USA > Illinois > Kane County > The Biographical record of Kane County, Illinois > Part 75
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1852, he emigrated to the United States with his family, coming direct to Kane county, Illinois, and locating in the western part of Big Rock township, where he pur- chased an improved farm, and engaged in · farming, there spending the last years of his life, dying July 28, 1862, at the age of sev- enty-six years. His wife survived him a number of years, dying in March, 1876, at the age of eighty-two years. Of their fam- ily of fifteen children, all grew to mature years, of which number the following named are now living: George S., residing in Chi- cago; Thomas S., of Hinckley, Illinois; Richard, of this review; Mrs. E. F. Long, of Big Rock; and Mrs. Alfred Summers, of Aurora.
Richard Dale came to Kane county, a young man of twenty-eight years, and as- sisted his father in the operation of the home farm, until the latter's death. He was married in Aurora, March 6, 1856, to Ann Summers, a native of England, born in Frome, Somerset county, England, and who came to this country with her parents when but eight years of age. Her father, Joseph Summers, was one of the first set- tlers of Kane county, locating here in 1836, and purchasing a tract of four hundred acres, in Big Rock township, and, at his death, left Mrs. Dale that part of the estate on which they now reside. To Mr. and Mrs. Dale five children were born: Joseph H. resides at home and is carrying on the farm; John R. grew to manhood, and died December 21, 1884, at the age of twenty-two years; Martha M. is yet residing at home; Ann S. is the wife of E. K. Frydendall, of Big Rock, and they have one child, Lura; · Sidney J., a single man, also resides at home.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Dale
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located on the farm where they now reside, Leaving home, he took ship at Havre, and he at once began its improvement. He has since built a neat and substantial resi- dence, good barns and other outbuildings, and has tiled much of the land. He has now a well-improved and valuable farm of two hundred and eight acres. His good wife passed to her reward on the 17th of September, 1891, when nearly sixty-four years of age. Her death was mourned not alone by the family but by a large circle of friends.
Politically, Mr. Dale and sons are strong Democrats and give earnest and enthusiastic support to the men and measures of that party. For fifteen years, Mr. Dale served as commissioner of highways, and for twenty-six consecutive years was school director of Eagle school district, and is still serving as a member of the school board. Religiously, he was reared in the Episcopal faith. Identified with the interests of Big Rock township, for forty-six years, he is well known and is universally respected.
C HRISTOFER FREDERIC GEYER, who resides at No. 70, South Fourth street, Aurora, Illinois, is the well-known superintendent of the locomotive depart- ment of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad, a position which he has held for the past twenty years, to the satisfac- tion of all concerned. He is a native of Germany, born in Wurtemberg, near Lake Constance, October 22, 1839. In his na- tive city he remained until fifteen years of age, during which time he received a liberal education, although yet in his youth, he de- termined at once to begin life for himself, with a view of bettering his condition in life, he resolved to emigrate to America.
France, in a sailing vessel, and was seven weeks in making the voyage across the At- lantic, during which time they experienced some very severe weather, the storms sweep- ing the deck, carrying off one of the masts and a portion of the forward deck. Ar- riving in New York, he proceeded at once to Buffalo, where he joined some friends, and spent the first seven months on a farm. He then went into the machine shops of Henry Hawkins, where he served a five- years apprenticeship, during which time he saved up five hundred dollars. An absence of six years from home and friends, made him desirous of once more returning to his native land. He accordingly recrossed the Atlantic and after spending three and a half months with his parents and friends, he returned to Buffalo, and again went to work in the machine shops. His em- ployer later gave him a letter to a brother in Aurora, when he came here and went into the shops of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company, where he worked as a journeyman until 1875. He was then promoted to assistant foreman and served in that capacity about two years, and then took charge of the boiler shop for a year. In 1878 he was given charge of the loco- motive departmetu, and has held that re- sponsible position up to the present time, having under his control from two hundred to four hundred men. Mr. Geyer was mar- ried in Aurora, March 29, 1864, to Miss Caroline Scharshug, a native of New York, born in the city of Brooklyn, and a daugh- ter of John Scharshug, who removed with his family to Aurora in 1853, and locating on a farm in the city. He now resides in Aurora, where he is living a retired life. By this union are three children: the oldest,
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Mary, is the wife of Frank Lincoln, of Au- persons by the name of Eddy to come to rora; Clarence, nowa student at the North- western Medical College; and Edna I., a student in the East Aurora High School. They lost two children, Frederick O., who died at the age of eleven years, and Cora Josephine, who died at the age of seven years, both dying December 14, 1877, of diphtheria, and both buried in one grave.
