William Hale	Richard Heberling
Conrad Haller	Jacob Hecht
George Haller	Lewis Heid
John Hamlin	Edward Hill
Julius Hammer	Lucas Hofer
Edson Harkness	George Hovenden
Charles Harms	Nathaniel Huffman
Daniel Harms	William Hull
Ernst Havens	William Hunter

 

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HALE, WILLIAM. William Hale was born in Pawlet, Vermont, December 7, 1783. His early life was spent on a farm, where he received the advantages of a good common-school education, and, like many young men of the Green Mountain State, spent a portion of his time in teaching. He settled on a farm in Oswego County, New York, and, while living there, became one of the leading men of the county. For many years he held the position of Justice of the Peace. He was then appointed to the Associate Judgeship, held the office of Deputy Sheriff, and then Sheriff, of the county.
     In 1835 he came to Peoria, and, in company with his brother, Asahel Hale, and George G. Greenwood, erected a saw and grist-mill on the Kickapoo Creek. At the first town meeting after township organization was adopted, on April 2, 1850, he was elected one of the first Board of Supervisors. He was also the first Mayor of the city of Peoria, receiving his election at the adoption of the city charter, on April 28, 1845.
     The business life of Mr. Hale, after leaving the mill, was mostly spent in dealing in real estate, in which he became quite wealthy. He bought at an early time eighty acres in the central portion of the east part of the city, upon which some of the finest residences in that part of the city are now located, and laid it out into streets and lots, from which he received a handsome income. We are informed that he purchased the whole eighty for seven hundred dollars, only a fraction of the price of one lot at the present tine. Mr. Hale added Hale's first, second and third additions to the city of Peoria.
     Mr. Hale was a prominent member of the order of Free Masons, and donated the ground for a Masonic Cemetery. He also gave liberally to the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was a member. In politics he was a Democrat, and his first vote was cast for General Jackson, the second term of his election to the Presidency.
     He was married on March 27, 1830, at the age of forty-two years, to Miss Hannah Twitchell. Mr. Hale died November 25, 1859. (Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Peoria County, 1902, page 455, submitted by Janine Crandell)

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HALLER, CONRAD J.; Farmer; born in Cincinnati, Ohio, January 20, 1845, is the son of Conrad J. Haller and Christina (Koerner) Haller, natives of Wittenberg, Germany.  The father was born in 1804, and died in November, 1855.  The mother died July 29, 1899.  The maternal grandfather, Jacob Kerner, was born in Germany.  Conrad J. Haller, Sr., came to America in 1818, stopping first at Pittsburg, and then at Cincinnati, where he worked at his trade as a butcher.  He reached Peoria in 1850 and settled in Kickapoo township, March 1, 1851.  There he purchased a farm in Section 11, upon which he lived until his death.  Conrad Haller was a soldier in the War of the Rebellion, enlisting on August 11, 1862, in Company A, Seventy-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, D. P. Greer, Colonel, and serving until June 17, 1865, taking part in fifteen battles.  He was captured and held a prisoner at Camp Ford, Texas, for one year, one month, one week and a day.  Returning home, he engaged in farming.  For fifteen years he was a resident of Radnor Township, but for four years past has lived in Kickapoo township, where he has eighty acres of good land in Section 1.  On February 4, 1875, he was married in Kickapoo township, to Lucinda J. Dowling, who was born in Washington County, Ohio, December 5, 1846, the daughter of James F. and Jane (Perkins) Dowling.  Her father was born in Ohio, came to Peoria county in 1860, and died in Kickapoo township.  The mother was born in Rhode Island and, married in Ohio, and died in Muskingum County, Ohio.  Mr. Haller is a Republican, a thirty-second degree Mason, and a charter member of Orange Grange, of which he was master for eight years; is also a member of the Peoria County Pomona Grange.  Mrs. Haller is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and both are members of the Alta Eastern Star lodge.  (Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Peoria County, 1902, page 730, submitted by Janine Crandell)

