CHAPTER L. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. Hon. Elijah M. Haines was born in branches. Taught school, at the age the town of Deerfield, Oneida county, of 20, in Waukegan, where he now reNew York, and was the fourth of a sides. He also soon acquired a fair family of six children; a sister and knowledge of the Latin and German two brothers being older, and two sis- languages, and at length studied law, ters younger than himself. His father and, in 1851, was admitted to the bar. died when the subject of this sketch He resided on his farm in the central was six years old, leaving the family part of Lake county (now the village no means of support; hence, the chil- of Hainesville), from 1837 to 1851, dren were soon separated and placed when he removed to Waukegan, in in different families where they might the same county. Here, in 1855, he do something in the way of earning a compiled the laws of Illinois which subsistence. Mr. Haines lived with a had reference to town organization, farmer and labored on the farm the adding notes and forms, making a most of the time he remained in his complete book of instructions for native state, and had no home that he town officers, which became very popcould call his own until, in mature ular, and is now in general use. In years, he provided one for himself. the same year he made a similar work In the spring of 1835, while still quite for Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan a small boy, he and his brother set and Missouri - the first two by state out for Chicago, hoping to find better authority. He also prepared a treatise advantages for themselves than in on the Duties of Justices of the Peace, their native place. They came by which is still the standard authority canal to Buffalo, thence by railroad to on the subject in Illinois. He also Detroit, and then walked across the wrote a work called the "Probate territory of Michigan to Chicago. At Manual." He early took a leading this time Chicago was supposed to part in matters of education around contain about six or eight hundred in- him, and acted as school committee habitants and as many or more Indi- and superintendent for Lake county. ans might be seen on the streets than For fifteen years he has published a white men. Elijah soon went into the monthly paper in Chicago called the country, about forty miles south of Legal Adviser. In 1860, he opened a Chicago, worked on a farm in sum- law office in Chicago, to which he mer, and attended school the next goes in the morning, returning at winter. This was his last schooling. night. In 1858, he was elected repreIn the spring of 1836, he went north sentative in the legislature, and conto what is now called Lake county, tinued thus, by reelections, for six and remained there until August, when he returned to Chicago, and hired out as clerk in a store until the spring of 1837. Went into a surveyor's office for a while, and then returned to Lake county and began to make a farm for himself on land as yet unsurveyed. After he left school, he supplied himself with books to use in unoccupied hours, and soon became a proficient in the common years. In 1869, he was elected a member of the constitutional convention to revise the constitution of the state, and, in 1870, was again elected representative and continued two years. In 1874, was again elected representative, made speaker of the house, an office he still holds, and, by the laws of Illinois, in case of the death of the governor and lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house becomes govern or. In character he is upright, and in disposition plain and outspoken, despising all shams and deceptions, and seldom going with the current in society. Has never joined any church, and yet has great respect for the churches which have religion in them; joined the Masonic order in 1849; has been Master, and afterward was Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of the state. He married Miss Melinda G. Wright, a relative of Gov. Silas Wright of New York. They have two children- -a son and a daughter; have a beautiful home, sightly, finely surrounded and nicely furnished. He has been successful, indeed, in business, and has given the children large educational advantages which have been improved. much ability, and was considered an excellent judge. In 1857, he was nominated as the Republican candi. date for governor, and was elected. In 1858, he entered upon his duties and discharged them with such ability and satisfaction to the people that he was reelected in 1859. He was one of the very best of war governors in the country. The energy and boldness with which he labored gave him a National reputation as an able and patriotic man." In 1861, Gov. Randall was a candidate for United States Senator. The contest was a sharp one, and after several ballots were taken in the nominating caucus, Gov. Randall withdrew from the contest; and most of his friends gave their votes for Mr. Howe, who was nominated and elected. At the close of his term Hon. Alexander W. Randall was as governor, President Lincoln apborn in Cooperstown, New York state,pointed Gov. Randall, Minister to about the year 1819. After passing