USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 16
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Mr. Hulett is a native of this county, born March 30, 1855, and is a son of Amos A. and Sarah W. (White) Hulett. His father was born in Windsor county, Ver- mont, April 7, 1812, a son of Benjamin G. and Lydia Hulett, both of whom are now deceased. Mrs. Hulett was born September 6, 1818, and was a daughter of Robert and Mary White. In the Hulett family were five children, namely: Ansel, who died in infancy; James H., who married Anna Olds and resides in Hall county, Nebraska; Will- iam, a resident of Story county, Iowa; Robert G., who wedded Mary J. Haslam,
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now deceased, and resides in Morrison; and John W., our subject.
Under the parental roof John W. Hulett remained until twenty-two years of age. In early life he followed general farming and stock raising with marked success, his specialty being cattle and hogs, and he still owns a fine farm of two hundred and thirty- five acres of land on section 32, Union Grove township. In the winter of 1889 he moved to Morrison, where he has since car- ried on business as a stock dealer, and is now also interested in the real estate busi- ness.
On the 11th of December, 1877, Mr. Hulett was united in marriage with Miss Belle Twombly, who was born June 13, 1857, a daughter of Titus J. and Rosina (Cass) Twombly, who were married March 29, 1854. Her father was born December II, IS22, and is a son of Daniel and Sarah Twombly. In his family are two children: Horace, who married Phoebe Harmon and resides in Union Grove township; and Belle; wife of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Hulett have five children: Pluma B., Ethel M., Rosina E., Raymond W. and Earl D. Socially Mr. Hulett is a member of the Knights of Pythias and politically is a strong Republican. He is now filling the office of constable in Morrison and as a citizen faith- fully discharges every duty that devolves upon him.
C' HARLES DELP, now living retired in Sterling, has been identified with the interests of Whiteside county for almost half a century, and is well entitled to a place in its history. He was born in Mont- gomery county, Pennsylvania, July 20, 1835, his parents being Michael and Julia
A. (Grimm) Delp. The father was a na- tive of Union county, Pennsylvania, born January 5, 1809, and the mother was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, July 20, 1810. After their marriage they settled upon a small farm, which father carried on, spending a portion of his time in working at his trade. In 1850, he removed to this county with his family, and settling upon a farm in Jordan township, ultimately became the owner of two hundred and ninety acres, though at first he had only sufficient funds to purchase part of this property. He was ably and cheerfully assisted in his labors by his sons, and together they managed to lay aside a large competence. In 1868 he re- tired from business, and thenceforth made his home in Sterling. He lived and died in the faith of the Mennonite church, his death taking place in March, 1890.
Charles Delp is one of ten children, five of whom died when young. Mahlon G., who died in Sterling, married Caroline Hun- ter, who survives, as do four of their chil- dren. Caroline, deceased, was the wife of Joseph Snyder, now a resident of Oregon, and three of their sons survive. Mary A., Mrs. John S. Weaver, resides in Ster- ling, and they have five living children. Julia, unmarried, lives with our subject and their mother, in Sterling.
The education of Charles Delp was chiefly obtained in his native county, though he attended school some after his arrival in this county. After his father retired from the arduous cares of an agricultural life, the young man, who is a practical farmer, operated the home place for a num- ber of years. In 1880 the farm was leased to a responsible tenant, and Michael Delp purchased a lot in Sterling, and erected thereon a modern house, which has smce
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sheltered the family. For two years longer, he continued to supervise the farm, but, having ample means, he is practically re- tired at the present time. Fraternally, he is associated with Sterling lodge, No. 174, I. O. O. F., and politically, he is an active worker in the interests of the Republican party.
JOHN J. GREENE, of Prophetstown, is
now living a retired life in the enjoy- ment of a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves by reason of his indus- trious efforts of former years. Accomplish- ment and progress ever imply labor, energy and diligence, and it was those qualities that enabled our subject to rise from the ranks of the many and stand among the successful few. He is now one of the highly-respected citizens of Prophetstown and his long residence in Whiteside county and the active part he has taken in its de- velopment well entitles him to representa- tion in its history.
