USA > Illinois > Stephenson County > The History of Stephenson County, Illinois : containing biographical sketches war record statistics portraits of early settlers history of the Northwest, history of Illinois, &c. > Part 85
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IRA LOWRY, farmer, Sec. 2; P. O. Freeport ; born in Centre Co., Penn., April 5, 1839 ; came to this county in 1846; engaged in farming and teaching school ; went to Iowa in 1867 ; returned in 1869; followed his profession until 1869, when he settled down to farming. He was married to Miss Sarah Heitter Nov. 26, 1865; she was born in Pennsylvania Feb. 22, 1833; Mr. and Mrs. Lowry have one child-Anna C., born April 21, 1871. He has 80 acres of land, valued at $3,200.
AMOS W. McCREARY (deceased); born in Adams Co., Penn., 1808; moved to Wisconsin 1839; came to this county in 1844. Was married to Miss Mary Babb Jan. 1, 1845; she was born in Northumberland Co., Penn .; moved from Lycoming Co., Penn., July 17, 1840, to this county. Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Creary have one child, Samuel B., born Nov. 10, 1845. Mr. McCreary died in 1846; is buried in the Lutheran Cemetery, Loran Township. Mrs. McCreary's father and mother were both born in the same year, 1784, and both died in the same year, 1861 ; they moved from Pennsylvania in 1840; they were among the earliest settlers of the county ; they are both buried in the Lutheran Cemetery, Loran Township. Mrs. McCreary owns 180 acres of land.
PHILLIP MILLER, farmer, Sec. 22; P. O. Freeport; born in Freeport April 16, 1857 ; attended school until 1871, when he commenced farming; has had two narrow chances of losing his life, once by a blow from a singletree, which slipped from its place, and struck him; and second, by foul air inhaled upon going down into a well. He deserves great credit for his endurance and pluck.
IRA MITCHELL, farmer, Sec. 14; P. O. Yellow Creek ; born in Vigo Co., Ind., Aug. 27, 1836; came to this county September, 1839. Was married to Miss Amanda K. Bell Dec. 25, 1865 ; she was born in Maryland in 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell have three children living-Charles B., born Sept. 9, 1869 ; Angelia and Angelina, Aug. 29, 1873 ; and one buried in the Methodist Church Cemetery, Flor- ence Township. Mr. Mitchell enlisted in Co. B, 71st I. V. I., July 11, 1862 ; mustered out, Oct. 29, 1862. Mr. Mitchell is among the oldest settlers of the township; was Post- master for eight years at Waterman's Mills.
LEVI W. SHEFFEY, farmer, Sec. 10; P. O. Yellow Creek; born in Chester Co., Penn., May 29, 1828 ; moved to Lycoming Co. and lived there four years ; came to this county in 1855. Was married to Miss Catharine Bruner in 1854 ; she was born in Northumberland Co., Penn., 1824. Mr. and Mrs. Sheffey have one child, Mary Agnes, buried in Freeport Cemetery in 1856, aged 6 months ; two living-William Lawrence, born Aug. 8, 1859; and Susan Emma, July 29, 1862. Mr. Sheffey enlisted in Co. K, 46th I. V. I., Jan. 27, 1865 ; mustered out at Baton Rouge Jan. 20, 1866 ; received his final discharge at Springfield, Ill., February, 1866. Owns 118 acres of land.
