Lee County, Illinois - Chapter 9: The French in Lee County, 1914

The French in Lee county are to be found in nearly all the walks of life and scattered throughout the entire twenty-two townships. To the writer, however, it appears that the heaviest settlement is in Viola and Brooklyn townships, at West Brooklyn, and in the vicinity bordering that town. At least one-half of Brooklyn enterprise is due to the French descendants, and especially in the west half of the township they, with the Germans, constitute the majority of the population. We also find the French in Lee Center on the west and in Wyoming on the east. Quite a settlement is located in May township, a goodly munber in Ashton, as well as scattering numbers in Dixon, South Dixon, Amboy, Harmon, East Grove, Bradford and Alto townships.

Our subject being a little too broad on account of (nu- meagre knowledge of the French inhabitants throughout the entii'e comity and not having the opportunity to learn more of those living out of the range of our acquaintance, we shall attempt only to center our history upon the French in our own township and its adjoining communities. We must therefore ask the indulgence of our readers in overlooking any errors we might make or any omissions which might occur. I^et us assure you that they shall not be intentional, but owing to lack of information.

The early arrivals from France landed at Lee Center township about the year 1853. Benjamin Leepy, a shoemaker, located at Lee Center and followed his profession for a number of years. The others were farmers in the persons of Claude Gehant and Ferdinando Py who took up their homes in Bradford township. Two years later, in 1855, a party of sixteen left their native land for America and all settled in the vicinity of Bradford. The party included Johu Bazel Hemy and wife with their two sons, Constant and Leoi^old. Constant liad been married in France and was accompanied by his wife. Others in the party were Mr. and Mrs. John Bresson and tlieir children, Delphine, Polite and Delphan; Mr. and Mrs. Edward Antoine and their three months old baby boy; Constant Barlow; Blaze Fraescheau and Modest Gehant. They lauded at New York and started westward inrmediatel.y, stoppiug at F^'rankliu drove upon reaching Lee county. From here they made their selection of homes in Bradford townshijD and for a few years the entire sixteen were located in the same parish. On January 13, 185S, twt) of the party were married, Delphine Bi'esson and Leopold Heui'y. This was one of the earliest French maniages taking place in the county and was solemnized at Aniboy. The young couple made their home in Bradford towuiship for a time and then removed to Shelley county where they remained for ten years. After their return to this county they located in Viola township on the faiin which became know^n as the old homestead. About ten years ago they retired from the farm and located in West Brooklyn. To this union ten childi'en wei'e born, six of whom are still living and I'esiding in the county. They are Lydia (Montavon), Amel. Eugene, Delphan (deceased), Edward, Josephine, Francis (deceased), Mary (Gehant), Francis Faley (deceased), and Charles (deceased).

Constant Henry had been a soldier in France before coming to this country and had sei'ved seven years in Africa defending the French flag. He also saw service in Algeria and Egypt. There were ninety-six in the party when the soldiers left the mother county foi- Africa, and only six of them returned home. The climate of the desert and the guns of the natives were terrible for any l)ut a native to withstand. His stories of soldier life in Africa can yet be remembered b_v our older inhabitants. His family were all boi'n in Lee county. They are Delia (Lawrence), Victoiine (Jeanljlauc'l. Jennie (Larkin), and j\Lnry (Terhune). Delia and Victcuine. after their marriages, moved to Iowa and are located at Eagle Grove and Fort Dodge. The other two children are still residing in the eastern part of the county.

Tn the year 1857 Mr. and Mrs. Laurent Gehant, Sr., and two danghters, Judith (now Mrs. Joseph E. Henry of Dixon) and Leona (first wife of Jose]di Chaon and now deceased), arrived at Lee Center and licrc th(^ husband and father found emplo;^anent in the Clap]) stone (piarries for a couple of years. With his family, wliich now consisted of Judith, T;eona. and Frank J., and accom- panied by Constant and Leopold Henry and their families, he moved to Shelby coimt}^ where they I'esided for ten years. All removed to Lee county in the sj^ring of 1SG8, where Mr. Gehant continued to reside until his death at the ripe age of seventy-eight years. His other children, part of them born in Shelby county, were Laurent, Jr., Henry F., Andrew, Sarah (Jeanblane), and Melenda (Edwards).

In 1857 F^'i'ances Bai'low and her daughter,^ Caroline, and the Antoines - Claiice, Mary, Euphamia, Moses, Edward, and their father - settled here. The I'l'eneh migrations to Lee county seemed to cease about this time and we hear of no more until abont 1867.

