USA > Illinois > Livingston County > The biographical record of Livingston County, Illinois > Part 53
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
summer he was serving as president of the board he was solicited by the Prohibitionists of the district to make the race for congress, but on account of his age he declined the honor. He was a delegate to the national Prohibition convention in 1900, which as- sembled at Chicago, and assisted in the nom- ination of John G. Wooley for president. Since coming to Eureka he has united with the Christian church and is now serving as one of the elders of the Eureka church. 1le yet occasionally preaches the gospel, and while in Texas preached every Sunday. His heart is in the work and he is always willing to do all he can to advance the interests of the Master.
HOMER E. DARST.
Homer E. Darst. the efficient and popu- lar postmaster of Eureka, Illinois, was born in Cedarville, Missouri, April 9. 1871. His father. Henry R. Darst, is a native of Ohio. born near Dayton, February 4. 1849, and is a son of John Darst, with whom he came to Woodford county, Ilinois, during his boy- hond. Here he grew to manhood on a farm and married Sue Ml. Payne, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, and daughter of Wes- ley Payne, who was one of the pioneers of this section and a farmer by occupation. The father of our subject served for three years is a member of the Eighty-sixth Ilinois Volunteer Infantry, during the civil war. being one of the youngest to enter the service from this locality. After his marriage he spent one year in farming in Missouri, but at the end of that time returned to Illinois. and has since engaged in farming in Wood- ford county, though he makes his home in Eureka. For a time he was interested in
the butcher business, which he had pre- viously followed in his earlier years. The Republican party has always found in him a stanch supporter of its principles, and both he and his wife are active members of the Christian church. In their family are five children, namely: Ora. Homer E .. Myrtle. Pete and Irma.
Ilomer E. Darst received a good practi- cal education in the public schools of Eure- ka, and also took a course in the bookkeep- ing department of Eureka College, where he spent one year. He was then employed as a bookkeeper and clerk by different firms in the city until appointed postmaster. lle en- tered upon the duties of the office July 1. 1808, and has since filled the position with credit to himself and to the entire satisfac- tion of the public. The business of the office has increased considerably during the time of his occupancy. Mr. Darst has al- ways affiliated with the Republican party, has taken an active part in its work. and has served as a member of the township Re- publican committee. The year he attained his majority he was elected township col- lector, and held that office two terms. ile is a member of the Knights of Pythias fra- ternity and quite popular in social circles.
LOUIS W. HARMIS.
The village of Roanoke has a number of enterprising and progressive citizens who have met with marked success in their busi- ness undertakings, and have become leading men in the community. Among the num- ber is Louis W. Harms, the well-known and popular cashier of the Farmers' Bank
lle was born in Washington. Tazewell
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' county, Illinois, June 18, 1859, and is a son of Henry Harms, who was born in Ans Frieseland, Germany, in 1821. and on com- ing to this country, about 1848, took up his residence in Tazewell county, Illinois. The father was one of a family of three children. His sister died in Germany. His brother. Eilert Harms, is a well-known and prosper- ons farmer and stock raiser of Linn town- ship. Woodford county. Henry Harms was a butcher by trade, and on first coming to America worked for Joseph Kelso, of Wash- ington, Illinois, and after his marriage opened a shop of his own. successfully car- rying on business there throughout the re- mainder of his life. He died in 1880, at the age of fifty-nine years. In 1858 he married Miss Catherine Denhart, a native of Hesse-Castle. Germany, and the fourth in order of birth in a family of seven chil- (Iren. the others being Lizzie, who was mar- ried in Illinois, and then returned to Ger- many to reside: Frederick and Conrad, both farmers living near Coffeyville, Kansas : Au- gusta, widow of William Witte and a resi- dent of Washington, Illinois: Henry, who is connected with the bank at Washington conducted under the name of Henry Denhart & Company, and also with the bank at Roanoke: and Helen, wife of Adam Keihl. of Washington. To Mr. and Mrs. Harms were born four children, of whom Louis W. is the oldest: Lizzie is the wife of Charles Strathman. a druggist of Peoria, and they have one son, Charles D .: Catherine is a graduate of the normal school at Valparaiso, Indiana, and a teacher in the public schools of Washington, Illinois, where she lives with her mother : and Henry D. is now connected with our subject in the bank at Roanoke. but makes his home in Washington, and was formerly employed in the bank at that place
for ten years. They have all received good common school educations. The mother is still living in Washington, and is an earnest member of the German Lutheran church, to which the father also belonged.
