Harmon Township

Harmon Township

This township is bounded on the south bj' Hamilton, on the east by Marion, on the north by Nelson, and on the west by Whitesides county. As yet the land is not as productive as in some parts of the county, being very flat and inclined to be marshy, but as drains are being made in all parts of the township it is rapidly improving, and when thoroughly drained will be as good as the average. Owing to the sterility of the soil the township is sparsely settled, the present population not being more than about six hundred. The inhabitants are largely Irish.

In early times, owing to the numerous swamps and ponds, ducks and geese were very plentiful, and hunting was a favorite pastime among the early settlers. The first settler was John D. Rosebrook, who purchased a large tract of land in the eastern part of the township. Among the settlers who came soon after Mr. Rosebrook were Louis Hullinger, Thomas Sntton, John L. Porter and James Porter, jr. The first school-house in the township was built on Sec. 23 in 1856. The first school was held at the residence of Mrs. Tuttle and conducted by her daughter, Vienna Tuttle.

The village of Harmon, situated on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad, was laid out in 1871, on land owned by A. Kenyon. The present population of the village is about three hundred. Surrounded by a wide scope of country, which, owing to the industry of its enterprising citizens, is rapidly improving, Harmon promises to become one of the thriving inland villages of Lee county. It has two extensive elevators, wliich receive large quantities of grain, three drygoods and grocery stores, one jewelry store, three blacksmith shops, one livery stable and one hotel, one creamery and three churches, the Methodist Episcopal, Weslej'an Methodist and Catholic.

The Weslej'an Methodist church was accepted by the Illinois conference September 20, 18G2. The first pastor of this organization was the Rev. J. Pinkney ; Secretary, L. Wakeman ; the present pastors are the Rev. J. P. Spalding and William Clalworthy. ,Tiie present membership is si.xty-four. Tlie trustees are Levi Jennes, W. L. Smith, A. Berlin.

The Methodist Episcopal society was organized in 1871. The first pastor was the Rev. Rice, whose initials the writer was unable to ascertain. The first class-leader was James Backus ; the present pastor is the Rev. Edward Breen, who took charge in October 1879. In March, 1881, the following-named persons were elected as trustees for the purpose of building a church : A. B. Smith, W. E. Mechem, J. U. Fry, W. H. Kline, Daniel Swartz.

Silas Ackeet, Harmon, son of Edward and Sarah Ackert, was born in Ulster county, New York, in 1836, where he resided until nineteen years of age; he then came to Marion township, Lee county, and was there engaged in farming. After remaining there nine years he removed to Amboy and remained one year, after which he went to Woosung, Ogle county, where he worked at his trade (blacksmithing) for six years. At the end of this time he removed to Harmon township. In 1879 he was elected supervisor of the township, and reelected in 1880. Is a member of the Baptist church, with which he united in 1869. Married in 1865, to Miss Mary J. Rosebrook, a native of New Hampshire. Is father of one child. Politically Mr. Ackert is an independent, owing no allegiance to any faction or party.

George W. Hill, merchant, Harmon, son of George and Margaret Hill, was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, in 1848. His father was here engaged in manufacturing soap. When George was fifteen years of age his father, with his family, removed to Monongahela City, where they remained three years ; at the end of that time George went to Frostburg, Maryland, and remained two years, and then came to Lee county, where he farmed and worked at carpentering until April 1877, when he engaged in the dry-goods and grocery business. He was also appointed postmaster in that year in the village of Harmon. Mr. Hill was married in 1871, to Miss Gula E. Porter, daughter of James Porter, jr., one of the early settlers of Harmon township. Mr. Hill started in business with but a few iumdred dollars of borrowed capital, and by close attention to business has placed himself in good circumstances. Mr. Hill is a young man of enterprise and public spirit, and

John T. Swan, Harmon, son of James G. and Susan Swan, was born in Bureau county, Illinois, in 1852. He remained there until twenty years of age, when he went to Peru, Illinois, and attended high school one year; at the end of that time he came to Harmon and engaged in the dry-goods and grocery business. Mr. Swan is one of the many prosperous merchants of Lee county. Was married in 1S75, to Miss Clara Shelliatner, a native of Lee county.

Thomas Surrox, f^irmer, Harmon, son of Joseph and Hanna Sutton, was born on Wheeling Creek, Virginia, in 1820. At the age of live years his father, with his family, moved to a point about fifteen miles north of Zanesville, Ohio, where he resided two \'ears; from there they went to Jackson county, Ohio, and remained until Tliomas was seventeen. At this time they sold their farm and located in Hocking county, Ohio, and remained until 1851:. In that year they removed to Lee county and bought land in the S. i Sec. 25, Harmon township. Mr. Sutton was married in 1840, to Miss Mary Ann Petit, a native of Ohio.

Abner C. Welch, Stone Station, son of Russell and Louisa M. Welch, was born in Oneida county. New York, in 1848. In 1856 he went with his father's family to Michigan, and received his early education in Grandville, in that state. In 1805 Abner removed to Lee county, and began farming in Nelson township, where he remained until 1875, when he removed to Harmon township and bought land in section 6. In 1878 he embarked in the grain and stock business at Stone Station, at which he has since been engaged. He was married in 1870, to Miss Ada Stone, a native of Lee county.

