The Biographical record of Kane County, Illinois, Part 71

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

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Mr. Sharp has held a number of official positions in the county. He was supervisor one term, justice of the peace four years, highway commissioner ten years, and to him is largely due the credit for many of the excellent gravel roads in Campton township. He was also township trustee two terms,

and was school director for many years. A stanch Republican in politics, he cast his first presidential in 1860 for Abraham Lincoln. He follows general farming and stockraising on his present farm, which is excellent land, thoroughly well drained and equipped with good fences and substantial buildings. A pleasant, genial, honest man, he is held in the highest respect wherever known, and his friends are many throughout Kane county.

A LEXANDER R. WALKER, a repre- sentative farmer of Hampshire town- ship, resides upon section 17, where he is engaged in general and dairy farming. He was born August 27, 1844, in Hemmings- ford, St. Johns county, province of Quebec, not far from the line dividing Canada from the state of New York. His father, Thomas Walker, born in Port Glasgow, Scotland, in 1809, married Isabel Perry, a daughter of John Perry, also a native of Scotland. The paternal grandfather, John Walker, also a native of Scotland, came to America in an early day, settling in Hemmingsford, Cana- da, where his death occurred. Thomas and · Isabel Walker were the parents of eight children, as follows: John, deceased; Eliz- abeth, deceased; Mary, wife of James Mc- Guff, of Burlington township; Elizabeth is the wife of David Jackson, of Virgil town- ship; Alexander, our subject; Kate, who married John Barker, of Nebraska; Thomas, living in Virgil township; and Jemima, de- ceased.

In 1852 Thomas Walker came to Kane county, Illinois, with his family, and located in Virgil township, where his death occurred in 1891, at the age of eighty-two years. His wife lives in Virgil. Our subject lived

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with his father till the age of twenty years, and then worked by the month until his marriage, September 6, 1871, with Miss Martha Reid, daughter of David and Olive (Powley) Reid, the former a native of Scot- land, born near Aiken Claurie, about thirty- five miles northeast of Glasgow, February 13, 1813, and the latter born in Frontinac county, Canada, in April, 1813.

David Reid grew to manhood in Scot- land, and at the age of twenty years emi- grated to Canada, sailing from Campbell- town, and after a three-months' voyage, landing in Quebec, and locating near Kings- ton, in Frontinac county, where he resided until his emigration to Kane county, in 1850. Two years previously he visited Kane coun- ty, and purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Hampshire township, then returned home, and in the spring of 1850 brought his family to their new home. He is yet living on the old homestead, where he has spent nearly half a century, but mak- ing his home with his daughter, the wife of our subject. For some years he has been in ill health from a stroke of paralysis. His wife, the mother of Mrs. Walker, died in 1871. She was. the daughter of William and Elizabeth (Hoffman) Powley, natives of Canada, the former dying at the age of ninety years. The parents of William Powley lived in America prior to the Revo- lutionary war, but after hostilities ceased returned to Germany, where they resided some years, and then again emigrated to the United States. About the outbreak of the war of 1812, they removed to Canada, where the father secured a good farm, on which he resided until his death. He often related to his children, how at one time in the forest he ran out of provisions, and killed, cooked and ate a rattlesnake, which

he always declared was, under the circum- stances, very good. Of the four children born to David and Olive Reid, three are yet living-John, a banker of Kansas City, Kansas; Dr. Charles P., of the village of Hampshire; and Martha, wife of our sub- ject.

To our subject and wife, eleven children have been born-Harriet, Florence, David, Thomas, Clarissa, Hugh, Kate, Charles, John, Bessie and James. Fraternally Mr. Walker is a member of Hampshire lodge, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he has been a member since 1867. In politics he is a Republican, and has held the office of school director and highway commissioner. He has resided upon his present farm since his marriage, and is re- garded as one of the best farmers in the township, and as a citizen he is held in the highest esteem by all who know him.

