USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 13
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In his native city young Bent attended school until eleven years of age, when the
family moved to Morrison, Illinois. Here he first attended school in what was known as Jacob. town for one winter, and then in the school house one mile east of the present city of Morrison. His school life ended with 1857, and in June, 1858, he entered the office of the White- side Sentinel and served a three years' ap- prenticeship, receiving for the first year thirty dollars, for the second year, fifty dol- lars, and for the third year one hundred dollars. The paper was not quite one year old when he entered the office, and with it he has virtually been connected ever since. After finishing his apprenticeship he worked in the office as a journeyman until in April, 1864, when he enlisted as a private in Com- pany B, One Hundred and Fortieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was appointed third sergeant of his company. The regiment went into the camp at Dixon, Illinois, from where it was sent to Camp Butler, near Springfield, where it was mustered into serv- ice. It enlisted under the call for one hun- dred days, and was sent to Lafayette, Ten- nessec, to hold the outposts while the vet- erans pushed ahead. It remained in that vicinity until about the time of the expira- tion of the term of service, when it was or- dered to Chicago to be mustered out. While en route, General Price gave the citi- zens of St. Louis a scare, the people fear- ing an attack, and so the regiment was or- dered there, where it remained a number of weeks doing guard duty until all danger of attack from Price was over. It was then sent to Chicago and duly mustered out.
Returning to his home in Morrison, Mr. Bent again entered the office of the Sen- tinel, in the capacity of foreman, and there remained until February 2, 1865, when he again enlisted in the army as a private in
CHARLES BENT.
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Company B, One Hundred and Forty- seventh Ilinois Volunteer Infantry, under the call for one year. The regiment was munstered in at Camp Fry, Chicago, and was sent south, being attached to the First Brigade, Second Division, Army of the Cumberland. It was first stationed at Dal- ton, Georgia, and as General Sherman had cut loose and commenced his march to the sea, it had considerable guerrilla fight- ing to do. Mr. Bent, on the organization of the company, was appointed first ser- geant and was later commissioned second lieutenant of the company. His brigade received the surrender of the rebel army of northern Georgia, and later his regiment was at Albany, Georgia, and a part of the brigade were among the first troops at Andersonville after the surrender.
Immediately after the surrender of the southern army, the cities of the south were so overrun with negroes that the troops had to be detached to keep them on plantations. Lieutenant Bent was detailed with a num- ber of men to go to Newton, Georgia, as assistant provost marshal and agent of the Freedmen's Bureau, his duties being to pro- tect citizens in their homes, and as agent of the Freedmen's Bureau to go through the country and make contracts between former slaves and their old masters, and to require them to work. After being there a short time he was appointed assistant provost marshal of his brigade and stationed at Americus. Going to Hawkinsville, Geor- gia, he was later detailed to go to the region where Jefferson Davis was captured, and his headquarters were in the saw mill where Davis spent his last night before capture. After that he went to Savannah, Georgia, and there received orders for the faithful ex- ecution of which mention is made in the
History of the One Hundred and Forty-sev- enth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, published in the adjutant-general's state reports, as follows: "December 6, 1865, Lieutenant Charles Bent and twenty men of Company B were sent to Fort Pulaski, as a garrison, Lieutenant Bent being responsible for the government property, amounting to several million dollars, and which he satisfactorily turned over to his successor when relieved."
With his regiment, Lieutenant Bent was mustered out of service January 20, 1866, and was paid off at Camp Butler, Spring- field, Illinois. He at once returned home, and once more resumed his position in the office of the Whiteside Sentinel, serving as foreman until in July, 1867, when, in com- pany with his brother-in-law, Maurice Sav- age, he purchased the Sentinel office from its original proprietor, Alfred McFadden. The partnership between Bent & Savage continued until May, 1870, when Mr. Bent purchased his partner's interest and pub- lished the paper alone until February, 1877, when he sold the office, and at once com- menced collecting the material for a history of Whiteside county, which is considered authority in matters pertaining to the coun- ty's history, and which enters into detail concerning the early development of the county, as well as its growth and progress. The history was published in 1878.
In March, 1879, Mr. Bent re-purchased the Sentinel office and has since been sole proprietor and editor of the paper, which is one of the oldest county papers in the state. A well equipped job office is con- nected with the paper, and is supplied with modern material and type. The paper is Republican in politics, and neither paper or editor has ever bolted the party ticket. In 1887, Mr. Bent erected the office build-
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ing, which is used exclusively for the busi- ness, and which has all the modern im- provements.
