USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 60
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62
Mrs. Russell, who is a consistent mem- ber of the Congregational church, was born in Duxbury, Massachusetts, June 16, 1825, a daughter of Captain Henry Briggs and Nancy (Turner) Sampson, and granddaughter of Colonel William Turner, of Massachusetts. Mrs. Russell's father, who was an old sea captain, removed from Massachusetts to Maine, where he spent two years, and in 1836 came to Illinois. After spending three years in Tremont, Tazewell county, he came to Como with its first colony and engaged in the hotel business here for several years
on the old stage line from Chicago to Rock Island. Many noted people of the country stopped with him during early days. He died in Como, December 31, 1865, and his wife passed away October 5, 1854. His father was Job Sampson, also a sea captain, who was born September 19, 1766, and was descended from Henry Sampson, one of the Mayflower passengers. From Henry he traced his ancestry through Caleb, David and Chapin. The family lived in the neigh- borhood of Duxbury, Massachusetts, for many years and intermarried with the Standish and Alden families. Caleb Samp- son, previously mentioned, wedded Mercy Standish, daughter of Alexander Standish and granddaughter of Miles Standish. David Sampson married Mary Chapin, of Marsh- field, Massachusetts, and their son, Cap- tain Job Sampson, married Betsy, third daughter of Samuel Windsor, of Duxbury, a descendant of Philip de Lanoie, who came to Plymouth on the Fortune in 1621. Mr. and Mrs. Russell have two children: Anna F., at home; and Charles Turner, who mar- ried May Hubbard, a native of Vermont, and now resides in Sterling.
D E WITT C. WAITE is a successful agriculturist residing on section 5, Ustick township, where he operates two hundred and forty acres of land. He does not confine his attention to one line of oc- cupation, however, but as an attorney has built up a good practice in both Fulton and Ustick. He is wide-awake, energetic and progressive, and has displayed excellent business ability in the management of his affairs.
Mr. Waite was born in Chickasaw coun- ty, Iowa, April 22, 1866, a son of Cyrus H.
497
THIE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
and Catharine (Noble) Waite. His pater- nal grandfather was Downer Waite, an ex- tensive farmer of Lawrence county, New York, who owned one thousand acres of land which he divided among his children. He had five sons and five daughters, of whom the following are still living: Will- iam W., a resident of Erie, Whiteside coun- ty, Illinois; Byron, of Henry county, Mis- souri; Hannah, wife of Follet Johnson, of New York; Melvina, wife of John Hitch- cock, of St. Lawrence county, New York; and Cyrus H., father of our subject. In early life the last named followed the car- penter's trade and also worked as a bridge builder, but later turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. He was born near Rutland, Vermont, July 22, 1830, and is now living retired in Prophetstown, White- side county, Illinois, where he owns a com- fortable residence besides a country home on forty-four acres of land in Portland and Prophetstown townships. His wife, who was born in Essex county, New York, in 1838, died on the home farm in 1892. Her parents were natives of Canada and of Eng- lish descent.
Our subject is one of a family of twelve children, nine sons and three daughters, of whom one died in infancy. The others are as follows: Almira, wife of Fred Reynolds, a carpenter of Prophetstown, by whom she has two children, Catharine and Gordon; Celia, wife of Charles Turner, also a car- penter of Prophetstown, by whom she has two children, Richard and Mina; Douglas A., who is clerking in a store in Prophets- town; Downer, who married Eliza Turner and is working at the carpenter's trade in the same place; De Witt C., our subject; Fred, a resident of Prophetstown; Almon, bookkeeper for a baggage and express com-
pany in Chicago; Harry, an attorney of Prophetstown; Dolly, wife of Clate Seeley, a farmer near Prophetstown; and William and Luther, both at homc.
During his boyhood and youth De Witt C. Waite attended the country schools and worked on the home farm. Later he was a student at the Northern Illinois Normal School at Fulton, from which institution he was graduated, and also graduated from the law department with the degree of Ph. D. Subsequently he taught school for ten years, and after his admission to the bar engaged in practice for two or three years, and then turned his attention to farming and stock raising, making a specialty of cattle and hogs. He still has a law office in Fulton, and enjoys quite an extensive practice in that place, Thompson and Ustick.
