USA > Illinois > Henry County > The biographical record of Henry County, Illinois > Part 58
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Mr. Cole was born near Sherburne, in Madison county, New York, December 22, 1833, a son of Amos and . Augusta ( Briggs ) Cole. His father was born in the same state in 1806, and there made his home until com- ing west in 1839. Settling in Henry county, lie built the fourth house in Oxford town- ship and the first blacksmith shop in that sec- tion of the county, his patrons coming as far as forty miles to have work done. He continued to carry on blacksmithing for fif- teen years, and then devoted his entire time to agricultural pursuits. He had entered some land from the government and also purchased some, and opened up the farm upon which our subject now resides. it be- ing his place of residence for many years. He died at the home of a daughter in Aledo, Illinois, in February, 1897, while his wife departed this life in 1876.
Festus C. Cole was only five years of age when brought by his parents to this county, and in Oxford township the days of his boyhood and youth were passed. He aided his father in the shop and on the farm, and also worked for neighboring farmers for some years. He succeeded to the old homestead, and by purchase added to
it from time to time until he had five hun- dred acres, but with the exception of the original tract of one hundred and sixty acres he has divided the property among his chil- dren.
In 1860, in this county, Mr. Cole was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Taze, who was born and reared in Pennsyl- vania and came to Illinois when a young lady. Prior to her marriage she engaged in teaching school in Henry county. Mr. Cole has been called upon to mourn the loss of his estimable wife, who died January I, 1898, leaving two children : William, who now operates the home farm, married Mar- tha Stitt and has four children, May, Clinton, Erma and Robert: and Edith is the wife of Otis Timberlake, a farmer of Oxford town- ship, and they have three children, Lyle. Myrtle and Minnie. Mr. and Mrs. Cole lost two children : Cynthia, who died at the age of nineteen years; and LeRoy, who died at the age of three.
In his political views Mr. Cole is a Jef- fersonian Democrat and cast his first presi- dential vote for James Buchanan in 1856, but at local elections he votes independent of party lines, supporting the men whom he believes best qualified to fill the offices. For three years he was a member of the school board, but has never cared for political hon- ors. During the long years of his residence in Henry county he has watched with inter- est its wonderful development, and in its improvement and upbuilding he has ever borne his part. He has become widely known, and his many excellent traits of char- acter have gained him the high regard of his many friends. As an honored pioneer and representative citizen he is certainly deserv- ing of prominent mention in the history of his adopted county.
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AMOS A. MACKEY.
The well-known and efficient bookkeeper und assistant cashier of the Woodhull Bank, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, April 22, 1856, and is a son of William A. and Emily ( Hammond ) Mackey, also natives of that county. The Mackey family is of Scotch-Irish descent, and was founded in the United States during the seventeenth century. On reaching the new world our subject's ancestors located in Lancaster coun- ty, Pennsylvania. As a merchant and tanner his father carried on business at Spring River, Pennsylvania, throughout life.
The subject of this review completed his education by a course at Chambersburg Academy, and remained under the parental roof until eighteen years of age. He began his business career in the employ of a col- lection agency in the oil regions of Pennsyl- vania, where he spent one year. In 1875 he came to Illinois and after stopping for a short time in Galesburg he took up his resi- dence in Woodhull, Henry county, where he has since made his home. For seven years he was in the employ of a dry-goods house of that place, and then, during President Gar- field's administration, was appointed post- master of Woodhull, which position he creditably filled for four years. During the following four years he was bookkeeper in the bank, after which he again served as postmaster under President Harrison. Since 1882 he has maintained his connection with the bank, and is now serving as bookkeeper and assistant cashier, his services there hav- ing always given the utmost satisfaction.
At Woodhull, Mr. Mackey was married, February 22, 1883. to Miss Carrie L. Woods, who was born in Pennsylvania, but was reared in this county, her father, Robert L.
Woods, being one of the old residents of Woodhull. By this union have been born two children, Lyle E. and Wayne W.
In his political views Mr. Mackey is a stalwart Republican, and has always taken an active interest in public affairs. He is the present township treasurer, and for six years served as a member of the school board. Both he and his wife hold member- ship in the Presbyterian Church of Wood- hull, and he is prominently connected with the blue lodge of the Masonic fraternity at that place, of which he is now secretary ; the chapter at Rio; and the commandery at Galesburg.
