A reference to the official history of the village of Wyoming, of the Protestant Episcopal church, of the Masonic circle and commercial interests will point out very definitely the part he has taken in the progress of this town.

Orlando Brace, son of Myrtle G. and Phoebe (Munson) Brace, was born in Elmira township, this county, August 8, 1838. His father, a native of New York state, was reared and educated in Luzerne county, Penn. His mother was also a native of that county. In 1836 Myrtle G. Brace, his wife and two children came to Osceola Grove, making the trip overland. Of their eleven children, three sons and six daughters survive. The pioneers were laid to rest in Elmira cemetery, the father dying in 1866, the mother in 1873. Orlando Brace spent his boyhood on the farm, again farmed his own lands in Henry county, and was so engaged when the civil war broke out. In 1862 he entered Company A, One hundred and twenty-fourth Illinois infantry, and followed the fortunes of that command until April 1, 1865, when he received a wound in the right shoulder joint at Spanish Fort, Ala. Subsequently he spent three months in the hospital at New Orleans, and in October of that year was honorably discharged at Springfield, Ill. In 1867 he resumed farming, but owing to the failure of his health had to discontinue agriculture. In 1873 he was elected treasurer of Stark county, which position he held for five consecutive terms, and doubtless would be elected and re-elected had not the legislature adopted a law fixing the tenure of that office. During all these years not one cent has been incorrectly entered or unaccounted for, precision marking all his dealings with the office. In December, 1886, he was elected commander of the G. A. R. post at Toulon. He married Miss Lucy A. Hudson, of Elmira township, whose parents, Daniel and Mary Hudson, settled there about 1854, moving that year from Washington county, Ohio. They are the parents of seven children, namely: Lottie, now Mrs. William Nixon, of Wyoming; Luella, now Mrs. F. S. Rosseter, of Chicago; Frank, Florence, Harry, George and Edith. A reference to the military, political and pioneer chapters of the general history, to the chapters on Elmira township, and to that on the town of Toulon, will point out definitely the various positions held by Mr. Brace.

Mrs. Kizzie F. Brace, daughter of Caleb P. and Diana Flint, born in Corning, N. Y., in 1839, came to Toulon in 1840, died at Winona, Ill., February 25, 1878.

Henry C. Bradley, son of George and Ann (Campbell) Bradley, was born in Goshen township, February 7, 1849. His parents were old residents of Stark county, coming here from New York City. Of their five sons and four daughters, Bessy died in infancy; William G. is a farmer of Nicholls county, Neb.; Sarah J. is the wife of Jacob Golley, of Nicholls county, Neb.; Henry C. resides at Toulon; Andrew C. and Mary, the wife of Robert Nicholson, reside in Goshen; Frank B. is a farmer of Nicholls county, Neb.; Annie is the wife of Cory Moore of Toulon township, and Ora A. is the wife of James Lamb, of Fillmore county, Neb. Henry C. received a common school education in his native township, and learned the blacksmith's trade

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at Toulon. At the age of 21 years entered farm life for himself, and continued agriculture until 1881, when he sold his farm, moved into Toulon, and commenced the blacksmith's trade. His wife, Miss Alice A. Edwards, is a daughter of Lewis Edwards, formerly of Essex township, now of Antelope county, Neb., residing near Neeley village. Mr. and Mrs. Bradley are the parents of four children, namely: Fannie, Jessie, Addie and Bertha. Both are members of the Christian Church, and he is a member of the County Agricultural Society. George Bradley, the pioneer of the family in this county, is now a resident of Thayer county, Neb. His wife died here July 9, 1881. Geo. Bradley was born in Tyrone county, Ireland, in 1820, came to New York in 1839. His wife, Ann Campbell, was born in same county in 1822, and came to New York in 1841, was married in 1844 and started for Toulon the same spring.

