Lee County IL

Biography of Jacob V. D. Annin

Jacob V. D. Annin, farmer, deceased; in the early part of the seventeenth century, there emigrated from their native land of Scotland, one John Annin, with his family, and settled in the beautiful State of New Jersey, where he erected a log house, in which he and his family lived for many years; and if it be asked, How came his lot to be cast in that fertile valley, far from the land of his birth? the answer is to be found in the terrible story of the religious persecutions that, in the latter part of the seventeenth, and the … Read more

Biography of Thomas H. Leathers

Thomas H. Leathers, who for a number of years has stood second to none among the competent dental surgeons of Champaign County is an instance of a self-made man who came almost to the age of manhood without schooling or education and by sheer force of will and ambition qualified for a profession requiring a high degree of skill and intelligence. Doctor Leathers was born in Glensboro, Kentucky, June 30, 1870, son of William and Mary (Royalty) Leathers. His parents were both born in Kentucky, were thrifty farming people but of modest means. The mother died at the age of … Read more

Biography of Anna A. Perkins, M. D.

Anna A. Perkins, M. D. The success and efficiency of women in the field of medicine are too well established to require any comment. While women physicians are not numerous in any one community they are usually regarded as among the ablest and most successful in the field of local practice, and those in Kansas are no exception to the rule. For a number of years Dr. Anna A. Perkins had enjoyed a splendid practice at El Dorado and over Butler County and is known among hundreds of families throughout the community as both a kindly and able doctor and … Read more

Biography of William Frederick Rapp

William Frederick Rapp, who came to Harvey County nearly forty years ago, had been a pioneer in many things, was one of the first merchants at Hesston, and had been identified with the growth and development of that town from the time it started. Among other interests Mr. Rapp is now president of the Hesston State Bank. Mr. Rapp was a practical farmer when he came to Kansas, and had acquired his early experience in one of the richest and most fertile farming sections of Illinois. He was born in Lee County, Illinois, May 17, 1852. His grandfather, Frederick William … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Fleck, Ira S.

Fleck, Ira S. dealer in agricultural implements, and farmer is the son of Gabriel and Rebecca Fleck, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. Ira S. was born in Sinking Valley, Blain (sic) Co., Pa., March 24, 1847. While a lad he attended common school, and such advantages as the public schools offered were the only means he ever had of receiving an education. As he became older he would work on the farm in summer and attend school in winter, and this course he pursued until 1866, when his time was divided between farm work and teaching. In March, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel A. Annin

Samuel A. Annin, farmer, S. 23; P. O. Oakland; born in Somerset Co., N. J., Nov. 8, 1836, where he attended school until 1850, when he emigrated with his parents to Illinois, and located in Wyoming Tp., Lee Co., where he assisted his father in farming until January, 1852, when he located in East Oakland Tp., and engaged in farming, which business he has since followed, living upon the old homestead where his father first located in 1852, during a period of nearly thirty years; he, with his younger brother, owns some 400 acres of land, which is will improved, … Read more

Biography of George Mixter

A gentleman of education, refinement and culture, an Easterner who came to Rock Island in the early days, and who spent a busy and useful lifetime in this community, was George Mixter, deceased, the subject of this sketch. He was born in Hardwick, Massachusetts, April 28, 1835, and died in Rock Island April 20, 1897. He was of English extraction. The first Mixter who came to America was an English sea captain of that name, who came to this country and settled in Plymouth in 1630, and from him the Mixter family, so well known throughout Rock Island County, trace … Read more

Biography of Edward C. Gates

Edward C, Gates. It was in 1887 that Edward C. Gates was admitted to the Kansas bar and undertook to build up a reputation and practice at Fulton, where be resided until he came to Fort Scott. In Fort Scott for the past twenty years he had enjoyed a reputation among the ablest members of the Kansas bar. Until 1913 he was actively associated with A. M. Keene in the firm of Keene & Gates, and since then had pratticed alone. The law had always represented to Mr. Gates a profession rather than an occnpation, and in all his work … Read more

Biography of D. P. Bullock

D. P. Bullock, a farmer of Douglas Township, Ida County, was born in St. Lawrence County, New York, July 21, 1838, a son of Daniel B. Bullock, a native of Fulton County, N.Y. His father, also named Daniel, was a soldier in the War of 1812. His mother, nee Eunice Buckley, was born in New York, a daughter of Peter Buckley, a native of Connecticut. Mr. Bullock was reared and educated in New York to the age of 15 years, when he located near Sycamore, De Kalb County, Ill., and was employed in farming until the fall of 1861. When … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles Hansen

Charles Hansen was born on March 25, 1856 in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. He came to the United States in 1873 at the age of 17. He married Anna Margret Jepsen on September 18, 1882 at Dixon, Illinois. Anna has come to America in 1881. She was born on June 3, 1861 at Assens, Fyen, Denmark. A few years later they moved to Ida County, Iowa and farmed until 1917 when they moved into Ida Grove, Iowa. Charles had two brothers, James of Clifton, Illinois, and Louis of Kankakee, Illinois. He had one sister, Carrie Kraft of Queensland, Australia, and a half-sister … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. V. W. Annin

