USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 10
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On his return to Whiteside county, Mr. Clark located in Morrison, where he pur- chased two teams and trucks and engaged in business for himself, operating a dray line for a few years, and although the profit was necessarily small, he succeeded in lay- ing by each year a portion of what he made, and later invested the same in real estate. He was fortunate in his invest- ments and success seemed to follow him in whatever business venture he engaged in. It was while yet engaged in business as a drayman that he was, in September, 1862, united in marriage with Miss Jane Boyd,
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who was born in Scotland February 22, 1840, and the daughter of William and Mary (Robertson) Boyd, who were natives of Scotland and the parents of six sons and four daughters, Jane being the ninth child in order of birth. (For a record of the Boyd family see sketches of P. R., John and H. A. Boyd, found elsewhere in this work.)
To Mr. and Mrs. Clark were born four children. Charles A. grew to manhood and married Lena Edwards, a native of Iowa, and they had two children, John and Ed- ward. The former died at the age of five years, while the latter is yet living. The family now make their home in Sterling, where Mr. Clark is engaged in the gents' furnishing goods business, having a large and profitable trade. He is a good business man and has the confidence of the com- munity in which he resides. George H. is deceased. Nettie M. is the wife of Harry Smouse and they reside in Morrison, where he is engaged with the Refrigerator com- pany. Walter is deceased.
Soon after his marriage Mr. Clark dis- posed of his dray line and purchased a farm sonth of Morrison, where for some years he engaged in agricultural pursuits, in which line he was quite successful. In his farm- ing operations he was ably assisted by his wife, who in his absence, and while en- gaged in other lines of business, took npon herself the management of the farm. For eighteen years they gave their personal at- tention to their farming interests, at the expiration of which time they returned to Morrison.
While still making his home on the farm, for the greater part of the time Mr. Clark was engaged in other lines of busi- ness. He was an auctioneer of more than ordinary ability, and was known all over
the northern part of the state as an auction- eer of thoroughbred horses and cattle, and for such sales his services were largely in demand. For a number of years he was also engaged in the livery business, selling ont that line in 1885 to R. H. Donichy. For a time he was a stockholder and man- ager of the carriage works in Morrison, the firm being Furgeson & Clark. He was also in the grocery business for several years, managing the business alone without the aid of a partner. With others he en- gaged in the manufacture of brick and tile, in which line he was as usual successful. In most of his business undertakings he had a partner to look after that particular busi- ness while he gave his personal attention to other matters. He was a man of great ex- ecutive ability, and was enabled to plan and direct, leaving the execution to others, to their mutual benefit.
After disposing of his farm, Mr. Clark invested the proceeds in property on Mil- wankee avenue, Chicago, which has been disposed of since his death by his son Charles and the proceeds invested in land securities. In Morrison he invested a large amount in real estate and buildings, and at the time of his death he had large holdings.
In politics Mr. Clark was a Democrat, and while he would invariably decline all political honors, took a great interest in po- litical affairs. Just before his death he was appointed by President Cleveland postmas- ter of Morrison, and the commission was received by him just before his death, which occurred on the 21st of November, 1895. Fraternally he was an Odd Fellow, holding membership in both the subordinate lodge and in the encampment. He was also a charter member of the Modern Woodmen of America in Morrison.
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In the death of Mr. Clark, Whiteside county lost one of its most useful and highly respected citizens, one who was ready at all times to do whatever he could to advance its material interests. He was generous to a fault, liberal to the poor and needy, giving away in charitable and benevolent purposes many hundreds of dol- lars. His death was sincerely mourned not alone by the bereaved widow and sorrowing children, but by the entire community which knew him so well, and which was his home for nearly forty years. Coming to the county a poor, friendless boy, by his strict integrity of character and steadfast- ness of purpose he won a place in the affec- tions of the people which will make his name revered for years to come, and his life work will be an incentive to others, while his virtues will be worthy of emulation.
Mrs. Clark, who is an earnest and con- sistent member of the Presbyterian church, yet makes her home in Morrison, where her friends are many, and where she enjoys the love and respect of all who know her.
