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BIOGRAPHICAL DIRECTORY
Source:
History of Peoria County, Illinois
Chicago - Johnson & Company
1880
Note: The NAMES in 'CAPS' will have a
biography. All others do not have biographies available.
ELMWOOD TOWNSHIP
NOTE: Names with (*) next to them have longer
description
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Page 746 - |
Macy, M. C.,
farmer, P. O. Elmwood
Marmock, N., farmer, P. O. Elmwood
Mathuson, John, laborer, P. O. Elmwood
Mathews, Mary N., P. O. Elmwood
Maxwell, John, engineer, P. O. Elmwood
May, John, farmer, P. O. Elmwood |
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* McCANN, GEORGE
W. Pg. 746 |
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McCann, Wm.,
farmer, P. O. Elmwood
McDermott, John, laborer, P. O. Elmwood
McDermott, M., laborer, P. O. Elmwood
McFarland, A. J., farmer, P. O. Elmwood
McGrale, A., farmer, P. O. Elmwood
McMuller, W. J., farmer, P. O. Farmington
McNay, Wm. B., farmer, P. O. Elmwood
Miles, F., retired, farmer, P. O. Elmwood
Miller, C. W., farmer, P. O. Elmwood
Monnock, Chas., farmer, P. O. Elmwood
Moore, Monroe, farmer, P. O. Elmwood
Moore, T. J., farrmer, P. O. Rosefield
Morey, T. E., retired farmer, P. O. Elmwood |
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* MORRIS, H. J.
Pg. 746 |
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Moyer, John,
farmer, P. O. Elmwood
Murphy, J. C., retired farmer, P. O. Elmwood
Murray, S. R., farmer, P. O. Elmwood |
Robt. H. Miller
Elmwood |
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Nicherson,
John, farmer, P. O. Elmwood |
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* OLDFIELD,
GEORGE W. Pg. 746 |
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Oldfield, J.,
forman foundry, P. O. Elmwood
O'SHEA, MICHAEL, laborer, Elmwood
Otto, Jacob, merchant tailor, P. O. Elmwood |
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Page, Eliza,
boarding house, P. O. Elmwood
Patterson, Wm. A., farmer, P. O. Elmwood |
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* PHELPS,
WILLIAM E., Hon. Pg. 746 - 747 |
W. E. Phelps
Elmwood |
*
PHELPS,
WILLIAM E., Hon., eldest son of W. J. Phelps and Olivia
B. Johnson; was born Oct. 9, 1835, on the family
homestead where he now resides. At the age of fourteen
he commenced his education in a private school in the
village of Farmington five miles distant, going and
returning daily on horseback. His Summers were spent
at work on the farm. He broke a large part of the
prairie where the village of Elwood now stands. He
graduated from Knox College at twenty-one, and again engaged
in the business of the farm. Already Mr. Phelps
took a lively interest in the political questions of
the day and was frequently called on to address local
gathering. He was from the first a Republican, having
returned home while in college to cast his first vote for
John C. Fremont. On the breaking out of the
rebellion, he was active in raising and equipping the first
company that Elmwood put into the service, and has he
followed his own inclination would have gone with them.
He yielded, however, to the representations of many friends
that his duty lay clearly at home. Mr. Phelps
addressed numerous war meetings and assisted in recruiting
four or five companies and parts of companies. In
November, 1862, he was appointed United States Consul to St.
Petersburg, Russia, which position he filled for three
years. May 17, 1864, while at home on leave of absence
he was married to Miss Ellen A. Wiley, with whom he
started at once on the return journey to St. Petersburg.
While here Mr. Phelps discovered that negotiations
were in progress for the purchase of a steamer then Constadt
harbor for a blockade runner. He immediately secured
the services of an able Russian broker through whom he
obtained accurate information of the whole transaction
including a careful description of the vessel. This
was forwarded by the Navy Department to the Admiral
commanding the blockade squadron, who captured the vessel on
her first voyage. Mr. Phelps secured numerous
complimentary letters from Secretary Seward
recognizing special services. In 1865 he resigned, and
came home, and has since resided on the old homestead,
engaged in farming, mining and manufacturing. In 1868,
after a hotly contested campaign, during which he addressed
meetings in every township in Peoria and Stark counties he
was chosen Representative to the Legislature. He
served as chairman of the Committee on Education, and was
also a member of the Canal Committee, n both of which
positions he was regarded as an able and efficient worker.
Since that time Mr. Phelps' business affairs have
demanded so much of his time that he has positively declined
to be a candidate for any office, although repeatedly
solicited to do so by the leading Republican influences in
the county. Mr. and Mrs. Phelps have had children,
for living. William Joshua, now thirteen years
old, Margaret Wiley ten, Mary Violet, eight,
Edwin (Lynd died in infancy,) and James
Wiley two years old.
Page 746 - 747 |
W. J. Phelps,
Elmwood Tp. |
*
PHELPS, WM.
J., Hon. Sec. 18, P. O. Elmwood. The subject of this
biography belongs to a very ancient family. Their
genealogy n England being traced back to the time of
William the Conqueror. William Phelps of
Parlock, England, was the first paternal ancestor in
America. He emigrated to New England in 1630 and
settled at Dorchester, near Boston. On the 15th of
October, 1635, he set out with his family and about sixty
others for the valley of the Connecticut, the compass being
their only guide, and settled at Windsor, Connecticut.
