USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 15
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While in Jewell county, Kansas, Mr. Marvel was married, in March, 1881, to Miss Anna R. Trump, a native of Maryland and a daughter of David Trump, of Kansas. Two children bless this union: Carl M. and Ella M. Politically, Mr. Marvel has been a life-long Democrat and cast his first presidential vote for Grover Cleveland. He
joined the Masonic order at Spring Hill, but is now dimitted. As a business man he stands deservedly high in the esteem of his fellows citizens, and is widely and favorably known.
S OLOMON HUBBARD, one of the venerable and highly respected citizens of Sterling, is a worthy son of a representa- tive old family of Connecticut, of Scotch extraction. His father, Josiah Hubbard, Jr., and his grand'atner, Josiah Hubbard, Sr., natives of the state mentioned, were farmers by occupation. The younger man removed to Vermont, and there owned and managed a good farm until his death. At three different times he made his son Solo- mon long visits, after the latter's settlement in Illinois, but he had no desire to reside in the west. He was a man of public spirit and patriotism, like his father, who served as a colonel in the war of 1812. The mother of Solomon Hubbard bore the maiden name of Cynthia Cummings. She was born in Massachusetts, and was of Scotch descent, her family lineage being traceable as far back as the fifteenth cen - tury.
To the union of Joseph Hubbard, Jr., and wife, twelve children were born, two of whom died in infancy, and one at the age of nine years. Cummings, now deceased, married and had three children, Loren and Diana and one deceased. Maria became the wife of Isaac Baldwin, and had three children, two of whom, Josephine and Louis E., survive. Mrs. Baldwin now is in her ninetieth year. Charles, who died in 1884 in Sterling, was the father of four children, two of whom survive, namely: Charles, of Rock Falls, and May. Lucia, widow of James Tewksbury, resides in Ver-
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mont. Frances, widow of Lucien Chamber- lain, lives in Vermont. Carlos, who has dwelt in Lowell, Massachusetts, for forty- seven years, has one child, Harriet. John, of Montmorenci township, Whiteside coun- ty, has four sons and four daughters: Free- love, a resident of Cedar Rapids, Hattie, William, Herbert, Frank, Dana, Sarah and Nellie.
Solomon Hubbard was born in Thetford, Vermont, October 28, 1818. He continued to work on the home farm until he was eighteen years of age, when he obtained a position as a clerk and was thus employed until he was twenty-seven years old, in the meantime boarding at home. In 1848 he came to Illinois, and for some seventeen years was engaged in business at Dover. Altogether he was a citizen of that place for twenty-one years, at the end of which time he came to Sterling. Here he has been a continuous resident for thirty years, and has been classed among the representative business men. For several years he was engaged in merchandising, and for five years he conducted a lumber business, which he had purchased from Whelan Brown. In 1868 he bought eight hundred acres of land, situated on the Central Pacific Railroad in Kansas, and about a decade previously he had entered one thousand acres of land in Iowa. In addition to this, he bought and sold Illinois property for years, and became known far and near for his extensive deal- ings in real estate.
In his early manhood, Mr. Hubbard was an active worker in local politics, and while a resident of Bureau county he served as assessor for four years, and at one time was a commissioner of highways. He now uses his franchise in favor of the Republican party.
In 1845 Mr. Hubbard and Amanda N. Belcher were married in Randolph, Mass- achusetts. She was born in Roxbury, Ver- mont, January 6, 1820, and died in 1891. Their eldest child, Francis, died when six years of age; Helen Ada died when about eleven years of age; and Solon died in infancy; Harry F., unmarried, is engaged in the coal and wood business in Sterling; Frederick B., who is express agent at Sterling, married Louisa H. Brown, and their three children are: Ada L., Harry S. and Paul S. Emma A., who makes her home with her father, is the widow of Fred B. Shelton, who was a Chicago architect; Arthur G., unmarried and living at home, is a civil engineer employed on the canal.
