The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 146

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 146

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A. S. DUNLOP, farmer; P. O. Danvers; was born in Washington, Washington Co., Penn., Jan. 18, 1815. In the following March. his father moved to Ohio and settled in Fairfield C'o. Ilere A. S. grew to manhood, a farmer's son, not receiving over six months' tuition at the com- mnon schools. lle remained at the homestead and contributed to the support of the family till 30 years of age. In October, 1861, he came West to Illinois, and first settled in Vermilion Co. In 1866, he moved to Tazewell Co., and, the following year, to McLean Co. In the spring of 1868, he purchased his present farm in Danvers Township, and began improving the same. He owns 130 acres, valued at $6,500. He was married June 25, 1846, to Sarah Bott, a native of York Co., l'enn. Has had twelve children, eight sons and four daughters-Constantine H., William L., George W., Alexander L., Oliver P., John H., Charles F., Mary E , Caroline A .; two infant daughters and an infant son are deceased. He has kept a daily record of passing events for a period of thirty-six years past. This contains much interesting and useful information.

JOHN A. EWINS, farmer and stock-dealer ; P. O. Danvers. The subject of this sketch. whose portrait appears in the work, was born in Kingston, N. H., in November, 1825. He is the son of James P. and Mehitable (Clement) Ewins. His father and family came West in 1834. stopping a short time in Chicago. At that time, the present city of Chicago was a village of not more than 300 inhabitants. Here John A. attended school on what was known as the South Side. In October, 1834, he remembers seeing wolves chased over the very ground whereon now stand the finest portions of the city, many being pushed into the Lake near where the Exposition

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Building now stands. Indians, at that time, were numerous in Chicago, and on one occa- sion, as young Ewins was carrying home a bucket of water, he was accosted by a very large Indian, who, in broken English, said to him, " Gimme drink of water." He replied, " I have nothing from which you can drink ;" whereupon the Indian took up the bucket and drank from it, and, with a grunt of satisfaction, passed on. Mr. Ewins, though but a boy, deemed this act rather cool on the part of the noble red man of the forest. He remembers to have seen a wed- ding celebrated, in which the contracting parties were a gentleman of 60 and a blooming and blushing lassie of sweet 16. In December, 1834, the family settled in La Salle Co., at Waupaun- sie Grove, his father pre-empting 200 acres of land. This was afterward purchased by an East- ern capitalist, and one-half, or 100 acres, given to his father in compensation for the information he had given him of the country. In the fall of 1836, the family came to MeLean Co., and stopped a short time near the present village of Danvers. In the spring of 1837, his father purchased forty acres of what is now included in the homestead of his son. Ile died in November, 1846. Mr. Ewins lived with his parents till his majority. Starting in life for himself, he engaged in farming. In the spring of 1856, he moved to Danvers, and engaged in merchandising. In 1858, he returned to his farm, where he now resides ; now owns 600 acres in McLean Co. Most of his land is in pasture and meadow, and he deals largely in cattle and hogs. In 1869, he purchased one-half interest in the Danvers Mills ; this he sokl in 1878. In 1865, he was chosen Supervisor of Danvers Township, and his efficiency in managing the interests of the township is best attested by the fact that he is now serving out his eleventh term in that capacity. He was married, in 1854, to Euphemia R. Blair, a native of Illinois ; she died ten days after marriage. He was mar- ried to his present wife, Malinda T. Franks, a native of Boone Co., Ky., in 1856 ; has three children-Jennie L., Frank P., Chester R. Mr. Ewins has been largely successful in his various enterprises, and is to-day one of the wealthy men of his township.

B. J. FORBES, stock-shipping and butchering ; P. O. Danvers ; was born near Cadiz, Harrison Co., Ohio, A. D. 1834 ; his early life was passed upon the farm, with the experience of a farmer's son ; his education was limited to attendance upon the common schools ; in the fall of 1852, he came to Illinois, with the family of his father, settling in what is now Dry Grove Township ; his father died in 1855 ; B. J. remained at home and superintended the farm interests for his mother and younger members of the family ; his older brothers were then waging the battle of life for themselves. He was married in 1865, to Maretta Dawson, a native of Illinois ; her grand- parents and parents were among the earliest settlers of MeLean Co. Ilas had three children --- Harry L., Annie B., Charlie ; of these, Annie B. is deceased. He at present owns eighty-six acres of the old homestead, in Dry Grove Township, and village property in Danvers. Was Collector

of Dry Grove Township one term, and has heldl the office of School Director. In addition to buying and shipping stock, he operates a first-class meat market, in Bloomington.

