fields of the buyers, until the invention had overcome all difficulties, and fought its way into de-
served popularity.

This was the first effort Mr. Mackay had made to turn his hand to any other field of enterprise
since coming west, and this was prompted originally rather by his natural willingness to help a
worthy enterprise in need than ah expectation of realizing a fortune by it. However, he was not
the loser in the end. In 1843 a couple of Germans had built a flouring mill at Mount Carroll.
Their names were Halderman and Rhinwalt, and Mackay a couple of years later entered into co-
partnership with them, and organized the Hydraulic Company. The design was to utilize the
water power of Plum River in the establishment of a grand series of factories of all sorts. The
company was established, a charter obtained, and business began. However, the venture was an
unfortunate one from the start. The, original projectors were in the majority, and carried every-
thing according to their own will. Mr. Mackay did not approve of their plans or methods of busi-
ness, but could only enter his protest from time to time, and place it upon record. As he foresaw,
the enterprise failed, an assignment was made, their affairs got into the courts, and after several
years of costly litigation, in which the most talented lawyers in the West were engaged, the whole
business was wound up at a loss to all concerned.

Mr. Mackay had been from youth an anti-slavery man, and took a keen interest in the growing
contest between the two gigantic forces of freedom and slavery. He was opposed to the doctrine
of squatter sovereignty advocated by Douglas, while a great admirer of the abilities of that great
man. When the war cloud burst upon the country he was an enthusiastic and very efficient sup-
porter of the government. He was at all times ready with his counsel and his cash to aid the
good cause, and when the National Bank act was passed, was among the first to aid the govern-
ment by applying for a charter. Uniting with Mr. Mills, Mr. Mark, Mr. Green, his brother-in-law,
and others, the First National Bank of Mount Carroll was established, with a capital of $50,000.
Confederate bonds and currency at that time were bearing a higher price than those of the gov-
ernment, and the outlook for the National cause was very grave, yet from purely patriotic motives
these gentlemen came to the assistance of the government in her darkest hour, as fortunately did
thousands of others, and with a rescued nation they have their reward. James Mark was the first
president of this bank. He was succeeded the year following by Mr. Mackay, who has remained
the chief officer till the present time. It has since doubled its capital, and continues one of the
soundest and most successful banks in that part of the state.

Doctor Leander Smith, of Morrison, Illinois, solicited Mr. Mackay to join him in a private
bank, at the latter place. He consented to do so, and the bank was formed, with a cash capital
of 860,000. June 26, 1882, he joined Henry Ashway. George Hay, his brother John Mackay.
and others in the bank, established at Savannah. He has thus a large interest in three banks, in
I he establishment of every one of which higher motives than usually prevail in such matters
wort- the ruling element. But with all his banking business on his hands, he has never relin-
quished his interests In farming. He at one time owned twelve farms, all of which he either



466 UNITED STATES BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY.

worked or rented, but for various reasons has sold off six of them, and will still further reduce
their number to relieve himself of the burden of their care.

Without solicitation on his part he received from Governor Beveridge appointment as
one of the United States commissioners to the Vienna Exposition. Without any expense to the
government he attended to his duties there, and afterward made the tour of Europe. Subse-
quently, he made two successive trips to Colorado for his health, which with his excessive labors
and advancing years is at times somewhat precarious. Mr. Mackay, as might be supposed, is a
stanch temperance man. The death of one of his workmen while in Maine, from exposure while
under the influence of liquor, opened his eyes while yet a young man, to the awful character of
the liquor traffic, and he solemnly took a pledge, and put it into writing, thereafter neither to use
it himself nor furnish it to his men. To that pledge he has sacredly adhered through a long life,
and to it ascribes much of his prosperity. The danger of freely signing his name to other men's
paper early caused him to make it a rule never to do so except in cases of necessity or charity,
and although ready at all times with a helping hand for the needy or deserving, he has found
other means to aid them without violating a very wise and useful pledge.

In religion, Mr. Mackay is a Presbyterian, in politics a republican, and everywhere a gentle-
man. He has never sought office, but always discouraged any effort to force it upon him, yet
when elected has faithfully discharged its duties.

