The biographical encyclopedia of Illinois of the nineteenth century, Part 66

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

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OSKOTEN, ROBERT, M. D., was born in Mett- mann, Prussia, February 5th, 1816. His father, George Roskoten, was a manufacturer. While in his childhood, he removed, with his family, to a central part of Germany, and there acquired his education in a neighboring classical school. At the completion of his allotted course of studies, he left that establishment, and after devoting most of his time to private literary pursuits for several years, became a student at the University of Jena, where he prosecuted the study of medi- cine, graduating in 1848. He was subsequently engaged in | fourteen years, he relinquished it at last in 1835, when he re-

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moved to La Salle county, Illinois, and commenced farming. ! devotedly served. He is a plain and unpretentious citizen, Ile did not abate, any further than was absolutely neces- with remarkably fine ability both as a merchant and general business man, and as a representative of the people. He has amassed a very large fortune, and has attained by his energy and probity in all departments of his individual career a position in the rank of leading men of the State. sary, his application to his books, and has, ever since his first self-suggested efforts, continued reading the productions of the very best authors, and has acquired a very comprehensive and practical knowledge of the arts and sciences, and a tho- rough insight into history and the progress of civil affairs. In IS38 he was elected Sheriff of La Salle county, and moved into Ottawa, the county-seat. For eight years he was suc- cessively re-elected to this office. In 1846 he was elected RAINARD, DANIEL, was born May 15th, 1812, at Whitesboro', Oneida county, New York. He was a descendant of the Daniel Brainard who from England settled at Haddam, Connecticut, about the year 1662. Daniel Brainard received his early education at the academy or high school of Whitesboro', where, as well as at Rome, New York, he undertook his first medical studies. Shortly afterwards he attended courses of lectures at Fairfield and at Jefferson College, Philadelphia, and graduated at the latter in the spring of 1834. After spending two years in private study, he was engaged to deliver a course of lectures on anatomy and physiology at the Oneida Institute, after which, in August, 1836, he came to Chicago to establish himself per- manently. In IS39 he went to Paris, where he studied at the medical school for three years, after which he resumed his practice in Chicago. After giving a course of lectures at St. Louis, he, together with other prominent physicians, founded Rush Medical College at Chicago, of which Dr. Brainard remained President and Professor of Surgery until his death. He married Evelyn Height, February 6th, 1845. In IS52 he again visited Paris, where he obtained permis- sion to use the poisonous serpents in the museum of the Jardin des Plantes, for the purpose of experimenting on the cure of poisoned wounds. The result of his experiments was his advocacy of the treatment of poisoned wounds or unhealthy inflammation by alterative injections, by which he acquired considerable reputation, and was made a member of the Society of Surgery of Paris, and a corresponding member of the Medical Society of the Canton of Geneva. After his return to America, he rose rapidly to prominence in his profession, and soon occupied a position as a surgeon second to none in the Northwest. In 1854 he received the prize at the meeting of the Medical Society at St. Louis for his essay on the treatment of ununited fractures for the cure of false joint by subcutaneous perforation. He died of cholera at Chicago on the 10th of October, 1866. He left two children, Julia and Edwin Brainard. Daniel Brainard was gifted with remarkable energy and perseverance, which, supported by an iron constitution and powerful frame, en- abled him to undertake and execute his most laborious course of study and practice. His acquirements were not limited to the knowledge of his own profession. He was known as well for his mastery of other branches of science. In geology and botany he was well versed. In literature and art he was accomplished, and to them his leisure was to the Senate of Illinois from his district, on the Democratic ticket, serving a term of two years, when, upon its expira- tion, he was re-elected for a term of four years. In 1854 he opened a storc for the sale of general merchandise in Ottawa, under the firm-name of Reddick & Hurlbut. After a continuance of this partnership business for three ycars, Mr. Hurlbut withdrew, and Mr. Reddick carried it on alone for eleven years, then took into partnership H. J. Gillen, and in 1872 sold out his interest to this gentleman. In IS70 the Democrats of his section, who had never been able to elect their candidates since Mr. Reddick had with- drawn from politics and engaged exclusively in private pursuits, now cast about for a standard-bearer whom it was possible to place in office. The temperance people, like- wise in the minority, were looking about for the same pur- pose. Mr. Reddick, a plain, hard-working, upright citizen, grounded firmly in the principles of temperance and stand- ing in the very best repute in the county, was the only man who could successfully lead a forlorn hope against the strong opposition. He, indeed, was the only man who could carry the Irish vote, in which that section was particularly strong. He consented to become again a candidate, and entered the fight, carrying the strongholds of the liquor interest, not- withstanding his anti-liquor sentiments, and securing his return to his old seat in the State Senate. With consistency to his often-announced declarations, he now set about fram- ing a State Temperance Law, based upon that in vogue in Ohio, which limited the sale of liquor under heavy restric- tions and penalties. This was passed in the Senate by his ar- guments and influence, and became what is now popularly known as Reddick's Temperance Law. When his term of service was concluded, he returned to his extensive private business at Ottawa. He is now, as he has ever been since his advent in La Salle county, an agriculturalist on a very large scale, owning and conducting several large and very fine farms in various townships. He was supervisor of Ottawa for several years, and in 1848 was appointed by the State authorities as one of the Canal appraisers. He was one of the originators of the Ottawa Glass Works, and was the first President of the Illinois River Bridge Company, whose office is in Ottawa, and superintended the construc- tion of that great public improvement. He has been identi- fied all along with the leading public enterprises of that section, and has earned the sincere respect and commenda- tion of a .community which, in various capacities, he has