JAMES T. FRANKS, farmer, deceased ; P. O. Danvers ; was born in Virginia Dec. 1, 1795 ; he was raised a farmer's son, and received a limited education at the common schools ; his early man- hood was spent in farming and various other pursuits. He was twice married, the first time to Malinda O'Rear, a native of Virginia ; his second marriage was to Rebecca Walton, of Kentucky, who still survives him. In 1836, he came to Tazewell Co., Ill., and settled in Pekin; here he remained about nine years ; in 1845, he came to MeLean Co. and settled the farin now resided upon by his widow and youngest son ; he died Dec. 31, 1872. Eleven children were the fruit of this union-Mary F (wife of James Rose), Elizabeth W. (wife of Heuson Richmond), Malinda T. (married Jolin A. Ewins), William H., Amanda M. (married John Huffman , Louisa E., Rebecca A. (married Robert K. Jones), Jennie E. (married John S. Popple), James R., Lucilla W. (married James Wilson), Eugene L. Mr. Franks was an energetic business man, kind and obliging to his neighbors and friends. He never aspired to political preferment, and held no office save that of School Director.

EUGENE L. FRANKS, farmer ; P. O. Danvers ; was born in Danvers Township, McLean Co., IH., Nov. 26, 1854 ; he was reared on the farm where he now lives, and is the youngest of a family of eleven children ; in addition to his common-school education, he attended Lincoln College one year, when, on account of ill-health, he relinquished his studies ; he has always resided at home with his parents, and for the past four years has operated the farm, in the interests of himself and his widowed mother. He was married, Sept. 12, 1878, to Carrie E. Johnston, a native of Springfield, Ill. In addition to his farming, he takes inneh interest in the breeding and rearing of fine stock.

DR. D. C. GIDEON, physician and editor, Danvers ; was born Nov. 27, 1848, on Wolf Creek, Sangamon Co., Ill., the first and only child of his parents, Alfred L. and Elizabeth Gideon ; in March, 1851, his parents moved to Mount Pulaski, Ill., which town was then the county seat of Logan Co .; here he grew up to manhood, attending school ; he was 18 years ohl when he began the study of medicine, under the tutelage of his uncle, Dr. John Clark. The 1st day of August, 1867, in company with Daniel Morgan, he started on horseback for the West : the fall was spent in traveling over Missouri and along the Kansas border : returning home early in the winter, he continued his incdical studies until the following spring, when, on the Ist of May, he again started for the West, driving a herd of cattle and mules for Milton Patterson, who had sold his farm to Jacob Row, who afterward became the father-in-law of Dr. Gideon : arriving in Jasper

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Co., Mo., about the 1st of June, he concluded to again look over the State of Missouri ; the sum- mer was spent in travel, and, in September, he returned to Mount Pulaski, and, on the 27th of that month, 1868, was married to Miss Sarah Row, youngest daughter of Jacob and Sarah Row, Dr. John Ciark officiating: their first child, Alfred, was born June 4, 1869; during the sum- mer of 1870, he engaged in farming his land, one mile northeast of Mount Pulaski ; this not proving of sufficient interest to him, he again rented his farm the next spring and commenced the practice of medicine ; Feb. 4, 1873, he graduated with honor at the Eclectic Medical Insti- tute of Cincinnati, Ohio: their second son, Clark, was born April 6, 1873: after his return home, he formed a partnership with his former preceptor, and continued his practice until November, 1873, when he again formed a partnership with Dr. W. H. Davis, of Springfield, where he removed, and, until the 1st of May, 1874, did a good business ; the continued illness of his mother kept him by her side until her death, in August, at which time he came back to Mount Pulaski and settled up his business, when, selling his farm to his father, he removed . to Watseka, Iroquois Co., Ill. ; here he lived for two years, but, not liking the swamps and sand ridges of Iroquois Co., he removed to Danvers, MeLean Co., Ill., March 14, 1877, where he pur- chased a comfortable residence, and has since that time had a very good practice. March 29, he, together with George Bunn, started a weekly paper, known as the Danvers Independent ; soon afterward, Mr. Bunn withdrew, leaving Dr. Gideon editor and proprietor ; the paper promises to become one of the permanent things of Danvers. Dr. Gideon enjoys an extensive acquaint- ance with the professional men of Illinois, and, being yet a young man, has a good chance for promotion in his profession.

