USA > Illinois > Kane County > The Biographical record of Kane County, Illinois > Part 10
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G EORGE W. COOK, who conducts a bakery and restaurant in the village of Hampshire, is a well-known citizen of northern Kane county. He was born on section 31, Hampshire township, January 20, 1848, and was reared on the farm and attended the district school until the age of nineteen. When twenty years of age he received wages for his time and worked two years for his father. He then married and rented his father's farm for three years, after which he moved to the village of Hampshire and went into the business of well-digging and boring, and also in the sale of windmills. His dealings were quite extensive over three or four counties. He continued in that business for some years with gratifying success. In 1894 he bought a bakery and restaurant in the village of Hampshire, built a large brick store, 25 x 64* feet, two stories in height, and has an ex- tensive trade in bakery goods, fancy gro- ceries and confectionery, with fresh , fruits in season.
Burnham Cook, the father of our sub-
the '4os he left his eastern home and moved to Chicago, where he worked for some years, and then came to Hampshire town- ship, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in section 31. He married Lucy Ann Lamphere, who was also born in Nor- wich, Connecticut, and who lived to be fifty-five years old. They were the parents of six children, of whom four are living, as follows: Timothy P., residing in California; Lucy Ann married William H. Pease, and they reside in Geneva, Illinois; William L., living in the village of Hampshire; and George W., our subject.
George W. Cook was united in marriage with Julia A. Gage, who was born in Hamp- shire township, and a daughter of Cyril and Julia A. (Fields) Gage, the latter born in Saybrook township, Ashtabula county, Ohio, and a daughter of Havilah and Hannah (Haywood) Fields. Cyril Gage was the son of Solomon Gage, a native of New Hamp- shire, who married Miriam Gurnsey, ‘ a daughter of Cyril Gurnsey. Of the eight children of Cyril and Julia A. Gage, Mrs. Cook is the first born. To George W. Cook and wife eight children . have been born, six of whom are living, as follows: Burton C., who married Clara Amic; Min- nie, deceased; Alverta, Lucy, George W., Jr., Earl, Edward and Marie.
In politics Mr .. Cook is a Republican. For some years he served as school director and as a member of the village board of trustees two terms. Fraternally he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica, Knights of the Maccabees and the Home
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Forum. In the latter body his wife is also a member. As a business man, Mr. Cook is honest and upright, and his genial dis- position makes him deservedly popular.
ROBERT S. EGAN, junior member of B. Willis, who was formerly his school the law firm of Irwin & Egan, whose . teacher. In March, 1882, he was admitted office is in the Cook Block, Elgin, was born to the bar and at once opened an office in Elgin, where he engaged in practice alone for one year. He then formed a partner- ship with C. F. Irwin, which has continued since, the firm enjoying a large practice which extends into adjoining counties. . in Sycamore, De Kalb county, Illinois, May 10, 1857, and is a son of William and Brid- get (Sanders) Egan, who were natives of County Kilkenny, Ireland, and were the par- ents of seven children, as follows: Margaret, wife of William Tobin, of Rutland, Illinois; On the 22nd of September, 1886, Mr. Egan married Miss Laura A. Russell, daugh- ter of Ira N. and Charlotte (Sherbourne) Russell, of Plato township, Kane county. They reside in a beautiful home at the cor- ner of South and Jackson streets, Elgin. Alice, of Elgin; Mary, wife of Joseph King, of Elgin; Elizabeth, wife of Patrick Keefe, of Sycamore, Illinois; Robert S., our sub- ject; Julia, wife of C. F. Irwin, of Elgin; and Anna, also of Elgin. The father, who was a farmer by occupation, came to Amer- ica about 1848, locating at St. Charles, Illi- nois. where he remained one year. He then removed to Sycamore, where he engaged in farming for a few years. after which he re- turned to Kane county, dying here in 1879, at the age of about sixty-eight years. His wife survived him until 1893, departing this . life at the age of seventy-one. Both were devont members of the Catholic church.
The paternal grandfather of our subject' was Patrick Egan, a substantial farmer in Ireland, where he died at an advanced age. His father also died in Ireland, at the ex- treme old age of one hundred five years. The maternal grandfather of our subject, Robert Sanders, was also born in Ireland and was by occupation a farmer. He lived to the age of four score years.
