The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., Part 71

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron
Number of Pages: 884

USA > Illinois > Livingston County > The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 71

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after receiving an English education in. the common schools, he entered the Illi- nois Industrial University, in Champaign, completing the agricultural course, after which he went to St. Louis and learned the art of telegraphy ; his first situation was at Beecher City, Ill., on the Spring- field & Southeastern R. R .; after remaining there six months he came to Odell, and a year later went to Summit, spending two years there and one year at MeLean, and returning to Odell in April, 1876. He was married May 24, 1874, to Miss Mary E. Thompson, daughter of Mr. John Thompson, of Odell ; they have three children-Lida J., Ella J., and Cyrus A.

JOHN HALLIDAY, farmer and stock raiser, P. O. Odell; was born in Edin- burgh, Scotland, Sept. 3, 1827 ; when quite young, his parents removed to Berwiek- shire, where he lived until he came to the United States; he lived about fifteen miles from the home of Sir Walter Scott ; he came to this country in 1854, and after spending three years in Kendall Co., Ill., came to Livingston Co. in 1857, and four years later removed to Grundy Co., and again, in 1866, returned to Livingston Co., settling on his present home. He was mar- ried in 1864 to Miss Elizabeth Imire, of Odell Tp., and has one son-William I. Mr. Halliday has eighty acres of land in his farm on Sec. 8, valued at $40 an acre.

EWIN HOUCHIN, farmer, P. O. Odell; one of the earliest settlers of Liv- ingston Co .; was born near the Mammoth Cave, Ky., Feb. 3, 1814; when he was about 4 years old his parents removed to Gibson Co., Ind., and in 1829 came to Logan Co., Ill., then a part of Sangamon Co. ; in 1835, Mr. Houchin came to what is now Livingston Co., and opened a farm in Newtown, and resided in that township although not on the same farm, until 1865, when he moved to Odell ; he owned at one time 600 acres of land, and still owns about 450 acres in the county ; when he first came to the country, he used to work for twenty-five cents a day, and take his pay in store goods ; his market was Chicago, 100 miles distant ; the best wheat brought 50 cents a bushel, and from that down to 25 cents; oats, after being hauled 100 miles, sold for 10 cents a bushel ; Mr. Houchin estimates that he has chopped and split fully 100,000 rails in Illinois ; he is

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the only man now living in the county who built a cabin here prior to the Fall of 1835 ; he built the second cabin in Newtown. HIe was married Nov. 26, 1835, to Miss Rachel Hedges, of Ohio Co., Ky., she died Jan. 4, 1870; they had eight chil- dlren, two of whom are living-Saulsbury M. and John W. Four sons lost their lives in the war for the Union, viz. : William R., Henry, James, and Willoughby R .; one son, Alston, died in 1856, and a daughter, Emeline, in 1871. Mr. Houchin was married again June 29, 1870, to Mrs. Barbara Hagar, of Odell.

J. K. HOWARD, contractor and builder, Odell ; was born in Jefferson Co., N. Y., Jan. 4, 1840; he followed the farm until he was 18 years of age, and then learned the trade of a carpenter and builder, which he has since followed. In August, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Co. C, 35th N. Y. Vols. ; was promoted to Orderly Sergeant, and served one year, when he was discharged by reason of injuries re- ceived in the service. He was married on the 21st of January, 1863, to Miss F. A. Parrish, of his native county; she is a daughter of W. R. Parrish, now of Odell ; they have four children-Nellie M., Fred- die E., Virgil A., and Eula M. In 1864, Mr. Howard recruited a portion of a com- pany of volunteers, which was

as- signed to an infantry regiment, and not wishing to re-enter that branch of the ser- vice, he enlisted in Co. F, 10th N. Y. Heavy Artillery, and served until the close of the war ; he came to Odell in August, 1865 ; in June, 1876, he recruited Co. D, 10th Bat. I. N. Guards, and was chosen Captain ; after the strike at Braidwood, in 1877, during which time the battalion was on duty twenty-four days, he was elected Major of the battalion, which office he now holds.

