The Biographical record of Kane County, Illinois, Part 35

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

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Dietrich Laue was born in the village of Hemsem, near the market town of Nien- burg, July 29, 1848, the year of the revolu- tion of the German states. He attended the parochial school as usual, but owing to the family residence having been burned, and the necessity of his being employed in some capacity, he was passed through the school a year earlier than common, though he passed all the examinations to the satis- faction of the teacher in charge. At an early age he was employed on a large es- tate, keeping watch over the cattle in the fields for several years, when he was ap- pointed, and for four years had full charge of the sheep of a large estate. The last six months before sailing for America he was employed at ordinary farm work.

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When it came to breaking home ties, the grief of the family was profound. The aged grandfather threw his arms around the neck of his favorite grandson, named for him, and implored him to remain. Sail- ing from Bremen October 16, 1868, in the Hansen, the largest and safest vessel of the line, after a fair voyage of ten days our emi- grant landed at New York, and came di- rectly west to Chicago, the time occupied by the emigrant train, in which he took passage, being five days. At this time he was thirteen dollars in debt, and this is the start he had in this country.

From Chicago, Mr. Laue went to Bloom- ingdale, Du Page county, securing work with Henry Harmoning, with whom he re- mained one year. The four following years he was employed on the farnı of Lewis Bart- lett, and then returned to his former em- ployer, remaining two years. It is a no- ticeable fact that Mr. Laue remained for a long period of time at each place, and re- ceived from forty to fifty dollars a year more than others working for the same per- son. His employers could rest easy when away from home, knowing that Dietrich Laue was in charge and that everything would be as well cared for as if they were on the place. One of the secrets of Mr. Laue's success, was that he always endeav- ored to take as careful interest in his em- ployer's affairs, as if they were his own.

Mr. Laue was married in Chicago, Feb- ruary 24, 1875, to Miss Sophia Reinking, a native of Ontarioville, Illinois, daughter of Dietrich Reinking and Dora (Fisher) Reink- ing. By this marriage, have been born seven children, all of whom yet remain un- der the parental roof. They are-Fred- erick, Emma, William, Herman, Tillie, August and Lena.

At the time of his marriage Mr. Laue had saved fourteen hundred dollars. He then came to Hampshire township and pur- chased two hundred and sixty acres on sec- tion 2, on which he made a payment of twelve hundred dollars. He then began a career of unusual success, which has made him the owner of a large tract of as fine land as lies in the state of Illinois. Before he had completed the deferred payments on his first purchase he bought one hundred and fifty acres adjoining his farm on section 3, on which stands a substantial house and barn. On the first tract he erected a large two-story frame house and a fine basement barn, 36x 80. He follows dairy farming and keeps on hand from one hundred to one hundred and ten milch cows, the prod- ucts of which he ships to Chicago. A man of unusual good business management, he is training his sons in the same energetic ways.

The family are all members of the Evangelical Lutheran church, of Harmony. In politics Mr. Laue is a Republican, and sees no present reason why he should ever make a change. He has served a number of years as school director for his district, which extends into McHenry county, and in the spring of 1898 was. elected one of the road commissioners of Hampshire town- ship. His life of patient industry, should be an incentive to others who would succeed in life.

JOHN A. McQUEEN, residing on- sec- tion I, Plato township, Kane county, has spent almost sixty years of his life in this county. The McQueen family is one of the oldest and most respected of the Scot- tish yeomanry. For many generations, rep- resentatives of the family were to be found

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in southwest Scotland. The first to come to America was George McQueen, who was born in Wigtonshire, Scotland, in 1805, and was the youngest of a family of ten chil- dren. He was educated for the ministry, but feeling no call for clerical life, became an ironmonger in Scotland .. His father was well-to-do and owned a large farm, on which George was reared. The latter was also a farmer, as well as a merchant.

