USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 55
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Mr. Barber was born in Pawnai, Ver- mont, May 5, 1815, and was one of the first settlers of Whiteside county, having located here in 1839. He purchased a tract of gov- ernment land on the Dixon road east of
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Rock Falls, where he engaged in farming and stock raising, it being the farm now owned by Charles Hey. In 1849 he crossed the plains with an ox team to California, but failing in his quest for gold, he returned to Illinois and resumed the occupation of farming upon the place he had previously purchased, which continued to be his home until 1865. During that year he bought a farm near Round Grove and lived there un- til 1875, when he retired from labor and moved to Rock Falls to spend the remainder of his life in ease and quiet, enjoying the fruits of a life of thrift and industry.
On the 4th of June, 1840, Mr. Barber was united in marriage with Miss Sophia Martin, of Prophetstown, Illinois, and to them were born three daughters, namely: (1) Frances was married October 30, 1862, to Theodore Jenkins, now a prominent un- dertaker of Beaumont, California, to which state they removed in 1882, after having lived in Sterling, Illinois. They have three children, all born in Sterling: Elfleda, born May 22, 1875; Ruth, born November 13, 1876; and Arthur, born March 4, 1881. (2) Edna, born in Rock Falls, is the wife of William E. Curtis, an enterprising business man of that place, where he conducts a liv- ery stable, and they have four children: Elmer, Arthur, Sidney and George W. (A sketch of Mr. Curtis is given on another page of this volume.) (3) Ada, born in Rock Falls, is the wife of Joseph Wright, a traveling salesman for agricultural imple- ments and a respected citizen of Rock Falls. Their family consists of Sidney, who was born in Rock Falls and is now twelve years of age; and Fred, who is a son of Mr. Wright by a former marriage.
Mr. Barber died in Rock Falls on Sat- urday, April 15, 1899. Ile was a man of
strong character, who during a long life of almost eighty-five years never tasted either tobacco or alcoholic stimulants as a bever- age. While not identified with any church organization, his life was his religion, and he believed that a man should be judged by his acts, not by his professions. He left to his family and many friends the memory of a noble life, never to be effaced, a life of honesty, industry, patience and hope. He was very much interested in the study of natural history, and his pleasant home on the corner of East Second street and Avenue B, where his widow still resides, contains a large collection of shells and minerals of great worth and beauty. Mrs. Barber, who is also much interested in concology, made an exhibit of her collection of shells at the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1893, and was presented with a testi- monial of merits by the Illinois Woman's Exposition Board.
J
JOHN ESLINGER, a well-known and
successful farmer who owns and oper- ates one hundred and fifty-nine acres of land on section 1, Ustick township, was born in Baden, Germany, March 11, 1843, a son of Jacob and Katie (Buehler) Eslinger, also natives of Baden. The father, who was a prosperous farmer, died there when our sub- ject was only nine years old, leaving two children, the younger being George, still a farmer of Baden. For her second husband the mother married George Arnold, by whom she had four daughters, but only one of them, Christina, came to America, and she died near Empire, Whiteside county, Illi- nois, in 1880. The mother departed this life in 1863.
John Eslinger received his education in
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the schools of his native land, and at the age of twenty years entered the German army. He was in the standing army for two years, and altogether was in the mili- tary service of his country for four years. Before coming to the United States he mar- ried Miss Barbara Werley, who was born near Baden in 1839, and to them have been born ten children, one of whom died in in- fancy while the family were crossing the ocean to the New World. Annie is the wife of William Croon, who lives on a farm adjoining our subject's place, and they had three children, two of whom died from poisoning in August, 1899, George being the only survivor. Lizzie is the wife of Elmer Broom, a farmer of Clyde township, and they have three children, Aaron, Vernie and Milford. Lena is the wife of James Green, a farmer of Ustick township, and they have one son. William assists his father in the operation of the home farm. Susie resides at home. Mary and Christina are now in Sterling. Katie is at home with her parents. Matthias, the oldest of the family, was born in Germany, and on reach- ing manhood joined the United States regu- lar army, with which he served for three years or until the expiration of his term of enlistment. Later he worked as a black- smith in the employ of the government in Arizona, and there contracted a disease, from which he died on Easter Sunday, 1894.