Wilson E. Mechem, farmer, Harmon, son of John and Abigail Mechem, was born in Belmont count}-, Ohio, where he resided until he was twenty-seven years of age, when he removed to Magnolia, Putnam county, Illiudis, where he worked at his trade (carpenter) for three years, after which he went to Marshall count}' and resided there from 1854 to 1868; in that year he removed to Petis county, Missouri, and remained five years, then returned to Marshall county and remained three years. He then removed to Lee county and bought land in sections 22 and 27, in Harmon township. Mr. Mechem is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, with which he united in 1870. He was married December 31, 1851, to Miss Rlioda Simson, a native of Ohio.

Lewis Hullinger, farmer, Stone Station, son of Frederic and Catharine Hullinger, was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, in 1820. Wiien Lewis was seventeen years of age his father's family re- moved to Baltimore county, Maryland, where they remained aboutfive years. At the end of this time they went to Bradford county, Pennsylvania. At the ao;e of fourteen Lewis was apprenticed to a blacksmith at a place called Flint Stone, in Alleghany county, Maryland. He served five years' apprenticeship, after wliich he embarked in business alone. He carried on a shop at Polish Mountain, three and a half miles east of Flint Stone, for four years. From that place he removed to Mount Savage, in the same county, where he remained until the spring of 1855. In that year he came to Lee county and bought land in S.W. ^ Sec. 7, in Harmon township. Mr. Hullinger was married in 18i7, to Miss Snsan Long, a native of Pennsylvania, and is the father of nine children, six of whom are living. He is the present supervisor of the township.

W. H. Allen, farmer. Stone Station, son of John and Mercy Allen, was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Jul}' 18, 1824. The famil}' remained there until William was ten years of age, when they removed to Erie county. New York, where they remained until 1839. In that year William, actuated by a desire to see some of the sights and wonders of the boundless West, left home and started on a journey toward the setting sun. Before his return he traveled over nearlj^ all of the United States east of the Mississippi from Canada to New Orleans. After an absence of two years he returned to his old New England home and attended school three years at Dartmouth. In 1847 lie sailed as a common hand on a merchant vessel that left the port of New York bound for Vera Cruz, and was in sight of that famous old city during the bombardment. From Vera Cruz he returned to New Orleans and was there made captain of a vessel engaged in the coasting trade, and was engaged in that business for several years. In 1848 he again returned to New Bedford and remained there until 1852. In that year he sailed on a whaling vessel, occnpying the position of first mate. On the first voyage he was absent two years, during which time he was in nearly all of the important seaport towns in the world. Mr. Allen has in his possession a large diary, or sailor's log-book, kept by himself during his life on the ocean wave, containing sketches descriptive of the people he saw in the different countries he visited, also containing descriptions of the countries, records of every storm encountered, of every whale captured, etc. In perusing this time-worn book the writer found sketches dated at Melbourne, Australia, Hong Kong, China, Gibralter, and many places of historical interest, among which was some notes written at the island of St. Helena. While here Mr. Allen visited the burial-place of the dead conqueror, who had once electrified the world by his brilliant military movements, and who ended his days on that lone, barren isle with no loving hand to caress him, no voice to bid him a last farewell, save that of the wild waves as they dashed against the bleak and rocky shore. Mr. Allen spent abont fourteen years of his life on the sea, and has now changed his occupation from that of plowing the billowy deep to that more humble and less exciting vocation of tilling the soil. He came to Lee county in 1864 and bought land in K.W. i of Sec. IS, Harmon townsiiip. He was married in 1859, to Miss Caroline Dean, also a native of Massachusetts.

Abraham Berlin, farmer, Harmon, son of Abraham and Maria Berlin, was born in Xorthampton county, Pennsylvania, in 1837, where he remained until tifteen years of age. His father died in 1847. In 1853 Abraham came with his mother to Stephenson county, Illinois, where they resided two years and then removed to Bureau county, Illinois. They resided in that count}' live years, and then came to Lee county and bought land in S.W. ^ Sec. 26. Mr. Berlin is a member of the Wesleyan Methodist church, with which he united in 1SG5; was married iii 1863, to Miss Nancy Jane Swan, a native of Kentucky, and is the father of five children.

Asa B. Smith, farmer, Harmon, son of Obediah and Lorena Smith, was born in Norwich count}', Connecticut, in 1822, where he resided until twenty-one years of age. His father was engaged in the clothing business in New London, but as Asa's tastes did not run in that direction he was apprenticed to a stone-cutter at an early age, and served until the fall of 1843. In the spring of 1814 he went into the city of Buffalo, where he worked five years at his trade. At the end of that time he went to far\ning, and was engaged in tilling the soil until 1855. In February of that year he came to Lee county and located in Di.xon township, where he was for three years engaged in burning lime and afterward in farming. In the spring of 1861 he removed to Ogle county and remained there until January of the same year, when he returned to Di.xon township, and was engaged in farming and ferrying until the spring of 1865, when he moved to Harmon township, and since that time has been a prominent citizen of that township. Mr. Smith was married in January 1846, to Miss Sarah M. Rogers, a native of Erie county, New York, and is the father of three children, two sons and one daughter. In 1871 was elected justice of the peace, which oflice he held for a period of ten years. Politically Mr. Smith is a democrat, although quite liberal in his views on all questions, and a very desirable citizen in any community.

