The biographical encyclopedia of Illinois of the nineteenth century, Part 50

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

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jurisdiction the work is published. Ile has contributed a number of papers upon professional topics to the various medical journals. He is an active member of the Chicago Society of Physicians and Surgeons ; the Chicago Medical Society ; the Academy of Science of Chicago; the Chicago Medico-Historical Society ; the Illinois State Medical So- ciety ; the Illinois State Microscopical Society, and a Cor- responding Member of the Gynæcological Society of Boston, Massachusetts.

TLEY, JOSEPH, Merchant and Canal Commis- sioner, was born in Western, Oneida county, New York, July 27th, IS15. His parents were Henry Utley and Sarah (Morse) Utley. He re- ceived his primary education at the common schools. On leaving school and finishing an academical course he learned the trade of a tanner in his father's establishment. In IS38 he succeeded to his father's business in Western, Oneida county, and carried it on until 1859. In this year (1859) he removed to Dixon, Illinois, and opened a store for leather, saddlery, hardware, and shoe findings. In 1867 he retired from active business. Ile has during the greater part of his life paid great atten- tion to the subject of canals, and has been prominent in the matter of the canals of Illinois. In recognition of his ser- viccs herein, he was appointed by Governor Palmer in 1869 one of the Canal Commissioners of the State of Illi- nois, to which office he has been continuously reappointed up to present date (1875). He is now President of the Board of Canal Commissioners for the State, and has charge of the maintenance and repairs. He was married in 1838 to Frances Church, daughter of Seth Church, of Western, New York.

OLE, JORDAN I., County Clerk of Du Page County, Illinois, was born in Putnam county, New York, April 16th, 1833. He is the son of Berry and Adda (Carroll) Cole. His educa- tion was acquired in the common schools located in the vicinity of his birthiplace. Upon attaining his twenty-first year he removed to the West, and took up his residence in Napierville, Du Page county, Illinois. In this locality he remained for nearly a twelvemonth, then proceeded to Downer's Grove, situated in the same county. Here he became engaged in farming and agricultural pur- suits, which gave him active occupation until the breaking out of the Rebellion, when he enlisted in the 13th Illinois Infantry, and was appointed Second Lieutenant in Com- pany K ; from which position he was soon after promoted to First Lieutenant, and afterwards to a Captaincy. During the earlier part of the struggle he served gallantly under Fremont in Missouri and Arkansas, and subsequently was

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attached to Sherman's Corps, the 15th, ultimately com- man'ded by Logan. He was taken prisoner in the rear of Vicksburg in December, 1862, and was held by the Con- federates over four months ; a portion of this time he was held at Vicksburg, then sent to Jackson, Mississippi, and from there to Libby Prison, Richmond, Virginia. He was exchanged in May, 1863, and joined his regiment in time to participate in the siege and surrender of that stronghold. He was in the battles of Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, and many others, and was never absent from his company except when a prisoner. After his return from the battle- field, he busied himself in mercantile pursuits at Downer's Grove, and continued thus occupied until 1869, at which date he was elected to fill the position of County Clerk of Du Page county, Illinois. At the expiration of the term for which he had been elected, so ably had he fulfilled the duties of his position, he was in 1873 re-elected without opposition. One other public position of trust and respon- sibility which he was chosen to fill, that of Supervisor, he occupied for a period of four years, and during that time deported himself with integrity and ability. Ile was mar- ried on the 15th of January, 1868, to Agnes P. Palmer, from the State of New York ; she died August 2d, 1871. On the 15th of August, 1872, he was again married to Susie P. Smith, of Wheaton, Illinois ; they have one child, a daughter Agnes May, now about two years old.

REWSTER, TIIERON D., Banker, Dealer in Real Estate and Manufacturer, was born in Salis- bury, Litchfield county, Connecticut, February 29th, 1812, being the son of Daniel Brewster, a farmer. Ilis mother's name was Asenath Can- field Brewster. His early instruction was orig- inally obtained in the district school, but subsequently by courses in a school at Lenox, Massachusetts, and a High- School at Westfield, Massachusetts, he secured a very thorough and comprehensive education. He pursued his studies mainly during the winters, passing the remaining portion of the year in the labors incidental to the cultivation of his father's farm. IIe subsequently filled a position as clerk in the Post-office, and was afterward employed in the same capacity about eight months in Westfield, Massachu- setts, first in a book and then a dry-goods store. IIe re- turned again to his homestead, where he remained until he reached his twenty-third year. During the greater portion of this time his father was an invalid, and the larger share of the arduous labor of conducting the estate fell upon him as the oldest son. When twenty-three years of age he went West, and reached Peru, Illinois, during the first week of May, 1835. What is now the site of this town was then an almost untenanted wild, there being when he arrived but two log cabins to mark the spot of what was soon to be a flourishing community. These cabins were respectively

