A large portion of the wealth and prosperity of Northern Illinois acknowledges as an ample representative the subject of this memoir, who is largely interested in real estate and the owner of an extended area of valuable land. His career is essentially that of the self-made man, he having sprung from an humble station in life, and through his own efforts has arisen to a fine position. socially and financially, among his fellowmen. Public spirited and liberal, he has signalized himself as the encourager of everything tending to elevate society and advance the prosperity of the people—in fact is one of those men to whom the present wealth and importance of Jo Daviess County is largely in­debted.

A native of Cornwall County, England, Mr. Jewell was born in November, 1825, and was registered for baptism on the 4th of December following, in the parish Church of Wendron, and still has in his possession a copy of the important record. He remained a resident of his native county until reaching his majority, in the meantime being given a practical education, mostly at a private school. Upon approaching manhood he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, also the buying and selling of live-stock, and in time drifted into the wholesale meat business, becoming what was termed there a “common carrier.”

Young Jewel! was thus occupied until the time when his mother determined to emigrate with her family to America, the father having died in 1840. William was one of a family of seven brothers and sisters, and they embarked at Liveapool on the sailing vessel “Argo of G]asco,” which landed them in the city of Quebec, Canada, twenty-one days later. This was considered the shortest voyage made by a craft of this kind then known. They tacked up the river eight days and reached Chicago. Ill., via the lakes, by means of another vessel, and thence journeyed by team overland to Scales Mound, which journey consumed about five days. Two brothers had preceded them to this point, arid put up a house for their reception, which was a shelter of more than ordinary comfort in those days. The boys then engaged in mining, our subject among the number, also in prospecting, finally obtaining means to purchase different mines. The four brothers operated in partnership until the spring of 1849, when the California gold excitement induced two of them, James and Edwin, to start overland for the Pacific Slope, and these were followed in 1850 by William and two other brothers, Francis and Alfred. These latter journeyed overland, and were six months on the road. After arriving at their destination they encountered some exciting scenes, and gained full information of the manner in which life was spent on the frontier. One morning in the Black Hills with their two wagons they found themselves suddenly surrounded by hundreds of Indians. They had just prepared to encamp and had tethered their two horses forty rods away. One of their men was very ill and had been obliged to ride 700 miles. By signs they gave the Indians to understand he was afflicted with small pox, and by this means succeeded effectually in scaring them away.

At Council Bluffs, Iowa, they joined a train of twenty-seven wagons, of that city, that of our travelers leading the caravan into Placerville, and there met the brothers, whom they accompanied to Sacramento City, forty-five miles distant, where they purchased more teams and provisions. Thence they started for the mines of Greenwood Valley, forty-five miles east of Sacramento, and where the Jewell Brothers engaged in mining for themselves. Their expectations, however, were not realized, and they moved on southward to Mud Spring, in Eldorado County, where they built a log cabin and wintered at a little post-office station, there being good dry diggings all about. They walked four miles to and from their mines, being quite successful in their researches, but hoping to do still better, returned in the spring to Spanish Bar, on the Middle Fork of the American River, sixty miles from Sacramento. At this point our adventurers found very good mining, and remained there three months. While at Mud Springs the place was deserted, but they brought flour from Sacramento at $13.50 per 100 pounds, which they afterward sold at the rate of five pounds of flour for one of hay. At the bar they operated a quicksilver machine, making on an average $8 per day.

They were not, however, satisfied, and now pushed northward to the middle fork of the Yuba River. There they were snowed in, but started a fine lead, also making here $8 to $10 per day. When the snow had melted away they repaired to Donaville, and thence with their packs on their backs started for New Diggings, pitching their tents on the snow, or clearing it away when the ground was not too far under. Here also they found a rich mining country, but provisions were very high and scarce, and they decided to proceed still further northward to Featherville, all with the exception of our subject, who returned to Sacramento City and purchased a train of pack-mules for the purpose of freighting from Sacramento and Maryville to Donaville.