JACOB S. STUDEBAKER, Sec. 17; P. O. Yellow Creek ; born in Bedford Co., Penn., 1814; came to Stephenson Co. 15th November, 1856. Was married to Miss Maria Wirtz Oct. 16, 1836 ; she was born in Bedford Co., Penn., April 13, 1819 ; died Jan. 22, 1872, and is buried in Yellow Creek Cemetery. Their children are as follows : John, born July 22, 1837 ; Mary, Dec. 10, 1838; Samuel, July 6, 1840 ; Henry, March 19, 1872 ; George E., April 22, 1844; Catharine, March 6, 1846 ; Simon, Nov. 1, 1847 ; Hannah, Feb. 1, 1849; Levi, Dec. 27, 1850; Ann Maria, Oct. 14, 1852; infant, April 23, 1854 ; Ellen, Dec. 22, 1855; Sarah, May 27,
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1858; Jacob, June 10, 1862; John, infant and Ann Maria are buried in Milligan's Cove, Bedford Co., Penn .; John died Aug. 25, 1838; Ann Maria, April 18, 1853; and the infant, April 26, 1854; Mary died May 23, 1866, and is buried in Keokuk, Iowa; Henry, Oct 12, 1864, buried in Arkansas ; Sarah and Jacob are buried in Yellow Creek Cemetery ; Sarah died April 1, 1874; Jacob, Aug. 13, 1863. Mr. Studebaker was married to Mrs. Catharine Finkenbinder Oct. 26, 1872; Mrs. Finken- binder was married to William Finkenbinder Aug. 16, 1843, in Summit Co., Ohio ; she was born in Hanover, Northampton Co., Penn., June 16, 1824. Mr. and Mrs. F. moved to this county in 1849; Mr. F. was born Dec. 4, 1819, in Frankfort, Cumber- land Co., Penn .; their children are Mary, born Nov. 23, 1844; George, Aug. 1, 1846 ; Fianna, June 22, 1848; David, July 31, 1850; Michael, Dec. 21, 1852 ; William, Feb. 2, 1855 ; Catharine, April 9, 1857 ; Emma, Jan. 2, 1859 ; Henry, Sept. 1, 1860 ; Adda, Sept. 2, 1864; Ella Zeborah, Sept. 11, 1866 ; Henry died Nov. 9, 1867 ; Fianna, Dec. 9, 1867; and the father, William, died Jan. 4, 1869. Mr. and Mrs. F. came to this county with a capital of 6 cents, but by industry, coupled with an upright character, succeeded in accumulating 500 acres of valuable land in the course of twenty years.
JOHN THOMAS, farmer ; P. O. Yellow Creek ; son of Levi and Elizabeth Thomas ; born in this county April 18, 1861. His father was born in Pennsylvania Aug. 27, 1825, and came to this county in 1847 ; his mother was born in Pennsyl- vania March 1, 1836; he has ten brothers and sisters; they are Mary E., born Jan. 7, 1853; Jacob L., Feb. 20, 1855 ; Eliza Jane, July 22, 1856 ; George F., March 30, 1858; William H., Dec. 20, 1859; Samuel, May 16, 1862 ; Anna Catharine, Sept. 16, 1864; Matilda, Sept. 8, 1866 ; Charles, Jan. 27, 1868 ; and Adam, July 12, 1872. Mr. Thomas died Dec. 3, 1873, and is buried in Hamilton Co., Nebraska.
HARVEY M. TIMMS, Sec. 15; P. O. Yellow Creek ; born in Kent Township, Stephenson Co., Ill., May 26, 1837. Married Miss Martha Davis, Jan. 1, 1866 ; she was born in Lee Co., Ill., Nov. 17, 1845. Mr. and Mrs. Timms have four children-Eugene D. and Edna D., aged 12 years ; Emma, 7 years ; and Gertrude May, 3 years. Mr. Timms enlisted in Co. A, 92d I. V. I., the 5th of August, 1862, appointed to 1st Lieutenant upon the organization of company, promoted to captaincy Dec. 25, 1862, served as such until June, 1865, when the company and regiment were mustered out; Mr. T. was retained to the command of recruits and assigned to the 65th I. V. I., Co. I, and in July was promoted to Major, which office he held until the regiment was mustered out; Mr. T. was in action in the battles of Franklin, Tenn. ; Shelbyville, Mission , Ridge, Resaca, Kilpatrick's raid, Lovejoy Station, Jonesboro, Triune, Tenn., Chickamauga, Tunnel Hill, Altoona, Sherman's march to the sea, Aiken, S. C., Bentonville, Savannah, Averysboro, Johnston's surrender, siege of At- lanta, Powder Springs.
