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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.
KICKAPOO TOWNSHIP
NOTE: Names with (*) next to them have longer
description
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Page 780 - |
RANDLE, ABRAHAM, farmer, Sec. 35, P. O. Peoria.
Rice, D. farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Roelfs, J. farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Rosenbohm, H. farmer and carpenter, P. O. Peoria.
Royster, T. coal operator, P. O. Peoria.
Rutherford, Wm. coal operator, P. O. Peoria.Salter C., gardener, P. O. Peoria.
Sargent, Jas. farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Sargent, Wm. farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Saur, John, coal miner, P. O. Peoria.
Schertz, P. farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Schmidt, F. coal hauler, P. O. Peoria.
Schnebley, G. coal miner, P. O. Peoria.
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*
SCOFIELD, JACOB, farmer
and stock-grower, Sec. 29, P. O. Edwards Station. The
subject of this sketch is the eldest son of Samuel and Ann Scofield, nee
Greenough, and was born at Heyworth,
Lancashire, England, December 30, 1821, and was educated to
the local express business, which he followed until he
immigrated to America. On the 14th of January, 1842, he
married Miss Mary, daughter of Thomas
and Ellen Lonsdale,
nee Halstead, who was born the same year with Queen
Victoria—February 7, 1819. They immigrated to America I
1844, coming the entire distance to Peoria, with the
exception of the first eight miles, by sail and steam
vessels, arriving on the 14th of June. In coming up the
Mississippi from New Orleans they were passengers on the
steamer Macedonia, which took fire just below Natchez and
burned to the water’s edge, and from which the passengers
barely escaped with their lives—most of them with nothing
but their night clothes. Scofields lost nearly all their
luggage, but by returning to the burning boat after he had
once got to the shore, Mr. S. succeeded in securing what
money they had, which had been hidden away in a barrel for
safe keeping. When the Scofields reached their journey’s end
they had $60, with which to commence life. After a few days
rest among their friends, Mr. Scofield went to work as a
common laborer at $10 per month, one-half cash, and one-half
store pay. Mrs. S. also went out to service at $1.50 a week,
and worked thus for two years. After two years of hard
times, they purchased forty acres of land, built a cabin,
and commenced for themselves. Before the cabin was finished,
they both fell sick. Their cabin had neither doors, windows,
fire-place nor cooking-stove. In clear weather those who
took care of them cooked their food out of doors; when it
was rainy and bad, a plank was lifted from the floor, a fire
kindled there and the cooking done inside. After their
recovery, they set to work with renewed energy and industry;
and prosperity has followed them to the present. Other land
was purchased from time to time until they now own 360
acres, which is well improved, with good stone residence,
etc., and well stocked. They have never had any children,
but have adopted and raised three to manhood and womanhood,
and recently adopted a fourth one—Carrie Baker, a
bright-eyed, pretty and intelligent orphan of twelve years.
Mr. and Mrs. S. are members of the Limestone Episcopal
Church. Politically, Mr. Scofield has always voted with the
Democratic party since he was naturalized.
Pg. 780 |
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Schoff, Jos. gardener
and farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Sholl, A. coal operator, P. O. Pekin.
Shoup, A. M. farmer, P. O. Harker’s Corners.
Shuttz, F. farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Slefkes, M. farmer, P. O. Harker’s Corners.
SLOUGH, GEORGE W. farmer and carpenter, P. O. Peoria. |
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* SLOUGH, HENRY CLAY,
farmer, Sec. 13, P. O. Peoria. Son of Jacob and Ann
Elizabeth Slough, nee Cype, was born in the city of
Peoria, September 23, 1836. When he was about twelve years
of age his parents removed to Richwoods township, where he
grew to manhood. On the 26th of July, 1857, he married
Miss Maria, daughter of Isaac and Abigail Pratt, who was born in
Peoria county, January 30, 1839, and soon after removed to
their present resident. On the 2d of September, 1862, Mr.
