USA > Illinois > Kane County > The Biographical record of Kane County, Illinois > Part 56
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shire township. He was the son of Elijah Doty, who attained the age of seventy years, and who married Polly Hodges, a native of New York, whose mother was Mary French of the same state. Edward Doty married Betsey Pingree, born at Pin- gree Grove, and daughter of Francis Pin- gree, who married Lydia Patchen. Her father settled first in Illinois, afterwards went to Iowa, where he died at an advanced age. The Pingree family are descended from Moses Pingree, a native of England, who married Abigail Clement, and died at Ipswich, Massachusetts, in 1641. His son, Moses Pingree, Jr., married Sarah Con- verse, and their son, Aaron, married Ann Pickard, and their son, John, married Faith Jewett, and to them Andrew was born, and to him and Abiah Straw, his wife, Francis Pingree was born. He was the father of Mrs. Doty. Mrs. Tazewell is the eldest of three children born to Edward Doty. To our subject andwife one child has been born, Lynn Edward, born August 27, 1896.
S IDNEY U. SPENCER, now living a re- tired life in the city of Aurora, but who for many years was engaged in farming and dairying, is numbered among the old settlers of 1844. He was born in Wyoming coun- ty, New York, January 5, 1825. His father, Chauncey Spencer, was born and reared in Vermont, and when a young man settled near Genesse Falls, Wyoming county, New York, and there married Milly Smith. Both the Spencer and Smith families were early settlers of Wyoming county, the first of the name to settle there being the paternal grandfather, Stephen Spencer, and the ma- ternal grandfather, Whiting Smith, both of
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whom made their home in the wilderness, where they engaged in farming for many years. Chauncey Spencer improved several places in that county, but in 1844 moved with his family to Kane county, Illinois, locating in Sugar Grove township, where he engaged in farming for a few years, then moved to Plainfield, Will county, but later returned to Kane county, where his death occurred some years ago.
Sidney U. Spencer was second in order of birth, and the only survivor of a family of eight children. George married and set- tled in Kane county, later moved to Iowa, where his death occurred; Cornelia married Jonathan Mason, settled in Kane county, and both are now deceased; Dwight died unmarried; Henrietta married Philo Seavey, located in Kane county, and both are now deceased; Edwin also died unmarried; James married and settled in Kane county, but is now deceased; Eunice married Charles Roberts, settled in Du Page county, but both are now deceased.
The subject of this sketch in his native state received a fair common-school educa- tion, and, a young man of eighteen, came with his parents to Kane county and assisted his father in opening up a new farm. After arriving at his majority he worked by the month for some years, principally on farms. On the third of June, 1854, he married Anna M. Willis, a native of Vermont, and a daughter of John Willis, also a native of that state. She came to Kane county with · her uncle, John Thompson, when a mere child and here she was reared and educated. By this union were four children, the oldest, Roscoe M., married and is a farmer of Kane county, but also owns a farm in Nebraska; Ralph, who is married, resides in Albany, Wisconsin, where he is engaged in the mer-
cantile trade; Luella, who died at the age of eleven years, and Mabel, wife of Wilford Wyatt, a farmer of Clay county, Iowa.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Spencer commenced their domestic life on a farm of eighty acres near Plainfield, which he had purchased. After remaining there some twelve months he sold that place and pur- chased a farm of one hundred and ten acres in Sugar Grove township. He later built a large and substantial residence, barn and other outbuildings, and otherwise improved the place. He remained on that farm a number of years, then rented it to his son, and built a nice residence at Sugar Grove Station, to which the family removed. While yet residing on the farm his wife died, in 1877, and he was again married, in Sugar Grove, August 28, 1878, to Miss Julia Wilde, who was born in Sidney, Delaware county, New York, and who came to McHenry county, Illinois, when but three years of age with her parents, Robert and Eleanor M. (Vandervoort) Wilde. Her father was English by birth, and came to America when but eight years of age, and remained in New York, where he was married, until his re- moval to McHenry county, Illinois, in 1855. Mrs. Spencer is a woman of more than or- dinary ability, and since her marriage has taken a course in metaphysics, under the direction of Dr. Charles, Mrs. Grover, Dr. Edward Arns and Mrs. Baker Eddy. After a thorough and complete course Mrs. Spen- cer opened an office in Aurora, and for five years was engaged in the active practice of her profession of scientific healing. She was then compelled to give up her office, and now practices in a quiet way.