J. V. W. Annin, farmer; P.O. Oakland; born in Somerset Co., N. J., July 29, 1841; he emigrated with his parents when he was 9 years of age, and located in Wyoming Tp., Lee Co., in 1850, living there until January, 1852, when he removed with his parents to East Oakland Tp., Coles Co., Ill., where he has since continued to live; he, with his brother Samuel, own 400 acres of land, among which, is the old homestead, upon which they settled when they first located here nearly thirty years ago; while they own the above property in company, each … Read more

James Harvey Todd of Dixon IL

James Harvey Todd8, (Henry7, John6, John5, John4, John3, John2, Christopher1) born Aug. 1, 1825, died Sept. 16, 1899, married Jan. 4, 1865, Charlotte T., daughter of Otis and Abigail L. (Perkins) Little, who was born Aug. 21, 1839, in Castine, Me., died June 5, 1915, in Dixon, Illinois Mr. Todd worked in New York City and Troy, N. Y., for some time at the tailors trade. He moved to Illinois in 1855, and settled in Dixon, where he kept a clothing store and was in the same building for over thirty years. His health was never good, so he led … Read more

Biography of Nelson Case, Hon.

Hon. Nelson Case. It would be difficult to properly and justly review the history of Oswego and its responsible men through whose activities and public-spirited endeavors this city had attained its present importance and prestige, without giving due attention to the life of Hon. Nelson Case, who for forty-eight years had been a resident here, and who as a lawyer, judge, city official and counsel for large business interests, had been prominently identified with the municipality’s progress and development. Judge Case was born at Falls, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, April 22, 1845, a son of Chauncey and Mary Elma (Roberts) Case. … Read more

Biography of Eugene L. Dimick

Eugene L. Dimick. The vocation of writing and selling insurance had grown to enormous proportions during recent years, not entirely because the people have come to a realization of the necessity for protection, but also because of the men who are engaged in this line of endeavor, who are educating the general public in realizing the benefits accruing from insurance. To succeed in this line of business a man must possess certain qualities not found necessary in other avenues of business, including a thorough knowledge of all the angles of his vocation, a keen insight into human nature, have the … Read more

Biography of Richard Yates Kennedy

Richard Yates Kennedy. A man of genial presence, of manifest sympathy, of resourceful brain and high educational standards, is found in Richard Yates Kennedy, principal of the Coffeyville High School. He has bad many years of experience in the educational field, some thirty-three more or less continuous, and there are few problems of a teacher’s life that he has not, at one time or another, successfully solved. Professor Kennedy has been a resident of Kansas since 1887, has valuable property investments in Montgomery County, and social, business and civic interests at Coffeyville. Richard Yates Kennedy was born in Whiteside County, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Martin W. Annin

Martin W. Annin, carpenter and builder, Oakland; the subject of this sketch is the son of J. V. D. Annin, whose biography appears in this work, and whose genealogy is given for four generations past; he was born in Somerset Co., N. J., Jan. 5, 1831, where he engaged in farming until 15 years of age, when he went to Brooklyn, N. Y., and learned and worked at the carpenter trade until 20 years of age, when he emigrated; with his parents, and located in Lee Co., Ill., in 1850, remaining here a short time, when he went to Peoria … Read more

Biography of Henry Howland Chase, M. D.

Holding in high estimate the duties and responsibilities which his position involved, and more than ordinarily successful as a medical practitioner surgeon, Dr. Henry H. Chase is well remembered in Rock Island, the city in which he spent the later years of his life. He was an American of the highest type, and of purest blood, as well. His lineage on both sides is traceable for many generations back on American soil. His mother is a direct descendant of John Howland of Mayflower fame. His father was a relative of the late Chief Justice Chase of the United States Supreme … Read more

Biography of Cornelius Jay Andruss

(IX) Cornelius Jay, eldest child of George and Sarah (Ter Bush) Andruss, was born in Canadice, Ontario county, New York, October 7, 1845. His preparatory education was acquired at the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, and he then attended Cornell University, subsequently studying dentistry at the Philadelphia Dental College, from which he was graduated in 1877. Commencing in 1861 he taught for the larger portion of seven years in the district schools of Ontario and Livingston counties, New York, and for two years was deputy county surveyor of Lee county, Illinois. He commenced the practice of dentistry in association with Dr. A. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dr. F. H. Gardner

Doctor F. H. Gardner, a physician residing at 507 Fifteenth Street. Moline, Illinois, is a native of the state, having been born at Sublette March 16, 1839. After acquiring a common and high school education he entered the Chicago College of Pharmacy and Medical Department Union of Illinois, from which he graduated. He served briefly as a military man as a member of the Chicago Zouaves, this service extending from the year of 1886 to 1887. Politically he was every hair a Republican, and in 1897 he received the appointment of United States pension examiner, which position he holds to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of H. C. Dall

H. C. Dall lived in Maple Township, Ida County, Iowa and was a resident since 1881. He was born in that portion of Denmark which became a part of Germany in 1864. The date of his birth was July 31, 1845. He was the son of C. H. and Elizabeth (Iverson) Dall. He was raised in Denmark, attending school from the time he was seven until he was fourteen. In 1872, at the age of 27 years, he left his native land and came to America and settled in Lee County, Illinois. He engaged in farming on rented land. In … Read more