USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 35
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Mr. Francis was always an active. as well as an enterprising man, and continued to be actively engaged until his last sick- ness, which terminated in his death, March 18, 1889. He was buried in the cemetery at Prophetstown with Masonic honors. A
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resident of the county for thirty years, he had formed an extensive acquaintance, and wherever known he was greatly esteemed. A man of exemplary habits and sterling worth, it is not to be wondered that his friends were many in Whiteside and adjoin- ing counties. Since his death, Mrs. Fran- cis, with the aid of her children, has carried on the home farm. She is a woman of good business ability, and to her aid and wise counsel much of the success attending her husband in life is due.
W ILLIAM G. RIORDAN, a well-known and highly esteemed citizen of Ful- ton, has attained a high position in the lit- erary world as the publisher of Legal Topics, a journal devoted to legal matters and cur- rent events of the day, it being a popular review of events and topics. It was found- ed by Dyson Rishell, LL. D., who con- tinued its publication until June, 1898. One month later Mr. Riordan assumed the charge of it, and has given great satisfac- tion to the number of subscribers in Illi- nois, Indiana, Iowa, and other states of the Union. It is a bright, well-edited paper, handling in an able manner all current top- ics of interest to the general public, and to the legal profession in particular.
Mr. Riordan was born in 1874, in New- ton township, Whiteside county, Illinois, a son of D. A. and Ellen (Kain) Riordan. His father was a Vermont man by birth, and a resident of that state until 1855, when he emigrated to Whiteside county, Illinois, where he has since been actively engaged in tilling the soil. He is influential in town- ship affairs, and has served in many public offices in Newton. He has reared nine children, all of whom reside in Whiteside
county with the exception of George, who is living in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
William G. Riordan was reared on the home farm, receiving his preliminary edu- cation in the common schools of Newton, and afterwards attending the Northern Illi- nois Normal School, at Dixon, for two years. At the age of eighteen years, he began teaching, and four years taught in the dis- trict schools of this county. For a brief time he read law with Hon. J. G. Monohan, of Sterling, Illinois, but changing his plans never took up the profession. He began his literary career by work on the Dixon Daily Star, with which he was connected three months. In August, 1893, he took charge of the Fulton Journal as editor and general manager, continuing in that position until September, 1898, managing both that and Legal Topics
two months. In his political affiliations he has always been an active Democrat, high in local councils, and since 1898 has served as secretary of the Democratic central committee. In the spring of 1899 he was elected city clerk, an office he is at present filling. Fraternally he is a member, and past chancellor, of Sunlight lodge, No. 239, K. of P .; and is a member of Forest camp, No. 2, M. W. of A. At the time of the contest over the removal of the head- quarters of the Woodmen, Mr. Riordan acted the part of Paul Revere, of Revolutionary fame. When the first posse arrived from Rock Island to take forcible possession of the property and papers, he was returning from a party, about ten o'clock, and met them. Recognizing the leaders, and realiz- ing their purpose, he went from house to house, awakened the citizens, rung the fire bell, and aroused the fire com- pany, who brought out their hose and
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sprinkled them. One of the claims made by the Rock Island people for the removal was the insecurity of the records, as Ful- ton had not an efficient fire department. The fire company demonstrated its efficiency that night in a manner that even Rock Isl- and could not dispute. By this act Mr. Riordan received the sobriquet of "Paul Revere."
On October 27, 1898, Mr. Riordan married Miss Belle Harrison, of Fulton.
EDGAR G. BAUM is a well-known capi- talist, loan, real estate and insurance agent of Morrison Iliinois. Greater fortunes have been accumulated, but few lives furnish so striking an example of the wise application of sound principles and safe conservatism as does his. The story of his success is short and simple, containing no exciting chapters, but in it lies one of the most val- uable secrets of the prosperity which it re- cords, and his business and private life are pregnant with interest and incentive, no matter how lacking in dramatic action.