Politically Mr. Spencer is a Republican, and has always taken an interest in political affairs, but not as an office-seeker. Having
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an interest in the cause of education, for some nine years he was a member of the school board at Sugar Grove, and of the Normal Industrial School at that place. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church in Aurora, and was one of the most active official members of that church at Sugar Grove. His residence of fifty-four years in Kane county has brought him in contact with his fellow citizens in all parts of the county, and wherever known he is greatly esteemed.
O RA L. PELTON, M. D., has been a resident of Kane county for more than Ora L. Pelton was reared on the home farm in Chautauqua county, New York, and in the schools of the neighborhood his liter- ary education was obtained. Later he en- tered the medical department of the Michi- gan University at Ann Arbor, from which he was graduated in the spring of 1872. In a quarter of a century, and in that time has built up a practice and reputation second to no other physician. He was born in Sher- man, New York, July 29, 1851, and is a son of Charles and Martha (Sparkes) Pelton, both of whom were natives of New York, and the parents of eight children: Charles . June of that year he came to Kane county J., who resides on the old homestead in Chautauqua county, New York; Amarette, wife of Alvin Seymour, of Chautauqua coun- ty; Ora L., of this sketch; Lucy, who makes her home with the Doctor; Josephine, who died at the age of ten years; William and Frank, who live in New York; and George, who lives in Chicago.
Charles Pelton, the father, was a farmer in Chautauqua county, where he died in 1890 at the age of seventy-one years. He was a member of the Baptist church, and for many years served as a deacon. His wife still survives him and is living with her son, Charles J. She is also a member of the Baptist church, and a conscientious, Chris- tian woman.
The paternal grandfather of our subject, Rural Pelton, was a native of Oneida coun-
ty, New York, and was a blacksmith by trade, which he generally followed in con- nection with farming. He cleared the farm on which our subject's mother yet resides. In his family were fourteen children, nearly all of whom grew to maturity. The Pelton's were originally from England. The ma- ternal grandfather, Rev. Mr. Sparkes, was a Baptist minister, and was about sixty-five years of age at the time of his death. He also had a large family of children, of whom three sons-Nathan, Thomas and Elisha- were in the Civil war, the first two dying while in the service, the other after reach- ing home.
and located at Elburn, where he com- menced the practice of his profession. From the beginning he met with good success, and, while such was the case, he was not content to rest with the knowledge acquired. Ac- cordingly, he entered Bellevue Hospital Med- ical College, New York, from which he took the addendum degree in 1874. One year later, in quest of still higher knowledge in his profession, he visited Europe, took a year's course in the University of Edinburg, Scotland, and then visited a number of noted hospitals, including those of London and Paris.
On the 17th of July, 1882, the Doctor removed from Elburn to Elgin, that he might have a wider field for usefulness. His success has been equal to his most sanguine anticipations and his practice has at all
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times been a large and fairly profitable one. As one of the staff of surgeons in Sherman hospital he has performed some very diffi- cult surgical operations with most gratifying success. One of his specialties is abdom- inal surgery, and some of his operations in that line of practice have won for him dis- tinction. He is often called in consultation in important cases of surgery and medicine with other physicians, with whom his skill and judgment are held in high degree.
On the 7th of May, 1879, Dr. Pelton married Miss Anna L. Frary, daughter of Noble D. and Mary (Kendall) Frary, and by this union there are three children, Ora L., Mary Frary and Lura Adella, all of whom are at home. Noble Danforth Frary was a native of Massachusetts, born in 1823, and was the son of Zenas and Keziah (Pomroy) Frary, natives of South Hampton, Mass. In his native state he grew to manhood and there married Mary Kendall, who was born
they came west, locating in Elburn, Illinois, where Mr. Frary worked at his trade of wheelwright. He was a member of the Christian church, and politically was a Re- publican, a thorough believer in the princi- ples of that party. His death occurred in Elburn, October II, 1878, his wife preced- ing him to their heavenly home some seven years, dying October 1, 1871. She was also a member of the Christian church. They were the parents of four children: Adella D., now the wife of J. A. Freeman, of Portland, Oregon; Ossian D., of Chicago; Herbert K., who died in childhood; and Anna Louise, wife of our subject.
