The biographical encyclopedia of Illinois of the nineteenth century, Part 73

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

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CLEAN, JOHN, who was elected United States Senator in November, 1824, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Hon. Ninian Ed- wards, was born in North Carolina, in 1791. At the age of four years his father's family removed to Logan county, Kentucky, where he received such limited education as the country afforded. He studied law, and in 1815, at the age of twenty-three, moved to Illinois and settled at Shawneetown, with little means and less credit, but endowed with great natural talents and swayed by a lofty ambition. He speedily became con- spicuous at the bar and in political life. Three years after he was a candidate for Congress, Daniel P. Cook being his opponent. The contest was one of the most animated and vigorous ever made in the State, but was characterized throughout by a high-toned courtesy, which eminently dis- tinguished both competitors. They were young men of rare promise and alike won the esteem of the people. McLean was elected by a small majority, but at the next election he was defeated by Cook. McLean was frequently a member of the Legislature, and Speaker of the House. He looked the born orator. With a large symmetrical figure, fine light complexion and a frank, magnanimous soul, he exercised that magnetism over his auditory which stamped him as the leader of men. Possessed of strong

good sense, a lively imagination, a pleasant humor, ready command of language, his oratory flowed with a moving torrent, almost irresistible to the masses of his day. With these native attributes and a compass of intellect exceed- ingly great, consciousness of power caused him to rely perhaps too much upon them to the exclusion of that dis- cipline, constant and painstaking study which make the profound scholar. He was twice elected to the United States Senate, the last time, December 6th, 1828, unani- mously, as the successor of Jesse B. Thomas, for a full term, but he only served the first session, and after coming home died at Shawneetown, in 1830, in the very prime of his manhood, at the age of thirty-nine years. His death was a great public loss, and the Legislature, as a fitting testimonial to his memory, named the large, fertile and now populous county of McLean in honor of him.

EROD, THOMAS G. S., M. D., was born in Smith county, Tennessee, on February 7th, ISII. His father, Levi Herod, and his mother were natives of North Carolina, where they were married, and whence they emigrated to Tennes- see in ISOI. Thomas was educated in Smith county, and attended Porter's Hill Academy. On leaving school he engaged in the study of medicine under Drs. J. C. Mabry and C. L. Southerland. After reading one year he eniisted in the Tennessee troops to fight in the Florida war; he was in the service seven months when he was dis- charged, at New Orleans, and returned home to Smith county and resumed the study of medicine under his old preceptors. He continued studying with them two years, then attended lectures at the Transylvania University, and graduated in the year 1838. IIe then commenced the practice of his profession at Memphis, in partnership with one of his former preceptors, Dr. John C. Mabry. This association was maintained for one year, when he moved to Arkansas, and there practised in partnership with Dr. William B. Stone for one year. Returning for a while to Tennessee, he went back to Arkansas and engaged in practice with Dr. McFarland, at Elizabethtown, near Jack- sonport, and remained there one year, when he moved to Fayetteville, Washington county, in the same State, and practised there one year by himself. He then located in Independence, Missouri, and resided there nine months. On October 4th, 1839, he married Harriet R. O'Bryant, and started for Tennessee. Reaching Shawneetown, he was requested to make it his home, which he did, and there he has ever since lived. His practice is a very large one and very laborious. In 1846 he organized a company for the Mexican service, with Captain M. K. Lawler, but just before starting Dr. Herod was taken sick and had to be left behind. In 1861 he raised a company of soldiers, on the 19th of April, which was the first company raiscd

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for the ISth Regiment; of this he was made Captain, and | runs four sets of cards. IIe has been, financially, one of filled the rank for one month, when he became sick and returned home. He then raised another company, of which he was made Captain ; they marched to Camp Butler, and were attached to the 6th Illinois Cavalry, of which he was afterwards made Major, and served as such until Novem- ber, 1863. In 1866 he returned to Shawneetown and engaged in the practice of his profession, in which he is now occupied.

the most successful and enterprising men in the northwest. He has been a Republican since the organization of that party, and has always been and is now a leading man in the community, although he would never take a public office. He is quiet in his manners and makes no preten- sions to notoriety. IIis business receives his whole time, and he leads a very quiet and retired life. Ile was closely identified with the carly history of Aurora, and has done much toward promoting its interests and welfare.

