USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 46
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After his return from Pike's Peak to this county, Mr. Parker was married, December 20, 1860, to Miss Mary Eleanor Parker, who was born in Garden Plains, April 6, 1841, a daughter of Jacob and Rosa Parker.
Her father was also a native of the Green Mountain state and a pioneer of this coun- ty, having taken up his residence in Garden Plains township, at what is known as Park- ers Grove, in August, 1835. Mrs. Parker was the second white child born in Garden Plains township, and the marriage of her parents was the second one in the township. To our subject and his wife were born seven children, namely: Wilber D., born July 22, 1861, is married and with his wife and two children resides in Albany, Illinois; Harry J., born May 26, 1864, is married and with his wife and two children resides in Daven- port, lowa; Fred L., born May 6, 1867, is married and with his wife and child lives in Sterling; Minnie R., born August 20, 1869, died at the age of one year; Jessie E., born January 16, 1871, is the wife of R. H. Fa- gan, station agent at Garden Plains Corners, and they have two children; John A., born February 11, 1873, and Nellie Edith, born October 23, 1880, are both at home with their mother.
For one year after his marriage, Mr. Parker operated his father-in-law's farm and one year rented, then purchased eighty acres of land on section 28, Garden Plains township, which at that time was all raw prairie. He located thereon and at once turned his attention to the improvement and cultivation of his place, which he soon converted into a good farm. The first home of the family was a little shanty, which was later replaced by a pleasant residence, and surrounded by good, substantial outbuildings. To his original purchase Mr. Parker added another eighty-acre tract in 1864, and throughout life successfully engaged in gen- eral farming and stock raising. By his bal- lot he supported the men and measures of the Republican party, and always took an
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active and commendable interest in public affairs. His fellow citizens, recognizing his worth and ability, often called him to office, and he most capably and satisfactorily served as supervisor for about eleven years, school treasurer for nine years; school trustee a number of years, and road com- missioner fifteen years. He died July 9, 1897, honored and respected by all who knew him. Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Parker has most successfully conducted her farm and business affairs, and has dis- played good business ability in the manage- ment of the sale. She is a most estimable lady, and like her husband has many friends.
M ARTIN COLEMAN is a wide-awake and enterprising business man of Deer Grove, where he is engaged in general mer- chandising, in which line of trade he has built up a large and extensive business by his own energy and enterprise, and gained a most enviable reputation for his financial sagacity and honorable, straightforward dealing.
Mr. Coleman is a native of Ireland, and when a young man came to America, land- ing in New York May 15, 1872. For one year he worked on a farm in Oneida coun- ty, New York, and on the 15th of October, 1873, went to Pittsburg, where he worked in a factory until March 6, 1876. Subse- quently he worked by the month on a farm in Pennsylvania until coming to Whiteside county, where he arrived on Sunday, No- vember 22, 1877. Here he was also em- ployed as a farm hand for several years, but in 1884 came to Deer Grove and bought the business of C. F. Garrett, a dealer in gen- eral merchandise and agricultural imple-
ments. He has enlarged his stock to meet the growing demands of his trade, and now carries a good assortment of dry goods, groceries, implements, etc., and has estab- lished an enviable reputation for good goods and fair dealing.
In Sterling, in 1878, Mr. Coleman was united in marriage with Miss Maggie Ford, who was born in Canada, but was reared and educated in Sterling. Her father, Peter Ford, now of Deer Grove, was born in Ireland, June 22, 1802, and is now ninety-eight years of age, but still retains all his faculties in good condition. He has made his home in this county for alinost half a century and is widely and favorably known. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Coleman are the following children: Mar- tin J., who assists his father in the store; Mary, who is living with an aunt in Tope- ka, Kansas; Katie, who also aids in the store; Bessie; Delia; Patrick P. and Agnes. The family are communicants of the Tam- pico Catholic church, and Mr. Coleman is a member of the Modern Woodmen of Amn- erica.
