USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 4
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Mr. Skinner was born in Versailles, Ken- tucky, October 11, 1855, a son of Thomas and Jane (Biggar) Skinner. The father was born in Ayre, Scotland, on the estate of the Duke of Bandean, where the grandfather, Thomas Skinner, Sr., was employed as a gardener. The former was educated in the schools of Edinburg, and under his father's able instruction learning gardening, serving his apprenticeship upon the Duke's estate. He came to America in 1850 as a landscape gardener and was employed to lay out the estate of Robert Alexander at Woodford, Kentucky, who was one of the most proin- inent stockmen of that state in early days. He remained with him for some years, dur- ing which time he was married at Lexing- ton, Kentucky, to Miss Jane Biggar, a na- tive of Dumfries-shire, Scotland. Her fa- ther, William Biggar, was a Manxman, be- ing one of the old settlers of the little inde- pendent island, known as the Isle of Man, before it was attached to Great Britain. After his death, his daughter, Mrs. Skinner,
came to America in 1847, and six years later gave her hand in marriage to the father of our subject. They continued to live upon the Alexander estate for some time and there our subject was born. Later the fa- ther owned a fine large nursery at Maysville, Kentucky, and not only supplied many with fruit trees in that state, but had agents scat- tered throughout Missouri as well. He was one of the first to engage in the business in Kentucky and continued in successful oper- ation there all through the war and up till 1877, when he went with his son to Hiawa- tha, Brown county, Kansas, where he died in 1897. His estimable wife is still living in that state. For many years he was an active and consistent member of the Pres- byterian church and hield the office of elder for a quarter of a century. He also took an active interest in the Sunday-school and every department of church work.
Mr. Skinner, of this sketch, began his education at a private school in Maysville, taught by his uncle, William Richardson, who was the Kentuckian that whipped General Grant as a school boy under him. He remained for college at Danville, Ken- tucky, and engaged in teaching there for a time. He pursued a three years course of study at Centre College, Danville, where he was graduated in 1880, with the degree of B. A. and M. A., and later attended the Theological Seminary at that place for two years, but completed his preparation for the ministry at Princeton College in 1853.
The same year Mr. Skinner was called to a mission in Terre Haute, Indiana, and was there ordained Wednesday, September 2, 1883. He organized the mission into a church, which was first known as the Moffat church and later as the Washington Street church. Two years later locating there the
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church became selfsupporting through his untiring labors, and they purchased an old church building, The membership steadily increased, and on leaving there in October, 1886, the church was in a strong and flour- ishing condition. That fall he accepted a call to the church in Morrison and was in- stalled as pastor the following spring. There has since been a marked increase in member- ship, which has doubled. This is partly due to the disbanding of the Congregational church, but to a great extent to the influ- ence and teachings of our subject. The church edifice has been remodeled and a fine pipe organ put in.
On the 12th of October, 1884, Mr. Skinner was united in marriage with Miss Julia Barfield, a daughter of Castillo Bar- field, of Lexington, Kentucky. She is a graduate of Sayre Institute of that city, and was a teacher in a young ladies' seminary at Danville, holding the chair of Latin and Greek, and also mathematics. Mr. and Mrs. Skinner have two children, Julia F. and Jane N.
H TENRY D. HEATH is the owner of a fine farm of one hundred acres lying in sections 19 and 30, Hopkins township. He was born on the farm where he now re- sides December 29, 1852. His father, Ira Heath, was born in Berkshire county, Massa- chusetts. May 22, 1818, while his grand- father, William Heath, was a native of the same county and state, born July 26, 1779. The latter married Olive Brown, who was born April 16, 1781. They were the parents of twelve children, as follows: Alvin, born in 1805; Samantha, in 1807; Caroline, in 1808; Laura, in 1809; Ransom, in 1810; Thetes, in 1813; Lucian R., in 1815; Will-
iam, in IS16; Iva, in IS18; Russell B., in 1820; Philenia, in 1822; and Heman, in 1825. The children are now all deceased.