Illinois Volunteer Cavalry, and faithfully served until the close of the war. Return- ing to his home at the expiration of his term of service, he settled down to his life work as though the storms of battle had never been heard. The Frarys were among the early settlers of Elburn, where he served for many years as justice of the peace.
Dr. Pelton was thrown on his own re- sources early in life and has worked his way upward in his profession, aided only by his perseverance, energy and indomitable will power. He is not content with knowledge obtained in the past, but every year makes a tour, visiting the leading hospitals of the country with a view of appropriating what- ever is new in the science of medicine and surgery. He is a member of the Chicago Medical Society.
Fraternally Dr. Pelton is a member of Monitor lodge, No. 117, F. & A. M., and in Connecticut in 1824. Early in the '50s ' of Bethel commandery, No. 36, K. T. At present he is surgeon for the Elgin, Car- penterville & Aurora railway, and is also a member of the staff of Sherman hospital. Politically, he is a Republican, and although his extensive practice will not permit him to give much attention to. political affairs, he takes a great interest in the success of the party, contributing of his ineans to that end. Socially he is a member of the Cen- tury Club, of Elgin.
As a citizen the Doctor takes an interest in everything calculated to build up his adopted city and county. As a physician there are none in Kane county having a better reputation and his success in the treatment of disease has been remarkable. Financially he has prospered and to-day he is numbered ainong the well-to-do citizens
Noble D. Frary was one of the "brave boys in blue " who, at their country's call, offered their services in behalf of the Un- ion. He was a member of Company I, of Elgin, and is a stockholder and director
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in the Home National Bank, a stockholder in the Home Savings Bank, and in the El- gin, Aurora & Carpentersville Electric railway, and has landed interests consisting of a fine farm in Kansas.
The home of Dr. Pelton is at No. 214 South State street, and is one of the finest and most attractive houses in Elgin, erected after plans made by himself and wife, and there, when he can get away froin the ar- duous labors of his profession, he spends the time with his family, and they delight to entertain their many friends.
J AMES LITTLE. - In the history of a country much is said of the warrior that goes forth to battle for his country, and it may be gives his life for its defense. The lawyer, too, is mentioned and praise is given him for the composition of its laws and their interpretation. The minister of the Gospel is praised for the efforts put forth in behalf of public and private morals, and for the salvation of the human race. Due credit is given the physician for his skill in alleviating the physical ills of man. But little, however, is said of the artisan that plans the building and erects the homes of the people. Here is where the historian is at fault and more credit should be given to the one who constructs our homes, giving man a place in which the greater part of his life has to be spent.
wife and mother survived him two years, dying August 20, 1896. Four generations of the Little family were born and reared on the old homestead farm in New Jersey. The great-grandfather of our subject, Rob- ert Little, lived to the remarkable age of one hundred and one years, and partici- pated in the Revolutionary war. His eldest son, John Little, married Johanna Dumont, by whom he had two children: Abraham D. and Samuel. Abraham D. Little, who was the father of our subject, had seven children-Garrett, of Corning, Iowa; Jo- hanna Isabel died September 17, 1859; Sarah Jane, a resident of Jersey City, N. J .; Mary Elizabeth, of Corning, Iowa; John Newton, operating the old homestead at North Branch, New Jersey; James, and Anna Caroline, who died December 17, 1893.
Gaining an education in the public schools and afterwards learning the trade of a carpenter in his native state, under An- drew Huff, of Plainfield, New Jersey, James Little came to Fairview, Fulton county, Illinois, in' 1875, where he entered into partnership with William Stines, and carried on contracting and building, under the name of Little and Stines, which was continued seven years, and the partnership was then dissolved. In 1882, Mr. Little came to Aurora, where he has since carried on his business in a very successful manner, having at times as many as twenty men in his employ. A number of the finest resi- dences in this city were erected by him, among them the residences of Hon. John Murphy, Nick Abens, and Henry Riser.
