USA > Illinois > Kane County > The Biographical record of Kane County, Illinois > Part 28
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1842, to Miss Mary Burton, who was born in Sharington, near Montreal, August 14, 1825, a daughter of John and Jane (Stringer) Burton, and granddaughter of Richard and Hannah (Garbutt) Stringer. Her father was born in North Burton, Yorkshire, England, in 1792, and was a son of Richard and Mary Burton. In 1818 he emigrated to Canada, and was killed November 9, 1838, at the age of forty-six years, while serving in the militia during the rebellion in that country. Mrs. Marshall's mother was a na- tive of Hull, England, born in 1794, and died at the age of sixty-seven years.
The children born to our subject and his wife were as follows: Ann Jane married Hosea E. Perkins, who was born in Jeffer- son county, New York, November 8, 1819,' but when seven years old went to Ohio, and in the fall of 1841 came to Illinois; Le- vina is now Mrs. Padelford; William is en- gaged in farming at East Plato, Kane coun- ty; Charles H. is a mason and builder living at Chico, California; George F. follows farming near Wasco Station, Campton township, Kane county; Caroline L. is the wife of Hiram Brown, of Port Walthal, Virginia; Ellen L. is the wife of Millard Starr, who is engaged in agricultural pur- suits near Pingree station; Richard S. is a merchant of South Elgin; Frederick J. is engaged in farming near Plato Center; and Henry L. is living with his mother in South Elgin.
Mrs. Marshall well remembers the region around her birthplace, which was in the midst of a deep forest, and among the prim- itive scenes of frontier life she was reared to womanhood. Her father had to clear away the trees in order to secure space for his home, and the family were obliged to
Mr. Marshall was married in Canada, in carry their butter and other produce to
GEORGE P. MARSHALL.
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALLINTHIS.
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market, walking the entire distance of shire township belonging to M. C. Getzel- eighteen miles. Thus inured to such a life she was well fitted to endure the hardships which surrounded her early residence in Kane county. In coming to this state she and her husband came by way of the Wel- land canal and great lakes from Buffalo to Chicago, and thence by wagon to Kane county. Game was still quite plentiful in this region, furnishing the early settlers with most of their meat, and most of the land was still wild prairie and timber. She has watched with interest the wonderful changes that have since taken place.
R' ICHARD S. MARSHALL, son of George P. Marshall, is one of the rep- resentative and prominent business men of South Elgin. He is a native of Kane coun- ty, born on his father's farm, on section 29, Elgin township, May 16, 1856, and there remained until sixteen years of age, aiding in the work and attending the district schools of the neighborhood. At that age he began to work for others as a farm hand and was thus employed until he attained his majority.
On the 22d of February, 1877, at the age of twenty years, Mr. Marshall was uni- ted in marriage with Miss Clara Campbell, a native of Vermont, who when a child of eleven years came to Illinois with her par- ents, Emmett and Marian Campbell, the former of Scotch descent. To Mr. and Mrs. Marshall have been born three chil- dren, namely: Bertha, Albert and Frank.
After his marriage Mr. Marshall rented a farm of one hundred and. eighty-three acres, which he operated for three years, and for the same length of time engaged in agricultural pursuits upon a farm in Hamp-
man. He then rented the old homestead for two years, and at the end of that time removed to South Elgin, where he was first engaged in buying and selling stock for six years, meeting with success in his new un- dertaking. This naturally led to his enter- ing the meat business, and to his market he subsequently added a stock of groceries. On the 8th of January, 1897, his store was destroyed by fire, probably the work of in- cendiaries, but the same spring he rebuilt on the new trolly line west of the Fox river and has built up a good trade for a small village -- a trade that is constantly increas- ing. He is an enterprising, progressive business man of known reliability, and his genial, pleasant manner lias made him quite popular in both business and social circles.
