USA > Illinois > Kane County > The Biographical record of Kane County, Illinois > Part 72
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Renalwin Outhouse gained his early edu- cation in the public schools, supplemented by a year in Jennings Seminary and Busi- ness College, in Aurora, after which he set- tled down to farming. his father dividing the old homestead farm between him and his brother George. January 28, 1878, our subject married Addie Leighton, daughter of Alfred C. and Jeannette (Morris) Leigh-
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ton, residing in Perry, Maine, her father be- ing a native of Eastport, Maine, while her mother was born in Ayrshire, Scotland. Mr. Leighton is deceased, while Mrs. Leigh- ton makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Outhouse. Four children were born to our subject and wife-three still surviv- ing: Fred M., Laura E., and Myrtie E .; Mary J. died in her eighth year.
The son, Fred M., is taking a scientific course in Dixon College, preparing him- self for the legal profession. Laura gradu- ated from the Elgin High School in 1 898; and Myrtie is now attending school at Elburn, Illinois.
Mr. Outhouse was clerk of the school board three terms, and highway commis- sioner two years, being still in office at the time of his death. He was formerly one of the directors of the Milk Shippers' Associa- tion. Fraternally he was a Mason, belong- ing to the blue lodge at Elburn, the chap- ter, and a Knight Templar, belonging to Sycamore Commandery, No. 15. Mr. Out- house was the owner of about four hundred and twenty acres of valuable land. His widow rents her farms and resides in a pleasant, commodious residence in the vil- lage of Lily Lake. She also owns property in Elburn, Illinois. Mr. Outhouse attended the dedication of the World's Fair at Chi- cago, and was stricken with illness immedi- ately on his return home and died on the 4th of November, 1892. His remains lie resting in the beautiful cemetery at Elburn. Mrs. Outhouse is a member of the Congre- gational church.
M RS. CATHERINE B. SLATER, M. D., No. 48 Fox street, Aurora, Illi- nois, has practiced medicine in the city since 34
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1879, and is to-day one of the most success- ful lady physicians in this section of the state. She comes of a family of educators and has herself been a leading teacher in the public schools of Illinois and other states. She was born at Otsego, near Zanesville, Ohio, February 26, 1844. She was the fifth child and fourth daughter in a family of eight chil- dren born to Thomas H. and Jane (Culbert- son) Patrick, the former a native of War- ren, Massachusetts, and the latter of Zanes- ville, Ohio. Her father was one of the most proficient educators of his day and all his family were teachers of merit. He was a resident of Zanesville at the time of his marriage, which event. took place in the early '30s. He continued to reside there until 1839, teaching in the meantime. In the spring of that year he brought his wife to the prairies of Illinois and purchasing land in Montgomery county, founded the village of Zanesville, naming it after his former home, the journey there being ınade in a wagon; the country at that early day was wet and malarial, his wife soon tiring of their adopted home, they returned to Ohio, and continued to reside there until called to their final rest.
The maternal great-grandfather of our subject, Col. Horatio Jamieson, was a grad- uate of Edinburgh University, Scotland, and came to America to assist the colonists in their struggle for liberty. So active and eminent were his services in the cause, that it is stated in the private records of the fam- ily that General Washington tendered him Fort Duquesne, as a reward for his valued services. His declined the reward, how- ever. He was also a surgeon in the French and Indian war. He later returned to Scot- land for a time, but came back to Pennsyl- vania and there married. The only child
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of this union was named Cassandra, and who from a small child took considerable interest in her father's medical studies and became quite an adept in the use of the knife and lancet. She became the wife of James Culbertson and was a woman of great beauty and undaunted courage. In 1805 James Culbertson and his wife emigrated from Mckeesport, Pennsylvania, and were pioneers in the early settlement of Central Ohio. On leaving Pennsylvania their des- tination was Columbus, Ohio, but stopping at Zanesville on the way, they became very popular in that scattered hamlet, and on re- suming their journey they were escorted for some distance by most of its inhabitants. The fatigues of travel, sickness, together with the warmhearted reception they had met with at Zanesville, caused them to re- turn before reaching Columbus, and they determined to make that place their future home. Securing a valuable piece of land in what is now the center of the city, they erected a dwelling and a business block in which for many years Mr. Culbertson car- ried on the business of a hatter, manufact- uring the then popular beaver hat-known to the present generation only by pictures representing " Uncle Sam " and " Grandfa- ther Harrison."