Mr. Jewell followed freighting in the summer of 1851, and in the fall sold his train and returned to Spanish Bar to spend the winter. All this time he had been making good wages and was wise enough to he able to save a large proportion. He acquired an interest in the river claim of a flume four miles long, which he, with others, built during the summer, and by successful manouvering acquired a snug sum of money. He next proceeded to Placerville, arriving there about New Years, 1852, associating himself with a new company of five, who instituted a new plant two and one-half miles north of Placerville, called Poverty Point in order to keep people away. It had once been abandoned, but they managed to extract from it nuggets to the amount of $1 ,S00 each; remaining there until spring. Mr. Jewell and one of the other men, not trusting to the banks, kept a daily account of the amount taken out, Mr. J. acting as Secretary. When the expenses were paid and the balance divided, each man took care of his own, having his secret depository under a tree or some other place unnoticed by the others. Mr. Jewell frequently carried with him between $3,000 and $4,000, and when he wanted to go anywhere would bury it in an old mine until he came back.

From this point Mr. Jewell returned to Spanish Bar with a friend who was operating an old claim, which they sold out, and thus ended his mining experience mainly, except to go as foreman of a new company to a point a little above, where be staid five weeks, receiving therefore about $70 per week for his services. Returning then to Placerville he came into possession of some cattle, which he drove to a ranch in the Sacramento Valley, where he fattened them for beef and sold to butchers, and where commenced in real earnest his experience in live­stock. At one time later he sold 100 head at a profit of $7,000. He still kept quite a large number on hand, and engaged in speculating, also dairying, supplying milkmen with fresh cows. He thus operated until February, 1854, then, on account of illness from ague, was obliged to leave the country.

Coming now to Warren, this county, which had become the western terminus of the Illinois Central Railroad, arriving here April 14, Mr. Jewell purchased land at Scales Mound, also at Galena, loaned some of his money and spent the summer. In the fall he started across the Atlantic to his childhood’s home in England, leaving New York City December 7, and arriving at Liverpool ten days later. It proved that there was an attraction of more than ordinary moment in his native country, for on the 19th of April, 1855, he was united in marriage with Miss Eliza E. Roskrow. On the 14th of May following be started with his bride on the return trip to the United States, in the meantime having gone on a wedding tour to London. where he spent ten days, and the same length of time sojourned in Liverpool. Mr. Jewell has crossed the Atlantic nine times, and returned from California via the Isthmus by the Nicaragua route, thus showing his extensive travel by water.

Upon returning to Illinois Mr. Jewell and his young wife began housekeeping in a modest dwelling at Scales Mound, while Mr. J. purchased land and employed himself at loaning money. 1n the fall of 1856 he changed his residence to Council Hill, same county, where he resided four years, and at the expiration of this time revisited England with his wife, making a four-months stay. He purchased in Jo Daviess County 160 acres of land, one fourth of a mile south of Scales Mound depot, and after his return from England sold his home at Council Hill and returned to Scales Mound to spend the winter, with the intention of going on to the farm he bought while in England, and which was partly improved, but with very indifferent buildings. He then purchased an improved farm, which had upon it good buildings, one of the finest in the county at that day, and moved onto it. The dwelling was 22x44 feet in dimensions, two and one­half stories high, and after being surrounded with evergreens and shrubbery, which Mr. Jewell planted from time to time, made one of the most desirable homesteads in that region. The residence stands on a knoll one-fourth of a mile west of the depot, and the trees have grown so that they almost hide it. In this little Paradise on earth he has lived for a period of eleven years. His agricultural operations consist mostly in the breeding of blooded cattle and sheep, making of the latter a specialty, and carrying off the blue ribbons at the various county and State fairs. He was the first man to introduce the Cotswold and Leicestershires into this county. His cattle are mostly Short-horns.