C OL. ROBERT L. WILSON, deceased, was one of the leading citizens of Whiteside county for many years, and was not only well known in the county, but throughout the state and nation. He was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, September 11, 1805, and was of Scotch- Irish extraction, his ancestors moving from Scotland and settling near Belfast, Ireland, after the conquest of Ireland by Cromwell in the sixteenth century. Later they came to the new world, and in 1778 were located in York county, Pennsylvania, from which place the parents of our subject, with ten children, emigrated to what was then the "far west," Washington county, Pennsyl- vania, making the journey on pack horses over the mountains, there being no wagon roads. In 1810 the family moved still far- ther west, locating near Zanesville, Ohio, the journey again being inade on pack horses. Robert L. was then five years old, and had the honor of riding a pony.
COL. ROBERT L. WILSON.
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Twelve years after the arrival of the now deceased; Archibald, a farmer of San- family in Ohio the father died, and our sub- gamon county; Eliza J., widow of our snb- ject; William C., deceased; Mary, widow of Alonzo Whitney; Thomas, deceased; Emily, wife of Henry Gaines. Of the family Mrs. Wilson is the only one who ever removed from Sangamon county. Her father felt very badly about her removal, and they en- tered into a compact to visit each other each year of their lives, if possible. At that time it took three and a half days to make the trip from Sangamon to White- side county. The visits were continued by each until the parents became too old to make the journey, but Mrs. Wilson made her annual pilgrimage to the old home until her mother's death. Her father was a soldier in the war of 1812. ject was thrown on his own resources. Up to this time he had attended the pioneer schools of his day but very little, but had advanced far enough to read the testament and to write very imperfectly. He now at- tended the winter terms of school and en- gaged in farm labor until he was nineteen years old, when having made very rapid progress he was qualified to teach. For the succeeding three years he engaged in teaching a part of each year and was him- self a pupil in the schools the remainder of the time. He was not satisfied, however, with the knowledge thus obtained, and pro- posed to secure a higher education. Secur- ing an outfit of books and such clothing as he felt it necessary to have, with twenty- seven dollars in his pocket, he set off on foot to New Athens, Ohio, that he might enter Franklin College. By dint of hard study during terms and teaching school through vacations, he finished the course and was graduated from the institution.
After graduating. Mr. Wilson went to Bath county, Kentucky, and for two years engaged in teaching in the academy at Sharpsburg. While there, on the 28th of March, 1833, he was united in marriage with Miss Eliza J. Kincaid, daughter of An- drew and Ann (Caldwell) Kincaid, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. In 1834 the family came to Illinois and located in Sangamon county about fourteen miles north of Springfield, where Mr. Kincaid engaged in farming. His object in removing to Illi- nois was to get land for his sons. After a long and useful life he was called to his re- ward. His wife survived him, dying in her ninety-second year. Their family consist- ed of eight children, as follows: John,
While teaching in Sharpsburg, Mr. Wil- son read law, and each Saturday rode six miles to recite to Judge Robbins. After pursuing his studies for about two years, and having passed a successful examination, he was admitted to practice under the laws of Kentucky. In the fall of 1833, he emigrated to Illinois, with his young bride, and after landing at Beardstown, he pro- ceeded to Sangamon county and located near Springfield, where he taught his last term of school.
By virtue of his talents, Mr. Wilson soon became one of the prominent and in- fluential citizens of Sangamon county, and in 1836 was elected one of the seven mem- bers of the legislature from that county. There were two state senators elected at the same time, and the nine were always known and spoken of as the " Long Nine," each one of the number being over six feet in height. This delegation were all Whigs, the senators being Arthur G. Hamilton and Job Fletcher, and the representatives
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were Abraham Lincoln, Ninian W. Ed- wards, John Dawson, Andrew McCormick, Dan Stone, William F. Elkins and Robert L. Wilson. The efforts of the " long nine " were mainly directed in securing the re- moval of the capital from Vandalia to Springfield, in which they were successful.
In 1840 Mr. Wilson came to Whiteside county, Illinois, and was followed by his family the next year. He located in Sterl- ing, then called Chatham. Soon after his arrival he was appointed by Judge Brown, clerk of the circuit court, a position which had been tendered him by the judge, an old personal friend, prior to his removal, the judge giving him his choice of the clerkship in either Whiteside, Lee, Henry or Carroll counties. He wisely chose Whiteside, and had never reason to regret his choice. After the office became an elective one he was elected by an overwhelming majority, and served continuously until December 1, 1860, a period of nearly twenty-one years. No better official has ever filled the office, and none have ever given better satisfaction. During sixteen years of his incumbency of the office he served as recorder of deeds, and for eight years he was judge of probate.
