USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 40
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" Resolved, That we tender to his part- ners and companions in business our sense of the loss of companionship they will never fail to realize when they view his vacant desk; but our deepest sympathy goes to those of the broken family circle, but even they have a comfort of knowing that a good man has left them with neither spot nor blemish on his character.
" Resolved, That a copy of these reso- lutions be furnished the Keystone Manufact- uring Company and his bereaved wife for preservation, as showing the esteem with which George S. Tracy was held by every citizen of our place."
Not content with simply adopting similar resolutions a meeting of the citizens of Sterling was held, and a committee previous- ly appointed, consisting of John G. Mana- han, J. F. Platt, W. A. Sanborn, C. L. Sheldon and J. E. McPherran, presented the accompanying report :
"To the citizens of Sterling assembled for action in reference to the lamented death of the late George Stephen Tracy:
" Your committee, appointed at a pre- vious meeting, and directed to report a series of suitable resolutions to be presented and here adopted as the expression of the of this meeting on this occasion, would re- spectfully submit for your consideration the following:
"The long residence of Mr. Tracy in this city; his activity in business affairs; the high esteem in which he was justly held; the number of those who enjoyed and valued his friendship; the irreparable loss consequent upon his death; each and all render it ap- propriate that a people with whom he daily mingled, and among whom he constantly labored, should gather from their ordinary avocations and in a public manner mutually give expression to their conception of his character, and jointly commemorate his virtues.
" When a long and appreciated acquaint- ance has been suddenly and sadly terminated ; when a life so conspicuously gentle and so beneficently active has suddenly ceased; when the genial face of a beloved fellow citizen has become rigid in death when the hand, responsive alike to the necessities of the poor and the salutations of friends, no longer reflects the promptings of a gener- ous heart; when a familiar and always wel- come form is soon to be borne by friendly hands to its last resting place; when our
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common mother earth is about to receive to her bosom one more of her faithful and true sons, what more appropriate than that we, who knew him intimately these many years in life, and now deplore his death, should thus publicy and collectively make a mutual retrospect of that life so lately radiant among us, but, now alas, simply enshrined among our cherished memories. It was no minor privilege to be included within the circle of his accquaintance; much more the distinc- tion, to be enrolled among his friends. That acquaintance and friendship, by an extrane- ous and resistless agency, has been with- drawn, and we who feel the poignancy of the deprivation, may well pause to pour into our depleted hearts the balm of grate- ful recollection, and to rear upon the grave of our fallen friend the pillars of our remem - brance of his worth. Impotent in the pres- ence of death this much we can do-more we cannot-less we would not.
"Fortunate is this assemblage in the fact that the reminiscences, vivified by the occasion and circumstances of this meeting, are of the most pleasant character -- that there cannot be one discordant or unpleas- ant element connected with the review of our personal acquaintance with the deceased, and that no encomiums here pronounced, however accentuated or exalted, can exceed the truth. Mr. Tracy's residence here has been so long and continuous, and his life so active and observable, that no one present can be lacking in the necessary information to have formed an estimate of his character, or to give or recognize a truthful presenta- tion of his reputation.
"In view of the permanent local devel- opment to which he contributed, and of the various lines of active industries with which he was identified up to the period of his
decease, it necessarily results that his death is a marked and important, as well as a lamentable event. Therefore, be it
" Resolved, By this assemblage of his acquaintances and friends, that we recognize and appreciate the loss to this community entailed by his death; that we unitedly bear witness to the many pleasant and valued mental and moral endowments which con- stituted him a pleasant companion, a wisc counsellor, a good citizen, a firm and stead- fast friend, and which made him a most active and potent factor in all of our material interests; that the evidences of his identifica- tion with the progress and development of this and our neighboring city are such as to remain imperishable monuments to his enter- prise, public spirit and patriotic endeavor to benefit the community within which the greater part of his life was spent; but, that the urbanity of his disposition, his equable, uniform demeanor, his absolute reliability and his social qualities were such as to insure the perpetuity of his memory, regardless of these visible manifestations of his actual work.
"Resolved, Also, that we desire to, and do hereby offer to his stricken family and relatives our sincere sympathy in this their peculiar and personal bereavement.
