pertaining to the son, both natives of Pennsylvania. Her parents welfare of his adopted city and country. As a citizen he is highly respected by all, and in the development of Princeton and Bureau county is always ready and willing to do his part.
H ARRY A. WINTER, a reliable and intelli- gent agriculturist of Evans township, re- siding on section 8, first drew the breath of life at Ottawa, Illinois, November 28, 1856, and is the son of John J. and Martha Maria (Parkinson) Winter, the former born in Pennsylvania, Sep- tember 19, 1832, and the latter August 17, 1832. In April, 1855, the father located at Ottawa, but now makes his home in Garfield, La Salle county, where he is engaged in merchandising, and also cultivates a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres. He has ever been quite a prominent man in his locality, serving in a number of official po- sitions, including that of justice of the peace. The mother, who is a consistent member of the Pres- byterian church, is the sister of William H. Par- kinson, of Evans township, whose sketch ap- pears elsewhere in this volume.
In the family were six children, five still liv- ing, of whom our subject is the eldest. Oral Dell is the wife of Patrick Jennett, of Iowa, and the mother of ten children. Lyman Lee married Anna Lechner, by whom he has four children, and lives in Garfield, Illinois. William D., of Garfield, married Ida Thrasher, and they have one child. Sarah Jane is the wife of Jeff R. Eward, of Garfield, and is the mother of three children.
Harry A. Winter was educated at Ottawa, and in 1873 accompanied his parents to Garfield. At the age of fourteen he began life for himself, en- gaged in teaming in Ottawa, and for three win- ters worked in the coal mines. It was in 1877 that he first came to Evans township, where he was employed on the farm of Aaron G. Martin until December, 1878.
On the 26th of February, 1879, a marriage ceremony was performed which united the desti- nies of Mr. Winter and Miss Florence Wilson, a daughter of Joshua and Rosanna (Spillers) Wil-
were married in Ohio, and came to Putnam county, Illinois, where they resided for a time, but later settled upon the farm where our subject now resides. This the father improved and cul- tivated until his death, in 1876. The mother, who survives him, now makes her home in We- nona. They were the parents of thirteen chil- dren, ten of whom are now living-Oliver, of Lincoln, Nebraska, who married Addie Wilson, and has four children; Corwin, of Iowa, who wedded Mary Dillman, and has seven children; Emma, who is the wife of A. I. Theirry, of We- nona, and has an adopted child; Luretta, wife of F. F. Theirry, of Wenona, and the mother of two children; Martin V., of Wenona, who married Hettie A. Downey, by whom he has one child; Reuben MI., of Kansas, who married Anna An- derson, now deceased, by whom he had one son; Rosella, wife of Joseph Stranard, of Creston, Iowa, and the mother of three children; Mrs. Winter; Ida B., wife of Thomas D. Judd, of We- nona, by whom she has one child; and Joshua Walter, of Evans township, who married Minie Brenn, and has two children. The parents were both members of the Society of Friends, and in politics the father was a republican.
Mrs. Winter was born on the farm where she now resides. September 27, 1858, and attended the district schools of the neighborhood. By her marriage with our subject she has become the mother of two children-Jay W., born October 21, 1882, and Reuben Roy, born January 27, 1884. The farm, consisting of one hundred and four acres, which is a part of the Joshua Wilson estate, is well improved, with good buildings, fences, tiling and water works, and the land is under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Winter is engaged in mixed farming and the operation of a threshing machine, and is meeting with a fair degree of success.
Conscientious and earnest Christians, both Mr. and Mrs. Winter are worthy members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church and teachers in the Sunday school, while he has been superin- tendent of that organization and president of the
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Christian Endeavor society. Socially, he is con- nected with the Modern Woodmen of America, and politically, is an adherent of republican prin- ciples, and served for three years as road com- missioner, and is still serving in that capacity.
O TIS H. PITKIN, a well-known jeweler and news dealer of Princeton, Illinois, first opened his eyes to the light May 19, 1852, in Geauga county, Ohio, and is a son of Truman S. and Lydia (Howe) Pitkin, natives of Connecticut and Ohio, respectively. The father is a retired farmer living at Andover, Ohio, and has now reached the ripe old age of eighty-three years. The mother, who was born May 18, 1824. died on the 26th of January, 1896. Truman S. Pit- kin was twice married, his first wife being in her maidenhood Miss Eliza Lusk, sister of Spencer Lusk, the great penman, and to them was born a daughter, Mary E., now the wife of Harvey D. Lamb, of Arkansas City, Arkansas. Our subject is the oldest of the three children that graced the second marriage, the others being Frank H., a jeweler of Andover, Ohio, who married Hattie Brown, and Ella, wife of William H. Osborn, an attorney of Chardon, Ohio.
