Alison Binnie McClean
d. June 29, 1906

FOR MANY YEARS A RESPECTED RESIDENT OF THIS LOCALITY, LEAVES A LARGE FAMILY
Died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. G.D. Silliman, at 214 Lawrence Ave., Elgin, at 2:30 O'clock on Friday morning, June 29, 1906, Mrs. Alison McLean, aged 69 years, 4 months and 6 days. Alison Binnie, one of a family of six brothers and sisters, was born at Airdrie, near Edinburg, Scotland, February 23, 1837 and came to this country with her parents in 1849, they settling near Dundee, in Kane County.  There she was married to John McLean also from Scotland, on September 7, 1852.  To them were born 14 children-eight sons and 6 daughters-eleven of whom are still living in the order of their age as follows:  James McLean, Gridley, Ks; Robert McLean, Woodstock, Mrs. Agnes Strickland, Gridley, Ks.;Mrs. William Thompson, Woodstock, Mrs. Ephraim McBroom, Renville, Mn, Mrs. G.D. Silliman, and Walter McLean, Elgin, William McLean, Woodstock, Mrs. Thomas McBroom, Woodstock, Mrs. O.H. Howe and Henry McLean, Renville, Mn. The aged husband is also a resident of Woodstock, and one brother, James Binnie, is still a resident of Dundee. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. McLean lived one year at Huntley, in this county and moved thence to Benton County, Iowa and later to Clayton County of the same state.  Later coming to Seneca Township in this county in 1868.  Here they became and remained for many years among the most prosperous and thrifty tillers of the soil in that prolific region.  There the larger part of the large family were reared in the sturdy Scotch manner of their parents, becoming accustomed to the hard labor and learning the value and nobility of honest toil.  About four years ago, Mrs. McLean moved to Woodstock, purchasing a home on the South street where she passed through keen sorrow in the death of a beloved son and a grandaughter and where fell disease laid its hands upon her, obtaining such a hold that it conquered the rugged frame and carried her to the land of perpetual rest and sunshine, developing at the last into septicemia gangrene. On account of the condition of the body, no funeral services were held in the church. Mrs. McLean being posessed of sturdy virtures, instilled into her childrens minds by whom she was ardently loved, the mother love overreaching and overstopping all of the affection bestowed upon her by her offspring.  She was faithful to her home and only after the brood had entered into active fields of usefulness for themselves did she break up the old home nest and seek a quiet habitation in which to pass the evening of her life in the rest so well earned. Her last days were full of suffering and pain, but she bore herself uncomplainingly and passed away peacefully and with a consciousness of having well performed the duties and responsibilities that came to her life. On account of the death of their mother the following named children and other relatives gathered at the home of Robert McLean, on Sunday last to talk with pride of the many virtues and heroic self-sacrifices of the devoted mother for those whom God had placed in her care: Mr.and Mrs. G.D. Silliman, Charles Silliman and Mr. and Mrs. Wlater McLean, of Elgin, Mr. and Mrs. Ephraim McBroom, Mrs. O.H. Howe, and Henry McLean, of Renville, Mn, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McBroom, William and James McBroom, John Thompson, and Mr. and Mrs. William McLean and family of Woodstock.

Contributors note:  Many of my ancestors settled in McHenry, Kane and McDonough counties of Illinois.  Here they lived and died. They are the McLeans and Binnies.  All sturdy, Scottish immigrants. They came and tilled the land and became prominent citizens.  I am very proud to be part of thier heritage and to be part of Illinois heritage. [Submitted by Barb Norbie]

   On sunday morning last, when William McLean called at the home of his father on Lake Avenue, he found the aged sire cold in the embrace of death, he having evidently passed away during the night and being alone in the house, the family that occupied the place with him having moved out but a day or two before. John McLean was born near Glasgow, Scotland, June 26, 1826 and when but a young man of 23 years he left his native country for America, settling at Dundee, in Kane County, Ill.  There he married Miss Alison Binnie on September 7, 1852.  She also from Scotland.  After their marriage they lived one year near Huntley, in this county, and from there moved to Benton county Iowa, where they remained but a short time and then moved to Clayton, in the same state.  On October 5, 1864, he enlisted as a private in Company K of the 15th Regiment of Iowa, and was discharged from the service, July 24, 1865.  While in the service he was in General Sherman's army and was one of the many brave men who were in Sherman's March to the sea. Three years after his return from the army he and his family moved back to this locality, settling on a farm in Seneca Township, where for many years he conducted one of the most successful farming enterprises in McHenry county.  We are creditably informed that Mr. McLean was one of the pioneers in the milk shipping business from this city to Chicago, he having, it is said, shipped one of the first cans of milk from Woodstock to Chicago market. To Mr. and Mrs. McLean were born 14 children-eight sons and six daughters-eleven of whom are still living in order of age as follows: James McLean, Gridley, Ks., Robert McLean, Woodstock, Mrs. Agnes Strickland, Gridley, Ks., Mrs. William Thompson, Woodstock, Mrs. Ephraim McBroom, Renville, MN., Mrs. G.D. Silliman, Elgin, Walter McLean, Elgin, William McLean, Woodstock, Mrs. Thomas McBroom, Woodstock, Mrs. O.H. Howe, and Henry McLean, Renville, MN.,The mother passed away only last year, and one son, Albert, but a few months preceding her.  Besides the children mentioned, there are thrity-five grandchildren and eleven-greatgrandchildren.
    Mr. Mclean ceased from active labor many years ago, and spent the last few years of his life in the home where he died. The remains were taken to the home of his son William, where funeral services were held on Tuesday forenoon, Rev. S.C. Hay officiating, and the itnerment was in the family lot in Oakland Cemetary.
    CARD OF THANKS
   We desire to thank the friends who rendered us such kindly assistance in the bereavement that has come upon us.
                                     The family
[Submitted by Barb Norbie]