On the 15th of August, 1870, Mr. Bent was united in marriage with Miss Decima Manington, who was born in West Vienna township, Oneida county, New York, July 9, 1844, daughter of Alfred and Sophia Manington, natives of England. By this union are the following named children: Paul Alphonso, born May 28, 1871, who is foreman in his father's printing office, mar- ried June 25, 1895, at Morrison, Illinois, to Miss Luna Quackenbush; Elizabeth, born July 26, 1873, married October 15, 1896, Robert C. Sattley, and they now reside in Wheaton, Illinois; Charles, born August 2, 1875, married November 3, 1898, Miss Mabel Beuzeville, and they reside in Mor- rison, where he is local editor of his father's newspaper; Ruth, born October 26, 1877; Harry, born March 13, 1879, and served during the Spanish-American war in Com- pany 1, Sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with service in Porto Rico; George Man- ington, born June 6, 1890.
In civil life, Mr. Bent has been duly honored by his fellowmen. He was assistant assessor of internal revenue in the third collection district from December, 1870, until the office of revenue assessor was abol- ished in 1873. He was alderman in the city of Morrison in 1870 72, and again in 1875 77. He was a member of the board of education from 1877 to 1884, and from 1887 to 1896. In November, 1878, he was elected as a Republican to the state Senate from the eleventh district, comprising the counties of Whiteside and Carroll, for the term of four years. In April, 1883, he was appointed by Governor Hamilton a member of the state board of canal commissioners
for the term of two years, and was presi- dent of the board during that time. In February, 1889, he was appointed by Gov- ernor Fifer as a commissioner of the Illinois state penitentiary at Joliet, and held the position until January, 1893, when he re- signed upon the election of a Democratic governor. He has also served as a member of the state Republican committee of his party for several years. In whatever posi- tion he held, he has always endeavored to be faithful to the trust reposed in him, and to conscientiously discharge every duty for the best interest of the people.
Fraternally Mr. Bent is a member of Dunlap lodge, No. 321, F. & A. M .; Ful- ton chapter, No. 108, R. A. M., and Sterl- ing commandery, K. T. He is also a mein- ber of Grove lodge, No. 257, I. O. O. F., of which he is past grand, and past repre- sentative to the state grand lodge; of the Bethel Encampment, No. 150, of which he is past chief patriarch, and also past repre- sentative to the state encampment; of the Alpheus Clark post, No. 118, G. A. R., of which he is past commander, and on a num- ber of occasions has represented it in the state encampment, and his state in the na- tional encampment. He is also a member of the Ilinois Commandery of Loyal Legion of Chicago, and of the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. But it is as an editor that he is best known. lle endeavors to conduct his paper on a high plane, and always gives aid and encouragement to whatever is of benefit to the city and county which has been his home for nearly half a century.
G ILES GREENE. At the time of his death, Giles Greene was one of the extensive landowners of Whiteside county,
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
and his possessions had been acquired large- ly through his own efforts. He had also won, by an honorable, upright life, an un- tarnished name, and the record which he left behind him is one well worthy of emula- tion. Ile was born March 13, 1822, in Cortland county, New York, a son of Ben- jamin T. Greene, who was born in Rhode Island and in early life removed to the Et- pire state, where he was married to Hettie Wilson, whose birth occurred in Philadel- phia, Pennsylvania, in 1786. To them were born five children: Harriet, Burrel and Wilson, all living in Cortland county, New York; one who died in infancy; and the subject of this review. The parents spent their last days on the old homestead in the Empire state, where for a long period the father devoted his energies to farming.
