Hosea Foote, one of the enterprising business men of Earlville, LaSalle
county, is one of the honored pioneers of this state, his arrival in
Illinois dating back fifty-five years. A witness of almost the entire
development of the county, he has contributed his share toward its welfare,
and is well and favorably known throughout this section.
The parents
of our subject were Nicholas Floyd and Catherine (Beagle) Foote, who were
natives of New York state. The former was one of the five children of Isaac
Foote, of English extraction, likewise born in the Empire state, and a
farmer and lumberman by occupation. His latter years were spent in Illinois,
and his death took place upon the homestead of a son, south of Earlville,
when he was in his eighty-sixth year. Mrs. Catherine (Beagle) Foote, who
died in 1839, was a daughter of John Beagle, a farmer, whose birthplace was
in New York state, and who was of Dutch ancestry. In 1833 Nicholas F. Foote
and family removed to Steuben county, Pennsylvania, and eleven years later
came to Illinois. For two and a half years they dwelt upon a farm situated
about three miles from Aurora, and then, coming to LaSalle county, they
resided upon a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, in Earl township, three
miles from Earlville. A few years prior to his death. Mr. Foote retired from
active labor and made his home in Earlville, where he departed this life in
July, 1893, in his eighty-ninth year. His second wife bore the maiden name
of Mary Miner, and of the sons and daughters born to them four survive:
Nancy, Lucinda, Martha and Almira. To the first marriage of Mr. Foote three
sons and two daughters were born, but only Floyd and Hosea survive.
Hosea Foote was born in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, January 15, 1832. Thus
he was twelve years of age when the family came to this prairie state, and
in the district schools he completed his education. After leaving home upon
attaining his majority, he worked for farmers by the month for a period,
after which he was employed for a number of years on the Chicago, Burlington
& Quincy Railroad, as a foreman of construction of the road-bed, part of the
time doing contract work. In 1858 he took charge of a sawmill near Freedom,
and operated it for the proprietor for about three years. Afterward he was
employed by Sutman & Lighthall, of Earlville, for several years, and
finally, in 1892, he purchased the sawmill here which was owned by Frank
Atherton, and has managed it successfully ever since, also running a feed
mill in connection. A public-spirited citizen, he takes a loyal interest in
local enterprises. For two terms he served in the capacity of alderman,
being elected on the Democratic ticket.
On the 17th of March, 1855,
Mr. Foote married Miss Isabel, daughter of Thomas and Isabel (Beggs)
Holgate, and after about a quarter of a century of happy wedded life she was
called to the home beyond. She was then forty-six years of age, a devoted
member of the Methodist church. Of their five children, Charles H. died at
the age of six months, and Mabel, who was the wife of Robert Horr, of
Mendota, died when her baby girl, Mabel, was a week old. Etta is the wife of
William Buck, of Earlville; and Alice, Mrs. Joseph Schrecengost, also of
this town, has five children: May, Bert, Carl, lone and Ada. Floyd H.,
unmarried, is in the employ of his father. On the 7th of August, 1885, Hosea
Foote wedded Mrs. Mary Bosard, widow of George L. Bosard and daughter of
Cornelius and Fannie (Hammond) Beagle. The latter were natives of New York
and Pennsylvania, respectively, the father, of Dutch extraction, having been
born and reared in Broome county, and the mother in Tioga county. Both died
when in their fiftieth vear, on the old farm in Tioga county, where they had
commenced keeping house, death separating them little more than a year. In
religious faith he was a Baptist, while she was a Presbyterian, but they
were liberal enough to allow each other perfect freedom of opinion. His
father, John Beagle, was a native of New York state, a farmer, and his death
occurred when he was still in the prime of manhood. David Hammond, father of
Mrs. Fannie Beagle, was a hero of the war for independence. He was born in
Connecticut, followed farming as a means of livelihood and lived to pass the
three-score and ten years spoken of by the Psalmist. Mrs. Foote is one of
eight children, of whom seven survive. Kate is the wife of George Buckbee;
Elsie is Mrs. John Brimmer; Lizzie is unmarried; Fannie is the widow of
Frank Dodge; Jennie is the wife of John Houck; and John Beagle is the only
brother living. Mr. and Mrs. Foote are consistent members of the Methodist
church and in their daily lives they strive to mirror the noble principles
which they profess and in which they earnestly believe.
Extracted 17 Jul 2017 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois, published in 1900, volume 2, pages 506-507.
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