Leonard Weber

As printed in 1900

Leonard Weber, a representative agriculturist of Pike township, residing on section 10, has made his home in Livingston county since 1869 and has taken an active part in its development. He was born in New York Febrnary 2. 1850. and is a son of George Weber, who was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, about 1822, and emigrated to the United States when a young man, locating near Utiea, New York. where be married Sophia Horner, also a native of Wurtemburg. Мег father died in Germany and she came to America at the same time as her future husband. In this country Mr. Weber worked for others and also engaged in teaming in New York for some years, three of his children having been born in that state, but in 1850 he came to Illinois and first settled in Woodterd county, where he engaged in farming on rented land for several years. Mt length he was able to purchase a small place in the southern part of the county, and on disposing of the same, in 1869, he bought а farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Pike township, Livingston county, which at that time was but slightly improved. After operating it for several years he sold and bought another place in Pike township, which he subsequently disposed of, and now makes his home in Pontiac township, where he owns а valuable farm of three hundred and twenty acres.

The subject of this sketch was a lad of six years when he came to this state, and in Woodtord and Livingston counties he grew to manhood, his education being acquired т the public schools near his home. He remained with his father until he attained his majority, and then rented a farm on section 3, Pike township, where he engaged in farming for about six years. Mr. Weber was married in this county, April 2, 1878, to Miss Barbara Fischer, a native of Woodford county, Illinois, and a daughter of Joseph Fischer, a substantial farmer of Pike township, Livingston county, who was formerly a resident of Woodford county and was born Mrs. Weber was reared and Our subject and in Germany. educated in this county. his wife have a family of three children: Barbara S., Joseph G. and Leonard F., all at home.

After his marriage Mr. Weber continued to engage in farming upon rented land for about five years. He rented his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 10, Pike township, for two years and then purchased the place, to the further improvement and cultivation of which he has since devoted his energies. operations he is meeting with marked success and the prosperity that has come to him 15 certainly justly merited, for it is due entirely to his own unaided efforts and good management. Politically Mr. Weber 15 identified with the Democratic party on na-

In his farming tional issues, but at local elections votes for the men whom he believes best qualified to fill the offices regardless of party lines. For three years he served as school director, but has never cared for political honors. Religiously both he and his wife are members of the Evangelical church of Eppards Point.

Edward О. Reed. who for several years has been prominently identified with the public affairs of Livingston county, and is now most acceptably serving as county treasurer, was born in Bloomington, Illinois, June 12, 1860, a son of Captain Henry В. and Esther (Beck) Reed. of Pennsylvania,

The father is a native near Pottsville. Schuylkill county, January 29, 1833, and there grew to manhood and married. In early life he learned the shoemaker's trade, which he followed prior to the Civil war. On coming to Illinois, he settled іп Naperville, later spent a short time in Joliet. and then moved to Bloomington. In the fall of 1860 he came to Pontiac, where he was born engaged in the shoe business until the following spring, when he enlisted in Company D, Twentieth Illinois Volunteer Iniantry, with which he served until after the battle of Shiloh. On the field at Fort Donelson, he was promoted for gallant service to the rank of second lieutenant, and our subject now has in his possession a reward of merit issued by Governor Vates. His term of enhstment having expired, Lieutenant Reed returned home. While being paid off at St. Louis, the paymaster told the government needed such men as he and suggested that he see Governor Yates. This he failed to

Чо. but the Governor sent for him and asked him to help recruit three companies in this part of the state. He helped recruit five. and again went to the front as captain of Company G. One Hundred and Twentyninth. Ilinois Volunteer Infantry. Пе was with Sherman on the march to the sea and remained in the service until the close of the War, participating in the grand review at Washington, District of Columbia. Returning to his home in Pontiac. he resumed the shoe business, which he carried on until appointed by Governor Oglesby as custodian of memorial hall in the state house at Springfield. and served four years at that time, being the frst in the new hall and attending to the arranging cf all the dags. Пе proved а most capable official and ile is an honored member and commander ot T. Lytle Dickey Post, G. A. Ro, also belongs to Pontiac Lodge. No. 294. Е. & A. М. and Loth he and his wife are members of the Methe dist Episcopal church.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

