USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 41
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Louis Dauen, whose comfortable home is situated on section 17, Hopkins township, Whiteside county, is a native of Oldenberg, Germany, January 24, 1849. His paternal grandparents, Edward R. and Johanna (El- vers) Dauen, also were born in that province, and his parents, Henry F. and Eva (John- son) Dauen, were residents of Oldenberg until after their marriage, which event oc- curred in 1846. The father was born June 20, 1818, and the mother in 1820. She was a daughter of Dirke and Marnie John- son, of Oldenberg, and had a brother and sister, namely: Herman and Viola. ller- man, who was a cabinet-maker by trade, passed his entire life in Oldenburg. Viola became the wife of Ulfer Ulfers, who held a position as treasurer in the province of Oldenberg, under the government. Henry F. Dauen and family emigrated to the United States in 1866, and, settling upon a
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farm in Hopkins township, Whiteside coun- ty, he owned and operated the same until his death, which event occurred January 17, 1893. His wife departed this life De- cember 25, 1886, and from that time for- ward he made his home with his children. He enjoyed the respect of all who knew him, for he wasindustrious and thrifty, and made a competence for his loved ones, even when laboring under the disadvantages of being a stranger in a strange land. His elder son, Edward, was born September 24. 1847, married Fredericka Cassens, in 1882, and now carries on a farm in Jordan township. Hannah, the only daughter, born December 11, 1855, in Oldenberg, became the wife of Henry Fulfs, and has three chil- dren, two sons and a daughter. The home of the family is in Genesee township.
Louis Dauen passed seventeen years of his life in his native land, and, after com- ing to this country, he continued to make his home with his parents until his mar- riage. Since that time he has cultivated his present homestead. As he could do so, he added fine improvements, and now his country home is considered one of the best and most desirable in the township. It comprises two hundred acres, suitable for the raising of a large variety of crops.
The marriage of Mr. Dauen and Johanna Staassen took place March 11, 1874. She is a daughter of John F. and Marnie (Anke) Staassen, and has two brothers and a sister. Frederick, who died in Texas, left a widow, now the wife of L. D. Hubbard, of Idaho. George married Minnie Audelman, and Mar- garet, the only sister of Mrs. Dauen, married J. 11. Bly, since deceased, and makes her home in this township. Eight children have been born to our subject and wife: Henry F., born March 30, 1875; Anna C., July 26,
1876; Clara W., February 7, 1877; Lizzie F., February 7, 1880; Maggie J., Septem- ber 6, 1883; Emma, November 11, 1886; Mary, September 12, 1888; and Leander L., October 1, 1894. The children all re- side at home, the eldest son being of much assistance to his father in the care of the farm.
Louis Dauen received a liberal educa- tion in his native land, and after coming to this country, attended the district school in Hopkins township, in order to familiarize himself with the English language. His interest in education has never flagged, and for fifteen years he served as a school di- rector. As a road commissioner he was active and zealous during the three years of his office. Politically, he is affiliated with the Republican party. In religion, he and all of his family are adherents of the Ger- man Lutheran church. They are greatly esteemed by the entire community, for in all respects they are sterling citizens and worthy of honor.
JOHN THOMAS KIRKLAND, the well- known and popular agent for the Chi- cago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad at Erie, Illinois, was born in England March 22, 1860, and is a son of Thomas and Margaret (Gilbert) Kirkland. The father was a na- tive of Nottinghamshire, England, and in 1866 emigrated to this country and took up his residence in Greene county, Illinois, where he worked at the carpenter's trade as a contractor and builder. In his family were seven children, five of whom are still living, namely: John Thomas, our subject; William, a farmer of Maconpin county, Illi- nois; Margaret, wife of G. C. Robinson, of Hettick, Illinois; Luella, wife of Alonzo
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Hard, a farmer of Kemper, Illinois; Frank E., a telegraph operator of Kemper.
John T. Kirkland, of this review, re- mained at home with his parents until about twenty-five years of age, and then learned telegraphy and accepted a position as oper- ator with the railroad company. In 1888 he came to Erie as agent for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, and has since filled that position with credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of the com- pany and general public. He is a courte- ous, obliging gentleman, and has made a host of warm friends during his residence in Erie. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Wood- men of America.
