USA > Illinois > Henry County > The biographical record of Henry County, Illinois > Part 39
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Adolphus, who died at the age of eighteen years; Charles, an oil merchant of Sisters- ville, Ohio; Samuel, a resident of the same place; Henry, of Warren, Pennsylvania : William, who died at the age of five years: and Lilly, wife of Frank Zinn, Sistersville, Ohio.
During the Civil war Mr. Dunham en- listed at Union City, Erie county, Pennsyl- vania, in Company L, Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and was discharged at Philadel- phia, June 20. 1862, on account of disabil- ity. He never recovered from the effects of his military service, and died February 24. 1871, at the age of twenty-seven years, from illness contracted shortly after his enlist- ment. He was engaged in the flour and feed business in Union City. He was five fcet, seven and a half inches in height, and of dark complexion, gray eyes and dark hair. and as a man was highly respected and es- teemed by all who knew him.
In 1871, after her husband's death, Mrs Dunham same to Henry county, Illinois, and located on a farm in Osco township, where she made her home until 1890. Since then she has resided in Geneseo. In the man- agement of her affairs she has displayed excellent business and executive ability, and those womanly qualities which have en- deared her to all. She is a member of Col- onel Galligan Circle of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is an active and faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Aid Society.
Reared in Chardon, Ohio, Mrs. Dun- ham acquired her education in its public schools. On the 18th of August, 1863. she gave her hand in marriage to Addison A. Dunham, who was a native of Union City, Unto Mr. and Mrs. Dunham were born three children, namely: (1) William, born November 11, 1864, died January 22, 1896. (2) Warren, born September 26, 1866, is a farmer of Geneseo township, and a mem- Erie county, Pennsylvania, who was born February 5, 1844, a son of George and Cath- erine (Wilson) Dunham, natives of the Buckeye state. He was one of a family of eight children, the others being Sidney, a ber of Eutopia Lodge, No 312, K. P., of resident of Union City, Pennsylvania; Geneseo. He was married January 2. 1894.
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Miss Lotta Lewis, who was born Feb- ruary 12, 1873, and is the only child of Abram and Mary ( Reese ) Lewis, natives of Chia and Ilinois, respectively. By this union there are two children : Blanch, born February 1. 1895, and William, born Oc- tober 6. 1809. (3) Nettie, the youngest child of our subject, was born November 7. 1870, and died May 15. 1871.
ELIJAHI STOREY.
The stock raising interests of Henry county find in Mr. Storey a worthy repre- sentative. He has owned some of the most noted animals in this section of the state. and in his chosen line of occupation has been eminently successful. He was born in Ke- wanee on the 29th of October, 1851, and belongs to one of the honored pioneer fam ilies of the county. His father, Jarmus Sto- rey, was born in Oneida county, New York, March 18, 1828, and attended the common schools of that locality. At the age of twelve years he removed to Canada with his par- ents. Elijah and Louise ( Wheeler ) Storey. also natives of Oneida county, New York. While in Canada the father of our subject worked for a man who was in the employ of the English government as Indian agent and trader, and remained with him until seven- teen years of age. Two years later he came with his parents to Ilinois, reaching Ke- vanee on the 23d of July, 1847. Here his father died in 1850, and his mother passed away soon afterwards. Her parents were Natives of Dutchess county, New York, and ment their lives in that state. The paternal Postgrandparents of our subject were also born this country.
