Quincy Township (part 60 of 74)

John A. ]\IcFarland was born on the old homestead farm in section 13, Camp Point Town.ship, December 27, 1860. He gi-ew up and attended common schools there, and has always been a deep student and reader of literature. He has devoted most of his time to fanning and stock raising. He came to his present farm in section 20, Columbus Township March 8, 1910, and has 170 acres, the old Lewis Wilkcy farm. Its improvements comprise a large barn and an eight-room house, and everything is conducted in the style of high class farming. Mr. McFarland raises Poland China hogs, Jersey cattle and sheep and horses.

He married in Augusta Township of Hancock County, Illinois, Miss Ruth H. Watts. She was born and reared there, daughter of Isaac and Mary Watts, M'ho came from England and spent their last years in Augusta Township, where her father developed a successful industry in woolen manufacture. Mr. and Mrs. McFarland have an interesting family of children : Mrs. Pearl M. Brinkman, living at San Diego, California, wife of a western ranchman ; Robert A., a farmer in Columbus Township, married Iva Boiling, and has two children; Maxine and Francis; Florence E. is the wife of Ralph Husong, of Columbus Township ; Esther A. is the wife of Arthur Richards, a farmer west of Columbus ; Daniel I. assists on the home farm ; Russell D. is a student in the local schools, as are Lee W. and Neva Frances. The family are Methodists and ^Ir. McFarland is a democrat and has held several local offices.

John Jacob Emminga. One of the most interesting communities in Adams County is the Town of Golden. For a number of years after its establishment during Civil war times at the junction of the Wabash and Burlington Railroads the village was known as Keokuk Junction. In and around the village have lived some of the most substantial and high minded families. A number of them bear names reflecting an origin in the lowlands of Northern Europe, those countries around the North Sea which in the course of centuries have had many national ownerships, including Holland, Denmark and Germany, though as a people and by racial affiliations they might properly be grouped as "Netherlanders." The particular section which furnished this little Adams County colony was the old principality of East Friesland, so that these people might be known as Friesians. This country is now part of the German Empire, but at one time was a Holland Dutch province and later an independent principality.

One of the old families in East Friesland was Eraminga, many of whom have been identified with church, educational and other public affairs for centuries. Henrich R. Emniinga was born in East Friesland in 1829. He was a millwright by occupation. He married Margaretha H. Franzen, who was born in 1824, and her father. Harm H. Franzen, served with the allies against Napoleon and fought at Waterloo. Several of the Franzen family became prominent in Golden, including Cobus Franzen, who was a well known miller.

Henrich R. Emminga came to America, landing at New Orleans, and reached the little community in Northeast Township of Adams County where Golden is now located in February, 1852. Here his services found reciprocal benefits for himself and the community as a millwright and miller. He was especially expert in building that type of mills for which the lowlands of Northern Europe are famous, the mills operated by wind power, the "Dutch windmills." He built and operated several mills in this part of Illinois. In 1863 he returned to his native land and his wife died there in 1868. In 1872 he came back to America, but was content to remain only seven years. He died in East Friesland in 1888 and was laid to rest beside his wife. Some of the work of this old time mill builder in Adams County still remains. The windmill which he erected two miles east of Golden in the early '50s is still in operation. The Village of Golden itself has the mill which he erected during the '70s and is still doing service. He and his wife had three children: Harm H., Volkea, who married "Weert J. Buss, of Golden ; and Anna, who married Menne Gronewold, of Golden. One of the citizens of Adams County whose lives were closely associated with its improvement and development and whose memory deserves to last was the late Harm H. Emminga, who died December 9, 1915. He wa.s a man of great business enterprise, very successful a.s a miller, banker and property owner. He was born in East Friesland December 25, 1850, and his first conscious recollections were of the old home in Adams County. At the age of twelve he accompanied his parents back to Germany and was nearly grown when he returned to this country with his father. From that time fonvard all his activities and interests were centered in the community of Golden. He had a good common school education, though most of it had been acquired in the old country. It is said that he could never become interested in agriculture, never learned to hitch up a horse, and was most at home in commercial affairs. He was well trained to the milling industry and was proprietor of the Prairie Mills at Golden from 1879. Those mills were operated by wind power and were noted for the excellence of their product. He also bought and shipped grain, and in 1889 he erected a modern flour mill with a complete roller process, known as the New Era Mills. His broad minded business enterprise is reflected in the fact that he did not seek to market the product of these mills in this countn', but sent them abroad to Holland, France and Great Britain and also the West India Islands.

He was responsible for giving Golden its first bank, opening the People's Exchange Bank July 1, 1894. This bank was at first located in the same building in which he "had his milling and gi-ain offices. The building was erected in 1891, and later was fitted up for its special use as a bank. In 1904 he erected a modern banking house. The late Mr. Emminga was deeply interested in local affairs, and it was largely through his leadership and influence among the people that the community consented to issue bonds for a modern public school building in 1898. He was always deeply concerned in matters of education and was one of the prominent supporters of the Lutheran Protestant Church of Golden, and helped finance and gave his personal supeiwision to the rebuilding of the church in 1904. H. H. Emminga was known among his contemporaries as a scholar, being thoroughly versed in books as well as in men of affairs, was cultured by extensive travel, and the full breadth of his interests and attainments were not appreciated even by his most intimate friends.

In 1872 H. H. Emminga married Miss Maria Gembler. She was born in San Antonio, Texas, December 12. 1854. Her father, Johan Jacob Gembler, was one of manv Germans who sought homes in Texas during the '40s. arriving there about 1847. Mrs. H. H. Emminga is still living at Golden. She was the mother of two children. The daughter, Margaret, bom April 5, 1873, wa.s educated at St. Mary's Convent at Quincy and is still at home with her mother.

John Jacob Emminga, who is the succe.ssor of his father in many business enterprises at Golden, was bom in that village May 30, 1875. He was educated in the local public schools, and the Gem City Business College at Quincy, and at the age of sixteen became associated with his father in the milling office. At eighteen he entered his father's bank and those two lines of business have occupied his time and energies to the present time. In 1913 the milling industry was incorporated. Besides the bank at Golden there is a branch maintained at La Prairie.

Mr. John J. Emminga is a republican, though he takes no interest in politics as a means of self advancement for the sake of holding office. He attends and supports the West Side Lutheran Church. In 1916 Mr. Emminga married Miss Annie V. Albers, who represents another prominent Friesian family of Northeast Township. She was born at Golden and is a daughter of Lubbe U. Albers, who was the first station agent at Keokuk Junction and in many other M'ays was prominently identified with the histon- of that communitj*.

William B. Austin. Several localities in northern Adams County are benefited from the presence and activities of members of the Austin family, who first took up their residence in Mendon Township more than seventy years ago. William B. Austin, now a farmer in Keene Township, 3% miles northeast of Mendon, was born in this county over seventy years ago, and he has two sons who are also well known in the county, his son John being a farmer, while Adelbert is a successful physician at Mendon.

William B. Austin was born in Mendon Township, a half mile from his present home, September 5, 1846, son of John C. and Caroline E. (Barclay) Austin. The parents were both natives of Wayne County, New York, and were married there about 1841. The father was born in October, 1814, and the mother in 1820. In 1843, two years after their marriage, they came to Adams County direct from New York. John C. Austin's brother, Arona, had been a resident of this county four or five years, his name being identified with Honey Creek Township. John C. Austin bought land in Mendon Township, and lived on his farm there until his death at the age of sixty-six. He acquired and improved more than 200 acres. This old farm has since been sold. His widow survived him until she was past eighty years of age and died at Mendon. Arona Austin died of typhoid fever. The three sons of Arona were : Moses, who served all through the Civil war as a Union soldier, was county surveyor at one time, and died an old man ; Peter, who died in Mendon ; and Arona. who now lives in Missouri. The children of John C. Austin and wife were : Daniel, of Brookfield, Missouri ; Cornelius, who is also living retired at Mendon ; and William B. The father of these sons was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

William B. Austin remained at home until his marriage at the age of twenty-eight. For a time he was a pai'tner in the management of the farm with his father and practically had charge of the entire place. He made his first purchase of forty acres in Keene Township. He married Mary Wilcox, daughter of Thomas and Jane (Hewett) Wilcox, of Keene Township, both now deceased. Her mother died at the age of seventy and her father at eighty. Mary Wilcox was nineteen years of age at the time of her marriage. The young couple then located on the farm where they now live, acquiring 119 acres from the Baptiste Hardy estate. ]\Ir. William B. Austin now has 200 acres of fine farm land, and has a very comfortable home and large barns and other outbuildings. Part of the home was standing when he bought the land. He began his career with somewhat limited capital, but had already manifested those qualities which inspired confidence in his future. Thus when he went to Mr. Bill Benton for a loan of $400 ]Mr. Benton refused any security, and later advanced Mr. Austin $1,100, also without security. Mr. Austin is a general farmer, and for some years was a breeder of Polled Angus Cattle.

He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Mendon and he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. A republican, he has always refused official preferment, though he served for a time on the school board. Farming has constituted the bulk of his labor, and as his land was originally both prairie and timber it I'equired strenuous effort to clear it out and put it into cultivation. He and his wife have had three sons: John. Adelbert and Joseph. Mr. Austin had taken special pains to fit lip the farm preparatory to tui-niug it over to his son Joseph as manager, when this son was stricken with the illness which carried him away in the flush of j-oung manhood at the age of nineteen.

