History of Kane County 0837

              HISTORY   OF   KANE   COUNTY.
 
837
 
 
 
as City Treasurer two years, and, in 1902, was elected as the first Clerk of the Probate Court of Kane County, to serve four years. Mr. Klein was married in 1876 to Miss Harriet Wilson of Aurora.
ASA B. KNAPP (deceased), farmer, Maple Park, Kane County, was born in Brattleboro, Vt, March 22, 1809, went to New York as a boy, and made his home at Sodus, Wayne County, until 1849, when he removed to a farm in Geneva Township, Kane County, Ill., living there until 1865. The latter year he located on a farm three miles south of Maple Park, where he lived until his death, July 16, 1882. He was twice married; first in 1836, to Miss Mary A. Storm, and, after her death, in 1847, to Miss Amanda McKee, who was born and reared In Vermont. Mrs. Knapp survives her husband and is now (1903) living in Batavia at the age of eighty-seven years.
L. HAMILTON KNAPP, railway engineer, Galesburg, Ill., born in Sodus, N. Y., Jan. 7, 1841, son of Asa B. and Mary (Storm) Knapp, was reared to manhood in Kane County, Ill., and in 1861 enlisted in the Union army, as a member of the Seventh Kansas Cavalry. After a four years' service at the front he returned to Kane County and entered the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company, in which he has since been engaged, and for the past thirty years has made his home in Galesburg.
MILTON M. KNAPP, in Government service, Washington, D. C., born in 1856, near Batavia, Ill., is a son of Asa B. and Amanda (McKee) Knapp, and was educated in the public schools of Maple Park and at Clark Seminary, in Aurora. After leaving school he was engaged in the insurance business for some years at Batavia. In 1889 he secured an appointment in the Census Bureau at Washington, and for six years worked under that appointment. In 1899 he again became connected with the Census Department, and is still engaged in that capacity.
ROBERT LAKE, born in Aurora, Ill., Jan. 23, 1858, was reared in his native city, and there received his educational training. After leaving school he was connected for four years with the Kansas City, Port Scott & Gulf Railroad, meanwhile making his home in Kansas City. Returning to Aurora in 1883, he has since been engaged in the sand and gravel business of that city. In 1887 Mr. Lake was married to Miss Alice Lancaster, daughter of Lafayette Lancaster, of Aurora, and they have one child, Delos L. Fraternally Mr. Lake is a member of the Order of Elks.
RUSSELL LAKE was born in Aurora, Ill., Nov. 2, 1863, where he grew to maturity and obtained his education in the West Side (Aurora) city schools. He learned the machinist's trade in boyhood, and for several years worked at his trade with the Hoyt Brothers Company, of Aurora. Later he was engaged in the sand and gravel trade and sidewalk construction, and afterwards gave his attention to the plumbing and steam-fitting business, being at the same time interested in farming. Mr. Lake and his brother Robert have always been closely associated in business affairs, and they still own a considerable portion of the old Lake estate.
THEODORE LAKE (deceased), pioneer settler, born at East Bloomfield, N. Y., Feb. 14, 1801, son of Henry and Abigail (Spring) Lake, was reared and educated in Buffalo, N. Y., and Conneaut, Ohio, and in 1820 went to Detroit, Mich., where for a time he was in the employ of Capt. Sam Ward, who afterwards became a noted vessel-owner of that city. With his first savings he began trading with the Indians of the Lake region, continuing in this line of business for several years, and then, in company with his brother, Saphua Lake, was engaged in general merchandising at Conneaut, Ohio, for nine years. In 1834 Saphua Lake came to Illinois, visiting the site of Aurora, and as a result of his trip purchased for himself and his brother all of the McCarty claim on the west side of the Fox River. The following spring the brothers came to Aurora and opened the first store in that city. Saphua Lake returned to Ohio, but the subject of this sketch continued to be a prominent resident and property owner until his death, Feb. 16, 1876. Mr. Lake platted two additions to the city of Aurora, and Lake Street perpetuates his name in this connection. He substantially aided many pioneer enterprises and helped lay the foundation of many of the city's churches by his generous donations.