LESTER COWLES WELTON.
Among the early residents and honored citizens of Henry county was the late Les- ter Cowles Welton, who was born in Har- winton, Litchfield county, Connecticut, April 20, 1817, a son of Noah and Ellen ( Cowles ) Welton, also natives of that place. He was reared on the home farm and en- joyed the advantages of the common schools of the neighborhood. After reaching his majority he left the parental roof and went to Vermont to live with an older sister, who was a widow, and remained there three years, at the end of which time he returned to Connecticut.
In October, 1845. Mr. Welton was united in marriage with Miss Ora Mathews, of Bristol, Conecticut, and the following spring they came to Illinois, locating in Peo- ria county, where he pre-empted a home- stead, upon which he lived until 1855. It was in that year that he removed to Henry county, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land at one dollar and a quar-
LESTER C. WELTON.
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ter per acre. Later he bought another quar- ter-section, and as both tracts were raw prairie land when they came into his pos- session, he at once turned his attention to their improvement. Acre after acre was broken until at length the entire farm was under a high state of cultivation. In 1876 he sold that place and spent a year in rest- ing, traveling and visiting friends in the cast. He also spent some time at the Cen- tennial exposition in Philadelphia. On his returned to Henry county he located in Cam- bridge, and assisted in organizing the First National Bank at that place. He was also interested in the First National Bank at Geneseo. In the fall of 1882 Mr. Welton removed to Reno county, Kansas, and pur . chased a section of land four miles west of Hutchinson, to which he added from time to time until he owned twelve hundred and forty acres of valuable farming land. He also invested in the First National Bank of Hutchinson, and was one of its directors throughout the remainder of his life. He was a business man whose ability and judge- ment was always respected, and in all his dealings was upright and honorable.
In his family were four children, name- ly: James M., a resident of Geneseo, Illi- nois : Ellen, wife of W. M. Ringle, of Osco, Illinois: Merritt H., of Wiota, Iowa; and Margaret, wife of Chester O'Neal, of Hutch- inson, Kansas. Mr. Welton removed his family to Kansas in 1883, and continued to make his home on his farm near Hutchin- son until his death, which occurred June 15, 1896. His wife survived him four years. dying on the 18th of October, 1900. Both were earnest and consistent members of the Episcopal Church, and had many warm friends in the communities where they had inade their home. Politically Mr. Welton
was an active Republican, and was the first supervisor of Osco township, this county, being elected to that office in 1858. He held other minor offices, and always took a deep and commendable interest in the welfare of huis community. He was a kind neighbor and valued citizen, and his life was one which was fraught with usefulness and crowned with success.
JOHN JAQUET.
Numbered among the well-to-do agri- culturists and highly esteemed citizens of Loraine township is the gentleman whose home is on section 14. Loraine township. He was born in Cook county, Illinois, Sep- tember 15. 1848, and is a son of Christian Jaquet, a native of Alsace, Germany, and a carpenter by trade. The father came to America about 1835 and located in Cook county, Illinois, where his first wife died, leaving one child, Christian, now a resident of Sterling, Illinois. For his second wife he married Elizabeth Metzner, who was also born in Germany and when a young girl came alone to the United States. By this union four children were born: Fred, de- ceased; John, our subject ; Mary, wife of Adam Wierhold, of Yorktown township, this county ; and Henry, a resident of Bureau county, Illinois. About 1860 the father re- moved to Henry county and purchased eighty acres of land in Yorktown township. where he engaged in farming until his death in 1864. His wife survived him many years, dying in February, 1891, at the age of sev- enty-nine.
As soon as he attained a sufficient age John Jaquet entered the district schools of
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Cook comny, where he pursued his studies until twelve years old, when he accompanied the family on their removal to this county. completing his education in the schools of Yorktown township. He began life for him- self as a farm hand in the employ of Jake Shuler, of that township, receiving seven dollars per month in compensation for his services. At the age of seventeen he worked two months for his half-brother, Christian, who was engaged in farming 'in Loraine township, and the following spring com- menced learning the carpenter's trade, to Which he devoted his energies for three years. On attaining his majority he went to Boone county, Iowa, where he followed that occupation three months, but on his return to this county resumed farming, being em- ployed by the month for three years. The following year he rented the John Rapp farm in Yorktown township, but at the end of that time he returned to his old employer, Irwin Shelton, with whom he remained an- other year.
