USA > Illinois > Kane County > The Biographical record of Kane County, Illinois > Part 44
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81
To Mr. and Mrs. Wilder ten children were born, eight of whom grew to mature years, and six are now living. The oldest, George W., married, has six children, and is a prominent man in Aurora; Bert S. mar- ried, and resides at Cedar Falls, Iowa; Joel, who died at the age of one year; Mary W., widow of Peter S. Lossing, by whoin she
440
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
had eight children; Emeline W., wife of Fred Hotz, deputy sheriff of Kane county; William Wallace, who was a soldier in the Civil war, taken prisoner, held one year at Andersonville, paroled, and died while on his way home; Lewis, who resides in Au- rora; Joel M., of Yates Centre, Kansas; Amelia, who died at the age of one year, and Frank C., who met death by accident at the age of about twenty years. Mrs. Wilder has seventeen grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.
When seventeen years of age Mrs. Wil- der was converted and was immersed in the Connecticut river and united with the Baptist church. On coming to Aurora she formed one of the original number in the organization of the First Baptist church, with which she has since been identified and has been one of its active workers, and is to-day the oldest member of that church. Although more than four score years have . from Pornfort, Connecticut. He was chair- passed over her head, she yet takes the same man of the committee to secure clothing for interest manifested in her younger days, in every department of church work. Her place in the house of God is always filled whenever possible for her to be there. For sixty-one years she has been a resident of Kane county, and her experience of pioneer days were such as to make her more fully enjoy the luxuries and comforts of the pres- ent day. the Revolutionary soldiers, and was a mem- of the committee to suggest means to pre- vent depression of continental money. Mary Lyon, daughter of James and Mary (Trow- bridge) Lyon, married Augustus Dodge, whose daughter, Susan, married Jirah L. Backus, father of our subject. He was the son of De Lucena and Olive (Simonds) Backus. The latter was a daughter of Elijah and Martha (Canada) Simonds, her father being a member of the Lexington Alarms, from Windham, Connecticut, and was a participant in the battle of Bunker Hill.
C HARLES H. BACKUS, banker, Hamp- shire, Illinois, is a representative of the commercial and financial interests of Hampshire, and is well known throughout Kane, DeKalb and adjoining counties. He traces his ancestry back to colonial days prior to the Revolutionary war, in which both paternal and maternal ancestors were
prominent participants. On the maternal side Ephraim Lyon, a descendant of Ponce de Leon, served a number of years during the struggle in various official capacities. For a time he was adjutant in the Twenty- first Massachusetts Regiment, was first lieutenant in Captain Obadiah Johnson's company, Third Regiment, Militia of Bos- ton, was a member of Captain Bute's com- pany, of "Lexington Alarms," was first lieutenant in the Third Massachusetts Regi- ment under General Israel Putnam, and lieutenant in Captain Whiting's company, Fourth Regiment, commanded by Colonel John Ely. Ephraim Lyon's son James mar- ried Polly Trowbridge, daughter of James and Mary (Kendall) Trowbridge, the former being a son of Daniel and Hannah (Spring) Trowbridge. Daniel Trowbridge was a sergeant in the Eighth Company under Captain Ingalls, of the Eleventh Regiment,
Charles H. Backus, our subject, was born in Chaplin, Windham county, Con- necticut, June 9, 1856. He attended the common schools in his native town until seventeen years old, and then taught school
C. H. BACKUS.
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.
443
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
for two years. Desiring a good business education, he attended Eastman's Business College at Poughkeepsie, New York, and after which he again engaged in teaching for two years. In the spring of 1879 he came west and for one year clerked in a general store at Marengo, Illinois, after which he was for two years in the Farmers' and Drovers' Bank, at the same place. He then came to Hampshire, and April 1, 1882, established the Kane County Bank. From that time to the present, he has been a moving power in a number of industries in the village. With E. C. Sholes, he established the pressed brick and tile works, with a capacity of a half million brick and one hundred and fifty thousand tile per an- num. For some years, under the firm name of Backus & Maynard, he was in the coal business. This business was discontinued in 1897. At present he is the senior mem- ber of the firm of Backus & Sisley, dealers in clothing, boots and shoes, at De Kalb, Illinois. He is half owner in the "Genoa Issue," a weekly paper published at Genoa, Illinois. He is also the owner of considera- ble farming land in McHenry county. Among other lines in which he is interested is that of insurance, in which he represents fourteen leading companies. This is the only insurance agency in Hampshire and vicinity. Some years since he established the "Hampshire Register," which later he sold to its present proprietor.