FREDERICK WAGNER, mechanic and farmer, Sec. 22; P. O. Yellow Creek ; born in Sondershausen, Germany, Nov. 10, 1844 ; came to Freeport, Sept. 22, 1862, and worked at the mechanical business until 1871, when he moved on the farm where he now lives ; has 80 acres of land. Was married to Miss Martha Kruydl, June 29, 1868; she was born in Philadelphia, Penn., June 19, 1847 ; Mr. and Mrs. Wagner have four children living; they are Elizabeth, born April 1, 1869 ; John, April 28, 1870 ; Minnie, Dec. 29, 1873 ; Frederick, Oct. 15, 1877. Mr. Wagner is at present School Director of District No. 4, Loran Township.
CHARLES WATERMAN, Secs. 13 and 14; P. O. Waterman's Mills ; is a uative of Herkimer Co., N. Y., and was born Nov. 14, 1817 ; after reaching man- hood he came West to Illinois ; he and his brother, James S. Waterman, the banker of Sycamore, De Kalb Co., laid out that town in 1838 ; they were among the earliest settlers of De Kalb Co. ; he built the mill at Newburg; it was the first mill built north of the Illinois River except one at Aurora. Mr. Waterman was prominent in ridding that section of the country of the notorious band of horse thieves, the " Driscoll Brothers," who caused so much trouble at that early day. Bill Driscoll had sworn he would kill Mr. W .; soon after, the latter overtook Driscoll on the road on horseback, both were
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heavily armed; they rode together some miles, Mr. W. watching Driscoll closely, and was ready to shoot him instantly if any attempt was made to attack him ; while they were thus on the road, a body of settlers came upon Driscoll ; he was taken and hanged within a few hours during the same day. Mr. Waterman came to Stephenson Co. in May, 1840. In 1844, he built a store on Galena street, and engaged in mercantile busi- ness ; he afterward engaged in business in Loran Township ; established mills here and a large steam distillery. Mr. Waterman was very active and spent a great deal of money to aid the railroads in coming through this county ; he and his son have a large stock farm. Mr. Waterman married Miss Eliza Barrett, a native' of Vermont ; her parents were among the earliest settlers in Winnebago Co. Mr. and Mrs. Waterman have one son-Waldo D., who manages the farm.
WALDO D. WATERMAN, farmer, Sees. 13 and 14; P. O. Freeport ; born in this county, April 22, 1856. He was married May 28, 1879, to Miss Emma C. Lamb; she was born in this county, May 5, 1861. Mr. W. owns 280 acres of land.
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.
ROBERT BAKER, farmer, Sec. 2; P. O. Yellow Creek ; born Aug. 23, 1815, in Yorkshire, Eng .; in 1830, he came to Canada ; here he learned the carpenter trade, and has followed it about forty years ; in 1860, he came to Stephenson Co. ; they own 240 acres of land. He married Margaret Muir in 1840; she was born in Ireland ; they have six children-three sons and three daughters ; his son Albert enlisted in 64th, Co. M, 8th I. V. C. served one year.
PHILLIPP BEHRINGER, farmer, Sec. 10; P. O. Loran; his father and mother were both born in Wurtemberg, Germany, 1824, and he came to this country 1864 ; they were married in 1847. Mr. B. has five sisters ; they are Hannah, now Mrs. Figi, aged 33; Dora, now Mrs. Kiester ; aged 31; Christina, now Mrs. Backer, aged 26 ; Rachel, aged 19, and Katrina, aged 17, all living. Two of the family are buried in Germany, and one in Loran Township. Mr. B. was born in 1852; his father's name is Christian, and his mother's Magdalena Ricker.
E. L. BEST, farmer, Sec. 22; P. O. Loran; born Dec. 10, 1844, in Clinton Co., Penn. ; in 1861, they came to Stephenson Co .; his father died in 1876, aged 63 years ; they own 92 acres of land.