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HALLER, GEORGE H.; farmer; born in Cincinnati, Ohio, January 28, 1850, the son of Conrad and Christina (Koerner) Haller, natives of Wittenberg, Germany.  The father was born in 1804 and died in November, 1855; the mother, born in 1822 and died July 29, 1899.  The grandparents, Jacob Haller and Jacob and Christina Koerner, were born in Germany.  Conrad Haller came to America in 1824.  After learning the butcher's trade, he worked for a time in Cincinnati and St. Louis, and came to Kickapoo township in 1851, where he bought a farm on section 11, and where he spent the remainder of his life.  Mr. George H. Haller resides on the old homestead farm.  He married Augusta Patton in Richwoods township, January 28, 1881.  She was born in Kickapoo township, September 12, 1859, the daughter of J. B. and Harriet Patton.  Mrs. Haller died October 25, 1900.  Mr. Patton first settled in Peoria county in 1854 but afterwards return to Ohio; he died in the spring of 1891 at the home of his son Frank, in Kickapoo township.  The children of Mr. and Mrs. Haller are: Conrad J., Harry F., Henry A. and Charles Patton.  Mr. Haller is a Republican, and school director.  He is a Mason, and a member of the Grange.  Mrs. Haller was a member of the order of the Eastern Star, as is also Mr. Haller, who has been Worthy Master three terms.  (Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Peoria County, 1902, page 730, submitted by Janine Crandell)

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HAMLIN, JOHN, one of the pioneer settlers of Peoria, was a native of Wilbraham, Hampden County. Massachusetts. He was born October 25, 1800, his parents being John and Lucy Hamlin. His early education was limited to that obtained in the public schools, with one term at an academy at Wallingford, Connecticut. Having been given his time, at the age of sixteen, he became a peddler, in which employment he traveled through several of the New England and Middle States, and finally, in 1818, reached Zanesville, Ohio, where he sold his stock, crossed the mountains on horseback to Richmond, Virginia, then sold his horses, went by schooner to New York and thence to his old home.
     In the spring of 1819 he started West, stopping first at Cincinnati, thence, in company with three young men in a skiff, proceeding down the river toward Louisville, but being overtaken by a small steamboat they abandoned their skiff and took passage on the steamer for the remainder of the way. From Louisville he went to Madison, Indiana, and after three months started for Missouri. After crossing the Wabash at Vincennes he fell in with some emigrants bound for the Sangamon country in Illinois, with whom he cast his lot. This route lay through an uninhabited country infested with Indians; but they safely reached Edwardsville, which was then the largest town in the State. From that point the young man set out alone for Judge Latham's at Elkhart Grove, which point he reached after enduring great privations and incurring considerable danger. Having remained with the Lathams about a year, during which time he improved a piece of land, he became interested with the owner of a keel-boat which had commenced running on the Sangamon from St. Louis, and, in company, they erected a little log store to supply the sparse population with the necessities of life. The following extracts are taken from a biographical sketch prepared under his own supervision:
     "Soon after this, in company with several other gentlemen, Mr. Hamlin visited Fort Clark, and found on his arrival here two log cabins, one of which was occupied by the family of Abner Eads; the other was a double log house, and was occupied by two families—one by the name of Bogardus and the other by the name of Montgomery. This was in the early part of May, 1821. Mr. Hamlin enjoyed the natural beauty of the place at that season of the year, and had an opportunity of seeing a large congregation of its aboriginal inhabitants assemble at their rendezvous at the head of Lake Peoria to receive their distribution of annuities at the hands of the Indian Agent, who had just arrived up the river from St. Louis.
     "In March, 1822, he employed Charles S. Boyd to move his effects to Fort Clark with an ox-team. This same Boyd had already become famous as an ox-teamster, having several years before moved his family and effects all the way from New York with the same conveyance. We do not know whether the oxen employed to move Mr. Hamlin were the same yoke that performed that Herculean journey or not, but we presume not. The only white families at this time in Peoria were those mentioned in connection with Mr. Hamlin's first visit—the families of Eads, Bogardus and Montgomery; but their Indian neighbors were very numerous, and many of them were making rapid progress in the first stage of civilization, by freely imbibing the whisky furnished them by the white settlers. These savages seemed to have a great liking for whisky; they would crowd around the trading-post—whether boat or cabin—and plead for it often for hours at a time; and when excited or intoxicated, would prowl about and make the night hideous with their yells. Well if they did not commit depredations and acts of fiendish atrocity. In some instances, a little later, murders were committed by drunken Indians. The famous case of Nomaque, which was tried in the first Circuit Court ever held in the county, was one of this kind; and the shrewd Indian justified himself and charged the murder of the white man on those who sold him the whisky. Who shall say that the judgment of the Indian was not at least half right in this case?
     "In 1822 the county of Fulton was organized by act of the Legislature, and the Governor and council appointed Mr. Hamlin as one of the Justices for that county, which then included Peoria County—the latter not yet organized. The office of Mr. Hamlin was selected as the place for taking affidavits in the famous Eads and Ross contested election case. It appears that the contest had been for the office of Sheriff of Fulton County. Eads had been elected by one majority. Ross claimed that the vote was not fair, because some of the voters for Eads lived out of the jurisdiction, on the east side of the Illinois River. Judge Reynolds, who at that time presided, ordered depositions to be taken as evidence in the case, which was accordingly done by Mr. Hamlin, at his office, as Justice of the Peace for Fulton County, in company with his associate. H. R. Coulter.
     "In 1823 William S. Hamilton took a contract from the Government to supply Fort Howard, at Green Bay, with beef cattle, and Mr. Hamlin, on account of his efficiency and knowledge of Indian character, was chosen to accompany the expedition to that distant garrison. It was a work of no ordinary difficulty. The country to be traversed with their herd was an unsettled wilderness, without roads or means of crossing the swamps or streams. The cattle had to be guarded and kept from straying, and, although the prairies afforded grass enough for their subsistence, yet the men of the party had to be supplied with provisions for the journey—enough at least to last them to Fort Dearborn (now Chicago), their first stopping place. However, they equipped themselves for the undertaking, and, after many vicissitudes and romantic experiences, which we have not space here to relate, arrived at Green Bay with their cattle, on the second day of July, 1823, having performed the journey in thirty days.

