The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois, Part 92

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 848

USA > Illinois > Mason County > The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois > Part 92
USA > Illinois > Menard County > The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois > Part 92

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JOHN J. AINSWORTH, farmer ; P. O. Mason City ; is a son of Richard Ains- worth, whose biography also appears in this work ; he was born in Mason Co., Ill., July 24, 1852 ; he was raised to farming, and obtained a common-school education, complet- ing the same by a course at the Commercial College at Jacksonville, Morgan Co. He was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth A. Ainsworth upon March 22, 1877 ; she was born in Mason Co., Ill., April 2, 1854, and was a daughter of William Ainsworth, a settler of 1842. In March, 1878, he located upon his present place, which contains 240 acres just outside of the city limits of Mason City, which he intends making his permanent home.

RICHARD AINSWORTH, retired farmer, Sec. 6; P. O. Mason City ; one of the early settlers of Mason Co. ; born in Lancashire, England, Dec. 5, 1817 ; after receiving a common-school education, he was engaged in the cotton factories of Blackburn until 25 years of age, when he, with two brothers, emigrated to America, landing in New Orleans ; they then came up the river to Cincinnati, thence to Cass Co., Ill., where, after a short residence, they came to Mason Co. and located near Bath in the fall of 1842; here he entered eighty acres of land, to which he afterward added until he had accumu- lated between 600 and 700 acres, upon which he resided until 1877, when he disposed of the same and, after a residence of one year at Natrona, removed to Mason City Township and erccted his present residence, removing into the same in October, 1878. Mr. Ainsworth is one of the self-made men of Mason Co. ; arriving in the county with- out means ; he borrowed the money to enter his first eighty acres of land ; he has always confined his business to farming, and has, by his hard labor, perseverance and correct business habits, placed himself among the large landholders and successful farmers of Mason Co., owning, as he now does, 1,450 acres in Mason Co. and 1,520 acres in Iro- quois Co., his real estate being valued at upward of $100,000, aside from personal property ; he has not accumulated the above by a miserly manner of living; he is known as being very liberal ; contributes liberally to the cause of religion and educa- tion, and is very kind to the poor, and especially to his own tenants, with whom, upon

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a failure of crops, he assumes the largest share of the losses ; he has devoted much time to literature, being particularly interested in ancient and modern history, and has, by years of reading and study, become familiar with all the topics of the day. His mar- riage with Mary J. Talbott was celebrated in 1840, in Blackburn, Lancashire; she was born in the above place in November, 1817; she died in Mason Co. Feb. 24, 1874; they were the parents of eight children, of whom two sons and two daughters now sur- vive, viz .: Mary J., wife of John B. Abbott, of Natrona; John J., farming near Mason City ; Sarah A. and William T., the last two living at home.

J. C. AMBROSE, hardware, firm of Ambrose & Sands, hardware stores. etc., etc., Mason City ; one of the carly pioneers of Mason Co .; born in Morgan Co., Va., May 1, 1818; in 1831, he emigrated to Champaign Co., Ohio, and followed farming until 1837, when he went to Quincy, Logan Co., and followed the carpenter and wagon- maker trade until 1853, at which date he engaged in hotel-keeping and the merchan- dise trade until 1861, when he sold out, and, emigrating to Illinois, located in Mason City Township in April, 1861 ; he then purchased forty acres of land, and, the follow- ing August, removed his family upon the farm ; he then put in a crop of corn and wheat, the latter proving a failure, and the corn was hauled to Pekin and sold for 10 cents per bushel. Mr. Ambrose mentions some facts representing the hardships and privations of the settlers of Mason Co. at that time ; in the fall of 1861, for three weeks, his provisions for his family of six persons consisted of grated corn, rye coffee, salt and potatoes ; in November, 1864, he came to Mason City and opened the first restaurant of the place, continuing the same some three years, when he was employed as clerk in the hardware trade in 1870, and, in July, 1874, commenced the hardware trade for himself, under the above firm name, which they have since successfully followed. His marriage with Rosanna Yost was celebrated Oct. 19, 1842; she was born in Morgan Co., Va., Feb. 14, 1826 ; they were the parents of eight children, of whom three are now Jiving-Mary E., Lycurgus E. and John F., the two sons being associated in busi- ness with their father.

