The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.., Part 24

Author: Clarke, S. J., publishing company, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 546


USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 24


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tle. He soon bought another farm adjoin- ing the first, upon which a log house had been erected, and into it he moved. The first season spent here, he, him- self mowed with a scythe enough hay to feed sixty head of cattle during the winter. He also split the rails to fence his stock yard. His first home here later gave place to a good frame residence, which was com- pleted in 1860.


For the first few years of his residence here Mr. Richmond boarded with a family who lived in his house, but on the 22d of February, 1860, he was united in marriage with Miss Cevilla Gage, a daughter of Ed- ward S. Gage, one of the pioneers of the county, who located here in 1835. Mrs. Richmond was born and reared in White- side county, and died in June, 1879, her re- mains being interred in Prophetstown cem- etery, where a monument now marks her last resting place. Three children were born of that union, namely: Mary, wife of Charles Passmore, a business man of Ful- ton, Illinois; John, who, with his wife and two children, resides on the home farm, and Harry, who is married and engaged in farming in this county.


A thorough and skillful farmer and an excellent business man, Mr. Richmond's efforts have been crowned with success, and he is now the owner of about eighteen hun- dred acres of valuable and well improved land, divided into three farms, one of which consists of four hundred and eighty acres lying south of the railroad in Prophetstown township. Of late years he has fattened for the market as high as three hundred head of cattle per year. In 1877 he began breeding and dealing in standard bred horses in a small way, having previous to this time raised roadsters and draft horses,


and he is now one of the largest breeders and dealers of high class stock in this sec- tion of the state, keeping on hand about one hundred head of horses, and selling each year from twenty to forty head. He has raised some very valuable horses, hav- ing sold some of his young stock as high as five and six hundred dollars. To his own well-directed efforts may be attributed his success in life, for on coming to the county his capital was limited, but he has made the most of his advantages and has been uni- formly successful in his business ventures. Politically he is a stanch Republican, and, as every true American citizen should, he takes a deep and commendable interest in public affairs, supporting all measures which he believes will prove of public benefit. For some years he was an efficient mem- ber of the school board. He has never cared for political honors, preferring to give his undivided attention to his extensive business interests.


JOHN H. SNYDER was born in Argus- ville, Schoharie county, New York, August 16, 1840, and is a son of James Snyder, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. His early education was ac- quired in the schools of his native state, and at the age of fifteen years he accompanied his parents on their removal to Illinois, lo- cating on a farm two miles south of Morri- son. He then attended school at Union- ville, and later was a student at Galesburg Academy, being at the latter place when the railroad was built through the county. Coming to Morrison in 1857 he entered the store of Spears Brothers as clerk and there obtained his first knowledge of business. At that time a bank report had to be ex-


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amined every time a bill was taken in and most of them discounted and sent to Chicago every night. There was no small change in the country and when needed by the mer- chants, shoestrings and other articles were used. Later they used stamps until the government stopped them and issued script that passed in this section.


Mr. Snyder continued clerking for four years and then beame a partner in the busi- ness, with which he was connected as a mem- ber of the firm of Spears Brothers & Com- pany for the same length of time. On sever- ing his connection with that firm he formed a partnership with his brother, James A Sny- der, and engaged in the dry goods business at Clarence, Iowa, then a new town, forty miles west of Clinton After eight years of successful business at that place our subject returned to Morrison and opened a dry goods and also a grocery store on Main street, be- ing still in partnership with his brother, who remained in charge of the store at Clarence. The enterprise proved successful and Mr. Snyder conducted both stores at Morrison until 1888 when he closed out the business after having been connected with the dry goods trade for twenty-nine years and ten months. He then removed to Kansas City, where in connection with Judge Ramsay and a Mr. Parker, he engaged in loaning money for a year, but at the end of that time re- turned to Morrison and about a year later became interested in the drug business, buy- ing a stock of drugs with A. R. Lewis as the practical druggist. Business is now carried on under the firm name of J. H. Snyder & Company and they have the leading drug store in the city. They erected their own building, which is especially adapted to the drug trade, is ninety feet deep on Main street, and the second floor is arranged for


offices. Besides a well selected stock of drugs, patent medicines, etc., they carry paints, books, papers, etc., and enjoy a large and flourishing trade.


