Cornelius Vroom is contributing to the
continued prosperity of Nelson Township
as an industrious farmer, who is profitably
carrying on his calling on his well-tilled farm of
eighty acres of land, which is provided with good
improvements, and is in a pleasant locality. advantageously situated just east of Nelson Station,
on sections 16, 17 and 20, his residence being on
the first mentioned section.
Mr. Vroom was born on Staten Island, April 28,
1840, coming of the old Dutch stock that peopled
New York in Colonial times. His father, Henry Vroom, was a native of New York, and spent the
most of his long life on Staten Island, dying there
in 1889, at the age of eighty-five years. He was
a shoemaker and a farmer, devoting his latter
years to agricultural pursuits. His wife, whose
maiden name was Elizabeth Christopher, survives
him, and is still living on the old homestead.
She is now eighty-three years of age, and her life
has been wholly spent on the island where she was
born. She is a devoted member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, as was her husband. He was
an old-line Whig in his politics until the formation
of the Republican party, when he transferred
his allegiance to that great political organization.
The paternal grandfather of our subject, Henry
Vroom, Sr., was a native of the Empire State, and the blood of Holland ancestry ran in his veins.
He always lived in the State of his nativity, the
most of his life being passed as a small farmer on
Staten Island, where he died at the home of his
son Henry, at the age of eighty-three years. His
wife was also a native of New York, and she died
on Staten Island when very old. Both were
strong Methodists in religion, and he was a Whig
in politics.
Our subject is the third child of a family of
four sons and a like number of daughters, of whom
seven are yet living, and are all married. He is
the only one residing in Illinois. He was reared
under wholesome home influences, principles of
right doing being early instilled into his mind,
and when he went forth into the world, a youth
of nineteen years, he was well-equipped for life's
battles. It was then, in 1859, that he came to this
county, and has since lived in Nelson Township.
He was poor in purse, but his sturdy spirit,
ability to work, and thrifty habits have placed
him in an independent position. In 1869 he had
sufficient means to purchase his present farm, and
then began farming and stock-raising on his own
account. He has placed every foot of his land
under a high state of cultivation, and has his
place fitted up with every convenience for carrying on his operations successfully. He is a man of
steady habits and stable character, always strictly
honest in money matters, and his neighbors and
associates have a high opinion of him. He and
his wife are attendants at the Methodist Church,
giving liberally of their means to its support, and
heartily co-operating with its Pastor and other
members of the congregation in promoting all
plans for social or moral improvement of the community. In politics, he is a Republican.
By his marriage in Union City, Branch County,
Mich., with Miss Libby, daughter of Henry and
Harriet (Swift) Trear, our subject secured a wife
who is devoted to his interests, and is a cheerful
and capable helpmate. She was born in Erie
County, Ohio, April 27, 1840, but she was mostly
reared and educated in Branch County, Mich.,
whither her parents removed when she was a child
of six years. Her father was horn in Germany,and
came to the United States when twenty-seven
years of age. He was married after coming to this country, his wife being a native of New York. After the birth of all their children, they left the home that they had established in Ohio, an settled on a farm in Branch County, Mich., where they lived until death removed them from the scene of their labors at a ripe age, he being seventy-one and she seventy-four when they passed away.
They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and were truly good people. He was a Republican in his politics. Mrs. Vroom is the fifth of the family of four sons and three daughters born to her parents, of whom but one, the youngest son is dead, all the other, with the exception of Mrs. Vroom, still living in Michigan.
1892 Portrait and Biographical Record Lee Co Pg 197