In 1836 George McQueen sold his prop- erty in Scotland and came to America, and for three years lived at Croton Point, New York, on the Hudson river. In 1839 he came west by boat to Troy, New York, thence by canal to Buffalo, and from there to Chicago by lake. He came at once to Kane county and purchased two hundred and thirty acres in section I, in Plato town- ship, where the remainder of his life was passed, he dying in 1859. Before leaving Scotland he married Margaret McCornack, born in Scotland in 1807, and the eldest of a family of six children born to Andrew and Helen (McGeogh) McCornack. Her par- ents came to America in 1837 and her father died here at the age of ninety-nine years. She died in 1860 at the age of fifty-three years. To George and Margaret McQueen seven children were born, as follows: El- len, who married Alexander Caskey, of Chi- cago Heights, and is now deceased; Will- iam, who died at the age of nineteen years; Andrew, living in Adams county, Washing- ton; John A. of this review; Elizabeth, wife of James Rosborough, of Plato township; Janet, wife of W. J. Christie, of Elgin; and Mary H., wife of W. J. McEldowney, of Chicago Heights.

John A. McQueen was born at Croton Point, April 14, 1839, and was but three months old when his parents came to Kane

county. He grew to manhood on his fa- ther's farm and attended the public schools at Udina and also Elgin Academy until the age of eighteen years. He then taught school for two years, and on his father's death, in 1859, he took charge of the home farm until his mother's death, one year later. He continued to remain on the farm until the outbreak of the rebellion, when he enlisted August 17, 1861, in Company B, a calvary company attached to the Thirty- sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. His com- pany was mustered in at Camp Hammond, Aurora, and was from there sent to Benton Barracks, where the regiment remained one month, engaged in drilling. It was then sent to Camp Rolla, where it remained un- til January, 1862, and was in the battle of Pea Ridge, under Curtis. It then marched to Cape Girardeau, where it took a steamer to Pittsburg Landing, and marched thence to Corinth, participating in the siege of that place. The regiment was then sent to Nas hvilleand took part, under Buell, in the race with Bragg for the Ohio river at Lou- isville, Kentucky. It was in the battle of Perryville, and later in the battles of Stone River and Murphrysboro, In the Chatta- nooga campaign it participated in the bat- tles of Chickamauga and Lookout Mount- ain, under Hooker, in that engagement so graphically described as the battle above the clouds. It was then in the campaign and the battles around Atlanta.

While in Lookout Valley, Mr. Mc- Queen's time expired, and he re-enlisted for three years or "until the close of the war." From Atlanta, under Howard, the regiment marched to Savannah, on the world famed march to the sea. With the division that moved to Beaufort by the steamer and thence to Pocotalico, the regi-

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ment moved on to Columbia and Goldsbor- ought where Sherman and Scofield made a junction. After leaving Beaufort Mr. Mc- Queen had charge of General Howard's scouts, and was recognized as one of the most daring of men in that service of the many fearless ones who made enviable rec- ords during the war.

Two days after leaving Columbia, while out with a scouting party, Mr. McQueen was riding a white horse that he had picked up, his own having become disabled. This made him conspicuous, and in consequence he was an easy mark for the enemy, and received a severe wound in the groin. After lying twenty-four hours in a nearby cabin he was captured. From this time on his experience reads like a romance. Dur- ing the time of the disorder, when Columbia was burned during its occupancy by the fed- eral troops, Mr. McQueen used every effort to restrain the troops and posted a guard to protect the residence of an aged couple. It proved to be that of Rev. A. Toomer Porter, chaplain of a confederate general and a man of great influence in the south. Be- cause of this fact the minister gave him a letter addressed to Gen. Wade Hampton or any confederate officer into whose hands it might fall, stating the fact and commend- ing him to their consideration. After re- ceiving the wound, Mr. McQueen was re- moved to the home of a southern soldier who had lost an arm in the battle of Peters- burg, under General Lee. He carried our subject one mile to his home, and there cared for and protected him. That letter secured for him the consideration he re- ceived. A noted guerrilla came to the cabin with the intention of killing him, but was prevented by the owner, who would have protected him with his life.

When Rev. Porter learned of the wound- ing of Mr. McQueen he came to him and se- cured his removal to a confederate hospital at Camden. Here he was commended to the favor of Bishop Davis, of South Caro- lina, and by his own generosity to fellow in- mates in dividing the food sent him by friends of the Bishop, won their hearts and was given better treatment than he would have otherwise received. When somewhat recovered he was removed to the military prison, and here the Bishop's son came to him and secured for him the best to be had. While here he saw Dr. Todd, a brother-in- law of President Lincoln, who was serving as surgeon in the confederate army. Bishop Davis and Rev. Porter also visited him while in the prison, and as soon as he was able to travel Rev. Porter took him to Chester, South Carolina. Their only con- veyance to Chester was a rickety old buggy and a condemned army mule. The latter was so weak that he could not draw both men in the buggy, so Mr. Porter walked the greater part of the way.