In ISS4 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Kirkland and Miss Alice Coultas, a daughter of John and Dean Coultas, and to them have been born three children, namely: Alma, Clarence and Hazel.
JOHN F. LE FEVRE, who is one of the enterprising and progressive farmers of Whiteside county, has through his well-di- rected efforts won a handsome competence and is to-day accounted one of the leading, substantial agriculturists of the community. He was born in Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, January 1, 1828, and is a son of John W. and Mary (Espensheade) Le Fevre. The father was also a native of Lancaster county, born January 5, 1797, and was a farmer by occupation. His wife was born in September, 1796, and they became the parents of six children, one of whom died in early life. The others were Eliza, widow of Joseph Miller. She was born in 1819. and is living in Sterling at the advanced age of eighty years. She has two sons,
Joseph and Amos. The second child of John W. Le Fevre was Amos, who is now deceased. Elias, a resident of Sterling, died in 1897. leaving two children, Belle and Hattie. John F. is the next of the family. Mary A. died leaving two children, Edward and Anna. With his family the father left the Keystone state, and on the 15th of May, 1847, arrived in Whiteside county, where he purchased one hundred and forty-five acres of land, upon a part of which the town of Sterling now stands. His wife died in 1859, and he passed his last days in Sterling, where his death occurred in 1872.
John F. Le Fevre acquired his educa- tion in the common schools, pursuing his studies for about three months during each year. At the age of eighteen, he came with his parents to Whiteside county and as- sisted his father in the cultivation of the home farm for several years. In 1885 he married Anna Good, who was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and for a year they resided on the old homestead with the father, who at the end of that time took up his abode in the town. In 1867 Mr. Le Fevre purchased the old homestead and for a number of years engaged in the cultivation of the fields, meeting with good success in his under- takings. After eleven years spent upon the farm he removed to Sterling, where, on the 5th of August, 1880, his wife died. In 1888 he was again married, his second union be- ing with Margaret V. Lytle, who was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and with whom he lived happily for five years. She was then called to the home beyond in 1893, after which his daughter, Katie, the only child of his first marriage, became his housekeeper. She was the wife of Frank
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Eisele, by whom she had two children, one an ambitious foreigner can make in this of whom died at the age of three years. Her surviving son is John Eisele. After the death of her father's second wife she and her family removed to the old home- stead in order to keep house for him, but her health failed her, and she, too, passed away in 1894. Since that time, Mr. Le Fevre has lived alone on the old home farm.
In 1868 he sold forty acres of the place for three hundred dollars per acre, and the town of Sterling was built upon it. For some years he speculated in land, and his judicious investments in realty were at- tended with gratifying success. In his ear- lier years he engaged in the operation of ninety acres of land and since returning to the farm has cultivated the eighteen acres which he still owns. Honorably in all his business dealings, industrious and ener- getic, he has met with prosperity which is well deserved. Mr. Le Fevre is a member of the Lutheran church, and in politics he has been a stanch supporter of the Repub- lican party since its organization in 1854. At the time of his arrival in Whiteside county there were only thirty-six votes cast in the township, a fact which indicates the unsettled condition of the country at that period. For thirty-five years he has been a member of the Odd Fellows Society. He has witnessed remarkable changes in White- side county, and has not only seen its won- derful development, but has been an active factor in promoting its progress along ma- terial and moral lines.
AMES LEAHY. A brilliant example of J a sell-made American citizen and a grand exemplification of the progress that
country of unbounded opportunities, is shown in the case of James Leahy, whose home is on section 28, Hahnaman township, Whiteside county, Illinois. His singular success is due to his own energy and the high ideal which his lofty and laudable am- bition placed before him. Success in any walk of life is an indication of earnest en- deavor and persevering effort, -character- istics which he possesses in an eminent degree.