On the 20th of June, 1888, was cele- brated the marriage of Mr. Waite and Miss Cora Barrett, who was born in Carroll county, Illinois, May 31, 1868, and was ed- ucated in the district schools and Fulton College, where she pursued a scientific course and was graduated. Her parents, Henry S. and Abigail E. (Safford) Barrett, were both natives of New York, the former born in 1831, the latter in 1841, and from Essex county, that state, they came to Whiteside county, Illinois, in 1849. Here the father engaged in farming for a time, but is now living retired in Fulton, though he still owns a farm in this county and an- other in Carroll county. In his family are two daughters, Cora, wife of our subject; and Mabel R., at home. Mr. and Mrs. Waite have two children, namely: Pearl, born in 1890; and Cyrus H., born in 1892.
At the age of ten years, Mr. Waite was taken by his father to Iowa, where he spent five years in true pioneer style. He has
498
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
been chased by wolves, and has broken prairie with three yoke of oxen. He also herded cattle for a time in Clay county, that state. Politically he is an ardent Re- publican, has been a delegate to the county conventions of his party, and was elected supervisor, which office he resigned as he had not the time he believed necessary to devote to its duties. While a member of the county board he was on several impor- tant committees-the judiciary, county house and claims. As a business man he has met with most excellent success, and besides his valuable farm of two hundred and forty acres, he owns three houses and twelve lots in Fulton. Both he and his wife are charter members of Ustick lodge, No. 9, Mystic Workers, and are also earnest members of the Presbyterian church, taking an active interest in its work, while Mr. Waite has filled the office of elder.
H ORACE B. COLE. For almost sixty years our subject has been a resident of Whiteside county, and has witnessed almost its entire development. On leaving here in June, 1840, wolves, deer and other wild game were plentiful. He has seen the wild lands transformed into beautiful homes and farms, hamlets grow into villages and thriving towns, the railroads, telegraphs and telephones introduced, and all of the interests and evidences of an advanced civilization adopted. He made his home in Portland township, where for many years he was actively engaged in agricultural pur- suits, but has now laid aside all business cares and is living retired in Prophetstown.
Mr. Cole was born in Erie county, New York, June 10, 1819, a son of Daniel F. and Mary (Fones) Cole, who were born,
reared and married in Rhode Island. His paternal grandparents were Daniel and Margaret (Sherman) Fones. The former was also born in Rhode Island, of English ancestry, and was a soldier of the Revolu- tionary war. The father of our subject was a soldier of the war of 1812. On leaving his native state he removed to Erie county, New York, where he improved and culti- vated a farm, making it his home until called from this life at the age of eighty- four years. His wife survived him for some time and was nearly ninety years of age at the time of her death.
In the county of his nativity, our sub- ject passed his boyhood and youth in much the usual manner of farmer boys of his day, his early education being somewhat limited, but later he attended the Aurora Academy for two or three terms. He then engaged in teaching in Erie county, New York, and also after coming to this county, following the profession for about ten years. In 1840, in company with an older brother, Daniel F. Cole, Jr., who first came to this county in 1837, our subject started westward, travel- ing by team from Buffalo. They were twenty- two days upon the road, and arrived here in June, 1840. Mr. Cole took up a claim of one hundred and sixty acres in Portland town- ship, erected thereon a cabin, and immedi- ately began to transform the wild prairie land to highly cultivated fields. The fol- lowing year he entered the land from the government, and fenced a portion of it, and as time advanced he made many valuable improvements thereon, including the erec- tion of a pleasant residence, good barn and other outbuildings. In those early days he hauled his grain and farm produce to the Chicago markets, the trip occupying from eight to twelve days. Later he purchased
499
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
two hundred and forty-five acres of land near Geneseo, Henry county, and improved that place, and also bought three hundred and twenty acres of raw land in Willow county, Nebraska. Throughout his active business life he engaged in general farming and stock raising with marked success, and as he prospered in his undertakings he is now able to lay aside all the cares and re- sponsibilities of business life and live retired at his pleasant home in Prophetstown. In 1896 he rented his farm to his son, but has since given him the place.
Mr. Cole was married in this county, in 1858, to Miss Belinda H. Brewer, a native of Massachusetts, who came here when a child with her father, Nathan Brewer, one of the early settlers of Portland township. Mrs. Cole died June 11, 1896, and was laid to rest in Sharon cemetery, Portland town- ship. By this union three children were born, namely: Hugh W., a lawyer and farmer of MeCook, Nebraska; Tibbie, wife of Emmett Brooks, a farmer of Atkinson township, Henry county, Illinois; and Fred H., a resident of Prophetstown.