JOHN GILBERT GREEN, a leading farmer and stock raiser of Ustick town- ship, residing on section 35, was born in Woodbine, Jo Daviess county, Illinois, Au- gust 25, 1862, and is a son of John H. and Margaret (Lowry) Green, the former born in Yorkshire, England, June 29, 1831, the latter on the Isle of Man, September 17, 1844. Both were brought to America by their respective parents when quite small, and for many years have made their home in Whiteside county, now living retired in Morrison. More extended mention is made of them on another page of this volume. Of the six children born to them, one died
in infancy, while the others are as follows: John G., our subject; Sarah J., wife of A. N. Abbott; R. May, wife of B. F. Hoover; and Phæbe and Benjamin, both at home with their parents.
The early education of our subject was obtained in the district schools which he at- tended until eighteen years of age and then entered Fulton College, where he took an elective course. After completing his edu- cation he returned to the home farm in Ustick township, which his father had pur- chased in 1869. In 1889 he was united in marriage with Miss Lydia E. Steiner, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, Novem- ber 16, 1861. Her parents, Adam and Fianna (Longnecker) Steiner, were natives of the same county, the former born in October, 1827, the latter in February, 1843. In 1869 they came to this county and now make their home in Ustick township. They have nine children, namely: Elsie, wife of D. Deter, of Carroll county, Iowa; Lydia E., wife of our subject; William L., at home; Noah W., a druggist of Chicago; Anna, wife of William Jamison, of Ustick township; Jacob W., a farmer of Hopkins township: Daniel, Eva and Leander, all at home. The children born to our subject and wife are George Webster, Edna G., Arlie May, Elsie Pearl and Leola M.
After his marriage Mr. Green operated the home farm with his father for four years, and the following year was engaged in the butcher business in Morrison. At the end of that time he returned to the farm and his father removed to Morrison, where he is now living retired. In connection with general farming our subject is engaged in stock raising, making a specialty of Po- land China hogs for the past five years. He keeps full-blooded and pedigreed stock, and
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in 1899 had a drove of one hundred and twenty of the finest hogs to be found in the county. He has a goodly number for sale each season. Any one interested in the industry will be treated very courteously by Mr. Green and will be given a guarantee for every animal purchased. He always has some of his hogs on exhibition at the county fairs, and has been fortunate in se- curing a good share of the premiums given by the fair association for such exhibits. He is also interested in thoroughbred short- horn cattle, and has been awarded premiums on his calves. He has a highly cultivated and well-improved farm of one hundred and ten acres on section 35, Ustick township, and owns a house and lot in Morrison. Po- litically he is an ardent Republican, and he has been a member of the township com- mittee and also of the Republican county committee. He has creditably filled the office of tax collector, overseer of highways for the past four years, and has also served as supervisor, having been appointed to fill an unexpired term. He is now a school director of his district and believes in having the best schools and teachers obtainable.
M' RS. VIANA WYMAN, whose home is on section 20, Mount Pleasant town- ship, has been a resident of Whiteside county for over fifty-five years, arriving here in pioneer days. The difference be- tween the past and the present can scarcely be realized, even by those who have been active participants in the development of the county. The present generation can have no conception of what was required by the early settlers in transforming the wilder- ness into a well settled and highly cultivated county.
Mrs. Wyman was born in Erie county, New York, September 9, 1816, and is a daughter of Charles and Ruth Olds, also natives of New York, the former born near Whitehall, the latter in Oneida county. Her maternal grandparents were natives of Eng- land, and on their emigration to the United States located in New York. In 1834, in Erie county, our subject gave her hand in marriage to Henry Wyman, who was born in Connecticut in 1807, and died in 1861. As his father died when he was only five years old he was reared by friends of the family. After his marriage his mother lived with him for a number of years.
Mr. and Mrs. Wyman began their do- mestic life in New York, where they con- tinued to make their home until 1844, which year witnessed their arrival in Whiteside county, Illinois. After living for one year in Lyndon township they removed to the farm on section 20, Mount Pleasant town- ship, where our subject still resides. Throughout life Mr. Wyman engaged in agricultural pursuits, and met with fair suc- cess in his undertakings. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, but since his death his widow has since disposed of forty acres, leaving her one hundred and twenty acres of fine farming land, which has been successfully operated under her able management.