Louis W. Harms attended the public schools of his native place, and later was associated with his father in the butcher business until the latter's death, when the business was disposed of, and our subject embarked in the grocery trade. under the firm name of Rapp & Harms. This part- nership continued until 1894, when he came to Roanoke and organized a bank, known as the Farmers Bank, of which he has been cashier ever since. He owns the lot and building where the bank is located, and in connection with his banking business is in- terested in real estate, handling fowa and liliana lands principally. He is a wide- awake and energetic business men. of keen discrimination and sound judgment, and in his undertaking's has been remarkably suc- cessful.
On the 23d of December. 1879. Mr. Harms was united in marrige with Miss Ella Rapp, who was born in October. 1859. and is the youngest child of Ernest and Christina ( Schmidt ) Rapp. residents of Washington. Her brother Charles, who is engaged in the grocery business in that city, is married and has four daughters-Pearl. Mary, Bessie and Ruby. The other two children of the Rapp family died in infancy. To Mr. and Mrs. Harms have been born two children-Carrie M. and Ella F., both grad- mates of the Washington high school. The younger is now pursuing a four-years' course at the Ohio Wesleyan University, having won the scholarship at that institu- tion, standing highest in a class of fourteen.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Harms are members
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of the Presbyterian church. and the family occupies a position of prominence in social circles. In politics he is a Democrat and a supporter of sound money issues. While a resident of Washington he was a member of the township central committee a number of years, and was treasurer of the city one term. but he has never cared for political preferment, desiring rather to devote his en- tire time and attention to his business in- terests.
HON. ROBERT S. HESTER.
Only those lives are worthy of record that have been potential factors in the public progress in promoting the general welfare or advancing the educational or moral in- terests of the community. Robert S. Hes- ter was ever faithful to his duties of citizen- ship, and by the successful conduct of his business interests not only promoted his in- dividual success but also advanced the gen- eral prosperity. In his life span of seventy- five years he accomplished much, and leit behind an honorable record well worthy of perpetuation.
Mr. Ilester was born in Boone county. Kentucky. November 19, 1825. but when a boy moved to Ohio with his parents, John and Mary ( Bennington ) Hester. His fa- ther followed farming in Brown county, that stato, where he died when his son was quite young. The mother was an active member of the Christian church and carefully reared her children. Robert received a good com- mon school education. In 1847 he left his old home in Brown county, Ohio, and on horse back rode to Marshall county, Illinois. where he bought land and successfully en- gaged in agricultural pursuits, becoming the
owner of nine hundred acres of valuable land in Belle Plaine township, Marshall county, and in Woodford county. In connection with general farming he was largely interest- ed in stock raising, and in all his undertak- ings met with marked success.
In 1857 Mr. Hester married Miss Lydia A. Davison, a native of New York, and daughter of John P. Davison, one of the early settlers of Woodford county, who died May 15. 1863, leaving one daughter, Affie Z ... who makes her home in Los Angeles, California. lle was again married, May 19. 1864, his second union being with Miss Nancy M. Mckeever, a native of Perry county, Ohio, and a daughter of William and Susanna ( Hollenbeck ) Mckeever, who moved from that county to Morgan county, the same state, and later came to Marshall county, Illinois, where the father engaged in farming for some years, but they spent their last years in Minonk, Woodford coun- ty, where both died. They, too, were earnest members of the Christian church and most estimable people. By his second marriage Mr. Hester had two children : Lincoln L ... now living on the okl home place, married Florence Griswold, and they have three children : Alvaretta Maurine, Edna Lela and Irma Dell. Cora V. is the wife of James N. Lester, pastor of the Christian church, at Belle Plaine, and they have two children : Hester Geraldine and Helen Valeria.
For some years prior to his death Mr. Hester retired from active business life and in 1894 built a beautiful residence in Eureka, where he made his home until his death. He died. however., very suddenly in San Antonio, Texas, February 5. 1900, Ile had gone to that city in company with his wife to spend the winter. and had been there but a few days when he yieldlol up
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his life without any warning to those near and dear to him. His mortal remains were brought back to his oldl home and buried in the Davison cemetery, south of Belle Plaine, Illinois.
