The Biographical record of Kane County, Illinois, Part 15

Author: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 798

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In 1863 Mr. Roehl engaged in the saloon and hotel business on the east side in Dun- dee, in which he continued about three years, when he sold out and moved to West Dundee and there engaged in the grocery, butcher and saloon business for some seven

years, building up a large and profitable trade. He then sold out and returned to East Dundee, started a hardware store, and also again engaging in building and contracting, erecting four business houses. He likewise carried on a saloon and butcher shop, but after two years sold out the hard- ware store, but continued in the other lines of business three years longer. Sell- ing out his saloon and butcher shop, he started a lumber yard and engaged in that business about five years. Selling the lum- ber business he opened a wood and coal yard in Elgin, which he continued some four or five years, since which time he has been dealing in milch cows and stock.

Mr. Roehl was married at Dundee, July 25, 1857, to Louisa Haasa, a daughter of Henry Haasa, and a native of Hanover, Germany, where she was reared and edu- cated. She came to this country in 1854 with her parents, who first settled in Elm- hurst, but later move to a farm near Bar- rington Centre. By this union nine children have been born, four of whom are living, the remainder dying in childhood. The living are Charles, now residing in Iowa; Carrie, wife of Joseph Johnson, a resident of Algonquin, Illinois; Louisa, wife of Will- iam Hagel, a business man of Chicago; and Frank, engaged in the butcher busi- ness, as junior partner of the firm of Smith & Roehl.

Politically, Mr. Roehl is a Democrat, with which party he has been identified since becoming a naturalized citizen. He has held several local offices of honor and trust, serving first as constable for four years, and, though again elected, declined the office. He also served as trustee of the town on the west side and chairman of the board on the east side. In every position

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he has discharged his duties faithfully and well. Religiously, he and his wife are members of the Lutheran church, one of its charter members in Dundee. In the erection of their house of worship, in Dun- dee, he contributed liberally of his time and money.

For forty-four years Mr. Roehl has been identified with the business interests of Dundee. He has built for himself in this time some fifteen business houses and resi- dences in addition to those erected for other people. He has probably done as much as any one man toward improving and develop- ing his adopted city. Numbered among the old settlers of the place, he enjoys the con- fidence and respect of all.

W ILLIAM MARSHALL, proprietor of the Railroad avenue farm, on section 19, St. Charles township, is admitted to be one of the best farmers in the township, and the man who is well regarded by the com- munity in general. He was born in North Clifton, on the banks of the river Trent, Nottinghamshire, England, April 21, 1821. His father, William Marshall, Sr., was also a native of the same shire, where he. married Mary Bingham, a native of Lincolnshire, England, by whom he had eleven children, five sons and six daughters, all of whom grew to mature years, save one son.

William Marshall, our subject, was reared in Nottinghamshire, England, and in his boyhood received a very limited education. In his youth he was apprenticed for a term of seven years to learn the blacksmith trade, his only compensation being his board dur- ing that time. After completing his trade he worked as a journeyman in Nottingham- shire and Lancastershire, and had the repu-

tation of being one of the best inechanics in the vicinity. On the 25th of March, 1843, in Nottinghamshire, he married Miss Sarah Harpham, a native of Headon, near shire- town of Retford, Nottinghamshire, and three years later, with his wife, he set sail for America, taking ship at Liverpool, April 22, 1848, and landed in New York, May 24, 1848, being thirty-two days in making the trip, during which time they encountered some severe weather. From New York he went up the Hudson river to Albany, and by the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes to Chicago, where he worked for a few days for the McCormick company, and then came to St. Charles, started a shop, and worked at his trade for about four years.

Believing he could better himself, Mr. Marshall sold his shop and rented a farm for two years, and then purchased seventy- six acres of the farm on which he now re- sides. The farm was partially improved, having on it a log house with a stone chim- ney, and shake roof. He lived in that house until he had made considerable im- provements in the place, when he erected a neat and substantial house, that was burned down May 21, 1894. He then built his present residence, which is a frame, with pressed brick veneer and stone. This is a fine residence, and one of the best in the township. Mr. Marshall has also upon the place five barns, and other outbuildings, of the most substantial character. From time to time he added to his additional purchase, until he had three hundred acres of as fine land as could be desired, but he has since sold one hundred and ten acres, leaving him one hundred and ninety acres in his present farm. In addition to this farm he owns a valuable four-acre tract and several lots in St. Charles, as well as a number of lots in

MR. AND MRS. WM. MARSHALL.