Giles Greene spent his boyhood days under the parental roof and remained in New York until 1854, when he came to Illinois and purchased land. He then re- turned to the Empire state and in 1855 was married to Laura Mann, daughter of Aris- tarchus and Sophia (Kneeland) Mann. She was born December 27, 1827, in Delaware county, New York, of which place her par- ents were also natives. They had a family of three daughters, but Lavantia died when about thirty years of age. Julia is the widow of Elliot Orton and now resides in Leavenworth, Kansas. She has five chil- dren: LaRue, Ralph, Miles, Grace, wife of Thomas Carney, and Robert. In 186.] Mr. and Mrs. Mann came to Illinois, and being then well advanced in years they took up their abode in a house belonging to Mr. Greene where they lived retired until called to the home beyond.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Green started for Illinois, and began their domestic
life upon the farm which he had previously purchased. It was then a wild tract of land, entirely destitute of improvements, but with characteristic energy he began its develop- ment and soon transformed the raw prairie into rich and fertile fields. lle erected thereon substantial buildings, and with the passing years added all the accessories and conveniencies of the model farm. As his financial resources increased, he made addi- tional purchases, becoming the owner of one thousand acres of rich and valuable land, all in Lyndon township. He was very success- ful in his business affairs, and in addition to general farming he was extensively en- gaged in raising stock for shipment. Dili- gence was one of his chief characteristics, and added to this was practical common sense, an element which is often lacking, and without which one cannot hope to suc- ceed. In 1898 he made a business trip to Sterling, and while there was taken ill, his death resulting a few days later, on the 3d of January.
Mr. and Mrs. Green were the parents of six children, of whom two are now deceased. George II. having died in infancy, while Ilattie died in 1898 at the age of forty years. Ray, the eldest living son, took up the work where his father left it and has since carried on the business, dealing extensively in stock, which he raises and prepares for the market. He was born in 1860, received his education in the district schools, and afterward spent one year in Monmouth, Illinois, where he pursued an academic course. He also pur- sued an elective course in the Normal Col- lege of Valparaiso, Indiana, where he spent four winter seasons. Through the summer months he worked on the farm, and since his father's death he hashad charge of the stock-raising interests. He makes a spec-
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ialty of the raising of hogs, cattle and sheep, which he fattens for the market, and his busi- ness ability has enabled him to win very grat- ifying financial results. His political support is given the Democracy, and fraternally he is connected with the Mystic Workers of the World, of Lyndon. He has spent his en- tire life in this county, and is both widely and favorably known. Mary S., the next member of the family, is the wife of E. H. Wooster. They have one son, living,- Miles Spencer. Benjamin T., who married Leila Cady, follows farming in Lyndon town- ship : Stark K., a resident of Sterling, mar- ried Hattie Marcy and they have one son, Giles M.
In politics Mr. Green was a Democrat who wisely espoused the principles of his party, but he never sought or desired public office and though frequently solicited by his fellow townsmen to serve in positions of pub- lic trust, he always refused. In his business dealings he was ever prompt, reliable and entirely trustworthy, and although he gained a greater degree of success than came to many of his fellow townsmen, it was because he was very energetic, persevering and capable in managing his affairs. In his death the community lost one of its best citizens, his neighbors a faithful friend and his family a considerate husband and father.
JOHN H. GREEN. This gentleman, who spent his early life in active business, and mainly in agricultural pursuits, is now living retired on West Grove street, Morri- son, Illinois. A man of great energy and more than ordinary business capacity, his success in life has been largely due to his own efforts and the sound judgment by which he has been enabled to make wise
investments and take good advantage of his investments.
Mr. Green was born in Yorkshire, Eng- land, June 29, 1831, a son of Jesse and Martha (Hanson) Green, also natives of Yorkshire, the former born in 1810, the latter in 1809. His paternal grandparents, Christopher and Sarah Green, made their home in that country until the former was fifty years of age and then emigrated to America, settling in Racine, Wisconsin, where they lived for a number of years. They next located in Elizabeth, Jo Daviess county, Illinois, where the grandfather died at the age of seventy-six years. Later his wife lived with her children until she, too, was called away at the age of seventy-nine years, dying in Christian Hollow, Stephen- son county, Illinois. She was never ill a day in her life. In her family were thirteen children, of whom three died young, the others being as follows: John H. is the eldest; George H., a resident of Des Moines, lowa, is a widower and has one child; Christopher, a musician in the Union armny during the Civil war, is living in Spencer, Iowa, and has two daughters; Mary is the wife of William Reynolds, of Lena, Illinois, also a veteran of the Civil war, and they have three children; Sarah is the wife of William Mahanney, of Janesville, Wiscon- sin, and they have four children; Jane is the wife of Edward Body, of Iowa Falls, Iowa, and they have five children; James is a resi- dent of Sheffield, Iowa, and has five chil- dren; Anna M. is the wife of Robert Body, of Iowa Falls, Iowa, and they have three children; Henry is unmarried and makes his home in Sheffield, Iowa; and Joseph is a resident of Sheffield and has one child. In 1842, the parents of our subject, with their family, came to the new world and settled
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in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, near the Wis- consin line. Two years later they removed to Elizabeth and later to Stephenson county, where the grandmother died. After four years spent there, they returned to Woodbine, where the father engaged in farming for some years. Ile died in Conn- cil Hill, Jo Daviess county, in 1887, and his wife passed away in 1889.
