USA > Illinois > Livingston County > The biographical record of Livingston County, Illinois > Part 12
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
On the 30th of December. 1863. Mr. Smith married Miss Mary J. Duff. who was born December 8, 1840. Her paternal great-grand- father come to this country from Scotland. The grandfather. John Duff. was born in Philadelphia, and at an early day removed to Huntingdon county. Pennsylvania, where he spent the remainder of his life as a farmer. He married Winifred Couch, of Philadel- phia, a daughter of William Conch, who was from Great Britain. Mrs. Smith's father. Charles Duff. was born May 24. 1816. in Inatingdon county, Pennsylvania. where he grew to manhood and engaged in farming for many years. There he was married. August 31. 1838, to Eliza Cun- ningham, who was born October 2, 1819. a daughter of Robinson and Mary J. (Lane ) Cunningham, of the same county. Her fa- ther, a farmer of Huntingdon county, was born in that state, but his father was a na- tive of England. Charles Duff continued to reside on the old home farm in Pennsylvania until 1865, when he came to Pontiac. Illi- nois, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land east of the corporation, which he improved and which continued to be his home throughout life. He also owned two hundred and forty acres of land north of l'ontiac, and in all had about six hundred acres. Hle was one of the prominent and wealthy men of his community and was highly respected by all who knew him. He died September 9, 1873, and his wife passed away July 11. 1887. Both were earnest I ember- of the Methodist Episcopal church. After learning his trade, Mr. Smith be- gan taking contracts and erected many buikdl- 10g- in Huntingden. Centre and Clearfick counties. Pennsylvania. He met with ex- collent success, and although a young man he often employed eight hands. While
crecting a large church in Kerwinsville. Clearfield county, he cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln, and when the war broke out the work was dropped as most of his workmen entered the service. Returning " Tyrone, he aided in the construction of the one-mile trestle of the Tyrone and Clearfield Railroad at that place. remaining there until going to Oil City. Veningo coun- ty, during the excitement of 1864. There he put down many wells, one of which was fourteen hundred feet deep and the average depth of the seventeen he drilled was six hundred and fifty feet. For this work he received one dollar per foot and an eighth interest in the well, which proved quite quite profitable, as the one dollar per foot paid all expenses, and he sold his eighth in- terest from eight hundred to two thousand dollars a well. On first going into the oil icgien he was engaged by the New York Oil Company, of which Mr. Hamilton, of New York, was president. in the erection of cierricks. Mr. Hamilton noticing the rapid- ity with which he worked asked him how much a foot he would ask to drill the wells, and later asked him to name a sum per year as superintendent of all their wells. Not caring particularly to engage in that work, he named two thousand dollars per year, believing the sum greater than the com- pany would be willing to pay. His terms, however, were accepted, and he renruined with the firm one year, and then refused an offer of two thousand five hundred dollars a year to continue. Leaving the employ of the oil company he commenced drilling wells for himself, and his first well, which took hum twenty-six days to drill, he sold for eighteen hundred dollars. During the time He spent there he made enough to purchase his father's farm of one hundred and sixty
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acres for eight thousand dollars, and he at Pontiac, which he operated a year, and operated the place one year.
.At the end of that time Mr. Smith sold out and came to Pontiac, Illinois, and pur- chased a farm three-quarters of a mile east of the city, for which he paid fifty dollars per acre although it was poorly improved land. He built one of the largest and best barns in this section at that time. He fenced and tiled the land, bringing the first carload of tile into the county. This he bought in Joliet. paying thirty-seven dollars and a half per thousand for three inch tile. Previous to this he had put in some clapboard tile and finding that it benefited the land, he re- solved to thoroughly tile it. Some of it is still in working order although in use for over thirty years. Mr. Smith's next pur- chase consisted of a quarter-section of land owned by Charles Duff, which adjoins the city, and he also bought one hundred acres of Mr. Duff north of his first home, making four hundred and twenty acres adjoining the town. All of this he has thoroughly tiled and improved, and being well located. i' is now among the best and most valuable land of the county. At present he rents luis farm property.