Of the six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Wyman one died in infancy. The others are as follows: Mary Elizabeth is the wife of Henry Garrison, who resides on the home farm, and they have six children. Ruth Maria married E. A. Garrison, and died in 1881, leaving five children. Hen- rietta died unmarried in 1869. Theodore is a retired farmer living in Vinton, Iowa, near which place he owns land, and he has a
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family of five children. William Henry is superintendent of a mine in Colorado. Mrs. Wyman has one great-great-grandchild, making five generations of the family now living. Her family is noted for longevity, her grandfather, Daniel Thurston, having only lacked three months of being one hundred years of age at the time of his death, which occurred in Michigan. He enjoyed excellent health, never requiring the services of a physician. Mrs. Wyman also had an uncle who lived to be nearly one hundred years of age, and her father was seventy-seven at the time of his death, which occurred in New York state. Of his ten children one died young, while eight reached years of maturity, but Mrs. Wyman is the only one now living. She well remembers when this region was wild and unim- proved, and has seen unbroken prairies trans- formed into fine farms. On locating here there was only one house between her home and Lyndon. Her farm is conveniently lo- cated near Morrison, and is now of the best in the community. A number of years ago her residence, with its contents, was de- stroyed by fire, but was soon replaced with the comfortable little home she now occu- pies. Religiously she is a member of the Universalist church, and she is highly re- spected and esteemed by all who have the pleasure of her acquaintance.
B FRANKLIN HOOVER is one of the most intelligent and progressive farm- ers of Ustick township, who is now success- fully operating his father's farm of two hun- dred acres on section 21. He was born in that township, near where he now resides, November 4, 1868, and is a son of Henry and Mary A. (Brown) Hoover, who are now
making their home in Morrison, the father having retired from active labor. Both are natives of l'ennsylvania, the former born near Aaronsburg, the latter in Philadelphia. Soon after their marriage, in March, 1857, they came to Whiteside county, Illinois, and have since been identified with its interests .. Here the father was principally engaged in agricultural pursuits. (Ilis sketch will be found on another page of this volume. )
The primary education of our subject was obtained in the district schools near his boyhood home, but at the age of fourteen he accompanied his parents on their removal to Sterling, where he attended the high school for three years. At the end of that period he commenced teaching in the dis- trict schools, and was thus employed for four years, after which he engaged in farm- ing for his father for one year. The follow- ing year he was a student at the State Nor- mal School at Normal, Illinois, where he pursued a teacher's course, and subsequently he taught school in Fenton for some time. Later he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in partnership with his father, but after operating it for six years he sold his interest to his father.
On the 22nd of June, 1897, Mr. Hoover was united in marriage with Miss R. May Green, who was born in Ustick township, November 29, 1873, and was also a success- ful teacher in the district schools for three years prior to her marriage. Her parents are John H. and Margaret (Lawry) Green, the former a native of England, the latter of the Isle of Man. However, both have been residents of this country from an early age, the father being only eight years old at the time of his arrival here, while the mother was just a year old. (See sketch on another page of this work.) To them were
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born six children, one of whom died in in- fancy. Those living are John G., a resi- dent of Ustick township; Sarah J., wife of A. N. Abbott, whose sketch appears else- where in this work; R. May, wife of our subject; and Phæbe and Benjamin F., both at home.
After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Hoover located on his father's place, which be rents and successfully operates, being en- gaged in general farming and stock raising. Fraternally he is a member of Grove lodge, No. 257, I. O. O. F., of Morrison, and also belongs to the Mystic Workers, in which lodge he has held the office of vice-master, and has represented his lodge in the supreme lodge. The Republican party finds in him a supporter of its principles, and he has been honored with local office, having served as township clerk, school treasurer two years, and school director for a few years. He and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church at Cottonwood and occupy an enviable position in the best social circles of their community.
ISAAC AUSTIN, whose farm is conven- iently located near Lyndon, owns and operates three hundred acres of rich land, lying in Lyndon and Mount Pleasant town- ships. This place is neat and thrifty in ap- pearance and indicates the careful super- vision of the owner. The substantial resi- dence and outbuildings are surrounded by well-tilled fields, cultivated by the latest improved machinery, and the owner of this desirable place is accounted one of the most progressive agriculturists of the com- munity.