Since coming to Aurora, Mr. Geyer has been fairly prosperous and has been able to make some investments. On the organiza- tion of the Improvement and Building As- sociation, he subscribed to its stock, and was made one of its directors, and is now its vice-president. For eight years he was a member of the board of public works, the duties of which office he discharged in a faithful manner. Politically he is identified with the Republican party, on national is- sues, but in local affairs he votes regardless of party. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, of the blue lodge, chapter and Eastern Star. Mrs. Geyer was reared a Lutheran. In his thirty-five years residence in Aurora, Mr. Geyer has not only gained the confidence of the officials of the great road with which he is connected, but has also gained the respect of all the people of Aurora, and is recognized as one of its best representative citizens.
A SEM A. OAKLEY, a farmer residing on section 31, Hampshire township, is a native of the Prairie state, born in Genoa township, De Kalb county, Illinois, January 9, 1853, and is the son of John A. and Mary Ann (Eddy) Oakley, the former a native of Oak Hill, New York, born in 1818, and the latter a native of Yates county, New York, and a daughter of John Eddy. The first
America were Samuel and John, who came in 1630, in the ship Handmaid, landing at Plymouth, Massachusetts. . They were the sons of Rev. William Eddye, vicar of the church of St. Dunstan, Cranbrook, County Kent, England, who married Mary Foster. Samuel Eddy was one of the original pur- chasers of the town of Middleboro, Massa- chusetts. His wife's first name was Eliza- beth. Zachariah, son of Samuel, married Alice Paddock, and their son Joshua mar- ried Hannah Stevens. Their son John married Sarah Stevens and lived at Glou- cester. Their son John was a captain in the Revolutionary war. He married Deb- orah Winsor, daughter of John Winsor, a celebrated Baptist minister of Smithfield, Rhode Island. Their son Richard married Susannah Shaw, the mother of Mary A. Eddy, who married John A. Oakley, the fa- ther of our subject. The name Eddye, from the Anglo-Saxon Edda, or Eadig, from root "ead", meaning prosperity. The remote ancestors fought in the holy wars, as is shown in the cross on armoreal bear- ings, which is a shield with the heads of three old men connected at shoulders by. cross, croslet and dagger, salientwise for crest. The motto is "Crux mihi grata quies."
In 1841 John A. Oakley came to Illi- nois and located in Genoa township, De Kalb county, where he purchased one hun- dred and twenty-five acres, on section 25, and forty acres adjoining in Hampshire township, Kane county, Illinois. He was a man of some prominence in De Kalb coun- ty, and for a time served as postmaster of New Lebanon. In politics he was a Re- publican. His death occurred in January, 1864. He was married about 1843 to Mary
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Ann Eddy, and they became the parents of five children, as follows: Erasmus A., de- ceased; Windsor, who lives in Sycamore, De Kalb county, Illinois; Melinda, wife of George Harrington, residing on the old homestead, section 25, Genoa township, De Kalb county; Amelia, wife of George Hallock, of Seattle, Washington; and Asem A., our subject.
Asem A. Oakley remained upon the home farm in Genoa township, De Kalb county, until fourteen years of age, receiv- ing his primary education in the public schools. He then went to Hillsdale, Mich- igan, where he pursued his studies in the college at that place, for three and a half years. From Hillsdale he went to Yates and Steuben counties, New York, where he spent six months visiting relatives and in working part of the time. Returning home he worked on the farm of his mother, until the age of twenty-three years, when he married Catherine Berry, born in Burling- ton township, Kane county, Illinois, and a daughter of Ebenezer and Matilda (Bennett) Berry, both of whom were natives of New York. Her father is now living retired in Sycamore, De Kalb county, Illinois. By this union are five children: Clifford, Daisy, Jessie, Kittie- and Mary A., the latter being better known as "Bonnie. " The four girls are expert musicians, forming an orchestra on the piano, violin, mandolin and guitar. Their services are in demand for entertain- ments.