ISAAC BOGENREIF, farmer, Sec. 1 ; P. O. Yellow Creek ; born Jan. 19, 1840, in Union Co., Penn .; in 1844, he came with his parents to Stephenson Co., where he has since lived. He owns 200 acres of land. He enlisted in February, 1865, in Co. E, 7th I. V. C., and served to the end of the war. Has been School Commis- sioner ; he is also Justice of the Peace, and has held this office for the past eight years. Married Catharine Wingert in 1862; she was born in Union Co., Penn .; they have nine children-three sons and six daughters.
JOHN S. BOOP, farmer, Sec. 2; P. O. Yellow Creek ; born Dec. 28, 1842, in Union Co., Penn .; in 1858, he came to Stephenson Co .; he owns 109 acres of land. Enlisted in 1865, in Co. C, 7th Ill. V. C., and served to the end of the war. Married Sarah C. Bottarf, in 1866; she was born in Stephenson Co .; they have three children-Laura M., Mary E. and Frank S. ; lost Willie in infancy.
CLARLES FLICKINGER, farmer, Sec. 15 ; P. O. Loran; born Dec. 14, 1818, in Union Co., Penn. ; in 1843, he came to Stephenson Co., where he has since lived ; he owns 175 acres of land ; when in Pennsylvania, he learned the tanning trade, and worked at this business till coming West. He married Mrs. Sank, March 23, 1855; she was born in Germany ; have two children-Aaron C. and Lydia A .; she has two children by a former marriage-Louisa and Charlotte.
S. A. FREY, Postmaster and general merchandise, Loran ; born Jan. 6, 1836, in Juniata Co., Penn .; in 1850, he came with his parents to Stephenson Co .;
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in 1864, he opened a grocery at Yellow Creek, continued this two years ; he then removed to Loran and commenced his present business ; he was appointed Postmaster in 1867 ; he has been School Treasurer the past ten years ; has been eight years Town- ship Supervisor, and ten years Justice of the Peace. Married Aun M. Higley, in 1858; she was born in New York ; have four children-Flora I., now Mrs. Dr. Knoll, Lillie E., George D. and Daisey.
SAMUEL HAYES, farmer, Sec. 24; P. O. Yellow Creek ; born Dec. 15, 1804, in Northumberland Co., Penn .; in 1844, he removed to Stephenson Co., where he has since lived ; he owns 183 acres of land ; he learned the tanner's trade in Penn- sylvania, and followed it there about twelve years. He married Mary Hutchinson in 1836; she was born in 1806, in Columbia Co., Penn .; they have six children-five sons and one daughter; his sons, John, Russell, Samuel and Robert, served in the late war.
PETER KERCH, farmer, Sec. 27; P. O. Loran ; born March 1, 1817, in Germany ; in 1846, he came to New York City; in 1848, he removed to Pittsburgh, Penn .; in 1855, he came to his present farm ; he owns 187} acres of land. He mar- ried Mena Oman in 1843; she was born in Germany ; they have six children-Jacob, John, Albert, Kate, Mary and Anna.
JOHN KOCH, farmer, Sec. 12; P. O. Yellow Creek ; born in Wurtemberg, Germany, Aug. 13, 1843; came to this county in 1854. He was married to Miss Katharine Flickinger in 1869 ; she was born in Stephenson Co. June 24, 1850; Mr. and Mrs. Koch have six children-John William, born Dec. 1, 1869; Mary Ann, May 12, 1871; Charles, Aug. 24, 1873; Edward, July 23, 1875 ; Samuel, June, 1876; Peter, March 17, 1879. Samuel died Sept. 10, 1878, and Peter died March 25, 1879; they are buried in the Loran Cemetery of the German Reformed Church. Mr. Koch enlisted, Feb. 22, 1865, in Co. H, 15th I. V. I., and was mustered out at Leavenworth, Kan., Sept. 30, 1865. He has been School Director for three terms, Constable for three years and Commissioner of Highways three years ; he owns 114 acres of land.
