Joshua Hollinshead

As printed in 1885

Joshua Hollinshead, farmer, section 8, Us- tick Township, is the oldest son of John and Elizabeth (Rush) Hollinshead, pioneers of Whiteside County of 1839. The first three years after they came to Illinois they lived in Clyde Township. His father was born Jan. 6, 1798, in New Jersey. He went thence to Canada and was a resident there during McKenzie's Rebellion, or the Patriot War, in which he was a participant and did valiant service in behalf of the Canadian insurgents. His wife was the great-niece of Benj. Rush, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. They had eight children, — Joshua, Julia A., Jacob W., Daniel, Lydia, Charles, Mary and Emily E. John Hollinshead lived and died on the farm under the bluffs of Ustick Township, thereon he settled when he first came, there, and on which he was buried.

Mr. Hollinshead was born Sept. 7, 1827, in Canada, and came thence with his parents to Whiteside County in June, 1839. He is the proprietary owner of 202 acres of land in Ustick Township, and has placed 80 acres under cultivation. He is a liberal Democrat and has been Supervisor two years and also Assessor three years, besides having held other positions of minor importance. He is a member of the Masonic Order.

He was first married Oct. 7, 1848, in Ustick Township, to Miss Nancy S. Ingham, and they had two children, — John D. and Reuben P. The mother died March 25, 1858. Mrs. Mehitable M. (Applebee) Lawrence became the wife of Mr. Hollinshead April 5, 1865. She was the widow of Albert G. Lawrence. By her second marriage she became the mother of five children, — Lilla M., George L., Georgiana, Mattie I. and Emma E. The first and third daughters died in infancy, and the mother died July 9, r882. Mr. Hollinshead was again married Aug. 21, 1883,

<v at Morrison, to Miss Emma Wilson. She was born Nov. 6, 1858, at St. Louis, Mo.

The portrait of Mr. Hollinshead, which is given on the opposite page, is presented with much satisfaction as a representative of the pioneer element of Whiteside County, whose ancestry and record correspond in honorable prominence.

ills L. Brown, general farmer, section 30' Tampico Township, was born Feb. 5, 1861, in Tampico, and is the son of E. C. Brown, whose sketch is given in this ALBUM. He was educated in the common schools of his native township and in the Northern Illinois College at Fulton, this county.

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In political principles Mr. B. is a Republican, and both himself and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

(bel Parker, deceased, was the first permanent settler in the township of Garden PI3"1- He located in a grove, which has since borne his name, adopting the prevalent sentiment of the pioneers of the prairies by j selecting a situation in the timber. Mr. Parker was, presumably, a native of Connecticut, where it is certain his parents, Abel and Elinor Parker, were born. They were pioneer settlers of Poultney, Rutland Co., Vt. Later, the senior Parker bought a mill property in the adjoining town of Wells, where he pursued his business until his removal to Illinois, in 1836. On the 3oth day of June he started, with his wife and nine children, to Whiteside County, traveling with two pairs of horses and two wagons. The party remained at Naperville two weeks, after which they proceeded to Garden Plain Township, where they arrived August 2gt\ The household effects were sent by the lake route, in charge of Jacob L. Parker, the second son. The location of the claim of Abel Parker was on section 25, township 2 i, range 3.

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joseph Spear is one of the most substantial and enterprising agriculturists of Montmorency Township. He resides on section 24, where he located in 1860, removing there from Coloma Township. He came to Whiteside County in 1854, when he was 21 years of age and there became the proprietor ot a farm.by purchase. Six years later, he transferred his family and interests to Montmorency Township, selling the farm from which he removed. He first purchased 160 acres of land, and has continued to buy until he is the owner of 1,009 acres in Whiteside County, all improved. Besides, he holds valuable interests in both Sterling and Rock Falls. In political faith and connection Mr. Spear is a Republican.

He was born July 21, 1833, in Newbury, Vt., where he remained through his minority and was educated in the common and high schools. His parents, James and Mary (Sevage) Spear, were born respectively in Vermont and Canada. They passed the entire course of their married lives in the Green Mountain State, and they died there. Their chili/./vV'VS dren were: Albert G., Julia A., Charlotte, William and Joseph.

