Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Birkett, Daniel 1811 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 9, 2007, 10:37 pm

Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890

DANIEL BIRKETT is eminently a self-made man, and is a fine type of the class 
who, in building up their own fortunes have been important factors in securing 
the prosperity and promoting the growth of their State, county and township. 
This gentleman came to this county more than half a century ago, a poor man 
with scarcely a dollar that he could call his own, yet to-day he is numbered 
among the men of wealth in this part of the State. For many years he has been 
extensively engaged in agricultural pursuits and owns one of the largest and 
most valuable farms in this county, which is exceptionally well improved and 
under perfect management. Besides this he owns several other farms. His 
beautiful home in Plainfield, one of the finest residences in the village, is 
fitted up with all modern conveniences, and is comfortably furnished. Our 
subject is a native of England, born in the County of Cumberland, December 21, 
1811. His father and his grandfather both named like himself, were also 
natives of that county. His grandfather was a farmer and landowner and lived 
to be upwards of ninety years old. The father of our subject was reared and 
married in the place of his nativity, and there carried on the occupation of a 
farmer and spent his entire life, his remains now lying in Ireby Churchyard. 
The maiden name of his wife was Jane Railton, and she was also a native of 
Cumberland County. Her father, Joseph Railton, was a tiller of the soil, and 
spent his entire life in that county. The mother of our subject died in the 
place of her birth. She and her husband reared seven children as follows: 
John, Joseph, Mary, Jane, William, Daniel, and Ann, our subject being the only 
one of the sons who ever came to this country. He was reared and married and 
remained in his English home until 1835. He was of an ambitious, venturous 
turn of mind and resolved to try his fortunes in the United States of America, 
and in that year set sail from Liverpool in the month of January, on the good 
ship "St. Lawrence," and on the 6th of March disembarked at New York, after a 
voyage of six weeks and four days. He was accompanied to this country by his 
wife, and they stayed in New York City nearly two years before coming to 
Illinois, making the journey hither by the Hudson River and Erie Canal to 
Buffalo, and thence by lake to Chicago, which they then found to be a small 
place. At that time our subject was very poor and was glad to find employment 
on the canal which was then in process of construction. Mrs. Birkett proved 
herself to be a true helpmate, and shouldering a part of the burden of support 
of the family, she boarded forty of the workmen. Mr. Birkett built an oven of 
stone and clay for her to cook by, as when they commenced housekeeping they 
had no furniture. He bored holes in a log of their cabin and inserted poles to 
make a bedstead, using their chest for a table and boxes for seats. Mr. 
Birkett worked on the canal for one season and then located on land in Cook 
County, living there until 1839, when he came to Will County. This was then 
very sparsely settled, the land was in the hands of the Government and for 
sale at $1.25 per acre. Deer, wolves, and other wild animals were roaming at 
will over the wild prairies and were often troublesome to the new settlers. At 
that time there were no railways in the State and Chicago was the nearest 
market, to which the pioneers took their grain with ox teams. Mr. Birkett 
rented land two or three years, and then purchased one hundred and twenty 
acres of the Government in what is now Wheatland Township. He built a frame 
house and broke a few acres and then sold the land and all his stock. He then 
invested in another tract of wild prairie land in the same township, and for a 
year rented improved land, and during the time broke and fenced and built on 
his own property, and then settled there. He continued to live on that place 
until 1856, when he disposed of it at an advance and located on another tract 
of one hundred and sixty acres of wild land adjoining the farm that he had 
previously purchased. He erected suitable buildings, improved the land and 
resided on it until 1872, when he sold the farm and bought a place near by on 
which he built a dwelling, which he made his home until 1880. His next move 
was to Aurora, where he bought land and built and there dwelt for a few 
months, when he sold at a good price, and returning to Wheatland was there 
until 1885, and in that year came to his present beautiful home in Plainfield. 
Mr. Birkett and Miss Ann Ray were united in marriage June 2, 1834. She was a 
native of Cumberland County, England, born May 22, 1815. Her grandfather, John 
Ray, who was of Scotch parentage, was a landowner in that county and there 
spent his entire life engaged in agricultural pursuits. Mrs. Birkett's father 
was also a farmer, and passed his whole life on his native soil. Mr. and Mrs. 
Birkett have reared seven children, of whom the following are recorded: Ann, 
married Thomas King; Daniel R.; Louisa M. married John Varley; Elizabeth 
Esther married Charles Varley; Olive A. married Nicholas Kanaff; Lavina J., 
who is the widow of William Irwin, lives with her parents; and Mary J., who 
married Jay Hyland. The wedded life of our subject and his wife has not passed 
without its attendant sorrows in the death of four of their children, as 
follows: Jane died at the age of two years; Henry R., when eight months old; 
Mary J. at the age of eight years and eight months; and John, aged six weeks. 
Mr. Birkett is a man of strong character, self reliant and self helpful, and 
has always managed his affairs in a thoroughly business-like manner, evincing 
remarkable discernment and discretion. With the wealth thus acquired he makes 
judicious use, being liberally and charitably disposed and doing his share to 
promote all schemes for public benefit. This venerable gentleman and his 
estimable wife are honored and respected not only for what they are, but for 
what they have done to promote the growth of the county and establish its 
material prosperity, and they are well worthy of a place in this Biographical 
Album.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page 
Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens 
of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890 

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