March 23, 1882, he had the misfortune to lose by fire his elegant stone mansion with the greater
part of its contents at Oakville, where he has resided since first coming to Illinois. Some of his
many warm friends at once furnished an elegant residence at Morrison, and presented it to him
with the request that he should at once occupy it. Yielding to their earnest solicitations he has
for the time, at least, abandoned the project of rebuilding on his farm at Oakville, and, June 27,
moved into the new residence at Morrison.



JOHN H. HARRIS.

MENDOTA.

JOHN HAMILTON HARRIS, one of the early settlers in the vicinity of Mendota, and long
one of the leading men in this city, is a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania, a son of
Stephen and Sybil (Clark) Harris, and was born August 19, 1807. His grandfather, John Harris,
was one of the minute men of the revolution, and a participant in the battle of Monmouth. His
paternal grandmother, Mary Hamilton, was of Scotch descent, and a blood relation of Gavin
Hamilton, a friend and patron of Robert Burns. The family moved to Stark county, Ohio, in 1809.

In his early youth our subject acquired some knowledge of the rudimentary branches, includ-
ing the "New England Primer" and the "Shorter Catechism;" later attended an academy at
Canton, Ohio, and spent one year in the military academy at West Point. In his boyhood he
did some work on his father's farm, but did not then take to agricultural pursuits. He read law
with John Harris, his uncle, at Canton; was admitted to the bar at Millersburgh, Holmes county,
in 1828; practiced there for two years, and from 1830 to 1854 was in practice at Wooster, Wayne
county. While a resident of that city he was auditor of the county one term, and a member of
the state senate the same period, being in those days an earnest worker in the ranks of the
democracy.

Mr. Harris made a success in the legal profession in Ohio, and having accumulated a fair
property, he came to Illinois in 1854, and settled on a farm near Mendota, on which he lived until
1862, when he moved into the city, retaining his farm until 1882.

Mr. Harris is in very comfortable circumstances, and latterly has done little more than take care
of his garden. He has been a justice of the peace most of the time since coming into the state,
having an office in town while on the farm, and resigning a few years ago. He also served for
years on the county board of supervisors, and has always been a man of much public spirit, will-



UNITED STATES BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY.



467






ing to help forward any cause likely to benefit the community. When the democratic party allied
itself with the slave power, Mr. Harris joined the great republican phalanx, in which he has
trained since its formation.

He was formerly an active Knight Templar in the Masonic order, and an Odd-Fellow, but is
not now an affiliated member of either order. His religious connection is with the Methodist
Episcopal church, of which he was long an official member. He took the Washingtonian pledge
fifty years ago, and has lived a life of strict temperance, not even using tobacco in any manner.
The young will do well to mark his course and follow it. No man in the city of Mendota is more
cordially esteemed than he is.

The wife of Mr. Harris was Harriet Fogle, daughter of William Fogle, M.D., of Canton
where they were married January 15, 1833. They have had five children, only one of them, Mary
Hamilton, wife of Collins A. Harbaugh, merchant, Mendota, now living. The oldest daughter
married Rev. H. Sturgeon, a Presbyterian minister, and she died while he was at Nashville, Ten-
nessee, in 1864, acting as provost marshal. Adeline died at Mendota after she had grown to
womanhood, and the other two when quite young.



HON. THOMAS CLOONAN.

CHICAGO.

THOMAS CLOONAN, of the eleventh senatorial district, was born in Rockland county, New
York, August i, 1851, his parents being Edward and Bridget (Morris) Cloonan. They were
from Galway, Ireland. In 1855 the family went to Chicago, where Thomas was educated and
learned the bricklayer's trade, at which he worked for several years. Subsequently he kept a
butcher's shop on the West Side. For the last three years Mr. Cloonan has been connected with
the office of the water-works.

In 1880 he was elected to the lower house of the legislature from the old third senatorial dis-
trict, and in 1882 he was elected senator from the new eleventh district. He is now serving in the
upper house, being on the democratic side, and on the committees on municipalities, railroads,
corporations, mines and mining, agriculture and drainage, miscellany, printing, etc.

Mr. Cloonan has always voted the democratic ticket. In religion he is a Catholic, and is a
member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. He is a single man, and he and his parents are
living together in Chicago. Mr. Cloonan is an active and efficient business man.



