The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.., Part 44

Author: Clarke, S. J., publishing company, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 546


USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 44


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In his political affiliations, Mr. Pott is an ardent Republican, and has served as a del- egate to the county conventions of his party, and is now a member of the town- ship Republican committee. For twenty- five years he has been an active member of the school board, has been clerk of the dis- trict some years, a drainage commissioner six years, and is now commissioner of high- ways and treasurer of the board. His of- ficial duties have been discharged with the utmost promptness and fidelity, winning for him the commendation of all concerned. Religiously he and his wife are members of the Catholic church of Sterling.


E LWOOD J. PITTMAN. Numbered among the wide-awake, energetic young business and loyal citizens of Sterling is Elwood J. Pittman, who, though he has not reached the quarter of a century mile post in the highway of life, has already made a


name and place for himself in the knowl- edge and esteem of the general public.


His paternal grandfather was born May I, 1798, and died October 2, 1875, a few months after the birth of our subject. The latter's paternal grandmother was born on the 21st of February, 1804, and died in Pennsylvania, May 31, 1844. Five years subsequently, the grandfather came to the west, where he found plenty of employment at his trades as a mechanic and carpenter, and at the end of two years he bought a farm of eighty acres, situated in Hopkins township, Whiteside county, and continued to dwell there until his demise. His chil- dren were eight in number, four of them being sons. Mary, the eldest daughter, born January 7, 1827, became the wife of William Jones, and died in 1865; Elizabeth, born August 22, 1828, died in 1897. She was her father's housekeeper for a number of years after the death of her mother. Sarah, born August 21, 1830, and unmar- ried, resides with her brother, David. Benjamin, born January 23, 1831, has never married, and now lives in Kansas. Abram, born October 10, 1833, married Esther Pittman, and they have five children. Their home is in Oklahoma. During the Civil war, Benjamin and Abram enlisted in the Ninety-second Regiment of Illinois Vol- unteer Infantry, and were in the service for some six months. William, born March 13, 1836, married Susan Lamb, and has two children. They reside in Sterling. Susanna, born February 18, 1840, died June 15, 1875, unmarried.


David, father of E. J. Pittman, was born March 26, 1836, in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and in 1849 accompanied his father and other members of the family, to Illinois. Here he was employed as a farmer


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and made a comfortable home for his bride. On the 12th of September, 1861, he married Hester Johnson, by whom he had four chil- dren. Royal S., born July 29, 1862, chose for a wife Hattie Mensch, their marriage being celebrated February 28, 1884. Their home is in Sterling, where he is financially inter- ested in the street-sprinkling system, and is engaged in general teaming. He is the father of three children: Milan W., born December 2, 1865, married Nora Peugh, and has three children. The home of the family is in Carroll county. Clara M., born July 12, 1870, lives at home and is em- ployed as a teacher in the city schools. The father of Mrs. David Pittman, Robert John- son, was born March 8, 1797, in Pennsyl- vania, and her mother, Rebecca ( -- ) Johnson, was born July 13, 1807. This worthy couple had twelve children. The eldest, Louise, born August 1, 1820, and now living in Round Grove, this county, is the widow of John Armstrong, by whom she had seven children: Joseph, born June 24, 1828, died, unmarried, when twenty-two years of age. Elizabeth, born December 1, 1830, is the widow of Lanson Winke, who died in 1889, at their home in Sterling. They were the parents of fifteen children: Margaret, born January 2, 1833, and now living at Emerson, Illinois, is the widow of Martin Ryerson, who died in the spring of 1897, leaving four children. Sarah Ann, born February 22, 1835, married William Petty, had seven children, and with her husband has passed to the silent land. Den- ton, born February 14, 1837, died when twenty-two years old, having been killed by a stroke of lightning. Nancy, born March 16, 1839, is the widow of Emanuel Metzger, his death having occurred in Octo- ber, 1897. She lives in Missouri, and four 21


of her children survive: Robert, born Febru- ary 8, 1843, married Mary Tuttle, and has two children. Their home is in Hopkins township. Emma R., born December 25, 1844, married Christ Hershey, and became the mother of four children. She died in 1891. William, born April 7, 1847, wedded Ella Kendall, and has four children. He resides in lowa, and has survived his wife, who died in 1894. Harriet, born August 23, 1849, died at the age of five years.


The year after his wedding David Pitt- man settled upon the homestead, which has ever since been his place of residence. It comprises one hundred and twenty acres, situated in Hopkins township, and the many substantial improvements which he has made renders this one of the most valuable country homes in the county. He is a Re- publican, and takes an interested part in local affairs, warmly championing every- thing conducing to the advancement of the county. Religiously he is a member of the English Lutheran church.


