USA > Illinois > Henry County > The biographical record of Henry County, Illinois > Part 6
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During his boyhood Michael N. Emery pursued his studies in a rude school house in his native county, and after coming to Galva at the age of fourteen attended school for a few years. At the age of nineteen he manifested his patriotism and love of coun- try by enlisting August 19, 1861, in Com- pany B, Thirty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under command of J. C. Black. leaving Galva the same day. He partici- pated in the battle of Pea Ridge, in 1862; Prairie Grove, on the 7th of December, that
year ; the siege of Vicksburg and many skir- mishes. During the Red river expedition he was taken ill and came home on a fur. lough. Being unable to return to the front, he was mustered out at Chicago in October, 1864. He was twice slightly wounded.
After being mustered out Mr. Emery lived near Lafayette, Illinois, until 1876, be- ing engaged in agricultural pursuits. He purchased eighty acres of land there and also operated rented property. Selling his farm in Stark county, in 1875. he bought his pres- ent place of one hundred and twenty acres on sections 25 and 26, Galva township. Henry county, and the following year took up his residence thereon. He has since engaged in general farming and has met with most gratifying success.
In 1867 Mr. Emery married Miss Lydia .1. Williams, who was born in Indiana, in 1847. Her father, Lyman Williams, is now living in Lafayette, Stark county, at the ripo old age of eighty-two years. Her mother died September 12, 1876. During the bor- dler troubles in Kansas he went to that state, running the blockade successfully, but after remaining there a few weeks he returned to Illinois. His children are Mrs. Mary Miner, a resident of Toulon; Charles M., of Galva township: Lydia A., wife of our subject ; John A., of Galva, Iowa; Mrs. Sarah Baker and William J., both of Stark county; Ella, & teacher of Geneseo; and Mrs. Anna Belle White, of Lafayette. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Emery were born three children, but one died in childhood. William E., born November 4. 1870. is an employe of the Hayes Pump & Planter Company of Galva. He married Pauline Dock, and they have one child, Wallace Leslie. Wallace J .. born Septem- ber 19. 1878. is at home with his father. Both sons attended the public schools of this
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
county, and the older took a business course at Los Angeles, California.
In his political views Mr. Emery is a stanch Republican, but has never been an aspirant for office, though always an active worker for the interests of his party. For a number of years he served as school di- rector in his district. He is an honored member of the Grand Army Post, No. 33. of Galva, and is a Royal Arch Mason, while both he and his wife are members of the Eastern Star Chapter, of which she has been worthy matron. They are people of con- siderable prominence in the community where they reside and are held in high re- gard wherever known.
HENRY EYER.
Prominent among the representative citizens and respected and influential men of Annawan is the subject of this bio- graphical notice, who for many years has been identified with the agricultural inter- ests of Henry county, but is now living a retired life at his pleasant home in Anna- wan.
Mr. Eyer was born in Warren county. Ohio, on the 14th of April, 1823. and is a son of Francis Henry and Mary ( Knob- loch ) Eyer, the former a native of Ger- many, who came to America and settled in Warren county, Ohio, prior to 1812, the latter of Virginia. By their union were born three other children, namely: (1) John wedded Mary Patton and died in Warren county, Ohio, leaving six children, Will- iam, Root, Wendell. John, Margaret and Mary. (2) Jacob, who also died in War- ien county, Ohio, first married Hester Pat-
ton and after her death wedded Mary El wood, by whom he had the following chil- (Iren : Hiram, Rush, Elwood, Ashford, de- ceased, Nancy J., Elizabeth M. and Susan M. (3) Bettie is the wife of John Eartles, of Hamilton county, Ohio, and they have five children, John, Jacob, Wendel. Cather- ine and Mary. After the death of the father our subject's mother was again married, her second union being with Francis Henry Ever, and by this marriage had five children : (1) Margaret, who died in 1899, was the wife of Amos Gustin, of Indiana, and they had seven children. Henry. Jeremiah, Cath- erine, Clara, Sarah, Jacob and William. ( 2) Mary, who died in 1880, was the wife of Robert Patton, and they had four children, Francis, Jefferson, John and Albert. (3) Christiana, who died in 1860, was the wife of Jonathan Gustin, of Anderson, Indiana (4) Catherine is a resident of Warren con- ty, Ohio. (5) Sarah, also a resident of that county, is the widow of John Sette, and has two children, Francis and Mary J.