In July, 1867, Mr. Snyder was united in marriage with Miss Mary Furlong, a daugh- ter of John Furlong, who was connected with the construction of the Northwestern railroad and came to Morrison on one of the first trains run into the city. He was from Cattaraugus county, New York. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder have two children: Jessie, now the wife of J. A. Anguish, of Morrison ; and Alleyne, wife of H. A. Boyd, of Morri- son, bywhom she has one daughter, Kathryn. Mrs. Snyder is a member of the Presbyte- rian church, which her husband also attends and supports. He is a stanch Republican in politics but has never been an aspirant for office, and is a member of Dunlap lodge, No. 321, F. & A. M.


L' EWIS C. ARNETT, an active, enter- prising agriculturist of Portland town- ship, owns and occupies a well-improved farm of two hundred acres, on section 27, Spring Hill. A life-long resident of this township, he was born December 18, 1842, a son of the late Jacob Arnett. His paternal grandfather, Louis Arnett, spent the earlier part of his life in his native country, France, where he served under Napoleon, but died in Henry county, Illinois, whither he emigrated with his family in 1827.


Jacob Arnett, born in France in 1815, came with his parents to America, and until 1836 lived in Pennsylvania. Coming then to Whiteside county as a pioneer, he pre- empted one hundred and sixty acres of land in Portland township, on which he settled. A man of industry and thrift, he prospered


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in his undertakings, and ere he gave up active work was the owner of at least eight hundred acres of good land. He sub- sequently removed to Genesco, Illinois, where he lived retired until his death, in May, 1899, at the venerable age of eighty- four years. In the winter of 1841, after living in Portland township nearly five years, he returned to Pennsylvania for his bride, and there married Charlotte Sommers, who was born in Germany. She preceded him to the better land, passing away in August, 1881. Of their children seven grew to mature life, Lewis C. being the eldest.


Lewis C. Arnett grew to manhood on the parental homestead, which adjoins his own, and in its management ably assisted his father. In the days of his youth he obtained a good common-school education, and a practical knowledge of the various branches of agriculture. On attaining his majority he began farming on his own account, taking charge of his unele's estate. In 1866 he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of his present property, and has since bought eighty acres of adjoining land. In the care and improvement of this he has shown excellent judgment, and made the best of every opportunity for advance- ment in his chosen calling. He has made improvements of a substantial character, including the building of a convenient house and fine barn, and is carrying on farming after the most approved modern methods. He also pays much attention to stock rais- ing and dealing, making a specialty of hogs, having some valuable pure-blood Poland- Chinas. During the year he feeds and fat- tens for market one car-load of cattle and two car-loads of hogs, an industry that has proved quite profitable.


On September 6, 1868, Mr. Arnett mar-


ried Miss Sarah Roos, who was born and educated in Henry county, a daughter of Martin Roos, for many years a prominent member of the farming community of that part of the state, but who is now living, at the advanced age of eighty-three years, retired from active life, in Geneseo. Of their union eight children have been born, as follows: Clara, wife of Augustus Weberg; Stacey, who assists in the care of the home farm, and belongs to the Masonic order and is tyler at the present time; Leroy, a farmer, is married, resides in this county, and in politics follows his father; Ida; Agnes; Min- nie; Maud, and Harlan. Politically Mr. Arnett is a steadfast Republican, and since casting his first presidential ballot, in 1864, for Abraham Lincoln, has voted once in four years for the nominee of the Republican party. He is an active participant in all local elections, and though he has never sought office, was elected, and served for one year, as constable. He is earnestly in- terested in the public schools, and has served a number of terms on the school board. At the present time he is one of the township trustees, an office which he is filling most acceptably to all concerned. Fraternally he is a Master Mason, and a member of the Spring Hill blue lodge, of which he was for seven consecutive years the treasurer. Mrs. Arnett is a member of the Evangelical church, in which she is a faithful worker.


