USA > Illinois > Livingston County > The biographical record of Livingston County, Illinois > Part 29
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called upon to fill various local offices. Ile sought to wield a healthy influence over his children, to whom he gave a liberal educa- tion and encouraged them in the exercise of those virtues by which they became valued and reputable citizens.
William Louis Rabe was born near Steubenville, Ohio, May 8, 1839. His ele- mentary education was conducted chiefly by his father, an intelligent farmer and teacher. Subsequently he was thoroughly trained in the higher branches, first taking a course in Richmond College and then matriculating in the Cleveland Medical University. He be- gan the practice of his profession at Wells- ville, Ohio, the larger portion of which was on the Virginia side of the Ohio river. Dur- ing the civil war he served as assistant sur- geon with the Union forces, and was wounded upon the occasion of General Mor- gan's capture in Columbiana county. . Is hostilities drew to a close, in common with other industrious citizens he prepared to re- sume the occupations of peace. For a time his decision wavered between the adoption of the clerical and the medical professions. In 1862 he was chosen president of the Rich- mond (Ohio) College, which position he resigned after filling it two terms. In 1805 he entered both the McCormick Theological Seminary and Rush Medical College, of Chicago, two years thereafter receiving a diploma from each of the institutions named. After his graduation he was honored with calls from the First Presbyterian church, of Bloomington, Illinois, Mattoon, Illinois, and LaPorte, Indiana. In 1867 he located at the place first named and remained there nine years, when he removed to Dwight to engage in the practice of medicine. Ilere for more than twenty years he has given faithful and effective attention to his pro-
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fessional duties, and has established one of the largest and most lucrative practices to be found in the interior of the state. He is a constant reader of the best medical litera- ture of the day, to which he is also a valued contributor. He is a member of the state, inter-state and national societies, and cor- respondent of the World's Medical Con- gress. lle has repeatedly delivered ad- dresses before medical associations. The following is an extract from an address made before the Inter-State Association : "Gentlemen or Brothers-Wise and learned as we are supposed or ought to be-walking or moving thesaurus of medical knowledge. can anyone answer satisfactorily why or of what a pain is? Why are so many so se- riously sick? Or most of all, why do so many die?"
Conservative in medical practices as he is, in theory he is always respecting and try- ing a new remedy. He never discharges an old soldier (so to speak) in old attire for a recruit in costlier dress, until he knows the latter can more quickly wound or kill one or more of the twenty-five hundred diseases that not only affliet but by which mankind ultimately dies. He has a bitter hatred of artful or underhanded dealing of any kind; is in fact an uncompromising but honest fighter when he believes he is in the right or has been unjustly assailed. A case in point was the protracted contest which was waged against him by the Keeley Company. A post graduate of the Keeley Institute, and at the same time an attorney for the same. had him called before the United States court for a technical violation of the reve- nue law -. The Doctor was asked to plead for himself and in ten minutes his case was dismissed, the United States district at- terney emphasizing the fact by the remark :
"This is a vindication of a noble man." The closing period of Dr. Rabe's address was as follows: "If there is any secret oath re- corded as I know on earth, and I trust in heaven. it is that I am a good Templar. And more : I have on my body the mark of a wound out of which blood flowed. more than several drops of blood, over thirty years ago, in defense of a country the best of which history gives any record. Now please do not even intimate when I am get- ting old and gray and feel I am verging to- wards the close of active life, that I should for any canse be forgetful of the past, recre- ant to sacred duty ; in a word, be a semi- traitor to the strong. lasting, benefiicent government that not only protects my prop- erty. but graciously shields and preserves my person." The sequence of the case was the dismissal of the attorney by the com- pany, and they in turn were summoned by the people to appear before the bar of one of the lower and higher courts of the com- monwealth of Illinois for actual violation of law and good order.
In 1867 Dr. Rabe was married to Miss Emma Clay Temple, of Bloomington, Illi- nois, whose parents were natives of Vir- ginia, and lineal descendants of the Parke Curtis ( Martha Washington ) family. Mrs. Rabe died in August. 1888, leaving four children: Mildred T., born July 17. 1808. is the widow of Leonard Howlett, of Syra- ense, New York, and a resident of that place: William I ... born October 8, 1800, is connected with the Chicago & M.on Railroad and is a resident of Washington, Illinois; Clarence Parke, born January 10, 1872. is connected with the firm of Nicolas Cramer & Company, dealers in real estate, insurance and loans, of Chicago; Lucy E., born Jan- vary 21, 1874. is at home. All have been
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provided with good educational advantages, and Mrs. Howlett studied music for two years under Professor Phelps, of Chicago. Both she and her sisters are singers of unu- sual ability. The former is and has been for several years a salaried soloist in the First Presbyterian church, of Syracuse. New York, devoting herself to concert and church service, or engagements.