J. T. GUNNELL, farmer and stock-dealer ; P. O. Danvers ; was born in Christian Co., Ky., May 9, 1830; in 1834, his father came West and located in Tazewell Co., Ill., on a quarter- section of land, entered the fall previous to his removal; this he improved and sold, and, in 1837, the family moved to Stout's Grove (now Danvers Township), McLean Co., where he pur- chased and improved 200 acres of land; this farm is still in the possession of the family and is managed by the eldest son, J. T. Gunnell; young Gunnell passed his early life upon the farm, and, in addition to his common-school education, attended, for a short time. a select school kept by Cyrus Haines, a Presbyterian minister in the church at Stout's Grove, and known as Stout's Grove Academy ; after his majority, he engaged in the rearing of sheep for some years handling from 1,500 to 2,000 head per annum ; he owns 160 acres in Tazewell Co., which he keeps mainly for a stock farm. Has held the office of Road Commissioner. So far through life, Mr. Gunnell has resisted Cupid's darts and bids fair to end his days in the enjoyment of single blessedness.

O. T. HALL, farmer : P. O. Danvers; was born in Rockingham Co., N. H., April 3, 1828 ; in 1834, his parents came West to Illinois, stopping for a short time in Chicago ; his father first settled permanently where his son now lives, purchasing eighty acres, and, soon after, au additional eighty, a part of which is now comprised in the limits of the village of Danvers ; he was reared a tiller of the soil, and obtained his education in the common or subscription schools of his boyhood ; he has always remained with his parents. He was married, in December, 1870, to Eliza E. Wilson, a native of Indiana : has one child-Gertie Wilson. Owns 240 acres and village property. Has held the office of School Trustee and that of Town Clerk four or five years. He is one of the substantial business men of his township.

F. M. HALL, farmer and stock-dealer ; P. O. Danvers; was born in Todd Co., Ky., March 25. 1833 ; his father, Young Hall, came with his family to Illinois in 1835, and first stopped in Washington, Tazewell Co. ; in 1836, he came to Stout's Grove, McLean Co., where he engaged in running a saw and corn mill : his son secured to himself a good education for those days ; he attended some two or three winters the academy at Stout's Grove, under the direction of Rev. Cyrus Haines ; he received his first certificate from Prof. C. P. Merriman and taught school the winter he was 19 years of age; the following spring, he began breaking prairie with an ox- team : before he was 20, he purchased 130 acres in Dry Grove Township, for which he paid $9 per acre : this he might have purchased two years before at $1 and $1.25 per acre : so successful was he in farming, that the first crop of wheat he raised paid for the land, the breaking and fencing included ; he now owns 600 acres in McLean Co., requiring some fifteen miles of fen- cing to inclose it ; Mr. Hall has been very successful in life, and attributes most of his money- getting to the successful handling of cattle ; his life has been largely devoted to this branch of business ; he was a personal friend and acquaintance of Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, having visited the latter at his home in Washington City; by an extended course of reading, he has kept himself posted on the leading topics of the day and is well versed in ancient. and modern history ; he has made two trips to Mt. Vernon, Washington City, and spent a week at the late Centennial. Ile was married in 1855 to Jane E. Barnard. of Illinois ; has had eight children-James F., Lydia R. (wife of Bennett Swarely ), Young M., Eva J., living; William, Eddie, Jesse, Ella, deceased. Has held the office of School Director.

JAMES HAYS, farmer; P. O. Danvers; was born in Knox Co .. Ohio, May 4, 1834; he obtained a good English education at the common schools, and spent his early life upon his father's farm; at the age of 25 years, he purchased a small farm of fifty-three acres, and engaged in farming for himself ; in 1864, he came West. to Illinois, and settled in McLean Co., near the place where he at present resides. He is the oldest of a family of seven, and is the only

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member of the family living. lle was married Dec. 15, 1858, to Isabel Murdock, a native of Ohio ; has three children-Mary E., Sarah L., Bertha E. Ile is the son of William and Martha (Hood) lays : his father still lives, having reached an advanced age. He owns eighty acres, well improved, valued at $4,000 ; has held the office of School Director. Mr. Hays is a genial, atfable gentleman, possessed of rare social qualities, a successful farmer and a kind and obliging neighbor.