During this time many of these people were intermarrying. Delphan Bresson married Clarice Autoine while his brother, Polite, took for his wife Caroline Barlow. Delphan settled in Viola where he continued to reside until his death, a number of years ago. He is surA'ived by his widow and two sons, Henry and Alfred, both of Minnesota, and one daughter Mary, wife of August Gehant.

Polite Bresson, like his brother, was a successful farmer of Viola township up to the time of his death. His family surviving him are his aged widow and eight children, namely : Faley, Amel, Frank, Edward, Charles, Lydia (Berscheid), Amelia (Montavon), and Mary (Jid_y)- Another son. Modest, died a few years ago. All are highly respected citizens of this county and numbered among Viola's leading inhabitants. Ainel Bresson is a graduate of Valparaiso Univei'sity, at Valparaiso, Ind.

Modest Gehant went to Ohio for his wife, marrying Olympia Chaon. They settled north of West Brooklyn and there reared a large family. They are : Xavier, August. Joseph, Modest, Frank, Adolph, Izedore, Lonis, Josephine (Henry, deceased), Leona (Henry), Margarette (Henry), Mary (Oester), and Susan (Auchstetter) . It was due to this mai'riage that the Chaons, Xavier and his wife, Josephine, soon afterwaixl came westward and settled near their daughter. Besides Mrs. Modest Gehant, they had four sons, August (deceased), Amadia, Joseph, and Charles (deceased). Amadia Chaon did not live here long after attaining his majority and, as we shall see later, is located in the western part of our country. Joseph, alone, together with his family are residents of the county at this time.

union was born one son, namely Henry P., of Chicago. His second wife was Mary Antoine, and the third Mrs. Mary Py, widow of Sylvan Py, who will be remembered as the son of Ferdinando Py. Sylvan Py met his death at the age of thirty-three years through wounds sustained in a riuiaway accident. As the husband of Mary Antoine, Claude Gehaut had three children, Frank D., Euphamia (Jeanguenat, deceased), and Arthur. By his union with Mrs. Mary Py, he had six children, as follows: Clementine (McCrea), Edward, Louise (Faltz), Victoria (Bittner), Margarette (Bieschke), and Josephine (deceased). The Py children at the time of the marriage of their mother to Mr. Gehant, were Joseph (deceased), Eugene, Eliza (Gehaut), Mary (Faltz), and Adella (Frank).

Euphamia Antoine, who was married to Morris July, was the mother of two sous, Albiu and Leon. Mack July, twin brother of Morris, and their brother Joseph followed Morris to this county. Mack was married twice, his first wife being Fclica Biescha, while his sec<)nd was Mar}' Tilliou. They raised a large family. These marriages account for the family name found throughout the county today. The Julys migrated here from Ohio after the Civil war and have since continued to reside here. Morris July distinguished himself very ably as a private in the war, and can tell many tales of the hardships and occurrences of that terrible time.

Benjamin Leepy, after discontinuing his shoe shop at Lee Center, took up the farm life on a nearby farm and prospered for a number of years. Mr. and Mrs. Leepy were the parents of eight children, four girls and four boys - Ludina, Melenda, Addie, Arteua, Theodore, Jerome. Edward and Luciau. After her husband's death Mrs. I^eepy mariied August Barlow, himself a widower. His first wife had been Adell Py, the only daughter of Ferdinando Py, and to whom had been born ten named children. Sylvan, Edward, Victor, Amel, Leon, Adolph, Lydia, Clementine (deceased), Adeline and Nettie.

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Antoine raised six children, including Julius, who crossed the Atlantic with his parents when but three months old. Mrs. Antoine died leaving this family in charge of their father, who afterwards married a second time. To this union six children were born - Edward, George, Henry, Frank, Isaac and Addie.

and Mrs. Charles Jeanblanc, Mr. and Mrs. Maximau Aubert, Mr. and l\Irs. Josej)!! Bresclion, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Brescliou, Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Biesclia, Mr. and Mrs. Moses Autoiue, Louis Champlan, Nicholas Schoeffle, Jerry Tondreaii, Justin and Edward Tebeau, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Petit, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Simon and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lawrence. Charles Jeanblanc 's family consisted of three sons - Alexander, Constant and Abell. The Aubert family included three children, Leon, Benjamin and Josephine. Joseph Breschon had two sons, Charles and Joseph. Alexander Biescha was the father of two boys and two girls, namely, Frank, Alexander, Mai'y and Felica. Moses Antoine was married twice, his children by his first wife being Albert, Addie and Lucian. By his second wife they were James and Lizzie. Louis Champlan married Julia Henry, Nicholas Schoeffle married her sister Margarette, while Jerry Tondreau married a third sister, Leona. Justin Tebeau took for his wife Mary Montavon, a French woman from Switzerland. His brother Edward married Lydia Barlow. The last eight families moved to Iowa, where their descendents are still to be found.