The education of Otis H. Pitkin was obtained in the schools of Chardon, Ohio, after which he spent about a year in a cheese box factory. He then began learning the watchmaker's trade in that city, which he completed at Wellington, Ohio, about 1874. On the 4th of March, 1875, he began business for himself at Chardon, and there continued operations until 1888, when he went to Princeton, and on the 21st of July of that year he opened his business store. He keeps a full assortment of such articles as the trade demands, and from the beginning his trade has constantly increased, so that he is now doing a successful and lucrative business. He also manufactures a pegwood, an invention of his own, designed for jeweler's use, known as the Pitkin's Antibreak Pegwood, which article every watchmaker should use. It saves time and pa- tience, as it never breaks off in the finest pivot hole, and he has a very fair sale for the same,
selling to jobbers, who deal with the watch- makers.
On the 7th of June, 1877, was performed a marriage ceremony which united the destinies of Mr. Pitkin and Miss Clara L. Wight, a daugh- ter of James H. Wight, of Wellington, Ohio, of which state she is a native. They have be- come the parents of four children, namely: Grace May, Ava Vesta, Ruby Louise, and James Wight. Both Mr. and Mrs. Pitkin are earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has served as an official for more than fifteen years. He holds membership in the Indepen- dent Order of Odd Fellows and has passed through all the chairs of his lodge, and he has filled the chair of deputy grand master. He also belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the Knights of the Globe, while politically he is a pronounced republican, believing in protection, honest money and good government. He is a very liberal and public-spirited man and takes a foremost position in every movement or enter- prise which promises to accrue to the benefit of the people in general.
A UGUSTUS MYERS, a prosperous and honored citizen of Concord township, owns and operates three hundred and twenty acres of valuable and well improved land, constituting one of the best farms of Bureau county. He was born on the 21st of September, 1833, in Hunter- don county, New Jersey, and belongs to a fam- ily of early pioneers to that state. His grand- father, Andrew Myers, there spent his entire life.
Samuel Myers, the father of our subject, was also a native of Hunterdon county, and there grew to manhood and married Catherine Smith, who was born in the same county. Hc was a carpenter and joiner by occupation, and was thus employed until coming to Bureau county, in 1854, when he purchased a farm in Mineral township, which he cleared and cultivated for many years. His last days, however, were spent in retirement in the village of Sheffield, where his death occurred in 1890, at the ripe old age of eighty-five years. His wife survived him
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about two years, departing this life in 1892, and was laid by his side in Sheffield cemetery. They were well known throughout the community and had hosts of warm friends, who deeply mourned their loss. In their family were eight sons and one daughter, all of whom grew to mature years, but three sons are now deceased.
The primary education of our subject was ob- tained in the public schools of New Jersey, but he completed his literary course in the Geneseo seminary, after which he engaged in teaching for a time during the winter seasons, while the sum- mer months were spent on the farm. He ac- companied his parents on their emigration to Illi- nois, and in Bureau county was married October 7. 1858, to Miss Eliza Ann Neff, who was born in Ohio, but later lived in Indiana, coming to Bu- reau county, Illinois, in 1854. Her father, G. W. Neff, located upon a farm in Manlius township, which he cultivated until some time before his death. Four children were born of this union: Wellman Lincoln became a resident of Spirit Lake, Iowa, where he was married and there died in 1887; Charles Lovejoy is engaged in business in Denver, Colorado; Frank Grant received an excellent education in the schools of Sheffield, and for several years has successfully engaged in teaching: Arthur Augustus is at home.
After his marriage, Mr. Myers operated rented land for several years, but in 1865, purchased a tract of forty acres in Concord township, to which he has added from time to time as his means would permit until to-day he is the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of rich and fertile land, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation and improved with a neat and substantial residence and good barns and out- buildings, making the place one of the first-class farms of the locality. Although he started out in life in limited circumstances he has steadily worked his way upward by industry, enterprise and good management until he has secured a handsome competency.
Politically, Mr. Myers has been identified with the republican party since casting his first presi- dential vote for Abraham Lincoln, in 1860. He
has taken quite an active interest in local affairs and has been elected to several official positions, the duties of which he has always faithfully dis- charged. He has served as a delegate to county and congressional conventions, was supervisor for seven years, and chairman of the county board one year, the only chairman that has ever been ap- pointed from Concord township. He also most acceptably served as commissioner of highways During the forty-two long years of his residence in Bureau county, Mr. Myers has watched with interest its growth and development and been an important factor in bringing about the wonderful changes that have taken place. He is greatly esteemed in the community as representing the best type of its moral and social element and has the confidence and respect of all with whom he comes in contact.
A BEL MILLS. There is no class of biogra- phy more interesting to read than that of the industrious, enterprising farmer boy who has risen unaided to a position of affluence and com- fort. Prominent among the men of Putnam county who have thus laboriously toiled onward and upward is the individual of whom this sketch is written. He now owns a good farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 12, Magnolia township, and ten acres of timber on section 16. He was born in Washington county, Pennsyl- vania, June 1, 1829, and in 1840 came to Putnam county with his parents, of whom mention is made in the sketch of Joshua L. Mills on another page of this work.
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