In 1840 Ira Heath married Mary A. Har- mon, who was born February 22, 1822, and the daughter of Walter and Azubah (Hyde) Harmon, both of whom were born in 1805 in Berkshire county, Massachusetts. They were the parents of five children, two of whom died in infancy. Those who grew to maturity were Porter J., who died in Dakota in 1897; Mary A., the mother of our sub- ject; and William, living in Hopkins town- ship. Mr. and Mrs. Ira Heath were mar- ried in Massachusetts, and in 1846 came to Whiteside county, Illinois. For about four years after his arrival he worked at odd jobs, but in 1849 purchased the farm where our subject now resides. They were the parents of five children: George W., born December 7, 1841, married Electa Fellows, who was born in 1846. His death occurred September 13, 1875. Samantha C. mar- ried Henry Clark, and they moved to Iowa, where her death occurred May 17, 1872. Rosella A. died when two years of age. Henry D. is the subject of this sketch. Frank died in infancy. An adopted daugh- ter, Martha L. Figures, was married in 1876 to N. J. Cole, of Morrison, but died July 23, 1877, when nineteen years old. Ira Heath continued to engage in farming until his death in 1886. He was a member of the Baptist church, and in politics was a Republican. His wife survived him and makes her home with her son, Henry D. Her paternal grandfather, John Hyde, was a soldier in the Revolutionary army. The family was of English descent.
The subject of this sketch was reared on the home farm, and assisted his father in its cultivation until he was twenty-one years
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old, in the meantime attending the public schools as the opportunity was afforded him, which was principally in the winter months. On the 25th of December, 1877, he was united in marriage with Miss Jennie Dickey, who was born June 16, 1860, in Venango county, Pennsylvania, and daughter of David D. and Margaret (Hayes) Dickey, who were also natives of Pennsylvania and the parents of ten children, seven of whom are yet living. Ira died when young. Leah married David G. Lindsley. by whom she had thirteen children, eleven yet living. She died in Hopkins township in 1898. Emma died when twenty years old. Nelson H. married E. Jennie Mayberry, and they have two children, Blanche and Vivian G. They reside in Sterling. John married Maggie Windland, and they reside in Clay county, Illinois. Anderson D. married Mary Eve- land, and their seven children are David, May, Harmon, Eunice, Viola, Daisy and a baby. They reside in North Hume. Jennie is the wife of our subject. Charles married F. Annie Bryson, and they have three chil- dren, Ralph, Marie and Their home is in Hume Center. Ezra, unmarried, is living in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he is principal of a business college. Cyrus W. is living in Sterling, Illinois, where he is in the office of the Keystone Manufactur- ing Company. The family came to White- side county, Mr. Dickey first making a home for them in Como. They later moved to a farm in Hume township, which he purchased and operated for a time. Subsequently he returned to Como, where his death occurred. His widow died in Rock Falls in 1894.
After his marriage Mr. Heath took his young bride to the old homestead, where he was reared and where they still continue to reside. Three children came to bless their
union. Mary L., born December 29, 1878. was married March 15, 1899, to Otto W. Harrison, and they now live in Union Grove township, where Mr. Harrison is engaged in farming. Clark F., born September 16, 1880, is now telegraph operator at Fulton Junction. Raymond H., born June 29, 1885, is at home. In politics Mr. Heath is a stanch Republican. He has served his district faithfully for a number of years as school director. As a farmer he is a suc- cess, and he gives his attention strictly to his business and enjoys the respect of his friends and neighbors.
P DETER M. LUDENS, LL. B., a well- known attorney of Morrison, Illinois, was born in Rochester, New York, Decem- ber 21, 1867, and is a son of John and Dorothy (Vanderburg) Ludens, who were born, reared and married in Holland and came to the United States in May, 1867. They first located at Rochester, New York, where the father engaged in farming, and from there removed to northeastern Wis- consin, and two years later to Fulton, Whiteside county, Illinois, settling here when our subject was about five years old. After operating rented land for a time the father purchased a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits there until his death, which occurred May 8, 1893. The mother still survives and now makes her home in the city of Fulton.
Our subject is one of the oldest of a family of eight children. His primary ed- ucation was obtained in the common schools of Fulton, and later he became a student in the Northern Illinois College at that place, taking first an elective course and subse- quently a course in the law department.