Henry Eyer was reared and educated in his native county. Mr. Eyer has been twice married, first, with Miss Matilda F. Patton, of Warren county, Ohio To this union were born three children, William J., Kewanee, Illinois: George W. ( deceased ). and Sarah J., who married Thomas Mason. Bureau county, Ilinois. Mrs. Ever died in September, 1850, and he was married the second time on the 14th of August, 1851. the lady of his choice being Miss Sarah Blinn, who was born June 20, 1831, a daugh- ter of Daniel and Elizabeth ( Frye ) Blinn, natives of Ohio and Virginia, respectively. It was in 1816 that they settled in Warren county, Ohio. In their family were eleven children : ( 1) Absolum, a resident of Kan- sas, married Martha Frye, and they have
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four children, Sarah, Millie, Solomon and Lincoln. (2) Sarah, wife of our subject, is next in order of birth. (3) Mary, a resi- cient of Bureau county, Illinois, is the widow of Samuel Pottorf and has three sons, Will- iam, Samnel and Jacob. (4) Solomon first married Elizabeth Geochenour, by whom he had three children, Becky, Mary and Malissa. and for his second wife wedded Mary Nor ton, by whom he had two children, Grant and George. (5) Christiana is the wife of Henry Messmore, of Indiana, and they had three children: Elizabeth, now the wife of Samuel Oldfather, of Indiana, by whom she has two children, Emma and Otis ; Ella, who married E. Mitten and died in Annawan. this county. In September. 1899, leaving two children. Nellie and Frank; and George, who married Etta Payne, now a resident of Wethersfield, Illinois, and in September, 1898, he and his son Willie were killed when crossing a railroad track in a buggy at Kewanee. (6) Samuel, of Kansas, mar- ried Annetta De Witt. and they have five chil- dren, David, Lena, Harry, Samuel and Jo- sephi. (7) Julia is the wife of James R. Batten, of Annawan, Henry county, Illi- nois, and they have ten children : Hettie. Mary. John, Howard, Addie, George, Curtis, Emma, Nora and Milo. (8) Eliza- beth is the wife of Henry Collins, of Kan- sas, and they have three children, Nellie, Jonas and Absalom. (9) Daniel. also a resi- dent of Kansas, married Hannah Carroll, and they have nine children, Sarah, Becky. John, Millie. Vinie, William, Mary, Samuel and Nettie.
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The children born to our subject and his wife are as follows : ( 1) Francis Marion, born September 2, 1852, died July 24. 1853. (2) Mary Elizabeth, born October 16, 1853. is the widow of Webster Batten and a resi-
dent of La Fayette. Illinois. Her children were Tillie: Eli, deceased : Albert : Clarence; Forest : Mand and Harrison. (3) Samuel Alfred. born July 12, 1855, died December 12, 1864. (4) Martha Ellen, born October 16, 1858, died August 31. 1859. (5) Emma Alice, born March 14, 1860, died March 25, 1860. (6) John Henry, born July 16. 1861, died October 14. 1862. (7) An- nette Matilda, born March 14. 1863, died September 11. 1864. (8) Daniel D. Ed- ward, born September 1. 1864, died Janu- ary 29. 1865. (9) Anna Louisa, born Feb- ruary 26, 1866, is the wife of Nichols J. Griffie, of Annawan, and they had five chil- dren. George, Charles, Mand, Ida M. and Mamie. ( 10) Charles Elmer, born April 24. 1868, is a farmer of Annawan, Henry county. He married Salina Palmer and they have two children, William H. and Guy. (11) Jesse Alvin, born May 8, 1870, mar- ried Esta Cole ( deceased ) and they had one child. Lowell, who resides at La Fayette, Illinois.
During the first few years of his married life Mr. Eyer engaged in farming in Ohio, and on the 11th of September. 1857. started west. On his arrival in Henry county, An- nawan contained but two stores, and much of this region was wild and unimproved. He located three miles south of that town, and purchased four hundred acres of land, for which he paid an average of twenty- five dollars and twenty cents per acre. To this tract he added until he had six hundred acres, but has since disposed of it. giving most of it to his children. Mrs. Eyer still owns one hundred and ten acres in Anna- wan township. In his farming operations he has met with most excellent success, and his career has ever been such as to gain for him the confidence and high regard of those
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with whom he has been bronght in contact, either in business or social life. He and his wife are faithful and consistent mem- bers of the United Brethren Church, and are people of the highest respectability. In May, 1892, they removed to Annawan, where they now reside.