P PHILLIP H. HEMRICK, who engaged in farming on section 30, Rutland township, was born in Hampshire township, Kane county, Illinois, on section 13, Sep- tember 25, 1848, and is the son of Michael and Dora (Hauslein) Hemrick, both of whom were natives of Bavaria, Germany, where they grew to manhood and woman- hood, and were married, emigrating to America in 1845, and locating on a farm on sections 13 and 24, where they resided until their death, the latter dying when sixty years old, and the foriner at the age of seventy-six years. They were the parents of eight children, as follows: Michael, liv- ing in Kansas; Charles, also living in Kan- sas; Phillip, our subject; Dinah, wife of - Jacob Miller, of Hampshire township; Will- iam, who died from the effects of sun-

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stroke; Elizabeth, deceased; John, living on the home farm, and Malachi, deceased.

The subject of this sketch was reared on the home farm, and attended the district schools during the winter terms, and en- gaged in farm work the rest of the year. He remained under the parental roof until the age of twenty, when he hired out for one year. He was married in Elgin township April 13, 1869, to Caroline M. Maupton, who was born in Hampshire township July 12, 1850, and was the daugh- ter of John and Sophia (Kolb) Maupton. The former died in 1852, and the latter makes her home with our subject. Mrs. Hemrick died January 8, 1898, leaving two children-Emma C. and Addie. They lost one, Ida S., who died at the age of six years. Emma C. is now the wife of E. A. Gage, of whom a more extended notice appears elsewhere in this work.

Mr. Hemrick is a member of the United Evangelical church, of which body his wife was also a member. In politics he is a thorough Republican, and for twenty-five years has served as school director. When the postoffice was established, in 1883, at Starks Station, known as Sunset Postoffice, he was appointed postmaster, which posi- tion he has creditably filled to the present time. Fraternally, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, while his wife was a member of the Ladies of the Maccabees.

W ILLIAM H. TUPPER, who owns and operates a fine farm of three hun -. dred and sixty acres in section 14, Kane- ville township, has been a resident of Kane county, since 1854. He was born in On- tario, Canada, March 6, 1830. His father, Elias Tupper, was a native of Nova Scotia, .

and was of English parentage. He grew to manhood in New Brunswick, and there married Ann Beckwith, also of English par- entage. They became the parents of four sons and three daughters, but one son died in childhood, all growing to mature years, but are now deceased with the exception of our subject and his brother, Eliakim, who resides in Canada. In early manhood, Elias Tupper was engaged in mercantile trade, but on his removal to Canada, he first engaged in merchandising and later in farming. He settled near Quebec, where his store was destroyed by fire, during the war of 1812. After being burned out, he located in Ontario, above Hamilton, on a farm and there spent the last years of his life. His death occurred in 1836, when our subject was a child of six years .. His wife survived him and reared the family, doing her duty by them in a most faithful manner.

The subject of this sketch grew to man- hood in Canada and received good common- school advantages. On the 9th of April, 1848, he was united in marriage, in Canada, with Miss Catherine Edmonds, a native of Canada, and a daughter of Oliver Edmonds, formerly from New York. At the time of his marriage he was but eighteen years of age, and his bride but sixteen. Immediately after marriage he took charge of the Ed- monds farm, which he operated for about six years, the winters of which time he en- gaged in lumbering. In 1854, he came to Kane county, Illinois, and purchased a tract of four hundred and eighty acres, in Kane- ville township, about one hundred acres of which was under cultivation. Upon the place was a fair house and barn, which in due time gave place to a larger residence, while other improvements upon the place were made and the farm became one of the

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best in the township. It is well tiled, and supplied with outbuildings of a most sub- stantial character, and is well equiped with all modern agricultural implements.

To Mr. and Mrs. Tupper nine children were born as follows: Oliver, married and engaged in farming near Maple Park; Mrs. Anna Watson, of Kaneville, who owns one hundred and twenty acres adjoining her father's place; Jeremiah, married and en- gaged in farming in Pierce county, Nebraska; Sarah Jane Cary, a widow residing in Kane- ville; William H., who was a substantial farmer, married and died leaving a wife and · children; Mary, wife of Dr. Elliott, of Peotone, Will county, Illinois; Susie, wife of Henry Herrick, a farmer of Sugar Grove, and George, now a student in the medical department of Michigan University at Ann Arbor.

Mrs. Tupper died July 21, 1889, at the age of sixty-seven years, and later Mr. Tupper married in Cortland, De Kalb coun- ty, Illinois, Mrs. Philena Joslyn, a native of Vermont, who there grew to womanhood, and the daughter of Martin L. Lowell, and a sister of Judge Lowell, of Sycamore. She is the mother of four children by her first marriage.

