The History of Will County, Illinois : containing a history of the county a directory of its real estate owners; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; general and local statistics.history of Illinois history of the Northwest, Part 80

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Chicago : Wm. Le Baron, jr. & co.
Number of Pages: 980


USA > Illinois > Will County > The History of Will County, Illinois : containing a history of the county a directory of its real estate owners; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; general and local statistics.history of Illinois history of the Northwest > Part 80


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WILLIAM CARLISLE, bakery, Braid- wood ; the subject of this sketch is the oldest baker in Braidwood ; born in England ; his father, Wm. Carlisle, died when Mr. Carlisle- was very young; here he started out in the world a poor boy ; learned his trade, bak- ing, in England, and this business he has followed throughout life ; in 1862, he emi- grated to Canada, and remained there about two years. While in Canada, he was married in 1863. to Miss Mary Gibson, of Canada. In 1864, he came to Illinois and settled at Chicago; from therc he came to Will Co., and first stopped in Wil- mington, and then went to Braidwood ; in


1873, he first commenced business of his own; here he was very successful until May 26, 1877, his bakery was destroyed by fire ; he rebuilt, and to-day owns the most complete bakery in Braidwood. Mr. Carlisle is a prominent Odd Fellow, and a member of the Episcopal Church. .


JOSEPH DONNELLY, merchant, Braidwood ; born in Durham Co., England, March 19, 1852, and is the son of Mat- thew and Mary Ann (Hull) Donnelly, of England ; his father was a dry goods mer- chant here ; with his father, Mr. Donnelly was engaged in elerking in the dry goods store, and in 1871, emigrated to America, and landed in New York City ; came di- rect to Will Co., Ill., and settled at Braid- wood ; when Mr. Donnelly first eame here, he was engaged as clerk in a store, and continued in this business until 1877 ; he then purchased the store he now owns, and commenced business on his own account ; ranks to-day as one of the leading mer- chants of Braidwood. He was married in 1874, to Miss Mary Dwyer, daughter of Patrick and Bridget Dwyer, who were among the first settlers of Reed Tp.


PATRICK DWYER, farmer; P. O. Braidwood; the subject of this sketch is the oldest settler now living in Reed Tp., was born in Tipperary Co., Ireland, March 17, 1828, and is the son of James and Catherine (Cary) Dwyer, of Ireland; father was a carpenter and wagon maker by trade, living on a farm herc. Mr. Dwyer commenced life by farming; in 1840, he emigrated to America and landed in New York ; then to Susquehanna Co., Penn., and engaged in farming about eight years ; in 1848, came West to Illinois and settled in Wilmington, Will Co .; in 1850, he came to Reed Tp., and settled on the place he now lives on ; he first purchased 120 acres at $3 per acre ; he made all im- provements on his place ; when he first came here, the country was very wild, plenty of wild game, deer and wolves in abundance. Mr. Dwyer has held several offices of trust in his township. Marricd November, 1851, to Miss Bridget Clark, of Ireland ; seven children. Mr. D. is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Catholic Church. He owns 232 acres of fine, im- proved land, made by hard labor, industry .and good management ; his father died in


1852, at 60 years of age; his mother is now living on the farm at the good old age of 76.