I. D. JAMES, farmer and stock-dealer; P. O. Danvers; was born in New London Co., Conn., A. D. 1812; when he was 16 years of age, his father moved to Western New York ; his carly life was devoted to farming and the acquisition of an English education ; besides his com- mon school education, he attended a select school for some time, in Le Roy, N. Y .; after reaching manhood, he learned the carpenter's trade ; this he followed a few years, securing from hard labor at the bench the means with which to enter a quarter-section of land in Michigan. In the fall of 1837, he came West to prospect the country ; the broad expanse of the Prairie State capti- vated him, and he at once determined to make it his home. Returning to New York, he was married, Oet. 2, 1838, to Olive M. Ilinsdale ; soon after marriage, he came with his young bride, and, settling down where they now live, purchased eighty acres and began life in earnest. He now owns 570 acres, and deals extensively in stock. By industry and good management he has accumulated a vast amount of property ; no one more energetic and stirring can be found in the community to-day.

ANDREW JARRETT, farmer ; P. O. Danvers ; was born in Greenbrier Co., W. Va., Dec. 17, 1847 ; he was reared a farmer's boy, and secured only a common-school education; he lost his father when but 5 years of age; at the age of 17 years, he took supervision of the farm for his mother ; at his majority, he began life for himself; he purchased the homestead as the heirs became of age, thius securing for himself a farm of 180 acres in the " Old Dominion." He sold out in January, 1877, and the following November came to Illinois, stopping for the winter with his mother, near Bloomington. March 1, 1878, he took possession of his present farm, south- west of the village of Danvers ; owns 200 acres, all in a fine state of improvement, valued at $12,000. lle was married Oct. 5, 1871, to Alice M. Argabrite, a native of West Virginia ; has three children-Laura, Delta I., Ora J. Ile devotes himself mainly to the rearing of cattle and hogs, and has been very successful in his business enterprises.

J. WALLACE JOHNSON, farmer and stock-dealer ; P. O. Danvers ; was born in Monroe Co., W. Va , Aug. 27, 1847 ; he is the son of Caleb and Loui-a (Beard) Johnson ; in 1856, his father came West to Illinois, and settled upon the farm now owned and occupied by his son ; he purchased about 600 acres of land in Danvers Township, MeLean Co. : this he improved and brought to a fine state of cultivation ; Wallace was raised a farmer's son. In addition to his common-school education, he attended for the space of one year Lincoln College, but owing to ill health was obliged to relinquish his studies at the end of that time ; he returned to the farm and has since devoted himself to agricultural pursuits. He now owns 440 acres of the old home- stead secured to him by his father-in-law, Richard Rowell. He was married Feb. 7, 1878, to Lois Rowell, a native of Illinois ; her father is a very prominent and highly-respected citizen of MeLean Co. ; they have one child-Homer. Mr. Johnson bids fair to became a very successful farmer, and will doubtless follow in the footsteps of both his father and father-in-law in becoming one of McLean Co.'s wealthy farmers at no distant day.

II. M. KENNEDY, farmer and stock-dealer; P'. O. Danvers ; was born in Philadelphia, Penn., A. D. 1837 ; his early life was spent in attendance upon the Military Academy, at Brandywine Springs, Del., and Jefferson College, Penn. : at the age of 20 years, he engaged in farming in Maryland, and upon his farm the first regular skirmish of the late civil war occurred : in 1870, he came West to Illinois and settled about one mile south of the village of Danvers, where he at present resides ; this land had been entered in 1837, and was yet unimproved ; the whole track of 480 acres is at present in a high state of cultivation, and, with his fine and substantial improve- ments, has been rendered second to none in this whole section : in addition to his extensive farming, he rears and deals largely in cattle and hogs, handling annually some $6,000 worth of stock. He was married in 1863, to Arabella Buck, a native of Wisconsin ; has three children- Maxwell K., Sallie B., Sabilla M. Hlas held the office of School Director two terms. Mr. Ken- nedy is one of the financially solid men of the community : his personal and real estate aggre- gating not less than $40,000.

JACOB MUSSELMAN, blacksmith and wagon-shop, Danvers ; was born in Baden Baden, near the river Rhine, March 7. 1827; he emigrated to America in 1848, and first settled in Butler Co., Ohio ; soon after coming, he struck a job of harvesting at 25 cents per day : he was thus employed fourteen days, working hard and living high on side-meat, cucumbers, molasses and biscuit ; this was served ont faithfully every day without change ; he soon after engaged to work at his trade for a Mr. Fisher at $6 per month; but Fisher failed after some six or eight months, and he lost all his wages ; this financial disaster left him $16 in debt for a suit of clothes contracted ; however, he soon found employment and cleared off the debt; in October, 1853, he came to Danvers, where he at present resides ; at that time, Bloomington was but a village, adorned by only two brick houses: the surrounding country was but sparsely settled ; after buying his lots, erecting his house and shop. and laying in a small supply of material, he had but I cent left. He was married in 1853 to Melinda Erisman, a native of Hesse, Germany ;

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eight children have been born to them-Henry, William, John, Henry, Frederick, Louis, Charles, Mary ; these are all living excepting the first son named Henry. He has held the office of Road Commissioner one or two terms.

