a graduate of the Naval Academy at Annapolis of the class of 1895 and is now an ensign on the battleship Rhode Island. Having lost his first wife, Mr. Greenlee was again married on the 2d of June, 1893, when Miss Helen Daggett became his wife. She is a native of Lyndon and a daughter of Falarman and Falina (Fitch) Daggett, who remained residents of this locality until called to their final home. Mr. and Mrs. Greenlee are well known in the community, having an extensive circle of friends. They attend the Congregational church, of which Mrs. Greenlee is a member, while Mr. Greenlee holds membership relations with the Modern Woodmen of America. The terms progress and patriotism might well be termed the keynote of his character. His business life has been characterized by advancement, while his public service has been the exemplification of marked fidelity to the interests entrusted to his care.

THOMAS W. STEVENS.

In a history of Whiteside county's early development it is imperative that mention should be made of Thomas W. Stevens and his wife, the latter being a representative of one of the oldest families of Sterling. Mr. Stevens also came here in pioneer times and for many years was closely associated with its agricultural development, transforming the wild land into a productive farm and gaining through his well directed labors a comfortable competence that enabled him to spend his last days in honorable retirement and to leave his family in comfortable financial circumstances. He was born in the northern part of Pennsylvania and came west to Illinois with his parents when a youth of thirteen years, arriving in 1838. They settled half a mile north of Sterling when the east part of the town was called Harrisburg and the west part Chatham. The father, Jonathan Stevens, died upon the homestead farm, which he cultivated for many years, and it was there that his wife, Mrs. Ellen (Bowman) Stevens, also passed away.

Thomas W. Stevens was reared to manhood under the parental roof and pursued his education in the little school house east of Broadway, in Sterling. He was closely associated with the early events of the city which framed its course and molded its policy. He was twice married, his first union being with Miss Adaline Coe, by whom he had two children-Maltva Coe and Helen Amanda Stevens. The wife and mother passed away in 1850, and in the spring of 1852 Mr. Stevens went to California in company with some cousins. They made their way to a ranch, where Thomas W. Stevens continued for about seven years, after which he returned to Sterling and resumed farming in Sterling township, being the owner of forty acres of land there, which he had purchased before he went to California. To this he added eighty acres as his financial resources increased and became an active factor in the agricultural life of the community.

Mr. Stevens married again on the 23d of February, 1859, his second wife being Mrs. Helen Ann Snavely, the widow of Moses Snavely and a

daughter of Simeon Maltva and Mary (Miles) Coe. She was a sister of Mrs. Stevens' first wife. Unto this marriage there were born five sons: Frederick, of Sterling, who works for the Rock Falls Manufacturing Company, married Grace Scott, and they have four children living, Wadsworth, Beatrice, Gladys and Earl.. Thaddeus, now deceased, married Lydia Klein and they have seven children, of whom four are living, Kenneth, Carl, Mabel and Margaret. Frank makes his home in Chicago. Ernest died in infancy. Bowman

married Belle Scott and both are now deceased.

For a considerable period Thomas W. Stevens cultivated his farm in Sterling township, but at length sold that property and purchased one of about three hundred and fifty acres in Hopkins township, where he lived for about six years. He then sold this property to his son Thaddeus and took up his abode in Como, where he resided for about six years. On the expiration of that period he became a resident of Sterling, where his last days were passed, his death occurring January 26, 1904, when he had reached the age of seventy-nine years. His widow still survives and is eighty-two years of church but later became identified with the Congregational church and were age. She was born July 29, 1826. Both were members of the Methodist earnest, consistent Christian people.

Mrs. Stevens belongs to one of the first pioneer families of Whiteside. county and is now the only living member of a family of thirteen children, ten sons and three daughters, who were born unto her parents. She was the twelfth in order of birth. With one exception all the children reached mature years and reared families. Her father, Simeon Maltva Coe, died May 20, 1848, in his sixty-fourth year. His wife, Mrs. Mary (Miles) Coe, survived him for about eight years and was in her seventy-second year at the time of her demise. Mr. Coe held various township offices, to which he was called by the vote of his fellow townsmen, who recognized his worth and ability. In the early days here he took up a large tract of government land and was one of the first to aid in reclaiming this region, then wild and unimproved, for the purposes of civilization. He came here to locate in 1838 but had twice visited the district before on a prospecting tour. His son, Simeon Miles Coe, came to Whiteside county in 1835 and also took a large tract of government land. He was closely associated with the later development and progress of the county until his death in 1894 and was widely recognized as a man of prominence and influence here. The Coe family came to Illinois from Monroe county, New York, having lived about twelve miles south of Rochester. The Indians were still seen to some extent in the state and this section of Illinois had become the home of but few white settlers at the time of the arrival of the Coe family, but with characteristic energy they began to clear the soil and cultivate the crops and from the earliest day the family name has figured as one of the most honorable and prominent in the records of Whiteside county. Mrs. Stevens, although now eighty-two years of age; is still well preserved and largely retains her mental and physical faculties unimpaired. She has in recent years, however, suffered from a cataract on the eyes which has left her blind. She does not, however, allow this affliction to overcast her cheerful disposition. She is a most intelligent and entertain

ing lady and a fine conversationalist. Her many good traits of heart and mind have made her life a blessing to the community and wherever known she is held in the highest esteem and warmest regard.

DEDRICK KNALSEN.

A farm of two hundred acres on section 12, Mount Pleasant township pays tribute to the care and labor of Dedrick Knalsen, who purchased this property in March, 1900. It is known as the Aaron Young farm and when it came into his possession was worth about seventy-five dollars per acre. Today he would refuse one hundred dollars per acre for the place, which is now well improved, while the fields have been brought under a high state of cultivation. He carries on the tilling of the soil and also raises stock and both branches of his business are proving profitable.

Mr. Knalsen is a native of Germany, his birth having occurred in the state of Oldenburg, January 15, 1856. His parents, John and Emily Frederika (Gerdes) Knalsen, came to America in 1859 and settled in Lee county, Illinois, near Dixon, where they made their home for a few years prior to taking up their abode in Whiteside county. The mother died here about twenty-one years ago, when fifty-nine years of age. The father made his home with his son Dedrick Knalsen for about sixteen years prior to his death, which occurred in the fall of 1903, when he was on a visit to North Dakota. He was then seventy-seven years of age. He owned eighty acres of land in Hopkins township, this county, and for several years during his active life followed farming in the employ of others in order to gain a start. He was thus engaged in 1858, when wages were but fifty cents per day. Whatever success he achieved was attributable entirely to his own labors and he well deserved the proud American title of a "self-made man." Unto Mr. and Mrs. Knalsen were born eight children, five sons and three daughters, as follows: Henry, a farmer and thresher, living in McLean county, North Dakota, is now married and has two sons. Dedrick is the next of the family. Maggie is the wife of John Folkers, a farmer, residing in Cloud county, Kansas, by whom she has two children. Mary is the wife of Frank Buhler, who follows farming near Dixon, Lee county, Illinois, and they have three sons. Baker and Fred, twins, died about 1878, when twenty years of age. Louisa died in 1879, at the age of fifteen years, and John died in infancy over forty years ago.

Dedrick Knalsen was largely reared in Whiteside county. He was but three years old when his parents left the fatherland and established their home in Illinois and was but a young lad when they came from Lee county to this county. He attended the public schools and thus obtained a fair English education and received ample training in the work of the farm. He was thus well qualified to take charge of a farm of his own after attaining manhood, and in his chosen life work he has met with gratifying success. He farmed for sixteen years in Hopkins township and since then has lived