Mr. Greene was born in Chautauqua county, New York, May 30, 1835, a son of William Greene, whose birth occurred in Rhode Island, in 1802. The paternal grandfather, Henry Greene, was also a na- tive of Rhode Island, from which state he removed to Cortland county, New York, where he opened up a farm and reared his family. When a young man William Greene went to Chautauqua county, where he married Orrilla Eddy, a native of that state and a daughter of Job Eddy, one of the early settlers of Chautauqua county. There Mr. Greene followed farming for some years, but in July, 1853, came to Whiteside county, Illinois, locating in Prophetstown township, where he followed
farming until called from this life in 1874, at the age of seventy-six years. His wife long survived him, dying in February, 1899, at the advanced age of eighty-five years. To them were born eight children, four sons and four daughters, of whom seven reached years of maturity, and three sons and two daughters are now living, namely: Albert, a resident of Tallapoosa, Georgia; John J., our subject; Horatio and Mrs. R. M. Besse, both of Prophetstown; and Eliza, wife of E. D. Griswold, of Spring- field, Illinois.
Our subject was eighteen years of age on the arrival of the family in this county, and he assisted his father in opening up and carrying on the home farm. Later he engaged in farming in Henry county, Illi- nois, where he owned one hundred and sixty acres, and then came to Prophetstown, where they built an elevator and to deal in grain. For four years after the railroad was built through the town he was engaged in business with H. C. Hull and at the end of that time retired from the grain business. He then formed a partnership with P. H. Smith and for ten years was interested in general merchandising. On selling out he turned his attention to the hardware trade for the following decade and then turned the business over to his son and has since lived retired.
In Prophetstown, Mr. Greene was mar- ried, December 10, 1861, to Miss Sarah E. Kimball, a native of Cumberland county, Maine, who came to Illinois with her par- ents, P. H. and Susan (Stanley) Kimball, in January, 1854. They located on a farm in Prophetstown township, where they spent the remainder of their lives. The mother, who was born in Beverly, Massa- chusetts, died June 15, 1866, and the father,
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who was born in Ipswich, the same state, died February 13, 1891. They had five children who reached man and womanhood, namely: Benjamin, who died in California when a young man; Caleb, who has been cashier of the First National Bank of South Bend, Indiana, for about thirty-two years; John, a retired farmer of Tampico, Illinois; Susan E., wife of Dr. David Choate, a leading physician of Salem, Massachusetts; and Sarah E., wife of our subjeet. Mrs. Greene's paternal grandfa- ther, Caleb Kimball, and her maternal great- grandfather, Wells Stanley, were both sol- diers of the Revolutionary war, and she and her daughter, Mrs. Stone, are now members of the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Our subject and his wife have two children: Allen S., a promi- nent business man of Prophetstown, who married Agnes Warner, a daughter of Jack- son Warner, and has two children, Marjorie and Warner; and Minnie A., wife of H. J. Stone, also a leading business man of Prophetstown, by whom she has one child, Velma.
While not members of any religious de- nomination, Mr. and Mrs. Greene attend and give to the support of the Congrega- tional church of Prophetstown, and are among the most highly respected citizens of the town. Since the organization of the Republican party he has been one of its stanch supporters, voting for Fremont in 1856, and he has served as a delegate to county and state conventions. As a pub- lic-spirited and enterprising citizen, he has ever taken an active interest in public af- fairs, and has been prominently identified with the upbuilding of his town and county. Ile most ereditably served as president of the town board for a number of years, and 8
for eighteen years was a member of the school board, during which time the present school house was built. While a resident of Henry county he served as supervisor of his township for two years, and served as justice of the peace for four years.
M ARSHALL TURNER LEE. For half a century Marshall Turner Lee has been numbered among the progressive, energetic citizens of Whiteside county, and at present he is living practically retired at his pleasant home in Sterling. Following in the footsteps of his patriotic father, who won honors for his gallant service in the war of 1812, he fought for more than three years during the war of the Rebellion, par- ticipating in some of the most arduous cam- paigns of that terrible conflict. In years of peace, no less than in those of war, he has bravely performed his duty, and is justly entitled to a place in the nation's roll of honor.
