USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 27
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He was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, April 28, 1840, a son of Jacob and Salome (Kergis) Haberer, both natives of Baden, which was their ancestral home. The father was born in 1805, and in early life followed the carpenter's trade. After his marriage he moved to Wurtemburg, where he bought
a farm and made his home there until his death, which occurred in 1853. He was one of the most highly respected citizens of Peterzell, Obendorpf, held different posi- tions of honor and trust in his community, and was a member of the Lutheran church. He left a family of seven children, of whom our subject is the oldest son and second child. Our subject came alone to the new world, but in 1865 sent for the remainder of the family and made for them a home in Illinois. With the exception of himself all removed to Iowa and there the mother died in 1887. Christine is still a resident of that state; Mary makes her home in Council Bluffs; George died in 1867; Jacob died in Iowa, in 1874; John is a well-to-do farmer of that state; and Kate is living in Indian- ola, Iowa.
Andrew K. Haberer graduated from the common schools of his native land, and was then in charge of his father's farm until seventeen years of age, when he was sent by his uncle to this country to avoid military service that he might care for his mother and younger children. On landing in Amer- ica he was unable to speak a word of Eng- lish and was entirely dependent upon his own resources for a livelihood. He arrived in New York in the fall of 1857, which was a very poor time to look for work on ac- count of the panic brought on by the circu- lation of wild cat money. He proceeded at once to Sterling, Whiteside county, Illinois, where he worked on a farm until the break- ing out of the Civil war.
On the 20th of April, 1861, on the first call for seventy-five thousand men, Mr. Haberer enlisted in Company B, Thirteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, which was or- ganized at Dixon, under command of Col. J. B. Wyman, and sworn into the United
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States service, May 24, for three years. From Dixon they went to East St. Louis in June, and the following month to St. Louis. They participated in the battles at Wilson's Creek and Pea Ridge, and numerous skir- mishes until they finally reached Vicksburg, where they took part in their first big battle, December 27, 28 and 29, 1862. They were in the battles of Arkansas Post, Champion Hills, Jackson, Mississippi, and the whole of the siege of Vicksburg, the regiment being in the front during the entire time. Mr. Haberer was offered but declined promo- tion, and after the fall of Vicksburg was given a furlough for meritorious conduct in line of battle, but gave it to a comrade. At this time his command was made the First Regiment of the First Brigade, First Divis- ion, Fifteenth Army Corps, under Gen. Logan, and started up the Mississippi to Memphis. From there they went by rail- road to Corinth, and then took part in a three days battle at Tuscumbia, Alabama, and then marched to Chattanooga, taking part in the battle at that place and also at Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge. A few days later in the engagement at Ringgold, Georgia, the regiment lost heavily, all the field officers were either wounded or killed, and they were withdrawn from bat- tle by Capt. George P. Brown. They next marched to Woodville, Alabama, where Mr. Haberer was stricken with scurvy and sent to Hospital No. 19, Nashville, Tennessee, where he remained two months. On the Ist of March, 1864, he was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps and sent to Cin- cinnati, Ohio, where he did provost guard duty three weeks, and later to Sandusky. About the 15th of May, he went to Wash- ington, D. C., where he was encamped un- til May 24, 1864, when he re-enlisted, be-
coming a member of Company I, Seventh Regiment, Hancock's Veteran Reserve Corps. After the re-organization, he reported that his three years of enlistment had expired and was sent to Gen. Grant, who had his records examined. He was paid off and discharged on the General's orders, who said " this is the first man to be discharged in all of this war by reason of the expiration of three years term of service."
Mr. Haberer returned to Sterling, and took a position as salesman in a mercantile establishment, where he was a trusted and efficient employe for twenty years. In 1867 he married Miss Caroline Planthaber, who is also of German birth, but who came to this country very young with her parents. They had one son, John A., who was born November 1, 1868, and died January 15, 1891. He was well educated and success- fully engaged in teaching school for a time. Mr. Haberer attends and supports the Con- gregational church, of which his wife is an earnest member.