Politically Mr. Tupper is a Republican, but has never been a seeker after office. Always a friend of education, he has served as a member of the school board and given much of his time to advantoge the educa- tional interests of his neighborhood. He has shown his interest in educational mat- ters in other ways, giving five hundred dollars toward the erection of Clark's, now Jennings Seminary, of Aurora. Religiously he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which body his wife is also a member.

At the time of his marriage Mr. Tupper was possessed of but little means, but he had a determination to succeed, and with that determination in view, he began work, toiled early and late, and as a result, success has crowned his efforts, and he is to-day numbered among the well-to-do and repre- sentative farmers of Kane county.

SILAS H. MIGHELL, of section 28, Sugar Grove township, is a well-known enterprising farmer-one who has spent almost his entire life in Kane county, dat- ing his residence here since the fall of 1837. He was born in Rutland county, Vermont, December 12. 1829. The Mighell family were among the pioneers of Vermont, where James Mighell, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was born. His son, Ezekiel Mighell, was born in Rutland county, Vermont, De- cember 24, 1799, and there grew to man- hood and married Lucinda Todd, also a na- tive of Vermont. Ezekiel Mighell was a carpenter and joiner by trade, and followed that occupation during his residence in Ver- mont, and after his removal to Tompkins county, New York, where he went about 1830, locating near the head of Cayuga Lake. He there also engaged in farming; but, believing that he could do better in the west, he came to Illinois in 1837, locat- ing in Sugar Grove township, Kane county, where he bought a claim of two hundred acres, which he entered after it came into the market. On the place was a log house into which he moved, and where he lived for a few years until he could improve the place and secure means for the erection of a more pretentious residence. From time to time he added to his original pur- chase until he had six hundred acres of fine

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farming land and was recognized as one of the substantial farmers of Kane county. On the old home farm he reared his family, and later moved to Aurora, living a retired life, and where his death occurred June 10, 1884, when about eighty-five years of age. His wife passed away March 26, 1877.

To Ezekiel and Lucinda Mighell eight children were born, two of whom, Silas and Nancy, died in infancy. Those who grew to mature years were Lewis, who married and settled in 'De Kalb county, where his death occurred May 25, 1883; Mary grew to womanhood, married John Ellis, now of Kewanee, Illinois, and died September 22, 1874; Silas H., the subject of this sketch; Albert, who married, moved to Aurora, where his death occurred; Horace R., mar- ried, settled in Morris, Illinois, and there died August 11, 1892; and Frank P., whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work.

Silas H. Mighell was about eight years of age when he came with his parents to Kane county. He assisted in developing the home farm and as the opportunity was afforded him attended the district school. He remained under the parental roof until after attaining his majority, and on the 19th of March, 1854, married Delena Colkins, a daughter of Thomas S. and Fannie (Clark) Colkins, the former born at Corning, New York, December 4, 1800, and the latter at Keene, New Hampshire. They moved to Illinois in 1852, located near Montgomery, Kane county, where Mr. Colkins died No- vember 27, 1862. His wife survives him, and resides on a farm adjoining that of her daughter, Mrs. Mighell, and is now ninety- four years of age. To Mr. and Mrs. Migh- ell three children have been born: The oldest, Emma DeEtta, is now the wife of Franklin Eglington, of Aurora; Fannie L.,

wife of Arthur Potter, of Aurora; and Ina May, who is a practicing physician in Chi- cago and a graduate of Hahnemann Medical College.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Migh- ell located on the farm where they now reside, and where they remained two years, then moved to De Kalb county, Illinois, where Mr. Mighell purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which he cul- tivated for seven years. In 1863 he re- turned to the old farm in Sugar Grove. township, on which he has made many substantial improvements. Later he sold the De Kalb county farm and purchased another farm in Sugar Grove township of one hundred and thirty-three acres, which is fairly well improved.

Politically Mr. Mighell is a Republican, with which party he has been identified since its organization. Religiously Mrs. Mighell is a member of the Baptist church. A residence of fifty-nine years in Kane county has brought him in contact with many of its representative citizens, and wherever best known he is the most highly esteemed.