Jkssk Hktlku, farmer, Dixon, the son of Nathan and Catherine (Kulp) Hetler, was born in the township of Dixon, on April 27, 1839. His father migrated from Columbia county, Pennsylvania, to Dixon, and was one of the oldest settlers in the township ; when he came to

Dixon there were only three log-houses in the city. Jessie received his education at the old Bend sciiool-house, and worked on his father's farm till the age of twenty-four, when he married Miss Mary E. Beal, daughter of Mr. John Beal, of South Dixon, now of Iowa, in which latter state Mr. Hetler lived for seven years after his marriage. Returning to Palmyra, Lee county, he bought a farm of 160 acres, which he cultivated successfully for five years, when he sold it and bought in Nelson township, December 1, 1879, a homestead of 156 acres, which to-day ranks among the best farms in the township, and on which he now dwells. His family consists of two boys and three girls, named John T. Imogene, Alice Amanda, Nathan and Catherine, aged respectively sixteen, fourteen, twelve, eight and six years. Mr. Hetler is a member of the temperance organization. His first vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln.

This originally included T. 21 and half of 22, R. 11 E., of the 4th P.M. Its limits remained unchanged till the separation of the north halt-township in the organization of Ashton township in 1861.

The first meeting was held April 1850, at the house of Ralph B. Evitts; Elisha Pratt, chairman, and Thomas S. Hulbert, secretary. Charles Starks was duly elected moderator and T. S. Hulbert, clerk, and both were sworn by Geo. E. Haskell, justice of the peace. The town was divided into three road districts. A fence law was passed. Charles Starks was elected supervisor, receiving 27 votes ; Ira Brewer, town clerk, 19 votes; E. W. Starks, assessor, 18 votes; Samuel S. Starks, collector, 29 votes; Ralph B. Evitts, overseer of the poor, 20 votes; Sherman Shaw, Stephen Clink and George Yale, highway commissioners, 29, 26 and 28 votes respectively ; Samuel S. Starks and Daniel Barber, constables, 27 votes each ; Elisha Pratt and Lafayette Yale, justices of the peace, 24 and 21 votes respectively. Jesse Woodruft was nominated and elected as the defendant and prosecutor of suits of law and equity where the town is interested. On motion it was voted that the next meeting be held at R. B. Evitts'. Meetings were held at private houses till 1856, when a meeting was held in the schoolhouse at Ogle Station (now the village of Ashton).

Bradford is an excellent townsliip for farming. About three sections in the southeast corner consist of marsh or swamp land, used only for pasturing. Sec. 5, and a little adjoining land, is flat ; the rest of the township is probably equal in natural productiveness to any other equal portion of Lee county. The land is in a good state of culture and mostly well improved. The inhabitants are German by a good majority. Nearly all of the first occupants of the town, nearly all, settled in Lee Center, and thence spread out over the prairie north. Some made their claims as soon as they arrived in this locality ; others lived at the "Inlet" a year or two before making any claim. Nearly all worked their claims before settling on them and building. Mr. Whitmore and Siierman Shaw were the first to build houses within the limits of Bradford. The house of the former was standing as early as the spring of 1839, on land now owned by Mrs. Schott, in the western part of the township. In 1840 Shaw built a frame house on the N.E. corner of Sec. 31. This building is still standing. Egbert Shaw is said to have been the first white child born within the towiisliip. Omen Hillison's house was bnilt soon after those mentioned. Several claims were made in 1839, and but few, if any, before. In 1838 Charles Starks came to Inlet Grove, and the ne.xt year claimed the E. ^N.W. ^ of Sec. 32, and the W. ^ N.E. J of the same section. About this time the Whipples claimed a short distance north of here. Starks at once began breaking his claim, and built and moved on to it in 1842. In 1839 George and Milo Yale claimed the N.W. ^ Sec. in Bradford. In 1842 their father, N. C. Yale, moved from Franklin Grove to where Jacob Schmucker lives. Sec. 1. Before 1842 Jesse Woodruff settled on Sec. 32, R. B. Evitts on Sec. 29, and at about this time C. Bowen settled north of Bowen on the same section, and Stephen Clink built the stone house on the place where V. Hicks lives, Sec. 33. As early as 1845 John Ilotzel was keeping what might be called a bachelors hall in a slab shanty on the E. ^ S. W. -J- of Sec. 31, claimed by him two or three years before. Hillison also was for several years a bachelor in Bradford, and lived in a sod house on the prairie before he put up his frame house. In 1842 Elias Hulbert claimed the S. ^ S.E. i of Sec. 19, and moved on to it in the fall of the same year. John Owen was an early settler on what is now known as Bradford street.

Many of the first occupants were from Bradford county, Pennsylvania, and from this circumstance the town took its name. Lewis Clapp located quite a number of land warrants at an early period ; and much land was bought with money furnished by him to parties many of whom would otherwise have been unable to purchase so soon as they did. It may be justly said of Mr. Clapp that directly or indirectly he did more than any other man for the early development of this township. As it now is it presents an appearance of thrift and abundance. Its population is industrions and peaceful. The town is not thickly settled, many of the farms being quite large. Inlet swamp covers Sec. 36, nearly all of 35 and 25, besides a little of 24 and 34 in the southeastern part; this has no dwellings upon it.

Bradford. The eiglit school-buildings are fully an average of the country school-house, and doubtless the instruction given in them is not materially different from work generally done in the country school ; and yet the writer cannot dispossess himself of the idea that an over industry or greed for "eighties" and "forties" possesses many of the foreign-born farmers, to the serious detriment of their children, in that mental culture is lacking.