After his marriage, Mr. Oakley rented a farm in Genoa township, for three years, and then crossed the line into Burlington township, Kane county, where he rented a farm for one year, after which he purchased his present farm of one hundred acres, on section 31, Hampshire township, which is a
well improved place and is devoted to gen- eral and dairy farming. In politics Mr. Oakley is a Republican, and fraternally he is a member of Hampshire Camp, Modern Woodmen of America. He has never de- sired office and has only been prevailed upon to accept that of school director.
L OUIS A. DEAN, who resides on section 35, Big Rock township, has a well- improved farm of one hundred and thirty acres, and is numbered among the settlers of Kane county of 1847. He was born in Westchester county, New York, April 30, 1843. His father, Smith A. Dean, was also a native of the same county and state, where he married Delilah Wright, also a native of New York. In 1846 they came to Kane county, Illinois, with their family and located in Big Rock township, on the farm now owned and operated by our subject. On his arrival he purchased the land, a small portion of which had been under the plow, and at once fenced and commenced the cultivation of the place, and here died April 28, 1849, at the age of forty-seven years. His wife survived him and died December 2, 1882, at the age of seventy-two years. Their children were: Erastus married and residing in Waterman, De Kalb county; Alice, wife of C. W. Reynolds, residing in Morrison, Illinois; John, who accidentally met his death when forty years of age; Ada, wife of Edward Meade, residing in Dunlap, Iowa; Louis A., the subject of this sketch; and Mariam, widow of Alfred King, of Aurora.
Louis A. Dean came to Kane county when but three years of age and upon the farm in Big Rock township grew to inan- hood and attended the public schools of the
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neighborhood. His school life was during the winter months, the summer months be- ing required for work upon the farm. He was married in Kane county, December 9, 1862, to Louisa Mewhirter, a native of Pennsylvania, born in Westmoreland coun- ty, and who came when a child to Kane county with her parents. Her father, Will- iam Mewhirter, was among the earliest set- tlers of the county and here died at the age of eighty-four years. His wife surviving him, died at the age of ninety years. To Mr. and Mrs. Dean two children were born. The eldest, Elmer, now owns and operates a farm of ,one hundred acres adjoining the old homestead. He married Anna Loucks, daughter of Almeron and Henrietta Loucks, and they have a son, Lewis A. Elzora is the wife of Albert Greenacre, a stock dealer of Hinckley, Illinois. They have one daughter, Alice.
After their marriage; Mr. Dean rented a farm for some years in the neighborhood of the old home place. He then bought out the heirs of the family homestead, which consisted of one hundred and ten acres. He later bought twenty acres adjoining the farm, and has since built a good addition to the house, erected a large barn and various outbuildings, put up a wind pump, and tiled the farm, making of it one of the best in Big Rock township. In addition to his home farm, Mr. Dean has operated one hundred and sixty acres of other land for some years, and is recognized as one of the active and successful farmers of Big Rock township.
Politically, Mr. Dean is a Democrat, with which party he has acted and given his support since casting his first ·presidential ballot for General George B. McClellan in 1864. Mr. and Mrs. Dean have been resi-
dents of Kane county since childhood, and attended the same school. They have witnessed the growth and development of the county and have been identified with its interests for more than half a century, and are well known and greatly esteemed in Kane and adjoining counties.
JAMES McMAHON is a prosperous farmer residing on section 23, Virgil township, where he owns and operates a farm of about four hundred acres of well improved and valuable land. He is a native of County Clare, Ireland, born in March, 1825, and is the son of Thomas and Nancy (Noonan) McMahon, both of whom were natives of Ireland, and became the parents of eight children.
The subject of this sketch spent his boy- hood and youth in his native land, and on attaining his majority joined the great band of emigrants for the new world. Arriving in New York he proceeded to Connecticut, where he remained six years, and in 1862 came to Kane county, Illinois. In 1863 he returned to Connecticut, and married Mary Comins, a native of Ireland, and by this union were born fourteen children, seven of whom are living. In order of birth they are as follows: Thomas, Margaret, Katie, James, Williaın, Dennis and Vin- cent.