ERWIN J. MANGAN. Prominent among the business men of Sterling, White- side county, is numbered E. J. Mangan, whose name heads this sketch. No one is better known in this vicinity, for his entire hfe has been spent here, and all his interests


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from boyhood have been closely associated with those in this locality. In his special line of business he has made a great success, and by the energy and zeal which he has manifested he has won the confidence and esteem of the public.


Born December 30, 1862, E. J. Mangan is a son of Richard L. and Naomi J. (Thoman) Mangan, whose history may be found in that of their son Samuel T., which appears elsewhere in this volume. In his youth, our subject attended the public schools of this city and managed to obtain a liberal education. He was apprenticed to a harness maker when young and thoroughly learned the trade, at which he worked for a number of years. He also learned the trade of a wagon-maker, which calling he followed a few years, in the meantime residing at home with his parents.


These vocations, however, were not en- tirely suited to the tastes of Mr. Mangan, and as his father was a successful florist, the young man decided to take up that line of business. He was associated with his father until the latter's death, after which, in partnership with his brother, he continued to carry on business for about two years. Considering its humble beginning, it has grown to remarkable proportions for, whereas only a small conservatory, indeed a wing of his father's house, was originally used for this purpose, large greenhouses are now necessary to accommodate the beautiful varieties of plants and flowers. At expira- tion of this time the business was purchased by F. A. Belt, who has retained him as an assistant, and the results demonstrate the wisdom of his choice.


The same interest and enterprise which our subject maintains in his financial under- takings are to be seen in his attitude on


public questions. In his political affiliation he is a Republican of no uncertain stamp, believing as he does that to that party can be attributed much of the prosperity which this country enjoys in the closing days of the nineteenth century. Fraternally, he is a member of camp Number 12, Modern Woodmen of America.


On the 30th of November, 1885, the marriage of E. J. Mangan and Miss May Hendricks was solemnized in this city. She is the daughter of Samuel B. Hendricks, and was born November 30, 1863, in this place. Five children blessed the home of our subject and wife, their names being re- spectively: Pearl, Maurice, Ethel, Marjorie and Dorothy. The family reside in an at- tractive home where they take great pleas- ure in entertaining their many friends.


EDWARD LANCASTER. Whiteside county has many well-to-do and suc- cessful farmers who have accumulated what they have of this world's goods through in- dividual effort. Among this class the name of the subject of this sketch is entitled to a place. He resides on section 22, Prophets- town township, where he is industriously engaged in the prosecution of his noble call-" ing, and is meeting with good success in his labors.


Mr. Lancaster was born in Lincolnshire, England, June 22, 1831, a son of Charles Lancaster, also a native of Lincolnshire. Our subject was reared upon a farm and provided with fair school advantages. In his native county he was married in April, 1856, to Miss Mary Francis, who was also born in Lincolnshire, a daughter of John Francis. Three days later they started for the new world, taking passage on a sailing


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vessel at Liverpool and landing in Philadel- phia June 1, after a stormy voyage of seven weeks. They proceeded at once to White- side county, Illinois, where they joined an English friend, Edward Scotchbrook, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume.


For three months after his arrival Mr. Lancaster worked by the month as a farm hand, and then located on the Rock river near his present home. He operated rented land for about eight years, a part of this time being spent on one of Mr. Richmond's farms. Industrious and economical, he at length saved enough to purchase eighty acres of partially improved land, upon which he has made his home since 1864. As time has passed and his financial resources have increased, he has added to his farm until his landed possessions now aggregate two hundred and thirty acres, which he lias con- verted into one of the best farms of its size in his section of the county. It is pleas- antly located on the Rock river, three miles from Prophetstown, and is improved with a neat and commodious residence, a large barn and substantial outbuildings, which stand as monuments to his thrift and enter- prise.


Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Lancaster, namely: Jane, now the wife of Lorenzo French, of Lyndon; Edwin, a farmer of Prophetstown; Eliza, wife of Nathan Gage, of Portland township; Han- nah, at home; Herbert, a farmer of this county; Hettie, wife of Edwin Thompson, also a farmer of this county; John, a farmer of the same place; Agnes, wife of Chester Hill, a farmer of this county; and Lewis and Gilbert, who are still on the home farm. Hettie, who died in 1866 at the age of two years, is the only one of the family now deceased.


