USA > Illinois > Henry County > The biographical record of Henry County, Illinois > Part 38
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When a young man Robert G. Ferguson left his native state and came to Illinois, becoming one of the pioneers of Adams county. He there married Nancy Wilson, daughter of Benjamin and Mary ( Webster ) Wilson, pioneers of Adams county, locating there in 1836, when their daughter was but eleven years of age. For some years after their marriage, Mr. Ferguson engaged in farming in Adams county, but in 1850 he made an overland trip to California, and
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after working in the mines of that state for about ten months he returned to Illi- nois by way of the Isthmus of Panama and New Orleans. After his return he followed farming in Adams county until 1863. when he removed to Henry county and purchased a farm of two hundred and forty acres on section 11, Western township, where our subject now resides. This place he improved and operated until called to his final rest, October 10, 1869, at the age of fifty-three years. His widow survives him and makes her home with our subject. He was a mem- ber of the Free Will Baptist Church. In politics he was first a Whig and later a Re- publican. As road commissioner he as- sisted in laying out the roads in an early day.
In the public schools of Adams county, and in Prairie Academy, at Orion, George W. Ferguson was educated, and after the death of his father he took charge of the farm and business, and has since added to the original farm until he now has four hundred acres, which he has converted into one of the best improved places of the town- ship. He has erected a large and pleasant residence, two barns and other outbuildings, has set out fruit and shade trees, and has a most attractive country home. Besides his valuable property he owns another well- improved farm of two hundred and forty- seven acres on section 4, Western township. lle has always given considerable attention to the raising and feeding of stock for mar- ket, and annually ships from six to eight carloads of cattle and hogs. As a farmer and stock raiser he has been eminently suc- cessful, but has not confined his attention alone to these industries. On the re-or- ganization of the Farmers Bank of Orion he became a stockholder and was elected
president of what is now one of the most substantial financial institutions in the coun- ty and not a little of its success is due to- his business ability and sound judgment, as lie is one of the ablest financiers of his com- mumity. He was one of the charter mem- bers of the Osco, Western and Rural Mutual Insurance Company, and at its or- ganization was elected one of its directors and treasurer of the same. lle has not missed a meeting of the board since its organization, and it is not too much to say that much of its success is due to him. In 1897 he was one of the promoters of the Western Telephone Company, which has an instrument in nearly every home in Western township.
In Osco township, Henry county, Mr. Ferguson was married, January 20, 1872, to Miss Inez E. Hitchcock, a native of Fulton county, Illinois, and a daughter of Walker L. Hitchcock, who came to this state at an early day and finally located in Henry county. By this union were born six children as follows: Grace, wife of MI. L. Love, a farmer living near Orion: Roy T., who assists in the operation of one of his father's farms; Helen M., now a student at Knox College, Galesburg: Harry, who is attending the high school in that city; and Harriet and Alice, both at home.
Politically Mr. Ferguson has been iden- tified with the Republican party since cast- ing his first presidential vote for General U. S. Grant, and has ever taken an active interest in political affairs, though he has never sought office. For some years, however, he efficiently served on the school board, and has always been a friend of education. With the Methodist Episcopal Church of Orion he and his wife holl men- bership, and in social circles of the com-
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munity they occupy an enviable position. His strict integrity and honorable dealing in business commend hini to the confidence of all; his pleasant manner wins him friends and he is one of the popular and honored citizens of the section of the county.
P. H. NEVILLE.
The subject of this sketch is one of the most prosperous farmers and stock raisers of Burns township, as well as one of its most popular and influential citizens. He was born near his present home. Novem- ber II, 1848, his parents being Patrick and Jane (Pounds) Neville, the former a na- tive of Ireland, the latter of Pennsylvania. In 1833, when about twenty-two years of age. the father emigrated to the new world and spent some time in Baltimore, Mary- land, and from that state removed to Illinois prior to 1835. In early life he was vari- ously employed, but afterwards he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres of government land on the southwest quarter of section 24. Burns township, Henry coun- ty, and to its cultivation and improvement devoted the remainder of his life. He owned one hundred and seventy acres of land at the time of his death, which occurred in April, 1849. He was one of the earliest settlers of this county, and was a man hon- ored and esteemed by all who knew him. His wife long survived him and died at the home of our subject. February 14, 1897. Their children were T. P., a resident of Stewart Iowa; J. L., of Republic county, Kansas; P. H., of this review ; and W. A., of Kewanee, Illinois.
