USA > Illinois > Henry County > The biographical record of Henry County, Illinois > Part 48
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72
469
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Inmired and sixty Jeres on section 14. Gale .. township, where In- widow now resides He was born in Rothshire, Scotland, De- cember 25, 1839. and was the eighth in or- der of birth in a family of twelve children. Seven of the number are still living, three are residents of this county, these being Roderick, a traveling salesman, residing in Kewanee: Kenneth, a retired farmer of the same place ; and Duncan, living east of Ke wanee on a farm. The parents, Findlay and Catherine (McLean) Murchison, brought their family to the new world when our sub ject was only fourteen years of age, and settled in a Scotch settlement near Ehm. Henry county, Illinois, where both died. By occupation the father was a farmer and de voted his entire life to that calling.
Donald C. Murchison completed In- literary education in the high school of Ke- wanee, and on laying aside his text books aided in the work of the home farm until he attained his majority, thus acquiring an ex cellent knowledge of agricultural pursuits. He then went to California, where he en- gaged in prospecting and mining for twelve years, and at the end of that period returned to Illinois. He purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Galva township. Henry county, and to its improvement and cultivation devoted his energies until called from this life in 1889.
In 1871 Mr. Murchison was united in : well-improved and highly-cultivated farm marriage with Miss May Melver, who was born in Rossshire, Scotland, in 1844, and came to this country in 1869, settling in! Stark county, Illinois. Her parents never came to this country. By this union were born eight children, namely : Catherine \ .. wife of Charles J. Burke, of Nebraska, by whom she has one child, Clara May ; Frank D., who attended Brown's Business College.
and now assists in the operation of the home farm; Charles R. R. and Margaret E., who were both educated in the Galva schools ; Mary L .; William F., who also attended ibe Galva schools; Kenneth R. : and May Bessie. The children were all students of the district school near their home. Since the death of their father the sons have car- ried on the farm, and in its operation have niet with most gratifying success, display- ing excellent business ability and sound judgment. The family is one of promi- nence in the community where they reside. In religious belief Mr. Murchison was a Presbyterian, and in his social relations was a member of the Masonie lodge of Ke- wanee. By his ballot he always supported the men and measures of the Republican party, but was never an aspirant for office. Ile took an active interest in maintaining good schools, and for many years was offi- cially connected with the schools of his dis- trict. He led an honorable and useful life. and commanded the respect and confidence of all with whom he came in contact, either in business or social circles.
WILLIAM HANBY.
William Haxby, who owns and operates of one hundred and twenty acres on section 22, Annawan township, Henry county, is a native of Illinois, his birth having oc- curred in Winchester. Scott county, May 22, 1844. His parents. George and Rachel Hadson ) Haxby, were born, reared and married in Yorkshire, England, and came ty this country prior to the Black Hawk war, taking up their residence in Scott coun-
470
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ty. Ilifning, where they were numbered among the very girliest settlers. The father had two brothers, William and John Haxby. who located in the same county in pioneer days, and the latter served as a soklier in the Black Hawk war. In 1855 George Haxby brought his family to Henry county, and took up his residence on the farm where our sub- ject now lives. While a resident of Eng- land he followed the wheelwright's trade, but after coming to America mostly engaged in farming. He died in 1875. at the age of eighty-one years, and his wife departed this life in 1870, at the age of about sixty- five. They were well known and held in high regard in the community where they made their home. Eight children were born to them, namely : Mary married John War- ten, of Pike county, Illinois. He is now deceased. Elizabeth, deceased wife of Will- iam Warten: Jane, wife of George Otley, of Kewanee : Margaret, who married George Patrick and died in Scott county, where he still lives: Rachel, wife of David Hilman, of Luverne. Minnesota; William, our sub- ject ; and John, who died in Henry county, in 1884, at the age of forty-four years. One boy died in infancy.
The subject of this sketch spent his boyhood and youth in his native county, and attended its public schools. In 1855 he came with the family to Henry county, and has since resided upon his present farm. Ile is a skilled agriculturist and in its op- eration is meeting with good success. In politics he is an ardent Republican and has efficiently filled the office of school director in his district.