occupied by two white men. There was a scattered popu- lation in this section, not numerous, nor, as it may well be conceived, over-burdened in the possession of this world's goods. Two men from the backwoods pitched upon the fu- ture site of Peru as a suitable spot for a country store, which was soon opened, and Mr. Brewster was installed in the dual capacity of clerk and manager, with instructions to push ahead and do the best he could. Two months after he was taken sick, and for some time was prostrated. In the fall, upon his recovery, he began to speculate in land, and laid the foundation of what subsequently became a very large and prosperous real estate business. He is still engaged in this pursuit. Fortunately Peru was selected as the termina- tion of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, and the land in the vicinity rose rapidly in value. Chicago was then but a mud village, and Peru then promised to be a place of much more consequence. While this prospect has not been realized, the latter has become a very large and flourishing place, and one of very great commercial importance. The settlement of the place progressed under the most favorable auspices. In 1836 Mr. Brewster laid out what is called the Minerva Addition to the town, and which now com- prises more than one-half its present area and population. From this enterprise dates his reputation as a progressive and energetic business man, and a public-spirited citizen. He built a fine hotel, reared a block of stores, and con- structed many dwellings on his lands, disposing of them ad- vantageously to new-comers who were rapidly flocking into the place. In 1843 he opened a large dry-goods establish- ment, which he continued four years. In 1848 he built an extensive warchouse, dealing during the three succeeding years profitably in grain, as a member of the firm of Brewster & Beebe. He then sold out his interest. On January 22d, 1844, he was married to Adeline Mann, of Pennsylvania, and in the same year established the Bank of Peru, taking its Presidency, a position which he still retains. This finan- cial concern was reorganized under the national banking law as the First National Bank of Peru. To him is due the credit of having erected the first Presbyterian church in the place. In 1849 his wife died, and in 1850 he was married to Margaret Jones, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. IIe was one of the three forming the Executive Committee which contracted for the construction of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad passing through Peru. He began the manufacture of plows in 1858 in that city, and in the first year of this industrial enterprise did a business aggre- gating in value $25,000. In 1863 he admitted to a partner- ship in this establishment J. Dodge, and in 1874 they ad- mitted W. L. Huse. By care in management, and through the display of enterprise and energy, this industry has be- come the most important in Peru, its annual transactions amounting to a quarter of a million of dollars. In addition to all these interests, to which he has paid close attention, Mr. Brewster, who has amassed a very large fortune, has been prominent in his support of religious institutions, and

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in concerting and earrying out many important and much : October, 1862, and a splendid victory over them on the fol- needed public improvements. All these invaluable ser- vices, both as a business man and as a private citizen, have earned for him the lasting respect of the entire community. His career is inseparably identified with the origin and growth of Peru, and the substantial prosperity it enjoys to-day may in no small degree be traced to his good judg- ment and his tireless cnergy.

UFORD, NAPOLEON B., General United States Army, Special Indian Commissioner, and United States Commissioner to Examine the Union and Kansas Pacific Railroads, the eldest son of Col- onel John Buford, was born in Woodford county, Kentucky, January 13th, 1807. He was educated at West Point Military Academy, entering as a cadet in 1823, and graduating in 1827, being assigned to duty as Second Lieutenant in the 3d Artillery. He served also as Topographical Engineer and Assistant Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at West Point until December 31st, 1835, when he resigned to accept an appointment as Civil Engineer for the State of Kentucky, in which capacity he continued six years. In 1843 he removed to Rock Island, Illinois, where he engaged in a successful business enterprise until he was called to take a prominent part in the war of the rebellion. He was commissioned Colonel of the 27th Regiment Illinois Volunteers on August 9th, 1861, and led that command into the battle of Belmont. He commanded the brigade which took possession of Col- umbus, Kentucky, and had charge of the land forces which acted in conjunction with Commodore Foote's flotilla in the attack upon Island No. 10. While thus engaged with a small detachment of troops he made a forced march upon Union City, where the enemy held the line of communica- tion with all the South. He surprised them in camp, cap- turing some prisoners, securing more than a hundred horses, burning the camp, destroying their munitions and stores, and returned next day to the siege of Island No. 10, before any officer of the command was aware of his absence except Commodore Foote, who fully appreciated this movement. For this gallant service he was immediately nominated by the President a Brigadier-General. On April 6th, with Commodore Foote, he received the surrender of Island No. IO, with the adjacent shore, and on the 7th took possession of it, securing the immense wharf boats filled with provis- ions, more than one hundred heavy cannon, a large supply of ammunition, four large steamers, and about five hundred prisoners, including twenty-seven officers of artillery. He next commanded a brigade at the siege of Corinth, which the enemy evacuated on May 30th, 1862. Subsequently, at the head of a division, hc occupicd the most advanced post -Jacinto-until recalled to meet the attack of the enemy upon Corinth, which resulted in their repulse on the 3d of