On coming to Henry county, Jarius Siey entered forty acres of land on sec
tion 4, Kewanee township, and later entered two other forty-acre tracts. At that time there was not a single building on the present site of Kewanee, it being covered with tall prairie grass. A few Indians were still en- camped here, and deer and other wild game was plentiful. About four times a year Mr. Storey would go either to Peru or La Salle, on the Illinois river, to obtain provisions, these being the nearest market places at that time. In those early days he cut all his grain with a cradle and threshed it with a flail. Throughout life he has successfully engaged in farming and is still living on the land which he entered from the government. He was married in Kewanee, in 1850, to Miss Nancy Dingman, who was born in Canada, and came to this county with her parents in 1849. They were also natives of that coun- try and had eleven children, of whom Mrs. Storey was seventh in order of birth. The others were as follows: (1) Mary, wedded James Bradford, a blacksmith of Annawan, who during the Civil war enlisted in the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Illinois Regiment, but was confined in the hospital at Indianapolis during the most of his ser- vice. Hle and his wife died, leaving three children, Lucy, Lovina and Josephus. ( 2) David, a farmer by occupation, married Mary Showers, of Kewanee, and moved to Kansas, where both died, leaving a family. (3) William married a Miss Hodge, and they died, leaving four children who are residents of Dayton, Iowa. (4) Joseph married Jane Rockey and lived in Kewanee when the Civil war broke out. In 1864 he enlisted in the One Hundred and Twenty- fourth Illinois Infantry, and was wounded during Morgan's raid. After the war he removed to Kansas, where he followed farming until his death. He left three chil-
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dren. (5) Jennette married George Min- ord and they died, leaving nine children, who reside in Iowa. (6) Margaret wedded George Mesker, and at their deaths they left four children, Merritt, Hattie, Elizabeth and George, residents of Kewanee. (7) Nancy was the mother of our subject. (8) Eliza married James McNeal and they died, leaving two children, William and John, of Alba township. (9) James and his wife died in lowa leaving no family. (10) Law- rence was married in Abingdon, Illinois, and at his death left a family. He was a contractor and was killed in the erection of a building. (11) Frank enlisted in 1861 in Company I, Twenty-seventh Illinois In- fantry, was wounded in the battles of Look- out Mountain and Chattanooga, and was mustered out in 1865. He first married Hat. tie Aikens and, second, Ella Kelsey, and witlı his family now resides in Iowa. Mrs. Nancy Storey, who was a consistent member of the Baptist Church, died December 30, 1865, and was buried on the ist of January, 1866. Elijah, our subject, was the oldest of her seven children. David L., born in 1853, died at the age of eleven years; Josephus died at the age of four months; and three died in infancy. Jane, born in 1861, is the wife of Geoge Ditto, of Keithsburg, Iowa, and they have three children living, Dora, Jarius and Laura Pearl, and one deceased, Ray. The father was again married April 25, 1867, his second union being with Eliz- abeth Swyhart, whose parents were na- tives of Ohio. By this union two children were born, but the older died at the age of two months. Tessa, born October 4, 1872, is with her parents. Sinee casting his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln, he has been identified with the Republican party, and has served as overseer of high-
ways and school director for a number of years, but has never sought office. He is one of the honored and highly respected citizens of his community.
Since attaining man's estate Elijah Storey, of this review, has engaged in farm- ing and stock raising and now successfully operates eighty-five acres of land, but he gives especial attention to the other branch of his business and is to-day one of the most extensive stock raisers of Illinois. The first colt he raised won first premium at Can- bridge in 1876 and afterward won pre- miums wherever shown for the four years. Hle owned the French draft horse, Sultan, who was also shown at four county fairs and won first and sweepstakes at each exhi- bition, and won first prize for two succes- sive years at the Illinois state fair. He was then sold to a party in Iowa. His next horse, Arimus, a Percheron, won twenty- four first prizes in Henry county, and also won prizes at the state fairs. He now owns a French coach stallion, Urbin, which won first premium and a gold medal in his class at the World's fair in 1893. Mr. Storey owned the celebrated horse, Voltaire, also a prize winner, being considered the best horse in his class in the state. Ile is now engaged in breeding Percheron, Clydesdale and French coach horses, and also registered cattle and hogs. He thoroughly under- stands his business, and the success that has crowned his well-directed efforts is cer- tainly justly merited.
On the 27th of February, 1872. Mr. Storey was united in marriage with Miss Lavina McClennan, who was born in Ken- dall county, Illinois, September 23, 1852. a daughter of David and Resinda ( Call) Mc- Clennan. Her father was born in Niagara county, New York, September 5, 1820, and
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came to Henry county, Illinois, in 1855, lo- rating first in Annawan, and later removing to Alba township. He died December 9, 1898. His wife, who was born in Canada, November 22, 1826, died December 20. 1860. They were married .August 29, 1844. ind became the parents of four children. namely : George, the eklest, died in infancy. Jolin married Retta Blake and lived for a time in Alba township, and then removed to Jowa, where she died. Of their four children, two are now deceased. For his second wife he married Mrs. Sabina Ben- son, and they now live in Ruthven, Palo Alto county, lowa. Lavina is the wife of our subject. Ella married George Andrews, who died November 9, 1899, and she has since married Chris Jorgensen, of Pipestone, Minnesota. To Mr. and Mrs. Storey were born five children, namely: Nellie, born September 19, 1874, died October 5, 1875: Jarius L., born July 12, 1876, Clarence L., horn October 7, 1882, are all at home, with exception of Ida, who stays with her grand- parents much of the time, being a great fa- vorite with them. Politically Mr. Storey is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, and religiously is an active and prominent member of the United Brethren Church, and is now serving as trustee and steward of the parsonage and church.
