The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 137

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr.
Number of Pages: 1092

USA > Illinois > McLean County > The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 137

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T. J. FORD, farmer and stock-raiser ; P. O. Towanda; born in Boston, Mass., upon the 6th of January, 1841, where he attended the public school until 12 years of age, when he emigrated with his father to Wisconsin and located in Milwaukee Co., where he was raised to farm labor until 21 years of age; when, upon Aug. 18, 1862, he enlisted as private in Co. H, 24th Wiscon- sin Vol. Infantry, and went forward to battle for the Union : he was forwarded to the army of the Cumberland under Gen. Rosecrans, and was engaged in the battle of Prairieville, Oct. 8, 1862; Stone River, Dec. 31, 1862; Chickamauga, Sept. 19 and 20, 1863 ; Mission Ridge, Nov. 24 and 25, 1863 ; Rocky Face, May 9, 1864; Resaca, May 14, 1864; Calhoun, May 17, 1864 ; Adairsville, May 18, 1864; Spring Hill, Nov. 29, 1864; Franklin, Nov. 30, 1864; Nashville, Dec. 15 and 16, 1864 ; at the battle of Prairieville, he was promoted to Sergeant for meritorious conduct ; at the battle of Adairsville, he was wounded by a ball in the left breast, and which he yet carries in his breast, from the effects of which he is unable to perform much manual labor, especially that which causes much movement of the chest and muscles ; he has been treated by physicians for the same for the last fourteen years; he laid in the hospital some six months, when he again joined his regiment at Chattanooga, and remained with the regiment until he received his discharge, June 22, 1865, having served in the Union army nearly three years ; his father and brother also served in the Union army three years ; after receiving his discharge, he returned to Wisconsin and engaged in farming until 1867, when he came to MeLean Co., and located upon his present place, where he has since lived. He owns eighty acres upon his home place, all under a high state of cultivation ; all of which he has made by his correct business habits. His marriage with Mary Finley was celebrated Aug. 8, 1868 ; they have no children. Mr. Ford has taken a deep interest in politics, being a strong Republican, and has always supported the above party since its organization ; he has taken an interest to such an extent that he was called upon to make speeches for the support of the Republican party, of which favorable men- tion was made by the Bloomington papers ; to use his own expression, he votes as he fought.

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J. G. GEIGER. farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 3 : P. O. Towanda : one of the old settlers of McLean Co. ; born in Bavaria, Germany. April 9, 1833 ; he was employed in his youth at farm- ing and the lumber business until 19 years of age, when he emigrated to America, landing in New York May 18, 1852; coming West, he was employed upon a farm in Ohio until 1856, when he emigrated to Illinois, and after working as farm laborer three years west of Bloomington. he purchased eighty acres, in 1859, upon Sec. 4, where he removed and lived until 1866, when he sold his farm and purchased 125 acres upon the northeast quarter of Sec. 3, upon which he then located, and where he now lives. Mr. Geiger arrived in Cincinnati without a penny : he has since received a legacy of $350, and now owns 285 acres of land in Towanda and Money Creek Townships, with two good sets of farm-buildings, all of which he has made by his own hard labor, energy and industry. His marriage with Anna Niese was celebrated in McLean Co., in September, 1859; she was born in Bavaria in October, 1834; they were the parents of thirteen children, of whom seven are now living, viz., George II., Frank, Albert F., John W., Paul H., Magdalene and Minnie ; the deceased died in infancy.

C. M. HELLER, farmer, Sec. 9; P. O. Towanda ; one of the old settlers of McLean Co. ; born in Clark Co., Ohio. Oct. 2, 1839 : he came to this county in 1856, and located upon Sec. 17, this township ; Mr. Heller first commenced farming for himself upon rented land, his capital at that time consisted of one team ; after farming upon rented land some five years, he purchased a $1,400 interest in his present place, and now owns 120 acres of land, all under a good state of cultivation with good farm-buildings, all of which he has accumulated by his own hard labor and correct business management. Upon the 28th of November, 1861, he was united in mar- riage with Anna Fling ; she was born upon Sec. 9, this township, in 1841 ; she was a daughter of Richard Fling, one of the early pioneers of this county, and one of the Revolutionary patriots who emigrated from Ohio to McLean Co., at a very early day. He met his death by his team running away while in Bloomington, in the fall of 1855, at the advanced age of 70 years.