Samuel G. Breese, son of Henry and Sarah (Johnson) Breese, was born December 25, 1836. His father was born in Luzerne county, Wyoming Valley, Pa, December 21,1797, died October 21, 1875. He was one of the children of Samuel and Hannah (Pierson) Breese of Somerset county, New Jersey, and grandson of John and Dorothy (Riggs) Breese of Basking Ridge. N. J., the same John who was a soldier of the Revolution. Henry Breese, father of Samuel G. came here from Luzerne county, Pa., in 1835, with three sons and two daughters, namely: Stephen D., Milton, Johnston, Ellen and Amy, while here the subject of this sketch was born. He, with Stephen and Amy, now Mrs. A. Y. Fuller, are the only survivors here, of this large and prominent family. Milton resides at Neponset, Johnson, at Kewanee, and Ellen is the wife of Samuel Besett, residing near Chenoa, Ill. Samuel G. grew to manhood here, at 18 years he engaged in his father's business at Neponset, Ill.; visited Omaha, Neb., returned in 1864 to Prairie city, and was engaged in mercantile work until 1870, when he moved near Castleton, where he was engaged in farming up to 1882, when he took charge of his present business at Wyoming, still holding his farm in Penn township. He was married December 24, 1865, at Prairie city to Miss Elvira C., daughter of Moses and Martha A. (Yocum) Craig, of Virginia and Kentucky respectively. They are the parents of Maude, Henry C. and Mattie. Mr. Breese supports all religious denominations, but is not a member of any church. Throughout the township history and in many pages of the general history, this family is referred to. Mr. Breese was born in a small log cabin, and at time of birth, had four teeth, two above and two below, a rather strange or unusual thing, but necessity is always the mother of invention, and the teeth must have been provided, so as he could become self-sustaining very young, and learn to live on nuts and acorns, etc., as at that time most pioneers had very little of the luxuries to eat. His elder brothers used to beat clapboards by the fire place and carry them out to the wood pile to stand on barefooted while they chopped wood. Such are a few incidents peculiar to life here over half a century ago.

William Brown, a mason since 1812, died near Toulon in December, 1874, aged 86 years.

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John B. Brown, born in Virginia in 1806, settled near Kickapoo, Ill., in 1837; came to Wyoming in 1853, was postmaster here from 1860, which position he filled until his death, May 23, 1880. (Vide chapter on Penn Township.)

Captain John Marshall Brown, son of John Benton and Elizabeth Ann (Johnson) Brown, was born in Hampshire county, Va., August 10, 1837. His father settled in that state and followed the millwright's trade in his youth; while his mothers people — the Johnsons – resided there for over a century. In the summer of 1837, the family (parents and three sons) moved west to a point near Kickapoo, Peoria county, Ill. In 1853, the father settled in Wyoming, engaged in mercantile work and was one of the town's most energetic and public-spirited citizens up to his death in 1880. He was postmaster there for nearly twenty years. At the beginning of the Civil War John M. Brown was engaged on the farm in Valley township. In August of that year he enlisted in Company K, Forty-seventh Illinois Infantry, and was at once appointed orderly sergeant of the company. Early in 1862, he was premoted first lieutenant. Following the battle of Corinth he was commissioned captain and held that position until honorably discharged, October 10, 1864. In November, 1864, he was elected sheriff by 555 majority over the popular democratic nominee, James Nowlan. In 1868, he defeated William Lowman for circuit clerk by 534 majority, and re-elected each term since that time. In 1859, he married Miss Margaret R., fourth daughter of John and Margaret (Robinson) Hawks. Of their three children, Ella M. is now the wife of Herbert D. Nott, of Galva; Maud E. resides with parents, and Lew M. Brown is a very courteous and competent assistant in the circuit clerk's office. A reference to the history of the G. A. R. post at Toulon, that of the I. O. O. F. lodge, and of the Encampment will show the part he has taken in these important organizations. As an officer of the county his record is without reproach, as a soldier he won his laurels and wears them, while as a citizen he has shared in the labors of adding a pleasant home to Toulon, and has become interested in a farm in the county. (Vide history of Penn Township.)