In 1882 Mr. McMahon purchased the farm where he now resides, which then comprised about one hundred and seventy- one acres, but to which he has since added until he has now three hundred and ninety- five acres of as fine land as can be found in Virgil township, and which is under a high state of cultivation. Here he engages in general and dairy farming, and has been
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very successful. He is a natural born farmer, and has followed that occupation during his entire life. In politics he is a Democrat, and has voted that ticket since obtaining his naturalization papers in 1861. While taking a commendable interest in political affairs, he gives his time and atten- tion to his extensive business interests, leav- ing office seeking and office holding to others. The entire family are members of the Catholic church, in the doctrines of which they have unbounded faith.
FLAM F. HATCH, who resides on sec- tion 7, Sugar Grove township, traces his ancestry back to Thomas Hatch, who was born in Kent county, England, in 1603, and who came to the new world with Gov- ernor Winthrop in 1630, landing at Cape Cod. Elam F. is in the sixth generation from Thomas Hatch. He was born in Sherburne, Chenango county, New York, February 10, 1839. His father, Elam Hatch, was born in 1787, in the same house in which our subject was born. Tim- othy Hatch, the grandfather, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, as was also his father, Jethro Hatch, the great-grandfather of our subject. Elamn F. Hatch has a cane brought from England by Thomas Hatch in 1630, of which he is justly proud. The cane is of hazel wood with a heavy silver head, and ferrule. Descendants of Thomas Hatch have been well known in the history of the country and in various walks of life.
Elam Hatch, the father, was a farmer in New York, where he married Margaret Farrell, also a native of New York, and who is a descendant of an old family. In 1850, with his family, Mr. Hatch moved to Kane county, Illinois, and located on the
farın in Sugar Grove township, now occu- pied by our subject. Purchasing a hundred and thirty acres of partially improved land, he built a good house, fenced the land, and opened up a good farm. Here he reared his family and spent the last days of his life, dying in 1876. His wife died the pre- vious year. Their family consisted of four sons. The oldest, Israel Burdette, married in New York, came to Kane county, locat- ing in Aurora, from which place he moved to Kankakee, and still later to Denver, Colorado, and there died in 1888. T. Yale is married and is a farmer by occupation and now resides in Highmore, Hyde county, South Dakota. Elam F. is next in order of birth. Frank D. is a merchant at Kan- kakee, Illinois.
The subject of this sketch was eleven years of age when he came with his parents to Kane county, Illinois. He grew to man- hood on his father's farm and assisted in its cultivation and on the death of his parents succeeded to the home place. In Man- chester, Vermont, October 1, 1868, he was united in marriage with Miss Augusta Ma- ria Collson, a native of New York, who came to Illinois in childhood, lived in De- Kalb county, where she was reared and educated. By this union are six children as follows: Burdette M., a conductor on the street railway, residing in Aurora; Lor- enzo C., a farmer of Sugar Grove township; Cora G., wife of L. K. Owens, a fariner of Sugar Grove township; Addie M., wife of Eddie Phillips, of Big Rock, and Martha F., a young lady now housekeeper for her father. The children are all well educated and each of the daughters have engaged in teaching in the public schools. The wife and mother passed away December 28, 1895. She was an excellent woman, a true
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Christian, and her death was sincerely proceeded direct to Kane county, Illinois, mourned by the family and a large circle of friends.
Politically Mr. Hatch is a life-long Re- publican, and cast his first presidential bal- lot for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, and has voted for every presidential nominee of the party from that time to the present. He never wanted nor would hold office. Re- ligiously he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and is an official of the church at Kaneville. His parents were also members of that church, although they were reared in the Congregational faith. For forty-eight years Mr. Hatch has been a resident of Kane county, during which time he has contributed his share in its develop- ment and has always been interested in its growth and prosperity.
D AVID HAMILTON, deceased, who was long a resident of Campton town- ship, was born at Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland, June 11, 1815. He was the son of James and Mary (Kilpatrick) Hamilton, natives of Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire, Scotland, respectively. James Hamilton was a merchant tailor and clothier in the town of Hamilton, and carried on quite an extensive business. James and Mary Ham- ilton were the parents of nine children, our subject being the youngest of the family.