Elwood J. Pittman, youngest son of David Pittman, was born June 17, 1875; and in his boyhood he attended the public schools of this bis native township. Later, in order to better equip himself for the duties of life, he went to the commercial college in Sterling, where he pursued a course of bookkeeping and qualified him- self in banking and general business trans- actions. On his father's farm, he thor- oughly learned agriculture in its varions branches, and being exceptionally well posted on the values of machinery, live stock and farm property, he commenced the business of auctioneer before he was twenty years of age. Possessing all of the essential business qualifications for this dif- ficult and arduous calling, he has made a


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great success of it, and for some years he no doubt carried the palm as being the youngest auctioneer in the state. He is known, not only in all parts of this and ad- joining counties, but has sometimes been called into different portions of the state. In the autumn of 1898 and the spring of the following year he presided over fifty-five sales, and in the fall of 1899 he has super- intended twenty-two auctions. During the past year he has made his home in Sterling, and, in partnership with his brother, has capital invested in the city street sprinkling system. He has won a gratifying measure of success within a short period of time, and bids fair to become wealthy and influential.


From his youth, Mr. Pittman has been an ardent believer in the policy of the Re- publican party. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Knights of the Globe, and lodge No. 3563, Modern Woodmen of America, of Galt. Personally, he is deservedly popular with everyone, and a brilliant future is be- fore him.


R OBERT H. DONICHY. One of the foremost business men of Morrison is Robert H. Donichy, who is in the prime of life, and possesses the enthusiasm and en- terprise which are apt to mark that period in the career of an American. Integrity and strict attention to the wishes of the public have led to his success, and, without ex- ception, his patrons are his friends.


Charlestown, West Virginia, June 15, 1822. She removed to the Keystone state when a child and was married there on the 21st of March, 1844. Laura, her eldest child, born January 23, 1845, died at the age of four years. Susan A., born April 13, 1846, be- came the wife of J. Strouse, a railroad en- gineer, who died in 1882. She is living at present in Philadelphia with her daughter Laura. Joseph R., born April 24, 1848, departed this life at his home in Sterling, Illinois, in 1886. He had married Emma Lytle, in Pennsylvania, and three children graced their union, Frank and Lizzie, and one who died when young. David A., born August 4, 1850, is an old and trusted em- ploye of the Northwestern Railway, and is now the agent at Nelson, Illinois. His wife formerly was Anna Scott, of Como, Illinois, and their children are four in number: James F., born December 16, 1852, died in infancy. Isaac H., born August 6, 1854, is engaged in the grocery business in Morrison. He married Retha Overecker, of Ashton, Illinois, and their five children are: Edith, Laura, Don, Marie and James B. Mary E., born May 29, 1856, is the wife of Harry Reed, a farmer of Hopkins township, and they have six children. William C., born March 22, 1858, and now employed as a conductor on the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, is married, and of their two chil- dren, one is deceased. Samuel B., born January 23, 1866, and unmarried, is an en- gineer in the employ of the same railroad corporation, as are two of his brothers, and at present his headquarters are in Chicago.


In tracing his history, it is found that he is a native of Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, his birth having occurred August 5, After the close of the Civil war, Joseph Donichy determined to come to Illinois, and in 1867 located upon a farm near Como, Whiteside county. There he dwelt for nine 1861. He is one of the ten children of Joseph and Mary A. (Allison) Donichy, the father a native of Lancaster county, born May 16, 1820, and the mother born in years, when, disposing of his property, he


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removed to the town of Empire (now Em- erson) and leased a residence for six months. In company with his estimable wife, he vis- ited the Centennial exposition, and, upon his return, purchased a farm situated north of Emerson. In 1884 he retired, and from that time until his demise, April 21, 1889, made his home in Sterling. His wife, sur- viving him a few years, was called to her re- ward, April 6, 1896.


Robert H. Donichy received a common- school education in Como and Emerson, and, under the training which he obtained on the old homestead, became a practical agriculturist. In 1885 he removed to Mor- rison and purchased a livery business, in which line of enterprise he continued suc- cessfully for a period of four years. Then, disposing of the livery, he invested the pro- ceeds in a grocery at Sterling, but as soon as he could he sold the stock, and, return- ing to Morrison, bought out Mr. Clark, and from that time until the present has con- ducted a livery, as formerly. In addition to this, he is an auctioneer of more than av- erage ability, and his services in this line are in great requisition throughout this sec- tion of the state. By his own merit he has won the good opinion of the people of this locality, and financial success is crowning his labors. Politically, he is a Republican, and, fraternally, he is a Knight of Pythias.


