USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 59
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its organization and has since fought under its banner. He is widely and favorably known, and as a horticulturist and citizen stands high in the esteem of his fellowmen.
P ETER R. BOYD. Prominent among the business men of . Morrison is this gentleman, who for over a third of a cent- ury has been identified with the history of the city. He is a man of keen discrimina- tion and sound judgment, and as a financier he ranks among the ablest. Ile was born in Stephenson, Ayrshire, Scotland, Febru- ary 7, 1844, a son of William and Mary (Scott) Boyd. For many generations the home of the family has been in Ayrshire, only about four miles from Auld Brif o' Doon, where Robbie Burns was born in an old thatched cottage, which our subject has often seen. He is a great admirer of Burns' writings, and has many relics from his old place. Mr. Boyd's mother was a direct de- scendant of Sir Walter Scott. The parents were born devout members of the Presbyte- rian church and the father was a farmer by occupation. More extended mention is made of this couple in connection with the sketch of Hugh H. Boyd on another page of this volume.
Our subject began his education in his native land. In 1856 he came with his parents to this country on the Edinburg, one of the early steamers, which at that time was making her first trip. Coming di- rect to Whiteside county, Illinois, the fa- ther purchased a small farm near Morrison, on which our subject grew to manhood, his education being completed in the district schools of the neighborhood. During the Civil war he enlisted for ninety days in Company B, One Hundred and Fortieth 28
Illinois Volunteer Infantry, which was as- signed to the Third Brigade, Second Sepa- rate Division, Army of the Cumberland, but he was in the service at this time for six months, taking part in the engagements around Nashville and Chattanooga. He re- enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Fifty-sixth linois Volunteer Infantry-the last regiment raised during the war-and remained in the service until after hostilities ceased, being mustered out September 26, 1865. He was always found at his post of duty, valiantly fighting for the old flag and the cause it represented, and from private was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant.
After spending another year upon the home farm, Mr. Boyd came to Morrison, in 1866, and entered the employ of Drs. Tay- lor & Anderson, who were engaged in the drug and grocery business, remaining with them fifteen years, and having full charge of the store after the first two years. Sub- sequently he was with T. R. King, in the creamery business, as bookkeeper for three years. In the meantime he had made some very wise investments in real estate, and to the real estate and loan business he has since devoted his energies with most grati- fying results. He has owned a great deal of both city and farm property. He is a shrewd and capable business man, upright and honorable in all his dealings, and has met with well-deserved success.
In 1872 Mr. Boyd married Miss Eliza A. Fraser, a native of Nova Scotia, Scotland, and a daughter of Deacon William Fraser, an elder of the First Presbyterian church of Morrison, who was born in Inverness-shire, Scotland, and belongs to a very prominent family. Two children were born of this union: Paul Fraser and Daisy M. The son was born in Morrison, November 8,
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1874, and attended the common and high schools of that city, from which he was graduated in 1893. During the following three years he clerked in the drug store of J. H. Snyder & Company, and then entered the pharmaceutical department of the Northwestern University, at Chicago, from which he graduated with the degree of Ph. G., in 1897, with special mention for work in the microscopical laboratory. He was again with Snyder & Company for a short time and for one year was connected with the Grand Pacific Pharmacy, but in February, 1899, he was forced to resign his position on account of ill health and has since been at home. The family residence is a fine modern structure at No. 311 Wall street, where Mr. and Mrs. Boyd have spent their entire married life. The family are prominent members of the Presbyterian church and occupy an enviable position in social circles.
Fraternally Mr. Boyd is also an active and influential member of Alpheus post, No. HIS, G.A. R., of which he has been com- mander three times, and which he has rep- resented in the state encampment. He is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees, and his son belongs to Dunlap lodge, No. 321, A. F. & A. M. Politically Mr. Boyd is a stanch Democrat, and for three terms of two years each he has been alderman from the third ward. During that time extensive improvements were made in the city. While chairman of the fire and water committee the fine water works system was inaugurated and the mains laid. He has also been a prominent and influential mem. ber of the school board for nine years, dur- ing which time the north side school was built and an addition made to the high school. His support is never withheld from
any enterprise calculated to prove of public good, and he is regarded as a useful and valued citizen of the community.
