Kankakee County, Illinois Biographies

Submitted and used with permission by Kim Torp
Source: ("Historical Encylopedia of Illinois" 1901)

Clergyman and reformer, was born in Canada, July 30, 1809, of mixed French and Spanish blood, and educated for the Romish priesthood at the Seminary of St. Nicholet, where he remained ten years, gaining a reputation among his fellow students for extraordinary zeal and piety. Having been ordained to the priesthood in 1833, he labored in various churches in Canada until 1851, when he accepted an invitation to Illinois with a view to building up the church in the Mississippi Valley. Locating at the junction of the Kankakee and Iroquois Rivers, in Kankakee County, he was the means of bringing to that vicinity a colony of some 5,000 French Canadians, followed by colonists from France, Belgium and other European countries. It has been estimated that over 50,000 of this class of emigrants were settled in Illinois within a few years. The colony embraced a territory of some 40 square miles, with the village of St. Ann's as the center. Here Father Chiniquy began his labors by erecting churches and schools for the colonists. He soon became dissatisfied with what he believed to be the exercise of arbitrary authority by the ruling Bishop, then began to have doubts on the question of papal infallibility, the final result being a determination to separate himself from the Mother Church. In this step he appears to have been followed by a large proportion of the colonists who had accompanied him from Canada, but the result was a feeling of intense bitterness between the opposing factions, leading to much litigation and many criminal prosecutions, of which Father Chiniquy was the subject, though never convicted. In one of these suits, in which the Father was accused of an infamous crime, Abraham Lincoln was counsel for the defense, the charge being proven to be the outgrowth of a conspiracy. Having finally determined to espouse the cause of Protestantism, Father Chiniquy allied himself with the Canadian Presbytery, and for many years of his active clerical life, divided his time between Canada and the United States, having supervision of churches in Montreal and Ottawa, as well as in this country. He also more than once visited Europe by special invitation to address important religious bodies in that country. He died at Montreal, Canada, Jan. 16, 1899, in the 90th year of his age.

JOHN B. LAGUE, JR.
Submitted and used with permission by Eddena Hissong
Source: "Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton (Indiana), Volume 1" By Lewis Publishing Company

The well known and highly respected subject of this sketch was born in Montreal, Canada April 18, 1848 son of John B and Zowa Serprenant LaGue. His father was a native of south France, born in 1815 and at the age of thirty five, left his native land and emmigrated to Canada, locating at Montreal, where he engaged in farming. In addition to carrying on agricultural pursuits he imported fine horses. Six years after coming to America, he left Canada and came over into the United States, locating in Vermont and a few years later moved to Kankakee County, Illinois. He still lives there in the city of Kankakee and is now eighty three years of age. His wife, the mother of our subject, was born in Three Rivers Canada in 1822 and it was in Montreal they were married. She died at Kankakee, Illinois in 1892. To them were born six children, all of whom are still living and all were born in the United States except John B. the subject of this sketch. Of the others, we record that Rebecca, born in 1850, is now the wife Emery Lucier, a farmer living six miles east of Fowler, Indiana; Louis L. born in 1853, is engaged in farming five miles and a half northeast of Fowler; Armiline, born in 1855, is the wife of Israel Bonneau, a retired farmer at Fowler; Lawrence, born in 1857, is farming near Sioux City, Iowa; George, born in 1859, is employed in a clothing store at San Francisco, California. The paternal grandparents of Mr. La Gue were inhabitants the sunny slopes of southern France while his maternal grandparents Canadians of French descent.
Mr. La Gue was quite young at the time his parents settled in Kankakee county as above recorded and there he was reared attending the district school until he was twenty years of age and spending his time when out of school in work on his father's farm. For three years longer, he continued to work on the home farm and at the end of that time was married then settling on eighty acres of rented land in Pilot township in that county. After a few years of hard work and good management he succeeded in making this farm his own. A few years later he added another eighty and he marked the tenth anniversary of his marriage by adding an adjoining one hundred and sixty acres. In 1888, he sold his Kankakee land and bought land located on six hundred and forty acres in Benton county, lying three and one half miles north of Fowler, Indiana and in the fall of 1898 bought one hundred and sixty acres more. This land he has improved with substantial buildings, two good frame dwellings, seven and eight rooms respectively and two commodious barns. While in Illinois, Mr. La Gue, in connection with his farming, made a specialty of raising hogs and Durham shorthorn cattle and since coming to Benton County, Indiana, he has carried on general farming. For the past five years his sons, Louis and Fred, have had charge of the farm and are adding to its value each year by careful cultivation being materially aided by the wise judgment of their experienced father. Besides his farm in Benton County, Mr. LaGue owns some fine business property in Fowler, consisting of three fine two story brick blocks, one two story frame, business building and one residence, all of which are rented.
Mr. La Gue was married February 15, 1870 at Kankakee, Illinois to Mary Martin, daughter of Tennice and Mary Courtemanche Martin of French Canadian descent. Her parents went to Illinois in 1858 and came from there to Benton county, Indiana in 1880, locating on a farm seven and one half miles northeast of Fowler. Her father died in 1883, at the age of seventy four years, and her mother passed away ten years later, at the age of sixty, both dying on the home farm. Mr. and Mrs. La Gue became the parents of the following children all living namely John D. born September 20, 1871; Fred F. June 30, 1872; Louis L. October 9, 1873; Ida A. December 30, 1874; Mattie M. October 29, 1876; Agnes B. February 7, 1878; Minnie M. January 2, 1880; Anna B. May 3, 1881; Nellie M. May 29, 1882; George G. March 16, 1884; Alice S. October 29, 1887; Mabel G. November 5, 1889; and Omer W. October 17, 1893. John D. is married and resides in California and his sister Minnie is there with him. Fred and Louis, as above stated, have charge of the home farm, the latter being married. Louis is also a school teacher and expert penman, having received a medal as a prize for penmanship at the state fair in 1893.
Politically Mr. La Gue is a Republican taking a commendable interest in all that pertains to the public welfare. He has an erect carriage, bright and expressive eyes and is withal a fair representative of what the farm produces in the way of men. He is a regular attendant at the services of the Presbyterian Church to which his family belong.

