USA > Illinois > Livingston County > The biographical record of Livingston County, Illinois > Part 34
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In 1888 Mr. Bennett was united in mar- riage with Miss Clara Davis, who was born in Ohio in 1868. Her parents, Eben and Dorothy ( Maurice ) Davis, still reside in that state. Clara is the oldest of their four children: Rose is the wife of Fred Liedolf, of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Edward is a resi- dent of Lima, Ohio; and Harry is a mem- ber of the Fourth United States Infantry, and is now with the army in the Philippines. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have two children : Walter R., born June 20, 1880; and Rachel
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D., born July 22, 1890, are both attending the district school.
By his ballot Mr. Bennett supports the men and measures of the Republican party and is an active worker at the polls, looking after the voters of his districe. For nine years he served as school director, as school trustee two years, and was then appointed school treasurer, which position he now holls. He has never sought office, but when elected has served the people faithfully and well. lle is upright and honorable in all his dealings and supports church work, being a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Fairbury, as is his wife. Fraternally he is a member of the Mutual Aid Society of Fairbury.
THOMAS J. O'CONNOR.
Thomas J. O'Connor, a well-to-do and successful farmer residing on section 6, Germanville township, Livingston county, is a native of Illinois, born in La Salle coun- ty. March 19, 1861, and is a son of Timothy and Margaret ( Murphy ) O'Connor. The father, a native of Ireland, came to the United States at the age of nineteen, and lived for some years in New York state before coming to Illinois. He engaged in farming near Ottawa, La Salle county, un- til the fall of 1868, when he moved to Liv- ingston county, taking up his residence in Charlotte township, where he purchased a farm of eighty acres. Later he added to it until he had one hundred and sixty acres, and successfully engaged in its operation for some years, but is now living a retired life in Chatsworth, where he located in the spring of 1892. He made all of the improvements 1" on his place and transformed the wild
land into a highly productive farm. His wife is still living, as are also five of their six children, our subject being the oldest.
During his boyhood and youth Thomas j. O'Conner attended the public schools, and remained at home with his parents. assist- ing in the work of the farm, until they re- moved to Chatsworth. He served as clerk of Charlotte township seven years, and al- ways took a deep and commendable interest in public affairs. In the spring of 1892 he removed to Germanville township and bought the farm of one hundred and sixty acres which is now his home. He has since made many improvements on the place. and has one of the most desirable farms of its size in the township. He is now serving as town clerk of Germanville, and has al- ready become prominently identified with the interests of that section of the county.
On the 20th of October, 1887, in Chats- worth, Mr. O'Connor was united in mar- riage with Miss Julia Murphy, a daughter of Patrick Murphy, of La Salle county, who is now engaged in farming in Chatsworth township. Four children bless this union, whose names and dates of birth are as fol- lows: Emmet. April 17. 1889: Vera. De- cember 27, 1890: Lucile. April 2. 1802; and Julia, September 8, 1898. The first two were born in Charlotte township. the others in Germanville township.
THOMAS ANDREWS.
Thomas AAndrews, of Pontiac, Illinois, is now living a retired life in the enjoy- ment of a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves by reason of his indus- trious efforts of former years, Accom-
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plishment and progress ever imply labor. energy and diligence, and it was these quali- ties which enabled our subject to rise from the ranks of the many and stand among the successful few. He is one of the highly respected citizens of Pontiac, and his long residence in Livingston county and the active part he has taken in its development well entitle him to representation in its his- tory.