John T. Axistin, whose home is in section 26 of Mendon Township, was born at his father's residence, three-quarters of a mile north, on September 28, 1875. He was reared and educated there and at the age of twenty-two he married Miss Ella M. Evans, a neighbor girl then twenty years old. Her father was James Evans. During the next four years the young couple remained at the Austin home, and he then took active charge of that farm. In

1902 they came to their present place, purchased from Abe Chittenden. He bought eighty acres at that time and has since acquii-ed another eighty acres, all of this in addition to forty acres given him bj' his father. For the Chittenden farm Mr. Austin paid $5,500, and for another forty acres he paid $119 per acre. He has given his place many improvements and is prospering as a general farmer. He has never used politics as a means of official advancement. He and his wife are members of the Congregational Church and he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. John T. Austin and wife have four children, all at home, named Ada, Irraa, Mary and William. The daughter Ada graduated from high school with the class of 1918.

Adelbert M. Austin, M. D.. was born at his father's home in Keene Township June 17, 1880. His father says that even during his childhood he showed tendencies toward the profession which he has adopted and which his services have honored. His days were spent on the farm until he entered college at the University of Iowa, and in 1904 he received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Washington University of St. Louis. During the next seven years he practiced at Stronghurst, Illinois, and then returned to ]\Iendon, where he has enjoyed a rising reputation in his profession for eight j-ears. He is a member of the County and State IMedical societies and tlie American Medical Association. He also belongs to the Nu Sigma Nu Medical Society, is a Royal Arch Mason, and a republican. In 1917 Doctor Austin enlisted in the Medical Reserve Corps, but was discharged for physical disability after a brief period of service at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis. He has served three terras as a member of the Public School Board and most of that time as president of the board.

In Septembei", 1908, Doctor Austin married Roxie E. Murphy. She died in July, 1913, leaving two children : Mildred and Dorothy M. In June, 1914, Doctor Austin married Julia Hancock, of Carthage, Illinois. Mrs. Austin before her marriage was a trained nurse. They have one child, Mary M.

William C. Abbott has been a Quincy business man for a number of years, and since 1913 has been proprietor of one of the most liberally patronized grocery establishments of the city, at 217 North Sixth Street.

Mr. Abbott was born in Shelby County, Illinois, in 1859, and two or three years later, while his father was in the army, the familv moved to Taylorville, Christian County. He grew up and was educated in the local schools and subsequently removed to Pana, Illinois, where he was in the grocery business. In

1903 he removed to Quincy and had the management of the Streeker restaurant for six months and then took charge of the grocery and meat establishment of John D. Davis. He conducted that store until 1913, when he took over the business, and is now one of the independent and progressive merchants of the city.

His father enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty-First Illinois Infantry from Shelby County, Illinois, and served 31/2 years. Part of the time he was in General Logan's command, and was in many of the hard fought battles of the war, though never wounded nor taken j)risoner. After receiving his honorable discharge he returned to liis family at Taylorville. and lived there for a number of years, but finally went out to Anthony, Kansas, where he died at the age of sixty-foui-. He married in Shelby County Jane Brewer, a native of that county, who died before she was fifty years of age. They had four children, two sons and two daughters. Marj' died leaving three daughters and her sister, Lelah, died at the age of twelve years, ilr. William Abbott has a brother, Nelson, who is married and lives at Anthony, Kansas, and has a son and two daughters.

William C. Abbott married at Taj-lorville, Illinois, Miss ]\Iaiy Ai-uold. She was boru in Fayette County, Illinois, in 1866, and was reared and educated in that county and in Christian County. Mr. and Mrs. Abbott have two stalwart sons. Herbert T., born in January, 1888, was well educated and recently joined the cavalry of the National Army at Fort Douglas, Arizona. Gilman C, born in August, 1890, now lives at Rock Island, Illinois. He is ready for his early call in the army. He married in Rock Island Hattie Frank. She was born at LeClaire, Iowa, but was educated in Rock Island.

Mr. and Mrs. Abbott are members of the ]\Iethodist Episcopal Church. He is affiliated with Taylorville Lodge. Ancient Free and Accepted ilasons, and his older son is a member of the Consistory of the Scottish Rite at Quincy, while the younger son is affiliated with the lodge and Royal Arch Chapter at Rock Island.

William A. Wagy. Known as a man of authoritative experience and successful management as a farmer and stock feeder. AYilliam A. Wagy has for many years been identified with Adams County. He owns a large and well improved farm in Payson Township, IV2 miles southeast of Plaiuville. Mr. Wagy represents one of several Wagj- families who have been prominently identified with the history of Adams County from pioneer times.

He was bom in Richfield Township of this county March 31, 1864, and is a son of Stephen and Malinda (Decker) Wagy. Stephen Wagy was born at Waverly, Ohio, March 3, 1832, and died Febriiary 10. 1884, in "his fifty-second year. When he was nine years of age he came to Western Illinois by wagon and ox team, bringing a yoke of oxen and a span of horses to draw the vehicle. His parents were Jacob and Rachel (Riley) Wagy. Jacob Wagj- settled a mile south and a half mile west of Plainville, and lived there the rest of his life. Stephen Wagy grew up in that locality but married in Pike County. Malinda Decker was born and reared in Pike County, daughter of Moses Decker, whose home was on the north line of Pike County. Closes Decker died when past seventy years of age and was buried on the old farm. That farm is now owned by his daughter, IMargaret Tooley, who lives at Kinderhook, five miles distant.

Stephen Wagy after his marriage rented land for several years, making several changes of location, and in the spring of 1865 he moved to the farm a mile south and a half mile east of Plainville where he lived until his death. His widow, Malinda, survived him twenty-four years and passed away in 1908, at the age of seventy-two. She never left the old farm. This farm is now owned by their son George. They had six children : Green A., whose home is a mile southeast of Plain^-ille; Martha C, who died soon after her marriage to George Callaway; Rachel E.. widow of Levi McCarl, brother of Judge ]\IcCarl, lives in Pike County ; George, already mentioned as the owner of the old homestead : Elizabeth, who married Denton Hull, of Pike County, died in middle life ; and William is the youngest.

William A. Wag\- lived at home until his father's death. He was then about twenty years of age, and he continued to help his mother on the homestead for several years. Alx)ut 1890 he secured an adjoining farm south of the old place, comprising 120 acres. Since then he has bought the old Bruce Lyon farm of forty acres, one of the old farms but one of the best in fertility in that part of the county. It had good buildings and he put upon it a substantial barn. His son is now operating that place. The home farm has had many improvements, including an extensive remodeling of house and barn. Mr. Wagy has fed and fattened for the market as high as several carloads of cattle in a single year. He usually markets about a carload of hogs every year. He makes no attempt to breed and raise enough cattle for his facilities as a feeder, and buys them on the markets or in the surrounding country. He brings his cattle almost to the point of market conditions by running them on a splendid 100-acre blue 'grass pasture which he owns in Pike County. This 100 acres was originally in his grandfather Decker's farm. He also raises a number of horses, getting them young, as his judgment prompts a purchase.

Mr. Wagy has not appeared conspicuously in politics but in 1898 served as tax collector and during his year in office collected about $12,000 for the treasurj'. He is a democrat. He belongs to the Adams County Farm Improvement Association and supports the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which his wife was an active member.

Febmary 8, 1888, Mr. Wagy married Miss Carrie Hupert, daughter of George and Amy Hupert, of Payson Township. She was born in that township. Mrs. Wag.v died in February, 1899. She was the mother of his children, four in niimber. Ellis E. married Marguerite Dean, daughter of Justine Dean, of Burton Township, who died December 4, 1916, leaving no children. Mabel M. is the widow of Lonnie Freeman. Mr. Freeman was a mechanic and engineer and died in Payson Township. Mi\s. Freeman has a son Fay, and now lives with her father. Delia is the wife of T. L. Hull, of Richfield Town.ship, and has one child, Esther Belle. Eva Marie married Earl E. Eobinson. ilr. Robinson is now in France with the ambulance corps. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson have one child, Bettie Louise.

October 4, 1905, Mr. Wagy married for his second wife Carrie Kidder, daughter of Rev. George and Mrs. (Bushnell) Kidder. Her father was a well known local minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Carrie Wagy died July 16, 1918.

John Wagy. With a history in several communities in Adams County the Wagy family is interwoven as the personal element in a web of affairs that has grown stronger through all the years since pioneer times. An important member of the family and one of the oldest still living is John Wagj', a retired resident of Plainville.

He is in his eighty-second year, having been born in Ross County, Ohio, January 29, 1838. When he was eleven years of age, in 1849, he was brought to Adams County in company with his parents, Jacob and Rachel (Riley) Wagy. Jacob "Wagy was born in Virginia, and his parents had migrated to Ohio. He was about forty-five years of age when he came to Adams County. The trip was made with horse teams. Jacob was accompanied by his brother Abraham and also their father, Jacob, then an old man who died soon afterward. Abraham settled in Henderson County, Illinois. Jacob's home was a mile west of Plainville, where he spent many years and died at the age of seventy-three, one year after his wife. The old farm is now owmed by John and the latter 's son-in-law, Walter Hampsmire. The homestead comprised 160 acres. Jacob built the present frame house during the Civil war and the large barn was built by John. The children of Jacob were: Henry, who died in Carroll County, Missouri, when past eighty years of age, his daughter. Man- Seward, living in Payson Township ; William, who died in Carroll County, Missouri, at the age of eighty; Stephen, whose family is sketched on other pages of this publication; John, now the only surs'ivor; James, who died in Payson Township, and his widow and children are still living on the old farm ; Mary, who married Charles Stratton. of Carroll County, Missouri ; and Margaret, widow of Benjamin Lytle, also of Carroll County, Missouri.

