The biographical record of Henry County, Illinois, Part 37

Author: Clarke (S.J.) Publishing Company
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 734

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On the 22nd of January, 1868, in Mun- son township, Mr. Redus married Miss Maranda C. Goleanor, a native of Lebanon, Indiana, and a daughter of David and Jane Smith ) Goleanor, who died in Boone coun- ty, that state, of which locality the father was a prominent farmer. Of their eight children four are still living. Seven chil- dren blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Redus, all born in Munson township, with the exception of the two eldest, whose births hecurred in Geneseo township. They are as follows: Hattie, born November 13, 1868, is the wife of Edward Klayohn, who wons and operates one hundred and sixty Here's a land in Cornwall township, this donny. and they have four children, Elmer. Henry. Lewis and Re Roy. Annie L., born D wwy lo, 18to, is the wife of Fred Peter-

son, a farmer living on section 36. Geneseo township, and they have one child, Florence R. Malvina F., born October 11, 1871, died in Munson township, March 1, 1890. Henry WV., born April 28, 1873, married Minnie Saupe and lives on the home farm in Mun- son township. Ernest D., born June 21. 1875. aids in the work of the farm during the summer season, and lives with his par- ents in Geneseo during the winter months. Cora, born January 5, 1879, died January 21, 1881. Elva L., born August 24. 1883, is at home.

In politics Mr. Redus is independent, and has never taken a very active part in public affairs, although he served as school trustee and director for many years. He is a supporter of the Presbyterian Church, of which his wife is a member, and he holds membership in E. V. Jenkins Post, No. 452, G. A. R. During his long residence in this county he has made a host of warm friends, and is highly respected and esteemed by all who know him.

THOMAS WALKER.

Among the leading farmers and highly respected citizens of Kewanee township is Thomas Walker, whose home is on section 19. He was born near Hull, Yorkshire, England, on the Ioth of December, 1833, and is a son of Harison and Sarah ( Moore) Walker, who spent their entire lives in that country, the father being engaged in agricul- tural pursuits. He was born July 23. 1810, and died July 16, 1883. while his wife was born May 8, 1808, and died June 10. 1898. In their family were seven children, all of whom remained in England with exception of our subject. Two are now deceased

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John, who was born November 11. 1842. and died unmarried ; and Edward, who was born April 13, 1847, and died at the age of sixteen years. The others are Frank, who was born August 26, 1837, and is unmar- ried; Phoebe, who was born September 7, 1840, and is the wife of Henry Foster, of Yorkshire, England ; William, who was born April 2, 1845, and is married ; and Harriet, who was born June 26, 1835, is now Mrs. McBride, of Hull, England.

Thomas Walker grew to manhood in his native land, but had no educational advan- tages. With the hope of bettering his con- dition in the new world, he crossed the At- lantic, landing in New York on the 11th of January, 1854. It had taken him seven years to save enough money to pay his pas- sage. When he set foot on American soil he had but two dollars in his pocket, and by the next morning only forty-seven cents re- mained. Realizing the need of finding em- ployment immediately, hie set out on foot for New Jersey. Meeting an old farmer on the road, he told him his circumstances, and was given two weeks board by that gentle- man, who then hired him for ten dollars per month. There he cradled grain, mowed grass for the stock, and plowed corn with a one-horse shovel plow. After eight months devoted to such labor in New Jersey, Mr. Walker came to Kewanee, Illinois, in Octo- ber, 1854, at which time the village con- tained only two general stores, these being owned by the firms of Morse & Willard and Tenney & Brother. Most of the sur- rounding country was unbroken prairie, and the Pratt form extended to the site of the present Congregational church of Ke- wanee. As there was no warehouse in the place the grain for shipment was piled along the side of the railroad track. Mr. Walker

at once became identified with the agricul- tural interests of the county, and in a few years purchased eighty acres of land on sec- tion 19. Kewanee township, paying for the same seventeen hundred dollars. His wife also owned eighty acres, making a good farm of one hundred and sixty acres, upon which he still lives. He also has another farm of one hundred and eighty-nine acres, on which his son William now resides. He makes a specialty of stock raising and feeds most of the grain raised upon his place to his stock.