As early as 1850 meetings of the Evangelical church of Bradford were held at the house of John Hotzel, just over the line in China, nearly opposite William Ross' place. Hotzel had a room fitted up for the purpose, and a Sunday-school was also started. These were the first German meetings in the county. The preachers came from Perkins' Grove, Bureau county : McLean was the first, "William Kolp was the next. Reinhart Grass, John Ascheubrenner, John Hotzel and his family, members of the families of C. Reinhart and Conrad Hotzel were among the original members. In 1859 a church was built on Sec. 17 at a cost of $1,300. In 1874 an addition was made and a steeple erected at a further cost of S2,700, making the total about $4,000. The present membership is si.xty, all but two of whom live in Bradford township. The Sunday-sciiool numbers 125 pupils and 18 offices and teachers. The present pastor is Adam Goetshel, who has charge of this and another church in Reynolds township. These are in the Ashton circuit and Mendota district. All services are in the German tongue. The trustees of this church are Reinhart Grass, Peter Eisenberg, Nicholas Killmer, William Ross, and Charles Krug. The first trustees were C. Reinhart, R. Grass, and John Ascheubrenner.

There are two cemeteries within the limits of Bradford. One is on Sec. 29, on the southwest corner of the southeast quarter. Here between forty and fifty have been interred. The earliest inscription, October 25, 1842, is on the stone over the grave of Mrs. Hannah Hulbert. Here are the graves of Omen Hillison, who died June 21, 1853 ; Lucretia Sawyer, wife of C. Sawyer, June 20, 1848 ; Sarah A., wife of John Methorn, January 21, 1857 ; Lurany, wife of Elisha Pratt, April 9, 1858, aged sixt^'-eight years ; Eliza A., wife of R. B. Evitts, February 28, 1877, aged sixty-eight years, six months and twenty-eight days; Stephen Clink, August 5, 1858, aged fifty years and ten months; Susannah, daughter of M. W. and L. A. Welden, August 17, 1848, aged nineteen years and four months. The other is on Sec. 15, a little north of C. Gehant's house. There have not been so many burials here as in the former, having been opened later, and these are chiefly of foreigners.

Thomas S. Hiilbert, Cliarles D. Hart, Valentine Hicks, C. F. Starks, and George Hulbert were the incorporators. It was to be styled " The Fanners' Mutual Fire Insurance Conapany of Bradford, in the county of Lee." At the first meeting, held Xoveniber 1869, fifty -four applications were received, and fifty-one were appros'ed and signed. Since its organization the company has had but three losses, amounting to §2,i40. It has had no loss for two years. The number of policies in force December 31, 1880, was -±40, amounting to $51)2,190. About twenty policies have since been written; making the total risk at this writing (July 1881) about 8620,000. These policies are held chiefly in Lee county, in the north and eastern parts. A few are held in Bureau and Ogle counties. The oflicers of the companj^ are Ira Brewer, Samuel Dysart, George A. Lyman, 0. D. Hart, William V. Jones, R. Grass, William Ross, managers; Ira Brewer, president; Samuel Dysart, secretary; 0. D. Hart, treasurer; William V. Jones, general agent.

Biographical

William S. Frost, farmer, Lee Center, was born in October 1832. His father, Daniel Frost, was born in New Hampshire in 1799. Eulalia Frost, his mother, was born in Maine in 1798. In 1837 Daniel Frost emigrated from Maine to Illinois. Leaving his family in Morgan county, he came to Lee county and built a log house about half a mile north and east of the Binghamton mill in Amboy township. The following spring the family came on, and in the fall of 1838 they settled on a place about a mile and a half east of Lee Center. In 1852 Mr. Frost moved into the village of Lee Center, where he lived till his death, October 18G8. His wife, Eulalia Frost, died May 6, 1875. Of his eight children six survive him, Charles, Elizabeth (Mrs. Smith), Lydia (Mrs. Salsbury), William S., Silas D. and Marcia (Mrs. McKay). Mary (Mrs. Gilmore) died October 1865; Almira died March 1875. In the winter of 1853-i William Frost went to California and returned in the fall of 1858. In the following spring he went again to California, overland, and remained till the summer of 1861, when he came home by way of Panama. At this point of his journey he heard of the battle of Bull Run. In May, 1862, he began raising a company, which was mustered at Dixon in June. On or about June 1 Mr. Frost received his commission as captain of Co. E, 75th 111. Inf This was a full company from Sublette and Lee Center. Frank Ells was first lieutenant. Tlie companj' left their camp at Dixon September 27, 1862, and were first engaged at Perryville October 8. Here Co. E lost heavily : eleven were killed, twenty-six wounded, and two taken prisoners ; Lieutenant Ells was killed and Captain Frost wounded.

The latter was removed to the New Albany, Indiana, hospital, where he remained two months. He joined his company in the battle of Stone river. He was in the engagements at Liberty Gap and Chicamaiiga. In October, 1863, the 75th was assigned to the 3rd brigade, 1st division, 4th Army Corps, General "William Grose commanding.

Capt. William S. Frost was with his company in the battles ot Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, and through to Atlanta, before which city he was wounded July 23, 1864, in consequence of which he was in hospital at Lookout Mountain till October, and then was sent home. He was mustered out February 23, 1865, at Cincinnati, Ohio, because of physical disabilities. In November, 1865, he married Sophia E. Shaw, daughter of Sherman Sliaw. Their issue are Frank E., born November 3, 1866 ; Silas D., February 3, 1871 ; "William S., September 22, 1872; Melinda S., February 11, 1868; Mary A., June 27, 1878. Mr. Frost is now living on Sec. 28, where James Phillips settled, having bouglit him out in 1871. He has a farm of 400 acres in Sees. 27 and 28. In 1873 he was burned out ; but built again immediately, and two 3'ears ago completed his residence, at a cost of $4,000. He is chiefly engaged in the raising of and trading in stock. He is a Mason, and for several years has been supervisor of Bradford. We wish him all the success that his generous nature deserves.