In early life Mr. Cole was a supporter of the old-line Whig party, casting his first vote for "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too," in 1840, but, in 1856, he voted for John C. Fremont, and has since been a stanch Re- publican. He has been a delegate to nu- merous conventions of his party and has been honored with official positions of trust and responsibility, serving as supervisor for about twelve years, during which time he was a member of several important com- mittees, and as assessor and trustee of his township. He has also been actively identi- fied with the educational interests of his community, laid out the school lands for Portland township, was a member of the
school board for a number of years, and school commissioner for about fifteen years. He is a prominent member of Prophetstown lodge, F. & A. M., of which he is past master and which he has represented in the grand lodge; and he is also past grand of 1. O. O. F. lodge. He is honored and re- spected wherever known, and on the rolls of Whiteside county's prominent pioneers and representative citizens his name should be among the foremost.
C HARLES A. HAMILTON, a represent- ative farmer of Whiteside county, whose home is on section 20, Lyndon town- ship, was born on the farm where he still resides, September 13, 1858, and is the son of John M. and Anna B. Hamilton, his father being one of the honored pioneers aud highly respected citizens of the county.
John M. Hamilton was born in North- ampton, Hampshire county, Massachusetts, May 11, 1814, and is the son of Adam R. and Nancy (Miller) Hamilton, also natives of Massachusetts, from which state they re- moved with their family to New York, when John M. was about eight years old. They located in Clarendon, Orleans county, where they were pioneers. While yet residing in that county, John M. experienced the relig- ion of Jesus Christ and united with the Con- gregational church. He also about that time signed the temperance pledge, which he has faithfully kept to the present time. In 1835 he accompanied his father and the family to Whiteside county. Chauney G. Woodruff and William D. Dudley were in the party, and they came through with horse teams and covered wagous. They left their homes in New York May 11, 1835,
500
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
and in their journeying passed through the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana to Chicago, thence to Plainfield, Illinois, where the women and children were left, the men proceeding on their way in search of a location. In speaking of this event, John M. Hamilton thus writes:
"After leaving the families at Plainfield, my father, William D. Dudley and C. G. Woodruff and myself came to Rock river at Dixon, at which time there was but one log house there. We wished to go down Rock river to Prophetstown, and were told to go two miles south on the Peoria road, then turn to the right and follow an Indian trail which would lead us directly to Prophets- town. We started out looking for the trail, and when we had gone two miles or more, we failed to see any old trail, but came to a new trail which we followed into the Winne- bago swamps and got lost. On Saturday morning we thought we would go straight north till we struck Rock river. Having a pocket compass to guide us, we struck out, expecting to strike the river every minute. At night when we camped out the mosqui- toes were so thick that the air was full of them. We built a fire which we covered with prairie sod, which made a big smoke. This kept the pests away. We remained in camp all day Sunday, but started out bright and early Monday morning, and struck Rock river about night at Prophetstown, where we found one old settler, Asa Crook, who had settled there the previous year. WVe remained with him a day or two, and then crossed Rock river in Mr. Crook's ferry boat, poling across. We came up through the Ox Bow, through the tall prai- rie grass, striking the bluff ten or twelve rods west of the Prophetstown road, and went west until we came to where is now
Mr. Dudley's door yard. We camped there until the next day, when we went north in the Rock creek timber, which we claimed, together with the prairie between it and camp. The next day we went southwest down into what we call the "big woods," and claimed it, and the prairie between it and the camp, holding it for our friends. We then went to work to build a shanty twelve feet square of poles, and when it was high enough to put on the roof, father and Mr. Dudley went to Plainfield for the fam- ilies.
In May, 1848, John M. Hamilton mar- ried Miss Prudence Wright, in Northamp- ton, Hampshire county, Massachusetts, by which union there were three children born. (1) John L. is married and has two chil- dren, Prudence E. and Ray M. The first named is married and makes her home in Chicago. (2) Caroline married J. H. Smith and died in Kansas, after which the family moved to Morrison, Illinois. She had six children: Anna, Bessie, Kate, Amelia, Brent and Helen. (3) Elvira mar- ried Philip Stone, of Lyndon, and died dur- ing a surgical operation in Chicago, leaving two sons, Evans and Karl. Mrs. Prudence Hamilton died August 27, 1855, and lor his second wife, Mr. Hamilton married Mrs. Anna B. Woodard, whose maiden name was Thompson, in Adrian, Michigan. She died November 17, 1890. By this second union there were three children. George died in infancy. Frederick E. married Carolina Perry, by whom he had one son, Charles L., a resident of Chicago. Fred- erick died in 1898. Charles A. is the sub- ject of this sketch. Since the death of his wife, John M. Hamilton has made his home with our subject upon the farm where he located on first coming to the county al-
501
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
most sixty-five years ago. At that time there were no improvements upon the place and what is now highly cultivated fields was then wild prairie. Mr. Hamilton successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising until about ten years ago, when he laid aside business cares and has since lived retired. Since the formation of the Republican party he has been one of its stanch supporters.