After reaching manhood he took an active and prominent part in public affairs, and was elected to several official positions of honor and trust, the duties of which he most capably and satisfactorily performed. He served as road commissioner, justice of the peace and supervisor, and in 1860 was elected on the ticket with Lincoln to the office of sheriff of Marshall county, which he filled for one term. In 1882 he represented his dis- trict in the state legislature, and he was always found true to any trust reposed in him, either public or private. He was one of the leading members of the Belle Plaine Christian church, in which ho served as elder for more than twenty years, and for many years was a trustee of Eureka College. Faithful to his church, to his country and to his friends, he was highly respected and esteemed by all who knew him. He was ever a friend to the poor and needy, choosing rather to make the gifts without letting the right hand know what the left did, and it was only to those nearest to him who knew to what extent he gave of his means.
J. A. SIMPSON.
J. A. Simpson, a worthy representative of one of the pioneer families of Illinois, and in virtue of the prominent part which he has personally taken in public affairs, in days of peace as well as in time of war, is doubly entitled to honorable mention in the annals of this commonwealth. During the thirty-
six years of his residence in Minonk he has been closely connected with the development and prosperity of the place, and in the capac- ity of mayor and councilman did much to prove his interest in the well-being of his fellow-citizens and the permanent welfare of the town.
In the early settlement of Ohio our sub- ject's paternal grandfather became one of the frontiersmen who roclaimed that state from the wilderness. He was a native of Scotland, and his wife, a Pennsylvanian, was of German parentage. Their son, Har- rison, father of J. A. Simpson, was born on the old homestead, and when he reached ma- turity he chose Maria Combs for a wife. She was born in Virginia, October 19, 1813, and now makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Anna C. Hopwood, of Livingston county, Illinois. Though so advanced in years, she retains her faculties and her mind is clear and active. She accompanied her husband to Illinois fifty-two years ago, and, after living in Fulton county for two years, removed to Woodford county. There Mr. Simpson won the esteem and love of all who were associated with him, and for many years he served as supervisor, assessor or in other local offices of more or less re- sponsibility. For more than three decades he was a deacon in the Baptist church, and was looked up to and regarded as one of the most exemplary citizens of his community. He died in Kaufman county, Texas, May 5. 1885, when in his sixty-third year. His eldest son. W. 11. 11., resides on a farm near Packwood, lowa, with his wife, Caro- line. George M., a grain merchant, is rep- resented elsewhere in this work. Benjamin F., who was a leading lawyer of Mariette, Wisconsin, for years, is now engaged in practice in Chicago. Charles T. is engaged
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in farming near Minonk. Wolsey C., who achieved distinction in this county as a lawyer and as a prosecuting attorney, died in Emporia, Kansas, in 1898, when fifty years of age. He was state's attorney in this county and in Lyons county, Kansas, for ser- eral terms, and won the praise of the legal profession and the general public for his efficiency and fidelity to his duties. His wife was Annetta 1 .. daughter of Doctor Reed, pastor in the Baptist denomination, and at one time president of Shurtleff Col- Jege. . Anna C. Simpson wedded John Ilop- wood. a farmer of Livingston county, and Laura J. is the wife of E. A. Kipp, who is a lumber merchant. with his home in Evans- ton. Illinois.
J. A. Simpson was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, March 7, 1843, and resided upon a farm until he was about eighteen years of age. The youth then enlisted in the defense of the Union, becoming a private of Company 1, Forty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and during the three years and two months of his service participated in the nu- merous engagements and campaigns in which his regiment won honors. AAmong the more notable battles were Island No. 10. Farming- ton, Mississippi, New Madrid, siege of Vicksburg and Jackson, Mississippi, Corinth, Holly Springs and Saline Cross-road. Until the fall of Vicksburg he was under the leadership of General Grant. and later. he accompanied General Banks on the Red River expedition. Considering his youth and arduous service in these hard-fought campaigns he made an excellent record and stood his hardships well. He was honora- bis discharged and mustered out at Spring- field. in October. 1864.