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     "On his way back Mr. Hamlin performed his first marriage ceremony, at Fort Dearborn, in the marriage of Dr. Alexander Wolcott, a graduate of Yale College, and a man of distinguished literary culture, who at that time was Indian Agent at Fort Dearborn. This was the first marriage ceremony ever performed in the (now) great city of Chicago.
     "During his stay in Chicago Mr. Hamlin made an engagement to enter the service of the American Fur Company, which he did after a short trip home. In his adventures during the hunting season among the Indians, he had a rich experience, practicing somewhat in the French language in his conversation with the Frenchmen in his employ, and learning much of Indian life and character. But he had little taste for the life of a hunter. He made a successful trip, however, and returned richly laden with furs, being the first of the outfits of that season to arrive at Chicago.
     "Mr. Hamlin, at this time, was only twenty-three years of age, but such was the confidence of Mr. Crafts (with whom he was employed) in his ability and integrity that, on leaving his trading establishment at Chicago, to go East for supplies for the next season's outfits, he entrusted the whole business of the concern to him—the youngest of several clerks in his employ. Nor was the confidence reposed in him misplaced or disappointed. He managed the business to the entire satisfaction of his employer, who, the year following, sent him to establish a new trading-post at his home in Fort Clark. Here he erected buildings and supplied goods, not only to the Indians, but also to the white settlers in the vicinity, getting but little money in his traffic, as in those days money was hardly to be seen, except in transactions with the Government, or with Eastern men newly arrived, or as the result of sales made in distant markets. There was no circulating medium to answer the purposes of local business, and so Mr. Hamlin was obliged to exchange goods for other articles of trade. Besides the usual fur business, he exchanged goods for pork, which he packed and shipped to the military post at Chicago, and also cattle, which he delivered at the same market in the spring.
     "His method of getting his pork to Chicago furnishes a good illustration of the difficulties and other obstacles a resolute and ingenious mind may overcome in accomplishing its purpose.
     "No attempt had yet been made to navigate the uncertain water route from Lake Peoria to Chicago with anything larger than a Mackinaw boat or an Indian canoe, nor was it thought practicable at the time of which we speak. But Mr. Hamlin conceived the bold idea of shipping his pork by a keel-boat. One was lying idly at the landing, which he could charter for the trip. His plan was to load his pork on board of this, pack his furs on board a small Mackinaw boat which he owned, and, thus loaded, to push on with all possible speed while the water was up in the spring. He loaded and started; his plan succeeded. He moved up the Illinois to the mouth of the Des Plaines. Here he unloaded the keel-boat and built a depot for his pork, leaving it safe and secure in charge of some of the boatmen, while he went on with the Mackinaw boat and furs, passing up the Des Plaines to a point called Summit, where the waters divide, part going by the Illinois and Mississippi into the Gulf of Mexico, and part by the Chicago river and lakes into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. At this point the water passes through a slough into Mud Lake, and thence by a gully into the south branch of the Chicago river, following which Mr. Hamlin arrived safely in Chicago with his boat-load of furs. The pork was conveyed in the same way, and in due time the whole experiment was crowned with success.
     "Mr. Hamlin then returned home, gathered up what little means he had saved, amounting to a few hundred dollars, purchased a stock of goods in St. Louis and started business for himself. During the summer of 1825 he built a small frame house—the first ever erected in Peoria. It was eighteen by twenty-four, covered with split and shaved clapboards, and plastered with a kind of white clay procured on the bluffs. Mr. Hamlin purchased a trowel in St. Louis and did the plastering himself, making quite a good job of the walls, but not plastering overhead. He continued his mercantile business with success, and in the spring of 1826 purchased a keel-boat to run on the river to and from St. Louis, in order to control the shipment of his own goods and thus cheapen their transportation.
     "In 1828, after the county-seat of Tazewell County had been located at Mackinaw Town, he established a branch store at that place, which he continued about a year. In the spring of 1820 he sold out his entire business and made a visit to his old home in New England, from which he had been absent ten years.
     "On his return from the East Mr. Hamlin built a log cabin at the foot of the bluffs, and there engaged in farming. In 1830 he set out an orchard of, four hundred apple trees, some of which continued to flourish until about two year ago (1873). The same year he purchased a stock of goods at his old stand and commenced mercantile business, at the same time living at the bluffs till late in the fall, when he moved into his new frame house, on the corner of Main and Perry Streets.
     "In the spring of 1831 Mr. Hamlin, with two young men by the name of Sharp,, commenced the erection of the first flouring-mill in this section of the country, which was completed in 1832. It commenced operations, doing only custom work at first, but soon added thereto barreling and shipping flour to St. Louis and New Orleans. This, at first, was not profitable, owing to the low prices. For example: In 1832 a lot of two hundred barrels sent to the New Orleans market only yielded, in net returns, $1.37 1/2 per barrel. He continued, however, to run the mill till 1834, when he sold out to an Eastern purchaser.
     ''He next attempted to establish the first regular steamboat line between St. Louis and Peoria. Steamers had, of course, been running before, but not with a regularity that could be depended upon to meet the growing demands of commerce between the two places. He purchased a quarter interest in a steamer being built at Pittsburg. which was called the Peoria. She was built with an upper-deck cabin for passengers. But on her arrival at St. Louis the plan temporarily failed on account of another party being unable to fulfill his contract. The boat was chartered by other parties, and sent to Galena. But, after a while, Mr. Hamlin, having occasion to go to Galena on business, recovered the boat, and, through his energy and perseverance, succeeded in carrying out his original plan. This was the first regular steamboat, owned in part by a Peorian, that was employed in carrying freight and passengers between Peoria and St. Louis.
     "Mr. Hamlin was a man of versatility, adapting himself easily to a change of circumstances, and in all conditions equally fertile in expedients and resources. He passed through many vicissitudes and was a many-sided man, without being changeable or equivocal in character. In his early history he seems to have been a natural born pioneer, taking easily to the hardships, emergencies and excitements of frontier life.

