USA > Illinois > Livingston County > The biographical record of Livingston County, Illinois > Part 11
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Stuckey, was born in Switzerland in August. 1709. and died February 23, 1860. In 1821 he married Elizabeth Sommers, who was born ovember 24. 1801, in Alsace-Loraine. and in 1830 they emigrated to the United States and located in Butler county. Ohio. where they resided twenty years. In Octo- ber. 1850, they removed to McLean county, Illinois, and took up their residence in Dan- vers township. Mrs. Stuckey died in 1885 in Pike township. Livingston county.
After his marriage Peter Naffziger en- gaged in farming in McLean county until 1869, when he came to Waldo township. Livingston county, and purchased a tract of raw land, which he commenced imme- diately to improve and cultivate. converting it into a fine farm, on which he lived for many years. In 1870 he moved to Wash- ington, Illinois, where he was engaged in mercantile business for a few years, and later followed the same pursuit in Stanford, Illinois, until 1896, when he went to Slaugh- ter. East Felician Parish, Louisiana, where he is now engaged in cotton planting. Of his four children. Louis .A., our subject. is the oldest : Emile died at the age of nine years, the result of an accident : Bertha is the wife of George L. Riggs, a farmer and stock raiser of Botna, Iowa, and one son died in infancy.
Christian Naffziger, the paternal grand- father of our subject, was born in Darm- stadt, Germany. January 17, 1803. and came to this country, locating in Putnam county, later moving to MeLean county, Illinois, dying there March 8, 1893. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Barbara Staley. was born January 22, 1805, and died Feb- ruary 19, 1898.
Louis A. Naffziger, our subject, re- received his primary education in the public schools of Mclean county, and later at-
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
tended the high school of Washington, Illi- nois, at the same time clerking in a cloth- ing store mornings and evenings, and stead- ily through the summer months. Leaving school at the age of sixteen, he continued to clerk in the clothing store of John Burkey for one year, and then entered the dry goods establishment of E. E. Hornish as clerk and bookkeeper, remaining with him in that ca- pacity for three years. In the spring of 1880 A. G. Danforth, of the banking firm of A. G. Danforth & Company, of Wash- ington, Illinois, made Mr. Naffziger a prop- osition to enter the bank as bookkeeper and assistant cashier, which he accepted, remain- ing with him three years. At the end of that time, March 15, 1883, he accepted a po- sition with David Mc Williams of the Bank of Dwight as bookkeeper and assistant cash- ier, and in the fall of that year, when the cashier, J. W. Watkins, resigned, he was appointed to that position, which he has since so efficiently filled. In September, 1891. he built his present pleasant home on the corner of Seminole and Clinton streets, and besides this property he owns a well improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section 2. Broughton township, Liv- ingston county, and also some western lands.
On the Ist of June, 1882, Mr. Naffziger was united in marriage with Miss M. Car- ric Hukill, of Washington, Tazewell county, Illinois, who was born in Mclean county, a daughter of Jackson and Maria ( Kern) llukill. ller father was born in Fayette county, Ohio, October 12, 1823, and for a number of years was a traveling salesman, representing a school furniture company of Wabash, Indiana. In early days he also en- gaged in mercantile business in Lincoln, Illinois. He died July 27. 1893, but his
wife, who was born in Mount Pleasant. Pennsylvania. December 28, 1829, is still living and continues to make her home in Washington, Illinois. Their children were James 11., M. Carrie, Ida Belle and Grace. The last named is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Naffziger have two children: Clara, born June 11. 1883, and Oliver Hlukill, born Oc- tober 29, 1887. The former is attending the high school, the latter the grammar schools of Dwight.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Naffziger are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church. ot which he has been an official member for ten years, serving as superintendent of the Sunday school two years; one of the board of stewards at the present time, and chair- man of the finance committee of the church. As a Republican, he has taken an active and prominent part in local politics since attaining his maority, and was secretary of the Republican club of Dwight during the Mckinley campaign of 1896. His first of- fice was that of village clerk, and he was afterward appointed village treasurer, which position he filled two years. During the boom of the town a sewerage system, cost- ing over twenty-eight thousand dollars, was Int in, and Mr. Naftziger was appointed col- lector of special assessment by the presn'ent of the village board. He was elected tris- tee of the village and served in that capacity two years : was appointed township treasurer and held that office six years. In all the re- lations of life he has been found true to every trust reposed in him, whether public or private, and is numbered among the valued and useful citizens of Dwight, for he is pre - eminently public spirited and progressive. and takes an active interest in the enterprise- tending to public development.
