USA > Illinois > Livingston County > The biographical record of Livingston County, Illinois > Part 33
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While there Mr. Siegert was married, in October, 1863, to Miss Magdalene Born- man, a native of Ilohenvard, Saxon Wimer, Eisenher, the place where Martin Luther
was imprisoned. She came to America with her cousin and lived with relatives in Morris, Illinois, until her marriage. By this union were born seven children, of whom five live, namely: Sophia, who was born in 1804, and is now the wife of Leon- ard G. Ilahn, a grain dealer of Dwight; George, who was born in 1865, and is now a resident of Los Angeles, California : John C .. born in 1868, and Henry E., born in 1870, who now have charge of their father's business; and Herman C., born in 1872, a minister of the Lutheran church at Pipe Stone, Minnesota; Anna and Mary, twins, born in July, 1869, died at the age of about six months.
On leaving Morris, Mr. Siegert moved to Channahon, Will county, Illinois, where he leased a gristmill and successfully oper- ated it for two years and a half. On the ist of April, 1867, he came to Dwight, and in company with Michael Hahn bought the old stone mill at that place, where he car- ried on business in partnership for ten years, at the end of which time Mr. Siegert pur- chased his partner's interest and operated it alone until 1891, when he put in an elec- tric light plant, the first in Dwight. As the latter business increased in importance and the demand for more light, he gave up mill- ing at the end of three years and converted the old stone mill into his present electric light plant. This is supplied with a Cor- liss engine of one hundred and seventy-tive horse-power, three dynamos, one for are and two for incandescent lights, there being thirty arc hghts used in the town and twelve hundred incandescent lights. His sons, John C. and Henry E., now attend to the active business.
Mr. Siegert has a comfortable home in Dwight. erected by him in 1871. In poli-
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tics he is independent, and in his social re- lations is connected with the Independent Order of Mutual Aid. He and his family hold membership in the Lutheran church, and he has ever taken an active part in its work, serving as an officer of the church for many years. For the success that he has achieved he deserves great credit, it being due entirely to his own industry, per- severance and good management, and he has not only won a comfortable competence. but has secured the high regard of all with whom he has come in contact by his upright, hon- orable life. He spent the spring of 1900 in visiting old friends and the familiar scenes of his boyhood home in Germany.
ENNO FLESSNER.
Enno Flessner, who is engaged in the general mercantile business in the village of Cullom, Livingston county, has been a resi- dent of the county since 1888. He was born in Ostfriesland. province of Hanover, Ger- many, February 15. 1856, and is a son of Joannes and Almuth Flessner, both of whom were born in the same province and there spent their entire lives. They were the par- ents of five children, of whom one died in childhood. Helena is the wife of Jerre Gulmers, and they live in Charlotte town- ship. Livingston county, where he is en- gaged in farming. Gretchen died in the old country. Enno is the subject of this sketch. llerman died in Germany. The father was reared to the mercantile business, which he followed during life and in which he met with gratifying success. He was also the owner of a farm, which was operated by hired help. he devoting his time to his mer- cantile business.
The subject of this sketch was reared in his native country and received a good high- school education. At a very early age he entered his father's store, and when not in school was generally assisting in the store. At the age of twenty he went into the army and served three years with his regi- ment in Berlin. Returning home at the expiration of his term of service, he there remained until 1883, when he resolved on emigrating to the new world.
Leaving his native land, Mr. Flessner crossed the ocean and came direct to Liv- igston county, Illinois, to first visit a sister. Hle remained here for two years, and then went to Iroquois county, Illinois, where he engaged in farming for two years. While residing in that county, in 1886, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Ricken. a native of Illinois, born in 1865. of Ger- man parents. Six children have come to bless their union :- John. George. Alma. Fred, Charles and Marie. The four first named are attending the public schools of Cullom.