Of THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

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Chicago, Aurora, Evergreen Park and else- Chicago, widow of Rev. John G. Temple- where.

Some five years after Mr. Marshall lo- cated in St. Charles township, he was joined by his father, and later his brothers and sis- ters caine to this country. The parents and youngest son remained with our subject for about one year and then removed to De- Kalb county, where they spent the remain- ing years of their life, the father dying at the age of about ninety, while the mother was ninty-four years old at the time of her deatlı. Thomas Marshall, their youngest son, remained with them until their death, when he succeeded to the property which they had accumulated, and is now one of wealthy men of De Kalb county. All the brothers and sisters started in life without a dollar and now all are wealthy and influen- tial. Three of the sisters married three brothers, Edward, John and William Law- rence, and became wealthy.

After a long and happy married life, Mr. Marshall was deprived of his wife, her death taking place February 14, 1895, leaving five children-Jane, wife of Richmond Cook, who was a farmer of Kane county, and is now deceased, by whom she had six chil- dren; Mary Ann, wife of Joseph Kirk, of St. Charles township, Kane county, by whom she has ten children; Elizabeth, wife of Charles T. Shaver, whose farm adjoins that of Mr. Marshall; they have one child; Addie Eliza, wife of Truman Albee, of El- gin, a machinist in the watch factory, by whom she had two children; and William Henry, a farmer of St. Charles township. Three children died in infancy and one at the age of three years.

On the 19th of May, 1897, Mr. Mar- shall was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Mary L. Templeton, of the state. His father, Abraham Leather-

ton, who held a position with Marshall Field & Company, of Chicago. His brother, Thomas Templeton, is a partner in that firm. Mrs. Marshall was born in Collins- ville, Marquette county, Michigan. Her fa- ther, Azel Lathrop, was a pioneer of that county, in which there is a town named for him. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall have two children (twins), Marcus Fletcher and George Lathrop, born February 28, 1898. By her first husband, Mrs. Marshall has three children-Thomas Templeton, who holds a position with Orr & Lockett, Chi- cago; Robert Templeton, a student in the seminary at Evansville,-, Wisconsin; and Mary Templeton, a student in the home school.

Politically, Mr. Marshall was formerly a Republican, but for some years has been identified with the Prohibition party. He is a member of the Free Methodist church, with which he has been identified for thirty- eight years. He was one of the original members of the organization in his neigh- borhood. For fifty years he has been a resident of Kane county, and, although he came a poor man, by industry and economy he has accumulated a competency, and is enabled to take life easy. His friends are many throughout the county, and no man is held in higher esteem.

A1 BRAHAM LEATHERMAN, an hon- ored veteran of the Civil war now liv- ing retired in the city of Elgin, is'a native of Illinois, born in the town of Hanover, Cook county, December 21, 1840, and is a worthy representative of one of the highly respected pioneer families of this section of

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man, Sr., was born in Kentucky, October 25, 1801, and was reared in Louisville. The paternal grandfather was only seven- teen years old at the outbreak of the Rev- olutionary war, but he joined the Conti- nental army and served all through that terrible struggle, returning home to find that the other members of the family had all been killed, probably by the Indians.

At the age of eighteen years Abraham Leatherman, Sr., left his native state and removed to Greencastle, Putnam county, Indiana, where he engaged in farming until taking up his residence in Hanover, Cook county, Illinois, on the 20th of October, 1835. Here he pre-empted four hundred acres of land which he later purchased when it came into market, and to the cultivation and improvement of the place he devoted his time and attention until 1865, when he sold it. This place was known as Leather- man's Hill, and the famous hostelry which he kept was known as Leatherman's Inn. Retiring from active business life in 1866, he purchased a small tract of land known as the John Hill farm and there inade his home until coming to Elgin in 1885. Here he built a house adjoining that of our sub- ject, where he died February 16, 1889. He was a large man, standing six feet in his stockings, was of a genial temperament and was devoted to his family. In political sen- timent he was a Democrat, and in religious belief was a Baptist.