JONAS WESTERLUND.
A brilliant example of a self-made Vierican citizen and a grand exemplifica- bom of the progress that an ambitious for- commer can make in this country of unbound- stayportunities, is shown in the case of
Jonas Westerlund, who is now living a re- tired life in Orion. Success in any walk of life is an indication of earnest endeavor and persevering effort-characteristics that he possesses in an eminent degree.
Mr. Westerlund was born in Hasela, North Hilsingland, Gafleburgsland, Swe- den, March 31, 1830, and is a son of Eric Abraham and Elizabeth (Johnson ) Wester- lund, both of whom were natives of Swe- den, the father born in 1801. In 1850, the family sailed for the new world, and after spending a year or two in Andover, the father purchased eighty acres of land in Lynn township, which he improved and where he spent the remainder of his life. dying in 1867. He was one of the early members of the Swedish Lutheran Church in Andover, uniting with it on his arrival in the county.
Our subject grew to manhood on a farm in his native land, and there attended school but his educational advantages were very limited, and his knowledge of English has been acquired through his own unaided ei- forts since coming to this country. In 1850. with the other members of his father's fam- ily, he took passage on the Oden, a sailing vessel, which was eleven weeks and three days in crossing the ocean. They exper- ienced some very severe storms. during which the masts, railings and nearly every. thing on deck was washed overboard. The captain, who was an old sailor, said that he had never seen as rough a sea or as bad a storm, and Mr. Westerlund says that he would not have returned to his native land in such a storm for all Sweden. His mother and one sister died during the voyage and were buried at sea. On reaching New York the remainder of the family proceeded at once to Illinois by way of the Hudson river
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to Albany; by railroad to Buffalo; by the Great Lakes to Chicago; by canal to Peru, Illinois; and by team to Andover. Our subject, however, walked from Peru to his new home in this county, arriving liere the middle of November, 1850. On the way his father's brother, Andrew Westerlund, was killed while crossing the bridge at Princeton, Illinois.
For a year Jonas Westerlund worked as a farm hand in this county, and in the fall of 1851, went to Minensota, where he was employed in the pineries, sawmills and on the river for five years, during which period he visited the family in Henry county three or four time. He ran numerons rafts of logs and lumber down the river to St. Louis during which time he would call at home. In 1854 he made his first purchase of land. consisting of eighty acres of wild prairie on section 2, Lynn township, which he hired broken and which he leased until his return to the county in 1856, when he took up his residence thereon and turned his attention to farming. Prospering in this undertak- ing he was able to add to his property from time to time until he now owns four hun- dred and forty acres of rich and arable land. upon which he has erected a large frame house, good barns and other outbuildings, set out one of the early orchards, and made many other improvements which add great- ly to the value and attractive appearance of the place. Since 1895, however, he has rented his farm and has lived a retired life in Orion, where he owns a good residence and where, surrounded by all the comforts of life, he is enjoying a well-earned rest.
While in Minnesota, Mir. Westerlund was married, in 1856, to Miss Ellen Nelson, who was born in Skona, Snoarp Brobyso- ken, Gynehard, Christiansladt, Sweden,
December 23, 1835, and daughter of Nels Olsen and his wife, Mannel E. Peterson, who died in Sweden. With two brothers she came to Minnesota in 1853, locating in Stillwater, which was her home until her marriage. By this union were born five children, who are still living: Lizzie, wife of John W. Anderson, of Dayton, Iowa; Neils Hennings, a farmer ; John Edward, a farmer of Lynn township; Joseph E., a practicing physician of Cambridge; and Luther, who operates his father's farm. Two sons died; Charles died shortly after his marriage; and Nathan died at the age of twenty years.