H JARVEY C. HULL is now serving as police magistrate in Prophetstown, a position he has filled for eight years with credit to himself and satisfaction to his con- stituents. He is thoroughly impartial in meting out justice, his opinions are unbiased by either fear or favor, and his fidelity to the trust reposed in him is above question.
Mr. Hull was born in Washington, Litchfield county, Connecticut, January 10, 1830, a son of Bradford J. and Catherine (Teeple) Hull, also natives of that county, her father, Luke Teeple, being a represent- ative of one of its oldest families. From Litchfield county, the father of our subject removed to Woodbury, Connecticut, where he worked at the carpenter's and joiner's trade, and also owned and operated a farm and sawmill. He and his wife celebrated their golden wedding, September 17, 1872, and also the grandmother Teeple's one hun- dredth birthday; she is living to the remark- able old age of one hundred three and a half years. The father was presented with a gold headed cane on which was engraved his name and date. The cane was of oak made from a piece of timber taken from an old stone house erected at Guilford, Connect- icut, in 1640 and used as a fort. Mr. and Mrs. Hull spent their last days in Woodbury. In their family were nine children, namely: Charles B., who died in North Guilford; Mary, deceased wife of James Thomas, of Woodbury; Catherine A., deceased wife of W. H. Harrison, of North Guilford; Harvey C., our subject; Polly Ann, wife of Russell Potter, of North Guilford; Emily C:, wife of
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J. C. Harrison, of Northford; Annie F., now deceased, was the wife of Augustus S. Davis, of Woodbury; and William N., of Chicago, Illinois. With the exception of our subject and the youngest brother, all remained in Connecticut.
In his native state, Harvey C. Hall grew to manhood, and under the direction of his father he learned the carpenter's and joiner's trade at Waterbury, Connecticut. There he was married, in 1850, to Miss Jeanette L. Scarritt, a native of Waterbury. In 1855 they removed to Geneseo, Illinois, where he worked at his trade for about a year and then came to Prophetstown to en- gage in contracting and building. In 1859 he started for Pike's Peak, going down the Mississippi and up the Missouri rivers as far as Kansas City, where he met so many re- turning from the gold fields and heard such adverse reports, that he turned back. He stopped at Fulton, Missouri, where he ob- tained a good position as a carpenter on the construction of the lunatic asylum and upon other buildings. He remained there until late in the summer of 1860, and as a sub- contractor made considerable money. His wife had joined him at Fulton. In the fall of 1860 they returned to Connecticut, where he worked at his trade until 1862, and then again came to Prophetstown, Illi- nois, where he at first followed carpenter- ing and building. In 1871 he embarked in the grain and lumber business in Lyndon, to which point he had the first freight shipped over the new railroad. On the construction of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad through Prophetstown, he returned to this place, where he erected an elevator and engaged in the grain and lum- ber business with J. J. Greene for about three years, at the end of which time he
sold out and turned his attention to the furniture trade, in which he was interested for eight years and a half. Later he con- ducted a drug store as a member of the firm of Hull & Smith, for three years and a half.
Mr. Hull's first wife died in Prophets- town, February 11, 1866, leaving one son, Charles W., a banker and clothing mer- chant of Kirwin, Kansas. Mr. Hull was again married in Prophetstown, July 7. 1898, to Mrs. Harriett Gresty, a native of England, and a daughter of Peter and Har- riett (Hall) Langford. She was reared in Manchester, and was first married in Liver- pool, August 14, 1872, to James Gresty, also a native of England and a farmer by occupation. They emigrated to the new world in 1881, and located in Prophetstown, Illinois, on the 6th of May of that year. Here Mr. Gresty died March 10, 1891, leaving two children: Ollie and George, who is still attending school.
On the 7th of October, 1864, our sub- ject enlisted in Company C, Seventy-fifth Illinois Volunteers, and was mustered in at Dixon, Illinois. He was in the last battle at Nashville, Tennessee, and from there went to Huntsville, Chattanooga and Knoxville and Elizabethtown, Tennessee, and was finally discharged at Nashville, Tennessee, May 7, 1865, by the order of Secretary Stanton.