On the 18th of December, 1883, Mr. Donichy and Addie M. Miller, daughter of J. J. and Catherine (Seidel) Miller, were united in marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were natives of Germany, but when young they came to the United States and were married in La Salle. During the 'sos they located in Sterling, where Mr. Miller plied his trade as a baker, which calling he had learned in Germany. Mrs. Donichy's eldest


sister, Sophia, is the wife of D. A. Bricker, of Sterling, and has one child, Jessie. Ja- cob and Annie are unmarried and residents of Sterling. Henry died in California, and Moses is a merchant tailor of Dixon, Illi- nois. Mrs. Donichy, who was born in this city, August 4, 1861, has become the mother of two sons and two daughters, namely: IJelen L., Harry M., James R. and Anna Louise.


H ENRY E. GERDES. This worthy citizen of Hopkins township, White- side county, is a native of Oldenberg, Ger- many, born January 3, 1830. His father, John H. Gerdes, whose birth occurred in the same city February 24, 1797, mar- ried Gertie Smith, who was born in 1796. Of their six children, the eldest, Hilly Maria, died at the age of two years, and Edo died in infancy. Ida C., becoming the wife of John B. Euken, of Oldenberg, came to the United States in 1879, and with her five children reside in Cass county, Iowa. Gerhardine, born in 1833, married Meint Carstens, in 1854, and has four sons: Folk- ert, Herman, George and Anton, the latter now living in Cass county, lowa. George, who was employed in Queen's hospital, in Honolulu, died with the yellow lever. Her- man, born February 2, 1836, and now de- ceased, was married in Germany and reared two sons and a daughter, while two of his sons have passed away. His widow re- married and is now a resident of Nebraska. The father of our subject owned a farm in Germany and continued to dwell there until his death.


The marriage of Henry E. Gerdes and Margaret Hayungs, who was born October 4, 1833, was solemnized June 17, 1854, in


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Oldenberg, and shortly afterward the young couple started for the United States. Com- ing to Illinois, they located near Prairie- ville, Lee county, residing there for four years. Then, coming to Hopkins township, Mr. Gerdes bought a quarter section of school land, which property he later sold. He resided in that township for twenty-five years, and for four years owned and culti- vated a farm in Kansas. In 1888 he re- turned to this county, and after carrying on a farm of one hundred and seven acres in Genesee township for six years he purchased a place in Coleta. This property, compris- ing a comfortable house and seven acres of land, afforded him a good home for his de- clining years, but, in addition to this, he owns three hundred and sixty-two acres of excellent farm land - one hundred and thirty-five acres situated in Hopkins town- ship, one hundred and twenty acres on sec- tions 30 and 31, and one hundred and seven acres on section 21, Genesee township. As a farmer he has met with well-deserved suc- cess, and in all his undertakings has been prospered.


The first wife of our subject departed this life March 26, 1856, and was placed to rest in Brownville cemetery. Their two children, twins, died in infancy. For a sec- ond wife Mr. Gerdes chose Rebecca M. Cohenour, their union being celebrated April 25, 1858. Her father, Joseph M. Cohenour, was born in 1809, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and married Mary Morland, of the same state. Their eldest child, Nancy Jane, born February 5, 1830, married Jacob Myers, of Genesee township, and their four children are: Mary Ellen, Joseph, Ann Eliza and John Andrew. Rebecca M., born December 25, 1831, is the next in order of birth. Peter, born September 23, 1833,


married Susan Cruthers, now deceased, and makes his home with his six children- Frank, Elizabeth, Samuel, Lydia, Robert and Margaret. Eliza M., born July 31, 1835, is the widow of Joseph Miller, and resides in Clyde township. Their six chil- dren are named as follows: Harvey, Joseph, Mary, Hannah, Alpharetta and John. Thomas, born May 23. 1837, died, unmar- ried, at the age of eighteen years. Margaret E., born April 22, 1842, died at the age of two years. Catherine, born December 29, 1844, married John Reed, and is the mother of four children-Isaac, Maud, Albert and Edmond. Joseph, born April 3, 1847, mar- ried Amanda Mann, and their children are Vernon and Hazel. David, born Septem- ber 19, 1850, married Catherine Runyon, and has several children. Joseph M. Cohen- our was a machinist by trade, and was act- ive in the affairs of the community. Polit- ically he was a Republican, and religiously a Dunkard. Both he and his wife died in Illinois and are buried in Rock Creek cemetery.