Our subject attended the public schools if this county and grew to manhood upon the home farm. On reaching maturity he took charge of the family affairs and cared for his mother until her death. Through- out his active business life he has followed farming and stock raising extensively, and now feeds about one hundred and fifty head of cattle and about five hundred hogs per year. He ships his own stock to the city markets. In business affairs he is energetic and progressive, and has met with most excellent success. He is now the owner of seven hundred and ten acres of valuable farming land, which is under a high state of cultivation and improved with good buildings. He has been one of the directors and stockholders of the Ke- wanee National Bank since its organiza- tion.
On the 31st of August, 1886, Mr. Ne- ville was united in marriage with Miss Frances Ann Tossell, a native of Devon- shire, England, and a daughter of Thomas and Grace ( Berry) Tossell. Her father is still a resident of that country, but her mother is now deceased. Of the four chil- dren born to Mr. and Mrs. Neville, the eld- est, George Henry, is deceased. Those living are Nora Edna, born November 26, 1889; Florence E., May 16, 1891; and Olive Myrtle, March 8, 1896.
Fraternally Mr. Neville is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and politically is a stanch supporter of the Republican party. For over twenty years he has served as school director in his district: filled the of- fice of assessor two years ; and is at present supervisor of his township, to which re- sponsible position he was elected in 1899. He is connected with the Kewanee District Agricultural Fair Association, and takes
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considerable interest in the agricultural ex- hibits of the county. He was one of the organizers of the fair and has for the past two years been director and has every year had some official position. He is public- spirited and progressive, and gives a cheer- ful support to all enterprises calculated to advance the interests of his community along any line.
DAVID M. MARTIN.
Throughout his business career this gentleman has been identified with the ag- ricultural interests of Henry county, and is now successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising on section 5, Ke- wanee township. He was born in Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania, on the 18th of Feb- ruary, 1862, and was only a few weeks old when brought to this country by his par- ents. Joseph and Mary Ann Martin, natives of Ireland, who emigrated to America in 1856, landing in Philadelphia. On the Emerald Isle the father had followed carpet weaving and continued to carry on that 1 usiness during his residence in Phila- delphia, but in this county he engaged in farming. His death occurred in Cornwall township on the 7th of July, 1892, but his wife is still living and continues to reside there. They were the parents of nine chil- dren, namely : (1) Robert died in Annawan township, in January, 1869. (2) Eliza is the wife of .A. S. Cosner, a farmer of Corn- wall township, and they have one child, Sarah, now the wife of Mart Farnum. (3) John, a resident of Burns township, married Luella Potter and they have two children, Marion and Elsie. (4) Joseph, who is engaged in the stock business in Ke-
wanee, married Hulda Dummyer, and they had two children, Clair and Carl, deceased. (5) David M., our subject, is next in order of birth. (6) Samuel, a farmer and stock raiser of Annawan township, married Alice Wright, and they have five children, Leah, Wilbur, Elmer and Roy, and an infant son. (7) George, who is engaged in the cream- ery business in this county, married Ella Girkin, and they have two children, Arthur and Earl. (8) Mary Jane died in Burns township in 1862.
The father of our subject was one of a family of seven children, the others being as follows: (2) John was married in Ireland to Elizabeth MeKrell and on coming to this country settled on a farm in Burns township, Henry county, Illinois. He died- in October. 1899. leaving five children, Hugh, Robert, John, William J. and Sarah J. (3) Hugh, a retired farmer of Kewanee, married Jane Graham and has five children, Henry, Anna, Robert, David and Mary. (4) Robert, a retired farmer of Charles City, Floyd county, Iowa, married Belle Anderson, and they have eight children, George, Anna, Hugh, Albert, Jennie, David, William and Samuel. (5) Samuel, a farmer, who died in 1898, married Kate Walker, now a resident of Eldora, Iowa, and they had five children, Wallace, Harry, William, Charles and Effie. (6) William, unmarried, was a soldier of the Civil war and died in the service at Cairo, Illinois. (7) Mary Ann wedded Hugh Hawthorn, of Wethersfield, and died in Galesburg, Illi- nois, in 1877, leaving six children, Eliza- beth, Robert, Martin H., David, Anna and James.
