Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Bush, John E ************************************************ 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 September 3, 2007, 1:44 am Author: Genealogical/Biographical Publishing Co JOHN E. BUSH came to this county in 1860 and has been engaged as a grain dealer in Joliet since 1864. During the early days of his experience in the grain business, the farmers from a radius of twenty miles in this and surrounding counties brought him their grain, and, as he made his shipments by canal, he was able to pay two cents more than could those who shipped by railroad. His shipments, amounting to almost one-half million bushels per annum, were made in his own canal boats and in those hired from other parties. After a time the railroad, in order to gain the trade, began cutting rates and finally gave a better price that the canals could give, so the latter ceased to be a medium of transportation, and all shipments were made by rail. In 1871 Mr. Bush built an elevator on the Michigan Central road, corner of Washington street and Eastern avenue, at a cost of $25,000, and containing good improvements, including steam power. This building still stands. In 1880 he built the River block, on Exchange street, which was three stories in height and 60x95 feet in dimensions. Water power was furnished from the canal. It was in this block that the Bates Machine Company started in business, and it was also used by other manufacturing companies. On Desplaines near Jefferson street he had an elevator which he used until it and the business block were condemned and removed by the drainage board in 1897. The Bush family originated in Scotland and was later represented in the north of Ireland. Early identified with American history, several of its members took part in the Revolutionary war. Stephen Bush, a native of Connecticut, settled at Orwell, Vt., where he engaged in farming. During the war of 1812 he went to the front and fought for American interests. His son, Stephen N., who was born at Orwell, removed to Whitehall, Washington County, N. Y., where he owned and cultivated three hundred acres of land and also carried on a meat market. In 1862 he came to Illinois and bought a farm in Will County across the Washington street bridge, over Hickory Creek, a part of which land is now in Brooklyn. In later years he sold seventeen acres of his property for a fair ground, and afterward the remainder of the land was sold and subdivided into city lots. He then bought one hundred and sixty acres west of the city. He died in Joliet in 1885, when eighty-five years of age. The wife of Stephen N. Bush bore the maiden name of Salome Morse and was born at Cornish Flats, N. H., being the daughter of a miller who died at Whitehall, N. Y. She died in 1858. Twice married, by her first husband she had two sons who settled in Will County, Ill., in 1856, both of whom volunteered in the One Hundredth Illinois Infantry during the Civil war and served until the close of the rebellion. One of them, W. W. Bartlette, who was captain of his company, died in Salina, Kans., and the other, R. F., who was first lieutenant of the same company, is now living in Salina. To the marriage of Stephen N. and Salome Bush four sons and one daughter were born, two of whom are deceased. John E. is the oldest now living and the only one in Joliet. His brother, H. F., who served in the One Hundredth Illinois Infantry, is now engaged in the hardware business in Honolulu, Sandwich Island. At Whitehall, N. Y., our subject was born November 5, 1835. He prepared for college in Whitehall Academy, and in 1856 entered Williams College at Williamstown, Mass., from which he graduated in 1860, with the degree of A. B. During the same year he came to Illinois and secured a clerkship in a Joliet grocery. Two years later, on the organization of the First National Bank, he became a stockholder and director and entered the bank in a clerical capacity. In 1864 he resigned his position in order to engage in the grain business, but he still retains his stock in the bank and has been one of its directors from the first. He owns property in Joliet and a farm in the county. In 1872 he laid out the Bush addition to Joliet, on Richards and Hickory streets, and in 1895 he made a subdivision of property on Jasper street. Bush Park originally belonged to him and is named in his honor. The first wife of Mr. Bush was Cornelia, daughter of George Woodruff, late president of the First National Bank. She was born in Joliet and died here in 1876, leaving two children. The son, George Woodruff Bush, who was educated in the University of Michigan, is a member of the hardware firm of Bush & Handwerk, in Joliet. The daughter, Jennie C, who was educated at Vassar, has spent most of her time abroad since leaving college. The present wife of Mr. Bush was Bella G. Kenyon, who was born at Thompsonville, Conn., and accompanied her father, John Kenyon, to Illinois, settling on a farm at Tamarack, this county. For a time she was principal of the East avenue high school of Joliet. Three sons were born of this marriage, namely: John K., who is a member of the class of 1900, University of Illinois: Edward M., a member of the high school class of 1900; and Ralph H. At the time of the erection of the courthouse Mr. Bush served as assistant supervisor for two terms. He was also school inspector for two terms, and filled the position with the greatest efficiency. At one time he was a member of the board of trustees of the old Chicago University. In politics he is a stanch Republican. He is connected with the Williams College Alumni Association and the Delta Kappa Epsilon Society. For many years he has been chairman of the board of trustees in the Eastern Avenue Baptist Church and was an active member of the building committee at the time of the erection of the church. He also served for years as Sunday-school superintendent. In 1885 he was largely instrumental in starting a Sunday-school at Three Points mission in Joliet, and ever since then he has acted as its superintendent. He possesses qualities of a high order and is a gentleman of kind heart, sanguine temperament, whole-souled and liberal-minded, one who easily wins and retains the confidence of associates, and whose integrity has won for him the respect of his acquaintances. Additional Comments: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present Biographical Publishing Company; Chicago 1900 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/bush1628nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 7.0 Kb