ISAAC T. BEVIER, who for many years was one of the leading merchants of Au- rora, was born at Leurenkill, Ulster county, New York, March 13, 1818. His parents, Johannis and Elizabeth (Teachout) Bevier, were both natives of New York state. The name was originally spelled Bovier, and is of French origin. The Boviers were of the Huguenot faith and fled from France to Hol- land, during the time of those religious persecutions and found refuge with friends in the Palatinate. Louis Bovier, or Bevier, emigrated from Frenken, on or about March 5, 1675, and on arriving in America, they stopped temporarily at New Amsterdam, afterwards at New Paltz, and were among the original twelve patentees of that place. They had a family of eight children-Marie, Jean, Abraham, Samuel, Andrius, Louis, Esther and Solomon. Abraham Bevier married Rachel Quernory, and they settled
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at Warwarsing, New York. Their children were Louis, Annie, Cornelius, Samuel, Ja- cobus, Abraham, Maria, Johannis, Benjamin and Daniel. Johannis, the father of our subject, married Elizabeth Teachout, and their children were Mary Ann, Cornelius H., Esther B., Simon J., Isaac T., Corne- lius A., Sarah E., Rachel M., Antoinette, Sarah J., William E. and Harriet E., all, excepting Sarah E., living to the age of maturity.
· Isaac T. Bevier obtained his education in the public schools at Leurenkill, residing in boyhood upon his father's farm. In boyhood he learned the tailor's trade at Elmira, New York, to which place the family had removed. After learning his trade he worked at Elmira as a journeyman for several years. In the meantime he married, March 11, 1841, Miss Sarah Brad- ner, daughter of William and Frances Emily (Wood) Bradner, of Goshen, New York. In 1844 he came to Aurora, and de- ciding to make this city his future home, returned to Elmira for his family. In 1848 he commenced the tailoring business here in partnership with the late William Mc- Michen, each conducting an establishment, one on each side of the river, but in part- nership. After a year or so, Mr. Bevier retired from business on account of failing eyesight, after which he served as constable and collector for several years. In 1858 he went into the drug business on Broad- way with J. D. Moore, but soon afterwards purchased his partner's interest and contin- ued the business alone up to the time of his death, which occurred January 3, 1884. He was subject to heart trouble, and died suddenly in Florida, where he had gone to gain health and strength. His remains were brought back to Aurora and buried in
Spring Lake cemetery, escorted to the grave by the Knight Templars and Odd Fellows, of which in the former body he had been prelate, and had filled all the offices in the Odd Fellows society. Mr. and Mrs. Bevier had a family of four children as follows: Cornelia F., who resides with her mother. William B., who inarried November 25, 1898, Emma S. Borwell, of Fon du Lac, Wisconsin, by whom he has two children, George, S., born. August 20, 1872, and Ben- jamin B., born April 9, 1880; John E., who was married October 26, 1868, to Mary J. Seymour, by whom he has one child, Frank H., born June 23, 1874; Frank H., who died April 8, 1873. John E. Bevier died in Aurora, August 20, 1875.
Mr. Bevier was a public-spirited man and in addition to those already mentioned; he held the position of street commissioner several years and highway commissioner for nine years. „With his wife he was an at- tendant of the Congregational church. As a citizen he was well known and univer- sally esteemed. His death was a sincere loss to the community in which he had so long resided. Mrs. Bevier still resides in Aurora in a pleasant home at No. 285 Main street, and is also held in the highest esteem.
M ORRIS CLINTON TOWN, now de- ceased, was for many years one of the best known business men of Elgin. He was of English and French extraction, his an- cestors settling in America prior to the Rev- olutionary war. His father, Bester Town, was born in New York August 20, 1794. He was reared in his native state, and Sep- tember 22, 1816, married Betsy M. Martin, a native of Vermont, born in 1795. For
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some years after marriage he followed farm- ing in Washington county, New York. In 1824 he removed with his family to Erie county, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in hotel keeping and farming, but later com- menced the manufacture of hats, and em- barked in the mercantile trade. His death occurred in Erie county, Pennsylvania, De- cember 2, 1870, and he was followed to the grave by his loving wife, January 22, 1872. During the war of 1812 he served his coun- try as one of its soldiers.
Morris C. Town was born at Granville, Washington county, New York, February 7, 1818, and was eldest in a family of eight children. His boyhood and youth were spent at home with his parents and he learned the hatter's trade in his father's manufactory, receiving at the same time a common-school education. At the age of twenty-two he began life for himself as a merchant, at North East, Erie county, Pennsylvania, and was quite successful. But life in the east was not suited to his - temperament. He wished to broaden out, and so resolved to come west. Accordingly in the spring of 1846 he came to Chicago and commenced in mercantile business, which he continued until the fall of 1847, when he came to Elgin and for three years was one of its most prosperous merchants. He then opened a banking office, and in 1851 secured a charter from the state. In 1858 he sold his banking business and re- moved to Chicago, where he remained until 1860, when he again came to Elgin and for the second time engaged in merchandising. In 1862 the banking house of Lawrence Pease & Town was established and Mr. Town assumed the general management of the same. In the summer of 1865 the First National Bank of Elgin was organized and
he was elected cashier, a position he held for a number of years, and was then elected president, serving as such until his death.