Mr. Austin was born in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, September 4, 1833, and is a
son of Steward and Louisa (Reynolds) Austin, the former a native of Oneida coun- ty, New York, and the latter of Tioga county, Pennsylvania. Their marriage was celebrated in the Keystone state, and they became the parents of six children, two of whom died in infancy. Hiram married Laura Morse, and to them were born seven children, -Etta, Lyman, Cora, Lester, Clara, Phoebe and Ray. The mother died in Illinois and Hiram Austin afterward re- moved to Kansas, where he has since mar- ried again. He is now living in Cowley county, Kansas. William was one of the early settlers of the Sunflower state, and is now living in Dickinson county. Isaac is the next of the family. Lenore is the widow of Charles L. Conyne, of Lyndon, and has five children, -Ida, Martin, Stewart, John and Lola. In 1847 Steward Austin removed from Pennsylvania to Illinois, making an overland trip, and located on a farm owned by Lyman Reynolds, one of the early set- tlers of the county. He was a whole-souled man of kindly spirit and generous disposi- tion, sheltering all who came to him in those pioneer days. After a time he pur- chased the farm on which he had settled, making his home there until his death. He was one of the leading farmers of the com- munity and had many warm friends. His wife died before the removal to Illinois.
Isaac Austin attended school for a short time in Pennsylvania, but though his edu- cational privileges were meager, reading, experience and observation have brought him a broad general knowledge. He re- mained with his father until eighteen years of age, and then purchased a half interest in the old homestead. His brother Hiram purchased the other half, and together they pre-empted eighty acres. At the age of
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eighteen, Isaac Austin went to California on a prospecting tour, making the journey overland with six yoke of oxen, one wagon and five men, two being from Illinois and three from Comanche, Iowa. This was in the year 1852, and Mr. Austin remained on the Pacific slope until 1856, residing in Placer and Nevada counties. He made some money during his sojourn in the west and upon his return he resumed agricultural pursuits, adding to his property, at different times, tracts of seventy-five and one hun- dred and twenty acres of land. He there- fore has at the present time a very valuable and desirable farm of three hundred acres, and in his farming operations he follows the most approved methods and has there- fore met with creditable success.
In September 1859. he married Cornelia A. Smith, who was born in New York and during her early girlhood came with her parents to Illinois in 1840. Two children were born of this union, but one died in child- hood. The other, Walter, is now a farmer of Lyndon township. He married Chloe Joyce, and they have four children, -Rex Harry, Mary and Clarence. Mrs. Austin died in 1865, and March 2, 1869 Mr. Austin was again married, his second union being with Lola Hanson, daughter of Jacob and Virginia (Benham) Hanson, who are now residents of Iowa. Mrs. Austin was born in Dutchess county, New York, in 1853, and by her marriage became the mother of seven children, but two died in infancy. Floyd was drowned in Rock river at the age of four- teen years. The others are Belle, wife of Warner Hurlbut, a butcher of Prophetstown, by whom she had two children, Winnie and Essie; Effie, wife of Fred Pratt, who operates a creamery in Bureau county, Illi- nois; Edna, a student in the Fulton schools;
and Winnie, who is attending school in Lyndon. Mr. Austin cast his first vote for General Scott while in California, and since the organization of the Republican party he has been one of its stanch supporters. Various offices have been offered him, but he has always refused to serve except as path master and school directer, in which posi- tions he has rendered effective and able service to his fellow townsmen. Ile is a Master Mason and he and his wife belong to the Order of the Eastern Star. Highly re- spected, they well deserve mention in this volume.
FREDERICK F. WILLIAMS, who now owns and operates a well improved farm on section 27, Clyde township, has been a citizen of Whiteside county for al- most half a century. He was born on board a ship that was lying at anchor at a port in Australia, April 6, 1855, and is the son of Frederick J. and Elizabeth (Tooley) Will- iams, both of whom were of English birth. Frederick J. Williams was a ship carpenter and boatswain, which occupations he fol- lowed for about thirty years. Having con- cluded to abandon the sea, in 1856 he came to Whiteside county and purchased a farm of eighty acres in Ustick township and con- tinued to engage in farming until his death in 1871. His wife preceded him to the unknown world some three years. They were the parents of five children, all of whom are yet living. Frederick F. is the subject of this sketch. Catherine is the wife of Charles Hole, a plasterer by trade, and with their four children they reside in Exeter, Nebraska. Alice is the wife of William Wallace, by whom she has five children. They reside in Exeter, Nebraska,
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where he is engaged in the banking business. Walter, unmarried, resides in Omaha, Ne- braska. Annie is the wife of Edward Rhy- nard, of Freeport, Illinois, where he is em- ployed as bookkeeper for the Standard Oil Company. They have four living children.
