that has awakened uniform trust. The bank is capitalized for one hundred thousand dollars and has been a successful institution from the beginning.

Both Mr. Miller and his wife were members of the Lutheran church and were people of the highest respectability, winning for themselves a creditable position in the regard of their fellow townsmen. Of their family of seven children two were sons and five were daughters. The record is as follows: Margaret, deceased, was the wife of Frank Bartholomae; John S. is the second in order of birth; William H., who was associated with our subject in the banking business, died of heart disease while on a hunting trip in Dakota in 1903; Mary, deceased, was the wife of Bernard Roesing; Julia, deceased, was the wife of E. Stein; Louise M. is the wife of T. T. Ramsdell and is now living in Buffalo, New York; and Alice, deceased, was the wife of W. P. Kennard.

John S. Miller, the immediate subject of this review, spent the first eight years of his life in the place of his nativity and then accompanied his parents to the west, living for six years in Freeport, Illinois, and one year in Chicago before the family home was established in Sterling, where he has since continued. He attended the public schools in these different towns and for two years was a student in Clark's Seminary at Aurora and for two years in the high school at Chicago.

Mr. Miller then entered the office of his father as a grain buyer and was engaged in the manufacture of alcohol until 1884, forming a partnership with his brother, William H., on the death of their father in 1874. He also became his father's successor as president of the First National Bank of Sterling and is still at the head of that institution, which is widely recognized as one of the strongest moneyed concerns of this section of the state. The bank now occupies one of the most handsome bank buildings in Illinois outside of the large cities. It was remodeled in 1906 and is fully equipped with every modern convenience for the transaction of business and for the protection of depositors.

On the 22d of January, 1879, Mr. Miller was married to Miss Carrie Ware, a daughter of Richard C. and Carrie (Cameron) Ware. The latter was a daughter of Mrs. Sarah Cameron, whose children were as follows: Mrs. Ware; Marcella, who became the wife of General E. C. Kirk and after his death of Dr. Charles H. Thomas; Sarah, the wife of Dr. J. B. Patterson; Josephine, who married Dr. P. G. Clark, and Elianna, the wife of Albert Vincent.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Miller were born four children: Carl W., who is now a medical student in Chicago; Howard, who died at the age of two and a half years; Alice Louise, who passed away when but a few days old, and Fred W., who died at the age of four months. Mrs. Miller passed away December 19, 1889, at the age of twenty-nine years and her death was deeply regretted in the Episcopalian church, of which she was a member, and by the community at large. Mr. Miller is also a member of that church and his political allegiance is given to the republican party. He has traveled extensively, crossing the ocean ten times and visiting thirteen foreign countries. He has thus gained the experience, knowledge and culture which only travel

can bring and is an entertaining gentleman, to whom the world instinctively pays deference by reason of his social qualities as well as the success he has achieved.

WILLIAM L. McWHORTER.

A life of industry, diligence and well directed effort has been crowned with success that enables William L. McWhorter to put aside business cares and enjoy an honorable retirement from labor. He now resides at No. 801 East Second street in Sterling and is numbered among the native sons of the county, his birth having occurred in Montmorency township, August 23, 1860. He is one of the seven children of Hon. Tyler and Rhoda A. (Ward) McWhorter, of whom extended mention is made elsewhere in this volume.

William L. McWhorter was reared upon his father's farm in Montmorency township and attended the district schools, while later he was a pupil in the Sterling Business College. He then returned to the farm and after his father's death he carried on the farm for a few years. He then bought what was known as the Frank Utley farm of two hundred and sixty-one acres, living upon it until the spring of 1902, when he rented the farm and removed to Sterling, where he has since lived retired. His rest is well merited because his life has been active and his energy and diligence constitute the basis of his success.