When the family first located in Henry county, labor was cheap, and a man could carn but twenty-five to fifty cents a day, and that usually had to be taken in "store pay," the party receiving an order on a store for the amount. On one occasion, the family needing some groceries, Mr. Wes- terlund started for Rock Island, the near- est trading point, with twenty bushels of corn on the ear, which he sold for nine cents a bushel. He had to pay twenty cents toll across Rock river, and a storm coming up he had to remain all night in Rock Island. When he paid for his meals and lodgings he had but twenty-five cents left, and that he spent for tobacco. Returning home, he again loaded his wagon with corn, and this time met with better success, as he sold it promptly and was enabled to return home the same night with the much needed groceries.
Politically Mr. Westerlund was origi- nally a Whig and cast his first presidential vote for Millard Fillmore in 1856, in Min- nesota, but four years later he supported Abraham Lincoln for the presidency, and has since been a stanch Republican, but
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
never an office seeker. However, he has taken an active interest in educational af- fairs and was a member of the school board for several years, during which time he did much to secure better schools and compe- tent teachers. He has also served as com- missioner of highways, and in the discharge of his public duties has displayed the same fidelity that has ever marked his private life. He and his wife are active and earnest members of the Evangelical Swedish Lu- theran Church, having been reared in that faith, and are among the most highly re- spected and esteemed citizens of their com- munity. Ilis remarkable success in life, is due to his own energy and capable man- agement, and his career has ever been such as to win for him the confidence and high regard of those with whom he has been brought in contact.
JULIUS CHARLET.
This prominent and influential agricul- turist residing on section 10. Burns town- ship, Henry county, Illinois, was born on the 25th of July, 1839, in Klein Ziethen, a small village of Germany, not far from Ber- lin, and is a son of Abraham and Dorothy Charlet, also natives of that country, where the father died in 1848. In 1856 the mother came to America, bringing the family with her. She had six children, four sons and two daughters, namely: John, now de- ceased : August, who is represented on an- other page of this volume; Dorothy, de- ccased ; Julius, our subject; William, de- ceased : and Louisa, widow of Oscar Fischer and a resident of Burns township, whose sketch also appears in this work.
Julius Charlet was sixteen years of age when he came with the family to this coun- try and became a resident of Henry county, Illinois, where he was employed at general labor until after the Civil war broke out. Feeling that his adopted country needed his services he enlisted at Kewanee in 1862, in Company F. One Hundred and Twenty- fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under Captain MI. B. Potter. The regiment was organized at Springfield, Illinois, and saw considerable active service. Mr. Charlet participated in the battles of Port Gib- son, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hills, Brownsville, Chunkey Station, Benton, Jackson Cross Roads and the siege of Span- ish Fort. He was wounded at the battle of Vicksburg, and after three years of faithful service on southern battlefields he was hon- orably discharged and returned to Kewance.
In 1866 Mr. Charlet married Miss Au- gusta Couve, a native of Prussia, Germany, and a daughter of David and Mary ( Quart ) Couve, who were also born in that country and came to the United States in 1855. lo- cating in Wethersfield, this county. She was one of a family of five children. Of the eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Char- let, five are still living, namely : William; Edward, who married Louisa Lehman; Lena, wife of Gustaff Gutchlag; Bernard : and Leonora.
After his marriage Mr. Charlet was en- gaged in farming near Kewanee until 1871, and then purchased eighty acres of his present farm on section 10, Burns township. the boundaries of which he has since ex- tended until they now enclose one hundred and thirty-five acres of well improved land. Having mastered the carpenter's trade he has done considerable work along that line in connection with farming.
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Religiously Mr. and Mrs. Charlet are commissioner, but never cared for political members of the Christian Science Church; socially he is an honored member of Kewa- nee Post G. A. R. His political support is given the men and measures of the Republi- can party, and he has taken quite an active and prominent part in local politics. For four years he acceptably served as supervisor of his township, and has filled the office of school director for fifteen years in a capable and satisfactory manner.
WILLIS F. EVANS.
