USA > Illinois > Henry County > The biographical record of Henry County, Illinois > Part 66
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Bidding good-by to home and native land in 1861. Mr. Wells took passage on the North Britain. a steamer of the Allen line, and' after a voyage of eleven days landed in Portland, Maine. From that place he went to Rochester, New York, and after remain- ing there for two weeks came to Henry coun- ty, Illinois, taking up his residence in At- kinson township at the age of twenty-nine. For three years he worked on a farm and then went to Montana. He was three months in making the trip, traveling five hundred miles over a new road, and spending the 4th of July, 1864. on the banks of the Yellow- stone river. One night Indians attacked the
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camp and stole about fifty horses and one man was shot in the shoulder with a bow and arrow. At another time a party en route to California was a short distance in advance of the train our subject was with, and had over a hundred head of horses stolen. For five years he was successfully engaged in prospecting and mining for gold in that state. and then returned to this county. He pur- chased one hundred and twenty acres of par tially improved land on section 9. Cornwall township, and to its further improvement and cultivation has since devoted his energies with most gratifying results. He has also added eighty acres of cultivated land to the original tract, while his landed possessions in Cornwall township now aggregate three hundred and thirty-three acres of very val- uable and productive land, all of which property has been acquired through his own industry, indefatigable energy, and good business ability, guided by sound judgment.
In his political views Mr. Wells is a stal- wart Republican, and he takes a commend- able interest in the affairs of his adopted country. In .August, 1874. he returned to England on a visit, sailing from New York on the 7th of that month, and landing at Liv- erpool after a very pleasant voyage of ten days. He remained in his native land until March, 1875, and then returned to this coun- try on the steamer Republic of the White Star line. The weather was quite stormy coming back.
With Mr. Wells resides his nephew, John Wells, who was also born in Billinghay, Lin- colnshire, England. October 2, 1860, a son of James and Ann ( Parker ) Wells, natives of the same county, where the father fol- lowed the occupation of a farmer throughout life. John is one of fourteen children, and has two brothers who came to America after
he located here. It was in 1879 that he crossed the Atlantic from Liverpool to New York, and came immediately to Atkinson, Illinois. Since then he has engaged in farm- ing in this county, and now makes his home with his uncle. On the 20th of February. 1890, he married Miss Francinia Barber, a daughter of C. S. Barber, an old settler of Burns township, and they now have one child. Charles Parker, who was born March 27, 1892. John Wells is also a Republican in politics, and has efficiently filled the office of school director.
GEORGE FUNK.
Prominent among the farmers and stock raisers of Cornwall township, is George Funk whose valuable farm of three hundred and twenty acres is pleasantly located on section 31. A native of Virginia, he was born in Rockingham county, on the 10th of January, 1847, and is a son of Abraham and Matilda ( Armentrout ) Funk, also na- tives of the Old Dominion, the birth of the former occurring October 1, 1807. the latter December 20, 1811. They were married January 23, 1834, and became he parents of eight children, namely : David, born Feb- ruary 7, 1835. married Anna Neff and lives in Missouri; Malinda, born June 9. 1836, is the widow of Thomas Walsh and resides near Cambridge, Illinois; Susannah, born February 17, 1839. married John Weaver and died in Hamilton. Caldwell county, Missouri: Mary, born November 9. 1840, married Il. F. Weaver, of Breckenridge, Missouri, and is now deceased; Christian, born November 10, 1842, married L. Jekins and lives near Schuyler, Colfax county, Ne-
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brad.a : Catherine, born June 2. 1844, is the Wife of G. S. Will and lives near Brecken- nige, Caldwell county, Missouri: George, our subject, is next in order of birth; and John, born December 23. 1850, died in childhood. The mother died in Virginia, July 28, 1851, and was laid to rest at Tres- sel church, Rockingham county. The father was again married, July 24. 1861, his sec- ond union being with Rebecca T. Shue, who was also born in Virginia. August 13, 1813- ile followed the occupation of a farmer and stone cutter in his native state until 1864. when he came to Henry county, Ilinois, ar- riving here on the 13th of January, that year. He had traded his property in Vir- ginia with William Reherd for four hun- dred acres of improved land in Caldwell and Munson townships, and upon this farm he spent the remainder of his life, dying there April 20. 1875. His remains were interred !!. Liberty.