JAMES MCCORMICK.
James McCormick, one of the early set- tlers and highly respected citizens of Living- Ston county, who is now living a retired life in the village of Strawn. Fayette township, is a native of this state, born in La Salle county, October 21. 1837. and is a son of Alfred and Amanda (Downerd ) MeCor- mick. llis paternal grandfather was Charles MeCormick. a native of County Tyrone. Ireland, who, on coming to this country at an early day. settled in Fayette e mnty. Penn- sylvania, where his three sons and two daughters were born and reared. He went 10 La Salle county, Illinois, with the father of our subject, and engaged in farming in Farm Ridge township for many years, but died in Bruce township at the age of seventy-three years. Ilis wife, who survived him several years, died in the same place and was laid to rest by his side. Alfred McCormick was born in Fay- ette county, Pennsylvania, about 1808, and remained there until twenty-five years of age. assisting his father in the work of the farm. In 1833 he moved to La Salle coun- ty. Illinois, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of government land in Farm Ridge township, which property he improved
and made his home for about eight years. On selling out he bought another farm in the same township, and lived there for a number of years, when he disposed of that place and moved to Streator, where he spent the last ten years of his life in retirement from active labor, dying there in 1886. He was a consistent member of the Methodist church, which his family attended, and was a life-long Democrat, but never sought nor held public office. He was a public-spirited man, an advocate of all that would tend to advance or improve the community in which he lived. His wife survived him about three years, and also died in Streator. Of their eleven children, eight are still living, our subject being the second in order of birth.
Until he attained his majority James Me- Cormick lived with his parents, assisting in the farm work and attending the common schools of La Salle county. He then en- gaged in farming for himself upon rented land in that county until after the Civil war broke out. when he enlisted at Ottawa. in August. 1862, in Company E. One Hundred and Fourth Ilinois Volunteer Infantry. At Hartsville, Tennessee. he was taken prisoner, and held for about six months before being exchanged. Returning home sick. he was finally discharged at Ottawa, in the winter of 1863.
After recovering his health Mr. MeCor- mick came to Livingston county, where for a year he worked by the month for Mr. Morgan, one of the earliest settlers of the county, and for the same length of time herded cattle where the town of Strawn now stands. Hle next engaged in farming for himself in Fayette township, and followed that occupation continuously for twenty years. For four years he was then engaged in the liquor business in Strawn, and at
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Kangley, La Salle county, ten years, after which he returned to Strawn, where he con- ducted a saloon one year. but since that time has lived a retired life, enjoying the fruits of former toll. Since attaining his major- ity Mr. McCormick has always affiliated with the Democratic party, and is a member of the Roman Catholic church of Strawn, to which his family also belong. lle is widely and favorably known and has many friends throughout Livingston and La Salle coun- ties.
In Farm Ridge township, La Salle coun- ty, Mr. McCormick was married, February 4, 1858. to Miss Jane Conelly, a native of Oswego, New York, and the third in order of birth in a family of ten children, seven of who are still living. Her parents were Michael and Margaret ( Coregan ) Conelly. Iler father, who was a miller by trade. died in Oswego, at the age of thirty years, but her mother lived to the advanced age of ninety and died in Fayette township. Living- ston county. September 24. 1899.
nie is the wife of William .A. Somers, of Strawn, and they had nine children, namely : Frank, Elizabeth J., Geneva, William, Peter, Katie, Cora, Marie and William, 2nd. (5) Kose, the first white child born in Fayette township. Livingston county, is the wife of James Keeley, a farmer of Forrest township, and they have seven children : Edward, Maggie. Thomas, May, Agnes. Teresa and James. (6) Cora died at the age of nine months. (7) Agnes is the wife of WI. . 1. Myers, of Chicago, superintendent of the Harlem race track. (8) Lizzie is at home. (9) Teresa is now teaching in the public schools of Sibley, and also taught in Kangley five years. ( 10) Katie died at the age of two years and four months. ( 11 ) Martha is the wife of Elmer Davis, a farmer of For- rest township, and they have two children. Josephine and Jane Frances.