"Resolved, Further, that the secretaries of this meeting be requested to furnish to the family of the deceased, and to the local newspapers, copies of these resolutions, and of the action of this meeting thereon."
The Hon. J. E. McPherran presented the report and made some personal re- marks, after giving a short biographical sketch of the deceased. In part he said:
" Descended from a hardy race, not ashamed to work, Mr. Tracy naturally sought a vocation wherein chance was not
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the chief element of success. Patient labor and application are as necessary for success in business as they are in the pursuit of science. The old Greek maxim was: ‘To become an able man in any profession three things are necessary, -nature, study and practice.' Lord Melbourne said, ' Mak- ing a small provision for young men is of all things the most prejudicial to themselves. The young should hear this language: It depends upon your own exertions whether you starve or not.' No 'provision ' em- barrassed Mr. Tracy's youth, and whatever success he achieved in business pursuits, he won by his own diligent, patient, and intel- ligent devotion to business. He early rec- ognized the law that he who would achieve success must 'learn to labor and to wait.'
"His early experience in life made him sympathize with those in his employment, and enabled him rightly to discriminate be- tween merit and dismerit amongst them. Hence he grew in favor with them as the years passed by.
" Deliberate in speech, self-possessed un- der stress of difficulties, keenly intelligent in the lines of business pursued by him, he rarely erred in judgment of men or things. He was not given to unfriendly criticism of his business competitors or his neighbors. Without personal or business jealousy, his speech was judicious commendation, or it was withheld. He was conservative in politics; in religion, by inheritance and conviction, in accord with the best religious thought of the day. His acts of kindness, and they were many, to persons less fortu- nate than he, were never published; but his grant, in conjunction with Mr. Galt, of ten years, free rent to the Sterling Public Library, is a part of the records of the city. Truthful, manly, and capable, and
withal public spirited, he filled so large a space in business and social interests that his loss will be keenly felt by the entire community for a long time.
" He left to mourn his loss, outside of a large circle of friends, a devoted wife (née Hosmer) and three children. He was buried on the 8th day of May, 1891, at Sterling, Illinois. The foreman of the Keystone Company served as pall bearers. His remains were escorted to the grave through streets draped in mourning, by a great concourse of citizens. He was laid to rest with impressive religious services, in which the fragility of human life was con- trasted with the immutability of Him in whose sight a thousand years are but as a watch in the night."
The Hon. Thomas A. Galt, who for twenty-eight years was associated with Mr. Tracy in business, said that he wanted to be present at the preceding meeting, but so crushed was he at the death, equal almost to that of a brother, that he was unable to attend. "I have always held Mr. Tracy" said he, "as dear as an own brother, and knowing him so intimately, almost as well as his own family, through the association of twenty- eight years as a partner, his death to me personally is a great blow. Our interests were at all times most harmonious, an equal and mutual understanding existing. We began together in 1863, and during all the succeeding years not a jar has made un- pleasant our associations. Few husbands and wives can compare their own union with as happy a result as this our union. In the death of Mr. Tracy I lose one near and dear and I scarce know how to proceed in my efforts without his ever cheering, mas- terly assistance. He was a man of excellent spirit, never angry, never profane, always
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pleasant, never an ill word to the most humble of his employes, conservative, al- ways showing the bright side to the sor- rowing.
"He gave many evidences of his kindness and his friendship was one to be highly prized. Mr. Tracy was scrupulously just, and not afraid to error, which he invariably did. He will not only be missed by me personally, but equally missed by the busi- ness community. Such men are rare, but God in his providence has seen fit to re- move him, and a sweet remembrance will always remain. Hishonesty was unquestion- able; and willingly at any time would I have left in his hands my money or other valu- ables, with perfect confidence. I am happy to pay this tribute to his memory, I feel as thought I have a right to. I will enjoy his memory as long as I live."
Mr. McPherran and Mr. Galt but echoed the sentiment of all who know Mr. Tracy, and this permanent of him in this volume will be prized by all, and his life work will certainly be worthy of emulation by those who come after him.