"Grandpa" Buchanan, who died at Olympia, W. T., September 27, 1884, once resided on the land now known as the county Poor Farm. He was born in 1801, married in 1822, and crossed the plains in 1853, with his family.

Samuel Burge, son of Rev. Benjamin and Lucretia (Dewey) Burge, was born at Enfield, Grafton county, N. H., October 21, 1844. In 1856 Mr. Burge, his mother and sister, moved from Lewiston, Fulton county, to Stark county. The family having settled in Fulton county in 1853, four years after the death of Rev. Mr. Burge. This move was made on the suggestion of the late Samuel M. Dewey, a resident of Stark in 1849, who counseled his sister to bring her family among a people whom he esteemed, and among whom himself was one of the leading citizens. On arriving here Mr. Burge entered his uncle's store and filled the position of clerk for ten years, until 1866, when he acquired a one-fourth interest in the house of Dewey, Lowman & Co. In the fall of that year Mr. Dewey died, but, by the terms of the will,

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the business was to be continued under the title of Dewey & Burge, and with the mercantile department the banking house, established in 1865, was included. Of all this Mr. Burge took the management January 1, 1867. Early in 1869 he purchased the interests of the Dewey estate, and in the spring of 1870 disposed of the mercantile department, so that he could give exclusive attention to the banking business. In 1879 Charles P. Dewey, son of the late Samuel Dewey, was admitted into partnership, and the firm name of Burge & Dewey adopted. On September 1, 1870, Mr. Burge was married to Miss Alice, daughter of William Lowman. To them four children were born, Annie M., Samuel D., Esther L. and Jessie, the latter now lying in the family lot in Toulon cemetery. Mrs. Burge is a graduate of the Rockford Female Seminary, and, as evidenced by references in this work to local literary and musical societies, holds a first place among the alumni of that seminary. In the history of the schools of Toulon township, of the Congregational church of Toulon, of the municipality, of the soldiers of the county and of the W. W. Wright Post, G. A. R., the part taken by Mr. Burge in affairs of public interest is clearly portrayed. To him is credited the introduction of modern residence building into Toulon, and above all a desire to share in building up higher the industrial and social interests of the town, which he calls his home for over thirty years.

Rev. Benjamin Burge, named in the foregoing sketch, was born at Francistown, N. H. For years he was an esteemed pastor of the Congregational church, until his death in 1848. His widow, Mrs. Lucretia (Dewey) Burge, was a daughter of Andrew Dewey, a farmer of Hanover, N. H., who died on the farm in Goshen township, in 1857. Shortly after the death of her husband, Mrs. Burge and family moved to Nashua, N. H., where she resided until coming to Lewiston, Ill., in 1853. The name and family are well known in the pioneer history of New Hampshire, particularly in the Hollis neighborhood, where the old residence of the Burges has a history antedating 1740.

D. S. Burroughs, son of Lorin and Meribah (Boardman) Burroughs, was born at Napoli, Cattaraugus county, N. Y., Feb. 7, 1843. His father was a son of Porter Burroughs, and mother a daughter of Richard Boardman, prominent agriculturalists of Onondaga Co., N. Y. In 1867 Lorin Burroughs and family migrated to Prophetstown, where the father died Sept. 5, 1867, leaving five sons and three daughters living. Geo. W. is supposed to have been killed at Chancellorsville, under Hooker; Orlando, the eldest, is a farmer; Lewis P., died at Napoli, N. Y.; Ira, like Orlando, resides in Sarpy county, Neb.; Daniel L. is a citizen of Whiteside county, Ill.; Wallace M. is in insurance business at Omaha, Neb.; Lavina is the widow of O. Fischer, Whiteside county; Salina is the wife of John M. Richards, of Whiteside county; and Marinda V. is unmarried. D. S. Burroughs is the sixth son of seven boys. He spent his boyhood at Napoli, and obtained his education in Cattaraugus county. After coming to Illinois he traveled extensively through the west, was engaged in the creamery business in Whiteside county until 1884, but started in business in this place November 10, 1875, the date of his commission house at Wyoming. His wife, whom he married at

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Council Bluffs, Ia., was born at Cold Springs, Cattaraugus county, N. Y. They are the parents of one daughter, Carrie. Mr. Burroughs is a member of the masonic society, a strong advocate of temperance principles, and a supporter of all beneficial enterprises.