AUGUSTUS ROBINSON.
To Mr. and Mrs. McCormick were born the following children: (1) Thomas P. died at the age of two months. (2) Ed- ward, an engineer on the Union Pacific Rail- road and a resident of Pittsburg, Kansas, has been married three times, his first wife being Mary Saughnessey, by whom he had four children: James : Thomas, who died at the age of sixteen years: William and Edna Jane, who both died in infancy. His second wife was Florence Lossing and to them were Lorn two children, Ruth and Edith. Ilis present wife was Delia Otterman. (3) Maggie is the widow of Thomas Smoot, a telegraph operator of Strawn, where she is now keeping a boarding house. She had three children : Robert, Maude and Thomas, all living : and Catherine, deceased. (4) Min- ernment. His grandfather, Nathaniel Richey.
Augustus Robinson, who for a third of a century has been prominently identified with the agricultural interests of Broughton town- ship. Livingston county, his home being on section 30, is a native of Hlinois, born in La Salle county, October 24. 1840, and is a son of James and Sophia ( Richey ) Robin- son, who were born in Ohio, in 1815 and 1818, respectively, and when young came to this state with their parents, settling in La Salle county during the Indian troubles. There the families engaged in farming un- der great difficulties, hauling their wheat to Chicago markets. The grandparents of our subject all died in La Salle county upon land which they had taken up from the gov-
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served as a private in the war of 1812. Our subject's parents were married in La Salle county and settled on government land where they made their home throughout life, the father dying June 2, 1899, the mother in 1864. He was a radical Republican in politics, but never took an active part in po- litical affairs, however, and both were earn- est and consistent members of the Congre- gational church. Augustus was their old- est child, the others being Priscilla, wife of Ellison Shepherd, a farmer of La Platte, Missouri: Alexander, a farmer of High- more, South Dakota; Andrew J., a resident of Granville, Illinois : Eva S., wife of R. N. West, of Mexico, Missouri; John H., who is living near that place; James V., who lives near Geneva, Nebraska; and Sophia, wife of William E. Hoke, of Odell.
Augustus Robinson is indebted to the public schools of La Salle county for his early educational advantages. He remained upon the home farm until he attained his majority, and then enlisted in 1862 in Com- pany B, One Hundred and Fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He followed his regi- ment to the Cumberland mountains, where he was taken ill and assigned to other duty. He participated in the battle of Nashville, and was honorably discharged in July, 1865. After his return home he rented land and lived near his parents until his marriage. In 1866 he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of unimproved land in Broughton township, Livingston county, but did not lo- cate thereon until two years later. It was canal land, which by hard work and skill- ful management he has transformed into one of the most productive and best improved farms of the locality. As he succeeded he added another one hundred and eighteen acres to his farm, and now has two hundred
and seventy-eight acres on section 30 under a high state of cultivation. He has made a specialty of stock raising, devoting his at- tention principally to hogs.
Mr. Robinson was united in marriage January 9, 1868, with Miss Alice Hayward, who was born in county Kent, England, August 25. 1842, and about 1850 emigrated to Toronto, Canada, with her parents, John and Mary ( Waghorne ) Hayward. In 1866 she came to La Salle county, Illinois. Her parents made their home in Saugatuck, Michigan, but her father died while on a visit at the home of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson have five children: (1) William .A., who lives near Kirksville, Mis- souri, married Edith Gilbert, daughter of C. H. Gilbert, of Emington, Illinois, and they have four children, Elsie G., Lael F., Clyde A. and Mary A. ( 2) Mattie 1., who was educated at Oberlin College, is the wife of Dr. C. P. Wikoff. a prominent physician of Emington, and they have one daughter, Alice F. (3) Gertrude took a course of music at Wheaton College, and is now at home. (4) Horace E., who operates a part of his father's farm, married Alice Drew, daughter of Thomas Drew, of Eming- ton, and they have two children, Harland Drew and Irving Clare. (5) Charles .1. is at home.
Politically Mr. Robinson is a stanch Re- publican, and has held nearly every office in the township, serving as collector, assessor and supervisor one term each, and school treasurer since 1875. He takes quite an active and prominent part in local politics, and has been a delegate to state and county conventions of his party. Fraternally he is a member of the Grand Army Post of Saune- min; and religiously is a member of the Congregational church, of which he is treas-
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urer and trustee. He is a worthy Christian gentleman, well liked by all who know l'm.