Mr. Martin, whose name introduces this review, was reared upon a farm and ac- quired his early education in the district
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schools, but in 1876 went to Iowa, where he completed his studies, returning home in 1882. He then commenced farming in Burns township, but a year later removed to Cornwall township. He subsequently spent another year in Burns township, and at the end of that time returned to Corn- wall township, where he made his home for thirteen years. Since then he has been a resident of Kewanee township. In 1894 he purchased a good farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Cornwall township, which he still owns. In connection with general farming he is still engaged in raising stock for market, and as he thoroughly under- stands his chosen calling he is meeting with marked success in his undertakings.
On the 23d of February, 1888, in Burns township, Mr. Martin married Miss Saralı C. Anderson. Her father, David Anderson, was born in Ireland, in 1818, and came to America with his parents, locating on a farm in Ohio. There lie married Sarah Hen- derson, and shortly afterward removed to Wisconsin, but after a year spent in that state he came to Henry county, Illinois, and inade his home on a farm in Burns town- ship throughout the remainder of his life, dying there May 18, 1895. His widow is still residing upon that place. In their fam- ily were seven children, namely : (1) Maggie is the wife of Samuel Warner, of Burns township, and they have four children, Burt, Lartie, Margaret and Lowell. (2) George, a farmer of Burns township, married Esthier Corkrell, of Kewanee, and they have two children, David and Lolla. (3) Mamie died in 1867. (4) Sarah C., wife of our subject, is next in order of birth. (5) Ollie Belle is the wife of Ernest Couve, a farmer of Burns township. (6) Mary is the wife of William Robson, a farmer and stock
raiser of Burns township, and they have one child, Wilbur. (7) Albert lives on the home farm with his mother.
Since casting his first presidential vote for Grover Cleveland, Mr. Martin has affil- iated with the Democratic party, but has never sought nor desired public office, though as a public-spirited and progressive citizen he takes a deep and commendable interest in public affairs and gives his sup- port to all enterprises for the good of the community. Mrs. Martin is a member of the Presbyterian Church.
DANIEL SELNER.
.Among the practical and progressive ag- riculturists of Edford township is this gen- tieman, who resides on section 36. He was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, on the 2Ist of May, 1842, and is a son of John and Margaret ( Yothers) Selner, both of whom were Dunkards. The father, who was a native of Germany, came to the United States at an early date and settled in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in farming throughout the remainder of his life. He died in 1856, at the age of fifty- two years, honored and respected by all who knew him. His wife, who was born in Pennsylvania, of German parentage, sur- vived him for some years, dying in Bucks county in 1882, at the ripe old age of enty-eight. This worthy couple were the parents of seven children, namely: Mary Ann, deceased wife of Richard Corson, a carpenter of Bucks county; Elizabeth, wife of Isaac Wolfe, a farmer of the same coun- ty; Hiram, a farmer of Bucks county, who died at the age of about fifty years; Bar-
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bara, Wife of Far - Flack, a carpenter and contractor of Bucks county; Wilhelmina, wife of Henderson Van Pelt. a farmer of Maryland: Daniel, our subject; and Cath- Orme, widow of Alfred Boileau, a merchant wi Southampton, Pennsylvania.
During his boyhood and youth Daniel Selner attended the public schools of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and remained at the place of his birth until 1865. In the mean- irme the Civil war broke out, and he enlisted jo July, 1864, in Company D. Thirty-first Pennsylvania Volunteer State Militia, and was honorably discharged at Philadelphia, in July of that year. Returning home, he remained on the farm until the following -pring, and then came west, locating in Geneseo township. Henry county, Illinois, where he engaged in farming upon rented land for eleven years. His first purchase consisted of eighty acres of land on section 31. that township, where he made his home for nine years, and then operated a rented farm of eighty acres for the same length of time. In 1894 he bought eighty acres of land on section 36, Edford township, and to its development and cultivation has since devoted his energies with marked success. Hle has made all the improvements on the Face, and its neat and thrifty appearance phamuly indicates his careful supervision.
At Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Mr. Selner We married September 19, 1864, the lady mhi- choice being Miss Annie M. Brown, Ay ahative of the Keystone state, and a Morgffer of George and Maria ( Closson) Us with The father, who was a retired trung. fel in Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Wo Mr. and Mrs. Selner were born three okderen, name : Jennie, born in Osco Freshlp, du- county, is now the wife of Druk 1 Buffer, who is engaged in the
creamery and poultry business in Geneseo. Kate married William Frank, of Geneseo, a son of Jacob Frank, and is now a farmer of Alabama, and she died leaving one child, Leonard Ray, who resides with our subject. Arthur Bertram, born in Geneseo township. is now twenty-four years of age and assists his father in the operation of the home farm.
JAMES S. HADSALL.
Burns township has no more honored or highly esteemed citizen than James S. Iladsall, whose home is on section 34. He was born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. September 26, 1822. His ancestry were of English descent and among the very earliest settlers of the Wyoming valley, owning a large tract of land at the mouth of Sutton's creek, four miles up the Susque- hanna river from the head of the Wyoming valley. There his great-grandfather, to- gether with his negro servant, was killed by the Indians while hoeing corn, in 1776, the day before the Wyoming massacre. His brothers. Stephen and John Hadsall, were serving in the Colonial army and were then located at Wyoming, where they were cap- tured by the Indians, but their lives were saved by reprieve. To Stephen was al- lotted the task of carrying a keg of paint te Connecticut, it being used to paint the reprieved prisoners every morning.
Edward Hadsall, the grandfather of our subject, removed from Connecticut to the Wyoming valley prior to the massacre, but fortunately was away when that terrible crime was committed, having gone to New England for some cattle. Subsequently he returned and made his home on the original
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J. S. HADSALL.
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Hadsall farm at the mouth of Sutton's creek until 1805, when he sold his property there and with other members of the family removed to Martinsville, Ohio, just across the river from Wheeling, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was twice married and reared a large family. By his first union he had three sons : James, Ed- ward and Benjamin. The latter came west at an early day and built the first tavern in Rock Island, Illinois, at which place he later erected a large hotel. By profession he was a physician. After his wife's death he went to California and there died.
James Hadsall, our subject's father, was born in Exeter township, Pennsylvania, March 20, 1787, and spent his early life in the Wyoming valley. When his father re- moved to Ohio, he remained in Pennsyl- vania, being engaged in farming in Luzerne county. On the 4th of February, 1810, he married Miss Elizabeth Smith, who was born in Connecticut, December 29, 1795. and died in 1885. His death occurred the same year. All of their fourteen children were born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. The two eldest died in infancy. Edward, born January 26, 1813, married Jane Dia- mond, of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and in 1856 removed to Michigan, where he now resides.
In the county of his nativity James S. Hadsall grew to manhood, and after com- pleting his education in the local schools he learned the carpenter's trade, which he fol- lowed until 1896. In 1852 he first came to Henry county, Illinois, and entered the southwest quarter of section 34. Burns township, but spent the following four years in Pennsylvania, locating permanently here in 1856. In connection with farming he has engaged in contracting and building,
and has also operated a coal bank located on the southern part of his farm. He first dis- covered coal and opened up his first bank in 1857. since which time he has worked the mines, and at times has employed as many as twenty men. He has done a large amount of building in Burns and adjoining town- ships, as well as in Nebraska and Iowa, and has built many bridges in this and other localities. This was his principal occupation during the summer months, during which time he employed from four to eight men. lle has thoroughly improved the home farm, and also owned a farm in Saunders county, Nebraska, that he later gave to his daughter.
Mr. lladsall was married January 13, 1848, in New Troy, now Wyoming, Penn- sylvania, to Miss Malinda Brace, whose parents, William and Anna ( Munson ) Brace, were natives of New York state. Five children were born to this union : Me- dora, who died in infancy ; Anna E., wife of Edgar Kimerling, of Nebraska; Henry, who was born September 23. 1855. and was killed by falling from a building December 3. 1882; one who died in infancy; and Smith, a farmer of Burns township, who was born September 12, 1860, and married Julia Zeigler, of Kewanee.