Mr. Leahy is a native of Ireland, and when a young man of twenty-two years crossed the broad Atlantic, landing in New York May 20, 1857. After working in a lumberyard of the city for over a year, he came to Whiteside county, Illinois, in 1859, and here was employed as a farm hand by the month for three or four years. He manifested his love for his adopted country by enlisting in August, 1862, in Company C, Seventy-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, which was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland, and from private he was pro- moted to the rank of corporal and later sergeant. He participated in numerous battles and skirmishes, including those at Perrysville, Kentucky, Stone River, and Nashville, and in the Atlanta campaign he was almost constantly under fire for nearly six months. Later he took part in the bat- tles of Franklin and Nashville. He was twice wounded, receiving a slight gunshot wound during the battle of Perryville, and still carries those honorable scars received while defending the old flag and the cause it represented. At the close of the war he was honorably discharged and mustered out at Harker, Tennessee, June 12, 1865.
Mr. Leahy returned to Prophetstown, Whiteside county, and the following year
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bought one hundred and twenty acres of land where he now resides. This he has since converted into a fertile and productive farm, supplied with all the conveniences and accessories found upon a model farm of the nineteenth century. He has added to his home farm until now within its bound- aries are two hundred and fifty acres, and he also has two other farms, one of two hundred and eighty acres, the other of one hundred and twenty, making in all six hun- dred and fifty acres of valuable and highly cultivated land. It is needless to say that he thoroughly understands the occupation he has chosen as a life work as his wonder- ful success testifies to that fact, and he is a business man of far more than ordinary ability.
On the 12th of June, 1866, in Sterling, Mr. Leahy was united in marriage with Miss Julia Shanahan, also a native of Ireland, who came to the new world when a young lady and died in 1884, leaving nine children, two sons and seven daughters, all still liv- ing. For his second wife, Mr. Leahy mar- ried Miss Johanna Courtney, a native of Whiteside county, by whom he has six chil- dren.
Politically Mr. Leahy is an uncomprom- ising Republican, and has served as a com- mitteeman of his township and as a dele- gate to county conventions of his party. He has ever taken quite an active and promi- nent part in local politics and has most creditably filled the office of township trus- tee, school director and commissioner of highways for eighteen years. For forty years he has been identified with the inter- ests of this county, and is among the most valued and useful citizens of his community. giving his support to every enterprise which he believes will prove of public benefit.
O A. WILSON, a leading and representa- tive farmer of Newton township, whose home is on section II, was born in that township, December 31, 1856, a son G. W. and Phobe (Layman) Wilson. The father is a native of New York and a farmer by occupation. About 1855 he came to Illinois, and took up his residence in New- ton township, Whiteside county, where he at first operated rented land, but about 1860 he purchased one hundred and sixty acres on section 1. As the years have passed and he has prospered in his labors, he has added to his landed possessions until he now owns about five hundred acres of very valuable and productive land. He continued to actively engage in farming until 1898, when he removed to Clinton, lowa, and has since lived retired, enjoying a well-earned rest.
During his boyhood and youth O. A. Wilson attended the district schools and aided his father in the labors of the farm, remaining at home until his marriage. On the 22d of June, 1879, he wedded Miss Anna Hanson, who was born October 20, 1857, a daughter of Charles and Mary Hanson, and by this union five children have been born whose names and dates of birth are as fol- lows: Seth A., June 2, 1880; Arthur D., October 8, 1881; Clara V., August 2, 1883; Charles Albert, December 27, 1892; and Lucile A., February 22, 1897.
Throughout his active business life, Mr. Wilson has followed farming and stock rais- ing with marked success, and now owns a good farn of eighty acres on section II, Newton township. He also rents other tracts and now operates about three hundred acres, from which he obtains a good income. In his political affiliations Mr. Wilson is a Republican, but aside from voting takes on active part in political affairs.
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A LBERT L. THOMPSON, a prominent and representative farmer residing on section 15, Fenton township, where he owns and operates a fine farin of two hundred and forty acres, was born in that township July 13, 1857, and is a son of R. M. Thomp- son, an honored citizen of Morrison, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. Our subject grew to manhood on the home farm, acquiring a good practical knowledge of agricultural pursuits, and on reaching the age of twenty-one he started out in life for himself as a farmer. He purchased three hundred and eighty acres of land from his father and at once turned his attention to its improvement and cultivation. For a number of years he has made a specialty of dairy farming, and for that purpose generally keeps from thirty to forty milch cows. He secured one of the first hand cream separa- tors in Whiteside county, and in this branch of his business he has met with most excel- lent success. He also deals in stock quite extensively, buying and shipping to the city markets, and as a breeder he is interested in Poland-China hogs, Durham and short- horn cattle.