John Wagy from the age of eleven years grew up on the old homestead. At the age of twenty-one he married Susan Long, of Payson. She died eight years later, leaving two children, Albert, who spent most of his life in Nebra.ska and now lives in Kansas, but his postoflfice is at Marion, Nebraska, and ^larietta, who married Peter Schuetz and died leaving two children. October 21, 1867,

John Wagj- married Nancy Hull. That was her maiden name. She was then the widow of Emanuel Wagy, a cousin of John and a son of Philip Wagy. Emanuel Wagj- died a year after his marriage, leaving one child, ^lar^' J., now Mrs. R. A. Green, of McCook, Nebraska, ilary J. was only three j'ears old when her mother married John Wagy. Mrs. John Wagy is a daughter of David Hull, of Pike County, Illinois. Nancy was bom in Bany Township of this county December 12, 1844, and grew up on the old homestead farm where her father spent the best of his years and died at the age of ninety-five.

Mr. John Wagy had many discouragements, some of them apparently too heavy to bear. With the never swerving support of a loyal wife and more than helpmate these were overcome, and brighter days succeeded until his life has been crowned with a glorious sunset that only comes as a result of labors well done and well earned compensation.

After his second marriage Mr. John Wagy spent seven years in Lima Township of Adams County, where he had a farm on Bear Creek. Then for four years he lived in Richfield Township, and upon the death of his father secured the old Wagj^ home, part of which he still owns. The last .several years he has lived retired at Plainville. Mr. Wagy has never sought public office. He is a republican, as are most of the members of the Wag>' family.

Mr. and Mrs. Wagy had four children. Two of them died in infancy. A son, James Oscar, lived to be twenty-five years of age, and spent all these years at home. A daughter, Ethel M., the only survivor, is the wife of Walter Hampsmire, more particularly referred to on other pages. Mr. and Mra. Wagy are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as are also the children and grandchildren.

Frank H. Whitney, secretary and treasurer and treasurer of the Hollister- Whitney Company, elevator manufacturers, comes of a very old New England family. His ancestors were pioneers in Maine, and his great-grandfather and grandfather lived and died there near Poland Springs, ilr. Whitney is a son of the late August H. Wliitney, one of the early manufacturers and business men of Quincy. Wlien a yovmg man he went to Portland, Maine, and learned the organ making trade. He followed this for a time in ^Montreal, Canada, and then came west to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he married Frances Garland. She was a native of Buffalo, New York, but was reared and educated in Kalamazoo. Soon after their marriage they moved to Quincy, Illinois, wlierc A. H. Whitney organized the Whitney & Holmes Organ Company and was president of the firm. He continued manufacturing organs in this city until his death in 1891, at the age of fifty-six. His widow is still living, at the age of sixtyseven, a resident of Washington, D. C. She is a member of the Episcopal Church, as was her husband.

Frank H. Whitney has one brother, J. W. Whitne.v, who is in the piano business in New York City. He is married and has one daughter. Frank H. Whitney was born at Quincy May 21, 1870. He was carefully reared and educated, and grew up in his father's shops and after the latter 's death he and his brother conducted a .similar business in Quincy until 1905. At that date Mr. Whitney became a partner of Mr. HoUister and secretary and treasurer of the Hollister-Whitney Company, elevator manufacturers, with an extensive and modem plant in Quincy which supples elevator equipment in all parts of the United States.

Mr. Whitney married Miss Sarah B. Newcomb. Mrs. Whitney was born, reared and educated in Quincy, and is a daughter of the late R. C. Neweomb, one of Quincy 's most distinguished manufacturers. Her father was born in Massachusetts in 1837 and came to Quincy in 1872, purchasing the Gem City Paper Mills. He was a paper manufacturer, and later served as president of the American Strawboard Company. The great hotel bearing his name in Quincy is a monument to his enterprise. Mrs. Newcomb is still living in Quincy.

the class of 1919 in the Quincy High School. Richard Harvey was born in 1905 and is a junior in the high school. ]\Ir. and Mrs. Whitney are members of the Episcopal Church. Mr. Whitney is affiliated with the Masonic Lodge.

Melvin W. Bowker for many years has been a resident of Paysou Township, has a fine country home there, and his life has been one of service as well as profit. He is a nephew of the late Marshall B. Sturtevant.

His uucle was born at Savoy in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, October 21, 1818, and died at the old home in Paysou Township July 21, 1908. At the age of twenty, on October 6, 1838, he married Fidelia Ketchum, who was born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, September 18, 1818, a daughter of Solomon and Polly (Hemenway) Ketchum. Her father died soon after her birth and she was taken back to Massachusetts by her mother and lived there until her marriage to M. B. Sturtevant. The latter grew up on a farm and also worked in Massachusetts cotton mills and other factories. Some years after his marriage he and his wife started west and reached Chicago July 3, 1848. They spent about eight years in Winnebago County, Illinois, and then moved to Kinderhook in Pike County, Illinois, where he built a sawmill. A year later they moved to the farm where their nephew now lives, three quarters of a mile south of Plainville. He had traded his mill for sixty acres of land, and on that farm he spent the rest of his days. M. B. Sturtevant and wife had no children of their own. They adopted Charles W. Sturtevant in infancy, and a sketch of the latter 's life is found on other pages.

In 1871 they also made a home for their uephew, Melvin W. Bowker, who was born at Adams in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, February 10, 1860. His parents were Alonzo and Hepsie (Sturtevant) Bowker. His father was a physician aud died when ]\Ielvin was five years old. ]\Ielvin continued to live in the Sturtevant family and gradually assumed the responsibilities of managing the farm, and finally succeeded to its ownership. ;\Irs. M. B. Sturtevant died January 17, 1912, when past ninety-three years of age. ilr. Sturtevant was a charter member of the Plainville Masonic Lodge and was buried under the auspices of that order. He was well read, kept himself informed on current day progress, and enjoyed friendly discussion of a wide range of subjects. He would not hesitate to take the contrary side in order to stimulate and bring out argument. He also eujo.yed many sociable games, including checkers.

Mr. Bowker was educated in the district schools of Adams County and at the age of twenty-six married Miss Anna Gillespie, of Kinderhook. Pike County. Mrs. Bowker died December 10, 1915. She was the mother of two sons. Homer dying at the age of twelve years. The younger is Elden G. Bowker, who was born June 18, 1889. For some years he has been associated with his father in operating the home farm. Elden G. Bowker married June 30, 1910, Edna Cochran, who was born at Barry, Illinois, in 1890, daughter of Frank and Mary (Hines) Cochran, both of whom are now living at Plainville. Mr. aud ^Irs. Elden Bowker have two children, Melvin Francis, born in 1911, and Dorothy Louise, born in 1914.

Mr. Melvin Bowker has served as road commissioner, having been twice elected in a democratic township, his own politics being republican. He is a past master of his IMasonic Lodge, held that chair for seven years and has been a delegate to Grand Lodge. He is also a charter member of the local camp of Modern Woodmen of America.

Frank J. Kroner. Almost ever since Quincy became a city in fact some share of its vegetable crops and other fruits of the land have been produced by members of the Kroner family. A number of years ago one of the enterprising memliers of this family established a greenhouse and began the j^roduction of cut and potted plants, and when bis enterprise was cut short by an untimelj' death his father, Frank J. Kroner, took it over and has continued

This business was established br Joseph F. Kroner in 1900. The son was in a fair way to prosperity when death stayed his hand in 1906. and since that time the father has handled the business and has kept it growing. He has a well equipped plant with about 10,000 square feet of glass, and is an expert in the business.

Frank J. Kroner was bom in Melrose Township of this county April 2S, 1851. The Kroners have been identified with Melrose Township for over three quarters of a century. He grew up there on a farm and was an active gardener and truck raiser until he took over the management of the greenhouse. His parents were Joseph and Catherine (Hollander > Kroner, both natives of Hanover. They came before their marriage to this country, traveling by sailing Tessel. were on the ocean nine weeks, and from Xew Orleans Joseph Kroner traveled up the 3ilississippi Kiver to St. Louis and worked there several years in the city market. On moving to Adams County in about 1S30 he took up gardening in Melrose Township. The distinguishing characteristic of his -life was his great industry and persistent labor, and from the fruits of those qualities he made ample provision for his family. He married in Quincy. and after a niimber of years at their home in Melrose Township, returned to the city. Joseph Kroner died here twenty years ago at the age of seventy -eight and his wife passed away some years previously at the birth of her last child. They were early members of St. Boniface Catholic Church and he did much for that church where he lived.

Frank J. Kroner married in Quincy Miss Bemadine Woltmann. She was bom in this city December 1. 1S57. and was reared and educated here. Her parents were Herman H. and Elizabeth (^iliddendorf i "^oltmann, both natives of Germany, where they married. On coming to the United States they entered this country by way of New Orleans and traveled up the river to St. Louis, and after some years moved to Quincy. where they spent their last days. Her father was a shoemaker by trade, but subsequently was in the grocery business, and finally lived retired. He died at the age of eighty-three and his wife at fifty -eight. They were members and earnest workers of St. Boniface Catholic Church.