ELLAS HARTMAN.
Elias Hartman. a prosperous and sub- stantial farmer residing on section 23. Sulli- van township. Livingston county, Illinois, was born in Tazewell county, this state, July 20. 1842. a son of Peter and Agnes ( Hart- man ) Hartman, who, though of the same name, were not related prior to their mar- riage. They were natives of Germany, and shortly after their marriage emigrated to the new world, locating first in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Not long afterward they went to Ohio, and after a short time spent in that state came to Tazewell county. Illinois, where they were numbered among the early settlers. There the father pur- chased land and engaged in farming until his death. In the family were six children : Ann, who died young ; Henry, a resident of Tazewell county; Elias, our subject: Ben- jamin, deceased, who spent his entire life in Tazewell county; Sarah and Emanuel, still residents of that county.
The subject of this review began his edu- cation in an old log school-house in Tazewell county, one mile from his boyhood home. where he pursued his studies for two months during the winter. and later walked two miles to school through timber, over hills and hollows. At intervals he attended school through the winter as he had oppor- tunity until about twenty years of age, and thus acquired a good practical education. His father had died when the family was young, and he remained at home with his mother until he attained his majority, and
then commenced farming on a small tract of land for himself, at the same time assist- ing in the management of the home place. In 1866 he came to Livingston and bought a forty-acre tract of land adjoining the eighty acres of raw prairie land purchased by his mother, and that year broke both places. As he was unmarried he returned to the old home in Tazewell county each winter for four years, and in the spring would resume his farming operations here.
On the 24th of January. 1871. Mr. Hart- man was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Shelly, a native of Butler county, Pennsyl- vama, and a daughter of Henry and Marga- ret ( Drushel) Sholly who was also born in that county, and spent his last days in Kan- kakee county, Hllinois. She is the second in order of birth in a family of five children. the others being Elizabeth, wife of Emanuel Hartman, of Tazewell : Reinhard, a resident vi Round Grove township. Livingston coun- ty : Matilda, wife of Albert Wild, of Ogle county, Illinois: and Mary, who died at about the age of ten years. Of the twelve children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hartman one died in infancy. The others are Mar- tha, wife of Elias Christophel, residing on section 12. Sullivan township. Livingston county : Henry, who married Ida Engle and lives in Tazewell county : Peter, a resident of Livingston county : Margaret, wife of John Diebel, living on section 22. Sullivan town- ship: and John, Emanuel, Levi, Amanda, Harvey. Reuben and Lewis, all at home.
After his marriage Mr. Hartman moved into a house on his mother's eighty-acre farm in Livingston county, and three years later built his present residence on his own land. A year or two after making the first purchase he bought another forty acres, and in course of ten years bought the eighty
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acres belonging to his mother, so that he land, having one of the largest and best owned all of the northeast quarter of sec- improved farms in the county. In connection with general farming he engaged in stock raising quite extensively, and in all his un- dertaking's met with most gratifying suc- cess. Ile has ever been found upright and honorable in all his dealings, and the pros- perity that has come to him is certainly weh deserved. tion 23, Sullivan township. He has since bought eighty acres on section 14, and the southwest quarter of section 22, making four hundred acres, lacking one acre, on which the school-house is located, and the track of the Illinois Central Railroad, which runs through one quarter-section. lle is a thorough and skillful farmer, a man of good business ability and sound judgment, and has met with well-merited success in his farming operations. Both Mr. and Mrs. llartman are members of the Mennonite church, of Cullom, and he is independent in politics, voting for the men best qualified for the positions regardless of party lines.
JOSEPH KUNTZ.
Joseph Kuntz, a highly esteemed and honored citizen of Strawn, Livingston coun- ty, Illinois, was born in Alsace, France, July 16, 1825, and is a son of Michael and Barbara ( Boch ) Kuntz, who spent almost their entire lives as farming people in Ba- varia, Germany, going there in 1829. In their family were five children, namely : Jacob, Frederick, Joseph, Magdalena and Barbara.