In 1869 and 1870 he was elected tax collector of Sterling township, Whiteside county, and in 1884 he was elected con- stable and gave his entire time and atten- tion to the duties of that position until 1895, when he was appointed deputy sheriff under Sheriff Fuller and held that position for four years, having charge of the east end- the heavy end-of the county. Proving a most efficient man for the place, he was nominated and elected sheriff in 1898 and assumed the duties of the office on the 5th of December, that year. He has taken an active part in the political affairs of the county for years and has been a delegate to numerous conventions of the Republican party. He is a prominent member of Rob- inson post, No. 274, G. A. R., of Sterling,
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of which he has been commander; was also a member of the Department of Illinois for two years, and when a delegate to the state department helped to elect John C. Black. He was one of the first past grands of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in Ster- ling and is also an honored member of Rock River lodge, No. 612, F. & A. M., of Ster- ling; royal arch captain of Sterling chapter, No. 57, R. A. M., and a member of Ster- ling commandery, No. 57, K. T. He is very prominent both in social and political circles and is held in high regard by all who know him.
JOSEPH H. BOYNTON. Eighty years of life, filled with useful effort and crowned with the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens, have left this ven- erable resident of Sterling still hale and hearty with every prospect of continued health for years to come. He is now the oldest citizen of the town and for over half a century has been prominently identified with its business interests.
A native of New Hampshire, Mr. Boyn- ton was born in Warren, Grafton county, May 15, 1819, and is a son of Joseph and Sally (Knight) Boynton. The Boynton fam- ily was founded in America during the early days of New England. The grandfather, Asa Boynton, was a native of England, and on his emigration to the new world located in New Hampshire on the farm where our subject's birth occurred, there spending the remainder of his life. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary war. The father of our subject was also born on the old homestead farm, and the mother's birth occurred near that place. Her father, Samuel Knight, and his brother also aided the colonies in
achieving their independence as soldiers of the Revolutionary war. Mrs. Boynton died in New Hampshire, in 1824, when our sub- ject was not quite five years old, leaving three children, namely: Orlando, Joseph H., and Mrs lantha E. Towl, of California, all now deceased with the exception of our subject. For his second wife the father wedded Miss Marian Morse, whose father was also a soldier of the Revolutionary war. While in the east the father of our subject carried on business for himself as a farmer, tanner and currier. In 1834, he removed with his family to St. Clair, Michigan, near which place he purchased a farm, but after operating it for a few years located in the village, where he lived retired until his death. He was one of the pioneer members of the Methodist Episcopal church of that place, and while in New Hampshire took a prominent part in all church work. He not only served as choir master and class leader, but his house was always a stopping place for the ministers.
The education of our subject was ac- quired in the schools of his native state. He was fifteen years of age when he accom- panied the family on their removal to Mich- igan, traveling by way of the canal to Buf- falo and by steamer to Detroit, which accommodations were considered very fine at that time. After two years spent in that state his father gave him and his brother a farm of two hundred acres on the Canadian side of the St. Clair river, where they took up their residence, but soon became inter- ested in the Patriotic Rebellion in 1837, and were forced to leave the country. The la- ther then leased the land for ninety-nine years and our subject went upon the lakes as cabin boy on the Great Western, which was burned in the Detroit river, in 1839.
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The following year he was employed in a hotel in Burlington, Iowa, and from there went to Plattville, Grant county, Wiscon- sin, where he was in business for four years as a dealer in general hardware, stoves, etc. He was also a traveling salesman and was thus employed until he had an attack of smallpox in the winter of 1843, being one of three who lived through a confluent case. After that he was in business alone, and in 1847 came down the Rock river and opened a store in Sterling. However. he still con- tinued to sell goods on the road for fourteen years, traveling as far north as the Wiscon- sin river, and doing a flourishing business. Among his customers were Long & Fox, whom he knew well and who were described by Bonney in his Bandits of the Prairie. Mr. Boynton is still engaged in business upon the lot where he opened his store in 1847, and in the fifty-two years that have since passed has enjoyed a good trade. The hall over his store was occupied by the Odd Fellows Society for sixteen years and the Masons for eighteen. In 1863 he erected a good three-story hotel on the cor- ner of East Third street and Fourth avenue, and after renting it for one year, has con- ducted it himself, doing the largest business ever done in the town before or since, hav- ing on special days taken in five hundred dollars for meals alone. This hotel is now one of the old landmarks of the country. Mr. Boynton has also erected other build- ings in Sterling, and until recently owned one hundred and thirty-five feet on Third street, where he is located, and extending back to Fourth street.