Mr. and 3i[rs. Kroner have had the following children-. Joseph F., who was twenty -six years of age when he died in 1906 : Herman H., who died at the age of twenty-eight: Lucile E.. wife of Joseph Altniix. lives in Albuquerque. New Mexico, and has a son. Richard : August Leo. aged thirty -one enlisted February 8, 191S. and after a brief training in the naval aviation department, was in service at an Atlantic seaport when last heard from: Florence, who like the other children was well educated, is the wife of Eugene H. Weber and they now live with her parents. The family are all members of St. Francis Catholic Church. Mr. Kroner is affiliated with the Western Catholic Union and in politics is a liberal democrat.

NoRMAX D. Br-U>fizld is proprietor of one of the weU improved and valuable farms of Payson Township, located a mile north and three-quarters of a mUe east of Payson Tillage. This is the old Nichols farm, formerly the home of his wife's parents.

ilr. Bradfield was bom in Fall Creek Township of this county March 2, 1S75. He is a son of Samuel and Abigail (Chatten"! Bradfield. His father was born in Pennsylvania April IS. 1S32. and died May 4. 1901. He came to niinois when a child with his parents, who located in the central part of the state. In 1S4S. at the age of sixteen, he came to Adams County, where he found employment on the farm of Clark Chatten. He worked there and in Fall Creek Township and seven years later married the daughter of his employer. He became one of the substantial residents of Fall Creek Township and spent the rest of his life there. His wife died August 22, 1916. They were the parents of five daughters and two sons: Flora, wife of John Preston, living at Amarillo. Texas ; Olive, who married Oliver Dillman, of Nash, Oklahoma ; Cora, widow of John Mellen, living in Los Angeles; Ora, widow of John Crum, of Los Angeles; Beulah married John Melntyre and died at the age of nineteen ; Norman D. ; and Norwood S., a dentist at Eddyville, Iowa.

Norman D. Bradfield remained at home until he was twenty-five years of age. At the age of nineteen he began teaching. He had attended the Payson High School and also took the normal course in Chaddock College at Quincy. He taught in the eountiy schools of Fall Creek Township, and on September 16, 1900, married Olive Nichols. She was born on the farm where she now resides October 6, 1882. One year after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Bradfield took charge of this farm and has ever since lived there and their labors have been abundantly prospered. They have three children : Margaret, Norwood Nichols and Elvin Gerald. Mrs. Bradfield is a member of the Christian Church. He was reared a Methodist but attends the same church with his wife. He is affiliated with the Masonic Lodge at Payson and is a republican. He has filled the offices of road commissioner and school director, and both he and his wife have given generously of their time and means to the support of all war activities.

Martin T. Nichols, father of Mrs. Bradfield, died when the latter was four years old. He was horn on an adjoining farm, son of Jacob Nichols, and died when Martin was a child. Martin remained with his mother, who later married Mr. Seehorn, and at his death she left the farm and spent her last days in Payson Village. A daughter, Mrs. Theodore Peters, lives at Payson, and another daughter. Mrs. Charles Warner, at Plaiuville. George Nichols, a brother of Martin, is a merchant at Plymouth, Illinois.

Martin Nichols married Margaret Schroth. whose father, Henry Schroth, was born in Germany, and her mother, Mary Roth, was a native of the same country. Margaret Schroth was born in Adams County and was eight»eii at the time of her marriage. Martin Nichols died five years after his marriage leaving two children. Olive and George H. The latter is now a resident of Shelbyville, Missouri. Martin Nichols at the time of his marriage bought the old farm of 160 acres from his father's estate. Mrs. Nichols subsequently married Leo Waters and returned to the farm, where she lived until her death in 1896, at the age of thirty-three. Mr. and Mrs. Waters had two children, Clarence, now in the West, and Mabel, a teacher at Hull Station, where she and her father reside.

S.-iMUEL S. Alex.\nder. Of the families that have lived longest and deserve most credit for the changes and improvements in Northeast Township since pioneer days that of Alexander is particularly prominent and has been numerously represented here. Of the second generation of the family one of the oldest is Samuel S. Alexander, who is still living close to the scenes of his birth and early youth. He wa.s bom October 14, 1845, in this county.

His parents were William and Mary (McReynolds) Alexander, both natives of Virginia. William Alexander was bom in Russell County, Virginia, in 1802 and his wife in 1812. They married in Virginia and about 18.38 moved west to- Tennessee, and early in 1840 arrived in Adams County and settled at Elm Grove in Houston Township. William Alexander arrived here a poor man, but set himself resolutely to the task of clearing the land and making a home and living for his children. In the early days it was customary for letter postage to be paid at the receiving office. William Alexander was so poor, it is said, that one day when a letter arrived from back East with charges of twenty-five cents he had to borrow the money to pay the postage, and it was a year before he was able to repay the lender. In later years prosperity came to him in large measure and he owned about seven hundred acres of land. He died at the old homestead in 1882 and his wife passed away in 1880. William Alexander was a democrat, and he and his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church. They had a family of thirteen children, all of whom lived to be men and women. Their names were Nanej', John, Mary, Margaret, Rachel, William, David, Daniel, Michell, Martha, Samuel, Wilson and Rebecca. The only ones still living are Samuel and Wilson. The son David was killed while a soldier at the battle of Stone River.

Samuel S. Alexander grew up on the old home farm and had the advantages of the local public schools. One of his teachers was Geoi-ge W. Cyrus. For more than half a century he has given his best energies to farming and stock raising and in his time has fed and marketed many thousands of fat cattle and hogs. The farm operations are now conducted on an estate of six hundred acres, and his home place in section 8 of Northeast Township has such improvements and facilities as to constitute it a thoroughly valuable stock form. ilr. Alexander is now practically retired and has turned over tlie management of the farm to his sou James W. He is a democrat, but has never sought public office. However, his fellow citizens saw fit to impose upon him the responsibilities of membership on the school board for about twenty years, and they also made him road boss. He is affiliated with the Jlodern Woodmen of America and attends the Methodist Episcopal Church.

In 1870 Mr. Alexander married iliss Sarah A. Warring, who was bom in Northeast Town.ship of this country, daughter of James and Martha AVarring, pioneer settlers here. James Warring was born in Kentucky in 182.5, and was brought to Adams County in 1835. James Warring married Martha Robbins, who was born in North Carolina in 1829.

ilr. and Mrs. Alexander have five children : Mary is the wife of Edward Simpson, and her two children are Verna and Vera. James W. is a farmer and merchant at La Prairie. John married Ruth Rose and has two children, Naomi and John. Lj'da is the wife of Oscar Wall, formerly a resident of Camp Point, but now living in Chicago, where he is a city salesman. Ralph Alexander is a farmer and married Miss Viola Shopp of Northeast Township.

Charles N. Willard is the youngest child of William Aladison Willard, one of the oldest and best known residents of Houston Township. Many of the facts regarding the Willard family and their early settlement and their activities in Houston Township have been given on other pages of this publication.

The old homestead where he now lives and which is still owned by his father was the birthplace of Charles N. W^illard. He grew up there, attended the Glenwood public school, and throughout his active career has been identified with farming. Besides managing the old homestead he also has the Mary E. Pearce farm of 120 acres, so that 250 acres respond with their abundant crops every year to his management. Mr. Willard is a .stock raiser, and feeds a large number of sheep, hogs and cattle every year, and his farm is very widely known as the home of some thoroughbred English Shire stallions.

Mr. Willard is a democrat, and he and his wife are active members of the Christian Church. In 1901 he married Miss Ethel Sweikert, of Hancock County, Illinois, daughter of George Sweikert, one of the early settlers there. Mr. and Mrs. Willard have four children : Gladys, now in the freshman class of the Maplewood High School at Camp Point, Glenn E., Goldy and Harold.

Samuel Thompsox has been an Adams County resident for over a quarter of a century, and is one of the prosperous and extensive land holders and farmers of Northeast Township. It requires only a brief survey of that section of the county to identify Samuel Thompson with the best and most enterprising citizenship.

He was born over the line in Hancock County, Illinois, February 15, 1865, son of Joseph and Mary flMorrison) Thompson. His parents were both natives of Pennsylvania and after coming west they settled in Hancock County. Joseph Thompson was a successful farmer there and died in 1910, at the age of eightyfour, and his widow passed away January 5, 1917, at the same age. The father

Samuel Thompson grew up on his father's farm and in 1892 came to Adams County. He is now owner of 250 acres in Northeast Township, and ha.s done much to improve and increase the value and productiveness of the land. He is a general farmer and stock raiser. Mr. Thompson is a democratic voter, and served for about five years in the important local office of road commissioner.

In October, 1894, he married Miss Ellen Anderson. She died August 28, 1911, the mother of four children : John, Mary, Geneva and William. Her son John, an American soldier, was stationed with the United States troops along the Mexican border and is now at home. December 10, 1914, Mr. Thompson married for his present wife Ida Lakeside, of Pike County, Illinois.

Heney Ihrig, a prosperous farmer of Houston Township, has a career of special interest because he started oiit a young man dependent entirely upon his own industry and native ability, worked as a farm hand, later got into the class of farm renters, and with accumulating experience and with the savings of many years of honest toil finally bought his first land and is now proprietor of a farm that would bear favorable comparison with any in his locality.

