David D. OWEN, who resides upon section 9, Richland township, is a well
known citizen of Marshall county, and was born on the farm where he now
resides, April 26, 1837, and is a son of Timothy and Jane (DEVER) OWEN, the
former a native of Connecticut, and the latter of Ohio. (See sketch of
Timothy OWEN elsewhere in this volume.)
The subject of this sketch
grew to manhood on the farm in Richland township, and was educated in the
district schools. He was reared to the life of a farmer and has ever
followed that occupation. He was married November 18, 1868, to Miss Emma L.
BEQUEAITH, a native of Tazewell county, born near Pekin, and a daughter of
John and Elizabeth (KING) BEQUEAITH, both of whom were natives of Ohio, the
former born November 1, 1820, and the latter January 7, 1821. Her parents
moved from Ohio to Indiana in a very early day, and there resided until
1832, when they came to Illinois, and settled four miles southwest of Pekin,
in Tazewell county, near the Bequeaith bridge. They there resided until
1881, when, retiring from active life, they purchased property on Buena
Vista avenue, Pekin, and there resided until his death, September 29, 1893.
His widow still survives. Their children were Mrs. OWEN, James, Mrs. Alice
ILIFF, Mrs. Laura LLOYD and Louis. Three died before reaching maturity. The
paternal grandparents of Mrs. OWEN were Joseph and Elizabeth (KUNKLE)
BEQUEAITH, who also moved to Tazewell county in an early day, where both
died many years ago, and their remains were interred in the Bequeaith
cemetery in Tazewell county. They were the parents of ten children –
William, Mrs. Mary DWYER, Mrs. Elizabeth CLARRY, Joseph, Mrs. Annie DIXON,
John, Mrs. Susan WHITTAKER, Michael, Louis and Nicholas.
Mrs. OWEN
was born March 11, 1851, and received her education in the public schools of
Pekin. Immediately after their marriage our subject and his wife took up
their residence upon their present farm which comprises three hundred and
twenty acres of highly improved land and where they have since continued to
reside. They are the parents of five children, four of whom are living –
Louis R., Jay J. Walter D. and James K.
The one deceased was Timothy
D., who died in early childhood. The others are all at home. Each have had
good educational advantages, passing through the district schools and
attending higher institutions elsewhere.
Politically, Mr. OWEN has
been a republican since the organization of the party, having voted for
Lincoln in 1860, and for the republican nominees for state and local offices
in 1858. While never aspiring for official position, he has served as
township clerk and for twenty years has been a school trustee. His son Jay
is at present township clerk.
In his life work, Mr. OWEN has been
quite successful, being a practical farmer and one ever abreast with the
times. His place is always kept under the highest state of cultivation and
his dwelling and outhouses show taste and refinement. In addition to his
farm on which the family reside he is the owner of some sixty-six lots in
the suburbs of Chicago. Mrs. OWEN is the owner of a beautiful residence
property on Buena Vista avenue at Pekin, Illinois, and has also a farm of
one hundred and twenty acres three and a half miles southwest of that place.
Extracted March 2011 by Norma Hass from The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois, 1896.
No history of Marshall county would be complete without mention of the various representatives of the OWEN family, for they have been most closely associated with its development and have been helpful factors in its upbuilding and progress. David D. OWEN was born April 26, 1837, on the farm which he still owns on section 9, Richland township, his parents being Timothy and Jane (DEVER) OWEN. He was reared to farm life and pursued a district school education. Having reached adult age he was married November 18, 1868, to Miss Emma L. BEQUEAITH, a native of Tazewell county, Illinois, and a daughter of John and Elizabeth (KING) BEQUEAITH, both of whom were natives of Ohio, the former born November 1, 1820, and the latter January 7, 1821. Her parents removed from Ohio to Indiana at a very early day and in 1832 came to Illinois, establishing their home about four miles southwest of Pekin, in Tazewell county, where they continued to reside until 1881, when, retiring from the work of the farm, the father purchased a home in Pekin, where he resided until his death, on the 29th of September, 1893.
Mrs. OWEN was born March 11, 1851, and was educated in the public schools of Pekin. At the time of her marriage she went with her husband to the farm upon which they resided until 1901, when they removed to Lacon, where they now live. Mr. OWEN still owns the farm, which comprises three hundred and twenty acres of rich and arable land, constituting one of the best farm properties of the locality. Mr. OWEN also owns city real estate in Chicago, while his wife has a beautiful residence property on Buena Vista avenue in Pekin and a farm of one hundred and twenty acres about three and a half miles from that city.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. David D. OWEN have been born five children: Louis R., Jay J., Walter D. and James K., all yet living, while Timothy D. died in childhood.
Mr. OWEN votes with the republican party, which he supported in 1860 when Lincoln was first candidate for president, while in 1858 he also voted for republican candidates for state and local offices. He has held some local positions of political preferment and yet cannot be said to be a politician in the sense of office seeking, preferring always to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs, wherein he has prospered as the years have gone by.
Extracted July 2011 by Norma Hass from Past and Present of Marshall and Putnam Counties Illinois, 1907.
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