A LEXANDER L. HINDS, who resides on section 23, Sugar Grove township, came to Kane county in 1842, and has here since made his home, with the exception of a few years spent in De Kalb county. His father, Alpheus H. Hinds, was a native of Vermont, born at Mount Holly, March 9, 1796. His grandfather, Carlis Hinds, was also a native of Vermont, where he married Polly Bents, also a native of the Green Mountain state. In 1803, he removed to Jefferson county, New York, of which he was a pioneer. He attained considerable

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prominence in that county, and in 1809 was elected and served one term in the legisla- ture of the state. He died in 1811. Al- pheus H. Hinds removed with the family to New York, a lad of five years. He there grew to manhood and married Mercy Wilkie, a native of Jefferson county, New York, and a daughter of Rev. Matthew Wilkie, a minister of the Baptist church, who died at Evans Mills, Jefferson county, New York, at the ripe old age of ninety years. He was a relative of Captain Miles Standish, the Puritan captain.

After his marriage, Alpheus H. Hinds operated the old homestead a few years and then moved to Redwood, New York, which was then a wilderness, which later became a flourishing town. In connection with an uncle of his wife, he built a sawmill, and engaged in the manufacture of lumber. Later he was appointed postmaster and for some years served as justice of the peace. In 1842, with two teams, he started west with his family, coming through Canada and was some four and a half weeks on the road. He arrived in Kane county on his forty- sixth birthday, March 9, 1842. ' In Sugar Grove township, he purchased a claim and later entered the land. On that farm he remained until 1871, when he sold out and removed to Aurora, where his death oc- curred December 10, 1874. His wife passed away December 20, 1872, and both were laid to rest in the West Side cemetery.

Alexander L. Hinds, our subject, was but two and a half years old when he ac- companied his parents to Kane county. He is the youngest of a family of five sons and three daughters, and of that number he has one brother and one sister living. His brother, James Hinds, is a business man residing in Rochester, New York. His

sister, Mrs. Laura R. Davidson, makes her home with our subject. Our subject re- mained with his father some years after at- taining his majority, and engaged in the cultivation of the home farm. He married in Aurora, February 26, 1868, Miss Nettie Colley, a native of Belleville, Ohio. After his marriage he continued to operate the old homestead for two years, and then bought a farm in De Kalb county, to which he removed and where he remained for some years. While residing there his wife died in April, 1877, leaving one daughter, Alice L., who makes her home in Aurora. In 1878, Mr. Hinds sold the De Kalb county farm, returned to Kane county, and rented the farm on which he now resides, for some two or three years and then purchased the place, since which time he has given his at- tention to its further improvement and in general farming.

Politically, Mr. Hinds is a Democrat, with which party he has been identified since attaining his majority. He has never wavered in the support of his party, nor in advocacy of its principles. Fraternally, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights of Honor. An old settler of the county, he is well and favorably known and held in high esteem.

Mrs. Laura R. Davidson, a sister of Mr. Hinds, was born in Watertown, Jeffer- son county, New York, January 29, 1822. She was there given good school advantages, and for some years before her marriage en- gaged in teaching in the public schools. She has been twice married, her first union being with William J. Rose, a native of New York, who came to Kane county a young man, and purchased the farm where Mrs. Davidson now resides. Here they be- gan their domestic life, and resided until the

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death of Mr. Rose, May 16, 1873. He was a successful farmer, a careful business man, and his death was sincerely mourned by many friends. After his death, his widow rented the farm, though still making it her home. On the 24th of December, 1885, she married T. M. Davidson, who met with an accident which caused his death some two years later. He died August 19, 1887, since which time Mrs. Davidson has been making her home with her brother. She is a member of the Baptist church, and is much esteemed and beloved by all, and is one of the few remaining old settlers of Kane county.

JOHN C. WHILDIN resides on section 17, Big Rock township, where he owns and operates a fine farm of two hundred and fifty-one acres. He was born in the town of Marion, Montgomery county, Penn- sylvania, July 12, 1843. His father, Jeremiah Whildin, was a nativeof Wales, born in Mont- gomeryshire, December 25, 1799, and there grew to manhood, and married Mary Reese, also a native of Montgomeryshire, Wales. The marriage ceremony was solemnized in 1826. In 1842 they emigrated with their family to the United States, and after spend- ing seven years in Pennsylvania and New York they came west to Chicago, and there leaving his family, with his son, J. M., he walked from Chicago to Big Rock township, and after selecting a location, sent back three teams for his goods and family. His brother Edward had located here some three years previously, and it was through his solicitation that Mr. Whildin came to Kane county. On his arrival in Big Rock township he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land, on which was a log