At Raleigh Mr. Porter secured the parole of our subject, and he there waited the ar- rival of Sherman's army. The pages of history do not record a greater expression of gratitude for favors shown than that exhib- ited by Rev. Porter to Mr. McQueen. He traveled with him more than thirteen hun- dred miles, the greater part of the distance on foot, and using his influence with supe- rior officers, finally secured his parole. On several occasions he was instrumental in saving our subject's life. At a G. A. R. re- union at Washington, some years after the close of the war, there was a very affecting meeting of Mr. Porter and. Mr. McQueen. The reverend gentleman now conducts a school for orphans of the war, both union

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and confederate, and for its maintenance secures large sums of money from the north. Beginning as a private, Mr. McQueen was later commissioned first lieutenant, and was known as a fearless and daring scout of great service to Sherman's army.

On his return home Lieutenant McQueen purchased from the other heirs the old homestead and has now one hundred and ninety-five acres under a high state of culti- vation. On the place he has erected two dwellings and three large barns. For some six years after the close of the war he made a specialty of sheep raising, but that indus- try becoming unprofitable he abandoned it. About, 1871 he began dairy farming, and keeps upon the place about one hundred head of cattle. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad cutting through his farm, a station was there located, which he named Plato, but which name was changed : by the railroad company to McQueen's Station. Here for a time he engaged in the mercantile business. The farm is now con- ducted by his sons.

Lieutenant McQueen was united in mar- riage at Chicago Heights November 28, 1865, with Miss Martha E. Eakin, born May 22, 1845, and a daughter of Stewart B. and Catherine (McEldowney) Eakin, both of whom were natives of Ireland. By this union five children were born as fol- lows: (1) Catherine Margaret, who at- tended the Elgin academy, and later grad- uated from the Rockford Female College, and who is now holding a position in the Gail Borden Library at Elgin. (2) Alice J., a graduate of both the Elgin Academy and Rockford Female College. She is a teacher of great ability. When Professor Welch resigned as principal of the Elgin Academy and took charge of Lake Forrest Seminary,

he insisted on Miss McQueen receiving an appointment, and she was the first female teacher in that institution. (3) William Charles, a graduate from the Elgin Acad- emy and who spent one year at Knox Col- lege, Galesburg, married Irene McCornack, daughter of Andrew H. and Isabella M. (Eakin) McCornack. The latter was a daughter of Samuel and Jane (Christy) Eakin, Jane being a daughter of William Christy. Andrew H. McCornack was the son of William and Eliza (Frazer) McCor- nack, the former from Wigtonshire, and and the latter from Inverness-shire. She was the daughter of William and Isabella (Mc- Lean) Frazer. William McCornack was the son of Andrew and Ellen (McGeough) McCornack. To William C. McQueen and wife two children have been born, one dy- ing in infancy, the other being Martha Isa- belle. (4) George Stewart, who attended the public school and Elgin Academy, now engaged in farming at McQueen's Station. He married Jenny Mink, daughter of Le- ander and Marcia (Woodward) Mink, by whom he has two children, Margaret and Harry. Leander Mink was the son of Rob- ert and Jane (Vantine) Mink. His wife, Marcia, was the daughter of Robert and Mary (Crandall) Woodward. (5) John Walter, a graduate of the Elgin Academy, is now a student in Beloit College.

Lieutenant McQueen is a member of Elgin post No. 49, G. A. R. No man . stands higher in the community. He is conscientious and upright, a good citizen, thrifty and energetic.

M T. BARROWS, now living a retired life in Dundee, Illinois, has been a resident of the state since January, 1856.

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILINOIS.

M. T. BARROWS,

MRS. M. T. BARROWS.