AAfter his marriage, Mr. Flessner con- tinted on the farm in Iroquois county until 1887, when he returned to Livingston county and located in the village of Char- lotte, where he formed a partnership with Mr. Bruns erected a store building and put in a general stock of merchandise. The business was conducted one year by the firm with good success, when Mr. Flessner sold out to his partner, and in 1888 moved to Cullom, where he rented a building and put in a small stock of goods. As the volume of his trade increased he enlarged his stock, and now carries a very complete line of dry-goods, groceries, ladies' and gents' fur- nishing goods, queensware, and in fact everything contained in a general store
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suited to the wants of the community. He has met with gratifying success and has a trade of which the more pretentious mer- chants of a larger town might well be proud. Hle owns a neat, modern residence, which he has lately erected, and is acknowl- edged as one of the leading and successful business men of the place, one worthy of the confidence and respect in which he is held.
In politics Mr. Flessner is a Republican. He has been a member of the town board for several terms, and as a member of the board has taken advanced views in everything where the best interests of the people were at stake. Ile was on the committee on per- manent sidewalks and advocated the policy of having the best suitable for the place. In the spring of 1900 he was elected a mem- ber of the school board. He is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church of Cul- lom, and has been one of its trustees, and is now serving as treasurer of the church. Interested in the work of the church, he has always contributed generously of his means for its support.
JOEL WALLACE WHITMIRE, M. D.
Joel Wallace Whitmire, M. D., of Forrest, Illinois, is one of the leading physicians of Livingston county and surgeon for both the Wabash and Toledo, Peoria and Warsaw Railroads. He was born in Metamora, Woodford county, October 25, 1851, and is a son of Dr. James S. and Sidney ( Rob- mson) Whitmire. The father was born in Virginia. in 1821, and in childhood removed to Ohio with his parents. The grandfa- ther Whitmire was a tanner and currier by 17
trade, and on his removal from Sidney, Ohio, to Virginia, Cass county, Illinois, took with him a stock of leather, which he con- verted into boots and shoes for the early settlers. As a minister of the New Light church, he also preached at that place for some time. Later he became identified with the Christian church, and always took an active part in church work. His last days were spent in Johnson county, Texas.
Our subject's father, Dr. James S. Whit- mire, began the study of medicine with Dr. Kyle, of Macomb, Illinois, and later was graduated at the old Illinois Medical Col- lege, in Jacksonville. In 1846 he settled at Metamora, Illinois, where he engaged in practice until 1851, when he took his degree at Rush Medical College, Chicago. Ile returned to practice in Metamora, and later took a third course at Jefferson Medical Col- lege, Philadelphia. During the Civil war he served as assistant surgeon with the Sixth Illinois Regiment of cavalry one year, and was then transferred to the Fifty-sixth Illi- nois Infantry as surgeonof Greene B. Raum's regiment, with which he remained until after the battle of Vicksburg, when he took charge of his brother's private practice, allowing the latter to go to Springfield and serve as examining surgeon. He was one of the most prominent physicians and surgeons of his section of the state, and was also a prom- inent charter member of the Woodford County Medical Society and the North Cen- tral Medical Society. The State Medical Society had only been organized a short time when he joined it, and he has served as its vice-president a number of times, and was president for the first two, and an ex- tensive writer for medical journals through- out life. Socially he was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Ma-
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sonic order. He died in July, 1897. On the 4th of July, 1846, he married Miss Sidney Robinson, a native of Morgan coun- ty, Illinois, and a daughter of Joel Robin- son, an early settler of that county. for- merly of Ohio, where the families had been intimate. The Robinsons were also from Virginia. At his death the father of our subject had three living children.
Dr. Joel W. Whitmire acquired his early education in the schools of Metamora and later attended the Soldiers' College at Ful- ton, Illinois, and then Eureka Collego for two year-, finishing the junior year. lle commenced the study of medicine with his father, and took his first course of lectures at Rush Medical College, Chicago, in the winter of 1874-5. graduating from that noted institution in the spring of 1877. It is a peculiar fact that the father had two brothers who read with him and graduated from the same school, and also three sons and one nephew. The other sons were Dr. Clarence L., who was engaged in practice at Sublette, Illinois, and later at Waverly, Iowa, where he died; and Dr. Zach- ariah Lincoln, of Urbana, Illinois, who died in 1809. After his graduation our subject was engaged in practice with his father for eight years, and then came to Forrest, where he has successfully followed his chosen pro- fession for fifteen years, being acknowl- edged one of the best and most skillful phy- sicians and surgeons in the eastern part of the county. For some years he has been surgeon for the Wabash and Toledo, Peoria and Warsaw Railroads, and his duties were quite arduous when their shops were located in Forrest. He is also a member of the examining board for pensions, of which he is treasurer : has been a member of the board of health some years, and was the
first to inaugurate the strict quarantine of certain contagious diseases. lle is exam- iner for all the old-line life insurance com- panies doing business in Forrest, and for a time was engaged in the drug business at that place. Fraternally he is an honored member of the Woodford County, the North Central and the State Medical So- cieties.