Captain Henry Butler, son of Justus Butler, the famous hotel-keeper of New Haven, Conn., was born in that city about 1793. When he was of age he married Miss Rebecca Green, grand daughter of Samuel Green, the "Cambridge, Mass., printer." Captain Butler, depending on the accounts of the West rendered by one Bogardus, a pioneer lawyer of Peoria, and Elias K. Kane one of the first constitution makers of Illinois, left New York in June, 1835, traveled by boat to Chicago, and arrived at Wyoming in the fall. He was followed by his wife, three sons and five daughters, who took up their residence in the double log-house which the captain had built and prepared for them. In later years the brick residence was erected, and here the founder of the family in Illinois died, August 2, 1864, his wife following him to rest, November 30, 1863. In this county two of their children were born. Lucy, George, Samuel, Henry, Rebecca, Mary, Charles, Abby, Elizabeth, Albert, Virginia and Henrietta then made up the family circle. In 1839, William F. Thomas married Mary Butler, and the same day Ira Ward, Jr., married Elizabeth. In January, 1840, Oaks Turner, of Hennepin, married Rebecca G., Elizabeth married John W. Henderson, Henrietta married Thomas J. Henderson, and so on through the list. George and Charles never settled here; the former held a leading position in A. T. Stewart's house, New York city, for years; the latter is a lawyer of that city. Virginia ,who in her youth was deprived of hearing, was educated by the Gallaudets; Abby died while yet an infant.

Edwin Butler, publisher and editor of the Stark County News, was born at Kewanee, Henry county, Ill., January 9, 1841. Moving to Milan, Ill., he remained there until 1849, when he came to Toulon. Here he attended some of the many private schools then existing at the county seat, was a pupil at the seminary, and completed a four year's classical course at Knox college in June, 1861. During the next winter he taught the "Dutch Island" school in Essex township. On August 11, 1862, he enlisted in Company F, One-hundred-and-twelfth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, was appointed second sergeant, promoted orderly, and served three years. In September, 1863, he was detailed to assist in printing the Athens Union Post in the office of the suppressed Athens Post. On the 17th the first number appeared, and contained a well-written salutatory, from which the following extract is made: "Our first issue of the Athens Union Post will present quite a different appearance to what it did, when Union was not attached to its title… The former editor, Mr. Ivins, probably not thinking that we would want to issue the paper in his absence, took with him nearly all the material necessary to give it a genteel appearance." The motto of the new paper was "Our country, may she ever be right; but our country right or wrong." Mr. Butler worked faithfully on the Post until the sudden evacuation of Athens, when he was captured in the office. While with the rebels, he tasted

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the sweets of prison life at Atlanta, Danville, Richmond; from March to September, 1864, in their notorious hotel at Andersonville; next at Charleston, and then at Florence, S. C. In December, 1864, he contrived to make his way to Charleston with the sick and wounded, who were there exchanged. Once within the union lines, he made the first hearty meal since his captivity, put on a new dress, returned to Toulon for thirty days, and in one week increased fourteen pounds in weight. In April, 1865, he rejoined his command at Greensboro, N. C., and served until July. Returning, he worked on a farm, was elected county surveyor in November, a position he has since filled with the exception of two years. In May, 1869, he purchased Oliver White's interest in the News with Joseph Smethurst; early in 1870, purchased the latter's interest, but in June, 1882, sold a half interest to James A. Henderson, who, dying in the fall of 1883, left the partnership to his widow. Mr. Butler was married in March, 1883, to Mrs. Maggie Porter, daughter of James S. Templeton, one of the early settlers of Toulon, who returned to his home near Pittsburgh, Penn. In 1872, he with Enoch Emery were delegates to the Republican National convention. (Vide military and local history.)