Slough enlisted in Co. E, 77th Illinois, and served three
years in defense of the Union, fourteen months of which time
was spent in the rebel prison at Camp Worth, Texas, where he
suffered all the tortures coarse and scanty rations could
bring. He and his comrades were released from that prison
pen on the 17th of May, 1865; reaching Springfield about the
2d of June, and were allowed to come home to spend the
Fourth with their families and friends. They went back to
Springfield on the 5th and were mustered out on the 6th. Since them
Mr. S. has engaged in improving is farm and
adding, by purchase to its original acreage. He now owns 160
acres, valued at $40 an acre. He is Republican in politics,
and liberal in religious belief. They have had seven
children—Edgar H., born September 20, 1858, died, July,
1859; Maria Louise, born July 11, 1860; Henry
Francis, April
7, 1862; Abbie Richmond, May 14, 1866; Ann
Elizabeth,
December 25, 1867; Adelia Edith, June 4, 1869;
Louis Herbert, December 13, 1874. Mrs.
Slough was raised under the
religious instructions of the M. E. Church.
Pg. 780 - 781 |
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Page 781 |
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SLOUGH, JACOB W.
farmer
and stockraiser, Sec. 13, P. O. Peoria, son of Jacob and Ann
Elizabeth Slough nee Cype, settlers of 1834. Was born
in Harrisburg, Pa., 22d April, 1829, and grew to manhood in
Peoria Co. In April, 1851, he went to California, remaining
four and a half years, coming back in 1855. He married 1st
Oct. 1856, Elizabeth Fulton, daughter of Josiah
and Augusta Fulton
nee Hughes, who was born on the Fulton homestead in Richwoods,
14th June 1836. Her father is now the only surviving pioneer
settler of 1819. Soon after marriage they settled at their
present home, on land his mother entered from Government in
1836. He remained there about eighteen months, when he
started on another trip to California for his health, and
after an absence of nine months returned in June, 1859, and
farmed the Slough homestead until 1866, when he removed to
his own place in Sec. 13, Kickapoo. They have had six
children, William, born 19th Nov. 1857, George, 12th March,
1860, Mary A., 29th June, 1862, Emily J., 22d May, 1864,
Joseph H., 25th March, 1866, Nellie C., 10th Dec. 1868. Politically,
Mr. Slough was a Republican from the time that
party was organized, but about 1878 he became a Greenbacker,
and is now strong in that political belief. While living in Richwoods he held the offices of town clerk, collector,
school trustee, and school director, and in Kickapoo filled
the office of assessor for four years. He owns 160 acres of
land valued at $30 an acre. |
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Smith, Catharine, farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Smith, J. coal miner, P. O. Peoria. |
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*
SMITH, ROSY MRS. Farmer,
Sec. 5, P. O. Kickapoo. Mrs. Smith is the daughter of
John
and Catharine Kerrott nee Fagan, and was born in
county Down, Ireland, 14th October, 1813. Her parents were
farmers and from her earliest years she has been accustomed
to farm life. On the 14th of April, 1833, she married
Patrick Smith, the son of a neighboring farmer, and the next
day started to America. They first stopped at Albany, New
York, and after thirteen months in that city went to
Trumansburg, Tompkins county, where Mr. Smith engaged as a
common laborer for four years. They then came to Illinois
and lived a few months in the service of Bishop Chase at
Jubilee College. In the Fall of 1838 they came to the
neighborhood in which she now lives, and where they
purchased their first home, a log cabin which they occupied
seventeen years. Then for two years they lived on a place
now owned by Andrew Heintz, then back to the old place, and
in 1857 occupied the present residence. Mr. and Mrs. Smith
have been intimately associated with the improvement and
development of the country around Kickapoo. Mr.
Smith died
20th January, 1861, at the age of fifty-one years and ten
months. Mrs. Smith has been the mother of fifteen children,
eight boys and seven girls, Francis, born 13th April, 1835,
died 2d November, 1837; Mary born 29th July, 1836, married
William Fox in 1863, died died 25th September, 1878;
Catharine born 13th March, 1838, died 11th October,1839;
Anna, born in Peoria 10th March, 1839, married Patrick
Bennett in 1861; Francis, born 21st November, 1840, married
Miss Margaret Murphy, in September, 1866; John, born 12th
August, 1842, married Miss Mary Hill, February, 1868;
Elizabeth, born June, 1844, married William Murphy in the
early Winter of 1853-4; Catharine, born 26th December, 1845,
married Richard Elwood, 28th April, 1868; James, born 8th
January, 1847; Edward, born 12th November, 1848; Rosy, born
7th April, 1850, married Peter Hill, 28th May, 1876;
William, born 14th August, 1852; Patrick, born 2d June,
1854; Margaret, born 30th August, 1856; Charles, born 23d
January, 1858. Members of the Catholic Church. Owns 263
acres of land in the home place, and twenty acres timber in
Sec. 16. Total value $13, 380.