L. H. GOODRICH, merchant, Braid- wood; the subject of this sketch is proba- bly one of the best known and highly re- gardcd business men of Will Co .; was born in Chenango Co., N. Y., July 26, 1834, and is the son of Elozur Goodrich, of Con- necticut, and Hannah (Way) Goodrich, of New York ; his father was a carpenter and joiner by tradc, living on a farm; here Mr. Goodrich spent his childhood and early youth, working on the farm from the timc he was able to handle the plow, and in winter gathering instruction from the dis- trict schools ; at 17, he commenced teach- ing school and has taught twenty-one terms in New York and Illinois. In the fall of 1855, he came West and made his home in Grundy Co., Ill .; here and in other parts of the State he was engaged in teach- ing school ; also in the fruit business. In 1860, he married Miss Annie J. Wheeler, of Pennsylvania. After marrying, he taught school about one year; he then purchased a farm in Grundy Co. and com- menced farming, and continued in this busi- ness for eight years ; then to Gardner, Ill., and was Superintendent of a coal shaft for six years. While Mr. Goodrich was in Grundy Co., he held several offices of pub- lic trust; was Justice of the Peace eight years, and Supervisor six years. In 18-, he came to Braidwood and entered the mercantile business, which business he has followed ever since. Mr. Goodrich took a very active part in getting the city of Braidwood incorporated, and was elected the first Mayor of the city in 1873, and re-elected to same officc. In 1875, he was nominated by the Republican party for Representative of the 15th District, and was elected to same office, and in 1876, was re-elected; during his time in public office, from his office as Justice of the Peace in Grundy Co., to a Representative of the 15th District, he has given entire satisfaction, having proven himself a gen- tlcman of acknowledged ability, whose dutics have been perforined in a faithful manner. Mr. Goodrich is a Republican in politics and a member of the M. E. Church, which Church he has been a prominent member for the past fifteen years; is Superintendent of the Sunday school.


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Mr. Goodrich ranks as one of the success. ful business men of Will Co.


J. & J. HYND, confectionery and stationery, Braidwood. These gentlemen commenced business in Braidwood in the spring of 1877; both were born in Scot- land; James, born October, 1855, and John, born in 1857 ; are the sons of John and Margaret (McKinley) Hynd, of Scot- land ; their father died when they were very young. Messrs. Hynds have fol- lowed mining principally throughout life ; in 1868, they emigrated to America ; came direet to Illinois and settled in Morris, Grundy Co., and remained there, engaged in mining until 1871; they then came to Braidwood; here engaged in mining; in 1877, James retired from the inines, and in partnership with his brother John, entered the confectionery and stationery business ; they own to-day one of the largest and best assorted stocks of confectionery and stationery in Braidwood.


THOMAS HENNEBRY, boots and shoes, Braidwood ; was born in Ireland in 1845; his parents are James and Ellen (Kenny) Hennebry, of Ireland; his father was a farmer; emigrated to America in April, 1848, and settled in Du Page Co., Ill. ; here Mr. Hennebry remained on the farm until the breaking-out of the late war; he enlisted Aug. 15, 1862, as private in Co. C, 90th I. V. I., for three years ; participated in some of the hard-fought battles during the war under Gens. Grant and Sherman-Vieksburg, Mission Ridge, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Sherman's mareh to tlic sea, through the swamps of the Carolinas to Washington, on the grand review ; was mustered out as Corporal June 5, 1865 ; returned to the farm in Du Page Co .; in 1869, went to Wilmington, Will Co., in the mercantile business with Richard Baskerville-" Baskerville & Hennebry ;" then, in 1872, came to Braidwood; entered the boot and shoc business with C. O'Don- nell-" Hennebry & O'Donnell ;" then with John Handlon-" Hennebry & Hand- lon ;" to-day he owns one of the best boot and shoe stores in Braidwood. Was elected Supervisor of Reed Tp. in 1873; this office he filled with honor and satisfac- tion. Is a Democrat in politics ; Catholic in religion. Married in 1875 to Miss Kate Keane, whose parents are among the first settlers of Recd Tp .; one child.


ESAIAS HALL, Superintendent of tlie Chicago & Wilmington Coal Co., Braid- wood; the subject of this sketch was born in Rutland Co., Vt., Sept. 6, 1822, and is the son of Gen. Robinson Hall, of Ver- mont, who was a prominent military man; his mother, Sarah (Munson) Hall, of Con- neeticut ; his father was owner of a farm here. Mr. Hall was engaged in farming until he was 30 years of age; he then entered the mercantile business, and con- tinucd in this business until 1865; in 1866, he eame West to Illinois and settled in Wilmington; he first worked for the Hill & St. Clair Coal Company for two years ; since 1868, has been engaged witlı the Chicago & Wilmington Coal Company ; he first was engaged as a traveling agent, and in March, 1874, was appointed Super- intendent of the company. The Chicago & Wilmington Coal Company is one of the largest coal companies in the West; this company has worked and partially aban- doncd eight coal shafts; now engaged in running two shafts. G. & H. employ 700 men ; eapaeity, 150 cars per day, twelve tons to a car. Mr. Hall has been married twice; his first wife was Miss Louisa Dan- forth, of Vermont ; his second wife, Eliza- beth S. Cogdon, of Vermont; have one child. In 1871, Mr. Hall moved to Chi- cago; here he has been residing ever since. Member of the Congregational Church, and a Republican in politics.