On the first of January, 1884, at Gen- eva, Illinois, Mr. Backus was united in mar- riage with Miss Emma L. Sisley, born in West Chicago, and a daughter of John and Anna Sisley. By this union there is one son, Charles Sisley, who resides at home.
In politics Mr. Backus is a Republican, and since coming to the township has taken 21
a very. active interest in political affairs. He has been a member of the village board . for six years, clerk of the school board six years, township supervisor four years, and village treasurer ten years. Frater- nally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of the Globe, Knights of the Maccabees, and Sons of the Revolution. As a citizen he is thoroughly enterprising and has always lent a helping hand in the establishment of any industry calculated to advance the interest of his town and county.
THOMAS HARTMAN, who resides at No. 106 South Lincoln avenue, Aurora, Illinois, has been in the employ of the Chi- cago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Com- pany for about forty-three years, and in the passenger service since 1870. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, July 2, 1840, and is the son of Michael and Margaret (Heaton) Hartman, who were married in New York city, and settled in Cincinnati, in 1838. In 1851, the family came to Aurora, where the father died in 1859. his wife surviving him for many years, dying in 1888. Thomas Hartman was the oldest of their four sons and one daughter. Mary Ellen married James Sunderland, who is now a retired farmer of Gifford, Illinois; William and John, who died in childhood while the fam- ily were residing in Cincinnati; and Eddie, who died in Aurora, at the age of ten years. The subject of this sketch was eleven years of age when the family came to Aurora. Here he finished his education in the com- mon schools and at the age of fifteen, en- tered the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad, in the freight house at Aurora. He was then made yard switch-
444
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
man, and later yardmaster. He next went on the road, first serving as a brakeman on a freight, running from Aurora to Chicago. He was in the freight service for ten years as brakeman and conductor, and in October, 1870, was given charge of a passenger train, from Aurora to Chicago. He was later transferred to the Fox River branch, and for ten years was on the Dubuque line, after which he was given charge of the Omaha express, and has been on that run ever since. During the great strike of 1887-8, he was used by the company to get trains out of Chicago, when no other man could do the work. He knew the strikers, and had no trouble to switch and run his trains. As a matter of course his services have been appreciated by the road, and by the public and he is one of the most valued of the em- ployees of the road.
During his residence in Aurora, he has bought and built a number of residences and has contributed his share in beautifying the place. Mr. Hartman was married in Aurora, April 29, 1897, to Mrs. Catherine Russell, a daughter of John Russell, who is now deceased. She is a native of Ohio, and was reared and educated in Cincinnati. By her first husband, she had five children, three of whom are grown, while two, Clem and Lillian, are yet at home. By a former marriage, Mr. Hartman has two children, Charles, a young man in the employ of the Burlington road and on the train with his father, and Katie, a young lady at home. She is well educated, and after attending the Aurora schools finished her course at St. Joseph's College, Dubuque, Iowa. She is quite proficient in music, and has gained quite a reputation by her singing.
Politically Mr. Hartman has been a Democrat from his youth up, but in 1896,
on account of his views on the currency question, being a believer in sound money, he voted for William Mckinley. In local elections he usually casts his vote regardless of party politics. Religiously he and his family are members of the St. Mary's Cath- olic church, of Aurora. For nearly half a century he has been a resident of Aurora, and in its progress and development he has taken a lively interest. As a citizen he enjoys the respect and esteem of the com- munity, and as a railway conductor he is very popular.
L OUIS THON, a representative of the great mercantile interests of Aurora, doing business as a general merchant, at No. 16 North Broadway, was born in Hessen- Cassel, Germany, December 22, 1846, and is the son of Eckhardt and Elise Thon, both of whom are natives of the same country, where their entire lives were spent, the father dying at the age of fifty years, and the mother some years later at the age of sixty-eight years. They were members of the Protestant church. Of their family of eight children one died in infancy. The living are Wilhelm, a farmer residing in Germany; Karl, also a farmer in Germany; Louis, our subject; Richard, a jeweler in Germany; Emma, Minnie, and Amelia, all unmarried and residing in Germany.
