James A Sweet was born at Fayette, Seneca county, New York, March 9, 1812, and is one of the earliest settlers of Garden Plain, arriving there on the 20th of September 1839, and locating at Parker's Grove. He afterwards settled at his present place, at Garden Plain Corners. Mr. Sweet was married at Lyndon, Whiteside county, February 29, 1845 to Miss Judith Greenborn a native of Greensborough, Vermont. This estimable lady, so long and so favorably known in Garden Plain and the surrounding towns, died on the 8th of April 1877. Her excellence as a woman, and her devotedness as a christian, had endeared her to all, and her death was widely mourned. The children of this marriage are as follows: James L, born May 14, 1847; Sarah E., born March 24, 1849; Margaret, born September 20, 1850; Hiram E., born April 16, 1852; Esther, born October 24, 1853; Edward S., born February 3, 1857; Emma, born October 5, 1861; Willie, born July 19, 1863, and Ernest, born December 10, 1866. OF these Esther died January 22, 1864, and Willie, March 20, 1865. James L. married Esther Emmons, October 19, 1869, and lives in Garden Plain; Sarah E. married Lilburn Slocumb, July 2, 1873, and lives in Kansas; Margaret married Freeman Hanna, September 20, 1872, and lives in Garden Plain; Hiram E. married Mary George, December 29, 1875, and lives in Garden Plain,
Edward S., and Emma reside at home.
Mr Sweet is one of the representative men of Whiteside county. Active, clear headed, vigilant, and of undoubted integrity, he was early selected by his fellow citizens to fill positions of public trust. In 1844 he was elected Sheriff of the county, and held the office two years. The duties of this important position were never more faithfully performed than by Mr. Sweet during his term. For nearly ten years he was Postmaster at Garden Plain, and has also been Supervisor and Assessor of the town for several terms each. He has always taken a deep interest in education and has been a member of the School Board for many years. His residence is at Garden Plain Corners, and most of his land lies in that immediate vicinity.
Bent & Wilson History of Whiteside County Page 213
James A. Sweet, a resident on section 14 is one of the earliest of the permanent settlers of the township of Garden Plain,having located within its borders in September, 1839. Mr. Sweet was born March 11, 1811, in the town of Fayette, Seneca Co., N. Y. He is the oldest son of Lemuel and Elizabeth (Ackerman) Sweet. His grandfather and father were natives of Rhode Island, and were among the Pioneers of the Empire State. They both died in Seneca County. The Ackerman family, from whom Mr. Sweet is descended in the maternal line, were from New Jersey, and were of Holland descent. Mr. Sweet was reared on his father's farm. He was carefully educated, and on his father's death, in 1837 although only 6 years of age he readily obtained a position as a teacher. He spent nearly ten years in that occupation before coming to Illinois. He traveled from his home to Erie, Pa., by canal and steamboat, and thence by, stage to Pittsburg, whence he journeyed by steamboat on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to St. Louis. He was attacked by illness at that place, and nearly a month elapsed before he recovered. He went from there to Quincy, and remained until September, when he proceeded up the river and landed at Albany where he met his uncle Stephen Sweet, who had secured claims in the township now known as Garden Plain. From him he purchased a tract of land lying on sections 14 and 24, which he secured at the land sale at Galena, Oct. 21, 1839. Later in the same autumn he entered 80 acres on section 4 of the same township.
Mr. Sweet taught school in Albany the winter ensuing, and in the spring following he went back to his former home in the State of New York, and there resumed teaching. He continued in his native State until the spring of 1842, when he returned to his claims of land in Whiteside County. In the winter of 1842-3 he taught his last term of school at Albany. He was married at Lyndon, in December 1845, to Miss Judith Green. The estimaule young pair began their housekeeping in a log cabin, on the southwest quarter of section 24, where they lived two years, removing thence to the homestead on the southeast quarter of section 14. A small frame house sufficed for their needs, and it is now included in the commodious dwelling which has been constructed by later additions. The place is in valuable condition. The excellent wife and mother died in April, 1877. The family included nine children, seven of whom reached mature life: James L. was born May 14, 1847; he enlisted when 17 years of age, and served through the war, he married Ellen Emmons, and went to Kansas; after a residence there of two years he returned with his family to Garden Plain, where he was a resident until his death, May 22, 1885; Hiram E. married Mary George; Sarah is the wife of L. W. Slocumb, and they reside in O'Brien Co., Iowa; Maggie is the wife of Freeman Hanna, of Walla Walla, Oregon; Edward S. live in Garden Plain, as do Emma and Ernest; Esther and Willie are decease.
The abilities of Mr. Sweet were early recognized and made available in the local government. In August, 1844, he was elected Sheriff, and by virtue of his office was Assessor of the county. He heldthe office two years. In 1845 he was appointed Census Enumerator for the county of Whiteside. He has ueen Supervisor and Assessor and was Postmaster at Garden Plains for many years. He has been School Director several terms, and in all his official life has pursued an undeviating course of integrity and uprightness. He is considered a representative of the best elements in social and public life in the county. He was a Whig in early life, but has been an uncompromising Republican since the formation of the party.
Portraits and Biographical Pg 658