HON. SAMUEL M. MOORE, LL.D.

CHICAGO.

THE subject of this sketch, Hon. Samuel McClelland Moore, LL.D., was born August 23,
1821, in Bourbon county, in the state of Kentucky. He was the youngest child of James
and Peggy (McClure) Moore. He had five brothers and one sister, all of whom are dead except
one brother and the sister. His father died when he, Samuel, was but little over one year old ;
his mother died in May, 1861. Judge Moore is of Irish descent. In politics of democratic pro-
clivities. In religion, a Presbyterian of the strictest sect, adopting the confession of faith as the
essence of God's word, yet tolerant toward all sects and creeds not tainted with immorality. His
early education was obtained in the common schools of his native county. When preparing for
college he was under the tuition of Hon. T. Lyle Dickey, now one of the judges of the supreme
court of Illinois, and Ebenezer Marston, a graduate of Union College, at Schenectady, New York,
two splendid educators. He entered Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, where he graduated in
1841, with Doctor George L. Andrew, of La Porte, Indiana, Rev. John M. Bishop, D.D., of Cov-



468 UNITED STATES RIOGRAPHICA I. DICTIONARY.

ington, Indiana, Hon. Charles H. Hardin, late governor of Missouri, Hon. Samuel Shellabarger,
of Springfield, Ohio, and others, who have not only occupied high positions, hut were qualified
to occupy such positions.

In the autumn of 1841 he entered the law office of Judge James R. Curry, at Cynthiana, Har-
rison county, Kentucky, and was admitted and licensed to practice law in the year 1842, and com-
menced the practice at Cynthiana.

In April, 1842, he married Martha Wilson, a most estimable lady, the daughter of Rev. Robert
and Elizabeth (Harris) Wilson. Rev. Robert Wilson was one of the earliest Presbyterian minis-
ters in northeastern Kentucky. Judge Moore has had nine children: Margaret Elizabeth, wife of
Rev. and Professor Robert A. Condit; Robert Wilson, a very promising young lawyer, died De-
cember 25, 1872; Samuella; James Curry, who died September 13, 1863; Mary Hall, who died
when five years of age; Herman Groesbeck, who died when seven months old; French, who is
now city physician of the city of Chicago; Rosina Bennoist, and Nona.

In 1844 he removed to Covington, Kentucky, where he continued the practice of his profes-
sion (the law) until 1856, when he was elected circuit judge, with the exception of a short time
when he was publisher and editor of a democratic newspaper. There probably never was a more
popular judge on the bench in Kentucky than Judge Moore during the six years of his judgeship
there. His term expired in 1862, during the war of the rebellion. There were then in Kentucky
several parties, one calling itself Unconditional Union, another, which desired and believed that
the preservation of the Union might be secured without war or bloodshed. To the latter party
Judge Moore belonged.

Judge Moore's reelection was considered absolutely certain, with scarcely a show of oppo-
sition. At that time, 1862, General Jerry Boyle was in command of the department of Kentucky,
and issued an order that none but the nominees of the Unconditional Union party should be can-
didates for office, and that votes should be counted for none others. General Boyle years after-
ward told Judge Moore that there was no act of his life that he regretted as much as he did that
order. Upon the issuance of General Boyle's aforesaid order, Judge Moore declined to be a can-
didate for reelection, and commenced disposing of his property in Kentucky preparatory to
removing to Chicago with his family.

His services as a member of the legislature of Kentucky were alike laborious and honorable.
He served the people of Kentucky with zeal and fidelity. Early in 1865 he with his family came
to Chicago, where he has since resided. Soon after his arrival here he became a partner of Hon.
Bernard G. Caulfield, in the practice of the law, which partnership continued until November,
1873, when Judge Moore was elected judge of the superior court of Cook county. During the six
years in which he served as judge of the superior court he had charge of the chancery branch of
the court. When he took charge of the chancery department of the court the docket was fear-
fully in arrears, but when his term closed every case ready for trial was disposed of. During the
last three years of his term any case could have been tried within thirty or sixty days after the
issues were completed. In 1879,3! the expiration of his term as judge of the superior court, he
resumed the practice of his profession, and is now actively engaged in such practice. In 1878
Wooster University conferred upon him the well merited honorary degree of doctor of laws.