Robert S. Egan, our subject, was four years of age when his parents returned to Kane county, where he has since continued
to reside. Until seventeen years of age he attended the country schools, and then took a two ycars' course at the Elgin Academy. For five years he taught schools, while at the same time he engaged in reading law. He began the study of law with Judge Henry
Politically, Mr. Egan is a Democrat, with which party he has acted since attain- ing his majority, and he is now president of the Elgin Democratic Club. Possessed of good executive ability and being a fluent speaker, he has been enabled to do much for his party's cause in Elgin and Kane coun- ty. He has always been numbcred among its most active workers, and in addition to his effective work on the platform, he has served as a delegate to the different state, district and county conventions. In 1883 he was elected city attorney of Elgin and served two years. Success has attended him in financial as well as legal affairs, and in addition to considerable real estate in El- gin, he is the owner of an excellent farm of one hundred sixty acres in Rutland town- ship. He is also a stockholder in the Elgin National Bank, and serves as its attorney. Although comparatively young in the prac- tice of law, Mr. Egan has already won an en-
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viable reputation at the bar, having met with a very flattering success in the trial of cases. As a citizen he stands equally well, holding the confidence and respect of the people.
D R. SALEM E. WELD, senior mem- bér of the firm of Weld & Phillips, real estate dealers and insurance agents, lo- cated in the Home Bank building, Elgin, is a well known citizen, and a native of Kane county, born in Elgin township, just west of the city of that name, August 3, 1841. His parents, Francis and Harriet (Mann) Weld, were numbered among the pionecrs of 1838, arriving here two years before the govern- ment survey was made, taking up a claim which was the farm on which our subject was born. (For further account of Francis Weld see sketch of Owen B. Weld, on an- other page of this work.)
Salem E. Weld was reared on his father's farm and attended the public and district schools of the neighborhood, receiving a good practical education. He remained un- der the parental roof until twenty-one years of age, and from the time when he was old enough to drop corn or follow a plow did his share in the farm work. About 1860 he commenced the study of medicine in the office of Drs. A. L. Clark & A. Turner, and continued to read under their instruction until 1862.
The war for the union had now been in progress about one year. Young men were daily enlisting and the call was issued for more volunteers. Having been in prepara- tion for some years, the south was in better shape for service than the north, and up to that time had been successful in the greater number of engageinents. Every defeat made the northern men more determined,
and the response to the calls of the present were quickly made. . Our subject could not longer remain at home while his associates, the young men with whom he was reared, were daily going to the front. Accordingly, August 12, 1862, he enlisted as a member of Company I, One Hundred and Twenty- seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under command of Col. John Van Arman. This regiment has a record for bravery and active service second to none. In the three years in which it was engaged it was in over one hundred battles and skirmishes. It was in the siege of Vicksburg, the battles of Chat- tanooga, Arkansas Post, the Atlanta cam- paign, and the march to the sea, also the march through the Carolinas, with the bat- tles of Goldsboro, Columbia and others.
During the last two years of his service Dr. Weld had charge of the field hospital of the Second Division of the Fifteenth Army Corps as hospital steward, and had the credit of having the best hospital in the corps. He was offered the captaincy of his company, but on account of his profession preferred to stay with the hospital. The experience there gained has been of ines- timable service to him since that time.
After the war Dr. Weld returned to Elgin, completed his medical studies and graduated from the Eclectic Medical Col- lege, Cincinnati, Ohio, and began practice at St. Charles, Illinois, where he remained two years. He then returned to Elgin and opened a drug store in partnership with his cousin Russell, and for twenty-three years successfully engaged in that business. Sell- ing his interest to Edwin Hall, he engaged in the real estate and insurance business. In 1896 he took into partnership H. W. Phillips, since which time the business has been conducted under the firm name of
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Weld & Phillips. Its success has been all upon the history of the country. Samuel that could have been anticipated.
On the 14th of May, 1885, Dr. Weld was united in marriage with Miss M. Elizabeth Hoag, daughter of James and Mary A. (Branford) Hoag. Mrs. Weld is a native of St. Charles, Illinois. While having no children of their own, they have one adopted daughter, Mildred. Dr. and Mrs. Weld are Christian Scientists, and in the teachings of that people have the ·ut- most faith, believing them to conform not only to the scriptures but to common sense and the science of life.
Fraternally Dr. Weld is a Mason, a member of Elgin lodge, No. 117, F. & A. M .; L. L. Munn chapter, No. 96, R. A. M .; Bethel commandery, No. 36, K. T. Polit- ically, he is a Republican, with which party he has been identified since becoming a voter. His first presidential vote was cast for U. S. Grant. Office holding has for him no special charm, but he served as cor- oner one term, from 1868. In 1872 he was elected alderman from the Fourth ward and served one term, and was library direct- or twelve years.