C F. ROYER is a son of Christian and Mary (Whitmer) Royer, who were born and are still living in Franklin county, Pennsylvania. The father's birth occurred May 28, 1823, and the mother was born March 13, 1824. Their children comprised the following-named: Jacob W., George A., Christian and David (twins), Cyrus E., C. F., Washington, Catherine E., Mary E., Alice Grace, Uriah, Ezra and Nathan (twins), and Ida Frances, who died at the age of four years. The parents have been engaged in agricultural pursuits and are highly respected citizens in their commun-
ity. They are great workers in the local Baptist church, and Mr. Royer is a Repub- lican, politically.
C. F. Royer was born on the old Franklin county homestead June 24, 1856, and remained with his parents until he at- tained his majority. Hle then came to the west, and for three or four years worked for farmers in Whiteside county. In company with a brother, he embarked in the stock business, in Kansas, and at the end of a year went to lowa, where he was similarly engaged. Returning then to Illinois, he turned his attention once more to farming, and since his marriage has cultivated a fine farm of two hundred acres, located on sec- tion 7. In addition to this he owns two hundred and forty acres of land in Hun- boldt county, Iowa. As a stock-raiser, Mr. Royer has been especially successful, though in each branch of agriculture he has met with gratifying financial returns for his labors.
On the 5th of January, 1882, Mr. Royer married Clara McCauley, a native of this county. She is one of the eight children of James S. and Hester ( Hanawalt ) McCauley, natives of Virginia, and early settlers of Hopkins township, their arrival here dating back to 1853. Their other children are named as follows: Marcellus, Nancy C., John W., Alice A., Ida R., Willie, and one who died in infancy.
Seven children came to bless the home of our subject and wife: Bertha May, born January 22, 1883; James C., April 20, 1885; Marietta, March 22, 1887; an infant, who died at birth, in i889; Charles Franklin, April 14, 1891; Arthur Raymond, June 15, 1894, and Ida Ruth, August 23, 1896. James C. died when in his tenth year, Octo- ber 23, 1894. The surviving children are
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with their parents, the elder ones attending the neighborhood school.
Mr. Royer takes a patriotic interest in the public schools, and for several years has been a member of the local board of directors. During a period of fifteen years he has been a director of the Whiteside County Agricultural Society, and upon vari- ous occasions has superintended different departments of the county fair. In his po- litical affiliations he is a Republican. Re- ligiously, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and has served as a trus- tee, and as superintendent and teacher in the Sunday-school.
H G. CHAMBERLAIN, a leading citizen of Newton township, and a worthy representative of the agricultural interests of that section of the county, was born in New York, April 3, 1824, and is a son of B. F. Chamberlain, a native of Connecti- cut. In 1849 our subject came to Illinois and first located in Rock Island county, where he lived for two years. At the end of that time he came to this county and took up his residence' in Newton township.
After his marriage, in 1852, he purchased a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres o11 section 24, that township, and to its im- provement and cultivation he has since de- voted his time and attention with most grat- ifying results. Being a thorough and skill- ful farmer and a man of good business abil- ity, prosperity has attended his efforts and he is now quite well-to-do. At one time he owned an additional eighty-acre tract, but gave this to his son and now owns only the original farm. Like most of the farming population of the county, he has given con- siderable attention to stock raising.
On the 14th of October, 1852, Mr. Chamberlain was united in marriage with Miss Susan Walker, who was born in Ohio, November 18, 1827, a daughter of David and Susan Walker. By this union seven children have been born, namely: Eugene H., born March 21, 1855; Arthur B., born August 27, 1857; Irena, who was born April 20, 1860, and died when quite young; Alice M., who was born July 16, 1861. and is now the wife of Milton E. Bull; one who died in infancy; Lena M., born February 22, 1867; and Susanna E., who was born January 22, 1872, and is now the wife of Jacob Odenwald.
By his ballot Mr. Chamberlain supports the men and measures of the Republican party, but has never aspired to official hon- ors though he takes great interest in the national elections. He is a consistent mem- ber of the Baptist church, and his well- spent and honorable life has gained for him the confidence and high regard of all with whom he has come in contact either in busi- ness or social life.
