The biographical encyclopedia of Illinois of the nineteenth century, Part 110

Author: Robson, Charles, ed
Publication date: 1875
Publisher: Philadelphia, Galaxy
Number of Pages: 770

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ducted before the late George W. Meeker, the United States Commissioner. On that occasion, in consequence of the illness of the senior counsel, the closing argument of the case devolved upon him. The person arrested as a fugitive, in whose defence he had participated, was finally discharged and with the wildest cheers and excitement. The colored man was passed at or.cc over the heads of the crowd, out of the court-room into the street, and he was immediately sent on his way to Canada, the haven of pur- sued slaves. The colored citizens of Chicago subsequently presented each of the co-defendants with a silver cup, ap- propriately inscribed. In IS60, in connection with I. N. Arnold, he acted as counsel for Joseph Stout, who was indicted in the United States District Court for the offence of rescuing fugitive slaves at Ottawa, and his argument to the jury on that trial was regarded by many as the ablest and most eloquent cffort of his professional life. Later, while acting as United States District Attorney, with the approval of the Attorney-General, he dismissed a large number of indictments, then pending upon the docket of the United States District Court, against leading citizens for the alleged offence of assisting in the rescue of fugitive slaves. Ile was a zealous supporter of Lincoln's adminis- trition ; acted as a member of the Citizens' Union Defence Committee, and in this capacity went to Washington and St. Louis on matters connected with the equipping of regi- ments for the war, and others pertaining to the public safety; and addresscd the great war meeting held in the Court House Square of Chicago, in IS62. He has also taken an active interest in important public measures for the improvement of Chicago; in 1850, in association with IIon. John M. Wilson, he assisted in the preparation of the act to incorporate the "Chicago City Hydraulic Company," approved February 14th, 1851, under which the present Chicago Water Works were constructed. In 1854 he was appointed chairman of a committee to prepare a bill to remedy the condition of the sewerage, was deputed to draft the bill, and prepared in a great measure the present sewerage law. Upon the organization of the Board of Sewerage Commissioners, under that act, he was appointed its attorney, and continued to act in this capacity until it was subscquently merged in the present Board of Public Works. While serving as one of the Inspectors of Public Schools he drew an ordinance, in the autumn of 1853, for the appointment of a Superintendent of Public Schools, and secured its adoption on the ensuing November 28th, John C. Dore being appointed to fill the office. In the winter of 1864-65 he devoted much time and labor to the subject of the improvement of the Chicago river and of the sanitary condition of the city. He wrote various articles for the public press, directing attention to these matters, and became a member of a committee of thirty appointed to consider the subject. The actions of this committee con- tributed in an important degree to the passage of the provisions of the city charter appointing special commis-

sioners to complete the connection between the lake and the Illinois river. He was married, in September, 1849, to Frances Greene, daughter of Hon. A. C. Greene, his former preceptor. He has three children living, two daughters and a son, who graduated at the Chicago High School in July, 1867, and completed his education at Har- vard College.

ILVERTHORN, LEMUEL L., M. D., was born in Stroudsburg, Monroe county, Pennsylvania, October 21st, IS30. He is the son of Nicholas Silverthorn and Margaret Silverthorn, the former a native of Pennsylvania, the latter of New Jersey. After their marriage in the last-named State, his parents removed, in 1848, to Wisconsin, where they after- ward resided permanently. His father died in 1873, agcd eighty-seven years. His mother, aged eighty-six years, is still living. Until he had attained his twentieth year he attended the common schools located in the neighborhood of his home, and also followed the vocation of farming. When twenty-one years of age he engaged in teaching school, an occupation to which he devoted himself for a period of four years. During this time he studied medi- cine, first under Dr. Olds, of Wisconsin, and later under the directions of Dr. Trower, of Charleston, Illinois, to which State he had moved in IS54. In the fall of 1855 he attended the Jefferson Medical College, of Philadelphia, and on his return entered on the practice of his profession at Charleston, where he has since remained, enjoying the confidence of the community and possessing a practice whose extent requires his constant attention. He was married in 1856 to Amerial Trower, daughter of Dr. Trower, of Charleston, Illinois.