For two years Mr. Smith rented and operated a tile factory near town erected by H. C. Bruner, and met with success in that enterprise. In 1890 he erected a fine brick residence on the corner of Walnut and Washington streets, one of the first and best brick houses in the city at that time. It is heated by steam, lighted by electricity and supplied with all modern conveniences, while the lawn about the house is a quarter of a block in extent. Mr. Smith also erected a store building on Madison street opposite the court house and still owns that property. In 1893 he bought the coal shaft
sank a shaft within twenty-eight feet of the third vein of coal, afterward selling the same at a profit, being the only one to make any money in that venture. For the past two years he has again given his attention to the tile business and furnishes employment to seventeen men in manufacturing both brick and tile.
Mr. Smith began life for himself with- out a dollar, and in fact was sixty two dol- lars and fifty cents in debt. As already stated he was apprenticed to learn the car- penter's trade. For the first year he was to receive thirty dollars; the second year forty-five dollars: and the third year sixty dollars. Board was included and in ad- dition he was to have four months schooling each year. The first year he was permitted to go to school, according to contract, but during the succeeding years on one pretext or another he was kept at work. On the advice of his mother he permitted his last year's wages to remain with his employer until the end of the year in order that he might have a means to purchase a set of carpenter's tools. His employer failed about the end of his third year, and he never received a cent. A local merchant kindly agreed to furnish him the set of tools needed and which amounted to sixty-two dollars and fifty cents, and wait his convenience in pay- ing. Securing the outfit he went to work as a journeyman carpenter, and in due time paid for his tools and felt like a free man. On coming to Ilinois, his father loaned him five hundred dollars, but the wealth he has since acquired has been secured through his own enterprise, good business ability and sound judgment.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith have three children, namely: Elizabeth is the wife of Cary W.
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Hill, of Pontiac, and they have one son, Harckl Smith: Charles is engaged in busi- ness with his father and now manages the tile works; and Winifred, twin sister of Charles, is the wife of Franklin Laver, who operates the home farm and they have one child, Alfred Veron.
During the Civil war, Mr. Smith was a member of the Pennsylvania militia, which was not supposed to leave the state, but they went to Hagerstown, Maryland, and par- ticipated in the battle of Antietam. . At his Home he could hear the cannonading at Get- tysburg and also during the Morgan raid. He has served as school director, but has never cared for political honors, preferring to devote his entire time and attention to his business interests. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episco- pal church and are highly respected and esteemed by all who know them.
ERASTU'S HOOBLER.
Erastus Hoobler, the present well- known circuit clerk, is one of the most prominent young men of Livingston county, a leader in political and business circles, and whether in public or private life he is always a courteous genial gentleman. well cieserving the high regardd in which he is 1:ekl.
A native of this county, Mr. Hoobler was born in Newtown township. December 11, 1867, and is a son of Andrew J. and Sarah ( Leonard ) Hoobler, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. He was educated in the public schools, which he attended constantly until eighteen years of age, and then began his business career
as a merchant of Melville, he and his brother Wilder purchasing the store for- mery owned by their father and conducting it under the firm name of Hochler Brothers. They did a large and successful business for some seven or eight years, being energetic and progressive young men of good busi- ness ability and industrial habits.
On the 9th of June, 1888, Mr. Hoobler was united in marriage with Miss Jodie Beach, a daughter of Anson and Phoebe Beach, formerly of La Salle county, and to them have been born one child, Ernest E. The parents both hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mr. Hoob- Jer is now serving as one of the stewards of the church in Pontiac. Fraternally, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and of Beacon Lodge, No. 018. I. O. O. F., of Cornell.
Since reaching man's estate Mr. Hloob- ler has always been active in Republican politics, doing all within his power for the success of his party. In the spring of 1894 he sold his store, and two years later was Dominated as circuit clerk for Livingston county, to which office he was elected that fall by a handsome majority. He has since efficinetly discharged the duties of that po- sition, and in 1900 was renominated by ac- clamation.
JAMES NICOL.