lowing day. On both these days his command did their full share of the desperate fighting. Suffering from the debilitating effect of the climate and from exposure, he was then ordered on court-martial duty at Washington, District of Columbia, and while in that city published two letters to President Lincoln, at the time of the Emancipation Pro- clamation, proposing a plan for the employment of the colored troops after they had been disciplined and had acquired experience in the war. This was for the colonizing of a part of the west coast of Africa, and making it thus possible for the gradual separation of the white and black races, to the mutual advantage of both. These papers were submitted to the Secretary of War, Hon. Edwin M. Stanton ; the Secretary of the Treasury, Hon. Salmon P. Chase ; General E. A. Hitchcock, and Dr. Francis Leiber, by whom they were approved. The suggestions they containcd may yet commend themselves to our statesmen. He next reported for duty at Vicksburg during the siege, but was soon ordered to command at Cairo, where absolute fidelity and promptness were required in forwarding troops and supplics, and in preventing treasonable trade with the enemy. After the surrender of Vicksburg his administrative capacity caused his selection for the command of East Arkansas, with head-quarters at Helena. Here he remained until near the close of the war. During the eighteen months of this administration at this place he discharged every duty of a soldier and of Governor of the district. IIe organized more than ten thousand colored men-part of them as soldiers, and part as self-supporting agriculturalists. He thoroughly interdicted the trade of the cotton sharks with the enemy by force. His troops made constant raids into Mississippi and Arkansas, capturing large numbers of officers and soldiers, who were sent to the North as prison- ers of war. On the 13th of March, 1865, for gallant and meritorious services, he was promoted to Major-General by brevet. Since the war the government has called on him to serve as Special Indian Commissioner, and later as one of the United States Commissioners to examine and report upon the sections of the Union and Kansas Pacific Rail- roads, until they were both completed. His residence is in Chicago.

UFORD, COLONEL JOHN, Planter and State Senator, was born in Bedford county, Virginia, in 1779. His grandfather, John Buford, one of the English gentry, emigrated with his wife Judith, a Welsh lady, to Virginia in the early part of the eighteenth century, and settled upon a fine tobacco plantation at Raccoon Ford, in Culpepper county. He was noted for his high church principles, his baronial manners, and his great success as a planter and as a breeder of the finest stock of horses and cattle in the State. At the time of the opening of the Revolutionary era of