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     "In intellect Mr. Hamlin was above mediocrity, with a sound judgment and quick, active business faculties. He had also the powers of reason and speculation on abstract themes. Love of truth was one of his predominating traits. His honor and integrity were abundantly tested both in public and private life. As an illustration of his sense of justice and tendency to conciliate rather than exasperate the animosities of men, we need cite only the fact of his confidential and friendly relations with the Indians, with whom he had so much intercourse. While living in his log cabin it was not uncommon for him and his wife to retire to bed in one corner of the room with three or four Indians lying before the fire on a mat spread for them to sleep on; and during the long winter nights they would raise themselves up and smoke their pipes while their unconscious entertainers would be quietly sleeping. The Indians seemed always to be friendly to Mr. Hamlin. Having once been engaged in a regular trade with them, they looked upon his house as a sort of home, and when sober he always allowed them to sleep on his floor.
     "Mr. Hamlin was not by nature a politician, yet he has officiated largely in public life. From the time during the Black Hawk War—when he assisted in organizing a self-constituted military commission to take charge of the ferry boat and rebuild Fort Clark, in order to prevent a general stampede of the settlers from the country, who were panic-stricken on the defeat of Stillman, thinking the Indians would come and tomahawk and scalp them in the night—down through the history of city and county, he has been more or less identified with official duties. At that time he did as efficient service at home as the rangers or the army did in the field. We find his name in the early records of the town and city of Peoria, filling the positions of Justice, Trustee, Alderman, etc. In 1834 he was elected by a large majority to the State Legislature, the issue then, being on the proposed construction of the Illinois Canal. In 1836 he was elected a member of the State Senate, and again in 1838 re-elected to the same office."
     In all public affairs Mr. Hamlin was one of our foremost citizens. As already seen, he was in an early day one of the County Commissioners and County Treasurer. In the contest regarding the county seat he took a conspicuous part and advanced his own credit to effect a settlement of that much vexed question. In all educational matters he took a foremost place and for many years acted as Treasurer of the Public School Fund. He prospered in business and in middle life had attained to a competence in pecuniary affairs. In 1864 he became one of the original stockholders in the Second (now Peoria) National Bank. He was a Republican in politics and always took a deep interest in the success of that party. In religion he embraced the Swedenborgian faith, and in all private affairs lived an honest, consistent and up­right life.
     Mr. Hamlin was twice married, his first wife surviving but a short time after their mariage. His second wife, who outlived him several years, was the daughter of Levi and Sarah Johnson, of Springfield, Illinois, to whom he was married April 10, 1827. They had no children. Mr. Hamlin died March 29, 1876, leaving a comfortable estate to his widow and their adopted daughter, the wife of Harry M. Van Buskirk, of Peoria, who still survives. (Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Peoria County, 1902, pages 455-458, submitted by Janine Crandell)