Alexander S. Lee, father of our subject, was born in Herkimer county, New York, in 1793. The latter's mother, whose maiden name was Angeline Scoville, was born in Tonawanda, New York, in 1804, and re- sided there at the time of her marriage. During the war of 1812, the young husband enlisted in the American army, and fought at Plattsburg, the last battle of the war. Alexander and Angeline Lee were the par- ents of nine children. Susan first married D. Masten, and their daughter, Mrs. Salome Sumner, had four children. The second marriage of Susan was with Alexander Atherton, who also has passed away, and his widow now makes her home with our subject. Hiram, who was a life-long farmer and resident of Pennsylvania, died while
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making a visit in Ohio, and was buried near his old home. Of his twelve children, four survive. Lafayette, deceased, formerly of Erie county, Pennsylvania, had three children. Mary, widow of Charles Small- edge, and mother of Charles, Jerome, Dell, and Salome, resides in Steuben county, New York. Myra died at the age of nine- teen years. Pauline, deceased, was the wife of James K. Hankey, and their son, Frank, now lives in Chicago. Mercy A., deceased, was the wife of James Gunder, and of their twelve children eight are living. Abner, deceased, made his home on the parental farm until his death, and his widow still resides there. Their six children are: Allie, Anna, Myron, James, Ida and Effie.
In 1849, Alexander S. Lee emigrated to Whiteside county, and settled upon a farm of one hundred acres, in Genesee township. He worked at his trade as carpenter until advancing years compelled him to retire. Thenceforth he made his home with his son, Abner, until he was summoned to his re- ward in 1883. His wife departed this life in 1881, at the home of our subject. They were highly esteemed by everyone, and to their children they left the heritage of un- blemished names.
Marshall T. Lee was born in Erie coun- ty, Pennsylvania, June 7, 1837, and there he lived until he was twelve years of age. He early mastered the various details of agriculture and remained under the parental roof until reaching his majority. As an in- itial step in independent life, he chose Eliza- beth Wetzell as a wife, their marriage being celebrated December 18, 1859. She is a daughter of Daniel and Mary (Bidler) Wet- zell, and was born in Canton, Ohio, in 1842. With her parents, who likewise were na- tives of Ohio, she came to Illinois when a
young girl. Mr. and Mrs. Lee have seven sons, namely: Francis M., Marshall T., Charles J., Abram L., John H., Fay and Daniel W. Francis M., of Springville, Iowa, married Nettie Wilbur, and their two children are Zella and Wilbur. Marshall T., of Rock Falls, is a salesman for the Lee Harness Attachment Company, of Chi- cago, and is the inventor and patentee of the article manufactured. He married Nancy Brett, and has three children- Harry, Lawrence and Lottie. Charles J., who is an enterprising farmer of Hume township, married Erma Van DeMark, and their four children comprise: Wayne, Le- land, Mildred and an infant. Abram L., who has been employed for ten years by the Rock Falls Manufacturing Company, of Sterling, married Mamie Boos, and has two children, Nellie and Fern. John H., a leading attorney of Chicago, is a graduate of the Sterling schools, and of the civil en- gineering and electrical department of the State University of Wisconsin. He received the degree of Doctor of Laws in Kent Col- lege of Law, in Chicago, where he was graduated with high honors, and since then has been engaged in practice, his office being in the Monadnock building, Chicago. He is an able business man, and was one of the organizers of the Lee Harness Attachment Company. His wife formerly was Miss Lillie McLain. Fay, a resident of Rock Falls, married Belle Wilson, and their only child is named William. Daniel is a mem- ber of the class of 1900 of Kent College of Law, and also is employed as a stenogra- pher in his brother's office in Chicago.
Subsequent to the marriage of our sub- ject and wife they settled upon a fifty-acre farm in Genesee township, and were living there, busily occupied in the varied duties
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of agriculture, when the Civil war broke out. In October, 1861, Mr. Lee enlisted in Company HI, Fifty-fifth Illinois Volun- teers. For some time he was in the hos- pital, and as soon as able to do so he joined his comrades and participated in many of the important battles of the war. Among others, he was active in the battles of Look- out Mountain, Mission Ridge, Kenesaw Mountain, Ezra Chapel and Sherman's march to the sea. At Ezra Chapel the rebels charged the Union army five times during the day, and when night came on the small division in which Mr. Lee was stationed buried about six hundred soldiers in gray who had fallen in front of their lincs. After the almost continuous skirmishing of the long, weary march to the sea he went to Wash- ington, where he took part in the grand re- view, and received his honorable discharge in August 25, 1865.
