BIOGRAPHY - SILAS HEVENER
Silas D. Hevener owns and operates an excellent farm of one hundred and twenty acres, situated on section 18, Pella township. He is a native son of Illinois, his birth having occurred on a farm near Little Rock, Kendall county, on the 2d of December, 1861. His parental grandparents were Andrew H. and Betsy E. Hevener, the death of the former occurring in 1840, while the latter died in 1859. His parents were Robert and Lossie M. (Rogers) Hevener, both of whom were natives of the Empire state, the birth of the former having occurred in Oneida county, October 13, 1835.
The father spent his boyhood and early youth on a farm in his native state but at the age of seventeen years, believing that he might enjoy better business opportunities in the then "far west," he made his way to Illinois, settling in Kendall county, where he was employed at farm labor during the succeeding decade. Believing his first duty was to his country, he then responded to the call for troops to do service in the Civil war, enlisting on the 14th of August, 1862, as a member of Company K, One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Illinois Infantry, under Colonel John H. Van Armen. The regiment was mustered in at Chicago, Illinois, from which city they at once made their way to Memphis, Tennessee. His regiment met the enemy at Chickasaw Swamp, where a hard battle ensued. Under General Grant he then participated in the siege at Vicksburg, where in the first charge the regiment lost sixty men in less than an hour. He then participated in the battles at Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain. The regiment then went into winter quarters at Larkinsville, Alabama, and on the 1st of May started for Atlanta. Being ill, Mr. Hevener was detailed to drive a team for the surgeon, and while not actively engaged in field duty, was present at the battles of Resaca, Buzzard's Roost, Allatoona Pass and others of minor importance. Continuing the march from Atlanta to the sea, Mr. Hevener met with an accident, by which he was incapacitated for service and after spending five months in the Jefferson Barracks Hospital at St. Louis, he received an honorable discharge in June, 1865. Following his service in the army he returned to Kendall county, where he resumed his farming operations, being thus engaged for three years, subsequent to which time he removed to Ford county, where he bought an unimproved tract of land of eighty acres, this being located in Pella township. He built a commodious country residence and added many outbuildings to the place and there made his home during the remainder of his life. He was a public-spirited man and was called to fill many positions of honor and trust, serving as constable, township trustee and town supervisor. His political views accorded with the principles of the republican party. It was on the 15th of February, 1859, that he was married in Kendall county, to Miss Lossie M. Rogers, and this union was blessed with a son and daughter, but the latter, Mary, died when four years of age. The death of Robert Hevener occurred in 1898 and was the occasion of deep regret to his many friends, for during the long years of his residence in Ford county he had come to be known as an upright, honorable and conscientious citizen. His widow, however, still survives and is yet making her home on the farm in Pella township.
Silas D. Hevener is the only surviving child of his father's family. He remained under the parental roof until he reached mature years, having in the meantime attended the common schools near his parents' home, while later he attended the high school at Piper City, after which he engaged in teaching for one term. Agricultural pursuits, however, proving more congenial to him, he then resumed farming, having purchased a farm adjoining the homestead, which constitutes a portion of his present home place. He has since added a forty-acre tract, so that his place now embraces one hundred and sixty acres, situated on section 18, Pella township. He is engaged in raising the cereals best adapted to soil and climate and each year gathers rich harvests as a reward for the care and labor which he bestows upon the fields.
In 1883 Mr. Hevener was united in marriage to Miss Alice L. McLean, who was born in Henderson county, Illinois. Her parents have now reached the venerable age of eighty-one years, and make their home with their daughter, Mrs. Hevener, she being one of a family of six children. Mr. and Mrs. Hevener have one son, Floyd, and they have also adopted a daughter, Dora. The son has been afforded liberal educational advantages, having pursued a university course at Normal, Illinois. He is now engaged in teaching at Martinton, Illinois.
Following in the political footsteps of his father, Mr. Hevener gives his political support to the men and measures of the republican party and has been called by his fellow townsmen to fill some public office, having served as supervisor of Pella township for six years, while for several years he served as a school director. He and his wife are members of the Reorganized Church of the Latter Day Saints. Mr. Hevener is a worthy representative of an honored pioneer family of Ford county. He has spent his entire life here and is therefore widely and favorably known, commanding the high regard of all with whom he has been associated.
Extracted 17 Oct 2016 by Norma Hass from History of Ford County, Illinois, From Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, author E. A. Gardner, Volume 2, pages 811-813.
