USA > Illinois > Bureau County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 6
USA > Illinois > Marshall County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 6
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 6
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and gallantly served throughout the whole civil war without being wounded or imprisoned.
Professor Miller acquired his education in the Annville academy and the Mt. Pleasant college, Pennsylvania, after which he engaged in teach- ing both in town and country schools for many years. In 1855 he was a teacher in the Berrys- burg seminary of Pennsylvania, but in the sum- mer of that year came to Princeton, and for the following two years taught at Buda, Bureau county. Going to Dayton, Ohio, he there en- gaged in bookkeeping in the United Brethren printing establishment.
At Dayton Professor Miller was married in 1857 to Miss Mary A. Dow of Buda, Illinois, a daughter of Tristram C. and Susan (Lyford) Dow, natives of Canterbury, New Hampshire, the former of English and the latter of Scotch extraction. On the 21st of June, 1846, her par- ents came to Bureau county, settling in Concord township, and died at Annawan, Illinois. In their family were the following children: Al- mira, Joseph L., Tristram T., Josiah, John L., Mary A. and Lyman. Of the above Tristram was major in the Ninety-third Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the civil war and later became a prominent citizen of Davenport, Iowa. John L. was captain in the same regi- ment.
To the professor and his wife were born seven children, three of whom are still living: Byron G., Victor and Myrta, while those deceased are Cora Belle, Lotta, Lymie O. and Viola. Viola, who was the wife of William W. Reed, died June II, 1894, at the age of twenty-five years. Byron married Ida Medley, by whom he has three chil- dren-Maude, Harry and Victor. He is train dispatcher between Sedalia, Missouri and Kan- sas City, and resides at the former place ; Victor, a resident of Spokane, Washington, is chief of the operators of a division of the Northern Paci- fic railroad; Myrta is keeping house for her father. The wife and mother, who was born May 26, 1832, died of consumption September IO, 1894. She was a faithful member of the United Brethren church, to which our subject
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also belongs, was a woman of domestic tastes. an excellent wife, mother and friend, while in sickness and charity she had but few equals.
After his marriage Professor Miller returned to Bureau county and opened a hotel at North Princeton, known as the Empire house, which he conducted until the war broke out. He had already opened the Bureau academy at that place, being associated with Professor George N. Wagner, of the Franklin and Marshall col- lege, a German Reformed institution, formerly located at Mercersburg, but now at Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Here they carried on their school very successfully until the erection of the Prince- ton high school. In connection with D. N. Strock and P. Wolfersberger, he purchased the Princeton planing mill, which they carried on for several years, when our subject sold his interest to Strock Brothers.
For some years Professor Miller served as justice of the peace, and in 1873 again took up school work, being elected county superintend- ent, which position he filled satisfactorily and successfully for four years. Of him the superin- tendent of public instruction for the state said: "He had the ability to awaken the enthusiasm of the teachers, and his institutes held for their instruction were well planned and effective. Mr. Miller is very familiar with the organization, ad- justment and grading of schools." The superin - tendent of schools for Pennsylvania says of him: "I have no hesitation in saying that Professor Jacob Miller of Princeton, Illinois, is a very fine scholar and a wide-awake, efficient teacher. He has executive ability of a high order and is worthy of confidence is every respect. At two different periods, from 1873 to 1877, and from 1885 to 1889 he was the superintendent of the schools of Bureau county, Illinois, and I know from personal knowledge that he was ranked with the best superintendents in the state." Signed, Henry Houck. From Wheaton college, of Wheaton, Illinois, he received the decree of M. A.
Professor Miller has over two thousand speci- mens of geology and zoology in his office, which
is one of the largest and finest individual collec- tions in the state. Among the most valuable is a piece of marble flooring taken from the ruins of Caesar's palace at Rome. He also has a wood carving made in the fifteenth century, represent- ing Christ brought into the temple, which is in a very fair state of preservation. The figures are Joseph, Mary, Jesus, Anna, Simeon and the priests. His list of fossils is suprisingly extensive, which has required many years to collect, and much pains has been taken in classifying and ar- ranging the same. One of his most attractive cases is the one filled with shells, mosses, corals, etc.