The marriage of Mr. Spear to Maria D. Sturtevant took place April 5, 1860, in Coloma Township, and to them have been born five children — -Harry W., William H., Eugene V., Ernest B. and Joseph-D. Mrs. Spear is the daughter of Isaac and Susan (Summers) Sturtevant, of whom a. personal narration is given elsewhere. The eight children of Mr. and Mrs. Sturtevant were born in the following order: Jane, Maria D., Henry J., William S., Jerome B., Emma A., Susan O. and Ida M. Mrs. Spear was born in Vermont, Nov. 18, 1836.

george K. Hamilton is a pioneer of Lyndon Township and the son of a pioneer. Father and son came to Whiteside County in 1835. Adam R. Hamilton, the former, was born Oct. 12, 1791, in Massachusetts. He was married to Nancy Miller, April 18, 1813. She was born Feb. 9, 1792, in Massachusetts, and became the mother of eight children. George R.' was born in Northampton, Hampshire Co., Mass., Feb. 24, 1820. When he was three years of age his father removed his family to Orleans Co., N. Y., traveling on the Erie Canal to Rochester, where it then terminated. Their further transit was made with teams to Clarendon, where they were pioneer settlers. The senior Hamilton bought land in the timber, built a log house and was a resident there until 1835, when he sold his estate and came to Whiteside County, where he was one of the earliest of the permanent settlers. Only four families preceded his arrival, and the county was not set off from Jo Davies County for some months afterward. His claim was made on section 19, town 20, range 5 east, now Lyndon Township. Three families — those of Mr. Hamilton, W. D. Dudley and C. G. Woodruffleft the State of New York at the same time, each with a pair of horses and a wagon. A month was consumed in the overland journey to Chicago. The families stopped for a time at Plainfield, in Will County, about 25 miles from Chicago, while the men went on in advance. Mr. Hamilton was accompanied by his son John, and after making his claim he returned for his family, leaving John to construct a dwelling, into which they moved. Through the first winter it was covered with hay and had no fk>or. In the spring following a larger house was b'lilt, which was of a more aristocratic type, covered with shakes and having a luncheon floor. A door lo the establishment was made of the boards from a picking box, and it had wooden hinges and latch. Chicago was the place of supplies, and the journey there and back occupied from eight to thirteen days. Adam R. Hamilton passed the remainder of his life in the improvement and cultivation of the farm on which he first settled, dying in 1861;. His wife died in r86o. They had eight children, six of whom are still living: John M. is a farmer in Lyndon Township (see sketch); Louisa B. is the wife of J. W. Olds, of Lyndon; George R. is next in order of birth; Adam'R. lives in California; Mary E. married John Garlick; and Amelia lives in Nebraska.

Mr. Hamilton of this sketch was 15 years of age when he accompanied his parents to Whiteside County, and he assisted his father in the improvement of the farm on which the family located r.rd which is now his property.

He was married May 28, 1867,10 Hannah L. Belt, who was born in Ohio, and is the daughter of Benjamin and Deborah Belt. (See sketch of B. Belt.) They have two children, — George W. and Louie Effie.

With the exception of two seasons, Mr. Hamilton has lived on the homestead since his removal to Whiteside County. The place includes 315 acres, all in good agricultural condition.

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Until 25 years of age Mr. Griffin was an inmate of his paternal home, being brought up on the farm and in attendance at the common schools. After marriage he resided in the town of Chester, Warren County, for two years, when, in 1865, he came West and settled in Sugar Grove, Kane Co., Ill. After a year's residence there he removed to Bristol Township, Kendall County, this State; thence to Piano, same county; and in 1872 he settled upon the quarter section where he now resides. His farm is well improved, and he makes a specialty of raising fine Durham cattle.

Mr. Griffin was married in his native county and township, Jan. 29, 1860, to Miss Emily, daughter of John R. and Judith (Bradt) Bradley, natives of the Empire State. Mrs. Griffin was born in Rensselaer Co., N. Y., May 26, 1843, and when they were three years of age her parents moved with their family to Bennington Co., Vt. and nine years afterward to Warren Co., N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. Griffin are the parents of three children, namely. Marvin L., who married Miss Flora Winchell and resides in Tampico; Dora, who married Joseph Scherett and lives in Logan Township, Ida Co., Iowa; and Hattie, who married Marion LaDue, and is a resident of Prophetstown.

Mr. Griffin is a staunch Republican.

ames P. Overholser, boot and shoe merf chant, Third Street, Sterling, was born in Stark Co., Ohio, Dec. 2, 1841. His parents, Martin and Barbara (Arford) Overholser, were natives of Pennsylvania, moved to Ohio, and emigrated to this State in 1854, arriving at Coleta, this county, May 3, where Mr. O. purchased 210 acres of land, and afterward 300 acres more.