TOLP, JOSEPH G., Manufacturer, was born in Marcellus, Onondaga county, New York, on August 16th, 1812. Ilis education was obtained HOMAS, JESSE B., who with Ninian Edwards was the first to represent Illinois in the United States Senate, was elected in October, ISIS, to serve until 1823. He was elected a delegate to Congress from the Territory of Indiana in 1808, when he procured the separation of Illinois from Indiana, which he was pledged to do upon his election, and which subsequently required his adopting Illinois as his home. The people of Indiana were opposed to the separation which he brought about. Returning home he was appointed United States Judge of Illinois Territory. On taking his seat in Congress he was appointed on im- portant committees, and actively supported the admission of Missouri as a slave State. Ile gained considerable notoriety for originally suggesting the line of thirty-six de- grees thirty minutes, known as the Missouri Compromise. In 1823 he was again elected to the United States Senatc, serving until 1829. The intimate friend of Secretary Craw- ford, he advocated his election to the Presidency in 1824. During the convention struggle he advocated the engrafting of slavery upon our constitution. After the expiration of his last Senatorial term he removed to Ohio, where he died in February, ISgo. in the common schools of that town. He left school in 1828, at the age of sixteen, and com- menced an apprenticeship to the wool-carding and cloth-dressing business, and served five years, after which time he worked at his trade in Marcellus until 1837. In May of that year he started West, and settled in Illinois. The conveniences for travelling at that time were very in- ferior to those of the present day. Ile took a canal boat at Jordan, New York, and was seven days getting to Buffalo; here he took a sailing vessel for Chicago, and was fourteen chys on the lakes, arriving in Chicago June 12th, 1837. He took a small amount of machinery with him, for wool- carding and cloth-dressing. This he left in Chicago, and started on foot for Aurora, at that time a little hamlet on the Fox river, in Kane county, and arrived there June 15th, about sundown. There were then about ten or twelve buildings on the east, and half as many on the west side of the river, where now stands a flourishing city of 15,000 inhabitants. He had a " claim title " only on the island in the Fox river, and here in the fall of 1837 he built a shop and did a little wool-carding and cloth-dressing until cold weather came on, when the shop, being too cold to work in, he went into the woods and commenced chopping and hauling logs. This he continued through the winter, and in May again commenced wool-carding. The business increased yearly. In 1839 government surveyors came and surveyed the island, and it became known as Stolp's island. His business continued to increase, and in 1842 the land was sold, and he became the owner of ten acres, at ten shillings an acre. IIe then added more machinery and increased his business facilities considerably. About this time there was a great flood, which carried off nearly all he had. In 1848 he dug a canal to carry the water to a convenient point below, which cost about ten thousand dollars. In 1849 he built a large woollen mill on. the island, which he has run successfully for twenty-six years, accumulating a large fortune. In January, 1839, he was married to Temperance S. Duston, daughter of Eben Dus- ton, a descendant of the Hannah Duston family of New Hampshire, of historic fame, and has five children. His mill, when in full operation, employs about sixty people and station. He is greatly respected for his ability, his irre-

INGSBURY, ARIUS N., Lawyer and County Judge, was born in Ohio, in 1831, being the son of Ira and Hannah (Pierce) Kingsbury. His education was, in youth, mainly condueted at home. In IS41 he removed to Illinois, settling at Mt. Carmel, in Wabash county. In 1851 he commenced the study of law, with Judge Dale as his pre- ceptor, at Greeneville, Illinois, and made rapid and thor- ough progress in all branches of that science. In IS55 he was admitted to the bar in Greeneville, where he com- menced practice and continued it until 1857, when he changed his residence to Hillsboro', Illinois, where his professional duties closely engaged his attention until the year 1873. In that year he was elected County Judge of Montgomery county, and now fills that high and responsible .

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proachable character and for his dignified and just admin- istration of the duties devolving on him. His opinions are prepared with care, and evince his thoroughness as a jurist. In 1873 he was also a candidate for the Supreme bench of the State, his opponent, Mr. Schofield, being, however, elected. In 1859 he was married to Celeste Hazard, of Alton, Illinois.

ANE, ELIAS KENT, United States Senator from IS25 to 1835, was a native of New York. IIe G received a thorough education, being a graduate of Yalc College; studied law, and in 1814, when quite young, sought the South and West, and located finally at Kaskaskia, Illinois. He was possessed of a strong clear mind, was a close reasoner, a profound lawyer, an agreeable speaker, a lucid writer, and attained eminence in his profession as well as in public life. When the new State constitution went into effect, in October, ISIS, he was appointed, by Governor Bond, Sec- retary of State. Afterwards he was a State Senator. In November, 1824, he was elected a Senator in Congress for six years, and took his seat March 4th, 1825. In 1830 he was re-elected on the first ballot to the United States Senate for the full term from the 4th of March following. Before the expiration of his second term his health, which had long been fceble, gave way, and he died at Washing- ton City, December 12th, 1835. IIe was a man of purity of character, honesty of intention, amiable and benevolent in disposition and very generally csteemed. The Legis- lature named the county of Kane in honor to his memory.