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HAMMER, JULIUS C.; Locomotive Engineer; born at Hammersebo, near Oscarshamn, Sweden, April 16, 1866; son of N. P. and Matilda S. Hammer, natives of the same vicinity as their son. The mother died in 1868. The father was born in 1848 and is still living (1901). He was a sailor in the King’s Fleet, and as such visited many parts of the world, especially the countries bordering upon the Mediterranean, around the British Isles and in the far North. In 1872-73 he was a member of the expedition commanded by Prof. Nordenfeldt in search of the North Pole. Mr. J. C. Hammer came to America in the spring of 1884, and settled in Boone County, Iowa, where he worked two years on a farm. In 1886 he came to Peoria, and became an employee of the Peoria and Pekin Union Railway Company, and for several years worked about the round-house and shops. Later he worked as a fireman on an engine for two years, and, in August, 1892, was promoted to engineer, and has since served in that capacity. He is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. In politics he is Independent. He and his family are members of the Swedish Lutheran Church. In 1888 he was married in Peoria to Beda Flack, who was born in Jonkoping, Sweden, and died in Peoria, November 9, 1891, leaving two children, Albert and Edward—the latter dying eighteen months after his mother. May 22, 1894, Mr. Hammer was again married to Miss Louisa Johnson, in Peoria, daughter of John and Sophia (Monson) Johnson. She was born in Sweden and came to Peoria in 1893. They have two children: George C. and Nannie J. (Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Peoria County, 1902, page 592, submitted by Jeff McCoy)