David Hamilton received his education at private schools in his native town. He learned the trade of a fruiterer and carried on that business very successfully for over twenty years on London street, Glasgow, Scotland. At the close of the war in 1865, he disposed of his business interests in the old country and came by steamer to the United States, landing at New York. He
and resided for a time with the Muirhead family in Plato township, until he could se- cure a desirable farm. He decided upon one in the northern part of Campton town- ship, and made a purchase of eighty acres , on section 8. He subsequently added sixty acres and afterward an additional fifty acres, and to this was added twenty acres of tim- ber, but subsequently sold two and a half acres to the railroad company. He, soon after purchasing, sold the fifty acres to his son-in-law, George Marshall. There was a log house on the eighty acres first pur- chased, and in this he resided. He was first married in Glasgow to Jane Morris, by whom he had five children. The wife and mother and youngest child died in Glasgow in 1863, his remaining four children accom- panying him to America, and made their home with him for a time upon the farm. He married, for a second wife, Miss Mar- garet Bowie, September 20, 1867, the cere- mony being performed in St. Charles, Illi- nois, by Rev. David Metlock. Mrs. Ham- ilton was born at Ardgwon, Inverkip, Ren- frewshire, Scotland, March 20, 1820, her parents being Archibald and Ann (Frazer). Bowie. Her mother, who died when Mrs. Hamilton was a child, was a descend- ant of an old and honored family of Scot- land. Her ancestor, being Simon Frazer, of Lovet, Inverniss, a very conspicuous fam- ily at the time the Stuarts filled the throne of England. Within the present century a protracted lawsuit has been waged over the Lovet estate, but was decided against the Frazer family, by a verdict of not proven. Mrs. Hamilton spent her childhood days on the sea-coast of Renfrew- shire. She was an old friend of the first wife and her husband. She came to Amer-
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ica in 1867 and the same year was married to David Hamilton.
The children by the first marriage were Jesse, who died unmarried at the age of forty-four, being accidentally burned to death; John; Mary, the wife of George Marshall, married March 31, 1879; they have three children-David, Jane and
David Hamilton, of this review, while in this county devoted his entire time to dairy farming, keeping a herd of never less 4 than forty milk cows. For some years prior to his death he was in delicate health, and died of heart disease in the Sherman Hospital, in Elgin, Illinois, December 17, 1894, aged eighty years. Soon after her husband's death, Mrs. Hamilton removed to Lily Lake, and erected a neat cottage in which to pass her declining years. She has an interest in her late husband's estate, some land of her own, beside the cozy resi- dence and lot at Lily Lake. In 1885 she made a trip to bonnie Scotland, visiting her old home in Renfrewshire, and making a protracted visit. She again visited Scot- land in 1895, staying four months. The trip was saddened by the absence of many of her old-time friends, who had gone to the land beyond. Although in her seventy- ninth year, Mrs. Hamilton is a very bright woman and an interesting talker, possess- ing all her faculties unimpaired. She is very active, occasionally taking long jour-
neys 'on foot in the neighborhood, where she has resided for over thirty years, and where she is so well and favorably known.
JOHN J. READ, who is engaged in farm- ing on section 12, Virgil township, was born on the farm where he now resides, Madge; John, who married Vidi West- November 6, 1852. He is the son of Rich- garth, of Kane county, is now residing on a -mond and Miranda (Sweet) Read, the farm at Benton Harbor, Michigan; he has six children-Jesse, Isabella, Donald, Nellie, Margaret and John Van Clair; Margaret married, July 14, 1878, James Clark, a farmer near Manchester, Iowa, and has five children-Adelbert, Agnes, Foster, Edna and a girl of three years.
former a native of Westmoreland county, New Brunswick, and the latter of Syracuse, New York. Of their family of ten children five are now deceased. Those living are: John J., Wilford A., Emma D., Otho E., and George R. The paternal grandfather, Eliphalet Read, was also a native of New Brunswick, and a farmer by occupation. He came to Kane county, Illinois, in Sep- tember, 1837, and took up two hundred and forty acres of government land in Vir- gil township, which he improved and which was his home during the remainder of his life.
Richmond Read, the father of our sub- ject, was one of the government surveyors in Kane county. He also took up two hun- dred and forty acres of government land, and here engaged in farming and stock- raising. He became one of the most prom- inent men in the township, and at one time was the owner of over five hundred acres of splendid land which he had under a high state of cultivation. His death occurred on the old homestead some years ago.
The subject of this sketch was reared upon the farm where he now resides, and which has been his home during his entire life. After attending the public schools of his neighborhood for a time he finished his education in the graded schools of Sycamore, De Kalb county, which he attended two
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