Mr. Town was twice married. His first wife, whom he married August 27, 1839, was Miss Hannah S. Oviatt, born at Hud- son, Ohio, July 27, 1819, and by her he had one- child, Helen S., who became the wife of William O. De Long, and who is now living at Titusville, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Town passed to her reward in 1843, and Mr. Town married Miss Maria Sel- kregg, November 12, 1844, at North East, Pennsylvania. She was a native of that state, born at Colt's Station, Erie county, December 19, 1821, and a daughter of Osee and Harriet (Robinson) Selkregg, natives of Connecticut and Pennsylvania, respect- ively. Six children were born of this union, as follows: Ella L., born September 30, 1845, is now Mrs. L. B. Hamlin, of Elgin; Morris Clarence, born July 4, 1847, died January 8, 1850; Frank, born April 27, 1849, died June 5, 1881; Harriet E., born March 27, 1851, married John H. Volk, and is now living at Mont Clare, Illinois; Carrie M., born May 27, 1855, is the wife of W. W. Sherwin, of Elgin; and Morris Clinton died in infancy. Mrs. Town died January 26, 1897. She was a member of the Congregational church, a true Christian woman, one who was greatly esteemed by all.
After a residence in Elgin of forty-five years, save for a short time spent in Chica- go, already mentioned, Mr. Town passed from this life, his death taking place July 31, 1892, at the age of seventy-four years and five months. He was a man of more than ordinary ability, and did much to make Elgin the thriving city it now is. Few enterprises of a public nature but what
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secured from him financial as well as moral support. He added much to the city by the erection of a fine business block which bears his name. A friend of education, he was one of the founders of the Elgin Acad- emy, and served as one of its directors un- til his death. In 1878 he was elected a local director in the Elgin National Watch Company, a position which he held until his death. Fraternally he was an Odd Fellow, and was one of the charter mem- bers of Kane lodge, at Elgin.
M RS. D. P. GRAY, of Aurora, Illinois, was born in Covington, Tioga county, Pennsylvania, April 7, 1817. Her father, Thomas Putnam, was a native of Massa- chusetts, and the son of Elijah Putnam, a cousin of Israel Putnam, of Revolutionary fame. Thomas Putnam married Hannah Huntington, a native of Massachusetts, where he then resided. Soon after his marriage he moved to Pennsylvania, and settled in Tioga county, when he followed his trade of saddle-tree maker for sev- eral years, and there reared a family. His wife died in Pennsylvania, and he later married again. He was a very prominent man, serving for some years as postmaster of Covington, and also justice of the peace. For some years he was a gen- eral in the state militia.
Our subject was reared in her native town, where she received a fairly good ed- ucation, and on March 3, 1833, a young lady of sixteen years, gave her hand in ınar- riage to L. W. Gray, a native of Ohio, born July 11, 1812, but who was reared in Tio- ga county, Pennsylvania, where he received a good education in the common schools, and in Wellsborough College. After their
inarriage they began their domestic life in Covington, Pennsylvania, where he worked at his trade of tanner and currier, and car- ried on that business for six years. In 1838, they moved west, first locating in Oquawka, Henderson county, Illinois, and six months later moving to Henderson, where he was elected constable and served until 1843.
In that year they moved to Kane county, where Mr. Gray bought land near Aurora, which he farmed some four or five years. He then sold the farm and moved into Aurora, purchasing some land, which now lies within the city limits. He laid out an addition to the city, on the west side, known as Gray's addition to Aurora. He served as one of the first aldermen of the city, and was continued in that office until his death, October 10, 1881, at the age of seventy years.
Politically Mr. Gray was identified with the Democratic party, and was a firm be- liever and a stanch advocate of its princi- ples. A friend of education, he served for some years as a member of the school board, and did much to advance the educational interests of his adopted city. Progressive in all things, he encouraged every enter- prise that he considered would have a ten- dency to advance the material interests of Aurora. In his death the city lost one of its best men.