The subject of this sketch is one of the leading contractors and builders of Aurora. He was born in Somerset county, New Jer- sey, April 19, 1855, and is the son of Abra- Mr. Little was married December 27, 1877, to Rebecca Van Nostrand, of Fair View, Illinois, daughter, of Wycoff and Phebe (Eldert) Van Nostrand, formerly of ham D. and Maria V. N. (Quick) Little, both natives of Somerset county, where the father was engaged in farming until his death, which occurred May 17, 1893. The Somerset county, New Jersey. By this
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union two children have been born, Rita home until she, too, was called to a better and Pearl, the last named dying in Novem- world. . ber, 1897, aged eight years. Fraternally, Mr. Little is a Mason, and has passed all the degrees up to and including the thirty- second degree. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. In politics he is a Republican, and though taking an active interest in political affairs, has not been an office seeker. He has held the office of chairman of the board of trustees in the Park Place Baptist church for the past ten years, of which church himself and wife are members.
H McCHESNEY, a resident of Geneva, was for years one of the active, enter- prising business men of Chicago. He was born in Troy, New York, June 23, 1825, and is the son of Joseph S. McChesney, born in the same state. His father, Samuel McChes- ney, was a native of the north of Ireland, who came to the United States a young man, and was one of the pioneers of the Mohawk Valley. He there married Jane Morrison, and opened up a farm in Rensselaer county, where he reared his family.
Joseph S. McChesney, the father of our subject, grew to manhood in Rensselaer county, and there married Hannah Morri- son, a daughter of Rufus Morrison. They were the parents of four sons and one daughter, as follows: David H. settled in Janesville, Wisconsin, where he engaged in milling, and there died about 1891; James, a resident of Troy, New York; Hiram, of this review; Mrs. Katherine Carrier, a widow residing in Chicago; and Israel, who moved to Colorado in 1889. Joseph McChesney resided on the old homestead until his death, after which his widow made it her
Hiram McChesney grew to manhood in his native county, and after receiving his primary education in the public schools, attended the Polytechnic at Troy, New York, from which he was graduated. He then went to work on the Erie railroad as civil engineer, and assisted in its construc- tion for more than one year. He then went to Chicago, where he engaged in teaching for six years, and was then in the wood, coal and lumber business for several years. In 1862 he engaged in the cattle business, buying and selling cattle to the Government for the use of the army during the war. In that business he was quite successful. After the close of the war he engaged in the fur- niture business until 1871, when he experi- enced heavy loss in the great fire, having his store, house and barn burned. He re- built his residence, and later engaged as a detective in the Union Stock Yards at a time when there was more or less stealing of cattle and hogs. He was connected with that position until 1895, a period of more than twenty years.
Mr. McChesney has been twice married. By the first union was one child, Frances, a well-educated lady, now a successful teacher in the Englewood schools. His second union was with Miss Isabella Mackey, a native of Michigan, by whom he has one son, John Sherman, a student in the Geneva schools.
In the spring of 1883, Mr. McChesney purchased sixty-four acres of land, lying within the corporate limits of Geneva, re- modeled the house, built two large barns, and otherwise improved the place, making it one of the neatest and most attractive in Geneva township. In early life, Mr. Mc-
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Chesney was a Whig, but since 1856 has Civil war was a recruiting officer, but was been an avowed Republican. In 1885, he never in active service. Both he and his estimable wife are members of the Cumber- land Presbyterian church. Samuel Bell, the Doctor's paternal grandfather, was born in Ireland, and on coming to America lo- cated in Pennsylvania, where he followed farming and reared his family of seven chil- dren. He died at the ripe old age of eighty- five. The maternal grandfather, Joseph Dunn, always lived in Pennsylvania, where he died in middle life, leaving a large fam- ily. By occupation he, too, was an agri- culturist. was appointed by Governor Oglesby, as a member of the board of live stock commis- sioners, and was twice re-appointed, serv- ing eight years, when he was removed by Governor Altgeld. In 1885 he was elected president of the town board of Geneva, and served one term. Office holding has never' been to his liking, preferring to give his time and attention to his business interests. For a full half century, he has been a resi- dent of Illinois, the greater part of which time his home has been in Chicago. On locating in that city, its inhabitants num- bered but a few thousands, and he has witnessed its growth, until it has become the second city in population and wealth in the United States, and in its development he has borne his part. Personally he is a man of good business capacity, of upright character, and is well-known in Chicago, and throughout Kane and adjoining coun- ties.