C. C. Campbell, born in Connecticut in 1817; moved to Stark county in 1865; resided at Wyoming a number of years; died at Chicago, May 1, 1880.

Alfred Castle, M. D., son of Samuel and Phoebe (Parmalee) Castle, was born at Sullivan, Madison county, N. Y., September 22, 1806. His father was a native of Berkshire county, Mass., and a cousin of Ethan Allen, and a descendant of the Irish family of Castles who settled in Connecticut among its pioneers. His mother was of Belgian lineage. Dr. Castle studied the languages under Dr. Sillsbee, of Cazenovia, N. Y., and medicine at Brockport and Pittsford, in Monroe county, meantime attending lectures at Berk's College, Pittsfield, Mass., at Jefferson College, Philadelphia. and at Vermont College, Woodstock. He was a resident graduate of Harvard College, and also at Massachusetts Hospital, Boston. He practiced two years at Brockport before obtaining his degree of M. D. in 1834, at the Berkshire school. During the two succeeding years he practiced in Monroe county. On May 19, 1835, he married Miss Maria P., daughter of Col. Daniel Dana, of the U. S. army, who commanded the Vermont volunteers during the war of 1812—14. In 1836 he set out for Peoria, Ill., on a one-horse buggy, leaving his bride to follow. He resided there five or six years, returned reduced in health to Vermont, but in 1842 he revisited Peoria, to find that, where only one house stood in 1836 (six miles west of Peoria), between Peoria and Wyoming, many were now built and building. In 1843 he settled at Wyoming. Dr. and Mrs. Castle were the parents of five children, two of whom died in infancy. He was the active agent in building the B. & R. R. R., of which his son Alfred was president. The doctor only retired from practice a few years ago. During his forty years of duty in this county he merited and obtained many tokens of popular esteem. A reference to the chapters of the general history and to the sketch of Wyoming will point out the various parts Dr. Castle has taken in that drama of real life which

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has been on the stage of Stark County particularly since its organization, only a few years before his settlement here.

Rev. W. W. Carr, native of Vermont, born in Addison county, at Middlebury, July 23, 1850, is the son of William and Harriet E. (Rogers) Carr, both active members of the Methodist church. William Carr's father, also William, was a native of Rhode Island — of old Episcopalian circles there. W. W. Carr spent his boyhood at Middlebury, obtained a good common school education, and took a preparatory course at the Middlebury High School, and at Brandon, Vt. He also taught school during this time, and labored for himself since the age of twenty-one. At the age of twenty-three he came west and entered the Northwestern University, at Evanston, graduated in the class of 1877 with an honorable record, taking some prizes. During the last two years of the college course he preached at Brighton Park, and upon graduating joined the Illinois conference, and was stationed at Yates City. He held this charge one year, then went to Trivoli, Peoria county, where he remained two years, signalizing his work by a large revival. At Ipava, Fulton county, he remained three years There he removed a considerable church debt, repaired the old building, and built a new parsonage. A church was built in his circuit during this time. Moving to Blandinsville, McDonough county, he held remarkable revival services, and during his one-year term repaired the church there. In 1884 he was appointed to the Toulon charge, and in 1886 to that of Kewanee. He married at his old Vermont home Miss Mattie L. Piper, daughter of David Piper, of Middlebury, an old family of that town. To them three sons and one daughter were born — Ruby Pearl, Harlow Piper, George W., and Sidney McCord. Rev. Mr. Carr's relation to Stark county is best told in the history of the Methodist church and of the Masonic, Odd Fellow and Good Templar circles of Toulon.