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In the meantime he worked on the farm through the summer months and in this way paid his own way through college. He was graduated with the degree of LL. B. in 1893, and then spent a year or more in the law office of Mr. McMann, of Fulton. In 1894 he was appointed deputy circuit clerk by L. E. Tuttle, and during the two years he filled that position he had ample opportunity to examine the records and other documents prepared by different law- yers, which has proved of great benefit to him in his professional career. On resign- ing his position he entered upon practice alone and opened an office in Morrison in 1897. Having already become favorably known, he soon picked up a good practice and is now one of the promising young at- torneys of the city. He is an able and suc- cessful lawyer engaged in general practice. He attends and supports the Methodist Episcopal church, and is a member of Anchor lodge, No. 120, K. P.
JOHN H. GRAY, M. D., is one of the most successful homeopathic physicians of northwestern Illinois, and a prominent resident of Morrison. He has much natural ability, but is withal a close student and believes thoroughly in the maxim "there is no excellence without labor." His devotion to the duties of his profession therefore, combined with a comprehensive understand- ing of the principles of the science of medi- cine, has made him a most successful and able practitioner, whose prominence is well deserved.
The Doctor was born in Spencer, In- diana, March 24, 1855, a son of James and Rebecca (McGinnis) Gray. The father was born in Londonderry, Ireland, about 1802,
of Scotch parentage, his father being James Gray, Sr., who was a representative of an old Scotch family, but lived and died in Ire- land. The Doctor's father came to the new world when a young man and located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was employed for a number of years by the dry goods firm of Blackstock & Company. Later he successfully engaged in the same business on his own account at Pittsburg. Pennsyl- vania, until the panic of 1837, when he closed out his business and emigrated to Spencer, Indiana, where he was principal of the city schools for a number of years, hav- ing been highly educated in Ireland. Sub- sequently he purchased a farm near Spencer and was extensively and successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits throughout the re- mainder of his life. He was a consistent member of the Presbyterian church and a Republican in politics. During his residence in Pittsburg, he married Miss Rebecca Mc- Ginnis, a native of that place and a daughter of Francis McGinnis, one of its pioneers. To them were born ten children, of whom our subject is the youngest. The mother died in April, 1867, the father in October, 1890, honored and respected by all who knew them.
During his boyhood Dr. Gray attended the common and high schools of Spencer, and at home received considerable private in- struction from his father. Later he engaged in teaching school for a number of years, mostly in Carroll and Jo Daviess counties, Illinois, and then took up the study of medi- cine with Dr. Van Patten, of Mt. Carroll. He attended lectures at the medical depart- ment of the University of Iowa and Hahne- mann Medical College, Chicago, and was graduated from the latter institution with the degree of M. D., in 1883. Returning to
J. H. GRAY, M. D.
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Mt. Carroll, Illinois, he engaged in practice there for one year, and then went to Lincoln, Nebraska, where he remained four years, dur- ing which time he was president of the State Homeopathic Society and lectured in the medical department of the University of Nebraska for two winters. He next went to Kansas City, where during the winter of 1888-9 he held the chair of theory and practice in the Kansas City Homeopathic Medical College-the leading chair of the institution-and he also engaged in private at that place. In the spring of 1889 he came to Morrison, and has since been actively and successfully engaged in practice here. He is quite a prominent member of the Rock River Institute of Homeopathy and is also a member of the State Homeopathic Society, and took an active part in the work of those organizations, but his large and constantly increasing practice claims more and more of his attention. He is one of the leading Homeopathic physicians of this sec- tion of the state, and he is often called in consultation in the surrounding counties. In former years he wrote largely for medical publications, but this also has had to be curtailed. Socially, he belongs to Dunlap lodge, No. 371, F. & A. M .; Prophetstown chapter. R. A. M. ; and Sterling command- ery, No. 57. K. T., and at one time he also held membership with the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Dr. Gray was married June 9, 1885, to Miss Adda L. Mackay, of Morrison, who was born in Carroll county, Illinois, June 13, 1861, and died October 26, 1898, in the faith of the Presbyterian church, of which she was a consistent member. Of the three children born of this union, Duncan Mackay, the eldest, was killed by a railroad train at