Daniel Barend .

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especially devoted. As a lecturer of great method and | Black Hawk had gone away from Rock Island, where clearness he acquired a wide reputation, and taking an active interest in all public events he became well known as a public speaker. His manner was dignified and measured. In appearance he was tall and heavily built ; his head was large and finely shaped, and his eye keen and penetrating. In thoroughness and profundity of knowledge in his profession, and in the various departments of science which he pursued; in his comprehensive grasp of all ques- tions which came under his observation; in clearness of thought and of expression; in liberality of views and di- versity of accomplishments, Daniel Brainard stood perhaps without a rival in the Northwest. He was respected as an eminent and competent authority on any matter which fell within the range of his most varied attainments.

PENCER, JOHN WINCHELL, a Pioneer Settler of Illinois, was born in Vergennes, Addison county, Vermont, July 25th, 1801. His parents were Calvin Spencer and Ruth (Hopkins) Spencer. He received a common school educa- tion and was raised on a farm. Having passed his early years at home he started, on September 4th, 1820, for Illinois, driving a two-horse tcam for a gentleman named Brush. Having an uncle in St. Louis, Missouri, he crossed the Mississippi river and arrived in that city on October 25th of the same year. This city had then only about 25,000 inhabitants. By reason of the fact of Missouri having become a slave State, his uncle and a number of the other carly settlers were then on the point of leaving it for free soil. Early in the fall of 1820 he and a number of his neighbors had visited the Illinois river country, and had made selections of farms about thirty miles from that river's mouth, at a settlement which is now known as Bluffdale ; and in order to hold these lands they were com- pelled to improve them, which they did, and then returned to Missouri. On December Ist, 1820, in company with his cousin, Mr. Spencer started for the Illinois river, where these claims had been entered under the land laws of the State, and upon arriving there they completed a log cabin on one of the tracts which was only half built. They were compelled to turn their horses loose at night, and in hunt- ing for them one morning he encountered a bear, and chased him over the prairie bottom, driving him up to the cabin, where he was shot. This is only a sample of the adventures which were common in that then newly opened country. About 1826 there was great excitement in regard to the lead mines of the Upper Mississippi, and in 1827, with the intention of trying his fortune in that mineral region, he made his way to them, returning late in the summer. In the fall of 1828 he removed to Morgan county, twelve miles from Jacksonville, and soon after started out to ascertain if the Indians under the celebrated accepted. The company, numbering fifty-cight men, was