ROBERT HUSTON, merchant, Braid- wood ; was born in New York City, Aug. 7, 1844, and is the son of Robert and Elizabeth (Shaw) Huston, of Ireland; his father was a weaver by trade, having emi- grated to America about 1832. Mr. Hus- ton, when he was very young (1850), with his parents eame West to Illinios, and settled in Grundy Co., here he was engaged on his father's farm at the breaking-out of the late war. In 1862, lie enlisted as private in Co. I, 58th I. V. I., for three years or during the war. Participated in some of the hard fought battles ; at the battles of Fort Donelson, Tenn., and Pittsburg Landing, April 6, 1862; herc he was taken prisoner and taken South as a prisoner; was paroled, returned to his regiment, and at the battle of Yellow Bayou, La., 1863, he received a severe gunshot wound which caused the loss of his leg ; he was sent to the Hospital at St. Louis, and in 1864, was discharged,


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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES :


returned home to Grundy Co., and engaged in teaching school; in 1870, he entered the mercantile business in Braidwood, and has continued in this business ever since. Married in 1872 to Miss E. A. Blanchard, of Will Co., Ill., whose parents were among the early settlers of Will Co. ; they have two children. When Mr. Huston first came to Braidwood he was worth $54; he was engaged at the coal mines in weigh- ing coal and speculating ; he managed to save enough capital to start in the mercan- tile business ; to-day he ranks as one of the successful merchants of Braidwood. Is a Republican in politics.


JOHN JAMES, coal office, Braidwood ; was born in Scotland, and is the son of John and Mary (Law) James, of Scotland; father was a miner; when Mr. James was about 9 years of age, he entered the coal mines, and has principally followed coal mining throngh life ; in 1865, emigrated to America to Mercer Co., Penn., mining about one and a half years; thence to Braidwood in the fall of 1867; mined until 1869; then in the mercantile busi- ness until 1873 ; thence to Cleveland three years, returned to Braidwood, and is now engaged in the company's coal office. Mr. James is a National Greenback man in politics, and a member of the Presbyterian Church, and was married in 1864. to Miss Agnes Campbell, of Scotland, by whom he has four children.


ROBERT JAMES, insurance agent, Braidwood; this gentleman was born in Scotland, in 1851, and is the son of John and Mary (Law) James, of Scotland. His father was a miner. Mr. James in 1868, cmigra- ted to America ; came direct to Illinois, and settled in Braidwood ; here he was first engaged in working in the coal mines. He received a full business college education in Cleveland, Ohio; in 1874, returned to Braidwood, and entered the insurance busi- ness this business he lias been in ever since ; is agent for some of the most reli- able insurance companies in the United States.


JAMES KAIN, saloon, Braidwood ; the subject of this sketeh was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Nov. 24, 1819, and is the son of John and Rebecca (McMurray) Kain. His father, a native of Ireland, and mother of Scotland. Mr. Kain at 9 years of age, commenced working in the


coal mines, and engaged at this business while in Scotland; in 1851, he emigrated to America, and landed in New York City ; then to the coal fields of Maryland; thence to Ohio ; here he remained about two years engaged in coal mining, and in 1853, he returned to Scotland ; here he remained until 1862, when he returned to America, and went to the coal fields of Pennsylvania ; he remained there three years ; then went to Illinois in 1866, and was at one time, General Underground Manager for the coal mines of the C. & W. Coal Co. In 1875, Mr. Kain commenced the saloon business. In 1876, he started his two sons, John and Joseph, in the livery and furni- ture business, known as Kain Bros .; these gentlemen have a large, first class stock of furniture ; also their livery cannot be beat in larger citics for fine turnouts. Mr. Kain came to America a poor boy, worked hard in the coal mines ; saved money ; in- vested and managed successfully, and to- day ranks as one of the successful business men of Braidwood. Married twice, first wife, May, 1842, who died Dec. 6, 1852; married second wife, Sept., 1853, Miss Agnes- Woods Patterson, Ayreshire, Scotland. Mr. Kain is liberal in politics, and a mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church.