Abraham Leatherman, Sr., was married at the age of twenty-one years to Miss Mary Duese, who was born in Indiana January 18, 1803, a daughter of David Duese, and died February 18, 1889, being laid to rest by the side of her husband in the old cem- tery at Elgin. She, too, was a faithful member of the Baptist church. Nine chil-

dren were born to this worthy couple: (1) William, born January 7, 1823, enlisted August 12, 1862, in Company I, One Hun- dren and Thirteenth Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, for service in the Civil war, and died of smallpox while at Camp Butler January 28, 1863. (2) David, born October 25, 1824, was a farmer by occupation, but is now living retired in Kansas. (3) Sarah, born October 26, 1826, married David Longley, and makes her home in Chickasaw county, Iowa. (4) Frederick, born Novem- ber 5, 1828, was one of the " Forty-niners," and died in California, supposed to have been murdered for his money in 1852. (5) Jane, born November 23, 1830, is the wife of Seth Stowell, who lived for some years near Spring Brook, Illinois, but is now re- siding in Nebraska. (6) John, born Janu- ary 7, 1833, was also one of the boys in blue during the Civil war, enlisting August 12, 1862, in Company F, One Hundred and Thirteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was taken prisoner in June, 1864, when in the campaign against Price, and was con- fined for nine months in Andersonville prison, being released after the surrender of Gen- eral Lee. He is now a retired farmer, liv- ing in Watseka, Illinois, but also owns a place in Louisiana, where he spends the winter months. (7) Elizabeth, born July 9, 1835, is the wife of Joseph R. McChesney, of Glen Ellyn, DuPage county, Illinois. (8) Evan, born December 3, 1837, was also a Union soldler, having enlisted in the spring of 1865 in the One Hundred and Forty-first Illinois Infantry, and is now a farmer living in Watseka, Iroquois county, Illinois. (9) Abraham, Jr., of this review, is the young- est of the family.

Reared in Hanover, Cook county, the subject of this sketch attended the common

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schools during his boyhood and youth, and when not in the school roon, assisted his father in the labors of the farm. Respond- ing to his country's call for aid, he enlisted August 12, 1861, in Company F, One Hun- dred and Thirteenth Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, and was mustered in at Chicago. From there the regiment proceeded to Memphis, Tennessee, and Mr. Leatherman took part in all the marches and battles in which it took part, including the Tallahassee expedition, the Vicksburg campaign and the Arkansas expedition. He was selected as one of the guard to the prisoners brought from Arkansas to Camp Butler, where he remained on duty for about a year, going to Memphis in the spring of 1863. He was then under General Sturges in the campaign against Price, and was next with his regi- ment detailed to guard the railroads around Memphis, being thus engaged when the war ended. He was mustered out at that place, and discharged at Chicago, June 29, 1865, being at that time a member of what was known as the Third Board of Trade Regi- inent of Chicago. After his return home, Mr. Leatherman successfully engaged in farming and dairying, purchasing one hun- dred and eighty acres of the old John Hill tract. There he carried on operations in a most profitable manner until 1883, when he came to Elgin and took up his residence at the corner of Porter avenue and Park street, in a house which he had erected for his home. He leases his farm, and is now en- joying that ease and retirement which should always follow a useful and honor- able career.

On the 13th of June, 1867, Mr. Leather- man was united in marriage with Miss Jos- ephine A. McChesney, born in Chicago, and a daughter of James H. and Mary Brown

(Hull) McChesney, who were born in New York City, and are now living in Adams county, Wisconsin. They have eight chil- dren living, namely: Josephine, Mary and James, deceased, Margaret, Jane, Samuel, Joseph, John, deceased, and James, Mark and Myrtle. To Mr. and Mrs. Leatherman have been born the following named chil- dren: William O., born April 15, 1868, died September 20, of that year; Jesse T., born July 8, 1872, died September 13, 1872; Foneta M. M., born June 10, 1875, is now the wife of Edward Hunt, of Hanover, Illi- nois; Ida D., born July 18, 1880, and May E., born May 12, 1888, are both at home. The parents are both consistent members of the Congregational church, and are widely and favorably known. Politically Mr. Leath- erman is identified with the Republican party, and socially affiliates with Elgin post, No. 49, G. A. R. His efforts in life have been crowned with success, so that he now enjoys a handsome competence, and his career has ever been such as to win for him the respect and confidence of all who know him.

