Charles C. Wilson

As printed in 1910

HON. CHARLES C. WILSON.

Hon. Charles C. Wilson has for fifty years been a member of the bar and at one time was chief justice of Utah. He became identified with the Kewanee bar in 1860 and has been continuously a resident of the city since that time. He is the dean of the legal profession in Henry county, and still engaged actively in the practice of law, his clear judgment enabling him to give sage advice to younger members of the profession. Mr. Wilson is a native of Massachusetts, born on the 18th of September, 1827. His parents were Enoch and Abigail (Richardson) Wilson, the former a native of Wrentham, IMassachusetts, and the latter of Portland, Maine. Judge Wilson was reared to manhood in the state of his nativity and in its schools acquired his early education. He came to Illinois in 1850 and purchased land in Stark county, after which he took up the occupation of farming, devoting his attention to agricultural pursuits until 1854, when he abandoned the plow and began preparation for the bar. He continued the study of law until 1859 and was then admitted to practice, after which he located in Bureau county, Illinois. In a few months, however, he removed to Kewanee, then a small village, and has since regarded it as his home, although for a brief period he was in the west. In 1864 he was elected district attorney for the fifth judicial district and served for four years. He was then appointed chief justice of the supreme court of Utah and sat upon the bench there until the latter part of 1870, when he resigned and returned to Kewanee. Judge Wilson has great respect for the dignity of judicial place and power and no man ever presided in a court with more regard for his environments. As a result of that personal characteristic the proceedings were always orderly upon the part of every one — audience, bar, and the officers from the highest to the lowest. His opinions are fine specimens of judicial thought, always clear, logical, and as brief as the character of the case will permit. He never enlarged beyond the necessity of the legal thought in order to indulge in the drapery of literature. His mind during the entire period of his course at the bar and on the bench has been directed in the line of his profession and his duty.

In 1850, just prior to his removal to Illinois, Judge Wilson was married to Miss Maria N. Benham, a native of Vermont and a daughter of Judge Benham, of Chittenden county, that state. The marriage was celebrated in Massachusetts and was blessed with seven children: Jennie M., Abbie, Laura M., Charles E., Cora, George and Edward.

On the organization of the republican party Judge Wilson became a stanch champion of the cause and has since been loyal thereto. He has always been interested in municipal affairs, giving his aid and cooperation to every movement for the general good and for one term he served as mayor of Kewanee. He was one of the organizers and the first to give financial backing to what has since become the Kewanee Boiler Company and branch of the National Tube Company in Kewanee. He was also one of the organizers of the Boss Manufacturing Company in this city. Throughout the long period of his residence in this city he has ever enjoyed in the fullest degree the respect and confidence of his fellowmen and his worth as a man and citizen are widely acknowledged.

JAMES P. Mclaughlin.

The home farm of one hundred and twenty acres on section 6, Annawan township, makes constant demands upon the time of James P. McLaughlin, and the neat, attractive appearance of the place is patent evidence of the skillful and thorough methods of farming pursued by him. He was born south of where he now lives, on the same section, June 20, 1872, a son of Patrick and Bridget (Hayes) McLaughlin. The former was a native of Ireland and was about nineteen years of age when he came to this country. For a few years he worked in New York and there was married to Miss Bridget Hayes, who had come from Ireland as a young woman, in company with her brother Cornelius Hayes. The latter is now a resident of Rock Island, Illinois, but formerly made his home in Geneseo. In

1866, just after the Civil war, Patrick McLaughlin and his wife came to Illinois. He was a poor man at the time but was able to make the first payment upon eighty acres of land in Annawan township, and from his first wheat harvest obtained enough to complete the purchase. Later he became the owner of two hundred and forty acres on section 6, the same township, and subsequently bought five hundred and twenty acres in Cerro Gordo county, Iowa. He was a man of great industry, enterprise and perseverance, and was endowed with rare good judgment, which played an important part in his success. He was also an exemplary citizen, and when, on the 27th of January, 1907, his life was brought to a close, he was deeply mourned by a large circle of friends. His wife had preceded him to the grave by several years, for she died January 21, 1903. They were the parents of six children. John, who is now about fifty years of age, was engaged in railroading in Rock Island for a time but is now a resident of Chicago. He wedded Miss Agnes McLaughlin, who is not related to him, although having the same name, and they have eight children. Alice died at the age of twenty-five. Mary became the wife of Frank Goodell and they live upon her father's land in Cerro Gordo county, Iowa, where they are rearing their four children. William lives near Ivanhoe, Minnesota. He married first Miss Anna Stowers, by whom he had one child, and there are three children by a second marriage. James P., is the subject of this sketch. Lawrence died at the age of fifteen. Mr. and Mrs. Patrick McLaughlin were devout members of the Catholic church.

In the district schools of Henry county. James P. McLaughlin received a fair education, which was supplemented by practical training on the farm, for he was reared at home and there lived until he was about eighteen years of age. He then undertook to provide for his own support, working for others and traveling until 1892, when he secured employment as brakeman on a railroad. In 1894 he married and worked 'on a farm in Annawan township until 1896 when he removed to Cerro Gordo county. Iowa, where he again worked by the month. Later he went to Cameron. Iowa, where for a year and a half he found employment in an elevator, and then engaged in drawing in Rockwell, Iowa. In 1899 he returned to Henry county, Illinois, and after working for his father for a time, located in Kewanee, where he was employed as a switchman on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad for the next year. The next twelve months he spent in the employ of the Fuhe Company, after which he removed to Geneseo. living there until the spring of 1908, when he located on the farm where he now resides. It is a tract of one hundred and twenty acres, which was killed to him by his father, is well improved and maintained under a high state of cultivation, so that excellent results are obtained from tilling the soil. Mr. Mc- Laughlin has been energetic, industrious and persevering, and in consequence has obtained a gratifying success, not only from growing cereals but also from raising stock, a phase of his business activities to which he is giving more and more time.

