History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

386 HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
clerk until 1873. lu 1876 he went on the road as traveling salesman
for the Moline Wagon Company, which he represented until
1893. In June of that year he was appointed United States
marshal for the southern district of Illinois, and discharged the
duties of that jjositiou in a capable manner for four years. He
next bought an interest in the Peru Plow Company in 1897 and
was its president until 1905, when he came to Dixon and entered
upon active connection with the Grand Detour Plow Company as
its president. Mr. Brinton was a director of the National Associ-
ation of Manufacturers of Implements and Vehicles for several
years and was its president for one term. For sixteen years he
was treasurer of the state democratic committee. He has received
appointments from republican officials, Governor Yates having
made him a commissioner to the Pan-American ExiDosition in
Buffalo, while Governor Tanner apjjointed him Illinois commis-
sioner to the Omaha Exposition. He has been a delegate to
national conventions of his party held in Denver, Colorado, and
in Baltimore, Maryland. He has never been active as an office
seekei', but in 1911 his fellow townsmen prevailed upon him to
become the mayoralty candidate and at the election in April he
was chosen to the office for a four years' term.
In 1875 Mr. Brinton was united in marriage to Miss Rhoda E.
Wyeth of Tuscola, Illinois, and they now have two children:
Helen, at home; and Bradford, a Yale graduate of 1904, who is
now secretary and treasurer of the Grand Detour Plow Company.
Fraternally Mr. Brinton is a Mason, and has attained the Knight
Templar degree.
:, WILLIAM H. GONNERMANN.
A spirit of enterprise and progress actuates William H. Gonnermann
in all that he does. He has worked diligently and per-
sistently to develop and improve his farm, which is today a fine
]»ro]ierty of one himdred and sixty acres in Bradford township.
He was born in this township December 1, 1867, and is a son of
Henry and Katherine Gonnermann. natives of Germany. The
parents came to America in 1866 and located in Lee county, Illinois,
where the mother died in 1902. The father makes his home
in Franklin Grove.