ANATOLE F. LABRIE
Submitted and used with permission by Eddena Hissong
Source: "History of Dakota Territory, Volume 5" By George Washington Kingsbury, George Martin Smith

Anatole F. Labrie is a member of the Spink County Abstract Company, conducting business at Redfield, South Dakota, and has numbered him among her citizens since September 1880 in which year he came from Kankakee County, Illinois. He was born in that county June 8, 1857, a son of Joseph E. and Marie L. (Brosseau) Labrie. The family is of French lineage and was established in Canada during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Joseph E Labrie went from Canada to Illinois in 1847 and for twenty five years was postmaster of Manteno and also served as justice of the peace. He was a well known and popular citizen there, having located in Kankakee County during pioneer times and being an active and valued factor in its public affairs. He died at Momence, Illinois in 1903 when he was eighty years of age. His wife died in 1900 at the age of seventy five years and they were laid to rest in the cemetery at Manteno. They had come to Spink county South Dakota in 1882 and settled on a homestead but in 1895 returned to Illinois.

Anatole F Labrie acquired his education in the public schools of his native county and in St. Viateur's College at Kankakee, in which he pursued his studies to the age of fourteen years. He then became assistant postmaster at Manteno under his father, remaining in that position for nine years. On removing to South Dakota in September, 1880, he filed upon a homestead and in 1882 he engaged in the land business in connection with his brother AC Labrie at Frankfort. After five years there spent he removed to Doland, South Dakota where he engaged in business with his brother Joseph E. Labrie for two years. In 1889, he was appointed clerk of the court and occupied that position for five years. On his retirement from the office in 1894, he purchased an abstract business which he conducted for four years. He then, returned to the real estate business in partnership with SE Wightman and HA Babcock and was thus engaged until 1903 when he removed to St Paul and became interested in the piano trade in connection with J Kalcheuer. There he remained until he again entered business circles in Redfield as proprietor of the Spink County Abstract Company. He has a splendid set of abstracts and is conducting a good business. He is also agent for various prominent fire insurance companies, writing many policies annually.

On the 7th of April 1885 Mr Labrie was married in Frankfort, South Dakota to Miss Regina A. Blain, a daughter of Nazaire and Marie L Brosseau Blain. Her father was one of the pioneer farmers of Spink County, South Dakota and now resides in Los Angeles, California. His wife passed away in 1908 and was laid to rest in Kankakee, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Labrie have four daughters and a son: Marie L., the wife of Leon A Dunton residing at St Paul, Minnesota; Corinne, the wife of Paul R. Bohen living at St. Paul, Minnesota; Irene, who is connected with St. Joseph's Hospital at St. Paul; Leila, at home and Paul B., who is assisting his father. The family are Catholics in religious faith and Mr. Labrie assisted materially in the building of St. Bernard's Catholic church. He also belongs to the Knights of Columbus and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. His political endorsement is given the Republican Party and he has filled the office of deputy United States marshal. The various changes in his business career have usually meant a step in advance. He is now well established at the head of a growing business in Redfield and is numbered among the representative and worthy citizens of Spink County.

GEORGE OLDS

Submitted and used with permission by Jeffery Corbett

HAD LIVED HERE OVER 61 YEARS
Is Survived by Widow and Six Children—Funeral Held on Wednesday from the Hess School House Was Very Largely Attended

George Olds, one of the old settlers of Momence township, died at his home three miles east of this city, on Monday evening, December 4, at the age of 83 years and 20 days. For the past few years he had been gradually failing, and yet his death came as a surprise to his many friends.

George Olds was born at Bombay, New York, at what is known as the Colesprings settlement, on November 14, 1828. In 1832 he came to the far west with his parents who stopped at Michigan City, Ind. They remained there until the next year, going to Northern Illinois and locating on what was known as the Mongoconon prairie near Elgin. Later the family moved to Stillwell prairie where they built the second house in that section where they lived five years. The subject of this sketch later took up a claim, the land being where the city of Elgin now stands.