OULTON, HION. SAMUEL W., Lawyer, was born in Hamilton, Massachusetts, January 20th, 1823. His preliminary education was acquired in the common schools of his native place. After leaving school, when about nineteen years of age, he went west, through the Middle States, to Cin- cinnati, Ohio; taught school for one year near Lexing- ton, Kentucky, and later followed the same vocation in Wisconsin. In 1845 he removed to the State of Illinois, where he has since permanently resided. He then applied himself to the study of law, and after completing the re- quired course of probationary studies was admitted to the bar, in 1847, entering afterward on the practice of his pro- fession at Shelbyville. In 1853 he was elected a member of the Legislature of Illin y's, and was re-elected success- ively for three terms. At the attendant session of 1853 he was appointed Chairman of the Committee on Education,

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and drafted, introduced and succeeded in securing the pas- ' medicine under the tutorship of Dr. D. L. Beaver, of sage through the Legislature of the first Free school bill of the State of Illinois. At the session of 1855 he was mainly instrumental also in securing the passage of the bill for the State Normal University ; and in 1857 was appointed a member of the Board of Education, with which body he has ever since continuously served. He has officiated as President of the Board for sixteen years, and been eight times re-elected. In 1864 he was clected to Congress for the State at large by a very large majority. Since the ex- piration of his term he has kept himself comparatively retired from political affairs and movements, and devoted his attention exclusively to the duties and responsibilities connected with an extensive legal practice. At the present time he is engaged in all of the more important cases liti- gated in this section of the State, and occupies a leading position among his legal confrères. He was married in Wisconsin.

'ARNETT, JOSEPH M., M. D., was born in Bea- ver county, Pennsylvania, February 27th, 1827. Ilis parents, who moved to Illinois in 1339, were natives of the same State, and engaged in farm- ing. Ilis earlier education was acquired in the common schools located in the neighborhood of his home, and when twenty years of age he commenced the study of medicine under the instructions of Dr. Sanford, of Fayette county, Illinois, and also with Dr. Wilkins, of Vandalia. He afterward went to Jacksonville, and entered the Illinois Medical College, graduating from this institution in IS48. lle then engaged at once in the practice of his profession in Shelby county, practising also in the counties of Montgomery and Bond. His home during the past fif- teen years has been in Shelbyville, where, and in the en- vironing regions, his practice is very large. He is also an ad eundem graduate of the Missouri Medical College, and a member of the Illinois State Medical Society. During a portion of the period mentioned he has bestowed consider- able attention on the cultivation of a fine farm, but the greater part of his time has been devoted exclusively to his profession. He was married November 4th, 1849, to Emily Welker, of Fayette county, Illinois.

EBER, CHIARLES D., M. D., was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, January 18th, 1836. His parents were natives of Pennsylvania. On the paternal side he is of German extraction, on the maternal of English descent. Ile was educated primarily at the academy in Susquehanna, and in the Strausburg Academy, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. At an early day he engaged in school-teaching, a vocation followed for about two years. He then began the study of

Reading, Pennsylvania, afterward attending the Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, from which institution he graduated in March, 1856. He commenced the practice of his profession at Reading, Pennsylvania, and remained there until 1861, when he entered the army as Assistant Surgeon of the 48th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Five months later he was promoted to a Surgconcy, and in 1864 was appointed Surgeon of the United States Volunteers, in which capacity he served efficiently until February, 1866. When mustered out of the service, he was brevctted a Lieu- tenant-Colonel, a rank conferred on but few medical officers. He then returned to Reading, where, however, he remained but one year. April 18th, 1867, he removed to Shelbyville, Illirois, where, although entirely destitute of friends in this section of the State, he soon attracted favorable attention by his scholarly attainments and professional skill. At the present time he is the leading surgeon of the place, and ranks second to none as a general physician. He has been Alderman in Shelbyville, and is a valued member of the School Board. He was married November 20th, 1855, to Eliza Van Reed, of Berks county, Pennsylvania.