Mr. Baum was born in Le Ray town- ship, Jefferson county, New York, April 29, 1840, a son of Absalom and Anna (Keller) Baum. The father was a native of Herki- mer county, New York, and a son of Jacob and Betsey Baum. Our subject's great- grandfather was a native of Germany and an early settler of the Mohawk Valley, New York. The grandfather served as a soldier in the wer of 1812 and in early life followed farming in the Mohawk Valley, but later, with his six sons, he removed to Jefferson county, New York, becoming one of the pioneer settlers of Pamelia Four Corners where he purchased a large tract of wild land and there made his home until his
death. He was quite a prominent and in- Huential man of his community and was honored with different local offices. He died at the age of eighty-four years, his wife at the age of eighty-three.
Absalom Baum, father of our subject, was reared and educated in Jefferson coun- ty, where he married Anna Keller, a daugh- ter of Jacob Keller, who was also of Ger- man ancestry, and who had also served his country in the war of 1812.
After his marriage Absalom Baum pur- chased a farm in LeRay township, Jeffer- son county, on which he made his home throughout the remainder of his life. He was prominently identified with military af- fairs, and was captain of a company in the state militia until it was disbanded on ac- count of a change in laws, being always known as Captain Baum. He served as as- sessor of his township for a number of years; was first a Whig in politics and later a Re- publican; and was a Universalist in relig- ious belief, while his estimable wife was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He died in 1879, at the age of sixty-nine, and she passed away in 1878 at the age of fifty-eight years.
Edgar G. Baum, their oldest son, at- tended the common schools at his home and later attended the high school at Theresa Falls. After finishing the course of studies here he engaged in teaching school during the winter months, in Watertown and in the district schools for twelve years, work- on his father's farm during the summer. He first came west in 1864 and taught school in Henry county, Illinois, returning to New York the next year.
In 1867 he again came west, taking up his residence at Sterling, this county, hav- ing secured the agency for the American
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Fire Insurance Company, of Chicago. Reaching Sterling on Friday, he went to a hotel to remain until the beginning of the week, and after paying his bill on Monday morning he started on his first canvassing tour among the farmers with twenty-five cents as his sole assets.
During the next year he walked all over Whiteside and much of Henry counties, so- liciting insurance from the farmers with great success. He continued canvassing afoot until he was able to buy and pay for a horse and buggy in cash, and for twenty years he represented the same company, doing business in five counties, meeting with excellent success, advancing not only the company's interest but his own.
On severing his connection with the company in 1887 he embarked in the insur- ance, loan, and real estate business in Ster- ling, and met with most excellent success in his new undertaking. Ile became a stockholder in the Sterling National Bank and still holds that position.
In 1889 he came to Morrison and is en- gaged in the same business here. He is also a stockholder in the First National Bank here and owns a number of fine farms in Whiteside county, besides valu- able city property and land in Kansas and Iowa.
Mr. Baum was married in Chicago Sep- tember 22, 1880, to Mrs. Mary Boydston Jennings, whose early life was spent in War- saw, Indiana. She is a daughter of the late William Boydston, a retired farmer and merchant of that place. By her first mar- riage she had two children, Henry B. Jen- nings, a physician of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Maude Luella, who upon her mother's marriage to Mr. Baum became his adopted daughter.
Mrs. Baum is a member of the Presby- terian church and a most estimable lady.
Politically Mr. Baum supports the Rc- publican party, but he has never been an aspirant for office. He was made a Mason at Geneseo, llenry county, Illinois, and still holds membership in Stewart lodge, No. 92, A. F. & A. M., at that place. The success that he has achieved in life is due entirely to his own well-directed and ener- getic efforts and his career has been such as to command the respect and confidence of all with whom he has been brought in con- tact.
JAMES WICKENS, whose home is on section 24, Tampico township, two miles and a half southeast of the village of Tampico, was formerly one of the most active and enterprising agriculturists of Whiteside county and enjoyed more than ordinary suc- cess, but he is now living retired from active labor in the enjoyment of all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life.
Mr. Wickens was born in Sussexshire, England, August 13, 1829, a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Turner) Wickens, who spent their entire lives in Sussexshire, the father being engaged in farming. In their family were three children, namely: William, still a resident of England; Anna, who married James Adams and came to La Salle county, Illinois, but later moved to Australia; and James, our subject.