Mr. Ihrig is a member of a very well known family of Adams County, .some further reference to which is made on other pages. He was born in Melrose Township January 19, 1866, son of George Henry and Elizabeth (Dingledine) Ihrig. On his father's farm he spent the first sixteen years of his life, and attended public schools there. Then for five years, until he reached his majority, he lived in the home of his brother George. Starting out to work away from home, he spent one year in the employ of Thomas Pearce, one year with R. B. Lummis, for a year and a half was in the employ of his father, and then becoming a renter lived on the William Powell farm two years and on the Lee Pearce farm five years.

In 1898, twenty years ago, and when agricultural conditions and land values were much depressed in comparison with present standards, Mr. Ihrig bought 97^2 acres, included in his present farm in Houston Township. Since then he has been able to add to his holdings until he has 275 acres. He has built a two-story house and a large barn, making two sets of buildings on his farm, and at the same time has given his land many improvements to increase its value and productiveness. Mr. Ihrig handles some good livestock, and is also a fancier and breeder of pure bred Plymoiith Rock chickens. He feeds a number of hogs and cattle every year. In politics he is republican, though never aspiring to public otHce. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

December 9, 1892, he married Miss Jessie Geisel, of Melrose Township. She is a daughter of Henry Geisel, one of the early settlers of Adams County, who died when past ninety-two years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Ihrig have one child, Milton Ray. born June 28, 1902, now a student in the Maplewood High School at Camp Point.

John F. Ros.?, M. D. The community of La Prairie was fortunate when Dr. John P. Ross chose that locality as the scene of his professional labors. Doctor Ross is a highly trained, capable physician, has acquitted himself as an excellent worker in his profession and as a thoroughly good and enterprising citizen, and is giving the best of himself to his chosen work.

He was born on the old Ross homestead in Schuyler County, Illinois, November 20, 1882, son of John H. and ]\Iary J. (Peckenpaugh) Ross. His paternal grandparents were Talbert and Elizabeth (Snj-der) Ross. Talbert Ross was born in Pennsylvania and his wife in Virginia. Thej' came in pioneer times to Schuyler County, Illinois, and settled on the farm where Doctor Ross was born and where his parents still live. Talbert Ross died in 1858, at the age of forty-five, leaving a family of nine children : Mary, Martha, Amanda, George John H., Sarah, Minnie, James T. and Delia. The mother of these children married for her second husband John Beadle, and she died in 1874, at the age of fifty-five.

John H. Ross was born in Schuyler County in 1846. He grew up on the old farm, was educated in the public schools, and married Mary J. Peckenpaugh, who was born in Schuyler County in 1853. They still live on the old farm of 160 acres and are among the prosperous and substantial people of that community. He is a republican and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They had two children : Oel D. and John F.

John F. Ross grew up on his father's farm, attended the local schools and also the Rushville High School, and had his training for his profession in the medical department of Washington University at St. Louis. He graduated ]M. D. in 1905, and then spent a year as interne in the Washington Heights University Hospital. Doctor Ross located at La Prairie in Adams County in 1906, and" for the past ten years has enjoyed a very large and successful practice. He is a member of the State and Medical societies, the American Medical Association, is affiliated with La Prairie Lodge of Odd Fellows, and with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Golden. He votes as a republican, but has had no time to meddle with politics as a means of advancing himself to public office. On June 1, 1905, he married Miss Esther L. Smith, of St. Louis, Missouri. They have one daughter, Winifred, born November 17, 1909.

Fred A. Benedict is a retii-ed resident of Quincy, owning and occupying a very attractive home at 501 Broadway. He built that house himself three years ago, and it is a real contribution to the architectural surroundings of the Courthouse Sqiiare. Mr. Benedict has spent most of his active life as a farmer, but has always been a practical mechanic, and that knowledge and skill stood him in good stead in fariming as in other affairs. He has been a resident of Quincy for the past nine years. He came here from Marion County, Slissouri, where he still owns a fine farm of 120 acres known as the Judge Barney place. He was owner of this farm for twelve years before retiring and turning its management over to his sons. The farm is a valuable one, with a splendid equipment of buildings, well improved and well stocked.

Mr. Benedict was born in Marion County, Missouri, in February, 1858, and grew xip on a farm and had his education in the common schools. He reached his majority without capital and started out empty handed to make his own way in the world. Without help from any one he has accumulated a modest competence, has always been a hard worker, and has every reason to be satisfied with his efforts and the influence he has exercised in his community.

He was twenty-two years of age when his father, Fred S. Benedict, died at the age of seventy-three. His father was also a lifelong farmer, a native of Pennsylvania, and son of Fred A. Benedict, who died in Pennsylvania in advanced years. Fred S. Benedict grew up in his native state and became a river boatman, serving as mate on an Ohio river boat. While thus engaged he married at Meadville. Kentucky, Miss ]Martha Erwin. She was a native of Kentucky and of a Southern family. Six of their children were born in Kentucky : William, Henry, Elizabeth, Jane, Charles and Ellen. Then, in 1854, the famil.v came down the Ohio and up the Mississippi river to Quincy, and crossed over the river into Marion County, Missouri, and bought the farm where Fred S. Benedict and his wife spent the rest of their years. After they went to ^Missouri four other children were born : Lucy, Frederick A., Louisa and Isabel. Those born in Kentuckj' all grew up and married, and one of them, Charles, is still living, now a resident of Texas. The four children born in Missouri are all living, all married and have children.

Fred A. Benedict married in Missouri Miss Millie Hamilton. She was born in Knox County, Missouri, February 10, 1856, was reared and educated there, and was a splendid woman, her husband, children and a host of friends paying tribute to her worthy qualities and cherishing her memory. She died at the home in Quincy, August 19, 1918. She was the mother of three children. Annie is the wife of Oren Fellinger, of Quincy, and her two daughters, Margaret and Vera, are now school gii-ls. The son Albert owns and occupies an eighty acre farm in Marion County, Missouri. He married Ethel Johnson, of that county, and his children are Wesley and Alberta. The third child and second son, Frederick S., farms his father's place in Missouri. He married MjTtle Davis, of Marion County, and they have a son, Frederick A.

Mrs. Benedict had a cousin Rev. Thomas Scott, a noted minister of the Baptist Church. This minister baptized Mrs. Benedict in that church, later performer the marriage ceremony which made her Mrs. Benedict, and recently preached her funeral sermon. With good reason, therefore, he could pay a heartfelt tribute to her beautiful character and her lifelong devotion. Mr. Benedict is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America.

William Vollbbacht, of Camp Point, is president of the William Vollbracht Company, dealers in seeds, grain, wool, harness, farm implements, wagons, furs, carriages and other commodities. It is a business which has been built up on the basis of a successful commercial service, growing in extent and importance, and carefully managed and directed by members of the Yollbracht family. The business was established in 3895 in a small way, and was conducted as a firm partnership under the title of William and H. F. Yollbracht until incorporated in its present form in 1915. At the present time the company maintains three branches or establishments, one at Camp Point, one at Barry and one at Ursa.

For more than sixty-five j^ears Adams Countj^ has been the home of the Yollbracht family. It was founded here at Quincy in 1852 by William and Mary (Wagner) Yollbracht, who came from Germany with their family and in early days lived in a log house which is still standing as a landmark of pioneer times in Quincy, between Ninth and Tentli streets on Kentucky Street. Later, this worthy couple moved into the country to a farm, and both died here.

One of their children was the late Henry Yollbracht, who was born in Germany, November 1, 1836, and was sixteen years of age when brought to this country. He learned the trade of tailor and followed it for eight yeai*s in Quincy. One of his customers during that time was Governor Wood, for whom he tailored a coat. Abandoning the trade, he took up the business of farming. In 1862 Henry Yollbracht married Louise Zeiger. Their family of six children consisted of Mary, Louis, Christ, William, Sophia and Henry. Henry Yollbracht was a democrat and a member of the Lutheran Church. His wife died in 1872, and his last years were spent with his son William at Camp Point, where he passed away March 29, 1916, at the venerable age of eighty years.

William Yollbracht, president of the William Yollbi-acht Company, was born in Columbus Township of this county November 17, 1868. His eai-ly life was spent on a farm, and he was identified with farming activities until he was about twenty-five years old. His education was acquired in the public schools. In 1895 he came to the Yillage of Camp Point, and began on a small scale his business as a dealer in agi-icultural implements, wool, grain and other commodities. In 1916, upon the incorporation of the company, he erected a large new warehouse at Camp Point, 40x80 feet, with basement. The company has all the facilities and experience for handling a large volume of the trade in three of the important agricultural communities in this section of the state.

Mr. Yollbracht served as po.stmaster of the Yillage of Camp Point from 1914 until 1917, when, owing to the fact that both of his sons entered army service, he resigned to look after his private business affaii*s. He is a democrat . and he and his family are members of the Presbyterian Church.

May 25, 1892, Mr. Yollbracht married Anna E. Omer, of Clayton Township, daughter of Peter Omer, one of the early settlers of this coimty. Peter Omer was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky, March 25, 1822, a son of Peter and

Rebecca Omer, and settled in Adams County in 1847. He became a successful farmer and large land owner in Clayton Township. Peter Omer was three times married, and the mother of Mrs. VoUbracht was Sarah Ann Marsh, whom he married in 1854.