January 20, 1856, Mr. Walker was mar- ried on his present farm to Mrs. Delia .1. Folsom, a native of New York, who came to Henry county in 1840 with her parents. Samuel and Emma Lester Folsom. She was one of a family of six children, of whom one died in infancy. The others, Sylvester, Syl- villian, William, Champley and Charles, are al now deceased except Charles, who lives in Mineral. Bureau county, Illinois. Mrs. Walker, who was an earnest and consistent member of the Christian Church, died at Kewanee, on the 31st of December. 1895. leaving seven children, namely : (1) Will- iam, born November 13, 1856, a farmer, living six miles north of Kewanee, married Alice Bates and they have one child. Ray- mond. (2) Henry, born October 24. 1858, an engineer of New Mexico, married Emma Hill, and they had two children, Carl. de ceased, and Jessie. (3) Matilda, born Jan uary 20, 1861, is the wife of .\. P. Engles. a resident of Rock Island, who is a fireman on the Rock Island railroad running from that city to Valley Junction, and they have one child, Mabel. (4) Sarah, born May 18, 1863, is the wife of John Archer, a farmer of Burns township, this county, and they have one child, Grace. (5) George,

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Wwwwy December 15. 1865. who is engaged to The transfer business in Kewanee, mar- Hol Celia Carrins, and they have two chil- dren, Orville and Hazel. (6) Myrtie, born binary 5. 1868. is the wife of William Ne mard, a fireman on the Rock Island wwwroad and resident of Rock Island: they have one child. Paul. (7) Richard, born October 15. 1870, who operates the home iwrin, was maried in Burns township, Jan- Mary 18. 1804. to Lizzie Carwin. Mr. Walker is a member of the Christian Church, and is highly respected and es- teemed by all who know him. Looking backward through the vista of the past We see a friendless young man who came to the new world in search of home and for- Mine, and at present we see his ambitious Creams realized, for he is in possession of a Dowidsome property. For the success that he has achieved in life he deserves great credit for it is due to his untiring labors, perse- Monice and good management.

THOMAS T. HANNON.

For many years Thomas T. Hannon was wowely identified with the agricultural in- tenists of this county, and having acquired a Handsome competence he is now able to by side all business cares and spend the -set of his life in ease and retirement from eritre labor at his pleasant home in Gene Like many of our best citizens, he cung- from across the sea, his birth having habered in county Kerry, Ireland, Decem- W 24. 1823. llis parents, Thomas and Manoah ( Quilter) Hannon, were also na- Tre- of the Emerald Isle. In the family or four sans and four daughters, all of

whom are now deceased with exception of our subject. His brothers and sisters who came to America were Mathew, who mar- ried Mary Callahan, and made his home in Geneseo, Illinois, and is now dead. Han- nah, wife of Thomas Callahan, of Terre Hante. Indiana; and Catherine, wife of Timothy Carroll, of Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Mr. Hannon grew to manhood in his na- tive land, and in 1850 came to the United States on a sailing vessel, which was five weeks and three days in making the pas- sage from Cork to New York. He first located at Elizabethtown. New Jersey, where he worked on a farm for four weeks. and then went to Buffalo, New York, where he remained a short time while in the em- ploy of the New York & Erie Railroad Company. In the fall of 1850 he went to Strasburg, Ohio, near Cleveland, where he worked for the railroad three years, and subsequently made his home at Terre Ilaute, Indiana, for four years.

Later Mr. Ilannon conducted a store at St. Marys, Indiana, and while there he was married, July 2, 1853. to Miss Hannah Cro- nin, also a native of county Kerry, Ireland, who came to this country in 1850, sailing from Cork and landing at Boston. Her father. John Cronin, died in Ireland, but her mother, who bore the maiden name of Ella Scanlin, came to America and settled in In- diana. She was accompanied by her chil- dren, consisting of five sons and three daughters, all of whom are now deceased with the exception of Mrs. Hannon and John, who married Mary Mccarthy and lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Han- non are as follows: (1) Thomas F., born in Lacon, Illinois, December 19, 1856, mar- ried Anna Collins and resides in Rock Isl-

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and. They have two daughters, Regina and Blanche. (2) Mary, born in Peru, Illinois, September 26, 1858, lives with her parents. (3) Ellen, born September 27. 1860. is the wife of John Hughes, of North English, Iowa. (4) Kate, born October 27, 1862, is the wife of Robert Summit, of North Eng lish, Iowa, and they have four children, Frank, Grace. Thomas and Mary. (5) Mathew, born October 23, 1864. married Catherine Boyle and resides on a farm in Geneseo township, this county. They have one child, Evaline. (6) Patrick, born July 16, 1870, married Anna Weimer, and is en- gaged in farming in the same township. They have one child, Adley. (7) William. born April 23, 1872, married Della Weimer and is a resident of Geneseo. They have one child, Raymond. (8) Lucy, born March 1, 1874, is the wife of James Law- ery, a farmer of Geneseo township. (9) Edward, born December 24. 1875, married Susie Oll and is engaged in farming in Gen- eseo township.

