Whiteside County IL Archives Biographies.....Sprague, Orlando 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 January 31, 2008, 2:19 am

Author: Portrait/Bio Album, Whiteside County IL 1885

Orlando Sprague, surveyor and retired farmer, residing at Fulton, was a 
pioneer of Illinois, of June, 1836, and of Whiteside County, of June, 1842. He 
is a native of the State of New York, and was born in Broome County Jan. 4, 
1815, the son.of Charles and Luanna (Bennett) Sprague, and was reared in his 
native county, receiving a liberal education and learning the gunsmith's 
trade. In June, 1836, he emigrated to Illinois and located at Chicago, where 
he spent two years working at his trade. In 1838 he removed to Ottawa, and 
from there to Fulton in June, 1842. Soon after reaching this place he formed a 
partnership with Daniel Lamberton, who had been his companion on coming to the 
city, and under the firm name of Sprague & Lamberton they entered upon the 
manufacture of furniture. At that early day their machinery was not very 
perfect, and their lathes were turned by horse power. However, they turned out 
all sorts of useful and substantial furniture, and were the first in their 
line of business in the place. Thus they continued till 1847, when they 
closed, and Mr. Sprague engaged in the manufacture of cut shingles, using 
horse power and a machine of his own invention. His machine turned out 6,000 
shingles per hour, of fine quality. He continued the shingle-making business 
up to the fall of 1849, when, having caught the California gold fever, he 
began preparations for a trip to that region. On the 8th of April, 1850, he 
started over­land for California, in company with a party of his fellow 
townsmen, and arrived at Hangtown, Cal., the 8th of August following. Instead 
of undertaking placer-mining, he engaged in hunting, in company with the well 
known hunter, W. Y. Ives; and they did a fine business, killing antelope, 
which they sold at 25 cents per pound. They frequently killed from 20 to 25 
antelope a day. Learning of a good opening at Shasta, in Northern California, 
for a gunsmith, Mr. Sprague proceeded to that point and opened a gunsmith 
shop. Business prospered with him beyond his expectations, but his health 
failed him and he was obliged to suspend operations and return to the States, 
which he did via the Panama and New Orleans route. He then purchased a large 
tract of land lying in Fulton Township, amounting to 840 acres, situated on 
sections 26, 35 and 27. He then engaged in farming, while still residing in 
the city. Mr. Sprague was married at Fulton, Ill., Nov. 17, 1845, to Miss Mary 
J. Hamilton, a daughter of Wm. Hamilton; she was born in Indiana. Two children 
were born of this marriage. The elder, Cora E., is the wife of Mr. Winchester, 
of Chicago; and Helen, the younger, died in childhood, from burns received in 
falling into a fire in the street! A separation occurred between Mr. Sprague 
and his wife in 1872, and she now resides with her daughter in Chicago. He 
married again Sept. 26, 1872, at Rock Island. His present wife was Mrs. Martha 
J. Bradway, widow of William Bradway, and daughter of Edson and Sophronia 
(Marsh) Smith. Mrs. Sprague was born in Connecticut and came West to reside in 
1865. She had one child by her former marriage, a daughter, named Stella M., 
and born Sept. 27, 1867. Mr. Sprague sold his farming lands, and for the past 
ten years has devoted his attention to surveying, the lending of his capital 
and the care of his extensive village property. He had made a study of 
surveying in his younger days; and, having a natural love of mathematics, he 
soon became an expert in his business and authority on the subject of land 
boundaries in this region. In politics he is an earnest Republican, and has 
voted with that party since its organization. He still resides in the 
comfortable house he erected in Fulton in 1846.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Whiteside County, Illinois, Containing Full-
page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens of the County. Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1885.

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