Pg. 781 |
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*
SPURCK, ELIZA ANN,
farmer, P. O. Edwards Station; daughter of John and Patience
Van Horn nee Hanson, was born in Zanesville,
Muskingum county, Ohio, 1st December, 1811. On the 2d day of
June, 1831, she married William Spurck (son of Peter and
Mary Spurck) a young merchant of Zanesville. They came to
Illinois and commenced merchandising in Peoria, continuing
until 1855, when they purchased the farm now owned and
occupied by Mrs. Spurck. The union of William Spurck and
Eliza Ann Van Horn resulted in the birth of seven children.
Mary L. A., born 7th November, 1833; Martha, born 12th
November, 1836, who has been twice married. Her first
husband was William R. Swinnerton, with whom she crossed the
plains to California, being among the first passengers over
the Union Pacific railroad. Mr. S. died in California, and
his widow returned to Kickapoo, and four years later married
Judge S. Bailey, of Macomb. Adam, born 25th October, 1839,
married Mary Thompson; William, born April, 1842, married
Harriet Kingsley, August, 1869; Amelia, born 13th November,
1844, married Nathan F. Heard, of Worcester, Mass.;
John V.,
born 18th May, 1848, died at eighteen months; Cora P., born
1st November, 1854, married Crescens G. Pitt 19th June,
1878; John L., born 9th April, 1857, died at the age of
eighteen years from injuries received by being thrown from a
horse when he was five years of age. Mr. Spurck died several
years ago. Mrs. Spurck is a member of the Presbyterian
Church.
Pg. 781 |
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*
STEARS, JOHN P. farmer
and stock dealer, Sec. 32, P. O. Peoria, is the fourth child and
third son of Richard and Joana Stears, nee
Pillman, and was born in Wuemworthy, Devonshire, England, 2d
October, 1837, and was raised as an English farmer. His education in
letters was confined to four years schooling between his seventh and
eleventh years. At the latter age he was set to work on the farm,
and kept engaged at that until eighteen years of age. He then ran
away from home, and engaged with a neighboring farmer at sixty cents
a week for seven months, returned home, and at the age of nineteen
joined what was known as the Yeoman Cavalry. He served seven years,
won the rank of Corporal and then resigned’ then rejoined his
father, and engaged as a farmer and cattle dealer until his family,
consisting of father, mother, two brothers and three sisters, came
to America in 1869, landing at Peoria on the 8th of May, and
settling as above. The father died on the 19th of June following. His sister
Ann died 17th September, 1869; the son William died
October 10, the same year, and the mother died 19th March, 1878. On
the 8th of November, 1877, he united in marriage with Mrs. Angeline
H. Manville, nee Beecher, who was born in Connecticut, 13th
May, 1842. She was married to her first husband 1st day of May,
1860, by whom she had three children: Lillian M. was born 17th
February, 1861; Eva L., 10th August 1864, and Minnie, 15th October,
1868. During her widowhood she was postmistress at Summerville, this
county, from 1873 to 1877. Their union resulted in one child,
Richard Henry, who was born 30th September, 1878.
Mr. and Mrs. Stears were both raised under the religious teachings of the
Episcopal Church, are regular attendants of Christ’s Church, near
their residence. Mr. S. is Democratic in politics. He owns one
hundred and forty acres of land, valued at $50 an acre.