THOMAS HAMLIN, farmer; P. O. Odell; was born in Juniata Co., Penn., Oct. 4, 1794. He married Miss Elizabeth Kepner, of the same county ; they had eight children, three of whom are living- Hial F., John K. and Thomas H. About 1827, Mr. Hamlin removed to Wayne Co., Ohio, returning shortly afterward to Penn- sylvania and settling in Huntingdon Co .; he removed thence to Blair Co., and from there to Livingston Co., in 1854, settling on the farm where he now resides, at the

age of 84 years ; his wife died about forty years ago.

HIAL F. HAMLIN, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 1; P. O. Odell; was born in Juniata. Co., Penn., Sept. 24, 1826 ; he is a son of Thomas Hamlin, and when he was quite young, his father removed to Ohio, thence to Huntingdon Co., Penn., thence to Blair Co., and thence to Livings- ton Co., Ill., in 1854; at that time one could stand where his house now stands and not see a house in five miles, except the station and one small cabin in Odell. He was married April 18, 1867, to Miss Laura V. Kenney, of Union Tp. ; she was born in Oakland, Armstrong Co., Penn., Jan. 16, 1851, and came to Illinois in 1865 ; they have one child-Arthur V. Mr. Hamlin owns 160 acres of land, val- ued at $40 per acre ; he has served one year as Collector, and one term on the Board of Supervisors.

T. H. HAMLIN, farmer ; P. O. Odell ; was born in Huntingdon Co., Penn., in 1833 ; he is a son of Thomas Hamlin, now of Odell Tp., and at the age of about 17 years, removed with his father's family to Blair Co., where the family resided uutil their removal to Odell, April 20, 1855 ; they were among the very earliest settlers here, there being but the railroad depot and one small cabin in Odell at that time ; they settled on a farm about two and a half miles east of town, where the elder Hamlin still resides ; Mr. Hamlin moved to the village in 1874; in March, 1877, he engaged in the furniture business which he continued until the Spring of 1878. He was married Oct. 29, 1863, to Miss Ellen A. Bateman, of Dwight Tp .; she was born in Detroit, Mich., Jan. 1, 1846, and came to Illinois when but 3 years of age ; they have one son-George B., born Feb. 4, 1866.

ABRAHAM IMRIE, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. Odell ; was born in the Par- ish of Ednam Roxburyshire, Scotland, on the 6th of Feb., 1833; in 1855, he came to the United States with his father and the other members of the family, and set- tled in Kendall Co., Ill. ; about four years later, he removed to Livingston Co., and remained in Esmen Tp. until 1865, when he located on his present farm on Sec. 7, where he has 110 acres of land, valued at $4,400. He was married Jan. 1, 1872,

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t o Miss Isabella Denholm, of Odell ; she was born in Berwickshire, Scotland, Nov. 4, 1850, and came to this country in 1870 ; they have three children-William A., Maggie D. and Andrew D.

W. T. KENYON, of the firm of Ken- yon & Gallaher, dealers in groceries, fruits, toys. stationery, periodicals, etc., Odell ; was born in Wayne Co., N. Y., Oct. 28, 1853 ; he isa son of P. W. Kenyon, now of Odeil, and came with his parents to this place in 1868; he was educated princi- pally at the Newark High School, in his native county ; he began business for him- self when he was 17 years of age, and two years later engaged in the lumber trade with his father, which he continued nearly three years ; in 1874, he engaged in his present business. He was married Dec., 12, 1877, to Miss Abbie C. Supplee, dangh- ter of Z. Supplee, of Odell.

P. W. KENYON, lumber merchant, Odell; was born in Rensselaer Co., N. Y., Dec. 17, 1826, and received a good edu- cation at Newark, at which place he en- tered into mercantile life ; he engaged in the dry goods business, in which he met with good success, having accumulated a good property ; he emigrated to Illinois in 1869, locating in Odell, and engaged in his present business ; he has been a mem- ber of the Board of Trustees a number of years, also Village President. He married Miss Mary Grant, of Newark, Oct. 8, 1848; she was born Oct. 26, 1826 ; they are parents of three children-Charles, deceased; Willie T., in the grocery busi- ness in Odell, and Anna M.

