History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

126 HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
New York, lie made his way westward to Frauklin Grove, Illinois,
where he arrived May 7, 1855. He immediately began farming,
first as a wage earner and later on his own account. Subsequently
he and his brother, Claude, purchased eighty acres and operated
their farm with oxen. He continued active in agricultural pursuits
to the time of his death on the ith of Febi'uary, 190-1. He
owned more than fourteen hundred acres of fine land at the time
of his demise. His wife, born November 8, 1845, in Commune
St. Souvere, Canton Luxeuil, department of Haute-Saone, accompanied
her parents to America in 1858, arriving at New Orleans
and thence proceeding by river and stage to Portsmouth,
Ohio. She was married April 1, 18G2, to Modest Salastine
Gehant and then came to Lee county. They had a family of eight
sons and six daughters and with the exception of two daughters
all are yet living.
Xavier F. Gehant acquired a limited country school education
but has become possessed of wide general information. He has
been a close student of books along lines of I'esearch work, of social
develoi^ment and of political and i-eligious history. The occupation
to which he was reared he has always followed and has been
a successful farmer, becoming well-to-do by reason of his thrift,
industry and close application. In ])()litics he is independent,
voting as his judgment dictates, fie belongs to the Masonic fraternity,
having attained the Knight Templar degree in the commandery
at Dixon. At various times he has filled public offices.
In early life he served as school director for nine years, was town
tax collector for two years and town clerk for seven years in
Viola township. He was also made a member of the board of
drainage commissioners of the inlet swamp drainage district, hav-
ing served for nine years with a three years' term yet to serve, hav-
ing recently been I'eappointed.
Mr. Gehant was married in Dixon, February 32, 1885, to Miss
Lena Mary Gallisath, a daughter of Francis and Mary Ann Gal-
lisath, who are of German descent. Hei- father was born in the
village of Ageshime, depai'tment of Llaut-Rhin, or upper Alsace.
Germany, August 20, 1828. He came to America in 1835, set-
tling at Centerville, Pennsylvania, and in early life he worked on
the farm and in the fields. In 1853 he married and afterward
conducted a general store at SummeT'hill, Pennsylvania, for three
years. In 1861 he became piivate secretary to Governor Girton
to draft soldiers for the Civil war from Cambria county, Pennsylvania.
He was mavor of the citv of Cambria from 1862 until 1864