Mr. Boynton first married Miss Mary Ann Fitch, who died in 1856, leaving no children. In the fall of 1861, he was united in marriage with Miss Gratia Red-
field, by whom he has one child, Grace, now the wife of Charles H. Ham, of New York. The wife and daughter are members of the Congregational church, to the support of which our subject is a contributor. Since the days of Abraham Lincoln, he has been a stanch supporter of the Republican party, although previously he was a Demo- crat, and he has filled the office of alder- man during his residence in Sterling. He arrived here five years before the railroad was built, and in 1852 traveled on the first passenger train on the old Chicago & Galena Railroad, running between Rockford and Chicago, when going to New York to buy goods. For fifty-two years he has been a merchant of Sterling. and during that time has always paid one hundred cents on the dollar. In 1857 he was twenty thousand dollars in debt, but managed in time to meet all his obligations while all of the old firms with whom he dealt failed. His suc- cess is due entirely to his own unaided ef- forts, and he is now a well-to-do man and highly respected by all who know him.
JOHN H. WARNER. Sound judgment, combined with fine ability in mechan- ical lines, has enabled the subject of this biography, a well-known resident of Proph- etstown, Illinois, to attain a substantial success in life, and his history is of especial interest.
Mr. Warner was born in Jefferson county, Missouri, November 11, 1812, and is a son of Jabez Warner, a native of New England, who, when fifteen years of age, went to Missouri with a brother and located in St. Louis. With his brother he learned the cooper's trade, and later he carried on quite an extensive cooperage business in St.
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Louis, though he made his home in Jeffer- son county. There he married Miss Eliza- beth Conner, who was reared in Missouri, and to them was born ten children, of whom our subject is the oldest, the others being as follows: Mary E., who married Job Dodge, a merchant of Prophetstown, and both are now deceased; Elias B. and Andrew J., deceased, both of whom married and reared families; Edward B., who was county treasurer of this county for some years and is now deceased; Sarah C., widow of Silas Sears, a farmer of this county; Eliza, widow of Andrew Fuller and a resi- dent of Sterling; Ellen M., who married Henry Bacon and died in southern Cali- fornia; M. P., a resident of Morrison; and Jabez F .. a business man of Prophetstown. who died in 1899. In 1837 the father came to Whiteside county, Illinois, and bought a claim near Prophetstown, upon which he located the following year. He also opened up an adjoining farm, which is now within the corporate limits of Prophetstown. Here he spent his last days, dying in 1847. His wife long survived him and passed away when nearly ninety-nine years of age.
The subject of this review was reared in St. Louis and obtained a good education in the city schools. Ile learned the cooper's trade with his father and remained under the parental roof until twenty-one years of age. In Jefferson county, Missouri, he was married, March 12, 1835, to Miss Clarissa E. Bryant, who was born in that county May 28, 1818, a daughter of Colonel David Bryant, a distinguished officer of the war of 1812. He was born in Canada and was reared by French people, as his mother died when he was a child. Later he moved to Jefferson county, Missouri, where he owned and operated a large farm, also a
tanyard and gristmill, being one of the most active and prominent business men of that locality.
After his marriage Mr. Warner resided in St. Louis for a few years and then pur- chased a farm in Jefferson county and turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. In 1840 he came to Whiteside county, Illi- nois, where he spent one year at this time. He took up government land. erected there- on a claim shanty, and while here he cut and made hoop poles and worked at the cooper's trade in Prophetstown, manufact- uring barrels. In 1841 he returned to his farm in Jefferson county, Missouri, and op- erated the same until 1850, when he sold the place and moved to Peru, Illinois, where he built a house and cooper shop and car- ried on business for two years. Disposing of his property there he again came to Prophetstown in 1852, and purchased a residence which has now been his home for forty-seven years. In partnership he en- gaged in the cooperage business and in pork packing on quite an extensive scale for sev- eral years, and their efforts were crowned with success. Our subject bought two hun- dred acres of raw land three miles from Prophetstown, which he has improved and cultivated until it is now one of the most desirable farms of its size in the locality.