Eight children were born to Henry E. and Rebecca M. Gerdes. John H., the eldest, married Mary Yeager and had the following named children: Henry C .; Mary, deceased; John, who married Dora Journey; Clara, who died at the age of nine years; Ann Eliza died at the age of nine months, and Joseph L. died when about two years old. David E., a minister in the Dunkard church, preaches at Clyde and Rock Creek alternate Sundays. He married Ellen Bech- tel, February 8, 1888, and their five chil- dren are named respectively: Ephraim L., Rebecca H., Wayne, Galen Glenn and Henry Ralph. The family reside in Clyde township. Herman E., now living in Ari- zona, wedded Mary Glaze in 1888, and their


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children are Ethel, Emma, Isabelle and Lester. Lemuel J., whose home is situated about one mile south of Coleta, in Gene- see township, married Lillie Harrison, De- cember 11, 1896, and their two children are Margaret A. and Elberta Rebecca. Laura Ellen became the wife of J. C. Kingsbury, February 2, 1892. The young couple, who have a pleasant home in Coleta, have a lit- tle daughter, Olive M. Emma C. resides, with her husband, William Becker, on one of her father's farms in Genesee townshp. She was married January 11, 1895, and has two sons, Ellery Ronald and Arthur Eden.


In manner, Mr. H. E. Gerdes is very quiet and unassuming and has the reputa- tion of being generous to a fault, and ever ready to respond to the call of the needy and destitute. Formerly, he was a German Lutheran in religious faith, but becoming convinced that the creed of the Dunkard church is the most suited to the needs of humanity, he embraced its tenets, and has been an active and valued worker in the cause. Politically, he was formerly a Democrat, but the policy of the Republican party, especially during the last few years, appealed strongly to him, and he now gives that organization his allegiance.


JOSEPH MILLER, deceased, was for over forty years prominently identified with the agricultural interests of Whiteside county, and was honored and respected by all who knew him. He was born in Cum- berland county, Pennsylvania, July 23, 1802, a son of Lewis and Barbara (Meyers) Miller, farming people of that state. On reaching man's estate our subject took up the occupation to which he had been reared and successfully engaged in farming through-


out life. He remained in Pennsylvania until 1840, and then came to Whiteside county, Illinois, locating in Newton town- ship when much of his locality was still in its primitive condition. He aided in the early development and improvement of the county, and converted a tract of wild land into a fine farm of four hundred and eighty acres, upon which he continued to make his home until called from this life Septem- ber 2, 1884.


Mr. Miller was thrice married. On the 24th of May, 1832, he wedded Miss Sarah Grier, who died September 18, 1836. By this union two children were born: Rachel Ann, who was born April 1, 1833, and is now the wife of Joshua Salehamer; and Lewis Grier, who was born February 9, 1835, and is now deceased. Mr. Miller was again married, March 14, 1839, his second union being with Miss Elizabeth Thompson, by whom he had seven chil- dren, namely: Joseph A., who was born March 9, 1841, and died in the Union army during the Civil war; Sarah L., born Sep- tember 7, 1842; John N., who was born April 6, 1844, and is now deceased; Mary Jane, born March 3, 1846; Samuel Thomp- son, born August 11, 1848; William M., born July 10, 1850; and Moses F., born May 8, 1853. The mother of these chil- dren died October 4, 1867. On the 19th of January, 1869, Mr. Miller was united in marriage with Mrs. Katherine Ege, and to them was born one child, Joseph A., born April 10, 1871. Mrs. Miller was born in Pennsylvania, September 14, 1832, a daughter of Peter and Nancy Reisch. She was first married, June 20, 1852, to Joseph Ege, and by that union four children were born: William L., born October 29, 1853, is deceased; Charles F., born July 20,


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1856, is living; Eva M., born November 25, 1858, married S. H. Arrell, but is now deceased; and Hettie B. was born March 31, 1861.


Politically Mr. Miller was a stanch sup- porter of the Democratic party, and during his life time held several township offices, the duties of which he most capably dis- charged. He was widely and favorably known, and in his death the community realized that it had lost one of its valued and useful citizens.


JOHN REED, who owns and operates one hundred and eighty acres of land on section 12, Jordan township, Whiteside coun- ty, is one of the successful farmers of the com- munity, and all that he has is the acquire- ment of years of earnest, honest toil. His has been an active and useful business career, and he commands the respect of all with whom he has been brought in contact.