Mr. Wickens acquired rather a limited education in the schools of his native land. He learned the wheelwright's trade and worked at the same in his native land for six years. It was in 1850 that he emigrated to the United States, taking passage on a sailing vessel, the Columbus, which was six
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weeks in crossing from London to New York. He spent one season working at the carpenter's and joiner's trade, in Ohio, and in the fall of 1850 went to Chicago, which at that time was a small village and very muddy, there seeming to be no bottom to the streets. Mr. Wickens located in Ken- dall county, Illinois, where he spent ten years, working at the carpenter's trade or anything which he could find to do. Com- ing to Whiteside county, in 1861, he pur- chased eighty acres of land in partnership with his brother-in-law, and located there- on, but in connection with its operation he continued to work at the carpenter's trade for three years. He then sold out and in 1864 bought eighty acres where he now resides, a part of which was broken at that time. He built a comfortable home, and to the further improvement and cultivation of this place he devoted his time and atten- tion for many years. He added to his land from time to time until he had three hun- dred and forty acres in the home place and eighty acres near Sterling. He has set out fruit and shade trees, and has erected three sets of good farm buildings, all of which he keeps in first-class order, and now has one of the best improved farms in Tampico township.
In Kendall county, Mr. Wickens was married, in 1854, to Miss Elizabeth Cork, also a native of Sussexshire, England, and a daughter of James Cork, one of the early settlers of Kendall county, where he entered government land. Mrs. Wickens was reared and educated in that county. The children born to our subject and his wife are as fol- lows: Nelson, now a farmer of Sheridan county, Nebraska; Walter, who is married and engaged in farming in this county; George, a ranchman of South Dakota; Sam-
uel, who is married and engaged in business in Sterling; Thomas, who is married and follows farming on part of the home farm; Owen, who is married and follows farming at Harmon, Illinois; Oscar, a resident of Iowa; Jesse, at home; and Laura and Rose, who both died when young ladies.
Mr. Wickens was formerly a Republican in politics and cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln, in 1864, but now votes independent of party lines. He served one term as commissioner of high- ways, was a member of the school board sixteen years, and president of the district. In 1888 he returned to England and spent six weeks in Sussexshire and London, and had a very enjoyable visit, though he found few of his old friends and acquaintances left. He has never regreted his emigration to America, for here he has prospered, be- coming the possessor of a comfortable com- petence, which enables him in his declining years to lay aside all business cares and live in ease and retirement, surrounded by a host of warm friends who appreciate his sterling worth and many excellencies of character.
D YSON RISHELL, LL. D. It is not an easy task to describe adequately a man who has led an eminently active and busy life and who has attained to a position of high relative distinction in the more im- portant and exacting fields of human en- deavor. But biography finds its most per- fect justification, nevertheless, in the tracing and recording of such a life history. It is, then, with a full appreciation of all that is demanded, and of the painstaking scrutiny that must be accorded each statement, and yet with a feeling of significant satisfaction,
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that the writer essays the task of touching briefly upon the details of such a record as has been the voice of the character of the honored subject whose life now comes under review.
Professor Dyson Rishell, who occupies the chair of law in the Northern Illinois College, and is also a lecturer of high repute, was born in Hughesville, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, November 11, 1858, and is a son of Peter R. and Matilda (Robbins) Rishell, both of whom were natives of the Keystone state. The father was an agri- culturist of Lycoming county and died in 1883, while his wife departed this life in 1867. The paternal grandfather, Jacob Rishell. was likewise a native of Pennsyl- vania and followed farming there, while his father; Captain George Rishell, was one of the valiant soldiers of the Revolution, com- manding a company in the struggle which brought liberty to the colonies.
Upon his father's farm Professor Rishell spent his early boyhood days, acquiring his preliminary education n in the common schools. Subsequently he attended and was graduated in the Central State Normal School, in Lockhaven, Pennsylvania, after which he devoted two years to the study of the classics under the direction of Dr. Vrooman, of Pennsylvania. On the expira- tion of that period he entered the law office of Hall & McCauley, of Ridgway, Pennsyl- vania, one of the most prominent law firms of the state, the senior member being the Hon. J. G. Hall. For three years he con- tinued his studies there, gaining a wide and accurate knowledge of the principles of jurisprudence, and after his admission to the bar he opened an office in Ridgway, where he formed a partnership with N. T. Arnold. This connection continued for six years, after 17
which Professor Rishall turned his atten- tion to literary and journalistic work. He is a man of decided literary taste, of scholar- ly attainments, and strong mentality, and in his new field of labor met with success. He purchased the Ridgway Advocate, which he published for several years, and during that time he was a candidate on the Republican ticket for district attorney. His personal popularity and the confidence reposed in him was indicated by the fact that he reduced the usual Democratic majority from six hundred to two hundred. In 1888 he sold the Advocate and on account of im- paired health was not actively connected with business interests for several years thereafter.