HILLIPS, JESSE J., Lawyer and General, was born in Montgomery county, Illinois, in 1837. Ilis father, Thomas Phillips, was born in Georgia, in 1792, removed to Illinois in I811, and is still living. His mother, whose maiden name was Jane Roberts, came from Kentucky. IIis educa- tion was obtained at an academy at Hillsboro', Illinois. Upon his graduation from this institution he commenced, in 1857, the study of law under the preceptorship of James M. Davis, one of the ablest and most prominent men of his day. In 1861 he was admitted to the bar, and the rebellion having broken out he immediately took steps for raising a company of volunteers in ITillsboro', which were success- ful. Upon its organization he was chosen Captain, and upon the formation of the 9th Illinois Regiment, of which it was a part, he was chosen as Major. The 9th was at- tached to the 2d Division of the Army of Tennessee before its organization into a corps. At the expiration of thrce months of service, for which the regiment enlisted, it re- organized for a service of three years, and he was re-elected

as Major, and within a very short time after was promoted to the Lieutenant-Colonelcy. His brevet as Colonel soon followed, and upon the closc of the war he was made Brevet Brigadier-General. His military record is a bril- liant one, and his bravery and gallantry were often acknowl- edged by his superiors in command. He received many wounds in action, and was almost constantly in charge of the regiment, and frequently commanded the brigade of which it formed a part. He remained in service until the fall of Atlanta. In March, 1863, his regiment was mounted, and thenceforward served as cavalry. Upon the ending of the war he returned to Hillsboro' and com- menced the practice of law, and ever since has been actively and constantly engaged in professional duties. He is a thoroughly-rcad lawyer, and has achieved a fine reputation both as a counsellor and pleader. He has taken a lively interest in political affairs, and is a graceful and trenchant campaign speaker. He was twice nominated for State Treasurer, but failed each time to secure an election. He was married in 1864 to Virginia Davis, of Alabama.

UTCHER, EDWARD F., Lawyer, was born, April 2d, ISIS, at Dutcher's bridge, in the town of Canaan, Litchfield county, Connecticut, and in the valley of the Housatonic river. Rutuff Dutcher, his father, was the son of a gentleman of the same name, who was born on the Atlantic ocean while his parents were en route from Holland to New York. His mother, whose maiden name was Lucinda Howe, was of English parentage. Edward F. was raised on a farm, and mainly obtained his education from the common schools of his section. Six months of his youth were passed in an academy at Lenox, Massachusetts. In IS36 he left home to carve his own destiny, and settled temporarily at Lockport, New York, where he read law, and was admitted to practice. In 1844 he formed a law partnership with Judge R. Chamberlin, in Orleans county, New York, and in IS46 he removed to Oregon, Ogle county, Illinois, where he actively engaged in the practice of his profession and where he still resides. In the summer of 1862 he recruited a very large number of volunteers for. the Union army, and enlisted himself in August of the same year, as a private, and was sworn in. At that juncture, however, he was authorized by Governor Yates to raise a company of infantry, which he accomplished in a few days, and took it into camp at Rockford. Very soon after he was commissioned Major of the 74th Regiment, and took the field with his command, participating in the battles of Perryville, Lancaster, Knob's Gap and Stone River. In the spring of 1863, while under General W. S. Rosecranz, he was compelled to resign by reason of failing health, and returned to his family at Oregon. Upon recovering his health he resumed his practice, which is an extensive

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one and which has since engaged his attention, In IS49 | Second Vice-President of the latter body. He is a member he was married to Elizabeth Van Volkenburg, and has four sons.

