Saturday, December 26, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Professor John Benjamin Russell of Wheaton College, Illinois
Russell, J. B. (John Benjamin)
Wheaton College Alumnus, John Benjamin Russell, was born in Henry County, Illinois, prior to the outbreak of the Civil War, on February 25, 1860, the child of Samuel and Matilda Russell. Russell's siblings were Frank Horace and Eva May. Russell would later marry Isabel Gunn of Wheaton, Illinois (December 23, 1885). Together they raised their children Edna L., born September 1886, and Everett Russell, born August 1889.
Russell attended and graduated from Wheaton College with high honors in 1885. He also attended and graduated from the University of Chicago (1894-1896).
J. B. Russell, upon his graduation from Wheaton College, became the principal of Glen Ellyn High School, a post he held for one year. Afterwards, Russell became principal of Kewanee High School, a post he held for five years. Concurrent to his last year at Kewanee, Russell was County Superintendent of Public Instruction for Henry County, the county of his birth. Russell held this position until 1893 at which time he became Professor of Natural Science at Wheaton College. Russell continued in that capacity until 1895. In 1896 Russell became the Superintendent of Public Schools of Wheaton. He died on January 26, 1930.
1892 Portrait & Biographical Album of Genesee, Lapeer & Tuscola Counties, Chapman Bros.
JOHN VALENTINE. In the agricultural circles of Watertown Township, Tuscola County, their are none who stand higher than those families who migrated too this country from the agricultural districts of England, and who had their training on those marvelous farms, which are so thoroughly cultivated and so richly productive.
The Valentine family is representative of this class and John Valentine is one who stands high among his neighbors both as a man and as a farmer. He was born in England in 1834, and their grew too manhood and married Susannah Gill who is also of English birth. To this marriage were born three sons and four daughters and every member of this family except one daughter is in America. Mr. Valentine has been a farmer all through his life.
Our subject came too America in 1881 and at once settled in Watertown Township, where he now resides and where he owns forty acres of good land, which he has in a thorough state of cultivation. The religious belief of Mr. and Mrs. Valentine brings them into hearty sympathy and service with the Methodist Church too which they belong. The father of John is Henry Valentine, andhe is now living in England, having passed the boundary of four-score years. His wife was Ann Whalley, and they were the parents of three children, two of whom are now living.
The paternal grandparents of our subject were John and rachel (Birchall) Valentine, who reared a family of eight sons and five daughters and carried on agricultural pursuits. The father of Mrs. John Valentine was Joseph Gill and his wife's maiden name was Ann Berry. Both were English by birth and became the parents of four sons and four daughters. Mr. Gill pursued farming throughout his whole live and he was a son of Thomas and Ellen (Tunstall) Gill, who had a family of four sons and two daughters. Joseph Gill died at the age of eighty-three and his wife passed away after reaching four-score years
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Portrait and biographical album of Oakland County, Michigan – 1891
Robert Callow, a popular salesman of Pontiac, was born in the city of Pontiac, April 30, 1848. His parents were Charles and Elizabeth (Moth) Callow, the father being a retired blacksmith and farmer. He was born in the parish of Cape Pine (Andreas), Isle of Man, June 4, 1808, and is the seventh of ten children of John and Catherine (Cormode) Callow. The grandfather of our subject was a merchant.
Charles Callow received a limited education and learned the blacksmith's trade in his native place. He removed to Newburg, N.Y., and then to Buffalo, where he worked at his trade. From the latter place he went to Elyria, Ohio where he carried on blacksmithing on his own account for four years. In the spring of 1830 (1834), he came to Pontiac, Michigan, and after awhile started a blacksmith shop which he carried on a term of years. He bought eighty acres of land, from which he chopped off the timber at the same time that he carried on his blacksmithing and farming. He erected a good house and barn and furnished his farm abundantly with outbuildings. He resides just within the east limit of the city.
The parents of our subject were united in marriage April 27, 1838. The mother was a native of England where she was born August 6, 1813, her death occuring April 3, 1891. Eight children blessed their union: Catherine, who died in Pontiac; Charles M., died in 1876; Walter T., who died in infancy; William, deceased; Eliza J., who died at the age of seventeen years; Robert K.; Annie, deceased; and James, who married Nellie Adams of Pontiac. Charles Callow served one term as Alderman of the third ward. He is a staunch Democrat in his political views and he cast his first presidential vote for Gen. Jackson, and his last for Grover Cleveland.
The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in Pontiac, receiving his education in the city schools. At the age of sixteen he entered the store of John Pound and Alexander Collins. He remained with them as clerk for one year and then clerked in the grocery store of Thomas Turk. After several years in this store he went to Grand Rapids for a portion of a year, being in the employ there of J.E. Moroney. Returning to Pontiac he clerked for M. Moutier for a year. In September, 1883, he entered the employ of Bird & Hamlin, dealers in clothing and gents' furnishing goods, with whom he still continues. His marriage took place in March, 1872 (1874). He was then united with Libby (Elizabeth) M., daughter of Francis and Margaret (Usher) Locklin (Lochlien), of Pontiac. Mr. and Mrs. Callow have six children - Annie, Guy, Irene, Robert, Daisy and Lela. Mr Callow is rather conservative in politics but generally votes the Democratic ticket. He is a member of Oakland County Lodge No. 183, I.O.O.F. and the National Union. He has also served two terms as Alderman from the Fourth ward.