Francis Henry landed at New Orleans in 1867 and settled at Joliet, 111., where his wife died soon after the establishment of the new home. Her death left the husband with ten children, some of whom were of very tender age. The family consisted of four boys and six girls, as follows: Joseph, Victor, Amel, Edward, Cathryn (Barlow), Margurette (Schoeffel), Leona (Tondreau), Julia (Chamijlan), Mary (Mertens), Josephine (Coty).

Joseph, the eldest son, saw service in the rebel army during the Civil war, while his brother Victor fought in the Union ranks, the two brothers taking part in several important engagements between the Blue and the Grey. Both were wounded in battle and each accused the other of firing the shot that marked the two for life. Joseph was not a rebel from choice, but being engaged in business south of the Mason and Dixie line at the outbreak of the Civil war, was given his choice between service in the Confederate army or confinement in the Andersonville prison. He chose the former and was made captain of his company, he being the only man in the company able to read orders, and served in the rebel ranks till wounded, when he returned to Lee county. After the war he served as an Indian scout for Uncle Sam in company with Buffalo Bill on the western plains. Victor, after his honorable discharge from the Union army, returned to Lee county and was joined by his brother Joseph, who in partnership engaged in farming for some years in Bradford township. Tlieir baclielor liome was a favorite place during tlie long winter nights, where the neighl)ors would assemble to listen to the brothers camptire tales of war times or "on the trail of the Indians" of the western j^lains. Edward, another brother, after reacliing his majority, settled in eastern Nebraska. Joseph E. Heni-y, better known as Squire Henry, settled in Bradford township where he owns a 360-aere farm. He was honored by his fellow towiismen with the important office of justice of the peace for more than twenty years. After retiiing from the farm he took up his residence at West Brooklyn, and about two years ago moved to Dixon. The Squire married Judith Gehant, and to this union five childi'en were born, Leoua (Jeanguenat), Edna, Laura (Wiser), Laurent and Amel (deceased). The latter was an instructor in St. Martin's College of Lacy, Washington, at the time of his death. Joseph E. Henry of Dixon and his sister Catherine Bernardin of Amboy, together with their children, are the only members of the Francis Henry family still residing in Lee county. Constant Barlow, who had been here since 1855, became the husband of Cathryn Henry, and to this union five children were born, Theodore, Alfred, Constant, Cathryn and Tena.

Constant Favre and wife, together with their two sons and two daughters, Lewis, Delphan, Gustin and 01}^npia, came here from Soutiiern Ohio and settled in May towmship about the year 1868. Tlie older Favres have been dead for many years. Louis, the oldest son, still I'esides in May township, and is recognized as one of the largest land owners in that part of the county. Delphan. the younger son, sold out his real estate ])OSsessions in Lee county some ten years ago and removed to Soutiiern Minnesota, where it is Imported he controls a large acreage of choice land. Gustin (Aubert), the older daughter, is still a I'esideut of Ma3% residing on the old Aubert homestead near the Lewis Favre estate. 01>anpia (Henry) has been dead for a number of years. Victor Henry, husband of Ol^anpia, married a second time, and then I'emoved to Kankakee, but their three daughters continued to reside in Lee connty. Frank Deville and Remy Arnould came to the vicinity of Ashton about 1867. and today we still find their descendents in the comity. Mr. Deville's family consisted of four girls and one son, the latter dying years ago. The girls names are Victorine, Clara, Mary and Euphamia. J\Ir. Arnould was the father of three boys, Julius of Viola, Vincent of Dixon and Edward of Ashton.

Eugene Vincent, who had settled at iSumuiiauk in DeKalb county upon his arrival in Illinois from his native land, came to our county in 1867. He was the lirst of this famil}' to arrive here. lie settled in Viola townsliip and continued to farm until about fifteen years ago when he and his wife located in West Brooklyn. His family are Joseph, Ernest, Modest, Amel and Mary. His wife was Clementine Hiloisy. lier brother Joseph is best known in the county, having resided in various parts for many years. One of the Diloisy girls married Charles Applegreen, while still another became Mrs. Maggie Jerrai'd. The liftli member of the family. Batiste Diloisy, was but little known here.