FRANKLIN HENDERSON, farmer and grain-dealer ; P. O. Towanda; one of the old set- tlers of McLean Co .; born in Greene Co., Ill., Sept. 15, 1828 : in the spring of 1857, he came to McLean Co., and located at Towanda, where he has since been largely engaged in farming and buying and shipping stock to Chicago and Eastern markets, and buying and shipping grain to Chicago: he held the office of School Treasurer for ten years; has been Supervisor of his township for ten years, nine years in succession, and for four years was Chairman of the Board. Upon entering upon the duties of Supervisor, he was appointed Chair- man of the Committee on Railroad Assessments, and, being convinced from large observations that they were not paying tax upon their property at the rate individuals were, he at once com- menced to raise their assessments from their schedules; to this the railroads took exceptions, and commenced litigation, which passed through all the courts, widening and deepening as it went, until nearly all the railroads in the State became involved in it, ending in a complete victory for the people, and against all railroad companies and corporations, and establishing by legislation and the courts the principles of equal taxation to all. While this was progressing in court, he was appointed by the Board of Supervisors to visit and confer with the State Board of Equaliza- tion, looking after the interest of the county, whose assessments had been raised by the State Board of Equalization upward of 32 per cent upon all real and personal property ; he succeeded in showing the State Board the injustice of such assessments, and succeeding in obtaining a reduction of upward of 15 per cent on the next year's assessments, instead of the 32 per cent. addition ; at the same time, he detected a clerical error the Clerk of the State Board had made the year before of $5,000 against the county. The State Board took the ground in this matter that they had no power to relieve the county only by recommending to the Legislature to refund the amount by legislative enactment, and proposed to do this, but, from some cause. failed to do so; but the error was so plain that our Senator, John Cusey, and Representatives John Cassedy, Dr. Rogers and Dr. E. A. Stuart, drew up the bill, and succeeded in battling it through, and recov- ered back $4,850 of the amount. Mr. Henderson now owns 240 acres of land, 160 of which is in this township. His marriage with Sarah A. Metcalf was celebrated Aug. 10, 1851; she was born in Morgan Co., Ill., Dec. 25, 1829; they have five children now living, having lost two by death ; the living are-George, Frank, Effie, Edwin, Harry ; the deceased died in childhood.

WILLIAM HEMSTREET, retired farmer ; P. O. Towanda : one of the old settlers of McLean Co .; born in Scoharie Co., N. Y., Nov. 15, 1807, where he obtained a common-school education by walking a distance of four miles to and from school : he was brought up to farm labor until 15 years of age, when he was apprenticed to learn the blacksmith trade, which business he followed some three years in his native town, after which he removed to Syracuse and engaged in the same business a few years, when he engaged as partner in the carriage and general blacksmith business until 1855, when he emigrated West and located in La Salle Co., Ill., until 1861, when he came 10 McLean Co. and settled in Blue Mound Township, where he purchased 170 acres of land which at that time was perfectly wild, and which he brought from its wild prairie condition to its present high state of cultivation by his own hard labor. In 1875, Mr. Hemstreet sold his farm and retired from active labor, and purchased his present residence in Towanda, where he has since lived. Mr. and Mrs. Hemstreet are regular attendants of the churches, having been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church for a period of half a century. His marriage with

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TOWANDA TOWNSHIP.

Sophia Parker was celebrated in New York March 10, 1832; she was born in Wallingford, Conn., Sept. 22, 1808; they were the parents of four children-Elmira H. (now Mrs. Samuel Gardner, living in Chicago), William F., George W. (lost his life while defending his country at Jackson, Miss., in the summer of 1863 ; he was commissioned as First Lieutenant of Co. G, 53d I. V. 1., which position he held until his death : his widow and one daughter are now living in Pontiac) ; James S., now a blacksmith and carriage maker at Delavan, Tazewell Co., Ill.