Pg. 781 - 782 |
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* STEAR, RICHARD, farmer
and stock grower, Sec. 32, P. O. Edwards Station, son of
Richard and Joanna Stear, nee Pillman, was born in
Devonshire, England, Sept. 28, 1829, where he was bred a
farmer. He left England in the Spring of 1850, and arrived
at Peoria on the 1st day of June, coming directly to the
neighborhood of his present home, and began as a farm
laborer. He worked one year for John Pillman, and then
started a breaking team following that business for two
seasons. He sold his team and engaged eighteen months as a
farm laborer; then worked six months as a coal miner. December 23, 1855, he married
Miss Eliza, daughter of Robert and
Ann Ford, nee Western, who was born in England,
Dec. 15, 1834, and came to America in the Spring of 1855,
landing at Peoria on the 8th of May. For several years after
marriage they were farm tenants in Limestone township. In
1867-8, they bought eighty acres of land where they now
live. Built a cabin, which was their first home, and
commenced clearing up the farm. A part of the land is coal
bearing, and for two years, in the Winter season, Mr.
Stear
mined coal at night and hauled to Peoria by day, as a means
of a living. He also operated a threshing machine, and the
first season had one of his feet crushed in the cogs, which
laid him up eleven months. When sufficiently recovered he
resumed his threshing machine operations for three years,
and since then has been engaged exclusively in farming and
stock growing. He now owns 120 acres, valued at $25 an acre.
They have seven children—John W., born march 22, 1856;
Wm.
H., June 1, 1858; Thomas, Sept. 2, 1860; James, Jan. 9,
1863; Robert, Dec. 21, 1865; Eliza, Feb. 26, 1872, and
Alice Ann, Dec. 16, 1875. Politically he is a Greenback Democrat.
Pg. 782 |
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Straesser, C.. farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Straesser, J., farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Stratton, J Sr., farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Stratton, J. Jr., farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Stratton, Joseph, farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Stratton, J., farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Swarts, Jno., farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Swords, Wm., farmer and lime burner, P. O. Peoria |
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* STRINGER JOHN, farmer,
Sec. 9, P. O. Kickapoo. Is a native of Bullitt county, Ky.
He was the third child of Reuben and Delila Stringer, nee
Owen, and was born on the 3d day of November, 1806. His
father died when he was eight years of age, leaving the
family in humble circumstances. Edward Stringer, the
grandfather of John, with the concurrence of his children,
provided in his will for the liberation of the slaves he
owned; that those who were too young to care for themselves
should be given into the keeping of humane persons, to be
kept until they were twenty years of age, and then to go
free. After the death of Reuben Stringer, the support of the
family fell upon the widowed mother and the older children.
John remained at home with his mother until twenty-one years
of age, his twenty-first birthday occurring on Saturday,
Nov. 3, 1827. Soon after attaining his majority, he went to
Louisville, where, in the Winter of 1827-8, he drove a team
for $7 per month, including boarding and washing. At that
time there was a good deal of excitement about the lead
mines of Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois, and John
Stringer and John Coyle, who had married
Stringer’s only
sister, took passage on a steamboat early in the Spring of
1828, descended the Ohio river to the Mississippi, thence up
the Mississippi and Fever rivers to Galena. At Galena a
Dr. Hill, of Cossville, Wis., placed the hull of a keel-boat at
their disposal, and the rest of the journey to Cossville was
made in that frail craft. They remained at Dodgeville and
vicinity until the beginning of July of the next year, but
did not do more than make a living, and concluded to abandon
the mining region, and to try their luck somewhere else.
They loaded their household effects on a two-horse wagon
and, without any definite point in view, journeyed
southeast, and reached the present site of Mossville on the
15th of July, 1829, where they halted. At that time Mr.
Stringer’s possessions consisted of a wardrobe he could
carry in a handkerchief, an ax, and an iron wedge. In the
Winter of 1829-30, he “squatted” on the southwest quarter of
Sec. 34, in what is now Medina township, and commenced to
make farm improvements. That Winter he cleared and fenced
twelve acres, which he plowed and planted to corn in the
Spring of 1830. He mad a good crop, and there has never been
a season since that he has not had corn to sell from that
farm. By the time the land was ready for sale, he had made
and saved enough to pay for the land, which still remains in
his ownership. In 1832, the Black Hawk war came on, and he
was one of the seventy-five men n the county liable to
military duty, and was elected corporal in Capt. Ead’s
Peoria company, and was one of the last men to leave the
field of Stillman’s disastrous defeat at Stillman’s Run. He
still has in his possession the rifle he carried in that
campaign. On the 27th of June, 1837, he united in marriage
with Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Zed and Elizabeth Harris
of
Bullitt county, Ky., where she was born on the 17th of June,
1818. They remained at the Mossville farm until the 6th day
of March, 1846, then removed to the farm they now occupy.