Ira Brewer, farmer, Lee Center, was born in Hampshire county, Massachusetts, in 1820. He is the son of Jonas B. and Betsey (Miller) Brewer, of English ancestrj'. His father was a farmer and he was reared to the same occupation. After he was ten years old he received but four terras of schooling of three months each. In 1842 he was married to Mary Phillips, who was born in Berkshire county, Massachusetts, November 1822. In the following year he and his wife came west, arriving in Lee Center in June 1843. Here they lived in a house previously occupied by Charles Starks, on the place now owned by Alva De Wolf The same year Mr. Brewer bought from O. W. "Wriglit a claim, "W * N."W. ^ of Sec. 32, Bradford toM-nship, for $40 in trade; also the E. ^ N.E. ^ of Sec. 31, from Sturdevant, for which, with ten acres of timber at "the grove," he paid $100. He afterward entered both these claims. In 1845 he build a house, 19x24 feet, on his claim, about one hundred rods north of his present dwelling, which is situated on the E. i S.E. J of Sec. 31, having built the latter in 1859. Mr. Brewer now owns ^70 acres in Bradford, Sees. 31 and 32, and a large tract in Lee Center township, on Sees. 3, 16, 17 and 23. He has had six children, four of whom are living: Louisa, bora March 30, 1846 ; George W., April 25, 1848 ; Ella J., December 11, 1849; Clara A., August 16, 1852; Luna C, August 22, 1854; and

Mary Jane (deceased, aged ten months). Clara A., wife of B. Starks, died October 2-lr, 1872. Mrs. Brewer was the oldest in a family of eight. Her father died in Massachusetts and her mother in Chippewa county, Wisconsin, at the residence of her youngest son. Two of Mrs. Brewer's brothers were in the Kansas struggle. One was killed there in 1856 and the other lost an arm. In politics Mr. Brewer is a greenback republican. He was the first town clerk of Bradford, and for several years was supervisor. He with his family belongs to the Congregational church. He has in his possession several valuable relics: one is a powder-horn used in one of the early Indian wars, another is a continental dollar "Printed by Hall & Sellers 1775." Mrs. Brewer has an old Gaelic bible brought to this country by her grandfather McCiillum more than one hundred years ago. On the first cover are written these words: "Malcum McCullum augh this book 1772. I am eighteen years old 1772. I have five brethren and tue sisters." On the next page is written : "'Malcum McCullum is my name; Bradalban is my nation; Ardchoie is my dwelling place, my boni habitation 1771. Malcum McCullum augh this new testament." On the title-page is inscribed: "Le Balfour, Auld, agus Smellie, M,DCC,LXVII." The book is in a good state of preservation, the only disfigurement being the marks of a wetting it received on Its voyage from Scotland. But for lack of space the writer would gladly testify to the many excellent qualities of the subjects of this sketch.

LoRiN T. Wellman, farmer, Lee Center, was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, in 1821. He is the son of David and Abagail (Taylor) Wellman. His father was descended from one of two brothers who came from England about two hundred years ago. David Wellman came with his parents to Pennsylvania from Connecticut about 1808. Jacob Wellman, the grandfather of our subject, was all through the revolutionary war. In 18-10 the latter married Waity Hopkins, of New York state, and in 1848 came to Lee county, and at first lived about one and a half miles west of the village of Lee Center, and subsequently in the village. His father settled at the same time in Du Page county, Illinois. In 1852 Lorin Wellman located a land warrant on the N.E. ^ N.E. ^ of Sec. 27, for his father, and at the same time the X.W. of Sec. 23 for himself. In the meantime he followed the mason's trade till 1856, when he bought his father's property and moved to where he is now living. David Wellman having moved to Bradford in 1853, and died in August 1S55. Mr. Wellman owns 240 acres of land in Bradford, and an improved farm of 219 acres in Lee Center township. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a Mason and a republican, but was a staunch democrat till the democratic platform of 1856 was formulated. His family consisted of Charles H., William (deceased, aged seventeen years), Dennis, Trnman E., Seth A. and Ida M. The first and third of these are married and living in Kansas. Seth A. is married and lives in Indiana. Ida M. is the wife of German Lewis. Truman E. Wellman died in 1864, in his twenty-second year. He was a dwarf, and during his entire life was a sufferer from chronic humors and erysipelas. Notwithstanding his great affliction, he was remarkably intelligent and sprightly, and will long be remembered by all who knew him.

Haelow a. Williamson, farmer, Franklin Grove, was born in Addison county, Vermont, January 8, 1830; son of Samuel and Sibyl (Delong) Williamson, both of Vermont. Their ancestors were early English settlers in that state. Harlow Williamson was the son of a farmei', and one of a family of four boys and three girls, all of whom are west, except one brother, who lives on the homestead in Vermont. The subject of this sketch came to Lee county in 1850 ; worked around by the month four years. He bought the N.W. ^ Sec. 21, Bradford township, from Lewis Clapp, and in 1853 built a house. He now owns a farm of 180 acres with good buildings. His house, built since " the war," cost him not less than $3,000. In 1857 he married Emeline S. Starks, of Lee county. Their family consists of two adopted children, Harry and Katie Belle, aged fourteen and seven years respectively. Mr. W. is a republican in politics, and with his wife belongs to the Lee Center Congregational church. He is a careful farmer, and liis place presents a tasteful and thrifty appearance.