FRANK M. JONES, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 15; P. O. Towanda ; one of the old set- tlers of McLean Co. He is a brother of Nelson Jones, whose sketch also appears in this work. F. M. Jones was born in Clark Co., Ohio, March 8, 1833. He is the youngest son of Abram R. Jones, Sr., who was born Oet. 17, 1791, in the State of New York, of Welsh descent; he emigrated to Ohio in 1808, and, during the war of 1812, was engaged in hauling provisions to the army. Upon the 13th of May, 1813. he was united in marriage with Matilda Noel. She was born in Kentucky July 29, 1795, and emigrated to Maryland and from there to the territory of Ohio in 1802. They came to this county in 1856, where Mr. Jones died Feb. 11, 1865. Mrs. Jones is now living in Towanda, in the 84th year of her age, in possession of all her faculties, and daily attends to the light duties of housekeeping, and is a regular attendant of the Methodist Church, of which she has been a member for the past seventy years. Upon her 83d birthday, a family reunion was held at the residence of her son, F. M. Jones, at which there were about one hun- dred present, most of whom were her direet descendants, of whom were present six of her seven living children, seventeen grandchildren, and one of thirteen great-grandchildren. The subject of this sketch came to this township in 1851, and, the following year, purchased eighty-five acres and entered one hundred and sixty acres with land warrants, and engaged in farming and stock- raising, which business he has since successfully followed. He feeds yearly some two hundred and fifty cattle, one hundred hogs, some horses and sheep, a part of the cattle being blooded short horns. Ife owns upward of three hundred acres of land and rents five hundred acres. which he makes use of for grazing, hay and corn. In 1866, Mr. Jones contracted to break one thousand acres of prairie for his brother. A. R. Jones, and went to Texas, where he pur- chased one hundred and sixty-five head of steers, which he brought up and made use of, fitting up thirteen ox-teams of five yoke in each team, supplying his own herders, blacksmith and cook, which he kept upon the ground. His marriage with Ann M. Hampleman was celebrated Jan. 28, 1858. She was born in Clark Co., Ohio, Oct. 18, 1839. They were the parents of seven children, of whom five are now living. viz., Price M., Edwin E., Maurice E., Cyrus G. and Stella.

NELSON JONES, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 16 : P. O. Towanda; one of the pioneers of Towanda Township, MeLean Co .; born in Clark Co., Ohio, April 5, 1826, where he was raised to farm labor. In the spring of 1848, he came to Smith's Grove, McLean Co., and, in 1849, he and his brother J. R. purchased 600 acres in Towanda Township. In 1850, Cyrus Jones purchased a one-third interest, and the three brothers continued farming and stock-raising in partnership until 1851, since which time Mr. Jones has continued the same alone. Ifis capital, upon arriv- ing here, consisted of $342 cash, and one horse and saddle. In 1854, he entered some two hundred acres of land. He now owns nearly one thousand acres, upon which he has three sets of good farm buildings, his large private brick residence being erected in 1869, at an expense of upward of $12,000; his main barn was built in 1873, at an expense of some $4,500, and, with the house, are second to no farm buildings in the county. He is one of the prominent men of the township, in which he has taken a deep interest since its organization, and is now the second oldest settler and voter of the township. Aside from farming. he is largely engaged in raising and feeding stock, making a specialty of blooded short-horn cattle, feeding yearly some two hun- dred head of cattle, one hundred hogs, two hundred sheep and some horses, some seasons pur- chasing as high as seven thousand bushels of corn for feeding, aside from the productions of one hundred acres or more which he raises upon his own farm. His marriage with Eliza A. White was celebrated March 4, 1857. She was born in La Fayette, Ind., Nov. 20, 1830. They have five children, viz .: Ward B., born June 17, 1858; Lottie G., April 5, 1863 ; Julia A., Sept. 7. 1866 ; Elmetta MI., June 21, 1869; Mark C., Sept. 24, 1871. Mrs. Jones is a daughter of George C. White, of whom mention is made in the biography of George W. White in this work. Mr. Jones is a son of Abram R. Jones, Sr., who is mentioned in the biography of Frank M. Jones, in this work.