MITH; DAVID SHEPPARD, M. D., was born in Camden, New Jersey, April 28th, 1816. His father, Isaac Smith, was born in Salem county, New Jersey, and was one of its earliest settlers. The maternal name is Wheaton, and traceable to Wales through but two generations. David en- joyed in his boyhood the ordinary school advantages of the town, but often referred to his mother's instructive teachings as of much the greater value. Upon attaining the proper age, he began the study of medicine under Dr. Isaac S. Mulford, a well-known physician of Camden, and attended three full courses at the Jefferson Medical College in Phila- delphia, graduating with honor in 1836. He then removed to Chicago, Illinois, where he remained until the autumn of 1837, when he returned east to spend the winter with his parents at Camden. About this time his attention was called to the then novel doctrines of homeopathy, and he pur- chased all the works obtainable in the English language, expounding the principles and practice of the Hahnemann theory. Upon his return to Illinois, where he settled in Joliet, he made these books in his leisure hours the subjects of exhaustive study, although continuing to practise strictly in accordance with the principles of the allopathic school. Soon after, however, his child was attacked by sickness, and the case not responding to allopathic treatment, he resorted successfully to homeopathic prescriptions. In 1842, though acquiring a growing confidence in the new practice, he re- turned to Chicago and continued the old-school treatment until, in the spring of 1843, he went east on business, and while there procured a fresh supply of works on homœopa-

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thy. Finally, on his return to Chicago, he fully adopted a son died at Fort Larned. The other two, daughters, are still living, one of whom became the wife of Major John Christopher, U. S. A., who during the early part of the rebellion was chosen unanimously as Colonel of the Rail- road (89th) Regiment. Dr. Smith is highly respected in both professional and financial circles, and in the community at large. the system in his practice, being the first to introduce it west of the lakes. He subscquently continued in active practice until 1856, passing through the cholera seasons with eminent success. During the visitation in 1849, he was kept so busy that he frequently prescribed without taking the names of patients. In 1852, while on an eastern trip, he received news that the cholera had again broken out in Chicago. He hurriedly returned to his field of labor, and worked at his post night and day until he was himself at- ULLMAN, GEORGE M., Car Builder and Manu- facturer, was born in Chautauqua county, New York, March 3d, 1831, and is the third son of James Lewis Pullman and Emily Caroline Pull- man. His father was an industrious mechanic in comfortable circumstances. George received his education in the schools located in the vicinity of his home, and commenced business life in a furniture establishment in Albion, New York. Shortly after, owing to the death of his father, he found himself called upon to assume new re- sponsibilities in the carc and support of the family, which induced him to look for a morc profitable field of enterprisc. He made contracts with the State of New York for raising buildings on the line of the enlargement of the Erie Canal, which occupied about four years in their completion. At the end of that time, in 1859, he removed to Chicago, and entered upon the work of bringing this city up to grade, by the raising of many of the most prominent brick and marble structures, including the Matteson and Tremont Houses, together with several of the heaviest South Water street blocks. He was one of the contractors for raising by one operation the massive buildings of the entire Lake street front of the block between Clark and La Salle streets, in- cluding the Marine Bank and several large stores, the busi- ness of all these establishments continuing almost unimpeded during the process. His connection with the sleeping-car interest dates almost from the time of his entrance into Chicago. In the spring of 1859 his attention was attracted to the subject of providing better sleeping accommodations for the public while journeying on the rail, and he made a contract with Governor Matteson to fit up with berths two old cars for use on the Chicago & Alton Railroad. Al- though these cars were introduced to the public in the follow- ing August, the enterprise was temporarily abandoned in a measure because of the slowness of the railroad companies to perceive the utility of his works, and partly owing to his removal, in 1860, to the mineral regions of Colorado. In 1863 he returned to Chicago. Meanwhile he had built several cars for the Chicago & Alton Road, also the old Galena roads, and feeling assured that there was a wide field for improvement in sleeping-cars, he disposed of his Colo- rado interests, and resolved to apply his whole time and capital to the new enterprise. He thicn improvised a shop on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, and built two palace cars, at a cost of about $18,000 each, to run on that road. One tacked with the scourge. During all these periods he never turned away a case on account of poverty, and gave his services cheerfully wherever required. In the winter of 1854-55 he attended the Illinois Legislative session in Springfield, and largely through his exertions a charter was procured incorporating the Hahnemann Medical College in Chicago, afterward located on South State street. Hle was from the commencement elected President of the Board of Trustees of that institution, and devoted his time and atten- tion to the promotion of its interests. In recognition of his eminent services and acquirements, an honorary degree was conferred on him, February 23d, 1856, by the IIomœo- pathic Medical College of Cleveland. In 1857 he was elected General Secretary of the American Institute of Homoeopathy, an association national in its membership, character and influence, and in June, 1858, was chosen President, and, in 1865, Treasurer of the same institution. He aided in the inauguration of the State society, and served as its President during several sessions. In 1856, his health beginning to fail, he removed to Waukegan, where he remained three years, being chosen, while there, President of the Bank of Northern Illinois. He then re- turned to Chicago, and resumed the practice of his profes- sion, which he continued without intermission until the spring of 1866. During this period he filled the chair of Materia Medica and Therapeutics in the Hahnemann Med- ical College, Chicago, and is now Emeritus Professor in that department. At the date just named, his health again failing, he decided to visit Europe as a relaxation and for change of scene. While there he visited many points of interest, and examined carefully the workings of the various hospitals, colleges, and other medical institutions. He returned to this country in May, 1867, and resuming the practice of medicinc, met with increased success. Ile has now retired from the more active duties of his profession, and occupies a prominent position in the direction of a leading Chicago bank. Although a regular attendant on the Episcopal ser- vice, he never became a member of that denomination. He was married in January, 1837, a few months after his first arrival in Chicago, to Rebecca Ann Dennis, daughter of Joseph Dennis and Mary J. Dennis, of Salem, New Jersey. He first met her at the residence of her uncle, Major E. H. Mulford, now of Oakland, Cook county. By her he has had four children; of these, one daughter married Dr. Slocum, and subsequently died in southwestern Texas, and of the first men to appreciate their value was John W.