One year after his marriage, in 1869, Mr. Eslinger, with his little family, sailed for America, and on landing in this country came direct to Ustick township, Whiteside county, Illinois, where he worked as a laborer for three years. Subsequently he operated rented land near Coleta for one year, and then moved to a farm near Ster- ling, belonging to Peter Bressler, and con-
ducted that place with marked success for four years, at which place he met with quite a loss, having all his personal effects destroyed by fire. He then purchased eighty acres of land in Ustick township. He made a number of improvements upon his farm, but after living there for five years he sold it and bought another of one hundred and sixty acres, where he now lives, paying for the same forty-eight dollars per acre. He has erected thereon good and substantial buildings, making for himself a comfortable home in his old age. He carries on general farming, but makes a specialty of stock- raising, keeping principally hogs, to which he feeds most of the grain raised on his farm. He is one of the representative men and successful farmers of his township, is highly respected by all who know him, and is a member of the New Menonite church, to which his wife also belongs.
W TILLIAM H. MIDDAGH is one who has met with many difficulties and obstacles in the path of success, but by determined purpose and indefatigable energy has steadily worked his way upward and is now the owner of one of the good farms of Whiteside county, having sixty acres of land on section 32, Coloma township. He is one of the worthy sons of Illinois that New York has furnished to the Prairie state, his birth having occurred in Ulster county, of the Empire state, on the 25th of January, 1825. His father, Jacob H. Middagh, was a miller by trade, and in connection with his industrial pursuits he carried on general farming. He, too, was a native of Ulster county, and there married Catherine Win- chell, who was born in that county and was of German lineage. They became the
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parents of three sons and two daughters, all of whom reached years of maturity, namely: Lemuel, who died in New York; Susan, wife of Isaiah Oakley, a resident of Broome county, New York; William H. ; De Witt, who entered the Union army in the Civil war and died of measles contracted in the service; and Mary, deceased wife of David Thurston. The parents have also passed away, both dying in the Empire state, where they spent their entire lives.
In the early schools of New York, William H. Middagh obtained his education, making his home under the parental roof until his marriage. During the period of his youth he also learned the miller's trade, which he followed for a number of years. In October, 1846, he wedded Susie E. Brooks, who was born in New Jersey, in 1826. Her parents were also natives of that state and in their family were three children: Lewis, who is living in New York; Mrs. Middagh; and Mary, wife of Peter Elmendorf. The parents of this fam- ily died in New York, where the father carried on farming. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Middagh has been blessed with five children: John, who died at the age of nine years; Sylvester, who is living with his father; Ella, wife of William Stewart, of Binghamton, New York, by whom she has three sons, Frank, Roy and Charles; Ida, wife of Warren Murray, by whom she has a son, Roy, who is living in Coloma town- ship; Horatio, who resides in Texas and has three children.
After his marriage, William H. Middagh of this review purchased the mill and farm belonging to his father and carried on the dual business for a number of years, meet- ing with good success. He then sold the property and removed to Broome county,
New York, where he purchased one hundred acres of timber land, which he cleared and improved, transforming the property into a valuable farm. He erected thereon good barns and ontbuildings and a comfortable residence and by well-kept fences divided the place into fields of convenient size, in each of which was a spring.
In 1866 Mr. Middagh arrived in White- side county and purchased eighty acres of land, -the farm upon which he now resides. In addition to this he has also operated rented land. At one time he suffered a loss of two thousand dollars, his hogs dying of disease, and also lost some valuable horses and fourteen colts in this way. In the face of difficulties, however, he has persevered and is to-day one of the substantial farmers of the community, and he well merits the success that has come to him. In politics he is a Democrat, and his wife belongs to the Christian church. In Whiteside county he has a wide acquaintance, and is held in high esteem for his sterling worth.
C HARLES HI. PAYSON, deceased, was for many years one of the best known and most highly esteemed citizens of Rock Falls, with whose industrial and business interests he was prominently identified. He was born in Ulster, Bradford county, Penn- sylvania, June 14, 1819, and was a son of William and Betsy (Cranse) Payson, natives of Connecticut and Pennsylvania, respect- ively. He was the second in order of birth in their family of six children, only two of whom are now living. William C., a farmer by occupation, died in Missouri; Emily is the widow of John Owens, of To- wanda, Pennsylvania, and has six children, three children by her first husband, Peter
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Osborne; Sarah is the wife of Lewis Ilette, a retired carpenter of Chicago, and they have two children, Emily and William; and Edward is a retired farmer of Owego, New York.