Mr. Andrews was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire, England, October 16, 1844, a son of James and Elizabeth ( Plowright ) Andrews, natives of the same place. In 1855 the family emigrated to the United States and located near Tonica, La Salle county, Illinois, where the father worked and rented property for some time until he accumulated enough to purchase land, ex- periencing all the hardships and trials of pioneer life. On landing in this state he had but five dollars remaining and a wife and six children to support. They received twenty-five dollars at Cleveland, sent them by Mrs. Andrews' sister, but, having lost the address of the man who was to identify him. Mr. Andrews found considerable trouble in securing the money. It was during the panic tha the located here. which made it much more difficult for him to secure a start, but after a few years of hard work he was able to purchase three hundred and twenty acres of wild land from the Ilinois Central Rail- road Company by having enough money to pay the interest on the amount, but going in debt for the principal. He would shell corn with a small sheller, and after hauling it to Gridley over very bad roads would only receive ten cents per bushel for the crop. Steadily and persistently he worked his way upward to success, paying for his place and transforming it into a fine farm,
with good and substantial buildings sur- rounded by trees, while the land was placed under a high state of cultivation. He en- gaged in stock raising in connection with farming and became quite well-to-do, though he at first thought he would feel independ- ent if he ever got a good team of his own. He was recognized as one of the leading men of his community, and was called upon to serve as highway commissioner. school director and fill other local offices of honor and trust. Religiously he was a Congre- gationalist. He died upon his farm An- gust 6. 1883, leaving a family of nine chil- dren. of whom our subject is the oldest. lle gave each of his sons forty acres of land, which they have since traded so that it might all belong to a few of them. The mother died October 30, 1899. She would have been seventy-four years of age had she lived until the following February.
Thomas Andrews received his educa- tion in the schools of his native land. his school days being over when he came to this country, for, being the oldest in the family. he was obliged ti help in their support. On account of his youth he was discouraged from entering the army during the civil war. Ile remained with his parents until past the age of nineteen years and then went to Eureka, Illinois, where he worked four months. Returning to Tonica, La Salle county, he rented land, and while there was married, May 1, 1866, to Miss Mary E. Brady, a daughter of James and Elizabeth ( Moore ) Brady, natives of Brown county. Ohio, of which her paternal grandfather was one of the pioneers. Her grandfather, Moses Moore, spent his entire life there as a farmer, and there her parents also died, the mother when Mrs. Andrews was only two months old, and the father a few years
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later. He was a blacksmith by trade. She was raised by an aunt, with whom she came to Tonica, Illinois.
Of the seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, three died in infancy. Those living are James HI., a business man of Grid- ley, Illinois, who married Minnie Settle and has four children, Thomas, Amy E., Henry and an infant ; Sarah Ann, who married H. U. Grant, of Ellettsville, Indiana, and has one child, Delos Andrews; Susan Elizabeth, who married Joseph Solon, of Graymont. this county, and has four children, Florence, Ilelen, Duane and Evaline; and Mary Eva- line, who is teaching in the public schools of Pontiac. The children all received good educations, the father having left the farm and moved to town for that purpose.
In the fall of 1868 Mr. Andrews bought cighty acres of land in Rock Creek town- ship, which he improved and paid for in six years, and then sold, buying one hundred and sixty acres of land east of Pontiac in 1875. This land was entirely unimproved and very wet. on which account it was con- sidered very undesirable property, but he tiled it and to-day has one of the best farms in Pontiac township. lle erected thereon a good residence, substantial outbuildings, set ont shade trees, and made many other improvements which add greatly to its value and attractive appearance. Leaving the farm, which he still owns, he moved to Cayuga, where he was successfully en- gaged in merchandising for some years and a resident for eleven years, but since 1893 has lived in Pontiac, having built a pleasant residence on North Main street. He has owned property in Cayuga, but soll it, and now has two hundred acres of im- proved rich land near Hamlet, Indiana, not far from South Bend. In improving two
farms for himself and aiding in the develop- ment of his father's place he has materially advanced the interests of his adopted coun- ty and promoted its prosperity. Hle and his wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and are honored and highly respected by their fellow citizens who appreciate their sterling worth and many excellencies of character.
WILLIAM E. HOKE.
William E. Hoke, a well-known real- estate dealer of Odell, Illinois, was born in Williamsburg, Pennsylvania, October 2, 1856, a son of Samuel and Laura N. ( Ken- ney) Hoke, and a grandson of Jacob Hoke, who was of old Pennsylvania stock and a soldier of the Revolutionary war. The father was born in MeConnellsburg, Penn- sylvania, April 12, 1824, and when a young man learned the trades of cabinet-maker and painter at Gettysburg. In 1859 he brought his family to Livingston county, Illinois, and purchased a farm four and a half miles southeast of Odell.