TIMOTHY KEANE, farmer ; P. O. Braidwood ; this gentleman was born in Ireland about 1818, and is the son of James and Catherine (Murphy) Keane, of Ireland. His father was a farmer .. Mr. Keane at 17 years old commenced to learn the shoe- making trade; this he followed for over twenty years. In 1847, he emigrated to. America, and landed in New York City ; then West to Illinois, and settled in Ottawa, La Salle Co., and remained here for about five years ; then to Grundy Co., Ill., and commenced farming, and remained there. until 1856, when he came to Will Co., and settled on the place he now lives on ; he made all the improvements, building house, planting trees. He at one time cut hay off the land that the city of Braidwood now occupies. When he first came here, he purchased eighty-five acres, at $16 per acre. Owns 205 acres of fine improved land. Commenced life a poor boy ; worked hard, and to-day is one of the successful farmers of Reed Tp. Married to Miss Mary Daulton, of Ireland, who died. on the old homestead in 1873; ten chil-


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dren. Mr. Keanc is a member of the Catholic Church.


HENRY LECARON, M. D., drug store, Braidwood. The subject of this sketch is one of the most prominent mncn of Recd Township; was born in France Sept. 26, 1839, and is the son of Francis V. LeCaron, who was a speculator and moncy broker. Dr. LeCaron remained in France until the breaking-out of the late war; he then, with the intention of enlist- ing in the Union army, emigrated to America Aug. 20, 1861. He first enlisted in the body guard of Maj. Anderson ; was also body guard of Gen. Buel ; in 1862, he enlisted as Sergeant in the 15th Penn. Calvary, and participated in some of the most prominent battles-Antietam, Stone River, Chickamauga ; in July, 1864, was commissioned as 2d Lieutenant in the Reg- ular U. S. A., 13th Regiment ; was wounded in the side in a skirmish in Tennessce ; Was mustercd out as 1st Lieutenant in March, 1866; was with Gen. O'Neal's Canada movement in 1866. He then came to Illinois, and settled in Lockport, Will County ; here he was engaged in the flour-mills of Norton & Co. In 1870, was a participant in the great Fenian movement. In 1868-69, attended the Rush Medical College, of Chicago; in 1872, graduated in the Detroit Medical College, of Detroit, Mich. He then came to Will Connty, and has engaged in the practice of medicine ever since ; in 1873, came to Braidwood. Was Supervisor of Reed Township in 1875. Democrat in politics ; was in August, 1878, nominated by the Democratic party for Representa- tive. Dr. LcCaron married in 1864 to Miss Nannie J. Melvin, of Nashville, Tenn., by whom he has four children.


DAVID MORIS, dry goods merchant, Braidwood ; the subject of this sketch is one of the prominent merchants of Braidwood ; was born in North Wales in March, 1832, and is the son of Robert and Kittie Arther (Williams) Moris ; his father was a coal mine manager ; when Mr. Moris was but 9 years of age, he entered the coal mines and engaged in mining while in North Wales; June 25, 1860, in company with Thomas Radford, left Liverpool for Amer- ica ; landed in New York City ; his first work in America was on Monongahela River, in mining coal one season ; then to