B. F. LEONARD, blacksmith, Cayuga ; was born in Greene Co., Penn., March 21, 1840 ; when he was about 5 years of age, his parents and brother and sister died, leaving him the only member of the family he then went to Fayette Co. to live with his grandfather, where he lived until he was 18 years of age; he then went to Washington Co., where he learned his trade and remained six years. In 1862, the enlisted as Quartermaster Sergeant in Ringgold Cavalry, which afterward became the 22d Pennsylvania Cavalry ; he served until the close of the war, principally en- gaged in scouting in West Virginia. In 1869, he came to Livingston Co., and set- tled near Cayuga on a farm, and the fol- lowing year came to Cayuga. He was

married Dec. 31, 1861, to Miss Atha J. McAllister, of Monongahela City, Penn .; they have four children-Sudie, Edward, Mary and Russell E. He has served four years as School Director.

JOHN LYONS, confectioner, Odell; was born in the County of Limerick, Ireland, May 1, 1840 ; he came to this country in 1852, locating in Ontario Co., N. Y., where he found employment as a farmer, and re- mained until 1856, when he came to Illi- nois, locating in Odell, but shortly removed to Bloomington, where he remained some five years, then returned to Odell and en- gaged in the saloon business, after which he was in the employ of the C., A. & St. L. R. R. Co., as section foreman; in 1876, he established himself in his present busi- ness. He married Miss Elizabeth McGuire, of his native country, July 27, 1865; she was born April 24, 1847 ; they are parents of five children-Mary, born April 26, 1867 ; Sarah, born Feb. 26, 1871, died Jan. 11, 1878 ; Daniel, born Sept. 13, 1873, died April 21, 1874 ; Charlie, born Aug. 8, 1875 ; Sarah A., born Feb. 13, 1878.

WM. A. McCLOUD, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 36 ; P. O. Odell ; was born in Livingston Co., N. Y., April 26, 1843; he came with his father's family to Michigan, thence to Kendall Co., Ill., and thence to Livingston Co., in 1859, and has continued to reside on the home place to the present time. In Aug. 1862, he enlisted in Co. G, 129th I. V. I., serving until the close of the war; he was wounded in the hand, losing one of his fingers at the battle of Lost Mountain, Ga., in June, 1863. He was married on the 24th of Dec., 1866, to Miss Delia Putnam, of Odell ; she was born in Huntington Co., Ind., March 27, 1848; they have one child-Fred. A.

CHARLES McCLOUD, farmer ; P. O. Odell; was born in Washington Co., Vt., Jan. 31, 1802; when about 35 years old, he removed to Livingston Co., N. Y., and three years later to Michigan ; about 1850, he came to Kendall Co., Ill., and resided there until 1859, and then came to Odell ; he settled on his present farm in 1863, where, with his son, he owns eighty acres of land, valued at $3,200. He was married about the year 1829, to Miss Har- riet Kendall, of his native county ; she died about 1853, leaving five children-

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Harriet (now Mrs. Barney Kanna, of Ken- dall Co.), Emily (now wife of Samuel Trowbridge, of Odell), Sarah A. (now Mrs. Milton McLain, of Andrew Co., Mo.), William A. and Calista (now Mrs. David Boyer, of Kendall Co.) Mr. McCloud has served several terms as School Director.

JOHN McWILLIAMS, farmer; P. O. Odell; was born in Belmont Co., Ohio, Jan. 15, 1832; his father removed to Pike Co., Ill., in 1835, where he now resides, engaged in banking; when the gold fever broke out in 1849, Mr. Mc- Williams, then a lad of: 17, made the overland trip to California, and spent four years in that State and Oregon ; in 1853, he returned to Griggsville and engaged in the lumber business with his father, which he continued until July, 1861, when he entered the 8th I. V. I. for three months ; in the Spring of 1862, he removed to Dwight, Livingston Co., and there volun- teered in the 129th I. V. I., and served during the war. Returning in June, 1865, he came to Odell and engaged in the lum- ber and general dry goods business, which he followed four years, since which time he has been engaged in agricultural pursuits.