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HARKNESS, EDSON: Retired Farmer: born in Smithfield, Pennsylvania, June 24, 1843; educated in the schools of Elmwood Township. His paternal gradparents were James Harkness, born in Pelham, Massachusetts, June 20, 1759, died August 18, 1835, and Elizabeth (Edson) Harkness, born in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, February 6, 1765, died June 16 1850. His maternal grandparents were Ashel Scott, born in Windsor, Vermont, in 1768, and Elizabeth Peck, born in New Hampshire in 1772. Daniel, father of Edson, was born in Massachusetts in 1801 and died in 1867; the mother was Eliza Scott, born in Halifax, Vermont, in 1804, and died in 1893. Mr. Edson Harkness came to Elmwood with his parents in 1845, when he was but three years old. His father and an uncle had walked from Pennsylvania to Illinois, where they remained a short time and then returned East. Daniel brought his family on the second trip West and located on a farm on Section 32 in Elmwood Township. On the death of their father, Edson and a brother took charge of the homestead farm and developed it. Mr. Harkness retired in 1892 and removed to the village of Elmwood. He was married to Anna M. Kightlinger, a native of Elmwood Township, October 29, 1871. Mrs. Harkness was born February 4, 1852, the daughter of John and Martha Jane Kightlinger. Her father was born in Pennsylvania, November 19, 1827, and came to Elmwood at an early date. He died August 9, 1862. The mother, who was a daughter of Ichabod Smith, was born May 5, 1829, died January 8, 1859. Mr. and Mrs. Harkness are Methodists. He is a Republican, and has been Township Trustee and School Director. (Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Peoria County, 1902, page 692, submitted by Robin O'Neill)

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HARMS, CHARLES G.; Millwright; ex-Mayor of South Peoria; is a native son of Peoria, born September 19, 1856, and is the son of Daniel G. and Ahltje (Frerichs) Harms, whose sketch appears in this volume. Before he was twenty-one years of age Mr. Harms had learned the trade of plow-maker and that of carpenter, working at the latter in summer and the former in the winter until 1892. In that year he engaged to the American Glucose Sugar Refining Company as a millwright, where he has continued to the present time. He is a Republican and takes an active part in politics. He was elected Mayor of the Village of South Peoria in 1889, and re-elected the next year. In 1893 he was elected for a third term, was re-elected in 1896, and for a fifth term in 1900. The Village Hall was built during his third term and the Fire Department organized in his fourth year as Mayor. Mr. Harms does what he thinks is right and has the courage of his convictions. September 5, 1883, he married Fannie Folkers, a daughter of Seibolt and Gretie Backer Folkers, natives of Ost Friesland, Germany. They have four children: Daniel G.; Grace, Alice and George. (Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Peoria County, 1902, page 592, transcribed by Jeff McCoy)