Palestine, Ohio; thence to Illinois, to La Salle County ; thence to Morris, Grundy County ; was engaged by Nicholas Cotton in the coal mining business ; he leased, for ten years, a piece of coal land ; here he sunk the first coal shaft on the C., A. & St. L. R. R., located near Braccville sta- tion ; he then was engaged by a company to sink two shafts; onc of them was in Reed Township, Will County, and was the first coal shaft sunk in Recd Township ; was engaged in oversceing the Braceville coal shaft ; he then entered a mining com- pany composed of miners, known as the Joint Stock Coal Mining Company of Gardner. This company was engaged in sinking a coal shaft at Gardner; struck a large flow of water. After spending $25,000, they abandoned it. He then returned to Braceville ; thence with Odell & Cady, drilling for coal ; Mr. Moris is one of the oldest and best posted coal miners in this vicinity ; Nov. 10, 1873, he entered the dry goods business ; this busi- ness he has followed ever since. Married Jan. 18, 1862, to Miss Eliza Jane Murphy, of New York, by whom he has had six children, two living. Father died in 1867 ; mother lives in North Wales.


IRA R. MARSH, merchant, Braid- wood; was born in Attica, N. Y., June 22, 1843, and is the son of J. Wells and Laura (Smith) Marsh ; his father was engaged in the mercantile business, and died when Mr. Marsh was but one year old. Mr. Marsh's first business in life was working at bookbinding; then in the den- tistry one and a half years; he then set out in learning photography, and was engaged at this business about one and a half years in Buffalo, N. Y. In 1862, he enlisted as private in Co. B, 112th N. Y. V. I. for three years or during the war ; was with the Army of the James ; par- ticipated in some of the hard-fought battles during the war-Cold Harbor, Fort Fisher and in the battle of New Market Heights ; he received a wound in the side which dis- abled him for about four months ; he re- joined his regiment and served until the close of the war ; mustercd out June, 1865 ; in 1866, he came West to Illinois and sct- tled at Keifersville; here he commenced the grocery business, this being the first store at the mines; he remained there about two years ; returned East one year,


and in 1869, came to Braidwood ; here he commenced to clerk for Lawrence & Tin- celer ; he purchased an interest, and then the firm was L. Tinceler & Co .; to-day he is in business alone ; owns one of the best boot and shoe stores in Braidwood, and ranks as one of the leading merchants of this vicinity. Married in 1876, to Miss Annie White; one child. Has held several offices of trust, City Clerk and Supervisor of Reed Township. Republican in politics.


WILLIAM MOONEY, attorney at law, Braidwood. This gentleman was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, July 18, 1841, and is the son of Thomas and Ann (Clark) Mooney, of Ireland ; his father was a miner ; when Mr. Mooney was but 9 years of age, he commenced to work in the coal mines ; he followed mining while in Scot- land; in 1865, he emigrated to America, landing in New York City ; thence to Pennsylvania and Ohio ; engaged in min- ing; in 1866, he came to Braidwood, Will Co., Ill., and commenced to work for the C. & W. Coal Co., mining. Mr. Mooney lias held several offices of public trust; in 1870, was elected Justice of the Peace ; in 1873, was elected to the Legislature, Twenty-ninth General Assembly (elected on the Independent ticket) ; in 1877, was clected City Attorney ; this office he still holds ; in these offices Mr. Mooney has ac- quitted himself in a very creditable and efficient manner ; was admitted to the bar to practice law by the Supreme Court of Illinois in 1875. Democrat in politics and a Catholic in religion. Married in 1876 to Miss Kitty O'Connor, of Illinois ; have one child.


WILLIAM MALTBY, Superintendent of the Eurcka Coal Co., Braidwood. The above-named gentlenian is one of the prom- inent men of Braidwood ; was born in Selston, England, March 7, 1840, and is the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Clark) Maltby, of England ; his father was en- gagcd in taking care of the stock of a large coal and iron company in England ; Mr. Maltby, when 7 years of age, com- menced to work on his father's farm by straddling a mule and driving them tandem to the plow; he came in contact with the miners here ; he was induced to enter the minc, driving coal-cart and mining; in 1862, he emigrated to Canada and landed in Quebec ; then to Lake Superior ; from