On the 18th of March, 1872, was cele brated the marriage of Mr. Haxby and Miss Eveline McGee, a native of Peoria, Peoria county, Illinois, and a daughter of John and
Mary Ann McGee, both of whom were born in Pennsylvania. Her father died during her childhood, and her mother departed this life in 1891. at the age of sixty-five years. Mr. and Mrs. Haxby have become the parents of six children: Rachel, born June 7, 1873, is now the wife of Andrew Rassusson, of Bureau county, Illinois, and they have one child, George; Ella H., born March 8, 1874. is at home; Lydia Mar- garet, born March 20, 1876, is the wife of Cornelius Dingman, of Williams, Iowa; Ethel May, born July 18, 1878, Lafford, born April 17, 1881, and Robert Lee, born September 18, 1884, are all at home. The family is one of prominence in the com- munity where they reside.
ELMER E. FITCH.
Elmer E. Fitch, of the firm of Fitch & Quinn, publishers of the Galva News, has been a resident of Henry county since 1875. He was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, August 13. 1846, and is a son of George and Deborah (Boleyn) Fitch, the former a native of Norwalk, Connecticut, the latter of Trumbull county, Ohio. On the paternal side he is of English ancestry. The first of the Fitch family to come to Amer- ica was James Fitch, of Boking, Essex county, England, who crossed the Atlantic in 1636, and took up his residence in Massa- chusetts. Our subject is also descended from John Haynes, the first governor of the Hartford colony. His paternal grandfather was William Haynes Fitch.
George Fitch, the father, was a school teacher and followed that occupation throughout life. He died in Ohio, in De-
E. E. FITCH.
473
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
cember. 1847. He was twice married and D. Sixty-second Pennsylvania Volunteer In- by his first wife had one daughter, Jane, fantry, and took part in thirty-seven battles. For a time he was held a prisoner in Libby prison and Belle Isle, and was twice slight- ly wounded but not disabled. He re-enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Penn- sylvania Regiment and remained in the service until the close of the war. In 1866 he married Roxie A. Moore, and to them were born seven children : William E .; Mary L .. deceased : Myrtle E .; Densel .1 .; George Porter, deceased; Clara E .; and Maud W. who married Ira Kitch, and died at her home in Franklin, Pennsylvania, in April, 1900. Her husband was killed in the battle of Spottsylvania, in 1864. Her children were George, Willard, Nettie and Iretta. The second wife of George Fitch was the mother of our subject. After his death she lived for two years in Laporte, Indiana. and in 1856 removed to Fayette county. lowa. Still later she made her home in Beaconsfield, Ringgold county, lowa, where she died January 11, 1895. in the seventy- first year of her age. In 1861 she married William O. Hageman, who survives her and continues to live in Beaconsfield. By that union there were two children, but one died in infancy. Philo F., a farmer of Beacons- field, is married and has a family.
Elmer E. Fitch is the youngest of the four children born of his father's second marriage, the others being as follows: ( 1) Martin Bentley, a physician of Decorah, Iowa, entered the Union army during the Civil war as a member of the Eighteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, but was trans- ferred to the Sixteenth Regiment, and was with Sherman on the march to the sea. He married Miss Helen R. Hayes, and five children were born to this union, two of whom survive. He married for his second wife Miss Belle Nelson, of Decorah, and they have four sons. ( 2) Alice married Thomas Kennedy and both died in Ohio. (3) George W .. a resident of West Union. Iowa, was a teacher in early life and served as county superintendent of Fayette county, Iowa, for five terms, but is now engaged in biographical work with the B. F. Bowen Publishing Company. In May. 1861, at the age of sixteen years he enlisted in Company 23
Our subject was also among the boys in blue during the Rebellion, enlisting August 14, 1862, at the age of sixteen in Company .A. Thirty-eighth lowa Volunteer Infantry. He was then living on the home farm in Fayette county, lowa. For a time the regi- ment did guard duty at St. Louis and went on several raids in Arkansas and Missouri. They assisted in the capture of Union City, Tennessee, and then went to New Madrid, Missouri, and from there to Vicksburg in 1863. taking part in the siege and capture of that stronghold. They went on the expe- dition to Yazoo City, from which point they made a forced march to Black River Bridge for the purpose of taking part in the Battle of Jackson, but, arriving too late, re- turned to Yazoo City, and from there went t.) Port Hudson and New Orleans. Louisi- ana, and to Brownsville, Texas, which they assisted in capturing. In 1864 they went to Mobile Bay and participated in the siege and capture of Fort Morgan, after which they returned to Donaldsonville, Louisiana. At Morganza Bend, in December, 1864, the regiment was consolidated with the Thirty- fourth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and from there went to Pensacola, Florida, marching through the swamps to the rear of Mobile.