James Nichol is the proprietor of an excellent farm of two hundred and forty acres on sections 11 and 3, Pike township. Livingston county. The well-tilled fields and neat and thrifty appearance of the place testify to careful supervision of a painstak- ing owner-one who is a thorough farmer
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and successful business man. He was born in Arbroath, Fortarshire, Scotland. June 6. 1849, a son of William and Jane ( Simpson) Nicol, also natives of that country, where the mother spent her entire life. After her death the father married again. He was born in Forfarshire in 1813, a son of James Nicol, and in his native land was employed as a pattern or model maker. In 1865 he emigrated to the new workl and came direct to Livingston county, Illinois, where he had previously purchased eighty acres of land on section 3. Pike township, where onr subject now resides. At that time the tract was wild prairie land, but he at once commenced to fence, break and improve it. Later he built a good house and made many other permanent improvements. In connection with farming he also worked at the car- penter's and joiner's trade and built many of the residences in his part of the county. .As one of the prominent and honored citi- zens of his community, he was called upon to fill the offices of supervisor, justice of the peace, school director and clerk of the district some years. He was a man of sterl- ing worth and strict integrity and was pre- eminently public spirited and progressive.
Reared in his native land, James Nicol received the advantages of a good common school education, and served a five-years' apprenticeship to the cabinetmaker's trade after which he worked as a journeyman for two years. In 1808 he decided to join his father in America and sailed from Glasgow to New York, landing in the latter city in September of that year. Ile proceeded at once to his father's home in this county, and for the first six months of his residence here he worked at the carpenter's trade. The fol- lowing two years he engaged in farming and then went to Chicago, where he was em-
ployed at his trade for six months, returning to this county at the end of that time. He las since devoted his time to agricultural pursuits, and now owns the old homestead. which he has greatly improved, and to which he has added one hundred and sixty acres. making a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres.
In Livingston county. November 24, 18873. Mr. Nicol was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Petrie, who was born, reared and educated in the same town as her husband, and is a daughter of William Petrie, who is still living in Scotland at the advanced age of seventy-nine years. By this union have been born seven children, namely :. William P. and James, both farm- ers of this county; Mabel May. Alfred. Ed- ward Arthur, D. Harry and Annie Edith, all at home.
In his political affiliations Mr. Nicol is an ardent Republican and cast his first presiden- tial vote for Rutherford B. Hayes. He has been a delegate to county conventions, served as township clerk about seven years and was a member of the school board and cierk of the district twelve years. Socially, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen camp of Chenoa, and religiously is a member of the Presbyterian church, to which his wife also belongs. In all life's relations he has been true to every trust reposed in him, and is justly numbered among the valued and useful citizens of his community.
JOHN GUTHRIE.
John Guthrie, who for over a third of a century has been identified with the agricultural interests of Livingston county, and now makes his home on section 10, Pike
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township, was born in the city of Glasgow. Scotland. December 20, 1827. a son of James and Jane ( MeMurtrie ) Guthrie, who spent their entire lives in Scotland, mostly in Glasgow, locating there soon after their marriage. There all of their children were born in that city and both parents died. By trade the father was a stonecutter.
Our subject grew to manhood in his na- tive land and obtained a good education in an Ayrshire village school. He served a four years' apprenticeship to the weaver's trade with his uncle. David MeMurtrie, and then returned to Glasgow, where he worked in a factory, having charge of one depart- ment four years. Later he was employed in a wholesale store for three years, and then emigrated to America, in 1850, taking pass- sage on a sailing vessel at Greenock on the Clyde for Montreal, and arriving in the lat- ter city after a stormy voyage of eight weeks. While in the Gulf of St. Lawrence the masts were broken and they were delayed two weeks at Sidney, Cape Breton, while new masts were set up. Mr. Guthrie and two other men worked all one night at the pumps in order to save the vessel from de- struction. It was twelve weeks from the time he left home until he reached his desti- nation in Kendall county, Ilinois, in Sep- tember, 1850. There he had an uncle liv- ing. while another uncle made the voyage with him. The following year he com- menced work in Kendall county gathering corn for ten dollars per month, and. being unused to such work, the skin was worn from his fingers in a short time.