On attaining his majority, Mr. Hull identified himself with the Whig party, but in 1856 voted for John C. Fremont and has since been an ardent Republican. He has served as supervisor of this county for two years and was president of the board of village trustees for four years and a half. He was a member of a number of important committees, including those on bridges,
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equalization and the county house. He was a councilman for a number of terms, and since 1891 has served as police magis- trate. He has also been superintendent of the cemetery since 1881, and his various official duties have been performed in a most capable and satisfactory manner. He is a Royal Arch Mason, a member of the Blue lodge and chapter of Prophetstown, and both he and his wife belong to the Eastern Star and are members of the Con- gregational church.
JOHN P. FULLER, a veteran agricult-
urist, now retired from the activities of life, is spending his declining days in peace and plenty on the homestead which he re- claimed from its primitive wildness, in sec- tion 21, Portland township. For three score and three years, or since 1836, he has been a resident of Whiteside county, and has been an interested witness of the vari- ous changes that have taken place, watch- ing with delight the rapid transformation of timber land and prairie into a rich and pro- ductive agricultural country, at the same time aiding by every means within his power its growth and advancement. As a man of honesty and integrity, and one of the few remaining pioneers of his day, he is held in high honor by his fellow-townsinen, and is universally respected. He was born July 4, 1822, in Cattaraugus county, New York, a son of Levi Fuller, and grandson of Ed- mund Fuller, a pioneer of Oneida county, New York.
Levi Fuller was born, bred and educated in Oneida county, New York, from whence he went in early manhood to Cattaraugus county where he took up wild land and es- tablished himself as a farmer. In 1831 he
removed with his family to Erie county, Pennsylvania, and there continued his chosen occupation five years. In 1836 he emigrated to the broad prairies of the west, making the journey through the intervening forests with teams, and bring with him his wife and children and all his worldly possessions. He came directly to Whiteside county, ar- riving in Portland township February 6, and took up a claim of one hundred and sixty acres, one-half of which was timber land. He built a log house in which he and his family dwelt ten years, and begun breaking up and improving his claim. He subsequently sold his first purchase, and buying another farm in the same township was there engaged in the pursuit of agricult- ure until his demise, in 1856. His wife, whose maiden name was Betsey Martin, was also a native of Oneida county, New York. She survived him many years, passing away in August, 1887, at the venerable age of ninety-six years. She bore her husband ten children, seven sons and three daughters, all of whom grew to years of maturity, and of whom three sons and one daughter are now living.
John P. Fuller, a lad of fourteen years when he came to Portland township, com- pleted his education in the pioneer schools of his day, and during his minority assisted his father in clearing the parental home- stead. After his marriage, in 1846, he rented land on which he farmed three or four years; then taking up a claim of one hundred and twenty acres he began the laborious task of developing a productive farm. Erecting a log cabin for himself and family as the first necessary improvement, he occupied it several years before his means warranted his building his present substantial residence, and other convenient
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farm buildings. Before commencing opera- tions on a large scale much of his land had to be cleared of timber, or the swamps drained, but his resolution and unbounded energy overcome all obstacles, so that his farm in point of improvements now stands second to none in this locality. The diffi- culties that beset the pioneers of his time can be searce imagined by the younger generation. Deer, wolves, and other wild beasts of the forest were plentiful, and though their flesh sometimes furnished food for the family they often terrorized the few inhabitants of the place. A large part of the year the roads were in a fearful condi- tion making the journey to Chicago, whither the surplus produce had to be taken by team, there being no thought of railways then, a trip to be dreaded. Mr. Fuller carried on mixed farming for many years, and in addition to this was prosperousły engaged in stock raising and dealing, be- coming one of the best known stockmen of the county.
Mr. Fuller was married in Warren county, Illinois, June 25, 1846, to Miss Almira Lamphere, who was born in Oneida county, New York, August 5, 1821, a daughter of Caleb P. and Lucinda (Martin) Lamphere. Her parents emigrated to Illi- nois in 1842, settling first in Warren county, from whence, in 1851, they removed to Whiteside county, where they spent the re- mainder of their lives. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Fuller seven children have been born, two of whom have passed to the life beyond, Guy E. having died at the age of fourteen years, and Alma M. when eleven years old. Those now living are as follows: Clark C., a farmer in the past, served as deputy sheriff twelve years, and as sheriff four years; Willis H., a business man of Port-
land township, is married and has one child, Edwin; Emma J., wife of Charles E. Sibley, of this county, has seven children, Grace, Robert, Frank, Ralph, Jay, Free- inan and George; Lydia L., wife of Henry Sibley, has one child, Ray; and Kate E., wife of George Talcott, a farmer of Port- land township, has four children, Bertha, Laura, Clara, and IIattie.