HENRY NAFZIGER, farmer ; P. O. Danvers; was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, A. D. 1832. His early life was that of a farmer's son, and his education was obtained at the common schools. In 1847, the family emigrated to America, his father settling in MeLean Co., a short distance southwest of Danvers, on the farm now owned and occupied by his son. On reaching his majority, Henry left home, and labored as a farm-hand some two years. He then rented the homestead, and began farming for himself. In 1865, he purchased the homestead, containing 200 acres, and this he has increased by successive parchases, until he now owns 350 acres, valued at $18,000. He was married, in 1855, to Helen Nafziger, a native of Germany ; has six chil- dren-Robert, Erurua, John, Fred, Albert, Jacob ; three deceased. Has held the office of Com- missioner of Highways nine years, and that of School Director for the past eight years. His finely-improved farm exhibits the industry and enterprise so frequently noticed among that class of our foreign population.

H. PARKHURST, physician and druggist, Danvers ; was born in Windsor Co .. Vt., A. D. 1823. His early life was passed upon the farm, with such experiences as are common to farm- ers' boys. In addition to his common-school education. he was preparing for college at Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass., but did not enter college. In 1847, he began the study of medicine, and attended his first course at Pittsfield, Mass. : his second at Woodstock, Vt., and, in 1851, graduated at Buffalo Medical University. Prior to graduating, he practiced some two years in Otsego, Mich., and, soon after completing his studies, located in Prairieville. Here he remained till July, 1853, when he located in Danvers, his present residence. In addition to his extensive practice, he owns and operates the only drug store in the village. He was married, Jan. 1, 1854, to C. L. Skillman, a native of New Jersey. Three children have been born to them ; none are now living. By his own personal exertions, he has accumulated a competency, and is the lead- ing practitioner of the community.

WILLIAM PAUL, farmer and stock-dealer; P. O. Danvers ; was born in Knox Co., Ohio, April 29, 1827. Ile is the son of James and Sarah (Bain) Paul. He was reared a farmer's son, and secured his education at the common schools. When 19 years of age, he began life for himself as a farmer. In 1851, he came to Illinois. In company with Harrison and Hughes, he bought 1,600 head of sheep, Mr. Paul owning one-third interest in the flock. In the fall of 1852, he purchased 240 acres in Dry Grove Township. This he improved and resided upon until 1856. In 1858, he purchased 116 acres of his present homestead. He now owns 325 acres in Danvers Township, and an undivided half-interest in 238 acres in Allin Township. In April, 1858, he went to Texas, and sojourned in that State till March, 1861. He was first married, in 1846, to Elizabeth A. Bell, a native of Ohio. She died in March, 1847. His second marriage occurred in October, 1861, to M. L. Harrison, of Ohio. Had one child from first marriage. From second wedlock, three children-Mary B., Nannie E., Sadie R. llas held the office of Road Commis- sioner and that of School Director. He deals quite largely in cattle and hogs. For a number of years, he devoted himself largely to the rearing and improving of sheep.

JOHN PERRY, farmer and stock-dealer ; P. O. Danvers ; was born in Jessamine Co .. Ky., Nov. 13, 1825. His early life was passed upon the farm, and his education was limited to a a short attendance upon the common schools. His father came West to Illinois in 1836, and set- tled in what is now Dry Grove Township. John remained at home till he was 20 years of age, when he started in life for himself. He began working as a farm-hand at $10 per month, but soon rented and farmed for himself. In 1849, he purchased his first land, 160 acres. the south- east quarter of Sec. 36, Danvers Township ; here he made his farm and has since resided ; this he has since increased by successive purchases, until he now owns 1,300 acres, valued at $70,000. He was married, in 1850. to Susanna Hiate, a native of Illinois ; she died in April, 1870. lle was again married, in 1872, to Mrs. Sarah M. Bethel, a native of Illinois ; eight children were born from first wedlock, five daughters and three sons; from second marriage, he has three daughters. Ile deals quite extensively in horses, cattle and hogs, and very largely in sheep of a high grade. He has not sought political distinction, but has avoided office-holding. Has been School Director a number of terms.

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The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 146

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