LEWIS PETRIE, a well known farmer of Lincoln Township, resides on a well improved farm of one hundred and fifty acres on section 15, and which is one mile north of Haldane. He is a native of the county, born in Maryland Township, May 7, 1849. His father, Jonas Petrie, was a native of Washington County, Maryland, born April 1, 1809, while his grandfather, Philip Petrie, probably of the same county, was of German parentage. The latter was a commissioned officer in the Revolutionary Army, and the sword that he carried in the service is now in possession of our subject. His death occurred in 1854, in Maryland Township, Ogle County.

Jonas Petrie was reared in his native county and there married Miss Emily Weaver, also born in Washington County, Maryland, and they became the parents of eight children, all of whom grew to mature years, and but one now deceased. Frances married Daniel Stouffer, and they now reside in Adeline, Ogle County; David resides in Black Hawk County, Iowa; Jonas is living in Union County, Iowa; Jacob came west, but married and remained on the old home farm in Maryland Township, Ogle County, Illinois. He is the deceased one. Upton resides in Iowa Falls, Iowa; Freedline resides in Clinton, Iowa; Mary C. is the wife of Samuel Bovey, of Black Hawk County, Iowa; Lewis, of this review, completes the family.

In early manhood Jonas Petrie was engaged in freighting over the mountains of his native state. The favorable reports from old friends and neighbors who had come to Ogle County induced him to come also. He arrived in this county with his family in May, 1840, and first located in Mt. Morris Township. He only remained there a year or two, however, and then entered two hundred and forty acres of land in Maryland Township, to which he removed. His farm was within two miles of the present village of Adeline. He there reared his family, and later moved to Forreston, where he lived a retired life, dying there July 23, 1880. His wife survived him but a few months, passing away in November of the same year. They were laid to rest in the cemetery at Adeline. They were highly esteemed people. By his friends and neighbors he was elected to various local offices of honor and trust. He was a member and active worker in the United Brethren Church, as was also his wife.

On the old home farm in Maryland Township, Lewis Petrie grew to manhood, and in the district schools received his education. He remained at home, assisting his father in the management of the farm until the latter's removal to Forreston. He was married in Stephenson County, Illinois, August 24, 1869, to Miss Margaret Ellen Heitman, who was born near Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland, and daughter of Joseph Napoleon Heitman, a native of Germany, who removed to the United States when a young man, locating in Maryland, where he followed his trade as stone mason. He was married in Martinsburg, Virginia, to Miss Anna Fry, a native of what is now West Virginia. After his marriage, he came to Stephenson County, Illinois, arriving in that county in 1852. To Mr. and Mrs. Petrie five children have been born. Anna May died at the age of six years. Charles A. will graduate in the Northwestern Dental College in the class of 1899; he has taught seven terms of school in his home district. Carrie A. is the wife of Oliver Long, a farmer of Lincoln Township. Daisy A. and Howard A. are yet at home and are students in the home school.

After his marriage, Mr. Petrie located on the old home farm, which he operated a number of years, and in the meantime purchased the farm where he now resides and to which he removed with his family in 1882. Since his removal to his present farm he has made many improvements on the place, including the erection of a large and neat residence, large barn and various outbuildings, and the planting of orchard and shade trees. He now has one of the best farms in the township.

Politically, Mr. Petrie is a Democrat, the principles of which party he has advocated during his whole life. His first presidential vote was cast for General Hancock. For about twenty years he has served as school director, and for a large part of the time as president of the board. No other office has he cared for, and he only would serve as school director from the fact that he took great interest in the public schools. A lifelong resident of the county, he has always had its best interests at heart, and has done what he could to subserve those interests.

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