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AUGUSTUS W. COMELA
Augustus W. Cowan, who is now suc- cessfully engaged in the abstract business in Pontiac. with office at No. 108 West Washington street, was born near Water- town. New York. October 14. 1837. a son of William and Emeline ( Coffeen ) Cowan. also natives of the Empire state. For some years the father was engaged in business as a tinsmith and hardware merchant. in Watertown, but died in Naples, New York, in 1851, at about the age of forty-eight years. our subjects maternal grandparents were Henry Dale and Delight ( Whitney) Coffeen. Throughout life the former en- gaged in farming near Watertown, in Jefferson county, New York. and was a term as sheriff of that county. The paternal grandparents of our subject were Andrew and Euphemia ( Kelly) Cowan, natives of Scotland, who came to the United States in 1797. and settled in Schenectady, New York, where they made their home throughout the remainder of their lives. On leaving their native land the fol- lowing testimonials were given them:
"WEGTOWN. 25th March. 1,97.
"That Andrew Cowan and his wife Eu- phemia Kelly are members of the Associate Congregation here and now remove from this country to North America with un- blemished characters is attested by
THEO. OGILVIE, Minister.
"We, the magistrates of the borough of Wegtown. North Britain, hereby certify and declare that the bewer Mr. Andrew Conan has resided in this berough since his infancy and has always maintained an unexception- able character for honesty and sobriety, and being about to depart for North America with his wife and children, also of good
character, ought to meet with no molestation or hindrance, he continuing to behave as becometh.
"Given under onr hand and the common seal of the borough this 25th day of March, 1797 year.
( Scal)
JOHN NATHOM, JAMES ITEMMAG. Appended by I'M. 1. CONNELS. Town Clerk.
The subject of this sketch remained in Watertown until eighteen years of age, and was educated at the Jefferson County Insti- tute. He came west in 1854 and the follow- ing year took up his residence in Pontiac, where he clerked in a general store for some years. He then formed a partnership with Judge Jonathan Duff in the banking and real-estate business, conducting it with such success that in a few years the firm had gathered together a considerable fortune, in- vested mainly in lands in this section. In 1870 the partnership was dissolved. . 11- though the business relations were discontin- ved there still remained such warm personal feeling as exists between brothers and the closest friends, until the Judge's death in 1881. Bound together by ties not only of personal friendship but that of political affin- ity and the brotherhood of secret societies, the two members of the firm were regarded as almost members of one family, and it was natural that the living member of the firm should be deeply affected at the depart- ure of one he loved so well. Mr. Cowan continued in the real-estate business untif 1882, when he was elected county treasurer and for four years held that office, discharg- ing its duties in a commendable and satis- factory manner. Since 1889 he has been owner of the Livingston county title ab-
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stracts and has devoted his time and atten- tion to that business, meeting with good success.
At Rome, New York, August 21. 1867. was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Cowan and Miss Mary H. P. Christian, a daughter of Luther and Margaret (George) Christian, natives of that state. The mother died in Rome, in 1868, after which the father lived with our subject for some time, but died at the home of his son in Port Erie, Canada. in 1871. Throughout his active business life he engaged in blacksmithing. Mr. and Mrs. Cowan have one child, Emeline, who was born in Pontiac, in 1872, and is at home. The family all attend the Episcopal church, and Mr. Cowan is connected with Pontiac Lodge, No. 294. F. & A. M., and the higher orders of Masonry, belonging to the Com- mandery at Bloomington. Until 1896 he always affiliated with the Democratic party, and besides serving as county treasurer he has been called upon to fill several minor offices in his township and city. He has always taken a deep interest in public affairs, as every true American citizen should. and gives a hearty support to those enterprises which he believes will prove of public benefit.
JOB FARLEY.
Job Farley, deceased, was for many years one of the leading agriculturists of Eppards Point township, a man honored and respected wherever known. Ile was born in Wiltshire, England, September 16, 1829, and a son of Nias and Mary (Sell- wood ) Farley, both natives of the southern part of England. They lived as farming
people in that country throughout their en- tire lives, both dying at about the age of sixty-five years.