The family of James Culbertson and wife consisted of five daughters and six sons, of whom three died in infancy. The others established themselves in every branch of life, professional, business and agricultural. Their names were as follows: James, Joseph, Perry, Jamieson, a captain in the Civil war; William, Elizabeth, Emily and Jane, the last named being the mother of our subject. She was born in 1809, died 1852. Of these, William is the only one now living. The children born to
Thomas H. and Jane Patrick were: Louisa, James, Charlotte, Elizabeth, Catherine B., Harriet, Thomas and Asa P. The last two died in infancy, while James and Charlotte are also deceased.
The early education of our subject be- gan in the McIntyre Academy at Zanesville, Ohio, an endowed institution in which her father was principal. The academy was afterwards absorbed by the public schools. In the public schools her education con- tinued and she was graduated from the high school in 1864. She subsequently taught in the high school at Fremont, Ohio, and on September 3, 1867, she married James G. Slater, a merchant of Fremont, and con- tinued to reside there until the the fall of 1868, at which time they removed to Mans- field, Ohio, where they remained until February, 1870, when they came to Au- rora, Illinois. Soon after their arrival, Mr. Slater engaged in the dry goods business, entering into partnership with A. Somer- indyck. Later failing health induced him to dispose of his interest in the business, since which time his services have been with Mr. Sencenbaugh.
Mrs. Slater began the study of medicine in 1873, at the same time teaching in the west side high school at Aurora, of which she was principal for three years. She then entered the Woman's Medical College, of the Northwestern University, Chicago, where she remained a little over two years, and was graduated in the spring of 1879, with the degree of M. D. She was one in the first class to stand competitive examina- tions for the hospitals of Chicago. Imme- diately after receiving her degree Dr. Slater began the practice of her profession in Aurora, her office being at 48 Fox street, and she has built up an excellent practice
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among the very best families in Aurora. Since her graduation she has supplemented her education by a journey to Berlin, Ger- many, going as a delegate from the Amer- ican Medical' Association to the interna- tional congress at Berlin, and was the first lady admitted to any clinic in that country. This was in 1890. She remained there six months, and while abroad visited all the medical institutions of any note, receiving invitations from the different medical socie- ties. In 1897, Dr. Slater formed one of a party of about fifty physicians, ladies and gentlemen, who traveled and visited the hospitals on the continent of Europe and Russia, and all were most cordially re- ceived. She was appointed professor of hygeine in the medical department of the Northwestern University at Chicago, and in 1895 was elected to the board of education of Aurora, and is still a member. She has been trustee and surgeon of the Aurora City Hospital since its establishment in 1888, and is also surgeon of the Woman's Relief Corps, No. 10, department of Illinois. While reared a Presbyterian, she now at- tends the Episcopal church. A woman of natural and acquired ability, she ranks high in her profession and is greatly esteemed for her womanly virtues.
S QUIRE D. HUNT, president of the County Line Creamery Company, and one of the most enterprising farmers of Kane county, residing on section 32, Kane- ville' township, where he has a valuable farm of three hundred acres, dates his res- idence in Kane county, from 1847. He was born in Chenango, county, New York, July 9, 1840, and is the son of Daniel Hunt, born in 1804, in the same county and
state. Joseph Hunt, his grandfather, was a native of Connecticut, and a pioneer set- tler of Chenango county, New York. Dur- ing the Revolutionary struggle, he served his country and assisted in securing its inde- pendence. He lived to the advanced age of ninety-four years.
Daniel Hunt spent his boyhood and youth on his father's farm, and later mar- ried Polly Dutcher, a native of Dutchess county, New York. Her father, Gideon Dutcher, was one of a pioneer family of that county, and from his family the county derived its name. After marriage Mr. Hunt engaged in farming in Chenango county, where he remained a number of years. In 1845 he came to Illinois, locating first in Oswego, Kendall county, where he remained two and a half years, and then moved to Kaneville township, Kane county, where he purchased eighty acres, which was a part of the farm now owned by our subject. The land was unimproved, but he at once went to work and in due time had the place un- der cultivation, and, as his means increased, purchased more land, until he was the pos- sessor of one hundred and sixty acres. He was prosperous and successful as a farmer and, after a long and useful life, passed to his reward in 1889, at the age of eighty- five years. His wife died some three years previous.