OEDEL, CARL, Attorney-at-Law, was born in Van Wert county, Ohio, on September 30th, 1842. His parents were natives of Germany, who emigrated to this country in 1815 and settled in Ohio, where they engaged in farming. He was educated at the Vermillion Institute, Hayes- ville, Ohio. On leaving school he was occupied in teach- ing at Mt. Carmel, Illinois, for three years, when he moved to Shawneetown, and there continued teaching for one year. While at Mt. Carmel and in Shawneetown he was fitting himself for the legal profession, and in the year IS71 he was admitted to the bar of the State of Illinois. There- upon he located in Shawneetown and commenced practice. The youngest practitioner at the bar, he has succeeded in establishing a large and lucrative practice, which was won by hard study and work. In politics he has always been a consistent member of the Republican party. He was mar- ried in 1869 to Fanny Koser, of Mt. Carmel, Illinois,

RIGIIT, JOIIN, M. D., was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, in 1826. His parents were James Wright and Letitia (Martin) Wright. His ele- mentary education was acquired in a select school located in the neighborhood of his home. He commenced the study of medicine in 1852, under the directions of Dr. Bowles, of Harrison county, Ohio, with whom he remained as a student during the ensuing year. Ile then became a pupil of Dr. Clark, at Elizabethtown, in the same State, continuing his studies under his guidance until the fall of 1853. At this date he was placed under Professor C. H. Wright, then filling the chair of Chemistry in the Ohio Medical College, at Cin- cinnati. After taking the regular courses at that institution, his degree was there conferred upon him, in the spring of IS54. He subsequently established himself in De Witt county, Illinois, commencing the active practice of his profession at Wapello, where he was engaged until 1861, when he moved to Clinton, the county-seat of the same county. At the commencement of hostilities in the South he entered the service of the United States, enlisting as

Surgeon in the 107th Regiment of Illinois Volunteers. He remained in active and continuous service during the fol- lowing term of nearly three years, officiating during this time as Brigade-Surgeon and also as Division-Surgeon. He became also one of the Board of Operating Surgcons of the 2d Division of the 23d Army Corps. He is a mem- ber of the American Medical Association and of the Illinois State Medical Society, officiating at the present time as

also of the De Witt County Mcdical Society, and has several times acted as its President. In 1872 he became the prime mover in the organization of the Central Illinois Medical Society, composed of practitioners in the countics of De Witt, McLean, Logan, Piatt, Woodford, Champaign, etc., and was the first President of this body. He has con- tributed to the medical press several articles cstcemed for their value in various aspects ; one case, reported in the Lancet and Observer of 1857, of a successful amputation of the hip-joint, especially, excited much favorable eom- ment. He has operated successfully also for vasico vaginal fistula, and for various other affections of a peculiar and aggravated nature. Ile was married in 1850 to Jane Magill, of Ohio, who died in 1852. Ile was again married, December 13th, IS53, to Mary E. Wright, of Virginia.

RATT, LEONARD, M. D., was born in Romc, Bradford eounty, Pennsylvania, on December 26th, ISI9. His parents and grand-parents were from Connecticut. After the usual preparatory course of study he entered Lafayette College, at Easton, Pennsylvania. On leaving school he entered upon the study of medicine with Dr. L. C. Belding, in Le Raysville, Pennsylvania, and attended his first course of medical lectures in the Jefferson Medical College, in Philadelphia, prosecuting his studies faithfully during the sessions of 1842-43. In this latter year he united with Dr. Belding in experiments to test the utter insufficiency of the homœopathic system of medicine. He gave it a very thorough trial, and was impressed with the fact that the system worked marvellous cures. He and his preceptor expected to prove homoeopathy a fraud, and they came forth from the investigation converts to the system. Dr. Pratt then opened an office in Towanda, Pennsylvania, where he met with the bitter opposition of the old school advocates, until his success in his practice secured to him- self and his adopted system the confidence of the com- munity. After attending a course of lectures in the llomœopathic Medical College of Pennsylvania, in Phila- delphia, in 1852, and receiving a diploma, he left Towanda, went to Illinois, and settled in Lanark, on the line of the Western Union Railroad. From there he rc- moved to Wheaton, in the same State. He has served as Treasurer, Recording Secretary and President of the Illinois State Medical Association of Homoeopathy, and has contributed papers of much value to the medical jour- nals. In 1869 he received the appointment to the chair of Clinical and Medical Surgery in the Ilahnemann Medi- cal College of Chicago, and in 1870 to that of Special Pathology and Diagnosis, which position he fills with credit to himself and the institution. He has been a mem- ber of the American Institute of Homoeopathy since 1867.