JAMES SCOVILLE, deceased, was one 0 of the prominent pioneers and represen- tative citizens of Whiteside county, whose last days were spent in retirement in Ster- ling. He was born in Washington county, New York, February 21, 1810, a son of Edward and Susan (Case) Scoville, also na- tives of that state. The father followed the occupation of farming in New York until 1841, when he came to Whiteside county, Illinois, and took up a tract of one hundred and twenty acres of government land in Genesee township, upon which he made his home until his death. He died, however, in Pike county, Illinois, in 1859, being tak-
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en ill while visiting there and never recover- ing. His wife had died a few years pre- vionsły. They were the parents of nine children, Paulina, Sanford, James, Stephen, Alexander, Sprague, Angeline, Susan and Mary Jane, all of whom lived to maturity, married and reared families with the excep- tion of Sprague, who died at about the age of eighteen years.
The subject of this sketch attended the common schools of his native state, and as soon as old enough to be of any assistance he commenced to aid in the work of the farın. On the 11th of November, 1832, he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Hills, who was born in Oneida county, New York, January 24, 1813, a daughter of Ira Sarah Jane (Hurlburt) Hills, both natives of Connecticut. In early life her fa- ther followed the cooper's trade, but on his arrival to New York turned his attention to farming. He became a resident of that state a few years prior to her birth, and when she was four years old he moved to Penn- sylvania, purchasing land in Erie county, where his death occurred. He was a pros- perous and successful man and was highly respected by all who knew him. He was an officer (captain) in the war of 1812 and his services received a land warrant, with which he secured land in Ohio, but never located thereon. His wife survived him about twenty years and died at the home of a son in Galesburg, Illinois. In their fami- ly were eleven children, of whom seven reached man and womanhood, namely: Nelson, Riley, Lester, Cynthia, Elizabeth, Sarah and Mary Ann. Mrs. Scoville is now the only one of this family living.
After his marriage Mr. Scoville and his wife located in Erie county, Pennsylvania, where he purchased land from the govern-
ment and engaged in farming until 1839, when he started overland in a prairie schooner for Illinois. After twenty-one days spent upon the road he arrived in Galesburg, where he remained two months and then came to Whiteside county, locat- ing in Genesee township on the line be- tween Whiteside and Carroll counties. Here he took up two hundred acres of wild land and from the unbroken prairie he de- veloped a fine farm, which he placed under a high state of cultivation. His first home here was a rode log cabin of two rooms, which were utilized as sitting room, parlor, kitchen and bed room for two years, when a more commodious and better residence was erected. This was the home of Mr. Scoville and his wife until they left the farm and moved to a place near Coleta, where he had purchased two hundred acres. He finally retired from farming in 1881, and took up his residence in Sterling, where he died January 29, 1884. honored and re- spected by all who knew him. His widow now makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Olmsted, in Milledgeville, Illinois.
To them were born ten children, as fol- lows: Ira, a resident of Grundy county, Iowa, married Mary J. Bushnell and has six children; Mittie, a resident of Sterling, is the widow of Edward Millard and has four children; Amelia married Benton Har- ris, who died leaving four children, and she is now the wife of Peter Dull, of Milledge- ville; Mary is the wife of John P. Bull, of Genesee township, and they have four chil- dren; Sarah is the wife of H. T. Healy, of Carroll county, and they have twelve chil- dren; Paulina is the wife of Elhanan C. Winters, of Rock Falls, whose sketch is given elsewhere in this work; James died at the age of four years; Etta is the wife of
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Charles Olmsted, of Milledgeville, and they have two children; Emma married William Calkins, of Milledgeville, and died at the age of thirty-one years, leaving two chil- dren; and Ella is the wife of Colonel Bush- man, of Genesee township, and they have nine children.
In his political affiliations, Mr. Scoville was a strong Republican, and he served as school trustee in his district for many years. He was a prominent and influential member of the Methodist Episcopal church, took an active part in all church work, and served as steward and class leader the greater part of the time. He was very charitable and benevolent, always willing to lend a help- ing hand to the poor and needy, and gave to the support of any religious body.
C APTAIN STEPHEN B. HANKS. Prob- ably one of the best known citizens of Whiteside county is Captain Stephen B. Hanks, now living retired in Albany. For half a century or more, his connection with the river interests have made him a familiar figure, not only in this county, but as far south as St. Louis and thence north to the head waters of navigation on the "father waters."