Of the eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Warner, four are still living, namely: James, a civil engineer of Oregon; Orpha, wife of George Shaw, of Prophetstown; William, who is married, has two children and resides in Prophetstown, and Frank, who is also married and living in that place. Those deceased are Mary Josephine, who died at the age of one year; Thomas Edward, who died in childhood; Adaline, deceased wife of N. J. Thomas, of Aurora,
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and Emma, deceased wife of Edward Loomis.
In his political affiliations Mr. Warner was originally an old-line Whig, but since supporting Abraham Lincoln for the presi- dency in 1860, he has been a stanch Repub- lican. Although he has never sought polit- ical preferment, he was elected to the first city council of Prophetstown, and most capably filled that position for several years. He has been prominently identified with the growth and upbuilding of the place, and is one of the most honored and highly re- spected citizens.
JOHN M. KOHL, a leading groceryman of the east end of Sterling, was born in Cologne, Germany, July 26, 1863, a son of Hermann and Sophia (Frenkus) Kohl. The father came alone to the new world in 1869, and was thirty-three days in crossing the Atlantic. He located in Sterling and six months later was joined by his wife, who brought with her their five children, which made it a hard journey for her. Shortly after his arrival here the father learned the cooper's trade, and for about eighteen years was employed in making flour barrels, and for a few years butter tubs. He bought and fitted up a home in the west end of town, where he still continues to live. He and his wife are active members and liberal supporters of the German Catholic church, and he also belongs to the German Maen- nerchor, having always taken quite an in- terest in music, especially vocal music. By a former marriage he had two sons, Joseph and Frank, now residents of Chicago. Our subject is the oldest of the eight children born of the second union, five of whom were born in this country. They are John
M. ; Gertrude, now the wife of D. P. Crook, of Kansas; Adam and Matthew, residents of Chicago; Peter, of Sterling; Isabella, wife of Frank Boehn, of Sterling; Rosa, at home with her parents; and Henry, of Sterling.
John M. Kohl received only a limited common-school education, not being able to attend school more than six months in all, as his mother needed his services at home. Later he worked on a farm for a few years, and while visiting friends in Chicago, who were in the grocery business, he was per- suaded to stay and enter their employ. During the five years he remained with them, he thoroughly learned the business in all its departments. At the end of that time his family insisted on his return home as he was ever a favorite with them, and he found employment with the firm of Beien & Detweiler, grocers of Sterling, for whom he clerked for eight years. He made a valua- ble assistant, as during his Chicago experi- ence he had learned to skillfully arrange the show windows and could wait on two cus- tomers while the other clerks were waiting on one. He also did much of the buying in certain lines for his employers. In part- nership with J. K. Eshelman, who recog- nized his ability, be purchased the store of his employers, but after one year in business down town, Mr. Kolil sold his interest and purchased a small store where he is now lo- cated, believing it to be a good opening and his predictions have been true. He carries a well-selected stock of staple and fancy groceries, and by his courteous treat- ment to customers has built up one of the best and most paying trades in his line in the city. He is also a wholesale and retail dealer in flour and feed. Besides his busi- ness property he ownes a good home and a tenement house, which are fitted up with
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the latest improvements. Ilis success in life is due entirely to his own well-directed efforts, for he started out in life for himself with no capital and until he attained his majority gave his wages to his parents. Religiously he is a member of the German Catholic church.
On the 24th of November, 1885, Mr. Kohl married Miss Mamie Ramsdell, a daughter of D. H. Ramsdell, of Sterling. They have one child living, Ethel, and an adopted son, Clar, a child of Mrs. Kohl's sister Clara, who is now deceased. They also lost one child, Paul, who died at the age of four years.
H ENRY WETZELL, who lives on sec- tion 35, Humne township, Whiteside county, Illinois, owns and operates a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres, whose neat and thrifty appearance well indicates his careful supervision. Substantial im- provements are surrounded by well tilled fields, and many of the accessories and con- veniences of a model farm are there found.