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For over thirty years Dr. Pratt has worked earnestly and | He was married in 1850 to Priscilla Cannon, of Illinois, effectively as an unflinching champion of homœopathy. whose demise occurred in 1866. In 1868 he was again married, to Mrs. Swineheart, a resident of Lacon, Illinois. Ile is a man of a liberal and essentially practical mind ; skilful and reliable, and possessing that power, which knowledge and experience give, of inspiring at once confi- dence and respect.

HARLTON, RICHARD C., M. D., was born in Ireland, in 1819. His education was acquired at the Dublin University, whence he graduated in 1836. He came to the United States in 1843, and settled primarily in Brooklyn, New York. He moved subsequently to New Orleans, Louisi- ana, and became a student at the University of Louisiana. In 1849 he removed to the Northwest, and settled in Illi- nois, establishing himself at Kingston, Peoria county. He practised his profession in this locality until 1867, at which date he settled in Pekin, where he has since permanently resided, constantly employed in attending to the numerous duties coming in the train of a large round of business. He is a valued member of the Peoria Medical Society, and is widely recognized as a physician of talent and learning. He was married in Ireland to Mary C. Creaghe, who died in 1858. He was again married in 1867 to Mrs. Henrietta Emery, of Illinois.

ATHBONE, VALENTINE, M. D., was born in Saratoga county, New York, on February 25th, 1816. Ilis father, Dr. John Rathbone, was a physician of high standing, who lived to the age of one hundred years, and who died in Elmira, New York. Valentine received his education at the common schools and the academy in Courtland county. On leaving school he began farming, in which he continued about nine years, during which time he commenced the study of medicine. He then, in 1843, emigrated to Illinois, and continued his studies with his brother, Dr. Lorenzo Rathbone, at McLeansboro, subse- quently entering the St. Louis Medical College, and gradu- ating therefrom in 1851. HIe commenced the practice of his profession at Raleigh, Saline county, and this was his home until 1860. He also engaged in the drug business, by which, with his practice, he was enabled to lay up a considerable store of this world's goods. He then moved to Harrisburg, and continued his practice, also the drug business. The doctor's success as a professional man, as well as a business man, has been very great. He is owner of the best property in Harrisburg, and is the representative man of the place. He was married in 1851 to Lucinda Baker, of Raleigh, Illinois. Dr. Rathbone is a descendant of one of the oldest and wealthiest families in the State of New York. It was a very large family, and remarkably long lived; their influence on society in that State is still recognized.

URNS, JOIIN, Lawyer, Judge of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit of Illinois, was born in Brook county, Virginia, in 1819. His parents were John Burns and Rebecca (Welsh) Burns. His father, a Scotch Presbyterian, and an educator, was from the north of Ireland. He was partially educated in Virginia, and in 1834 came to Illinois with his brother, who, removing from Morgan county, the first stopping-place, settled eventually in Marshall county. After ASSON, JOIIN N., Member of the State Legis- lature, was born in Pennsylvania, in IS39. His father moved to Illinois in 1842, and engaged in farming; he died soon after, whereupon his wife returned to Pennsylvania, taking with her her family, consisting of three children. In their old home John was put to school and received a fair Eng- lish education. After he was graduated he removed to which he then held until 1852. At the expiration of his Kentucky, and there was engaged in teaching school up to 1861. He then changed his residence to White county, Illinois, to which place his mother had preceded him, and in September, 1862, he raised a company of soldiers, of which he was made First Lieutenant, and which was attached to the 87th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. In August, 1863, he was promoted to Captain. In August, 1865, he was mustered out of the service. After leaving the army securing the advantages of an academical course in Putnam county, Illinois, he entered the law office of Ramsey & Shannon, at Lacon, in 1844, and in 1851 was admitted to the bar at Ottawa. Prior to his admittance, however, he was elected, in 1844, Recorder of Deeds for Marshall county, and in 1846 was appointed Clerk of the Circuit Court by Judge Caton. In 1848 he was elected to that office, term, having continued his legal studies in the meantime, he entered upon the active practice of his profession, at which he continued until his election, in June, 1873, to the Judgeship of the Twelfth Judicial Cireuit, a position still occupied by him. In 1861 he was a member of the Consti- tutional Convention, representing in that body the district comprising the counties of Putnam, Marshall, and Wood- ford. He has also been a candidate, on the Democratie he settled in Shawneetown, where he was married to Mary ticket, for State Senator. He is a elose student, an acute A. Coop, and engaged in the practice of the law with the Hon. W. G. Bowman, a partnership which still continucs. reasoner, and an able and impartial expounder of the law.

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The biographical encyclopedia of Illinois of the nineteenth century, Part 73

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