Squire D. Hunt is the only survivor of a family of two sons and three daughters. His brother, Edwin, grew to mature years, married, owned and operated a part of the farm, and there died in 1864. His sisters were Jane, who married James H. Chap- man, and died in Pike county, Illinois; Sarah, married W. J. Bates, located in Cortland, DeKalb county, Illinois, and there her death occurred; and Madeline,
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who died in infancy, in Oswego, Kendall county, Illinois.
The subject of this sketch came to Kane county, when but about eight years old, and here grew to manhood on the home farm, and assisted in its cultivation. He was educated in the Kaneville schools, and on the 26th of February, 1862, married Lydia E. Flanders, a native of Massachu- setts, and a daughter of Parker Flanders, who was born in New Hampshire, there grew to manhood, and married Hannah Freeman, a native of New York. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Flanders lo- cated in Vermont, where he engaged in farming, in connection with other business. In 1854 he came to Kane county, Illinois, and located in Kaneville township, on the farm where his son now resides. To Mr. and Mrs. Hunt four children have been born, as follows: Myrtie, now the wife of Henry M. Smith, a farmer of DeKalb coun- ty, Illinois; Carrie, now the wife of W. H. Smith, residing on the Hunt farm; Alice and Harry B., at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Hunt began their domestic life on the old homestead, he taking charge . of the business, his father and mother mak- ing their home with him in their declining years. Since coming into possession of the farm he has purchased more land, erected a large and neat farm residence, and made many improvements in the place, putting in some eleven miles of tiling, and setting out two good orchards. He carries on general farming and stock raising, feeding several carloads of stock, which he annually ships to the Chicago market.
Mr. Hunt was one of the originators and prime movers in establishing the County Line Creamery, in 1890. He was elected its first president, and by re-election has
served continuously to the present time. The company now controls two creameries, and has a record second to none in the state. At the dairy convention in 1897 it took sweepstakes, scoring highest' on butter of any on exhibition.
Politically Mr. Hunt has been a Repub- lican since attaining his majority, having cast his first presidential ballot, in 1864, for Abraham Lincoln, and his last, in 1896, for William Mckinley. For twelve years he served his township as road commissioner, and was township treasurer of road funds for eight years. For twenty-one years he has served as a member of the school board, taking an active interest in educational af- fairs. He has always been active in polit- ical affairs, and has served his party in vari- ous county and congressional conventions. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Kaneville, and is now serving as steward. His wife and daughters are also members of that church, and all manifest an interest in its work. For half a century Mr. Hunt has been a resident of Kane coun- ty. That he has made his impress upon county affairs cannot be questioned. He is well known as one of its best farmers and business men, and as a citizen he is inter- ested in every movement looking to its ma- terial welfare. No family is held in higher esteem.
H IRAM D. RUDD, now living a retired life in the village of Kaneville, is a veteran of the war for the union. Since 1856, he has been a resident of the village of Kaneville, and is now its oldest living settler. He was born in Rutland county, Vermont, at Middletown, December 8, 1820. His father, Samuel Rudd, was born
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in Westfield, Connecticut, of which state his grandfather, Increase Rudd, was also a native. The latter served in the Revolu- tionary war, and was at the battle of Bunker Hill, where he broke off the butt of his gun over the head of an enemy. From Connecticut, Increase Rudd moved to Ver- mont, when his son Samuel was a small child. The latter was carried by his mother on the back of a horse, the entire distance. He there grew to manhood and married Mary Ames, a daughter of Elijah Ames, who was also a soldier in the Revolutionary war from Connecticut, but who later moved to Vermont, locating in the wilderness, where he hewed out a farm. Samuel Rudd was also a farmer by occupation, and after rearing his family in Vermont, he later re- moved to Jefferson county, New York, lo- cating in the town of Ellisburg, where his death occurred.
