The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-12-04
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
JOHN AND MARTHA HOssACK.
EVhheh Buthday-A Scotch Donia s-Que.
bec-Marr'age and Migration to the States
Settle at Ondoa in lSi9-Pohtics
The Anh stareyy Movement
in Illinois.

tletn anniversary VI HIS DlTtn mat event
occurred on his fathers farm ia Elgin, Scot
land lie was the Oldest of twelve children,
half of whom still live. At the age of twelve
years, the family crossed the sea and landed
at Quebec. John had had three winters
schooling end was initiated into the myster.
les Of Assembly's catechism, and was piously
brought up in the Presbyterian way, in the
established Kirk. His Dominic nevertheless,
often played cards all night of Saturdays
and went to bed drunk in the small hours
Sunday mornings. But he would be at his
post at eleven to expound the gospel, though
sometimes excusing himself from second ser.
vice on account of headache"
In Quebec the boy was at once apprenticed
at a store and began his life's work, to earn
his bread, in the sweat of his brow. What
sort of boy he was suggests itself to US in the
line, "Ihe child is father of The man"
On April %, 1888 he wooed, won and
1916, when three years oil. Her father
having died the previous year, the mother
made her home with the daughter. After
five years of welded life the family started
Tor the states, the free institutions, prairie
farms, the growing towns OF the new west.
They reached Chicago in 1898, when that
city had but half the pOpul tion OttawG has
now, Soon after he took contract for work
on The Illinois nd Michigan canal, making
his home at Lockport. When the state could
no longer get money to 60 on with the work
lie retired to a farm. There for five years
he earned the bread for his growing family,
himself shipping from Chicago some of the
first grain exported from that city. In these
years he had experience in the hardships of
the settlers Of new country lie was among
the pioneers, familiar with very plain
''dongs" indoors and at home, and with
rough and hard work without. The young
wife was vigorous helper and is still to-day
his stay and staff, counselor and helper.
Whatever they may have lacked it was not
self denials or hard work.
In lS49, they sought Ottawa for a perman-
ent home. Here Mr.. Hossack entered into
the lumber trade, with his family living
above his office in the old Edwards building
Mt the corner of La Sale and Clinton streets.
The lumber yard soon extended to the side
cut on both sides of the street; the business
grew; the making of doors, sash, shutters and
the like, brought customers from wider
bought corn. His children in the mean time
getting more schooling possibly, in single
year. than John had altogether grew up in
numbers and strength, in Drawn and brain.
Seven boys and four girls, comfortable
house-full! In 1866, daughter married
Capron Richardson and Mr.. Hossack about
1857 withdrew pretty much from his lumber
trade for grain buying, with Richardson as
partner. In 1856 through partially of his
friends, and without his knowledge he
was put up as candidate for governor of
Illinois and DR.. j. Stout as secretary of state
The tick ct had over 1000 votes, but Richard
Yates took the chair.
Hossack had been from the first free
soiler and an anti.savery man. lie aad
seen enough Of tyranny in the old world,
when a lad, and left his native land for
home where men of toll would not be crushed
by property holders The murder of Elijah
P. Lovejoy in Alton, in 1887 (afer destruc-
ton by the mob, of his printing presses)
first lighted the fires of indignation in his
heart and made him an intense and lifelong
antagonist to our slave holding system. He
had made this country his home and had the
vital interests of a family entrusted to him.
lie believed that he feared God and loved
his fellow men, but his warme,t sympathies
in this business were with the oppressed, the
enslaved and subject class. This made him
ready, when occasion called for it, to open
his doors for a bakers dozen of fugitive
slaves at time, and having fed and lodged
them, send them on to the next station.
Though not often having work of this kind
on so large scale, it was well known that
he was ready for it and had the grace and
grit to do it and face the consequences like
man. The sneaking slave hound better keep
away from his warehouse.
1t came about in 1859 an OPT ,tunity Of
interposing aid was presented in this city.
Jim Gray having run away from Mr.. Phillips
in Missouri, was arrested and put in Jail in
Union county, Illinois, under an unconstitu-
tional enactment. writ of habeds corpus
obtained from Judge Cation of the Supreme
Court, commanded the jailor to produce jim
in Ottawa, to inquire by what authority he
was held. On the way here Phillips, the
master, obtained a warrant from the United
States marshal authorizing him to take his
home with him to Missouri. Judge
Cation as he was Obliged to do, by his oath Of
office, discharged Jim from his imprisonment
under state law, but allowed him TO be held
under the law of the United States. By the
i al of hrOka