-
474
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
They took part in the siege and final charge a: Fort Blakely, which surrendered at sun- down. April 9, 1865. They then went up the Alabama river to Selma, where they did garrison duty for a few weeks. They next went to Houston, Texas, where they were mustered out August 15, 1865. Mr. Fitch received his final discharge at Davenport, Iowa, on the 5th of the following September.
After leaving the service he entered the Upper Iowa University, at Fayette, and later became a student at the Iowa State University, of lowa City, where he was graduated in 1874, taking a thorough classical course. For a year he was princi- pal of the West Hill school, of Burlington, Iowa, and in 1875, came to Galva, Illinois, as superintendent of schools, which position he acceptably filled for eight years. In 1882 he was appointed by the board of supervisors as county superintendent of schools. The following year he resigned the position of superintendent of the Galva schools, and purchased the plant of the Galva News. which he conducted alone until 1888, when he admitted H. Quinn to a partnership in the business. Together they have since car- ried on the paper with marked success, and have made it one of the most popular jour- nals in this section of the state.
On the 5th of July, 1876, in Decorah, Iowa, Mr. Fitch was united in marriage with Miss Rachel Helgesen, who was born near Madison, Wisconsin, April 23, 1850, a daughter of Thomas and Anna Helgesen, natives of Norway. The mother died in Wisconsin in 1852, at the age of twenty- six, and the father died in Galva, Illinois, in 1895, at the age of eighty-one. Mr. Hel- gesen came to America in 1848 to seek his fortune, but chiefly to escape the persecut- tions of the Quakers in Norway, of which
sect he was a zealotts member. He emigrat- ed to lowa in 1856 and was a successful farmer for thirty-nine years. Mrs. Fitch was the only child born of that union, but by a later marriage the father had a large family of children, four of whom are still living, namely: Mrs. Mary Passmore, of Elsinore, Utah ; Hon. Henry T., of Milton, North Dakota: Mrs. H. T. Hammer, of Pullman, Illinois; and Albert, of Milton, North Dakota. Mrs. Fitch was also edu- cated at the Upper Iowa and the Iowa State Universities, and prior to her marriage en- gaged in teaching in the Iowa City schools. She has decided literary tastes, is public spirited, and hopes to see the establishment in Galva of a free kindergarten and manual training school, and a free public library. She is a member and past president of the W. C. T. U. and Equal Suffrage Associa- tions. Our subject and his wife have three children : George H., born June 5. 1877, is a graduate of Knox College, and is now editor of the Galva News; Rachel Louise, born September 27. 1878, and Robert Haynes, born January 17, 1881, are botlı attending Knox College.
By his ballot and through the columns of his paper Mr. Fitch has always supported the Republican party and its principles, and has taken quite an active part in political affairs. Since resigning his position as su- perintendent of the Galva schools he has served six years as a member of the board of education, and was president of the same for five years. He has been commander of the Grand Army Post, No. 33, and is one of the supreme directors of the Mystic Workers of the World, being a prominent member of both societies. Ile was appointed postmaster at Galva in 1891 by President Harrison and served four years.
475
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ROBERT HAY.
This gentleman, who spent his early ffe in active business and mainly in agri- cultural pursuits, is now living a retired life on a fine farm one-half mile east of the vil- lage of Annawan. A man of energy and more than ordinary business capacity, his success in life has been largely due to his own efforts and the sound judgment which has enabled him to make the most of his op- portunities.
Mr. Hay was born near Hanover. Saluda township, Jefferson county, Indiana. Sep- tember 30. 1821, a son of Thomas and Sarah ( Maiden) Hay. The father was born in Kelso, Scotland, on the river Tweed. and was twelve years of age when he came to this country, in 1813, with his parents, William and Jane ( Taylor ) Hay. The fam- ily located in Saluda township. Jefferson county. Indiana, being numbered among the earliest pioneers of that locality, and there they all died. The children were Thomas, the father of our subject : Isabel, who was married in Scotland to Andrew Davidson, and came with the family to the new world : Betsy, who became the wife of Samuel Wells; and Annie, who married Andrew Getty, who was born near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. William Hay was the only child of Robert and Anna ( Turnbull ) Hay. also natives of Scotland, where his mother died about 1820. Shortly afterward the father went to Canada to visit his son and died while there.