J
OHN FORREST BELL, M. D., is a
popular and successful physician of El- gin, whose office is located at the corner of Raymond and National streets. He was born on the 26th of February, 1863, near Claysville, Washington county, Pennsyl- vania, and is a son of Thomas J. and Eliza- beth J. (Dunn) Bell, also natives of the Keystone state. Of their five children, the Doctor is the only one now living. The father engaged in teaching for a number of years, but now follows farming near Clays- ville. Being one of the prominent and in- fluential citizens of his community, he was called upon to serve as county commis- sioner for several years, and during the
On the home farm near Claysville Dr. Bell passed the days of his boyhood and youth, while his elementary education was obtained in the district schools of the neigh- borhood. Later he attended the State Normal at California, Pennsylvania, gradu- ating at that institution in 1884. For eight years he successfully engaged in teaching, either in the graded schools or in the State Normal, and for two terms conducted a normal school of his own, preparing teach- ers for their profession. While thus em- ployed the Doctor began the study of medi- cine, and in 1890 graduated at the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. In May of that year he opened an office in Elgin, where he has since successfully engaged in practice.
Dr. Bell was married May 20, 1891, the lady of his choice being Miss Ethel, daugh- ter of Edward F. and Abigail (Johnson) Gooding, and to them were born two chil- dren: Vincent G., now deceased, and Doris Elizabeth. The Doctor is a member of the Congregational church, and socially is a member of the Odd Fellows society and the Knights of Pythias. Politically he is an ardent Republican, and he served as city
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physician from 1891 to 1895, and is at pres- ent a member of the school board, his term extending from 1897 until 1900. He is an honored member of Fox River Valley and the American Medical Associations, and is quite prominent among his professional brethren.
F RANCIS L. YOUNG is one of the most active and enterprising business men of Kane county, of which he has been a resi- dent for fifty-five years. He is a native of Vermont, born at Strafford, Orange county, December 1, 1828. The Youngs are of Scotch ancestry, three brothers emigrating from that country to the United States in the early part of the eighteenth century, one of whom located in Rhode Island, from whom descended the family of which our subject is a member. The paternal grand- father, Rev. Jacob Young, was a native of Rhode Island, born in 1758. He was a Universalist · minister, the first of that de- nomination to locate in the town of Straf- ford. On locating there he was given a minister's grant of land in the town. He was a man of more than ordinary ability as a minister and theologian. His son, Nathan Young, was born at New Grantham, New Hampshire, in 1792. He there grew to manhood, and married Hannah Smith, a native of Vermont, and a daughter of Fred- erick Smith, a large landholder, and of an old family of the Green Mountain state. Nathan Young followed the mercantile busi- ness for many years, and was a very prom- inent inan in Orange county, Vermont, serving his county as a member of the state legislature. During the war of 1812, he entered the service, and was orderly sergeant of his company. Later he was comniis-
sioned brigadier general of the state militia of Vermont, and served a number of years.
Nathan Young left his native state in 1844 and came to Kane county, Illinois, joining his son, Peleg Young, who located here some years previously. The family first located in Blackberry township, on a claim which Peleg had purchased some time previously. He at once commenced the improvement of the claim, and there re- sided some seven years. In 1846, how- ever, in company with our subject, he took up a claim of one hundred and sixty acres in Kaneville township, and in 1849 built a residence and removed to the place where he spent a number of years. Later he re- moved to Batavia, where he lived a retired life, his wife there dying in 1866. After her death he returned to the farm, and there resided with our subject until called from this world, in 1868. Both were laid to rest in the Batavia cemetery.
The subject of this sketch was sixteen years old when he came to Kane county, and here he has since continued to reside. In March, 1857, he returned to his old home in Strafford, Vermont, and there married Miss Betty Patterson, also a native of Straf- ford, Vermont, and a daughter of James and Polly Patterson, and a cousin of United States Senator Morrill. After marriage he returned with his young bride to Kane coun- ty, and they began their domestic life on the farm in Kaneville township, where Mr. Young engaged in agricultural pursuits for fourteen years, and then moved to the vil- lage of Kaneville, where Mrs. Young died, in November, 1871. She was the mother of three children, one of whom died in in- fancy. Jenny Mary grew to womanhood, and married Charles L. Cary, of Geneva, Illinois; she is now deceased. Frank P. is
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