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

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His life is an exemplification of the fact that there are no rules for building charac- ters, and none for achieving success. The man who can rise from the ranks to a posi- tion of eminence is he who can see and utilize the opportunities that surround his path. The essential conditions of human life are ever the same, the surroundings of individuals differ but slightly. When one man passes another on the highway of life it is because he has the power to use advan- tages which probably encompass the whole human race. Among the most prominent men of Kane county, is the one whose name heads this sketch. He was born in the town of Corinth, Saratoga county, New

Theron Barrows was a blacksmith by trade, which occupation he followed in his native state. He there married Marietta Grippin, a native of Saratoga county, New York, and a daughter of William Grippin, a pioneer farmer of that county. Both re- ceived the common-school education of early days, gleaning their greatest knowledge in the stern school of experience. They were brought up believers in the Baptist faith, and joined a church of that denomination in the town of Corinth, New York. They never changed fromn this belief, but continued firm to the end of their lives. At the early ages of nineteen and seventeen years, re-

spectively, they joined hands in the holy bonds of matrimony, and started forth on life's journey, spending nearly sixty years together.

In 1854 Theron Barrows moved with his family to Dundee, Illinois, where he engaged in the hardware business, which he success- fully conducted for a number of years. Clos- ing out his stock, he removed to Elgin, and became a stockholder and vice-president of the Home National Bank, with which insti- tution he was connected until his death, in December, 1892. His wife survived him a few months, passing away in 1893. They were laid to rest in the Dundee cemetery. In early life he was a stanch Whig and an York, July 15, 1834, and is the son of The- enthusiastic supporter of Henry Clay. He ron Barrows, born in the same town in ' believed in maintaining a high tariff and was 1812. His grandfather, Joseph Barrows, ... unalterably opposed to slavery. After the was also a native of New York, and one of change of political parties, he remained a firm Republican to the end of his life. In his business relations he was ever accounted honest and upright, valuing his word higher than written guarantee. Socially he was a man of genial and pleasant manners, mak- ing and retaining many friends. the early settlers of Saratoga county, where he was for many years one of the leading farmers. The family are of English de- scent, three brothers coming to this country at an early day, one locating in Connecti- cut, one in Massachusetts, and the ancestor of our subject in New York.

M. T. Barrows, our subject, grew to manhood in Greenfield Centre, Saratoga county, New York, and there learned the blacksmith's trade, at which he worked and carried on a shop for some years. In Jan- uary, 1856, he came west, locating first in Dundee, where he operated a blacksmith shop for two years, when he sold out and removed to Barrington, Cook county, where he carried on a shop for five years. Re- turning to Dundee he took an interest in the hardware store, in partnershipwith his father, which connection was continued for eight . years. He then purchased his father's in- · terest and continued the business with grat- ifying success, until 1888, when he sold out

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and has since lived a retired life. He has a poor boy, working for twenty-five cents a also dealt somewhat extensively in real es- tate, buying and selling farm land. He now owns several farms, one in Kane county, two in Cook county, one in Lake county, one in Boone county and one of nine hun- dred and sixty acres in Howard county, Iowa, and a plantation in Monticello, Jefferson county, Florida, of over five hundred acres. The farms are all for stock and dairy pur- poses, and are all well improved places, comprising a total of three thousand, five hundred acres.

Mr. Barrows was united in marriage at Dundee, Illinois, in December, 1856, to Miss C. L. Oatman, only daughter of Jesse Oatman, a pioneer settler of Kane county. There were ten children born of this union, five of whom died in infancy and early childhood. The living are Clara M., wife of Dr. Briggs, of Elgin; Herbert A., in the insurance business at Dundee; Elta V., wife of A. C. Crawford, of Freeport, Illinois; Lucy B., wife of Alfred Ketchum, a farmer of Dundee township; and L. Gertrude, now taking a course of music in Newport, New Hampshire.

Politically Mr. Barrows is a Republican, and cast his first presidential ballot for Abraham Lincoln in 1860. From that time to the present he has voted for the nominees of that party for president at each election. While preferring to give his time and atten- tion to his extensive business interests, he was elected and served as president of the town board three terms. When a young man he united with the Odd Fellows and passed all the chairs, but is now an ancient Odd Fellow. He is a member of the Bap- tist church, of which body his wife and chil- dren are also members.