OSWALD FISCHER.
Oswald Fischer, deceased, was for a number of years one of the leading farmers ( 1 Burns township, as well as one of its most highly respected citizens. He was born in Saxony, Germany, February 18. 1834, and was one of a family of seven children, the others being Edward, Gotlob, Mina, Paulina, Rosalia Augusta and Christiana. His par- ents were life-long residents of Augusta. Germany.
In his native country Oswald Fischer grew to manhood and was educated in the common schools of Saxony. He then served an apprenticeship as a miller, an occupa- tion which he followed until he came to the United States in 1858. Landing at New York he came direct to Henry county, Illi- nois, and obtained his first position in a mill at Geneseo, and later had charge of the mill in Andover, where he remained until he was compelled to abandon the business on account of poor health. He then bought a partially improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Burns township, but after a few years sold it and bought the fine farm en section 8, that he afterward made his home. He took the farm with few improve- ments, there being only the shell of a small frame house, a few apple trees, and forty acres broken. The improvements which
now delight the eye were all made by him- self assisted by his good wife. In 1881 they built one of the finest houses in the town- ship. a home that would compare favorably with many good residences in a city. As a stock raiser he was very successful. giving special attention to hogs, of which he kept the best grades. Upon this farm he con- tinued to reside until his death, which oc- curred November 10, 1897. The farm is still held by the family and is the widow's place of residence.
On the 24th of August. 1865. Mr. Fischer married Miss Mary Louisa Charlet, a native of Prussia, Germany, and a daugh- ter of Abraham and Dorothy ( Scharfp) Charlet, the father dying when she was two years and a half old. The mother came with the family to Kewanee in 1856 and Miss Charlet was educated there. To Mr. and Mrs. Fischer were born the following children : Edward L., a farmer by occupa- tion, married Ida Whitney, a native of this county, and they have one daughter. Hazel Belle. Lena L. is the wife of William Stevens, a farmer of Burns township, and they have one son, Earl Cleo. Bernard O. married Anna Carlson, a native of Sweden. and is engaged in farming in Burns town- ship. Alvin A. and Lorena A. are both at home with their mother.
Mr. Fischer acquired a good practical education in his native land, and for twelve or fourteen years capably and satisfactorily served as school director in this township. From the age of fourteen years he was an earnest member of the German Lutheran Church, and led an upright, honorable life, in which he gained the confidence and high regard of all with whom he came in contact. In his political views he was a Republican. but not an aspirant for office. Mrs. Fischer
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is a member of the Christian Science that time this region was wild and sparsely Church and is one of the directors of the church, and thus far successful in healing. although her field of labor has been limited.
JOHN LEWIN.
The subject of this sketch is a prosperous Manxman of Galva township, where he has made his home since 1856. He was born on the Isle of Man, January 25. 1843. a son of Robert and Isabella ( Kissick ) Lewin, also natives of the same place. In 1856 they brought their family to America and set- tled in Galva. Illinois, where the father, who was a carriage maker by trade, died the following year, aged fifty-four years. After his death the mother made her home with her children until she, too, was called to her final rest in August, 1894, at the age of eighty-five years. She lived with our subject almost forty years. Both parents were earnest members of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, and were highly respected and esteemed by all who knew them. Their chil- dren were Thomas, who died at the age of twenty-one years: Robert, who lives near Kempton, Ford county, Illinois: John, the subject of this sketch: Jane, deceased wife of William Kneal, of Kempton : and Isabella, wife of John Corkill, of Galva township. this county.
His parents being in limited circum- stances, John Lewin had very limited schoo! privileges, and most of his education has been acquired by reading and observation. He was thirteen years of age on the emigra- tion of the family to America and at once sought, work, being employed as a farm hand at ten dollars per month for two years. At
settled, and there was not a bridge on the road between Galva and Lafayette. When sixteen years of age he and a brother rented a small farm in Galva township, which they operated on their own accord, having pur- chased some stock and agricultural imple- ments. While on that farm our subject at- tended the public schools for three winters_
About 1870 Mr. Lewin made his first purchase of land, consisting of eighty acres in Knox county, which had been improved, and for which he paid four thousand dol- lars. Ile later sold that place at an advance of one thousand dollars and bought two hundred and forty acres on section 26, Galva township, Henry county, where he now resides, having previously rented the same for ten years. Having succeeded in his farming operations he has added to his property until he now has three hundred and fifty acres of well improved and valuable land. Throughout his business career he bas engaged in general farming, and in re- cent years has carried on stock raising quite extensively, shipping a earload of both hogs and cattle to market annually. His specialty is polled Angus cattle. He has also been identified with five different mining opera- tions in Galva, all of which proved quite profitable.