On the 11th of December, 1878, Mr. Thompson married Miss Myra Plummer, a daughter of William and Rachel Plummer, in whose family were four children, namely: Jane, wife of William Davis, of Erie; Theo- dore, a resident of Grundy county, Iowa; Myra, wife of our subject; and Josiah, also a resident of Grundy county, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have three children: Emmet, born August 1, 1880, assists his father in the labors of the farm; Bertha, born June 28, 1882, and Emery, born May 11, 1884, are attending the Port Byron Academy.
Mr. Thompson was reared a Republican,
but he is now independent in politics and supports by his ballot the men whom he believes best qualified to fill the offices, regardless of party lines. He has held the offices of school trustee and director for a number of terms, and as an enterprising and public-spirited citizen he is always will- ing to give his support to any object which he believes will advance the intellectual, moral or material welfare of his township or county. He is a charter member of Ewing camp, No. 175, M. W. A., both he and his wife are charter members of Fenton lodge, No. 45, Mystic Workers of the World, in both of which orders he has served in an official capacity. He and his wife are members of the Christian church of Erie, and they are highly and favorably known.
W ILLIAM P. TABER, of Spring Hill, residing on section 26, Portland township, is a fine representative of the practical and progressive farmers and stock dealers of Whiteside county, and holds a high position among its most respected citi- zens. He was born September 17, 1822, in Erie county, New York, a son of Captain William Taber, and comes of good old Scotch-Irish ancestry, on the paternal side. His grandfather, John Taber, was an early settler of Virginia, but afterwards removed to Washington county, New York, where he reared his family.
Captain William Taber spent his earlier years in Washington county, where he mar- ried Isabella Pratt, who was born in Massa- chusetts, a daughter of Thomas Pratt, and the great-granddaughter of one of the early settlers of the old Bay state, who left Eng- land during the time of Oliver Cromwell's dictatorship on account of political troubles.
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Captain Taber was a soldier in the war of 1812, and afterwards served for five years in the regular army, being on the staff of both General Wolf and General Scott, in both capacities ranking as captain. On leav- ing the army he settled on a farm in Erie county, New York, from whence, in the winter of 1829 and 1830, he came to Knox county, Illinois, The present city of Knox- ville had then but two houses; the rude log cabin, 16 x 18 feet, which he at once erected, was the third. A few years later he removed with his family to Henry county, becoming one of the original settlers of that county, and in course of time one of its most active citizens. He served in various official capac- ities, including that of justice of the peace. In 1849, accompanied by four friends, he started overland for California, but unfort- unately died at Salt Lake City, while two others of the little band died before reach- ing their destination.
William P. Taber, a lad of seven years when he came with his parents to Knox county, Illinois, lived there until 1837, when he went with them to Henry county. The pioneer schools of his times affording but meager educational advantages, he was obliged to depend upon his own resources for obtaining knowledge, so that he may be truly styled a self-educated, as well as a self-made man. On reaching man's estate he began farming in Henry county, where he remained until 1850. In that year he made an overland trip to California, and for two or more years was there engaged in mining and trading, the latter occupation proving the more remunerative of the two. Returning in 1853 to Illinois, Mr. Taber purchased from his father-in-law, Smith Hurd, the old " Hurd Farm" of two hun- dred and forty acres, on which he has since
resided. He has continued the improve- ments already inaugurated, and made many radical changes for the better, including the erection of two commodious barns, the first in 1859, and a large, well arranged dwelling house. He has also added by purchase to the original acreage of the place so that his homestead now comprises four hundred acres of valuable land, the greater part of which is used for tillage or grazing. In addition to general farming he has been in- terested in stock raising and feeding since 1854, much of the time carrying on an ex- tensive business, and at the present time is feeding and shipping three car loads of cat- tle and five car loads of hogs annually.
Mr. Taber married Esther C. Hurd, September 14, 1844, in Sharon, Illinois, daughter of the late Smith Hurd, who was born and brought up in New England. She was born in Vermont, and there lived until 1842, when, a girl of fourteen years, she came with her parents to Whiteside county, Illinois. Two years later she became a bride, and though very young proved her- self a most efficient helpmeet and house- wife. Mr. and Mrs. Taber have reared four children, as follows: Rothilda, widow of the late R. B. Kelley; Ocelia, wife of Barney McGrady; Heman, a farmer and stock dealer; and Jane E. The latter, who married John Hill, died in 1886, May 28, leaving one son and a daughter, William Ilill and Grace F. Hill.