The early life of our subject was spent in his native land, but in 1865 he crossed the broad Atlantic and took up his residence in Tazewell county, Hilnois, where he en- gaged in farming until coming to Livingston county, in 1868. Ile then purchased one hundred and sixty acres on section 18, Fay- ette township, to which he added from time to time until he became the owner of seven hundred and twenty acres of rich and arable
On the 7th of April, 1856, Mr. Kuntz married Miss Barbara Meister, who was also born in Germany. September 17, 1837, and to them were born the following chil- dren : ( 1) Peter, a resident of Fayette town- ship, married Elizabeth Garboge, and they have six children, Joseph, William, Hler- mann, Clara, Catherine, Hallie and an in- fant daughter. (2) Joseph, a resident of Ford county, Ilinois, married Elizabeth Kanauer, and has one son, Frank. (3) Hen- ry, a farmer of McLean county, married Emma Friday. (4) Mary is now the wife of Eric N. Gullberg, mentioned below. (5) Susan is the wife of Henry Witzburger, a farmer of Fayette township, Livingston county, and they have one daughter, Stella. (6) Albert married Sarah Schrine and re- sides in Ford county. (7) John married Lena Schrine and resides on the home farm of Mr. Kuntz. (8) Kittie married Andrew Roth and they live in Ford county. (9) Rosa married Gustolph Ringle, and resides in Strawn.
Mr. Kuntz and his family are devout members of the Catholic church, and are people of prominence in the communities where they reside. Politicaly he is identi- fied with the Democratic party, and has ever taken a deep and commendable interest in public affairs. He filled the office of road commissioner two terms and school director for the same length of time.
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Eric N. Gullberg, one of the leading business men of Strawn, was born in the southern part of Sweden, January 18. 1858, a son of Nels and Anna ( Olson ) Erickson. For about eighteen years the father was en- gaged in the manufacture of shoes, conduct- ing a large shop and employng seven or eight hands. On retiring from that business he turned his attention to farming, which he followed for many years. He died at his home in Sweden, in 1881, at the age of sixty-five years, and the mother departed this life in 1895. at the age of eighty-one. In their family were six children, three of whom are still living. namely: Peter N. Erickson, who is now engaged in the shoe business in St. Paul, Minnesota; Nellie Erickson, who is unmarried and still resides in Sweden: and Eric N. Gullberg, our sub- ject.
Mr. Gullberg was reared and educated in Sweden, attending the high school of his birth-place. He worked on his father's farm until seventeen years of age, and then entered the Swedish army, serving five years as a corporal in a cavalry regiment. and during his vacations was employed in a wholesale house in Sullvesburg. On enter- nig the army he changed his name from Erickson to Gullberg, which was the name of one of his cousins, and has since retained the latter. In 1883 he embarked in the gro- cery business in Pukawic, but his store was destroyed by fire in August. 1885. and he lost all he had. Hle then worked in a grocery store until coming to the United States April 15. 1890. He made his home in Chi- cago until March, 189t, and then went to Goodland, Indiana, where he worked on a farm for nearly a year. On the 3d of Febru- ary, 1802. he came to Strawn, and after being employed as a farm hand for about
four years, he embarked in the liquor busi- ness in that village, which he still carries on with good success.
On the 23d of August. 1898, in Strawn. Mr. Gullberg was united in marriage with Mrs. Mary L. Benway, daughter of Joseph Kuntz, and widow of Joseph Benway, by whom she had three children. all still liv- ing. namely : Albert J .. Oscar W. and Will- iam J. In his political views Mr. Gullberg is a Republican, and in his social relations is a member of Payson Lodge, No. 705. 1. O. O. F., and Fayette Lodge. No. 458. K. P., of Strawn. He has passed all the chairs in both orders, and is now secretary and repre- sentative in the former and master of ex- chequer in the latter, having held the last named office for the past three years. He is also a prominent member of the Living- ston County Liquor Dealers' Association, and has been treasurer of the same since its organization.
CHARLES H. HORE.
Charles H. Hoke, chief deputy sheriff of Livingston county, and one of the lead- ing citizens of Pontiac, was born in Union township. this county, June 28, 1861, a son of Samuel and Laura N. ( Kenney ) Hoke. The father was born in Bedford county. Pennsylvania, and there grew to manhood and learned the cabinet-maker's trade. The mother was a native of Williamsburg. the same state, and a dughter of a Mr. Kenney, a well-known attorney of that place. Three of their children were born in Pennsylvania before the family came to Illinois. There the father conducted a large furnture and undertaking establishment, but on account of failing health he was obliged to discontinue
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