JOHN RADLOFF, of Dundee, is a na- tive of Germany, born in Mechlenberg, August 25, 1839. He there grew to man- hood and received a good education in the German language, attending school about seven years. He was reared on a farm and remained with his father until nineteen years of age, when he began life for himself, work- ing at various occupations in his native coun- try for about six years. He was united in marriage at Mechlenberg, in 1863, with Miss Mary Schroeder, a daughter of Frank Schroeder, also a native of Germany.

With that laudable desire to better him- self, Mr. Radloff determined to emigrate to

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the United States, and in 1865, accompanied by his young wife, he crossed the Atlantic, landing in New York city, from which place he came directly to Illinois, locating in Huntly, McHenry county, where he joined some of his relatives who had preceded him to the new world. He first worked on the railroad at that place, in and around the depot, and was content to do anything hon- orable which he could find to do. In 1868, he rented a farm near Huntly and engaged in farming and dairying. In 1877 he pur- chased a farın of one hundred and fifty-one acres near Barrington, Cook county, to which he removed, and on which he con- tinued to reside for nineteen years. In 1896 he rented the farm, built a residence on First street, Dundee, into which he moved with his family and has since lived a retired life.

To Mr. and Mrs. Radloff seven children have been born: Sophia, wife of Charles Young, of McHenry county; Rachel, wife of Fred Rousch, of Starks Station, Illinois; Fred, a farmer residing on the old home- stead; Caroline, wife of William Miller, of McHenry county; Mary; wife of Fred Miller, residing in Cook county; Bertha, wife of Burton Chapman, watch inspector in the Elgin factory; and Louis, who is assisting his brother on the farm.

Politically Mr. Radloff is a stanch Re- publican and believer in protection and reciprocity. His first presidential ballot was cast for U. S. Grant in 1872. For about fifteen years Mr. Radloff served as a member of the school board and as overseer of highways about seventeen years, making a faithful and efficient officer. For some years he was an official of the Farmers' In- surance Company of Barrington township, and was one of its appraisers for six years.

Religiously he is a member of the Lutheran church and is one of its active members, having served as deacon in the same for some years. His wife and children are also members of the same body, and all take an active interest in the work of the church.

Mr. Radloff has been a resident of Illi- nois about thirty-three years. He came here a poor man, but by his industrious habits he has acquired a fair share of this world's goods, has seen his family well pro- vided and is now enjoying a well earned rest.

G EN. JOHN SHULER WILCOX, of I Elgin, is one of the best known men in Kane county, and one highly honored by all. He comes of a brave and patriotic family, whose deeds are a part of the great record of our country's history. His ances- try is traced back to William Wilcockson, who came to this country in 1635, as shown by the following taken from the New Eng- land Historic Genealogical Register, Vol. XIV., part 4, page 304:

"2d Aprilis, 1635. Theis underwritten names are to be transported to New Eng -. land, imbarqued in the Planter, Nico Tra- rice, Master: William Wilcockson (lynen weaver), age 34; Margaret Wilcockson, age 24; Jo Wilcockson, age 2."

It will thus be seen that the name was originally Wilcockson. In due time it was changed to Wilcox. William Wilcockson settled first at Windsor and afterward re- moved to Stratford, Connecticut. His fourth child, Samuel, settled at Siinsbury, Connecticut, where his first son, also named Samuel, was born April 15, 1666. The eighth child of the second Samuel was named Ephraim, and was born February 4, 1707. He married Hannah Hill, of Sims-

GEN. J. S. WILCOX.

LIBRARY Ot INE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

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bury, Connecticut. They were the parents of Silvanus Wilcox, who was born at Sims- bury, November 14, 1735, and married Christine Curtis, a daughter of Peter Curtis, of that place. A few years later he moved with his family to Nine Partners, Dutchess county, New York, where he remained some years, and then went to Alford, Mass- achusetts, where, in 1768, he purchased a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits.

In the first town meeting held in Alford, in 1775, Silvanus Wilcox was elected con- stable and collector of taxes, and the same year was elected one of the selectmen of the town, which office he held five terms. The trouble with Great Britain had coin- menced, and Mr. Wilcox was appointed one of a committee of safety. A little later a company was raised for military service, and he was elected captain. In the cam- paign of 1775-76 it took an active part, and in September, 1777, the company joined the regiment of Col. John Asjley, and marched to Saratoga, where they partici- pated in the capture of Burgoyne. After a long struggle the war for independence was brought to a successful termination, and Captain Wilcox retired to his farm to enjoy the blessings of peace and pursuits of agri- culture. After residing on his farm in Al- ford for nearly thirty years, he sold it and removed to the Greenland tract, where he resided until his death.