Mr. Barrows commenced life for himself

day, and later four dollars a month. At the age of eighteen he had saved one hundred and forty-nine dollars, with which he com- menced blacksmithing for himself at Green- field Centre, New York. By his own in- dustry and thrifty habits, he has acquired a competency, and is able to live a retired life. When he came west he had about twelve hundred dollars, which he invested in business, and success has crowned his efforts in a remarkable degree. For forty- two long years he has been a resident of this vicinity, and is well known in Kane and ad- joining counties, and those who know him best hold him in the highest regard.

J OEL GOODELL, who for twenty years has been the efficient assessor of St. Charles township, has made his home in the city of St. Charles almost continuously since January 24, 1857, and, as a public- spirited and progressive citizen, he has given his support to all measures for the public good.

Mr: Goodell was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, March 25, 1832, a son of Levi and Elizabeth (Covey) Goodell. The father was born in Salem, Massachu- setts, about 1796, and died in 1858, while the mother died in Jefferson county, New York, when our subject was about twelve years old. In their family were five children -four sons and one daughter-all of whom are still living in New York, with the excep- tion of our subject, and are heads of fami- lies, and Levi, Daniel, Hiram and Lucinda are all residents of Lewis county, that state.

About 1837 Joel Goodell accompanied the family on their removal from St. Law- rence county to Jefferson county, New York,

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WIINAIS.

L. GERTRUDE BARROWS.

M. T. BARROWS.

HERBERT A. BARROWS. THERON C. BARROWS.

THERON BARROWS.

LIBRARY Of THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

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locating sixteen miles from Watertown, where he grew to manhood .· As his educa- tional advantages were limited, he is almost wholly self-educated. At the age of sixteen he began learning the 'tanner's and currier's trade, in the village of Champion, New York, serving a four-years' apprenticeship, but after working as· a journeyman for one year in Carthage, his health failed, and dur- ing the following year he spent most of his time in hunting and fishing with the hope of regaining his lost strength. He then en- gaged in farming for a year or two.

In Jefferson county, New York, Mr. Goodell was married to Miss Mary Orrinda Everden, September 1, 1855. She was born at Clayton, Thousand Islands, in the St. Lawrence river, a daughter of G. W.' Everden, who was captain of a vessel, and was drowned the night of November II, 1835, when his ship was lost. In his family were only two children, his son being E. G. Everden, a farmer and business man of Benona, Oceana county, Michigan, who is married and has a family. Mr. and Mrs. Goodell have one son, Ernest F., cashier of the banking house of Bowman, Warne & Stewart, of St. Charles. He is a well edu- cated and successful business man, of ster- ling worth and many excellent traits of character. He is married and has two sons, Harry and Ralph, and a daughter, Charlotte M.

After his marriage, Joel Goodell contin- ued to engage in farming in his native state until 1857, when he emigrated to St. Charles, and began the practice of veteri- nary surgery, with which he was perfectly familiar, his father having been connected with that profession. At the end of a year he returned to New York to care for his father who was ill, and while there he en-

listed, in 1861, in the Seventeenth New York Artillery, stationed at Sackett's Harbor, but on examination he was refused. Ře- turning to St. Charles, in 1863, he was for about a year in the government employ, treating horses at the government corral in Chicago. Subsequently he practiced vet- erinary surgery in St. Charles for a number of years.

The Republican party has always found in Mr. Goodell a stanch supporter, having voted for every presidential candidate since casting his vote .. for John C. Fremont, in 1856, with the exception . of once when not at home during the election. He has been a delegate to many county conventions, has taken an active interest in local politics, and for four years served as collector of St. Charles township, since which time he has been assessor. For a number of years he was also a member of the school board, and has most capably and faithfully discharged the duties of whatever office he has been called upon to fill, including that of deputy sheriff of Kane county, in which he ·served for three years. Although not a member of any religious organization, Mr. and Mrs. Goodell attend the Congregational church, . and they have the respect and esteem of all who know them.

E J. BOLDT is one of the important factors in the business circles of Elgin, and his life is an exemplification of the term "the dignity of labor." The possibilities that America offers to her citizens he has utilized, and though he came to this coun- try in limited circumstances he has steadily and perseveringly worked his way upward, leaving the ranks of the many to stand among the successful few. He now con-

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ducts in Elgin a store which would be a New York, whence he came to Elgin. He credit to a city of much greater size, deal- ing in wall paper and paints and doing a general painting and decorating business.

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The Biographical record of Kane County, Illinois, Part 35

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