On the 12th of March, 1890, Mr. McWhorter was married to Miss Arabella M. Beale, a daughter of Jacob M. and Margaret (Sturtz) Beale. The paternal grandfather was Nicholas Beale, a native of Pennsylvania; who wedded Mary Hardin and followed the occupation of farming as a life work. He died when past middle life, having reared a large family. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. McWhorter was John Sturtz, a native of Pennsylvania and a farmer by occupation. He married Rebecca Beale, who survived her husband for several years and lived to an advanced age. The parents of Mrs. McWhorter were natives of Somerset county, Pennsylvania. The father was a farmer during the greater part of his life and afterward conducted a general store near Ursina in Somerset county, Pennsylvania. He was a soldier of the Civil war, serving throughout the period of hostilities. He died in Ohio at the age of seventy-three years, while his wife died in 1879, when more than forty-nine years of age. They were Lutheran in religious faith. In their family were two sons and five daughters, as follows: Calvin L.; Charles H.; Mary J., the wife of Thomas Costello; Elizabeth, the wife of William Martz; Martha L., the wife of Charles L. Walker; Arabella, the wife of William L. McWhorter; Amanda L., who died at the age of two years. Calvin was killed in a railroad accident when not quite twenty-one years of age.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. McWhorter were born three children: Margaret L., Pauline and Alden Lynn. Of these Pauline died at the age of six months and Alden L. at the age of thirteen months. The parents are members of St. John's Lutheran church and Mr. McWhorter belongs to the Modern Woodmen

of America. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and wherever he sees an opportunity to advance community interests or to promote the general welfare he eagerly embraces it. In his business career he has so labored as to win gratifying success and is thus enabled to spend the evening of life in well earned retirement from further labor.

J. H. MOSHER, M. D.

Dr. J. H. Mosher deserves mention among those whose lives have been eminently successful by reason of their own labors and intelligently directed energy. He is engaged in the practice of medicine at Prophetstown and at the same time is one of the most extensive landowners of this part of the state, having two thousand acres of income property, including some of the best farm land of Whiteside county. He was born near Frankfort, Herkimer county, New York, April 26, 1840. The Mosher family is of English descent and traces its connection with American interests from the time of the burning of Saybrook, Connecticut, by the Indians. The parents of Dr. Mosher were George F. and Elizabeth (Tienan) Mosher, the former a native of Maine and the latter of New York city. Both died in Oswego county, New York, however. Their family numbered seven children: George R., who was a well-known merchant and wealthy business man of Oswego county, New York, who died several years ago; William, who passed away in the same county; J. H., of this review; John E., who is connected with copper mines in Arizona; Hamilton A., who is living in Oswego county, New York; Elizabeth, who died in Herkimer county, New York; and Katherine, whose death occurred in Oswego county, that state.

Dr. Mosher was reared upon a farm to the age of thirteen years and remained with his parents in Oswego county, New York, through the period of his boyhood and youth. His time was divided between the work of the home farm and the duties of the schoolroom and his early education was supplemented by study in the academy in the village of Mexico. He left the east in 1863 and with his brother John E. went to California, where he engaged in teaching, as principal of the school at Eureka, California, for three years. On the expiration of that period he made his way to New York city and entered the Bellevue Hospital Medical College. Later he continued his preparation for the profession as a student in the Long Island College Hospital from which he received his degree in 1867.

Having thus qualified for the practice of medicine and surgery, Dr. Mosher came to Prophetstown, arriving in the month of October following his graduation. He at once opened an office for general practice and throughout the intervening years has been accorded a liberal patronage. From 1871 until 1890 he conducted a drug store where he now has his office. He built the present business block and after carrying on the drug store with success for about nineteen years he disposed of his stock of goods, retaining only his office room. here. While he is widely recognized as an able physician and is accorded an extensive patronage, he has not confined his attention exclusively to his pro

fessional duties but has become recognized as an active business man in other lines. In connection with S. G. Baldwin he built the first brick block in this village in 1871. It was not built as a partnership affair, but by arrangements they erected the two buildings side by side at the same time. Dr. Mosher has always been interested to a greater or less extent in real estate since attaining his majority. He bought property in California and in 1873 made his first investment in farm land in Illinois, becoming owner of a half section in Whiteside county. He has since increased his holdings from time to time until he now has about two thousand acres, all lying in this county with exception of a tract of two hundred and forty acres in Iowa which has been in his possession for thirty-one years. He does not buy property for speculation but always improves it and retains it as a source of income. All of the land is cultivated and in the placing of his investments and in the supervision of his landed interests he shows sound judgment and keen discernment. He also owns town property and in connection with his brother Hamilton owns a cottage in the Thousand Islands, where he spends the summer seasons.