In 1884 Mr. Lewin married Miss Annie Andrewartha, who was also born on the Isle of Man, May 20, 1864, and is the oldest of a family of four children, the others being Martha, wife of David Clague, a farmer of Knox county: William, a farm hand of Galva; and David, a Methodist Episcopal minister of Hennepin, Illinois. The parents of these children were William and Eliza Andrewartha, natives of the Isle of Man, who removed from there to England, and in
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1880 came to the United States, locating in Galva, where the mother died in 1887, but the father is still living in Galva township. By occupation he is a miner. Mr. and Mrs. Lewin have five children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Bertha, Jan- mary 12. 1886: John. June 1, 1887: Eliza, January 25, 1889: Forrest. December 26. 1893 : and Francis. December 16, 1896. With the exception of the youngest all are now attending school.
Mr. Lewin started out in life with noth- ing but his indomitable energy, and his ac- cumulation of this world's goods is at- tributable to his good judgment in business affairs, his industry and perseverance, and the assistance of his estimable wife. Both are active members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church and of the Fraternal Tribune of Galva. They are widely and favorably known and are held in high regard by the people of the community in which they live. In his political affiliations Mr. Lewin is a Republican and cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln.
DAVID WHITMORE.
For sixty years David Whitmore has been connected with the history of Henry county, and for a quarter of a century has been a resident of Woodhull. He has done more for the upbuilding of his town than any other of its citizens: has championed every movement designed to promote the general welfare: supported every enterprise for the public good : and has materially aid- ed in the advancement of all social, indus- trial. educational and moral interests.
county, Ohio, Angust 9. 1821, and is a son of John Whitmore, a soldier in the war of 1812, and grandson of Jacob Whitmore. both natives of Pennsylvania, of which state his ancestors were pioneers. They were of German descent. At an early day the father removed to Morgan county. Ohio, becoming one of its first settlers, and there he cleared and improved a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. In connec- tion with its cultivation he also operated a sawmill which he owned. In Belmont county, Ohio, he married Miss Elizabeth Archibald, a native of Washington, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of James Archibald, who was born in Ireland and was a child of three years when brought to this country. In 1837 John Whitmore came with his family to Illinois, and first located in Mercer conn- ty, but three years later took up his resi- (lence in Clover township. Henry county, his nearest neighbors at that time being ten and twelve miles away. There he entered a tract of government land, and from the wild prairie developed a good farm. His last years were spent at the home of our subject in Woodhull, where he died in 1885, at the advanced age of ninety-four years. His wife passed away while residing on the farm, in 1866.
David Whitmore received a rather meager education in the schools of his na- tive county, and was sixteen years of age when he came to this state with his parents. He aided his father in the ardnons task of improving the home farm, and also broke. fenced and improved a tract of forty acres which he had entered for himself. He subse- quently entered and bought more land until he owned eight hundred acres, a half-sec- tion of which he place under cultivation, and
Mr. Whitmore was born in Morgan erected thereon a good set of farm buildings.
DAVID WHITMORE.
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
He actively engaged in farming until 1876, and at the same time was quite extensively interested in the raising and feeding of stock, which proved to him a profitable busi- ness, it being his policy to buy and im- prove property. He has erected six brick and two frame business houses and several residences, and in this way has materially promoted the welfare of the town, doing more for its advancement than probably any other man.