The professor has a valuable miscellaneous col- lection, including relics from twelve different tribes of Indians, composed of bows, arrows, scabbards, etc., and a great many rare specimens, such as Indian drums, drapes, axes, moccasins, etc. He also has many mound builders' relics, which are quite rare, and pottery and porcelain ware many hundred years old. He has a large collection of fossil ferns, found in the coral beds of Illinois and Pennsylvania.
Books, old and rare, Professor Miller has in abundance, some dating back as far as 1494, and has a volume of the Psalmns of David, whose date is 1472, and a Vulgate Bible, printed in 1592. He has an immense volume of the German Bible, published in 1765, a present from his father, and a German book of Martyrs, published at Ephrata, Pennsylvania, in 1748, being one of the thirteen hundred printed at that time. Mr. Miller also has a scrap book encyclopaedia of his own making containing one hundred volumes, which he be- gan in 1888, and which he has completed. Every volume is numbered, paged and indexed, and the work contains over forty thousand subjects of universal information, including history, bi- ography, poetry, science, stories, fun, fancy, por- traits of many eminent men and women, lectures, literature, statistics and miscellany. He has be- gun another series and has now some forty vol- umes. His library numbers over one thousand volumes and is probably one of the best selected and most expensive private libraries in Bureau
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county. In Professor Miller's house was organ- ized the Princeton Academy of Sciences, which was incorporated January 23, 1882. This society has been successfully continued since its founda- tion. Socially, Professor Miller is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, while politically he is independent. He stands high in the state as an educator, and to him many hun- dreds of men and women are indebted for their start and for encouraging words in endeavoring to climb the hill of knowledge. As a citizen he also takes front rank, faithfully discharging every trust reposed in him.
F FREDERICK STORY POTTER, of Henry, Illinois, is one of the best known and most highly honored of the attorneys of Marshall county. He was born in New Haven, Con- necticut, November 3, 1837, and is the son of Frederick and Caroline A. (Story) Potter, who were also natives of the nutmeg state. His father was a contractor and builder and followed that occupation the greater part of his life. In 1840 the family came to Illinois, locating in Christian county, between Decatur and Spring- field, where they remained until 1846, and then removed to Beardstown, where the mother died in 1865. Some years after the father removed to Henry, where he, too, passed away April 2, 1892, at the age of seventy-eight years.
The boyhood and youth of our subject were spent with his parents until sixteen years of age. His health failing him at Beardstown, he came to Henry, where for three years he was in the employ of Robert Dawson as bookkeeper. He then engaged in general merchandising on his own account and continued in the business until 1862 with fair success. Closing out his stock of merchandise he entered the office of P. S. Perley, under whose instruction he read law, and was admitted to the bar in September, 1864. Forming a partnership with his preceptor, they were associated together until August, 1873, since which time he has practiced alone. Mr. Perley, who is now a resident of Phoenix, Ari- zona, is a man of great ability, a graduate of
Bowdoin college, being a classmate of Gen. O. O. Howard, John N. Jewett, and other men who have since become noted in the history of our country. In 1870 he was a member of the Illinois constitutional convention which framed our present state constitution.
In 1872 Mr. Potter was elected state's attor- ney for Marshall county, and served four years with credit to himself and to the county which he represented. Faithful in the discharge of every duty, he prosecuted the evil-doer without fear or favor, while tempering mercy with justice. Since his retirement from that office, he has given attention wholly to his private practice, of which he has always had his full share. He is regarded by all who know him as a safe counselor, one whose advice it is wise for the client to follow. It has never been a practice with him to advise litigation when other coun- sels would subserve the same ends. He has followed in this respect in the footsteps of such wise counselors and advocates as Abraham Lin- coln, John T. Stuart and others who became noted at the Illinois bar.