JOSEPH H. MOORE, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. Odell; was born in Middle- sex Co., Mass., Jan. 30, 1813; he re- mained on the farm most of the time until he became of age, receiving an English edu- cation in the public schools ; in 1835, he began his railroad career asa Conductor on the Boston & Worcester Railroad, running a train over that road on the 4th of July, the day on which the road was completed between the two cities ; he served as a Conductor on that road eight years, and two years as a General Manager of passenger trains; he was then appointed Superintendent of the Old Colony R. R., running from Bos- ton to Plymouth, the road over which the Massachusetts Pilgrims' Society made their annual trip to Plymouth Rock to celebrate Forefathers' Day ; after seven years he re- moved, in 1852, to Adrian, Mich., and be- came the Superintendent of the Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana R. R., which was opened through to Chicago early that Spring ; three years later he went to Pitts- burgh, Penn., as Superintendent of the Ohio & Pennsylvania R. R., and continued in the superintendency of that and the

consolidated Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago road, until 1859 ; after which he served that company as Commercial and General Agent in Chicago, until 1869, when the road was leased by the Pennsyl- vania Company ; he then superintended the construction of the Chicago & South- western R. R., from Washington, Iowa, to the Missouri River at Atchison ; in 1855, he had purchased his farm of 600 acres, in Livingston Co., and in 1870, he removed his family to Odell; he has resided on his farm since 1872. He was married Sept. 6, 1836, to Miss Sarah H. Brooks, ot Groton, Mass., and has one child living- Sarah E. (now Mrs. D. F. Baxter, of Chi- cago).

L. MORSE, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. Odell; has been a resident of Liv ingston Co. since 1861, when he came from Bristol Co., Mass., and settled on his present farm; he was born in Bristol Co., Mass., March 24, 1834 ; he has been engaged principally in agricultural pursuits. In August, 1862, he entered the Union service as a member of Co. G, 129tlı I. V. I .; was elected First Lieut., and served until the close of the war ; he took part in all the battles of his regiment ; was with Sherman from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and on the memorable march to the sea, through the Carolinas and in Vir- ginia. He owns 400 acres of land-320 in his home farm on Secs. 12 and 13, and eighty on Sec. 2. He was married Jan. 28, 1869, to Miss America J. Wakefield, of Kendall Co., Ill .; she was born in Johns- town, Pa., Dec. 5, 1838; they have two children-Abbie E. and Arthur W.

S. S. MORGAN, civil engineer and agriculturist, Odell; one of the early settlers and original proprietors of the village of Odell; was born in Berk- shire Co., Mass., Jan. 25, 1823; when about 10 years of age, he went with his father's family to New York City ; his father was a civil engineer, engaged on public works, and afterward projected and surveyed a large number of railroads, among which may be mentioned the Bos- ton & Albany, New York & Albany, Hud- son River, Chicago & Galena, Milwaukce & Mississippi, Chicago & Rock Island, and Peoria & Oquawka. Mr. Morgan's early life was passed in accompanying and assisting his father on these works, living

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at different. times in New York City, Rhode Island, Springfield, Mass., Stock- bridge, Mass., Sing Sing and Albany, N. Y. The family removed to Kendall Co., Ill., in 1843. On becoming of age, Mr. Morgan continued his business of a civil engineer as principal assistant to his father on several Western railroads, and resided successively in Chicago, St. Charles, Mil- waukce, Pern. Rock Island, Peoria and Joliet. He was married June 15, 1848, to Miss Mary Holden, of Cook Co., who died in 1854, leaving one son, Richard P., who died in January, 1873; in 1854, he came to Livingston Co., and with Wm. H. Odell purchased a tract of land and laid out the village of Odell; he afterward purchased 2,100 acres, which he began improving and selling; he directed his energies to building public roads centering in Odell, which town owes much of its prosperity to his public spirit and enter- prise ; he has been Commissioner of High- ways every year but one since the town- ship organization ; he has served most of the time as School Director, and two terms as Supervisor. Mr. M. was a Democrat until just before Lincoln's election, when he became a Republican, but for the past few years has been independent in politics. He resides on his place near the village, where he has one of the finest vineyards in the country, containing some 3,000 vines. He was married a second time in 1858 to Miss Anzonetta R. Marshall, of Poguonock, Conn., a descendant of one of the earliest families of Connecticut ; they have four children-Arthur M., Mary C., Sidney S., and Estelle E.

