Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-08-24
w. HI. DEVORE DEAD.
A County Pioneer Passes to His
Reward.
DIED AT PORT BYRON THIS MORNING

Sketch of His Life and Something of His
business Career During HIS Long Resi-
dence In Rock Island County = The
Funeral
W. II. Devore died at his home in
Port Byron at l o'clock this morning
of complication of kidney troubles.
with which he had been afflicted for
a year.
With the death of MIR. Devore
passes away another of the pioneers
OF Rock Island county, one whose
relations to the commercial develop
ment Of the county are of considera-
bly, more Importance than those of
few other men identified with our
early history. He was born Aug. 20.
1918, at Uniontown, Pa. His parents
moved into Ohio when he was vet
quite young, and hence he had only
the prescribed advantages of the son
OF a pioneer in the way of schooling
Nevertheless, when Is, he obtained
the consent of his parents to make
his own way in the world. Until he
was % he put in his summers at
farm work and with his earnings at
tended school in the winter. For
two years following 1889 he was en-
ployed in a grocery at Akron, Ohio.
Then he went south, obtaining
work on the lower Mississippi,
serving most of the time as sec
ond clerk and saving his earn
inGs, and in 1914 he came to
Illinois. He purchased so acres of
wild land at Sharon, Henry county,
and two years later he sold it and
purchased a farm in section Z. town.
ship Is north, range 5 east. of govern
ment land. and in Rock Island
| county. Three years he devoted to
agricultural pursuits, and he then
became 49er, being one of a party
OF 40 who with "a wagons and ~
yoke of oxen left Illinois MAY /. 1919.
and iourneyed across the continent,
arriving at Fort Vancouver. Oct. Is
of that year. He obtained employ
ment as a lumberman at Milwaukee,
| Ore, and he was so engaged until
March, 1850, when he went to San
Francisco, and thence to Ell Dorado
|
ated as a miner. Later he embarked
in mercantile pursuits at Birds Val
ley, Cal, and later Jonas Barber, a
former resident of Port Byron, be-
came associated with him. A year
later the firm disposed OF its
interests and the two decided
to return east. starting by
steamer on the Pacific ocean, for
Realio, Central America. thence by
land to Leon and Granada, where
they crossed Lake Nicaragua to For,
San Carlos, whence they pursued the
San Juan river to San Juan de Near
aqua. From there they sailed on
the English war steamer, Tay. to
Chagres on the Isthmus of Panama.
At that port they embarked on the
United States steamer, Philadelphia
for New Orleans. They came up the
Mississippi to st. Louis. aud then
came by stage to Sharon in Henry
county. arriving there early in 1851
Came to Port Byron.
Having had enough of adventure
and having seen about as much of il
as many people in America in thosj
days. Mr.. Devore resolved to settl,
down. On January q of the yea
last mentioned. he formed partner
ship with A. j. Brown, and the mer
camille house OF Brown Il Devore o
Port Byron was established. In 1866
Mr.. Brown retired because of failin.
health, Mr.. Devore remaining alone
and the same year he founded hi
/ banking business. A year later W
j. Shepherd was admitted in partner
ship and continued in the firm unit
his death in 1871. In 1877 Mr.. De
: wore abandoned commercial affairs
and since then has devoted himsel
exclusively to financial matters. hi
bank at Port Byron becoming one o
the soundest and best known in tn
upper end of Rock Island and Scot
counties. year ago when falling
health compelled him to relinquisl
his business interests, he sold hi
bank to Simonson d Shafer. He re
tired with Il comfortable fortune. tn
fruits of his energy, industry an
ability.
Mr.. Devore and Miss Eliza Boards
lee were united in marriage i
October, 1914. The widow SUI
wives, the only child being Mrs.
w. Simonson, of Port Byron.
The funeral will be held from tn
Congregational church at Port By
ron ut O'Clock Sunday afternoon
the Masonic society officiating at tn
grave.
Police Poyuts