In the spring of 1861 Mr. Wilson was in Washington, being there at the time Fort Sumter was fired on and the first call was made by the President for volunteers. He at once enlisted as a private in a company commanded by Cassius M. Clay, known as the Clay Guards. The organization was composed principally of non-residents and was armed with breech-loading carbines from the arsenal in that city. They were used principally as night police to guard the capitol to prevent its falling into the hands of the rebels. After the arrival of
the Seventh New York Regiment, fifteen hundred strong, with a six-gun battery, the Clay Guards were mustered out of service, and the discharges of the men were signed by President Lincoln and Secretary Cam - eron.
On receiving his discharge Mr. Wilson returned to Sterling and assisted in raising Company A, Thirty-fourth Illinois Volun- teer Infantry, and was elected captain, but declined the honor in favor of Lieut. Ed- ward N. Kirk, afterwards a brigadier-general. In July, 1861, he again went to Washing- ton, and calling on President Lincoln, who was indeed a personal friend and one of the famous " long nine," he offered his services in any capacity in which he could be useful. Mr. Lincoln informed him that he had made a list of old friends whom he wished to ap- point to office, and that his name was among the number. The President then said to him: "Now, what do you want?" Mr. Wilson replied: "O! quartermaster will do." Mr. Lincoln then said: "I will make you paymaster." The commission was made out, the appointment having been confirmed by the senate August 7, 1861, and he was assigned to duty in Washington and made payments to the army on the Potomac.
By his own request Col. Wilson was transferred to the western army, with head- quarters at St. Louis. He continued in the service four years and four months, when he was honorably mustered out and discharged with the certificate of non-indebtedness re- quired by the civil authorities and the sec- ond comptroller of the treasury. During his term of service he paid out about sev- enteen millions dollars to more than one hundred thousand men.
In IS46 Col. Wilson erected a family residence in Sterling, having much of the
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timber used in its construction hauled by teams from Chicago. At that time there were but few residences in the place. This house has been continuously in use as the family residence to the present time, a period of about fifty-four years, and is one of but four houses built about the same time that is yet standing. Of the six children born to Colonel and Mrs. Wilson two survive. Silas, the first born, married Jane Sorher, and made his home in Sterling, where his death occurred in 1871. He was the father of two children. His widow now makes her home in California. Anna W. married Mar- cus Wisewell, and after his decease she married Dr. Nixon, who for many years was head physician of the Central Pacific Rail- road hospital at San Francisco, California. He is now deceased, and since his death Mrs. Nixon studied medicine, and is now engaged in practice in Los Angeles, Califor- nia. She had two children by her first mar- riage: Frank, deceased, and Alice, who lives with her mother. Emma, widow of Hugh Edwards, makes her home in Los Angeles, California. She has four children, as fol- lows: Lee, now a practicing physician in Lincoln, Nebraska, and who is employed as a physician for the inmates of the Nebraska state penitentiary; Anna, a teacher in the high school at Aledo, Illinois; Mary, a teacher at San Monica, California; and Rob- ert, who resides with his mother at Los Angeles. Robert, who was fourth in order of birth, married Bessie Cox, by whom he had four children: Robert L., Mary, Bessie and Richard. He made his home in Moline, but died in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1892. The family now reside in Chicago. Lee died at the age of sixteen years.
In 1875, when past seventy years old, Colonel Wilson visited Great Britain, and in-
cluded in his tour nearly all the principal cities of Europe. The trip was a delightful one and afforded him much comfort in the last years of his life. He was always fond of travel, but did not get to gratify his taste in that direction as much as he desired. Having a fair competency he was permitted to spend his declining years in ease and re- tirement, gratifying his taste for literature and reflecting on the past. He took much delight in reviewing the exciting events of the years in which his life was spent. He had a remarkable memory and could easily recall such scenes the narration of which would interest those with whom he was as- sociated. In the compilation of Bent's His- tory of Whiteside County he furnished much of the material from his well stored mind. His death, which occurred March 7, 1880, was a public calamity, and he was sincerely mourned by all who knew him in this life. He was a good man, a patriotic citizen, a friend of the poor and needy, and his mem- ory will always be held in grateful remem- brance by the people of Whiteside county and the state of Illinois, where the best years of his life were spent.