In Kentucky and in Chicago his friends have persistently urged him to enter the political
arena, but he has as persistently declined. His ancestors, for so long a time that the memory of
man runneth not to the contrary, have been Presbyterians, with scarcely an exception. He is a
Presbyterian by prescription and election. He has been the continual recipient of distinguished
honors conferred upon him by his church, and has served the church in nearly every capacity,
except that of an ordained minister.

A purer judge never sat upon the bench, and the writer of this sketch is of the opinion that if
he should be sued by the name and style of " Old Honesty," it could be proved that he was known
as well by that name as by the name of Samuel M. Moore.

A kinder hearted man never lived. He has always been too anxious to-serve his friends, so



r\lTl:D STATES B/OiiK. //'///( 'A /. D/CT/ONAK Y. 460

much so that his own interests have materially suffered thereby. As a lawyer he has always stood
in the front rank of his profession, which is an honor achieved by but few.

As a citizen he is always on the moral side of every question. In summing up the charaqter
and reputation of Judge Moore, it is eminently proper to pronounce him a gentleman, a Chris-
tian and a scholar.



WILLIAMSON DURLEY.

HENNEPIN.

AdONG the older class of settlers in Putnam county, and its best representative of business
interests, is Williamson Durley. a native of Caldwell county, Kentucky. He was born Janu-
ary 7, 1810, his parents being Jehu Durley, a native of North Carolina, of English lineage, and
Jane (Rankin) Durley, whose father was from Scotland. In 1819 the family, came to this state,
and settled in Sangamon county, near Springfield, where our subject was educated in a log school
house, with split logs for seats, hewed puncheons and other furniture to match. In that primitive
college he laid the foundation of his knowledge, on which he afterward built by the economical
use of spare hours in private study.

In August, 1831, Mr. Durley came to Putnam county, taking part that season in the first year
of the Black Hawk war. He and his uncle, James Durley, opened a small stock of goods in Hen-
nepin, and under the firm name of J. and \V. Durley, continued to trade together about four
years. In 1837 the subject of this sketch went on his farm, two miles from town, and in 1841 into
the mercantile trade with Andrew Wardlaw, under the firm name of Durley and Wardlaw. Mr.
Durley remained on the farm until the autumn of 1880, when he left it in charge of his third son,
Lyle H. Durley, and moved into town. The farm consists of a little over four hundred acres, and
is under excellent improvement, Mr. Durley being of that class of men who believe that anything
worth doing at all is worth) doing well. There is nothing slip-shod about his farm or himself.
Although two miles away, and seventy-three years of age, in the busy season and in good weather
Mr. Durley visits the old homestead daily, and has a mind to work, although he has not the
activity of middle life. The farm is well stocked with cattle, horses and hogs, well fenced, with
good barns and other buildings, and every indication of thriftiness.

Mr. Durley held at an early day the office of county commissioner for a period of eleven con-
secutive years, being elected on the liberty ticket. He has also been township treasurer, township
trustee, school director, etc., willing at all times to serve in any position where he could be useful. He
was one of the foremost men in organizing the so-called Buel Institute, in Putnam county, the first
agricultural society, we understand, in Illinois, and he was its president two or three years. He
was also active in getting up the Farmers' Club of Putnam county, of which he has also been presi-
dent, and the interests of which he has labored hard to promote. His study thus far in life seems
to have been to aim at self-improvement, and to encourage all enterprises calculated to benefit
others.

The wife of Mr. Durley, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Winters, of Miami county, Ohio,
and whom he married December 2, 1834, is still living. She is the mother of nine children, one
of whom died at four years of age. The other eight are well settled and are doing finely. Mr.
and Mrs. Durlty also raised an adopted daughter. We are inclined to believe that the parents
are proud of their children. If they are not, they have reason to be. Their eldest son, Preston
B., was formerly a merchant and postmaster at Hennepin, and is one of the proprietors of Faulk-
ton, Dakota, and postmaster of the place. The second son, Albert W., is a lawyer at Le Mars,
Iowa. The fourth, Edwin M., is a large and prosperous farmer in Butler county, Kansas, and the
fifth, Chester M., is a merchant at Princeton. Illinois.