In tracing the Captain's history it is found that he is a native of Kentucky, his birth having occurred near Hopkinsville, October 9, 1826. He is a son of Thomas and Catherine (Beck) Hanks, the former of English descent, and own brother to Nancy Hanks, the mother of President Lincoln. Mr. Hanks was the owner of a large plantation and numerous slaves in the Blue Grass state, and was highly respected by every one. He died when the subject of the sketch was only ten years of age and of his children four now
survive, namely: Ann, wife of Aaron Col- bert, of Montana; Captain David C., of Albany, and Samuel S., of Princeton, Iowa.
After his father's death, Captain Stephen B. Hanks accompanied his mother and the rest of the family to Illinois, settling in White county. Later, he came to White- side county with his sister Ann and the family of a cousin, Alfred Slocum, with whom he continued to reside until he was eighteen years of age. At that time his life on the river commenced, and for two years he worked as a laborer, then taking charge of a raft during the summer season, while in the winter he was employed in the pineries. This raft, owned by the Old St. Croix Lumber Company, was frozen in the river at Albany late in the fall of 1844, and the Captain was obliged to retire into winter quarters. The firm by which he was em- ployed went into bankruptcy that winter, and he then became connected with the Stillwater Lumber Company, and operated seventy-five miles from Stillwater, where he cut logs.
Having become familiar with the river, Captain Hanks took a position as steam- boat pilot in 1856, with the Minnesota Packet Company, remaining with them until they sold out in 1863. A portion of this time he was in command of the vessel, and in 1868 became captain and pilot on the Diamond Joe line, running between Fulton and St. Paul. In 1874 he took a similar position on the good steamship, Brother Jonathan. Subsequently for two years he was in charge of the Hartford, owned by C. Lamb & Sons, of Clinton, Iowa, and also afterward piloted the Lafayette Lamb and the Artemus Lamb for ten years. This completed a service as pilot and captain of more than fifty years duration.
S. B. HANKS.
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Of fine physique and splendid constitu- tion, the Captain bears the weight of his more than three score and ten years with ease, largely owing, perhaps, to his active outdoor life. He is extremely popular at all points along the river, and his friends cannot be numbered. At one time he owned an interest in a store at Stillwater, and also in one located at Albany. Besides this, he he has been interested in real estate ven- tures in Whiteside county, and as early as 1842 entered a tract of land here. He has bought and sold considerable property, and at the present time owns six distinct pieces of real estate. He has erected two resi- dences in Albany, and has been associated with the upbuilding and improvement of the town. In politics, he is a stanch Republic- an, though he has never been an aspirant to public office. Fraternally, he is a member of Albany lodge, No. 566, F. & A. M.
On the 16th of December, 1856, the Captain married Emily D. Bennett, daugh- ter of Lyman and Susan Bennett. The young couple commenced keeping house on a farm which they owned in Albany town- ship. This place was disposed of in 1863, and for about five years they resided in Dubuque, since which time the family home has been in Albany. Mrs. Hanks, who was born May 8, 1834, at Buffalo, New York, died June 15, 1882. Her elder son, Frank- lin B., born September 28, 1857, died Jan- uary 30, 1858. Martin W., the younger, born October 3, 1859, is the present secre- tary and treasurer of McClure's Logging Co. He was a graduate of the Dubugne Com- mercial College, and at one time attended Bryant & Stratton's Business College in Chicago. For a wife he chose Ida Under- wood, and their two children are named respectively, Grace and Stephen Underwood.
Jessie J., the only daughter of our subject, and a resident of Albany, was born August 29. 1863, and became the wife of C. C. Ewing, November 24, 1885. She had two children, Florence and Frank. The Cap- tain and his family have always attended the Methodist Episcopal church, and in many ways have been material factors in the advancement of religious and benevolent enterprises.
I OUIS DAUEN. The United Statescan boast of no better, more patriotic citi- zens than her German-Americans. Once having sworn allegiance to the stars and stripes, they earnestly uphold the laws and institutions of their adopted land, and are noted for the same industrious, worthy characteristics here as govern them in the Fatherland.
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