He is now Jiv- A more ex-

Our subject was educated an the public schools of Pontiac, and during his youth served an apprenticeship to the cigarmaker’s trade, at which he worked until twenty-seven years of age, when he formed a partnership with John C. Riess, under the firm name of Reed € Riess, and started a manutact: гу of their own, which they still conduct. They have met with marked success in the undertaking and furnish employment to six or eight men. Mr. Reed built up the trade as а traveling man. but the firm now sells their goods mainly to home consumers, in this county. Tle owns a good store building and a fine residence on South Mill street, where Не was married, December 15. 1807. to Miss Eunice Stott, a daughter of John Martin Stott, of Chicago, he makes his home.

and they have one daughter, Esther. Since attaining his majority Мг. Reed has been an ardent Republican in politics and has taken a prominent and influential part in public affairs. Пе was serving as alderman the water works were put in and the sewer sysfrom third ward when tem adopted, the сих being bonded to put in the sewers. Before his term expired he was elected assistant supervisor and was а member of the finance committee that found the ways and means by which the county could build the new court house, the contract being let to à contractor providing he would take the county warrants. of sixty thousand dollars and is one of the In the tall of 1804, before his time as assistant

It was built at a cost finest in this section of the state.

supervisor expired, Mr. Reed was elected county sheriff and entered upon the duties of the office in December, that vear. That he tfi led the position in a most creditable and satisfactory manner is shown by his being elected county treasurer prior to the expiration of his term as sheriff. taking the office of treasurer the day he left the other office. When the auditing committee of the county checked up his four years as sheriff they found that the county was sixty dollars in lus debt instead of their being deficiency. He was a member ot the Sheriff's tion cf the state. assessment of the county, which makes his

Assucialle is now supervisor of position а very large and responsible. one, and he handles over one hundred and fifty thousand dollars а vear. His official duties have always been discharged with а fidelity and promptness worthy of the highest commendation,and he has proved а most popular and efficient officer. Mr. Reed is now, in 1900, chairman of the Republican central committee of Livingston county, and the party organization will, under his administration, be kept intact, and the full vote of the party be polled. Fraternally he is a member of Pontiac Lodge, No. 204, Е. & A. M.; Fairbury Chapter. К. А. M.: the Couneil IS, > AL, core ОБ Cees aia! Sie, Рам Сео, No. gil, IS. И or aba Не also belongs to a number of mutual orders, including the Modern Woodmen of America.

Mrs. Maria Owen, who now has the distinction of having been a resident of Pontiac longer than any other of its citizens, came here with her husband m 1842. She has witnessed almost the entire development of the county, has seen its wild lands transformed into beautiful homes and farms, its hamlets grow into villages and thriving towns and all of the interests and evidences of an advanced civilization introduced.

Mrs. Owen was born January 16, 1512, in New York, fourteen miles from Lake Ontario, and is a daughter of Starks and Esther (Gilbert) Traey. The father was a native of Sharon, New York, born April 3. 1778. and an early settler of Oswego county, where he bought land prior to his marriage and there continued to make his home throughout life. He was a farmer by occupation and one of the highly respected men of his community. His estimable wife was a member of the Congregational church. both died in Oswego county, New York. Mrs. maternal grandfather

Owen's was

Allen Gilbert, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, who was severely wounded in the head and leit for dead on the battle-field, but was found and cared for until he recovered. At an early day he removed from Schoharie county, New York, to Oswego county, where his daughter, Mrs. Tracy, was born August 1793. He, too, was a farmer and a prominent man in his community.

In 1840 Mrs. Owen married Augustins Fellows,who,with his brother, owned a large farm in Oswego county, New York, but in 1842 he sold his interest in the same and purchased property in Pontiac, Illinois, whither the family removed in the fall of that year. The trip was made by way of the great lakes and Welland canal in a small propeller to Chicago, and they brought with them all their household effects, which were conveyed from that city to Ottawa, Illinois. by teamsters who were returning to the latter place, where Mr. Fellows had a sister living. There teams were hired to convey the family and their effects to their new home in Pontiac. A farm of two hundred acres and a number of town lots belonged to the estate they had traded for before coming west. so that they practically owned all of the present city at that time. There were only three families living there, and the buildings of the town consisted of a small trade house and the court house. Upon the farm, which adiomed the village on the east was a good two-room log house, with large fire places in both rooms, making it perfectly comfortable.

Selling his town lots, Mr. Fellows turned his attention to the improvement and cultivation of his farm and met with success in its operation. On the lot now occupied by Squire Woodrow's residence he built the first large hotel in Pontiac in 1847. and also

As printed in 1900 Biographical Record Of Livingston County, Illinois (1900). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.