In the county of his nativity George Funk acquired his early education in the dis- trict schools, and during his youth assisted his father in the labors of the farm. He mame with the family to this county, and on ittaining his majority started out in life for line i as an agriculturist. After his fa- they's death be purchased one hundred and Fiets acres of the old homestead and to it Job- added from time to time until he now Use Direc hundred and twenty acres in Corn- wall Als! Minson townships, all under culti- waben His present pleasant residence was credtol in 1893, and he has made many oties improvements upon the place until it W some one of the best farms in the locality. W. weli tilled fieldls and the neat and htrifty appvoice of the place testify to his care- ml supervision and good business ability. which to, general farming he carries
on stock raising quite extensively, and ships three or four carloads to the city annually.
Mr. Funk was married on the 12th of February, 1874, to Miss Rebecca Funk, and they have become the parents of three chil- dren, two of whom are now living, namely : Abram, born November 23. 1874, aids in the operation of the home farm; and Amy A., born January 24, 1876, is the wife of Frank S. Sears. Politically Mr. Funk affil- iates with the Republican party, and for seventeen years has most creditably filled the office of school director. Religiously he is a member of the Congregational Church, and is a man in whom the com- munity places the utmost confidence.
CASPER OTT.
This gentleman is one of the pioneers of Illinois, and has been an important factor in the development and upbuilding of Henry county, where he has now made his home for almost half a century. In 1868, he lo- cated upon his present farm on section 21. Yorktown township, and now has the best improved and most highly cultivated place in that locality.
A native of Pennsylvania. Mr. Ott was born in Warren county, October 29, 1836, and is a son of Casper and Elizabeth ( Trier) Ott. He was the oldest of their nine chil- dren, the others being Louisa, who married .A. Hickey, of Geneseo, Illinois, and died in March, 1877; David, who became a member of Company F, Ninth Illinois Cavalry, dur- ing the Civil war, and died at St. Louis after one year's service ; Adam, deceased, who mar- ried Louisa Sand, the present wife of our subject: Sophia, wife of Louis Sand, of Mo- line, Illinois ; Rosana, wife of Jacob Rose, of
CASPER OTT.
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Geneseo: Hepry. who married Catherine Wolf and lives m Geneseo: Adolph, who married Lizzie Waltz and resides in the same place : and Jacob, who died at the age of nine years.
When only six months old Casper Ott accompanied his parents on their removal te Lake county, Illinois, being carried in his mother's arms from Pennsylvania to Chi- cago. There were several families in the party and the journey was made in covered wagons, then known as prairie schooners. There the father worked as a journeyman tailor, while the family made their home in a log cabin. Our subject had no educational advantages, never attending school but one day when twelve years of age. He worked with his father until he attained his major ity, and together they came to Henry coun- ty. in 1853. The latter. purchased a tract of one hundred and eighty acres of land in I oraine township, which our subject assist ed in placing under cultivation.
On the 20th of October, 1861, in that township. Mr. Ott was unitel in marriage with Mary Elizabeth Rapp, by whom he laul the following children: Amos, boru July 1, 1863, in Loraine township. married Becky Himmel, and has three children. Harry E .. Amanda and David 1. He is now engaged in the furniture and undertaking business in Prophetstown, Illinois. David. born November 1. 1865. died October I, 1893. Sarah, born March 14. 1867, is also a resident of Prophetstown. Calvin, born July 10. 1860. married Minnie Sanderson, and lives in the same place. Leonard, born Jan- viary 30, 1873. makes his home with his brother Amos. Cora E., born December 14. 1876. is teaching school in Alba township. this county. Mrs. Ott died December 30, 1876.
Mr. Ott was again married August 7, 1877. his second union being with Mrs. Louisa Ott, the widow of his brother, Adam, and a daughter of Ludwig and Dorothy ( Lehmann ) Sand, who were natives of \]- sace. Germany, and early settlers of Gen- esen, Illinois, where both died. By occu- pation the father was a farmer. Of his eleven children two died in infancy, the others being lewis, who married Sophia Ott and resides in Moline, Illinois: Philip, who died in the army during the Civil war : Louisa, wife of our subject : Samuel, who wedded Mary Heinz and died in Kansas; Ameha, wife of Jacob Offerle, of Warren. Pennsylvania ; Obed, who married Lillie Brown and lives in northern lowa: Elizabeth, wife of Law- rence Offerle, of Offerle, Kansas: Benjamin, who married Louisa Urban and resides in Geneseo, Illinois; and Solomon, who died in Arizona. By her first marriage Mrs. Ott had the following children : Anna B., born No- vember 9. 1867. is the wife of Irvin Luther, of Walnut. Illinois, and has three children, Eugene .A., Mary L. and Ruth : and Carrie, born December 26, 1870, is the wife of Ed- ward Zinser. of Yorktown township, this county and has three children, Arthur E., Nulford E. and Milan E.