In the meantime Mr. Jewell, notwithstanding his extensive personal interests, has kept in view the moral and social welfare of the people around him, and contributed to this end as he has had opportunity. He has been a member of the School Board in his district, and although no office seeker, served as an Assessor, and in other of the local offices. His estate in due time aggregated 500 acres of land and although not following the plow himself, he overworked in attending to the business connected therewith and his extensive buying and shipping operations. He finally resolved to abandon the farm and, accordingly, purchased a fine home in Warren, which he now occupies, and which is pleasantly located on Tisdale avenue. It is one of the most lovely homes in the town, the residence like that of the farm, being surrounded by evergreens and shrubbery. This he has occupied since the 1st of April, 1872. In political matters Mr. Jewell uniformly votes with the Republican party. He has frequently been called to officiate in the settlement of estates, which he has adjusted to the satisfaction of all concerned. In 1875 he revisited England the third time, staying one year and upon his return spent some time in the city of Philadelphia. In his native country he is considerably interested in mines, also land, and his wife is the owner in her own right of an estate where her relatives are still living.

Mr. and Mrs. Jewell became the parents of five children, with all of whom they have been called to part in infancy. The father of our subject was James Jewelll, a native of Cornwall County, England, and born underneath the same roof as his son, Feb. 3, 1794. The paternal grandfather was born, under the same roof in March 1773; his name was John Jewell. The great-grandfather was named Marmaduke Jewell. The paternal grand father was engaged in farming and mining a large poition of his life, and also dealt in all kinds of farm produce, live-stock and real-estate. He was what was called there a “gentleman farmer” owning his land and employing others to work it. The mother of our subject was in her girlhood Miss Sarah Williams. and was born in the same parish as her husband and son. Her father, Francis Williams was proprietor of the Half Way Hotel, between Falmouth and Helston, where the Royal Mail changed horses. The parental household consisted of thirteen children, eleven of whom lived to mature years. The father died Nov. 10, 1840, at the age of forty-two. An elder brother, James, came to America in 1844, and three years later was joined by the balance of the family. The mother died at the city of Quebec, Canada, before they had completed their journey, June 14, 1849.

The father of Mrs. Jewell was Robert Roskrow, an officer of the British Army, whose father was the Governor of Pendenis’ Castle, at the entrance of Falmouth Harbor. There Robert R. was reared, and thence removed to Greenwich, obtaining his commission at the age of sixteen years. He served as a soldier during the War of 1812 and after the expiration of his commission of twenty-one years, being mustered out, repaired to Cornwall, where he was married and spent the remainder of his life. He acquired a good property and died Nov. 10, 1886, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. Mr. and Mrs. Jewell have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church for over twenty years, in which our subject has officiated as Steward and Trustee, and is considered one of the chief pillars.

In February, 1881, Mr. Jewell purchased 200 acres of land at Denton, nine miles south of Lincoln. Neb., then returning to this county purchased four car loads of young stock, which he transported thither and then added to the number cattle worth $2,000 more. He then began herding, and sent from Freeport a full set of farm implements, and placed his nephew in charge of the whole, who operated it under the supervision of Mr. Jewell. After three years the young man abandoned the project, and Mr. Jewell closed out for the sum of $6,000. Mr. J. has traveled all through Nebraska, standing on the present site of the present flourishing city of Omaha before there was a house to mark the spot, in May, 1850—indeed there was not a house in sight from that house to Ft. Laramie, and he had to kill his own game for provision as he traveled through.

After selling out in Nebraska Mr. Jewell came home, rested one week, and picking up one clay a copy of the Chicago Times, noticed 800 acres of land for sale at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He at once took a train for the spot, found there had been a purchaser ahead of him, then proceeded north to Hampton, Iowa, and purchased 300 acres of improved land at Chapin, two and one-half miles west, also 172 acres adjacent to the town of Sheffield, and another tract of 320 acres, the whole costing about $25,000, all being situated in Franklin County. This land is now operated by tenants, Mr. Jewell taking occasional trips to see that everything goes right. It will thus be seen that his has been a remarkable busy career, and that he has been uniformly prosperous in his enterprises.

From Portraits and Biographical Pg 302