Hiram D. Rudd spent his boyhood and youth in Vermont, under the shadow of the Green Mountains. In early life he had fair common-school advantages, his education being supplemented by reading and study in after life. In September, 1846, he was united in marriage with Miss Emily Jane Lyman, a native of Rutland county, Ver- mont, born in the town of Ira, and a daughter of Isaac and Achsah (Ames) Ly- man, both of whom were natives of Ver- mont, the latter being a second cousin of Charles Ames, whose sketch appears else- where in this work.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Rudd resided one year in Vermont, and in 1848 moved to New York, and settled in the town of Ellisburg, Jefferson county, where he engaged in farming for several years, and also in the carpenter's and joiner's trade. From Jefferson county, he moved
with his family to the town of Gaines, Or- leans county, New York, where they re- mained two years. In 1856, they came to Kane county, Illinois, and located at Kane- ville, where he has since continued to re- side. Here Mr. Rudd worked on a farm until September 18, 1861, when he enlisted in Company I, Eighth Illinois Cavalry, as a private, and with his regiment went east, where it was assigned to the Army of the Potomac; with that army our subject re- mained while in the service. He partici- pated in the fight on the Rappahannock, and also at Fairfax Courthouse, and in var- ious cavalry engagements, at the same time doing a good deal of scouting duty. In 1862, he met with an accident caused by the stampede of a number of horses, at which time he got his back and hips badly hurt, and was permanently disabled. He was first sent to the regimental hospital, and later to Douglas hospital in Washington, District of Columbia, where he remained three months, and in 1863 was discharged from the service and returned home. He has since been crippled and unabled to 1
work to any extent.
Politically, Mr. Rudd was first an old- . line Whig, but on the organization of the Republican party, became identified with it. As a Whig he voted for Henry Clay, a man whom he greatly admired and who was without doubt one of the greatest statesmen this country ever produced. As a Repub- lican he voted first for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, a vote for which he has never been ashamed. Mr. and Mrs. Rudd are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which they both take an active interest. For thirty-four years Mrs. Rudd has had charge of a class in the Sunday-school, and was in attendance nearly every Sunday. As
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the eldest resident of the village of Kane- ville, Mr. Rudd is well known and his many friends will be pleased to read the record of his life work in the Biographical Record of Kane county.
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H ARVEY BRUCE DENSMORE resides on section 14, Sugar Grove township, about four and a half miles west of Aurora, where he is living a retired life. His resi- dence in Kane county dates from 1836. He is a native of Windsor county, Ver- mont, born September 15, 1815. His fa- ther, Job Densmore, was also a native of Vermont. His grandfather Densmore was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was in the battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill. He lived to be nearly one hundred years old. Job Densmore was reared in his na- tive state, and there married Mary Jane Sprague, also a native of Vermont. By trade he was a miller, and for some years was engaged in that business. He is an or- dained minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, but later in life withdrew from that church, but still continued his preaching. His death occurred in Vermont many years ago.
The subject of this sketch grew to man- hood in Vermont, then went to Cortland county, New York, where he worked on a farm and engaged in other employments. Having had a good common-school educa- tion, he engaged in teaching to secure means for a better education in Cortlandville Acad- emy. While residing there he was united in marriage in 1836, and soon after moved to Kane county, Illinois, at a time when there was less than fifty inhabitants in Aurora. He drove through with three teams, in company with his father-in-law, George
W. Densmore. He spent a part of the first winter after coming west with relatives in Chicago, and then moved to the farm where he now resides, having purchased the claim of two hundred and forty acres. There was a log house on the place, fourteen feet square, with puncheon floor and shake roof, into which he moved and resided for some time. He soon afterward built an addition to the cabin, making the shingles himself. His wife here died, about 1851, leaving one daughter, Sarah, who first married a Mr. Avery, who was killed while in the service' of his country, during the war for the Union. She later married James Carter, a substantial farmer of De Kalb county, where they now reside. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Densmore married Miss Mary Jane Mather, a native of New York, who came west a young lady. By this union there is one son and three daughters-Charles M., who resides in Eugene, Oregon; Grace, wife of G. R. Lee, of Aurora; Jane, wife of Pratt Benjamin; and Jessie, wife of Charles Paul, of Wichita, Kansas. Pratt Benjamin was born in Kane county, Illinois, in June, 1856, and after his marriage in September, 1878, with Jane Densmore, he took charge of the Densmore homestead, which he has contin- ued to operate until the present time.