Mr. and Mrs. Gray were the parents of seven children, of whom four survive. John married Lucretia Smith, of Henry county, and they now make their home in Jefferson, Iowa, where he is engaged in business. He was a member of the Forty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and during the last two years of his service was on the staff of General Mckean. Thomas P. was also a
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soldier in the late war, serving in the Elev- enth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was wounded near Pittsburg Landing. For some years he has been employed in the pension office at Washington. He married Hetty Headley, and they made their home in Washington. Ann married Salmon Den- nison, of Aurora, who served during the late war, as a member of Company H, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Regiment Illi- nois Volunteer Infantry. He died in All- rora, in January, 1891. Wright married Rosella Miles, and resides in Windsor, Col- orado. Warren died in infancy. Grant died in early childhood. Wells grew to ma- ture years, and died when about thirty-five years of age. Mrs. Gray has twelve grand- children, and six great-grandchildren. She is a member of the Peoples church of Au- rora, and is a woman who is held in the highest esteem by all who know her.
E EDWARD BAKER, a leading merchant of St. Charles, is an important factor in business circles, and his popularity is well deserved, as in him are embraced the characteristics of. an unbending integrity, unabated energy and industry that never flags. As a public-spirited citizen he is thoroughly interested in whatever tends to promote the moral, intellectual and material welfare of the community.
Mr. Baker was born in Canandaigua county, New York, September 13, 1828, a son of Chauncey and Rhoda (Webster) Baker. The birth of the father occurred in 1800, in Vermont, but he was reared in New York, of which state his wife was a native. In 1835 he removed with his fam- ily to Medina county, Ohio, where he worked at his trade of blacksmithing and also oper-
ated a farm, which he purchased when only partially improved. He was highly respected and was called upon to serve in a number of local offices of honor and trust. He died in Medina county, Ohio, in 1852, and his wife departed this life in 1872. In their family were five children, two sons and three daughters. William Baker, the brother of our subject, died in Ohio, at the age of thirty-five, leaving a family. The three sisters were all married and are living at this date (1898).
Upon the home farm in Medina county Edward Baker grew to manhood and during his youth was provided with good school privileges, attending both the common and high schools of that locality. For some years he successfully engaged in teaching in Ohio during the winter months, while the summers were devoted to farm work. On coming to Illinois in 1853, he purchased a farm near Aurora, in Kane county, but after operating it for one season, he sold and bought another place in St. Charles town- ship, two miles west of the village of that name. This farm was partially improved, and to its further development and cultiva- tion he devoted his time and attention for about twenty years, during which time he built an addition to his house, erected a barn and made many other improvements which added greatly to its value and at- tractive appearance. Subsequently he sold his farm, and removing to St. Charles, he formed a business partnership and engaged in merchandising, being at the present time the oldest merchant in the village.
In Summit county, Ohio, Mr. Baker was married in 1850, the lady of his choice be- ing Miss Martha E. Phelps, a native of New York state, and a daughter of John Phelps, who at an early day removed from New
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York tò Ohio. Mrs. Baker was reared and Chicago, where they remained about two educated in Summit county. The children born to our subject and his wife are as fol- lows: Charles, who died at the age of thirteen years; Delora, 'wife of J. W. Gates, of Chicago, who is president of the Illinois Steel Company and is largely interested in mines in the west; Vernie, wife of R. F. Angel, of St. Charles; and Edward J., a grain inspector of Chicago, who is married and lives in Chicago.
Politically, Mr. Baker is a life-long Re- publican, an advocate of protection and sound money, and has served as alderman in St. Charles. He has ever taken an activein- terest in educational affairs, has been a lead- ing member of the school board for almost a quarter of a century, and his labors have been very effective in raising the standard of schools in St. Charles. Religiously he and his wife are active and prominent men- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, while he has been a member of its board for thirty-five years. He also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and has been treasurer of the lodge for the long period of twenty years. Over his life record there falls no shadow of wrong, and in many respects his life is well worthy of emulation, for he is an honorable, upright business man, and has ever been found true and faithful to every trust reposed in him.
W ILLIAM PFRANGLE, city clerk, and also town clerk of Aurora, was born in this city March 7, 1860, and is the son of Sebastian and Lena (Heimelsbach) Pfran- gle, both of whom are natives of Germany, and were there married. In 1853, the fam- ily came to America, first stopping in New York for a short time, then coming west to
years, moving from there to Wheaton, Illi- nois, Mr. Prangle being elected professor of German and music in the college at that place. He was a highly educated man and was engaged in teaching before coming to America. From Wheaton they came to Aurora in 1858, and he engaged in teaching in the old Clark seminary. He died in 1859, before the completion of the school build- ing, when about forty-three years of age. His wife survived him many years, dying in 1886, at the age of seventy-one years.