Philip Runyan, farmer, Franklin Grove, was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, in 1818; son of Joshua and Elizabeth (Swisher) Runyan, both of Pennsylvania. His mother's people were from Virginia, and his paternal grandfather was a native of New Jersey. Philip was the eldest in a family of twelve, ten of whom are living. He was raised a farmer, and enjoyed the benefits of a common schooling. He was married March 28, 184-4, to Elizabeth Savage, born September 8, 1819. Their issue are Anna, born February 1, 1847; Esther, November 8, 1850 ; Elizabeth, September 10, 1854. In 1849 Mr. Runyan located a land warrant on the W. I N.E. i S.E. J N.E.i, and S.E. I N.W. i of Sec. 7, Bradford township, and in 1859 came from Pennsylvania and settled on the same. He has since improved this land, and his buildings have cost at least $4,000. Mr. Runyan and his wife are members of the Baptist church. He is a member of the Franklin Grove Masonic Lodge No. 264, and is also a Royal Arch Mason, Nathan Whitney Chapter. Though a democrat, Mr. Runyan has for many years held office in a strong republican township. He has been a justice of the peace since 1862, and town clerk since 1868.

Peter Eisenberg, farmer, Asliton, was born in Hesse-Cassel, Germany, in 1831 ; son of Asinan and Christine (Sebrar) Eisenberg. His father served thirty years in the German army ; was in the battles of Waterloo and Metz, in the latter of which he was wounded. In 18.52 our subject, with his father and mother and their family, sailed from Bremen to New York, and arrived in Lee county in December of the same year. The family settled on Sec. 23, Bradford township, and bought the E. i N.E. ^ from Lewis Clapp, and subsequently forty acres in See. 16. Mr. Eisenberg now owns ten acres more than a section of land, and lives on the N.AV. J Sec. 23. His father died in 1872 ; his mother is living with him. He was married July 1, 1855, to Catherine Bower. Their family consists of nine children : Christine (wife of John Fauble), George, John, William, Henry, Adam, Mina, Mary, Emma. Mr. Eisenberg is a republican, and with his family belongs to the Evangelical church of Bradford.

Luther Baldwin, farmer, Ashton, son of Joseph and PolU' (Smith) Baldwin, was born June 22, 1820, in Connecticut. Here his lather and mother were born, tiie former in 1797, the latter in 1796. These parents had a family of ten children, eight of whom, with the mother, are living. Different researches trace the lineage of the family to several Baldwin brothers who landed in New York at an early day. In 1849 Luther Baldwin married Nancy Talmage, of Connecticut, by whom he has six children : Polly Ann, Sarah J., Joseph W., Esther, Phoebe, and Charles H. In 1852 Mr. Baldwin came to Lee Center, where he lived three months; thence to Ralph Evitt's, and in the spring of 1853 he located a land warrant on the E. ^ of S.W. J and S.W. J of S.W. J Sec. 14, Bradford township. Here he has since lived, having built the following fall, and subsequently improved the farm. He is a republican and Odd-Fellow, and a member of the Ashton Methodist Episcopal church, to which his wife also belongs.

Mrs. Catherine E. AscHExiiHENXER, Lee Center, one of the most prominent characters in the history of Bradford, was born in Hesse Cassel, Germany, in 1832. Her parents were Christian and Cliristine (Denhart) "Reinhart. She is the eldest in a family of six, live of whom survive. Christian Reinhart was twelve years a soldier in the German army, and in 1845 came to New York with his family ; thence to Chicago, and from there with an ox team to Lee countj'. The next year they rented a farm owned by Othro Wright, now A. DeWolf 's farm, and from here they went to China township, to where Andrew Reinhart now lives. Mr. Reinhart got eighty- acres of government land and subsequently eighty from Lewis Clapp. Here he settled and lived till his death in 1865, at which time he was the owner of nearly 500 acres of land. Their first year in America was a hard one for the family. The father was taken sick in cradling time and was confined to his bed for many months. His wife and Catherine, his daughter, worked very bard to support the family and pay doctor bills. They cleaned grain, husked corn, and dug potatoes in early winter. Nothing by which they could earn a little was considered too hard. In November 13, 1849, Catherine Reinhart was married to Omen Hillison, born December 14, 1814. He was an early settler in Bradford, and at first lived in a sod house. His frame house was quite conspicuous in an early day, and was seen over the naked prairie by the Reinharts at Melugin's Grove on their way out from Chicago. The fruits of this union were Henry W. and Betsey, born September 12, 1850, and October 11, 1852, respectively. Mr. Hillisou died June 21, 1853, from sunstroke. He was a native of Norway ; he came to America in 1835, and for a few years was a coast sailor. He is held in grateful remembrance by all of the early settlers, many of whom first found shelter under his roof on their arrival here. His widow was married, October 1, 1854, to John Aschenbrenner. Three children are their offspring : Christian, Reinhart, and Andrew. About 1870 Mrs. Aschenbrenner paid her husband $7,000 for all the realty in his name, and they parted. She has since obtained a divorce. She now owns 360 acres in Bradford, 131 in Brooklyn, and a large tract in Iowa. She has given two of her sons 160-acre farms. Her mother died in 1870.