Mr. Durley is a true patriot. Too old to shoulder his musket when the South undertook to
destroy the Union, he spent time and money in helping forward the good cause; served as internal
revenue assessor from 1862 to 1865; assisted in filling out the township quota, and was active in



47O UNITED STATES BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY.

organizing the Union League. Long prior to the rebellion he was in full sympathy with the lib-
erty party; acted with the free-soil party in 1848-52, and has trained in the republican ranks
since that great party sprang into existence.

Mr. Durley has been, since its organization, reporter for the agricultural bureau at Washing-
ton, and we understand that his opinions on agricultural matters have much weight at head-
quarters. He also reports for the State Agricultural Society.

He and his wife are members of the Congregationalist Church, and liberal supporters of the
same, Mr. Durley having often been an office-bearer. He is a consistent advocate of temperance,
and in many respects an example for young men to imitate.



1



ROBERT M. EDDY.

CHIC A GO.

*HE subject of this sketch is descended from one of the oldest New England families, and
can trace his ancestry back through eight generations, to an Episcopal clergyman who
officiated in Saint Dunstan's chapel, Cranbrook, Kent county, England, about the year 1550. He
himself is a native of Picton, Province of Ontario, Canada, and was born August 16, 1822. His
parents, Alfred P. Eddy, and Charlotte (Day) Eddy, were both natives of Rhode Island, and were
people of sterling virtues, to whose teachings and example our subject is indebted for many les-
sons of sturdy integrity and persevering industry, whose influence on his early life left an impress
that has signally marked his later business career.

Robert enjoyed the advantages of a good common-school education, and in 1840, being then
eighteen years of age, went to Buffalo and apprenticed himself to George Jones, an iron
founder, with whom he served for three years. After learning his trade, he was employed by the
same party for four years as & jour workman, and in 1847, with a capital of about $600, began
business at Buffalo on his own account, as an iron-fence manufacturer, and continued the same
until 1852, personally supervising his works, and employing one or two hands to assist him in
his operations. His business was necessarily limited, but he conducted it on a safe basis, and
during the time of its continuance managed to accumulate a small capital.

Upon the decease of L. H. Larkin, an iron founder, which occurred about this time, Mr.
Eddy, associating with himself Robert Bingham, who furnished $500, purchased the estab-
lishment, paying for the same $3,000, $500 cash down, and the balance on time, payable in install-
ments. This business was conducted under the firm name of Eddy and Bingham, until 1865, a
period of about twelve years, during which time it attained to a very high standing among man-
ufacturing industries, and yielded large profits.

During the year 1865. Mr. Eddy retired from the firm, selling his interest in the business to his
partner for $16,000, and invested in seven canal boats which were running on the Erie canal.
The investment proved very unfortunate, it being a line of business in which Mr. Eddy was
wholly inexperienced, and before he closed his relations with the enterprise he had lost by the
operation some $5,000. After looking about, and finding in that city no chance for making good
his losses, he determined to take the capital which he had left, about $11,000, and go west. Ac-
cordingly, in 1865, he settled in Chicago, and after casting about with a view to making the most
satisfactory investment, he established the foundry business, which has since that time engaged
his constant attention, locating his works on the corner of Franklin and Illinois streets. Upon
establishing this enterprise Mr. Eddy associated with himself as partners A. F. Buschick, G. E.
Buschick, and James Gardner, under the firm name of James Gardner and Company.

The business represented a capital of $6,800, of which Mr. Eddy furnished $3,000, $3,200 was
supplied by the Messrs. Buschick, and the balance by Mr. Gardner, who failed to fulfill his part
of the agreement in reference to furnishing a proportionate amount of the capital.

During the next three years the business was continued uninterruptedly, meeting with good



UNITED STATES BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY.



473



success, but in 1868 a change in the management occurred, Mr. Eddy purchasing the interests of
the Messrs. Buschick. Two years later, in 1870, he bought out Mr. Gardner, and assumed the
sole management of the business, and has continued to control its affairs until the present time
(1881). The operations of the concern were, at that time, in a most thriving condition, and yield-
ing products ranging in value from $40,000 to $50,000 per annum. It was in the midst of this
prosperity that occurred the great fire' of October 9, 1871, and in that general conflagration which