USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 5
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Dr. Seger was born in Rumford, Oxford county, Maine, January 4, 1842, a son of Allen and Achsa (Iloward) Seger. His pa- ternal great-grandfather was a resident of Boston, but his grandfather, Nathaniel Seger, removed from Massachusetts to Maine at an early day, and took up a tract of new land in Oxford county, where he made his home. He was once captured by the Indians and was a member of a Massa- chusetts regiment in the Revolutionary war. The Doctor's father was born in Hanover, Bethel township, Oxford county, Maine, in 1792, and was reared amid pioneer scenes. In early manhood he married Miss Achsa Howard, of Temple, Hillsboro county, New Hampshire, a daughter of Samuel and Mary Howard. The Howard family was founded in Boston in 1635. There Mrs. Seger's fa- ther resided in early life, and from Massa- chusetts removed to New Hampshire, where he died February 11, 1815, at the age of seventy-five years. He was a member of the New Hampshire militia and was a very influential and prominent man. In 1852, the Doctor's parents removed with their family from Rumford, Maine, to Kewaunee, Illinois, but after residing there for a short time came to Erie, Whiteside county, where the father purchased land and made his home until his death. Both he and his wife died in 1872, honored and respected by all who knew them. They were faithful members of the Christian church and the father was a Republican in politics.
During his boy hood Dr. Seger attended first the public schools of Maine and later of Erie, Illinois. In 1860 he commenced reading medicine with Dr. Taylor, of Erie,
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but the following year laid aside his text books to join the boys in blue of Com- pany I, Forty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, which was mustered in at Chicago and first sent to Cairo. The Doctor participated in the battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, but soon after- ward was taken ill and sent to St. Louis, where he was discharged on account of dis- ability. In 1862, he resumed the study of medicine, but as soon as his health would permit, he re-enlisted in Company K, Seven- ty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, which regment was from Rockford and was as- signed to the Army of the Tennessee under the command of General Thomas. As soon as Dr. Seger arrived he was detailed as hos- pital steward, and in that capacity was in the field hospital of the Fourth Army Corps for two years or until the close of the war, during which time he gained much valuable experience in surgery and the treatment of various diseases. Returning to Chicago he attended lectures at Rush Medical College, from which he was graduated with the de- gree of M. D., in 1868. He immediately opened an office at Erie and was not long in building up a good practice in the village and surrounding country. While there he was married, February 16, 1873, to Miss Katherine L. Reynolds, a daughter of Will- iam and Ann Reynolds. They have become the parents of three children, namely: Inez, Ivy and Ralph.
During his residence in Erie the Doctor was a member of the County Medical So- ciety, served as coroner of the county and held different township offices. In May, 1872, he removed to the county seat, where he has since successfully engaged in general practice, though he makes surgery his spec- ialty and has most of the cases along that
line in the place. He stands high among his professional brethren and is an honored member of the Rock River Valley Medical Society. He also belongs to Dunlap lodge, F. & A M., the chapter at Prophets- town, and of different insurance orders. Religiously, he supports the Presbyterian church.
A DDISON P. THOMAS, an honored veteran of the Civil war, and a suc- cessful farmer residing on section 20, Lyn- don township, was born on the 12th of June, 1845, in Mount Pleasant township, this county. His father, George W. Thomas, was born in St. Clair county, Illinois, in 1820, a son of Anthony and Jane (Jordan) Thomas, natives of South Carolina, in whose family were the following children: Polly, wife of Felix French; Margaret A., wife of G. O. James; Julia, wife of Samuel Currey; Grizzy, wife of Henry Paschal; James, who married Sarah Platt; Elizabeth, wife of William French; George W., father of our subject; John, who died unmarried in California, and William, who married Mary Hodges. In Cass county, Illinois, George WV. Thomas was married, in 1842, to Miss Mary Paschal, who was born in Wilson county, Tennessee, March 4. 1823, a daughter of Isaiah and Agnes (Freeman) Paschal, natives of North Carolina. Their children, William Henry, who married Grizzy Thomas, as previously stated; John D., who married Nancy Short; David, who married Mary Snyder; Emily, wife of Joel Horn; Coleman, who married Sally Street; Amy, wife of Allison McCord; Sam- uel, who married Hannah Street; Lucy, wife of James Thomas; Amanda, wife of Samuel Stevenson; Jared, who married
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Margaret Shaffer; Green, who married Sarah Deweber; Mary, mother of our sub- ject, and Joann, wife of Richard Wright. Mrs. Thomas is the only one of the family now living. In 1842, immediately after their marriage, George W. Thomas and wife came to Hickory Grove, Whiteside county, and he then pre-empted land in Union Grove, where he opened up a farm and made for himself and family a home. He was a successful farmer and carried on that occupation up to within three years of his death, owning two hundred and thirty-six acres of land in Mount Pleasant township. His last days were spent in retirement in Morrison, where his widow still lives. At the time of his death, which occurred Au- gust 30, 1893, he was one of the oldest set- tlers of the county. In politics he was a Republican. He was an earnest, consist- ent Christian, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which his wife also belongs, and he was a leader in church and Sunday school work.