Politically Mr. Densmore was originally an Abolitionist, and kept a station on the underground railway. On the organization of the Republican party he became identi- fied with it, and has since been an advocate of its principles. At twenty-one he was elected township clerk, which position he held for many years. He has also served as justice of the peace and as a member of the school board. He voted at the first election ever held in the township. He as- sisted in the erection of the first school
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house in Sugar Grove, and taught the first sons and four daughters; all except one school in Sugar Grove township. Later he taught two other terms, and has assisted in the erection of two other school houses.
In 1888, Mrs. Densmore died at the residence of her daughter in Aurora, and later Mr. Densmore went to Nebraska and purchased some village property in Stanton, Stanton county, and there resided two or three years, during which time he was employed in the office of the county clerk and recorder. While there he erected a brick house, which has since been con- verted into a bank. Since coming to Kane county, sixty-two long years ago, Mr. Dens- more has witnessed many changes, and in the improvements that have been made he has taken an active part, and is recognized as one of the most progressive of the old settlers of Kane county.
JAMES C. MINARD, now living retired in the city of Aurora, has been a resi- dent of Illinois since 1856. The family are of French descent, and were originally members of the Society of Friends. The great-great-grandfather of our subject was a native of France, and was among the first settlers of Connecticut. His son, Captain Joel Minard, was a native of Connecticut, as was also Joel Minard, Jr., his son, the father of our subject. The family at quite an early day moved to Ulster county, New York, where Joel Minard, Jr., was reared and where he married Susannah Letts, a native of Schoharie county, New York, and a daughter of William Letts, also a native of New York state, who spent the last years of his life with his daughter, Mrs. Minard, and died in Ulster county. To Joel and Susannah Minard were born four
grew to mature years, and three sons and one daughter are now living, as follows: David, who resides in Mississippi; James C., of this review; Elias, residing in Colorado; and Mrs. Jane Moody, who resides just across the Hudson, from Poughkeepsie, in . Ulster county, New York. The father died in Ulster county, in 1852.
James C. Minard grew to manhood in Ulster county, and during the winter months attended the public schools and assisted his father upon the farm at other seasons of the year. He was born near Poughkeepsie, Ulster county, New York, November 13, 1825, and remained with his father until March 13, 1851, when he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Jane Teerpening, a native of Ulster county, reared and edu- cated in the same neighborhood with our subject, and a daughter of William J. Teer- pening, also a native of Ulster county, New York. By this union are four living chil- dren, as follows: William J., married and engaged in farming near Storm Lake, Iowa; Lenora, wife of John H. Husk, of Aurora; Mary, wife of Theodore R. Davis, a druggist of Hinckley, Illinois; and James Edward, a farmer of Kane county. They lost three children-Joel, who died at the age of four- teen years; Orin, who died at the age of five years; and Eva, who died when nine months old.
For five years after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Minard resided upon a farm in Ulster county, New York. Desiring to better themselves in life, in 1856 they came west to La Salle county, Illinois, locating near Leland, where Mr. Minard purchased a farm of two hundred acres, of partially improved land, and at once commenced the further development of the place. He
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built a large and substantial residence, and otherwise improved the place until he had one of the best farms in that neighborhood. In connection with farming, for three years he engaged in the mercantile business at Leland with fair success. In 1895 he sold the farm and moved to Aurora, since which time he has been living retired. He owns, however, a well improved farm of one hun- dred and forty acres, near Batavia, on which his son, James E. Minard, is now living. He also owns a well-improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres near Storm Lake, Iowa.
In early life Mr. Minard was an earnest supporter of the Whig party, but since 1856, when he voted for John C. Fremont, he has supported the men and measures of the Re- publican party, save for a short time on account of his strong belief in temperance, he supported the Prohibition party. Of late he has cast his ballot in favor of the Republicans, voting in 1896 for William Mckinley. Religiously Mr. and Mrs. Minard are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. As a friend of education and an advocate of good schools, he served for years as a member of the school board. Since coming to Kane county he has made many friends who esteem him for his up- right character and worth as a man and a citizen.
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