The biographical encyclopedia of Illinois of the nineteenth century, Part 112

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

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ILEY, ELI, Lawyer, was born in Bracken county, Kentucky, December 6th, 1822. IIe is the son of James Wiley and Rebecca Wiley, both natives of Kentucky, who cmigrated to Illinois in IS26, locating themselves in the eastern section of the State, where they settled finally in Coles county. In his boyhood he attended the common schools, or rather log schools, where he received his preliminary education ; and also learned his father's trade, that of bricklaying, which he followed for several years after attaining his majority. He was then elected magistrate, and served in

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that capacity with rectitude and ability for a period of ten years. Toward the close of his term he applied himself to the study of law, attending lectures at the Cincinnati Law School, and eventually was admitted to the bar. In 1860 he entered on the practice of his profession in Charleston, where he has since been successfully occupied. In 1861 the partnership of Wiley & Parker was formed, which firm is still in existence. For two years he officiated as Mayor of Charleston. He has been attached to the Republican party since the date of the nomination of President Lincoln, whose election he strongly advocated in various speeches during that campaign; and has held several local offices, and in many important particulars has been instrumental in advancing the interests of his adopted town and county. Ile was a Director of the St. Louis, Alton & Terre Haute Railroad, and is a Director in the Second National Bank. Ile was married January 30th, 1845, to Mary E. Mitchell, of Charleston, Illinois, who died in 1854; and again mar- ried in 1857 to Martha S. Whittemon, of Concord, New Hampshire.

cCHESNEY, ALFRED BRUNSON, A. M., M. D., of Chicago, Illinois, was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, August 19th, IS26. Ifis father was of Scotch parentage, but came to the United States when quite young, and though now in his eighty- fifth year is still in good health. Ilis mother, though of English parentage, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and lived with his father in married life fifty- five years. He removed with his parents to Illinois when only ten years old, where he attended the various public and private schools of the neighborhood, subsequently enter- ing Knox College of that State, where he graduated with honors, receiving the degree of A. M. at that institution. Ile now commenced the study of medicine in the office of Dr. John Babcock, at Galesburg, Illinois, an early believer in homeopathy. IJe attended two full courses of lectures in the medical department of the University of Michigan, where he graduated in 1853. IIe then immediately located at Canton, Illinois, where he secured a good practice. In I855 he went to Philadelphia to have the advantage of hospital and clinical practice, where he also attended lec- tures at the Homoeopathic Medical College and the Penn- sylvania Medical College, in both of which institutions he took the degree of M. D. In 1856 he returned to Illinois, settling in Quincy, where, though making many valued friends, his business was not satisfactory, and he only re- mained about two years. After looking about for some time, and practising a few months in company with Dr. George W. Foote, at Kewanee, Henry county, Illinois, he married Lizzie A. Hudnutt, daughter of Dr. Hudnutt, of Mount Morris, New York, and in 1859 settled at Alton, Illinois, where his wife died in 1860. Ifere, in due time, he obtained as much practice as he could attend to. In l

1862 he was appointed Pension Surgeon, holding that office till 1867, when he resigned. In 1862 he was appointed by President Lincoln Surgeon in the Provost Marshal's office for the cxamination of volunteers, recruits, and drafted men -an office he held till the close of the war, in 1865. Though much occupied by his official duties, by working early and late he managed to retain his private practice. In 1867 he returned to Quincy, where he enjoyed a lucrative business. But never feeling quite satisfied with his profes- sion, and never fully believing in homœopathy as an ex- clusive guide in medicine, he gave up his practice, and in 186S invested considerable capital, accumulated in Alton, in real estate in Chicago. This venture proved so success- ful that he is now independent, and no longer feels the necessity of active practice. During the great fire which burnt Chicago, October 8th and 9th, 1871, he was greatly exposed, receiving a severe shock to his nervous system, from which he has not yet fully recovered, although he is gradually gaining strength and is able to travel.