Mr. Jaquet was married February 26, 1874. to Miss Carrie Papendick, a daughter of Louis and Sophia ( Greenwood ) Papen- dick, of whom more extended mention is inade in the sketch of William Papendick un another page of this volume. To them have been born ten children, namely : Will- iam, deceased; Cecelia, now the wife of James Pray, of Rock Island; Albert, de- ceased; Cora, wife of Edward Oberle, of Loraine township, by whom she has two children, John and Edna; Nellie, at home; and Lillie, Ralph, John, Howard and Inez, all in school.
For four years after his marriage Mr. Jaquet rented the home place in Yorktown township, and then operated the old Papen- dick homestead in Loraine township for one
year. At the end of that time he purchased eighty acres of land on section 13, the lat- ter township, and to this he has since added, making a good farm of one hundred and thirty acres, which is well improved and under a high state of cultivation. He is an energetic and progressive farmer and stock raiser, and a man of good business anc. executive ability.
Religiously both Mr. and Mrs. Jaquet aer members of the United Evangelical Church, and politically he is identified with the Re- publican party, of which he has been a stanch supporter since casting his first presidential vote for General U. S. Grant. He is now serving his ninth year as school trustee, and has held the office of road commissioner six years, during which time a number of bridges have been built under his super- vision. He takes an active interest in all enterprises calculated to prove of public benefit, and for eight years has been a mem- ber of the Union special drainage commis- sion, which has reclaimed several thousand acres of what once was considered worthless swamp land.
LOUIS HELLER.
Among the prosperous and successful agriculturists of Loraine township is Louis Heller, whose home is on section 32. Dur- ing his entire life he has been a resident of that township, his birth having occurred on section 4. February 3, 1842. His parents were David and Catherine (Arnett) Heller. the former a native of Luzerne county, Penn- sylvania, the latter of Alsace-Loraine, France. The paternal grandfather, David Heller, was born in Pennsylvania of Ger- man ancestry, and belonged to one of the
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pioneer families of Luzerne county. He served for several years as a soldier of the Revolutionary war, and in days of peace fol- lowed agricultural pursuits.
In early life David Heller, the father of our subject, worked at the weaver's trade in his native state. In 1832 he came west and located in what is now Loraine township. Henry county, Illinois, where he took up a tract of government land and built thereon a log cabin, in which some of his children were born. He added to his place from time to time as his financial resources increased until he had about twelve hundred acres of land, and was one of the wealthiest citizens of his community. He continued to active- ly engage in farming until his death, which occurred in 1881, when he was sixty-nine years of age, his remains being interred in Loraine cemetery. In his political views he was a strong Republican but never cared for office. His wife died in Geneseo, in 1900. at the age of seventy-nine. Their children were Caroline, deceased ; Louis, our subject ; Susan, deceased ; Levinus, who was formerly engaged in farming in Atkinson township, but is now living a retired life in Geneseo . Lavina, who died in infancy; Solomon, who lives near the old homestead in Loraine township; Samuel, a resident of Michigan; Wesley, of Atkinson township; Ella, wife of Fredierick Rieger, of Geneseo; and Mary, who died in infancy.
During the boyhood of our subject he attended the district schools in winter, while through the summer months he aided in the labors of the fields. At that time wild game of all kinds was plentiful and he well re- members seeing deer on the prairies, while the wolves often made the night hideous with their howling. Among his early recol- lections is that of himself and friend convert-
ing a hog trough into a canoe with the in- tion of crossing a slough in order that they might get some seed, but the rude boat tipped over and the boys found themselves in the mud and water. He continued to pur- sue his studies in an old log school house on his father's farm until about twenty-one years of age.