Our subject was reared and educated in Waverly, New York, and there he was married, August 15, 1848, to Miss Mary A. Russell, a daughter of Jacob H. and Polly (Dunn) Russell, of Pennsylvania. Her fa- ther, a harness maker by trade, was born in 1796, and died in Factoryville, New York, August 28, 1872, and her mother was born in Pennsylvania, April 12, 1802, and also died in Factoryville, in February, 1842. In their family were six children, two of whom besides Mrs. Payson are now living. They were as follows: Jacob P., born in 1823, lives in Nebraska. John Q., born October 29, 1828, died in Milledgeville, Illinois, January 1, 1898. He married Eme- line Johnson, and to them were born four children, Leila, Walter, Mary and Emilo. Elizabeth A., born August 25, 1839, is the wife of T. Jefferson Smith, an express mes- . senger of Antioch, Illinois. Charles H., born July 9, 1834, followed the trade of a harness maker and died June 18, 1855, un- inarried.
To Mr. and Mrs. Payson were born the following children: Charles Edgar, born January 21, 1850, is a machinist in Chi- cago. He is married and has six children living, and one deceased. Harry E., born September 3, 1853, is engaged in the cigar and tobacco business in Chicago and is also a telegraph operator. He was mar- ried, October 18, 1882, to Mertie M. Saw- yer, of that city. Lizzie E., wife of Hon. J. W. White, a prominent attorney of Rock Falls, was born October 23, 1854, and died January 30, 1893, leaving three children
all born in Rock Falls, namely: Mary Bessie, Leo Payson and Ralph M. Frank R., born April 19, 1862, is a fireman living in Mankato, Minnesota.
After his marriage, Mr. Payson contin- ued to reside in New York state for a num- ber of years, four of his children being born there. He carried on business as a car- riage manufacturer in New York until Feb- ruary 22, 1865, when he came west and first located in Sterling, Illinois, but a year later removed to Rock Falls, where the family still reside, occupying one of the finest homes in the city, which was erected by our subject soon after locating here. He became one of the most prominent busi- ness men of the city, and was extensively engaged in the manufacture of carriages for many years.
His death, which occurred September 7, 1893, was the result of a cancer, compli- cated with other diseases, from which he had suffered from 1882. He was a man of influence and stood high in the community where he had so long made his home. He was widely known and very popular with every one. He was noted for his strict in- tegrity and incorruptible honor, and though he was never a member of any church he was a regular attendant of the Methodist church and a close follower of the princi- ples of morality. In all the relations of life he was found true to every trust reposed in him, and it is safe to say that no man in Rock Falls had more friends or was more highly respected than Charles H. Payson.
M RS. MARGARET W. DEETS. Nearly forty-five years have rolled away since Mrs. Margaret Deets came to Whiteside county, and now, after many
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years of such hardships and privations as only the pioneers know, she is passing the evening time of her life surrounded by the comforts and privileges which were beyond her reach in her young womanhood.
She comes of the sturdy old patriotic stock which laid the foundations of this great republic, "building better than they knew." Her paternal great-grandfather, who owned two large flour-mills in Pennsyl- vania, taxed his mills to their utmost capac- ity, grinding grain to be made into bread for the army of Washington. On one occa- sion, when his son, the grandfather of Mrs. Deets, then a youth of seventeen, was en- gaged in driving a large team of horses, hauling supplies for the army, a squad of British soldiers attacked him, and though he managed to escape, seven bullet-holes were found in the wagon-bed. The mother of the young patriot did all within her power for the cause of the colonists, and it was not until blindness afflicted her that she ceased to bake bread for the army. The parents of Mrs. Deets were John and Mar- garet (Reece) Wetzel, natives of Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, re- spectively. They removed to Summit coun- ty, Ohio, later to Stark county, same state, and at length came to Whiteside county.
