Charles M. Chase owns and operates a good farm of one hundred and sixty-four acres, which is pleasantly located about a quarter of a mile east of the village of Granville. He was born in New Hampshire, May 21, 1849, and is a son of J. P. and Suah B. (Brown) Chase, both of whom were natives of New Hampshire. When their son Charles was a little lad of six years they came from New England to Illinois and settled upon a farm in Bureau county, near Arlington. Three years later the father sold that property and for several years cultivated rented land in La Salle county. In 1860, however, he removed to Livingston county, where he purchased a farm near Dwight, there residing until his death. His wife died upon the old homestead there in 1896, while Mr. Chase passed away in the fall of 1905, at the ripe old age of eighty-eight years. In the family of this worthy couple there were thirteen children, four of whom are yet living, as follows: J. K., who resides on the old homestead farm in Livingston county; George, who is located near the old homestead; Josiah, who makes his home in Oshkosh, Wisconsin; and Charles M., of this review.
In taking up the personal history of Charles M. Chase we present to our readers the record of one who is widely known in this part of Putnam county. As stated, he was but six years of age when his parents left the old Granite state and came to Illinois. He was reared under the parental roof, being early trained to habits of industry and economy, as he assisted his father in the work of the fields. When there was a respite from the active duties of the farm he attended the district schools, acquiring there a fair English education. At the age of twenty-five he left home and was married to Miss Isa Weymouth, a native of Vermont, who at the time of her marriage was making her home with an uncle, Charles E. Barnard, of Putnam county, who is mentioned on another page of this volume.
Throughout his entire life Mr. Chase has carried on general agricultural pursuits. His first purchase of land made him owner of a tract of sixty-five acres located in La Salle county on the meridian line. He there resided until 1895, when he purchased and removed to his present farm in Granville township, Putnam county, comprising one hundred and sixty-four acres of good land which is under a high state of cultivation. It is known as the French farm and is pleasantly located about a quarter of a mile east of the village of Granville. Everything about the place presents a well-kept appearance and the fields are carefully tilled, bringing forth good harvests. In addition to this work, Mr. Chase deals quite extensively in cattle, buying, feeding and selling as high as four carloads per year. This is therefore an important branch of his business and brings to him a good income. He is an excellent judge of stock and therefore makes judicious purchases and profitable sales. He also owns land in Wisconsin near Oshkosh and has recently returned from that locality, where he visited his brother.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Chase have been born three sons: Warren W., Frank W. and Joe W., all of whom are at home and assist their father in the work of the farm and the care of the stock. Mr. Chase and his family hold membership in the Congregational church at Granville, and he is in politics a republican, with prohibition tendencies, sometimes voting for the prohibition candidates. He is a large man, of genial disposition, affable manner and kindly nature, who wins friends wherever he goes and is quite popular with those with whom he has come in contact. His business interests have been carefully conducted and have made him a prosperous farmer.
Source: Past and Present of Marshall and Putnam Counties Illinois authored by John Spencer Burt and W. E. Hawthorne in 1907, page 489.
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