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Brooks, then President of the Michigan Central Road, who | entered on the practice of his profession in Edwardsburg, desired him to go to Boston and arrange for placing similar Cass county, Michigan, whence, after a residence of five years, he removed, in September, 1853, to Shelbyville, Illinois. Ile has since resided constantly in this place, where, standing at the head of his profession, he is widely recognized as a physician of sterling talents. For a period of cight years, commencing with the war of the rebellion, he acted as United States Examining Surgeon. He has met also with great success in his real estate operations, and is the owner of various valuable farm properties. He was married in June, 1842, to Martha Holloway, of South Bend, Indiana, who died in 1857 ; and again, in Deccm- ber, 1858, to Mary Coleman, of Shelbyville, Illinois. His oldest son, Frank W. Penwell, is now a practising lawyer at Danville; his second son, George Penwell, is a mer- chant in Paris; and his third son, Orville I. Penwell, is a medical student at Ann Arbor, Michigan. ones on his road. He then effected an exclusive contract to run his sleeping-cars on the Michigan Central Railroad for the term of ten years. This was soon followed by simi- lar contracts for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail- road, and the Great Western of Canada. Since then his sleeping-cars have come into very general use, and are now running on more than cighteen lines of railroad, and are increasing in number as rapidly as the extensive workshops with which he is connected can produce them, while each new car exhibits a marked improvement over its predeccs- sors. The superb hotel cars recently brought out have ef- fected a complete revolution in railroad travel, by obviating the necessity for stoppages, enabling passengers not only to sleep, but to eat on the train. He completed arrangements with the Union Pacific Railroad to introduce his palace dining-cars on the line, and is constantly engaged in attend- ing to the applications from managers of other roads relative to the same object. After organizing the Southern " Pull- man, Kimball & Rumsey Sleeping-Car Company," with head-quarters at Atlanta, Georgia, he organized the " Pull- man Palace-Car Company," at Chicago, with a capital of $1,000,000, which now covers the leading western and southern railroads centring in Chicago, also the Great Cen- tral route east, and has since organized the " Pullman Pacific Car Company," to run on the Pacific Railroad and branches. He is extensively engaged also in manufacturing interests. Of one of the largest manufactories of its class in the country, the Eagleton Wire Works, of New York, employing over one thousand men, he is the principal owner; and he is more or Icss intimately connected with various car manufactories, and other kindred enterprises, which employ from one hundred to one thousand hands. Ile is a worshipper in the Universalist Church, though not a member of the society, and has two brothers in the ministry of that denomination. He was married June 13th, 1867, to IIattie Sanger, of Chicago, a daughter of the late I. Y. Sanger.