PATRICK MCALLISTER, farmer and stock raiser; P. O. Odell; was born in the Parish of Kilmagen, Drumin- acoile, County Down, Ireland, May 12, 1815; he was raised to farming pursuits, and in 1838 came to this country, and after spending two years in Philadel- phia, he settled in Blair Co., Penn., where he lived for eighteen years, coming thence to Livingston Co. in 1858 ; he settled in 1860 on his present farın, where he owns 160 acres of land finely improved, with good buildings, valued at $45 an acre. He was married Oct. 19, 1838, to Miss Elizabeth Mckinney, who died in 1852, leaving six children-Mary A., Maggie J., Elizabeth, John, Frank and Celie. Mr.

McAllister was married again in 1855 to Miss Mary A. Donohue, of Blair Co., Penn. ; they have four children-Agnes, Katie, Rebecca and Martha. He is a careful, enterprising and successful farmer, and a highly respected citizen.

CAPT. CHARLES NICHOLS, Odell. was born in the Island of Nantucket, Mass., Dec. 16, 1820; in July, 1836, at the age of 15 years, he made his first sea voyage as a sailor before the mast, and in 1845 was made first officer ; in 1849, he took command of a ship as captain ; he followed the sea for thirty years, princi- pally in the whaling business in the North and South Pacific Oceans, but mainly in the latter ; he has made seven whaling voyages and two voyages in the merchant service from New York; he has sailed around the world four times via the Indian Ocean, and home via Cape Horn. He was married Aug. 21, 1849, to Miss Caro- line H. King, of Providence, R. I., who accompanied her husband thirteen years in his voyages at sea, making with him three voyages around the world. Capt. Nichols first came to Odell in 1865, and the following year started on another voy- age at sea, returning in 1870 to Odell, where he has since resided. He is Presi- dent of the Town Board of Trustees, of which he has been a member for several years.

GEORGE C. NETTLETON, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. Odell ; was born in Cornwall, Litchfield Co., Conn., Dec. 29, 1833; he received a good English educa- tion, and at the age of 17 years came to Illinois, and after spending about a year in Farm Ridge Seminary, in La Salle Co., he engaged in teaching, which he continued for seven Winters, and during the Summer seasons engaged in farming ; he purchased his present farm in the Spring of 1861, and in the Fall of the same year he enlisted in Co. A., 53d Ill. Vols., serving a year and nine months, and then re enlisted as Hos- pital Steward in the 59th United States Colored Regiment, and served about two years longer. He was married Nov. 14, 1864, while home on a furlough, to Miss Sarah A. Putnam, of Odell Tp .; she was born near London, Ohio, April 13, 1844 ; she died on the 15th of July, 1877. Mr. Nettleton has eighty acres of land, valued at $45 an acre.

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J. D. POUND, Justice of the Peace, real estate and collection agent, Odell ; was born in the County of Lincoln, Province of Ontario, Dec. 26, 1834; when he was about 8 years old, he removed with his father's family to Wayne Co., where he lived until the Fall of 1860 ; he then came to Illinois, settling in LaSalle Co., where he engaged in farming; he removed to Odell in February, 1863, and on the 9th of May, 1864. enlisted in Co. E, 134th Ills. Vols. for 100 days, and served about six months ; since the war he has been en- gaged in various kinds of business in Odell. He was married Feb. 12, 1868, to Miss Charlotte E. Ostrander, of Odell, and has one child, Lora R. In 1876 he was elected Justice of the Peace to fill out an unex- pired term. and re-elected for the full term in April, 1877 ; he has a farm of 480 acres in Union Tp.