JOHN J. BURNHAM, farmer; P. O. Mason City ; Mr. Burnham is another of the old residents of Mason Co .; born in Windham Co., Conn., Dec. 26, 1808; at 21 years of age, he started in life for himself and soon after started a peddler's wagon, and, after several years, engaged in the grocery business ; in 1857, he came to Illinois and located upon his present place, where he bought 100 acres of land, which he has brought to its present high state of cultivation, located one and a half miles from Mason City. Upon Sept. 9, 1832, he was married to Clarissa R. Sharp ; she was born in 1809 and died Feb. 19, 1870; his second wife was Persis Rickard, married in 1870; his third wife was Tirzah Rickard, married September, 1876. Mr. Burnham has held the office of School Trustee and School Director several terms during his residence here.

DAVID BUNN, farmer; P. O. Mason City ; one of the early settlers of Mason Co .; he was born in Somerset Co., N. J., March 21, 1823, and emigrated to Mason Co. and located in what is now Quiver Township, in 1848; at that date, there were only a few settlers, some houses being ten miles apart; he had no means at that time, save his team, and labored for such wages as he could get, taking his pay in corn, etc .; about the year 1850, lie purchased some school land, which he sold the following year ; in the spring of 1869, he came to Mason City Township and purchased 410 acres of his present place, where he has since lived; he also owns 134 acres in Logan Co. and has good farm buildings upon both places. His marriage with C. E. Appleman was cele- brated in Somerset Co., N. J., Dec. 18, 1847 ; she was born Jan. 27, 1826; thrce chil- dren were the fruit of this union-Martha A., John M. and William C.

JOSEPH S. BANER, Postmaster, Mason City. The subject of this memoir is an old, and, because of his hospitable and affable nature, together with superior intellectual culture and ability, a very prominent resident of Mason Co .; he was born in Warren Co., Ohio, June 24, 1824, where he spent his childhood, youth and early manhood ; there he attended the public schools until 19 years of age, and was then engaged as Principal, for one year. in the Bellefontaine Academy ; in 1849, he moved to Cincinnati, and, for several years, held the position of confidential clerk in an extensive

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commercial house, and was then admitted a partner, which relation continued until 1857, when he emigrated West and located in Allen's Grove Township, Mason Co., Ill .; he here engaged in farming until 1863, when he returned to Cincinnati and engaged in the commission business until 1866 ; he then returned to the West and located in Mason City, and for the three succeeding years was engaged in the dry goods, drug and grocery trade, under the firm name of Warnock & Co .; he then engaged in the grain trade, in connection with farming, until 1874, when he was appointed Postmaster at Mason City, under the administration of President Grant, which office he now holds, having been re-appointed in 1878, by President Hayes ; he has also been frequently elected to town- ship and school offices and is a public-school advocate in heart and practice; being a finc scholar, a fluent speaker and public spirited, he has from his youth been more or less identified with the political questions and interests of the nation, receiving his first impetus in that direction from the illustrious and brilliant Gov. Corwin, of Ohio, with whom he was on intimate terms of acquaintance and personal association, and whom he took as his model political orator and patriotic statesman ; in 1866, Mr. Baner was ten- dered the nomination for Representative in the Legislature, on the Republican ticket for this county, but he had not the five successive years previous residence necessary to eligibility ; at the first election of the Legislature under the Constitution of 1870, hc received the nomination for State Senator on the Republican ticket of this, the Thirty- Sixth Senatorial District, and canvassed the district against the Hon. A. A. Glenn, the Democratic candidate; the district was largely Democratic, but Mr. Baner carried the full vote of his party and much more in his home county ; in 1876, he was before the . Republican Congressional Convention for the nomination for Congress in this the Thir- teenth District, and stood among the highest until repeated balloting settled into a dead-lock when he voluntarily withdrew his name that harmony and unity might prevail, which gave Judge Tipton, of Bloomington, the nomination and election. He and Miss Cath- arine Mullen were married in 1846 ; she was born in Warren Co., Ohio, and died at their beautiful home and residence in the northcast part of the town, in 1874; eight children were born to them, of whom only three are now living-Sallie, Assistant Post- master; Lydia (wife of N. S. Forsyth), and Frank, who is now attending the State University at Champaign.

SOLOMON M. BADGER, County Superintendent of Schools, Mason City ; born in Perry Co., Ind., Nov. 2, 1840 ; at 19 years of age, he engaged in school-teaching dur- ing fall and winter and attending the higher grades of school during the spring and summer terms for a period of five years ; in the fall of 1864, he came to Illinois and located in Crane Creek Township, Mason Co., where he taught school six months. Upon the 13th of August, 1865, he was united in marriage with Mary S. Morgan ; she was born in Sangamon Co. and raised in Mason Co. ; they have four children by this union-William S., Claude L., Henry A. and Marine R. Upon the marriage of Mr. Badger, he returned to Indiana, and, after teaching several months, returned to Mason City in 1866, and for three years was Principal of the schools of this place; he con- tinued teaching in different schools in the county until 1872, when he was appointed by the Board of Supervisors as County Superintendent of Schools, and, in November fol- lowing, was elected to the above office for a term of four years, and re-elected again in 1877 for the same length of time; he has also held the office of City Clerk of Mason City some five years, and Township Collector two years.