In 1852 Mr. Guthrie went to Madison county, Iowa, where he spent one year, and on his return to Illinois settled in Wood- ford county, where he worked by the month until 1864. During that year he purchased
the farm in Pike township, Livingston coun- ty, where he now resides, but engaged in farming upon rented land in Tazewell county for two years, at the end of which time he located upon his own land, hav- ing since February, 1861. made it his home. le has planted an orchard and considerable small fruit, has divided his land into fields of convenient size by good fences, has erect- ed a pleasant residence and substantial out- buildings and now has a well-improved and desirable farm of eighty acres.
In Tazewell county Mr. Guthrie was married. in 1864. to Miss Betsy Nicol, who was born and reared in Arbroath, Scotland. and came to the new world with her mother in 1853. She died, leaving no children, and for his second wife Mr. Guthrie married Mrs. Eliza ( MeCracken ) MeNeil, who was born and reared in Ireland. By her first married she has three children: Martha. wife of Henry Crabb. of Livingston county; Lizzie, wife of Charles Richardson, of Pike township, and James, a resident of Chicago. Mr. Guthrie has two children by his second marriage: David M. and Maggie May, both at home.
Since casting his first presidential ballot for General U. S. Grant, in 1868. Mr. Guth- rie has been a stanch Republican, but has never cared for political honors. Both he and his wife are active members of the Presbyterian church of Chenoa, and are peo- ple of sterling worth and strict integrity.
JOHN H. CRUMBAKER.
John H. Crumbaker, a well-known and highly respected citizen of Avoca township. Livingston county, Illinois, was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, August 11. 1845.
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and is a son of William A, and Margaret ( Piper ) Crumbaker, natives of Virginia and Pennsylvania, respectively. As chil- dren they went to Ohio, and after that con- tinued to reside in that state for many years, the father being engaged in farming. In 1864 they came to Illinois and settled near Lexington, where they still reside on a farm of forty acres. Both are consistent mem- bers of the Methodist church, and in politics the father was formerly a Whig and is now a Republican. To them were born twelve children, two of whom died in infancy, while those who reached years of maturity are John H., our subject; Marion V., a Meth- odist Episcopal minister of Kankakee ; Sarah C .. wife of S. S. Smith, of Nebraska : Maria E., wife of William Stickler, postmaster of Lexington ; Oliver M., a resident of Cropsey township, McLean county; Samuel, a resi- dent of the state of Washington; Joanna, wife of J. C. Finley, of Nebraska ; Jonas . \ .. of Washington: Margaret, wife of Il. Wil- son, who lives near Lexington, Illinois ; and Alice E., wife of Ralph Wilson, of Ne- braska.
The early education of John Il. Crum- baker was obtained in the common schools of Ohio, and after coming to Illinois with the family, at the age of eighteen years, he took an elective course at the Wesleyan Uni- versity in Bloomington and also attended school in Onarga for a short time: Subse- quently he taught school in different parts of MeLean county during the winter months for sixteen years, while through the sum- mer season he engaged in farming. In 1885 he came to Livingston county and first rent- ed a farm near Wing. Since then he has lived in voca township and has made his home upon the J. L. MeDowell farm of three hundred and ten acres since 1894.
Two hundred acres of this tract are under cultivation and he devotes the same to the raising of grain.
On the 25th of March, 1869, Mr. Crum- baker married Miss Elizabeth Jane Wilson, who was born near Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1850, and they have become the parents of eight children, two of whom died in child- hood. Those living are Victor A., who is preparing for the ministry at Du Pauw University of Indiana; William, who lives Dear Chalmers, Indiana, is married, and has two children, Bessie and an infant :1). Theo- dore, who is engaged in farming near Fair- bury, and resides at home : Jonas K., George R. and John P., who are all at home assist- ing their father on the farm.
By his ballot Mr. Crumbaker supports the men and measures of the Republican party, has served as collector of his town- ship two terms, town clerk two years and school director three years. Religiously, he is an active member and supporter of the Methodist Episcopal church, and has the confidence and respect of all who know him on account of his sterling worth and strict integrity.
SOLON C. DUNILAM.