On coming to Illinois, Mr. Hannon spent two years in Perit, and then removed to Bureau county, where he was engaged in the grocery business for a time. Having saved some money he purchased forty acres of land in Geneseo township, Henry county, to which he subsequently added tracts of one hundred, twenty and eighty acres. This was either raw prairie or swamp land when it came into his possession, and he kept a skiff, in which he rowed over parts of his farm shooting wild ducks. After tiling and draining his place, he put it under excellent cultivation, and had one of the best in- proved farms in the locality. He continued to actively engage in farming until 1896, when he sold the place to his sons and re- moved to Geneseo, where he bought a lot

and built a good residence. Here he is now enjoying a well-earned rest. He is a man of affluence and has provided for each mem- ber of his family in a substantial manner.

In his political views Mr. Hannon is a stanch Democrat. but has cared nothing for public office, having served only as school director. Hle and his family are de- vout Catholics. While he has not sought nor desired prominence in public life, he is a man the weight of whose counsels has been felt throughout his community, and he is pre-eminently public spirited, taking an ac- tive interest in all that tends toward the ad- vancement of his town and county. His faithful labors have won for him the ease and comfort which should always follow a well-spent and useful life. He is exceed- ingly generous and is ever ready to relieve the poor or distressed.

PHILIP SHANER.

The subject of this review is one of the oldest and most honored citizens of Henry county, his home being on section 27. Weth- ersfield township. Years of quiet useful- ness and a life in which the old fashioned virtues of sobriety, industry and integrity are exemplified have a simple beauty that no words can portray. Youth has its charms, but an honorable and honored old age, to which the lenghtening years have added dignity and sweetness, has a brighter radiance, as if some ray from the life beyond already rested upon it.

Mr. Shaner was born in Lycoming coun- ty, Pennsylvania, April 14, 1814, and is a son of Jacob Shaner, a native of Germany. who came to America with his parents when a young man of nineteen years and settled in Pennsylvania, where he spent

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the rentinder of his life. He was married near Phdadelphia. and reared his family

On leaving the oldl homestead at the age of seventeen years. Philip Shaner went to Cattaraugus county, New York, where he worked upon a farm for a few years, and while there he was married January 18, 1835, the lady of his choice being Miss Me- linda Jackson, who was born near Wilkes Barre, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, Jan- uary 2. 1818, a daughter of Cyrus and Zeraviah ( Winters ) Jackson, but was reared in Cattaraugus county, New York, whither her parents removed when she was quite young.

For a year or so after his marriage Mr. Shaner engaged in farming upon rented land in that county, and in 1838 came west by team, the journey occupying about a month. He located in what is now Stark county, Illinois, where he engaged in farming for about eight years, and in 1846 came to Henry county and purchased eighty acres of land in Wethersfield township, on which was erected a small frame house and stable. To the further improvement and cultivation of his place he at once turned his attention, and in his pioneer home experienced all the hardships and privations of frontier life. Prosperity at length crowned his well-di- rected efforts and he added to his original purchase until he now has three hundred and twenty acres of land in one body. He has erected thereon two sets of good build- ings, has planted shade and fruit trees, and to-day has a very valuable and wel-im- proved farni. In his labors he has always been aided and encouraged by his estimable wife, and to their combined efforts is due his success, for he started out in life for him- self without capital.

Mr. and Mrs. Shaner have lived to gether as man and wife for the long period of sixty-six years, being the oldest married couple in the county. They are the parents of ten children, all of whom reached adult age, namely : Mary became the wife of Alex- ander Johnson and died. leaving five chil- Aren; Sarah Jane married Draper Hitch- cock and died, leaving one son ; John is mar- ried and lives in Nebraska : Charles is mar- ried and carries on a part of the home farm; William is a resident of Kewanee; Eliza is the wife of John Peterson, of Wethersfield township; Oliver is a farmer of the same township; Washington is also a farmer of this county; Electa is the wife of George Paterson, of Wyoming, Stark county, Illi nois: and Albert is a farmer of Henry county.

In 1840 Mr. Shaner voted for "Tippe canoe and Tyler, too," and continued to sup- port the Whig party until the organization of the Republican party, when he joined its ranks and has since been an earnest advocate of its principles. He and his wife are con- sistent and faithful members of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church and receive and merit the high regard of the entire commu- nity in which they live. Although both have passed the eightieth milestone on life's jour- ney, they are still hale and hearty, and now in the evening of life are surrounded by a large circle of friends and acquaintances who have for them unbounded respect.

ISAAC THORP.