ARR, CLARK E., Postmaster of Galesburg, Illi- nois, was born in Boston, Erie county, New York, on May 20th, 1836. He is a son of Clark M. and Delia (Torrey) Carr. The family moved to Illinois when the subject of this sketch was thirteen years of age, settling shortly after in Galesburg. Clark E. received his education at Knox Col - lege, Galesburg, where, after passing through the sopho- more year, he entered the Albany Law School and gradu- ated from there in 1857, receiving the degree of LL. B. He has, however, never devoted much time to the practice of law. In politics he has always taken a prominent and active part. During the campaign of 1858, in the contest between Lincoln and Douglas for the United States Senate, he warmly advocated the cause of Lincoln in his county (Knox). In the Presidential campaign of 1860 he stumped the State on the Republican ticket. In 1861 he was ap- pointed Postmaster of Galesburg, being on the first list sent by Lincoln to the Senate for confirmation. This office he has held continuously since that time. At the time of the breaking out of the rebellion he became actively engaged in raising troops in his Congressional district. Being a warm personal friend of Governor Yates, who appreciated Mr. Carr's abilities in that direction, he was summoned by the Governor to Springfield to aid him in the organization of the Illinois regiments. The duties incident to the raising and organization of the troops were extraordinary ; but Mr. Carr was found fully equal to the occasion. He accom- panied Governor Yates to several battle-fields, and aided in forwarding to their homes the sick and wounded Illinois soldiers. In August, 1862, he was appointed a member of Governor Yates' staff, ranking as Colonel. In this connec- tion he served until the close of the war. Ile was the

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Commissioner from Illinois of the Soldiers' National Ceme- | After completing his allotted course of studies in this insti- tery, at Gettysburg, and attended most of the meetings of the Board of Directors of that enterprisc until the comple- tion of the work at the cemetery. He labored assiduously and effectively in his State during the whole struggle, mak-

tution he applied himself to the study of law under the preceptorship of Hugh B. Montgomery, with whom he remained as a student for three years. At the expiration of that time, in 1854, he was admitted to the bar. In 1860 ing war speeches and stimulating enlistments. In 1864 he he was elected State's Attorney for the Twelfth Judicial was a delegate to the Baltimore Convention which nomi- nated Lincoln and Johnson, and took an active part in that campaign. During the Presidential contest of 1868 he took the stump in New York in favor of Grant, and in 1872 was engaged similarly in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and other States. In 1869 he purchased the Galesburg Republican, of which he acted as editor and proprietor for two years. He was married December 31st, 1873, to Grace Mills, of Mount Carroll, Illinois. As a political speaker and manager Mr.

Carr has contributed in marked degree to the success of his he was elected to the lower House of the Legislature, and party.

OLEMAN, EDWARD, M. D., was born in Bur- lington, New Jersey, June 7th, 1811. His father, since continued to act with this publie body. In politics he John Holeman, was a native of New Jersey, and has always been an " Ironside Democrat." He was mar- ried in October, 1861, to Matilda S. Moran, of Springfield, Illinois.

engaged in farming up to the time of his death which occurred in Ohio, where he had finally set- tled after leaving his native State. Edward's preliminary education was acquired in the common schools of Ohio. On the completion of his preparatory course of studies he commeneed the study of dentistry under the guidance of Dr. Carr, in Mansfield, Ohio, and remained with him as a student for about two years. He then entered on the practice of his profession with his tutor, who became also his preceptor in the study of medieine, which wider branch of science he pursued for three years, in the mean- time practising dentistry. He subsequently attended lec- tures at the Worthington Medical College, and upon finishing his medical education relinquished dentistry and confined himself to the practice of medicine. In 1843 he settled at Shawncetown, Gallatin county, whencc, after a residence of three years, he removed to Equality, in the same county, where he has since resided. His practice has been a very successful one, and his skill as a physician has always stood unquestioned. Ile was married in 1832 to Mary J. Carr, daughter of Caleb Carr, of Damaseus, Ohio, who died in 1847 ; and again, in 1849, to Mrs. Mary Hamilton, of Equal- ity, Illinois.

District, having up to this time been engaged in the practice of his profession. In 1864 he was re-elected to the same position. In 1862 he entered the army of the United States as Colonel of the 10th Regiment of Illinois Volun- teer Infantry, and served during the succeeding eleven months. He participated in the battle of Stone River, and took part also in many other minor engagements. On his return from the field he resumed his professional labors, and until 1868 filled the position of State's Attorney. In 1870 while a member of that body delivered a powerful free- trade speech, which is notable as having been the first speech of its kind ever delivered in the Legislature of Illi- nois. In 1872 he was elected to the State Senate, and has