In the family of this worthy couple were eleven children, two of whom died in infan- cy, and two others died young The others are as follows: Francis M., a retired farmer, of Morrison, married Margaret Hawk and has one son, Henry; Addison P., our subject, is the next of the family. Samuel T. mar- ried Margaret Harrow and follows farming in Mt. Pleasant township. Nathan J., a retired farmer of Morrison, married Emma Heaton, and has two children living, Eu- nice and Cleo. Elizabeth is the widow of David Finch. and lives in Sterling. She has nine children living, Clara, Elma, Albert, Martha, Margaret, Jennie, George, Ole and Roy. John Milton, a resident of Ustick township, married Annie Cope, and has three children, Nellie, John and Edna.
George E. married Grace Quackenbush and died at the age of twenty-five years. Min- nie is the wife of Jacob Feldman, a farmer of Mt. Pleasant township, and they have three children, Alice, James and Joseph.
Addison P. Thomas grew to manhood on the home farm, and was educated in the common schools of the locality. Prompted by a spirit of patriotism, he joined the boys in blue during the Civil war and was in the service for six months doing garrison duty most of the time. It was in 1864 that he enlisted for one hundred days in Company unteer Infantry. On receiving an honorable discharge from the service, he returned home, and continued to work for his father until twenty-two years of age, after which he rented land and engaged in farming on his own account.
On the 18th of February, 1868, Mr. Thomas led to the marriage altar Miss Ber- nice M. Hiddleson, who was born in Sullivan county, Pennsylvania, February 18, 1851, a daughter of John and Rosetta (Taylor) Hiddleson, also natives of that state, where the father died. Later the mother married Fletcher Sperry, with whom she came to Whiteside county, Illinois, settling in Mt. Pleasant township. Mr. Sperry died in 1867, but his wife is still living and makes her home in Morrison. By her first marriage she had four children, of whom one died young; Mary died a year after her marriage to William Dillenbeck; and David M., who married Elma Heiner, died in 1897, leaving four children, Alice, Iva, Earl and Frank. Mrs. Thomas is the only one of this family now living. Of the thirteen children born to our subject and his wife two died in infancy. The others are as follows: Rosa is the wife of Robert James, a farmer of Clyde township, and they have
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one child, Vera B .; Julia is the wife of Louis Emery, of Rock Island, and they have one daughter, Cheryal M .; Della mar- ried John Emory, of Rock Island, and died in 1895; Fred is at home attending school; William assists his father in the work of the farm; and Cora, Ella, Allie, Glenn, Carl and Neva are all at home.
For two years after his marriage, Mr. Thomas rented a farm in this county, and then, having been successful, he moved to Greene county, lowa, and purchased eighty acres, which he improved and cultivated for four years. Selling his property, he re- turned to Illinois, and for three years oper- ated rented land in Ustick and Mt. Pleasant township. In 1877 he purchased one hun- dred and twenty acres of partially improved land in Lyndon township, to which he has since added twenty-three acres, and as a farmer and stock raiser is meeting with marked success.
Religiously, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas are both consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and socially he belongs to Lyndon post, No. 739, G. A. R., and the Modern Woodmen camp, No. 72, of Lyndon. Politically, he affiliates with the Republican party, and taking an active interest in educational affairs, he has most efficiently filled the offices of school trustee and director.