Politically he votes the Democratic ticket at national elections, and cast his first presidential ballot for Samuel J. Tilden, but at local elections votes independent of party, endeavoring to support the best men for the offices. He has been township school trustee and a member of the school board for years, and by his influence and support he has done much toward securing good schools in his section of the county. He has most creditably served as justice of the peace for sixteen years, township clerk fourteen years, and been postmaster of Deer Drove continuously since 1884, with the exception of six months. He is an in- telligent, progressive citizen of liberal views,
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and is heartily in sympathy with every movement that will in any way add to the prosperity of his community. His life con- tains many valuable lessons of incentive, showing the possibilities that are opened to young men who wish to improve every opportunity for advancement.
L EHMAN L. EMMONS, who is now living a retired life in Rock Falls, Illi- nois, has made his home in this county for over half a century, and was for many years actively identified with its agricultural in- terests. He was born in Litchfield, Litch- field county, Connecticut, June 17, 1821, and is a representative of one of the old and honored families of that state. Three brothers, natives of England, came to the new world in colonial days, and one settled in Virginia, the second in New Jersey, and the third in Connecticut. From the last our subject is descent. His paternal grand- father, Herman Emmons, was one of the pioneers of Litchfield county, and there the father, Lehman Emmons, was born and reared. The latter married Ursula Beech, a daughter of Laban Beech, and in 1828 they moved to Canaan, Wayne county, Pennsylvania, where as a mechanic Mr. Emmons worked at the cooper's trade for many years. He died in that county.
The subject of this sketch grew to manhood in Pennsylvania, and there learned the wagonmaker's and wheelwright's trades, at which he worked for about five years be- fore coming west. At Pittston, in the Wyoming valley, Pennsylvania, he was married, to Miss Jane Hale, a native of that place and a daughter of Joel HIale, a representative of one of the old families of Pittston. By this union seven children 22
were born, of whom five are still living, namely: W. B., a fruit grower of Rock Falls; Sarah, wife of M. H. Ward, of Ster]- ing; Elizabeth C., at home; Lehman L., editor of the Morrison Record; and Lydia M., wife of J. C. Buell, of Montmorency township. Those deceased were Frankie, who died when a young lady, and Sarah Ann, who died in infancy.
Mr. Emmons carried on business as a wagonmaker in Pittston, Pennsylvania, for four years after his marriage, and then, in 1846, came to Whiteside county, Illinois, locating in Sterling, which was then a strag- gling village of about one hundred and fifty inhabitants. There he opened a shop, and in connection with his brother, I. B. Em- mons, engaged in wagon making, black- smithing and general repair work until 1850. He then purchased two hundred acres of raw land on the south side of the river in Coloma township, and commenced immedi- ately to improve and cultivate his land. He erected upon his place a good set of farm buildings, set out fruit and ornamental trees, and transformed the wild land into well-tilled fields. He finally sold this farm for eighty-five dollars per acre, and in the fall of 1870 bought the Joel Wood farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Montmo- rency township, which he operated for thir- teen years. At the end of that period he purchased a lot in Rock Falls and erected thereon a good residence, where he has since lived retired.
Mr. Emmons joined the Odd Fellows Society at Como, and later was a member of the lodge at Sterling, but for the last twenty-five years has not attended the lodge. Originally he was an old-line Whig in poli- tics and cast his first presidential ballot for William Henry Harrison, in 1840, but since
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the organization of the Republican party in 1856, he has been one of its stanch sup- porters and has served as a delegate to a number of conventions. He has taken a very active and prominent part in local politics, and his fellow citizens, recognizing his worth and ability, have often called him to office. In 1855 he was appointed post- master of Coloma and served for two years during President Pierce's administration ; was deputy enrolling officer during the Civil war; was supervisor of Coloma township twelve years; township trustee some years; and township treasurer. After a long and use- ful life, he is now calmly resting from his labors, and is spending the evening of life pleasantly at his home in Rock Falls, sur- rounded by the love, respect and esteem of a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
H TON. DAVID McCARTNEY, deceased, was for many years one of the most prominent citizens of Whiteside county, and was not only well known in the county but throughout the entire state. He was born of Scotch-Irish parentage in Dansville, New York, in 1805, and there grew to manhood. In his native state he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth A. Agge, a native of Massachusetts, bornin Salem, Massachusetts, in 1821. They became the parents of five children, three of whom died in infancy. Those living are Fannie, born in Fulton, Whiteside county, Illinois, May 28, 1856, and who is now the wife of Charles M. Worthington, of Sterling, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume; and Annie, who is yet living in Steriing.