Thomas H. Carlin, senior member of the firm of Carlin & Sickles, is one of the enterprising and progressive business men of Stark county, and takes the credit of pioneer work here in his industry. He was born in Canal Dover, Tuscarawas county, O., March 9, 1858, the son of Matthew Carlin and Jane Rockford, both natives of Ireland, who came from near Drogheda, Louth county, to our shores to make a home for themselves. They settled in Tuscarawas county, where two sons and five daughters came to them and grew to manhood and womanhood, all worthy citizens and industrious people. The subject of our sketch completed a good common school education and began the trade of cigar-making at Canal Dover. He subsequently did journeyman work at his trade through the country, finally locating here in March, 1882, where he soon after embarked in business, which he has very successfully carried on since. He feels the full force of his citizenship in Toulon, and in the early part of the present year married Miss Lydia, the estimable daughter of Daniel and Ann (Maguire) Wolgamood, worthy people of Toulon. Mr. Carlin attributes his successful life to a careful and pains-taking principle in the manufacture of his goods, and the rapidly growing trade of the firm attests this fact. Socially, he is a genial gentleman and a substantial friend. He

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is a worthy member of the I. O. O. F. society, and is (with all his active business duties) a close student of this progressive age, and is found clever in other arts besides his trade.

William Chamberlain, M. D., died November 2, 1882, in his 64th year. He came to Stark county in 1847, and practiced here continuously up to the period of his death. F. S. Rossiter represented the I. O. O. F., and B. F. Thompson the Masonic society at the funeral.

Julius Field Chapin, born in New York in 1801, died in March, 1884, aged 82 years. He put the first coat of paint on the Baptist church spire at Toulon prior to his removal to LaSalle.

Mrs. Mary (Fanshaw) Chapin, sister of Daniel Fanshaw, one of the pioneer printers of New York city, died at LaSalle, Ills., December 15, 1883, aged 81 years. She came to Toulon in early days, moved to LaSalle in 1853, where she resided thirty years.

Joseph Catterlin, born in Virginia in 1789, moved to Ohio, married Eleanor Knox, who died at Kewanee in 1873; died himself at Albion, Kan., May 22, 1886. He was postmaster at Toulon during Fillmore's administration, and one of the old merchants.

John S. Cleveland died in Wyoming October 4, 1886. He was father of three children, two of them are still living, and one of them, Mrs. John W. Cox, resides at Wyoming. His wife died in this place a little over one year ago. The deceased was born at Chillicothe, Peoria county, Ills., and dies in his 57th year. His home was formerly in Neponset, from which place he moved to Wyoming several years since. He served three years in the war of the Rebellion, as a member of the Fourteenth Illinois Cavalry. He was the inventor of a sulky revolving harrow, on which he received letters patent in 1883.

Jeffrey A. Cooley, born in Grayson county (now Carroll county), Virginia, on July 4, 1825, where he lived for seventeen years, came to Toulon November 18, 1842, and lived for forty-four years here. The first seven years he was in the employ of John Culbertson, assisting him in farm work. On February 7, 1849, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Louisa Culbertson, by Rev. S. G. Wright. They had three children, all of whom died early. Only his wife survives him. Immediately after marriage in 1849, he built a hotel on the site of the present house which was the first regular public hotel in the place; and up to his death, September 22, 1886, he was proprietor of what is known as the Virginia House. He bequeathed to his wife the hotel and fixtures, lot and barn thereon, and to Kate Maxfield, daughter of Mrs Nellie Maxfield, all his personal property and twenty two acres of land lying just east of town.

Presly Colwell, an old settler of Stark county, died at Burlington Junction, Mo., June, 1, 1883.

Mrs. David Cooper, now Mrs. Ennis of Wyoming, a sister of Isaac B. Essex, came in the fall of 1829.

Mrs. Mary Cox, of Wyoming, daughter of James and Maria Graves, died June 24, 1881.

Clara (De Wolf) Cox was born in Clark county, Ohio, March 23, 1848, and at the age of four years came with her parents to Stark county, where she resided up to her death, November 4, 1886. In the

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year 1867, she was united in marriage to Walter Cox which union was blest by six children.