they had established a village, and found that they had left for their usual winter's hunt. On the 20th of December of the same year he arranged to carry the mail to Galena, where the military on frontier service were stationed, for five dollars. He started on foot, carrying skates to increase the rapidity of his progress on the rivers, and during the day fell in with a party of Winnebagoes while skating over a large pond. The savages were highly pleased with this manner of locomotion. He was overtaken by darkness while out on the prairie, and in trying to start a fire to thaw out his nearly frozen limbs, with powder, narrowly escaped losing the sight of both eyes by the explosion. Ile eventu- ally, after many mishaps and adventures, reached the fort at Rock Island, bringing with him the news of the election of General Jackson to the Presidency, and during the same night witnessed an Indian war dance by a band that had just executed vengeance on their enemies, the Omahas. He executed this postal mission according to his agreement, which compensated him more by the experience it gave him than it did pecuniarily. In the fall of 1828 he made a selection of a farm at Rock Island, and moved from Morgan county, meeting upon his arrival at the former place Black Hawk and a brother warrior. The Indians settled in the vicinity and commenced the peaceful pursuit of agriculture. Mr. Spencer soon after became well acquainted with Black Hawk, whom he describes as having been a strict temper- ance man, and relates that on one occasion he and a few of his braves visited a log-cabin saloon in the settlement and stove in all the barrels of whiskey. The Indians in the vicinity were the Sauks and Foxes, and in his " Remin- iscences " Mr. Spencer gives an interesting description of pioneer life, which includes sketches of the battles between these savages and the Sioux and Menominees. Differ- ences occurred between the whites and the various tribes, but the time up to the close of 1830 passed off with com- parative tranquillity. The year 1831 opened a new cra. The Indians, who had gone off on their winter hunts, re- turned in large numbers with less of that pacific spirit to the settlers which they had previously shown, and Black Hawk gave the latter to understand that after the ensuing season they must move south of Rock river, or above Pleasant Valley, declaring that the district between these two points should be exclusively occupied by his brethren. This offensive move made it necessary for Mr. Spencer and his friends to cast about for protection. They had, in vain, petitioned the Governor of the State for aid in 1829, and they now again tried an appeal of the same nature. It was effectual this time, and "old General Gaincs," then at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, was summoned to drive the Indians out of the State of Illinois. General Gaines arrived at Rock Island with a force of only five hundred men, and to him Mr. Spencer proposed raising a company of " Rock River Rangers," and the proposition was readily

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mustered into service June 5th, 1831, Mr. Spencer being | built across the river, was a very valuable property. He is First Lieutenant. Gaines' troops increased by sixteen hun- still part owner of it, but it is now a very different property. As may be inferred from what has thus far been said, he was one of the prominent pioneer settlers in the north- western section of Illinois. His indomitable bravery and daring spirit made him conspicuous in the border wars, and earned him that high esteem which he has always retained. He has ever since these early seasons of Indian war, and their exciting episodes, confined himself to agricultural pursuits, cultivating a large farm and amassing a com- petence. He supported many schemes for public improve- ments, and took no common interest in educational affairs. In all matters relating to himself as a business man and private citizen, he secured the respect of all who knew him for his affable demcanor and sterling integrity. He has been married twice; in 1828 to Louisa Case, of Morgan county, who died in 1833; in 1834 to Eliza Wilson, of Greene county. dred men, who rendezvoused at Beardstown, and the steam- boat " Winnebago " was fitted up, a cannon on its bow, and manned by a company. This additional force was raised by the Governor, and it soon joined Gaines' troops at Rock Island. This mobilized command under that officer inaugurated the war against Black Hawk. The men encamped near Mr. Spencer's farm, carried off the rails which surrounded his farm for fuel, and caused him the loss of his crop of corn and potatoes for that year. In a short time a treaty was concluded with Black Hawk that the Indians should stay on the west side of the Mississippi, and that the government should give them as much corn as they could have raised that year if not disturbed from their lands on the other side. Mr. Spencer and Rinnah Wells were commissioned to make this estimate, which amounted to several thousand bushels. Thus ended this season's operations. In 1833 the Indians violated their agreement by crossing the river to the Illinois side, and General At- kinson was sent from Jefferson Barracks to drive them FRANGLE, GUSTAVUS A., Postmaster of Au- rora, was born, March 22d, 1845, near Freiburg, in the Grand Duchy of Baden. After the Revo- lution of 1848, when that country failed in its efforts to become a republic, many of the inhabitants who had been identified with the movement to throw off the monarchical yoke, and had be- come obnoxious to the ruling powers, found it necessary to leave. Among them was the father of Gustavus, Sebastian Pfrangle, principal of a school, who emigrated to the United States, and landed at New York in 1853. He soon after obtained a position in one of the select schools as Professor of German, where he continued for two years. He then removed to Chicago, where he obtained similar employment in an academy of that city, and in the autumn of 1856 be- came the Professor of German and of Music in the college at Wheaton, where he remained until the fall of 1858. He next effected an engagement with what was then the Clark Seminary, at Aurora, to perform the same duties, and re- moved to that town, but prior to the commencement of his engagement was taken sick and died. His son, Gustavus, had been in the meantime under the immediate instruction of his father, and had acquired much useful information, including a knowledge of the country where lie was sojourn- ing. After his father's death he attended the public school in Aurora for about six months, at the expiration of which time he entered the printing office of the Aurora Beacon, with a view of learning the printing business; but in 1861 back. Mr. Spencer went scouting for the savages, and met Seoskuk, Black Hawk's son, who spoke to him, but refused to declare his intentions regarding the further movement of the tribc. Upon his return General Atkinson sent him with a despatch to the frontier settlements, warn- ing them of an impending conflict, and he safely executed this dangerous mission. The regiment, reinforced by eighteen hundred mounted men collected by the Governor, commenced their offensive march up Rock river. These troops were officered by General Atkinson, Colonel Zachary Taylor, afterwards President of the United States, Captain Abraham Lincoln, who filled and by an assassin's blow died in the same high office, Captain, and subsequently Major- General, Harney and others. Then succeeded the most sanguinary period of the Black Hawk War, the result being that the Sauks and Foxes were forced far up into the northwest, where they fell into the clutches of their merciless enemies, the Sioux, and large numbers were massacred. The final battle of the war was fought at Bad Axe, on the Mississippi, and Black Hawk surrendered to the Winnebagoes, who brought him a prisoner to Prairie du Chien. Mr. Spencer obtained a good deal of the land on which the city of Rock Island is now built, and as the place advanced disposed of it to considerable advantage. When the county of Rock Island was organized, in 1833, he became one of the first Board of County Commissioners, a body now known as the Board of Supervisors. In 1841 he built the first dam at Moline; in the same year he also | one of the proprietors, George S. Bangs, now occupying started a saw and a flour mill at that place. He was elected a member of the State Constitutional Convention in 1847, and in 1849 the County Judge, being the first appointed. In 1852 he became chief proprietor and man- ager of the ferry between Rock Island and Davenport, on the Mississippi, which in those days, before the bridge was