On that place our subject grew to man- hood and atended the common schools of the neighborhood. Being injured at the age of fourteen years and unable to engage in active labor, he entered the Odell high school two years later, and later engaged in teaching school. At the age of twenty- to years he became a student at Lincoln University, Lincoln, Illinois, but his health failed before he had completed the course and he was obliged to give up study. He then taught school until twenty-four, when he was appointed postmaster at Emington. during President Hayes' administration. at
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which time the town was started, and he completed the second building in the place. opening a hardware store there. lle also named the town in honor of the wife of the owner of the land on which it was located. her name being Emma. As the first postmaster he installed the office and got it in good running order, but at the end of two years his health again failed and he was compelled to resign his office and sell his business. He had built up a good trade and was doing a successful business. He then went to Pella. lowa. for Herbert Spencer & Company, to open a hardware store for Van Houten Brothers.
While there Mr. Hoke was married, March 23, 1882. to Miss Sophia Robinson, who was born in La Salle county, Illinois, March 25, 1860, and was there reared and educated. Her father, James Robinson, of Peru, Illinois, was also a native of La Salle county, a representative of one of its oldest families, and spent his last days on the homestead taken up from the government. Mr. and Mrs. Hoke had three children : Laura M., who was born April 13. 1882. and died at the age of two years; Harry Harvey, born January 13. 1884: and Albert E .. born October .4. 1885. The sons are still in school. The name of Harvey is an old one in the family, it being the maiden name of Mrs. Iloke's maternal great-grand- mother, who traced her ancestry back to Lord Harvey.
.After eight months spent in lowa, Mr. Hloke returned to Livingston county, Illi- nois, and rented his father's farm near Odell for three years. He met with success in his farming operations, but was crippled by barbed wire, which resulted in blood poison- ing, and he lost all he had in his efforts to save his life. In 1888 he located in Odell,
where he has since engaged in the real- estate business, and has been remarkably successful in that undertaking. He has handled a large amount of western property in Iowa and Minnesota, and his patrons, who are mostly his friends, have been well satis- fied with their investments. He has sold many thousand acres of land, in one year disposing of twenty-one thousand acres, and has secured good homes for hundreds of people, whom he has sent to those states. Since buying a home for himself in (dell he has invested every dollar he could get in western lands, and now has over one thon- sand acres in two different tracts in Wright and Hancock counties, lowa. He is a wide- awake, energetic business man, of progres- sive ideas and indomitable enterprise, and his success is certainly well deserved, for he has had many difficulties to overcome. In politics he is a strong and active Republican, and has served as a member of the school board, though he cares nothing for political honors. Religiously he supports the Con- gregational church.
WILLIAM IL TAYLOR.
William H1. Taylor, the present well- known and efficient highway commissionerof Dwight township, and a resident of the town of Dwight, has through his own exertions attained an honorable position and marked prestige among the representative men of his community, and with signal consistency it may be said that he is the architect of his own fortunes, for he started out in life for himself at the age of nine years and has since made his way in the world unaided.
Mr. Taylor was born in Lancastershire.
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England, March 9, 1843. a son of James and Betty ( Mills) Taylor, also natives of Lan- castershire, where the father followed the blacksmith's trade for many years. In early days during the gold excitement in Califor- nia, he came to America and crossed the plains to the Pacific slope, where he spent two years, meeting with fair success in his mining operations. His brother-in-law. Robert Mills, who went with him to Cali- fornia, died a millionaire in that state a couple of years ago. After returning to England from California Mr. Taylor brought his family to the United States and located in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he worked at his trade for the Pennsylvania railroad many years. There he spent the re- mainder of his life, dying at the age of sev- enty-six years. His wife survived him about two years. They were the parents of eight chiklren : Elizabeth, William, John, Rachel, Ellen. James, Charles and Della, all of whom reached mature years and all are still living with the exception of James. Our subject is the only one living in the west, the others being still residents of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania.
