David Cleaveland is a native of the town of Western, Oneida county, New
York, and was born June 16, 1802. He first came to Whiteside county in
1850, and after selecting his farm in Hume returned to the East, and in
1852 brought on his family, then consisting of fourteen persons. Mr.
Cleaveland was married to Miss Amy Hawkins, in Oneida county, New York,
in July, 1843. This lady is spoken of in the highest terms by every one
in Hume and vicinity. The children by this marriage have been: Delight,
Abel, Harmon, George, David, Jr., Mary, Cyrus, Edward, Jay, Nelon,
Squire, and three who died in infancy at the old home in New York State.
Harmon married Miss Mary Annis and lives in Montana Territory. Squire
is unmarried, and lives in Texas. Delight married Ezra P. Adams,
and lives in Hume. Abel married Miss Charotte Wright; on the 18th
of August, 1855, he died very suddenly of heart disease at his house,
in Hume; the widow sometime afterwards married Calos Haven, who is
also now dead; Mrs. Haven resides at Port Henry, New York. George
married Miss Gertrude Andrews, and lives in Prophetsown. David, Jr.
married Miss Almara Walker, and lives in Hume. Mary married William
Thompson and lives in Floyd county, Iowa. Cyrus married Miss Mary
Mulcay, and Tampico. Edward married Miss Harriet Morehead, and lives
in Hume. Jay married Miss Fanny Denison, and lives in Hume. Nelon
married Miss Humaston, and lives in Hume. David, Jr. was one of the
earliest to enlist as a private in Company B., 34th Illinois Volunteers,
and for bravery and pious conduct rose to be Captain. He is universally
spoken of by those who know him during the war, as one of the bravest
of the Army of the Tennessee. When he arrived at Morrison, on his way
home at the close of the war, his father was in attendance at the Circuit
Court at that city, as a juror, and was actually one of the twelve in
hearing a case, but no sooner did the car whistle reach his ears than
he deliberately stepped out of the jury box, seized his hat and turned
to go out of the court room. Judge Heaton was presiding, and as soon as
he noticed Mr. Cleaveland’s movements, asked him where he was going.
“Going to see Dave,” was the sententious reply. “Then hold on a minute"
said Judge Heaton, “and I will adjourn Court.” True enough, the Court
was adjourned, and Mr. Cleaveland met his gallant soldier son. Two
other of his sons were also soldiers in the Union Army, Cyrus in the
34th Illinois Vol. and Edward in the 75th. Edward was wounded, and
afterwards honorably discharged. Mr. Cleaveland was Commissioner of
Highways of Hume for fifteen years, and also served a term as Justice
of the Peace. His farm is on sections nineteen and thirty, and comprises
three hundred and twenty acres, all of which lies in a body.
Extracted from Bent & Wilson History of Whiteside County Page 240
