| HON. ARCHIE G. KENNEDY. For many years an honored member of the bench and bar of DeKalb County, Judge Archie G. Kennedy has been engaged in the practice of his profession continuously at DeKalb since 1894. During this long period he has been identified with much of the important litigation that has come before the courts, and it has been his fortune to win success and position with honor and without animosity. Judge Kennedy was born August 24, 1866, in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Rev. David S. and Nancy W. (Kelly) Kennedy, and a grandson of natives of Ohio who spent their lives as farming people in the Buckeye State. Rev. David S. Kennedy was born in Ohio, where he was reared in Mahoning County, and was given good educational advantages, graduating from Westminster College, Wilmington, Pennsylvania, where he met his future wife, a native of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, and a graduate of the same institution. Reverend Kennedy was for many years a preacher of the United Presbyterian faith and during the war between the states went to the front with the Union army and engaged in religious work with the fighting forces. In 1878 he came to Illinois and settled in Somonauk Township, DeKalb County, where he passed the remainder of his life as a farmer and a minister. Mrs. Kennedy, who is also deceased, was a daughter of John Kelly, a native of Pennsylvania, who passed his entire life in farming in that state. They were the parents of five sons and five daughters, of whom three sons and three daughters survive. Reverend Kennedy was a Republican in politics, but took only a good citizen's part in public affairs. He passed away in May, 1898 and Mrs. Kennedy in January, 1921. The fifth in order of birth of his parents' children, Archie G. Kennedy attended public schools in Pennsylvania and Illinois, including the high school at Sandwich and the State Normal University at Normal, Illinois. Subsequently he pursued a course at Monmouth (Illinois) College and then began to read law under the preceptorship of Judge Carens, at DeKalb, was admitted to the bar and in the same year commenced practice at DeKalb, which town has since been his home and the scene of his professional success, he having attracted to himself a large and representative clientage. After admission he continued his legal studies in the Chicago Law School and graduated as a member of the class of 1899. A Republican in his political attachment, Judge Kennedy served as a city attorney of DeKalb and as a state's attorney for DeKalb County from 1900 to 1904. Under appointment of Governor Deenan he served as judge of the Court of Claims, and for ten or twelve years was president of the high school board. He belongs to the DeKalb County Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association and the American Bar Association, and at this time devotes himself to his practice. He is a member of the Benevolent and rotective Order of Elks and the Chamber of Commerce, and has always been a constructive supporter of movements for the benefit of the community and its people. On January 16, 1899, Judge Kennedy was united in marriage with Miss Katherine Fuller, who was born in DeKalb County, Illinois, a daughter of Willkaim Fuller, who was for years a prominent farmer of this locality, but is now deceased. No children have been born to this union. By a former marriage, to Bert Lindsey, Mrs. Kennedy had one daughter, who married J. B. Abernathy and has one son and two daughters: Elizabeth Kennedy and Janet. Mr. and Mrs. Abernathy now make their home in Springfield, Vermont, where Mr. Abernathy is successfully engaged in the drug business and is also active in Republican politics. Prior to her marriage Mrs. Abernathy made her home with Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy, by whom she was the most carefully reared and educated. Source: "ILLINOIS, The Heart of the Nation" by Hon. Edward F. Dunne, Volume IV, 1933 -------- J. C. HOLDERNESS, who owns a fine residence in De Kalb and is pleasantly situated in life, was born in Canada, May 10, 1846. His father, Thomas Holderness, was born on the ocean while his parents were crossing the Atlantic to Canada. He was reared to manhood in that country, and was married there, after which he brought his family to Illinois in the early '50s. He settled in Malta Township, De Kalb county, and there followed the occupation of farming until his death. He was twice married and by his first union had four children, of whom which the subject of this review was the third in order of birth. By his second marriage there were six children, four sons and two daughters, of whom five still survive and all are residents of Colorado. J. C. Holderness spent his youth in his father's home, being brought to De Kalb county when a little lad. He was therefore reared in this locality and at the time of the Civil War, when but seventeen years of age, he enlisted in 1863 as a member of Company C, Seventeenth Illinois Cavalry. His services were largely against the bushwackers in the state of Missouri and he was wounded in a battle at Wilson Creek. The troops traveled overland from St. Joseph, Missouri, to St. Louis, Missouri, twice, and Mr. Holdernessremained at the front doing his full duty as a soldier until the war was over when, with a creditable military record, he returned home. He followed farming in De Kalb county for two years and went to Colorado in 1867, driving overland the entire way. At length he reached Denver where he remained one year, after which he returned to De Kalb and engaged in farming. In 1875, Mr. Holderness was married to Miss Catherine Bray, who was born in Aurora, Illinois, March 4, 1848. Her parents were natives of Ireland and when young people became residents of Aurora, where they were married. They lived there until the father's death, which occured in 1899. The mother still survives and is now living with Mrs. Holderness. By her marriage she had seven children, four sons and three daughters. Unto our subject and his wife have been born four children: Grace M., who was born January 22, 1877, attnded the DeKalb high school and is now employed by the Central Union Telegraph Company; Aline Bray, who was born September 27, 1885, and is the wife of John Yelte and lives in Chicago; James T., born April 20, 1890, and Clayton Lay, born September 12, 1893, who are both at home. Mr. Holderness supports the reublican party and has held the office of school director for several terms. He is now desk sergeant on the police force of De Kalb. he and his family attend the Methodist Episcopal church and enjoy a pleasant home at No. 147 Evans Avenue, which he owns. The family are much esteemed in the city where they live, and Mr. Holderness has always stood for public progress and improvement, giving his cooperation in many movements and measures which were intended for the public good. Source: "Past and Present of De Kalb County" by Prof. Lewis M. Gross, Volume II, 1907 |
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| Ian C. Witzel |
| ------- Eli W. Lloyd, farmer, section 21, Malta Township, was born Dec. 14, 1836, in Hartford, Mass. His parents, Artimus and Parthenia (Haskell) Lloyd, changed their residence from Hartford to Old Stockbridge in the same state when the son was in youth, and went thence soon after to Washington in the Bay State. Mr. lloyd was educated in the common schools, and at the age of 20 years found himself at liberty to enter upon his unaided struggle with fortune. He set out westward and finally reached Rockford.He had friends in that city, and he obtained employment in that locality, where he remained two years. Meanwhile; his father had removed to De Kalb County, then comparitively new, and here Mr. Lloyd rejoined the family in South Grove Twnship. He remained at home but a short time, as he believed that the promises of the farther West foreshadowed opportunity for a venturesome and energetic man to get on in the world, and he accordingly more>>>>>> |