Portrait and Biographical Record of Lee County, Illinois

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The “Portrait and Biographical Record of Lee County, Illinois,” created in the late 19th century, stands as a remarkable compendium of personal histories, reflecting the lives and legacies of individuals who contributed to the development of Lee County. This volume, compiled by the Biographical Publishing Company, offers a unique lens through which genealogists and historians can explore the lives of past residents. As you delve into this collection, it’s essential to approach the information with both appreciation and a critical eye, recognizing its dual role as a primary and secondary source.

As a primary source, the album provides direct insights from the individuals or their contemporaries, capturing the essence of their lives through personal narratives. This firsthand information is invaluable for genealogists, offering detailed accounts that enrich family histories with depth and context. These stories, chronicling everything from humble beginnings to notable achievements, humanize the past and provide a vivid record of the individuals who resided in the communities of Lee County, Illinois, up to the 20th Century.

Simultaneously, the volume acts as a secondary source, interpreting and collating these personal accounts into a cohesive historical record. While the narratives are rooted in personal testimonies, the compilation process introduces an editorial layer that shapes the presentation of these stories. Genealogists should be mindful of the potential biases or inaccuracies that might arise from this secondary interpretation, cross-referencing information with other records when possible to ensure a comprehensive and accurate family history.

Approaching the album as a genealogical tool requires a balanced understanding of its strengths and limitations. The richness of personal detail offers a glimpse into the past, yet the selective nature of its contents and the potential for editorial influence underscore the importance of critical analysis. By corroborating the album’s accounts with other primary sources such as census records, birth certificates, and other official documents, genealogists can construct a more nuanced historical narrative.

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Alphabetical List of Lee County Biographies

  1. John H. Abbott
  2. William H. Acker
  3. Mrs. Catherine E. Aschenbrenner
  4. Jacob Aschenbrenner
  5. Hiram B. Bates
  6. Charles A. Becker
  7. Samuel A. Bender
  8. Jacob Betz, Jr
  9. Henry Bly
  10. Henry Bollman
  11. John F. Bossemeyer
  12. Henry C. Brookner
  13. Jules Brechon
  14. William S. Brierton
  15. Thomas W. Brown
  16. George W Bruner
  17. Thomas J. Buckaloo
  18. William Burd
  19. Jonas Burger
  20. Loyd Burger
  21. Christian B. Classen
  22. Thomas Clayton
  23. Hon. John Dawson Crabtree
  24. Jonathan Depuy
  25. Hon. Sherwood Dixon
  26. Thomas Dolan
  27. Col. Alex. P. Dysart
  28. Samuel Dysart
  29. Isaac Earl
  30. Isaac Edwards
  31. Charles F. Emerson
  32. Richard S. Farrand
  33. John B. Felker, M. D.
  34. William H. Fiscel
  35. Adolphus Fisher
  36. Hugh Fitzpatrick
  37. Capt. William S. Frost
  38. John L. Geiger
  39. Richard Gooch
  40. Josiah L. Gray
  41. Stanwood Griffith
  42. Dennis C. Harden
  43. Chester Harrington
  44. William W. Heckman
  45. Ferdinand W. Hegert
  46. Jacob Hepperlin
  47. Jeremiah Hetler
  48. George W. Hill
  49. William H. Hilles
  50. John Holdren
  51. Barren De F. Holly
  52. Ithiel A. Horton
  53. George W. Hulbert
  54. Hon. William Ellery Ives
  55. Ebenezer H. Johnson
  56. Charles Jones
  57. Frank King
  58. George L. Klostermann
  59. Edward B. Knight, Jr.
  60. Peter Kreiter
  61. Joshua E. Lahman
  62. William Landau
  63. Eli Lloyd
  64. Sertius A. Lyman
  65. George S. and Elliott S. McCleary
  66. Thomas P. McCune
  67. John Mensch
  68. Lauren T. Merriam
  69. Henry Miller
  70. Merritt Miller
  71. Richard F. Miller
  72. Samuel Mong
  73. Nathaniel G. H. Morrill
  74. Charles A. Morris
  75. Will1am H. Mossholder
  76. David Murray
  77. Andrew J. Myers
  78. Willbourne E. Paddock
  79. William B. Page
  80. Nathan A. Petrie
  81. Arthur Phillips
  82. Richard Phillips
  83. Alfred P. Porter
  84. Hon. Abijah Powers
  85. Charles F. Preston
  86. Levi Rafensperger
  87. Schuyler Ransom
  88. Elijah H. and Daniel B. Raymond
  89. Andrew Reinhart
  90. Simon Rhodes
  91. Singleton W. Riegle
  92. Theodore Rust
  93. Hon. James Ryon, M.D.
  94. Henry Sanders
  95. Joseph Shultz
  96. David B. Senger
  97. John Shank
  98. Benjamin F. Shaw
  99. John D. Sitts
  100. George E. Smith
  101. Ira S. Smith
  102. James Sneed
  103. John F. Stager
  104. George F. Stainbrook
  105. George Stenger
  106. John M. Sterling
  107. Thomas H. Stetler, M.D.
  108. William S. Straw
  109. Joseph Tait
  110. Charles Trainer
  111. Rev. James Treacy
  112. John M. Trostle
  113. William T. Tuttle
  114. Henry Uhl
  115. William H. Van Epps
  116. Andrew Ventler
  117. Sardias Vosburgh
  118. Cornelius Vroom
  119. Elijah Walker
  120. Emrich Weishaar
  121. Ernest Wernick
  122. Moses C. Weyburn
  123. Harlow A. Williamson
  124. Stewart Wilson
  125. John W. Wingert

Source

Biographical Publishing Company, Portrait and biographical record of Lee County, Illinois, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies of all the governors of the state, and of the presidents of the United States, Chicago: Biographical Publishing Co., 1892.

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