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HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.
"Declaration of Independence" in 1776. Mr. Merrill died Jan. 9, 1887, and his widow, July 12, 1893.
CHARLES J. METZNER (deceased), lawyer, Aurora, Ill., was born in 1834, in Dresden, Germany, where he grew to manhood and received a college education. While still a young man he came to the United States, and for a time lived in Erie, Penn., but accompanied the family to Wisconsin, where he learned a trade. When he settled in Aurora, it was with the intention of engaging in manufacturing, and he gave his attention to manual labor until he met with an accident that confined him to his room for several months. After his recovery he read law with Judge B. P. Parks, and was admitted to the bar in Aurora. For some time Judge Parks and Mr. Metzner were associated together in their practice, but after that, except for a short time, Mr. Metzner was alone in his practice for the rest of his life. For eight years he was State's Attorney, but with this exception held no official position, preferring to devote his entire time to his professional labors. He died in 1876, at the age of forty-two years, recognized alike by his contemporaries at the bar and the genera! public as one of the leading lawyers in this part of the State. An ardent Republican, he took an active part in various campaigns, speaking in both English and German. In the Presidential campaign of 1872 he made nearly one hundred speeches in nine different States. In 1861 he married Miss Susan Pinney, daughter of Columbus Pinney, a pioneer settler of Aurora. Their children are Carl E. and Arthur W., of Chicago, and Mrs. William H. Holmes, of Aurora.
ALBERT W. MIGHELL (deceased), son of Ezekiel and Lucinda (Todd) Mighell, was born at Dryden, Tompkins County, N. Y., July 30, 1832, and came with his parents to Illinois in early childhood and grew to manhood in Sugar Grove Township, Kane County. The environments of his youth were those of the pioneers, and his education was obtained in the old-time country schools. He engaged in farming in early manhood, and followed that occupation until 1870, when he removed to Aurora, where he passed the remainder of his life. During the later years of his life he was not engaged in business other than the care of his estate. He died May 23, 1896. In 1863 he married Ellen Curry, daughter of Thomas Curry, who settled in Sugar Grove Township in 1853. Mrs. Mighell was born at Peekskill, N. Y., and lived there until she was fifteen years of age. She survives her husband and still resides in Aurora. Their living children are: Ida, of Chicago; Lee, of Aurora; Wynn, of Sugar Grove, and Jessie, of Aurora. The eldest of the children, Mrs. Olive (Mighell) Powers, wife of Rev. P. W. Powers, of Elburn, died in 1899.
EZEKIEL MIGHELL (deceased), pioneer settler; born in Rutland County, Vt., Dec. 24, 1799; reared on a farm in his native State, and followed agricultural pursuits in that locality until about 1831, when he removed to Tompkins County, N. Y., where he resided until 1837; came to Illinois in the latter year, making the entire trip-except from Buffalo to Detroit-by wagon. He first settled near the site of Piano, Ill., and a year later removed to Sugar Grove Township, Kane County. This was before the public lands came into market, but Mr. Mighell purchased a land claim and later acquired title from the Government. He was one of the first to bring lands under cultivation in this region, and became a large land owner and a remarkably successful agriculturist. He was a pioneer of excellent character, carrying great influence among his contempo-
Dundee Area History