Our subject is the youngest of twelve children, born to Professor and Mrs. Pfran- gle. Of the twelve, four sisters and three brothers are still living, while three died in early childhood, and two in mature years. The living are Amelia, wife of Conrad Hoff- man, residing in Aurora; Emma, wife of John Lackner, of Aurora; Charles J., who married Laura Wagner, is a sign writer in Aurora; Pauline, wife of Zopher Ketchum, of Aurora; Albert, janitor of the east side high school, Aurora; Jenny, wife of Benja- min B. Hayford, chief engineer of the Columbus Memorial Building, Chicago; and William of this review.
The subject of this sketch was educated in the Aurora public schools, and at the age of sixteen secured a position as clerk in the postoffice, and for nineteen years was con- nected with the postal service, and for fif- teen years was assistant postmaster, termi- nating his career there May 6, 1895, when he resigned, having been elected city clerk, which office he still holds and is now serv- ing his second term. He was also elected - town clerk in April, 1895, and is serving his third term in that office.
On the 3rd of May, 1882, Mr. Pfrangle was united in marriage with Miss Sadie
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Cross, daughter of Prof. J. G. Cross, and author of the eclectic shorthand system. He is a teacher of wide experience, and for a time was connected with the college at Naperville, the seminary at Aurora, and the State Normal School, at Normal, Illi- nois. He is now conducting a school in Los Angeles, California. He is also a min- ister in the Methodist Episcopal church, and filled pulpits in the Rock River confer- ence before taking up college work. To Mr. and Mrs. Pfrangle five children have been born-Jessie, Bessie, George, Charles and Mabel, the latter two being twins. They were born February 13, 1893, and Mabel died July 4, 1894.
Mrs. Pfrangle is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church, and is active in all church and benevolent work. Mr. Pfrangle is a member of the Uniform Rank of Knights of Pythias, and affiliates with the Repub- lican party, in state and national campaigns. He is a good and accommodating officer, and a most worthy citizen, such as give character to a community. His official ca- reer speaks of the right man in the right place, and duty well done, and duty appre- ciated.
G EORGE S. HALEY, the present effi- cient police magistrate of Batavia, has been a resident of Kane county since 1854. He was born in the town of Guilford, Wind- ham county, Vermont, July 14, 1827. He traces his ancestry to Belcher Haley, a na- tive of Ireland, who came to this country at a very early day, and located in Wind- ham county, Vermont, where his son Nathan T. Haley, the father of our subject, was born in 1800. In his native county, Nathan T. Haley, grew to manhood, and there mar-
ried Harriet Holton, also a native of Wind- ham county, Vermont. He was by occupa- tion a farmer and upon his farm in that county reared his family and spent his en- tire life, dying in 1867. His wife survived him a number of years, dying about 1885.
George S. Haley spent his boyhood upon his father's farm, and until the age of six- teen attended the public schools as the op- portunity was afforded him, usually three months during the winter, in the meantime working on the farm. He then went to Greenfield, Massachusetts, to learn the cut- ler's trade, serving an apprenticeship of six years, and then worked as a journeyman, from 1845 to 1854. With that laudable de- sire to better himself, he came west, locat- ing at Geneva, Illinois, and there went to work as a machinist. . For ten years he was thus employed, and in 1864, came to Bata- via and entered the machine shop, and has since been a resident of the city. For twen- ty-five years he was foreman in the foundry of the United States Wind and Pump Com- pany, and was one its oldest employees.
In 1847, at Brattleboro, Vermont, Mr. Haley was united in marriage to Miss Lu- cinda Nash, a daughter of Lewis Nash, by . whom he has nine children, as follows: Charles H., a foreman for the Challenge Engine and Feed Mill Company, who is married and has a family; Rev. Fred H., married and now resides in Kansas City; Edward, married, and is a machinist, re- siding in Batavia; Clarence H., married, and is also a machinist, residing in Batavia; Hattie M., wife of Merritt McMaster, a blacksmith of Batavia; Dexter Garrett, a cabinet maker, who is married and resides in Batavia; and Frank E., at home. Two died in early childhood.
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