D AVID G. HARRISON, whose home is on Portland avenue, Morrison, Illi- nois, has throughout almost his entire life been identified with interests of Whiteside county, and is numbered among its most progressive and successful agriculturists. He was born in Beardstown, this state, June 2 1. 1842, and is a son of Thomas and Nancy (Garlick) Harrison, natives of Derbyshire, England, the former born in Glossop, May 29, 1805, the later July 2, 1806. The paternal grandparents, William and Alice (Rhubottom) Harrison, spent their entire
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lives in Derbyshire. In their family were six children, four sons and two daughters, namely: John, Frederick, Thomas, Alice and Mary. All lived and died in England with the exception of Thomas, the father of our subject. In his native land he was em- ployed as overlooker in a cotton mill, all of the finished goods of the mill passing through his hands. In 1840 he and his wife took passage on a sailing vessel bound for America, and on landing at New Orleans, they proceeded up the Mississippi and Illi- nois rivers to Beardstown, Illinois, where they made their home for two years. At the end of that time they came to White- side county, and in Union Grove township, Mr. Ilarrison purchased a claim before the land came into market. At different times he subsequently added to its forty- acre tracts until he owned three hundred and sixty acres of valuable land, for which he paid the government price of one dollar and a quarter per acre. In his farming operations he met with most excellent success and was able to spend the last years of his life in ease and retirement from active labor. His wife died upon the farm, November 7, 1865, but his death occurred in Morrison, June 19, 1877.
Of the nine children born to this worthy couple two died in infancy, one in England the other in Illinois. David G., our sub- ject, is the oldest now living. (2) Emma is the wife of Isaac Hildreth, of Longmont, Colorado. (3) John, a railroad carpenter, was killed by the cars in 1888, and his wife preceded him, leaving two daughters: Alice; and Nina, wife of Charles Elliott, of Mor- rison, by whom she has one daughter, Florence. (4) Mary wedded John Bowman and died in 1870, leaving one child, Minnie, now the wife of Norman Judd, of Iowa, by
whom she has two daughters. (5) Sarah married Daniel Berry and died February 20, 1898, leaving four children, three sons and one daughter, Charles, Harrison, Hartley and Anna. (6) Charlotte was the first wife of Isaac Hildreth, and by that union two children were born, Frank and Carl. (7) Eliza died unmarried in 1888.
David G. Harrison was only a year and a half old when brought by his parents to Whiteside county, where he has since made his home, and has never been away a whole year at a time during his entire life. He was principally educated in the district schools but also attended the military school at Fulton for six months. He remained under the parental roof, working for his father without wages until twenty-six years of age, and then operated the farm on the shares for several years, being successfully engaged in general farming and stock rais- ing. Some time before the death of his father, he purchased the interest of the other heirs in the place and has since had entire control.
On the 6th of October, 1875, Mr. Har- rison was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Thomson, daughter of William Thomson, whose sketch appears on another page of this volume. To them were born four children, of whom one died in infancy. Otto W. married Mamie Heath and lives on the old homestead, which he rents of his father. Jeanie B. and Euphemia are both at home. The wife and mother died April 6, 1886, and for his second wife, Mr. Har- rison married her sister, Miss Mary J. Thomson, March 10, 1887. She was born December 22, 1860, and by her marriage has become the mother of four children, of whom one died in infancy, and one at the age of four years. Those living are Donald
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F., born December 10, 1887; and Madge J., born June 21, 1897. William J. died at the age of four years. Albert died at the age of two weeks. Otto and Donald are the only male representatives of this family now living in America besides our subject.
In 1892 Mr. Harrison left the farm and removed to Morrison, where he purchased property and erected thereon a modern res- idence with all improvements. After living here for five years he again took possession of his farm, which he is now operating most successfully. At the polls he votes for the man best qualified in his judgment to fill the office regardless of party lines. He and two of his children are active and prominent members of the Baptist church of Morrison, in which he is serving as deacon and trus- tee, and they are quite prominent socially, having a large circle of friends and acquaint- ances in Morrison and surrounding country.
F CENNIMORE E. MARCELLUS, a pio- neer merchant, and one of the leading business men of Fulton, Illinois, is at pres- ent manager of the large and well-stocked store of Marcellus Bros., who carry a com- plete line of clothing, boots, shoes, and men's furnishing goods. He was born at Burlington Flats, Otsego county, New York, March 7, 1835, a son of Rev. Enoch Mar- cellus.