After his first marriage Mr. Ott leased forty acres of land of his father, and later rented a tract of one hundred and twenty acres owned by him in Yorktown township. In 1868 our subject made his first purchase of land consisting of one hundred and sixty acres on section 21, the same township, be- longing to his father, and has since added to it a tract of forty acres, so that he now owns a fine farm of two hundred acres, which he has placed under excellent cultivation. In 1889 he erected one of the best residences in the township, has also built a large barn,
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and has supplied the place with all the con- veniences and accessories found upon a model farm of the present day. In addition to his farm work Mr. Ott has engaged in house moving and is agent for the Home Insurance Company. He is an excellent harness maker and in all his undertakings has been quite successful, and he is now one of the well-to- cio and substantial citizens of his community.
Although he had no educational privi- leges Mr. Ott fully realizes the advantages of a good education, and for twenty-eight years has efficiently served as school trustee in his district. He has also held the offices of constable and road commissioner, filling the latter position eleven years. He and his family are active members of the Evangelical Association in which he has served as class leader for years.
ABRAM JACKSON LEWIS.
With the agricultural interests of Corn- wall township. Abram J. Lewis has been closely identified for a number of years, and is now the owner of an excellent farm on section 9. He was born near Chillicothe, Ohio, on the 17th of February, 1851. His father. John Lewis, was born April 17, 1820, in Indiana township, Indiana county, Penn- sylvania, and when young removed to Ohio with his parents, William and Elizabeth Lewis, also natives of the Keystone state. He grew to manhood upon a farm in Rich- land township, Jackson county, Ohio, and on the 4th of May, 1847, wedded Miss Mary Cozad, of that county. On first coming to Illinois, in 1851, John Lewis located in Ful- ton county, but the following year took up his residence in Cornwall township, Henry
county, where he purchased a soldier's claim of one hundred and sixty acres on section 21. In his farming operations here he met with remarkable success, and added to his landed possessions from time to time until he had eleven hundred and sixty acres of well improved land, most of which was un- broken when it came into his possession, but being industrious, energetic and enterprising he became the owner of one of the most valu- able estates in this county. In religious belief he was a Baptist and in politics a Democrat. and was a man highly respected and es- teemed by all who knew him. He died March 5, 1900, and his wife passed away July 26, 1898, the remains of both being in- terred in the Liberty Church burying ground in Cornwall township.
To this worthy couple were born fourteen children as follows: William J. married Eliza J. Claypool and is now deceased ; Abram J., our subject, is next in order of birth: Samuel F. married Susan J. Rogers and follows farming in Atkinson township, this county; John H. married Delia Keppler and lives in Geneseo; James Andrew mar- ied Elizabeth Bentley and makes his home in Atkinson township; George W. married Florence De Bloie, and resides in Jasper county, near Newton, Illinois; Francis M. married Luzetta Williamson and. is engaged in farming near Peoria; Charles A. married Lillian Carney and lives in Kansas City; Charity .\. is the wife of James Fell, a resi- d'ent of Geneseo, this county; Stephen A. married Charity Cozad and is engagedin agricultural pursuits in Cornwall township, section 20; Alfred married Jennie Ole and is a farmer of Munson township; Albert T., a twin of Alfred, died in infancy; Robert lives in Kansas City; and Mary is the wife of George Hudson, of Indian Territory.
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The subject of this sketch was only a year old when brought by his parents to Henry county, Illinois, and in the school of his home district he secured the greater part of his education, though he attended school at Atkinson one term. During his boyhood and youth he assisted in the labors of the farm and early acquired an excellent knowl- edge of agricultural pursuits which has been of great benefit in his life work. He is now the owner of a well improved and highly cultivated farm of two hundred and' eighty acres. His political support is always given the Democracy, and he capably filled the office of constable one term, but has never cared for political honors.