For about a year subsequently he at- tended school and then laid the foundations
of business knowledge in a commercial col- lege in Chicago. Returning home he then engaged in the grocery and dry goods busi- ness, at first being a member of the firm of Whitaker. Simpson & Son, and later of the firms of Simpson, Kidder & Company, and Simpson & Kidder. The business was soll at the death of Mr. Kidder. and July 1. 1887. our subject embarked on his own account in the buying and selling of grain at Minonk. From 1890 to 1896, when his partner died, he was a member of the firm of Simpson & Fehring, of Washburn, Illinois, and then for about four years he was asociated with Mr. Moschel, to whom he sold out the busi- ness in May, 1900. Five years before he joined F. N. Rood, of LaRose, Illinois, and since that time has been extensively engaged in banking at LaRose, also the grain, lumber. coal and building material business, and they own two elevators, situated on the Mton Railroad, and one on the Santa Fe Railroad at LaRose. In June. 1900, Mr. Simpson also entered into partnership with I. E. Mammen, at Mason, Ilinois, at a point where the Santa Fe and Big Four Railroads cross, where they have an elevator. In all of these varied financial ventures, he has met with marked prosperity, and his ability and foresight are unquestioned.
Though his commercial alliances have been numerous and ofttimes with outside parties, Mr. Simpson has retained his own in Minonk, where he owns three elevators located on the Illinois Central, and carries on an extensive grain business. He also deal in seed and hard coal, and has been a leading factor in its onward march. For a score of years he has served on the board of education, and as an earnest member of the Presbyterian church, has especially had the interests of the Sunday schools at heart, and
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has officiated as superintendent of his own church school. He takes an active interest in politics, and for four years was a valued worker in the Republican county central committee, with which party he has always affiliated.
The wife of Mr. Simpson's early man- hood was Mary E., daughter of J. E. P. Bell, and a native of Illinois. She departed this life in February, 1871, and of her two children, John H. died at the age of seven years and seven months. Lena B., the daughter, is the wife of W. O. Whitney, a lumber merchant of Cherryvale, Kansas, and llelen and James Oscar. On the ist ni April. 1873, occurred the marriage of our subject and Mary B. Hudson, daughter of John and T. A. Hudson, of Whiteside coun- ty, Illinois, The first child born to J. ... Simpson and wife is Mary Elizabeth, who wedded F. N. Rood and resides at LaRose, Illinois. The sons, J. A .. Jr., and Harry H .. graduates of the Minonk high school, are youths of great promise, and this autumn they matriculate in college, where they will qualify themselves for useful careers.
JAMES T. WYATT. M. D.
The subject of this sketch, now a promi- nent physician of Eureka, was born in Del- phi, Carroll county, Indiana, August 23. 1868, and is a son of Isaac C. and Matilda ( Cook ) Wyatt, also natives of that county. Ilis paternal ancestors were from Scotland, and were among the earliest settlers of Vir- ginia. His paternal grandfather. Isaac Newton Wyatt, was born in Pennsylvania. while the maternal grandfather, John W. Cook, was a native of New Hampshire. For many years the father was connected
with the Monon route, as assistant superin- tendent of the bridge department. He died in Delphi. Indiana, November 22, 1809. at the age of sity years, his wife in 1874, at the age of about thirty years.
During his boyhood and youth Dr. Wyatt attended the common and high schools of his native place, and when his education was completed accepted a posi- tion as traveling salesman for a Peoria firm. his territory covering Illinois, lowa, Indiana and Kentucky. He met with excellent suc- cess in that venture. and was connected with the same firm for eight years. In the mean- time he took up the study of medicine and attended lectures two terms at the Marion Sims Medical College. St. Louis. On leav- ing the road permanently, in 1894 he again attended lectures at Marion Sims College of Medicine, and during the latter part of his stay there was as- sistant to the chair of opthalmology. which was held by Professor Carl Bark. He was graduated in 1896, and by a competitive examination received an ap- pointment in Rebecca Hospital. at St. Louis. but seeing a good opening at Eureka, he came at once to this place and opened an office. Hle met with success from the start. and has succeeded in building up a large and lucrative practice, besides winning an enviable reputation in his chosen calling. Although engaged in general practice, he gives special attention to the diseases of the eye and car : is a member of the Hinois Op- tical Society, the Peoria Medical Society. and the North Central Illinois Medical Society.