At national elections Mr. Lancaster sup- ports the men and measures of the Demo- cratic party, but in local affairs, where no issue is involved, he votes for the best men, regardless of party affiliations. He and his wife are earnest and consistent members of the Congregational church, and are held in high regard by all who have the pleasure of their acquaintance.


R ALPH N. SMITH, LL. B., city attor- ney of Morrison, is one of the younger members of the Whiteside county bar, but his prominence is by no means measured by his years; on the contrary, he has won a reputation which many an older practitioner might well envy. He was born in Green- wich, Ohio, June 9, 1870, a son of Otis and Mary J. (Welch) Smith. The paternal grandfather was Charles Smith, a native of Connecticut and a representative of an old New England family. For several years he engaged in farming in Saratoga county, New York, and from there removed to Green- wich, Ohio, becoming one of its pioneers. He settled in the woods and there cleared and improved a farm on which he spent his remaining days.


Otis Smith, father of our subject, was born in Saratoga county, New York, and was about seventeen years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Greenwich, Ohio, where he still resides upon the old homestead, engaged in agri- cultural pursuits. He is the owner of four hundred acres of valuable land, all of which he devoted to sheep raising until the elec- tion of President Cleveland, in 1884, when the business became unprofitable owing to the removal of the tariff on wool. He was very extensively engaged in the busi-


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ness, and usually kept from ten to fifteen hundred sheep through the winter. He is a director of the First National Bank of Plymouth, Ohio, and is a strong Repub- lican, but not an aspirant for office. His wife was born in Huron county, Ohio, and is a daughter of Nicholas and Susan (Stiles) Welch, early settlers in the vicinity of Greenwich. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith are faithful members of the Congregational church.


Our subject is the youngest son in a family of six children. His early education was acquired in the common and high schools of Greenwich, and after teaching school for three years, he entered the Ohio Normal University, from which he gradu- ated in the scientific department. During the following two years he again engaged in teaching and for a short time was variously employed until he went to Valparaiso, In- diana, and pursued a three years' course at the Northern Indiana Law School, from which he was graduated with the degree of LL. B., in 1895.


On the 15th of July, 1895, Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Miss Olive A. McBride, a daughter of W. W. McBride, of Millersburg, Indiana, and they now have a little son, Russell W., born September 7, I 898.


Soon after his marriage, Mr. Smith came to Morrison and opened a law office. He met with success from the start and has built up a good practice. Although his father is wealthy, he received no aid from him and has been dependent entirely upon his own resources for advancement. He has been connected with many of the most important cases tried in the county, includ- ing the well-known Carlton case and the Dourchy versus Hawes, in which he ap-


peared for the plaintiff. It involved the right of the Salvation Army to induce a child to join them against the wishes of the parents, in which Mr. Smith got a verdict. Mr. Smith was also employed as counsel on three important cases in Mount Carroll, and also in other counties, which speaks well for his ability in his chosen calling. He has lately formed a partnership with E. R. Daniels, and the firm is doing a good busi- ness. Mr. Smith is an active member of the Republican party, has been a delegate to different conventions, and was elected city attorney of Morrison, which position he is now most creditably filling. Socially lie is a member of Grove lodge, I. O. O. F., and Anchor lodge, K. P., of which he is now chancellor commander.


B ENJAMIN F. BROOKS, whose well- kept farm lies in section 29, Portland township, in Spring Hill, is a man of good business capacity, and great intelligence. On the old homestead about two miles from his present home he was born August 17, 1837, in the log cabin reared by his father, the late Alphonso Brooks, and it is historically interesting to know that he is said to be the oldest white child born in this county that is still a resident. The cabin in which he first opened his eyes to the light was rudely constructed of unhewn logs, and as there was but a dirt floor he actually took his first steps on his native soil.