IIUGH LORMER, farmer, See. 3: P. O. Towanda; one of old settlers of MeLean Co., born in Tompkins Co., N. Y., Jan. 1, 1834. At 2 years of age, he was placed under the care of a dis- tant relative, with whom he lived until 12 years of age, when he started out for himself and secured employment with Mr. D. J. Baker upon a farm in New York for the next seven years, then was employed as clerk in a hotel for two years, and, when 21 years of age. he emigrated West and landed in Bloomington in the spring of 1855. He then found employment with (. Bell for four years, when he rented land and followed farming for seven years, and, in the spring of 1862, he located upon his present place, under a five-years lease, and purchased the place after a residence of four years. Mr. hormer arrived in Bloomington with a capital not exceeding $8. He has, by his hard labor and perseverance, secured 125 acres of land, with good farm buildings, valued at $5,000. He held the office of Commissioner of Highways for a period of

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six years, and is now the present Supervisor of Towanda Township. His marriage with Caroline A. Burch was celebrated in New York March 10, 1858. She was born in Tompkins Co., N. Y., April 1, 1834. They were the parents of five children, of whom two died in childhood. The living are-Frank B., born Nov. 14, 1860: Fred II., born Sept. 15, 1862; and Carr E., born Dec. 9, 1868.

CHRISTIAN MECHERLE, farmer, Sec. 35; P. O. Holder; born in Wurtemburg, Germany, Jan. 15, 1830: he emigrated to America, and landed in New York June 17, 1852; he followed farming five years in Ohio : in 1857, he came to McLean Co., and, in 1863, he and his brother Fred purchased their present place of 160 acres, upon which they have lived since 1865. The marriage of Christian Mecherle and Susan Ilall was celebrated in 1865: she was born in Ohio ; they have five children-Frederick, Will, Lucy, Laura and George. Republican ; Protestant.

WALTER NICHOLS, farmer, Sec. 28; P. O. Bloomington ; born in Boyle Co., Ky., Dec. 29, 1805; his grandfather, Walter Nichols, emigrated and served in the American army during the Revolutionary struggle. The father of the subject of this sketch was born in Newport, R. 1. He emigrated to Kentucky, and followed his trade of cabinet-maker until 1844, when he came to Illinois ; he died in Rushville, Schuyler Co. The subject of this sketch learned the cabinet-maker's trade, which he followed until his marriage, when he purchased a farm of 800 acres, and followed farming and stock-raising in Kentucky until 1858; in the fall of 1860, he came to McLean Co., Ill., and purchased Sec. 28, Towanda Township, where he has since lived ; he has since disposed of all, except eighty acres of the above, which he now rents to his son. His marriage with Elizabeth M. Thompson was celebrated Nov. 29, 1832; she was born in Virginia, and died Nov. 15, 1840, leaving three children-Mary H., Sarah T. and Nelson A. Upon the 16th of January, 1845, he was united in marriage with Martha Dunlap ; she was born in Fayette Co., Ky. ; they have six children now living by this union ; having lost three by death, the living are Louisa, Nannie B., James M., Ella R., Mattie O. and Walter; the deceased died in infancy. Presbyterian ; Democrat.

GEORGE E. RUCKER, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 34: P. O. Bloomington ; one of the old settlers of McLean Co .; born in McLean Co .. Ill., Jan. 25, 1849: he is a son of L. E. Rucker, one of our early pioneers. George E. Rucker attended the public schools in Blooming- ton until 15 years of age, after which he was employed as clerk for two years in Bloomington in different branches of trade, and the following six years was employed as book-keeper; in 1872, he located upon his present place, where he has 160 acres of land, all under a high state of cul- tivation, with the best of farm buildings, and is engaged in farming and stock-raising. His marriage with Lucy E. Ballard was celebrated Dec. 25, 1871; they have two children by this union-William B. and Mary Bell-twins, born Aug. 14, 1873. Mrs. Rucker was a daughter of William L. Ballard, who was born in Kentucky, and came to McLean Co. in 1856, where his decease occurred in 1870. Baptist ; Republican.