Our cubject was reared and educated at the place of his birth, and before coming to America he was a member of the London police force two years, and the force at Shaftsbury one year. It was in 1859 that he crossed the board Atlantic and came at once to Illinois, settling first near Oneida, Knox county, where he commenced farming. an occupation he continued to follow until life's labors were ended. After seven years spent in Knox county, he removed to Henry coun- ty, where fifteen years were passed, and in 1883 came to Livingston county, locating on section 28, Eppards Point township. In 1875 he purchased one hundred and sixty acres on this section, and in 1882 eighty acres more, to which he added from time to time until at his death he was the owner of five eighty-acre tracts, with the exception of one acre used for school purposes, all un- der a high state of cultivation and a com- fortable house on each farm. These were purchased and improved with the view of providing homes for his children.
On the 14th of April, 1863, in Knox- ville, Knox county, Illinois, Mr. Farley mar- ried Miss Elizabeth Walker, a daughter of James and Mary ( Smith ) Walker, also na- tives of Leeds, Yorkshire, England, where her father, a machinist by trade, died at the age of thirty-six years when Mrs. Farley was only eleven years old. Her mother had ched eight years previous. She came to the United States in 1855. when nineteen years old, and lived with her uncle and aunt, John and Mary Else, in Truro township, Knox county, Ilinois, until her marriage. Mr. Else, who was a farmer by occupation, died in Peoria in 1882, after which his wife made
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her home with Mr. and Mrs. Farley, where she died February 11, 1000.
Of the seven children born to our sub- ject and his wife five are still living, namely : ( 1) Ida. born in Knok county, March 27. 1864. is the wife of Edward Folsom, a far- mer of Eppards Point, and they have one chiid, Edith. (2) Onias W., born in Knox county, July 3, 1865. married Lizzie Arendts, and until recently was engaged in farming, but is now living in Pontiac. (3) Mary, born in Knox county. August 12. 1867, is the wife of Charles Moffett, a far- mer of Eppards Point township, and they have three children, Lela Heath, Merton J. and Harold. (4) Anna S., born in Henry county, May 28, 1809. is the wife of Sher- man Myer, also a farmer of Eppards Point township, and to them were born five chil- dren, three of whom are now living. Maud M., Glenn and Lee C. (5) John J., born in Henry county, May 11. 1872, died January 20, 1874. (6) Arthur J., born January 7. 1874, married Anna Earhardt, and follows farming in Eppards Point. (7) The young- est child died in infancy unnamed.
Mr. Farley died at his home in Eppards Point township, January 9, 1895, after an il'ness of about six months, though he had been a sufferer from dropsy for twenty years and was often in great pain. The fu- neral was held at his home and the services were conducted by Rev. Hussey, assisted 1: Rev. Hobbs. The remains were interrett in Payne's cemetery. In his religious belief Mr. Farley was an Episcopalian, and in po- Itical sentiment was a Democrat. Though he never sought office, he was called upon to serve as township commissioner in Henry county for nine years and also as school di- rector. He was a hard working and indus- trious man, strictly upright and honorable
in all his dealings and one who made many friends and no enemies. He was a devoted husband and father and took great delight in his home and children. He accumulated considerable wealth and was able to leave his family in comfortable circumstances. Since her husband's death Mrs. Farley has moved to Pontiac and purchased a pleasant home at No. 500 South Vermilion street, where she now resides. She is a most esti- n:able lady, highly respected by all who know her.
ANDREW J. HOOBLER.
Andrew J. Hoobler, who is now living a retired life in Streator, Illinois, was for many years actively alentified with the business interests of livingston county, and was one of its honored and representative citizens. He is a native of Indiana, born in Vermillion county, in October, 18;7, and there grew to manhood. His father, John Hoobler, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1801. of old Pennsylvania Dutch stock, and was one of the pioneer farmers of Vermillion county. Indiana. In 1853 he came to Liv- ingston county, Illinois, and entered about fourteen hundred acres of land in Newton township, becoming one of the large land owners of the county in his day. Here he continued to make his home throughout the remainder of his life, dying in 1885. He was elected a representative to the legisla- ture on the Whig ticket and filled that posi- tion one term. He was one of the pioneer United Brethren circuit riders and rode the state over at one time. He established the church of that denomination in his township. and spent most of his means in founding churches throughout Illinois, being prac- tically the father of them all.