Joseph Vincent, Sr., came to our county a little later than his brother Eugene, but even then, not until after his son Joseph and daughter Mary had crossed the Atlantic and located here. There were still two others of the Vincent famih^ who journeyed to our country and settled here, they being Josephine and Mary, who became tlie wives of Prosper Gander and August Chaon. Theii' father, whose name also was Joseph, never settled here, but did, however, spend a few months visiting with his daughters after their marriage. Prosper Gander arrived here from Pennsylvania, where he had stopped upon reaching American soil.

Joseph Bernardin left France about 1851 and settled with the French in Ohio. About 1870 he too followed the others to Lee county and remained a lesident heie until his death, at Aniboy, a few years ago. He was married twice, his children by his hi'st wife being Henr}^ Charles, and Marv (Arnold). His second wife was the widow of Constant Barlow and to this imion were born three children - Julius, Louise (Schroer), and Peter.

These individuals and families seem to include all the early French settlei's in that part of Lee couuty covered by our subject, and it is due to these pioneers that we find the French descendents so prominently located in this county today.

There are the Henrys, Gehants, Bressons, Bernardins, and Viuceuts in and near West Brooklyn ; the Arnoidds at Ashton ; the Favres in Maytown ; the Barlows, Antoiues and De-\illes at Amboy - all ))earing the names of their ancestors direct from France. Many other French names are to be heard throughout the county and in some way or other a goodly number of these are related to those first pioneer settlers but have since lost the family name through marriage to othei's of the French nationality who have come from other states or have come from the old country in later vears.

Perhaps the largest families of the Trench nationality to be found in Lee county are the Henrys and the Gehants. As large as these families are we have them nearly all in one community and prospering with their other Trench brethren. The Henrys are divided into three distinct fanrilies, each family conung from ancestors who are not related to each other. John Bazel Henry, who came in 1855, was not related to Traucis Henry, who came in 1867. Neither were these two related to August Henry who settled in Ohio and continued to live there until his death. His sou Alexander journeyed to our county within the last ten years and has continued to reside here ever since. Mrs. Sylvan Py was also a sister of Alexander, but, of course, her descendants do not bear the name of Henry. This name perha]3s has a distinction not often boasted of by others in this resj^ect, for in Lee county and even in the same village are to be found pei-sons bearing the family name of "Henry" and three of them, neighbors, are not related in any way.

The early Frenchmen adapted themselves to the ways of the new world and aj^plied themselves in such a manner as to become real industrious, a trait which is found in our present generation and so characteristic in their every-day life. We might say the greater portion of the French to be found in Lee county are farmers. A goodly nmnber are found located in the villages following some mercantile ]iursuit and we ai'e certain to find the rest of them continuing in some trade or profession, working out their livelihood. Some are politically inclined and have been very pronunent in both our great parties during recent years. A son of Laurent C! chant, who arrived in America as we have seen in 1857, was elected to the General Assembly by the people of the thirtyfifth district in 1906 and served his i^eople in such a way as to bring great credit to himself and his nationality. This pei'son is Henry F. Gehant of West Brooklyn, and is one who is well known throughout the county today. Lie is the pioneer banker of the country town, opening the bank bearing his name in 1897 at West Brooklyn. This institution he has Iniilt u]) from year to year until now we find it one of the most important of its kind in that portion of the comity. It has a capital of $25,000 and deposits ranging from $150.0()0 to $200,000. Besides doing a general banking business its insurance department issues ]»olicies covering all the leading forms of insurance and deals in real estate and farm loans. This institution is perhaps one of the most siiccessful of those started through French cai^ital and enterprise, and stands as a moniimeut to the staunch character of those earl}^ Frenchmen as well as a momunent to its founder. Mr. Oehant's two sons, Oliver L. and Henry W., are cashier and assistant cashier, respectively, of the bank. F. D. Gehant, a cousin of the founder, acted as cashier for a number of years, but retired from the banking business eai'ly in 1912, and is now engaged in the hardware and implement business in West Brooklyn. We have already seen that F. D. Gehant is a sou of Claude Gehant, who was numbered among the very first of the French to settle in the county. His other brothers are located in various pai'ts of the state, one of them, Arthur, still residing on the old homestead in Bradford. Besides Henry F. Gehant. Laurent Gehant has three sons and two daughters residing in or near West Brooklyn, namely, Frank J., Laurent, Andrew, Mrs. Sai'ah Jeanblanc, and INIi'S. Melenda Edwards. Their daughter Leona, who accompanied her parents from France, died some thirty-live years ago, then being the wife of Joseph Chaon, another descendeut of the early French arrivals. Most of Modest Gehant 's children are still in the vicinity of West Brooklyn and are actively engaged in farming or have retired from the haixl work and content themselves in supervising their farms. August Gehant, one of the sons, has been a prominent citizen of Viola townshii^ for many years. Like many of the others before him lie married another descendant of those earl\- Frenchmen, his wife being a granddaughter of John Bresson who arrived here in 1855, and constituted one of the party of sixteen coming together that year. Other Gehants to select wives who are descended from those early pioneer settlers were Henry F., who married a granddaughter of Fei'dinando Py, Frank J., who married A'^ictoria Henry, Laurent, who married Mary Henry, Frank D., who married a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leopold Henry or a granddaughter of John Bazel Henry.