DR. W. F. KNOLL, physician and surgeon, Loran ; born Aug. 24, 1851, in Jefferson Township ; at about the age of 25, he commenced studying medicine with Dr. R. F. Hayes, of Freeport, and graduated in the class of 1878-79, at the Chicago Homeopathic College; he then came to Loran and commenced practicing. He mar- ried Miss Flora I. Frey Oct. 5, 1879; she was born in Kent Township.
JACOB OFFENHISER, farmer, Sec. 27; P. O. Loran; born Sept. 27, 1848, in Wurtemberg, Germany; in 1869, he came to Stephenson Co .; he owns 120 acres of land. He married Anna Kerch in 1874; she was born in Freeport; they have two children-Nathan E. and Ira Austin.
SIMON SCHESTER, farmer, Sec. 25 ; P. O. Loran ; born Oct. 19, 1819, in Germany ; in 1848, he came to New York City, thence to Chicago, and, in the fall of this year, he went to Beardstown, Ill .; remained here till 1866, when he came to Stephenson Co .; he owns 80 acres of land. He married Carolina Swetman in 1860; she was born in Germany ; they have four children-one son and three daughters.
SIMON F. TOLLMEIER, farmer, Sec. 35; P. O. Loran; born May 18, 1839, in Germany; in 1857, he came to Stephenson Co .; he owns 224 acres of land, with improvements equal to, if not the best, in the township ; he is a Director of the Mutual Fire Insurance Co. of Loran. He married Caroline Gearke in 1871; she was born in Jefferson Township; they have three children-Eddie, Louisa and Lydia ; he has four children by a former marriage-Mary, Fred, and Rachel and Maggie, twins.
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ERIN TOWNSHIP.
GEORGE M. ALVORD, telegraph operator, express agent and station agent, Eleroy ; born in Tonica, Ill., Sept. 29, 1857 ; his father fell in the capture of Fort Donelson ; his mother now resides at Minonk, Woodford Co., Ill., her present name being Morris, having married Mr. L. R. Morris ; the Alvord family consisted of three boys-Leroy, a farmer ; George M., here in Eleroy, and Charles, also a farmer ; George M. went to school in Winona in 1863, and from there went to Minonk, Ill., and attended public school until 1874 ; he then acted as clerk in the Minonk Post Office to the time he went to commercial college in 1875, at Peoria ; on leaving there he entered his uncle's grocery, and in 1876 was engaged and sent to the Centennial by several Chicago houses as general advertising agent ; he returned and attended normal school in Indiana ; having learned telegraphy in 1873 with the Western Union Telegraph Co., he, in 1878, was employed by the I. C. R. R., and is now occupying the above-named positions. In politics, George M. is a Democrat.
G. D. BABBITT, farmer, Sec. 13 ; P. O. Eleroy ; born in Goshen, Hamp- shire Co., Mass., Aug. 20, 1799 ; his father was born in Maine, and belonged to the Presbyterian ministry ; the family moved to Otsego Co., N. Y., when Mr. Babbit was 3 years old ; his father engaged in farming, together with his brother ; his father and mother died the same year, in 1836. G. D. Babbit, left Otsego Co. and went to Sus- quehanna Co. in 1820, where he learned his trade-tinning-of Mr. Gibson ; went to Pike, Allegheny Co., and here, in the year 1825, married Liddie Johnson, of Vermont ; had a family of five children-Joshua, Isaac, Abbie J., Harvey C. and Calvin W .; he farmed in Centerville five years ; went to Lewiston, Niagara Co .; he then crossed into Canada ; came down to Detroit, Mich., farmed five years in Branch Co., Mich .; went then to Ogle Co., Ill .; from there to Sugar River, Winnebago Co., and came here in 1840, and squatted on Sec. 13, on a farm of 96 acres. Politics, Republican. Married to his second wife, Miss Mary Ann Flynn, in September, 1869; his son, Calvin W., belonged to the 92d I. V. I .; came home in 1865 all right.