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Upon the home farm AAndrew J. Hoobler grew to manhood, receiving the usual edu- cational advantages of the day. He married Miss Sarah Leonard, a daughter of Dexter and Elizabeth Leonard, natives of Massa- chusetts and early settlers of this county. Three children were born of this union, namely: Mrs. Fanny Syphers of Cornell, Illinois; Wilder, of Manville, this county, and Erastus, the present popular circuit clerk, whose sketch appears on another page of this volume.
Mr. Hoobler purchased a farm in New- town township, but after operating it for a few years he turned his attention to mer- cantile business, conducting a store in what is now Manville ( then the village of New- town) for some seventeen or eighteen years. He met with marked success in the enter- prise, and finally retired from business, turn- ing it over to his sons. Moving to Streator he has since lived retired. He is well known throughout Livingston county, and has the confidence and respect of all with whom he has come in contact either in business or so- cial life.
JOHN M. FINLEY.
John M. Finley, a successful farmer and honored citizen of Pontiac township. owns and operates a well-improved and valuable farm of two hundred and forty acres on sections 3 and 4. three and three- quarters miles north of the city of Pontiac. He is a native of Ohio, born in Delaware county, November 25, 1831, and is a son of Robert Finley, who was born in Virginia in 1801. The family is of Irish origin and was founded in the Old Dominion at an carly day. Our subject's paternal grandfather was
John Finley, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, who removed from Virginia to Ohio and opened up a farm in Delaware county. There Robert Finley grew to manhood and married Elizabeth Riley, who was born in Pennsylvania of German ancestry. Iler father, Joseph Riley, was a native of Ger- many, and when a child came to America. The vessel on whic he sailed was wrecked and his parents were drowned. Ile was then taken to the home of strangers and readed by them, at the same time adopting their name. For a few years after his marriage Robert Finley engaged in farming in Ohio, and in 1837 came to Illinois, locating on the Fox river, near St. Charles, Kane conty, where he opened up a farm and spent his re- maining years, dying there in 1886, at the ripe old age of seventy-five years. His wife had passed away two years previously at the age of sixty-nine years.
Our subject was about six years of age when brought by his parents to this state, and in Kane county he grew to manhood. lie attended the common schools, but is mostly self-educated, haing always been a great reader, and is to-day a well-informed man. On leaving home in 1854 he came to Livingston county, where he and his brother Joseph had purchased land in 1852 and 1853. and after locating thereon they oper- ated it together until 1861.
On the 21st of November, 1861, in this county. Mr. Finley married Miss Frances E. MeDougall, a native of New York, and a daughter of Robert and Christiana Me- Dougall, who came from that state to Ilii- nois about 1850 and settled in La Salle colli- ty, where her father died in 1857. Hler mother is still living in California at the age of eighty-two. Mrs. Finley was pricipally reared in that county. To our subject and
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
his wife were born two children: Marian E., who was educated at the Pontiac high school and Dixon College, and has success- fully engaged in teaching in this county, but is now at home with her parents, and Orilla Eloise, wife of Warren Collins, who operates a part of the Finley homestead.
Mr. and Mrs. Finley began their do- mestic life upon his present farm. He has since erected a neat and substantial resi- dence. good barns and other outbuildings, has tilled the place and set out fruit and ornamental trees, so that it is now one of the best improved farms in the locality. In connection with general farming he has en- gaged in raising and feeding stock of a go ?! grade, and in all his undertakings he has met with excellent success, becoming quite well to do. Hle and his brother had little means on locating here, but being indus- trious, persevering and ambitious, his labors were soon crow ned with success. As a pab- lic spirited citizen he takes a deep and com- mendable interest in public affairs and gives his support to those enterprises which he be- lieves will advance the general welfare. Originally, he was a staunch Republican in politics and cast his first presidential vote for John C. Fremont in 1856, continuing to affiliate with that party until 1896, when he voted for W. J. Bryan and free silver. Lie has been a delegate to numerous con- ventions, and for a quarter of a century bas been an efficient member of the schoot board, but cares nothing for political preferment.
APOLLOS CAMP.
