The Biographical record of Livingston and ... - University Library

:THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.and Cordelia, widow of William Watsona laro^e liarii. In 1848 they rented tlie hotelnow living in Wisconsin : Clarissa, deceased ;religious services were prayer meetings heldiiiid that summer returned east t)n a visit. and a resident of Pontiac.but in 1849 took chargfe i)f the property..\t intervals Mrs. Owen continued toWhile thus employed Mr. Fellows died of conduct her hotel for many years, it beingcholera in the summer of 1849. ^"d ^^^'^ '^* rented in the meantime. She made hertheir children, aged seven and two years, l-.ome on Water street until 1899. when herrespectively, died of the same dread disease. present elegant home on North Main streetHaving lost their three other children prior was built. It is supplied with all modernto this time. Mrs. Fellows was thus left conveniences and accessories, including electricalone. For over a year she carried on thelight, hot water, etc.. and here, sur-hotel and farm, hut found it a very difficult rounded bv every comfort, she is spendingtask.her declining days, loved and respected byIn the fall of 1850 she married Xelson all who know her. Her youngest sister,Buck, a surveyor and nurseryman of Bloomington,Marv (].. was also one of the pioneers of thewhere he was engaged in business county, locatin? here about the same time asfor some years. For several years they Mrs. Owen, and her home was two milesconducted the hotel and also the farm, and li]) the river. Her first husband was Mr.their place became the leading hostelry in Burgett, her second Mr. Fricks and her thirdthis section. In those early days before the Mr. Winslow. .\fter her last marriage sherailroad was built drovers often stopped at lived f>n a farm two miles from Pontiac. buttheir house in large numl)ers. One man spent her last days in the city, dying at thev.onld come in an hour in advance of the rest, home of Mrs. Owen February 16. 1900..saying that twelve or fourteen men would For her third husband our subject marriedbe there for supper. They also had a largeElijah Owen, who came from near El-barn for the teams of the manv movers passingn-.j-a. Chemung county. New York, and dur-through this part of the state at that ing his active business career engaged intmie. In the spring of 1854. when the Chicagofarming but later lived retired in Pontiac.S: Alton Railroad was built, they Mr. Buck laid off two additions from herboarded the construction hands and did an original farm and Mr. Owen laid off the ren'.ainder.extensive business. Mrs. Owen has. entertainedthe additions being known as.\braham Lincoln, Judge David Buck's first and second additions and Owen'sDavis and other illustrious men. Her husbandaddition. Her name appears on many ofreceived api^ointment to conduct the the deeds of this place. She was one ofj;overnment survey between Kansas and Xe- the original stockholders of both of the national1 raska. and while thus engaged he and hisbanks of Pontiac and has displayedl>arty were killed by the Indians in July, remarkable business and e.xecutive aliility inT86g. Thus she \vas again left alone with a tl.e management of her business affairs.h'Tge pri)pertv to care for. including the She united with the Presbyterian church infarm, hotel and city lots. Mr. Buck had Pont'ac on its organization, and has sincethree children by his first marriage, namely been one of its active and prominent members.W'illard. a soldier of the Civil war, who isWhen she first located here the only