Morrison; and Edward Everett died at the age of two years and three months, the only one now living being Adelaide. Mrs. Gray was educated at the Young Ladies' Athe- neum and Conservatory of Music at Jackson- ville, Illinois. She was a daughter of Dun- can Mackay, who was born in the highlands of Scotland, amid the heather hills of Suth- erlandshire, and was reared in a good Chris- tian home, where he aided in the farm work and tended flocks. At the age of twenty- one he came to America to prove his powers of endurance under the adversities that tried his patience and developed his integ- rity. After battling with difficulties in Nova Scotia and Maine, he sought and found a home in the west, settling in Carroll county, Illinois, in 1840. His industry and rare good judgment soon brought him prosperity. He opened up farms, started manufactories, established banks and gave organic form and system to enterprises that sprang up with the advancement of the country. Through- out northwestern Illinois his name became the synonym of honorable success in every line of business he touched. His character was beyond reproach and his record above the reach of suspicion. The crowning glory of his manhood was religion. Under divine discipline his soul had developed strength. His gentleness was the outgrowth of love and devotion to Christ, in whose service a naturally impetuous disposition was sub- dued to a tender and patient method of thought, speech and action. He was a con- sistent Christian and for many years served as elder in the little church at Oakville, his farm residence. His home in Morrison, in later life, was marked by a genial and un- ostentatious piety. No deserving charity was ever passed by him without recognition. He gave with a free hand to all the causes
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the church presented. Park College, to which he gave twenty-five thousand dollars, has a memorial building bearing his name. His benefactions were constant and numer- ous during life; in dying he failed not to remember the needs of many charities with- out as well as within the range of the Pres- byterian church. Among other tokens of public recognition was his appointment, unsought, as a commissioner from Illinois to the World's Fair at Vienna, where he discharged his duties in an admirable man- ner without cost to the state. But he pre- ferred the quiet of home life to public posi- tions, and to honors of state the joy and privilege of a private sphere of usefulness, where his influence might tell on the wel- fare of society and the prosperity of the church. His well rounded life had an ap- propriate closing. Death, though not un- expected, was sudden, but it found him ready for the call. It was a brief struggle, but it was victory throughout. He died in Morrison, September 5, 1889, in his seventy- eighth year. Truly such a life is worth having been lived, and such lives deserve permanent record on the pages of their country's history, that others, seeing their good works, may follow in their footsteps.
JOHN J. ENTWHISTLE, a thorough and skillful farmer residing on section 34, Ustick township, was born on the 20th of March, 1857, in Jo Daviess county, Illi- nois, near Elizabeth, in the township of that name. The father was born in Phil- adelphia, Pennsylvania, in August, 1832, and when a small boy came to this state. As soon as old enough he commenced farm- ing and successfully followed that pursuit in Jo Daviess county until 1870, when he
sold his property there and purchased one hundred and twenty acres of improved land in Whiteside county, to which he has added until he now has two hundred and forty acres. He is still living on the original purchase, and is one of the most highly re- spected men of the community. In poli- tics he is a Republican. In Jo Daviess county, he was married to Miss Ellen Law- ton, who was born in New York, and they became the parents of seven children, two of whom died in infancy. The others are as follows: Margaret is the wife of J. D). Odlin, of Union Grove township, Whiteside county, and they have one daughter, Nellie; John J., our subject, is the next of the fam- ily; Carrie is the wife of W. L. Abbott, of Chicago; Hannah is at home; and George W. married Caroline Steiner, a native of Ohio, and had one child who died in infancy.
During his minority, John J. Entwhistle remained on the home farm, was educated in the district schools of the neighborhood, and for two years worked by the month for his father. Later he rented one of the farms until he was able to purchase eighty acres, for which he paid forty-two dollars per acre. In February, 1879, he led to the marriage altar, Miss Orena M. Goff, who was born in Ustick township, in October, 1855, a daughter of Franklin B. and Mary (Baker) Goff, early settlers of this county, who are now living in Clinton, Iowa. Mrs. Entwhistle is one of a family of five chil- dren, the others being as follows: Armena is the wife of Charles Roberts, a farmer of Franklin county, Iowa, and they have six children, two sons and four daughters: Lym in J ., an employe of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company, residing in Ustick town - ship, married Adelia Bull, and has six chil- dren living; Sylvester W. is deceased; and
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Nary Delos married Eva Smaltz, and is a railroad fireman living in Clinton, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Entwhistle have four children, Sadie, Arthur and Arlie, twins, and Leta, all at home.