Mr. Reed was born in Emerson, this county, May 21, 1855, a son of Benjamin and Harriet (Clark) Reed, who were natives of Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and were married there. They became the parents of ten children, namely: Ellen, who be- came the wife of James McDowell, a farmer residing near Emerson, by whom she has five children; Frank, who died in childhood; Emily, wife of Joseph Bednar, now a resi- dent of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, five children having been born of their union; George, who died in childhood; Kate, who like those named above was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and is now the wife of Joseph Lockhart, of Topeka, Kansas; John, of this review; Reuben, a resident of Sterling, who married Barbara Kehr, and has five chil-


dren; Clara, wife of Frank Taylor, of Ster- ling, and the mother of two children; Arthur, twin brother of Clara; and Edna, the young- est of the family.


The subject of this review resided with his parents in Hopkins township, Whiteside county, until twenty-three years of age, and became familiar with all the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. On leaving home he rented land and also worked for others until he purchased his present farm in Jordan township. He has been very successful in his farming opera- tions, and although he began business for himself on a small scale he is now the owner of one of the valuable properties in the township. One hundred and eighty acres of rich land yield to him a golden tribute in return for the care and labor he bestows upon it, and the excellent improvements and substantial buildings upon the place stand as monuments to his thrift and enter- prise.


On the 28th of December, 1886, Mr. Reed was united in marriage to Miss Emma Carolus, a daughter of Isaac and Amelia (Binkley) Carolus, who were natives of Franklin county, Pennsylvania, but now re- side in Sterling, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Reed now have three children: Alice, Ada and Clara. He is one of the leading citi- zens of the community, and his fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, have frequently called him to public office. He has served as school director and high- way commissioner, discharging his duties with promptness and fidelity. He is a member of Sterling camp, No. 12, M. W. A., in politics is a Democrat, and religiously is connected with the English Lutheran church. In all life's relations he is true and faithful to the trust reposed in him, and as


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one of the representative farmers of his native county, he well deserves mention in in this volume.


JOSIAH S. SCOTT. The subject of this review is one whose history touches the pioneer epoch in the annals of White- side county and one whose days have be- come an integral part of that indissoluble chain which linked the early formative period with that of latter-day progress and prosperity. He bore an active and promi- nent part in the early development and prosperity of the county and now after an honorable and useful life he has lived re- tired in Rock Falls, his home being on Tenth avenue.


Mr. Scott was born in Morgan county, Ohio, May 18, 1819, and belongs to one of the pioneer families of that state. His father, Jesse Scott, Jr., was born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, in 1790, and was a son of Jesse Scott, Sr., also a native of Pennsylvania. At an early day they re- moved to Ohio, and were among the first to locate in Morgan county, where in the midst of the wilderness they cleared and improved farms. There the father of our subject married Miss Anna Sherman, a granddaughter of Abel Sherman, who was the last white man killed by the Indians in Ohio. In connection with farming, Jesse Scott, Jr., followed the millwright's trade. He was a natural mechanic and very handy at any kind of work. In 1838 he built a large river boat which he launched on the Muskingum river, and loaded with different kinds of stock, domestic fowls, farm ma- chinery, tools and provisions. In this he and his father, together with the family of Conklin, started for Illinois. The boat was


supplied with sails, which were used when the wind was in the right direction, but at other times it was propelled by horse power. They floated down the Ohio, and up the Mississippi and Rock rivers to Rock Falls. Mr. Scott then sold his boat and took up a homestead in this county. Here he spent his remaining years, dying Decem- ber 14, 1879. His wife had passed away in 1875, both dying in the arms of our sub- ject.


As Josiah S. Scott had no school ad- vantages in his youth, he is wholly a self- educated man. He grew to manhood in his native state and in early life learned the carpenter's, joiner's and cabinet maker's trade, and after coming to Illinois worked as a carpenter at intervals for some years. Returning to Ohio, he was married in Del- aware county, March 13, 1846, to Miss Harriet J. Coryell, who was born in Penn- sylvania, but was reared in Delaware county, Ohio, of which her father, John M. Coryell, was a pioneer settler. He brought his bride to his new home in Whiteside county, Illinois. In Hume township he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of government land, to which he later added until he had three hundred and twenty acres of land in the home place. He also bought and im- proved other farms, and now has three patents of lands, signed by presidents of the United States. Upon his land he erected good and substantial buildings and success- fully engaged in general farming and stock raising for many years. He was the first in his community to engage in the breeding of pure blooded short horn cattle, and also bred and dealt in standard bred horses. Renting his farm in 1883, he moved to Rock Falls and has since lived a retired life.




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