In 1871 Dr. Mosher was united in marriage to Miss Florence Warner, who was born in 1853, daughter of A. J. Warner. Mrs. Mosher died in 1890, leaving two children: Maude, who was born in 1873 and died in 1894, at the age of twenty-one years; and George, who was born in 1878 and is now a physician of Chicago, associated, as assistant, with E. Fletcher Ingals, a specialist of Rush Medical College in the treatment of diseases of the chest, nose and throat. He is a graduate of the Madison University, of the Chicago University and the Rush Medical College, receiving the Doctor of Philosophy degree from the first named, the Bachelor of Science degree from the Chicago University, and his professional degree from Rush Medical College. In 1894 Dr. J. H. Mosher was again married, his second union being with Nellie M. Barnes, a native of Turner Junction, now West Chicago. She came to Whiteside county at the age of thirteen years with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles C. Barnes, of Morrison. One son has been born of the second marriage, James B., now twelve years of age.

While Dr. Mosher has led a most busy and useful life in connection with his professional duties and his extensive business interests, he is also well known as a leader in the ranks of the republican party in this county. He was a delegate to the republican national convention when U. S. Grant was defeated for the third nomination. He has frequently been a delegate to the district and state conventions and his opinions carry weight in the local councils of his party. He has been active in educational affairs, serving on the board of education of Prophetstown since 1876 with the exception of one year and acting as president of the board throughout the entire period. He assisted. largely in erecting the present school building and does everything in his power to further the cause of public instruction. He has served on the town board and for a long period has been its president, thus taking an active and helpful part in the management of community interests. He was also a member of the board of pension examiners for four years, beginning in 1891, his appointment coming to him unsolicited. Fraternally he is connected with Masons and holds membership with the Knight Templar Commandery of

Sterling. He belongs to the State Medical Society and keeps in interested. touch with the advancement of the profession although during the last six years he has confined his attention to office practice.

When ambition is satisfied every ultimate aim accomplished, satiety follows, effort languishes and industry becomes futile. It is the man who is not satisfied with present conditions who delights in doing, who finds pleasure in exerting his powers and in solving intricate problems that becomes a forceful factor in the world's development. From early youth Dr. Mosher has been one of the world's workers and his success, so great as to seem almost magical, is attributable entirely to his own labors. There have been difficulties and obstacles in his path but he has overcome these by determined purpose and laudable endeavor, and by unfaltering industry, integrity and wise investment has gradually advanced to the goal of prosperity.

LEANDER SMITH.

Leander Smith, now deceased, was for many years a well known banker of Morrison and one of the most prominent business men of northern Illinois. His business interests, wide. in scope and important in character, brought to him notable success and at the same time proved a factor in the rapid and substantial development of the localities in which he operated. He arrived in Whiteside county in 1856 and was identified with its interests until his demise. He was born February 10, 1819, at Templeton, Massachusetts, and was descended from Puritan ancestry. The early home of the family was at Ipswich, Massachusetts, but Nathan and Nancy (Lampson) Smith, the parents of our subject, were both born at Mount Vernon, New Hampshire, the former in 1777 and the latter in 1782. They had but two sons, Nathan and Leander. The father, a woolen manufacturer and farmer, removed to Templeton, Massachusetts, in an early day and in 1838 took up his abode at Royalston, where he died in 1849, while his wife passed away there in 1854.

Leander Smith remained upon the home farm until sixteen years of age, when he became a student in the academy at Ipswich, Massachusetts, and acquired a good education. At seventeen years of age he taught school, following the profession for six years. In the meantime he took up the study of medicine, matriculating in the medical department of Dartmouth College, from which he was graduated in 1842, at the age of twenty-three years. He practiced his profession successfully for three years at Richmond, Vermont, and thence went to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, where the lumber resources of the district were being developed. He located at Elkland and from 1845 until 1853 was identified with various interests in the county. His professional skill won him a large and lucrative practice and his energy and keen business insight proved strong elements in the success that attended other business ventures. He became successfully engaged in the lumber business and was also connected with mercantile projects of considerable proportion.