S. B. CROSS, farmer; P. O. Mason City ; one of the early pioneers of Mason Co .; born in Somerset Co., N. J., Oct. 31, 1824; he cmigrated with his father, Robert Cross, and located in Greenc Co., Ill., in 1839; in 1843, they came to Mason Co. and located in Quiver Township, and upon this place Robert died in August, 1852; the son continued to live upon the old homestead until 1873, when he purchased his present place, where he has since lived ; he still owns the old homestead in Quiver Township, containing 320 acres (and upon which his oldest son is now living), and 195 acres in Mason City Township, and 240 acres in other parts of the county. His marriage with Margaret McReynolds was celebrated in December, 1852; she died Aug. 19, 1856, leaving two children now living-Robert I., born Sept. 2, 1854; Stephen Albert, Aug.

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11, 1856; upon Dec. 24, 1857, he was united in marriage with Sarah L. Appleman ; she was born in Somerset Co., N. J., May 19, 1828; they have two children living by this union-Luther W., born Feb. 16, 1861, and John A., Jan. 25, 1867.

F. H. COOK, merchant; dealer in groceries and provisions, glass and queensware, etc., etc., etc., Mason City ; born in Logan Co., Ill., Jan. 18, 1851 ; when quite young, he removed with his mother to Mason City and attended the common schools until 1865 ; he then entered the general merchandise store of R. W. Porter, and continued in the same store under different firms until December, 1878, when he gave up his position, and, in January, 1879, started in business for himself, carrying a large and com. plete stock of everything in the above lines, giving his personal attention to every detail, and by his honorable and fair dealing is rapidly paving his way to the front ranks as one of the leading merchants of his line in Mason City. His marriage with Harriet E. Sikes was celebrated in March, 1876; she was born in Mason Co. in 1855; they have one child-George Frederick.

A. G. H. CONOVER, M. D., deceased, Mason City; born in Morgan Co., Ill., in 1834; he devoted all his spare time in early life to study, and completed his education at the Medical University at Ann Arbor, Mich .; after two years of practice at Manito, he located in Mason City and followed his profession with great success until his decease, which occurred at his residence March 13, 1874. He took a deep interest in the cause of religion, and was a devoted member of the Presbyterian Church; he was also an honored member of the Masonie Order, having reached the degree of Knight Templar, and had officiated as Master of Anchor Lodge, No. 615; the Knights Templar came out by special train to assist in performing the last rites over their beloved brother, the Masonic ceremonies being performed by L. M. Hillyer, of Havana, and J. S. Townsend, W. M. of Anchor Lodge, No. 615, J. S. Baner acting as Chaplain, in presence of and assisted by a large circle of the Masonic Fraternity. At a meeting of Damascus Com- mandery, No. 42, a committee was appointed to draft resolutions expressive of the high regard of the above Order for the memory of their deceased brother comrade and Sir Knight, A. G. H. Conover, a copy of which was printed in the Mason City Indepen- dent of March 20, 1874. His marriage with Mary E. Ambrose was celebrated June 27, 1865 ; two children were the fruit of this union- Anna Mason and John Alfred ; Mrs. Conover was a daughter of J. C. Ambrose, one of our prominent merchants, and whose biography also appears in this work.

W. J. CHAMBLIN, deceased ; physician and surgeon, Mason City; was born in Loudoun Co., Va., upon the 16th of July, 1820; his general education was obtained in Virginia and at Zanesville, Ohio, after which he entered the Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia, from which he graduated, after a course of several years' study. He then commenced the practice of medicine, at Newark, Ohio, after which he practiced in Peru, Ind., and then removed to Menard Co., Ill., and after a residence of several years in Illinois, California and Texas, came to Mason City, where he located in 1861 ,and followed his profession up to the date of his decease, which occurred April 29, 1872. His marriage with Talitha C. Cheney, was celebrated in 1857 ; she was born in Springfield, Ill. Three children are now living by this union-Ida T., William J. and Charles E. Mr. Chamblin was a member of the First Baptist Church of Springfield, Ill., and of the Masonic Order of the same place. Mrs. Chamblin has taken a deep interest in the cause of education and is now serving her second year as one of the Board of Directors of the schools of Mason City.

