Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Holderman, John 1827 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com March 25, 2006, 4:50 pm Author: Bio/Gen Record LaSalle/Grundy 1900 John Holderman There is no better blood in the mixture which animates the men and women of America than that of Pennsylvania; and no sturdier men, no nobler women, have come to the west than those who found their way over the mountains to Ohio and scattered over her sister states. One of the most noteworthy and most respectable representatives of this good old stock in Grundy county, was the man whose name heads this sketch. Mr. Holderman, who during his life here was a farmer and stock-raiser on section 12, Goose Lake township, this county, was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, in 1827, the third child of John Holderman, a native of Pennsylvania, who married Elizabeth Blickenstaff, a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Crull) Blickenstaff, of Maryland. His father was a farmer of Vandalia, Montgomery county, Ohio, and died there in 1850; his mother died in Kansas, about twenty- five years later. John and Elizabeth (Blickenstaff) Holderman had ten children, of whom only John and Elizabeth are living. Mary married John Patty, of Montgomery county, Ohio, and died at Pleasant Hill, Miami county, that state. She was the mother of three children, one of whom is living. Magdalene died unmarried at Battle Creek, Michigan. Jacob lived in Grundy county, Illinois, for eight or nine years and moved to Kansas, where he died. He married Charlotte Smith and they had six children, four of whom are living. Elizabeth is living, unmarried, at Emporia, Kansas. Elliott R. was a banker, farmer and cattle-raiser at Emporia, where he died, in which city also Daniel W. completed his days on earth. He married Carrie Rand, and afterward Hannah M. Gracey. Lavina died at the age of six years. David lived to be over ten years. Harriet, who died at the age of thirty-four years, was the wife of Dr. Kemp, of Dayton, Ohio, and bore him a son, named Charles H. John Holderman, the subject of this notice, remained in his native town in Montgomery county, Ohio, until he was twenty-one years of age, then removed to Noble county, Indiana, and lived there a short time, and in 1852 came to Grundy county, settling in Felix, now Goose Lake, township, on the farm which he occupied until his death, January 8, 1900, for a disease of the heart. Here for forty-eight years he was engaged in farming and stock-raising, accumulating a large amount of property. His residence was one of the best of its class in the county. His methods of dealing were honorable and his success was most worthily won. His character so strongly commended him to his fellow townsmen that he was twice elected supervisor of Goose Lake township; and he served also in the office of commissioner. He was married in 1860, to Phebe Patty, a daughter of James and Margaret (Beck) Patty, of Montgomery county, Ohio. James Patty died at his home in Ohio, in March, 1896, aged eighty-three years. His wife still survives, still living in Montgomery county, Ohio, at the advanced age of eighty-eight. This worthy couple had four sons and six daughters, of whom three sons and one daughter are deceased. John and Phebe (Patty) Holderman have had seven children, all of whom were born in Goose Lake township, and whose names are Margaret Elizabeth, John Franklin, Mary Bell, James Edward, Phebe Ella, Martha Harriet and Charles Elliott. Elizabeth married Willis Caldwell, of Broken Bow, Nebraska, and has children named Eva Phebe, Ray Holderman, John Willis and Gaius George. John F., is living, unmarried, on the old homestead. Mary B. holds the office of county superintendent of public schools of Grundy county, Illinois, performing its duties ably and conscientiously and to the satisfaction of teachers, school officials, pupils and parents. P. Ella developed a decided talent for music, received a musical education and is at this time a successful teacher of music in Chicago. M. Harriet is a teacher of public-school music and drawing. James E. died at the age of sixteen years; and Charles E. died in childhood. The children who have been brought up in this family are an honor to their parents, and such a legacy of intelligence and good intent left by the parents is better to the world than millions in money. Mr. Holderman, the father, must have had great satisfaction in the evening of his life in the contemplation of his success in his career, and the testimony given by his neighbors in various ways verify this estimate of his character. His remains were buried in Evergreen cemetery at Morris, Illinois, a place sacred to many departed friends of the family. Mrs. Holderman survives to enjoy a while longer in this life the result of the glorious prestige left by her honored husband and also that which she has herself established by her faithful service in the obligations of life that devolved upon her. Additional Comments: Source: Biographical and Genealogical Record of La Salle and Grundy Counties Illinois, Volume 11, Chicago, 1900, pages 428-429 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/grundy/bios/holderma610nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 5.6 Kb