The well-known farmer, residing on sec- tion 7, Kewanee township, Henry county, Illinois, is a native of Ohio, his birth having

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occurred in Belpre township, Washington county, February 16, 1836. Ilis father, Moses Thorp, was born in Bedford, Penn- sylvania, in 1817, and came west in 1848 by steamboat to Peoria, his destination being Burns, Illinois. By trade he was a cooper but devoted the greater part of his life to farming, and on his arrival in this county settled on a farm in Burns township. The country at that time was nearly all wild prairie and wild game was very plentiful, prairie chickens even roosting upon trees near the house. They endured all the hard- ships and privations incident to pioneer life, and in the development of the county they bore an important part. The father died in 1880, and his wife passed away in 1870. She bore the maiden name of Sarah Clark, and was born in Ohio in 1815.

In the family of this worthy couple were eleven children, namely : (1) Hannah, now a resident of Altoona, Illinois, has been three times married, her first husband being Elias Thrasker, the second Thomas Weeks and the third a Mr. Foster. Her children are Jane, Mira, Julia, Emma, Evelyn, .\da, Rose and Elias. (2) Jonas, deceased, served through the Civil war as a member of the Sixty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infan- try. He married first Sarah Wybrough, by whom she had three children, Emma, Will- iam, and Elsie, and for his second wife mar- ried Elliza Mort, now a resident of Kewa- nee, by whom she had the following chil- dren, John, Edward, Cora, Sarah, Ger- trude, Charles, Lewis, Maggie and Maud. (3) Samuel, who was also a member of the Sixty-fifth Illinois regiment, and is now a resident of Burns township, this county, married Jane Mooney, and has one child, Lillie. (4) Isaac, our subject, is next in or- der of birth. (5) Sarah Ann is the widow 18

of Edwin Vincent and resides at Stromburg, Nebraska, with her family, consisting of five children, Albert. John, Frank, Itettie and Lottie. (6) Jacob a resident of Burns township, this county, married Sarah Clark and they have two children, Eugene and Flora. (7) Mary died at the home of her father, in Burns township. (8) Arthur, deceased, married Loretta Folsom, now a resident of Colorado, and they had three children, Ernest, Ira and Asa. (9) Lydia married Joseph Mooney, and they died, leaving four children, Sarah, Alice, Pearl and Alva, now residents of Munson town- ship, Henry county. (10) Frank, a resi- dent of Decatur county, Iowa, married Sarah Whitehouse and they have three chil- dren, William, Cynthia and Thomas. ( 11) Hettie is the wife of Robert Garland, of Decatur county, Iowa, and they have six children, Bertha, Elizabeth, Ethel, Pearl, Harrison and

Isaac Thorp was a lad of twelve years on the removal of the family to Henry county, and amidst pioneer scenes he grew to manhood. He remembers when the town. of Wethersfield had but one store, that of. McClure & Penny, and the early settlers did most of their trading at Peoria, while most of the lumber was hauled by ox teams from Chicago, it requiring one week to make the trip. His father first rented a farm of Pat- rick Neville, in Burns township, on which a log house had been built, but later pur- chased forty acres of land at the govern- ment price of one dollar and a quarter per acre, but so rapidly did land rise in value that the second year it was worth eight dol- lars per acre, and is today worth eighty dol- lars. Mr. Thorp entered the service of his country during the dark days of the Rebel- lion, and served for seven months in the

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Ilimdie Infantry, In 1879 he purchased forty acres of land in Kewanee township, for which he paid fifteen hundred dollars, and to its improvement and cultivation he has since devoted his energies. As time fois passed he has prospered in his labors, undl has added to his landed possessions from time to time until he now has one hun- Ired acres. He is a supporter of the Re- publican party, but has never cared for po- litical honors, preferring to give his entire attention to his business interests.

On the 27th of February, 1861, in Burns township, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Thorp and Miss Eliza Adams, a daugh- ter of Charles and Mary Ann (Sims) Adams. The father, who was a native of New Jersey and a farmer by occupation, came to Kewanee with his family in 1852. Of his twelve children, Rhoda, Jane, Mary A., John, Martin, Caroline, Samuel and Harriet, are all now deceased. John desert- ed the Rebel army and joined the Union forces during the Civil war; Martin was a member of the Missouri Volunteer Cavalry; and Samuel of the One Hundred and Twen- ty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Those of the family now living are as follows: (1) James, a resident of Weiser, Idaho, mar- ried Ellen Clark, and they have six children. Elias, Charles, James, Madison, Ida and Nora. (2) Eliza, wife of our subject, is the next of the family. (3) Lucy is the wife of Alonzo Collins, of Geneseo, Illinois, and their children are Alfreta, Carrie, Lee, Wealthy, Annetta, Edith. Clyde, Addie, Mary, Kate, Harry, Grover and John. (4) Louisa married first William Kiser, of Ke s ance, by whom she had two children, Sam- tel and Clara, and for her second husband carried John Wolf, by whom she had four bildren, Robert, Bertha, Nellie and Minnie.

