History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY 141
seeker, was always interested in the welfare and progress of the
community. He died in 1866, his wife remaining on the old homestead
until the time of her death, which occurred in 1903, when
she was buried by his side in May township in what is known as
the Sandy Hill cemetery.
John P. Harvey is the youngest of seven children. The family
included but one daughter, Mary who died at Cheyenne, Wyoming
in 1874 when twenty-six years of age. A brother, Charles
died at the age of twenty-seven and both he and his sister are
buried with their parents in Sandy Hill cemetery The others of
the family are Thomas E., attorney at law at Lead, South Dakota,
he being one of the attorneys who tried the first civil suit in the
Black Hills, and was also the first postmaster of Custer City
which was one of the earlier mining camps of the Hills ; James, a
farmer of Marion township; Peter, a farmer of Denison, Iowa;
and Michael, who occupies the old homestead.
The education of John P. Harvey was acquired in the country
schools which he attended until seventeen years of age, after which
he devoted his attention to the work of the home farm until he
was twenty years of age, and then entered the employ of the Illinois
Central Railroad as a bridge worker and was thus employed
foi' four years. He then returned to the home fai'm, where he
remained for a brief period, but subse(iuently became a fireman
on the Illinois Central Railroad.
He was later apix)inted, and served for two years, as a police
officer, afterwards serving as marshal of Amboy for eight years.
He next became an employe in the Charles C. Jacobs Bridge &
Iron Works, in which he was advanced to the position of manager,
acting in that capacity for several years before purchasing the
business in 1908. He is now at the head of one of the important
industrial enterprises of Amboy, enjoying a business which is
constantly growing in extent and importance. His long training
in mechanical lines has well qualified him for the important duties
which now devolve upon him and which have brought to him a
substantial measure of success.
At Amboy on the 6th of January. 188.5, Mr. Harvey was
united in marriage to Miss Bridget Sparks, a daughter of Michael
and Bridget (King) Sparks. Her father, who came to Lee coimty
in the '70s was an employe of the Illinois Central Railroad Company.
Both he and his wife have passed away and their remains
were interred in St. Patrick's cemetery at Amboy. Mr. Harvey
owns two residence properties which he has recently remodelled-