Mr. and Mi-s. VoUbracht are the parents of two sons and one daughter. Arthur E., born in 1893, a graduate of the local schools and of the Maplewood High School of Camp Point, is secretary of the William VoUbracht Company and formerly had charge of the business at Barrj*. He is now serving in Company D of the One Hundred and Thirty-Ninth Machine Gun Battalion. He married Gladys Chase, daughter of 0. E. Chase, a Pike County farmer. The second son, Roy William, born in 1895, is also a graduate of Maplewood High School, is treasurer of the company, and has charge of the local business at Camp Point. He is now in the officer's training school with the Eighty-Eighth Division at Camp Dodge, Iowa. He married Emma E. Hunter, daughter of Hugh Hvmter, of Camp Point. The only daughter, Florence, born October 18, 1899, is a graduate of the Maplewood High School and is now a student at Knox College at Galesburg.

William VoUbracht is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America. His son Arthur is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Barry, while his son Roy belongs to the Knights of Pythias at Camp Point.

Lambert Hubee. One of Camp Point's most useful citizens is Lambert Huber, who came here thirty-eight years ago, a young man with much skill and proficiency as a carpenter and cabinet maker, but with no capital to speak of, in fact his cash possessions at that time aggregated not more than forty dollars.

He was born in Germany July 2. 1858, and during his youth in the old country received a common school education and finished his apprenticeship at the trades above mentioned. When he arrived at Camp Point he took service with the firm of Liggett and Batsch.y, then the oldest business firm in the place, and for years D. E. Liggett and Casper Batschy had handled nearly all the building industry done in that community. They also operated the only lumber yard in the town. Casper Batschy located at Camp Point in 1857 and four years later formed his partnership with Mr. Liggett.

After being with this firm five years Mr. Huber utilized his experience and his modest savings to set up in business for himself as a contractor and builder. The really distinctive and high class building done in Camp Point for thirty years has been largely handled through Mr. Huber. Only a few of his more important local contracts can be mentioned. He erected the Fraternity Building, the Christian Church Building, did the inside work on the People's Bank Building, and was a contractor for practically all the modern residences of the town. In fact there were no modern buildings in Camp Point when he located there, and his business and personal skill have constituted an indispensable service in the improvement of the community. Mr. Huber has his o^^^l home on York Street, where he owns several residences, one of them occupied by his son Charles. In 1912 he built for himself the finest home on the south side of Camp Point. In building this home he put into effect many of his individual ideas and tastes. The rooms below were fini.shed in oak, while upstairs the trim is all in walnut, a timber now of almost priceless value. Mr. Huber maintains a complete shop, not only for general carpenter work, but for the finest cabinet and other forms of wood work, especially interior finishing. He makes nearly all woodwork except sa.sh and doors. He has planing and molding machinerj', and has a force of .skilled workmen under him.

Mr. Huber became an American citizen soon after locating in Adams County, and has steadfastly supported the republican ticket for many years. For three years he was a member of the village board and has also been a member of the school board. Fraternally he is affiliated with Beniamin Lodge, No. 197, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Camp Point Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, Exkalibur Lodge, No. 299, Knights of Pythias, and Camp Point Lodge, No. 215, Independ-

December 14, 1884, he married Miss Christine Decker. She was born in Ohio, but was brought when a child to Adams County in 1872 by her father, Andrew Decker, who was one of the prosperous farmers of the county but is now living retired. Mr. and Mrs. Huber had eight children : Frank, deceased ; Charles, a resident of Camp Point ; Lawrence, Bernard and Helen, all deceased ; Clifford ; Harold ; and Verna.

Anton Padavic has been one of the enterprising business men of Quincy for over ten years. He came here for the purpose of establishing the local agency of the Eliza Brewing Company of Peoria. He developed a large business for this concern and successfully managed it for seven years. He then took over as manager the Gem & Savoy film theaters and was in the theatrical and amusement business at Quincy for three years. He finally sold his theatrical interests and established a tent and awning manufacturing business at 333 Hampshire Street. This industry he has already developed to successful proportions, and gives employment to several people and manufactures goods for which there is a widespread demand.

Mr. Padavic came to Quincy from Missouri, where for a number of years he was in the brewing business. He is a native of Croatia, Austria, born June 13, 1867. He is of Slavic aneestiy and his parents spent their lives in the mountainous district of Austria near the Adriatic Sea. His father was in the timber business and cut large quantities of the heavy timber in that section, .shipping the lumber from a local port to many of the cities and countries of the Mediterranean. Both parents spent all their lives there and died when cjuite old. A brother of Anton, Luke Padavic, succeeded to his father's business and when last heard from was still conducting it successfully.

Anton Padavic grew up in the mountainous and heavily timbered districts of Au.stria, and acquired a practical knowledge of the lumber business. At the age of twenty he began a three-j'ears service in the field artillery, and one year after the close of his military career, on May 15, 1892, he married a neighbor girl, Frances Snyder. She was born in the same locality and is three yeai-s her hiisband's junior. Her parents were also Slavic people and her father died when past ninety years of age. He was a timber worker and cabinet maker.

In 1893 ^Ir! Padavic, leaving his bride behind, embarked on a vessel at a local port on the Adriatic, and after thirty-four days of voyage landed in New York. His first destination was Streator, Illinois, where he found employment in the local coal mines. Three months later he was able to send for his wife, who traveled by the same route and was also thirty-four days on the ocean. Their first child, Mary, was born May 17, 1894. From Streator, Illinois, they moved to Iowa at Centerville, where a daughter, Margaret, was born in July, 1896. The next two children, twins, John and Golda, were born in Gallup, New Mexico. Golda died when five years old at Macon, Missouri. The youngest child, Anton, was born at Novinger, in Adair County, Missouri, June 8, 1906. These children were all well educated in the public schools of Quincy and the Gem City Business College. Mary is the wife of Harry Walker, and they live in Cincinnati, where Mr. Walker is employed by a large steel company, ilargaret is bookkeeper for the Pearson Manufacturing Company of Quincy. John is a young man of much business ability and is with the E. M. Jliller Carriage Company of Quincy. Anton, Jr.. is a student in St. Boniface School. The family are all members of St. Boniface Catholic Church.

Rev. Anthony Zurbonsen. There were the attractive River Ems playfully meander.s through verdant pastures, meadows and well-tilled acres of Westphalia's fertile soil, skirting in its course at times tinted heatherland and fragrant pinery, some fifteen miles distant from the ancient, venerable and historic city of Muenster, is situated on its eastern bank a provincial town of about seven thou- sand inhabitants, all frugal, industrious and economic people. It was Wareudorf, the birthplace of our subject. The historj' of this city dates back for more than a thousand years. For several centuries the ancestors of Rev. A. Zurbonsen have resided here, a number of whom have arisen to honor and distinction both in church and state, and in fact the Zurbonsen family has always enjoyed high esteem and prominence among the old time-honored families of that city.

Rev. Anthony Zurbonsen is the fourth and youngest son of Calistus Zurbonsen and Elisabeth nee Suelfstedde (a native of Hanover), and was born August 15, 1860. His early childhood was spent amid the happy surroundings and chastening influences of an ideal Christian home. The mother died when but forty-six years of age, in 1876, while the father attained the patriarchal age of ninety years, dying in 1907.

Having graduated from the primary schools of his native place and not yet fifteen years old, our subject came to America in 1875 to be placed in St. Joseph's College of Teutopolis, Illinois, there to enter upon a course of classical studies which ultimately were to culminate in his ordination to the priesthood. After the prescribed live years' curriculum he was admitted to the higher studies of philosophy and natural sciences in the Grand Seminary of Montreal, Canada, 1880-82, which after a two years' course was to be superseded by that of theology at St. Francis' Seminary of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1882-85. On June 29th of the latter year his long cherished ambition, to enter the ministry and to consecrate his life to God and fellow-men, was happily realized, for on that memorable day Father Zurbonsen was ordained a priest by the !Most Rev. ^Michael Heiss, D. D., late Archbishop of ^Milwaukee. From that day and year to the present date he has zealously worked in the diocese of Alton, where evei-y one who has ever come in contact with him will readily attest to his disinterested priestly activity. In all charges wherewith the bishop has ever entrusted him he has made good. A host of friends, l)oth clerical and lay. Catholic as well as Protestant, wish him continued success.

The various parishes which Father Zurbonsen presided over as pastor since his ordination are the following: Grant Fork, ^ladison County, from 1885 to 1888 : Staunton, Macoupin County, from 1888 to 1898 ; Ashland, Cass County, from 1898 to 1899 : Raymond, Montgomery County, from 1899 to 1906 ; Quincy, Adams County, from 1906 till the present time.

Among the notable achievements accomplished during this time may be enumerated the founding of "Ascension" parish at Mount Olive, the erection of a rectory at Raymond, together with the purchase of additional church property in that place and a beautiful cemetery site at Ashland. He became the first resident priest of Staunton, where the present rectory was built through his efforts. Beautifying and improving the parochial holdings in Quincy is the work of more recent years, while the erection of a parish school with modern equipment is in contemplation.

In leisure hours Rev. A. Zurbonsen has occasionally turned his attention to literary pursuits. Thus in 1894 appeared an illustrated pamphlet under the title "From Illinois to Rome"; in 1903, "Rambles through Europe, the Holy Land and Egypt"; in 1904 a devotional "Ave Maria": 1915, "Diary Pages"; and 1918, "In Memoriam, or Clerical Bead Roll of the Alton Diocese," together with numerous smaller contributions to periodicals or magazines.

Besides, our reverend author has proved himself an extensive and observant traveler. In 1893 he visited Germany and Italy ; 1903, Palestine ; and 1908, the British Isles and Scandinavia. Father Zurbonsen is chaplain of Quincy Council No. 583, Knights of Columbus.

