PLINY HALL, son of Martin, born September 21, 1817, was a farmer until he was twenty-one; a clerk in the store twelve years; was U. S. assistant census marshal in 1850, 1870 and 1880; representative in 1851 and 1852, and county treasurer in 1855 and. 1856; U. S. enrolling officer in 1864, and a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1876. Died January 15, 1881.
DELLAVAN D. MARSH, M.D., was born May 8, 1818. He graduated from the Medical Department of Dartmouth College in 1834. He was interested in agricultural pursuits; was treasurer of the County Agricultural Society in 1848; was often elected to town offices, and in 1839-40 was treasurer of Sullivan County. He died in 1866.
DR. HORACE POWERS, son of Urias Powers, born October 27, 1807; graduated at the Woodstock Medical College in 1832; settled at Morristown, VT; was high sheriff of Lamoille County in 1844 and 1845; represented his town in the Constitutional Convention in 1850; was a Senator in 1853 and 1854, and was director in the Lamoille County Bank.
ELIAS POWERS, son of Major Abijah Powers, is a man of intelligence, a respected farmer, a lover of fun and story-telling, an adept at angling, trapping and bunting. He has served the town twice as selectman and has been county commissioner three years.
CYRUS BARTON was born December 25, 1795. He was able and popular as an Editor; register of deeds for Sullivan County from 1827 to 1829; Presidential elector in 1832, 1836 and 1840; Senator in District No. 4, in 1833 and 1834; Councilor in 1843; U. S. marshal in 1845; a member of the Constitutional Convention and president of the City Council of Concord in 1815. He died February 17, 1855, at Loudon, NH, while making a political speech, falling into the arms of his opponent.
ORLANDO POWERS was born May 5, 1810. In 1832 he removed to Cornish Flat, where he now resides. He has been town clerk of Cornish seven years; was representative in 1844 and county treasurer in 1849-50. He has also been postmaster at Cornish Flat.
HON. LEVI W. BARTON, born March 1, 1818, a lawyer, graduated at Dartmouth. He was three years register of deeds. two years county solicitor, five years a Representative and two years in the Senate; in 1866 on committee to audit war indebtedness of the State, one of the committee to codify the New Hampshire laws, member of the Constitutional Convention, 1876, and in 1876 one of the Presidential electors.
HON. GERSHOM POWERS, son of John, was born June 11, 1779. After completing his studies he opened a law-office at Auburn, NY, where he had a successful practice. He was assistant justice of Cayuga County Court, and at the end of three years he was elevated to the position of judge. In 1829 he was chosen Representative to Congress. He died January 25, 1831.
WILLIAMS BARTON, M.D. was born August 6, 1820. He attended Unity and Kimball Union Academies, studied medicine with Drs. Coburn, Hall and Nichols, graduated at the Medical Department of Dartmouth College in May, 1845, and soon after commenced practice at Croydon, where he now resides. He was three years commissioner of common schools for Sullivan County, and a teacher of elocution at the Teachers’ Institute.
ABIGAIL POWERS, daughter of Rev. Lemuel Powers, was born in 1798. In February, 1826, she married Millard Fillmore, late President of the United States. She was a lady highly respected for her intelligence, dignity and many virtues.
HON. LEMUEL P. COOPER, born July 18, 1803, is one of the most intelligent and progressive farmers in town. He has always taken a deep interest in the cause of religion and education, as well as politics. He was a popular teacher and superintendent, a trustee of the Industrial School of New Hampshire, twice a representative, twice in the Senate, and was at one time a candidate for Governor of the State.
HON. CHARLES ROWELL was born in 1785. He removed to Allenstown, NH, and served as selectman of his adopted town twenty-four years; representative to the Legislature four years; county treasurer two years; State Senator two years, and a justice of the peace from early manhood until his death, which occurred January 11, 1867.
HON. ORA CROSBY, son of Prince, born November 14, 1793, settled at Hardwick, VT He was a representative, a justice, judge of the County Court, director of the Danville Bank and president of the National Bank of Caledonia. As a financier, Judge Crosby had but few equals.
BARON STOW, D.D., born June 16, 1801, graduated at Dartmouth and was settled in Boston. Having a pure heart, a vigorous intellect, an eloquent tongue and attractive manners, he was the favorite son of the town, and was one of the most popular clergymen in the Baptist denomination.
Smith D. Atkins, who is a lawyer, soldier, journalist and politician, was born on the 9th of June, 1836, near Elmira, Chemung Co., N. Y.; he came with his father’s family to Illinois in 1848, and lived on a farm until 1850. He then became an apprentice in the office of the Prairie Democrat, which was the first paper published in Freeport. He was educated at Rock River Seminary, Mt. Morris, Ill., working in the printing-office and studying during his spare hours, and in 1852 obtained the foremanship of the Mt. Morris Gazette, while he was yet a student in … Read more
Honorable Charles Betts, Freeport, is one of the most prominent figures of the Stephenson county bar, and his long association with legal affairs gives him the colloquial title of “Judge” Betts. He is called the Nestor of the bar, and is now living in an honorable retirement from professional life. He was born in Batavia, Genesee county, New York, June 13th, 1825, and up to the time of his admission to the bar his life was passed in the Empire state. His educational privileges eminently fitted him for the profession of his choice. At all times he has made the … Read more
C.N. Bentley, whose home is on section 21, Harlem township, is one of the venerable figures of the pioneer gatherings of Stephenson county. It indeed has few if any residents whose settlement antedates his own. He knows what it means to open up a new country to civilization, and he is now living in the peace and comfort that follows a long and useful career. Eldred Bentley, the grandfather of the subject of this article, was born in Rhode Island, but spent the greater part of his life in Rensselaer county, New York, and died in Chautauqua county of that … Read more
Tobias Engle, one of the early settlers of Freeport, is a native of Lancaster, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where he was born May 9, 1829. He is the son of Jacob and Nancy (Myers) Engle. Jacob Jingle was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. In early days he ran a clover huller, later. a grist mill, and afterward took charge of his father’s farm in Lancaster county, residing there until 1851 when he removed to Stephenson county, Illinois, locating in Freeport where he remained two years. Deciding to return to Pennsylvania they started eastward but stopped in Montgomery county, Ohio, where Mr. … Read more
JOHN FOSHA, of Silver Creek township, Stephenson county, is widely known as one of the most successful farmers of northern Illinois, and he has achieved his present enviable position solely through his own efforts. He has extensive real estate holdings in Kansas as well as this state, as substantial results of his wise use of brain and brawn, and can congratulate himself that while he is still erect and vigorous he has accumulated such a property and stands so well in the business world. Frank and Anna Maria Fosha, the grandparents of the Silver Creek farmer, were born in Lippe-Detmold, … Read more
Rev. William A. Horan, late pastor of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, at Freeport, Ill., was born in Pierce township, DeKalb Co., Ill., on Feb. 2nd, 1851, and is the son of the late Patrick M. and Mary (Hanaghan) Horan. Patrick M. Horan was a native of Ireland,, and was born in the year 1800. When a young man he removed to England, where he served in the British army. In 1839 he married Mary, a daughter of Malachy Hanaghan, of county Mayo, Ireland, their union resulting in the birth of twelve children, five of whom are still living. In … Read more