Jere M. Cox, druggist and pharmacist, was born in Ross county, Ohio. May 11, 1850. His parents, Jesse and Abigail (Waldron) Cox, the former a native of Ohio, the latter of North Carolina, with their family moved to Illinois in 1852, and here Mr. J. M. Cox received his early education completing such at Lombard university, Galesburg. At the age of 23 years, he engaged in mercantile life, and has since been one of the successful business men of the county. He married Miss Emma J., daughter of the late J. H. Batchelder of Englewood, and to them three children were born: Harry C., Fannie G. and Nellie—the second now deceased. A reference to the Masonic and Odd Fellow's history of Wyoming, will point out definitely the position of Mr. Cox in these societies. He is a member of the Illinois Pharmaceutical society and of the State Board of Pharmacy.

Aunt Polly Crandall, the old maid of Toulon and "aunt to the whole town," moved to Barton county, Mo., in 1882, and died there the same year.

Miss Eliza J Creighton, who was a well-known teacher of Stark county, in the fifties, died at Morris, Ill., September 21, 1864.

Prof. P. K. Cross, a native of Illinois, comes from a worthy pioneer family of Winnebago county. He was born in that county April 18, 1856. His father, A. B. Cross, a descendant of Scotch pioneers, of New York state, has always been known to the people of Winnebago county for his sturdy support of upright principles and progressive measures. The subject of our sketch, when a lad, obtained a good training in the elementary studies of the common schools of the district in which he lived, and at the age of sixteen he entered college at Beloit, Wis. There he applied himself to a regular collegiate course of study, and began fitting himself as an educator. At nineteen he began teaching as a profession, as also for the purpose of earning money to complete a thorough and systematic training, which he did subsequently by spending about two years in the Illinois State Normal School, when he resumed teaching. His success has been favorably marked, and he is now found a leader in the profession. He passed some five years at Somonauk, Ill., where he raised the public schools from a chaotic condition to that of a thoroughly graded system, and had the pleasure of not only being complimented with a salary nearly double of what he began with, but of graduating two large classes in a thorough English literary course. Finishing his work there he accepted his present position in 1883, where he has been successfully connected since, as the records of Wyoming's school shows. In politics he is a pronounced republican, of strong temperance proclivities, principles espoused not only through his own observations, but inherent, as his father was prominent among the many early abolition and temperance workers of Winnebago county in promulgating those views. Prof. Cross was happily married in Somonauk, Ill., to Miss Emma L. Hess, a lady of clever literary and musical attainments, and a fitting helpmeet to him in his professional labors. He is a member of the Masonic order. In person he is tall and of commanding presence, of a

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frank and generous nature, but of a disposition to reason deeply and conscientiously on all matters, and when resolved, to stand manfully to his opinions. Since coming to Wyoming he has won the admiration of all good lovers of its school interests.

John Culbertson, son of William and Elizabeth Culbertson, was born in Pennsylvania, December 19, 1800. His earlier years were passed in a manner common to boys at the beginning of this century; but as his years increased he manifested his desire for independence, and resolved to learn the saddler's and harness trade. This resolve he carried out, and for years he followed the trade with the same close attention which marked his later life in commercial circles. In 1841 he settled in this county and engaged in mercantile trade. His strict attention to business and square dealing, insured the success of his new venture, so that in a short time he commanded a very heavy trade around Toulon, and indeed throughout this section of the country. He established a flouring mill and woolen factory here, which was operated under his own supervision, and gave employment to a number of persons, some of whom were skilled workmen. His investments in real-estate round Toulon were very extensive, and at one time it was said he intended to purchase the whole township and adjoining one of Goshen. In religious affairs both he and Mrs. Culbertson were Baptists, and in the history of that church their connection with it is shown— he having built the present house and presented it to the society. On February 17, 1822, he married Miss Pleasant Bateman. They were the parents of four children — Louisa, who married Lucius Miner; William and John, deceased; and James, a physician of Toulon. Mr. Culbertson died June 5, 1869, just at the time when he planned the expenditure of some of his great wealth on improving the town in which he accumulated it.

Rev. T. J. Cullen, while en route from Wyoming to Bradford, was attacked by heart disease, and falling from his buggy was instantly killed, May 13, 1883. He was missionary priest in this county during the absence of Father Moynihan.