Dr. and Mrs. Weld reside in a beauti- ful home, at No. 10 Hamilton avenue, El- gin, and there take pleasure in receiving their many friends. The Doctor represents one of the oldest families in Elgin, and, with the exception of the two years spent at St. Charles, has here made his home for fifty-six years. In the progress and devel- opment of the place he has borne no incon- siderable part, and is yet actively identified with its business interests. He has a large - acquaintance throughout the county, and by all he is held in the highest esteem. His ancestry is of the best and most progressive people, those who have left their impress
Morey, a granduncle, was the first man who ever ran a steamboat in the United States.
E UGENIO W. K. CORNELL, manager of the Elgin Packing Company, Elgin, Illinois, has been a resident of Kane county for more than half a century. He is a na- tive of New York, born in Galway, Sara- toga county, May 10, 1823, and is the son of Asa and Clarinda (Smith) Cornell, the former a native of Cheshire, Massachusetts, and the latter of New York. By occupa- tion the father was a farmer, following that vocation during his entire life. A man of deep religious conviction, he united with the Baptist church at an early age, and for some years served as deacon in his church. His death occurred at Albion, New York, in 1854, while his good wife survived him fifteen years, departing this life in 1869, at Ionia, Michigan, at the residence of her daughter. She was also a member of the Baptist church, an exemplary. Christian woman, one whose delight was in doing good and inaking others happy.
The Cornells are of Welsh ancestry, the first of the name coming to America at an early period in the country's history. Jo- seph Cornell, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was a native of Rhode Island, a minister of the gospel in the Baptist church. His godly example seems to have had a remarkable effect upon the family, nearly all of whom early in life entered the service of the Master as members of that church. Ebenezer Smith, the maternal grandfather, was a farmer, and was born in New York.
The subject of this sketch was reared upon his farther's farm in Saratoga county,
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New York, and after attending school for a time in the neighborhood of his home, en- tered Galway Academy, where he pursued the prescribed course and was graduated when but fifteen years old. He then com- menced teaching and for five years followed that profession at Saratoga Springs, New York. At Schenectady, New York, he studied dentistry and there commenced practice. However, he did not long remain at that place as he thought he could find a more favorable locality in the rapidly grow- ing west.
Before leaving his native state, Mr. Cor- nell resolved upon marriage, and according- ly on the 24th of January, 1843, he mar- ried Miss Matilda C. Padelford, a native of New York, and daughter of Sedate and Mar- garet (Barney) Padelford, both of whom were also natives of that state. By this union seven children were born: Anna Mary, who married B. C. Wilkins and died in 1864; Eudora Bell, who died in infancy; Clara C., wife of S. J. Gifford, of Elgin; Luella W., wife of William T. Wait, of El- gin; Fred A., who married Jennie Rice and now resides in San Francisco, California; Charles Walter, who first married Kittie Brown, and after her decease married Hat- tie B. Kneeland, now residing at Elgin; and Frank B., who married Emma Butler, of Elgin.
One year after his marriage, Mr. Cor- nell removed to Ionia, Michigan, where he followed his profession two years, and then came to Elgin, being the first dentist to lo- cate in the city. For four years he en- gaged in active practive, visiting at more or less regular intervals the towns of Aurora, St. Charles, Woodstock and other places. He then sold out his practice and in com- pany with S. D. Wilder and Finla L. Mc-
Clure, engaged in the dry goods trade under the firm name of Cornell, McClure & Com- pany. This relation was continued until 1862, when he disposed of his interest in the business and went onto a farm, which he operated two seasons. In 1865 he re- turned to the city and formed a partnership with W. T. Wait and F. A. Cornell in the furniture business. In this line he continued with good success for fourteen years.
In 1879 Mr. Cornell was offered the po- sition of assistant manager of the Elgin Packing Company, which was established and incorporated some ten years prior to this time, and which to-day has a national reputation, its canned goods, consisting of sweet corn, pumpkins, baked beans and lima beans, finding a ready sale in many of the leading cities of the country. The standard of the goods is always kept at No. 1. For ten years Mr. Cornell served as an assistant ınanager, since which time he has been gen- eral manager, and under his supervision much of the credit for the success of the company is dne. The vegetables and other products used by this concern are raised in the vicinity of Elgin, and during the year several hundred people find employment in connection with the business. They have facilities for making all the cans used in packing their various brands and the factory continues work throughout the year. An average of over one million cases of goods are put up annually.