Among Henry county's native sons none have been more prominently identified with her agricultural interests than Willis F. Evans, who was born May 20. 1865, on the old homestead on section 20, Phenix town- ship, where he now resides, his parents be- ing Thomas and Christnia ( Horshman ) Evans. His father was also a native of this county, his birth having occurred in Phenix township on the 14th of October, 1842. During his minority he remained upon the farm where he was born, and then purchased the place now occupied by our subject. His first purchase consisted of ninety-six acres, on which he built a large and substantial farm house and other buildings. He placed his land under a high state of cultivation and continued to successfully engage in agricul- tural pursuits until his death, which occurred on the home farm November 22, 1891, after a long illness. He always engaged in gen- erai farming and stock raising and took great pride in making his place one of the model farms of the county. In his political views he was a Republican, and for three years he capably filled the office of highway 19
preferment. In early life he was a supporter of the Methodist Church, but afterward at- tended the United Evangelical Church, and always led an upright, honorable Christian life. His wife died on the 27th of Septem- ber, 1886. They were married in Geneseo and became the parents of four children, of whom Willis F., is the oldest, the others being .Alta M., now a resident of Kansas; Charles, who died at the age of fourteen years; and Thomas M., who is employed in a cannery at Washington.
Willis F. Evans spent the days of his boyhood and youth upon the home farm and under his father's able direction acquired att excellent knowledge of agricultural pursuits, which now numbers him among the most thorough and skilled farmers of his commu nity. In the winter of 1890, he was mar- ried in Phenix township to Miss Cora E. Sieben, a daughter of Valentine and Caro- line (Butzer) Sieben. The father was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, October 14, 1839, a son of Joseph and Aboline Sie- ben, and came with his family to the United States in 1852. The parents located in Whiteside county, Illinois, but he came to Henry county, where he obtained work as a farm hand, being thus employed until his marriage July 10, 1860. Later he engaged in breaking prairie and threshing, he and his brother-in-law, Jacob Butzer, buying a threshing machine together in 1862. The following year he purchased two hundred acres of land on section 3, Phenix township, where he continued to make his home until called from this life in 1886. His wife survived him for a number of years and at the time of her death, which occurred in 1898, was living in Geneseo. She was a native of this county, and a daughter of
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George Frederick Butzer, one of its pioneer country, our subject and his brother, Fred- erick, being the first to cross the Atlantic.
settlers. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Sieben were George, who died at the age of eight years; Fred: Annie: Ella; Cora E .: Frank: and two who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Evans have one child, Glenn L ... born on the old homestead, September 15. 1894.
As a Republican Mr. Evans takes quite an active and prominent part in local poli- tics, and has held the office of collector two years: assessor of Phenix township for five years; and at present is a school trustee. which position he has filled most creditably for six years. Religiously he is a member of Ebenezer United Evangelical Church.
AUGUST F. SPIEGEL.
Germany has furnished to America many of her most enterprising and thrifty citizens, who in this land of the free have gained for themselves and family a com- fortable competence. Among those who have settled in Henry county, and are to-day numbered among her best citizens is Au- gust F. Spiegel, who is successfully engaged in farming on section 21, Burns township.
He was born in Germany, July 19, 1837. a son of Frederick and Foeder Spiegel, who remained in Prussia until 1861, when they emigrated to the new world and took up their residence in Kewanee township, Henry county, Illinois. Here the father followed farming, though in his native land he had worked at the miller's trade. Ile died Feb- ruary 2, 1889, and his wife departed this life in 1880, the remains of both being in- Wrred in the Kewanee cemetery. In their family were eight children who came to this
August Spiegel grew to manhood in his native land. and received a good practical education in the German language. In 1857. at the age of twenty years he and his brother took passage on a sailing vessel at Hamburg, and after a stormy voyage of five weeks and three days landed in New York. He came at once to Kewanee. Illi- nois, where he worked as a farm hand for a time. In 1865 he bought sixty acres of land in Neponset township, Bureau county, Illi- nois, to which he subsequently added sixty acres. On disposing of that property in 1883 he purchased a half section of land in Burns township, Henry county, but has since sold eighty acres of this. The remain- der he has placed under a high state of cul- tivation and supplied with all the conven- iences and accessories of the model farm of the present day.
On the 19th of June, 1862, Mr. Spiegel was united in marriage with Miss Carrie Custer, also a native of Germany, who came to America in 1856 with her parents, William and Caroline ( Nuebert ) Custer, landing in New York. The family located i1. Kewanee, Illinois, where the father worked at the mason's trade for about five years, and then purchased property in Ke- wanee township and turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. He prospered in his labors and accumulated a valuable prop- erty. He died in 1897, at the age of eighty- six years, and his wife passed away in 1876, at the age of seventy-six, their remains be- ing interred in Kewanee township. Of their eight chiklren four are still living. Mrs. Spiegel began her education in the . schools of Prussia, and after the emigra- tion of the family to America she attended
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