SMITH SAWYER, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 19; P. O. Towanda; one of the old set- tlers : born in Fayette Co., Ohio, Oct. 2, 1816, where he was raised to farm labor until 21 years of age; he was then employed some four years buying and herding cattle, after which he engaged in the same business upon his own account, buying and driving to market in Ohio. About the year 1858, he located permanently in McLean Co., and for eight years was in the employ of Judge David Davis ; in 1853, he purchased from the Government, eighty acres of his present place, at $2.50 per acre ; a few years later, he purchased eighty acres more, and now owns 160 acres, with good buildings, all of which he has accumulated by his own exertion. His first wife was Eleanor Bunn ; she died without children. llis second wife was Clarissa Misner ; she died, leaving one child- Albert-who died in Douglas Co., Kan., of brain fever, at 22 years of age. His marriage with Mrs. Susan Whitty was celebrated in December, 1873; she was born in Clark Co., Ill .; they have two children by this union-Theodore and Nellie. Repub- lican.

G. W. WHITE, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 10; P. O. Towanda. One of the old settlers of McLean Co., Ill .: born in Tippecanoe Co., Ind., Aug. 19, 1842. He was brought up to farm labor, obtaining a common-school education. At 8 years of age, he emigrated with his parents, to Illinois, and located at Smith's Grove, Towanda Township, in 1850. and worked with his father until 1868, when he commenced farming 100 acres of land deeded to him by his father, upon See. 10, where he has since lived. He now owns 400 acres in Secs. 3, 10 and 11, all of is under a good state of cultivation, with good farm buildings. Aside from farming, he is exten- sively engaged in stock-raising and feeding, confining his business mostly to cattle and hogs. He feeds from 60 to 100 head of cattle, and 100 to 150 hogs. His marriage with Flora Rariden was celebrated April 6, 1870; she was born in Indiana March 10, 1855. They have three children by this union-Warren T., Emma G. and Maud. Mr. White is a son of George C. White, who was born in the State of New York Feb. 1, 1804. He emigrated to Ohio, in 1812, where he lived four years, then went to Clark Co., Ohio, remaining there several years, where he was united in marriage to Julia A. Noal, Jan. 18, 1827; she was born in Randolph Co., Ohio, in 1806. They emigrated to Indiana in 1828, and located in Tippecanoe ('o .. where they lived until 1850. at which date they came to McLean Co., Ill., where he entered 160 acres of land, to which he afterward added by purchase, until he had 240 acres of prairie, and some 160 acres

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of timber land. Mrs. White died March, 1864, leaving twelve children, all of whom are now living in McLean Co., with one exception. His marriage with Nancy Irvin was celebrated March 27, 1868. Iler maiden name was Nancy Pike; she was a native of Virginia. Mr. White has taken a deep interest in the cause of religion, having been a member of the Baptist Church for nearly a quarter of a century. Upon arriving in Indiana, his capital consisted of one cow and SI cents in money, and some cloth for a suit of clothes, which he exchanged for some corn. He erected a cabin, for which he hauled the logs three miles. His provisions became exhausted before he had completed his cabin, and he purchased a hog upon time, which he paid for by splitting rails at. 50 cents per hundred, and during the winter worked at splitting and cutting rails. In the spring, he broke sod and put in eight acres of corn upon rented land, and after raising the second erop, he worked by the year for $140, and saved $100 out of his wages, with which he entered eighty acres of land, and which he afterward disposed of. Upon arriving in Illinois, he had twenty-five sheep, three horses and about twenty head of cattle, calves and year- lings, and $75 in cash.