The descendents of the Henry family are represented in the business calendar of Brookhm township by Edward B. Henry, a son of Leopold Henry, who conducts a garage and is proprietor of a dram shop in West Brooklyn. He has two brothers residing in the vicinity who support the family name - Amel and Eugene, and a numl)er of sisters, all of whom are married, but who still make this county their home. The Bernardins too are sharing the retail business burdens of West Brooklyn, for JuHtis and Henry are engaged in the implement and hunber business. Julius has Theodore Barlow as his partner in the implement business. He too is a descendent of those earlv Frenchmen. Another of the nation- ality prominent in business in West Broolvlyn is Prosper Gander, who came from France in later years and after stopping for a time in Pennsylvania. As related jn^eviously, Mr. Gander is the husband of Josei)liine Vincent, and they have one daughter. - He is a mason contractor and very successfully conducts his chosen profession. The Vincents are all farmei's with the exception of Eugene and Joseph, Sr., who have retired within the past tifteen years. We still find the wives of Delphan and Polite Bresson in Viola township in the midst of their sons and daiTghters, where they have continued to till the soil throughout all these years. Like the Vincents we find the Chaons still continuing the farm life and only in a few instances have the older members of the families retired and are living in town. Joseph Chaon and wife, he having been married a second time, reside in West Brooklyn. His brother Charles died a number of years ago, but is survived b}' his German wife and their children. A brother, Amadia Chaon, moved to Nebraska many years ago. while still another l)rothei*, August Chaon, died at his home in Viola. His family have since left the county and located in the Northwest.

The F^rench language in this county is gradually, but surely, losing its identity. Through fifty years association with neighbors of every nationality the yomiger generation have lost all atfection for the tongue of their ancestors and content themselves with the English language alone. Intermarriage has residted in depleting the thoroughly French poiDulation by one-half, and it is safe to make the prediction that ere fifty years more have passed very few of the original French descendents will be recognizable in Lee county.

Perhaps the nationality being most iutei-mingled with the French is the German. Many of Irish descent are also marrying into the F'l'ench families so that in a few years more we will find our people to be not French, ncn- German, nor Irish, but descendents of a F'rench and German marriage or an Irish and French marriage. Many fidui Switzerland tiM) have migrated to our county and become identified with the local Frenchmen on account of speaking the same language. Cliiof among the Swiss wo find the Wisei's. the Bauers, and the Montavons. located here. Many would call them French, not knowing their original birthplace, and on a<'r'ount of their close semblance to the French are not distiuguis]ial)le from them. The ]>ntriotic American spirit seizes every Frenchman soon after his arrival in this country, and a

It isn't French histor)^ that Frenchmen strive to create in America, although the Frenchman has been an important factor in American history making from the very beginning. The ancestors of some of the early French settlers in Lee county left their natiA'e land with (ieneral Lafayette and shed their life blood for American independence and for patriotic love of the stiniggling colonists in their light for freedom from English tyranny. One needs but to read the early history of America to ascertain the debt of gratitude its citizens owe to the French race. Every individual aims to eontriljute his part to that great American history which every day, year after year, amazes the world and makes this nation the great leader of nations and draws to our flag the respect of every ]ieople in every clime. Let us not mourn the disappearance of the Fix'uchmen in Lee county, but feel glad to realize that they have mingled with those of every natiouality to make a new history. Let us revere them for it and close vsdth that deep sensitiveness within our breast that we owe to every patriotic and progressive American citizen for such they have, long years past, become and are today sharing their portion with the others of our great American people.