"William Lessman. The business of farming has been the pursuit and chief interest of William Lessman during his active career. He is a native of Adams County, and has prospered in the community where he grew up as a boy and is looked upon as one of the prominent farmers and stock men of Houston To\vnship.

Mr. Lessman was born in Liberty Township of this county, October 15, 1859, a son of Henry F. and Dorothea (Poppe) Lessman. His parents were both born in Germany, his father in 1823 and his mother in 183-4. Henry F. Lessman came to America and settled at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1851. Dorothea Poppe was taken to the same city when a girl. Soon after their marriage in Cincinnati they came west to Adams County, locating on a farm in Liberty Township, but spent their last years in Columbus Township. Henry Lessman owned a farm of 320 acres. He voted as a republican and was a member of the Lutheran Church. His children were: Lizzie and Anna, both decea.sed ; William ; Edward ; George ; Louise ; Lena, who died October 7, 1915 ; and Mary.

"William Lessman grew up in Liberty Township, attended public schools there, and has studiously devoted his energies since attaining his majority to the cultivation of the land and stock husbandry. For several years he owned a farm of 120 acres in Columbus Township, but sold that and bought his present place in Houston Township in 1899. His home farm comprises 196 acres, and he also has 160 acres in Chili Township in Hancock County. Thus he has under his supervision 356 acres, and its management constitutes a task that is worth}- of all that a man has in him of industry and thorough-going ability. Mr. Lessman like many of the progressive farmers of Adams County is giving much attention to high grade livestock. He has some pure bred Polled Angus cattle and also a number of Duroc Jersey hogs.

He is a republican and a member of the Lutheran Church. December 14, 1887, he married Miss Mary "Wilkey. She was born at Newtown in Burton Township of this county April 2, 1867, daughter of Louis and Elizabeth (Gleaser) Wilkey. Her parents were both natives of Germany. Her father was born in 1836 and her mother in 1843. Her father arrived in Adams County in 1850, at the age of fourteen, and her mother reached here in 1849, at the age of six. They were married in 1866, and for over fifty years have had their home in Columbus Township. The celebration of their golden wedding anniversary in 1916 was a local event well remembered. In the Wilkey family were ten children: Mary, Frank (deceased), Rosetta (deceased), Daniel, Maltida, George, Albert. Walter, Frank and Charles. The last named, Charles, is now a member of Troop C of the Three Hundred and Fifth Cavalry Regiment, and before going abroad was at Camp Stanley, Texas.

Mr. and Mrs. Lessman have two daughters, Dora Elizabeth and Eva Amanda. Dora was educated in the Golden High School and is the wife of W. DeMoss. They have one son, Kenneth. Eva Amanda was educated in the Golden High School and the Macomb Normal, was a teacher for several terms, and is now the wife of Rial Irish. Mr. and "Sirs. Irish have two children, Mary Kathleen and William Edward. Both of the sons-in-law of Mr. Lessman are farmers. Mr. DeMoss in Hancock County and Mr. Irish in McDonough County.

William Haistings. An easy but imperfect method of representing the progress of half a century or more is to put at one end of the picture the old fashioned stage coach and at the other the flying machine. But it is not alone in transportation that progress has been made. Every vocation and industry have been subject to revolutionary changes, and nowhere is this more apparent than in agriculture and country life. There is special interest and value attaching to the career of Mr. Haistings. who in the last years of his life nominally called himself retired and resided in the Village of Alendon, because his career and experience reflects some of the most important developments that liave occurred during the last sixty or seventy years in American rural life. ^Ir. Haistings died on December 10, 1918.

Mr. Haistings was a resident of Adams County for about seventy years. He was born in Southern Ohio, in Clermont County, ^lav 18, 1836, more than eighty-two years ago. His parents were William and Nancy (Law) Haistings. At the time of his birth his parents were tenants on the farm of an old river captain and boat owner, Captain McLean. Thej' lived there until 1847, when they came to Qiiincy and joined the brother of Nancy Haistings, William Law, who was then living 314 miles south of Mendon. William Haistings finally bought a little more than 100 acres of land near the Law farm and also adjoining the farm of Captain Howden. William Haistings, Sr., bought this land for $4 an acre, and occupied it until the death of his wife, Nancy. It is now the home of Crow Brothers. After his wife's death its proprietor sold and moved to Grundy County, Missouri, where he had his home until his death. He died at an extreme old age. He was one of the early threshermen of Adams County and was so employed nearly every year of his residence here. He was an expert in handling machinery and was granted several patents on devices of his creation, though he never succeeded in realizing wealth therefrom. He and his wife had seven sons : William ; Samuel, who died in middle life, leaving a family; Oliver, a farmer on Bear Creek in Adams County; Charles, who died leaving a family ; James, a farmer in Honey Creek Townsliip ; Alonzo and Lorenzo, both of whom live at Fowler, Illinois.

William Haistings was eleven years old when brought to Adams Count}', and he lived with his parents until he was twenty. At the age of thirteen he gained his first practical experience in assisting his father in the operation of a threshing outfit. It is as a thresherman that Mr. Haistings' career is of special interest to recall as a matter of local history. During his boyhood the threshing of grain had advanced very little beyond the ancient customs of flail and threshing floor with wind as the chief method of separating the grain from the chaff. This improvement consisted at the time of Mr. Haistings' earliest recollection of what was known as a "chaff piler, " operated by a very crude horse power. The chaff piler bore little resemblance to the modern separator, though it had its essential principle, a revolving cylinder, which beat out the grain. However, there was no supplementary process, and the grain, straw and chaff were all landed in one pile, where a coiiple of men stood with forks lifting and shaking until all the heavy grain had fallen to the ground, from which it was collected and put through a hand power fanning mill to winnow out the remaining chaff.

From that time Mr. Haistings operated practically every type of thi-eshing machine. He had several of the old horse power outfits with their turntable and tumbling rods to transmit the power. He was operator and owner of every successive new type and improvement of separator, each one representing some advance on the original driim or revolving cylinder for beating out the grain. He also helped operate the first steam driven threshing outfit in the county.

Before he was of age he was a partner with his brother-in-law, Joel ilaston, in the ownership of a threshing outfit and from that time for forty-nine years made threshing his annual business. He also had a clover huller, and thus his season of activity extended from late summer until far into the winter. Were the grain which he threshed during half a centuiy all collected together at the present time it is safe to assume that it would be sufficient to feed the allies for much longer than the present war is liable to endure. Mr. Haistings has always been a progressive, and however satisfactory a certain tj^pe of machinery might be he was eagerly looking out for improvement. Thus his outfit contained a succession of standard makes of the time, including the McClure, the Rice and Swartz, the Case, the Springfield, the Massillon and the Bellevue, and whenever a newer and better machine was put on the market he was ready and willing to exchange his older one and replace it with the new. The territory which he served as a thresherman extended from Quincy to beyond Columbus, and some of his older patrons had his services consecutively for twenty-five years or more.

Mr. Haistings owned several farms, including one of 400 acres in Honey Creek Township, which is one of the best in the count}-. Seventeen years ago he bought the old Gilliland farm from his wife's father's estate. For the last nine years of his life he lived in Mendon, and though nominally retired his activity hardly slackened and he went about to the full bent of his energy, find- ing always something useful to emplo.y his time. He invested in several properties, including lots in the new addition to Mendon, where he erected several residences. Few men in Mendon were keener for a bargain than this vigorous octogenarian. He was a director in the Farmers State Bank at Mendon and was a factor in its growth from organization. Politically a democrat, he was instrumental in road improvement and served many years on the school board. While the story of his career is thus briefly told, it seems to suggest few setbacks or obstacles, the fact is, however, that again and again he was confronted with impediments and opposition, but they only served to strengthen his determination and his energy to succeed in spite of them. Frequently he turned an apparent defeat to a real victory in the matter of business transactions.

At the age of twenty-three Sir. Haistings married Eliza Jane Gilliland, daughter of Squire William Gilliland of this county. To their marriage were born a large family of children: John C, on the home farm; Letetia Adeline, who died at Lorraine, wife of Warren Asher; Cassandra, living at Quincy, widow of William Berry; Anna, who married Al Claim and is deceased; Lillie, who died in young womanhood; Emma, who married William Hendricks and lives in Chicago; Edna, deceased wife of James Shay; William Perry, who lives in the Village of Lorraine; Robert N., who is a thresherman living at Mendon ; Cora, wife of Frank Sloniger, of Honey Creek Township ; Mary Lohr, of Poloma ; Fred, of Mendon ; and Gilbert, also of Mendon.

Leo Frank Lechtenbeeg. For many years one of the principal claims of Quincy to greatness among the cities of Illinois has rested upon the investments of capital and the employment of energies in those lines of manufacturing where iron and steel are the primary commodities and materials. With this phase of Quincy 's industrial growth and progress Mr. Leehtenberg has many honorable and active associations.

One of the larger business establishments of today acknowledges as proprietor Leo Frank Leehtenberg, a young man of thorough training in this branch "of industrj', who was born at Quincy August 1, 1888. He is a son of Henry and Anna Leehtenberg, his father a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and his mother of Quincy. His father was an expert mechanic and machinist, and on coming to Quincy engaged in machine shop work and in 1883 organized the Central Iron Works. In 1889 this business was incorporated as the Central Machine & Foundry Company, of which he was president and manager until his death in May, 1912. His widow is still living at Quincy and is the mother of nine children -. Bernard, deceased ; Clara, at home ; Minnie, wife of F. M. Brow, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa ; Anthony, deceased ; Leo F. ; William, of Quincy ; Adelaide, wife of Walter Sturhan, of Quincy; Lawrence A., of Quincy; and Henry, deceased.