In 1854 Mr. McCartney came with his family to Whiteside county, and located in Fulton. He there read law, and in 1856
was admitted to the bar, and soon took rank among the ablest practitioners in west- ern Illinois. For twelve years he served as prosecuting attorney for the circuit compris- ing the counties of Whiteside, Lee, Carroll and Ogle counties. When the law was changed and the office of prosecuting at- torney for the circuit was abolished, and that of county attorney created, he was elected county attorney for Whiteside county and served for eight years. As a prosecutor he was one of the best known in the state, and was a terror to the evil doers.
On the organization of the Republican party Mr. McCartney became one of its most stanch advocates, and continued iden- tified with it until his death in 1886. As a platform speaker he had few peers, and his services were in demand by the state central committee of his party in every state campaign. His ready wit, quick rep- artee, and his ability to relate a story ef- fectively made him a favorite on the stump, and a drawing card. His death was greatly lamented throughout the county and state, as his friends were many. His good wife survived him some years, dying in 1898.
Mrs. Fannie Worthington inherited the ability of her father, and also his taste for political life. She accompanied him in many of his campaign tours through the state, and made a study of the political questions of the day. On the death of her father she was invited by the Republican state central committee to enter its service, and in 1888 began her career as a campaign speaker, touring the state and occupying the platform and speaking with such men as Senator Cullom, Governor Fifer, and other men of note. For three weeks she was under the management of the Repub-
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lican national committee, and was the only woman who spoke on both the tariff and money issues, she having made a thorough study of each. She is one of the best posted persons on tariff and money in the country, and the state and national com- mittees are always glad to avail themselves of her services. She has made forty speeches in sixty days, appearing in various parts of the state. For four years she served as postmistress of the state senate, and for two years was bill clerk in the senate. She has also served as private secretary to state and United States senators. Mrs. Worth- ington was a member from Whiteside county of the Illinois State Republican convention of 1898.
Mrs. Worthington is a member of the Congregational church, and has frequently filled the pulpit, speaking on current topics and on the temperance question. When not engaged in political work she lives a very quiet life in her home in the eastern part of Sterling, which commands a fine view of the Rock river.
THOMAS ROBINSON, SR. It is astonishing to witness the success of young men who have emigrated to America without capital and from a position of comparative obscurity have worked their way upward to a position of prom- inence. The readiness with which they adapt themselves to circumstances and take advantage of opportunities afforded brings to them success and wins them a place among the leading and successful men of the community in which they reside. In Mr. Robinson, of Rock Falls, we find a worthy representative of this class; he came to this country empty handed, and through his own
well directed and energetic efforts has be- come one of the most substantial and pros- perous citizens of his adopted city.
Mr. Robinson was born in Wilkeshire, England, January 6, 1801, and there grew to manhood. In early life he followed the sea for five years, sailing on one vessel three and a half years and visiting all of the im- portant seaports of the world. The re- mainder of the time was spent on a British man of war. On giving up his seafaring life, he worked at anything which he could find to do until coming to the United States with a cousin, in 1846. He first located in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, where he worked in the mines, and as he received good wages, he was soon able to purchase a lot in Pittston and erect thereon a good resi- dence.
On New Year's eve, of 1848, Mr. Robin- son was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Hale. a native of Pennsylvania. Her sister married L L. Emmons, whose sketch ap- pears elsewhere in this volume. In 1854, Mr. Robinson came to Whiteside county, Illinois, joining his brother-in-law, Mr. Emmons, and in Coloma township he pur- chased forty acres of land which was entirely unimproved. He bought a little school house, which he moved to his farm and con- verted into a dwelling, and immediately turned his attention to the cultivation and improvement of the place. Subsequently he purchased a forty-acre tract adjoining and also forty acres in Montmorency town- ship, and as the years passed his converted his farmi into one of the most desirable places of its size in the locality. He also gave considerable attention to the raising of stock horses, cattle and hogs and at one time sold twelve hundred and thirty-eight dollars worth of hogs. He also invested in
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Kansas land, and still owns three quarter- sections of good land in Grove and Dodge counties, besides his farm in this county and one business block and six residences in Rock Falls. He left the farm in 1886, and has since lived retired in Rock Falls.