In politics Mr. Taber was formerly a Whig, and as one of the ardent supporters of William Henry Harrison in 1840 shouted with his comrades " Tippecanoe, and Tyler, too," as loudly as anyone. On the forma- tion of the Republican party he became one of its stanch adherents, and cast his vote for J. C. Fremont. Although interested in
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local politics he has never aspired to office, preferring to devote his time and attention to business affairs. Fraternally he is a Mason and an Odd Fellow.
For three score and ten years Mr. Taber has been a resident of Illinois, and for forty- six years has owned and occupied his present homestead. He is a pioneer in the fullest sense of the term, and in the rapid develop- ment of town and county he has taken an active part. When he came to this section of the country Indians roamed about, and deer, wolves and other wild animals were plentiful. Swamps then nearly impassable have been drained, and waving fields of grain give not a hint of their former pres- ence. The many railroads of the state have brought the markets of the east, west, north and south within easy reach. In watching these developments and improve- ments he has taken great pleasure, and often lent substantial aid.
JAMES S. MCCAULEY, deceased, was J for many years prominently identified with the agricultural interests of this coun- ty. He was born in West Virginia, No- vember 11, 1821, and was a son of Cor- nelius and Mary (Butler) McCauley, the former a native of Scotland, the latter of English parentage. When a young man the father came to America and first locat- ed in West Virginia, but during the infancy of our subject moved to Ross county, Ohio, and later to Pickaway county, that state. In his family were eleven children.
Our subject was educated in the com- mon schools of Ohio. He lost his father at the age of sixteen years, and after that he worked as a farm hand for seven years. In 1850 he rented a farm in Fayette coun-
ty, Ohio, where he lived for three years, and in 1853 came to Whiteside county, Illi- nois. Prior to his marriage he spent about three years traveling over the south and west, and visited New Orleans. On locat- ing in this county he purchased eighty acres of land on section 8, Hopkins township, to which he subsequently added until he had four hundred acres, in two farms, and eight acres of timber land, which is very valuable and productive land, and which he placed under a high state of cultivation. He and his young wife began life here in a car roof shanty in true pioneer style. During his active business life he was successfully en- gaged in general farming and stock raising, giving considerable attention to the breed- ing of thoroughbred short horn cattle.
On the 7th of January, 1847, Mr. Mc- Cauley was united in marriage with Miss Hester A. Hanawalt, a native of Ross coun- ty, Ohio, and a daughter of Henry and Mary (Caughey) Hanawalt, who were born, reared and married in Pennsylvania, but a few years after their marriage removed to Ross county, Ohio, where they spent their re- maining days. By occupation the father was a farmer. He was drowned when Mrs. McCauley was but nine years of age. In his family were six children, Christopher, Samuel, Jane, George, John and Hester A., all of whom are now deceased with the ex- ception of Mrs. McCauley. Her paternal grandfather, Christian Hanawalt, was a na- tive of Germany and an early settler of Pennsylvania.
To our subject and his wife were born eight children, but only two are now living. Mary C. makes her home with her mother in Sterling. Clara is the wife of C. F. Royer, of Hopkins township, and they have six children : Bertha; Etta; Charles F .; Arthur R .; Ida
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R. ; and James C., who died at the age of nine years.
It was the intention of Mr. McCauley to retire from active life in the fall of 1898 and remove to Sterling, where he purchased a residence on West Fourth street, but death claimed him April 26, 1898, and he was laid to rest in Riverside cemetery. He was a supporter of the Republican party, and served as a road commissioner and in other local offices. He deserves classifica- tion among those purely self made men of the county who have distinguished them- selves for their ability to master the oppos- ing forces of life and wrest from fate a large measure of success and an honorable name. At the time of his marriage he had but forty dollars and through his own well-directed and energetic efforts he acquired a hand- some competence and was able to leave his family in comfortable circumstances. His wife and daughter are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Sterling. and during their short residence in the city have made many friends.
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