In Henry county, Mr. Whitmore was married, in 1853. to Miss Eliza J. Booher. a daughter of Isaiah and Mary Ann ( Young) Booher, who were also pioneers of this county. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania, from which state he removed to Ohio, later came to Illinois, and finally went to Kansas, where his death occurred. llis wife spent her last years at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Whitmore in Woodhull. where she died. Our subject's parents and Mrs. Booher were all laid to rest at Clover Chapel cemetery. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Whitmore, but two are now deceased, namely: Florence M., who was married twice and died in Woodhull, leaving five children : and Douglas, who died ir 1871, at the age of thirteen years. Those living are Ida M., wife of S. I. Currie, of Chicago; Elizabeth L., wife of John Ben- nison, a merchant of Muscatine, lowa; and Nellie F., wife of C. A. Warren, of Wood-
Politically Mr. Whitmore is a Jeffer- scnian Democrat, and has taken quite an active part in local politics. He served as assessor of Clover township for about ten consecutive years ; has been a member of the village board, and school director for some years. In religious belief he is a Methodist. and was first connected with Clover
Chapel, but now holds membership in the church of that denomination of Woodhull. He assisted in building the latter. and has contributed liberally toward the erection of a number of churches in Henry county. He has served as trustee and steward for nearly forty years, and takes an active part in all church work. Fraternally he is a charter member of Woodhull Lodge, F. & A. M., in which he has filled all the chairs, and is now past master. He has now been a resi- dent of Illinois for sixty-three years, and a longer period of time in Clover township than any one now living, and can relate many interesting reminiscences of life on the frontier. In early life he worked some in the pineries of the north and rafted logs down the Mississippi. Ile also engaged in steamboating on that river one summer. He has witnessed the destructive prairie fires that once swept over the state, and has seen great herds of deer. When he first lo- cated here he often hauled grain and other farm produce to Chicago, it requiring eight- een or nineteen days to make the trip, which can now be accomplished by means of rail- roads in a few hours. He then camped out at night, sleeping under his wagon. He is a man of exemplary habits and tried integ- rity, and his many friends throughout the county will be pleased to read this record of his life.
JOHN E. STONBERG.
John E. Stonberg, a retired farmer of Galva, eminently deserves classification among the purely self-made men of Henry county who have distinguished themselves for their ability to master the opposing forces of life and to wrest from fate a large meas- ure of success and an honorable name.
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Mr. Stonberg was born in Gestricland, Sweden, October 31, 1835, a son of John and Betsy Stonberg. In early life the father followed the tailor's trade, and his wife was his assistant in the shop. They were mem- bers of the Swedish colony that settled in this county in 1847. belonging to the second lot of emigrants to come over, which com- pany numbered four hundred. The voyage was made in a sailing vessel and lasted thir- teen weeks. Landing in New York they remained there until May, 1847, when they proceeded on their journey, going by canal boat to Buffalo, New York, and by steam- boat on the Great Lakes to Chicago, whence they walked to their new home in Henry county. They had many hardships and pri- vations to undergo but were of a sturdy race and made the best of their lot. There was a scarcity of provisions as the colony was not prepared to care for so many people. Sod houses were built and in these the set- tlers lived for a time. The land was all will and unimproved, wild game was abundant and furnished many a meal for the colon- ists. Our subject once counted a drove of forty deer within three miles of the colony. As soon as the colonists got settled they went to work at their various industries, and the majority of them became prosperous and substantial citizens. For some time Mr. and Mrs. Stonberg worked at the tailor's trade, but at length, tiring of this, he did any general work that came to hand. They were members of the original colony until it broke up. The father always enjoyed good health, but his wife never fully recovered from the effects of the long and arduous journey from Sweden to their new home in this country. She was born July 8, 1808, and died January 9, 1898, while he was born in 1805. and departed this life in March,
1895. Of their four children, John E .. the eldest is now the only survivor; Betsy died in. 1848, at the age of twelve years: Peter (). died in Sweden ; and Charles F. died of measles the same year that his sister passed away.
Jolin E. Stonberg came with his parents to the United States, and remained at home in the colony until attaining man's estate. As he never attended school but two months during his entire life. he is a self-educated as well as a self-made man. He started out in life for himself at the age of twenty years with a capital of seventy-five cents. Borrowing twenty-five cents, he purchased an ax and commenced chopping wood in the timber and hauling it to market. Later he worked. as a farm hand for a time. Going to Missouri in 1858 he was employed as night watchman at the round house of the Hannibal & St. Jo railroad at Brookfield until 1861. when he returned to Illinois, and with a span of horses which he owned
engaged in cultivating land for the colon- ists. Subsequently he rented land and en- gaged in farming on his own account on 3 small scale. Prospering in this undertak- ing he at length purchased one hundred and three acres of land, for which he paid ten dollars per acre, borrowing the money. however, to make the first payment. He fully improved his land and as a general far- mer and stock raiser met with wonderful success. From time to time he has added te his landed possessions until he now owns four hundred and forty-four acres of valu- able farm land. He continued to personally supervise the operation of his land until 1900, when he removed to Galva and pur- chased his present home, which is a valuable piece of property that he has fitted up with modern improvements.
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