Politically, Mr. Potter was originally a Doug- las democrat, following the lead of that eminent statesman during that great contest with Lin- coln in 1858, when the latter represented the newly organized republican party as its candi- date for the United States senate in opposition to Douglas, who was then serving as United States senator, and was the democratic can- clidate for re-election. With all the ardor of a young man, Mr. Potter entered into that can- vass at a time when he should exercise the rights of franchise for the first time. Again, in 1860. he followed the lead of Douglas, who had been nominated by one wing of the democratic party for the presidency. But Douglas was de- feated, some of the southern states passed acts of secession, the war followed, and young Pot- ter became a war democrat. The transition from that position to republicanism was easy, and from early in the '6os to the present time, he has been an uncompromising republican. In every campaign his voice is heard upon the
F. S. POTTER.
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stump, and he has dealt some stalwart blows for the principles espoused. In 1880 he was quite active, supporting the side of Grant against Blaine, but his purpose was accomplished with the defeat of both by the nomination and elec- tion of Garfield.
Mr. Potter has been twice married, his first union being in 1858, with Miss Louisa V. Daw- son, of Henry, by whom three children were born: Ellsworth Story, now a traveling sales- man, residing in Peoria; Carrie Louisa, who married Daniel S. Schneider, but who died in September, 1892; and Ida, now the wife of Eugene D. Lane, of Sterling, Illinois. The wife and mother died July 21, 1871, her death being mourned by husband and children and a large circle of friends who esteemed her for her worth as a genuine womanly woman, a loving wife and mother, and faithful friend.
Some three years after the death of his first wife, on the 29th of April, 1874, Mr. Potter was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Isabella House, daughter of Willard House, an early merchant and miller of Grand Detour, Illinois. By this union three children were also born: Gertrude and Fred W., graduates of the high school class of 1895; the latter is now a student in his father's law office; and Sarah Elsie, a high school student.
In addition to his legal duties Mr. Potter is interested in everything calculated to build up and strengthen the business of his adopted town and county. For twenty-four years he has been a director of the Henry Bridge Company, and for fifteen years its president. A friend of educa- tion, he does all in his power to promote the interests of the public schools. For many years he has been an active worker in the Masonic order, and is a member of Henry lodge, No. 119, F. & A. M., and of Chillicothe chapter, R. A. M., of Lacon. He is not a member of any church, but contributes to the support of the Protestant Episcopal church of Henry, of which his wife is a devoted member. As a citizen he is held in the highest esteem by his fellow townsmen.
J OHN GRIEVES, senior member of the firm of John Grieves & Sons, woolen manufactur- ers of Lacon, has been identified with the business interests of the city for thirty years. He is the pioneer in the manufacture of woolen goods in this section of the country.
The woolen industry in Lacon was the out- growth of an article in the Chicago Tribune about the close of the war from the pen of Spen- cer Ellsworth, which attracted the attention of Samuel Saque and John Grieves. Correspond- ence between these gentlemen and Mr. Ellsworth led to a meeting of a few of the representative citizens of Lacon and the appointment of William F. Fisher and Mr. Ellsworth a committee to con- fer with Saque and Grieves with reference to the establishment of a manufactory at this point for the production of woolen goods. A favorable report being made, a company was organized with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, which was later increased to one hundred and twenty-three thousand. The first board of direc- tors were Archibald Riddell, John Grieves, Wil- liam F. Fisher, Spencer Ellsworth, Dr. Thomas, Alonzo Roberts and P. Stevens.
The company, known as the Lacon Woolen Manufacturing company, after being duly in- corporated, commenced operations, having elect- ed John Grieves as superintendent. It was in January, 1866, when Mr. Grieves first came to Lacon to engage in the work. The mill, erected at a cost of eighty-four thousand dollars, was built under the supervision of Mr. Grieves, and all the machinery bought by him.
There were many difficulties to be overcome in the establishment of such an enterprise in the west, and it required boldness in any one to come in competition with the old and well established houses of the east. The company was fortunate in the selection of Mr. Grieves as superintendent and general manager. A thorough master of his trade, and with good business instinct and tact, he took hold of the enterprise with a deter- mination to make it win.
The erection and equipment of the mill with necessary machinery exhausted the capital of the
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company, leaving it without a dollar with which to purchase necessary supplies. Nothing daunt- ed, Mr. Grieves went to Chicago, and stating his case to dealers, secured the dyes and other material needed, and work was commenced. The first output of the mill was fancy cassimeres. A fine fabric was made, comparing favorably with those of any eastern mill. The product was put with the commission houses of Chicago, but with ill success. Mr. Grieves then went to that city, and with samples of cloth visited the trade, and after many disappointments succeeded in selling the goods.