The subject of this sketch was reared to farm life, at which occupation he continued until seventeen years of age in his native land. His education was received from private tutors. In 1864 he came to Amer- ica in a sailing vessel, and was sixty days on the water. While they encountered several storms, no serious damage was done. After landing in Quebec, Canada, he there
445
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
spent a day or two, and then came west to Chicago where he spent a month. From Chicago he came to Aurora, and engaged as a farm hand by the month. In May, 1864, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty- first Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and being the only German in his company, he rapidly learned the English language. The regiment was one of the number called into service for one hundred days, and was stationed at Columbus, Kentucky, from which place they scoured the country and did guard duty. They were once out on a raid for a full month, but had no engage. ments. The service, however, was hard on our subject, and although he went out weighing one hundred and sixty-five pounds, on his return he weighed but one hundred and twenty pounds. With his regiment he was discharged at Chicago, October 10, 1 864.
Returning to Aurora he engaged with the same farmer from whom he first ob- tained employment, and continued with him until the fall of 1865. He then went to California, by the way of New York and the Isthmus of Panama, taking a steamer on the other side of the Isthmus for San Francisco. He then went to Gold Run, and worked on the Central Pacific railroad for a time, and then re- turned to the neighborhood of San Fran- cisco, where he worked on a farm until the fall of 1866. Having enough of California, he came back to Aurora by the same route that he went. On his return he again com- menced farm work, at which he continued until the spring of 1867. Securing a posi- tion as clerk in the grocery store of John Plains, he there retained until 1869, when, having accumulated some money, on the 7th of June of that year, he engaged in busi-
ness for himself as the senior member of the firm of Thon & Otte, dealers in dry goods and groceries. That partnership continued about twenty years, when it was dissolved, since which time Mr. Thon continued alone in the business until April 1, 1898, when he associated with him his two oldest sons.
On the 7th of March, 1869, Mr. Thon was united in marriage with Miss Augusta Naeher, a native of Germany, coming to . this country in 1853 with her father, Dr. Naeher. Her mother died in this country, and her father returned to Germany where his death occurred. To Mr. and Mrs. Thon six children have been born, as follows: Lizzie, wife of Willie J. Eitelgoerge, a cigar manufacturer of Aurora, by whom she has two children, Norma and Rhoda; Eckhardt, partner In his father's business; Carl, also a partner; Willie and George, in the High School; and Emma, who died at the age of two years.
The family are attendants of the Lu- theran church of Aurora, and, fraternally, Mr. Thon is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. In politics he is inde- pendent, though usually voting the Demo- cratic ticket. Although he came to this country a poor boy, by his industry, econo- my and strict attention to business, he has met with good success in life. He is a stock- holder and one of the directors in the Au- rora National Bank, and has been active in many of the enterprises of the city. The family reside in a beautiful home at 286 South Lincoln avenue, which only thirteen years since was the last house out; but now nice residences extend for a mile beyond. Mrs. Thon, although unobtrusive, is posi- tive in those qualities that go to make up noble womanhood. The genial bearing of the parents does much to sustain the social
446
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
life of family and friends. Mr. Thon is a another tract of fifty acres in Oneida county, man of strict integrity, of good business New York, and gave his attention to agri- cultural pursuits for three years. qualifications, and is ranked with the lead- ing business men of the city.
G EORGE A. YOUNG, EsQ., a well- known and popular citizen of Elgin, is now serving as justice of the peace, with his office at No. 13 Chicago street. He was born in Orange county, New York, April 21, 1830, and is the only child of George A. and Betsy (Allen) Young, the former also a native of the Empire state, and the latter of Windsor county, Vermont. Dur- ing his early manhood the father was em- ployed as professor of mathematics, and later engaged in merchandising, but his earthly career was short, dying in Minne- sink, New York, in 1830, at the age of twenty-nine years. His widow then re- turned to the home of her parents in Wind- sor county, Vermont, where she died when our subject was only fourteen. He then went to live with his uncle, William G. Young, in Oneida county, New York, re- maining with him until he had attained his majority.