Mrs. Robinson died February 13, 1895, and her remains were interred in Rock Falls cemetery, where a neat monument now marks her last resting place. To our sub- ject and his wife were born eight children, namely: Charles, a farmer ol Boone coun- ty, Nebraska; Lord John, a resident of Crip- ple Creek, Colorado; William, a farmer of Nebraska; Thomas, Jr., and Jamnes, both residents of Rock Falls; Rose, wife of Mar- shall Oakley, of Nebraska; Carrie, wife of Paul Jones, of California; and Anna, at home with her father.
Politically Mr. Robinson is a supporter of the men and measures of the Democracy, but has never taken an active part in polit- ical affairs, aside from voting. His daugh- ter, Miss Anna, is a member of the Method- ist Episcopal church, but he was reared in the Episcopal faith, or the Church of Eng- land. Although ninety-eight years of age, he is still quite active and possesses all his faculties to a remarkable degree. He is known far and wide as a man of sterling character and worth, and has the respect and esteem of all with whom he comes in contact. He is a man of recognized ability, and the success that he has achieved in life is due to his own perseverance, industry and sound judgment.
A NDREW J. OSBORNE, the well- known author and lecturer on mone- tary topics, residing in the city of Erie, has been a resident of Whiteside county, with
the exception of a few years spent in Iowa, for nearly half a century. He was born near Ashville, Massachusetts, December 17, 1828, and is the son of James and Rebecca (Glass) Osborne, both of whom are natives of Great Britain, where they were married, and from whence they come to the United States shortly after, locating near Ashville, Massachusetts. They were the parents of two sons-James, born in 1826, and Andrew J., the subject of this sketch, December 17, 1828.
In his eastern home the first twelve years of the life of Andrew J. Osborne were passed. He then came west to Livingston county, Michigan, where he remained four years, and in the spring of 1844 came to Illinois and lived in Henderson county for two years. In December, 1846, he came to Whiteside county, which, with the ex- ception mentioned, has since been his home. On his arrival here, he engaged as a farm hand and worked for various persons until 1848, when he made a trip on foot to New York state, driving a herd of cattle. Leav- ing the village of Erie in June, 1848, he arrived at his destination in September fol- lowing. He was in the employ of Collins Belding, and on the trip earned ten dollars per month, together with his expenses en route. The entire distance was covered on foot.
Arriving in New York, Mr. Osborne de- cided to attend school for a time, and did remain there one year for that purpose. Previous to this time his opportunities were limited for obtaining an education, but being a great reader he had laid the founda- tion for a good education. The eastern pupils were very much surprised to think that one could come from the west even know- ing how to read and write, or having any
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knowledge of mathematics. In 1849 he re- turned to Whiteside county, and for the next four winters was engaged in teaching, working on farms during the summer months.
On the 24th of March, 1853, Mr. Os- borne was united in marriage with Miss Eliz- abeth M. Smith, daughter of B. H. Smith, who was numbered among the early set- tlers of Kane county. By this union eleven children were born, ten of whom are now living -Charles F., Alla C., Henry A., Barnett A., Jessie E., Grant S., Elizabeth C., Rebecca, Lucy and Andrew J. The deceased one is Rachel M.
After his marriage, Mr. Osborne com- menced farming in Erie township, having previously acquired one hundred and twenty acres of land. He there remained following the vocation of a farmer for a number of years, and then moved to the village of Erie, where he erected a steam saw mill and engaged in sawing lumber. He soon disposed of his interest in the mill and moved to western Iowa, where he lived five years. Not being satisfied with that coun- try, he returned to Illinois in the spring of 1861, and first located in Henry county, where he engaged in farming. In the win- ter of 1863 he again returned to Whiteside county, which has since been his home. For a number of years after his return he engaged in farming. He then turned his attention to bridge building, which occupa- tion he followed for about twenty years, or until about 1890, since which time he has lived practically a retired life.