Neither Mr. nor Mrs. S. has ever been inside a railroad car.
He has never been sued at law, nor his taxes ever become
delinquent. The spirit of Kentucky hospitality and
generosity is ever present in Mr. Stringer’s home. He
commenced in the world with nothing; but his industry and
economy has rewarded his old age with competence. Their
marital union was honored with five children: Nancy
Ann,
born 24th August, 1839, married Christian Koener, 25th
march, 1858, died 7th April, 1877; John H., born 31st
February, 1843, married Miss Anna M. Grundy, 25th December,
1865, died from the effects of an accidental gunshot wound,
4th March, 1866; Eveline, born 21st February, 1845, died
15th September, 1854; Thomas F., born 20th April, 1847;
Mary
E., born 12th May, 1852. Mr. Stringer was raised under the
influences of the M. E. Church, but neither himself or wife
are members of any religious society. Politically, Mr. S.
has always adhered to the Democratic party. Besides the Mossville farm, of 175 acres, valued at $40 an acre, he owns
290 other acres, including the home place, valued at $50 an
acre.
Pg. 782 |
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* STRINGER, THOMAS F. farmer, Sec. 9, P. O. Kickapoo, son of
John
and Elizabeth Stringer, nee Harris was born at the
present Stringer homestead, 20th April, 1847. His education
was received at the common district school and plow handle.
He is unmarried and devotes his time and industry to the
farm and care and comfort of his parents. He has been called
to fill several positions of local trust and responsibility,
in all of which he earned the meed of “well done thou good
and faithful servant.” He visited the Pacific Slope in the
early part of 1875, and during the visit acquired a fund of
information respecting the country “beyond the Mississippi”
and the Rocky Mountains that is invaluable. In every
particular the subject of this brief sketch is a prototype
of his honored father—an
honest man.
Pg. 783 |
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THAYER, A. W.
telegraph operator, railroad and express agent, Edwards
Station, is the second son of William T. and Susan Thayer,
nee Gear. He was born at Marshall, Highland county,
Ohio, 24th May, 1841. When he was about fifteen years of
age, his parents removed to Powesheik county, Iowa, and
settled on a farm three years; then removed to Canton,
Missouri, where he entered the office of the Reporter
newspaper of that city, as apprentice. When the war of the
rebellion came on the
Reporter and its management became of ill-repute, and he
quit the office to seek employment elsewhere; worked for a
time in the office of the Quincy Herald, then until
1865, in various other offices as a journeyman printer. In
the Fall and Winter of 1864-5, he secured a “case” in
Macomb, where, on the 26th of January, 1865, he married Miss
Martha Walker, who was born in that city 8th march, 1845.
Her parents, John D. and Jane Walker, nee
Sample, were among the first settlers at Macomb. They remained
at Macomb till 1870, part of the time working as a printer,
and part as a farmer; then removed to Bardolff, where he
engaged as switchman, and learning telegraphy. In February,
1872, he was badly crushed between two cars, from the
effects of which he will never fully recover. In October,
1873, he had so far recovered as to be able to resume
telegraphing and other office work, and was assigned to the
agency at Edwards Station. They have had four children two
living: Willie
W.,
who is learning telegraphy, was born 27th January, 1866, and
Charles
Albert,
born 26th March, 1869.
Mr. and Mrs. Thayer
are members of the M. E. Church. He is a Republican. His
father, eighty years of age, and his mother, seventy years
of age, are members of his family.
Pg. 783 |
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Thomas, A. coal miner, P. O. Peoria.
Thorman, P. coal miner, P. O. Peoria.
Thorne, Jno. farmer, P. O. Peoria.
Thornton, John, coal miner, P. O. Peoria.
Thorp, G. farmer, non-resident, P. O. unknown.
Treasure, W. coal operator, P. O. Peoria.
Tripe, Jno. farmer, P. O. Peoria. |
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