Enoch Marcellus was born and bred in the Mohawk Valley, New York, where he learned the shoemaker's trade in his youth, and afterward established himself as a min- ister of the Baptist denomination. In 1842, accompanied by his wife and children, he came to Whiteside county, traveling by canal to Buffalo, thence by the lakes to Chi-
cago, and from there to Fulton by horse team, being piloted by Mr. Coburn, who lived in Erie, this county, but had been in Chicago on business. He followed his trade in Fulton for a time, and also continued preaching, having been ordained after set- tling here. He subsequently removed to Port Byron, Illinois, where he was engaged in shoemaking, and at the same time had pastoral charge of a congregation. On re- tiring from active labors, he returned to Fulton, where he and his wife are now liv- ing, both well advanced in years, he being eighty-four, and she but two years younger. Nine children blessed their union, as fol- lows: Fennimore, the special subject of this brief biographical sketch; Rachel, widow of James Babb, resides at Stevens Point, Wisconsin; Charles, a member of the Sey- enty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, died in Nebraska; Tillison, a resident of Fulton; William died in Fulton; Franklin, who en- listed in Company I, Seventy-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, was wounded in the battle at Perrysville, Kentucky, and died within a week of his return to Fulton; John, a farmer in Boyd county, Nebraska; a daughter that died in infancy, while they were living in New York; and Kate, wife of Walter Gasp, of Fulton.
Fennimore E. Marcellus was but seven years of age when he came to Fulton with his parents. He was reared at home, and as soon as able was pat to work .on the farm during the long vacations between the terms of the district school in which he was educated. At the age of sixteen he engaged in butchering in Fulton, a trade that he fol- lowed five or six years. Going then to Iowa, he bought land intending to locate there permanently, but preferring Illinois as a place of residence returned to Fulton,
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where he opened a restaurant, and in this business succeeded so well that in 1860 he bought the Union House, which he man- aged in connection with his restaurant for fourteen years. Then, remodeling the build- ing, he put in a good line of men's clothing and furnishing goods, and embarked in the mercantile business, in which, with the ex- ception of a short time he has since been engaged. In 1884 he disposed of the stock he had on hand and removed to Burt coun- ty, Nebraska, where he invested in a sec- tion of land, preparatory to engaging exten- sively in farming and stock raising, taking with him from Fulton six car loads of stock and goods. At the end of two years Mr. Marcellus asked his sons if they would not rather return to Fulton and sell men's over- alls. Receiving an affirmative answer, he sold out there, and coming back to Fulton opened up business at the old stand under the firm name of F. E. Marcellus & Sons, the junior members being his two sons, Fennimore and Franklin. In 1895 he sold out his share of the business to his sons, and the firm name was changed to Marcellus Bros. For some time he remained free from active care, but recently has assumed management of the old store in Fulton, the attention of his sons being often needed at their branch store, located at the corner of Fourth street and Eighth avenue, Clinton, Iowa.
Mr. Marcellus takes an active interest in promoting the welfare of the town and county, encouraging and financially aiding all enterprises tending to benefit the public, and enjoys in a high degree the confi- dence and esteem of his fellow men. In politics he was a Republican in his early life, but for nearly three decades has sup- ported the Democratic ticket. He has oc-
cupied places of prominence in the manage- ment of public affairs, having been mayor of the city two terms, a trustee of Fulton county, tax collector, and in the spring of 1899 was elected alderman from the second ward.
On November 25, 1853, when but ninc- teen years old, Mr. Marcellus married Miss Anna Shuman, who was born November 25, 1833, in Keihl, near Haxtonburg, Germany, where she lived until early womanhood. Of the eight children born of their union, three died in childhood, Frederick and Ida when four years old, . and Mary J. at the age of two years. Those living are as fol- lows: Fennimore; Ella; Franklin; Restoria, wife of Daniel Skinner, of Clinton, Iowa ; and Burt, who is a clerk in the store at Fulton.
J JOHN W. HULETT, one of the leading
business men of Morrison, Illinois, has shown in his successful career that he has the ability to plan wisely and execute with energy, a combination which, when pos- sessed by men in any walk of life, never fail to effect notable results.
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