On the 13th of May, 1876, Mr. Lewis was united in marriage with Miss Mary Catherine Reese, a native of New York state, who died March 14. 1881. Of the two children born of that union, one, Lotta, married Warren Dunham, and resides in Geneseo township. The other, Roland, died aged one year and ten months. Mr. Lewis was again married, April 14, 1885, his sec- und union being with Miss Martha J. Mc- Farland, by whom he had one child, Manie Blanch, who died in infancy.
Mrs. Lewis' parents are John and Samantha (Julian ) McFarland, both natives of northeastern Ohio, the former born Feb- ruary 4, 1829, the latter August 22, 1832. They are now residents of Missouri. The names and dates of birth of their children are as follows: Henry A., December 29, 1852; Mary E., March 24, 1854; Sophia and Cynthia, twins, March 12, 1856; Will- iam S., February 1, 1858; Martha J., De- cember 12, 1859; Joseph A., July 25, 1861 ; Robert. S., February 25, 1863; . Cora B., March 29, 1865; Emma F., December 25; 1866; Tony B., April 27, 1869; Leonard, July 14, 1871; and Agnes, April 25, 1873.
All are living with the exception of Leonard, who died July 16, 1872. The father removed to Missouri twenty-seven years ago, and has followed farming throughout life.
JOHN S. FARNAM.
One of the active, prominent and enter- prising citizens of Cornwall township is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, and who is successfully engaged in agricul- tural pursuits on section 15. He was born in New Hampshire, April 26, 1833, and comes of good old New England stock, his parents being Jonathan and Phebe ( Stevens) Farnam, also natives of the Granite state and pioneers of Illinois. By trade the father was a carpenter, but becoming a minister of the Christian Church he devoted consider- able time to religions work. He died in this county March 28, 1875, honored and re- spected by all who knew him. His estimable wife passed away in 1852, aged thirty-seven years. They were the parents of six chil- dren, of whom John S. is fourth in order of birth. Sarah, born in 1825. is a resident of Nebraska and the widow of Randall Sar- gent, a farmer by occupation. Hannah C. is also living in Nebraska. Lucy married N. C. Bosworth, a farmer of California, now deceased. George W. enlisted during the Civil war in the First Kansas Cavalry, and was killed in his first battle, at Gunni- son, Colorado, at the age of twenty-two years, his remains being interred at Kansas City. Luthera is the wife of Edwin Bos- worth, a farmer of California.
John S. Farnam was reared and edu- cated in the east, and was eighteen years of age when he came to Illinois. He was first employed at farm work near Tiskilwa, Bu- reau county. His first purchase of land con-
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sisted of eighty acres of unbroken prairie Georgia : Columbia and Franklin, Tennessee; near that place, which he cultivated and im- and Fort Anderson, Town Creek and Wil- mington, North Carolina; and was also in Sanders' raid into east Tennessee. He was wounded at Resaca, and during the battle of Franklin was thrown from a bridge and almost killed, falling twenty-five feet and striking on bed rock. He was confined in the hospital for six months and then re- turned to his regiment in Greensboro, North Carolina, and in June, 1865, was mustered out at the same place and in July was hon- orably discharged from the service at Chi- cago. proved. On disposing of that property he came to Cornwall township, Henry county, in 1856, and bought one hundred and sixty acres of land to which he subsequently add- ed forty acres. He also owns eighty acres in Mineral township, Bureau county, all of which is under cultivation with the excep- tion of forty acres of timber land. He broke the land and erected the buildings there- on, and to-day has one of the best im- proved farms in Cornwall township. In early life he learned' the carpenter's trade with his father, and has built a number of bridges in this county, besides moving and constructing many houses.
At the age of twenty-one Mr. Farnam was united in marriage with Miss Elizabetlı Tompkins, a native of Illinois and one of a family of six children. Her father, Martin Tompkins, died in this county in 1891, at the home of our subject. Of the ten chil- dren born to our subject and his wife the first four died in childhood; John is at home: George W. married Jennie Lane, a native of Henry county ; Laura is the wife of Oliver Nicholson; Nellie is at home: Mabel is the wife of Walter Sleaford; and Martin married Sarah Cosner and lives at home.
