Thaddeus
Rude, who for more than three decades has been one of the honored citizens
of Mendota, was one of the sturdy frontiersmen who came to this state when
it was a wilderness and paved the way for the civilization and prosperity of
later years. Nobly did he perform his part in the development of its
resources, and never for a moment has his interest in its future diminished
or weakened.
Mr. Rude is a fitting example of the self-made man, — one who by the
inherent force of his character has acquired an enviable name and place
among the business men and capitalists of his generation. Doubtless he is
indebted largely to his upright New England ancestors for much of what is
finest in his nature, and certainly the influences which were brought to
bear upon him in the impressible days of his childhood cannot be
overestimated. He was named in honor of his grandfather, Thaddeus Rude, who
was of Scotch-Irish descent, and was born in Salem, Massachusetts, in which
state many generations of his family had lived and died. His death took
place when he was but little past the prime of life, the event occurring in
Ashfield, Massachusetts, in 1826. Of his several children, four grew to
maturity. His widow survived him many years, dying when nearly ninety years
of age. The maternal grandfather of our subject, David Vincent, a native of
Cape Cod, was a hero of the Revolutionary war, and was one of Washington's
valiant band of dauntless patriots who suffered the untold hardships of that
dreadful winter at Valley Forge. In his early life he was a sailor, but his
last years were quietly spent at Ashfield, his death taking place when he
was seventy years of age. He had three daughters and several sons, the
latter becoming substantial, respected business men, and one of the number,
John, serving in the Massachusetts legislature for two or three terms with
credit.
The parents of our subject were Thaddeus and Betsy (Vincent) Rude, both
natives of the Bay state. The former was engaged in the clothing business at
Haydenville, New York, in his early manhood, and later turned his attention
to agriculture, carrying on a farm in Franklin county, Massachusetts. Death
cut short his career when he was in his prime, as he was but thirty-nine
years of age when he died, in 1833. His widow survived him many years, and
in 1856 came to Illinois. Thenceforth she resided at the home of her
daughter Mary, in Bureau county, dying in 1886, at the extreme age of
ninety-three. Mr. Rude was a man of prominence in his community, and at
various times was called upon to serve in local offices, among others that
of selectman. Both he and his honored wife were active workers in the
Congregational church, and always stood ready to support all enterprises
which they deemed worthy. They were the parents of eight children, four of
whom were sons. Those who survive are Thaddeus; Hannah, wife of Rev. William
McCulloch, of Red Oak, Iowa; Mary, widow of Lorenzo Whitney, of Williams
Station, Illinois; David, of Mendota; and Harriet, wife of Joseph Hawks, of
Williams Station.
The birth of Thaddeus Rude took place in Ashfield, Massachusetts, February
24, 1822. He was reared upon a farm, and with true Yankee spirit he mastered
agriculture and kindred occupations. In 1849 he determined to seek a fortune
in what then was the new west. Coming to Bureau county, Illinois, he bought
eighty acres of prairie land, and within a short time disposed of that
property, which was situated in Berlin township, and removed to La Moille
township. There he purchased a quarter section of land for five hundred and
forty dollars, and industriously set about increasing its desirability and
value. The country was very wild, the deer coming and eating out of his corn
cribs, and the wolves frequently howling upon the doorsteps of his house. In
time, as he prospered, he added to his original homestead until it comprised
four hundred acres, and in 1867 he sold the original quarter section for
eleven thousand dollars. He then removed to this county, and since then has
made his home in Mendota, where he is highly esteemed as a citizen of
enterprise and true public spirit. For about three years he and his partner,
Frederick Schroeder, were engaged in the grain business, and managed an
elevator which they erected. Mendota was a great grain market at that time,
much greater than it is to-day, and the firm did an extensive business.
After selling out his interest to Mr. Schroeder, Mr. Rude turned his
attention to real estate, and for years has handled fine farm lands in this
and other western states, meeting with success. At one time he owned land in
five or six counties in Iowa, some four thousand acres altogether, and at
present he has twenty-five hundred acres in the county of Hamilton alone.
Beginning his business career in this state with a capital of barely five
hundred dollars, he gradually accumulated a fortune, by adherence to the
recognized rules of legitimate trade, and is to-day a man of means and
influence, — an example entirely worthy of being held up to the ambitious
young man now starting out in commercial life.
When a resident of Bureau county Mr. Rude acted in the capacity of road
commissioner, but aside from this he never has acted in official positions.
He is an ardent Republican, and has endeavored to perform his entire duty as
becomes a patriotic American, giving due attention to the great questions of
the day.
On
the 11th of January, 1844, the marriage of Thaddeus Rude and Keziah,
daughter of Rufus and Keziah (Halb) Hall, was solemnized. She departed this
life November 17, 1893, aged seventy-one years and four months. For almost
half a century she had been a faithful helpmate, loyally aiding her husband
in his early struggles to make a livelihood and place in the business world,
and her memory is cherished by a host of her old friends. Religiously she
was a Congregationalist. On the 2d of June, 1895, Mr. Rude and Mrs. Emily
Fisher, widow of Clement Fisher, were united in wedlock. She is a daughter
of Henry and Mary (Leatherby) Ham, natives of Somersetshire, England, and
both now deceased. Mrs. Rude had four children by her first marriage, —
three who died in infancy, and Carrie, wife of Charles Thelo, Jr., of
Mendota, Illinois. The latter have three children, — Eda, Earl and Fred.
Mrs. Rude is a member of the Church of England, and is interested in all
movements calculated to uplift and benefit humanity.
Extracted 17 Jul 2017 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois, published in 1900, volume 2, pages 480-482.
| Lee | DeKalb | Kane |
| Bureau |
 |
Kendall |
| Putnam | Grundy | |
| Marshall | Woodford | Livingston |
