Source: History of Whiteside County, IL; William W. Davis, M. A.; Vol. II; 1908
Transcribed by: Denise McLoughlin
www.tampicohistoricalsociety.citymax.com

Page 1314

J. T. NICEWONGER

J. T. NICEWONGER, a farmer and stock man of Garden Plain township, was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, January 23, 1851, his parents being Joseph and Margaret (HULL) NICEWONGER. The ancestors of the family came to America at tan early dayand settled in Pennsylvania. The HULL family came from England also at an early period in the development of the new world. Joseph NICEWONGER engaged i freighting between Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore, Maryland, prior to the days of railroad transportation, and was a man of prominence and influence in his community, cooperatinig in many movements for the public good. At one time he was colonel of the home guards. After his marriage he still continued to drive what was then called a line team, and transported goods from one point to another, becoming well known along the route which he followed. After some years spent in freighting he purchased a farm in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and turned his attention to general agricultural pursuits. He died in 1869, at the age of sixy-eight years, while his wife survived until 1892, and passed away at the age of seventy-six. They had a large family of children: Levi, who is deceased, while his family resides near Stockton, California; Daniel, who died leaving his family in Albny, while one son is nnow living in Belvidere, South Dakota; Jane, the wife of Samuel FRY, of Latrobe, Pennsylvania; Catherine, who has passed away; Jacob T., who is deceased, while his family resides near Greensburg, Pennsylvania; Josephine, deceased, who is the widow of James HORINGTON; M. Hayes, living in Stockton, California; Sina, the wife of William REXROAD, of Newton, Kansas; John, of this review; George, deceased, while his widow resides near Stockton, California; Margaret, who was the twin sister of George, and is the widow of George Van NEST, of Hampton, Iowa; and Samuel C., who is residing in San Francisco, California. Following her husband's death, Mrs. NICEWONGER removed with the family to Rock Island county, Illinois, in 1871, and located at Hillsdale. She remained there, however, for only a year and a half, and then came to Whieside county with her son, J. T. NICEWONGER, the eldest of the family. They established their home in Garden Plain township, and the subject of this review worked for his brother, Daniel, on a farm. The latter was one of the early settlers of the county, locating here immediately after the Cival war.

John NICEWONGER acquired his education largely in Pennsylvania, and attended school for a year and a half after coming to this county. He was in his brother's employ for two and half years, and early learned the value on untiring industry and unfaltering diligence. He was married January 22, 1874, and purchased a farm in Union Grove township, where he resided until 1885, when he removed to the Garden Plain district and rented land for eleven years. In 1890 he purchased the place upon which he now resides, comprising one hundred and twenty acres of improved land, for which he paid fifty dollars an acre. This property is today worth one hundred and twenty-five dollars per acre, owing to the natural rise in value, but more to his cultivation and the many improvements he has placed upon it. In its midst stands a substantial residence, and thee are also good barns and sheds. He did not move to this place until 1896, since which time he has made it one of the most delightful farms of Whiteside county. In addition to tilling the soil, Mr. NICEWONGER makes a specialty of raising fine Duroc Jersey hogs, and has won a number of prizes upon them when exhibiting them at the county fairs. For a number of years he has also been breeding draft horses, and has gained the reputation of raisng some of the finest horses of this breed in the western portion of Whiteside county. He has gained various blue ribbons on his stock at the Whiteside county fairs, held in Morrison, and in 1907 won the prize for three-year-oldswith a stallion called Charley, with white markings. He is now nearly four years old, weighs sixteen hundred pounds, and stands sixteen and a half hands high. He is of Percheron stock and will be one of the finest stallions in the section of the state when fully grown. Mr. NICEWONGER is also the owner of some of the finest mares of the county. He takes special pride in his stock, as well as in the products of the fields, and in both branches of production has only the best grades.

Mr. NICEWONGER was married in 1874 to Miss Lovicia O. VAN NEST. The first VAN NEST who came to America was Peter PETERSON VAN NEST, who arrived from Holland in 1647 and settled in New Jersey. His son, George VAN NEST, was the father of Abraham VAN NEST, and the latter had a son, John VAN NEST. His son was John VAN NEST, second. John VAN NEST, second son of John and Dinah VAN NEST, was born September 12, 1767, and died February 28, 1822. He married Ida BERGAN, March 13, 1794. Her birth occurred November 22, 1775, and she passed away October 12, 1852. They were the parents of ten children: Eliza, John Bergan, Abraham, George, Dinah, Christopher, Sarah Bergan, Peter Bergan, Moriah and Catherine.

Peter BERGAN VAN NEST, born March 11, 1812, was the father of Mrs. NICEWONGER. He came to Whiteside county in 1837, located in Albany and there engaged in blacksmithing until 1853, when he removed to a farm in Garden Plain township, where he resided until his death, May 21, 1885. He was married in Albany, December 18, 1842, to Nancy OLDS, a daughte of Cheney and Anna (WALKER) OLDS. Her father came from Massachusetts to this county in 1838 and followed the shoemaker's trade in Albany. When Mrs. VAN NEST became a resident of that place there were only twelve families living in Albny, and the Indians in the surrounding country were far more numerus than the white settlers. This was Black Hawk's favorite hunting ground, and the Indians were loathe to leave this region. Mrs. VAN NEST experienced all of the hardships and privations of pioneer life, but lived to see many changes in the county where she was called to her final rest, November 25, 1887, when sixty-three years of age. They were both members of the Congregational church, of which Mr. VAN NEST was deacon for many years. Their family numbered ten children, eight of whom reached years of maturity, namely: George D., who is now deceased, while his family resides in Hampton, Iowa; Henry B., of Peabody, Kansas; Ida E., the deceased wife of Herbert SIMPSON; Lovicia O., now Mrs. NICEWONGER; Sarah E, the wife of James COYNE, of Garden Plain; Walter C., of Albany; Willie W., of Lyons, Iowa; and John F., of Albany.

Mr. and Mrs. NICEWONGER were the parents of three children: Nancy M., the wife of Clarence SWEET, of Gaden Plain township; Maude L., the wife of Jesse SLAYMAKER, of Newton township; and Ida V., at home. The parents are members of the Presbyterian church of Garden Plain, of which Mr. NICEWONGER has served as elder for eighteen years, and as Sunday-school superintendent for fifteen years, while in 1905 he was delegate from the Rock River presbytery to the general assembly at Des Moines, Iowa. His wife is equally interested in church work with him, and they do all in their lives they exemplify their religious faith in the close adherence to the teachins of their denomiination. Mr. NICEWONGER is also greatly interested inpolitics, and is a stalwart republican who keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day, and upon all subjects pertaining to the pblic welfare. He is honored and respected by all who know him for his many excellent traits of character, his kindly actions and his upright purposes, and his many friends will receive with pleasure this record of his career.