there he went to Jackson, Mich .; in 1863,. he came to Illinois, to Peoria and Fairbury ; then East to Pennsylvania ; entered the coal business for two ycars ; then to Nova Scotia. prospecting for coal, for Charles S. Richardson ; not finding coal, he returned to New York City; then to Michigan ; from there he came to Chicago, Ill., and in Dec., 1866, was appointed Superintendent of the Rhodes Coal Co., now known as the Eureka Coal Co. of Chicago ; this company employs between 400 and 450 mcn ; ca- pacity of seventy cars per day, twelve tons to a car. Mr. Maltby came to America financially a poor boy ; to-day he has risen from the lad that was engaged in driving the mule to the plow to a Superintendent of one of the largest coal companies in the West; is the President and one of the founders of the Braidwood Library, with 1,300 volumes. Mr. M. has been married twice ; to his first wife, in 1858, Miss Do- rinda Green, of England, and to his second wife, in 1873, Addie Varley, of England ; has six children.


DANIEL MCLAUGHLIN, Mayor of Braidwood, Braidwood. The subject of this sketch is one of the most prominent men of Braidwood ; was born in Lanark- shire, Scotland, Aug. 9, 1831, and is the son of John and Catherine (Hutton) Mc- Laughlin, natives of Ireland ; his father was engaged in stone-cutting; Mr. Mc- Laughlin, when he was but 10 years of age, sct out in working in the coal-mines at Woodsides, Scotland, in the mining of coal and iron ; he has followed this busi- ness principally throughout life; in 1869, he cmigrated to America, and landed in New York City; from here he went to Boston, Mass .; then he came West to Chi- cago, Ill .; thence in Sept., 1869, to Braid- wood, Will Co., Ill .; here he commenced working in the coal-mines, and followed this business until 1877; in April, this year, he was elected by the National Grecn- back party as Mayor of Braidwood by a. large majority ; in this office. Mr. McLaugh- lin is giving entire satisfaction to the people he represents, proving himself a gentleman of acknowledged ability. Mr. McLaughlin is in politics a National Greenbacker ; a member of the Catholic Church. He mar- ried in 1851 to Miss Bridget Dougherty, by whom he had ten children, six liv- ing.


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CORNELIUS O'DONNELL, saloon and boots and shoes, Braidwood ; this gen- tleman was born in Tipperary Co., Ireland, and is the son of Jeremiah and Catherine (Powell) O'Donnell, of Ireland ; his father was engaged in farming here ; Mr. O'Don- nell was raised on his father's farm, and in 1863, he emigrated to America, and landed in New York City; came direct to Will Co., and commenced farming; then in the coal-mines, Goose Lake ; thence to Keifers- ville; here he remained until 1870 ; thenee to Braidwood, and entered the mercantile business. Mr. O'Donnell has held several offices of public trust ; that of Constable seven years, and Deputy Sheriff of Will Co. four years under George M. Arnold; these offiees he has held in a ereditable and efficient manner. Is a Democrat in polities, and is a very active worker ; a member of the Catholic Church. Married Jan. 11, 1872, to Miss Margaret Leo, by whom they have had five children-four living.


FRANK T. O'REILLY, farmer ; P.O. Braid wood ; was born in Meath Co., Ireland, May 1820, and is the son of Michael and Rose (Tully) O'Reilly, of Ireland ; his father was a blacksmith and a farmer; was raised on his father's farm ; at the age of 14 years, he was engaged in driving a dray between Kells and Dublin, and engaged at this business until he emigrated to America, in 1847, with his mother and children ; his father died when he was about 9 years of age; landed in New York City ; they then went to Somerset Co., N. J .; here he was engaged in working in the copper- mines eighteen months ; then to Newark, N. J., and worked in chemical factory about one year; then to the city of New York, where he was engaged in driving a team for a sugar refinery ; at this business four years; then purchased a horse and dray, and was drayman in New York two years; then with the family they emi- grated to Illinois, and settled in Will Co., Reed Tp., on the farm they now own, in July, 1855 ; first purchased 200 acres at $6 per aere, being among the first set- tlers of this township; made all improve- ments on the farm ; country very wild ; plenty of deer and prairie wolves. Married in 1853, to Miss Mary Bradly, of Ireland, by whom they have had eight ehildren, seven living. Has held several offices of publie trust of Reed Tp. Demoerat in




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