In 1850 Mr. Olds came to Momence and filed a claim on a tract of land up the river, on which is located the Olds’ Landing, known to all. Here he resided many years, bringing his land under cultivation through hard and incessant labor. On march 14, 1860, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Jane Olds, and together they lived on the old farm for almost forty years, then moving to the present home. Mr. and Mrs. Olds were the parents of seven children, as follows. Abe Old[s] of Valparaiso, Ind., Mrs. W. Lease and Mrs. Herman Swanson of this city, Mrs. James Read of Deedsville, Ind., Mrs. May Thayer of Chicago, Mrs. Bertha McCain of Stockland, Ill., and Em who died a few years ago. The wife and mother also survives, together with numerous near relatives.

Mr. Olds during his long years of residence in this township, was well known and liked by everyone. The many neighborly acts of his younger life were not forgotten in mature years, and for these he will long be remembered.

Funeral services were held at the Hess school house at 1:30 o’clock on Wednesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Connor of the M. E. church of this city; burial in the Shrontz cemetery. The music was furnished by a quartette composed of Mrs. Levi Sharkey, Mrs. Ruth Cone, C. L. Tabler, and C. A. Violet. There were many beautiful floral offerings from relatives and friends.

Note:
**The only correction made, in the above text, was the addition, in brackets, of the “s” at the end of Abe Olds name.

WALTER HOBERT WATTERSON, M. D., F. A.

Submitted and used with permission by Kim Torp
Source: ( ILLINOIS, The Heart of the Nation by Hon. Edward F. Dunne, Volume IV, 1933)

C. P., has had long and varied experience in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis, and in this special field of practice has held executive positions of important order. He is now chief of the tuberculosis section at the great Hines Hospital for United States war veterans, a government institution that is maintained in the Chicago suburban district now known as Hines.

Doctor Watterson was born at Fairbury, Livingston County, Illinois, February 12, 1875, and is a son of William and Catherine (Crebbin) Watterson, both of whom were born on the Isle of Man, off the English coast. William Watterson represented Illinois as a gallant soldier of the Union in the Civil war, and as a member of the One Hundred Twelfth Illinois Volunteer Infantry participated in many engagements, including the battle of Resaca, Georgia, where he was severely wounded-in the receiving of a skull fracture. He was a resident of Kankakee, Illinois, at the time of his death, in 1921.

The Illinois public schools afforded Dr. Walter Hobart Watterson his early education, and in 1901 he was graduated in the medical department of Northwestern University. After receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine he was engaged in general practice in North Chicago three years, but during the greater part of his professional career he has specialized in tuberculosis. His impaired health led him to seek recuperation in Colorado, and in that state he served during the period of 1905-08 as assistant director of the Y. M. C. A. health farm near Denver. In 1908 he re turned to Illinois and became medical director of the Lake Breeze Sanatorium at Waukegan, a position in which he continued his service until 1913. In the early part of the following year he initiated his service as head physician of the Cook County Tuberculosis Hospital, at Oak Forest, and from that post he retired to become medical superintendent of the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanatorium of Chicago. He assumed this latter position in 1917 and his service therein continued until the following year, when he resigned and enlisted for professional World war service in the United States Army. He was immediately assigned to the army school in Tuberculosis at United States General Hospital No. 16, in Connecticut. A month later he was made active chief of the service in that hospital. October 16, 1918, he was promoted from the rank of captain to that of major in the Medical Corps of the United States Army and was assigned to the office of chief of service at United States General Hospital No. 18, Waynesville, North Carolina. In February, 1919, he was made chief of the service of combined hospitals that were formed at United States General Hospital No. 42, at Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina.

Doctor Watterson was honorably discharged July 8, 1919, and was given assignment as expert in tuberculosis for the Federal Board for Vocational Education, Washington, D.C. He was later transferred to the United States Public Health Service, in which he was as signed to duty in Chicago November 1, 1919. With the erection and equipment of the Ed ward Hines Hospital for disabled war veterans, he was transferred to that Government institution near Chicago, where in February, 1921, he became instructor in tuberculosis, and in 1923 was advanced to his present office of chief of the tuberculosis section. Doctor Watterson puts his heart, his exceptional technical ability and experience and his professional and patriotic loyalty into the service at the Hines Hospital, and he has done a splendid work in aiding the many veterans there under treatment for tuberculous disorders. He is a past president of the Chicago Tuberculosis Society, is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and has membership in the American Medical Association. He maintains his home in the Chicago suburb of La Grange, and there is affiliated with LaGrange Post, No. 41, American Legion.

Doctor Watterson married Miss Willa R. Meredith, of Chicago, and they have two children: Lucile Frances was graduated in the University of Wisconsin and is now a teacher of the French language in the public schools of Naperville, Illinois, and Robert Irving is, in 1932, a student in the University of Arizona.