On June 25, 1896, Mr. and Mrs. Fuller celebrated their golden wedding, children, grandchildren and friends to the number of one hundred or more gathering at their home, Hearty congratulations to the aged couple were extended; the boun- tiful repast was enjoyed by all; and after an evening of joyful sociability the nu- merous guests departed, leaving as golden mementoes of the occasion many articles of value, including a a gold watch for Mr. Fuller, and a quantity of gold coins for his worthy wife.
In 1844 our subject witnessed a terrible cyclone which destroyed all property in its wake. It took the house which he was in from its foundation and scattered it for miles, and crippled him so that he feels the effects to this day. It also destroyed a great deal of stock and killed several people in the neighborhood.
Politically Mr. Fuller was a Jeffersonian Democrat for many years, but in 1860 and 1864 he gave to Abraham Lincoln his pres- idential vote, and since that time has sup- ported the measures of the Prohibition party. Although never an aspirant for official honors he has not shirked his duties as a public-spirited citizen, but has served with acceptance to all concerned as com- missioner of highways for seventeen years, and for a number of terms was a school director.
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W ILBUR D. HEATH, a reliable and intelligent young agriculturist of Lyn- don township, who owns and operates a fine farm of one hundred and twenty acres on section 5, is a native of Whiteside county, born near Round Grove, July 1, 1871. His parents were George and Electa (Fellows) Heath. The father was a native of Massa- chusetts, as were also his parents, Ira and Mary (Harmon) Heath. The grandmother of our subject was born in 1820, and is now living in Hopkins township, this county. She is the mother of five children, but Henry, a resident of Hopkins township, is the only one now living. Throughout his active business life the father of our subject followed farming, but during his last years was unable to engage in active labor on account of the effects of a stroke of paraly- sis. He died in 1876, and his wife passed away two years later. Six children were born to them, but two died in infancy. Those living are as follows: Laura is now the wife of Leroy Garrison, a carpenter of Fenton township, and they have one child living, Loyal, and two deceased, Lelia and Nina. Charles, now a farmer of Dakota, married Hattie Garrison, and they have five children, Glenn, Bessie, Vera, Charles M. and one whose name is unknown. Wilbur, our subject, is the next of the family. Wil- lis, who is unmarried, makes his home with his brother Charles in Dakota.
After the death of his parents, Wilbur Heath was adopted by Charles Ristrow, with whom he remained five years, and was educated in the country schools near Tampico. At the age of fifteen he started out in life for himself as a farm hand, and was thus employed until his marriage, after which he worked by the day for a year. The following two years he operated a
rented farm, and then purchased one hun- dred and twenty acres in Lyndon township, for which he paid sixty dollars per acre. Here he has since successfully engaged in general farming, and his honorable, upright course commends him to the confidence and high regard of all with whom he has deal- ings. In his political affiliations he is a Republican.
On the 5th of June, 1895, Mr. Heath was united in marriage with Miss Jeannie B. Matthew, who was born in Hopkins town- ship, April 7, 1869, and to them were born two children: Lloyd T., who died in infancy ; and Bessie L. Mrs. Heath's parents were Thomas and Anna (Thomson) Matthew, both natives of Scotland, the former born July 15, 1808. To them were born five children, of whom one died young. One of those still living is Jeannie, wife of our sub- ject. William Archibald, a resident of Hopkins township, married Lizzie Matznick and has two children, Ralph and Glen. Robert A., a graduate of Rush Medical College, Chicago, and now a physician of Laveta, Colorado, married Gertrude Lewis and has one son, Lewis T. Elizabeth G. is the wife of Jacob Steiner, who lives on a part of the home farm in Hopkins township, and they have one daughter, Jeannie Verle. Thomas Matthew, the father of these children, first married Margaret Dumire, a native of Scot- land, by whom he had two children, of whom Robert died young, while Thomas is still living. The latter married Euphemia Dalrymple and they have one son, Harold T. In early life Mrs. Heath's father came to America and for some time made his home in Virginia, but in 1835 became a resident of Whiteside county, Illinois, where he died December 10, 1892. By occupation he was a farmer. His second wife, Mrs. Anna
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Matthew, came to this state when only four years old, and died in 1876. Mrs. Heath's paternal grandparents, Robert and Margaret (Thomson) Matthew, were life-long resi- dents of Scotland.
