Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Savage, Hon Amos 1836 - 
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Author: Portraits & Bio Sketches, 1890

HON. AMOS SAVAGE. 

Few words are needed in introducing Mr. Savage to the people of Will County, 
as his name has been familiar to the great portion of them for many years. He 
has long been identified with the best interests of this section and has 
fairly earned his title of Honorable by services in the Illinois Legislature, 
where he acquitted himself with his usual good judgment and efficiency. He is 
a man of fine talents and that solid strength of character which has gained 
him the esteem and confidence of all with whom he has had dealings. The friend 
of progress and education, he has carried out his ideas, especially in his own 
family, giving to his children the advantages which will fit them for taking 
their positions in life as good and useful members of the community. The home 
of Mr. Savage and his surroundings indicates in a marked manner the qualities 
of character which have shown conspicuously in all the relations of life. The 
subject of this notice is the offspring of excellent ancestry, supposed to 
have originated in England. His father, Deacon Levi Savage, was born in 
Washington County, N. Y., January 28, 1799, and his mother, who bore the 
maiden name of Milenda Streetor, was a native of the same county as her 
husband and less than a month his junior, her birth taking place February 20, 
of the same year. They were reared in their native county and married at 
Granville, January 27, 1822. Soon afterward they settled in Clinton County, 
that State, but only remained there three years, returning then to Washington 
County where they resided about eight years. In June, 1833, the parents of Mr. 
Savage came to this county, locating near Joliet, where they remained until 
the spring of 1834. The father then took up land on section 28, Homer 
Township, from which he constructed a comfortable homestead where he sojourned 
until his death, which occurred February 14, 1885. The mother is still living 
and although having arrived at the advanced age of ninety-two years, retains 
her faculties to a remarkable degree. Deacon Savage was a man possessing 
strong traits of character and was not easily turned from his convictions when 
he felt assured that he was right. He was a stanch Abolitionist, totally 
opposed to the "peculiar institution" of slavery and for many years was a 
Deacon in the Congregational Church. His home was the resort of many noted 
characters, where his hospitality and genuine kindness of heart made everyone 
feel welcome and at home. The household circle included eight children, five 
of whom lived to mature years. Hannah W. died unmarried when about forty years 
of age; Helen L. was the wife of Dwight Haven, a sketch of whom will be found 
on another page in this volume. Emily is the wife of William H. Lanfear of 
Homer Township; Edward is a resident of Sioux Falls, S. D.; Amos, our subject, 
is the youngest born. The elder children died when quite young. Mr. Savage of 
whom we write was born in what is now Homer Township, June 18, 1836, and 
therein he has spent his entire life. His boyhood days were unmarked by 
anything especially noticeable, he attending the district school and assisting 
his father in the lighter labors of the farm. He chose agriculture for his 
vocation in life, as best suited to his tastes and capacities, being 
thoroughly imbued with the sentiment that this calling properly carried on, 
was second in dignity to none on the face of the earth. He remained a member 
of the parental household until his marriage, which occurred at Lemont, Cook 
County, this State, February 25, 1864, the bride being Miss Mary L., daughter 
of Asahel and Catherine (Geddes) Slate. After his return from the army the 
young people commenced their wedded life together on their own farm in Homer 
Township, and Mr. Savage operated successfully as a tiller of the soil while 
at the same time he grew in favor with his fellow citizens, interesting 
himself in the enterprises calculated to promote the general good of the 
community. His first public service was as Supervisor of Homer Township, to 
which he was elected in April, 1861, and which office he resigned in order to 
proffer his services in the preservation of the union. He enlisted as a 
private August 5, 1861, in Company G, Thirty-ninth Illinois Infantry, and not 
long afterward was given the commission of Second Lieutenant which was 
succeeded July 20, 1862, by his promotion to a First Lieutenancy. Still 
advancing, he was presented July 11, 1861, with a Captain's commission and 
served in this capacity until October 28, following, when he was obliged to 
accept his honorable discharge on account of disability. His first experience 
in actual service was in repelling the raid of Stonewall Jackson upon the 
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, in January, 1862, where one hundred men of the 
Thirty-ninth successfully resisted the attack of two rebel regiments, the 
Third Arkansas and Thirty seventh Virginia. He was also at the battle of 
Winchester, (Hearnstown) March 23, 1862, where the favorite chieftain of the 
rebellion was driven from the field with the loss of guns and many prisoners. 
He was sent with his command to join the Army of the Potomac at the time of 
the "seven days' fight"; was in the expedition against Charlestown and engaged 
in the siege of that city from April to December, of 1863, and led his company 
over the parapet of Ft. Wagner. Mr. Savage, in 1864, was in the campaign 
against Richmond, in the Army of the James, leaving the front only when 
disabled and when his regiment had been reduced by the casualties of battle 
and by disease, from a total of seven hundred and fifty, to about one hundred 
and fifty men in the short space of two months. Upon receiving his discharge 
he returned to his farming interests in Homer Township, but has never laid 
aside any of his patriotism or his activity in assisting the projects set on 
foot for the benefit of the people. He has taken an active part in political 
affairs and it is hardly necessary to state is a stanch supporter of the 
Republican party. He has been for many years a prominent member of Gooding 
Post, No. 401, G. A. R. and was once elected to the commandership, but 
declined. He is independent in his religious views, a man who does his own 
thinking, who seeks to force his opinions upon none, but who abides by his 
convictions with the natural tenacity and strength of his character. For over 
a quarter of a century and since November, 1864, Mr. Savage has served 
continuously as Township Treasurer. His leisure hours have been employed with 
instructive reading, and few men not following the profession of law are 
better acquainted with its underlying principles. His council is frequently 
sought in matters of importance and largely in the settlement of estates with 
which he is often entrusted. In 1860, he took the stump for Abraham Lincoln, 
in Will and DuPage Counties, rendering signal service in behalf of the 
Republican candidate for President. In 1867, he was appointed to fill a 
vacancy as Supervisor of Homer Township, and from that time was continuously 
elected to the office until 1872, when he withdrew to take his seat in the 
legislature. He was Chairman of the Board of Supervisors for two years and 
otherwise rendered efficient service in the various matters which were 
constantly coming up for consideration. Mr. Savage has taken an active part in 
every Presidential campaign since 1864. During his eight separate elections as 
Township Supervisor, he was placed in office five times wilhout a single 
dissenting voice. He was elected to the State Board of Equalization in 1876, 
and served eight years. Notwithstanding his public services, Mr. Savage has 
distinguished himself as a progressive farmer and has invested a large portion 
of his capital in valuable lands, owning three hundred and sixty-four acres in 
this county, besides land in Dakota. He makes a specialty of live stock, 
buying and selling extensively and utilizing a large portion of his farm in 
Homer Township for feeding purposes. He is a prominent member of the Old 
Settlers Association of this county. His domestic life furnishes a picture 
pleasant to contemplate, with his family of intelligent children growing up 
around him and occupying honored positions in society. The eldest daughter, 
Helen E., was born December 8, 1864, and is the wife of Frank A. Rowley, of 
Homer Township; Frank M., was born July 19, 1867, and married Miss Emma Haley 
of Homer Township; John H., was born June 25, 1870, and is pursuing his 
studies in the Englewood High School; Williard A., was born September 14, 
1872, and Mary A., May 13, 1874. The two younger children are at home with 
their parents. The parents of Mrs. Savage died in South Carolina when she was 
quite young. Her father was born in New England and her mother in New York 
State. Mrs. Savage was born near Georgetown, S. C., June 22, 1837, and came to 
Illinois in 1851.

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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