T. V. E. Sweet, was a native of the city of Freeport, where he was born August 3, 1849. He derived his education from the public schools of the city, and in the more advanced branches of learning from the Northwestern University at Evanston, where he was a student two years. He worked at the printing trade until 1870, and in 1875 entered upon that clerical career in in which he has accomplished so much good, as a local preacher in the Rock River conference. His first religious work was at Thompson, ‘Illinois. At Shirland he was local supply, and was ordained to the full ministry in 1879. His first regular ministerial charge was at Dundee, where he spent a year. He was two years at Seneca and Marseilles, at Kankakee one year, LaSalle one year, Warren one year, Amboy one year, Morrison three years, Princeton three years, Joliet three years, Austin two years, and at Embury church in Freeport two years. In 1895 he was appointed presiding elder and was re-appointed to that delicate and responsible position in 1899.
Elder Sweet and Adelaide Goodrich were married December 29,1875, at Pearl City, Illinois, where Mrs. Sweet was born, being a daughter of Hiram and Susie (Gable) Goodrich. Her maternal grandparents were Jacob and Elizabeth (Machamer) Gable; the former is still living at the age of ninety-six, while the latter died in her ninetieth year. Her paternal grandparents, Moses and Susan (Baskin) Goodrich, came from Massachusetts and settled in New York at a very early day. The family had its origin from the country round the Goodrich castle in Herfordshire, England, from which two brothers, John and William Goodrich, came to this country in 1643. Hiram Goodrich located in Illinois in 1843, subsequently settling in Loran Township in 1849, and until 1895 engaged in farming and stock raising, at which time he retired though still makes his home on the old farm. Hiram and Susan Goodrich became the parents of four children: George, deceased; May Adelaide and Mary Adeline, twins; Hiram Willie living on the old homestead in Stephenson county. To Mr. and Mrs. Sweet have been born two children: Hiram Goodrich, who was a graduate from the Freeport high school, a student for one year at the University of Minnesota, and had a business education at the Bryant and Stratton school in Chicago, is now employed by the Brainerd Lumber Co., of Brainerd, Minn.; Martin Pierce, who is now a dental student. Elder Sweet was a republican and a prominent member of the Masonic Order, in which he had risen to the 32 degree, passing through the lodge, chapter, commandery and consistory at Freeport. He was a highly respected member of the community, and wherever he was located left a record as a hardworking, unselfish and able member of the ministry, and an honorable and upright man. Mr. Sweet passed away November 6, 1899, leaving a large community of friends to mourn his loss.