Mrs. Deets is one of thirteen children, she being next to the youngest: Catherine, born August 4, 1813, married Henry Wy- mer, and both are deceased. They had two children, both of whom have passed away. Polly died in infancy. Daniel, born September 2, 1815, and now a resi- dent of Rock Falls, Illinois, married Mary Beidler, September 15, 1839, and they have six children. Jacob, born December 12, 1816, wedded Susan Beidler, in 1842, and with their six children live in Genesee town-
ship. John, a resident of . Michigan, was born May 29, 1818, and chose Camilla Ward for his wife. They are the parents of four sons. George, born January 18, 1820, married Mary Linerode, February 17, 1849, and two daughters were born to them. The wife and mother died Septem- ber 18, 1854, and Mr. Wetzell makes his home with his niece, Mrs. Scott, in Rock Falls, Illinois. His daughters are married and have children. Elizabeth, born August 17, 1821, became the wife of Cyrus Hart- ing. She departed this life many years ago, and left several children. David R .. born April 7, 1823, never married, and died September 15, 1894. Andrew, born March 18, 1825, married Sarah Ward, and had four children. He has passed to his reward, while his widow resides in Stark county, Ohio. Joseph, born December 9. 1827, married Ellen McKien. Seven chil- dren were born to them, and Mr. Wetzel now resides with his son Thomas. Han- nah, born June 5, 1829, became the wife of Lewis Spots, and of their several children. five survive, the others dying in infancy. Their home is in Lee county, Missouri. Lewis, born June 3, 1837, wedded Mary Lawyer, March 25, 1858, and they had four children. The parents are citizens of Galt, Whiteside county, having retired from their life-work, farming.
The birth of Mrs. Margaret (Wetzel) Deets took place on the 7th of December, 1831, in Summit county, Ohio. She was a babe of two months when her parents re- moved to Stark county, same state. In 1855 she came to Whiteside county, and the following year became the wife of Louis Deets, who was a thrifty farmer of Hop- kins township. The young couple were economical and rapidly made progress to-
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ward a competence, but, when the war of the Rebellion came on, the patriotic hus- band left his plow and went to the defense of the Union, his brave wife bidding him God-speed. In 1861 he enlisted in the Fifty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served for three years. Later, he resumed his regular calling, and continued to devote himself to his home and business until his death, July 14, 1882. Since that time, his widow has carried on the old homestead near Emerson, and has enjoyed the same measure of success as did her esteemed husband in days of yore.
Twelve children came to bless their humble home. The eldest, William Wil- son, born December 20, 1857, married Anne Engle, August 31, 1881, and is a resident of this township. Their two sons, aged four- teen and sixteen, are at home. Elizabeth, born November 2, 1861, became the wife of Henry Johnson, and is the mother of four children. Mr. Johnson, who owns a fine ranch of over one thousand acres, situated in the state of Washington, is an extensive dealer in lumber and grain, also. James M., born April 7, 1865, married Olive Carolus, and has four children. Their home is at Emerson, where Mr. Deets is engaged in the trade of a wagon-maker, and, in ad- dition to this, owns and operates a large farm in this township. Charles T., born February 6, 1874, married Iona Carolus, November 8, 1896, and they have one child living, another having died in infancy. He is a successful lawyer, of Almira, Washing- ton. Four sons and two daughters died in infancy; Caroline, born in 1860, died in February, 1874, and Jennie, born June 6, 1867, died in 1877.
In his political faith, Mr. Deets was an ardent Republican. He was industrious and
enterprising, and, besides providing liberal- ly for his large family, he left a comfortable estate and, what is better, an unblemished name and record to his posterity. Relig- iously, he was identified with the United Brethren church.
JOHN P. FURRY. More than half a century ago John P. Furry came to Whiteside county, and during this long period, which covers nearly the whole span of the county's development from a primi- tive state to its present flourishing condition, he has been actively interested in its progress. A gentleman of much more than ordinary information and attainments, he is an inter- esting conversationalist, and, as he has spent years in traveling and making himself familiar with the wonders of his own beauti- ful country, he is enthusiastic on the sub- ject, as he well may be. His upright course in life commands the respect and commen- dation of everyone, and his labors as a founder of this county justly entitle him to a prominent place in its annals.