Leo Leehtenberg secured his literary education in the parochial schools of Quincy, attending vmtil the age of fourteen, when he entered his father's shop. There he learned the machinist business in every detail, and worked at it as a trade for about ten years. He was then appointed foreman in the Central Machine & Foundry Works, and at his father's death became superintendent. Later he retired from this plant and with his two brothers established a separate industry for the manufacture of specialties in iron and wood. It is a flourishing business and with thoroughly experienced and competent men at the head, has a large future.

Mr. Leehtenberg is independent when it comes to voting, is a member of the Knights of Columbus and of St. Francis Catholic Church. June 21, 1911, he married Miss Leona S. Roop. They have two children, Louise, liorn ^lareh 30, 1912 ; and Leo F., Jr., born December 19, 1913.

Christian G. Dickhut represents one of the old and prominent families of Adams County, and has for half a eenturs^ been active in the life and affairs of his home City of Quincy.

Mr. Diekhut was born near the center of Quincy on February 1, 1847. He is a son of Christian G. Diekhut, Sr. The Diekhut family has been in this country for more than eight decades. Christian G. Diekhut grew up at Quincy, was educated in the common school, and has lived here practically all his life. He was a verj' small boy, only fourteen, when the war broke out, but he showed the spirit of his patriotism by attempting to get into the army and finally succeeded in Februarj-, 1865, at the age of eighteen. He served in the One Hundred and Eighteenth Infantry under Colonel Fonda and Captain Rorabaugh. He received his honorable discharge in October, 1865, and his desire for active fighting was never gratified. He is a member of Wood Post No. 96, Grand Army of the Republic, and is now junior vice commander.

Up to the age of twenty-four ]\Ir. Diekhut lived at home and gave all his earnings to his parents. At that age he went to work as a teamster, and along that line has continued steadily to the present time. In 1876 he began hauling coal for different companies in the city, and in 1905 became agent and collector for the Wabash Coal Company. In 1915 he transferred his services in the same capacity to the Quincy Coal Company. He is well known himself and is probably acquainted with more people in Quincy than any other citizen. He has always been a steady worker and a man of great energy, and in a long period of years can remember only taking five daj's away from business. He has the physique that justified such a record. He is a large man, six feet tall, very active and could give a handicap to manj^ men nearly half his age. Politically Mr. Diekhut is a republican, and began voting that ticket for General Grant half a century ago.

At Quincy February 6, 1873, he married Elizabeth B. Thole, who was born in Quincy September 8, 1853. She died at her home in this city ilarch 3, 1913. Her parents were natives of Germany, but for many years lived in Quincy. Mrs. Diekhut was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Of her children nine reached maturity, three sons and six daughters. One son, a railroad man, was killed in a railroad wreck near Canyon City, Colorado, March 16, 1906, at the age of twenty-six. His death was a gi'ievous blow to the mother and the shock was such that she was never able to do a day 's work after the sad news reached her. One daughter, Delia, born August 9, 1874, died August 3, 1912. The living children are: Minnie, wife of George Dasbach; Alfred, a machinist at Quincy, who is married and has a son and daughter; Emma F., a stenographer employed in the Swift Packing Company at Chicago ; Irene, a stenographer for the State Street Bank of Quincy ; Myrtle, who is housekeeper for her father ; Ralph, a member of the Quincy fire department; and Ruth, a stenographer with the Quincy Carriage Company.

John Batschy. An architect, if genius has endowed him, is a man of dreams, but to be successful he must be a practical dreamer, able to convert his beautiful visions into utilitarian as well as magnificent structures. Such an architect has Quincy in John Batschy, who has had so much to do with the beautification of this city, of which he has been a valued resident for thirtytwo years.

John Batschy was born in Filisur, Switzerland. March 8, 1855. His parents were John and Rosina (Schmidt) Batschy, who spent their entire lives in Switzerland. They had three children : John, the only one to come to America, and Martin and Anna Verena, both of whom live in Switzerland, the latter being the wife of Michael ^lettier.

The parents of 'Sir. Batschy were people of means and standing and afforded their children excellent school advantages, and naturally felt some pride when their eldest son was so creditably graduated in architecture from the noted schools of design at Zurich and Winterthur, Switzerland. In 1884 the young man came to the United States, seeking, as have hundreds of other young men, a wider field of opportunity than his own land offered at that time. For a short time he lived in the City of St. Louis, Missouri, from there going up the Missis- sippi River to Dubuque, Iowa, and from there in the spring of 1886 he came to Quiney. For one of his profession the time was favorable, for this city was entering an era of development that demanded progressive ideas and talented men to carry them out.

Working at first in the offices of local architects, Mr. Batschy soon proved his ability and at the same time saw his opportunity, taking advantage of it in 1887 by opening his own office, which he has continued here ever since. He has been the architect of almost all of the most notable buildings of Quincj', among which may be mentioned such noble and beautiful structures as the tine residences that attract attention because of their beautiful design, also the Washington, Berrian and Irving public school buildings, the Woodland Orphans' Home, the Soldiers and Sailors Home Buildings, the Musselman business block, the largest in the city, the George Ertel block, the Schott office budding, the Gardner Governor Company's immense buildings, the Quiney Show Case works, the Flynn bottling works, the noted Masonic Temple, and other structures for business, residential or benevolent purposes. In neighboring cities also Mr. Batschy can point to many fine public and private buildings of his designing both in Illinois and in other states. He is now engaged as supervising architect of the Adams County Tuberculosis Sanatorium, which is to be built at Quiney, Illinois, With this gift of beautiful design Mr. Batschy has wrought wonders in wood, stone and steel, and Quiney may well congratulate herself in the citizenship of one so perfect in his art and so devoted in every way to the best interests of the city he has so helped to adorn.

Mr. Batschy was married August 4, 1891, to Miss Louise Schoeneman, who was born in Quiney, and died in the same city. May 29, 1898. One son was born January 1, 1893, John Martin, who, at the time this record is being prepared is in service as first lieutenant in Europe, after graduating in 1917 from the military school at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, for service in the National army in the World war. He is a university man who spent two years in the study of architecture at Boston, Massachusetts, and five years at Washington, ]Missouri, graduating from both with the highest honors. The stem duty to which he has set his face not only demonstrates personal character and courage, but the spirit of freedom that belongs alike to Switzerland and America.

As a lover of order, an observer of the law, and a believer in those elements that make life in any section more satisfactory and worth while, good housing that includes sanitation and iitility, and a recognition of men's duties to one another, Mr. Batschy has often been led to express his opinions publicly but never in a political capacity, for his activity in this direction has alwaj's been limited to casting his vote with the republican forces. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons, and he is a member of the Congregational Church.

George T. Pe.\rce. Adams County has a niimber of men who do farming on a large scale, commensurate with modern ideals and ideas of business management. One such man now in the high tide of his career and usefulness is George T. Pearce of Houston Township. Mr. Pearce has more than a section of land under his control and management and raises enough grain and livestock to furnish food stuffs for at least a small army.

Mr. Pearce belongs to the old and substantial stock of Adams County. He has always kept close to the soil and to the locality where he was born and reared. He was born on the farm he now owns in Houston Township January 27, 1872. He is a son of John C. and Sarah (Powell) Pearce. His grandparents were David and Elizabeth (Stabler) Pearce. David Pearce was born in Baltimore County. Marj'land, March 18, 1807, and died at his home in Gilmer Township of this county December 16, 1878. He was a well educated man and in early life was a teacher. One of his pupils was Elizabeth Stabler, who was born in Pennsylvania September 16, 1808. They were married February 27, 1829, and in 18,35 moved to Butler County, Ohio, and from there came to Adams County in 1848. Arriving here in the spring of that year they located in section 30 of Gilmer To^vnship, acqiiiring 160 acres of raw land, and they made that their home the rest of their days. David Pearee in the course of time acquired a handsome propertj' and a comfortable home. He served as justice of the peace, "was a member of the Masonic order, and he and his wife were both devout Methodists. They had five children: Ruth, Mary A., Elizabeth S., Thomas D. and John C, all now deceased.

John C. Pearee was bom in Butler County, Ohio, in 1841 and was seven years of age when brought to Adams County. He grew up on the farm here, attended the public schools, and in April, 1868, married Miss Sarah Powell. She was born in Missouri in 1843. Soon after their marriage they moved to Houston Township, whei'e John C. and his brother Thomas D. bought 320 acres of land. The}' held it in partnership for a number of years, and later secured another 320 acres adjoining. They then divided the property and John C. Pearee kept his share and at the time of his death owned 400 acres in one body and 180 acres in another part of the township. He put up good buildings, and was properly regarded as one of the most enterprising farmers of his day. In September, 1898, he retired from the farm and moved to Camp Point, a year and a half later went to Boweu, and died at West Point, Illinois, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. MarA' Elizabeth ilcilillan. on June 30, 1915. Mrs. John C. Pearee died in 1901. He was a democrat, as was his father, and served as assessor for twelve years and also as road commissioner. He and his wife were Methodists. They had the following children : ]\Iar\' Elizabeth, wife of Milo McMillan, of West Point ; George T. ; and David Otho, who died in infancy.