Redsthaet Gross, farmer, Franklin Grove, was born in Hesse Cassel., Germany, in 1829 ; son of John and Martha (Schnider) Gross. His mother died when he was six or seven years old, and his father two or three years later. The latter was nine years a German soldier. In 1847 R. Gross came to America with Jacob Reiss, in whose family he lived from his father's death till he was of age, at which time he went to work for John Hotzel, continuing in his service four years. In 1853 he married Martha Reinhart. He began farming for himself on eighty acres in Sec. 24, China township, on which he lived till 1867, when he moved to Bradford, N.E. \ Sec. 19, and built on the lialf of the same. His farm is well improved, the buildings having cost him about $5,000. To the above quarter section he added the W. ^ of S.E. i Sec. 18. He also owns an improved farm of 150 acres in Sec. 15, and eighty acres in See. 24. His children are : Christian, Lizzie, Catherine (deceased), Henry, Mary, and Emma. The family are members of the Evangelical church of Bradford, of which Mr. Gross is a trustee. His eldest sister lives in Germany, and a brother and sister are living in Iowa.

Ontone Reinhart, farmer, Franklin Grove, was born May 13, 1840, in Hesse-Cassel, Germany. He is the son of C. Reinhart, who gave him a good education. The first land he owned was eighty acres in China township, now owned by Andrew, his brother. This land was entered by Lewis Ciapp, and afterward bought from him by the father of our subject. In 1861 Ontone Reinliart married Catherine Kersten. About this time he sold his land in China and bought from Samuel Crawford the E. ^ of S.E. ^ Sec. IS, Bradford township. This he broke up and built on it the same year. He now owns 360 acres in Sees. 18, 19 and 20, Bradford, and 45 acres of wood land in Lee Center. His property is highly valuable, there being but little, if anj', better land in Lee count}'. In two of his pastures there is living water. Mr. Tteinhart has a family of nine children : Henry, Andrew, Charles, Lizzie, Martha, Gust, Lena, George, and Christian. Henry is married and lives in Bradford.

Beeghaedt Albeecht, farmer, Ashton, was born February 10, 1839, in Hesse Cassel, Germany; son of George and Christine Albrecht, who had a family of eight children. The former was in the German military service six or seven years. In 1855 the subject of this sketch left his native land, both of his parents being dead, and arrived in Lee county June 19. For nine years he worked for Adam Schuhart, Bradford, and during the last year of his service there he was married to Martha Kersten, by whom he has had nine children: Martha, Ontone, Kate, Marcus, Charles, Mary, Clara. Two died, aged one year and eighteen months respectively. After his marriage Mr. Albrecht farmed rented land four years in Bradford, and then bought 160 acres in Reynolds, S.E. J Sec. 17, from Mr. Baden. Here he lived si.x years, when he sold out to George Kersten, and bought from the administrators of his deceased brother John's estate the farm he now owns in Bradford. This consists of the N. i of S.E. ^ and the S.E. i of N.E. ^ Sec. 19. Mv. Albrecht and his family are members of the Ashton Lutheran church. He had always voted the republican ticket till the last presidential election. He is interested in the education of his family much more than are the majority of the German people in this vicinity.

EnwARD W. Po>rEROY, farmer, Lee Center, was born in Northampton, Hampshire county, Massachusetts, in 1823. His parents were Elihu and Miriam (Wright) Pomeroy, both of the same state and of English ancestry. His father was a cooper, but he was raised a farmer. He received a good education. In 1844 he came west to Princeton, Illinois, and remained there from August till the following February; thence he came to Lee Center. He lived with Mr. Ira Brewer three years. In the meantime he bought from S. Shumway a claim to the W. i of N.W. i Sec. 31, Bradford, where he is now living. In 1S4S he bought the Alva DeWolf farm, Lee Center township, but soon sold it. About this time he bought an "eighty" on Sec. 30. This is land now owned bj William Ross and J. Croinbie. It was here that Mr. Pomeroy began housekeeping, having married, in 1852, Lora J. Adams, of Steuben county, New York. In 1856 he sold this land, built on his first claim, and moved to his present home. Since then he has farmed but little. For several years he was buying and shipping hogs and cattle. In 1868 he went into partnership with Lewis Clapp, in a gristmill, at Northampton, Massachusetts. Mr. Pomeroy has owned this mill since the death of Mr. Clapp in 1880. In an early day our subject drove a breaking team and run a threshing machine for several years. In 18-16 he and J. H. Gardner bought the first reaper used in the vicinity. It was a " McCormick," brought from near Rochester, New York. This machine was first tried in a piece of winter wheat, and many came from all around to see it work. In 1852 Mr. Pomeroy raised the first crop of timothj^ seed marketed from this section of country. It consisted of 150 bushels, which he hauled to Aurora and shipped from there to Chicago, by rail, receiving for it $1.75 per bushel. His family consists of two daughters and one son : Mary, Lucy, and Edwin. Tbe former were educated at Rockford, Illinois. Mary is the wife of Henry "Wright, and is living in Massachusetts. Mr. Pomeroy is a republican, and was formerly an Odd-Fellow.

Source changes here: from History of Lee County, Illinois, by Stevens, Frank Everett, published 1914; 1,194 words in this source stream.

Harmon Township

John D. Rosbroolv is said to have been tlie first settler in this townsliip. He bought a tract of land in the eastern j^art of the township:), subdued it and very soon other settlers followed. But Ml'. Rosbrook had few neighljors for a very long time.