Mr. Young began his education in the schools of Vermont, and later attended the Delancy Institute at Hampton, New York, where he had for a room-inate the late Judge Barton, of Freeport, Illinois. Be- fore he reached the age of twenty-one he successfully taught a village school at Deans- ville, New York, where his predecessor had been run out of by the older scholars, who boasted that the next teacher would be treated in a like manner. But Mr. Young resolved to conquer the school, and for three years he remained at that place. Later he purchased a farm of seventy-five acres and
In November, 1851, Mr. Young married Miss Lydia Atherton, a daughter of William Atherton, and to them were born two chil- dren: Jennie, who died at the age of ten years; and one who died in infancy. Emi- grating westward in 1854, Mr. Young lo- cated in Janesville, Wisconsin, where he en- gaged in the lumber business and made his home for twelve years. In the winter of 1861 he commenced to raise a company in that place for the Civil war, but before the quota was complete he was taken danger- ously ill and being sick for some time, he was prevented from joining the army. On his recovery he was connected for two or three years with the American Express Com- pany in Chicago, and for a time during the war had charge of the Adanis Express Transfer at Cairo, Illinois, which place at that time did the largest transfer business in the United States.
In 1866 Mr. Young removed to Leland, Illinois, where for nineteen years he was en- gaged in the lumber business, but since 1885 has made his home in Elgin. Previous to coming here he had engaged in the raising of fine horses, and in Elgin superintended the building of race tracks and also dealt in horses until 1896. Since hiselection to the office of justice of the peace in 1897 he has devoted his attention to the duties of that position, and is proving a very capable of- ficial.
Mrs. Young, who was a most estimable lady, departed this life March 19, 1891, after having been an invalid for many years. Her husband has since made his home at the corner of South Channing and Stella streets. Since the organization of the Re-
+
447
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
publican party he has been one of its stanch supporters and while a resident of Leland, Illinois, he served as police magistrate for a number of years. He also filled the office of city treasurer of Janesville for two terms, and the duties of these various positions he discharged in a prompt and able manner, thus winning the commendation of all con- cerned. He is a pleasant, genial gentleman and has made a host of warm friends since taking up his residence in Elgin.
JATHAN A. DRAKE, deputy sheriff
N and alderman of the fourth ward, Ba- tavia, first came to Kane county in 1870, locating at Batavia, where he has since con- tinued to reside. He was born in Potter county, Pennsylvania, March 30, 1839. His ancestry can be traced back to Sir Francis Drake, of England, and was founded in this country in the seventeenth century, three brothers arriving here at that time, one lo- cating in Virginia, another in New Hamp- shire and the third in New Jersey. Our subject is a direct descendant of the latter brother. Thomas Drake, his great-great- grandfather, was born in New Jersey, as was also his grandfather, Jonathan Drake, and his father, John Drake, the birth of the latter being in 1805.
From Essex county, New Jersey, John Drake moved with his parents to Cortland county, New York, where he later married Sarah Barker, a sister of L. P. Barker, a former sheriff of Kane county. They were the parents of four sons and one daughter, all of whom grew to mature years. They were as follows: Francis D., who was a soldier in the Sixteenth Wisconsin Volun- teer Infantry, is now a resident of Freeborn county, Minnesota; Martin V., also a sol-
dier of the Sixteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, died at Corinth, in 1862; Nathan A., our subject; F. H., who was a member of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry, now re- sides at Albion. Dane county, Wisconsin; and Sarah E., widow of Daniel P. Davis, now resides at Harrison, Nebraska.
In 1845, John Drake moved west with his family, and settled in Dane county, Wisconsin, and later moved to Waushara county and located on Indian land, being the first white man to settle in that county. He there engaged in farming and also kept a stage station and tavern. In 1860, his wife died, and in 1862, he moved to Wi- nona, Minnesota, and engaged in the hotel business for several years. While residing there he married Mrs. Lytle, a widow lady. From Winona, he moved to Ord, Valley county, Nebraska, where the last years of his life were spent, his death occurring No- vember 2, 1888.
The subject of this sketch, a youth of sixteen, came west with his parents to Wis- consin, and in Waushara county, January 9, 1860, was united in marriage with Miss Phebe Holcomb, a daughter of Joseph Hol- comb, and a native of Allegany county, New York, where she was reared and edu- cated. By this union are four children- Carrie E., wife of Solomon Trumbull, re- siding in Irvington, Iowa; Frank L., who died a young man, meeting his death by accident; William J., a contractor and builder of Batavia; and Minnie, at home.