WILLIAM WILSON, farmer, Sec. 1; P. O. Towanda ; one of the early pioneers of MeLean Co .; he was born in Fayette Co., Penn., May 1, 1822. His father, Smith Wilson, was born in Ireland, and emigrated to America with six brothers, when he was quite a young boy. He married in Virginia, Latta Corbitt ; she was born in Virginia. They emigrated to Pennsylvania from Vir- ginia, in the early part of the present century. Mr. Wilson died in Pennsylvania when about 45 years of age. Mrs. Wilson died in Bloomington May 15, 1864, at the age of 72 years. They were the parents of twelve children, of whom five are living. The subject of this sketch assisted his father in farming until 19 years of age, when he learned the brickmason's trade, which he followed in Monongahela City for nine years, and continued the above business, with contracting and building, until he emigrated West and located in Bloomington in the fall of 1859, where he followed the same business until February, 1869, at which date he located upon his present place, where he has since lived, and is engaged in farming 162 acres. He was married in 1849, to Eliza Curry. She died in Pennsylvania in 1857, leaving two children-James, born May 10, 1856, now living in Colorado; Belle, living in California. His marriage with Mrs. Louisa Kennedy was celebrated Nov. 23, 1864. Her maiden name was Newton ; she was born in Kentucky Sept. 30, 1835. She emigrated with her father, Henry Newton, to Illi- nois, in 1836, and to McLean Co., in 1844. They have two children by this union-Eddie, born Sept. 27, 1865: Gracie, Dec. 26, 1870. Mr. Wilson was elected Alderman of the Fourth Ward of Bloomington, for two years, and has held the office of School Trustee and some other petty offices in this township. He has taken a deep interest in the cause of religion, having been a member of the Presbyterian Church for the last quarter of a century. and is one of the Ruling Elders. Mrs. Wilson has been a church member for the same period.

OLD TOWN TOWNSHIP.

JACOB AMSTAD, farmer, Sec. 35 ; P. O. Downs; born in Underwelt, Switzerland, Feb- ruary, 1826, where he attended the common school until 18 years of age, when he engaged in freighting, driving a six-horse team until he emigrated to California, in 1856 ; here he followed mining six years. He then came to McLean Co., Ill., and located upon Sec. 35, in Old Town Township. where he has since continued to live : he owns 163 acres of land mostly under a good state of cultivation, which he has made by his own hard labor, energy and industry. He was married Sept. 1, 1862, to Catherine Plemsear ; she was born in Switzerland May 19, 1840. They have six children by this union-Bettie, born Dec. 5, 1864 ; Harmon, born April 12, 1867; Agnes, born Nov. 26, 1868 ; Adeline, born Oct. 2, 1870; Anna M., born May 11, 1874 ; Jacob, born Feb. 20, 1876, and one who died in infancy.

WILLIAM BLUE, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 34; P. O. Downs; one of the early settlers of McLean Co. ; born in Champaign Co., Ohio, Feb. 11, 1836; he emigrated with his parents from Ohio, and located in McLean Co., Ill., in the fall of 1836, being then 9 months old. His father, Zachariah Blue, upon his arrival located in Downs Township, one-half mile from where the town of Downs now stands, where he entered 160 acres of land, upon which he lived several years. He died in Downs Township, Oct. 9, 1858. Mrs. Blue died in the fall of 1871, upon the place now owned and occupied by her son. The subject of this sketch lived with his parents until 23 years of age, until January, 1859. He then was united in marriage with Kate Wood ; she was born in Virginia June 17, 1841. Upon his marriage, he purchased forty acres of his present place, all except five aeres being timber and brush ; he then commenced improving his place, until he has brought it from its wild prairie condition to its present high state of cultivation. Upon locating here. he had but little means, purchasing his first forty acres, for which he paid $15 per aere, upon time. Ile has since added by purchase, until he now owns 256 acres of land, with good farm buildings, and which is now considered second in value to none in the township of its size ; 120 acres of the above being purchased at $50 per acre. The children of William and Kate

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The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 137

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr. Number of Pages: 1092

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr.
Number of Pages: 1092