In 1853, with three sons, he came from Niagara county. New York, and settled at the "Lake," a clear body of water covering something like forty acres of land. Tlie following spring the two other sons came out. George Rosln'ouk held the plow that broke the first sod in Harmon townshi]). Pretty soon Mrs. Robert Tuttle brought her family from Knox county and settled in Harmon. Mr. Tuttle, Avho had come fr(jni New Hampshire, settled in Knox county. He had been a lumberman, and desiring to obtain employment in the forests of the North, he started to walk northward. At Dixon he was taken very sick. A man named Henry Stores drove down to Knox comity and lirought Mrs. Tuttle back to Dixon just in time to see her husband before he died. She was a sister of Mitchell Roslirook and very soon she with her five children located in Harmon and built a good house. This was in 1854. Very soon she opened a private school in her house ; Miss Vienna Tuttle taught, and many a good old-fashioned dance was given in the early days by that same estimable lady, Mrs. Tuttle.

In the early days of the country snakes were very plentiful and to some of Harmon's early settlers it seemed as though there were many more in that township than in any other town in the county.

Rattle.suakes especiallj' were a source of great aunoyauce. Blue racers would crawl over ou the sod to bask iu the sun and remain until the ox team came along to frighten them away. The blue racer many times grew excessively familiar. So much so that he would wind himself aromid the ankles of the plowboj^s and frighten them half to death.

In 1854 Thomas Sutton and his large family came to Harmon and settled a mile south of the lake. It is said of Sutton that there were nineteen children in his family and often he lamented because there were not an even twenty.

In 1851 Mitchell Rosbrook came to Lee county from New Hampshire with his family of wife and six children and two years later settled iu Harmon. This devout gentleman founded the first Sunday school in Harmon township. It was held iu the granary of John D. Rosbrook. This same INIitchell Rosbrook built the first house erected on Moimt Washington in the White Mountains.

Lewis Hidlinger, John L. Porter and James Porter, Jr., came along soon after. The fii'st two elections were held at the house of Mitchell Rosbrook.

In 1856-57 Austin Balcli with his wife and two children moved into the township. So did Joseph Julien, C. H. Seifkin, Israel Perkins, George Stillings, Henry and Louis Isles.

Bogs, swamps and imi:)assa]de sloughs bothered the Harmon people fearfully in the early day ; more perhaps than almost any other people, and the stories of miring down and the difficulties encountered in dropping into the mud, taking off the load and then taking the wagon apart to get it ashore, would baffle the autoist of today.

Game abounded in the township during its infancy to such an extent that to repeat some of the stories related of Inmters would set down the person telling the story today, as an extravagant liar; yet those stories were true.

.Mr. C. J. Rosbrook is the relial)le authority for the statement that Charles K. Shellhamer sliot one hundred geese down there in one day - a wagon box full. A hunter from Dixon, named Kipp who will be remembered by some of us older people, shot and killed thirt.v-six mallard ducks with one shot. Five deer out of a gang of thirteen were killed by a party of hunters. Cattle herding in Harmon was done on a scale as large as in Hamilton. Harmon too seemed to be in the line of cattle drives and Mr. Rosbrook has told us of one band of five thousand Texas cattle passing through Harmon on the way to the Chicago market.

He also has told of us once seeing a colony of sandhill cranes not far away which covered nearly one thousand acres. Game was that plentiful.

Lewis Hullinger, who came to the township in 1855, was supervisor at about the time the railroad demanded the issiumce of bonds in consideration of the l:>uilding through the township. Amboy, Brooklyn and Wyoming had voted the bonds and issued them. They litigated their legality, but ultimately the bonds had to be paid. Not so with Lewis Hullinger. He opposed the bond scheme and the issuance of any bonds and Harmon was spared the liability which nearl}^ bankrupted Amboy, Wyoming and Brooklyn, largely through the pertinacious fight put up by Lewis Hullinger.

But the Harmon of today is a splendid body of land. Large sums of money have been spent to drain the land, and while some portions of the Harmon lands are sandy, the great majority is black loam, rich, and great crops ai'c raised. As a grain market Harmon keejDS pretty well in the lead. T doubt if there is more than one other town in the county which ships more grain than Harmon - something like six hundred thousand bushels last year, by the Neola and the other elevators.

The Harmon schools long have l)een noted for their efficiency. The building is a beautiful Inick. LI. J. Durr also runs a nice hardware business.

Harmon has one of the best plants for fire protection and domestic use in Lee county. A very modern standpipe produces a force sufficient to throw four streams over the tallest building. It is also forced into various homes and business blocks in the village.

bit of damage was done. Of course not many people dwelt in this township then; but those wlio remember, say the storm had lost control of its force while crossing Harmon.

Recently, the Northwestern Railroad in reaching Peoria, entered Harmon township, but no station has been established in this township along the line of the road.

Harmon early learned the l^enefits of hard roads and now, year by year, her people are spending considerable sums for macadam for her muddy roads. The rural schools of Harmon township number six, I believe, and I am told that they rank just as high as the splendid village schools. Count_y superintendents tell me that Harmon for years has had the best of schools and that the children rank high in all their examinations. Only a few months ago, St. Flannen 's Catholic church burned down. Nothing was saved. Yet with commendable jDerseverance, the congregation went to work and in less than three months arrangements had been perfected and the funds had been i^rovided to build the present beautiful new church and parsonage. Church work in Harmon and Marion takes front rank among the towns of Lee county. The new church and parsonage were dedicated last fall.