B UEL A. LANGDON, the well-known editor and proprietor of the Morrison Record, a bright weekly journal, was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, October 8, 1869, and is a son of Samuel A. and Lucelia (Brewer) Langdon, who are represented elsewhere in this volume. In iSzi the family came to Morrison, Illinois, but a year latter removed
to a farm in this county, where the father made his home until 1894.
Upon the home farm our subject grew to manhood and he acquired a good practical education, attending the common schools, Dixon College and the Sterling high school. In 1890 he embarked in the florist's business in Sterling, where here mained until the spring of 1892, when he rented his father's farm, which comprises three hundred and twenty- six acres and is one of the most desirable places of its size in the county. After suc- cessfully operating the farm, he returned to Morrison in the spring of 1894, and pur- chased a half interest in the Record in August of the same year, his partner being H. E. Brown. Together they conducted the paper until the Ist of January, 1897, when our subject bought out Mr. Brown and has since been alone in business. He has met with excellent success as a journal- ist and is now at the head of one of the most prominent papers of the county. It is an eight-page sheet, and under his able management enjoys a large and constantly increasing circulation. The paper was started March 17. 1894, and Mr. Langdon has practically been with it since its incep- tion. On the 14th of September, 1892, he married Miss Hattie Swarthout.
W ILLIAM A. BESWICK is one of the most prominent and influential citi- zens of Clyde township, where he owns a valuable and highly improved farm on sec- tions 29, 30 and 31. There he was born January 1, 1850, a son of Richard and Han- nah (Knight) Beswick. The father was a native of Scarboro, Yorkshire, England, and a son of George and Elizabeth (Nagys) Bes- wick, old time yeomanry or farming people
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of that country, who came to Canada, set- tling near Toronto Bay. After a short time there they came to the United States in 1838, coming direct to Whiteside county and locating on the farm where our subject now resides. In their family were six chil- dren who reached years of maturity. Rich- ard Beswick was nineteen years of age when he crossed the Atlantic with his parents to Canada, having previously been educated in the schools of his native land. Shortly after his arrival he married Miss Sarah Pat- rick, by whom he had two children: Belin- da, who married Richard Trye and died in Union county, South Dakota, in the spring of 1899, leaving two children; and George, who died unmarried at Camp Rollo, Mis- souri, while a soldier of the Union army.
Mr. Beswick made his home with his par- ents near Toronto, Canada, until 1838, when he came to Whiteside county, Illinois, and took up one hundred and twenty acres of government land in Clyde township, to the improvement and cultivation of which he at once turned his attention. Shortly after locating here his house was destroyed by fire in the night and he was forced to erect another. He hauled his first load of wheat to market in Chicago, and he and his family endured all the hardships and priva- tions incident to pioneer life. He continued to reside upon his farm until his death, at which time he owned three hundred and twenty acres of land in Clyde township. Mrs. Beswick died about 1844, and March 24, 1849, Mr. Beswick was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Hannah E. (Knight) Humphrey, widow of Alvaro Humphrey, by whom she had two children, but one died in infancy, the other being George, now a resident of Clinton, Iowa. William A., our subject, is the oldest of the
five children born of the second marriage; Thomas L., deceased, married Sarah Mil- lard, who with her eight children resides in Clyde township; Elizabeth is the wife of William Milnes, of Clyde township, and they have two children living; Sarah died at the age of four years; and Carrie is the wife of Thomas Milnes, and they now reside near Chariton, Iowa. The mother was born in Waldo county, Maine, March 16, 1821, a daughter of George and Lydia (Duncan) Knight. Her father was a fisherman in Maine, but after his removal to Licking county, Ohio, he followed farming. He resided there for a few years and then came to Whiteside county, Illinois, spending his last days in Fulton township, where his death occurred February 12, 1866. The father of our subject died July 7, 1884, the mother January 26, 1895. Both were sin- cere Christian people, the former a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, while the latter was a Presbyterian in religious belief. He cast his ballot with the Demo- cratic party, and was honored with several local offices, having served as school direct- or, road commissioner for a number of years, and supervisor for fourteen consecn- tive years.