Thomas Hay, the father of our subject. continued his residence in Jefferson county. Indiana, until 1856, when he came to Henry county, Illinois, and settled on a farm two and a half miles east of Annawan, mak- ing that his home until about four years
before his death, when he moved to the vil- lage. There he died July 3, 1892, and his wife passed away three days later. She was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1800, a daughter of Andrew and Mary (Passwater) Maiden, natives of the same state, who as early as 1806 removed to In- (liana and settled in Jefferson county. Their other children were John, who died in Wash- ington, Clark county, Indiana; Abner, who died in Lexington, Scott county, Indiana; and Mary, who wedded Lawrence Brooks and remained a resident of Indiana until after her husband's death and then went west. Mrs. Hay's paternal grandfather, John Maiden, was a native of Wales and came to the new world prior to the Revolu- tionary war, in which he took up arms against the mother country and served un- der General Washington.
Our subject is the second in order of birth in a family of nine children, the others being as follows; A. Jackson died at the age of two years ; Mary died at the age of three ; William married Samantha Shaw and died at Colorado Springs. Colorado, where he lived for five years prior to his death; John married, first, Elizabeth Crawford and, sec- ond, Susan Hardy, and resides in Austin, Scott county, Indiana; Jane is the widow of Henry Giles and a resident of Annawan, Illinois: George died in Clyde, Kansas, in 1804: Thomas married Columbia Berry, now deceased, and lives in Oklahoma : Law- rence B. married Jennie Foster, of Anna- wan, and makes his home in Guthrie, Okla- homa: and Maggie, who married Daniel Patterson ; he died in Omaha, Nebraska, and she now resides in Annawan.
Reared in the county of his nativity, Robert Hay acquired his education in the pioneer schools of that locality and remained
476
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
at home with his parents until he attained the age of twenty-three years. He was then married, March 12, 1845. to Miss Margaret Crawford, who was also born in Jefferson county, Indiana, October 15, 1826, a danghi- ter of David and Sarah ( McNelley ) Craw- ford, who died in that state. By this union were born fourteen children, as follows: (I) Oliver P., now entomologist in the national museum at New York city, married Molly Housman, of Rutland, Illinois, and they have four children, William P .. Mamie, Fannie and Robert. (2) Mary E. is the wife of Thomas Clarke, of Missouri, and they have had five children. (3) Julia is the wife of Miles Shimel, of Bradford, Stark county, Illinois, and they have one child, Edward. (4) Sarah Jane ( deceased ) . (5) Thomas married Marrietta Stever, of Pennsylvania, and died in Schaller, Sac county, lowa, in 1881, leaving two children, belle and Ella. (6) Aun married George Reed and resides at Yuma, South Dakota. (7) Francis MI. married Nellie Lombard. They reside at Bradford, Stark county, Ili- nois. (8) Maria married Levi D. Rich. They reside at Los Angeles, California. (7) Bell married William H. Wilcox, of AAdel, lowa. ( 10) Leroy married Kate Schriver, resides at Milo, Illinois. (IL ) Clarence mar- red Mabel Foster, of Bradford, Stark coun- ty, Illinois, where they reside, and they have five children. ( 12) George married Mary Stoner, of Whiting, Indiana, and is book- keeper for the Standard Oil Company at that place. (13) Robert, also a resident of Brad- ford, married Ruth Suthpen, of that place. and they have one child, Ralph. One died in infaney, unnamed. The mother of these children died at Bradford, Stark county, January 7. 1887, and Mr. Hay was again married, October 8, 1891, his second union
being with Mary Frances Baker, who was. born in Annawan township, Henry county. October 16, 1853. Her parents, John and Isabel (Crawford) Baker, came to this county in 1850, and were numbered among its honored and highly respected citizens. They are both now deceased.
In 1850 Mr. Hay came to Illinois, and purchased a farm in Milo township. Bureau county, which he improved and continued to successfully operate until his removal to his present place, one-half mile east of An- nawan, in 1891. Here he has a fine farm of two hundred and ninety-six acres, and besides this valuable property still owns two hundred and a half acres of land in Milo township. Bureau county, and one hundred and sixty acres in Dawes county, Nebraska, all of which he now rents, while he lives a re- tired life, enjoying the fruits of former toil. He was a thorough and systematic farmer and due success has not been denied him. His first presidential vote was cast for Jamies K. Polk, and since 1856 he has been a sup- porter of the Democratic party. He is wide- ly and favorably known throughout the community in which he resides, and wher- ever known is held in high regard.
GEORGE FESLER.