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HARMS, DANIEL G.; Plow manufacturer; born at Ochtelbur, Hanover, November 24, 1832, where he received his education in the public schools. His father, Harm Weets, was the son of Weet Uphoff, each following the ancient custom of that country, by taking as a surname the Christian name of his father, to which he added an “S” prefixed to the Christian name. Uphoff was the name of an estate, which the family used as a name until it was dropped by Harms, who took for his cognition the name of “Weets” from “Weet,” his father’s first name. Harm Weets was a freeholder and proprietor of a grocery store, in his native village, and a farm near by. David G. Harms learned blacksmithing and came to America in 1851. He crossed the Ocean from Bremen to New Orleans between April 18 and June 18, on the sailing vessel “Edmund.” He came up the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, reaching Peoria July 1. In 1853 Harms Weets and other members of his family came to Peoria. Daniel G., began work in Rodecker’s Plow Factory and was later employed by Tobey and Anderson and Pettengill & Lazell, and later for the factory of the Peoria Plow Company, also worked independently, and his knowledge extends back almost to the beginning of plow making in Peoria. For many years he has been in business for himself, and he now manufactures the Peoria Steel Plows, Cultivators, and other farm utensils, which meet ready sale. He is an industrious and honest representative of the laboring men of the city. In Peoria, March 20, 1852, he married Ahltje Frerichs, who was born in Morhusen, Hanover, January 1, 1825, and came to Peoria, via New Orleans, in 1849, reaching America after a voyage of thirteen weeks on the Ocean. Mr. and Mrs. Harms have six children: Anna, now Mrs. Lewis Clausen; Mary, the wife of Joseph Peters; Charles; Frank; Louise, now Mrs. John E. Zoller, and William. (Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Peoria County, 1902, page 592, transcribed by Jeff McCoy)

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HAVENS, ERNST A.; Proprietor of Pattern and Model Works; born near Tonica, LaSalle County, Illinois, April 1, 1861; the son of Jesse D. and Martha (Curtis) Havens. His father was born in Ohio in 1818, and his mother at Erie, Pennsylvania, June 22, 1828. The maternal grandfather was Nathan W. J. Curtis, and the grandfather on the paternal side, Jesse Havens, born June 23, 1787, near the mouth of Squawn River, New Jersey. The father of the latter came from Wales when quite young, was a sea captain and lost his life in a shipwreck on the ocean. In boyhood Jesse Havens went to Virginia, and lived with a brother-in-law, named Newman. While there he frequently went bear-hunting with his brother-in-law and killed many of these animals. Mr. Newman made bear-hunting a business and during these hunting tours Mr. Havens often spent three months at a time without seeing a human being, except members of the company. He was a fine marksman and many stories are told of his hunting adventures. In 1801 he went to the site of Newark, Ohio, and built several log cabins for a company that settled there. He married Rebeca Hinthorn and settled in Licking County, about eight miles north of Newark, and there cleared off a small farm, also kept a furniture shop. E enlisted in the war of 1812, and was at the desperate defense of Fort Stephenson made by Major Croghan and his band of one hundred and sixty men at Lower Sandusky. He came to Illinois in 1829 and settled on the site of what is now Leroy, in McLean County, moving his family there in December of that year. In 1830 he settled where Hudson now is, bought land and went to farming but in 1850 removed to Iowa, where he remained most of the time till his death, December 2, 1862. He was buried at Havens Grove, Illinois to which place he gave his name. Mr. Havens was one of the first commissioners elected in McLean County after its organization. He had eleven children, all of whom became men and women. Jesse D., the seventh of these, and father of Ernst A. Havens, is a resident of Lincoln, Illinois. Ernst A. Havens grew up on his father’s farm, but in his youth began to learn the potter’s trade, at which he worked for two years. He then became a millwright, but later learned his present business in St. Louis, and in March, 1889, opened a shop in Peoria using foot-power. From that beginning he has built his business up to its present proportions, and now manufactures al sorts of wooden and metal patterns, rubber molds, and all similar work, using electric power. Mr. Havens was married in Peoria, December 18, 1883, to May C. Lawrence. They have five children: Jesse T., Rena May, Ruth J., Grace and Lee H. Mr. and Mrs. Havens are members of the Union Congregational Church. In politics he is a Republican. (Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Peoria County, 1902, pages 592-593, transcribed by Jeff McCoy)

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