In 1893 Professor Rishell came to White- side county, and accepted the position of principal of the public schools of Erie, where he remained for two years. In 1896 he ac- cepted the chair of law in the Northern Illinois College, and has since occupied that place. He is very clear and concise in his instruction, and imparts readily to others the knowledge he has acquired, and which is of superior order. In June, 1898, he was largely instrumental in establishing the Legal Topics, a popular review of events, of which he was editor for more than a year. For ten years past he has been connected with the lecture platform and his addresses are at once instructive and entertaining. The substrata of thought is adorned by the graces of rhetoric, and added to this is a pleasing delivery which makes him a popu- lar orator. Among his most popular lect- ures are " How to Say Things, " and " The Cross and the Crescent."
On the 22d of June, 1898, Professor Rishell was married in Morrison, Illinois, to Addie G. Marshall, daughter of M. M. and
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Emeline (Owen) Marshall, and a native of the city in which the wedding was celebrated. They now have one son, Edwin. In politics Professor Rishell is a Republican, and fra- ternally is a Master Mason. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church of Fulton, and takes a deep interest in everything cal- culated to advanced the welfare of humanity. The cause of education finds in him a warm friend and he has done effective service in behalf of the public schools of Whiteside county, one of his labors being the prepara- tion of the notes of reference on the im- proved and systematic literary work for the graded schools of the county. At this point it would be almost tautological to enter into any series of statements as showing our subject to be a man of broad intelligence and genuine public spirit for these have been shadowed forth between the lines of the review. Strong in his individuality, he never lacks the courage of his convictions, but there are as dominating elements in this individ- uality a lively human sympathy and an abid- ing charity, which, as taken in connection with the sterling integrity and honor of his character, have naturally gained to him the respect and confidence of men.
T' THOMAS A. DRAIN is a worthy repre- sentative of the agricultural interests of Prophetstown township, his home being on section 33. Coming to this state in 1832, he has watched the development of its re- sources with the interest which every intel- ligent man feels in regard to the section of the country where he has spent the best years of his life and should feel a satisfac- tion in the thought that he has been no un- important factor in bringing it to its present
condition. He experienced all the trials and difficulties of frontier life, but is now enjoying the reward of his labors and strug- gles in the possession of a fine homestead of one hundred and twenty-one acres.
Mr. Drain was born in Washington county, Kentucky, November 20, 1830, and is a grandson of one of the pioneers of that county, William Drain, a native of Eng- land. There his father, Joseph Drain, was born and remained, and there married Julia Walker, a native of Virginia and a daugh- ter of George Walker, one of the first set- tlers of Washington county, Kentucky. from the Old Dominion. In 1832, with his fam- ily, Joseph Drain removed to McDonough county, Illinois, which at that time was very sparsely settled, there being but thirty- five votes polled in the county that year. He took a claim and opened up a farm, but in 1847 came to Whiteside county, locating on land adjoining our subject's present farm. Here he remained until called from this life in the fall of 1892, at the age of eighty- one years. His wife died the following year at the age of eighty-five.
Thomas A. Drain was a lad of seven- teen years when he came with his parents to this county, and he assisted in the ardu- ous task of converting the wild land into well-tilled fields, remaining under the pa- rental roof until reaching manhood. As soon as old enough he pre-empted forty acres of land adjoining his father's farm, and later entered it. Subsequently he pur- chased two forty-acre tracts adjoining his land, and with one acre obtained from his father's farm, he now has a place of one hundred and twenty-one acres, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation and improved with good buildings, fences, ditches, and fruit and forest trees. In early
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days the family did their trading in Peru, but as time has advanced all of the com- forts to their door, and their nearest market is now only a few miles distant.
