History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

200 HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
and past eminent commande]' of the connnandery. He also served
as prelate in the connnandery for nine years. He is a member
of the consistory, having attained the thirty-second degree, there
remaining before him only the last and honorary degree, the
thirty-third. The sj^irit of Masonic teaching has found exempli-
fication in his life and at all times he has endeavored to follow its
tenets concerning mutual helpfidness and brotherly kindness.
WALTER S. EARLL.
Walter S. Earll is a representative of the best type of American
manhood and chivalry. By perseverance, deternunation and honorable
effort he has overthrown the obstacles which bar the path
to success and has reached the goal of prosperity, being today
owner of one of the leading commercial enterprises of Dixon—the
Earll grocery store, which was established in September, 1904.
Mr. Earll is a native of Tunkhaunock, Pennsylvania, born in
1857 and is a son of S. W. and J. A. Earll, who in the year 1858 left
the east and brought their family to Illinois, settling in Rochelle.
Later they removed to Grand Detour, Ogle county, where the
father engaged in farming, continuing in tliat pursuit until his
life's labors were ended in death.
Walter S. Earll acquired a public-school education which was
supplemented by a course in Bryant & Stratton business college
of Chicago. He afterward went to Leadville, Colorado, where he
remained for a year and later spent eight years in the hardware
business in Augusta, Kansas. In 1891 he arrived in Dixon, where
he entered the employ of the grocery firm of Morris & Sons, being
thus engaged mitil 1904, when he embarked in l^isiness on his own
account. He was ambitious to engage in merchandising for him-
self and while acting as clerk, carefully saved his earnings until his
industry and economy had made the sinn sufficient to enable him to
form a ]iartnership for the conduct of a gi'ocery business. In September
he was a junior member of the firm of Moyer & Earll. They
opened a general line of groceries and the business prospered from
the beginning, their trade increasing year by year. In 1909 Mr.
Mo3^er died and in July of that year the business was i-eorganized
under the name of the Earll Crocery Store, of which Walter S.
Enrll has since been sole proprietor. He carries a large and care-
fully selected line of staple and fancy groceries and as a business