Mrs. Ephraim McBroom Passed Away

Died Sunday Morning after long suffering from Cancer.-Funeral will be held this afternoon.
Renville relatives and friends learned Sunday morning with a shock that Mrs. Ephraim McBroom passed away at 5:30 O'clock and that her son Howard McBroom had also passed away at Camp Hancock, Ga. the evening before.  This is a double affliction that seldom comes to a family just in that way.
Alison McLean was born at Elkadar, Iowa on May 30,1861, and at the time of her death was in her 58th year, being 57 last May.  On May 30, 1866, with her parents, John and Alison (Binnie) McLean, who were born in Scotland, moved to Woodstock, Ill.; where on September 6th, 1882, she was united in marriage to Ephraim McBroom.  The McBroom's moved to Ericson Township, Renville, Cty, in 1890 leaving family and friends behind, where they have since resided. Eleven children were born to this union of whom nine are living; Roy on the old homestead in Ericson; Harley, Renville,; George, Camp Lee, Virginia, Mrs. George, Wordes, Renville, Harrison at Naval Base; New London,Conn., Alice, Margaret, Mary and Guy in Renville.  Charles died 13 years ago and Howard Saturday last, passed to the great beyond.  The following are brothers and sisters that morn: James Mclean, Gridley, Kan.; Mrs. Frank Strickland, Gridley Kan.; Robert McLean, Mrs. Wm. Thompson, Mrs. Tom McBroom, all of Woodstock, Ill; Mrs. George Silliman, Walter McLean, Wm. McLean all of Elgin, Ill.; Mrs. O.H. Howe, Henry McLean, Minneapolis, Minn.; two brothers are deceased, John and Albert McLean. Mrs. McBroom felt the fatal disease, cancer, coming on about three years ago.  She consulted specialists in the cities who gave her some relief from pain and perhaps prolonged her life, but aside from that they could not affect a cure, as there apears none for that malady. 
Mrs. McBroom was a model wife and mother in the home.  Her family cares were many, but to each member of the family of children, she gave that mothers love without stint and guided each aright in the pathway of life and all of whom are a credit to the community in which they reside.  She was a faithful member of the Rebekah lodge of Renville.  In all the walks of life she was ernest and capable.  But it was in the home, surrounded by her husband and children where her character shone the brightest light.

[Submitted by Barb Norbie]
 

Ephraim McBroom
d. November 21, 1919

On November 21, 1919, Ephraim McBroom was taken suddenly very ill and was taken at once to Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis, Mn, for treatment.  He failed to rally as his friends had hoped, but gradually grew weaker and when there was no hope for him and a desire to return home, his son, Harry, went down Sunday and brought him home on the night train. It is said by those who met him at the train that he seemed not to be suffering much and had all his faculties of thought and speech as usual.  After reaching home he rapidly grew worse and passed away at 1:40 O'clock Monday morning.  Eleven years ago, while threshing, he suffered a stroke of parallysis and he seemed to have fully recovered from it, but for the past year or more he began to fail and finally the end came.
The deceased was born on June 16, 1856, St. Lawrence County New York.  He received his early education in New York state and In Illinois, where he attended the district school. He came to Woodstock, Ill., in 1869.  On Sept. 6, 1882, he married Miss Alison McLean. Whos parents are John and Alison (Binnie) McLean, also from Woodstock.  In 1890, they moved to Ericson Township, Renville, County Minnesota.  He owned and managed 320 acres of land.  Here most of his children were born and raised. In 1914, he retired and came to Renville to live.  Since coming to town, his wife was stricken with Cancer, the fatal malady which there is no cure and died in the fall of 1917.
Mr. McBroom gave three sons for service to his country in the late war, one of which, Howard made the supreme sacrifice. Eleven children were born to this union, namely, Roy, Harley, Charles, George, Winifred (Mrs. Geo. Wordes), Harrison, Alison, Howard, Margaret, Guy and Mary.  Two of the boys Charles and Howard, preceeded their father to the grave.  They all residents of Renville and vicinity except Geroge, whos home is at Atwater. Mr. McBroom was a member of Pap Wilson Lodge, I.O.O.F., Renville.  He held many town offices and was a member of the Farmers Elevator Co. The funeral was held from the Methodist Episcopal church on Wednesday afternoon.  The ceremony was under the auspices of the Odd Fellow Lodge, Rev. Henry  Nobbs officiating.  He delivered a most able discourse on the life of the diseased; spoke of how kind he was in his family and his goodness of heart. The pall bearers were his brother Odd Fellows; Lester Smith, E.A. Berg, A.A. Moline, Fred Scott, A.G. Siewert, O.A. Stensvad. The church was well filled by old-time neighbors and friends who came many miles from around the country.