In September. 1877. Dr. Whitmire mar- ried Miss Laura Northcott, of Christian county, a relative of Lieutenant-Governor Northcott, and to them have been boru two children, Mary Maude June and Sidney. The family have a beautiful home in the west part of town, and attend the Christian church, of which Mrs. Whitmire is a mem- ber. The Doctor affiliates with the Ma- sonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He joined the last named fraternity at Mata- mora and was past grand there. In politics he is an ardent Republican, and has fre- quently been a delegate to different con- ventions of his party, including the state conventions, and has served as a member of the township board.
IION. MICHAEL CLEARY.
Hon. Michael Cleary, who is represent- in the twentieth district as a member of the General Assembly of Illinois, and who for more than a quarter of a century has repre- sented his township as a member of the coun- ty board of supervisors of Livingston coun- ty, was born in Clonmell, county Tipperary, Ireland, February 9, 1840, and is a son of Philip and Mary ( Hefferman) Cleary. the mother being a cousin of Colonel Heffer- man, of Bloomington, who served on the staff of Governor Altgeld.
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Philip Cleary was a farmer in county Tipperary, Ireland, on a place which had been the home of the family for many gen- erations. Hearing so much of the great United States, and with that laudable desire to better provide for his family, he emigrated with them to this country in 1840, landing at Philadelphia on the 25th of May, our sub- ject being then but a few months old. From Philadelphia he went direct to Youngstown, Ohio, where he found employment, with others, in digging the Hocking Valley canal. He remained at Youngstown one year and then came to Illinois, locating at Spring Creek, now Spring Valley, Bureau county. where he engaged in farming. In 1845 he moved to Grundy county, Illinois, and was working on the Illinois canal when it was opened up the second time. He continued to work on the canal until its completion, in 1848, when he located near Ottawa, La Salle county, and again resumed farming.
While residing in Bureau county Philip (lareyhanled his grain to Chicago with oxen. There were there no bridges and all the streams had to be forded. The grain was development of the home farm and in due the wagon the more easily and carried across the sloughs when the oxen stuck in the mud. Clothing for the family was all home-made, and all were thankful for what they coul.1 get. The family were among the first Cath- olies to locate in Bureau county, and they had to go to Peru to attend religious services. While residing in Ottawa, in 1861, the mother died, and in 1868 the father came to Livingston county and made his home with our subject until his death, in 1884. He was a firm believer in the Catholic relig- ion and gave liberally for the support of the Catholic church.
When the family moved to Ottawa our
subject was about eight years old. From that time on he was of assistance in the time was thoroughly conversant with the details of farm work. He was educated in the schools of Ottawa, but the broad gen- eral information which he now possesses was principally obtained in the school of ex- perience. Like a dutiful son, he remained at home and assisted his parents until he was twenty-one years old, when he began life for himself, and that his life has been a successful one is fully attested by the record here given.
On the 14th of August, 1865, Mr. Cleary was united in marriage with Miss Ellen Burke, of Sandwich, Ilinois, but a native of county Tipperary, Ireland, and daughter of Jeffrey Burke, who was also born in coun- ty Tipperary. By this union ten children were born, all of whom are yet living. Will- iam P. is now a druggist in Odell, Illinois. HIon. John M. graduated from the law de- partment of the Wesleyan University, of Bloomington, with the degree of LL. B. Ile is now one of the leading attorneys of Kansas City, Missouri, and is a member of the legislature of that state. Katherine. Alice. Ellen and Lillie are each graduates of the best convent schools of the country. Frank, Albert, Joseph and Leo are engaged in farming. All of them have had good ed- ucational and other advantages.