He was a member of the first Court (Legislature), held in
Connecticut, in 1636, also in 1637; was magistrate from 1638
till the close of 1642. Held many important offices
from that period till 1663, and was truly a pillar in both
church and State. The genealogy from William Phelps
is as follows: Timothy, fifth son of William
and Mary (Dover) Phelps, was born in Windsor, Conn.,
Sept. 1, 1639; Samuel, sixth son of Timothy Phelps,
born Jan. 29, 1875; Joshua, son of Joshua Phelps,
born Aug. 29, 1762; William Joshua Phelps, the
subject of this record is the son of the last mentioned, was
born at Burlington, Conn., Mar. 2, 1808. He was bred a
farmer and educated at the common schools and academy of his
native State. At the age of twenty-one he began to
spend his winters traveling on business, mostly in the
Middle, Southern, and Western States, and returning home to
spend the summers. During these trips he decided to
settle in the West. He was married in Hurwinton*,
Conn., on the 10th of September, 1834, to Miss Olivia B.,
daughter of Benoni and Abigal Johnson, and
immediately departed with his young wife of Illinois.
They arrived at Peoria after a three weeks' trip by
steamboat, canal and stage on the 30th of September, 1834.
The next day Mr. Phelps, leaving his wife in Peoria,
started on an Indian trail to the vicinity of his present
home. He purchased the pre-emption right of a settler,
who had previously erected a rude log cabin. Removed
his wife to it, and in this he lived about six years when
his present residence was erected, which has since been
enlarged and furnished with the comforts and elegancies of a
modern home. Additions were made to the
quarter-section first purchased, till at present Mr.
Phelps has about two thousand acres of rich and
beautiful land, and one of the finest timber tracts in this
part of the country. This valuable estate is
intersected by the Peoria branch of the Chicago, Burlington
& Quincy R. R., and is rich in coal deposits, one of which
has an important shaft in successful operation, with a side
tract from the main line of the railroad running to it;
making the facilities for supplying the markets as abundant
and advantageous as those of any coal region in Illinois.
It was mainly through Mr. Phelps' untiring efforts in
the county and Legislature that these roads were located and
built, which have contributed so largely to develope
the material and social interests of Elmwood and vicinity.
When the first branch was built he donated the right of way
and the land for the depots. The township in which
their new house was located, was not laid out for some years
and their nearest post office was Peoria or Canton, though a
little later an office was established at Farmington, Fulton
county. They desired that their home should be
designated by some appropriate cognomen, and named it
Elmwood, from the beautiful grove of elms near their
dwelling. Thus Mr. Phelps' home became noted
long before either the township or village was named.
Having succeeded in getting an extension of the mail route
to his place, he became postmaster, the office being named
Elmwood. Subsequently the same name. Mr.
Phelps owned the land on which Elmwood is built, and
laid out the place in 1854. He declined to sell lots
to persons who would erect buildings for saloons, or other
immoral purposes, and offered Special inducements to the
best elements of society to come and settle there.
Thus the young town got well started and was the legitimate
offspring of a high and noble purpose on the part of the
founder. Mr. Phelps has been possessed of a
vigorous constitution, embracing a happy combination of the
temperaments, rendering him energetic and thorough going in
whatever he engaged in, laying large plans and evincing
extraordinary ability to execute them. Is a clear
vigorous thinker, and a jovial, affable and generous
companion; but is firm and independent in his own
opinions. Is a staunch Republican, and a consistent
member of the Congregational Church. He was elected
justice of the peace in 1835, county commissioner in 1836,
and was chosen representative to the legislature in 1840.
In the several positions he discharged the responsibilities
of his office with marked ability. Though always
taking a lively interest in politics, and possessing a good
knowledge of the science of good government, he has devoted
his sole attention to his large private business, chief of
which is the management of his large farm, one mile south of
the public square, and the coal mining interest. He is
one who has always acted upon the belief that it is better
to wear out than to rust out. Mr. Phelps lived
happily with the wife of his early choice till the 17th of
February, 1873, when Mrs. Phelps departed this life,
in the sixty-ninth year of her age. She was a woman
admired and loved for her many excellent qualities and
Christian virtues. Mr. and Mrs. P. had three
children, one of whom died in infancy. Their two sons
living are Hon. Wm. E. Phelps and Augustus S. J.
Phelps, Esq., in the practice of the law at Elmwood.
Pg. 748
* Probably Harwinton, Ct. |
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Phelps, A. S. J.,
lawyer, P. O. Elmwood
Philhower, A., carpenter, P. O. Elmwood
Pierce, W. N., merchant, P. O. Elmwood
Prescott, K., merchant, P. O. Elmwood
Proctor, James, farmer, P. O. Elmwood |
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* PULSIFER, GEORGE H.
Pg. 748 |
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Pulsifer, Mrs.,
farmer, P. O. Elmwood
PUTAM, JAMES, proprietor Elmwood House, Elmwood |
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