Mr. Drain was married in Iowa in 1859, to Miss Anna A. Leavenworth, who was born and reared in Vermont and came west in 1857. In the spring of 1859 she went to Winneshiek county, Iowa, where their mar- riage was celebrated. After a happy mar- ried life of almost forty years, she died July 17, 1898, and was laid to rest in Leon cemetery. To Mr. and Mrs. Drain were born six children, namely: Herbert L., of Prophetstown, is married and has two chil- dren, Raymond and Alfred M .; Julia is the wife of William Eldridge and they have two children, Neva and Harold; Carrie is the wife of Alfred Matthews, a farmer of Proph- etstown township; Matie is the wife of George Wolf, a farmer of Henry county, Illinois, and they have two children, Emory, deceased, and Willard, living; Gracie and Sadie are at home with their father.
In early life Mr. Drain became identi- fied with the Democratic party, but at the last election voted the Prohibition ticket. He has never sought or cared for official honors, but as a friend of our public schools he has done effective work as a member of the school board for some years. He is one of the original members of the Leon Methodist Episcopal church, to which his children also belong, and he contributed liberally toward the erection of the house of worship. For thirty-five years he has been a member of Prophetstown lodge, F. & A. M. He is widely known and highly respected, and the fact that those who know him best are numbered among his warmest friends, testifies to the honorable, upright life he has led.
D
AVID M. CRAWFORD, deceased, was for many years prominently identified with the business interests of Sterling. In business affairs, he was energetic, prompt and notably reliable, and his career proves that the only true success in life is that which is accomplished by personal effort and consecutive industry.
Mr. Crawford was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, April 5, 1830, a son of Thomas and Letitia (Buyers) Crawford, also natives of Pennsylvania. His great- grandfather, James Crawford, served with distinction as colonel of a Pennsylvania reg- iment during the Revolutionary war. His maternal great-grandfather, David Buyers was captain of a company in the same regi- ment. Thomas Crawford, the father of our subject, engaged in the hotel business in Georgetown, District of Columbia, for a number of years, and later removed to Pennsylvania, but his last days were spent in retirement in Sterling, Illinois, where his death occurred. His wife had died in Pennsylvania prior to his coming west. They were the parents of seven children who reached years of maturity, namely: James L., Thomas M., John B., Anna M., Robert A., David M., and Sarah E. Of these three are still living: Thomas M., a resident of York county, Pennsylvania ; John B., of Lohrville, Calhoun county, Iowa; and Sarah E., wife of Rev. Calvin E. Stewart, of New York City.
During his boyhood and youth the sub- ject of this sketch attended first the public schools and later Lititz Academy of Lan- caster county, Pennsylvania. After com- pleting his education he went to Philadel- phia, where for three years he was employed by the firm of Fithian, Jones & Company, wholesale dry-goods merchants. At the
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end of that time, in the spring of 1850, he came to Sterling, Illinois, and entered the retail dry-goods store of Galt & Crawford as clerk, remaining with them for a number of years, first as a clerk and afterwards as a partner. Later he and T. A. Galt em- barked in the hardware business, but at the end of three years our subject sold his in- terest and again turned his attention to the dry-goods trade with his brother James as a partner. They engaged in business under the firm name of D. M. Crawford & Com- pany, and this partnership continued up to the time of the brother's death, after which our subject was alone in business for a number of years. Subsequently at different times he was connected with James A. Galt, Diller Davis and Henry Weber, and suc- cessfully carried on a large general store, with whom he continued his connection until he, too, was called to his final rest.
On the 22nd of September, 1858, Mr. Crawford was united in marriage with Miss Maria L. Galt, who was also born in Lan- caster county, Pennsylvania, November 23, 1838. Her parents, John and Sarah M. (Buyers) Galt, were natives of the same state, the former born May 3, 1801, the lat- ter August 14. 1805. Her paternal grand- father, James Galt, of Lancaster county, was of Scotch-Irish extraction and was de- scended from Thomas and Isabella Galt, who came to this country in the early part of the seventeenth century. James Galt wedded Mary Martin, who had two mater- nal uncles who took an active part in the early Indian wars. One of these, Matthew Henry, was captured and tortured for two days before death came to his relief. Mrs. Crawford's paternal grandfather, James Galt, was the owner of large tracts of farm- ing land in Pennsylvania and also owned a
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