A. BACON, farmer, Sec. 13; P. O. Eleroy ; born in Hamilton, Oswego Co., N. Y., Sept. 6, 1812 ; his father, Nastiel Bacon, died when 65 years of age, having had a family of nine children-Frederick, 76 years of age, died in Ripon, Wis .; Hud- son, aged 72, died in Green Bay, Wis .; Peter, aged 75, is living in Indiana; Eunice B., aged 73, died in Ripon, Wis .; Caroline S., aged 72, lives at Union Grove, Wis .; Sally died is Michigan ; Polly died in New York. A. Bacon, the subject of this sketch, lives here on the farm, aged 68; James died at Palmyra, N. Y .; Lucius died aged 23. A. Bacon lived at home until 1829, engaged in farming ; he then walked into Cattaraugus Co. and bought a farm of 80 acres; stayed ten years and cleared fifty acres ; about this time, in September, 1831, he married Miss Dorcas L. Stebbins, of New York ; they had three children-Philo S., Lucinda and Mary ; his wife died in Kenosha in 1840 ; he had contracted the rheumatism, and was obliged to sell his farm, and for eight years he could not walk, and has never entirely recovered ; after selling, he went home to Han- nibal and stayed there, an invalid; getting better, he took a claim of 160 acres, but was not able to work, so got 60 acres, and finally sold it; came here in March, 1846, and settled on Sec. 13; owns now 104 acres, valued at $50 per acre ; he worked three years ; his lameness not letting him work, he went to making window-sash ; at this he made money, and when the railroad came through, he bossed the hands and made good wages ; in 1855, he went into the mercantile business, buying ont George Andrews, of Eleroy ; first year made $1,000 clear; after carrying on the business nine years, sold on account of bad health and retired. Mr. Bacon is a Democrat, and served as Justice of the Peace fourteen years, Supervisor nine years in succession, and Assessor one year. In 1841, he married Elizabeth Clark ; they had two children-Lansing, in Da- kota now, and Frederick, a traveling man.
CHARLES BOEKE, farmer and carpenter, Sec. 15; P. O. Eleroy ; born in Germany June 27, 1826; came to this country in 1854, and lived with his brother
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in Waddams Township. Stephenson Co., Ill .; his father's family consisted of eight children-Louisa and Herman, both decease i; George, Charles, Francis, now dead; William was killed in the army ; Wilhemina lives in Wisconsin, and Caroline (now Mrs. Brigna); after living at Waddams ten years, Charles moved to his present home in 1864; he owns 90 acres of land, valued at $50 an acre. In politics he is a Democrat, and belongs to the Lutheran Church, at Lena. In September, 1864, he married Miss Wilhelmina Meiser, of Germany ; they had five children-Charles is the only one alive. He married again in 1864, and his second wife's family consisted of Henry, Mina, Louisa, Frederick, Sophia, Charles, Paulina, Herman and William.
MRS. MARY E. BOEKE, widow, Sec. 3; P. O. Lena ; Francis Boeke, her husband, was born in Germany, June 27, 1827 ; served as a soldier in the father- land for five years ; came from Chicago here in 1850, and engaged in making brick. Dec. 26, 1860, he married Mary E. Hammond, now his widow; he bought this home for his family, where they now live. Mr. Boeke enlisted in 1863, in the 14th, I. V. I. Co. I, as Lieutenant, and on May 25, 1864, was promoted to captaincy ; he came home in August, 1865, and, his health being shattered, he died Dec. 31, 1874, leaving her a life pension and the property of 10 acres of land and a fine residence. Mrs. Boeke has six children-John F., now in Kansas, Visente A., Edna E., Willie D., George A. and Lotta E.