On the 12th of February, 1867. Mr. Heller was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Wagner, who was born in Germany and was four years of age when brought to the United States by her father, John Wagner. The family located in Chicago, where Mr. Wagner worked at his trade of tailor for one year, and then came to Henry county, settling in Loraine township, where he purchased land and engaged in farming throughout the re- mainder of his life. He died in January, 1882, and his first wife passed away when Mrs. Heller was only ten years old. They were the parents of six children, four of whom are still living. these being Margaret, wife of our subject : Elizabeth, wife of Philip Arnett, of Whiteside county ; Catherine, wife of Isaac Urich, of Whiteside county; and Helen, wife of George Besse, of Erie, White- side county. Susan and Henry both died in infancy. For his second wife the father mar- ried Caroline Rieger, who died in 1875. By this union he also had six children : Coraline. deceased wife of Edward Offerle; Louisa, wife of Bell Heffelfinger ; August, a resident of Nebraska; Hattie, wife of Edward Rowe; John, who died at the age of ten years, and Edward, who died at the age of five.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Heller nine children have been born, namely: Elizabeth, wife of Albert Sands of Loraine township; George, who married Ella Johnson and is engaged in farming in the same township; Edward,
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who married fjora Smith, and is also a far- mer of Loraine township; Laura and Leon - ard, both deceased: Mabel, at home: Roy and Gloy twins, and Earl, all three attend- ing school.
After his marriage Mr. Heller was en- gaged in farming on one of his father's places for a time, and then purchased his present farm of three hundred and eighty- five acres on section 32, Loraine township, which at that time was only partially im- proved but is now under a high state of cul- tivation and is one of the most desirable places in the locality. Religiously Mr. and Mrs. Heller are members of the United Evangelical Church of Loraine township. and fraternally he is connected with Geneseo Camp. No. 40, M. W. A. By his ballot he supports the men and measures of the Re- publican party, and has served as school director about thirty years and tax collector one term. He is one of the leading citizens and representative farmers of his commu- nity, and is held in high regard by all who know him.
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MIRS. HULDA G. CALKINS.
Prominent among the early settlers of Henry county and honored residents of Alpha is Mrs. Calkins, who is familiarly known as Aunt Hulda by her numerous friends. She came to this state in 1841, and has made her home in Henry county since 1847. A native of Massachusetts, she was born in Stockbridge, July 19, 1826, and be- longs to an old New England family. Her paternal grandfather, Samuel Griffin, was a native of Vermont, but spent much of his life in the Bay state. Her father, John Griffin, was born in Massachusetts in 1795.
and there he was married about 1818 to Miss Mary Hoag, a native of Columbia county. New York, where he learned the weaver's trade. In early life he followed the carpenter's and joiner's trade in his na- tive state, where he continued to make his home until coming west with his family in 1841. He first located near the present town of Viola, in Mercer county, Illinois, then known as Stewart's Corners, where he opened up and improved a farm, on which he continued to reside until called to his final rest June 4. 1865, at the age of sev- enty years. His wife survived him several years, and died January 11, 1891, at the ad- vanced age of ninety-one years and six months. Further mention is made of the family in the sketch of H. G. Griffin, of Cambridge, on another page of this volume. he being a brother of Mrs. Calkins.
As previously stated Mrs. Calkins came to this state with her parents in 1841. She was principally reared and educated in Massachusetts, and became one of the pio- neer school teachers of Henry county. On the 20th of April, 1847, she gave her hand in marriage to Anson Calkins, who was born in Austerlitz, Columbia county, New 'York, in 1818, and there grew to manhood. During his youth he learned the carpenter's and joiner's trade. On coming to Illinois in: 1841, he located in Knox county, where . he planted a large number of trees and en- gaged in the nursery business for about six years. He made the acquaintance of Miss Griffin while stopping at her father's resi- dence for dinner while passing through this county, and the friendship then formed soon ripened into love, resulting in their marriage. They began their domestic life upon a farm of forty acres in Oxford town- ship where Mrs. Calkins still resides, now
ANSON CALKINS.
MRS. HULDA G. CALKINS.