ENWELL, ENOS, M. D., was born in Richmond, Indiana, March 22d, 1821. His father, Asmenius C. Penwell, a native of New Jersey and of English extraction, moved to Indiana in 1812, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits until his decease. His mother, Elizabeth (Whitinger) Penwell, a native of Pennsylvania and of German extrac- tion, died in 1824. He was educated at South Bend, Indiana, and upon leaving school applied himself for five years to the vocation of teaching. He subsequently com- menced the study of medicine under the instructions of Professor Daniel Meeker, of Laporte, Indiana, and in 1848 graduated from the Indiana Medical College. He then

HEW, WILLIAM, Lawyer, Member of the Legis- lature of Illinois, was born in Clinton county, Ohio, September 3d, 1836. His father, Morris R. Chew, was a native of Virginia, who moved to Ohio in 1820, and for several years was Ju Ige of the Probate Courts. At the present time he resides on a farm near Shelbyville, Illinois, to which State he removed in 1848. His mother also was a native of Vir- ginia. He first attended the Shelby Seminary, and completed his studies at the State University in Springfield, Illinois. He was engaged in farming for several years, and at the age of twenty-three assumed the avocation of teacher, which he followed for a period of five years. He then began the study of law under the direction of Moulton & Chaffee, at Shelbyville, Illinois, and in 1868 entered on the practice of his profession, to which he has since devoted himself with great success. In 1874 he was elected to the State Legis- lature from the Thirty-third Senatorial District, and is still a member of that body. In politics he has always been a consistent supporter of the Republican party, and was elected to office on the ticket of this party. He was mar- ried in 1869 to a daughter of Dr. Hcaden, one of the first pioneers and settlers of Shelby county.

ARSHALL, SAMUEL S., Lawyer, Judge, Con- gressman, was born March 18th, 1821, in Gallatin county, Illinois, descending from Scotch and Irish parentage, bis immediate ancestors being known as " Scotch Presbyterians." His parents came to this country in the early part of the present cen- tury, locating in Illinois. He was the son of Daniel and Sophia Walker Marshall. He obtained quite a substantial education when quite young, through the careful instruction

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of his father and mother, and spent two years in Cumber- land College, Kentucky, where his rapid advance in study was more largely due to his persistent self-application in private, and to his avidity for reading, than to the facilities furnished by that institution, though of the most excellent character. He commenced the study of law with his cousin, IIon. Henry Eddy, of Shawneetown, and was licensed within a comparatively short period by the Supreme Court to practise in all the courts of the State. He opened an office in Hamilton county, Illinois, and gradually obtained a patronage, which was lucrative and influential. ITis keen ability as a lawyer was early displayed in his professional career, and he soon secured the reputation of an eloquent advocate, of quick penetration, and of unusual resources in his comprehensive knowledge of the theory and practice of law. In the fall of 1846, scarcely a year after he was li- censed as a lawyer, he was elected to the lower House of the Legislature, and though the youngest member of that body, became conspicuous in the session as a leader in de- bate, and as an active and capable member of important committees. In March, 1847, he was elected by the Legis- lature as State's Attorney for the Third Judicial Circuit, which included fifteen counties. In two of these the people were in open and organized resistance to the authority of law, and characterized their insurrection by crimes of every grade, which were of frequent occurrence. Prior to this time it had been impossible to fin 1 officials stern enough to combat this increasing rebellion against civil authority. Mr. Marshall entered upon his office, necessarily filled with duties of the greatest responsibility, with a firm determination that this open defiance of justice must be conquered, and com- menced his administration with a direct move against the riotous element, which became alarmed in finding itself arraigned by a fearless prosecutor. Ilis energetic execution of his duties secured for him the support of the better class of citizenship, and before intelligent and impartial jurors selected from its rank he brought the criminals who had re- viled the weakness of the authorities, and secured their immediate conviction. This example of official integrity did not fail of its effect. Lawlessness ceased, tranquillity re- sumed its place, and public confidence was restored. This was the result of his vigorous administration, which restored a large district to peace and prosperity, where hitherto there had been a prostration of industry and a flood of crime. Mr. Marshall declined a re-election as State's Attorney upon the expiration of his term of two years, but was not long permitted to remain in private life. In March, 1851, he was elected Judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit, and pre- sided on the bench with dignity and ability, which only con- firmed the estimate placed upon his character as an impar- tial and talented jurist by his constituency. He resigned this position in 1854 to fill the office of Representative in Congress from the Ninth Congressional District of Illinois. His seat was contested under a clause of the State Constitu- tion, which declared all judges in the State ineligible to any

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The biographical encyclopedia of Illinois of the nineteenth century, Part 110

Author: Robson, Charles, ed Publication date: 1875 Publisher: Philadelphia, Galaxy Number of Pages: 770

Author: Robson, Charles, ed
Publication date: 1875
Publisher: Philadelphia, Galaxy
Number of Pages: 770