The subject of this sketch was about one year old when he was brought by his par- ents to this country. In the public schools of Ustick township he obtained a common- school education. He remained with his parents until he was thirteen years old, when he worked as a farm hand for various farmers until he accumulated enough money to start in business for himself.
In 1881 Mr. Williams was united in mar- riage with Miss Sarah J. Robertson, who was born in Ustick township, and daughter of Joseph K. and Mary Robertson, and to them have been born four children-Annie, George, Agnes and Ellen.
After his marriage Mr. Williams rented. operation of his life.
a farm for six years and met with good suc- cess as a general farmer and stock raiser. In 1888 le purchased the farm where he now lives, an unimproved place of one hun- dred and sixty acres. In the years that have passed he has devoted his undivided attention to its improvement, and the result is shown in a farm of which he has just reason to be proud. He has carried on general farining and stock raising, never having run off on any hobby. In addition to his farming operations he has for about twenty years engaged in well drilling, meet- ing with good success in that line of work, and thus adding to his general income.
While averse to office holding, Mr. Will iams served six years as road commissioner. In politics he is a Republican, and believing heartily in the principles of his party in the various campaigns he gives much of his time
to the party's interest. Believing in the public school system of his adopted country he has served several years as school trus- tee. But it is as a farmer that he is best known and as he would be known, although for some years he was engaged in purchas- sing and shipping stock, during which time he extended the circle of his friends and acquaintances.
JOHN F. HECKER is a prominent and
successful business man of Morrison, where he has made his horne since May, 1857. He started out in life for himself with nothing but his own indomitable en- ergy, and his accumulation of this world's goods is attributable to his good judgment in predicting the future development of the county and consequently the enhanced prices of real estate, combined with the active co-
Mr. Hecker was born in Orefield, near Allentown, Pennsylvania, July 9, 1830, a son of John and Elizabeth (Doutt) Hecker. The father was born in Lehigh county, the same state, June 21, 1806, and was a son of Yost Hecker, and grandson of Rev. John E. Hecker, a minister of the German Re- formed church, who came to this country from Nassau, Germany, in 1752 and settled in Lehigh county. He was quite prominent and was the first pastor of the church at Petersville, where on the one hundredth an- niversary of his preaching, twenty-seven years ago, erected a monument to his mem- ory. Yost Hecker, grandfather of our sub- ject, grew to manhood there and learned the trade of a tailor, which he continued to follow throughout life, working for the well- to-do farmers at their homes, a very common practice in that day, known as "whipping
J. F. HECKER.
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
the cat." He had a number of sons who learned the trade with him, including John, father of our subject, who was only twelve years old at the time of his father's death, so completed his appprenticeship with his brothers.
In his native county, John Hecker, Sr., married Miss Elizabeth Doutt, who was born April 12, 1809. Her father, John Doutt, was a prominent tanner living near Sunbury, Pennsylvania, where her mother died, after which he married again and moved to the Robbs community near Zeli- enople, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, where he conducted a successful business until his death. The parents of our subject continued their residence in Lehigh county until October, 1838, when with their fam- ily of four children, they started for Stark county, Ohio, a distance of four hundred miles over mountains. In a false end board of the wagon they had a box containing eight hundred dollars in sil- ver. Although only eight years of age, our subject walked the entire distance with the exception of twenty miles. (On awakening one morning he found himself unable to walk, owing to the long tramp the day be- fore, and was allowed to ride for a time.) The family settled at West Brookfield, two miles from Massilon, in a little village of two hundred inhabitants, which was located in the midst of the forest two miles from the Ohio & Erie canal. Here the farmers from fifty to seventy-five miles came to ship their grain, and our subject has counted as many as four hundred teams on one road in a day. The father became quite a promi- nent man of West Brookfield, and held the office of postmaster under President Taylor for four years from 1849, and also filled dif- ferent township offices. He was a strong
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