In early life Mr. Cornell voted with the Democratic party, but cast his last presi- dential vote for its candidate in 1852, when he voted for Franklin Pierce. By nature and training he espoused the cause of lib- erty, believing in the declaration of inde- pendence where it proclaims that all ineu are created equal. He therefore naturally
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attached himself to the Republican party on its formation in 1854, and voted for its pres- idential candidate in 1856, the great path- finder, John C. Fremont. From that time to the present he has advocated the princi- ples of that party. While residing in Ionia, Michigan, he was appointed and served as postmaster, and soon after coming to Kane county was elected school inspector. This was before the office of county superintend- ent of schools was created, and the inspect- or served as examiner of teachers for his district. He has held other local offices, and it goes without saying that every duty undertaken was faithfully discharged.
When eighteen years of age Mr. Cornell gave himself to the Lord and united with the Baptist church, that church with which the family have been connected as far back as its history can be traced. The First Baptist church of Elgin was organized some eight years prior to his arrival here, but on making this his home he placed his mem- bership therein, and for fifty-two years has been one of its leading and most influential meinbers. Of those composing the body at the time of his coming, only two now re- main. Some have moved to other points, but the greater number have passed to their reward. For many years he has been one of its trustees, and for a long time served as superintendent of its Sunday-school. The church to him has indeed been a means of grace. His love for it has been strength- ened as the years have passed by. It is to him meat and drink. For it he has ever been willing to make sacrifices of time and means, and seldom is his place vacant at its regular services. No other organization has ever been able to draw him away, and in none other has he ever had a place, save for a time with the Good Teinplars, where
he hoped his influence might be useful in behalf of the temperance cause. Mrs. Cor- nell is also a member of the same church, and for it has the same love that character- izes her husband.
For more than fifty-five years Mr. and Mrs. Cornell have traveled life's journey to- gether, happy in each other's love. While their hair has whitened, while they may not have that lightness of step which was theirs when they stood at the altar and took the vows of husband and wife, their hearts are light, and they have the assurance that they have the love and respect of their family and many friends, not alone in Elgin, but throughout Kane county.
C HARLES STERNBERG is a repre- sentative of that race who have done much to advance the interests of their adopted country, but who always have in their hearts a strong love for the fatherland. He was born in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Ger- many, October 5, 1830, and there grew to manhood, spending the greater part of his youth on a farm. His educational advantages were limited, and he therefore is almost wholly self-educated, especially in the Eng- lish language, which he acquired after com- ing to this country. After reaching the age of eighteen years he engaged at farın work at from twenty to twenty-five dollars per year, until his emigration to the United States. In 1858, he bade farewell to home and friends and set sail for the United States, landing in this country on the eighteenth of July. Coming direct to Dun- dee, Kane county, he worked here by the day at anything he could find to do. In the fall of that year he rented a farm in Mc- Henry county, and there resided for five
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years. In 1864 he made his first purchase of land, securing a farm of eighty acres at three thousand dollars, securing time on the greater part of its purchase price. There was a fair house and some improvements on the place, but Mr. Sternberg went to work and in due time had one of the finest farms in the township. He subsequently purchased fifty-five acres, which made him a valuable farm of one hundred and thirty- five acres.
John Sternberg, the father of our sub- ject, was also a native of Germany and there married Mary Kracht, a Genoa lady. He came to this country with his son Charles, located in Dundee township, Kane county, and there spent the remainder of his life, dying at the age of seventy-four years. His wife survived him some years and died when eighty-six years old. They were the parents of seven children as fol- lows: Sophia, who married John Schroeder and moved with her husband to Michigan and there died; Fred, a substantial farmer of Kane county, now living a retired life in Dundee; Charles, of this review; Christo- pher, who was a farmer of Cook county, but is now deceased; Christine, wife of William Lempke, a retired farmer of Dun- dee; Henry, who died in Dundee; and John, who died in Germany a lad of fourteen years.
Charles Sternberg, our subject, was uni- ted in marriage, at Dundee, January 27, 1861, with Miss Frederika Schroeder also a native of Germany and born in the same state. Her father, Franz Schroeder, who located in Kane county, spent the last years of his life with his children, dying here in in 1863. Mr. and Mrs. Sternberg have six living children-Augusta, wife of John Fierke, residing in Dundee; Fred, who is
married and residing on the old homestead; John, a business man of Elgin, also mar- ried; Mary, residing at home; Henry, mar- ried and engaged in business in Dundee; and Emina, at home. Three of the chil- dren died in early childhood.