Our subject attended the winter terms of school in Clyde township until twenty years of age and thus acquired a good prac- tice education. After attaining his majority he rented a farm from his brother-in-law for four years, and then bought twenty acres of timberland. After his marriage he purchased the eighty-acre tract which he had previously rented, and also operated three hundred and twenty acres of his father's land. To his first purchase he has added from time to time until he now has three hundred and forty-two acres in one
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body. He now has one of the finest country homes in the county, the improvements alone being worth ten thousand dollars, not including the value of the land. Although he is engaged in general farming, he gives the greater part of his time and attention to stock raising, making a specialty of Durham and short-horn cattle and Poland China hogs. For twelve years he has been quite extensively engaged in the dairy business, and for that purpose generally keeps about forty cows.
On the Ist of January, 1875, Mr. Bes- wick was united in marriage with Miss Mary M. Wood, who was born in this county, April 22, 1854, a daughter of Frederick and Sarah (Milnes) Wood. Her father was a native of Yorkshire, England, as was also his father, Joseph Wood, who on coming to the new world first settled in New York state but after a short time spent there came to Whiteside county, Illinois, at an early day. Frederick Wood emigrated to America previous to his father and also spent a short time in New York, after which he came to this county, and located in Clyde township. He and his wife are still living and now make their home in Morrison. Her father, Thomas Milnes, was also a native of England, and she was born shortly after the emigration of the family to America. He made his home in Lowell, Massachu- setts, and died while returning east after a visit in this county. Mr. Wood is a sup- porter of the Republican party, and his wife holds membership in the Episcopal church. To them were born nine children, namely: Mary M., wife of our subject; Joseph, a farmer of Clyde township, who married Becky King and has two children; Thomas, who died in infancy; Thomas, of Clyde township, who married Margaret Mason and 3
has two children; Sarah, wile of Charles Kennedy, of Clyde township, by whom she has one child; George, who is engaged in the milling business in Montana; William H., a farmer of Montana, who married Clara -- and has one child; Susan, wife of Robert Cochran, of Morrison; and Edith, wife of Pierre Jackson, of Morrison.
Mr. and Mrs. Beswick have a family of seven children: Elmer, born November 24, 1876, is engaged in farming with his mother's brothers in Montana; Lorenzo, born. February 14, 1878, assists his father in the operation of the home farm Sarah, born August 26, 1879, is the wife of Bert Burch, of Union Grove township; Richard F., born October 10, 1881, is at home; Hannah, born June 21, 1883, and Harold, born September 7, 1886, are both attending the Morrison high school; and Alvaro, born February 12, 1888, is attending the home school.
Mr. Beswick is a director of the Mount Pleasant Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and is a member of Henderson camp, No. 13, M. W. A., of Morrison, and the Knights of the Globe, while he and his wife belong to the Royal Neighbors and she holds membership in the Episcopal church. In his political views he is a stanch Democrat, and he has been honored with a number of offices, having served as collector and road commissioner three years each. He is now filling the office of supervisor for a third term, and is chairman of the miscellaneous com- mittee and is on the committee on ferries and toll bridges. He has also been a mem- ber of two special bridge committees on two different occasions and was instrumental in building a number of iron bridges in the county. He is public-spirited and progress- ive and willingly gives his support to every
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enterprise which he believes will prove of public benefit, and is therefore numbered among the valued citizens of his com- munity.
AMES A. NOWLEN, M. D., is en- J gaged in the practice of medicine and surgery in Morrison, Illinois, and is now the oldest physician of the place in point of practice. He has that love for and devo- tion to his profession which have brought to him success and won him a place among the ablest representatives of the medical fraternity in this locality.
