WILLIAM H. EUSTICE


EUSTICE, WILLIAM H.  We have in the record of the life of the subject of this biography the career of one of the pioneer settlers of this county. He came to Northern Illinois as early as 1844, when a lad of twelve years of age. He has since made it his abiding place, and borne no unimportant part of its phenominal growth and development. A man of strong character and decided ideas, he proved to be of the stuff which was most needed to assist in the development of one of the richest sections of country in the Great West. Our subject made permanent settlement a long distance from the place of his birth, which was in Cornwall County, England, where he first opened his eyes to the light March 29, 1831. His parents were John and Ann (Ward) Eustice, who were also of English birth and parentage. The father in his native country labored in the mines of Cornwall until 1841, when he crossed the Atlantic with his family and spent the first year in the State of Pennsylvania. At the expiration of this time he set out for the farther West, going to Wisconsin while it was still a territory. In 1843 he came to this county, which remained the home of the father until his death. The elder Eustice came alone to America and did not send for his family until 1844, after becoming established in this county. He was in that year joined by his wife and their four children. He had in the meantime purchased 120 acres of government land on section 36, in Elizabeth Township, paying therefore $1.25 per acre. After he had made a considerable improvement on this, he added to his landed area by the purchase of 160 acres additional, for which he paid $6.25 per acre. Upon this he labored until his death, which occurred in February, 1882. He was successful in constructing a comfortable homestead, and bought the land to a good state of cultivation. Taking up his land just as the Indians had left it, it required no small outlay of labor and money to bring it to its present state.

The father of our subject was one of the first pioneer farmers of Elizabeth Township. His first dwelling was a log cabin, and for a number of years, in addition to working upon his farm, he also engaged in mining. He was a man of great enterprise and energy, and in 1856 put in the Woodbine Township what was first known as Eustice Mill, but is now the Mitchell Mill, which has become one of the standing institutions of this part of the county. During the last years of his ownership of the mill-property he operated it in partnership with his son, our subject. The parental household included nine children six of whom are living. The mother died in 1849. William H., our subject acquired his education in the primitive schools of his county, and at an early age was taught to make himself of use around the homestead, assisting his father both in farming and mining. In 1852 he made his way across the plains to California, where he was engaged in gold mining about four years. By this means he obtained sufficient capital to buy land, which he invested upon his return to this county. His next important step was his marriage, which occurred March 26, 1858 with Miss Sarah, daughter of William and Sarah Davis. The latter were also natives of England, whence they emigrated to America and settled in Elizabeth Township, this county, in 1841. The father engaged in mining, and both parents here spent the remainder of their lives; William Davis passing away in 1860 and his excellent wife in 1879. Mrs. Eustice was a little child three years of age when her parents came to America, she having been born in Cornwall County, England, Oct. 4, 1838. With the exception of one year spent in Adair County, Mo., Mr. and Mrs. Eustice have been residents of Elizabeth Township since their marriage. The nine children born of their union are recorded as follows; Sarah A. is at home; Clara E. is the wife of Joseph Reed, of Neosha County, Kan.; Harry A. married Maggie Williams, of Galena; Jennie H. and Willie C. are at home; Bertha, Willie and Winnie all died in infancy; one child died in infancy unnamed.

Not long after his return from the Pacific slope Mr. Eustice purchased a half interest in the gristmill owned by his father, and they operated in partnership under the firm name of Eustice & Son until 1865. In the meantime they had made an addition to the building and began purchasing wheat, running the establishment as a custom mill until the year mentioned, when William H. sold out his interest to Edward Mitchell. Shortly afterward the father of our subject also disposed of his interest in the establishment, which is now operated by Mr. Mitchell. William H. Eustice is what may be called a successful man; that is, he has acquired a competence and has firmly established himself in the esteem and confidence of his fellow-citizens. While a resident of Woodbine Township he served as School Director, and in Elizabeth has officiated as Clerk of the Village Board of Trustees. He has long been considered a man worthy the honored of office and one who would serve efficiently, but he is not ambitions for the cares and responsibilities connected therewith, although frequently solicited to assume them. He votes the straight Republican ticket, and socially belong to the Masonic fraternity. He has had some experience in mercantile business, having been engaged therein three years at Elizabeth with his brother-in-law, Thomas Prior, but was obliged to abandon it on account of ill health; and this was also the reason why he withdrew from the mill business. Mr. Eustice has visited his old England three times since making his first voyage to America, his physician advised him to do this on account of the state of his health. Mrs. Eustice and her daughter are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and prominent in the social circles of Elizabeth. They occupy a pleasant home in the west part of town, and are surrounded by all the comforts of life and many of its luxuries. Among the distinguished and well-known citizens of JoDaviess County, Whose portraits grace the paged of this volume, is included that of Mr. Eustice.

