History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

388 HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
pies. It was at that time a tract of wild prairie land, which with
characteristic energy the father cultivated and improved, making
it in time an attractive and valuable farm. S. Vosburgh was
one of the prominent men of affairs in Lee county in early times
and held various positions of public trust and responsibility, serving
for seven years as supervisor, for four years as township
assessor and also as trustee and school director. He is now living
retired at Lee, in De Kalb county, having survived his wife since
March, 1912. Her death occurred when she Avas seventy-eight
years of age, and she was laid to rest in the Ellsworth cemetery.
The Vosburgh family is of Dutch origin, and the paternal an-
cestors came from Holland to this country in very early times.
Representatives of the maternal lines fought in the Revolutionary
war.
W. H. Vosburgh acquired his education in the district schools
of Lee county and afterward spent two years in Jennings Seminary
in Aurora. When he was twenty-one years of age he turned
his attention to teaching, following this occupation in the district
schools for live years. At the end of that time he located upon the
old homestead and has since operated this property, raising grain
and stock. He has met with a gratifying degree of success and is
known today as a substantial and progressive agriculturist.
In Shabbona township, De Kalb county, Illinois, June 9, 1898,
Mr. Vosburgh married Miss Addie M. Cutts, a daughter of Samuel
and Mary Cutts, the former a pioneer of that locality. Both
have passed away and are buried in the English cemetery in Shabbona
township. Ml', and Mrs. Vosburgh are the parents of a
daughter, Margaret, who is attending district school. Mr. Vosburgh
is a progressive republican in his political beliefs and has
served as township supervisoi" and school trustee. He is inter-
ested in the development of the community in which he has spent
his entire life and where his name has been held in high honor and
respect since pioneer times.
P. G. TYRRELL.
P. G. Tyrrell, who owns one hundred and thii^ty acres of excellent
land on sections 3 and 10, May township, is a native of Lee
county, born in Marion township, November 25, 1866. He is a
son of John and Mary Tyrrell, the former of whom came to this