After his return home he commenced the cultivation of a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, which was situated in Hume township, and which he had purchased in 1864, when he was at home on a furlough. From time to time he added more land to his original purchase, until when he was ready to retire from active labors his pos- sessions amounted to six hundred and twenty-four acres, all being under high cul- tivation. He also raised, bought and shipped live stock extensively, and since 1888, when he leased his farm, he has been engaged in buying and shipping cattle to the city markets. He has been practically retired for the past decade, but in the meantime has taken much pleasure in building homes for each of his sons who live in Sterling. Besides furnishing the plans for them he has almost entirely built these dwellings, and at present he is occupied in the erection of a
modern house for himself. When completed it will have cost about four thousand dol- lars, to say nothing of the work and time he has devoted to it.
While a resident of Ilume township Mr. Lee was honored by his friends and neigh- bors, who elected him to the offices of col- lector and road commissioner. The cause of education has ever found in him a friend, and for several years he served as a school director. Politically he cast his first vote for Lincoln, and has ever since championed the Republican party. Fraternally he is identified with William Robinson post, No. 274, G. A. R.
M ARCUS R. LYON. The subject of this personal narrative is one of the most successful and progressive farmers within the borders of Tampico township, his home being on section 6. He has made his special field of industry an eminent suc- cess, and is highly esteemed and respected by those who know him best.
Mr. Lyon was born in Medina county, Ohio, February 27, 1845, and belongs to an old Vermont family, which was founded in that state by his great-grandfather and two brothers, natives of Scotland, who came to the new world during the Revolutionary war. The great-grandfather opened up a farm in Orleans county. The grandfather, Nehe- miah Lyon, and the father of our subject, Baxter Lyon, were both born upon that farm, which is still in possession of the Lyon family. The latter was born July 13, 1820, and remained in his native state until twenty years of age, when he went to Medina county, Ohio, where he cleared, improved and cultivated a farm and also worked at his trade of blacksmith, which he continued
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to follow for some years after coming to Whiteside county, Illinois. In Medina county he married Miss Sarah A. Vaughn, a native of New York and a daughter of George Vaughn. In December, 1849, they came to this county, making the journey with teams, and they located near the present city of Morrison, where the father bought one hundred and sixty acres of land with state script. Upon his place he built a frame house, 24 x 26 feet, and a story and a half in height, doing most of the carpenter work himself. The first winter it was only sided up and was not lathed and plastered, and the family suffered very much from the cold. In fact, during the first two winters they experienced many hardships and priva- tions, incident to life on the frontier. Upon his farm the father also built a shop and did blacksmithing for his neighbors. As his financial resources increased, he bought more land, until he owned nearly seven hundred acres; and he was one of the most active, enterprising and prominent farmers of the county. Selling his property near Morrison, he moved to Tampico township, where he resided for a few years, and on disposing of his farm there he bought an- other in Lyndon township. A few years later he moved to Harvey county, Kansas, where he opened up a new farm and became the owner of six hundred acres. There he died on his seventy-third birthday. The wife and mother departed this life in Octo- ber, 1895, in Whiteside county, Illinois.
Marcus R. Lyon was about four years old when brought by his parents to this county, and he was educated in the common schools of Morrison, which he attended only during the winter months, the summer season being occupied with work on the home farm. After reaching manhood he
had charge of the place until twenty-five years of age. When nineteen years old he began running a threshing machine, and later bought and operated a horse-power machine for several years. Still later he owned a steam thresher and also a corn- sheller, and now for over thirty-four years he has engaged in threshing, first around Morrison and later near his present home in Tampico township.