Our subject never attended school, his education being of a practical kind, gained by contact with the world. During his minority he remained at home, working in the lead mines and teaming, and giving his wages to his parents until twenty-one years of age. lle worked in the mines of this state for about two years and a half and then went to California, in March, 1854, by water, via New York. He engaged in gold mining for a year and a half, and then turned his attention to teaming, which oc- cupation proved quite profitable. He made considerable money during the six years spent upon the Pacific coast. At the end of that time he returned to Jo Daviess county, Illinois, where he purchased a farm of two hundred and eight acres, and re- mained there until 1869, when he sold the place and came to Ustick, Whiteside coun- ty. Here he bought one hundred and ten acres of land, to the improvement and culti- vation of which he devoted his energies until 1894, when he removed to Morrison and retired from active labor.
In December, 1861, Mr. Green married Miss Margaret Lowry, who was born on the Isle of Man, September 17, 1844, and during infancy was brought to America by her parents, Henry and Margaret (Qullim) Lowry, the former a native of Lands End, England, the latter of the Isle of Man. They located in Elizabeth township, Jo
Daviess county, Illinois, where the father died in 1887. The mother is still living. They are as follows: (1) Fanny married William Howarth, of Jo Daviess county, and died in 1887, leaving twelve children who are still living. (2) Henry was a mem- ber of the Ninety-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the last two years of the Civil war, since which time he has suffered with lung trouble and has traveled most of the time for the benefit of his health. (3) Margaret, wife of our subject, is the next of the family. (4) Joseph, a resident of St. Joseph, Missouri, is married and has two sons. (5) William, a resident of Mor- rison, Illinois, is married and has one son. (6) John died in infancy. (7) Maria. To Mr. and Mrs. Green were born six children: John G .; Sarah G., wife of A. N. Abbott, the Republican representative of this dis- trict; and May, wife of B. F. Hoover, a farmer of Ustick township, are all repre- sented elsewhere in this volume. Phobe and Benjamin are still at home.
The Republican party finds in Mr. Green a stanch supporter of its principles, and he has most creditably filled the offices of road commissioner and school director. Other official positions have been offered him but he declined them. He is well known and highly respected, and during his resi- dence in this county has made many friends. Ilis wife is an earnest member of the Pres- by terian church.
J T. REYNOLDS, a worthy representa- tive of the agricultural interests of Whiteside county, Illinois, owns and suc- cessfully operates a good farm of one hun- dred and twenty acres on section 34, Mount Pleasant township. He is a native of Penn-
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sylvania, his birth occurring in Tioga county, November 9, 1839, and is a son of Bennett and Margaret (Richmond) Reynolds, the former born in Vermont August 11, 1807. the latter in Pennsylvania January 16, 1816. After attaining his majority the father re- moved to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, where he continued to make his home until called from this life in 1890. He was a good mechanic, but followed farming as an oc- cupation. Ilis wife died in March, 1888. To them were born seven children, namely: Ezra, who died in Tioga county, Pennsylva- nia, at about the age of forty years; Orrin, who died at the age of twenty; J. T., our sub- ject; Mary Jane, now the widow of William Bryant, and a resident of Tioga county: Draper, also a resident of that county; Sal- lie, who married a cousin, William Reynolds, and lives on the old homestead; and Daniel, also a resident of Tioga county, Pennsyl- vania.
In the county of his nativity J. T. Rey- nolds grew to manhood, acquiring his edu- cation in its common schools. During the Civil war he was in the quartermaster's de- partment near Fredericksburg, Virginia, for two winters. In the spring of 1863 he came west and first located in Mount Carroll, Carroll county, Illinois, where he remained about a year, and then came to Mount Pleas- ant township, Whiteside county. After work- ing by the month as a farm hand for one season he operated rented land for four or five years, and at the same time run a thresh- ing machine in connection with William Hicks for a number of years.