the important position of Superintendent of Railway Mail Service of the United States, was appointed Postmaster, and took Gustavus, then sixteen years of age, with him as clerk, where, by his strict attention to his duties and his uniform politeness, he soon won the respect and confidence of his employer and of the public generally. In 1863, when but

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eighteen years old, he was made Assistant Postmaster, and | short time, but made up his mind this little huddle was retained that position until May 2d, 1873, when he was commissioned Postmaster, which office he still retains. He was one of the originators in the organization known as the Aurora Lecture Association, and is the President of the same. He is also a Director of the Aurora Library Associ- ation, and was one of the early officers of the Aurora Sol- diers' Monument Association. A Republican by natural instinct, he has for ycars been an efficient man in the ranks of the Republican party, doing faithful and important work for the same. He was at an early age one of the active workers in the leading temperance organization of the city, and ever has been a leading spirit in all enterprises calcu- lated in any way to benefit the people or enhance the inter- ests of his city. Though a young man yet, he has thus early, through his industry, sobriety, perseverance, and fidelity, been promoted to one of the most important local offices in the gift of the general government; a position to which he was called by the unanimous voice of his towns- men, as expressed at an election. This office he now holds to the entire satisfaction of the people.

going to be a great city, so he returned in February, 1832, and purchased two lots. These are now on Lake and South Water streets, midway between Dearborn and Clark streets. Then he returned to Buffalo and remained there until the spring of 1834, when he again visited Chicago and built a store, and in 1835 went into business there, contin- uing to invest in real estate to the extent of his ability. In 1836 came the panic; but although he suffered severely, pluck and sagacity enabled him to win prosperity again, and as the town grew hc increased in wcalth. He was one of the first Justices of the Peace in Chicago, and was after- wards a member of the Common Council. In the second canvass for Mayor he was the Democratic candidate for that office ; but his bold, uncompromising advocacy of the tempcrance reform defeated him. His faith in Chicago was unfaltering from the first. He was the first man to go there with the sole purpose of buying real estate. He was laughed at by the inhabitants for telling them that their set- tlement would in twenty-five years be a city of fifty thou- sand inhabitants. Hc induced his friends to " buy lots in Chicago and hold on to them," and was derided at a public dinner in Buffalo for asserting that in twenty-five years Chicago would have a greater population than Buffalo. From the first he was identified with the best and most substantial business interests of the city he helped to found. He was one of the founders of the Chicago Orphan Asylum, and a pioneer in the work of establishing the public school system, while he might almost be called the founder of the University there. His characteristics have always been calm deliberation, unfaltering perseverance, solid energy, unblemished integrity, judicious kindliness, and substantial public spirit. He has known affliction, for of his ten chil- dren two died in infancy and five others died of consump- tion just as they reached maturity ; while his brave, faithful, and loving wife died in 1854; but his trials were borne with the patient fortitude that so strongly characterized him.