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1776 he was the father of six sons and five daughters. One [ stowed upon him some of her choicest gifts. He was com- of these sons was a captain in Lord Drenmore's campaign manding in form, pleasing in manners, courageous in heart, and magnanimous in impulses. His character was to a degree that of a stoic philosopher. He died at Rock Island, March 25th, 1848, and his loss to society was keenly regretted. against the Sciota Indians, who were led by the celebrated chiefs Cornstalk and the eloquent Logan, who gave battle to the Virginian troops under the command of General Andrew Lewis, at the mouth of the Kruhama river, in 1774. General Lewis gained the victory, but it was at the cost of the lives of his brother, Colonel Charles Lewis, Captain Buford, and many of his gallant officers and men. Another of his sons-Abraham-became Colonel of the 11th Vir- ginia Regiment, which served with distinction through the war. All of his sons were stalwart, sanguine, and enter- prising men, noted for their love of the horse and the man- agement of the farm. They all inherited a genius for mechanics which fitted them, together with their other qualifications, to be the pioneers to the virgin soils of west- ern Virginia and Kentucky. Four of the sons and two of the daughters went to Kentucky about the year 1790. Simeon, the father of Colonel John Buford, settled during that year one of the fine plantations in what is now Wood- ford county. Colonel Abraham Buford settled in Scott county and became an extensive landholder, and the rest of the sons and daughters located in the adjoining counties, or in what is now called the " blue grass region." To them is due the credit of introducing the fine breeds of horses and cattle in Kentucky for which the State has since become so famous. Colonel John Buford, when eleven years of age', was on the " dark and bloody " ground, before the exter- mination of the Indians, and before the advance into those then western wilds of the schoolmaster. His practical edu- cation, however, was not neglected. He became inured to hard labor and to the vicissitudes of a pioneer life, develop- ing at the same time rare tact and great bravery. He married early and settled a plantation in Woodford county, Ken- tucky. IIe had three children by his first wife, whosc maiden name was Nancy Hickman. She died in 1824. Of these children but one survives-Napoleon B. Buford. Colonel John Buford served with the Kentucky troops undcr the command of General Harrison, in 1813, on our northern frontier. He was a successful and popular man, having been elected in seven different years as a member of the Legislature. He was married upon the second occasion to the widow of Dr. John Watson, the only daughter of Cap- tain Edward Howe, an officer in the war of 1776, serving in the Virginia line, who about the year 1795 removed to Kentucky. The issue of this marriage was three sons- John, Thomas J., and James M. All were born in Ver- sailles, Kentucky. Their father removed from that State to Roek Island, Illinois, in 1838, where his excellencies were readily appreciated. In 1843 he was elected to the Senate of Illinois, and served with marked ability in its two bien- nial sessions. His political principles were Democratic. General Jackson was his early personal friend. In the great State conventions of the party, both in Kentucky and Illinois, he was often called to preside. Nature had be-

RAWFORD, JOHN S., Physician, was born in Ireland, October 18th, 1812, being the son of John and Agnes (Stewart) Crawford. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and grad- uated from that institution in 1837 as a Surgeon. During the same year he emigrated to the United States, and commenced practice in Warwick, New York, where he continued four years. In 1841 he removed to Galena, Illinois, establishing himself there as a physician. Since that time he has resided in Galena, and by skill and attention obtained a large patronage. In common with nearly all the prominent men in the northwestern country, he has been at various times identified with mining interests. In addition to his degree obtained from Trinity (Dublin) College, he has received the degree of M. D. from two American colleges-the St. Louis University, now known as the St. Louis Medical College, and the Medical College of Cleveland, Ohio. He is one of the oldest and one of the leading practitioners of the State. He is Vice-President of the Galena Medical Society, and is prominently connected with all movements to advance the standing of the profes- sion. He has now associated with him in the practice of medicine in Galena, his son, Dr. William S. Crawford, who is a thoroughly read and able physician.

ALT, THOMAS A., Merchant and Manufacturer, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, Jan- uary 13th, 1828. His parents were William Galt and Mary Ann (Thomas) Galt. His education was obtained in the common sehool, and was in- terrupted at intervals by work on the farm on which he was brought up. The death of his father when he was but fourteen years old compelled him to rely entirely upon his own exertions for a livelihood, and also caused the eare of his brothers and sisters to devolve to a great extent upon him ; he being the eldest son. He became clerk in a store at Coneord, Pennsylvania, for a short time, and in 1845 went to Strasburg, and worked there as clerk until 1848. In this year he removed to Philadelphia, and worked for about a year in a wholesale house in that city. In the latter part of 1849 he returned to Strasburg and bought the business of his late employer there, which he carried on successfully until 1855. He also engaged in some building and real estate operations; but finding the place unsuited for his enterprising ideas, he sold his property in Strasburg