After a trial Mr. Grieves and the directors of the company were convinced that a change would have to be made in the manufacture of goods, as such prices for cassimeres and flan- nels could not be obtained as could justify the making. It was then agreed to engage in the manufacture of shawls, being the first mill in the west to engage in that line. For five years Mr. Grieves continued in charge of the mill, when he resigned his position and removed to Peoria, where he also engaged in woolen manufacture.
During the succeeding five years the Lacon woolen mill made no progress, and Mr. Grieves was pursuaded to return and occupy his old po- sition as superintendent and manager. From 1876 until 1894 he filled those positions, and dur- ing that time dividends on the stock were made and paid, save for the years 1892 and 1893. In the spring of 1894 the directors of the mill took charge, and until November of that year were engaged in cleaning out all stock on hand. In the spring of 1895 the mill was rented to John Grieves & Sons, who are still operating it with success, turning out about seventy-five thousand dollars worth of products annually. Employment is given about seventy-five hands.
In 1883 Grieves, Halsey & Company erected the Ettrick mill at Lacon at a cost of thirty-four thousand dollars. It first engaged in the manu- facture of hosiery yarn and continued in that line until it became unprofitable in consequence of the low prices prevailing. The looms were then changed and the manufacture of shawls was com-
menced, and later another change was made to dress goods. John W. Grieves, the son of our subject, succeeded Mr. Halsey, and the present firm was started, that of John Grieves & Son. This mill, which is run night and day, also gives employment to about seventy persons, and the combined pay roll is about four thousand five hundred dollars per month. The products of these mills are mainly disposed of in Chicago, though selling in all of the principal cities.
Our subject was born in Selkirk, Scotland, November 9, 1826, and there grew to manhood. At the age of ten years he entered a woolen mill in his native city, learning the trade in all its departments, and remaining there until after at- taining his majority. In 1848 he came to Ameri- ca and secured a position as a weaver of shawls at Lawrence, Massachusetts, being thoroughly conversant with that line of business. After two years he took charge of a weaver's room in a mill near Boston, remained two and a half years, then went to New Edinburg, Canada, and be- came superintendent of a cassimere mill.
Returning to Massachusetts, he was in charge of a weaver's room at Andover for three years, and again went to Canada for one year. He next went to North Andover, Massachusetts, then to Utica, New York, as boss weaver. From Utica he went to the mill of James Roy & Co., West Troy, New York, having charge of the shawl mill of that firm. From Troy he came to Lacon in 1866. John Grieves and Isabel Heart were united in marriage, April 17, 1848. Their two sons, John W. and George H., are associated with their father in the business. John is a de- signer and makes all the patterns used by the firm. George H. is superintendent of the Ettrick mill. Each of the firm understands the business thoroughly, and the product of their mills always gives the best satisfaction.
R OBERT BOAL, M. D., who came to Mar- shall county, and located at Lacon in 1836 for the practice of his profession, is now living a retired life, making his home with his daugh- ter, the widow of the late Congressman G. L.
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Fort. He was born near Harrisburg, Pennsyl- vania, in 1806, and when five years of age went with his parents to Ohio, and in what was then a new and undeveloped country, grew to man- hood amid the scenes of pioneer life. After at- tending the subscription schools of that early day, long before free schools became known in that locality, he entered the Cincinnati College to complete his course. However, the desire to obtain a thorough classical education was never realized, as he left the school when just about to be promoted to the junior class.