Prominent among the successful agri- culturists of Burns township is George Fes- ler, who follows his chosen calling on sec- tion 7. A native of Illinois, he was born in Mason county, on the 2nd of June, 1844, and is a son of Adam and Susana (Everitt) T'esler, both of whom were natives of Penn- sylvania and of German descent. In con- nection with his father Adam Fesler was
477
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
engaged in the milling business in the east. and being burned out he came to Illinois in 1836 with the hope of regaining his lost fortune. The journey was made by boat to Peoria. Soon he came to Henry county and entered a claim of forty acres, on which he erected a log house, and to which he subsequently added eighty acres. After placing this land under cultivation he sold the place and purchased one hundred and twenty acres of unbroken prairie land in Burns township, which he also improved and cultivated, making a good farm. He died in 1875. and his wife passed away in 1892. both being laid to rest in the Geneseo cem- etery.
To this worthy couple were born eight children as follows: Mary is the wife of William Tell. a native of Germany and now a resident of Geneseo: the second child died in infancy; Sarah is the wife of J. J. Mur- phy, a farmer of Firth, Nebraska: Maria is the widow of John A. Rishel and a resident of Cambridge, this county : George, our sub- ject, is next in order of birth; Irene is the wife of L. Cherry, of Geneseo: Hester is the widow of M. Winegar; twins died in infancy.
The subject of this sketch was a lad of twelve years when he removed with his par- ents to Burns township and there he has since resided. He attended the district schools in the immediate vicinity of his home, and for a time pursued his studies in the Geneseo schools. When not in school he assisted in the work of the farm and thus gained a good practical knowledge of the occupation which he has chosen as a life work. He now owns a well-improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres, and as a farmer and stock raiser is meeting with well-deserved success.
On the 7th of October. 1867, Mr. Fesler married Miss Fannie Green, a daughter of Robert and Sarah ( Whittenhall ) Green, both natives of New York. Six children blessed this union, namely : Albert, born March 13. 1871, is at home; Sarah Jane, born November 8, 1873, is the wife of Wal- ter Fell: Susan, born March 24, 1876, is de- ceased : Edith, born August 25, 1879, is the wife of J. F. Johnson : Ray, born Novem- ber 22, 1885. is deceased : and Rolland, born .August 11, 1888, is at home.
In his political affiliations Mr. Fesler is a Democrat, and he has been called upon to fill the office of school director. He has in his possession a number of Revolutionary war relics, which he inherited from his grandfather Fesler, who fought for Amer- ican independence in that struggle, and also has a part of the barrel of an old flintlock musket. He is one of the leading citizens of his community, and is held in high re- gard by all who know him. Mrs. Fesler is a member of the Christian Science Church and first reader of the church, and in her limited field has been a successful healer.
EUGENE G. BAKER.
Among the young and enterprising farmers of Henry county must be numbered Eugene G. Baker, who is now successfully pursuing his chosen vocation on section 3-4. Alba township. He was born on the 5th of January. 1872. in Bureau county, Illi- nois, two miles north of Neponset, and is a son of Wellington P. and Hadasre ( Graves) Baker, natives of Somerset county, Maine. The father had two brothers and two sis- ters, namely : Edwin, who died in Somerset
478
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
county, Maine. in 1899, leaving three chil- dren, Guy, Nellie and Edith : Alfred A., a resident of Bureau county, Illinois, who has one daughter by his first wife, Sallie; Flor- ence, wife of Levi Wilson, living near Fort Scott, Kansas, by whom she has six children, Minnie. Alice. Clare, Helen, Grace and Maud. Julia, a resident of Somerset coun- ty, Maine, and widow of Calvin Colby, by whom she had one child, Georgia. Our subject's mother was one of a family of six children, the others being Helen, wife of Sewell Dinsmore, of Boston, Massachusetts, by whom she has three children, Amos, Agnes and Hattie: Hattie, wife of James Eldridge, living near Kewanee, Illinois, by whom she has two children, Lulu and Dor- cas: Addie, a school teacher of Neponset, Illinois; and Moses and Frank, who both died in Somerset county, Maine, the former at the age of twenty-five years, the latter at the age of eight.
The subject of this sketch is the third in order of birth in a family of ten children, nine of whom are living, the others being as follows: Walter died in infancy: Emma. born February 10, 1871, is with her parents ; Melvin W., born November 15. 1874, mar- ried Celia Roos, of Geneseo, Illinois, and i: now engaged in farming near Muscatine. Iowa: Grace, born October 18, 1877. is a school teacher of Henry, Illinois; Martha, born January 22, 1879. William, born Jan- uary 12, 1881. Frank and Fred, twins, born July 21, 1883, and Edwin, born January 5. 1886, are all at home.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.