Immediately after his marriage Mr. Cleary rented a farm near Ottawa, Illinois, and engaged in general farming and stock raising. With limited capital, but with un- bounded courage and steadfast determina- tion, he began farming, and in three years he accumulated means sufficient to purchase a farm for himself. In 1868 he came to Livingston county and purchased the south half of section 1, Odell township, and at
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once began its improvement. The land was in its virgin state and the first thing neces- sary was the erection of a house for his fan- ily. This done, he set out a hedge fence, broke the ground and cammenced tilling the soil. That first three hundred and twenty acres he yet owns, but he has added to his possessions until he has thirteen hundred acres in the vicinity, all of which it under the highest state of cultivation. Being a broad guaged man he has ever been willing to learn and to adopt any theory or sugges- tion that seemed best, and which would in- crease the value of his farm and possessions. He constructed the first ditches for drain- ing in his vicinity, and also laid the first tile, hauling the same a distance of fifteen miles. In 1879 he moved "out of the old house into the new." At that time he built and now occupies one of the finest houses in Livingston county, and which, when erected, was far superior to any. The large elegant parlors, with their furnishings, would grace a modern city home.
Mr. Cleary has also one of the finest barns in the state, which was erected about the same time that his house was built. It is occupied by grain bins and by his horses, being used for cattle, while the second story is occupied by grain bins and by his horses, and the third floor for agricultural imple- ments and hay. He has bins for six thou- sand bushels of oats, and from the bins, by means of spouts, the grain is carried to the basement. He has also large cribs for corn, of which a great quantity is always kept on hand for feeding purposes.
While carrying on general farming Mr. Cleary has been especially interested in the importation and breeding of the best grades of cattle and hogs. Hle had the first Poland China hogs in the county, and did much to
secure the general introduction of this breed, to the great benefit of all farmers. He al- ways has upon his place a large number of short-horned cattle, which he feeds and pre- pares for the market. He has been one of the most successful farmers in the county, being thoroughly progressive in all things. While others complained of the times and of Providence, he worked, and the result is plainly to be seen. In addition to his Liv- ingston county property he owns a half- section of well improved land in lowa, and a full section in South Dakota.
In politics Mr. Cleary has always been a Democrat and since he attained his ma- jority he has always taken an active interest in political affairs. He has never been able to see the necessity of leaving political af- fairs to the professional men and to the ward politician, but believes that every man should take such interest in public matters as will elevate politics and make better citizens. Since coming to Livingston county he has had large influence in moukling public opin- ion and in the dissemination of Democratic principles. He has served on the county cen- tral committee of his party and has repeat- edlly been a delegate to its state conventions. In 1892 he was one of the Cleveland electors and had the honor of being a member of the electoral college that elected a president, au honer that comes to but few.
Although in a Republican township Mr. Cleary. in 1874. was elected to represent it as a member of the board of supervisors, and from that time to the present has been continuously re-elected. and is now the old- est member of the board in point of service. His influence on the board has always been felt and for many years he served as its president. When not chairman of the gen- eral board he has usually served as chairman
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of some of its most important committees. During his first year the crection of the pres- ent court house of the county was com- menced. the old buikling having been de- stroved by fire July 4, 1874. He has been chairman of the county farm committee, and of the public property committee, and in every position he has acted for the best good of the public. Under the new revenue law creating a board of public review, he was chairman of that board in 1899.
In 1882 Mr. Cleary was elected a men- ber of the legislature and was re-elected in 1884 and in 1886. During his first term he introduced into the house the present farm drainage law, which was supported in the senate by Hon. George Torrance. In 1885 he secured the passage in the house of a bill to regulate charges in the stock yards. which was known as the stock yards bill, but it was defeated in the senate, for the reason that that body seemed more friendly to corporations. In 1887 he secured the pas- sage of the game bill for the protection of wild fowl, which bill passed the senate and became a law. After an interval of ten years Mr. Cleary was again nominated by his party and was elected to the legislature. In the session of 1898-99 he introduced a bill into the house limiting the rate of interest in the state to five per cent. The monied in- terests were too strong for him and the bill failed of passage. It will be seen, however, that when a member of the General _Assem- bly Mr. Cleary was an active one. and all his acts were in the interest of the people. Ilis principal work has been in the committee room, but whether in committee or on the floor of the house he has always exerted a commanding influence.