Charles A. Hamilton, of this review, was reared on the old homestead where he now resides, and was educated in the dis- trict schools of the neighborhood. He now operates the farm, comprising two hundred and fifty-nine acres, and is also engaged in buying hay and straw and baling it for ship- ment. On the 23d of June, 1881, he was united in marriage with Miss Theora Emily Helms, a daughter of Henry E. and Lucy (Gould) Helins, whose sketch appears on another page of this volume. By this union seven children were born, two dying in in- fancy, and one, Herbert E., died at the age . of three years. Those living are, namely: Grace E., Arthur E., Lucy A. and John H.
In his political affiliations Mr. Hamilton is a Republican, and is one of the leading politicians of Lyndon township, as well as one of its representative men. He is a member of the town committee, has been appointed judge of election for a number of years, has filled the office of town clerk for five years, and for four consecutive years has most acceptably served as assessor. He is a member of Lyndon lodge, No. 750, F. & A. M., of which he is now mas- ter. Also a charter member of the Modern Woodmen of America of Lyndon, and a charter member of the Knights of Phythias lodge at Prophetstown, and of Mystic Workers of the World, No. 41, at Lyndon.
JOSHUA HOLLINSHEAD, who owns and successfully operates an excellent farm of two hundred and twenty-five acres of land on sections 7 and S, Ustick town- ship, and also another of one hundred and twelve acres on section 12, Fulton town- ship, was born near Toronto, in upper Canada, September 7, 1827, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Rush) Hollinshead, the former of Welsh and the latter of English descent. Both families were founded in America during colonial days. The mother was born December 12, 1806, and was a descendant of Dr. Rush, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Her mother, Mrs. Julia A. Rush, did garrison duty in the Revolutionary war. The father of our subject was born near Trenton, New Jersey, January 6, 1798, and brought his family to Whiteside county, Illinois, when Joshua was only thirteen years of age. Hle located in what is now Clyde township, which at that time had not been surveyed, and took up a half section of land, which he commenced to improve, but died in 1842, about a year after his arrival. His wife survived him a number of years, dying in 1864. In their family were seven children, namely: Joshua, our subject; Julia Ann, who married C. C. Knight, and died in 1883; Jacob, who died in Fulton, Illinois, in 1895; Daniel, who also resides on section 8, Ustick township; Lydia, deceased wife of D). Far- well, a retired farmer; Mary, wife of H. Worthington, of Fulton, and Emily, also a native of Fulton.
The early life of our subject was passed upon the frontier in true pioneer style, and he was educated in the primitive log school- house with its slab benches for seats. Being the oldest of the family, he took charge of the home farm after his father's death, and
502
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
successfully carried on the same until the children were grown. In 1848 he was united in marriage with Miss Nancy Ingham, a native of New York state, who died in 1858, leaving two sons. John David, the elder, died in Idaho at the age of twenty- eight years. Reuben P. was a soldier in the Seventh Corps in the Civil war, and since his discharge has engaged in the bakery business. He married Mary S. Brumagine and they have three children, two sons and one daughter.
After the death of his wife Mr. Hollins- head disposed of his business interests here and went west for his health, but returned to this county at the time of his mother's death. Later he married Mrs. Mehitable (Applebee) Lawrence, widow of Albert Law- rence. By her first marriage she had one son, Professor Wallace G. Lawrence, who was reared by our subject from the age of six years. By the second union five chil- dren were born, but two died in infancy. Those living are George, a resident of Ful- ton, who married Addie Fisk and has four daughters; Mattie, wife of Waite Lewis, who lives east of Morrison, and by whom she has one son; and Emma, wife of Ed- ward Blodgett, who is a graduate of a law college and a resident of Fulton. The mother of these children died July 9, 1882, and Mr. Hollinshead was again married August 21, 1883, his third union being with Miss Emma Wilson, who was born in St. Louis, Missouri, November 6, 1859, and is daughter of John and Ann (Wilson) Wilson, the former a native of Toronto, Canada, the latter of England. At the opening of the Civil war Mr. Wilson was a railroad engineer in the south, but, being a Union sympathizer, had to come north. He was captured and wounded, still carrying a rebel
bullet in his body. He now makes his home in Clinton, Iowa. His wife died in 1881, leaving five children, namely: Emma, wife of our subject; Laura; Walter; Cora T .; and Phernia, who married a nephew of our subject.