Solon C. Dunham, a wellknown agricult- urist of Eppards Point township, who owns and operates a fine farm of one hundred and seventy-two acres on section 31, is a native of Illinois, his birth having occurred in Morgan county, October 18. 1848. His father, Ebenezer Dunham, was born in New Hampshire, in 1810, and was a son of Will- iam Dunham, also a native of the old Granite state. About 1831 Ebenezer Dunham came west and located in Morgan county, where he
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
married Catherine Sweet. a native of this state and a daughter of Peleg Sweet. one of the earliest settlers of that county. There Mr. Dunham followed farming some years, later spent about eighteen years in Wash- burn, Marshall county, and in 1865 came to Livingston county and purchased the farm on which our subject now resides. At that time it was a tract of wild prairie land. and to its improvement and cultivation he de- voted his energies throughout the remainder of his life. There he died in 1884. hon- ored and respected by all who knew him, and is still survived by his wife, who resides on the old homestead with her son.
During his boyhood and youth Solon C. Dunham attended the local schools and assisted his father in the labors of the farm, and after reaching man's estate took charge of the farm and business, which he has since carried on with marked success. He has erected a large, neat and substantial resi- cience, built a commodious barn, and has made many other improvements, which add to the beauty and value of the place.
In this county, Mr. Dunham was married, in 1880. to Miss Anna Stuckey, who was born in England, but was reared in McLean and Livingston counties, Illinois. By this union have been born four children, namely : Ralph. Roscoe B. Earl and Inez. all at home. Mrs. Dunham and Mrs. Dunham's mother are members of the Baptist church and the family is widely and favorably known. In his political views Mr. Dunham is a stanch Republican, and cast his first presidential vote for General U. S. Grant, in 1872, but he has never cared for the honors or emoluments of public office. Ile is, how- ever. a staunch friend of education, and has been an efficient member of the school board for some years.
E. W. PEARSON.
Among the pleasantest rural homes of Josmen township. Livingston county, is the one belonging to this gentleman on section 26, and his farm is one of the model places of that locality, being supplied with all modern conveniences and accessories needed by the progressive agriculturist of the pres- ent day.
Mr. Pearson was born in Miami county, Ohio, AAugust 11. 1836, and belongs to a family which was founded in that state by his grandfather, Enos Pearson, a native of Virginia. His ancestry can be traced back to two peers of England, in which country the family was quite noted. Aaron Pear- son, father of our subject. grew to manhood in Miami county, Ohio, and there married Rachel Moore, who was born in that state of German parentage. In early life the father followed farming and later engaged in the manufacture of lumber. He died in Ohio when our subject was about seven years old, his wife three years later. In their family were five children, four sons and one daugh- ter. but only E. W., our subject, and John, a resident of Marion county, Ohio, are now hving.
Our subject's school privileges during his boyhood were limited. and he is almost wholly self-educated. Being left an orphin. he was thrown upon his own resources when a lad of seven years. He grew to manhood tipon a farm and remained in his native county until October, 1855. when he came to Illinois, joining his guardian in Bloom- ington. He came to this state by himself. driving across the country with a team of horses. In November of the same year he located in Livingston county and bought eighty acres of land in Odell township. to
E. W. PEARSON.
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
the improvement and cultivation of which he devoted his attention until 1865. when he sold that place and bought one hundred and sixty acres of wikl prairie land in Es- men township, where he now resides. Ile has since added to it an eighty-acre tract. making a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation. He has erected a modern and commodious residence some distance from the road, and leading up to it is a nice driveway through grounds shaded by lovely evergreen and other shade trees. The land is well tiled, there are two good orchards upon the plice and a flowing well, which, operated by a windpump, supplies the water both for house and stock. Besides this vali- able property Mr. Pearson owns two well- improved farms near Hartley. O'Brien county, lowa, one of two hundred and forty, the other of eighty acres, and has two farms of one hundred and sixty acres each in Col- orado and one of three hundred and twenty acres in Kansas, used as cattle ranches. In connection with farming he has been en- gaged in buying and selling real estate. He is an energetic and progressive business man who carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes, and his prosperity is due entirely to his own well-directed and energetic efforts. He was one of the orig inators and charter members of the Pontiac Mutual Fire Insurance Company, organized in 1802, and was elected its first president. which position he has filled most satisfac- torily since that time.
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