Person:Anthony Hakes (1)

Rev. Anthony Hakes, who is closely connected with the farming and stock-raising interests of Hallock Township, of which he was an early settler, as one of its most intelligent and successful agriculturists, is also engaged in ministerial work here, he being one of the leading ministers of the Seventh Day Baptist denomination, and has filled the Advent pulpit in this place for twenty years. He used to preach here in early times, often conducting funerals, not only here but in various parts of the county, and may well be regarded as a pioneer preacher. He holds a warm place in the hearts of the people far and wide, regardless of creed.

Our subject was born in the township of Berlin, Rensselaer County, N. Y., June 22, 1817. His father, Rensselaer Hakes, was also a native of that county, from which he derived his name. He was born in the township of Berlin in 1788, of an old and respected family. He grew up to the life of a farmer and was married, in his native county, to Lucy Eymer, also of that county. After marriage they lived on the old homestead that had been his birthplace until her death, when she was in middle life. She left a family of six children, five of whom are yet living, four sons and one daughter, and one daughter is dead. Mr. Hakes was married a second time, Lucinda Hendrick, a native of New York State, becoming his wife. They came West as far as Illinois and settled on a small farm at Lawn Ridge, in this county, and there both died, he in 1862, and she a few years prior to that, when she was past sixty years old. He rounded out a busy life at seventy-four years, and left an honorable record as a virtuous upright man and a true Christian. They were both devoted members of the Regular Baptist Church.

Anthony Hakes was the second son and fourth child of his parents, and was reared in his native State and county, coming thence to Illinois in 1845 when he was twenty-eight years old, with his brother Alanson (of whom see biography on another page of this work). The two brothers purchased forty acres of wild land with a log hut on it, and this was one of the first homes that was built out on the prairie. They made some improvement and by subsequent purchase, became owners of large tracts of land. Our subject personally has owned about three hundred and fifty acres of land, one hundred and sixty of which he has given to his children. He has a choice farm on section 30, Hallock Township, which has been his home for thirty-five years, arid the substantial improvements that make it one of the best in its vicinity are the work of his own hand. The farm comprises one hundred and sixty acres under good tillage and well supplied with all the necessary farm buildings.

The Rev. Mr. Hakes has been connected with the ministry here the most of the time since he came to the county. He began his work by presiding at funerals and was called far and near when ever a death occurred among the settlers, and at one time was known all over the county. He has preached for all orders, never having made religion a subject of controversy. After he had been here a good many years he wag regularly ordained by an association of Seventh Day Baptists at Walworth Wis., and for the past twenty years, as before mentioned, has preached acceptably before the Adventists of this locality, and has often been called upon to fill the pulpits of different churches in the township.
Our subject had been married in his Eastern home in his native county, before he took up his abode in the Prairie State. The maiden name of his wife was Susannah Saunders. She was born in the Empire State, September 29, 1821, a daughter of Charles and Mary (Lamphere) Saunders. Her parents died in this county, where they spent their last years, coming here from New York, and settling on a farm with their son William. They were natives, respectively, of Rhode Island and New York, and were married in the latter State. Mrs. Hakes was one of four children of the second marriage of her father. She was carefully reared and became an adept in all household affairs, and has greatly assisted our subject in the prosecution of his labors, both as farmer and as a minister. She is the mother of two children - Mary S. and Egbert E. The latter, who married Mary Rankin, lives on his father's farm; Mary is the wife of Julius Potter, a farmer of Akron Township, and they have two children - A. U., a merchant at Edelstein, and Edna, at home.
As a man of wisdom and probity of character, our subject is naturally selected by his fellow-citizens to fill offices of responsibility and trust, and three times he has been called upon to represent the township on the County Board of Supervisors, and he has been Assessor and has been otherwise connected with the management of public affairs. Politically, he is a firm advocate of the principles of the Republican party. A man of deeply earnest, religious nature, it is pleasing to him that his wife and children are of the same faith as himself and are active supporters of the church.