Contributors Note:  Ephraims parents were William and Maria (Miller) McBroom.  They were both born in Ballyalbana County Antrim Ireland, 1814.  William's parents were John McBroom Sr. and Margaret (Rooney) McBroom.  Ephraim's wife Alison, was born in Elkadar, Iowa.  Her parents were John and Alison (Binnie) McLean, born in Scotland.  John and Alison, lived in Woodstock, Ill. as most of their 15 children were born there. They were married and had large famlies that lived in the McHenry and Kane county area. [Submitted by Barb Norbie ]
 

Henry M. McOmber
d.March 29, 1910
Resided In McHenry For a Period of  Seventy-three Years
Henry M. McOmber,who passed away at his home here on Tuesday, March 29, 1910, was born at Colesville, Broome County, N. Y., February 27, 1825. He came to this village with his parents in June of the year 1837 and has resided here continually ever since, a period of seventy-three years. The journey from his birthplace to McHenry was made by wagon,years before the advent of the railroad. The trip to McHenry one can easily imagine was a long and weary one. From the old home the family crossed the Niagra River into Canada and passed on to Windsor, where they again entered the States at Detroit. They then crossed Michigan,through northern Indiana to McHenry, where they arrived in June, 1837. At that time there was no road from Wheeling, Ill., to this place, but a large letter "H" had been cut into the bark of trees to donate highways. When McHenry was reached the place contained only a few log cabins and was inhabited by such early arrivals as Dr. Christy G. Wheeler.
The McOmber family's first place of residence in McHenry was a log cabin that occupied a site near the present mill dam. The first school that the subject of our sketch attended was in what was in those days known as Brown's log tavern, taught by one Arculas Sias. As was the custom in those days, there was a bar in one end of the tavern, while school was kept in the other.Among the school books used were the old Columbian speller and English reader, which the deceased had carefully preserved as precious relics. He next attended school in a small frame house kept by Rev. Joel Wheeler, which stood where the residence of Jacob Justen now stands. Among the scholars attending the school was Miss Emma Thomas, who boarded with Mr. Wheeler, and who afterwards became the wife of  the deceased, the wedding taking place in  February,1847.
Dr. H.T.Brown and Webster and Allen Colby  were also among the pupils of the same school. His playmates during school days were to a great extent Indians of the Pottawattomie Tribe. The Indian camps extended along Fox River both ways from where Buch's hotel now stands. At the time that the McOmber family arrived in McHenry they saw 500 Indians camped on the west side of Fox River in a beautiful white oak grove, which at that time covered the site of our present village. At that time the river was much wider and and larger and filled its banks more fully than  it does now. It was a great diversion to the Indian boys to see Mr. McOmber try to manage the birch bark canoes. At first he would roll over, canoe and all  but he soon learned to manage them and within a very short time was able to outdo his Indian companions in expertness. Capt. Morgan, one ofthe Indians, in later years,became an intimate friend of Mr.McOmber and the two went out on many a hunting expedition together.On one occasion the two succeeded in shooting seven beautiful deer, this expedition being  one of the most thrilling that the subject of our sketch ever had.
Mr. McOmber has held many offices of trust during life in this township, which were those of constable, justice of the peace, police magistrate, deputy sheriff, and tax collector, each and everyone of which he filled in a highly efficient and honorable manner. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs.McOmber, five of whom are living, as follows: Mrs. J.M. Preston, and F.L.McOmber  of  this village; Mrs.John I.Story and C.M.McOmber of Chicago; A.W. McOmber of Sioux Falls,S.D..These with their mother are left to mourn the death of a kind and loving husband and father. The deceased was of the sterling Scotch-Irish stock, a man of uprightness, a good neighbor, kind friend and a loyal citizen. He leaves a record that is worthy of emulation. The funeral services,which were largely attended,were conducted from his home last Thursday  morning, the remains being laid to  rest  in Woodland Cemetery.
[McHenry Plaindealer 7 April 1910 - Contributed by Sandie Schwarz ]
 

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