L. S. McCabe has been a factor in the commercial history of Rock Island County since 1868. He is a native of Delaware County, New York, and was educated in the common schools and academies of that locality. Coming west in his young manhood, Mr McCabe took up his residence in Rock Island County. He taught school for two terms in the southern part of this county during the time that the Hon. W. H. Gest, the present circuit judge, was county superintendent of schools.
In 1870 his business career as a Rock Island merchant was begun, and his steadily in-creasing business has been co-incident with the growth and prosperity of the city. He possessed a firm belief that both Rock Island and Moline had bright futures before them, and later his real estate ventures resulted in the platting of several large residence additions in both those cities, and in these he was either the principal associate or sole owner. He consistently showed his confidence in the future development of this locality by repeated investments in the business district of the city, until he became the owner of the largest area of business property in the commercial center of Rock Island. His active brain has been influential in organizing and developing many of the prominent and successful industries and business enterprises of the county. He was a director and vice-president of the Moline Central Street Car Lines when they were being built and equipped with electricity. This was one of the first electric street railways built and operated in the west. He was also an owner and promoter of Prospect Park in Moline, and later when his traction and park holdings were absorbed by the newly formed Tri-City Street Railway Company, he became a large stock holder in the latter company.
Mr. McCabe was one of the promoters and organizers of the Central Loan and Trust Company of Rock Island, and upon its formation became a director and its first vice-president.
In 1902 he was elected by the Republican party to represent the Thirty-third District in the State Senate, and after serving his term of four years, he declined to again become a candidate for that office, as his business interests demanded so much of his personal attention. He had always been an adherent to Republican principles, but the office of State Senator was the only one for which he had ever been a candidate.
Mr. McCabe is a member of the Broadway Presbyterian Church. He is a charter member of the Rock Island Club, but has never been much identified with fraternal societies or lodges. Being for thirty-six years at the head of one of Rock Island’s principal mercantile institutions, his sympathies, advice and aid were much sought and invariably given to every important public undertaking for municipal improvement.
As a diversion and pleasant relaxation from the cares naturally devolving upon the head of a great mercantile house, Mr. McCabe has become an extensive farmer and breeder of blooded beef cattle and swine. He owns and operates several farms both in this county and in Scott County, Iowa, and among his chief pleasures are the entertaining of friends at his summer home on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi, the showing of his great herds of Angus cattle, and the discussion of his various farming projects and in planning their improvement and development.