NATHANIEL J. CHURCHILL, Eleroy ; born in Wasco, Cayuga Co., N. Y., March 3, 1823; here during the early years of his life he went to school, and later learned carriage painting; at this trade he worked as he traveled from place to place ; he served his apprenticeship with Hall & Porter, Skaneateles ; went to Auburn and worked under instructions at ornamental work; he traveled through Genoa, Kelicks- ville, Truxton, Cortland Co., De Ruyter, De Granville. to Grneva, then to Havana, Ithaca, Towano, Bradford, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh to Boston, New York City and Newark, then to Moravia, Cayugo Co., where he attended school in 1842; went to Wisconsin but came back and attended school in 1844, then went away again, to Pike Lake. Washington Co., where he bought 160 acres of land, and in September, 1844, he married Miss Ascenette Denure, of Canada ; by this marriage she had four children, only two now alive ; soon after he sold out and moved into Stephenson Co., Ill., and settled on the old Helms farm, Sec. 19; in 1852, he sold this farm to Alfred Dan and went to railroading ; then started for St. Louis and on to the Sioux River, through Nebraska to the Ishabotany and back again, locating a mile south of Beloit, in Winnebago Co., Ill .; he was engaged on the I. C. R. R. till 1855, and after this returned to his trade, for awhile working for Clapp & Co., in Freeport; he then was engaged by Leightheart, Meigs & Philips, as foreman of the railroad constructing corps ; about this time he purchased his present home in Eleroy ; in the year 1857, went back to his trade again till 1861, where he was engaged on the Freeport & Savannah R. R. and worked up till 1866. Dec. 5, 1865, he married a second time, to a Miss Johanna A. Alberts, of Utrecht, Holland, and has a family of four children-Frank H., Nathan J., Henry A. and Erl. Mr. Churchill is a Republican and has served as Justice of the Peace since 1871, in the town of Erin; two of his sons were soldiers in the Union army ; George enrolled in the 92d I. V. I., Co. A, and Scott enlisted when only 15 years of age.
DR. F. A. DARLING, Eleroy ; born in Spafford, Onondaga Co., N. Y., April 10, 1832; received his preparatory reading under Dr. Kneeland, of Livingston Co .; when through there he attended lectures in Geneva, N. Y., and in 1856 received his certificate of Geneva College, David Hall, President ; after leaving there he went to Michigan, and right on to Eleroy, where he stayed, and has since established himself in a very fine practice ; no o her physician but Dr. Shepherd having been here ; the Dr. farms some, and in 1864 enlisted as 1st Lieutenant in the 142d I. V. I .; he came home and went out again as Captain in the 147th I. V. I., and finally came back in 1866 ; he has held township offices, and is a Republican. In 1862, he married Miss C. J. Putnam, of Warren, Jo Daviess Co., Ill .; they have one boy-D. J. W .; his mother, now 79 years of age, is living with him.
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CONRAD FAUTZMEIER, farmer and mason. Sec. 27 ; P. O. Eleroy : born in Germany Jan. 10, 1817 ; he left his native land in 1854, for the shores of America, where he landed, and proceeded at once to Freeport; before this time he had learned the trade of stonemason ; finding here plenty of work, settled down, and by economy and perseverance amassed enough to purchase his farm on Sec. 27, of A. Van- sloter, embracing 120 acres; this was in 1873. He had, in 1847, married Miss Catha- rine Slater ; his first family was Christian, Sophia, Conrad, Mary, Anna, Lidia, George, Frederick. In 1865, he married again, Miss Charlotte Picking ; this family consisted of three-Caroline, Charles and Mina.
ADAM FINKBINDER, farmer, Sec. 27 ; P. O. Eleroy ; born in Germany in August 1850, and is one of a family of twelve children-Jacob, Rose and Dorothea, in Germany ; Adam and Mary here on the farm ; Gotleib, Agnes and Caroline, at Hickory Grove; Richlain, Christopher and George in Kansas, and Lena, now Mrs. Mathias. When Adam was in the old country, he was engaged in various occupations, is an A 1 hand in the flax factory ; he now farms 80 acres of fine land; his father is now 66 years of age, and his mother 65; her name was Rosina A. Bernhardt. Adam is a Republican in politics.
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