REER, JOSEPH W., M. D., was born in Port Ann, New York, August 10th, 1816. His father, Elias Freer, was a mechanic. Ilis mother was Polly (Paine) Freer, from Vermont. Ilis parents were among the early Duteh settlers of New York State, along the Hudson river. They subse- quently moved to the neighborhood of Auburn, and here, in a select school at Weedsport, the subject of this sketch was educated. Until sixteen years of age he assisted his father in his business, attending school in winter. When he had reached his seventeenth year he entered a dry-goods store in Weedsport, and shortly after removed to Clyde, New York, and entered the drug store of his uncle, Dr. Lemuel C. Paine, a prominent physician of that place. Here he learned the drug business and at the same time commenced the study of medicine. His uncle leaving Clyde and removing to Albion, he shortly after, and in the spring of 1836, at the solicitation of his brother, repaired to Chieago and entered his employ. Subsequently, his father having removed to Wilmington, Illinois, he joined and re- mained with him for nine years, following farming and stock-raising. At the expiration of that time he returned to Chicago and entered the office of Dr. David Brainard as a pupil. Here he remained three years, attending also at the same time lectures in Rush Medical College, from which he graduated in 1849. A short time before his graduation, however, he located himself about twenty miles from Chi- cago, in Cook county, and commenced practice. Here he

'ASEY, HON. THOMAS S., Lawyer, State Sen- ator, was born in Jefferson county, Illinois, April 6th, 1832. His father was Governor Z. Casey, a distinguished citizen of Illinois, for ten years a member of Congress; for many years he served efficiently in the Legislature, and was Speaker of the House. Itis mother was a native of Kentucky. He was educated at the McKendrec College, Lebanon, Illinois. "remained two years. In IS49 he was appointed the De-

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monstrator of Anatomy in Rush Medical College, being the successful one out of a list of twenty applicants, who com- peted for the appointment by a lecture before the Faculty of the college. This position he filled for six years, and at the same time lectured on descriptive anatomy. In 1854 hc was appointed Professor of Anatomy, which chair he held. until his appointment as Professor of Physiology and Surgi- eal Anatomy in 1859. In 1858 the branch of surgical anatomy he turned over to Professor Powell, and since that time has confined himself to physiology. For four years hc was abroad, returning during the session in winter to fill his chair in the college. IIc is one of the Surgeons to Cook county. He is a member of the State Medical Society, as well as of the American Medical Association. At times hc has contributed to the literature of the profession. He has also given numcrous lectures on vivisections. At the present time he is President of the Rush Medical Faculty. He was married in 1844 to Emeline IIolden, of Illinois; and again in 1848 io Catherine Gattle, a native of Wurtemberg

NOX, JAMES, Lawyer and ex-Congressman, was born in Montgomery county, New York, on July 4th, 1307, and is a son of James and Nancy (Ehle) Knox. He was prepared for college at Hamilton Academy, in Madison county, New York, and entered the sophomore class of IIamil- ton College, located at Clinton, Oneida county, New York, in 1827. Here he prosecuted his studies for one year, at the expiration of which, in consequence of the closing of the college, he entered Yale, from which he graduated in 1830. Leaving college shortly before the senior commence- ment, he repaired to Utica, New York, and entered as a student the law office of Maynard & Spencer, leading prac- titioners of that city at the time. After qualifying himself, he was admitted to the bar in Utica in 1833, and in 1836 wa; empowered to practise in the Cireuit and Supreme Courts of the State. In 1836 he emigrated to Illinois, locat- ing at Knoxville, the county-seat of Knox. Here hc shortly acquired position, and thoroughly identified himself with many improvements tending to develop the surrounding country and open up its avenues of communication with other points. In this direction he became one of the prime movers in the construction of the Peoria & Oquawka Rail- road, and acted as its first President. In 1837, shortly after locating in Knoxville, he procured the eharter for Knox College, which was located at Galesburg, and which to-day stands foremost among the institutions of learning in the West, having among its graduates many of the prominent men of the State of the present day. In 1840 Mr. Knox engaged in mereantile pursuits, which he followed success- fully for several years. He has also been extensively en- gaged in farming, having at one time no less than six farms in vigorous operation. In 1847 he was elected a member

of the Constitutional Convention of the State. In 1852 he was elected to Congress on the Whig ticket, and served for four years. During his term of membership he was on the Mileage Committee, and also served as chairman of the Committee on Roads and Canals. At the expiration of his Congressional term, his eyesight having almost failed him, he was obliged to scek medical aid abroad, and accordingly sailed for Berlin, where he remained for about two years, returning in January, 1861. Ile again visited that city in 1865, and remained there until 1869; also once more in 1872, returning in the fall of 1873. Of late years Mr. Knox las not actively applied himself to business, being content to rest on the accumulations of earlier years of labor. IIe was married in 1840 to Prudence H. Blish, who died in 1846, leaving no issue. Thoroughly appreciating the ad- vantages of education, he has during the past four years donated various munificent sums to the following colleges : Hamilton, and Yale, his Alma Mater, and St. Mary's, which is a fine school for ladics, under the auspices of the Episco- palian Diocese of the State; also the handsome amount of $10,000 to the Swedish-American Ansgari College, which is now in process of organizing. The sums contributed to these institutions reach a total of $41,000. Thoroughly and widely known in the State, there are many who will always hold green and hand down the memory of him who by his generous exertions to advance the cause of education has done so much for the rising and future generations.