ONES, WILLIAM, Merchant, was born on the 22d of October, 1789, in Charlemont, Franklin county, Massachusetts. At the age of nine years he removed with his parents to Greenfield, Sara- toga county, New York, where his father died five years later. At the age of nineteen he under- took to learn the trade of millwright, but he soon decided that he was not of a mechanical turn of mind, and resolved to go West. He walked to Hanover, Chautauqua county, New York, purchased a piece of new land, and earnestly went to work as a farmer. For five years he continued at this, and then his health failed him and he had to abandon his farm. While living in Chautauqua county he married Anna Gregory. While there, also, he was made Constable, Collector, and Deputy Sheriff. In 1824 he removed to Buffalo and tried the grocery business. This was not suc- cessful, however, and he accepted the position of light- EED, REV. JAMES ARMSTRONG, D. D., was born in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, May 22d, 1830. His parents are John Reed, attorncy-at- law of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, and Eliza (Donnelly) Reed, of Yellow Springs, Blair county, Pennsylvania. He graduated at the Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1856, and in 1859 at the Allegheny Theological Seminary. After leaving the latter institution he resided for a period of six months at Cedar Rapids, Linn county, Iowa. In 1860 he was called to the First Presbyterian Church of Wooster, Wayne county, Ohio. In addition to pastoral labors of a very arduous nature in this field, he was a prominent mover and active co-operator in the founding of the University of Wooster, and an en- house keeper at the mouth of Buffalo creek. This position he held until Buffalo was incorporated as a city, and then he was put at the head of the police force. He was also the first Collector of Buffalo, and held the position for three years. Then he started West again. He went, in the summer of 1831, by steamboat to Detroit, thence by stage to Ann Arbor, and thence by wagon to Kalamazoo. There lic took passage with a small party in a skiff for the mouth of the St. Joseph, and from there the party went by a bor- rowed conveyance to Elkhart, and thence Mr. Jones, accompanied by a friend, went on horseback to Chicago, arriving on the rst of August, 1831. Chicago was then a little huddle of shanties, populated by about three hundred Frenchmen, Indians, and half-breeds. He stayed but a , feeblement of health resulting from the consequent severe

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strain on his energies, mental and physical, obliged him to resign his pastorate in 1868. He was then called to take charge of the New York Avenue Church, at Washington city, District of Columbia, during the last and ultimately fatal illness of its excellent pastor, Dr. Gurley. He remained in the capital during the progress of the trial for the im- peachment of Andrew Johnson, and later was ealled to Danville, Pennsylvania, and also to Dubuque, Iowa; not loeating himself, however, until he received a eall to the First Presbyterian Church of Springfield, Illinois, in Novem- ber, 1869. A recent lecture delivered by him in reply to Lamon's " Life of Lineoln," attraeted considerable atten- tion and elicited many comments and eneomiums from all parts of the country. It was eventually repeated, as a eon- cession to pressing instanees, in Washington, District of Columbia, and at different places in the various States. This lecture, masterly in construction, able in detail, and powerful as a whole, was published finally in July, 1873, in " Seribner's Magazine." The title of D. D. he received in August, 1874, from the Wooster University. He is a scholar of very considerable aequirements, and as a clergy- man takes high rank, being distinguished by the liberality of his views, the earnestness and ability of his pulpit efforts, and the zeal and suecess with whieh all his elerieal dutics are performed. He was married in May, 1859, to Cornelia M. Ker, daughter of Hon. John Ker, of Huntingdon, Penn- sylvania.

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The biographical encyclopedia of Illinois of the nineteenth century, Part 66

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