After his marriage Mr. Drake com- menced farming, but in response to the call of President Lincoln and the governor of his state, enlisted May 20, 1861, in the three-months' service. He re-enlisted No- vember 25, 1861, as a private in Company K, Thirteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infan-
448
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
try. With his regimentt he was sent first to the Army of the Frontier, under Gen. Jiin Lane, was subsequently transferred to the Army of the Tennessee, under Grant, and later to the Army of the Cumberland. He participated in many skirmishes and small fights, marching many hundreds of miles over Kansas and in Tennessee, chased For- rest for nearly fifteen months, having many skirmishes with his army. At Clarksville, Tennessee, he was wounded and disabled for life. At Nashville, Tennessee, in Feb- ruary, 1864, he was discharged on account of his wound.
Returning to his home in Wisconsin, Mr. Drake engaged in farming during the summer of 1865 and in the winter follow- ing went to Memphis, Tennessee, in the em- ploy of the government. There was a militia regiment at that place to protect the city, and with it Mr. Drake served on picket duty a few times. In the spring he again returned to Wisconsin, where he remained one year, then went to Winona, Minnesota, where he spent four years, coming to Bata- via in 1870, as already stated. He here en- gaged with L. P. Barker & Company, and was with them fifteen years, working at his trade of mason. For the last ten years he has followed mason work during the season. Politically Mr. Drake is a stanch Republic- an, his first ballot for president being cast for Abraham Lincoln in 1860. He was ap- pointed deputy sheriff by Mr. Burke in 1894, and is now serving his fourth year. In 1895 he was elected constable, but after qualifying he soon resigned the office. In the spring of 1897 he was elected alderman of the fourth ward, and is yet filling that position. As a delegate he has attended many conventions of his party, both city and county. Fraternally he is a member of the
G. A. R., post No. 48, from which he has been sent as delegate to the state encamp- ment, and in 1894 was commander of the post.
H ENRY C. KRUMM, general superin- tendent of the tile works at McQueens station, was born in the village of Klein Lukow, province of Mecklenberg, Schwerin, Germany, August 3, 1846. He is the son of Joseph and Caroline (Strohpager) Krumm, both of whom are natives of Ger- many, in which country the latter died. Joseph Krumm was the son of Karl and Sophia (Bloom) Krumm. He came to this country at an early day, and settled in Wis- consin, dying at Manitowoc, at the age of fifty-nine years.
Henry C. Krumm attended the public schools of his native land until the age of fourteen years, when he was confirmed and united with the Lutheran church. He then secured employment in a brick and tile works in his native place, and was thus en- gaged at the time of his coming to America, in 1869. During this time, however, he served in the German army in its war with Austria in 1866. Five years later his brother served in the war with France.
Mr. Krumm sailed from Hamburg, and landed at New York, September 26, 1869. He proceeded at once to Marine City, St. Clair county, Michigan, and for seven years was employed in the brick and tile works at that place. He them came to Kane county, and at Dundee worked in the brick and tile works for D. H. Haeger nineteen years. In May, 1894, he bought the tile works at McQueens station, which he run for two years. In 1896 the business was incorporated under the name of the Elgin Brick and Tile Company, the incorporators
449
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
being a number of gentlemen of Elgin and Dundee. Its officers are J. B. Lane, pres- ident; D. McBride, secretary; and Henry C. Krumm, general manager. In addition to the tile works at McQueen, the plant in- cludes the brick works at Pingree. Its out- put is about six hundred thousand each of tile and brick per annum.
Mr. Krumm was married in Michigan, February 16, 1871, to Miss Lena Haeger, a daughter of Fritz and Johanna Haeger. She was born in the village of Kriesow, province of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Ger- many, and came to America with her par- ents on the same vessel with our subject. By this union six children have been born, as follows: Matilda, who married Richard Ludwig, employed in the tile works at Mc- Queen's station, by whom she has three children, Herbert, Elsie and Fairy. Emma, who married William Lawrence, also of the tile works, is the mother of three children, Bertha, Lydia, and an infant. Clara mar- ried August Pasley, a machinist in Dundee. Adolph, Henry and Robert, at home.
Politically Mr. Krumm is a Republican, with which party he has been identified since becoming a naturalized citizen. Fra- ternally he is a member of Port Huron tent, Knights of the Maccabees. He is a inember of the Lutheran church, of which body his wife is also a member. As a citi- zen, Mr. Krumın is held in high esteem, and in common with others of his nationality, has done much to build up and improve his adopted country.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.