In Jones county, Iowa, February 28, 1870, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Lyon and Miss Minerva Miller, a native of Warren county, Indiana, and a daughter of John T. and Charlotte (Morris) Miller. Her father was born in Ohio, but was reared and married in Indiana, and from the latter state moved to Jones county, Iowa, where he opened up a farm and reared his family. His wife died there November 1, 1895, and he only survived her about a week, dying November 8, 1895. To Mr. and Mrs. Lyon ten children have been born, namely: Lottie B., now the wife of Frank E. West, of Tampico; Lewis L., who is married and engaged in farming on one of his father's farms; Gracie, who died at the age of twelve years; Hubart, who assists his father in the operation of the home farm; Kate, at home; Rhoda A., who is attending the home school; Martha, who died at the age of a year and a half; Mina and Minerva, twins, at home; and Marcus R., Jr., at home.
After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Lyon located on a farm near Morrison, he having purchased one hundred and twenty acres of the old home farm, and there they resided for five years. He then sold the place and before night of the same day had purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land on sec- tion 6, Tampico township, where he now
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resides. To its further improvement and cultivation he has since devoted his energies, and has extended the boundaries of the farm until they now enclose two hundred and forty acres of rich and arable land which he has placed under a high state of cultivation. Near it he also owns another valuable and well-improved farm of two hundred and forty acres, and upon both places is a good set of farm buildings. Progressive, energetic and industrious, the success that he has achieved in life is due entirely to his own well-directed efforts. He is a skillful farmer and a man of good business ability. The Republican party always finds him a stanch supporter of its principles, and he cast his first presi- dential ballot for Gen. U. S. Grant, in 1868. Ile has been a member of the school board for years, and clerk of the district, and al- ways takes a commendable interest in every- thing which he believes calculated to advance the intellectual, moral or material welfare of his township and county. For half a cen- tury he has been a resident of the county and has watched with interest almost its entire growth and development, and has ever borne his part in its advancement.
H ENRY HOOVER is one of Morrison's highly respected citizens, whose usefu- and well-spent life has not only gained for him the confidence of his fellow men but have also secured for him a comfortable competence which enables him to lay aside all business cares and spend his declining days in ease and retirement. lle was born near Aaronsburg, Center county, Pennsyl- vania, March 24, 1834, a son of Andrew and Sarah (Creider) Hoover, both of whom were of German descent and of Revolu- tionary stock. The father was a life-long
resident of Centre county, where he owned property and where his death occurred in 1842. The mother was born and reared there and was a daughter of John Creider. After her husband's death she removed to Philadelphia, where one of her older sons was living.
Our subject was the youngest of a fam- ily of seven children. He received a good practical education in the common schools of Philadelphia, but began work at an early age in order to help support his mother. For three years he clerked in a grocery store, and for two years was with Dr. Jaynes in his large drug store on Chestnut street. He was married in 1856, to Miss Mary A. Brown, of Philadelphia, a daughter of An- drew Brown, of Jersey Shore, Pennsylva- nia, and in March of the following year, ac- companied by his wife and mother, he came to Fulton, Whiteside county, Illinois; it re- quired eight days at that time to make the trip on the cars. On landing here his cap- ital consisted of but two dollars and a half in gold. Being a young man from the city, the prospect at Fulton did not seem very bright to him, and the first year spent here proved a very hard one. His mother was taken ill and died the fall after locating here, and his wife was also ill all summer. Mr. Hoover worked hard, but the value of the money then in circulation was very un- certain. He operated a rented farm in partnership with a man from New York who tried to cheat him out of all that they made, but when the war broke out times began to be better.
During the four years of that conflict Mr. Hoover was postmaster and station agent at Clifton, in the work of which posi- tion he was ably assisted by his wife, while he devoted a part of his time to the carpen-
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ter's trade. In this way he secured a start and was able to purchase a team and also bought five cows, for which he gave his own note unendorsed by others. He operated a farm of eighty acres near Clifton that year and made enough to pay for his cows. For four years he rented land, during which time he devoted considerable attention to stock raising, and although he lost many hogs of cholera, he prospered in the under- taking and at one sale took in thirteen hun- dred dollars. He then purchased an eighty- acre tract of land in Ustick township, which at that time was covered with brush and trees, but acre after acre was soon cleared, grubbed and placed under cultivation, though it was an arduous task to transform the wild land into well-tilled fields. He built a fine house upon his place and en- gaged in general farming and stock raising, meeting with such good success that in 189t he was able to purchase one hundred and sixty acres on the opposite side of the road. This is now all paid for, is improved with good buildings and is one of the finest farms of its size in Ustick township.
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