RICHARD EUSTICE

EUSTICE, RICHARD  The pioneer history of JoDaviess County would scarcely be complete without prominent mention of this gentleman, who came within its limits as early as 1840.  He has for the last eleven years made his home on sec. 23 in Elizabeth Township, among whose people he has lived and labored to excellent purpose, establishing himself in their confidence and esteem, and securing a goodly proportion of this world's goods.  Our subject received his first impressions of life in the County of Cornwall, England, his birth taking place July 15, 1840.  He was the oldest child in a family of eight, the offspring of William and Mary (Williams) Eustice, the former of whom died June 3, 1858.  The latter is living and makes her home at Lena, Stephenson County, this State.  When their son, Richard was an infant of four months the family set out for America, and the father employed himself a short time thereafter in the coal mines of Pennsylvania.   In 1842 they came to this county settling first at Weston, in Elizabeth Township, where the father was engaged in lead mining a number of years.  He also spent about two years in the copper-mining regions of Lake Superior, having his family with him there also.  Upon returning from there he purchased seventy acres of land on section 27 in Elizabeth Township, this county, where he prosecuted agriculture successfully until his death, which occurred June 3, 1858, from a stroke of lightning.   With him also perished his son William.  They were standing in a door of their house, and the electric fluid came down the chimney, killing them instantly.  The mother of our subject, after thus being sadly widowed, moved to Elizabeth Village of which she was a resident a number of years, and whence she repaired to Lena Ill., and is now making her home with her son James H., being now nearly seventy years old.

Richard our subject, was deprived of many of the advantages given the youth of to-day in the way of schooling and social training, working mainly on a farm until twenty years of age. He then began teaming for the firm of Greene & Goldthorpe, proprietors of a lead blast furnace which located in the vicinity of the present farm of our subject. He was thus employed for a period of seventeen years, and in the meantime also was assigned the duty of weighing the mineral at the mines before hauling it to the furnace. A portion of this was transported to Galena for shipment elsewhere.

   About 1878 Mr. Eustice in the company with his brother-in-law, William Tippett commenced farming on a tract of rented land, that which is now owned by Mr. Eustice. They operated together five years, it being at that time owned by the Hon.H.Green. It was purchased by our subject in the fall of 1882 and comprises 146 acres, the soil of which has been brought to a though state of cultivation and the farm improved with neat and substantial buildings, which may be classed among the best in the township. A self-made man Mr. Eustice is indebted solely to his own persevering efforts for the handsome property which he enjoys to-day. The 1st of January, 1865 witnessed the marriage of our subject with Miss Mary K., daughter of William and Jane (King) Tippett, who, like the Eustice family, were numbered among the pioneer settlers of Jo Daviess County. The young people commenced their wedded life at a modest, but comfortable home in Elizabeth Township, and labored together with a mutual purpose for the future. Their union has resulted in the birth of six children, viz: Edith A. , William M., James E., Richard J., Authur R., and Ernest Russell. Mr. Eustice upholds with all the natural strength of his character, the principles of the Republican party. He served two terms as Commissioner of Highways in Elizabeth Township, and as School Director, also, two terms. Both he and his estimable wife identified themselves with the Methodist Episcopal Church many years ago, and take an active interest in its prosperity. Their sterling worth of character and their habits of industry and economy have had a perceptible influence upon the people around them, stimulating them to exertions of a like character. No man can live very long in a community without imparting to it something either good or bad, and the former has unquestionably been the character shed upon their community by Richard Eustice and his estimable partner.  Mr. Eustice is a breeder of Shorthorn cattle.



From the Portrait and Biographical Album of Jo Daviess County, Illinois (1889)

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