Realizing the benefits of a good educa- tion Mr. Cleary has always been a friend
of the public schools, and for many years served as a member of the school board, and it is safe to say that his influence was always for the general good and for im- proved methods. While Catholic in re- ligion, he is liberal in his views, and is will- ing to grant to others the same liberty he asks for himself in religious affairs, and he numbers among his strongest friends those of the Protestant religion. For the erection of churches he has ever been a liberal con- tributor, it mattered not what the denomina- tion represented. He is a member of St. Paul's Catholic church of Odell, and was the treasurer of the committee of five who built and paid for the church before even a priest had located there. He was one of the first members of the Catholic church in his vicinity. His wife and family are also members of the same church.
For nearly a third of a century Mr. Cleary has been a citizen of Livingston county, and no man within its borders is better known, or who has more earnest, steadfast friends. With few advantages in his youth, and starting in life for himself with very limited means, he has labored early and late, in sunshine and in shade, until to-day he is numbered among the most prosperous residents of the county, sur- rounded by all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life, and more than all. by a contented and happy family, a loving wife, who has been a helpmeet indeed to him, and children helpful to him as age creeps on. In the years that have pasesd he has not selfishly given his entire time and best ener- gies to the material welfare of himself and family, but has given much time and his best thoughts to the general good of the community in which he has lived. As a member of the county board of supervisors,
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and legislative halls, he has made his mark, and the confidence and respect in which he is held by those who know him best is at- tested by his continual re-election to office. A thorough, progressive and energetic farmer, a wise legislator, a good, substan- tial citizen and a faithful friend. such. in- deed. is Hon. Michael Cleary. of Living- ston county.
AARON JAMES BENNETT.
Aaron James Bennett, a representative farmer of Avoca township, Livingston coun- ty, was born in the house now occupied by him. February 28, 1865, and is a son of John and Rachel (Shaw) Bennett, both of whom were born in Cape May, New Jersey, and in early life moved with their respective parents to Ohio, but after spending one winter in that state the families went to Indiana, settling near Rossville. It was there that the parents of our subject were united in marriage, and there the father be- gan a successful career as a farmer and also did teaming from Chicago to Lafayette, In- diana. In 1852 he came to Livingston county, Illinois, and rented land in Avoca township for three years. He then pur- chased one hundred and twenty acres of government land, which is now a part of the old homestead farm. By hard work and untiring perseverance he converted this wild tract into a fine farm, adding to its value by erecting modern buildings, fencing, til- ing and otherwise improving the same. He also purchased other land until he now owns a half-section, which has nearly all been improved by himself or under his direction. In 1888 he purchased a comfortable home
in Fairbury, where he now resides, and where his wife died in 1890. In politics he is a stanch Republican, and being a well- educated and popular man, has been elected to numerous offices in his township. serving as collector some time, supervisor six years, and trustee of the school district a number of years.
The subject of this sketch is the seventh in order of birth in a family of eight chil- dren. the others being as follows: Sarah, who lives with her father in Fairbury ; Ma- rian. wife of Joshua Mills, of Springfield, Illinois; W. Scott, also at home: John E., a resident of Thawville, Illinois; George Ii .. a resident of Bell Prairie township; Emma, wife of John Mitten, an employe of Walton Brothers, of Fairbury; and Mary D., at home.
Aaron J. Bennett attended the district schools near his boyhood home, also took a course in the public schools of Fairbury, and later was a student at Onarga for a few months. He grew to manhood upon his father's farm, assisting in its operation until he attained man's estate, and he now rents the place, being successfully engaged in the cultivation of two hundred acres. He is also interested in stock raising, which he finds quite profitable.
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