In the fall of 1886, Mr. Sternberg pur- chased a lot on the corner of First and South streets, where he erected a large and substantial dwelling, and where he has since lived a retired life. Politically he is a good Republican, with which party he has affiliated since becoming a naturalized citi- zen. He has been a resident of Kane county for forty years and is a well-known citizen, one who is esteemed for his many excellent traits of character. Commencing life here but with little means, he has accumulated sufficient to enable him to live practically a retired life.
S IDNEY HEATH, who for some years lived retired in his pleasant home at No. 233 Dundee avenue, Elgin, was num- bered among the honored pioneers of Kane county, who located here when this locality was a wild and unimproved region. In the work of development he took an active part in the early days and aided in opening up the country to civilization. As the years passed he faithfully performed his duties of citizenship, and his interest in the welfare and progress of the community never abated.
Mr. Heath was born in West Hartford, Connecticut, January 22, 1812, and was a son of Richard Adams and Lydia (Steele) Heath. In their family were seven sons and one daughter, and our subject was the last of the number to enter into rest. The birth of the father occurred in Geneseo, New York, on Tuesday, June 7, 1785, and
LIBRARY Of THE SIUN.IN IO ALISOJAINA
2.
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SIDNEY HEATH.
MRS. CHARLOTTE HEATH.
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILI VIHIS.
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in early life he learned the shoemaker's trade. In 1836 he emigrated to Illinois, and after stopping a short time in Lockport, he came to Kane county in the fall of that . year. His son Joseph had purchased of Ira Minard a tract of three hundred and forty acres, on which the Northern Illinois Hos- pital for the Insane is now located, and this he divided between his father and brothers, Horace and Sidney. The father improved and cultivated his portion until called from this life, dying on his farm July 10, 1870. His wife, who was born Tuesday, December 23, 1788, had passed away March 30, 1866. Both were faithful members of the Congre- gational church, and highly respected by all who knew them.
Joseph Heath, our subject's paternal grandfather, was born in New York, of Hol- land ancestry, was a farmer by occupation and aided the colonies in their successful struggle for independence during the Revo- lutionary war. His wife was of English ex- traction. The maternal grandfather, Joel Steele, was a native of Connecticut, and was also an agriculturist. He died at the age of fifty-nine years.
Reared in Connecticut, our subject was educated in the old-fashioned district schools, and during his youth learned the shoemaker's trade, while upon the home farm he became familiar with agricultural pursuits. At the age of fifteen he went to the city of Hart- ford, where he worked under the instruction of his brother Horace until coming to Illi- nois with his family in 1836. He owned and operated the farm, where the hospital for the insane is now located, until 1870, when he sold his one hundred and forty acres for one hundred dollars per acre, though he had only paid about five dollars per acre for the saine. Since that time he
lived in Elgin, making his home at his fam- ily residence for over twenty-six years.
On the 28th of April, 1833, Mr. Heath led to the marriage altar Miss Charlotte Sophia London, who was born in Burling- ton, Connecticut, November 22, 1806, and was a daughter of Giles and Susanna (Daily) London. Five children blessed this union as follows: Charlotte Sophia, born Octo- ber 24, 1837, married Samuel H. Norton; George S., born March 22, 1841, wedded Mary Cox, by whom he has three children: Harry E., John S. and Howard-and later he married again, and now lives in Boston; Susan Maria, born February 16, 1843, died at the age of three years; Warren. H., born August 2, 1845, married Elvira. Shepard, who died a year later, in 1870, and he -aft- erward married Sarah A. Munger, of Wood-' stock, Illinois, by whom he has four sons- Milo S., Sidney J., George R. and Warren H. One son of our subject died in infancy. For fifty-eight and a half years Mr. and Mrs. Heath traveled life's journey together, and their's was indeed a happy married life. They celebrated their golden wedding, but our subject was later called upon to mourn the loss of his estimable wife, who died No- vember 9, 1891. She was always active up to the time of her last illness, possessed a bright intellect, and was beloved by all who knew her. Both she and her husband were among the original members who organized the First Methodist Episcopal church in El- gin, in 1837, and he was the last of that little band to survive. He belonged to the first class formed here, and for many years served as class leader and steward. Al- though his father and brothers were all Democrats, Mr. Heath joined the Repub- lican party on the outbreak of the Civil war, and voted for President Lincoln. When
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