Rome. In 1865, he was appointed through his school days, he read law. assistant Postmaster General of the Soon after his admission to the bar, United States, under the Hon. Wilhe removed to Wisconsin and located liam Dennison, of Ohio, who was at at Prairieville, now Waukesha. He the head of the Postoffice Department. commenced the practice of his pro- On the resignation of Mr. Dennison, fession with a fair show of success; he became Postmaster General, which but his love of political life was so position he held until the end of Mr. great, and he devoted so much time to Johnson's term. In following the forthat subject as to interfere consider- tunes of Mr. Johnson, Gov. Randall ably with his legal practice. In poli- naturally drifted into the Democratic tics Gov. Randall was originally a party, with which organization he Democrat. In 1846, he made his first acted until his death. He died at his appearance at the capital, as a mem- residence in Elmira, N. Y., July 26, ber of the First Constitutional Con- 1872. vention, and took a prominent position in that body. In 1848, Gov. Ran- Hon. John Cofer, son of Wm. Cofer dall was prominent in the great Free and Sarah Winn Griffin Cofer, was born Soil State Convention. In 1854, he near Cane Spring, Bullett Co., Ky., was elected as an independent Demo- July 9th, 1804. And on the 1st day of crat, a member of the next assembly, December, 1825, he married Miss and was made chairman of the judi- Mary Eleanor Macgill, who was the ciary committee; and as the journal daughter of Robert Macgill and Helen of that session will show, he was a Stockett Macgill, and born in Annapo very laborious and able member. In lis, Md., Feb. 7, 1807. They have 1855, Mr. Randall was placed upon had ten children, two of which died the Republican State ticket for attor- in infancy, and two after they were ney general. He made a gallant can- grown up, leaving them now three sons vass, but was defeated, as were the and three daughters, with twenty-four others upon the ticket, with the ex-grand children and two great grand ception of governor. In the guberna- children. Col. Cofer's early education torial contest between Bashford and was limited; but his thirst for knowlBarstow, Mr. Randall displayed edge made him a good student, and marked ability as a lawer. In 1856, he soon became a profound thinker, a Gov. Bashford appointed Mr. Randall logical reasoner, and a ready writer. judge of the second judicial circuit, As a whig, he represented Hardin composed of the counties of Milwau- county in the lower house of the legis kee and Waukesha. He displayed | lature of Kentucky in 1838, 1839, 1840 and 1841, and Hardin, Meade and Larne counties in the senate of that state from 1848 to 1850. Being a farmer, he became the champion of the great interests of labor and production, and an advocate of economy in public expenditures. He also advocated a system of general education, internal improvements, and of charitable institutions. As a member of the committee on internal improvements, he originated and aided in drafting and passing the charter of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company, now the most prosperous and useful corporation in Kentucky. He was also the active, eloquent and efficient friend of the other railroad interests of that state. In 1854, he removed to Illinois; was postmaster at Rural Retreat; was elector on the Filmore ticket in 1856, and on the Bell and Everett ticket in 1860. Since then he has been independent in politics, though generally acting with the democratic party. Devoted to the union of the states, he opposed with manly firmness nullification, secession and emancipation (unless gradual and accompanied by colonization). In 1871 and 1872, he represented Douglas county in the general assembly, with his accustomed zeal and ability. Through strictly temperate habits and indomitable energy, he has been successful in business, and after providing homes for all his children, he yet retains a competency for himself and wife in their old age. He has been a consistent member of the Methodist church for more than fifty years, and has the proud satisfaction now, in old age (while remembering that he has been the architect of his own fortune), to know that he has so lived as not only to win, but to deserve the confidence and esteem of all who have known him, a pleasant instance of which was seen at his golden wedding, which may be briefly stated as follows: On the 1st day of December, 1875, this loving, aged and honored couple, with their six children, and all their grand children, and a large number of neighbors and friends, celebrated their golden wedding, at the old homestead, now the hospitable mansion of Mr. Thos. and Mrs. Henrietta M. Midwinter (in the home of one of the daughters). The day was beautiful, indeed, befiting the joy of the occasion, the pre 66 parations of the table munificent, lavish and full, the presents rich, useful, and eminently appropriate, and the several speeches of the honored pair were touching and tender indeed. Especially interesting and thankful were the brief reminiscences of their lives, such as the simplicity and scantiness of their house and outfit, fifty years