Soon after leaving college Robert began the study of medicine under a good preceptor, and later entered the Medical College of Ohio, from which he graduated with honor in 1828. From early boyhood he had desired to be a physician, having a natural inclination in that direction. Soon after graduating he commenced the prac- tice of medicine at Reading, Ohio, and four years later in 1832, was united in marriage with Miss Christiana W. Sinclair, a native of Philadel- phia, Pennsylvania, and of Scotch extraction. By this union three children were born-Charles T., now residing in Chicago; Clara B., now the widow of G. L. Fort, who for years represented his district in congress and was well and favor- ably known throughout the state, and James Sin- clair, who for ten years was assistant district at- torney for the northern district of Illinois, with headquarters at Chicago, serving under Judge Bangs, General Leake, Judge Tuthill and Judge Ewing and died in office. Mrs. Boal, who was a woman of strong character and lovely disposi- tion, was a worthy helpmeet to the young doctor in pioneer days, being ever ready and willing to cheer his pathway, and make his burden light. She died in Peoria, in 1883.
Four years after his marriage Dr. Boal came with his young wife to Marshall county, and lo- cating at Lacon, at once commenced an active practice, which continued uninterruptedly for twenty-six years. In those early days the rides were long, roads poor, bridges almost unknown and the practicing physician was required to hold himself in readiness to go at a moment's warn-
ing at a call from any source and at whatever inconvenience. Many were the calls to which he responded, lonely the long night rides and but little was the pay expected or received.
In common with all professional men, Dr. Boal was somewhat of a politician in the early days of the history of Marshall county. He was an eloquent speaker and his services were often called into requisition in the exciting campaigns which rapidly followed one another. The news- papers did not circulate then as now, and the pub- lic and professional speaker was expected to en- lighten the people upon the issues of the day.
Politically, Dr. Boal was a whig after attaining his majority, and the principles of that party especially with reference to the great question of the tariff, were in consonance with his ideas of right and for the best interest of the entire coun- try. He took the stump in advocacy of these principles in each succeeding campaign, and was a most effective speaker. In 1844 he was placed in nomination by his party for the state senate in the district comprising the counties of Marshall, Tazewell, Woodford and Putnam, and was tri- umphantly elected, succeeding Major Cullom, the father of the present United States Senator Cullon).
While in the senate the doctor strongly advo- cated the building by the state of a hospital for the insane, and was instrumental in securing its passage. For some years previous the state had been engaged in the construction of a canal and which virtually swamped the state in the panic of 1837. The doctor advocated turning the un- completed canal over to the bond holders for its early completion, which was accordingly done. He also advocated the calling of a constitutional convention to revise the constitution, and an act was passed for that purpose, resulting in the con- stitution of 1848, which for twenty-two years was the basis of our state laws, or until repealed by the constitution of 1870.
Dr. Boal was a politician of state repu- tation, and was on intimate terms with all the great leaders of the whig party. He first met the immortal Lincoln in 1842, and was at once
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drawn to him, and the personal acquaintance formed with him at the congressional convention of that year was kept up and lasted through the life of Lincoln.
In 1854 Dr. Boal was elected a member of the general assembly of the state, the last whig elect- ed from the district; at the session of the legisla- ture following his election a United States sena- tor was to be elected. Lincoln was the whig can- didate and was enthusiastically supported by the doctor. Every student of history knows the re- sult of that election. A small number of what was known as anti-Nebraska democrats, of whom John M. Palmer was one, held the balance of power, and when convinced their favorite could not be elected the entire whig vote was cast, with that of the anti-Nebraska democrats, for Lyman Trumbull, who was duly chosen.
The whig party was now virtually dead, and in 1856 a convention of anti-slavery men met at Bloomington, Illinois, in which was brought into existence the republican party of the state. In this convention Dr. Boal sat as one of the delegates, and was thus instru- mental in the birth of that party, which four years later succeeded in electing Abraham Lincoln as president, an event followed by the greatest war of modern times, resulting in the entire abolition of slavery and the cementing of the ties binding the states of the union together, stronger than ever before. Dr. Boal was renom- inated for the house of representatives in 1856, and again elected, and served with credit to him- self and his constituents.
William H. Bissell was elected governor in 1856, and soon after his inauguration he appoint- ed Dr. Boal as one of the trustees of the deaf and dumb asylum at Jacksonville, a position which he held by reappointment by succeeding gover- nors, for seventeen years, the last five years of which time serving as president of the board. Soon after the commencement of hostilities be- tween the states Dr. Boal was appointed surgeon of the board of enrollment, with headquarters at Peoria, which position he held until the close of the war.
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