Anthony Hakes was born in Berlin, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., June 22, 1817, and died at West Hallock, Ill., Jan. 28, 1892.
During a season of general revival, in which many young people were brought to Christ, he became the subject of saving grace, put on Christ by a public profession, and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was early encouraged by his Methodist brethren to engage in active Christian work and in the exercise of his gifts as a public speaker. Some six or seven years later he became a convert to the Sabbath, and in July, 1842 united with the Seventh-day Baptist Church of Berlin, and received, the following month, Aug. 5th, a license from that church to preach the gospel.
September 17, 1842, he was united in marriage with Susan Saunders, of Berlin, who still survives him, and with whom he had lived, in mutual affection, care, and helpfulness, nearly fifty years. There were born to them, after their removal to Hallock, Ill., a daughter and a son, Mary, wife of J. A. Potter, and E. Eugene Hakes, both of West Hallock.
In the fall of 1844, Bro. Hakes and wife left Berlin, spending the winter in Allegany Co., N. Y., and in the following spring, 1845. together with Deacon Dennis Saunders and family, started, by way of the Allegany, Ohio, Mississippi, and Illinois rivers, for Farmington, Fulton Co., Ill., where several Seventh-day Baptist families had already located. The first part of the journey was by a lumber raft on its way to market at Cincinnati. From Pittsburgh, Pa., Bro. Hakes and wife pursued their journey by river steamboats to Peoria, Ill., and arrived at Farmington early in June. In the following August he left Farmington, and, with his brother Alanson, purchased lands and settled in the township of Hallock, Peoria county, some thirteen miles or more north-east of Farmington. Here, on the sparsely settled, and to a large extent unbroken prairie, Bro. Hakes and family began, with a resolute purpose, their experience in Western pioneer life.
From year to year other Seventh-day Baptist families settled near him, and in 1849 Sabbath meetings were permanently established. By the general desire and choice of his brethren Bro. Hakes was called to occupy the responsible position of leader and preacher in the effort to maintain these meetings and build up the cause of Christ on this new and promising field. In 1852 the Seventh-day Baptist Church of Southampton was organized, Bro. Hakes being one of most active and earnest promoters of the organization, himself and wife, and some twelve or more other brethren and sisters signing the articles of faith and entering into covenant as its constituent members. Bro. Hakes' life-work has been largely on this field, and from its organization he has been its steadfast friend and generous supporter. In July, 1856, by vote of the church he was called to ordination, and by its request, on the 28th day of September, 1856, during the Tenth anniversary of the Seventh-day Baptist North-Western Association, held with the church at Walworth, Wis., he was set apart by appropriate forms of ordination to the work of the gospel ministry. All of those taking part in the public services of the ordination, Eld. N. V. Hull, preacher of the sermon; Eld. Stillman Coon offering the consecrating prayer; Elder Leman Andrus giving the charge, and Elder James C. Rogers giving the hand of fellowship, have, like Eld. Hakes, been called from their labors into rest.
During the two years which followed the ordination of Eld. Hakes he proved himself a faithful and efficient yoke-fellow with Eld. J. C. Rogers, who was at the time, pastor of the church, doing, in the meantime, considerable evangelical work in surrounding communities. After the close of Eld Rogers' pastorate and his removal to Wisconsin, Elder Hakes was called to the pastorate, in which relation he continues some eight or ten years. During the period the church increased in the number of its membership nearly three-fold. After the close of his pastorate, and during those interims when the church was for the time being without a pastor, he was ever found ready and willing to serve the church as a supply, and do what he could for the upbuilding of the cause and the maintenance of the institutions of the Lord's house. He was successful in revival work, and through the opportunities open before him, was, under the blessing of God, the means of winning many souls to Christ, not only among his own but also among the people of other denominations.
Eld. Hakes cherished the Word of God with devote love and reverence, and by methods generous and practical sought to promote its study and the knowledge of its truth. In harmony with this desire and effort it was to him an apparent pleasure to distribute, a few weeks before his death, to the young people of the West Hallock Sabbath-school, beginning with those old enough to read, sixteen nicely bound Oxford Teachers' Bibles. These had come in the fulfillment of his promise made the year before, through the Superintendent, that those who answered correctly each week during the year two Bible questions, the answer of one to be found in the Old and of the other in the New Testament, should each receive a copy of the Bible. The method led to much reading and study of the Bible on the part of the young people, while the Bibles, coming so near the close if his life will be cherished as precious souvenirs of the friend who bestowed them.
He was a man of good ability, mature in judgment, a wise counselor, pure and upright in character, an earnest and effective preacher of the gospel, and had won for himself the confidence and esteem of a wide circle of friends and neighbors. In his death his family have lost a devoted husband, father and friend; the church a sincere friend and generous supporter, and the cause of Christ one ever ready and willing to do his part for its upbuilding. Stephen Burdick, West Hallock, Ill., April, 1892.