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in 1855, and finally left the town. Being attracted by the | and produce goods of the value of $500,000 annually. accounts then prevalent of the attractiveness of the West, Thomas A. Galt is also interested in several other manufac- turing firms in Rock Falls and Sterling. IIe may fairly be regarded as the manufacturing pioneer of this section of country, and his successful progress from the condition of a poor and fatherless boy to his present position of wealth and influence is an evidence of the natural result of determined and persistent effort. Ile was elected Mayor of Sterling in 1867, and served one term, beside which he has held no official position. He has been twice married : first, in 1850, to Julina Jones, of New Hartford, Connecticut, who died in 1853; and again, in 1856, to Catharine Anthony, of Onondaga county, New York. IIe is a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Sterling, and exhibits as much zeal in furthering the interests of Christ's kingdom as he does in the prosecution of his own business. He has for many years been one of the elders in the church. he started on a prospecting tour to that part of the country, and stopped for a while at Sterling, Illinois, intending at first only to visit some friends there. IIe finally, however, determined to remain, and opened a hardware store there in partnership with D. M. Crawford, under the style of Galt & Crawford. The firm continued thus until I858, when D. M. Crawford retired, and T. A. Galt admitted his brother, John M., into partnership, the name being changed to Galt & Bro. Matters remained thus until 1363, when two more partners were brought into the firm. The same year T. A. Galt had, in addition to his hardware store, commenced the manufacture of farm implements. Shortly after his doing so he became associated with G. S. Tracy, who carried on a planing mill in Sterling, and the mill and the manufactory were then merged into one establishment, under the name of Galt & Tracy. The title of the " Keystone Works " was shortly afterwards adopted. In 1864 the manufacturing undertaking had grown sufficiently to engage his whole attention, and he sold his interest in the hardware business ELAND, LORENZO, Lawyer, was born in Grafton, Massachusetts, September 27th, 1813, his father being Cyrus Leland, a farmer and a man of con- siderable local prominence. During his youth he attended several academies, and for a time taught school, being engaged in the dual capacity of pupil and teacher until his twentieth year. He then read law for one year in Boston, and in the fall of 1834 went to Peoria, Illinois, where he completed his legal studies and was admitted to the bar of the State. In 1835 he removed to Ottawa, Illinois, and entered upon the practice of his chosen profession, associating a few months after with his cousin, who subsequently became more widely known as Judge Leland. This partnership continued for two or three years, and was then dissolved, when he conducted the busi- ness alone for some time. Shortly after he formed a part- nership with T. Lyle Dickey, and later still with Milton H. Swift for one year. In 1842 he relinquished the practice of law and was by Governor Ford appointed Clerk of the Cir- cuit Court of La Salle county, filling that position from IS42 to IS48. In the latter year he was elected Clerk of the Supreme Court in the Third Northern Grand Division of Illinois, serving for six years, and being twice re-elected to the same responsible office, which he filled until 1867 with an integrity and an ability highly satisfactory to the bench, the bar, and the public, for a period of nearly nineteen con- secutive years. Since then he has been engaged in attend- ing to his own private business, discarding to a considerable extent the duties of active life. He has been Justice of the Peace, Treasurer of La Salle county, President of the old Town Council, Town Supervisor of Ottawa, Superintendent of Schools for La Salle county, to which positions he was elected by the people, and was in 1871 an unsuccessful candidate for Congress. He is a director and stockholder to his other partners and retired finally from the retail trade. He continued to prosecute the manufacturing industry, and it became highly successful, developing into larger propor- tions each year. In July, 1867, the whole premises and stock of the factory were destroyed by fire, causing a loss to the firm of some $30,000, the property being entirely unin- sured. The activity and vim which had always marked T. A. Galt were not crushed by this blow, and measures werc soon taken for the restoration of the firm's business. They rebuilt their factory in Sterling, and so vigorously did they push forward the work that in three weeks from the fire they had the new structure finished and furnished with new machinery, including engine and boiler. This factory they appropriate to the sash and door manufactory and planing mill. They purchased a water power and some land at Rock Falls, opposite to Sterling, and commenced a new factory, including foundry and machine shop and implement works, which was pushed on so vigorously that within three months from the burning of the old works the new were all in working order. This was the first building of any kind erected in the town of Rock Falls. Within six months from this time they had turned out about fifteen hundred agri- cultural machines of all kinds, beside a large amount of work of the planing mill. In 1870 the trade of the house had increased so much that the works were incorporated as a joint stock company, under the name of the Keystone Manufacturing Company, with a capital of $150,000, Thomas A. Galt being President and G. S. Tracy Vice- President and Superintendent. This company are now among the largest manufacturers of farm implements and machinery in the West, and their tradc extends throughout all the western and northwestern country. They have in oper- ation five large buildings, covering about two and a half acres of ground, employ one hundred and twenty hands, in the First National Bank of Ottawa, and is one of the

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The biographical encyclopedia of Illinois of the nineteenth century, Part 50

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