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Mr. Clark immediately came West, and was again i= married, Dec. 27, 1882, to Mrs. Sarah E. Gibson, daughter of Samuel and Lois (Gridley) Hart. Her = parents were natives of Connecticut, and settled in / Tioga County before their marriage. Mrs. Clark was born in Candor, that county, Oct. 29, 1823, received a good education at the public schools, and Sept. 3, 1840, married Rowland Day, a native of Connecticut and a farmer, who changed his residence to the State of New York when 14 years of age. He came West with his family in 1858, settling in Kenosha, Wis., where he died three months afterward, leaving two children bereaved, one of whom has since died, * namely, Elizabeth A., who married William H. Dow, and died in the asylum at Morrison, this county, March 15, 1882, leaving no children. Rowland J. Day, the surviving son, married Miss Lotta Coates, and resides on a farm in Brown Co., Dakota. He has two children, Blanche E. and Charles R. For the eight years succeeding Mr. Day's death, his widow (now Mrs. Clark) resided with her children at Rockton, Winnebago Co., Ill.; later, they removed to Port Byron, Rock Island Co., Ill. Her second marriage occurred Nov. 28, 1861, while at Rockton, to Walter Kingsley, a brother of the late W. C. Kingsley, who built the Brooklyn Bridge across the East River, N. Y. Mr. K. was born in New York, where vv-.uux>Mn:yv he was also reared to manhood and received a good education, and early in life became a railroad contractor. He went to Boston, Mass., where he first married Miss Elizabeth Dingley, a native of Massachusetts, who died at Freeport, Ill., after having become by this marriage the mother of three children. Only one of these now survives, James A., a thoroughly educated civil engineer of California. The other two died when in infancy.

Mr. Kingsley, after his marriage to the present Mrs. Clark, resided at Rockton some years; but, his health failing, he removed to Port Byron, before mentioned, with the view of conducting the National Hotel at that place, since consumed by fire. In 1869 he came to this county and purchased a quarter of section 29, Tampico Township, the present homestead, where he died, Jan. 18, 1870, leaving no children.

Mrs. Clark's third husband was William Gibson, a farmer, whom she married Feb. 15, 1871. He was born in Barnesville, Ohio, Feb. 7, 1830, but was brought up in Morris, Grundy Co., Ill. He was first married in Nauvoo, Ill., to Miss Mary Gleason, who was born and bred in Williamsport, Ohio. By this marriage there was one child, Charles W., now a postal clerk in the Chicago postoffice. Mr. Gibson died upon the present homestead, June 7, 1876, of heart disease.

Mrs. Clark's present estate comprised 120 acres of well improved land. As to her religious relations, she was formerly a Presbyterian, but is now an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Her first and last husbands were members of the former denomination, and all except Mr. Kingsley, in political matters, were Republicans.

george S. Hoover, farmer on section 22 Sterling Township, is an enterprising agriculturist of Whiteside County. He moved here in 1855, and is now the proprietor of 350 acres of land, all lying in the township of Sterling and all under improvements. In politics Mr. Hoover is a Republican and supports the general and local issues of that party.

He was born Feb. 14, 1823, in Bedford Co., Pa., and is the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Sprecher)

Hoover. His parents were natives of Lancaster Co., Pa., moved to Bedford County, that State, in 1821, and were residents there until 1855, when they came to Illinois and settled on section 22, in the township of Sterling. They died on the homestead. Their ten children were named William, Catherine, George S., Samuel M., Sarah, John W., Louisa, David C, Elizabeth A. and Henry H.

Mr. Hoover was educated principally at the common schools of his native county, and afterward was a farmer in Pennsylvania for a time. He engaged about two years there in mercantile business. After coming to Whiteside County, he engaged in the same interest in Sterling about two years, and afterwards as a butcher. Later, he engaged in farming on section 22, Sterling Township.

His marriage took place Dec. 18, 1862, at Martinsburg, Blair Co., Pa., when Christine S., daughter of Jacob and Margaretta (Glazier) Grafins, became his wife. The parents were born in Pennsylvania, where their entire lives were passed. Mrs. Hoover had two brothers and two sisters, as follows: Anna M., Ellen M., Martin and Silas, all younger than herself. She was born Jan. 28, 1833, in Mifflin Co., Pa., and to her and her husband four children have been born, named Edward S., Harry G., Martin G. and Frank W.

Mr. Hoover has held the office of Road Commissioner and School Director. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.

As printed in Portrait and biographical album of Whiteside County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographies of all the governors of Illinois, and of the presidents of the United States (1885). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.