Alphonso Brooks, a native of New York state, lived there until 1833, when he joined the procession marching westward in search of cheaper and better homes. Tak- ing up a claim in Du Page county, Illinois, he spent one season there, but in 1834 re-


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turned to New York where he soon married Miss Eliza Teats, who was born and reared in that state. In 1835, accompanied by his young wife, he again came to Illinois, and crossing the state located in Whiteside county. From one of the original settlers of Portland township he purchased a claim of one hundred and twenty acres, on which he reared the log house before mentioned. After placing a portion of his land in a good state of cultivation, he disposed of that prop- erty and took a claim at Spring Hill, where he erected the first building used as a house of public entertainment in this locality, and there for many years kept a hotel, and en- gaged in farming.


Benjamin F. Brooks attended the dis- trict school in his youthful days, and as an able assistant in the general work of the home farm obtained a thorough knowledge of agriculture, which he has made his life occupation. On settling in life he bought the parental homestead, but later traded that for his present estate, in the improve- ment of which he has labored with unremit- ting industry, and has met with richly de- served success. He has spent his entire life in this vicinity, and during the three score and more of years has witnessed wonderful changes, with many of which he has been actively identified. In his boyhood days there were neither large school-houses, magnificent churches, costly residences, nor substantial barns; neither railways, tele- graph or telephone lines crossed these broad acres, and the evidences of civilization were but few. Now flourishing towns and cities abound, and broad, well cultivated farms yield abundantly of the products of the soil; in this grand transformation Mr. Brooks has performed his share of labor, spend- ing many of the best years of the busy life 12


in redeeming from its primitive condition a portion of this beautiful country.


On April 19, 1859, Mr. Brooks married Miss Mary Lamphere, who was born in New York state, but who grew to woman- hood in Illinois. She passed to the life be- yond April 5, 1886, leaving six children, as follows: Frederic, a farmer, is married and resides in Henry county; Emmett, also a farmer, is married and lives in Henry county; Cora; Bert, engaged in farming in Poetland township, is married; Alice, who died at the age of twenty-eight years, and Roy, who assists in the care of the home farm. On August 28, 1889, Mr. Brooks married Miss Electra L. Brown, who was born and reared in Rock Island county, Illi- nois. One son has been born of this union, Marion, now a pupil in the public schools.


Mr. Brooks cast his first ballot in 1860, voting for Abraham Lincoln for president, and has ever since been conspicuously iden- tified with the Republican party. Taking an active interest in local affairs, he has served honorably and well in various offi- cial positions, wherever placed striving to do his best. He was deputy sheriff four years; a member of the school board many terms; has served as township collector; is present chairman of the township commit- tee; has been assessor the past eight or ten years, and has attended county conventions as a delegate almost continuously since 1860. He has served one term as super- visor and road commissioner. He is prom- inent in Masonic circles, being past master of Spring Hill lodge, No. 412. Mr. and Mrs. Brooks are both members of the Sharon Methodist Episcopal church, he be- ing one of the charter meinbers of the or- ganization, and at the present time one of the church trustees.


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F RED R. BASTIAN, of Fulton, is one of the active members of the Demo- cratic party in this section, his large ac- quaintance and popularity giving him an in- fluential following, while his judgment of men and affairs make his counsel of value. He was born in Rochester, New York, Sep- tember 23, 1856, and in 1861 came to Illi- nois with his parents, Van S. and Ann E. Bastian, who settled on a farm near Proph- etstown, Whiteside county, where after re- maining one year, removed to Bureau coun- ty, where he grew to manhood. His edu- cation was desultory and was procured through his own efforts. Nature endowed him with an active mind and he made the most of his advantages. He received a high grade certificate and successfully engaged in teaching school for three years, after which he followed various occupations for some time.


In October, 1879, Mr. Bastian accepted a position as reporter on the Sterling Ga- zette and was connected with that paper un- til April, 1881, when he purchased the Jour- nal office at Fulton, Illinois, and changed the character of the paper from a Repub- lican to independent Democratic. Without severing his connection with the Journal, he went to Grand Forks, South Dakota, in July, 1882, as reporter on the Grand Forks Daily and Weekly News, but the following November returned to Fulton and resumed work on the Journal. He was interested in that paper until the fall of 1898, when he sold out to his brother, A. W. Bastian, the present editor and proprietor, and is now employed in the Fulton bank.




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