Apollos Camp, deceased, was for over forty years prominently identified with the agricultural and business interests of Liv-
ingston county, and was justly numbered among her honored pioneers and leading citizens, having located here in the spring of 1851. Ile was born in Thomaston (then Plymouth Hollow ), Connecticut, March 19. 1806, and was a son of Ephraim Camp. a Revolutionary hero, who was born in 1750 and spent his entire life in Connecticut, where he owned and operated a mill. Our subject grew to manhood in his native place and there learned the stone mason's trade in early life.
There Mr. Camp married Miss Nancy Thomas, a niece of Seth Thomas, the noted clockmaker, by whom our subject was em- ployed as superintendent of his outdoor work for some time, and lived upon Mr. Thomas' large farm for eighteen years. His health failing. Mr. Camp purchased a farm near by and for three years devoted his at- tention to agricultural pursuits.
In the spring of 1851 Mr. Camp came to Livingston county, Illinois, and located land in Sunbury township, but the family did not come until one year later, when the trip to this state was made by water. In the fall of 1852 he moved to Esmen township, his first home in Illinois, where he took up a sec- tion of land. though he still continued to own a three-hundred-and-twenty-acre tract in Sunbury township. He built the best house in Esmen township at that time. Ilis nearest neighbor was then three miles away. and if he required anything such as black- smithing or a supply of groceries he had to go to Ottawa, fording all the streams and taking two days to make the trip, so sparsely was the country settled at that time, so few improvements having been made and so few towns established. Mr. Camp continued to reside upon his farm until 1876, when he removed to Pontiac, but went day after day
APOLLOS CAMP.
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
te his farm until past eighty years of age. Ile added to his landed possessions from time to time until he and his son-in-law, Mr. Ilumiston, together owned two thou- sand acres of valuable land, most of which was improved and under a high state of cul- tivation. Of excellent business ability and broad resources, he attained a prominent place among the wealthy and substantial citi- zens of the county. On locating here he had six thousand dollars in gold, and being a wide-awake business man of keen discrim- ination and sound judgment his accumula- tions rapidly increased. He and his son-in- law engaged in business together until the latter's death. They were among the orig- inal stockholders of the National Bank of Pontiac, of which he was one of the early directors. His career was such as to warrant the trust and confidence of the business world, for he conducted all transactions on the strictest principles of honor and integ- rity, and he was highly respected and es- teemed by all who knew him.
Mr. Camp died May 2, 1892, and his wife departed this life January 23, 1864. She was a member of the Presbyterian church for some years. To them were born two children, but Edward Thomas died Sep- tember 15. 186t, before he attained his twen- ty-first year. The only representative of the family now living is Harriet, widow of Ben- net Humiston, whose sketch appears on an- other page of this volume.
JOHN HF. SMITHI.
This gentleman is entitled to distinction as one of the most progressive and enter- prising men of Pontiac, with whose business 7
interests he has been prominently identified for many years. Upon the commercial ac- tivity of a community depends its prosperity and the men who are now recognized as leading citizens are those who are at the head of important business enterprises. Ile is a man of broad capabilities who carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes.
Mr. Smith was born in Half Moon Val- ley. Centre county, Pennsylvania. August 12, 1839. a son of Jacob and Lydia Ann ( Henderson ) Smith. The father was born in Union county, that state, of okl Pennsyl- vania Dutch stock, and being left fatherless at the age of nine years was bound out to strangers. There were only two chiklren in the family and his sister was taken to another place. In Centre county, he mar- ried Lydia Ann, daughter of David Ilender- son, who lived near Tyrone. Centre county. Later he located near Pine Grove, Pennsyl- sylvania, where he engaged in farming and on stormy days worked at the gunsmith's trade which he had learned during his youth. Later he lived in Huntingdon county, the same state, but was with our subject in Pon- tiac, Illinois, a short time prior to his death. Both he and his wife were consistent and faithful members of the Methodist Episco- pal church.
In the county of his nativity, John HI. Smith was reared and obtained a good prac- tical education in its common schools. At the age of eighteen he was bound as an ap- prentice to a carpenter, working for his board and clothes and the privilege of at- tending school four months during the win- terter. For three years and four months he was thus employed, during which time he thoroughly mastered the trade, including the making of doors, sash, etc.
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