AY, WALTER, M. D., was born in Georgetown, District of Columbia, on June 13th, 1830. His father was Charles Hay, a lawyer of Virginia. His grandfather, George Hay, at the time of his death, in 1831, was United States Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia. His mother was Lucy Chandler, of Georgetown, District of Columbia. Walter was educated at the Jesuit College of Georgetown, and in 1847 entered the service of the United States Coast Survey, where he served five years as Assistant Engineer ; he resigned on account of ill-health. He then commeneed the study of medicine under Dr. Grafton, and graduated in the medical department of Columbia College, Washington, District of Columbia, on March 6th, 1853. Going South for the benefit of his health, he practised in Charleston, South Carolina, during the years 1853 and 1854, and from thence moved to Palatki, Florida. Subsequently he located at St. Augustine, where he remained nearly four years. He settled in Chicago in 1857, and pursucd his profession. In 1867 he became associated with Dr. J. Adams Allen in editing the Chicago Medical Journal, and still continues in that association. In 1871 he was appointed Lecturer in Rush Medical College on Discases of the Brain and Nervous System, and the following year was appointed Adjunct Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine in the

axy Fort

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same college. Both of these positions he still fills. On | dramatic critic, and reviewer of books for the Tribune, and, diseases of the brain and nervous system Dr. Hay is con- sidered a high authority, and has contributed many articles to the literature of the profession bearing on them. In 1856 he was married to Rebecca, youngest daughter of Hon. Samuel Ringgold, of Washington county, Maryland; she died in 1858; in 1864 he was married to Angelica, oldest daughter of Hon. George B. Rodney, of New Castle, Dcla- ware, who died in a few months, and in 1872 he was again married to a daughter of Hon. George W. Jones, of Du- buque, Iowa.

PTON, GEORGE PUTNAM, Journalist, was born at Roxbury, Massachusetts, October 25th, 1834. His parents werc of New England origin, and in comfortable circumstances. At the age of twelve years he entered the Roxbury Latin School, and there fitted for college. He became a student in Brown University, September 6th, 1850, the late Dr. Way- land being then President, and graduated with high honor September 6th, 1854. He then engaged for a brief period in teaching school in Plymouth, Massachusetts. While still in college he wrote numerous essays, poems and stories, which were published in Dow's ( Boston ) Waverly Magazine. His next productions were serial stories for Gleason's Pic- torial and the Flag of Our Union, and a long serial pub- lished in the Boston Pilot. In the fall of 1855 he removed to Chicago, Illinois, and became reporter on the Daily Na- tive Citizen, a Know-Nothing paper, then owned by Simeon P. Buckner, afterward known as a General in the Confed- erate service. The Citizen, published by W. W. Danen- hower, was issued from Ernst Prussing's real estate build- ings, then standing on the spot afterward occupied by the Sherman House, and its principal editors were Washington Wright and William H. Merriam. In the autumn of 1855 he accepted the position of commercial reporter for the Chicago Evening Journal, and in that capacity attended the daily sessions of the Board of Trade. IIe soon became known as an able writer up of local incidents, and a valu- able musical critic, furnishing the first real criticisms on musical performances which ever appeared in a Chicago paper. While with the Journal, he commenced also the publication of the celebrated " Gunnybag" letters, and se- cured favorable attention by his full and masterly reports of the Burch trial. Late in 1860 he took the local chair of the Chicago Tribune, and in the spring of 1862 went South as its war correspondent, accompanying the Union fleet from Cairo to Memphis, and writing the accounts of the capturc

owning a few shares of Tribune stock, is a member of the Tribune Company. While attending to these duties, he has corresponded with various newspapers; has supervised the issue of Higgins' Musical Review ; edited for nearly a year the Northwestern Insurance Chronicle ; and written a work on the " Diseases of the Horse," and pursued thoroughly the study of numismatics. In this latter branch of research he has made great progress, having amassed a collection of medals which is probably unsurpassed in the country, and contributed much to numismatological literature, having written a series of articles on the coins of Scripture, pub- lished in the Northwestern Christian Advocate; an ex- haustive article on Chinese coinage for the New York Nur- mismatic Journal; and a " Romance of Coinage," pub- lished in the Continental Monthly. He was married, in October, 1863, to Sarah E. Bliss, of Chicago, and formerly of Worcester, Massachusetts.