house, and a few acres in cultivation. To the improvement of this land and to found- ing here a home, in which to rear his family and spend his declining days, was the desire of his heart. He later bought more land until his tract comprised two hundred and twenty-five acres. In the course of time the old log house gave place to a more modern structure, barns and other outbuild- ings were erected, and the farm placed un- der a high state of cultivation. On this place he died October 21, 1889, at the age of nearly ninety years. His wife passed to her reward, April 13, 1880. Jeremiah Whildin was a true Christian man, a mem- ber of the Baptist church at Big Rock, in which he was elected deacon in 1849, serv- ing as such until his death. Of their family of four sons and eight daughters, three sons and five daughters grew to mature years, and of these, three sons and one daughter now survive.

The subject of this sketch was but six years of age when he came with the family to Kane county. On the home farm he re- mained, assisting in its cultivation, until after reaching his majority, in the mean- time receiving his education in the public schools. On the 14th of May,- 1868, he was united in marriage with Miss Harriet Potter, who was born in Big Rock township, Kane county, and a daughter of Samuel E. Potter, a native of Franklin county, Massa- chusetts, who came to Kane county a young man about 1845. He here married Olive P. Winslow, also a native of Massachusetts. He was the owner of land in both Kane and De Kalb counties, and here died July 20, 1855, when about thirty-five years of age, leaving a widow and several small children. Mrs. Whildin was taken by her aunt Mary Potter, to her grandfather, Potter, in Massa-

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chusetts, where she was reared to woman- hood. After the death of her grandmother Potter, she went to New York state and there lived one year, and then returned to Kane county, where her marriage with Mr. Whildin occurred. By this union are five children, of whom Alice is now the wife of William W. Williams, a farmer of Big Rock township; Mary A. is the wife of B. C. Fountain, also a farmer of Big Rock town- ship; Merritt J. is assistant postmaster, and clerk in a store at Big Rock; Otis F., who is assisting in carrying on the farm, and Leslie E., a student at the home schools.

Politically Mr. Whildin is a Republican, having acted with that party since attaining his majority .* He has been quite active in local politics and has served in several offi- cial positions. He was on a special com- mittee for the erection of a town hall, and since becoming of age he has served as a school director. Every year he has served as a delegate to various conventions, includ- ing county and congressional, and is one of the commissioners of highways of the town- ship and treasurer of the board. While not members of the church, Mr. and Mrs. Whil- din attend the Baptist church at Big Rock, in which faith they were both reared. A thoroughly practical farmer, one who has engaged in no other line of business, Mr. Whildin has worked early and late, and success has in a measure crowned his ef- forts.

RENALWIN OUTHOUSE, deceased .--- This gentleman was born near Lily Lake, Kane county, April 22, 1852, and was the son of James and Elizabeth (Read) Out- house, both natives of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia. The former was raised on a farm and that pursuit he followed in his younger

days, but the temptations surrounding his home at Sackville, New Brunswick, near to the stormy bay of Fundy, were too strong for his adventurous spirit, so he left farming and followed the sea. In 1836, with his wife and two children, he came to the United States, and settled near Maple Park, Kane county, Illinois, where he staked off a claim of government land, but soon after removed to another farm, which he pur- chased in the same township, and subse- quently sold to his father-in-law, Joshua Read, who had newly arrived with his wife, Priscilla (Chapel) Read, and their twelve children. James Outhouse then bought a farm near Lily Lake, Campton township, to which he added from time to tinie, eventually owning three hundred and twenty acres, upon which he built a good residence and other outbuildings, and gradually im- proved the land. At the time of purchase the Black Hawk Indians and their noted leader were extant in this vicinity.

James Outhouse had a family of seven children, as follows: Priscilla, Edward, William, Mary, George, Renalwin and Ara- thusa. Priscilla is the widow of George Easterbrook and is now living in De Kalb county; William is a resident of Elgin; Mary is the wife of James Leighton and re- sides in Maine; George, a retired farmer, is now living in Elburn, Illinois; Arathusa is the wife of Henry Lord, of Aurora.

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The Biographical record of Kane County, Illinois, Part 71

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