before; their planting corn together while the first born lay in the fence corner; the mine of gold the loom and wheel had been to the household, and what a chorus of industrious music his shoe hammer and her spinning wheel had made during the winter evenings of the long ago. All of which was told in that loving and appreciative manner well becoming those who have stood nobly side by side through the storms and cares of half a century. And then the other dear ones, the four children (gone to the mystic shore), were referred to so tenderly, through a beautiful poem repeated by Mr. and Mrs. Midwinter that day (which_represented them as "not there," and yet as there"), that the full family group seemed present, and thus a monument of affectionate memory, richer by far than any mere device in marble could possibly be, was reared in thought over the dear and departed ones. And it was meet, indeed, that the father should have a gold headed cane from the children, and a gold pencil, glasses, etc., from different parties, and a fit tribute to gentle and self forgetting worth, for the father to present to the honored mother a beautiful gold watch and chain, to count out for her the remaining hours of life, and also that a pair of gold glasses, a pencil, etc., should be hers from other parties; but one of the richest events of the occasion was a warm and tender embrace which the mother gave Mrs. Martin, the lady who had taken and filled so happily the place of a departed daughter. Rich because so uncommon, and then so pleasant and grateful when so really due. Thus under a canopy of smiles and love, the happy group reviewed the past, and in hope, Christian hope, glanced onward along the path of coming months and years. Hon. James T. Lewis was born in Clarendon, Orleans county, N. Y., Oct. 30, 1819. He received his aca demical education at Clarkson and | few fortunate purchases, Mr. Preston Clinton, N. Y., and read law with Gov. Seldon, at the former place. He came to Wisconsin in July, 1845; was admitted to the bar of the supreme court; and commenced the practice of law at Columbus, where he has since resided. He has held eight different offices in the state, com. mencing with that of district attor ney, and closing with that of governor. When elected secretary of state, he received every vote cast in his own city. When elected governor, his ma jority was nearly twenty-five thou sand, a very large majority for Wis. consin. For his record as governor of the state of Wisconsin, we have only to refer to the history of that stirring period of sacrifice and blood, to show that, preeminently, he was a successful war governor; and notwithstanding the fact that he made but little diplay, he accomplished great things for the state. Although he has retired from public life, at his beautiful home in Columbus, his unanimous call to the chairmanship of the recent Republican State Convention shows that his great popular ity is still alive. Should he consent to again enter pnblic life, his career would, no doubt, be marked with success. He is wealthy, and enjoys life as only a man with a clear conscience found that the small capital with which he had commenced banking two years previous had increased to the snug little sum of $5,000. With this amount he opened another bank. ing house in Chicago, and, directly following this adventure, came the failure of A. Klemm, of New York, who had $6,000 of Mr. Preston's money in his possession. Although by this misfortune he lost his entire capital, still he was not discouraged, and going to work with renewed vigor, he soon placed himself on a firmer foundation than ever. His banking houses both here and in Chicago are widely known, and have enjoyed the confidence of the moneyed men of the country for a long term of years. During the money panic of September, 1873, the banking house of D. Preston & Co., in Detroit, was obliged to suspend for a few days, not because they had sustained any loss, or of the defalcation of any person connected with the firm, but entirely on account of their not being able to convert their securities into currency fast enough to supply the demand of their depositors. This suspension was only temporary, and within a very short time the doors were thrown open again and business proceeded with as usual. The Chicago firm of Prestou, Kean & Co., of which Mr. Preston has been a member for the David Preston, of Detroit, Mich., past ten years, were able to pass was born in Harmony, Chautauqua through the above mentioned finan County, N. Y., September 20, 1826. cial trouble without any serious diffiHe received a common school edu-culty. Mr. Preston is best known, cation in the schools of this county, however, to the people of Michigan and emigrated to Michigan in 1848, for his unbounded generosity. No arriving in Detroit on the 4th of No- object of a charitable nature is ever vember of that year. Upon his arri- presented to him for his aid, withval in that city Mr. Preston was without receiving substantial assistance. out money and friends, having borrowed twelve dollars to pay his fare. During the first year of his residence in Detroit he received a salary. of $150; the second year it was increased to $200, and the third found him getting $250, while the fourth brought a further advance to $350. Mr. Preston commenced the banking business in Detroit in May, 1852, with a capital of but $450, and out of which he furnished his house, having been married but a short time previous. In May, 1854, through industry, honesty and strict attention to business, with a can. Within the last ten years he has given away over $75,000 to forward various charitable enterprises, and has thus engrafted himself into the affections of the people of the whole northwest. John H. Shaffer. The subject of this sketch was born in Albany county, N. Y., March 17, 1829. His early advantages for education were good; but being married at 17, his school days were few, and the books were relinquished and the implements of hired husbandry taken up for the family support until 1856, when he re moved to Broome Co., N. Y., and en- | ident he signed the first four hundred gaged in lumbering as well as farming thousand bonds and the coupons that on his own account. In 1862, he re- were used in the construction of the moved to Boone Co., Ill., and bought road. He was attorney for the same a farm, which he added to, worked company under its present name unand improved until 1867, when he left til January, 1874; was mayor of Fulthe farm and engaged in the sale of ton City four years; was a judge two the McCormick Reaper and Mower. years, and master in chancery from In this business he was so successful 1857 to 1874; he was also a member that he opened an agricultural store in of the constitutional committee that the city of Kankakee, Ill., in 1869, and formed the present constitution of the built a very fine and large store there state of Illinois; he was delegate to for his trade (in all kinds of farming the Baltimore convention, and aided implements, and the sale of field, flow in the nomination of Lincoln; was er and garden seeds), in 1872, thus one of the first presidential electors of exhibiting fine business talents and a Grant and Colfax for president and commendable energy in whatever he vice president; is now practicing law has undertaken. In April, 1875, he and stands at the head of his profeswas elected mayor of the city of Kan- sion. He has been a mason since kakee, being also one of the largest 1851; is not a church member, yet is shareholders in the Northwestern But- a believer in the truths held and ton Company, which has a paid up taught by the orthodox churches; is capital of $100,000, for the purpose of temperate indeed, but does not belong manufacturing cloth buttons in the to any temperance order; is very firm city of Kankakee; the only factory of in his purposes, and does not yield the kind west of the Hudson river. In until he must; never holds what is character Mr. Shaffer is honest, posi- called a grudge, but aims to cancel tive and straight forward; in disposi- all such things at the moment and on tion, frank, social and generous, and the ground. He has an active and enin his religious preferences an old terprising family of children, one school Calvanistic Presbyterian. He daughter and five sons; two of whom is also a member and a worker in the are lawyers, one a physician, and two masonic lodge of his city. His wife's still at home. He has a fine property; maiden name was Elizabeth Winne. a good home, with ample and pleasThey have a neat and well furnished ant surroundings. dwelling, finely situated and outwardly adorned, and are blessed with one living child, one having gone to a soldier's grave in our late national struggle. Hon. James McCoy was born in Gambier Co., Va, September 22, 1817. Studied law with Johnson Reynolds, of Lewisburg, Va., for some time; removed to Illinois in 1839, and was admitted to practice law by the supreme court of Illinois in 1843. In 1851 he originated the idea of constructing a railroad from Chicago to California, and for this end lobbied the legisla. ture of Iowa and Illinois in February, 1851, and procured charters for that purpose across the state of Illinois to Fulton City, and from Lyons, Iowa, to Council Bluffs. The first charter obtained of that part across the state of Illinois was "The Mississippi & Rock River Junction Railroad Company," and of that company he was president and a director for three years. As pres- | Hon. James G. Strong was born at Lebanon, Boone county, Indiana, March 4, 1836. He received a good common school education, and afterward attended the Indiana University at Bloomington in that state in 1857 and 1858, and in the spring of 1859, at the Cincinnati law school. Re. moved to Dwight, State of Illinois, in the month of May, 1859, and commenced the practice of law. He also took an active part in the political and social interests of the community. Was school treasurer, school director, town clerk, president of the board of trustees of the corporation, and town supervisor at various times while he filled some of these positions for a long time. In 1870 he was elected to the state legislature, which place he filled for two years. In 1872 he was elected to the state senate from the counties of Ford and Livingston for four years, and was engaged in the business of real estate, banking, law |