C HARLES NASH RUSSELL. The de- served reward of a well spent life is an honored retirement from business, in which to enjoy the fruits of former toil. To-day, after a useful and beneficial career, Mr. Russell is quietly living at his beautiful home at No. 702 Second avenue, Sterling, surrounded by all the comforts that earnest labor has brought him. He has been a res- ident of this county since the spring of 1846, and has lived in Sterling since 1863.
Mr. Russell was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts, February 3, 1826, a son of Charles and Adeline (Nash) Russell. The father was born in Northampton, Massa- chusetts, May 26, 1797, of English descent, and was a representative of the same fami- ly to which Lord John Russell belonged, the family being founded in this conntry by three brothers of the Duke of Bedford. The great-great-grandfather of our subject was Hezekiah Russell, a farmer of Con- nectient. His son, Hezekiah Russell, Jr., was born in Wethersfield, Connecticut, and at the age of sixteen went to Northamp- ton, Massachusetts. He was a captain in the state militia and a carpenter by trade. His son, Thaddeus Russell, grandfather of our subject, also followed that occupation. He was born in Northampton and died at the age of fifty years. The father, Charles Russell, followed the tailor's trade throngh- out life. On the 21st of January, 1823, he married Miss Adeline Nash, who was born in Duxbury, Vermont, February 12, 1805,
a daughter of Eber Nash, a pioneer of that state. To them were born eleven children, nine sons and two daughters, of whom five sons came west, our subject being the first of these. Seven of the family are still liv- ing. After his marriage the father removed to Greenfield, Massachusetts, and in 1829 took up his residence in Colrain, where he died May 6, 1871. The wife and mother passed away September 23, 1882. Both were faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he served as class leader and chorister for some years.
During his boyhood Charles N. Russell, of this sketch, worked in Colrain, until six- teen years of age, and then went to New Salem, Massachusetts, to live with a Uni- tarian clergyman, and while there was given an academic education. In 1846 he came to Como, Whiteside county, Illinois, and spent the last year of his minority with the son of the minister. He taught school in Princeton, Illinois, for two winters and then accepted the position of clerk with the firm of Holmes & Hopgood. In their employ he often drove a team to Chicago for goods, as not a foot of railroad had yet been built in the state. Ile remained with that firm four years, receiving one hundred and ten dollars per year and his board, and for the second one hundred and fifty dollars.
On the 25th of December, 1851, Mr. Russell was united in marriage with Miss Julia T. Sampson, and the next spring started in business for himself on a small scale at Como, where he built up a good trade. He also served as postmaster of the place and as town clerk for a number of years. Besides his business property he owned a farm near Como. In 1863 he removed to Sterling and opened a general store on Third street, but later engaged in
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the clothing business with excellent success for a number of years, as a member of the firm of Russell & Burrett. He erected the building in which they carried on business and built up an excellent trade, but retired from the firm over twenty years ago. About fifteen years ago he purchased a farm, which he operated for a few years, but has now laid aside all business cares. He was one of the organizers and directors of the Sterl- ing National Bank for some years, and still owns two store buildings on Third street besides his residence property. For the success that he has achieved in life he de- serves great credit, for it is due entirely to his own energetic and well-directed efforts. On coming to this state his capital was very limited. He paid one dollar for the privi- lege of riding on a wagon from Chicago to Dixon, and as he had but a dollar remain- ing when he arrived in the latter city, he walked from there to Como. His labors have been crowned with prosperity, and he is now quite well-to-do, able to spend his de- clining years in ease and comfort, free from the turmoil of business life. He is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, and has served as alderman from the Third ward of Sterling.
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