After his marriage Mr. Entwhistle locat- ed on one of the farms owned by his father, and still resides upon that place, success- fully engaged in general farming and stock raising. He owns eighty acres of land on section 34, Ustick township, also a half interest in one hundred and forty-eight acres, his brother being his partner, and besides this he also operates two hundred acres belonging to his father. He is systematic and methodical in business affairs and thoroughly understands the occupation he has chosen as a life work. Socially, he affiliates with Ustick lodge, No. 9, Mystic Workers of the World, and politically is identified with the Republican party. He is an active worker for his party's interests, has held the office of school director for a number of years, has also served as road commissioner, and is at present supervisor of his township, an office he is most credit- ably and satisfactorily filling.
H SIMONSON, deceased, was one of J
the highly respected and honored citi- zens of Whiteside county, who was for many years prominently identified with its agricultural interests. He was born in Berk- shire county, New York, November 6, 1829, and was a son of Frederick and Sebina (Harvey) Simonson, also natives of the Empire state, where the father followed farming until 1839, when, in company with his wife and children, he came to Illinois in a prairie schooner. He located in what is now Hopkins township, Whiteside county,
where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of Thomas Mathews, now deceased. Upon the place was a small log house, into which the family moved their few household goods, and there in true pioneer style they began life in the west. To the improvement and cultivation of his land the father im- mediately turned his attention.
Upon the home farm in Hopkins town- ship our subject grew to manhood, and his education was obtained in the subscription schools, which for some time were con- ducted at his home. He and the other children of the family were largely assisted in acquiring a good fund of information by their father, who was a well-educated man. Previous to his marriage our subject engaged in teaching school for a number of terms, and afterward followed farming for a time on the Rock river in Lyndon township. On selling his farm there, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in Mount Pleasant township, which was already under cultiva- tion, and to that tract he added until at the time of his death he owned four hundred acres of valuable farming land in one body, besides a tract of timber land in Hopkins township.
On the 3d of January, 1853, Mr. Simon- son married Miss Lavinia M. Sherwin, who was born in Bennington county, Vermont, July 15, 1830, a daughter of Jacob and Polly (Lyon) Sherwin, natives of Mas- sachusetts. Her grandfather, Jacob Sher- win, Sr., was the first Presbyterian minister in Massachusetts. He was a graduate of Yale College and the diploma he received from that noted institution of learning is still in possession of the family. Both he and his wife died in the east. Mrs. Simonson's father, who was a farmer by occupation, also died in Vermont, but the mother came
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west and passed away in Whiteside county, Illinois. She was a daughter of Jonathan and Olive (Poole) Lyon, natives of Mas- sachusetts, who removed to Bennington county, Vermont, after the Revolutionary war, and died there. Her father was a sol- dier of the Continental army and lost an arm in the service. Mrs. Simonson is the younger in a family of two children, the other being Elijah O., a resident of Cen- tralia, Illinois, whose wife, Mary Stevens, died leaving four children. To Mr. and Simonson were born five children, namely: Marcia is the wife of Walter E. Know, of Clark county, South Dakota, and they have three children: Kate W., is the wife of J. H. Chamberlin, an insurance agent of Chicago, though their home is in Austin, Illinois, and they have four children; Walter died in in- fancy; Cora B. is the wife of W. J. Austin, a postoffice employe in Chicago, and they have four children; and Effie May died in infancy.
Mr. Simonson died March 21, 1882, while on a prospecting tour through South Dakota. Politically he was identified with the Republican party, and socially affiliated with Dunlap lodge, F. & A. M., of Morrison. He was a consistent and faithful member of the Round Grove Method- ist Episcopal church, and his upright, honorable career gained for him the con- fidence and (steem of all with whom he came in contact either in business or social life.
D ANA B. SEGER, M. D., is a skilled physician and surgeon, of Morrison, Illinois, whose knowledge of the science of medicine is broad and comprehensive, and whose ability in applying its principles to
the needs of suffering humanity has gained him an enviable prestige in professional circles.
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