Mr. Wetzell was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, November 11, 1843, a son of Jacob and Susanna ( Biedler) Wetzell, also natives of the Buckeye state. The pater- nal grandparents, John and Margaret (Reese) Wetzell, were born, reared and married in Pennsylvania, and the latter lived to the advanced age of over ninety- six years. The father of our subject fol- lowed farming in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, until 1855, when he came to Whiteside county, Illinois, and bought one hundred and sixty acres in Genesee township, which he converted into a good farm. Subse- quently he purchased more land and now resides on the second farm at the age of
eighty-five years-an honored and highly- respected old man.
The subject of this sketch was a lad of twelve years when he came with the family to this county, and he assisted in opening up and improving the home farm. When his services were not needed at home, he attended the common schools of the neigh- borhood, and the knowledge thereby ac- quired has been greatly supplemented by subsequent reading and observation. On the 11th of May, 1864, he enlisted in Com- pany A, One Hundred and Fortieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, for one hundred days' service, and was with the Army of the Tennessee. He participated in some skir- mishes, but was mainly engaged in guard- ing railroads in Tennessee and Mississippi. For six weeks he lay ill in the field hospital, and was then honorably discharged in No- vember, 1864.
Returning to his home, Mr. Wetzell was married in Genesee township, January 19, 1865, to Miss Catherine Overholser, a na- tive of Holmes county, Ohio, and a daugh- ter of Martin Overholser, who came to this county in 1853. Mr. and Mrs. Wetzell have a family of ten living children, namely: James Frank, who is married and engaged in farming in Hume township; Cerena, at home; John I .. and William, who own a farm and also rent land, so that they now operate two hundred and forty acres; Chris- topher, a successful teacher, who died at the age of twenty-four years; Jennie, wife of Frank Milligan, of Tampico township; Rebecca, Lloyd, Oscar P., Lillian and Harry L., all at home; and Lola V., who died at the age of seventeen months.
After his marriage Mr. Wetzell con- tinued his residence in Genesee township until 1872, when he removed to his present
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farm on section 35, Hume township, though at that time he only owned eighty acres. He built a good residence, which he has since enlarged, and also erected a barn and other outbuildings, and later purchased an adjoining eighty-acre tract, so that he now has one hundred and sixty acres of well- improved land.
At national elections Mr. Wetzell has af- filiated with the Republican party since cast- ing his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1864, but in local politics he is independent, always supporting the men whom he believes best qualified to fill the offices regardless of party lines. He has been honored with a number of offices, hav- ing served as highway commissioner two or three years, assessor two years, and super- visor for nine consecutive years. While a member of the county board he served on a number of important committees, includ- ing those on equalization, claims and the poor farm. He has also been an efficient member of the school board twenty-one years, and is now president of the district. Socially he belongs to the Grand Army post of Sterling and the Knights of the Globe, and religiously his wife is a member of the United Brethren church, and most of his children belong to the Methodist Episcopal church. He is widely and favorably known, and is one of the most popular and influen- tial men of his community.
A L. VAN OSDEL. In past ages the history of a country was the record of wars and conquests; to-day it is the record of commercial activity, and those whose names are foremost in its annals are the leaders in business circles. The con- quests so made are those of mind over mat-
ter, not of man over man, and the victor is he who can successfully establish, control and operate extensive commercial interests. Mr. Van Osdel is unquestionably one of the most influential business men whose lives have become an essential part of the history of Whiteside county. He is not only promi- nent in business circles, but has become a leader in public affairs, and is now most creditably serving as mayor of Fulton.
Mr. Van Osdel was born in Kendall county, Illinois, December 25, 1860, a son of James M. and Margaret C. (Bates) Van- Osdel. The father was born in 1816 in New York state, where he was married and continued to make his home until after the birth of four of his children. In Novem- ber, 1854, he moved to Millington, Kendall county, Illinois, where he followed the busi- ness of blacksmithing and wagon-making up to within a year of his death, which occurred in ISS9. He had a family of ten children, of whom three died in infancy, those living to maturity being as follows: Mary, now the wife of E. H. Young, of Fulton; George C., an attorney of Aurora, Illinois; O. W., a Baptist minister of Spokane Falls, Wash- ington; Emma, wife of Edward Budd, of Millbrook; Elizabeth, wife of C. Rickert, of Kendall county; Walter S., who is engaged in the sawmill and lumber business in the state of Mississippi; and A. L., who is the youngest of the family.
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