The Doctor was born April 6, 1853, at Canaan Corners, Wayne county, Ohio, nine miles from Wooster, and is a son of Dr. Arthur and Asenith (Proctor) Nowlen, both natives of Ontario, Canada. The father was born near Prescott, August 13, 1818, and in early life took up the study of med- icine. He was married in his native prov- ince and continued to reside there until after the birth of three of his children, while two others were born in Ohio. He at- tended lectures at Montreal, Canada, and for three years engaged in the practice of his profession at Canaan Corners, Ohio. In September, 1853, he came to White- side county, Illinois, and located at Union- ville, which was one mile from the present city of Morrison, at that time non-existent. There he engaged in successful practice until 1860, when he removed to Morrison, which at that time was growing rapidly and was in a flourishing condition. During his early residence here his practice extended over a wide range of territory and for weeks at a time our subject did not see him, as he would leave before daylight and return after the children were asleep. He trav-
eled everywhere on horseback and often rode as far as Prophetstown and Mt. Carroll in answer to calls for professional service. He had the leading practice of this section for many years. He was a successful busi- ness man as well as a skilled physician and owned considerable farm lands in White- side county at an early day. He was one of the first members of the Rock River Medical Society and took an active interest in the same. He retired from practice in 1880, and moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where he died September 7, 1897. His wife died in 1888. Both held membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, and were highly respected by all who knew them.
Our subject acquired his education in the common and high schools of Morrison, and in 1871 and 1872 read medicine with his father. The following year he entered Rush Medical College, Chicago, from which he was graduated in 1875, and was then en- gaged in practice with his father at Morrison until the latter's retirement, since which time he has been alone. Besides his city practice he had an extensive country practice for six or eight years and traveled through- out this section of the state wherever his services were needed. He took a post- graduate course at the medical department of the University of New York City in the winter of 1882-3, and is now one of the most successful and prominent physicians of Morrison.
Dr. Nowlen first married Miss Eva R. Kidd, of Morrison, who died leaving no chil- dren, and on the 28th of April, 1885, he led to the marriage altar Miss Louisa J. Hnncler, of the same place. By the second union five children have been born, namely: Bessie J., Proctor, Gladys, James C.
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and Mary. The family have a pleasant home on East Grove street, and they at- tend and support the Presbyterian church. The Doctor is a prominent member of the Whiteside County Medical Society, and has been connected with Dunlap lodge, F. & A. M., since 1874. As a physician he stands high in professional circles, and as a citizen is honored and respected wherever known.
T THOMAS EAGAN. It is said that biog- raphy yields to no other subject in point of interest and profit, and it is espec- ially interesting to note the progress that has been made along various lines of busi- ness by those of foreign birth who have sought homes in America-the readiness with which they adapt themselves to the different methods and customs of America, recognize the advantages offered and utilize the opportunities which the new world af- fords. We find in Thomas Eagan, a well- known farmer, residing on section 31, Union Grove township, a worthy representative of this class.
A native of Ireland, he was born in Loughrea, County Galway, December 20, 1822, and is a son of Matthew and Hannah (Griffin) Eagon. He grew to manhood in his native land, receiving such an education as the public schools of the country afforded at that day, and at the age of twenty-six he came to America. After spending about four years in Connecticut, he came to Illi- nois in 1854, and took up his residence in Albany, Whiteside county. Later he lived in Garden Plain, and in the fall of 1861 purchased eighty acres of land on section 31, Union Grove township, where he still resides. He has extended the boundaries
of his farm from time to time as his finan- cial resources have merited until he now has four hundred and twelve acres of valu- able and highly productive land, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation. He has devoted his time and abilities to general farming and stock raising, feeding a large number of cattle and hogs each year.
On the 10th of October, 1854, Mr. Eagon was united in marriage, in New York City, with Miss Alice Ryan, also a native of Ireland, and a daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Eagon) Ryan. She came to the new world in October, 1851. To our sub- ject and his wife have been born eight chil- dren: John F., at home; Mary, a resident of Clinton, Illinois; Alice, who died at the age of eleven years; Martin, who married Alice Smith, died in Union township, Octo- ber 27, 1899; Edward, at home; Margaret, wife of Natalian Waltham, of Clinton; Eliz- abeth and James, both at home. The par- ents are both devout members of the Cath- olic church and merit and receive the re- spect and esteem of all who know them. In his political views, Mr. Eagan is a stal- wart Democrat, but has never been an office seeker, preferring to devote his undivided attention to his business interest.
S AMUEL L. MURPHY, a well-known farmer and stock raiser residing on sec- tion 21, Ustick township, was born in Gar- den Plain township, this county, August 28, 1864, and is a worthy representative of one of its honored pioneer families. His grand- father, Jacob Murphy, a native of Ohio, came to Illinois at an early day and settled in Garden Plain township, Whiteside county, where he followed farming for some years.
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