(5) Joseph, a resident of Bureau county. lilinois, was also a member of the One Hun dred and Twenty-fourth Illinois regiment during the Civil war. He married Wait- still Wilsey ( known as Dot ), and they have six children, Roxey, William, Frank, Hat- tie, Agnes and Grover.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Thorp have been born nine children: (1) Mary, born June 24, 1862, is the wife of Oran De Witt, who lives near Arispee, lowa, and they have two children, Myrle and Oma. Samuel, born January 11, 1864, is a carpenter of Kewa- nee. He married Lena Whetzig, and they have two children, Mabel and Lloyd. (3) John, born December 4. 1865, is represented on another page of this volume. (4) Stella, born April 6, 1868, has been three times married, her first husband being Grant Williamson, the second Charles Kern, and the third Robert Wolf, a resident of Burns township. Her son Clifford resides with our subject. (5) Carrie, born June 14. 1871, is the wife of William Carter, of Lahonta, Colorado, and they have three children, Etha, Emmet and Helen. (6) Nellie, born July 13, 1874, is the wife of Charles Buffat, of Kewanee, and they have one child, Hazel. (7) Norman, born July 9. 1877. married Emma Whetzig and lives in Kewanee. (8) Nora, born February 16, 1880, died May 10, 1880, and was buried in Burns township. (9) Jessie, born July 9, 1881, resides in Kewanee.

JOIN THORP.

John Thorp is one of the energetic and progressive farmers of Kewanee township, where he is now successfully engaged in the operation of one hundred and sixty acres of

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land, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation. His entire life has been spent in Henry county and he is indebted to its district schools for his educational privi- leges. He was born in Burns township, De- cember 4, 1865, a son of Isaac and Eliza (Adams) Thorp, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work.

May 11, 1890, Mr. Thorp was united in marriage with Miss Hattie Williamson, of Kewanee. Her father, Chester William son, was born and reared in New York state and there married Miss Electa Jane Rogers. They came to Illinois at an early date and took up their residence in a log cabin on a farm in Bureau county. Mrs. Williamson is still a resident of that county, but her hus- band died there in April, 1899. Their fam- ily numbered ten children, namely: Lafay- ette, who died leaving a family living in Oregon; Seymour, a resident of Iowa, who married Melissa Hackett, and has four chil- dren, Gertrude, Roy, Blanch and an infant; Sarah, a resident of Iowa and widow of Samuel Keppler, by whom she four chil- dren, Josie, Maud, Tillie and Cecil; Par- don, deceased, who resided in Oregon, but was buried in Kewanee; Lousetta, wife of Frank Lewis, of Kickapoo, Peoria county, Illinois, by whom she has five children, May. Ira, Elmer, Fred and Eddie; Gilbert, a resi- dent of Bureau county, Illinois, who mar ried Augusta Knight and has five children, Nellie, Myrtle, Knight, May and Ray; Grant, deceased, who married Stella Thorp, now a resident of Burns township, by whom he had one child, Clifford; Chester, who died unmarried in Bureau county, in July. 1900; Hattie, wife of our subject, and Effie, who died unmarried in Bureau county in May, 1900.

To Mr. and Mrs. Thorp were born four

children, Blanch, Ruby, Roy and Nora, but Roy and Nora are now deceased. Mr. Thorp casts his ballot with the Republican party and has efficiently served as school director in his district. Socially he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and is one of the most highly esteemed citizens of his community.

GEORGE W. FERGUSON.

Success is determined by one's ability to recognize opportunity, and to pursue this with a resolute and unflagging energy. It results from continued labor, and the man who thus accomplishes his purpose usually becomes an important factor in the business circles of the community with which he is connected. Through such means Mr. Ferguson has attained a leading place among the substantial citizens of Western township, his home being on section II. He was born near Quincy, Adams county, Illi- nois, June 18, 1847, and is the son of Rob- ert G. and Nancy ( Wilson) Ferguson, the former a native of Ohio, born near Steuben- ville, Jefferson county, the latter part of December, 1815, and the latter at Chelsea, five miles from Boston, Massachusetts, De- cember 13, 1825.

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The biographical record of Henry County, Illinois, Part 37

Author: Clarke (S.J.) Publishing Company Publication date: 1901 Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Number of Pages: 734

Author: Clarke (S.J.) Publishing Company
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 734