William H. Taylor was a mere lad on the emigration of the family to America. Ile attended school at Pittsburg, but at the age of nine years he commenced earning his own livelihood, and ever afterward supported himself. In carly manhood he went to In- diana, and worked on a farm in De Kalb county for a few years. From there he went to Chicago, where he found employment in the stock yards about two years, after which he returned to his okl home in Pennsylvania and remained there about a year, when he again went to Chicago and worked in the stock yards a year. In 1866 he came to Livingston county, Illinois, in the employ of benefit.
a Mr. MePherson, for whom he had worked in Chicago, it being his intention to remain only thirty days, but he has now been here over thirty-three years. He continued to work for Mr. McPherson four years.
On the 10th of December. 1868, Mr. Tay- lor married Miss Lydia H. Grub. a native of Blair county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of David Grub, who never came west. To our subject and his wife were born four chil- dren, namely: William J., the eklest, who is engaged in farming in Dwight township, married. first, Maggie Jenkins, who died leav- ing one child, Rebecca, and for his second wife he married Catherine Debby Morris. Charles and Annie are both at home. The youngest, a daughter, died in infancy.
After his marriage Mr. Taylor rented his present farm in Dwight township for several years, and in 1873 purchased twenty acres, to which he later added until he now owns eighty acres, all now within the corporate limits of the town of Dwight. Formerly he gave considerable attention to the raising of stock, making a specialty of thoroughbred animals, and for a number of years he dealt in stock, selling principally to the local ship- pers.
Religiously Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. and politically he is identified with the Re- publican party. He was a member of the village board during the Dwight boom, and for the past sixteen years has most efficiently and satisfactorily served as road commis- sioner of Dwight township. With one ex- ception he has built all the bridges in the township, and has made many other improve- ments along that line. He is public-spirited and progressive, and takes an active part in all enterprises calculated to prove of public
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THOMAS HUGHES.
Thomas Hughes, now living a retired life in Dwight. Illinois, is a man whose success- ful struggle with adverse circumstances shows what can be done by industry and economy, especially if a sensible wife sec- onds his efforts to secure a home and compe- tence. Born of poor parents, he was obliged to make his way in life without any of the aids which are usually considered essential to success.
Mr. Hughes was born in county Mayo, Ireland, in 1841, a son of Thomas and Mary (Dowd) Hughes, who spent their entire lives in that county, the father being em- ployed as a herder on a large ostate. Our subject left home at the age of thirteen years and came to the United States with his uncle, James Hays, who was mate on a sailing ves- sel. He landed in New York and from there went to Long Island, where he found em- ployment with a farmer and market gardener near Flushing. His employer was a Mr. Bayton, a Pennsylvanian by birth, and with him Mr. Hughes remained until he attained his majority, receiving little more than his board and clothes for his seven years' labor. At the age of twenty-one he went to New York City, where he worked as a laborer for two years, and in 1864 he came to Chi- cago, where the following two years were passed, during which time he assisted in lay- ing the pipes for the city water works. He next found employment at the docks unload- ing vessels, and followed that occupation for five years.
On the 25th of December. 1868, in Chi- cago, Mr. Hughes married Miss Margaret Higgins, a daughter of Francis and Mary ( Brady ) Higgins. To them have been born seven children, namely : Francis, now an elec-
trician of Seattle, Washington ; John H .. who married Julia Dunn and lives on the home farm in this county; Nellie MI., a successful and popular teacher of Livingston and Grundy counties; Emma, who is clerking in the store of Gordon Brothers of Dwight; Julia, a graduate of the Dwight high school. and now a successful teacher; and two who died in infancy.