S. H. PENNEY, banker, Odell; was born in Jefferson Co., N. Y., Sept. 27, 1833 ; he was brought up to farming pur- suits, and after receiving a common school education, attended the Adams Seminary three years ; in 1859 he came to La Salle Co., Ill., and followed farming there until his removal to Livingston Co. in 1864; after coming to the county he continued farming one year, and then engaged in mercantile business, in which he is still engaged, as a member of the firm of Pen- ney Bros., dealers in general merchandise ; he established the Odell Exchange Bank in 1873; he has considerable real estate interests in the county ; owns a farm of 640 acres in Odell Tp. He was married Sept. 10), 1856, to Miss Elizabeth C. Wil- cox, of Jefferson Co., N. Y .; they have five children, Fred. M., Frank H., Edgar B., Nina E., and Anna M. Mr. Penney held the office of Justice of the Peace twelve years, and has served one term on the Board of Aldermen.

RAYMOND PREMERSDORFER, manufacturer and dealer in boots and shoes; P. O. Odell; was born in Wur- temburg, Germany, Sept. 14, 1836 ; in 1854 he came to the United States, settling in Philadelphia, where he lived three years; engaged in manufactur- ing boots and shoes, which trade he learned before coming to this country; in 1857 he came to Chicago, and resided there until 1866. In 1861 he enlisted for three

months as a musician in the 19th Ill. Vols -the first regiment that left Chi- cago ; he removed to Pontiac in 1866, re- turning to Chicago in 1869. In the great fire in 1871 he was burned out, and then came to Odell, where he has remained ever since. He was married Nov. 2, 1861, to Miss Afkeo Valentine, of Chicago, who was born in Prussia; they have one child living, Edith T., having lost three.

T. S. POUND, farmer and stock raiser : P. O. Odell ; was born in the Province of Ontario, April 10, 1831 ; when he was 13 years old, his parents removed to the United States, settling in Wayne Co., N. Y., where they resided until 1861, and then removed to La Salle Co., Ill .; two years later, Mr. Ponnd came to Livingston Co., and engaged in farming, settling on Section 25, when there was not a house within seven miles to the south and east of him, and but one between there and Odell ; he owns 200 acres of land, valued at $8,000; he spent ten years selling goods in Odell. He was married on the 18th of Feb., 1859, to Miss Harriett N. Angell, of Wayne Co., N. Y .; they have three chil- dren-Martha A., Eugene F. and Ethan A. Mr. Pound has served three years as School Trustee, and two years as Commis- sioner of Highways; he also served one term on the Board of Trustees of Odell.

JOSIAH H. RAY, proprietor of Strawn House, Odell ; was born in Portage Co., Ohio, Aug. 13, 1828 ; he was educated at Hiram College, on the Western Reserve ; in 1845, he left home, going to the then Territory of Wisconsin, and after liv- ing in Rock Co. one year, settled in Columbia Co., at that time a part of Portage Co .; he entered a quarter section of land from the government, and began farming, which he continued until 1861. On the 29th of April of that year he was com- missioned First Lieut., and recruited the company of volunteers from Columbia Co., which was assigned to the 7th W. V. I .; he was promoted Captain, and afterward to Major, and as such, had command of regiment for a long time ; he served in the army of the Potomac in the brigade known as the Iron Brigade ; he took part in the battles of Antietam, Gettysburg, Big Bethel, the second battle of Bull Run, etc. ; re- turning at the close of the war, he engaged in merchandising until 1869 ; in 1870, he

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was elected Sheriff of his county and served eight years. He has always made the study of geology and mineralogy a specialty, and in 1867, was appointed by the Govern- or on the State Geological Survey, and in that capacity, spent six months in the Lake Superior region ; in Sept., 1877, he came to Odell and became proprietor of the Strawn House. He was married July 18, 1852, to Miss Angelia N. Hopkins, of Lexington, Ill. ; they have four children -Emma E., Maggie M., Minnie R. and Josiah H., Jr.

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The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., Part 71

Author: Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron Number of Pages: 884

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron
Number of Pages: 884