On the roth of August, 1871, Mr. Rey- nolds was united in marriage with Mrs. Mar- garet Parnham, widow of Robert Parnham, and daughter of Nathan and Rebecca (Jew- ell) Nash, both natives of Ohio. Her father
was a farmer of Licking county, that state, where he died when Mrs. Reynolds was but a small child, and she lost her mother when only six months old. In their family were four children: Benjamin, who died in Michi- gan in the spring of 1899, at the age of sev- enty years; Stephen, a retired farmer of Michigan; Mary, widow of George Hughes, and a resident of lowa; and Margaret, wife of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds have one child, Mary Jane, at home.
After his marriage our subject bought land on section 34, Mount Pleasant town- ship, to which he has since added until he now has a fine farm of one hundred and twenty acres, which he has placed under ex- cellent cultivation. He has purchased an acre and a fraction in Morrison, where he contemplates building a home to which he expects to retire shortly. He is principally engaged in stock raising, selling to the local shippers. In political sentiment he is a Re- publican. Socially he belongs to Lyndon camp, M. W. A., and religiously his wife is a member of the Methodist church, which church he also attends.
H JON. ALFRED N. ABBOTT, one of the most influential, prominent and progressive citizens of Ustick township, was born on his present farm on section 32, No- vember 2, 1862. Ilis father, Asa M. Ab- X bott, was born in Harland, Vermont, in 1820, and was a son of Benjamin and Dorcas (Noyes) Abbott, both natives of New Hampshire, the former born in Con- cord, of English ancestry, the latter of Eng- lish extraction. The grandfather was the fifth in direct line in the Abbott family to bear the name of Benjamin. The first to come to the new world landed on our shores
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in 1643 and settled at Andover, being the first settlers of the place. Our subject's great-grandfather, Benjamin Abbott, was a Revolutionary soldier and was wounded in the battle of Bunker Hill. Two of his brothers participated in the battle of Ben- nington, in which one of them was killed. In the family of the grandfather of our sub- ject were the following children who reached years of maturity: Ephraim, a printer, who died in St. Louis, was the editor of the first agricultural paper of the Mississippi Valley; Enoch traveled around the world for his health and died in Concord, New Hamp- shire, which town was founded by the Ab- bott family; Asa is the father of our subject ; Laura married Lansing Morton, of Mortons Corners, New York, and died at the age of twenty-six years, leaving one son, Charles A. Morton, of St. Paul, where he is super- intendent of freight inspection; Susan mar- ried Jesse Fry and died leaving two children : Benjamin, a commercial traveler, of Denver, Colorado, and Laura, now the wife of Brigadier-General William Clendenning, of Moline.
During early life Asa M. Abbott worked at the gunsmith's trade. At the age of twenty-one he came west and first located in St. Louis, Missouri, but in 1847 came to Fulton, Whiteside county, Illinois. The following year he entered eighty acres of the old homestead now occupied by our subject, and to its improvement and cultivation he de- voted his energies with marked success for many years. At the time of his death he had four hundred and eighty acres of land in Kan- sas, and four hundred and fifty acres in Illinois, one hundred and thirty acres of which was timber land. At the age of twenty-six, he was married in Oquawka, Henderson coun- ty, Illinois, to Miss Sarah Sperry, who was
born in Mecca, Ohio. in 1822, and in 1836 became a resident of Oquawka. Of the seven children born to them one daughter died in infancy. Charles E., the eklest son and the present county treasurer of Juab county, Utah, married Sarah Sperry and has six living children. (2) Morton, a farm- er of Marshall county, Kansas, married Hannah Knight, and they have six children, two sons and four daughters. (3) Theodore S., a civil engineer of Saltillo, Mexico, who is considered one of the best in that country, married Lillia Nalle, a native of Virginia, and has two children, a son and daughter. (4) Edward L., a contractor and builder of New York City, married Lillie Hartwell and has one daughter. (5) William L., who has charge of the operating department of the Chicago Edison Company, married Car- rie Entwhistle, of Ustick, and has four chil- dren, two sons and two daughters. (6) Alfred N., our subject, completes the fami- ly. The father died April 8, 1889. The mother is still living.
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