In the beginning of the Civil war, Mr. Os- borne's attention was called to the question of the national finances of the country, and he conceived the idea of converting the national debt into the paper money of the
country, and have the nation issue through the treasury department a form of credit money, or paper, for all supplies and serv- ices rendered during the war, as well as for other purposes. In regard to this question, he first published a leaflet called " The Phi- losophy of Money." This leaflet enuncia- ted the principles on what was afterwards founded the greenback policy of the gov- ernment, which, in effect, was that the debt of the nation is a legal tender to all the people thereof. Three hundred copies of this leaflet were sent to the various mem- bers of both branches of the national legis- lature. This was before the bill was passed provided for the issuing of " greenbacks." Whether the ideas on which that law was founded came directly from Mr. Osborne or not, it is certain that he advocated substan- tially the plan long before the passage of the law.
Mr. Osborne has continued to advocate the principles on which the greenback law was founded to the present time, and in advocacy of his views has occupied the lec- ture platforms and published several pam- phlets on the subject, besides contributing to the local press. In 1879 he published a pamphlet entitled " A Treatise on Money," which was extensively circulated and well received. In 1898 he published a book en- titled "The Monetary Revolution," in which he advocated the theory of the ad- vance in the philosophy and science of money adapted to a republican form of govern- ment, and the sovereignty of the people. The book was dedicated to "Liberty and Labor." A perusal of the work convinces one of the author's deep thought and fa- miliarity with the subject of the financial system of the country. He has made it his life-long study, and his views are well
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worthy the consideration of the statesmen born in County Mead, Ireland, in July, of the nation.
Mr. Osborne was the leader of the Greenback party in Whiteside county, and in 1882 was nominated by his party a can- didate for the legislature, but owing to the weakness of the party he failed of an elec- tion, although he received a handsome vote in the district. His own township, how- ever, gave him a majority of its votes, which was, indeed, a compliment. He has always been a friend of the laboring classes, and in the advocacy of his views on the monetary questions of the day, he endeav- ors to present some views beneficial to the men who toil and fall, failing to receive just recompense for their labors. He is a fre- quent contributor to the Legal Topics, a paper of well known repute, published in Fulton, Illinois, and his contributions find many readers, who read to their profit. As a citizen and neighbor, he is greatly esteemed by all.
F FRANCIS O'NEIL. Among the more prominent and enterprising farmers of Hahnaman township who are of alien birth is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. Like others of his countrymen he has brought to the new world the habits of economy and frugality which are inherent characteristics of his native land, and the exercise of which, accompanied by industry and good management, have raised him from a humble position to one of affluence. He now owns and operates a fine farm of four hundred and twenty acres in section 15, Hahnaman township, a mile and a half from Deer Grove.
Mr. O'Neil, who is familiarly called Frank by his numerous friends, was
1842, and in 1864 came to Amer- ica, landing in Quebec, Canada. He went at once to New York city, where he arrived in May of that year, and after spending eight weeks there, he went to Connecticut, being employed for about a year on the construction of Fort Hale at East Haven. He next drove an oil wagon in Melbourn, New Jersey, for about two years, and in the fall of 1867 came to Whiteside county, Illi- nois, joining his brother, William O'Neil, who had located here about six months previously. After working at farm labor by the month for several years, in 1872 he purchased eighty acres of his present farm from William McCune. At that time it was a wild piece of swampy land, but he got up a petition for a ditch, which was at length constructed though it cost him fifteen hun- dred and twenty dollars. Mr. O'Neil drained, fenced and improved his first pur- chase, erecting at first only a small house upon the place, but as time has advanced, and he has prospered in his undertakings, he has added to his landed possessions until he now has four hundred and twenty acres of land, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation and improved with good buildings, including a pleasant home. He makes a specialty of stock, raising and fat- tening hogs and cattle for the market.
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