Dr. Curtiss died at Cleveland, Ohio, June 21, 1883, aged sixty-seven years. Years ago he practiced medicine at Toulon.

L. P. Damon, son of James G. and Martha J. (Clark) Damon, was born at Medford, Mass., October 1, 1848. His father was a native of that state, and mother of Maine; on both sides being the families of mechanics. In 1858, the family moved to Stark county. L. P. learned the machinists' trade at Kewanee, also learned the mason's trade, and followed this trade in Cass and Union counties, Iowa, for about ten years, returning to Wyoming in 1879. Here he was engaged in mason work, windmill manufacturing, and machine business. More recently he established his blacksmith and machine shop here, and now has completed preparations for manufacturing a "shoveling board" and end gate for wagons, which he invented and improved. The manufacture of these inventions he is now pushing forward. In 1869, he was married in Stark county to Miss Ella M., daughter of George Cushing. They are the parents of one son and two daughters — George G., Nellie E. and Jessie A. In religious matters he is entirely Christian,

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OF TOULON TOWNSHIP.

yet liberal to a degree and yields hearty moral support to all churches.

Samuel Mills Dewey, son of Andrew and Harriet (Pinneo) Dewey, was born December 21, 1823, at Hanover, N. H. His father, who was a carpenter, carried on a small farm here in connection with his trade, and on this farm the subject of this sketch worked in his boyhood, at the same time attending the district school. In 1836 or 1837, the family moved to Canaan, N. H., where Andrew purchased a farm and established a saw and shingle mill. With the exception of about one year passed at school in Hanover, Samuel M. assisted his father both on the farm and in the mill. In 1844, he visited Boston and held the position of book-keeper in the drug store of Carruth, Whittier & Co., until the character of the work and the cold sea breeze brought on a severe sickness. On his recovery he looked westward, and in the fall of 1848, moved to Canton, Ill., where he was clerk for Mr. Graham, and subsequently clerk and partner in the house of Stipp & Bass. Close attention to business there threatened another attack of sickness, which urged him to move to Toulon in 1852. Here he was clerk in John Culbertson's house for a short time, when, in partnership with the late Davis Lowman, he established the firm of Dewey & Lowman. In 1865, he established a banking house at Toulon, which is still carried on by his nephew, Samuel Burge and his son, C. P. Dewey. In the course of his business life here he had for partners Davis Lowman, Patrick Nowlan, William Lowman and Samuel Burge. Mr. Dewey was married in May, 1853, to Miss Cornelia, daughter of Myron and Adaline (Rice) Phelps, of Lewiston, Ill. This old settler was born in Ontario county, N. Y., March 17, 1803, settled near Springfield in 1824, and carried on an extensive trade in furs and peltries with the Indians and early settlers of Illinois, Iowa and Cedar Valley. Mrs. Myron Phelps died March 24, 1851; but in April, 1855, this pioneer married Miss Mary Proctor, of Rawley, Mass. He died at Lewiston, August 15, 1878. His daughter, who married Samuel M. Dewey, died at Toulon, January 2, 1862, leaving two sons, Charles Phelps and Harry Pinneo Dewey. In June, 1863, Mr. Dewey married Miss Sarah M. Hale, of Rowley, Mass. In 1853, he united with the Congregational church, and at the time of his death, August 31, 1866, was clerk and trustee of that church and superintendent of the Sabbath school. A reference to the official, social, religious and business life of Toulon village, will point out more definitely the several parts taken by him during his life here, and further, will show what his children and old associates have done and are doing to advance all the interests of this section. Quoting from Rev. R. C. Dunn's funeral sermon, delivered in 1866, this brief sketch of a useful citizen closes: "His loss to the church as well as to the community will be a severe one. It was especially in private life— in his own family — that his shining qualities were seen. Those that met him only in business little knew his sterling worth. * * * * * We cannot enter the privacy of his home life; but those that enjoyed his ever-ready hospitality can form some idea of what he was."

Stephen Deaver, son of Stephen and Sarah (Bouchman-Stephens)

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