On the 15th of May. 1894, in Atkinson, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. McLaughlin and Miss Alberta Heath, of the village of Annawan. She was born there May 22, 1872, and is a daughter of James Darsie Heath. The former is a retired painter and decorator of Annawan and was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, June 8, 1844, his parents being Edward and Margaret (Snively) Heath.

Edward Heath was probably a native of the same county, but he died when his son was about five years of age. His wife was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, received a good education in English and German and later taught school, being so engaged when she became acquainted with Mr. Heath. To them were born two children, but the other, Christopher, died in childhood. James Darsie Heath continued to live with his mother in Pennsylvania until he was fifteen, when, his mother having married Samuel Galley, he came to Illinois with her and his stepfather, locating in Stark county, which was Mr. Galley's home. There he lived until July 24, 1862, when he enlisted in Company A, Seventy-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry. The company was sent to camp at Cottage Grove, Chicago, and as the regiment was recruited largely from the Board of Trade of that city, it was commonly called the First Board of Trade throughout the service. From camp it was sent to Cairo, Illinois, thence to Paducah, Kentucky, which it reached September 6, 1862. There Mr. Heath was taken ill and was confined to the hospital there and also in Columbus, Kentucky, whither the regiment had been sent. When he was recovering he was transferred to the convalescent camp at La Grange, Tennessee, which he left December 11, 1862, to join his company at Holly Springs, for he believed he was ready for duty, although in reality he was not. After his return to the scene of activity he was in Grant's command and did guard duty for a provision train, participated in some skirmishes, guarded train into Memphis and part of the way back and then watched the railway a few miles east of Memphis. He was in the battles of Raymond, Mississippi, Champion's Hill, Big Black, took part in the expedition along the Yazoo Pass and was in the siege of Vicksburg. He then went to Natchez, Mississippi, and back to Vicksburg, where he remained until October 29, 1864, when he was sent to Nashville, Tennessee. The regiment at one time was ordered to join Sherman on his march to the sea, but the troops were unable to connect with him because they met Hood at Columbia, Tennessee, and then went to Nashville, which they left on the second day of the fight in order to follow Hood to the Tennessee river. Then they took ship to Eastport, Mississippi, thence went to Mobile, Alabama, participated in the siege of Spanish Fort, in the battle of Fort Blakeley, and were sent to Montgomery, Alabama, and later to Union Springs. In August they returned to Vicksburg and later went to Chicago, where Mr. Heath received his honorable discharge with the rank of corporal. When he left the army he took up his residence in Stark county, Illinois, where he began to serve an apprenticeship as a painter and decorator. A year and a half later he was able to take contracts, and in 1870 he came to Henry county, locating in the village of Annawan, where he has since resided and where he is well known, for he was police magistrate for about twenty-two years and in 1880 took the census of the township. He is also a notary public.

On the loth of May, 1870, Mr. Heath wedded Miss Maria Louise Sturm, who was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and was about sixteen years of age when she came to Illinois with her parents, Isaac Sturm and his wife. She had received a good education and was a devoted wife and mother, whose loss was deeply mourned by her family and friends, when, on the 23d of June, 1903, she was called to her final rest. She is buried in Annawan. Six children were born to her and her husband, namely: Alberta, who married Mr. McLaughlin; one who died in infancy; Nellie, who makes her home with Mrs. McLaughlin; Edward, who died unmarried at the age of twenty-two; Jennie, who is the wife of Grant Kendrick, a well-to-do blacksmith of Annawan; and John, who died at the age of fourteen.

Mr. Heath is a republican in his pohtical views and cast his first ballot for Grant in 1868. He is a charter member of T. T. Dow Post, No. 290, G. A. R., at Annawan, of which he has served as adjutant commander, and has attended the national reunions at Galesburg, St. Louis, Denver, Chicago and Salt Lake. As he was a brave and patriotic soldier, so he has been an exemplary citizen, and when advancing years and a competence suggested the wisdom of retiring from active work, the good will of a large circle of friends and acquaintances accompanied him for he has lived in Annawan for two score years and the record of his life has been one which commands unqualified respect.

In the family of Mr. and Mrs. McLaughlin there are seven children living and two have passed away. Blanch Irene was born in the village of Annawan, November 21, 1894, and is now a student in the public school there. Edward Earl was born in Cerro Gordo county, Iowa, January 22, 1896. James Darsie was born in the village of Rockwell, Cerro Gordo county, August 15, 1898. Alice Ruth was born in Annawan, June 7, 1900. An infant died at birth and Ada Marie died at the age of six weeks. Nina Louise was born in Kewanee, November i, 1904. Agatha Lucile was also born in that town, October 3, 1906. Alberta May, the youngest, was born on the home farm, May 13, 1908.

Mr. McLaughlin was reared in the faith of the Catholic church but his wife is a Congregationalist, and both in their lives exemplify the real meaning of Christianity. They are highly respected, for the circle of their friends is almost coextensive with that of their acquaintances.

As printed in History of Henry County, Illinois (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.