The birth of John P. Furry occurred in Dutchess county, New York, November 22, 1817. He is a son of David and Sally (Palmateer) Furry, of Washington, New York. The mother died when our subject was only five years of age, leaving three children, of whom Mrs. Annie M. Platt, now four-score years of age, and a childless widow, resides in Poughkeepsie, New York. Mrs. Cornelia Freer, also a widow, and now seventy-eight years of age, has two daugh- ters, Cornelia and Mary. She, too, is a resident of Poughkeepsie. David Furry married again, after the death of our sub- ject's mother, but his second wife died
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within a few years, and he passed into the silent land when but thirty-eight years of age.
Thus John P. Furry was left an orphan at the early age of eleven years. He re- ceived a public-school education, and con- tinued to reside in New York until 1847, when he came to Illinois. Settling in Jor- dan township, he engaged in farming for about a year, after which he operated a saw- mill for two and a half years, and, having laid aside a certain amount of capital, in- vested it in the farm which he has since looked upon as his home. Originally, he purchased one hundred acres, at three dol- lars an acre, and when he erected his humble house on the place, there were no other dwellings within sight. This was in 1853, and, as the years rolled by, great changes were made, not only upon his own property, which speedily was transformed into one of the fin'est farms in the township, but the entire locality gradually progressed, under the earnest efforts of the pioneers. To his first purchase Mr. Furry added land at different times-about ninety-five acres altogether, but has since disposed of a por- tion, and now retains only one hundred and thirty-nine acres, this being situated on sec- tion 16, Jordan township.
In 1847 Mr. Furry married Harriet Good- enough, who shared his pioneer labors in this locality, and was called to the better land in 1859. Their eldest child, Mary C., became the wife of Oliver Tolbott, of this township, and they have one daughter, Alice. George W., a resident of Seattle, Washing- ton, and one of the progressive hardware merchants of that live city, is married and has two daughters, Florence and Mabel, and an infant son. Ile served as a private in the One Hundred and Fortieth Illinois
Infantry during the Civil war. Ella, wife of Frank J. Miller, who carries on the old homestead, has one daughter, Lottie. Nel- lie, who married Fernandus Jacobs, of this township, have four children-Hattie, Flor- ence, John and Guy. Albert D. and Gil- bert S. are deceased. In 1861 Mr. Furry married Nancy Hawley, a native of Penn- sylvania, and for twenty years they pursued the journey of life together, Mrs. Furry being summoned to the home beyond the river in 1881.
In his early manhood Mr. Furry met with an accident which partially disqualified him for arduous undertakings. While en- gaged in hauling logs from the woods, one of them rolled over upon him, pinioning him to the ground and permanently injuring him. Since his retirement from the man- agement of his farm, in 1885, he has rented it to his son-in-law, Mr. Miller, and has spent some time in traveling. He has crossed the Rocky mountains by four routes, has visited all parts of the United States and Canada, has voyaged on the Atlantic as far south as Florida, and has taken a trip on the Pacific to Van Couver's Island. In the course of his journeyings he has been in thirty-four states and territories, and thus is well prepared to judge of the greatness and resources of this powerful nation. In pioneer days he aided in the laying out of highways and other local improvements, and has voted at all of the township elections for over half a century. During most of the time of his residence here he has held school offices here, and as assessor, col- lector, road commissioner, has discharged the duties of each position with zeal and efficiency. Originally a Whig, he later joined the Republicans, and now is a Pro- hibitionist.
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JOHN R. THOMPSON, deceased, was for many years one of the most highly esteemed and honored citizens of White- side county, where his entire life was passed. He was born on the old homestead in Port - land township, September 15, 1838, a son of Robert and Lydia (Graham) Thompson, both of whom were natives of Ireland, being among the first settlers of the county, hav- ing located here in 1836 when this region was almost an unbroken wilderness.
Amid scenes familiar on the frontier, John R. Thompson grew to manhood. When a boy he resided for a few years with his parents in Prophetstown, but the greater part of his life was spent on the home farm in Portland township, and in the district schools of the neighborhood he acquired a good practical education. On the 2nd of December, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company B, later transferred to Com- pany K, Thirty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served his country faithfully until December 6, 1862, when he was dis- charged on account of disability. He was wounded in the left hand at the battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862. In April, 1863, he re- enlisted in Company K, Thirty-fourth Volun- teer Infantry, and served until the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged and returned home to engage in the more quiet pursuits of farm life.
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