TEVENS, HON. BRADFORD N., Merchant, Farmer and Congressman, was born in Boscawen (now Webster), New Hampshire, on January 3d, 1813. After the usual academic course he studied one year in Le Petit Seminaire, at Montreal, and graduated at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, in 1835. For six years he taught school in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and New York city. Ile removed in 1843 to Bureau county, Illinois, where he entered into operations as a merchant and farmer, always taking an active part in the promotion of internal improvements. He was Chair- man of the Board of Supervisors of Bureau county in 1868. Taking an independent stand in politics, he was elected to the Forty-second Congress as an Independent Democrat, receiving 11, 579 votes against 9963 for Ebon C. Ingersoll, Republican, and 868 for Ives, Temperance.

LANEY, JAMES V. Z., M. D., was born in New Castle, Delaware, on May Ist, 1820. He in- herited a rank in society that gave him the con- verse of intelligent and cultivated people, and the opportunities for a thorough primary educa- tion. He graduated from Princeton College, New Jersey, when but eightcen years of agc. Determining to devote his life to medicine and its allied sciences, he, after his graduation at Princeton, pursued his medical studies of Columbus, New Madrid, Island No. 10, Fort Pillow, etc. in the hospitals and medical schools of Philadelphia, and on Hc was then compelled by sickness to return, and resumed reaching his majority he received his medical degree from the Jefferson Medical College of that city. The science of chemistry offering to his mind peculiar fascinations, he prosc- his position as City Editor of the Tribune, which hc filled until about the midsummer of 1863, when he became News Editor. At the present time he is the musical, art and i cuted its study in the laboratory of Professor Henry, now of

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the Smithsonian Institute, whose assistant he afterwards be- came. Having, by careful preparatory study and instruction, fitted himself to enter on the practical duties of life, he, when twenty-two years old, set out to explore the valley of the Mississippi, then an imperfectly known land of promise. He made his way down the Ohio, and during the winter of 1842-43 he was in St. Louis, and for a tinie was in the government serviee in the medical department at Jefferson Barracks, near that eity. Leaving there, he extended his observations as far north as St. Paul, Minnesota, but finally, in 1843, the prospective future of Chicago induced him to fix on it as his permanent home. Here he entered on the praetiee of his profession, and at once took rank, profes- sionally, socially and intellectually, with the first men of the city and State. He associated himself with Drs. Daniel Brainard, Austin Flint, William B. Herriek, and others, in founding the Rush Medical College, with which institution he remained connected as Trustee, Professor, or President to the time of his death. He assisted to establish the North- western Medical Journal, the earliest medical periodieal in the Northwest. IIe was its first editor, and always an able contributor to its pages. In 1857 he added to his pub- lic teaching in Rush Medieal College the chair of Chemistry in the Northwestern University, at Evanston. In the in- fancy of his adopted city he was a member of its Board of Education. Twenty-five years since he was one of those who laid the foundations of the Illinois State Medical So- eiety, being one of its eharter members, and in 1870 he was elected its President. In August, 1861, he entered the army, and continued in active service in the medical depart- ment until after the elose of the war of the rebellion. He was appointed Medical Director and Inspector at Fortress battle of Winchester he was a member of General Sheri- dan's staff. He spent the evening before the battle in the General's company, and only by accident failed to partici- pate in the famous ride of " twenty miles away." He had charge of the wounded in that engagement. Ordered to Chicago in 1864, he was made Medieal Purveyor at this place, and in this capacity disbursed large sums of public money, in strict conformity with the honest integrity of his whole life. While in the army he reached the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. After resigning his eommission in the army he continued, so far as his failing health would per- mit, his publie teaching, the practice of his profession, and his labors in the laboratory in analytical chemistry and metallurgy. He was married in 1847 to Clarissa Butler, daughter of the late Walter Butler, and niece of Benjamin F. Butler, Attorney-General in the administration of Presi- dent Van Buren, and at one time Secretary of War. Of their seven children, four still survive-two sons and two daughters. The elder of the sons, James R. Blaney, is de- voting his life to chemical pursuits, in a manner not un- worthy of his father. In his mental organization, Dr. Blaney was remarkable for his quick intuition, clear per-

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The biographical encyclopedia of Illinois of the nineteenth century, Part 112

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