In the fall of 1869, Mr. and Mrs. Hughes came to Dwight, where her father had lo- cated some four years previous. Here, in partnership with his brother-in-law, our sub- ject engaged in farming for two years, and then rented one hundred and sixty acres of land from F. O. Caldwell in Round Grove township, operating that place nine years. In 1871 he made his first purchase of land. consisting of one hundred and sixty acres on the northeast quarter of section 23. Round Grove township, which was all raw land, en- tirely unimproved. Here he erectod an humble home, sixteen by twenty-four feet, with a kitchen twenty by fourteen foet. He planted fifty acres of flax and broke all but six acres of his land the first year. During the ten years he resided thereon ho placed the land under a high state of cultivation, and in connection with general farming en- gaged in stock raising, feeding usually from one to two hundred head of hogs. In Feb- ruary, 1889, he bought a tract of thirty-six acres of land just east of Dwight, and located there in order that his children might have bettereducationaladvantages. He lived there two years, cultivating his little farm, and in 1889 bought one acre of land in the village, upon which he erected his present beautiful home at a cost of five thousand dollars. It is one of the most elegant rosidences in the city. Ile has added to his landed possessions from time to time and now has three hun-
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dred and sixty acres of valued and well-im- proved land. He is one of the successful citizens of the county and deserves much credit for what he has accomplished. Look- ing back through the vista of the past we see a friendless boy who came to the New World in search of home and fortune, at present we see his ambitions dream realized, and could the veil of the future be lifted we would doubtless see an honored okl age crowned with respect and veneration which is ac- corded a well-spent life. In politics ho is independent, and in religious belief is a Catholic.
WILLIAM L. QUINN.
William L. Quinn is one of the prosper- ous citizens of Strawn, who has laid aside all business cares and is now living a retired life. Success has attended his well-directed efforts and he is ot-day in possession of a comfortable competence which enables him to spend his declining years in ease and re- tirement from active labor.
Mr. Quinn was born in Ireland in 1842, and is a son of Charles and Unity (Lynch) Quinn, also natives of that country, born in county Tyrone. The father, who was a farmer by occupation, died there at the ad- vanced age of ninety-four years. The mother had died at the age of twenty-four years, and for his second wife he married Jane Campbell, who is still living in Ireland at the age of seventy-five. By the first union there were three children, of whom our sub- ject is the second in order of birth and the only survivor. James died at the age of twenty-four years, and one unnamed died in infancy. Of the twelve children born of the second marriage, seven came to the United
States, three locating in Livingston county, Illinois, the others in Los Angeles, Califor- nia. Michael crossed the Atlantic in 1869, and after six years spent in Ottawa, Illinois, took up his residence in Livingston county, where he at first operated one of our subject's farms and then purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land on sections 5 and 6, Ger- manville township. He is an industrious and prosperous farmer, and the father of six chil- dren. Alexander came to America in 1874, and also settled in Ottawa, Illinois, where he worked for E. Y. Griggs one year. He then settled on a farm on sections 7 and 8, Germanville township, owned by our sub- ject, and there he continues to make his home. He owns eighty acres of land on sec- tion 8. He is married and has six children, four sons and two daughters.
The subject of this review was reared and educated in his native land, and in 1860, at the age of eighteen years, came to .Amer- ica. For twenty-three years he was in the employof. Andrew Lynch, a general merchant of Ottawa, Illinois, and at the end of that time, in 1883, came to Strawn. He worked on the farm with his brother Michael for one year, but since that time has lived a retired life in the village. In 1874, while still a res- ident of Ottawa, he purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land on sections 5 and 6, Germanville township, which at that time was all raw land and which was operated by his brothers. He made all of the improve- ments upon the place, including the erection of a commodious and pleasant residence in 1879, which at that time was one of the best in the county, and he also built a large barn and laid over fifty thousand tiles. In due time the land was all placed under a high state of cultivation. In 1880 Mr. Quinn bought one hundred and sixty acres of land
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on sections 7 and 8. the same township, and also improved that place with the assistance of his brothers. Besides this property hie has sixty-threo acres on section 7, German- ville township, purchased by him in 1893, and now leased to a tenant, and one hundred and sixty acres of fine pasture land at Ein- poria, Lyon county, Kansas, purchased in 1881. The same year he bought a house in Strawn, which he has remodeled and made one of the best in the village. It is a beau- tiful place, surrounded by a large lawn, and neat and tastefully furnished. For about nine months Mr. Quinn clerked in the hard- ware and grocery store of Joseph Kuntz, in Strawn, but with that exception has lived retired during his residence here.
In Chicago, Illinois, February 20, 1884, Mr. Quinn married Miss Bridget Conlin, a native of Ireland, who came to this country in 1865. Iler mothor died in Ireland, after which her father emigrated to America and spent his last days in retirement from active labor in La Salle, Illinois, where he died at the age of eighty years in 1879. lle had followed farming in his native land.
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