EDWARD CRAIG, deceased, farmer and stock-dealer ; born in Champaign Co., Ohio, March 13, 1835 ; at 8 years of age he emigrated with his parents to Illinois, and located in Morgan Co., where he followed farming and stock-raising, until the breaking- out of the rebellion, when he went to Missouri and engaged in stock-dealing until 1866, when he located and followed farming and stock-raising until his decease, which occurred Feb. 9, 1873, while upon a trip to Missouri to purchase cattle. His remains now lie buried in the Allen Grove Cemetery ; he took a deep interest in the cause of religion, and lived and died a consistant Christian. His marriage with Euphemia C. Legg was celebrated Sept. 12, 1866 ; four children were the fruit of this union, of whom Clyde L.,

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Grace and Blanche now survive. Mrs. Craig is a daughter of James Legg, whose biog- raphy also appears in this work.

A. A. CARGILL, merchant, Mason City; firm of Cargill & Swing, general merchants ; Mr. Cargill is probably the oldest continuous resident and merchant of Mason City. He was born in Norfolk Co., Mass., Dec. 9, 1827 ; at 21 years of age he came to Chicago, where he located in 1849, at which time the above city contained a population of about 29,000. Here he was engaged in the millinery jobbing trade for three years, and in the spring of 1853, he went to Australia, returning in 1856. In the spring of 1857, he came to Mason Co., locating at Cherry Grove, and in June, 1858, he located in Mason City, and engaged in the merchandise trade, under the firm name of Woodward & Cargill, opening the first stock of goods brought to Mason City, and continuing under the above style some eighteen months ; in 1864, Mr. Cargill associated with David Powell, in the above business, under the firm name of D. Powell & Co., this firm existed some seven years, during which time they purchased the corner and erected the building upon the corner now occupied by Cargill & Swing, which firm was formed in 1871, by the admission of F. M. Swing, in the firm under the above name. They carry a full and complete stock of dry goods, hats and caps, gents' furnishing goods, gro- ceries, notions, etc. His marriage with Mary A. Phipps was celebrated in January, 1859. They were the parents of three children by this union, of whom two now sur- vive-Chauncy W. and Harry C.

ROBERT DONOVAN, farmer and stock-raiser ; P. O. Mason City ; born in Muskingum Co., Ohio, Oct. 21, 1822 ; he was raised in Champaign Co., and came to Illinois and located in Mason Co., in 1848, at which time there were not upward of fifteen families in this township. In 1852, he with his brothers purchased 1,000 acres of land, to which they afterward added, until they owned in partnership 2,800 acres, and after continuing in partnership twenty-eight years, made a division of the land, and Robert now owns for his share 480 acres, and lives upon the place where he has lived since 1859. In 1856 he married Caroline Laughery ; her parents located in Logan Co., about the year 1821 ; she died in 1873. In 1877, he was united in marriage with Mary Colon, a native of New York. Mr. Donovan was the father of four children by his first wife and one by his present.

JOHN DIETRICH, firm of Rissinger & Dietrich, butchers, brick and ice dealers, Mason City ; born in Snyder Co., Penn, April 29, 1834, where he worked at brick-making and carpentering until 23 years of age, when he emigrated to Illinois in April, 1857 ; located half a mile east of where Mason City now stands. In 1858, he commenced the manufacture of brick, supplying the wants of Mason City some four years. He then followed carpentering and the undertaker's business until 1867, when he asso- ciated with his present partner, and again engaged in making brick ; in 1872, they added the ice business, and in September, 1878, again extended their business by adding the butcher business. Mr. D. is the oldest continuous business man in Mason City, coming here when there was not a single house upon the spot where Mason City now stands. He has held the office of Alderman of the Third Ward for three years. His marriage with Caroline Harmon was celebrated in Pennsylvania. Eleven children were the fruit of this union, of whom four are now living-George L., Caroline, Harry L., and Evelina. Mr. D. is a son of George Dietrich, who was born in Snyder Co., Penn., in 1803; came to Mason City in 1858, and followed shoemaking until 1873. Married, in January, 1831, Sarah Houseworth ; she died in Mason City Aug. 17, 1875. Five of their children now survive; Jeremiah and a son-in-law lost their lives at the battle of Lookout Mountain.