During the dark days of the Rebellion Mr. Farnam manifested his patriotism by enlisting in Company D. One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered into the United States service at Peoria as a private, but in six months was promoted commissary sergeant and later to line sergeant. Ile participated in the bat- tles of Resaca, New Hope Church, Pine Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Utoy Creek, Rough and Ready, Jonesboro and Atlanta,
During the gold excitement at Pikes Peak Mr. Farnam went to Colorado, and was engaged in prospecting and mining near that place for three years, returning home with two thousand dollars in gold. He cast his first presidential vote in 1856 and is now a stanch supporter of the men and' measures of the Republican party. At one time he was a member of the Grangers As- sociation. He has filled the offices of school director and township supervisor in a most creditable and satisfactory manner, and has been prominently identified with the best interests of his locality during his entire residence there. He settled there before Cornwall township was organized and has done much to advance the general welfare, always supporting those enterprises which he believes will prove of public benefit. He was one of the brave defenders of the Union during the Civil war and has always been a loyal and patriotic citizen.
BUENOS AYRES.
For over forty years this gentleman was closely identified with the agricultural and' business interests of Henry county, and was
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BUENOS AYRES.
MRS. BUENOS AYRES.
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accounted one of its most worthy citizens. By his well-directed efforts he acquired a comfortable competence, and was able to spend' his last years in ease and retirement from active labor at his pleasant home in Geneseo.
Mr. Ayres was born in Hampden county. Massachusetts, January 17, 1810, a son of Asa and Mary ( White ) Ayres, who were also natives of the Bay state and of English descent. The family was founded in this country by three brothers who came from England in the early part of the seventeenth century and settled in Massachusetts. Our subject traced his ancestry back to Captain John Ayres, who located in Brookfield, Massachusetts, in 1648, and in 1662 removed to Ipswich, that state. He lost his life in a struggle with the Indians, to which the early settlers of the east were frequently sub- jected. He died August 3. 1675, leaving two sons, of whom John, the older of these, died in Ipswich, December 24. 1685. The other, Samuel Ayres, was successively a resi- dent of Newbury and Rowley, Massachu- setts. He was married at Ipswich, April 16, 1677, to Abigail, daughter of William Fel- lows, and to them were born ten children. Their son Joseph Ayres made his home in Brookfield, and was the father of Samuel Ayres, also a resident of that place and a weaver by trade. The latter was married January 21, 1742, to Martha Bell, and they became the parents of ten children. To this family belonged Asa Ayres, the father of our subject. He also had ten children, of whom Buenos was the youngest and belonged to the seventh generation of the family in America.
When the subject of this sketch was a lad of ten years, he accompanied his parents on their removal to the western reserve of
Ohio, where the father purchased' one hun- dred acres of wild land and improved a farm in what is now Lake county. In early life Buenos Ayres learned the carpenter's and millwright's trade, and remained with his father until reaching manhood.
On the Ist of September, 1833, Mr. Ayres was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Os- borne, who was born in Oxford, Connecticut, September 2, 1816, and' was a representative of an old New England family, her parents being Ransom and Sarah ( Hurd) Osborne. Soon after their marriage they removed to Willoughby, Ohio, where their two oldest children were born, and in the spring of 1837 took up their abode in Hicksville, Defiance county, that state, where six more children were added to the family. In 1850 they re- moved to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where as a millwright Mr. Ayres was engaged in bus- iness for one year, being engaged in the con- struction of some important mills in that lo- cality. In 1851 he brought his family to Illinois, and for two years worked at his trade in Bureau county. On coming to Henry county in 1853. he purchased a farm in Munson township and turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. In his farming operations he steadily prospered and became an extensive land owner. To his original purchase he added until he had three hundred and twenty acres of well improved and val- uable land in his home farm, besides a tract of one hundred and sixty acres in Cam- bridge township and real estate in Colorado and Geneseo. In 1877 he rented his farm and removed to Geneseo, where he lived re- tired until his death, which occurred on the 9th of September, 1895. He was a skilled mechanic and successful farmer, and was also a man of excellent business and execu- tive ability, being able to carry forward to
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successful completion whatever he under- took. In political sentiment he was a Repub- lican. He attended the Unitarian Church, and was a man of strict integrity and honor- able dealings, who possessed the good opin- ion of all who knew him. He was public- spirited and took an active interest in all that pertained to the advancement of his adopted county, and in his death the community real- ized that it had lost a valued citizen. His estimable wife passed away November I, 1894.
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