On the 13th of August, 1895. Dr. Wyatt was united in marriage with Miss Pearl Long, of Eureka, a daughter of Hardin Long. She was born in Cruger township.
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Woodford county, and after graduating from the Washington, Ilinois, high school, entered Eureka College, from which she was graduated in the class of '95. She is also a graduate of the musical department of the same college. Dr. and Mrs. Wyatt are members of the Christian church. He is also connected with the Knights of Pythias, in which he has served as chancellor : the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows and Re- bekah Lodge: The Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan; the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Court of Honor. Ile is a charter member of the last named order, and also county chancellor for it. He is medical examiner for all the fraternal orders mentioned above and also for several old- line insurance companies. He has that love for and devotion to his profession which has brought to him success and won him a place among the ablest representatives of the med - ical fraternity in the county. He owns a good piece of property in the central part of the town, where he makes his home.
JOSEPH A. MCGUIRE.
Gifts of money, if judiciously expended, may add to the beauty and attractive ap- pearance of a town but the real benefactors of a city are the men who add to its prog- ress and prosperity through the establish- ment of enterprises which furnish employ- ment to others and thus promote commercial activity. In Joseph .A. McGuire we find one of the most prominent business men of Eu- reka, and his connection with the various business enterprises and industries has been of decided advantage to the community, pro- moting its material welfare in no uncertain manner.
A native of Illinois, Mr. McGuire was born near Belleville, St. Clair county, .Au- gust 19, 1852, and is a son of Joseph D. and Catherine ( Halbert ) McGuire. The father was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, about 1817. and when a small boy moved with his family to St. Clair county, Ilino's, where his parents died shortly afterward. There he grew to manhood and successfully engaged in farming, becoming owner of about four hundred acres of land, which he sold in 1855. on his removal to Macon coun- ty. Near Harristown he bought a tract of prairie land, and to its improvement and cultivation he devoted his energies until called from this life in April, 1893. Dur- ing his later years he affiliated with the Re- publican party. Ile was one of the early members of the Christian church; took an active part in building the first church in Harristown, and served as deacon of the same for many years. He was upright and honorable in all things and his interest seemed centered in his church. His es- timable wife, who was a member of the same church, died in 1896. She was born near Richmond, Virginia, and was quite young when her family came to St. Clair county, Illinois.
At the age of three years our subject accompanied his parents on their removal to Macon county, and he was educated in the common schools of Harristown and Eureka College. He assisted his father in the work of the home farm until twenty-three years of age, and then engaged in farming on his own account for two or three years. At the end of that time he bought a general store in Harristown, which he conducted for five years with good success, and then sold. De- siring a broader field of action, he came to Eureka in the fall of 1880, and embarked
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in the grocery business, carrying it on very successfully up to the present time. About five years after locating here he purchased the store building he now occupies, it being a two-story-brick structure. 231/2x75 feet. on College street opposite the court house. The main floor and basement are used by Mr. McGuire in his grocery business. No other grocery now doing business was here when he opened his store. He was alone for some years, but in 1886 admitted one of his former clerks. A. J. Mourer, as a partner, and the firm name became McGuire & Mourer, under which style business is still carried on. Mr. McGuire is also interested in the meat business, having established his brother in a market. lle is connected with the Farmers' Bank, and has an interest in the firm of F. B. Stumpf & Company, the lead- ing drug house in the city, he being the com- pany. In connection with Lyon Karr and F. B. Stumpf he incorporated and organized the Eureka Telephone Exchange Company. which has put up many miles of wire, has sixty-six city subscribers, and about twenty country subscribers. It is the first and only telephone line in the city and has proven a successful venture. Besides the property already mentioned Mr. MeGuire owns a fine residence in Eureka, and a place just outside the corporation limits.
On the 29th of December. 1882. Mr. Nic- Guire married Miss Ada Hoshal, of Berlin. Sangamon county, Illinois, and to them have been born two children, Nellie and Joseph. The parents are active and prominent mem- bers of the Christian church, in which Mr. McGuire is serving as deacon. He has als ) been prominently identified with the affairs of Eureka College, having been a trustee of that institution for fourteen years, during which time Burgess Hall was erected. Po-
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