In the passing of Cornelius W. Esmond at his home in Utica township, on Friday
morning, La Salle county lost one of its most respected and substantial
residents. Mr. Esmond was born in Saratoga county, N.Y., April 20, 1828, a
son of Dr. Wright J. and Sarah (Robens) Esmond, natives of the same county,
and both born in 1806. When Cornelius was a lad of five years, his parents
emigrated to Calhoun county, Michigan, and twelve years later, or in 1845,
came to La Salle county and settled in Ottawa. They had a family of four
children--O.W., Thomas D., Pruella and Sarah. The elder Esmond was a
botanical doctor and enjoyed a large practice, often being obliged to employ a
physician to assist him in attending to the many calls for his attendance. In
1853 he and his son Thomas, who was also a physician, went to California and
never returned to the East. The father died during the year of 1872 and the
son, Thomas, survived him only one year.
When Cornelius was twenty-two years of age he began working for Jas. Clark and
in 1855 he moved to his farm of eighty acres which he bought with the savings
accumulated from his wages. From this beginning, he gradually and
persistently accumulated larger tracts of land until his real estate holdings
in La Salle county have attained a considerable amount. In 1852, he was
wedded to Anna Brown, of Montgomery county, Indiana. He bride was the
daughter of Samuel and Lovina (Akers) Brown, and a sister of Mrs. A. O.
Croslar.
To the union were born seven children--Orra B., Pruella A., Thomas W., Achsa
L., Samuel O., Amasa O., and Effa N. Six of the children survive, Effa,
having died when seven months old.