J. V. ELLMORE, farmer and stock-buyer ; P. O. Mason City ; one of the early settlers of Mason Co .; born in Green Co., Ky., Dec. 19, 1828; he emigrated to Illinois and located in Mason Co. in 1855, at which time there was no house nearer than Salt Creek ; no house where Mason City now stands. In 1867, he purchased 55 acres of his present place, and now owns 202 acres with good farm buildings, which he has accumulated by his own exertions. Upon the 18th of February, 1858, he was united in marriage with Sarah A. Hill, a native of Manchester, Scott Co., Ill. Ten children

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were the fruit of this union, of whom eight now survive-Henry C., Charles N., Lillie B., Hattie C., Nellie M., Fannie M., Eddie M. and an infant.

E. EVERIST, farmer, Sec. 20; P. O. Mason City ; born in Clinton Co., Ohio, Jan. 27, 1839, where he was raised to farm labor until 1859, when he came to Illinois and followed teaming and farming, at and near Havana, Mason Co., until 1865, when he located upon his present farin of eighty acres, where he has since lived. His marriage with Mary E. Hole was celebrated in Mason City, May 31, 1866 ; she was born in Mason Co., July 15, 1847. They have four children by this union-Zilla, born Feb. 2, 1868; Ralph, April 10, 1870; Louie, Nov. 20, 1875, and Cecil, Oct. 16, 1877, and Joseph, who died when 2 years of age. Mrs. Everist is the daughter of Joseplı E. Hole, who was born in Washington Co., Ind., about 1821. He was married, in 1846, to Miss Clotilda Green ; immediately after his marriage, he came to Mason Co., Ill., and for more than a year lived upon a farm owned by Daniel Clark. He soon acquired 320 acres of land about two miles south of Mason City, and was elected Justice of the Peace; he was noted for his correct decisions, and was highly respected in the com- munity where he lived until his deccase, which occurred in 1855. Mrs. Hole is now living in Mason City.

DAVID ELLMORE, farmer; P. O. Mason City; one of the old settlers of Mason Co., born in Green Co., Ky., Jan. 19, 1838. In the spring of 1858, he came to Illinois, and, in the fall of 1860, located in Salt Creek Township, Mason Co. In 1864, he purchased forty acres of his present place, where he has since lived. He now owns 240 acres under a good state of cultivation, with good farm buildings, nearly all of which he has made by his own exertions. His marriage with Margaret J. Hill was celebrated in 1859 ; she died in April, 1877, leaving seven children-John E., David O., Edward P., Wiley W., Dora M., George C. and Walter S. He married, for his second wife, Bettie A. Scaggs, in April, 1879.

JAMES F. EARL, dealer in dry goods, carpets, boots and shoes, etc., etc., Mason City. The subject of this sketch was born in 1839 and was raised in the State of New York until 1851 ; he then came to Illinois and located at Metamora, the county seat of Woodford Co., where he attended the common schools until 1856, when he entered the Abingdon and pursucd his studies nearly three years; in 1859, he entered the Bethany College, at Brooks Co., Va., and, in 1861, he opened the first exclusively gro- cery store at Metamora ; sold out in 1864 and engaged in the dry-goods, clothing and boot and shoe trade. In 1869, he engaged in general banking and opened the first bank at Metamora, under his own name, receiving the funds of the county among his deposits ; it was afterward changed in name to the Metamora Bank. In 1872, he added hardware to his extensive business, which at that time occupied three entire buildings. In 1875, he sold out his bank, hardware and grocery stores and removed his stock of dry goods to Forest, Livingston Co., and, after a short time, to Fairbury, closing them out in 1876. In 1877, he came to Mason City and purchased a stock of about $10,000 worth of goods of G. M. La Forge and has since carried a full and com- plete stock of dry goods, carpets, boots and shoes, etc., second to none in the town, and has a heavy and rapidly increasing trade, his sales of 1878 exceeding the sales of the previous year by 100 per cent. In 1861, he was united in marriage with Rosalie P. Charles ; she was born in Knoxville, Ill. ; they have two children-Flora M. and Freddie.

N. S. FORSYTH, grocer, Mason City ; born in Schoharie Co., N. Y., April 16, 1845. He emigrated with his parents to Illinois when 11 years of age and located in Lincoln, Logan Co., in December, 1856; here he attended the common and graded schools, completing his education at 'the Lincoln University. He then clerked in the drug trade for seven years in Lincoln, and, in 1868, went to Minnesota, residing two years, and, in the spring of 1870, returned to the employ of his old firm in Lincoln, with whom he continued until the fall of 1874, since which time he has been engaged with C. E. Randolph, in Mason City, in the grocery and provision business. his mar- riage with Lydia A. Baner was celebrated in Mason City Oct. 17, 1876; she was born in Logan Co., Ill., and is a daughter of J. S. Baner, whose biography also appears in this work.

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The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois, Part 92

Author: Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 848

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 848