Bureau County Archives – Illinois Genealogy

History of Bureau County, Illinois Title Page

Biography of Samuel P. Clark of Berlin Township, Illinois

George Clark, father of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, was born in Belmont County, Ohio, March 1811. In 1835 he came to Berlin Township in this county, buying his farm from the Government. He was the first to settle on the prairie near Dover, and as he was told that the wind would blow him away, he anchored his house by setting the corner posts in the ground and mortising the sides to them. The siding and shingles he split and then dressed them by hand. He resided on his farm for forty years, when he removed to …

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Charles Devlin of Spring Valley, Illinois

In 1850, Charles Devlin was born in St. Louis, Missouri. By age 4, his parents had moved with him to Peru, LaSalle County, Illinois. At age 19, Mr. Devlin worked as a bookkeeper and business manager in Peru for the Union Coal company. Charles Devlin was convinced that the time was right to open what he believed was a very valuable asset, coal mines. So, in 1884, Mr. Devlin helped in the opening of the first Spring Valley, Illinois coal mine. In 1885, he married Jennie Miller, daughter of a Spring Valley founder, Henry J. Miller. Their union brought forth …

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Biography of James M. Curtis of Concord, Illinois

Bureau County

James M. Curtis, Concord, is a native of Schaghticoke, Rensselaer County, New York, where he was born August 2, 1822. His parents, Daniel and Mehitable (Masters) Curtis, were also natives of New York. The father died there; he was a farmer by occupation and also a soldier in the war of 1812. The latter died in Davenport, Iowa, aged nearly eighty-seven years. She was the mother of nine children, viz.: Erastus, Abraham. James M., Mark B. (deceased), Harman H., Phineas, Robert C., Maria (deceased) and Mrs. Cynthia C. Burch. Our subject was educated principally in the common schools of his …

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Biography of Thomas P. Currier of Neponset, Illinois

Bureau County

The subject of this biography was born July 6, 1830 in Cornville, Somerset County, Maine. His father, Patten Currier, was born in May 1801, in the same place, and is yet living there. He was a farmer by occupation. The grandfather of our subject was Ephraim Currier, a native of Amesbury, Massachusetts. He died in Cornville, Maine. The mother of our subject, Mary Steward, was born in Skowhegan, Maine; she died when our subject was nine years old. She was the mother of four children, viz.: Maria, Thomas P. (our subject), John M. and William H. Of the above only …

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Biography of Jonathan T. Currier of Neponset, Illinois

Bureau County, Stark County

Among our self-made men in Bureau County, who owe their success in life to their energy and perseverance, we place him whose name heads this sketch. He was born July 9, 1823, in Peacham, Caledonia County, Vermont. His father Asa Currier, was born April 21, 1891, in the same place. He died March 16, 1868, in Osceola, Stark County., Illinois. He came to Stark County on Sunday, August 26, 1838, having come through with teams from Vermont, where he had been a farmer, which occupation he followed here. The grandfather of J. T. Courier was David Courier, who was also …

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Biography of William Cummings of Buda, Illinois

Bureau County, Gallatin County

Thornton Cummings was a native of Virginia. When a young man he immigrated to Kentucky, and was there married to Miss Sylvia Williams, a native of Kentucky. In 1816, soon after marriage, Mr. Cummings removed to Gallatin County, Illinois, where he resided till 1834, at which time he came to Bureau County, Illinois. When he reached Hennepin, he left his family there, and in company with a Frenchman as guide he traveled over the western part of Bureau County seeking a suitable location, and as he had been reared in a timbered country French Grove suited him best on account …

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Biography of Fitchyou Cummings of Concord, Illinois

Bureau County, Gallatin County

Fitchyou Cummings, Concord, was born in Gallatin County, Illinois, May 8, 1818, and is the son of Thornton Cummings, deceased, and brother of William Cummings. Fitchyou Cummings came to Bureau County with his parents in 1834, and since that time has resided in Concord Township. His opportunities for an education were the most limited. Instead of schools, when coming to French Grove, there was excellent opportunity for the hunter to find game. As Mr. Cummings was of an independent nature, he wished to make for himself a farm, and as money was at that time almost impossible to obtain, he …

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Biography of John C. Crossman of Lamoille, Illinois

Bureau County

John C. Crossman, Lamoille, was born January 29, 1830, in Draycott, Somersetshire, England. (See Biography of George Crossman of Lamoille, Illinois.) Mr. Crossman came to the United States about 1850. He worked two years in Onondaga County, New York, where he was also married. In March 1852, he came to Lamoille, Illinois, and after working one year, rented land and farmed. In 1855 he bought 160 acres of land, which he soon sold, and after renting another year bought 160 acres of William Hart, which he sold, and in 1857 went to New York State, and from there to England, …

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Biography of George Crossman of Lamoille, Illinois

Bureau County

Among our citizens of foreign birth, who have identified themselves with Bureau County, we must mention the subject of this sketch, who was born November 7, 1826, in Somersetshire, England, town of Bishford. His parents, George and Sarah (Rhude) Crossman died in England, where he was a mechanic. Their children were: Henry, who died on board a man-of-war off the coast of Africa; George, our subject; John C., a resident of this county; Jane, deceased, and Mrs. Mary A. Jeffries. Mr. Crossman came to America in 1852. He was eight weeks on the ocean. He lived two years in Onondaga …

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Biography of William Crisman of Macon, Illinois

Bureau County

William Crisman, Macon, was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, June 25, 1825. He is the son of William and Margaret (Wisegarver) Crisman. They were both natives of Pennsylvania and of German descent. They died in Bedford County. They had eleven children who reached maturity, and of that number six sons and two daughters yet survive. Our subject was reared on a farm, but at the age of sixteen began learning his trade of millwright, which trade he followed in his native State till coming to Bureau County, Illinois, where he landed April 7, 1855. For four years he did carpenter …

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Bureau County

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