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within the village of Alpha. there being no town at that time. Here Mr. Calkins also started a nursery, which he successfully car- ried on for many years, and sold the greater number of evergreen and ornamental trees and shrubs now found in this locality. He was also engaged in the cultivation of va- rious kinds of fruit, and followed general farming quite extensively. Prospering in his business enterprises, he added to his original tract of forty acres from time to time until he owned over one thousand acres of very valuable and productive land. He laid out the town of Alpha upon his farm, and gave the railroad company right of way and a site for the depot. He was in- strumental in building up the village, and as a public-spirited and enterprising citizen gave his support to all measures for the public good. In his political views he was originally an old line Whig, and later he became a stanch Republican. Prior to the war of the Rebellion he was an ardent Abo- litionist, and was interested in the "under- ground railroad" in that way assisting many a negro on his way to Canada and free- dom. He filled the office of assessor for a time, but never cared for political honors. preferring to devote his time and attention to his business interests. He died July 20. 1895, at the age of seventy-seven years, honored and respected by all who knew him.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Calkins were born ten children, namely: Myra P., wife of Alexander A. Shaw, a farmer of Knox county ; Mary E., wife of Ira Frankenber- ger, a farmer of Oxford township, Henry county ; J. B., a resident of Alpha ; John F., a farmer of Oxford township; Winfield C., who is engaged in farming near Mt. Ver- non, Illinois; Lucia MI., who was married i1, October, 1875, to E. P. Leland, the first 28
telegraph operator at .Alpha, and died the following March; and four who died in in- fancy.
Mrs. Calkins is a consistent and faith- ful member of the Baptist Church, and is loved and respected by all who know her. As a pioneer of this section of the state she lias witnessed almost its entire development. She has seen the wild prairie transformed into highly cultivated fields; railroads, tele- graphs and telephones introduced; while hamlets have grown into thriving cities and villages with all of the conveniences of an advanced civilization. She can relate many interesting incidents of pioneer life.
JACOB MYERS.
Among the honored and highly esteemed citizens of Atkinson who are now living re- tired from active labor is Jacob Myers, who was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, October 14, 1831, and is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth ( Bloom) Myers, also natives of that state. The Myers family was original- ly from Germany, and was founded in this country over two hundred years ago. Our subject's paternal grandfather was a native of New Jersey and one of the first settlers of Franklin county, Pennsylvania. There the father was born, reared and educated, pursuing his studies in an old log school house with slab seats and puncheon floor. In early life he followed farming with his father and later on his own account, making that his life work. He was very successful and accumulated a comfortable competence. He died upon his farm in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, at a comparatively early age, when our subject was only a year old. He
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loft two other children : John, a blacksmith, who died in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania ; and Amy, deceased wife of Isaac Peck, of Franklin county. The mother subsequently became the wife of Leonard Bievens, also a native of Franklin county. Pennsylvania, and a representative of one of its old fam- ilies. By that union she had five children, namely: Michael, a resident of Hagers- town, Maryland : Pawl. who lives on the old homestead in Franklin county, Pennsylva- nia: Mary, wife of Henry Yeakle, of the same county ; Sarah, wife of John Phillips, of Phim Run, Pennsylvania ; and Amanda, widow of John Pitman and a resident of Franklin county. Mrs. Bievens died in 1859 and her second husband is also deceased.
Mr. Myers, of this review, grew to man- hood in the county of his nativity, and in early days would walk two miles over the hills to school, where he pursued his studies for about six weeks during the year. At the age of thirteen he commenced learning the blacksmith's trade with his uncle, Michael Bloom, and during the four years of his ap- prenticeship received only his board and clothes in compensation for his labor. Later he worked as a journeyman in Pennsylvania until the fall of 1855.
On the 8th of November, that year, Mr. Myers was united in marriage with Miss Ellen Fritz, also a native of Franklin county, and a daughter of Frederick Fritz, who spent his entire life there. A week later they came to Kewanee, Illinois, where they rented a house. and where Mr. Myers worked at his trade during the following winter. In the fall of 1856 he purchased eighty acres of land in Burns township, and during the sum- mer season devoted his energies to its im- provement and cultivation, while throughout the winter he worked at his trade. He made
his home in that township for nine years, and then removed to Atkinson township in 1865.
In the fall of that year Mrs. Myers died leaving four children : Charles D. is now a painter and paper hanger of Kansas City. Clayton W. is a graduate of Hahnemann Medica College of Chicago, and was for a time engaged in practice at Kingman, Kan- sas. While there he was appointed by Gover- nor Stanley of that state as assistant super- intendent of the insane asylum at Topeka, which responsible position he is now filling. Leli Blanche died at the age of four years. Maggie is the wife of W. I. Goff, of El Reno, Oklahoma, and they have one child, Imogene.
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