During the Civil war Mr. Hadsall en- listed in the spring of 1864, in the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Illinois Volun- teer Infantry, being mustered into the United States service at Chicago. He was honorably discharged in the fall of the same year and is now a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He is also connected with the Masonic fraternity. He cast his first presidential vote for Henry Clay and supported the Whig party until the organiza- tion of the Republican party, with which he has since been identified. Since coming
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te Heart county le lon taken an active and prominent gort of public affairs, and has bech Tumored with several local offices, hav- ing servel as school trustee and director and commissioner of highways. In 1860 he was first elected justice of the peace, aloch position he creditably filled for six- tecre years and then declined to longer serve. He was appointed postmaster of Hawley, June 16, 1879, and filled the office for the long period of twenty-two years to the entire satisfaction of all concerned.
AUGUST WALTERS.
Residing on section 2. Burns township, is one of the representative German-Ameri- can citizens of Henry county. He was born the Prussia, Germany, on the 2d of October, 1824, his parents being Martin and Hannah . Withaus ) Walters, also natives of Prussia, 7 where they spent their entire lives. In their Ounily were five children. Our subject had one brother who came to America but after- Ward returned to the fatherland, and a sister who, became a resident of Michigan, where her death occurred.
During his boyhood Mr. Walters at- tended the public schools of his native land, and continued to live in the land of his birth 11 til after reaching man's estate. There he was married March 31, 1850, to Miss .Au- gust Wolgost, who was also born in Prus- Ja. July 16, 1825. In 1857 they came to the I'mled States, taking passage at Bremen on the -Augusta, which after a pleasant voyage of six weeks dropped anchor in the harbor of New York. By way of Chicago Mr. Wal- ter - Cime direct to Kewanee, Illinois, where he was employed at general labor for a
time. In 1861 he made his first purchase of land, but the tract was unbroken and covered with brush; four year later he added to it forty acres of timber land. He cleared and placed under cultivation the entire tract with: exception of five acres, and in 1869 traded it for eighty acres of improved land on sec- tion 3, Burns township, to which he subse- quently added another eighty acres on sec- tion 2. He still owns the latter tract and to its cultivation and further improvement is now devoting his time and attention. He is also engaged in stock raising.
Mr. and Mrs. Walters became the par- ents of six children : August F., born in Germany, February 20, 1851, married Hel- ena Spengel and is engaged in farming; two others, both of whom were born in Ger- many, died in infancy; Amelia, born in Ke- wanee, Illinois, November 18. 1858, is the wife of W. F. Berg, a native of Germany, and a farmer of Burns township, living with our subject; they have three children, Carl. Hulda and William; Carl, born Oc- tober 2, 1860, died from the effects of a sunstroke and was buried in Cosner ceme- tery ; and Lizzie died in Kewanee and was buried at Wethersfield.
Politically Mr. Walters is identified with the Republican party, and for two years he capably filled the office of pathmaster in his township. Religiously he and his wife are both members of the German Lutheran Church, and are highly respected and es- teemed by all who know them.
MRS. JULIA E. DUNHAM.
One of the well-known and highly es- teemed ladies of Geneseo, Illinois, is Mrs. Julia E. Dunham, who was born in Char- don, Ohio. December 8, 1855, and is a
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daughter of Erastus and Nancy ( Dimmock ) Foot, both natives of Stafford. Connecti- cut, the former born July 25, 1794. the lat - ter August 15. 1801. Iler maternal grand- father, Amzi Dimmock, was chaplain of a regiment in Washington's army during the Revolutionary war, and returned to his home bare-footed and penniless when hostilities ceased. Mrs. Dunham's parents were mar . ried at their birth place, June 10, 1821, and eight children blessed their union, namely : Eliza N. married James Current, and died on Christmas day. 1870, in Painesville, Ohio. Her husband died in Cleveland, that state. His son Warren is now chief clerk in the United States railway postal service. Sophronia M. married Daniel Warner, and died in Osco township, while here on a visit, October 20, 1888, having survived her hus- band some years. Francis E. married Har- riet Eldridge and lives in Munson, Ohio. Martha J. married Harding Stoughton and died in Osco, this county, in 1892, while her husband died in 1890. Wealthy C. is the wife of John Folder, of Rock Creek, Ohio. Cyrus S. married Catherine Potter, now a resident of Menlow, Iowa, and he was killed by a cannon ball at the battle of Knoxville, Tennessee, November 18, 1863. Julia E. died at the age of sixteen years. Julia E. (second) completes the family.
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