Silvanus Wilcox, Jr., the son of the Revolutionary hero, was born in Al- ford, Massachusetts, May 26, 1762. He married, and in April, 1787, moved with his wife and daughter to Schoharie Creek, New York, where he and his wife are buried, their graves being enclosed with a stone wall, a plain marble slab marking their rest- ing place, with his name inscribed " General

Silvanus Wilcox." He attained the rank of general in the New York State Militia. His son, Elijah Wilcox, was born in Montgom- ery county, New York, May 10, 1791. He there married Sally Shuler, also a native of New York, and was recognized as one of the leading citizens of Fultonville, that state, where he lived for many years. In the State Militia he rose to the rank of brigadier- general, and in the civil service of his town and county served in several local positions. In May, 1842, he came to Kane county, Illinois, and located on a farm two and a half miles northwest of Elgin, where his last days were passed. The farm, known as the Wilcox homestead, is now owned by Judge Silvanus Wilcox, the eldest son. To Elijah and Sally Wilcox ten children were born, as follows: Amelia A., who married John Hill; John S., who died at the age of sixteen years; Silvanus, who married Jane Mallory; Rensselaer, who died in infancy; Daniel S., who married Sarah Ballard; Cal- vin E., who married Emily Larkin; Edward Sanford, who married Sarah Clarke, and later Cordelia Peck Alston, sister of George M. Peck; Hannah M., wife of Charles R. Collin; John Shuler, our subject; Will- am H., who wedded Mary A. Green, and after her death Mrs. Helen Green. Of these, four are living in Elgin: Silvanus, Mrs. Collin, John S. and William H.

Elijah Wilcox was in politics a Demo- crat, in religion a Universalist. In 1846 he was elected to the Illinois State senate and served four years, with credit to him- self and constituents. When the Civil war commenced he warmly espoused the Union cause; and did much in the way: of encour- agement to the men who left for the front. He was foremost in educational and agri- cultural movements, and always labored for

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the progress and advancement of the com- munity and the state, and departed this life holding the esteem of all who knew him. He died December 11, 1862, while his good wife survived him many years, dying April 4, 1882. She was a devoted member of the Congregational church. With his three sons he received honorable mention in Moses' History of Illinois.

John Shuler Wilcox, ninth child of Gen- eral Elijah and Sally (Shuler) Wilcox, was born March 18, 1833, at Fultonville, Mont- gomery county, New York, and with the family came to Elgin, Kane county, Illinois, in May, 1842, where they located on the old homestead now the property of his eldest brother, Judge Silvanus Wilcox. When he was a boy he drove the breaking team of seven yoke of oxen to a great plow turning with each furrow twenty-seven inches of wild prairie sod, clean cut and as straight as a ribbon. The log cabin with shake roof, puncheon floor, wooden latch and thong latch string were familiar realities. The lurid gleam of prairie fires against the dark horizon of night was a common sight, and the howl of prairie wolves at daybreak and evening was often heard. Wolves and deer were abundant, sand hill cranes, wild geese and ducks abounded. Prairie chickens and quails covered the prairies, and vast flocks of wild pigeons darkened the sky in their annual migrations. The songs of the brown thrush, robin, oriole, cat bird, lark, bobolink and other birds filled grove and prairie with music. Myriads of wild flowers bloomed from every spring until late autumn, and it was indeed a beautiful and fertile land. In the winter of 1842-3 the lands came into market and it was a busy and anxious time with the early settlers, adjusting their claim lines to the govern-

ment surveys, and securing title to their lands.

Mr. Wilcox's boyhood was spent on the farm, and in 1851 he was employed a few months in a store in Union, McHenry county, Illinois. Going to Galesburg in 1852, he attended school there for about a year and a half, at what is now Lombard University. Returning to Elgin he studied. law in the office of his brother, Hon. S. Wilcox, and was admitted to the bar in 1855. That winter, as president of the Young Men's Association, he introduced to Elgin audiences such eminent men as Wendell Phillips, Elihu Burritt, John G. Saxe, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Bayard Tay- lor, etc., in a course of brilliant lectures rarely equaled. He was also a member of the Elgin Library Association.

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The Biographical record of Kane County, Illinois, Part 15

Author: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Number of Pages: 798

Author: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 798