Mr. Hollinshead is engaged in general farming and makes a specialty of baling hay, a part of which he ships and the re- mainder he sells to the home market. He has met with well deserved success in life and is now quite well-to-do. Between the ages of twenty and thirty years he devoted considerable time to hunting and trapping, not only because he enjoyed the sport, but also because it proved quite profitable financially. Four times he has crossed the plains and has keep a full account of each day during his travels. He is a stanch Democrat, and has taken quite an active and prominent part in local politics. His fellow citizens, recognizing his worth and ability, have elected him to several official positions of honor and trust, having served as supervisor two terms, assessor three terms, school trustee two terms, and road commissioner and director. He was also a member of the committee appointed to se- lect a name for his township, and in many ways has been prominently identified with public affairs.
F REDERICK WOOD, a highly esteemed citizen of Morrison, who is now living retired from active labor, was born near the town of Oldham, in Yorkshire, England, April 8, 1832, a son of Joseph and Mary (Broadbent) Wood, also natives of that shire, where the father worked as a spinner in a woolen mill. When our subject was seven years of age the family came to Amer-
503
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ica on a sailing vessel and were twenty-eight days in crossing the Atlantic. They landed in New York and from there went to Massa- chusetts, where they remained about a year, the father being employed in a woolen mill. Subsequently he worked for five or six years in Glenham, New York, and was similarly employed by a Mr. Higgins at Haverstraw, New York, for about three years. In Octo- ber, 1849, he came to Illinois in company with our subject, and purchased a claim in Clyde township, Whiteside county, which he immediately entered and to the cultiva- tion and improvement of which he and his son at once turned their attention. The following spring he was joined by his wife and the remainder of the family. Only thirty-five acres had previously been broken and a log house erected thereon. These constituted the only improvements. So sparely was the county settled at that time that not a house was in sight from their home and there were only two dwellings between it and Fulton and two between it and Sterling. They did most of their trad- ing at Fulton, which was then a little ham- let containing between twenty-five and fifty inhabitants, and was twelve miles across the open prairie from their home. The father continued the operation of this farm until he retired from active labor. He died in May, 1884, and his wife, who had preceded him to the world beyond, died April 9, 1873. They had four children: Joseph and Mary were twins. The former died at the age of twenty-three years, but the latter is still living and is the wife of Simon Stapleton, a retired citizen of Morrison. James married Elizabeth Demmon and is engaged in farm- ing near Edwardsburg, Michigan. Fred- erick completes the family.
Coming to the United States at the age
of seven years, our subject was reared in this country, but his school privileges were limited and the greater part of his education has been acquired by reading and observa- tion. At the age of eight he commenced working as a feeder in a mill at Glenham, New York, for one dollar and a quarter per week, and when twelve began working as a stripper in a tobacco shop, where he was employed until coming to Illinois, with the exception of one winter spent with his par- ents at Haverstraw, New York.
Mr. Wood remained on the home farm until his marriage, which was celebrated De- cember 30, 1852, Miss Sarah Milnes becom- ing his wife. She was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, July 6, 1833, a daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Exley) Milnes, both na- tives of Yorkshire, England, the former born February 20, 1802, the latter January 27, 1800. Her father was the oldest in a family of three children whose parents were Joseph and Ann Milnes, of Yorkshire. Jo- seph Milnes was a mechanic and a very clever man. Mrs. Wood's maternal grand- parents were John and Mary Exley, of York- shire, who came to America at an early day and located in Bloomfield, New Jersey ; the grandfather established a woolen mill and engaged in the manufacture of blankets and cloth for men's underwear, having pre- viously been engaged in that business in the old country. He made his home in Bloom- field until his death. In his family were six children. In 1829 Thomas Milnes came to the new world and was seven weeks in cross- ing the ocean. He brought with him his wife and six children, of whom the eldest was but eight years of age. Arriving in New York, Mr. Milnes went at once to Bloom- field, New Jersey, where he worked as a blanket maker for a few months, and then
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.